I interview a lot of people and in the past year that has included a lot of people laid off for COVID reasons. I've noticed that there is a big difference in interviews with people who have been laid off versus those who are searching while having a job - and that difference is confidence. People who have been laid off talk at me so much more than other candidates. They spend precious minutes of a phone screen trying to explain away why they got laid off or giving me a laundry list of achievements. Sometimes I don’t get to ask my full screening list of questions because they have spent so much time trying to explain every single project they’ve ever done. As a hiring manager, I get that these are tough times and lots of companies are laying off. I do not think it is your fault or that you are unqualified. I would not have taken the phone screen if I did not like your resume! Don’t hide the fact that you got laid off, but it’s much better to note it ‘Yea the company hit hard times and laid off a bunch of the workforce, but I’m really excited to talk about how your company is tackling XYZ.’ Then move us to a conversation about how we could work together. Paint a picture of how you could fit in at the company. Ask about what the challenges are that we have right now, then help paint a picture of how you could help solve them if you joined. The candidates who already have jobs tend to seem more self-assured and spend more time asking me questions or engaging me in conversation - and that is very appealing!<p>I know this may not be very helpful advice because I get that you need a job yesterday. It can be very hard to relax and be your best self in those situations, but if you can slow down a little and put yourself in the mind-frame of "hey they would be lucky to have me and need to sell me on their company" it will help you to come off as a better and more desirable candidate.
It's difficult to not act desperate when you actually are in a somewhat desperate situation (for example it's x weeks/months until you won't be able to pay your bills).
It's probably not advisable to discriminate against someone because of their lack of interest in getting you to sell the company to them. If they are really in need of the job, the last thing they want to do is appear as though the company is not interesting enough for them, or insufficient for some other reason, which could be something that comes with asking too many or even slightly too hard of questions.
You know an interview goes both ways, right?<p>As the interviewer, if a candidate goes on and on about something irrelevant, note that, interrupt them, and move on.<p>You're recognizing that these candidates are in a difficult situation, but you're not taking any steps yourself to support them.
What suggestions do you have for someone who may have been laid off months ago and is now facing the stigma of, let's just say "less than short term unemployment?" Those people often don't even make it to your phone screen.
I would chip in to the OPs feedback by repeating some advice that's somewhat commonplace but is very practical: for anyone in the shoes the OP has described, practice your speech, especially if you haven't found yourself in this situation before. Instead of feeling like you have to defend yourself, come up with a short spiel about your layoff situation that explains why you're back on the market.<p>Example: [John/Jane Smith] was a software engineer at Big Bill's Railroad working on a content management system. When Covid-19 hit, people suddenly stopped riding the trains on Bill's railroad, and Bill had no other recourse but to reduce his workforce: less ridership, less revenue. Unfortunately, [John/Jane Smith] was part of this RIF and [John/Jane Smith is] now back on the market.<p>If it comes up in a HR screen, substitute [John/Jane Smith] with the appropriate "I" during conversation and it's a Covid-themed template that everyone will get. The above is a crude example, but you should try to turn your experiences into paragraphs. Not everyone has the "leisure" of being in an impacted industry and it's more difficult to do if you've been fired rather than laid off, but it's important to package yourself for various audiences. Put your experiences into singular paragraphs, trim out all the cruft and fat, and you have good blurbs about yourself that are quick and informative.
> People who have been laid off talk at me so much more than other candidates.<p>Because for decades we've been systematically rejected and unable to apply our gifts due to momentary misunderstandings at interviews that just crush our lives like anvils again and again. If someone has enough to pay me enough to afford rent and expenses like internet / water / power andlemme know what I need to learn on top of all I already know and I'll deliver.
I been there. Laid off. Mortgage. Desperate. Accepted low ball arrogant offer from small startup company. That got me into more calm mood of not being that desperate.
Got a call from another company offering me 3x.<p>Shown middle finger to startup and left in 2 days to way more exciting career.
It is your job to hire the best candidate, hire the most qualified, not the best at selling himself.<p>Remember the Dunning–Kruger effect. We are surrounded by confident and wrong people.