Common Questions from Candidates to Our Recruiters
Here are some common questions we're asked by candidates who haven't been job searching for a while!
My career break shouldn’t matter, I’ve got plenty of experience, so why haven’t they called back?
The most important thing to remember is that employers will always wonder about blank spaces. No matter the reason you took a break, it is important to update your resume with what you were doing in that time. Be honest and open, employers will appreciate this. If people don’t know things they often assume – so don’t let them do that. Get ahead of the game. You’ll have to update your resume anyway so there’s no struggle in writing a short two or three sentences explaining your absence from the workforce.
Bonus tip: If you write a brief explanation of your break (E.g. To raise my children or sabbatical so I could travel or was made redundant and took the opportunity to go back to University). Whatever it may have been, also include the things you learned in that time. Think about transferable skills and how they could work in the job you are applying for. After all, life experience is just as, if not more important than work experience.
How does LinkedIn work, I don’t get it?
LinkedIn is a really great way to network and it’s also one of the top places that recruiters are searching for candidates to fill their available roles. But not everyone understands LinkedIn because it falls into the category of social networking which is something that has boomed in recent years.
It’s hard to answer how LinkedIn ‘works’ in one small paragraph so I’ve created a separate blog to explain the basics. Click here to read.
I received a courtesy email saying they will call me back if I’m suitable to the role, but I haven’t received a call?
This one is all about the recruiter. They should be calling you either way. Though, to answer this question, the reason they might not have called is because they haven’t yet found that ‘suitable role’.
However, at Peoplebank we know that ‘no news, is news’ to a candidate. We will try to keep candidates updated on progress for the roles they have applied for. If you have simply joined our database, we will inform or contact you when the right role comes up.
Is flexible work available?
Dependant on the company, flexible work may be an option. However, it's sometimes best to work the probation period and prove your productivity so that your manager will know and trust that you can efficiently work from home. Or that you can start earlier even if they aren't there, so you can leave earlier. This is a conversation for you to ask within your interviews however if it’s a work perk often the recruiter will mention this to you when they give you the details.
What do I do if this role needs me to start ASAP, but I need three weeks’ notice?
This is another thing you will have to be open and honest about. If you need three weeks, then you have to let them know that and why. If you could cut three weeks down to a shorter time frame that would be even better. But we understand you might not always be able to do that. If you’ve interviewed well and your resume is up to date and looking good, you might just be the one they really want – in which case they’ll wait for you. But if they have a plentiful of options don’t ride on the one offer and keep applying to other positions.
If you have any more questions you'd like answered, let us know! I will personally ask our experienced recruitment consultants to get you the best answers.
