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I've been a contractor since 2014 (and started work in 2002) so have to apply for new jobs every 3 to 6 months. A trend I've spotted is that companies sometimes

by opyate 3y ago

I've been a contractor since 2014 (and started work in 2002) so have to apply for new jobs every 3 to 6 months. A trend I've spotted is that companies sometimes start hiring in the new financial year, so I'm crossing fingers that you'll see some movement in April. I saw this earlier this week: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7174198646337351680/ https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7174198... The sad state of affairs is that folks are now taking a shotgun approach using scripts, and completely overwhelming recruiters and hiring managers. Sure, they have ATSs in place that does the filtering, but once a job is posted, they almost instantaneously get 50+ CVs and chances are they find a good few matches they can bubble up the chain, then forget about the rest (i.e. you and me, who lovingly hand-craft cover letters, and then become applicant number 404) I mean, how often have you heard "sorry, this role's been filled now", when they do bother to reply. During the quiet times, I continue working on my side projects. Search the web for "indie hackers". I'm slowly but surely working on a few things which will generate enough MRR to sustain me. There's nothing worse (as you now know) than walking into the desert, and your only flask of water is slowly depleting. I used to have a desktop wallpaper showing a digital nomad working on the beach, as an aspiration to what to work towards (kids and family life has since happened), but a more powerful motivation is avoiding poverty and being in control of your time. Contracting only earns when you work. Product can earn while you sleep. (Another thing I saw earlier this week was a video on YT about this school teacher who now makes £50 PER DAY in dividend income, after starting investing into dividend-yielding stocks since 2009. Similar vibe, I guess. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2m5x-vGqcE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2m5x-vGqcE) So, those are the 3 take-aways: - April might be better - maybe start using tools for your job search - during the good times, maybe look into working on a product in your spare time Best of luck!

liamvisionary 3y ago
What a lovely crafted response. Thanks Opyate. I can now be a bit more hopeful during April. I also saw that same LinkedIn post, and looks like I might have to do the same, because at this rate it’s feeling like life or death, and if you can’t beat em, join em. Right? I do have a side project I’ve been considering monetizing, but it still requires a few months of work which I simply can’t afford right now. But you’re right, should definitely work on it in the good times. Thanks for the thoughtful response.
Sally-Derian 3y ago
Yes, timing is critical, especially post-2020 when remote jobs have increased, and a single job posting that would typically receive 500+ applications now receives 1000+ applications in a day! As a writer specializing in different content forms, including resume writing, I can tell you that there is a "science meets art" approach to resumes, but it is mostly science now. I speak with job applicants every day: if you are not getting interviews, it's not your fault; it's your resume. Most people will spend hours updating their resume to look eye-catching, adding their impressive accomplishments (rightfully so), etc. Unfortunately, it still does not meet the criteria needed to pass through the ATS to get to the top of the pile and on the recruiter's desk. Most people are used to constructing resumes the way they were done when recruiters reviewed them manually (that's when the artistic-looking resume caught their attention before they read it) - it's an entirely different game now with a machine.

by opyate 3y ago

liamvisionary 3y ago

What a lovely crafted response. Thanks Opyate. I can now be a bit more hopeful during April. I also saw that same LinkedIn post, and looks like I might have to do the same, because at this rate it’s feeling like life or death, and if you can’t beat em, join em. Right? I do have a side project I’ve been considering monetizing, but it still requires a few months of work which I simply can’t afford right now. But you’re right, should definitely work on it in the good times. Thanks for the thoughtful response.

Sally-Derian 3y ago

Yes, timing is critical, especially post-2020 when remote jobs have increased, and a single job posting that would typically receive 500+ applications now receives 1000+ applications in a day! As a writer specializing in different content forms, including resume writing, I can tell you that there is a "science meets art" approach to resumes, but it is mostly science now. I speak with job applicants every day: if you are not getting interviews, it's not your fault; it's your resume. Most people will spend hours updating their resume to look eye-catching, adding their impressive accomplishments (rightfully so), etc. Unfortunately, it still does not meet the criteria needed to pass through the ATS to get to the top of the pile and on the recruiter's desk. Most people are used to constructing resumes the way they were done when recruiters reviewed them manually (that's when the artistic-looking resume caught their attention before they read it) - it's an entirely different game now with a machine.