I frequently hear from job seekers that they fear they were (or will be) turned down because of something that couldn’t easily be discussed, such as being older or younger than others on the team, or being very large in stature, or for having a personality that was notable in some way (very outgoing or taciturn, for example).
These job seekers know they’re different from the candidate the employer was anticipating hiring. And yet, they made it to the interview, so something on the resume or in the networking must have been appealing.
In last week’s column I provided a strategy for anticipating and even welcoming difficult interview questions. This week I want to look at the difficult questions that aren’t asked, perhaps because they’re too awkward or even illegal.
As a starting point, it helps to empathize with interviewers caught in a bind between maintaining ethical interviewing practices and needing to ensure a worker can do the job.
While it’s never appropriate to discriminate against a worker based on age, for example, neither should one be surprised when the employer forms an initial impression that the younger worker who arrives late to the interview might have a problem with work habits or that the older candidate who sends an attachment in a nonstandard file format might not work well with technology. These age-based stereotypes are culturally embedded and candidates whose mistakes or physical appearance play into the stereotypes face harsher consequences.
If you feel something unspoken is working against you, your first step is to identify what you think that might be. Then analyze why and how much that would matter to an employer. As noted in last week’s column, you can sometimes broach the topic by adjusting the answer to a spoken question to include information for an unasked question. But other times you’ll need to raise the subject more directly so you can put your own spin on it.
Here’s an example of how something awkward might be approached by the candidate:
“There’s one thing we haven’t talked about that I can imagine might be on your mind. I’d like to tell you a little about my experience in intergenerational workplaces. You know from my resume that I’m past the mid-point in my career and I know from my research that many of your folks are recent college graduates.
“I know I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have the skills you need. But one thing my resume doesn’t really show is that each of my last three roles involved teams that skewed much younger than me. In some cases I was the leader and other times I was the one learning from a younger colleague. I’m very comfortable and effective regardless of the age differences on a team.
“You shouldn’t have to take my word for it, though. The references I’ve brought include two people who are younger than me; one was my manager and one was a co-worker. I know you can’t easily ask questions related to age, but I just wanted you to have the information so you can feel comfortable with how I’d fit your team.”
Age issues can be tricky to discuss but this short soliloquy demonstrates that you can frame an issue without sounding either defensive or aggressive. It’s just a respectful statement that acknowledges the employer’s position while raising an awkward subject.
If you want to play with the model, try rewording the example above for a 20-something worker who is being considered for a consulting role where the clients will expect someone older. Or for a plus-sized person whose job will have physical demands.
Another tactic, especially for personality-based issues, is to use a light touch. For example, a candidate who tends to talk too much might slip something into the conversation early on: “I hope you’ll stop me if I’m providing too much information. I’m very enthusiastic about this opportunity and I don’t want to talk your ear off.”
Likewise, a somewhat reserved person could end the interview with: “I should tell you just how excited I am about this opportunity. I have a reputation for being a bit quiet and I don’t want you to think that reflects my level of interest. I’ve really enjoyed our conversation and I’d very much like to move forward in the process.”
One last word: Job candidates dealing with unspoken issues usually fare better outside of competitive posting processes. Instead of responding to ads, push harder on your networking efforts and you’ll more frequently be the only candidate being considered. That’s when your strengths have a chance to shine, while everything else fades into the background.
