I attended a job interview today, only 400 applicants!

costadeldole

I attended a job interview today.
Only 400 applicants for one position!
The job ad was only online for 24 hours, then it was taken down.
So I have a 1/400 chance of getting it. No chance at all really. I don't know why I bothered.
My skills, suitability, experience, qualifications; are a perfect match for the role, and its 5 minutes walk from my home, so ideal really.
But its a bad state of affairs when a man is up against so many others; equally, if not more hungry for work.
You know people complain about dole men like myself not wanting to work, but the reality is that its not that easy to get a job these days. During the Celtic Tiger boom years a man that wanted a job could get one easily, but now in the bust times its a labour rich market, and hard for a man to get a job.
A few friends of mine got their jobs through word of mouth, or relatives putting in a good word for them. It wasn't a question of emailing their CV and going for an interview. It was a drink in the pub, then a handshake and start on Monday.
So while this level of nepotism and cronyism still prevails in our country, what hope have you got?
My own father has benefited from it over the years so I can't complain too much. He worked all his life until he retired at 65, and never claimed a days dole. He also never attended a job interview in his life, or had to email a CV. Often his jobs were offered on a Gaelic football pitch and done on a handshake over a few pints after the match. The Irish looked after their own back then, it was a different time.
People complain about cronyism, but to be honest; if I had a taste of it, and got jobs through it, I would be as corrupt as the rest of them.
1/400 chance of that job today, versus a handshake on the pitch and start. The truth is I would prefer the latter.
I remember when one of my friends was out of work, and I put in a word for him at my firm and got him a start. He was so pleased to get off the dole himself he gave me his first weeks wages to say thanks. It was a good little number for him as well. No job interview needed. And that was how it was even for myself, looking after my own people.
I suppose one has to accept the way it is now, boom and the employee can pick and choose work; bust and the employer can pick and choose worker. That's just the way it is.
Right now I feel like a mans choices are; stay on the dole until the next cycle of boom, or emigrate for work.

jimgoose

Heh. I remember the late '80s when you couldn't get an interview in a fast-food joint without a degree. At that they'd haul you in along with a couple hundred others just to have a look at you. CV writing was a bizarre art at the time, with people including such things as "Ballyhoura and District Wellington-Boot Throwing Cham-peen, 1985" to try to differentiate themselves from the other five hundred or so identical Christians trying to pick up a week's wages somewhere. It's not easy.

seamus

Putting in a good word for someone is not the same thing as cronyism or nepotism.

Neither is going for a drink or lunch to discuss a job and being offered it.

Nepotism and cronyism are when you appoint family and friends to jobs on the basis that they are family & friends and not based on their skillset.

But appointing family and friends to jobs that they are amply qualified for, is not the same thing. If someone is qualified for a job and you already know them and trust them to do the job well, you would be an idiot not to hire them. Of course, there are grey areas there too, because one might sign off on larger salaries or bonuses just because of who they are.

In terms of the jobs market, some industries are poor, others are great. I work in technology and I could literally leave my job today and have a new one by the end of the week, on a bigger salary. I'm hiring a load of positions at the moment and we can't find Irish people to fill them; we're bringing in people from all over the EU instead.

There is a 3rd choice for anyone struggling; upskill. This doesn't necessarily have to be degrees and courses, even personal research and practice can be enough to get your foot into many industries.

Fuhrer

I remember I had a job interview for a place I didnt know much about.

I went up to the boardroom and there was 20 people sitting there. I thought to myself, **** this, im not competing with others for one position and thought about leaving.

I didnt in the end, and they hired nearly all of us.

ringadingding

You took your friends first weeks wages ?

Some friend

costadeldole

jimgoose wrote: »

Heh. I remember the late '80s when you couldn't get an interview in a fast-food joint without a degree. At that they'd haul you in along with a couple hundred others just to have a look at you. CV writing was a bizarre art at the time, with people including such things as "Ballyhoura and District Wellington-Boot Throwing Cham-peen, 1985" to try to differentiate themselves from the other five hundred or so identical Christians trying to pick up a week's wages somewhere. It's not easy.

That is very true.
My own cousins 1980's career advice (if you can call it that), amounted to, so is it America or the UK you are going to?
The 1980's were a desperate time alright, I remember as a child seeing Irish building labourers sleeping rough in London parks when the work dried up for them. Around 1 million Irish in London at the time, making up the 6 million.
The sad thing is that 30 years later nothing has changed and the cycle of bust and emigration repeats. The only difference is that now the young Irish have the choice of Canada or Australia.
As bad as it is now, I think the 1980's was a worse time for unemployment.

jimgoose

costadeldole wrote: »

...As bad as it is now, I think the 1980's was a worse time for unemployment.

I'm inclined to agree. The economy is bigger and more open, at any rate. It's very, very demoralising unless you happen to have some "in" skills, though.

AgileMyth

I've never been to a job interview.

