How do you start looking for a new job? (1 Viewer)

[Gawain]

I've about maxed out my growth at my current place of employment and have started to look elsewhere.

I realized that I've never started looking while employed at a place where I would stay if I couldn't find anything better.

Is there a process? Do I let my current employer know I am looking at any point before I'd be submitting a resignation letter (is that still a thing)?

How do I handle interviews during the day with my current place and will prospective employers understand that I'm coming from work if I show up in slacks instead of a suit?

 

[Rayderr]

Tell your current employer nothing.

If a company asks why you are leaving, tell them what you just said. That you've maxed out there and want to continue growing your career.

As far as outfit, keep the jacket and tie in the car, and no one will probably know (unless you normally just wear t-shirts and jeans. to work)

 

[fantasycurse42]

First off, you never say a word to your current employer until you've signed an offer letter.

When the interview is being scheduled, simply let the recruiter or HR person know that you will be in slacks and not a suit as you don't want to raise any red flags with your current employer. Any company that doesn't understand this (and I never ran into this) must suck ###.

I'd start in two places, LinkedIn and Indeed.com... Reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn and look for jobs on Indeed. If you find something you like, you can reach out to either the hiring manager or the company HR along with submitting your resume to let them know you're interested.

Good luck.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Start by cleaning up any online presence you may have which would reflect negatively on your application.

 

[Gawain]

Start by cleaning up any online presence you may have which would reflect negatively on your application.

Thanks for the advice so far. FC42 has it right, I'm in NYC, so leaving articles of clothing stashed probably doesn't work too well.

My online presence is almost nil. I have a facebook account that I very rarely use with pictures from my wedding and little more.

My wife is a HR Director and has promised to help me get a LinkedIn profile together.

What about references? Too risky to use past co-workers in case it gets back to the company? Necessary risk, because once references are getting checked there's strong consideration?

I hadn't thought about indeed, thanks for the heads-up.

 

[fantasycurse42]

In my experience, references are basically just there for the process... Every employer knows you'll only give a reference that will say something good, so at that point they're just crossing T's and dotting I's. I've never gotten to the reference point and not received an offer.

Furthermore, hopefully you are close enough with your references that they wouldn't out you like that.

 

[Gator Shawn]

This is good stuff. I am terrible at marketing myself in terms of translating my current job into a resume. In this same line, when is it appropriate to engage a head hunter and do they sort of work like a real estate agent on my behalf?

 

[fantasycurse42]

This is good stuff. I am terrible at marketing myself in terms of translating my current job into a resume. In this same line, when is it appropriate to engage a head hunter and do they sort of work like a real estate agent on my behalf?

Yes, they get paid when they place you - Typically you have stay at the new job for at least 6 months before they are actually paid out on it.

 

[Gawain]

This is good stuff. I am terrible at marketing myself in terms of translating my current job into a resume. In this same line, when is it appropriate to engage a head hunter and do they sort of work like a real estate agent on my behalf?

I don't know where you are on your career path, but I've found headhunters/staffing agencies are pretty good for senior manager and above positions and awful for mid-level to junior positions.

For Directors/Executives, most are still employed, have a niche skillset that is highly relatable to current needs and you only see qualified candidates.

For Mangers/Associates/Coordinators, most are unemployed, have generic or not relatable experience and the agencies I've worked with will throw everything against the wall to see what sticks.

 

[Jack White]

This is good stuff. I am terrible at marketing myself in terms of translating my current job into a resume. In this same line, when is it appropriate to engage a head hunter and do they sort of work like a real estate agent on my behalf?

Yes, they get paid when they place you - Typically you have stay at the new job for at least 6 months before they are actually paid out on it.

That wasn't the case when I was in recruiting. There was a money-back guarantee if the candidate didn't stick for six months, but the fee was paid upon placement.

 

[belljr]

The first thing you do is quit.

You need to do that to have the motivation to find something else.

 

[brun]

I've about maxed out my growth at my current place of employment and have started to look elsewhere.

I realized that I've never started looking while employed at a place where I would stay if I couldn't find anything better.

