Job hunting 101

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Good luck lookin' four gigs in utter countries 'cuz dis ain't yours no moor, ai na? O, and refrain from bashin' our Prez, hey?

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

[jficke13]

But wait, I thought,

Not particularly helpful... but I'm glad you got to feel like a big dude on the internet today.

[GGGG]

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

And apparently to get paid to write about sports.

[MerrittsMustache]

1) After you apply for a job, search the company's website for an HR contact or search the company on LinkedIn for a contact. Find someone within the company to reach out to, ideally someone within the hiring dept or in HR. Let that person know you applied and see if there is any further info that they need from you.

2) No need to mention references at all on your resume. If companies want references, they'll ask for them.

3) Work LinkedIn. Find contacts from MU, from your hometown, from companies you're interested in, recruiting companies, etc. Most new jobs come as a result of having a connection, not from applying and hoping for the best.

4) Change your address and phone number to one in the US (parents or a sibling). Recruiters/HMs aren't going to pursue a candidate who's 4000 miles away.

5) Make sure all resume bullet points contain an action and the results. (i.e. Created a process that led to 20% profit increase). Spend 50 bucks to have an expert review your resume.

6) Don't give up! Don't get down on yourself!

[MerrittsMustache]

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

7) Avoid comments like this, which will lead to this thread getting locked, thus preventing you from getting free advice.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

7) Avoid comments like this, which will lead to this thread getting locked, thus preventing you from getting free advice.

Fair, I just get so fed up and I've never been one to sit there and take crap. Get a little to emotional for my own good.

Thanks all for the help by the way, I appreciate it.

[MUfan12]

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

Also, proofread the hell out of your resume and cover letter.

*Thanks for playing, though.

 

[GGGG]

7) Avoid comments like this, which will lead to this thread getting locked, thus preventing you from getting free advice.

8) Explain in professional terms why you decided to get your master's overseas.  Don't just list the degree because people here will not know about the school or the program.  Turn it into a distinguishing characteristic. 

[B. McBannerson]

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

Godwin's Law going to be added to your resume? 

You realize half this country doesn't agree with you, that can be helpful information for anyone seeking a job.  Some friendly advice, keep politics out of interviews, on the job, and off this board.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Godwin's Law going to be added to your resume? 

You realize half this country doesn't agree with you, that can be helpful information for anyone seeking a job.  Some friendly advice, keep politics out of interviews, on the job, and off this board.

Yea, I hide it pretty well in anything that can be directly related back to me. There are probably 3 people on this board who actually know who I am.

[4everwarriors]

Part of the reason I'm coming back is to fight my ass off and speak out against the fascist government and your fuhrer. Thanks for playing thought.

You're a youngun, but, don't bite yo nose off ta spite yo face. Like it orr knot, dis chit comes back ta bite yo in da ass, hey?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

6 months of unemployment in 2009 and 12 months of contract work in 2009-2010 has made me a great job hunter.

• Like chili 83 said, use a US address.  Use your parents or sibling address and use a Skype telephone number. 
  
• Leave any mention of References off your resume.  You can casually mention in a cover letter if you want when you apply for something specific, but this is the 20-teens and companies know they can get contact names from you to e-mail or talk to if they want.
• Set up daily job alerts.  Use Indeed.com, Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, states have their own job sites and also try the National Labor Exchange (http://us.jobs/index.asp) which I've had good luck with.  You set your geographical location(s).  USAJOBS: (https://www.usajobs.gov/) Set up multiple job title searches also as they yield different results.  I recently switched switched jobs 6 months ago.  For example I had daily emails for Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer, Application Engineer, Sales Engineer and set for different geographic locations.
• Set up LinkedIn and connect with as many friends, past work acquaintances and past supervisors and ask for some recommendations from them and these will be visible to recruiters, etc.
• uncle zeffy is correct - Tailor your resume to the job you apply for and with recruiters you need to have patience with them because they will only really contact you when they are working to fill an opening that you may be a fit for.  I would apply with several recruiting agencies so at least your in their system.  Often they find you on Indeed or Monster, but they check their database first.
• The first statement on the resume under your address shouldn't be "Seeking a position yada, yada, yada..... instead have a statement about why you're a great fit and a unique candidate for a position.

If I think of anything else I'll post or feel free to IM me.  I'm still deluged with calls and emails for jobs.
One final note, years of job searching I've found good recruiters who actually only contacted me when an opening that was a great fit and/or promotion and others who would push, bad fits, job demotions, contract work in place of my salaried position, positions that at best were lateral moves that would more than double my commute and then would still question me when I said, no thanks.  I began to ignore calls and email from these certain people because I just couldn't trust anything they offered.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

• The first statement on the resume under your address shouldn't be "Seeking a position yada, yada, yada..... instead have a statement about why you're a great fit and a unique candidate for a position.

