FAQ: Looking for jobs (applying, your CV and interviewing)

These are questions people have asked me via my website and through various other online blogs and forums. Some of them are specifically about interviewing, while others are about job searching in general. Some are very insightful, some are very naïve, and some are even entertaining.

I’ve shown the questions unedited, so some of them may sound awkward or even grammatically incorrect. I wanted to show them as they were asked. You’ll very likely find many of YOUR job interview questions and answers and I hope you enjoy reading them.

The Two Most Common Questions I Get

By far, the two most common questions I receive are:

Rather than post the many versions I receive of these two questions, please click on the links above for some detailed advice about why you didn’t get the interview or the job.

Now, on to the questions!

(NOTE: Click on the ‘+’ icon to show the answer, and the ‘-‘ icon to conceal the answer)

My question is: What do you think about the idea of a person doing a blog so a hiring manager could go to it if they wanted more information? Also, should the thank you letters be sent via regular mail or email, and should they be handwritten or not? I can see after reading your information though that I have been doing many things wrong, and listening to too many people that really don’t know what they are talking about! Thanks, Marcia

Hi Marcia, What a nice message yours was to receive! Thank you for the complimentary remarks. As to your questions. First, the blog. My opinion on this is the same as my opinion on posting your resume on a web site that you yourself built: it’s icing on the cake if you are applying for an IT position – as it shows you have modern skills – but probably doesn’t add much for non-IT positions. It’s one of those “it can’t hurt and it might help” things.

You’re better off putting your effort into crafting a tight, well written, relevant-to-the-position-for-which-you’re-applying, resume. Make sure you have a paper version and an electronic version optimized with keywords for the position to which you’re applying.

Now, on to thank you letters. The answer I’ll give you today is different than the answer I would have given a few years ago. Today, I think it is perfectly acceptable to send a thank you letter via email. Even for non-IT positions, it shows you’re able to use technology. Also, the email will get there immediately, while I’m still contemplating which interview was best. A letter sent via U.S. mail may take a day or two, and then another day or so to get through my mail room. By then, I may have already decided who to call back for further interviews (or who to hire!).

Just make sure that your email is written the same way you would have written a hard copy letter. Proper grammar, spelling, etc. Don’t write it in the abbreviated way that most emails are written. Actually, what I’d REALLY recommend is that you send an email thank you immediately, and then drop another thank you in the mail. This gives you two shots at getting my attention and tells me that you are thorough and really want the job. Very few applicants do this and I always remember the ones that do.

For the paper thank you letter, do not hand write it. No matter how good your handwriting, this looks like you rushed it off and couldn’t take the time to do it properly. It also gives the impression that you aren’t comfortable with using a computer, which is the kiss of death for almost every type of position today. I wish you the best of luck in your job search.
The Hiring Manager

I had interview last week and I really like the job and am very interested in the position. What can I say to the manager that can convince her that I am the right candidate for this job? Also after the interview I wrote a thank you email and she wrote me back “Our HR folks are responsible for on-going communications in the hiring process, so you should expect to continue to use them as your point of contact.” Should I still write manager a follow up email on the status of the position or just Email and talk to HR ONLY? Thank you for your help. Chetan

Hi Chetan, If you’ve already had the interview, then the hiring manager has all the information needed to make a decision. It will not be productive to contact the manager after the interview to try to convince her that you are the right candidate for the job. Hopefully you did that during the interview.

You should contact HR on your status after the interview, not the hiring manager. HR will definitely know the status and the hiring manager typically does not want to talk to applicants directly except during the interview. At any given time, a manager may be interviewing ten or more applicants, so you can see how much time it would take to talk personally to them all. That is what HR is for and that is why the manager told you to make HR your contact.

So, at this point in time the best thing you can do is wait to hear from HR. By sending the thank you email, you’ve done about everything you can. If you haven’t heard anything in five days, it’s perfectly acceptable to call HR to check on your status. Good Luck!

The Hiring Manager

I went on an interview almost two weeks ago, and I feel as if it went great.The department manager told me the next step would be that the Senior Recruiter would be contacting me. The next day after my interview, I receive an email stating that I am chosen as a top candidate for the position, and that they would like for me to take an assessment. Three days after taking the assessment, I called the Recruiter for a follow up and was told that they are still interviewing, but I am still in consideration to be a candidate. My question would be if it would be appropriate to call a second time to see if a decision has been made? Viet

Hi Viet,

My advice to you is to not call again. You’ve already called once, so they know you’re interested.

One follow-up is okay. More than one looks like you’re overly anxious. Hiring processes are slow, so I wouldn’t worry too much yet. I would give it one more week, to give them a chance to complete the other interviews. Since you’re working with a recruiter, if you still haven’t heard, follow-up only by calling the recruiter. That person should be coordinating all of your communications with the company.

The Hiring Manager

How long does a typical hiring manager take to schedule an interview? Dan

Hi Dan,

I’m frequently asked this question and there is really no standard answer. Some companies will schedule interviews quickly, say within a few days from when you apply, and some will take weeks.

Bear in mind, in large companies it will be the HR department that will schedule interviews, not the hiring manager. If it’s a big HR department, it can take anywhere from a week to several weeks to schedule interviews.

I’m a hiring manager in a fairly large organization (16,000 employees). Generally speaking, I’ll get HR to schedule interviews the week after the deadline for applying. If there’s no stated deadline for applying, I’ll usually have HR collect resumes for two weeks and then start scheduling interviews the following week. In smaller companies, it will frequently be the hiring manager who will schedule the interviews and they will likely be scheduled faster – say, within a few days from when you apply.

Here’s the bottom line. For a large company, I would wait two weeks after you apply and if you haven’t heard anything, contact the HR department (NOT the hiring manager – that person is very busy and will resent the intrusion. HR will know the status of your application). For smaller companies, wait one week and then inquire. And don’t lose hope – for my current position, which is an upper management position, it was two months after I applied before I was called to interview. I almost forgot all about it! Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

I have been actively searching for a new job for over a year, and I can’t seem to land an interview. I’ve had my resume looked at and I was told that it looked good, so I don’t know what’s wrong. When I call to do a follow up, I can never get to speak to the right person that can answer the important questions such as “when is the position supposed to start? Is the position still open?” I always get a generic answer and get rushed off the phone. Please tell me what I can do to turn my job search around. Shalonda

Hi Shalonda,

Sorry to hear you’re having so much trouble landing an interview. Without knowing more than what you’ve said, the main question I will ask you is this: are you customizing your cover letter and resume for each position to which you’re applying? By customize, I mean tailoring it so that it highlights the exact qualifications for each particular job.

You should take the description posted for the job and use the keywords they use to describe the job in your cover letter and your resume. For example, if they are looking for “two years of experience with doing XXXX”, then your cover letter and/or resume should specifically say that you’ve had two or more years experience with XXXX (that is, assuming you have that experience). It’s time consuming doing this, but by customizing your cover letter and resume for each specific job, you greatly increase your chances of having your resume read and actually getting an interview.

