I've Tried Over and Over to Break Into an Industry, But I Keep Being Met by Rejection

I've Tried Over and Over to Break Into an Industry, But I Keep Being Met by Rejection

11/11/2014 06:00:00 pm

I get interviews, but someone else always gets the job. What do I do?

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I have tried to break into the industry I have chosen over and over again but have continuously been met with rejection. I will get interviews, second interviews, and callbacks, but someone else is always a better fit. What else can I do?
It sounds pretty clear that the problem lies in your ability to seal the deal. Since you're consistently making it to the final stages of the hiring process, I'm confident your résumé, credentials, and first impression are getting high marks. So what's going wrong? It may be a few things: Are you asking for too high or too low of a salary? Are you failing to make a strong case not just for why you are a good candidate but why you are a great fit for the particular company you want to work for? Are you letting your energy or enthusiasm wane? You've got to find out what's going wrong in the home stretch.
I know some gutsy job seekers who've called up the employers who've rejected them to ask for feedback, but that's a tough thing to do and you're never guaranteed an honest answer. You can try reaching out to see if you learn anything helpful (and you might impress the recruiter with your chutzpah and stay on his or her radar screen for a future opportunity), but it's not an approach that's comfortable for everyone. If you'd prefer another strategy, my best advice is to reach back out to your alma mater's career center and sign up for a career coaching or mock interview session (most colleges offer these free to young alums). Make it clear that you're looking for candid feedback on your interviewing style.
You may discover something as seemingly minor as a weird look on your face when you talk about money, or an unconscious tone of entitlement or uncertainty. Or you may learn that your style is perfectly fine and you just haven't found the right fit yet. Either way, the more information you can gather about your job interview style, the better off you'll be now and in your next search.
I currently work for a community health center that does a lot of good for the community. I enjoy helping people every day, but lately I don't feel valued as an employee. I was moved to a different position without being asked. Now that position is being done away with and no one will tell me what is going to happen. I'm stuck between working somewhere I know I am making a difference and looking for a job where I am valued.
I know it's kind of taboo these days to talk about "wanting it all," but I feel the need to challenge your premise that you can't both make a difference and be valued in the same job. I absolutely know that you can. So, if you're as unhappy as you sound, go out and find that combination. Perhaps it could be at your current organization. Do you have an HR contact or mentor you can talk to about your unhappiness with the way you've been treated? If your manager is the problem and you're perceived well around the organization, they might be willing to find another role for you.
If you decide that leaving your current organization is what you want, check out specialized job sites such as Idealist.org and networking organizations such as the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network for advice and opportunities for careers that help make the world a better place. Make it a priority to find an environment in which you'll work for people who value you since this has been lacking in your current situation. Seek out employers that provide such programs as formal or informal mentoring, employee training, career path planning, and a clear process for moving employees from one position to another. One of the benefits of a "bad" job is learning what your "must-have" criteria are for your next gig.
I'm a recent grad trying to find a job, but I find it so difficult to express myself and my personality when most applications are online. Since most of the jobs I am applying for are in different cities, how can I make my résumé stand out and get that interview?
I couldn't agree with you more: It's incredibly hard to express your personality and uniqueness through a one-page résumé or online application. Which is why I don't think you should spend more than 20 to 30 percent of your job search effort trying. Some studies estimate up to 70 percent of jobs are found through networking, so that's where I recommend most of your time should be spent.
Essentially, networking means talking to the people who already know you and ask them if they would be willing to recommend you for any jobs they know of. I realize it's time-consuming, but I recommend sending a personal email to virtually everyone you know — relatives, neighbors, high school friends, college friends, your friends' parents, former professors, former colleagues from part-time jobs or internships, and anyone else you can think of — telling them what kinds of jobs you're looking for and where you'd ideally like to live. If you do see a job you want to apply for online, you can still reach out to your personal network to see if anyone you know has a friend or friend-of-a-friend at the organization where you're applying. These "insiders" might be able to personally hand your résumé to human resources or provide some other advice to help you stand out from the crowd.
Have a phone chat or coffee with anyone who offers to help and graciously thank them for any advice or introductions they can provide. People who know you and like you — and their contacts — will be far more effective advocates than a one-page piece of paper listing your credentials.
Do you have a question about your job? Your salary? Your coworkers or boss? Your overall career? Ask our expert.
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