Charles asked us on our blog:
“I have been unemployed since September of this year and have been on 10 interviews since starting to use Snagajob. Somewhere between the resume, interview and follow up I am missing or doing something wrong and I just can't figure it out.”
Great question Charles! If you’re making it to interviews, the good news is you’ve probably got the application process down – applying to the right jobs and submitting and following up on job applications to make a great impression on the hiring manager.
That said, there may be something in your interviews that’s holding you back.
Interview basics
The first thing you should do is take a look back at your interviews and be sure you arrived on time and were dressed appropriately. While this seems small, these details are important and an employer will probably remember you if you show up in a dirty sweatshirt and ripped jeans.
Interview questions
If all of that looks good, think about how you answered the actual interview questions themselves. It’s important to practice how you answer these questions, as there’s definitely a wrong way and a right way to answer questions. Not sure if you’ve been answering acceptably? Check out all of our videos where we break down some of the most common questions down for you.
Interview practice
While interviews can be pretty scary, the more you do, the better prepared you will be. We highly recommend doing mock interviews with friends and family members. Maybe you don’t realize it, but you might constantly bite your nails during interviews. Or your handshake needs some work. Or maybe you subconsciously look really bored as you listen. It’s better to have someone you trust tell you these things instead of an employer!
I know that interviewing over and over can get pretty frustrating, but your best bet is look back to see why you may not be getting hired and then get back in the game. We believe in you.
Do you have any other tips for Charles? Leave them below!
About Kim Costa
I think it should be TOTALLY against the law to refuse and interview or a handwriiten application from someone who walks in to an establishment or company. NOT everyone has a computor or even access to one. Then, consider having to rely on public transportation. I unfortunetly was “Wrongfully Terminated” from a job a absolutely loved, by crooked management. They have since been “found out” and fired, Inspite of my repeated calls and visits to this company, meeting with the new manager and putting my best foot foward, I cant seem to get my job back. Everyone insists on “Go on line” and”fill out an app….” ya, sure! right!. THE THING THAT HURTS THE MOST is, I have over 30YEARS experience in the Food Service business and believe I have SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much to offer, Its such a shame that I cant just walk into a place, fill out an app, talk to management, and get hired on the spot! ( I have a reputation for that) what a shame, a company and myself are both missing out. Quite honestly? It down-right Sucks! How many petitions and or signatures would it take to pass a law that prevents companys from refusing to accept a walk-in/handwritten application??? Maybe somebody can tell me/help me. Frustrated in So. Cal
Have you considered looking over what you have written/typed rather it’s on here or for an application? You have some words that are misspelled and their are words that you didn’t put spaces inbetween them that needed a space. That might be one reason why your not hearing back from compinies. “on line” is suppose to be, on-line. That’s just one thing that I am going to point out. Secondly, it’s the world that we live in now that a lot of things, including applying for jobs, is done on-line. You might have 30 years of experience is something, doesn’t always mean that you will be guaranteed the job you are applying to. Small things, like spelling and grammer plays a big role in things. Sorry to burst your bubble.
There are many mistakes in your answer!!!
Exactly. Both the question and response are hot messes of misspellings, grammatical errors, misplaced commas, improper capitalization and conjugation… For instance, the proper use of “Small things, like spelling and grammar plays a big role in things,” is “Small things, like spelling and grammar, [appositive] play [plural, as the subject is 'things'] a big role…” These are probably the primary reasons for your lack of success. Not that I’m hating, but you should be aware, and if you’re unsure, have someone who knows what they’re doing edit and proofread your submissions.
I sincerely hope that you two above are being silly, because if you are not… you really need to go back to school and learn spelling and grammar check … you both have serious problems!.. There, they’re (they are), their … you, you're (you are), your. Please make sure you use the right one!
Not "what you have written/typed ratherit's on here or for an application?"
It's "what you have written/typed on here" - you may have just been typing fast, but need to check your spelling/grammar.
Not …”their are words that you didn't put spaces inbetween them that needed a space”
It's “there are words that you did not put a space in between, that needed a space.”
Not "why your not hearing back"
It's "why you're not hearing back"
... compinies = companies
... grammer = grammar
Sorry to bust your bubble!! - slow down your typing, check spelling and grammar, before posting. Too much time on Facebook, twitter, texting, and people forget what proper writing is.... Or type up what you want to say on word, check it over first, then post!!
