“I have three degrees and over 10 years of experience. So why won’t they hire me?”

As a recruiter, I hear this question quite often, or at least some variation of it. The answer varies, but it always leaves the person doing the asking very frustrated. You see, people don’t want to hear the truth, they want appeasing answers.

Having a degree doesn’t entitle you to the job.

The truth is, in some cases, having a degree, certification, etc. doesn’t automatically mean you are the most qualified. Speaking only for myself, if I had a chance to hire a marketing whiz who has 3 years (hell, even 1 year) of proven success versus someone who studied marketing for 6 years in school (bachelors and masters) who has never once implemented a strategy, idea or campaign, I’m hiring the person without the degrees. In my years of recruiting, I have run into many candidates who come to me degreed up ready to spout how they’re the best for the job because they spent years studying at this name brand school, getting a name brand degree so they could conquer the world. But there was so little substance, and their arrogance prevented them from being teachable. That’s the key.

Be clear on your true skills and focus on finding a job where those skills can shine.

Let’s break this down a little further. You can have ten years of “work experience” but may not have necessarily done the actual duties the hiring manager is looking for.  For example, you can be an Accountant and have been doing an excellent job at it for the last several years. But if you are applying for a Tax Manager position, your accounting background will not automatically make you a shoe in for the position. Unless you’ve done some recent work in tax and can show an aptitude for it, you’ll likely be passed over. A lot of times candidates will argue “well I can learn“. NO, it doesn’t work that way. When a company is looking for a seasoned person to hire, they expect that the person will hit the ground running on the basics and learn company process along the way. They’re not investing extra time and money to train someone from the ground up when they have critical work that needs to be done out the gate. So stop with the insanity and stop wasting your and other people’s time.

Your attitude sucks, making you a potential liability.

Another reason you could be getting passed over is your attitude. Remember a few sentences back when I said you have to be teachable? Well when you come in the door with a know-it-all attitude, you turn people off. A politically correct term my career advice counterparts would use is abrasive. I’m going to just come out and say you’re a pain in the ass know it all and nobody will want to work with you. Listen, people don’t want to have a negative vibe in their workspace. And some arrogant blowhard is not going to do anything for morale. Yeah sure, you’re not there to make friends and you just want to do your job. But atmosphere is an important element in building a great company culture. There are so many stories out there about the nasty boss or the overly aggressive team mates who make their peers work lives miserable. Life is too short to be stuck with a jackass on your team. Don’t be that jackass. It’s not a good look. You can have the best credentials in the world, but if your attitude sucks, not many people are going to take a gamble on you.

You’re just not that into interviewing.

The way you interview could also be a culprit in your not getting the job. Many people, on paper, look great. But when you get them in that hot seat, look out. The interview generally goes from bad to worse…quickly.I have had my fair share of interview where they were so painful I had no choice but to show mercy and end it quickly. Some people just don’t know how or don’t do well in interviews. An interview is a chance for you and the interviewer to get to know one another (professionally) and figure out how you fit for one another. I’m going to go against the grain and tell you NOT to practice for interviews. OK, I can hear the *sighs* and *gasps* now. Researching and practicing for an interview are two different things. Everyone should be researching and preparing for interviews. But to rehearse down to the letter and having a prepared answer for every question won’t make you look any better. Be prepared but don’t go in there sounding like a memorex recording. Relax and make it conversational. Be knowledgable and make sure you are asking the right questions. Keep the flow going.

There was someone better than you.

Yup. That’s a bitter pill to swallow. As good as you are, there is always someone better. I know that sound incredibly harsh, but it’s true. That doesn’t mean that you lament in that theory, but you do have to acknowledge it. Instead of being upset by that comment, let it fuel you to excel. Focus on building your skills and being the very best you can. Keep on top of new developments in your industry and get certifications and training that will put you on the radar. Get out and grow your network and connect with the right people who can make beneficial introductions for you. Keep current and previous bosses apprised of new skills you learn. Who knows, maybe they can put you on a new project or at least keep you front of mind.

It’s a tough job market out there and the term survival of the fittest definitely applies these days. Focus on the total package that is you and make sure you are presenting a whole, hireable candidate to recruiters. Getting a job is so much more than where you went to school. Recruiters (well at least I do) look at the entire package. Make sure it’s worth exploring….and hiring.

Til next time,

Adrienne Graham

Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle!

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Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.