Please visit our new blog at www.interviewangel.com.
Thanks!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Interview Tips For The Self Employed
The current economic condition has led many people to pursue opportunities beyond typical employment. Starting a business, pursuing freelancing or consulting work, or taking on short term projects on a contracting basis has helped many people supplement their income as the economy recovers. It's being predicted that in some industries, consulting and contracting will eventually replace many traditional salaried full time jobs.
If you are in business for yourself, you already know that one of the most challenging aspects of running your company is attracting new clients. Every time you meet with a new customer, you are, in effect, going on a job interview, selling yourself and your services to a potential employer. Why not polish this presentation with some of the same strategies that I recommend for other job seekers?
1. Research before the interview. Your client has already given you some idea what they are looking for and why they are interested in talking to you about your services. Be ready to "wow" them with a new idea or solution.
2. Have your accomplishments and achievements categorized and formatted for presentation, as in "Interview Angel"; so that when the client asks for examples of your past accomplishments and how they are relevant to the project at hand, you are confidently prepared to discuss them fluently.
3. Take action during the interview. Demonstrate your ideas by sketching them or showing a computer presentation. You should always open doors, pick up dropped objects, and be ready to offer a pen. Be a proactively courteous, dynamic presence.
4. Pay attention to the client's needs. Keep your presentation simple, and relevant to the project at hand. Be wary of intimidating. Many times a client's needs are relatively straightforward and they don't need (or want to pay for) your more extensive expertise. The time to try to upsell is not during an initial meeting. If you have no interest in servicing the client's current, stated needs, it's far more courteous not to waste their time- or yours.
5. The usual job interview etiquette applies. Many client meetings take place in public or at lunch. Arrive on time in a freshly washed vehicle, neatly dressed, with your cell phone set to vibrate. Be prepared to give the meeting your full attention. Have everything you need at hand, pens, business cards, proposals, contracts, and other materials.
6. Make it a priority to send a "Thank You" note after the meeting. If your business has promotional items (mug, magnet, calendar, etc) this would be appropriate to include as well. Many times a client will interview several service providers before hiring one. Taking this extra follow-up step can make all the difference.
If you are in business for yourself, you already know that one of the most challenging aspects of running your company is attracting new clients. Every time you meet with a new customer, you are, in effect, going on a job interview, selling yourself and your services to a potential employer. Why not polish this presentation with some of the same strategies that I recommend for other job seekers?
1. Research before the interview. Your client has already given you some idea what they are looking for and why they are interested in talking to you about your services. Be ready to "wow" them with a new idea or solution.
2. Have your accomplishments and achievements categorized and formatted for presentation, as in "Interview Angel"; so that when the client asks for examples of your past accomplishments and how they are relevant to the project at hand, you are confidently prepared to discuss them fluently.
3. Take action during the interview. Demonstrate your ideas by sketching them or showing a computer presentation. You should always open doors, pick up dropped objects, and be ready to offer a pen. Be a proactively courteous, dynamic presence.
4. Pay attention to the client's needs. Keep your presentation simple, and relevant to the project at hand. Be wary of intimidating. Many times a client's needs are relatively straightforward and they don't need (or want to pay for) your more extensive expertise. The time to try to upsell is not during an initial meeting. If you have no interest in servicing the client's current, stated needs, it's far more courteous not to waste their time- or yours.
5. The usual job interview etiquette applies. Many client meetings take place in public or at lunch. Arrive on time in a freshly washed vehicle, neatly dressed, with your cell phone set to vibrate. Be prepared to give the meeting your full attention. Have everything you need at hand, pens, business cards, proposals, contracts, and other materials.
6. Make it a priority to send a "Thank You" note after the meeting. If your business has promotional items (mug, magnet, calendar, etc) this would be appropriate to include as well. Many times a client will interview several service providers before hiring one. Taking this extra follow-up step can make all the difference.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Proceed With Caution
In work, as in life, we face dilemmas every day. For every question, there are often as many answers as there are opinions. When the question is, "How do I get hired?" the answers can, and do, change constantly, depending on the trends of the moment, the industry, the organization, the area, and, obviously, the candidate.
Sifting through the flood of ever changing suggestions and expert opinions to find that winning combination of common sense, innovation, and smart business strategy can be a daunting task for even the most intelligent and motivated job seeker.
There is no 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to career planning, but there is 'one-size-fits-none'. I say this because it's so very important for job seekers to carefully pick and choose which advice to follow, and which to ignore, when seeking new strategies for their job searches. Not all of what you hear or read will be credible, reliable or advisable, so choose carefully.
I caution you to be wary when adopting new strategies to your job search. Ask yourself some key questions:
• Is it congruent with your personal belief system? (Remember the Golden Rule!)
• Does common sense tell you it’s a good idea? If not, there’s probably a reason you never heard it suggested before!
• Is there a better way to apply the advice for your particular career path?
• Is it right for YOU? Your personal strengths and weaknesses will determine how effectively you can apply any given suggestion. What works for an extrovert, for example, could be damaging to an extreme introvert, and so forth.
• Consider the source, but realize even great sources are occasionally wrong.
As an example, Fortune Magazine recently ran a cover story titled, "How To Find A Job." Along with a lot of great ideas, the article included some unfortunate suggestions.
Candidates were advised to use interviews as an opportunity to gather intel on an organization; then offer the company’s competition this insider information in exchange for a meeting. This behavior is unethical, and a display of questionable morals is never a good tactic for a job seeker. Many companies would quite justifiably call their competitor to report such a candidate, thus eliminating any chance of a job offer from either company.
Another recommendation from the article was for candidates to follow up after interviews by sending the hiring manager links to relevant articles. This is good, but it only goes halfway. Summarizing key points from the articles and making recommendations is a better demonstration of your problem solving skills and initiative.
Ultimately only you know what tactics will work best in your job search, and in your life. Only by being selective and remaining true to your own standards will you find success.
Sifting through the flood of ever changing suggestions and expert opinions to find that winning combination of common sense, innovation, and smart business strategy can be a daunting task for even the most intelligent and motivated job seeker.
There is no 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to career planning, but there is 'one-size-fits-none'. I say this because it's so very important for job seekers to carefully pick and choose which advice to follow, and which to ignore, when seeking new strategies for their job searches. Not all of what you hear or read will be credible, reliable or advisable, so choose carefully.
I caution you to be wary when adopting new strategies to your job search. Ask yourself some key questions:
• Is it congruent with your personal belief system? (Remember the Golden Rule!)
• Does common sense tell you it’s a good idea? If not, there’s probably a reason you never heard it suggested before!
• Is there a better way to apply the advice for your particular career path?
• Is it right for YOU? Your personal strengths and weaknesses will determine how effectively you can apply any given suggestion. What works for an extrovert, for example, could be damaging to an extreme introvert, and so forth.
• Consider the source, but realize even great sources are occasionally wrong.
As an example, Fortune Magazine recently ran a cover story titled, "How To Find A Job." Along with a lot of great ideas, the article included some unfortunate suggestions.
Candidates were advised to use interviews as an opportunity to gather intel on an organization; then offer the company’s competition this insider information in exchange for a meeting. This behavior is unethical, and a display of questionable morals is never a good tactic for a job seeker. Many companies would quite justifiably call their competitor to report such a candidate, thus eliminating any chance of a job offer from either company.
Another recommendation from the article was for candidates to follow up after interviews by sending the hiring manager links to relevant articles. This is good, but it only goes halfway. Summarizing key points from the articles and making recommendations is a better demonstration of your problem solving skills and initiative.
Ultimately only you know what tactics will work best in your job search, and in your life. Only by being selective and remaining true to your own standards will you find success.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
How to Shine in an Informational Interview
Even when a company isn’t hiring, the informational interview can still be a great opportunity for candidates to create meaningful relationships within target organizations. LinkedIn is a great tool for finding connections within your network through which to request these informational discussions. The key to using informational interviews effectively in a job search is advance preparation.
Informational interviews are, by nature, informal. It’s a nice touch to offer to meet outside the office and buy a cup of coffee or lunch for the decision maker who is giving you his or her time. As a job seeker you should not make the mistake of thinking that this more informal meeting requires any less preparation than a formal job interview.
Their purpose is twofold- the first, as the name implies, is to gather more information about a company that you are interested in working for. The second, far more subtle, purpose, is to create a connection that will allow you to showcase your value to an organization in a less traditional setting. Thus, preparation is key. It’s critical to research the organization, and indeed the individual, that you desire to meet; ideally before requesting their time, so that you are prepared to clearly and knowledgeably exchange information during what is likely to be a brief meeting.
Preparing an agenda for the interview shows the manager that you respect the time they have allotted for you and that you have a clear focus. The questions that you ask should reflect that you have done research on the challenges currently facing the organization and that you have an understanding of what you can contribute to solutions. Never ask a question during an interview- any interview- that you could have answered with a Google search ahead of time. This level of preparation, respect, focus, and interest in the needs of the organization will ensure that you create an outstanding impression.
An informational interview should never be an obvious plea for a job. If conducted properly, the interview will focus completely upon the organization, and the manager you’re speaking with. If you do proper research beforehand and ask the right questions, you will come away with some great new information. Your opportunity to shine even further will be in the follow up. Of course, you should always express your gratitude for the opportunity to meet, and send a note of thanks.
It is through proper follow-up that an informational interview’s value for both participants becomes apparent. Once you have gathered your information, what you do with it creates your opportunity. Use the knowledge you gained to do still more research on the company, industry, and competitors. Then you can follow up with and reach out to the manager by summarizing relevant articles, presenting solutions that you have formulated, and any relevant research that may be of value to them. This type of continuous follow up creates an impression of you as a self-motivated, forward thinking problem solver, and when you are on target with your observations and suggestions, you will have established yourself as a resource they will value.
When they do have or hear of an opening or a vacancy that you can fill, you will be positioned properly to seize the opportunity. Keep in mind that even if the informational interview doesn’t lead to a more formal interview and then job offer, at the very least you will have extended your network, increased your visibility, helped develop your personal brand, and expanded your knowledge base.
An informational interview is always a winning opportunity with the right level of preparation and execution.
