How to get a job at Siemens.

I feel for you Dean, I have had the same experience. The few interviews I had, the interviewers were not at all motivated. It was as if someone twisted their arm to give the interview. Needless to say I was never contacted.

I read elsewhere on here where some employers complained about wasted time from people "fishing" the job ads and sending them resumes. They claimed the applicants wanted to see whats out here and what kind of salaries exist and then push their own bosses for raises.

I think many of these companies also "go fishing" to see what kind of applicants are out here. Who knows for what reasons they do this.

I encountered this shortly after I was laid off back in November 2001. A local company (Bendix in Elyria, Ohio) had an ad in The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper for a job fair. To make a long story short, a friend of mine talked to his friend (who works at Bendix) who said he could not understand why they had the job fair because they never hired anyone.

I think it is the same as always; unless you are in the right place at the right time, or are really really exceptional like [GOD], you have to know someone to get hired. But that is just my take from my experience.

If anything, those other than white have an ADVANTAGE in the hiring process - please quit whining about the rase issue as it is not a big factor anymore. Companies are looking for talent - you have it or you dont. OK?

Exactly right gt. NASA here in Cleveland, if anything, has a strong EEO policy.

When I went to the local community college here, I was really surprised to see some literature about a lower GPA requuirment for the deans list for minorities. I don't know if it is still that way but it was when I attended.

I really try hard to be perfect in my field. That way I can offer a company a great value for their dollar and hopefully they will offer me a job.

By the way - I am now employed with a Fortune 100 in Charlotte. It was a hunt of about 4 months and thank goodness the search is over.

BTW - I'm a white guy. I'm neither racist or bigoted in my outlook, but do feel the EEO policies in place hurt the capability of many comanies to hire the best people. My earlier comments stem from personal experience. Most managers are still white guys in our workforce, but they are forced by company policy to hire monorities, which are often less qualified. Few (managers) are willing to rock to boat as they are immediately branded as racist bigots - a career limiting event for sure. It is amusing to watch what happens when someone who is marginally qualified or even unqualified be place in a position and then not be able to hack it!

Also note that managers are limited in choosing from the candidates that HR feeds them.

The reason companies attend job fairs because they want good PR. They will tell you to post your resume on their websites anyway, so what is the point?

Host said: Do you work at Siemens? How did you find the job? How did you get that first interview?

Any advice for someone trying to get in?

Ok i work there. we need people.now if you want a job there be persistant dont give up. now im not sure about the process of this online. I hope that we will hire someone soon. we have a lot of work.

gt in Charlotte, North Carolina said: BTW - I'm a white guy. I'm neither racist or bigoted in my outlook, but do feel the EEO policies in place hurt the capability of many comanies to hire the best people. My earlier comments stem from personal experience. Most managers are still white guys in our workforce, but they are forced by company policy to hire monorities, which are often less qualified.

I have worked in th IT area for more than 15 years and I have yet to find any minority that has not been first qualified for the position. Yet, on the other hand I have found plenty of "whites" not qualified for position they held or were promoted too. Many without the so called required BS or BA degree. If it were just about the qualifications then this would not be happening. Just face it, employers hire who they like and then hire who is qualified when they are in a pinch.
Siemens is the same way. I applied for a job in Cincinnati, had two interviews, aced the technical portion. I was then later told, after calling about the position several times, that they hired someone internally. Well, not internnaly but someone who worked there before and the manager liked them.

Your comments alone make you sound real racist. You have to network. I am not so sure about your analogy.I work at Siemens so I know for a fact not based on pure speculation that what you say is not true.

Ahh geese here we go - a white guy makes a comment about race and he is branded a racist by all those do gooders out there....

I am glad that you have been spared the annoyance of watching unqualified/underqualified people get hired and rise in an organization due to race. If you want a very telling example of this process in action, please take a look at most any government entity. The hiring and promotion system is designed to give them a real advantage just for being minority. Many businesses operate in this same manner.

Dave - I agree with you in that hiring managers would like to hire those they lice, but this isnt always their exclusive decision.