As far as calling to follow-up on positions you’ve applied for, it certainly doesn’t hurt, so long as you follow up with the HR department, NOT the Hiring Manager. Wait at least one week – two is better – before following up with anyone. Hope this helps and good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Are Thank you Letters necessary or important after an interview, and should I send it to each person who interview me? Shannon

Hi Shannon,
It’s only necessary to send a thank you letter to the manager for whom you would be working (I assume that person was in the interview). Email is also perfectly acceptable in today’s world. If you have the names and email addresses of everyone else in the interview, then sending them thank you letters is icing on the cake. But it’s really only mandatory for the Hiring Manager.

The Hiring Manager

While making cold calls for a job, what is the best way to handle a receptionist to either allow you to speak to a hiring manager or to get info to talk to someone in the company? Greg

Hi Greg,

Cold calling for jobs is usually a waste of your time. The receptionist simply is not going to let you speak with the hiring manager or, most likely, anyone else in the company. They have no idea who you are, whether you’re qualified, or anything else about you.

Rather than wasting your time on cold calls, my advice is to use that time instead to find job openings that match your background and experience, and then create and submit a cover letter and resume that is specifically customized for each of those jobs. You will have a much better chance of a response with this approach, rather than making cold calls. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

I’ve never held a job before. Is it ok to call the job I am applying for and ask the manager if they are hiring before I fill out an application? Gerald

Hi Gerald,
If you’re responding to a job opening that has been posted somewhere, there is no need to call the manager and ask if they are hiring – simply submit your application. If you don’t know whether or not there are any job openings, then by all means call the Human Resources department (if there is one) and ask first if they are hiring. If there is no HR department, call the manager. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

My question is whether it is necessary to secure the hiring manager’s name and use it to address a cover letter. For it always takes a lot of time. Hongquian

Hi Hongquian,

If you’re referring to the cover letter you send with your resume when applying for job, then no – it is not necessary to find out the hiring manager’s name and address it to that person. HR will be the first people to receive and review resumes and cover letters and they will forward them on to the hiring manager. The hiring manager does not expect application cover letters to be addressed to them personally.

Of course, any correspondence you send AFTER you get an interview should be addressed to the hiring manager by name. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Is it alright to ask a hiring manager questions about a job? Chaquana

Hi Chaquana,

It’s not only alright – it’s expected. Just make sure the questions are relevant to that particular job and show that you’ve researched it.

The Hiring Manager

I have e-mailed cover letters & resumes to hiring managers and/or HR staffing of several companies. These names I got through my prior colleagues that work there or professional association contacts. I follow your reasoning 100% that cold calls to hiring managers can be taken as more of a distraction and awkward rather than showing initiative. Other than placing a phone call, should another e-mail be sent to notify these people of my continued interest in working for the company and several job positions I had seen on their career website that seems to match my qualifications? Thank you. Art

Hi Art,

Rather than emailing the hiring managers and telling them you are interested in working for their company and listing several job positions from their website, I would go the website and apply for the position at that company that most closely matches your experience and abilities.

Write a cover letter tailored specifically for that position and send a resume customized specifically for that position. This is far more likely to get the hiring manager’s attention than a general email saying you’d like to work for the company. You have to very specifically show how well you fit for a position that is open. In today’s very competitive job market, most hiring managers will only be interested in talking to candidates for specific openings they have. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

You are at your interview with the hiring manager he states good morning what is your response? Dorinda

Hi Dorinda,

Let’s not make this overly complicated. The response to “Good morning” should simply be to say “good morning, my name is Dorinda Smith”. Keep it simple until the real questions begin.

The Hiring Manager

I’m applying to a pizza restaurant (to be a delivery driver for the summer) and submitted my application about a week and a half ago. I haven’t heard back about it, but I’m positive there are still openings for the job–I have asked an employee there. Every time I have asked the hiring manager about the status of my application or the possibility of setting up an interview (whether in person or on the phone), she has said she would write my name down and get back to me later–however, she has yet to do so. Is this a sign that I should give up, or a sign that I should push more aggressively for the job? Thanks. John

Hi John,

I suspect you’ve simply hit a hiring manager who is too busy to respond to applicants in a timely manner. Since it’s a pizza restaurant, the manager is probably doing several jobs and isn’t too good at getting back to people. I would contact one more time and ask if there are still openings and is she still considering you. If you haven’t heard back in two days, write that one off and look elsewhere. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Dear hiring manager, Hope you are having a wonderful day. After going through most of your simple and clear articles, I am curious to know what’s your take on writing cover letter for unadvertised position? Tirtha

Hi Tirtha,

A cover letter is important when applying for any position, whether advertised or unadvertised. The challenge in writing a cover letter for an unadvertised position is that it’s hard to customize it for that particular position if you don’t know a lot of details about the position.

So you’ll have to get creative here. If you know the job title of the position, do a Google search for that exact job title and you should see some job openings. Look at those for the types of skills and experience required and then write your cover letter to reflect those. Or, try calling the Human Resources department at that company and ask them if they can send you the position description for that particular job. This is a long shot, but it sometimes works.

The point here is that you have to somehow find out what they are looking for in that position and customize your cover letter accordingly. This will give you the best chance for a response. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

Manager I have received a written job offer but I want to negotiate the salary. Who do I negotiate with? The recruiter, the HR person or the hiring manager? And, is it OK to propose a counter-offer in an email? Rachael

Hi Rachael,

If a recruiter found this job for you, you are probably contractually obligated to let the recruiter do the negotiating for you. If you can negotiate yourself, you should do so by phone – not by email – with the HR person.

The hiring manager will rarely, if ever, negotiate salary directly with an applicant. They use HR for this. After you’ve reached verbal agreement on a salary, get it confirmed in writing. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

How do I now sell myself knowing that it is between myself and one other person for the job? I am meeting next week with the manager for a second interview. Do you have any crucial tips for second interviews? Scott

Hi Scott,

Congratulations on making it this far! If it is between you and one other person, there are two things from a hiring manager’s perspective that are crucial for this second interview. First, you must be able to relate examples of your experience and abilities that are DIRECTLY applicable to the job for which you are interviewing.

Look at the job posting again, pay particular attention to the skills they advertised for, and have several examples of accomplishments from prior jobs that relate to what they are looking for. You need to convince them that you have faced problems similar to theirs and successfully solved them.

If you haven’t done so already, find out everything you can about the job. The original job announcement is your best source of information. Second, make sure you have thoroughly – and I mean thoroughly – researched the company. Look at their web site. Do Google searches for them, looking particularly for news releases. If it’s a sizable company, they may have their quarterly reports posted on their web site. Be sure to read them and find out what their company philosophies are and their strategic plans.

Be sure to prepare two or three thoughtful questions about the company, for the end of the interview where candidates are almost always asked if they “have any questions”. This is an area that most candidates fail to take advantage of. They will ask questions such as “what are the working hours” or “when will you make a decision” or something similar. If you are prepared with a couple of thoughtful questions about the company that show you did your research, you will be ahead of 99% of the candidates I’ve interviewed over the years.

With all the information available online, you should be able to find out a lot about the company. It may take several hours of research and taking notes, but this is what will make you stand out from the other candidate. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about here. I got my current job – which is a senior level IT management position – because I was vastly more knowledgeable about the organization than the other 8 candidates I was up against. Even though I was not the most qualified, I got the job and was told afterwards that they chose me because I knew so much about the company and the job and was able to sell myself as if I already worked for the company. They said I was the most knowledgeable person about their company that they had ever interviewed. This really does work. Good luck and please let me know if you get the job. Good luck!

