November 18th, 2010
The following is an excerpt from the “Straight Answers Interview Success Manual”
Sometimes the hiring manager will schedule your interview over a meal; breakfast, lunch, dinner or over coffee. This is a positive sign. The important thing to remember is to stay focused on the interview and continue to remain positive about everything. You already know that you should not say anything negative about prior employers or co-workers during an interview. However, when talking informally at lunch or over coffee, you can sometimes become overly relaxed. Being unfocused may cause you to say things that you would not have said during an in-office interview.
It is natural to become less formal and more relaxed during a mealtime or over-coffee interview. Stay focused and remember that you are still being evaluated for the job.
Table manners are critical so be prepared. Keep your elbows off the table, etc. Keep the discussion focused on professional issues as much as possible. You don’t want to lose your chance at getting the job over the Laker’s basketball game or discussing whatever trade the Yankee’s baseball team just made. Some people have very strong opinions on these subjects and you do not want to show too much passion is a situation where the hiring manager may disagree.
You do want your personality to come through and you want the hiring manager to like you. However, this is not the time to talk about your politics or religion or any unique personality traits, strange or incarcerated relatives or any unusual habits.
Whether or not to order an alcoholic beverage is another highly-discussed topic among recruiters and job coaches. If possible, let them order first and if they order an alcoholic drink, and if you want one, do NOT order expensively. Your first choice would be to not drink at all during your interview. If you do have one, order only one drink throughout the meal and if possible, do not finish it.
As to what food to order, again do not order expensively. Choose food that will not stick to your teeth, such as poppy seeds and spinach, and do not order anything that is too easily spilled such as red tomato sauce.
This seems basic but, be nice to your hostess and the waitress. Regardless of any mistakes they may make, your reaction will be judged by the hiring manager.
You will most likely be treated to this meal by the prospective employer but bring money or a credit card just in case. Do not bring coupons. And realize that if you offer to buy, trying to be polite, be prepared to buy as they may accept your offer.
Diane Skullr, CTS, CSP, CERS is the Managing Director at Infoployment, a Job Search and Interview Strategies company.
Diane can be reached at www.infoployment.com email: http://tinyurl.com/2f5qx6q
Tags: #jobhuntchat, Diane Skullr, Infoployment, interrogation, interview, job, job coach, Job Search, job seeker, mealtime interview
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October 22nd, 2010
When you think about your past work experiences, what is your greatest achievement? This may be a question asked of you during your interview.
Keep the answer business-related.
This is not the time to brag about your rock-solid marriage or the birth of your 6 children or the awards won by your dog. At no time during your interview should you bring up the subject of your family.
Here are some points to consider, which may help you to answer the question.
When you think about your previous jobs, did you:
- Implement new cost or time saving ideas?
- Change any policies or procedures for the better?
- Manage a successful group project?
- Establish better relationships with vendors, clients and co-workers?
- Design any new programs or products?
- Set and reach new sales goals?
- Improve customer satisfaction marks?
- Add new responsibilities to your job description?
- Mentor co-workers until they were a success?
How was the accomplishment measured?
- Did it increase revenue or save on expenses?
- Did it affect the moral or performance of the staff?
- Did it make the job easier or safer?
- Did it have an effect on customer satisfaction, loyalty or brand awareness?
- Did you learn from the experience?
Is there anything that you would do differently now?
What was the effect on your supervisor or manager or department?
What obstacles did you overcome?
Now, you can write out the perfect answer to: “What is Your Greatest Achievement?”
Next, you need to make a connection between that achievement and the position you are applying for. Be able to show the potential employer how what you learned or did will be of benefit to them. Make your achievement mean something to them.
I have been reading a lot lately about some common interview questions and how to answer them. Not much is written about answering “What is Your Greatest Achievement?” so I thought I’d give it a try. Not all of this is “mine” but rather an accumulation of what I have found. Did you enjoy it?
If you want me to explore other commonly asked interview questions, let me know!! Comment below.
Tags: ace the interview, achievements, career, Infoployment, interview, interview questions, interview tips, job hunt, job interview, Job Search, jobseeker, planning, resume
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October 12th, 2010
Yesterday, I listed 15 obvious interview No-No’s. The following list is still a list of things that you should NOT do but with a brief explanation:
DON’T:
1) Ask about money, benefits, or paid-time-off | Get the offer first! You can always say NO or negotiate.
