This might sound a little strange, but I would say programming. I have worked in the industry 25+ years now, and I've never had what I would call an interview. I've had informal lunches with the CIO, met the team at BBQ's, like that, but never anything more rigorous. On top of that, I'm fairly introverted, and don't have many friends, but I do have a large number of acquaintances, I'm known to be a good and loyal employee (I don't switch jobs near as often as the norm) and have kept up my skills (I hope) fairly well. I've gotten jobs because people knew about me, essentially, so it can be done.
I kind of fear when I actually have to do an interview. I'm hoping I make it to the end of my career before that happens.
It seems like you had enough luck to find yourself in relatively long, stable positions for work. I have job-hopped through various startups and other small companies, never staying in one place longer than 2 years. I'm introverted as well, and therefore never put much work into building a network. The colleagues I do know, never have anything for me regarding jobs. Basically I'm only good enough for those riskier jobs but not good enough (apparently) for more stable, "corporate" places.
People don't know how hard it is to get a job offer until they are unemployed and don't have a good network. I would love it if I never have to worry about finding another job again.
This is similar to me, but for engineering. Getting jobs via networking is much, much easier than cold-calling an interview.
Talk to your friends and workmates, ex-managers etc. If you've done good work in the past, people will be happy to get you in on the fast track. Companies hate doing interviews, so anything they can do to streamline that process they will generally do.
I'd broaden that to networking in general. Tech presentations also raise your profile, especially with manager types who attend.
Every friend, colleague and former manager that I talk to has either lead to an interview (so I still don't skip interviewing) which I don't pass, but most of the time they just give me the same basic reply of: "I don't know of any job openings but I'll keep an eye out". No matter what time of the year, no matter how they're doing.
Comments
This might sound a little strange, but I would say programming. I have worked in the industry 25+ years now, and I've never had what I would call an interview. I've had informal lunches with the CIO, met the team at BBQ's, like that, but never anything more rigorous. On top of that, I'm fairly introverted, and don't have many friends, but I do have a large number of acquaintances, I'm known to be a good and loyal employee (I don't switch jobs near as often as the norm) and have kept up my skills (I hope) fairly well. I've gotten jobs because people knew about me, essentially, so it can be done.
I kind of fear when I actually have to do an interview. I'm hoping I make it to the end of my career before that happens.
It seems like you had enough luck to find yourself in relatively long, stable positions for work. I have job-hopped through various startups and other small companies, never staying in one place longer than 2 years. I'm introverted as well, and therefore never put much work into building a network. The colleagues I do know, never have anything for me regarding jobs. Basically I'm only good enough for those riskier jobs but not good enough (apparently) for more stable, "corporate" places.
People don't know how hard it is to get a job offer until they are unemployed and don't have a good network. I would love it if I never have to worry about finding another job again.
This is similar to me, but for engineering. Getting jobs via networking is much, much easier than cold-calling an interview.
Talk to your friends and workmates, ex-managers etc. If you've done good work in the past, people will be happy to get you in on the fast track. Companies hate doing interviews, so anything they can do to streamline that process they will generally do.
I'd broaden that to networking in general. Tech presentations also raise your profile, especially with manager types who attend.
Every friend, colleague and former manager that I talk to has either lead to an interview (so I still don't skip interviewing) which I don't pass, but most of the time they just give me the same basic reply of: "I don't know of any job openings but I'll keep an eye out". No matter what time of the year, no matter how they're doing.
I am at a loss for networking ideas.