Stuck for years and years

[inkyscribbler]

Both me and DH have reasonable jobs, but have been trying and trying for years now to make the next step and alway just miss out.

DH especially has had hundreds of interviews, second, third and fourth interviews. Then not got the job. He's been actively applying for everything appropriate for about 6 years and gets interviews for most things he applies for. I'm trying to break into an area I've qualified for since having the kids but failing.

It's just so depressing. Has anyone else experienced getting stuck like this?

DH spends a lot of his time recruiting others so he should know how to interview. But something is clearly going wrong.

He's got an initial phone interview this morning, and I'm applying for yet another job, it seems pointless though.

Apologies for the random formatting. Mumsnet is struggling on my phone this morning.

Are you both getting feedback after these interviews?

What industry do you work in?
It could just be that it's a competitive arena and there's always someone who pips you to the post.

And if you both are applying for "everything", could it be that maybe you lack a little bit of focus on what you actually want to do and are passionate about, and perhaps it is coming across on interview? I know I went through a phase of just submitting lots of random applications for jobs I wasn't that fussed about. When I knew what I wanted, I hardly applied for anything as there weren't that many roles out there that fitted what I wanted.

That seems very disheartening, I'm very sorry. Alongside the applications, are you networking furiously, as well as applying ?It may not be comfortable to ask for a job, you can however consider asking for people to whom you could have a quick chat about "prospects in the industry".

Whatever industry or sector you are in.

Most people would be prepared to give their opinion, you can also ask them for suggestions on who else you could talk to. As part of that conversation, you can tell them what you are looking for.

Although you may be feeling that you have s mountain to climb, recruiting good people is very costly. Almost everyone will be on the lookout for good people. You really just need to build your case and find the right person.

No one will guarantee you a job. They will however be happy to put your name forward for the right role. Are you absolutely clear what that role would be?

Good luck ?

Hundreds of interviews? Is that a big exaggeration or has he been scattergunning his applications?
Does he ask for feedback?
Is he investing more time in interviews than in the job he is actually doing? ( My promotions have mainly been internal due to throwing my all into the job I have)

Have you/he tried interview and /or career coaching? I had an interview coach before my previous job interview (even though it was for an internal promotion) and found it so helpful.

This is not good. What is the feedback? Have you had a career coach?

He’s in the cultural sector. He’s been in his current role for 9 years now, working in one of the biggestest museums in the country. But to progress where he is would require someone to leave who is just never going anywhere.
Just heard today that he’s not got yet another job that he interviewed for last week. that one wasn’t even a step
up, it was a step sideways which would’ve saved us £100s in travel expenses.
I don’t think 100s of interviews is a exaggeration, he’s been applying for everything appropriate for about 5-6 years.
How/where do you get interview coaching? It just seems like something must be going wrong at the interview stage.

My situation isn’t so extreme, but still frustrating. I just seem to always be pipped at the post for things. I’ve not been applying for as long though, and I’m just getting back in full time after pt while the kids were small.

It’s just so soul destroying after years and years.

His feedback is just always someone else was a better fit/had more relevant experience etc. Never that he did anything wrong, just someone else was better.

re the 100s of interviews, he’s often having 3/4 interviews for one job,then not getting it.
One employee stretched the process out over 3 months, then ghosted him. After a month he emailed them to ask what was going on and they said he hadn’t got the job. Not sure they would’ve even bothered telling him if he hadn’t prompted them.

It’s just brutal.

I got stuck in between levels for 5 years. Too experienced to get a sideways move, or if I did I just got bored and frustrated and found myself looking again.

Not experienced enough to get the step up.

Managers felt me 'snapping at their heels' so I was too experienced to even get developed as I was seen as a threat.

Eventually I got made redundant, embellished my job title on my CV and got some temporary work that was somewhere so crap people kept leaving so I got promoted twice in 6 months.

Springboarded fom that role when the contract ended into a senior role elsewhere.

I still can't believe I'm 2 levels up from where I was a year ago. For all those years of being stuck, I fastforwarded.

Life is strange.

Try temping somewhere crap is my (not entirely serious)suggestion!