2) Forget to research the company | You must know the company’s products, size and locations
3) Ask too many questions or no questions | Too many questions=Desperate and No Questions=Not interested
4) Complain about anything – drive time, salary, weather, etc. | Signs of dissatisfaction
5) Interrupt the interviewer | Listen to the whole question and answer just that question with common language, not with slang.
6) Forget to be nice to everyone you meet, especially the receptionist | If the receptionist doesn’t like you, you probably will NOT get the job. Greet everyone with a firm handshake.
7) Eat, chew gum, suck on a mint, etc. | In fact, no eating after brushing your teeth at all so you can smile without fear!
8 ) Ask personal questions of the interviewer or any other employee | This is a business meeting about filling their needs, not a social event.
9) Brag or be overly excited | You can relate your accomplishments without being a braggart
10 ) Be unable to answer the common frequently asked questions | Hiring managers expect easy answers to the common questions and expect you to know how to answer behavioral interview questions.
Acing the interview is critical to getting the job offer. Don’t decide during the interview that you want or don’t want the job. Approach EVERY interview as if it’s the perfect career opportunity. You can decide AFTER you get the offer if it’s the right job for you!
Tags: candidate, career, Infoployment, interview, interview questions, interview tips, job, job hunt, job interview, job offer, Job Search, job seeker attitude
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October 11th, 2010
You worked so hard to get that interview. Tens or hundreds of resumes later, someone finally called you for an interview. So whatever you do, don’t do these 15 things:
DON’T:
- Arrive late – 1 minute late is too late
- Arrive too early – 10 minutes early is ideal!
- Smell like smoke – cigarette smoke or any other kind of smoke
- Smell like alcohol and do NOT be intoxicated
- Dress for a party or a nightclub or the mall
- Talk too much
- Tell jokes or personal stories
- Talk bad about your past employers, co-workers or bosses
- Lie about your experience
- 10. Forget your resume and your references
- Bring your cell phone
- Be in a hurry
- Be rude, swear or be sarcastic
- Forget which position you are applying for
- Arrive unprepared
Sounds simple enough but others have been eliminated from consideration for these very reasons. Don’t let it happen to you!
Click the logo or click here to go to the Infoployment Website.
Tags: ace the interview, candidate, career, Infoployment, interrogation, interview, interview questions, interview tips, interviewer, job, job interview, Job Search, job seeker attitude, unemployed
Posted in Inspirational, Job Interview Tips, Job Search, resume | Comments Off
October 10th, 2010
Seems as though I have been away for a long time because there have been no blog posts for over a month. Well, I was here, but my blog was not working. I didn’t know how to fix it.
Well, today I went for it and fixed it. I really don’t know what I did to fix it, but I did something right.
I guess I need to find a Workpress for Dummies book.
Thanks for your patience,
Diane Skullr
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August 22nd, 2010
I just registered on TED (www.ted.com). It appears to be an amazing free source of short, inspirational speeches given by some of the top names of today. For example, I just watched the 2010 Princeton University commencement speech given by Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO of Amazon.com. Very enlightening! He talked about how it is harder to be kind than it is to be clever. Cleverness is a gift and kindness is a choice.
Thanks to today’s technology, we have all been given a great opportunity to witness events across the globe that have the power to influence our lives, from the comfort of our homes. Whenever great minds can be heard, we can grow intellectually and spiritually.
I guess my point is to never stop learning. Continue to expose yourself to the thoughts and ideas of others and then make up your own mind as to what is right or wrong.
Tags: amazon, influence, inspiration, Jeff Bezos, TED
Posted in For Recruiters, Inspirational, Job Search | Comments Off
July 26th, 2010
To summarize Parts 1, 2 and 3: You have spent countless hours scouring the internet job boards for positions that meet your desired job title. You have rewritten your resume and cover letter, so many times, to meet the hiring company’s job specs perfectly and you have applied online for everything that you feel qualified for. You have contacted every recruiter in your specific industry and it feels like everyone on the planet has your resume. You have tried for hours calling the companies directly to follow up on the resumes that you’ve sent. And finally, an HR manager has called you for a telephone interview and you’ve aced it. A face-to-face interview has been scheduled.
