help me find a job!

[|~|ypermegachi]

ok, so i've been working with c#/.net for 3 years with my current company, and i'm graduating in 3 months with a HBSc in computer science with specialization in software engineering. basically it's the same as an actual software engineering degree, but since i didn't take the sciences in first year i don't get a B.Eng and thus, no ring.

anywho, my new job will involve a relocation. i want to move to either vancouver or toronto. my preference is currently 65% vancouver, 35% toronto, but that obviously can change depending on job offers.

i've spammed my cover letter and resume to about 15 companies so far for intermediate jobs and i haven't gotten any responses. i'm sorta freaking out.

my resume is pretty solid, because i've went over it millions of times and got friends to help with it.

the tough part is that i'm not getting any feedback, so i don't know the actual reason why i'm not getting results...whether it's cuz i'm underqualified, asking for too much money (when they ask i put the median salary for that position), or whether it's just really hard to find a job 3 months into the future.

does anyone have any tips and pointers? thanks!

[Trikflow77]

http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/careers/index.aspx

[Warpe]

http://technology.monster.ca/

[flomo]

networking
more spamming, alot more spamming
more networking

any resources through your uni?

make sure the human resources people know you are asian and looking for a computer/engineering job

[meeloche]

http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/careers/index.aspx

I lol'd

[drmcboy]

http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/careers/index.aspx

A+



I hope there isn't anything as silly as :

my preference is currently 65% vancouver, 35% toronto,

on the letter/resume.

As for advice I think you need to define "intermediate jobs" and give the range you're using for the dollar amounts. If it's 50-150k and you're asking for 90 just out of college, it probably won't happen. HR people are generally dumb and probably use any quantifiable excuse to get rid of you so they can do less work. I also doubt if this happens before the interview(s) with the people you'll actually work with it has any relevance on what the actual salary would be.

[|~|ypermegachi]

i try to personalize all my cover letters. read a little about the company from their website and regurgitate back at them.

i have a vancouver and toronto version of my cover letter. both state that i want to relocate to the big city. the vancouver version says i am visiting for the last week of feb and i'd like to schedule an interview during that time.

when they ask for salary, i put down around 65k would be fair.

[|~|ypermegachi]

http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/careers/index.aspx

sad but true. i actually went to the site and looked for programming jobs.

[Galapogos]

There is a ridiculous amount of jobs in BC right now. And there is no shortage of them in the tech industry as trades are taking in a lot of the workforce. You'll find one I'm sure.

Edit: Also, Courtie lives in Vancouver and she's hot. Another plus of the west.

[Warpe]

You can check out salaries here.

http://www.jobcanada.org/salary.html

[|~|ypermegachi]

There is a ridiculous amount of jobs in BC right now. And there is no shortage of them in the tech industry as trades are taking in a lot of the workforce. You'll find one I'm sure.

Edit: Also, Courtie lives in Vancouver and she's hot. Another plus of the west.

i just don't want to get an entry level new grad job, cuz the pay cut is just not worth it.

and didn't you know? courtie's like 80% of the 65% why i wanna goto vancouver!

[|~|ypermegachi]

You can check out salaries here.

http://www.jobcanada.org/salary.html

that's what i used (except i was linked from monster).
"software engineer II" is 65k median
"programmer II" is 60k median

i'm trying to sell myself as a software engineer,which is why i used that figure.

[drmcboy]

No one is going to give you credit for having a real job in college, regardless of whether you did or not (unless you interened at said job). They are expecting to train you from the ground up. If you can't use the current job to network into some other company you've worked with you need to scale back to at least to get in the door. Again, you can't sell yourself to an HR person who has no idea what the job is, they are just looking at numbers and line items (salary needs, years in field, GPA, degree, etc). If they are reading your cover letter it's only to see if you spelled anything wrong.


You’re still giving people too much credit, I did the same thing coming out of school. After about 9 months I realized, just like in school, people in the business world are mostly stupid. Hiring is wild hairy guesswork. Your approach may be better long term but if you want a job within 3 months it's not a good plan.

I can't comment on 65k because I don't know what that means in canada with exchange rate and cost of living.

[Warpe]

"software engineer II" is 65k median
"programmer II" is 60k median

i'm trying to sell myself as a software engineer,which is why i used that figure.

ok, so i've been working with c#/.net for 3 years with my current company, and i'm graduating in 3 months with a HBSc in computer science with specialization in software engineering. basically it's the same as an actual software engineering degree, but since i didn't take the sciences in first year i don't get a B.Eng and thus, no ring.

I think you're asking for too much moolah. What are you making now?

[|~|ypermegachi]

possible. i'm making around 50k currently, but with living expense differences i'd estimate it to be equivalent to a 60k salary in vancouver or toronto.

[Warpe]

When they ask for an expected salary, I've found that giving my current compensation +10% as a starting salary usually puts me in the ballpark. Remember, the objective of your initial application is to get an interview, so you don't want to price yourself out. If they get to the point of wanting to hire you, then negotiate in a bump after 6 months/whenever your probationary period ends and possibly another bump after 1 year

[a500lbgorilla]

When they ask for an expected salary, I've found that giving my current compensation +10% as a starting salary usually puts me in the ballpark. Remember, the objective of your initial application is to get an interview, so you don't want to price yourself out. If they get to the point of wanting to hire you, then negotiate in a bump after 6 months/whenever your probationary period ends and possibly another bump after 1 year

How would you go about requesting these pay bumps? When you're negotiating your salary?

[Warpe]

Yup. You don't get what you don't ask for.

In this case, hyper has a pretty good idea of what similar positions pay in his field, so it's reasonable for him to expect that level of compensation and he can get himself to that level pretty quickly - after he's proven himself - by negotiating it in the day he's hired.

[GatorJH]

DON'T give them a salary!!! When the first ask tell them that you are looking for a salary that is equivalent to your experience.

Another thing to consider using are reference letters from people at your other position. They are an effective addition to just a resume.

[Warpe]

DON'T give them a salary!!! When the first ask tell them that you are looking for a salary that is equivalent to your experience.

This is good advice, although you can't always get away with it when they've specifically asked for it. Some HR departments will reject your resume out of hand if you don't give them a number.

[GatorJH]

DON'T give them a salary!!! When the first ask tell them that you are looking for a salary that is equivalent to your experience.

This is good advice, although you can't always get away with it when they've specifically asked for it. Some HR departments will reject your resume out of hand if you don't give them a number.

If you are dealing with HR you may be able to get away with a range though. In other words try not to be as general as possible.

[Aces]

Always better to discuss salary last if you can. Once they offer something you can still negotiate for something higher but it's better to get your foot in the door first.