Hey There!

Welcome to Issue #67 of Jobseeking is Hard!

Congrats to the winner of our “mini resume review” that we gave away over the weekend! After we gave away all of our 3-month LinkedIn Premium trials in January, we asked you for some giveaway ideas, and subscriber TH had the excellent idea to give away a “mini resume review.” I appreciated her idea so much that I decided to offer her one as well :)

If anyone has any other ideas for giveaways, reply and let me know what you think would be helpful! And keep an eye out here, on my LinkedIn, and my Twitter for future giveaways!

Speaking of socials, a few of you have asked why I don’t have an IG account. If I were to post my LinkedIn/Twitter/newsletter content on IG, would you be interested in that?

Last week, I asked you to reply to the newsletter to help in my ongoing battle against spam filters, and I appreciate how many of you did!

I promised a little something to the person who replied with the most creative email. There were a lot of good emails, but I thought what subscriber ES sent was the best:

And a special thank you to everyone sending along additional tips, advice, and content. I’m going to start incorporating more of it into the newsletter, beginning with this week’s “Job Scams!”

Keep reading to see what some readers said about last week’s scam (recruiters asking for ATS-compliant resumes that you have to pay for).

STUPID INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

During a final round of interviews for a Director-level HR role, the CFO of a 500-person privately held company asked me:

1) "What time do you wake up each morning?" The real answer is 7, but I said 6:15.

2) "What's the first thing you do when you wake up?" The truth is that I go to the bathroom, but I answered that I walk my dog.

3) "What do you do next?" I said that I go to the gym, but really, it's drinking coffee and playing Wordle.

For context, I have 30 years of experience. And no, I didn't get the job.

This is the problem with interviewing…everything is performative! Everyone spends so much time trying to figure out the “right” answer when it’s always going to be subjective. You’re better off just answering honestly and letting the chips fall where they may.

For the record, I’m assuming you didn’t get the job since you apparently walk your dog in your PJs/underwear.

I was asked, "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate me as an interviewer, and why?"

Tell them that, unfortunately, it is your policy not to provide feedback.

The hiring manager asked me, "If you could be any fictional character that's an animal, which would you be?"

Honestly, I think any answer would be acceptable...unless you said Winnie the Pooh. I assume that would be a dress code violation/HR issue.

Now I’m curious…

Speaking of polls, last issue I asked you, "What's better: an unsafe driver in a safe vehicle or a safe driver in an unsafe vehicle?" And you had some good responses:

But my favorite is:

Want to share your stupid interview questions? Reply or email [email protected] 

COMMUNITY CATHARSIS

I had a full day of interviews with a large tech company.

Over 8 hours, I met with 9 people.

I don't know what happened (I think a recruiter miscommunication), but someone led me to a large conference room detached from the main building. I had a quick 15-minute virtual interview with someone on a massive screen and then promptly forgot about me for the next 1.5 hours. I had no food, water, or access to the bathroom facilities, which were in the hallway & required an employee badge to get to.

I had to bang on the window to get the attention of a security person who escorted me back to check-in. I still wasn't given any access to food, even though they told me I could eat in the cafeteria with my recruiter. I asked to go to my car, where I had a granola bar stashed. It was all I ate the whole day.

The only other time I used the bathroom was when I asked someone after interview #7. Can you believe they didn't have any built-in breaks for 9 interviews?

My 9th & final interview consisted of someone typing on their computer the entire time instead of looking at me. And eating.

The kicker? I got offered the job. Which, of course, I turned down. If that's how they treat prospective employees, how do they treat you once you are in?

I hate this. I hate this so much. I hate this with the passion of a thousand suns. There are 2 lessons here:

1) Never doubt the selfishness of companies. They will abuse that power dynamic and not give it a second thought. You’re right…if this is how they treat you when trying to hire you, imagine how they’ll treat you when they’re paying you.

2) Always have an emergency granola bar.

If there's a jobseeking horror story *you’d* like to share, reply or email [email protected] 

HR & RECRUITING JOBS!

