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18 Good Reasons You’re Still Unemployed

“Why am I still unemployed?”

This plaintive question is one I’m asked a great deal. I’d like to give a few brief answers to this question.

1. You aren’t networking enough.

Almost all jobs these days are found through networking. If you’re applying through job boards, searching the internet, counting on recruiters or responding to want ads…you’re not doing enough. And, as I’ve said elsewhere, your resume is almost useless.

2. You interview poorly.

We have interviewed a few people for a job we have open (office assistant). While this is, admittedly, a lower-level position, I’m surprised and shocked at how poorly people interview. Chewing gum, not dressing for the interview, arguing, and saying what you will and won’t do are all interview killers.

3. You’re pierced.

Take out those facial piercings! Younger generation workers — this really turns off old farts like me. I won’t hire someone with a facial piercing or visible tattoo. It is unprofessional.

4. You didn’t shave.

Don’t go in with one of those “stubble beards.” Either actually have a beard or be clean-shaven. The people who are probably making the hiring decision really, really hate the three day stubble beards that are the norm among younger men.

5. You’re asking too much money.

Look, there is a “great reset” going on. Salaries are lower these days. We interviewed one person for a $30K job who had been making $70K. Frankly, we’re not going to hire someone with that huge of a salary gap. It isn’t the problem of employers you have lived beyond your means. Everyone is tight these days. Don’t go asking for a large salary and tons of perks. You might well have to bite the bullet and take much less to get off of the unemployment rolls.

6. You’re very overqualified.

Realistically, I’m not going to hire someone with 10+ years of experience with a great deal of responsibility in their last job for an entry-level job. Entry-level jobs will be filled by entry-level people. All you do when you apply for these things is annoy the employer. I know you might be desperate. But it is better to consult or start your own business, than to apply for entry-level jobs. When I see someone with extensive experience applying for an intern job, I’m not even going to interview them. I know that they’ll be gone in a heartbeat if something in their field comes along, and that they won’t stay and grow with my company. I also know they’re going to second guess me, not be coachable and generally be a pain in the neck. Don’t bother to apply for these jobs.

7. You’re “shotgun” applying.

I made the mistake of running an ad on one of the major job boards one time. BIG mistake. Everyone and their sibling applied, even with 0% of the qualifications. The rule of thumb is — if you don’t have at least 60% of the qualifications called for, don’t apply. You’re wasting your time.

8. You smoke.

Many of us won’t hire smokers. The smell on their clothes drives off customers. They get sick more often. They take excessive breaks. And, frankly, it’s a filthy and disgusting habit. Quit and quit now. Your career future, not to mention your life and your health, may depend on it.

9. Your job title has disappeared (or is endangered).

You’re probably not going to find much in real-estate or housing now. And while Defense is currently a good industry, it is going to be cut by the current Congress, though I suspect there will always be a market for things that kill and maim. But many job titles and industries have disappeared. Some jobs are being done by robots. Others are being done by people already in the company. It might be time to go back to school or change industries.

10. Your attitude stinks.

You might be coming across as having an arrogant or generally bad attitude. If someone is not upbeat and positive, I will rapidly end the interview.

11. You’re depressed.

Many people who have been laid off and can’t find work in a hurry need anti-depressants. Get on them if you need them. Just be careful which ones you use.

Some depression is normal during a time when you’ve lost your job. But if you’re always in a dark mood, crying, unmotivated and not sleeping, see your family doctor at once.

12. You’re angry.

Your anger is not hurting the “jerks” who fired you or laid you off. It is, however, killing you physically and killing your career. Get over it. Realistically, if you were fired, you most likely deserved it. If you were laid off, it was nothing personal…just a business decision. Deal with your anger before interviewing.

13. You didn’t follow the directions in the posting.

In our last job posting, we asked for a brief statement with a resume telling us why, after looking at our website, the candidate would like to work for us. Only two people even came close to following the directions! Do what you’re asked to do in the job posting or by the hiring authority. If you’re not going to do what your potential boss asks you to, you’re not going to do what he or she asks you to when you’re employed, now, are you?

14. You missed an important piece of the interviewing process.

We asked a candidate we liked to come to one of our events and meet our clients. She wrote us an e-mail and said she couldn’t make it, but wanted to continue to the next phase of interviewing. Well, that was the next phase of interviewing! This woman had posted she had been unemployed for two years. No wonder.

15. Ya yack too much!

More extroverts talk themselves out of jobs than into them. Shut the blank up, for crying out loud! More about that here.

16. You’re evasive.

If you’re asked a question, answer it. Don’t beat around the bush, and don’t give stupid canned answers. A clear example of this is the number of people who say, when asked about a weakness, “I guess I’m just too much of a self-motivated, self-starter who is too hard on himself.” Stupid answer.

17. You can’t communicate.

Don’t make the interviewer crowbar information out of you. If you can’t communicate well, you won’t get employed. If you do happen, by some miracle, to get employed, you won’t last long.

18. You’re unprepared.

I’ll be very clear. If you go up against one of my highly prepared candidates, you’re going to lose and lose big. Don’t be cheap! Hire someone to help you with interviewing, networking and finding the hidden jobs. If you’re an executive in Denver Metro, talk to us about hiring us. If you’re elsewhere, find a good, honest career coach. But be careful. Read my article in ColoradoBiz about how to avoid job scams here.

While some people are long-term unemployed for no reason, we can usually see a reason when someone can’t seem to find a job. Those who have a great attitude and have been able to overcome depression, anger and unrealistic expectations, will usually land in a hurry. Good luck!

Photo credit: Shutterstock

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About John Heckers

John Heckers is president of Heckers Development Group, LTD, a consulting firm based in Denver, Colorado, specializing in Strategic Executive Coaching.

337 Comments

HM

May 20, 2013 at 11:26 AM

None of these reasons apply to me! I can’t even GET an interview! I have never failed an interview, I dress as well as I can, considering I don’t get unemployment benefits.

I was a stay at home mom for years, went to college, graduated with a 4.0, have been doing volunteer work IN my field for 5 years now, among other volunteer work (a couple of temp jobs and one very underemployed position, which I had to quit due to family terminal illness in another country). Have completed certificate courses that will keep my skills up.

You think I can find work and pay off my student loans. NO. So whats the reason? Its certainly none of those. And you can bet I’m a little frustrated. I have 2 kids to look after, one who will be going to college herself in another 18 months.

Reply
Elsadora

May 18, 2013 at 10:43 PM

People like you make it so much harder than it has to be. On one hand we can’t get hired because we are unemployed, but we can’t move up back to our old jobs being you guessed it, we are unemployed.

Start a company? How are unemployed people supposed to start a company? You either a. need the bank of mom and dad or b. I don’t know, A JOB to fund that personal business until it lifts off the ground.

Yes, yes, I know all about how it is easier to get a job with a job, and when I knew I was being let go or close to it, I started looking immediately. Had actually been looking off and on long before that, but you know the economy that HR people helped create just sucks.

“But it is better to consult or start your own business, than to apply for entry-level jobs. When I see someone with extensive experience applying for an intern job, I’m not even going to interview them. I know that they’ll be gone in a heartbeat if something in their field comes along, and that they won’t stay and grow with my company. I also know they’re going to second guess me, not be coachable and generally be a pain in the neck. Don’t bother to apply for these jobs.”

Reply
Micah

May 15, 2013 at 5:25 PM

It must be something else for me, because NONE of these “reasons” apply to me.

Reply
RICKYZZ

May 14, 2013 at 5:22 PM

Terrible logic!! You should NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

Reply
RikDonDadda

May 14, 2013 at 7:15 AM

Here is my take on it, as I have been out for 3 years: There are a couple of factors to spread around the blame and it starts with the economy. Some jobs are being outsourced overseas for cheaper labor, the jobs that are still here are being oversaturated, companies are being “tight” with their money because the financial market is unclear so they are apprehensive to hire a lot of folk. The bank lenders and those who took the loans are what “started the ball rolling” as far as this economic recession goes. Another factor is YOU…yes…YOU [and me, of course]. If you were fired or laid-off then there was a reason [doesn't mean it has to be a good reason]. What the author, Heckers, said is somewhat true: a reality check is needed! If your appearance is off-setting to others then it WILL be difficult for someone to hire you. It is 2013, companies want professional looking individuals [which doesn't mean that they are professional at all...it's just someone's interpretation that they look professional]. So if you have a dye hair color or piercings “out the wazoo”, then trying to get a job as an educator might not be suitable for your umm…tastes. I am all for self-expression but I am also for wisdom and with that comes restraint and knowing when to use it. Another factor is your environmental setting. What I mean by that is where you live. If you live in a place where the unemployment rate is extremely high or you know that there aren’t any jobs around in the area then suffice to say, it will be difficult to gain employment. If you want a certain job industry to work in but there isn’t one available then you have to make a decision: should I go or stay? Another factor [that affects me, wholeheartedly] is references and reputation. This is a factor that I “slept” on because I honestly thought I didn’t have a need. I graduated from college in 2000 and I have always had a job [only 3 jobs and one was a contract job while I have been unemployed] with long tenures. I never needed a reference to get a job but now that I have been out for quite a while, I totally understand the value. You need someone to vouch for your degree of professionalism and integrity. A former or current co-worker is great, a colleague is okay [this might seem kinda biased because they are your friends so of course they are gonna say good things about you...even though they could be lying, right?], a educator or professor is also okay only because it depends on how far removed from schooling you are [ex: Kinda hard to use a former English teacher of yours as a reference when you were getting your Master's when it was like 10 plus years ago...see?]. There are other factors that I wont go into great detail but I will note them: Racism, Age Discrimination, Better candidates, Nervousness in interviews [trust me--this is a killer], Drug Abuse [can't smoke weed if it's a job you really need-takes at least 6 months to get out of your systems due to the fact that THC is fat soluble and that is just for urinalysis and it stays in your hair for several years for those who want FED jobs as they will test a piece of your hair], Employers look at the gap in employment and just think you are lazy [which might not be the case], etc.

Reply
ImpureScience

May 13, 2013 at 11:03 AM

19. You are too old. Go to the outskirts of the village, go directly to the outskirts of the village, do not collect $200, sit down and wait for the lions to come.

Reply
- JW
  
  May 13, 2013 at 11:29 AM
  
  Eskimos get sent out to the ice flows to wait for Polar Bears…
  
  :-)
  
  Reply
WhyWhy

May 5, 2013 at 4:02 PM

The poster is a fat slob and then tells people how they should look for an interview. Well, Mr.Poster lose some weight and maybe, just maybe I’ll have some respect for you.

Ever think how much your upcoming heart attack will cost your employer??
Didn’t think so.

Reply
Ryan

May 5, 2013 at 8:09 AM

@John hecklers comment involving disablities

we can’t make this world fair? wow you are truly a human being who needs pity…because that’s about the only thing your good for from now til your end it seems…being someone to whom pity should be directed

a better world doesn’t just happen, it takes hard work, the fact that you “Say” (and i stress the fact that you “say”) you have a disablity is laughable…you say your sorry that economic times are affecting people so bad…go f— yourself, we don’t want your sympathy or your apologizes, we want a working wage that is in line with the standards of living. I myself live a very spartan lifestyle, I do not own a tv or gaming system, I don’t go out to eat, I don’t smoke or drink, and so, my cost of living is much lower then others. I am also very capable when it comes to problem solving and interpersonal communication, I can fix just about anything that doesn’t require heavy machinery, and yet, people like you won’t hire me for some of these bull—- reasons…some are quite valid, such as talking yourself out of an interview, but others, such as tattoo’s, is discriminatory…it would be like if you came into my business and asked for a job and i said “sorry your too fat to work roofing, your fat a– could fall through and cost me money, i don’t really care if your running out of money to live on and will either have to go beg on the streets for money to eat”

and living beyond your means lmafo…I wonder how much weight you would lose and how hard it would hit you if i had the power to take away all your capital, all your contacts, and f— over your potential for getting hired by blacklisting you, you wouldn’t have enough money to move out of that city nor a support system to turn to, I would then give you a 8 dollar an hour job and ride your a– every second of the day to make sure i wasn’t just paying you to work, but i was actually profiting off the difference between work you do and the wage i pay you…I seriously wonder if you could hack it…well not really, its a rhetorical question…

Reply
JW

May 4, 2013 at 6:12 AM

Ok, I figured out what’s wrong with this guy..See the link..
http://digidyn.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-disability-of-narrow-mind.html

Reply
Grant

May 1, 2013 at 8:26 AM

I think the biggest reason older people can’t get hired is the cost of their health insurance benefits. I read somewhere that employees in their early 50′s cost twice as much to insure as those in their 20′s, and those in their late 50′s cost twice as much to insure as those in their early 50′s. My guess is the cost just keeps going up exponentially from there. The health insurance carriers are the problem, basically red-lining those about 50 and over from ever getting a job. You are not going to get hired with this situation unless you are blessed or had foresight enough to be very highly educated and skilled in an in-demand field, that is worth the extra cost to a company. In fact I have read statements on forums by employers that they where told flat out by health insurance company reps that if they got rid of all their older workers they could cut their health insurance bill in half if not more. If this type of discriminatory insurance practice was happening in say, real estate, red lining inner city neighborhoods and such, the government would be all over it. But because its just “old people” and age discrimination (which is against Federal laws, that are not enforced) nobody seems to care. It’s like the way mortgages are amortized, with all the interest paid first. Why is this BS allowed?

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John Zajac

April 30, 2013 at 11:48 PM

I can fix anything and no one will hire me.

Because I am 49 years old.

I have been working since I was 12 and I have never not been able to get a job.

Now, I get “Laid Off” and I can’t get a job.

There is something seriously wrong with “America” that I can even get a “Minimum ‘Wage’ Job” because I am “Over – Qualified”.

There’s no chance of working at a “Fast – Food” place.

I am 60 days from being “Homeless” and there is not a job that I can do”.

I just want $20 an hour to live and pay my rent.

I guess that’s too much to ask.

And I don’t even want “Obama Care”.

Reply
- Lydia
  
  May 1, 2013 at 2:10 PM
  
  I know that being unemployed is tough. Would you be interested in applying for a state job They are less likely to discriminate due to age. Also, job coaches can be really helpful. Good luck!
  
  Reply
- tina
  
  May 1, 2013 at 11:49 PM
  
  Dear John – I feel your pain. I too am 49 and have been relentlessly seeking a job for over a year now! I have one daughter still in school (husband is deceased) and I can’t get a minimum wage job. I detest the thought of government assistance, but whats left!? I too battle with the “over qualified” as I have a Bachelors degree but having been a stay at home mom for years my resume can’t hide the gaps. I truly believe this is “agism” at its best. My only desire right now is to be self sufficient but I’m losing hope. Glad I found this forum because because it makes me feel less alone.
  
  Reply
  - Ryan
    
    May 5, 2013 at 7:37 AM
    
    while im not an american, i would have to disagree with the “agism” thought you had, i myself am 27 and out of the last 6 interviews i’ve went to, 5 of them said i did not have “enough recent work experience” i started my first job when i was 14, i’ve worked in different areas and for awhile I was doing basic renovations under the table for anyone who was looking for some work done on their house, when i brought that up in each interview, i was told that “under the table work can not be considered as real work” wtf is that…short of electrical work, which i can’t do because i’m not certified, i can basically build a house from the ground up with the information i’ve aqquired over the years, and yet still prospective employers say that a gap like “that” in my resume isn’t desireable…so i can’t go back in time and pick different work to do, i can’t go to the people i worked for and get documentation from them, and i can’t get a job to build my “recent work experience” because no one will hire me. I don’t think it has so much to do with age as it does a cost benifit thing…people who have experience in the work place know what is expected of them, as well as their employer, however, entry level people who have little work experience do not yet, and those are the people they want to hire, the people who they can turn to and say “you’ll do it if you want to keep your job” and get away with it…I find this entire board somewhat depressing as you have this arrogent a–hole at the top telling people who are struggling to make enough money to eat to “go and hire a coach to help you get a job” well kind of hard to do that when I had to move back with my parents because i was struggling to make rent and was starting to suffer because i was only eating every other day. I wish everyone in here the best of luck in finding what we are all looking for, someone who actually runs a business whose highest motivation is profit, when profit stands at the top of the pyramid, all below suffer
    
    Reply
AnnoyedDragon

April 22, 2013 at 3:29 PM

Coming from the banking fraud capital of the world, England, here’s my recommendation.

Stop drowning the financial terrorists in trillions of free money, and maybe they’ll have to start actually ‘lending’ (what a novel thing for a bank to do) into the economy instead of just going down the casino on the Fed’s wallet. If you don’t throw free money at the banks then they have to seek profits from traditional areas, like investing in businesses. Businesses who will then have the capital to grow and employ, emphasis on employ.

All the problems listed in this article start with “you”, it’s “your” fault you cannot find a job. Never mind the world is still attempting to recover from the biggest financial crisis in living memory, created by banking fraud, and then was subject to plundering to the tune of trillions by the banking system. A banking system that continues to be drowned in tens of billions ‘every month’ thanks to the Fed’s QE3. None of that money is reaching businesses, it’s just going to speculation on stocks and shares, pumping up the stock market and creating false indicators of a recovery.

You don’t negotiate with financial terrorists by allowing them to rampage and plunder across your country, and then blame the public for the economy not being able to employ them. The jobs aren’t going to appear until you do something about these parasites by actually enforcing the rule of law.

Reply
- this
  
  May 19, 2013 at 5:07 PM
  
  This. A thousand times.
  
  Reply
Dave

April 21, 2013 at 2:51 AM

*Reads statement about how disgusting smoking is. Scrolls down and see’s author is obese.

Loses faith in rest of the argument.*

Reply
NeedAJobSinceYesterday

April 11, 2013 at 10:50 AM

Talk about a smack upside the head! I’m guilty of #16, I’m learning to be more honest about myself. I’ve noticed people are much more willing to give you a chance when you can honestly evaluate yourself. Under pressure from an interview I get nervous and can become too focused on sounding perfect. Interviewers like people who can be real with them.

Reply
George

April 10, 2013 at 9:55 AM

Stop your whining people. It is ridiculous when I hear people throw around the word racism when referring to appearance. That is an insult to anyone that ever lost out to getting a job for a true case of racism. You all think you are smart getting marked all over your body and have the nerve to judge someone that worked hard to get to their position to hire qualified people that are a certain reflection of their business. Why should they hire you , when they know your appearance, whatever you bring to the table, is going to drive away customers. It makes no sense. If you were in a hiring position, you would think the same way.

Reply
- Felipe
  
  April 10, 2013 at 10:26 AM
  
  Dear George,
  
  Screw off. Racism is still very well alive in the deep south. Black and white people still eat at restaurants at different times, shop at different places, and there are some places you just don’t go around here if your not a certain ethnicity. Hey I got an idea, why don’t you come walk in my shoes, and show just everyone just how easy it is to get a job. Then come back at the end of the month, and tell me how many hours you had to work, to make ends meet. Its so easy to sit there and babble that everyone needs to stop crying, but when it comes to survival, you would not make it. I didn’t choose to have a Hispanic name nor did I choose to be of a half Hispanic background, I was born that way. Just like the people who judge me and sneer at me, because I’m a minority, I am not good enough to work with the white or black people, and its sad to say they were raised that way. Then when you do find a job have fun being called racial slurs every day and people making racist jokes and snickering behind you back. The easiest thing is for me to move back home to my more culturally inclined community, where they see everyone as grey.
  
  Reply
  - Mo
    
    April 10, 2013 at 10:33 AM
    
    I’ll just copy/past my response to the other commenter:
    
    I couldn’t agree more. I am so sick of minorities whining about racism. Do individual cases of racism exist? Sure. Is it the main reason people don’t get hired, the way it was in the 60s? Of course not.
    
    There’s plenty of racism against whites going on, including the institutionalizes racism called Affirmative Action! But, of course, no one talks about that.
    
    And for the record, I am not white. I have been unemployed/underemployed for almost 6 years now, and not once have I claimed or even thought it was due to racism!
    
    Reply
    - Elle
      
      April 12, 2013 at 9:58 AM
      
      Just for the record, it is impossible for non-Whites/Ethnic Minorities within the US to be racist.
      
      Oppression is INHERENT in racism. Systematic discrimination is inherent in racism. Racism is not a matter of one’s individual experience. It is a belief which drives action toward or against an entire ‘race’ of people. Historically, systematically, and logically, it IS IMPOSSIBLE for ethnic minorities in the US to OPPRESS Whites in America. The American education, financial and social structures are designed to benefit ‘middle’ America, which is predominantly White. Since there are larger numbers of Ethnic Minorities in the US who have lesser income, lesser education and less ‘desirable’ social status, this pushes us – en masse – to the frays or margins of society. I could go on, but for now think about that, let it sink in, and please do not use this sentence again. It is inherently and emphatically incorrect.
      
      Reply
      - RikDonDadda
        
        May 14, 2013 at 6:22 AM
        
        A person who is a non-white can be a racist against his own race. A prime example is the Jim Crow Laws where they tried to pit light-skinned blacks against dark-skinned blacks which is still prevalent in “pockets” of society in America today. I am a black man from the South and hands down I know for a fact that in 2013 we still have racism. It is just different: back in the days it was blatant but nowadays it is more subliminal is all.
  - George
    
    April 10, 2013 at 10:42 AM
    
    Did you even read my post? I was sticking up for minorities. I see people complain and call tattoo judgment for job racism, when it is not.
    
    Reply
- Mo
  
  April 10, 2013 at 10:32 AM
  
  I couldn’t agree more. I am so sick of minorities whining about racism. Do individual cases of racism exist? Sure. Is it the main reason people don’t get hired, the way it was in the 60s? Of course not.
  
  There’s plenty of racism against whites going on, including the institutionalizes racism called Affirmative Action! But, of course, no one talks about that.
  
  And for the record, I am not white. I have been unemployed/underemployed for almost 6 years now, and not once have I claimed or even thought it was due to racism!
  
  Reply
- I Scott
  
  April 15, 2013 at 2:38 PM
  
  If you’re not from the South you pretty much wouldn’t understand. I’m a 20 year old black male with not a drop of ink anywhere on my body. Here’s a little bit of food for thought. Last summer I walked out of Chevron from paying for my gas. As I was walking there was this car parked right beside me with whites in it and this white woman looked at me like I was the filthiest thing on this earth. I even saw her grip her seat. I found it quite funny. Here was my appearance that day: Medium length dreadlocks, white t-shirt, jeans(not sagging), and wrk boots. Now I had just gotten off work so I had a few grass stains on me so what? And o yea we were driving the exact same car. That look on her face when she saw me get in the drivers seat was priceless. Racism is still going strong in some parts of ALABAMA!
  
