HOW TO GET A JOB (By Not Doing as I Did)

If they're reading from a list of prepared questions and rush through them, skipping a few, you didn't get the job. If they don't bother to take any notes or stop taking notes, you didn't get the job. Grant in Astoria, New York said: HR are basically bureaucratic paper pushing robots who are paid to always side with the corporation. They lack objectivity and a sense of personal responsibility, as well as basic character. Their knowledge consists of organizational psychology, some labor and benefit laws and maybe a miniscule level of corporate law?

Back in the day HR was astute. It could spot potential. It could carve out a place in a company for a candidate who did not meet every requirement but could grow into a job. Now, these days, hiring managers submit requirements, oftentimes without considering the requiremetns' relation to actually doing to the job.

HR receives resumes, runs the keyword and weighted searches, and submits the ones that match to hiring managers. No need for insight, perception or astuteness. My very smart year-old nephew could do HR's job. Dee in Baltimore, Maryland. Dee in Baltimore, Maryland said: I have most of my work experience in retail and most of the interviews that I go to usually are terrible through no fault of my own.

I feel that a lot of service jobs don't expect people to be intelligent. I have a few college credits under my belt. No, college doesn't make one intelligent but the critical thinking based courses that I've taken do help me look at things differently than others. The manager will usually ask me a question and I guess they become shocked once they figure out that I may know as much as them when it comes to retail. I'm not being conceited or anything but these employers would probably prefer somebody who doesn't have any ambitions and would rather work minimum wage jobs forever.

Another thing that I have seen slipped in there is, "This is a pretty tough economy, isn't it? I should have said something like, "Yes it is. That is why I feel that I am so fortunate to have an education and experience in this field. I just end it with, "Yeah, it is. This is the problem with interviewing and trying to land a job nowadays. You have to be perfect. You can't make any mistakes. You sound like a good and educated person. But in today's world of interviewing that's not good enough.

I've done the same thing after interviews. Saying to myself, I should of done this and said that. Looking back I've done well in most of my interviews. In today's world for most people, their best is not good enough. The bar is just too high too get a job. And these people doing the interviewing could never ever get a job themselves. Grant in Astoria, New York. Some of these schmos interviewing are just losers. I mean company owners, and a few supervisors. I went home a few times and said, "Whaa So, absent the other indicators you mention, saying that there are other candidates to interview doesn't mean you didn't get the position.

I've been told that and have ultimately received a job offer. I take the comment at its face value - they simply are interviewing other candidates. I may ask how many candidates they're interviewing and the next step. I go more on their actions - which, of course, speak louder than words. I move on if I hear nothing further after a few days. I've had several jobs. I was either hired on the spot or offered the job within a few days max.

Except for one or two jobs I never followed up. It never worked and was a wasted effort. Unemployed Paralegal in Denver, Colorado said: I also moved on after about days. I never followed up either. And never sent thank you letters.

I thanked them upon exiting the place. Following up shows your desperation and anxiety. They make feel they can take advantage of you and you'd be an easy mark after hiring. If you have to follow up, then they're taking too long and you know they're not going to pick you. You don't follow up because you're too busy with other interviews and potential offers; at least that's what you want them to believe.

A lot of this job hunting advice was written by people who have never been unemployed or it's just plain antiquated. In the real world it makes no sense and can actually hurt your job hunt. I also ignore all that jazz about the absolutely necessity of having this amazing facebook, linked in and twitter profiles. A lot of that advice has just been recycled from your parent's job market. It doesn't quite as well today. I do agree with networking being key to finding your next job but that is something you start in daycare not after you become unemployed.

Stalking possible online leads, people you have never met in person, is just creepy to me. I don't care what the books say.

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You can walk into any library and buy a book with this kind of outdated advice for a buck now. Look in their discard pile - right next to the Windows 95 manuals. I do believe in sending thank-you letters. That's it for followups. Is that not the height of insecurity? Further, this person said to leave a voicemail if you don't reach the interviewer.

I saw the part after saying you enjoyed meeting the interviewer and wanted to barf. If that wasn't enough, she said to keep calling the interviewer. Keep calling until you actually reach the interviewer. In so doing you will speak volumes about your persistence and dedication. Reading that part really made me want to barf. Can you believe that nonsense, Tanya? Not only will repeated calling annoy the interviewer, it will annoy the receptionist.

After a while the receptionist will complain to the interviewer and you'll really be up sh1t creek. That advice has to be some of the worst post-interview advice I've ever seen. A lot of the advice is useless. I like to have an open mind so I will listen to what all the employed know it all job hunt advisers say, but I always say "case by case" and use your independent judgment.

