One of the main reasons I left corporate recruiting was so that I could share insights to empower job seekers. Every time I extended an offer, there was so much left unsaid, but I had to bite my tongue. For example, telling them to simply ask for $5,000 more on their salary because I knew the hiring manager would go that high — ah, but only if they asked.
Now that I’m no longer in that position, I’m excited to be able to share that information. So, here are answers to two burning questions I was recently asked, and that I’m sure many of you will ask at least once in your career.
[See: 8 Things That Are More Productive Than Staring at a Job Board.]
After rounds of great interviews, why didn’t I get the job — or a formal rejection?
A candidate was so excited for her potential job in communications! She took valuable time off work more than once to interview, got her hopes up and just like that, her hopes were dashed. It was the one that got away.
Here’s the thing: When it’s the one, it becomes your one and only. And yes, it’s completely normal to get your hopes up and get excited, especially as you get closer and closer to receiving an offer. That’s all the more reason why you need to actively interview and network even more than before!
You have the momentum and power as a job seeker to pursue many quality jobs at once. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate. Think: Employers don’t just interview one candidate; they interview as many qualified candidates as possible. You should do the same.
That said, there could be a variety of reasons why you didn’t get the job. And when you ask for feedback, many times employers won’t reveal the reality because it puts them at a liability risk. Yes, maybe there was something you said that the interviewer took the wrong way and yes, it’s good to be self-critical so you can improve for the next employer.
But don’t dwell too much on closed doors, either. Oftentimes, I interviewed stellar candidates and despite acing interviews, they still didn’t get the job. In some instances, finance pushed back wondering who approved the job opening when it should have been stagnant until the new fiscal year. In other instances, internal candidates were also interviewing, but the hiring management didn’t bring HR into the loop until after they’d made their own interviewing schedules, too. In other instances, jobs get combined and hiring needs change.
[See: The 10 Most Common Interview Questions.]
Again, these are all external reasons unrelated to whether or not you’re an outstanding candidate. So, the next time you don’t get a coveted job offer, remember the importance of keeping number one in mind. Continue to interview at multiple places, seek ways to continually improve your interview skill set (like articulating your strengths and why you’re an asset) and most importantly, don’t focus too much on closed doors that are outside of your control. Instead, focus on what you can control: your endeavors to land a new job.
Many times, when people were initially bummed out that they didn’t get an offer for their dream job, the job they did end up accepting was much better than that original anyway.
Is it age discrimination? I’m 60 and no one is calling me back.
Not necessarily. A job seeker is 60, and no one is calling her back about her applications. “Ugh” is my response. Yes, it can be frustrating if you’re not hearing back and starting to wonder if employers are looking solely at your age. But going down that mental path won’t help you get a new job. You can, however, do a few things.
First, make sure you’re up to date on all the relevant techniques and technologies the job lists as requirements. Whether you’ve never used a certain tool before or feel like you need to brush up on your skills, there are online courses you can easily take for a refresher. Or, if there’s a relatively new certification to the industry, you should try to get it — regardless of your age, this gives candidates a competitive advantage. And it shows that you’re aware of the evolving needs of the industry and adapting, proactively.
When it comes to your past experience, be sure to highlight all of your accomplishments — by their significance, not when you achieved them. When I was a recruiter, I always wanted job seekers who had extensive experience — this is undoubtedly an asset to organizations. So if you have a functional resume, list it by skills and roles, not a timeline. (But be sure to list the dates in this case — it would be a red flag otherwise). But if you have a chronological resume, start deleting some of the oldest employers and instead highlight the accomplishments up front.
[See: 25 Awesome Business Jobs for 2016.]
To give an example: Three years ago I interviewed a woman who was likely in her 60s, and her resume started with experience from 1994. She didn’t include the graduation year on her resume and when we met she indicated that she studied homemaking topics. She did a lot of the right things when it came to her resume, helping get past the first round gatekeeper (me). However, she didn’t get the job in the end because her technical and soft skills seemed a bit stale. It takes great experience as well as proven, continued investment in yourself and your industry to succeed — no matter how old you are.
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Answers to Your Burning Questions for a Recruiter — From a Former Recruiter originally appeared on usnews.com
