Posts Tagged ‘offline branding’

« Older Entries

Dress for Success at Your Next Job Interview

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

Sometimes, it’s the simplest things that can sabotage your career, so it pays to sweat the details.

When you’re invited to a job interview, for example, one wrong move can blow your chances. Even wearing the wrong thing can distract an employer from your polished resume and outstanding experience.

Before you schedule your next interview, be sure to review this list of the six worst things to wear for a job interview.

Ill-Fitting Clothes

If you haven’t worn your interview outfit recently, you might find it doesn’t fit the way it used to. Don’t try to pull it off, though. You won’t look your best and you won’t feel comfortable — and it will show.

Better to wear an outfit that is tailored to suit you, rather than anything that feels or looks too tight or too short. It may not only give the wrong impression, it may also be distracting. Tugging at your skirt hem, for example, is another distraction that takes away from the focus on you and your skills.

Overly Casual Clothes

Even if you’re interviewing at a laid-back workplace, it’s still possible to take the casual concept too far. Do not wear jeans, tennis shoes, shorts, t-shirts, hats, flip-flops, or any garments with messages or brands written on them. For men wearing a suit, do not wear loud, obnoxious colors, busy-printed shirts or overly patterned ties. Take the conservative approach, and save the fun stuff for after you’ve got the job.

Anything Distracting

There’s a fine line between standing out and wearing something that’s just distracting. In the interview process, you should err on the side of caution and tone it down. Better to choose subtle patterns over brighter ones, and dark or neutral clothing versus neon colors or anything distracting. You should be the focus of the interview, not your clothing.

Women should not wear anything too revealing or low cut. No platform heels, no sun dresses, nothing too trendy. Make up and jewelry should also be toned down. For men and women both, it’s generally a good idea to stick with the basics: a black, blue, or grey suit and the associated conservative accoutrement.

Excessive Accessories

You might like to make a statement with your jewelry, but the job interview isn’t the time to do so. Stay away from jewelry that jingle-jangles, which can be very distracting for an interviewer.

Experts advise against wearing perfume and cologne as well. You may feel like something is missing when you refrain from wearing your favorite fragrance, but this is one more thing that can be distracting during the interview. In addition, many people have sensitivity or allergies to fragrances. Play it safe!

Something Very Different from What the Interviewer Suggested

It’s a good idea to ask about what’s expected of you when you’re setting up a job interview. Always ask the point person that set up the interview for advice on what to wear. If you wear something that is significantly different than the instructions that you were given, then you stand a good chance of turning off the interviewers.

The Obvious

Never attend any interview with ill-fitting, sweat-stained, smelling like smoke, dog or cat hair covered clothing that looks like something you slept in. Never wear the same ensembles you would wear out to a bar or nightclub with your friends. Ridiculously sculpted fingernails on women and pointy shoes and contrasting socks for men are no-nos.

When in doubt, overdress for the first interview.

Good luck!

The 6 worst things to wear to a job interview | Catherine Conlan via Monster.com.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

What to Research Before a Job Interview

Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

You know that weird feeling between excitement and dread that accompanies an invitation to interview? It’s especially strong when you know next to nothing about your potential workplace.

However, even if the first time you’ve ever heard of the company you’re interviewing with was the day you sent in your application, you can still walk in like you’ve known about the place for years. The key is to do some pre-interview research to make sure you can handle anything specific to the company that might come up (and offer suggestions to address the company’s particular situation if afforded the opportunity). Below are some topics and strategies you might consider.

Keep in mind, of course, that they will likely be researching you as well, going beyond just your resume and cover letter. So make sure you research yourself as well and clean up your online presence as much as possible!

1. The skills and experience the company values.

First and foremost, you should know what the company looks for in a qualified candidate. This enables you to position yourself as the best candidate for the position.

To discover the skills and experience the employer values, read between the lines of their job postings. You can also find out information on the employer’s career page to get an idea of the type of employees their desire. In addition, reach out to current employees who work there and ask them about what their employer values most in the workplace.

2. Key players of the organization.

The key players within an organization are those employees who hold important positions in the company. These individuals can be managers, department directors, and especially the CEO/president of the company.

You can find out who the key players of the organization by reading the employer’s “About” page and employee bios. It’s also a good idea to check out what these individuals say on Twitter and LinkedIn to learn what employees say about the company online.

3. News and recent events about the employer.

When you go into a job interview, it’s always a good idea to be knowledgeable about the company’s latest news and updates.

Most companies have a page on their website dedicated to press releases and events. This is a great source for you to find out information regarding the company’s latest news and updates.

4. The company’s culture, mission, and values.

Job seekers should be able to confidently say they’re good fit for the company’s culture during any job interview. In fact, a Millennial Branding study says 43 percent of HR professionals believe cultural fit is the most important quality job seekers can have during the hiring process.

