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I'm supposed to be job hunting


Square Wheels

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7 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Why am I procrastinating?

Why do I keep coming here?

How much does a kilo of feathers weigh?

When I was job hunting (I've had 3 time periods when this happened), I would build in daily cycling. So maybe at least each day some exercise.

So as a result I would go for 1.5 -2 hr. long bike rides each day. That year of unemployement I racked up 7,000 km. which included some bike touring with dearie. It gave me motivation kick and some structure each day. I would try to do something job search related several times per wk.

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8 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Why am I procrastinating?

Why do I keep coming here?

How much does a kilo of feathers weigh?

Because that's what we do 

Because you love us and our company 

The same as a kilo of bricks 

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3 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

You gotta file the paperwork with @donkpow.  He handles the background checks and runs your credit.  Hit him up with the details, and he'll take it from there.

I've recently had a full FBI background check (don't ask why) and passed.

I can start Monday, I don't need the corner office.

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What Randomguy said.  No matter how hard and unpleasant a job may be, it's still the "known".  But looking for a job is all about the unknown and that's not easy.    The last time I was job hunting, I mainly worked with recruiters as it was before a lot of the online applications.  Sorting through the individual requirements is tricky, and even if I wasn't thrilled about a particular opportunity, I was still annoyed when they didn't follow up with me, and even more annoyed when they didn't make an offer after I'd met with them.

It's more emotionally tiring than you'd expect, and it took me a long time to find a job.  But it will be worth it when you find a new job that is interesting and that you enjoy (at least for some period of time).

Set aside some definite time each day to look at opportunities, but it's fine to spend some time here as well. The process isn't easy, but we're  here for you when you want a break.

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29 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

It looked like a real badge, it was printed on really nice paper.

Wasn’t it just finger prints at a local Kinkos or Federal Express Ground business office?  Or did you get your World Reentry pass on the same day? My TSA Precheck was the most contact I have had with the criminal justice system.

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Just now, Prophet Zacharia said:

Wasn’t it just finger prints at a local Kinkos or Federal Express Ground business office?  Or did you get your World Reentry pass on the same day? My TSA Precheck was the most contact I have had with the criminal justice system.

My old job had nuclear material, to be able to work around it, they fingerprinted us and sent our info to the FBI and did a full background check.

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6 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

My old job had nuclear material, to be able to work around it, they fingerprinted us and sent our info to the FBI and did a full background check.

Is that Act 73 clearance? Did they do the fingerprints in your office? We’ve devolved over time, and got sent to a local shipping service for the finger prints this last time. Same FBI clearance, less corporate cost!

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6 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

Is that Act 73 clearance? Did they do the fingerprints in your office? We’ve devolved over time, and got sent to a local shipping service for the finger prints this last time. Same FBI clearance, less corporate cost!

We had a large group that needed clearance, about 50 in my dept and maybe another 50 researchers, so Security bought their own scanner.  Wasn't much, I think around 3k.

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part037/full-text.html

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I still remember a long time ago when a friend got a  relatively senior job in DC that required a clearance.  The FBI called me as a reference and after the first stage was completed, he had to go to the local police station for fingerprints.

There was a sweet older lady at the front desk and he explained he needed the fingerprints for a job at this particular organization.  She took the fingerprints and then gave him a sheet to fill out his name etc.  He asked her didn't she want to see his ID to make sure he was filling in the right name and address and she responded it wasn't necessary because because he wouldn't have gotten a job like that if he weren't trustworthy.  :nodhead:

I've never felt all that confident about security clearances after that.

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4 minutes ago, Kirby said:

I still remember a long time ago when a friend got a  relatively senior job in DC that required a clearance.  The FBI called me as a reference and after the first stage was completed, he had to go to the local police station for fingerprints.

Every so often we get a visit for a background check for various gov't positions friends and neighbors hold.  I feel bad lying for friends, but what are you gonna do? Implicate yourself when you dish on them? No way! 

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1 hour ago, Square Wheels said:

My old job had nuclear material, to be able to work around it, they fingerprinted us and sent our info to the FBI and did a full background check.

