Tap into the 40% of jobs that are never advertised
This month we are helping introverts with their job hunting. Please leave a questions about getting interviews or a comment relating to getting interviews. I will be giving away some freebies to some of the people that comment, so it’s worth your while. I will also try and answer your questions.
I reply to most questions personally by email, rather than by responding to comments, so get your questions in.
Thanks
Martin
Hi,
I received a spookily accurate personality profile from you a few weeks ago, and am extremely interested in your personality profile cert.
Julie
Hello Martin,
I really appreciate the effort you are putting in to try and make a difference, believe me it is appreciated. Too many times I have sent off a resume knowing that I was a good fit, and nothing , it has gone into the proverbial black hole which seems to be many recruiters … I once worked for a short period in recruiting, and with this particular company (I know it is not the norm ?) it was all about closing and getting someone in … it didn’t matter one thing if they were a good fit from a skills, knowledge let alone a cultural fit
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Hi Martin,
Thank you for your insightful report.You have managed to highlight what I doubted were my strengths and weaknesses.It makes a world of difference when one hears it from someone else.Had it not been for the free preview I wouldn’t have visited the website but I sure will recommend it to others who want a full report.
Thanks and regards
Priyanka
A few of your questions became even rather than polar, I felt in answering I was restricting the scope of my personality. having said that I also acknowledge you quickly nailed some core truths.
Yes, some of the questions can be very tricky. Which ones depends upon your personality. Glad you liked the result however.
This report has been scarily accurate on my personality and has really highlighted aspects that I wouldn’t have even thought of mentioning or considering. I have found the report really helpful and motivating. I think your point of matching one’s personality to a working environment as opposed to attempting to change your personality to suit a job is so incredibly important! I think that this is where I have been going wrong for years! This has definitely motivated me to be more specific in my job search and not to just accept the first thing that comes along (which has been so tempting recently!).
Thank-you so much for this test/report – hopefully I will soon find a role that I am better suited to and can be happy in so I can get out of my current job, which definitely does not suit my personality!
Hi Martin
I want to secure a job with international organizations like the various High Commissions we have. How do i go about it and what should I say in my cv? I have really longed to work for such organizations to help with learning how cross cultural organizations work. I love diversity and really want this job
Hi Martin,
I really like your videos but i find it very hard to hear you speaking! Can’t tell if its got to do with the slow internet speed here in Ghana. I really wish we can have a written copy of what you discuss in your videos. Especially the 3 mistakes introverts make. I am sure i am making them because i haven’t been successfull in getting a job. I am currently pursuing a PhD and i must at least get a part time job. I am so scared i will not get any. I am eager to know what i may be doing wrong. Thank you.
Feds, I hear you. A few people have asked for a written version so as they can read it at work. I’m working on this and will get something out shortly. Thanks for the prompt.
Hello Martin,
I have an introvert personality but this is complicated by the fact that I have Aspergers. I’m a walking mix of contradictions and frankly its hard for me to envisage that ideal job/career because of the limitations I have surrounding the “theory of mind”. Therefore anything that helps my ability to understand the workings of this process would be useful. Have you any experience of Aspergers?
John, thanks for sharing. Yes I have some experience of aspergers. There are some more comments in this blog from people with aspergers too.
My advice remains the same, though it’s even more important that you use an alternative to traditional job hunting techniques.
Traditional job hunting is biased against introverts.
Hi Martin,
Here is my case – see if you can crack it…
So far I have been quite fortunate to be able to shape my career into something I like. This is especially true for the past 7 years where I have shifted progressively job within the same company.
Still, I am always looking for opportunities, and I have several job alerts automatons to let me know when there is something interesting out there.
Now the thing is that while I make a point only to apply when I consider my profile match at 100%.
When I show my CV & cover letter to friends & colleagues, they all say they look great (some even ask me if they could copy).
Yet, in the past 5 years, I have never been able to secure any interview !!
What am I doing wrong?
Looking forward to receiving your expert insight.
Regards,
Eric
Here’s something you can try. How would you go about job hunting if you couldn’t use a CV?
People get very consumed by their cv. There is more to job hunting than the cv. Go beyond it. Do away with it and get creative.
Hi,
I have been unemployed for a year now since my redundancy (& 28 years in one job!). I have had a few interviews but the jobs always go to ‘someone with more relevant experience’. How can I sell myself better? I am an introvert and find interviews extremely challenging. I particularly find the ‘scenario’ questions hard.
Thanks.
Christine, this is a very common scenario but there are steps you can take. You need training on interview technique. You can’t expect it to just happen. You can learn how to take control of the interview and not simply be at it’s mercy.
I can definitely see where you are coming from with the introvert psychology.
However agree with a lot of the other comments regarding ageism (over 50) but want to continue working for the forseeable future. Have tried re-training for a small part-time role in an environment small friendly (complete opposite to my previous jobs – where I do not think my abilities were recognised (seen as mediocre) and I wasn’t in tune with the company/departments) and in a new field. However qualifications will not replace the fact that I have no relevant work experience – just transferable skills and know that I could do the job and would be happy doing it. I do voluntary work but need help to get a foot back in a new door. Everyone is different at different ages I have a strong work ethic and can’t image not getting work but in the current climate I am at a loss – do not know what else to do to get back in there…….. and enjoy work
I’m an experienced teacher, but I left a permanent position for supply work a few years ago – in order to get experience in more different schools. Since then I’ve decided to go back into a permanent teaching role. I’ve applied for loads & I tend to get offered interviews as I’m quite able to write well about my experience on the application forms…The problem is in the interviews!!! Teachers usually have to teach a 1/2 hour-3/4 hour lesson in front of at least 2 senior staff members, followed immediately by an hours interview in front of up to 5 senior staff/ governors. I just find the whole process way too stressful & doubt I will ever land another job this way as I have been trying for over a year & got nothing yet…
All the long-term jobs I have had, resulted in me working at the school first – so they knew me already & weren’t put off by my nerves. Feedback from interviews I’ve messed up all say the same thing – someone else interviewed better/ were more confident etc, etc.
