Yeah, I know right? I have a fulltime position now, but for a couple of years I worked as a freelancer/contractor and would get asked about my gaps. I'm like: "Why are you surprised I have jobs that only lasted a couple of months?"
I quit watching when he said companies invest money in training you. That is 100% false. Never once in 20 years had an employer train me. Not even as a junior. It is always sink or swim.
I'm an Instructional Designer. My job description is literally to make trainings for companies that improve their workforce. AKA: Investing in their employees. You may have had terrible experiences with past employers who provided no onboarding or training but that speaks badly of the companies you worked for - not ALL companies.
Yes YOU gave trained people but in general employers do not. Plus I would say any training is simply restricted to doing a simple job but in their way which isn't even transferrable@@KevinTheID
When I entered the work force. The Mail room was one 'Entry' position. That was how you established your reliability. Your next inhouse move would include OJT (and maybe some night schooling, of which some might reimburse for a certificate of completion). Later, they wanted you fully trained, even foe a entry/junior position. One job fair wanted 5Y experience on Model S. My comment: You want someone from the design team? (I had been laid off from a different department that supported R&D). And then there was Degree creep. When I started, My Navy Electronics schooling was considered excellent (AA equivalent) Later the jobs I was doing required a BS. My dad was a EE with a BS. I was a TECH .
@@steveurbach3093 Unfortunately, degree inflation has become a significant problem in recent years where we equate having high-level degrees with even the most menial of tasks. I've made videos discussing the ramifications of that and the issues with not properly onboarding employees. Spending money on training actually saves money in the long run because people are less likely to make mistakes, more likely to be qualified at their jobs, and will make it so they're more likely to stay - thus negating recruiting and hiring costs due to attrition. Sure, like OP pointed out, there are bad companies out there who don't invest in their employees at all, but that speaks more about the state of that business. Same goes for those who don't hire the most able-bodied/qualified person, even when they don't have the degree stated in the job description.
@@steveurbach3093 When the job market is bad, a BS is very useful. I have a computer science degree. When the market is good, it feels like a waste, right now I'm glad I have it.
Quite frankly, gaps in my employment history are none of a potential employer's business. They can politely ask why and I'l politely tell them why. If its a problem for them, then so be it, I'll find employment elsewhere. If they want evidence, I'll gladly provide them with evidence from my son's cancer treatment over the last year and watch them squirm.
Which is ultimately what it comes down to. Though there are reasons to ask the question, they need to be ready for the gamut of response that come with it - mostly stemming from personal issues you were taking care of. If there's a problem with that response, then there's not much they can do but move on to someone else and for you to find a company that wouldn't judge you for it.
I can't even begin to explain to you how triggering this is for me! I've spent years learning and advancing my skills, and doing freelancing work wherever possible, only to be met with this obnoxious question at interviews. And the worst part is that recruiters really don't understand, and they don't want to understand or even care! They just treat you like the worst criminal! 🤬
Yeah, even though there are valid reasons behind the question, it is still rather personal and frustrating. I know they're just doing their job, but they must also be prepared for the negative responses that come with these kinds of questions - or even just the "it's none of your business" ones as well. If you're a freelancer or have been laid off, then you have an easy answer to the questions that you can just say and move on. If there is any other reason I would just advise people to say: "I'm looking for new opportunities."
@@KevinTheID I don't think it's an easy answer at all. Many recruiters change the tone of the discussion immediately after hearing that. Like it's some sort of cardinal sin. I wish recruiters would remember that we're humans and that not everything revolves about work.
@@DanielDogeanu That's unfortunate that you've had ones who treat getting laid off so poorly. I wouldn't want to work for someone who does that anyway. Now, I have had similar interviewers treat my freelancing experience that way because they think that I wasn't going to stay with their company very long and that (in their eyes) I couldn't hold a steady job. Those interviews were infuriating and missed the entire point of being a freelancer.
Discrimination based on job gaps, is fairly toxic towards women, whom are more likely to take time off to care for family, or might have had a baby and stayed home with it for a while.
Totally true, unfortunately. We've made great strides but gender discrimination is still present, especially toward mothers who are taking time off to care for sick kids or who need time to pump for infants.
Hit the ground running on the first day? Not everywhere. On my last job I found that inefficiency was elevated to an art. They kicked me after a week because my work ethic was making the others nervous 😭
That doesn't really sound like the norm though. Plus, they did want you to hit the ground running - just not to the degree that you apparently did. A company that is so totally entrenched in mediocrity like that has a hard time changing.
@@scmsean It can go either way. I generally ask more questions during interviews when that phrase is said about what they mean by it. If there's even a whiff of no support and they just expect you to do whatever they tell you without any training or guidance - then it's a massive no from me as well.
These are mostly assumptions based on anecdotal evidence. I think another word for it might be prejudice. If you wanna know the reason for unemployment ask the candidate and let them provide evidence. But no, too much work on their end, swipe left.
Not sure I'm following here. The point of this video was to show why employers ask candidates about their job gaps/unemployment and offer them a chance to provide evidence - just as you said.
As in where do I get my information from? Testimonials from dozens of recruiters I work with on a regular basis, hiring managers at the companies I have been employed at, numerous studies and articles done in economic journals, and my own experience as well.
They offer contract jobs for 3-12 months then wonder why someone might have a gap in employment. That's insane.
Yeah, I know right?
I have a fulltime position now, but for a couple of years I worked as a freelancer/contractor and would get asked about my gaps.
I'm like: "Why are you surprised I have jobs that only lasted a couple of months?"
If it’s just a small gap of a few months, just lie in your resume. How would they know?
Yep, pretty much! If it's a long gap, that's where the issue really comes in.
