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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It is very frustrating to get wrong a candidate for the right job. I got this quiet wonderful chap, he had enviable academic track record and good personality. A close look at the CV was equally impressive though with short term contracts. The interview panel was impressed and immediately given the job. The problem started when he reported, he hard this attitude of know-it-all, his performance was dismal and before we could think of extending his probation, he hard jumped overboard and got another job. Martin, can you I identify such a loop hole in recruitment with this new tool you are developing
charles
Hi Martin.
1. Is it a good idea to “personalise” your CV. For example filling it in in very good handwriting if you are expected t teach handwriting in the job you are applying for?
2. Is it a good idea to type using an unusual font, that is also easy to read, so that your application stands out from the rest?
Thanks, Paul.
Agencies are getting lazy. I am looking to get out of my current field or at least into an associated one.
All that the agencies (6 off so far) will do is to approach my current companies competitors — lazy and not very professional.
What is a psychometric test and why is it necessary to complete a psychometric test and how does it help in getting an interview or succeed in an interview?
Hi Martin
by my experience,i found that without referrence it is hard in this time to get an interview then a job,then good salary!!!! I am residing now in Qatar,and during past 8months,i applied to hundreds of companies,without any succeed,where are we going in this glob?
I think we are all in agreement here, agencies are useless and a blot on the landscape.
It’s a mighty big ask considering the power they have, but I think it is now time every one of us started approaching employers directly and refuse point blank to deal with agencies.
There a lot of unemployed people who really want to work and who have the skills and experience employers need. As a collective group, we can start the process of destroying the likes of Hays, Addecco, Robert Walters, and the like. They’ve made billions by lying, cheating and conniving. It’s payback time.
John in Oz
always call if email did not work. give the recruiter one week before you call, it will be enough time but yet show your motivation!
Hi Martin,
Responses to your questions based on the New Zealand experience.
I spent 20 years successfully building a career in the UK prior to returning to NZ to take up a great next step career role. Unforeseen external real world events in my life derailed my career as seen by recruiters and although I am now stronger, more than ever and very aware of my capabilities as well as focused and determined, that CV Career blip along with age has now become a real barrier, So I need to find an innovative, evolutionary (not revolutionary) way to get those network meetings and job interviews rolling in again.
I have owned/operated a recruitment business, worked in the industry and managed the recruitment process in house for corporates and smaller companies very successfully and it is shocking to see good people being missed out for roles they could do well and add huge value to.
We no longer seem to in vest in people, they are treated as a disposable commodity.
What is it like trying to get interviews?
At 54 it is seriously tough. I am very motivated, think outside the square and focused in the job hunt process but the entry and acceptance process for applicants is really flawed. Especially if like me your career has taken an explained u-turn in recent years and age does matter!!! It is fair to say I know what I don’t want and am open to looking for what I could now do.
What are the problems?
In general terms, the internet allows for application ‘gateway road blocks’ to occur to readily, often very young or older low skilled , underpaid and work-life inexperienced agency or HR recruitment resource staff are looking for and only responding to those applicants that tick the boxes of a skills and history shopping list. They don’t dig any deeper or know how to. NO attempt to cross skill, behavior or experience match is occurring so the adage that your ‘CV gets you the interview’ does not get traction any longer. It also allows for the hiring party to be positioned out of reach until the short list stage.
The market is tougher, more people chasing fewer jobs, more recruiters often under the wrong pressures (KPI’s) to perform an outcome quickly.
My CV is out of date in style, to long and I haven’t mastered to to make the derailed career look beneficial.
What are the quality of interviews like when you do get one?
In a few words; predictably poor, unimaginative, naïve, missing the mark and I believe not meeting the needs of the hiring client expectation.
In many cases the interviewer is totally inadequate or ill prepared for the task.
Often the job is not real or a market scan (skills heads up is occurring)
Many roles are earmarked for internal placement but public advertising for applicants is sought by law.
If I can get in front of the hiring manager or his ‘C’ level boss or influencer I stand a far better chance of being short listed and taken seriously.
Are you being misled by job adverts?
In many cases yes, the translation from client to recruiter is often ambiguous and in many cases so politically correct in format it is hard to define what the job really is.
Advertised posts with job specs that are completely irrelevant to the needs of the current position which you only find out at the interview. So why do you even get the interview?
Employers “box” you into a category even when your skill set and ability can cover many disciplines, I have attended interviews where they attack the industry you have utilized and learned the skill set you are being interviewed for why is this ? how do you avoid this?
Psychometric testing I always flunk this especially the maths why when my maths skills are good I passed degree level maths for goodness sake. What am I doing wrong and what are they looking for? I hate this form of testing very rarely does it have anything to do with what you can achieve.
Can you avoid psychometric testing at interviews.
How can you get an interview for a job that does not meet your CV exactly but you know with a little introduction to the new position you could fly?
Absolutly fed up with the way companies treat peoples applications and CV’s, with some it’s just another name to add to a list so that they meat governmaent figures. my CV occassionally gets me interviews but it needs that extra oomph! to get more.
Hi Martin,
I was made redundant just over a year ago at age 52, in that time I have had one proper interview through a Headhunter and then a subsequent one with the Head of R&D and a junior directly under him – but I did not get the job – I was told I came a very close second, then a month or so later the the same Headhunter advertised exactly the same job but in a slightly different location!
So was it ageism or what either way my trust was violated, anther example was when I put together with your assistance in live chat an application for a company (your comment at the time being “Oh God HR have been let out to play or something similar!)
I was told definately that this was not what they were looking for by the headhunter concerned that he would not submit it and therefore rewrote it according to his requirements – got blown out only to find out later that a person I knew had moved between companies and my first submission was pretty well bang on target!
All in all my trust level is about as low as it can go with the “Recruitment Industry” I would say actually some of them are lower down the scale than Estate Agents!
Sorry Geoff
I find getting interviews really frustrating, if an agency sends me for a position I generally get told after the interviews they want someone with more relevant experience.
Martin, I’m more bothered about my son than myself. He’s intelligent & personable but has never yet had a single interview one year since leaving university with an honours degree. He has an autistic spectrum disorder but surely the fact that he got through college is a good testimonial to his level of competence. No employment history, but he’s currently working full-time – but unpaid – to show he can do it.
How can I help him get an interview and a job?! Should he not mention the ASD – in which case the fact that he’s never worked makes him look like a slacker – or what? Any advice would be useful.
My CV was once “atypical” – now it is definitely “accidented”.
Hi Martin
I suffered an exhaustive breakdown around a Year ago – Putting in 60+ hours per week, not including the travelling or working from home @ the weekend – I reported directly to the owner / MD – Who was far from happy with me being signed off due to “Work related stress” – Instead of assisting he decided to “Put the boot in” and blamed my illness on marital problems – Which had been created by my excessive work hours – My two young children were calling me “Mummy” as they never saw me.
Any way after a “Compromise agreement” I left his employment @ the end of last Year. I spent the first two months of 2011 in recouping and getting to know my family again. I signed on @ the employment centre as of the 01st March and have only just recently (beginning of May 2011) located a temporary role with a large blue chip telecom Company. This equates to a 90 mile round trip every day. Even though the travelling is tiring & the job is not fully utilising my skill set, I am enjoying having time with the family.
Regarding job hunting, I have lost track of the applications I have made and only being invited to attended 4 interviews, with 2 of them leading to a 2nd interview. Often being told that a “more suitable” candidate had been awarded the position, with no feedback when requested.
