[AusNOG] How can I make myself more employable? What do you, as an employer, want?

[Rory Jones]

Hey guys, apologies for the off topic and somewhat ranty nature of this post. And if you happen to be a member of a rather specific forum, apologies yet again, but I’m really after as many answers as I can get.

So I was employed for pretty much exactly a month, getting the job with a public rant somewhat like this one (though I highly doubt lightning will strike twice in this case), until some serious health issues came to light, namely sleep apnoea, which I feel is now well under control with CPAP treatment that I have been undertaking for a couple of months now.

I never had the chance to start treatment. By the time I simply received the diagnosis it was already 3 weeks too late, I’d fallen asleep at my desk because of how tired I was, and that was that. 

But this was all several months ago, I have been looking for work ever since, and quite frankly, I am going out of my mind. I can’t do this seek crap anymore. It’s simply not working and I don’t know why, which is why I’m asking for advice. I know this is not really the place for it, but networking and telco, well it’s my thing. It’s what I’m most interested in - that and the railways, funnily enough. While networking is where I want to be, I’m at the stage where I would be happy anywhere.

But this merry-go-round of seek applications and rejection emails has dragged on so long that I pretty much have it down to a science. Applying for jobs has become nothing more than a numbers game to me, and the way things feel,  don’t think my number is coming up any time soon. I want off this ride.

There has to be something that I’m not doing, or something that I am doing wrong, that no one seems to tell me. In all my years looking for a job going through the numbers game, my number’s never come up. At this point it’d be akin to winning the lottery with my luck.

But there has to be something else, and I need help understanding. My resume will be attached for people to peruse and offer feedback if desired (it would be greatly appreciated!), I want to improve. I want to learn. *I want to work.*

Even though it backfired entirely on me, I put my job before my health for a level 1 sysadmin job. I was so tired that by the end of it I couldn’t walk. I risked my life on the days I had to drive all the way to work, so I started taking public transport, purely in the interest of not dying. I risked my life for that job and I’m not kidding. That is how dedicated I am to my work. I had never felt more tired in my entire life, but at the same time, I had never felt so awesome that I was working, doing something with my life, even having a few bucks in the bank. I loved that. I bemoaned the 38 hour work week because I wanted to work more hours. I would move to Sydney tomorrow if it meant a job. I would and will go to the ends of the earth to be of use to an employer, a good employee. I could start tomorrow. I’ll work weekends, public holidays, Christmas, whatever, I have absolutely no commitments whatsoever, as evidenced by the fact that I’ve been a hermit for the past several months.

I am dedicated to my work but I don’t know how to put the above into my resume. But again, I have to be doing something wrong and I’m not seeing it. My not seeing it is starting to really drive me crazy. I just want to work. The dole is killing me. It’s soul crushing. It’s a drag. It just sucks. All I want to do is work. I am a workaholic who can’t get work. Not that anyone will care though.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I’m going around in circles, and it’s driving me nuts.

I sincerely thank you for your reading, tolerance, and in advance, for any advice.

Many thanks,
Rory


Sent from my iPhone
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