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My suggestion is cut back on all the wasted money on the application and interview process and focus on finding people who seem passionate and are trainable for these entry level positions.
I agree wholeheartedly. I do have some reservations about the whole "passion" part because what does that even mean? If I am determined to work hard, give the company my best, represent the company well in the community, and learn does that not make me passionate? At an interview I was asked why I left my previous field because I "had" to have a passion in it. Actually, I didn't (I didn't say that, no worries). I stated that I was in my previous field because at the time, it was the expected course and I realize that wasn't a wise decision. Then I went on to say how I'm making a deliberate choice to pursue what I am now, and it's why I've taken so much initiative to learn on my own and go back to school. Sometimes I get the sense when I have to explain my passion or lack of passion, I end up writing myself out of a job offer because I spend too much time explaining. If I have to explain so much, it MUST be a big deal and that's a red flag, but if I don't explain that's also a red flag.
My previous work reviews have all said I am teachable, reliable, and take initiative. I've had supervisors say I take more care in a lot of things they don't even do (but should) and have received very positive feedback. If these qualities don't make passionate and trainable, well as I've said before. I don't know what it is that employers want then.
I find it interesting that many young job-seekers can't find a job, while hiring managers can't find worthy candidates. I think some companies are too ambiguous in their desires. They want a young, fresh out of college individual with a 3.5 GPA, 4+ years of experience and the ability to learn on the fly with no training. If you want experience, hire someone older...if you want youth, hire youth and train them.
I find it interesting that many young job-seekers can't find a job, while hiring managers can't find worthy candidates. I think some companies are too ambiguous in their desires. They want a young, fresh out of college individual with a 3.5 GPA, 4+ years of experience and the ability to learn on the fly with no training. If you want experience, hire someone older...if you want youth, hire youth and train them.
This says it all. Clarity is key. Why can't employers just say what they really want? Then inexperienced and unqualified workers like myself wouldn't waste their time or the company's time by pursuing the position.
I'm retired, but if I were hiring, I would notice proper grammar and use of words. If a candidate were to pronounce Realtor as real-a-tor, it would be a minus. If they use the word anyways, it would be a minus. There is no such word as anyways, although a couple of internet dictionaries have it included, it still sounds ignorant.
There are a lot of shallow people out there using "fit" as a euphemism for utter shallowness.
I've been a part of this whole "good fit for the team" ideology. Namely, having been told that I'm no longer a good fit. Over the years, anytime I've ever heard this whole "good fit" term being thrown around, all I could think of was Captain Jean-Luc Picard encountering the Borg for the very first time. "We are the Borg. Shut down your shields and prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
I agree wholeheartedly. I do have some reservations about the whole "passion" part because what does that even mean? If I am determined to work hard, give the company my best, represent the company well in the community, and learn does that not make me passionate? At an interview I was asked why I left my previous field because I "had" to have a passion in it. Actually, I didn't (I didn't say that, no worries). I stated that I was in my previous field because at the time, it was the expected course and I realize that wasn't a wise decision. Then I went on to say how I'm making a deliberate choice to pursue what I am now, and it's why I've taken so much initiative to learn on my own and go back to school. Sometimes I get the sense when I have to explain my passion or lack of passion, I end up writing myself out of a job offer because I spend too much time explaining. If I have to explain so much, it MUST be a big deal and that's a red flag, but if I don't explain that's also a red flag.
My previous work reviews have all said I am teachable, reliable, and take initiative. I've had supervisors say I take more care in a lot of things they don't even do (but should) and have received very positive feedback. If these qualities don't make passionate and trainable, well as I've said before. I don't know what it is that employers want then.
There is entirely too much amateur head shrinking that goes on at interviews and that is the problem and why companies often end up with great phonies rather than great workers. I got nailed with the stupid "lack of passion" charge to. My first few interviews I was to nervous and got labeled not confident and then I learned to stay calm and collected and treat the interview analytically and got labeled not passionate. Is it any wonder companies can't hire well!
Okay OP, I'm going to take you at your word then. I've gone into interviews with the attitude that I do NOT know a lot, but have always communicated that I am going to learn and I have skills that can be to the employer's benefit.
Before an interview, I always make sure to research ahead of time. I read up on the company, try to get a sense of their business model from their website or other information I get my hands on and do research on what that specific part of the industry accomplishes. When I'm asked "why do you want this job?" I give a cogent response that actually conveys why. I'd also say job titles are ambiguous at best, and there's a reason why you do the research on the position and the company. These are common sense things to me.
I wish it was common sense to everybody, but it does not seem to be that way with many applicants I have come across.
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Originally Posted by Vintage_girl
However, I have also learned that while you as the hiring manager may be frustrated with the lack of reasonable applicants, many qualified applicants are just as frustrated. A lot of us have the skills, personality, and attitude you're looking for yet we do not get the job offers. Why?