The interviews I have attended have been poorly planned – Often having to wait, while a room became available. Many of the questions did not relate to the position, but relating to my personality to see if “I would fit in” Also if I was an “Ex graduate” @ 49 Years of age I think not.
I am at a real loss now on which direction I should now review, or whether or not to re-train and if so in what field.
Your support & guidance would be deeply appreciated.
Regards & Thanks
I read some of the comments and in some ways I feel lucky because at least I have a job. That in itself is a problem because the self defence mechanism in these times is to hold on to what you got. My other problem is that I don’t really know what I want. I work in the accounts department of an Insurance company but I am neither a credit controller nor an accountant.I am capable and confident in what I do but there is no hope for promotion no matter how hard I try as my employer has chosen a qualified accountant (I can understand the decision) rather than myself when replacing the previous manager. I need to improve my CV but I really need to know what else I can do but I fully understand the problem that many have commented about in that employers want experience rather than potential so it feels futile even trying. Recruitment agencies are abysmal – they pigeon-hole you, provide little if no advice and never contact you until you they have to meet their target for contacting people on their books. Two interviews in three years with most applications (between 100 – 200) sent via web job sites. I guess the issues lie largely with me but I feel safety first outweighs job satisfaction.
I have applied for numerous jobs, all of which I am fully qualified to do, but have had almost no feedback from the agencies.
Therefore, I think the agencies must invent some of these postions and I am considering starting my own recruitment agency specific to my industry. And I will make a point of replying to all candidates, even if it is a generic reply saying thanks but no thanks.
What on earth does it take to get noticed?
Im my experience I do believe that you can be mislead by job adverts. While working my way though the course I have come to the conclusion that to avoid this I just need to telephone the employer and ask them to expand on the position on offer.
The main problem I have had not getting interivews has been down to a crap CV. However, since starting the course I’ve changed that – I’ve added a few bits and taken loads out it’s just about ready to go… Will keep you posted.
The other reason I’ve not had interviews is that at the begining of the course it was suggested to stopapplying for jobs until the course was well underway. Excellent advice. It’s paid of for me as I’m nearly ready to go live with my CV and supporting material…Will keep you posted.
I spend hours re-crafting my CV and creating what seems to be a great covering letter for each application and so often the job turns out to be a much lower level than the description promised, and they’re often only looking for someone to train in ‘their’ way or who won’t mind doing only basic tasks. I get some interviews for admin posts but very few for retail. I ran my own small store for eleven years and I think this makes sifters think I’m ‘over qualified’ For middle-management and high volume retail I don’t have the line-management experience or the high pressure sales/kpi knowledge, therefore even when I get an interview as soon as it comes to questions about managing staff I score very low.
Hi Martin
I have had various agencies & recruitment advisers look at my Cv & samples of Covering Letters & all say that they are good. However, they rarely get me interviews. I think this is probably because most applications are through agencies & unless you fit the profile perfectly, they don’t even consider you.They certainly don’t appear to take into accout transferable skills.
It seems now that everyone is trying to eliminate risk, which has the effect of also eliminating responsibility. As long as you follow the prescribed system, if things don’t work out, then you can’t be blamed. No one is prepared to take even a small risk if it falls outside of the prescribed route, even if the outcome could be highly beneficial for all concerned.
Your suggestion to put more of one’s personality into the CV/ Cover Letter is interesting, though I am not sure to what extent it is possible. It would be good to have a concrete example if possible.
I find all the jobs I am looking at require specific experience in the areas I am trying to get into and I cannot afford the time out of my current job or the money to pay for a courase and then accept a job at a much lower pay grade that I am on. Any suggestions?
Hi Martin,
Got made redundant in 2009 (for the first time ever) but aged 54 – need I say more. I want to continue working I have tried re-training (but finance is limited) – I was in IT but with out of date skills (mainframe COBOL, DB2) etc. I would be happy doing an admin/receptionist job but after masses of applications and very few interviews…. Standard response (if I get one) is other candidates with more relevant experience. So many unemployed if the job isn’t what you were previously doing they look no further. Agencies only place those they can do easily. Ageism is rife but cannot be proved. Often interviewed by team leaders in their 30′s at most. CV was checked early on and had masses of advice. Now doing Voluntary Treasurer work for the local Church and massively disillusioned (work for over 30 years and get a kick in the teeth just when you need it not ! – Govmt doesn’t care if not on benefits just increase state pension age,
Any help would be much appreciated
Elaine
Merging companies in my field have set out a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ policy of reduced wages and fixed travel fees. That means the last 10 years I’ve spent reaching my level of quality and expertise to demand a daily rate that pays my bills are reduced to zero in the competition of students entering with recent qualifications and accepting a lower fee for the same job. I now have to re-apply against my colleagues and interview to sell myself so I stay on their books. How can I compete? What is 20 years experience worth when owners are only thinking about cost? I can’t afford to step out and go back to college!
My only problem is that no one called me to interviews in the last 27 months …. I had one interview-test to a recruiting agency that they forgot to contact me to tell me the result of them three tests so I called and they told me that i passed all three tests but someone else with more experience took the job.
I speak three languages, I studied five years Engineering, plus two years Master, I worked as an Engineer for four years, as a Supervisor two and half years, I worked nine years in total. I am 28 years old and no one called me to interview because others have more experience than i have.
I think if they give me the chance of a direct interview with the employer I get the job
because I was not denied to any interview I held….
Do you have any solution for this?
PS I’m from Romania (U.E.)
Thanks
Your tips are really useful. The relevancy and conciseness of a CV are crucial. I’m finding that job interviews are all about the fit for the job and the gaps in a team. Any insider knowledge-however small – is useful. Web research is not enough! It helps to contact the recruitment team direct and build up a network of people who are willing and able to give informal insights in addition to the published info.Have you any tips on how to develop an affinity with the organisation which is recruiting?
I recently completed an MBA Business Administration. Would a hiring manager look on this favourably……..or view it as possible competition and reject my application on this basis.
Do I leave it off my CV and risk being rejected for not having it, or put it on and risk being rejected because the hiring manager views it as competition?
Dear Martin
I took the test and found it very interesting. I also read through content on your site and it made me believe in myself more and has given me more confidence to go after what I want. I want to emigrate and didn’t know how to approach a foreign job market, but now I feel I will be able to do the research and get a job abroad in the future. Thanks Karen
My problem is trying to get back to England after living over seas for twenty-five years,not sure how to go about anything. I am sort of stumbling in the dark, this is a good way to understanding the direction of the road you want to travel.
Like many of the people that have posted comments I have been unemployed for a while now. The most frustrating thing is that most employers want an online application and when the application and CV is submitted there is, 99.99% of the time, no acknowlegement that they have received the application – not even an automatated reply. Another niggle is that recruitment agencies are tending to advertise bogus opportunities so that you need to register with them for possible future openings. I too have had my CV appraised by various agencies and they have all said that it was fine, with lots of transferrable skills, blah blah…..but still no interviews.
Unemployed for over 18 months now and applied for jobs all over the U.K yet despite being told I have the skills they are looking for, why is it I can’t get an interview? Is my cv not right? Am I not selling myself correctly? Despite agencys looking at my CV and now having 5 different styles and type, not one of them has managed to get me an interview. HELP ………… What do I need to do??????????