JPS Detroit in Clarkston, Michigan said: I understand that intranet postings automatically get broacasted out to the web. Companies have no idea how much energy we spend writing cover letters for "ghost" postings that that dont really exist. It is demoralizing and frustrating as today's job hunt has become a lottery of "hope my name gets drawn out of the applicant bin". Can we all stop wasting each others time and get to the meat and potatoes? Real jobs real people lets make a match

... And sadly, you are sending all those resumes and companies are giving them only between 0 - 20 seconds of observation. On top, the probability of them liking it is very low and the probability of them telling you that so you can forgot about the position is even lower. I was told early in college that engineers make a lot of money and now many of us here can't even find low-paying jobs. Its so sad that its funny and sounds poetic.

Either you are lying or you have inside-network.

A lot of those well paying jobs have moved offshore. Many of us older guys will be fine to the end of our careers, but we certainly worry about the next generation and what future they have.

Dean said: I have been job hunting for the past 5 months for work as an IT Business Analyst. I probably have submitted close to 1000 jobs online. I have had 6 face-to-face interviews which I believed went well. I am not perfect but would know if I really bombed in an interview. I am always very upbeat and optimistic, even show examples of work. But I have yet to hit paydirt. I am wondering if companies are actually expecting to find the perfect candidate. The first interview I had was in 11/06 with the Catholic Church. Even they are still posting the same job and its 4/07. They haven't even given me the results of the interview and this is after several followups. Maybe I should become a Protestant. Any thoughts. ?????????????????????

I am having similar problems as you do. Maybe you lack network/connection/creed... I am going to my alma mater's alumni organization to register. They have a service where you can contact alumnus and ask advice and I will try to use this to get some connection. You may want to do something similar. I now believe getting a job is more then just being qualified... everyone else applying is also, sometimes you have just got to know people.

Beeny,

Thanks for the reply but I mean to tell you I have thoruoghly exhausted my network. I even had lunch with I boss I worked with 15 years ago and he is looking also. I have expanded my job search to the DC Metro area and I am getting a better response. There are constantly fresh jobs being posted. I am now willing to relocate. It appears that the Philly Metro area market is saturated as many of the same jobs I inteviewd for are still being posted on the Web. Hopefully this portion of the job (getting the job) will soon be over so!! Good luck in your search also.

the recruiters at Sie have no clue what they are doing - and part of it is not their fault; they have too many diff types and levels of jobs to fill, most of them technical - I can guarantee you that the recruiters have little if no knowledge, much less expertise in the fiedls they are working to fill; I applied for an upper-level HR position that I was grossly overq for and got the standard rejection email - the only way that happend was if they got lucky and stumbled on a For500 director/manager; the ad keeps coming up every few months or so; my source said that they keep making bad hires; trying to get a fast burner for cheap; oversell the job which turns out to be too much for one person; then when the new candidate doesnet work out for whatever reason then they post again, and again, and again, etc.
Most companies do this (I am and HR expert and consultant) esp when they consolidate jobs thereby forcing one to do the work of two - either do the job or risk getting fired. execs only care about the bottom line - not the work environment. I dont know personally or to what extent Sie has recruiting probs, but from what I read and hear, its not good.

JCA in Elk Grove Village, Illinois said: For the EE's out there. The only SIGNIFICANT tech areas other than in Silicon Valley are Texas, Illinois and Michigan. More specifically, Austin, Chicago (suburbs) and anywhere near Detroit. I didn't say that's all of them....just MOST of them. Unfortunately, you're probably going to have to move if you want a hardware design job AND want to find one in short order.

Can you tell me the companies near chicago. I live in Chicago suburbs and haven't found any company other than tellabs & motorola.

I worked for Siemens 17 yrs. Laid off a few years ago and difficult to get rehired.

Finally, someone gave me inside information. You have to have a manager refer you to HR listing the job number.

The HR representative told me they look at the referred postings first then go external. Unless you have someone on the inside it's quite difficult. Also, they do a lot of internal transfers.

Good luck to all!

Hello,

I might get a job with Siemens in Orlando soon but I am in TN and currently own a home. I would like to know if Siemens' relocation package includes direct purchasing of my home and then they will resell it. I am very concerned.

Hope someone would help. Thanks.

