You Have Skills but Why Do Recruiters Think You Are Not Good Enough?

Recently I have had some interviews, and one recruiter gave me feedback. Based on the feedback, I realized that he thought I am not skilled at Python.

I have learned python for almost 2 years from online courses to data science boot camp. I am confident with common Python libraries and basic built-in functions and practice python via Hackerrank and Leetcode every day. I wrote all the skills and packages of python on my resume in my technical skills section.

After the first interview, the recruiter told me I need to practice Python more because I was paused so many times when I was answering their questions. Those questions are “Where does the randomness of Random Forest come from?” and “If you want to get each row’s mean what should you do?”

Those questions are really random and they are not really behavioral questions. When the recruiter told me I failed the first interview I was surprised because I answered those questions correctly even though those questions are not behavioral questions. The recruiter told me I wrote so many details on my resume so sometimes recruiters might ask me some very detailed questions based on my resume. Besides, when I was answering his questions I paused and hesitated, so he assumed that I am not really skilled at Python even very basic libraries. For example, when I was answering his first question, I was paused 5 seconds and start to explain the bagging methods and how the estimators select the random samples, and I am sure that I am not wrong and I already explained this in detail. It seems that he did not really satisfied with my answer.

What I have learned from my career coach and other professionals is when I answer one question I need to think first and tell the interviewer the steps to show my logical thinking. However, not all interviewers are the same, some of them also have technical skills they just want to make sure if I have the skills that I mentioned on my resume, even the skill he tested me will not be used in the work.

Well, maybe some positions need very high standard skills, but some entry-level roles or internships should not require advanced technical skills and requirements, because those roles are for the people who just earned diplomas or who have had internships and want to get entry-level full-time jobs. Based on logical thinking, we normally prepare the interview by visiting the company’s website, understanding their business, and reviewing the required technical skills that the team is currently using, but sometimes we will not review the skills that the company does not require.

So far most interviewers follow the logical hiring process and ask relevant questions about the position, but just this interviewer told me I need to prepare very well and review all the skills that I mentioned on my resume.

What I learned from this!

• It is not necessary to list all the python libraries, machine learning algorithms, or some statistical methodologies. So many items on the resume will be very overwhelming and it is riskier for you if the interviewers ask some questions suddenly that you did not prepare and not really relevant to the position. I understand those skills and knowledge but I cannot review all the knowledge and skills every day. So don’t give yourself hard time reviewing all the skills and knowledge.
• Some behavioral interviews are not just simply behavioral interviews, it might be a combination of behavioral questions and some technical questions
• Some interviewers will be very strict with candidates, if they think you did not answer their questions, they will think you need to learn more. It is understandable because they did not know you and cannot know you well in a very short time. Even though you add some GitHub links, they do not have time to see your code. So no matter how excellent you are, if you cannot answer their questions, they will think that you are not good enough.
• Some Companies rarely have more information online, and cannot know more about the company you applied for. You can go to LinkedIn and type the company’s name and search for people who are currently working at the company and ask them how is the work, what kind of business, projects, or products that the company currently works on.
• Be more strict with yourself! Reviewing is really important to handle one skill. If one interviewer asks you one question based on your resume, and you cannot answer it. They might think that you are not good enough.