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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.

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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.

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Honesty and White Lies in Job Interviews

Wednesday, January 4th, 2017

In an attempt to impress recruiters and hiring managers, many applicants fall back on their usual bag of interview tricks: “Weaknesses? Probably my perfectionism.” Companies, however, are likely looking for more authenticity from their candidates, rather than mere polished half-truths. But what about those tougher questions? Questions about your plans for a family, or your reason for leaving your past employer? Sometimes candidates can suffer from being too honest.

Here are a few tips on when to be brutally honest in job interviews, and in which situations a tiny white lie might be allowed.

When You Must Be Honest

HR managers and headhunters want confident and down to earth candidates. But recruiters can only determine whether you’re a good fit for the company when you’re completely honest. In regards to your performance, your experience, and your qualifications, you should always be honest – otherwise, you’re really shooting yourself in the foot. Did you write in your resume that you’re fluent in Japanese? Then be prepared to demonstrate your skills in the interview, if requested. Remember that even if your new employers only call your bluff once you’ve already gotten the job, you may be handed a huge project – like handling a merger between your company and a larger Japanese corporation. Oops.

Instead of making up important details, focus on your strengths. Explain that your gift for critical reflection makes you a perfect candidate. Tell your interviewer where your leadership skills lie and reinforce your argument with concrete examples. You should also indicate your level of leadership experience with honesty. There’s a big difference between having led a department, or a team that only consisted of three interns. Be sincere – even leading a small team has given you some experience, and it’s better to tell the truth than to fabricate. Explain what you learned from this experience and how you can transfer this knowledge to the position in question. In this way, HR managers can get a clear image of who you are, and they’ll know from the beginning if you need further training, what kind of further developments could be helpful to you, and in which departments you could lend your knowledge.

React tactfully to questions about your weaknesses and missing areas of knowledge. In these situations, a good preparation is necessary. Consider in advance how you want to explain your weaknesses. Avoid standard answers like “I’m too ambitious,” or “I can’t work without structure” – HR managers have heard all of these before. You don’t necessarily need to choose “weaknesses” that simply disguise strengths. Rather, choose real weaknesses, then show that you acknowledge them, and are working to improve them. For example, you could say something like, “I have difficulties speaking in front of large groups. So for the last three months, I’ve been taking seminars on rhetoric and public speaking to try and improve.”

When It’s Better to Lie

In a job interview, it’s in your best interest to be honest about your professional experience, your qualifications, as well as your strengths and weaknesses. However, as soon as your interviewer begins to ask questions about your private life, you should be very cautious with your answers. Here, too much honesty can seriously affect your chances to get the position.

Why are you looking for a new position?

Suppose you’re asked why you want to leave your current employer. When you mercilessly begin to complain and whine about your shamefully small paycheck, your incompetent management, and your awful working conditions, you’re not doing yourself any favors. Consider an alternative response: you’ve exhausted all possibilities for further development at your current job, and so you’re looking for new challenges. Maybe you need a professional change of direction. But in any case, you should leave private and personal reasons aside.

What kind of hobbies do you enjoy?

Hobbies show recruiters and headhunters what your passions are. Are you a team player? Are you dedicated? Pay attention that your hobbies don’t define or pigeonhole you. You should avoid detailing your passion for bungee jumping or mountain climbing in the Himalayas. Why? Your interviewer might decide that you’re a liability, or that you could hurt yourself and take months of sick leave. In addition, this might lead your interviewer to assume that you’re a huge risk taker.

Are you planning on starting a family?

Especially for women in their 30s, this question is very likely to be asked, even though HR managers in the US aren’t technically allowed to. Don’t let a question like this faze or upset you. Politely ask how this question relates to your skills and qualifications – then change the subject discreetly. Your desire to have children, your political views, your religious affiliations – none of these belong in a job interview. Consider inappropriate questions like this, and prepare some short answers in advance. If in doubt, a little white lie is allowed.

Any other questions?

Certainly, a few questions must be on your mind – but some of them shouldn’t be asked in one of your first job interviews. Candidates that ask too eagerly about the number of vacation days never make a good impression. Instead, ask about the company’s options for further education and training – this signals your motivation and readiness to learn.

Keep this admonition in mind: when it comes to being honest in a job interview, it’s usually a question of strategic preparation and the right spin, rather than embellishment and white lies.

