Tech Arsenal 1/Tech Arsenal (Arsenal Computer).ISO/tek-09/jobapp.zip/JOBAPPS.DOC

Text File | 1991-07-29 | 30KB | 603 lines

                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

    1. Install or set up configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . 1

    2. Getting started  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
         Where to find job openings
         Composing a Resume'
         Notes on cover letters

    3. Moving ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
         Using Edit & Delete
         Organizing a Parallel system

    4. Understanding - - - Recruiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
         How their inefficientey can be used to your advantage
         How economic factors effect recruiting desires

    5. Evaluating Employers responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
         The Rejection Letter
         The Interview

    6. The good, bad and the ugly of other methods  . . . . . . . . . . 10
         Does lowering expected wages help?
         Does getting more education help?
         What about the much heralded networking?

    7. Filling out the application  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
         Why does every one want one?
         Some tips on answering those sticky questions.

    8. When I find a the job, do I continue hunting? if so how? . . . . 11

                                   Appendices

    A. Notes on how the program handles errors  . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    B. What you can expect when you register  . . . . . . . . . . . . .

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 2

    Program directory

    JOBAPPS .EXE
    LOADDATA.EXE
    ...

    Data directory (when complete)

    EMPLOYER.DAT
    DELETED .REC
    LOCAL   . 1
    LOCAL   . 2
    LOCAL   . 3
    LOCAL   . 4
    LOCAL   . 5
    DISTANT . 1
    DISTANT . 2
    DISTANT . 3
    DISTANT . 4
    DISTANT . 5
    DISTANT . 6
    DISTANT . 7
    DISTANT . 8
    DISTANT . 9
    DISTANT . 10
    DISTANT . 11
    DISTANT . 12
    DISTANT . 13
    CONTRACT.OR
    AGENCY

    Single Drive:

         Format disk with system. Place CONFIG.SYS and accompanying files
    as needed on disk. Place AUTOEXEC.BAT on disk providing for setting of
    date as needed, and auto execute of JOBAPPS. Place the files indicated
    above as the program directory on the disk, now you are ready to run.
    Use a blank disk as the data disk, the files will be created as
    needed. You may change disks at or before the second press of
    {Return/Enter}
         NOTE: LOADDATA should not be executed from the creation menu
    using a single drive. See LOADDATA's documentation for more info.

    Dual Floppy:

         Same as above except you place the blank disk in drive B: and in
    AUTOEXEC.BAT execute the program as 'A:JOBAPPS B:' or 'JOBAPPS B:'

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 3


    Hard Floppy: (assuming floppy is A: and hard is C:)

         Create sub-directory of \JOBSTUFF place program directory
    indicated above in sub-directory. Instruct your menu program to
    execute program as:

    CD\JOBSTUF
    JOBAPPS A:

    or

    C:\JOBSTUF\JOBAPPS A:

    Place blank disk in A: and execute the program.

         The first time you run the program you will need to enter the
    creation menu, The program instructs you to press escape durint the
    second {Return/Enter} to enter the creation menu. Then select new data
    disk the program then falls through to the first add.
         One of the first things an Educational Institution will teach you
    about computers is their information is data comes in 3 forms,
    Software, Data & Paper. Software is expensive but replaceable, Data is
    irreplaceable, and paper is destructible. Therefore I urge you again
    place data on floppy disks and make frequent backups! Your data is
    unique and only you can replace it!

                                GETTING STARTED

         First, before any software can aid you you must locate job
    openings. I personally advise all possible avenues of locating job
    openings. Primarily the Help Wanted in your local paper, these are
    representative of companies that have several positions to fill. There
    is always the possibility one or more of these will not work out. That
    is where repetitive applications would be successful. Your
    applications saves the company the money and trouble of advertising
    again.
         Secondarily, is Employment agencies primarily those who perform
    screening(such as Job Service). Those are the agencies that get
    openings for skilled individuals, when you find your way through the
    screening you have a recommendation from a trusted servant as well as
    a likely opening. Getting through can be compared to fighting an
    uphill battle, these openings will be your most valuable ones!
         Thirdly the organizations who exist to help you find that job.
    The College or University that you graduated from is probably the best
    place to start. It is a mark against their reputation when graduates
    cannot find initial employment and they work very hard to prevent
    that. If you and your family are low income the Private Industry
    Counsel is also another that works painstakingly to help your find
    employment.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 4

