10 Reasons Some College Graduates Can't Find Jobs

We are fast approaching graduation season.

Although the economy is bouncing back a bit, it will still be challenging to find a job.  New graduates from vocational or career training programs need to remember that job search success requires constant effort.  Use this list as a checklist to ensure you are doing everything you can with every job opportunity that comes your way.  This list of the 10 reasons some vocational and career training graduates can't find jobs can keep yourself on track.  In most cases, you can do something about a job search if things are not working out.

• Using bad resumes and cover letters.  Find sample resumes at TheHBCUCareerCenter 
• Not using their college resources.  Check out the alumni network and VISIT the career center.
• Overlooking internships after graduation. Internships are still possible after college.
• Engaging in negative social networking. Clean up your online persona.
• Resumes show a lack of leadership experience from college.  Not all experience has to be paid.
• Not understanding what employers want. Do your research.
• Poor networking skills.  Networking doesn't just mean asking for help.  It means helping as well.
• No job interview preparation.  Find a way to do a mock interview.
• Little or no follow-up.  Every lead is important.
• Too much career ambiguity.  If employers think you don't know what you want, they might not hire you.

Trick Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Recruiters and hiring managers will ask some pretty straightforward questions in the job interview.  The reasons behind some of the questions might be pretty clear.  Sometimes though recruiters will ask some questions that job seekers might consider to be trick questions.  However, answering these trick job interview questions, might reveal more than the job seeker planned to share.

Here are just three of the so-called trick questions recruiters ask and some tips to answer them.  (Read full article 3 Trick Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them)

1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Translation  - How long do you plan to stay with our company? This job interview question is designed to see what your intentions could be.  Before answering, consider what the answer might say about your long term commitment to the job or the company.

2. What kind of work environment is best for you?
Possible translations for this trick interview question could be. "Will you fit in here?" or "Did you do any research on the work environment?"
Good answers will show a match between what the job seeker considers a productive environment and what is typical for that company or industry. This is a good opportunity to share an example like the one in this article about Zappos.com.


3. How do you handle criticism at work?
Possible translations for this trick interview question - Has your work been criticized? What quality work should we expect? Are you a team player?
Try answering this question without stepping into a minefield.

As you practice answers to these kinds of question, think about not only the words you are saying, but also about what your body language might be indicating.

More about Job Interview Preparation
Market Transferable Skills in the Job Interview
How to Answer Uncomfortable Interview Questions

4 Steps to Marketing Transferable Skills in a Job Interview

I wrote this article for Beyond.com a few years ago and had reason to revisit it today.  I wanted to share these four tips, but I also thought that we all could learn from the comments left by readers.

4 Tips to Market Transferable Skill in a Job Interview

200 Good Questions Jobseekers May Ask

Workforce Management has published a list of questions that job seekers can ask an interviewer or hiring manager in a job interview. The questions are categorized based on questions for:

-Headhunters and Recruiters
-HR professionals
-Hiring Managers
-High level probing questions
-Getting feedback
-Closing the deal

Additionally there is a group of questions that the writer suggests that super stars can ask in the job interview. Read the entire list of 200 questions job seekers may ask here.  You will have to register to get the list but it is free!!

Most Popular Interview Articles:

Secret Weapon to Manage Job Interview Body Language

Soft Skills That Could Land You the Job

Do You Make These Mistakes in a Panel Interview?

 

 

Secret Weapon to Manage Job Interview Body Language

Some experts believe that body language communicates in three specific ways:


1. Acts as a replacement for words
2. Acts as a reinforcement of our words when we gesture to emphasize speech
3. Acts as a mirror of inner emotions and attitudes

Here are some of the more common body language messages recruiters might be getting from job seekers in the job interviews: (Of course recruiters are human too and could definitely be misinterpreting what they are seeing)

- Fear and insecurity – You aren’t making eye contact
- Bias – You are staring at only one interviewer and ignoring the others
- No confidence – You have a weak handshake
- Disinterest – You are slouching or hanging over the arm of the chair
- Arrogance – You are leaning back in the chair
- Nervousness – You are gesticulating wildly and relying on your hands to do all the talking
- Discomfort – You are fidgeting with tight or ill fitting clothing

It's hard to recognize when body language might be failing you in the interview.  It's harder yet to modify behavior and movements on the fly, while you are in the interview.  The best time to fix body language concerns is before the real interview, by doing a mock interview.

Doing a mock interview, or practice interview is a great way to check on what your body is saying.

