[colug-432] job search

[Rick Troth]

On 05/13/2016 09:29 PM, Rick Hornsby wrote:
> OT: This is not a solicitation for job offers, but rather a solicitation for suggestions and thoughts on conducting a technical job search.

The topic is fresh in my mind so I have some ideas. Glad to see some of
excellent advice already given.


> When you decide it is time to move on from your current job, what are you doing these days in terms of searching for something new?  (For the sake of argument, there’s nowhere to go in your current company, it’s time to move on.)  Are job websites like Dice still something technical people use?  Are you guys who have been around the field for a while still using sites like Dice, or have you found that you’ve done enough networking Dice is the type of place you’ll leave to the entry-mid level career folks?  If not, are there sites besides Dice (that’s the most tech-centric one I know) that you might use?

Someone recommended that I avoid Dice and Monster. I was later forced to
connect with both of them because some of the employers and essential
services were connected through Dice or Monster (or others). The
automation for handling my applying was often fed through one of these
services.

Beware the trolls. All job sites suffer skimming by trolls, some more
than others.

I do like LinkedIn: it's broader than just finding your next gig. Seems
to be less trolling there, though it is a little Facebook-ish. LI was
used by genuine leads (places I got actual interviews including the
place I eventually landed). With care, LI can serve as a kind of Service
Oriented Resume. Hah ... throw an "A" in there somewhere. Maybe "Service
Oriented Applicant's Resume" for SOAR.

A friend recommended "The Ladders". I found it to be better than (e.g.)
Dice and Monster and Indeed. I took the pay-for service for a month or
so. I recommend you at least check it out. (If you're willing to go
Monster/Dice/etc then The Ladders is at least as good as those.)

In the end, it was a lead from a friend which got me the job.


> If you want to relocate to another specific city (or another state), how do you approach that in your correspondence?  On a related note, do you do anything to make your cover letter/resume stand out visually?  I know we’re not graphic designers, but a boring Times New Roman 12pt font is well, boring and looks just like every other resume out there.

Relocation is often a question on the job forms. Is it merely "okay" for
you or an objective? List all of your objectives. Let them simmer. Then
graft them into you resume (or [re]write it from scratch if needed).

I avoid "serif" fonts (look for the "sans" fonts, short for "sans
serif"). Resume advice I saw years ago recommended avoid too many fonts
and other such excesses. Keep it simple. You want your resume to stand
out but not put them off.

Most job seekers I have talked to use a general resume fronted by a
per-company cover letter. My last go at this game, I used a "da Vinci"
style resume as my cover letter, and tweaked it per each application.
(more on da Vinci below)

Some say to keep your resume short. Mine is four pages, which I consider
too long. (But not as long as some!) Having a one-page cover letter
might mitigate the length problem. Remember: hiring managers have a huge
stack of applicants to go through. You want them to recognize quickly
that you are at least on the margins of matching.


> The more devops-minded I’ve gotten (i.e. the more code I’m writing as a Linux admin), the more difficult (and frustrating) it is to be forced to use Windows as a desktop+development platform.  It makes sense to me - but does it make sense to talk about this during the interview process?  That is, does it make sense to ask about EUC device choice?  Mac for desktop use is preferred (kind of best of both worlds thing), Linux second, but not Windows.  Is that an unreasonable criteria when considering a job these days?

Consider CYGWIN when you're stuck with Windows.
Step it up a notch and run CYGWIN/X (or another X server if you have a
favorite) and you get a very usable remote X experience.

DO NOT LET the EUC issue keep you from the work you want.
EVERY place I have worked in recent history has used Windows as a matter
of course, even the one where I was allowed to choose Linux as my
primary WS/DT/LT. Bottom line for EUC is to be a tool for you to be
productive. Take heart! Be patient! You'll get that Mac, but don't raise
it as a hurdle to them hiring you. Remember that the IT department has
to accommodate a majority who just don't get it w/r/t Mac/Unix/Linux.

_About the da Vinci resume_, this came via the job search tips feed from
The Ladders.
Our boy Leo was bold! He said "I can build this" and "I can make that"
and "I can help you /win wars/". He was kind of in-your-face about his
abilities and made it clear he would _demonstrate his skills_. So the
advice is to _be clear about your qualifications_ and _be prepared to
prove them_. I used this in my latest cover letter (slight modifications
per job application).

   http://www.theladders.com/career-newsletters/leonardo-da-vinci-resume

  
http://io9.gizmodo.com/leonardo-da-vincis-hand-written-resume-will-make-you-fe-1684441362

   http://kottke.org/14/06/leonardo-da-vincis-resume-1

   http://www.businessinsider.com/leonardo-da-vinci-resume-2016-4

-- R; <><



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