Job hunting for graduates

[ZenOps]

Smear lime jello over your naked body and run down the street. But really, being noticed is half the battle.

[austic]

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Network and get involved in industry events. Get known.

This exactly.

I run an industry association as a volunteer and its amazing yet sad how short sighted students are. We started a student membership for only $20 and its amazing how few students we get.

Industry nights and career fairs are not really a good way to go anymore as its all HR folks that just tell you to apply online.

[HuMz]

Unfortunately instrumentation is one of the worst programs to be graduating from, given the state of the oil and gas industry.

Try apprenticing as an instrumentation apprentice, or as an electrician apprentice with an oil and gas firm. It will show that you're dedicated and if you can get on with an industrial/oil and gas related company, you'll be able to make connections to transition into a role more suited to your education.

If you and your classmates have little/if any related field experience, this could be what's holding you back. Companies in this market would much hire a fresh grad who has some industry experience, than a student whose only experience is their schooling.

[HiTempguy1]

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It will show that you're dedicated and if you can get on with an industrial/oil and gas related company, you'll be able to make connections to transition into a role more suited to your education.

Eh, could go either way. I'm of the opinion that just as you dress for the job you want, you also take jobs for the career path you want. The priority is to get a job, but if you aren't getting experience relevant to the positions you want, its not really helpful for your career (certainly is helpful for the bottom line though).

But for a Instrumentation Technologist position that is say an office type of job? No way that is happening right now, complete agreement. I've been telling anyone that would listen since 2014 to not go into instrumentation. Electrical Technologist was a much better path, one I wish I had taken. Wider field of work, more generally applicable across many industries. There are still field jobs available, but most want you to be an apprentice or jman.

Even during the resurgent boom in 2010, it took me months out of school to land a couple solid interviews. NAIT has a really handy job portal, you might be able to get access with a SAIT account (unsure), you should use it. Lots of jobs get posted there that don't get posted elsewhere, so the competition for them is lower and they are tailored to new grads. I am sure SAIT has a similiar portal as well.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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One thing I will say though on a personal level, I would feel very guilty and borderline-sleezy for asking people to hand in my resume or talk to X-person at X-company for me.

I agree with this - I have never done this in my life. Nobody wants to do that for you, and it's awkward for everyone involved. If the person does get hired, they are now linked to your reputation whether you like it or not (probably not). Also as a manager I would never give a job to someone who couldn't even find a way to contact me themselves. Being a reference is one thing, but doing someone else's leg work is entirely different IMO.

[MR2-3SGTE]

Thanks for the input guys. Yes I graduated as a technologist, but I'm more than willing to start as a control technician or an apprentice and do field work. I'm even taking the apprenticeship challenge exams in the next few weeks which would put me as a 4th year apprentice once I get the hours in. I don't believe that apprenticeship fieldwork is that far off from technologist work, and the experience would be an advantage if I get into DCS/PLC programming later.
Plenty of my classmates have gotten jobs, I just meant that they haven't gotten the jobs just through applying online, so I don't believe the job market is that bad. Electrical and Instrumentation are somewhat close in a lot of ways, and may of the job postings I've seen ask for either one.
Most of them have gotten a job through a family/friend, which I don't have, since I've only been in Calgary a few years. Company guest speakers just refer me to the online application page.
I've had my resume looked over by an experienced Beyonder so I don't think that's really the issue. Introducing myself is hard with the lack of industry-related experience. My past few years have been in other fields. I don't see what experience exactly a field technician would require, other than being good with hand tools. Being a car guy, I should already have that ticked off, but I can't exactly put that on a resume. Good find on the SAIT job portal, will definitely check that out

[lasimmon]

Weird. I have given resumes for people and have had people give my resume (and got interviews/jobs from it).

Why is that such a weird thing to some of you? Or is it if its a person you don't know? I am talking people I know personally here.

There is almost a 0% chance of getting a job strictly by applying online without someone at the company talking to HR/referring/giving your resume to the hiring manager these days.

