The weekly round-up that is.
This week I applied for seven jobs.
I received two bites.
A diary based on my latest attempts to get a job; this time in Munich. I'm an engineering graduate (and chartered engineer) with more than 10 years' experience in IT. Over five of these years have been spent in team leading and project management roles both in the UK and abroad.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Suitcases
A relative told me that a suitcase sale was still on in Worthing, a town near me.
I need a new suitcase. My big-assed one is totally broken and my cabin-bag is wearing out fast.
But think about it. Why on earth is there a suitcase sale in Worthing? Why do any shops there sell suitcases? Clearly no-one needs to buy one. If you were able to leave Worthing you would have done so ages ago. If you're still in Worthing (a place where old people go to die) then you're not going to leave and so don't need a suitcase.
Today I applied for two jobs. Neither were in the south coast.
I need a new suitcase. My big-assed one is totally broken and my cabin-bag is wearing out fast.
But think about it. Why on earth is there a suitcase sale in Worthing? Why do any shops there sell suitcases? Clearly no-one needs to buy one. If you were able to leave Worthing you would have done so ages ago. If you're still in Worthing (a place where old people go to die) then you're not going to leave and so don't need a suitcase.
Today I applied for two jobs. Neither were in the south coast.
A good excuse
I think social networks like LinkedIn can be a good excuse for contacting some people.
For instance, today I sent an invitation to join LinkedIn to a recruitment manager at a consultancy. I actually met her in June just to have a general chat.
She accepted my invitation and also sent a reply email. She mentioned there may be emerging opportunities in her company. So, in a sense my invitation was a nudge.
Anyway, we'll meet for another coffee on Wednesday, after my interview (the one which was originally going to be on Tuesday but has been shifted a day).
OK, the "good excuse" use of LinkedIn (or openBC etc) only works once, when you join them and send out invites.
I'm hoping that these social networks encourage professionals to be more involved in networking. This hope is written from an English perpective - we're notoriously reticent and generally not very good at this sort of thing.
For instance, today I sent an invitation to join LinkedIn to a recruitment manager at a consultancy. I actually met her in June just to have a general chat.
She accepted my invitation and also sent a reply email. She mentioned there may be emerging opportunities in her company. So, in a sense my invitation was a nudge.
Anyway, we'll meet for another coffee on Wednesday, after my interview (the one which was originally going to be on Tuesday but has been shifted a day).
OK, the "good excuse" use of LinkedIn (or openBC etc) only works once, when you join them and send out invites.
I'm hoping that these social networks encourage professionals to be more involved in networking. This hope is written from an English perpective - we're notoriously reticent and generally not very good at this sort of thing.
So that's what it's called
In one of my posts yesterday I mentioned there was a limit to the number of effective social contacts in humans of around 150.
Turns out it's called the Dunbar number. As this article explains there's a lot more to it than a numerical limit. In fact the writer proposes a lower effective limit of around 50.
Still, whether it's 25, or 125, the effectiveness limit is much lower than the thousands of contacts that some people have in LinkedIn.
These articles were useful for me in both my roles:
Turns out it's called the Dunbar number. As this article explains there's a lot more to it than a numerical limit. In fact the writer proposes a lower effective limit of around 50.
Still, whether it's 25, or 125, the effectiveness limit is much lower than the thousands of contacts that some people have in LinkedIn.
These articles were useful for me in both my roles:
- as a job hunter - understanding the effectiveness of group sizes in social/business contact networks (+ it's interesting and I have nothing better to do than read blogs)
- as a business builder - the problems mentioned in the articles are sure to hit us as our business grows.
The decline
There's an agency I've talked to, over a few years, about various jobs. They like to think of themselves as in the top-end of recruiters.
They haven't got me one yet, but they did manage to secure me an interview abroad.
Recently, however, their quality seems to be dropping. They don't get back, when they say they will, they leave my applications in mid-air for months and they write, when they do then contact me, curt rejection letters.
Today they sent me an email about an interesting role. Well, they're right, it is an interesting role. Interesting, that is, if you're a financial accountant. Which I'm not, for goodness sake. Not only should my profession be engrained on their computer system, it should also be engrained in their hearts (I'd say "souls" but of course recruitment agents don't have souls).
