Survey: What is the longest...

[Deep Dish]

I am curious in eliciting what is the longest time it has ever taken you to get a job? I don’t refer to job hunting in general but the longest time it took you from applying at a specific company to the first day on the job of a specific position. If the position included a conditional offer of employment pending a successful background check or medical exam and drug testing, or whatever, count to the first day on the job. If you applied to the company multiple times, consider only the amount of time for the successful application. In other words, what is the longest application process that you have encountered?

I am also curious in eliciting what is the longest new employee probationary period you have encountered?

I find it amusing how when you’re a teenager, you can walk into a business and be hired within minutes. Then when you get older, you might fax a resumé responding to a classified ad and be hired the next day or two. Then when you get older, maybe a week or two. Eventually, after college, it may take you upwards of years to jump through all the hurdles of an application process even when the company has a high desire to hire you. It’s amusing how for many people it gets to the point where you must work another job just to wait through getting a specific position.

 

[So Many Ways]

I used to work for a large IT services company. I interviewed with them in early May of 2002, got an offer in July but did not start working until late August, over 3 and a half months after I interviewed. I was unemployed at the time and I almost went to work a part time job in the meantime but the job started just in the nick of time.

 

[ethnomethodologist]

Ummm, of the 20+ jobs I've had in my lifetime, none took more than two days. Except for one, skip to the last paragraph if you want your answer right away.

Half ranged from being young and having my resume in hand while still searching for the job aimlessly, and getting a crap ass job that I eventually was either forced to quit(I didn't want to work there, and thus slacked off) or quit(Just a waste of time, or found out I was being scammed).

The other half, not incluiding ONE, which I will get to were the result of research. I asked questions first, if I couldn't find them online or at my local HR government center. I would find out, who would be my boss, what industry I wanted to be part of, why I want to work there, what aspect of my experience would compliment their niche of the industry, and WHO I should talk to in order to get the position.

I didn't ever DROP my resume off somewhere, and not get a call while WAITING for it. I always arranged, by convincing the strict receptionists, that my time was valuable, in order to speak to somebody who could help me. If I couldn't arrange for a quick phone meeting with the HR representative, I would ask again when I was in a better mood to speak to the receptionist again.

After getting voice to voice with an HR person, I would tell them quickly why I was speaking to them. Why I wanted it, how I could make them happy by not wasting their time, and when I could know I wasn't getting the job, were my priorities. Well that's a lie, occassionaly, while on another job, I would speak to people and make new friends, and ask them if they could hook me up when I needed a job, they would get me to talk to an HR guy in advance so I knew in the future what my plans were.

Two days, before my job search, I would gather everything I thought I needed. My medical, if the position might require it. Criminal record check is on Friday's so I would plan ahead. I was prepared to tell them that if drug testing was required, that I have smoked marijuana recently, and I want to know as soon as possible if that would disqualify me, and if so, please write me a "letter of disqualification" for my records, this would usually make them crack a smile and tell me a joke while saying forget about it. Well, again a lie, some would tell me they wouldn't, and I would remind them of good business practice while joking with them, or they would get angry. If they got angry I would call back the next day, try the same with the next HR rep, or boss if need was, and explain the previous days predicament. Hasn't happened to me yet, where I had to go back a thrid time to argu again, because with that many ****-ups working for hiring, I could only guess how many more there were working where I wanted to.

The other job I didn't actually do research on, that took any length over 2 days, was where I volunteered. After 3 months, they told me to bring a resume, so they could pay me $24 per hour for my part time work. Of course I didn't say no.

 

[Deep Dish]

The reason why I ask the survey is that I am currently on my eighth month waiting for a specific position with the government. After my initial application it took them four months to give me a preliminary call back. Subsequently I have gone through two testing stages, voice stress analysis test, panel interview, and am currently waiting through a background check. (Hundreds had applied but I’m in the final two.) Each step along the way took at least a week to hear the results and another week to get to the next stage, so right there is half a month for every step along in the process. I truly envy people around me who get great jobs in a relative heartbeat, while I’m still waiting. It’s a frustrating marathon. (But it would be well worth the wait.)

Government jobs are a monumental pain to get because the agencies must consider all applicants who apply for a position. Even when you know someone on the inside who puts in the good word for you, you still must go through the formal application process along with other candidates. Even though I have solid credentials, I don’t think I would have made it this far had I not been quasi-related to a senior official.

 

[ethnomethodologist]

Nice reply, too bad about the hundreds of applicants part, I know how much of a pain the government can be, but you should have a job on the side anyways. Wait for the something you want, I hope your not only complaining, I know I've wanted the perfect job all my life, I submitted the application to myself as soon as I could join the thoughts I had, to being my own. Just a thought, I don't know HOW it could help you, since I don't know a DAMN thing about you, or what secret government agency you are applying to.

Eight months is a long ****ing time, I would be deeply pained to know if I had to WAIT that long to get something so simple as a desk job, it takes years to become a general in the army, you can earn it, and be promoted to the position when it becomes vacant unexpectedly(or through force), or you can wait so many predertimined years to gain the experience. Your choice. You can also opt out of the army, through a dishonourable method, and start your own militia, you have the right(or you can make it) in MOST countries these days.

Not really sure what is bothering you so bad about this long wait though? You could have asked for exactly what they wanted, studied your ass off, and taken the tests one after the other in quick succession if you did your research with great care. Do you need something from us, encouragement? I don't know where to lead you, you are ahead of me, it should be the other way around.

 

[whistler]

What's the big deal? Eight months... at least you know there's progress. Try applying for grants or publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

 

[Emperiorjack]

Why am i not suprised about 8 months Oh yeah cause our government sucks ass.