Endless interviews but never the job

[Mondui]

Hi All
I seem to get offered endless interviews even for jobs I am not really qualified for but never the job offer. When pushed for feedback it's always positive but 9/10 seems to be just someone pipped me to the post . Or someone is already in the role . It's so hard not to take this personally like maybe they don't like the way I look or I come across wrong . I am very confident when interviewing and don't stumble on questions . Recently I was told I was over qualified for a job but still didn't get offered it :-/ Any advice is welcome

What sort of roles/sector are you applying for? Perhaps it’s not a confidence issue but the actual substance of the answers being given? Some people are very good at spelling out and giving examples of their skills, I struggle with this a bit although I’m also told that I come across well at interview. I’ve had to train myself a bit to refine my answers and technique.

No advice. I'm struggling to even get interviews at the moment. I am thoroughly experienced and applying for the role I have done for years. I really need a job

I can only assume there is a lot of competition at the moment. It's depressing.

Could you get a recruiter to look at your cv? I was getting loads if interviews last year, second round, etc, but no job offers until I tweaked my cv with the advice of a specialist recruiter and ended up with 3 offers quite quickly. I found her on LinkedIn.

I've been in this position, it's frustrating and disheartening. My advice would be to have some interview coaching - this is what I did and it transformed my interview experience. You're obviously experienced enough to be getting to that final stage, so you need to become great at interviews so that someone doesn't pip you to the post.

Thanks all - great advice . I have had someone professional look at my CV and covering letter and from applying I seem to get offered lots of interviews . Interview coaching sounds like a fab idea - I am very good at answering questions and providing examples but this must be what puts them off how I do it ! I live in a tiny town and quite often someone is already doing the job or working in the building who eventually gets the job . So that could be one thing.
@lemonMuffins I hope something wonderful comes your way soon !
@Calmamongthechaos I am looking to get back into school , most of jobs I am applying for are a wage cut and step down from a higher role I do now but it's purely because I am looking to get a better work life balance for my family - this may be a red flag for some employers I guess but I am very honest with them.

Even if I am not that keen on the job I take it to heart when they don't offer me the role and think I am not a likeable person !

Another thing which might put them of is almost every role I have had is different but with transferable skills

No advice I'm afraid, as I've been there myself! It's so frustrating to constantly get through to the last stages but never get the job. Mine was always down to team fit or an internal candidate getting the job to avoid recruiter's fees. It's not even like there's any constructive criticism to take away. I always took (tried) a fatalistic view (when I wasn't thoroughly pissed off) that the right job at the right company would come up...it did and I've been very happy there for many year. It's a really tough process though.

Thanks Cam2020 I think that is the frustrating but some constructive feedback would be good apart from you did great , answered well , it was so close !

I had this experience last year when I was effectively stuck between two levels, outgrown the more junior level and ready for the more senior roles with some relevant experience but not quite enough to get it over the line.

Eventually I took a more junior role on a 3 month contract out of financial desperation (I'd been made redundant) thinking well its more than the dole, got promoted twice in 6 months and now have the role I wanted.

I've got no advice but to keep going....

It's a numbers game. You'll eventually find someone who knows your worth.

its purely because I am looking to get a better work life balance for my family

I used to recruit in schools, now NHS , do not say you want a better work life balance as a reason why you want the job! I suspect this is playing a part in why you aren’t getting offers.

@WaningMoon

its purely because I am looking to get a better work life balance for my family

I used to recruit in schools, now NHS , do not say you want a better work life balance as a reason why you want the job! I suspect this is playing a part in why you aren’t getting offers.

What do you say if you want to step back though?

If you've worked at a higher level there is an assumption that you will get bored at the lower level job or it's a temporary stop gap and you will move on quickly.

Jobs are so full on these days. Not everyone wants that and some of us do want a work life balance. Where has it all gone so wrong that you can't even mention that as a reason for wanting to take a step back?

There are often internal candidates or candidates who have done the same job before,

Whether or not you get a job has a lot to do with who else applies.

I agree about not saying you want a better work life balance at interview in a school. It sounds as though you’re already planning to put less into this role and that will be off putting unfortunately. Perhaps say you’ve missed the challenge of being in the classroom more or something?

Thanks all some really great advice !

I have never used those words apart from one interview where they said I was over qualified so I used that as part of my answer for applying. They offered me that job but in the end it wasn't for me . I am going to tweak my CV and get someone to assess my interview technique.

@egghead68 I think this has had a lot to do with the last couple . I thought I had done really well .they said it was a close call both times but in both roles someone internal has been given the job .

