Job interviews - how to improve

EconomicsGirl

I wondered if anyone had any tips on job interviews. I'm great at getting job interviews - had about 17 now but I fail them all.

Feedback I'm getting is generally positive but I'm getting the someone else had better experience. Whilst I'm sure in many cases this is true surely not in all 17. Two appeared close to offering a job - one mentioned an offer at interview and one the recruitment consultant said considered making an offer. These are jobs similar to what I did before but left after a year. I think the reason they didn't make offers is as I left after a year. When asked why I left I've said it was for more money which was partly true but the main reason was as my boss had several mistresses including 1 in the office. Can I say this - I haven't so far but the money line doesn't seem to work and it was the same job but higher pay I moved for.

Its mainly competency based interviews. Technically I'm fine. Any advice appreciated. Some are obvious why I failed - one objected to me having children and made no secret of it, another I'ld not had time to research the company enough but others I'm at a loss as to why. I have a very good interview rate so obviously on paper I can get through. Thanks for any help.

milliemonster

I would think the reason you are not getting offers is because you are stating in your interviews your main motivation for leaving your last job is for 'more money' this immediately would put a prospective employer's back up, especially as you were only in your previous job a year, this tells any new potential employer that you are unlikely to stay with them for more than a year unless your pay increases accordingly and in the current financial climate I can see why they won't be considering you.

You need to come up with a more valid reason for leaving your last job (not the real reason or money) such as to take on a new challenge, pursue personal interests etc etc

EconomicsGirl

Thanks Millie. I think you're right in those 2 cases it was that. I stayed in my last job 8 years before taking vol. red but the job prior to that I only stayed a year. This job was virtually identical to to the 2 I came close to getting that I was interviewed for. I have another interview coming up for a similar role again so will have to be very careful what I say in reply to why I left that job.

LL30

I have to say, I hate that question! I left teaching under a compromised agreement, so I can't talk about it, nightmare! I always go for - wanted to explore other avenues, test to see if teaching was what i really wanted to do, experience other client groups - seems to work, I got a job today! I know what you mean on the children front, I'm a single Mum and it has quite obviously caused issues for me, thank goodness I've been successful in securing something now. Good luck xx

EconomicsGirl

Congratulations on getting a job - that's great and thanks. Strange thing is I don't get asked why I took vol red and left my last job - I get a very positive repsonse to doing that with employers just saying its obvious why you did that and its great you're immediately available. I think I'm going to need to go with something like I wanted to learn more about x - trouble is some employers push this one. In my current job I did say about the several mistresses and still got offered it next morning but everywhere online it says not to do this. I wasn't actually esp planning on leaving that time - I just applied for 2 jobs and after a 30 mins interview got offered one.

Hope your job goes well and you can get childcare around it. Not even sure my kids are ready for me to be working full-time but there's nothing part-time out there and DH wants me to work.

bristol_pilot

There are certain unwritten rules in interviewing and one of them is that candidates are not supposed to give 'money' as the main reason for changing jobs or for being interested in the job on offer (except in certain areas, like sales). Everyone knows that there are two main reasons why someone applies for a job: either they are unemployed or that the job on offer is better in some way than the job they have now. Everyone knows that more money is often part of that, but you are not supposed to say it.

Lack of appreciation of the 'rules' might also be why the OP is failing at competency-style interviews, these type of interviews have more unwritten rules than most. Some professional training or coaching in how to do well at this type of interview could be worthwhile. The first thing to realise is that this type of interview favours the candidate who has prepared most thoroughly for the interview - which may or not be the best person for the job.

Another tip - take no notice of 'feedback' from job interviews unless it was an internal application. They are unlikely to tell you the real reason you didn't get the job.

rexmedorum

I have been in a similar situation, getting lots of interviews but no offers, then I suddely got 2 in one week. And guess what? The 2 had 1 thing in common: I wanted them enough to bother going to the interview but I had other interviews lined up for jobs I wanted much more. So I was very relaxed and not too botherd about whether o not I would get the job. When I looked for a job again recently it was the same story (though thankfully after only a hand full of interviews)

SarEl

EconomicsGirl wrote: »

Thanks Millie. I think you're right in those 2 cases it was that. I stayed in my last job 8 years before taking vol. red but the job prior to that I only stayed a year. This job was virtually identical to to the 2 I came close to getting that I was interviewed for. I have another interview coming up for a similar role again so will have to be very careful what I say in reply to why I left that job.

If you were in your last job for 8 years I cannot see how a previuous job that you stayed in for only a year is the cause of you failing at interview. If your two jobs were not similar (and you suggest that they weren't) and you are now applying for jobs similar to a job that you had eight years ago, but not the one you have had for the last eight years, current experience may be an issue. I am frankly surprised that they are even asking the question about why you left a job 8 years previously since you have had a stable job for several years since then.

Is it possible that they are more questioing why you took voluntary redundancy - after eight years the pacakage wasn't likely to be a fortune, especially with no job to go to? "Voluntary redundancy" is sometimes a euphemism for "there was trouble at the mill", and it may be causing them to question your work history.

EconomicsGirl

Thanks very much for the replies. The two jobs were similar but the second one was public sector whereas the first was private sector and required different skills.

Public sector jobs I'm not amazed I'm coming 3rd or so in as there's been 33% cutbacks in this type of job plus as pay has been frozen the only way to get a payrise in the public sector is to get a new job so public sector jobs are getting loads of applications. Jobs in the private sector in my field are all full-time and often involve working late as normal which isn't ideal with young kids esp as I have a 1 hour commute each way.

I've only once been asked why I took vol. red. - almost all employers say it is obvious why you would do it as public sector cuts have been widely published and all have said its good I've done that as it makes me imm. available. The payout was good - one month for each year plus 3 months PILON and largely tax-free as I was half-time. I've saved a lot on childcare costs too and we can manage on 1 income. Many private sector jobs want you to work very long hours so aren't really suitable for me or for them as I want to see my kids and get home before 9pm. I tend not to apply for these but a few jobs this will have been the issue.

I had another interview on Friday and have 2 more coming up. At least the one on Friday they were talking through their thoughts - I always find this helpful though sometimes interviewers thoughts can baffle me. Seemed to go reasonably well - it went over time, after the alloted time they moved me to a new room so we could continue talking, asked me at the end if I had any interviews anywhere else, discussed 2nd interview and when I'ld hear back, said how if I got the job how they would design the job to work round my skills (though mentioned one area they said I'ld need to improve on which was odd as I know that area already), said I was very strong in other areas and very commercial, mentioned how cheap their gym was at the end and how my commute wouldn't be long. They have another two to interview next week though and one interviewer did look at the clock a few times and cross his legs on and off. I'm hopeless at guessing the outcome!! Rexmedorum - Congrats on getting a job. I am very nervous and this could well be a factor, I am getting better at it. Thanks for all the help.

My kids don't want me to work - my daughter pretended to be sick on Friday and asked me to cancel my interview. She also asked me not to come first (I'm good at that!!) and said they can't force you to go to work can they Mummy. I think this may also be a factor as I'm not sure they could cope with me working full-time.

EconomicsGirl

Sent a thank you e-mail to the firm for interviewing me - don't normally do this but thought I've got nothing to lose - and got an e-mail straight back saying they are going to second interview me (they haven't finished first interviews yet). Collapses in shock at finally getting through at interview but very happy as I really like the sound of this job! :jNext one is comptency based but at least I know the competencies and being good at interviews isn't one of them. :rotfl:

LL30

Oh good luck!! Well done you