As you research the employer, pay attention to what’s written on their website regarding the company’s values and mission. You can also learn more about the company culture by following the organization on its social media networks.

5. Clients, products, and services.

As a potential employee, you need to have an idea of the type of work you’d be doing once hired. By having a general idea of who the company’s clients are and the types of products and services are offered, you’ll be more prepared for the interview, too.

To find out the company’s offerings, you can usually find them on the company’s website. You can also read through the company’s blog, case studies, and white papers to give you a better idea of their accomplishments.

6. The inside scoop.

To ensure you’re fully prepared for the job interview, websites such as Glassdoor help job seekers discover the inside details of a company that can’t be found on the employer’s website.

With these sites, you can typically find information such as salary figures, employee functions and duties, company reviews, details about the hiring process, and more.

7. The person interviewing you.

Finally, you should find out who the interviewer will be. This will give you an advantage during the interview because you’ll have a better chance of connecting with them and sparking a meaningful conversation.

Now it might be a little tricky trying to find out who the interviewer is, but you should be able to locate the person’s name with a little investigation. First, try locating the person’s name from email you received regarding the interview. If you can’t find any information, reply to the email politely requesting the name of the person who’ll interview you.

Once you acquire the interviewer’s name, do some research on LinkedIn and Twitter. This will help you learn about the interviewer’s background, their position with the company, and even some common interests you both share.

Good luck!

7 Things to Research Before Any Job Interview | Heather Huhman via Glassdoor.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

How To Survive Marathon Job Interviews

Wednesday, June 7th, 2017

We already discussed how to handle stress interviews last time but I wanted to follow up on that topic by covering something less common but potentially even more stressful: the marathon interview.

For the most part, our advice over the years regarding how to succeed with job interviews has focused on meeting with maybe a single hiring manager or perhaps a small group of people including HR. But for many job seekers, an even bigger challenge awaits them after those initial phone screens and one-on-one meetings are completed and they’ve moved on to the next stage.

Some companies, like Lending Club, PwC, Microsoft, and Boston Consulting Group, hold sessions that can last an entire day, running straight through lunch and on to after-work drinks. These sessions may include interviews with a dozen or more candidates at once, as the company tries to efficiently handle large numbers of potential candidates (including some who may be flying in from out of town), and may occasionally involve group interviews where candidates are required to solve problems together.

In order to survive these grueling sessions, here is some advice from professionals involved in the industry who have officiated marathon interviews:

Prepare, prepare and prepare some more.
Plan to spend as much time as possible getting ready for your all-day interview. Some of the specific challenges will be covered below but by all means, don’t think you can wing it.

Ask your contact in advance what you should expect.
How many people will you meet? What are their job titles? What topics do they expect you to cover? Will you be presented with a case study? Will there be a group session with other candidates? Will the interviews run through lunch? Will there be any other opportunity for socializing, like after-hours drinks, that you are expected to attend?

Get ready with stories.
It’s essential to have at least three short but detailed anecdotes about yourself ready to tell. They should illustrate a challenge you faced, either organizationally or substantively or both, and how you overcame it. Were you expected to increase sales by 30% in six months while traveling to satellite offices? Did you mount a social media campaign while juggling sales calls and writing internal communications materials?

Research your potential employer’s field.
If you’re interviewing with a company like the Lending Club, read and digest every page of the company website, do a news clip search and make sure you know who the competitors are. You won’t necessarily introduce any of these topics but you want to be prepared to talk intelligently about them should they come up. Try finding ex-employees on LinkedIn and message them to ask if you can talk on the phone or ideally, meet for coffee or a drink. Quiz them about the company’s strengths and challenges.

Keep your focus on the positive.
When the interviewer asks you to tell them about yourself, stick to a positive, linear story that emphasizes your interest in the job. For instance, if you’ve worked in business and you’ve decided to apply for a teaching fellowship, don’t talk about why you’ve come to dislike your job or how you’ve soured on your career. Instead emphasize how much you’ve learned and how you think those lessons will make you a better teacher. The same rule applies if you’re looking to leave a company where you’ve become unhappy. Talk about your past successes and how excited you are at the prospect of a new challenge.

Be prepared to listen rather than talk.
A friend of mine went for an interview at a nonprofit last week. She was incredibly well prepared (she works in the field in a senior position at another nonprofit institution) with anecdotes about her achievements and questions about her potential employer. But her interviewer talked for 45 minutes straight, describing the institution and its challenges. That left less than 15 minutes for my friend to make her case. The interviewer obviously has a lot to learn but her tactics, from my experience, are common. The challenge is to listen closely, appear as though you care about what the interviewer is saying and try to retain as much as possible.

