Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Numbers Game

The average job posting on craigslist gets hundreds of responses. The poop scoop company turned off their ad at 125 responses. The little bakeshop got over 200. The funeral/cremation company my sister works for usually gets about 500. Out of those numbers, the employer picks 10, 20, 30 or so people they want to interview.

Out of the roughly 30 ads I've responded to, 7 employers contacted me for an interview or to come in and fill out an application. That's about a 23% success rate. Not bad, all things considered.

I'm also learning about what just isn't worth it. Like the deranged pet sitter service owner, who went off on a tirade about trying to rescue some pit bulls, and then explained that she didn't have employees, she had contract workers, and so you'd pay your own taxes, do your own advertising and pay her a cut. For what, exactly?

Also not worth it - a baking job that starts at 4am, and involves being the baker, the burrito maker, coffee pourer and counter help from 7am to noon, when the relief person comes in. Eventually the owner plans to have 2 people at all times, but that time is not yet. Also the radio was playing praise music while the flatscreen tv was blaring Fox News. Probably not the best fit...

This evening I got a call from a new catering company. I'm interviewing there tomorrow morning. And an email from a cafe that's interviewing on Friday. I don't think that cafe would work; they are looking primarily for a cook. But I sent them my resume, and they invited me for an interview. Kind of makes me wonder if they read my resume. But I'll go, if only for practice.

3 comments:

jaz@octoberfarm said...

hey...hope the interview went well! i mailed your box today so watch for it and let me know when it arrives!

disabled account said...

that's a very good success rate indeed!
if you take a job at a place where you have to make pastry and burritos while listening to christian music and corporate media i will have to strap you down while najah performs some kind of ceremony...but you're not so i won't.

pastrywitch said...

Kinky!;)