4 ms·

In which case find a new job. I don't understand why people stick with these hell holes for engineers when there are many opportunities to be found elsewhere. Y

by VieElm 12y ago

In which case find a new job. I don't understand why people stick with these hell holes for engineers when there are many opportunities to be found elsewhere. You can even find remote work so even if you're stuck in a small town with only one Java employer and you have a family and can't move you can still find that dream remote job with modern tooling and practices. If you apply to these remote jobs but aren't getting hired, that's a solvable problem too. Keep trying to learn more, self-improving and keep applying.

SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
> Keep trying to learn more, self-improving and keep applying. I think it's worthwhile to add "improve your job application strategy" to that list. There was just an article on the how bad resumes are at predicting success; the converse is that you can likely improve your resume if you're not getting offers. And write a cover letter. Probably one in 20 (or maybe one in a hundred) resumes come in with a cover letter. And make it relevant. Talk about what the company does and how you'd be a good fit. Paraphrase their requirements list as a list of your strengths, and explain how things you don't know can be overcome. When I do this I have almost always gotten an interview. [1] And when I get an interview I almost always get an offer. [2] The other strategy that works for me is to network. Go to MeetUps relevant to your field and interact with people. I don't care if you're an introvert; I am too. It's hard. But do it. It's worth it. Right now I have a remote job that pays well where I was recommended by a friend who I met because I was networking. [1] The only exception for me was the months following 9/11, when no one was hiring because the whole nation was in shock. [2] I really recommend "Cracking the Coding Interview" by Gayle Laakmann McDowell; if you can answer all of the questions relevant to your field, you should be golden.
- ZoFreX 12y ago
  Solid advice, but I have a question for you that's always been in my "too embarassed to ask" category: When you say cover letter, do you mean you attach a cover letter to the email as well as the CV, or does the email itself serve as the cover letter?
  - njs12345 12y ago
    The email serves at the cover letter, in my experience
  - SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
    You can go either way. It's more likely that they'll print a cover letter to go along with the resume if you attach it as a separate PDF, though. They might just ignore the email and print the resume, otherwise.
- BerislavLopac 12y ago
  In all honesty, if a company rejects me for a lack of a cover letter, I'd rather not work there.
  - SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
    The point of adding a cover letter is to stand out. If you don't, you're far more likely to end up ignored in the avalanche of resumes, especially considering how poor of a signal most resumes are. I'd rather have a chance to actually get the job, if it's one I'd find interesting, and writing a cover letter is easy. But you're free to be ignored if it makes you feel better.
    - BerislavLopac 12y ago
      I see your point, but it depends on the circumstances. I actually have a job, and get contacted by recruiters several times a week, so I can be picky.

by VieElm 12y ago

SomeCallMeTim 12y ago

> Keep trying to learn more, self-improving and keep applying. I think it's worthwhile to add "improve your job application strategy" to that list. There was just an article on the how bad resumes are at predicting success; the converse is that you can likely improve your resume if you're not getting offers. And write a cover letter. Probably one in 20 (or maybe one in a hundred) resumes come in with a cover letter. And make it relevant. Talk about what the company does and how you'd be a good fit. Paraphrase their requirements list as a list of your strengths, and explain how things you don't know can be overcome. When I do this I have almost always gotten an interview. [1] And when I get an interview I almost always get an offer. [2] The other strategy that works for me is to network. Go to MeetUps relevant to your field and interact with people. I don't care if you're an introvert; I am too. It's hard. But do it. It's worth it. Right now I have a remote job that pays well where I was recommended by a friend who I met because I was networking. [1] The only exception for me was the months following 9/11, when no one was hiring because the whole nation was in shock. [2] I really recommend "Cracking the Coding Interview" by Gayle Laakmann McDowell; if you can answer all of the questions relevant to your field, you should be golden.

ZoFreX 12y ago
Solid advice, but I have a question for you that's always been in my "too embarassed to ask" category: When you say cover letter, do you mean you attach a cover letter to the email as well as the CV, or does the email itself serve as the cover letter?
- njs12345 12y ago
  The email serves at the cover letter, in my experience
- SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
  You can go either way. It's more likely that they'll print a cover letter to go along with the resume if you attach it as a separate PDF, though. They might just ignore the email and print the resume, otherwise.
BerislavLopac 12y ago
In all honesty, if a company rejects me for a lack of a cover letter, I'd rather not work there.
- SomeCallMeTim 12y ago
  The point of adding a cover letter is to stand out. If you don't, you're far more likely to end up ignored in the avalanche of resumes, especially considering how poor of a signal most resumes are. I'd rather have a chance to actually get the job, if it's one I'd find interesting, and writing a cover letter is easy. But you're free to be ignored if it makes you feel better.
  - BerislavLopac 12y ago
    I see your point, but it depends on the circumstances. I actually have a job, and get contacted by recruiters several times a week, so I can be picky.