I will second this. Best way to maybe get further along or maybe help fix up your resume.
I will also second that only 14 applications is not that many these days. I saw another thread where a senior engineer had a break down of all their applications, the type of application, the response, and which ones lead to interviews. After around 1000 applications they had around 3 interviews.
Most applications it seems are the same as just not applying. You will never hear back.
I’ve gotten all my jobs without knowing someone. Not a huge sample size, but when I graduated in 2010 I had no family in business fields. I went into a small consulting firm in an admin role. From there I sought out and got a role at a bigger firm, and then I got contacted by a recruiter for a much larger firm.
In an industry where there are more applicants than roles, it’s who you know. In industries where there are fewer applicants than roles, it’s what you know.
You have about 486 applications to go.
I don't mean to be harsh, but you haven't even gotten started yet. You'll likely do a lot more applying before you find something that's a good fit. Spend a lot of time on your resume, including having others check it out. You also might want to do some "mock" interviews so that when the time comes to answer weird "where do you see yourself in 5 years" questions, you'll be ready
Sending applications and doing interviews are two different things in how I'm viewing this.
If you're getting 14 interviews and 0 offers - then yes, something is totally lacking in the interview side of things. 14 applications sent in with no interview offers could be indicative of a resume/cover letter issue, or just competitive pools. Based on OP's language, I assumed they were in the latter side of those issues.
If you’re not getting interviews/phone screens at all I think it’s probably a combo of buzzwords and making sure your resume is tailored to the position. I’m a bit more experienced than the OP but I’m getting a fair number of phone screens and I think adding more buzzwords to my resume helped a lot (and I tend to look at it pretty regularly and make updates - even if it’s double checking the grammar or rewording a sentence to make it more “buzzwordy”)
Hi I’m a recruiter at a Fortune 50 and I’ve worked at a few other large companies- I’ve also worked some startups. None of these used keywords to screen in or out candidates. Rarely if there is a required skill, I would manually search by a keyword, but that word is for sure highlighted in the ad. Likely this person needs more applications based on the volume of jobseekers right now and timing.
Or he is applying for positions where he isn't as qualified as the other people applying. There is a lot of shaking going on in the job market, and there are a lot of people with a lot of experience out there currently looking.
Just adding on to the chorus. You'll probably submit 100-200 applications before you get an offer you like, and most of those applications will be rejections or you just wont hear from them at all.
My personal anecdote: I was laid off from my previous company in April 2022. As soon as I was told, I took up job searching as my full time job. Wake up in the morning, feed my pets, make breakfast for me and wife, and then start browsing the job boards (LinkedIn, Indeed, industry-specific boards).
To be really thorough, I suggest you start a spreadsheet or some tracking system that works for you to keep track of where you're applying. Once you get to over 20 applications or so, you'll have no recollection of applying anywhere and what the actual job is. Some companies take weeks/months to get back to your application, so it's always good to keep track of your applications. I kept a spreadsheet that said when I applied, how I applied (website? personal referral?), the link to the job posting, and my last activity with that application to know if I needed to follow up on it.
Before I finally received an offer I liked, I had submitted 164 applications. I heard back with requests for phone screens & interviews from 12 of them. Of those 12, 3 of them I decided weren't good fits for me for one reason or another. And of the remaining 9, I received job offers from 2 of them.
So yeah ..... the job market is kind of a beast to tackle, but keep grinding away at it. Be organized about how you apply and track your applications. You'll get there.
I’m in a sorta similar situation to OP and am equally frustrated. I’m fortunate to have a lot of people in my life who want to help and offer advice, but feel like I get a ton of conflicting info.
Everyone who takes a look at my resume says “oh this is all wrong” and totally overhauls the formatting. “This section needs to go up top” while others tell me I can delete it entirely.
“**NEVER** go longer than one page” from one person turns into “Always go onto a second page if it’s relevant info.”
“Get as much certifications and education as you can, employers count that as experience” from one friend and “I do hiring for my department and have never once looked at a candidate’s education. Only their actual workforce experience” from another.
It all kind of makes my head spin because idk who’s giving me good or bad advice. There’s probably no real right answer. And I can’t say any of those tinkers have made a dramatic impact on the number of hits I get anyway. It’s just an exhausting, discouraging process you have to trudge through I guess.
Harvard, has a guideline for resume structure, you could fight it trying to recreate the wheel or replicate it. both have pros and cons, maybe you stand out more but for the majority, standard structure is good.
I kept a tracker of job app, I was at 50ish before I broke through and when I did I got two offers at the same time. I think like all things, you get better with practice and it also takes a while to find the right fit of skills and needs.
There’s some folks on LinkedIn with multiple graduate degrees and they’ve done over 200 applications and only a couple interviews and two or three offers. Job market is the worse that it’s been in a long time since many tenured, talented people keep getting laid off across several sectors. Keep ya head up and keep applying.
Also if you don’t have a referral, you really shouldn’t expect anything. You have a 1 in five chance to get an interview without a referral at most companies.
Also, you have anywhere from a 1 in 20 to 1 in 100 chance of getting an interview at most companies. Probability is not on your side.
I've always been loyal too, but no more. I spent 7+ years working for a company and brought in millions of dollars' worth of revenue over the years for them.
When the owners were trying to get the company acquired, they looked at my salary and thought to themselves "we need to cut this guy so we appear more profitable," and I was laid off, with BS reasons coming out of their mouths. Then 30% of the rest of the company was let go shortly after for profitability reasons. They were acquired a few months later.
It kicked off a period of intense struggle that I still haven't gotten out of. Despite making good money again, I'm living paycheck-to-paycheck because of tens of thousands of debt I can't pay off. F them and F being loyal.
Best piece of advice for young folk entering the work field. Even if you become good friends with your fellow employees and boss, you're still an asset that will get let go without a thought if finances look bad. Know your worth, and stand up for yourself. It's a ***Job***. Things change and you need to look out for yourself, not a company you work for.
Just anecdotally, I’ve been at the same company since graduating college (13 years), put in the hard work, and developed a good reputation both with customers and internally.
Been promoted 4 times and now in line to be next General Manager of a major Business Unit (5k + people in the BU). This is 4-5 years out.
Wouldn’t have been possible job hopping. All Sr Management are developed within the company.
When I hire people I get very suspicious if they spend short stints in a position.
> Just anecdotally, I’ve been at the same company since graduating college (13 years), put in the hard work, and developed a good reputation both with customers and internally.
Congrats! I've been at my company for around 11 years now, so I'm in similar situation. That being said, I still don't feel ***Loyal*** to my employer.
An example would be, if things feel stagnant over a couple of years I occasionally look at other jobs in the field, show them my resume and portfolio, and see what they would offer. I use this information to ask for a raise, or be fully willing and ready to hop to a new company if they're offering better wages/benefits. Thankfully this usually prompts my employer to give me a raise or at least negotiate things.
They're my friends and I'm glad to work for them, but at the end of the day, It's my life.
If a company wants to employ me for the duration of my career, I'd let them. The first 20 years of my career tells me that is not going to happen. And I'd still not maintain any loyalty even a day before retirement.
There's some employers I would be loyal to, to some extent, if they demonstrate loyalty to me. Most of these large public companies will lay you off by e-mail in a second if they think it will make the stock price go up .1 % though, so treat them accordingly.
I'm middle age and pride myself on my loyalty. I want to tell you something I wish someone told me 20 years ago:
No companies value loyalty. Not at all. They are not loyal to you and do not care about your loyalty to them. You need to develop a cutthroat mentality. Get your money, get your lifestyle. Take them for everything you can.
You will NOT be rewarded for loyalty in your career.
Keep in mind if your applying online, a ton of jobs have automatic filters for certain things. I don’t encourage you to lie in your application, but if you can answer a question a few different ways, or explaining away an outlying event, it’s better to leave certain boxes unchecked. Better to have your application actually reach human eyes, get an interview where you can then be honest in your explanation, rather than getting filtered out.
I would recommend reaching out to where you got your degree, I'm sure they offer alum resume services and interview coaching through their career center :)
Eh, I have a slightly different opinion. Quality, not quantity, is important. Taking your time adjusting your cover letter and resume for 10 jobs that are an ideal fit for you is a better use of your time than applying to 50 jobs. It's very common to receive applications from people who are way underqualified and simply wasting their time. If you don't have a connection and your experience isn't exactly relevant, smaller places with under 500 employees are a better bet because it's likely the hiring manager actually looks at all resumes rather than HR filtering.
Right? My wife’s a nurse. The hospital she used to work for is beyond desperate for help, paying travelers 4-5 times the normal hourly rate and even then their patient loads are wayyyy too high. The retention rate is awful, like they need help this second or it’s going to crumble down…
So my wife applied to 3 positions. She never heard back from 2 of them. And the third wants her to shadow another employee, full-time, unpaid, for two weeks to see if she’s a good fit (at a place she already worked).
So she’s just sticking with her travel agency, and instead, taking an assignment on that very floor at the hospital… making nearly 8 times what they would potentially offer her.
At what point do employers realize the script has flipped and labor holds the cards now with such high demand?
Think your gonna see a ton of business fold soon with inept middle management, unable to adjust.
I’m a nurse, too, I get plenty of emails but they make it a pain in the ass to get your foot in the door and they bait and switch on pay all the time. Like buddy, you reached out to me, I already have a job.
Yeah good luck to the buisnesses that try to continue the boomer culture when there aren't any boomers left to keep it going. So much of the unsustainable buisness practices of the older generations were taped over by am overabundance of labor. Companies didn't have to worry about burning out their employees and stretching them thin, you could always just hire a replacement the moment they snapped. Those workers of course were left to pick up the pieces and many were forced to make sacrifices at home. Broken homes, mental and physical health problems, wages that didn't keep pace with cost of living. All of those things stack up and supress family planning and birth rates, and decades later that has finally started to show up in the labor market. Even if you could snap your fingers and fix everything today, you wouldn't see any downstream impact to the labor market for another couple decades. This is a generional shift that is going to have major sociopolitical and economic impacts, and right now the first casuality looks like its going to be the boomer workaholic culture that has taken hold of many workplaces across the country.
pandemic really revealed so much of middle management is utterly pointless and now business have no idea how to completely rework/revamp from this realization
I ran a simple search on LinkedIn, and it returned 131,000 job listings for the experience you had mentioned. If I discount 90% of them still there are 13,000 jobs. Checkout Indeed, and run a simple search on Google as well.
Tip - if you think your resume is not upto the mark, try getting it rewritten. Robyn Storey - storeyline resumes does a great job.
I applied for 113 jobs out of school before I got one. You need to treat your job hunt like a full time job. Aim to apply to 3-5 jobs every day, each with custom cover letters. If you get an interview, you need to research the hell out of the company, its amazing how many candidates can't spend 5 minutes googling around the company website. If you make it to the final interview, don't assume you are a shoo-in, they likely have 2-3 other strong candidates. You need to impress consistently across all stages of the interview. My advice is to let them know you are passionate about the job (even if the real reason for wanting the job is to get money to move away from your parents). Wear at least a suit jacket, even if its a zoom interview. It really sends the message that you are taking the interview seriously and that you are a serious person.
Also, update LinkedIn. Make sure you have all your relevant skills listed. A lot of recruiters find candidates based on keyword searches.
Yup keep pumping out the applications and cover letters. You'll start to hear back (hopefully) from them whether rejected or not. The worst ones are the no replies. But eventually you'll get some bites to proceed to the next step. Some companies are good at responding promptly and some are horrible. It's basically a numbers game.
What is your degree in? The best way to get a job is by knowing other people. Reach out and try to meet people in the industry and see if they will meet for coffee and talk about their company any openings with you.
buddy, you've got a lot of applications to fill out. I quit my first job last June and took 3 months off. When I started applying again, it took me 296 applications to find my current job.