  Reply
Silence

April 8, 2013 at 1:35 AM

Your too judgemental everyone should be allowdd a voice and a difference people like you fail the community over your opinions your a complete moron long as your worker is responsible looks professional on job and does his dues he should not be judged age. race. whtever they have. jobs should not be done online i mean look at walmart they call no matter what if you get a certain score. And it so happens i have proof as the walmart in my town is full of drug addicts i still know today. which deeply sadens me with this community considering walmarts policys. Its because of you systems today college students suffer with a degree because they know no one and cant get around.

Reply
- Max
  
  April 8, 2013 at 1:05 PM
  
  This is America if you look like s— you’re gonna have a harder time finding a job. Yeah the economy sucks, so deal with it. The comments on this article are sad. Maybe the reason why so many people are unemployed is because they have your same mentality. The guy who wrote this article is obviously not a moron. Follow the tips in this article and you might even get a job. Seriously though it’s not that hard to find a job.
  
  Reply
  - JW
    
    April 10, 2013 at 2:16 PM
    
    After you read Happy Gilmore’s post up there try this one out. It’s written by someone who actually HAS been discriminated against and I don’t have any tats either..
    
    http://digidyn.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-waiting.html
    
    Reply
- Jake
  
  April 9, 2013 at 6:20 AM
  
  “everyone should be allowdd (sic)a voice and a difference people like you fail the community over your opinions your a complete moron long as your worker is responsible looks professional on job and does his dues he should not be judged age, race, whtever (sic) they have”
  
  Sorry – I agree with every one of the above pointers as they are COMMEN SENSE. Unfortunately it is people such as yourself who feel we should embrace diversity and that companies are there to provide you money so you can live your lifestyle. Companies are there to make money. They will not do so if the first person the customer sees when they enter the establishment is a pink haired pierced girl (or boy) who has a ‘can’t care less – they don’t pay me enough to smile’ attitude. Get real, use a spell checker and correct your grammar and join the rest of the human race who work and unfortunately having to subsidize these people with welfare.
  
  Reply
My name/My face

April 5, 2013 at 4:53 PM

I am black, my name is not common, I have accent.

Reply
steph collins

April 4, 2013 at 3:31 PM

#19-You’re too old. Let’s be real. I am well-qualified, pretty, extremely youthful and not in an old lady way at all. I could prove that but I don’t want to incriminate anyone. I am over 60. I was laid off by a fortune 500 after 20 uber-devoted and hard-working years due to downsizing but they admittedly got rid of all those over 50 and protected younger folks. You’re d—– right I’m angry. I’m freaking infuriated because I was a very good employee with a great reputation and respected by my peers all across the company as well as my customers. To the max and then some. Management was drooling for me to take a cut to 1/3 my salary and move to the low cost center. But I wasn’t good enuf to protect.

I have been searching for a year and my experience is mainly in customer service and I’m talking heavy duty from pre sales to post ship and beyond. I knew every in and out and niche inbetween, am smart, creative and resourceful. I have an “Atta Girl” file that I printed out before I left – 2 large boxes of nothing but good will, thanks and praise. Jobs like mine have been parsed up and outsourced.

Over-qualifed? Please. That’s a load.

Your list is arrogant.

I’ve had offers and a couple of jobs actually. I’ve taken jobs for 13.50 an hour that want your blood.

Ah who cares.

Reply
NAL

April 4, 2013 at 9:32 AM

Seems to me that The job you are applying for has to be close to an EXACT match to your previous position. If you took a lesser or unrelated position in another industry your application will be rejected or recruiters won’t submit you because your experience won’t be ‘recent enough’. If you don’t have the laundry list of requirements and in many cases the ‘prefered’ you also likely won’t hear.
I have been self employed since August 2012, I own 3 delivery truck routes but still looking for a regular job in my field of accounting & finance. I can’t use this on my Resume so it looks like I am unstable and have been unemployed since then, only scattered temp work.

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Bobbie

March 30, 2013 at 9:38 AM

I did not agree with this author because there are too many x variables. Do you know how many managers smoke? Have piercings? And I am not talking about 30 or younger. I worked in the medical field and you could have as many tattoos or piercings you wanted. Patients loved it! The other information is either cliche or ridiculous.

Why don’t most employers post the salary with the job posting, so you do not have people asking for something you deem “outrageous.” Pay can be very different depending on the company. I worked at a job making $10.00 then had a job offer for the same job making $15.00.

Why are you not giving better advice? How about help with finer details that might help people.

*Look up company before an interview, and average salaries for that job before the interview.

*Bring your own interviewing questions for you to ask a potential employer. (EXAMPLE – I asked my current employer how long the most senior employee has been there, and how new the newest employee was)

*Try to look around the interviewers office and see if there’s any personally items, example a photo of them fishing, and bring that up. (Don’t ramble) Mention that you happen to be an avid trout fisher yourself. (make the interviewer relax and feel like they know you)

*I’d like to know this one – a lot of the companies are having lengthy forms to fill out on their site, along with that they ask what RACE you are and SEX. If I don’t answer (which it’s listed as optional) Does that hurt me?

*How long should I wait to call the employer, for feed back after the interview?

*How do you make yourself stand out when companies are now only accepting resumes through a cookie cutter resume they designed.

*What ways can you save time when applying for multiple jobs? So that qualifications stand out more pertaining to that position?

Sorry I could go on and on. Just would like to read something that helps, not cliche advice that most people with common sense know about.
That’s like me giving advice to someone going to court – “don’t dress like a slob, or wear a hat.”

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Charlie

March 30, 2013 at 2:26 AM

Due to being out of work for a substantial period of time, I cannot get a job (or interview) for love nor money. The sacrifice of previously being a family carer seems to have put paid to my chances of getting another role whatever I try, despite having excellent previous experience and the requisite qualifications for the vacancies that I apply for. It is now a massive worry for me and incredibly stressful.

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Felipe

March 29, 2013 at 12:33 AM

Or if you are like me and biracial (Mexican and German), you will never get a call back from any employer because they think your an illegal, because you have a full blown Mexican name. Most HR people jaws drop when they see I am white skinned, bright blue eyes, light brown hair, and look very European. Yes, the only time I ever get a call back is when people see me in person. I drastically want to change my name, but my soon to be wife loves it too much, but after awhile the macaroni and hot dogs for dinner, and no cable will sink it in to her.
Another thing I would like to add:
Don’t ever ask me if I speak Spanish, just because I have a Mexican name- It is highly, highly offensive, when it is the first question that comes out of an interviewers mouth. Forget about the fact I have a degree in Religion, and Law Studies, that I am able to translate over 6 languages. Yes I speak Spanish, I am not very fluent in it, and have no desire to fluent in it. Most of the Spanish language I learned was in the meat packing plant, and I don’t want to have to tell you, that 25% of my Spanish vocabulary is “naughty” words.

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- Anita
  
  March 29, 2013 at 4:22 PM
  
  So, I am unemployed because my attitude stinks, I don’t dress correctly, I am overqualifed, I smoke, I am depressed and because I can’t communicate?
  
  hmmm
  
  I think it is more to do with the fact I am 43, am a redundant Civil Servant and have been unemployed for two years in a recession where graduates are applying to work in Macdonalds.
  
  nuff said.
  
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Yep

March 27, 2013 at 7:44 AM

Well, reading this simply brought out the worst thoughts I had and thus confirmed them. This guy would never hire me and I would never want to work for him or alongside him. This harsh reality needs a reality check. I remember after months of unemployment the last thing I wanted to hear was “network.” “Well, you just need to network.” “Maybe you’re not networking enought.” If I can take that word, crunch it up and step on it I would. Telling me I need to network is like saying don’t forget to let the air in through your nose and mouth so that you can breath. Maybe I should use soap when I can clean myself as well. This guy does not have an inkling of the reality what it is to be long-term unemployed. Wait a second, why don’t I go out and start a business!!! Another brilliant idea. Maybe all the unemployed people should start a business or an association of some sort. Wait, that’s not a good idea. People on the other side of our reality might think we’d be organizing a revolt of some sort. Gosh darn it, I’m out of ideas…..oh well, maybe I should keep practicing for interviews with fake companies that are really trying to scam me. I’ve had more interview opps with them than actual ones. Ouch!

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- yvonne
  
  April 23, 2013 at 3:59 PM
  
  Omg! This is a great answer. I feel just like you
  
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Grant

March 26, 2013 at 12:55 PM

Interesting. I just filled out a job application where they ask if you smoke or not, yes or no. So you check the appropriate box, and then it says, if you check non smoker, but testing reveals you do smoke, you will be let go. I wonder what happens if you check the yes box and are somehow hired, but the testing reveals that you don’t smoke? Are you are let go for that too??? Hummmf!

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Miles

March 25, 2013 at 9:45 PM

It is obvious that Hecker has no comprehension of unemployment because, if he did, he would know how stupid his comments really are. There are three things he chooses to ignore:

1. Most people won’t have anything to do with the unemployed so the networks and connections quickly disappear if you lose your jobs. Those contacts are vital if you want to get a job.

2. The unemployed don’t apply for jobs they can’t do because they don’t have the money or the resources to do that. The actual problem isn’t that the unemployed are applying for jobs they can’t do, it’s that they don’t understand the jargon routinely used by human resources departments with the result they don’t get the jobs that they actually can do.

3. The unemployed don’t have money. It’s bloody expensive having to go through a tedious rigmorale to get a job where the rigmorale has no relevance to determining suitability for the job. It’s the pointless jumping through hoops only to be told at the end of it all that we haven’t got the job that really angers us – and which is largely responsible for putting people on wafer-thin budgets into extreme poverty.

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- james
  
  March 26, 2013 at 12:07 PM
  
  refering to: the part about smokers: it got nothing to do with us smoking or not would u not hire a fat person because he/she is fat or because of hair colour! not all smokers smoke all the time.
  
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Robin

March 25, 2013 at 9:43 AM

I got fired for reporting racist abuse towards an Asian colleague. My the abuser in question was my boss. He got a warning from HR, but the abuse continued until the Asian colleague packed up and left. I was fired not long after.

As I was picking up my things, my former employer promised me he would make sure I would never work near the city again His last words to me were “Let this be a lesson to you”.

I have now been unemployed for over 12 months. I’m a mix of anger and depression over the fact that I have made an enemy of a powerful man in my industry.

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- Kamchaska
  
  April 5, 2013 at 8:55 AM
  
  Robin, I wish you could have a cent for every tonne of respect I have for you as I have LOADS! My husband is Asian and he just learned to swallow the abuse as noone ever seems to even come close to standing up for him so he feels like he’s just being a trouble maker if he makes any fuss. You are one in a million. Wishing you all the best asap!
  
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- Tom W.
  
  April 5, 2013 at 5:13 PM
  
  well, well, well. The US, the land of the free… LOL. Maybe not so much. Had the ‘pleasure’ of living and working there for a while in 2005 and was happy to leave, back to good ol’ Europe. Never looked back.
  
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  - George
    
    April 6, 2013 at 10:35 AM
    
    It IS the land of the free. If you own a business you can hire who you want, based on an interview process.
    
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Colin

March 24, 2013 at 6:45 AM

This piece is obscene when you consider how depressed the people reading it can be. I see Heckers tells us now, how it IS, and instructs us to bend over and assume it is the only chance we have to pay the bills. He doesn’t care about the world.

Don’t bend over for Heckers, the man, or anyone else in the ruling Guan-xi. Get what you are worth and what you need without such 50%! compromises. It is in everyone’s best interest.

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Spur34

March 21, 2013 at 5:01 PM

How do I network without coming across as a total douchebag (for lack of a better word)that is begging for a job? I am serious. Everytime I take a professional posture among friends and acquaintances in hopes it will land me a job I feel like a total smuck!

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Mo

March 20, 2013 at 3:16 PM

Why is this spammer allowed here? I thought this place was moderated?

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jamie

March 19, 2013 at 10:57 PM

SPOT ON! My observation is that unfortunately, ‘mature’, long-time unemployed are much like ‘mature’, never-married women. You’ll know all you need to know after listening for 5 mins, you’ll know more than you want to know after 10 and after fifteen, you’ll be plotting your get-away- no matter how beautiful and well put-together. Demanding, arrognat and pissed-off is never a good look.

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- Mo
  
  March 20, 2013 at 3:11 PM
  
  It’s not always a person’s fault that they are unemployed. It’s also not always a person’s fault that they are not married.
  
  This attitude is so tiresome. But, of course, even just pointing this out in a reasonable way gets you labeled as “demanding, arrogant and pissed-off”.
  
  It’s quite the catch-22 situation.
  
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sadamfive

March 17, 2013 at 4:25 PM

good and real.

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sadamfive

March 17, 2013 at 4:24 PM

it is good and real. A good guidance for freshers who are still jobless. if they avoid the above 18 things definitely can get good job including me. Thank you career realism which give a real time examples.

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Mo

March 16, 2013 at 1:51 PM

I prepare, dress right, take care of personal hygiene, smile, am friendly, make sure I’m qualified, follow instructions and all the rest. But I still am not being hired.

I’m sure I am not alone. Some of us have done everything “right” but are still struggling to find work.

It’s difficult enough to endure this without also being blamed for it.

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- Spur34
  
  March 21, 2013 at 5:17 PM
  
  The problem to all of this is the stated out loud in the article above
  “1. You aren’t networking enough. Almost all jobs these days are found through networking.” Bascially for every position you see listed on a job board 80% of the time it will be filled friend or family memeber of an employee that works there! I cant tell you how many times these people end up being terrible employees. Even worse, they never get fired because of the connections they have at the company. The employer would have to fire both or none because the office drama that would follow would end up costing the employer money.
  
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  - a
    
    March 22, 2013 at 9:33 AM
    
    Oh I’m with you wholeheartedly spur 34. Nepotism is something very prevalent here in Miami, Florida. Whole there’s nothing wrong with recommending a family member or even a closer friend, it just seems kind of wrong when it happens with increased frequency. Smootherr thing would be how one would have to behave extra
    
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JW

March 13, 2013 at 4:04 AM

To #10 “Your attitude stinks”

Take your own advice Heckers you’re not exactly coming off like Ghandi. I sense hostility in your thinly veiled admonitions.

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- openeyedAmerican
  
  March 15, 2013 at 7:35 PM
  
  JW….I would not agree with you more! The guy that wrote this…..Heckers….sounds like one heck of an idiot! And, very out of touch with reality on many counts
  
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Elaine

March 11, 2013 at 9:14 PM

I am a perfect candidate for any job but trying to land one in Australia is trying to locate a polar Bear in the Simpson Desert!

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- Viv
  
  May 5, 2013 at 6:34 PM
  
  I agree, its becoming harder and harder, no, try impossible if you are an Australian aged 50 and over to find a paid job. You even have a hard time when applying for unpaid work – People her are fighting over these things are so bad here. We have a population of 23 million, and 2 million of these are either unemployed or underemployed – most of them mature-aged women with academic qualifications. What does this say about Australia?
  
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It's Just Advice

March 9, 2013 at 11:19 PM

I have tattoos and piercings and I smoke. Because most employers prefer a professional look, what’s the big deal about wearing a more conservative shirt, taking out the piercings for an hour and not smoking before the interview? You’re supposed to be making a great impression. Is it really so important that you’d risk not getting the job over a picture on your arm or a stud in your nose? I don’t know the author of this but it seems like he’s just giving his opinion on how you can improve. If you don’t agree with his thoughts, why not leave the page instead of posting negative comments?

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- Tara
  
  March 11, 2013 at 11:31 AM
  
  The advice is given in a way thats is difficult to receive. When you write an advice column, your goal is to write in a way the is helpful. The author really missed the mark on this one.
  Also, do you plan on wearing that conservative shirt in the summer and to the company picnic? You really think its gonna sit well once you get the Job and are discovered to be a smoking, stud wearing liar? If a company’s culture excludes those types of things you’ll be right back on the job hunt.
  If you have you have to hide yourself at the interview, be prepared to keep hiding. That’s what the big deal is.
  Tara
  
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- Antonio
  
  March 12, 2013 at 8:29 AM
  
  Because, I am one of the many here whom have gone to every interview offered in the past, in professional attire and not with any body piercings our foul smokers halitosis…..that has been told, I’m overly qualified or that the position was given to a more qualified candidate.only to find out the position was offered to either a younger trainable person or simply reposted.
  
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Reginald T. Rayner

March 9, 2013 at 4:51 PM

And if you’re such a great consultant, tell them to fix their mobile site.

Oh, and to add to the list of things I’d rather do than keep working for you: go to the desert, overseas, with a rifle, with three mutinous PFCs and an a—— First Sergeant. At least the Sergeant would show me the respect and dignity befitting a subordinate, the PFCs would have some conception of how ignorant they were, and exchanging lead with some Al Qaeda m———— would be a welcome release after dealing with your workplace environment.

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Reginald T. Rayner

March 9, 2013 at 4:24 PM

18 Good Reasons I Would Rather Work Hard For Your Cmpetitors Than Pretend To Work For You And Would Rather Get Paid To Pretend To Work For You Than Actually Work For You

1 through 18: See 18 Good Reasons Why You Are Still Unemployed by John Heckers

I would rather my own son tighten his belt than watch my ego dissolved by a fascist like you, and If I didn’t have a son I would rather starve. McDonalds is hiring.

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Phillip Roy Wager

March 9, 2013 at 9:35 AM

ALL of the statements in this article are EXTREMELY assuming. The writer just KNOWS every thing. What an arrogant elitist. God I hope he gets fired, and can’t get a job for 3 years or more. By his own rules, he wouldn’t get a job.

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- yvonne
  
  April 23, 2013 at 4:09 PM
  
  You are right. even with his own rules he wouldn’t
  
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Candace

March 8, 2013 at 7:23 PM

Sacramento Bee Article on 3/7/2013: …”Some have attributed the more extended process (time it takes to land a job) to a mismatch between the requirements of the 4 million jobs available and the skills held by many of the 12 million unemployed.”

So, in a nutshell, there are 12 million unemployed and only 4 million jobs. Kind of mind boggling, eh? So, don’t be too hard on yourselves.

I’m now self-employed (Real Estate Broker and Artist). Is it tough? Yes! Is it worth it? To infinity.

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Martin

March 7, 2013 at 6:46 PM

There is only 1 reason you’re still unemployed.

There’s a huge job shortage….

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- Geo
  
  March 12, 2013 at 5:13 AM
  
  When you proclaim yourself a victim, do not be surprised if you become the victim. People need to brainwash themselves that they are the best for any job and transcend that confidence on an interview.
  
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  - Antonio
    
    March 12, 2013 at 8:22 AM
    
    Geo,
    I and possibly many others herein, would agree with you on smoking as not a smart activity or unhealthy. However when you say that we the people ought to brainwash ourselves to do anything to land that interview, I feel compelled to retort by humbly opining that; sufficient brain washing has been done by the US Government and educational system, not to forget the load of crap employers advertise only to bait and switch things on a prospect regarding salaries commensurate to educational levels attained, etc…only to now have to reboot my thinking into auto culpability and acceptance of the status quo. Just as we the people have been led to reg arding GMO crops and food as being safe for human consumption by the US FDA, so has the same sold,” we the people”, to the highest bidder,…so to speak. I seriously believe the issue goes beyond having to resort to self motivation when most incentives to do so have been or are being outsourced and our country may someday resemble the reason the first settlers escaped Europe in the first place. Face it, telling myself,” I am worthy and I shall get that job because I am confident and so on,….”, will not be realized if I don’t have a chance at an interview because of my age or stealth prejudices the employers may exercise…
    
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  - Antonio
    
    March 12, 2013 at 9:13 AM
    
    Geo, regarding your last input about your being a high achiever as reflected by your attainment of sole and you’re rights to refuse giving someone whom doesn’t fit the ideal profile for your business; I agree and say fair enough.However, I find it necessary to inform the likes of you that; I have no visible tattoos and the only one I do have is the eagle, globe and anchor tattooed on to my left deltoid back in the eighties when I served in the USMC. I have no piercings and I an a non smoker. I know how to dress properly for any interview and have the bearing, decorum and educational level needed for most
    
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  - Antonio
    
    March 12, 2013 at 9:19 AM
    
    interviews related to my field of nursing. Sir, I am a licensed professional and not until recently have I had to worry about losing my job and having to start at zero, at my age. This is not something that has been a major concern for me or others in my field until recently. I still congratulate you for your achievements, despite the times.
    
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Erica

March 7, 2013 at 12:21 PM

A simple google search of “joylovehone” or “JANICES WALLOCKES” shows this same message has been spammed across hundreds of websites. I wouldn’t put too much stock into it.

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Antonio

March 7, 2013 at 11:37 AM

Greetings Ms. Wallockes,
I wish to ask you about your experience with this person whom helped you with what seems too many claim they have power to do, but always seem to come up short of their promises.. My email is onthewaterfront62@live.com. Please, let me know if we can communicate?

Thanks
Antonio

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heman

March 7, 2013 at 12:37 AM

yeh he sure has a feudilistic approach in todays fast pace of life, .one of those mediocre empty vessels who make noice at such situations.Just because you r a boss that doesnt mean u r superior to the ones u r employing ,outside those 4 walls people like u are ignored to the core.AT TIMES bosses feel less worthy in an interview IT is common with the AMOUNT OF qualifications and exposure the employee posseses why would we work with boses stuck in the same rig-mororl for wha? ta decade or 2 not knowing anything else beyond what they have seen.if u r choosy about choosing s r we we also asess guys like u in interviews and dont turn up for accepting ur offers for the very same reason,we r not bound by you ,you need us more than we do only a matter of time.

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J Wong

March 6, 2013 at 6:57 PM

This economy has put all the power into the employers hands to do as they please with no laws or rights to really protect US citizens and job seekers against discriminating. The banking system and the government created this messed up economy baled each other out in the name of big business, and we the people are left holding the bag of %&*@.

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- Antonio
  
  March 7, 2013 at 11:01 AM
  
  Very true J. Wong!!!!
  And clowns like this one feel compelled to blame the ones holding their bag of shit……this country is in dire straits……
  
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RJ

March 6, 2013 at 6:49 PM

Apart from making your name, your article suggests so many levels of ‘incorrect’ assertions of failings by jobseekers it should never have been printed.

If you are indeed a ‘top notch’ HR guru then you’ve failed in HR relations, created offence, categorised individuals into groups, and generallly offendied everyone – except your own people group.

Again this article should never been printed.