Ask a friend to help and set up a video camera and I guarantee that you will see yourself in a whole new way. Ask for feedback and take notes.  A mock interview is a great way to invest an hour and get immediate feedback to help bring your body in line on your next job interview.

Telephone Interviews are as Easy as 1-2-3!

In a tight economy, smart organizations seize every opportunity to lower costs in the recruiting and hiring process. The telephone interview or phone screening is one great way employers are keep recruiting and hiring costs down.

Rapidly advancing telecommunication technology is enabling employers to add to the complexity of the telephone interview. For example, telephone interviews can now be one jobseeker with one interviewer or one job seeker with multiple interviewers on an interview panel.

With free conference call services or on-line meeting web technology, the interview panel can now be completely distributed. In other words, a jobseeker can converse with 4 or 5 interviewers who are all in different locations. Bottom line is that the telephone interview is here to stay and can be a very effective tool to screen job seekers.

What does that mean for the jobseeker? You must get comfortable with the telephone interview and know how to impress the recruiter through this medium. With the telephone interview, where neither interviewer nor jobseeker can see each other, both have to be aware of tone, clarity and energy. Mastering the interview is as easy as 1-2-3 if you understand this.

If I were to rank the three, I would probably put them in the following order:

1. Energy - Stay high energy from beginning to end of the telephone interview.
2. Tone - Try and limit sarcasm or negativity since you cannot "read" the interviewer.
3. Clarity - Listen carefully to the question. I have heard jobseekers go off on a tangent answering the wrong question. If the interview were face to face a quick gesture could abort the wrong answer.

Interviews are uncomfortable enough and the telephone interview adds another layer of complexity. Jobseekers should know that these three factors will enhance or destroy their candidacy.

For more tips on how to ace the phone interview, read 10 Ways to Ace the Phone Interview

Don't Forget to Impress the Boss's Assistant on Interview Day

A recent survey by OfficeTeam confirmed what we in the career business have known for a very long time - Diss the Assistant and you may not get the offer.

Job seekers should know that in addition to impressing hiring managers and other key decision makers they meet during the job interview, they should make a strong impression on administrative assistants who are the major gate keepers into organizations.

According to the survey, more than 60 % of executives said they consider their assistant’s opinion important when evaluating potential new hires. Why wouldn't they? Execs rely on their Assistants for other things, so why not this?

I go a step further and tell job seekers to not only be nice to the Assistant as office etiquette demands, but be courteous also to parking attendants, security staff or facilities crew. You never know who is in these roles.

I met a business owner at a conference once who shared with me that he and his father ran a small auto supply company. They were interviewing for a new sales rep. Before an interview, his father was in the lobby of their company wiping up a coffee spill. One job seeker literally stepped over his father's hand to get to the receptionist's desk. When the receptionist said, "You almost stepped on him." The job seeker said, "Why don't you guys do cleaning at night anyway?" He didn't get hired.

I always share that story with candidates since you never know who you are dismissing or who has influence.

Executives were asked in the OfficeTeam survey, “How important is your assistant’s opinion about the job candidates you interview for positions at all levels?” Their responses were:

-Very important—21 percent
-Somewhat important—40 percent
-Somewhat unimportant—18 percent
-Very unimportant—16 percent
-Don’t have an assistant—4 percent
-Don’t know—1 percent

Soft Skills That Could Land You the Job

Do you think "soft skills" don't matter? It's just about how you can do the job, right? Wrong. Here are just six of the other things employers might be looking at as they interview you.

-Leadership/Team Building. These are not just for supervisors but for candidates who want to demonstrate an interest in that career direction.
-Team Player. This just seems so overstated but it is true. Team players make offices work and move forward. Silos can kill a positive workplace culture.
-Goal-Oriented Self-Starter. The article states, "while employers don't necessarily want loose canons or mavericks, they do appreciate people who don't need to be told what to do and can set their own tasks and follow through."
-Excellent Communicator. This one is a no brainer. Or should be. No matter what the task. Communication skills - verbal, written and non-verbal are important. Read - How Body Language can Bury You in the Interview. The article states, "the ability to write a coherent memo or email, give clear verbal instructions, and help meetings run smoothly -- or, at least, not sabotage meetings -- will probably be needed." Excellent communication skills go along with understanding of office etiquette.
-Flexibility/Multi-Tasking Ability. Think about being able to "walk and chew gum" at the same time," as the saying goes. Especially in tight economic times, candidates must come with the ability to bring value beyond their specific job description.
-Sense of Humor. This just makes the day go faster. Author of 'Career Wisdom", John McKee says, "unless you're applying to Comedy Central, you don't have to make them double up laughing." Getting folks to crack a smile ever so often, can keep you sane.

