HELP! 300+ CVs Sent & Still No Reply

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  1. #1

    HELP! 300+ CVs Sent & Still No Reply

    Yes, depressing.... I've counted all the CV's on my outbox and I have already sent more that 300 applications and still no reply.

    Well, I am somehow exagerrating... about 20 replied with a quick "Do you speak Cantonese" or "How much is your expected salary" and after telling them that I got zero Canto-skills and salary is negotiable (or not the main issue or sometimes I quote whatever amount) I never heard back again from them.

    So, please enlighten me, I am losing hope. What should I do? Any other tips on finding a job? Or just share your success story on nabbing your precious job. I need inspiration or just for me to feel a little bit positive during this gloomy weather while my wallet is being drained.

    I even sent my CVs to recruitment agencies and ask my friends if they know if anyone hiring. Obviously, my CV is not that bad as some companies are somehow interested but where am I going wrong. Is it me or the unemployment situation is STILL really BAD.

    Just a little personal background.... in case you want to refer me...:-)
    I have been in HK for more than 10 years, HK Permanent Resident, 10 years customer service, sales & marketing, middle management experience with expat-geared companies. Good references, solid health, beauty, spa industry experience. I am ok with any admin, personal assistant, sales, client relation, business development opportunities in any industry.

    How about you? How many CVs did you send before landing a job?


  2. #2

    Join Date
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    PM sent to you


  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by eloisaflores:
    10 years customer service, sales & marketing, middle management experience with expat-geared companies. Good references, solid health, beauty, spa industry experience. I am ok with any admin, personal assistant, sales, client relation, business development opportunities in any industry.
    Are you tailoring your CV and cover letter for each job? I ask because your experience is all over the place.

  4. #4

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    300+ jobs for which you are qualified? Or 300+ jobs for which you thought "what the heck" and applied for anyway because you only have to click on the Send button?

    Are you networking in your different fields?


  5. #5

    Join Date
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    Less quantity, more quality.

    Most jobs in customer service, management etc are clearly going to require Cantonese. It's kind of hard to give customer service if you don't speak the same language as 95% of your customers.

    So the number of jobs you're qualified for will be very small. You need to find that small number of jobs and make sure you make a really good, tailored application to those rather than sending out hundreds of applications to jobs you have no chance of getting.


  6. #6

    thanks for all the replies

    @rainmen- got your pm will pm you back

    @sigga- yes, i do tailor my CV and cover letter for every application. I dont think my experience is all over the place as health and beauty (spa) are somehow all connected. In fact, I've work in 3 companies over the past 10 years and I almost deal with the same supplier, clients, contacts, etc.

    I handle reception operation, train CS staff, must reach sales quota, implement marketing strategies and management/admin. Well, obviously these are smaller companies as they need someone who does it all. I've been doing these for the past 10years and Cantonese has never been a prob as I work with companies whose target market are expats. In today's market, I may even be considered well-paid, maybe becoz I am not Caucasian and do not have the desired language skills and when they ask for my salary history it is almost double on what they currently offer. (But as I have said, I am extremely hardworking and is always a valuable staff)

    @claire & @dipper-
    300CVs but I must admit that my qualifications are NOT always 100% match. If I do so then I could harldly apply for any job as 95% of job ads require Canto-skills + Mandarin as 'dipper' mentioned (this was never the case in my industry before). However, as mentioned above I see to it that I tailor my CV.

    I find it hard to network nowadays as I have a son (in toddler years) and to save money as I have been unemployed for more than 6months now, we have terminated our domestic helper.

    Basically, I am relying on online job listings.
    Its very competitive now and I am getting desperate as our savings are slowly disappearing.


  7. #7

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    ...Good Luck, Eloisa...i will include you in my prayers tonight...all i can do, i'm afraid...


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by dipper:
    Less quantity, more quality.

    Most jobs in customer service, management etc are clearly going to require Cantonese. It's kind of hard to give customer service if you don't speak the same language as 95% of your customers.

    So the number of jobs you're qualified for will be very small. You need to find that small number of jobs and make sure you make a really good, tailored application to those rather than sending out hundreds of applications to jobs you have no chance of getting.
    Couldn't have agreed more. Did you even try to learn the local language? If I was a hiring manager, the first thing I look for when hiring a customer service officer is -- Language skills. You're servicing customers, you're at the front line, you're the point of contact, you're communicating with customers. That's what you're selling. You're selling service. What good are you if you don't even speak the local language. Sure your company might be targeted at expats, but employers are just not gonna be satisfied if you can meet the target. Nowadays, you have to exceed the target. Employers are always looking for perks. I'm a customer service officer but I don't speak the local language. It's like saying I'm an accountant but I don't know how to count.

    If you have sent out 300+ resumes and have not even had one interview, then obviously something's wrong with your resume or your qualifications. When I first arrived in Hong Kong, I sent out more than 400 resumes during the first two weeks. I had at least two interviews everyday. I started working within the first 3 weeks.

    Upgrade your qualifications, find a focus, find out what you want to do. Don't make it so that it looks like you're all over the place.

    No offense to you, but you sounded like me when I was 18 looking for my first serious job, so I tried to make my titles sound more impressive than they really were. I was a cashier at a toy store, so I called myself "sales associate, administrative assistant, customer service, business development officer". I was a receptionist at a dental office, so I called myself "Dental assistant, company secretary, customer service, sales analyst, blah blah blah.....". You know... people can tell..

    I would really suggest that you upgrade your qualifications. Take some courses, get some certifications. Decide on what you want to do.