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I attended a job interview today, only 400 applicants!

24

Comments

  • #32
    folbotcar
    Closed Accounts Posts: 472 ✭✭folbotcar


    When I was taking redundancy from a big multinational a few years ago. They very kindly brought in a company that gave advice on CVs and interviews and how to sell yourself to an employer. During one of the sessions we were asked what we thought was the commonest method of recruitment. Suggestions like the internet, newspapers etc came up. But no the most commonly used method of recruitment was word of mouth, whether by suggestions or head hunting. This isn't cronyism, it's common sense. Interviews are not a very scientific method of recruiting and even qualifications tell you nothing of the type of person they are looking at.

    I saw it in action myself once. I went for an interview for FedEx at Dublin airport. I got an interview but wondered why they bothered. I turned up in my suit and found most of the others in their work clothes because they already worked at the airport and when one of the interviewers turned up he greeted a couple by name. I knew my goose was cooked at that point but they interviewed me anyway. I was first presumably to get me out of the way. Wasted my time and theirs. I don't blame them but it's a pity it was handled that way.

    I only ever got one job through pull and that was via my Mother who knew her friend's son was leaving a job and suggested I go for it. I soon found out why he left and quit a week and a half into it. Since then all my jobs have been without pull of any sort at all. Mainly because I never knew anyone useful. For several of them however I was the only candidate and for others they were recruiting a lot of people at once.

    As for the 1980s, neither I or any of my family had trouble getting jobs in Ireland during that period and I was never unemployed during that time. Two did go to England but with the company they worked with in Ireland. Ok we lived in Dublin but it always puzzled me why some people had to emigrate.

    In terms of 400 people applying for a job. The reality is that you could probably eliminate 300 CVs without much trouble and another 50 with a bit of thought. I had some involvement in recruiting and honestly people do themselves no favours at all when it comes to presenting themselves even today with every possible help out there.

    On that point if you are offered the job, don't think that because fifty million applied for it you have no room for negotiation on terms and conditions. It depends on the job of course but often if you do get offered a job you are either the best and only person suitable for it. Quite often there is no second candidate. My wife had that problem lately. She interviewed for a job and offered it to the best candidate who turned it down. It had to be re-advertised because literally no one else was suitable. This was a well paid job that required specific qualifications and experience. So if you are qualified in that way you always have an advantage.

    I would never worry about how many applied for a job I was interested in. Someone's going to get it and frankly it could very easily by you.


  • #33
    playedalive
    Closed Accounts Posts: 750 ✭✭✭playedalive


    I was gonna post wow! but then a poster made the clever distinction between 'applicants' and 'interviews'.

    It's things like this that make me wonder how people, especially who are young (in my age bracket, early to mid 20s, fresh from college/maybe no college, little to no work experience during an economic downturn) are going to make a life in Ireland for themselves. People talk a lot about families and I understand, but young people are forgotten about imo. I have friends who got jobs but through mostly knowing someone who put in a good word, which is great for them but not great when you know nobody.

    For me, that was the case, I finished college, little experience, worked for half the year in retail only to train up another guy (who got my job via pull as I was finished my 3 month contract). Now I live in France on an 8 month contract, in a job related to my degree (languages). They say things will improve but I don't see myself returning to Ireland anytime soon. Would love to return eventually and have a job that can allow me to move out, take care of myself and not have to depend on dole or minimum wage to live.


  • #34
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Reoil wrote: »
    At least you got an interview. They won't be interviewing 400 people...

    Exactly, you've already beaten off a huge proportion of the applicants, but you sit here defeated without knowing for sure whether or not you got the job. My guess, and I'm sorry for being harsh, is that you don't think you'll get the job because you feel you didn't do a good enough interview. If you didn't do a good enough interview, that's hardly the fault of nepotism.


  • #35
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Exactly, you've already beaten off a huge proportion of the applicants, but you sit here defeated without knowing for sure whether or not you got the job. My guess, and I'm sorry for being harsh, is that you don't think you'll get the job because you feel you didn't do a good enough interview. If you didn't do a good enough interview, that's hardly the fault of nepotism.

    You are mistaken.
    Today I was called back to the second round of interviews next week.
    Your guess wasn't good.


  • #36
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    costadeldole wrote: »
    You are mistaken.
    Today I was called back to the second round of interviews next week.
    Your guess wasn't good.