Top 10 Reasons You Didn't Get the Job

It's your life and your needs. Nobody knows better than yourself what is going to work and what is not. But with some of this stuff Someone who knows I have been long term unemployed made fun of me when I mentioned I was renewing my real estate license. I told her I did this before for 2 years, and during the Recession so I have experience. And I caught the worst of the market. She said the market is still bad.. You've got people coming here from other states who all have guarantors for the leases. But this fat, ugly beitch who can't even speak properly a she sounds like she's gurgling mouthwash, knows nothing about the market.

I am even more tired of the endless hoop jumping and circus tricks required for even the simplest clerical office jobs. So why shouldn't I renew my license and work on commission? I will at least have a couple of thousand coming in each month. Should I continue to waste time and funds on interviewing? It will cost me much, much more if I am to continue the senseless cycle of interviewing, getting my hopes up, and then crashing.

This is the worst job market since The Great Depression and yet many people have not been directly affected by it. Listening to them is a waste of time. As my father use to say, "Ain't no shortage of good advice but that doesn't pay the rent". All the people employed say to get a retail or scheit cleaning job.

Unless they personally know somebody who is hiring and can refer me, their advice is useless. See Big Interview for more on how to do this. Your average interviewer will talk to a lot of candidates before filling the position. You have to be able to stand out from the crowd if you want the job offer. Your answers were too general or unsophisticated.

They lacked the substance and examples that you need to set yourself apart from the competition. A job interview is not the place to discuss personal matters. The real test here is if you are able to discern what is appropriate to share.

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If you share too much, you risk steering the interview off course or coming across as unprofessional. For example, what if you took time off due to illness or a family matter? You know the topic will come up, so plan how you will address it. Avoid the impulse to get defensive or over-explain. Remember to reinforce that you are ready to commit to this position now, even if you had to take time off in the past. However, candidates still make this mistake often. Vent to your family and friends, not to the interviewer.

Well, in a job interview, there are. The objective of an interview is for you to convey that you have the experience and skills necessary to fulfill the job while assuring the interviewer that you are prepared to commit, work hard and be successful in the role. You want them to know that you have a strong understanding of what the job entails and that you are prepared to take on the challenge.

At some point in almost every interview, you will likely be asked if you have any questions. You want to be sure that you have questions and that they reflect well on you. There are many questions that you can ask that will support your objective. You want to show that you are interested, smart, and have done some homework on the position. Pamela Skillings is co-founder of Big Interview. As one of the country's top interview coaches, she has helped her clients land dream jobs at companies including Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan Chase.

She also has more than 15 years of experience training and advising managers at organizations from American Express to the City of New York. Need Answers to the Top 10 Interview Questions?

Comments (203)

Get our free eBook guide of sample answers and expert interview advice emailed to you now. Resumes Cover Letters Networking Negotiation. Top 10 Reasons You Didn't Get the Job Job Search Networking Career Advice You may be familiar with some of these issues — others may surprise you because very few interviewers are willing to share honest feedback with candidates. Now, all you have to do is close the deal in the interview.

Your Timing was Off Everybody knows that you should never show up late for a job interview. But did you know that arriving too early is almost as bad as showing up late? You Were Rude…to the Receptionist Consider yourself under the microscope from the moment you arrive. You were Unpolished Industry and company culture will influence the attire you choose for an interview, but sloppy is sloppy no matter where you go. Take the vacation you never took. Enjoy yourself a little. Posted by Andrea on March 6, at 2: Does it vary by state I am in MA? Posted by Allison on March 6, at 3: It might depend on the of hours they have you work, not sure.

Posted by Andrea on March 6, at 4: Posted by Allison on March 6, at 4: It is possible to get an internship without being a college student. Perhaps this is the reason for your rejection? Maybe approach the company suggesting a volunteer internship or experience where you can learn about the industry and infuse your expertise into the organization.

Posted by Heather Maietta on March 7, at Posted by Ashurbanipal on November 7, at 5: I have to say, I like your idea about getting an internship. That is tremendous, especially when you find you actually have the time now. I just shot off two emails to firms for an internship placement. Instead, having the two interning and blogging about that embrace one another sounds swell! Posted by Adjoa on August 29, at 2: I am unemployed and have been since November and I have to say that you put up some pretty good points. I believe everyone has to start somewhere.

Posted by Sebastian on February 6, at 1: You have lived one of the coolest lives. I love reading your stories about your past risks, adventures and successes. I also appreciate how honest you are about your failures and missteps. This post in particular was really inspiring to me. The around-the-clock schedule means less time for things such as obsessively watching the Food Network and leafing through magazines, but those are things I should probably do without anyways!

Posted by Dallas on March 6, at 3: It has taken me exactly six months to find a job. I start my new job on Monday. While unemployed I worked on writing projects, started a blog, and traveled. I would talk about those things during job interviews. My experience was that interviewers understood how scarce jobs are right now and were not put off my the gap in my employment history, but interested in what I could do for myself when left to my own devices.