         Fourthly is what I call the "keep your eyes open method", pay
    attention to the advertisements in trade journals. Talk with friends
    and relatives about your endeavor. Attend professional meetings if
    possible, make friends and make sure your problem is one of the topics
    discussed. If meetings are not possible or are preventive take classes
    to keep your skills updated. in the process meeting people already in
    the field.
         What I do not recommend: locating advertising material and
    answering it as a job opening. Companies that do a great deal of sales
    work are rarely growing.
         As I mentioned In the README.1ST file you must keep track of the
    record number when entering new entries as this record number is
    necessary for editing or deleting. I have outlined an excellent method
    for doing this in the third chapter moving ahead starting halfway
    through page 7.
         Next you must compose a resume' entered into your word processor
    to allow quick edits and inexpensive copies. It should be 1 page,
    accentuating the positive, and not misleading (not to be confused with
    total honesty) if it is not positive leave it out. You may find many
    books on the subject in your local library or book store.
         When the resume' is complete, you will need to type a cover
    letter, the form is Date & inside address, Recipient's address,
    greeting, First paragraph: States you are looking for a position in
    your field of endeavor and where the initial opening came from, Second
    paragraph: A sales paragraph stating why you are particularly suited
    for this type of work, Third paragraph requests an interview or offers
    a dossier', repeats or clarifies how to reach you and cites expected
    salary, Closing Signature, A post script may be included to neutralize
    objections.
         The cover letter should be a constantly changing part or your
    application system that helps keep employer's records of your
    applications from developing a pattern of being automated. The primary
    way I accomplish this is by writing custom letters to especially
    promising openings, such as in the following ad:

                        Wanted Micro-Computer Programmer
                            To establish Software on
                     network and increase user-friendliness
                              Call [phone]

    I would answer with the following Cover letter. So this letter can be
    easily revised for repetitive applications. Note: the Braces "[]"
    indicate where substitutions might occur

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 5

    June 16, 1991
    W8753 State Rd 54
    Shiocton WI 54170

    Director of Computer Services
    Confidential Insurance
    P.O. Box 123
    Your Town, St 00000-0123

    Dear Director of Computer Services


         I am formally applying for the Micro-Computer Programmer Position

    that I had spoke to you about over the telephone.

         In accordance with my phone conversation I must repeat I am a

    successfully published author and am familiar with many brands of

    computers and operating systems. I am very talented in documenting and

    aiding the user with user-friendly features. In spite of my current

    lack of knowledge of networks I am more than confidant this exhaustive

    project will be done ahead of schedule with me on your staff.



         We can discuss so little on the phone and through letters. Allow

    me to have an interview and discuss more definitive plans to conquer

    your problem I may be reached after 3:30 and on weekends

    at [phone].



                                       Sincerely





                                       James D. Hooker




    P.S. Although I have not Programmed in a network I have programmed
    many applications that, according to my users, are capable of being
    run on a network.
       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 6

    June 16, 1991
    W8753 State Rd 54
    Shiocton WI 54170

    [Director of Computer Services]
    [Confidential Insurance]
    [P.O. Box 123]
    [Your Town, St 00000-0123]

    Dear [Director of Computer Services]


         I am applying for any computer related position you might

    currently have open.



         I am a successfully published author and am familiar with many

    brands of computers and operating systems. I am very talented in

    documenting and aiding the user with user-friendly features.

         We can discuss so little on the phone and through letters, please

    allow me to have an interview and discuss my qualifications and

    talents as they relate to your problems. I may be reached after 3:30

    and on weekends at [phone]



                                       Sincerely





                                       James D. Hooker





    P.S. I intend to relocate closer to the job site immediately upon
    being hired. Do not I say PLEASE do not allow the distance to be a
    negative factor.
       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 7

