Applying for jobs online

breadmonkey

I've been applying for jobs on irishjobs.ie for the last two weeks. In that time, I haven't received any feedback from any application. I've applied for a very wide range of jobs from very low level to as high as I'm qualified for. I feel that I definitely tick the boxes on the majority of them and my CV is as good as it can be.

Now I know the economy is in the crapper and there are a flood of people looking for jobs but I'm just wondering should I expect to hear back at all? If so, roughly how long would be expected? Am I hitting the panic button too soon? Should I follow up online applications with a call to the relevant HR department?

Keano

breadmonkey have a quick search of this forum and you will find the thread on recruiters advertising "jobs" :rolleyes:

Bitsie

I have been applying online since last year with one interview and very few replies.....you need alot of patience and perserverance! good luck

breadmonkey

Keano A Legend wrote: »

breadmonkey have a quick search of this forum and you will find the thread on recruiters advertising "jobs" :rolleyes:

Keano I presume you are referring to recruiters adding fake jobs to test the water or something? Is it really bad?

Bitsie wrote: »

I have been applying online since last year with one interview and very few replies.....you need alot of patience and perserverance! good luck

I'm just wondering do online applications end up in the ethereal abyss and never get a look in. i.e. would I be better off scouring the job sites for posts and then applying directly to the company? Sort of like using hostelworld.com to find a hotel but booking it directly.

The main reason I started this is because I applied for a particular job on irishjobs.ie and subsequently found a post on boards from a recruiter in another forum regarding the job. I got in touch with that guy and the ball is now rolling very slowly. So the job definitely exists but I haven't had any feedback from any online applications I made to other recruiters for the same job. Does that make sense?

BostonB

If you look around varous forums you'll find this is typical of job sites and recuritment agencies.

breadmonkey

BostonB wrote: »

If you look around varous forums you'll find this is typical of job sites and recuritment agencies.

What exactly is typical? Fake jobs/ real jobs but not replying/ something else?

Can I conclude from this thread that looking for jobs online is a total waste of time?

EDIT: You probably think I've been living under a rock or something. I've been out of the country since last July and just got back two weeks ago. That's why I'm not exactly up to speed here.

calex71

probably the climate but being out of work 18 months myself so far i can tell you there are an increased number of what they call 'speculative positions' being advertised and not just on that site.

breadmonkey

Just had a quick search there and have decided to go out the back and shoot myself.

x in the city

IMO 70% of 'online' jobs are non existent.

recruitment guys are just dossing around all day now making random calls to people about jobs that dont exist and/or posting jobs on site that dont exist.

the country is awash with recruitment agents, they are crapping themselves in the foot now, shur its not like its theres 1000s of jobs they have to fill eh

pierrot

the job websites are rubbish imo. i've applied for dozens and apart from the automated email response, havent heard as much as a phone call. you're better off getting the employer's number and ringing them up directly

hobnob101

I'm just wondering do online applications end up in the ethereal abyss and never get a look in. i.e. would I be better off scouring the job sites for posts and then applying directly to the company? Sort of like using hostelworld.com to find a hotel but booking it directly.

The main reason I started this is because I applied for a particular job on irishjobs.ie and subsequently found a post on boards from a recruiter in another forum regarding the job. I got in touch with that guy and the ball is now rolling very slowly. So the job definitely exists but I haven't had any feedback from any online applications I made to other recruiters for the same job. Does that make sense?

I can't speak for all recruitment companies, but here is what happens where I work.

1. Etheral Abyss: Company policy is to reply to EVERY application no matter what. We are currently flooded though and it can take up to a week. As a general rule, the more suitable you are for the position (on paper) the quicker the response will be. It's not ideal but you have to manage your workload somehow. I know that other agencies ignore a lot of applications. quick tip: make sure your personal summary on your CV is targeted to the job you applied for and makes you look like the best thing on the planet.
2. Applying directly. You will probably miss jobs this way. Companies use recruitment agencies because they spend a fortune on advertising jobs for them and then do some preliminary selection. The individual companies may or may not advertise themselves. If they do then their adverts will nearly always be harder to find. Why not pick a few recruitment agencies that deal with your particular area and ring them for advice... that's their job! You will then have personal contact with your recruiters and they will have an understanding of you. That's important for several reasons. a)they will think of you when a suitable job comes in. b)they will be able to sell you better if they understand what you are looking for.

There are a lot of things you should look out for when choosing a recruitment agency. Check out these tips for using a recruitment agency. The website is probably not for your industry but the advice remains good, solid and honest across all industries.

BostonB

calex71 wrote: »

probably the climate but being out of work 18 months myself so far i can tell you there are an increased number of what they call 'speculative positions' being advertised and not just on that site.

In my experience its always been like that. Just that people notice it more when theres less jobs around and its harder to get work.

breadmonkey wrote: »

What exactly is typical? Fake jobs/ real jobs but not replying/ something else?

Can I conclude from this thread that looking for jobs online is a total waste of time?

EDIT: You probably think I've been living under a rock or something. I've been out of the country since last July and just got back two weeks ago. That's why I'm not exactly up to speed here.

Yes all of that is typical.

No, but just applying online is a lazy way of job hunting. Its only one way of finding work. The trational ways of researching companies, direct advertisments in papers, networking all your friends and family are probably just as successful in finding work. Think of it this way, theres an awful lot of people out there who never use a computer or the internet. They all find work. So the other methods work. People on forums, seem to forget theres a world outside of the net and computers. That said the net is more important than ever and some industries like IT almost solely advertise on the web.

Usually generic jobs on websites are fake. Adverts with unusual detail, need welding and powerpoint, tend to be real. Many very similar sounding ads are usually fake. After a while you start to see it.

hobnob101

Many very similar sounding ads are usually fake

They also arise when a company gives their job to a large number (or even just a few) recruitment agencies. Each agency is then advertising the job in multiple locations. Many of the locations will overlap. Thus many similar sounding jobs. . . or even exact copies if the recruiter has not bothered to change the job description they got from the company.

The figures for "fake jobs" sounds way too high to me. That perception is not helped by a low response rate to applications which is disgraceful.

Quick tip: If you are using a site like Irishjobs.ie then each job advertised shows the name of the advertising agency (or company) and a contact name for a recruiter in that agency. You should be keeping a record of where you are sending applications. If you go into the link on using recruitment agencies I posted earlier in this thread you will find an xl spreadsheet you can download and use to keep track of companies, names, interview dates etc.

If you have that information then you can follow up with a phone call. You should do this anyway. . . . . talk with the recruiter, get advice, sell yourself. That helps them to sell you. If you are just sending your CV off without following it up or checking which company you are sending it to then you are obviously not that bothered about the job in the first place and while a lack of response is not excusabe it is perhaps understandable in your case.

How long should you leave it until you contact the recruiter? How much do you want the job?

herya

breadmonkey wrote: »

i.e. would I be better off scouring the job sites for posts and then applying directly to the company? Sort of like using hostelworld.com to find a hotel but booking it directly.

You may do that but in many cases you will see that it's actually the companies who put everything on hold. They keep advertising jobs and have agencies working on them as not to look bad (hiring freeze indicates that you're not doing well) but these jobs are not in fact live until the situation gets better.

breadmonkey

Right thanks for the info lads. Got an interview for a ****e job tomorrow straight out of the abyss so fingers crossed.