...Job search advice?....please?....

[Seraph]

I'm starting to get massively depressed over the absolute lack of replies to my applications, and the couple of massive rejections I just received as well.

Massive rejections, you ask? Lets just say I got a call, they gushed over my app, offered me more than I asked, and then dropped the bomb that they'd rather I didn't telecommute. Being that I didn't feel like moving to California for a $50k salary, I said no thank you.

Telecommuting is a MUST for me. I note that in my application whenever possible, and try to only app to jobs that have that allowed.

So anywho....does anyone have any advice, recommendations, etc. I have never, EVER had to look for a job before, so this is all completely new to me. I'm a complete idiot as well over it, apparently. Let's just say I had no idea about cover letters up until my 10th application, and kind of stopped, cocked my head, and did a "whut?"

I've remedied that now, hopefully it's a decent one. <_<

Anyways, any pointers? Advice? Directions to the Land of Telecommuting Jobs For Web Designers?

...please help, I am totally in over my head....

[Ophbalance]

Sadly, I've found it's who you know. Both the of job prospects I found were from local networking last time my contract went to shit and all the sub contractors lost their asses. One was the direct result of being their server admin for years upon years that I now do dev for.

Is there a particular server side language you use? There's likely a local User Group for that (eg, my particular area is ColdFusion). If you're more into ASP/PHP I'm sure there's a UG that's local to you that will at least be an "in" for tracking down who's hiring.

And telecommute is going to be a bitch no matter what you do. I fought tooth and nail to get two days a week. I've been told that's likely going drop back down to one, as my boss is a stickler for "person to person makes for better teams". I'm not sure just what it is about the tech industry, which garners the most benefit from offsite workers, that has the most stigma about it. It's cool if you're 1099, but if your ass is W2 you best be filling in a seat in the office. I wish you the best of luck in your quest!

[TheSHAD0W]

In most jobs, managers want periodic face-to-face meetings between coworkers, and I can't say they don't have a point; sometimes personal contact can help. The telecommuting jobs I've seen still involve coming in to the office at least a couple times a month, usually more often. Moving to within a couple hundred miles of the work site would be a necessity unless you're prepared to spend your entire salary on airfare. Single-person contract jobs are different from team jobs. This may unfortunately narrow your opportunities.

[Jester]

With no knowledge of telecommuting jobs, I offer the only advice I can:

Resume. One page. Period, end of story.

[Gravekeeper]

Anywhere around here you have to work at the location for at least a few months before you can telecommute. Even for jobs that specifically are hiring telecommuters its typically 2 months on site training first.

With my job I'm not sure how much experience you need before you're allowed the option. I was allowed to telecommute most my shifts ( I only need be in the office once a week ). The only telecommuting agents we have are all pretty experienced vets. Too much secure information in our case.

[fireheart]

My advice would be to set up profiles with headhunting sites as well.

[Seraph]

Is there a particular server side language you use? There's likely a local User Group for that (eg, my particular area is ColdFusion). If you're more into ASP/PHP I'm sure there's a UG that's local to you that will at least be an "in" for tracking down who's hiring.

I'm more of a front end/visual designer. I make the pretty graphics and layouts, the coders make it work. At least, that's what I've done with the past companies I've worked with. Worked out pretty well, because I could get more work done because I'd get to immediately start the next design while the coders chugged away. Made the clients super happy because they got to see progress a lot quicker.

And telecommute is going to be a bitch no matter what you do. I fought tooth and nail to get two days a week. I've been told that's likely going drop back down to one, as my boss is a stickler for "person to person makes for better teams". I'm not sure just what it is about the tech industry, which garners the most benefit from offsite workers, that has the most stigma about it. It's cool if you're 1099, but if your ass is W2 you best be filling in a seat in the office. I wish you the best of luck in your quest!

Yeah that's what I'm starting to notice. Its like, I used to have biweekly Skype video sessions with one of my old employers, just for the whole personal touch thing.

With no knowledge of telecommuting jobs, I offer the only advice I can:

Resume. One page. Period, end of story.

So, having a two page resume is a bad idea? Mine's two pages, but I have my contact info in a header on both, just so nobody loses one page and goes "Oh I have no idea who this is".

My advice would be to set up profiles with headhunting sites as well.

I'm unfamiliar with headhunting....I take it they take a fee to do this?

