Job search strategy 101 Effective job search strategies

Job search strategy 101 Effective job search strategiesJob search strategy 101 Effective job search strategiesThe old might-as-well-apply-because-you-never-know approach doesnt work. A successful job search follows a strategy not blind optimism.On mora than a few occasions over the years, Ive heard people who masquerade as career coaches and employment experts telling people that job hunting is a numbers game.It isnt.In a way, its a lot like the Lotto myth People believe their odds of winning decrease as more people play.They dont.The odds of picking the winning number are absolutely independent of the number of people who play. What decreases are your odds of being the only winner. Thats basic statistics.The job search, on the other hand, is about strategy, not statistics.There is no question that a recession and weak employment market have an impact on hiring. Thats absolutely true. But a dramatic increase in the number of competitors in the marketplace does not suddenly make it a numbers game. If that were true, the misguided people who send thousands of resumes would be the ones getting the jobs. Or even the interviews.But they arent.Your success in the job market is not a function of how many resumes you send but rather how much time and effort you spend understanding the needs of a tauglichkeit employer and tailoring your experience to demonstrate your potential.This takes time. mora time than most job hunters are willing to spend.Why your job search should be gradedIve always believed that if resumes were somehow graded and ranked for their relevance, people would put a lot more thought into them. They would also probably invest time, money and energy on Kaplan-like courses in hopes that a higher score would land them a better job.But thats not what happens.Instead, many people spend as little time as possible on the resume, send them out and wait for a response. Sadly, they view it as a black- and-white proposition E ither they get an interview or they dont.But there is a world of difference between just missing the cut and never coming close. The thing is, most people have no idea where they fall on that continuum.Its only when people discover where they fall in this range that they can take the necessary steps to correct the issues. That requires an outside perspective it is too easy for people to connect the dots in their own heads without realizing that potential employers arent making the saatkorn connection.For example, I remember a client named Tim who told me his biggest challenge was the fact that he had applied for a job that was tailor-made for him. He was frustrated because he couldnt get the company to call him back.After reading the job description, I reviewed Tims cover letter and resume. My first thought wasI wouldnt have called you, either. I dont see the connection.But I didnt say that. Instead, we spent the next few hours going through all the primary requirements. In each case, I asked him to share experience s and accomplishments that would give people a reason to believe he could excel in that area. Through this process, it began to make sense why the position was a great next step for him. Armed with this new information, we customized his cover letter and resume and re-contacted the company.The hiring manager called him within 10 minutes of receiving his revised paperwork. Incidentally, this was the same person who hadnt returned Tims calls over the previous three weeks. Thats the power of a more strategic approach.Refine more send lessHad Tim continued to use his original approach, it wouldnt have mattered if he managed to contact every person on the planet. He wasnt going to get an interview until employers clearly saw the connection between their needs and his abilities. When people dont see the connection, they dont call. Unfortunately, there are countless job hunters in the market who dont realize they arent doing an effective job of marketing themselves and continue to make the same mistakes. For them, the job hunt will be a long, frustrating process.In short, if you arent getting calls, there is an excellent chance you need to overhaul your strategy. Sending out more resumes isnt going to solve the problem. Instead, contacting fewer companies with a more focused, compelling message will be more effective than canvassing the world an ineffective presentation. You can count on it.