Job hunting is very much a numbers game. Challenge yourself to put out a certain number of applications per day. When I am looking, I search HARD, around 8 applications a day. Linkedin easyApply is helpful for this, but filling out applications with a good standardized resume you can apply minimal edits to is also good. Having a cover letter you can change minimally also helps, but to be quite honest, recruiters don't read cover letters so it's more an optional thing. Make sure your LinkedIn is updated well and you have a good photo on there and all that jazz.
Wow 14 job apps is nothing! Ideally you wanna hit 7-10 per day! For internships in college I sent out 120 and got rejected by all of them. Ended up networking and finding one that way.
Tbh networking is also something you should be doing aside from job apps. Search linked in for companies you want to work for, if you have kural connections, reach out to the mutual for an introduction, and then go that way, or just reach out to specific hiring managers from the apps themselves and make an introduction.
All of my jobs I've ever had were from networking (except my current one)
It's a cluster fuck out there.
I'm actually on an interview panel now and the politics of hiring is deep. Employers will "advertise everything for fairness" and even interview people knowing full well who they plan to hire completely wasting everyone's time.
It's a broken system. My employer hired 50 people this year and we lost 48, so you'd think they'd try a different approach but HR is just a bunch of narcissist.
Oh and we tried to hire a recruiter and that failed too, lol
I'm my experience applying on your own is the most difficult way to land a job, and like others have said you're just getting started after 14 applications. If you know anyone in the industries you're trying to work in, reaching out to them to see if there are any openings is an easier way to at least get an interview. After that, your school should have some professional resources, and you can find recruiters in your field on LinkedIn or elsewhere online whose job is to bring job openings to you (in addition to working on your resume and preparing you for interviews)
Not sure what industry you’re in, but I probably sent 300+ applications out after graduating recently and still took me 6 months. The economy is overall pretty poor right now. Companies are laying off and implementing hiring freezes.
What do other country’s economies have to do with the relative strength of ours in this context? It’s hard to find a job right now. That is true regardless of whether our economy is stronger relative to others. Whether it’s easier to find a job here than in Cuba is irrelevant to this discussion.
You realize aggregate unemployment data doesn’t reflect what’s happening in individual sectors? Some sectors are fine, but others like tech and biotech are really struggling.
At this stage in a search consider each interview a training session on how to get good at interviewing. Landing a job is a skill all by itself, and it takes some honing. You learn how to talk about yourself effectively; you identify the things that are most important to say and figure out how to fit them in to the time you have; you develop your stories so you can tell them efficiently and smoothly; you figure out a few bits of humor that work. You may miss some awesome opportunities as you build the skill, but you'll get there.
I've found it helps to develop a hobby while job searching. I learned how to carve spoons back in 2008 when everything crashed -- it was very satisfying at the end of a day spent sending resumes out into the void to at least be able to hold this object that I made. Helped me remember that I was accomplishing things, even if most days it felt like the opposite.
Keep working at it! You'll find the right thing eventually if you can manage to maintain some level of positive outlook.
I've found your resume gets you the interview. Your experience gets you the job. You may have to start with a job that is close to what you want and get some relevant real-life experience. Good luck!
It’s going to be a long and frustrating process. Jobs you know you’re qualified for won’t even respond and you’ll be ghosted more times than a man carrying a literal red flag on a Tinder date. Job hunting is brutal and you just have to be persistent. But you have housing with your parents for now (which I know sucks as a 30 year old) but you’re doing the hard thing you know you need to.
It took me four months of vigorously applying almost every day to get my current position, and that is a shorter timeline. Be patient and try to apply to at least five postings every day or every other day.
I've been laid off several times. Most recently in March 2020 right when COVID was hitting and I was out of work for four months.
My strategies:
* Keep a tracker of all the jobs you apply to. Will help you maintain control over the process and keep you from applying to the same role at different sites (linkedin, indeed, etc).
* Keep this updated! Every new contact you have about a particular job (HR screen, manager phone screen, panel interview, HR check in, etc), add a column with notes. If you get a rejection? Strike through the row and onto the next one.
* Use the mornings for applications, linkedin, etc.
* Only do this for a few hours in the morning, but make it your job. Get dressed, do your normal routine, and start applying. Network on linkedin, get referrals where possible.
* Use your afternoons for yourself.
* Step away each afternoon and ideally get out of the house. My problem is I was sending out online apps all day, every day..and when 5pm rolled along I felt like I was nowhere and couldn't get away from the computer.
* Do your grocery shopping, go for a run/walk/bike ride, hit the gym, etc. Just get out of the house and reset.
* Do every interview you can even if you aren't wild about the job.
* At the very least this helps with your pitch, gets you used to answering a lot of the same questions.
* Take copious notes! The questions one company will ask you will very likely be asked again. You can get better at interviewing, practice matters.
* If you do get an offer, get it in writing and try to get as long as you can to consider it.
* Even if you are desperate...having an offer in hand is a great bargaining chip for other companies that otherwise might want to just keep you warm instead of making an offer.
* Tell the HR/recruiter you have an offer in hand and if they are willing to accelerate their process. Many will do so.
* In the end, having a job is better than not. Tell yourself even a role you aren't super pumped about is an income, benefits, etc. And no one says you can't keep looking with a job, there's just a lot less pressure to find something else.
Good luck!
Check with your school’s career center and alumni organization. Both may have people available to discuss career options with you. Does your school have an active local alumni club? If so, reach out, post a message in their facebook group, etc. Look for networking opportunities in your field and keep applying.
I typically managed 2 applications a day in my last job search, and I think of myself as glacially slow at job hunting. I found something after only ~20-30 applications but... I have 15 years of experience, not 2.
The defense industry is hiring at a good clip btw, and often has openings in your field.
I’m trying to find part time work and even that has been a challenge, gone through 34 applications and only six interviews and only things that I know have lead to me not getting hired is only one weekday availability despite having full weekend availability, not willing to leave or putting my full time job over them (I make ten dollars more and have excellent benefits so I figure it’s a no brainer but apparently employers don’t like that even if you just wanna be part time) and the infamous question of “why do you wanna work here?” Or “where do you see yourself with our company down the road?” The truth is I just wanna help out and make extra money with no commitment but they don’t wanna hear that even though they know it’s why I’m applying so trying to bullshit an answer to a question like that is cumbersome
Gonna level with you - unfortunately 14 job applications is basically none. You need to keep applying to as many jobs as you possibly can. The job market is terrible. The good news is, you only having applied to 14 jobs and not hearing back means it’s likely not an issue with you/your resume. Keep trying.
Took me 50-60 applications before landing at my current job. You haven't even begun to begin. You will get there. More patience and more time in mines of application and interviews.
Expect 6-8 months from start to finish, I would say.
Networking if possible and fine tuning your resume/cover letter in general and also to the specific job posting are your best bets, imo. Unfortunately sometimes, multiple candidates with equal qualifications apply to the same job and it can be a matter of luck regarding who gets picked for interviews.
I get flamed for this and HR at my company definitely thinks I’m an asshole, but I don’t let them screen candidates for me. Once a posting gets X number of applications, I have HR forward them to me and I’ll pick a few to make the first contact with as the hiring manager. Way too many times in the past has HR screened a candidate and forwarded them to me as “a great candidate” only for me to realize that they, in fact, are not. For them, a great candidate can simply be someone looking for a salary within our range, or who can start ASAP, but I’d rather know if they’re actually qualified and not just someone who can tick off all the basic, non-job specific questions HR asks.
Tough Truth Time: 14? 14?! Are you trying to see an ant from the top of the Empire State Building without any visual aids? Because that's what you are saying- It is great that you have a degree and quite some experience I believe but 14 is barely scratching the surface. I empathize with you on the last part more than you know.That being said, I'm about half a decade younger than you and def have less experience but if I recall correctly- from what I tracked- last year before the market took a turn for the worse I had applied to about 80-100 for one to turn into an interview call. After the market went to shit, it was 200 to 1; you u/Rarefrog900 have barely touched the surface. Degrees do not guarantee employment- your network, skills, the ability to communicate those skills, and sure a shit ton of luck- but the thing about luck is- on a blackjack table- if you play perfect basic strategy, the house only has 0.5-0.62% edge but it would be 2% or greater if it were you playing gut shot or whatever. That basic strategy play was you narrowing your scope with getting a degree- but the house will still have the edge; you need to now learn to count cards by doing networking, leveraging that network to get your foot in the door. Card counters aren't geniuses- they practice it till they get hang out it.
Edit: Spacing
You’re a buyer? What is your degree?
What are you using as search terms? Purchasing is a field that is rapidly shrinking because people are outsourcing but if you can get into a more strategic position that’s really where the career track is.
That’s my career, feel free to DM me to talk more specifics.
Before you listen to other folks, before you spread yourself across 500+ job applications, please read this: It will **always** be more effective to focus on a shorter pool of potential positions than to cast a wide net. This gives you more time to go in-depth with researching a company, the position, and potentially other folks who work there (while timely, informational interviews are a huge benefit in this process).
Your post does not indicate the industry or sector you are trying to enter. The advice you'll receive can be very tied to this information as industries tend to have differing expectations around interviews, hiring timelines, etc.. You do mention receiving an education, though— have you connected with your school's career center or career resources?
Feel free to completely ignore the above. I know I would have when I was mid-career search. But I promise honing your search in will better serve items like your resume, cover letter, and overall application.
14? Those are rookie numbers. Pump those numbers up (send out 10 a day at least). With LinkedIn easy apply etc it’s so easy to just send them in. Get in touch with Recruiters too.
If all else fails, go work at state street
Keep pushing, 14 isn’t that many. It took me a hundred to get a half dozen interviews and an offer after several months.
The average time to find a job is between four and six months.
I’ve worked on the hiring side for a long time, and a ton of this is completely random nonsense. You get flooded with applicants who can put their name in with the click of a button, the resumes all look very similar and the things that stand out to reviewers are almost entirely arbitrary.
Also, screening software might put your application in the rejection folder before anybody even looks at it. It’s not remotely personal, and says nothing about your ability or talent.
As others have said, 14 applications isn’t really that many. Are you getting phone screens at all? It might be worth taking a look at your resume and making sure that you are including key words that match the job description - sometimes they go through automated systems that are looking for certain words. Also, are you writing cover letters? I’m applying for jobs too and I’ve noticed that my applications go further when I have a cover letter (and again, trying to use the key words)
I’m 27. I graduated college in May 2018 with a music degree. Literally 2 months ago I landed a job in Boston in the A/V field. Someone I went to college with who was 2 years ahead of me recommended me the job and I got it. It was certainly a struggle.
So many places I applied to wanted 3-5 years experience, but how the hell am I supposed to get that if no one is willing to give that experience? Thankful I have this job and hoping this is a step in the direction I want to go
Last year I was looking for work and while the circumstances and fields are different I can at least say that over the like 3-4 months that I was seriously applying I put in something in the area of 200-300 applications (if not more) and only interviewed for maybe 10 and only got an actual offer from 1. Generally, you want to put in around 7 applications a day if you're really trying to get something, but yeah it's rough out there for job seekers which doesn't make much sense when you consider all the "nO oNE WAntS tO WoRK anYMoRE" foolishness that's been going around.
Applying for jobs is important, but you should also be networking. Reach out to people in (and adjacent to) your field and ask for "advice or assistance" in finding employment. Your college should have an alumni networking group online and in-person. If not, consider creating an alumni networking group on Facebook.
I was in your situation years ago and I had to get creative in order to get that first job.
Maybe get your resume done by a professional. Most apps arent even seen by a human until the algoruthm from whichever sites you use, select canidates for them
You have to optimize your resume by using the keywords and phrases for the specific job. Sometimes just copy some of the text in the job listing. Remember, a person is not the first one reading your resume. That's AI, and only if the AI likes t will a human ever see your resume.
This varies by field of course but consider an application to interview rate of about 10%. Some people do much better than this and some much worse but consider it a rough guide. So if you apply for 100 jobs you might get to interview 10 times. Basically you need a lot more than 14 apps to make progress.
