The Job Hunt

If you've been following this blog for a bit, then you know that I've been searching for a part-time job for about a month, with little response.

Last week, I once again sent out 4 resumes to various organizations. I also sent a follow-up note to one of my previous prospects advising them that I was still highly interested in the position, since I'd seen a new ad appear online.

Most of my job hunt has been conducted online, since there have been very few postings in our local daily newspaper. I've avoided Monster and a few of the other "big" name companies due to past horrors I've heard about posting there.

These stories were told from the employers perspective and all were concerning the deluge of resumes they receive when posting on these mega sites. They received so many that they eventually had to hire someone to browse all of the resumes that were coming in, only to eliminate about 95% of them.

I'm 33. I've been working since I was 16, in some capacity or another, and for long stretches of time at 2 and 3 jobs. Needless to say, I've filled out many an application, had many interviews, and have plenty of experience with the entire hiring process.

This said, I want you to know how crazy this process has become. People that put out 100's of resume to various companies waste not only potential employers time, but other applicants time. It appears to be a vicious circle.

• Bob puts out 100 resumes (4 of those jobs he is actually qualified for).

• The same day 100 other applicants, from all over the world, submit resumes to these same companies. These other people have roughly the same or lesser qualifications than Bob.

• Tammy, Bill, Becky, and Tommy are all qualified to work at the same 4 jobs plus 10 of the others that Bob applies at.

Because these businesses receive a deluge of applications for each position, it makes the process even harder. Why? With the drastic increase in applications, there is a greater chance that the qualified employees will be skipped over. This is not due to the resume, but human error. How many papers can you look at repetitively before you forget which pile is which? Or, before you eyes start to glaze over and your vision blur?

The companies have to wade through all of those resumes to find about 10 qualified applicants, which takes several days. This gives a hiring delay of about 3 weeks - 1 to weed, 1 to schedule interviews, and 1 to allow for follow-up before issuing an offer. Of course, this is only applicable if the company has a designated person to wade through the resumes! If not, add a week.

• Because of Bob, & people like him, Tammy, Bill, Becky, and Tommy are forced to put out resumes in a greater number, as well. (Perhaps, because their resumes were placed in the wrong stack!)

If they put out 10 resumes a week, every week (double what we used to!) and factor in the delay in the hiring process, due to the factors above, I estimate it will take an average person 2 full months to be granted a job of any sort, and another 4 months to gain a job doing something in their field. I would think that the people putting out 100 resumes a week would expect about the same results. So why waste everyone's time & energy...AND all those trees???

A few years ago, you could search for a job one week & be hired the next. No wonder people are staying on Unemployment Compensation so long!

Job Seekers - Just apply for things you really want to do and that fit your desires, rather than EVERY single job posting that comes available!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Now. I'll come off my soap box to tell you - I FOUND A JOB!

Did I apply for it? NO.

Did I expect it? NO.

Did I have any clue that this job was available? NO.

Last Friday night my home phone rings. It's my pastor. He noticed that I had put a note on my Facebook account about looking for a part-time job. The church is beginning a new program for the summer, a branch off of the local YMCA, which will provide care for about 100 youth from the area.

We'll be splitting the responsibilities with another local church, and need to coordinate between the congregations and organize the volunteers. I was definitely interested. I volunteer constantly at my church, so I presumed that this was to be another volunteer situation.

WRONG! They've offered me an actual part-time, paid position to handle this! Fantastic!

I'm to get started this week, after I pass all of the background & drug checks. (No problem!)

Isn't it amazing how things work??? Word of mouth is still THE BEST way to get a job...