Informational interviews are, by nature, informal. It’s a nice touch to offer to meet outside the office and buy a cup of coffee or lunch for the decision maker who is giving you his or her time. As a job seeker you should not make the mistake of thinking that this more informal meeting requires any less preparation than a formal job interview.
Their purpose is twofold- the first, as the name implies, is to gather more information about a company that you are interested in working for. The second, far more subtle, purpose, is to create a connection that will allow you to showcase your value to an organization in a less traditional setting. Thus, preparation is key. It’s critical to research the organization, and indeed the individual, that you desire to meet; ideally before requesting their time, so that you are prepared to clearly and knowledgeably exchange information during what is likely to be a brief meeting.
Preparing an agenda for the interview shows the manager that you respect the time they have allotted for you and that you have a clear focus. The questions that you ask should reflect that you have done research on the challenges currently facing the organization and that you have an understanding of what you can contribute to solutions. Never ask a question during an interview- any interview- that you could have answered with a Google search ahead of time. This level of preparation, respect, focus, and interest in the needs of the organization will ensure that you create an outstanding impression.
An informational interview should never be an obvious plea for a job. If conducted properly, the interview will focus completely upon the organization, and the manager you’re speaking with. If you do proper research beforehand and ask the right questions, you will come away with some great new information. Your opportunity to shine even further will be in the follow up. Of course, you should always express your gratitude for the opportunity to meet, and send a note of thanks.
It is through proper follow-up that an informational interview’s value for both participants becomes apparent. Once you have gathered your information, what you do with it creates your opportunity. Use the knowledge you gained to do still more research on the company, industry, and competitors. Then you can follow up with and reach out to the manager by summarizing relevant articles, presenting solutions that you have formulated, and any relevant research that may be of value to them. This type of continuous follow up creates an impression of you as a self-motivated, forward thinking problem solver, and when you are on target with your observations and suggestions, you will have established yourself as a resource they will value.
When they do have or hear of an opening or a vacancy that you can fill, you will be positioned properly to seize the opportunity. Keep in mind that even if the informational interview doesn’t lead to a more formal interview and then job offer, at the very least you will have extended your network, increased your visibility, helped develop your personal brand, and expanded your knowledge base.
An informational interview is always a winning opportunity with the right level of preparation and execution.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Seven Ways to Stay Motivated During a Job Search
"Success is what happens when preparation meets opportunity"- Seneca
For many people, one of the toughest things about finding themselves unemployed is staying positive and focused during the job search. It's all too common to spend several weeks dealing with the emotional impact of the loss of a job, only to fall into a pattern of depression and inertia that is difficult to break free of. Remaining enthusiastically and confidently motivated during your job search can be challenging at times, but it can make all the difference in the world when you are meeting with a potential employer.
There are several strategies that I endorse for job seekers.
1. Approach your job search as you would a project at work. Identify your goals, potential problems, and target completion date. Sketch out a plan of action.
2. Maintain a routine consistent with your working day. Make yourself a schedule, with goals for each day related to your job search, and force yourself to stick to it. An example would be a goal of identifying and researching two potential employers and making three phone calls per day, and attending two networking events per week.
3. Get out of the house. Go to the library, local resource center for job seekers, or coffee shop. Join local professional organizations, and attend workshops, employment fairs, and classes for job seekers. Be visible!
4. Get organized! Use a system that makes sense to you to track and record the efforts you are making in your job search. Keep notes on: which jobs you are interested in; research you do on potential employers; which positions you've applied for; events you attend; contacts you make; copies of cover letters and Thank You notes you send; and most important- write down your plans to follow up. A master calendar where you can jot reminders, events, appointments and interviews is crucial! These notes are also valuable because they will help you see patterns emerging so you can change your tactics as necessary.
5. Just because you aren't drawing a paycheck doesn't mean you can't use your skills. Volunteer your professional services in your community; organize your own local networking organization for professionals in your industry; write a White Paper; or start a professionally relevant blog. By staying attuned to trends and challenges in your field, you remain relevant.
6. Be accountable. Share your goals and timeline with someone- perhaps another job seeker- and ask them to help you stick to your plan. Return the favor. Knowing that you will have to check in to report your progress regularly will help you find that extra motivation when you need it most.
7. Finally, find and utilize healthy methods of dealing with stress. Practice positive thinking. Exercise, journaling, volunteering, talking to friends, prayer, or meditation- all are good stress relievers and can help you maintain perspective and stay focused.
For many people, one of the toughest things about finding themselves unemployed is staying positive and focused during the job search. It's all too common to spend several weeks dealing with the emotional impact of the loss of a job, only to fall into a pattern of depression and inertia that is difficult to break free of. Remaining enthusiastically and confidently motivated during your job search can be challenging at times, but it can make all the difference in the world when you are meeting with a potential employer.
There are several strategies that I endorse for job seekers.
1. Approach your job search as you would a project at work. Identify your goals, potential problems, and target completion date. Sketch out a plan of action.
2. Maintain a routine consistent with your working day. Make yourself a schedule, with goals for each day related to your job search, and force yourself to stick to it. An example would be a goal of identifying and researching two potential employers and making three phone calls per day, and attending two networking events per week.
3. Get out of the house. Go to the library, local resource center for job seekers, or coffee shop. Join local professional organizations, and attend workshops, employment fairs, and classes for job seekers. Be visible!
4. Get organized! Use a system that makes sense to you to track and record the efforts you are making in your job search. Keep notes on: which jobs you are interested in; research you do on potential employers; which positions you've applied for; events you attend; contacts you make; copies of cover letters and Thank You notes you send; and most important- write down your plans to follow up. A master calendar where you can jot reminders, events, appointments and interviews is crucial! These notes are also valuable because they will help you see patterns emerging so you can change your tactics as necessary.
5. Just because you aren't drawing a paycheck doesn't mean you can't use your skills. Volunteer your professional services in your community; organize your own local networking organization for professionals in your industry; write a White Paper; or start a professionally relevant blog. By staying attuned to trends and challenges in your field, you remain relevant.
6. Be accountable. Share your goals and timeline with someone- perhaps another job seeker- and ask them to help you stick to your plan. Return the favor. Knowing that you will have to check in to report your progress regularly will help you find that extra motivation when you need it most.
7. Finally, find and utilize healthy methods of dealing with stress. Practice positive thinking. Exercise, journaling, volunteering, talking to friends, prayer, or meditation- all are good stress relievers and can help you maintain perspective and stay focused.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Working with Recruiting Firms, Part II
**Thanks to Jeff Jefferson of Actum, Inc for this two part guest post about recruiting. Learn more about Jeff and join his network on LinkedIn here.**
The main thing to remember about any recruiting firm is this; they don’t get paid unless they place you, so immediately there is a vested interest in you being a fit for one of the jobs that they are working to fill. In most cases that’s a good thing, but unfortunately, in some cases it is a bad thing. Here is what I mean, if the recruiter doesn’t have the right motivation (i.e., “right candidate, right job, right time”), or the experience, you could end up as a square peg being stuffed into a round hole. There are a percentage of recruiters out there, that are merely playing the numbers game. They are trying to throw spaghetti at the wall and seeing if anything sticks. In a lot of cases recruiters are managed to a weekly quota that measures the number of resumes that they send to a client company and even the number of candidates that they personally interview, regardless of whether or not they have a job for that person. That is where it can be a big waste of time for a job seeker. In most cases though, a seasoned recruiter has both the relationships, and the knowhow to match candidates to appropriate job opportunities quickly, and if not they will be completely up front with you and let you know that. Quality recruiters are also masters of follow up, if they say they will call you, they call you. I have heard all too often stories of candidates interviewing for jobs, and not getting so much as an email from their recruiter to let them know the feedback from the hiring manager. If I had a nickel! Not all hiring managers give the recruiter feedback, but the recruiter should always let the candidate know, even if they themselves have no idea. You deserve a simple email, or call.
Remember those contract jobs that I referenced earlier? Well, recruiters are the only people who are able to help you get those jobs, and in a down economy, that’s not always a bad way to go. There are also a large number of companies who prefer to hire their permanent employees through an initial contract assignment; these are called contract to hire or temp to perm assignments, and the contract terms typically range from 3 to 6 months. I am a fan of these types of placements because both the employer and the employee get an opportunity to make sure it is a good fit. Again, I have heard a lot of horror stories about these types of placements, so you have to make sure that your recruiter is someone you can trust. Some recruiters will tell you it is a contract to hire when it is a contract only, so that is a very appropriate discussion to have in the interview with the client.
Choose your firm carefully.
Its important to work with a firm that is reputable. If you are looking for work, make sure that you ask around and see which firms your co-workers and friends have used in the past that have treated them right, and obviously make sure that you pick an appropriate firm based on your skill set. If you have zero experience working with recruiters and your friends aren’t able to refer you to anyone, you can turn to users groups, or associations for referrals. Recruiting firms will regularly provide sponsorship for these organizations, and their networking events are a great way to get to introduce yourself directly to many recruiters. Most important of all, use your gut when working with a recruiter. If you feel like they have your best interest at heart, and they are following up consistently and providing opportunities, then you can get a lot out of the relationship. My biggest piece of advice is, “don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” During my career as a recruiter I personally placed hundreds of people, and a 99+% of them were completely happy with the process, and landed great jobs.
The main thing to remember about any recruiting firm is this; they don’t get paid unless they place you, so immediately there is a vested interest in you being a fit for one of the jobs that they are working to fill. In most cases that’s a good thing, but unfortunately, in some cases it is a bad thing. Here is what I mean, if the recruiter doesn’t have the right motivation (i.e., “right candidate, right job, right time”), or the experience, you could end up as a square peg being stuffed into a round hole. There are a percentage of recruiters out there, that are merely playing the numbers game. They are trying to throw spaghetti at the wall and seeing if anything sticks. In a lot of cases recruiters are managed to a weekly quota that measures the number of resumes that they send to a client company and even the number of candidates that they personally interview, regardless of whether or not they have a job for that person. That is where it can be a big waste of time for a job seeker. In most cases though, a seasoned recruiter has both the relationships, and the knowhow to match candidates to appropriate job opportunities quickly, and if not they will be completely up front with you and let you know that. Quality recruiters are also masters of follow up, if they say they will call you, they call you. I have heard all too often stories of candidates interviewing for jobs, and not getting so much as an email from their recruiter to let them know the feedback from the hiring manager. If I had a nickel! Not all hiring managers give the recruiter feedback, but the recruiter should always let the candidate know, even if they themselves have no idea. You deserve a simple email, or call.
