<p>I'm posting this here because I figure parents would have the experience to help me out. So I'm doing volunteer for a small company. I listed this position on my resume as my current job. So far, I've failed every single interview I came across. I've done over 50. There has to be something else going on here. Even if I'm not a good at interviewing, I should have landed a job by sheer chance. Could it be due to the fact that when they run a background check, nothing shows up? I don't pay taxes since I don't get paid, so I don't get how there can be any evidence that ever shows that i work for my company. Since it's my current job, they of course would not call my employer. So we can rule that out as a way of varification.</p>
<p>They wouldn’t be looking at your tax records. They could, however, call to verify employment and maybe are told that you aren’t an employee but rather a volunteer.</p>
<p>Have you ever had any type of training as to how to conduct yourself in an interview? That might help. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>Is it listed as a volunteer position? It should be. However, I’ve not had a company do a background check until after I accepted an offer. Typically, it goes phone interview, face to face interview, job offer, background check and drug screen, and then set the start date. </p>
<p>It would be really hard for us to guess why you’re not having successful interviews.</p>
<p>I don’t list it as a volunteer position. But after my interviews, I usually have to fill out a paper application. On there I would have to list my salary for my job. I just put $0. It should be quite evident that the position is unpaid. I figure, a job is a job, why need to downplay it.</p>
<p>I also don’t think that I’m that horrific at interviews. I can hold my on in a conversation without it turning into awkward silence. My social skills are average. But then again, there are more socially inept people than there are unemployed so I don’t think of having average skills as a true barrier.</p>
<p>It’s really, really hard to “guess” why you aren’t landing a job. A couple random thought: I think you need to be upfront on your resume about your “current job”. Whether it’s in parenthesis after the job title or as the first bullet, the “job” that you hold is “volunteer”…now you can say Volunteer PR Manager, or volunteer Shuttle Driver or Volunteer Rocket Scientist, but it’s possible that interviewers are seeing you as less than forthright.</p>
<p>Finally, nothing would show up in a background check, but if they are calling the place you work (where you aren’t clearly saying you volunteer) and asking if you work there it’s possible the answer that is being given is “No John/Jane has never been employed by us” which you aren’t because you are a volunteer. If your company uses a clearing house for job verification you won’t show up because you aren’t an employee.</p>
<p>So you may be shooting yourself in the foot by not being forthcoming about what you are actually doing…you may perceive what you are doing as a volunteer as a job but it could be hurting you in the long run by how you are representing that volunteer position.</p>
<p>Also, you aren’t clear in your original post if you are highly qualified for the positions you are interviewing. If there’s parity, e.g. you are applying for the very same job you are doing as a volunteer, then you can look for some other reason. Are you interviewing for a non-entry level position? If so then you simply may be running up against other candidates that have job experience under the belt (which you do not).</p>
<p>Well, then I think you answered my question. My company is small enough that if they were to call, I would know about it. Besides, my boss is a friend of mine. He would not tell them that I volunteer if they ask if I am employed there. Since we know that a background check cannot verify employment, we can eliminate that as a reason. </p>
<p>What is a clearing house?</p>
<p>I apply to only entry level since my college job board allows me to filter for entry level. I’ve been applying to similar positions but for the sake of variety, I apply to all sorts of jobs and have been getting interviews to them. </p>
<p>Now I’m starting to think that it may be my interview skills. But thats weird. I’m not a horrific speaker. In fact, several times, my interviewers were socially awkward, you know, the ones that say ummm a lot and can’t look you in the eye for more than 5 secs.</p>
<p>I was a manager (now retired) for a large aerospace company. I hired quite a few people and never did a background check that included anyone’s tax information. So, I wouldn’t worry about that one. </p>
<p>The fact that your job is a volunteer position shouldn’t matter. In fact, I’d rather see someone who didn’t have a paying job doing something useful with their time rather than laying around doing nothing. </p>
<p>There has to be something else going on here. What field are you trying to get a job in? What was your GPA in college (my company wouldn’t hire anyone with less than a 3.0)? How did you dress for your interview (overdressed/underdressed or something out of the ordinary)? Do you have strong opinions about something that would become an issue (most jobs require you to work with people, inside or outside the company, and you need that “plays well with others” skills)?</p>
<p>You may not be getting a job because you DON’T have any real work experience per your posts. The kids getting jobs out of college today mostly have had internships, co-op experiences, etc. on their resumes. My D had a pretty heavy amount of internship experience (some of it paid, some unpaid), and still applied for about 75 positions before landing a job. And she is a fantastic interviewer, too.</p>
<p>You do need to change your resume NOW to say that you are doing is a volunteer position. As someone who sometimes screens resumes for hiring, I would consider it dishonest for you to list it as an actual job. You can still put all the responsibilities, how many hours per week/how long you have had the position, etc. But it is dishonest to show it on your resume as employment. “A job is a job” is what you posted above. But you do NOT have a job. You have a volunteer position, and those are two different things. It is valuable to show it on your resume, but don’t represent it as something it is not.</p>
<p>You need to change your resume to have the position listed as volunteer - I as an adult put volunteer potions on my resume but I clearly indicate them as volunteer. You need to go to career services and have them review your resume and do some mock interviews (or sign up for an interview class - which will usually have you do mock interviews). The last issue may be that the jobs you are applying for are simply not appropriate to your experience or skill level - another thing I think you can discuss with career services</p>
<p>my gpa was nearly perfect from a top 30 school. My major isn’t particular useful but its rigorous(one of the STEM). I’m trying to get into an analytical field. I dont have an engineering degree but I’ve studied some programming after graduating. However, don’t have many good projects as of yet. </p>
