CAREERS NOW 01-13-10

Move on After Ego-Busting Silence

DEAR JOYCE: Even after three interviews and assurances that I was a finalist for a position, I never heard from the company again! I left numerous phone and e-mail messages with no response. What's wrong with these people? Why haven't they called back? - B.B.

Thunderous silence in the job search process is much more prevalent today than it was in a gentler time. Hiring authorities ignore you because they can. Apart from automated responses, blowing off everyone except the winning candidate has become the norm.

Among many reasons for the popularity of zipped lips: floods of unqualified candidates clog the application process; shortages of human resources processing personnel result from sparse budgets; harried department managers face time squeezes caused by production quotas; hiring freezes are enforced by management; negative revelations surface about a finalist; or the perfect candidate appears at the midnight hour.

Additionally, employers sometimes juggle promising candidates, just in case their top choice doesn't work out. Another huge reason for deafening silence is that most people hate to deliver bad news; avoidance is common. And the longer hiring authorities procrastinate, the harder it becomes to tell you that you are not getting the job. No news is not good news here.

Don't bother wasting your time asking why you were rejected - they're not going to blab news you can use. The answer is virtually always a version of "We found someone more qualified."

Your best action: Keep following up desirable leads - especially after a promising interview - with enthusiasm. Send thank-you letters that really are sales messages, recapping point-for-point why you're the one. Even though it failed this time, call the decision-maker. (It's easier to turn someone down by e-mail than on the phone.)

Write yet another letter when you know for certain that you're out of the running: Graciously thank the decision-maker for considering you and say that you'd be happy to speak further if the initial selection doesn't pan out.

The silent treatment hurts. But you're in good company. Move on!

DEAR JOYCE: I would like to know how to turn my hobby, photography, into a wedding photography business. Where do I start? -K.T.

Parachuting into wedding photography from amateur status - and doing a picture-perfect job memorializing an event that happens only once - is difficult with a capital "D." People in the business suggest that you start as an assistant and then work as a second shooter to learn what you need to know.

Other tips: Join a photography group (perhaps through a community college photography class), build an impressive portfolio, attend bridal expos with your portfolio and introduce yourself to any wedding photographers there. Try to find a mentor.

DEAR JOYCE: A woman in my office is outrageously rude to me. For instance, recently she barged into my office during a meeting with a client. When I brought this to her attention, she sarcastically said, "Well, pardon me!" She'll do it again. What's a good way to handle this creature? - R.E.

Show a new attitude of quiet authority. Give her a glacial smile and dismiss her with a you-need-to-behave-like-an-adult statement, such as: "I'm in conference. We can meet later. Please excuse me now." Turn back to your conversation. Terse but professional treatment often puts you in control.

But if that technique sails right over her head, try being more direct: "I think it's best if I limit my contact with you. If you need to communicate, e-mail me. Or if the transaction requires that we be in the same office, please make an appointment."

Still no luck? Ask your boss for advice on interacting with your nemesis.

DEAR JOYCE: After chasing a much-needed job that came to me by e-mail, I found out it was phony. How can I tell which are real offers? - F.N.

This is hardly breaking news, but if it sounds too good to be true, it is. You might want to visit a government-sponsored One-Stop Career Center (servicelocator.org) and ask for assistance, including referrals to free job clubs where peer members give you encouragement and job leads, and critique your interviewing technique.

Email Joyce
Sorry, the volume of mail makes personal replies impossible.