Q. I am a champion at getting interviews—the problems start when I show up! Hiring managers seem to love my resume but they do not react well to me in person. Am I making some big mistake during interviews or are they discriminating against me? Why do I have interview problems?
A. One survey by Robert Half revealed that 64% of senior managers are disappointed in applicants who show up for an interview, even when the resume looked promising. So interview problems are very common. I find that there are three main reasons for a resume/interview disconnect:
- The facts on your resume do not match the facts you share in your interview. Did you inflate or deflate your job title, hide a gap in your career, or claim too many skills that you simply do not have? Hiring managers expect you to be honest and clear about your history and are astute when it comes to checking facts.
- You stumble over responsibilities, achievements, and goals. Before the interview, read your resume carefully to remind yourself what you meant by the responsibilities and achievements you listed there. For example, suppose the resume says, “Mentored 5 interns to successful careers at the company.” The hiring manager might ask: “What mentoring techniques did you use? How did handle problems? What do you like or dislike about mentoring?” Make sure you know the answers to questions that are likely to arise.
- You lack knowledge about the company. Preparation for an interview involves researching the company to make sure it is a fit for you and that you know enough to ask intelligent questions. Your research should include an understanding of what the company does, what the company is looking for as revealed in the job posting, and what someone with your experience and education is supposed to know—and earn—at this point in their career.
You may be interested to know that 48 percent of hiring managers intend to add positions in the last quarter of 2021 and another 48% intend to fill vacated positions or bring back furloughed employees, according to a Robert Half survey in 28 US cities. So if you have had trouble finding a position post-pandemic, your chances are rising.
If you believe you may suffer from one of the interview problems above, working with a professional resume writer and career coach may help you to better align your resume and your interview skills with the expectations of hiring managers and recruiters and with the new opportunities they offer. Robin’s Resumes® is happy to help.