Applying to Places Not Hiring: A Wise Move or Not?
Are you in desperate need of a job? If you are currently unemployed or if you truly think that your current job is making you “crazy,” you may be. When it comes to finding a new job, especially in a hurry, there are many individuals who think that the more job applications they fill out or the more resumes they submit, the better their chances of finding a new job are. But, what about the employers who are currently not hiring? If you are wondering whether or not you should fill out a job application or submit your resume to a place that isn’t hiring, you are not alone.
When it comes to determining whether or not you should submit a job application or drop off your resume to a place that isn’t hiring, there are a number of important factors that need to be taken into consideration. Perhaps, the most important factor is if you know for sure they are not hiring. When it comes to filling out job applications, there are many applicants who try and determine, upfront, whether or not there are any positions available. If you happen to stop by a local business or call to ask about hiring and get a negative response, you may not want to submit an application anyways, especially if you gave your name. This tends to create a bad impression; an impression that states that you don’t necessarily listen to what you are being told.
Now, there is a difference between knowing in advance that a business isn’t hiring versus being told as soon as you go to turn in your job application or your resume. If you are told when you are submitting your resume or job application, it is advised that you ask about the future? Does the company representative that you are speaking with think that they will be doing any hiring in the future? If so, you may want to think about asking them to hang on to your job application or your resume for future use. In some states, employers are required to save all job applications and resumes for about a year. Of course, if the business in question later advertises the fact that they are hiring, you are advised against automatically assuming that your resume is still on file. You may want to call, just to make sure.
One of the few downsides to applying to places that aren’t necessarily hiring at the current moment is the timing. As it was previously mentioned, many employers are required to save any job applications or resumes that they receive for a period of time, like a year. This is nice because some employers decide to not even advertise the fact that they are hiring, instead many just go through the resumes or job applications that they accumulated overtime. The only problem is the overtime part. You may have submitted your application eight months ago and only end up getting a response now. If you are like many job seekers, you should be able to find a job in as little as a few weeks, sometimes a month or two at the most. That means that by the time your application or resume gets noticed, it may already end up being too late.
As a reminder, the decision as to whether or not you want to apply at a place that isn’t hiring is yours to make, but it is advised that you proceed with caution when doing so. If you are told that applications are not being accepted at the current time, even just to hang on to, you are advised to cut your loses and move on. The last thing that you want to do is create a scene or try to convince an employer to hang on to your application, as you may end up creating a bad name for yourself; one that may haunt you, you resume, or your job application for years to come.
Calling Around to Find Job Listings: Good Idea or Not?
Are you looking to find a new job? If you are, you may be looking for a local job. One that doesn’t require working from home or one that doesn’t involve you having to relocate. When it comes to finding available job listings, you will soon see that you have a number of different options. Despite having a number of different options, there are many who decide to call around to local employers, to see if they are hiring. Before doing this, you are advised to examine the pros and cons of doing so.
When it comes to calling around to local employers to determine if they are hiring or not, the biggest pro or plus side to doing so is the time that it may be able to save you. If you weren’t able to place a call, you would likely have to visit the establishment in question, drop off a resume, or fill out a job application. This can take up a considerable amount of your time, especially if it turns out the employer in question isn’t even hiring right now. Yes, your application or resume may be saved for a later date, but you may consider the time spent to be a waste of time. Simply placing a phone call, before going through the application process, will be able to save you time. If the employer you contacted isn’t hiring, your time can be better spent focusing on those who are.
Although saving yourself time is nice, especially when you are in desperate need of finding a job, you will find that most employers don’t like being contacted just to see if they have any open job positions. In most cases, you will find that those who are hiring either take out a job listing in a local newspaper or on an online career hunting or job hunting website. Many employers actually find it to be a waste of their time to answer phone calls from hopeful job applicants. Many employers even get frustrated when they are hiring and hopeful applicants contact them for additional information. Many times, the individuals being contacted have other job responsibilities; responsibilities that need to be taken care of.
