Job Interviews: Ill File a Grievance!

I recently went to a retirement party with my husband for one of his co-workers. I worked at this same place six years ago (that's where I met my husband, but that's another story), so I knew most of the people at the party.

One person I didn't know (I'll call her Jill but that's not her real name) was talking about how bored she is in her current job. She's been with the agency for about three months and is doing administrative work.

"I'm way overqualified for this position," she said. "I used to be an Office Manager. I only took this job because I heard this agency was a good place to work. I know I can get something better."

Jill told me she planned to apply for a new opening at the same agency -- a slightly better-paying administrative position. That position became vacant recently when that secretary retired. It's been filled by a temp for about three weeks.

"I know I'm way more qualified than that temp!" Jill said. "If she gets hired instead of me, I'm going to file a grievance!"

If she hadn't quickly disappeared, I would've given her some advice. If you've ever had the same attitude as Jill, maybe you can use this advice.

First, an employer is not under any obligation to hire the most qualified candidate. They can hire the least qualified candidate, as long as that candidate meets the minimum qualifications stated in the position announcement.

Second, employers are people, and people hire those they like and want to work with. As long as there is no discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, marital status, age, gender, sexual orientation or physical/mental disability, employers can legally hire whomever they want.

The fact of the matter is, a candidate is never hired based solely on her qualifications. A candidate is hired because she convinces the hiring manager that she can do the job and be a positive, enthusiastic, pleasant-to-work-with member of the team.

Someone who is blabbing to co-workers (and strangers!) that she'll file a grievance if she doesn't get hired is unlikely to fit that bill.

If you're thinking of applying for a promotion within your current company, please realize that more than your experience, skills and qualifications will be judged.

What's your reputation? If you're a dedicated team player, great!

But if you're a complainer whom your current boss and co-workers would not miss, you've got some reputation repair work to do first!

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.Best-Interview-Strategies.com

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Gen-Y-Holiday-Jobs-Nearly/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B8503523E-6D70-4670-BCF2-B10C52126A9C%257Dcid=1272277986ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNFYkQQpHqPaqrEuOwjY_cTrGEJhKQGen Y and Holiday Jobs: Nearly 80% Seeking bEmployment/b During b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Gen Y job seekers anticipate finding bemployment/b through their university bcareer/b centers (22 percent), word-of-mouth (23 percent) and online job boards (21 b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Military-MBA-Sees-Bright-Spot/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B68646BEE-D9D5-4BA4-8867-5145DFA8989F%257Dcid=1271920639ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNFIBHPd_8gNb_yJcAUF8e3OeclhHgMilitary MBA Sees Bright Spot in Lackluster bEmployment/b Market b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;This is a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster bemployment/b market.quot; Discussions with the event#39;s participating bcareer/b experts reinforced Military MBA#39;s b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122697125541435813.html%3Fmod%3Dspecial_page_campaign2008_mostpopcid=1271920639ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNGKboeedoWjM9g-TPJ2h_MBWXfAggMBAs Veer Off Path to Big Finance Jobs/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWall Street Journal/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271920639hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/11/prweb1638444.htmcid=0ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNECohAvGeOO2ngy3oHzCkOmtBMjIQVoiceAmerica Internet Radio Show - Total bCareer/b Success With Ken b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEmediawire (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1NACE is the leading source of information on the bemployment/b of the college educated. The professional association connects more than 5200 college bcareer/b b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2008/11/081119_cars_nh_sl.shtmlcid=1272495339ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNFBNgkkhg0O-9mR9hYU7xOj5C5OlQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=RJqytFGDYtEJimgurl=www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/assets/images/2008/11/081119tutak_bbc_187.jpg width=80 height=47 alt= border=1brfont size=-2BBC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/RetoolingSEMichiganWorkforce0094.aspxcid=1272495339ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNEFzbBxiiKulZm_cpCazi9NxMsfMwRetooling SE Michigan#39;s Workforce/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMetromode Media,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Aubry says advisors are educating visitors about 50 quot;hotquot; bcareers/b in Michigan and apprising them of their earning potential and requisite level of education b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D6rfYsM3rdmwcid=1272495339ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNFEDqgWeElZEV0QwNRavEC2Q6Sw6QVideo: Automakers Testify As Hopes for Aid Falter/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAssociatedPress/nobr/fontobject width=448 height=356param name=movie value=http://www.youtube.com/v/6rfYsM3rdmw/paramparam name=wmode value=transparent/paramembed src=http://www.youtube.com/v/6rfYsM3rdmwtype=application/x-shockwave-flashwmode=transparentwidth=448height=356/embed/objectbr/fontfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/motor-city-from-motown-to-nohope-town-1024597.htmlcid=1272495339ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNHr2mj3BRIUDy6mtpDu7JClUnXynwMotor City: From Motown to no-hope town/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrIndependent/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news?btcid=e3abfae965230256img src=/images/news_comment_bubble12.gif alt=google news comment class=comment-iconComment bynbsp;Gary Chaison/afont size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnbsp;Prof. of Industrial Relations, Clark University/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272495339hl=ennobrall 1,056 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.emaxhealth.com/1/38/26717/top-medical-careers-and-asistant-jobs.htmlcid=0ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNHZ-DmMJUFd2DUbdiahAaQ4SOQ65ATop Medical bCareers/b And Asistant Jobs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6feMaxHealth.com,nbsp;NCnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Certification means that one is competent and has more credibility and so increases the chances of bemployment/b. The bemployment/b chances of medical assistants b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.management-issues.com/2008/11/19/research/how-to-prevent-your-career-collapsing-with-your-company.aspcid=0ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNG1n40geZ4-fAq1vSUpYMrd5ogd6gHow to prevent your bcareer/b collapsing with your company/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fManagement-Issues,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr20 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b and are in a good position to plan a departure that will benefit their bcareers/b,quot; he added. For the study, Semadeni examined the bemployment/b situations of b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081120.CFLMAIN20/TPStory/Sportscid=1272495569ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNGo9ADFj9gnJpZ891Lc7PonoX8wvQCoaches#39; bcareers/b bounce toward common goal/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGlobe and Mail,nbsp;Canadanbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1But without a higher profile and a friendlier bemployment/b environment, there#39;s no telling when they might arrive. quot;We will always have a great football b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/26649cid=0ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNHhPsywM_n4PsYxthx83DRUYaJr5QFor musicians, job market hits sour note/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fYale Daily News,nbsp;CTnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b stressing persistence, networking, marketing and diversifying bemployment/b options. Students stressed the importance of having a back-up bcareer/b plan since b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.talentmgt.com/industry_news/2008/November/3814/index.phpcid=1271681646ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNFyU1h150o8uB7PMcFr6z3wd8EvPwKelley School Study Finds Early Exit Yields Better Odds of b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTalent Management,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 17, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b and are in a good position to plan a departure that will benefit their bcareers/b.” For the study, Semadeni examined the bemployment/b situations of 1155 b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.interbiznet.com/ern/archives/081120.htmlcid=0ei=KHUlSbzVE4Lg6APtiZmaAwusg=AFQjCNHanXElqhKD9j1DD19aNGaCzX-9nQbCareers/b in Recruiting/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fInterbiznet Bugler (press release),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Decide what type of bemployment/b recruiter to become. Will you work for a recruiting company or become an independent? Do you intend to work on contingency or b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
careers employment - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Making The Best Of Yourself At Interview