Martin, one of the more disquieting methods of application collection on the increase in Australia is initial apps via the Internet; this allows easy culling at what I call the “idiot bimbo” stage – the first pass cull by someone without any reasonable assessment or life experiences, probably working from a template. I have managed a major consultant agency placement company in the past and now worked as an independent consultant for twenty five years and I am horrified at the current employment practices. As an “independent” I am continually selling myself and am only as good as the last gig – the comments on ageism above ring too true – I am 64 and not looking to retire; I have found a methodology which works for me approx seven times out of ten, however it is not for everyone – it takes a certain amount of research, polite arrogance and a complete refusal to participate in any bimbo interviews; I bypass the web stage, ring direct, and just keep stating I will only talk to the decision maker and if that is not possible then the agency will miss on the sale – so far seven out of ten for attaining interviews. Please keep up the excellent work – as an oldie I want to eveyone to be able to capitalise on their experiences and pass these onto whoever is smart enough to hire them – by the way, there are very few smart young managers out there – if you show more exprience than them they will not hire you; unless you can show them your engagement will help them up the ladder, human nature today, unfortunately. I hope these comments help someone – your approach certainly does. Regards, Ian
Hi Martin,
Appliying for a job is really frustrating.
In 90% of the cases you do not have any feedback.
You feel happy when receiving an automated answer, or even rejection letter.
The interviewers do not understand anything of your work, and I do not know what are their evaluation criteria. I am considering obtaining an HR manual.
Anton
I was kicked out of my job in April, and for the first time in my life was unemployed. I must have sent somewhere between 100 and 200 applications to find a new job, but mostly didn’t even get a no thank you. In that time I got 2 interviews. The first was for an IT job and they were to send me on a course first, then I was to (maybe) get contract work from them. I was sucessful at the interview, but nothing happened as regard to the training, so I was left wondering if anything at all was going to happen, so when I was sucessful at an interview with a recruitment agency, I took the job with them. I started working for them at a local factory in July, not my dream job, but a job that pays the bills. I did finally hear from the IT company a week or two into my new job. They were now wanting to arrange for my training, but I turned this down, as after my (unpaid) two week training there was no guarantee of them getting me work, so I decided to stay where I am.
I was unemployed for 14 months a couple of years ago, took a Martin Gibbons psychometric test and addressed my week points. I invested in study and qualifications as well as tried to alter some of my weeknesses.
My next job still came through old contacts and not through job search even though I bought books and took advice on changing my CV several times.
I am now back out there looking for a new job as work has dried up again. I have applied for hundreads of jobs in the last few weeks, have taken more exams and spent a fortune on courses for anything as a basic certificate through to a masters degree.
No feed back from recruiters apart from the ones who want me to pay for their services. The best contact is my old boss who is trying his best through his network to get me a short term job so that I can go back to him in the future.
I have again taken much varied advice on the latest CV format – the best from Martin, but most is conflicting.
I am used to being knocked back and do not see it as any form of personnal insult. The competition is tough. I am confident that when my CV is right for the one job and I secure the interview, then and only then will I stand a reasonable chance in proving that I am the right person for the job.
I realise that to attain this primary goal, I have to spend more time on each application. This is daunting as I spend approx 5hrs every day on job search and this will have to increase.
Martin,
I like what I hear and I’m sure it works for those who “fit the profile”, but NOTHING works for me! Why? I’ve been told [by a recruitment consultant friend of mine] that the sad, overriding fact is……. I’m too old!! I worked [and took the lead support role] on very high profile Government computer developments [particularly the one where the Cabinet member stood up in Parliament and trumpeted the revolutionary "new development"]. I am told, by Microsoft practitioners, that my skills are no longer relevant! These people don’t seem to realise that I knew nothing about IT prior to entering the field in the early eighties; this is not rocket science, particularly with the comparatively infantile Microsoft – most of my involvement in IT development and support was performed at a far deeper level.
So, it seems to me that, given a month or so, there is very little to learn; this is not IT specific knowledge, but more what we would term “user” level access.
I have built networks, managed teams [clerical and technical] and rescued a failing project, using my natural talent; I believe that these “skills” cannot be taught! This is a prime reason why British Industry is failing – there are no natural leaders, just Common Purpose “useful idiots” working to script.
So, where do I go from here?
Dear Martin
I was made redundant in Jan 2009 and since have had approx. half a dozen interviews. I have in that time also changed decades and worry that it will have a bearing on whether I can get a job in future. Even more so than before I should say. I had one interview with a company through the Job Centre around April time but there was no salary on it. I impressed enough to get to a second interview and they were a small company but for all the things they wanted from me, when it came time (Which I always hate) for them to tell me the salary, it was not liveable. I don’t think it was false advertising but I wish there was a law which meant all jobs advertised have to display the salary they wish to offer people. I would not have wasted my time or theirs in that way. They did not even give me time to consider whether I could live on it as I have problems with figures and needed to speak to my advisor about whether it was enough to live on but she was not available. So when I was offered it and asked for time to consider, they rescinded their offer! I would have had no sick pay or pension with this company either and friends and agencies have said since that it would not have been a good company to work for if they could do that to me and I had a lucky escape. It sounded a good opportunity workwise though so it is upsetting and was a bad experience.
I am finding that gettin interviews is just luck and timing. I am sure for most jobs a computer decides on the short list based on a list of exact wards or phrases and if you miss one out no matter how qualified you are then you will not get the interview.
I have last week found myself in a position of potential redundancy which seems to be happening every 6 months now, others who have not been so fortunate as to stay prior to me have been applying for almost 12 months with great skill sets and qualities to offer and no luck. I think employers now are “employing in a recession” not always placing the best people for the jobs but putting bums on seats in the cheapest way possible….however a business is run well by its people so surely it must be worth a bit more investment????
Hi Martin, I have been following your website for quite some time now and I find most of the content very constructive.
However, I share a problem with quite a lot of other in that I am 62, and want to find a less stressful job in IT Training and support.
I am up against all the young and enthusiastice.
I do not want to rule the world I did that once and it was fund now, I want to have a social life and have a different kinf of fun.
My question is how do you disguise age on a CV and remain truthful anbout skills experience and job roles/employers.
Best wishes, David, from rural Oxfordshire.
Hi Martin,
Mine is not about an individual person’s interview but a small accounting firm looking into growth whose interview structures you do not seem to address, and i stand to be corrected.
What’s your take?
Please advise.
Regards,
Maina
Going through the motions of applying for jobs and trying for interviews is extremely frustrating and degrading. You begin to feel like a commodity, squeezing your answers into tiny boxes, jumping through all the hoops only to in most cases not even get a reply or one which says “we have found a candidate who more closely meets the profile” when you know that you have the relevant skills and experience to to a great job. There is very little chance to get across your personality.
I have chosen to target specific companies directly myself with better luck and am a least getting interviews. Reached 50 and finding it tougher to find my dream job, especially as I have been running my own business for over 16 years, people are very sceptical about that.
Martin’s interview tips from his skills programme has been very helpful and insightful.
Rob
In reply to your question about being misled by job advertisements, you apply thinking you are applying for a job only to find out it is an agency who will look for a job for you?
Not what the advertisement said!!!!!
so think the answer is yes in most cases.
I have worked my way up through a variety of industries and I am often told that my achievements are first class and ALTHOUGH I could undoubtably do the job, there are other people with more experience in that particular industry and so the play safe. My recent industry has been decimated with few (no) relevant positions coming up. Recruiters say that their clients are forcing their hand in this direction.