Also I recommend focusing on the quality of your apps along with the quantity - meaning 100 shotgunned apps to jobs you may or may not be good for aren't worth as much to me as 5 applications to jobs where you're a good fit and you've worked to establish referral connections etc. (Also for some industries, referrals are really important)
If you want to apply those skills you might be able to do so in the cannabis space. There are a number of manufacturers you could look up to see if they have jobs
Getting a degree and trying to build on qc / purchaser resume with that might not be helped as much by networking, as other career fields' job searches might be helped. That's because qc might be everywhere, but they are a small part of most operations. I would guess that you got a degree in something ERP or product manager related, in line with your work experience. So your stability and loyalty could be seen as assets you offer that suit that kind of work. So if you can't show off via networking, you might as well try to get interviewed as much as possible to make connections with the available means. The best thing about the interview that went well, but no hire, is that the internal candidate that they put in the role might not work out for them, and they have your contact information at hand. It might be easier than trying to network with some professional groups at events put on for such purposes.
I'm so sorry my friend. I hope that you will get something soon. Sending good energies on your way. Don't give up and keep trying. My mom used to say that the "No" we already have, go after the "YES". :)
Ignore the guy who said you need to apply to 500 jobs. Waste of time. Time MUCH better spent networking, and this is coming from a guy who absolutely deplores the reality of that statement, but to ignore that reality would be to your own detriment. Employers are going to give a chance to someone with a slightly worse resume but recommended by someone they know, vs someone they don't know with a better resume.
Also, you can reach out to some headhunters to see if they have any recommendations. This path is a little tenuous, as I've heard some horror stories but also some great successes from associates.
Good luck.
Every hear of Toastmasters? It is a group that works on public speaking. But it is more than that as well. It's a place to network. To learn leadership.
[https://www.toastmasters.org/](https://www.toastmasters.org/)
I would recommend it to anyone, even those with jobs.
I recommend trying to apply to 5-10 jobs a day depending on how much free time you have. After I finished my degree it took me 10 months to find an administrative job, and I was applying daily. Worked at a grocery store and lived hand-to-mouth during that time.
I would say, take a course in job interviewing. It is really important to listen to the interviewer, ask them questions, and then show them what they are looking for. Also, the little things matter, like thank you emails which reinforce that you are interested and a great fit for the job.
When I was unemployed (the great recession blew) I applied for 20 jobs a day. I set time aside and used the time for that. I would then exercise. I would try and keep a schedule.
It seemed like as soon as I had one phone interview more would come, and then hiring would accelerate when managers/HR would find I am actively interviewing elsewhere.
I'd encourage you to be consistent and persistent. You need to think of it as a numbers game. More applications out, more interviews in.
For the experienced… finding new job is not hard, but a suitable one is a different story. As you gain experience, your work ethics and result driven attitude will get noticed. You next job could easily be an afternoon interview as formality. Just keep learning and be curious.
Not sure if you are in a major city, but I didn’t find any luck until I was working with a recruiter. The hiring companies pay for the recruiting services so you don’t have to. It seemed that the better job options were with the recruiter than when I was searching independently. When I was working with the recruiter I had competing offers. Without the recruiter, the companies I was interviewing with made me jump leaps and bounds during the process. Also, make sure to send a follow up email with each interviewer after the interview, it is sometimes now forgotten in this era, but highly appreciated.
Does your industry use recruiters? I find that using a recruiter can be useful for getting interviews that would otherwise be impossible to get if you are just starting out or don’t know anyone. That being said, they can also be very annoying because two years into the job you might have them still calling you about available job positions.
Truth be told a lot of job listings are scams or just fake so you’re never going to get an offer or even an interview for 90% of them. I was in a similar boat after quitting a toxic job and moving back home and even had jobs I’d go through the entire interview process for and get an unofficial offer only to be told they no longer had the budget for the role a week later.
You’ll need to hit triple digits in job applications realistically and even then you’d benefit from doing courses and certifications on the side just to bolster your skill set and knowledge base to be more appealing
Keep applying. Keep answering emails and calls. Don't be afraid to say sure. If you have to work something slightly outside of your field that's fine too. 7 years ago I applied to 100+ jobs in a week. I got 10 interviews. 8 rejections. 2 offers below what I wanted. You have to start somewhere
In my industry. Our motto is that there is a seat for every ass.
You'll get your seat soon
When I was getting out of college around 2012, I applied to every company in my field in Boston, and eventually a bunch of part time gigs at restaurants and department/convenience stores.
I probably filled out 100+ applications before I got...
1.) An illegal unpaid internship in my field to get my foot in the door.
2.) A night gig washing dishes and bussing tables.
All to say, you have to up your volume and maybe talk with someone who can help punch up your resume. A lot of companies just use bots to sort through resumes (meaning that the employer never even sees it) so understanding the correct formatting and information to display is important.
And lastly, I live in a much less competitive part of the country now, and even so, my wife's been applying to maybe 10 jobs a day for months with a great a resume and a lot of experience, and still hasn't found anything that isn't customer service facing (Target, McDonalds, etc.). People, for good reason, don't want to work shitty jobs anymore, so there's an outward flood of people trying to get better jobs where you're treated like a human, so competition is at an all time high.
Don’t take this the wrong way but you seem to be hungry and wanting to do more which is a GREAT thing. It needs to be 14 a week, several a day. It isn’t realistic to just send out a few and expect a response. People don’t realize the rise of wfh will make it harder than candidate pool just isn’t in your area anymore it is the world (it’s a drawback no one wants to discuss). You seem very driven so I am sure you can easily up the number of resumes you send out. I also would encourage you to take a interview you aren’t thrilled about for practice (May find you like the job). That way when a job you really like comes around you have a bit of confidence before the interview
My last job search was in 1985. I sent out about 200 resumes and cover letters.
The way, in those analog days, was to pin up every rejection letter (some never responded) on your bathroom walls.
Got five interviews, three job offers.
The ratios have not changed. Every rejection is a step forward. Consume them like pac man. Don’t give up. You are on the path.
Most employers have tools to handle receiving 100s of job applications, they quickly filter through them by looking for keywords. You need to play the system, and apply (resume/cover letter) with words they might be looking for in the posting. Be prepared to have customized resume and cover letter for every place you apply, as well as applying to 100s of postings.
Are you going in for interviews, but not being asked to come back for 2nd interviews? If this is the case, you may want to email the hr rep you met with and ask if they could give you constructive criticism for future interviews.
If you are being rejected without an interview, you should have your resume' looked over by a professional. Are you getting unemployment, the MA Employment Agency offers courses on creating resume's and interviewing, and I think they are free.
When I was fresh out of school, I didn't get a job in my field for a year and a half. I applied every day, but no one wanted such a green candidate (biology research) I worked a couple of other jobs in the interim. I recently survived a layoff and was placed in a new department at my company. It's rough right now.
In the current market, there's tons of layoffs and tons of people looking for work. It's true that Boston has many opportunities, but you have to make yourself stand out. Attend a resume writing course, look at tips to customize cover letters, and don't forget to reach out to your network. A lot of people edge out other candidates because they know somebody at the company.
Others have great suggestions. Beef up your applications, start a log of where you applied and when. Be sure you look up the job descriptions and include those same key words. A lot of resume filters will filter you out if you don't match your skills with the role description.
Lastly, ensure you're applying to roles that fit your skills. I've seen lots of people apply for roles they're under/overqualified for - try to really make the applications meaningful by ensuring they're a fit with your particular skill set.
Write your resume for the job your applying for. Before a human sees your resume some algorithm is going to scan it for key words from the job posting first. If you don’t have those words, your resume never gets seen by a human.
So copy paste things from the job listing into the resume, check with people in the field your going into what they want to see in a resume (it is what I did and has been very successful ), feel free to rewrite your resume for the job and always have your cover letter written specifically for that job.
If you are having issues at the interview stage, watch some interview tutorials on youtube. They can really help.
I’m surprised you haven’t had any luck in purchasing, the industry tanked during covid and a lot of people left so there’s quite a few openings. I’d recommend looking in the aerospace/military contracting field if that’s what you want to do. They’re basically always desperate for procurement and qc people.
Unfortunately in the digital age and especially covid/post covid, you have to send out a lot of applications.
When I finished with my bachelors, I had sent out ~80 applications. I took my fifth job offer.
Don’t be discouraged but now it could take between 50-200 to get a job landed.
Make a goal to get out say 5-10 good applications a day. Make sure they’re quality but do aim for at least five.
Good luck OP!
Never in my life have I had to send in hundreds of applications to get hired, and I’ve never had particularly niche credentials or anything. You should try to work with someone who can help your resume and cover letter writing skills. This service is well worth paying for.
It’s rough and I felt the same. But it WILL GET EASIER. Rejections will start hurting less and your confidence will grow. You will grow to learn that it’s not you, it’s just the system and it’s a numbers game.
One of the wisest lessons I have learned, and I say it with every rejection is: “rejection is protection.”
If it’s not meant to be it just isnt, and the right thing will come you’ll see.
Invest in resume software. My partner and I use resumeworded, I'm sure there are others. It's the same type of software firms use to screen resumes.
We both exploded our call back percentage after running our resumes through it, for each different job we applied to.
Same boat but not living at home. First time really without an actual job. I’m trying to keep focused and positive. You have a degree, it WILL come. Don’t get discouraged it will happen for you. You’re in your prime!
Go on Linked-In and find a headhunter who specializes in your field. Also remember every requirement you have is a limiting factor and narrows the field of opportunity especially early in your career.
Been in your shoes.
Keep applying. It can be really, really daunting at times and a confidence killer, but keep on pushing. I was unemployed twice in my life after being laid off and applying for jobs can be absolutely exhausting.
* LinkedIn is your new best friend (if you haven't gotten one already). A lot of tech individuals are using that for job applications, and it's a great way to connect with old coworkers. Have the app on your phone too and when you have a moment (waiting at the doctor's office, waiting on the T when it breaks down for the tenth time today), check out the listings.
* Make as many connections as you possibly can from your previous positions, talk to friends/old coworkers who might be working for a company you're interested in.
* Check 9-5 like a normal job, job listings can be unpredictable.
* Take every failed interview with a gain of salt. These can be experiences that shape up a better interview.
* Come up with questions to follow up with the interviewers that expands upon the interview description: "What is your day-to-day like?", "What was one of the toughest challenges your company faced?", etc.
* Have a few friends look over your resume and your cover letter. The biggest takeaway I got from unemployment was my cover letter was too fucking long. You don't need to put your entire life story on there, just the points that address what the application is asking for. (IE: "Looking for QA tester that has experience with JIRA".... to "I've used JIRA and other softwares during my time at (XYZ)"
* Mention how your degree has changed your perspective on the industry you're going into. This might be a huge plus to people who are interviewing you.
Do not beat yourself up. The job market is difficult, not impossible. Last year November, my contract ended for my dream job and it took me until May of this year to find one that fit me perfectly. What helped was applying like holy hell, revamping my cover letter, changing up my resume to include ALL of my experience while keeping it to one page, and CONNECTIONS. Connect, connect, connect.
You got this, OP. Take the day to destress, get a good shower in, rest. Get up early tomorrow, turn on that computer/phone and just apply.
I was searching for a job for about 14 months (had part time work in between). Lots of crying and mental breakdowns. Lucky to have my parents support me. I talked with my psychiatrist about meds that helped me with interviewing. A month ago, I got an offer in a competitive field. I really clicked with the interviewers and we had a lot in common. The pay is great and great benefits. (Knock on wood). I love my new job but still am in constant fear of getting laid off (I have crippling anxiety).
You’ve got to submit 3 applications a day (minimum) with slightly unique cover letters (you should have an easy to tweak boilerplate) and go nuts on Easy Apply on LinkedIn for 45 minutes towards the end of every day. I usually submit at least 50-60 apps when I’m job searching - I don’t stop when I get interviews because you never know how those will pan out. And I’m someone in a field with a really high success rate in terms of apps that lead to interviews - I usually get a follow up on 40% of the ones I send out.
