Two Common Questions I’m Asked
I write a weekly column for the Orange County Register newspaper. Many of the questions readers ask are ones I’m asked on a regular basis, so I thought it might be helpful to post the questions and answers on the blog. You are welcome to comment, disagree, add to the discussion, ask your own questions or add your suggestions. Keep in mind that the reason to do this is to be helpful to others.
Question: I’m getting job interviews but not receiving offers. Is there anything I can do to change that?
I assume from your question that the interviews are with companies, as opposed to recruiters, and that they are in-person rather than phone interviews. In addition, the company has seen your resume prior to interviewing you. This means that your resume is working. Companies, maybe even recruiters, like your background, experience and skills enough to want to meet you. So I wouldn’t change a resume that is working. The problem then is most likely your interviewing skills.
My guess is that you have not done enough preparation in this area. When I coach executives with this issue, the first place we start is by videoing the person while I interview them. I suggest you try this. People are amazed how different they look on video from how they perceive themselves. For example, some studies indicate that as much as 70% of communication is nonverbal, i.e. body language. When you review the video what is your body language saying? How are you sitting in the chair? I know candidates always think they are looking the interviewer in the eyes when answering, however, often the video reveals something different. You will hear exactly how you communicate in your own words. How often do you use the word “like” or “UH” to connect sentences? Do you actually answer the question asked or the one you want to answer? Seeing yourself in an interview may solve your issues.
Question: Should I reply to job ads that don’t identify the employer? Do recruiters post ads for non-existent jobs to solicit resumes?
If you are unemployed you should respond to all job ads for which you are qualified. It shouldn’t matter if the employer is identified. However, if you are working caution is required. Many employers don’t want to be identified when posting ads for a variety of reasons. The company may not want people just showing up in the lobby to apply. Others prefer not to let their competitors know they are looking to hire someone or the position may be confidential and the company doesn’t want their employees to know. I wouldn’t let this discourage you from responding if you are unemployed.
It is very likely that recruiters do place ads for non-existent jobs. On the surface this sounds like a bad thing, but it actually is a good thing for people actively looking for position. When a company contacts a recruiter with an opening, the recruiter may have only a few minutes or hours to submit your resume before the company selects the ones they want to interview. If your resume is already in the recruiter’s system they can do this. It may take days to write the ad, post the ad, you read and reply to the ad, and then the recruiter screen your resume. By this time the company may already have a short list of candidates and you missed out. Recruiters that recruit in a specific functional area know they need to have an inventory of talent at the ready. Being able to present your resume within minutes of a client’s request is a good thing for candidates.
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If this was helpful, then please help others by forwarding it on to your network, posting it on your Facebook page, Tweeting with the link, posting to your Linkedin groups or status update. Let’s all do everything we can to help those looking for employment.
I welcome your comments.
Job Search Mistakes | bradremillard January 24, 2011
About the Author
Brad Remillard is a founding Partner of IMPACT Hiring Solutions, co-author of "You're NOT the Person I Hired", and "This is NOT the Position I Accepted". Brad is an award-winning international speaker, retained executive recruiter, and expert on hiring and retaining top talent, and executive job search.
