Last month we discussed resumes, and how a well-executed resume is going to be key to obtaining an interview. For this month’s discussion, let’s assume the quality and format of your résumé is stellar: No typos, correct acronyms, professional email address, etc. You send it out diligently and wait patiently for  responses.  But you just can’t seem to get an interview. There are several reasons why this may be, but let’s talk about the top three reasons that I see: Your career path thus far, your qualifications and your location.  Let’s talk:

Issue 1: Poor Career Path

The Downward Spiral.  Are you on a downward spiral and don’t even know it? Here’s the test: You used to work for an “A (-rated)” company, but left it after a year or two because you didn’t like - something. Maybe you were bored. Maybe you didn’t like the dress code. You then went to a “B” company that was more than happy to hire you because at the “A” company you received very good training and likely will be better than their own hires. In fact, you even negotiated a slightly higher salary for yourself. Time goes by, you wow your accounts and your “B” company boss. Life is good, you think. I made a good career move!

Fast-forward 8-12 months. You are making more money, you are doing well with your accounts… Everything is sort of ok… Gee, it’s still a “B” company, and they just don’t do things like your old “A” company. The account load may not be as good as you were used to. Your boss may be less attentive; they are a bit disorganized and somewhat disheveled and it seems to be all you can focus on.  A certain amount of restlessness sets in with you. After a period of time, that restlessness becomes dissatisfaction or resentment. You decide to leave for better pastures after having been there 12-18 months. You are thinking, ok, I can now either go back to my previous position at the “A” company, or I can go to work for another “B” company, but at the moment none of them are hiring. Now comes the job with the “C” company. Not a good career choice.

Fast-forward  6 months at the “C” Company. You wowed ‘em with your outstanding management ability all right, but the accounts are all 20-year-old condos, and a couple more accounts were just added because someone quit. The company doesn’t pay for your continuing education nor allows you to attend networking or educational functions – they can’t afford it. Not to mention your computer is old and you have to share a printer with 10 other people in the office. You no longer have an assistant. Your designations lapse because the “C” company can’t pay for your continuing education.  And there you are – in less than 5 years you went from working for a top company to the near bottom of the food chain. You know it, you hate it, and it shows. You quit, or get let go. And here you are – in a very big pit you dug for yourself, unable to see any way out. Now, you are only being interviewed by “C” companies. If any part of this sounds familiar, you are on the Dreaded Downward Spiral. But there is hope for you to get back to where you want to be.

The fix

Get employed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, you are likely now limited to the near- or very-near bottom of the management company food chains.  If you want to get back your stature and stay in this business, you must make hard choices and the first one is to suck it up and work for a minimum of two years at the same company. This is not the time to be a quitter.

Network. I don’t care if your new company pays for it or not: Network at your local professional organizations. Get involved, meet others in the industry. Most jobs are found through the system of networking and referral, not through shot-gunning your resume out to every entity within a 50 mile radius. You need to show people you are on track and reliable.

Relax, it will take time to heal. Realize this is a process  of digging yourself out of the hole you are in.  Getting in the hole didn’t happen over night;  It may take a few years for you to get back to where you are able to secure a position with an “A” company. Think big picture: Where do I want to be in 5 years? And know it will take you some time to get there. 

Move. Depending upon just exactly how big a hole you are in, sometimes the only way to get a fresh start is by moving to another locale, potentially out of state (if you can). Locally, you may be considered “damaged goods” beyond your ability to repair.   Take heart, a move can be a very positive process if you let it..    Your work skills can be viewed as very desirable outside your state and handled wisely you can leverage yourself up with such a move.  If you are moving from a state with very complicated regulations, such as California or Nevada, to one less regulated, such as Oregon, Washington, the Carolinas, etc., you can do extremely well.  

Don’t do it again. You can get yourself out of the downward spiral once, but usually not twice. My advice is to take stock of the reasons you have left your previous positions and honestly evaluate those reasons. Were they valid?  Having helped a few folks out of this mess, and advised dozens more, this reflection often results in the revelation that maybe things weren’t so bad at the “A” Company (or “B”) – maybe it was just an over-reaction to a situation that truly wasn’t as untenable as it was originally thought to be.

Lastly, when you do move on, do it with purpose and forethought. Evaluate any company before you send your resume to them.   Is it equal or better than your current employment? Does the move make career sense or is it just an escape from a petty something you don’t like?  Your resume will reflect either quite obviously to experienced eyes. Managers – think before you jump - manage your career.

Issue 2: Lack of qualifications

The next issue on the why-can’t-I-get-interviewed hit parade is a lack of qualifications for the position for which you applied.   Although I do admire the spunk and spirit of those applying for an executive job after having managed a portfolio for about two years, I don’t admire the exhibition of disregard for reality. I know they are thinking, “If I can just get to interview, I could nail that job!” The harsh reality is there are very few people who could pull that off.  Here are some basic points to think about before you send your resume in for a position advertised:

Have you ever actually held this type of position before? It would seem a no-brainer, but really – have you ever held a position that is similar to the one for which you applied? Or, is your current job a preparation for the one you applied?   For example, let’s say you are a portfolio manager and you apply for a large-scale, on site position which manages 25 employees and a multi-million dollar budget. Granted, both positions are in community management, but that’s about where the similarity ends. Not to say that it is impossible for you to be granted an interview, let’s just say it’s highly unlikely unless your father is the Board President or your sister owns the management company. 