I didn’t have a computer for over a year and use public buses to get around as well. I would go to my local libraries every day. They had public computers to use plus certain libraries had computer strictly for job searches. If you tell the librarians that you need more time on the computer to complete applications they been accommodating to me and others. I must admit filling out the applications were very time consuming and wasn’t able to get them done in the 1 hour allotment of time.
I hear your frustration. And I agree with you. I see people in my area (Philadelphia) walking around with resumes and I don’t think they’re going to get anywhere. Unfortunately, the on-line stuff is no picnic either. The key seems to be building a LinkedIn community, finding someone in the company that you want to work in, and getting that person to deliver your resume to HR. Supposedly more and more companies give monetary rewards to their employees who help them find and hire another employee. Hope this helps.
But how did you post this? No point in all your complaining you just proved yourself a lair. You have access somehow to a computer if your on this WEBSITE. No offense but you must just not like using them. My dad doesn’t either but he also makes sure to not lie. If you can get online an complain about not being able to get online your doing something seriously wrong and everyone who agrees is not really thinking. The should have handout applications for people who don’t have access to a computer and I’m sorry but your not one of them. You got on here somehow might as well go to a restaurants homepage and fill out an app its as easy as complaining on here
I completely agree. If I were a company I’d want to meet and talk with the person that I might consider hiring. You can learn a lot about a person doing this however it seems if we want a job the only way to get it is the online process. I haven’t had much success either. Good luck to you.
I agree wholeheartedly! The only way I can even check my email is to go to a public library or other public place that has computers. Let alone job hunt and apply to jobs.
Every plane should accept handwritten paper apps and walk in, in person drop offs.
A lot of places dont even want you valid for follow ups anymore.
It’s a miracle! You posted on the internet without access to a computer! You have amazing talents.
lololol you’re so funny dick trickle. dang! she did post that on the internet huh??? aha!
Really!! Think about it instead of being a jerk.
what should I say when they ask me why did i Leave my last job besides attending school???
Hi Melissa! Leaving for school is a perfectly fine answer. You can just say that you were working there temporarily until school started and you needed to leave. There’s nothing wrong with that. Good luck!
I think your video’s are very helpful thru youtube. My question is that with everything being social media no ones wants to even give a physical application, or the websites hasnt updated the inventory of jobs and many are no longer available. You go online to job search and all you do is get a run around about going back to school. I am doing follow ups on all my applications, but wonder if there is something I am doing wrong, or just not doing. Any helpful ideas?
I have been looking for a job for about 3 to 4 months now and about 12 interviews by now…the last job I lost was not even my fault… and now i feel incredibly frustrated with the job search and not getting anywhere…i don’t know what else to do.
Amen!!! I could not of said it better Angela.
A very well written post Kim and great tips for Charles. I would like to add here is that nowadays recruiters often look for soft skills as well apart from technical abilities in candidates. One should always look confident with a smiling face, even if they are feeling nervous. That helps a lot.
I get so much conflicting information as to whether or not companies prefer a hand-written application as opposed to an electronic one. I, for one, would prefer the option to put a name to a face that a paper application offers. I’m sure companies are inundated with electronic applications on a daily basis and I would think that a handwritten application that someone took the time to pick up, fill out, and return would stand out among the thousands of electronic applications coming through.
Hello Kim;
Thank you, these videos are mind openers and are great help when it comes to sharing what you mean to say when asked.
Please consider this suggestion: “How is your Memory”, or ” Aren’t you too old for this job.”
I am, not 20 or retired and I have my wits about me.
I have had several interviews for customer service and years of experience in Finance, Banking and Sales, and your site has given me the best ideas for many of those dreaded questions in one place.
Please help with the fore-mentioned questions.
Best Regards;
R
I applied for a telephonic Nurse position yesterday. with a recruiter in the city where I live. I was so excited about the Nursing Job. Today he called to tell me the company said I applied Last year. I told him I applied for another job at the company. Why would a application to a company last year have any baring on todays application/
I applied for a telephonic Nurse position yesterday. with a recruiter in the city where I live. I was so excited about the Nursing Job. Today he called to tell me the company said I applied Last year. I told him I applied for another job at the company. Why would this matter?
