Jean,
It took me a bit more than a year to land a job. One mistake I might've made was gone job hunting early on with a beard. Later, I tried again while shaved, and and then landed one.
Try doing what you can to look younger, and don't put any hints to your age on your resume. Try rewriting your resume more in the style of a 'functional resume' that is good at hiding gaps in work history. Regardless, you're an engineer, you really shouldn't have any trouble getting hired. Keep persevering!
Have you read any books on job search? Try looking at the Knock 'em dead series at your local library. There's some strategies available because only 10% jobs on the market are actually posted, it's potentially more effective to just reach out to a hiring manager at the right time and bypass the competition.
I really benefitted from "So good they can't ignore you" by Cal Newport, and "The Subversive Job Search" by Alan Corey. BTW, I'm also an INTP.
Smelly Swiss Dilettante
Re: Swiss PhD student
I'm reading Newport's book right now.
Re: Swiss PhD student
All you need is one job, and as long you are not bored to look, I would hold a hope that you can land a job. Economy is doing very well, so it should work out in your favor!
In addition to what JamesR mentions, I recommend the following
In addition to what JamesR mentions, I recommend the following
- Create a customized Resume may for every job and preferably one page to catch hiring manager's attention that you are the right candidate
Don't mention your age, year of graduation and your complete work history if you can get away with it. In SF Bay Area no company I worked for cared about these trivia
Read about the company products before interviews and you will be way ahead of others in proving that you are proactive (it also helps you to ask smart questions)
Make a folder of company/Job-ID for every application your turn-in, and this folder should contain copies of job posting, your customized resume, and other supporting materials, so when you get a call from the hiring manager, you can quickly bring yourself up to speed on keeping up with all your lies
Re: Swiss PhD student
I don't know, I'm applying to lots of job, and I tried many differents resume style.
I'm now applying do completly unrelated jobs in security or at a movie theater.
But it sounds a little bit like a failure at 28 yo and after a master where all my study colleagues landed jobs in big consulting firm or huge industrial companies.
I would like to be able to chose to do that, It seems like I have all the card to land a great job and I'm too bad a player.
I'm now applying do completly unrelated jobs in security or at a movie theater.
But it sounds a little bit like a failure at 28 yo and after a master where all my study colleagues landed jobs in big consulting firm or huge industrial companies.
I would like to be able to chose to do that, It seems like I have all the card to land a great job and I'm too bad a player.
Re: Swiss PhD student
Don't give up on your industry/field.. Keep following up with the huge industrial companies.
Re: Swiss PhD student
At least I'll be good moneywise.
With what i contributed to unemployment insurance, I have right to about 3000 a month for 72 weeks.
With the habits I took those last months, I should be able to save 2500 a month. (I need to pay back 3000)
That's not enough to completly kill the mortgage by its term (I have 85'000 due to october 2016). But I will make me able to considerably reduce it in case interest rate were to skyrocket then.
I just have to wait until the end of this month.
So my worst realistic case scenarion is not so bad now.
This money being conditioned to me actively looking for a job, and it being controled, I may eventualy find a job.
With what i contributed to unemployment insurance, I have right to about 3000 a month for 72 weeks.
With the habits I took those last months, I should be able to save 2500 a month. (I need to pay back 3000)
That's not enough to completly kill the mortgage by its term (I have 85'000 due to october 2016). But I will make me able to considerably reduce it in case interest rate were to skyrocket then.
I just have to wait until the end of this month.
So my worst realistic case scenarion is not so bad now.
This money being conditioned to me actively looking for a job, and it being controled, I may eventualy find a job.
Re: Swiss PhD student
Do you have employment agencies in your neighborhood? I find it has a better success rate due to the immediate face 2 face contact. They're also paid when they find a job for you.
Apart from that I found my serious first job when posting my resume on job website from the gov. People started calling me. It has higher success rate when the call comes from them. I didn't even have to write a stupid cover letter. If I would have applied for those jobs, it would've been a lot harder. I don't understand HR, psycho mind game.
Apart from that I found my serious first job when posting my resume on job website from the gov. People started calling me. It has higher success rate when the call comes from them. I didn't even have to write a stupid cover letter. If I would have applied for those jobs, it would've been a lot harder. I don't understand HR, psycho mind game.
Last edited by Dautsen on Tue May 09, 2017 6:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Swiss PhD student
*Deleted*
Last edited by Dautsen on Tue May 09, 2017 6:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Swiss PhD student
The house is fine, I did some work on it, it's much easier to heat now.
