Need interview advice | ADHD Information
I'm interviewing for a really great job that I really want. The headhunter told me they like my resume, but they are concerned with the frequent job changes. I've had 4 jobs in the past 10 years. Some of those switches had to do with salary increases and some frankly, had to do with my ADD affecting my work quality. How should I address the interviewers concerns with the job changes. Thanks for any advice. I interview tommorw morning. I just got called about it now!!! Oh, I hope it goes well. I really want this opportunity.4 in 10 years? That's not bad. Did you get fired from them?I agree, 4 in 10 years doesn't sound unusual - and as long as you didn't get fired from them, then 'career development' is always a good excuse for a job change.
With my employment history, I just tell a pack of lies at interviews - it seems to work.
Mark -
With only four in ten years: OK, here's my ideas:Tell them you were hoping for more advancement opportunities at one place or all.
At one place there was a high turnover rate and you felt it could have been better managed.
Was one maybe too far to communite and so you wanted a job closer?
One job simply didn't seem challenging enough for you.
Your superior was having an affair with another co-worker, both were married and you just got tired of it and wanted to get out of that unprofessional atmosphere?
i agree...
why are they belly-aching about 4 job changes in 10 years?
my husband has changed jobs 4 times in about 3 years!!
I hope your not heading into the most nightmare of a job you ever had. Are you going to have to *gulp* wear a tie?
would and "ad/hd-friendly" job be so concerned about 4 job changes in 10 years??
THAT'S WAY BETTER THAN MOST OF US! I don't think I would be able to be that stable in that time frame...i mean, i get sick of a job after about 1 year there (or less)...i think having only 4 job changes in 10 years is something to be PROUD OF, being an ad/hder, not something to have to explain away...
(just my little
I've had to wear a tie and dark suits for the past 20 years. I'm used to it.
I know I don't think 4 jobs in 10 years is so bad, but the headhunter did say they were concerned about that. And there are a few past employers who might say, "he din't get his expense reports, or any other reports done on time" "He was great on new ideas, bad on follow through" that sorta thing.
I never got fired, but I did leave two jobs after poor performance reviews.
The thing is.....NOW I know WHY. NOW I'm totally psyched to make my mark on the world. I know what I'm good at and I know what I have to really seek help with.
I can totally do this job, but if the interviewer gets scared off by the job switches or by a shaky comment from a past boss, I'll just be getting punished for past ADD issues.
But I don't think I can say, "Yeah I was a disorganized mess because of my undiagnosed ADD. I'm much better now, give me a chance. I think he'd just pass.
Hi Edward! May I ask how old you are? Were the four jobs different, with different responsibilities from one another? Does this job you want so badly utilize most the skills used in the other four jobs? If you weren't fired from them, you could tell them that the previous jobs were 'stepping stones' to what you really want to do (this job?)
Knowing more 'history' about you and the previous jobs may be more helpful in our ability to advise you.
Interviewing is so different from when I started working.
BTW, don't sit at the edge of your chair in interview (I always thought that was a good thing, but actually it shows impatience.
Just a little tip of many.)
Get a good night's sleep tonight, eat breakfast, and GOOD LUCK!
I agree with Boggled - always avoid 'negative' reasons for leaving a previous job if possible. And as for the greatest weakness - avoid a smartarse reply like 'I can't think of one' (even if you can't) - I've discovered they don't like that!
Yeah, good post there Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Boggled!
Mark -
"So..what would you say is your greatest weakness?""Ahem, well some think that I have a tendancy to work too hard, and that I should try to slow down a little. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy after all."
Thanks for all the good advice. I'm usually pretty quick on my feet in an interview, so hopefully I'll be able to put my best foot forward.
As I'm sure alot of you can empathize, people with ADD sometimes feel like they are "frauds", that their talent is really a mirage that will disappear when tested.
I just have to remind myself that I ama kick ass institutional investment sales person, and they'd be lucky to have me (especially now that I have diagnosed the ADD and can find ways to grapple with that)
Thanks again. Wish me luck.
I guess there is no interviewer on earth who thinks, well I dont like this or that, but I'll hire him because he's so honest about it.
I would say "career advancement" and commuting distance are good reasons for changes jobs. DO NOT attribute it to personal differences with the boss or anything like that. Tell them that the reason you want THIS job is because it offers ample room for career advancement, yada,yada,yada, and you are really interested in it because you don't want to change jobs again in the future.
