In the course of a lifetime, how many job interviews will you go on? Even if you’re a real go-getter, not that many, relative to the millions of other meetings, conversations, and social interactions you’ll have. It’s no wonder that job interviews often feel slightly artificial, even if things are going well and an offer is around the corner. Worse, when things are going badly … you don’t always know it.
In this week’s roundup, we look at how to tell when a job interview is about to go off the rails, and what to do about it; plus, advice on when a temp job makes sense for your career, and tips on how to tell if an older job listing is still current.
Michelle Riklan at Careerealism: 4 Signs Your Job Interview Isn’t Going Well
“Have you ever heard the expression ‘An interview is about you trying to get to know the company just as much as they’re trying to get to know you?’ It’s true – you should be evaluating the company as they’re evaluating your experience and skills,” Riklan writes. “But if you’re doing this and the interviewer isn’t working hard to sell you on the company’s good traits, it’s probably not a good sign.”
In other words, they might not be interested in closing the deal. More advice, here.
Rachel Bitte at The Muse: 5 Valid Reasons to Apply for a Temp Job During a Long (Frustrating) Job Search
“Like many college grads, I finished school without a job lined up right away,” Bitte writes. “I’d originally planned on going into international relations, but an internship at the United Nations showed me how wrong that path was for me. (Big egos and bureaucracy? No, thanks.) As my living expenses piled up post-graduation, though, I knew I had to act quickly—applying to jobs I wasn’t even sure I wanted had so far been fruitless. So, I put on my business-casual suit, printed off my resume, and walked into the doors of a temporary staffing agency.”
The surprise? Although it wasn’t her first choice for a post-graduate employment experience, temping turned out to be the perfect move for her career. See why it could be the same for you, at her post.
Alison Green at Ask a Manager: Is There Any Point to Applying to a Months-Old Job Posting?
“I have a question about applying to job postings that have been up for a while,” a reader asks Green. “There is a company in a location and field that I am really interested in. They have a job posting for a specific engineering position that is a really good match to my background and skill set and I would really like to apply for it. The issue I’m having is that the job was posted about two and a half months ago, when I hadn’t yet begun my job search.”
Her questions: is there any chance that she’ll get hired for a job through an older listing … and will she look bad for not applying earlier?
Green’s response offers a few tips for figuring out if an advertised job is still open, plus some reassurance for anyone who finds themselves with the same dilemma.
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