Report Offensive Message
Hear here!
I used to teach a youth job club and was a motivational speaker who helped people who couldn't find work, get back on track.
Forget everything you know, pick up a phone book, or Google your local yellow pages. Figure out WHERE you want to work. Write a pitch that introduces yourself and focuses on your strengths and offers teh company a value added proposition, research the company PROPERLY, CALL (with a telephone, which you can Google if you are not familiar with live voice calling), get the bosses name. No gate keeper can stop you from getting a name after a bit of practice. Find out when he/she is available and call again ONLY for the boss. Skip HR, regardless of company policy.
SPEAK to the BOSS. A worst case scenario is that the boss says to call HR, have him transfer your call directly to HR, when they get an applicant that the boss just passed to them, you will be seen and not screened out without your resume being looked at (damn resume bots!). I've been told on TR before that "my company would never let you through to the boss, they would default you to HR, it's policy. Having done this for a few decades now, I can only say, pshaw! They are just gatekeepers that are scared to put your call through, they are also scared to NOT put through a call the boss would want to take though.
I've worked for companies where you get to walk in the first day and look at that gatekeeper with a smile and introduce myself. After her telling me there's no possible way the boss would hire directly. Sure, here I am anyway, is that my desk and can you hold my calls for a few hours while I get settled in please?
Do the same for 40-50 companies, within 2 WEEKS (not 9 months or more of recruiter resumes)you WILL have a job. In the average class of 15-20 85% were employed full time in a job they actually wanted AND they got to negotiate salary. The remaining 15% either went back to school for more training or took an internship.
It works because they are usually not screening piles of resumes because most employers aren't actually hiring when you call, but are often thinking about it. Even employers that have no plan on hiring will usually take you on simply due to your tenacity, skill and drive.
On the other hand, a few years ago the company I worked for shut its doors and moved east to Toronto, I wouldn't move, so I left. I have a fat severance package so I idly sent out resumes for the next 8 months, maybe a half dozen or so per day through online ads, recruiters etc. and got NOTHING!
I finally ran low on money and decided I better get my act together, wrote a pitch (yes, I still do it too) printed off all the companies in specific industries that I actually wanted to work for and hit the phone.
One company had a strict HR department with a three month hiring process, phone interview, online evaluation test, two personal interviews and then a wait and see what they come up with time. They were up front and described the process to me, this was when I was asking for the boss. I found the bosses name online (LinkedIn) and then called and asked for him directly. It took multiple calls and almost a week before I got put through and actually spoke to him. I was working full time for him the following Wednesday, 5 days after our first conversation. I bypassed all the strict HR policies and went to work instead. I suppose dozens of others had been going through the time wasting process when it was cut off with "we've already found a suitable candidate but will keep your resume on file for 6 months in case something comes up".....sure you will.
Again, I am told ALL THE TIME, that this doesn't work, but it hasn't failed me yet. Others I have helped this way fit every walk of life you can imagine, from housewives returning to work, high school drop outs, people with criminal history etc. They ALL work around set routines and find the job THEY want.
Forget everything you know, pick up a phone book, or Google your local yellow pages. Figure out WHERE you want to work. Write a pitch that introduces yourself and focuses on your strengths and offers teh company a value added proposition, research the company PROPERLY, CALL (with a telephone, which you can Google if you are not familiar with live voice calling), get the bosses name. No gate keeper can stop you from getting a name after a bit of practice. Find out when he/she is available and call again ONLY for the boss. Skip HR, regardless of company policy.
SPEAK to the BOSS. A worst case scenario is that the boss says to call HR, have him transfer your call directly to HR, when they get an applicant that the boss just passed to them, you will be seen and not screened out without your resume being looked at (damn resume bots!). I've been told on TR before that "my company would never let you through to the boss, they would default you to HR, it's policy. Having done this for a few decades now, I can only say, pshaw! They are just gatekeepers that are scared to put your call through, they are also scared to NOT put through a call the boss would want to take though.
I've worked for companies where you get to walk in the first day and look at that gatekeeper with a smile and introduce myself. After her telling me there's no possible way the boss would hire directly. Sure, here I am anyway, is that my desk and can you hold my calls for a few hours while I get settled in please?
Do the same for 40-50 companies, within 2 WEEKS (not 9 months or more of recruiter resumes)you WILL have a job. In the average class of 15-20 85% were employed full time in a job they actually wanted AND they got to negotiate salary. The remaining 15% either went back to school for more training or took an internship.
It works because they are usually not screening piles of resumes because most employers aren't actually hiring when you call, but are often thinking about it. Even employers that have no plan on hiring will usually take you on simply due to your tenacity, skill and drive.
On the other hand, a few years ago the company I worked for shut its doors and moved east to Toronto, I wouldn't move, so I left. I have a fat severance package so I idly sent out resumes for the next 8 months, maybe a half dozen or so per day through online ads, recruiters etc. and got NOTHING!
I finally ran low on money and decided I better get my act together, wrote a pitch (yes, I still do it too) printed off all the companies in specific industries that I actually wanted to work for and hit the phone.
One company had a strict HR department with a three month hiring process, phone interview, online evaluation test, two personal interviews and then a wait and see what they come up with time. They were up front and described the process to me, this was when I was asking for the boss. I found the bosses name online (LinkedIn) and then called and asked for him directly. It took multiple calls and almost a week before I got put through and actually spoke to him. I was working full time for him the following Wednesday, 5 days after our first conversation. I bypassed all the strict HR policies and went to work instead. I suppose dozens of others had been going through the time wasting process when it was cut off with "we've already found a suitable candidate but will keep your resume on file for 6 months in case something comes up".....sure you will.
Again, I am told ALL THE TIME, that this doesn't work, but it hasn't failed me yet. Others I have helped this way fit every walk of life you can imagine, from housewives returning to work, high school drop outs, people with criminal history etc. They ALL work around set routines and find the job THEY want.
Posted by aidemzo_adanac
15th Jan