[aqutalion]

I'm more of a front end/visual designer. I make the pretty graphics and layouts, the coders make it work. At least, that's what I've done with the past companies I've worked with. Worked out pretty well, because I could get more work done because I'd get to immediately start the next design while the coders chugged away. Made the clients super happy because they got to see progress a lot quicker.



Yeah that's what I'm starting to notice. Its like, I used to have biweekly Skype video sessions with one of my old employers, just for the whole personal touch thing.





So, having a two page resume is a bad idea? Mine's two pages, but I have my contact info in a header on both, just so nobody loses one page and goes "Oh I have no idea who this is".



I'm unfamiliar with headhunting....I take it they take a fee to do this?

I'm not sure a two-page resume is a bad thing, assuming you have enough job experience to need that much space to describe it all. Mine's two pages, and it seems to have worked. I don't think you need the header on the second page, though.
The resume consultant and my uni's career services office told me that if it gets any longer, I might need to switch to a "functional-style" resume instead of chronological, because having more than 2 pages is definitely out.

All the headhunters I've worked with have been paid by the company doing the hiring, not the job-seeker. Have you put your resume online? It seems that every time I update mine on a job search site, I get a flood of recruiting firms calling. Most of them don't lead to anything, of course, but occasionally one does and I figure, the more the merrier.

[csquared]

You might want to consider removing the reference to your telecommute requirement from your initial correspondences. Save that for later in the negotiation. It will give you a better feel for the road blocks.

[Pixilated]

*snip*

So, having a two page resume is a bad idea? Mine's two pages, but I have my contact info in a header on both, just so nobody loses one page and goes "Oh I have no idea who this is".
*snip*

Resume fashions change like skirt levels. Last I heard, two pages was OK; when I attended a resume-writing course this summer, I was told ABSOLUTELY NO MORE THAN ONE PAGE. EVER EVER EVER. Of course, last time I saw my brother's resume, it meandered on for about four pages ... but as aqutalion said, it depends on what the additional information consists of. It sure hasn't hurt his job-hunting efforts.

[Seraph]

All the headhunters I've worked with have been paid by the company doing the hiring, not the job-seeker. Have you put your resume online? It seems that every time I update mine on a job search site, I get a flood of recruiting firms calling. Most of them don't lead to anything, of course, but occasionally one does and I figure, the more the merrier.

Interesting, I was told to watch out for the people who demand a third of your earnings for the first year....so I was worried about that sort of thing.

Yep, my resume's online, except, hilariously, on my own website. I need to fix that.

You might want to consider removing the reference to your telecommute requirement from your initial correspondences. Save that for later in the negotiation. It will give you a better feel for the road blocks.

Yeah, I've clipped it out of my cover letter, trying to hold off mentioning it, or at least looking for jobs that state they allow it.

Resume fashions change like skirt levels. Last I heard, two pages was OK; when I attended a resume-writing course this summer, I was told ABSOLUTELY NO MORE THAN ONE PAGE. EVER EVER EVER. Of course, last time I saw my brother's resume, it meandered on for about four pages ... but as aqutalion said, it depends on what the additional information consists of. It sure hasn't hurt his job-hunting efforts.

Yeah mine mostly is on the second page because I outlined responsibilities and projects I did with each job. Thought it'd give a better feel of what I did. =/

[Crossbow]

I've heard mixed info on the one- vs. multi-page resume front. The way I see it, as long as your resume is focused toward the job you're applying for, two pages shouldn't be an issue. Now, if a good chunk of that two pages is experience/information that's irrelevant for that particular position, you're not doing yourself any favors...


I wish I had the authority to hire you to redesign and unify my company's UI's (yes, plural). None of the current ones are very good (not bad, just not great), but 1: I don't have the authority, I'm afraid, and 2: "Design" is considered a four-letter word around here...

[dalesys]

... "Design" is considered a four-letter word around here...

As well as "plan" I'll bet.

... Ah red Pappy-yon, and a plan wuz sumpin ya stuffed up yer wazoo so the guards din't find it ...

[Aethian]

I believe the higher level of job the more info a good hiring manager wants. So when you send out that resume look into how specified the company is and give length accordingly.

[Crossbow]

As well as "plan" I'll bet.

Direct quote from management: "There's never time to do it right. There's ALWAYS time to do it over."