Remember those contract jobs that I referenced earlier? Well, recruiters are the only people who are able to help you get those jobs, and in a down economy, that’s not always a bad way to go. There are also a large number of companies who prefer to hire their permanent employees through an initial contract assignment; these are called contract to hire or temp to perm assignments, and the contract terms typically range from 3 to 6 months. I am a fan of these types of placements because both the employer and the employee get an opportunity to make sure it is a good fit. Again, I have heard a lot of horror stories about these types of placements, so you have to make sure that your recruiter is someone you can trust. Some recruiters will tell you it is a contract to hire when it is a contract only, so that is a very appropriate discussion to have in the interview with the client.
Choose your firm carefully.
Its important to work with a firm that is reputable. If you are looking for work, make sure that you ask around and see which firms your co-workers and friends have used in the past that have treated them right, and obviously make sure that you pick an appropriate firm based on your skill set. If you have zero experience working with recruiters and your friends aren’t able to refer you to anyone, you can turn to users groups, or associations for referrals. Recruiting firms will regularly provide sponsorship for these organizations, and their networking events are a great way to get to introduce yourself directly to many recruiters. Most important of all, use your gut when working with a recruiter. If you feel like they have your best interest at heart, and they are following up consistently and providing opportunities, then you can get a lot out of the relationship. My biggest piece of advice is, “don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.” During my career as a recruiter I personally placed hundreds of people, and a 99+% of them were completely happy with the process, and landed great jobs.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tips for Staying Unemployed
With so many experts regurgitating the same career advice, it is enough to make job seekers wonder what on earth they are supposed to do to stand out from the crowd and get hired. After awhile, the advice just becomes noise and nothing sticks. So I’m not here to tell you how to get hired. I am here to tell you how to stay unemployed in your elusive pursuit of a white collar professional career. I have been witness to every scenario I have outlined below (many more times than the opposite) and let me tell you, it works. These memorable tips will keep you from getting the job you deserve.
When you decide a never ending job search is no longer right for you, try the complete opposite of everything you are about to read. You will discover getting hired on your next interview is a pretty good feeling too.
Rule #1: It is all about YOU.
Rule #2: Repeat Rule #1
You’ve heard the old adage that your resume and connections get you the interview, but the interview gets you the job. However, that probably sounds so old school to you.
After all, the hype right now is around social media to build your networks and fast track the whole process. Who needs to worry about preparing for an interview when you have 1,372 followers on Twitter and 500+ connections on LinkedIn? Granted, most of these people you have never spoken to in real life, but hey it’s a numbers game and you feel like you’re winning.
Let’s start with that great resume of yours. More pages the better! Hiring managers love the five-page resume because they have so much extra time on their hands to read through all those bullets. Besides, the magnitude of your experience could never be summarized in one or two pages.
The next step is to blast your resume out to as many job postings as possible (Really, no one else is taking this approach). Maintain your focus as a job seeker, and not as a problem solver. Employers prefer to meet with people who appear desperate for jobs rather than with people who are eager to address their organizations’ needs.
Once your resume gets broadcast on job boards, LinkedIn, and Twitter, third party recruiters will definitely be in touch. They all work feverishly to earn a commission on your placement.
Avoid the sincere and seasoned recruiters (with the placement results to prove it) who actually have a direct relationship with the hiring manager. These are the same recruiters who will follow up with you when they say they will, and who only present candidates who are fit for their client (stay away from them if you want a job!). Instead, use multiple recruiters you don’t know to apply for the same job at a single client. This will endear you to the hiring manager and demonstrate how committed you are to getting the job.
Do not attempt to use your network to schedule informal discussions with decision makers at the organizations for which you are interested. Nobody drinks coffee these days so an informational interview one morning would be of no interest. Steer clear of career support groups that simply use the internet to meet up in person. This type of activity will unfortunately hold you accountable every week to getting hired.
Once you have formal or informal interviews falling into place, there is no need to do any more work. Walk into every interview completely unprepared. Better yet, treat it like a closed book exam. You are simply demonstrating how you would approach working there. Use that ragged old padfolio from your junior year class project to hold an extra copy of your resume and work examples. No need to bring in any notes because, good news, you did not do any research on the organization.
The interview should really be all about you and what the position will bring to your life. Therefore, it is important to focus only on your own needs and what the organization will be able to offer you during the interview. Don't waste your time attempting to problem solve for the company during the interview, after all, you don't know a thing about its corporate culture, the challenges of the business, sources of revenues, or business model. While you probably had ample time to look up all that information on the internet prior to the interview, why would you? There will be plenty of time for you to learn all of that after you're on the payroll.
During the interview, you will likely be asked to talk about your experience and accomplishments and how they have prepared you for the position for which you are interested. You could have documented your own success stories and practiced delivering them in a succinct and meaningful manner for weeks prior to your next interview, but I am sure you had more critical work to do on Facebook editing your status. Instead, feel free to steer the conversation toward your lousy former boss, latest personal problem, or a controversial political gripe. This way, the interviewer gets a taste of the real you - not just the achievements on your resume.
It is important to use as much meaningless jargon as possible during the interview, so as to appear to be extremely articulate. Don't give short, simple answers - give as much detail as possible, no matter how irrelevant. The more YOU talk, the less work it is for the interviewer, and the more intelligent you appear! Don't hesitate to interrupt during questions, for example, "I can see where you're going with that thought, Bob, and here's what I know...." It will also give the hiring manager the opportunity to check his Blackberry messages while you keep talking.
Eliminate wishy washy words like "think" from your interview vocabulary. You should appear supremely confident, even arrogant. Remember - your attitude and demeanor should always communicate the wonder of YOU, leaving no room for doubt in anyone's mind! If the interviewer seems annoyed by this, don't take it personally, after all, they are probably threatened by your obvious superiority.
When asked if you have any questions for the hiring manager, don’t bother asking any questions about the organization’s needs. Instead, ask questions about the company’s benefits, your expected salary, and the size of your new office. In fact, be sure to state your salary demands even before an offer is made. That way, you can jump ahead to getting everything you want.
Being too polite during the interview is another strategy to avoid. For example, opening doors, greeting people warmly, and remembering everyone's names just makes you look like a brownnoser.
Finally, sending a thank you note after the interview is overkill. It has been reported that only five percent of job seekers do so, and the last thing you want to do is stand out.
Keep up the great work!
Brent Peterson
Founder, Interview Angel
www.interviewangel.com
When you decide a never ending job search is no longer right for you, try the complete opposite of everything you are about to read. You will discover getting hired on your next interview is a pretty good feeling too.
Rule #1: It is all about YOU.
Rule #2: Repeat Rule #1
You’ve heard the old adage that your resume and connections get you the interview, but the interview gets you the job. However, that probably sounds so old school to you.
After all, the hype right now is around social media to build your networks and fast track the whole process. Who needs to worry about preparing for an interview when you have 1,372 followers on Twitter and 500+ connections on LinkedIn? Granted, most of these people you have never spoken to in real life, but hey it’s a numbers game and you feel like you’re winning.
Let’s start with that great resume of yours. More pages the better! Hiring managers love the five-page resume because they have so much extra time on their hands to read through all those bullets. Besides, the magnitude of your experience could never be summarized in one or two pages.
The next step is to blast your resume out to as many job postings as possible (Really, no one else is taking this approach). Maintain your focus as a job seeker, and not as a problem solver. Employers prefer to meet with people who appear desperate for jobs rather than with people who are eager to address their organizations’ needs.
Once your resume gets broadcast on job boards, LinkedIn, and Twitter, third party recruiters will definitely be in touch. They all work feverishly to earn a commission on your placement.
Avoid the sincere and seasoned recruiters (with the placement results to prove it) who actually have a direct relationship with the hiring manager. These are the same recruiters who will follow up with you when they say they will, and who only present candidates who are fit for their client (stay away from them if you want a job!). Instead, use multiple recruiters you don’t know to apply for the same job at a single client. This will endear you to the hiring manager and demonstrate how committed you are to getting the job.
Do not attempt to use your network to schedule informal discussions with decision makers at the organizations for which you are interested. Nobody drinks coffee these days so an informational interview one morning would be of no interest. Steer clear of career support groups that simply use the internet to meet up in person. This type of activity will unfortunately hold you accountable every week to getting hired.
Once you have formal or informal interviews falling into place, there is no need to do any more work. Walk into every interview completely unprepared. Better yet, treat it like a closed book exam. You are simply demonstrating how you would approach working there. Use that ragged old padfolio from your junior year class project to hold an extra copy of your resume and work examples. No need to bring in any notes because, good news, you did not do any research on the organization.
The interview should really be all about you and what the position will bring to your life. Therefore, it is important to focus only on your own needs and what the organization will be able to offer you during the interview. Don't waste your time attempting to problem solve for the company during the interview, after all, you don't know a thing about its corporate culture, the challenges of the business, sources of revenues, or business model. While you probably had ample time to look up all that information on the internet prior to the interview, why would you? There will be plenty of time for you to learn all of that after you're on the payroll.
During the interview, you will likely be asked to talk about your experience and accomplishments and how they have prepared you for the position for which you are interested. You could have documented your own success stories and practiced delivering them in a succinct and meaningful manner for weeks prior to your next interview, but I am sure you had more critical work to do on Facebook editing your status. Instead, feel free to steer the conversation toward your lousy former boss, latest personal problem, or a controversial political gripe. This way, the interviewer gets a taste of the real you - not just the achievements on your resume.
It is important to use as much meaningless jargon as possible during the interview, so as to appear to be extremely articulate. Don't give short, simple answers - give as much detail as possible, no matter how irrelevant. The more YOU talk, the less work it is for the interviewer, and the more intelligent you appear! Don't hesitate to interrupt during questions, for example, "I can see where you're going with that thought, Bob, and here's what I know...." It will also give the hiring manager the opportunity to check his Blackberry messages while you keep talking.
