Wednesday, April 6, 2011.....
Sunday evening, hubby and I were watching 60 Minutes and they did a segment on the unemployed. I always get a pit in my stomach watching these things, often turning the channel, but decided to watch it. They mentioned how employers are now requiring an applicant be employed to apply for the posting. There is nothing illegal about this, but in the back of my mind I always fear an employer may dismiss my application because I've been out of work far too long.
Monday I apply for a position through an agency and get a call about my resume. They were very interested in me until she saw the gap in my resume. She asked if I had been employed elsewhere since 2008 and when I said no, she told me I'm not the type of client her agency wants to represents.
Why?
I actually asked her this. Her response: "We don't make any money". Again, I asked why, but added it logically didn't make any sense. I explained my interviews, pulled positions, geographic limitations, what I've doing since 2008 and finished with: Why wouldn't you make money off me? After all this time, I'd be grateful for a job and there would be no worries about you getting a commission.
I think she realized how she came off. I have to tweak my resume, but have an interview with this agency on Friday. I know nothing will become of it, but know it's good practice to sharpen my interviewing skills with people who have a wall up.
Interviewing is like dating. Often it takes a lot of first dates to get into a meaningful relationship.
8 comments:
They want someone who has a job to apply for the new job? That's just stupid, imo.
Take me. I looked for work for 2 years...but I'm disabled so no one wanted anything to do with me.
I'd be a good worker, instead of taking sick days to go skiing, etc.
Exactly. It makes no sense to me and I don't know if she how crazy she sounded. Unfortunately, it's not illegal to discriminate between the employed vs unemployed.
That is such bullshit. Most people who have a job aren't looking for another one, but millions of people, through no fault of their own are unemployed and would LOVE a chance to get back to work. I think seriously, government need to step up and say what you can and can't do when listing a job. And excluding people because they're out of work is absurd, as are things like age or gender discrimination.
just shaking my head...but i think i might just be numb to it after working part time the last 2.5 years...
I read that with great interest having worked in recruitment for nearly 10 years. That is just WEIRD.
Recruiters appreciate you being up-front, so don't hide what you've been doing. But don't accept that for an answer - if a recruiter discounted everybody who has been out of work the candidate pool would be a puddle.
Just make sure you talk positively about yourself. You want the recruiter to tell clients you're amazing, so even if they don't ask you, you tell them.
It doesn't sound right that they would be interested in you, and then allow a gap in work to dash the deal. They obviously saw things in your resume about you that they liked enough to reach out to you. Hmmmm.
How completely rude of that lady! Good luck anyway...
Veg Ass – I hear you! I can’t begin to tell you how discouraged I feel being out of work so long and then to hear someone say this to me, ugh…..
Brian – Unfortunately, I’m not and wish I was.
The Mid 30s Life – I don’t hide what I’ve been up to and am actually very positive, but was completely shocked by her comment.
Matty - I know. It is extremely weird. I am meeting with them Friday, but she positioned the interview by telling me I wasn’t a priority. I think I am :-)
Muffy – I’m just really shocked she used her out loud voice. That’s the perfect example of when you would put the mouth filter into effect.
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