It’s source is the authors own overviews which appear to be dominated by pride and arrogance.

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- Antonio
  
  March 7, 2013 at 11:06 AM
  
  Absolutely RJ!!!!!!!
  Apparently this creep has ill sentiments that permeate into his article…..never should have been allowed the publicity.
  
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James

March 6, 2013 at 12:54 PM

Nice.
You seem like the type of old-fashioned a—— I would definitely find the idea of working for truly unattractive.
W*nker.

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Tara

March 5, 2013 at 8:08 PM

Posts like this one make me feel like I am more worthless than the bum who doesn’t try to find a job at all. After spending months of 40 hr a week job searching, you’re telling me that I can’t even ask for what I am worth? According to this, the only problem I have is not networking/begging people I barely know for a job. And yep, I get angry but I save that for dinner conversations with my tattooed and pierced friends who have jobs.

I’m jobless. Not a loser. http://joblessnotaloser.blogspot.com/

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John

March 4, 2013 at 6:38 PM

The reason job seekers whinge and whine about how hard done by they are is because:

1/. the process is inherently unfair
2/. the concerns of jobseekers go unheard and unacknowledged in society.

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- RJ
  
  March 6, 2013 at 2:44 AM
  
  John,
  
  You’re so right. Who can fathom, and work with, a system that requires qualification and experience, but refuses to accept the dictum that time is the price of all experience, refuses to employ that sector that has taken time and earned experience?
  Maybe those who have assets should rescue us by selling up, buying shares and putting some senior staff and bureaucrats on the unemployment list.
  
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Antonio

March 4, 2013 at 5:30 PM

So, because one may have been terminated, it is your dull-minded opinion that the firing was well deserved? I am utterly disgusted with your type. With a face like a child molester, overweight and pedantic in your vantage point towards people whom wear tattoos, piercings, are depressed and have fallen victim to an economy totally fabricated by the comes of white, right wing, possibly Christian, Anglo Saxon , selfish and evil pukes like you, it’s no wonder so many detractors have you. I would be very careful if I were you Hecker or Heckler, whatever your name really is, get your information right and do not assume what you do about others whom are not like you. Your stinking arrogance and unwelcomed contributions herein are just that, unwelcomed. Your advice as well as your profile, leaves much to be desired. Your lapse of judgment conveys the message of mental weakness and antisocial demeanor.

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- James
  
  March 6, 2013 at 12:59 PM
  
  lol @ face like child molester. #topnotch
  
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- Tammy
  
  March 7, 2013 at 11:27 AM
  
  The more I read this, the more I think it is the way it’s written, rather than the content itself. Don’t get me wrong, the content is antiquated, promotes prejudice, and highly negative, but the tone is also negative; Moreover, it is colored with an abrasive, elitist tone that is not at all helpful to the intended audience. I almost feel like he had a smug grin on his face while writing this. It is most unfortunate, though, that we are at the whims of employers who share his point of view.
  
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Nucky Thomson

March 4, 2013 at 8:23 AM

This is why people should stop looking for office jobs… They don’t exist anymore. Forget the suit and tie thing, the 1990s are over…. I am currenty a full time dishwasher making 9.00 per hour. I have a college degree and 10+ years of management experience. I’ve given up on my dreams of having an office job. My new dream is to move up to being a cook so I can make $25000 per year salary.

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- John
  
  March 5, 2013 at 7:01 PM
  
  Nucky…..I have spent 25yrs in an office. Believe me…its the next best thing to death. Dont feel bad about not having some awful job working with awful people. Try to build on what you have now – ie how about doing an apprenticeship as a cook or some such thing. And you know….America… is going through a recession….it wont last…one day it willl be hiring again and if you still want it…the office job will be there.
  
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Cam Petchovski

March 3, 2013 at 5:52 PM

18 Good Reasons? I found 2 that most people would not think of right off the bat.

Are people really this stupid?

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TattooedEmployee

February 28, 2013 at 7:51 PM

Interesting. while i get your points… and they applied 30 years ago.. but now.. not so much. Specially if you live in a liberal area say like.. i dont know…. California! I have piercings, tattoos (VISIBLE) and work in an amazing office that lets you display everything about yourself. My boss feels making people feel they can be them self gets better work from the employees. Maybe update your approach a bit more sir. This isnt the days of Mad Men. Oh and also its a multi million dollar office that has been doing even better in the recession. Internet related…

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Tom

February 28, 2013 at 4:51 PM

Its because he does`nt like you is all it is period its no different then a relationship …

if a woman doesnt like you even if your nice its no different then a employer PERIOD !!!! end of story

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martin

February 28, 2013 at 9:42 AM

john- you forgot one buddy.

what’s your impression of,”you cant get work because you’re fat.” being fat, how does that make you feel? just curious, because you seem to have all the answers.

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Hitomi

February 27, 2013 at 9:06 PM

It actually makes me happy to read this guy’s useless article (because it has no value, just like his aging life philosophy, yes, but also) because it proves that the idiots in the 1% really are screwing over everyone else, and it ‘s not the fault of job seekers.

Also I found it amply amusing to see the guy’s photo. He looks like a derelict bear causing terror in society that’ll soon be put down. Lets begin filling positions like his with people who have a useful new age perspective shall we? This guy is outdated and obviously never had anything novel to say anyway.

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Neal

February 27, 2013 at 5:12 PM

Do Not take this guys advice, he is extremely arrogant and very judgmental and discriminating. Guess what the times have changed people have tattoos and piercings. They are not as taboo as they were when maybe you were something worth talking about. You are unprofessional for thinking they are unprofessional. This is discrimination. If I were to write a response to this garbage letter, I would write I do not hire old people because they are not open minded, and just so I’m clear, that would be a terrible thing to do. What someone is like on the outside has no bearing on them as a worker. I beat for every person with a tattoo, there are hundreds of unqualified assholes that this guy would hire and be disappointed with. Wake it man it’s 2013, not the 1800′s. Guess what woman can vote.

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- Geo
  
  March 12, 2013 at 5:20 AM
  
  I have owned my business for 22 years and I am very successful. My clients as such are uncomfortable with tattoo people. That is their choice. We have a certain level of professionalism. Just because you used your individual rights to exert your freedom and ALTER your appearance permanently, does not give you the right that I should alter mine. I am proud of what I built and no smartass with cartoons on their body is going to tell me how to run my business. Individuality works both ways. You should have forseen your consequences. Oh by the way, many companies have stipulations that visible tattoos are not allowed, even in municipal jobs. That discrimination crap is old. Is it discrimination if I do not hire a man who comes to the interview with hair down to his rearend? Is it discrimination if I do not hire someone on the interview who smells or is wearing dirty clothes? It is the same thing. How dare some punk try to tell me how to run my business that I put many hours ,blood, sweat, tears and capital.
  
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  - William
    
    March 13, 2013 at 12:25 PM
    
    Since you are so proud of your business, why don’t you tell us the name of it so those of us who think you are living in the 19th century can make sure not to use it, Mr. Blood, Sweat, Tears, and Capital? I await what will be a non-reply. After all, we don’t want to upset potential clients, do we? Or are you going to say something like ‘tattoo-wearers would not be in my client base’? Of course, you examine each and every client to make sure they conform to your idea of what a client should look like, yes?
    
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anonymous

February 26, 2013 at 11:37 PM

Most honest advice I’ve heard yet. I do wish the older generation would be more open to visible tattoos though. It’s not a rebellious thing anymore, its simply our artistic outlet and another form of individualism.

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- George
  
  February 27, 2013 at 4:12 PM
  
  You have your rights and I have mine. Tattoo people cost me money in my business and I will not hire them. They look nasty. I do not care how many people have them it will always look low class. Just like when people smoke, it is still unhealthy no matter how many people do it. Deal with it. You chose to alter your appearance and now you must lie in the bed you made. Maybe some of you people ought get temporary tattoos before you follow an f’en trend and scar your bodies forever.
  
  Reply
  - martin
    
    February 28, 2013 at 9:35 AM
    
    you dont seem to understand. in the us atleast its not your right to employ discriminatory hiring practices. thats the law. also about tattoes. spoken like a typical american. incapable of acknowledging the world around them and the complete lack of diversity. so fly away worker bee. fly away.
    
    Reply
    - George
      
      February 28, 2013 at 2:41 PM
      
      Not discrimination, its choice appearance. Many companies and even govt jobs, disallow visible tattoos. In all seriousness, people need to think before acting impulsively. It can adversely affect your life. You are learning the hard way.
      
      Reply
      - Stacey
        
        March 3, 2013 at 12:14 AM
        
        George is absolutely right. It is not at all illegal to refuse to hire smokers or individuals with visible tattoos. Employers can even refuse you a job if you fail or won’t take a pre-employment physical.
        
        The “anonymous” poster, however, is also absolutely right – many workplaces in many industries don’t think twice about an employee’s tattoos or piercings. This includes “knowledge” industries like software and advertising, but it also includes everything from electronics repair to retail to social work to slinging coffee (at a local chain or individually owned shop; not Starbucks). More useful advice would read along the lines of “If your appearance is unconventional, and this is important to you, you may be unemployed because you aren’t researching, targeting, and applying to the types of companies where you’d be the best fit, or you’re not convincingly selling your skills in making the business money to these companies.” The article writer acts as if we’re living in the 1950s, and all jobs are at suit-and-tie-mandatory insurance companies and law firms. (Today, even some lawyers have facial piercings!)
        
        I am in my 30s, and I have four piercings in each ear. My husband has facial piercings and his hair is long like a metalhead’s. Despite these apparently gross and offensive modifications, we landed interviews at some pretty corporate places, but we turned the offers down in favor of working for a company that is more casual and laid-back. Roughly 4 in 10 people under 45 have at least one tattoo, and in many industries, across many companies, how you’re “decorated” is no longer the focus – it’s what you can do to make the company money. I’m going to be hiring next month, and you can be sure that I’m not interested in whether my candidates have sleeves or labret rings or pink hair. No, I’m evaluating them on how FAST and how GOOD they are at production, which is all I care about, because that is what contributes to the bottom line.
- George
  
  February 28, 2013 at 6:57 AM
  
  I have the right to make as much money as I want. Deal with it. Individuality goes both ways. Maybe people need to think more about consequences before desecrating their body.
  
  Reply
  - martin
    
    February 28, 2013 at 9:36 AM
    
    not everyone hold your beliefs. nor should they.
    
    Reply
  - Red
    
    February 28, 2013 at 10:52 AM
    
    For the sake of clarity and articulation in this case, I hope you meant this:
    
    “I have the right to make as much money as I want [while abiding by the law in not discriminating against others and abiding other civil and social laws].”
    
    ….But, given your attitude, this seems unlikely.
    
    I presume you have no problem with women whose ears are pierced. Do let us know if you do. That is a permanent body modification. Yet, it is something no one blinks an eye at; in fact, women are complimented on their earrings all of the time. It’s “acceptable” because it is old news.
    
    And, now, in the year 2013, people also get compliments for things like *gasp* tattoos and straightened teeth. Both permanent body modifications, if you really dig in there.
    
    So, per your stated standards of qualification for hire, if an employer never liked the way earrings looked on women and has a thing for crooked teeth, well, by gosh it wouldn’t be discrimination to turn them away for their newly-straightened teeth (especially if they still have braces!), because of their feeling that’s just ghoulish. People with a wide, gleaming smile just make them nervous, and those chandelier earrings are too distracting to boot, so they’ve got to go.
    
    Ridiculous. Again, these things are acceptable because they’re old hat, so to speak, like nose jobs and enhanced lips. Would you turn down someone whose gotten those things done, or a facelift, or their ears pinned?
    
    …And I hope for the sake of all that is just, since a smoking habit is unhealthy, you stick to your principles and don’t hire anyone that eats sugar or fast food either. Seeing someone eat that stuff is disgusting – it’s unhealthy and causes cancer. …Right?
    
    Listing “tattoos” on the list of reasons a mom/dad isn’t qualified or shouldn’t be given equal opportunity to work to feed their family is ludicrous and is the real disgusting bit here.
    
    Reply
  - William
    
    February 28, 2013 at 6:24 PM
    
    You certainly do. You have the right to (in a business sense) step on, run over, skin, slam, and destroy as many people as it takes to make that money. You can lie, cheat, steal, and get away with it when the topic is business. You certainly do have those rights.
    
    But don’t be surprised when you are laying in a ditch after you wreck your car and the only reason someone stops is to take pictures of your bloody corpse so they can post it on facebook and laugh about it. After all, people who are like that are the same people you would hire in a second, based on what I am reading.
    
    Reply
Elizabeth

February 24, 2013 at 12:58 PM

You really discriminate against people with depression? Do you do that to people with lupus and diabetes? That’s a bunch of crap. It’s great you think anti depressants just make their whole life all better, but they usually don’t. In fact even telling a person to go on anti depressants for a life circumstance, like loosing a job is a stupid move. You don’t take psychiatric drugs for life circumstances. After a death you grieve. After a loss of a job, you grieve. It would be incredibly unprofessional and foolish of a psychiatrist to give somebody, who’s just lost their job, antidepressants.

And you sir are somebody I would never work for.

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- Bec
  
  February 26, 2013 at 4:32 PM
  
  Thank you for this comment, Elizabeth. This guy is an over-inflated baffoon who has no place giving mental health advice…he’s overestimated the value of his own opinion and he’s playing with fire.
  
  Reply
  - ViBZDeN
    
    February 27, 2013 at 11:42 AM
    
    Yesssss yesss you said it. Thank you thank you so much! Have a cheerful day ahead!
    
    Reply
  - George
    
    February 28, 2013 at 6:59 AM
    
    I like the guy. Think he brought good points. People are angry because they see themselves as the rejected, in those points.
    
    Reply
    - martin
      
      February 28, 2013 at 9:46 AM
      
      this article is akin to blaming the victim of a rape, because of the way she dressed. bravo! bravo…
      
      Reply
    - Stacey
      
      March 3, 2013 at 12:40 AM
      
      No, I think people are annoyed by the tone, and the contradictory and/or condescending assumptions inherent in the “strikes against” them. Take these two:
      
      “We interviewed one person for a $30K job who had been making $70K. Frankly, we’re not going to hire someone with that huge of a salary gap. It isn’t the problem of employers you have lived beyond your means (…) Don’t go asking for a large salary and tons of perks. You might well have to bite the bullet and take much less to get off of the unemployment rolls.”
      
      Versus:
      
      “Realistically, I’m not going to hire someone with 10+ years of experience with a great deal of responsibility in their last job for an entry-level job. Entry-level jobs will be filled by entry-level people. All you do when you apply for these things is annoy the employer.”
      
      This writer is saying, “Don’t think you can get a job earning 70K because no one pays that anymore. You should be grateful for a 30K job, but don’t go thinking you can interview for 30K jobs, either because you’re over-qualified and will just annoy employers.” And it doesn’t seem like Mr. Ex-70K ASKED for 70K, either. No, his crime was having the audacity to take this writer’s contradictory advice and interview for jobs where he would “take much less just to get off the unemployment rolls.” It seems like unemployed mid/senior-level workers are damned if they do, damned if they don’t, doesn’t it?
      
      Also crude is the assumption that the guy “lived beyond his means” simply because he used to earn in the high five figures. (How dare he make that much money! It can’t be because he is a manager or a senior-level worker, or he came from a city with a high COL. It must mean he bought a summer home and a half-dozen limousines!) And the assumption that unemployed people can AFFORD job-search coaches, doctors’ visits, and antidepressants. And the assumption that the true grief over a job loss is a mental illness that needs to be treated with heavy psychotropic drugs that introduce a laundry list of side effects – side effects that may incapacitate an unemployed person MORE than the mild to moderate situational depression that naturally comes with unemployment.
      
      My husband and I are now productive members of the workforce. But a year ago, we weren’t. My 70K management job was eliminated and replaced with contractors as a cost-cutting measure, and my husband’s 45K job was sent overseas for the same reason. We remember very well how demoralizing, difficult, and anxiety provoking unemployment was for us, and equally, we remember how painful it felt to get this type of condescending advice from friends and family who thought they were being helpful.
      
      In truth, NONE of these points applied to us – we simply lived in a desolate part of the former manufacturing belt, with a sky high unemployment rate, and moving across the country quickly solved the problem, since we were working within DAYS of landing in our new home. I agree that some unemployed individuals may be acting in a counterproductive fashion, but there are more who, in good times, would have their pick of jobs and then some. They are out of work because we are in a serious recession with close to 20% real unemployment, and a job market offering, at best, one position for every four people out of work, and in many markets, one position for every 11-12 people out of work.
      
      Reply
Grant

February 24, 2013 at 12:09 PM

Jeez, it’s no wonder why many jobless just give up and stay on unemployment and other assistance, rather than uselessly submit to this sub-humanizing process.

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Lauren

February 24, 2013 at 10:07 AM

Mr. Heckers, get to Weight Watchers ASAP before you drop dead!

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Hate the Human Race

February 23, 2013 at 4:26 PM

WTH! I have SERIOUS problems with the following items:

#6: Do you seriously want to hire some young, partying, “lost-weekend”, Lindsay Lohan type and pay for their inevitably long-term rehab stays, or go for the true experience that businesses need to stay afloat? Dementia is NOT inevitable for experienced folks – partying, however – well, the horror stories in the news EVERY day speak for themselves!

#11 – ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Does this “writer” have TIES TO BIG PHARMA, or – heh heh – have FAMILY WORKING FOR BIG PHARMA? People need WORK – not PILLS thrown at them as the fix for what “ails” them – we ALL know what we need, and it sure as h*ll AIN’T PROZAC – so spare us all the insult to our collective intelligence, PLEASE!

#12 – “DEAL WITH THE ANGER”, eh? And how do you suggest this happen, eh? Again, NOT by throwing desperately needed money at some overpaid Ann Landers-type that went through all these years of overly-snooty schools that Mumzy and Daddie paid for? Wrong answer – but thanks for playing “Insult the Long-Term Unemployed”!

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Shelisha

February 23, 2013 at 3:13 PM

Hey John while your article is nice, try doing what I’ve been trying to do for the six past years, in the shoes of those trying to find a job.

Graduate High-school into this mess of a garbage “economy”. Get a small little wee 4-hour minimum wage job that sucks garbage, apply, apply, and apply over and over for jobs. Do ALL the networking that you possibly can(including volunteering), and still get nothing.

Why? Because apparently employers aren’t hiring, and apparently since you only have HS diploma you don’t have enough “experience”. Try going to college on a 4-hour minimum wage job and struggle while doing it, ontop of having to deal with recent lay-offs in your immediate family that has affected your stretched and hobofied finances even more. Be of minority decent and find getting a job even HARDER than for ‘average’ too.

The American Economy has severely cheated people in more than one area. While CEO’s like yourselves get fat off of over-seas hiring, the backs of the people in the country are breaking down.

The Post-Office is laying off hundreds of people. NOW the Navy is going to get “lay-offs”. This country is in a screwed up mess and it’s only getting worst. Who knows, hundreds of companies have already shut their doors downs and down-sized. How long will yours last?

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Julia Lambert

February 22, 2013 at 4:57 PM

I have a great idea for how to get people back to work. Impeach the president. If we can get a decent human being into the office who will not spend like a drunken sailor, kill all possible job creating opportunities and stop throwing taxpayer money at his cronies who take the money and run (while they sell the companies in smaller parts off to China) then we will not have such harsh employment prospects. And John, you certainly are part of the problem. Advice columns are not your forte.

Reply
- Birdie
  
  February 28, 2013 at 10:55 AM
  
  Um, Julia. If you’ll check your facts, it was Mitt Romney’s companies who bought companies and sold them off for parts).
  
  Reply
  - Phillip Roy Wager
    
    March 9, 2013 at 10:28 AM
    
    Julia Lambert did not mention once, Mitt Romney. You did. Once again ASSUMPTIONS.
    
    Reply
John Schlebba

February 21, 2013 at 10:41 PM

John not everyone is fired for good reason. I’m surprised you would say that “anyone that is fired most likely deserves it.” You’re naive to say the least.

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Tanja

February 21, 2013 at 8:26 AM

John, not every employer is like that. My husband works for a very good employer, so does my brother in law. My sister works for a crap one, it is the Toronto School Board District. However, I used to work for a Home Depot, before I went to teacher’s college. In my interview, I was told to relax more and I took myself to seriously. It was summer, so the guy who interviewed me was wearing khaki shorts and a home depot tshirt. I was dressed very professionally, in one of the interviews I was asked to tell a joke. So, it very much depends who the interview is for. At Pitney Bowes, it was the most unprofessional interview in the world. He kept looking at his watch, he slurred his words, seemed uninterested, didn’t listen to my responses. Well, I did get hired and worked there for a year, I got pregnant and went on mat leave. While on mat leave, that boss was fired and when I tried to get my job back after mat leave, telling them mat leave was coming to an end. The new Manager would not call me back until I just gave up. I also had a friend sue that company because he went on temporary leave for surgery, when he recovered, they wouldn’t give him his job back. It meant more to him than me, because he sued and was off work for 3 yrs and he won, now he is back with Pitney Bowes but at a different location. So, honestly, all that talk of professionalism, I still think that it is a person like the rest of us that still puts his pants on one leg at a time like everyone else and we have to appeal to the human nature and adapt to the personality type in the interview. That boss who got hired some deserve to be there and others do not and some you wonder how in the world did they get that position, I am so much better than they are.

I do agree with the smoking part, it is a disgusting habit, I can’t stand the smell, it gives me a headache, so if I was interviewing I wouldn’t hire someone that gives me a headache, but I am just the person behind the job and it bothers me. I also agree with the tattoo thing, to me it looks dirty, don’t like tattoos and I agree with dressing for the job you want because people do look at you and judge you, I do it everyday just going grocery shopping. First impressions matter. But other than that, it is just luck and how well your personality type fits the person responsible for hiring you. My husband is in a position where he is on a team of people that hire and so he sits on the interviews. My husband will tell you, he came home saying once that one guy had more qualifications than another guy, but they chose the other guy and will train, simply because they liked his personality more and they also needed an asian guy so that they meet the equality code that they go by.

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- eshey
  
  February 21, 2013 at 11:25 PM
  
  This guy only has one legitimate degree. Look up his bio. He’s a religious nut job.
  
  Reply
Rachel

February 21, 2013 at 6:40 AM

I have a legitimate question…what the hell are you supposed to do if you have a serious, rare, medical disorder and everyone is thrown off by it and they don’t want to hire you, what do you do?
O, and to boot…your new in the area, you don’t have any real skills, and work history is pathetic and all choppy, cause of being in and out of the hospital!

