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What's the best way to explain a reason for a career path adjustment straight out of university? I just finished a graduate degree with some related experience in the past two years but I just realized that I don't want to do this anymore. What's the best way to address this in a cover letter or interview? I'm afraid of coming off as uncommitted (e.g. if I suddenly decided to switch career paths now, what's to say I won't suddenly switch some arbitrary time in the near future?)
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Jan 11, 2017 07:11
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Subyng posted:What's the best way to explain a reason for a career path adjustment straight out of university? I just finished a graduate degree with some related experience in the past two years but I just realized that I don't want to do this anymore. What's the best way to address this in a cover letter or interview? I'm afraid of coming off as uncommitted (e.g. if I suddenly decided to switch career paths now, what's to say I won't suddenly switch some arbitrary time in the near future?) IMO, Your recent previous experience was helpful, however.... You don't need to note that you "don't" want to do that anymore, but note what you are *now* Interested in doing, specifically. You just graduated.
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Jan 11, 2017 10:18
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CarForumPoster posted:State you have the degree, don't tell them what you make. Visit the negotiating thread. To be clear, I assume you are advocating for stating that you have the completed associates' degree. Don't say that you have a degree that you do not have. If you are actively working to completion of that degree and you have a target date for completion, you can list it as in progress with the target date.
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Jan 11, 2017 17:46
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Positive Optimyst posted:IMO, Yes. This. Don't say anything negative at all. If they press you on it, say something like: "well, college is a time to explore interests and grow and so I learned I really have a passion for ____ but turning back and completing/paying for more classes was not an option. since I am very goal-driven this position I am interviewing for is the first step on the path to work in the ____ field that I am passionate about."
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Jan 11, 2017 19:17
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:To be clear, I assume you are advocating for stating that you have the completed associates' degree. Don't say that you have a degree that you do not have. If you are actively working to completion of that degree and you have a target date for completion, you can list it as in progress with the target date. This is what I mean.
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Jan 12, 2017 00:51
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I have my first interview for a new job in 9 years and I have a suit that is about as old. Job's in IT, dress code is business casual (a family member of a co-worker works there), and it's IT for a financial institution. In either case I need new shoes for the interview, because I don't think shining my beat up pair of black steel toe boots would cut it, nor would my newish canvas shoes. Do I wear my suit or buy a pair of dress pants, a new shirt and a tie? Does it matter if my coat is a black Carhartt? Totally wasn't even expecting an interview, I just updated and uploaded (Dice, Monster) my resume last Friday because a co-worker keeps getting recruiters calling him for basically my job duties and now I have an interview and I'll know that day if I have it. *TOTALLY* not used to this high-pace interviewing, shits changed in the past few years apparently.
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Jan 13, 2017 23:29
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The general advice is dress one level nicer than would be appropriate if you work there up to a suit. Get over to the negotiating thread so you can make the most of it.
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Jan 13, 2017 23:44
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"What's the suggested dress code for the interview?" In my city, some employers automatically rule out applicants if you're overdressed. Just ask.
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Jan 13, 2017 23:46
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CarForumPoster posted:State you have the degree, don't tell them what you make. Visit the negotiating thread. Yeah, I know better than to tell them what I make, and it being a state position, they have a set starting pay. Here's a personal-info-redacted copy of my resume, if anyone can give me any tips to make it less awful because I honestly have no idea how. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByMstyU2Fx2pZUJJRjlBYkEtYnM/view?usp=sharing
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Jan 14, 2017 00:11
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I’m not currently looking for work, but had lunch with an old college buddy who’s about to get laid off from his position of 15 years, and that’s got me thinking I should update everything and keep it in my back pocket. I haven’t worked on a “looking for a job” resume in a decade. Currently I have a “company” resume I attach to proposals and the like, which is a basic 1-pager with a few lines of info (name, title, certs, degrees) and then the rest of the page is project examples. I have about 20 example projects I can pick and choose from depending on whether I am just trying to show breadth of services, or particular expertise in a narrower focus. Trying for a format to get a 1-page traditional resume; second page has education, certs, and 5 project summaries; and optional third page for publications. My major problem is my first page - the bullets seem too long. More like bulleted 2-4 sentence paragraphs. I had to use 11pt font and half-inch margins to get it to a page each. They read more like this paragraph. My title has changed but I’ve had the same duties for 10 years, the company has just moved me three times. Now I am a VP and I feel I should include that but not sure where. Should I put that as my job title or the one I’ve had for the while? I’m on the BOD. Put that on there? Right now it looks like: Company Name Currently VP of X, member Company BOD {this won’t all fit on same line as Company Name} Same Title as Below {space to justify} 2014-Present This Office * Bullet list Manager Operations X {space to justify} 2011-2013 That Office * Shorter bullet list Senior Guy {space to justify} 2007-2010 Another Office * Even shorter list
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Jan 14, 2017 02:15
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CarForumPoster posted:Get over to the negotiating thread so you can make the most of it. BUT I had like 6+ contract houses throwing around numbers between $30/hour to $45 (It was posted for $45), it's no benefits on a contract to hire, they have had serious trouble filling this position, I know the value of the position and worst case I don't need to change jobs, so I can very easily walk away. I am going to read the hell out of that thread!
