Looking for a job

[jojoba]

I'm looking for a job and I've been calling a lot of recruiters and agencies and I've been sending lots of emails but I don't get the response I've expected.
Am I doing something wrong or it is a common practice not to return phone calls?

[Ronin]

Emails aren't the way to go.
If you want a job that much, you need to call them firstly, then see them in person.

These places get thousands of emails everyday, but most of those are just people who are casually looking for work.

Make yourself stand out by going in person.

[Administrator]

Emails aren't the way to go.
If you want a job that much, you need to call them firstly, then see them in person.

These places get thousands of emails everyday, but most of those are just people who are casually looking for work.

Make yourself stand out by going in person.

I completely agree. Always try to make a phone contact first. If nobody gets your call then make sure you leave a message and ask to call you back. Once you get a hold of somebody on the phone, ask them for a private meeting to discuss your career objectives.

Recruiters will be much more inclined to work with somebody they have seen and talked to, instead of unknown person from a resume.

Good luck!

[jojoba]

Thank you for the advice. I was afraid of that but nothig comes easy. I guess I'll start doing that.

[Tim]

Good luck jojoba.
There has been some excellent advice in this thread.

Let us know how you get on!

[trappercase]

I've said it before in another post and I will stand by it. I don't agree with calling first. I hire a lot of people throughout the year and I do not like to have people calling me and asking if we are hiring. The first thing I think of is that this person is too lazy to get on some respectable attire and "hit the bricks". There have bee many of instances where I have been in desperate need of an employee and hired the next respectable applicant who walked in the door. This is only my opinion and how it works here. Who knows, maybe that's how it works the next place you are applying.

And don't ask the receptionist if they are hiring, try to ask to see the manager first. They will probably ask who you are, tell them but you don't necessarily need to tell them why you are there. Do all you can to get to see the manager.

[Julie]

It is really normal for them not to respond unless you catch their eye.
Remember they receive hundreds of requests and responses every day, they just can't afford to contact everyone.

That's why you need to make yourself really stand out from the crowd.

[trappercase]

Upon re-reading this thread, I can't disagree with calling a recruiter first. My opinion on going in person refers to the actual employer.

[lookingforjob]

In my experience (IT contracting), most good jobs that pay well and are offered by established companies, always go through recruiters. Of course there is a simple explanation, why this happens. The big companies do not pay unemployment insurance/CPP/benefits for the contractors they hire, and these companies get their protection by having contract with a middle man (recruitment agency), thus shifting the liability for any problems with the contractor to the middle man.

[ibarif1]

I don't really believe that phoning will make difference. I never phone staffing agencies. before I finish a contract I update my resume and send it to all of the agencies. I always get a new contract with Government before I finish the old one. I believe the keys here:

Your resume Up to date: you have to put every thing you know, again every thing;
sending many emails to the right agencies, example, I'm Web developer and I sent many times my resume to Randstad, but didn’t get nothing form them. I realized later that agency is specialize in clerk positions not in IT;
and visiting the agencies Web sites, when you find a position that suit you, update again you resume the way that fits the position and apply.

Remember, the recruiters are not specialists in your field then they almost want you to copy the job description and past it in your resume. But this is enough with agencies recruiters but not enough with the client. When your resume will be sent to their client it will be screen out. Then when you copy and paste you don’t need to show them that you did. Change the sentences little bit add more thing to show them that you really know what you are talking about.

I give you an example: At the beginning I was putting on my resume
Web developer/working with dreamweaver, html, Fireworks/Developing dynamic and static Web pages.
But it is not enough to cach their eyes
Web developer/ working with dreamweaver, html, Fireworks/applying templates, frames, cleaning HTML code, making it standard to Commun Look and feel, building and manipulation images using hotspots………

You resume could be 7 pages, no worries, they want you to do the job then show them how you could fit in their position, even some thing without importance for you, has a big importance for them.

And another thing, yes you will send hundred resumes/day and you will get no phone call. No worries, keep sending them. Even they don’t reply, not a problem, bug them but I good way.

I'm working this way for over a year and now I applied for permanent position with federal Government and I'm doing all the test, hope I get one soon. you too.

Hope it helps.

[georgebuffet]

Hi There !!

It is better to call the agencies and ask for the opportunity or you can meet them in personal. Because they may not check their mails and so we wont get good response. We need job so we must be interested to search.

Hope it helps :)