But I really need my roomate to leave. I asked her to leave, and she just sais no. I needed to be angry to tell her, and when i stopped being angry, I stopped telling her. I'll have to tell her to leave again, but I'm afraid she'll say no, and I don't know what would happen. I'm not confortable at all with the use of force over her, altough I fear it might be my only possibility.
I need her out of my life to keep going, but that's hard when we share a bed, even with no contact.
I'll take any advice.
But I really need my roomate to leave. I asked her to leave, and she just sais no. I needed to be angry to tell her, and when i stopped being angry, I stopped telling her. I'll have to tell her to leave again, but I'm afraid she'll say no, and I don't know what would happen. I'm not confortable at all with the use of force over her, altough I fear it might be my only possibility.
I need her out of my life to keep going, but that's hard when we share a bed, even with no contact.
I'll take any advice.
Re: Swiss PhD student
What are your/her legal rights? If nothing is on paper, you can just kick her out. To keep it fair I would first write a registered letter to her (is that the correct translation?) with a date by when she has to be out. When she's not out you can write another, that she'll be removed by police.
Or change the locks?
Or change the locks?
Re: Swiss PhD student
That's what I was refering to by use of force. I could just steal her key and wait until she leaves, she probably wouldn't notice. And then lock her out, and only open if she comes back with a truck to take her stuff.
But...
I would like her to understand that it's realy important for me to be without her, and that if she still cares a little, she should go to her parents or anywhere else. She's always making me feel like it's my fault for thing that don't work out.
She's not always mean, but I take what she says way to badly to aford to keep like this.
But...
I would like her to understand that it's realy important for me to be without her, and that if she still cares a little, she should go to her parents or anywhere else. She's always making me feel like it's my fault for thing that don't work out.
She's not always mean, but I take what she says way to badly to aford to keep like this.
Re: Swiss PhD student
Some updates,
Things are going much better with the room mate, we have separate beds now, I think it helps a lot. She is more and more like a normal friend to me.
And I passed some preselection test for an army special unit. The job seems great and salary is in the low 6 figures, so I'm really not motivated at all to fight for the privilege of contributing to our industrial productivity, if I can instead be training and operating in an elite unit all over the world AND gain the same amount of money. I allready wanted to do it when I tought it was poorly paid, so...
And now, I have a great excuse to spen a lot of time hiking, and I have a great excuses to carry to much food and gears around too, because I need to train walking with heavy weigths.
Final decision is in June. I'll stay on unemployment insurance until then, and if everything goes as I wish, I'll make a nice trip to groenland between the decision and the begining of the job.
Things are going much better with the room mate, we have separate beds now, I think it helps a lot. She is more and more like a normal friend to me.
And I passed some preselection test for an army special unit. The job seems great and salary is in the low 6 figures, so I'm really not motivated at all to fight for the privilege of contributing to our industrial productivity, if I can instead be training and operating in an elite unit all over the world AND gain the same amount of money. I allready wanted to do it when I tought it was poorly paid, so...
And now, I have a great excuse to spen a lot of time hiking, and I have a great excuses to carry to much food and gears around too, because I need to train walking with heavy weigths.
Final decision is in June. I'll stay on unemployment insurance until then, and if everything goes as I wish, I'll make a nice trip to groenland between the decision and the begining of the job.
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Noided
Re: Swiss PhD student
Does that "army special unit" job requires any background experience? A 6 figure salary is a lot of money where I come from.
Re: Swiss PhD student
For Switzerland, it's just a good salary (median is at 75'000). If you're attracted to money, finding a job in switzerland might be a good option for you.
For this specific job, you need to have been in the swiss military, to have achieved a professional teaching, and then you have an extensive selection process.
It seems to be the perfect job for me, so I'm really excited about it.
For this specific job, you need to have been in the swiss military, to have achieved a professional teaching, and then you have an extensive selection process.
It seems to be the perfect job for me, so I'm really excited about it.
Re: Swiss PhD student
Things are still going fine. I have my 3 weeks army tests tarting on monday. I dont know what ill do if it doesnt work, because engineer job search is still completly unfruitfull.
Re: Swiss PhD student
I made it to the end of those 3 week selection.
They liked me, my performance were great, but told me that I was too likely to have trouble with orders coming from stupid people they have to work with, and that those people may have problem with my character.
