Job Hunting

[Izzy]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Having been out of the country for the longest time and my own attitude towards networking means I'm starting on the ground floor there, I'm afraid.

 

But I know it's the key to getting ahead now so I've got to grit my teeth and get on with it, I guess.

 

NB. Science and tech communication, but my background is mostly education.

Remember it's not necessarily the person you're speaking too/building a relationship with who might have an opportunity.

 

It's more often about "Who do you know who..." (might be after someone with my skillset)

 

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Having been in a position as a hiring manager over the past couple of years, I’ve whittled down the two main qualities I look for in a candidate as humility and curiosity.

 

Nothing is worse than a candidate sat in front of you who thinks every answer needs to be about how great they are or that they have no development areas. Similarly the ones who don’t want to ask a good question or show at least a vague bit of interest in the company or industry.

 

In the past myself I’ve probably been guilty of thinking every interview question is a chance to show you know the answer or how great you are. When you’re on the other side of the interview table you can see right through it.

 

In terms of actually getting to interview, LinkedIn is by far and away the best place to find opportunities now. I reckon 40-50% of my network are recruiters and, whilst some of the spam they tend to be guilty of putting on there as an industry is annoying, if I lost my job tomorrow I could go back through my DMs from the past month and pursue 10-15 opportunities I’ve been messaged about.

 

 

[Greg2607]

6 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Having been out of the country for the longest time and my own attitude towards networking means I'm starting on the ground floor there, I'm afraid.

 

But I know it's the key to getting ahead now so I've got to grit my teeth and get on with it, I guess.

 

NB. Science and tech communication, but my background is mostly education.

really simply....  have a think about all of the businesses locally that you'd be interested to work for. 

 

Then go on linkedin and check out the people that work at that business..... you can narrow it down to find "recruitment" Or "resourcing" or "talent acquisition" in their job titles and then send them a connection request... 

 

if and when they connect (they absolutely will connect) drop them a message saying you are interested in working for the business and ask if they could spare you 15 minutes for a chat. 

 

lots of them will and even if they dont... you will see in the future the roles that they are advertising and can message them again when you see something you think you'd be a fit for... 

 

Ultimately, it's about becoming a known entity to them, in a positive way. 

[leicsmac]

Three months, over 60 applications.  

 

One interview.  

 

Is the job market over here really this shit?

[kenny]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Three months, over 60 applications.  

 

One interview.  

 

Is the job market over here really this shit?

It is if you are trying to employ people. Its a bit easier at the moment, but there are shortages everywhere?

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, kenny said:

It is if you are trying to employ people. Its a bit easier at the moment, but there are shortages everywhere?

Interesting inverse perspective.

 

Perhaps I'm limited by location, but the only fields I can see where there isn't a massive applicant:role ratio are retail/customer service and education.

 

[Guest David Oldfields Gate]

1 minute ago, kenny said:

It is if you are trying to employ people. Its a bit easier at the moment, but there are shortages everywhere?

Agree with this. Every single business I know is looking and will pay top dollar. In fact most have practically given up and found other ways. I tend to avoid recruitment at all now if I can due to endless fruitless searches and instead employ more technology, or use contractors or consultants if that's appropriate to do a specific job.

 

 

[Wymsey]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Interesting inverse perspective.

 

Perhaps I'm limited by location, but the only fields I can see where there isn't a massive applicant:role ratio are retail/customer service and education.

 

What are you looking for?

[grobyfox1990]

5 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Interesting inverse perspective.

 

Perhaps I'm limited by location, but the only fields I can see where there isn't a massive applicant:role ratio are retail/customer service and education.

 

Financial Services too, job seekers have all the power according to my old network in London. Loads of people getting external offers just to get the counter-offer from their current employer and chill for more money. Loads of jobs, no one wanting to move to the UK it seems.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

What are you looking for?

Science and tech communication, but I'd be OK with most things involving taking complex ideas and presenting them as easier ones, as well as analytical work.

 

6 minutes ago, David Oldfields Gate said:

Agree with this. Every single business I know is looking and will pay top dollar. In fact most have practically given up and found other ways. I tend to avoid recruitment at all now if I can due to endless fruitless searches and instead employ more technology, or use contractors or consultants if that's appropriate to do a specific job.

