How a bankruptcy can influence your ability to get a job

A prior bankruptcy can have a major influence on a candidate’s ability to get a job. Industries such as banking look carefully into a candidate’s background in this area. I had a client who was being strongly considered by a financial institution for a marketing director position. He went through several rounds of interviews, apparently creating a positive impression at every step, and it appeared he was a lock for the position. It did not become apparent until later that a background check revealed his bankruptcy and he was not offered the position.

Will the company actually check? It would depend upon the industry. In many, it would not be an issue but for those institutions whose core business is financially based, it could be a major stumbling block. Please not that the law could vary state to state on checking into a candidate’s financial background and it is best to check with a legal professional if you have any specific questions.

The information above is an opinion based on prior experience helping job seekers and working with employers.

No Tie, No Second Interview

It is always interesting to look back on professional mistakes that we made along the way, especially those that seem so obvious in retrospect:

When I graduated college with a degree in marketing, I applied to several advertising agencies, public relations firms and marketing companies. Securing interviews was no problem but actually getting called back for the second round was a real challenge. I had read that advertising professionals are more laid back in the office and do not wear a suit or a tie. To show that I could fit in, I went to every interview with just a button down shirt and slacks (no suit and no tie). It took me a while to realize that I had to dress more professionally in order to be taken seriously on an interview, no matter what the regular corporate culture. Once I started dressing more professionally, I started getting call backs for additional rounds of interviews.

You take the good, you take the bad…

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have. The facts of Life….

Unfortunately, I have the theme song from 80’s television show, The Facts of Life, stuck in my head. Perhaps now you do too :)

Helping people find work can be an emotionally draining experience. A truly caring professional is along for the roller ride with the job seeker: experiencing highs and lows together. All facets of my work can have strong moments of frustration and joy. For example, yesterday I received an unsolicited email from another career coach, who is not a big fan of my blog advice. Although I did not take much stock in his words, it was still bothersome.

It was especially good timing when I received such a nice review by a reader on Amazon that evening of The Lion Cub Job Search book:

When I got my hands on this book, I was newly transplanted to New York and needed to start a job search after ten years on my last job. Realizing that the job seeking process must have changed significantly over the last ten years, I researched the internet for days, weeks, and months for effective up-to-date strategies, and became increasingly frustrated by endless advertisements and piece-meal or contradictory information from dubious sources. Sound familiar? I inhaled the Lion Cub Job Search in two hours even though I don't enjoy "how to" reading per se.

Mr. Margolin managed to pack his book with insight from both job seeker and hiring professional perspectives. The result - the book - and the job seeking plan made sense. Written practically and concisely, this book helped me put into action a step by step, logical, and thought-out job search. I was productive and motivated. My job search fell into place naturally. I have begun interviewing with a prominent company. This Lion Cub is quite happy. Kudos Mr. Margolin.

In a job search, you will have good and bad days. Sometimes a day that feels good, may lead to frustration later. Other times a day that starts out bad, turns promising. Try to manage the highs and lows and take the good with the bad. You have to believe that it will all work out in the end.

Maintaining the confidence of your Recruiter/Job Developer/Employment Counselor

Having worked in workforce development and career services for several years, I know that there can be a level of frustration on behalf of the recruiter/job developer/employment counselor when their candidate does not accept a job that they are offered. There is often pressure to ‘make placement numbers’ from management but not every job is a fit for every person.

After you have given thought to the opportunity presented to you but know that the job is just not a fit(even as a transitional job), a concern when you turn down the job is that the recruiter will lose confidence in you as a candidates and question if you are serious about looking for work. In a worst case scenario, you can be moved from a ‘most place able’ list to the bottom of the heap of resumes. Of course, the best in the business are understanding of this fact and will only look to match you with positions that are a potential fit for you.

How do you let the recruiter know that you are not interested while continuing to maintain a strong relationship?

Here is an example of what you can say:

"I appreciate your time in helping me find a job. I continue to be very serious about finding work and know that I would have been an excellent Store Manager. Unfortunately, the specifics of the job would not allow me to support my family long term or look for additional work at the same time. I would only like to enter into a situation that would be beneficial for everyone (including the good name of your organization) long term. I appreciate all that you are doing for me and hope you would consider me for other job opportunities closer to my field".