Don’t expect to eat at lunch.
Though a company like Lending Club claims that lunch is a time for candidates to take a breather and relax, don’t. Your interviewers care about whether you are socially skilled and easy to be around. This is a good opportunity to ask questions. Query your dining companion about their career and how they like their employer. Remember that you are still being evaluated. You may not manage more than a few bites of food. Pack a small water bottle and snack in your bag that you can nibble when you excuse yourself to go to the restroom.

Jot down notes when you take a bathroom break.
Don’t take notes during a meal or in interviews. When you go to the rest room, jot down some points. These will come in handy when you follow up with thank-you notes. Pay particular attention to descriptions of the company’s challenges. You want to come off as a problem solver.

Get everyone’s business card and offer yours.
Unless you have a photographic memory, you will not be able to recall the names and titles of everyone who interviews you, especially if you talk to 12 people. You can take out your pen briefly and write down a few words to remind you when you look back at the card, like “beard; told him about sales increase.”

Keep your energy high.
Fight your fatigue. Sit up straight, lean slightly forward in your chair, laugh at your interviewer’s jokes and meet the interviewer’s gaze. Smile as much as seems appropriate. Express your passion about the possibility of getting the job, both verbally and nonverbally.

Make notes before calling it a day.
At the end of a marathon interview day, you will likely feel completely spent. But don’t give in immediately. Make yourself sit down at your computer or take notes longhand about the points your interviewers emphasized. It’s great if you can be organized about this but stream of consciousness is fine too, if that’s all you can muster. You’re debriefing yourself while the information is fresh. You’ll need it to write those 12 thank-you notes the next day.

Good luck!

How To Survive A Marathon Job Interview | Susan Adams via Forbes.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

5 Things That Keep PhDs From Getting Jobs

Wednesday, February 15th, 2017

So we’re venturing out into a bit of an esoteric topic this week, covering a rare but difficult job seeker, trapped halfway between academia and the real world: the PhD graduate looking to leverage their background into a career in business.

Starting a new career can be a confusing process for any professional, especially if you’re transferring into a new industry. The path is especially difficult for PhDs trying to transition into a career in business. This is because the worlds of academia and business are very different. It’s also because most Universities offer little or no career training for graduate students. As a result, newly minted PhDs who opt out of academia are tossed into the business world with no clue how to navigate it. They’re given a few networking tips and told to send out resumes over and over again. But nothing happens. In fact, the number of PhDs who will have a business job at or soon after graduation is below 40%. And the number of Life Sciences PhDs who will have a business job at graduation is below 20%. The truth is most PhDs will never get a job in business even though they’re doing all the right things. The problem is they’re doing the wrong things too. The key to starting a great career in business learning what not to do. Here are 5 things to avoid:

1. Networking with your competitors only.

Most PhDs network exclusively with other PhDs. That’s like dressing up as a needle and jumping into the middle of a haystack. You’re never going to be noticed at these events. You’ll never stand out. Everyone is just like you. Not only that, the people at these events want the exact same jobs as you. You’re not going to hear about any job opportunities because the other PhDs are going to keep those job opportunities to themselves. Now, consider going to a networking event outside of your direct field of interest. Let’s say you go to a meet-up for architects, lawyers, business executives, painters, real estate agents, etc. First, the people you meet are going to be impressed that you have a PhD. “Wow, a PhD, I haven’t met another doctor here before.” When’s the last time you heard that? You’ll never hear it in a crowd full of PhDs.

Second, because you’re different, you’ll be memorable. If someone at that event hears of a PhD-specific opportunity or knows of one already, they’re going to tell you. They have no reason not to tell you because their interests are different than your own. When networking, go to events where you’ll stand out and where you won’t be seen as a threat. As a side note, this is also one of the biggest reasons you should learn how to network in graduate school. When you’re student, no one sees you as a threat. But as soon as you enter the job market, you get a target put on your forehead. Now, no one wants to share information with you. Now, information comes at a price.

2. Inflating your title and your attitude.

A lot of PhDs think playing up certain things on their resume or CV will help them connect with people at networking events and get a job. But it won’t. It just turns people off. Besides, if you have a PhD, it’s not a lack of hard skills or credibility that will keep you from getting a job in business. It’s a lack of communication skills and a limited network that will keep you from getting a job. Instead of inflating your title or acting defensive about what you’ve accomplished, be real. Talk about the real people and companies you’ve worked with or the real learning experiences you’ve had. Then talk about what you really want and what you’re willing to do to get it.