Eliminate wishy washy words like "think" from your interview vocabulary. You should appear supremely confident, even arrogant. Remember - your attitude and demeanor should always communicate the wonder of YOU, leaving no room for doubt in anyone's mind! If the interviewer seems annoyed by this, don't take it personally, after all, they are probably threatened by your obvious superiority.
When asked if you have any questions for the hiring manager, don’t bother asking any questions about the organization’s needs. Instead, ask questions about the company’s benefits, your expected salary, and the size of your new office. In fact, be sure to state your salary demands even before an offer is made. That way, you can jump ahead to getting everything you want.
Being too polite during the interview is another strategy to avoid. For example, opening doors, greeting people warmly, and remembering everyone's names just makes you look like a brownnoser.
Finally, sending a thank you note after the interview is overkill. It has been reported that only five percent of job seekers do so, and the last thing you want to do is stand out.
Keep up the great work!
Brent Peterson
Founder, Interview Angel
www.interviewangel.com
Monday, April 20, 2009
Does your online persona work against your career goals?
If you have been reading my blog for awhile, by now you know that I encourage you to thoroughly prepare yourself for interview situations in several ways, including research, review, and taking appropriate action to communicate your value to employers.
While these are extremely important and can either make or break your chances of generating a job offer, the truth is, if you don’t refine and maintain a professional image long before the interview, you may never have the opportunity to walk through that door in the first place. Organizations today have many methods of screening applicants prior to ever contacting them to schedule an interview. One of the easiest and most obvious places for you to begin to control your image is right in front of you- the internet.
If you are using a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, ClassMates, or Twitter, or if you have a personal blog, it’s time to go over it with the same fine-toothed comb an employer would. Four out of five organizations now report that they routinely search these sites and Google candidates before contacting them for interviews. In addition, since many employers now monitor employees as well, it's a wise practice to begin policing yourself now- after all, no one wants to get "Dooced"!
During a job search, you have by default become a salesperson, and your product is YOU. You have to develop an internal PR department to monitor that your every action, both online and in person, sends the correct message about your personal brand. It’s easy to unintentionally broadcast inappropriate, overly revealing, or negative messages about yourself on these sites if you fail to consider their value as branding tools. There is nothing professional about posting photos of your night life, vulgar language, or comments that reflect any potentially controversial beliefs or associations on these publicly accessible pages.
And remember- just because you may not be concerned about this now, doesn't mean it may not be a major problem later in your career. A wise man has said- "Once on the internet, always on the internet" and truer words may never have been spoken. You forever lose control of the material you post, how it is used, and who sees it the moment you hit “enter’, so be judicious. Don’t forget to take the next step and click through to the sites of your online friends that may be linked to your page- they may have posted pictures or comments about you that could be damaging as well.
Beyond content, inferences can be drawn by your use of these sites. Updating all day every day with every minute detail of your life tells an employer something about how productive you’re likely to be. So too does having multiple sites and pages that need attention regularly, or content that is out of sync with the message you’re trying to send professionally. Beware also who and what you are linked to online- having a large number of friends with unsavory profiles, or linking only to celebrity gossip sites, for example, sends a message in and of itself.
Conversely, thoughtful use of the internet- having a large and relevant professional network and a businesslike, unique and thoughtful blog or website with a dedicated following, can be quite attractive to an employer. Your personal brand is made up not only of your accomplishments, but also of every single person, group, image, comment, and site you allow yourself to be associated with. Choose wisely.
While these are extremely important and can either make or break your chances of generating a job offer, the truth is, if you don’t refine and maintain a professional image long before the interview, you may never have the opportunity to walk through that door in the first place. Organizations today have many methods of screening applicants prior to ever contacting them to schedule an interview. One of the easiest and most obvious places for you to begin to control your image is right in front of you- the internet.
If you are using a social networking site like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, ClassMates, or Twitter, or if you have a personal blog, it’s time to go over it with the same fine-toothed comb an employer would. Four out of five organizations now report that they routinely search these sites and Google candidates before contacting them for interviews. In addition, since many employers now monitor employees as well, it's a wise practice to begin policing yourself now- after all, no one wants to get "Dooced"!
During a job search, you have by default become a salesperson, and your product is YOU. You have to develop an internal PR department to monitor that your every action, both online and in person, sends the correct message about your personal brand. It’s easy to unintentionally broadcast inappropriate, overly revealing, or negative messages about yourself on these sites if you fail to consider their value as branding tools. There is nothing professional about posting photos of your night life, vulgar language, or comments that reflect any potentially controversial beliefs or associations on these publicly accessible pages.
And remember- just because you may not be concerned about this now, doesn't mean it may not be a major problem later in your career. A wise man has said- "Once on the internet, always on the internet" and truer words may never have been spoken. You forever lose control of the material you post, how it is used, and who sees it the moment you hit “enter’, so be judicious. Don’t forget to take the next step and click through to the sites of your online friends that may be linked to your page- they may have posted pictures or comments about you that could be damaging as well.
Beyond content, inferences can be drawn by your use of these sites. Updating all day every day with every minute detail of your life tells an employer something about how productive you’re likely to be. So too does having multiple sites and pages that need attention regularly, or content that is out of sync with the message you’re trying to send professionally. Beware also who and what you are linked to online- having a large number of friends with unsavory profiles, or linking only to celebrity gossip sites, for example, sends a message in and of itself.
Conversely, thoughtful use of the internet- having a large and relevant professional network and a businesslike, unique and thoughtful blog or website with a dedicated following, can be quite attractive to an employer. Your personal brand is made up not only of your accomplishments, but also of every single person, group, image, comment, and site you allow yourself to be associated with. Choose wisely.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Effective Networking 101
How to Effectively Incorporate Networking Into Your Job Search
There are no rules, when it comes to networking
o Forget the old saying; it is who you know, but it is also what you know. Make sure you’re downloading your skills to the right people.
o There is no bad time to network. Grocery store, Starbucks, birthday parties, etc…
o Develop a mini-network of networkers. Meaning, solicit others share your cause and your objective.
"Sir, please step away from the computer"
o Look for face-to-face networking opportunities; you can build relationships through your computer, but not with your computer.
o Make sure you’re attending multiple (and different) networking events each week, and month
o Rule of thumb, if you recognize more than 5-10 people in the audience, it’s time to RSVP to a new event.
Identify what your trying to achieve through networking
o In this case, it’s looking for a job
o Target companies, staffing firms or positions that you’re interested in
o Attend events that maybe sponsored by these “targeted” companies. Develop a networking “buddy”
o Develop your 15 second elevator—focus on more on strengths, less on skill set and industry
Ask the Question
o If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never know the answer
o Identify the “give and take” moment: Be prepared to listen and offer to help others, but don’t forget to ask for assistance, a contact or follow-up meeting
Follow-Up and Deliver
o Follow-up is the hardest (and most often neglected) part of networking.
o If you offered to do something for someone else, don’t forget to deliver!
o Use social media tools to keep in touch, ask for a follow-up meeting (one on one), and send a thank you email
o Most important, do not stop developing your network. Continuously prioritize networking on your “to-do” list
This guest post was graciously provided by Jill Lemon, Career Consultant with Momentum Resources, Inc. Thank you for sharing this valuable information, Jill!
There are no rules, when it comes to networking
o Forget the old saying; it is who you know, but it is also what you know. Make sure you’re downloading your skills to the right people.
o There is no bad time to network. Grocery store, Starbucks, birthday parties, etc…
o Develop a mini-network of networkers. Meaning, solicit others share your cause and your objective.
"Sir, please step away from the computer"
o Look for face-to-face networking opportunities; you can build relationships through your computer, but not with your computer.
o Make sure you’re attending multiple (and different) networking events each week, and month
o Rule of thumb, if you recognize more than 5-10 people in the audience, it’s time to RSVP to a new event.
Identify what your trying to achieve through networking
o In this case, it’s looking for a job
o Target companies, staffing firms or positions that you’re interested in
o Attend events that maybe sponsored by these “targeted” companies. Develop a networking “buddy”
o Develop your 15 second elevator—focus on more on strengths, less on skill set and industry
Ask the Question
o If you don’t ask questions, you’ll never know the answer
o Identify the “give and take” moment: Be prepared to listen and offer to help others, but don’t forget to ask for assistance, a contact or follow-up meeting
Follow-Up and Deliver
o Follow-up is the hardest (and most often neglected) part of networking.
o If you offered to do something for someone else, don’t forget to deliver!
o Use social media tools to keep in touch, ask for a follow-up meeting (one on one), and send a thank you email
o Most important, do not stop developing your network. Continuously prioritize networking on your “to-do” list
This guest post was graciously provided by Jill Lemon, Career Consultant with Momentum Resources, Inc. Thank you for sharing this valuable information, Jill!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Taking the Mystery Out of Working With Recruiters, Part 1
***Jeff Jefferson, founder of Actum, Inc, located in Richmond, Virginia, has graciously provided this content to the Interview Angel blog. Thank you, Jeff!!**
The Role of the Recruiter-
Two things to remember about recruiters, 1. they are in the business of building relationships directly with the people who do the hiring, and 2. there are a lot of them out there. Companies are increasingly “outsourcing” non-revenue producing activities, and recruiting is one of those activities, so my point is this, recruiters aren’t going anywhere, and they can and should be part of your job search. Also, there are a large percentage of permanent job openings that never get advertised, and an even larger number that are contract or contract to hire only openings (more on that later). Recruiters are your only option for getting those jobs, and they can be great jobs with great employers.
Let me pull back the curtain on the types of recruiting firms.
Having worked at one of the largest recruiting firms in the country, and then starting one from the ground up, I feel pretty confident that I know how a vast majority of recruiting firms operate. There are really 4 types of firms for most purposes. The Big Boy, the multi-national, multi-vertical mammoth staffing company is the first type. This type of company is on many of the “vendor lists” for the large companies, and may or may not have small and medium sized clients. They may have dozens of recruiters sitting in your town, and a lot of them are not very far removed from college. Think “Boiler Room” meets a J-Crew add. This type of firm will almost always operate with a separation of duties, meaning that one person at the firm is the recruiter, who interfaces with you the candidate, and there is another person who interacts with the client and that person is called the Account Manager, or Sales Executive, etc… When working with the Big Boy, make sure you are aware of your specific recruiter’s skill level, as they will typically have very high turnover and hire a lot of greenhorns. The advantage of working with the Big Boy is their coverage. If you get with a good recruiter, they have a very broad view of the local employment market, and may be able to market you to many companies, increasing your odds, if you get with a bad one, it’s a crap shoot.