Keep soft skills in mind in the job interview.  

Body Language can Bury you in the Job Interview

A UCLA study showed that up to 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues. Author, Alton Barbour, author of Louder Than Words: Nonverbal Communication, states that the impact of a message is 7% verbal, 38 % percent vocal ie. volume, pitch, rhythm, etc and 55% is about body movement, mostly in the form of facial expressions.

If you are job hunting, you should know that hiring managers and interviewers spend a lot of time interpreting body language in the job interview. Some interviewers are actually masters at the body-language game. They can spot fear through hunched shoulders, rapid or really slow speech and disinterest in a job seeker’s slouch.

Here are some of the body language issues to watch for in the job interview:

- Not making eye contact with the recruiter or interviewer or looking only at one interviewer if you are in a panel interview.
- Weak handshake
- Slouching or hanging over the arm of the chair might tell your interviewer that you don’t really care. Maintaining an arrogant posture, leaning back in a matter-of-fact way might indicate some arrogance.
- Gesticulating wildly and relying on your hands to do all the talking. Resting your hands in your lap or on the arms of the chair is good.
- Fidgeting with tight or ill fitting clothing such as trying to close the gap between buttons on a tight blouse or pulling down uncomfortable pants.
- Scratching head, hair, skin or other body parts are a no-no.

These body language no-no’s can be a real turn off to recruiters in the job interview. The worse part is that the job seekers may not even be aware of how they are missing opportunities.

Job seekers should create a quick checklist with these and other points and practice the job interview with someone who will critique them honestly. Another way to check on your body language turn-offs is to set up a camera to record your movements. Work on eliminating any negative messages you might be transmitting through your body language.

As you watch your own body language and movements in the job interview, also watch those of the recruiter.

-Is your panel interviewer at the end of the table falling asleep?
-Is anyone yawning from your stories?
-Is the interviewer texting under table?
-Are they working on other projects?
-Are they eating during the phone interview?
-Are they taking calls that they did not say would be coming in?
-Are they leaving in the middle of the interview again without saying they would?

I have actually seen or heard of recruiters doing all these things in job interviews. Not only is this bad recruiter behavior, and rude to the job seeker, it is also very distracting to an already nervous candidate.

Scoring Points in the Second Interview

If you or someone you know are in the Class of 2009 or, heaven forbid, in the Class of 2008 and have not yet landed a job, check out these tips on how to succeed in the second or third interview. In today's economy, not many people are really landing the job on the first round of interviews. Companies are taking their time to get to know candidates and make the right choice. More and more people I know are going to second and third round job interviews and still not landing the job.

The HBCU Career Center has compiled a list of tips to succeed on the second or third round job interview.

Here are the highlights:

1. Know your schedule. You may meet with several people on a site visit and so you should understand your interview timeline.

2. Stay conservative with dress. You may have to survive a meal with employers and so keep business professional attire in mind for dinner situations.

3. Have questions prepared about not just the job, but the industry as well.

4. Brush up on meal etiquette for second and third round interviews.

5. Be courteous to everyone you meet on the visit; from hotel staff to administrative staff at the interview site.

6. Be cautious about how you interact with recent hires who recently graduated from your alma mater. Stay professional.

6 Tips to Career Reentry in a Down Economy

No one seems capable of predicting what final unemployment numbers will be or when this global recession will end. We do know that almost 600 000 more American jobs were lost in January 2009, adding more workers to the unemployment lines. More job seekers are competing for work in a job market where there are currently not enough available jobs for everyone. As the New York Times reports, "losing more than a half million jobs in each of the last three months, the country is trapped in a vortex of plunging consumer demand, rising joblessness and a deepening crisis in the banking system."

If you are an older worker getting back into the job market, here are 6 tips for career reentry.

1. Get your resume ready. You cannot execute a successful job search strategy without it - not in today's market. This is the time to revamp your resume. You have time available and a lot of the resume writing work you can do yourself to save money. Use these sample resumes to get started.

2. Tell everyone you know that you have been laid off. People can offer tremendous support and you will benefit from people "looking out" for you.

3. Network with people you don't know. Visit your local library, scour the internet and find groups to join, meet-ups and job clubs. You will be expanding your circle and hearing about new opportunities.

4. Be willing to cast a wider net, in terms of work you are willing to do. Think about transferable job skills and what other jobs you could do.