New site wants to help connect work-related sexual misconduct survivors

New site wants to help connect work-related sexual misconduct survivorsNew site wants to help connect work-related sexual misconduct survivorsHarvey Weinstein. Larry Nassar. Bill Cosby.Three of the most high-profile sexual misconduct cases from the MeToo era share a commonality For each perpetrator - whether alleged or convicted - there were dozens of survivors who came forward to tell their stories.On magazine covers, survivors appeared together, stacked one on top of the other to show their mass. The sheer volume of people who were affected overwhelmed readers as they parsed through information about men who had dominated their fields and wielded power over the women who looked up to them.It may seem as though the MeToo movement was as quick and forceful as an avalanche, but a closer read shows that it sometimes took decades for these women to find each other as their antagonistswent unchecked. And in office buildings with no celebrity power or media attention, connecting with su rvivors who have faced the same harasser or assailant can be difficult.But a new website is trying to change that. ImWithThem.org, from sexual misconduct prevention nonprofit Im With Them, is a resource for people who have experienced work-related sexual harassment or assault and suspect their perpetrator may be a serial offender. Its a platform to connect victims of the same bad actor to one another, but only after a number of reports have been received (its developers are mucksmuschenstill deciding what that number is, though theyre more inclined toward groups than pairs).When you put them together, they create a pattern of behavior that represents pervasiveness, and I think thats something that we really havent had, saidLaurie Girand, Im With Thems president.The site is not for everyone - a fact that is explicit in its text. Because the User is our priority, if the outing of their experience or their association with the perpetrator would make the User uncomfortable, they should not useIm With Them, it says. Though its confidential and relatively private, the platform is not intended as a tool to anonymously report for those who are more inclined toward that form of action, Im With Thems resource page has information about a hotline.But for survivors who want to share their stories and believe in the power of numbers, Im With Them provides a network for people to make that connection.I believe theres a set of victims that are upset - and rightfully upset - and believe that this rolle should be stopped. And that set of people will be the people who tend to come forward, said Girand.How it worksThe process to register atIm With Them is simple, yet comprehensive. An individual who chooses to register is redirected to a form, where they fill in personal information such as name, address, and the last four digits of their social security number. With this data,Im With Them authenticates the users profile through BlockScore, an identity verification API. The p rotection is intended to keep out those who might use fake email addresses or pseudonyms.Once a user is authenticated, theycompletea series of identifying questions, including information about their perpetrator name, phone numbers, license plate, social media accounts, and other potential indicators. Users are asked about their relationship to the alleged offender, as well as the incidents that occurred between them.After that, users have to wait. They may get a quick response, but it could also take months or years to find a match. In some instances, nothing may happen. Outcomes depend on who registers for the platform, among other case-related variables.If a group doesform a match, they will be sent each others names and contact information with details on how to safely proceed. But their stories will not be shared. Survivors have agency to decide whether they want to tell those peers what happened to them, and they can make that decision on their own terms if they decide to mov e forward.Who will use it?Girand said there are groups of survivors who will not necessarily be attracted to her platform - people who are still traumatized by the experience may feel as though they arent ready for the exposure, and on the other end of the spectrum, some workers may dismiss the harassment they experienced as an awkward exchange instead of full-fledged misconduct. But shes banking on the fact that the majority of people feel differently, andIm With Them is for that critical mass who believe they were put in an uncomfortable position and now want justice.The site is also a resource for victims who feel vulnerable and dont know where to turn. For example, Girand said, interviewees or vendors who face harassment are not always empowered to report their harassers. They might fear losing business or their job, or they might not even know who to contact. Im With Them provides one vehicle through which survivors in more precarious situations may be able to access what they need to feel they can speak out against their offender.Im With Them also has the potential to serve an institutional purpose. Girand said she could foresee anonymizing data and working with companies to identify problem areas within their ranks. She could not point to a particular employee, but she would be able to indicate that an entire department could use more training or attention.The platform went live on Jan. 23, and Girand said she expects anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of records filtering through her site.