Next you have the Disadvantaged vendor. These are the firms that are designated as either women or minority owned and they are highly sought after by larger employers through their diversity supplier programs, so they are on all the vendor lists. They will range in size and makeup; they may resemble the Big Boy, however, they may not even have a representative in your town. If they have a local presence, the standard rules apply when working with them, if you get a call from their recruiter across the country, or even across the globe, all bets are off.
Next is the Regional Player, they are a lot like the Big Boy, but will typically do a lot of business with small and medium sized businesses. The large employers know who they are, but haven’t added them to the “vendor list” because they aren’t a national vendor or aren’t a Disadvantaged business. However, they will still work with the large employer as a “sub-vendor” through the Big Boy, or the Disadvantaged firms. They will typically have a good relationship with the person doing the hiring especially if they are working through the non-local Disadvantaged guys. Their recruiters will more than not, know a good bit about the specific jobs, and should be able to have an appropriate conversation with you about your background. The advantage with the Regional Player, is that their real target market is typically the small and medium sized employers, and right now in our current economic and employment situation, these are the companies that are doing the lion-share of the hiring.
Last but not least is the Boutique Firm, which is the small specialty or niche provider. This provider may separate duties, but more than not, these guys run a “full desk”. That means that the same person that is recruiting is also courting the local businesses for opportunities. These guys will typically only recruit for specific skill sets or technical expertise, and they will have very specific clients. They will know their clients well, and you will find that they will typically be versed in your area of expertise, because that is all they do. If you end up on the phone or in the office of one of these recruiters, its for a reason, they probably have a job for you. The only catch with these guys is, size; they may only fill one or two positions per month, so relationship and timing are key when dealing with the Boutique.
Read about how to work effectively with recruiters in Part II.
About the author:
Jeff Jefferson has successfully helped to grow multiple staffing and recruiting companies into industry leaders in their respective markets. Throughout his career he has focused on only two things, his clients, and his contractors. Check out his linkedin page at www.linkedin.com/in/jeffjefferson, and you will find numerous recommendations from both. While building his “book of business” Jeff has always taken the mindset that if you focus on solving your customers’ problems by providing the most qualified candidates possible for their hiring needs, you will be successful in the staffing business. The beauty of that mindset is that most people in the business do not share the sentiment, and it has helped to make Jeff one of the most successful staffing executives in the business.
The Role of the Recruiter-
Two things to remember about recruiters, 1. they are in the business of building relationships directly with the people who do the hiring, and 2. there are a lot of them out there. Companies are increasingly “outsourcing” non-revenue producing activities, and recruiting is one of those activities, so my point is this, recruiters aren’t going anywhere, and they can and should be part of your job search. Also, there are a large percentage of permanent job openings that never get advertised, and an even larger number that are contract or contract to hire only openings (more on that later). Recruiters are your only option for getting those jobs, and they can be great jobs with great employers.
Let me pull back the curtain on the types of recruiting firms.
Having worked at one of the largest recruiting firms in the country, and then starting one from the ground up, I feel pretty confident that I know how a vast majority of recruiting firms operate. There are really 4 types of firms for most purposes. The Big Boy, the multi-national, multi-vertical mammoth staffing company is the first type. This type of company is on many of the “vendor lists” for the large companies, and may or may not have small and medium sized clients. They may have dozens of recruiters sitting in your town, and a lot of them are not very far removed from college. Think “Boiler Room” meets a J-Crew add. This type of firm will almost always operate with a separation of duties, meaning that one person at the firm is the recruiter, who interfaces with you the candidate, and there is another person who interacts with the client and that person is called the Account Manager, or Sales Executive, etc… When working with the Big Boy, make sure you are aware of your specific recruiter’s skill level, as they will typically have very high turnover and hire a lot of greenhorns. The advantage of working with the Big Boy is their coverage. If you get with a good recruiter, they have a very broad view of the local employment market, and may be able to market you to many companies, increasing your odds, if you get with a bad one, it’s a crap shoot.
Next you have the Disadvantaged vendor. These are the firms that are designated as either women or minority owned and they are highly sought after by larger employers through their diversity supplier programs, so they are on all the vendor lists. They will range in size and makeup; they may resemble the Big Boy, however, they may not even have a representative in your town. If they have a local presence, the standard rules apply when working with them, if you get a call from their recruiter across the country, or even across the globe, all bets are off.
Next is the Regional Player, they are a lot like the Big Boy, but will typically do a lot of business with small and medium sized businesses. The large employers know who they are, but haven’t added them to the “vendor list” because they aren’t a national vendor or aren’t a Disadvantaged business. However, they will still work with the large employer as a “sub-vendor” through the Big Boy, or the Disadvantaged firms. They will typically have a good relationship with the person doing the hiring especially if they are working through the non-local Disadvantaged guys. Their recruiters will more than not, know a good bit about the specific jobs, and should be able to have an appropriate conversation with you about your background. The advantage with the Regional Player, is that their real target market is typically the small and medium sized employers, and right now in our current economic and employment situation, these are the companies that are doing the lion-share of the hiring.
Last but not least is the Boutique Firm, which is the small specialty or niche provider. This provider may separate duties, but more than not, these guys run a “full desk”. That means that the same person that is recruiting is also courting the local businesses for opportunities. These guys will typically only recruit for specific skill sets or technical expertise, and they will have very specific clients. They will know their clients well, and you will find that they will typically be versed in your area of expertise, because that is all they do. If you end up on the phone or in the office of one of these recruiters, its for a reason, they probably have a job for you. The only catch with these guys is, size; they may only fill one or two positions per month, so relationship and timing are key when dealing with the Boutique.
Read about how to work effectively with recruiters in Part II.
About the author:
Jeff Jefferson has successfully helped to grow multiple staffing and recruiting companies into industry leaders in their respective markets. Throughout his career he has focused on only two things, his clients, and his contractors. Check out his linkedin page at www.linkedin.com/in/jeffjefferson, and you will find numerous recommendations from both. While building his “book of business” Jeff has always taken the mindset that if you focus on solving your customers’ problems by providing the most qualified candidates possible for their hiring needs, you will be successful in the staffing business. The beauty of that mindset is that most people in the business do not share the sentiment, and it has helped to make Jeff one of the most successful staffing executives in the business.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Interviews are getting tougher. Are you ready?
With today's unprecedented rates of unemployment, competition for jobs is incredibly fierce. Because it is not uncommon for a single position to generate hundreds of qualified applicants, like the 700 applications recently submitted for a single janitorial position in Ohio; at many companies the hiring process has changed dramatically. Nowadays, hiring managers often find themselves resorting to creative, if not extreme, measures during the interview process to narrow the field.
Some of these strategies- like asking a candidate to solve a complicated mathematical problem, answer bizarrely hypothetical questions, ("if you were a food, what food would you be?") take online personality or skills assessments during the interview process, or observing how teams of candidates work together on contrived projects, (think "The Apprentice") have immediate, obvious value to employers as screening tools.
Other times, interviewers even go so far as to purposely insult or otherwise stress applicants to gauge reactions. As in most stressful situations, your best strategy here is readiness. It takes preparation to remain calm, good humored, confident, and poised under stress. Taking action during the interview by standing and demonstrating your points on a whiteboard, deep breathing, or allowing several seconds to gather your thoughts can help you remain focused and in control. While there is obviously no right or wrong answer to certain questions, getting too creative can backfire badly.
Don't let an attempt at wit undermine your performance here. It's okay to smile wryly in acknowledgement of a funny or unusual question. There's no reason to obsess over your answer, in most cases the interviewer just wants to observe you thinking on your feet and your mental and verbal agility.
To the hiring manager, observing how you perform in unexpected situations can yield important clues about traits like your flexibility, creativity, communication skills, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities. Ready yourself for these unanticipated interview scenarios by maintaining a strong network (news about unusual interview tactics usually travels fast!) and by working with local staffing firms and career consultants, who can frequently offer a "heads-up" when a company is known for using nontraditional strategies.
I would be amiss not to point out that these interview strategies often send a message about an organization’s values and corporate culture. If a company sees nothing wrong with keeping you waiting alone in a room for an hour, or insulting your personal beliefs, you should probably give careful consideration to whether the working environment would be a good fit for you before accepting an offer.
To perform well in a job interview today, you simply must be ready, willing and able to think quickly and articulate your message through interviews designed to disarm. Being relaxed and confident sends a message that you can handle high-pressure situations with grace and good humor- traits we all value in our co-workers when the going gets tough! Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled. It’s important to start preparing now. You never know what opportunity might arise tomorrow.
Some of these strategies- like asking a candidate to solve a complicated mathematical problem, answer bizarrely hypothetical questions, ("if you were a food, what food would you be?") take online personality or skills assessments during the interview process, or observing how teams of candidates work together on contrived projects, (think "The Apprentice") have immediate, obvious value to employers as screening tools.
Other times, interviewers even go so far as to purposely insult or otherwise stress applicants to gauge reactions. As in most stressful situations, your best strategy here is readiness. It takes preparation to remain calm, good humored, confident, and poised under stress. Taking action during the interview by standing and demonstrating your points on a whiteboard, deep breathing, or allowing several seconds to gather your thoughts can help you remain focused and in control. While there is obviously no right or wrong answer to certain questions, getting too creative can backfire badly.
Don't let an attempt at wit undermine your performance here. It's okay to smile wryly in acknowledgement of a funny or unusual question. There's no reason to obsess over your answer, in most cases the interviewer just wants to observe you thinking on your feet and your mental and verbal agility.
To the hiring manager, observing how you perform in unexpected situations can yield important clues about traits like your flexibility, creativity, communication skills, critical thinking, and problem solving abilities. Ready yourself for these unanticipated interview scenarios by maintaining a strong network (news about unusual interview tactics usually travels fast!) and by working with local staffing firms and career consultants, who can frequently offer a "heads-up" when a company is known for using nontraditional strategies.
