what happens when you apply using company career website?

[Colonel Smoothie]

Originally Posted by Smart Actuary

Yes I dont know anyone there. One thing I thought of was to look up a company recruiter on Linkedin and contact them directly. I am able to find a few of these for this company. Not sure if that would be any better than applying online.

You might as well try...

I've been contacted through Linkedin before by an actuarial recruiter, fwiw.

[dukelampard]

Originally Posted by Smart Actuary

Not everyone is a megastar like you're highness.

Haha if you knew anything about me you'd realize I'm as far from megastar as they come

[kyotousa]

Originally Posted by dukelampard

During my last job search, 4 out of the 5 jobs I applied to were through company websites, and I got replies for all of them.

u r not 1 out of the 10,000 entry level out there

[Salzmann]

It depends on the company. People from outside my company who have applied via the Web site say they do get responses from humans when they need and update, and that if they get on the short list HR is very supportive. All of our recent entry-level hires got in that way.

If you sense that a particular employer's site is a black hole, the next step would be to find a contact withing the company. Even if their response is "HR won't look at anything that doesn't come through the company Web site" they might be able to help you get a response if you don't hear from HR.

[mdavis567]

I got my position by applying on the university job forum, that'd be a good place to start if your alma matter has one. Career services is also a good resource since they could connect you with alumni in the field, give them a call.

Good luck!

[DataDan]

online apps were useless to people like me who had poor credentials coming out of college. I got responses to maybe 1 out of 30. I still tried them and got a few responses, but the time I took to fill out online apps was not worth my trouble.

In the end I figured out how to network into a company. Filling out the online app for my current job was a formality so HR could bob their head.

I would think if you had better credentials (I had just P passed and low gpa) the online apps wont screen you out and could be very effective (as some have shown here)

[AdmiralWen]

Originally Posted by dukelampard

During my last job search, 4 out of the 5 jobs I applied to were through company websites, and I got replies for all of them.

Just for curiosity, mind posting a copy of your resume? That is, unless you consider it classified intel. Maybe it'll teach some of us a thing or two about getting past those HR filters.

[Smart Actuary]

Oh maybe dukelampard is counting the automated replies companies send out saying nice things about how they thank you for consideing them and they just created a new file and your resume will reside in it until such time that they are worthy of employing you.

[joni308]

Originally Posted by Smart Actuary

Oh maybe dukelampard is counting the automated replies companies send out saying nice things about how they thank you for consideing them and they just created a new file and your resume will reside in it until such time that they are worthy of employing you.

Or maybe he's just talking. How about that as an explanation? This is the so called internet.

[binky_4me]

i applied on the company website for a non-actuarial position and the HR guy thought my computer skills sounded right for an actuarial tech position that hadn't posted externally yet. this was in '05 and i didn't have any actuarial experience nor did i have any exams. i had been out of college for 4 yrs at that time. i'm still there i think there were at least 2 other actuarial jobs i'd applied for online and actually heard back from and even had interviews for.

i think it happens, but i do agree that it always helps to know someone on the inside or have an actual person's contact info.