Just make sure your LinkedIn matches your resume.
I quit watching when he said companies invest money in training you. That is 100% false. Never once in 20 years had an employer train me. Not even as a junior. It is always sink or swim.
I'm an Instructional Designer. My job description is literally to make trainings for companies that improve their workforce. AKA: Investing in their employees.
You may have had terrible experiences with past employers who provided no onboarding or training but that speaks badly of the companies you worked for - not ALL companies.
Yes YOU gave trained people but in general employers do not. Plus I would say any training is simply restricted to doing a simple job but in their way which isn't even transferrable@@KevinTheID
When I entered the work force. The Mail room was one 'Entry' position. That was how you established your reliability. Your next inhouse move would include OJT (and maybe some night schooling, of which some might reimburse for a certificate of completion). Later, they wanted you fully trained, even foe a entry/junior position. One job fair wanted 5Y experience on Model S. My comment: You want someone from the design team? (I had been laid off from a different department that supported R&D). And then there was Degree creep. When I started, My Navy Electronics schooling was considered excellent (AA equivalent) Later the jobs I was doing required a BS. My dad was a EE with a BS. I was a TECH .
@@steveurbach3093 Unfortunately, degree inflation has become a significant problem in recent years where we equate having high-level degrees with even the most menial of tasks. I've made videos discussing the ramifications of that and the issues with not properly onboarding employees.
Spending money on training actually saves money in the long run because people are less likely to make mistakes, more likely to be qualified at their jobs, and will make it so they're more likely to stay - thus negating recruiting and hiring costs due to attrition.
Sure, like OP pointed out, there are bad companies out there who don't invest in their employees at all, but that speaks more about the state of that business. Same goes for those who don't hire the most able-bodied/qualified person, even when they don't have the degree stated in the job description.
@@steveurbach3093 When the job market is bad, a BS is very useful. I have a computer science degree. When the market is good, it feels like a waste, right now I'm glad I have it.
Quite frankly, gaps in my employment history are none of a potential employer's business. They can politely ask why and I'l politely tell them why. If its a problem for them, then so be it, I'll find employment elsewhere. If they want evidence, I'll gladly provide them with evidence from my son's cancer treatment over the last year and watch them squirm.
Which is ultimately what it comes down to. Though there are reasons to ask the question, they need to be ready for the gamut of response that come with it - mostly stemming from personal issues you were taking care of.
If there's a problem with that response, then there's not much they can do but move on to someone else and for you to find a company that wouldn't judge you for it.
I can't even begin to explain to you how triggering this is for me! I've spent years learning and advancing my skills, and doing freelancing work wherever possible, only to be met with this obnoxious question at interviews. And the worst part is that recruiters really don't understand, and they don't want to understand or even care! They just treat you like the worst criminal! 🤬
Yeah, even though there are valid reasons behind the question, it is still rather personal and frustrating. I know they're just doing their job, but they must also be prepared for the negative responses that come with these kinds of questions - or even just the "it's none of your business" ones as well.
If you're a freelancer or have been laid off, then you have an easy answer to the questions that you can just say and move on.
If there is any other reason I would just advise people to say: "I'm looking for new opportunities."
@@KevinTheID I don't think it's an easy answer at all. Many recruiters change the tone of the discussion immediately after hearing that. Like it's some sort of cardinal sin. I wish recruiters would remember that we're humans and that not everything revolves about work.
@@DanielDogeanu That's unfortunate that you've had ones who treat getting laid off so poorly. I wouldn't want to work for someone who does that anyway.
Now, I have had similar interviewers treat my freelancing experience that way because they think that I wasn't going to stay with their company very long and that (in their eyes) I couldn't hold a steady job.
Those interviews were infuriating and missed the entire point of being a freelancer.
Im supporting this dude
Thanks! Much appreciated!
Very enlightening! Love this video! Ty
My pleasure! Glad it was informative!
Discrimination based on job gaps, is fairly toxic towards women, whom are more likely to take time off to care for family, or might have had a baby and stayed home with it for a while.
Totally true, unfortunately. We've made great strides but gender discrimination is still present, especially toward mothers who are taking time off to care for sick kids or who need time to pump for infants.
Hit the ground running on the first day? Not everywhere. On my last job I found that inefficiency was elevated to an art. They kicked me after a week because my work ethic was making the others nervous 😭
That doesn't really sound like the norm though. Plus, they did want you to hit the ground running - just not to the degree that you apparently did.
A company that is so totally entrenched in mediocrity like that has a hard time changing.
@@KevinTheID More like, hit the ground crawling. All I'm saying, it's possible to be surprised like that sometimes. See also the late David Graeber.
@@cebruthius There's always that potential to be surprised, that's true!
Anytime you hear a company say that it is a bad sign. I never take a job if they say that.
@@scmsean It can go either way. I generally ask more questions during interviews when that phrase is said about what they mean by it.
If there's even a whiff of no support and they just expect you to do whatever they tell you without any training or guidance - then it's a massive no from me as well.
These are mostly assumptions based on anecdotal evidence. I think another word for it might be prejudice. If you wanna know the reason for unemployment ask the candidate and let them provide evidence. But no, too much work on their end, swipe left.
Not sure I'm following here. The point of this video was to show why employers ask candidates about their job gaps/unemployment and offer them a chance to provide evidence - just as you said.
What do you base this video on?
As in where do I get my information from?
Testimonials from dozens of recruiters I work with on a regular basis, hiring managers at the companies I have been employed at, numerous studies and articles done in economic journals, and my own experience as well.
Solid actionable advice for a tough spot to be in 👏
Thanks, much appreciated!
Simple answer: I am under NDA.
That is definitely one that would deflect the question, huh?