3. Waiting for other people to contact you.

No one is going to chase you down to get a job. This might happen later on in your career but not when you’re in graduate school or doing a postdoc. The ball is always in your court. It’s up to you and you alone to drive the hiring process forward. No one will do it for you. Especially if you’re trying to transition from academia to business. The fact that you’re changing industries adds a new, extra-heavy layer of inertia to the process. This means you’ll have to follow up with people you meet at networking events, follow up with hiring managers before interviews, follow up with them afterwards, follow up, follow up, follow up. Following up is the only activity that people in business respect. And it’s the only activity that will remove the many barriers standing between you and the job you want.

4. Be an interviewee and not an interviewer.

Most PhDs prepare for interviews like they’re preparing for a test. They study up on potential questions they might get asked or they practice a short chalk talk, obsessing over formal inquiries they think they’ll get from the audience. The problem is that employers of top companies don’t care how you handle their questions as much as they care about how you handle yourself. No one is going to sit across from you with a big red buzzer waiting for you to give a wrong answer to some technical question. Employers don’t want to know if you can recite information, they want to know if you can you find problems, find solutions, and communicate them both effectively.

Getting an interview is an invitation to interview a company, not an invitation for you to be interviewed. The best way to show you can find the problems and solutions is to turn the tables on the interviewer. Don’t let them interview you. Interview them. Investigate them. Ask them about their company and the position you’re up for like you’re digging for gold. Seek out everything there is to know and really determine whether or not this job is right for you—not the other way around.

5. Undervaluing yourself.

If you don’t see yourself as valuable, why should anyone else see you as valuable? A lot of graduate students and postdocs go into interviews ready to accept anything that’s offered to them. This is a mistake. Employers can always tell if you’re desperate. They’re going to assume you’re desperate by default because you’ve been working for almost nothing in academia for years. It’s up to you to prove to them, and yourself, that you’re not desperate. You have to know your own value. Remember, you’re highly trained. You’re in the top 2% of the world in terms of education and academic training. The key is being confident in yourself and your worth without acting defensive or like you’re entitled to anything. This can be hard. Especially if you’ve been mistreated by your academic advisor or beat down by the academic system in anyway.

Put some time into understanding you’re worth and showing it in the right way. Start thinking and acting differently than most of the other PhDs who are trying to get a job in business. Go to networking events outside your field, follow up with people consistently, prepare for interviews as the interviewer—not the interviewee—and, most importantly, be yourself.

Good luck!

If You’re A PhD And Do This, You’ll Never Get A Job | Isaiah Hankel, Ph.D. via Cheeky Scientist.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in job search | No Comments »

5 Tips for Getting a Job After You’ve Been Fired

Wednesday, February 1st, 2017

A lot of the advice on this site is committed to cultivating proactive job seeking skills, so that you are in as much control of your career as possible. It’s always better to plan ahead, having your resume ready and interview skills finely tuned, so when great jobs come along you’re ready. That way, you can positively navigate your career path rather than suffer at the mercy of fortune.

Sometimes, unfortunately, even with the best laid plans, circumstances end up outside of your control. Getting fired can feel like the end of the world, and a complete derailment of everything you’ve worked towards, but it doesn’t have to mean you’ll never work again. Take a deep breath, remind yourself it was just a job, and use these five tips to help you land your next gig.

1. Try to get a reference.

Depending on why you were fired and who gave you the axe, you may want to see if you can still get a reference from your former employer. Being gracious and taking full responsibility for the reason of your termination, whether or not you agree with the reason, will go a long way.

To take it a step further, follow up with a thank-you note post-termination thanking the employer for the time you were employed, restating that you understand their decision and that business is business and you hope you two can keep in touch going forward. Whenever possible, it’s important to keep things businesslike and polite. Your employer will be less inclined to speak negatively if you leave on a positive note.

2. Look for outside references.

It’s more likely that you won’t be able to get a reference from the employer who fired you, so it’s important to develop your network. You need other people who know your abilities and can confidently recommend you.

Make use of your new-found free time in ways that will make you more appealing to employers and help you network with new people. For example, join a professional development group, volunteer in the community, and intern at a company in your chosen career field. Having current references who can talk about your skills will help you as you start your search for a new job.

3. Keep your head in the game.

You may want to take a break and nurse your wounds, but it’s important to keep busy and not let the gap in your resume grow.

Immediately enroll in a course, preferably an academic or technical course, to help eliminate complete gaps in employment. Also, develop a list of professionals who you can trust, with a solid knowledge of your work ethic, who can connect you to opportunities without judging the fact that you’ve been fired.

4. Choose your words carefully.

As you search for a new job, be careful about how you talk about having been fired. Comments such as ‘differences in opinion,’ ‘differences in working philosophies’ or ‘differences in creative direction’ or ‘downsizing’ or ‘were made redundant’ are all explanatory when you have been terminated from a previous job. After all, you were fired for some reason.

