Have a question? Email the Job Search Expert
JobSearchExpert@makeithappenforwomen.com
Dear Job Search Expert,
“I never know what to say when an interviewer asks me “Do you have any questions?”
Thanks,
Sandra C., KY
Hi Sandra,
That question usually signals that the interview is over but you have one more chance to make a great impression so don’t waste it! Some experts suggest some cute closing questions like “When do I start?” but we suggest using this chance to show the interviewer that you are the right candidate. Here are a three suggestions for great “closer” questions:
- What are your key business priorities for the next 3-6-12 months?
- Where do you see this industry going in the future?
- How has the recent economy affected your company/industry and what strategy are you using to mitigate any losses?
The idea is to sound as if you are already part of the team and that you are already thinking about helping them succeed.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“My last boss was a nut and I hated him so I quit. How do I describe that to an interviewer?”
Sincerely,
Rebecca J., IN
Hi Rebecca,
Well, telling an interviewer that your last boss was a nut is usually not a good idea! That just might make them think you are the nut, George.
A good rule to remember is to always speak highly of your previous employers. You never know – the interviewer might know your last boss. Say something like “I left my last employer a little sooner than I would have liked to but I felt as if I had learned as much as possible and I didn’t have challenges there anymore. It only seemed fair to make room for someone else and to move on to new responsibilities. I talked it through with my manager and we arranged a schedule for my departure that would work for the business and for me, too.”
Dear Job Search Expert
,
“I keep getting asked why I have had so many short-term jobs. What do I say?“
Thanks,
Alisha C., CA
Dear Alisha,
Normally, a career history that is full of jobs that lasted only a year or two or even less is not usually impressive to an employer. However, it is all in how you handle it in the interview. Keep in mind – if the job history is on your resume and you got the interview anyway, that means that it is not a fatal issue.
This economy has been tough on people for the last few years. Everybody’s story is different so the explanations have to be different but a good answer could go something like this:
“It’s true – I’ve had more short-term jobs than I would have liked and I am definitely ready to settle in to a position and stay for a longer time. I probably made some bad decisions and accepted jobs with companies that were just having too much of a challenge coping with the economy. When things went bad for the company, I was the last one in so I went out early in the downsizing. Once I made a choice to work for a company where it was obvious from day one that I wasn’t a good fit for the job. The good part of the story is that I have learned a lot from every job that I have had and am doing a better job of making sure I’m the right person for the job.”
The idea is to tell the truth but only the truth you were asked. Don’t talk too much about those short-term jobs but don’t give the interviewer the appearance of hiding something, either. This one to practice beforehand so that you are comfortable.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“I had a job that lasted only four months – can I just leave it off my resume?”
Thanks,
Monica D., MO
Hi Monica,
This can be a tough one, Monica. If the job was outside your core expertise, you could handle it as a stop-gap position to maintain revenue flow or as a networking opportunity. However, if the job description for that short-term gig is important to your skills, then you may have to include it and explain why it was so short.
For example, let’s say you are a sales professional and you had a short-term job in biomedical equipment, which is a hot field right now. The company got rolled up by a large firm and you were laid off in the process. Leaving that job off means you won’t get to show your experience in biomedical and that might hurt you.
You see? If the skills in that job are important to your marketability, then include it and be ready to talk about it. If the skills are not important – or if it is just too much of a horror story! – and it was less than six months, then it is okay to leave it off.
Dear Job Search Expert
,
“I always hear that I shouldn’t talk about what I want from the job. Is that true? Why not?”
Sincerely,
Sarah P., TN
Hi Sarah,
This is easy to answer but hard for almost everybody to do, Sarah. The simple truth is that the job is not about you – it is about the company. The interviewer is trying to learn what you can do to make the company work better, cut costs, or to help it make more money in some way. They are in business for their customers, not their employees. It’s okay to talk about what you want out of the job, but make sure they know what you are going to do for them first.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“My boss cheated the company and I got fired, too. Now what?”
Thank you,
Candace H., CO
Hi Candace,
Oh boy – did your boss get his name in the papers? If so, you are going to have to talk about this one, Candace, but you will need to practice and be sure not to say anything that might come back to haunt you.
