[chuff]

Would you recommend calling the employer after you've sent a resume? I kind of go both ways on this, on one hand I don't want to seem pushy but on the other I want them to know I'm interested. If so can you provide and example of what you should say? Thanks for any ideas for suggestions.

[RubyPitbull]

Chuff honey! I just saw your posting while flipping through the unanswered questions.

I would initially wait a week to make sure that they received it. Then I would call the either the department, or the person's office, that you sent it to. I would ask if they received my resume. If they say no, then obviously, you know what to do. If they say yes, just say, "Great. I'm very interested in working with your company and I just wanted to make sure it didn't get lost in the mail". If they respond with, "Yes, don't worry it is here." or something like that, you can say, "Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate your taking the time to check on this for me. (wait a beat, then) Do you know if they are setting up interviews soon?" If they say no. Then just say, "Oh, okay. I guess I will wait for someone to call me. Thanks again for your help, I really do appreciate it." and hang up. You don't want to force yourself onto them any more than this. If they say yes, then say, "Oh great, since I am on the phone with you now, can we set something up?" See what they say. Obviously, if they say yes, set it up. If they say no, just say, "All right no problem, I understand completely. I know you have a lot of resumes to go through, I will just be patient and wait for your call. Thanks again for ALL of your help. I really do appreciate it and the time you have taken out for me."

Be very upbeat, friendly, warm, and cheery on the phone the whole time. Don't sound disappointed if they don't set something up with you right away. Keep the positive and upbeat tone in your voice for the whole conversation. You want to sound completely self-confident, warm and self-assured. It catches their attention and they will remember you.

That kind of attitude never failed for me. Good luck my chuffy! :)

[chuff]

Thanks, I just got a job in Singer Island, Florida on the Atlantic Ocean. Not exactly my dream job but it could lead me to where I want to be. But then again I feel like I should be there now sometimes so what can you do. Plus, I live in Lakeland which is in central Florida right between Tampa and Orlando and I love it here and I really don't want to give it up and move again to an ocean town where cost of living is even more ridicules then it is here in central Florida. But I kept sending out resumes to no responses, even to jobs I was overqualfied for and gettng few bites. There are different views on this subject in two books I have and even on the net. Before I accept, I think I'll call a few places on Monday just to see if I can get an interview in the next week. Thanks again.

[J_9]

Don't you run restaurants and resorts Chuff?

[Fr_Chuck]

Some years ago I worked with recruitment and/or headhunters that found me a lot of my management jobs, They always recommended contacting the HR after sending in the resume.

[chuff]

Don't you run restaraunts and resorts Chuff?

Oh don't get me started. I could write a book and the whole thing! Yeah I worked at a seasonal resort for the last 5 years. It was great in one sense because you could save your money and get 6 months off. At least I could because I was an Asst. Manager so I had an apartment paid for and food provided. But I had to move every 6 months which did drag. But that being said, I was still planning on going back.

That being said, my, now former boss and I had a falling out about the next upcoming season. He had promised me some things last year at our end of the year meeting and he did not come through on one of them. In fact he was kind of arrogant about the whole thing and so I told him that I was "insulted by this whole turn of events and the fact that you lied to my face when you had no plans to follow through."

On of the deals was the raise I was supposed to receive that didn't happen. I generally worked the afternoon and sometimes overnight shift or morning but mainly afternoons. Every shift has an Asst. Manager that oversees the two hotels and 3 restaurants. Basically it was the Manager on duty since the GM is not always available. So the other two Asst. Managers were new last year and I could write a book on those two as well. On thing after another, including me flat out catching the morning Asst. Manager stealing and admitting it in front of a witness. Absolutely nothing was done about it!! It was mind blowing what they got away with. So I suggested at least on person that be promoted that I and others have suggested for at least 2 or 3 seasons. She is a bit shy but she works her butt off and has a go gettem attidude. She will do anything you ask and do it better then you want, on time, dependable, never calls in... you get my point. She's great.

So once again she was overlooked and one of the individuals promoted to the mornng asst. manager spot is the former front desk manager who openly had sexual relation with a subordinate, talks all day on the phone, constantly has bad reviews, complaints on comment cards and it just not a nice person. She she got promoted for the morning and the overnight guy was hired into the position. Now mind you I'm going to be training both of them and the 3 sort of work at 1. Well I don't know one person who was just hired in when we have a staff of 100 (okay maybe not all 100 but several) we could have picked from for the overnight manager and a person that nobody likes as the morning Asst. Manger. Well after a few other things, the denial of the raise, the denial again of the young lady I recommended, and now having to train one person I don't trust and can't stand I just said, "I can't work there anymore."