Mastering These 3 Skills Can Earn You $110k a Year

Mastering These 3 Skills Can Earn You $110k a YearMastering These 3 Skills Can Earn You $110k a Year With a median base salary of $110,000, a job satisfaction score of 4.4 out of 5, and more than 4,100 job openings, its no wonder that Data Scientist earned the number one spot on the Best Jobs in America list for 2017 (and 2016, as well). Add to that the fact that hot employers like Disney , Amazon , The Washington Post and Hulu are hiring for the position, and you might just be wondering how you can score a job as a Data Scientist yourself.One of the first steps is mastering the skills necessary for the job. To determine what exactly those are, the Glassdoor Economic Research team recently crawled thousands of Data Scientist job listings - here were the top ten that they came across.This doesnt necessarily mean you have to master all ten of these skills in bestellung to find a job as a Data Scientist - in fact, mastering just three core skills - Python , R, and SQL - can provide a solid foundation for seven out of 10 job openings today in data science, said Pablo Ruiz Junco, Glassdoor Economic Research Fellow.Its important to note, however, that the title Data Scientist doesnt just refer to one type of job. Glassdoor research found that Data Scientists tend to fall in one of three buckets based off of their skill sets.Each of these have their own specialties and corresponding salaries. Core Data Scientists tend to have the three most common skills, while Researchers use skills commonly found in think tanks, consulting firms and academic research. Being a Big Data Specialist, on the other hand, requires more specialized skills used for big data analysis like Spark, Hive, and Hadoop - and as a result, they are also paid the most of the three groups, Ruiz Junco says.Whether you decide to take online courses , go back to school or just learn from on-the-job training , this analysis can help you figure out where you should con centrate your efforts - so if youre ready for a high-paying, highly in-demand and highly satisfying position as a Data Scientist, get to work

Hire A Career Coach to Get You on the Right Job Path

Hire A Career Coach to Get You on the Right Job PathHire A Career Coach to Get You on the Right Job PathSome people know exactly where they want to go in their careers. For most individuals, though, finding the right career is a journey and, at times, a struggle. If thats the case for you, there are steps you can take to make it easier and find the path thats right for you one is to hire a professionalcareer coach. Career coaches are one of the best kept secrets of high-performers. Just as an athlete wouldnt consider training and preparing without the guidance of a coach, top performing executives and coaches turn to coaches every day to boost and guide their careers.Here are just some ways you can benefit from their expertiseAn evaluation of your strengths.A career coach is familiar with many different career fields, as well as types of companies. They can get to know your background, personality, areas of interest, and strengths, all to gain a better sense of the career direction t hats right for you. Theyll also give you insight into the kinds of companies and cultures in which youll work best. That way, when youre searching for a new job, you can focus on those organizations that are the right fit for you.Goal-setting.If you dont know where you want to go in your career, its difficult to set goals. But your career coach can work with you to identify your big picture career objectives, as well as those smaller steps you need to take to get there. They can help you measure progress and keep you accountable as you work toward achieving your goals. This will ensure you stay on the right track.Feedback and advice.If youre spinning your wheels in your career, it can be tough to know where you need help. But a career coach can offer you objective advice and feedback. They can take a look at where you are and where you want to go and help you create a plan of action for getting there. They can also provide a reality check to ensure your expectations are realistic.E ncouragement.When youre trying to figure out just what to do for a career, it can be frustrating and even be discouraging. But a career coach can help. They can become your champion and advocate, helping you focus on your strengths. At the same time, they can enable you to identify weaknesses and areas you need to improve upon, all so you can land a great first job in a field thats a fit for you.Interested in getting help in your career from a coach?Call ResumeSpice today at 832.930.7378. Whether your goal is to find your true calling, transition to a new career or move up the ladder within your current company, one of our trained and dedicated career coaching experts can help.

