Is There a Reason Not to Hire You?

We all know nobody is perfect. However, when you’re in the hot seat during an interview, it’s easy to feel the pressure to make yourself seem perfect. This can be extremely stressful if you have a blemish or two in your work history or experience that might prevent you from getting a job. Here are strategies you can use to address potential concerns about hiring you.

Honesty is the Best Policy

It can be tempting to lie about an area you might be concerned about; however, this is never a good tactic. Employers conduct reference and background checks, and lying will put you on the fast track to rejection. Instead, use the interview as an opportunity to get out in front of potential weak spots, address them and shine a positive light on the ways you have worked to overcome challenges.

Gap in Employment

If you are nervous about a gap in employment, don’t be. The recession of 2008 caused millions of people to lose their jobs. Even if you weren’t laid off due to the recession or other factors beyond your control, don’t panic. Be honest about the reason for your employment gap. Lots of people take time off to raise children, care for an ailing loved one, go back to school, etc. Address the gap and explain how you spent your time constructively.  Don’t hesitate to mention volunteer work, part-time work or classes you may have taken to keep your skills sharp.

Termination

It can be embarrassing to admit you were terminated. However, people get fired from jobs every day and they manage to get hired elsewhere. Be honest about the termination, explain what you learned from the situation and how you approach work differently today.

Do not speak poorly about the boss or the company that let you go. This will reflect negatively on you and will almost certainly ensure you will not receive an offer.

Missing Skills

If you are worried you won’t get hired because you may be missing a required skill set, don’t panic. The interviewer probably knows you lack that skill based on your resume and they called you anyway. You never know exactly which skills are most important, so don’t assume you’re out of the running.

When that skill does come up during the interview, be honest about your ability but spin it in a positive way. Say something like, “I only have beginner-level skills on that software, but I am a very fast learner and I know that I can get up to speed quickly.”

Are You Looking for New Career Opportunities?

If you are on the hunt for new career opportunities and you are interested in learning about short-term assignments to help you fill gaps, get back into the workforce or just to achieve a little more balance in your career, reach out to Magnify Resources to find out more about current project openings.

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