    Your own thread is about how you're not going to get the job and you don't know why you bothered your arse going for it.

    Are you always so pessimistic?


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  • #37
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Your own thread is about how you're not going to get the job and you don't know why you bothered your arse going for it.

    Are you always so pessimistic?

    I am a realist, not a fantasist.
    Pessimist and optimist some of the time, same as any man.
    What about yourself?


  • #38
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,461 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    costadeldole wrote: »
    ...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...

    Many would call that networking.


  • #39
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    costadeldole wrote: »
    I am a realist, not a fantasist.
    Pessimist and optimist some of the time, same as any man.
    What about yourself?

    Mostly optimistic. I wasn't entirely optimistic about my last interview because I didn't know if I was the best for the job. Luckily, they thought I was.

    If you've gotten an interview, gotten to second round of interviews, you are no longer 400/1. Your odds are much much better. Be positive. It'll help in your second interview.


  • #40
    Fuhrer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,661 ✭✭✭Fuhrer


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Your own thread is about how you're not going to get the job and you don't know why you bothered your arse going for it.

    Are you always so pessimistic?


    It seems perfectly reasonable to not expect to get a call back for a job with 400 applications


  • #41
    Tzardine
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,883 ✭✭✭Tzardine


    So the OP makes subtle digs at foreign workers and talks about looking after our own.

    Then says he might emigrate ???

    Hypocritical much ?


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  • #42
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Tzardine wrote: »
    So the OP makes subtle digs at foreign workers and talks about looking after our own.

    Then says he might emigrate ???

    Hypocritical much ?

    I emigrated to Ireland from London 5 years ago.
    Hypocritical if I were to emigrate back? No.
    During the Celtic Tiger boom we needed cheap Eastern European labour to work on the sites.
    But its not the boom now, its bust. So we don't need them. That's not a dig at foreign workers, that's a fact.
    Personally would I favour an Irish man over an Eastern European man when hiring? Yes, I would. That's just me, and my own old school values I suppose; looking after our own.


  • #43
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fuhrer wrote: »
    It seems perfectly reasonable to not expect to get a call back for a job with 400 applications

    It does, but he already had the interview and is being invited back for a second one. He's no longer 400/1 and still thinks he shouldn't have bothered applying.


  • #44
    MarkAnthony
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭MarkAnthony


    I take it maths wasn't one of the requirements.

    You only have a 1 in 400 chance if every single applicant has the exact same experience, qualifications and skills you do and did an identical interview.


  • #45
    Nermal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Nermal


    costadeldole wrote: »
    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.

    We're in a boom now!


  • #46
    efb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35,514 ✭✭✭✭efb


    I recommended a few people that ended up getting jobs. I think of it as giving a reference but they still have to prove it their worth


  • #47
    efb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35,514 ✭✭✭✭efb


    costadeldole wrote: »
    I emigrated to Ireland from London 5 years ago.
    Hypocritical if I were to emigrate back? No.
    During the Celtic Tiger boom we needed cheap Eastern European labour to work on the sites.
    But its not the boom now, its bust. So we don't need them. That's not a dig at foreign workers, that's a fact.
    Personally would I favour an Irish man over an Eastern European man when hiring? Yes, I would. That's just me, and my own old school values I suppose; looking after our own.


    Why? Why does a persons nationality make a good skill set for employment?


  • #48
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 12,694 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    costadeldole wrote: »
    I emigrated to Ireland from London 5 years ago.
    Hypocritical if I were to emigrate back? No.
    During the Celtic Tiger boom we needed cheap Eastern European labour to work on the sites.
    But its not the boom now, its bust. So we don't need them. That's not a dig at foreign workers, that's a fact.
    Personally would I favour an Irish man over an Eastern European man when hiring? Yes, I would. That's just me, and my own old school values I suppose; looking after our own.

    There is free movement of labour in the EC as you can see by the fact that you have freely move from London to here or anywhere in the EC you want. I feel for anyone out of work but you are not doing yourself any favour's you took a week wages form someone for getting them a job, you think you are being disadvantaged by having to go for an interview instead of getting a job on a nod and a hand shake and you don't want to have to compete with eastern European workers just because you are Irish?.


  • #49
    Fuhrer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,661 ✭✭✭Fuhrer


    Deleted User wrote: »
    It does, but he already had the interview and is being invited back for a second one. He's no longer 400/1 and still thinks he shouldn't have bothered applying.