The Hiring Manager

I have filled out many online applications, and want to show that I’m a good candidate for the job, should I call the hiring manager to check the status of my application? What’s your advice? Briana

Briana Hi Briana,

My advice is to not call the hiring manager to check on the status of an application. Hiring managers can get many resumes for each job opening and can be simply overwhelmed. If they took calls from every applicant inquiring on the status of their application, they wouldn’t have time for anything else.

The proper place to check on your application status is with the Human Resources department, not the hiring manager. They are the ones who are tracking all applications and can tell you the status. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Is it bad to send resumes/cover letter for the same position/company through an employment website (eg. Monster.com, Strait times.com) AND emailing the Hiring manager directly of job intent for said position? If two applications for the same job (Employment website AND direct email to Hiring Manager)is too much what is the preferred and most effective option for both the job seeker and hiring manager to land in an interview? Thank you. Claire

Hi Claire,

Hiring managers can be flooded with resumes for a job opening they post and simply don’t have enough time to read emails from job applicants. Far and away, what us hiring managers prefer is for the applicant to submit a resume electronically (almost all job openings now provide for this), with an absolute killer cover letter and resume, specifically tailored for that exact job opening. By showing that you took the time to only apply to jobs for which you’re qualified, and by customizing your cover letter and resume for that specific job, you will stand out. 95% of applicants don’t take the time to do this. Believe me, when I get applications that do this, I stand up and take notice. Good luck with your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Dear Sir/ Madam, 1.Do you think its a good idea to apply for companies without an advertised vacancy? I mean, I google companies with same career sector and I send them my resume with a cover letter. 2.When a hiring manger email you asking for: your current salary and expected salary…What is the best answer if you are currently unemployed? Kind regards, Tareq

Hi Tareq,

In response to your questions:
(1) For the most part, I believe it would be a waste of your time to send your resume and cover letter to a company unless you are applying for a specific position that is posted. If a company is having a hard time finding qualified candidates, which many are in today’s wide open job market, they certainly will be sure to post their openings. If a particular job isn’t posted as being open, then it probably isn’t.

(2) Be honest. Tell the hiring manager that you are currently unemployed and that you’re happy to share your current salary when you get an interview. As to expected salary, the best answer is “negotiable”. This avoids giving an expected salary that is too high and thus eliminates you as a candidate, or too low and thus results in a low salary offer if you get the job. It’s best to avoid being specific if you can.
Hope this helps and good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

I recently applied for a Information Technology position with a law firm. I met the qualifications but received a email saying that I was not being called in for a interview. I am wondering if it would be alright to ask for feed back from them about why to help in my search in the future. Michael

Hi Michael,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking for this type of feedback when you don’t get an interview. That said, I would not be very hopeful of receiving a reply.

They may have received a lot of applications for this position and simply don’t have time to give this type of feedback. But it won’t hurt to ask and may even prompt them to keep your name in mind in case the people they did call in for interviews don’t work out and they need to call in additional people for interviews. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

I recently applied for a job online. I was wanting to know would it be a good idea to go to the place of business and check up on my application? And if so, how long should I wait to do so and what questions should I ask about my application? NaShondra

Hi NaShondra,

No, absolutely do not go the place of business to check up on your application. They will very much view this as an intrusion. Send them an email – it shows you value their time and gives you a record of having followed up.
The Hiring Manager

I have a PhD, with no industry experience. Can I apply for industry jobs that require Master’s/Bachelors with years of experience? For example a Bachelor’s with 6 years experience or Masters with 3-4 years of experience. Am I at all likely to be considered? Christina

Hi Christina,

If the job posting specifically says that XX number of years of experience is required, you will unfortunately not be considered if you don’t have it.

However, some jobs, especially in the public sector, may say that education may substitute for experience on a year for year basis. So, if the education requirement is a four year degree and the experience requirement is three years, you may be considered if you have a PhD. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

Hello, I have a quick question about the functional resume format. Would you recommend using a summary statement on a functional resume as well as on a chronological one? Or do you think it’s more effective to simply tailor the skills descriptions to fit the job ad? Any advice you have on this would be greatly appreciated. Alexandar

Hi Alexandar,

I think a summary statement works on both a functional and a chronological resume, so long as it is short and succinct and tailored for the jobs you are applying for.

Of course, you should ALWAYS tailor your resume for the job you are applying for, being sure to use the key words that appear in the job ad. That’s the real key: making sure you use as many of the skills and experience statements in the job ad as you can (assuming, of course, that you have those skills and experience!). Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Applying for multiple positions at the same company…How do you handle this when you are turned down for the first role…Does it reduce your chances for being considered for future openings at that company ? How are multiple resume versions looked upon ? Not changing but, reducing details about one role and increasing details about another…? Thanks ! Constance

Hi Constance,

There is nothing at all wrong with applying for multiple jobs at the same company, even when you’ve been previously turned down. Lots of people do this. Of course, you should customize your resume for each job, so that it highlights your experience and skills specifically for that job.

One thing: it’s NOT a good idea to apply for multiple jobs at the same company at the same time. That looks bad. Do it one job at a time. Actually, many large companies will automatically consider your resume for other openings that you might be qualified for, so in essence the company is considering you for multiple jobs without you having to apply multiple times.

In any event, applying for multiple jobs at the same company is perfectly acceptable, so long as you apply for one at a time. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Is It okay to call ahead to see if a business is hiring before getting an application. I Have went into places before and asked if they were hiring and they say no then i ask for a job application in case they are hiring in the future and they completely flip out. So Is it a good idea to call ahead of time before going and getting a job application? Casaundra

Hi Casaundra,

Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to call ahead to see if a business is hiring. In fact, that can save you a lot of time by not bothering with businesses that aren’t hiring. Actually, in today’s online world, many businesses – even small ones – post their job openings online, so be sure to check their website first if they have one.

Also, I wouldn’t bother asking for an application from businesses that aren’t hiring. They don’t like giving them out because then people fill them out and bring them back and this simply wastes their time when they aren’t hiring. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

We live in Michigan…and are white collar, been downsized, mature professionals. We have cold contacted several companies re employment, and have been responded to via email requesting additional info. How do we now contact those companies to follow up on the “nibbles”? Do we call and say, “can we talk more about my experience…” or do we email again saying basically the same thing? Lynn

Hi Lynn,

Hmmm…Interesting question. Actually, I’m surprised you received emails requesting additional info. Can you tell if the emails are “form letter” type emails that perhaps might be sent to everyone?

If they appear to be personal emails to you, I would definitely call them if they give a phone number in the email. If they don’t give a phone number, I would not hesitate to call their central HR phone number (you should be able to find it on their web site) and explain that you’ve received a request for additional information and wanted to check to be certain you’re sending the exact type of information they’re looking for. This at least shows that you’re professional in your approach. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

What do managers usually look for in terms of clothing? If I wear a regular T-shirt to an interview, should I tuck it into my jeans to look ‘cleaner’? Grendon

Hi Grendon,

Well, this is going to sound sort of harsh, but you should never wear jeans and a T-shirt to an interview.