[adam c]

My wife has recently graduated as an LPN and absolutely no one is hiring, it's starting to get stressful as we're now into burn rate as she hasn't worked since starting school

[Sugarphreak]

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[adam c]

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What does LPN stand for?

Licensed Practical Nurse

[Sugarphreak]

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[msommers]

That's the public perception but it's absolute shit. Worst yet, most start as casuals who work a completely unpredictable schedule.

[ExtraSlow]

A huge need, but not a huge number of available full time positions, is what a friend of mine told me.

[dandia89]

The process of understanding the job search takes time and experience. If I offer any advice, don't follow into the blanket advice people toss at you. I found half of my job offers from online applications. Also, it's okay to turn down a job if you don't think they are paying enough (given your finances can handle it). I rejected a job offer 3 months into my search because it was absolute bottom of the barrel pay, and they wouldn't negotiate. A couple months later I found a job that paid 40% more (also from applying online)

[lasimmon]

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The process of understanding the job search takes time and experience. If I offer any advice, don't follow into the blanket advice people toss at you. I found half of my job offers from online applications. Also, it's okay to turn down a job if you don't think they are paying enough (given your finances can handle it). I rejected a job offer 3 months into my search because it was absolute bottom of the barrel pay, and they wouldn't negotiate. A couple months later I found a job that paid 40% more (also from applying online)

Why wouldn't you take the job and continue your search? Thus banking a couple months of pay. Seems crazy to me not to.

[dandia89]

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Why wouldn't you take the job and continue your search? Thus banking a couple months of pay. Seems crazy to me not to.

I felt it was taking away time from the job search/networking, leaving work for interviews. mentally being drained from a bad job, cost benefit of being on EI vs working full time didn't add up. Later in the job search, I had to drive up to edmonton twice in a week for two different job interviews. It was a tough decision, and almost everyone told me to take the job but still went with my gut.

[msommers]

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I agree with this - I have never done this in my life. Nobody wants to do that for you, and it's awkward for everyone involved. If the person does get hired, they are now linked to your reputation whether you like it or not (probably not). Also as a manager I would never give a job to someone who couldn't even find a way to contact me themselves. Being a reference is one thing, but doing someone else's leg work is entirely different IMO.

Actually this isn't what I meant at all so my full post is better to understand my point in its entirety.

In short, I used to feel that way, but I certainly don't now. Because like I said previously, this is just how networking goes and I didn't fully understand that until now. Most certainly one has to use their discretion asking and assisting as they see fit, but frankly I was pleasantly surprised how much people were willing to help me out and all I had to do was ask. Not asking was my own wall I put up in fear of being judged, and in hindsight, was likely a major career error on my part.

Perhaps it's the company I keep or circle of friends, but as I get older, I'm far less pessimistic and believe people are far less shitty than I once did.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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Actually this isn't what I meant at all so my full post is better to understand my point in its entirety.

In short, I used to feel that way, but I certainly don't now. Because like I said previously, this is just how networking goes and I didn't fully understand that until now. Most certainly one has to use their discretion asking and assisting as they see fit, but frankly I was pleasantly surprised how much people were willing to help me out and all I had to do was ask. Not asking was my own wall I put up in fear of being judged, and in hindsight, was likely a major career error on my part.

Perhaps it's the company I keep or circle of friends, but as I get older, I'm far less pessimistic and believe people are far less shitty than I once did.

Sorry for the misunderstanding - thanks for the clarification

[Sugarphreak]

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[Mitsu3000gt]

Sleazy is probably the wrong word but I just feel like you should at least get yourself in the door before asking people to vouch for you. You should have to do at least SOME of the work yourself, IMHO. If they already have your resume and you have already got yourself an interview on your own merit, sure, get your friend who works there to vouch and highlight your skills. If you want that friend to blindly bring your resume forward for a position that isn't even posted or something, that is the sort of thing that is awkward for everyone IMO.