5. Stay positive. This is super important. Someone I know who was laid off recently and had visited the unemployment office, talked about how positive people were to each other. I also wrote last week about the possible upsides of being laid off as shared by three mid career professionals who had lost their jobs. You need to know that there is life after layoff.

6. Brush up on your interview skills. If you have been with the same company for years and haven't done a job interview recently, check out all the interview FAQs and career FAQs on all our career blogs.

Photo - Courtesy of New York Times

Job Skills Employers Want from Students

Students considering vocational training should pay close attention to more than just academics. Althouth good grades are important, because it demonstrates positive behavior, it is not all employers want from new grads.

Employers continue to be concerned about the lack of soft skills they need from good employees. Some of these soft skills that employers want from new grads include:

-good attendance
-positive can-do attitude
-strong communication skills
-actual work skills

This information was summarized in a 2006 study written by researcher Paul Barton for the Education Testing Services.

A National Association of Manufactures' survey where employers select multiple reasons, shows common reasons employers reject applicants:

-More than 66% cite a lack of "soft skills"
-About 33% of employers cite lack of experience
-About 33% cite inadequate reading and writing skills
-Academics and school achievement rank below soft skills for employability

Although the manufacturing sector is declining in the US, new grads should pay close attention to skills required beyond graduation. The skills required by employers cuts across all industries and jobs.

Where do you stand with these in demand job skills? Do a quick Skills Inventory!

Make an effort to find good examples of skills you possess that demonstrate positive behaviors and the ability to compete in the workplace and succeed at work. If you need to work during college, try to develop soft skills on the job.

These Resume FAQs and Job Interview FAQs will help job seekers showcase job skills and soft skills on a resume and during job interviews.

Interview Tips From an Interview Expert

Mary Warren from PSI Careers shared some job interview advice with the PROPEL Networking Group in Portland Maine.

PROPEL is a networking group for young professionals sponsored by the Portland Chamber of Commerce.

Warren's piece was a follow up on previous articles offering interview advice. The following job interview tips were offered to help job seekers develop great questions to ask the hiring manager in the job interview.

- Ask why the position is open.
The position could be new and this question will help you find out more about what is expected. If the position is open because it was vacated, ask what the hiring manager would like to see done differently, if anything, from the new hire.

- Ask about objectives and accomplishments expected from this role
- Ask about how performance will be measured once you are hired.
- Ask about the company culture. Of course you should have done your research and already have information on company culture. This might be a good time to get answers about company values which may be important to you.
- Always ask about the next step in the selection process and what to expect next in the job interview process.

Job Interviews Show Lack of Preparation

I was on a team of interviewers recruiting a new director to execute a rather extensive job description.

The process to select the job interview candidates was pretty straight forward. The search team scored resumes of job applicants and selected the candidates with the highest scores for job interviews.

One observation from this round of job interviews is that too many job seekers, regardless of the level of the position, are just not well prepared to sell transferable skills.

After watching more than a few candidates squirm under the pressure, I thought I could offer these five tips to help job seekers prepare to sell transferable skills in the job interview.

1. Read the job descriptions carefully. Read it several times to become familiar with the skills that the company wants.
2. Know what knowledge, skills and abilities you have to offer to the employer for the specific job in question.
3. Acknowledge the gaps between what the employer wants and what you have to offer. Job seekers, who acknowledge the gaps ahead of time, have an opportunity to correct them. These gaps should not surprise you in the interview.
4. Identify career and experience stories from your background that will allow you to demonstrate how your transferable skills will compensate for direct knowledge.
5. Learn how to tell interesting stories in the interview that will make the interviewers want to engage in conversation with you.

Interview Knockout Factors From Temple's Career Center

Temple University's Career Center offers a ton of online information for college students and graduates.

I found this list of Interview knockout factors in their online interview guide and thought I would share them with you. You may have seen them before, in some form or the other here on the BullsEye College blog, but I thought it would be a good reminder in this tough economy.

• Lateness
• Lack of knowledge or skills necessary to do the job… not qualified
• Poor personal appearance
• Not prepared for the interview… no research on the company
• No confidence or poise… fails to look the interviewer in the eye
• Unable to express ideas clearly
• Only interested in the best dollar offer… instead of interest in the job
• Makes excuses during the interview, evasiveness, hedges on answers
• Negative about past supervisors or other experiences.
• Poorly defined career goals
• Asks few or poor questions about the job.
• No real enthusiasm in the company/industry/field

Should I Ask Questions in the Job Interview?