That's very coherent with my experience in academia, and in interviews for jobs in the industry.
But it really seemes to means that my chances to get and hold a job are close to zero, depiste all my qualities.
Do you have any idea about how I could generate income in my situation?
They liked me, my performance were great, but told me that I was too likely to have trouble with orders coming from stupid people they have to work with, and that those people may have problem with my character.
That's very coherent with my experience in academia, and in interviews for jobs in the industry.
But it really seemes to means that my chances to get and hold a job are close to zero, depiste all my qualities.
Do you have any idea about how I could generate income in my situation?
Spliting time
Time for an update.
I still don't have a job, but I'm feeling quite sure about what I wan't to do.
I splited wood with a spliting axe for about two year of heating. Starting with 4 meter long trunks.
I really enjoyed it.
Well, I'm not just going to start a firewood business.
I'de very much like to start an apprenticeship as a lumberjack.
I'll be paid poorly during the apprenticeship (800.- a month for 2 or 3 years) but above my expense level, so I'll be fine.
I'm sure about it, because I got an offer for what I could describe as a dreamjob in my trained field, and I'de still prefer the aprenticeship.
I hope to be close to sign for it. I'll see.
Do someone think I'm a fool? An entry level job for me now would be paid 80'000 a year.
I'de really like an input on this
In a different domain, my roomate is leaving in 2 weeks. We are in very good terms. I'll finish some work on the house, and then I'll see if I wan't an other roomate. The internet conection is at her names, so it'l be gone too. No more surfing and gaming. I'm very scared about this. I'll be forced to go, skiing, climbing, paraglinding, playing music with friends, windsurfing, swimming, hiking, going to free concert crowded with the same caring and loving person i knew for 10+year, visiting family, and other boring stuff. This sucks but I don't have much else to do within walking distance. What will happen to my so beloved skyrim characters and forum persona?
I still don't have a job, but I'm feeling quite sure about what I wan't to do.
I splited wood with a spliting axe for about two year of heating. Starting with 4 meter long trunks.
I really enjoyed it.
Well, I'm not just going to start a firewood business.
I'de very much like to start an apprenticeship as a lumberjack.
I'll be paid poorly during the apprenticeship (800.- a month for 2 or 3 years) but above my expense level, so I'll be fine.
I'm sure about it, because I got an offer for what I could describe as a dreamjob in my trained field, and I'de still prefer the aprenticeship.
I hope to be close to sign for it. I'll see.
Do someone think I'm a fool? An entry level job for me now would be paid 80'000 a year.
I'de really like an input on this
In a different domain, my roomate is leaving in 2 weeks. We are in very good terms. I'll finish some work on the house, and then I'll see if I wan't an other roomate. The internet conection is at her names, so it'l be gone too. No more surfing and gaming. I'm very scared about this. I'll be forced to go, skiing, climbing, paraglinding, playing music with friends, windsurfing, swimming, hiking, going to free concert crowded with the same caring and loving person i knew for 10+year, visiting family, and other boring stuff. This sucks but I don't have much else to do within walking distance. What will happen to my so beloved skyrim characters and forum persona?
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jennypenny
- Posts: 6853
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm
Re: Swiss PhD student
How much does the 'dream job' pay? How long would you have to work at it to build up a big enough nest egg? Could you do that for a couple of years and then do the lumberjack apprenticeship?
Re: Swiss PhD student
I'de say about 90'000 a year
My nest egg is already kind of big enough. I just have to sell my house.
But I'll be left with the same amount of free time with both option.
In two year, with one option, I'll have about 150'000 more stashed, with the other, I'll be at the same point.
So I'm virtually paying this amount to spend time in the forest doing some kind of workout.
So I don't exactly know. I want to do it. But under a certain angle, it seems stupid.
Once you own the gears (a few hundred for ski and climbing, litlle more for paragliding), they are free.
You can of course spend much more money in trips to far away spots and brand new gears every year, but that's not a must.
My nest egg is already kind of big enough. I just have to sell my house.
But I'll be left with the same amount of free time with both option.
In two year, with one option, I'll have about 150'000 more stashed, with the other, I'll be at the same point.
So I'm virtually paying this amount to spend time in the forest doing some kind of workout.
So I don't exactly know. I want to do it. But under a certain angle, it seems stupid.
Once you own the gears (a few hundred for ski and climbing, litlle more for paragliding), they are free.
You can of course spend much more money in trips to far away spots and brand new gears every year, but that's not a must.