Good luck!

Honesty in Job Interviews – How Much is Too Much? | Susanne Schlossbauer via experteer Magazine

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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

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10 Tips to Boost Your Interview Skills

Wednesday, November 11th, 2015

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these 10 strategies to enhance your interview skills.

Practice Good Nonverbal Communication

It’s about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting with a firm handshake. That first nonverbal impression can be a great beginning — or quick ending — to your interview.

Dress for the Job or Company

Today’s casual dress codes do not give you permission to dress as “they” do when you interview. It is important to know what to wear to an interview and to be well-groomed. Whether you wear a suit or something less formal depends on the company culture and the position you are seeking. If possible, call to find out about the company dress code before the interview.

Listen

From the very beginning of the interview, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not hearing it, you are missing a major opportunity. Good communication skills include listening and letting the person know you heard what was said. Observe your interviewer, and match that style and pace.

Don’t Talk Too Much

Telling the interviewer more than he needs to know could be a fatal mistake. When you have not prepared ahead of time, you may ramble when answering interview questions, sometimes talking yourself right out of the job. Prepare for the interview by reading through the job posting, matching your skills with the position’s requirements and relating only that information.

Don’t Be Too Familiar

The interview is a professional meeting to talk business. This is not about making a new friend. Your level of familiarity should mimic the interviewer’s demeanor. It is important to bring energy and enthusiasm to the interview and to ask questions, but do not overstep your place as a candidate looking for a job.

Use Appropriate Language

It’s a given that you should use professional language during the interview. Be aware of any inappropriate slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation — these topics could send you out the door very quickly.

Don’t Be Cocky

Attitude plays a key role in your interview success. There is a fine balance between confidence, professionalism and modesty. Even if you’re putting on a performance to demonstrate your ability, overconfidence is as bad, if not worse, as being too reserved.

Take Care to Answer the Questions

When interviewers ask for an example of a time when you did something, they are asking behavioral interview questions, which are designed to elicit a sample of your past behavior. If you fail to relate a specific example, you not only don’t answer the question, but you also miss an opportunity to prove your ability and talk about your skills.

Ask Questions

When asked if they have any questions, most candidates answer, “No.” Wrong answer. Part of knowing how to interview is being ready to ask questions that demonstrate an interest in what goes on in the company. Asking questions also gives you the opportunity to find out if this is the right place for you. The best questions come from listening to what you’re asked during the interview and asking for additional information.

Don’t Appear Desperate

When you interview with the “please, please hire me” approach, you appear desperate and less confident. Reflect the three Cs during the interview: cool, calm and confidence. You know you can do the job; make sure the interviewer believes you can, too.

Original from Monster.

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10 Surprising Job Interview Tips

Thursday, January 22nd, 2015

You’re almost there. Your resume landed you an interview and now it’s time to seal the deal. So what’s the best way to prepare?

Below you’ll find the 10 best tips to help before, during, and after your interview.

BEFORE

1. Research Earnings Calls, Quarterly Reports & Blog Posts

In today’s world, content is king. Goldman Sachs publishes quarterly reports, Microsoft records its earning calls, and every startup has a blog.

Example: If you’re interviewing with Google, here’s two ways to answer: “What’s Google’s biggest opportunity in the next 5 years?”

  • Weak: “I think wearable technology will be big because Google Glass and Apple Watch represent a new trend that shows…”
  • Strong: “Call me geeky, but I was listening to Google’s quarterly earnings call and was blown away by the fact that display advertising hit over $5 billion in the past few years. Therefore, I think that…”

Neither answer is wrong, but the latter says much more. It shows you’ve done your homework and give answers rooted in data.

2. Use Google Alerts

Keeping up with company news is hard, especially if you’re interviewing with multiple places at once. That’s why Google Alerts is a savior; it’s a tool that emails you anytime a new story appears for a specific term. That way, you learn about current events without searching for them.

Example: If you’re applying to Creative Artists Agency, follow these steps:

  • Go to www.google.com/alerts
  • Type in “Creative Artists Agency”
  • Put in your email address if you’re not already logged in to Gmail

Soon enough, you’ll get updates on CAA and have more ammo for your interview.