The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Pictures

The Little-Known Secrets to Resume Pictures Since many job seekers may list skills in another section of their resume, in addition, it is important to weave them into descriptions under every one of your prior positions. Unprofessional e-mail addresses are only one way of sending hiring managers the incorrect message. Instead you might want to incorporate an expert summary that states what you need to provide the employer for a candidate, instead of what youre searching for. Infographic-style resumes have gotten popular, and they are sometimes effective when done well. If you dont know for certain that the corporation wont do that, dont add a resume photo (although its a good idea for some other reasons). You ought to be the sole person in the picture. Its fine to send in pictures which were taken by a relative or friend. In addition, there are ways that you can get employers to observe your picture without needing to add your photo to your resume. Keeping notes for individ ual use is fine. The process is straightforward, like creating a ham sandwich, but you guys are always screwing this up. When youre sending a picture make sure your hair is the way you would wear it during recruitment. The Importance of Resume Pictures Regardless of what graphic you select, make certain that it is of top quality and that it fits with the content of your resume. Creative Resume Content Whichever creative resume design you select, the content has to be no problem to find and logically organized. Several sites exist specifically to aid you make an attractive visual resume. A few of the vorlages are free while others cost a couple of dollars. Its ideal for a professional who works in social networking or internet absatzwirtschaft. The web has affected peoples reading behavior over time. A resume thats modeled after a popular social networking site could get the job done well for a social networking marketing position. With business becoming more casual, you tru ly wish to think a lot about your audience and that which youre attempting to convey with your attire. Second, you should emphasize why you are searching for a new position, which is probably related to a demand for new professional challenges. To put it simply, talking about how tech skills were used to address an issue and the way theyve gone about doing it is way superior than listing out a hundred distinct skills that could possibly be useless to a firm. Possessing a strong resume doesnt necessarily signify you will land the job, but it is an amazing way to make certain you receive the interview. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you require a resume template you could inject a little more personality into to make it pop. Type of Resume Pictures When choosing clothing be sure you are comfortable in your selection. Georgia is a particularly excellent choice as it was created to be readily read on a screen. Youll have a lot of time t o display your favourite threads at your new job The times you ought to use a creative resume are fewer than when you need to use a formal resume. If you have to present your resume to prospective employers and you will need a great-looking resume but dont have enough time to design your own, there are lots of quality templates out there. Your resume or CV may be among the most important projects you ever design. A gorgeous, minimal and user-friendly template that you may edit depending on your abilities and experience. The skills essential for the photo editor are the strong understanding of the photo editing software and ability of handling numerous projects at one time. A timeless style resume template is also simple to customize. The whole group of resume templates is made up of an array of creative resume designs. The template can be found in PSD format. Each one of our creative style templates provide a perfectly balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and som e style. A Secret Weapon for Resume Pictures Have a peek at these examples to select which format is ideal for you. All artwork and text are wholly customizable. Our creative templates permit you to stick out from the crowd. Youll locate a collection of attractive cover page templates below which are ideal for expressing your creative side. You have to keep finding new methods to inform your story and sell your private brandincreasingly with pictures and graphics. Be certain that your photo is professional. A photo can reveal a great deal of private info about you which does not have any relation to your capacity to do the job. If youd like to incorporate a photo on your CV, you will want to stick to some basic guidelines.

It#8217;s Week One, and You Hate Your New Job. What Do You Do

It8217s Week One, and You Hate Your New Job. What Do You Do It sucks, doesnt it?You started yournew job with off-the-chart expectations, only to find that it was onehuge mistake. Maybe the work is not what youexpected, or youdont get alongwith the boss, or you just hate the company culture.Whatever the cause of your woes may be, you have a problem.Fortunately, its a surmountable problem one that you may be able to solve without even quitting.Here is some adviceto help you turn your terrible new job around1. Lower Your ExpectationsNo job is perfect. Research shows that hiring processes are about 60 percent reliable, which suggests that perfect matches between new hires and jobs are rare. Most new hires will need a little time to get adjusted and up to speed, so its perfectly prototyp to feel a bit uncomfortable in your new role.This shouldnt be a surpriseInterview processes are built on deception, with candidates and employers putting their highly spe cialized interview faces on. The result Neither party gets a realistic view of the other.Thats why one of the best ways to deal with the new job blues is to come back down to earth, accept reality, and stop chasing the illusory dream job that emerged during the interview process.2. Boost Your Confidence With a Quick WinResearch shows that one of the best ways to build confidence in a new job is to score a quick win.Look around Is there a problem or situation in your team or department that needs rectifying? Could you be the one to rectify it? If you cant find one on your own, considering asking your boss for their input.Chances are, if you pull off a win like this, youll feel youve made a genuine contribution to your team. As a result, youll feel more engaged and more confident at work.A gentle genau of warning here Dont take on more than you can handle. Give yourself a challenge that only requires a few nights of overtime not a few months of 60-hour weeks.3. Socialize and NetworkW hen things are not going well in a new job, you may feel like retreating into your shell. However, the best thing to do is the exact opposite Research showsthat people who build relationships with coworkers quickly are more satisfied (and productive) at work.If you are not making friends easilyin your new job,here are a few tips to help you build some better relationships- Ask your boss for a buddy or mentor.- Introduce yourself to everyone, or get your boss to introduce you.- Get involved in water cooler chats.- Join the team for post-workday drinks.- Participate inteam sports and games with your colleagues.- Carpoolwith employees who live near you.- Ask colleagues for tips and hints aboutyour new job/arbeitszimmer/company.- Offer advice when you can.4. Get to Know Your BossPoor relationships with bosses are one of the main reasons that employees leave their jobs. If your relationship with your new boss leaves a lot to be desired, there are a few things you can do to improve the si tuation. Talk to your coworkers, especially those who have good relationships with the boss, and ask them fortheir advice.Ifnone of these interventions make you feel any better about your job and/or the organization, then it may bethat this job is simply not right for you. You may have to accept that you made a mistake in taking the job, and you may want to consider moving on.But, hey, look on the bright side Youll have gained some new self-knowledge that will help you avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Customize this Outstanding Sample Graphic Designer Resume 2 Sample

