Say The Right Thing During Your Job Search

Posted by in Career Advice


Are you doing as well at your job search as you'd like? If not, maybe the problem is the words that are coming out of your mouth. Job searching is an intense process. From the very beginning, you have to be and show your best. Your résumé and cover letter have to be impeccably written. Your interviewing techniques have to be masterful. Your salary negotiation skills have to be at their best or you will leave money at the table. Meanwhile, throughout the process, no one tells you how you are doing. A company may bring you in for a series of interviews, tell you that you are the best candidate for the job, and then you might never hear from them again. A recruiter could tell you that a position has opened up that you would be perfect for, and then he or she might never return your phone calls. It's a guessing game and it can play with your emotions and your view of yourself. But still, this is how many jobs are filled. This means you have to get good at being the person selected for these open slots. The better you are at saying the right things, the more likely you are to get the job you want. What you say while looking for a job is crucial to your success. It can be the difference between getting a job or being passed by for someone who said something better than you did. So, How Do You Get Better Ay Saying The Right Thing? Follow These Four Points Below: 1. Expect To Be Terrible At First You cannot get good at saying the right things without knowing what it feels like to get it wrong, too. If you haven't searched for a job in a while, you will be rusty. You may not be used to questions such as, "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" Or, "Tell me about yourself." You may also be apprehensive about leaving your current position and not comfortable discussing the details. Expect that there will be mishaps in the beginning. This way, they won't throw you. 2. Put Yourself On The Court A job interview contains two main components. First, you get ready for the interview. Second, you have the interview. No matter how hard you prepare for the interview, success or failure happens while you are there. Tell an employer what you can do for them. Let go of how you think you are doing. Trust that you have done the work and that's why an employer has asked to see you. You don't know what a job is truly like until you go there. You may be nervous about it, so don't let fear keep you from going. This principle holds true for other job search seeking activities such as job fairs and networking events. There may be many reasons not to go, so keep your eye on the bigger picture, which is they can lead you to a great new job. 3. Practice Makes Perfect Some people make saying the right things look easy, but they work at it. They role play mock interviews with friends, family, and their coach several times. They say their 30-second introduction over and over again until it becomes second nature. They anticipate questions that make them uncomfortable and they have their answers spelled out and ready to go. You can't do well without practicing. It's your pathway to job searching success. 4. Learn From Your Mistakes Looking for a job can be tricky sometimes. You may be asked a question that you have no clue how to answer. You may say something foolish, and then realize when it's too late, that you can't take it back. Saying the wrong thing from time to time happens to everyone, so know that you are not alone. If you fall off the horse, pick yourself up and try again. If you don't do as well as you liked in a certain situation, be confident that you'll get it right the next time. So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!
Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

