Multiple issues could be at play:
If you provided their names to staffing firms, they have been receiving marketing calls disguised as reference checks…to the point they refuse to take another one.
They have been instructed by HR to kindly refrain, unless they would like to join you.
They were just giving you the “yea, sure, no problem” while you were there, but now no longer feel the need to go out of their way.
I went six months without a job with a Masters degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. I applied for 56 jobs in that time and received ONE interview. I called all of my references to make sure they were still valid (they were) and I updated my resume along the way.
A recruiter called me and told me to fit in “buzz” words into my resume. Apparently, the job of HR nowadays is to let the computer filter out the best candidates based on education, experience, and the occurrence of certain words from the resume. All I did was insert a small section that listed my “skills”, which was nothing but a list of software and commonly used phrases in the industry. I had an interview and a job in less than a week.
Good luck.
About three years ago I was out of work. One of my contacts was a slimeball at an employment agency. I think he ended up screwing up one of the leads I had before I had any contact with him.
Eventually found a couple of contract jobs, and ended up getting offers for permanent employment from both of them. I probably accepted the wrong one, but the other one was stalling/lowballing on their offer.
About a year ago I was out of work again. This was pretty much the start of the current recession. Low and behold the agency the slimeball worked for (no longer there) ends up calling me with a lead, as they still had my resume from three years back. Turned into my current job which I like better than any I have ever had.
As for references, you are better off using specific people instead of a company. Companies will verify you worked there and that is it. Doesn’t have to be your old boss…a coworker can vouch that you are a hard worker and easy to get along with.
I’m wondering why this is a surprise for you.
At my old job, I was one of the hiring managers for my department. I had litterally hundreds of resumes to read through. Even though we were in a constant state of hiring new people, I still have to weed out those resumes to a managable number of candidates to phone screen.
The priority goes something like this:
-Employee referrals - essentially an automatic courtesy interview
-Ideal candidates - just the right amount of relevant hands on experience from competing firms with the right technical skills
-Good candidates - people from the right schools or companies we can shoehorn into our practice if they fit in
-Rejects - background appears irrelevant or otherwise unsatisfactory
And I decide in about 5 seconds.
Also from my experience, the reference part is at the end of the process.
And 3-6 months is pretty typical for being out of work. The old adage was one month for every $10,000 you are seeking. It could be more or less though depending on circumstances. It’s a slow process so get the idea out of your head that you are going to land something in a month or two.
I’m pretty sure you’re not going to find a job you like. Heck, I tolerate mine and I know I have it ok. No chance I would give it up, not in a heartbeat.
Y’all need to move to Nashville and go into IT. We can’t find people for positions are my company, and I’ve been called by two recruiters recently looking for people.
I would second the advice to concentrate your time on making relationships and less time on sending out resumes.
When I was last unemployed, I was introduced to the idea of information interviews. You set up ‘interviews’ (coffee) with people who already have jobs like the one you want. You ask them how they got their job, what they like about it, what they don’t and how the would recommend someone go about getting a job just like theirs.
I’m not a natural networker, but I had lots of free time, so I did it and found it surprisingly effective. People are surprisingly willing to give somebody time, especially if you are giving them time to talk about themselves. I got some good advice, but the hidden agenda is that you put into their heads “Somebody I personally know wants a job, when my boss asks if I know somebody who would fill a job similar to mine, maybe I’ll give them this person’s name.”
Also, volunteer for causes that you care about and talk to your fellow volunteers. They often work at places you’d be interested in working at. Also, volunteer to work at somewhere you like for free for a week or two. They might hire you on permanently.
I would tenth(?) that you need to be a bit more positive about this. Your attitude is pretty terrible and will infect any interview you may get.
If anything, my attitude was even worse years ago, before I went on medication. Yet I managed three times to find permanent jobs right away. I know how to smile, gush, and look cheerful and quite confident about my abilities. It isn’t difficult to do. But it’s an act. I can’t unknow what I know about the working world. At least now, it doesn’t make me wish I were dead. Thank you Cymbalta.
As for networking, I’m willing to give that a shot too. Only I don’t know too many people, working or not. I think people would find it rather unnerving if I went to random offices, asking folks out for coffee.
Zero net jobs were created in the last 10 years. Normal rates are 20-40% per decade.
Even before the recession, the rate of net job creation was only on target to be 5% or so. But that was wiped out.
In between the dying middle class, the boomers who can’t retire, the loss of nearly 10 million jobs in the recession and an anemic recovery, the job market is going to be tight for 5+ years in my opinion.
We are fucked.