Is there a process? Do I let my current employer know I am looking at any point before I'd be submitting a resignation letter (is that still a thing)?

Not in this instance.

How do I handle interviews during the day with my current place and will prospective employers understand that I'm coming from work if I show up in slacks instead of a suit?

If your job is the kind where you are expected to interview in a suit., then you should make every effort to do so. I've stashed a suit at my gym and changed there. I've changed in parking lots, hotel restrooms, a hockey arena locker room etc. You should be able to find a way.

You might want to line up your references ahead of time. If your references seem open to some direction, you could let them know which of your skills/attributes you might like them to emphasize.

You may want to talk to a couple of recruiters right at the start. If you haven't been looking lately, or ever, they can sometimes offer insight into the prevailing compensation options for your type of job, feedback on the formatting and content of your resume, possible interview questions etc. The hiring company is their client, you are their product and if they think you're qualified, they want to present their product in the best possible light to their clients.

 

[Jayrod]

One point about references, you need to let them know you are using them. If you don't think you can do that before handing their name and contact info over, don't use them.

I'm currently hiring for a mid level position and started looking over resumes today. For the love of God, format it consistently, spell check and if they ask for a cover letter supply one. These three things have caused me to put otherwise good resumes aside and not call them for the first wave of interviews.

 

[JFT Ben]

I've about maxed out my growth at my current place of employment and have started to look elsewhere.

I realized that I've never started looking while employed at a place where I would stay if I couldn't find anything better.

Is there a process? Do I let my current employer know I am looking at any point before I'd be submitting a resignation letter (is that still a thing)?

Not in this instance.

How do I handle interviews during the day with my current place and will prospective employers understand that I'm coming from work if I show up in slacks instead of a suit?

If your job is the kind where you are expected to interview in a suit., then you should make every effort to do so. I've stashed a suit at my gym and changed there. I've changed in parking lots, hotel restrooms, a hockey arena locker room etc. You should be able to find a way.

You might want to line up your references ahead of time. If your references seem open to some direction, you could let them know which of your skills/attributes you might like them to emphasize.

You may want to talk to a couple of recruiters right at the start. If you haven't been looking lately, or ever, they can sometimes offer insight into the prevailing compensation options for your type of job, feedback on the formatting and content of your resume, possible interview questions etc. The hiring company is their client, you are their product and if they think you're qualified, they want to present their product in the best possible light to their clients.

Good advice, though I've never used a recruiter. I've been in this boat for about 8 months, and while the hiring process can sometimes take a while (one lead/company's hiring process that I'm int he mix is still on-going with in-person interview yet to come - started last November), having a job and being patient can help make sure you find the right fit. I have had have stashed a suit and changed in the locker room of a nearby building that I knew well, though hotel could work as well. Indeed.com was solid for finding leads. Don't forget to network as well with past friends or colleagues in the field. Get your resume polished and LinkedIn up to date.

 

[Gawain]

Is there a definitive answer on 1-page or 2-page resumes?

I'm putting together a 2-page resume for jobs that would be an immediate change in title and a 1-page resume for jobs that would be similar, but offer more growth potential.

(Currently a Logistics and Supply Chain Manager with 10 years experience. Five year gap from 2007-2012 when I went to Law School and worked as a junior associate for 2 years)

 

[fantasycurse42]

I'm at the point where squeezing one page is getting difficult... I don't think it matters all that much though.

 

[NutterButter]

Typically just Dice.com, but I'd probably do LinkedIn as well these days. In the programming world, the headhunters will find you.

 

[Gator Shawn]

My problem, and I know I am not alone, is that I've become fairly specialized in my role in IT and while I know most (almost all) of my experience and skills are transferrable, I draw blanks when trying to put that into a resume.

 

[fantasycurse42]

My problem, and I know I am not alone, is that I've become fairly specialized in my role in IT and while I know most (almost all) of my experience and skills are transferrable, I draw blanks when trying to put that into a resume.

People take a lot of their information and put it on their Linkedin profiles... If you are drawing a blank, go on there and look at what others in your field write about themselves.