Whatever you do, though, don’t attack your supervisor. If you had differences with your supervisor, that’s okay. If you couldn’t deal with them, that may have been okay, too, depending on the circumstances. But personal attacks? They’re a no-no.

5. Reassess and reinvent.

Getting fired can shake your very identity, so it’s important to reassess yourself and your goals. Take the time to evaluate where your success has been in the past, and reinvent your job search to look for a whole new change of focus. Don’t be afraid of looking at education or certification in the new path.

You may have to ask yourself some hard questions about your expectations and what you’re looking for, as well. Really take the time to look within yourself and determine why the job didn’t work. This will provide an opportunity during your next interview for you to discuss why the job was not a fit for you or the company, and how you feel your strengths can be better served in the new area. Essentially, look to take the negative of a termination and use it as a positive for your next position.

So being fired isn’t the end of the world… it might even be an opportunity in disguise. But however you choose to look at things, don’t panic and make sure you effectively position yourself for your next job.

Good luck!

5 Tips for Getting a Job After You’ve Been Fired | Catherine Conlan via Monster

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in job search | No Comments »

7 Ways to Reduce Job Interview Stress

Thursday, November 3rd, 2016

Most people find job interviews stressful and intimidating, especially if they really need the job.

With only one, brief chance to make a good impression to escape your current job, increase your pay, or expand business connections, interviews can make or break your future, with the slightest mistake costing you dearly. Aside from quitting your job or giving an anxiety-provoking public presentation, few things in the workplace induce more fear than an interview.

Thankfully, there are several simple things you can do to reduce job interview stress:

Stressful Interview

1. Sleep well–two nights before. Many people toss and turn the night before a job interview. Since most have no problem running on fumes for a day, aim to sleep well for two nights leading up to your interview. Accomplish this by exercising vigorously and tiring your body.

2. Get there early–but not too early. Rushing, getting lost, and the fear oft being late all provoke anxiety. Print out directions to the interview location the night before (get an alternative route as well) and plan to arrive 30 minutes early. But do not enter the building until 10 minutes before the scheduled interview. The anticipation of waiting can be brutal. Have a mini-plan to kill some time before the interview–walk around the block and do some deep breathing. One of the worst things you can do is get to an interview too early and be stuck waiting in the reception area for an extended period of time.

3. Eat light, yet be nourished. A little starch keeps your sugar level in check and your stomach from growling. A good standby is half of a protein bar and water. It’s not exciting, but it helps keep hunger in check. You never know how long an interview will last, so always have a bite to eat before heading in.

4. Schedule interviews in the morning. Get stressful things out of the way early. That leaves less time for negative thinking. This tip also holds true for dentist and doctor appointments.

leave-job

5. Be (over)prepared. Know what interview questions you will be asked and be prepared to state your salary requirements. Hold mock interviews with friends and family. Research the company using a service like Glassdoor.com and get to know your interviewer using every social media resource you can find.

6. Take the day off. With an average of 13 vacation days a year and only a handful of sick days, today’s workers are reluctant to let go of any paid time off. But worrying about traveling to two offices, changing your outfit, and lying all create stress. Treat yourself to the full day off and use the remaining time to send a thank you letter or look for other job opportunities.

7. Ask when a decision will be made. A frequent source of stress is interviewing for a job and never hearing back. Do your best to gather as much information as possible and ask when a decision will be made. It’s a fair question, so don’t be bashful.

Remaining relaxed during a job interview will give you the confidence to sell yourself properly and earn a job offer. Be prepared, both physically and mentally, be yourself, and hope for the best. And remember that there will always be more opportunities in the future.

Good luck!

7 Ways to Reduce Job Interview Stress | Andrew G. Rosen via the U.S. News & World Report

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

Interview Hacks

Wednesday, August 31st, 2016

Seems like everyone has “hacks” these days… hacks for parenting, hacks for eating, hacks for computing, and even hacks for life. For every standard way to do something, someone out there on the internet has found an innovative way to do it .001% better, guaranteed to transform your life in 10 easy steps.

We’ll pass over the question of whether it’s really efficacious to use string to cut cheese or to microwave your deodorant to get the last little bit out. The idea of hacking itself is sound: re-envisioning everyday activities to perform them more productively, more efficiently, more cost effectively, and more successfully.

Since many of us will interview for jobs many times over the course of our careers and competition for even the most basic positions always seems to be intense, it behooves us to apply as many tricks, tips, and hacks as we can, if for no other reasons than to make the experience easier to endure or to streamline failure.

hacking

So what can you do to improve your interviewing skills? Here are a few quick expert tips:

Bring A Cheat Sheet With You

Everyone knows it’s a good idea to bring extra copies of your resume and business cards with you when you interview, but it’s also a great idea to bring a job history cheat sheet with you.

