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Over the past few months, I've had friends and relatives -- all of which are looking for work -- come to me with questions pertaining to resumes, interviewing, and the like.
I had to reiterate the same suggestions over and over again to different people. It got to the point where I felt inspired to write an article on the topic -- one that I could simply send to everyone en masse:
The article helped them a great deal, but here's what I don't understand: Why is it that so many people are clueless out there when it comes to polishing resumes, shining in interviews, etc.? Granted, I've had ample interview/job hunting experience, but it seems people just don't take the time to research the topic. And then they wonder why they aren't getting the jobs. It's not rocket science by any stretch.
Over the past few months, I've had friends and relatives -- all of which are looking for work -- come to me with questions pertaining to resumes, interviewing, and the like.
I had to reiterate the same suggestions over and over again to different people. It got to the point where I felt inspired to write an article on the topic -- one that I could simply send to everyone en masse:
The article helped them a great deal, but here's what I don't understand: Why is it that so many people are clueless out there when it comes to polishing resumes, shining in interviews, etc.? Granted, I've had ample interview/job hunting experience, but it seems people just don't take the time to research the topic. And then they wonder why they aren't getting the jobs. It's not rocket science by any stretch.
Have you guys encountered the same?
I have. The thing is that I spend a lot of time reading about job hunting from articles and this forum. I retain the information that is useful to me, but the themes are mostly the same. Study, dress appropriately, show up on time, write cover letter/thank you note etc. I think that peopl just haven't had formal training in the process and all they know is what got them the last job, which was probably before this whole recession and the new employer BS. So before sending your resume, showing up to the interview knowing nothing about the company was OK, it is not OK anymore and some people fail to see that. Also, the way to get a job changes just like everything else changes, if you don't do what's "hip" today, you won't get the call and not all people realize that simply due to ignorance.
Here's a perfect example - my friend came home and told me, "Do you know that places expect you to show up with a resume in hand now?"
Umm yeah hasn't it been like that for quite awhile? Another great observation he had was saying that he should buy a pair of good shoes and dress pants for when he goes into stores asking if they are hiring.
Yeah people ask me for advice, since being laid off about every 5 years or so I am fairly good at interviews and write a really good resume... thing is, they ask, but never implement my advice. I follow up later asking them about their job search. They rarely have done anything I recommended to them. (headslap). OR I sometimes still get temp agencies sending me jobs opps, I forward these. Sometimes these people dont even open up the emails for a couple weeks. Now if you are only checking your emails every 2 weeks and you are giving your email out as a contact in your jobsearch - there is something wrong there...
Actually the best advice I got was from an unemployment group I would go to - the latter day saints in our area run a help clinic for the unemployed where they teach you interview skills, you do mock interviews, make up mock resumes, they even video taped my interview and had everyone critique everyone else. learned about the "elevator speech"... MOST helpful. I recommend seeing if the LDS in your area does this.
Yeah people ask me for advice, since being laid off about every 5 years or so I am fairly good at interviews and write a really good resume... thing is, they ask, but never implement my advice. I follow up later asking them about their job search. They rarely have done anything I recommended to them. (headslap). OR I sometimes still get temp agencies sending me jobs opps, I forward these. Sometimes these people dont even open up the emails for a couple weeks. Now if you are only checking your emails every 2 weeks and you are giving your email out as a contact in your jobsearch - there is something wrong there...
Actually the best advice I got was from an unemployment group I would go to - the latter day saints in our area run a help clinic for the unemployed where they teach you interview skills, you do mock interviews, make up mock resumes, they even video taped my interview and had everyone critique everyone else. learned about the "elevator speech"... MOST helpful. I recommend seeing if the LDS in your area does this.
That does seem like great advice. I took some classes at the workforce connection office regarding networking, resume, interview advice even mock interviews and they did help me. I also try to go on as many interviews as possible even if the jobs aren't a "dream" job in my opinion I need as much interview experience as I can get and you never know what will happen.
You can have the best job hunting and interviewing skills in the world. I've already tried every single tip in that article and more to no avail.
But when when there are way more people who want jobs than there are jobs and employers feel entitled to have an employee with specific skill/personality sets, it all comes down to luck of the draw and connections while everything else is irrelevant. Consider too that every HR Rep/Hiring Manager has different ways of seeing things, different tastes and different expectations. If you put 10 of them in a room and ask them individually what do they look for in a great candidate, they'll all have different answers. Some see your strides to land the job as taking great initiative, others see it as harassment/stalking/circumventing the process. There is no cut and dry way of approaching them.
The most helpful tip in that entire article was probably #3. It is indeed a numbers games, along with what I stated in the last paragraph. Just like with the lottery, the more combinations you play the greater your odds will be to win the jackpot.
I'm not sure why people (mostly who have jobs) fail to understand that. Maybe a reality check is in order?
Last edited by 313Weather; 08-29-2012 at 08:53 PM..
Yeah, don't always blame the person who is being interviewed - I have been on interviews with people that had NO business interviewing anyone seriously bad, rude, no clue at all. Glad I didn't get those jobs!!
Well, you can study all the tips and lessons in the world regarding interviewing ~ none of them hurts. But don't allow it to make you appear what you are not.
When I was competing for a job many years ago the typical dress for an interview was lots of black, usually with a blazer, and hair tied back. The idea was to impart a polished, "professional" demeanor. Fine and good ~ if you plan to more-or-less dress that way on the job. I didn't do that. I usually wore a blazer, or a suit, but with lots of color, and always with my hair down. Because that is what they would get if they hired me (and, yes, I wore an orchid-colored suit for the good job I ended up with).
There are bad interviewers out there, too, though. It was 22 years ago when I was last active in the job search market, and I still remember some of those interviewers like it was yesterday. Painful.
I think two important things to keep in mind when interviewing:
1. Project confidence. It's OK to be nervous, but one must do his or her best to remain composed. No one wants to hire someone on the verge of a nervous meltdown.
2. KNOW about the company. Nothing turns an interviewer off more than someone who is ill-prepared for an interview (a.k.a. the person didn't do his or her homework)
I took it upon myself to figure out what I need to do in an interview to land a job. I thank god for those people though, because it means I have less competition
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seriously bad, rude, no clue at all. Glad I didn't get those jobs!!