The shortest possible answer is best. Try this: “My previous manager got into some legal trouble and the owner decided to let everyone go so that he could build a whole new team. He knew that I did not contribute to the trouble but I could understand why he wanted to start fresh, even though I really did not want to leave. It was tough, but I’ve moved on.”
On the other hand, if your boss’s firing did not become public knowledge, then don’t talk about it unless you are asked. You don’t want to be the one spreading it around!
Dear Job Search Expert
,
“On my last interview, I was asked a question that I had never heard before “How do you handle stress?” What should I say?”
Sincerely,
Desiree M., NY
Hi Desiree,
Stress? Who’s got stress? Desiree, this is one of those questions that must be answered in such a way that it both shows that you will answer direct questions but also makes you look really good. Here’s a possible answer that will do that:
“Stress is something I learned how to handle a long time ago. I usually just go to the gym after work and get in some good cardio time. That takes care of my stress and also helps me stay healthy. It works great for me.”
And, if you don’t exercise – start! It will help you maintain energy for the job search.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“I’m spending hours submitting my resume on line. No one is calling. What am I doing wrong?”
Thanks for your help,
Mary
Hi Mary,
It could be several different things. When there is no response from uploading one’s resume online, it might be that it is not being uploaded to the most effective sites. It could be that the resume is formatted incorrectly in a way that cause it to be garbled on the other end. Decision-makers usually will not take the time to try to understand garbled resumes. It could also be that the resume is not optimized for search engines. See our link about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for more detail.
Dear Job Search Expert
,
“I got laid of at my last job. Is that going to hurt me?”
Thanks,
Cathy
Dear Cathy,
Not necessarily. Lots of people have been laid off recently so you’re not alone. As with most other things that we worry about the best fix is to state what happened and move on to the rest of your story. Besides, keep the old maxim in mind “Never say bad things about previous employers!”
Something like this works for most situations: “My company fell on tough times and they had to let me go. It was tough but I understood the decision. It was a good place to work and I built up some great experience while I was there.”
Dear Job Search Expert,
“I just got divorced after 15 years of being a homemaker and I don’t have a career history. What do I do?”
Sincerely,
Renee
Dear Renee,
There is no question that a long absence from the workforce can be a significant challenge to overcome. We would be less than honest if we tried to tell you otherwise. However, it does not have to be a show-stopper, either.
We would approach this by exploring all the “extra-curricular” experience you’ve had all those years. Volunteer work, planning functions for groups, being part of a steering committee – all those kinds of things that most homemakers do and don’t think about – can form the basis for a good marketing campaign. Two of the essential qualities of a successful job-seeker are a positive spirit and a sound understanding of what you can do for a company. We can help with both things through our Breakthrough Coaching for Women and our expertise in building marketing documents.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“Everyone is doom and gloom about the job market. I know people that have been laid off. Are companies really hiring?”
Thanks,
Amber
Hi Amber,
Yes, companies are still hiring even though the economy is not especially rosy right now. Executives know that to stay in business they still have to be forward-looking and plan for their company’s future, which partly means that they must attract and maintain the right talents and skill sets among their employees. It’s hard not to be down about the economy but as far as your job search goes, just be optimistic and press on! Attitude is everything.
Dear Job Search Expert
,
“I’ve always wanted to be self employed and launched my business a year ago. I’m not making enough money so I need to do a job search. How do I explain this to an employer in an interview?”
Yours Truly,
Stephanie
Dear Stephanie,
Entrepreneurs have faced this same challenge for years and years. It is tempting to try and put a different spin on your entrepreneurial experiment but the best thing to do is to state your experience simply and concisely in a business-like manner and acknowledge that it did not work out the way you envisioned. Nobody – especially not business managers – likes to hear a series of excuses so just be upfront about it and move on to talking about your successes. Being a little humble and good-humored about it helps, too.
Dear Job Search Expert,
“I don’t have a degree. Will that stop me from finding a good job in this Economy?”
Sincerely,
Joanna
Dear Joanna,
Well, the truth is that not having a degree is not an asset but it does not have to be a big liability, either. In markets like the present one, employers tend to value experience over credentials for the simple reason that experienced people tend to learn new process more quickly and require less supervision. Don’t let it slow you down!
Due to the volume of emails we receive, we apologize that we cannot answer your emails individually.
