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One thing that irritates me about many of the interviews I have went on the past 15 months, is the interviewers very rarely, if ever, ask me questions about MY qualifications as they pertain to the job description.
For example, this last interview was for a Customer Service position. They wanted someone who was familiar with SAP, had Excel and Word experience, had a manufacturing background, experience with a commercial sales team, the ability to work with external customers, exceptional multi tasker and organizational ability, plus they preferred someone with a 2 year degree (Associate degree). Great. I am actually a great fit for the position, I had all the experience they were looking for, AND I have an Associate degree, a Bachelor degree and a Paralegal certificate.
However at the interview, the HR Manager never specifically asked me about my customer service experience. She was more concerned with "my greatest weakness" and "my greatest strength." That's fine to ask those questions, but she NEVER asked about my past customer service experience. I tried to shoe horn in my past extensive customer service experience in our conversation, but I got the "feeling" she wasn't really interested and she was more concerned with the fact that for the past 10 years, I don't stay at jobs longer than 2 years, HOWEVER I did stress that I had a job in the 1990's (for a wholesale printer) that I stayed at for 7 years and it was there that I learned customer service with over 300 accounts.
She didn't seem that interested. But I can't blame her, because she is just HR, and she shouldn't have to know every job duty required for the job they were interviewing for. I guess that is the hiring manager's duty.
Again, however, the Hiring Manager didn't seem too interested in my varied and extensive customer service experience. I tried to shoe horn my experience in the conversation, but he didn't seem to interested either. He did say one positive thing, my database experience is a "plus" for the position.
I don't know, it seems for 80% of my interviews, the interviewers, be they HR or Hiring Managers, very rarely ask about my qualifications and skills as it pertains to the job I am interviewing for. Maybe that is why I keep getting rejections that say "you are not the right fit." Interviewers and companies these days are looking for people who will socially fit in with the corporate culture/other employees, and skills and education are secondary. That sucks. I am not a people person so I suck at BSing with interviewers. At interviews I am quiet (not a chit chatter) and I am honest with regard to my experience. I guess that is a turn off.
I received my rejection email from my interview on Monday. That was quick, she must have really not liked me.
Here is what she said:
While you were a good candidate, we are currently pursuing other applicants whose background more closely fit the requirements of our position. We will retain your resume on file for 1 year should another opening become available.
Told ya. I am never the right FIT. FIT FIT FIT FIT FIT.
Yeah, in one year I will be under the bridge, good luck finding me should another opening become available where I may be the right right FIT FIT FIT FIT FIT FIT.
If I hear the word FIT one more time...I swear...
HR people can't you come up with a better term? FIT is passe and overused.
They say the unemployment is low, but don't let that fool you. I know lots of people who can't find work in Denver. I spent 3 years looking in Denver and never got hired, also have a BS degree (two actually), and never applied for a job I didn't qualify for. There are a ton of people moving into the front range and they all want work. Front range has always had this situation, too many people, low wages and now, high housing costs to go with it.
I agree. Unemployment is low, but I have been looking for a job for 15 months and nothing. I feel for you, I have a B.A., A.A.S, and Paralegal certificate. None of my degrees matter one iota. Nada. When I bring them up in interviews (even interviews which require a 2 yr or 4 yr degree), the interviewers look at me like I have four heads.
Huh? You have a degree? I don't care about that. Poo, poo, go away you unemployed loser. You are not the right FIT for our lovely place of employment.
Like you, I have never applied for a job I wasn't qualified or couldn't do. I guess there are certain people who are unemployable. I am one of them. I am not the right FIT FIT FIT IT FIT FIT FIT FIT FIT.
Is FIT a code word for you are grey haired and old? I kinda think it is.
It is giving me FITS!
I see why people resort to crime. Time to start my own "business" and scam people out of millions of dollars. I kid you not. Just like the people on the TV show "American Greed." Seemingly the universe doesn't want me to make an honest living. Gotta survive somehow.
HR people can't you come up with a better term? FIT is passe and overused.
But HR is passe and overused. Next interview, ask the people at the end if they are more interested in "fit" or "function." Fit is personality and who do I like. Function is someone who can actually do the job. Make sure they answer the question - fit, or function.
But HR is passe and overused. Next interview, ask the people at the end if they are more interested in "fit" or "function." Fit is personality and who do I like. Function is someone who can actually do the job. Make sure they answer the question - fit, or function.
Good advice.
Btw, what irked me at the interview was the female HR Manager was wearing flip flops. I kid you not. FLIP FLOPS! She wasn't young, probably in her late 40's. Here I am wearing my black suit and closed toed polished shoes and she comes out wearing flip flops. Maybe she noticed my eyes going straight to her flip flops. Very unprofessional.
I swear someday I am going to go to an interview in my pajamas. Why not?
Oh, and next interview when they ask me what is your greatest weakness, I am going to lie and say I have no weakness. When they ask me what is my greatest strength I will say "that I have no weaknesses." I don't care if it sounds sarcastic, because it is. Regardless of what I wear, what I say, and what I do at an interview; I will never be the right FIT.
Ain't *that* the truth. Nature of human beings, I guess. In fact when I was having the "job" conversation with my brother, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, my mom and a few other people at the table were snickering and rolling their eyes. I can guarantee you they were snickering and rolling their eyes at ME (unemployed loser) and not at my brother (employed winner). Whatever.
My family expects you to do everything on your own, with NO help from anyone. You must act alone to be empowered, doncha know. The universe will see how hard you struggled and failed all on your own and it will give you a gold star to put on your tombstone that no one will put up or ever visit.