Prepare a write-up briefly detailing two accomplishments for each of your past few jobs. It’s a great way to overcome brain freeze during an interview or to get things back on track if the conversation has derailed.

Beat the Clock to Beat Your Nerves!

Nothing can make a stressful situation more stressful than anticipation and dread… Having to wait all day for an interview is a quick and easy way to build up a major case of the butterflies.

Rather than spend the whole day worrying and building yourself into a frenzied ball of anxious nerves, try to schedule your interviews for early in the day.

Not only will you have more confidence, but you’ll appear fresher and more alert.

It’s also been proven that interviewers tend to remember the first few people they interview in a day much more clearly than those they subsequently interview later.

pilot_interview

Identify a Problem and Fix It

In many cases, a company will be hiring for a position in order to solve a problem or remedy an issue they have been facing. By studying the job description you can often tell if this is the case for the position you are interviewing for.

If this is the case, take this opportunity to prepare a one-page proposal that outlines how you would solve the problem that the company is facing… and be specific!

Even if they aren’t looking for you to solve the problem in the interview, they will be impressed that you took the initiative and more importantly, that as a hire, you will bring a lot of value to their organization.

Be Nice!

Did you know your interview starts the minute you walk through the front door of the company you are interviewing with? How you treat everyone around you, from potential future co-workers to the receptionist at the front desk, can help determine if you get a job or not.

By being open, friendly and professional with everyone you encounter (not just your hiring manager) you’re helping to pave the way for positive feedback because as everyone knows, people talk… and if they’re going to talk about you, it’s always best to have it be about positive aspects of your visit!

In addition, hiring managers will often use the receptionist/secretary as a “secret screener”. What does this mean? It means that they often give the receptionist a list of questions to ask you and have them take notes on your responses. Then after the interviews are done, they have a quick debrief to discuss what you said. I’ve actually heard of people who had immaculate job interviews that failed to get the job because they showed a different (and not positive) side of their personality during the “secret screener”, so keep this in mind the moment you walk through the door!

Connect Before Diving In

The best way to start an interview is to not start the interview.

When you first meet whoever is interviewing you, get them to talk about anything except the interview. Use those first moments to build a rapport with your interviewer.

Remember, they’re potentially interviewing hundreds of people and the ones they’ll remember are the ones that stand out for the right reasons.

People want to work with people they connect with, and by taking just a moment to talk about something other than your potential job you’re helping show that you’re a nice, friendly and interesting person.

Your ultimate goal with an interview is to have a good conversation with your interviewer and an easy way to kick off that conversation is by starting with an easy small talk opener.

Example topics can include the weather, a recent sporting event, the office, or anything else you can think of that is quick to discuss.

Try to skip controversial topics and make sure that you don’t go overboard or ramble on for too long. It’s still an interview, after all!

Be a Copycat

It’s been psychologically proven time and time again that people respond better to individuals they feel they are in “sync” with and the best way to help drive that home is to subtly mirror your interviewer’s nonverbal gestures and body language.

Don’t go overboard and do everything they do, but if you keep your movements similar to theirs, it’ll build a sense of cohesion and understanding between you two.

Try to mimic their pitch, tone, body language, posture and body orientation.

And while you’re at it, DON’T FIDGET! Fidgeting can undermine your credibility and give an interviewer the impression that you’d rather be anywhere but in that room as well as make it appear you’re anxious or even lying.

Instead, focus your gaze on whoever is interviewing you and show them that you’re fully invested and paying attention to the interview.

Turn the Tables

A good interview is more than just you sitting in a room rattling off prepared answers to questions. It’s also an opportunity for you to learn about the job, the company and your potential role within that world.

Make sure to have a few questions prepared before you interview and find the time during the interview to ask them. Make sure they are thoughtful questions that help reinforce the idea that you’re the ideal candidate.

When you get the chance to ask your own questions, take the opportunity to “tailor” the questions. You want to show that you have the qualities that the company puts a lot of value in, so utilize this opportunity to do so.

Here’s an example:

If you know the company is big on “collaboration” as a quality, you may want to ask a question like:

“In my previous jobs I’ve really thrived in an environment where I get to work with others and have found that using my abilities in a collaborative setting has really allowed me to add a lot of value to my team. Do you envision this role having a collaborative element and if so, do you think that this ability will help me succeed in this position?”

Just a few easy tips to add to your interview toolbox. Let us know in the comments if you have any other tried and true hacks for interviewing that you’d like to share.

Good luck!

16 Genius Job Interview Tips & Hacks | Jeff Gillis via The Interview Guys

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

The Worst Interview Advice People Love to Give

Wednesday, July 6th, 2016

So, you’ve passed the difficult hurdle of actually landing an interview, navigating the resume submission process and perhaps even passing an obligatory phone screen.