The best thing is that I am coming to see that the blogging, writing etc. All wonderful suggestions for that weird transition time…especially when still figuring out what to do with my life.

Penelope Trunk

Posted by Megan on March 6, at 3: American life is changing rapidly and it has to be accepted. But there will be millions that are foreced to find new and totaly different priorities rather than living for the old ones. A couple of years ago, right after getting married and spending a ton of money on a fabulous honeymoon trip, I unexpectedly lost my biggest client.

For about four months I had almost no billable work. Posted by Kristin T.

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The only time I get things done is on days when I have some other activity scheduled. Posted by Anca on March 6, at 4: I like what Marshall McLuhan said in You can only have roles. Posted by Paula Thornton on March 6, at 6: Posted by Mark F.. Depending on how I present it, people do show interest.

Starting a blog, a homebased business and developing a product were all huge learning curves and required the time I had available after I quit my job in July. The time off rejuvenated my energy and interest for my work, and I still get to do my projects. Posted by Robyn on March 7, at 9: This is good advice. I was laid off in November and spent December in a continuous wave of panic. In January, I got contract work that may soon lead to a full time position. I have gotten really good at being interviewed — I used to get really nervous and my lips would stick to my teeth.

Posted by rainie on March 7, at 9: This is a genuinely helpful post Penelope. Posted by Financial on March 7, at 9: Informational interviewing or field research is another great way to make use of your time. Posted by John on March 7, at Posted by Marianne on March 7, at And written just for me, it would seem. For those who find themselves un- or underemployed, success will be determined by how they spent their time. Posted by eliz on March 7, at 2: This is one of your best posts ever. Insight like this is the reason I always come back.

This IS the way it works. Is it possible for you to post a spin on this with tips on ways to keep up with all of these important skill and image boosters when you have no time because you are scrambling at a job that, although it pays the bills, adds nothing special to your resume? Posted by Liz on March 7, at 7: I think another point is get in touch with old friends, family, or make new friends and build up a support system.

Even networking for work, you forget how to be friends with people. Some days I want to panic and fret about not having a job, and I need to hear from someone else that I need to chill because life inside my head is much more insane than reality. I particularly am discouraged by the job postings that require the jobsearcher to visit another site that is fee based.

An example, PR Crossing or the plethora of direct marketing and telemarketing job postings. Why do they not have their own category? Craigslist is user monitored so many of the bad job postings get flagged, but what about the aforementioned sites? Who regulates these postings? And how is applying through these sites more effective or not as effective as dealing directly with the company or HR department? Not really complaining, just a frequent thought in my head. Posted by geri on March 7, at 8: I learned to expand my network by doing a couple of small, free assignments for someone who was starting a very interesting company.

Posted by Jim B on March 7, at 9: Posted by Craig on March 7, at I LOVE the idea of launching a project. Your gap-time is a precious opportunity to grow yourself beyond your past job description. If you have been laid off and must now address that issue with a potential hiring manager, be real about it.

Keep your head held high. Posted by Martha Finney on March 8, at Excellent post, especially like the mention that job hunting for 8 hours a day will make you go nuts.



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When I talk with candidates it is good to hear that they have pursued other interests while unemployed and your idea of volunteering time to prevent gaps in your resume is excellent advice. I had a candidate that who spent his time off getting scuba certification and being a scuba instructor; which he put on his resume. I applauded him for being active but then suggested that he balance his time between personal passions and maintaining marketable skills in his chosen industry.

Posted by Jeffrey on March 8, at 9: Posted by Annie Pazoo on March 8, at This is a fantastic post. I also highly recommend Toastmasters as a place to develop professional public speaking skills in a warm and supportive setting for an extremely reasonable price. Posted by Alexandra on March 8, at Excellent post — the part about working at a part-time job for no pay was particularly good.

I never thought about it, but having something to fill in that gap with will definitely set you aside from the other applicants. Volunteering can do a similar job. After I got laid off, I found that http: Most of the sites online cater to either job hunting or hard-core networking, but this is the only one designed as a place for unemployed people to go to figure out what to do with themselves during the unemployment time.

Posted by Andrew on March 9, at 1: Thanks for the boost in confidence! I love swing dancing! Posted by Lorraine on March 9, at This is very useful information. For me and many others, I imagine , being laid off would likely mean not being able to afford my full-time babysitter anymore.

Posted by Sarah on March 9, at Just what I was wondering as well! Most of the advice re: Ever try to ride a bus with more than 1 child younger than 5 , without car seats or even seat belts? Posted by Robin on March 11, at 9: So my accounting side is coming out.

Yea not really many costs here.. But it depends what you do.