 

 

 

1 minute ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Financial Services too, job seekers have all the power according to my old network in London. Loads of people getting external offers just to get the counter-offer from their current employer and chill for more money. Loads of jobs, no one wanting to move to the UK it seems.

I'm guessing few or none of these roles are within a 20 mile radius of Leicester, then? TBH that would make sense.

[kenny]

7 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Interesting inverse perspective.

 

Perhaps I'm limited by location, but the only fields I can see where there isn't a massive applicant:role ratio are retail/customer service and education.

 

I work in Construction and Professional services. Both chronically short.

 

Though you can chuck in most public sector positions as well as education.

 

I appreciate none of these are probably your field, but the only ones I hear about struggling for employment are those seeking full-time WFH which is sliding quickly out of fashion.

[leicsmac]

2 minutes ago, kenny said:

I work in Construction and Professional services. Both chronically short.

 

Though you can chuck in most public sector positions as well as education.

 

I appreciate none of these are probably your field, but the only ones I hear about struggling for employment are those seeking full-time WFH which is sliding quickly out of fashion.

Speaking personally, I'd be fine with hybrid or in-office work, but again that does put limits based on location.

 

Public sector is an interesting one - I actually look at civil service jobs regularly and there's lots of positions, but also appear to be lots of applicants.

[kenny]

Just now, leicsmac said:

Speaking personally, I'd be fine with hybrid or in-office work, but again that does put limits based on location.

 

Public sector is an interesting one - I actually look at civil service jobs regularly and there's lots of positions, but also appear to be lots of applicants.

I suspect the PS is doing the daft thing of advertising a position externally that it already knows is going to an internal appointment.

 

This happens a lot in local government where they aren't sure year to year what jobs will be funded.

[bmt]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

Speaking personally, I'd be fine with hybrid or in-office work, but again that does put limits based on location.

 

Public sector is an interesting one - I actually look at civil service jobs regularly and there's lots of positions, but also appear to be lots of applicants.

My girlfriend works for the MoJ and a lot of civil service jobs are ridiculously competitive, with a ridiculous tick box employment process which is a bit soul destroying (ie. you would get more points for reading a pre-written answer out, with no personality whatsoever, than you would giving an honest and interesting answer that ticks all but one box on a job spec). I honestly couldn't do it.

[kenny]

10 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Science and tech communication, but I'd be OK with most things involving taking complex ideas and presenting them as easier ones, as well as analytical work.

 

 

I'm guessing few or none of these roles are within a 20 mile radius of Leicester, then? TBH that would make sense.

Have you looked at IBM, they have 42 positions in Leicester currently.

 

Most 'tech' jobs (I clearly don't understand what that really is) would be in the areas near Space Park. You could look at businesses in that area or even talk to Space Park direct.

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, kenny said:

I suspect the PS is doing the daft thing of advertising a position externally that it already knows is going to an internal appointment.

 

This happens a lot in local government where they aren't sure year to year what jobs will be funded.

That wouldn't surprise me.

 

4 minutes ago, kenny said:

Have you looked at IBM, they have 42 positions in Leicester currently.

 

Most 'tech' jobs (I clearly don't understand what that really is) would be in the areas near Space Park. You could look at businesses in that area or even talk to Space Park direct.

I'll have to have a look at IBM.

 

To clarify, I mean tech communication in terms of presenting tech ideas and concepts in an understandable fashion to a stakeholder, as well as creating documents and digital information doing the same thing.

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, bmt said:

My girlfriend works for the MoJ and a lot of civil service jobs are ridiculously competitive, with a ridiculous tick box employment process which is a bit soul destroying (ie. you would get more points for reading a pre-written answer out, with no personality whatsoever, than you would giving an honest and interesting answer that ticks all but one box on a job spec). I honestly couldn't do it.

Well, in my application experience I've seen nothing to disagree with this tbh.

[UniFox21]

On 17/11/2023 at 16:39, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Having been in a position as a hiring manager over the past couple of years, I’ve whittled down the two main qualities I look for in a candidate as humility and curiosity.

 

Nothing is worse than a candidate sat in front of you who thinks every answer needs to be about how great they are or that they have no development areas. Similarly the ones who don’t want to ask a good question or show at least a vague bit of interest in the company or industry.

 

In the past myself I’ve probably been guilty of thinking every interview question is a chance to show you know the answer or how great you are. When you’re on the other side of the interview table you can see right through it.