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- Red
  
  February 28, 2013 at 10:18 AM
  
  Yes. This old-school thinking that choppy work history means “loser” is completely awful. Really, really. Life happens whether we like it to or not.
  
  Reply
Adarsh

February 21, 2013 at 4:58 AM

The only thing I took away from this article is the fact that I would never want to work with you, for you or for someone like you. Your firm should be called Stereotype Central Inc. Could even partner with Illiterate Insensitive Corp. The way I see it, you’re lucky to be in work just now because you wouldn’t be let within 3 miles of a modern, Web 2.0 organization. Absolutely disgraceful piece of hate mongering writing. People that smoke,are depressed or tattooed aren’t eligible for work but you can write? Please send me a link to your book on double standards when it comes out on loadofcrap.com.

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- eshey
  
  February 21, 2013 at 11:02 PM
  
  agree. these suggestions are antiquated.
  
  Reply
- anon
  
  February 22, 2013 at 7:59 PM
  
  Agreed and succinctly put. It didn’t make me feel better about being unemployed or make me feel like i had any better arsenal to finding a job. I DO take out 90% of my facial piercings for interviews but I leave one in for hygienic reasons and the fact that I don’t like to ‘lie’ to people. My ink is hidden during interviews but someday I may have some that peeks out. I can certainly be professional regardless of my outward appearance and my track record would show that. Bigots however seem to have the positions that make decisions and that just makes me feel like we’re living in Idocracy. My faith in humanity dwindles when I read articles as this, but is strengthened when I read replies as this. Good thing THIS wasn’t an interview as my morals cannot be compromised for a few bucks an hour. Sadly the result is that I live at home with a loving mother and I, myself, will likely not have the opportunity to raise a family without budget. A family that would increase the values of humanity rather than determent it.
  -Rant concluded.
  
  Reply
  - ViBZDeN
    
    February 27, 2013 at 3:48 PM
    
    Today we need such families everywhere in this world. I wish you get the opportunity soon.
    
    Reply
- Celia
  
  February 23, 2013 at 4:20 AM
  
  Agreed! The author is so rude and arrogant and has perhaps forgotten the way he bombed his interviews before he finally got hired by morons like him.
  
  Reply
  - Adarsh
    
    February 26, 2013 at 5:32 AM
    
    Shame really. Part of me does think that this might be a cheap PR stunt to gain some traffic, which it has. Either way it’s deeply indicative of a significant rotting of the author’s morality, assuming its existence. I have and have friends that have battled depression and articles like these do nothing to help anyone.
    
    Reply
J2DP

February 20, 2013 at 12:34 PM

John, I like your style. Up front and to the point.

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Tanja

February 20, 2013 at 10:06 AM

After being off work for a year because I had a son, I once got called back by an employer and she had the wrong resume. She said, so I see here you did some administrative work. I said that is correct. She said that it says here that you managed a call center. I was thrown off, I said uhhh, no, where are you reading this? and she said that by my uhhhh I didn’t sound so confident. I told her that she is throwing me off, does she have to correct resume. My name is Tanja and she said uhhhhh no, well I will schedule an interview with you anyway. At that point I was already turned off and said no thank you. Works both ways as well. I agree with not talking so much, but sometimes it is just luck and beauty and knowing the right people. Some employers have made huge mistakes in the interview and with me as a customer and I wonder how these people got hired in the first place. I had one apple representative, helping me with a film on my apple computer, after the session ask me for a hug. Weird, unprofessional people are everywhere and sometimes they hold high positions and have power over me who wants a job from them, but honestly, the job seeker has to be picky to because you also have to decide if this is the kind of person you want to work for.

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- Birdie
  
  February 28, 2013 at 11:05 AM
  
  Tanja, while you are absolutely right about the job seeker needing to be discerning in who they work FOR, I am hungry. Literally. I made $70K per year – for years – until being laid off. I have not worked more than a few weeks of temp jobs for over 3 years. I don’t smoke, have tattoos, an arrogant attitude, or seem desperate in an interview. I have read countless articles, network, researched, applied, and interviewed and yet still I have no permanent job. My former colleagues and friends are just as baffled as I am about it. But here’s the thing. I’m hungry. I don’t have the luxury of unemployment, and I don’t have a job. I am a good employee with multiple professional references. I just want to be useful and go to work every day. I wish I had the luxury of choosing a good boss. But I wish I just had a boss. ANY boss. :/
  
  Reply
janet

February 18, 2013 at 5:58 PM

I can’t tell you how many interviews I’ve had where the interviewer had not seen my resume before they sat down in front of me. I am a professional and my interviews typically involve meeting 3-4 people for the entire interview.

This article reflects either young, entry level’s efforts, or was a satire meant for an SNL skit. Either way it is nonfactual and heinous. Then again I assume the author is getting paid, so he is employed and is churning out ### words a week. I have spent 20 years as a medical device engineer. When we BS people die. Apparently this author has a very low bar of expectation.

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- Kaori
  
  February 20, 2013 at 3:33 AM
  
  Over a year ago I had an unexpected phone interview where the woman asked me if I could do administrative tasks. I asked her to specify and she wouldn’t. It wasn’t until I got off the phone with her that I realized she must had not read my resume, because she would have had at least an idea of what type of tasks I could perform if she did.
  
  Reply
John

February 17, 2013 at 5:31 PM

Last word

18 Reasons Why You Cant Get A Good Employee

1/. You wont shut up at the job interview
2/. You are unprepared at the job interview and have no questions
3/. You mispelled words in the job adv
4/. You didnt have the courtesy to include a salary in the job adv
5/. You use recruitment agencies
6/. You dont acknowledge reciept of applications
7/. You dont advise applicants of the outcome whether its an application or interview
8/. You expect too much
9/. You think you are doing applicants a favour offering employment
10/. You discrimminate
11/. You dont think in terms of transferable skills
12/. You pay too little
13/. You expect university qualifications for jobs that, realistically, require none
14/. You are late for the interview
15/. You are evasive when asked about the tasks you expect to be done on the job
16/. Your application process is obnoxious
17/. You cant demonstrate what concessions you will make to get a good employee
18. You cant demonstrate how you work to keep a good employee

In short……..you intewrview poorly

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- anon
  
  February 22, 2013 at 8:03 PM
  
  I LOVE this post!!!! I wish more employers had the common sense to adhere to these. 8-)
  
  Reply
- Erica
  
  March 7, 2013 at 8:24 AM
  
  I also love this post!
  
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John

February 17, 2013 at 5:16 PM

Oh and by the way, most interviewers do not know when to shut up and let the person they are interviewing speak.

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- Birdie
  
  February 28, 2013 at 11:13 AM
  
  I’m astounded by this, too. I think if the hiring interviewer talks for more than 20% of the time, they have already decided whether or not they are going to hire you. In their mind, there is a tiny square for an applicant to fit into, and they can “see” you either fitting into it, or not. You can generally tell pretty quickly. My last interview, the lady talked about 80% of the time. Still, each interview you go to is an education, so I just go with it, smile, watch, and answer how I think my qualifications could be a benefit in that particular role. One of these days I’ll find the right fit and be hired.
  
  Reply
maureen

February 17, 2013 at 2:56 PM

Smoking is a legal activity and you’d be setting yourself up for a discrimination suit if you tell a candidate if you refuse to hire for that reason. Smokers KNOW they cannot smoke on the job; going 4 hours without a cigarette or pipe is not that difficult. I carry a small bottle of Febreeze with me and use it after my lunch hour.

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- Brian
  
  February 28, 2013 at 10:48 AM
  
  Smoking is not a protected category, and it’s perfectly legal to not hire somebody for smoking. At any rate, there would be no indication that that was why someone wasn’t hired. They just wouldn’t be hired.
  
  All in all, a pretty jerky article, though.
  
  Reply
- Ray
  
  March 11, 2013 at 6:49 AM
  
  I have seen job posts that include the pre requisite for employment is you are not a smoker. In fact I have seen it say smokers need not apply. Further they state that they perform a blood test to see if you do smoke. That is right here in the US. Yes it is a habit that isn’t ideal to health but as another person stated….it is legal and it has been around for quite a while. I firmly believe that in this new age of controlled social engineering entities want to re-invent right and wrong to have a firmer grasp on control. The concept if money and profits has taken higher priority over humanity. If desired results starts at birth to inaugerate socially engineered concepts it has a higher potential of success. Smoking is one of the focus areas considered socially unacceptable. It is primarily cultural as I have been to other industrialized nations where they smoke like chimneys and no one raised a stink. Sure…. some ppl don’t like it but they have bigger fish to fry than worrying about someone smoking unless it is gross disrespect to others. I also believe there is a certain amount of common sense in dress but doesn’t relate to overall qualification of an individual for any certain position. I believe there is too much focus on looks because it has taken a higher priority than quality. I’ve seen ppl in suits that are slime as frog juice and have less than quality work ethic and character but ppl accept them and ignorantly return to them no matter how many times it has been proven their quality is poor. I simplify it and call that deceptive and others ignorance or inability understand the phrase, “do not judge a book by its cover”.
  
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- Geo
  
  March 12, 2013 at 5:27 AM
  
  I have had hired smokers and they get sick more often , spend more time taking breaks and they smell. Not a good investment. Throw in the fact that a person that knowingly abuses their body , is not that intelligent. I myself am in good shape and do not smoke and yes I hire overweight people. The difference is that you need to eat to live and to start smoking is quite frankly, ONE OF THE DUMBEST THINGS ONE CAN DO.
  
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So Lost

February 16, 2013 at 6:47 PM

I love how every time I google suicide because of unemployed this article always pops-up no matter how many ways I phrase it. It’s quite fitting seeing how this author points out how utterly hopeless it’s become. I wouldn’t be so damn depressed if one of you high and mighty #$%%#^ would give me a job.

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- kyle kelly
  
  February 22, 2013 at 2:53 AM
  
  I hear you on the suicide because of unemployment. employers discriminate all the time its a harsh world
  
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Peter Wexler

February 16, 2013 at 12:48 AM

I can summarize all of the comments about this article with five words: John Heckers is an idiot.

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Chyson Telles-Petri

February 15, 2013 at 2:42 AM

Ok, some advice I believe is accurate about the shaving, the piercings,and just pretty much the physical stuff. But for the non-physical things, does anyone believe his advice works? No matter how good you do in an interview, it is not guaranteed. It’s NOT easy to get a job, if it was that easy, i think the unemployment rate would be very low. But Mr. John here makes it sound like everyone is losers, but believe me, if everyone keeps trying, there is no such thing as losers. Well what do you expect, John here has it in his head, he thinks he is superior to everyone else. But guess what, he’s equal just like the rest of us. He probably got it easy in his life, but guess what? I know more people including me have fought and still fighting too get a job, regardless how hard it is. I believe I fought more than John physically and mentally. If all of the other so called “superior employers” were in our shoes, they would barely know what too do. For me fighting for a job, at least I know i’m a fighter, not a person that will easily give up. And every one of you unemployed people, like me, could fight too get a job too, just gotta believe.

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Obe Manny

February 14, 2013 at 12:47 AM

Wow, I guess there is really no need to bother applying at all. This guy acts as if you follow his advice you will get every job. I remember a time when companies needed people to work and they would teach them the job. Now, companies hire a needless army of people to not hire other people. Sometimes you can do everything right and still not get the job…so there is really no reason to change a lot about yourself to try to please other people. Many of these companies constantly hire and HR loves to not hire people. They complain about applications and phone calls but they love to be the decider. They often hire the wrong people and they quickly leave. Why? Because there is no right person for the job! These are made up positions that require you to do other people’s job. Companies love to mix Finance and computer Science these days… well here is some news for you… to get good at one thing you have to do one thing and it takes time. A computer guy may know something about Finance and a Finance guy may know a little about programs… but to be really good you have to concentrate on your field. So, I would not change a whole lot about myself and become something that I am not… this guy is really telling you to lie to get hired. He believes because he is a big shot he knows more but he doesn’t. You can do all the things he says and still not get hired. There is no 2nd place… you either get the job or you don’t. I remember a time when you could work two low paying jobs to make ends meet… now you can not even get those. I think somewhere down the line management forgot what their job really is… it is to find talent… find good people and help them move up in the company and take on greater roles. Now, Managers look for someone who will sit still and thank them everyday for the job. Managers these days think they are on NCSI and they have a group of people who should run to them with information… while they play the star. In real life you have to earn respect, you have to know the job you are the head of and now too often managers do not. When this economy turns around people are not going to forget how they were treated and many companies are going to regret what they are doing now.

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Kaye McDonald

February 13, 2013 at 7:14 PM

Dear John,

I wish getting a job was a lot simpler and rewarding than it really is. If it was 1970’s I could obtain nearly any career I wanted, the only thing holding me back may have been my gender. But now, ‘ism’ is a forgotten word as nearly all jobs make they’re potential employees beg.

Thankyou John, you have made me realise it is not my fault I am unemployed. But it is definitely my resume that has let me down. I am over qualified for the jobs I’m going for and underqualified for the jobs I want. I’m too old; 45years, female and try too hard… Should I give up? No!

I love life; I have a lot of hobbies and a humungous debt. I’m lucky; I also have a loving husband who understands the difficulty in re-joining the workforce after becoming redundant from a Factory Job.
Yes I did just quit a job recently, not because I am lazy but because that workplace was very fraudulent. I am a very honest, reliable and caring person who has no difficulty learning new tasks or information. Plus I am very energetic and have a strong work ethic.

But, I also believe the expectations and qualifications required now are becoming a joke; Why does a person with a Certificate 2 or less, get an opportunity to become a trainee but a person with the wrong degree or career path above Certificate 2 can’t have a chance to start again. Why do Childcare workers need more than a first aid certificate and a police check; there are a lot of unemployed excellent parents that can’t do this job as the Australian Government has placed minimal child education training on this position to encourage over education and hidden unemployment figures. I too, am one of those hidden unemployment figures, as my husband earns too much for me to receive any help, but too little to pay our debt.

Obviously you have been given the golden spoon in life; have never had to look for a job but have the arrogance to tell all unemployed they’re useless. Or, sadly you are a beautiful person who has had his head in the sand too long and does not see or hear the true reasons many of us try to give 110% only to have our resumes tossed to one side or exploited by the miserable low life thugs.

Kind Regards,
Kaye :)

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john

February 12, 2013 at 8:30 PM

In my experience, which is extensive, interviewers are often:

unprepared
arrogant
pompous
unrealistic
bigoted

We live in a society where employers have got it into their heads that they are superior to the sector that works for them. Wrong. You are equals and it would be refreshing to find an employer who conducted the employment process with that in mind rather then pontificating about what the employee is doing wrong.

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- FemShepard
  
  March 20, 2013 at 7:31 PM
  
  I agree.
  
  Reply
GF

February 11, 2013 at 11:41 AM

A lot of upset people on here, but hey, you guys, why would you even want to debase yourselves by going after one of his poxy jobs. This article is clearly written to annoy, though he’s probably right telling you to network more. Seriously though most jobs are not worth going after, I am trying to make it on my own, tough but I don’t see the point of applying for jobs anymore, I loathe office work with every bone of my beingand am trying to use the opportunity to do something I really want to do, which costs me relatively little money, no point in existing otherwise.

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- Genevieve
  
  February 12, 2013 at 3:12 PM
  
  “Seriously though most jobs are not worth going after,” says the person who doesn’t want to work.
  
  Is unemployment worth going after? I bet you’d say yes. Full-time at McDonald’s is more honorable than stating you don’t want to try for stupid reasons.
  
  You’ve been unemployed for how long? You loathe office work? I hate to break it to you (I’m lying when I say that), but you don’t get the privilege of “loathing” work when you have no way to pay your bills (on your own, not on the government teat and my tax money).
  
  It doesn’t matter what you like or don’t like when it comes to meeting your needs. If you really are “trying to make it on (your) own” you’ll work, and not squeal that you haven’t found your cake-walk job. Sounds like you’re lazy.
  
  Reply
  - Chica
    
    February 15, 2013 at 1:37 AM
    
    What’s so honorable about selling yourself into minimum wage servitude?
    
    GET A CLUE Homer
    
    Reply
  - Kaori
    
    February 20, 2013 at 3:35 AM
    
    McDonalds hires people for full-time work?
    
    Reply
  - Elsadora
    
    May 18, 2013 at 10:58 PM
    
    I hate break your bubble, but full time employment at Mc Donald’s doesn’t exist unless you are in management.
    
    “Is unemployment worth going after? I bet you’d say yes. Full-time at McDonald’s is more honorable than stating you don’t want to try for stupid reasons.”
    
    Reply
Crispy

February 10, 2013 at 11:54 PM

While I can understand some of your points, in general the tone of this article only works in a recession. Eventually the economy will recover and you will have to fight for potential employees. This idea that an employer can recruit the “perfect” employee to work for pennies on the dollar and expect expceptional performance has never worked. Poor moral = poor performance in any economy. So keep searching for the not higher than a bachelors degree and no more than 3 years experience to fill your pathetic positions but don’t be surprised when your company plummets because you took advantage of economy and overlooked potential star achievers that could have grown your company.

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- Opinionated
  
  February 12, 2013 at 7:50 PM
  
  You said it Crispy and I couldn’t agree with you anymore. Most people wouldn’t apply for a job they did’t believe they wouldn’t be able to do.
  
  Reply
- eshey
  
  February 21, 2013 at 11:12 PM
  
  I’ve seen this exact thing happen twice at two different institutions. The companys hired in a bunch of recent grads, paid them low wages, and in less than three months they were all gone. It was so bad at one particular firm that they had to beg people to stay in order to makeup for the mass exodus – an entire IT department left in one day (5 people).
  
  Reply
Bert

February 10, 2013 at 7:05 PM

Also, what if you’re a pot smoker, not just regular tobacco, but marijuana? I think more and more, there’s a strong case to be made for learning how to run your own business. That way, you get to make all your own personnel deciderers, including whether or not you’re fit to hold down a job etc.

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Niall

February 10, 2013 at 4:14 PM

The only chance of people in toodays world of getting a fair crack at things and I’m sorry to have to say it. is the hope of aworld war .After world changing wars every thing has to start a again from the knees up if u read history books on events after world wars the people seem to up to there neck in job opporttunatys .. Just saying peeps ..

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- Chica
  
  February 15, 2013 at 1:38 AM
  
  Yes, and the war should be a revolution against corporate greed.
  
  Reply
Bert

February 9, 2013 at 4:53 PM

What if you smoke, have tats, pierced, AND you didn’t shave? Alas, the white-collar working world demands conformity. Healthy slave’s a happy slave!

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Andrew

February 9, 2013 at 1:47 PM

Some of his points are good, others are bad, and some are hypocritical:

1: Seems valid enough.
2: Definitely agree with this one, if people cannot even be professional and polite during a quick interview why would they expect to be hired.
3: This goes too far. If piercings can be removed and tattoos covered up it really shouldn’t be an issue. Admittedly some environment this should be expected, but really he is just showing his personal bias. Old fart indeed.
4: This generally makes sense. The key would be to be clean, presentable and hygienic.
5: Makes sense, especially given the poor state of the economy. However, nothing is wrong in many instances with negotiating a salary.
6: I don’t really have an opinion on this one, but it seems reasonable.
7: This one is a half truth, with so many people out of work they often have to use the shotgun approach.
8: This one is blatant snobbery and unprofessional (btw I hate smoking as well). I agree that lengthy smoke breaks are bull, but otherwise it should be a non issue. Considering that alcohol, and fatty foods are also making people unhealthy and unproductive should they be banned to?
9: I agree with this one, jobs and professions often become obsolete due to innovation, robotics, better practices, etc.
10: His point is valid but he seems hypocritical given the generally condescending and dismissive attitude he shows towards certain people in this paper. He admits inherent biases against smokers, people with piercings, and tells people they most likely deserved to be fired which is often bull considering just as many people are fired due to political games, manipulation, boss’s egos, being a whistleblower vs. deserving to be fired. Judging just by this article the author certainly does not represent the positive, upbeat model he recommends.
1I: don’t think he is being insensitive about people with depression here, his advice seems reasonable.
12: Valid. While some angry jerks get ahead, it is usually via behind the scenes manipulation vs. being overly hostile.
13: Make sense, no need to comment.
14: Same as above.
15: Definitely agree with the idea, but extroverts easily dominate most industries and businesses, whether they know how to shut up or not. In my experience networking and sucking up to the boss always results in more rewards than being quiet and working harder.
16: Good in theory, but telling he truth does not always result in being hired. People who can bs in interviews often have an advantage vs. people who tell the truth (studies show this). Additionally, the question he gives as an example is a classic trap question interviewers use (which frankly is just as deceptive). Remember that an interviewer is more likely to hire you if you tell him what he/she wants to hear vs. telling the truth. If that wasn’t the case, there would be less yes men and sycophants.
17: Very good point, I am amazed how many managers and supervisors I have had who do not even know how to communicate effectively. I always wondered “who did they BLANK to get their job.”
18: Also a good point.

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- Chica
  
  February 15, 2013 at 1:34 AM
  
  WRONG. No good points at all from that fat head.
  
  Reply
Bruno

February 5, 2013 at 10:29 AM

Sir, I do appreciate this article. I too agree with you that people do need to shave and get a haircut and stop wearing piercings to job interviews, and maybe quit smoking as these are unattractive habits. Better communication and interview skills are also a plus, though I struggle with these too, but am working on them.

But, I have a few beefs with your article. You say to not be angry. Well how am I not supposed to get angry when it seems I can’t get job. I try to be the best I can be. I’m hardly some smoking tatooed loser who can’t take care of himself. I try to do what I can but I keep getting rejected. What the heck is wrong with me then eh. Also, I find it disturbing that you think depression makes someone unhireable. I am currently depressed, yet I try and put on my best face when I go for an interview, only to be rejected. So please tell me what is wrong with me so I can get a job.

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- jobhunter
  
  February 6, 2013 at 9:07 AM
  
  Don’t show you are angry when being interviewed. As for being depressed, most of us without jobs are to some degree, don’t act depressed while being interviewed.These are all common sense answers, whould you hire someone who is acting depressed and angry when interviewing them?
  
  Reply
  - JMB
    
    February 6, 2013 at 3:53 PM
    
    Don’t be afraid to question the employers with good questions too. Always ask “why” when you’re unclear of something, not just “how.” You can tell when the employer wants a good worker or some yes-man they can screw around. Ask the right questions and the jerk employers won’t hire you because you’re capable of critical thinking. That in itself saves you a hassle.
    
