Difficult Interview Question: Why Has it Taken You So Long to Find Employment?

If you go to an interview, you have to expect the tough questions. Hiring managers don’t want you to be sad or upset, but they do want to be flustered, because they are aware how easy it is to BS your way through a job interview. The more unprepared you are for a question, the more likely they will receive a candid answer (or, at the very least, a chance to see how you act when you are unprepared).

How to Answer

If you are asked why it has taken you so long to find employment, you have two types of answer options:

• You can talk about work you did while unemployed (starting your own business, freelancing, consulting, volunteering) and claim that you were trying your hand at those activities before you decided to re-enter the job market.
• You can make it sound like you were in no hurry.

The first is fairly easy, which is why it is strongly recommended that you keep yourself busy while you are unemployed. The busier you are, the more you can claim that it wasn’t wasted time. The latter is more difficult, which is why we will give an example below.

Bad Answer

“I don’t know. I had a few interviews here and there, but they never seemed to pan out.”

Good Answer

“It was not my intention to apply to just any job that would hire me. I have been waiting for companies that meet my career goals that are looking to hire someone with my qualifications. Those are few and far between.”

A good answer implies that it hasn’t been a long time for you, and that the time you spent off work was intentional.  It also compliments the company, which is something that interviewers like.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Don’t give any actual reasons.
• Say that you were working, in some way, while unemployed or
• Say that you were waiting for jobs that meet your select criteria.

Book Review – Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring

There are a lot of books about jobs. So many that it is one of the most popular industries on the net. In addition, job search and job interview books can have tangible results. Did you get a job? If you did, you probably liked the book. If you didn’t, you probably didn’t. It is for that reason you cannot trust the user reviews from people that are actively searching for jobs, because their opinion of their job search book is entirely contingent on if they found employment.

However, is that really a bad thing? Shouldn’t a good book help you find employment and a bad book not? It can be argued that these reviews are perhaps even more telling of a book’s worth, because good books will help people find employment and therefore receive positive reviews. This leads to another problem: Abuse. Most book websites get bombarded with fake user accounts leaving raving reviews of the book so that people that are desperate for jobs see that job seekers “loved” the book and trust it with their job search techniques.

“Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring: Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love, and Earn What You Deserve” by Ford Myers suffers from this problem. Many of the user reviews you see online appear to be written by people that did not actually read the book. Let’s try to bring some honesty to the table.

Book Content

· How to develop a strategic plan.

· The current effects of the economy.

· How people are looking for work in a bad economy.

· Information on networking.

· Cover letter writing and how to use them.

· Negotiating tactics.

· Interviewing psychology.

· How to succeed in your first 90 days at your new employer.

Book Strengths

There is no shortage of ideas in “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring.” The book is fairly comprehensive, covering many aspects of job searching, job interviews, networking, etc. Saying “no stone left unturned” is an overstatement, as you will see in a bit, but when it comes to comprehensiveness of the types of topics available in the book, “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring” has quite a bit. The book also uses a motivational tone that some job seekers may appreciate, and it argues several unconventional points, including why resumes are not as important as people believe.

Book Weaknesses

Though there is a lot of different types of content, there is not a lot of depth to the content. The book dedicates very few pages to its important points, and does not go into depth on a lot of topics. Similarly, it has points that we tend to disagree with, such as using a blog to find a job (see here). Expansion is its greatest weakness, however, as the points we disagree with are debatable. Finally, the book focuses way too much on networking. Not everyone can network, and not all jobs that you may be seeking have many networking opportunities.

Overall Impressions

Though the reviews of “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring” may appear to be mostly fake, at least the book contains information that people can truly use. The only real issue is the depth that the book goes into, the tone (motivational writing isn’t for everyone), and the emphasis on networking, which isn’t as useful a strategy for more entry level positions. “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring” is a useful resource, but not a great resource.

How to Interview for a Job You are Underqualified for

When you are unemployed, you try anything to find employment. You will apply to jobs you have no interest in, you will apply to jobs where you are a perfect fit, and you will apply to jobs that you have no chance of winning.

What happens, though, when you get asked to interview for the job you thought there was no chance you could win? You still want the job, and though you are underqualified on paper it is clear that the employer felt that you had something to bring, otherwise you would not have been called in for the interview. Below are some interview tips for job interviews you are underqualified for.

Job Interview Tips

• Prepare Like Crazy

The reason you are underqualfiied is because you do not have the experience that you believe is necessary to fill the role. You cannot gain those experiences before the interview, so your best bet is to wow them with your ability to answer interview questions. Practice answering every question with the best answer possible and try to wow them with your interview skills.

• Study Up On Skills

If you are underqualified for the role, chances are there are a lot of skills that you do not yet have. For example, perhaps they are looking for someone with a great deal of leadership experience, and you have never held more than an entry level job. There is not a lot you can do. What you can do is make sure that you are as up to date as possible with the knowledge that you do have. Refresh yourself in programs you have used, remind yourself of relevant terminology, etc. The stronger you can be on the knowledge you do know, the more what you are missing will be ignored.

• Act Like You Deserve the Job

Never give the impression that you are somehow not worthy of the position, or the interviewer might realize that you do not have the qualifications and you will immediately ruin your employment chances. You should always act like the job was made for you. This includes asking for a salary commensurate with the work involved. Don’t undersell your services simply because you really want the job.

• Don’t Look for Excuses

When people are not qualified for a position, they often try to overstate irrelevant experience as a way to make it sound as though they have more experience than they do. Don’t fall into that trap. If you don’t have knowledge in an area then you don’t have knowledge. That’s okay. If you try to relate experiences that are barely related, if at all, you will only look like you are reaching.

• Bring a Portfolio

Nothing says professional like a portfolio of documents relevant to the position. If you can prove that you have the knowledge and abilities to succeed in the position, your shortcomings are far more likely to be overlooked and you will be able to establish greater credibility.

Take Things in Stride

If you know you are not qualified for the position, do everything in your power to win the job but understand that things may not be meant to be. Also, once you get the job, do your best to learn. If the same things that made you underqualified make it hard for you to do your role, try your best to learn these skills and know that it impact your employment.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Act like you are qualified for all jobs you interview for.
• Practice like crazy for the interview to impress employers.