The 2025 Bum Thread

[dowie]

Well I have to say i underestimated the job application process, 4 weeks and all I have received is rejections [...] Also i am now tailoring my CV for each application to match what I can on the job spec.

That's probably going to help a bit in getting past any filters but you're still basically optimising a very inefficient way of trying to get a job.

I wonder if Linkedin Premium is worth a go, I keep getting half price offers. Any thoughts?

What do you intend to use it for that you can't currently? If you don't have a use for it then I think the question answers itself.

Connect with former colleagues and recruiters on there and/or (I guess) show your work or talk about it and link to it via articles, posts in groups etc. if you fancy trying to build up a following on there.

In particular add recruiters who've just placed your former colleagues - they'll likely be happy to hear from someone from the same place as their last successful candidate.

I have tried to reach out to hiring managers but no replies so far unfortunately.

What do you mean by that? Are you talking about hiring managers who are actively hiring? And reaching out how?

If you're going to do job applications then don't just tailor your CV, talk to people, pick up the phone and actually speak to the recruiter or hiring manager listed on a role. Even if a named recruiter isn't listed just call the recruitment firm and ask to be put through to the recruiter for [whatever job advert].

Thanks for the advice, yep definitely going to make some BI dashboards/reports and show them on github pages or something similar.

That's better than job applications - actually building stuff and getting it seen, especially if it's something creative/novel and that will impress people, also go to relevant events/meet-ups etc. and talk to others. You should be aiming for employees to want to refer you or hiring managers wanting to bring you in for an interview because you've met them at a (relevant) event and told them about what you're currently working on.

 

[NickK]

Now starting to go full on:
a) joining a rejoiner forum to provide the acceleration, motivation and a kick up the posterior.
b) looking at contract - specifically around AWS/security/AI, I will need todo the AWS certs. but I would like to build out into sovereign. I've delivered AWS Critical National Infrastructure at a senior level (business case, strategic, and accountable for the whole shebang), however I've managed to avoid getting certs until now. I've also done Google's initial security work too. However the more sovereign options are more complex and harder to get into.
c) I'm coding python/AI for vibration analysis currently (although I have BSc Software Engineering) to teach me the AI side to go along with my AI from Oxford..

In short being out of work since aug 2024 basically means I need to show my worth, being senior 12 months ago really counts for nothing it appears.

 

[OspreyO]

What's a rejoin forum..

 

[OspreyO]

I'm working on my CV at the moment. I put it through copilot AI for suggestions and criticism. I found it quite useful.

Mines a very technical CV and it suggested I refocus the influence I have and metrics achieved rather than just the technical skills.

It can obviously rewrite it, but it's the suggestions and observations I'm finding useful.

 

[throwaway4372]

I'm working on my CV at the moment. I put it through copilot AI for suggestions and criticism. I found it quite useful.

Mines a very technical CV and it suggested I refocus the influence I have and metrics achieved rather than just the technical skills.

It can obviously rewrite it, but it's the suggestions and observations I'm finding useful.

I found watching this helpful:

 

[OspreyO]

So prove impact quickly not describe history..

 

[NickK]

So prove impact quickly not describe history..

I like the 4 lines per role. It ensures you work as if you're starting with the reader, then working through the content - what did you do? What was the impact.

I'll revisit again I think, I've been brutal but not quite that brutal. I think I can do better

I need to work out a way to make people see past the large gap I have since my previous role.

 

[OspreyO]

I think it's normal for people have gaps. HR might have some pseudo science around it that's not based in the real world.

I'm only got so far with the AI. At a certain point it wanted just to make up stuff that I simply didn't do. But my application was for an internal position with a panel which very likely might have someone I worked on projects with. So a fantasy CV or application was no use.

It was useful for marking it concise and less verbose and less technical babble for a non technical audience. But I had to make a lot of corrections to it.

 

[NickK]

Application done.

I've started using a simple set of prompts for Gemini Pro:

[1] Research and give the strategic picture and SWOT analysis for industry of this <company>

[2] Research the product sets and market position, noting any recent announced won business and awards, for <Company>

These drive research on the company into the context. This also helps uncover things about the company that you may want to know later..

[3] For the following role can you analyse my (to be attached) CV and provide clear, constructive and wholistic feedback on my suitability to the role.

Paste the role and attach the CV.. let it prove the feedback about how well the role aligns - although this is may not be perfect, it creates some cross analysis in the context.
Note you are uploading your personal data to Google's AI..

[4] I want to restructure my CV in a form where the CV flows harmoniously that resonates with the industry, company, and role such that a reader will understand what is the financial result of hiring me:
* as an example look at Ethan Evans, AWS recruiter.
* Who am I - Name and Title
* Objective - two lines
* Professional Experience - each role is a maximum of 4 lines covering 3 key punching topics most suitable for the company reader and the role hiring manager ensuring for each of the topics explicitly stating what I did and what was the outcome, with numbers that would resonate with the company recruiter and hiring manager reading it.
* Education and Certificates
* Papers

And out comes your little Ethan Evans style CV.. you'll need to check as it comes up with some liberties and it can sometime misinterpret .. so you want to check.
I found it easier to simply take the output into Grammarly Pro and give it a going over - readability, Resume Advisor and AI detector. Grammarly Pro does find quite a few points to address. However the above is still useful.

[5] I want to create a cover letter that presents the information in a form that is about the company, and shows how I would operate to from day one to be successful. A form similar to I saw your XYZ and I was impressed by ABC and as a result I would really like to work with you.

And this produces a nice cover letter - again you want to review and correct.. I've had some complete falsehoods in there too.
Again I take it out and put it through Grammarly Pro proofreader, resume advisor and ai detector. It still doesn't seem to understand sincerely vs faithfully..

Then go and give it a final shine to your personal AI slop, and submit..


If anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears

 

[OspreyO]

Falsehoods isn't that the truth. But they are easily tweaked with manual editing.

In fairness it normally takes me a week or two to fill out our internal application. This time maybe 2 days on and off. Also my role has largely changed over the last 2yrs so there was a lot to rewrite. I used AI to summarise work over that period. I had the bones of it very quickly. Mostly tweaking and removing falsehoods.

 

[NickK]

Just had a look through three company broker sites and additionally Christies. All the companies in the UK for sale seem to be either bars/pubs/restaurants (cost of living crisis), retirements (things like boat yards), ones that obviously not doing great (ie FY24 numbers or low/negative growth), or, dumb one where they're a single person company and as soon as the company is sold the individual quits taking their skills with them (good for gaining customer relationships but not as a company). No IT/Tech in there..

So scrap that idea.