Customize this Outstanding Sample Graphic Designer Resume 2 SampleCustomize this Outstanding Sample Graphic Designer Resume 2 SampleSample Graphic Designer ResumeCreate Resume Objective An entry-level graphic designer position in a reputed organization.Summary of QualificationsExperienced in designing for print publications and also for websitesProficient in most commonly used computer design applications.Educated in design and general fine arts.Able to communicate exceedingly well with clients and meet deadlines.Professional QualificationsCreated logo and advertising layouts for a local caf.Designed various newsletters for large and small college student groups.Produced business cards for several clients.Computer SkillsDreamweaver w IllustratorPowerPointAdobe FreehandQuark ExpressFreelance clientsCumulusonline.com. MinnesotaHope College, Hillel, HollandHollandstudentsonline.com, HollandEducationHope College, Holland ,Michigan BA Degree in Art 4.5 GPA.Work ExperienceWaiter, Chicos C af, Holland, MichiganLibrary Aide, Hope College Library, Holland, MichiganCustomize ResumeGraphic Designer Resume Questions1. How do you make a graphic designer resume?When you start a new design project, how do you go about it? Maybe you plan the layout first, and then add graphics before layering the text. Whatever your process, you can take the same approach when putting your resume together.Use our graphic designer resume sample to help you lay out the structure, and tap into your own experience to fill in the details.2. Whats an example of a great graphic designer resume?Youll notice some basic information repeated in each graphic designer resume sample. The examples start off with a professional summary, a section describing your valuable qualities in three short statements. Most resumes include a skills section, too, where youll create a bullet list of your best assets, those most applicable to the graphic designer role.After you summarize each work experience youve had and a dd your education, youve got the basics of a great resume.3. How do you write about hobbies on your resume?Hobbies are fun to write about, but sometimes, they dont belong on a resume. What you do in your free time can tell someone a lot about your personality, which is great, but it doesnt tell hiring managers how well youll design their upcoming absatzwirtschaft campaign. How well youll work for them, though, is really all they want to know. Theyll look over your resume for about six seconds before deciding whether to bring you in for an interview. In other words, youve got just six seconds to impress, so make that time count. Write about hobbies that connect to graphic design. Sketching, painting, freelance work youve done showcase your skills with those hobbies, and for more ideas, check out a graphic designer resume sample.4. Whats the best way to show you work well in a team on a graphic designer resume?The key to convincing a manager is to think of your resume as a story with you as the main character. In summarizing your work experience, for example, create a narrative of your responsibilities and interactions. Writing something like collaborated with the editors and writers to draft a marketing campaign that increased traffic by 10% shows your team worked together well, achieving its primary goal. For other ideas on weaving together a narrative that shows youre a strong team player, look over a graphic designer resume sample.5. If youve never held a graphic designer job before, how do you make a graphic designer resume?Instead of focusing on what you havent done, focus on what you have. Do you have some paid work experience in another role or have you volunteered as a graphic designer? Previous work history in any job demonstrates commitment to an employer, so dont be afraid to list past positions. This resume is the perfect chance to play up hobbies that relate to graphic design as well. Show you have design experience, even if its unpaid. If youre s till not sure where to start, check out our graphic designer resume sample. You may also design your graphic designer resume effortlessly with our resume builder.

