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What should you do when you aren't getting replies from job postings?

I have applied for many positions on Idealist.org and Craigslist and haven't gotten any responses. Should I follow up or possibly change my methods, if so does anyone have any suggestions? #career #jobs #career-counseling #job-search

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Debra’s Answer

In addition to previous replies I would like to recommend that you work on your resume. The resume is often the first contact with the hiring manager. The average time that your resume is reviewed by a hiring manager is six seconds so you need to make your resume inviting and pull them in.


Talk to some of your college teachers and have them critique your resume.


One website that I have useful in writing my resume is O-Net Online. It can be found at https://www.onetonline.org/. This is a database of all the occupations broken down into the tasks you do, technology skills needed, tools used, knowledge needed, skills needed, abilities, typical work activities along with a several other details concerning the occupation. Use this to help you write those important key words for the position you are looking for.


Good luck, and I hope this helps.

Thank you comment icon Thank you! This helps a lot! Mounia
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Andria’s Answer

Make sure you have a good cover letter and i would suggest checking out other areas for jobs. Monster and linked in our great. Just google jobs in your area and you will get better postings.

Thank you comment icon Thank you! Mounia
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Spruce’s Answer

Hey Nounia,
I think most of us have had to deal with this situation at one time or another. You already have some good answers here. I have just one point to make.

I assume you have or will shortly have either a two-year or four-year college degree. I don’t know about Idealist, but I think Craigslist is a little too informal, especially for graduates with four-year degrees. Most companies worth working for will have a webpage that describes what their company does, if they have any job openings will, what those jobs are, and how to go about applying for them.

Good luck.
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Ken’s Answer

Hi Mounia!


It might be the way you are going about the process that is resulting in no job offers.


I would like to share some tips that I have found to be helpful from my years in human resources, college recruiting, and teaching and coaching networking..


Step 1 - Get to know yourself better. The most frustrating times spent while doing college recruiting, were the times when a graduate, once on the job, found that he/she did not like the job for which he/she had studied, as he/she had not done enough investigation. Selecting a career is like buying a pair of shoes. They may look great, but you need to try them on and wear them for a while to determine proper fit and comfort. It is important to find one that matches your personality, interests, and aptitudes.
Here is a good way for you to do this:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/14-free-personality-tests-thatll-help-you-figure-yourself-out


Step 2 - Learn and use networking. 80% of people who find jobs find them through networking - and many of those are never posted. Here are some suggestions:
http://www.wikihow.com/Network https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-job-search-strategy-thatll-make-you-15-times-more-likely-to-be-hired


Step 3 - Use natural connections for effective networking:
- talk to the head of alumni relations at your school to arrange to talk to graduates in your area of interest who are near you and doing what you thing that you want to do so you can see what they are doing, how they got there, what advice they have, and how you feel about it
. - talk to the reference librarian at your local library to locate and attend meetings of professional organizations in your area to which professionals in your area of interest belong so you can mix and mingle and learn from them.


Step 4 - Follow up each application and interview. Use a simple fold over thank you card that you can get at a drug store to hand write a thank you note for each person you have met when going through the application and interview process. Mail the card soon after the session and make a follow up call three days later.
A. The card: - mention something meaningful that you remember from the meeting - emphasize that you feel that you could use your skills, abilities, and experience to help his/her company achieve his goals - state that you would like to follow up with a phone call in a few days to inquire about the next step in the interview process (always assume that there is a next step)
B. The follow up call (you can get though the screener as you can say that he/she is expecting your call to follow up the interview) - thank him/her for the opportunity to talk about helping his/her company - ask if there anything else that he/she would find to be helpful to know about you - ask about the next step in the process


Here are some follow up tips. Remember, if it talks about using email, I have found face to face interaction (or secondly phone) follow up to be far superior, because it allows for dialogue:
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-following-up-can-help-you-land-the-job
https://www.themuse.com/advice/pleasantly-persistent-5-rules-for-effectively-following-up


Best of luck! Let me know if and how this might help. Keep me posted. I would like to follow your progress.

Thank you comment icon Thank you Ken, your answer is very helpful. Mounia
Thank you comment icon You are very welcome. Please let me know what happens next. I would like to follow your progress. Ken Simmons
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