Job interviews

[Dauphin]

When you have been unemployed for about 6-7 months a common interview question is "So what have you been doing for the passed 6-7 months?".

How do you garnish the response: "Well, I've spent most of my time trying to find a job!"

And what exactly are companies hoping you will answer?

[Harovan]

Say you have been learning something new. If they ask for a certificate, tell 'em you're an autodidact. If they ask you what it was, be creative. It depends on the kind of job you want to get.

[Asher]

"I spent it on a sabbatical in the Netherlands exploring marijuana"
or
"I went back to school and took many couses to better myself"

[Dinner]

You should do what I did and lie shamelessly. Seriously, tell them after you graduated you took six months off to travel the world then come up with some story about how you spent a week with the ****s while in India. That way you won't be a bum who sat on his ass for six months but an "adventurous self-starter" instead.

[GePap]

Turn any interesting bit that happened during those six months into a great adventure. I am even worse off, with a whole year of inactivity. At this point, since nothing seems to be coming up of value, and I could not go back to school (o, shcool, wonderfull refuge from reality) until next sept, I think I will volunteer at the offices of local politicos, for just this sort of emergency.

[FrustratedPoet]

BC: You can read my reply in the CGN thread, although my advice is basically the same as Oerdin's.

[DAVOUT]

What I like to hear is that you have done something to improve your professional skill in a related area (your main skill must not be questionned).

Others would prefer to hear that you have used your spare time in working unpaid for an organization of some sort.

Depending on the interviewer and how the interview evolves, use one or the other or a mix of both.

[Dinner]

FP: I'll have to check out your thread at CGN.

[FrustratedPoet]

I wouldn't bother if I were you.

[Japher]

I had a friend who looked for a job for 2 years!!! He was unemployed the whole time. You'd think that if he was looking for 2 years he would of found one, fact is, he was lazy.

Employer don't want to hear that you were looking for a job for 6-7 months, even though you were. Why? Lowers your desirablity. Yet, in these times it make take that long to actually find a job.

What I would do:

Job: "So I see you have been unepmloyed for the pass 7 months, what were you doing in that time."

Me: "I was looking for a job that would offer me a career in a field that I would find both challenging, exciting, and rewarding."

This type of response can lead to an excellent arse kissing question to follow, see how I dodged the question and fed them the next question?!

Yet, if you got a real stiff interviewer:

Job: "Yes, that is great, but why has it taken you so long? What else have you been doing with your time? It doesn't take 8 hours a day to apply to jobs."

Me: "I spent more time with my family and friends, tried a couple new hobbies, brushed up on certain skills that I thought would be desireable in a suitable canidate for the position I am seeking, as well as continued personal research into my field."

Once again I fed them the next question(s). Also, I showed them that I had actually managed my time for constructive activities, not just sitting around watching TV waiting for the phone to ring (as I really was). They like to see that you have a life outside of work; family, friends, hobbies. I also told them that I was planning and preparing for the time when I did get a job through research and skill honing...

What if they ask me what research and what skill honing I was doing? Oh, they will. Yet, those are much easier to make up than are reasons for sitting on your thumbs for half a year. The answer all depends on what field you are in, generic answers; brushen up on my interview skills by practicing with friends, read journals (make sure to get some names and to actually read a few articles on your field), went over some courses from school that I felt less adequate at than others, talked to professionals in the field I wanted to get into just to make sure I was really certain that I wanted to be there, etc... That last one is hard to make up, but it can be done. I would suggest you actually call some professionals that you don't have an interview with and ask if you can interview them, most ppl are more than willing to talk about themselves... this can be in person or over the phone, but it really helps, and if your questions are well thoughout and executed professionally they might even offer you a job!

The other response in their about brushing up subjects can really kill you if you don't prepare an answer for it... I have used it with success, it shows you aren't perfect (as no one is) but that you are willing and capable of learning to be perfect. If you want to be less humble you can always say something to the effect of 'they were subjects, that while I did fine in, I just felt warrented additional attention to address mjy interests'... BS, BS, BS...

There are many ways to get through that linguring question and take control of the interview at the same time, that is what they want to see... Once you have control, give it back by asking them a question too...

Anyway, I went a little long, good luck on your interviews

[Dauphin]

My problem is that I am not a natural BS artist, despite my several years training with the Poly masters.

[Jon Miller]

masturbated compulsively is always a good one

or you can say that you were an internet stalker

Jon Miller

[Dauphin]

Maybe you misread, I'm trying to get hired, not fired.

[Pekka]

Remember that if the interviewer is female and she asks about your future plans, you can't go wrong with 'to get into your panties'.

[Gatekeeper]

Those future plans would likely include jail time and lawsuits after a comment like that, Pekka.