I started loosing my hearing at about 37, at the time i was in employment so my current employees at the time were sympathetic and encouraging. I relocated to another part of the country and I know full well jobs I have applied for which I am more than qualified for I have not got an interview. These are the only ones I have noted my disability on the CV as asked. There is no support in finding work with a disability and I have to rethink my whole career now and possibly do something I dont like doing. Sadly I am restricted somewhat through other conditions but this topped the lot
The interview i did have was positive and I got some work for 4 months they were very good, but now made redundant again
I left full time employment inn August last year, set up my own Ltd company and started contracting in October. I worked until May, but since then I have sent off lots of applications / CVs and had just one interview. I follow up every application after 1 – 2 days, and found about 60% of the time the job closed a week or more before I sent the application, and it is the job board at fault, not the recruiter. I tailor my CV for each application, I have even had the CV rewritten and still no joy. My biggest gripe is that agents just ignore you, even if you phone, email, write letters; and when they do respond it is a ‘sorry the post has been filled’ or closed before they look at your CV (I have heard the ‘I’ve got your CV but didn’t get time to look at it’ excuse which is unacceptable).
I have a list of about 12 recruiters, good ones, that I contact on a weekly basis just to keep me in mind, but they are struggling to find me anything.
As background, I have 15 years in IT, reaching Director level, have run my own consultancy for 10 years working with SMEs in various sectors and went back to permanent for personal reasons; I am 38 and now feeling that my future is bleak to say the least!
I became redundant to my employer about 20 months ago. I was in that position for almost 3 years managing a back office operation. The month after leaving, I attended an interview for a Service Delivery Manager position for a similar back office operation management position. After about 90 minutes of discussion, the interviewer tells me that he feels I will not fit into an Operations Manager’s role; I’d be better off looking for business development positions. Until then I had not had such an impression of myself, and have taken his perspective seriously. I’ve decided to become an entrepreneur and have set up a company that is setting up service delivery platforms for healthcare, financial and education services for people at the “bottom of the pyramid.”
I was made redundant 4 years ago and spent 6 months applying for hundreds of jobs that I knew I was qualified for and in some cases over qualified. What I find really annoying is that the majority of employers/agents do not even bother to reply. With electronic communications nowadays it does not take a minute to send an email saying “Sorry, but no” to the application.
I now work as a contractor in the telecoms industry, but it means every 6 months or so you have to start looking for a new role all over again.
I’ve attended several interviews passing the first and second stage interviews only to be denied the last chance, what could be the problem? is it corruption? patronage or tribal? i need answers Martin.
Quality of interviews can vary greatly – from the very professional competency based interviews to those that are so unstructured that you wonder how either party is supposed to get anything out of them. In one recent interview I was asked 3 illegal questions in quick succession (how old are you, are you married, do you have children (just trying to establish what ties you have, the interviewer clarified) and that was pretty much it…not a great experience..
Hi Martin
Regarding interviews, from my experience so far, although for me it was not a big problem to get interiews, I was disapointed of the quality of those interviews. Job adverts can be misleading and most of the time you lend to an interview where you find out that the job description is yet – another one compared to what you saw in the advert. A problem I encountered multiple times was that the recruiting agency confirms the information in the advert and you go with decent expectations on a potentially successful interview. When you talk with the end company, things are pretty different and you do not like the picture anymore. Other types of mismatches I encountered were regarding the fact that the end company without intermediaries – intentionally omits part of the job description, things that are quite important and you find this side of the story only at the actual interview. Yet another type of mismatch is the salary range, the one projected by the recruiting agency and the one that you see projected by the end company, of course, during that interview…
All these are pretty unpleasant since you find out the “truth” after spending a lot of time and energy. I am wondering why all these types of “mismatch” happen…
Hi martin,
I would like to know more about interviews for top jobs. I have huge experience but mostly in one organization. I am looking forward to an interesting change and hope your tool will help.
Hi Martin,
I get interviews easily in my field: teaching English. But in recent years I am increasingly aware that I should be working for myself as a given job tends to only use a part of my potential. I am still working out what form my business should take and it’s not easy to let go of that ‘responsible employee’ identity that I have been so used to. Nonetheless, I am heading towards self-employment.
Is anyone else getting the impression that they’re being discriminated against due to their age and/or disability, despite both being illegal? I’m in my mid-30s and yet in one interview, the interviewer was much younger than I was (mid-20s at a guess). This in itself wouldn’t be a problem if I wasn’t treated like a dinosaur, rather than someone with potentially valuable work/life experience. I left the interview knowing I couldn’t work for that company even if I did get offered a job (which I wasn’t). Has anyone else gone through this? How did you react?
I live in Australia, but I don’t think the employment situation is all that much different to the UK.
Currently going through a bout of unemployment, but now, at 61 the going is much tougher. I would prefer to retire but financially I can’t until at least 70 now. So I have to find a job. I don’t need a career path at this stage. I hope to find a reasonable job, something that offers a challenge and utilises my extensive experience and skills, and that I will be happy enough to continue doing for a few years at least. One needs to be realistic but at the same time, tick some of the boxes needed for a happy working life. Anyway, that is how I am looking at it!
As others have pointed out, agencies are useless. When I am in charge, organisations like Hays, Addecco, Robert Walters and all the rest are going to be completely banned. They are mostly staffed by useless kids who have no life experience and are just not interested in anything other than the bonuses and incentives they get each year. Finding work for people genuinely wanting a job is the furtherest thing from their minds.
I only target jobs in Government, Universities and Hospitals now. They are difficult jobs to get and require a lot more work in the applications, though I have got the cut and paste down to a fine art and can produce an application fairly quickly now to meet each new job I apply for. At least with these jobs, you are dealing DIRECT with the employer.
I also only target jobs, I know I have the skills to do and believe I have a good chance of scoring an interview. So far, in approximately 30 applications, I have scored 6 interviews. I think that is my best strike rate ever! I haven’t got a job yet, but it is basically a numbers game like the lottery. My number will come up. In the meantime I struggle on, applying for jobs, battling with Social Security morons and trying to stay sane.
John in Oz
Hi, yes, I agree entirely; but what should we do?
Hi Martin
I’m too terrified to look for a job, because I don’t think I could cope with knock backs, and reading the comments on here is confirming what I thought.
My background is banking, which I took early retirement from in January 2011, and I now want to find a less stressful job, that appears to be a laugh now, when what ever job you apply for, you are expected to have had previous experience doing the same or similar. I spoke to two agencies, who thought I did not have the skills to be a receptionist….I suppose having a cheeful disposition and having dealt with people at all levels, from key and lamp to the most up to date telephone systmems, pc skills…….need I say more. I’m not going to be out done though, I’ve taken their advice and applied to be a receptionist for a charity, so that I can add to my CV as a new skill.
I do find that the information that I have been given by you, has been the most logical, sensible and helpful. Please keep sending me your infomation. You never know, I might venture out and get a paid job.
Dawn
My age is going against me and the specialised nature of my last job.
I want to start something new but i am finding this not possible, trying to get a reception job is hard enough.
I am highly qualified, widely experienced, technically competent, good with people, trusted by all my customers, and 55.
I have been unable to secure a single interview in 2 years search.
Why?
Hi Martin
I have just had an interview where the interviewer, said that is initial interview will be like speed dating, He said it gave him a better idea on who to interview more deeply, he said that cover letters and resume’s don’t fully show the whole picture. what’s your thoughts on this
Hugh
What is it like trying to get interviews?
Its like wading through treacle, particularly as most people don’t respond at all and no one will give feedback. When you do get a response it tends to be “Other candidates more closely matched our criteria” This makes it hard to adjust your approach.
What the the problems?
Advertisers take no account of transferable skills and are basically only interested in people who have done exactly the same job in exactly the same environment.
Another difficulty is the requirement to search by job tiltle and not by salary. I don’t care what my actual title is but it is a waste of everyone’s time for me to apply for jobs at half my expected salary.