They haven't got me one yet, but they did manage to secure me an interview abroad.
Recently, however, their quality seems to be dropping. They don't get back, when they say they will, they leave my applications in mid-air for months and they write, when they do then contact me, curt rejection letters.
Today they sent me an email about an interesting role. Well, they're right, it is an interesting role. Interesting, that is, if you're a financial accountant. Which I'm not, for goodness sake. Not only should my profession be engrained on their computer system, it should also be engrained in their hearts (I'd say "souls" but of course recruitment agents don't have souls).
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Not LinkedIn enough
I have 19 direct contacts on LinkedIn:
Of these, six people have five or less contacts. Of these six, three I particularly expected would amass a lot of contacts. Like, that's why I invited them (partly).
The remaining seven people I know and have a good, reasonable set of contacts.
I read somewhere that the average person has a network of around 150 people, i.e. people they can name and contact. OK, for graduate professionals that average could be higher.
But how can you know around 1,000 people? That is, well enough to relay a new contact, or even recollect their name.
Well, there are people in LinkedIn who have these number of people in their contacts lists. Actually, I'm not too bothered about these "connection sluts" (I think they're also called "permiscuous connectors", or "super-connectors"), they tend to be quite senior people in bona fide positions and companies. And they do have a very good set of contacts. I've linked to three of them myself when I received their invitations ("hey, I was new to LinkedIn and naive"). But I'm not too sure of the value of their contacts.
Currently I have nine outstanding invitations for people to join. I'm a bit surprised at some of the people who haven't responded positively yet. Still, they've got time.
I can only invite 10 people at a time, as the list of outstanding invitation reduces I'll invite some more (I can think of at least a couple of people I know who read this blog, bless them -don't worry, you're on my list).
- One is a duplicate entry (he created two accounts and connected both to me).
- Three are connections "sluts" (as they are sometimes called, without, apparently meaning to be derogatory).
- One would be a connection slut but is serious about networking to benefit his developing country (and could well be a useful contact for me).
- Another one would also be a connection slut (he has a massive set of contacts) but I connected to him as I wanted to join the LinkedIn group he is running.
Of these, six people have five or less contacts. Of these six, three I particularly expected would amass a lot of contacts. Like, that's why I invited them (partly).
The remaining seven people I know and have a good, reasonable set of contacts.
I read somewhere that the average person has a network of around 150 people, i.e. people they can name and contact. OK, for graduate professionals that average could be higher.
But how can you know around 1,000 people? That is, well enough to relay a new contact, or even recollect their name.
Well, there are people in LinkedIn who have these number of people in their contacts lists. Actually, I'm not too bothered about these "connection sluts" (I think they're also called "permiscuous connectors", or "super-connectors"), they tend to be quite senior people in bona fide positions and companies. And they do have a very good set of contacts. I've linked to three of them myself when I received their invitations ("hey, I was new to LinkedIn and naive"). But I'm not too sure of the value of their contacts.
Currently I have nine outstanding invitations for people to join. I'm a bit surprised at some of the people who haven't responded positively yet. Still, they've got time.
I can only invite 10 people at a time, as the list of outstanding invitation reduces I'll invite some more (I can think of at least a couple of people I know who read this blog, bless them -don't worry, you're on my list).
Almost forgot
Been feeling quite crap today, some sort of virus and haven't eaten much.
Managed to do the usual trawl.
I was also phoned by an agency looking for service delivery and project management consultants in the City. After our chat he said he wanted to send my details to his client so I forwarded an updated c.v.
Including that one, today I applied for four jobs and received one bite.
Managed to do the usual trawl.
I was also phoned by an agency looking for service delivery and project management consultants in the City. After our chat he said he wanted to send my details to his client so I forwarded an updated c.v.
Including that one, today I applied for four jobs and received one bite.
Should I apply?
One of the few
Today I actaully saw an advert whose requirements included membership of a relevant body, e.g. the British Computer Society.
Well, I'm a chartered Member of the BCS as well as being a Chartered Engineer and Chartered IT Professional.
What's more, the advert was for someone to project manage an IT relocation - I have a lot of experience there.
So, I applied.