Even if it’s an interview for a construction job or a fast food job. The lowest level of dress you should wear, regardless of the job, is Dockers-type pants and a shirt with a collar (tucked in!). This shows you are professional and respectful. Jeans and T-shirt may not always hurt you when interviewing for certain jobs, but it will never help you. Why take the chance? Good luck on your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Manager Hi, I am a experienced research scientist applying for a research associate position in a young lab. The principle investigator asked for 3 references the day after I sent my CV and cover letter. I have asked my current supervisor, my close collaborator, and my Ph.D. supervisor to send letters to her. I am very sure all 3 references are good and strong. After 1 week, I sent a follow-up email to her because I have not heard from her. Now another week past, I still hear nothing. Can you tell me what is wrong and what I should do? Thank you very much for your help. Shirley

Hi Shirley,

There is definitely something wrong here if it’s been two weeks after you sent the requested references and still no reply – even after your email.

At this point, if you have the phone number of the person to whom you sent the three references, you should phone that person. Politely explain that you are calling to verify that the references were received and to ask if there is any other information needed. This is perfectly acceptable. Hopefully, your contact person simply got tied up, or perhaps didn’t receive the email (it happens).

If you don’t have a phone number for that person, try to look up the phone number of the Human Resources department and explain what I suggested above. Sometimes the Hiring Manager is just swamped with other things and hasn’t had a chance to follow-up yet. That often happens to me, as a Hiring Manager, although two weeks is pretty unusual.

Don’t give up yet – this is a case of “no news is good news”. You may still be contacted. Good luck – hope you get the job!

The Hiring Manager

I hope I can trouble you with another question. I read from many websites that references are asked as the last step before job offer. I feel it is unusual that she would ask references before an interview. So far I have not met with her. This is my very first job hunting and I really do not know what it means. Should I ask for a chance to talk to her? Thank you, Shirley

Hi Shirley,

You are correct – it is highly unusual to ask for reference before an interview. This, combined with her not responding to you for two weeks, even after you sent an email, leads me to believe that either this is not a legitimate job opening, or it’s already been filled.

I would still give her, or the HR department, a call, as a last resort. If it’s a legitimate opening, you’ll receive a response. If not, it’s probably time to move on with your job search.

I’m sorry you had this unfortunate experience. It puts a bad light on all Hiring Managers. But don’t worry – this is very unusual and should not happen with other openings. Good luck with your search.

The Hiring Manager

I just had an interview and sent out the thank you notes individually to each member of the panel. I did not copy the hiring manager on the emails to their other members. Should I send one email to the hiring manager including attachments of the other emails. Shirley

Hi Shirley,

I would simply email the hiring manager – don’t bother with attachments of the other emails. The Hiring Manager most likely won’t read them (we all get WAY too much email) and you want to focus attention on your emails – not the attachments. Good luck with your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Manager I just had a job interview today and overall, I think it went okay; however, I can’t get over the feeling that I could have gave a better answer to a couple of questions. Is it okay to readdress this to the hiring manager in a follow-up or a thank you email? Karen

Hi Karen,

I know this is going to sound odd, but I wouldn’t do this. Just send a thank you email (be sure to reiterate that you want the job and ask what the next steps are).

If you think the interview went well, it probably did. Trying to readdress the question in an email will just make you look unsure of yourself to the hiring manager.

The blunt truth is that the impression you made in the interview is already fixed in the mind of the hiring manager and trying to change that in a follow-up or thank you email will, in my opinion, do more harm than good. Trust your instincts – if you felt it went well overall, you’re probably still in the running. Best of luck.

The Hiring Manager

Hello, I just edited my resume to fit a more retail style. I handed them out to a few retail stores. In one, I went up to the manager and handed in my resume. I was nice, respectful and confident, but my friend also works there and she told me that if the manager said “thank you” she won’t “hire me”. I thought that was ridiculous because I have had interviews with managers that say thank you.. I think my resume Is much retail appropriate and I listed my skills and accomplishments when it comes to retail. I was wondering, what do you think? She also told me not to call them because if they’ll want to hire me they would call me within a week to set up an interview. What do you think the deal is? Because I have spent all summer looking for a job and can’t seem to get one – I figured out why.. my resume didn’t fit the retail experience so I fixed it. Also I also got an interview at another store and the hiring manger liked me, said I was great and that she wanted to hire me but for my age, so she said I should wait it out. What does that mean? My sister worked for the company and that was the only way I probably got an interview when I called the hiring manager during the morning? Any advice? Kakra

Hi Kakra,

The comment that if the hiring manager says “thank you”, it means that they won’t hire you is ridiculous. Any polite person would say thank you and that nothing to do with whether or not they will give you an interview.

As to you problem with age, I’m afraid if they think you are too young, all you can do is look elsewhere – that store may have a minimum age for hiring. If you’re looking for a job in retail, my advice to you is to first look for stores that are hiring (if they don’t have a sign in the window saying they are hiring, go in and ask), and then tailor your resume for that particular store.

For example, if you find a clothing store that is hiring, make sure your resume stresses your experience with selling clothes (assuming you have that experience). If you’re applying at a department store, make sure you list your experience with working in department stores, or at least your experience selling items for certain departments in a department store (for example: clothing, appliances, hardware, sporting goods, electronics, etc). To increase your chances, it’s always best to make sure your resume is specific to the store for which you’re applying. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

My traditional line of work, auto military technical writing has all but died. In a good year I might see three actual positions available. I can’t wait until I find one of the handful of jobs in that field and would like to try other things. But when I try other fields I usually get, “You don’t have experience.” Assuming I can get an answer at all. I have all kinds of transferable skills. What do I do? And, just how DO I find the right contacts to get hired. I try to get advice on networking and they tell me how to greet the person I am meeting but NOT how to find the person to meet. I have used professional organizations (i.e. SAE), hobby organizations, church organizations, and even put a sign in my front yard and wore a sign around my neck at public events to try and find leads. I have over 10 years full time tech writing experience, M.A. Journalism, B.A. History, Associates in Information Technology, Diploma in Video, ASE and Michigan Master Auto and Heavy Truck Mechanic Certification, and am a published author and photographer. Gary

Hi Gary,

You seem to have great writing skills but your primary industry has few opportunities. I look at writing skills as a very valuable thing to have (so few people have them!), but you need to get some specific experience in other industries so you can sell your writing skills to them.

What I would recommend is to get some technical certifications of some sort. Actually, I recommend you go for a PMI (Project Management Institute) project management designation. Go the PMI website at www.pmi.org for details. Project management skills are in demand and the ability to communicate in writing is critical. This could turn into a good career path for you.

As to finding leads, that’s a challenge for all of us. You’re doing many of the right things by joining professional organizations and using hobby and church organizations. I would ditch the sign in the yard and sign around your neck approach. Any contacts you get with these methods will not be worth much. Have you joined Linkedin? That’s probably the best online way to build contacts.

One final suggestion: have you considered going to some temporary agencies and going out on some temp jobs? Even if they are low-level positions, they are a great way to get your foot in the door, meet decision makers, and show what you can do. I’ve hired lots of temporary people into permanent positions over the years. It really is a great way to build contacts. Hope this all helps. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

Dear Hiring Manager! I’m looking for your advice. In the phone interview I’ve been given only the first name of the person who will interview me in person. And I’ve failed to ask the last name. What should I do now? Thank you for your advice. Marina

Hi Marina,

The best way to handle this is to call the company’s Human Resource department and simply explain that you have an interview with this person, give the first name, and explain that you didn’t get the last name and could they please give it to you so you can be better prepared for the interview.

