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- #109 - A Recruiter's POV
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Hey There!
Welcome to Issue #109 of Jobseeking is Hard!
Today's issue is brought to you by Lysted! If you're a free subscriber and value our content, it costs $0 to support us by taking .0005 seconds to click the ad and check out the service. Show our sponsor some love for supporting Jobseeking is Hard! Thanks!
This week we’re talking about:
Stupid interview questions
A jobseeking horror story about being asked to apply, only to be ghosted
Why resume readability matters
The best (worst?) job posting of the week
And a scam involving fake credit check requirements before an interview
And for Premium subscribers I’m:
Debunking an article claiming you can hack the ATS with a referral
Giving you tips on rethinking your networking strategy
Telling you how to determine if a job is worth applying to
Answering a Premium subscriber's question about standing out in a crowded job market. I’ll explain how to stay relevant and increase your chances of being shortlisted for interviews.
Let’s get to it! But first…
KARPIAK CONSULTING’S BLACK FRIDAY SALE!
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STUPID INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
“Are you ok with swearing in the workplace?”
Depends. Is it with me or at me?
“What did you eat for lunch?”
Always answer this by saying, “Pineapple pizza.” Culture is important, and you should know who you are working with.
I was just asked (for a Customer Success role), “If you were in a nationally televised eating competition, would you have a better chance of winning if you were eating cranberry sauce or green bean casserole?”
Depends. Are we talking fancy homemade cranberry sauce or the canned kind? Now I can't get that slurping sound out of my head...thanks a lot.
Now I’m curious…
If you were in a nationally televised eating competition, would you have a better chance of winning if you were eating cranberry sauce or green bean casserole? |
Want to share your stupid interview questions? Reply or email [email protected]
SPEAKING OF POLLS
Last issue, I asked you, “Would you rather consistently dye all of your hair or get an easily visible tattoo?” More than 59% of you said you’d rather get a tattoo!
Some of the best responses:
“Hopefully, a visible tattoo would encourage all the people that ask questions like that to stay far away from me.”
"With a tattoo, you pay once and you're done. The last time I dyed all my hair (and it wasn't even all!), it cost over $200. My tattoo was $100. In this economy, who can afford to do their hair that much?!"
“Tattoos are 1 and done. Hair dye is endless maintenance and costly in both $$ and time. And what do you mean ALL OF your hair? 🫢”
But my favorite was:
“This should show my interviewer that since I can sit through appointments with needles repeatedly jammed into my skin, I’ll be fine to sit through pointless Zoom calls."
Well played.
COMMUNITY CATHARSIS
I am currently volunteering for a climate organization and proposed a project that got a ton of buy-in from the founders and higher-ups. I ended up leading a team of 6 other volunteers, and in less than 3 months, brought in nearly $500K in value to the organization through partnerships (including one with Google) and external contributions.
At that time, the organization opened up a full-time role. The founder, on 3 separate occasions, asked me very explicitly to apply, telling me that I would be perfect for this role and that he loved working with me.
After the third ask, I formally submitted an application and let the founder know I applied.
Since then, they have yet to respond to my message. 3 days after applying, I received a generic rejection email from the recruiting mailbox that I was not being considered for the position. I didn't even plan on applying and only did at the insistence of the founder, and now I am both rejected and ghosted.
The worst part is I'm still leading this team and love the project I started, but now I have such a bad taste in my mouth from how this was handled.
This sucks, plain and simple. You didn’t even plan to apply...you did it because the founder insisted, and now they’ve ghosted you with a generic rejection? Completely unprofessional.
That said, don’t lose sight of what you’ve accomplished. Leading a team, bringing in $500K in value, and partnering with Google in 3 months is huge. That’s all yours...their mishandling doesn’t change that.
Focus on what you’re gaining and how it boosts your growth. Add this to your resume and LinkedIn...it’s leadership and impact they can’t take away from you.
Subscribers…
Has anything like this ever happened to you? |
If there's a jobseeking horror story *you’d* like to share, reply or email [email protected]
SHAMELESS PLUG
If your job search needs a little more help, Karpiak Consulting offers resume and LinkedIn services, as well as job search strategy coaching.