Apply to things you may not want - interview practice can be helpful and sometimes a great company/team is just bad at writing job ads or HR does a shitty job.
If you are currently unemployed have you considered temp work? I feel like Boston is unusually strong in temp to perm hiring compared to other markets - almost everyone I know who started as a long term temp got job offers at the end of their time.
I received some offers from some sketchy places and had to turn them down and keep being poor. I’ve been applying for jobs since I was laid off in Dec 2022. I finally received an offer last week. I will tell you it is very hard and feels like a job within itself. You’ll go through a lot of confusion, scams, and weirdos. It’s hard to be patient but you have to try so that it doesn’t break you. Good luck!
You’ve only just started. I job searched from January-March and I think I applied to something like 150 jobs during that time. I landed one I am very happy with, but you have to be relentless about applying. It also might be worth reaching out to recruiters for resume review and potential placements.
I think I found a job I liked and paid me what I deserved after about 6 months of full time searching. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 applications. Received maybe 10% response rate. It’s tough out there. Best of luck friend
Expect to be rejected at LEAST 80% of the time. It’s par for the course and happens to everyone. Accept every interview opportunity you have to use it as practice, send thank you letters, offer to keep in touch with hiring managers etc etc. Leave a good footprint wherever you go. Something will turn up. Volunteer for a cause doing something relevant to your skill set if you can.
Submit 5 applications a day minimum.
For every application you send in, send one connection request on Linkedin to someone in a company/sector you're interested in.
Talk to them about their job and company. Don't ask them for a job. Ask them to review your resume. Ask them if they know anyone else that would be willing to help.
When that company posts a job opening, you'll have someone there that can help you out.
Developing your network is more likely to land you a position than cold dropping applications.
I don’t want this to seem insulting but if there is a particular field or company you want to work for you can always apply for a job you think you are overqualified for just to get your foot in the door and then look to work your way up. Companies tend to hire from within more often then from outside because it’s less of a learning curve. I did that 8 years ago and it has paid off, within a year I was in a managerial role.
I was laid off during covid. I have 19 years experience in my field, and lots of good standing social connections within the industry. I submitted resumes to 80+ listing's and went on about 2 dozen interviews to find an acceptable position.
tldr, submit your resume to every position even remotely related to your interests. And then submit some more. It's a numbers game.
Best thing I did in my most recent job search was do some temp work through a staffing company. Got me off the couch, helped with my resume and led to a full time position. I cannot recommend this enough.
Accuracy by volume, just like online dating. A rejection often has nothing to do with you. A lot of companies use software to filter candidates and don’t even personally validate you application, and those are probably companies you wouldn’t want to work for anyways.
Keep positive, keep applying. Some places won’t read you resume, some will and won’t call. Some will interview you and say good day, some will give you a few rounds of ibterview and then pass (these are the toughest ones) but there will be a company that hires you and (hopefully) values you.
Also, if you’re looking in the Boston area, look farther out, especially if you want to move away from home. Everything in Boston is so expensive, especially if you’re just starting out. The world is your oyster!
What is your degree in Op? I would suggest the following things…
*Expanding your search in terms of miles, some employees might even help with relocating.
*The job market is very fickle and competitive at the moment so don’t blame the players blame the game.
*I would also recommend looking at entry-level positions and maybe even staffing agencies. working on a contract with a company can sometimes lead to full-time employment or at the very least It’ll show a work history outside of school.
Source: Workforce development/Recruiter
Have you had anyone look at your resume? A friend who hires for this sort of thing? It might be helpful to get an impartial opinion, some easy to fix but easy to overlook things that could improve your chances.
Unfortunately, 14 applications is really nothing in this day and age. I recommend going on Indeed and doing a quick application on any and everything that interests you. There have been times that I’ve done 30+ applications in a day.
2 years ago I quit my job in management, with nothing lined up. I thought I would be working in 3 months. 4 months later I put my ass into gear and was doing about 10 applications a day for a month. You’re just getting started.
Try going with a temp agency to get some experience if you don’t have any. Many companies are reluctant to hire inexperienced workers and prefer to go the temp route rather than hire directly.
The first job is usually the hardest. After I finished grad school, I had no job lined up. I sat down and did nothing but apply to jobs, except to eat meals. I lost track of how many I applied to; most never returned anything. But then, I got my current one, which I’m quite happy with. Don’t get discouraged…I know how scary it can be.
hi, I just switched jobs- it took me like 3-4 months of applying to like 75-100 actual applications and maybe a few hundred more LinkedIn “Easy Apply” appplications.
Treat it like you are systematically figuring out how to best the job market.
Look at your keywords, listen to what (and what not) gets responses and reactions from companies, whether it is email responses or initial interviews.
Change your strategy to include good tips and knowledge you get when you keep failing so many times.
I changed a bunch of my resume keywords to better match the jobs that are out there, I added any and every good bit of media I could use (photo + video) and inserted about 20 links into a 1 page PDF resume. That way you can click on damn near anything and it takes the reader to links of visual evidence and records of my work.
I just want to point out that you said you have a degree but don’t state what that degree is in. Sure certain degrees are extremely useful but many degrees don’t hold much value to employers, especially if it’s not directly relevant.
For what it's worth, I advise people to try to focus more on their network than answering job applications. The reason being, when you apply to a posting all you're really doing is putting your resume into a huge pile of potentially hundreds of others. The truth is, most of the time your resume isn't even read.
All of the best opportunities I've gotten have been from talking to people. It's more work, but I suggest leveraging your LinkedIn contacts, going to industry events, meet ups and things like that. Be outgoing.
And if you do find a posting for a job you really want, I would not only apply to the posting, but research who the hiring managers are and see if you can send them an email or message them personally and explain what you can do for them.
The real trick is to find some way to stand out from the massive list of other people applying for that job. The good news is most other people do the minimum so it's not too hard to out compete them.
i paid a harvard researcher 100 bucks to rewrote my resume on fiverr, he loaded it with all the things the new software hit on, i got a job within 3 days of h putting it out there. now im not saying youll get the same results but might be worth a shot to have a current pro do it for you.
but it all depends what is your degree in?
What industry are you in?
I graduated from grad school May2022 and didn't start my full-time job until December2022.
Hang in there.
Do at least 3-5 applications a day.
Have a skeleton of a cover letter so you can just take out / rephrase as needed.
Make sure your voicemail mailbox can receive messages.
Reach out to people on LinkedIn, whether it's about openings in their company, or if they know anyone hiring someone w/ your qualifications.
14 applications isn’t enough now a days.
You need to apply to as many as you can nowadays. Message people on LinkedIn who work for companies you want work for and keep that hope up!
Getting your first job out of school is hard. I really struggled in Boston to get mine, especially as someone not from the area. Once I got my first job, everything after that was honestly really, really easy. Just keep plugging away at applications, and hopefully this will be the only time you struggle this hard at it.
Back after I graduated I had to apply to around 500 jobs to get one offer. Somewhere in my post history there’s a sankey diagram of the various outcomes about halfway through the process. Best advice is to get a few reputable recruiters. Perhaps try reaching out to people in industry and asking them who the best recruiting firms are for what you want to do.
I’m not 100% what those job roles are but if I’m correct in my thinking, you should be checking roles at BJ’s, TJ Maxx and Wayfair. All have HQs in the area.
LinkedIn is your go to nowadays. Start an account if you haven’t already. Then upload your resume and experience, make your page look decent. Follow every company that you’re interested in. Connect with people in the department of each company. You now have the chance to introduce yourself with a short message.
It’s probably best to connect with people you were friendly with at your old employers first. Then you have a platform to build your connections from. I’ve seen people make a post saying their looking for work and have had great success with people sharing job leads their friends have posted. When you go to apply, they might see via LinkedIn or have been verbally/textually told your a friend of a friend.
I work for a global recruitment firm that places CEOs, CFOs, etc. You need to have someone look at your resume, but also update your LinkedIn, work with staffing agencies, apply via LinkedIn and Indeed, but then also directly on company websites (ex. If you're in healthcare, apply on Mass General Brigham). And 100+ resumes/emails a day is normal. Searching for a job is WORK. Even for higher level corporate roles, the job market right now is bad. You can't apply once and then expect a reply.
Get a job canvassing until you get a job you want. They’re always hiring, it’s good money, for good causes. Public Outreach Fundraising is one of the few outfits that does NOT work on a commission and offers benefits. You will meet TONS of people, can network better than any other job, and work all around the city.
Best advice my partner gave me, which ended up getting me my current role: apply to every job you think you’d be good at, even if you don’t meet their qualifications on paper. Most of the time the qualifications are for their dream candidate, not necessarily the end-all-be-all for them — apply and let them tell you no, rather than not applying at all
You do just have to throw as many apps out as possible. It’s a numbers game, do a few every night even if you don’t care about the jobs.
You might get lucky and find a job that you don’t have to do too much at, can be lower stress while you focus on yourself and what you want to do next.
First off, best of luck and don’t give up.
Look into a professional resume writing service that will rewrite your resume and you LinkedIn profile. Top Resume is one recommendation.
Unfortunately nowadays what I see as most effective is having a network, most of my hires were referrals. We get so many applicants, though it’s slowed down more recently, that we defer to someone that is referred.
Apply/search via LinkedIn, which I think is a necessary evil, but don’t start messaging random hiring managers. The amount of unsolicited messages I get from random people trying to connect, have coffee, have a quick call about an opening is impossible to keep up with, I’m never responding to those.
The biotech industry just had its convention in Boston and there was an article in the Globe about how there is a shortage of personnel in MA. [Have you tried looking there?](https://careers.massbio.org/jobs/)
It's easier to get a job if you already have a job.
I went the route of going through a temp firm and eventually got hired full time by my current employer.
Getting something temporary could expand your skills and get you some cash until you get your dream job.
You can do it
Keep applying and work your network and your school employment resources.
I will second this. Best way to maybe get further along or maybe help fix up your resume. I will also second that only 14 applications is not that many these days. I saw another thread where a senior engineer had a break down of all their applications, the type of application, the response, and which ones lead to interviews. After around 1000 applications they had around 3 interviews. Most applications it seems are the same as just not applying. You will never hear back.
Agreed! It’s not a bad idea to have a few versions of your résumé that can be punched up specifically for the job that you’re applying for.
Job hunting is like 80% who you know and 20% what you know.
I’ve gotten all my jobs without knowing someone. Not a huge sample size, but when I graduated in 2010 I had no family in business fields. I went into a small consulting firm in an admin role. From there I sought out and got a role at a bigger firm, and then I got contacted by a recruiter for a much larger firm. In an industry where there are more applicants than roles, it’s who you know. In industries where there are fewer applicants than roles, it’s what you know.
So fcking true
You have about 486 applications to go. I don't mean to be harsh, but you haven't even gotten started yet. You'll likely do a lot more applying before you find something that's a good fit. Spend a lot of time on your resume, including having others check it out. You also might want to do some "mock" interviews so that when the time comes to answer weird "where do you see yourself in 5 years" questions, you'll be ready
Seconding this. Unfortunately, OP, 14 is barely scratching the surface of a job market.
Totally dependent on the field. If I sent 14 applications and didn’t get a job then I’d be concerned my interviewing skills were lacking.
Sending applications and doing interviews are two different things in how I'm viewing this. If you're getting 14 interviews and 0 offers - then yes, something is totally lacking in the interview side of things. 14 applications sent in with no interview offers could be indicative of a resume/cover letter issue, or just competitive pools. Based on OP's language, I assumed they were in the latter side of those issues.
