With 12.1 million people, or 7.8% (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf) of the country unemployed, finding a new job has become more competitive. For the countless people who either lose their jobs or leave in search of greener pastures, the challenges may seem insurmountable. It’s not impossible, and we met a job seeker willing to share his experience in the hopes of helping others.
In last week’s post, we met Matthew Hopson, an engineer who survived a job search that took over 8 months long. Our intern, Amir Naderi, wraps up the interview with Matthew and gets some helpful tips to help overcome some of the common hurdles faced by job seekers.
Amir: Did you stay in touch and further network with those employers who didn’t hire you?
Matthew: Yes, you never know when a new position will be open. If you have been rejected, but made a good impression, you may be considered for an opportunity with the company in the future. They may know about positions with other companies that you would be a great fit for as well.
Amir: Did any of your networking connections help you obtain interviews or potential job offers?
Matthew: Yes, networking helped me meet new people and get interviews. Joining a professional organization is a great way to network and learn about new job opportunities.
Amir: How many interviews did you go on?
Matthew: I’ve been to more than 10 onsite interviews and had many more phone interviews. If you do well on the phone interview and the employer thinks you would be a great fit for the company, they will schedule an onsite interview.
Amir: What was the hardest question you’ve been asked in an interview?
Matthew: It is sometimes difficult to answer questions about the company. I’ve been asked about products companies make as well as the process behind making it. Basic information can be found online, but searching for extra information about products or specific processes is beneficial. It shows that you know more than what’s on the company’s website.
Amir: What were some of the most repeated interview questions?
Matthew: Most employers asked me about myself and my experience. This is when I talk about my major in college and my work experience in detail. Because experience is discussed in interviews, it is important to know your resume inside and out. I have heard of people who look at their resume when asked about their work experience during an interview. This tells the employer you may not understand what you’ve worked on, or it could come across as a lie. If you know your resume and work experience well enough, there is no need to refer to your resume.
Amir: What was one answer you gave that you regretted?
Matthew: I gave a vague answer to a sample problem given to me during an interview and should have gone into more detail. It is always best to give a complete answer to any question. Ask yourself if this person knows nothing about this topic, how would I explain it to them?
Amir: Did you come across any employment tests, and if you did, what was it like?
Matthew: I did come across one employment test, which happened to be a group test. This employment test required me to work with three other candidates to solve a series of problems. After 20 minutes, we gave a 10 minute presentation on solutions for each problem. We were not given equations to solve these problems, so we relied on each other’s knowledge to find an answer for each question. The employers knew we may not get an answer for every question. The idea was to see how well we worked together and how we tried to come up with a solution with limited time and resources.
Amir: What advice would you give others who are looking for employment?
Matthew: I would tell others to be focused and patient. Job searching can be a long process and can get frustrating when you get rejected. Reviewing your resume is also a great idea. I constantly updated my resume while job searching. Adding facts and figures on projects I’ve worked on improved my resume and helped me stand out among the other candidates.
Amir: What do you think is the most important factor in the hiring process?
Matthew: There are many factors that are important in the hiring process, but I think one of the most important factors is the employer’s first impression of you. You only get one chance to make a great first impression, so it is important that you know information about the company as well as the information on your resume.
Hopefully this interview has helped you gain further insight into the hiring process from a fellow applicant.
Start your job search today at http://jobs.jobs. Need to polish up your resume first? Check out this resume tutorial on US.jobs.