Attention HR and Recruiting Jobseekers!

Courtesy of Mike Wood from iCIMS, here’s a job board with more than 2,000 available HR and Talent roles with their customers, including 300+ remote roles! You can find the list here:

Know of any other good job boards? Send them along so we can share with everyone! Email us at [email protected] and let us know what job boards you use!

SHAMELESS PLUG

If your job search needs a little more help, Karpiak Consulting offers resume and LinkedIn services, as well as coaching on job search strategy.

Who knows…maybe you just need an outside POV to help you realize the best way to position yourself for a new role, like this person 🤷‍♂️

Sometimes I'm asked about the testimonials that I share, like how the service helped them, so I figured I'd share some more details about the different ways I've been able to assist clients.

For this client, they had fantastic experience…but a clunky resume. It was too hard to quickly see how awesome they were. Formatting matters. So does context. The best resumes are a combination of experience and impact, presented in a way that is easy to read.

JOB SCAMS!

Last issue I warned you about a scam where a fake recruiter sends you to a website to purchase an "ATS-compliant resume" so you can be considered for a role with their client.

Well, subscriber MR was kind enough to send along some additional info:

Really helpful info! Thanks MR!

And subscriber MH had a great suggestion:

So I’ll be including this link in each issue! Thanks MH!

Here’s this week’s scam…

I applied to an Indeed posting and was asked to download an app called Signal to do the interview, which I googled and thought seemed like WhatsApp.

I figured it would be a video chat, so it seemed okay.

I googled the company, and there was a website, but it was very vague; you couldn’t exactly tell what they did from it. I looked up the address on Google Maps, and it was a generic building with only the address on the front, like an empty office building with tinted windows. LOL.

The email also was switching back and forth between Mr/Mrs.

When we started the chat, she asked me for my name, where I’m from, and to tell her a little about myself so that she could get a sense of how to begin the interview. Then she directed me back to the website and told me to let her know when I was done looking.

I told her I looked at the website, but I’m still unclear about what exactly they do. The position I applied for was a remote data entry position, and this is the first time I’ve applied for roles outside of education, so I’m a bit green :)

When she didn’t respond to my messages about what the company does after telling her that I’d already looked at the company online, I did not answer any of her questions. I blocked her and deleted the app.

It was the first role I applied for that I heard back from, which was disappointing. I’m glad that I recognized it though!

I knew where this was going as soon as I read, “was asked to download an app called Signal to do the interview.” I’ve heard several variations of this scam, mostly with WhatsApp, but Signal is particularly bad because of its encryption and secrecy. There’s a reason why reporters use Signal when people want to send them leads/tips anonymously.

Keep this in mind: no legitimate company will ask you to conduct an interview via a messaging app. If they are, they’re purposely hiding something, and it’s a scam.

If you’ve been a victim of a job scam or someone has tried to scam you, send it to [email protected], and I’ll warn the community.

SUBSCRIBER QUESTION

I've seen something happening on LinkedIn more and more, and I'm curious about your take. When a hiring manager posts a job in their feed (or reshares in their feed from the LinkedIn job posting), many candidates comment things like "Just applied!" or "This role is a great fit for my experience and I'd love to connect," and similar things. I also see people tag someone else - for example, "Krista (tagged) would be great in this role!”

I'm curious about your take from the recruiter's perspective.

Hi, I see it too. From a recruiter's POV, it isn't very effective. 

The worst is when someone comments "interested." That's basically a waste of time. I don't know the desired result since the poster (recruiter OR hiring manager) doesn't scroll through the comments to see who is interested and then look at the commenters' profiles. If you're interested in a job, you can't expect the company to do the heavy lifting. Not to mention, so many people on LinkedIn don't look at the comments on their posts anyway. 

And comments like "Just applied!" or "This role is a great fit for my experience, and I'd love to connect" are great examples of why most people don't read cover letters…because they don't say anything of value. Again, if the intent is to get someone's attention, it isn't working. Saying you applied isn't a call to action… it's just stating a fact. If you want to motivate someone (whoever posted the job) to act, give them a reason.