Awkward Badger

costadeldole wrote: »

My skills, suitability, experience, qualifications; are a perfect match for the role, and its 5 minutes walk from my home, so ideal really

I'd say that gives you a better than 1/400 chance. Not every applicant will be local and a perfect match.

Lovely Bloke

I got my current job because a friend put in a word for me with a friend of his.

Now, he knew I was looking to move jobs, and knew I had the required skillset, but I still had to attend an interview and take a competency test - but I got offered the job that same day.

Since I got it, I've been given a 40% raise and DOUBLED the salary I was on in the previous role. I'm good at what I do.

Reoil

At least you got an interview. They won't be interviewing 400 people...

strandroad

costadeldole wrote: »

Right now I feel like a mans choices are; stay on the dole until the next cycle of boom, or emigrate for work.

Why not to upskill, so that you have a 1/20 chance and not 1/400 overnight?

Working life has become a lot more formal its harder to get casual work in the way you could in the past, I remember in the 80's lot of people/family going to London to work and living in squats it was easy to do and cost very little, it was all based on friends and family connections. That sort of lifestyle is gone and its not coming back.

Another thing is that today there are often formal or even legal requirements to check references and qualification's that were not there in the past sometime its simply not good enough to take someone's recommendations to give someone a job.

UnknownSpecies

Reoil wrote: »

At least you got an interview. They won't be interviewing 400 people...

This right here ^^^. If there's only one position, depending on the size of the company, I couldn't see them interviewing more than 15-30 applicants. You've a much higher chance than you think so don't worry.

costadeldole

mhge wrote: »

Why not to upskill, so that you have a 1/20 chance and not 1/400 overnight?

It isn't always possible to upskill for a role. I have 16 years industry experience in the specific field, and a masters degree in the profession. Upskilling would mean a PhD, and that in itself would over qualify me for the role. It would be like a Managing Director or Chairman, applying for a middle management role.

mikemac1

jimgoose wrote: »

Heh. I remember the late '80s when you couldn't get an interview in a fast-food joint without a degree.

Aye and if you had a dodgy address you wouldn't get a sniff of an interview.

So you used your relations address if they were local and had a "better" one

slinky2000

There's no way they'll interview 400 people. In my experience after a few days of interviews everyone just blends into one another no matter how good they are. I usually filter through cv's and select max 10 people who I think are suitable for the job and call them in for an interview. If they are not suitable after the interview it's onto the next lot.

I'd say if you go in for an interview your chances are a lot higher than 1/400 as said before.

The Backwards Man

'Who you know not what you know' is basic human nature and will be with us forever, or until the robots take over anyway.

It's not always an advantage to be known though, manys a one I overlooked when I was hiring that I may have taken a chance on if I didn't know them.

costadeldole

mikemac1 wrote: »

Aye and if you had a dodgy address you wouldn't get a sniff of an interview.

So you used your relations address if they were local and had a "better" one

That is still one of the criteria today.
When my own father was interviewing candidates for a vacancy, the first thing he looked at was their home address. If they came from an affluent area over a poorer one, the would get shortlisted. He figured poorer area, meant they were more likely to know criminals, or be trouble. And that was before even looking at their skills, qualifications, or experience.
Being local to a job over someone who has to commute a distance is definitely a selling point too. In my experience local people tend to be stayers in a job, as the commute doesn't grind them down in time.

The Backwards Man

costadeldole wrote: »

That is still one of the criteria today.
When my own father was interviewing candidates for a vacancy, the first thing he looked at was their home address. If they came from an affluent area over a poorer one, the would get shortlisted. He figured poorer area, meant they were more likely to know criminals, or be trouble. And that was before even looking at their skills, qualifications, or experience.
Being local to a job over someone who has to commute a distance is definitely a selling point too. In my experience local people tend to be stayers in a job, as the commute doesn't grind them down in time.

I had a boss who looked at addresses too, but he was looking for country folk over people that lived in towns. More likely to get up in the morning and do a day's work, he reckoned.

percy212

At least nowadays we send them off with a degree in their back pocket....

costadeldole wrote: »

That is very true.
My own cousins 1980's career advice (if you can call it that), amounted to, so is it America or the UK you are going to?
The 1980's were a desperate time alright, I remember as a child seeing Irish building labourers sleeping rough in London parks when the work dried up for them. Around 1 million Irish in London at the time, making up the 6 million.
The sad thing is that 30 years later nothing has changed and the cycle of bust and emigration repeats. The only difference is that now the young Irish have the choice of Canada or Australia.
As bad as it is now, I think the 1980's was a worse time for unemployment.

ZV Yoda

Do you think up-skilling (e.g. to a PhD) in your current field is the right approach? Since you've already got a Master's and 16 years experience in your current field, maybe it's just time to re-skill in a different field.