Genuinely curious here; where do you draw the line of those who use every question to show they've had the experience of what's asked to the latter and coming across as thinking they're god's gift? 

[Freeman's Wharfer]

17 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Genuinely curious here; where do you draw the line of those who use every question to show they've had the experience of what's asked to the latter and coming across as thinking they're god's gift? 

Well I would say hiring for ‘coachability’ is more appealing than hiring for someone who believes they are the finished article.

 

If someone has relevant experiences in answer to every question then, great, showcase that in the answers. But also talk about what further development could/should look like. It’s not good for me as the hiring manager, or you as the prospective employee, if I can’t stretch or improve you in our time working together.

 

A question I love asking: tell me about the last time you received feedback you didn’t agree with. How did you respond and what did you do with that feedback?

 

Straightaway the God’s gifters clam up and bumble a start to an answer. They either don’t want to say they disregarded the feedback because they’re completely blinkered, or they are so uncomfortable talking about their development areas that they give a really half-hearted or weak response. Instant red flag.

[UniFox21]

12 minutes ago, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Well I would say hiring for ‘coachability’ is more appealing than hiring for someone who believes they are the finished article.

 

If someone has relevant experiences in answer to every question then, great, showcase that in the answers. But also talk about what further development could/should look like. It’s not good for me as the hiring manager, or you as the prospective employee, if I can’t stretch or improve you in our time working together.

 

A question I love asking: tell me about the last time you received feedback you didn’t agree with. How did you respond and what did you do with that feedback?

 

Straightaway the God’s gifters clam up and bumble a start to an answer. They either don’t want to say they disregarded the feedback because they’re completely blinkered, or they are so uncomfortable talking about their development areas that they give a really half-hearted or weak response. Instant red flag.

I guess it's about getting the balance between coachability and having enough experience to get in the door in the first place? 

 

I've always found, and this may just be me chatting too much shit, that when I've not had experience or had areas where I didn't have enough knowledge, the majority of places I've interviewed at chose the person with more experience.

 

Also a really interesting question, something I'd never considered being asked before.

[grobyfox1990]

3 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Science and tech communication, but I'd be OK with most things involving taking complex ideas and presenting them as easier ones, as well as analytical work.

 

 

I'm guessing few or none of these roles are within a 20 mile radius of Leicester, then? TBH that would make sense.

Does location matter for you? Not sure what role you are looking for but unless you are worried about tax implications, as long as you are uk based you can wfh? Unless this is where you tell me your desired job is 100% site based 

[pleatout]

Just chucking this out there for info.

 

NHS Jobs - the website is the only place the NHS is allowed to put jobs (initially).  The hoops you need to jump through to go anywhere else are a nightmare.

 

Tips for anyone applying - look at the person specification.  It will tell you EVERYTHING!  2 columns - mandatory and desirable "skills".  Hit all the mandatorys and they have to short list you (unless there are hundreds that meet the essentials and then they draw applications out at random).  It will often tell you if they are measured on the application form or at interview. 

 

Prep for interview is come up with an example for all the mandatory requirements.  Questions will be "tell me about a time when you have...".  They arent allowed to use hypotheticals.

 

No "if you were a cat, what sort of a cat would you be"

 

This always assumes they've been on the recruitment course.

 

[leicsmac]

2 hours ago, grobyfox1990 said:

Does location matter for you? Not sure what role you are looking for but unless you are worried about tax implications, as long as you are uk based you can wfh? Unless this is where you tell me your desired job is 100% site based 

Location matters from the POV that a radius of c.20 miles from Leicester is about my commute limit, but I'm also fine hybrid or WFH.

[Tommy G]

My mantra has always been to employ someone who is more intelligent than you. If they are in your team and working for you, it will make your job a lot easier. 
 

It leaves you to focus on the decision making. Quite a lot won’t do this as conflicts with their ego. 
 

Someone told me this gem when I was a nipper and I’ve never looked back. 

[Mike Oxlong]

3 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

My mantra has always been to employ someone who is more intelligent than you. If they are in your team and working for you, it will make your job a lot easier. 
 

It leaves you to focus on the decision making. Quite a lot won’t do this as conflicts with their ego. 
 

Someone told me this gem when I was a nipper and I’ve never looked back.