There’s is absolutely nothing wrong with this and in fact the HR department will be pleased that you took the effort to confirm the last name. If the company is small and doesn’t have an HR department, simply call their main number and explain the situation to whoever answers – they will be happy to help you with the last name.

Don’t be shy about doing this – you will be viewed by the company as having initiative. Good luck in the interview – hope you get the job!

The Hiring Manager

Hi, I have applied a scientist position in a pharmaceutical company about 2 week ago. After I have submitted the online application, I got an email from HR asking me for a list of publication. I provided immediately and tried to follow-up with the HR staff but I could not get hold of her. Just today, I found the same position is posted again. Is it a good idea that I apply again? There is another situation I hope you can help me with. I responded to an ad posted by a recruiter. After talking to me and understand my background, she gave me the link about this position (a non-profit foundation). I told her I was very interested in this job and asking what is the next step. I nerve heard from her. Again, I saw the same job posted (in another place). Can I apply directly to the foundation? Am I in legal trouble by doing so? Thank you very much for your time. Best Regards, Shirley

Hi Shirley,

In regards to your first question, no – don’t apply again. What you should do is send a polite email to the HR person who asked for your publications information, or better yet give her a call if you have her number. Politely ask if she received the material you sent and ask her what the next steps are.

In regards to your second question, unless you signed some sort of contract or agreement with the recruiter, you are free to apply for the job directly, especially since the recruiter never followed up with you. Hope this helps – good luck with your job search.

The Hiring Manager

I am currently in school to earn my 2nd masters degree. I have experience in office positions, but I am in school for social work. Do I list this school on my resume since it is irrelevant to the office jobs I’m applying to? Thank you. Tracy

Hi Tracey,

By all means, list all of your education. Although it’s not exactly relevant to office positions, it shows that you have the initiative and the intelligence to accomplish additional education. This is a trait every hiring manager likes to see. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

I had a prospective employer ask me to rate my attendance and punctuality if they were to ask my current employer. Can they do that? Are they able to double check? Gurjeet

Hi Gurjeet,

Generally speaking, no – a prospective employer will not be able to find out your attendance information from previous employers. Companies do not usually give out that kind of information when asked, as they don’t want to get sued if it costs someone a job.

However, if some of your references are from previous jobs, they may talk about your attendance if they get called on a reference check, so be up front about your attendance when interviewing. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

When completing a job application, requested after submitting on an online job posting, should my response for 3 references on the application match the hiring managers/contact information included in the job history section of the application? Thank you. Eddie

Hi Eddie,

If I understand you question correctly, you want to know if the references you give should be the same as the managers in your prior positions.

Well, the best references are your previous managers, but they don’t necessarily have to be your references. But at a minimum, your references should be business references – in other words, people who have worked with you and can speak to your experience and qualifications.

The next best thing to having previous managers as a reference is having other managers, ones who you didn’t work for, as a reference. The next best after that is people who worked with you at previous jobs. Hope this helps.

The Hiring Manager

Hi I am writing because I had an interview recently and I want to send a thank you letter but I forgot the name of the second person that interviewed me! What do I do? Joy

Hi Joy,

In this case, I would simply call the HR department, explain that you misplaced your notes from the second interview and ask them to give you that person’s name. Chances are, that person will never find out. Hope this helps.

The Hiring Manager

How do I get a hiring manager to take a chance and get an interview when I’m returning to the workforce after being a Mr. Mom for several years. I previously worked in IT as a Technology Manager/Manager of Data Systems and Engineering. I simply cannot get my foot in the door for a chance to sell myself and what I can bring to, at this point, any company. Thank-you in advance. James

Hi James,

This is a difficult question to answer without a bit more information. I’m currently an IT Director, so I can certainly relate to your situation.

How long have you been out of the work force? In IT, as you know, several years can be an eternity with the technology changing so fast. Have you kept up with the advances in technology and if so have you stressed that in your resume? When you say you were a Data Systems and Engineering manager, were you involved in the software development side, or the hardware/network side? Both sides have of course changed a great deal in recent years.

My guess is that you’re having a hard time getting interviews due to the length of time you’ve been out of the work force, with the corresponding concern by hiring managers that you may be out of touch with today’s technologies.

If you haven’t already, what you might want to do is get to some technical training classes on the latest tools. You might even want to consider getting some certifications. ITIL would be a great area to get certified in, as most large IT organizations today have embraced it.

If your skill set and experience are a bit dated, you’ll need to show you are making an attempt to keep current. Hang in there. It’s tough getting back into the job market after an absence of several years, and particularly so in IT. That said, I think the fact that you took those several years off to be with your child speaks very well of your character.

The Hiring Manager

I recently sent a resume to a banking center and was called to do an interview in a few days. The interviewer that had called me said that she would send an application in the mail to fill out and send back before the interview date. I am having a problem in answering the question on “why I left the job” because I was terminated from my previous job at another banking center under a policy violation. I do feel though that I had done what was expected of me under the circumstances of the transaction. I need to know how I could answer this question on the app and In the interview. Please help. Kathy

Hi Kathy,

This certainly puts you in a tough position. The best way to answer the question in my opinion, as a hiring manager, is to simply say one word: Termination (NOT “terminated” but “termination”).

This conveys that you did not leave of your own accord, but doesn’t explicitly say you were fired. During the interview you can then explain that you always follow policies as you understand them, and in this case was terminated for following what you understood was the policy. This will make sense to any hiring manager (myself included).

It shows you were honest about why you left and that you have a perfectly acceptable explanation. And then proceed to say why your skills and experience make you the best candidate for this job.

One final suggestion: learn as much as you can about the company that you are interviewing at, especially if you can find any information about policies they have that you might be expected to follow in your job. This shows that you did your homework and that you honestly try to learn and follow company policies. This can turn a negative (you were terminated for violating a policy) into a positive (you won’t let it happen again and have already started to learn about your new company’s policies). Good luck on the interview. Let me know how it turned out.

The Hiring Manager

I missed a job opening due to my mistake of poor contact info and someone else got the position. I called the manager early the next day and explained my situation due to religious practices. She then gave me a certain day and time to call her back what does the “call back” probably mean? Sheneka

Hi Sheneka,

Well, without knowing the circumstances in more detail, I would say that the manager either (1) didn’t have time to talk to you then and give you a time to call back, or (2) the manager still wants to consider you for a position and wants to discuss further.

In any event, do call the manager back at the day and time suggested and, by all means, don’t be late. My advice is to call exactly two minutes ahead of time. That shows you’re punctual without taking it to an extreme. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

Hi how are? I need help i have an interview tomorrow and i do not know how my reactions is going to be when i see the people asking me questions. Some questions that they might ask has a yes or no answer but i do not know which one should be the best one.could u help me out Lastenia

Hi Lastenia,

This is pretty sketchy information, so I’m going to give you some general advice that should help in your interview.

First of all, very few, if any, questions in an interview require a simple yes or no answer. They will almost always be looking for a detailed response. The best advice I can give you is to try to answer the questions in terms of how your experience and qualifications fit their job requirements (which you can get from the job advertisement). This way, you are demonstrating why you are right for the job.

