Foo - Job application to interview to offer ratio

I'm currently on a job hunt. I've applied to 20+ positions. For most of them I'd consider myself a well-, and in some cases overly, qualified candidate. Yet, for some reason, my resume seems to disappear into the HR blackhole. Just wondering how many jobs some of you BF folks have applied to before you got an interview/job offer.

My ratio is probably 8:7:4 so far... Hopefully 8:8:5 before the end of March...

I have really good luck and have almost always got an interview (and job) after submitting an application. Knowing someone like a manager at the hiring company helps a ton. Make sure to keep good relations with all your supervisors, present and past, they may move on to better places and can be a good resource if you are in need of employment at a later date.

Also, people that you studied with can be a great asset. Two of my buddies from tech school tried to scoop me up as soon as I graduated from college. I know of quite a few more that could probably get me into a comfortable positions (money-wise) pretty easily.

Networking is key.

ianjk is correct. In addition, make sure you treat your resume as a key-word searchable document. Many HR departments electronically scan resumes looking for key words that would be applicable to the position. If there's no match then your resume gets discarded.

Mine is almost 1:1.

wow, this is making me even more depressed.

Are you guys all serious? Although I got my current job pretty quickly (I heard about the position from a guy within the company), the process for my last job was painful. I must have sent out 20 or more applications, including to places I really didn't want to work but had openings.

I had three interviews (one at a company I knew nothing about and didn't want to work at) and two offers. Fortunately, the offers I got were at places I actually wanted to work... but the whole process was frustrating. Keep at it, and try as much as possible to actually meet people in the areas you're interested in working (as iankj said, networking is key).

I'd never heard of the keyword search, but it is important to pay attention to details on your CV. In my last job, I received countless applications for internships that I simply rejected because of spelling errors. Seeing as the main job of the interns was to edit documents, spelling errors on a CV were a pretty clear sign that the applicant was a bad fit for the job.

Good luck with your search!

Are you guys all serious? Although I got my current job pretty quickly (I heard about the position from a guy within the company), the process for my last job was painful. I must have sent out 20 or more applications, including to places I really didn't want to work but had openings.

I had three interviews (one at a company I knew nothing about and didn't want to work at) and two offers. Fortunately, the offers I got were at places I actually wanted to work... but the whole process was frustrating. Keep at it, and try as much as possible to actually meet people in the areas you're interested in working (as iankj said, networking is key).

I'd never heard of the keyword search, but it is important to pay attention to details on your CV. In my last job, I received countless applications for internships that I simply rejected because of spelling errors. Seeing as the main job of the interns was to edit documents, spelling errors on a CV were a pretty clear sign that the applicant was a bad fit for the job.

Good luck with your search!

http://www.jobera.com/job-resumes-cvs/resumes/keyword-resumes.htm

This is a must nowadays if you're applying for a professional job.

Are you guys all serious? Although I got my current job pretty quickly (I heard about the position from a guy within the company), the process for my last job was painful. I must have sent out 20 or more applications, including to places I really didn't want to work but had openings.

I had three interviews (one at a company I knew nothing about and didn't want to work at) and two offers. Fortunately, the offers I got were at places I actually wanted to work... but the whole process was frustrating. Keep at it, and try as much as possible to actually meet people in the areas you're interested in working (as iankj said, networking is key).

I'd never heard of the keyword search, but it is important to pay attention to details on your CV. In my last job, I received countless applications for internships that I simply rejected because of spelling errors. Seeing as the main job of the interns was to edit documents, spelling errors on a CV were a pretty clear sign that the applicant was a bad fit for the job.

Good luck with your search!


I've been lucky, I tend to know people and get brought in. I almost always have to work my way up but for me, its all about the networking.

Take this job, I escaped ontario 8 years ago, moved out here and got a job where I am now, in security. I wrote a neat little program to track lost and found items etc. The IT department saw it and hired me, 8 year later I have eliminated all 7 jobs (they would quit, I would come up with a way to make the job run without them, eventually my boss left and I did his job too) and run the department on my own. Luck, skill and networking (literally and figuratively) all helped.