I would be amiss not to point out that these interview strategies often send a message about an organization’s values and corporate culture. If a company sees nothing wrong with keeping you waiting alone in a room for an hour, or insulting your personal beliefs, you should probably give careful consideration to whether the working environment would be a good fit for you before accepting an offer.
To perform well in a job interview today, you simply must be ready, willing and able to think quickly and articulate your message through interviews designed to disarm. Being relaxed and confident sends a message that you can handle high-pressure situations with grace and good humor- traits we all value in our co-workers when the going gets tough! Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled. It’s important to start preparing now. You never know what opportunity might arise tomorrow.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
How to Stop Fishing at Job Fairs
On Thursday, more than 10,000 job seekers turned out for a job fair in New Hampshire. The turnout was so high, job fair organizers had to cut off admission after two hours.
With so many candidates flocking to these events, it is important that attendees understand how to make themselves stand out at a job fair. In Virginia, we have been a participating employer at multiple job fairs, and the lack of preparation on the part of candidates is both transparent and consistent.
Employers pay hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for exhibit space at job fairs, and have put a lot of time and effort into the display and materials that they bring. If an organization is that serious about the job fair, you should be too. Most often there’s a website detailing the organizations that will be attending and the positions for which they are hiring.
Do your homework. Decide which organizations you’re interested in and why. Research them, and prepare targeted resumes and cover letters designed to highlight your value to the particular employers you want. If there’s nothing at the job fair that you’re interested in, it can still be a good networking opportunity, but you should treat it that way going in.
Expect that it is an opportunity to meet and greet, rather than dropping off a dozen resumes at companies you know nothing about. Employer representatives are doing initial screenings as they speak to attendees, and they can tell who has seriously researched them, and who is fishing. Those “fishing” resumes rarely garner a second look. The day of the event, no matter how casual the venue, dress and behave as if you’re headed to an interview. Arrive as early as possible. Take your padfolio, copies of your resume, business cards, and a working pen and notepad.
Silence your cell phone (yes, prospective candidates have stopped mid-conversation with us to answer their phones). Go directly to the tables of the employers you’ve targeted, introduce yourself, give your elevator speech, and drop off your resume, cover letter, and business card. Every event is different but you should be prepared to interview the day of the job fair if necessary. Ask for the business card of those you speak to, and make a note on the back after you leave the table, to remind yourself of key points about the person. It’s a good idea to know your schedule for the week or so after the job fair, so that you can tell prospective employers when, exactly, you’d be available for an interview, should they request one.
Follow up after a job fair is critical. The next day at the latest, send a Thank You note to anyone you may have connected with or spoken to, and a LinkedIn request if appropriate. The next week, if you haven’t heard anything, it’s appropriate to make a follow up phone call. Making every effort to stand out in a professional and courteous manner is key to being noticed in the crowds at job fairs.
With so many candidates flocking to these events, it is important that attendees understand how to make themselves stand out at a job fair. In Virginia, we have been a participating employer at multiple job fairs, and the lack of preparation on the part of candidates is both transparent and consistent.
Employers pay hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars for exhibit space at job fairs, and have put a lot of time and effort into the display and materials that they bring. If an organization is that serious about the job fair, you should be too. Most often there’s a website detailing the organizations that will be attending and the positions for which they are hiring.
Do your homework. Decide which organizations you’re interested in and why. Research them, and prepare targeted resumes and cover letters designed to highlight your value to the particular employers you want. If there’s nothing at the job fair that you’re interested in, it can still be a good networking opportunity, but you should treat it that way going in.
Expect that it is an opportunity to meet and greet, rather than dropping off a dozen resumes at companies you know nothing about. Employer representatives are doing initial screenings as they speak to attendees, and they can tell who has seriously researched them, and who is fishing. Those “fishing” resumes rarely garner a second look. The day of the event, no matter how casual the venue, dress and behave as if you’re headed to an interview. Arrive as early as possible. Take your padfolio, copies of your resume, business cards, and a working pen and notepad.
Silence your cell phone (yes, prospective candidates have stopped mid-conversation with us to answer their phones). Go directly to the tables of the employers you’ve targeted, introduce yourself, give your elevator speech, and drop off your resume, cover letter, and business card. Every event is different but you should be prepared to interview the day of the job fair if necessary. Ask for the business card of those you speak to, and make a note on the back after you leave the table, to remind yourself of key points about the person. It’s a good idea to know your schedule for the week or so after the job fair, so that you can tell prospective employers when, exactly, you’d be available for an interview, should they request one.
Follow up after a job fair is critical. The next day at the latest, send a Thank You note to anyone you may have connected with or spoken to, and a LinkedIn request if appropriate. The next week, if you haven’t heard anything, it’s appropriate to make a follow up phone call. Making every effort to stand out in a professional and courteous manner is key to being noticed in the crowds at job fairs.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Easy Way to Expand Your Network
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking. Dan Schawbel on Mashable noted it is as high as 80 percent.
So with LinkedIn membership increasing by one professional every second, how do you expand your network beyond the professionals with whom you have a direct relationship?
One opportunity may be to build a network bridge between LinkedIn and Twitter, and capitalize on a key benefit of each. LinkedIn promotes group memberships (e.g. by profession, college alumni, shared interest, or location) but outside of your immediate contacts, you are unlikely to go through a list of all 5,973 alumni of your school to find a potential networking opportunity.
Twitter, on the other hand, promotes open sharing of your professional identity, but it lacks an efficient way to identity and group common interests or backgrounds.
So how do you build a network bridge between the two?
It is actually quite simple and has proven to be kind of viral for my two alumni groups on LinkedIn - James Madison University Alumni Association and University of Virginia Alumni (UVA).
Here is my recommendation:
1. Start a simple discussion item in your LinkedIn group to get the discussion thread and network going.
For example...
Discussion Topic:
Group Members on Twitter?
Discussion Additional Details:
Respond to this post with your Twitter url and a brief discription so that other group members can follow you. Please look for opportunities here to establish connections, promote businesses, and support each other.
Please invite others to post as well.
Thanks,
Brent
http://twitter.com/InterviewAngel
2. Be the first person to respond to your discussion item so that other people see your example. This will keep the responses in a standard form and help get things going.
For example..
http://twitter.com/InterviewAngel
Description: Launched Interview Angel in December to provide job seekers an inexpensive tool to prepare for and use in interviews. Product also marketed to professionals in recruitment and human resources. Offering daily advice and referrals on Twitter to help people get hired.
By following this format, you are providing a direct url to your Twitter account so that people can easily follow you if they see a networking opportunity. Importantly, once the discussion thread gets going, you may quickly discover a valuable connection to someone else in your LinkedIn group. If you are the first person to start this viral discussion in your group, it will be like the Cheers theme song where everyone knows your name. You will always be listed at the top of the discussion thread. Can't beat that for publicity - whether you are a job seeker, recruiter, or entrepreneur!
Ever since I started these "discussion items" in some of my LinkedIn groups, the responses (and potential networking opportunities) have increased every day. Through this social media experiment, I have now built business connections with people across the country that, most likely, would never had been done otherwise, and these connections are increasing every week. Now, that's the power of social media to expand your network!
Since most groups in LinkedIn are private (e.g. you have to be a graduate of a certain school), I have created a new public group in LinkedIn with my company's namesake (Interview Angel) to demonstrate an example of this discussion thread in LinkedIn. You are welcome to check it out here.
If you are a job seeker or a professional in the business of helping other people get hired, you are welcome to add your Twitter url and description to the Interview Angel Twitter discussion thread. You are also welcome to add your information to this blog post.
Happy networking!
So with LinkedIn membership increasing by one professional every second, how do you expand your network beyond the professionals with whom you have a direct relationship?
One opportunity may be to build a network bridge between LinkedIn and Twitter, and capitalize on a key benefit of each. LinkedIn promotes group memberships (e.g. by profession, college alumni, shared interest, or location) but outside of your immediate contacts, you are unlikely to go through a list of all 5,973 alumni of your school to find a potential networking opportunity.
Twitter, on the other hand, promotes open sharing of your professional identity, but it lacks an efficient way to identity and group common interests or backgrounds.
So how do you build a network bridge between the two?
It is actually quite simple and has proven to be kind of viral for my two alumni groups on LinkedIn - James Madison University Alumni Association and University of Virginia Alumni (UVA).
Here is my recommendation:
1. Start a simple discussion item in your LinkedIn group to get the discussion thread and network going.
For example...
Discussion Topic:
Group Members on Twitter?
Discussion Additional Details:
Respond to this post with your Twitter url and a brief discription so that other group members can follow you. Please look for opportunities here to establish connections, promote businesses, and support each other.
Please invite others to post as well.
Thanks,
Brent
http://twitter.com/InterviewAngel
2. Be the first person to respond to your discussion item so that other people see your example. This will keep the responses in a standard form and help get things going.
For example..
http://twitter.com/InterviewAngel
Description: Launched Interview Angel in December to provide job seekers an inexpensive tool to prepare for and use in interviews. Product also marketed to professionals in recruitment and human resources. Offering daily advice and referrals on Twitter to help people get hired.
By following this format, you are providing a direct url to your Twitter account so that people can easily follow you if they see a networking opportunity. Importantly, once the discussion thread gets going, you may quickly discover a valuable connection to someone else in your LinkedIn group. If you are the first person to start this viral discussion in your group, it will be like the Cheers theme song where everyone knows your name. You will always be listed at the top of the discussion thread. Can't beat that for publicity - whether you are a job seeker, recruiter, or entrepreneur!
Ever since I started these "discussion items" in some of my LinkedIn groups, the responses (and potential networking opportunities) have increased every day. Through this social media experiment, I have now built business connections with people across the country that, most likely, would never had been done otherwise, and these connections are increasing every week. Now, that's the power of social media to expand your network!
Since most groups in LinkedIn are private (e.g. you have to be a graduate of a certain school), I have created a new public group in LinkedIn with my company's namesake (Interview Angel) to demonstrate an example of this discussion thread in LinkedIn. You are welcome to check it out here.
If you are a job seeker or a professional in the business of helping other people get hired, you are welcome to add your Twitter url and description to the Interview Angel Twitter discussion thread. You are also welcome to add your information to this blog post.