Keen to avoid any obvious mistakes, you ask around for advice from friends, family, maybe even coworkers (or former colleagues), especially if you’re a bit of a novice at interviewing. And people are always willing to give advice, whether it’s about what to wear, what to talk about, how to answer certain questions, or what to bring along. And while undoubtedly some of what they say might be helpful, it can be difficult to determine what to follow and what to ignore.

So here is some advice that you won’t hear from the experts (i.e., the kind of stuff you can probably ignore). Some of these tips seem common sense enough, or have become conventional wisdom to the point where they frequently show up on top 10 lists… but in this case, you’re better off not following them:

singing_interview

Always wear a suit

Yes, you want to look put-together and professional, but it’s more important to fit in with the vibe of the company than show up dressed to the nines. Wearing a suit when everyone at the office is dressed more casually sends the message ‘I don’t understand your culture.

An easy trick: check out a site like Glassdoor to get a feel for the office culture, and dress one or two steps up from that. Dressing appropriately shows your interviewer that you took the time to research and understand the company, which ultimately tells them you care.

Make sure you arrive in plenty of time

While arriving late to a job interview is definitely a huge no-no, experts agree that arriving too early can also hurt your chances at landing the job.

There is a fine line between showing interest and looking desperate, and you don’t want to send the wrong message.

Arriving more than 15 minutes early can be frustrating for a hiring manager especially because it could throw a curveball into their schedule. Instead, if you want to make extra sure you arrive on time, head to a coffee shop in the area of the interview early and hang tight there until your scheduled time.

Say ‘I’m a perfectionist’ when asked, ‘What’s your greatest weakness?’

Everyone has heard the classic advice to say something that’s actually a strength when asked what your biggest weakness is. But while this may seem like a sneaky way to make yourself seem more qualified, it actually comes off as fake and cliché.

You’re missing an opportunity to demonstrate self-awareness and a willingness to adapt.

Instead, honestly explain one of your weaknesses, then say what you’re doing to fix it. This way, instead of presenting a problem, you’re presenting a solution.

Be yourself

You want to show your interviewer why you’re the best person for the job, not wait for them to figure it out on their own. It’s your job as the candidate to figure out what the hiring manager is looking for and tell a story that shows you meet those requirements.

You should never lie or present a false version of yourself, but it’s important to play up your best features and make a memorable first impression.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can just be who you are. You need to nail those first few seconds by carrying the right props, sitting in the right place, and handling the handshake properly.

food_interview

Don’t ask about salary

Staying silent throughout the interview process about salary could send the signal that you’ll be happy with any job offer they make.

You have to bring up salary by your second job interview at the latest, or you will be walking straight into the common and frustrating scenario where you get presented with an insultingly low-ball offer, because you never asked, ‘What does this job pay?’

While you don’t want to put money first, asking about the pay range for the job sooner rather than later can save you countless wasted hours and energy on a job that won’t pay what you want.

So, any of this sound familiar? Amazing how what people say over and over again can so frequently be wrong.

Of course, your own experience may vary, especially if you’ve already interviewed with many companies over the course of your career. But when you’re just starting out, always remember to dig a little deeper into conventional wisdom; sometimes it pays to not just follow the crowd.

Good luck!

The Worst Job Interview Advice People Love to Give | Emmie Martin via Business Insider

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

The Strangest Things Job Seekers Have Done to Get Hired

Wednesday, February 17th, 2016

When it comes to getting the attention of potential employers, being a little out there can be a good thing – but a little goes a long way. Here are four do’s and don’ts for job seekers hoping to stand out for the right reasons.

There’s “crazy good” – and then there’s just plain crazy. When it comes to getting the attention of potential employers, being a little out there can be a good thing, but a little goes a long way, as some candidates have found out the hard way. A recent study about unusual job seeker efforts to stand apart, conducted among 1,078 hiring managers, makes it clear that some job seekers don’t know where to draw the line between getting noticed – and getting notoriety.

When asked for their accounts of job seekers’ most off-the-wall stunts, hiring managers didn’t hold back. These were the best of the best (err – worst of the worst?). You be the judge):

The candidate…

  1. …found out where the hiring manager was having dinner and picked up the tab.
  2. …lit a corner of their resume on fire to show their “burning desire” for the job.
  3. …had a cake delivered to the hiring manager with the words “Congratulations! [candidate’s name] got the job!”
  4. …answered a call during the interview stating that another company was calling to discuss a job offer.
  5. …sat on the floor during the interview and asked the hiring manager to take a picture of him with the company mascot.
  6. …tried to impress the hiring manager with the history of the business, which was incorrect.
  7. …had her resume gift-wrapped.
  8. …showed pictures of their relatives working at the company many years prior.
  9. …acted like a game show host.
  10. …brought a bag of props into the interview and pulled them out as they were relevant in the questions/answers.
  11. …sent the hiring manager a coupon for free meal.
  12. …had his daughter call the hiring manager in advance of the interview to thank the hiring manager “for giving her dad a job.”