One thing many interviewers will ask is some question about what is your greatest weakness. This is always a challenge, but if you are prepared for it it can be a blessing in disguise and you can use it to your advantage. Reply with something that they may have heard from a former boss. Like "for me, time management has been a challenge in the past, and so I have learned to use the XXX XXXX time management system (which you might need to learn tonight)which helps me tremendously".
Good luck!
Definetly use the no room for advancement why you left previous jobs also can say you were looking for advancement.
It works for my field there is always high turn over.
Hey, if you get asked about your weaknesses, you gotta say something, it's like a catch 22 to see how you're going to react to that trick question.Go here to this link and see traditional interview questions to prepare for:
http://www.quintcareers.com/interview_questions.html
This seems very informative:
http://interview.monster.com/archives/attheinterview/
Go here too and scrolling down will give you even more insight:
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/interviewquestion1/l/aa031 201.htm
and here:
http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/interview_questions.html
Ok, take care and good luck. Remember, watch body language. MAKE SURE you have great eye contact!!
You walk in there to show them that you are the best candidates that they could hope to find and like you can't wait to show them. Show enthusiasm, research some info on their company but don't try TOO HARD. DON'T INTERRUPT!!! Just act like you are hanging out with friends at the beach having a beer with a buddy.
DON'T CUT YOURSELF DOWN EITHER! NOT EVEN IF MAKING A JOKE OUT OF IT!!Coldsun, I believe Goldenmoment's reply above has some good links that may answer your questions. If not, go to one of the site, like Monster...and they ususally have on the sides links to answers you may be looking for.I have a friend who interviews/hires people for fancy high paid sales rep jobs.
His main complaint is that interviewees are poorly spoken, or speak poorly, which is a killer for a sales type. Hates slangy type speech in what he considers a formal setting which it is.
He looks for well-spoken and outgoing types first and says he is able to overlook some stuff for good personality. Then he goes to the resumes for experience.
My theory is that most interviewers have a few criteria that are most important to them, like outgoing personality, dress, the answers to those ridiculous theoretical questions, and even sex, age, race, religion even if these are illegal we know they happen.
Hitting the right criteria contains a large part of luck I think. They know we lie or exaggerate or just hit the good points too.
The last interview I had was for an Office Job ........
......I had just gotten "laid off" from an office job (my position was "terminated"), and the last thing I wanted was another office job ..but, hey, you gotta eat.........sooooo.....I put on my best "frumpy" outfit......made sure I was spotless from head to toe....makeup done but not overdone, you know the deal........My interview lasted an hour!!! .......We just sat there and chit chatted for the whole hour......She DID ask me a few questions about what I did at my other jobs and why I left them, but did not make a big deal about it........and she did tell me after I'd been an employee there a while that she hired me because I was #1- pleasant to talk to. #2 Neat and Clean. #3 Seemed like I was easy to get along with. #4 had nice manners (we dealt with the public on the phone)........I think some employers are more realistic in their expectations of the job history, some are not. (I used the "looking for career advancement opportunity" a lot, too)
I think Boggled had a really good suggestion, but I like Floof's answer the best. Haaaaahaaaaaa.........Good Luck !!!!!! Kimberly
I got a question for the interview experts out there. What is the best way to handle the "behavioral" questions? The ones where they ask for a specific instance of some random obscure situation.
For example: "Tell us a time when listening closley to details made a project better or saved a substantial amount of money?. Tell us about the project, the details and the desired outcome from the details." Then they tell you to take your time to think about the question.
My thought process: "I have no frickin idea... Don't they know its impolite to stare? Interviews are so frustrating, I feel like I am being interrogated." A few minutes later I will then wip out a half real/half fake situation and explanation of the outcome while trying to look composed the whole time.
Regardless of my different tactics, I know this is where I shoot myself in the foot. So does anyone know exactly what types of answers they are looking for and what body posture/gestures they are watching? How long of a thinking period should one take before answering and such?
When i prepare for an interview i run through possible questions pertaining to the job itself i am going for. I always get the what would you say are your strengths and weakness? I am always say for weakness that I care too much and get too involved which is actually true for me. The strength is always I work well as a team and able to adjust. Some questions are typical. I had a written test on one interview once and did get the job.
Thanks for the advice, folks. Unfortunately I heard back from the recruiter and they'll keep me in mind, but they're looking for someone with a "more established" track record.