Maybe it is the companies you are applying for, maybe you are not conveying your message and what you are looking for properly, it is hard to tell as I am not in the interview.
I will tell you this, I once went through 27 companies to get my 1st real job, nobody wanted to hire an 18 year old for a real sales job, but I found 1. When I changed my career path to get into the mortgage business I interviewed with another large group of companies before I found one that would give me the chance and train me on the basics. When I became an accountant I took a short term temporary job for a national chain to gain experience, and than spent months convincing one of the top accountants in my area to give me the job, and I knew her prior to changing to accounting.
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Originally Posted by Vintage_girl
For myself, I know there are possible reasons why I didn't receive job offers. I have little experience-- which is why I apply for entry level positions yet during the interview find out they want someone well above entry level. I am transitioning from a different field, which I've learned raises red flags about my intentions for changing careers (even though the average person changes careers more than once during their lifetime???) and get drilled endlessly about my degree. What I'm doing to fix that problem is going to school again and am hoping it helps, along with volunteering for experience. When I'd receive "the phone call," I'd always ask what I can do to become a more qualified candidate. I get NO response but "well, the team/we/hiring manager/recruiter decided to go with a different candidate." Tell me, how am I supposed to ever be in the same league as the better candidates if the constructive feedback I specifically ask for is never communicated?
Again I have no way of telling how you come across in interviews, but one thing I have noticed is if you are at the beginning of your career and are already changing careers there are red flags that come up. You have to get your message across on why you are doing it. Also it depends on what you are trying to do as compared to your degree, are they in any way similar?
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Originally Posted by Vintage_girl
I couldn't even get a paid part-time internship because I was "unqualified" and "not a good fit." Okay, so how do I become qualified and a good fit? If I can't get the experience from an internship how else can I change my qualities to be gainfully employed in the future?
Internships are highly competitive, in fact I thought about offering an internship this spring but decided against it, as I did not want a student but instead a worker, and from my experience they are not always the same. You may have to go off the beaten path to get a job where someone is willing to take the chance, but not knowing what you are looking to do or your location I have no idea.
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Originally Posted by Vintage_girl
One of my relatives has told me she's talked to various recruiters who all have the opposite problem-- they come across applicants who are incredibly qualified yet cannot obtain employment because for whatever reason, the employer doesn't want them. What do employers want then?
That is the reason I made this post, qualifications are only part of the package, having the right attitude and the ability to sale it to the interviewer is important.
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Originally Posted by Vintage_girl
Yes, a lot of applicants including myself, are jaded. My attitude towards the job search was much, much worse than it is now. I know I'm going to have to get back into it by the end of spring. I'm not really as hopeful as I should be because I have no idea if I'll be qualified.
My whole point in the OP is that your qualifications is only a part of the equation, if you feel they may be lacking than the thing to do is to learn how to properly convey who you are, why you are wanting to change careers, and what you can do to not only get yourself up to speed but provide what they are looking for. One thing you may want to do is check with your local county or city and find out if anybody out there is offering interview classes, while half of the class is worthless, you will be able to role play and find out how you are coming off to others through feed back. It sounds dumb, but it should pay off in the long run.
There is entirely too much amateur head shrinking that goes on at interviews and that is the problem and why companies often end up with great phonies rather than great workers. I got nailed with the stupid "lack of passion" charge to. My first few interviews I was to nervous and got labeled not confident and then I learned to stay calm and collected and treat the interview analytically and got labeled not passionate. Is it any wonder companies can't hire well!
When I 1st got hired into management of a somewhat professional job I was told by my mentor that interviewing and picking the proper candidate is one of the hardest skills pick up and do correctly. That is one reason for all the tests, for all the lists of questions that HR and managers are given to ask prospects, and why so many hoops are being placed to bet hired. companies are trying to hard to protect themselves from making a bad hire.
while this may **** off some HM and HR people the fact is that to really get decent at interviewing and hiring people you have to do it and learn from experience. With many entry level jobs you are dealing with people who have little to no experience doing it, and are hoping they get it right. The crutches are what they use to help them. In some companies I have met people who have hired 3 or 4 people in their lives, and they are considered the expert as they had half of them work out long term. It sucks. You deal with people who have been hiring for a long time they usually are much better at picking the right candidate.
That being said one other thing to remember is that not all companies, HR, or even HM are the same. What one person finds as a lack of passion others may find as a control passion. What some consider as too nervous others find as really wanting the job. While you should listen to any feedback you get from interviews and try to improve on what you perceive as your weakness, you should always take it with a grain of salt and look back at it and see if you agree with it yourself.
Because the questions asked are too nitpicky?
I understand that employers want the best candidate but some of them go way too far with standards.
You could add employers doing credit checks on potential employees. Why? Why is it the company's business to know my credit rating and where my money has been spent? I'm glad Congress is in the process of passing a bill to prevent employers performing credit checks as it's unnecessary.
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