Clever — or cloying?

Hiring managers gave a mixed bag of reactions when it came to whether they thought job seekers’ off-the-wall tactics were effective.

On one hand, candidates should get props for trying to stand apart among the sometimes hundreds of others vying for the same position. Unfortunately, “props” don’t necessarily equate to employment.

As one hiring manager advised – candidates are wise to focus more on making sure their skills and experience are up to par than on whether that “I love ABC Company” tattoo will land them the job:

“While these tactics may succeed in impressing hiring managers, what ultimately determines if they get the job is having the necessary skills and experience hiring managers are looking for.”

So how can you as a candidate get smarter about your own methods for standing out – and get real, positive attention for your efforts?

Here are four suggested do’s and don’ts for job seekers hoping to stand out for all the right reasons:

  1. DON’T confuse pestering with persistence. Most hiring managers don’t mind –and even appreciate – a follow up phone call or email, as it indicates enthusiasm and initiative. Bombarding the hiring manager with phone calls or emails, however, can come across as desperate, annoying or even creepy.
  2. DO know your audience. What charms one hiring manager may turn another off. You can’t always predict what will work for one company and what won’t. Just keep in mind, however, that a company that doesn’t appreciate your unique line of thinking might not be the company that’s right for you.
  3. DON’T overthink it. Sometimes the simplest approach is the best approach. Many of the hiring managers we surveyed were blown away when a candidate sent a handwritten thank you note.
  4. DO keep your eyes on the prize. Don’t let your unusual approach distract from what you’re really trying to do: Sell your skills and qualifications. Even when trying an unusual approach, tie it back to your skills and why you are qualified for the job.

So shine on, you (not too) crazy diamond – and best of luck in landing that next job.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Interview, job search, resume writing | No Comments »

What Were They Thinking? 30 Wacky Job Interview Behaviors

Wednesday, August 19th, 2015

As challenging as it is for most job seekers to “score” a job interview, the actions of many job seekers in job interviews raise questions about their understanding of what job interviews are or, perhaps, their true interests in the opportunities those job interviews provide.

A recent CareerBuilder study of over 2,200 hiring managers and human resources representatives across a wide range of industries and sizes showed some amazing behavior on the part of job seekers.

My suspicion is that most (not all, of course) people are not naturally this clueless. On some level, they must understand that they are blowing away the opportunity with their actions.

Among the strange actions in the CareerBuilder study:

  • Applicant crashed her car into the building.
  • Applicants dressing strangely – in a Star Wars costume or in their running gear.
  • Applicant kept iPod headphone on during the interview.
  • Applicant checked Facebook during the job interview.
  • Applicant asked for the receptionist’s name and phone number because he really liked her.

I’ve heard many other horror stories from recruiters and experienced a few myself as an interviewer. Please do NOT do any of these behaviors during a job interview:

Misusing cell phones:

  • Answering the cell phone.
  • Texting on the cell phone.
  • Playing a game on the smart phone while interviewing.
  • Asking to delay the start of the interview until composing an email was completed.

Demonstrating bad manners:

  • Arriving late.
  • Yawning.
  • Bad breath.
  • Bad body odor or too much perfume or cologne.
  • Cursing during the interview.
  • Arriving too early (more than 10 minutes).
  • Parking in the employee parking spaces.
  • Smelling like cigarette or cigar smoke.
  • Being rude to the elevator operator, receptionist, secretary, or other “unimportant” staff members.
  • Coughing and sneezing, obviously coming down with a cold.

Being unprepared for job interviews:

  • Not knowing which job you’re being interviewed for.
  • Not remembering the title and requirements of the job being interviewed for.
  • Not having copies of the resume ready to give to interviewers.
  • Not having a good answer to, “What do you know about us?”
  • Not having good questions about the job and the organization ready to ask (questions that couldn’t be answered by a Google search or pre-interview preparation).

Acting very oddly in job interviews:

  • Bringing parents and children.
  • Attempting to include relatives in the interview.
  • Bringing a sandwich and soft drink (or coffee and a bagel) and eating during the interview that was not intended to be a meal.
  • Appearing tipsy or drugged.
  • Avoiding eye contact.
  • Dressing inappropriately – usually too informally, but sometimes apparently “in costume”

If you really aren’t interested in the job, don’t waste your time applying for it. The applicants in the incidents above wasted everyone’s time. Save your time and energy for the jobs you really want so you can bring your “’A’ Game” to the whole process.

Original from WorkCoachCafe

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Interview | No Comments »

« Older Entries