Teaching has never been a dream job (way too much government intervention for that) but I do enjoy it. I just despair of ever getting back into a proper job!!
Really interesting – I have found myself saying that I need to feel the right ‘vibe’ for the people and the place of late so it’s great to hear that I am beginning to realise that I need to look at how the job/people/place match me .. as well as how I match the job. Thanks for this and look forward to more.
Hi, I am a physical therapist but I am more interested in sales or marketing kind of career!
Can you help me with possible few careers in sales or healthcare marketing?
It would be great help!
Hi, I send of around 15 – 20 applications a week and the number of interviews I get are minuscule by comparison.
Why do you think this is and how can I get more interviews?
Hello Martin
I am more aware now that making a career change is extremely difficult.
Whether I am sending my CV or completing a structured company application form, the agency or the employer are looking for experience directly linked with the job that is advertised and not skills that can be transferred from one career into another.
Your course teaches me that you should be looking for a job that meets with your personality; this I believe is absolutely essential given that I have been doing a job for many years, and been extermely successful, but I have not enjoyed the job.
Structured application forms want to know your previous employment, however, on paper your previous employment appears to be nothing like, or remotely linked with the job that you are applying for; given this what chance does anyone have apart from luck.
Could there be a “happly pile” system developed for this problem?
Hi Bryan, We may have spoken on Live Chat already but let me make this a public point as everyone needs to know about this.
Changing careers is only a problem if you use the traditional job hunting approach; the one where you look up job ads and spam strangers with your CV. Traditional job search will not let you change careers. – - – -NEVER.
However if you use the 3 Step System then it’s not such a problem. A different approach will turn all those diverse skills to your advantage. I’ll show you how in the 3 Step System.
Please do not confuse responding job advert with career development. They are not the same thing.
Hi,
I received a spookily accurate personality profile from you a few weeks ago, and am extremely interested in your personality profile cert.
However, as you likely already know, I am a risk taker, with an imaginative approach, who is clearly projected to do well at whatever I focus upon.
You may have already suspected I have no cash in the bank, but am trustworthy enough to be taken a chance upon regarding payment.
So here is the proposition to you…You send me a personality cert, and I excell from a carreer launch from this, then I in return shall publicly sing the praises of how you helped me get that position, and hey, Your company has already attracted my attention, because of the scarily accurate insight you have already provided with the initial report you sent me
Thanks Julie. I will be giving away a few Personality Certificates to people who have left comments so you never know your luck. God loves a tryer
The orthodoxy I have heard re the current recession is that the only jobs people can realistically get are those identical to the last job they were doing, which in my case is a million miles from the dream jobs you keep talking about. Don’t you need to be more realistic in the current climate, and maybe come to some compromise between ideal jobs and realistic jobs?
Good point Stephen. My feeling is that you are either doing a job to pay the bills or you are working your dream job. There is no compromise. It’s OK to work a job to pay the bills providing you do not kid yourself on that this is what you want to do with your life.
I think people settle to quickly for less than they could achieve. If you know what it is you want to do with your life then do not waste a minute. Do not sell yourself short and do not try and convince yourself that the job you have is “good enough” or “realistic”. Do whatever it takes.
Work the crappy job to pay the bills but never take your eye off your goal.
It is a dream for everyone to be doing what they are best at, problems are a) what are they best at? b) how does what they are best at fit into their job specifications and c) what if the job environment is not the best and d) when is it a hand in glove situation, does it exist? Is there a place for a warm, senistive person in a cold and hard competitive type of environment? How can one tests solev all the intricacies and complexities of life and career. Can someone surprise me?
Thanks for sharing Margaret. What’s the alternative to doing what you best at? Doing something you are crap at and hate? I don’t see the sense in that.
The trouble starts at school, which is obsessed with creating rounded individuals with a range of skills. The world has no place for rounded individuals. it only wants specialists. It only want to deal with people who are the very best at what they do. These are the only people it rewards. The world doesn’t care that you have good average scores at all your subjects, it only cares that you are absolutely brilliant at the one thing it needs you to be brilliant at.
In answer to your other questions
a) Your first mission in life is to discover what you were simply born to do. This is Step 1 of the 3 Step System and your career can’t take another step till you figure this out. It’s usually to do with your personality.
b) You create your job specification. So it will fit
c) Create it
d) it will exist if you create it.
And yes there is plenty of opportunity for a warm sensitive person in this world, you just need to make sure you put yourself in that environment. Don’t try and hug roses as they are full of pricks.
Yes it’s complex but it can be done. Come to the Workshop if there are any places left and I will show you a ton of things to let you get ahead.
One comment: The certificate is a good idea, but if you are extremely successful everyone will do it and we are back to a level playing field (unless it is priced to be ‘exclusive’).
One question: How can I get agencies/recruiters to actually call back? Even if it’s bad news, the feedback is really important to fine tune interview skills. Agencies are actually getting worse than ever at this, and although I know perfectly well to follow up I believe the responsibility lies with them (they took the baton, so to speak).
Age may be against me but I have significant work and sales experience -37 years of it!
Good point Andy but then again if everyone got their CV properly designed then there would be no advantage to it either. However the reality is, most people can’t be arsed. Most people do not try hard enough. The people who make the effort and use tools like the Personality Certificate will always be in the minority. Good people are hard to find.
The Certificate will give you an edge for years to come.
I talk about agencies and ageism in other comments.
Hi Martin,
This is terrific.
What is the total cost of the personality certificate ie 4.70 pounds over how many months?
Regards
Nick
The price varies. This is a special one time only price for my special internal users list. All the up to date details are found on the site or in the emails I have sent to you.
