Why Still Unemployed After All This Time

Career Transition Workshop

Section 6

Section 6- Why Are You Still Unemployed ….after All This Effort?

Let’s review the reasons for interview turn-downs?

•Quitting your job without first gaining a job?• Is this move seen as risky or is it seen as you being considerate

of your current employer by not interviewing on their time?

• Most see it as a risky move or perhaps running from something.

Section 6 – Page 1



•Initial telephone interview at a bad and distractive time?• Dinner time• Late evening around bedtime• Early morning• Cell phone while driving in car



Let’s review the reasons for interview turn-downs?•Group or Multiple Interviewers• Perception that one interviewer

is more important than others and thus too focused on that person. ie: eye contact, response, showing collaterals• Failure to gain allies during the process• Failure to uphold professionalism throughout process

with all parties including the receptionist




•Public Records?• Criminal record or other court records• Bankruptcy or bad credit report• Motor Vehicle Report• Google for any news• MY Space, Facebook and others




•Professional References?• Have you discussed their opinion of your prior work

and performance?• Have you prepped them for the respective reference

check?• Are they truly well informed of your work and

performance ie: prior supervisor?• Have you given friends who might give away too much

personal background when asked by the potential employer?




•Failure to Close the Interview?• Are you avoiding the “close of the sale”? Asking for the

job and/or the next interview is important no matter what the position.




•Failure to Negotiate at Job Offer?• Seen as giving in too easily and lacking self-confidence• Seen as lacking self-worth and maybe too thankful to

get the job and thus desperate especially if a low-ball offer




•Talking Money or Benefits too Early in the Interview?•Talking too much and disclosing too much personal?• If not asked, don’t offer.• Just because the personal question is asked, doesn’t

mean you have to give a thorough answer.




•30-Second Elevator Speech too Focused on “why you are available or what happened to you”?• Failure to tell the employer “why they should hire

you”.• Failure to discuss past accomplishments and why past

employers continued to hire you.• Failure to talk about your Top 5 Transferable Skills.




•Negative Body Language?• Lack of eye contact and turning of head away• “Dead fish” handshake• Slouching posture• Tapping of foot or finger• Overly relaxed posture such as foot on the coffee

table, suit coat off and hung on back of chair




•Negative Talk About Past Employers or Bosses?• Your mother told you, “if you don’t have something

nice to say about someone, don’t say anything.”




•Age Discrimination?• Your age isn’t the issue, your appearance

or behavior is!• Perception of: out of shape,

lack of energy, lazy, sleepy, bitterness,lack of motivation, etc. that would affect work performance




•Dress and Appearance?• Professional dress only! Clothes fresh and pressed.• Shoes clean and shined. • Finger nails clean and trimmed.• Facial hair, hair color or lack of trimmed hair may hold

you back.




•Not Focused on Accomplishments & Positive Transferable Skills?• Resume not written to exemplify your prior

accomplishments.• Failure to answer questions by giving examples of prior

accomplishments.




•Lack of Homework on the Company and/or Employer?• No excuses here. The internet makes it possible for

everyone to have ample information on an employer before going into the interview.• Social Networking—someone has got to know

something about the company or the interviewer.

Section 6 – Page 2-3



•Lack of Enthusiasm?• 60% of what motivates an employer to offer you a job

will be your enthusiasm, energy, drive to succeed (past predicts the future) and chemistry between you and he / she.




•Too Much Use of “I”?• Especially managers or executives that should be

getting things done through their teams.




•Mention of Any Lawsuits Against Prior Employers?• “I feel that I was unjustly let go from my prior

employer so I secured a lawyer and initiated a suit against them.”• “I am part of a class-action sexual harassment lawsuit

against my prior company.”Section 6 – Page 3



•Misinterpretation of Statements?• “I am a really good people person.”• “I can’t wait to work here. You company seems much

more fun than my prior employers.”• “I cannot be available for 30days.”• “Do you have health benefits? Can you tell me about

the details of the health plan? What is the deductable?”• “Will you be checking references?”




•Misinterpretation of Statements?• “I’d prefer that you didn’t contact that particular

employer.”• “I can’t give you references of my prior supervisors.

They have all left their jobs and I haven’t kept in touch with them.”• “I am a real self-starter and like my autonomy.”• “I am so happy that you called. The job market is really

tough right now.”Section 6 – Page 3


What Pre-Conceived Ideas Do You Have That Are Holding You Back?

•Be Careful of Your Negative Thoughts!• You become what you are thinking!• You could slip up and say negative things related to

those thoughts.• Harder to have true enthusiasm if filled with doubt or

suspicion.• Common cause for loosing sense of humor.




•Feelings of Over-Qualified or Under-Qualified?• Preconceived ideas of being over-qualified might

cause you to pass over a lesser position with a fast-track advancement opportunity.• Preconceived ideas of being under-qualified will cause

you not to stretch yourself as well as never test those uncomfortable zones that creates learning and career growth.




•Feelings of Security Keeping You from Taking Risks?• Avoidance of a performance-based incentive plan as

compared to a safe base salary• Taking on responsibilities that are on the edge of your

comfort zone• Should you be considering self-employment, franchise

or other business opportunities?




•Advancement in the Interview Process Doesn’t Mean that You Have it Made!• Be careful about letting down your professionalism

and take nothing for granted.




• All of Your References Will Say Great Things About You.


NOT!



•Advancement in the Interview Process Doesn’t Mean that You Have it Made!• Be careful about letting down your professionalism

and take nothing for granted.




• I Have My Resume in With Many Recruiters. They Are Working on My Behalf.

• Wrong. Recruiters work for and are paid by the employers that have hired them.• Very few recruiters make out-bound sales calls on your

behalf. If they do, it is short lived if they can’t get any nibbles in the first couple days. Much like fishing…change lures after every few casts to determine which bait attracts the fish.




•I Don’t Like to Make Phone Calls…Too Much Like Sales!




•It Doesn’t Do Any Good Making All Those Phone Calls Because…• The receptionists just screens me out.• The receptionist or Administrative Assistant refers me

to HR• The advertisement specifically says to apply to a

specific person other than the CEO (or other C-suite executive).


Why Still Unemployed After All This Time

Business

Transcript of Why Still Unemployed After All This Time