Am i not good hiring material?

Question

ive hit 30 or more (probably more!) businesses with applications, having the unemployment guy re-do my resume for future applications, also, i believe in my skills/abilities to do any job i seek-theres just one thing, they arent calling me back!!! ive got a reason why though, i havent been working in the past year and i cant explain in the interview how to get over that one major bump. Help, since august/07 ive been out looking for work, and quite frankly, im letting this get to me in the worse way. im thrust into the workforce by a lingering divorce that seem to not happen fast enough and jobs are dodging me like a plague. can employers look up my past workplaces and get a bad review without my knowledge? i had one business say that because they called up my last employer, they would pass on employing me? now im worried that somewhere, theres bad news spreading around me...? Im gradually slowing my momentum and its getting tiresome.. any suggestions out there? im not getting any yngr.

Answer 1

Yes, they have every right to call your past employer or references that you list.
There must be something that you have done in the past that is causing them to decline your 2nd interview or call you back.
Where you late all the time?
Call out sick too many times?
Do you have any criminal charges on you?
Maybe you need to brush up on your interview etiquette.
Are you being unreasonable with pay?
At this point take what you can get and keep looking for something else.
You can also call your last employer to find out what kind of feedback they are giving.

Answer 2

You've hit 30 businesses with applications, and this is not working right? So, try some other avenues. The best way to landing a job is through your network of freinds and business professionals. Have you joined any networking sites; www.linkedin.com or www.facebook.com? There are social networking sites as well. Have you checked www.craigslist.com, www.careerbuilder, www.helpwanted.com, www.hotjobs.com, www.monster.com, www.dice.com, etc? Networking is todays most powerful tool in finding a job. People who like you and want to work with you will give you stunning references.
So you have some downtime in your resume?? These are red flags, and unfortunately people judge you by the cover and not what's in it. Even if you have to fib a little, I would change your resume. If your divorce has been taking up your time and you're not able to find work, then just list the time since you last worked; housewife, or stay at home mom, or home business. People will wonder why you cannot find work, they will think something is wrong. Try to fill any of the gaps you have in your resume. People may disagree with me, but when you are competing against people without gaps and more skills, it's hard to get the chance to sell yourself if you don't even get a call. Sometimes you have to fake it, to make it. I would be willing to give free coaching advice and edit your resume for free. I am a hiring professional in California.

Answer 3

In most cases previous employers will only give out dates, and salary. If you are concerned about a response about an employee verification check call the previous employer yourself and ask what information that they give. If you did not give a notice and quit or got terminated from the previous employer, find out if they reveal that information.

I don't think a year out of work would reflect on you that negatively, especially in the current state of the job market. Are you seeking employment within your skill set? You need to try to match up your strengths and education with open jobs. The most important thing is not to give up and stay positive. In the mean time, try a temporary agency. Sometimes a temp job can transition into something permanent. Good luck!

Answer 4

Never leave a conspicuous time gap on your resume - include a brief explanation of time spent not working. There are plenty of good reasons, the potential employer just needs to understand. Officially past employers can only confirm employment history and and salary information, unofficially more information does get passed. Particularly, if you have a bad reputation, you may want to find ways to be assertive putting forward professional references. Get a book on current job search methods that work at your level - the rules are different if you are seeking a job as an analyst then if you are at an executive level. Follow those insights in a thoughtful manner, be persistent, do not be paranoid, and please, use capitalization and punctuation in your communications. Good luck.

Answer 5

Don't give up! Try getting a "name" everytime you call back to inquire about a position you've applied for and what time and date you last called last. If that doesn't get results, go to the place and use that name to request a meeting. You've got to show a potential employer that you mean business which is exactly what he's looking for in the first place.....good luck!!!!

Answer 6

In my opinion. You should get help in those unemployment agencies. They can help u on your resume and cover letter. Also when writing a resume avoid putting down past bad employments. It makes your resume look better.

Answer 7

I can help you , free of charge...I am an Executive Human Resources Director for a Forbes top 50 company.

Send me an e mail and we can talk...
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