What are the quality of interviews like when you do get one?
Whilst people go to great lengths to say they are asking all the same questions to all candidates, I often get asked questions about irrelevant issues, for example “Where do you go on holiday?”
Are you being misled by job adverts?
Job adverts are often misleading when they are circulated by job sites as the same advertisement will come up several times even from the same agency giving the impression that they have far more vacancies than are really there. There is also the issue of false jobs with “employer unavailable” In order to make a decent application one really needs to know who you are applying to.
My search has just started but I often seem to get caught in that pervacive fallacy of needing experience, but unable to get get any because no one will hire you. I deal with hs even though i have 3 advance professional degrees! It is very frustrating!
HI Martin,
Your survey results show how difficult it is to break back into the jobs market. It is very dispiriting. However, at least now I do not feel that it is happening only to me.
The whole CV based aproach is obviously not working. Sending out countless CV’s day after day to agencies and direct to employers both of whom make no effort to respond. It makes me wonder if the jobs real in the first place. Being 54 does not help as there is an obvious discrimination against the older….but much more experienced worker. What is the answer? Please help!!
I have been unemployed since July 2010, have sent out 100s of cvs and covering letters but had only managed to get 2 interviews. they gave very positive feedback but did not offer me the job. my interview techniques are fine. I am able to answer questions with a given example. sometimes I get mislead by job adverts.
I dont know what I am doing wrong.
Hi Martin
I ,mainly search for jobs online but find this method very demoralising as I hardly ever get any feedback and so become disillusioned. The job centre is worse than useless for people like myself who are professionally qualified. I am PGCE and QTLS qualified can’t find a teaching job. I am also a qualified manager, assessor, coach and trainer as well as a qualified mortgage broker and financial adviser. Unfortunately there are many barriers to breaking into financial services as there is no structured job ladder and if you want to be an independent IFA then money and lots of it becomes the issue. I know I am skilled and can adapt across the business spectrum but do not get the chance to explain what I can do.
Hi Martin,
I have been trying to secure a new role for 4 years now, in this time, I have spoken to numerous agencies, filled in registrations, uploaded my CV to numerous online jobsites and recieve probably 30 e-mail job notifications every week but am constantly told there is always someone better suited for the role.
I know people have checked out my online CV but the only offers I seem to recieve are scams from criminal organisations.
How can I get across in a CV that I have a very strong work ethic, I do not take time off sick unless forced to, (last sickness absence 5 years ago due to brain heamorrage).
I cannot afford to gain higher qualifications until I improve my salary, I cannot improve my salary until I can secure a new position, catch22.
Suggestions are gratefully recieved.
How do I help interviewers to talk about the elephant when it’s clear that it is the one thing they want to ignore?
I’m a good listener and a good observer, and i meet people where they are to help them solve problems – how do I get this across in an application?
Hi Martin,
I have been trying to get a job for the last 8 months, i have never even got to the interview stage. I am registered with lots of different agencies but still no luck, what am I doing wrong? is it my age that is against me? (I am 53).
With so many companies relying on web-based application processes, it is getting increasingly difficult to land meaningful interviews. Guidebooks that offer the key words to use in one’s CV in order to clear the gatekeeping software are useful, but disheartening to the point of being soul-killing. Mass interviews & jobfairs seem to work better for recent grads & less-skilled workers than experienced workers. Courage and a really thick skin are a help. Although a web-presence can be an asset, it can also be a real detriment for sone positions related to the government. It’s difficult to know which path to take. Thanks for the insights you share! mm
Regarding interviews, definitely it is not an easy task to get any, but listening at the statistics you collected it seems I am doing much better than the average. Sadly that does not seem to be good enough.
The main problems I am facing are, on the one hand, to find appropriate job offers that match my desired career path and that fit my background and skills, that is, the ones I am quite confident I can do well without needing much time to adapt. Probably that becomes harder given that I want to advance my career path in a direction that is not exactly the same in which I can formally demonstrate more experience. And most of the job offers, even for entry level jobs, require very specific experience in certain tasks or skills, as some specific software tools that I am sure I could master before long and perform better than most. Regardless all these difficulties there are a few job offers that keep appearing that seem appropriate enough for me to apply and to have reasonable chances of success.
On the other hand, most of the time I am facing a lot of difficulties trying to explain, or trying to imagine how to explain in the resume or cover letters, that I can be a good fit for the job I have identified. I tend to focus on excellence in my position and to keep learning and improving, looking forward for the next challenge to face, but I am not recording every accomplishment nor every skill I have used to achieve it. Therefore, I think I am ill suited for selling my own experience and skills, as I tend to look forward rather than backwards, not granting much value to whatever I have already achieved. And I am not even sure that I can convey the appropriate information for some one else to sell it better. I is quite frustrating to be stuck having to do a “job” I hate (searching for jobs and preparing applications) and that I am not good at, while I know I could be doing valuable work in my field. And I am not even much concerned about the salary, as I am confident I can demonstrate my worth once I have the opportunity and reach a well paid position before long.
As an employment advisor myself I hear a number of these questions all the time. If people are applying for hundreds of jobs and not getting an interview then it can only be one of 3 things.
1/ Cover letter not good enough
2/ CV not catching the employers eye (most of them only scan it for around 30 seconds you need something in it that’s going to catch their eye)
3/ Application not completed correctly, especially when competency based applications.
One of the statements I always stick to is that “if you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got”.
It’s an ever changing market out there and you have to be open to change yourself and adapt the above 3 documents to meet it.
A word of caution though, don’t tell lies on any of these documents. It’s a criminal offence to obtain a job by deception.
It is inconceivable when you are asked to cut and paste your resume into a tiny square. It does not allow you to even present yourself in a covering letter. It is ridiculous on how many good people are most likely being passed up because of this practice.
I have glowing recommendations but of course it means nothing in this day and age. You have to know someone to even get looked at.
Hi Martin
My learning – never apply for a ‘job’ that is advertised by a recruitment agency. I applied for over twenty as there seemed so few other opportunities. I was really surprised at the tactics they use, especially as the ads were hosted on a reputable HR jobs website.
I found out through experience that unless the ad says what company the job is with, the ads are often not for ‘real’ jobs – just ploys to get applicant’s details, so they can then contact you at a later date to see if you will go along with putting forward a new CV for a totally different post (again with an ‘undisclosed’ client).
Given that these same agencies advise, when saying ‘sorry you were unsuccessful’ that it is important to send a CV that is tailored to the ‘job’ they are advertising- they are actively wasting applicants’ time (and resources) by making up jobs for people to try to match their CVs to. It also seems important for their staff to be able to show ‘activity’, so once I was even rung up on my birthday by one of the agencies that seemed to be interested in my skills- to say ‘happy birthday but very sorry he had not got a job to contact me about at present’. Given he knew from the information i’d given him before that I was out of work, I don’t think this was good practice and it certainly wasn’t a welcome birthday phone call at the time. It makes me smile now!
i have been looking for a new job for past 6 months but no luck not even a single interview
What is it like trying to get interviews?
Like wrestling an octopus in the dark. A very strong and disinterested octopus, at that.
This really is the hardest part, getting through the door and in front of people.
What the the problems?
Part of the time the advert is asking for a lifetime’s worth of skills but for someone with 2-3 years’ experience.
Part of the time the company has only placed the advert as a cheap way of marketing their brand.
And then there are the half-hearted “we’re not sure what we’re looking for exactly, but it doesn’t sound like it is you”.