What Does a Job Search Have to do With Ancient Greece

What Does a Job Search Have to do With Ancient GreeceWhat Does a Job Search Have to do With Ancient GreeceTo gain an edge in the job hunt, study the people within the company youre pursuing.A successful career-change candidate can study a target company much like an anthropologist studies ancient cultures by understanding the needs of its people.Just as the ancient Greeks actions were driven by their needs for education, culture, politics and protection, a company is driven by its needs to earn profits (or meet its goals for non-profits). This includes solving current problems and optimizing its culture.This perspective can help any candidate, but its especially important to job seekers who want to transfer their skills to a new field. The better a career-change candidate understands an organizations needs, the better they can demonstrate how their skills solve that organizations problems.Sounds simple So why is changing careers so challenging for fruchtwein?Most candidates dont tak e the time to learn what an organizations needs really are. They arent effective anthropologists. Instead, they just research publicly available information. Thats not anthropology.Anthropologists study people. So can career-changers.The typical candidates research simply isnt that deep. Hell survey a companys Web site its financial statements (if public) and text in its ads and if he is really enterprising dig through pages of Google results.Very few candidates take the time to research the people at the company, yet gaining insight into an organizations people can be a huge advantage.Whats the best way a career change candidate can research the people in a target organization?Dont ask for a referralTalk to them. Talk to as many as you can, but not in the way fruchtwein candidates do. Most candidates talk to people in an organization so theyll be referred to a decision maker. That might happen, but its a premature goal.Could you effectively leverage that referral or articulate your transferable skills without understanding the organizations people?Probe the commonalities of the staffIn your conversations, make your goal to gain an understanding of the people in that organization.What do they have in common?What is the organizations style and culture?What are the organizations problems, goals, challenges and roadblocks?How do those issues affect the job function and department you are targeting?Look in the right places.How do you find the right people to talk to? What if you dont know enough people at your target company? Start here1. Social networksThis is where your network comes in handy. Dont abuse your network by spamming them with requests for references. Instead, leverage your networks knowledge to gain an understanding of your target companys people, culture and issues.Connect to people at your target organizations, and start conversations through LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Again, dont underutilize these new and weaker relationships by asking for a job referral. Give before you get give industry information, competitive information and give them referrals. As you get to know them better, give them help (such as volunteering help for a charity and referring people who can help them). Give before you ask, because job-search anthropologists need karma it builds trust.2. LunchEat lunch close to your target company. Eat at the counter if there is one. Tell the waiter that youre targeting a nearby company for a job and want to meet people from that organization. Leave a big tip because this process may take a few attempts, and the waiter is a great inside track. Stay away from formal lunch meetings instead, target friends informally lunching together. Say hi and start a conversation.3. Happy hourCheck out the closest bars to your target organization, and go Thursday or Friday after work. Again, tip generously to find who works for your target company. Youll also find that buying a round of drinks builds trust and loosens lips. (E ver notice that people talk with less inhibition about their work week at happy hour?) The less you drink and the more you buy, the better information youll find. As with lunch, this may take a few evenings.4. ListenA good anthropologist has great hearing. Youll not only need to listen to what people are saying but also how they are saying it. Each organization has its own internal language, jargon and code. Learn it.5. LearnThe better you get at using the organizations own language in your resume, in gathering your research and in a job interview, the better chance youll have at success Your goal should be to have the target companys hiring manager think they could talk to you, think youd understand the organization, think you get it think youll fit.In addition, the more you listen and learn, the more youll hear about an organizations problems. Do employees ever complain when theyre away from the office? Do they ever talk about frustrations and about whats not working, about what t hey wish they could change?If you ask a stranger, Whats your companys biggest problem? you might not get so much useful information. Instead, if you ask a more personal question, especially after a few drinks (If you could change one thing about your work, what would it be?) youll probably unplug a river of information especially if you follow up with Why? If youve done this well, your new friend will thank you for listening and might even apologize for hogging the conversation.Where will you gain more value Asking a stranger to refer you for a job? Or making a friend of that stranger by sharing coffee or a drink and listening to his frustrations about work at an organization that you are targeting?Understanding your target organizations people, culture and needs is critical when trying to change careers. Focusing on the people in your target company enables you to articulate your potential contributions in the companys own unique language. If you are trying to change industry or function, this can provide the edge you need to overcome the natural advantage of industry insiders.How will you make your new skills of organizational anthropology work for your job search?