Have you considered doing a conversion degree? This could help make a transition to a different industry. E.g. if you're in engineering, you could study business etc.

http://postgradireland.com/advice-and-funding/conversion-courses/conversion-courses-and-beyond

Best of luck whatever you decide.

percy212

No it wouldn't be like that, because you are not running a company. If you can enroll even part time in that course, or some other less involved course, it will look good. You will appear to be the type of person who engages in continuous improvement.

costadeldole wrote: »

It isn't always possible to upskill for a role. I have 16 years industry experience in the specific field, and a masters degree in the profession. Upskilling would mean a PhD, and that in itself would over qualify me for the role. It would be like a Managing Director or Chairman, applying for a middle management role.

mikemac1

costadeldole wrote: »

Being local to a job over someone who has to commute a distance is definitely a selling point too. In my experience local people tend to be stayers in a job, as the commute doesn't grind them down in time.

Maybe but those who live closest to school, college and work and usually the worst for being late :P

The fella who took two buses to get there will be on time

strandroad

costadeldole wrote: »

It isn't always possible to upskill for a role. I have 16 years industry experience in the specific field, and a masters degree in the profession. Upskilling would mean a PhD, and that in itself would over qualify me for the role. It would be like a Managing Director or Chairman, applying for a middle management role.

If it's a qualified job like that, then forget about 400 real applications, it's BS. I've seen submissions for our jobs - they are sure to be spambots, CVs from abroad in foreign languages, completely irrelevant CVs sent in for reasons unknown etc. Out of 400 they got perhaps 50 CVs tops that were in any way relevant to the area the job is in, the rest is pure noise. Online recruitment made it too easy for anyone to bulk send CVs in for anything at all.

YFlyer

Reoil wrote: »

At least you got an interview. They won't be interviewing 400 people...

There was 100s of applicants for job in the shop in Dublin city five or more years ago, I think. heard that they intervied everyone.

FTA69

costadeldole wrote: »

That is still one of the criteria today.
When my own father was interviewing candidates for a vacancy, the first thing he looked at was their home address. If they came from an affluent area over a poorer one, the would get shortlisted. He figured poorer area, meant they were more likely to know criminals, or be trouble. And that was before even looking at their skills, qualifications, or experience.
Being local to a job over someone who has to commute a distance is definitely a selling point too. In my experience local people tend to be stayers in a job, as the commute doesn't grind them down in time.

So you took your friend's first week's wages off him after he'd been unemployed for ages and your father excludes people from even being considered because they're working class?

You're coming across as very hard to sympathise with to be honest.

seamus

costadeldole wrote: »

That is still one of the criteria today.
When my own father was interviewing candidates for a vacancy, the first thing he looked at was their home address. If they came from an affluent area over a poorer one, the would get shortlisted. He figured poorer area, meant they were more likely to know criminals, or be trouble. And that was before even looking at their skills, qualifications, or experience.

That's really only an attitude in very small businesses though, and probably mainly in ones that do direct consumer sales or otherwise handle cash.

For any business with more than ten people in it, someone's home address is more or less irrelevant to everything. It doesn't tell you where they're "from" or what their background is.

Unless you're applying for job in a small shop where the owner works on the floor every day, your location is of no consequence. In fact, the vast majority of Irish CVs I see don't have any address on them, mine certainly doesn't.

Irishcrx

As said, some industries are harder up than others. When I got my current job three years ago during the interview I was told I was the first person they had brought in and there was 10 - 15 others to be interviewed after me, that usually means you have to make a serious impression to be remembered. I don't mean throw yourself out the window or anything but this is where a good bit of personality will help along with skill set.

Got the second interview along with 4 - 6 others and then the 3rd interview was more of a coffee and chat to be offered the job and just iron out one or two niggles. Still though , it was a 3 stage interview and took over two months to complete which at times was nerve wrecking.

Gongoozler

Not a chance in hell they'll interview the 400 applicants. Nope.

And keep in mind while you think you're perfect for the job, you may not be what they're looking for.

I have wondered about the location recently myself. I'm in D7, and not a good part like maybe Stoneybatter, so I wonder is it to my disadvantage to put it down. At the same time, if they look up where I am, they'll see how close I am to everything, which obviously works out better in numerous ways.

And I do think the closer you are to a job, the less likely you are to leave. I've been looking for jobs, and the ones that are outside of the city centre, I'm really thinking I dunno if I could go back to doing the journey, after being in this job where it takes 15 minutes to get to work.

Irishcrx

The Backwards Man wrote: »

'Who you know not what you know' is basic human nature and will be with us forever, or until the robots take over anyway.

It's not always an advantage to be known though, manys a one I overlooked when I was hiring that I may have taken a chance on if I didn't know them.

True that , company I used to work for had a hiring scheme where if you recommend a friend and they get the job you got a bonus, decent amount as well 2k or so I think if they got hired. Led to all sorts of back handers and goings on , lost the plot really.

After a year or two they ended up with a ton of under qualified goons working there via a friend etc, only became an issue when performance and sales went sky diving. Huge company though , sorted it out and sent most of the under performers on their way , still cost them an arm and a leg though.