What are the quality of interviews like when you do get one?
Non-events. Having gone through the Martin Gibbons training course, and no this is not a sycophantic plug, I now eat interviewers for lunch. In a nice way, of course. This is simplified by the lack of preparation exhibited by interviewers.
Are you being misled by job adverts?
See above. At one vacancy, I got towards the end of the second interview under the impression that there would be a 3-month “Learn the job” stint in a the back of beyond in Ireland followed by a position in Frankfurt (where I currently live) only to hear out of the blue that I would have to spend the first THREE YEARS in said backwater in Ireland. Everyone’s time unnecessarily wasted.
Another popular failing is changing the job content partway through, so that the tailored CV and covering letter are now missing their target.
Answers to your questions:
1. Extremely difficult;
2. So many people are going after the same positions.
You need to find something unique to set you apart and
stand out from the rest of the applicants;
3. Some are well structured – others seem haphazard (not
well thought through); and
4. A few advertisers seem to be ‘testing the market’ with
no real commitment or guarantee of an actual position.
I just wanted to add my voice to the growing number of people who are really struggling to even get to the interview stage, let alone manage to get rejected at the end of it! Having to re-evaluate my career after an injury has allowed me to enter an environment where I don’t even register on the radar. It feels as if I am invisible and barely even merit a thanks-but-no-thanks automated response. Anything you can do that will increase my chances of getting that foot jammed in the door will be hugely welcomed.
Thanks
Ben
Hi Martin
I took early retirement from the Civil Service as it was the right time to leave and I am now trying to get a job, I have had 6 interviews since I left in Jan 2011, my bug bear is I think that the interviewers look at me listen to my reason for leaving the CS and then think that I am too old. I have a career of nearly 21 years in the CS working for Ministers and Senior Civil Servants and believe I have a lot to offer any company and still a lot of years to offer with continuity. What can I say to convince them that I am the right person.
Thanks Trudy
Hi Martin
1 interview out of 60 applications and even that was not conducted properly! (she made no notes, was eating a sandwich and barely looked at me) . I walked away feeling as though I had done something wrong, but I like to stay positive, but can feel myself going downhill fast.
What advice would you give someone who has reached the big 40, but has sooooo many qualifications and alot of experience. I have started volunteering thinking that maybe I could add a few more things onto my C.V.
Would you recommend this?
A new way to target Employers and stand out from the crowd would be eternally grateful.
Hi Martin,
Having had a trio of interviews that I can only describe as probably the single most incompetent that I’ve ever had recently, 2 conducted by phone, and one face to face, I can only think that employers are starting to suffer from the same degree of burnout as potential candidates and wonder if now isn’t the time to start to encourage interviwees to take a more active role in managing the way that the interview is run.
I appreciate that this is relatively high risk, but it is consistent with your advice about “directing” the interview, it’s just a question of making a judgement as to whether one should perhaps direct a little more assertively.
I won’t bore everyone with the details, but suffice to say that one of them saw the interviewer trying to persuade me that a better education menat that I was actually worth less, and should expect to be paid 65% of the going rate – and this was before he had even managed to articualte what the role was …
I think we should get Martin to award someone a bottle of champagne for the most awful interviewer technique by the end of the year so long as they are prepared to come clean about it – better still, I think we should nominate Martin to award to the perpetrator on our behalf, and on condition that the guy accepts a course from Martin on how to be a better interviewer
HI Martin
I just don”t know what the problem is l apply for what l know which is Garden Centre or Large Retail outlets,and a few new retail outlets to Edinburgh but all l get after applying on the web is it will take 1-3 weeksif you don”t hear youv”e been unsuccessful,2 i”ve had back ground not suited.I am Qualified in Garden Centre industry been doing it for 30+ years. Now l am trying anything BUT l may not enjoy it. l just don”t know what the problem is
I came to the uk as a political refugee with 33years experience in mechanical engineering, first i was told that scotland did not recognise my BSC degree in egineering which was from Cambridge, and i have since done HNC business, B.A.Hons Business, Masters MCM Engineering,Master’s IT project management, Adult teaching Certificate,City and guilds Management level 5 and i am currently studying for Masters in Citizenship and human rights Law. i have been applying unsuccesfully for jobs for the last seven years and even paid £275.00 for a c.v online with no sucess
Hi Martin:
I am a Spaniard seeking for a job in a market with nearly 5 Million unemployed, so you can imagine the competition….I am 49, I have a good CV and good education (engineer, MBA, english, french, spanish…) and I normally do very well at interviews. The issue is to get selected for the interview when there are so many candidates. My CV can not reflect my personality, only my skills and my history and getting no answer at all is very very frustrating. How can I pull the attention from the HR manager from a pile of CV’s without looking naive or “idiot”?
thanks for your comments.
Luis
Dear Martin Gibbons
I have made over 300 applications and I haven’t had a single interview. One of the biggest problems I face are recruiters who are young and inexperienced. They don’t appear to understand what your qualifications are when they read your CV and mostly you can tell that they haven’t bothered to look at your CV. Other recruiters tell you that you are not a match even when you are. I wish that I didn’t have to go through recruiters to apply for the types of jobs that I am looking for. I have only met 3 recruiters who were totally professional and mature.
I have a BEng (Hons) degree as well as a HND, HNC and a ONC, with previous work experience. I also have professional membership of two institutions. It is still not enough. I have been unemployed for 1 year and 4 months now.
Best regards,
Faruk Ali
Martin I read the previous report with interest and have adjusted my cv to encompass the five things not to do to obtain an interview. I have recently applied for several jobs using th new format and wait for results. I have been given feedback from some interviewer that I do present well and have a positive attitude, but as yet I have been unable to secure a job that matches the responsibility and salary I had prior to redundancy. Any thoughts?
Hi ya guys,
just to let you know that I have been repeatedly rejected at the first hurdle because we are asked to state if we have a disability or not. if I do not do this then I am being rejected for non-disclosure.
No employer says this to me, yet I am left with the impression that they see no further than the word disabled.
I am well qualified etc,etc,etc; yet am left on the no pile for no reason other than the fact I am disabled.
the law ays that I am not supposed to be discriminated against, but I am still unable to find work after an RTA in 1995.
Am I the only one who is in this situation, or do others feel the same?
regards and thanks for all your efforts in this area it is greatly appreciated.
From Simon Bell
Martin
What advice can you give to someone with an INTP personality?
I know I’m competent, I got skills and qualifications, have superb strategic and analyitical skills. I feel underused in my current job and want something better. I’m not the warmest person you’d ever meet. My communications skills are not great and I dont mix well. How can a stone cold personality like mine win over interviewers?
Hi Martin,
Can you suggest some examples to get personality traits across in a CV or cover letter? Perhaps successes of approach, learned from a specific experience might be what you had in mind?
Thanks,
J
J, this is so wierd. I have a special announcement coming out soon addressing this very question. Who have you been talking to?
Keep watching your emails.
Hello Martin
Can you give me some ideas for my wife!!!! (No!!! I know it’s not that sort of site!!!)
She is the CEO of a local charity; she has about 200 staff and 600, yes 600 volunteers.
A lot of this is vanity; she gets the title but is paid under £40K most days she works from 8.30am to 7pm. She is exhausted. She is very able, but hates the Job particularly the forward facing “Pressing the flesh” part of the role. This was supposed to be her dream Job; she left a better paid role to take this. I think the role has sapped her confidence and she has no energy to look for another post. She has no formal qualifications or uni education and I think this is a bit of a physiological bloke for her as she thinks she is not as good as the rest of the world, regardless of the plain evidence that she has developed an amazing career spanning a range of topics from crisis management, change management and service commissioning. I fear she is reaching burn out (average run for a charity CEO is 5 years, she has done 4.5)
Have you any idea how I can haul her back from this, feel good about herself and GET ANOTHER JOB!