 

[NutterButter]

My problem, and I know I am not alone, is that I've become fairly specialized in my role in IT and while I know most (almost all) of my experience and skills are transferrable, I draw blanks when trying to put that into a resume.

Wouldn't you just be putting a lot of keywords and certifications in your resume. I think its that stuff that headhunters look for in IT rather than the right ups under your job history. So as a programmer, I list things like c#, mvc, angular, jquery, css, html5, agile, blah blah blah and those headhunters come out of the woodwork like cockroaches calling me.

 

[Doug B]

Is there a definitive answer on 1-page or 2-page resumes?

)

To my experience, this depends. Broadly: the one-page rule was really something aimed at people just starting out in the professional work force so that prospective employers wouldn't have to dig through high-school activities and such.

For people who've been in the workforce some time (by ~10 years), a 2-page resume is generally fine. Note, however, that this can be field-dependant, so you might need field-dependant advice. It is adviseable, in any case, on a multi-page resume to make sure the prospectice employer can get your relevant skills and expertise right off the first page.

 

[Jayrod]

Is there a definitive answer on 1-page or 2-page resumes?

)

To my experience, this depends. Broadly: the one-page rule was really something aimed at people just starting out in the professional work force so that prospective employers wouldn't have to dig through high-school activities and such.

For people who've been in the workforce some time (by ~10 years), a 2-page resume is generally fine. Note, however, that this can be field-dependant, so you might need field-dependant advice. It is adviseable, in any case, on a multi-page resume to make sure the prospectice employer can get your relevant skills and expertise right off the first page.

2 page doesn't matter much as long as formatting and layout are still good.

 

[[icon]]

Personally I've used type size and formatting to keep my resume to 1 page, but I don't list skills as my field (marketing manager/director) doesn't require any specialized software or certifications (IMO It's assumed you're good with MS Office and Windows at this point).

My resume just uses:
• I just use a 3 line Executive Summary
• 4 past jobs with 5-6 key points on each that I tweak based upon the job description I'm applying for
• Education
• Personal Interests (depends on job I'm applying for, generally tailored to show activities that show my interest in career doesn't stop at 5pm)

I think it's critical to customize your resume for each prospective job in many/most fields. Read the job description and fine tune your resume to directly attack the key skills/tasks they're seeking. Cover letter should do this as well. Sell yourself to them...

 

[Scoresman]

why the #### does number of pages matter in the year of our lord 2015. printers can print double sided now.

 

[Osaurus]

Typically just Dice.com, but I'd probably do LinkedIn as well these days. In the programming world, the headhunters will find you.

My problem, and I know I am not alone, is that I've become fairly specialized in my role in IT and while I know most (almost all) of my experience and skills are transferrable, I draw blanks when trying to put that into a resume.

People take a lot of their information and put it on their Linkedin profiles... If you are drawing a blank, go on there and look at what others in your field write about themselves.

This is all good. Spruced up my LinkedIn account last week and am already getting calls from recruiters. Worth it IMO

 

[-jb-]

.

 

[matuski]

I'll post my question here.

I have received 3 offers in the last 48 hours... will accept one this evening. Beyond giving notice, is there a checklist of things I should do beforehand? Contacts/glasses/save documents.... etc?

 

[xulf]

Personally I've used type size and formatting to keep my resume to 1 page, but I don't list skills as my field (marketing manager/director) doesn't require any specialized software or certifications (IMO It's assumed you're good with MS Office and Windows at this point).

My resume just uses:

I just use a 3 line Executive Summary

4 past jobs with 5-6 key points on each that I tweak based upon the job description I'm applying for

Education

Personal Interests (depends on job I'm applying for, generally tailored to show activities that show my interest in career doesn't stop at 5pm)

I think it's critical to customize your resume for each prospective job in many/most fields. Read the job description and fine tune your resume to directly attack the key skills/tasks they're seeking. Cover letter should do this as well. Sell yourself to them...