  • Lorraine Rayne Dorsey
    Lorraine Rayne Dorsey
    This information is so very helpful and encouraging.  Thank you. My motto in this challenging job market is this, "Giving up is never an option". My blessings are imminent.
  • Frank R
    Frank R
    This is an employers market. Jobs are saying "entry level" but the only thing entry level is the pay since experience is often required. Peoples hours,wages, and benefits have been reduced assuming they have a job. So how do you survive? Take on roomates, take on a lower paying job, social services, move in and take care of an elderly family member, take your junk you dont use to auction, but most of all dont give up because you are a person not a paycheck.       
  • Jerry M.
    Jerry M.
    John, in response to your comments about the necessity of going into a Company's website to apply for a position; I was also getting tired of constantly going into websites, until I decided to copy all of my work experience, and paste it into a Word document. Now all I have to do, each time I go into a company website, is just copy from the Word document and paste it into that area of the application. In regards to the end of the application, asking you to "self identify," you DON'T HAVE TO FILL THIS OUT! I don't, and get more responses!
  • Jerry M.
    Jerry M.
    In response to Raymond Gravesande's questions about why there aren't more jobs, after the President proposed all of his ideas; If you're sitting around, waiting on the Government to get you a job, perhaps it's better that you don't go back to work! The ONLY way you are going to get a job is to get your resume out, on SEVERAL networks, have a professional web page, such as Linked In, and continue to be AGGRESSIVE in your search! There are 40+ people looking at almost every job that is posted, due to continued high unemployment, and so many people out of work. It's going to take awhile for things to level out.
  • Barbara R.
    Barbara R.
    Thank you for all your helpful comments and tips in answering the tough questions, and also for the encouragement we give each other in our job searches that can get discouraging.  I'm thinking and feeling better after reading all of them. God bless.
  • Mary C.
    Mary C.
    I have been looking for a job since last year and what really helps is being consistent with the search. I have found that the more I look for a job the more confidence I feel as if I have and the more I think of myself as earning more money and the more worth I find in myself. These websites I find are becoming more helpful in the perspective of how to take a magnified look at myself and what I have to offer a future employer. Thank you for the blogs and the chance to express what I am going through.
  • Karen B.
    Karen B.
    I was laid off due to a company acquistion for 13 months after a 30 year career in the insurance industry. I have been on many interviews and worked in various temporary positions during my unemployment. Many of these comments are right on. But in the long run I have found that many employers do not know what they are seeking in an applicant. I have been approached for 3 positions that I interviewed for last year and this year. They still have not been filled. I consider myself a good interviewee and have positive feedback on my interviews. The employers need to define what they are seeking in a candidate. It is difficult to answer questions in an interview when the employer does not know what they want. There is not any respect for all the unemployed people out there that deserve a return call saying they did not get the position or an acknowledgement by them when they receive the resume. Technology has taken all the personal aspects out of applying for a job. A paper resume does not reflect personality and professionalism.  
  • J.
    J.
    To John K. About wrongful termination suit, I went through this process myself. Get a good lawyer and have valid information for the EEOC. I won my case and it was a fast process. On an application I put personal for reason for leaving. I was in a top management position and was with them for 11+ years. I am always nervous if someone asks me why I left. As a stipulation of my suit I am not allowed to talk about it. I have to create why. I don't feel comefortable fabricating stories, but I have no choice. Good Luck!
  • Dimitra Nicastro
    Dimitra Nicastro
    I agree with all of you. Very helpful and very true. I have been out of work and have had a few interviews. And that's as far as it gets. So I'm apparently missing something in my delivery. When it comes to any question, I'd say keep your answer to a minimum and don't be afraid of silence. The interviewer will push for more details if he/she wants to hear more. That's mostly my problem by the way, I don't know when to stop talking. Good luck to all of us.
  • Mary Baird
    Mary Baird
    This has been very helpful to me and for the weakness question I usually say "I get restless if I don't have anything to challenge me."  I have been out on one interview and I thought it was good, but, I didn't get hired.  So I went back to the computer and  put in all the questions that were asked of me, and got great input how to answer them next time.  I also do not like those tests that they give you.  I like the face to face interview much better.  Thanks goes out to all of you for the information on this site.  Good luck everyone it is tough out there, and try to be relaxed when you go into the interview, if you know your qualified for the position it should go well.   
  • Francine f.
    Francine f.
