Why Won’t Employers Call Me Back?
The job market is difficult
If you have job experience and employers aren’t calling you back, then it is likely that your resume and overall presentation are to blame.
Even taking into consideration that it’s a “difficult job market,” if you’ve been submitting resumes for weeks or even months without a response, then you’re probably violating the two most critical elements of your presentation:
Your resume: You only have one chance at a great first impression. It’s simply too competitive for your resume not to be the absolute best it can be. Think of it this way: Employers have hundreds of candidates to choose from. If your resume isn’t absolutely perfect, then it says a lot about your ability as a candidate. If your resume has outdated formatting or small grammar mistakes on it, then employers will pass you by every single time. If you can’t even manage to get your resume right, what are you going to do with the boss’s PowerPoint presentation, for example?
Your online presence: It is statistically and scientifically proven that 93% of employers will check your online presence – usually before they even call you in for an interview. If you’ve posted controversial photos or opinions on Twitter or Google, then the HR manager isn’t going to call you in. Be smart and make sure you are not the unwitting victim of your own online postings.
Even taking into consideration that it’s a “difficult job market,” if you’ve been submitting resumes for weeks or even months without a response, then you’re probably violating the two most critical elements of your presentation:
Your resume: You only have one chance at a great first impression. It’s simply too competitive for your resume not to be the absolute best it can be. Think of it this way: Employers have hundreds of candidates to choose from. If your resume isn’t absolutely perfect, then it says a lot about your ability as a candidate. If your resume has outdated formatting or small grammar mistakes on it, then employers will pass you by every single time. If you can’t even manage to get your resume right, what are you going to do with the boss’s PowerPoint presentation, for example?
Your online presence: It is statistically and scientifically proven that 93% of employers will check your online presence – usually before they even call you in for an interview. If you’ve posted controversial photos or opinions on Twitter or Google, then the HR manager isn’t going to call you in. Be smart and make sure you are not the unwitting victim of your own online postings.
Personal Assistant Jobs: Hybrid Positions
Personal assistant jobs are more in-demand than ever before. As reported by CNBC News:
What does that mean for Personal assistants, estate managers and executive assistants? The numbers speak for themselves. The opportunities to work for a high-net-worth family in an assistant capacity are unprecedented in history. The ultra-rich employ small armies of staff to manage their personal and professional lives, and tens-of-thousands of these types of positions exist in the United States alone.
For example, there are more than 600 billionaires in America. About 50 live in New York City, and even less live in Los Angeles. So, the billionaires are spread throughout the country – they’re not just in major cities. Dream jobs exist in every nook and cranny. High-net-worth individuals live in even the smallest cities; you don’t need to move to Miami, Washington D.C., Chicago or another major city to land the best jobs.
Assistants play a critical role in the everyday life of a VIP or celebrity because the assistant, in effect, is acting in a business management capacity. They are the ultimate gatekeepers because they manage portfolios, estates, private jets and most importantly access to the important person they work for.
- There are over 9 million millionaires in the United States (That’s 180,000 in each state)
- About 50,000 U.S. households have net worth between 50 and 500 million dollars
- There are over 2,000 billionaires, and almost half of them live in the United States
What does that mean for Personal assistants, estate managers and executive assistants? The numbers speak for themselves. The opportunities to work for a high-net-worth family in an assistant capacity are unprecedented in history. The ultra-rich employ small armies of staff to manage their personal and professional lives, and tens-of-thousands of these types of positions exist in the United States alone.
For example, there are more than 600 billionaires in America. About 50 live in New York City, and even less live in Los Angeles. So, the billionaires are spread throughout the country – they’re not just in major cities. Dream jobs exist in every nook and cranny. High-net-worth individuals live in even the smallest cities; you don’t need to move to Miami, Washington D.C., Chicago or another major city to land the best jobs.