                                  MOVING AHEAD

         During your first 2-4 weeks of using my program there is not
    likely to be any need to Edit or Delete records. However when you
    receive rejection letters, this feature shall be very important. that
    is why I am telling you here in the documentation, repeatedly, to keep
    track of the record numbers. I have chosen record numbers to be the
    key because of memory and speed considerations, in the near future I
    hope to arrange the company name as the key.
         Why might I need to edit? As you receive rejection letters and
    view additional openings, you may discover the name of the Personnel
    Officer, or department head in which you are applying or a street
    address. When doing so you should edit your entry and change it
    appropriately, this simple information may give the employer the
    impression that you have done your home work and/or are more qualified
    than your resume leads one to believe.
         Why might I want to delete? Probably the most immediate reason
    for deleting is blind box. Enter blind box entries at the ad stage.
    Then allow it proceed through Extract. Extract terminates to a menu
    allowing you to return to delete. There you delete the blind boxes
    entered last and terminate the deleting by {Esc}aping to the menu and
    Quit.
         Some other reasons for deleting include: Rejection states that
    applications are not accepted when no position is open, Application
    has been returned as undeliverable, And probably the most frustrating
    is when inspite of several applications advertisements for that
    position keep appearing.
         What I personally have as a parallel system is a 3 hole punch and
    a three ring binder where I take notebook paper and physically past
    the opening to the paper. That way there is no question as the the
    proper address and specifications about the opening. Then I file the
    opening alphabetically by company name in the 3 ring binder. I also
    record the record number and the week of extraction on the notebook
    page in a bright color, I prefer red. When additional openings for
    that company are found I write the date, where and what the opening
    was. on that notebook page
         When I receive rejection letters I use the three hole punch and
    place the letter after the last rejection letter which is immediately
    after the opening on the notebook paper. I also keep track of the
    companies that I have deleted and why, so they do not get re-entered.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 8

                         Understanding - - - recruiting

         My system shall work best when a personnel office responds best
    to a sales pitch as opposed to, what they believe to be the most
    qualified person.
         In the most efficient of personnel offices every application
    received is very quickly reviewed and a form rejection letter is sent
    that properly answers the applicant. The application is then filled by
    department within qualifications placing the most qualified in front
    and the least in the rear. When a position opens up the department
    heads query the list of applicants, more often than not completely,
    causing the least qualified to be the most fresh in the mind. If none
    suit them they make a requisition of the personnel department to place
    advertisements for the position citing specific qualifications. More
    often than not the personnel department then magnifies these
    qualifications in hopes that qualified people will apply, because the
    public knows of this practice and it fails to work that well.
         In a hard economy where turnaround decreases and the effect of
    that is fewer openings, compounded by a moderate increase in
    applicants. Creates an elusion of effiency, that when the economy
    softens invariably produces less efficient recruiting operations.
    Short term applications are filed by date, long term are filed by name
    only highly skilled are filed by qualifications and the drawback to
    them is the high salary associated with hiring them. therefor the
    trick is to get on top or the most frequent occurrence in any or all
    stacks.
         The style of management in a personnel office can also make it
    more susceptible to a sales pitch. For instance in a lases-faire style
    that forces the hiring process onto the department heads, means the
    department heads may send rejection letters. Allowing you to make
    repeat applications directly to department heads that gets very few
    applications, as apposed to a personnel office that receives many.
         The democratic system of checks and balances where Personnel has
    ultimate say on who will not be hired the department heads have
    ultimate say on who will be hired can be very difficult to get around
    if some point of your qualifications offend personnel but greatly to
    your advantage if no offensive point can be found.
         The most common form of managing a personnel office is
    aristocracy that is to say personnel chooses the new employee. and
    introduces the new employee to the department head. If the department
    head does not like the choice then has two choices: 1. To complain to
    top management, an act that could offend Personnel or 2. Force the
    employee to quit, an act the could gain his righteous employer a bad
    reputation. This form is most susceptible to a repetitive heavy sales
    pitch approach in the long run, as personnel may not realize you have
    been sold to them.
         When a recruiting office has a large response they may use many
    tools to deselect applicants a popular one is education after all it
    is one item you have some control over where and how much you have
    acquired. Experience is also a good item. and in some fields the last
    word in who is hired and who is not. These fields have a growing
    problem with applicants lying about their qualifications. And a recent
    case involving a plan to establish a national DataBase for dental
    technicians to put a stop the this problem was rejected by a large
    margin in congressional committee citing unfair expectations.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 9