3. Use Social Sweepster To Clean Your Facebook & Twitter

Nowadays, 91% of employers search your social media for any red flags. While most people tell you to watch every single thing you upload, there’s a much easier solution. Use Social Sweepster, an app that detects pictures of red solo cups, beer bottles, and other “suspicious” objects. It even detects profanity from your past posts!

4. Schedule For Tuesday at 10:30 AM

According to Glassdoor, the best time to interview is 10:30 AM on Tuesday. Remember, your interviewer has a world of responsibilities beyond hiring. They’re responding to emails, balancing projects, and meeting tons of other candidates so it’s crucial to consider when they’ll be in the best mental state to meet you.

10:30 AM Tuesday is the sweet spot because you:

  • Avoid the bookends. On Mondays and Fridays, employees gear up for the week or wind down. By the same token, avoid the first or last slots of any workday.
  • Avoid lunchtime. Immediately before noon, your interviewer may be too hungry to concentrate; immediately after, they may be in a food coma.

But there’s a caveat. Research shows it’s best to take the earliest interview slot “in circumstances under which decisions must be made quickly or without much deliberation because preferences are unconsciously and immediately guided to those options presented first.”

Bottom line: if the firm is hiring for a job starting in a few months, try to interview late morning between Tuesday through Thursday. If the firm is hiring immediately, grab the earliest slot.

5. Craft Your “Story Statement”

Though most interviews start with the same prompt (“tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume”), we blow it off with boring answers like:

  • I studied [major X] because I really care about making a difference in [industry Y] as you can see through my last job at [company Z]

This answer is like tearing out the first 200 pages of your autobiography. You leave out everything that gives meaning to why you want this job in the first place. What was your moment of epiphany? How did your childhood influence you? Why does this job move you? Most people don’t answer these questions. They start and end with their professional experience, leaving little to inspire the interviewer.

Next time, use what I call a “Story Statement,” which is a Cliff Notes of your autobiography and shows that you’re a person, not just a professional. It also makes it easy for your interviewer to predict the next chapter of your story.

Chances are, we’ve all had experiences we can connect to where we’re trying to go. It’s just a matter of selecting the right ones to tell our story. That said, if you struggle to craft your Story Statement for a particular interview, you might be applying for the wrong job.

6. Prepare for The “What’s Your Weakness?” Question

Most people overthink this question and give a canned answer like “I’m too much of a perfectionist!” Others give a genuine answer but still fall short of what this question is really asking. It’s not about admitting your weaknesses. It’s about showing how you overcome them. What systems have you put in place? What progress have you made? Include those thoughts to strengthen your answer.

Example:

  • Weak: “My weakness is that I struggle to run efficient meetings…”
  • Strong: “I sometimes struggle to run efficient meetings. But I’ve worked to improve by drafting an agenda before every meeting, sending it to all participants, and then following up with a recap and clear action items so everyone knows what to do moving forward.”

7. Brainstorm 3 “PAR” Anecdotes

Your interview is as memorable as the stories you share. Many people have fascinating experiences but forget them when they’re on the spot. To remedy this, have three anecdotes ready to plug into your interview. Your anecdotes should follow a simple format:

  • Problem – what was the situation?
  • Action – what did you do to solve it?
  • Result – what changed afterwards?

With this format, you can adapt your PAR anecdotes to fit a variety of questions such as “tell me about a time you worked with a team” or “when have you struggled most?”

DURING

8. Think Aloud on Analytical Questions

Some interviews include tough analytical questions. Whether you’re solving for an exact number (“what’s the EBITDA of Company X?”) or rough estimate (“how many ping pong balls can fit in a Boeing 777?”), it’s important to talk through your thinking. Don’t just give an answer; show how you got there.

Example: Consider these two answers to “How many lawn mowers are there today in the United States?”

  • Weak: After 45 seconds of silence, you blurt out “75 million!”
  • Strong: You’re talking the entire way through, sharing your calculations and assumptions.

“Let’s start from the top down. Assuming the US population is 300 million and each household averages 3 people, then we have 100 million families in the US. Let’s assume urban households don’t have lawns to mow and therefore only suburban and rural families buy lawnmowers. If roughly 25% of America is urban and 75% is suburban and rural then we have 75 million households that own a lawnmower.”

