That’s No Excuse

The reason your job search is falling short may be semantics and more

Two people are vying for the same position but don’t make the final cut. Candidate A says that the interviewer had so many applicants to meet with, he didn’t pay much attention to the candidate and that’s why the candidate was passed over. Candidate B says that his skill set wasn’t a good fit for the job in question.

Why didn’t they get the job? One had a reason. One had an excuse. And there is a big difference between the two. Despite what the dictionary says.

Taking a closer look

Candidate B examined the shortcoming and accepted responsibility for it. Candidate A, on the other hand, tried to paint the result onto to the interviewer, totally ignoring his complicity in the outcome.

According to author and career coach Gary Ryan Blair, while the dictionary makes no relevant distinction between the two, “I know of no enemy more insidious or vicious than excuses. It’s an enemy that poses a clear and present danger to your future,” he says.

It all can be traced back to the process of self-evaluation. Recognizing your strong points and shortcomings – not just at the beginning of your job search, but throughout the process as well. After every job interview, after every informational interview, after every networking event… stop and ask yourself “What did I do right? What did I do wrong? What could I have done to produce a more positive result?”

We suppose that the reason most people don’t ask those kinds of questions is that they are afraid of the answers. The successful job seeker asks the questions, provides honest (brutally, if necessary) answers, and ultimately moves on to a new position.

More tips.