Right. But we are not permitted to bitch about this, even anonymously on an internet forum because that displays “bad attitude” and a half dozen people will come in and scold you and declare “I WOULD NEVER HIRE YOU!”.
People - folks NEED to vent somewhere. It really is horrible out there. If frustrated job-seekers aren’t allowed to vent at all they’re gonna explode. So just lay off the OP (and others) who have a legitimate reason to be worried/afraid/frustrated/pissed off.
If I get my bile and venom spewed here it makes it that much easier for me to plaster on the Happy Face and go out for another round of rejection. But Og forbid anyone display anything less than a happy chirpy emotion anywhere, right?
I’ve been out of a job since 01/15/2009 - my one year anniversary is fast approaching. I hope things will be better in 2010, and I approach every day with that attitude. You need to do the same.
I agree with what others have said. Your attitude sucks. You may think that you can hide it from potential interviewers, but you can’t. Be more positive in your outlook and you will be more marketable.
To all you shiny happy people out there, I heartily recommend Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking has Undermined America.
Never a truer word spoke. She suggests that some of our economic woes may have been caused by Wall Street’s refusal to acknowledge negative realities.
It’s not that hard to understand.
Our industrial base has been exported. We are not creating / growing jobs. Government funded programs do not create long term job growth. Those jobs are dependent upon continued funding.
We need our industrial base to come back home.
In other words, shut up, pretend nothing is wrong, and don’t even admit in private you’ve had a bad day. Right. Got it.
Two Many Cats, let this be a lesson to you - never seek moral support in your job hunting here on the Dope, you’ll just get naysayers coming in and making you more depressed by saying it’s all your fault, you’re defective, etc.
Seriously, I’ve seen it for years on this forum. The scolds just can’t resist telling people who are frustrated how defective they are.
So… vent if you need to in order to get it out of your system - but do it somewhere you’ll get actual support. Keep trying. It’s rough out there. Most likely you’re doing nothing wrong, because the scary truth a lot of people don’t want to face is that right now, in this economy, you can do everything correctly and still not find work for extended periods of time.
I have managed to find some work out there. Not a lot, and unfortunately nothing permanent, but I’m managing to survive and take care of me and my husband. It CAN be done. It’s damnably hard to keep going out on the hunt and face rejection or silence every day but it’s what you MUST do.
Thank you. I was about to post Ehrenreich’s work. In the book nickel and dimed she comes down hard on the positive psychology movement (just pretend you are happy and things will work out) which encourages purging negative thoughts and feelings rather than doing something constructive with them like organizing for a more progressive taxation and job creation system.
Oh puh-lease. the guy comes here singing “Poor Little Me” after a whole month and a half of job searching. That just ain’t gonna cut it. He’s got to toughen the fuck up if he expects to get anywhere. That’s the way the world works.
Oh, pardon me, I should’ve realized that it’s gauche to air grievances before they’ve been properly aged. I’m sorry if I posted before I actually became homeless, but I thought I’d better get this thread up here before I have to sell the computer.
I’m a female by the way.
Thank you for proving my point, Oakminster. Sorry to crush your macho posturing, but not everyone responds well to the Marine drill sergeant routine.
Really, would it kill people to say “Yes, it’s tough. Yes, it sucks. No it’s not fair. Keep trying anyway.” rather than what some others have said: “I would never hire you with that attitude” which is more or less telling someone they’re irredeemably broken. Fact is NONE of us knows what Too Many Cats is like in person, or in an interview, and assuming you know from just one or two posts here is utterly ridiculous.
Or perhaps you just don’t understand that quite a few people who, suddenly running smack into today’s job hunting reality, have a moment of panic and it’s not cool to kick them when they’re down?
I actually started laughing when I read this (not at you). Misery, meet company. 22 months so I’m not quite where you are but yow, never thought I’d see an economy like this. I saw it coming and took steps to ride it out but my last company just decided out of the blue to cease operating in the United States even though they had PROFITS of over 2 billion dollars. A little warning next time please. :mad: They sucked all the oxygen out of the area BEFORE the recession hit. My fall back was to flip houses because I’ve done a fair amount of home remodeling. Thanks housing bubble. I guess I should be really happy that I could eat my savings but that’s about gone. A little discouraging to apply to companies on the internet and then see them on the news leaving the area.
Maybe we should get one of these companies to donate a factory so we can start a commune. We’ll grow weeds in the parking lot and weave them into baskets.
Try the informational interview thing. Figure out the emails of people working in positions you’d like to work in and try to spend some time with them. It works.
I’ve been out of work for a year.
I understand everything people have posted.
I probably should take some classes but I have no idea who is hiring. Maybe HVAC repair? Graphic Design?