Kind of like the background checks for working at a nuclear power plant.  

I needed a background check to work at the dispatch center for our utility.   In early 2016 I started to retire.  Then 2 weeks later, I got an offer I could not refuse.  So I didn't retire.  Too late... the security people pulled my security clearance, before I 'officially' retired.   That took 2 months to get back.  I had to be escorted 100% of the time, when I worked there during emergency power restoration after storms.  

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My job  and  others in my team require a police criminal record check...which happens alot in govn't for certain jobs, especially handling certain info. But mine is not elevated several levels up for intelligence. There are job roles like mine,  in fed. govn't at that level with intelligence restrictions.

What might be taken for granted:  Trump tore up records turned over to House Capitol attack committee (msn.com)  The National Archives staff person who tried to piece  together  torn up records, was let go/fired? from National Archives.  It didn't sound right to me. Not ...at all.

Anyway we were hiring for a contractor which our dept. was using an external IT recruit agency. They found a candidate in the U.S.  In the end, my manager turned down the candidate's  resume after learning of  some minor criminal offence on record. I can't remember what it was.  

We found our expertise locally..

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15 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

I applied to about 15 jobs in Feb.  I need to apply to at least 2 a day, ideally 4.

Presumably you have 2-3 different resumes to target different types of jobs.  I did find I got much more interest and interviews when I did a major restructuring of my resume. It took alot of time but totally worth it. Dearie was a great critic. 

My problem is I've worked for a number of employers only straight chronolgical list doesn't work since it makes it harder to notice things that I've done that point directly to the job ad's desired expertise, qualifications  (which isn't just formal training, but outcomes/results and benefit), etc.  I've had to do severe cutdown of details and zone in on critical stuff.

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1 minute ago, shootingstar said:

Presumably you have 2-3 different resumes to target different types of jobs.  I did find I got much more interest and interviews when I did a major restructuring of my resume.

One simple resume, cover letter for each application.  Only looking for one "type" of job.

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2 minutes ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

There are worse things than having your own personal escort service at work.

Tell that to the person who had to escort me.   They had their work to do too.  It was  PITA for both of us, for a 12 hour shift. 

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17 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

One simple resume, cover letter for each application.  Only looking for one "type" of job.

I've been told nowadays, recruiters don't look as much to the cover letter. Perhaps Kirby has an opinion.

And honest, when I've done hiring myself (in several former jobs), I didn't spend much time looking at cover letter vs. resume.  I'm sure you'll land a full-time job faster than I. The fastest job search to accepting job offer, for a full-time job for me, was 4 months. No doubt, lots of folks are way faster than I  here.

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I haven't been job hunting for a very long time so a lot of what I did is likely out of date by now.  One thing that is new is if  you are uploading resumes online (rather than having them routed personally to a contact by a recruiter), it's important to make sure your resume uses the "key words" that are in the ad or job description to make sure it makes it through online filters.

If I'm mailing in a resume, I'd still send a cover letter, because it won't hurt and may help you stand out, but I'd still focus on making sure my resume uses the key words as the resumes are likely going through some online filter.

 

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25 minutes ago, Kirby said:

I haven't been job hunting for a very long time so a lot of what I did is likely out of date by now.  One thing that is new is if  you are uploading resumes online (rather than having them routed personally to a contact by a recruiter), it's important to make sure your resume uses the "key words" that are in the ad or job description to make sure it makes it through online filters.

If I'm mailing in a resume, I'd still send a cover letter, because it won't hurt and may help you stand out, but I'd still focus on making sure my resume uses the key words as the resumes are likely going through some online filter.

 

For  certain jobs, I have heard of some of the volumes of resumes received for 1 job. And over 80% of those resumes, the hiring manager was frustrated  and dismayed that clearly some people didn't even bother to read carefully and adjust their resume to meet the job ad's core requirements.

When I had human resources assist me in pre-screening resumes, I asked them to set aside in 2 piles, the potential interviewees and the ones they screened out. They were right 97% of time. Of course the pile of interviewees got whittled down even lower later.

