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Requesting interview tips


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JustGettingBy

I've had a part-time job in my field for almost a year now, and am looking for full-time. After a few months of searching, I landed a few interviews, but haven't landed a position. I've been told from one of my mentors that I seem to interview fine, but with some really minor things to work on. I've since worked on those minor things, but still been passed over a few times, and would like feedback from a recent interview (I just got a rejection e-mail this morning).

 

How would I phrase an e-mail asking for interview feedback?

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It's highly unlikely that you will get the feedback you seek. At least in the US the potential employer would be too afraid to answer you honestly for fear that you would use the info to sue the company for discrimination.

 

 

Perhaps go to a different mentor or hire a job coach to do more mock interviews. Perhaps they can see other problems. Otherwise assume you did fine but they liked the other candidate better for whatever reason: more experience, willing to work for less, better fit into the corporate culture etc.

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GunslingerRoland

It's also worth noting that while interviewing is a skill in itself. You may just be not getting the job based on your the underlying experience and knowledge you are bringing in.

 

IMO a good interview and interviewer will be able to cut through the noise of interview skills quite a bit and find out if the person is actually well suited for the job. A lot of good people get turned down for jobs because someone better also applied.

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  • 1 month later...

I have been offered every job I interviewed for. Sometimes got a better job offer. First thing is to dress well. Having been on both sides of the interviewer and interviewee, I know that you are sized up in the first 30 seconds of the interview. Most people I interview are quiet and do not exude self confidence a all. Surprisingly few ask about company benefits.

 

The best skill to have in life is the ability to sell yourself and that is what I had. Of course you need to be able to back up your claims. After you find the right clothes, ditch the stupid email addresses like sexy69, luvs2drink, BJme, stoned4ever and similar email addresses. These are real email addresses I received from people who sent in their resume. Also clean up your social media. It is amazing that people will put down things about how they lied to their boss to day a day off from work or go to work stoned, etc.. When I read that, guess what happened.

 

Also do research on the company so you can talk knowledgeably about them and find areas where you skills can help. Always remember that whatever increases their bottom line is attractive to them so talk about how you made or saved money for your last employer. Mention things that impressed you about the company. It shows that you focused in on them and just trying to fit in as many interviews as possible and don't really care about the company, only the job. I would walk in and have plans for a marketing campaign or a new line of business, etc.. I highlighter things I did in previous companies to make them more profitable.

 

Self confidence goes a long way. Sitting there all nervous clutching your hands and afraid to say anything, does not cut it. Employers like self confidence and self starters. Always remember that it is a competition for the same job that many others also want. Give them a reason to pick you. I find most resumes I get atrocious. They tell me nothing more than who they worked for and for how long. Misspellings and bad grammar are deadly too.

 

You can learn to interview well. There are coaches you can hire. Most companies are going to ask the same types of questions so you can prepare for them in advance. I made the interviewer feel like he was competing with others to hire me. I knew how to sell myself and my skills.

 

There are other things to do to build up your resume. I started as a messenger for a company and then drove trucks for them. When an office job opened up I applied and they hired me because they knew I had at least a working knowledge of not only their company but all the documentation and procedures they have. I changed jobs as many as three times in one year at one time, even taking lower paying jobs that would look good on my resume. It is easy to cover small gaps in your resume without showing all the different jobs you had. My resume was also filled with well known companies that no longer were in business. No way to check them. I did work for them but not in the positions my resume stated. Just fudged a little. I took a side job to co-edit the sole reference book in our industry. I got paid a whopping $3,000 but just having my name as the co-author on the book used by our industry got me a lot of high paying jobs.

 

I also joined Mensa and despite what others say or think, I showed it on my resume as organizations I belonged to. I got three six figure jobs that way. Before I turn this into one of my seminars, I just wanted to give you some pointers. So many interview, dress and speak so poorly that they will have a hard time getting hired. Dress for success even if you cannot afford it, learn to speak and think well, and do your research of the company you are interviewing with.

 

One more tip. Tailor your resume to the specific companies you are sending them too. Skip the stuff that is of no interest to them and highlight the stuff that is. I used to have at least 3 different resumes. The company I work for now for over 25 years thought I only applied to them and no one else even though they were one of 100 companies I mass mailed my resume to. Include a cover letter also. It was so personalize to their company that they were happy to see someone not just looking for a job but someone wanting a job with them.

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InvisiBlonde

I also joined Mensa and despite what others say or think, I showed it on my resume as organizations I belonged to. I got three six figure jobs that way.

 

Thank you for your excellent and very helpful post!

 

Just a little anecdote from my own interview files:

 

I, too, used to list my MENSA membership on my resume in spite of all the (ha ha) conventional wisdom to the contrary.

 

During one interview, the guy had my resume in front of him and was occasionally glancing at it and asking me about different specific things.

 

"MENSA!" he said, "That's that 'thing' for the really smart people, isn't it?"

 

I was psyched. "Yes, it is."

 

"Oh. Well, we don't want anyone like that around HERE!"

Edited by InvisiBlonde
added "the" in front of "really smart people."
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