When they ask a question, try to state your answer in a way that shows how your experience is a good match for the job. Also, make sure you have thoroughly researched the company for which you’ll be interviewing.

Find out as much as you can and then try to work in that knowledge in your answers. Hiring managers love it when you show that you have done your homework on their company. Good luck on your interview.

The Hiring Manager

I have the name of the hiring manager but is proper to call her by her first name or would it be better to use her last name and address her as Ms. Ravin

Hi Ravin,

Even though things are more casual now, it’s always best to use the last name and address her as Ms. ____. This shows respect and gives her a chance to tell you to call her by her first name – which she will probably do.

It’s always best to be just a bit more formal with the hiring manager than you think is necessary. It’s good business manners and will not offend any hiring manager. Good luck on your job search.

The Hiring Manager

If I’m in a job interveiw and they ask me why should I hire you what do i say? Anna

Hi Anna,

Of all the job interview questions and answers I give, this is one of the most common. However, without knowing what kind of position and company you are interviewing for, it’s difficult to give specific advice.

With that said, here’s general advice as to how to answer this question in a way that any Hiring Manager will like.

When asked why they should hire you, be prepared to respond by recapping exactly how your experience and background matches the requirements of the job for which you’re interviewing.

This means you MUST research the company before your interview and have a very good idea of what qualifications they are seeking. The job advertisement will give you a good idea. Then, respond by saying that they should hire you because you have the ideal background for the job and then recap the job requirements and how your experience matches each one.

This is what the Hiring Manager wants to hear – how you fit the job requirements. This will work on any interview. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

What if the hiring manager asking me to call them back for the interview? Alan

Hi Alan,

It’s a bit unusual for a hiring manager to ask you to call them back for an interview, but if that’s what you were asked, then I recommend you do it. My guess would be this is a smaller company, if it’s the hiring manager and not an HR manager calling you. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

In two separate instances, I’ve been thru initial interview rounds (consisting of multiple interviews) that seemed to go very well, where they said they would be contacting me within a week about the next round of interviews. In both instances, I was told they’d had overwhelming response to their posting and wanted to continue the interview process (makes sense). She would not hint at whether I was still a viable candidate. Is this standard procedure for HR or do I need to get the message that they just aren’t that in to me? Holly

Hi Holly,

Unfortunately, this is pretty standard procedure for HR departments. As long as they have qualified candidates to interview, they will usually not give you any indication of your status. They want to be sure they’ve interviewed all qualified candidates before deciding which ones to bring back for a second interview. Frustrating, I know.

So don’t lose hope. In fact, for my current job, it was seven weeks before I was called back for the final interview. I almost forgot all about the job! Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

How long does a typical hiring manager take to schedule an interview? Aaron

Hi Aaron,

There is really no standard answer to this question. Some companies will schedule interviews quickly, say within a few days from when you apply, and some will take weeks.

Bear in mind, in large companies it will be the HR department that will schedule interviews, not the hiring manager. If it’s a big HR department, it can take anywhere from a week to several weeks to schedule interviews.

I’m a hiring manager in a fairly large organization (16,000 employees). Generally speaking, I’ll get HR to schedule interviews the week after the deadline for applying. If there’s no stated deadline for applying, I’ll usually have HR collect resumes for two weeks and then start scheduling interviews the following week.

In smaller companies, it will frequently be the hiring manager who will schedule the interviews and they will likely be scheduled faster – say, within a few days from when you apply.

Here’s the bottom line. For a large company, I would wait two weeks after you apply and if you haven’t heard anything, contact the HR department (NOT the hiring manager – that person is very busy and will resent the intrusion. HR will know the status of your application). For smaller companies, wait one week and then inquire. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

If a job is not posted, but a position is desired with a specific company, what is the best way to find out if they are open to hiring you for a position? Lindsay

Hi Lindsay,

There are two basic ways to go about this. First, and the best, is to try to find someone who knows you and who also knows one of the hiring managers in the company. They can then connect you to the hiring manager, assuming that you are qualified, by forwarding your resume with a short note about you. This way, you are at least on that hiring manager’s radar screen in case something is available that hasn’t been posted yet. Of course, chances are you don’t know anyone who is connected like this, but if you do it’s the best way to get your name known.

The second way is sort of like cold-calling. Research the company thoroughly and try to find the names of hiring managers in areas for which you’re qualified. Then, send them a copy of your resume with a short cover letter explaining that you’ve been interested in working for their company. If you’re unable to find out the names of managers, then send it to the HR Director. Sometimes, that person will at least forward it on to the appropriate hiring manager for consideration.

This method is a long shot, especially for very large companies that may get hundreds of unsolicited resumes every week. Your best bet is to check the company’s web site every day for job postings. This is where they will appear first. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

What is the best way to ask the HR for the status. Should I remind HR of the qualification for the position again when I ask for the status. Thanks in advance for your help. Charles

Hi Charles,

This is another one of the most common things I receive for my job interview questions and answers page and the answer is very straight forward: I would simply ask them for the status. While HR can tell you the status, they are not the decision maker here. The hiring manager already has what she needs to make a decision. Good luck,

The Hiring Manager

I had interview last week and I really like the job and very interested in the position. What can I say to the manager that can convince her that I am the right candidate for this job? Also after the interview I wrote an thanks you email and she wrote me back and said their HR folks are responsible for on-going communications in the hiring process, so should I expect to continue to use them as your point of contacy? Should I still write manager an follow up email on status of the position or just email and talk to HR ONLY? Chetan

Hi Chetan,

If you’ve already had the interview, then the hiring manager has all the information needed to make a decision. It will not, I’m afraid, be productive to contact the manager after the interview to try to convince her that you are the right candidate for the job. Hopefully you did that during the interview.

You should always contact HR on your status after the interview, not the hiring manager. HR will definitely know the status and the hiring manager typically does not want to talk to applicants directly except during the interview. At any given time, a manager may be interviewing ten or more applicants, so you can see how much time it would take to talk personally to them all. That is what HR is for and that is why the manager told you to make HR your contact.

So, at this point in time, the best thing you can do is wait to hear from HR and by sending the thank you email, you’ve done about everything you can. If you haven’t heard anything in five days, it’s perfectly acceptable to call HR to check on your status. Good Luck!

The Hiring Manager

Hi The Hiring Manager, I have another question? I received an email yesterday from the government office (SSA) thanking me for my interest in the job, and that I was “highly qualified”; however I was not selected. Can you tell me exactly what does that mean. If I’m told that I was “highly qualified” what does the “however” mean? The email was electronically sent, so I couldn’t reply. Just curious? Willie

Hi Willie,

The “however” is just another way of saying they filled the job with another candidate. Based on my experience, my guess would be that they had many qualified applicants apply and were thus able to pick the one with the highest qualifications.

So even though you were highly qualified, there was likely another candidate even more so. I wouldn’t bother trying to over-analyze their messages. They are very likely auto-generated responses sent to all candidates, like yourself, who made the first cut but weren’t hired. Job searching is somewhat of a numbers game – the more positions you apply for (assuming you meet the qualifications), the better your chances of finally landing a position.

