Why You’re Not Getting Hired

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IT IS NONE OF THE EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS OF WHAT I DO ONLINE!!MY PERSONAL LIFE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY WORK!!! IF I WANT TO DRINK,I'LL DRINK. IF I WANT TO BE SOMEONE'S MISTRESS AND PLAY AROUND I WILL!!! IF I DON'T BELIEVE IN MARRIAGE OR HAVING KIDS I'LL CERTAINLY SAY IT!!! YES, ONLINE! IT IS MY DAMN RIGHT !! IF I DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD I HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL EVERYBODY!!! YES, I'M DOING IT ONLINE!!!

DEBBIE SMITH of NY 6:18PM June 22, 2012

Well resume..interview..come on people..stop blaming the people for the lack of talent spotting on the part of a hiring manager or HR team...you see most people in HR would no how to pick a qualified person if they tried..if your a welder for example..you need a person who knows the trade to hire that posistion..not a book worm who went to school to understand a spread sheet..why should we have to spell it out for them...there the one looking for a person to handle the job..you ask..we tell ...then what about a little training...it doesnt hurt anyone to pull someone up to the point they can be succsesful in the job force..its time to get back to people...not just prodical....

Bob of MI 8:08AM December 24, 2011

If getting a job depends on having a cool facebook page, a twitter account, being "Linked In," which is nothing more than another glut of information about a job seeker, then we have come to a place in hiring that is so completely impersonal, certain traditional job seekers may as well give up. What happened to job discrimination that included gender, race, and age? All is available on the internet now. Should more law suits be filed because of the inability to submit a CV without this information being known before an interview is offered?
This job seeking criteria has escalated in the past two years. It excludes people who do not allow their smart phones and IPad 2s to control their lives.
What happened to thinkers? What happened to respecting the human element over the age of 35? Why do all recruiters and companies think a person is invaluable unless he/she is 100% wired and electronic 24/7? Isn't it good enough to be proficient with computers, the "MS Office," and database management in one's field?
Yes, we're all capable and intelligent enough to engage in this superficiality..but we don't all want to. When e-mail alerts on the Blackberry wake one up because messages are coming in from Europe and the Far East, it's time to leave it and go back to the old fashioned alarm clock..it was good enough for decades.

J. of WA 10:23PM May 14, 2011

@Stop. I hear ya. I know I am kind of a negative creep, but I always used to get hired eventually. And I know not to do most of the really stupid things they always harp on you not to do. If I fail, it is usually at the interview. However, NOW MY RESUME SUCKS!! Three years ago it didn't suck so bad that I didn't get a response rate of about 1 in 7. Now I have gotten about three responses to my resume in one year. It is the prevalence of these stupid online applications which pick out the supposedly perfect people who meet every qualification, and can pass an FBI style background check (ie. they never had detention in 3rd grade).
GIMME A BREAK. THIS COUNTRY IS SO EFFED UP BECAUSE ONLY THE STEPFORD WIVES CAN EVER GET HIRED.

Pigbitin Mad of NY 3:48PM April 29, 2011

This is the usual trash that these, "experts" spew. I have 10 years experience and the 20 something year old female (with a year or two) gets the job. Qualifications mean nothing and the requirements are used to exclude the applicants they don't want to hire (middle aged). Many managers are afraid to hire people who are smart and know what they are doing and are seen as a threat to them.

sjones of CA 12:30PM April 23, 2011

More advice blaming the job seekers. Quit it. People are down enough and they don't need all these so called experts telling them everything they are doing wrong. It's defeating and job seekers have enough rejection and get beat up and bloodied enough. Just quit it. Most people are not marketing and sales experts. Most job seekers that are unemployed do not have money to do half the things that so called job experts tell them they MUST do if they want to get hired, like hiring resume writers, hiring job coaches, buying the best suit, going to networking events or volunteering when there is no cash for gas. If they are lucky to get an interview then job seekers will spend tons of time and money on getting things just right but will most likely end up disrespected by the employers and treated like crap. No follow-up. Left hanging always. Start putting the blame where it lies: On these hiring managers who want the youngest, best looking, best pedigreed person (a real chipper go-getter with NO baggage...e.g., old age, short, fat, layoffs, career gaps, disabilities, ethnicity, kids at home, etc.) who still lives with mommy and daddy and therefore doesn't need compensation and benefits so they can support themselves and their families.

