Building Careers

How Interviewing for Jobs is Like Playing The Dating Game

Searching for a new job, whether currently employed or not, can be a frustrating and tedious process. I often work with candidates who are struggling to find “the right” position and company. Some are exasperated because it’s taking too long and others are discouraged because they are seeing a lot of opportunities in the market but none quite right for them.

In order to help candidates have more patience and understand the process, here’s what I tell them: Job hunting is a whole lot like dating. Finding the right partner doesn’t happen overnight and in the meantime there’s a lot of trial and error that must take place.

The same is true with job hunting. The saying, “you have to kiss a lot of frogs,” is similar to my sentiments when it comes to interviews. While interviews can be hard to get, nerve-wracking once they’re scheduled, and sometimes not lead to a match, they are a crucial part of finding the right fit. Going on interviews, like going on dates, is how you determine your likes and dislikes and your must-haves and can-live-withouts. Interviewing is how you get an overall sense of a company and the open position and whether or not you will be fulfilled – professionally and personally – and where your contributions will be needed and recognized.

What I also share with candidates is: When in doubt, submit your resume and go on the interview. Submitting a resume through a recruiter who has a close partnership with the company you’re interested in gives you a much stronger chance of making sure your resume is seen by the hiring managers. It’s an initial stamp of approval similar to being introduced by mutual friends in the dating world. If the company is interested in meeting with you but you’re hesitant that it’s not the right fit, go anyway. You may be pleasantly surprised and realize it’s your dream job (trust me, it happens all the time) and if it falls short, then you walk away with added industry knowledge and a solid hour of interview practice.

I personally have faced the frustration and ups and downs of the job search process. Having jumped in headfirst to a few positions then realizing they weren’t right for me, I had to start again. I took this time to really do my industry research, connect with my network and go on plenty of interviews. It took me three wrong positions to figure out what the right one was, but I had faith in the process and now couldn’t have asked for a better professional match.

When all else fails, keep trying. Eventually most people realize it’s better to keep “dating,” seeing what positions and companies are out there, and making sure there’s a mutual fit before jumping to the next job. Remember, it’s just a process and in the end, it works out as it should.

By: Julia Turpit, Director | Recruiting Consultant

December is the time when we tend to reflect on the past year, both personally and professionally. I celebrate achievements, refresh my mind on lessons learned and gain inspiration for the year ahead. These days, I find the lines between personal and professional are blurring, and I believe our lives are richer and more fulfilling because of it.

As I share with you my takeaways from 2016, I want to thank the extraordinary community who helped create and share these experiences with me.

Be Authentic The professionalism and integrity of our clients is an absolute inspiration. Reaching out to recruiters and asking for recruitment help takes thoughtful wisdom and the courage to be transparent. Our clients and our candidates told us what they were looking for and were honest with themselves and with us about their needs, their capabilities, and what was important to them. As a result, my team was in a better position to swiftly match candidates to open opportunities and create longstanding relationships. Authenticity is a core pillar of Building Careers’ culture and allows us to connect with everyone that we interact with on a more genuine level.

Be Proactive In April, we celebrated the one-year anniversary of Building Careers. The first year was a busy one and it felt like it flew by! Something that helped me (most of the time!) maintain the “business start-up” pace was to always stay several steps ahead in anticipating my clients’ needs. I also provided them with the type of communication and feedback that I, myself, would like to receive in their position. It ensured that I consistently came to the table with recommendations for new opportunities and had addressed any challenges before they could arise.

Empower Others Learning how to manage a team is easier said than done and an ever-evolving journey in my eyes. Recruiting Consultant, Julia Turpit, joined Building Careers this year. While she made the whole process of handing over some of my responsibilities to her rather seamless, what I did witness is this: As I put more of my trust in Julia, her performance only got better and she was (and is) more successful in her role. You will be seeing more of her in 2017!

Take a Breath Only good things can come from taking a step away from a situation before reacting. When I took a few deep breaths or went for a quick walk, I was able to approach my next moves with clear intentions and open-mindedness to the needs of my clients and candidates. Those moments gave me the time and space to refine my client solutions and remember to be present in that given moment.

Appreciate all of it Sometimes we get so caught up with the end goal that we forget to appreciate the day-to-day moments that get us there. Matching employers with job seekers is a process and it’s in that process that I get to form bonds with many amazing individuals, teams and companies. This year, my team and I helped a finance associate relocate to be closer to his family and helped another manager fulfill her dream of living in sunny San Diego. For one company, we were able to grow their team and company reach by fifty percent. When the day comes that a placement is made, I am excited for all parties involved but also don’t take for granted what it took to achieve the positive outcome and the amazing network around me and my team that played a part.

-By Carly Glova, President and Executive Recruiter at Building Careers