HR / hiring manager ?

Thread Starter

Mathematics!

Joined Jul 21, 2008
1,036
I have had jobs in the passed and over the years I have got better about answering there interview question...

Basically I have also read about writing a resume and how to answer some questions they pose to you in the best way to maximize your likely hood of
getting a job.

What I find hard is now I have been out of work for a year have been doing my own things but I really don't know how to answer the question about my
gap in my resume with no job. I believe this is a hinderness and I am getting turned down because of this even though I have been studying and improving on my own/keeping up with cutting edge stuff.


Question 2
I normally like salary based jobs but I would in theory take contract jobs here and there if the job / experience would be what I wanted.

But I would like the option to take off a 6 months to a year every 5 or 10 years of work and not have that hinder my ability to get a job / put me at a to far disadvantage ... Is there any thing I can do apart from the usual say I was doing my own research / went back to school for a class or something. I am at a level say where I know most of all the cutting edge theory stuff or on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the highest) 8/9 in almost all subjects areas that all most any job could want ( minus some of the experiences in doing some types of jobs obviously )
i.e physics, math , electronics , electrical , plumbing , managing ,engineering in any major discipline , building/construction , health/fitness , computer science in all areas theory of computing, programming, networking, hardware ,...etc

Can or already passed any traditional certification for any proffession for the most part
has a masters in math , degrees in computer science , ....etc
The only hinderness on my resume is in experience in actually do somethings in some areas and the fact that there is a current gap in my resume.


Question 3
Is there anyway to fix in general a damaged resume from a bad passed job or will it make it impossible to ever find another job in this day and age?

Question 4
I have to say HR guys ask the same types of question obviously because these questions are open ended which target what type of person you are. So I have to say most HR guys are hireing what they thing is the best person but who they are HR'ing is the best bullshiter that can BS his way into what they want to hear or create fake initial personality to get in the door. This sucks since I am much bettering actually doing the stuff then making me sound good/look good.
So basically is there any thing other then personality that would appeal to a hire manager to hire you?
Because observing it seems in most cases HR/hiring managers or other employees would rather put up with a dump but likeable person as opposed to a know it all / free good/gets things done but shitty personality/self centered/withdrawn person.
 
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maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Dude its just our economy has crashed and our economic/employer base has crashed. All thats holding our economy up is bandaids on a huge damn thats gonna break. We will need to do something drastic to get our jobs back and put us all to work. You see these Unemployment rates that are jus total BS. They only count people out of work on unemployment benefits. Once those run out or you've been counted as unemployed for 6 months your taken off the list. So that unemployment % is only the past 6 months and you've got people out of work for 5+ years. You just gotta get what you can get when you can get it. Make sacrafices and look at jobs out of your arena. You'd be surprised how many HR people and other companies hire people totally unqualified. And you sound like most of us and we could all pretty much BS a way into a job and keep it just by faking it. Also figure out ways to suppliment your income. I have a friend that buys at garage sales and sells on amazon and ebay and he makes $400-$500 a week just working weekend mornings and nights. You could always fix computers for cheap online basically what I call (De-Proning) a computer. Its easy fast money just formatting and reinstalling OS's. And computers are like cars they breakdown all the time.
 
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Thread Starter

Mathematics!

Joined Jul 21, 2008
1,036
Yes but the problem is I would much rather work for somebody temporarily.
Until I get more confidences/back on my feet be for a start privately working for myself...

Plus I cann't see myself doing small odd job and being able to support even just myself on them.... since I have to pay insurances health, dential ,car ...etc as well as utilities , as well as food and gas , as well as a few other thing. I think in this day and age my doable level would be somewhere around 45 to 60K a year. Since that has always been the quality of life I lived at as well as things rise I would want the salary to rise to reflect that life style.

I still have to find some way to make a large gap in a resume sound good though. That is the hard part any help with this one ?

I have a friend that buys at garage sales and sells on amazon and ebay and he makes $400-$500 a week just working weekend mornings and nights
That is appealing though I am not much of a risk taker either which somewhat reflects why I would rather work under somebody "CURRENTLY FOR A LITTLE BIT TO GET MY SAVINGS UP THEN WHEN I HAVE STUFF TO FALL BACK ON I MAY TAKE THE RISK OF MY OWN BUSINESS WITH MAYBE SOME EMPLOYEES AS WELL"

Though I really don't like to take orders either so for long term once I have enough safe cash I may try working for myself ....etc
 
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loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
Add to this list of software jobs in a big way,deposit check by 4-g phone.

Do your taxes on 4-g phones. Name some others good national jobs that are

being replaced with software. You think you are going to find a job soon.
 
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Thread Starter

Mathematics!

Joined Jul 21, 2008
1,036
I still am stuck with how to explain large gaps in resumes to HR people

or

how to fix a damage resume without lieing or erasing some of previous job background stuff.

I know going back to school or getting certified clears up/lightens the bad impact but is there anything else to do or say ?
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Basically there is no answers. The long term answer is have a job for a long time, it shows you are stable. If you get degrees and certificates while you have that job it shows you are motivated. If the gaps are you trying to start your own business it shows you are ambitious. You are not unusual, many people have those gaps. What did you actually do during that time, look for a job, go to school, what? Just tell the truth.

