Application Game

[wizbit]

Hola,

In a strange way to add some positive spin to these dark times within the unemployment arena; can you let me know your stats:

Duration of unemployment/ Actively seeking work, (as these may differ.)
Amount of jobs Applied for.
Responses from agencies/ companies; not including the automated emails - but any specific & personal emails/ phone calls.
Job Interviews.

Mine are:

2 Months.
87 Applications.
20 +/- Phone calls/ Emails.
1 Interview.

I've never known anything like this before!
Spoken with 1 agent who advised he'd received over 300+ applications for one position - based in west yorkshire, yet the applicants were from all corners of the UK !?! Harsh times.

So yeah, for a bit of fun - let me know your ratios


ETA: Yorkshire & Lancashire for IT; Breakfix & Operational Management.

Edited by wizbit on Tuesday 28th July 16:41

[shirt]

i'm employed [but looking] so can't play, but what line of work are you in?

i applied for one job last week that i thought would be inundated, but then noticed it had been advertised for almost 10weeks and still hadn't been filled. for the role and location it was silly money.

[bridgdav]

Out of work for 1 year
6 Months actively looking

Over 150 applications

Over 50 follow-ups from agencies

About 15 interviews

15 Telephone
10 1st
8 2nd
2 3rd

No full offers
A bit of freelance work over the last couple of months, but nothing permanent.
The Wolves are closing in..!

[wizbit]

IT - Variations of 2nd/3rd line, project & change management, network & infrastructure, service/ business and incident management. After my initial fortnight of jobseeking, I realised that I can no longer be picky - so the applications have increased as I've broadened my criteria (including service desk roles.)

I have a couple of positive leads, so it isn't yet Doom & Gloom. But I have found it difficult keeping track of what I've applied for/ to which agency and for which role

Hence my organising my inbox earlier, and calculating my stats.

Over to you....
Can you beat 87 applications within 2-months, and only obtaining one interview thus far?

[shirt]

that is harsh, but IT roles are going to have ultra competitive at the min.

have applied for 2 roles, will let you know what my strike rate is. went to see HR earlier about voluntary redundancy so my head is officially above the parapet waiting to be picked off.

[edc]

I am a direct recruiter and have received 180 applications for a junior accounting role from 1 advert on 1 website in just under 1 month.

[shirt]

is that london though?

my local rag ran a headline that the council had 1400 applicants for 20 jobs on the bins. thats the main std. of jobseekers round here.

[edc]

Sunbury, Middlesex, south west of London, not on the tube but inside the M25 (is that precise enough )

[wizbit]

OK, so - back on topic - stats Let's see them....
I think bridgav is winning thus far!

[samdale]

7 months,
4 applications,
4 interviews,
3 out of 4 offers so far,
i'll here in a week or 2 about the 4th

[andy665]

7 months
323 applications
19 follow ups
3 interviews

West Midlands - motor industry - create and deliver training / development programmes

Edited by andy665 on Tuesday 28th July 16:20

[shirt]

^^winner!

out of interest, can you add location and sector, as i think this is going to skew things somewhat.

[MentalSarcasm]

shirt said:

is that london though?

my local rag ran a headline that the council had 1400 applicants for 20 jobs on the bins. thats the main std. of jobseekers round here.

I'm out in Cambridge and one of the HR ladies where I work told me she had to take down a job advert 3 days early because so many people had applied for a handful of low-level supermarket jobs (1 advert but there are several positions relating to the advert).

The front desk staff have also said that they're getting lots of people coming in asking if we have any vacancies, offering to leave their CV or asking for application forms, but everything is done online now so they have to be directed to the website.

Edited by MentalSarcasm on Tuesday 28th July 16:17

[wizbit]

I think Andy665 with 323 applications is the winner on this.....
That's an awful lot!

[samdale]

samdale said:

7 months,
4 applications,
4 interviews,
3 out of 4 offers so far,
i'll here in a week or 2 about the 4th

just had the 4th out of 4 offers, had a medical for one of the offers (the one i REALLY want) and failed on my eyesight....

£2600 for laser eye surgery anyone

[shirt]

military? or some sort of flying job? what else would they require perfect vision for?

at least you;re getting the offer matey, you should give the rest of us some pointers!

for those who have sent more apps than me, whats the etiquette regarding getting in touch with the agency for feedback or to see whats happening with the application? am i simply to assume no contact = no interest?

[bloater27]

How often do agencies advertise jobs, theve already filled? Thats one of the reason's I've stopped applying for jobs advertised through agencies.

[wizbit]

bloater27 said:

How often do agencies advertise jobs, theve already filled? Thats one of the reason's I've stopped applying for jobs advertised through agencies.

As daft as this may sound; but, what other sources are available?
My only knowledge of a 'vacancy' is through job websites, which 9/10 are placed there by an agency.

I've applied for roles at companies I've never heard of/ knew they had UK offices; required an IT guy.

BOT: I have 6 very strong leads this week Spammed the sites last week in desperation, and it appears to have paid off. Must have applied for 100+ last week alone/ 10 follow-ups, 6 went through and I'm awaiting their feedback for a possible interview.
Very pleased. Albeit I am now officially unemployed - sat at home, finding things to do...

[Jakestar]

bloater27 said:

How often do agencies advertise jobs, theve already filled? Thats one of the reason's I've stopped applying for jobs advertised through agencies.

As someone who has just accepted an offer and will be out of the recruitment industry in a few days (so I guess my stats 1 app, 2 ints and 1 offer) I'd say most (maybe 70%+) will be real roles, as agencies are clamping down on fake advertsiing due to cost etc

I got my new role through an agency, don't rule them out. They have the time and contacts to speak with direct line managers and sell you in, rather than a CV being reading by a HR person who knows nothing about the role, I feel its the rason I've been successful (I knew if I could get in front of them I'd do well..)

As an aside re applying to agency adds, it may seem obvious, but always follow up with a phone call as long as you are good for the vacancy, with some many applications Ive had times where I've not read 50% of CVx due to time constraints!

wizbit said:

As daft as this may sound; but, what other sources are available?
My only knowledge of a 'vacancy' is through job websites, which 9/10 are placed there by an agency.

If I were desperate for work I'd look at the location and industry of the company and spend 5 mins googling/yell.com etc to see if I could locate the company, afterall as a direct candidate you are automatically 20% plus cheaper than the opposition. Id also network with everyone I knew to see if anyone were aware of any vacancy, and failing that I'd identify key companies that might be suitable and call round them!

Essentially agencies save you time.. but if you're unemployed I guess you have that time to do your own digging

Edited by Jakestar on Monday 3rd August 22:31