Is exessive pickiness by employers towards job candidates the new normal? (license, interviewer)

[Hemlock140]

All of this generalization is not going to help anyone. Just keep at it and
keep refining your resume and interview skills. I had a 17 year career, then relocated and ran an unrelated business for 16 years. When the economy tanked it took me 2 years but I got a great job back in my original career
at over age 50 with very stale experience. Since then (2009) two raises and a promotion to management. Since November I have filled two openings and am working on the 3rd now. I cannot stress enough the importance of writing the resume. Edit your basic data to fit each job you are applying for. Hiring managers really do want people passionate about their open position
and will blow off a "general" resume that looks like it was mass mailed.

Don't give up hope, just keep trying.

[Mystique13]

Originally Posted by bisjoe

All of this generalization is not going to help anyone. Just keep at it and
keep refining your resume and interview skills. I had a 17 year career, then relocated and ran an unrelated business for 16 years. When the economy tanked it took me 2 years but I got a great job back in my original career
at over age 50 with very stale experience. Since then (2009) two raises and a promotion to management. Since November I have filled two openings and am working on the 3rd now. I cannot stress enough the importance of writing the resume. Edit your basic data to fit each job you are applying for. Hiring managers really do want people passionate about their open position
and will blow off a "general" resume that looks like it was mass mailed.

Don't give up hope, just keep trying.

This is the most useful and positive message on this entire work/employment section of city-data.com. Thank you.

[suissegrl702]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

I have to make a few adjustments...

EMPLOYEE WANTED DURING THE RECESSION:
Full time
Must have *at least 3-5 years of experience *in related field
*Must be proficient in every computer software known to man & alien
Must have excellent credit score
Must have 4 year degree *in related field from a regionally accredited brick & mortar school
*Must be certified in everything that exists
Must provide salary history & salary required
Must not have any gaps in employment
Must pass background check
Must not have stupid friends drinking beer on your facebook page
Some travel required
*1099 position
*Temporary 6-Month Position
Compensation: as little as humanly possible

Orange county edition:

job requirements

Must have at least 3 years experience, put preferably 10 in the exact field sought for
Must have exceptional credit score
Must own and operate a car, and have a clean driver license
Must have a degree in the exact field sought for from a California college
Must be able to do everything, including make waffles, for the boss
Must be certified in everything
Salary History and Salary requirements are required
Must not have ever been fired, laid off, or quit.
Must not be unemployed
Must pass extensive background check
Must have never filed for bankruptcy or have a foreclosure
Must not have gay, bisexual, Mormon, openly evangelical, openly political, openly punk, or beer drinking friends on facebook
Must not protest anything, or have any political persuasion on facebook
Must have better manners than most socialites or grandmas
Some travel required at own expense
temporary hire
No benefits, don't even ask
Must reside in Orange county, people from LA county will not be considered
Must have never lived in Utah or Texas
Mormons, gays, bisexuals, old people need not apply

I have found out that I have been excluded and not hired because my phone has an 801 area code and because I've lived in Utah I MUST be a Mormon. And that SSN? Well, I must have been a hooker also, because only hookers are from Vegas. /sarc

The pickiness is getting to crazy levels. My most recent examples include being told by a telemarketing place that I have no telemarketing experience because I was a paralegal at a law firm that had a call center and I worked in the call center ("you guys did not sell anything"). I applied to several law firms, only to be told that I had telemarketing experience because I worked in the call center as a paralegal, and not paralegal experience, event though I was trained in basic paralegal stuff. I'm about ready to rip my hair out.

And because I moved from Utah, I have had hiring managers point blank ask me if I am LDS, and then go on a spiel about how Mormons are backward when I state that I am not.

I lock my facebook page down not because of this one crazy guy I know who facebook stalks me and (both of us like each other) but because some employer will look at it and go, "she's got all these Mormon friends, and is related to all these people in Texas, and look at that, she even has two gay men as friends! And look at all her single mother friends! And those three in Chicago!" None of my friends depict themselves drunk on their facebook profiles, but I can see myself not getting hired because those friends are undocumented, or live in Texas, or are gay, or Mormon.

Oh, and I totally forgot to add, that the experience must be gained from on the job training, not from a class. The states of Utah and California are having a field day with that requirement since so many of the unemployed go to classes to get job skills and the managers won't consider them because the training was not on the job.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by lovetheduns

I only considered applying for federal jobs about 10 years ago-- and I remember reading through all of the KSA and the requirements to just be able to submit a job application-- and I decided-- yeah not worth my time.

I never got anywhere with the Fed jobs. I got one interview, and then they filled the position internally. And the KSAs were ridiculous. "Please describe, in 3000 words or less, how your use of a pencil sharpener in a past administrative position contributed to the well-being of the U.S.A."

[relocatingdiva79]

Ive applied for several gov jobs and although they have changed the application process, you still have it hard. For all three positions I applied for, I scored 95 and up... Only to be told in an email I did not qualify because I didn't score high enough! The scoring was from 70-100... If i had vet preference, I'd be over 100. What gets me is that you have a qualified candidate who scored high and you say I'm not qualified?? Ugh.. or the ones who contact you and say you are what they are looking for but then the 2nd person who is supposed to interview you is 'too busy' to conduct the interview and they never contact you again! It's fustrating

[Forest_Hills_Daddy]

Employers have been exessively picky since after the dot com crash. If you're having a hard time finding a job in the U.S., try working overseas. There are countries out there that will be happy to employ skilled American workers.

[Dr_Pepper]

Originally Posted by Soilworker1986

That's all fine and dandy, but how do those inexperienced people get that experience if no employer is willing to give them the chance?

Why should that be the employer's problem?

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by Dr_Pepper

Why should that be the employer's problem?

Um because they are creating a shortage of qualified workers because they refuse to develop them then complain about being unable to find employees.

Because all these dispossessed college grads are not just going to dissappear into thin air or just die peacefully like our society seems to want them to they are going to riot and incite civil unrest because they have nothing to loose.

I think the next major crises will be student loan defaults by people working a Walmart and cannot repay them even in 100 years.

[mikeyking]

I think its just their looking a "good fit" - you might be well qualified and capable of doing the job - but if your gonna go in after a few months and start saying your systems are rubbish, your all not doing your job well enough. Of then corporate jobs are not about how well you do the job - but getting on and fitting in. You can have all the skills in the world.

Often Managers are looking for someone who will fit in - and won't embarrass them, or challenge anyone too senior, or question too much, just keep their head down and do the job without bringing too much attention. Make yourself look like a winner, so they look a winner.


I know what you mean - some of them are terrible for turning people down,

I think it also extends to people getting fired - all sorts of picky reasons, vague feedback or no feedback from bosses, or they just get rid of you because they get fed up with you, or in fact just don't like you, or you don't get on with the right people.

We assume there is some logic or fairness to the Jobs Market - and that you just get the right skills, and you get the job - whilst that can work - there is also personal relationships, networking, office politics etc that are sadly its seems more important.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by mikeyking

I think its just their looking a "good fit" - you might be well qualified and capable of doing the job - but if your gonna go in after a few months and start saying your systems are rubbish, your all not doing your job well enough. Of then corporate jobs are not about how well you do the job - but getting on and fitting in. You can have all the skills in the world.

That is another problem. Companies are allowing paranoia about who is going to leave and when drive their hiring decision. Nowadays anyone they hire can and probably will leave if they get a better offer. Also companies are very worried about their workers leaving when they are hiring but aren't very worried when they offer low-ball salaries or treat their workers like crap. It is all so very senseless.