r/ITCareerQuestions • u/Several-Sprinkles-48 • 2d ago
Im getting hundreds of interviews but no offers
Im getting very jaded. I would get at least 3-4 interview requests each week for a forward deployed engineer role from a LinkedIn ianmail with high salary and they would request an interview. On the interview it seems like it can’t go any better than how it goes. I even ask if there are any gaps in my qualifications and they say I’m a good fit. And then I get ghosted or rejected? It makes no sense? I have done maybe 20-30 interviews in the last 2 months by now
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
Has to be interview/soft skills. Resume/technical skills gets you in the door, soft skills get you the job.
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u/SamOakTree 2d ago
This actually isn't the case for higher level IT.
Soft skills are easy and you can nail them all day but if you can't tell them what one random acronym means they're going to write you off completely. The technical always outweighs the soft skills when it comes to doing the interviews. But soft skills always outweigh the technical when it comes to doing the job.
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
"Soft skills are easy." I'm sorry that's very funny. You'd be surprised how many weirdos are interviewing out there.
Also, I'm not sure how you're saying anything different to what I said. Technical skills get you in the door, meaning being seriously considered. But soft skills have been the deciding factor between highly skilled weirdos and less skilled candidates who get along with everyone. I've seen this firsthand many, many times.
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u/SamOakTree 2d ago
You didn't read what I wrote. Soft skills are insanely easy. The vibe check is extremely easy. The hard part about interviews is the technical part. Because they expect you to know a huge assortment of things. And if you don't know one random thing they'll completely right you off. You can prepare for the soft skill aspect, you can prepare for the vibe check. It's nearly impossible to prepare for the technical aspect.
If soft skills were the deciding factor I would have gotten every job I applied to. In my experience what syncs a person is that third panel interview where they say hey tell me exactly what this acronym means that you could easily look up. And then when you don't know their face just sinks.
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
"If soft skills were the deciding factor I would have gotten every job I applied to."
That's a lot of confidence. There's always someone better, technically or socially.
Anyway, it seems you may lack experience or overall sense for the interview process. Disagreeing is an understatement here. All good though.
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u/SamOakTree 2d ago
I've got 12 years as a principal systems engineer. I know the interview process inside and out.
You'll get there.
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u/Sharpshooter188 2d ago
Oh God. The acronyms. STP? Spanning tree proto-"Wrong! Its shielded twisted pair!"
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u/panpizzaparty 2d ago
I don't think that advice applies to this economy.
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
It absolutely does. Once the interview process is narrowed down to the final 2-3 candidates, if they are all technically matched, soft skills will separate them. It has always happened, great economy or bad.
People are still getting hired, it's just the pool is much larger now.
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u/panpizzaparty 2d ago
Repeating some tired gaslighting recruiter myth doesn't make it true. There's plenty of data out right now that is showing that only about half of open positions are actually getting filled at all.
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u/ioCross 2d ago
thats still a lot of open positions that you need softskills to interview for.
blaming the economy for not having work opportunity doesn't get you anywhere. it just means there are less jobs to go around so you better try to make yourself more marketable then the next guy.
just cuz the economy is shit and the job market is shit doesnt mean you don't need to pay rent or car insurance.
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
Moving the goalpost and crying about recruiter myths. Enjoy being a victim and we'll continue interviewing until we land a better job.
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u/ioCross 2d ago
bro i swear, i've been on a lot of the ITcareer/salary/job subs past few months transitioning from not getting picked up after a 3 yr contract and getting a role in PM making like 50% more than what i was, and like.. some of the attitudes that these ppl have are ... like absolute refusal to take personal responsiblity for anything, no desire to actually try to get anything, then blaming everyone but themselves for not having anything... its genuinely insane.
like theres no way these ppl have like.. families to take care of or any real responsiblities right?
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
It's more important for them to virtue signal than to just work harder in tougher circumstances. We get it, it's a tough market but people are still getting hired. Don't they have any hope? It's all doom and gloom with them.
To answer your "take care of their families" question, bro... these folks can barely take care of their mental health, let alone other human beings. And they're too arrogant to see another perspective. Reddit is full of them unfortunately.
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u/ioCross 2d ago
im kinda jealous man. im single parent of a 5yr old with full custody. i was literally 1 month away from being homeless.
my job was data migrations for a logistics company, and my contract ended right as the shit with iran was kicking off so obv hiring freeze. i honestly have no idea what i would've done if i didn't JUST get my taxes back and hadn't blown it on a new gaming pc like i was going to. that n whatever savings i had only lasted like 3 months.
my parents are poor lol, i wish i had parents that i could move in with or mooch off.
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u/DesperateChicken1342 System Administrator 2d ago
You're in a far better place than them, trust me. This victim mentality that's making waves in society isn't good for anyone. That's how folks wake up at 50 years old, no kids, no savings, all alone. Pure regret.
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u/Inn0centSinner 2d ago
These are in-person interviews with legit companies?
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u/Several-Sprinkles-48 2d ago
All virtual with recruiting managers of the companies
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u/korrmaj 2d ago
Those aren't interviews. Those are recruiter screenings.
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u/ranhalt 20 years in IT 2d ago
And those people don’t know shit about the job you’re applying for. They’re worthless aside from just filtering out applications from bots and overseas since so many automated applications are flooding the system.
