Online Applications
Day three of joblessness was spent applying for jobs and reaching out to friends. A recruiter friend of mine communicated to me today that she didn't currently have any opportunities open but advised just what I did today, apply for jobs and reach out to friends.
As to the online applications, I applied to a variety of roles that my skills were suited for. I've read many articles and posts on online boards lamenting the lack of response applicants get from HR folks on the other side. Sometimes I see outright rage at those "awful HR jerks." There's really no point getting upset. Each online posting gets dozens, if not hundreds of responses. It's nothing personal at all.
Faced with piles and piles of applications, most companies use software to search for keywords to eliminate applications. That said, you want to fit as many keywords in the job posting as you can in your application. For example, if the job posting is looking for an "Experienced zoo-keeper that has handled Kodomo Dragons," make sure your zoo-keeping resume contains "handled," "Komodo" and "Dragons."
The following company, Job Scan, optimizes your resume by comparing the wording of job postings and your resume.
https://www.jobscan.co/
I highly recommend it. The use of keyword searches proves the importance of having a few different resumes tailored for different roles.
In my previous job search from overseas, I applied to about 230 companies. Of those 230 applications, I say I would get a response in about 1 out of every 20 applications. And from those roughly 12 responses, I got 6 or so interviews. So... It's important to not lose hope here. Don't let not hearing back from companies dishearten you. Like I said earlier, it's nothing personal, but just the sheer number of online applicants.
I am proof that if you stick at and go for volume of applications using correct keywords, you can succeed in getting that job. And here I go doing it again.
Finance Plan II
Back to the Finance Plan, after your figured out your Monthly Balance (your total Monthly Expenses subtracted from your Monthly Income), use Excel to create a simple chart totaling the amounts you have saved. If you are Excel illiterate like me, I'll explain. Hit the "Home" tab, select two boxes, and then hit the "Format as Table" button.
Once you do this, you can enter your savings amounts as below.
After you enter your savings, select all amounts on the right side of the table and press the AutoSum button on the Formulas tab. Doing so will calculate the total amount of your Egg for your search.
Repeat the above steps and subtract the Monthly Balance amount from your Egg to determine how long you can survive without loans from friends/family, credit cards, etc. Note that Excel does not have a subtract Formula, rather you add negative values to "subtract" them.
Once you have determined the length of your survival, you can adjust your Monthly Expenses as necessary to prolong your financial freedom. For our adjustments, we will cut back on food expenses as well as the amounts that go into the kid's 5/29 plans and our IRAs.
As to my ex-Company, I heard from a colleague that our COO was let go today and confirmed it on the website. I wonder how many more cuts will occur...
For readers in the same situation as me, hang in there. We will get through this!
Day Three Lessons:
1. Keep Applying to Companies, and Don't Take It Personally When They Don't Respond to You
2. Use Targeted Keywords For Submitted Resumes
Total Contacts Reached Out To: 21
Total Applications: 13
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