Finally I am graduating and now it has come time for the job search. For the field each open position has a report on the branch and position, which is from 10 pgs-40 pgs long, each branch is different. Why if you have a 40 pg report can you not state all the job requirments? I know that you are making up new rules. Is it any wonder why your position has remained empty for 3 years now?
I send in my application and I get back an email stating “”I am writing to let you know that we have received your application for the … position at …. The demands of this position are such that we have included five years’ experience in the list of required qualifications. We will keep your application on file, however. Thank you so much for considering us.”
If you read my resume I have more than 5 years experience in the field, just without the degree. If you don’t want new graduates just state it. —Stop making up rules
This article appears in Nov 18-24, 2010.
This is certainly quite a change of pace in the posting of new bitches.
Sounds like a bad cover letter to me… As far as I can tell, resume’s go into three piles before they are even read: Yes, Maybe, and Recycle. The “yes” pile includes well written, personally addressed cover letters with every job requirement reviewed with how you meet it (with NO spelling or grammatical errors). the “maybe” pile includes much of the same, with the possibility of either a skill not fully achieved (IE 3 years instead of 5 experience, etc) or one or two spelling/grammar mistakes. The “recycle” pile includes resumes with either no cover letter, poor grammar/spelling (3 or more mistakes) or no skill listings which match the requirements as posted in the job ad. Sounds like you were in the “recycle” pile because they didn’t take the time to read your resume and therefore didn’t have a grasp on your actual skills… All because of a poor cover letter
It’s all in who you know, that’s how you get the good jobs in this city. Did you offer to volunteer with the company….at least it gets your foot in the door and gain more experience, and who knows, then you’ll learn of the jobs internally before they go external.
Otherwise, Halifax has plenty of retail, service, call center jobs….but that’s a significant career step downwards for university educated people like yourself.
List your education last in your resume. Make sure your job experience is up front and center. That’s what I do to make sure people don’t think I’m too young for a position, so I’ll at least get an interview. That way, they see I have some solid experience, know what skills I have, and when they check the bottom to make sure I have a degree (which they don’t even have to do, the letters after my name speak for themselves) they are still thinking about the experience.
I agree with longwalker… cover letters are so important.
I hate when people say it’s all about who you know. That definitely isn’t the case all the time. I have a great job with the Feds and, surprise, I’m qualified for it!! I didn’t know a soul, I got in on my experience and education.
Again, I agree with Sebastard.
Holy effing FUCK.
Are they planning to keep your application on-file for 5 YEARS?
If not, then saying they will keep it on file at all goes completely against the reasons they just gave for not offering you the job—the force of their argument is not going to change until at least 2015. …smells like a platitude to me.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling, PK agrees with sebastard!!!
Hay, I can admit when someone’s opinion meshes with mine 🙂
I’ve agreed with Bon before! *barfs a little in her mouth*
but o.p., making up hiring rules as you go along are fun, and keeps the labour force on it’s toes. golly, it is so much fun to watch the worms squirm and wriggle.
Come to Alberta! They’ll hire you here even if you’re under-qualified, like me for example… ME of all people! Just be prepared to deal with -30 C weather in mid-November, plus all the people whining about how much Edmonton sucks while not appreciating the fact they have a good job in their field that they wouldn’t even get and/or would pay them a hell of a lot less anywhere else. And the River Valley’s nice, and Grey Cup coming up this weekend! Oilers fucking suck so bad this year though.
I’d like to believe that cover letters are important, because I spend much of my energy into writing each one, but the truth is that some employers do not even look at cover letters. They just don’t have time when they get 200+applications for one position. But I am sure that smaller employers with fewer resumes to go through, or those who really want to know who you are, would check out the cover letters.
Good luck OP.