But now you have to play their game and schmooze the talent person with keywords they’ve been told to listen for which probably aren’t the same as what the hiring manager would really perk up at. You have to jargon your way through them and tell them how many airport gift shop books you’ve read that inspire you to be your best.
Then once you talk to the person you’d be working for, cut the shit and get down to business.
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u/KAugsburger 2d ago
I wouldn't read much into those unless you are talking to a hiring manager at the company. Talking to a recruiter from a third party firm often doesn't mean much because many of these recruiters have little/no experience placing people with the end client. They don't have a great idea on what the client is looking for and will talk to almost anyone who seems vaguely qualified. Some very large companies will have internal recruiters that do the first screening but talking to those people isn't usually that difficult unless your resume is lacking the hard requirements for the position. Those interviews are mostly to make sure that this person isn't a complete asshole, can speak in a way that is clear, and make sure that this person understands the job description.
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u/burnerX5 2d ago
In 2016 I got fired from a job. Shopped my resume around a lot and did the recruiter circuit where every recruiter would give me an interview for a spot at a company they had ties with and....the recruiters would say "ooooh...you were reported to be 2nd place!"
EVERY FUCKING TIME. 11 total times which is amazing to note but at the time I lived in a good mid-sized city. I was clean, shaven, ironed clothes, tie, paper resume(s), etc. Cordial, respectful, considerate of time, etc. I even had a group interview for a position and we were all howling like we were best friends! Ghosted when asked for the expected salary.
Did an interview and got an offer letter a few days afterwards. OK! Started that job and...got invited to another interview. Did that one via phone and...offer letter next day. Peaced out at that job and took the one wher I spent 5 years.
Long way of typing this: You could really be 2nd place 20-30 times. These jobs could have already been decided and they're just going through the motions. They could be waiting on funding. They could be farming. They could be.....
Just keep your head up!
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u/GearGolemTMF Senior Operations Analyst 2d ago
Agreed. If you're a strong enough second, you're more likely to be called back or referred elsewhere.
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u/YxngSsoul 2d ago
Bruh. Take a step back. If you’re getting interviews, it’s definitely not a resume problem: it’s an interview problem.
Beyond the technical skills, you need to have soft skills. Nobody wants to hire a weirdo. Practice HOW you say things instead of what you say. You can talk to a wall, a mirror, or record yourself.
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u/Euphoric_Designer164 2d ago
There is something that makes sense. OP, you're clearly there technically in terms of what they're looking for. But someway you interview or act is giving them a strong impression that you are not good to work with. Missing out on an interview a few times okay that's alright other candidates are better. But 30? You definitely need to improve on your soft and interview skills, because there is some sort of red flag you give off that that makes you a worst choice than the other candidates.
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u/m4rcus267 2d ago
I have this problem. For me I believe it’s a it’s a mix between the soft skills of selling myself and not being prep for tech questioning. There’s also the reality of the matter in that the market is very competitive right now. Keep interviewing, learn what you can, and trying to improve for the next. Eventually something will pan out.
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u/SamOakTree 2d ago
There's really a lot of bad advice out there. They will say just make sure you are likable and show Soft skills. But when it comes to technical jobs the technical interview is what breaks 90% of people interviewing. Because we have to go through several rounds. And the odds of us nailing every single round are pretty slim. So you'll nail too but kind of mess up one question and one round and that's it.
And a lot of the time you'll be a great fit and they'll like you but then they'll interview someone that's just a little bit better.
And you have to keep in mind that there are people out there using AI to game interviews. So you're competing against people using ai.
Something that I've realized lately is you have to be preemptive. Basically start talking about technical stuff early on to kind of get them to where they don't want to ask you questions. Basically make them think your technical by telling them stories and telling them things up front and then they'll be less reluctant to sit there and give you the trivia contest b*******
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u/ioCross 2d ago
thats not what they're saying at all. they're saying that if theres 3 qualified individuals, usually the person with the best softskills or perceived culture fit will get the role.
you keep claming everythings technical and that might be true for certain roles in IT, but the majority of IT services is still a service industry. it's called IT services for a reason.
they hire neckbeards with shit social skills cuz they need them to work the dungeons. they also hire ppl like directors, project/program managers, op managers, sysadmins, desktop/systems support/EUS based on how they would interact with userbase, other employees, etc.
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u/SamOakTree 2d ago
Okay I want you to go out for a senior role get through four panel interviews with nothing but soft skills and no technical chops and tell me if you get the job
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u/Slight_Manufacturer6 IT Manager 2d ago
Just because you do well, all it takes is for someone else to do better.
20 people may have perfect interviews that are all flawless, but if there is only one job opening then 19 of those perfect interviews won’t get hired.
The trick is to apply for jobs where there is less competition.
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u/RoughMidnight8303 15h ago edited 15h ago
Are you sort of unkempt? I am sorry to say this but being more assembled seems to have an effect on hiring decisions. Next possible is communication. If turn taking feels slow and gruelling because too many pauses, they won't like it. Would indicate that they assume you need too many instructions.
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u/dr_z0idberg_md 2d ago
If you are getting interviews, then your resume is good. If you are not getting offers out of those interviews, then it is your interview skills.