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How many 'no's' to go through to get a 'yes' in jobhunting?
So I'm on a temp contract, ending Christmas. The job started in January. Throughout that time I've been trying to land a perm position and I've just had my 20th interview rejection this year and I'm starting to think it's hopeless.
I don't know if I'll be granted an extension as my manager did give me one in the summer (lucky me), but trying to land a perm job in this day and age is almost as hard as one winning the lotto.
I'll keep going but sometimes I wonder what's the point. My willpower is in conflict.
I don't know if I'll be granted an extension as my manager did give me one in the summer (lucky me), but trying to land a perm job in this day and age is almost as hard as one winning the lotto.
I'll keep going but sometimes I wonder what's the point. My willpower is in conflict.
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What bogs me down is in alot of feedback now they say my interview was spotless but I didn't have as much experience compared to someone else. And it's the kind of job I'm doing now!
Thought I escaped the old catch-22, clearly not.
I think that's technobabble for, we already had a candidate for this post but had to go through the motions of wasting peoples time because equality laws say so!
Call me Mr Cynical!
Isn't it annoying they feed you with false hope already knowing your fate before you even opened your mouth? I am thinking of calling HR out on it, telling it as it really is.
I agree. I've heard from quite a few people that jobs are being advertised externally when they already have a candidate in mind internally.
It's a tough market out there.
FFS, I was about tops or sensible advice when this pops up. Why do people feel the need to bring race into it. On occasion it may have an effect but largely - if you are the best candidate for the job you will get the job.
I had two interviews last time I was looking for work (2 / 3 months ago) and I was offered both. The job i toom had ovr 100 applicants, 30 of which were interviewed, so im honoured they picked me. i have only ever had one interview that I didn't get - there are two reasons for this:
1) I don't apply for jobs I don't know I could do (I appreciate that some people don't have the option of selective applications, especially if the job centre are involved)
2) I interview very well, I am personable and confident in my abilities and know how to sell them. I'm lucky that this interview style comes naturally to me, but it is something you can fake or learn.
As you say you are applying for jobs that are similar to what you are doing I'm guessing its you interview technique that needs work. There are plenty of sites out there that will give you tips. But my basic guides are:
1. Always be nice to the receptionist (and anyone else) they are often asked what you were like before the interviewer showed up
2. Research the company, not just their web site but their press releases etc - be able to explain why you want to work for them, not the generic crap, use examples of their work and why that is something that appeals to you
3. Be positive, enthusiastic and keen - make sure your negatives are turned into positives, for example - my worst asset is my competitiveness, but I highlight how over he years I've learnt not everyone is as competitive as me, so I use it internally to drive myself forward, instead of a marker against others.
Edit: just realised who the op is. Perhaps the issue is your attitude to the world op. if that comes across at work then you've got b*gger all chance of getting an internal role. Curb the attitude and the assumption that the world owes you a biscuit and you'll soon be sorted.
They're worse imo, you never know who does and doesn't like you and regardless of what they say, being liked by the interviewers is essential.
This is what I meant by my post. They already know who they want they are just going through the motions because they have to. It appears to happen a lot, I know my place does this.
I've been an interviewer many times and have been party to this!
I didn't even care what the job was. Stacking shelves, sweeping floors, labouring, working a bar... I just needed to support myself at uni
Because he's trolling. He starts off with a reasonable normal topic and then always mentions race and issues with white men to the stir the pot. It's so tedious and I'm surprised people are still falling for it.
One of the big issues for many managers when recruiting is "will this person fit in to the team". And if a person is significantly different to the rest of the people in the office I think that does reduce their chances. I know people wont want to admit it, but if you have the choice between a person who is like you/your colleagues and someone who isn't, you naturally go for the former.
If I found some hard proof of this here, I would sue the employer dry.
The company are going through the motions because they "have to advertise externally".
I disagree, yes there are bigots that choose someone based on colour, but generally the 'will they fit in the team' comes down to personality style not colour. In my years in recruitment I only ever had one case where I felt I needed to challenge the manager on their call about choosing one candidate over the other, I'd felt it was good old fashioned racism. In the end he took neither candidate, which was a a shame as they both could do the job. I couldn't prove it was race based, but I was sure it was (and yes hr were involved).
He's I'd replied before clocking the user name. My advice still stands, but I wish I'd saved the effort.
I might contact HR and ask for statistics on the racial composition of the workplace here, and breaking it down to teams. Because next to my area is a high-up management area, all of them are white and a vast majority of them are above-average looking. And yet, nearly the entire cleaning staff is black. Myself being Asian, I notice when I try to have conversations with white people here - especially the women - they act cold. Racism definitely exists and I want to try and launch an investigation into it and exposing the truth.
If HR won't help I might get someone else. Who do you suggest I contact, other than the C.A.B.?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3885213.stm
(written in 2004)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/9070027/Recruiters-have-racial-bias-claims-report.html
(written in 2012)
Something has to be done about this!
Way to get your temp contract renewed!
And here's why you won't get a job within the company. Your stirring up trouble where there isn't any, you are far more racist towards whites than the other way round, you see colour everywhere and think that every non-Asian is out to get you in some way or another. There is a huge divide between classes and colour, but that is to be expected as we are a historically white country, the influx of immigrants over the past few decades means the work force is diversifying, but there is still a long way to go, an donky time can do that. Why are so many CEOs white? Because the talent pool consists of more whites an non-white (in the uk) in the same way if you went to India as a white person you'd be in the minority, doesn't mean you can complain at your being unfairly treated because there are more Indians working for the company than whites...
It's all dependant on sector too - I worked for a big it services and our teams were very diversified, we often found it specialists from abroad and brought them in, conversely we had projects for the mod that required extensive security clearances, often long nationality requirements etc, so yes, these were predominately white.
Stop thinking everyone is against you, some may be, but so what - that's thier short fall, not yours. Why would you want to work for a company like that anyway. Take my advice on interview style, stop the racism towards non-Asians and grow the heck up.
I'm not saying it doesn't exist, however if the issue was as rife as the op thinks then there be no unemployed Caucasians and no employed non-Caucasians. If you are good at your job and good at interviews, colour or race should be less of an issue. If the interviewer is racist to the extreme then no, nothing will help, but generally I like to believe the good in people, and from my experience as mixed race I've never been turned down for a job on race. The only job I didn't get was one where I stood no chance in first place, was about 18 and naive in thinking I was better than I was. Incidentally, the job I'm in now (and all the past animal related jobs I've had I'm the only non-white in the team, but my collage is the only male in our team, so we all have our individualises)
1. Consider speculative applications (that got me one of my main jobs)
2. Consider agency work to keep employed
3. Take a look through the free articles and tips here http://career-advice.monster.co.uk/?HPS=4_5C3ViewAllAdvice
Finally, good luck!
I knew as soon as I saw the OP was you that you would somehow try and blame your lack of success on your race :rolleyes:
I'm Asian and have never had any problems getting a job, and I work with loads of other ethnic minorities.
Your lack or success with both women and jobs is NOT because you are Asian, its because of your attitude.
Have you ever considered the problem might be YOU?
:rolleyes:
If you look at his post history (unfortunately several of his threads were deleted due to his racist views), the OP has a severe chip on his shoulder and blames everything that goes wrong in his life on prejudism and apparently everyone else out there is racist towards him :rolleyes: