Can't get pass job interviews :(

Well first off I highly doubt it has anything to do with HR wanting a hot guy. Also I wouldn't say you were too old for programmer jobs at all. It hard to get a job, especially in this economy. Sometimes you may be really qualified and it's not enough. I know some of the jobs I've applied to hired people that knew people internally in the organization. Currently, I'm in an internship course for my program and the woman running it said that one thing you can do if you keep getting rejected is to send a polite and tactful (that is the real key thing here) email for feedback (although for some organizations it is harder to do this than others). Also I've found that practicing your interview skills can help too. I always have problems when they ask about strengths and weaknesses, or those "tell me about a time when" questions, so practicing answers, especially out loud can really help. I'm sure you'll find something soon. Don't give up

 

I was unemployed for 2 years and 4 months. It does get better. Just keep applying and following up.

 

Just keep applying, if you don't get it ask them why they rejected you. Nothing better than constructive criticism to help you do better the next time. Try not get too disheartened, job hunting can be difficult. I found that persistence is key. Good luck with the search, I'm sure you'll find something soon!

 

i been unemployed half my lifetime, i concluded all i could do for now was working in independant proyects that most people consider ''joke jobs'' in between so meantime i have something to do

 

I'm on the same boat. The sad thing is, I've taken 3 years of Job and Educational Training in college. I know what to do, I know how to do it and what it takes to be a good employee.. however, the only place that's hired me was the bottle depot and they only hired me because they where desperate for workers. Right now, I'm busting my back end into being an artist and I barely make ends meet on that alone.

 

well that sucks- would have been nice if they gave you more info (or at least something more constructive). Apparently, I didn't know this, that during interviews when they ask if you have any questions for them they really want you to ask stuff. Apparently if you say no or don't have many questions, then they think you aren't showing initiative and don't really want the job. You are instead supposed to ask questions like what would my typical day look like, what are the biggest challenges facing the department, etc.

 

I work as a recruiter having recently made a career transition, so I've been on both sides of it. A lot of what hiring managers look for is a mix of experience and attitude.

Have you done the tasks that you'd be doing at your job? If not, have you done similar things and are you able to communicate how those similar things would make it easy for you to take on the new responsibilities of the job you're interviewing for? Can you communicate your knowledge of the company and the job you'd be doing, so you know where you'd fit on the team? Are there any measurable indicators of success that you've done (like "increased profits by 5%" or "developed new scheduling software which cut client's missed appointments in half") that you can refer to?

Attitude is huge too. I was told I got my current job not because of the multitude of experience I had (which I honestly didn't) but because I was smart and enthusiastic and communicated my passion and team-first attitude. Show interest in the job--get on LinkedIn and look up the company and the profiles of the people you've been in contact with. Talk about how you can contribute to the company and the team, not just about how great you are as a worker. Smile, make eye contact, ask questions. Come prepared. Listen when the hiring manager is talking. Dress very professionally--button-down shirt, slacks, and a tie.

Also be patient. It takes a ton of applications to get an interview and a few interviews to get an offer. With each interview, you gain experience and comfort with the process. It sucks, but keep pushing forward.

I hope this helped. PM me if you want to talk more.

 

As someone who has hired people before, here are some hints that I can give to help you out.

1. Research the company. Find out what is currently going on. What are the trends? Positives? Areas of improvement?

2. Tell me in an interview what specifically you could do for the company in this job. Those are the people who stand out. Those are the people that I remember over others during a day long interview.

3. Be prompt. Where your best clothing. Smile. Be positive. These are the first impressions that you are making.

I hope this helps.

 

I just took this really interesting class about using body language in things like interviews and these are some things I learned that might help. You could look into it more too because there's probably more stuff:

-People form first impressions from the first few seconds to minutes that they talk to you, so prepare how you want to look/sound right off the bat and then you're good

-Handshakes can actually subconsciously impact what people think of you. A handshake where your hand is on top means you're asserting dominance. One where your's is on bottom tells the other person you're submissive. An even handshake is what you want to go for. Handshakes also release oxitocin so it's a good thing. Even if they don't offer a handshake you should shake their hand.

-Good posture

-If they ask for strengths and weaknesses, list your strengths first

-Use good eye contact

-Some hand gestures can be good and expressive

-The first thing people use to tell if they trust someone is actually their hands. Because back in caveman days, you needed to see each other's hands so you could tell if someone had a weapon. So if you're sitting down even at a table, always show your hands.

 

Try going over interview questions online so you seem prepared. One thing I always try to do is act like you are pretty much talking to your best friend when you go for the interview...don't seem intimidated! once I started following that I would get accepted for jobs after a series of rejections

 

1. You're definitely, absolutely not too old for any programming job.

2. You just have to stick with it, something will come up - I'm currently unemployed myself, I've been in my "career" for over 10 years, I have a ton of experience and have not got the last 3 jobs I interviewed for, it can be really tough - but you just have to keep pushing - the most important thing is to not let these experiences damage your confidence, each new interviewer you meet has no idea about your past jobs or interviews - it will happen eventually.

 

I'd say you might do better if you turned the question around. No company will detail their hiring procedure to you, or tell you who the other competitors were.

But on the other hand... some might answer if you pose it like this:
"Thanks for the opportunity of interviewing with you. While I didn't get this job, I am enthousiastic about making it in this field. So I was wondering if, based on the interview, you could give me some pointers about areas I'd need to improve on".


That way they don't have to explain themselves to you, but you can get the feedback you want, in the most useful format.


Then again... to them, it's spending time and money on someone who is neither an employee, nor a customer. So don't be insulted if they don't reply. They have fairly limited resources, mostly.

 

The best thing for you to do is to film yourself during an interview. Call your career services at your university and ask if they have that option. If not, get a friend to interview you for a position and film yourself. Its the only way to get better at it.

As for the interview, the main thing that will make or break your interview is personality. People want to work with others that they can get along. If they feel you are qualified, but it will be a pain to have you around in one way or another, then they might not hire you.

This isn't to say that there is something wrong with you, but to say that different companies hire for certain personalities and you should be aware of that. This is why being recorded during an interview is so crucial.

I have seen people not get hired because of a "bad vibe". Not super effective, but most companies don't have the resources to create the most effective hiring process. Most of the time, its supervisors who are told to hire someone, but are left with very few tools on how to do it correctly.

 

I would look again at what are some of the specifics that they are looking for in this job. For instance, lets say I am looking for someone who who has great communication skills. I would share specifics on how you communicate and work well with others.

If I am looking for someone with tech skills. I would share examples of how I can use some of the newest programs out there..(Powerpoint, Google Suite, tablet apps) to show your abilities.

Remember the more that you show you know, the less that I have to spend in training you. (A cost savings for the company.)

 

Here's an idea, why don't you do something that will make you stand out from all the others, I am pretty sure that will get you a better chance of a job. Cause the guy who interviews you might be a little bit tired of reading the same formats sent the same way. Asking the same questions, just try and stand out hon.

 

Why not take along a pen and notepad, and have some questions written down before you walk in, and make notes during the interview? add a couple of extra questions...make it clear you are listening and taking notice.