The advert did, however, also require experience in Java and .Net etc.
Well, I don't have experience in these (or even knowledge) but I fail to see how this could be needed for a relocation project.
Well, I'm a chartered Member of the BCS as well as being a Chartered Engineer and Chartered IT Professional.
What's more, the advert was for someone to project manage an IT relocation - I have a lot of experience there.
So, I applied.
The advert did, however, also require experience in Java and .Net etc.
Well, I don't have experience in these (or even knowledge) but I fail to see how this could be needed for a relocation project.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Crickey
Today, despite two trawls I haven't been able to find any jobs to which to apply.
I really don't think it's a mood thing (although it's true that I'm not in the mood), I just think that the appropriate jobs haven't been advertised today.
I really don't think it's a mood thing (although it's true that I'm not in the mood), I just think that the appropriate jobs haven't been advertised today.
Just the one
So far today I haven't seen any jobs to which I can apply.
I did, however, get a bite from the sole job I applied for yesterday.
This is a one year fixed-term role working across two sites (which aren't that near each other).
My c.v. has been sent across to the client.
I did, however, get a bite from the sole job I applied for yesterday.
This is a one year fixed-term role working across two sites (which aren't that near each other).
My c.v. has been sent across to the client.
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
LinkedIn cheating
There's an interesting entry about using and "abusing" LinkedIn on this VC's website.
Some of it seems very apt.
I've been doing some LinkedIn work this afternoon. Well, I could only find one job to which to apply. But that's one more than yesterday.
This networking exercise started off quite structured. I wanted to see which companies out there "grabbed me". I've already gone throught the Times 100 Best Companies but couldn't find any that inspired. In fact I know people who have worked in some of the companies mentioned and would not agree with their inclusion.
So, I went through my list of contacts in LinkedIn. And I looked at their contacts and the companies they worked for. Still, very few inspired. I did however spot a couple. I'll be pursuing those in the next few days.
After a while I got a bit distracted and invited a couple of people (repeat invited in one case) to join.
I also responded to one indirect contact, a CIO. In his description he offered to connect with just about anyone interested. I don't normally respond to these but he's trying to help his central European country which is becoming rather significant in the IT world. One of the companies who recently interviewed me had operations there.
LinkedIn provides a template of emails but I didn't use them and wrote my own message. The CIO responded that mine was "one of the VERY few personalized [his capitalization]".
What?!
LinkedIn is an exclusive business contacts network. You can only join by invitation. Many, indeed most of the members are high-level corporate professionals. And yet people send each other impersonal invitations!?
Some of it seems very apt.
I've been doing some LinkedIn work this afternoon. Well, I could only find one job to which to apply. But that's one more than yesterday.
This networking exercise started off quite structured. I wanted to see which companies out there "grabbed me". I've already gone throught the Times 100 Best Companies but couldn't find any that inspired. In fact I know people who have worked in some of the companies mentioned and would not agree with their inclusion.
So, I went through my list of contacts in LinkedIn. And I looked at their contacts and the companies they worked for. Still, very few inspired. I did however spot a couple. I'll be pursuing those in the next few days.
After a while I got a bit distracted and invited a couple of people (repeat invited in one case) to join.
I also responded to one indirect contact, a CIO. In his description he offered to connect with just about anyone interested. I don't normally respond to these but he's trying to help his central European country which is becoming rather significant in the IT world. One of the companies who recently interviewed me had operations there.
LinkedIn provides a template of emails but I didn't use them and wrote my own message. The CIO responded that mine was "one of the VERY few personalized [his capitalization]".
What?!
LinkedIn is an exclusive business contacts network. You can only join by invitation. Many, indeed most of the members are high-level corporate professionals. And yet people send each other impersonal invitations!?
The difference
How can you tell executive search and selection companies from recruitment consultancies?
Is it the plush central London offices? The expensive buscuits they give? The masses of drop-dead gorgeous women they employ?
Well, the former send you a rejection letter - that's right, a god-damn piece of paper, in an envelope - rather than an email (or more usually, not bothering at all).
I received such a letter today in response to an application I made - by email - probably a month or more ago.