I feel that many EEO policies are in place for a reason to give minorities the opportunities that are not afforded them by just relying the good favor of the majority. This did not happen for 300 years and it still does not happen now based on loop holes to even EEO policies. The real reason that most minorities are underqualified is because maybe there should be more mentor programs for them just like bob will pull aside and show josh the ropes so he should show Darren the ropes too.

Dave in Ohio in Springfield, Virginia said: I have worked in th IT area for more than 15 years and I have yet to find any minority that has not been first qualified for the position. Yet, on the other hand I have found plenty of "whites" not qualified for position they held or were promoted too. Many without the so called required BS or BA degree. If it were just about the qualifications then this would not be happening. Just face it, employers hire who they like and then hire who is qualified when they are in a pinch.
Siemens is the same way. I applied for a job in Cincinnati, had two interviews, aced the technical portion. I was then later told, after calling about the position several times, that they hired someone internally. Well, not internnaly but someone who worked there before and the manager liked them.

B in Melrose, Massachusetts said: Not sure what you guys are talking about. I sent in a resume yesteday and they called me today.

I worked for Siemens and left about 8 years ago. Good luck if you think you have a leg up on anyone.....

just a thought to you young aspiring applicants. Personnel stinks...they have too much influence for their limited backgrounds. they spend their time trying to inpress top management. I was a VP of sales and marketing for a medium sized company doing quite well when I met the President of a large RI construction company who asked me to join his company. He called several several times and we became quite friendly. When I finally decided to visit him at the home office { at his expense} I met his sons, relatives, etc. ...great reception. Then he said I should meet the personnel director to iron out the details. I hesitated but thought i would go along.... the first question posed to me by the director was "tell me about your high school grades and what excited me most about school. High school.... I was 43 years old. I stood up, told him he was wasting my time, and that he should get a life. The President apologized to me but I said thanks, see ya. We remained friends and still laugh about it but I took a Job in London and worked the mideast for years. Sooo beware of personnel.....seek out your immediate boss and do your homework. Sorry for rambling but I am just an old figity retiree now . Dont give up, they will be lucky to get you.

Anna,
The only cases I know of Siemens purchasing homes in the '00's have involved nepotism & wheeling & dealing.....push hard for good relo cash.

Everyone else asking about Siemens: It's not what it's cracked up to be. I left after 8 years, although extremely well-paid, & I probably devastated my career in doing so. Yes, some of the postings are bogus - mostly meaning that the reqs are approved in the budget, but the decision to hire is shot down (or budget eliminated/reallocated); there is also definite policy inhouse posting before going public. However, most are filled internally after the public postings are made. The "bogus" ones just go away....or are left on until HR remembers to remove them.
If you're an EE, CSE and FSE positions are always open, and you do have a chance as an external candidate. Ditto for Sales and Marketing.
It's a very "political" place to work.

Thank you so much Bluetick for that valuable information.

I got an interview with siemens and cleared 2 interviews and they offered me with a offer.... However I am not sure of their policy on processing my GC... Can someone Guide....???

Experienced IT Pro in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania said: I got an interview with siemens and cleared 2 interviews and they offered me with a offer.... However I am not sure of their policy on processing my GC... Can someone Guide....???

IT pro,
What is GC?

Host said: Do you work at Siemens? How did you find the job? How did you get that first interview?

Any advice for someone trying to get in?

I have a Temp agent trying to get me in but that's been a week ago, My temp agent is from Sphrion they are not doing a good job in getting me any info about the collection position they forwarded my resume for. I say call Siemans in your area and find out what temp agencys they use and go register with the agency.

JPS Detroit in Clarkston, Michigan said: BSEE Jay? wow, it is bad out there. I've easily sent 250 resumes to qualified positions in 9 months. One interview. And here I thought the BSEE and BSME were cruising into the Account Manager jobs that called for Engineering degrees. I'm thinking the majority of the jobs posted on the web are inside deals.

Call Siemans Hr dept. and find out what temp agency they use and register with that agency.

