We put ourselves through the motions of applying for jobs and internships, trying to gather as much information as we can to boost our chances. We Google things like “best resume tips” or search for images of people who actually got the term “business casual” right. Even after all the preparation we’ve done, there are still parts of the job search which — no matter how many times they occur — may seem a little confusing or stressful to handle.
As former candidates (and now employers!), we here at WayUp have compiled the 5 worst things applicants have to endure during the job search and the best ways that you can tackle them.
1. Never receiving a final decision
So you didn’t get the position – it’s disappointing, but it happens. What’s difficult is when your interviewer doesn’t notify you that another candidate has been chosen, and you’re stuck in limbo wondering what happened.
How to deal: Unless the company has told you otherwise, it’s safe to say that if you haven’t heard anything after two weeks, the company’s attention is focused on another candidate. Try not to take this personally – no one enjoys delivering disappointing news. However, you also shouldn’t be afraid to reach out for clarity: Send a thoughtful follow-up email like, “Thanks for taking the time to interview me last week – I enjoyed meeting you and everyone on the team. Would you mind letting me know about the status of my application?” It’s a completely reasonable request, which at the very least will give you some closure.
2. Completing post-interview, take-home assignments
You mean employers can potentially use my ideas for free…and never hire me? Yes, but creative and critical-thinking assignments are an essential way for employers to test your skill set and evaluate how well you will perform in the role.
How to deal: While this can be a little stressful, work assignments are your chance to show employers that you can talk the talk and walk the walk. Take the opportunity to research what else is out there – what hasn’t been done. For example, if you’re being asked to come up with a writing sample based on a given prompt, look up the company’s blog to get a sense of their brand voice and evaluate the goal of their content – does it seem to always end with a message to register at the company? Is it providing relevant advice to users, or is it purely for entertainment purposes? You should also make sure to ask your interviewer as many questions as possible in order to best address the goals and expectations of the assignment.
3. Answering the “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?” question
Yes, this is effectively the equivalent of walking up to someone you just met and saying, “Hey, so what’s wrong with you?” However, this question is designed to let your interviewer know that you’re self-aware. No one is perfect, and the first step in improving yourself as an employee is being able to identify and evaluate your shortcomings.
How to deal: The first step is to actually state a real weakness–and saying “perfectionism” definitely does not count. You already have some idea of your not-so-perfect career habits, whether they involve a tendency to procrastinate or a knowledge gap in a particular skill set.
The second step is the way you frame your weakness. You don’t want your employer to use your own words against you, so think about the things you’re currently working to improve. Then, address the question from an angle like, “I’m really interested in developing my presentation skills – it’s a challenging aspect in my career, but I just enrolled in a public speaking course, so I’m definitely making progress.”
Not only does this show that you have identified a problem, it proves that you’re proactively fixing it in order to become a stronger candidate. Color your interviewer impressed.
4. Putting hours into formatting a resume, knowing that employers spend an average of 6 seconds reading it
Six seconds? It took us at least 10 minutes to think of catchy action verbs like “coordinated” and “implemented” for past job experiences, not to mention eons adjusting the margins to keep the Skills & Interests section from spilling onto the second page and ruining everything.
Guess what? You do this everyday when you’re scrolling through Facebook or Twitter. Something has to catch your eye within seconds before you decide it’s worth a second look.
How to deal: Make sure to highlight the achievements that make you the best candidate. Are your education and GPA (if it’s above a 3.0) listed at the top in bold? Is your greatest accomplishment at your last job or internship listed as one of the first bullet points in your Experience section? You can even Google a few creative resume designs for inspiration on ways to peak your interviewer’s interest.
5. Wondering what your interviewers mean when they say, “We’ll be in touch.”
At the end of your interview, this question will have you obsessing over the hidden meaning of those parting words. (Is it good? Is it bad? Can you buy a vowel?) It’s effectively the professional way of saying, “See you around.”
How to deal: Don’t analyze this – it doesn’t really matter whether this sentence is good, bad or uncertain. The important thing is that YOU will be in touch. Sending a thank you note regardless of how you think your interview went shows that you’re a respectful candidate who is appreciative of the time your interviewer took to consider you. (Although, of course they considered you – you’re amazing #hairflip.)
Throughout this process, keep in mind that just as you’re trying to find the right job for you, employers are doing their best to find an exceptional candidate for their company. (Except for #1 – let’s ban #1 forever.) Hang in there – we’ve got plenty of advice and gifs to get you through this process.
