WorkWise Q&A: Break pattern by asking for reasons you were not hired

OPERATOR

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, I can’t seem to get from the interview stage to the employment stage. I have had many interviews lined up and have gone through over five rounds of interviews with multiple companies but never get the position. Is there a reason I get sent on so many follow-up interviews but never get the job?

Holding the Bag

A: Dear Holding, This situation could be occurring whether you’re job hunting on your own or working with recruiters. Break the pattern by breaking through the wall of silence.

Dial the workplace operator, the person who interviews you or the recruiter who sends you on interviews. Explain that you want to do a better job of interviewing and would like to know what you could do to improve. Then, listen carefully for reasons for not being hired:

• You might have been a misfit for the culture.

• You might have failed the background check.

• Someone else might have had more experience or a skill you don’t have.

• A known quantity might have won out.

• Budget constraints might have compelled the company to eliminate the job.

• Job requirements might have changed.

Find out or drop out. It’s part of the job of job hunting.

mlc

ADHD

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, Are there any resources or links to websites that can help me? I’m an office manager at a small financial services firm. I am loyal, hard-working and honest. I do great work, yet I am told that I continually overlook small proofing errors. My boss, who is detail-oriented, is very frustrated that my work is not perfect.

Concerned

A: Dear Concerned, You mentioned in your original email that ADHD is holding you back. It’s possible that it conflicts with the kind of work you’re doing. If keeping that job necessitates learning how to concentrate better, enlist another person’s help or find a therapist specializing in clients whose ADHD causes them problems on the job.

If possible, trade tasks with an employee. Identify one who has the skill and is willing to help. Don’t mention ADHD, just your desire to create error-free work. Suggest one or two things you could do for that person in exchange.

If this plan can’t or doesn’t work, search Google for ADHD and concentration. You’ll find more than five million hits. Read about people who have ADHD. How are they overcoming the problem?

mlc