Job hunting techniques

[OilSheikh]

So, I need a new job ( Corporate Tech support ) and need some Hexite advice.

What are the best websites to apply at and what other tactics do you use ?

[oolon]

Computer Weekly Jobs much the best place to register your CV for IT jobs.

Job Serve best place to look for IT jobs.

Also ran

Total Jobs they actually run CW jobs but strangely are not as good IMHO.

Monster Meh!


Make sure you upload your CV to the sites and make sure you repeat the upload once a month (even if you have not changed it), many agents only look at "recent" CVs.

[b0redom]

....and

cwjobs.co.uk
jobsite.co.uk

LinkedIn

Upload your CV to all the above sites and recruiters can search and come to you.

[Zak33]

when using Monster or similar.. once every 6 days, manually edit your CV.

It'll come back to the top on many systems.

Don't trust the online system to copy your CV across properly automatically.. every one needs manually editing, and checking,

it takes HOURS>

Works your days around it. Finding a job IS a job in itself. Run it like a business, track your work, your replies, your emails and keep good records.

[billythewiz]

Never stop refining your CV, it's your representative at the very first interview (the one you don't even get to go to).

It should contain the things you can do, the tools and/or skills you've used and the responsibilities you've had.

When you read an advert, try to imagine yourself as the recruiter, what will you be looking for, what skills, experience, etc. that would make you want to call the candidate in for interview.
BUT .... don't get intimidated by long lists of requirements. All recruiters do that and it is never possible to find everything they think about. Even if it were the candidate with ALL the skills would cost too much !!

To illustrate my point, here's an avert I was sent today ...
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/develop...gist-939612519

Believe it or not, that intimidating advert contains just 2 requirements. Paragraph 2 and 3 (the bullet points) are just a long winded was of saying "Really good Java or C++ developer".
The other thing the advert says is "You will work .... solving complex commercial problems across a variety of areas (high speed simulation & calculation, real-time event processing, high through-put systems, fault tolerance, large scale data processing, storage & analysis, grid computing and performance tuning of complex systems)."

There are very, very few people with ALL those skills and the few that do won't apply anyway (they already earn more than the 100k +100% on offer).

But if you want an interview for this job your CV has to show that you are what they want and have the skills they are asking for ... and it must be obvious.

In any section on previous employment DON'T write about your previous employer. Statements like "I worked for one of the richest companies on their largest product as part of their friendliest team ....". Great - what as ? The sandwich fetcher ?
Write about yourself not them.

And good luck.

[bbeettaa]

I really echo the above aswell:

Sites:

- CWJobs
- Reed
- Google...your be surprised if you can get agency names

Other techniques:

- Always follow up applications with a phonecall, just say your phoning to make sure they got your CV. If they haven't, get his/her email and resend, if they have...well you have them on the phone

- Track replies, if no reply or rejected, ask for feedback. You can do this by email or phone, I usually phone and say I haven't got the email. Once again as above, you have them on the phone, your chance to make them re-consider

- Always ask for updates at least once/twice a week, it proves you are still interested and actively looking.

Hope it helps, good luck.

Mike

[aonali6]

So, I need a new job ( Corporate Tech support ) and need some Hexite advice.

What are the best websites to apply at and what other tactics do you use ?

Jobs.aol.com is the one of best site.....!

[Dareos]

anything with AOL in it should probably be avoided, especially for a tech support position

[monkeyman2000]

totaljobs.co.uk is the usual one i use, but i find that i don't get many people looking at my cv i think maybe there are too many cv's on there, monster seems ok, but not as many jobs as totaljobs,

reed.co.uk seems ok,

CVlibary.co.uk, i put my cv on it but not much results,

bellamyjobs.co.uk, not found this one before, put my cv on it and already had a couple of contacts from agencies, maybe there are less cv's on it so there is more chance of cv being found,

jobs.co.uk, seems ok, but not so many jobs,

i uploaded my cv on all of them, i guess its best to get the cv everywhere,

i think also updating your cv on a regular basis, even if you just re-upload it helps, i do this once a week,

i think its also important that if an agency contacts you then you need to get back in touch with them straight away,

did anyone see the guy that advertised himself on a bill board trying to get a job, it worked ?

i will find out some more info,

i wish you all good luck

[Blitzen]

I really echo the above aswell:

Sites:

- CWJobs
- Reed
- Google...your be surprised if you can get agency names

Other techniques:

- Always follow up applications with a phonecall, just say your phoning to make sure they got your CV. If they haven't, get his/her email and resend, if they have...well you have them on the phone

- Track replies, if no reply or rejected, ask for feedback. You can do this by email or phone, I usually phone and say I haven't got the email. Once again as above, you have them on the phone, your chance to make them re-consider

- Always ask for updates at least once/twice a week, it proves you are still interested and actively looking.

Hope it helps, good luck.

Mike

Couple of points here.
I recruit for my business alot, as expansion is going mad, and I cannot agree with what you have advised.

1. By all means check to see if CV has been received. You only need to ask the PA though.

2. DO NOT call for feedback. people are very busy, and this takes up the potential employers time, and makes you look desperate/annoying, and irritates the hell out of me. It simply isn't feasible to contact everyone.

3. Ask for updates? Why? if you are correct for a position, someone will speak to you (see point 2).

If you make a nuisance of yourself, you will stick in their minds, and you will not get a position of employment.

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I have just changed jobs. I left my current position 3 weeks ago, as I hated it, and was offered a new position with a different business yesterday.
The best advice i can give is:

1. Refine search options when searching the internet. If not, you could miss a golden opportunity
2. Hit it the search HARD for only 2-3 hours at a time
3. Record what you have applied for so you dont do it twice