This is a great way to show your communication skills alongside your analytical ones. Plus, if you make an error, it’s easier to know where you went wrong and fix it.

9. Ask Questions That Kill Two Birds With One Stone

At the end of your interview, it’ll be your turn to ask a few questions. This is a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone – that is, asking a genuine question while conveying something new about you. Most people just do the first part and forgo a final chance to impress the interviewer.

Example:

  • Weak: Will this role provide opportunities to work in emerging markets?
  • Strong: I’m passionate about languages and minored in Arabic in college. Will this role provide opportunities to work in emerging markets in the Middle East?

  • Weak: What’s [Company X]’s fastest growing division?
  • Strong: According to your quarterly report, your revenues grew by 17%. Is that because of a particular division within the company?

This works beautifully if you haven’t found a natural way to bring up an accomplishment or cite a publication beforehand.

AFTER

10. Email a Personalized Thank You Note

Thank your interviewer within 24 hours of finishing. It not only shows your gratitude, it also combats recency bias if you interviewed early. Not to mention, it opens the door for dialogue even if you don’t get the job. Sometimes, recruiters reach back out on the same email thread months later, mentioning new job opportunities.

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Turning Your Resume Into An Effective Sales Pitch

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Applying for a job isn’t easy. Not only do you have to decide “WHERE” to send your resume; you also have to worry about how you’re going to present it. True, you may have some experience writing resumes in the past, probably gleaned from a quick lesson in college or a sample provided by a colleague, but for most people all their resume really amounts to is just a glorified list of past responsibilities. And that just isn’t going to cut it.

Fact is, your resume writing skills probably need some updating. Because these days, it’s no longer enough to just mention that you went to a prestigious school, have an MBA, or that you won a couple of competitions. To compete in the 21st century job market, it’s all about transforming that document from a “boring list of duties” into a sales pitch to wow and amaze employers and make them want to invest in YOU.

Because let’s face it, when it comes to employers, when you initially apply for a position, you’re not even really a human being; you’re nothing more than a number, a Word document imported into some Application Tracking Software. Just another email, just another two pages with margins too small and all the same words as the next.

Which isn’t to say that you coming from a prestigious university isn’t going to help. But unless you graduated with honors and made a lot of connections while going to school, you’re not always guaranteed to get a job just from your degree, especially if everyone else you’re competing with has the same degree from the same place as you.

To succeed, to land those truly amazing roles that will advance your career, your resume needs to be something more, to stand out from the rest… and it needs to work fast, just like a sales pitch, to get your foot in the door and make the employer want to learn more.

Unfortunately, saying that you should turn your resume into a sales pitch is easier said than done. It’s not like you just put “For Sale” at the top and send it to a couple of employers and wait for their response. No, that’s not how it works. You need to start thinking like a salesperson, no matter what your discipline.

Thinking Like a Salesperson

So at this point, as indicated above, your resume is probably just a glorified list of all the duties you’ve had and the places you went to school, probably with an objective at the top which, sadly, is telling the employer what you want from them, rather than what you can offer them.

To break away from this outdated way of doing things, you need to look at yourself as a product and sell yourself the right way. So while it’s important for any product to list its ingredients (background), that generally isn’t how it will market itself to potential customers.

To do this, you must visualize your resume as something like a sales flier. Fliers are designed to appeal to the eye, both graphically and informationally, and to do so they generally don’t put in every bit of information about a product. They just include what is most likely to gain the attention of readers, with the most relevant information first. Your resume, then, should immediately give an employer the right impression and show just what you can offer right up front, with the finer details better explored elsewhere (in interviews, for example).

Remember, employers are largely unconcerned with who you are, especially at this stage; what they care about is what you can offer them and their business. And they generally don’t have a lot of time to determine this.

Try putting yourself in the shoes of a potential employer and dissect your background, choosing those elements that best exemplify your suitability for the job and the company. This isn’t always easy and may require research into the company’s style, work culture, history, and products. And you will have to decide how to frame your achievements in such a way as to objectively relate how your “product” is truly what an employer is looking for.

You can also think of your resume as a kind of “pre-interview”, only in written form. And much like in interviews, the less you talk about personal stuff and the more you focus on your best selling points, the more active and engaging the whole process will be.