    Don’t always assume all employers are jerks, but a good majority of them in today’s market want suckers who they can b.s.
    
    Reply
  - Kaori
    
    February 9, 2013 at 8:42 PM
    
    Unfortunately, there is no way to turn depression on and off, so advising someone to not ‘act’ depressed makes no sense.
    
    Reply
    - Chica
      
      February 15, 2013 at 1:41 AM
      
      Yes you would have to sell your humanity wholesale to fulfill all requirements of how we should act to get or keep a crap job today, according to these HR dolts and corporate spokespeople flunkies.
      
      Reply
    - jobhunter
      
      February 21, 2013 at 10:32 AM
      
      There is no way to turn off depression but acting depressed is different! I’m guessing you have never been depressed. Most people who have no clue just stereotype it!
      
      Reply
Grover

February 4, 2013 at 11:20 PM

…… #6 States that “You’re very overqualified.”

and that “Realistically, I’m not going to hire someone with 10+ years of experience with a great deal of responsibility in their last job for an entry-level job. Entry-level jobs will be filled by entry-level people. All you do when you apply for these things is annoy the employer. I know you might be desperate.

I just got turned down for a job that I was completely qualified for…. It was a entry-level network tech…. starting pay 27,900… All they were asking for was a 2-year degree in the field and 1-2 years experience….. not only did I not get the job or an interview; because I have a friend in human resources, I found out that no-one with a 2-year degree was even called for an interview, they threw all the 2-years in the garbage and only looked at the 4-years……. By the way this was for a community college that only offered 2-year degrees, and funny enough I even had the one in the field they was looking for from there own college. The job was given to a guy with a 4-year and 14 years xp in the field….. For an entry-level position only making 27,900 starting???….. I’M BUM FOUNDED

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- JMB
  
  February 5, 2013 at 12:04 PM
  
  Maybe employers are more desperate than people seeking work? It reminds me of that George Carlin skit right before his death about owners wanting obedient workers. Any person of education, old school Americans knew this, don’t need a Bachelor’s unless the field required extensive training to be a doctor or lawyer. I have an AS and didn’t pursue BS because I saw the clowns who were graduating and picking up retail jobs that will NEVER get them anywhere. Worthy employers (a rarity) want a certain level of education, but more importantly want a level of passion few people have these days. College is niche market for Federal Government to make more money than ever.
  
  Stand up to logic like Mr Heckers and all these employers spew. Start leading by example and do your own thing.
  
  Mr. Heckers, as I’ve said, makes some good valid points and is successful financially. His assumption on medication and depressions is waaaay off. Looking at his weight, if he ended up with a stroke and could no longer work because he’s paralyzed, he’d be singing a different tune. Too big, too bust?? I think the not….Mr Hecker’s is a very heavy man. Am I wishing that on him, no. But life will show him otherwise if his bad eating habits catch up to him. Clear proof Mr. Heckers is as expendable as anyone here unemployed.
  
  If failure to question keeps anyone unemployed, then you’re one step closer to writing your own success if you trust yourself more than what society expects.
  
  Reply
JMB

February 2, 2013 at 3:52 AM

Hey Mr. Heckers, you made valid points and so did many of these people commenting. Your intent was to constructively criticize people so they may be able to better their situation…

Since you have many readers and many replies, why not address issues you didn’t point out? Please provide some more insight and respond to reader comments individually.

You are trying to help people with your article, correct?

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Linda

February 1, 2013 at 4:26 PM

This guy obviously doesn’t know a damn thing. Wake up and smell the coffee stupid. It seems people who are already employed are getting the jobs and people, God forbid your over 40 get the shaft. What an ignorant jerk. Your either over qualified, under or someplace in between. They judge you on the way you look, like seeing the gray in your hair and cross you off for being over the hill. I have loads of experience, but do they care?

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- Earl
  
  February 8, 2013 at 10:42 PM
  
  Exactly. I’ve had interviews where they tell me, “With your previous work experience, you’re exactly the type of person we’re looking for!”. I put on my best side, am polite and friendly. Speak clearly when spoken to, am clean and presentable etc. etc… Yet I am still unemployed. I think you make a VERY valid point that, once you hit 40 (which I did last year), you become invisible to employers. I think it is a complete and utter cop-out to place all the blame on those seeking employment and next to none on employers. The “over-qualification” reason is beyond ridiculous. Who would they prefer, a person who knows next to nothing about a specific position or a person who knows exactly what the job entails and who, based on experience can even simplify or improve said job? I guess this garbage economy and over-screening by employers isn’t a HUGE factor nowadays. Utter nonsense. Then to state that you shouldn’t feel frustrated and depressed and should just “get over it”? Are you kidding me? WAY easier said than done! Tell that to someone who is on the verge of losing a house, car, running out of food by mid month and having to ration food just to make it ’til the end of the month when food stamps ($60 worth for the WHOLE month) get re-issued. Throw in mounting bills and the stigma of being on welfare or food stamps. I guess people in these situations should be happy and upbeat. Talk about being out of touch with common sense and reality…
  
  Reply
Carl

January 31, 2013 at 11:40 PM

I have never read an article with such nonsense in my life. For one time I would like a guy like this to get knocked off his high horse and start from scratch and have to go in and do what we all have to do and live a life like others of us do and then think he can say all this stuff with a straight face. Resume’s DO MATTER and to get experience people need the OPPORTUNITY to get the experience. I’ve hit homeruns on interviews and still have not been considered for the job opportunity because the simple fact is there are so many other factors in getting hired now. All of these companies want “the IT factor” in candidates that have perfect credit histories, all of the experience in the world, all of the education in the world, and if the candidates don’t have that there are not very many of them that want to give people a single opportunistic chance much less hire them on for the position. The economy is bad I get it but as it is bad, everything else rises. Gas prices rise, grocery prices rise, etc. Even though all this other stuff rises companies still want to pay low wages and offer less chances for promotions, raises, or bonuses yet they expect you to work more hours at their discretion.

This article simply tells us the message of “tough luck” from corporate greed in America.

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London

January 30, 2013 at 5:31 PM

I was made redundant 10 years ago. Since then I have only managed to get contractual jobs lasting for a maximum period of 2 years. I changed my career path since the redundancy and managed to work my way up to management level through hard work and determination. My organisation faced cuts and as a result my contract was terminated. To add further insult I was replaced by a much younger person with no experience I had to train them for my role. Since then it has been virtually impossible for me to even get an interview. The job market has changed a lot I feel that certain factors are against me including my age I have just turned 40. During my twenties and thirties I found it quite easy to find work now it is a totally different ball game. It really annoys me when you get people saying that unemployed people are not trying hard enough. The person who wrote this article needs to get a reality check he may experience the pitfalls of unemployment one day. The harsh reality is that some applicants are inadvertently subjected to indirect discrimination potential employers are not going to admit that. In some cases jobs are filled before they are advertised. I do agree to somewhat that networking helps at times. It is not so much your experience that counts anymore but who you know. I strongly disagree with one point he made stating that overqualified people should not bother to apply for entry level jobs. In an ideal world we would love to have more freedom in choosing a particular job or career path but in this current climate it is not possible. We all have bills to pay and everyone has to start from somewhere.

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adam

January 30, 2013 at 12:31 AM

Too big to fail is this guys message to everybody. Sue him personally and not the company. Record your interviews because recordings of questions that relate to discrimination are very easy to win your case. If you’re in Canada contact legal aid. Might be able to bring down the company with this inconsiderate d— head!

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Martin Forde

January 29, 2013 at 2:42 PM

“1. You aren’t networking enough.”
Friends don’t even call me back.

“2. You interview poorly.”
You’re hiring 1 person and interviewing 10 people, but “I’m” interviewing poorly?

“3. You’re pierced.”
You’re shallow.

“4. You didn’t shave.”
Can’t afford a new razor.

“5. You’re asking too much money.”
I don’t remember asking for money.

“6. You’re very overqualified.”
We’re applying for an entry-level position because there are no other positions. We need to pay bills too. Even if we are over-qualified.

“7. You’re “shotgun” applying.”
Realistically, this is the best chance at getting an interview.

“8. You smoke.”
What you’re doing is ILLEGAL.

“9. Your job title has disappeared (or is endangered).”
Then what are these job postings? And why are they being posted?

“10. Your attitude stinks.”
You’re blind.

“11. You’re depressed.”
You’re an insensitive prick, and what you’re doing is again ILLEGAL.

“12. You’re angry.”
No, I want a freaking job.

“13. You didn’t follow the directions in the posting.”
Why would ANYONE spend time writing a personal cover letter, but not know who to address it to? Why would ANYONE but a Doctor of Letters write 100s of these things, when it’s unclear that anyone is actually reading them? Maybe, just maybe, you’re expectations are too high.

“14. You missed an important piece of the interviewing process.”
You’re expectations are too high once again. You see, you’re not bank rolling this person yet. So for you to make inflexible demands on their time is literally pompous.

“15. Ya yack too much!”
You think too little.

“16. You’re evasive.”
Stop asking stupid self-depreciating questions.

“17. You can’t communicate.”
You don’t listen.

“18. You’re unprepared.”
Nonsense.

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- Eatyourfeedback
  
  January 30, 2013 at 10:05 AM
  
  An excellent answer to a very arrogantly written, highly disheartening article. The author,clearly, has not had to struggle through this economy. Here’s hoping he gets a taste of his own medicine eventually.
  
  Reply
  - JMB
    
    January 30, 2013 at 10:45 PM
    
    Don’t even wish that on him, just look forward. Spend the energy where it counts improving your situation. Remember, all humans are expendable. Work through it, try new things and don’t let people’s success or failures get to you.
    
    I hate to admit it, but he makes a lot of good points. The arrogance (which we’re all guilty of) does comes off crude and he is wrong on things like getting a doctor to get treatment. Not only will you go in more depressed, you’ll be twitching or permanently smiling, increased confusion or having random fit spells from side-effects. Lack of attention span (aka “ADHD”) I’ve learned, is greatly focused when people pursue what they want to do and stop listening to what’s expected. Then the depressions starts to drift away. Amazing how it works! Unless you’re going to jump off a cliff, fight that depression without any drugs or alcohol and taking the spare time to learn what you’ve always wanted to or need to improve upon or both. My goodness, you’ll feel better having something to look forward to in the recovery process.
    
    My plans are small, but believe me, if and when my work grows (and it will) I will hire production help. I want to someday own my own guitar production facility and really strive to keep the old USA quality in the USA market. College degree or not…bring your passion and mind to my table. I don’t care if you’re unemployed or not, I like to see a good attitudes, honest and deeply driven passionate people.
    
    You’ll be fine. Many of you will be fine on here. Keep looking forward and working through your hardships.
    
    Reply
- Red
  
  January 30, 2013 at 2:13 PM
  
  This comment makes me very, -very- happy.
  
  Reply
- MichaelJordan
  
  January 31, 2013 at 7:43 AM
  
  HR “Big Guys”, and Managers think they rule this world.. You’re just so little, losing people they ll shine out of their job if they got hired..
  
  Reply
  - Crispy
    
    February 11, 2013 at 12:52 AM
    
    I worked as an HR manager for 15 years and never had the mentality of this author. Sure some of his advice is general knowledge that all applicants should adhere to. However, the majority of the advice would not help you obtain a job even if you are the most qualified applicant. These hiring managers are so ignorant they don’t know what would actually be good for business. They have these preconceived notions about the overqualified unemployed overpaid candidate that they won’t even look at the benefit these potential candidates could offer. Instead they chose to hire the incompetent candidates in hopes that they can treat them like crap and actually expect them to stay around when the economy recovers.
    
    Reply
- UNEMPLOYED
  
  February 11, 2013 at 8:10 PM
  
  I AGREE WITH EVERY WORD YOU’VE SAID.
  
  GUY WHO WROTE THIS ARTICLE SHOULD QUIT COACHING
  
  STATING THAT YOU ARE HIRING “ENTRY LEVEL” IS DISCRIMINATORY ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
  
  Reply
- Chica
  
  February 15, 2013 at 1:46 AM
  
  Very well replied! I like the way you think. too bad smart people who refuse to sell out can’t get a decent job in crap-orate America.
  
  Reply
JMB

January 27, 2013 at 9:41 PM

I’m 31 years old, went through rough times like everyone else. I went to college late at 28 for graphic design and graduated. In this economy, the most important thing to do is stay sharp and KEEP learning. Trust me, no one would hire me after college. Even while I had experience, graduated with a B+, and was among the best students skill-wise….etc, it was a bust. Believe me, I had the whole depression thing going with frustration, disappointment, medications, anger spells, family drama and more loooong before college. The author is right about a negative attitude making your chances worse. You have to pick yourself up and be positive in any situation. It’s not going to be easy. Positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative despite these opposites attract theories we all fall for in our social networking.

Study what you can in your free time, just don’t spend your unemployed time watching sitcoms and reality TV shows. That stuff makes dwelling worse. People lose sight of real-life and they can no longer disconnect from from scripted TV personas because they are aspiring to Jersey Shore and all that counter-productive behavior in their depressive state. That’s a whole mess in itself with our modern ways.

Am I employed by a company? Nope. My failures became my strengths so I decided to pursue my life-long passion as a wood worker doing a specific line of work. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have my parents or anyone helping me emotionally or financially like many people have. This line of work is a long path. In fact, my family shunned BIG time for pursuing this. I learned a lot. I learned how to be calm, take constructive criticism with a grain of salt. I’m alive, happy, a lot to live for and very aware of what I have to do in life.

It’s not easy, but life isn’t bad either. It’s how we measure ourselves and if we take failure as a success or not. Nobody gets success right the first time…NOBODY! That’s another big misconception. You have to fail, take criticism and learn how to improve yourself without telling those who can help you learn to go “F” themselves. When simple jobs in retail were telling me I’m over-qualified and bigger jobs told me not enough experience, I finally did my own thing. I’m still struggling, but I’m on my path towards something because I decided to buy my own work-from-home shop. That’s the important thing.

Depression, dwelling, anger etc…..let it all go. The medications to treat these are dangerous and cause side-effects and profit pharmaceuticals. I don’t agree with visiting a doctor because they will dope you up on stuff when you really need to face whats bothering you head on. Face the world like you’ve already lost everything. Then the only way to climb is to move up, one day at a time. Would you rather be unemployed miserably or unemployed working towards something in the meantime? The key is finding positivity during the hard times. Failure at times can be fun if you’re learning from it as you go. Eventually, you’ll get on your path. If you have to let go of things you can no longer afford, then do so instead of worrying about what people may think of you. You’ll get back on track eventually. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Reply
- sassydai
  
  January 29, 2013 at 1:53 PM
  
  I am so encourage. Thank you.
  
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- Carl
  
  January 31, 2013 at 11:28 PM
  
  Very well said JMB.
  
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- PMH
  
  February 4, 2013 at 3:38 PM
  
  JMB, I love your positive, can do attitude. I admit I have been very depressed having been unemployed over 15 months and fast approaching 40 the end of this week, feeling like I have nothing to show for my life. I feel like such a failure in my own mind. But reading your response was uplifting and inspiring. Thank you.
  
  Reply
- Will
  
  February 20, 2013 at 3:29 PM
  
  I like your post, JMB/ With a few exceptions of course…
  
  1. What if you are a manic depressive who cannot afford any kind of treatment? You are so right that those drugs are bad news, but I assure you it is not so simple to ‘let it all go’. Am I supposed to just accept that I cannot get any work because of my depression?
  2. “Study what you can in your free time, just don’t spend your unemployed time watching sitcoms and reality TV shows.” Good advice, except some of us are staring at the computer screen, not the television,. and we are doing this because we are trying to get work. Let’s not make assumptions on why someone is watching any kind of screen, be it TV or the computer.
  3. As so many others have pointed out, there is a massive age discrimination in all hirings. They don’t want experienced, intelligent people… they want cheap robots that will do whatever is asked of them without a whimper, that will accept peanuts for their efforts, and will NOT do anything to damage their egos, and most of all will kiss their ass even when any fool can see that — is about as dirty as they come.
  
  Again, not a bad post, but personally it reminds me of a reformed smoker… “Hey, if I can do it, anyone can!” I do not mean to disrespect, but that is about the silliest attitude I can think of. Unless you are my clone, you have no idea whether or not I can ‘do it’, nor can you say just because you got lucky means everyone will. I can tell you from VAST experience that some of us just are not going to get the luck you had. Yes, I know you worked hard and so on, but without that stroke of luck, all that work can count for absolutely nothing. Again, speaking from VAST experience here.
  
  Reply
- lerake
  
  April 18, 2013 at 7:06 PM
  
  JMB
  Your post is fantastic. When you have free time you should become motivation speaker. I am not sarcastic, you summarised my exact thoughts in your post. I wish you very good luck, you have the right attitude and do well.
  
  Reply
Laurie

January 24, 2013 at 11:54 PM

Reading this persons article is irritating. Being unemployed/laid-off for the past 3 years, I have upgraded my resume and cover letter. Had it reviewed 4 times and continue pounding the pavement looking for part-time to full-time work and I am still not getting any offers nor interviews. Here in Ohio, they do a full background check which I’m sure they do in other states. I have no Criminal Record, been fingerprinted to work in Security, but the only thing that truly hurts me and I’m sure others is my credit history. Having worked since I was 14 and before being laid-off worked 2 jobs back to back while raising 5 children, I have been trying to pay off all our bills. What the author fails to say is that your credit score is how the employer sees the applicant. If your home was foreclosed on, a car repossed, and you are struggling to pay your bills, you as a perspective employee is labeled “A security risk because due to your debt you will steal from the company.” Does this sound fair? I find it frustrating and yes, it would make one quite angry because all anyone wants is a job so they can pay their bills.

Reply
- The Pony
  
  January 27, 2013 at 9:06 PM
  
  Here’s the REAL reasons for being unemployed:
  
  -LAZY Human Resources people who no longer read resumes, and instead use a resume scanner to read and sort through resumes- the job that HR is paid to supposedly do.
  
  -CHEAP companies who are looking for slave labor and want to UNDERVALUE the employee’s worth and skills. That $30,000 job is a wage that most cannot live on, especially if living in a big city (in my case, Los Angeles) where the cost of living is high, if someone has a family to support, has to pay a mortgage or rent, etc. Hire someone at $30,000 to do that work but don’t expect loyalty…that person is looking for something better (and probably making copies of your trade secrets too)
  
  -GREEDY corporations who keep shipping jobs overseas. More profits for them so they can support their fat cat lifestyles.
  
  Reply
- Carl
  
  January 31, 2013 at 11:32 PM
  
  I feel your frustration Laurie and I agree with you completely. The article this guy has written doesn’t make any sense and he has zero sight of the real world. Keep your head up, I’m in Ohio too with a degree and trying to push my way into contract jobs in the technology world just to gain experience and be hopeful since my job at the port of Cleveland has basically abruptly became undependable and I’m living unemployment check to unemployment check. Try to stay positive and stick to your gut feeling on what is right and what you need to do to survive. That’s all we can do.
  
  Reply
- Rachel
  
  February 21, 2013 at 7:04 AM
  
  I would have grabbed the persons head and slammed it against the desk…and then said, “there now you have a legitimate reason not to hire me”. And walked out.
  
  Reply
Michael Trumbo

January 15, 2013 at 6:55 PM

Thank you for the insightful article. I’ve been unemployed for about a year, doing nothing more than changing my resume, cover letter and interview approach. Now I’ve got a starting point on addressing other specific reasons why I’m not getting the job after the interviews.

Reply
DCCain

January 15, 2013 at 9:28 AM

This was a great, well-written, and informative article. He held no punches back and I appreciate that!

Reply
Abby

January 14, 2013 at 8:32 PM

This article is utterly utterly pompous, arrogant and offensive. It seems that the author’s only purpose in writing this was to show what a smug, self-righteous bag if wind he truly is.

Reply
- John
  
  January 27, 2013 at 1:18 PM
  
  Wow, no wonder you are out of a job. I thought this article was very straightforward and honest. I suppose if you are a smoking, tattooed, lazy pos, this article may offend you because you don’t like hearing that your life decisions are keeping you from getting employed.
  
  Reply
  - Jack
    
    January 29, 2013 at 11:02 AM
    
    My, my, John — aren’t you a real piece of work. Someone criticizes the writer and you take it personally and then try to vilify them. Shame on you. You are precisely the kind of person I enjoy firing.
    
    Reply
    - Susie
      
      January 29, 2013 at 12:44 PM
      
      Well said Jack….
      
      Reply
  - Eatyourfeedback
    
    January 30, 2013 at 10:08 AM
    
    I disagree. I found it condescending, disheartening and rude. Are you John Heckers, the author of this article, by chance?
    
    Reply
  - Martin
    
    January 30, 2013 at 2:06 PM
    
    I can’t wait till you get sued for discrimination.
    
    Reply
  - William
    
    February 2, 2013 at 6:15 PM
    
    John,
    
    I think you have no compassion and you are too judgemental. Corporations are going too soon have to deal with an ugly mob scene.
    
    The corporate attitude toward human beings and their un-quenchable greed will be the start of the next worker bee uprising. OWS was nothing.
    
    Where do you get off, telling people to shave and not get a tattoo. Why? God forbid we should upset the corporate overlords vision of the world.
    
    Corporations buy the politicians and rig the game and when the economy crashes it is the worker bees fault. HOW DARE YOU!!!
    
    I hope the ruin the bankers and 1% have created comes back on them ten fold. Capitalism only works for the wealthy. The poor worker bee has been ruined. Now it is time to shuffle the deck….re-distribute and hit the reset button.
    
    Reply
Nate

January 13, 2013 at 2:33 PM

I utterly despise this entire article. Typical pompous vitriol spouted by yet another useless “consultant” (leech). He who can’t, consults-case in point.

Your point on overqualification is particularly ridiculous. Some of us have families to feed and bills to pay. The premise of your assertion that we unfortunate souls who are trapped in this vicious purgatory should all start our own business is totally untenable. If we had capital to do this, why would we even be in our respective situations?

I hope you burn in hell you rotten POS virus of a human being. I cherish the day you have to feed your family on unemployment. It’s scum like you that keeps good, hard working and driven people out of good jobs whilst you feast on the fat of the land. You are a true enemy to the unemployed.

Reply
- Unemployed guy
  
  January 16, 2013 at 12:47 AM
  
  right on!!
  
  Reply
- Overqualified and Unemployed
  
  January 17, 2013 at 4:58 PM
  
  POS … Point of Sale? j.k.
  