By the way, the next time you do get and in-person interview, my number one tip is to thoroughly – and I mean thoroughly – research the company. With so much information available online now, there is really no excuse to not be very familiar with any company you are interviewing. I just recently changed positions and was told that the primary reason I was selected (and they interviewed eight other people) was that they were impressed with how much I knew about them. Good luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

The Hiring Manager, Thanks so much for your reply. The company that I interviewed with is the Federal Government (Social Security Administration) and I’ve contacted the Selection official and I was told that “I would receive any and all information from HR, then the selecting official will be notified. The Hiring Manager, I wondering if the finger-printing is what’s causing the delay? This was also done on May 31st. If you have any other suggestions, please inform me. Thanks. Willie

Hi Willie,

I used to be an IT Manager for a large school district and we finger printed all new employees, so that could very well be the delay. They are dependent on the Feds to do the background research and it doesn’t surprise me that it’s taking over a month. I think government agencies lose a lot of good applicants by taking so long.

The Selection official doesn’t want to give out any sort of information until the background check is complete, not knowing what it will find. I’m afraid that all you can do at this point is wait.

If it’s any encouragement, I recently landed an IT Director position with one of the largest counties in the country and it took them two and a half months just to call me in for an interview after I applied! The government wheels turn very slowly in HR. As a hiring manager, I frequently find this frustrating… Good luck and I hope you land the job.

The Hiring Manager

What type of interview questions would be asked at an interview for a Retired and Senior Volunteer Project Director? Michelle

Hi Michelle,

If it’s a volunteer (i.e. non-paying) job, I don’t have a lot of experience as a hiring manager in interviewing for this type of position. However, I have quite a bit of experience with managing and interviewing “project managers”, so I’m going to give you some feedback based on the types of questions I would ask of a project manager.

For project managers, I want to basically know four things: how many projects have you managed, what were the size of those projects, what project management methodologies do you use, and were your projects successfully implemented. You can expect interview questions centered around these topics. Important point: be sure you know the type and – most important – size of the projects for the job for which you are interviewing. As a hiring manager, I want to be certain you have managed projects similar in size and complexity to the ones I have.

One final tip: as a manager, I don’t have time to micro-manage my project managers, so there are two traits I especially look for: initiative and the ability to work independently. Convince me that you possess these traits, and that you’ve successfully managed projects similar to mine, and you have an excellent shot at the job. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

I applied to a Temporary Service recently for work. They told me I was not eligible at this time for hiring with their company and to come back in 6 months. I asked what exactly that meant, as I took it negatively. The woman said they have the right not to provide the “why” as to their decisions. How can I find out what the reason is or could be. I have NO criminal reports and now I feel I need to do a background check on myself! How am I to advance if I cannot be told the’negatives’ of me? I take constructive advisement well. PLEASE HELP! Erika

Hello Ericka,

There’s really no way to force the temporary service to tell you the reason, so all you can do is speculate. The fact that they said “you’re not eligible and come back in 6 months” could mean any number of things.

However, since they refuse to tell you the reason, I suspect that the reason is they found – or think they found – something negative about you.

Did they ask you for references and did you give them some? If so, one of them may have given you a negative reference (not likely if you’ve chosen your references carefully and got their permission to use them as a reference). Did they ask you for the names of your prior employers? If so, they may have called them and received some negative feedback. If you don’t have any sort of a criminal background, they may have run a background check and received some incorrect information about someone with a similar name. It might be worth your while to contact a service and have them run a background check on you. You should be able to find these services by doing a Google search.

Finally – and this is what may be the most likely – did they ask for your social security number and did you provide it? If so, they may have run a credit check on you. This is becoming more and more common with employers. If you have a bad credit rating, that may have been why they said you weren’t eligible, especially if you’re applying for accounting-type positions. It may even be that you think you have a good rating but your identity was stolen and someone is ruining your credit without you knowing about it. You definitely should order a credit report on yourself and check.

These are the things I can think of. You might want to apply at a few other temporary agencies and see if you get a similar response and perhaps one of them would give you some specifics. Otherwise, I would run a background check and a credit check on yourself to see what you find. Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

You are typing a report for one boss that must be finished before the end of the day. This is top priority. In addition you are doing your other duties, answering phones, filing, answering inquiries etc. Another boss asks you to begin work on a project for him that he needs right away! How do you handle this situation? Paulette

Hi Paulette,

Well, it’s certainly difficult having multiple bosses! My advice to you depends on exactly what your reporting relationship is with these two bosses.

My guess is that you have only one “real” boss – this is the manager who does your performance appraisal. This is the person to whom you should ask to prioritize your work. Then, when another manager comes to you for a rush job, you can politely tell that person that your boss has you working on something else and refer them to your boss. This takes the monkey off your desk and puts it where it belongs – on your manager’s desk.

If you truly have multiple bosses, who you report to equally, the only thing you can do is work on a first come, first served basis. You’ll need to tell the second boss that you’re already working on a priority for the other boss and will be unable to meet his/her deadline.

As to handling priority requests when the bosses come to you, you have to be very direct and tactful and tell them when you can get it done, considering your other duties. It’s better to give them a realistic time frame than to make a promise you can’t meet.

If your bosses are totally unreasonable and continue to throw priorities at you that can’t possibly be met, given your regular duties, and are then unreasonable when you can’t meet them, then I’m afraid you are in the wrong job and need to seek employment elsewhere. After all, would this really be a place you want to stay at anyway? Good luck.

The Hiring Manager

How long should it take to land a professional job? Mary

Hi Mary,

In regards to your question as to how long it should take to land a professional job, that would depend upon several things, such as what type of professional job you are looking for, how much education and experience do you have, what part of the country you are in, etc.

The market for some jobs – technology jobs in particular – is very good, depending of course on your experience. If you have, say three to five years experience in state-of-the-art technologies, you should be able to land a job in just a few weeks or less if you are in a hot technology market (such as the Seattle area).

Other professions may take several months, depending on the profession, the city/state, and your relevant experience. Sorry I can’t be more specific, but there are too many variables. Best of luck in your job search.

The Hiring Manager

How much time each day should I spend on searching for a job? Jacob

Hi Jacob,

The easy answer is: as much as you can! To find a job quickly, you must have large numbers of applications. The more you search and apply for job openings, the faster you will find your next job.

But there is a large caveat here: you MUST apply only to jobs for which you are qualified! A scatter gun approach of applying for anything and everything will be a large waste of time for the most part.

If you are currently unemployed, treat your job search as if it was a job. Start in the morning, much like you were starting your job, and spend at least six hours per day during the week on your job search. This may sound like a lot of time, but if you are exploring every source for job openings possible, you can easily spend full time on your job search.

Applying properly for job openings is time consuming. You must research the company, write a cover letter tailored specifically for that job, tailor your resume specifically for that job, etc. Doing it right takes a lot of time, but it will increase your changes of landing that elusive interview.

The Hiring Manager

How often should I check a particular company’s web site for job openings? Shannon

Hi Shannon,

Most companies post new openings at least once per week and many post them twice per week. The company where I currently work posts new jobs on their web site every Monday and Wednesday. This means you should check the web sites for all the companies you’ve identified at least once per week.

The Hiring Manager

If I can find out the name and phone number of the hiring manager, is it okay to call that person to say I applied for the job and sell myself? Won’t that show initiative? Rick

Hi Rick,

Yes, it shows initiative…but it also irritates me. Most hiring managers have busy schedules, hectic days and get many phone calls. Getting an unexpected phone call from a candidate trying to sell themselves is pretty disruptive and will get you off to a bad start with many managers.