This should help to give you an idea of what a resume should be, how it should be framed. In summary, it should be a concise document that quickly and effectively sells your background for a particular role and company, keys in on your best achievements and most relevant skills, and stands out to catch the eye of potential employers.

What Your Resume Shouldn’t Be

To help reinforce the above ideas, it will also help to consider some examples of what a resume should not be.

There is a common misconception (perpetuated by resume-writing books and university career guidance centers) that a resume should either be a mere list of accolades and past work history (like what’s discussed above) or a biography. But if you speak to employers and HR managers, you’ll quickly learn that it’s neither.

Your resume may be about you and may contain personal information, but it’s NOT personal. Don’t go using a lot of personal pronouns and having it read like a personal statement for a college application. And it’s NOT a thesis or a dissertation. So not only should you avoid getting too personal (including lists of hobbies, photos, and anecdotes), but you must also avoid the tendency to go on for too long, as you might for a college term paper. Length does not earn you bonus points.

Your resume shouldn’t be an exhaustive list. If you spent a few summers helping walk dogs when you were a teenager, while it might count as a job, the hiring manager reading your resume isn’t going to be interested in that when you’re applying for an engineering role at Lockheed. Keep it relevant and on point.

You must also avoid the trap of believing your resume is the key to landing a job, because it’s not. You are actually writing the resume to get an interview! It’s the interview that will get you the job. So, when you’re writing your resume, don’t try to cram everything that an employer might ever want or need to know. Rather, one step at a time: you’re looking for the employer to see just enough to want to learn more and that will earn you the in-person interview where you’ll truly be able to shine.

Just like your resume should not be a laundry list, it should also not be a shopping list. The old style of putting an objective at the top and transforming your resume into a list of things that you want to buy rather than what you have to sell is one quick way of landing your resume in the trash. Why should an employer be interested in your career aspirations? And seriously, why would you want that to be the first thing an employer reads, especially if they will likely only give you 10 seconds of their time to scan your resume, if even that?

Beyond the Resume

So, you know what to avoid (laundry lists and shopping lists) and you know what to include (a sales pitch that quickly grabs attention and focuses on your best qualities and what you have to offer an employer). If you utilize these tips, do your homework, and present yourself well, you should be able to land interviews.

But if you get rejected, don’t take it personally; it happens to everyone. If you have prepared and done your best, just take it as a sign that the product you’re selling isn’t what they’re looking for and move on to the next role.

And remember that the resume is just the first step to get your foot in the door. Make sure that you deliver, too!

After all, a killer resume would be a waste if you blow the interview.

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“Good Behavior” in a Job Interview

Thursday, September 4th, 2014

How to prepare your responses to behavioral questions during an interview.

Most people know how important it is to be on their best behavior during job interviews. But a behavioral interview isn’t just about a polished appearance and firm handshake. Often conducted as a follow-up to a traditional interview, a behavioral interview allows recruiters to assess your past performances and general demeanor as an indicator of your potential for success.

In most behavioral interviews, you’ll be expected to answer questions about specific events, projects, and experiences throughout your career. By digging deeper into how you’ve handled challenging situations, interviewers can better determine whether or not you have similar values and approach problems in a similar way.

Having your past performances put under a microscope can be one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the job search process, but it’s more important than ever to display a calm and confident attitude at this point in time. After all, your behavior represents your ability to perform under pressure. Here are some tips for successfully sailing through a behavioral interview.

1. Do your background research

Review the company’s website and blog and do some digging to get a feel for the company’s culture. One of the major goals of a behavioral interview is to determine if you’ll fit in with the company, so it’s helpful to be prepared with examples that demonstrate that you’re ready to become part of its team.

2. Honesty is the best policy

You may think you’re helping your cause by telling the interviewer what they seem to want to hear. But if you’re stretching the truth, you’re rarely doing yourself any favors. Interviewers will either sense your dishonesty, or you’ll find yourself haunted by your lie down the road when you’re asked to back it up. Rather than fabricate your way into the wrong position, answer each question candidly while still maintaining an air of professionalism.

3. Be specific

The interviewer is likely to ask you to describe an occasion when you faced a challenge, overcame an obstacle or accomplished a major goal. A one-sentence answer isn’t going to cut it here. Instead, be prepared with a range of detailed anecdotes that you feel represent your biggest professional highlights thus far. It might even help to jog your memory by writing down specific details of those experiences before heading in to the interview. Don’t use them to read verbatim during the interview, but by doing this exercise, you could end up remembering some key details you had forgotten. Remember to wrap up each story by sharing what you learned from the experience.