  I totally agree with you, as I…am overqualified as well. Just because I was a hard worker before the economy went to hell-o does not mean my family doesn’t deserve to eat! Also, bc of the economy I have to start a new career. I’m entirely coachable and a quick study and no, I wouldn’t just up and leave a company that helped me by giving me a job, I’d want to have a career there!
  
  I was pretty much fine with the article aside from that “point’ on being overqualified. If someone is willing to take a pay cut like that, they are willing to shine your shoes for free off the clock just to keep the job, and if you give them a chance, their longevity at their other employers shows LOYALTY…get a clue!!
  
  However, the point about not networking enough was a good one, a very good one, and is probably due to that person’s depression at being skilled and hardworking and consistently turned down during the beginning of their search. I shall make it a point to work harder at networking.
  
  Reply
- Happy
  
  January 18, 2013 at 11:16 AM
  
  Hey, Nate, this list is unfortunately very true from an employer’s perspective.
  
  Employers have hundreds of job searchers to choose from and are now more likely to weed out and be picky. I work for a job placement agency and agree with what the writer wrote – it’s becoming the norm.
  
  Candidate can’t follow application instructions, e.g. no phone calls, apply in person, send a PowerPoint or video presentation – they won’t be considered.
  
  Candidate is overqualified? They need to state why they are willing to take a pay cut or fewer responsibilities. He is right – if a better opportunity came up, you’d probably leave. Would someone be hired as a burger flipper (nothing wrong with that!) if they were once a GM or CFO? Probably not. That’s what he was meaning.
  
  State how your skills and experiences match that which the employer is looking for – answer the “What’s in it for me?” question the employer is asking.
  
  If someone was really desperate for a job and they believed their being overqualified was an issue: Emphasize you will take less time to train (and willing to learn! They don’t want someone set in their ways but who are willing to grow); you’re looking for long-term fit (refer to loyalty at previous job); know how to get things done; and willing to do the job for the salary being offered.
  
  Offer to sign a contract saying you would stay for a year!
  
  It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there – you have to stay positive because positive things happen to positive people!
  
  Reply
  - Will
    
    February 20, 2013 at 3:37 PM
    
    “Candidate is overqualified? They need to state why they are willing to take a pay cut or fewer responsibilities.”
    
    Umm… because there are no other jobs out there?
    
    It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there
    
    That’s because people make it that way. If humans were more compassionate and respectful of their fellow human beings, this stupid little saying would never have come up. Humans make things harder, and if certain ones would stop being so freaking greedy, perhaps the dog will go eat something else.
    
    Reply
  - lerake
    
    April 18, 2013 at 7:33 PM
    
    In 8 months I had 39 interviews – all “oopsy, overqualified/underqualified”. No, I did not do shortgun applications. Potential employers read my CV beforehand. Why waste time and my nerves?I asked several employment agencies,(non)employers for feedback – nobody pointed at any problems at interview, just “too much” for the job,mostly. So, I am stuck in limbo – redundancy for middle manager level. Can’t go down, cant’t go up.
    And no, thanks, no antidepressants!
    
    Reply
- Eatyourfeedback
  
  January 30, 2013 at 10:08 AM
  
  Thank you Nate – I couldn’t have worded a response better.
  
  Reply
Michelle

January 8, 2013 at 8:11 PM

The writer of this article is so incredibly arrogant and out of touch that it’s unbelievable. I went back to school after owning my own retail business for several years. I started school at 46 in a medical field and finished 2 1/2 years ago at the top of my class and with a 97 on my registry. I’ve only worked prn and part time jobs since graduation (usually 2 and 3 at a time to survive) and absolutely cannot land a full time job despite working ANY length shift 8 to 16 hours, ANY shift, night or day, weekends, holidays, etc….I have applied for HUNDREDS and interviewed for many. I’ve tried working through people I know in places, people DO NOT want to get involved or help you in any way. I learned the hard way what my problem is.It’s MY AGE and there is no way around it. Interviewers even tell me that they are impressed with me when I interview and make comments such as “The other candidates haven’t even asked me that much about the job, they just sit there and shrug their shoulders and tell me they want the job. You’ve asked me all about the position, procedures and the operations of the facility and you’ve gotten great experience because you have worked prn and part time, usually 2 or 3 jobs at a time at a good variety of facilities.” Still, do I get the job? No. One of the shoulder shruggers does. Why? Managers in their late twenties and early to mid-thirties don’t hire people in their 50′s. For some reason, these people have judged older people as past being able to work, learn and function when we have some of the best work ethics and drives there can be! These managers are also the people that I look at and think, hmmm, when you hit 50 bud and the facility lays you off because you’re older and making too much money for their comfort (let’s hire a younger, less experienced person for so much less!) or they don’t want to pay toward your retirement….we’ll see if you have the ability to tough it out as I have for so long. I bet it’s going to be such a shocker to you that you won’t be able to handle it. Depression? You better believe I’m depressed. I NEVER felt old when I started college and when first trying to find a job in my field after graduation. I felt vibrant, productive and alive. It took 2 1/2 years of continual rejection on applications, interviews and supposed connections who failed to help to feel this way. Age is definitely not looked at as a plus in the job market. Do I believe that people with good connections get the jobs? You better beleive it, because I do see some of the worst employees in the world with full time jobs and benefits and I cannot think of any other reason that they should have the job other than the fact that they were connected to someone, somehow. If you think that knowledge plays much of a part in their getting hired, think on this. The first person and the only person from my class of ten to land a full time job before graduation asked in class, two weeks before graduation, “Which side is your liver on – your left or your right?” REALLY? This is in a medical field folks. Of course people are depressed when trying to obtain a job and all they want to do is work and work hard for someone or some organization. When you see what the HR people and managers hire and you “aren’t qualified for the job” or “you are overqualified” or my all time favorite “we hired another candidate because we felt she was the perfect fit, like a hand in a glove”, you’re depressed because you can never figure the mess out. Also, forget about being hired for most medical jobs now after graduation. Even for prn (i.e. work when and if we call you and you better come running)the facilities want you to have 2 to 5 years experience in that specialty. They no longer train or are willing to train. All of the managers that reject me for lack of experience in a particular modality all say the same thing. We don’t have the time to train anyone, we need someone to come in knowing how to do it all. REALLY? I guess you, Mr. or Mrs. Manager, knew how to do everything when you finished college and walked in for your interview. No one had to train you in anything, you were just that good. I am so amazed at what people who have the fortune to be working as managers actually say to interviewees and what they actually think. Just like the writer of this article, they are hopelessly out of touch.

The people who always think they have the right answers for people searching for jobs have never been on the receiving (i.e. shaft) end of the job search. I also love the people that tell you “Oh, something will work out.” Aren’t they an encouragement? Your viewpoint will change entirely when you are on the job searching side.

Reply
- bensant57
  
  January 16, 2013 at 1:31 PM
  
  Well said !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
  
  Reply
- twinklex01@yahoo.com
  
  January 17, 2013 at 11:34 AM
  
  You hit the nail on the head when you said people companies will not train. That’s the bottom line. No time, expenses, or what ifs .
  
  Reply
- Jeri
  
  January 17, 2013 at 6:35 PM
  
  Reading this article reminded me of my on going quest. This is byfar the best example of truth in the current job market you either have to know someone or be related to someone in order to get into any place. Now people who hold this jobs can barely speak or write english but hold alot of this positions. I feel this is probaly the reason there were unions in place to prevent such bias from taking place in work force.
  
  Reply
- Susie
  
  January 26, 2013 at 5:09 PM
  
  I completely agree with Happy. I am turning 60 in July and have not had any job offers. I can’t seem to fit into these categories they are trying to put people in. Most of the jobs I’m over qualified for. I also took a pharmacy tech course and became certified only to find out your have to volunteer for at least a year before anyone will hire you. Whatever happened to on the job training.
  
  Yup, these people that give out advice don’t know what is really happening out in the real world. There are not a lot of jobs out there.
  
  Reply
- bigberthinbalt
  
  January 29, 2013 at 3:41 PM
  
  While many of these should be obvious they unfortunately committed by all too many. However given that there are a large number of highly qualifed people who were thrown into this economic storm it might be a rather simplistic to assume all or even most cannot land job for these reasons only. Its way too complicated. Also as others have stated overqualified workers who were for many years performing well and dedicated got thrown with little warning into the mix. Networking is a big factor. But many did jobs that did not involve much outside interaction or allow the opportunities to network as much. But networkingwhile employed is easier than whe starting when unemployed. You need them more than they need to network with you and they know that. And even with rather tight network groups, given that some industries are cur throat and managers are under a microscope in this economy and not secure anymore, they are more reluctant to return once promised favors or even refer or recommend someone. And as others said yes many have gone back and reinvented their skills and education and certificates, etc. but are facing age discrimination. And many would disagree with but I agree with most employers thought process that overqualified and more experienced workers wont be loyal and will be pain in the neck unmanageable know it alls. That can be said about smug young whippersnappers but also would be a false generalization. How many young employees are trying constantly to up their coworkers or managers talking behind their back and just looking at these entry level jobscas a quick stepping stone. Afterall many have none or little to hold them back from taking big risks of jeopardising their job by pushing boundaries along with taking a leap of faith too quickly to try another job or put up with anything they feel is too much like work or cup of tea. No mortgage, no children no major responsibilities. The older overqualified worker obviously has responsibilities and committments usuakly to stay put longer and has come to terms with the realization of down scaling and yes maybe be loyal and gracious for the opportunity and job and will understand to be helpful yet respectful to not step on someones or managers toes. Andmany keep those jobs while looking for a supplemental weekend or second/ part time job. Some dont even need the healthcare benefits if their spouse is employed. Some are able to live with less as they may have smaller mortgages and other paid off debt. Assumptions many times are wrong and may passed up this entry level person on paper that could do so much more for the company later on then just an entry level job. They can sometimes even wind up saving the company with their knowledge and contacts. And while some may be better to strike out on their own, some may depending on current financial responsibilities or revious industry or position may not be as easy or possible.
  
  Reply
  - Eatyourfeedback
    
    January 30, 2013 at 10:10 AM
    
    Thank you for pointing out his oversimplified “answers”. Mr. Heckers has clearly not walked this walk.
    
    Reply
- anon
  
  February 22, 2013 at 8:39 PM
  
  I agree that by the sounds of things you should have been hired already. When I was a young manager I had no qualms about hiring. I managed an antique mall. I must say that hiring is no easy task and yet it’s also not that hard. It takes time and tact to properly gauge applicants. That aside I know my boss (the owner) preferred age over any other attribute, assuming they had the knowledge for selling antiques. This was not the case but if his sweeping generalization applies for other antique shops, and you are not opposed to changing careers yet again, perhaps give it a try? I had great fun but alas working for him for min wage didn’t cut it. I went into security for another terrible employer that reminds me of the article writer here. I finally decided to go to college and get a degree in a field I enjoyed, technology. Alas I’m also unable to find work and I’d attribute the majority of my failures to gain employment on my appearance, as all the interviewers must know that people with piercings and tattoos must all be out of jail. I have maintained a 96% average in both high school and college and out perform all my co-workers on a consistent basis. Interpretation? I’m arrogant. I don’t boast about these stats? Interpretation: I’m too shy.
  The interviewer really just wants to enjoy the interview process. The person they liked the most on a personal level they will hire.
  
  Reply
job needer

January 8, 2013 at 2:43 PM

“Those who have a great attitude and have been able to overcome depression, anger and unrealistic expectations, will usually land in a hurry. Good luck!”…

I most certainly love how the very end of this article describe me but yet i’v been looking for a job for a year now…

Reply
- Him
  
  February 27, 2013 at 9:16 PM
  
  Yeah, basically this guy is saying “go f yourself!” Instead of good luck. Although I think he’s so dumb as to think he has original decent advice to offer and isn’t being a pri*k but is actually helping the world. Ha! Move on Heckerface, you have nothing new to add in the world you’re taking an active part of f’n over.
  
  Reply
Harry Dickson

January 6, 2013 at 12:09 AM

John,

What a sad article for so many. If I ever run into you I will kick you in the —-, or you end up working for me, you will be the first to go.

Reply
Jobseeker

January 5, 2013 at 7:34 PM

The writer sounds like an arrogant and judgmental a-hole. Let’s hope karma doesn’t bit him or her in the butt if they get the boot from their job and have to re-entire the workforce at some point in their lives!

Reply
KCGuy

January 2, 2013 at 6:23 PM

Interesting article… the writer comes across as angry and defensive.

Reply
- Ha
  
  January 4, 2013 at 11:37 PM
  
  I just came across this article and before seeing the author’s name, my impression was that it was an inexperienced girl who was on a power trip and hadn’t been taught much in life yet.
  
  Shocked this came from some middle aged guy. Interesting indeed.
  
  Reply
Connie

December 26, 2012 at 9:46 PM

If there is one job opening and ten people apply nine people will not get a job, even if they follow all of the advice in the article.

Reply
- X
  
  December 30, 2012 at 1:53 PM
  
  John Heckers is an arrogant pr!ck who needs to be humbled in life.
  
  I’d fire you in the first month if you worked for me.
  
  Reply
- Sheila
  
  January 2, 2013 at 1:14 AM
  
  Exactly!!!
  
  Reply
- Susie
  
  January 26, 2013 at 5:12 PM
  
  That’s right. Of course now there are over 100 applicants to most jobs. I am sure so many great people out there are just getting lost in the shuffle.
  
  it’s very sad.
  
  Reply
Marthaand Harrold

December 18, 2012 at 2:22 PM

Yes, when we are all $9.00 an hour wage slaves you’ll be glad.

Reply
Euro

December 13, 2012 at 8:15 PM

None of what you listed apply to me and yet I am still unemployed.

Reply
Carl

December 13, 2012 at 7:38 PM

What a load of crap. The reason you can’t get hired is because there are no jobs Plain and simple not because you did something wrong. You can have a top notch resume and cover letter if 300 people are applying for the same job your chances of landing the job are remote. There will always be someone with better qualifications and experience than you and someone who is ready to take less money.

Reply
- THUMPER
  
  December 27, 2012 at 2:15 PM
  
  Absolutly damn right. So many of these self important people say that “it’s you” for the reason that you can’t get a job. Although I do agree that being dressed for an interview and spit the gum out, this jerk puts all job seekers into that rabble pile. What an idiot.
  
  Reply
- Alexis
  
  December 31, 2012 at 3:01 PM
  
  Sometimes it’s not even that there are no jobs. I’ve noticed that some places will just hire friends. Even if they are depressed, have poor communications, have horrible anger problems, and are really unreasonable.
  
  Reply
  - linda
    
    January 11, 2013 at 4:57 AM
    
    for sure.
    
    Reply
- Susie
  
  January 26, 2013 at 5:16 PM
  
  You might have as much luck buying a megabucks ticket every now and again.
  
  There are no jobs because employers are afraid to hire until the economy gets better which could be a long long …………… time.
  
  Reply
Susan

December 12, 2012 at 1:49 PM

My husband has been unemployed for five years. I think all of the 18 reasons you listed are exactly correct. You hit the nail on the head.

Reply
- David
  
  December 19, 2012 at 4:01 AM
  
  Seems you do not like your husband. That is sad. Maybe you need to find a man you can respect.
  
  Reply
  - jess
    
    January 25, 2013 at 10:55 AM
    
    Wow…that was an ugly thing to say…about your husband I mean.
    
    Reply
- Eatyourfeedback
  
  January 30, 2013 at 10:17 AM
  
  I think you should get a divorce if you dislike your husband enough to agree with the author of this crappy article.
  
  Reply
- anon
  
  February 22, 2013 at 8:24 PM
  
  agreed. Neither you nor your husband are helping anything or anyone (sic. children).
  This is like a bad interview right there. Unless of coarse your husband is purposely trying to collect insurance/government funds and is lazy. In which case same result applies here. Seek marriage counseling or get a divorce. If I ever found out my significant other spoke like this about me instead of supporting me emotionally and trying to help me with my faults, I would drop her faster than the declining job market!
  
  Reply
Kimberly

December 4, 2012 at 1:38 PM

John,

Thank you for posting this. I realize this may not be answered, but I’m going to post here anyway.

I am shaking my head at the competition and frustration today’s job seekers have to put up with. I prepped so much for my last interview; purchased a new jacket to go with my suit (black with white shirt), hardly no makeup- no jewelry- no cologne, researched the company and all those I knew would be there, studied and practiced interview questions and went to two workshops for interviewing and resumes provided by the last college I attended, visited employment office to seek help that allowed me to repair a way outdated resume, called prior to interview for a couple of questions, answered every single question with confidence and a smile during the interview, sent thank you notes to the entire panel that interviewed me — scratch that, I hand delivered the thank you notes! I then called to make sure they received them – they commented on the hand delivering of them (their thoughts about it was – pretty awesome!), oh, and during the interview, the dean said they would personally call me which ever way they chose, regardless if it were me or not. I walked out of that interview with a million dollar smile! No call, only a lousy thank you for applying email stating I didn’t get the job.

I just turned in my resume for a similar position, once again. No call. One interview out of 20-30+ applications. I have to be honest with you. I would totally rock! for whoever feels they want to hire me. I just can’t get in the door. I can’t get anyone to look at my resume for the positions I fit into and feel I need to leave out that I even went to college on others. I’m sorry, but I’m no spring chicken – although, I don’t act my age either – job hunting and landing a job shouldn’t be this difficult. The only thing out of your article here that I feel applies to me is the depression part. I’m fine until I find out I don’t get the job (other than having to go through the trouble of tailoring my resume for each position) – who wouldn’t get depressed after so much preparation? And to see the jobs you post to just disappear with no calls? Do I even exist? Was my last interview a dream? I honestly have talent – going to such a waste because I can’t get my foot in the door.

Extremely Frustrated,

Kimberly

Reply
- Steve
  
  December 22, 2012 at 3:36 AM
  
  Kimberly, it is nice to read someone who puts what I feel into words. Agree 100% with you. I must have applied to about 100-200 jobs by know… nothing. I have the education and the experience needed (at least 60 %) for the positions sought… but nothing. I would like to get into a bigger bank… not even an answer. I used to be good at what I did, but our company downsized… anyway, thanks again for expressing how you feel… you are not alone feeling that way.
  
  Reply
  - david
    
    January 17, 2013 at 10:18 AM
    
    I am amazed at how many people are in the same boat. i have been networking like crazy, with no positive results.
    
    Reply
- job needer
  
  January 8, 2013 at 2:57 PM
  
  omg you sound like me this job hunt stuff should not be be difficult i mean what the heck next thing i know im homeless because jobs i applied for won’t call back or won’t even give me an interview… what exactly do i need to go through.. at first i thought it was because i didnt have a resume but now i have one and a whole year went by and im still looking for work…but i know all too well by experience how you feel to do all this prep work just to get an email notice that the position was filled…
  
  Reply
  - Susie
    
    January 26, 2013 at 5:29 PM
    
    I know how everyone feels here. You are wondering what you did and didn’t say at the interview. What’s wrong with me. I have worked over 39 years of my life and have a lot of experience, only to be made to feel like I now can’t do anything. I am hoping 2 years goes by fast so I can apply for my SSI.
    
    Hopefully I will be at least working part-time. Is that too much to ask for ?
    
    I think everyone is going through the same kinds of feelings. One day I feel really happy and motivated and the next day I feel hopeless despair.
    
    Reply
John

December 3, 2012 at 1:03 PM

Mr. Heckers, you are nasty, unshaven pig. How can someone seriously take the advice of someone who lacks the self discipline to control something as simply as their own weight.

Reply
James W.

November 13, 2012 at 8:26 PM

I am black, and I want to make it clear that nobody I know thinks like what is portrayed here. This is just someone trolling. Please ignore it .

Reply
- Deu
  
  November 16, 2012 at 9:43 AM
  
  I agree. I find it a tasteless attempt to humor.
  
  “Why not include in the list traits such as you are disabled, you are a veteran, you got a C in Algebra, ”
  
  What I believe to be the most upsetting part of being unemployed is that I most likely have applied to non existing positions advertised only to show that the “situation” is not as bad as we may think after all.
  
  Incredible, “you are depressed”, unbelievable… delusional…
  
  Reply
Daina Wilburn

November 13, 2012 at 2:07 AM

Well, I recently became re-employed. I wanted to make a career change and was willing to accept lower pay. I found a job – not exactly what I was looking for, but a change nonetheless. Time was running out on my benefits. I’m in my mid 50′s.

I really just want to comment on the tone of the advice given. I found it to be arrogant- the examples given were obvious, although the specific issues were probably more on the money. But if you have that kind of arrogance while interviewing a person, and I found that many in the position did, then you’re going to come up with these reasons even when the actual example was much more hidden than the obvious ones given here. I’m guessing that I fell into this group as do most people. You didn’t shave, you’ve got piercings. Come on. Duh! This is almost worthless.

Reply
Black Attack

November 10, 2012 at 3:09 AM

So violent, just shows I hit the right spot, because you apparently can’t handle the truth, oh holy whitey LOL. I guess Hecker was right about some people, some just can’t stand to hear it; the truth. And sorry but you haven’t been around real people if they are the same color as you with the same type of rights *rolls eyes* it’s obvious you haven’t been around many different ones and hopefully it’s not because you live in a place like… Colorado. Plus you lie like Mitt Nixon, it’s proven Obama IS a do sumthin Pres. and if you’re an IT guy (which I think you are because you display only hearsay sense and not knowledgeably written and common sense) the Pres has proven numbers behind him while Mitt IS a “do lies” all the time type of fella who has nuthin’ behind him but lying supporters. Watch Ed, that respected white man will tell ya; I’m sure you’re not too poor for that. I bet you were one of the people to re-elect Bush, HA! What a mistake that was huh? That’s why you are poor and have no job… or maybe it is your lack of sense LOL; combination of the two? Don’t worry am poor and jobless too. Did I mention he failed to find Osama, and lied about wanting to do so, but President Obama did and found his dirty a** fast? Why is that Mr. Stick in the mud Tom? Do nuthin’ Pres huh? You’re just mad and jealous is all, and I don’t blame you because you are a part of that group who looks really bad right now in this country and it’s all coming to light from centuries of badness (not in the MJ way).