Companies like Siemens and GE keep posting recycled jobs entry level jobs knowing full well that interns, people related to staff and people with inside connections already got the job. In grad school for my Masters I worked with an incompeted rat-look-alike assistant professor-moron that has no connections nor ability to guide students; at UIC in Chicago in dept. of Engineering. So I have no connections and initially lacked training to prepare for the job hunt. I stopped applying for Siemens, GE and like companies despite being qualified because they are a waste of time.

Correct. If you want to be seriously considered for Siemens. Thats how I got my job! Good genes. A college friend of mine wants a job there, I am not passing on his resume or emails for a job. Not my problem. Who cares.

Nan in Auburndale, Florida said: Correct. If you want to be seriously considered for Siemens. Thats how I got my job! Good genes. A college friend of mine wants a job there, I am not passing on his resume or emails for a job. Not my problem. Who cares.

Wow - you sound like a perfect Siemens fit. So glad I no longer work with people who have your wonderful attitude.

Best of luck, all; don't give up, and remember there are other companies in the world that would love to have you.

Dana in Charlotte, North Carolina said: Can someone, anyone help me with answers to these questions? If you have interviewed with a company and each time it went well but you never hear from the company, again. How long do you wait to contact any HR rep, after you have had an interview? Is it OK to contact the HR rep or hiring manager, say for example two or three weeks have past and the job is back out online. Or, do you just take that for your answer? One more thing, why are there so many jobs available but NO on is hiring?

99% of the jobs are fake. They post them to get people to give them their resumes. The resumes get scanned and they collect your past employer's data (name, address, phone). In time they build this huge database of employers (potential clients for them) and names of potential applicants (you and me). And they cross-reference that database with itself - meaning: they check to see how many people at your former job are also on their database (because they now have your former job's name/address/etc) and they take that information and post other [fake] jobs to test the waters and see which clients they need to schmooze and how badly.

At some point that magical job does open up with some employer (their client) and they go through their huge database looking for potential placements (you, me) and we're just one of hundreds sent to their client. They eventually do place someone, hopefully winning the client over and placing someone.

Its a sham and a fraud of a business.

Beeny in Chicago, Illinois said: Now you people (especially the white boys) know how blacks felt during the great depression when they were the "last to be hired and first to be fired"! Haha :))

You're a prick. No one HERE personally did anything to you or your family or whomever it is you are so excited to get "justice" for.

People like you are so deeply en grained into the problem that you need to be chiseled out like a cancer.

JPS Detroit in Clarkston, Michigan said: I understand that intranet postings automatically get broacasted out to the web. Companies have no idea how much energy we spend writing cover letters for "ghost" postings that that dont really exist. It is demoralizing and frustrating as today's job hunt has become a lottery of "hope my name gets drawn out of the applicant bin". Can we all stop wasting each others time and get to the meat and potatoes? Real jobs real people lets make a match

Time to put the staffing companies out of business. STOP DEALING WITH THEM NOW. DONT SUBMIT ANOTHER RESUME TO THEM.

Jake in Elyria, Ohio said: Thanks for info JCA, I am in Cleveland and it stinks for EE's. I plan to move, just not sure which city-(whoever hires me first. haha)

Ok, now to respond to these keyword searches. I've read that too from my career prep info. I tried to embed my resume with as many as possible to get high hits. I guess I didn't use the right suggested words.

So, any there HR people out here that can tell us all these words? Or at minimum tell us where we can find such a list?

I know when I made my resume, I used at least two buzz words in every bullet list of my qualifications and experiences. I would think my flooded resume would have generated some hits.

Here's a twist on who sees the resumes. On one of my old employers website, they make it look that your resume goes straight to the corporate office since thats where te web page is located. Well, I found out from an ex-coworker still there, tell me that the local facility still reviews the resumes first and then refers who they want to corporate for processing. So, their relatives and friends were still hired because that's who this local group selected.

The people are hired same as always, just more high-tech implementation that weeds us strangers back out in limbo.

About keywords, you wrote, specifically "I would think my flooded resume would have generated some hits."

How do you know that the software that the companies use to scan the resume ACTUALLY WORKS PROPERLY? Have you seen some of the software these people use? They get it from INDIA and CHINA from developers who are 14 years old making $12/hr (living like KINGS over there for them) but the good software, from the good developers, like the thousands which Bank of America laid off over the past 6 years wont ever be searching your resume.