4. Don’t limit yourself to work experiences

Even if you’re just starting out in the professional world, you can use other experiences from your life — whether from school, part-time jobs, or even everyday living — to illustrate your strengths. Consider lessons you’ve learned in classes or obstacles you’ve overcome in your home life that have made you a stronger person.

5. Be prepared for curveballs

You could spend hours crafting answers to the most commonly asked behavioral interview questions, but there’s a good chance that your interviewer will throw you at least one curveball question. For me, it was when an interviewer asked me about the craziest thing I’d ever done. Dumbfounded, I sputtered out a horrible answer and struggled to recover. Learn a lesson from my mistake — just relax and open yourself up to off-the-wall questions.

Let us know in the comment section what challenging or unusual questions you have been asked during job interviews.

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Why Won’t They Hire Me?

Thursday, March 6th, 2014

You’ve applied for every job out there, and no one is getting back to you. Why? Who cursed you with this jobless existence?

It may actually be you. Yes, for all your activities, your strategies, and your button clicking, at the heart of it all, you might be the cause of your own job search fail. How can you be sure? I’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when applying for a job. Make sure you’re not falling for one of these classic job search blunders:

1: Typos!

The number one biggest mistake people make (and one of the easiest to avoid) when applying for jobs is having typos on their resumé. No matter what the job is, no one wants to hire someone who doesn’t even use spell check. Or even worse, if you’ve made a grammatical error that leads to a humorous misunderstanding (example: occupation – internet booger instead of blogger); that’s just awful. It’s not the end of the world, of course, if you spell your own name wrong on your C.V. It is if you then send it out to everyone, however. Just spend two or three minutes proofreading what you’ve written. If you’re unsure, get a friend to look at it for you or leave it to the professionals.

2: Not having an online presence or having a bad one.

If you’re applying for high-end jobs, potential employers are going to want to know as much about you as possible. If they make a quick search on Google and they can’t find you, it won’t look good. They want to see for themselves the work you have done in the past and what you’re capable of. Some ideas for getting your online presence rolling: set up a LinkedIn account and create profiles on freelance and industry websites.

On the other hand, if your potential employer looks you up and finds a picture of you hitting a bong, it’s going to be even worse than having no presence at all. By all means, post your social life online, but make sure it’s private. It should be just for your close friends. Facebook allows you to view your profile as a member of the public would see it. You should definitely try this out, so you can see what potential employers see and make sure you’re not revealing more about yourself to them than you might want.

3: Using an informal email address.

No matter the situation, you should always have a professional email address for use on your resumé. If you were hiring, would you pick “John.Doe” or “iLikeCars93” or “fluffybunnies”? Choose something with your name in it and if you need to include numbers, select the year of your birth or graduation from college (i.e., george.hamilton1990@gmail.com).

4: Not following instructions.

When you’re reading so many job descriptions because you’re busy applying for everything on the internet, you probably don’t read each of them thoroughly; you’re likely just skimming before applying. However, you should always read each description all the way to the end. Often there will be instructions included, sometimes just to check to be sure you’ve actually read it! Employers won’t want to hire someone for a job who can’t even follow the simple instructions to apply for it.

5: Focusing solely on jobs posted online.

It’s incredibly convenient having all those jobs available there on one page (whether Monster or CareerBuilder or one of the aggregate search engines like Indeed), saving you the effort of wandering from place to place just to be rejected. However, it isn’t perfect. There are plenty of places hiring that don’t put their jobs up on the internet: some prefer face-to-face interviews straight away; some just don’t want the hassle of receiving and sorting through thousands of random responses like yours. You might be missing some great opportunities if you stick only to the online job boards. Branch out: seek referrals from people already working at a company or reach out to hiring managers directly at places that don’t seem to be hiring… you may be surprised by the roles on offer.

6: Failing to ask questions in an interview.

We’ve all been there: they ask if you have any questions at the end of the interview and you have no idea what to say. Or you just don’t want to make a fool of yourself by asking a stupid question. So you wing it: “no, I don’t have any questions”. The problem here is that you seem uninterested and uninformed. You want your future employer to be interested in you, and yet you don’t seem to be interested enough in the job or the company to ask questions about them! Have a few good questions prepared in advance about the role, the company, etc. so they know you’ve been doing your homework.