Concerned Husband
Mark, I really appreciate you sharing this. That is a huge remit and an enormous responsibility. It distresses me that employers so willingly exploit people. This is particularly true in charities and NPO. I don’t agree with it personally. I think it is short sighted and bad for business.
You have two options. 1) Redesign the job on terms that actually suit. Often employers are simply oblivious of the damage they are doing and may be more accomodating that you might think. It sounds like the job has developed over the years and is probably in need of a reappraisal. There are probably two or more jobs, not one.
2) It is very important your wife learns how to demonstrate her value. Traditional job search (sending CVs to strangers) is designed to strip away your perceived value so that employers get good people for little money. Take some time to learn how to create a high perceived value and create a demand. This is best covered in The 3 Step System.
The awful truth is that if your wife quit tomorrow and then embarked on traditional job search, she would be very disappointed. The likelihood is that she would end up in a similar job and be no further forward.
I also think you both may be at a stage where you need to sit down and have a major rethink. My wife started on that journey two years ago and it has been amazing to see the transformation in her. She is an inspiration to me and has now started coaching other women her age on how to make transition happen and take what she calls “her beautiful journey”. You can check out her site at http://www.juliegibbons.com
Hi Martin, how are you today? I recently had a telephone interview with HSBC. I failed on the ‘competency skill’ part. The interviewer said I was brilliant on the phone and suggested that I googled about the competency skill part. Which was very kind advice from her. My question is,
I’m 51 and although I don’t feel old, to you think that the adage you can’t teach on old dog new tricks applies…
Thanks in anticipation of your wisdom
Sabita, it is true that conventional job search is rife with ageism. I do not believe that age has any negative impact in a person’s ability to do a job.
I teach a whole module in The 3 Step System on how to combat ageism but you mustn’t let yourself be ageist. it’s tough enough when employers do it but together we can overcome that. However I need you to believe in yourself and to know that your age is irrelevant. If you want to work, then you should work.
Don’t let the buggers away with it. Become brilliant at the basics of job hunting and persist.
Hi Martin!
I have been stuck in the restaurant industry for 12 years now, and I have even study at a degree level at University to try to get to another direction. I realized that I have probably chosen the wrong subject and I am still working at a place that makes me very unhappy. I listened to your career change video and hope that that will help me working on my dream job.
Thanks for your advices!
Changing career brings it’s own challenges. As you will have discovered, traditional Job hunting techniques don’t work if you are changing careers. You need a different approach.
Changing careers is like a train changing tracks – it usually ends in disaster. You need to learn some new tricks. I have a site dedicated to career change you may want to check out http://www.careerchangesecret.info/
Hi Martin,
If you say getting a dream job is not based on experience or qualifications, then how do we go about impressing the prospective employer enough such that they may have reason to hire us? My CV is filled with gaps of when i was out of work and I have been unable to obtain interviews because of it, only when i succumbed to changing around the dates abit and being a bit dubious was i able to get interviews, and even then, i was unable to respond in impressive ways to questions like “how do you work best”, “tell us abit about yourself”….i wonder how it is possible to develop more content to speak on in an interview as most of my responses were quite brief.
Francis, you have covered several points here but I want to focus on the interview. It sounds like you are really messing up the interview. However this is something we can fix.
Most people mess up interviews and everyone could learn to deliver a btter performance. in The 3 Step System, Step 3 is all about interviews. I will show you some tricks that will show you how to control the interview and nail job offers.
You may also want to check out http://www.interviewsuccessweekly.com/ as there may not be any places on The 3 Step System.
Hi Martin,
Quite amazed by the intro already! Although its about me, I have never been able to figure out what I need in a job in as simple terms as you have. Really quite something. Already the cogs in my head are churning that there is something out there that should give me that ‘JOB SATISFACTION’. Cheers mate
really helpful advice. i was surprised with how spot on your advice was to what my personality needs. interesting how self analysis is so dificult but you make it sound easy. keep it coming!
I have been working in the veterinary profession for 10 years, i obtained this job purely because i needed a full time position and thought i would enjoy it, which up to a certain extent i do, but i’m utterly bored and frustrated i know its not meant for me. I have come to realise that i am highly motivated and very capable, and know that i need to find the right job for me. I havn’t even applied for any jobs as i haven’t got a clue where to start because i just don’t kow what i want to do. Also the job i have is quite secure and i would be a fool to leave it for anything less than the perfect job, especially in this climate.
Kathryn thanks for sharing. You represent many people with your issues.
1) discovering your ideal job. This is step 1 for everyone and you need to invest the time to get it right.
2) leaving the comfort zone and security of a job is a daunting thought. To cross the burn you have to leap else you get your feet wet. To make the leap you need fuel, positive or negative fuel. In your case the negative fuel isn’t so good, which means you need really powerful positive fuel. That takes effort to find or create.
Take yourself ten years forward and look back at your regrets. Do you regret leaving the secure job to chase your dream? Or Do you regret never having chased your dream?
The choice, as always, is yours.
Hi Martin
The personality report was scarily accurate. it proved what I kind of already knew, but now need to build on.
Thanks
Gemma
Hi Martin,
I am in my early 40′s and after about 20 years in banking got hit by this crisis as my company decided to shut down operation in Italy and made some 400 people redundant.
I am pretty much confused at present due to the fact that I cannot get a single interview despite I trust to be a very reliable person and an hard worker.
Seeking for advice on how to better propose myself as I must be doing something wrong in the job hunting process.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
regards
Giancarlo
Are you looking to change careers or just find a new employer and continue where you left off?
I imagine the entire industry shrunk which means there will be very little new hires as it’s politically delicate. Besides companies are obliges to reposition existing staff before going outside.
Regardless, my experience tells me that becoming brilliant at the basics of job hunting will serve you well. Most people are very poor at the basics so it takes forever to get interviews or job offers.
So what do I mean by the basics?
1) getting interviews
2) interview performance
Most people are shockingly bad at both of these. I recommend you invest time becoming brilliant at the basics.
Use alternative methods to get interviews. Learn how to control interviews and influence their outcome.
Will we get a chance to meetup after this over a beer in Scotland (of course) for me to say thanks?
I’m a sucker for coffee shops so hope to meet you there or at one of my rare live events. Glad you are enjoying the course.
Hi Martin,
Do you have any recommendations for people whose jobs have been made redundant and are trying to adapt to a job market that seems to appreciate those who change employers (and jobs) every 18 months to 2 years in preference to those have done different jobs but with the same employer.
Looking at the answers that I made to your initial “test”, what do you think my job prospectsa are as a 55 year who has not been in permanent employment for the last 2 years?
Len.
i want to know that in which subject my interest is ??
Hi Martin
Thanks for the free mini course and the personality assessment. I was amazed that it was spot -on!!.
I would like to seek your assistance in determining key areas/disciplines that I could focus on in my first career move. I am a Chartered Accountant and a experienced taxation advisor that has practised in industry and professional services for 7 years. When it comes to interviews, I am a star performer and always walk away with a feeling that I did really well but its knowing what I exactly what to do and something that is far more fullfilling, is the area I am struggling to nail down. Please HELP. I’m facing a personal and career crisis!!!.