And you wait…..
In preparing for the face-to-face interview, you have checked out every profile you can find on Linked In, Twitter and Facebook – for anyone you can find who works there. You are trying to get a feel for the commonalities. You are trying to figure out what backgrounds the company seems to hire. You want to know more about the person who is interviewing you. Not so much that you feel like a stalker, but enough to feel comfortable going in.
You have also checked out the company’s website – the size and locations, what their products are, what they are proud of. You have reread you resume so that you can anticipate any questions they may ask. Based on your research, you have your own questions too. You will ask some of them during the interview and you know to save one or more questions for the end of the interview when they ask “Do you have any questions?”
The anticipation is overwhelming. You know that you can do this job yet is this the right job for you? So much of who we are is reflected in what we do and who we work for. We don’t want to make a bad decision. You are so scared that you will interview poorly and not get the job offer or that you will ace the interview but the offer will be bad. There is so much that seems out of your control. The anxiety mounts.
You have thoroughly planned your interview wardrobe. You know that you have to make a good 1st impression so you have shined your shoes, matched your colors, and made sure that everything is clean and pressed. You know not to eat anything after brushing your teeth and you will finish your breath mint before entering the building. You have chosen to dress professionally and not business casual because you know that being overdressed can be explained by pointing out the respect you have for the company and the position while being underdressed will get you eliminated from consideration.
You are nervous, but you are ready. You leave for your interview with several copies of your resume in a pad-folio. You have a separate sheet for your reference’s contact information. You look great and you are confident in your skills. You arrive in the lobby with the recommended 10 minutes to spare and check in with the receptionist. You know to be friendly with the receptionist because their opinion counts.
And you wait…
Coming soon: Part 5
For parts one, two, and three - go to http://www.infoployment.com/blog
Tags: #jobhuntchat, ace the interview, candidate, career, Diane Skullr, hiring manager, Infoployment, interview, interview questions, interview tips, interviewer, job, job hunt, job interview, job offer, Job Search, job search tip, jobseeker, resume, unemployed
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July 23rd, 2010
To summarize Parts 1 and 2: You feel frustrated in your job search. You have spent countless hours scouring the internet job boards for positions that meet your desired job title. You have rewritten your resume and cover letter, so many times, to meet the hiring company’s job specs perfectly and you have applied online for everything that you feel qualified for. You have contacted every recruiter in your specific industry and they all have your resume. You have tried to call the companies directly to follow up on the sent resumes and you know nothing more now than you did before.
You are still waiting…..
And then suddenly it happens. Someone calls you. They either want to ask you a bunch a questions right now, while you are totally unprepared or, hopefully they want to set up a telephone interview with you. More than likely, though, they want to talk right now and you hope the dog doesn’t start barking, or any other loud distraction that would reflect negatively. After all, you have waited so long and have been working at this job search so hard.
You scramble to move into a quiet room and grab your job search folder on the way. In the job search folder, you have a copy of the position description and a copy of the resume version that you sent to them.
The HR manager asks a lot of questions and you know the answers to all of them. You were prepared because you have read all about telephone interview preparation from articles written by job coaches online. (www.infoployment.com) You were ready because you pre-answered, if only in your mind, all the commonly asked interview questions. You knew not to discuss anything but the job and were great at pointing out how well your background fit their job description. Asking about salary or benefits or anything pertaining to you would have eliminated you.
You think that you did great on this telephone interview and the HR manager agrees. They want to set schedule your 1st face-to-face interview. You agree on a date and time. Yippee!
You start to plan your interview wardrobe And you wait……
Coming soon: Part 4
Tags: #jobhuntchat, ace the interview, candidate, career, Diane Skullr, hiring manager, Infoployment, interview, interview questions, interview tips, interviewer, job, job hunt, job interview, job offer, Job Search, job search tip, jobseeker, resume, unemployed
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July 22nd, 2010
To summarize Part 1, you feel frustrated in your job search. You have spent countless hours scouring the internet job boards for positions that meet your desired job title. You can’t seem to make contact with anyone at the companies you want to work for. You have rewritten your resume and cover letter to meet their job specs perfectly and have followed their process by applying online and
You are waiting…..