As an old sailor of 73 I still get job offers due to my vast experience and ability to adapt.I have worked all over the globe with a whole host of cultures (earlier this year in the darkest Congo) and know many of the answers even before the question is asked.What will the personality certificate do for my profile?
Allen, You are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing.
Hi martin,
ive listened and read all the FREE stuff,im 18 but i really just dont know what i want to do, i previously thought i wanted to join the RAF but im constantly having second thoughts about this. I feel i need to find my calling in life and its just not happeneing, i dont want to be wasting my time with a job i dont enjoy. My friends and family are saying im aiming too high, but can you ever aim TOO high ?
Hi Paul, Thanks for the comment. Listen very carefully . . . . . .
. . . . . .”Don’t listen to the buggers. YOU CAN NEVER AIM TOO HIGH”
Don’t dare sell yourself short. Aim as high as you can conceive and be prepared to fall on your face a bunch of times. Nothing can be achieved without failure. Failure is the egg from which we make the omelette of life. If you aren’t failing regularly, then you aren’t aiming high enough or trying hard enough.
Paul you have to aim high. Everything else is a slow death. Whether you get there or not is irrelevant. it’s the journey, it’s the trying, it’s the shear damn pleasure of knowing you never settled and you raised the bar and you achieved more than you ever thought you could.
Hi Martin,
Great videos….& the personality certificate is an intriguing idea!
Can I play devil’s advocate and suggest that whilst grounded in spot on thinking, the values attached to the branding/design are key here…..this would give greater immediate value if it came from a widely recognised brand?! It can still link to your host site but credibility would undoubtedly be enhanced by the values that might come from a recognisable provider…..how do you plan to give this (greater) credibility?
THanks for the feedback. We continue to improve and work on the design and the service. This is version 1.1.
The Certificate is provided y PeopleMaps, the largest online provider of personality profiling for the last twelve years. People is used by companies such as HSBC and hundreds of others.
I’ve been applying for jobs ever since I finished school 3 years ago and have only managed to get about 5 interviews. The only work That I’ve done is voluntary work. It’s also really irritating when you submit a CV and dont even get a reply even when you are guaranteed one in an application. This has happened to me nearly every single time I’ve applied for a job.
Habiba, it’s shocking but true that applications rarely ever receive a response. it’s a reflection of the disgraceful state of the recruitment process and industry.
It’s good that you are doing volunteer work. You probably need to make more of this in your applications and interviews. I can show you how to do this.
Hi Martin,
Really interesting way of using your personality test in a new way with the certificate. Your tests were the first thing that attracted me to your website around 4 years ago. I’ve taken some personality tests from large providers and yours are as accurate as any others. In addition your results offer a certain take on my skills that I have not found elsewhere. It will be interesting to see if the certificate of skills with your company as third party validation will begin a new approach.
Thanks Coral, It’s nice to have people still with me after all these years.
Hi Martin,
I find that the video’s you do are very encouraging. I have registered with a personal agency & she telephoned me today asking me if I had been on any interviews. She also informed me that the job market is very quite. I went to an interview on 25th Aug. & got a letter from the company Friday last week stating I was unsucessful which was a disaappointment to me as I was made redundant from 15 June 2009 & am still looking for a job even after sending out plenty of cv’s. Maybe the problem is because I am over 50, the companies think that I am too old which is not true but I believe that it is more difficult for woman to get job interviews. Also, I am finding out that the positions a person applies for, the companies are not prepared to give them a chance or are prepared to assist them. For instance, I am a bookkeeper to T.B. but because I cannot get a job in my field, I am trying anything else e.g. Acc’s Assistant, Financial Assistant, Purchase Ledger Clerk etc, but am not having any luck at all which is very dishearting.
Hi Martin
I am properly going to be in simliar position as Joan in the not too distant future, the company I am currently working for is reviewing roles budgets etc and if mine is one that gets incorporated I will at over 50 back in the job market, having not been in this position for over 15 years I am totally out on a limb and my age will be very much against me, so looking for help sooner rather than later.
Hi Martin
I am finding it increasingly difficult to get any kind of feed back when making applications, so when I’m unsuccessful, its difficult to know why that has been. Do you have any advise or suggestions on getting feedback from unsuccessful applications?
Hello Martin,
I really appreciate the effort you are putting in to try and make a difference, believe me it is appreciated. Too many times I have sent off a resume knowing that I was a good fit, and nothing , it has gone into the proverbial black hole which seems to be many recruiters … I once worked for a short period in recruiting, and with this particular company (I know it is not the norm ?) it was all about closing and getting someone in … it didn’t matter one thing if they were a good fit from a skills, knowledge let alone a cultural fit .. To answer your question … Yes some recruiting companies do suck .. but many companies in many market sectors do, mainly because they do not know how to relate to people .. they distance themselves from their customers (their stakeholders, staff etc !!) calling them a id number, giving them a anonymous user name, calling them anything but a human being (or thinking of them as such) whatever, it takes to deipersonalises their connection to real people …it is all about distancing language … it is the basic reason why many organisational companies culture sucks … we need to find our a way to engage and value the customer, the employee, the stakeholder, until we do .. this is only going to get worse…
Anyway sorry Martin .. its something I am passionate about, I would really like the opportunity to try out this certificate of personality … as currently I am getting about one interview per 100 resumes .. so I guess its the average .. anything would be an improvement.
Thanks for the forum … regards
Hi, I thought your video was full of information and ideas for anyone seeking employment. It would certainly make my head turn if I saw one of the personality certificates attached to a cv and I would think it would do the same to employers. I find that when I go for interviews, which is not many lately, that employers ask the same question, which is “I see that you have been at your present employer for quite some time”. Perhaps if I had something else to offer them to catch their eye then the interview process would become more of a challenge to them as well to myself and to show that initiative was used in the job seeking process of who to approach for employment and who not to.
Hi Martin,
I have seen the video presentation of the ‘personality certificate’. Its such a wonderful idea to me and hopefully, it does the magic on potential employers.
