[jebfour]

I need some help from my fellow monkeys.....

I need to find a new job - the commute is killing me (80 miles round trip in L.A. traffic). I really need to find something closer to home. Also, if you have a look at my signature you should be able to figure out that my work can be very "trying" but hardly challenging....although it is quite challenging to not loose it for the eight hours I'm there.

I've tried Monster. I've tried Career Builder. I've tried Craigslist. I've tried head-hunters. I've tried cold calling businesses in the area. All of my efforts thus far have resulted in a lot of SPAM and hot air (from the head hunters). I need some new ideas. I need a new approach.

I'm educated, experienced, clean-cut, have been told that I interview well, have letters of reference, etc., etc......I must be doing something wrong.

Anyone have any decent ideas? How did you get your current job?



P.S.

Sorry to rant....

 

[bluebug32]

what kind of work?

 

[Transcend]

Try moving if possible? Your field may be saturated in the area you are in.

 

[jebfour]

Primarily new product development (i.e. Project Management) or Technical Services Management. The majority of my experience is in the plastics industry (irrigation and water drainage products). I'm kind of a "mechanical" kind of guy so I have primarily been in manufacturing in one form or another.

I certainly would have no problem changing industries however....

 

[jebfour]

Try moving if possible? Your field may be saturated in the area you are in.

I'm afraid that you may be right.....but moving is not an option. My wife has a good career here and it wouldn't be fair to her. Plus I like the weather here!

Like I said above....I have no problem changing industries!

 

[p2bigman]

Any of you bikers ride in VA
|

 

[Transcend]

Um, pay attention. Go post in another thread.

 

[Bicyclist]

Bwahaha.

Anyways, I think I got pretty lucky at my current job. I was offered it.

I guess I would try to apply to more local-area jobs by scheduling interviews, etc. It seems many companies don't visit job-seeking websites, so if they haven't worked good old fashioned searching for work may be your best option.

O/T, but where in Ventura County are you located?

 

[jebfour]

I guess I would try to apply to more local-area jobs by scheduling interviews, etc. It seems many companies don't visit job-seeking websites, so if they haven't worked good old fashioned searching for work may be your best option.

O/T, but where in Ventura County are you located?

The problem is that I can't even get an interview! There are a ton of companies in my immediate area (Camarillo BTW), but most won't even talk to you about anything - let alone employment. Even getting a person's name to fax a resume to seems next to impossible. I'm like you, the jobs usually fell in my lap....

 

[jimmydean]

Dude, commuting sucks. When it comes to jobs, I have had great luck with the "old school" methods of Dice, Monster, and Craig's List. I get an average of a dozen emails a month for contracts and most are contract-to-hire.

Around here, most every company uses a service to weed through the resumes. If you have a solid background, getting your name in front of someone shouldn't be too rough.

Must be different in your neck of the woods. Good luck with that.

 

[bluebug32]

I'm in a similar boat and think it might be time to try something new. I'm still trying to nail down exactly what I want to do, but plan on sending some letters of interest etc. or find people to shadow to make sure it's what I want to do. My current job fell into my lap after an internship.

 

[Changleen]

The problem is that I can't even get an interview! There are a ton of companies in my immediate area (Camarillo BTW), but most won't even talk to you about anything - let alone employment. Even getting a person's name to fax a resume to seems next to impossible. I'm like you, the jobs usually fell in my lap....

Phone up, make out you're a customer / supplier who has lost the fax number / email address, shouldn't be too hard.

 

[jebfour]

Phone up, make out you're a customer / supplier who has lost the fax number / email address, shouldn't be too hard.

That right there is a good idea!I think I have some calls to make at lunchtime Thursday....

 

[jebfour]

I have a list of places that I plan to call today.....anyone else have any ideas "outside the box"?

 

[N8 v2.0]

I wish I still had my 900_sf condo in Oxnard dammit!!!

I bought that sucker for low $70's back in '86 and it would be worth a fortune today I'm sure!

 

[dogwonder]

First, if your wife has a career, why don't you let her bring home the bacon and you just be a househusband?

All kidding aside. One thing I found that worked to get in the door was to ask for an "informational interview". Tell them you don't want a job, but just learn more about their company, the industry, and what it takes to succeed. I found places are more receptive if they are just talking with you. It is a great way to network and get a little bit of face time. You'll have to do a few but you may connect with someone who can start opening some doors for you...

 

[bluebug32]

All kidding aside. One thing I found that worked to get in the door was to ask for an "informational interview". Tell them you don't want a job, but just learn more about their company, the industry, and what it takes to succeed. I found places are more receptive if they are just talking with you. It is a great way to network and get a little bit of face time. You'll have to do a few but you may connect with someone who can start opening some doors for you...

Agreed....It's all about making connections. Or ask to shadow someone who has a job you think you might like. Most people are more than willing to be in the spotlight and to talk about his/her career

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

I'd highly suggest reading at least part of What Color is My Parachute? The career counselor at my college suggested we all read it, but I refused to for years because the book looked gay (and I can call it gay because I am gay)... but once I read it, it was a tremendous help. It helped me get a fresh approach to the job market... and to the whole game of finding a job. It points out that if you don't play by certain rules, you'll lose every time. Make it easy on yourself: play by the rules.

Good luck!

 

[Da Peach]

Start your own business?

 

[jimmydean]

ebay?

I would say look into real estate, but in your neck 'o the woods you would need a couple Mil just to get started.

I hope to open a side business in a few years, because working for the man is for sucks! TYoo bad it pays well

 

[HaveFaith]

I say scan the companies in the industries you are looking to work for and look for openings on their sites. Usually if they dont have openings, they dont want to be bothered with your spam. The best bet is to network and find people with 'ins' at companies and go from there. I know sometimes it can be weird just talking to someone for the hell of it, but if in the end you make a connection, its worth it.

For this reason, I think ridemonkey should have a networking section of people looking for jobs/employees and peoples current industries.

I found my new job (crankbrothers) by browsing bikeretailer.com and going for it. I think it really helps to find the industry that you want to work in most and just research all the possibilities to death.

The number one tip however, is make sure you have a job while looking for another one, employers arent too keen on unemployed applicants.

 

[rigidhack]

Couple of suggestions:

see if your local Chamber ofCommerce hosts any "meet & greet" events. If not, volunteer a bit of time for them in order to set one up. Talk to as many people as you can to see if anybody knows of anything.

I got this job by going door to door with resumes - 48 hours of "sick time"= 3 job offers all paying more than where I was.

Electronic job boards generate more spam than leads, but you knew that already.

The "informational interview " suggestion is great, use that.

 

[Nick]

Not outside of the box, but networking. Be sure that everyone that you know, your wife and friends know, and your collegues know is aware that you are looking for a change.

I pretty much fit the same description as you only having a very strong technical sales background. I found my current job (which I love) via word of mouth and a personal reference to my boss who wasn't even actively searching for a new employee.

There is a firm called gray hair management which holds networking sessions in most major cities. (https://www.grayhairmanagement.com/networking/events.asp) You might want to attend one and make some new contacts outside of your immediate circle. I found GHM and the people like myself that are involved with the group to be very helpful with networking, coaching, and evaluation just through their email articles and the information they distribute.

Best of luck.