(http://www.accounting-and-bookkeeping-tips.com/accounting-articles/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/hire-me.jpg )
Finding job in Poland – true story.
Most of us,
people attending this course are working. But how do we as young people start
our careers? I would like to describe my experiences finding a job in our
beautiful country.
“We will call You back” syndrome.
I started
searching for job in 2010. I was still on bachelor’s degree studies. I looked
for work I would suitable for me – in terms of my practical skills and in
sectors and positions I would learn and improve them. I remember my first
recruitment call and job interview. I was very excited and I prepared a lot for
it. I talked with HR department staff in Orange for six-month paid internship
in Databases. I answered lots of questions, pass few tests and as a result I
only get one simple sentence: “We will call You back” said with a smile. I waited
for a positive feedback ( I thought it would be positive because I felt like I
was perfect candidate and suitable candidate for this job ). Two weeks had
passed ( I was promised to receive any feedback in week following my job
interview ). I called headhunter who contacted me and invited for that
interview and her answer was : “They found someone with experience”. I felt for
this “We will call You back” trap in next ten interviews. After that I realized
that one sentence Is one of Human Resources tool to say “You are not suitable”.
Student’s activities.
Second
problem I faced was my lack of experience. At that time I had three year
experience with PJIIT Project Management group. When I started studies in 2008
we were motivated by professors to attend student activities because they could
be very useful and important in recruitment process. I believed that and beside
studying I joined that project management oriented group and we realized two
projects. No one ever asked me what I did in that student group. You could ask
me one question: “So, do You think student after-school activities are waste of
time”? My answer is simple. If you learn something practical and useful it is
never waste of time.
( http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HK1GEfDOEnA/UBYBqUPQLuI/AAAAAAAAJyc/l7MenS6xvmQ/s1000/img-gg_the_job_interview.jpg : Batman comic strip)
Here is my resume…
Nowadays
writing CV isn’t a problem. There are many useful tools. Below are tools I use:
- web pages selling or offering templates ( free or paid )
- specialist-recruitment pages like linked.in or goldenline.pl where all You need to do is writing a bit
Using such
solutions can improve Your chances in finding work because many recruitment
agencies and headhunters are searching for candidates. Using such tools can
tempt candidates to write lies about
themselves ( especially in previous workplaces section ). I never put any lie
in my resume because I know that recruiters check work experience history in
process illustrated below:
http://www.eohrecruitmentsolutions.co.za/live/eohrecruitment_images/RecruitmentProcess.jpg
Sum up.
I was
frustrated for nearly three years because I couldn’t find a job. I attended
seventy job interviews and tried many ways to get a job. Finally after seventy
failures someone gave me a chance. Now after half a year I am changing my job
for another, but I can face problems mentioned before better because of first
experience. I wish You all best in changing
jobs for more suitable!
I also
recommend watching BBC short movie about origins of Job Interviews : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b56eAUCTLok
I would
also recommend watching Monty Python’s Flying Circus’ job interview movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbEIX1giTho
-
Aleksander
Towcik
Few
questions to You guys:
- How long did it took for You to find first job ( not internship or non-payable experience ) ?
- What methods do You use for finding job?
- What are Your negative experiences in recruitment process?
http://www.accounting-and-bookkeeping-tips.com/accounting-articles/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/hire-me.jpg ( Group picture )
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HK1GEfDOEnA/UBYBqUPQLuI/AAAAAAAAJyc/l7MenS6xvmQ/s1000/img-gg_the_job_interview.jpg ( Batman Comic )
http://www.eohrecruitmentsolutions.co.za/live/eohrecruitment_images/RecruitmentProcess.jpg ( Recruitment process )
Comments
I used the Internet to find both of my both of my jobs. I think that it is the most efficient way of doing this. You can read hundreds of job announcements without even moving from your own house. I don’t really believe that government and local Job Offices will hale you in finding any job. If you don’t do it yourself no one will done it for you.
I also never had any unpleasant experience during my recruitment process. I have never heard any inappropriate questions (maybe because I am a man). Just strict questions about my abilities and on my imagination about working environment. And those questions I think are the most important ones. Many young people expect to earn some enormous amount of money from the start and have non standardized working hours(meaning no compulsion of working for 8 hours a day). Since couple of months I’m responsible for hiring new employees and I witnessed many such expectations from people whose skills were not so large. So my strong advice is not to expect to make your dreams come true (I’m talking about salary) in first 1 year in new company. Be patient. If you prove yourself to be a good employee you will earn more money as time passes. Trust me on that.
What about finding perfect job? It's unfortunately a big problem. In Poland there is day to day more companies which expect from recruitment person unbelievable work experience, and because this many of young people after school can’t find a dream job. Personally I’m still seeking some job connected to my school profession but there is only shortly non-payable work or they expecting someone with two years experience at least.
In my opinion, it is necessary to looking for a job till the end, even in this kind of places like District Office's, because we never know what we can find in this unexpected places.
Still unemployed, so it's hard to pick a number :)
2. What methods do You use for finding job?
Until certain circumstances due to which I stopped looking occured, I asked friends, used few web pages, more or less centered around the type of job I wanted to do.
3. What are Your negative experiences in recruitment process?
I always have bad time in presenting myself to others, and also in situations which are stressful. The saddest thing you can experience is to realize you wont be hired and then seeing how "polite" the people on the other side try to be.
2. I don't have much experience in this topic, but according to my co-workers it is better to get a job from a "recomendation" - HR is much more interested in person which is current employe friend. Second thing is to take part in some events sponsored by a employers who are looking for workers. In our school the are tooking place quite often.
3. I totaly agree with Tomek Niezgoda at this point. Why in Poland it is such unpopular to put the salary in the job offer? Why at the shop I can't negotiate the value of milk or bread, if someone can make me to negotiate how much my work will cost?
The life taught me in the most unpleasant way one thing in finding job and negotiating the conditions: If someone is telling you that something would certainly happen make them to write on the agreement and then sign it! Realy, realy do it! I know it sounds simply and ridiculous, but trust me, if someone is saying anything to you it is not valid till they write it down. Don't make my mistake ;)
2 weeks
What methods do You use for finding job?
Hard work. When you don't know anyone in the "biz" you have to be better than someone already working in the "biz"
What are Your negative experiences in recruitment process?
Negative? If you are looking for a job, I can tell You that You've already started on the wrong foot. there is never anything bad connected with an interview. Just a bad interviewee.
If someone needs tips for dealing with interview, let me know.
3. From my experience I observed that payment is negotiable in terms of future. If You find Your work value very low You will never rise above average rise level. You have to start from medium and negotiate when You're efficient and confident of Your position. :)
1 hour.
2. What methods do You use for finding job?
In IT, you're not looking for job, the job is looking for you.
3. What are Your negative experiences in recruitment process?
I often hear from my friends about recruiters who do not inform about the result (it'd be kind if they do that), also very few of them tell people what exactly should they improve to get the job - if not in their company, maybe somewhere else.