My family is like that too. My family even turned my daughter against me behind my back teaching her that I was a loser and that I could "get a job if I wanted to" and how her mother was "lazy." When they started telling her that I was in college full time and doing online sales to help support us. I even was doing shipping while recovering from major surgery (hysterectomy). I couldn't take time off for even that because I was a single mother and I may have been getting subsidized housing at the time, but everything else was being paid for by me. I was constantly ill and having to physically do things. I couldn't take much of a breather at all for my illnesses. Why? The same daughter that was seeing me as a loser was relying on me 100% to take care of her. My family sure wasn't doing anything for her. I didn't even know why she was withdrawing from me until it was too late. Now she's going on 21 and alienated from me. And my body is completely worn out from not being able to rest when I needed it. I have auto immune disease and the more stress I'm under the worse it gets.
My father went and called a hotline and individually reported every single person he knew on disability. Every one of them has major health problems of some kind. All of us were deemed unqualified for disability. In my case they said I hadn't improved health wise and couldn't name a job I could actually physically do, but they said I could "adapt" and find something anyway. Yes, because I wasn't able to pull off light work to the satisfaction of others so I can somehow adapt to something even more rigorous? Makes sense to some people I guess. My dad told me life was hard and if I didn't like it to put a gun in my mouth and pull the trigger. He's always been like that towards me. He's quite pleased that he was able to get all these people with medical problems booted off disability. If you don't live exactly as he wants all the time he takes action against you. The whole family sucks the life out of you like that. The family is so toxic I end up wanting to avoid them. My daughter ended up treating me as bad as the rest of them sometimes.
My dad will call me up and ask if I got a job yet and then go on about how there's no excuse for me not to be working. He'll go on about all the fast food places with signs up. When I've said I already applied at these places he goes on it's no wonder they weren't impressed with you with your degrees and all you're applying for is minimum wage jobs. Talking out both sides of his mouth. Then he'll go on that you can't wait for an employer to hire you that you have to go out and get the job. What? So, I'm supposed to just show up and start working somewhere for free? Yeah, because people want to do that every day.
My dad will call me up and ask if I got a job yet and then go on about how there's no excuse for me not to be working. He'll go on about all the fast food places with signs up. When I've said I already applied at these places he goes on it's no wonder they weren't impressed with you with your degrees and all you're applying for is minimum wage jobs. Talking out both sides of his mouth. Then he'll go on that you can't wait for an employer to hire you that you have to go out and get the job. What? So, I'm supposed to just show up and start working somewhere for free? Yeah, because people want to do that every day.
Sorry to hear about your family and job situation. People who don't come from such families have no idea what we are talking about. I laughed when your dad said:
"you can't wait for an employer to hire you, you have to go out and get the job."
Yeah, that's how it works. At my last interview (where I was rejected once again for not being the right FIT FIT FIT FIT), I should have just pushed the two interviewers aside and sailed into my cubicle saying "this is my job now! I can't wait for you two wishy washy mamby pambies to hire me. I am taking this job. It is mine!"
How do you think that would have worked out?
Probably would have been kind of funny, although I wouldn't be typing this as I would be sitting in jail right now.
Even if you wanted to work for free to show you are a go-getter, most workplaces will not allow *that.* Maybe if you are 19 years old and can get a college intern job, they might "let" you work for free. I suppose you could volunteer somewhere, that is "working for free." Most volunteer positions do not end up as paying jobs. Whatever, the Universe keeps moving the goal posts. The football game is not fun anymore.
My brother-in-law is entering his 6 month of unemployment and it's tough in Denver despite what the numbers may show.
It truly is all about who you know. So many jobs in his industry (IT) that are posted already have an internal candidate but for legal purposes they must list the job and accept applications. To me this is one of the cruelest practices, raising people's hopes when there isn't even a job. He is at a director level so that also makes finding a position even more difficult. Unemployment numbers don't tell the stories of older candidates who are still searching for months.
My brother-in-law is entering his 6 month of unemployment and it's tough in Denver despite what the numbers may show.
It truly is all about who you know.
I'm often reminded of that New Yorker cartoon with two bums walking through a park, the caption being "it's all about who you know...and who do I know? You!"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coloradomom22
So many jobs in his industry (IT) that are posted already have an internal candidate but for legal purposes they must list the job and accept applications. To me this is one of the cruelest practices, raising people's hopes when there isn't even a job.
Yeah, that sucks, but that's government jobs -- private sector doesn't care about such formalities. With government jobs, though, they gotta make a show of not being corrupt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coloradomom22
He is at a director level so that also makes finding a position even more difficult. Unemployment numbers don't tell the stories of older candidates who are still searching for months.
Huh? Sounds like he's an executive -- usually those folks are recruited, contacted; they don't go around applying for jobs themselves...or is "director" just middle management in this case??
So, so. I interviewed with the HR Manager (a woman) for 30 minutes, then I interviewed with the Hiring Manager (a man) for 30 minutes. I think both were around my age (late 40's early 50's). I don't think the HR Manager was too keen on me. Oh well. Can't win them all.
Supposedly the HR Manager is going to call me later this week for an update, but since she didn't ask me to fill out an application and she didn't ask for my references, and the job is still posted on Indeed; I doubt I am a final candidate, and I doubt she will get back to me. I just chalk it up to interview 29, one more interview to go to hit my 30 interview goal. I applied to three more jobs today, 60 more job applications to go to hit my 300 job application goal. After my 300th job application and 30th interview, if I don't get a job, I will probably just give up. I gave it the old college try.
That's not necessarily true, peebola! Lots of times the job is still out there in cyberspace because the company has ran it for a certain amount of time. And most of the time, I'm not asked to fill out an application on the initial interview either, if it hasn't already been done online. As far as references go, they generally ask me for those when an offer is about to be made.
Edited: Oops, I see you didn't get the job, so sorry!
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