Assistants play a critical role in the everyday life of a VIP or celebrity because the assistant, in effect, is acting in a business management capacity. They are the ultimate gatekeepers because they manage portfolios, estates, private jets and most importantly access to the important person they work for.
Hybrid personal assistants
Employers today get a lot for their money, and they also get their "pick of the litter" when it comes to candidate selection. Personal assistants also need to be executive assistants -- the “hybrid” position today is very popular.
In years past, the assistant worlds were separate. The “executive assistant” worked strictly in a corporate environment, and the “personal assistant” worked out-of-the-office and assisted the celebrity or high-net-worth individual with their personal life. Now, things have changed. Personal assistant jobs are an amalgamation of personal and professional duties. So, if an assistant doesn’t have the ability, thick skin and temperament to do all things A to Z, then they will certainly struggle when it comes to surviving to today’s marketplace.
In years past, the assistant worlds were separate. The “executive assistant” worked strictly in a corporate environment, and the “personal assistant” worked out-of-the-office and assisted the celebrity or high-net-worth individual with their personal life. Now, things have changed. Personal assistant jobs are an amalgamation of personal and professional duties. So, if an assistant doesn’t have the ability, thick skin and temperament to do all things A to Z, then they will certainly struggle when it comes to surviving to today’s marketplace.
How to Ace a Personal Assistant Job Interview
If you scored an interview to work for a celebrity or high-net-worth family, you’ve only jumped one hurdle which is, arguably, the easiest one you will face. Each step in the series, which could be up to six-stages long, will get progressively harder. Here are some important points to consider when preparing for your job interview:
Know how to turn weaknesses in strengths: Most candidates are quite good at elaborating what they can do, but are unable to speak strategically about what they can’t do. Many interviewers will deliberately try to stump candidates by forcing them to talk about shortcomings. Know how to phrase your answers in a way that is beneficial for the employer. Saying you are a “quick learner” is far from adequate.
Practice the interview: Many personal/executive assistants rest on their laurels and think that just because they worked for a VIP or high-profile family that it qualifies them for the job -- hardly! Because of this false sense of security, interviewees rarely practice enough before the interview (if at all). Without rehearsal, it’s almost a guarantee that candidates will not be passed onto the next round to meet the higher-ups.
You don’t know as much as you think you do: Even candidates that do rehearse enough can sometimes be ill-prepared because they have fallen behind the times. Think of your opportunity like this: If you don’t go the extra mile to be up-to-date on technology, then somebody else will – and you will undoubtedly hand the job right to your competitor.
There are always candidates that are better-prepared with more education than you (who may work for less). In this over-saturated market that’s flooded with out-of-work job seekers, this is the norm, not the exception. One solution: Get certified in Microsoft Office and make sure you know all of the latest technology (phones, ipads and popular apps for example).
Know how to turn weaknesses in strengths: Most candidates are quite good at elaborating what they can do, but are unable to speak strategically about what they can’t do. Many interviewers will deliberately try to stump candidates by forcing them to talk about shortcomings. Know how to phrase your answers in a way that is beneficial for the employer. Saying you are a “quick learner” is far from adequate.
Practice the interview: Many personal/executive assistants rest on their laurels and think that just because they worked for a VIP or high-profile family that it qualifies them for the job -- hardly! Because of this false sense of security, interviewees rarely practice enough before the interview (if at all). Without rehearsal, it’s almost a guarantee that candidates will not be passed onto the next round to meet the higher-ups.
You don’t know as much as you think you do: Even candidates that do rehearse enough can sometimes be ill-prepared because they have fallen behind the times. Think of your opportunity like this: If you don’t go the extra mile to be up-to-date on technology, then somebody else will – and you will undoubtedly hand the job right to your competitor.
There are always candidates that are better-prepared with more education than you (who may work for less). In this over-saturated market that’s flooded with out-of-work job seekers, this is the norm, not the exception. One solution: Get certified in Microsoft Office and make sure you know all of the latest technology (phones, ipads and popular apps for example).
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