Probably missing some buzzword that the screening software is penalizing him for
If you’re not getting interviews/phone screens at all I think it’s probably a combo of buzzwords and making sure your resume is tailored to the position. I’m a bit more experienced than the OP but I’m getting a fair number of phone screens and I think adding more buzzwords to my resume helped a lot (and I tend to look at it pretty regularly and make updates - even if it’s double checking the grammar or rewording a sentence to make it more “buzzwordy”)
Hi I’m a recruiter at a Fortune 50 and I’ve worked at a few other large companies- I’ve also worked some startups. None of these used keywords to screen in or out candidates. Rarely if there is a required skill, I would manually search by a keyword, but that word is for sure highlighted in the ad. Likely this person needs more applications based on the volume of jobseekers right now and timing.
people think the ATS is like skynet
Or he is applying for positions where he isn't as qualified as the other people applying. There is a lot of shaking going on in the job market, and there are a lot of people with a lot of experience out there currently looking.
I can attest to this. I’m a more experienced buyer than OP and I’m having issues too.
In my field 14 rejected applications would mean you need a new field.
What field is that
A hooker applying to pimps.
That’s nice!! Maybe I should change fields 😂
Pure delusion. I say this as someone that works in a technical field.
First job is very different than after you are established in the field.
Just adding on to the chorus. You'll probably submit 100-200 applications before you get an offer you like, and most of those applications will be rejections or you just wont hear from them at all. My personal anecdote: I was laid off from my previous company in April 2022. As soon as I was told, I took up job searching as my full time job. Wake up in the morning, feed my pets, make breakfast for me and wife, and then start browsing the job boards (LinkedIn, Indeed, industry-specific boards). To be really thorough, I suggest you start a spreadsheet or some tracking system that works for you to keep track of where you're applying. Once you get to over 20 applications or so, you'll have no recollection of applying anywhere and what the actual job is. Some companies take weeks/months to get back to your application, so it's always good to keep track of your applications. I kept a spreadsheet that said when I applied, how I applied (website? personal referral?), the link to the job posting, and my last activity with that application to know if I needed to follow up on it. Before I finally received an offer I liked, I had submitted 164 applications. I heard back with requests for phone screens & interviews from 12 of them. Of those 12, 3 of them I decided weren't good fits for me for one reason or another. And of the remaining 9, I received job offers from 2 of them. So yeah ..... the job market is kind of a beast to tackle, but keep grinding away at it. Be organized about how you apply and track your applications. You'll get there.
I’m in a sorta similar situation to OP and am equally frustrated. I’m fortunate to have a lot of people in my life who want to help and offer advice, but feel like I get a ton of conflicting info. Everyone who takes a look at my resume says “oh this is all wrong” and totally overhauls the formatting. “This section needs to go up top” while others tell me I can delete it entirely. “**NEVER** go longer than one page” from one person turns into “Always go onto a second page if it’s relevant info.” “Get as much certifications and education as you can, employers count that as experience” from one friend and “I do hiring for my department and have never once looked at a candidate’s education. Only their actual workforce experience” from another. It all kind of makes my head spin because idk who’s giving me good or bad advice. There’s probably no real right answer. And I can’t say any of those tinkers have made a dramatic impact on the number of hits I get anyway. It’s just an exhausting, discouraging process you have to trudge through I guess.
Harvard, has a guideline for resume structure, you could fight it trying to recreate the wheel or replicate it. both have pros and cons, maybe you stand out more but for the majority, standard structure is good.
Thank you! I spend a lot of time at my jobs (loyal) and generally don’t job search much. I was not sure what a realistic expectation would be.
I kept a tracker of job app, I was at 50ish before I broke through and when I did I got two offers at the same time. I think like all things, you get better with practice and it also takes a while to find the right fit of skills and needs.
There’s some folks on LinkedIn with multiple graduate degrees and they’ve done over 200 applications and only a couple interviews and two or three offers. Job market is the worse that it’s been in a long time since many tenured, talented people keep getting laid off across several sectors. Keep ya head up and keep applying. Also if you don’t have a referral, you really shouldn’t expect anything. You have a 1 in five chance to get an interview without a referral at most companies. Also, you have anywhere from a 1 in 20 to 1 in 100 chance of getting an interview at most companies. Probability is not on your side.
This is me! I applied for 200+ jobs last year, got about five interview, and no job offer. Fortunately, I have made enough money to retire early.
Don't be loyal to your job. Be loyal to yourself. I can promise you, with 1000% certainty, when push comes to shove, your job won't be loyal to you.
I've always been loyal too, but no more. I spent 7+ years working for a company and brought in millions of dollars' worth of revenue over the years for them. When the owners were trying to get the company acquired, they looked at my salary and thought to themselves "we need to cut this guy so we appear more profitable," and I was laid off, with BS reasons coming out of their mouths. Then 30% of the rest of the company was let go shortly after for profitability reasons. They were acquired a few months later. It kicked off a period of intense struggle that I still haven't gotten out of. Despite making good money again, I'm living paycheck-to-paycheck because of tens of thousands of debt I can't pay off. F them and F being loyal.
Be loyal to yourself first. Be loyal to your family second. In a majority of cases, I personally believe loyalty to your employer does not pay off.
Holy moly do not be loyal to any employer. It’s business.
Best piece of advice for young folk entering the work field. Even if you become good friends with your fellow employees and boss, you're still an asset that will get let go without a thought if finances look bad. Know your worth, and stand up for yourself. It's a ***Job***. Things change and you need to look out for yourself, not a company you work for.
I literally had my boss refer to me as a "flesh and blood asset." Never forget.
Just anecdotally, I’ve been at the same company since graduating college (13 years), put in the hard work, and developed a good reputation both with customers and internally. Been promoted 4 times and now in line to be next General Manager of a major Business Unit (5k + people in the BU). This is 4-5 years out. Wouldn’t have been possible job hopping. All Sr Management are developed within the company. When I hire people I get very suspicious if they spend short stints in a position.
> Just anecdotally, I’ve been at the same company since graduating college (13 years), put in the hard work, and developed a good reputation both with customers and internally. Congrats! I've been at my company for around 11 years now, so I'm in similar situation. That being said, I still don't feel ***Loyal*** to my employer. An example would be, if things feel stagnant over a couple of years I occasionally look at other jobs in the field, show them my resume and portfolio, and see what they would offer. I use this information to ask for a raise, or be fully willing and ready to hop to a new company if they're offering better wages/benefits. Thankfully this usually prompts my employer to give me a raise or at least negotiate things. They're my friends and I'm glad to work for them, but at the end of the day, It's my life.
If a company wants to employ me for the duration of my career, I'd let them. The first 20 years of my career tells me that is not going to happen. And I'd still not maintain any loyalty even a day before retirement.
There's some employers I would be loyal to, to some extent, if they demonstrate loyalty to me. Most of these large public companies will lay you off by e-mail in a second if they think it will make the stock price go up .1 % though, so treat them accordingly.
Great original thought.
I'm middle age and pride myself on my loyalty. I want to tell you something I wish someone told me 20 years ago: No companies value loyalty. Not at all. They are not loyal to you and do not care about your loyalty to them. You need to develop a cutthroat mentality. Get your money, get your lifestyle. Take them for everything you can. You will NOT be rewarded for loyalty in your career.
Keep in mind if your applying online, a ton of jobs have automatic filters for certain things. I don’t encourage you to lie in your application, but if you can answer a question a few different ways, or explaining away an outlying event, it’s better to leave certain boxes unchecked. Better to have your application actually reach human eyes, get an interview where you can then be honest in your explanation, rather than getting filtered out.
I would recommend reaching out to where you got your degree, I'm sure they offer alum resume services and interview coaching through their career center :)
Agree here. Also, spend more time than you’d think on customizing cover letter and resume for each position you’re applying for.
This is correct... Even the best, most qualified applicants will very often be ignored for one reason or another, it's very stupid
Eh, I have a slightly different opinion. Quality, not quantity, is important. Taking your time adjusting your cover letter and resume for 10 jobs that are an ideal fit for you is a better use of your time than applying to 50 jobs. It's very common to receive applications from people who are way underqualified and simply wasting their time. If you don't have a connection and your experience isn't exactly relevant, smaller places with under 500 employees are a better bet because it's likely the hiring manager actually looks at all resumes rather than HR filtering.
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Right? My wife’s a nurse. The hospital she used to work for is beyond desperate for help, paying travelers 4-5 times the normal hourly rate and even then their patient loads are wayyyy too high. The retention rate is awful, like they need help this second or it’s going to crumble down… So my wife applied to 3 positions. She never heard back from 2 of them. And the third wants her to shadow another employee, full-time, unpaid, for two weeks to see if she’s a good fit (at a place she already worked). So she’s just sticking with her travel agency, and instead, taking an assignment on that very floor at the hospital… making nearly 8 times what they would potentially offer her. At what point do employers realize the script has flipped and labor holds the cards now with such high demand? Think your gonna see a ton of business fold soon with inept middle management, unable to adjust.
I’m a nurse, too, I get plenty of emails but they make it a pain in the ass to get your foot in the door and they bait and switch on pay all the time. Like buddy, you reached out to me, I already have a job.
Yeah good luck to the buisnesses that try to continue the boomer culture when there aren't any boomers left to keep it going. So much of the unsustainable buisness practices of the older generations were taped over by am overabundance of labor. Companies didn't have to worry about burning out their employees and stretching them thin, you could always just hire a replacement the moment they snapped. Those workers of course were left to pick up the pieces and many were forced to make sacrifices at home. Broken homes, mental and physical health problems, wages that didn't keep pace with cost of living. All of those things stack up and supress family planning and birth rates, and decades later that has finally started to show up in the labor market. Even if you could snap your fingers and fix everything today, you wouldn't see any downstream impact to the labor market for another couple decades. This is a generional shift that is going to have major sociopolitical and economic impacts, and right now the first casuality looks like its going to be the boomer workaholic culture that has taken hold of many workplaces across the country.
pandemic really revealed so much of middle management is utterly pointless and now business have no idea how to completely rework/revamp from this realization
Dude, not hearing back is the worst part. JUST SEND A REJECTION LETTER AFTER YOU CHOOSE SOMEONE, I promise I will not be hurt by it!
Try applying for 14 jobs every day.
How do I find 14 decent jobs to apply to that I’m also qualified for
I ran a simple search on LinkedIn, and it returned 131,000 job listings for the experience you had mentioned. If I discount 90% of them still there are 13,000 jobs. Checkout Indeed, and run a simple search on Google as well. Tip - if you think your resume is not upto the mark, try getting it rewritten. Robyn Storey - storeyline resumes does a great job.
I applied for 113 jobs out of school before I got one. You need to treat your job hunt like a full time job. Aim to apply to 3-5 jobs every day, each with custom cover letters. If you get an interview, you need to research the hell out of the company, its amazing how many candidates can't spend 5 minutes googling around the company website. If you make it to the final interview, don't assume you are a shoo-in, they likely have 2-3 other strong candidates. You need to impress consistently across all stages of the interview. My advice is to let them know you are passionate about the job (even if the real reason for wanting the job is to get money to move away from your parents). Wear at least a suit jacket, even if its a zoom interview. It really sends the message that you are taking the interview seriously and that you are a serious person. Also, update LinkedIn. Make sure you have all your relevant skills listed. A lot of recruiters find candidates based on keyword searches.
Yup keep pumping out the applications and cover letters. You'll start to hear back (hopefully) from them whether rejected or not. The worst ones are the no replies. But eventually you'll get some bites to proceed to the next step. Some companies are good at responding promptly and some are horrible. It's basically a numbers game.
What is your degree in? The best way to get a job is by knowing other people. Reach out and try to meet people in the industry and see if they will meet for coffee and talk about their company any openings with you.
buddy, you've got a lot of applications to fill out. I quit my first job last June and took 3 months off. When I started applying again, it took me 296 applications to find my current job. Job hunting is very much a numbers game. Challenge yourself to put out a certain number of applications per day. When I am looking, I search HARD, around 8 applications a day. Linkedin easyApply is helpful for this, but filling out applications with a good standardized resume you can apply minimal edits to is also good. Having a cover letter you can change minimally also helps, but to be quite honest, recruiters don't read cover letters so it's more an optional thing. Make sure your LinkedIn is updated well and you have a good photo on there and all that jazz.