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23 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

When I was job hunting in 2010 it took me about 2-3 hours a day to conduct the job search. I don’t do the greatest in interviews, so it may have taken me longer than most. About 5 months until I started at my current job. 

It took me..over 12 months for my present job. This is why I ended up in a different city than dearie....folks, today's world IS different. There are alot  more couples that do this but they work with the situation. they just don't talk about it with everyone.

The older one gets, it gets more challenging re the  job market.  Was I going be dumb enough after so many months  of job searching, turn down a decent job with good pay, benefits (not as good as other public sectors), that was dead-on for my work experience, qualifications and with sufficient complexity to challenge me? 

When one doesn't have children  (or children all adult living away), the possibilities open up abit more. A job is only temporary. It's not forever.

 Anyway, I find it interesting listening especially to young people... my advice to them:  go  now, if  job is good, etc., leave  your childhood/teen  city and if you will have a new place  is safe to live, go. You'll be freest at this time in your life. However some young folks are incredibly homebound ...so they end up job searching locally for the next 2 yrs.  Sorry, when you're a new graduate, young, it makes very little sense. I  most definitely do not recommend any young person to stick our province for their job search.

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I just asked my daughter who is an HR manager, short concise resumes are desired for a quick scan sorting.  You either have the experience they need or you don't.  A cover letter is overlooked until the resume is checked and then it becomes quite important.  If people can't be bothered to write a decent cover, it is a tell tale sign of effort on the job.  Same with numerous typos. 

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They are on a hiring spree at my work. Planning to hire 70 production workers and 14 maintenance.

A few months back they had a pool of 30 potential employees. After testing and background checks they made several offers, 2 people accepted and were hired. 

One was fired during his probation period.

So how long do you think it will take to hire 84 ?

 

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7 minutes ago, Further said:

They are on a hiring spree at my work. Planning to hire 70 production workers and 14 maintenance.

A few months back they had a pool of 30 potential employees. After testing and background checks they made several offers, 2 people accepted and were hired. 

One was fired during his probation period.

So how long do you think it will take to hire 84 ?

 

Math is hard.

 

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56 minutes ago, Further said:

They are on a hiring spree at my work. Planning to hire 70 production workers and 14 maintenance.

A few months back they had a pool of 30 potential employees. After testing and background checks they made several offers, 2 people accepted and were hired. 

One was fired during his probation period.

So how long do you think it will take to hire 84 ?

 

:( Wow, I'm sure though, HR is not surprised by the end result of only 2 people so far.   Do you live in /near a big city? 

I hear  a big challenge is  911 dispatch callers..  there's testing to select folks  (some people have romantic ideas), training during probationary that's labour intensive and then staff retention because of high stress work, work shifts, etc. 

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8 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

My old job had nuclear material, to be able to work around it, they fingerprinted us and sent our info to the FBI and did a full background check.

...I had a "Secret" level clearance when I worked keeping the medical records for my nuke sub tender in 1970.  Me, if you can imagine it.:D

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9 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Math is hard.

 

This reminds me when I was oot of town on business and called a place to find their location. I said, I"m on expressway X, when I get to road Y, do I go east or west?

The girl: "that depends"

me: :blink: (completely speechless)

me: "depends on what"

the girl: "on what direction you're going now"

me: "I'm going north"

the girl: "then east"

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16 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

My old job had nuclear material, to be able to work around it, they fingerprinted us and sent our info to the FBI and did a full background check.

How often did you have to be checked? My wife made have worked on your file. 
when my wife first was working on her job she could get fingerprinted at the state police but they changed that and she had to drive to a government office some distance away. The federal government didn’t trust the state police anymore.

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33 minutes ago, BR46 said:

Go self employed as a professional dog walker. 

 

Man, we don't need a dog walker, but finding good dog sitters is the real challenge.  It probably doesn't pay well enough, but it sure can be a great side gig.  I end up paying one of my nieces $100 a day just to stay at our place and make sure our pup is walked, fed, and loved while we're away.  That's like one hour of work, but 24 hours of responsibility.  If they could stay with their sitter, it would be an easy peasy job, but at least my one niece likes the break from working from her home, so our place is a mini-paid vacation.

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