5 ms·

I'd like to submit a small correction: > But nobody will hire me after six months away... > Not true. Nobody will hire you if you're bad at what you do and ha

I'd like to submit a small correction: > But nobody will hire me after six months away... > Not true. Nobody will hire you if you're bad at what you do and have terrible interviewing skills. Instead of "...and have terrible interviewing skills," it should really be "...or have terrible interviewing skills." Being good at what you do and having good interview skills are very different things. I can't do much of anything with someone literally looking over my shoulder, or while being put on the spot in front of a whiteboard, but I'm 3.5 years into my career as a developer and doing just fine on the job.

TeMPOraL 10y ago
Also great interviewing skills is a good way to paper over being bad at what you do.
mathattack 10y ago
After 6 months of unemployment, companies do start giving you glances. It's rare to get much more than that. Taking 6 months off can also put a big dent in your net worth if you have fixed expenses.
- whenwillitstop 10y ago
  What do you mean by glances? You mean they are suspicious of your work quality? They dont want to hire you? Or they just give you a quick glance (because of the gap) and hire you anyways?
  - pkaye 10y ago
    They will start questioning the gap in your work history and if you don't have strong resume or interview, it may tip towards not hiring you.
    - a_t48 10y ago
      Yet another reason to make lots of friends\connections in the industry. :)
      - cloudjacker 10y ago
        Yet another reason to LIE
        mathattack 10y ago
        This can come back to haunt you bigtime. If I knew someone materially lied on their resume during the hiring process, I'd terminate them immediately.
        cloudjacker 10y ago
        yes, every resume counselor also says that reality: get the equity, get out, get an exit the incongruences in your resume won't matter, the number of vacation days you took compared to someone else won't matter, the number of hours you stayed late won't matter solve the inefficiencies in the hiring process if it bothers you
        flukus 10y ago
        Why? If they were doing there jobs satisfactorily until now then why would you fire them for lying on their resume?
        mathattack 10y ago
        Absolutely. Who knows what else they'll lie on later. Status? Their ability to hit a deadline? What a customer said? I wouldn't be able to trust them again. By your logic, if someone is doing their job satisfactorily, but they hid several major felonies (say armed robbery, and robbing from their prior employer) from you during the interview process, you wouldn't fire them? I'd rather have someone have the courage to own up to their issues. If they don't in the interview process, they won't later. And I like to hire folks who have something to prove. But not folks who overtly lie.
  - mathattack 10y ago
    I'm sorry - was too vague. Meaning they look at you poorly for having had extended periods of unemployment. Unless it's a mass-hysteria time like 2008, they'll ask "Why can't this person find a job when unemployment is so low?" When you add this to age discrimination, it can be very tough.
- Nate75Sanders 10y ago
  Hasn't been my experience. I have recent 11-month and 7-month gaps and it hasn't been a problem. Additionally, I've switched companies a LOT during my career and I don't get asked about that very often. When I do, I just say "I kept getting offered better opportunities and more money" (100% true statement). That usually ends that part of the conversation and we get onto something more relevant.

TeMPOraL 10y ago

Also great interviewing skills is a good way to paper over being bad at what you do.

mathattack 10y ago

After 6 months of unemployment, companies do start giving you glances. It's rare to get much more than that. Taking 6 months off can also put a big dent in your net worth if you have fixed expenses.

whenwillitstop 10y ago
What do you mean by glances? You mean they are suspicious of your work quality? They dont want to hire you? Or they just give you a quick glance (because of the gap) and hire you anyways?
- pkaye 10y ago
  They will start questioning the gap in your work history and if you don't have strong resume or interview, it may tip towards not hiring you.
  - a_t48 10y ago
    Yet another reason to make lots of friends\connections in the industry. :)
    - cloudjacker 10y ago
      Yet another reason to LIE
      - mathattack 10y ago
        This can come back to haunt you bigtime. If I knew someone materially lied on their resume during the hiring process, I'd terminate them immediately.
        cloudjacker 10y ago
        yes, every resume counselor also says that reality: get the equity, get out, get an exit the incongruences in your resume won't matter, the number of vacation days you took compared to someone else won't matter, the number of hours you stayed late won't matter solve the inefficiencies in the hiring process if it bothers you
        flukus 10y ago
        Why? If they were doing there jobs satisfactorily until now then why would you fire them for lying on their resume?
        mathattack 10y ago
        Absolutely. Who knows what else they'll lie on later. Status? Their ability to hit a deadline? What a customer said? I wouldn't be able to trust them again. By your logic, if someone is doing their job satisfactorily, but they hid several major felonies (say armed robbery, and robbing from their prior employer) from you during the interview process, you wouldn't fire them? I'd rather have someone have the courage to own up to their issues. If they don't in the interview process, they won't later. And I like to hire folks who have something to prove. But not folks who overtly lie.
- mathattack 10y ago
  I'm sorry - was too vague. Meaning they look at you poorly for having had extended periods of unemployment. Unless it's a mass-hysteria time like 2008, they'll ask "Why can't this person find a job when unemployment is so low?" When you add this to age discrimination, it can be very tough.
Nate75Sanders 10y ago
Hasn't been my experience. I have recent 11-month and 7-month gaps and it hasn't been a problem. Additionally, I've switched companies a LOT during my career and I don't get asked about that very often. When I do, I just say "I kept getting offered better opportunities and more money" (100% true statement). That usually ends that part of the conversation and we get onto something more relevant.