Since there are both pros and cons to contacting local employers to determine if they are hiring or not, you may want to use your best judgment. If you do decide to place a phone call to one of your local employers or to a number of them, go ahead and do so, but you may want to refrain from giving your name. This will help to keep you from being remembered as the person who couldn’t be bothered to come in and personally see if any jobs were available. Many employers associate this lack of motivation as being lazy and the last thing you want to be associated with is being lazy.
In short, if it is at all possible, you are advised to try and refrain from calling local employers to see if they are hiring. As stated above, many employers will advertise the fact that they are hiring, either by taking an advertisement out in a newspaper’s employment section, by using a career hunting or job hunting website, or by placing a now hiring sign in the window of their building. Looking for these signs or job listings is perhaps the best way to go about finding a good job, without having to risk making a bad impression.
Job Breakthrough – Cheat Sheet
- Make your résumé unique.
- Make it stand out from the crowd at first glance, so that it will entice your employer to read on.
- Make sure your name is clear and typed in a large font size.
- Make your contact details easy-to-read.
- Summarise your key strengths succinctly and relevantly.
- Respond succinctly and specifically to the job advertisement. This will illustrate your ability to listen and provide correct information that answers a specific question.
- Include your career objectives or overview only if you feel comfortable doing so. Keep this section short and relevant to your experience and the position.
- Understand that this is your time to shine and show how brilliant you are. Think about your most positive traits. Be honest and positive at the same time.
- Your achievements are more important than you may think. Even if you don’t think they amount to much, your employer will.
- Keep your role duties and responsibilities to a minimum. Give a brief outline, but focus more on your achievements.
- Start with your most recent experience and work backwards. Current information is best.
- Only include relevant information. If it’s older than 5 years, omit it.
Job Breakthrough – Cheat Sheet
- Be proud of your achievements and your current situation. If you can relate your course of study to the job you are applying for, go for it.
- Ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion about what experiences you should include.
- Keep your interests section short and sweet.
- Be honest about who you are, as it will make you seem more ‘human’ in what can often be a distant and impersonal experience.
- Don’t include anything illegal!
- Inform your references about the job you're applying for, and give them as much information about your potential employer as possible.
- Choose your references carefully, and make sure they are appropriate.
- Include a range of references to demonstrate your competence over a range of fields and skills.
- Never underestimate the importance of providing the right reference. This is really important in improving your job prospects.
- A lack of professional experience does not mean a lack of skills. Think outside the box and make the most of your current abilities.
- Have faith in yourself. You don’t know what the competition is like, so there is no reason to assume you’re not the best candidate.
Job Breakthrough – Cheat Sheet
Things NOT to include:
- Date of birth (unnecessary)
- Photo (contentious, but unnecessary as well)
- ‘I have great communication skills’ – let your writing skills demonstrate this.
Final Checklist:
Your name in large, clear font
Easily readable contact details
Career objective/overview (optional)
Key strengths: linked to relevant experiences
Employment history (no older than five years)
o Includes brief outline of company
o Your role
o Key responsibilities
o Key achievements
Education (no older than five years)
Hobbies and interests: keep it brief
Inform all references of the job position and name of employer/recruiter
Proofread the whole document
No longer than 2 pages
Spell check!
Amy
Welther
Hometown:
Leesburg, VA
Title:
Sr. Manager, Talent Acquisition
Years as a recruiter: 21
Recruiting focus:
Sales, Pre-Sales, and Delivery
positions for U.S. Southeast and
Midwest Regions, as well as
positions in the Federal, Telco,
Media, and Entertainment (TME)
market segments
Linkedin profile:
www.Linkedin.com/pub/
amy-welther/0/4b4/9a3
Top 10 job search strategies:
1. Build a solid résumé—fill in gaps, call out successes, relay your value add, and customize it to
cater to the job you are interviewing for.