However, I have got some few questions please. Namely;
(1) Does the personality certificate expires ?
(2) How much would it cost after the free trial ?
(3) Are there any demerits for using the personality certificate ? I know much have been said about the potential merits of using the certificate. I just wonder, if there is any known demerits associated with using this ?
Many thanks.
Hello Martin,
I am just updating my CV and found that your video was really helpful. I have just graduated from Winchester University and I am already struggling with finding a full time job. The personality certificate looks really good and feel this would benefit my CV. Is a personal profile/statement good to include in a CV? I was told by my personal tutor that employers do not like it but by others it is good to have.
I appreciate your help,
Amelia Dixon
Hey Martin
You have asked for a response to some specific q’s on job hunting and getting interviews. I have been seeking fresh employment for six months now. In answer to your specific questions, I can offer the following:
Getting an interview is difficult, despite my intro letter and CV being tailored specifically to the role advertised on each occasion. This takes time, is vital to any application, but cannot be ignored. Disappointingly, many, many applications do not get a response.
You have got to retain a belief that, if you do not prepare and apply as if you were the ONLY candidate, you have no chance of getting even a foot into the interview room.
The problem, in my opinion, is two-fold. Firstly, an advertisement will ‘warn’ you that ‘unsuccessful’ applicants will not get a response. With this in mind, do you avoid such companies because they expect thousands of applicants and just don’t have time to get past the first ten received? Do you avoid them because this method is seen as discourteous – after all, a simple email takes no time at all? What if YOU were the only suitable candidate, but YOU didn’t apply?
Secondly, companies who don’t indicate a ‘nil-response-if-unsuccessful’, often don’t respond? These companies potentially run the danger of upsetting future applicants (and possibly future star employees), as well as consumers of their products? Company images can be damaged when they have a poor regard for good recruitment practices.
Whe you are lucky enough to get an interview, you, as I have, will probably find the whole process has changed. More ‘first’ interviews are being completed by ‘first-line’ managers. As a skilled person, you may have to get past a person who is relatively unskilled at interviewing. Do your work related skills count then, or do you have to utilise a whole different set of interview skills? Have you ever attended an interview only to find that there are 2 more to go before a candidate appointment? I recently attended an interview – which I was told on the day, was superb, a match etc – only to then be told that I needed to attend another interview with a director and, if successful, would need to go on a one-day-work-placement, so that my future peers and line reports could assess my suitability!! I was then rejected by post.
On the subject of misleading job adverts I have found that salary bands are widening i.e 30k is now 28k to 32k dependant upon experience ( I know the 32k is real as I spoke to en employed contact who was doing the same job). Unsure how this will work in the days of equal pay etc. Maybe an egg that is going to take a while to hatch? Equally, I have found that a job advertised for 35k plus car, did not include the car after all!!
For all message boarders – I wish you well in your search and, remember, somewhere out there is an employer that really needs you! Good luck.
Hi Martin
Is it worth phoning up after sending a CV off and if so what to say to get the recruiter to put you in the happy pile (assuming we have followed your advice about CV’s and covering letter)
thanks
Really interesting to watch this video! I’ve been out of the workplace for a few years and now ready to go back to work as the cchildren are in school. I’m after any help I can get with my cv.
Thanks!!
Hi Matin,
Having been made redundant when the grant for the post I held was ceased I find myself sending cvs off to agencies and employers daily, I have not yet secured an interview. I worked in a specialised role (advisory and training) which no longer exists; and I am not convincing potential employers that my skills are transferable. I have now been unemployed for five months.Do you think that temporary roles that do not relate to either my past sector experience or lead towards new roles that may interest me (as they will not employ the skills I have) look better on a cv than a period of unemployment?
This Personality Certificate looks like a great idea for attracting recruiter attention in a sift and maybe getting them to read further. If personality is the differentiator and the certificate could summarise the aspects useful for the job in question you’d hope it would take you to interview stage. Worth a try anyway!
Dear Martin,
Although I fill the requirements of entry-level jobs, I do not get any response or the responses are negative, stating that my experience is not enough for the specific job. Why this happens when they ask for minimum experience?
Thanks a tone.
I have sent out nearly 5 hundred cvs and covering letters and have only managed to get 2 interviews. But I did not lie on my CV or during the interview. I just be honest with them because lying is not good and you could get caught any time.
your video was very amusing and informative. I think it is a good idea and it might just help some of us to secure our dream job.
Hi Martin,
Having watched the video a question that jumps out is what weight a prospective employer would place on a myers briggs profile? would the person carrying out the initial sift of applicants know what it is?
Hello Martin
I have been working my way through your course for one week; your teams overview of my personality was 90% accurate and your positioning of me on the people map was spot on target. I believe your team know my personality which is encoraging as I continue through the course.
I have been job searching for six weeks and I am generally having the same problem as your other members, passing through the recruitment agencies; this is where the majority of jobs that I have interested in are advertised. I remain optimistic that my CV will pass through some. I am looking forward to hearing about your alternative, later in the course and potentially becoming first in line with access to the 40% of the jobs that are never advertised.
I have not yet been invited to attend an interview at the time of writing but I remain optimistic and will continue with job searching and sending my CV.
I am 49 and have recently encountered the sudden career road block; I am looking to take a different road in my career and am looking forward to the challenge and change.
I don’t really have any interview questions at this stage, I am confident that your course will provide me with the appropriate guidance.
The report was accurate as to my personality, at a quick glance and explains why I react how I have reacted and how this is not always understood by others.
Martin
The previous entry by Peter Hartley sums up very concisely my perception of the prevailing situation [thank you, Peter; I feel that we are soul brothers!]. I am plummeting down the road to total despair at an increasing rate of knots…. where do I find the brake [or break]?