I also tend to avoid purely corporate situations, too much red tape in everything. Might change if I am ever forced to live in a city again, but in my neck of the woods, I know every IT person and every position available.

I used to do recruiting, and really, it depends. What kind of job are you looking for? How qualified/overqualified are you? Are you applying for openings or sending blind resumes? The economy is slow in several categories, so it may just be timing. Let us know more specifically what you're looking for, you never know who around here knows something.

I personally am probably no longer any help beyond advice, I gave up industry and became a teacher.

I need to hire people in the Atlantic Southeast(Preferably VA) and the Midwest (Madison, WI). Hopefully something soon in the Colorado area. Tech/Engineering jobs with a mix of IT and robotics. I would venture out to say that there are several other people here in the same boat as me.

I used to do recruiting, and really, it depends. What kind of job are you looking for? How qualified/overqualified are you? Are you applying for openings or sending blind resumes? The economy is slow in several categories, so it may just be timing. Let us know more specifically what you're looking for, you never know who around here knows something.

I personally am probably no longer any help beyond advice, I gave up industry and became a teacher.

+1 on becoming a teacher. It takes a lot of sacrifice to go in that direction. My wife (who still lives in Louisiana while I'm here in NC) is wanting to get out of her job to become a teacher here.

Oh, it wasn't really a sacrifice.


Well, except for my sanity, but I wasn't using that anyway.

Oh, it wasn't really a sacrifice.


Well, except for my sanity, but I wasn't using that anyway.

That's the sacrifice I was referring to. She taking her certification test this weekend for NC. If I hear her complain about having to study for it anymore I'm going to make her stay there and jump off a bridge. :D

I've been applying to Environmental Scientist positions (ecological surveys, NEPA, wetland delineation, etc.) at consulting firms in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern US. I've got a BS and MS in wildlife biology and 5 years experience as a researcher. I've had an interview with a regional firm, but haven't heard anything back from the larger (multinational) firms.

I've contemplated the teaching route but just don't think I've got the patience.

Are there social activities that environmental scientists tend to gravitate toward? I ask because if you can get to know people in the industry in a social setting, that could help a lot (again, networking). When I was looking for my previous job in PR, I was told without any sort of irony to start hanging out in bars more. I actually got my current job (as a journalist) in part by bumping into a guy I knew from high school at a bar. It works.

Since I got laid off last Fall...I've put in well over 20 job apps/resumes. The vast majority of them I was fully qualified for. I've had exactly four interviews, three in person and one over the phone. I didn't get any of the jobs. The rest I either never heard back from. I've already got two jobs to interview for where I'm moving to. The job market where I currently live just sucks royally.

Are there social activities that environmental scientists tend to gravitate toward? I ask because if you can get to know people in the industry in a social setting, that could help a lot (again, networking). When I was looking for my previous job in PR, I was told without any sort of irony to start hanging out in bars more. I actually got my current job (as a journalist) in part by bumping into a guy I knew from high school at a bar. It works.


Hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, camping, etc. I've hit up all my contacts. They're keeping eyes/ears open for opportunities.

I work tech support .. did some job shopping last month applied for 3 jobs got 3 interviews 0 offers .. apparently I suck.

I'm hiring for 1 administrative assistant position and I was buried in resumes like never before.

That's not a good economic sign.

I was thinking the same thing. :(

My last job search was something like 10:6:4, but it sounds better than it was.

Some of the offers were not that great. Still, I think I got better results this time with a more targeted search, focusing on the jobs I really wanted instead of simply ones I was qualified to do.

I'd rather go to the dentist than a job interview.. I hate the whole process, I hate when you know the interview isn't going well, but they still lie to your face and say they will call. I also hate the stupid thank yous and follow ups that are almost a bigger pain in the butt. I know good and well I have been called into an interview as a minority client and they were disappointed when I showed up white. My last name and address probably tell them I am black. I hate when you apply for a job your overqualified for and still can't get an offer ... what the hell I guess I'm an idiot ... I'm not ugly or fat(anymore) or anything. I think some jobs are posted and never filled they just waste people's time. I have to take a vacation day to do an interview, so If you don't intend to hire me please don't offer me an interview. </rant>

UK: 2-2-2
US: 10-3-3 (most of the ones where I didn't get to interview turned out to have some Govt connection which my non-citizen arse isn't permitted to do)

OP - would you like to share your resume for constructive review?