Happy networking!
Friday, March 27, 2009
How to Avoid Resume Gaps
There are many techniques that can be employed to prevent significant gaps in work history. Here are my top four recommendations (all of which look great on a resume and build valuable business connections):
1. Offer to produce something of value for free.
Employers are especially fond of professionals and students who present themselves as problem solvers instead of job seekers. If you are seeking a new position, offer to deliver something specific that you know you can hit the ground running (e.g. set of marketing ideas, research report, financial analysis). Set a short timeline such as two weeks and show them what you can do if employed.
2. Seek temporary or contract work.
Professionals should immediately contact local staffing firms about temporary or contract work if they are unemployed. These recruiters have visibility to short term opportunities that are often never publicized online. Contract work is a great work to get your foot in the door with an organization to see if there is a mutual fit.
3. Volunteer your services in your community.
Volunteering at a community-based organization is a great way to keep your skills up to date and to build connections. For example, if you are a project manager, offer to lead a project at the local arts or recreation center. Community work not only looks great on a resume, it also makes a difference in your town.
4. Pursue additional education and training opportunities
Use a period of unemployment as an opportunity to pursue professional or even personal goals such as taking computer classes or training for a marathon. Educational achievements, both short and long term, demonstrate that you are a motivated and goal oriented professional.
Final advice
There is nothing to be embarrassed about having gaps between regular employment (especially now) unless you take no action. What separates a smart professional from the majority of just "job seekers" is that they see themselves as problem solvers. They seize the opportunity between regular jobs to help others and to help themselves.
1. Offer to produce something of value for free.
Employers are especially fond of professionals and students who present themselves as problem solvers instead of job seekers. If you are seeking a new position, offer to deliver something specific that you know you can hit the ground running (e.g. set of marketing ideas, research report, financial analysis). Set a short timeline such as two weeks and show them what you can do if employed.
2. Seek temporary or contract work.
Professionals should immediately contact local staffing firms about temporary or contract work if they are unemployed. These recruiters have visibility to short term opportunities that are often never publicized online. Contract work is a great work to get your foot in the door with an organization to see if there is a mutual fit.
3. Volunteer your services in your community.
Volunteering at a community-based organization is a great way to keep your skills up to date and to build connections. For example, if you are a project manager, offer to lead a project at the local arts or recreation center. Community work not only looks great on a resume, it also makes a difference in your town.
4. Pursue additional education and training opportunities
Use a period of unemployment as an opportunity to pursue professional or even personal goals such as taking computer classes or training for a marathon. Educational achievements, both short and long term, demonstrate that you are a motivated and goal oriented professional.
Final advice
There is nothing to be embarrassed about having gaps between regular employment (especially now) unless you take no action. What separates a smart professional from the majority of just "job seekers" is that they see themselves as problem solvers. They seize the opportunity between regular jobs to help others and to help themselves.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Yes, I will work for free
As the ranks of the laid-off volunteer their services in between employment, to charitable organizations, the same approach can pay dividends directly with employers.
Eager to get my foot in the door with a large employer several years ago, I worked with a professional staffing firm to volunteer my services to their client for two weeks. My intention was to quickly prove I could identify some of their business problems and make a set of recommendations to address their needs. After two weeks, I was offered a full-time paid contract. Then six months later, I was offered a full-time salary with full benefits.
This career opportunity fell into place for me not because there was a job opening at the time, but because I stayed focused on addressing the organization's needs (versus my own needs as a job seeker).
Why volunteer your time to an employer:
1. Allows a potential employer to see your work first-hand.
2. Give you an opportunity to learn more about an organization to see if it is a good fit for you.
3. Builds your professional portfolio of experience while you continue your job search.
4. Fills a gap in your resume.
5. Establishes valuable business connections.
Guidelines for making it happen:
1. For large companies, work through a professional staffing firm that can negotiate the logistics on your behalf.
2. For small businesses, contact the owner directly with your proposal.
3. In all cases, offer to produce something specific by the end of your trial period (e.g. a set of marketing ideas, a research report, a financial analysis).
4. Make the length of your trial period dependent on delivery of that specific goal (see #3) rather than a specific time period.
5. Focus on something that you can hit the ground running. Know your skills and interests thoroughly before making your proposal.
Eager to get my foot in the door with a large employer several years ago, I worked with a professional staffing firm to volunteer my services to their client for two weeks. My intention was to quickly prove I could identify some of their business problems and make a set of recommendations to address their needs. After two weeks, I was offered a full-time paid contract. Then six months later, I was offered a full-time salary with full benefits.
This career opportunity fell into place for me not because there was a job opening at the time, but because I stayed focused on addressing the organization's needs (versus my own needs as a job seeker).
Why volunteer your time to an employer:
1. Allows a potential employer to see your work first-hand.
2. Give you an opportunity to learn more about an organization to see if it is a good fit for you.
3. Builds your professional portfolio of experience while you continue your job search.
4. Fills a gap in your resume.
5. Establishes valuable business connections.
Guidelines for making it happen:
1. For large companies, work through a professional staffing firm that can negotiate the logistics on your behalf.
2. For small businesses, contact the owner directly with your proposal.
3. In all cases, offer to produce something specific by the end of your trial period (e.g. a set of marketing ideas, a research report, a financial analysis).
4. Make the length of your trial period dependent on delivery of that specific goal (see #3) rather than a specific time period.
5. Focus on something that you can hit the ground running. Know your skills and interests thoroughly before making your proposal.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Why your job search is not working
As I watched my March Madness bracket go up in smoke by the second round for the tenth year in a row, I gained that false sense of logic that if I had just submitted another bracket into the local pool, I would have gotten them all right. That is until I discovered there are nine quintillion bracket possibilities (yes, with a Q). No one has ever driven off with a new Pontiac with a perfect bracket.
Talking with job seekers this month and reading unemployment stories, I sense a similar irrationality. That is, job seekers are making the assumption that searching for a new job is simply a numbers game. Their logic maintains that if you submit your resume to enough jobs online, you will eventually get a call back for an interview. No call back this week? Shoot for 100 applications next week.
Do not treat your job search as a numbers game. The house always wins.
Here are the top five job search tips I have been sharing with job seekers at seminars this month:
1. Document your goals, experiences, and value first before you meet with any employer. If you do not have clarity around these items, the hiring manager will not have enough information to hire you. Do not wait for an interview to start preparing now.
2. Make it a full time project with a target completion date. Commit to a regular working schedule and have someone else hold you accountable to your progress every working day.
3. Research targeted organizations and the problems they are facing thoroughly. Be prepared to fill an employer need, not a job vacancy. Make it your goal to be recognized as a problem solver.
4. Establish relationships with professionals not with your computer. Use online social media (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook) as a means to make offline business connections every week.
5. Volunteer your services. Offer to produce something of value at the end of a two-week trial period (e.g. research report, marketing recommendations, financial analysis).
Talking with job seekers this month and reading unemployment stories, I sense a similar irrationality. That is, job seekers are making the assumption that searching for a new job is simply a numbers game. Their logic maintains that if you submit your resume to enough jobs online, you will eventually get a call back for an interview. No call back this week? Shoot for 100 applications next week.
Do not treat your job search as a numbers game. The house always wins.
Here are the top five job search tips I have been sharing with job seekers at seminars this month:
1. Document your goals, experiences, and value first before you meet with any employer. If you do not have clarity around these items, the hiring manager will not have enough information to hire you. Do not wait for an interview to start preparing now.
2. Make it a full time project with a target completion date. Commit to a regular working schedule and have someone else hold you accountable to your progress every working day.
3. Research targeted organizations and the problems they are facing thoroughly. Be prepared to fill an employer need, not a job vacancy. Make it your goal to be recognized as a problem solver.
4. Establish relationships with professionals not with your computer. Use online social media (e.g. LinkedIn, Facebook) as a means to make offline business connections every week.
5. Volunteer your services. Offer to produce something of value at the end of a two-week trial period (e.g. research report, marketing recommendations, financial analysis).
Monday, February 9, 2009
Are you underemployed in America? Tell your story.
Lost in all the unemployment headlines is the fact that underemployment in the United States has now reached its highest recorded level. Underemployment hit 14% in January 2009 and that figure is significantly understated.
A quick look at the US Government's measurement reveals why.
The underemployed includes three population groups:
1. Unemployed workers (increasing at an alarming pace of 600,000 downsized employees a month).
2. Jobless workers who are no longer actively seeking employment ("marginally attached" workers).
3. Part-time employees seeking full-time work ("involuntary" part-time workers).
What is noticeably missing in this measurement are the millions of full-time workers who are overqualified (and likely underpaid) for the work they are currently doing.
How many professionals with advanced degrees are now accepting hourly labor to have full-time work? How many employees have more experience than their manager? Or, for that matter, have more experience than their manager's boss?
As a social media experiment, I have started a Facebook group called "I am UNDERemployed in America. Stand Up and be Counted" to give a voice to the millions of underemployed workers in America.
A quick look at the US Government's measurement reveals why.
The underemployed includes three population groups:
1. Unemployed workers (increasing at an alarming pace of 600,000 downsized employees a month).
2. Jobless workers who are no longer actively seeking employment ("marginally attached" workers).
3. Part-time employees seeking full-time work ("involuntary" part-time workers).
What is noticeably missing in this measurement are the millions of full-time workers who are overqualified (and likely underpaid) for the work they are currently doing.
How many professionals with advanced degrees are now accepting hourly labor to have full-time work? How many employees have more experience than their manager? Or, for that matter, have more experience than their manager's boss?
As a social media experiment, I have started a Facebook group called "I am UNDERemployed in America. Stand Up and be Counted" to give a voice to the millions of underemployed workers in America.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Corporate Layoffs: Necessity or Bandwagon?
The sun has now set on one of the most storied American corporations. For the 15 year period from 1982 to 1997, it was THE top performer in the entire US stock market. Jim Collins immortalized the company in his 2001 bestseller Good to Great. Today, Circuit City has gone out of business and laid off 34,000 employees.