The actual text was pretty formulaic and thus worthless. I would like real feedback and some commentary on my c.v. This is best done by phone or can easily be done by email. It's the 21st century. Email is totally acceptable, especially as I know this company prefers to receive applications by this medium.
Is it the plush central London offices? The expensive buscuits they give? The masses of drop-dead gorgeous women they employ?
Well, the former send you a rejection letter - that's right, a god-damn piece of paper, in an envelope - rather than an email (or more usually, not bothering at all).
I received such a letter today in response to an application I made - by email - probably a month or more ago.
The actual text was pretty formulaic and thus worthless. I would like real feedback and some commentary on my c.v. This is best done by phone or can easily be done by email. It's the 21st century. Email is totally acceptable, especially as I know this company prefers to receive applications by this medium.
Confirmation
There's probably some EU regulation that means recruitment agencies can only call me when I'm in the bathroom. There is, after all, already in place some sort of regulation which prohibits attractive women from sitting next to me on airplanes UNLESS at least one of us is in a relationship.
Why me?
Anyway, today I remembered not to take my mobile into the bathroom. When I returned there was a message for me. It was the agency who called yesterday.
I phoned them and we agreed a date and time for an interview with their client. This will be in central London next Tuesday.
What's more, the agency's account manager has scheduled in a slot to call me the day before just to make sure I'm lined up and to brief me on the people I'll be seeing.
How professional is that? I'm impressed.
Why me?
Anyway, today I remembered not to take my mobile into the bathroom. When I returned there was a message for me. It was the agency who called yesterday.
I phoned them and we agreed a date and time for an interview with their client. This will be in central London next Tuesday.
What's more, the agency's account manager has scheduled in a slot to call me the day before just to make sure I'm lined up and to brief me on the people I'll be seeing.
How professional is that? I'm impressed.
Startup questions
I haven't applied to work for any start-ups, in fact, I co-own a start-up (it's been starting up for a couple of years now) but if I was going to apply, then this is a useful set of questions to ask.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Clean shave
I didn't shave yesterday (for various reasons, getting up too late being one of them) so I definitely needed one today (any more days skipped and I look like someone from the Taliban, especially if I wear my eyepatch - and that look was so two years ago).
Shaving for me has always been difficult. I nearly always use an electric razor otherwise I risk asanguination. In fact I often cut myself even with an electric razor.
Plus, despite now being 40 I'm still prone to acne. Ok, not like a teenager but it does pop up now and then. I once read an article where people were quoted on the great things about being 40. One of them was not gettting spots. Oh well, maybe when I'm 50.
So, to be careful of all this I sometimes - like today - first use a face scrub. Now, I do not subscribe to all this metro-sexual nonsense. I agree with Maddox : the opposite of metro-sexual is heterosexual. But face scrub helps before I shave.
Having just applied the face scrub I heard my mobile phone ring. Gosh, it was a bit loud and I found that I had taken it into the bathroom with me. Not something I normally do, the steam from the shower could ruin its electronics and then what would I do? (Answer: put the SIM card in my reserve handset, of course).
Anyway, agencies do like to call me when I'm in the bathroom so it was just as well I made this mistake.
It was the agency I saw last week. They were simply phoning to say that their client wanted to see me.
That was all. The client didn't have a date yet but the agency wanted to keep me informed of what was happening, as they said they would.
So, that's great, a second interview should happen soon. Well, I hope so. But I've been in a similar situation a few months ago, when a company wanted to see me but never managed to do so.
And I'm now realising that big companies are the worst at organising interviews.
Well, this situation may be different.
Anyway, after the quick call I washed off the face scrub (I've never taken or made business calls with face scrub drying on my face before, honest), shaved and settled down to a big day's job hunting.
And six hours later had managed to apply for 0 jobs.
Shaving for me has always been difficult. I nearly always use an electric razor otherwise I risk asanguination. In fact I often cut myself even with an electric razor.
Plus, despite now being 40 I'm still prone to acne. Ok, not like a teenager but it does pop up now and then. I once read an article where people were quoted on the great things about being 40. One of them was not gettting spots. Oh well, maybe when I'm 50.
So, to be careful of all this I sometimes - like today - first use a face scrub. Now, I do not subscribe to all this metro-sexual nonsense. I agree with Maddox : the opposite of metro-sexual is heterosexual. But face scrub helps before I shave.