Education

University of ##### January 2002 – May 2004
Master of Science, Wildlife Biology

University of ##### August 1998 – December 2001
Bachelor of Science, Wildlife Biology

STUDY ABROAD

University of ##### December 2001– January 2002
Northern Province, South Africa

University of ##### May 2001 – June 2001 Ecological Survey of the South Island, New Zealand

RELEVANT COURSEWORK:
· Ecology: vertebrate, invertebrate, entomology, mammalogy, ornithology
· Habitat management: wildlife techniques, fish and wildlife population
management, water quality assessment
· Wetlands: Ecology, hydrology, policy
· Statistics: Experimental design, multivariate, nonparametric
· GIS: advanced GIS techniques, habitat modeling

COMPUTER SKILLS:
· MS Excel, Word, Powerpoint
· GIS: ArcView 3.3, ArcGIS 9.0
· Statistical Software: SAS, R, SRSS, JMP

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Research Assistant (August 2004-December 2007), #################.

Duties: Coordinating research project efforts such as study design, study site
selection, ordering and maintenance of equipment, and state and university
permit application; Conducting terrestrial and aquatic fauna surveys in acidified
watersheds and gas well sites; Threatened and endangered species surveys;
Terrestrial and aquatic habitat assessment; Completing data entry and analysis;
preparing, reviewing, and submitting manuscripts describing research results

Research Assistant (January 2002-May 2004), ################

Duties: Coordinating research project efforts such as study design, study site
selection, ordering and maintenance of equipment, and permit application;
Conducting terrestrial fauna surveys in loblolly pine stands; Terrestrial habitat
assessment; Completing data entry and analysis; preparing, reviewing, and
submitting manuscripts describing research results

Field Technician (October 2000-April 2001; June–September 2001), ###########

Duties: Conducting vegetation surveys, Recording sampling points with GPS, Data
entry

Field Technician (May 2000-August 2000), #############

Duties: Conducting vegetation sampling, Recording sampling points with GPS, Data
entry

PUBLICATIONS

7 peer reviewed publications

RECOGNITION AND HONORS

Swinger Fellowship, Fall 2004–Spring 2006
Xi Sigma Pi, National Forestry Honors Society

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

The Wildlife Society
American Society of Mammalogists
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

I misread one sentence of that resume as "conducting vegetarian sampling", and wondered if there is a difference in taste between a vegan and a big fat guy who munches barbecue 24/7.

Kmoses, everyone has their own opinion on how a resume should be laid out. However there are some basic rules. If you are fresh out of school then you should have your Education listed first. However if you've been in the work force for a few years then definitely list that first. I would suggest the following order:

1) Name (bolded) with contact info
2) Work Experience (don't list anything too old if it's not pertinent to the position you want)
3) Education (you can list Recognition and Honors, & Publications between Work and Education)
4) then the rest

Note - relevant course work can be included in a cover letter as the relevance part pertains to the job being applied for.

I would also recommend leaving off basic computer skills such as MS Word and Excel. If you've recently graduated from University then the assumption is that you have these basic skills. It may be looked upon as being a bit silly to have in a Resume.

BTW, with your education and experiences you should find it easy to get a great job.

Hopefully. I've only been at it since the end of February. Thanks for the suggestions Alfster.

kmoses- just curious, where did you go to school undergrad and grad? you can pm this stuff if you don't want it on the loud

what type of job/area of employment would you be interested in?

just askin because i have a bit of experience and a small bit of education in this area, no job leads either, sadly.

WoW, I must be truly be doing something wrong.... my ratio...50:4:1...
And the offer I got to go to Colorado.... I found out I did not want it...True it might be harder for me as I am older and big executive job but still I'm 'quite frustrated.

Thus far mine is about 7:1:0, but my interview was only a week ago and I've applied to another 6 jobs over the past week.

but my interview was only a week ago

usually I give them 2 weeks before giving up.

Not counting my internet applications, I've gotten every job I've applied for save 2. I'm picky and work in a niche market, though.