Maybe I should just freakin fudge my resume. Honesty just gets you the boot & you can't put, "newly diagnosed ADD" as a reason for any spots on the resume.
[QUOTE=SlugBug]
.....and she did tell me after I'd been an employee there a while that she hired me because I was #1- pleasant to talk to. #2 Neat and Clean. #3 Seemed like I was easy to get along with. #4 had nice manners (we dealt with the public on the phone)........I think some employers are more realistic in their expectations of the job history, some are not. (I used the "looking for career advancement opportunity" a lot, too)
I think Boggled had a really good suggestion, but I like Floof's answer the best. Haaaaahaaaaaa.........Good Luck !!!!!! Kimberly
[/QUOTE]And you did everything right. That's how I am too. They often look for just what you said. They like to know someone is going to be pleasant and reasonable, and as an agent/employee representing their company, they like to know you'll give off a good image, one way or the other.
When I have gone into an interview I just be myself. I'm polite, work very hard at the "listening" skills. EYE CONTACT is a must but not like two animals getting ready to rip one another apart or on a creepy level. They've appreciated the fact that people are easy to get along with and have a way of effectively and tactfully handling any conflicts or turning a conflict into a positive out come. I'm also not afraid to take on challenges. I would usually always get promoted after about 3 - 6 months and to much better positions or those of trust. You have to sort of prove yourself in the work force--through time, one way or the other. People tend to sit back and observe whether you realize it or not.
Also, and this is a biggie, I never took part in office gossip and I was never ever one to start any or instigate that. I'd have it going on in front of me or have someone gossip to me but rarely comment on it or just laugh or if it was serious I would say "that's mean" or "don't be so quick to judge"--then laugh, but say it nicely. Gossips are not appreciated in time.
I also treat EVERYONE, even the custodian or lowest person on the totum pole, with the fullest amount of respect from me unless they have truly given me reason not to--then I don't say anything unless there is a realisitic need to, and I would at that point. I'll find things out usually for myself before I take anyone else's word on their views of another.
If it's a place where the person interviewing you is more like a superficial buttwad, it's best you didn't work there anyway if you didn't get hired. I have found that it is rare I do not get along with people. Even those who have other problems like bi polar, petty, immature,high strung, intense,--even other women who can be cattie, etc..Once I understand the personality I'm dealing with, I just roll with the flow or modify interaction that would best communicate to that person. I'll tastefully confront a co-worker or subordinate with no problem if a situation arises and done well, it scares the crap out of them and they don't often do that any more or they respect you more for how you handled the situation considering you could have been tacky or rude about it. If that person is a total idiot, they end up getting canned on their own or most of the other workers start giving them the cold shoulder anyway and they leave. I can often ride out a storm. I have learned over the years, and with much effort, the art of communication and the art of patience, but it didn't come easy and boy does it pay off.
I also have learned my own crafty way to positively and effectively deal with those rare unpleasant two faced, malicious type.
See, ADHD can be a gift because we have the art of being creative in more ways then one and letting it truly work for us. There are other benefits of ADHD that allow us to be effective humans to society as well. Don't ever forget that, not to mention most if not all of us, whether we realize it or feel like it or not, we're often higher IQed. So it gives us that edge that people can be pleasantly surprised with in time. [QUOTE=eafiii]
Thanks for the advice, folks. Unfortunately I heard back from the recruiter and they'll keep me in mind, but they're looking for someone with a "more established" track record.
Maybe I should just freakin fudge my resume. Honesty just gets you the boot & you can't put, "newly diagnosed ADD" as a reason for any spots on the resume.
[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry. However, don't fudge on your resume, no matter how tempted you are. It can come back to haunt you if down the road you are at a job and working there, then a jerk over your head tries to look for ANYTHING to mess with you. Don't give them that edge ever. However, you can always use puffery in the actual interview. Heck, that's how I got a great job at a professional outfit when I was only 19. I had no patience for that fast food work and it was not challenging enough for me. I really liked the office job I had finagled my way into in the accounting department. It was great. I was the only one in it and I had nobody over my shoulder...it was great. I was a teen and I had my own cubical area, got to dress nice, around professional people, and wasn't working in fast food like some of my friends at that time. Then I would call up a relative and ask them for help in areas I was clueless about and figured it out after about 3 months but I don't recommend that to other's--unless you're up for it.