Having just applied the face scrub I heard my mobile phone ring. Gosh, it was a bit loud and I found that I had taken it into the bathroom with me. Not something I normally do, the steam from the shower could ruin its electronics and then what would I do? (Answer: put the SIM card in my reserve handset, of course).
Anyway, agencies do like to call me when I'm in the bathroom so it was just as well I made this mistake.
It was the agency I saw last week. They were simply phoning to say that their client wanted to see me.
That was all. The client didn't have a date yet but the agency wanted to keep me informed of what was happening, as they said they would.
So, that's great, a second interview should happen soon. Well, I hope so. But I've been in a similar situation a few months ago, when a company wanted to see me but never managed to do so.
And I'm now realising that big companies are the worst at organising interviews.
Well, this situation may be different.
Anyway, after the quick call I washed off the face scrub (I've never taken or made business calls with face scrub drying on my face before, honest), shaved and settled down to a big day's job hunting.
And six hours later had managed to apply for 0 jobs.
Mystery solved
A couple of weeks ago I was trying to receive emails from an agency who had contacted me.
I wasn't receiving them on my usual account so I gave the agent my Yahoo email address. It's actually an @rocketmail.com account name because I signed on before Yahoo took it over.
BTW I'm just waiting for Yahoo lawyers to write telling me that it should be "Yahoo!". Then I can give them this:
n!n
Anyway, I still didn't receive anything but it didn't matter because the agent still put my name to her client. And it doubly didn't matter as it seems the client found someone else.
Then, last week I contacted a friend about meeting up in London. His company's email system doesn't accept my usual emails as my "Reply To" is different from my "Sent From". So, I emailed him from my Yahoo account which has a more standard configuration.
After I while I phoned him as I hadn't received a reply. But he told me he had replied. !.
What had happened to his email?
A bit later I suddenly thought of looking in the Bulk email folder. This is a folder in my Yahoo account which automatically stores incoming emails which Yahoo suspects are spam.
And there it was. And so were the emails from the agency. Plus lots of blatant spam as well.
It seems some spam filters have these companies in their bad books.
Mystery solved.
I wasn't receiving them on my usual account so I gave the agent my Yahoo email address. It's actually an @rocketmail.com account name because I signed on before Yahoo took it over.
BTW I'm just waiting for Yahoo lawyers to write telling me that it should be "Yahoo!". Then I can give them this:
n!n
Anyway, I still didn't receive anything but it didn't matter because the agent still put my name to her client. And it doubly didn't matter as it seems the client found someone else.
Then, last week I contacted a friend about meeting up in London. His company's email system doesn't accept my usual emails as my "Reply To" is different from my "Sent From". So, I emailed him from my Yahoo account which has a more standard configuration.
After I while I phoned him as I hadn't received a reply. But he told me he had replied. !.
What had happened to his email?
A bit later I suddenly thought of looking in the Bulk email folder. This is a folder in my Yahoo account which automatically stores incoming emails which Yahoo suspects are spam.
And there it was. And so were the emails from the agency. Plus lots of blatant spam as well.
It seems some spam filters have these companies in their bad books.
Mystery solved.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Round up
Over the weekend I was to busy drinking and, er, recovering to do any end-of-week round up.
So, here it is now.
Last week I applied for 10 jobs. I received one bite and attended one interview.
So, here it is now.
Last week I applied for 10 jobs. I received one bite and attended one interview.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Blackberry
Great devices. Can't stand them myself, however, as I'm left-handed.
Also I prefer hand-writing recognition to teeny-weeny keyboards with teen-weeny screens.
In my last role the company used them and I insisted I had one as I was the IT manager and needed to know about them. Plus they looked good. Bit of pain to set up I found, rather hit and miss.
Anyway, there's now a warning about Blackberry thumb.
Also I prefer hand-writing recognition to teeny-weeny keyboards with teen-weeny screens.
In my last role the company used them and I insisted I had one as I was the IT manager and needed to know about them. Plus they looked good. Bit of pain to set up I found, rather hit and miss.
Anyway, there's now a warning about Blackberry thumb.
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