I have interfaced with many “name” corporations throughout the UK, and I am appalled at the apparent lack of “professional” standards exhibited by all levels of the work force; the words “total incompetence” spring to mind. I know that I can improve each and every one of these corporations, but cannot see a way of communicating this. Will a certificate help? Possibly.
I know that I’m exuding negativity, and this ads to the depression, because I still believe that I am an optimist with a lot of love to give. Where is the junction in my current path, Martin?
Hi Martin
I think this idea with the personality certificate is very useful since in the last time the last jobs I saw advertised specify personality requirements, too, although usually they are placed after qualifications requirements in the job advert. However, I do believe most of the time they play a significant role and I think this personality certificate might increase tremendously the chances to get a job if the candidate’s profile really matches the personality profile within the advert.
Best regards
Andreea
Should we telling the truth in the resume or during interview that we had resigned from previous company due to the company is not doing well due to poor management or really can not agree or accept with the management approach /style ???? If should not, what is the best thing we should say or do???
Hi Martin
I have just watched your video on how to get more interviews and I found it very interesting, an eye-opener and educational. If I was ever in that position again I would certainly try that option.
I previously worked in an organisation full-time for nearly 30 years before my position was made redundant in Oct 2009. I successfully found a new job in April 2010. I decided not to job hunt until the New Year in 2010. When I first started looking for a new job during that period I found going to interviews very stressful. The interview techniques had changed so much from when I first started working in the 1970s. I had 4 interviews before I landed my present job. I am age 54 now but there is definitely ageism going on out there! At my last interview I told the person who was interviewing me, that I felt I was not being given the chance because of my age. I don’t know how I got the job, but I do know, that I have been lucky and blessed to be given this chance and opportunity to start all over again. What I love about my new job is it is part-time and local. No more commuting to the West End!
Whilst reading the comments on your wall my heart goes out to all those who are still looking as I know it is tough out there especially for those who are over 50 onwards.
My advice is not to give up but to hang in there and I wish everyone good luck.
Hi Martin, I’m looking forward to more information on getting interviews as I get really frustrated by job ads that don’t really tell you very much about who employers are and what their real needs behind the role requirement are. This gets further compounded when you try to talk to some of the recruitment agents who either don’t understand the role or, worse still, their client.
Martin
I am 67 heading for 68, now the point is that I really feel in my prime so far as my career is cocerned, and I have enormous energy for serious commercial challenges in business.
Simply put I cannot retire, I don’t believe for one moment that I should do so, and in any case I don’t accept that anyone has an automatice right to the sate pension if they are fit enough to work. Those of course who are medically unfit should receive a larger share of the state pension pot.
My question is, should I do anything differently, or anything additionally in your programme to achieve interviews with prospective employers.
Often – especially through agents my age has to be declared in advance as covered by one of your sesssions.
I need to get back into the world of work – it is so frustrating.
300 CV’s per one interview – not good
Best wishes
Roy
Hi,
A lot of jobs are based around qualifications now. I left school at fifteen without formal qualifications and have always managed to obtain a job that was fairly responsible. However it seems to be getting more difficult to get beyond the application stage, even though I have completed some part time courses. Any tips on how to get round this as I am always upfront on the applications about not having A levels etc, but it does seem to be damaging my chances.
Hi Martin
There is no secret. There are jobs out there. For starter I have interviewed and recruited ten people so far this year. In my organisation, not all jobs get advertised internally or externally. How do you get these jobs? For my vacancies, I read the CVs and built a mental picture of who they are, looked for the industry experience, evidence of skills. But past the skills, it is down to personality: is the individual a team player, how would he/she fit with the rest of the team of organisation? The CV gets you the interview, personality get you the job. So I checked LinkedIn, weeding out the poor personality fit.
Put yourself in the job seeker seeker shoes and things look grim: three liners job description and five pages lingo bingo company websites. If only you could do what you are rather then be waht you do you will have no problem selling yourself.
If the prospective employer could know who you are would you have a better chance to get the interview and the job?
Hi Martin,
I was very disappointed in recruitment agents. I have sent about 100 CVs and have had some phone calls from them, but then I started to ask some questions about positions I usually did not get any answers. it is very difficult to send CV to someone who is not even competent enough and obviously can not judge correctly . I am elecrochemist, but I have 3 years gap of work. ( after I told them that usually they did not call back).
Hello Martin,
Are CVs screened by software looking for keywords and if so, what can we do about it as personality can’t be assessed by computer( or can it)?
Many thanks,
William
Dear Martin, Thank you for your e-mails. I have 2 questions. 1) Is it a good idea to apply for a position before it is actually formally advertised? I have been viewing a new company to my region who are currently building new premises. Their website says they will start recruitment in January 2012. Should I wait or send my CV now. I have been told by friends to send it in now but I am worried that if I do this the company will just put it somewhere, forget about it or disregard it. If I don’t get a response I won’t know what is going on and if/when I send in another one in January they might think seen this one already and bin it.
2) Is it a good idea to slightly embellish CV’s with decorative edging, different typefaces and colour to make certain areas stand out. Nothing too garish but reasonably subtle?
Hoping you can help. Best wishes Karen.
What I can see is also one of the biggest problems about actually getting an interview is the very basic thing of knowing what to actually do for a job. I have been struggling with this for years – it is not answered easily. I’m currently a supply teacher in primary schools with a real pull towards multimedia roles, especially anything video/photography related. However, I can’t seem to narrow things down enough to give a more wholesome picture of the direction I’m heading in. I will go for interviews semi-sure about the job but knowing there are elements that I like. The interviewers see through it with my experience so diverse I always end up back to square one – the age old ‘what should I do’.
What should I do to make sure I’m focusing my personality toward the correct interviews?
Hi Martin,
I am in the same position as a lot of your other members; over fifty and with loads of financial management, man-management and project managment experience but no-one seems interested in employing me. I am beginning to despair, so I really look forward to using the personality certificate. It looks like it could be just the thing to make my CV stand out from the others. As you have said before we have to get our CV past the ‘gatekeeper’, normally a junior with no real idea of the brief,so if your new idea can hold their attention long enough to get my CV on the happy pile then it will worth every penny!