@onlyrainbows thank you

Unfortunately it is so common there’s already someone in mind for the job.
Very rarely do jobs not already have someone lined up.
It’s usually if your face fits!!

It’s so hurtful but not at all personal !

Unfortunately, the public sector do advertise jobs for which they have strong internal candidates. It's meant to improve transparency, but it's a bugger to be on the wrong side of. On the other hand, once you are in, you may be able to access other opportunities relatively quickly.

A different issue, but IME recruitment agencies are there to make money for themselves and some will push any candidate into any job, regardless of suitability. Doesn't necessarily apply in your case OP, but it can make hiring managers wary.

Can you ask for an informal visit/phone call pre-interview? It can depend on the industry, but can be helpful for both sides and is a good way to prep for the interview by finding out more about them first.

It really is about who else has applied at that time I think. A friend of mine has applied twice for a vacancy where I work and not got the job. The next time a vacancy came up she didn't get round to applying and somebody has got the job who doesn't come close to her in terms of ability, experience or qualifications. I feel quite angry on her behalf. Interview coaching sounds good. It's good to get an outside perspective on how your answers come across.

Thanks all some good points I will try not to take it too personally

I have also recently had one interview where I didn't get it first time round and they asked me to come back for similar role. I didn't even get offered that one so something must be going wrong somewhere !

This was me last year, and actually still is. I remember JorisBohnson2 - really pleased to hear about your promotions and that you now have a role that you wanted.

I'm afraid that I don't have any advice Mondui other than what others have said about not taking things personally and keep going. I also got lots of interviews but always received the reply (when they bothered to reply, that is...) that 'someone else had more relevant skills and experience' which I realised didn't really mean anything. They know what skills and experience candidates have from their application.

The last interview I had was at the end of August, when I received the feedback that I'd given the best interview, that my presentation had blown everyone else's out of the water, that the person who phoned me really wanted to work with me, but they'd decided to give the role to a candidate who knew some of the stakeholders.

Obviously if 'knowing stakeholders' had been on the application form I wouldn't have even bothered submitting an application.

On the plus side, and do keep hold of this, other people on the threads at the time did get job offers, some after lots of rejections.

Fortunately, some freelance work came in so that I could take a break because spending days completing application forms and preparing for interviews which were absolutely fruitless was completely wrecking my mental health. My mum also died (very old and very ill, so not unexpected) and I'm the only relative in the UK so am sorting out her house etc.

But now a New Year and nearly empty diary and I need to start again. Just writing this is bringing back all the despair and hopelessness. I'm in the same position as I was when I started looking (October 2020!) except older and with even more years of being self-employed neither of which are attractive to employers from my experience.

Is this recent? The applicant pool in most fields is pretty shallow at the moment. We hardly have any applicants where I work and friends in lots of different occupations are saying the same thing!

I think it's very occupation-specific.

There are huge skills shortages in software development, health and social care, barristers, teaching and I'm sure lots of other areas as well.

My field used to be pretty niche, but has become hugely popular and oversupplied in recent years, especially since the beginning of the pandemic (which was a large part of why I had to start job hunting after nearly 20 years self-employed as my work dried up).

Sorry short on time yesterday so didn’t get chance to tell you something useful as well as what not to do !

You have to frame your answers to “why do you want this job” in terms of benefits to the company, for a school a classic answer would be helping children to develop their full potential (good tip- look up the schools aims, objectives and values and use that in your answers!)

The other route in (if finances allow) is to volunteer for a few hours a week with them.

Thanks all

@JustJustWhy yes pretty recently . Last few months , I have a job so not desperate to gain another but it's difficult with childcare so need to gain something which would work better for us all . Sounds a bit selfish I know but the hours are just impossible for childcare.

@waningmoon good tips thank you I was volunteering weekly until covid struck sadly but it was a good way to get back into things . My background is school /social services. I also volunteer at Brownies . I think I need to alter my answers for sure . I wonder if I give the impression I can talk the talk but not walk the walk so too speak !

Dp took voluntary redundancy and decided he'd like to take a step down after years in a stressful role. Education sector. He got barely any interviews and was rejected every time. He was demoralised.

He then changed tack and went for a few jobs which were a step up. Got interviews straightaway and ended up taking a really competitive one on a big pay rise. He actually loves his new job and it was the right thing, but it showed how bloody impossible it is to try and step down.

I think the main factor was that he was just too expensive for the more junior jobs. An Nqt would have been a fraction of the cost.