6 ms·

Anyway I can automate applying for a job now. That would be the ultimate tool to complement this.

itake 7y ago
Actually, that would be so cool... Like you could configure a few different resumes (Front-end heavy, Python focused, large company, small company) and apply to a buttload of jobs.
slenk 7y ago
Until there is a "Standard" job application I don't see that happening
ykevinator 7y ago
How would you automate, would you just send your resume? I've been thinking about building a developers only job site and was thinking that developers would really love the idea of auto applying but I don't know how to avoid low quality matches.
codingslave 7y ago
This wouldnt be that hard to do, but is it illegal to automate those submissions?
- deleted 7y ago
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- thenewnewguy 7y ago
  I don't see why it would be, as long as you're just sending one real job application. If you tried to DOS a company by sending in a ton of garbage applications that'd probably be illegal. That said I wouldn't be surprised if you get declined if the company realizes you did so.
  - ddsea 7y ago
    Who's with me to automate the coding interview with leetcode problems?
- zo1 7y ago
  May not be illegal, but all platforms don't like it. And it's only a problem that needs solving because the internet is full of shit content. There are N amount of job postings, but recruiters and other "middle-men" have made it so that there are N * X * Y places a candidate has to apply to. Where X are the amount of recruiters and Y are the recruitment platforms/boards. They literally take their clients' requirements, shuffle them around, repackage them, adding editorial fluff and then post them to Y amount of platforms. This is information warfare and we are losing the battle. This is the net-consequence of all the "distributed" effects we've been wanting for years. Instead, there should be one database. Or at the very least an identifiable entity even if you want to repackage something. I.e. each one of these postings needs to have an agreed UID for employer, employer's job posting, recruiter, and the type of roles it applies to. We need more structure to the data, not less and more distribution across the greater internet. That is why they don't like scrapers, because they lead to consolidation, aggregation or deduplication of data that has been needlessly duplicated in order to confuse and obfuscate. On a side, tech-related note, this is the same reason why I hate microservices architectures: a good chunk of them distribute and duplicate pieces of data.
  - codingslave 7y ago
    I think it would be messy, but doable, to build a one application platform that is tailored to individual websites behind the scenes. It knows how to input the information, checks the boxes, and then collates the responses and makes applications easy to track. Actually kind of curious why this doesnt exist
sawmurai 7y ago
I work for a job search site and our customers have huge problems with "mass appliers" who just apply to every job and hope that one is an actual fit.
- z3t4 7y ago
  Its not unusual that a dev job get thousands of applications. But what should the job seekers do? If you do the math the work seeker has to apply for 1000 jobs to have a statistical chance to find a match. The market doesn't work because its unbalanced. For example on a dating site where women do not reach out to men, the women will complain about the low quality, and the men has to mass message. Leading to very few matches. It the employer would however actively search for candidates the market would be more balanced, and lead to more matches. The problem is that instead of looking themselves, employers use recruiters. What if there would be recruiters in the dating market. That wouldn't work at all. You would tell the recruiter that you want someone that is intelligent and kind. But you still dont get any matches. Because you dont know what you want until you see it. Im thinking of like an expo where workers show their skills and portfolios and the employees show what they are working on and the problems they are solving.
  - sawmurai 7y ago
    You can already improve your statistical chance by pre-filtering jobs based on required skills etc. Say, you end up with a list of 10 out of those 1000 jobs and then apply to those. Depending on how active your job hunt is, you might even spend 15 minutes per application and tailor your CV to the job description (use the same keywords, highlight relevant experience, the regular stuff). You would already have greatly improved chances and you would not be what employers have a problem with. Remember: If they are able to hire you without a recruiter they save a LOT of money, so they WANT you to apply directly. Btw: The problematic mass-appliers I was refering to are the ones that apply to every damn job on the entire website. Yes, we have those. No, I don't understand their motives either. The only thing they achieve is work for the job site and the HR department, ultimately resulting in the usage of automated pre-filtering that also harms actual applicants.