Who knows…maybe it’ll help you get a job offer like this client 🤷♂️
So how did I help this resume review client?
I explained the recruiter’s POV.
Recruiters are overwhelmed, and the reality is, you can’t just give them a dense resume and hope they’ll dig through it to find your relevance. A recruiter doesn’t have time to decode your experience...if they don’t see your value quickly, they’ll move on to the next candidate.
When you present your resume, think of it as a guided tour of your career. Highlight the most relevant skills and accomplishments based on the job you’re targeting, and structure the information in a way that makes it easy to read. Avoid long, convoluted sentences or paragraphs...keep your bullet points concise and impactful.
For example, instead of burying an accomplishment in a long description, break it out as its own bullet point, quantified if possible, so it grabs attention immediately.
And context is critical. Don’t just list everything you’ve ever done and hope the recruiter connects the dots. Show how your experience is directly applicable to the role. Ordering your bullet points by importance to the job you want, not the job you had, can make a huge difference.
A well-organized resume not only highlights your value but also shows you understand the reader’s perspective. Recruiters don’t just want to know what you’ve done...they want to see why it matters and how it aligns with what they’re looking for.
The easier you make it for them to see your fit, the more likely they are to give you that call.
If you’re feeling like your resume isn’t telling your story the way it should and don’t know how to frame your experience, our services can help.
BEST (WORST?) JOB POST
OF THE WEEK
Here’s the job post that got the most people talking on my Instagram this week!
“Less as possible” oh ok
If you come across an irritating job posting, email it to the newsletter or DM me on Instagram and I’ll add it to the list to post!
JOB SCAMS!
A subscriber recently flagged a job scam that starts with what seems like a legitimate opportunity for a remote Data Entry Clerk position.
The scammer posed as a Human Resources Generalist from SSi People, a real company. They reached out via text, referencing the subscriber's resume and expressing interest in their skills. They even set up a Zoom interview with a supposed "Senior Recruiter," adding details like the meeting duration and agenda to make it seem credible.
To add to the scam's believability, the "HR representative" had a LinkedIn profile that looked legitimate. However, even professional-looking profiles can be fake. Always check for LinkedIn's verified badge or cross-reference the person's details directly with the company. If their profile seems suspicious, it's worth contacting the company through official channels to confirm their employment.
Here's where the scam unfolds. Before the interview could take place, the scammer said a credit check was required due to the role's financial responsibilities. They provided a link to a website and instructed the subscriber to pay for a credit report, claiming the fee was refundable.
The scammer also requested a screenshot of the credit score as proof, creating a false sense of urgency to push the victim into complying.
No legitimate company will ask you to pay for a credit report or any part of the hiring process. If you're ever asked to provide sensitive information or payment before an interview, it's a major red flag. Verify any suspicious communications directly with the company to protect yourself from falling victim to these tactics.
Stay safe out there!
Has this scam contacted you? |
If you come across a potential scam, send it to [email protected], and I’ll warn the community. And if you’ve been a victim of a job scam, the FTC has job scam reporting resources listed here.
Everyone seems to be applying for the same jobs. How can I jump to the head of the line and make sure my resume gets noticed?
Check out the Premium Section below for my answer! Not a Premium Subscriber? Upgrade here: www.JobseekingIsHard.com/upgrade
AFFILIATES
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Jobseekers, have a great rest of your week, and good luck with those applications!
-Adam
PS!! If you're enjoying the newsletter, let people know! Forward it, post it on social, tag me, whatever...the bigger the discussion, the better! The idea is to help as many people as possible!
About Adam- Recognized as a leading voice on hiring and workplace trends, Adam has been recruiting and providing career advice since 2003, developing high-trust relationships based on honesty with companies and jobseekers. A highly sought-after speaker, he has appeared in numerous outlets, including Bloomberg News, Business Insider, LinkedIn, and CNNMoney. You can find out more about Adam's resume and coaching services here.
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