You have been trying to call the companies with the most interesting jobs to follow-up on the resume you sent. No one will talk to you. Rarely will anyone tell you where you are in their process. Most of them tell you that they have received a lot of resumes on this position and that they have yet to review all of them.
Somehow, you remember to apply with recruiters. After all, it’s their job to find you a job right? But who do you call? There are hundreds if not thousands of them. Which one of them has your job? You look in the phone book and you look online, not much help in narrowing down your selection.
After a little research, you find staffing and recruiting associations. You decide that working through a couple of their member firms would be better because those associations have standards that their members must agree to and you do want to trust your recruiting firm. You search their member lists by industry and location, trying to find a recruiter who will appreciate what you do and knows the local job market.
You call them…And what do they say?
“Send us your resume and we’ll call you if we find something for you.” AHHHHH! You just want to scream. This is not what you were expecting. You wanted someone to hear your plight, to commiserate with you. You wanted someone to help you.
What you failed to realize about recruiters is that it is not their job to find you a job. They are hired by their employer clients to fill jobs for the employer. They want to help you, they really do, because in helping you, they are filling the needs of their clients at the same time.
Now that you know this, you can change your approach when calling recruiters. Ask them if their clients hire them for the type of position you are looking for and that meet your level of skill and competency. If not, move on. It doesn’t hurt anything to email your resume to every recruiter that asks for one. Just don’t expect to be called until you are a match for a position they are working on.
So, while working with a recruiter can be the best way to transition into a new position, the job search responsibility is still yours.
And you wait……
Coming soon: Part 3
about the author: Diane Skullr can be reached at www.infoployment.com email: http://tinyurl.com/2f5qx6q
Tags: #jobhuntchat, Diane Skullr, hiring manager, Infoployment, internet jobs, interview, job, job boards, job coach, job interview, job offer, Job Search, job search tip, job seeker, recruiter, resume, staffing
Posted in Job Interview Tips, Job Search, resume | Comments Off
July 21st, 2010
Looking for a job is hard work! Let’s face it. It can feel like a humiliating experience with a little fear of the unknown thrown in. There are moments of triumph and self-discovery and moments of self-doubt and misery. The job search creates a yo-yo of emotions that keep you spinning.
1st, you have had to self-assess.
Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses and make a determination as to what job title or two to spend your limited time looking for. Then you have to try to figure out all the different names that employers use for that job title.
Then, there are thousands of job boards and you have had to determine which ones to post your resume to. Then you have to check them a couple times a week to see if any new jobs were posted. These job boards have job alert services which allow you to select your keywords and they will email you with positions that fit. You sign-up for job alerts on few job boards and with several job titles and hope that you have selected the right keywords to use in your search. Now, those job boards are each emailing you 20+ jobs per day but you are lucky if there are 2 or more that are actually jobs you can do or would want to do.
Yet still, you have managed to find a position that you would like to apply for and you read the job description that was posted on the job board and quickly discover that there is NO contact information. They want you to apply online. Problem. Every job coach blog and article that you have read says to send your resume to a person, to find out who the hiring manager is and to contact them. You go to the company website and there is nothing there. You look for people on LinkedIn and there is no contact information their either. You call the company and they won’t give you a name, they tell you to apply online. Argghh.
Now what????
You go back and apply online. The only thing you can do now is to make sure that your resume and cover letter addresses everything that the company wants. So you re-write your resume (again) to mirror the job description and write the cover letter and point out how productive and efficient you will be because you are such a great fit.
And you wait……
Coming soon: Part 2
about the author: Diane Skullr, CTS, CSP, CERS is the Managing Director at Infoployment, a Job Search and Interview Strategies company. Diane Skullr can be reached at www.infoployment.com email: http://tinyurl.com/2f5qx6q
Tags: #jobhuntchat, career summary, Diane Skullr, hiring manager, Infoployment, interview, job, job coach, job interview tops, job offer, Job Search, job seeker, job seeker attitude, job skills, resume
Posted in Job Interview Tips, Job Search, resume | Comments Off