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Jan 14, 2017 04:24
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Have an interview coming up. When I was first contacted I asked when I would be available to start and I said February. However since I would have to relocate I realized I have some personal committments to resolve in my current city and would prefer to start in three months. Is this a reasonable thing to bring up?
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Jan 14, 2017 18:34
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Bring that up when you've got an offer in hand. That way the employer's wants to be sure to keep you interested, so they'll be flexible.
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Jan 14, 2017 20:10
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Wouldn't that come off as disingenuous?
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Jan 14, 2017 21:20
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Subyng posted:Wouldn't that come off as disingenuous? You had personal commitments come up that you didn't know about when you first told them a starting date. You also say you'd prefer to start in three months which would indicate that it's negotiable.
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Jan 14, 2017 21:51
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Fire Storm posted:Well, I already hosed up! :v The recruiters for the contract house for the company pretty much demanded my income and said the company may want back pay stubs (Um. No.) Having a good BATNA (which you do, a current job you're not being fired from) and strong will can accommodate that screw up but yea don't tell people what you make or want to make. Remember that you are adding value to their company, talk to them in those terms and how good of an opportunity it is can better be teased out.
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Jan 14, 2017 22:39
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taiyoko posted:I have a spotty employment history due to long periods of unemployment and struggling towards a bachelor's degree with several major changes and never actually completing said degree. taiyoko posted:Yeah, I know better than to tell them what I make, and it being a state position, they have a set starting pay. Resume feedback: -Like you did with the Amazon job (good job), talk about achievements/improvements....that's hard to do when you just started but applies to older jobs -If you get a hard interview, I'd be prepared to answer questions about both gaps in your resume and what I'd perceive as a decrease in the professionalism of your jobs Sub-> laundry seems like a downgrade. Why the downgrade? An answer that mitigates the concerns they may have about your ability to do the job is what they'll be looking for. Theres some videos on Youtube that can help with this but I don't have a great one. My first thought is to put something in for that gap and explain why theres a gap and any achievements during that gap like you studied new skills on Lynda.com or something. -That said, its an office assistant job. Show up dressed, talk about what tools/processes/etc. you can use to be great employee, focus on their needs and you'll do great. CarForumPoster fucked around with this message at 22:49 on Jan 14, 2017 |
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Jan 14, 2017 22:47
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Quick question on following up after a couple of skype interviews, last one on Thursday morning. During the process I was told things would go pretty fast and to expect an answer on Friday, which came and went. Would it be bad form to email them tomorrow asking what's the plan going forward? Normally I'd wait it out, but I have a bunch of things pending based on their reply 
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Jan 16, 2017 14:18
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I'm not actively looking for a job at the moment, but I want to keep my resume updated. I'm currently working at a technical consulting firm that does custom web development for client. We gather client requirements then build out or improve a product for them. Not really contractors since we also provide consulting with regards to architectures and technology strategy. How would I format accomplishments on a resume if I can't specifically name clients? My work has revolved around programming with specific technologies and architectures, but I can't specifically point out "Implemented X technology for client to realize savings of $XXX, can I? Are there any best practices for describing what I do at this consulting firm without making it seem generic or overly vague?
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Jan 16, 2017 23:05
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Mango Polo posted:Quick question on following up after a couple of skype interviews, last one on Thursday morning. Email them, be polite. Fluue posted:I'm not actively looking for a job at the moment, but I want to keep my resume updated. I'm currently working at a technical consulting firm that does custom web development for client. We gather client requirements then build out or improve a product for them. Not really contractors since we also provide consulting with regards to architectures and technology strategy. Why couldn't you? Did you sign an NDA? You can easily say exactly that without naming the client, even if its surmisable who the client is.
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Jan 16, 2017 23:46
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You can also describe the client in non-specific terms. Talk about their size, industry, market cap, position in industry etc.