Angry of AK 1:47PM April 21, 2011

Remember, we are in control of how we respond to situations even those negative ones like rejection on a job application or no response to a job application. Be positive--it works!

Jane of FL 5:20PM April 19, 2011

People who make a job offer and then rescind it because of a credit check should get sued. They should also tell you why the offer is rescinded in case the information is just plain wrong. But seriously, do the background check before you make an offer. Most of the stuff they find are small potatos anyway. Unless we are talking about felonies then you should be able to sue if you are left jobless in this situation.

pigbitinmad of NY 2:14PM April 14, 2011

Miriam,
Great piece; all of your suggestions are spot-on. That said, wanted to provide some additional context on the piece about applying for jobs online.
The reason you may not be getting hired after applying for jobs online may have nothing to do with your qualifications; it may be related to WHEN you apply for the job.
Companies frequently hire for multiple positions at one time. If you are a recruiter or a hiring manager and you are juggling multiple tasks, once you have your short list for interviewing for a job - chances are good that you may NEVER go back to see who's applied after you've invited candidates in for first round interviews.
Through my work as Community Manager for StartWire, I recently interviewed a VP of HR for an American subsidiary of a Global Fortune 50. She hires ONLY engineers with highly specialized training in power electronics. It is hard to find candidates, but she admitted that if she's got her interview list, she's not likely to look back.
If you do apply for jobs online, apply as soon as you see the job listings. Then look for a company contact inside who can help you get referred in. This will help you get hired.
If you want to receive updates on the status of your job applications via e-mail or text message, you may want to check out StartWire.com, a free site for job seekers that helps eliminate the black hole of applying for jobs and never hearing back.

Chandlee Bryan of NY 1:10PM April 14, 2011

And I have to quote this, plus add some personal experience. This may be upsetting, but it IS true. I've yet to figure out how to address it, because the actions taken were "unintentional" due to a miscommunication of policy.
"Come on. Even if you beat the odds, there's plenty of being "overqualified" (i.e., wanting a salary they will not pay and/or the manager sees the person as too smart and a threat or, shockingly, too old despite laws against age discrimination), cronyism, nepotism, etc. Outsourcing and H1B visa abuse have destroyed many, many opportunies for qualified Americans who want to work hard and earn a living.
When people are told to dumb down resumes to line up a job in America or to work for free or the job application process ignores applicants abilities to adapt and prosper in any workplace (most Americans can do that, after all), it is brutally rough. Job hunting should never feel like a lottery - but it does. STOP BLAMING APPLICANTS! -- John of NC "
In my case, I have been both with the National Guard and Reserves. It is part-time in the extreme, but it helps a bit (as long as the Gov doesn't shut down).
Recently, I worked as an Intern for a Non-Profit assisting other Vets obtain computer training to improve their job skills. I was told, I could use the organization as a reference, and list them as my current employer. Nice.
Guess what? The Admin department, two floors down, were unaware of this policy. Needless to say, when prospective employers called to ask for me, they were told I was not an employee.
I need not tell what this does to one's resume, except make a bee-line for the circular file, not to mention, I have LIED about my resume. Regardless of what the truth of my skills are, NO ONE will hire me in the region; my integrity is already shot.
How did I find out this was happening? The Admin department TOLD me they were doing this as I did not work there. Once the Executive Director corrected the error in policy, it was already too late. How many prospective employers had called, and who would remember? I was notified because i was receiving several (more than 5) calls - DAILY!
We all KNOW recruiters speak to each other; it's called "networking", naturally, I've no idea how to overcome it, and would not be able to reasonably sue due to "good-faith" error.
I've been out of work since '08, and yes, I don't get unemployment. Being that I'm 47 hasn't helped either since, as an IT Type, at my age I should be a C-Level by now or own the show.
STOP BLAMING THE APPLICANT, cause there are stories worse than mine!
How'd this mess get started? A trip to IRAQ, which at the time I was a contractor, left me quitting my work. Since the position was not renewed, guess who had NOTHING to come home to?
So how about getting in some REAL research, and helping us out?
M.

Mark of PA 9:49AM April 14, 2011