Is There a Preference Toward Hiring the Employed?

Question: Is there a bias for people working over those unemployed?

The short answer is yes. Companies seem to always prefer those working. That doesn’t mean if you’re unemployed you won’t find a job. It simply means there is a preference towards those working. You should not be discouraged if unemployed. Bad things happen to good people. I find that when I present highly qualified candidates to my clients the issue of whether they are working or not goes away.

You must be able to demonstrate why you are the best qualified person for the position. What value do you bring to the company? How does your background align with what needs to be accomplished? How well do you interview? Do you present a positive and professional image? Just to name a few. There is a lot more to getting a job than whether you are working or not. If you can demonstrate you are the best candidate for the position, chances are you will be hired.

To download the free chapter on Conducting an Effective Phone Interview from our book “This Is NOT The Position I Accepted” CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

How effective is your job search?  If you are not sure, download our free 8 Matrix Job Search Self-Assessment Scorecard. CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Brad Remillard

How Do You Deal With Age Discrimination?

Question: How does an older person deal with the issue of age discrimination? If we are graying should we include a picture on LinkedIn?

This is a very controversial issue. In my thirty years as a recruiter, I have never encountered what I consider to be age discrimination. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t occur, as I’m sure it does. I do believe that candidates often claim age discrimination first, when the real issue is something else. For example, a person at the VP or manager level is clearly qualified for a lower level position; however, that doesn’t mean they are right for the position. Not only are they overqualified for the position, they generally require a salary reduction from their last role. This has nothing to do with age, but is often called that by candidates I coach. Another example is lack of energy or passion for the position. Older workers often come across as burned out, just wanting a job, or needing something until retirement. The passion, energy and enthusiasm they once had no longer comes across in the interview. This isn’t age discrimination either.  I know many people in their late fifties that have more energy than many in their twenties and they seem to find opportunities.

I recommend before claiming age discrimination, first eliminate all the other issues. If candidates immediately claim age discrimination they will never step back and evaluate if it might be something other than age discrimination. This results in the real issue never being addressed.

Regarding your picture, you should have one posted. If you are graying and believe this is an issue there are options to deal with this. Besides you can’t hide the graying in an interview. Not having a picture only delays the first impression, it doesn’t eliminate age discrimination.

To download the free chapter on Conducting an Effective Phone Interview from our book “This Is NOT The Position I Accepted” CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

How effective is your job search?  If you are not sure, download our free 8 Matrix Job Search Self-Assessment Scorecard. CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Brad Remillard

Do you have the right tools for your search?

Like most recruiters, I attend too many networking events. Once a person hears that I’m a recruiter, they generally want to engage me in some conversation that usually ends up with giving me a business card or resume. WRONG TOOLS.

Even when I meet candidates, not for an interview, but just to help them in their search they give me a business card and a resume. WRONG TOOLS.

Most candidates don’t have the right tools for the right purpose or they have one set of tools for every aspect of their job search. WRONG AGAIN.

When one is trying to fix anything, they need the right tools to do the job correctly. Would you try to hang a picture on your wall using a 16 pound sledge hammer?

One tool does not fix all problems – same with a job search.

At a minimum, there are two types of tools you need to use during a job search. One set is for networking, and the other set is for use when applying for a position, interview, responding to ads, or anything directly related to a specific position.

Networking tools are designed to accomplish a couple of specific goals:

1) Assist the person or contact in remembering you and something about you. The contact needs a tool to identify you from all of the other contacts in their stack of business cards. This is so they can refer you. In two weeks, most contacts don’t know which Pat you are in the stack, if Pat is male or female, or what industry Pat has experience in. Not a good way to get a referral.

2) Assist with referrals and introductions. How many times have you had a networking meeting with anyone and walked away with a specific referral to a hiring manager, HR person, lead directly into a company that fits your background, or someone other than a service provider or recruiter. It happens, but this is less often.

These two things happen because most candidates don’t have the correct networking tools. They too often just hand the person their resume and a general business card. THESE ARE NOT NETWORKING TOOLS. Stop using them. They are the wrong tools.

Get the right tools.

1) Use networking business cards. These cards use the back of the card. On the back is a list of industry experiences, titles, target companies or anything that will help the person remember you from all the rest in their stack of cards.

2) Use a bio not a resume. Don’t just use a generic bio. Use a targeted and focused bio on what introductions and referrals you are seeking. The bottom third of the bio should list the specific company names and people you want to meet. This way when the contact is looking at your bio they can easily identify if they know the company or person. Then right there on the spot they will often indicate they can facilitate an introduction.

There are other tools you need, but these are the most important.

Good networking tools help people help you by remembering who you are and what connections you are seeking

To download the free chapter on Conducting an Effective Phone Interview from our book “This Is NOT The Position I Accepted” CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

How effective is your job search?  If you are not sure, download our free 8 Matrix Job Search Self-Assessment Scorecard. CLICK HERE and then click on the Free Search Resources link.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Brad Remillard