Do you have the overall skill set to move up or is it just an opportunity for the ‘Peter Principle?’   Before sending out your resume, you must realistically evaluate your abilities.  Just because you are a terrific portfolio manager doesn’t mean you’ll make a great on site manager. Just because you are a great on site manager doesn’t mean you will make a great management company executive.  And just because you are great at any of those jobs doesn’t mean you’ll make a great marketing director for a vendor. Usually, your skill set and personality fits the work in which you perform best. If you are in need of defined tasks you probably won’t make a great sales person.  If you are better at numbers than with people, you probably shouldn’t be a manager. Carefully evaluate what you can do – and importantly, who you are – before applying for a particular position. Make no mistake: The employer will look to your resume to provide the supporting skill set for any position for which you apply.   But let’s say you really do want to move up in salary or prestige.  What do you do? 

The fix:

If you want to move up to the new ground look for ways to test yourself and see if that new ground is for you. If you want to be in executive management ask for more responsibility than your current position.  If you are portfolio and would like to be on site, think of working your way to the larger associations within your company.  Get the accreditations and education that will provide some training for these advanced positions. If you are looking to large-scale site positions, many of those managers have a BS / BA degree and many a Masters’. Don’t be afraid of going back to school for a degree, and for sure enroll in the PCAM program.   If you are thinking of moving into sales, take marketing classes. Check with your vendor friends in sales and ask them the truth about the job: How they deal with the uncertainty of a commission-based paycheck? Don’t just thrash around in the dark. Find out what you need to know about the positions you want, analyze whether or not they are a “fit” for you, and find out what you need to do to get there. No one is successful purely by accident. This is called career awareness and career management.

Issue # 3: The Geographically Challenged

Picture this:

You are a manager. You have all the right goods. You have applied for a position that is a 45 mile, 1 ¾ hr commute, minimum, in a major metropolitan area. You can’t get a return email or call from the employer to whom you have sent your resume. You wait. You are bummed.  Or…

You are a well-qualified portfolio manager in New Jersey. One snowy New Year’s Day, you are watching the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California and think – “Wow… I want to move to California (or, Florida or Nevada).  It’s so clear and beautiful and no freakin’ snow!”  That day you resolve to get a job in California, where, as luck would have it, there are hundreds of association management firms. You start sending out your resume to dozens of those firms. You wait. You are never contacted. You are bummed.

If either of these sound familiar, you are likely geographically undesirable to the employer.

The fix

For you local folks in commuter nightmare areas…. In-house associations and management companies are rightly concerned about people with a long commute. Despite assurances of “I love to drive! I’m a road warrior!” reality is that is sucks to be stuck in traffic for several hours of the day and employers know this. You probably need to look a little closer to home or move.

… For you cross time-zone folks…. Unfortunately, many of the states that have better weather conditions are some of the most regulated when it comes to being a management professional.   In some states you can’t manage at all without a state certification. In California, you can manage without certification, but 99% of employers won’t give you a call back – especially if you are a portfolio manager applying out of the blue – because you have no idea the amount of laws governing associations and community managers, and obviously haven’t bothered to find out.

The secret is to do your homework first, and see what the industry requirements are in the state of your choice. Next, if you can, take whatever courses you need to familiarize yourself with that state’s laws and regulations as they pertain to association management.  Some states/organizations allow you to take classes by correspondence. Others do not, but the information is usually readily available to you online.  The more complicated and regulated the association management industry is in a particular state,  the more imperative it is that you do as much as you can to make yourself a  desirable employee - even from 1500 miles away -  by knowing what you need to know to manage association effectively right out of the chute.

Next – move there.  Financially impossible for many, but for those of you with a nest egg and a burning desire to live in Miami, Las Vegas, San Diego or wherever, move there first and then take your classes and network with the local industry folks. You are far more desirable to interview – and get hired - if you have already put down roots in a new place, not “willing move if offered a job.” (Caveat: This does not generally apply to high-end, well qualified on site managers).

The Wrap Up

Can’t get an interview even with a well-executed resume? Poor career choices, lack of qualifications and living in an undesirable location are common reasons why interviews aren’t granted. Think about the fixes presented here and how they would work for you. What we all need to do is have career forethought, and a career management plan. My experience is that the most successful among us don’t thrash around in the dark, they make it happen by carefully considering where and when they should make a job change or career switch, have a very good idea of how they will succeed in any given venture, and they don’t spin their resume out to far flung places without knowledge of the area or the job. They plan. They prepare. They execute. Success is not an accident. It’s a conscious choice.