Actually, that would be so cool... Like you could configure a few different resumes (Front-end heavy, Python focused, large company, small company) and apply to a buttload of jobs.

slenk 7y ago

Until there is a "Standard" job application I don't see that happening

ykevinator 7y ago

How would you automate, would you just send your resume? I've been thinking about building a developers only job site and was thinking that developers would really love the idea of auto applying but I don't know how to avoid low quality matches.

codingslave 7y ago

This wouldnt be that hard to do, but is it illegal to automate those submissions?

deleted 7y ago
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deleted 7y ago
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thenewnewguy 7y ago
I don't see why it would be, as long as you're just sending one real job application. If you tried to DOS a company by sending in a ton of garbage applications that'd probably be illegal. That said I wouldn't be surprised if you get declined if the company realizes you did so.
- ddsea 7y ago
  Who's with me to automate the coding interview with leetcode problems?
zo1 7y ago
May not be illegal, but all platforms don't like it. And it's only a problem that needs solving because the internet is full of shit content. There are N amount of job postings, but recruiters and other "middle-men" have made it so that there are N * X * Y places a candidate has to apply to. Where X are the amount of recruiters and Y are the recruitment platforms/boards. They literally take their clients' requirements, shuffle them around, repackage them, adding editorial fluff and then post them to Y amount of platforms. This is information warfare and we are losing the battle. This is the net-consequence of all the "distributed" effects we've been wanting for years. Instead, there should be one database. Or at the very least an identifiable entity even if you want to repackage something. I.e. each one of these postings needs to have an agreed UID for employer, employer's job posting, recruiter, and the type of roles it applies to. We need more structure to the data, not less and more distribution across the greater internet. That is why they don't like scrapers, because they lead to consolidation, aggregation or deduplication of data that has been needlessly duplicated in order to confuse and obfuscate. On a side, tech-related note, this is the same reason why I hate microservices architectures: a good chunk of them distribute and duplicate pieces of data.
- codingslave 7y ago
  I think it would be messy, but doable, to build a one application platform that is tailored to individual websites behind the scenes. It knows how to input the information, checks the boxes, and then collates the responses and makes applications easy to track. Actually kind of curious why this doesnt exist

sawmurai 7y ago

I work for a job search site and our customers have huge problems with "mass appliers" who just apply to every job and hope that one is an actual fit.

z3t4 7y ago
Its not unusual that a dev job get thousands of applications. But what should the job seekers do? If you do the math the work seeker has to apply for 1000 jobs to have a statistical chance to find a match. The market doesn't work because its unbalanced. For example on a dating site where women do not reach out to men, the women will complain about the low quality, and the men has to mass message. Leading to very few matches. It the employer would however actively search for candidates the market would be more balanced, and lead to more matches. The problem is that instead of looking themselves, employers use recruiters. What if there would be recruiters in the dating market. That wouldn't work at all. You would tell the recruiter that you want someone that is intelligent and kind. But you still dont get any matches. Because you dont know what you want until you see it. Im thinking of like an expo where workers show their skills and portfolios and the employees show what they are working on and the problems they are solving.
- sawmurai 7y ago
  You can already improve your statistical chance by pre-filtering jobs based on required skills etc. Say, you end up with a list of 10 out of those 1000 jobs and then apply to those. Depending on how active your job hunt is, you might even spend 15 minutes per application and tailor your CV to the job description (use the same keywords, highlight relevant experience, the regular stuff). You would already have greatly improved chances and you would not be what employers have a problem with. Remember: If they are able to hire you without a recruiter they save a LOT of money, so they WANT you to apply directly. Btw: The problematic mass-appliers I was refering to are the ones that apply to every damn job on the entire website. Yes, we have those. No, I don't understand their motives either. The only thing they achieve is work for the job site and the HR department, ultimately resulting in the usage of automated pre-filtering that also harms actual applicants.