Instead, send the hiring manager/recruiter a DM or invite and say why you're interested in the job and how you are qualified.

**Premium Subscribers! I'll tell you one additional thing to include in your note when expressing interest!**

Have a question you want answered? Please reply to this email or email [email protected] for a chance to have me answer it in a future issue. If I still need to answer *your* question, don't worry. It's still in the inbox...no need to resubmit!

PREMIUM SUBSCRIBERS!

This week, I'm discussing:

• Advice regarding listing your years of experience if you're worried about ageism.

• What not to say on your cover letter, application, or interview if you're going to be laid off.

• Words to avoid using if you're worried about ageism.

• Would a "functional" resume be better than a chronological resume if you're concerned about ageism?

• One additional thing to include in outreach when expressing interest in a role posted on LinkedIn.

• Some (bad) advice I read about lying on your resume to get an interview.

• And a subscriber writes in to verify some clickbait I debunked in Issue #66 with their personal experience.

Not a Premium Subscriber? Sign up here! www.jobseekingishard.com/upgrade 

AFFILIATES

NOTE: As an affiliate to these services, we may receive compensation if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

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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.

PREMIUM SECTION

Hey all! Thanks for being a premium member! I hope you find the additional info helpful as you navigate your job search.

One additional thing to include in outreach when expressing interest in a role posted on LinkedIn:

Everything is performative when you’re looking for a job, so be sure to hit all the right notes. When you see someone on LinkedIn post about a job opening, be sure to not only say how you are qualified and why you’re interested in the role but also explain why you’re interested in that company.

That’s usually a differentiator. So many people express interest in jobs. And most of them are qualified. How can you stand out? Be specific about your interest in not just the role but the company as well. State a specific reason (or two) why the company interests you, which can help get your foot in the door. 

And be specific! Don’t just say “the culture” or “the mission.” State what you know about the culture or mission, so it looks legit, not cut and paste.

Advice regarding listing your years of experience if you’re worried about ageism:

If you're worried about ageism when the reader notices your experience before 15 (or so) years ago, consider capping the years on the resume. While it's absolutely an impressive feat to have such a long working tenure (you must've been doing something right to have been employed for so long!), capping the years at 2009 or 2005 would give the reader a solid history to base your candidacy on without letting ageism creep in.

If there is a specific company or job you would like to reference before your self-imposed experience cutoff date, you can always say "Previous experience includes" and list the job title and company…no need to list the date. If someone wants to know, they can ask. The goal is always engagement.

Keep in mind that resumes aren't legal documents, so you can control your narrative a bit. That said, job applications ARE legal documents, and I would always list your experience there.

If you’re going to be laid off (or worried you’ll be laid off), don’t say this:

When writing a cover letter, answering "Why are you looking" on the job application, or giving an interview response, don't mention a possible layoff as your reason for looking. Why? Some people do have a bias that "If you were any good, why would they lay you off?" Or they will try to lowball you on salary negotiations, knowing you need a job.

Words to avoid using if you’re worried about ageism:

I know I’ve said it before, but since we’re addressing ageism in this issue, I just wanted to reiterate that “seasoned” is recruiter code for “old” and should be avoided.

Also, don’t say you’re “tech-savvy” because, in recruiting, it’s typically used by older applicants who are worried that companies feel they can’t pick up new technologies.

CAREER CLICKBAIT

Recently, I read a piece of advice stating that if you don’t have experience in a specific software listed on the job posting, you should just add it to your resume anyway and then learn the basics quickly if they want to interview you.

Um, no. You’ll waste everyone’s time…including your own.

If a job posting requires X amount of years in [software], just stating [software] in your technical skills section and hoping you can learn it before the interview won’t work. You will show up for the interview; they will ask about your experience with [software] and will promptly reject you for not being qualified.

Same if there’s a knockout question on the application regarding your experience with a specific skill/software. You can’t just lie to avoid rejection, hoping that in the interview you can talk your way around it…it won’t work.

