20 Sep Why am I Not Getting Hired?
Do you feel as if you’ve applied for many jobs and aren’t getting any responses? Or, perhaps you’ve had many interviews and the hiring manager doesn’t call you back? I’m sure many of us have been in an interview where we thought we were great. Then, you hear that they’ve decided to go with another candidate instead. Or, worse, you hear nothing. Your disappointment sinks in heavy as you think of how well you’ve prepared for this interview. But, take a moment to think to yourself, “Did I prepare enough? Did I prepare the right way?”
As an Operations Manager who interviews a large number of candidates on a weekly basis, I’ve experienced good and not so good interviews. I can usually determine if I’m going to like the candidate within seconds. There are many factors that go into nailing an interview. I can share with you what I observe as red flags so you know what to avoid or what to work on before your next interview.
Take a good look at your resume. This is usually the first item hiring managers see before even speaking to you. You want to be sure that the resume is organized and concise. If your resume looks messy, no one will want to read it. If it’s too long, the reader will get bored. Be sure that you don’t have long-run sentences. List bullet points that are direct and make sense. If your resume is too long, take out all the unrelated information. Also be sure that your resume mentions the experience that the hiring manager will be looking for.
If you’ve been scheduled for an interview, think of what you’ll need to do to prepare for it. Your appearance is extremely important. Do your research on the company. What is the culture like? What would a current employee wear? You want to look the part. You want to look like you’re already working for the company. Be sure to look groomed and poised. Please don’t walk into your interview with wet hair or wrinkled clothing. You want to look professional and come off as if you care about your appearance.
During the interview, you want to be easy to talk to. The interviewer wants to enjoy speaking with you, trust me. They’ve been speaking to candidates all week. Be friendly and be sure to listen. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You have to find the balance between knowing how to sell yourself and show how valuable you are. But, you also don’t want to come off as arrogant or cocky. Show them that you can bring value to the company while also showing your hunger in being a part of the company. I’ve interviewed candidates who weren’t friendly at all and actually seemed quite bothered that I was speaking to them. Meanwhile, they were the ones who applied for the position.
After reading all this, you might feel some pressure to be a good candidate. That can cause some anxiety. Achieving this goal involves some soul searching. You want to have a good awareness of who you are and how you come across. Speaking to a therapist that can help guide you through finding what you want to in life and what’s holding you back in meeting your goals. We have therapists on our team that can provide you with the skills to achieve that. If you ever have questions about what to look for in a therapist, please take a look at Patricia Haddon’s blog, What to Look for in a Therapist. Some therapists are great at providing clients with the coaching needed to achieve their goals.