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Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

While in the chat room today I got frustrated because what seems so simple to me really isn't simple to many other people.

What I am talking about is the presentation of one's self during a job interview.

So I fucking wrote about it.

And you can read it right here:
http://karatekid.sydlexia.com/GPFontaine/articles/20090213_Interviews-And-You.php

When you disagree with something I wrote, and I'm sure you will... lets hear it.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 05:44 pm

Thanks for the lesson. Can I put this on Stumbleupon?

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

DarknessDeku wrote:

Thanks for the lesson. Can I put this on Stumbleupon?

Sure!

Posted: Feb 13 2009 05:54 pm

Great basic primer, GP. And just FYI, most of what you said *does* apply to women, with the exception of the fashion advice. And even *I* haven't fucking figured out women's fashion and what I'm expected to wear to a job interview. So many stupid rules about styles, colors, shoes, accessories...ugh. And then (at least according to some people) you have to worry about looking the same as and/or clashing with the outfits of potential female interviewers...wtf. Really. Can we just come up with some sort of agreed-upon female equivalent of a tasteful suit and tie, and be done with it? Please?

Posted: Feb 13 2009 05:58 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

DarknessDeku wrote:

Thanks for the lesson. Can I put this on Stumbleupon?

Sure!

Done.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

SoldierHawk wrote:

Great basic primer, GP. And just FYI, most of what you said *does* apply to women, with the exception of the fashion advice. And even *I* haven't fucking figured out women's fashion and what I'm expected to wear to a job interview. So many stupid rules about styles, colors, shoes, accessories...ugh. And then (at least according to some people) you have to worry about looking the same as and/or clashing with the outfits of potential female interviewers...wtf. Really. Can we just come up with some sort of agreed-upon female equivalent of a tasteful suit and tie, and be done with it? Please?

I think as time goes on there will be better social standards for dress and women, but not until the baby boomers are out of executive positions.

While younger people are still sexist, there has been a better shift in corporate acceptance among a younger generation.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 06:02 pm

SoldierHawk wrote:

[...] Really. Can we just come up with some sort of agreed-upon female equivalent of a ~~tasteful~~ suit and tie, and be done with it? Please?

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Rycona wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

[...] Really. Can we just come up with some sort of agreed-upon female equivalent of a ~~tasteful~~ suit and tie, and be done with it? Please?

Well done sir!

I mean mam... I mean sir... I mean... dude?

Posted: Feb 13 2009 06:20 pm

I actually favorited this page, since for the past seven months or so I've been on a constant hunt for a job. Haven't actually gotten to the interview step yet, but here's hoping.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 06:24 pm

Cameron wrote:

I actually favorited this page, since for the past seven months or so I've been on a constant hunt for a job. Haven't actually gotten to the interview step yet, but here's hoping.

You probably know this, but make sure you call/walk in to the places where you've applied and speak with managers to see if they're hiring and if they've looked at your resume. Generally, this shows initiative and I know that some places won't hire anyone sometimes until they get a certain about of calls/checks from a potential employee. Quite often a manager will schedule you for an official interview if you talk to them.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 06:31 pm

Rycona wrote:

Cameron wrote:

I actually favorited this page, since for the past seven months or so I've been on a constant hunt for a job. Haven't actually gotten to the interview step yet, but here's hoping.

You probably know this, but make sure you call/walk in to the places where you've applied and speak with managers to see if they're hiring and if they've looked at your resume. Generally, this shows initiative and I know that some places won't hire anyone sometimes until they get a certain about of calls/checks from a potential employee. Quite often a manager will schedule you for an official interview if you talk to them.

I have done all of this. In fact, I've applied at:
Wal-Mart
Dollar General
A bank
A local market
Pizza Hut
Another bank
The Dollar Store

And I've called in (multiple times), walked in (multiple times), practically gotten down on my knees and begged for an interview or at least a review of my application, and all of the places have either ignored my request, told me to bug off, told me that they'd "look over" my application and proceed to never speak to me again, or a combination of the three. I honestly have no idea why the heck it would be SO horrible to just let me have a freaking interview; it's not like I've been fired multiple times before (I've never had a job before), and it's not like I have a criminal record or a raging narcotic addiction. *sigh*...I mean, heck, I dress nice just for asking for an application, so that's not the problem.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 06:46 pm

I figured you would have, I mainly mentioned it because I didn't learn that until a few years ago. I'm generally more timid, so I felt like I shouldn't hassle employers and I was always nervous about applying for multiple jobs at once, and doing multiple interviews, mainly because I feel awkward locking down a job when I'm in the midst of other sets of interviews. I also wonder about getting a job, and then immediately being able to get a better one and screwing the last one over. I know it's faulty thinking because there's a large pool of people to pull from and it's not like a company is going to plummet because I left, but I just always worry about it looking bad on my record, as my work history as it is isn't too appealing.

Luckily, I've overcome that line of thinking, but I just wanted to mention it in case anyone had any of the same thoughts.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 09:02 pm

Rycona wrote:

SoldierHawk wrote:

[...] Really. Can we just come up with some sort of agreed-upon female equivalent of a ~~tasteful~~ suit and tie, and be done with it? Please?

Lmao. Although honestly, those pieces look decent and fairly comfortable, which is my #1 complaint about most pants suits. And if its Kmart, at least you aren't paying fucking Nordstrom prices. Razz

Posted: Feb 13 2009 10:50 pm

Cameron wrote:

Rycona wrote:

Cameron wrote:

I actually favorited this page, since for the past seven months or so I've been on a constant hunt for a job. Haven't actually gotten to the interview step yet, but here's hoping.