Why the Post-Interview Waiting Game Takes So Damn Long

Why the Post-Interview Waiting Game Takes So Damn LongThe Post-Interview Waiting GameWhy the Post-Interview Waiting Game Takes So Damn LongSo, youve done everything right. You took your old resume, followed all the advice on this blog and elsewhere, and made it sizzle with both visual appeal and the essence of all you offer an employer. You also created a perfectly targeted cover letter that only a socially maladjusted cheese-eatin rat could reject.And then, after being called in for an interview, you aced it She shoots. She scores How could you miss? You had them eating out of your hands. You even got an extra-warm handshake from the CEO telling you he was definitely in your corner. Youre already imagining how to decorate your new cubicle and where to go for lunch with your new office buddies as you send your perfectly worded thank you notes.And then nothing You wait. A week passes. Still nothing. And another week. Silence. Maybe a few crickets. But nary a word from the very people you assumed would be your new BFFs. Nada. Zilch.And so you begin to think about all the things you must have done wrong and you replay the interview endlessly in your mind, examining each excruciating detail. What was it? How could you have screwed up so badly? Oh the horror. The searing pain.And then you decide its not you at all. Its them And you get really, really mad. Horrible human beings making you suffer on purpose. Dont they know how heartless this is???But then the realization hits you like a cold hammer Its not just torture. Theyve rejected you outright and dont even have the courtesy to let you know. The very same people you already had Christmas gifts picked out forSo whats the real story?Let me take you behind closed doors and clue you in to what really might be going on. In some cases, the answer could be as simple as you didnt get the job and they didnt tell you. That happens. But there are many times when absolutely nothings wrong and it just takes longer than youd e ver imagine. Sometimes months And its not about you at all or even them. Its (scary music plays) THE HIRING PROCESS.While you wait in agony for that crumb of communication, heres what might be going onSometimes HR controls all communication and that means people you write to are advised not to respond to individual candidates. Why? It could be a mandate from legal to prevent any miscommunication. (A poorly worded response from the company could be construed as an offer when none exists yet.) Or it could simply be HR wanting to call all the shots. It happens.Someone critical to the process (aka SCTTP) may be sick or called away. Why not work around the person? They could, but sometimes the company prefers to wait for the sake of continuity even if that means you wait too.Our SCTTP may suddenly have been put on a top-priority project thats taking all their time. Even if they said they want to hire quickly, the hiring process can get put on the back burner. Ive seen this many times.Our SCTTP has been fired or quit and must be replaced first.The department is going through a reorganization again.The job is being rethought and possibly needs to wait for HR to approve a reclassification. Why? Sometimes they find a specific candidate (maybe you) whose skills are even more suited to their needs than their original concept. Or they find two people they like and decide to split the job into two different positions.Hiring may require numerous people who did not interview you to sign off on various steps of the process. Meanwhile, you wait.Sometimes it simply takes weeks to find room on everyones calendar for the next round of interviews.These are all things youll never know about. I once waited four months for an interview with only a few emails exchanged in between. And I was the top candidateSo, next time youre stuck in the waiting game, other than sending an occasional note or making a phone call, your only real job is to wait. And breathe. And do your best to stay sa ne.