2. Be prepared to sell yourself—it’s not a time to be bashful.
3. Ask questions. You need to interview the company just as much as they need to interview you!
4. Keep the conversation focused on the opportunity available.
5. Know your short-term and long-term goals.
6. Don’t be late, dress to impress, and skip the perfume/heavy cologne.
7. Don’t bring up bad experiences or bad-mouth past employers.
8. Do research on the companies you’re seeking employment with.
9. Smile; be honest and engaging.
10. Have solid references and discuss your employment opportunities with them prior to them getting a call.
Top 3 common mistakes that job seekers make:
1. Embellishing past experience.
2. Not prepared for an interview.
3. Not asking the right questions.
My top recruiting sources:
1. Employee referrals
2. Personal network
3. Social networks (Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Jigsaw, Ning)
4. Military outreach/affiliations
5. EMC.com
Favorite recruiting story:
We had a Sales Manager position open and really wanted to recruit a specific individual; however, he was more
senior than the role we had to offer. We called him and asked if he would be interested in a lower-level job for less
money with a great company. Interestingly enough, his current travel schedule was too demanding, so he said yes!
Final words:
In today’s economy, the job market is very competitive. A job seeker needs to set themselves apart from the crowd.
Research the company, know what you’re interviewing for, ask yourself the tough questions, and be prepared to answer
them. You must have a full understanding of where the position you are interviewing for fits into the company’s value
stream, and be prepared to offer insight into how you will help to accomplish the overall goals of the company.
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8
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JohnSmith
123 Sample
St, Bloomfield, FL 90210
Phone: 555-6600-555
Email: youremail@johnsmith.com
CAREER OVERVIEW
With four-and-a-half years of experience in retail, I understand the
importance of meeting customers’ needs. I enjoy working as part of a team and
enhancing my work environment and relationships with others. I am a highly
committed and loyal employee.
KEY
STRENGTHS
ü Three-and-a-half
years of experience in customer service in a retail environment.
ü High level of computer skills including Word,
Powerpoint, Excel and Internet Explorer.
ü Experience with and an interest in interacting
with different types of people and matching products to their needs.
ü Understanding of the necessity of persistence
and clear communication for successful searching and selling.
CAREER
HISTORY
July 2006 –
present
Sales Assistant, A Bookshop
Having been
existence for over 20 years, A Bookshop is a business dedicated to our
customers. We provide high-quality and personalised service, and prioritise
customer needs.
Key
responsibilities
· Assisting
customers with personalised recommendations and matching products to their
needs.
· Searching
for books both on the inventory and online, and taking customer orders.
· Dealing
with money, EFTPOS machines, orders and invoices.
· Continually
restocking the shelves and keeping the shop tidy.
Key
achievements
· Establishing
a monthly book club for both staff and customers.
· Providing
friendly and customised service to each customer, and helping them to the best
of my ability, particularly with searches.
· Developing
confidence in my ability to sell products to a range of customers.
July 2009 –
Oct 2009
As one of
the leading psychological test development companies in Australia, An
Organisation strives to provide tailored solutions for companies and
psychologists.
Key
responsibilities
· Working
with others in a professional environment to create and manage personal and
team goals.
· Developing
a psychological test, A TestTM including item selection and
validation, identifying marketing strategies and report creation.
· Writing
marketing letters and making phone calls to potential clients.
Key
achievements
· Engaging
in self-directed learning in an unfamiliar context and undertaking new
challenges.
· Creating
a webpage for the A TestTM, which can be located at:
http://fakeresumetest.com
· Understanding
the necessity of structured marketing strategies in successful selling.
EDUCATION
& TRAINING
2009 Further
Studies C
Further
Qualification C
2006 – 2008
College B
Qualification
B
HOBBIES
& INTERESTS
· Writing
and reading
· Dancing
· Playing
piano
· Travel
REFERENCES
Name: A.
& B. Cee
Company: XYZ
Bookshop
Relationship:
Company owners/managers
Email: abc@xyz.com
Phone: 555-5555
Name: D.
& E. Eff
Company: Professional
Company
Relationship:
Company director
Email: def@professionalcompany.com
Phone: 666-6666
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