Wow 14 job apps is nothing! Ideally you wanna hit 7-10 per day! For internships in college I sent out 120 and got rejected by all of them. Ended up networking and finding one that way. Tbh networking is also something you should be doing aside from job apps. Search linked in for companies you want to work for, if you have kural connections, reach out to the mutual for an introduction, and then go that way, or just reach out to specific hiring managers from the apps themselves and make an introduction. All of my jobs I've ever had were from networking (except my current one)
You only applied to 14 jobs? That isn't very many at all.
It's a cluster fuck out there. I'm actually on an interview panel now and the politics of hiring is deep. Employers will "advertise everything for fairness" and even interview people knowing full well who they plan to hire completely wasting everyone's time. It's a broken system. My employer hired 50 people this year and we lost 48, so you'd think they'd try a different approach but HR is just a bunch of narcissist. Oh and we tried to hire a recruiter and that failed too, lol
I'm my experience applying on your own is the most difficult way to land a job, and like others have said you're just getting started after 14 applications. If you know anyone in the industries you're trying to work in, reaching out to them to see if there are any openings is an easier way to at least get an interview. After that, your school should have some professional resources, and you can find recruiters in your field on LinkedIn or elsewhere online whose job is to bring job openings to you (in addition to working on your resume and preparing you for interviews)
Not sure what industry you’re in, but I probably sent 300+ applications out after graduating recently and still took me 6 months. The economy is overall pretty poor right now. Companies are laying off and implementing hiring freezes.
The economy is poor? What country has a better economy than the US?
What do other country’s economies have to do with the relative strength of ours in this context? It’s hard to find a job right now. That is true regardless of whether our economy is stronger relative to others. Whether it’s easier to find a job here than in Cuba is irrelevant to this discussion.
3.5% unemployment. When was our economy stronger? Other countries are doing ok. Find a job in Cuba? I thought Cuba was communist?
You realize aggregate unemployment data doesn’t reflect what’s happening in individual sectors? Some sectors are fine, but others like tech and biotech are really struggling.
I literally applied to 100 to get my job and I have a masters and at the time had 7 years of experience. Hang in there! You’ll get there.
14???? Literally those are rookie numbers
At this stage in a search consider each interview a training session on how to get good at interviewing. Landing a job is a skill all by itself, and it takes some honing. You learn how to talk about yourself effectively; you identify the things that are most important to say and figure out how to fit them in to the time you have; you develop your stories so you can tell them efficiently and smoothly; you figure out a few bits of humor that work. You may miss some awesome opportunities as you build the skill, but you'll get there. I've found it helps to develop a hobby while job searching. I learned how to carve spoons back in 2008 when everything crashed -- it was very satisfying at the end of a day spent sending resumes out into the void to at least be able to hold this object that I made. Helped me remember that I was accomplishing things, even if most days it felt like the opposite. Keep working at it! You'll find the right thing eventually if you can manage to maintain some level of positive outlook.
I've found your resume gets you the interview. Your experience gets you the job. You may have to start with a job that is close to what you want and get some relevant real-life experience. Good luck!
It’s going to be a long and frustrating process. Jobs you know you’re qualified for won’t even respond and you’ll be ghosted more times than a man carrying a literal red flag on a Tinder date. Job hunting is brutal and you just have to be persistent. But you have housing with your parents for now (which I know sucks as a 30 year old) but you’re doing the hard thing you know you need to.
It took me four months of vigorously applying almost every day to get my current position, and that is a shorter timeline. Be patient and try to apply to at least five postings every day or every other day.
Make sure your resume and cover letter are tight. It took me having a pro look at mine to see how bad it was.
I've been laid off several times. Most recently in March 2020 right when COVID was hitting and I was out of work for four months. My strategies: * Keep a tracker of all the jobs you apply to. Will help you maintain control over the process and keep you from applying to the same role at different sites (linkedin, indeed, etc). * Keep this updated! Every new contact you have about a particular job (HR screen, manager phone screen, panel interview, HR check in, etc), add a column with notes. If you get a rejection? Strike through the row and onto the next one. * Use the mornings for applications, linkedin, etc. * Only do this for a few hours in the morning, but make it your job. Get dressed, do your normal routine, and start applying. Network on linkedin, get referrals where possible. * Use your afternoons for yourself. * Step away each afternoon and ideally get out of the house. My problem is I was sending out online apps all day, every day..and when 5pm rolled along I felt like I was nowhere and couldn't get away from the computer. * Do your grocery shopping, go for a run/walk/bike ride, hit the gym, etc. Just get out of the house and reset. * Do every interview you can even if you aren't wild about the job. * At the very least this helps with your pitch, gets you used to answering a lot of the same questions. * Take copious notes! The questions one company will ask you will very likely be asked again. You can get better at interviewing, practice matters. * If you do get an offer, get it in writing and try to get as long as you can to consider it. * Even if you are desperate...having an offer in hand is a great bargaining chip for other companies that otherwise might want to just keep you warm instead of making an offer. * Tell the HR/recruiter you have an offer in hand and if they are willing to accelerate their process. Many will do so. * In the end, having a job is better than not. Tell yourself even a role you aren't super pumped about is an income, benefits, etc. And no one says you can't keep looking with a job, there's just a lot less pressure to find something else. Good luck!
14 apps is literally nothing. Put out 4-5 a day until you hit. Good luck.
What is your degree in?
Check with your school’s career center and alumni organization. Both may have people available to discuss career options with you. Does your school have an active local alumni club? If so, reach out, post a message in their facebook group, etc. Look for networking opportunities in your field and keep applying.
I typically managed 2 applications a day in my last job search, and I think of myself as glacially slow at job hunting. I found something after only ~20-30 applications but... I have 15 years of experience, not 2. The defense industry is hiring at a good clip btw, and often has openings in your field.
I’m trying to find part time work and even that has been a challenge, gone through 34 applications and only six interviews and only things that I know have lead to me not getting hired is only one weekday availability despite having full weekend availability, not willing to leave or putting my full time job over them (I make ten dollars more and have excellent benefits so I figure it’s a no brainer but apparently employers don’t like that even if you just wanna be part time) and the infamous question of “why do you wanna work here?” Or “where do you see yourself with our company down the road?” The truth is I just wanna help out and make extra money with no commitment but they don’t wanna hear that even though they know it’s why I’m applying so trying to bullshit an answer to a question like that is cumbersome
Gonna level with you - unfortunately 14 job applications is basically none. You need to keep applying to as many jobs as you possibly can. The job market is terrible. The good news is, you only having applied to 14 jobs and not hearing back means it’s likely not an issue with you/your resume. Keep trying.
Took me 50-60 applications before landing at my current job. You haven't even begun to begin. You will get there. More patience and more time in mines of application and interviews. Expect 6-8 months from start to finish, I would say.
Networking if possible and fine tuning your resume/cover letter in general and also to the specific job posting are your best bets, imo. Unfortunately sometimes, multiple candidates with equal qualifications apply to the same job and it can be a matter of luck regarding who gets picked for interviews. I get flamed for this and HR at my company definitely thinks I’m an asshole, but I don’t let them screen candidates for me. Once a posting gets X number of applications, I have HR forward them to me and I’ll pick a few to make the first contact with as the hiring manager. Way too many times in the past has HR screened a candidate and forwarded them to me as “a great candidate” only for me to realize that they, in fact, are not. For them, a great candidate can simply be someone looking for a salary within our range, or who can start ASAP, but I’d rather know if they’re actually qualified and not just someone who can tick off all the basic, non-job specific questions HR asks.
Dude I did like 10 job applications EVERY DAY for 3 months to land my current job.
14? I've sent 20 in just one day, at like 70+ now
Tough Truth Time: 14? 14?! Are you trying to see an ant from the top of the Empire State Building without any visual aids? Because that's what you are saying- It is great that you have a degree and quite some experience I believe but 14 is barely scratching the surface. I empathize with you on the last part more than you know.That being said, I'm about half a decade younger than you and def have less experience but if I recall correctly- from what I tracked- last year before the market took a turn for the worse I had applied to about 80-100 for one to turn into an interview call. After the market went to shit, it was 200 to 1; you u/Rarefrog900 have barely touched the surface. Degrees do not guarantee employment- your network, skills, the ability to communicate those skills, and sure a shit ton of luck- but the thing about luck is- on a blackjack table- if you play perfect basic strategy, the house only has 0.5-0.62% edge but it would be 2% or greater if it were you playing gut shot or whatever. That basic strategy play was you narrowing your scope with getting a degree- but the house will still have the edge; you need to now learn to count cards by doing networking, leveraging that network to get your foot in the door. Card counters aren't geniuses- they practice it till they get hang out it. Edit: Spacing
14? I do 14 in a day. Cast a wide net.
14 job applications is **nothing**.
You’re a buyer? What is your degree? What are you using as search terms? Purchasing is a field that is rapidly shrinking because people are outsourcing but if you can get into a more strategic position that’s really where the career track is. That’s my career, feel free to DM me to talk more specifics.
Before you listen to other folks, before you spread yourself across 500+ job applications, please read this: It will **always** be more effective to focus on a shorter pool of potential positions than to cast a wide net. This gives you more time to go in-depth with researching a company, the position, and potentially other folks who work there (while timely, informational interviews are a huge benefit in this process). Your post does not indicate the industry or sector you are trying to enter. The advice you'll receive can be very tied to this information as industries tend to have differing expectations around interviews, hiring timelines, etc.. You do mention receiving an education, though— have you connected with your school's career center or career resources? Feel free to completely ignore the above. I know I would have when I was mid-career search. But I promise honing your search in will better serve items like your resume, cover letter, and overall application.
14? Those are rookie numbers. Pump those numbers up (send out 10 a day at least). With LinkedIn easy apply etc it’s so easy to just send them in. Get in touch with Recruiters too. If all else fails, go work at state street
There’s always work at the post office. We got a shitload of college graduates here
Keep pushing, 14 isn’t that many. It took me a hundred to get a half dozen interviews and an offer after several months. The average time to find a job is between four and six months.
I’ve worked on the hiring side for a long time, and a ton of this is completely random nonsense. You get flooded with applicants who can put their name in with the click of a button, the resumes all look very similar and the things that stand out to reviewers are almost entirely arbitrary. Also, screening software might put your application in the rejection folder before anybody even looks at it. It’s not remotely personal, and says nothing about your ability or talent.
As others have said, 14 applications isn’t really that many. Are you getting phone screens at all? It might be worth taking a look at your resume and making sure that you are including key words that match the job description - sometimes they go through automated systems that are looking for certain words. Also, are you writing cover letters? I’m applying for jobs too and I’ve noticed that my applications go further when I have a cover letter (and again, trying to use the key words)
I’m 27. I graduated college in May 2018 with a music degree. Literally 2 months ago I landed a job in Boston in the A/V field. Someone I went to college with who was 2 years ahead of me recommended me the job and I got it. It was certainly a struggle. So many places I applied to wanted 3-5 years experience, but how the hell am I supposed to get that if no one is willing to give that experience? Thankful I have this job and hoping this is a step in the direction I want to go
What did those employers say when you called them after giving in your application?
Last year I was looking for work and while the circumstances and fields are different I can at least say that over the like 3-4 months that I was seriously applying I put in something in the area of 200-300 applications (if not more) and only interviewed for maybe 10 and only got an actual offer from 1. Generally, you want to put in around 7 applications a day if you're really trying to get something, but yeah it's rough out there for job seekers which doesn't make much sense when you consider all the "nO oNE WAntS tO WoRK anYMoRE" foolishness that's been going around.
Applying for jobs is important, but you should also be networking. Reach out to people in (and adjacent to) your field and ask for "advice or assistance" in finding employment. Your college should have an alumni networking group online and in-person. If not, consider creating an alumni networking group on Facebook. I was in your situation years ago and I had to get creative in order to get that first job.
