Am 04.08.2012 22:43, schrieb Orchid Win7 v1:

> I'm sure I told you guys about the SQL test I took once. The one with
> tasks such as "list all customers in alphabetical order"...

Actually, I'm sure to really /win/ such tests, you need to fire a few 
questions at them right in return, such as what collation scheme they 
want to sort by. THEN offer to them to solve the simple task of using 
the database's default collation scheme.

>>> I'm ambivalent as to whether this is actually the best strategy. On one
>>> hand, the more stuff I apply to, the more likely it is that somebody
>>> will call me. OTOH, if I apply for something totally unsuitable, and the
>>> recruiter phones me, they're not going to be amused at having their time
>>> wasted.
>>
>> Best thing is if you do inform yourself about what the company actually
>> does, and which of your skills might be of interest to them. (And don't
>> just think "this particular job", but "this particular company" - they
>> might have other opportunities available.) Then, when applying,
>> emphasize those skills. (Don't forget the "soft skills"!)
>
> When you see a job advertised, you don't know who the company is. (If
> you did, you could just phone them up, and then the agency wouldn't get


Then phone the agency and try to find out as much about the company as 
they're willing to leak.

Rule #1: BE PROACTIVE. Don't just take what is shoved into your face.


> As to whether trawling jobs websites for advertised positions is the
> best option... well, that remains to be seen.
>
> I am on a mission to stalk the OU. (Fat lot of good it's done me so
> far...) Oh, and Google. Because, you know, it's Google. But /everybody/
> wants to work there, so there's no particular reason to believe they'll
> ever hire me.

You're as good a choice as all the other suckers out there. In Germany 
we say, "they're all cooking with water".


> Finding good companies to work for is nontrivial. Figuring out how to
> apply to them when nothing is advertised is intractable. If you send
> them a letter, they'll just be like "why didn't this guy bother to look
> at what's advertised?"

Did you try?

And even if you were right, they'd just trash your application and 
forget about you. Nothing lost.


> Last I heard, /most/ people fail at /most/ interviews. It takes many
> hundred thousand interviews before a hire occurs. Which, given that so
> far I've been to 2 interviews this lifetime, doesn't bode well...

Nonsense. The #1 reason for failing at an interview is not wanting to be 
hired in the first place. The #2 reason (and often related) is having 
thrown out applications indiscriminately like spam: Most won't reach a 
suitable target. Be more selective, and you can cut down on the number 
by orders of magnitude without any disadvantage.

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