Top 3 Interview Rejection Reasons

1. You Don't Meet All Our Requirements

I often find that these requirements go way beyond what's needed to perform the role effectively and don't have a strong bearing on the role itself. It seems that these days, many management level positions require a detailed list of technical expertise. Where's the focus on organisational and people management? One Development Manager role insisted on 10 years of Java coding and 5 years of managing Java projects. That sounds more like a hands-on Project Manager with coding where necessary. You could show excellence in 9 of the 10 requirements for the role but companies would prefer adequacy in all 10 areas. Methinks it's more about arse-covering and avoiding any fingers of blame being pointed in the hirer's direction.

2. You Don't Have Experience In Our Sector

Well if you can't learn in this industry, you're in the wrong industry. Experience is only a guide to whether you can perform the role. The bottom line is that companies - or the people who make certain hiring decisions - are extremely risk averse today. If you can't show the experience they need, they won't take the risk that you can perform well. Diversity and adaptability are qualities of little interest. I had two companies give me two interviews each and a third give me five (yes 5) interviews only for all of them to state that I didn't have a background in their area. Which they all knew before the first interview. Maybe they're just comparing the pool of candidates with experience in their areas to the qualities of candidates generally to ensure they're not missing out on anything. Or maybe they're just passing time, showing everyone that they're working really hard by interviewing several candidates but holding out for the one that meets their very high standards - "I've exceptionally high expectations for the quality of the successful candidate and I'm working extremely long and hard to locate that person".

3. You're Too Senior For This Role

Even though you're happy to accept a lower level of pay and responsibility, they're not happy to let you accept it. In a different climate, one might be rightly wary of candidates applying for roles that they've outgrown. In this climate however, I think it's perfectly acceptable. They're aren't that many roles that suit an experienced individual and there might not be many in the years to come. I'm sure lots of people would prefer to be doing something rather than nothing. I've had companies tell me halfway through the first interview that they've no doubt I could do the role. Unfortunately, (for me and for them) they choose not to progress as they feel I'll just jump ship if something better comes along. Personally, I don't think that would reflect very well on my character. Or my CV. How would you convince a future employer that you wouldn't so the same thing again?

Oh and this isn't a whine. It's my experience. Tomorrow I'll whine about my most disappointing interview with a major mobile operator.

Recessionism

You see, if I had a working life, I'd be back commenting on it. I could comment on how I left my last role but I'm sure that would leave me open to legal action. All I'll say as a general rule is that there isn't much point working if you're not getting paid for it. Unless it's voluntary work.

*sniff*

Jaysus but I haven't written anything in ages and no-one cares. Ah, neither do I really. Otherwise I would've written something, eh? I'm far too busy and content lately. Are they separate or joined in some way? Hmmm, don't say that I need to be busy at work to be content. Enough, I'm off to hit the sack now before I learn something I don't want.

Still Too Much Work

This is becoming infrequent yet repetitive.

Too Much Work

This seems like too much work. For the past week anyhow. Night.

Making It Happen

Making it happen, like you're some kind of magician or uber-talent. Ah sure it's a great and overused expression. I remember a 'making it happen' event one day a long time ago, back in the early 90s. Now there may be a wee bit of embellishment here but honestly, I'm telling it like I remember.

Well it was a sort of 'soft launch' day for the press. I dunno how many were there but I was told there was a lot. Now I wasn't there cos "there" was Hong Kong and I luckily escaped being exiled there for professional duties due to having to attend a wedding back home. Anyhow, we were doing a much-publicised demo of the service to the customer and press corp. There was a slight catch - it kept falling over about every third time we used it and we hadn't quite solved this yet. The workaround was cunning and brilliant. The audience watched as short messages whizzed from one cell phone to another in the room and they were stunned. Well you have to remember that this was about 15 years ago now and SMS was cutting edge. Went down a storm. Thanks to the fact that there was a guy at the press demo, sitting under the large, main table which was draped by sheets like a tablecloth so he was hidden from view - he deleted every short message after it was delivered so we never hit our problem. Brilliant. I still think someone was winding me up.

And from that very dodgy opening, we have a product and service that now delivers billions of short messages every day the world over. Who'd have thought it at that time. Sure the whole idea of SMS in those days was not to use it as a communication medium in its own right but as a means to stimulate greater network usage. If you couldn't get a call thro' to someone, you'd send them an SMS. They'd get it when they were back in coverage or their phone was turned on again and they'd call you back. So, I did help to 'make it happen' tho' it wasn't quite what we thought we were making. You never know for certain how an emerging technology will be used. I guess that's exciting in a nerdy kind of way and a good reason to make something happen.

On and I've no real point. It just seemed like a good title for this ditty.

My Way

Now why can't people at work just do things my way? I'm always right. Well almost. Things would be easier, less painful and we'd have a better work-life balance. Maybe too many people at the very top secretly love to hate the constant crises. You know the type, always cursing when their phone rings just as they've put it down and then they're all sweetness and light and "sure...of course...absolutely...no problem" and when they've done with the call "Ah Jaysus, is there no rest", etc, etc.

Just do it my way, you know I'm right. I'll purposely create the odd crisis for you if you insist. But at least you'll see it coming.