Personal interests that are not association activity or sitting on a board are the dumbest things I have ever seen.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

I think it's critical to customize your resume for each prospective job in many/most fields. Read the job description and fine tune your resume to directly attack the key skills/tasks they're seeking. Cover letter should do this as well. Sell yourself to them...

Just noting, this can be tricky if you have a detailed Linkedin profile.

 

[Osaurus]

I'll post my question here.

I have received 3 offers in the last 48 hours... will accept one this evening. Beyond giving notice, is there a checklist of things I should do beforehand? Contacts/glasses/save documents.... etc?

Go scorched earth on them

 

[Gawain]

I'll post my question here.

I have received 3 offers in the last 48 hours... will accept one this evening. Beyond giving notice, is there a checklist of things I should do beforehand? Contacts/glasses/save documents.... etc?

Go scorched earth on them

I'd backup all work product unless explicitly prohibited in the Employee handbook. I wouldn't delete anything and I wouldn't backup any work I didn't create.

Other than that, how did you manage to interview to the point of three offers in hand without your company being any the wiser?

I'm in the office for 10 hours a day. If I start taking a lot of time, people will start to notice.

 

[matuski]

I'll post my question here.

I have received 3 offers in the last 48 hours... will accept one this evening. Beyond giving notice, is there a checklist of things I should do beforehand? Contacts/glasses/save documents.... etc?

Go scorched earth on them

I'd backup all work product unless explicitly prohibited in the Employee handbook. I wouldn't delete anything and I wouldn't backup any work I didn't create.

Other than that, how did you manage to interview to the point of three offers in hand without your company being any the wiser?

I'm in the office for 10 hours a day. If I start taking a lot of time, people will start to notice.

Sales, I cover Texas... all of it. Pretty easy for me to find an hour in any given day.

 

[sbonomo]

Is there a definitive answer on 1-page or 2-page resumes?

I'm putting together a 2-page resume for jobs that would be an immediate change in title and a 1-page resume for jobs that would be similar, but offer more growth potential.

(Currently a Logistics and Supply Chain Manager with 10 years experience. Five year gap from 2007-2012 when I went to Law School and worked as a junior associate for 2 years)

impossible for me to do one page anymore but I am 15 years in.

 

[matuski]

Full 2 page resume, fairly dense with achievements. I get nothing but positive feedback.

15 years.

 

[[icon]]

I think it's critical to customize your resume for each prospective job in many/most fields. Read the job description and fine tune your resume to directly attack the key skills/tasks they're seeking. Cover letter should do this as well. Sell yourself to them...

Just noting, this can be tricky if you have a detailed Linkedin profile.

Definitely. I'm not suggesting embellish or make major changes, but slight rework of verbiage to accentuate certain responsibilities, or re-ordering some of them.

Definitely not talking about changes that would be a marked departure from a linked in profile

 

[(HULK)]

My resume is up to 2.5 pages. Is this a problem?

 

[Osaurus]

My resume is about 3 pages. My job descriptions/summaries are like narratives plus certifications and schooling adds up. So glad I don't have to do Vitaes any more. When I stopped doing archaeology it was already 20+ pages and I was only 4 years in.

 

[Rayderr]

Redoing my resume right now. Been told to limit it to the past 10-15 years as that's all hiring managers care about and it helps prevent age discrimination. Have 22 years experience, really don't like the idea of leaving some of my early stuff out (award winning commercials, national tv programs, etc.)

Any truth to the 10-15 year thing?

 

[GOB]

I am in the same boat.

If anyone looks at resumes and would like to look mine over, I would appreciate it. I really suck at this stuff.

 

[Fennis]

get a job yet?

 

[Angry Beavers]

I've about maxed out my growth at my current place of employment and have started to look elsewhere.

I realized that I've never started looking while employed at a place where I would stay if I couldn't find anything better.

Is there a process? Do I let my current employer know I am looking at any point before I'd be submitting a resignation letter (is that still a thing)?

Not in this instance.

How do I handle interviews during the day with my current place and will prospective employers understand that I'm coming from work if I show up in slacks instead of a suit?