Thanks, I'll get right on that one.[/list]

[MU82]

Before I get to my little bit of advice, first the bad news ...

I don't envy you, Chitown. This is not a good time to be entering journalism ... not if one actually wants a job that pays enough to buy a six-pack per week. Of course, that has been the case for quite some time now.

As the Internet has replaced newspapers, they look less for actual writing/reporting ability and more for people willing to "provide content" for the least amount of money possible. If you are frustrated with the U.S. now, you will be REALLY frustrated "providing content" while working for peanuts as a U.S. journalist. If you can even get one of THOSE jobs.

I knew I was in trouble when my editors started to refer to everything as "content." After about the 10th reference, I said something like: "I am not a 'content provider.' I am a multiple-award-winning journalist, and you're damn lucky to have me." He wasn't impressed.

Here in Charlotte, the Observer was once a highly-regarded newspaper with a large sports staff. They now have one columnist, two Panthers reporters, one Hornets reporter, one prep reporter and handle everything else with freelancers they can pay $75-$100 per article for. Five sportswriters for a major-market metro daily. Wow. The Chicago Tribune has only one sports columnist. The Tribune! Top Internet sites have stopped throwing money around - Yahoo, ESPN, etc, have had massive layoffs and hiring freezes.

Twenty years ago, I used to love encouraging young journalists to make their mark in this business. Now, my advice to a 17-year-old who is considering journalism is: "Run away! Do anything else!"

Having said all that, there ARE opportunities. And while I wouldn't expect to get paid well in 99% of them, maybe you will snag something that will at least be a good starter job for you. You might have to be willing to volunteer, but you are in a position where you need to get your name out there, tangible proof that you are any good.

When I used to work with young sportswriters, one thing I would tell them is to offer something unique in each piece they write. What made this game stand out? Why should a reader want to read THIS article vs. any of the others he/she could choose to read?

Well, I give the same advice to you as a journalist. What about you stands out? Why should an employer consider you (let alone hire you) vs. any of the others he/she could consider?

I wish you good fortune, my friend.

[drewm88]

As an alum, you're generally eligible to use MU career services, and most Jesuit schools let you use theirs as well. I'd guess that could help you with contacts in various cities.

Also, don't assume your anonymity on here or anywhere. There's a lot of information on the internet, and people can piece things together relatively easily.

[Babybluejeans]

Unfortunately, you're going to have to come stateside to get a job stateside, ol' chap.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Unfortunately, you're going to have to come stateside to get a job stateside, ol' chap.

Ah well, guess I'll just get my old bar tending job back until I find something permanent.

[MU82]

Also, don't assume your anonymity on here or anywhere. There's a lot of information on the internet, and people can piece things together relatively easily.

Superb advice.

[Badgerhater]

Join the military and become a public affairs officer.  You will learn a lot, including what journalists don't know.

[Badgerhater]

Also, don't assume your anonymity on here or anywhere. There's a lot of information on the internet, and people can piece things together relatively easily.

Journalists used to be pretty good at stuff like that!

[Galway Eagle]

 

Yea, I hide it pretty well in anything that can be directly related back to me. There are probably 3 people on this board who actually know who I am.

Chitown why don't you start doing bleacherreport articles or a blog on the side? I know people from journalism who started doing independent food stuff and they got picked up by sponsors.

Also never assume anonymity especially on here. I mean on this board you've specified A) your age B) Your dad's job as a coach. That's not hard then to look at coaches names at whatever that High school is and do a quick Facebook search. Most people on this board are not as anonymous as they think.

[real chili 83]

Chitown why don't you start doing bleacherreport articles or a blog on the side? I know people from journalism who started doing independent food stuff and they got picked up by sponsors.

Also never assume anonymity especially on here. I mean on this board you've specified A) your age B) Your dad's job as a coach. That's not hard then to look at coaches names at whatever that High school is and do a quick Facebook search. Most people on this board are not as anonymous as they think.

Chicos was pretty damn easy to figure out via linkedin.  It's not that hard. 

However, DUNKS remains an international man of mystery.

[Badgerhater]

Superb(ar) advice.

[jficke13]

Chitown why don't you start doing bleacherreport articles or a blog on the side? I know people from journalism who started doing independent food stuff and they got picked up by sponsors.

Also never assume anonymity especially on here. I mean on this board you've specified A) your age B) Your dad's job as a coach. That's not hard then to look at coaches names at whatever that High school is and do a quick Facebook search. Most people on this board are not as anonymous as they think.

Don't write for Bleacher Report. Don't click on Bleacher Report links. Don't share Bleacher Report links. If you have any regard for the future quality of journalism generally, or their writers well-being specifically, starve Bleacher Report of traffic until it's valueless, closed, and the world metaphorically salted the earth of its business model for all time.

http://deadspin.com/the-top-200-ways-bleacher-report-screwed-me-over-1608499729

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

isn't Bleacher Report a recurrent Scoop Meme?