         Other popular areas are expected wages and benefit packages. This
    should be an area of constant negotiation based on economic conditions
    and your value to the company. Companies greed or stagnancy in this
    area eventually results in poor labor relations. Another area is an
    applicants ability or willingness to make a lifelong commitment. Such
    a desire results in a more stable economy both generally and
    personally, however if it is used to cheat employees of their fair
    worth will be an point of extreme disruption.
         Recruiting policies, can also play a role in whether you are
    selected for interview. Policies on which applications are discarded
    (i.e. being incomplete, being convicted of a crime, being fired, not
    having experience, a HS diploma etc.), if any of these are true, first
    make every attempt to change it. Since you cannot change the past, you
    may have to face the possibility of portraying a falsehood in an
    application. If you must, make sure that there is no possibility any
    employer can find the truth and if they do you will only lose what you
    could not have gained through proper channels.
         A final point in Mechanics of a Personnel Office is wether you
    followed directions right down to the last comma. In theory someone
    who fails to obey the rules when applying will fail to obey rules on
    the job. In truth it often takes some disobeying of the rules to get
    in front of the line. To get noticed enough to get your fair shake
    when applying that first time obey the rules to the last comma but
    after that the only rule is to win.
         I would like to conclude my discussion in the mechanics of a
    personnel office by saying in spite of all the systems, methods, and
    processes incorporated in locating the next employee, the management
    in the offices are in fact people and just as subject to a moment of
    weakness as you and I, if you don't believe me check out. LUKE Ch. 18
    v. 1-5 the Parable of the persistent widow.

                         Evaluating Employer's response

         The most common response is the lack of any response. If this
    persistently is the case it is fairly safe to assume you are making
    some form of mistake, or worse, applying to a field that is already
    oversupplied. Therefore it would be prudent to have a career goals
    analysis. Most community colleges offer this for free.
         The rejection letters, valuable tools in attempting to define
    where you are deficient, read the wording very carefully! Most often
    it will simply read 'your qualifications are excellent however we have
    selected another...` the rejection letter should also be used to
    recheck the personnel officer and department of application, as well
    as any other errors in addressees of future applications.
         The 'Please complete the enclosed application form` most often
    this is one step above a rejection letter and a signal that you got
    past initial screening! If you feel this is the case complete the form
    and promptly return!

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 10

         The 'Please complete the enclosed application form` ... 'your
    resume has been shredded`, a policy adopted by employers who hire 1000
    laborers for every skilled employee. These employers often feel the
    laborers are profitable and skilled employees are a necessary evil.
    Causing skilled employees to be thought as a ``valueless minority''.
    One must walk very softly with these types of employers.
         The interview, with only a few exceptions the interview is to
    offer you the job, If that fails to be the case it is wise to find
    what if anything offended them. Always send a thank you note to
    interviewers, preferably the same day. It will definitely step you up
    for future openings and aid in landing the current opening.

                 The good the bad and the ugly of other systems

         What does my system do that others do not? My system is a sales
    intensive, process that operates primarily on the premise that
    "repetition makes the sale" where other systems operate on the
    premises such as:
         "Qualifications get you the job" a premise adopted by educational
    institutions, except for some military institutions none will
    guarantee a life long career or even entry into the career. While
    qualifications are important and having qualified people is what keeps
    our economy strong. It is by no means a guaranteed pathway to success.
         "Lower wages make you employed" a policy adopted by agencies
    where it is in their best interest to have you employed such as ``Job
    Service'' or ``Unemployment Compensation'' too low of wages mean you
    are risking damage to property, reputation, and health because you can
    not afford necessities of modern life. However too high of wages can
    mean greater difficulty in finding work and an increased chance of
    being permanently laid off at the first sign of trouble.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 11

         "It's not what you know it's who you know" I am referring to the
    ``networking plan'' though looks good on paper in practice only works
    for people who are: well educated, experienced and sales oriented,
    possessing a large family, and are extremely social in a business
    atmosphere. I do urge you to make use of such a plan as much as
    possible, expect a lot of dead ends and worn out leads.