I bet you were steaming mad replying to me, so mad you couldn’t think right HAHA. If you are poor it doesn’t matter. You’ll still get more opportunities for the things you are after (more so then than now maybe, but nevertheless stills applies today in many areas of this country). Also you wouldn’t know it because why? Well, you just haven’t dealt with it being another color; specifically black and it is a lot worse for a black man unless he tries sports or raps, sings. Yes all black people aspire to do only those things – *rolls eyes*. And don’t be afraid to call me black, it’s not a bad thing. Whites were just known to make sure it was known as sumthin’ bad. I’m sure you have many in your family fearing their relatives marrying a black (prolly still use that word n*gg*r around your members as jokes) don’t lie because it’s true. It’s our word now! See how we turned it around on y’all? White kids callin’ themselves n*gg*h to be cool and some even saying n*gg*r because they were taught by parents; madder yet? Yes suck in the truth Tommy Uncle Tom, does it sting? You were fooled by those dumb “African Americans” who didn’t know their own worth and didn’t understand that everything and all colors (race and literal) are made from “BLACK.” Notice how black can make and contains all colors… why is this? Can whites make black or anything else for that matter? Nope not dominant, which is what your people feared and acted right away to fix that; take away rights etc. I bet you have another story that you were lied to from your ignorant parents who are… white. Whites are known to be big liars. Have you ever thought about that Tommy Tom? MR. Uncle? Them “Afro Americans” just wanted you to say and do whatever they want for pay back from years ago of the whitey bull.

Don’t blame me, blame your people man. America and Americans (the actual people) are filling up with non-whites and you are seeing the backlash of your people; rightfully so because we all are black anyways. So I suggest you ditch your old school history books, those were filled with half truths and lies as well. Get some real knowledge from people you don’t hang around and grown up books. Angry people always have a problem with reality, and you Tom my friend have displayed your true colors.

Good day my friend ;)

Just hope you aren’t as big as a bigot and liar as Romney, for your kids, and for humanity’s sake. We don’t need another white liar; we have too many. Good luck on everything you do. Oh and if I can’t call you friend, may I call you pal? HA!

P.S. Next time come better with it… you just sounded angry. Have some proof and don’t do like Mitt Nixon… spew sh!t out your a$$ that comes up through your mouth; sh!t stinks and doesn’t talk.

Reply
- Rachel
  
  February 21, 2013 at 7:58 AM
  
  Please shut up, your ignorance is showing. We are not white and black…we are HUMAN…we are all in a very hard time right now, and the last thing I want to hear is this. You want to help…then help ALL people in despair, poor, homeless,and jobless…NOT JUST BLACK!!!
  
  And In today’s world, it doesn’t matter if your white, black, old, young, healthy, disabled, they’ll find a way to &%$ with you!!
  
  Stop trying to pigeon-hold people in a white stereotype. Stop being angry and racist!! Just start being supportive and caring of EVERYONE!!!
  
  Reply
David

November 9, 2012 at 2:16 PM

I especially like the tattoo reason. When you read blogs these tattoo folks go around bragging that they have every right to get tattoos and that people like the article writer OWE them a job. These tattoo folk try to act like tattoos are not appearance but bigotry when denied jobs. They are completely out of it and wrong. Mr. Employer has his rights too. He has the right to make as much money as he can and to run a business the way he sees as professional. As an owner myself , tattoo people will cost me money in my line of business. As a customer I find tattoos ugly and unprofessional. That is my right to feel that way and my right to spend my money as I want whether I am hiring people or buying something

Reply
- Red
  
  January 30, 2013 at 3:22 PM
  
  Wow. Alright. So, if we’re talking about appearances (a hot topic when it comes to discrimination) and people’s rights, why don’t we just replace the “tattoo folk” portions of this with something basic like “people that dye their hair blonde.” After all, that’s a body modification. We could go with ” people who get nose jobs” or to be base “people that are fat/too skinny,” but basics are fine here. Let’s observe.
  
  Revised quote: “When you read blogs these [people that dye their hair blonde] go around bragging that they have every right to [dye their hair blonde] and that people like the article writer OWE them a job. These [people that dye their hair blonde] try to act like [blonde hair is] not appearance but bigotry when denied jobs. They are completely out of it and wrong. Mr. Employer has his rights too. He has the right to make as much money as he can and to run a business the way he sees as professional. As an owner myself , [people that dye their hair blonde] will cost me money in my line of business. As a customer I find [blonde hair] ugly and unprofessional. That is my right to feel that way and my right to spend my money as I want whether I am hiring people or buying something”
  
  Interesting how discrimination laws haven’t really kept up with the times. Completely appalling. Welcome to 2013, people. Wake up or go back to year 19-long gone.
  
  Reply
  - David
    
    February 27, 2013 at 4:16 PM
    
    It is not discrimination. You chose to ink your body. You guys go around bragging all the time about your individuality and can not accept the fact that others have their individuality too. What a joke. It is appearance. I would not hire someone with ripped jeans either and yes even a mohawk, now that you talk about hair. Sorry , life does not change because you tattoo people follow the Hollywood crowd.
    
    Reply
    - Red
      
      February 28, 2013 at 10:12 AM
      
      You said it, David.
      
      “What a joke. It is appearance.”
      
      And that is -all- it is.
      
      Reply
      - David
        
        March 25, 2013 at 12:02 PM
        
        Appearance matters. I am sorry these folks were so myopic and impulsive not realizing the consequences of their self mutilation. There are prices to pay. Life goes on. The bold individuality you had with ITS MY BODY crap, looking more and more like… Uh Oh , What the hell did I do to my body… lmao
Black Attack

November 9, 2012 at 9:03 AM

Tom, you also reenacted the white’s reaction in the Brown eyed Blue eyed study, Thanks ;) good job Tommy, Pal? LOL

Reply
- Tom
  
  November 9, 2012 at 4:39 PM
  
  “Black Attack”: No thanks needed but all the same accepted….”Pal.” Your screen name pretty much tells everyone what your mindset is: Woe is me. Sorry friend, that crap doesn’t fly with me. I’ve never been racist, have no problems with someones orientation etc, (socially liberal) to each his or her own, but I don’t buy into the whole reverse-racism thought and belief you are trying to sell. Crap is crap and it all smells the same no matter who it comes from, and you are dropping a lot of it. I’ve said all I am gonna say on this matter. To h*ll with your “Brown eyed Blue eyed study.” We don’t need a study for what you are trying to sell.
  
  Reply
Tom

November 8, 2012 at 2:51 PM

You know, I get so tired of African-Americans using their race as a plight! You say “white is privilege.” B#$%&!@! Tell that to the millions of poor whites in America. Tell that to those poor whites that are underemployed. Why do you automatically attribute the problem to race? That’s ridiculous on its face. It’s a class problem friend, not a race problem.

Moreover, what does voting for Obama have to do with it? Bush put us in the poor house (Clinton knifed America with NAFTA) and Obama is a “do nothing” president! What’s your point? Supporting Obama has got us nothing, and it will be another four years of nothing. Poor whites-poor blacks-all Obama could speak about was “middle-class, middle-class.” There was no talk about or of “poor” anyone!

And “white privilege”? As a white man, I can’t get help with furthering my education unless I personally pay for it myself, and through the ass I might add. Yet, my present income isn’t enough to amount to squat! However, if I was American Indian, African-American, or ever an illegal alien (such as the millions of Mexicans that Bush and Obama has made us pay for with our tax dollars) I could get that education for pretty close to free! Don’t believe me? Try signing up as a white, then a black or an illegal immigrant. You will be amazed at the results. (And yes, I did the experiment.) Would you consider this right? When considering your take on “white privilege,” you probably see nothing wrong with this blatant prejudice and hypocrisy.

Is it any wonder that America is a divided nation? The government doesn’t do right by those that employ them because they don’t believe that we actually do so anymore; millions of Americans are disenfranchised by that same government; the people do their share of dividing by bringing race into the mix as a plight that must be paid for and something we should forever have to contend as per past occurrences; and many voters use their vote as some kind of weapon to fire back at others whom they think is “privileged” or otherwise better off, without ever understanding what they are voting for or against! But yeah, let’s support a candidate simply because he “looks like me.” That makes a lot of sense, right? So how much better off are you for that support after four years? I bet no better than any of the rest of us. But then…we are the “privileged” poor, right? You think it’s racial prejudice, but the truth is… it’s class prejudice.

Reply
- Penny
  
  January 27, 2013 at 9:13 PM
  
  You’re right, it is about class and less so about race per se but an uneducated white man still has it easier getting a job, period, than an educated Black or Latino and God forbid a Native American. I’m not talking about the SAME job, a “higher education required” job, I’m talking about any job at all that pays the bills so you don’t have to go on Food Stamps or welfare or General Assistance. Employers would still rather see white skin in the interview than brown, educated or not. A black PhD holder is still way more likely to be unemployed and get constantly turned down if he/she does make it to job interviews than a white high school graduate or even high school dropout; the white high-schooler will more likely have a job at Wal-Mart or a grocery store stocking shelves than the black college graduate. There are many stories like that all over the internet.
  
  But you’re right, it is about class; the educated black or Latino will be sitting up in the waiting room at the Food Stamp office right alongside the white high-school-dropout.
  
  Reply
- Rachel
  
  February 21, 2013 at 8:09 AM
  
  I believe the Middle Class is gone! …forever.
  
  Reply
Black Attack

November 8, 2012 at 12:45 PM

Also excuse the grammatical and spelling errors. On my jacked up phone because I can’t afford a new one and my excitement responding to this post took over. If I had a job I’d make an effort to write a lil’ more efficiently :D! Honestly though, I hope people considered what I said. Blacks have had to deal with this till this day, and you wonder why we would vote for President Obama? At least he understands and supports those who weren’t born white. White equals privileged and even y’all know this, and will take every chance to keep it that way. This is why we depend on God because it’s obvious that people of a certain nature don’t do right by others. To us, President Obama is God sent to save us like people like yourselves: selfish, ignorant, and wanting to keep those of another color down. Just like education was kept from us, the same has happened with jobs. But what do we always do with God behind us? Prevail! Always flesh knows and can’t do anything. Hecker is of fatty flesh, he definitely can’t do anything except for talk. Even his resume displays that. :/

Reply
Black Attack

November 8, 2012 at 12:27 PM

Wow I think the author well, he’s white so not his fault… or is it? But a lot you would hate to be black and wouldn’t be able to handle it. What you are experiencing now are what blacks have gone through since forever. My Dad had a law degree and guess what, back then they discriminated against blacks and the law, made it impossible for employeement. Nothing new… but now everybody wants to whine and complain, now you know what it feels like to be black. And to heckler or whatever the name is, you have points, but remember your points display the very discrimination people or color face all the time. So you admit to telling it like it is but this also includes your racism.

Reply
Jimmy Russels

November 6, 2012 at 8:28 PM

The reasons why qualified people are not entering their desired positions is the subjectivity of hiring managers and HR personnel. Why should some unqualified jerk-off in HR decide who is hired or not? Why is work experience considered more important than academic performance? Some brain-dead moron doing fucl( all for a few years is more valuable than someone with intellectual capacity who made the effort of completing an accredited degree? These types of infuriating occurrences harm both the employee as well as the hiring organization.

Reply
- Michael
  
  November 13, 2012 at 9:44 PM
  
  Funny you should mention this topic.
  
  Just the other day I told my fiancee the same thing. Using myself as an example, if I have to go through HR to get a job, I’ll never here back from the company. However, let me interview with the manager of the department needing employees or better yet, the owner of the company, I will get a job every time.
  
  This scenario has never failed me.
  
  Reply
Stacy

November 2, 2012 at 2:18 AM

So much for constructive input, Marc.

To “Defeated”: Your age and situation suggests a career change? You probably listened to a recruiter tell you that an adv degree would help your transition? I ask, because that’s what happened to me.

Fortunately I got pregnant and put school and career on hold which saved me from doing exactly what you did; encumber a huge student loan debt. May I suggest an internship? You are never really too old for one, and it might get you a foot in the door and out of the catch 22 of simultaneously being over and under qualified at the same time. Also, don’t be afraid to LIE on your resume. Take the master’s degree off when applying for $20K-$40K jobs, it just scares them.

Reply
Downhearted Guy

October 31, 2012 at 5:22 AM

My bachelor degree of chemical engineering is useless. I have apllied and attended many interviews and still unemployed until now. I really dissapointed with my self.

Reply
- MissEngineer
  
  November 2, 2012 at 4:25 PM
  
  I feel the same way. I have an electrical engineering and computer science degree and although I’m not unemployed I am underemployed and it is very frustrating. I’m stuck making under $30K/year with two engineering degrees…
  
  Reply
  - Someone
    
    December 19, 2012 at 12:21 AM
    
    How is that here in Houston with that chemical engineering job, you should be able to get a job in any of these oil companies.
    
    Reply
- Penny
  
  January 27, 2013 at 9:07 PM
  
  I know of someone with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, from Yale no less, who’s currently a high school math teacher in New Haven’s public schools. So don’t feel so bad; of course, the guy I’m talking about is a minority so for him, “public school teaching” was probably all he was going to be able to GET with a degree from even Yale.
  
  Reply
  - Will
    
    February 18, 2013 at 5:45 PM
    
    Honestly, Yale’s chemical engineering program is not great. GA Tech and MIT have far superior programs.
    
    Reply
    - Penny
      
      March 3, 2013 at 1:19 PM
      
      My point is that it’s still an Ivy which is way more prestigious than the State schools that *usually* crank out public school teachers. The Yalie should be on the streets or back home with Mom and Dad if they’re still alive – or stocking shelves at Wal-Mart which is where most of the ones with the Liberal Studies majors tend to be these days if they’re not “legacies” with rich parents with deep pockets and multi-million dollar businesses…? That’s what people seem to think these days – that an Ivy league degree means nothing if you’re a minority. Go flip burgers if McDonald’s will have you, or go live in Mom and Dad’s basement looking for just ANYTHING. There are also Princetonians who can’t find jobs at all, and would KILL if Wal-Mart would let them stock the shelves, no matter what their major was. America is really in a sorry state when even its top universities mean nothing to the job market.
      
      Reply
Marc Freeman

October 24, 2012 at 8:45 AM

This guy’s a loser. He should move to China.

Reply
- david
  
  January 17, 2013 at 10:24 AM
  
  Marc, did you go to high school in northwest il
  
  Reply
Defeated

October 19, 2012 at 8:48 PM

I’m 39 and I’ve been unemployed for 2 years. I have a BS and a shiny new MS in Project Management. I’ve been told to my face that I don’t have enough experience for a entry level job in that field. Since when does an ENTRY LEVEL job mean having 3~5 years experience ? Well, okay. I don’t mind starting at a lower position and working my way up. Then I was told that I was OVER QUALIFIED for a lower position job at 23 other opportunities. (No, I’m not making that number up.) This went on for so long, that now I’m being told that I flatly WILL NOT be hired because I’ve been out of work for so long (over 6 months is an awful short amount of time.) Now I have tens of thousands of dollars of school debt that I can’t pay that only goes up by leaps and bounds when I apply for each forbearance. I now owe 40% extra on the principal that I’ll never pay because I cant get hired. What the hell am I supposed to do ? I’ve applied for jobs from my field all the way down to burger flipping. The low jobs wont touch me because they say I will leave ,the high jobs wont even look at my application because of the amount of time I’ve been unemployed. Yet, it is the stupid hire practices that they use that make this a problem in the first place. Unemployment could be down if hiring managers would just stop being stupid.

Reply
- Steven S.
  
  November 1, 2012 at 8:26 PM
  
  Totally agree with you MATE the stupids are running many 0f the Job Networks they reward retards with ongoing work and their employment agency is the PUB employment agency where some of the tradies get their workers from because they aren’t trained in how to find workers so they just put the word around in the pub to get their staff… know this from being at work.
  
  Here in Australia we have job ads asking for workers who have experience working on engines/Cars etc but they stipulate that you don’t need to be qualified to get the job? When the law of the land says you do have to be qualified to do that work… just another case of the retard criminals wanting to tell everyone else what to do and bugger everyone’s lives up with more of their B.S. – I kid you not!
  
  Have a nice day.
  
  Reply
- Marthaand Harrold
  
  December 18, 2012 at 2:25 PM
  
  Absolutely correct, my friend. My husband has been out of work about a year. They want him at “entry level” pay of less than 10 dollars an hour but want to bag him because he is experienced.
  
  I see tattooed, dirty looking people who cannot string 2 words together working every day. They have **** attitudes and treat others like dog poo. Yet, they still have jobs and good, decent folks do not.
  
  Corporate America sucks.
  
  Reply
Tom

October 17, 2012 at 6:34 PM

I just had to comment on this article. There are so many flaws in the line of thinking within this article that it is repugnant!

1. All of what you mentioned right here is networking. What else should a person do for the menial jobs that are being offered? I’m sorry, but if you are offering a $10-12 an hour job, do not expect those applying to act as though they are applying for a $50,000 a year job. Our time is worth something as well and we don‘t like to have it wasted!

2. I am 46, and I never had failed an interview. However, after this lay-off, I have failed three for the first time in my life. I am a solid interviewee with more than 10 years in sales. I know how to interview! I dress for the part, I study the company beforehand, and everything seems to go smooth. Yet… three failed interviews for jobs of which I was qualified. Whom did they hire? The people who showed up dirty, unshaven, and lackluster at best! And yes, I saw the other candidates.

3. I think anyone dumb enough to open holes up all over their face and paint himself or herself like a billboard should not be taken seriously at all. On this one, you and I are in agreement!

4. Once again…we are in agreement!

5. Your comment of, “We interviewed one person for a $30K job who had been making $70K. Frankly, we’re not going to hire someone with that huge of a salary gap. It isn’t the problem of employers you have lived beyond your means.” If this person was living on the $70K to start with, how can that be contrived to mean he or she had lived beyond their means? It isn’t their problem that you wish to hire people at sub-wages to get off cheap. Moreover, the “great reset” you speak of is the reason you have the people showing up to your interviews the way they are! The “great reset” you speak of is simple jargon for “we want you cheap.”

6. Maybe these folks want to change careers. Not giving them a chance is also not finding out just how good a part of your business they could be. Nevertheless, yeah, keep hiring those who wish to come to work to loaf!

7. I agree with you on this one as well.

8. I don’t smoke, but this one is a load of B.S. and cutting very close to discrimination. Smokers do not get sick any more often than non-smokers do. (A point that has been proven over and over.) If you are paying a low wage, you are going to get employees who take excessive breaks regardless of smoking or anything else. I would imagine that many of your employees would find some of the things that you do “filthy” as well. (Like some of the things you are stating with this article.)

9. Null.

10. So should these prospective employees show up to yet another interview acting as though the world is a wonderful place when you are trying to hire them for well under a livable wage?

11. Null.

12. Agreed.

13. Agreed.

14. Null.

15. Agreed.

16. No stupid questions will get you no stupid answers!

17. I believe that most employers simply want someone to work and keep their mouths shut, regardless of whatever is going on. You wouldn’t want someone who can communicate too well would you? They may argue you under the table on matters pertaining to the job. Watch what you wish for!

18. One of your, “highly prepared candidates” would get grilled at most places I suspect. You are hiring people who are “Yes” men and women. As far as “unrealistic expectations,” I think that in 90% of the cases, it is the employer who is hiring for too low a wage who more fit’s the description of “unrealistic.” I.E. Cheap wages for high output employees.

Right now, the ball is in the employers’ court; they know it, and many are abusing it! However, when the worm turns (and it will) all of those folks who were out there looking for work and didn’t get a fair chance because of an employers arbitrary rules and bigheadedness?–they will remember! Don’t believe me? Just look on the internet to find that I’m right.

Employers and HR personnel (an position invented for lazy employers) are asking more and more of people that are out looking for gainful employment and much of this is B.S. They ask that these people jump through their arbitrary hoops and act as though the $10.00 an hour job they are applying for is something special. Sorry, but it isn’t! Before you know it, employers will be asking for blood oaths in order to get a sub-wage job! Additionally, just because someone is fired from a job, doesn’t mean that they are a bad person and wouldn’t make a good employee, just as being laid off doesn’t either. After all, there are plenty of dishonest employers out there. All one has to do is look at what many employers are trying to get for the cheapest wage possible. That in itself tells the story.

Reply
- Tom
  
  October 17, 2012 at 6:52 PM
  
  Addendum: I would add as well that, as you are discriminating against those that smoke as being unemployable, that I should point out something else. From your picture I can tell that you are morbidly overweight. So, going by your own guidelines, we should derive that you are addicted to food. Shouldn’t that make you unemployable? I should think so.
  
  Reply
- Ryan
  
  May 5, 2013 at 7:53 AM
  
  I’d just like to say your post was well thought out, but perhapse i could comment on your tattoo stance, while i myself do not have any piercings or tattoo’s, it is a socially acceptable form of art, one that employs hundred’s of thousands of people everywhere. How can you honestly believe that not hiring a smoker borders on discrimination while not hiring on tattoo’s and piercings isn’t??? smoking is a choice, just like tattoo’s, by creating and/or enforcing the social viewpoint that “tattoo’s are disgusting” while that may be your opinion, it is not a valid reason to not hire someone. I ran a small renovation business for awhile, and can honestly tell you the guy i hired as my on site supervisor was inked up on over 80% of his body (basically anywhere the skin was senstive he was not tattoo’d, eyelids, armpits etc) he was my most valuable employee for the simple fact that when he dealt with customers, he was respectful and took pride in his job…tattoo’s or no tattoo’s that was the kind of person i wanted because as a small business i needed to compete not just on price but quality of customer service and of the work done…big companies do not however. In closing, I really hope you change your opinion on this subject just for yourself…I think if you actually learned more about the subject rather then continuing in your preconception you would benefit from it greatly.
  
  Reply
Thomas S

October 1, 2012 at 4:04 PM

What a grotesque article. I hold this up as evidence that capitalism must be torn stone from stone.

Reply
- RICKYZZ
  
  May 14, 2013 at 5:23 PM
  
  EXACTLY!!!
  
  Reply
Leigh

September 27, 2012 at 12:54 PM

I hate it when people judge your employability on whether or not your have piercings/tattos. I’m sorry, but having a few extra holes in my body does not make me any less able to do the job, and it’s not up to anyone else to judge me because I’ve chosen to do this to my own body. If I have the skills and qualifications, whats the problem? And I don’t believe any of that nonsense about it making the person less approachable or professional – that’s down to attitude. Who even decides what is deemed as professional? If you get the job done and you do it well, it shouldn’t matter what you look like. Having piercings doesn’t automatically make me inept. If anything, it shows your closed mindedness and discrimination.

Reply
- David
  
  November 9, 2012 at 2:20 PM
  
  It is up to people to judge you when money is at stake. You are completely wrong. Whether you like it or not you permanantly altered your appearance. You would not see someone wearing ripped jeans in a Wall Street position. You made your bed now lie in it. Sorry to be so gruff, but you people think that hard working people OWE you a job even at the cost of losing money in their business. Suck it up. You chose to defile your body and now live with the consequences. These hirers have their freedoms too.
  
