by Alan Collins – http://successinhr.com/no-hr-job-offers

Are you getting interviews but no offers?

While it’s great to get invited in to interview for your HR dream job, it a bummer when afterwards they don’t SHOW YOU THE MONEY!

However, let’s face it. You’re not likely to get every single HR job for which you interview. Some jobs are meant for you and some jobs aren’t.

But, when you habitually get overlooked when it comes to job offers, or even second interviews, it is a good time to step back and try to figure out where you have room to improve.

The simplest way to find out why you’re not getting offers is to just call up the people you interviewed with and get feedback from them. Easy to do, right? Yes, it is…

…BUT DON’T COUNT ON IT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON!

Here’s why:

One, they’re too busy.

Two, they expect you to (of course) disagree with their assessment and they have absolutely no interest in having this to escalate into a full-blown verbal brawl.

And three, they don’t want to risk a lawsuit by saying the wrong thing.

Think about it. Who can blame them.

So, in lieu of getting direct feedback from your interviewers, here are seven REAL reasons you’re not getting offers….
1. There’s nothing special about you.

I’m sorry but you’re just like every other HR leader they’ve interviewed. There’s no difference between you and the last three “result-oriented HR generalists” they’ve talked with. Nothing distinguishes you from the rest of the flock.

Solution: Make a list of the things you’ve done that set you apart from others and ways you can solve their HR, employee engagement, retention, cost management or business problems…and be prepared to talk about them in your interviews. Rehearse communicating this information over and over until you are so good at it that you exude the confidence that shows that you know your stuff.

Also, cut out all the HR jargon, psychobabble and buzzwords. Use plain speak. Envision interviewing with your grandmother. Yes, it may be tough to avoid saying: “I’m strategic,” but try it.
2. You’re lazy.

You didn’t do enough homework. Or, you got so busy you didn’t have enough time to prepare the way you wanted. And, it showed. So, what should you be preparing for? In a word: EVERYTHING.

Solution: Find out as much about the position as you can so you can decide if you even want it and so you can position yourself as the best fit for the job. Knowing all you can about the company will help you decide if you like its direction and share its values.

Plus, when it comes to the all important “Do you have any questions for us?” portion of the interview, all this preparation will ensure that you have plenty of material to cover.

Also, to prove that you’re a well-prepared, smart, no-nonsense HR professional from the get-go, be ready to ask well-thought-out, specific questions. Write them out in advance, so that you don’t forget them under pressure. Be prepared to interview the interviewer. Sometimes all it takes to get the hiring manager’s attention AND TO SET YOURSELF APART FROM OTHER CANDIDATES is ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION or, better still, the right question that no one else has asked.

I know all of this isn’t glamorous and probably much of this is what you know already, but the key here is EXECUTION! PRACTICE YOUR PITCH IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR, to get connected to it and believe in it. This will allow you to feel confident, comfortable in your own skin.
3. You’re boring as hell.

Surveys of hiring managers and HR leaders show that the number one trait that HR job seekers lack is high energy, enthusiasm, passion for the job. The bottom line is that most HR folks want to be around other people who are upbeat, exciting and at the very least, energetic.

The perception is that high energy HR people are on the ball and exude confidence. Low energy people are lazy, unmotivated and no fun. Whether this is true or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that you address this perception.

Solution: Do a gut check to determine how you come across. And I’m not just talking about the live interview where your handshake needs to be strong and secure (ladies included) and your voice confident and strong.

During your phone interview, your energy is even more important because no one can see the bright expression of excitement that is hidden by technology. The only way to portray confidence and high energy on the phone is to have the proper inflection, tonality and great volume. With blue tooth and other type headsets, it’s more and more important to speak up.

If you’re not excited about what you have to offer, why should anyone else be? And please get some honest feedback from a trusted colleague about how you sound. Do an autopsy of your interviews and networking exchanges. Do you come across on paper (and in person) as someone who is blah, boring, flat, disengaged and lethargic?

If you think that you might, how about injecting some passion, energy, drive, motivation, determination, and inspiration into the wonderful product – YOU!
4. You’re not memorable.

The reason you’re not memorable is that you lack a compelling story that the interviewer can relate to. There’s an old saying: “facts tell, but stories sell.”

Interesting stories create emotions and get people connected. People can relate personally to stories and the more you know about the company and person that you are interviewing with, the better you can use a story drawn from your own experiences to get that person to relate to what you are talking about.

And getting personally and emotionally to your interviewers is the differentiator you need.

Solution: A powerful way to find your own stories is to call up former colleagues, employees and bosses just shoot the breeze with them. Write down all the wonderful, “remember when” stories as well as the stories of your HR successes and challenges that make you unique, interesting, personable and different.

If you’ve spent years in HR, you may need other people to jog your memory. If you can give your story personality and feeling, then you will gain instant rapport with anyone you talk to.

Stories are an instant differentiator. Find a couple that are uniquely yours, then use them.
5. You don’t talk enough about the money.

In tough economic times, EVERYONE is talking money. Around kitchen tables everywhere, most families are discussing how to SAVE money or how to MAKE more money.

The same is true in the companies you’re interviewing with. It is important to recognize that as an HR professional, you are an investment. The hiring company invests in you with the expectation that you will produce returns on that investment. What types of returns? Most employers are seeking HR folks who have the proven ability to SOLVE a challenging problem, to help them MAKE money, to help them SAVE money, or to help them INCREASE efficiency and productivity.

Solution: Keep in mind that employers are looking for “experts” and ”solution providers” that can address THEIR issues. By taking time to describe in quantifiable terms the results you have delivered against, you can easily set yourself apart from the masses of the HR folks who are just emphasizing the soft stuff.
6. You’re bitter and it comes through.

Yes, you’re still ticked off that you were fired, laid off or forced out. And try as you might, you couldn’t resist a little subtle dig at your boss or your former company. And deep down inside it felt good to vent a little bit. But wrong time, wrong place. Not cool.

Nobody wants to hire a whiner Nobody owes you a job.. When unemployment is high and you find yourself in a competitive job market, it is easy to get discouraged. It’s a fact that right now there are more and more people competing for fewer and fewer HR jobs.

Solution: Focus on the positive in your interviews. Take the high road, even if you feel you’ve been screwed over by your last employer. Keep in mind that there are still great HR jobs to be found. Companies are still hiring and HR job seekers are landing jobs on a daily basis.
7. They’re just not that into you.

They don’t like you. You’re not what they want. You just didn’t click with them. The chemistry just wasn’t there. Why? Who knows? Have you ever talked to someone and they just make you turn your head and say, “this doesn’t feel right”?

Well how do you know if someone isn’t saying that about you? Here’s the best way to tell. If you have anything to hide, have covered something up, or speak in half truths or your resume doesn’t match what you say.

If any of those things are true, people will say to themselves, “this doesn’t feel right.” The biggest lies we tell are the ones we tell ourselves (think of your small kids who will swear they didn’t take the last pizza slice, all the while covered in pizza sauce). If this is you…no job, guaranteed!

Solution: You don’t have to be perfect and convey that you have no problems. In fact the only people with no problems are, well, dead people. Just be honest and be consistent.

There you have it, seven reasons why they’re not showing you the money. I don’t have any problem telling you that you are likely going to stay unemployed, unhappy and a complete burden on society if you continue to do the things I’ve outlined above.

So consider this a wake up call…and also a terrific opportunity to truly differentiate yourself and win that offer!

Onward!