To ask for ideas as to why nobody is hiring me?!

[GrumpyDirector]

Third sector, director level, 15 years experience. Strong CV and professional background (I think).

I’ve been applying for new jobs for about six months. I’m getting interviews with ease, and making it to the final interview (so, it comes down to two or three people) and I’m not getting the job. EVERY TIME.

I’m starting to lose my mind. I’m getting the interviews, so my applications are presumably good. I’m getting down to the final interview, so my interview technique is presumably good. All of the interview feedback is great (I keep not getting them by a ‘narrow margin’, allegedly), so not being given anything to work on.

So, what could it be?!! This has never happened to me before and it’s starting to make me feel rather shit. These are very high profile jobs and I understand that the competition is fierce, but it just happened for the tenth time! HELP!

What does the final interview consist of? Presentation? Panel interview? Situational?

Try and see trends between the final stage

I’ve said yabu as we can’t possibly know. Ask for more detailed feedback.

Is there anything dodgy on your social media that they could see? photos?

Have you asked for more specific feedback on what made them go for the other candidate? Sounds like you’ve been rather fobbed off on feedback so far

It could just be bad luck

Are you applying for jobs that are a bit of a reach?

What I would do is contact a few and say, look I’d really like some feedback, and try and see if they say anything in common

If you have a mentor or trusted senior, then you could also talk to then about what the jobs are, and what you might be lacking

Are they checking references at that final stage and finding out something they don't like?

Age?

@LowlyTheWorm

I’ve said yabu as we can’t possibly know. Ask for more detailed feedback.

I have! I have never got anything negative back.

@dipdye

What does the final interview consist of? Presentation? Panel interview? Situational?

Try and see trends between the final stage

Presentations and panel interviews. The order in which they happen varies, so it’s not that I’m crushing one and failing the other, if you see what I mean?

@Changethetoner

Is there anything dodgy on your social media that they could see? photos?

Nope. Locked down. And pretty tame, in the first place. I’m a boring thirty something.

Thirty something female??

That's the reason

Sorry to be blunt, could it be your age? This seems an issue that women I know come up against time and time again I’m older and so are most of my friends.
The recruiters would find it hard not to interview you if your skill set match the job description. You think you interview well, but then they just don’t see you in the role.

@Blondie1984

Have you asked for more specific feedback on what made them go for the other candidate? Sounds like you’ve been rather fobbed off on feedback so far

It’s been pretty detailed feedback from some of them, less so from others. All positive. The reason given is always that the other candidate had a slight edge. I am apparently sans edge.

They’ve also tended to hire old white men, but I’m choosing not to think it’s that. As then I really will go mad.

They think you will go off on maternity leave but no one will say that to you ever

@Blueberryflavour

Sorry to be blunt, could it be your age? This seems an issue that women I know come up against time and time again I’m older and so are most of my friends. The recruiters would find it hard not to interview you if your skill set match the job description. You think you interview well, but then they just don’t see you in the role.

I’m in my thirties!

Cross posted about the age thing okay you’re in your thirties. I hate to say it but they may assume you are desperate for babies and will go off on maternity leave. Outdated views of women in the workplace are bloody depressing.

@Luredbyapomegranate

It could just be bad luck

Are you applying for jobs that are a bit of a reach?

What I would do is contact a few and say, look I’d really like some feedback, and try and see if they say anything in common

If you have a mentor or trusted senior, then you could also talk to then about what the jobs are, and what you might be lacking

They are a bit of a reach, but that’s what I’ve always done - applied for jobs the next stage up. That’s how my career has always ‘worked’. I’m very ambitious, so I’ve perhaps got further along than most people and I’m about 20 years younger than anyone else they’re likely to be interviewing. Perhaps that’s it? I’m seeing comments asking about age and maybe I need to think about that.

Talking to a mentor is a fabulous idea. Thank you.

@LadyinRead Nope. ☹️

Ah, yes. Babies.

I could take off my rings? But that would be playing into this nonsense and probably wouldn’t help.

So, if women in their 30’s are discriminated against because we’re likely to go on maternity, and older women are ‘too old’, when exactly, are we supposed to get our seat at the table? Is there some brief window in one’s 40’s without this nonsense?

when exactly, are we supposed to get our seat at the table? Is there some brief window in one’s 40’s without this nonsense?

^

Yup. Around aged 43 I'd say.

It utterly sucks.

Could this be linked to experience as if you are in your 30's with 15 years experience some of that can't have been at a senior level surely ? I'm in the Third Sector and we would be looking for demonstrable breadth of senior management experience at Director level. Is all of your 15 years experience at senior management level ?

I would get a mentor.

Take off your wedding rings. Make sure there is no indication of your marital status on your CV.

Sexism is every worse since the pandemic started. Either they think your going to get pregnant or they think because you are in your 30’s that you have small children and if the schools shut again/the kids get covid your going to be off work.

I went from always being immediately snapped up to getting to the final stage and getting positive feedback but not getting the job for (insert random reason here)

If Third sector then maybe the roles are going to internal candidates already lined up for the role but where they are obliged to interview. Happens a LOT! Or the role goes to a known entity.

My guess is age may also be a factor as they may feel you don't have enough experience under your belt.

Feedback from interviews is useless as they will never say anything negative as want to avoid conflict or any claims of discrimation. Friends in recruitment are never honest about feedback and no one will be.

Director roles are competitive. 6 months isn't long to interview. Keep going and youlll get there in the end.

It could be sexism, but to be fair, I know a couple of men this is happening to at the moment too. I think it genuinely could be that your application is strong but the other candidates have more experience. After Covid-related job losses, lots of people are applying for jobs a bit below their normal level.

Hang in there OP and don't give up! It will happen eventually. Wishing you all the best.

Wanted to say how much harder it gets for women applying for jobs post 35. From age 20 to 35 I was offered almost every job I applied for. After 35 and esp after 40 it was almost impossible to get offered a job. Nuts.