    Two rounds of interviews whittled down from 400 applications sounds like a little much to be working in a shop though.


    I suppose this is what Jobsbridge has done though, all the normal jobs that you could pick up to make a little money for Christmas are now Internships and the only jobs paying minimum wage are being bum rushed with applicants.


  • #50
    strandroad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,676 ✭✭✭strandroad


    mariaalice wrote: »
    There is free movement of labour in the EC as you can see by the fact that you have freely move from London to here or anywhere in the EC you want. I feel for anyone out of work but you are not doing yourself any favour's you took a week wages form someone for getting them a job, you think you are being disadvantaged by having to go for an interview instead of getting a job on a nod and a hand shake and you don't want to have to compete with eastern European workers just because you are Irish?.

    He also seems to expect to get a job based on his address... Funny thread!


  • #51
    Backstreet Moyes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,403 ✭✭✭Backstreet Moyes


    costadeldole wrote: »
    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.

    If 400 applied and you got to the interview stage they are not interviewing more than 10 or 15 people. So your down to a 1 in 10 or 15 chance. You said your a perfect match and live close so if you impress at the interview you have a great shot.

    I can't believe you think a company is going to interview 400 people and waste weeks or months on picking a new employee.


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  • #52
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fuhrer wrote: »
    Two rounds of interviews whittled down from 400 applications sounds like a little much to be working in a shop though.


    I suppose this is what Jobsbridge has done though, all the normal jobs that you could pick up to make a little money for Christmas are now Internships and the only jobs paying minimum wage are being bum rushed with applicants.

    A shop?


  • #53
    Fuhrer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,661 ✭✭✭Fuhrer


    Deleted User wrote: »
    A shop?

    Didnt he say it was for a shop?


  • #54
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 53,068 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fuhrer wrote: »
    Didnt he say it was for a shop?

    I don't think so?

    Unless I completely missed that :/

    Edit: nope, no mention of a shop, a job he is perfect for and his only way of ups killing to get get a phd.


  • #55
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Deleted User wrote: »
    A shop?

    No.


  • #56
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Fuhrer wrote: »
    Didnt he say it was for a shop?

    No.


  • #57
    Davarus Walrus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭Davarus Walrus


    Pretend to be finishing the Irish Times crossword as they call you in for interview. Wear glasses with large frames for added gravitas.


  • #58
    costadeldole
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 162 ✭✭costadeldole


    Davarus Walrus wrote: »
    Pretend to be finishing the Irish Times crossword as they call you in for interview. Wear glasses with large frames for added gravitas.

    Yes, I may as well grow a beard and wear skinny jeans too, in order to fully complete the hipster dick look. Great advice, many thanks for that.


  • #59
    Davarus Walrus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭Davarus Walrus


    costadeldole wrote: »
    Yes, I may as well grow a beard and wear skinny jeans too, in order to fully complete the hipster dick look. Great advice, many thanks for that.

    Don't do that. No one likes hipsters. Wear a suit.


  • #60
    Shrap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,163 ✭✭✭Shrap


    Nuts102 wrote: »
    I can't believe you think a company is going to interview 400 people and waste weeks or months on picking a new employee.

    Totally. They aren't and they don't. Like someone said before, the vast majority of those applicants are from people entirely unqualified and chancing it, probably in an on-line application.

    I once landed a job as a "recruitment executive", or head-hunter to you and me. Worst job of my life. I got the job through a friend's mother who knew the two chancers who had set up the firm - I wasn't qualified in any shape or form but they liked my accent, hence the shoo-in. As a head-hunter, you're cold calling companies to sell your "massive" database of potential qualified employees and at the same time cold-calling people with the right qualifications for the jobs you're sourcing to try and persuade them to come for interview - enticing them with a sweeter deal than the one they have. Awful. Anyhow, the vast majority of CVs left in by people calling in were binned, like this company will have done to the 400 applicants.

    The head-hunter is basically a middle man who supposedly pre-interviews applicants so the company doesn't have to winnow them down to 4 or 6 potentials themselves. There are only ever a small number people right for a job requiring qualifications, and nobody need think that there's that much of a challenge involved (ie. 400). It just means the company didn't hire a recruitment agency.


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  • #61
    Shrap
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,163 ✭✭✭Shrap


    Jaysus. Did I kill the thread?!










    Sorry. :o


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