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Jan 17, 2017 01:34
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I've been job hunting for a few months now (science, R&D type stuff) with little luck. I have a masters, but in this field (or the area, at least) there is nothing for just masters, its PhD or BSc jobs only, making me both over and underqualified. I've still applied for both, getting interviews with the BSc jobs but most of the time I get told, in no uncertain terms, that I'm going to be bored out of my mind due to repetition, despite me being absolutely used to and okay with repetition since that's what I've been doing all through grad school. I'm well aware that to make the shift from academia to industry I'm going to need to start from near the bottom and work my way up, but employers don't seem to get that (nor do they believe that I'm okay with repetitiveness). Should I just leave off my masters on the resume for the lower level jobs? I'm kind of torn on that since if I take away my masters, a lot of the relevant experience goes away as well. I also wouldn't be able to list my publications since those were all published in grad school and I can't really change graduation years or publication dates. I'd also have to do away with most of my references as they were on my graduate committee. I'm pretty confident in my resume but I'm not entirely sure how to gently caress with it to get these lower level jobs. 
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Jan 17, 2017 22:06
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stimulated emission posted:I've been job hunting for a few months now (science, R&D type stuff) with little luck. I have a masters, but in this field (or the area, at least) there is nothing for just masters, its PhD or BSc jobs only, making me both over and underqualified. I've still applied for both, getting interviews with the BSc jobs but most of the time I get told, in no uncertain terms, that I'm going to be bored out of my mind due to repetition, despite me being absolutely used to and okay with repetition since that's what I've been doing all through grad school. I'm well aware that to make the shift from academia to industry I'm going to need to start from near the bottom and work my way up, but employers don't seem to get that (nor do they believe that I'm okay with repetitiveness). You should not leave your Masters off. You should probably apply for more challenging jobs. Don't be applying for internships and what not.
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Jan 18, 2017 02:17
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"What are you passionate about?" What exactly do interviewers want to hear with this question?
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Jan 18, 2017 17:51
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Subyng posted:"What are you passionate about?" And sometimes, the interviewer is just interested in you.
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Jan 18, 2017 18:05
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CarForumPoster posted:Email them, be polite. Anyway one question I've noticed quite a bit in the web forms for my type of job: "In [xxx] characters or fewer, tell us what makes you unique. Try to be creative and say something that will catch our eye!" Or similar variants. What exactly is the expectation here? Because my cover letter succinctly tells why I'm good for this job, my CV tells in clear bullet points why I'm good for this job. Are they expecting more information about why I'm good? Or are we talking about what makes me a unique snowflake like having triple citizenships or having a penchant for getting bitten by things deep in the jungle because I like wildlife photography?
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Jan 18, 2017 18:36
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CarForumPoster posted:You should not leave your Masters off. You should probably apply for more challenging jobs. Don't be applying for internships and what not. I don't apply for internships, but I do apply for lab technician type jobs that require a BS. I also apply to the ones that require a PhD but I've never gotten a callback on one of those.
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Jan 18, 2017 18:39
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Mango Polo posted:What exactly is the expectation here?
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Jan 18, 2017 19:14
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Subyng posted:"What are you passionate about?" I want to have some level of reassurance that the person across the table from me is actually a normal human being who has interests outside of work and can explain something in a socially perceptive way.
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Jan 18, 2017 20:06
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stimulated emission posted:I don't apply for internships, but I do apply for lab technician type jobs that require a BS. I also apply to the ones that require a PhD but I've never gotten a callback on one of those. Yeah, not that you wouldn't be able to do the work, but you're going to be competing with a lot of PhDs that are way more qualified. If I was you I wouldn't bother with those unless the position says something like "Ph.D. plus 2 years of experience, or MS plus 5 years of experience"
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Jan 18, 2017 22:18
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That brings me to my original problem, where I am obviously "too qualified" for the BS jobs to the point where it seems like they bring me in just to say it to my face, but leaving off the masters will gut a lot of the things that make me stand out, as well as references and I need to find a happy medium 
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Jan 18, 2017 22:37
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stimulated emission posted:That brings me to my original problem, where I am obviously "too qualified" for the BS jobs to the point where it seems like they bring me in just to say it to my face, but leaving off the masters will gut a lot of the things that make me stand out, as well as references and I need to find a happy medium I still think you should leave your MS on your resume, but just trying to think of another route, how about burying it? List your BS. Then under your Work Experience put all the poo poo you did in your MS program as an employee of the University/Department/Lab. Did you have a paid assistance? If I am understanding you, that's the stuff that makes you stand out? Lots of folks work for University Labs w/o being a student, maybe someone will assume same for you. If someone asks, just tell them straight up, though.