If your job is the kind where you are expected to interview in a suit., then you should make every effort to do so. I've stashed a suit at my gym and changed there. I've changed in parking lots, hotel restrooms, a hockey arena locker room etc. You should be able to find a way.

You might want to line up your references ahead of time. If your references seem open to some direction, you could let them know which of your skills/attributes you might like them to emphasize.

You may want to talk to a couple of recruiters right at the start. If you haven't been looking lately, or ever, they can sometimes offer insight into the prevailing compensation options for your type of job, feedback on the formatting and content of your resume, possible interview questions etc. The hiring company is their client, you are their product and if they think you're qualified, they want to present their product in the best possible light to their clients.

Heck - if you think the interview process is going to take a while, just call in sick....

 

[Gawain]

get a job yet?

Not yet, but did just set up my first interview.

This was a two-page resume, so there's a plus for length.

I've been doing a lot of interviewing for my current place, so it will be nice to get back on the other side of the desk.

As for the yearly question from Rayderr, if there's something you really want to have from 20 years ago, I'd put it under Other Accomplishments.

I have a "other work experience" for my legal jobs that only eat ups three lines, but explains any gap if I left them off altogether.

If you have a skills section, you could retitle this section to skills and accomplishments and include awards in there. That also could help by not explicitly showing that the awards are 15+ years old.

 

[Osaurus]

Have an interview next week and 2 recruiters looking for me after updating LinkedIn profile 1 week ago. I really don't like the concept of it, but it is paying off.

 

[Gawain]

Had a couple second interviews. I think one was going to pan out

SVP pulls me into his office and offers me 50% more for a 12 month commitment.

Guess I'm happy here. I like where I work and they promised a clear growth avenue, so I can't complain.

 

[Sabertooth]

I've about maxed out my growth at my current place of employment and have started to look elsewhere.

I realized that I've never started looking while employed at a place where I would stay if I couldn't find anything better.

Is there a process? Do I let my current employer know I am looking at any point before I'd be submitting a resignation letter (is that still a thing)?

How do I handle interviews during the day with my current place and will prospective employers understand that I'm coming from work if I show up in slacks instead of a suit?

Read "What Color is Your Parachute?"

 

[17seconds]

This is good stuff. I am terrible at marketing myself in terms of translating my current job into a resume. In this same line, when is it appropriate to engage a head hunter and do they sort of work like a real estate agent on my behalf?

Only use a headhunter for jobs you could never get on your own. Remember they get a cut, and all other things equal companies will choose the candidate who doesn't come with a fee.

Before you agree to use a headhunter, give them a list of all the companies where you DON'T want them to represent you. The places where you know somebody or you think you can get looked at fairly easily yourself. The worst thing is when a headhunter is tied to your hip trying to get into a company where you already know people.

 

[The Big Guy]

I am a pretty big fan of having a professional resume writer doing your resume. It isn't just the great look of it,but it is also their interview process that helps pull your job duties and achievements out of you and word them very well. This is what mine did and it was so much better than I ever could have come up with on my own.

 

[sbonomo]

Did they offer you more becausebof the linkedin profile?

 

[Hawks64]

Had a couple second interviews. I think one was going to pan out

SVP pulls me into his office and offers me 50% more for a 12 month commitment.

Guess I'm happy here. I like where I work and they promised a clear growth avenue, so I can't complain.

That's great they gave you that offer but if you really are maxed out from a growth perspective make a move now. I was in a similar situation and took a counter offer from my current employer at the time that I shouldn't have. The new offer would have resulted in a significant growth that wasn't matched where I was. I regret that choice.

 

[Abraham]

First off, you never say a word to your current employer until you've signed an offer letter.

When the interview is being scheduled, simply let the recruiter or HR person know that you will be in slacks and not a suit as you don't want to raise any red flags with your current employer. Any company that doesn't understand this (and I never ran into this) must suck ###.

I'd start in two places, LinkedIn and Indeed.com... Reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn and look for jobs on Indeed. If you find something you like, you can reach out to either the hiring manager or the company HR along with submitting your resume to let them know you're interested.

Good luck.