We are at the point where you will have to accept a job that you are overqualified for. This is my situation. I have worked for 10 years running machines I used to repair. It is not fun. It is very depressing. But it is all I can do at this time. Given my age (55) I may never get another chance, but I can hope.

Meanwhile, accept that Catbert is dancing on you, and accept it while working on getting out from under.
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
We are at the point where you will have to accept a job that you are overqualified for. This is my situation. I have worked for 10 years running machines I used to repair. It is not fun. It is very depressing. But it is all I can do at this time. Given my age (55) I may never get another chance, but I can hope.
Bill, just think when your 75 looking back at the last 20 years and wondering, why didn't I go for it? In the big picture, your halfway through your life, but in this half, you have experience and skills, non of which you began the first half with. I tell this to myself when I crawl out of bed every morning.

Mathematics, we are getting to know you a little at a time. Here's something I've noticed over your recent posts;
I am at a level say where I know most of all the cutting edge theory stuff or on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the highest) 8/9 in almost all subjects areas that all most any job could want ( minus some of the experiences in doing some types of jobs obviously )
i.e physics, math , electronics , electrical , plumbing , managing ,engineering in any major discipline , building/construction , health/fitness , computer science in all areas theory of computing, programming, networking, hardware ,...etc
I'm with Bill at the age of 56, and have intently studied most of my life, but I don't know a tenth of what you seem to know. If I was responsible for hiring, and I had a sense that you were a genius without work experience, I'd be cautious, because something is telling me you can't function well in the practical world. And if you had work experience but it was not a favourable reference, my suspicions would be proven. I can't make any suggestions other than pursue what's important to you.
 
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maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Yes but the problem is I would much rather work for somebody temporarily.
Until I get more confidences/back on my feet be for a start privately working for myself...

Plus I cann't see myself doing small odd job and being able to support even just myself on them.... since I have to pay insurances health, dential ,car ...etc as well as utilities , as well as food and gas , as well as a few other thing. I think in this day and age my doable level would be somewhere around 45 to 60K a year. Since that has always been the quality of life I lived at as well as things rise I would want the salary to rise to reflect that life style.

I still have to find some way to make a large gap in a resume sound good though. That is the hard part any help with this one ?
Unfortunetely those jobs are now far and few between. Many people have had to cut their salaries from 100k+ down to 25k-30k. Until the jobs come back we just gotta do what we can. No use in saying I can take or do that job because I need twice that amount to pay my bills.Following this logic leaves you on the curb with your living room set.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
You know when making a resume or application I always write in relevant job history. Then in the last box I list bs jobs I have taken and done thru the gaps.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
You know when making a resume or application I always write in relevant job history. Then in the last box I list bs jobs I have taken and done thru the gaps.
That counts.

Bill, just think when your 75 looking back at the last 20 years and wondering, why didn't I go for it? In the big picture, your halfway through your life, but in this half, you have experience and skills, non of which you began the first half with. I tell this to myself when I crawl out of bed every morning.
Go for what? That is kinda the subject of this thread. If I were willing to move I could do better, but then I would leave my family behind. There are priorities involved. Over half of my immediate family is already gone (as in passed away), I'm not willing to give up the rest.

Education is key, Degrees count more than experience, degrees with experience count for more.
 
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mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
I have had jobs in the passed and over the years I have got better about answering there interview question...
Well since you are talking about a resume here...

past...not passed
their...not there
gotten...not got

and that's only the first sentence..

A 1 year gap in your work history really is of NO concern to anyone in this day and age. (I'll just assume you were laid off from your last job)
The vast majority of people that are out of work have been so for a while now. The bigger problem now is that there are so many qualified employees out there that one must be "perfect" in all aspects to stand out from the other guys.

As for your question #2...
Ha Ha Ha...sure kid.. Take a year off..we will see you when you get back.. no worries... NOT GONNA HAPPEN unless you can get pregnant. :p


Frankly, from what I've seen from some of your posts in the past you might have all the knowledge in the world, but what companies want now is experience... which you seem to have very little of. So you are going to have to find a job that can see through your lack of experience and that might be pretty hard to find now.
 

GetDeviceInfo

Joined Jun 7, 2009
2,192
Education is key, Degrees count more than experience, degrees with experience count for more.
I see it as the value formula;
value in a purchase/investment = price/quality
value in a worker = education/experience

I always go back to one simple fact, industry is one of the partners in training. An employer that provides a progressive route is more valuable to an employee, providing both on the job experience and education. Institutional education only provides a portion of the value pack.

To what?, I don't know, to each thier own. My family is spread across western Canada and I feel at home within a 2000km radius. We are currently blessed with a strong economy, but I've always been able to travel and work, even in bad times.

My point was that age is often a bonus, considering the value that we've created in our earlier lifes.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
A degree is a help, experience is a help, but better then both of those is just networking and finding someone that can get you an in, in the company. Most of the people that have gotten good jobs in this economy(last 6 years or so) only did so through knowing someone higher up in the process. So while both will help you land the job, just knowing the right person is more important then both of the others.
 
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