My experience with job hunting has been difficult. I have sent out so many CVS without any feedback.I have only attended two interviews so far. My last interview went well but i didnt qualify for the job.When i tried to get feedback no one bothered to respond.My main problem is when i need to sell myself i think thats where i fail.I dont express myself well enough.The first interview(this was the second round for the oral interview) i attended earlier this year the interviewer told me i didn’t convince them enough. Kindly give me guidelines to help me succeed in the interview and also how to answer the questions such as “Why should we hire you?” and “Tell me about yourself?”
hi everyone I have worked in the heavy engineering sector for the past 30 years and it is still who you know rather than what you know. I know and have worked with people personally that have no qualifications and not much of an idea and they are looked after by someone in a higher position, usually their mate.
Hi,
what is best way to get past the agent and the company “door keepers” so you can speak directly to the hiring manager? then you can ask him what he is looking for and tailor your CV to demonstrate those requirements…
Paul.
Martin,
The most frustrating thing about trying to get a new job is that most jobs
are advertised by recruitment agents who have absolutely no clue whatsover.
- they are amateaurs, who even if they had the best candidate they would simply overlook
them as they follow strict hiring guidelines which is totally ridiculous.
Hi Martin,
really valuable information, thanks.
I think the certificate will certainly raise a few eyebrows, which is no bad thing. I agree completely it’s about standing out from the others and getting noticed.
My struggle is two-fold.
Firstly, the only time I hear back from agencies is usually to ‘sell’ me another type of job, not the job I enquired about and when I tell them that I want to pursue the role advertised, they acknowledge that, say they’ll call me with details in a day or so and I never hear from them again. This happens too regularly to be coincidence, in my opinion.
Secondly, I have been self-employed in sales for some years and for many good reasons, I want to be back in ‘corporate’ again. I have been told by an agency that virtually all employers will frown upon this (naming several reasons) and to prepare myself never to be shortlisted – “do you still want to send your CV over anyway?”…thanks, but no thanks.
Anyway, I think your advice is solid Martin and I’ve started to adjust my CV accordingly.
Thanks Martin,this is a good way of guiding the new professionals especially those of us who just left academic institutions.
Good work!
Hi Martin
I try to maintain a strict ‘process’ with my job hunts like little campaigns although it is hard to maintain the momentum and motivation every day when you are currently working and dealing with family, etc.
The main challenge I face are Agencies – staff who have no idea about roles or skill sets and are elusive, especially as soon as they get your CV; trying to find out some specifics of an organisation – who they are even! – to make the match better; trying to get feedback as to why I didn’t get an interview.
Out of between 20-25 submissions so far I had 1 interview – drove for 3.5 hours to find that there wasn’t actually a specific role – it was to be added to their ‘pool’ and that they were really after Technical Architects and was I one or did I know of any when I had actually applied for a Project Management role.
My current job was mis-sold to me as the job spec was written, I now know, by someone not directly in the company. I applied to the company web site advert for that. The interview went well and I was offered the role due to my previous experience. Unfortunately I don’t get to apply any of it as it doesn’t match what they actually want me to do…
Hey ho, onwards and upwards!
The process before you get to the interview is ruthless enough! Application forms that take about 3 years, verbal and numeracy reasoning tests before they even know your name…
I’ve applied for around 75 jobs and have had 2 interviews so far, with one job I still have two more interview stages to go through…terrifying stuff and I’m hoping your ‘free’ tool might be able to help me. Sounds interesting!
Hello Martin,
I have applied for at least 100 jobs and had 2 interviews. My problem is I have been a stay at home mum of 5 children for 25 years. I was employed in an accounts department, but was taught on the job and it was a manual accounts system. Now ready to return to work I have been updating my skills with computerised accounts courses and gained 2 First Class Passes, also passed the ECDL Extra course on Microsoft Office Packages. I have a functional CV to hide the lack of recent employment, but am aware employers know the functional CV is used for that very reason. In both interviews I have had they firstly get to the facts of how long ago I was last in work. This means revealing the fact of having 5 children, which I sense is off putting. I sort out feed back from both interviews. The first one said it was the employment gap. The second that the employment gap was an issue, but that I come across well and showed enthusiasm into returning to work. The negative was that I seemed apologetic about being a stay at home mum for so long and should be positive about it. I find it hard as to how to approach this as being open was off putting and trying to minimise talk of being at home with my children was seen as apologetic. Also most jobs go through agencies. As soon as I apply for jobs I receive a call from the agent wanting to know how long my employment gap is and I am automatically put on the ‘reject list’ for future applications too, so that my CV never gets forwarded to employers. Any tips on putting a positive light on being a stay at home mum for 25 years?
I look forward to your advice and finding out about your ‘free tool’.
Kind Regards
Mandi
I think that there are a hell of a lot of people going for jobs and so
you are up against many people with a lot of good experience and
qualifications.
I was made Redundant at age 58. The reasons were (a) a personality problem of one of the Directors and (b) a whole group of us were costing the company a fortune in their Pension Contributions (main reason).
Immediately after my Redundancy, I applied directly for sensible, realistically my field of work, jobs. I had 3 interviews. One was in the USA, where I was going to be the choice out of 2 contenders, then the US Company closed a plant down and so that went by the board. The second interview was with an American company in the UK, where the American Interviewer couldn’t believe that I wasn’t still ‘spying’ for my previous employer. The third interview was at the local University, where the two guys on the Panel clearly showed I was their choice, but the woman in charge wanted another woman for the job (and she made that clear). So, no job.
After travelling around for a spell, I set up my own Consultancy Companies. That worked, for a while, until 2008′s problems hit everyone.