  Reply
Anne

September 6, 2012 at 1:56 PM

John Heckers tells the truth! Sometimes the truth hurts. With that said, many job seekers have not taken an unvarnished look at themselves in the way employers view applicants. Sit up and listen to good advice. More job seekers would be successful if they thought of themselves as a cell phone. The cell phone market is so competative that companies (YOU) promote themselves with their features/benefits that set them apart. Help yourself: identify your skills, practice your elevator speech, take a shower, take out piercings, cover tats, polish your look, polish your resume. THEN, hit the ground running. Good Luck!

Reply
- Will
  
  February 20, 2013 at 3:53 PM
  
  So, you are suggesting that I walk in, smile big, sit still, and agree to whatever the slavedriv….excuse me, the employer says. Maybe I should just start the interview by walking in and planting a huge wet kiss on his bloated butt.
  
  If you put out an ad seeking employees, maybe you should remember that YOU are seeking ME. If I walk into your business and ask about opportunities, that is ME seeking YOU. When the latter is the case, feel free to be an arrogant, self-absorbed ass. But when you are announcing YOU need help, don’t wait for me to show up and then start trying to make me feel like YOU are doing ME a favor.
  
  Just sayin…
  
  Reply
G

August 21, 2012 at 3:39 PM

Feed the wolves, or the wolves will feed off you. I wouldn’t work for the **** who wrote this, and I hope he stares down the barrel of the unemployed that he turned down. America is doomed and the streets will be drowned in blood. The elite will get the population reduction they want.

Reply
Reality Check

July 31, 2012 at 2:56 AM

As Guyko suggests, check out this guy’s resume (at http://www.heckersdev.com): The only real job he’s held was with ATT Wireless back in the mid-1990s (and he was there for only less than 2 years)! The rest of the time he’s been a consultant, mainly through his own small companies (the current one consists of just himself, his wife and one actual employee). He’s now a “coach” for whatever ails you – career, spirit, life, even relationships!

Given the condensing tone of this article, I’d say he’s a mighty frustrated consultant – he wants to be a “Strategic Executive Coach” (as he lists himself above), teaching Fortune 500 CEOs how to succeed, but instead he’s dealing with low-level grunts who are unemployed and hawking self-published books.

Oh, and when you read this John (and I’m sure you will), here’s a free piece of job advice: Hire a website developer to revamp that website of yours – nothing screams “don’t hire me” as much as a vintage 1990′s website!

Reply
Guyko

July 12, 2012 at 8:24 AM

Take a look at this guys resume and you’ll see how underqualified he is to to write this piece. Most HR managers and consultants have this same exploitative atitude toward employees. Submit to abuse until we don’t want you anymore then your terminated.

Reply
Colin

July 8, 2012 at 11:21 AM

These kinds of articles tend to be written by some right-wing arsehole who thinks you should all network network network and bend over and assume the position for the man. He looks rather overfed doesn’t he? Believe in yourself!

Reply
Ogodei-Khan

April 9, 2012 at 12:28 AM

Horsecrap. I’m unemployed because some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths and get all the networking connections and I get nothing. How the he!! do you network if you don’t have a natural “in” with people? You either know them or you don’t, and obviously grubbing your way into someone’s good graces because of their connections is going to get you nowhere.

Graduate from college with a good GPA and a relevant internship, I need a job that pays the bills or I’ll default on my loans and then I might as well kill myself as my credit will be ruined forever and bad credit will then further disqualify me for work. I’m too overqualified for low-level work (no food service for me, and not because I’m unwilling to, but because of what you suggested, that they won’t trust me to stick around), and not qualified enough apparently to merit even consideration for an interview at any entry-level Bachelor’s-degree-asking position, even if I meet many of the qualifications on paper.

I think I’ll just change my LinkedIn page to tell all employers and everyone with a job to go fu** themselves and burn in he!! for having what I don’t have.

Reply
- Vonny
  
  June 23, 2012 at 4:46 AM
  
  I feel your frustration 100 percent! I’ve been on as many an twelve interviews over the last five months and no one has hired me yet. I’ve even come as close as having a second interview and they still hired someone else. Some of the jobs the hired someone else reposted the same position two to three months later. 70 percent of the companies even told me that I was overqualified and one also said the reason they didn’t hire me is because they feel I may get bored with them and quit due to all my skills! I’m ready to tell those jobs to f**k themselves also because I’m very frustrated.
  
  Reply
Pamela

March 28, 2012 at 4:21 PM

These are definitely good reasons especially for the ones who apply to jobs when they are unqualified. It’s stupid to do.

Reply
Alicia King

January 19, 2012 at 11:11 PM

I found this article to be offensive. I never thought I would be unemployed. How would you feel if you can’t support your family? If you were not depressed then you’re not human. I hope to God you never lose your job – with that crappy attitude you will never land a job.

Reply
- Roseann Graham
  
  January 20, 2012 at 12:13 PM
  
  The tone of the above article does seem just a tad too insensitive. These economic times are often compared with the days of the Great Depression of the 1930′s. However, as my father, who lived through those days, would say, “During the Depression people looked out for one another. That attitude is all gone. People now are out for themselves.” This now holds true for many politicians as well as hiring managers, bosses, etc., etc. They care about their own self-aggrandizement, and to heck with the next guy. If we are to continue functioning as a nation, we all need to work together. It’s not happening.
  
  Reply
  - Sandra Gregston
    
    July 7, 2012 at 2:13 PM
    
    Roseann, yes, people did look out for each other. I can see a BIG difference between applying for jobs (since 2007) and applying for jobs in the 1990s. You can’t walk into ANY temporary agency UNLESS you have “recent work experience”. So, if you’d been “networking” and may be you do “interview poorly” and may be are “overqualified” for the job, you still can’t get help from the temporary agencies since they don’t count “going to school full-time earning a degree” a “job”. I suggest the second you become unemployed, go to a temp agency. Don’t wait 6 months, if you do, you waited too long. And it is about how you know. If you don’t know enough people as Ogodei-Khan says – you get nothing. It is just not like it used to be. It’s not very fair, but no one said life would be very fair. I liked it when you had to go into a company and drive there and apply with a paper application. Now, it’s some computer that “reads” your resume and you MAY get a silly standard email from SOMEONE (you are never given any name, or direct line) behind a locked closed door in Human Resources and more than likely – this “Someone” in “Human Resources” is 1,200 miles away from you! How is that HUMAN RESOURCES? You stay behind closed doors and send out standardized emails to applicants that say “You passed the applicant process and we wan’t you to come in” or “Sorry you didn’t pass and we picked another candidate” Looking for employment now has become very robotic like and non-human and I don’t like it very much. But for the person that does not know a lot of people, or does not know the RIGHT people, it makes it nearly impossible to get a job!
    
    Reply
AnnieB

January 8, 2012 at 12:24 PM

Your inability to comprehend may be keeping you from getting a job. What he said is that when he posted an entry-level position paying $30,000 a year, some folks who interviewed wanted the position, but expressed dissatisfactiuon with the pay because they made more than twice that a few years ago. These people expressed they either wanted more money than the company planned to offer, or they wanted to barter perks (like primo schedule flexibility, extra vacation, or fewer job responsibilities) in exchange for their acceptance of lower pay. For every arrogant person who makes such demands, there is someone else who is willing to accept the position, responsibilities, and pay as is, and would be happy to do so.

Reply
- Sandra Gregston
  
  June 25, 2012 at 7:43 PM
  
  I have an MBA with no management experience, and I’D LOVE to take a entry level job that offered 30K a year. What a dream. But noooooooooooooo… people think, “She will quit in 4 months.”
  
  Um, no I won’t.
  
  I want to move out and get my own place. I can’t do that If I QUIT. People don’t know Sandra Gregston and I agree with the others. I can’t pay my bills if you don’t hire me. So run my stupid credit check. I don’t care. Yeah, I have credit cards I can’t pay and I’ve already been served. Why? No job, no unemployment (not anymore) and no SSI. So I say the same thing. F* * to all of the bosses that thought, “She will quit, don’t hire her…”
  
  Sad for you though it is your loss not mine. When someone see the value in me, I will not be sorry you didn’t hire me.
  
  Reply
  - Yasith
    
    October 12, 2012 at 10:44 AM
    
    Damn true. I’m in the same same boat!
    
    Reply
GK

December 12, 2011 at 7:28 PM

Let’s hope all the new consultants and the self employed folk don’t over saturate the market! The reality: New business creates new jobs, consumer confidence encourages growth with out these we’re doomed.

Reply
kvic77

November 23, 2011 at 10:03 PM

This guy sounds like a pompous windsock. The ‘truth’ hurts? You folks don’t know the truth, let alone handle it. I wouldn’t work for this guy, period. He criticizes all these poor schlubs that come to interview; one question – who asked those candidates for the interview? right, Heckers. Shows what keen ability he has to quantify candidates. Get real.

Reply
Guest

November 17, 2011 at 11:54 PM

Hahah this stuff is offensive, I hope John Heckers is murdered by a wrathful former employee.

Reply
Kina Ward

November 14, 2011 at 5:40 PM

The reality is the truth hurts. I did not take what you said to heart, nor did I take it personally. You gave some really great ideas. I will take those concepts that apply to me and modify my approach. Sometimes being blunt is the only way to do things. Thank you for your input.

Reply
Sandra Gregston

November 14, 2011 at 11:34 AM

#6. It seems like you know much or at least you think you do. I read Sharon’s post and Sukiyakieangie post. And saying someone deserved to be fired is not always true. How do you know for sure what happened with other people on their job? Where you there? No. I wouldn’t jump to conclusion so much about other people applying to a job. You NEVER know who will stay even if that person has 20 or 5 years experience. And in this ecomony, if I got offered a job as a waitress, I’d take it since I’m thinking the next employer would NOT hire me. Don’t act so arrogant in what you “know”. I know I don’t know much and I’d like to keep it that way. I don’t want to ever “arrive” and act like I know everything about human behavior or what other people’s motives are. I speak for myself, not others. Your article is a little harsh and others agree with me.

Reply
Oflameo

August 27, 2011 at 10:03 PM

I think this article begs a question. The question is “Who does get employed?”. I think the answer is cronies.

Reply
Sharonamcg

July 14, 2011 at 3:59 AM

Mr. Heckers,

I am not sure if I like or dislike your article. Based on your observations and suggestions, I would do very well if I was to interview with you for a job with one exception: experience and salary.

I am a woman of a “certain age” and I have 20+ years experience in the professional workforce. While I do not look as old old as I am, more often than not, my true age peeks through the facade due to twists and turns that the conversations take during the interview process. As an unemployed person yes, I want/need a job as soon as possible. I am more than willing to “take a cut in pay” if I can find employment closer than 35 miles and an hours commute because it means that I will save on fuel costs AND be closer to home. according to you though, you wouldn’t give me the time of day since you believe that I will take the next best job that comes my way. As that more mature, worldly person that I am, I am smart enough to know that the next set thing will probably NOT come my way and all I’m looking for is a good job with decent benefits that will allow me to support my 10 year old son and myself. Period. End of report.

How am I, as someone who has been looking for work for 3 months, supposed to maintain a positive attitude when faced with the dire odds that the hiring manager will not even consider a phone interview because I am “over qualified”?

Reply
- Anonymous
  
  November 14, 2011 at 9:31 AM
  
  I agree completely with Sharon.
  
  I have done all of the above and more (including volunteering to teach social media to small business owners and other people in career transition). After being laid off from a marketing job almost two years ago, going on countless interviews and having two temp jobs that didn’t last long despite doing everything right (showed up on time, had a pleasant attitude, met all deadlines, etc.), I’ve decided to start my own consulting business.
  
  I have about 20 years of experience, too.
  
  Reply
Bill

April 2, 2011 at 9:56 PM

Good article, John.

I agree completely, even if it is a bit depressing. Add #19 as it’s quite true. Online presence is tricky. A relation was approached at work to explain what his 17 year old daughter had psoted on Facebook — he had no idea! But it had an impact.

Yes, for many the job has disappeared or moved away. I was a highly qualified proof of concept creator (software/hardware) in a University — no more money! So I get to be overqualified and no proper focus. But, as you infer “It is what it is, and it doesn’t matter if you did everything right before.

Now is now.

I took the advice and immediately formed my own LLC and have been scraping by, and it it is rough out there to be sure. On the side, I’m still here!

My feeling is to build interesting things, advertise them *tastefully*, and network, network, network. It’s a marathon to be sure — just don’t give up!

Question, do you feel social media is required — or a waste of time? It does sap a lot of time from polishing the core service.

Thanks for telling it like it is.

Reply
Allen

April 1, 2011 at 10:23 PM

I think this is a very informative article.

Thanks!

Allen in IA

Reply
Victoree

April 1, 2011 at 4:11 AM

I deeply regretted reading this article.

1. It depressed me
2. It gave me no new advice

Reply
Michaelnice01

March 31, 2011 at 7:47 PM

#5 sounded like they had the izm (retardizm) when trying to word this. Your asking for to much money so they give an example of someone asking for 30K when they made 70K but they won’t hire them anyway?
very confusing.

Reply
Jeff S

March 29, 2011 at 4:27 PM

#5 You’re asking too much money.

While I agree with many of your comments here, I don’t agree this one is fully the problem of the job hunter. I agree salaries are getting lower these days. I’m encountering people that will stop talking to me about a job because of my previous salary even though I do not expect them to match it; depending upon the position I’m expecting a 10 – 20 % cut. But they don’t believe me and cut off the conversation when I disclose my salary. I’ve had to move to not disclosing it even when pushed.

Reply
dani

March 25, 2011 at 10:06 PM

John, fantastic article and I appreciate your tell-it-like-it-is versus tell-it-like-we-want-it sensibility. Thanks for the list and I have gone through your points for some harsh self-examination, tweeking myself from an Employer’s perspective… guess what, I have just become employed!!!

Reply
- John Heckers
  
  March 26, 2011 at 5:43 PM
  
  Yay, Dani! Now it’s time to celebrate. I’m glad you found this helpful in getting you back to work.
  
  Reply
John Heckers

March 25, 2011 at 4:45 AM

Oh…one more thing. Even if the job you take is at a much lower salary, you WANT to take it and get off of unemployment for the following reasons. 1). There is discrimination against the unemployed by some employers (hey…don’t shoot the messenger…I think it’s stupid and unfair). 2). Congress probably won’t renew extended unemployment for 2012, and 3). You don’t know when the next opportunity will come along. It is always much easier to get employed if you’re already employed.

Reply
John Heckers

March 25, 2011 at 4:28 AM

I have helped several people with Aspergers’ Syndrome in my practice over the years. It is very difficult in this economic climate to have this, or ANY disability (I have a couple of “invisible” disabilities myself, so I truly sympathize). But I’m afraid that, as harsh a reality as this is, life is not fair and employers are not forced to hire you because you have a disability. They wouldn’t probably hire me, either! Unfortunately, the ability to get along with others and communicate well is something vital to most jobs. Extreme introverts, those with various disabilities, and so on may not do this well. We can’t make this a fair world. The best I can suggest is looking into careers in the technical arena where this is not such a large issue. I am sorry that the economic times are effecting you so much, and wish you the best.

John Heckers

Reply
- Sandbar3000
  
  March 25, 2011 at 6:07 PM
  
  John, you are assuming that all people with Aspergers Syndrome are “good” or desire to work in IT or in other technical stuff. You know what happens when you assume, right. You can’t assume this. I do want to work with people and I do get along with people. Not everyone with AS has a temper. What I do not want is a position in sales or something like a bank teller when people constantly come to you (perhaps 14 customers an hour). That is very draining. Please, do not assume again. That is like saying all people with AS should be accountants. I’m looking into Human Resources since it is not customer service. In that profession, you deal with poeple, but not the general public where everyone and their brother comes for help.
  
  Reply
- Marthaand Harrold
  
  December 18, 2012 at 2:31 PM
  
  You seem down on EVERYONE. Get on meds because you’re depressed.
  
  Duh, people are depressed because they are OUT OF WORK.
  
  Happy pills to make happy clones, wait I mean drones.
  
  Reply
james Z

March 23, 2011 at 7:34 PM

All valid points. What a depressing, harsh article. The interview system and job market is broken because there is no better alternative. Unemployment is not natural. Everyone who wants a job should be able to find one. People who have not been taught how to look for work should not be blamed for their lack of skills. Why was not this taught in high school instead of calculus or chemistry?

… and that advice about dealing with anger or depression as if you can take a pill for it or fix it like as if it’s on a to do list?. That’s an ignorant attitude on the part of the author.

Reply
- John Heckers
  
  March 25, 2011 at 4:30 AM
  
  Sorry you find me “ignorant” James. I just tell it like it is. Yes, there is medication that you can take for depression. We often recommend our clients do so. As for anger….that, I’m afraid, is something you’ll have to deal with.
  
  Reply
- RICKYZZ
  
  May 14, 2013 at 5:26 PM
  
  the stubble should not make a difference!!! this is simply judging a book by its cover.. and not looking at the true value of the person in front them!!!
  
  Reply
Vizibility Inc.

March 23, 2011 at 6:18 PM

This is a great list, but I’d like to suggest a #19: you’re not online. Googling prospective employees is becoming common practice for many hiring managers. If you’re up against a dozen applicants as qualified as you, what is going to set you apart before you set foot into the interview? Google yourself and see how awesome/terrible your results are. At Vizibility (www.vizibility.com), we are dedicated to giving job seekers that extra edge in the application game by allowing them to tailor their results (for free!).

Reply
- John Heckers
  
  March 25, 2011 at 4:31 AM
  
  OK, I’ll add it to the list.
  
  Reply
Sandbar3000

March 22, 2011 at 11:55 PM

What if you have Asperger Syndrome and you don’t sell yourself very well? Do you know how many adults (30 and above) are unemployed or underemployed due to not knowing how to sell themself on an interview? And no to mention that adults with AS usually do not have a large network of honest friends they can turn to for networking and getting jobs. We tend to look for work the old fashioned way, either looking online, or filling out paper applications. It’s sad though, since HR managers do not know the gifts we have to offer employers. We have a host of job skills that many employers would love to have, like doing our job and doing it day in and day out, coming into work ontime. None of this no call no show busienss. Is not this what employers are looking for? Honest people. But when they come into contact with someone honest, they shy the BEST person for the job – away. Due to what? Not networking enough? Please

Reply
- John Heckers
  
  March 25, 2011 at 4:30 AM
  
  I have helped several people with Aspergers’ Syndrome in my practice over the years. It is very difficult in this economic climate to have this, or ANY disability (I have a couple of “invisible” disabilities myself, so I truly sympathize). But I’m afraid that, as harsh a reality as this is, life is not fair and employers are not forced to hire you because you have a disability. They wouldn’t probably hire me, either! Unfortunately, the ability to get along with others and communicate well is something vital to most jobs. Extreme introverts, those with various disabilities, and so on may not do this well. We can’t make this a fair world. The best I can suggest is looking into careers in the technical arena where this is not such a large issue. I am sorry that the economic times are effecting you so much, and wish you the best.
  
  John Heckers
  
  Reply
  - Will
    
    February 20, 2013 at 4:03 PM
    
    John, humans are what make this world ‘unfair’. To say we cannot change this is to be part of the problem.
    
    Reply
- RICKYZZ
  
  May 14, 2013 at 5:25 PM
  
  Having to sell yourself is fake!!! nothing less than puppetry!!!
  
  Reply
Celinagreen

March 22, 2011 at 7:57 PM

My question, HOW MUCH of the less salary bullet should be bitten? I received a call from a recruiter describing a position that I’m more than qualified for with maybe the exception of industry experience, the requirement/expectations far more than what the offered salary.

Reply
- John Heckers
  
  March 25, 2011 at 4:39 AM
  
  Yes, well. That is, I’m afraid, pretty typical these days. We’re going through the “Great Reset.” Most employers, right or wrong, feel that salaries were hyper-inflated (just like housing) and are offering a, sometimes, FIFTY PERCENT cut from where such positions were before. It is really a law of supply and demand. Unless you believe the $#*)& government (don’t) we’re at about 25%+ unemployment/underemployment. That means that there are lots of people who will take that job if you won’t. Many people in this country are working as UNPAID “interns,” just on the hope that their work will turn into a paid job. It’s BAD out there, folks! I don’t like it anymore than you do! But it IS the reality. The only people making out like bandits are the bandits….the Wall Street traders, the bankers, and other top supporters of our political overlords…ummmm….I mean “leaders”…yeah, “leaders.”
  
  Remember that the top FOUR HUNDRED Americans have more wealth accumulated than the bottom NINETEEN MILLION Americans. We do not realize the extent of income inequality in this country, nor the way that we are being ripped off by the top. It is a problem, and, as I am nowhere close to being one of that 400 wealthiest Americans, it makes me angry, too. But this IS the current reality. Take the job. You’ve got to pay at least SOME of the bills.
  
  Reply
  - Tina
    
    September 29, 2012 at 1:24 PM
    
    You are right about the overvaluing of homes , but wrong in over paying. No one should have to work harder for less. That thinking comes from the cold war era. People want to work. Being a recruiter I have a strong feeling that we are asking the wrong questions, such as What have you been doing since you have been unemployed for 6 month, the answer is, well I have been looking for a job the last 6 months. there are no good jobs, people need to realize most jobs are jobs, not careers, and as far as credit checks are going, peoples credit is getting ruined by not getting a job, that pays enough to pay their bills. People are not going to College because they realize they can;t pay the banks back that loan them the money. If they do go to college they are not getting the jobs that they went to school for. this has been going on for years. banks win again.. It is Pathetic.
    
    Reply
  - Pigbitin Mad
    
    October 31, 2012 at 12:20 PM
    
    But then you disqualify everyone who made more money (saying you would not even consider them). Most people would rather make $30,000 than be unemployed you A$$.
    
    Reply
    - Ian Scott
      
      April 13, 2013 at 10:30 PM
      
      I agree with all possible suggestions except 3 & 4.. The reason I disagree with num 3 is because neither a piercing nor tattoo defines a persons character. To me that’s being biased if you have a non discrimination policy. Num 4 is just out right ignorant. You shouldn’t judge a person based off appearance IT IS ONLY HAIR. I really dislike 4 because I’m a male who wears dreadlocks and I get dirty looks all the time and by no means am I a gangster, criminal, or dirty. It grows that way because GOD allows it to. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE??
      
      Reply

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