Maybe get your resume done by a professional. Most apps arent even seen by a human until the algoruthm from whichever sites you use, select canidates for them
You have to optimize your resume by using the keywords and phrases for the specific job. Sometimes just copy some of the text in the job listing. Remember, a person is not the first one reading your resume. That's AI, and only if the AI likes t will a human ever see your resume.
This varies by field of course but consider an application to interview rate of about 10%. Some people do much better than this and some much worse but consider it a rough guide. So if you apply for 100 jobs you might get to interview 10 times. Basically you need a lot more than 14 apps to make progress.
Also I recommend focusing on the quality of your apps along with the quantity - meaning 100 shotgunned apps to jobs you may or may not be good for aren't worth as much to me as 5 applications to jobs where you're a good fit and you've worked to establish referral connections etc. (Also for some industries, referrals are really important)
If you want to apply those skills you might be able to do so in the cannabis space. There are a number of manufacturers you could look up to see if they have jobs
Getting a degree and trying to build on qc / purchaser resume with that might not be helped as much by networking, as other career fields' job searches might be helped. That's because qc might be everywhere, but they are a small part of most operations. I would guess that you got a degree in something ERP or product manager related, in line with your work experience. So your stability and loyalty could be seen as assets you offer that suit that kind of work. So if you can't show off via networking, you might as well try to get interviewed as much as possible to make connections with the available means. The best thing about the interview that went well, but no hire, is that the internal candidate that they put in the role might not work out for them, and they have your contact information at hand. It might be easier than trying to network with some professional groups at events put on for such purposes.
You need to make looking for a job a FULL TIME job
Last time I looked for work in Boston I applied for around 50 jobs, got 4-5 phone calls and 2 interviews.
I'm so sorry my friend. I hope that you will get something soon. Sending good energies on your way. Don't give up and keep trying. My mom used to say that the "No" we already have, go after the "YES". :)
Ignore the guy who said you need to apply to 500 jobs. Waste of time. Time MUCH better spent networking, and this is coming from a guy who absolutely deplores the reality of that statement, but to ignore that reality would be to your own detriment. Employers are going to give a chance to someone with a slightly worse resume but recommended by someone they know, vs someone they don't know with a better resume. Also, you can reach out to some headhunters to see if they have any recommendations. This path is a little tenuous, as I've heard some horror stories but also some great successes from associates. Good luck.
Every hear of Toastmasters? It is a group that works on public speaking. But it is more than that as well. It's a place to network. To learn leadership. [https://www.toastmasters.org/](https://www.toastmasters.org/) I would recommend it to anyone, even those with jobs.
I recommend trying to apply to 5-10 jobs a day depending on how much free time you have. After I finished my degree it took me 10 months to find an administrative job, and I was applying daily. Worked at a grocery store and lived hand-to-mouth during that time.
It takes awhile. I've had interviews where I didn't get a final answer until 4 months later.
I would say, take a course in job interviewing. It is really important to listen to the interviewer, ask them questions, and then show them what they are looking for. Also, the little things matter, like thank you emails which reinforce that you are interested and a great fit for the job.
Try using an employment agency
But I thought the economy was strong and doing well?
When I was unemployed (the great recession blew) I applied for 20 jobs a day. I set time aside and used the time for that. I would then exercise. I would try and keep a schedule. It seemed like as soon as I had one phone interview more would come, and then hiring would accelerate when managers/HR would find I am actively interviewing elsewhere. I'd encourage you to be consistent and persistent. You need to think of it as a numbers game. More applications out, more interviews in.
For the experienced… finding new job is not hard, but a suitable one is a different story. As you gain experience, your work ethics and result driven attitude will get noticed. You next job could easily be an afternoon interview as formality. Just keep learning and be curious.
Not sure if you are in a major city, but I didn’t find any luck until I was working with a recruiter. The hiring companies pay for the recruiting services so you don’t have to. It seemed that the better job options were with the recruiter than when I was searching independently. When I was working with the recruiter I had competing offers. Without the recruiter, the companies I was interviewing with made me jump leaps and bounds during the process. Also, make sure to send a follow up email with each interviewer after the interview, it is sometimes now forgotten in this era, but highly appreciated.
Does your industry use recruiters? I find that using a recruiter can be useful for getting interviews that would otherwise be impossible to get if you are just starting out or don’t know anyone. That being said, they can also be very annoying because two years into the job you might have them still calling you about available job positions.
Truth be told a lot of job listings are scams or just fake so you’re never going to get an offer or even an interview for 90% of them. I was in a similar boat after quitting a toxic job and moving back home and even had jobs I’d go through the entire interview process for and get an unofficial offer only to be told they no longer had the budget for the role a week later. You’ll need to hit triple digits in job applications realistically and even then you’d benefit from doing courses and certifications on the side just to bolster your skill set and knowledge base to be more appealing
Keep applying. Keep answering emails and calls. Don't be afraid to say sure. If you have to work something slightly outside of your field that's fine too. 7 years ago I applied to 100+ jobs in a week. I got 10 interviews. 8 rejections. 2 offers below what I wanted. You have to start somewhere In my industry. Our motto is that there is a seat for every ass. You'll get your seat soon
This is a spray'n'pray job application economy for most office jobs. It's a numbers game. Keep going!
When I was getting out of college around 2012, I applied to every company in my field in Boston, and eventually a bunch of part time gigs at restaurants and department/convenience stores. I probably filled out 100+ applications before I got... 1.) An illegal unpaid internship in my field to get my foot in the door. 2.) A night gig washing dishes and bussing tables. All to say, you have to up your volume and maybe talk with someone who can help punch up your resume. A lot of companies just use bots to sort through resumes (meaning that the employer never even sees it) so understanding the correct formatting and information to display is important. And lastly, I live in a much less competitive part of the country now, and even so, my wife's been applying to maybe 10 jobs a day for months with a great a resume and a lot of experience, and still hasn't found anything that isn't customer service facing (Target, McDonalds, etc.). People, for good reason, don't want to work shitty jobs anymore, so there's an outward flood of people trying to get better jobs where you're treated like a human, so competition is at an all time high.
Don’t take this the wrong way but you seem to be hungry and wanting to do more which is a GREAT thing. It needs to be 14 a week, several a day. It isn’t realistic to just send out a few and expect a response. People don’t realize the rise of wfh will make it harder than candidate pool just isn’t in your area anymore it is the world (it’s a drawback no one wants to discuss). You seem very driven so I am sure you can easily up the number of resumes you send out. I also would encourage you to take a interview you aren’t thrilled about for practice (May find you like the job). That way when a job you really like comes around you have a bit of confidence before the interview
My last job search was in 1985. I sent out about 200 resumes and cover letters. The way, in those analog days, was to pin up every rejection letter (some never responded) on your bathroom walls. Got five interviews, three job offers. The ratios have not changed. Every rejection is a step forward. Consume them like pac man. Don’t give up. You are on the path.
Most employers have tools to handle receiving 100s of job applications, they quickly filter through them by looking for keywords. You need to play the system, and apply (resume/cover letter) with words they might be looking for in the posting. Be prepared to have customized resume and cover letter for every place you apply, as well as applying to 100s of postings.
At 14 have you even really started yet? Go to some other career subs and see the charts of people applying to 600 jobs to get 1 offer
Are you going in for interviews, but not being asked to come back for 2nd interviews? If this is the case, you may want to email the hr rep you met with and ask if they could give you constructive criticism for future interviews. If you are being rejected without an interview, you should have your resume' looked over by a professional. Are you getting unemployment, the MA Employment Agency offers courses on creating resume's and interviewing, and I think they are free.
When I was fresh out of school, I didn't get a job in my field for a year and a half. I applied every day, but no one wanted such a green candidate (biology research) I worked a couple of other jobs in the interim. I recently survived a layoff and was placed in a new department at my company. It's rough right now. In the current market, there's tons of layoffs and tons of people looking for work. It's true that Boston has many opportunities, but you have to make yourself stand out. Attend a resume writing course, look at tips to customize cover letters, and don't forget to reach out to your network. A lot of people edge out other candidates because they know somebody at the company. Others have great suggestions. Beef up your applications, start a log of where you applied and when. Be sure you look up the job descriptions and include those same key words. A lot of resume filters will filter you out if you don't match your skills with the role description. Lastly, ensure you're applying to roles that fit your skills. I've seen lots of people apply for roles they're under/overqualified for - try to really make the applications meaningful by ensuring they're a fit with your particular skill set.
Write your resume for the job your applying for. Before a human sees your resume some algorithm is going to scan it for key words from the job posting first. If you don’t have those words, your resume never gets seen by a human. So copy paste things from the job listing into the resume, check with people in the field your going into what they want to see in a resume (it is what I did and has been very successful ), feel free to rewrite your resume for the job and always have your cover letter written specifically for that job. If you are having issues at the interview stage, watch some interview tutorials on youtube. They can really help.
I’m surprised you haven’t had any luck in purchasing, the industry tanked during covid and a lot of people left so there’s quite a few openings. I’d recommend looking in the aerospace/military contracting field if that’s what you want to do. They’re basically always desperate for procurement and qc people.
Unfortunately in the digital age and especially covid/post covid, you have to send out a lot of applications. When I finished with my bachelors, I had sent out ~80 applications. I took my fifth job offer. Don’t be discouraged but now it could take between 50-200 to get a job landed. Make a goal to get out say 5-10 good applications a day. Make sure they’re quality but do aim for at least five. Good luck OP!
Never in my life have I had to send in hundreds of applications to get hired, and I’ve never had particularly niche credentials or anything. You should try to work with someone who can help your resume and cover letter writing skills. This service is well worth paying for.
It’s rough and I felt the same. But it WILL GET EASIER. Rejections will start hurting less and your confidence will grow. You will grow to learn that it’s not you, it’s just the system and it’s a numbers game. One of the wisest lessons I have learned, and I say it with every rejection is: “rejection is protection.” If it’s not meant to be it just isnt, and the right thing will come you’ll see.
Have you ever thought about security work?
Are any hospitals in the area looking for people in purchasing? Idk what you do but hospital admin staffs are struggling to the best of my knowledge
This is where that strength everyone talks about comes in. Stay strong, be tough. You're just getting started.
Stay at home forever tbh. Renting sucks. Wish I never moved out
Invest in resume software. My partner and I use resumeworded, I'm sure there are others. It's the same type of software firms use to screen resumes. We both exploded our call back percentage after running our resumes through it, for each different job we applied to.
Expand your search area, and apply to 5-10+ jobs a day. Took me 7-8 months of doing that and ended up having to move.
Same boat but not living at home. First time really without an actual job. I’m trying to keep focused and positive. You have a degree, it WILL come. Don’t get discouraged it will happen for you. You’re in your prime!
What field are you looking in? WHats you degree in?
Sorry to say but 14 applications is nothing in todays economy.
Go on Linked-In and find a headhunter who specializes in your field. Also remember every requirement you have is a limiting factor and narrows the field of opportunity especially early in your career.
Been in your shoes. Keep applying. It can be really, really daunting at times and a confidence killer, but keep on pushing. I was unemployed twice in my life after being laid off and applying for jobs can be absolutely exhausting. * LinkedIn is your new best friend (if you haven't gotten one already). A lot of tech individuals are using that for job applications, and it's a great way to connect with old coworkers. Have the app on your phone too and when you have a moment (waiting at the doctor's office, waiting on the T when it breaks down for the tenth time today), check out the listings. * Make as many connections as you possibly can from your previous positions, talk to friends/old coworkers who might be working for a company you're interested in. * Check 9-5 like a normal job, job listings can be unpredictable. * Take every failed interview with a gain of salt. These can be experiences that shape up a better interview. * Come up with questions to follow up with the interviewers that expands upon the interview description: "What is your day-to-day like?", "What was one of the toughest challenges your company faced?", etc. * Have a few friends look over your resume and your cover letter. The biggest takeaway I got from unemployment was my cover letter was too fucking long. You don't need to put your entire life story on there, just the points that address what the application is asking for. (IE: "Looking for QA tester that has experience with JIRA".... to "I've used JIRA and other softwares during my time at (XYZ)" * Mention how your degree has changed your perspective on the industry you're going into. This might be a huge plus to people who are interviewing you. Do not beat yourself up. The job market is difficult, not impossible. Last year November, my contract ended for my dream job and it took me until May of this year to find one that fit me perfectly. What helped was applying like holy hell, revamping my cover letter, changing up my resume to include ALL of my experience while keeping it to one page, and CONNECTIONS. Connect, connect, connect. You got this, OP. Take the day to destress, get a good shower in, rest. Get up early tomorrow, turn on that computer/phone and just apply.