Kind regards
Parry
Hi Martin
I am now in my late 40′s and have been considering leaving work to study for a degree as I have no university qualifications. Problem is, I don’t know what to study, or whether it’s worth the expense and loss of income for three years. What I would like, is a job where I have autonomy, responsibility and scope for advancement plus recognition for hard work, going the extra mile and adding value. I find office politics a real hindrance and infuriating – it slows things down and the real objective becomes ‘lost’. Am I expecting too much? Thanks Martin
Hi, Martin,
I’m finding your materials very refreshing.
I’m getting to the end of my career cycle based on normal expectations for retirement, and am torn between what I think is my “ideal” and the need to pay the bills based on my experience. I’m hoping to bridge the gaps based on your perspective and approach. It would be a dream to ahieve both goals.
Hi Martin
I am 37 and not happy in my current career. I want to find job satisfaction before it is too late.
Hi Martin
I am rather fascinated by your approach to finding the “ideal job”. Although one can be qualified, experienced and actually very good at doing one thing it doesn’t mean it is one’s “ideal” thing to be doing.
Having done what I currently do since I was 14 (I am now 31) and being very passionate about it, I am not so sure it is my “ideal thing” to be doing. What was a passion and a hobby as a kid has never really brought me real job satisfaction in the business world (but it pays pretty well).
I never considered looking at personality as the reason since most “what should I do with my life” tests done at school look more at aptitude and intellectual ability. Add on what the going “trend” is and we all tend to do things we never really thought much about.
This probably explains why I never managed to finish my Engineering (tried twice) and Computer Science (tried once) degrees back in college and eventually “found my way” into the corporate world the “long way” (working my way up on experience and skill alone). Now I am not so sure this is where I belong even though I am very good at what I do and headhunted often.
I wait with baited breath for your next snippet of advice…
Thanks!
Hi Martin
I have just had to take an unexpected 8 month career break due to caring responsibilities. I now want to get back into to work, but want to find a job that I will enjoy and be bale to use my extensive skills and experience positively. I moved from England to Scotland last year and have no contacts here to help with my job search. Quite frankly I am struggling to find the right job and when I think I have, I am not even reaching the interview stage because employers want a very specific (narrow) type of experience. Even through I have a broad range of transferable skills and experience they are being ignored or not taken into consideration.
Hi Martin
Thanks for providing this. I’m 27 and am trying to find a new rewarding career, and don’t really no where to start. Looking forward to seeing where this could take me.
Rich
Hi Marin, Thank you for the free lessons!
I’m looking forward to get more ideas how I could find the job that I love.
hi martin i just want to thank you for providing the information and i look forward for more information to help me my job hunting
thanks again.
Hi Martin,
My general internet search led me to your website yesterday and today I read your first email, subsequently i am now leaving a coment on your blog site. I look forward to receiving your daily email and I hope it brings me some insight. After years of the travel industry and trying to create my own businesses I find myself once again searching for something else. The ‘glamour’ of traveling and foreign discovery has long since passed and now I find myself wanting to return to the UK and ‘simplify’ life. (I am currently in India) After a brief engineering career and redundancy at 24 i then travelled – 20 years later sucsess still eludes me. I seem to have great ideas but get involved with the wrong people. The ensuing result is always one of disappointment. Now at 44 years old I think I am unemployable, yet I have a wealth of expereince, in business and life! I hope through reading your emails I willfind the tolls I need to discover what it is I should be doingand also where I should be.
Regards
Darren
Hi Martin,
I’m very much enjoying the mini-course so far, so just wanted to leave some feedback.
I am finding your down to earth approach and useful information not only enlightening but also a million times more helpful than the usual fluff about eye contact and handshakes! No one wants to waste an interviewer’s time or their own, so I found the interview skills section especially beneficial…particularly the part about not showering the questioner in bs or attempting to argue your way out of one of your weaknesses, (which is something I do).
These are fantastic tips, so as long as you’re talking, i’m listening!
Thanks for all your work,…keep it coming!
Kate
Hi Martin,
Thank you very much for the report you just gave me. From your personality test you got me spot on, I am a very organised, rule abiding and quality seeking person in life in general and I assess near enough everything this way (I hate breaking rules as I have always believed that Karma will come back and bite you on the ass!). I am in a job that I feel does not fit this description because my boss is a scatter brain and I never know what they expect of me or what they are wanting to do next. I have also had some problems where they have tried to do shoddy work and asked me to do it for them, which I point blank refused to do. It was probably really obvious that this was the case and the reason why I have hated my job since I started it (been there for 8months) but it’s really good to be able to pin point what the exact problem was and your personality test did that for me exactly. Again thank you very much. I guess the next question is to find out what job suites me best and what company/job can offer me the standards I aim for.
Kindest Regards,
Charlie
)
hi ihave really been applying for jobs but have not been called for a single interview. what might i be doing wrong?
It seems to be a common problem Martin. I apply for jobs mostly by recruiters websites and have had no interviews at all. As a senior qualified manager and leader as well as a teacher and financial adviser I find it annoying when people say oh it must be your c.v. as if i haven’t refined it or looked at it recently. What i do know is that when I get an interview I invariably do well its just getting one.
Kind regards
Steve.
Hi Martin,
how can you figure out you dream job? for me it is vry important that it gives my enough spare time and above all teh possibility of travelling…that’s why i am looking for a rotation job. Then, i am applying for positions worldwide and the general tendency it is to employ loval people…. so far it is getting imossible to get a job interview
Hi martin,
i will like to know more about interviews. I’m a graduate of social studies since 2001 and student nurse for few years in which i was thrown out of school due to some un professional words that was written about me. i’m desperate to work at the same time i want to go to school to start nursing all over again. i need your advice because i,m on jobseeker allowance and i do not want to rely on govt for my daily living. i need your help.
Having taking the test and seeing the first video I am very interested in seeing what’s next and learning from it to help me understand me and what jobs are right for me
Martin,
I’m not your average 56 year old; I play lead guitar in a rock band and provide sound, lighting & transport to the top local band in the North East of our little country! However, this doesn’t provide me with a living wage and I’m finding it impossible to get back into ANY form of regular employment. I had a career spanning 23 years in the Civil Service, and a further 5 with an American service provider [following out-sourcing]. I built database, TP and batch services for HM Government on an ICL VME platform, and at the time of accepting my very generous voluntary severance [6 figures] in 2000, was their national expert in their latest development. I presented to senior civil servants, technicians and customer support staff [and once to IT students at Sunderland University] using self-prepared PowerPoint creations. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I wasn’t stupid!
I took some time out after getting the pay-off and indulged my love of all things music and live performing, thinking that I could return to the jobs market whenever I fancied it!
I fell into being a courier ['cos I had a van!] and roamed the country delivering stuff – this was great fun and provided a comfortable living, until the Great Banking Scam wiped out the market…and it is with great irony that I now “sign on” to services that I built!!
So here I am, a sad little old man who cannot get so much as an interview….. A recent conversation with a friend of mine who works in recruitment, confirmed what they’re not allowed to say out loud…..I’m too bloody old!
So, over to you, oh great white hope…….
Martin, we spoke about this issue several months ago….I am not getting any interviews. And to be blunt – it really pisses me off. You have my LinkedIn profile. You know what skills and experience I have accumulated during the past 20 yrs. So what gives? Is it the cover letter? Is it the new scanning software most HR depts have now? How do you get “face time”?
Hi Martin,
I have been unemployed since January 2011, I have applied for hundreds of jobs but not even an interview. I have had someone look at my CV and they said it was ok so why am I not getting interviews??
Good question,
Same with me.
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