Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I have applied and been referred into multiple jobs.

I think I'm qualified, I'm educated, I have a clean record, I don't use drugs, I'm on time, I read and write well enough.

I'm smart enough to know I'm not an idiot. This is what I have to offer:

-13 years commissioned service in the Army
-secret clearance
-MBA
-master's in human resources
-certificate in business analytics from Wharton

Those are the quantifiable skills. I have many soft skills which I'm sure employers look for. I have leadership experience in garrison and in combat.

I've been applying through LinkedIn and other websites. Just started an Indeed account today. Friends who work for large companies have referred me in.

The thing that really puzzles me isn't as much that I'm not getting hired. I'm not even getting calls for interviews.

I'm here getting ready to leave active duty military (again) and get back into the civilian world in September. I was working as a home builder and while I know I can get a job like that easily, I don't want to work in the field again. I would be wasting my education building homes.

I've read that recruiters will take 6-7 seconds reading over a resume and that sounds like bullshit because you're telling me they're so smart they can assess someone in 6-7 seconds? And if they're only taking 6-7 seconds to read a resume, why is a cover letter required? If they're not going to read a document with bullet points, are they really going to read a couple of paragraphs?

What am I doing wrong?

Assuming you have a resume, you should ask someone who’s knowledgeable about them to look at it and offer suggestions on how to make it better.

What's your skill set, field of expertise and location?

If we were looking for someone today we'd have an immediate need and not want to wait until September.

I’m a firm believer that many good jobs are found through networking and many never get put on LinkedIn, Indeed or other services. Networking is something that I don’t enjoy but it’s a necessary evil.

You certainly sound qualified.
You don't show your location and didn't mention the part of the country where you're applying; could it be as simple as the lack of demand in your area right now
?

You biggest issue might be the lag time. Companies are hiring for this minute. I'll bet when September approaches you'll get calls.

Not what you want to hear, I know.

Where exactly is "all over" located?

Also, MBA is great but which industry are you special in (medical, aerospace, automotive, etc)?

Are you tailoring your resume and cover letter for each individual job description?

Lots of jobs these days rely on automated software to sift through applications and resumes. They program it to look for certain key words based on the requirements of the position, pick out ones that contain those words to get further human review, and discard the rest.

So it could be that if you're just reusing the same resume for each application, your resume simply doesn't contain the right buzzwords for that specific opening, and is therefore being kicked out before a real human being even lays eyes on it.

Big question what do you want to do with all that.

The 6-7 second resume reading thing is bullshit.

I read a resume and continue until I see a dis-qualifier. (something I really don't like)

I prefer resumes that include an action=results approach. What did you do - and what was the result/benefit to the Team/Organization/Unit?

At the end of the day - some of the best jobs are obtained by referral/who-you-know. Try and expand your professional and social network.

Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
At the end of the day - some of the best jobs are obtained by referral/who-you-know. Try and expand your professional and social network.

This. All my jobs have been via somebody who knew me and thought I would be a good fit. The caveat is to not bomb any bridges beforehand and have a reputation that the decision makers will agree with.

If you're chasing a position within a big corporate organization, its going to go through a variety of checks and eye-balls, before getting to the department that has the need. Thus it goes back to have contacts and a network that can connect you.

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, make a profile and upload your resume to ZipRecruiter. You can one-click apply to jobs and get email updates about new postings you'd be qualified for.

I had some serious health problems over the last few years and hadn't worked in nearly three. I did what I described above and the day after, I had two interviews that led to offers in 24 hours. I got to choose between them, a first for me. Last Wednesday, I decided the current job wasn't cutting it anymore and updated my resume with my current info. I applied to a job I was interested in, and two hours later, I had an email asking if I would like to phone interview on Friday. That went well and I have an in-person interview this Friday. I also applied to three other jobs that same day in case this didn't pan out and I got two responses asking if I'd like to schedule a phone interview and two phone calls on Thursday from head hunters hiring for jobs similar to what I'm working now.

Just try it. Nothing to lose, and if you feel like you're getting spammed with job posting alerts, you can make a folder for them in your email and a rule to send them straight there like I did. All the other advice is good, but I've never had such interest in me as a potential employee. And yes, I've used Indeed. No such experiences there.

Another think you might consider is using a resume builder website. I actually got complimented on my resume and how clean and concise it was by the HR person I talked to last week. I built mine on Velvetjobs.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
I've been applying through LinkedIn and other websites. Just started an Indeed account today.

My wife is a high up corporate manager. She is on the phone eight hours a day with recruiters, district, and regional managers.

I overheard a phone conversation last week with a recruiter and one thing stuck out to me. The recruiter said she gets 95% of her hires now from LinkedIn. She said the candidates that used Monster and Indeed and similar sites are garbage. She gets much better candidates from LinkedIn.

Just thought I would mention this....

What kind of jobs are you looking for?

You didn't mention your age, but there is some "age discrimination" present for those who are over 50. It's never mentioned, but it is apparent.

I was called in to an interview a few years ago because I had listed (accurately) my MS degree in 2001. When they saw me, the faces dropped. I was over 50 and could do the job in my sleep. Never got it!

quote:

Originally posted by odin:
You didn't mention your age, but there is some "age discrimination" present for those who are over 50. It's never mentioned, but it is apparent.

I was called in to an interview a few years ago because I had listed (accurately) my MS degree in 2001. When they saw me, the faces dropped. I was over 50 and could do the job in my sleep. Never got it!

Sadly I'm sure this happens quite often.

Find a professional head hunter in the area of the country you are looking to work in.
They will have a list of clients that are looking for people with a specific skill set. They find you the jobs and set up the interviews with the potential business.

What part of the country are you looking?

I asked my wife about it, she was placed in a couple jobs using an agency and has been at her current company for 12 years. The rep she worked with found the job and also sold her qualifications to them to get her the interview. My wife suggested maybe getting a couple professional friends to look at your resume and give their honest feedback on any suggestions they might have on the order of what is companies see first or layout that might make you stand out. She said your resume should make you stand out in a minute or less so your 6-7 second review might be exaggerated but true. My wife also suggested calling after you send your resume to verify they received it and to introduce yourself and ask who you should follow up with on the status. Depending on the company they could be receiving hundreds of resumes a day and your resume is just one and it could be mixed in with any level of job from a general laborer to a vice president.

My wife's employer might have something in your field depending on the location in the country you are looking. Feel free to email me privately, my email is in my profile.

What type of work do you want to do, Human Resources? Do you have work experience outside the Army and home building? My former employer made a point to interview veterans.

Many companies "froze" hiring for quite some time though that seems to be ending but it depends on the position. In my field ("IT") demand is very high but I'm not sure about others. Theoretically, LinkedIn should "work" in that you shouldn't need to hire someone to help you find a job but, again, it depends on your skills and what you want to do.

The age thing seems to be working against me. I'm 58, almost 59. Looking to leave my current employer as it's turned into somewhat of a dead end.
Looking at going into business for myself.

I got my most recent job/career from Facebook. I'm part of a local county fraternal/charity men's group. I applied for the job but was looked over, but when the East coast VP of operations says consider this guy, he gets a second look.

Try to expand your networking circle. 90% is who you know, not what you know.