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Jan 18, 2017 23:43
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Subyng posted:"What are you passionate about?" I am genuinely passionate about the subject matter of the job I got hired for stimulated emission posted:I don't apply for internships, but I do apply for lab technician type jobs that require a BS. I also apply to the ones that require a PhD but I've never gotten a callback on one of those. Keep your head up and keep thinking about jobs you're the right fit for. Leave your qualification on your resume. Do no be ashamed of being highly qualified this is silly. Mango Polo posted:Anyway one question I've noticed quite a bit in the web forms for my type of job: "In [xxx] characters or fewer, tell us what makes you unique. Try to be creative and say something that will catch our eye!" Or similar variants. Concur with KYOON: KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I want to have some level of reassurance that the person across the table from me is actually a normal human being who has interests outside of work and can explain something in a socially perceptive way.
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Jan 19, 2017 01:12
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pumped up for school posted:I still think you should leave your MS on your resume, but just trying to think of another route, how about burying it? This seems like a good idea. Yeah, I was paid to do research and teach and stuff like that. I got a lot of specialized experiences that people seem to want from BS employees during grad school (which is a whole other lovely thing about the environment here). I'll keep my resume with the masters on it and do another one up that buries it like you suggest. stimulated emission fucked around with this message at 01:45 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 01:42
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stimulated emission posted:I've been job hunting for a few months now (science, R&D type stuff) with little luck. I have a masters, but in this field (or the area, at least) there is nothing for just masters, its PhD or BSc jobs only, making me both over and underqualified. I've still applied for both, getting interviews with the BSc jobs but most of the time I get told, in no uncertain terms, that I'm going to be bored out of my mind due to repetition, despite me being absolutely used to and okay with repetition since that's what I've been doing all through grad school. I'm well aware that to make the shift from academia to industry I'm going to need to start from near the bottom and work my way up, but employers don't seem to get that (nor do they believe that I'm okay with repetitiveness). I think that you should practice interviewing and handling the questions that you're getting that makes them seem uninterested. Practice with your friends, loved ones, cat, whatever. If they weren't interested in you they certainly wouldn't bring you in for an interview. I wouldn't leave it off - your resume is getting you interviews but I feel like something isn't going well there. Do remember though that industry is very volatile (comparatively) and you may have a great interview only for them to lose the position and not hire anyone. Or everyone gets laid off.
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Jan 19, 2017 01:47
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Fire Storm posted:I have my first interview for a new job in 9 years and I have a suit that is about as old. Job's in IT, dress code is business casual (a family member of a co-worker works there), and it's IT for a financial institution. SO the interview went well (no second interview in the process, just the one), and I think I did pretty well, decision will be made next week after a few more scheduled interviews. I wore my suit after getting a new shirt, and I learned how to polish shoes! I keep thinking that getting a suit dry cleaned costs >$30, but it was only $9 for next day service. I take it that it's a good sign when the hiring manager gives you advice on how to get more out of the contract house when it comes to negotiations.
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Jan 19, 2017 02:04
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Mr Newsman posted:I think that you should practice interviewing and handling the questions that you're getting that makes them seem uninterested. Practice with your friends, loved ones, cat, whatever. If they weren't interested in you they certainly wouldn't bring you in for an interview. I suppose I should also say that most of these BS jobs are gotten through recruiting firms (they're not even listed on the actual companys website) and the person interviewing me may have not seen my resume in advance, as hiring managers and interviewers aren't always the same person and sometimes people are just lovely communicators, or whatever. I've had a few experiences where the interviewer told me that they had no idea they were interviewing until an hour or two before. It never hurts to practice interview skills, though 
stimulated emission fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 02:06
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CarForumPoster posted:I am genuinely passionate about the subject matter of the job I got hired for See this is what I'm confused about. I had a phone screening and I got asked this question right off the bat, which threw me off because I haven't been asked it in a long time. And...my first instinct was that I should answer in a way that relates to the position. But honestly, I don't think it's fair to expect someone to be passionate about a job, only that I should be at least interested in it. I got asked that question and it threw me off because, my honest genuine passions are art and music, but I'm not pursuing a career in that field. To answer "art and music..." seems like it might be totally missing the point of the question, but to answer "well I'm passionate about X technology" is disingenuous. In the ended up spinning up some really terrible answer because I wasn't sure which version of the question the interviewer was asking. Like, if the question is "what do you like to do in your spare time" that makes it clears that the purpose of the question is about one's personality.
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Jan 19, 2017 05:06
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This is a rant more than anything but I am in the process of applying for PR roles and I know it's hoops to jump but the variation in quality/expectation from similar companies is crazy. One asked for CV + 2x200 words in a webform, the other has a horribly formatted document asking variations of the same question 6 times and a disabled format painter..? I'm guessing the recruiter couldn't be bothered to proof this or it's some bizarre test of fixing a document.
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Jan 19, 2017 14:11
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Edit: nevermind, re-read the OP and got my answer
Magic City Monday fucked around with this message at 16:39 on Jan 19, 2017 |
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Jan 19, 2017 14:28
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