HR people, I need your take on this

Principessa

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I am completely confuzzled as to how a human resources person could look at my education/museum/artsy resume and say, "she needs to work for us as a financial advisor!" It's truly laughable, :biggrin1: Obviously they don't know I have dyscalculia and can't consistently balance a checkbook correctly.:redface: They do mention that they realize this is a career change for me. I just wonder why they think I might fit in the financial world.

Background Info: I have been looking for a job since March 2008, when my Social Security Disability was declined for the 3rd time. :12: :mad: I don't want to get into all my medical stuff right now; anyway I haven't worked in a little over 2 years.

I have e-mailed maybe 2 dozen resumes. I know the job market is awful right now, especially in my field. I also know these things go in cycles. So while concerned, I am not losing any sleep over it.

Has it gotten so bad, that people no longer know what proper interview or business attire is? :eek::confused: What a sad commentary on the United States today. :frown1: I would never dream of going on an interview in a corporate environment in anything but a suit or perhaps a conservative dress with a blazer.

What is wrong with people today? :confused:




From: Letter
To: njqt466
Sent: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 9:21 am
Subject: Resume (Initial Interview)
[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]Thank you for submitting your resume to Monster. We would like to speak with you further. Please visit our web site to learn more about the Financial Advisor position. If you feel this may be an appropriate career fit, please call Jane at (404) 123-4567 ext .111, between 10am and 4pm. Please do not reply via e-mail. Your resume will remain confidential. We look forward to speaking with you about a possible career change. [/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]Thank You[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]Company X, Inc.[/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]1234 Peachtree Street [/FONT]
[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]Atlanta, GA [/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif]We suggest mapquesting your driving directions. When arriving for your interview please bring in a clean copy of your resume, be approximately 10 minutes early and dress business professional. (Ex. Gentlemen required to wear Jacket & Tie).[/FONT]
 

Lex

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NJ--most companies use resume scanning software that looks for key words and combinations that are predetermined based on job needs. I doubt that an human has actually seen your resume just yet. Sad, but true.
 

Principessa

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NJ--most companies use resume scanning software that looks for key words and combinations that are predetermined based on job needs. I doubt that an human has actually seen your resume just yet. Sad, but true

You're right! It's been so long since I have had to look for a job I forgot about the ScanTron. Hmm, that means I need to go bump up my resume with buzz words. Thanks for reminding me I live in the 21st century. :cool::biggrin1:
 

1BiGG1

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Many companies use “professional dress” in their advertising/correspondence to make it look like they are offering a prestigious/professional job when reality is what you are applying for is a low-level sales job as is the case with the job you are mentioning at a financial planning firm I suspect.

They’re just trying to get you pumped up thinking you will be getting a great well-paying executive style job. When you get there you will find out the job requires professional dress but 99% of those doing the same thing you are applying for are making less then somebody that wears a smock with a McDonald’s logo on it to work.
 

HotBulge

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I've had 3 acquaintances take financial adviser positions with AMEX (or an AMEX-affiliated company) over the past 5 years. They all come from different backgrounds, but the one common thread with each of them is that they demonstrated a commitment to detail either through advanced education or a rigorous experience such as the military. These financial advising firms basically want well-educated people who are dedicated individuals yet did not start out as financial jockeys so that they can pay entry-level wages and extract a lot of work from them. You will basically receive on the job training for about 2 years. The first year basically requires you to be an over-glorified salesman. If you survive that gauntlet, then you work towards the professional certifications in finance.
 

D_Kaye Throttlebottom

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I've had 3 acquaintances take financial adviser positions with AMEX (or an AMEX-affiliated company) over the past 5 years. They all come from different backgrounds, but the one common thread with each of them is that they demonstrated a commitment to detail either through advanced education or a rigorous experience such as the military. These financial advising firms basically want well-educated people who are dedicated individuals yet did not start out as financial jockeys so that they can pay entry-level wages and extract a lot of work from them. You will basically receive on the job training for about 2 years. The first year basically requires you to be an over-glorified salesman. If you survive that gauntlet, then you work towards the professional certifications in finance.
Whoa this explains so much about people I know that got recruited for these positions.
 

WifeOfBath

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You know, it wouldn't hurt going for the interview and seeing what it's about anyway. I, like you, am in an unconventional field and 9-5 jobs simply don't exist. However, I get a lot of hits on my resume for positions just like this. They see I have a degree and some work experience and that's enough. What I've learned is that I've had to take these jobs from time to time (even if just part time) to get the hell out of my house for a few hours a week and just suck it up until I find some other work. The hardest part for me is that, generally, these jobs pay less in 1-2 weeks than what I make in a day if I'm working in my field. But it's work, and if I can stand it for a few months, I at least make some money and get to be somewhat functional. I imagine this is less of a job that requires math or business skills and one that's bascially customer service.
 

Principessa

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You know, it wouldn't hurt going for the interview and seeing what it's about anyway. I, like you, am in an unconventional field and 9-5 jobs simply don't exist. However, I get a lot of hits on my resume for positions just like this. They see I have a degree and some work experience and that's enough.
What I've learned is that I've had to take these jobs from time to time (even if just part time) to get the hell out of my house for a few hours a week and just suck it up until I find some other work.
That's just what I was thinking! :smile: Besides it's just an interview, they may not offer me a job, and if they do I don't have to take it. Though I probably will if only because it would be nice to work in an environment where there may actually be straight men for a change. :tongue:
 

ClaireTalon

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You know, what kind of education you get no longer has the effect on the decision of what job you'll do any more as it once used to have. Despite my technical/engineering education, I have had quite a number of divergent job offers, as financial officer too or for other management positions. After the pilot offers, these offers formed the second-largest contingent. Engineering came in third. So as you see, the focus is less on specific knowledge than on abilities. And since they don't know about your dyscalculia they may think that anyone who has managed to get a degree is able to manage the basic arithmetic operations and still can learn the one or other thing about tax law, balancing, etc. Keyword: Learning on the job.

As for the dressing part: Maybe they have had bad experience with college kids showing up half an hour late with a beery breath and dressed in their best sweatpants. I wonder whether they have ever seen the offices of a NASDAQ company, ha!
 

whatireallywant

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I was also offered a chance at a job as a financial advisor. It's a good way to go absolutely BROKE! You have to "network" and build up your customer base of contacts on your own. If you're an introvert like me, that's really not a chance. Plus I really don't want to always be hounding my friends to do business with me! (Not to mention that most of my close friends are as poor as I am! :biggrin1: If not moreso!)

And oh yeah, the "income" you make as a financial advisor? It's pure commission based on those sales you drum up from using your friends! You don't get a base salary at all, or a very, very low one.
 

transformer_99

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Go for it, see what that's all about, you may like it, may never ever want to do it ever again, but it's also an opportunity to interview and that could carry over into future job and career search.