You are just about to leave university You are just... Read More

Thank-You Notes: Your Thoughtfulness will be Rewarded

I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I... Read More

Importance Of Your Job Search

So that you can decide just how critical your job... Read More

How to Survive in Business Long Enough to Win

As a former human resources professional it has always intrigued... Read More

Mystery Shopping - An Excellent Part Time Job Or Additional Income Source

Though the name itself may seem a bit mysterious, the... Read More

7 Tips to Deal With a Bad Performance Review

Q. "I wasn't happy with my last performance review. Should... Read More

Pebbles in Your Shoe Dont Only Hurt your Foot But Cause Back and Hip Problems!

CIO Magazine ran an article entitled, "Ten Mistakes CIO's Too... Read More

Students Searching for a Job

Searching for a job has become easier than ever for... Read More

Effective Resumes

A resume is normally the first contact point between an... Read More

The Squirrel Effect

An industrious black-tailed ground squirrel has his home beneath a... Read More

Taking Job Loss Seriously

Anyone reading this article and hassuffered a job loss recently... Read More

Mystery Shopping for Fun and Profit

How would you like to get paid to go shopping?... Read More

The Case For Internships

America may be the Land of Opportunity, but this is... Read More

Chicken Soup for Job Seekers

Do you want to change your job but don't know... Read More

Career Success: Take Charge of Your Career

People react very differently to the waves of change that... Read More

Why You Need To Be An Intrapreneur

When a client asks me if I think he or... Read More

What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask

As a human resources professional or business owner, you face... Read More

Making Yourself More Relevant To The New Workplace

Being a current job seeker can be quite a challenging... Read More

Should You Make A Career Decision Based Upon A Career Quiz?

Q. I'm about to graduate High School and I don't... Read More

Successful Job Seeking ? The Importance of Your Cover Letter

As an employer I receive many job applications each week.... Read More

Managing Emotions During Career Change and Job Search, Part Two

Half the battle in successfully managing your emotions during a... Read More

How to Become a Successful Freelance Translator

After completing their translation training programmes at higher professional education... Read More

Job Dissatisfaction

Job dissatisfaction is a driving force behind individuals seeking employment... Read More

What is Absolutely the Best Day to go on a Job Interview?

First of all, to fully understand and appreciate the answer,... Read More

Keep Your Phone Costs Down!

When you're looking for work, some of your expenses will... Read More