Now, having posted my CV, I started to get numerous Agencies contact me, telling me that I was “Perfect” for their Client … and I was always declined, as being “Over Qualified” (read that as “Ageism”).
I plan to work until I am at least 75, as my expected Life Span is 95 – 100 (Family genes, and my own condition).
Now, I find that (a) I have to ‘dumb down’ my CV (writing sucessfull CVs for other people is part of one of my Consultancies) and (b) re-write my CV in an automatic CV capture tool that some Agencies use and (c) consider paying Recruitment Companies to be able to get access to the more suitable jobs.
I find that:
1. Agencies and HR Departments are Incompetent
2. Ageism rules
3. ‘Someone’ in the chain gets the Job Requirements wrong
Yet I am still able to re-organise other people’s ‘screw-ups’, innovate, and readily get access to UK Crown Ministers. I will be (by Invitation) on a Panel at DSEi 2011, discussing and promoting ways of dealing with IEDs. I have given a Presentation to the Royal Aeronautical Society on the Fundamental Problems of Interoperability of Military Systems on a Changing Battlefield.
I have created a completely new Business, from zero baseline, for a Farmer Client, sorting out his Accountant, the Agencies, and some of my Associates (who will work long and hard hours for me, because I do the same).
I contribute to a Business magazine. I have a large number of ‘Followers’ on LinkedIn, who respect my articles.
WHAT MORE DO I HAVE TO DO !!
I am 51 years of age and have been out of work for a year. During that time despite a professionally written CV… I have not had one single interview.
What can I do to change this situation?
I graduated with a degree in Estate management 7 years ago, but have since worked in FMCG rconsumer research all my career. Now, I’d like to change careers back into the Real estate world , but struggling to get interviews. What do you advise I do?
It is difficult to get interviews as the language of a CV is not always understood by the junior researchers. Interviews – well they vary – but I have only had one bad one ! What was bad ? The preliminary did not prepare me for the follow up – the chat was a full personality test. Lesson ask about the type of interview.
Hi Martin
Watched your video on the 5 Tips to getting an interview and found it simple, straighforward, deceptively obvious and therefore wholly appropriate and brilliant!
I screen job ads very closely and only apply for those I really want / can do, which means my application rate is not that high and I have had a number of interviews.
Not looking urgently at the moment, as I have a job which meets my needs, though I don’t enjoy it and find it very dull.
My main problems are;
I want to get back into private sector, but 8 years of working for the Government seems to put off private sector employers.
I have a degree in languages and experience of global sales and marketing, but am a single parent, so cannot really travel much or spend nights away from home.
I’m now 50 (Though a young and active 50!) and this can be an issue for some employers and I have reached that stage where I want a good work / life balance.
Thus I feel that I am becoming deskilled and probably undersell myself in CVs and in interviews.
I suppose I have become entrenched in ‘survival’ mode, until my daughter goes to university and I can branch out in new directions – but that’s a few years away yet!
Seems to me that the old ‘hidden market’ has a lot to offer. I have sent hundreds of CVs and application letters for both contract and permanent positions and had maybe 2 interviews – and not many more replies than that – the agents are under time pressures to produce results so I guess they’ll be looking for some kind of ‘safe bets’. Networking has got to at least double your chances of moving forward to interview, and hopefully that interview is just to check you haven’t got 2 heads.
Chances are the network-led lead is more ‘real’ than an advertised position too – how many times do we hear that agencies advertise non-existent positions simply to get names and CVs…. and for both those interviews above, the position went to ‘an internal candidate’ in the end.
I have good qualifications and a successful career – but have not advanced since my late 20s (now early 40s). I used to be told I was too young, now am I too old? I would like to change track but can’t afford to take a salary cut.
I can agree that the general situation is difficult if not impossible at present. In addition, I’m a poor fit to most jobs and there’s nothing I can do about that. There’s no point in my sending out hundreds of CVs: there aren’t hundreds of possible openings for people like me. I suppose my question is what is it that I haven’t tried?
I feel as though I am stuck. I have worked for many years as marketing manager and operations manager. The latest trend is to advertise jobs without a salary range, the problem with this is that eg Operations Manager can range from £20k to £60k and so you have to put all your experience into your cv in case they are paying the upper level. I have had lots of interviews but the feedback is always the same – excellent but over qualified for the position or requires too high a salary (even if salary was not mentioned). If the role is at the right level, I keep losing out to someone who has worked in that specific industry even though I have all the skills needed and have an excellent interview. Why do people ask you to attend an interview when it is obvious that you have worked at a much higher level than the role advertised. One trick which has been used on several occasions is to ask you to complete an application form when you arrive which lists your previous roles and salary. It’s about time that a salary range (with maximum difference of £5k) was made compulsary.
Agreed with Martin, I have more luck approaching companies directly rather than applying for jobs through recruitment websites and agents. Also who you know is important for references and contacts.
My most interview that I was excited about and thought went really well, gave feedback that they really liked me but have hired somebody internally as they know the company system already. It felt like a waste of my time, is this often the case?
I’ve been applying for jobs outside of the sector I have been in for over 10 years. I however have extremely transferable skills, but not recent experience in the commercial sector.
How do you convince potential employers on paper that my skills all round skills and more specific skills will be useful to them? I’ve been told I do not have the relevant experience or that I am over qualified!
Regarding winning interviews, my experience is how you sell your own relevant experience to prospective employers.
Some interviewers are not just serious enough abut the process. They sometimes ask irrelevant questions as if to get you off the list. I have applied many times and I know my CV is very impressive but somehow I am not invited and when I get invited, I am not impressed by the interview panels. I always think panel interviews should be prepared enough to ask the right questions so as to identify the right candidates!
I think it would be nice to present my applications with appropriate and excelent grammar. I once had an interview where the prospective employers told me my application showed that one of my previously held positions must have been very stressful.Apparently the way I answered one of the questions on paper made this abundantly clear despite the fact I never actually said so.