    All these blogs were very helpful..As yet I've not been on an interview..lost my job of 17 1/2 years ago went to school for medical billing and coding..in 4 1/2 months learned many other subjects also..but no one will hire you without at least one year experience..started looking for manufacturing jobs which is what I used to do... don't feel very hopeful..am on the internet everyday for at least 2 hours... any advice?
  • Doug M.
    Doug M.
    This advice is to those who are filling out on-line apps, and have a resume on a flash drive or some other place you can bring your resume up from. Get your resume up on your computer, then copy and paste the pertinate info from resume to application, thus saving time the time typing it all out. I hope this helped!
  • Margaret M.
    Margaret M.
        Very helpful advice.  Makes sense.  Grateful for everyone's input.
  • Reuben Ramirez
    Reuben Ramirez
    This comment is in reference to John Kermode's question on how to deal with explaining a wrongful termination. In my opinion there is no easy way and hopefully he will win his case.  I myself am struggling with a simular situation.  Unfortunately it is a very long process to fight a case like this and you need to move on the best way you can. I had much documentation to present to an EEOC investigator and left feeling that it would end up in my favor but it still take a long time. Hopefully you had enough documentation to justify your claim.  I wish you the best but keep on with your job search, I know first hand how this can be a difficult obsticle when you know you are more worthy.
  • Pamala Miller
    Pamala Miller
    This is extremely helpful. As we all know, interviews are tough and if the resume is the reason for the call and they set an interview, then just hire me at the first interview...two, three sometimes 4 interviews before they make an offer is more than necessary. It questions on whether or not I should work for a company that is indecisive and can't get it decided upon with the first and should be only interview....exception is if there is another position that I have a better fit in, then the second interview to the correct deciding party is appreciated.  
  • James Cummings
    James Cummings
    I am currently working with the 'job Search" of a major library in NY.  I look forward to any and all info to help me do my job as a counselor. The advice received in this article is invaluable. I thank the writer for all the info and the comments provided here.  I will use this info to help at least one person secure employment.My sincerest thanks!!!
  • Chris
    Chris
    This is the first site and section I've read completely through because everyone has been so generous with their advices, experiences, hurts, disappointments, mistreatments by the majority of the employers out there.  I now do not feel so upset with myself but appreciative that others, a lot of others are having the same uncivil experience I've had in the past 7-8 months.  You are all in my prayers to receive the dignity and respect your deserve ALL OF THE TIME!
  • Delina Pickett
    Delina Pickett
    This has been very helpful! Thank you.
  • Flora Alexander
    Flora Alexander
    I am a 61 year old female applying for a medical biller position for a non profit organization and could use some help on answering the commonly asked questions such as my weaknesses, strengths, why I feel I am qualified for this position, etc.  I have a telephone interview in a few days.  Could really use your help.  Thank you
  • Linda Martin
    Linda Martin
    I appreciate all the comments from you all. I too hate the "weakness" question.. But before my last behavioral interview, I went on-line and went through the suggested subjects then made a list of all the circumstances I had at my last job. This list helped to jog my memory while in the interview. The interviewee didn't seem to mind I had the list. It did help alot. Good luck everyone. I've been out of work since February and competing with a couple of hundred out there look for Admin work... only thing I am 56 and know that doesn't help.
  • Vieve
    Vieve
    The article was good, but some of the comments were excellent. Thank you so much everybody.  We will win this job battle.
  •  Tonia
    Tonia
    I resigned from my last position which I had held for eight years. I took a year off and am just resuming my job search. What do I say in my cover letter/resume about the year interval? Do I say that I resigned? Any suggestions?
  • Roger
    Roger
    This interviewing, job search head game stuff that is going on these days is a bunch of bull! People(H.r. people in particular) need to learn to value other people!
  • Sandra D.
    Sandra D.
    Thank you for all the suggestions and help
  • John
    John
    Have you filled out the on-line applications that companies force us to do lately?  Every company out there wants you to go to their web site and type up your stuff, and you keep doing it over and over again for hours. What a joke. Not funny though. Huge waste of precious time.Anyway, if you've done this recently, you would have noticed that they make you to self-identify yourself at the end. Of course, they say you don't have to, but we all know what they want. So, I personally find it more racist, because, if everyone is supposed to be treated equally, then why does it matter. Race and Gender shouldn't matter, right? I see it as a form of pre-screening, and illegal it should be. I did a little trick. I created three almost identical on-line profiles and self-identified as three different gender/race combos. 'Male/white' did not get any response, the other two got an invite. I could have had a little fun with this (just to see the look on the interviewer's face), but I'm pressed for time these days.
  • You Might Also Be Interested In

news via Fast Company - co-design in Design

Jobs to Watch