Advice On How To Overcome Perpetual Second-Place Finishes

Great Insurance Jobs’ Cofounder Roger Lear is here to help you overcome obstacles to your career and job search.

This month, he offers advice on how to overcome perpetual second-place finishes.

Q: I was turned down for a claims job for the third time last week. In each case, I was told I was one of two finalists. What can I do to be the first choice?

A: The first thing that stands out is that you obviously have the technical claims skill sets to be highly considered for your last three jobs. I’m sure many of the applicants wish that they had your background, since most never even got an interview.

But something is happening when three employers all end up picking the other candidate, leaving you in second place. You would think the easiest way to figure this out is to just ask the employer what you could have done better.

However, in our 2019 litigious world, many employers will not share this with you since they are being told by their human resources departments to be very careful.