                          Filling out the application

         All employers, with some exceptions of very small shops, have a
    stock pile of application forms. Virtually all will insist that you
    fill one out before actually being hired. For many the application is
    a statement of sworn honesty. It is for this reason that questions
    some would rather not answer are often found on applications.
         Explain any periods of unemployment. Although a question only
    important when applying for sales positions, I have seen it on many
    applications where the employee is a producer, as apposed to service.
    It is best not to answer this question at all unless their is a
    complete and valid answer. If it is important it will be asked at the
    interview.
         Have you ever been fired? In truth most people have logically
    been fired. Very few justly and even fewer could explain, in less than
    half a page, what happened. If you worked someplace for less than your
    probationary period and were fired or asked to quit. I would advise
    not listing it as one of your previous employer's nor answering yes to
    the above. You are human your allowed to make mistakes, unfortunately
    many employment officers will not see it that way.

            WHEN I FIND THE JOB, DO I CONTINUE HUNTING? IF SO, HOW?

         When I say 'the' I mean the position that you bought and/or
    started using this program for. If you have simply found employment I
    would advice at the latest morally possible moment inform them that
    you have the qualifications to be a ? and you are steadfastly seeking
    employment in the field. Then do not skip even one week of
    reapplications, While you may wish to cool the seeking new openings
    for not longer than 6 weeks.
         If you believe you have found a position in the field of desire
    do not stop either seeking new openings or reapplications until you
    have actually begun. Because employers can and do 'back out' of a
    hiring promise as late as your first day.
         If you get hired and you have used my system, odds favor that my
    system has had a great impact on your success. If you have not yet
    registered do so now and please tell me about your success.
         Once you have started working cease and desist all applying and
    reapplying however keep all material safely packed away for no longer
    than 120 days about 4 months. Once you are certain your job is not
    threatened. My system is no longer necessary, what ever the limiting
    circumstance was is no longer true and more traditional systems are
    likely to be successful in the future.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 12

         Therefore, I would advise destroying all material including and
    especially the program and the data. this removes the temptation to
    give the system or out dated data to a friend or relative. Odds are
    the program and the documentation will be greatly improving in
    reliability and understandability that you will also be denying the
    next person.


    APPENDIX A                HOW THE PROGRAM HANDLES ERRORS

         This program uses an experimental universal error handling
    routine. If an error occurs it shall be printed on the screen at the
    cursor location. If the error is one the programmer can handle the
    program will attempt to continue, this may have unpredictable results.

         The most severe and most rare are system errors these are due
    almost exclusively to repair needs or a noncompatible system.
         The "Programmer's" error, these errors are cause by the
    programmer failing to predict a certain error's possibility of
    occurring. You can do nothing about these, but with few exceptions the
    programmer can. So if you receive this type of error contact the
    author immediately.
         The "file error" caused by the user entering a wrong path/file
    name, not having the disk available, or bad media. These errors are
    easily fixable and the error message should allow you to figure what
    is wrong.
         The "I/O" or "memory" error, this is caused by bad media, full
    media or too small of computer for the application. Freeing up memory
    and insuring the integrity of the media will consistently solve this
    error.

    APPENDIX B                         WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU REGISTER

         First and foremost is a new version of the main program that will
    definitely include keeping track of the date of reapplications, and
    removal of that embarrassing "PLEASE REGISTER" message first and last
    thing then running the program.
         In the near future I would like to include macro-keys to save
    typing very common words. Such in the personnel line a set of macro's
    might be: Personnel, Human Resources, Recruiting, and Employee
    Relations. Also I am planning on a Free blind box feature that allows
    you to make applications to blind box's at extract time forgoing
    saving, extracting, deleting blind boxes from disk data base.
         In the less than distant future I plan to make the company name's
    the record identifier, instead of the record number. and supply
    support for most printers. and a method of entering and saving control
    codes. for the few I do not support.
         MAINTENANCE - (recommended for single drives) a small utility
    that shall refresh all indexes eliminating replicated entries,
    allowing a printout of a list of the record extraction schedule, and
    editing record extraction schedule. Sort company names, allow creating
    a list of company names and their record numbers. And attempt to find
    duplicated records prompting user for all removal of duplicated
    records.

       JOBAPPS.DOC                                                 PAGE 13

         REBUILD - (requires double drives) does all of the above except
    it copies the files to a second disk keeping track of the number of
    duplicated and replicated records it removes. Also attempts to weed
    out the often more quickly growing long distant applications.

    Requesting Source code

    Requesting Help

    One last request to register