Back in October, consulting firm Watson Wyatt reported on CNN Money that a quarter of US employers expect to make layoffs over the next twelve months. That estimate may be conservative now with some analysts predicting unemployment at 10 percent or higher over this next year. Corporate layoffs have become the daily news headlines.
Circuit City's layoffs were out of necessity because the work is clearly gone. But are some corporations simply cleaning house during this economic downturn? There are altruistic executives out there, but the cold reality is that publically traded companies are accountable to shareholders. Are some companies simply reacting to market pressure to cut costs? Or is the work clearly gone and layoffs are an absolute necessity?
Do you feel the US Government's stimulus plan will create a sufficient number of new jobs in the short term?
Back in October, consulting firm Watson Wyatt reported on CNN Money that a quarter of US employers expect to make layoffs over the next twelve months. That estimate may be conservative now with some analysts predicting unemployment at 10 percent or higher over this next year. Corporate layoffs have become the daily news headlines.
Circuit City's layoffs were out of necessity because the work is clearly gone. But are some corporations simply cleaning house during this economic downturn? There are altruistic executives out there, but the cold reality is that publically traded companies are accountable to shareholders. Are some companies simply reacting to market pressure to cut costs? Or is the work clearly gone and layoffs are an absolute necessity?
Do you feel the US Government's stimulus plan will create a sufficient number of new jobs in the short term?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Will there be jobs for the Class of 2009?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 1.4 million college educated individuals will enter the labor force this year. Unemployment is at its highest level in 16 years and is likely to increase. So will a college degree alone get you a job in a brutal economy?
Dr. Robert Reid, Dean of the Business School at James Madison University, notified an alumni audience last week that recruitment visits on campus are scheduled to be down 40% this semester. He added this is the worst job market for graduating seniors he has ever seen in his career.
Two years ago, USA Today reported that helicopter parents were extending their involvement from the college admission office to the workplace. Parents were not only showing up a job fairs with their children, they were negotiating salary and benefits on their behalf. What can we expect this year?
With those sobering facts, what advice do you have for college students?
If you are a student, what strategies are you using to get hired?
Dr. Robert Reid, Dean of the Business School at James Madison University, notified an alumni audience last week that recruitment visits on campus are scheduled to be down 40% this semester. He added this is the worst job market for graduating seniors he has ever seen in his career.
Two years ago, USA Today reported that helicopter parents were extending their involvement from the college admission office to the workplace. Parents were not only showing up a job fairs with their children, they were negotiating salary and benefits on their behalf. What can we expect this year?
With those sobering facts, what advice do you have for college students?
If you are a student, what strategies are you using to get hired?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Does Information Addiction Hurt Your Chances of Getting Hired?
A 2005 study, funded by Hewlett-Packard, and conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London, discovered that "Workers distracted by e-mails and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers."
This is one of the statistics that seems to stick with my audience when I present the impact of our modern addiction to electronic multi-tasking. So fast forward four years...and throw in Blackberry messaging, Facebook news feeds and snowball requests, Tweets, and Diggs (to name just a few social networking applications).
If we were really stoned 4 years ago, where are we today? And what impact is it having on a generation of professionals that spend more time in front of their laptops than they do in front of actual people? I hear stories of job seekers emailing out a hundred copies of their resumes every week with no response. I have interviewed countless candidates who cannot maintain focus on what is being asked perhaps because they are so conditioned to being interrupted every minute via email or instant message.
I had lunch the other day with an account executive at one of the largest staffing firms in the country and he is seeing the same problems. A lot of younger candidates and employees lack the skills and experience to build relationships face to face.
There is hope...Professionals like Collins Denny of the Greater Richmond Career Network are using MeetUp to get job seekers off the internet and in person every week to help find jobs. Blackberrys are checked at the door.
This is one of the statistics that seems to stick with my audience when I present the impact of our modern addiction to electronic multi-tasking. So fast forward four years...and throw in Blackberry messaging, Facebook news feeds and snowball requests, Tweets, and Diggs (to name just a few social networking applications).
If we were really stoned 4 years ago, where are we today? And what impact is it having on a generation of professionals that spend more time in front of their laptops than they do in front of actual people? I hear stories of job seekers emailing out a hundred copies of their resumes every week with no response. I have interviewed countless candidates who cannot maintain focus on what is being asked perhaps because they are so conditioned to being interrupted every minute via email or instant message.
I had lunch the other day with an account executive at one of the largest staffing firms in the country and he is seeing the same problems. A lot of younger candidates and employees lack the skills and experience to build relationships face to face.
There is hope...Professionals like Collins Denny of the Greater Richmond Career Network are using MeetUp to get job seekers off the internet and in person every week to help find jobs. Blackberrys are checked at the door.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Power of Gratitude
As job losses mount, and poor economic news seems overwhelming, it is important that we keep in mind that American workers still have the talent and ambition to grow this economy. Unfortunately, almost all workers have never been properly coached on how to showcase their value to new employers. One of the simplest ways to inspire a hiring manager to extend a job offer is also one of the most easily overlooked and that is to express gratitude.
“There is more hunger…for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” - Mother Teresa
Whenever I drive my car in the morning, I have gotten in the habit of recognizing at least 10 things I am thankful for before I turn on the radio. I may express gratitude for my family, for my job, and for the beautiful morning. I also express thanks for what has yet to happen. I may give thanks for a safe and timely commute, for a productive project meeting that morning, and for the completion of a report that day. I don’t just think about what I am thankful for while I am in the car, I say it out loud.
This routine not only gets me in a positive frame of mind at the start of the day, it also gets me in the habit of expressing gratitude throughout the entire day. I look for opportunities to give thanks for every situation I encounter by myself or with other people. It makes for very rewarding days.
On one occasion, I tried to count how many times I said thanks during the day. I counted every spoken thanks in the car, every email I closed with the word thanks (which is all of them), every thank you I uttered to the person holding the door, and so on. By 5 pm, I had said thank you at least 92 times.
I no longer try to count, but I target at least 100 expressions of gratitude every day. When I am in a bad mood, I am stressed out, or things are not going well, I know my thank you count is well below the 100 mark.
People love to be recognized every day for their hard work, for their patronage, and for their simple acts of kindness. When you interview for a job, you must be very mindful and appreciative of the amount of time and effort people have put into your interview. Multiple people invest their valuable time reviewing your resume, setting up an interview schedule, coordinating your visit, and speaking to you directly. These individuals are taking the time to assess your fit into their organizational culture. Their internal culture is an important part of their lives and it is near and dear to their hearts.
If you show gratitude throughout the entire interview process, you will have a more positive experience, and your positive attitude may easily inspire someone to hire you.
So how can you express gratitude during the interview?
Here are some simple but effective tips:
· Dress professionally regardless of the internal attire norms of the organization.
· Express thank you in person to anyone who does something for you (e.g. holds the door open for you, greets you at the front desk, gives you directions, brings you a glass of water, purchases your lunch).
· Address each person you meet with the appropriate professional designation or courtesy (e.g. Dr., Mr., Ms.). Continue to do so, until given permission to address someone by their first name.
· Give a firm but not crushing handshake and look the person in the eye when you shake his or her hand.
· Initiate the interview by thanking each person for taking the time to meet with you.
· Smile during the interview.
· Conclude each interview by thanking each person again for taking the time to meet with you.
· Send thank you notes after the interview is concluded to every person that was part of the interview process especially the person who coordinated your visit.
As we celebrate the new year, let us remember the significance of expressions of gratitude, positivity, and recognition- be they merely for a lovely day, a kind word, or a small act of courtesy. It truly is the “little things” that can make or break our attitudes, and it is our attitudes, which can so often determine our success.
“There is more hunger…for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” - Mother Teresa
Whenever I drive my car in the morning, I have gotten in the habit of recognizing at least 10 things I am thankful for before I turn on the radio. I may express gratitude for my family, for my job, and for the beautiful morning. I also express thanks for what has yet to happen. I may give thanks for a safe and timely commute, for a productive project meeting that morning, and for the completion of a report that day. I don’t just think about what I am thankful for while I am in the car, I say it out loud.
This routine not only gets me in a positive frame of mind at the start of the day, it also gets me in the habit of expressing gratitude throughout the entire day. I look for opportunities to give thanks for every situation I encounter by myself or with other people. It makes for very rewarding days.
On one occasion, I tried to count how many times I said thanks during the day. I counted every spoken thanks in the car, every email I closed with the word thanks (which is all of them), every thank you I uttered to the person holding the door, and so on. By 5 pm, I had said thank you at least 92 times.
I no longer try to count, but I target at least 100 expressions of gratitude every day. When I am in a bad mood, I am stressed out, or things are not going well, I know my thank you count is well below the 100 mark.
People love to be recognized every day for their hard work, for their patronage, and for their simple acts of kindness. When you interview for a job, you must be very mindful and appreciative of the amount of time and effort people have put into your interview. Multiple people invest their valuable time reviewing your resume, setting up an interview schedule, coordinating your visit, and speaking to you directly. These individuals are taking the time to assess your fit into their organizational culture. Their internal culture is an important part of their lives and it is near and dear to their hearts.
If you show gratitude throughout the entire interview process, you will have a more positive experience, and your positive attitude may easily inspire someone to hire you.
So how can you express gratitude during the interview?
Here are some simple but effective tips:
· Dress professionally regardless of the internal attire norms of the organization.
· Express thank you in person to anyone who does something for you (e.g. holds the door open for you, greets you at the front desk, gives you directions, brings you a glass of water, purchases your lunch).
· Address each person you meet with the appropriate professional designation or courtesy (e.g. Dr., Mr., Ms.). Continue to do so, until given permission to address someone by their first name.
· Give a firm but not crushing handshake and look the person in the eye when you shake his or her hand.
· Initiate the interview by thanking each person for taking the time to meet with you.
· Smile during the interview.
· Conclude each interview by thanking each person again for taking the time to meet with you.
· Send thank you notes after the interview is concluded to every person that was part of the interview process especially the person who coordinated your visit.
As we celebrate the new year, let us remember the significance of expressions of gratitude, positivity, and recognition- be they merely for a lovely day, a kind word, or a small act of courtesy. It truly is the “little things” that can make or break our attitudes, and it is our attitudes, which can so often determine our success.
Brent Peterson
Founder
Interview Angel, Inc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
