One of the most common questions I get goes like this:
“I’ve achieved some success in getting interviews. Sometimes I even get a second interview. Then…nothing happens. What’s wrong?”
Typically this problem has three possible causes.
First, many clients realize they need to practice their interview skills. For example, when you are asked, “Do you have questions?” your interviewer doesn’t expect questions about hours, workload and benefits. She wants you to demonstrate your interest in the company.
However, many of my clients have superb interview skills. There’s nothing wrong with them.
Instead, their resumes are getting them interviews, but the resumes are not properly targeted. So they wind up talking to hiring managers who are very impressed…but recognize, “There’s just not a fit here.”
Finally, you may be dealing with pseudo-interviews. These employers have no intention of hiring you. However, they are going through the motions because (a) their HR person said they need to look at more candidates or (b) they are just curious to see “what’s out there.”
When I was an academic, I went on lots of pseudo-interviews. University officials were extremely concerned about meeting EEO regulations. They also had to follow arcane policies and procedures that called for committee meetings.
Once I went on a pseudo-interview in Boston. I told the dean I’d be staying an extra night in the very nice interview hotel at my own expense. No problem, he said. They paid for the whole thing…probably out of guilt.
Companies sometimes feel they are doing you a favor if they talk to you, even if they won’t hire you. Occasionally you will impress an employer during a pseudo-interview and you’ll get a job you didn’t expect. More often it’s a hassle and expense: after all, they won’t pay for dry cleaning your suit or boarding your dog.
I am happy to work with you if you’d like to have a one-to-one consultation. Send an email to ask about specials for April:
midlifecareerstrategy (a) gmail.com