This nation no longer cares for its own.

Dean said: I have been job hunting for the past 5 months for work as an IT Business Analyst. I probably have submitted close to 1000 jobs online. I have had 6 face-to-face interviews which I believed went well. I am not perfect but would know if I really bombed in an interview. I am always very upbeat and optimistic, even show examples of work. But I have yet to hit paydirt. I am wondering if companies are actually expecting to find the perfect candidate. The first interview I had was in 11/06 with the Catholic Church. Even they are still posting the same job and its 4/07. They haven't even given me the results of the interview and this is after several followups. Maybe I should become a Protestant. Any thoughts. ?????????????????????

Want to make them sweat? Call them and ask them why the job you applied for is still posted 6 months later AND that you havent received the COURTESY of a rejection letter nor a phone call YET. Keep calling, keep asking why.

Make them uncomfortable and make them accountable for their rudeness.

gt in Charlotte, North Carolina said: By the way - I am now employed with a Fortune 100 in Charlotte. It was a hunt of about 4 months and thank goodness the search is over.

BTW - I'm a white guy. I'm neither racist or bigoted in my outlook, but do feel the EEO policies in place hurt the capability of many comanies to hire the best people. My earlier comments stem from personal experience. Most managers are still white guys in our workforce, but they are forced by company policy to hire monorities, which are often less qualified. Few (managers) are willing to rock to boat as they are immediately branded as racist bigots - a career limiting event for sure. It is amusing to watch what happens when someone who is marginally qualified or even unqualified be place in a position and then not be able to hack it!

Also note that managers are limited in choosing from the candidates that HR feeds them.

Amusing? Its not amusing. Its SICKENING. I am sick and tired of walking into stores and receiving nothing but DUMB BLANK STARES from idiots who, now I ask them out loud "How the F did you get this job??" and make sure that at least everyone in a 20 foot radius hears it.

I know why. You said it. They HAVE TO hire idiots with no intelligence whatsoever over people who are smart.

Imagine the different in profits these companies would have if they added SMART to their talent-pool instead of reading what we're writing here and us spending every cent of our savings to pull some scraps together OR put gas in the car - because we can no longer afford to do both at the same time.

This isnt America anymore, its AmeriSQUAT.

Dont laugh. Someone did this to a member in our HR department. Last year, I was in a multi-dept mtg, while we were waiting for the meeting to start the HR employee brought up a phone call they had that day. I heard later from co-workers, the person called every 2 weeks for 5 months. HR then took the post down.

Host said: Do you work at Siemens? How did you find the job? How did you get that first interview?

Any advice for someone trying to get in?

From my experience nepatism works best with any job seeker...you gotta network from the inside..a friend of a friend who has a brother and a mother who knows her sister in H.R.

B in Melrose, Massachusetts said: Not sure what you guys are talking about. I sent in a resume yesteday and they called me today.

Same thing here. THINK people. Employers want workers, not complainers. Want the right job? Finding it is hard WORK.

GT in Palm Coast, Florida said: I just walked into the branch in Orlando and asked to talk to an Engineering recruiter in HR. Suprisingly a nice lady did make a few minutes to speak to me, actually looked at a hardcopy of my resume and hopefully I made a good image on her. No job open at the moment - but heck - I picked up her business card and drop her an email ever 2 weeks with a hello. I have to agree that the jobs with really top companies are kinda tough to get - so you have to just build a presence like this and your break will come.... If the company is close, I really like to show up and talk to them personally. It really does make a difference.

Yes, but how??? I am located in Wilmington NC and have been trying to crack the shells of the major employers here for almost a year. When I wanted to talk to someone at PPD personally, a nice receptionist stopped me, gave me a business card with PPD web-address underlined and told me to go and apply on the Internet. They do not let you in unless you have an appointment. I do not want to be negative but looks like we have got to think of something revolutionary different. Old-fashioned cold-calling or even applying on the Internet just does not work. Any ideas???

