resumes/recruiters

[Ned Bedinger]

Joanne Wittenbrook wrote:
> There are positions that I've applied for months ago, that fit my very precise resume, and yet the position is never filled, at least the job post is never removed. One such position has been posted for over a year. I find it hard to believe that in a year they were unable to locate a technical writer. 
 
 
I guess I have a bit of the terrier in me--when a job opp announcement 
stays around far longer than it should, and I am left wondering why I 
never even got a call after applying for it, I sometimes feel inspired 
to dig down to whatever or whoever explains it.  I'll spend the morning 
finding the old listings going back to the first appearance of the job, 
and calling every agency that continues to list it. I'll especially call 
the one I sent my resume to.  I'll try to find out who the hiring 
company is, and I'll call them too, to ask why they've continued 
recruiting for a position that I or dozens of other TWs could have 
filled weeks ago.
 
  
Try it, it isn't so hard, and the potential reward (getting to the 
bottom, with closure or renewed interest) is good. Besides, in digging 
around with questions about hiring companies and recruiting practices, 
you're bound to run into someone who also wants to know or, better 
still, someone who knows a bunch of interesting stuff that they're happy 
to share.  Following up in this way has an integrating function.  It can 
bring you a tide of new information that takes your work search to a 
higher level.  Can that be bad?
 
  
Still, I'm sure this approach carries the risk of stigmatization (you 
know, the company will put a black mark by your name because you dug up 
their flowerbed), but when you're a terrier and you really want to know, 
you *really* want to know, right?  Go get 'em.
 
 
Ned Bedinger
doc at edwordsmith.com