I have a job!!!

Yes, this will be the last post on this blog. I have been at my new job for the past month, now, and I really do enjoy it. So the correct answer was not 180 days, but really, 268 days to find a new job.

So, what did I learn and what advice can I give to someone looking for a job. I do not think this is all inclusive list, but more of guidelines to follow:

1. Build a network.  Being referred by someone to the hiring manager or human resources increases your chances of an interview, but not getting a job.  I had two opportunities where one of my friends either worked at the company or knew the person hiring.  I got interviewed by both companies, but did not receive a job in either case.  Both of these interviews ended in curious manners.  One company claimed that they had changed their mind and were not hiring the position after all, and the other waited six months before letting me know that the position had been filled.

2.  Broaden your job search.  When I first started my job search I had a very narrow focus.  I was looking for a position in IT operations and maintenance.  I ended up with a new job in Software development and programming.  So, what is the lesson here?  The skills I have that allowed me to track multiple projects, trouble calls, hardware upgrades, and network systems were transferrable to software development projects.  The fact that I have not written a line of code since my college computer science programming days of Karel the robot and Basic programming language did not disqaulify me frommy new position.  The ability to manage people, understand technical software requirements, and work with clients is ultimately what got me this position.  Don't limit your search based on your current position.

3.  Online job searches are out of date.  With the exception of government or public sector jobs, most of the vacancies displayed on job boards and websites such as LinkedIn, The Ladders, etc, tend to be 1-2 weeks behind, and in a significant number of cases, the position had already been filled.  It was more effective for me to see a list of companies that were hiring and then visit their company website on a regular basis to see what jobs were available.  The only reason public sector jobs were up to date was because most are required to advertise for 30 days or more for each position.

4.  Create an internet presence.  I know of one position that I was a finalist for, but ultimately lost out on, because the person they selected had a credible internet presence.  His website was for his individual consulting company and praised his management style and IT skills and detailed his successful company of four years.  In reality, he had created a website, helped his friend, listed them as clients, and became a "consultant" overnight.  His client list was two people.  Yet, when the interview committee looked at his resume and website, that was a deciding factor about which one of us was offered the position.

5. Stay current. This applies to both technology and non-technology items. In my case, technology was a job requirement, but you should stay up to date with non technologies such as software for business use, e-mail and data storage technology, to using social media to reach customers. All of these are skills that you can offer your employer and show how you can contribute to their mission and bottom line

That is all. Thanks to my followers. All seven of you, for your help, your encouragement, and your support during my job search. A simple thank you does not seem like enough, but it is heartfelt and I will remember all of you.

Thank you

The wait is over, but no good news

I did it!  I e-mailed the HR department to find out if I had been chosen for the second round or "if they had moved forward with other candidates".  I didn't want to be a pest, but I wanted to figure out if I was still being considered.  Unfortunately, I did not get selected for the 2nd round of interviews, but I do think I built a little bit of a relationship with their HR department which if I apply to them again may be helpful.

I am still wondering why they chose someone else instead of me.  The job was for a Manager of Network Infrastructure and telecommunications.  that is may job title currently, and I thought I did an excellent job answering all the questions in the interview.  So now, I am forced to evaluate the intangibles such as my enthusiasm, verbal delivery, did I sound like a know it all or someone disagreeable who wouldn't fit in with their organization.  I keep coming back to things like this because I have now made it to four interviews where I felt I answered their questions, presented my self professionally, and yet I am still looking.  What am I missing?  If there is anyone out there who conducts interviews regularly and has an idea for me i am all ears.

That brings us back to the start.  Rip the piece of paper off and start with a fresh drawing board open to any ideas.  I am still actively looking for a new job.  I can continue to check company websites and internet job boards, but I have been doing that for the past few months and nothing yet.  my wife says that there must be a reason I am still at my current job, but she is my number one cheerleader and the person who keeps me going.  Even after the fourth no in a row.  I was thinking of trying a new approach and sending my resume to companies where I want to work, even if they have no job openings posted.  I do not know how an unsolicited resume goes, but it can't hurt to try.

The waiting game...

I had an interview last week and as always I asked at the close of the interview, "what are the next steps?"  The hiring committee said that they had one more day interviewing candidates and then they would make their decision.  They were hoping to move forward with their decision quickly.

So, it has been seven days since my interview.  Do I call and follow up and possibly look desperate for the job or do I wait?  On the other hand, if I call maybe they will say, "Wow!  Mike is really anxious and really wants to work here!  Why look anywhere further, we have found our candidate."  I wouldn't want to miss that opportunity.