You probably know this, but make sure you call/walk in to the places where you've applied and speak with managers to see if they're hiring and if they've looked at your resume. Generally, this shows initiative and I know that some places won't hire anyone sometimes until they get a certain about of calls/checks from a potential employee. Quite often a manager will schedule you for an official interview if you talk to them.

I have done all of this. In fact, I've applied at:
Wal-Mart
Dollar General
A bank
A local market
Pizza Hut
Another bank
The Dollar Store

And I've called in (multiple times), walked in (multiple times), practically gotten down on my knees and begged for an interview or at least a review of my application, and all of the places have either ignored my request, told me to bug off, told me that they'd "look over" my application and proceed to never speak to me again, or a combination of the three. I honestly have no idea why the heck it would be SO horrible to just let me have a freaking interview; it's not like I've been fired multiple times before (I've never had a job before), and it's not like I have a criminal record or a raging narcotic addiction. *sigh*...I mean, heck, I dress nice just for asking for an application, so that's not the problem.

More than likely this is due to the fact that your not 18. You haven't applied to any fast food places, except for maybe pizza hut, and most jobs just don't give you the time of day, unless they can work you late or whatever. I had the same problem in highschool, because I didn't want to work fast food, and sure enough, 3 days after I turn 18, i'm employed.

I haven't read your advice yet, GP, but I'm sure it's good. I haven't ever gotten turned down for a job once I get to the interview. I consider myself excellent at interviews, but I don't plan on looking for another job until this economy cleans up a bit for I'm very secure at my current employer.

Posted: Feb 13 2009 11:16 pm

I know pretty much all of what GP said, and I still haven't been able to find a job with open positions and whatnot.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Hey, it was an interview article, not a resume article.

Making a good resume is another one of my specialties but it is a lot fucking harder to write about.

Posted: Feb 14 2009 12:03 am

GPFontaine wrote:

Hey, it was an interview article, not a resume article.

Making a good resume is another one of my specialties but it is a lot fucking harder to write about.

You should write about how to make a good resume,

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

DarknessDeku wrote:

GPFontaine wrote:

Hey, it was an interview article, not a resume article.

Making a good resume is another one of my specialties but it is a lot fucking harder to write about.

You should write about how to make a good resume,

I could, but everyone would still fuck their resumes up.

It is not hard, but it takes a lot of work to make a good resume.

Posted: Feb 14 2009 12:18 am

Briefs aren't the only alternative to boxers asshole This Is A Joke

Posted: Feb 14 2009 01:03 am

For what its worth, I'd be very interested in a resume article in the same spirit as this one. The interview shit is mostly common sense, but resume formatting (not so much what to put, but where and how to present it) has always baffled me. I usually end up just copying some crappy online template because it at least looks better than what I put together in Word lol.

Anyway, no pressure. Just sayin'.

Posted: Feb 14 2009 05:16 am

The trick to good resumes is to take every single minute task you have ever been responsible for and use clever wordiness to turn it from a stupid task that any moron can handle to a gargantuan all important responsibility that only you with your obvious level of awesomeness could perform to the satisfaction of your corporate overlords.

Example.

Fry cook / drive through. = High temperature pre carbonizing frying module operator / high traffic communications expert and customer service transaction enabler.

Just don't over do it like I did above, and if you suspect your potential boss is smarter than you, turn in the regular resume.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Blackout wrote:

The trick to good resumes is to take every single minute task you have ever been responsible for and use clever wordiness to turn it from a stupid task that any moron can handle to a gargantuan all important responsibility that only you with your obvious level of awesomeness could perform to the satisfaction of your corporate overlords.

Example.

Fry cook / drive through. = High temperature pre carbonizing frying module operator / high traffic communications expert and customer service transaction enabler.

Just don't over do it like I did above, and if you suspect your potential boss is smarter than you, turn in the regular resume.

Gah... it isn't that simple.

I'll have to eventually write an article on this.

There are so many parts to a resume though.

For example...
The physical presentation:
Who gets to make a 1 page vs 2 page resume?
What fonts should be used?
Do the bullet points get periods?

Then there is the verbage:
Should I use big words?
Should I try to dazzle up some of my titles?

Then there is the positioning:
What should go first Education or Work Experience?
Should I put skills or achievements?

And this doesn't even begin to cover the topic.

I will say this though. A single spelling error or grammatical mistake on a resume is a deal breaker.

I'll think about writing the article.

Joined: Sep 29 2008 Posts: 37

My resume is a piece of paper.

In the center in 12 point font the following sentence, "YOU WERE AN EASY OPPONENT. - Space Fury"

I then shoot you in the face with my death ray.

Mwahahahah.

YOU WERE AN EASY OPPONENT.

Posted: Feb 14 2009 02:47 pm

^ If you have a death ray, I would guess a resume is unnecessary Rolling Eyes

And GP, I'd love to see that. I'm okay with the writing of the resume, but the physical layout and stuff confuses the crap out of me, and my mother, as brilliant and wonderful as she can be, is of zero help. If you need a hand with the writing of it, I'd be happy to help.

Posted: Feb 14 2009 04:10 pm

When's an appropriate time frame to go in for a follow-up? Because I applied at a restaurant on Tuesday and had an interview immediately. I went in on Thursday to follow-up, but my interviewer wasn't there. Now I won't be able to go in until Tuesday. Is a week acceptable?

Quote:

Briefs aren't the only alternative to boxers asshole

You got that right. Wink