8 Ways to Get Yourself Eliminated from Candidate Consideration Quickly

8 Ways to Get Yourself Eliminated from Candidate Consideration Quickly

~ Will Thomson

I just don't get it?!!  Why didn't I get called back?  I thought I interviewed great!  What do you mean "We decided to go another direction"?

Have you ever heard these words or thought these thoughts?  If you haven't, you are one of the few.  Interviewing for a job is tough.  It is frustrating.  It can be a long process.  You develop a rapport with your recruiter.  When you get the call, or even worse the "no call", it is hard not to get down.

So the question is "How can YOU avoid these things?". Truth is, sometimes you can't.  Sometimes there is already a candidate in mind before you even submit your resume.  That being said, there are some things you can do to HELP YOURSELF from being eliminated and at least getting to the second round of interviews.

Getting an interview, is half the battle.  The other half, is getting to the second round of interviews and progress through the process.  Don't shoot yourself in the foot.  Here are 8 things that WILL get you eliminated from consideration.

1)  Not Doing Research on the Company and the Role  We have all done it.  Let me say as a recruiter, though, it is extremely frustrating when you haven't done your homework.  Look up the company on the internet.  Get a good understand what they do.  Know the key executives.  Know the financials.  Be able to articulate how you could help. 

2)  Not Acting Enthused About The Role  Have your morning cup of coffee and your notepad.  Take notes & listen.  Genuinely be interested in what role the person is talking to you about.  Remember they are taking time out of their day to talk to YOU.  Give them a level of respect!

3)  Coming Across Abrasive or Overconfident  Recruiters truly don't care how great awesome you are. We are looking for culture fit.  We are looking at a lot of intangibles.   If you come across abrasive and the know it all, it is a huge turnoff!  It is okay to show what you know, but don't do it in a way that comes across as someone that would have difficulty working with others.  Be humble. 

4)  Not Being Able to Do the Skills on Your Resume  There are now Sourcers in recruiting for this exact reason.  Don't say you can program and code Java on your resume if you can't! Don't say you have been in outside sales for 15 years when you have gone on 3 meetings with an outside sales person and you are an TRULY an inside sales person.  

5)  Over Pricing Yourself  Don't say you want 20k more than you know they can pay.  If you are out of their budget, or more than they WANT to pay,  you won't get called back.  

6)  Being Inflexible  Saying things like "I will only telecommute" or I don't want to do that part of the job EVER shows that you won't be a very good employee.  

7)  Not Able To Explain Employment Gaps   Let's face it.  There are layoffs, there is downsizing, and sometimes you just aren't a great fit.  Maintain relationships with a former employee and stay on good terms.  If you can't explain why you left then you are in trouble.  

8)  Bad Mouthing Your Former Employer  The employer is looking to employ YOU.  If you bad mouth a former employer, what says you won't do that to them?  Be careful what you say!  You could say things like "I learned a lot from the company and it has helped me in XYZ areas.  Never say "the company was awful and my boss was a jerk".  That will get you nowhere in life!   

The Ten Most Common Interview Questions

The Ten Most Common Interview Questions

Are you prepared to answer these?

Tell me about yourself

Hint:  30 – 60 second prepared elevator speech.  The interviewer does not want to know that you like dogs and hate cats.  This answer should be concise and give a brief overview of your career and accomplishments.  Your answer should focus on the last 5 years.

Why do you want to work for our company

Hint:  Research the company prior to the interview.  Know what they do, the company culture, etc.

Why should we hire you

Hint:  Make sure you have read the job description and can tell the interviewer specific experience that you have had that relates to the job.

Why do you want to leave your current job

Hint:  The answer should never be “I can’t stand my current boss”.  …even if that is the “real” reason!  One more hint:  the answer should not be that you are looking to increase your salary or income potential.   Avoid making negative statements and keep your answer short.

What is your greatest strength

Hint:  Read the job description to see what the employer is really looking for in a new hire.  Your answer should be a quality that will complement the requirements of the position.

What is your greatest weakness

Hint:  Your goal is to discuss a “real” weakness, but this weakness must not hinder you from doing the job. 

Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years

Hint:  This question should be answered with regards to your career not your personal life.  The interviewer does not want to know if you plan to have children or get married in the next (x) years.  Your answer should focus on what you can do for the company.  A good approach might be to simply say, “My title may change, but it is my hope that I will join a company long-term, where I can continue to grow and contribute.”

Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person

Hint:  Rather than discuss the difficult person, answer this question in general terms.  For instance, “One of my co-workers preferred to work independently, and the project entailed us working as a team.  I approached the situation from her perspective and we came up with a way to work together and complete the project on time.”

What are your salary expectations

Hint:  Try not to answer in a dollar amount.  A good answer might be “I would like to discuss the job requirements first, so I can get a sense of the expectations.”  Or  “I am more interested in the opportunity at this point.”  If you are pressed, you may say “I am open to discussing salary, but first what is the salary range for this position?”

Tell me more about (anything else on your resume)

Hint:  If it is on your resume, it is fair game to discuss!  Be prepared.

Is It Time To Leave Your Job?

Is It Time To Leave Your Job?

It goes without saying that “we’ve all been there” at one time or another. You find that there is more negativity in your day than anything else.  You hate getting up in the morning…and find more than enough reasons to hit that snooze alarm.  Energy?  Enthusiasm?  You can’t seem to find either as you fight your way to get into the office.  Coffee…there is the reason that you are there. What you need to ask yourself, is why do I feel this way?  Have I hit a glass ceiling?  Am I no longer growing in my career?  Is my new boss stifling my ability to “do”?  What stumbling block am I dealing with? …and can it be fixed?

Many conclude that the best option is to look for a new job.  But have you done all that you can to salvage the career that you have been building?  First thing you need to do is pinpoint the problem.  There are good reasons and bad reasons for changing jobs.

SIGNS THAT IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON:

1)    You are no longer having "fun".

Everyone has good days and bad days.  But when the bad days outnumber the good ones for months…it is time to move on. 

2)    Your company is struggling financially.

If you are hearing of impending layoffs and financial troubles, it makes sense to take a look around.  Job searches can take a long time…and it is easier to find a new job when you are currently employed.

3)    Your career goals cannot be met.

If there is no upward mobility and your career path is questionable, it is time to move on.  Some things cannot be changed.  For example, if your wish is to move into a management role, and you are working for a small family owned company, where you know this is not possible, then you owe it to yourself to consider looking for another job.

4)    You are not performing to the best of your ability.

We all have bad days.  But when days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months, you may be burnt out.  If you are under-challenged…or (gasp!) overworked, and you see no way to change this, it is time to update that resume.

Certainly these are not the only reasons to consider making a career change.  My point is that you need to get to the source of the problem and whether or not it is fixable.  Then you need to determine your course of action.