I’ve got a better one than that! I applied for a pharmacy tech position at Walgreens. The manager told me I had already been drug tested. I asked him how since I had never applied for a job until that day. I would remember if I had been drug tested. Then after they went to the trouble to check my background and I actually submitted a drug test which I know I passed on both accounts, they never called me back about starting work. Talk about inefficient and lame. It was the most unprofessional show of management I have ever seen.
My main issue is that from 1996-2004 while I was married, after I finished veterinary school, I was forced into becoming the family hospice caregiver. After I lost my husband in 04, I hadn’t worked in so long for pay I had to live with my father as his caregiver until his death in 2010. Now I’m trying to start my life over, but don’t have a decent enough job history for any employers in my field, or any other fields to trust me with even an entry level position. I’ve managed a few part-time positions, but they don’t last long for various reasons. I haven’t had an interview in almost 2 months, and if I don’t get hired somewhere soon, I may lose my new home.
Hearing lots of frustration. I am so sorry Angela about your job loss and can empathize as your situation happened to me many years ago. II bounced back out of anger, I guess. Where I currently work, there are only computerized applications to log into but there is a reason: It is your first interview! We want to see how successfully you navigate your way through the computer process because most of the equipment you will need to do your job is some sort of computer-based technology. If I see your final “computerized” application, you just passed your first “interview”! We now know we won’t have to spend time on basic computer training for you to help run our restaurant, put in touch-screen orders, order more food inventory, or use the commercial ovens. Please reconsider some computer training to be relevant in today’s workforce. Be successful! Take charge of your tomorrow!
I know it’s frustrating. I have been unemployed for 3 and a half years with more than fifteen years experience of customer service and medical terminolgy. I have gone on countless interviews. I havn’t worked due to health reasons. I’m a cancer survivor and also was terminated from my last job because I decided to chose my son who was having an asthma attack before my job and getting into another hospital is like getting into Fort Knox. All I say is we have to keep our chin up and keep pushing forward. I have moment of derpession over this very moment and say what am I doing wrong. I guess it’s just a matter of taking more classes.
Consider the possibility of ageism. I am 54 years old. I lost my job last year. I worked for the company for 10 years, never missed a day of work and covered for the younger generation that always seemed to lay out of work on Friday and Monday. So much for job loyalty. I’ve sent out over 35 job applications online. I took a Human Resource Dev. course at the Employment Sec. Commission office, supposedly taught by an expert HRD person who also teaches at the local community college. She looked over my resume, found no mistakes and said I was using the correct format for today’s technology. Of course my resume was correct. I took a day and spent it in the Jobs Office at the community college where this lady teaches. They tutored me in electronic resumes and Applicant Tracking Systems. I have had 10 interviews and keep getting the same response, “That they have moved on to more qualified applicants.” One job I applied for, I got the same old excuse. Three months later, I see the job listed again at the Employment Security Commission. Their person who was more qualified than I am quit after three months. Serves them right! If that’s the case, these employers are not referring to more qualified as “years of experience, a BS Degree in the field, National Certification in the Field, and references.” I think they are hiring younger people with less qualifications so they can pay them less. There is a reason the application asks you for your salary history. If they see that you have been bringing in $40 per hour and they are only willing to pay you $12 per hour with no benefits, they will not hire you. I just hope all these young females they are hiring end up in the motherly way after one month of employment and have to miss a lot of work, or they have to miss work every time the schools are closed due to inclimate weather or they have to miss work because the babysitter quit. There are advantages to hiring older adult workers. We are stable, we are experienced. we work better independently, we don’t have all the family issues to deal with, etc.
What is the best way to go after a job that I want? I really want to work at Harvest Moon a really cool health food store here in Floyd, Virginia. If suggestions are given please let me know. Have a wonderful day and week! Mary
I could use some helpful tips or suggestions on how to deal with my situation. In late January I was fired for cause from a job I had over 8 years. I fill out lots of applications online and am honest if asked about ever being terminated for cause. In five months I’ve had two interviews during which I explained the circumstances surrounding my termination very briefly and honestly (which was lame really – I didn’t embezzle money or do drugs or anything I just had a disagreement with my supervisor and we both lost our tempers but I got fired.) Neither of the interviews resulted in a job. How do I get past this?