Even worse, you’ll probably get some negative notes in the ATS, so the next time you apply to that company, they’ll see that you lied about your qualifications.

Instead, I suggest submitting your resume without lying and including a STAR example (or 2) on your cover letter explaining instances where you learned a skill or software WHILE ON THE JOB. This way, you can 1) be honest and 2) demonstrate that you can successfully pick up whatever you need to learn while on the job.

Also…

In issue #66, I said you would be putting your job at risk if your employer suspected you were #OpenToWork, and subscriber NZ wrote in to share their personal experience with this:

I’m so sorry that happened. It’s so hard to keep it a secret because you never know if someone will attempt a backdoor reference, but this is what I talked about in the last issue. Do everything in your power to keep your job search a secret.

Read a post or watch a video with questionable advice? Send it to [email protected] and I’ll debunk it!

PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER QUESTION

I'm compiling my resume for a possible layoff due to my company's impending merger.

I have worked for this company for almost thirty years, with many roles in the IT department. My LinkedIn profile lists all the job roles, along with experiences, skills, and accomplishments during each role. I have spent most of my time doing what I do now in IT while maintaining exposure to many areas of IT.

I have read a lot about ageism, which raises questions about my resume. Would a "functional" resume be better than a chronological resume? I have plenty of experience that I would like to show, but I think most potential employers also want to see a work history.

Any recommendations on how I should approach my resume?

Hey there! I'm sorry to hear that layoffs are a possibility at your company (30 years!!), I definitely applaud you for preparing for the worst. You always want to work on your resume before you need it. Once you actually need it, your mind is already swimming with other things, and it's hard to focus on making a (good) resume.

In fact, I'd take it a step further and suggest everyone always updates their resume on an ongoing basis…quarterly or so, while successes, metrics, and details are all fresh in your mind.

As for your question, I know I always say that there aren't any absolutes regarding career advice. But functional resumes are probably the one exception. I don't know a single hiring manager or recruiter who likes functional resumes. I'd avoid using one at all costs.

For those who don't know what we're talking about, functional resumes are resumes where the bulk of the information is an extended summary (sometimes accompanied by a Key Achievements section) discussing your relevant info/skills/background. They're typically used by people with obstacles to overcome, such as ageism, a hoppy job history, or "unrelated" experience (and you want to highlight transferable skills without being judged on specifics).

Sounds good, right? Well, recruiters and hiring managers know that's why people use functional resumes…because of potential issues. So when a functional resume comes across their desk, their immediate reaction is, "What's wrong with this candidate?"

Even if your experience is a great fit, whoever is reading your resume is already in investigative mode, and your burden of proof just got more challenging to overcome. My advice? Use a chronological format. If you are going to apply for a role, give the reader the info they're looking for. You're right when you say, "But I think most potential employers also want to see a work history." Yup, they want context. They like to know what you did, where you did it, and when you did it. You should put your best foot forward and give them the context they want, and if you're rejected at that point, at least you know they're rejecting you based on the resume and not some suspicion/misunderstanding.

You're saying, "Adam, I'd rather not be rejected." Fair point. Ultimately it's hard for a recruiter or hiring manager to say "no" to success, so if it's the context they want, it's the context you're going to give them.

Write a strong summary that mirrors the job posting. And if you want to talk about your years of relevant experience in the summary (which you should), try to mirror the years required in the ad. If someone sees "30 years' experience"," they're immediately going to think you're too expensive, too experienced, blah blah blah. So, mimic the job posting. It wants 13+ years' experience? Then, say you have 13+ years' experience…technically 30 IS 13+.

List a few key achievements before the work experience relevant to the job posting. And no need to list what year they occurred. So, if you accomplished something relevant in 1999, no need to give them a reason to discredit it.

Again, the focus is to get a conversation. The goal is to not be rejected without engagement.

I hope that helps! Good luck!

That's it for now, and send in those questions! Don't forget to put "Premium" in the subject line so I can stay organized!

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions for the premium membership? Let me know! The premium tier is a work in progress, and I want to create something of real value for subscribers.

Have a good one!

-Adam