Job Interviews: When You've Long Been in the Same Job or Served Prison Time

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The job of the interviewer is two-fold:

• To find the best match at the best price between the position's requirements and your qualifications
• To ferret out disqualifications about you — which can range from a mild to serious stumbling block in the interviewer's perception — even though you're not anxious to talk about a particular topic

Perhaps you've been in the same job too long, making you appear to be unmotivated. Maybe you have employment gaps or too many jobs hanging around your neck.

Conceivably you're battling bias against a disability or sexual orientation. Could be that you're a woman who knows an underlying concern may be parental absenteeism — or whether you can supervise men. Or suppose you're in alcohol or drug recovery and crashing into brick walls.

Sometimes you're pretty sure that you're running into rejection because you were fired for cause or demoted. You're very sure that you don't know what to say because you've been convicted of a crime.

When You've Long Been in the Same Job

Think carefully before discussing special issues. Even a question that seems innocent may cause you to reveal things you didn't mean to tell. For non-sensitive questions, asking for more time to think about your answer is okay. But for special issue answers, you seem more straightforward and sure of yourself when you anticipate the question and are ready with a good answer.

What could be considered stability by some is increasingly seen as fossilization by others. Your chief strategy is to look industrious, ready to take on any challenge that comes your way, and adaptable to new ideas.

Because you've been with your last employer for so long, do you think you may have a hard time adjusting to a new company's way of working?

ShowStoppers

• Not at all. Give examples of how you've already learned to be adaptable — how your previous job was dynamic, provided a constantly changing environment, and shared common links with the new company. Note parallels of budget, business philosophy, and work ethics. You plan to take up mountain climbing and sky diving when you're 80 — figuratively speaking.
• Emphasize your commitment to your previous company as one of many assets you bring with you to the new position — and then name more of your assets.

Clunkers and Bloopers

• Discuss your relief at escaping that old awful job — at last!
• Say you're ready to try something new.

You've been in your previous position an unusually long period of time — why haven't you been promoted?

ShowStoppers

• Present the old job in modules (by clusters of skills you developed instead of by your periods of employment). Concentrate on all increases in responsibility (to show upward mobility within the position) and on relevant accomplishments. Note raises.
• Say that you're interested in this new job precisely because of the inertia of your previous position. Mention any lifestyle changes (grown kids, second family income) freeing you to make a vigorous move at this time.
• Agree that your career hasn't progressed much, but note that many talented people are forced to root or to accept lateral moves because few upwardly mobile job slots are available. Say your career plateau gave you time to reflect, lighting a fire under your motivation.
• Explain that you had reached the highest position the company offered individuals in your specialty.

Clunkers and Bloopers