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Don’t Flunk Your Job Interview: 10+ Interview Tips to Help You Ace Your Next Interview

Thursday, February 20th, 2014

As you probably already know, an interview is very much like an impromptu exam: you’ll have a limited amount of time to answer a specific set of questions you don’t know in advance, and the result could have a profound effect on your future prospects.

And just like for a test, preparation is everything.

So, if you’ve just landed an interview for a seemingly wonderful job, and you’re trying your best to prepare for a successful interview in order to lock in an offer, here are some tips for effective interviewing from preparation through follow up:

1. First Impressions Count
Greet your interviewer with a smile and firm handshake. Give eye contact. Try to make small talk during the walk from the reception area to the interview room. One human resources manager points out, “You have to sell yourself before you can sell anything else and the first 30 seconds are when the interviewer subconsciously makes decisions about whether they like you or not and whether you will fit into the team.”

2. Be Prepared
Re-read your resume and the job advert just before the interview. Do your research thoroughly: Look at the company web site or obtain literature. You may be asked about the salary you are after so make sure you research that as well.

3. Why Should They Hire You?
Most job descriptions will list qualities they’re looking for – a team worker, a good communicator – so it’s up to you to think of examples of how you can demonstrate these skills. Be ready to talk about your knowledge, experience, abilities and skills. Have at least three strong points about yourself that you can relate to the company and job on offer.

4. Tackle the Tough Questions
Once you’re inside, it’s time for the hard part: answering the interview questions. Know the questions you’ll be expected to answer backwards and forwards, and do some extra research on answering the really tough ones, like “what is your biggest weakness,” “have you ever been fired,” “tell me about a challenge you faced with a coworker,” or even just the ever-vague “tell me about yourself.” Most of all: learn why they’re asking you each question and tailor your responses to their hidden motives. Don’t be afraid to dance around questions you’d rather not answer, too.

5. Remember Your Body Language
It is not what you say, but how you say it. During the interview, do not fold your arms and lean back or look to the floor! Sit upright and try to maintain good eye contact. Use your hands and lean forward when making a point. Many people cannot think and control their body language at the same time, which is why you need to prepare.

6. Expect the Unexpected
Your interviewer may try to catch you off guard: 90 per cent of employers ask ‘killer’ questions in interviews. It is impossible to plan for every difficult question, such as “How would your colleagues describe you?” but try to appear relaxed and in control. Ask the interviewer to repeat the question if necessary but do not evade it. Hopefully you will not befall the fate of those job candidates at B&Q who were asked to dance to “Blame it on the Boogie”!

7. Recover When Things Go South
Hopefully, with the right preparation, your interview will go smoothly. But, if you end up answering a question terribly or hit a common brick wall (like claims of “overqualification“), learn how to turn the tide quickly so you can get back on good footing. If you leave the interview thinking the whole thing was a disaster, you can always request a second interview explaining the problems you had, too.

8. Develop Rapport
Show energy, a sense of humor and smile. It’s infectious, being positive and enthusiastic.

9. Ask Some Questions Yourself
Your interviewer shouldn’t be the only one asking questions. This is your chance to not only make a good impression, but learn a bit more about the job you’re applying for. Ask a few questions that will make you look good, as well as some questions that’ll show you whether this is the right job for you. With the right questions prepared, you’ll be one step ahead of the competition.

10. Remember Your Manners
It is better to choose than to be chosen. Tell the interviewer why you are interested in the company and job opportunity. Ask them for a business card and follow it up by sending a “thank-you” e-mail or letter, saying how much you enjoyed meeting them and how interested you are. Take the opportunity to detail the key advantages you bring.

And for bonus points:

11. If You Don’t Get Hired, Find Out Why
Not every interview will be a winner, sadly, even if you do everything right. If you don’t get hired, the best thing you can do is find out why and apply that knowledge to your next round of interviews. Look back on your interview and think about what you could have done better, whether it’s avoiding the “overqualification” trap or just simply using better grammar. There are any number of reasons someone might not hire you, and all you can do is use this round as practice for your next interview.

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