Yes. You should definitely ask questions in the job interview. Questions will show your interest in the part time job and that you did your research and know something about the company.

Think about and write your job interview questions down ahead of time. Do not be afraid to open your notes and read the questions.

Sample questions to ask in a job interview?

1. What non-routine tasks are involved with this part time job?

2. When do you want me to start working?

3. What do you like most about working here?

4. Who will be my supervisor?

5. How much training will I get?

6. How many people will I work with?

7. How may I contact you if I have more questions? Is there someone else I should speak with?

Most teens have a lot of energy and like to share their opinions. The job interview is not the time to be shy - Speak up!

Check out the BullsEyeResumes High School career blog for the latest job interview preparation tips.

Preparing for the Job Interview in High School

For the latest career planning and job interview information for high school students, subscribe to the BullsEyeResumes High School career blog.

Here are 10 job interview tips for teens.

1. Visit the career counseling office at your high school for resume writing, samples job interview questions and interview tips.

2. Visit the company website and do some research on the company.

3. Practice answering sample job interview questions to demonstrate your job skills.

4. Prepare job interview attire so that you can avoid wardrobe malfunctions.

5. Arrive early for the job interview. Bring pen, paper and your high school resume. (High School Sample Resumes)

6. Be polite with everyone you meet at the job site.

7. Speak clearly and answer all the questions. You can say you do not know, instead of mumbling.

8. Make a list of questions you want to ask in thejob interview.

9. Have names and contact information for people who will give references for you.

10. Be careful filling out the job application.

11. Practise will improve your job interview performance.

Do not be disappointed if you do not land your first job interview. Sometimes it will take a while to land a job you like, especially in a tight economy.

How College Grads Turn Off Employers

With unemployment rate at 6.1%, the highest in five years, unemployed college grads need to think seriously about what employers are observing from them in the job search.

When asked to identify the biggest mistakes recent college graduates make during the application and job interview process, employers cited the following:

- 69% say that new college grads who are acting bored or cocky in the job search
- 65% say candidates are not dressing appropriately
- 59% candidates coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company
- 57% cited new graduates not turning off cell phones or electronic devices
- 50% are not asking good questions during the interview
- 39% cited candidates asking about pay is before the company considered them for the job
- 23% cited candidates who spam employers with the same resume and/or cover letter
- 20% cite failure to remove unprofessional photos/content from social networking pages, Web pages, blogs, etc

Some recommendations to be more competitive:
-Customize your communications.
- Get involved.
- Leverage the Internet.
- Clean up your digital dirt.
- Read - Looking for a Job? Make it easy for employers to find you. Set up a professional voicemail and email account

The basics still apply as well. Be respectful of the recruiter's and arrive on time. Dress conservatively and turn off your cell phone. Be sure to remind the employer that you are really interested in the job.

Men's Wearhouse National Suit Drive

Kudos to Men's Warehouse on their National Men's Suit Drive in recognition of their 35th anniversary. I have been a fan of Men's Warehouse for years since they started offering discount cards for new college grads years ago.

Certainly to give the best impression in the job interview a business professional suit is necessary.

As their advertisement says, "For many unemployed men, a new suit is the first step toward a second chance." The donated attire will be distributed by local non-profits to benefit at-risk men and youth who are transitioning into the workplace. If you or someone you know is going back to work, one of these donated suits could help you.

To participate, simply visit one of 550 Men's Wearhouse stores to donate gently worn professional attire including suits, sport coats, slacks, ties, and belts. All donations are tax deductible, and participants will receive a 10% discount off their next Men's Wearhouse purchase as a special thank you. They will also contribute a new dress shirt for every donated suit they receive.

The program ends on October 31, 2008.

Career Re-Entry Resume Tips

As you continue to strategize for an effective job search strategy to reenter the workplace, you should consider seriously what you want employers to know and think about you. Your resume and job interview are two good places where you get the chance to show a company why they cannot afford NOT to hire you.

Keep these tips in mind as you write your career reentry resume and prepare for job interviews:

1. Be cheerful and high energy in your in-person or telephone job interviews
2. Talk about the benefits of your experience, your professional maturity and the relevant expertise you offer
3. Make sure your resume content is current and include relevant information only
4. Speak to the long term value you can bring to the company
5. Share stories in the job interview about outstanding outcomes in prior assignments
6. Look at the benefits of a functional resume
7. A cover letter will focus your background on relevant, recent experiences
8. Talk about your ability to collaborate and work with diverse folks from Baby Boomers to Millennials.