Chances are, those who are currently unemployed and seeking employment are either no receiving responses to applications or ARE getting to the interview stage but not moving forward.
Why?
It’s simple. You don’t fit the quote-un-quote role. The reality is there is someone out there who has more experience, education and determination asking for the same role.
We often here the word NO but it’s never that direct. It comes in the form of a non-response (the employer stops communicating all together) or “we are not going to move forward with you at this time”. The reason for the friendly turn-away is simple. Anything beyond the standard response could be seen as litigious.
Imagine what would happen if someone actually gave you honest feedback. You’d either be extremely gracious or crushed. Chances are you’d be crushed. Think about it, if an HR person you interviewed with told you that the reason why he/she are not moving forward is because your breath was bad, or your suit was too small OR you are too fat it could possibly pose some legal issues.
So if you do not receive a response or you hear word that you are not moving forward then it is incumbent upon YOU to find out why and improve/correct yourself. Below is an outline of what to do. This is only a partial list but should cover the basics:
- Never speak poorly or respond emotionally to negative news. It will just reinforce the notion that the employer made the right decision to end your journey. Every communication must be professional and polished. I’ve seen too many candidates blow up when they receive bad news.
- Ask questions. You may not get a response but you’ve invested time in the interview process. Ask what you can do in order to improve yourself in the future. Ask to remain a candidate for similar roles with them. Ask if the employer knows peers in other industries looking for similar people. Check with them to see if it is ok to email them once in a while (once a month/once a quarter).
- Add the employer to your professional network. LinkedIN is a brilliant way to remain in contact. It doesn’t hurt to send an invite. Just be careful that you don’t project the wrong image.
- Refer your aptly skilled peers to the employer from time to time. They may not have chosen you, but they might pick your buddy for a similar role. You would win favours with the hiring manager and your friend on the “inside”.
- Remain positive. Keep in mind that every “NO” gets you closer to a YES – you have to constantly improve yourself though – aggregate all the feedback and use that as a jump point for improvement.
Understand, It’s a tough market for virtually everyone right now. A NO should never be taken personally despite the market conditions. Companies still need to hire people, and in the coming years the prospects will only look brighter.
**This article was written by Jay Zaidi – jzaidi1@hotmail.com
