The Interview Question of the Week - Why Have Your Been Out of Work for so Long?

 

 

Get prepared for your next interview with the interview question of the week.

 

It's that time again! It's time for the Interview Question of the Week. Whether you are looking for a job or thinking about making a move, one of the keys to standing out during your interview is practice. It's not enough to show up and do your best to get through it anymore. By preparing ahead of time for the types of questions that will be asked and sketching out your answers, you won't have to worry about forgetting the main things you wanted to say or worse, drawing a blank.

 

To help you get prepared, each week we go over another popular interview question and break it down to figure out the best way to answer it. So, here you go, the Interview Question of the Week:

 

 

Question:

Why have you been out of work for so long?

 

 

Why it's a trap:

The goal of this question is to determine how desperate you are. Even in this tough job market, employers still seem to shy away from hiring people who have been unemployed for long. The thought is that if you are desperate for a job, you will take any job and you may not be interested in this particular job as much as you are interested in earning a paycheck. Even if that might be a little true, don't worry, if they ask you this question, it means that they haven't ruled out hiring you and that they are willing to find out more. Your job is to show them that you aren't as desperate as it would seem on paper, but you really want this particular job.

 

The best answer:

When you are answering this question, try to mention the reasons why you have been unemployed for a long time by your own choice rather than a lack of options. The key is to mention what you have been doing since you have been out of work and why it is important to you to find the right opportunity.

 

For example:

 

“After I was downsized and I found myself on the job market, I made a decision not to grab the first opportunity that came my way. I decided that the best way to deal with the situation was to make something positive out of it. Since then, I have been determined to find the right job for me. To accomplish that, I started thinking about what it is that I do best, what type of company would suit me best and then I looked for opportunities that matched.”

 

“In addition, the job market hasn't been the best lately. So, between me being picky and the lack of job openings, it has taken some time to find the right opportunity. But, I am certain that when I find the right situation it will have been worth the wait.”

 

 

What do you think about this question and answer? Are there other questions you would like to see answered here? Let me know in the comments.

 

 

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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobSiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.