The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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What Says I’m Clueless to An Employer

Everyone is familiar with the blank stare that says, “Clueless!” An employer intuitively sees your lack of experience. The nonverbal cues of uncertainty speak louder than a whole conversation. An employer’s doubts quell an affirmative decision, leaving you bewildered and unemployed.

There are times to think deeply about your answers; you should want to be as precise and confident as possible. The way you communicate dullness overall is a dead giveaway that you are in over your head. The body language, the eyes, the tone of voice, and the depletion of certainty in what you say serves you as the dead duck in the pond. The employer sees right through it.

Some job seekers take unnecessary risks thinking they can play the perception card by dressing up their resume and putting blue lipstick on what they’ve done without considering what it sounds like to an employer. As I’ve recently talked about bad career advice that job interviews are “about perception” is an all-time worse. 

Taking Too Long to Think

A thoughtful answer is acceptable, but a slow one that inspires the wolves to howl to speak volumes. The unpreparedness is your fault, and you should rehearse interviewing with a coach. Get help anticipating questions that will help you to sharpen answers.

Unanswered Questions

If you don’t want to answer a question, be honest about why. Other than not answering inappropriate questions, your answers should reflect how your skills fit the job. When it’s your turn to ask questions in formal and informal interviews, be sure that you address the inadequate answers to questions you felt were. Leave no stone unturned when it comes to giving complete solutions.

Insufficient Proof

When all of your banter and hype about your terrific job lacks merit, such as documentation, facts, or at least quantified cost/time results, can you demonstrate the impact your performance has? The lack of preparation could be embarrassing when you answer, “I don’t know.” It is unlikely you will get NOT get a second chance.

Ummm…Uhhh

Lots of these fillers diffuse any confidence that you want to demonstrate. It is time to hit up your local chapter of Toastmasters. Sure, you qualify, but a couple of Um’s and Uh’s with pauses usually will undermine an impressive candidate.

False or Exaggerated Claims

I agree that employers will not be able to check the facts of your presentation, but if your answers and explanations lack plausibility, this can be a problem. Even worse, if there is a hunch that there is an exaggeration, you won’t get a callback.

Take preparation seriously during the job search process. You can use the lingo, sound expert, and explain the process, but who are you fooling? Coaching is a viable option for anyone that needs to brush up on interviewing or networking. Practicing and coaching equip you better. A professional impression in all phases of networking and hiring is essential to success.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Don’t Hit The Curb with Sonal Bahl, Damian Birkel, and Brandon Mitchell

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Don’t Hit The Curb with Sonal Bahl, Damian Birkel, and Brandon Mitchell by Mark Anthony Dyson

In this week’s episode, my fall co-host Keirsten Greggs and I discuss whether it’s necessary to specialize or market all of your skills and abilities.

Brandon Mitchell and I discuss his company WriteSea, which career professionals use, from career counselors to resume writers.

Sonal Bahl and Damian Birkel talk about all things job interviewing. Listen to Sonal’s CPR approach to interviewing. I hope you’ll find it as helpful as I did.

You are more than welcome to join the discussion. Here are three ways you can:

– Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822, or text your comments to the same number

– Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message

– Send email feedback to [email protected]

Contact me on LinkedIn or Twitter for more job search tidbits, news, and advice.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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Let’s Talk Post Interview Follow-up Skills

 

The fact about follow-ups is that it’s the least–deployed strategy, and the least talked about among career advisers.

Follow-up calls are rarely talked about today, as salary negotiation is talked about more (so it seems). I’ll take the shallow–water dive into the follow-up to discuss why it’s so critical. A good part of your job search must include follow-up in all areas:

  1. Follow up with the application you submitted online.
  2. You are reaching back out to a colleague with an important contact. There are several layers to contacting the right person, so it starts at the bottom of your weak ties.
  3. Have a conversation with someone to discuss how they got into their field. Afterward, thanking the person is appropriate, either an email, a phone call or a card.
  4. Contacting a former boss who you had a mutually admirable relationship. Former bosses come through at times, especially if they liked you. Even if they since changed industries, it’s a valuable relationship.
  5. Try to contact your boss‘ superiors, too, if they know you and you had good communication with them as well.
  6. Follow up with other professionals (your hairstylist, etc), who said they wanted to introduce you to someone who could be a reference or a lead.
  7. Call a relative who retired from one of your ideal companies to work. Maybe they didn’t work for your department, but they know someone who does; or, they can tell you about the company culture.
  8. While talking to a former coworker, you found out they’re moving on. Find out why (even if they wronged you once).

The one time that’s most essential for you to follow up is after a job interview — this means all the interviews, not just the final before making a decision. The goal isn’t just to see if you’re hired; it may be the relationship you’ll need to get hired elsewhere.

Why don’t most people follow up?

I used to think job candidates didn’t know it was OK to follow up after a job interview. After all, they need someone for the position. They should call, right? In my early years, employers called back when they said they would, or would let you know they were not interested in hiring you. I think there were times I just knew not to expect a call back, since the interview didn’t go well.

Many employers, if not most, expect you to follow up on an interview in some form. The interviewer or hiring manager gives you a timeline and encourages a follow-up call if they don’t get back to you by a specific date. Hopefully, you note contact names, phone numbers, and all info you need to follow up effectively.

How to follow up after a job interview.

I don’t think you can get job offers without following up these days without one or more of the following:

  1. Send a thank-you email to the interviewer for their time and insight into the position.
  2. Call to follow up or send a note when an employer says to follow up with them.
  3. Send a second follow-up note the next week for an update on the status of the position. Some people send an article to something related to an interview conversation. I suggest several ways to do this in this article.

You are more successful when you follow up.

Getting the job is more than just showing competence. One of the cornerstones of success is the ability to follow up with tact and respect, whether through phone calls or in writing. You might believe that follow-ups are an overly aggressive tactic. However, it might be the difference between resting peacefully at night knowing you were rejected, or never knowing that you were turned down because another candidate followed up after an interview.

Follow-up is to continue the conversation, not to talk about what happened.

If your only goal is to find out if you are hired, you are squandering an opportunity. A follow-up still packs a memorable punch in this virtual-hybrid workplace. I believe that following up has a long-tail benefit when there’s a conversation behind it, but if your interview was lousy, it may not help a lot.

I once had an interview I thought went well, but when I called to follow up, I was told by the interviewer they went with someone else. We talked for about 20 minutes longer, and before I knew it, she referred me to someone else hiring for a similar position. She even called the employer as a reference for me before I applied!

 

My follow-up advice is not only for the job interviews, but for life. It’s easy to be forgotten. People are busy, and while meeting many people, you may forget they have their own careers to look after. They are asking for help, helping others, and following up, just like you. Reminders need to be a constant fixture of your job searches.

It’s easy to be forgotten. I know it ain’t easy. You need to create a strategy around follow-ups.

 

 

 

 

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.