<p>I dress up in a suit and tie. The suit is a bit big for me though but its not that noticible. Sometimes I’m wearing a suit and they are wearing only slacks and dress shirt. My hair is medium/long but its only to cover the acne scars which is even more unslightly. </p>
<p>Most of my opinions are politically correct when it comes to talking to interviewers. </p>
<p>@intparent. I’m curious. Others say i need to change it, some say don’t worry. But from what i gathered in this thread, it’s impossible to varify. Even my boss has me covered. I just dont have the tax info. Do you think that they can find out? </p>
<p>The truth is, it’s not really volunteer, I get stuff out of it. I get free food all the time, I get to crash at his place whenever I want. It’s almost like I’m getting paid. So I’m not really sure about the status of my work. It’s kinda like volunteer but not really.</p>
<p>OP have you been asked for your GPA in any of the positions where you have been interviewed? I would not give out your GPA unless you are specifically being asked. Have you actually been to around 50 interviews? How many jobs total have you applied to? If you are getting interviewed at a high percentage of jobs you are applying at, your resume is probably pretty good and it simply might be the whole volunteer “hiding” thing that is going on creating a negative feeling after that first interview, because I’m thinking you do disclose this at the interview. </p>
<p>I agree though, see if you can go through a mock interview with someone at your college and make sure it isn’t the actual interview that is “hurting” you.</p>
<p>On the reason I say don’t give out a GPA unless asked, is that it can work against you if it’s high and it can work against you if it’s low. For some reason college kids must feel like a GPA is “important” probably because they have spent so many years living by their grade point, so you do see GPAs on fresh out of college resumes, but virtually no one else puts a GPA on a resume and very few HR departments ask for it…and if they want your GPA for an internship position or want your GPA for a specific position and they like your resume, they will ask you for it. So give it freely if it’s asked for otherwise leave it off your resume.</p>
<p>If you don’t have a W-2, you do not have a job. Period. If you lie on your resume and are caught later, you will likely be fired. Thus leading to a bigger problem. My read is that you KNOW this is not a job, and just figure you can get away with this lie.</p>
<p>Do you mean that you are trying to get work as a programmer, but have a degree in something like biology? 30 years ago that was a workable plan (take some CS classes, and be able to get a job in IT even though you didn’t major in it). I think that is much harder now. So many intro level jobs have been sent offshore that you are going to have a rough time against people who have an appropriate degree and/or experience.</p>
<p>You mention your hair… I am thinking it is in your face to cover the scars you mentioned. Hate to say it… but you probably should consider a haircut and allowing the scars to show. Long hair down in your eyes is going to be a turnoff for any interviewer (I think it has attitude implications, rightly or wrongly). And get clothes that fit – better to interview slacks, tie, and blazer that fit than a suit that doesn’t.</p>
<p>Actually my gpa is my strong point. I list it on my resume and believe that is one of the reasons why I’m getting interviews. I’ve applied to over 400 jobs. </p>
<p>Yes I do disclose it during the interview, at least when not asked I would put it down on the paper application that they give to me afterwards. I suppose that that might be the case. Should I list it as a long term intership instead? Internships are either paid or unpaid so if i disclose it, it shouldn’t be a problem. The whole issue with me putting that I’m a volunteer is that it makes me look weak from the start. I’ve graduated for a while now and should be in a paid position.</p>
<p>You can look “weak” because you are volunteering or you can lie on your resume. I know which one I would pick. And I know which one I would fire you for if I found out later.</p>
<p>@intparent. I suppose you’re right. I will be making the change soon. The thing is, I’m not lying, I simply provide the info on the real application since it will ask for salary info. I have never intended to lie. The truth is revealed during the interview like many other things( salary expectations etc)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Are you a biology major trying to get into computer software?</p>
<p>Many computer software interviews include technical questions. Could it be that you are not doing so well on the technical questions?</p>
<p>That is kind of a kluge… you are lying to get in the door so they ask for the employment form. And many employers do not have a form like that, so it might just never come up.</p>
<p>I see. The thing is, I don’t know what should I list it as since i do get compensated in various forms. Just not in cash. But clearly, I produce value. Thinking about it, to list it as volunteer would be to way underplay it. To list it was a actually salaried job would be to overplay it as well. I’m kinda stuck. But I do definitely consider this to be more than a nonpaid job. </p>
<p>So it’s not the law to have employment forms. That makes sense. I know people running restaurants that hire people without filling out any forms. A lot of businesses are probably like that since a lot of people probably aren’t savvy in that sense.</p>
<p>I did math and physics, hence the name. I’m not bad with logic, I can do the challenge problems in my programing textbook. However, my knowledge is still that of a beginner. Either way, I’m not going to apply to any software jobs until I build some decent mobile apps, which can take a while. Programming is really just a fallback option I’m doing on the side.</p>
<p>Have you gotten any of these interviews through headhunters? If so, call the headhunter. Sometimes, they are in a better position than you are to call and ask for feedback. I have an unemployed friend who has asked headhunters to get feedback. Headhunters have an incentive to do this for you because they want you to get a job through them and if you’re doing something wrong in the interview, they want to fix it. Sometimes it’s a good idea to go through a headhunter for a few jobs just to get this sort of feedback.</p>
<p>If you haven’t used a headhunter, try calling someone who interviewed you on your own. Be polite. Tell the truth. I’m job hunting; I’ve gotten lots of interviews, but no job. Can you give me any ideas as to how I can improve? Most people will refuse, but make enough calls and someone may tell you the truth. (Your breath was bad enough to kill an elephant; your hair is too long; truth is we had to advertise the job, but we already had an in house candidate who was going to get it, etc.)Be extra polite and just say you really would appreciate some help and whatever they say, don’t argue about it.</p>