Now as strange as this sounds, since nobody in the history of life has ever had this goal, or at least very few people have, I want own a parking garage. I've sent resumes all over and nothing. I just got a job as a valet manager at a hotel in Singer Island that starts in a couple weeks. Not really where I want to be, as I'd rather work directly for the parking companies but maybe if I did it for a year or so it would open the resume to more parking companies. I want to work at a parking company for 5 years or so and get a feel for all the departments, corp structure, procedures, and the over all business. Then hopefully find one for sale somewhere and get a loan and run it.

I have a college degree and management experience but just not in the industry so I wouldn't think that it would be hard to break in but I've only got 3 call backs. That being said, I have applied for jobs that didn't need those qualifications just to get my foot in the door and still nothing. On one interview, I was almost hired but the guy interviewed another person that had experience in the industry and he was at least good enough to call me back and tell me but I was thinking "What gives here? Who do I have to know to break in this industry?"

That being said, I can't wait around forever and I've thought about getting into franchising. Something like 7-11 or Quiznos. The problems I have with any restaurant is there are a billion restaurants out there and I'd hate to get into that but I suppose that's whey franchising appeals to me. But paying just for the name doesn't appeal to me. So I'm playing devils advocate back and forth with that one.

[chuff]

Some years ago I worked with recruitment and/or headhunters that found me alot of my management jobs, They always recommended contacting the HR after sending in the resume.

Always? Really, okay maybe I'll start then. I just don't like coming across as pushy to a potential employer but I think I'm going to start doing that. I guess the more I really think about this, if they are offended by me calling them about working for them I probably don't want to work for them.

[chuff]

Oh don't get me started. I could write a book and the whole thing!

LOL I told you not to get me started, and it looks like I did indeed write a book!

[Fr_Chuck]

Well of course we were in management positions ( which I guess you are also) and they said it showed that you were organised, that you were aggressive and could get things done.

But of course pushy and bossy are my good traits,

[RubyPitbull]

Yup. I haven't finished reading it. :eek:

By the way, Fr Chuck is right. You always make a follow up call. I had a boss years ago who used to say, "The squeaky wheel, get the oil." You need to stand apart from the crowd.

What I wrote out is what I used to do. Worked like a charm.

[chuff]

Well of course we were in mangement positions ( which I guess you are also) and they said it showed that you were organised, that you were agressive and could get things done.

But of course pushy and bossy are my good traits,

You know what's interesting is that in my position I sort of go into a role where by I'm always smiling and joking around with the staff but I put my foot down immediately when someone does something that is against company or common sense policy. Ironically enough in my pesonal life I've let myself be pushed around and not put my foot down. Maybe that's why I've been a popular boss but never a great catch! I don't know why I've never thought about that until just now.

My good traits are being stubborn, listening (much different from solving the problem just to make the guest be quiet) and usually being genuinely happy as opposed to fake happy, which you see a lot of in hotels and restaurants. I've gotten Christmas cards from guests, personal gifts, huge tips, personal inviations to go places, job offers and when that happens you feel like your really doing something right. Above and beyond just "guest relations."

The one thing I've learned in this business is when I get great service anywhere, in any relm of life I immediately tell the supervisor. Most people only complain to the manager when something goes wrong but very few take the time to point out when something went right or beyond the expectations. When you deal with the public, you hear a lot of really stupid things, I think the stupidest complaint I ever got was from a guy who I had made golf reservations for but then it rained. He was screaming over this and after about 5 minutes I said, "Sir I did not make it rain." His response... "Yes you did, this is your fault." So don't mess with me people, I have the power to make it rain over anywhere you want to be at a certain time! But after you hear stuff like that it's nice when someone goes out of there way to say thanks or let the GM know you came through for them. I think that's an trait I wouldn't have picked up if I went to work in another industry.

[RubyPitbull]

LMAO Chuff. I will call you after I plant my garden if the weather isn't cooperating! Heehee

[RubyPitbull]

Hey Fr Chuck, if pushy and bossy are your good traits, what are your bad ones? Do I want to know? Or will it scare the monkey poopy out of me? Be careful now! My hair is already standing on end as you can see. :eek:

[chuff]

Yup. I haven't finished reading it. :eek:

By the way, Fr Chuck is right. You always make a follow up call. I had a boss years ago who used to say, "The squeaky wheel, get the oil." You need to stand apart from the crowd.

What I wrote out is what I used to do. Worked like a charm.

Actually I'm going to type print that out and use it as a guide. Once I get going I can talk for hours (as you can probably imagine by some of my threads) but I never seem to have the right way to start the conversation so that's actually going to help me going as well as get them talking.

[chuff]

LMAO Chuff. I will call you after I plant my garden if the weather isn't cooperating! heehee

Absolutely! You'd think I'd harness my power to help end droughts and assist putting out forest fires but instead I use it to stop one guy from playing a round of golf!

[RubyPitbull]

You are a terribly insensitive person. I am very ashamed of you. :p