Here’s a better way: send me an email. This way, I can choose when to read it, it doesn’t disrupt my day unexpectedly, and I don’t have to field a phone call for which I wasn’t prepared. It shows just as much initiative (more, in fact, because my email address is probably harder to find) and has the great advantage of showing that not only do you have initiative, but you are considerate and respect my time.

The Hiring Manager

For clerical and administrative assistant type positions, what are the things you look for most? Lisa

Hi Lisa,

First and foremost, I look for experience that fits my job. The job posting will usually tell you what experience and qualifications are important.

Because these types of positions frequently have many people applying who will meet the qualifications, there are a three other traits that I – and many other hiring managers I know – like to see and can make you stand out: punctuality, good attendance, and good attitude.

Clerical support positions frequently work with many other employees, so a good attitude and the ability to get along well with others makes my job as a manager much easier. Punctuality and good attendance are important because when you’re late or absent, someone else will usually have to cover for you and that causes problems for me as a manager. Among applicants with equal qualifications, I’ll choose the one that I think displays these traits the most.

The Hiring Manager

If I get a job offer, what are the things that I can negotiate? Josh

Hi Josh,

Unless the job offer is for a senior management position (Vice-President or higher), in most instances there are really only a couple of things you can negotiate: salary and perhaps some flexibility in working hours.

For the vast majority of positions, especially in large companies, benefits are fixed and standard for everyone. You may be able to negotiate some on salary if you have particularly strong qualifications, and working hours may have some flexibility within a narrow range. Beyond that, the benefit package will usually be the same for everyone.

Of course, at the senior management level, nearly everything is negotiable and spelled out in employment contracts that may be highly customized for a certain individual. Unfortunately, until you reach that level there are very few things beyond salary and working hours that can be negotiated.

Of course, as with all rules-of-thumb, there are exceptions. If you are a successful and highly trained individual with a hard to find skill set (think high tech as a good example), then your negotiable options become much greater.

The Hiring Manager

Is it necessary to attach my references to my application and/or resume? Sarah

Hi Sarah,

Opinions vary on this. It’s my recommendation that you avoid attaching references to either your application or your resume. Doing so can result in unnecessary calls to your references, as well as clutter up your resume.

As a Hiring Manager, I won’t ask for references until and unless I intend to make you a job offer. Until then, I don’t need them and you shouldn’t submit them.

The Hiring Manager

What is the best single piece of advice you can give me about writing my resume? Brent

Hi Brent,

List accomplishments. Make sure that you not only explain in your resume what your job duties were for each job, but also what the results were that you achieved. This is something missing from probably 90% of the resumes I receive. You should list four or five very specific achievements for your prior two or three jobs. For example, if you were a computer programmer, don’t just say “wrote code for an accounting system.” Instead, say something like: “cleaned up and streamlined code for legacy accounting system that resulted in 20% fewer errors.” If you write a resume that not only says what you did but what you achieved, you will have a much more powerful resume.

The Hiring Manager

How can I make my cover letter stand out from all the other ones? Courtney

Hi Courtney,

Just recently, I received what I consider to be the best cover letter I’ve ever seen from a job applicant.

What made this particular one stand out was that he took the time to list each of the five mandatory experience requirements from my job posting and write a paragraph about each one that recapped exactly how his skills and experience more than matched each of my specific requirements. I didn’t have to guess whether or not he was good match, he clearly demonstrated that in his cover letter.

I read his resume right away after that powerful cover letter. He was the first person I called for an interview and I hired him shortly thereafter. It’s takes longer to write a cover letter like this and requires more thinking, but you will have a much higher success rate at getting your resume read (which is the purpose of the cover letter).

The Hiring Manager

Should I follow up with a phone call to the Hiring Manager after I’ve had an interview? Danny

Hi Danny,

On the surface, this would appear to be a reasonable approach and might demonstrate that you have initiative. It’s certainly the recommendation of many recruiters and books on job search advice.

My comment here is these recruiters and authors must have never been a Hiring Manager. As a Hiring Manager, I’m going to now share a secret with you: I do not like getting follow-up phone calls from applicants I’ve interviewed. Why? Because if I intend to hire you, I will call you (or have HR call you). If I do not plan to hire you, it’s very awkward to have to talk to you on the phone and make up an excuse on the spot.

Either way, a call from you is unnecessary. Forget about the stories you’ve read where a job applicant landed the job because of a follow-up phone call to a hiring manager who “forgot all about the interview and was glad the applicant called and prompted their memory”. In 30 years of business experience, I’ve never heard of a manager who intended to hire someone they interviewed but then simply forgot to call them. Don’t worry – you’ll hear from me if I intend to hire you.

If you insist on a call, make it to HR. They will know the status of the hiring process. Having said all this, I’ll also say that it’s okay to send me an email inquiring about your status. I can then choose whether and when to answer it and it’s much less intrusive than a phone call.

The Hiring Manager

Okay, I got an interview and I’ve read a lot of interview advice. What’s the best tip you can give me? Stan

Hi Stan,

Actually, I’ll give you two tips. First, do your homework and find out as much as you can about the company. This shows you have initiative and are taking the interview seriously.

Second, frame your answers to questions in a way that shows how your skills and experience match the job for which you’re interviewing. You should make a list of the specific skills from the job posting and then make sure you can explain how your skills and experience fit those requirements. This way, the Hiring Manager won’t have to guess – you’ll tell them.

The Hiring Manager

How early should I arrive for an interview? Sharon

Hi Sharon,

You should plan on arriving at the location at least 30 to 45 minutes ahead of time. This sounds like a lot, but it allows for any unexpected delays, such as traffic. Wait in your car, collecting your thoughts or going over last minute notes. Then walk into HR five minutes ahead of your scheduled interview. Any earlier and you will have to wait and it’s much less stressful waiting in your car.

The Hiring Manager

How do I handle the “why did you leave your last job” question if I was fired? Robert

Hi Robert,

This is certainly one of the toughest questions to answer. It depends on why you were fired. If the company was downsizing and laying off employees, simply say so. In today’s world, there is no stigma attached to being downsized out of a job.

If you were fired because you didn’t get along with your boss, be honest and simply say that you had a personality conflict with your boss. As a hiring manager, I’ll understand and overlook this if you do well otherwise in the interview and are well qualified.

If you were fired for poor job performance, it becomes a bit more tricky. About the best you can do is to say that the job was not a good fit for you and your performance suffered as a result. And then convince me that my job is a good fit for you!

The Hiring Manager

I’ve sent out resumes and applied for dozens of openings but can’t seem to get an interview. Any suggestions? Zoe

Hi Zoe,

Without actually looking at your resume and the types of positions you’ve applied for, I do have some general suggestions for you.

First, are you applying for the right jobs? By that, I mean are you applying for jobs that your experience and qualifications match? If so, then check your cover letter to make certain it’s customized for each job and specifically highlights how your experience matches the exact requirements advertised for that job.

Make sure your resume highlights accomplishments, not just responsibilities. You want to show that you not only have the necessary experience, but that you were also successful in performing the duties that gave you that experience.

If you follow these general suggestions, I’m confident it will just be a matter of time until you start getting called to interviews.

The Hiring Manager

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