I recently saw a posting on my college's website(I just graduated from DeVry) and I seen a posting on their interfase website from Career services. It might be that the "real" jobs are posted in places like this that are hidden from the general population. Just a thought....

stay with it - I know it is tough but you gotta stay with it. I didnt land a job with Semens, but ended up at another good one - Danaher. Oddly now I'm on the inside and interviewing people, which us insiders rarely like. Candidates are fed in by HR based on a predefined job description. We usually talk to 2 or 3 people before we make a hiring decision.

I know for sure if someone just shows up here in Charlotte, they will get a face to face meeting with HR. Good luck!

I wonder if Siemens ever replaced that joke of a computer system they got. A family member was an electrical engineer there, and complained that the software change they made a few years ago was ridiculous and was almost useless for engineering purposes, while the previous system actually worked.

Why do companies make horrible software choices like that?

The origial posting was for the opening of a NEW facility in Ft. Madison Iowa. The current openings are for additional start up shifts I believe.

Jake in Elyria, Ohio said: I have had the same experience here in Cleveland, Ohio. I too have a BSEE and it is VERY RARE to get an interview.

So much I am now trying to figure out what career change make. Very sickening, all that college down the toilet.

Any young kid that asks me about college, I always tell them either go for yourself or if you know you'll have a job waiting through a relative or a friend.

Hi Jake, I'm an MSEE and as companies expand their business arenas I've found it easier getting into companies when you have PM certification. I made this switch over 10 yrs ago and it has made a big difference!

Experienced IT Pro in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania said: I got an interview with siemens and cleared 2 interviews and they offered me with a offer.... However I am not sure of their policy on processing my GC... Can someone Guide....???

GC = Green Card aka US Permenant Residency
Average cost to the company: 5000USD + annual renewal fees.
Impact on your salary: your salary offered will be 5000 USD lower than that of a GC holder a US citizen
Typically they will consider after 6 months of employment.

Regards,
Siemens PG insider

After reading the discussion thread, I think we can agree there are a lot of folks going through employment situations. Myself layed off end 2006. Many interviews and no taker despite a good resume. I have contracted to fill to void. Here some observations.

2007 started poor as many companies had lay offs (Dec 06 - March 07). In April 07 there were signs of improvement based on key figures reported by the government. But now the job seekers were many. So it will be a longer search for most as the companies have a pool.

The resume - Format well, rewrite a dozen times to perfect and get others to review and take advice. Buzz words for the on line send in so the scan picks you up.

The job martket - NETWORK!!! Read the suggested tips on monster and move forward.

Recruiters - Try contract works to bridge unemployement. CDI is the outside reference for SIEMENS. Better to be in house as a contractor than on the outside looking in.

Interview: Practice, brief answers, Always 5 stock Question at the end of the interview. (Hiring Process, Ideal start date, when can expect a follow up). Smile, stand up straight in the seat. dark blue suit, white shirt, tie blue make sure pattern is tight and will not distract. End interview "I am interested in the company and position" etc etc!!!!.

BTW - I'm a white guy. I'm neither racist or bigoted in my outlook, but do feel the EEO policies in place hurt the capability of many comanies to hire the best people. My earlier comments stem from personal experience. Most managers are still white guys in our workforce, but they are forced by company policy to hire monorities, which are often less qualified. Few (managers) are willing to rock to boat as they are immediately branded as racist bigots - a career limiting event for sure. It is amusing to watch what happens when someone who is marginally qualified or even unqualified be place in a position and then not be able to hack it!

Also note that managers are limited in choosing from the candidates that HR feeds them.
---

GT I'm black and got my job not b'cos of EEO, but because I was better educated, experienced than most candidates, get yourself together and stop whinnying !! about minorities etc. Get better skills

Kurt, in NH in Atkinson, New Hampshire said: IT pro,
What is GC?

He means Green Card @#%^&%. this is the kind of crap we are facing today!

Isn't it amusing to see how fast blacks are to play the old race card when one of us white boys has the audacity to say they disagree with the system? OK, now ask yourself this. Even though there are a bunch of rules and regs about hiring and promoting minorities, what manager in their right mind would hire someone who displays an attitude like this? Heck, I even see black managers who don't want to hire other blacks because they don't want to deal with this demanding attitude of being "entitled" to special treatment.