I do this every time I have an interview.  I wait and I wait, even when it is beyond what most reasonable people would expect, because as long as the company has not called me back and told me no, then I still have a chance.  At least that is what I try to convince myself of.  And then I hear the inevitable that they "have chosen to move forward with other candidates" or me personal favorite, "we were unable to find the type of candidate we were looking for" and I then review every answer I said or things i didn't say and wish I had and wonder if that is what went wrong with this interview.

I think I need to take a break or at least vary my approach, but then I worry that there will be the perfect job that comes available and I never saw it advertised.  For now, I will keep on plugging along, tailor my choices, and be a little more selective in the jobs I apply to.  Maybe a change of pace is needed...

An interview next week

So, I have an interview next week, well actually a phone interview to select the finalists for a face to face interview.  I have been doing this for a while now, and it finally hit me how I can do better on these phone interviews.  It seems so simple, and I should have thought of this a long time ago, but I could have notes in front of me as I did the interview!  Instead of answering questions from memory and thinking of the answers as I sit on the phone, I could script my answers for questions that I anticipated being asked.  The opening question of, "well Mike, tell us a little about your experience" can now be scripted with highlights and points that I want to emphasize instead of beginning with a deep breath and trying to decide how far back to start.  Instead of kicking myself after the interview because I wish I had said this or mentioned this project or answered differently, I can have my crib notes on a 3x5 note card and make sure to cover all the important points.

So simple, and I something I can't believe I hadn't thought of already.

Summer break is over, I need to start again

I have fallen off the wagon and with it my leads for a new job. The series of four interviews in two months and none of the people hired me was kind of crushing. The motivation to keep trying was kind of low after being rejected four times. It felt like finally being old enough to go to a high school dance, but then being rejected by every girl I asked to dance.

So, we start again. tonight, I will apply to a job I found online that is a good fit for me and we will start refreshed, optimistic, knowing that there is a job waiting for me that will fit my skills, having me looking forward to going to each day, and will allow me to have enough money that I do not dread the Christmas season as the spectre of looming debt.

A change in approach

Well, the search continues. I had a phone interview today and think it went terrible. Phone interviews are tough. There were five people in the room listening to me answer questions on the phone. No facial cues, no body language, no nodding heads that I was saying things that they wanted to hear...For all I know they were asleep during the enitire phone call. Tim was the committee chairman and the only one to speak during the interview. The other four people introduced themselves, but that was it. As with all phone interviews, I think I did terrible and will now send off three or four new applications to make up for the fact that I have no chance with this job.

Anyway, my new approach. I have made contact with a local CIO through LinkedIn and I asked if he could review my resume and give me some feedback. The two things that he mentioned and I took to heart was to increase the white space on my resume and to tell a story with my cover letter. He said that my resume was crammed full of everthing that I have ever done and made it look like I was trying to hard. I used a small font which either let the reviewers know I was trying to cram as many words on to one page as was humanly possible or that they were getting older and needed reading glasses. Neither of those things were good.

The other advice that I thought was interesting was that I should tell a story about my past, my qualifications, and how I came to see this job as my next career step. he said that he reviews an average of 50 resumes with each job opportunity and having a perfunctory cover letter with the basic information was an opportunity that i was losing to stand out from everyone else.

So, I have started re-doing how I apply to jobs and I have had three interviews in the last four weeks. Good results, now i just need to figure out what to say to have people offer me a job. The first interview they said that they interviewed several candidates and didn't find the right candidate for the position. I know that is possible, but i felt it was a nice way to say, "you were #2 in a 2-horse race". The second interview, at least told me that I did a really good job in the interview and they liked me and they thought I would be a great fit, BUT...there was one other candidate who had previous experience working with emergency responders. That one was difficult to disagree with, but still disappointing.

So the search goes on with a slightly different tack and hopefully better results. I am supposed to hear about the interview today by early next week. Think happy thoughts for me...

Day 91: Life gets in the way sometimes

Well, I guess I am over the halfway point now. Still no job, but I have had two interviews in the past seven days, and there are at least two job openings that I have applications being reviewed that seem to be a good match for me. SOmething is out there, I just need to keep looking...

So, what abou the blog title, "Life gets in the way sometimes". My father passed away six weeks ago. While my job search had been the all consuming issue of my life for the first four or five weeks, my focus obviously shifted. I would love to sy this was a turning point in my life that changed my focus and I discovered the true meaning of appiness and a new mission moving forward, but I do not know if i can say that. I know that alot of my time has shifted from searching job boards and websites to spending more time talking about wills and estates and bank accounts and funerals, but I would not say that I have discovered some pearl of wisdom from that.