Here is what I am seeing during interviews, from both sides of the table.
Okay yes interviewing during the pandemic is not what anyone WANTS to be doing right now, but some of us don't have a choice. So if you are on the job hunt due to the foreseen or the unforeseen *cough cough COVID* I want to let you know what is going on out there.
I hope this can help you level set.
The stuff you do not want to hear
First of all, you have to apply. Apply, apply, apply and then seriously apply again. I know it takes forever to A) find a job you are interested in B) write a unique cover letter and C) wait the endless days for a response but you are going to have to do it. You are also going to have to activate your network and I mean all of it. I applied to stretch jobs (where I didn't meet every experience criteria) and to safe jobs (where I exceeded the experience criteria) to the same end, no feedback, until I talked to an old colleague. Remember...
Do not be embarrassed to reach out, and do say yes to outside help!
Second of all, LinkedIn is essentially a cold call. Applying via job search engines may seem helpful, I mean it remembers your resume which is amazing, but it puts you in a pile. A large pile. At this point I have been ghosted by so many LinkedIn and Indeed postings that I often feel like giving up, but I received some really good advice about expectations (thank you Julie Anne).
For every 16 applications expect to have 4 interviews or less, and for every 4 interviews expect about 1 offer.
The reality check
It is hard out there for an applicant. For a bit of perspective, out of the 20 applications I sent out over the first 50 days of my job search I got 2 "I'm interested" emails and only one ended with an interview.
The first job was nearly a 100% match. It focused on the building blocks I had learned while working on my Ph.D. which meant I could check all the boxes from the desired experience list. However, the title and salary were major backward steps. I tried to negotiate them up, but ultimately an offer was not extended because there was no way I could say yes.
The second job was a stretch position. I believed I had the skill set but I had none of the formal training or job titles associated with this kind of work. We talked, I sent in some example work, and we talked again. This time I got an offer, but without “on paper” experience my hands were again tied during the negotiation. I couldn’t say yes to this opportunity either.
My advice after these experiences is to go after the jobs that you want, stretch or safe, but go in with your eyes wide open. When you are applying to safe positions know that you could be overlooked because you will deserve a higher salary. When you apply to stretch positions be prepared to completely rework your resume to highlight the applicable skills that you do have. You should also know that you are more likely to be thought of as a novice and end up with less leverage in your negotiations. As an aside I always encourage people to try for the stretch jobs instead of playing it safe.
What worries me most
Not only have I been applying during the pandemic I have also interviewed people during these crazy times. What concerns me the most about the new socially distant interview process is that implicit biases, which can be overshadowed by a great in person interview, are again running rampant.
I have seen qualified candidates passed over due to poor Zoom interactions and what was recently pointed out to me as "excuses" to let the implicit bias win. Let me start by saying it is not your job to correct anyone’s implicit biases, the hiring company and the interviewer should have to address that not you, so let me instead tell you what I have seen cost talented people job opportunities.
Not paying attention to who you are online: People are looking at you online, if they can, and let me assure you that making LinkedIn the source of truth that they find is a good thing. Take a few minutes to update your information, add some buzz words to your profile that are associated with the kind of job you are going after, and make some new connections. You should also remember to use LinkedIn to scope out the people interviewing you, always remember turn around is fair game.
Not paying attention to how you present yourself: Interviews are such a mixed bag you are meeting new people and trying to impress upon them how amazing you are without being labeled smug, bitchy, or hard to work with. Here is my advice, be comfortable with your skills there is a way to highlight your skills without bragging. If you are at the interview stage the hiring company likes how your look on paper and thinks you are qualified. Hold on to that fact and lean in, confidence is always a desirable quality.
Not paying attention to the impression you make: This can be hard under normal circumstances and is even more difficult to manage in the virtual world. Unfortunately, this is a make or break moment in your interview. Virtual interviews can lead to people talking over each other, awkward pauses, or a rushed conversational tempo. My advice is to create a connection with the people you meet during your interview by asking questions, not just respond to them, and reach out after the meeting if you can. You would be shocked how often candidate selection comes down to an interviewer’s "gut feeling.”
My parting remarks
So all of that to say that this unusual situation has forced me to rethink some of what I thought I knew about finding a job. I'm no pro yet but I am trying to ask better questions upfront. I appreciate how lucky I have been to work remotely and what that kind of flexibility means these days. I have a clear understanding of how I value my skill set, and I have learned that it’s okay to say no to a job offer.
It’s the pandemic and I turned down a job. As scary as that feels, even to type, it was the right thing for me to do. I’ll keep searching and networking and applying. I mean the right job has to be out there somewhere, right?!?
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