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JOBAPPS.DOC
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1991-07-29
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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 (123) 555-4321
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 (414) 986-3123.
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 (414) 986-3123
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