Can someone make me feel better???

LegacyUser

Hi all,

I'm posting this here, mostly because I just want to be made feel better...

I'm unemployed at the moment - not that long, but it's still very depressing.
I had an interview today, which is great - except that in the interview, I was repeatedly told that I don't have enough experience compared to the other candidates, and that while my experience is excellent, it's missing some things that others have. I was basically told "you're going to be cheaper than some of the others we have applying, so that's why we're considering you".

End result?? I feel awful. I feel like my confidence is completely knocked, like I couldn't possibly do this job, and like I'll never be able to get another job.

I applied for this job because it's in my field, it's a continuation of what I've been doing for the last 5 years, and mostly, because I have the required experience they want and am well within the time period of experience they want people to have. Quite literally, I have the skills to pay the bills. But because there are people with 10+ years more experience than me also applying for it, I don't really have a hope.

So what do I do? (I'm talking in general terms here). How on earth am I supposed to find ANY job if this is the attitude I'm faced with? I know it's an employer's market out there but this is awful. Why bother advertising like that, why not just say "well, here's the job, people with loads of experience only need apply". I applied because I knew I could do it, and because I want to work. I know it's good that I made it to an interview, but seriously, I feel like I've been hit with a double-edged sword after all the comments made to me today. I just want to cry. Why did they even bother interviewing me if this is what they're looking at and what they're going to say to me???How am I supposed to compete with people who have experience that I'm not even alive long enough to get, applying for jobs advertised for people at my level?? Why do I have to accept "well you're cheap and that's it" as a reason? I'm not asking for much money - the girl even commented on that - and I'm well capable of doing the job..did she have to keep saying I was completely inadequate, even though I fit the bill of what they're looking for?

I feel like just giving up now and leaving the country as quickly as possible.

Sorry I know I sound like I'm whinging, but I would really like this job, I'd be good at it, and I feel rather sick to my stomach, thinking about some of what was said...

LifesgoodwithLG

Heah there,

Sometimes life is a wee bit pants however it usually gets better, I was interviewing people for a role a while back and the level of experience is really good so employers usually are going for someone who has experience in the role, Keep the chin up as they are some things that you can do.

Where possible try and get some more experience in the relevant area , even volunteer in a professional capacity. If they say that you don't have experience in a certain area can you get parrallel experience in a volunteering in the community, - e.g. volunteering bla bla bla there I developed experience at multi tasking / working in a team / budgeting / fill in the blanks. Find out what you need and how to get it

Without making anything up see if you can have a talking point on your cv. e.g my hobby was scuba diving, long story short panicked a few times doing the scuba diving however was tenacious and went back so demonstrated a positive trait.

ps the interviewers seen something on your cv that you was interesting as they don't waste their time interviewing someone to make up the numbers. Keep plugging away
I know that its tough out there however think of interviews as a numbers game, and your time will come.

Mr Marri

You can do the job, if you couldn't do the job they won't bother interviewing you so.

This is probably an negotiating tactic, and yes that makes them c****. but some people are paid to be c****.

Your rightwhen you say it's an employers market, so really it's a lottery out there at the moment, and is no reflection on any of the applicates including you.

What should you do? this is only my 2 cents, but look at what makes you unique ie skills etc and then target companies (probable 20 max) that might need those skills even if there not advertising. If at all possible try and get in for a no pressure chat.

LegacyUser

Right OP, I have to give you my most recent experience of a job vacancy.

In my job, we had a vacancy - I work in HR so I managed the whole advertising campaign.

We received 92 replies.

Out of those 47 were eligible.

Out of those, we short listed 8.

And out of those 5 people were interviewed.

Today, my boss chose one man for the job and I rang his references, both of whom confirmed he was great for the job. So we've offered him the job.

Later this afternoon, I discovered that this man and my boss (who was on the interview panel) worked together in for a few years in the 90s. They are also second cousins and from the same county.

So while I'm not trying to say that my boss set this up to get this guy the job (just in case my boss reads boards!!), what I AM saying is that you have NO IDEA about the internal politics that go on in any job. Some jobs are already sewn up before any of us actually update our CV.

You can't judge yourself on the fact that you didn't get this job OP. You need to move on from this and keep applying for jobs. You will get there. I just wanted to tell you what happened in my job today, to give you a bit of perspective on what goes on in many jobs (and my job is in Dublin btw).

LegacyUser

Thanks for replying everyone.

I know, it's just I seemed to spend the whole interview being told "well you're not really good enough, but we're talking to you because you'll cost less". Yet they advertised for someone with my experience and time...so they obviously feel (or felt at some point) that the length of experience I had would be perfect for the role, yet now I'm being told I'm not good enough coz I don't have 10+ years experience?

Sorry it's hard to explain why I'm feeling. I feel it's a bit unprofessional of them to keep telling me that for starters. I know it's good I made even this far in the process but it's a bit of a kick in the stomach really.

Plus there's the fact that I'm sitting here wondering how I'll ever get a job again....for the first time since I was unemployed I actually woke up with a panic attack over the whole unemployment situation. I'm doing everything I can to fill my time, I'm taking up loads of new things, but really, I still need a job, and it would appear that I don't have a hope.

TeeHeeHee

Op, stop beating yourself up about this. It was one interview. Sure they weren't very professional but that by no way means that the same thing is going to happen in every interview you go to.

To be honest, it kind of sounds to me like they were testing to see if you'd object to a lower salary...

I'm sure everyone has been to interviews where their confidence was knocked a bit, but that didn't stop them picking themselves up and going again.

Don't doubt your abilities based on one bad interview. If you weren't good enough, like they said, then they wouldn't have called you in for an interview in the first place.

OP the fact that you got called for interview so soon after becoming unemployed speaks volumes.

Deep down you know that you could do that job, maybe even better than the people with 10+ years experience, so they'll be missing out and you'll probably find something better in the long run.

Chin up!