My problem is job hobbing, last job has done for 3 years but would like to change field now.
I’ve been applying for government positions that request very specific requirements, I would guess that many of these advertised jobs already have someone acting in the position.
I am staggered at the amounts that people are paying to get their CVs done. When I interviewed people to prepare CVs for them – it was like extracting teeth. Many people undersell themselves and don’t realise how valuable their experience is.
If I were starting out without someone to guide me – I would mind map the different areas of experience I had. Second I would then expand each bubble with buzz words and look up associated terms and phrases off the internet. Write a long resume and then prune it back like a rose bush, keep tinkering with it regularly. Each time you review it, save it as a different version number or name. Create more than one type, to emphasize different aspects so that you have some versatility ready to hand for a quick response.
Most of all, get someone to proof read what you have written.
If age is a factor, you might consider a non-chronological CV and instead produce a skills based CV. Emphasize your reliability – which is likely to be leaps and bounds ahead of the younger competition.
Getting past tick box middle folk is difficult – especially when they have not done the work themselves so do not really know what is involved. Even spelling it out seems not to help as it shows this knowledge weakness in the middle bod. If they can get enough candidates without thinking outside of the tick box then they will not bother.
Any tips?
Hi Martin
Having got the interview – not an easy task – you find that the interviewers have absolutely no training in interview techniques and have little clue as to how to conduct an interview.
The results are selection of candidates on a basis which is no better than random choice. That is they could save time and money by picking people using the pin in the paper technique.
Question: faced with such an interview how can you move it to your advantage?
There is a theme here. Regulation of the recruitment industry would help to raise the standard and provide transparency.
I have spent hundreds on CV preparing , cover letter but never got interview . Some even had guaranteed for the interviews but didn’t get single . I don’t know what to do .
Your help would be appreciated .
Agency are hopeless. I have many positions where in my experiences match but still I don’t get call . If it would have been company directly then I am sure I would have an interview.
Martin,
My experience is consistent with many of the comments I’ve read here. I’ve been looking for a new senior IT role for about 4 months and had 2 job interviews (with the agent – not even with the client).
My approach has been to:
1. Only focus on roles which are a close match for my experience.
I know that I’m unlikely to be selected for senior jobs in Banking, for example, as I have no banking experience. It seems that agents and clients are currently being very specific about the experience they are looking for. I think they want specialists – not generalists.
2. Phone the agent before sending in my application
This way you get a chance to speak to them and ask some initial questions – and build a bit of rapport. It’s also an opportunity for your personality to come across – more than you can do in a written letter or CV.
3. Get my CV sharpened up
I include as much relevant experience as I can which is applicable to the role. Focus on what the needs are in the ad and what you’ve learned from speaking to the agent.
I paid a CV specialist £350 to rewrite and get it down to 2 pages. Time will tell if this was a good investment or not!
4. Attach a 1-page covering letter
Once again including relevant information and high-lighting relevant information to the role.
Martin – I really liked your recent video with the 5 tips (and mistakes) about getting interviews. Yesterday I applied for two jobs and changed my covering letter to include specific reasons why they should interview me and also a sentence indicating what I would like to talk to them about at an interview. Once again, time will tell if this approach will pay off.
A note about agents: I think they are a necessary evil. Clients will continue to use them because it takes the hard work out of the recruitment process. You have to remember that they get paid by the client – not by the candidate – therefore the candidate is not the customer. Having said that, there are some good, professional agents who treat candidates like human beings – you should seek them out and nurture a relationship with them.
Hi Martin
hunting for a job interview is a strenous excercise,well it is all about changing jobs. there is a problem with the way we prepare the cv and probably the way we make an application letter.much thought need to be put on the two for the employer to be attracted to you.what would be the ideal cv and application letter. thanks
I really enjoy the job I do at present which is supporting homeless and ex-offenders in to employment, training and education. I work as part of a small team and we get excellent results, however the work is project funded and in these hard times you never know if the project will be refunded next year. I am disabled with a limited walking ability and I would need a Community based employment similar to my current position. Potential employers’ do not always mention what percentage of time is spent in the office/In the community/or home based.
A few years ago, after months of fruitless job searching and hundreds of applications, I came to the view that my ‘foreign’ name was putting potential employers off at the very first hurdle. So for the next few applications, I re-wrote my CV with an anglicised version of my name, leaving everything else; my qualifications, experience, everything, exactly the same. And guess what, Bingo! I got an interview. It was for my perfect job, one I dreamed of winning. I prepared like a demon for the day, tried to think of every eventuality, practiced answering the most difficult questions and carefully chose how to present myself. So what happened? I didn’t get the job, they just called me in to ask why I made the change on my CV as someone recognised me from my previous version….
Always in the past I’ve tried to be brutally honest at Interviews and have adopted the same approach in getting them – On the basis that if I head back into the world of Employment it will have to be be with the Right employer who knows exactly who I am and what makes me tick so they can get the best out of me skills wise and I can be happily fulfilled in the job – Is this the right strategy or should I be ‘sexing up’ the Pitch, Best, Deano
Job Hunting is pretty dire at the moment. Too many employers are advertising posts to show how busy they are, without any intention of filling the roles. Many employers seem to have the view that, with so many job hunters out here, they can create an unrealistic profile for the person they think they want and reject anybody who does not match that profile, regardless of whether they could do the job effectively and well.
Hi Martin,
I have submitted 321 CV’s that were ‘professionally written’ (for 175.00) and did not get ONE interview. In fact jobs seem to have been filled before their deadlines.
The first approach I made directly to employer, resulted in a job.
Kind regards
I was retrenched in January 2011, have sent out hundreds of resumes and had the grand sum of 2 interviews! Is it just because you are over 50 or because you now you do not want to be a manager any more and that is the level you are qualified to, I just want an ordinary ‘go in, go home’ style of work!!
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