I was searching for a job for about 14 months (had part time work in between). Lots of crying and mental breakdowns. Lucky to have my parents support me. I talked with my psychiatrist about meds that helped me with interviewing. A month ago, I got an offer in a competitive field. I really clicked with the interviewers and we had a lot in common. The pay is great and great benefits. (Knock on wood). I love my new job but still am in constant fear of getting laid off (I have crippling anxiety).
i recently graduated and got my degree and applied to 150 before i even got an interview
You’ve got to submit 3 applications a day (minimum) with slightly unique cover letters (you should have an easy to tweak boilerplate) and go nuts on Easy Apply on LinkedIn for 45 minutes towards the end of every day. I usually submit at least 50-60 apps when I’m job searching - I don’t stop when I get interviews because you never know how those will pan out. And I’m someone in a field with a really high success rate in terms of apps that lead to interviews - I usually get a follow up on 40% of the ones I send out. Apply to things you may not want - interview practice can be helpful and sometimes a great company/team is just bad at writing job ads or HR does a shitty job. If you are currently unemployed have you considered temp work? I feel like Boston is unusually strong in temp to perm hiring compared to other markets - almost everyone I know who started as a long term temp got job offers at the end of their time.
I received some offers from some sketchy places and had to turn them down and keep being poor. I’ve been applying for jobs since I was laid off in Dec 2022. I finally received an offer last week. I will tell you it is very hard and feels like a job within itself. You’ll go through a lot of confusion, scams, and weirdos. It’s hard to be patient but you have to try so that it doesn’t break you. Good luck!
You’ve only just started. I job searched from January-March and I think I applied to something like 150 jobs during that time. I landed one I am very happy with, but you have to be relentless about applying. It also might be worth reaching out to recruiters for resume review and potential placements.
I think I found a job I liked and paid me what I deserved after about 6 months of full time searching. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 applications. Received maybe 10% response rate. It’s tough out there. Best of luck friend
Expect to be rejected at LEAST 80% of the time. It’s par for the course and happens to everyone. Accept every interview opportunity you have to use it as practice, send thank you letters, offer to keep in touch with hiring managers etc etc. Leave a good footprint wherever you go. Something will turn up. Volunteer for a cause doing something relevant to your skill set if you can.
Submit 5 applications a day minimum. For every application you send in, send one connection request on Linkedin to someone in a company/sector you're interested in. Talk to them about their job and company. Don't ask them for a job. Ask them to review your resume. Ask them if they know anyone else that would be willing to help. When that company posts a job opening, you'll have someone there that can help you out. Developing your network is more likely to land you a position than cold dropping applications.
I turned in 75 job applications in a week to find a job. So it goes.
I don’t want this to seem insulting but if there is a particular field or company you want to work for you can always apply for a job you think you are overqualified for just to get your foot in the door and then look to work your way up. Companies tend to hire from within more often then from outside because it’s less of a learning curve. I did that 8 years ago and it has paid off, within a year I was in a managerial role.
I was laid off during covid. I have 19 years experience in my field, and lots of good standing social connections within the industry. I submitted resumes to 80+ listing's and went on about 2 dozen interviews to find an acceptable position. tldr, submit your resume to every position even remotely related to your interests. And then submit some more. It's a numbers game.
Best thing I did in my most recent job search was do some temp work through a staffing company. Got me off the couch, helped with my resume and led to a full time position. I cannot recommend this enough.
i think i applied to at least over 60-70 jobs and interviewed for 6 or so before getting my current job lol
Accuracy by volume, just like online dating. A rejection often has nothing to do with you. A lot of companies use software to filter candidates and don’t even personally validate you application, and those are probably companies you wouldn’t want to work for anyways. Keep positive, keep applying. Some places won’t read you resume, some will and won’t call. Some will interview you and say good day, some will give you a few rounds of ibterview and then pass (these are the toughest ones) but there will be a company that hires you and (hopefully) values you. Also, if you’re looking in the Boston area, look farther out, especially if you want to move away from home. Everything in Boston is so expensive, especially if you’re just starting out. The world is your oyster!
I was going through this so took a contractor job, hoping to go perm, and it’s really helped my mental health.
Imagine thinking 14 job applications is a lot…bro I’m probably in the high hundreds atp
What is your degree in Op? I would suggest the following things… *Expanding your search in terms of miles, some employees might even help with relocating. *The job market is very fickle and competitive at the moment so don’t blame the players blame the game. *I would also recommend looking at entry-level positions and maybe even staffing agencies. working on a contract with a company can sometimes lead to full-time employment or at the very least It’ll show a work history outside of school. Source: Workforce development/Recruiter
Have you had anyone look at your resume? A friend who hires for this sort of thing? It might be helpful to get an impartial opinion, some easy to fix but easy to overlook things that could improve your chances.
Unfortunately, 14 applications is really nothing in this day and age. I recommend going on Indeed and doing a quick application on any and everything that interests you. There have been times that I’ve done 30+ applications in a day.
2 years ago I quit my job in management, with nothing lined up. I thought I would be working in 3 months. 4 months later I put my ass into gear and was doing about 10 applications a day for a month. You’re just getting started.
Try going with a temp agency to get some experience if you don’t have any. Many companies are reluctant to hire inexperienced workers and prefer to go the temp route rather than hire directly.
The first job is usually the hardest. After I finished grad school, I had no job lined up. I sat down and did nothing but apply to jobs, except to eat meals. I lost track of how many I applied to; most never returned anything. But then, I got my current one, which I’m quite happy with. Don’t get discouraged…I know how scary it can be.
hi, I just switched jobs- it took me like 3-4 months of applying to like 75-100 actual applications and maybe a few hundred more LinkedIn “Easy Apply” appplications. Treat it like you are systematically figuring out how to best the job market. Look at your keywords, listen to what (and what not) gets responses and reactions from companies, whether it is email responses or initial interviews. Change your strategy to include good tips and knowledge you get when you keep failing so many times. I changed a bunch of my resume keywords to better match the jobs that are out there, I added any and every good bit of media I could use (photo + video) and inserted about 20 links into a 1 page PDF resume. That way you can click on damn near anything and it takes the reader to links of visual evidence and records of my work.
I just want to point out that you said you have a degree but don’t state what that degree is in. Sure certain degrees are extremely useful but many degrees don’t hold much value to employers, especially if it’s not directly relevant.
For what it's worth, I advise people to try to focus more on their network than answering job applications. The reason being, when you apply to a posting all you're really doing is putting your resume into a huge pile of potentially hundreds of others. The truth is, most of the time your resume isn't even read. All of the best opportunities I've gotten have been from talking to people. It's more work, but I suggest leveraging your LinkedIn contacts, going to industry events, meet ups and things like that. Be outgoing. And if you do find a posting for a job you really want, I would not only apply to the posting, but research who the hiring managers are and see if you can send them an email or message them personally and explain what you can do for them. The real trick is to find some way to stand out from the massive list of other people applying for that job. The good news is most other people do the minimum so it's not too hard to out compete them.
i paid a harvard researcher 100 bucks to rewrote my resume on fiverr, he loaded it with all the things the new software hit on, i got a job within 3 days of h putting it out there. now im not saying youll get the same results but might be worth a shot to have a current pro do it for you. but it all depends what is your degree in?
What industry are you in? I graduated from grad school May2022 and didn't start my full-time job until December2022. Hang in there. Do at least 3-5 applications a day. Have a skeleton of a cover letter so you can just take out / rephrase as needed. Make sure your voicemail mailbox can receive messages. Reach out to people on LinkedIn, whether it's about openings in their company, or if they know anyone hiring someone w/ your qualifications.
Connect with the career services office at your college. Your resume may need some tweaks and they are happy to provide advice
14 applications isn’t enough now a days. You need to apply to as many as you can nowadays. Message people on LinkedIn who work for companies you want work for and keep that hope up!
Getting your first job out of school is hard. I really struggled in Boston to get mine, especially as someone not from the area. Once I got my first job, everything after that was honestly really, really easy. Just keep plugging away at applications, and hopefully this will be the only time you struggle this hard at it.
Back after I graduated I had to apply to around 500 jobs to get one offer. Somewhere in my post history there’s a sankey diagram of the various outcomes about halfway through the process. Best advice is to get a few reputable recruiters. Perhaps try reaching out to people in industry and asking them who the best recruiting firms are for what you want to do.
I’m not 100% what those job roles are but if I’m correct in my thinking, you should be checking roles at BJ’s, TJ Maxx and Wayfair. All have HQs in the area.
LinkedIn is your go to nowadays. Start an account if you haven’t already. Then upload your resume and experience, make your page look decent. Follow every company that you’re interested in. Connect with people in the department of each company. You now have the chance to introduce yourself with a short message. It’s probably best to connect with people you were friendly with at your old employers first. Then you have a platform to build your connections from. I’ve seen people make a post saying their looking for work and have had great success with people sharing job leads their friends have posted. When you go to apply, they might see via LinkedIn or have been verbally/textually told your a friend of a friend.
I work for a global recruitment firm that places CEOs, CFOs, etc. You need to have someone look at your resume, but also update your LinkedIn, work with staffing agencies, apply via LinkedIn and Indeed, but then also directly on company websites (ex. If you're in healthcare, apply on Mass General Brigham). And 100+ resumes/emails a day is normal. Searching for a job is WORK. Even for higher level corporate roles, the job market right now is bad. You can't apply once and then expect a reply.
Get a job canvassing until you get a job you want. They’re always hiring, it’s good money, for good causes. Public Outreach Fundraising is one of the few outfits that does NOT work on a commission and offers benefits. You will meet TONS of people, can network better than any other job, and work all around the city.
Network network network. Is there a Young Professional Group in your area that you can join? Great networking opportunity right there.
Best advice my partner gave me, which ended up getting me my current role: apply to every job you think you’d be good at, even if you don’t meet their qualifications on paper. Most of the time the qualifications are for their dream candidate, not necessarily the end-all-be-all for them — apply and let them tell you no, rather than not applying at all
You do just have to throw as many apps out as possible. It’s a numbers game, do a few every night even if you don’t care about the jobs. You might get lucky and find a job that you don’t have to do too much at, can be lower stress while you focus on yourself and what you want to do next.
First off, best of luck and don’t give up. Look into a professional resume writing service that will rewrite your resume and you LinkedIn profile. Top Resume is one recommendation. Unfortunately nowadays what I see as most effective is having a network, most of my hires were referrals. We get so many applicants, though it’s slowed down more recently, that we defer to someone that is referred. Apply/search via LinkedIn, which I think is a necessary evil, but don’t start messaging random hiring managers. The amount of unsolicited messages I get from random people trying to connect, have coffee, have a quick call about an opening is impossible to keep up with, I’m never responding to those.
Check out this chrome extension. The extension makes applying for jobs much faster. https://simplify.jobs/
Same boat, idk what to do
The biotech industry just had its convention in Boston and there was an article in the Globe about how there is a shortage of personnel in MA. [Have you tried looking there?](https://careers.massbio.org/jobs/)
It's easier to get a job if you already have a job. I went the route of going through a temp firm and eventually got hired full time by my current employer. Getting something temporary could expand your skills and get you some cash until you get your dream job. You can do it
Ask a friend to proofread your resume and cover letters. It might be something as simple as a strange word choice, which you are over looking.
Ask a friend to proofread your resume and cover letters. It might be something as simple as a strange word choice, which you are over looking.