January 2011
Monthly Archive
Prepare For Your First Job Interview in 10 Years
Not until you find yourself browsing the aisles of an electronics store do you realize how much time has passed since you bought your last TV. At the time it was the most technologically advanced model available and it seemed to be miles better than your previous model. Now that it’s broken you and you need to replace it, you see that all of the models are thin, the picture quality is better and you don’t understand what half of its features are. And you don’t want to let the salesperson know that you’re out of your element.
You can get that same feeling if you return to the job market after a decade or more away. If you’re a parent who stayed home to raise your children or you were recently laid off, your résumé is outdated and your interview skills are probably rusty. The workplace has also changed, and employers want to hire someone who doesn’t need a lot of hand holding. In other words, you have a lot of work to do and you need somewhere to start.
According to Nancy DeCrescenzo, the director of Eastern Connecticut State University’s office of career services, confidence is essential. Without confidence your job search will be fruitless.
“Regardless of how long a job seeker has been out of work, success is always influenced by confidence,” DeCrescenzo says. “Until you’re able to convince yourself that you’re the candidate for the job, you’ll never be able to convince anyone else.”
Getting to that point takes a little work, but it can pay off big.
The technology issue
Perhaps the biggest concern a job seeker in this situation might have is proving technological savvy. Karen Friedman, author of “Shut Up and Say Something,” encourages job seekers to avoid appearing incompetent in today’s Web 2.0 world.
“Be careful not to talk about how inexperienced or confused you are by technology or how you have no use for social networking,” Friedman says. “Just the other day, an experienced, very bright, turning-60 colleague told me she doesn’t need a smart phone because she’s gotten by all these years with a regular phone. You can sound out of date, especially if you are talking to younger people.”
Friedman reminds job seekers that a recent Pew study found technology to be the most significant gap between generations at work. Employers know this and you don’t want to prove them right.
“Be careful of inadvertently giving an impression that you are closed to new ideas and fresh approaches. While you don’t have to be expert in the latest gadgets or trend, it is important to continually build and update your skills so you appear fresh, informed and experienced.”
Know what to expect
“Interviews have been evolving over the past decade. Most organizations have gone to more behavioral interview questions where they ask hypothetical questions that don’t permit a simple response…” says Kurt Weyerhauser, managing partner for Kensington Stone, an executive search firm. “Instead the questions are more open ended and require you to respond in greater detail.”
A what-if scenario shows employers how you think and how you handle yourself in difficult situations. Even if you’ve never worked in this particular industry before or faced that specific challenge, you should expect to explain why you would do something and how you could carry it out.
“Some [interviewers] will care more about your looks, some more interested in hearing something specific in answering their questions, some will be most interested in your previous experience, etc.,” Weyerhauser explains. “Ultimately, the best any candidate can do is be as genuine as they can. There is no need to build a facade or act in any particular way. If an organization has a preference for a style, culture and personality that is entirely different from your own, then it’s most important to remain true to yourself. [If] you fake your way into this organization, they’ll expect that person to hide behind that facade every day on the job. That’s simply not how most people today are willing to live.”
What to remember
For professionals embarking on their first job search in a decade, Weyerhauser suggests four key points to remember:
1. Know what you have to offer.
“Many job candidates don’t reflect much on their skills, experiences and competencies. It’s difficult to be effective when you really don’t know what you are good at and what benefit you can bring to a company. So you have to really ‘reflect’ on what your true skills and capabilities are. The more you understand what you offer, the more confident you will be going in and the more focused you will be in sharing your skills and abilities,” he says.
2. Be yourself — it will benefit the company and you.
“Understand that today it’s less about conforming to a new company; instead it’s all about naturally fitting into an organization,” Weyerhauser says. “If it’s a good fit, being genuine will resonate with them. If it’s not a good fit, it won’t resonate with them. But that’s exactly what is supposed to happen. It’s no longer about simply landing a job; today it’s far more important to land the ‘right’ job.”
3. Give a good answer, not a quick one.
“There is no need to respond the very second the interviewer has stopped talking. If a question is more involved, don’t just start jabbering away. Think it through for a few seconds and think of one or two key points you want to make and then answer. It’s actually more correct and positive for an interviewee to say, ‘That’s an interesting question, I’ll need a moment to think about that.’”
4. Give concrete examples
“It’s nice if you say that you are a team player, but adding a real life example makes it even more powerful and believable. A simple answer to a question is not as powerful as an answer that is accompanied with an actual example,” he explains.
How can I find real work-from-home jobs?
From parents to retirees to employees fed up with daily commutes, there are many people out there who would like the chance to work from home — and scammers know it. Christine Durst, co-author of “Work at Home Now: The No-Nonsense Guide to Finding Your Perfect Home-Based Job, Avoiding Scams and Making a Great Living,” has found that there are 60 scams out there for every one legitimate opportunity. How can job seekers separate the good from the garbage? Here are a few suggestions: (more…)
Why aren’t employers calling me back?
You write a killer cover letter, tailor your résumé to highlight skills described in the job ad and double-check your application before sending to make sure it includes everything the company requested. All that is left to do is sit back and wait for the employer to contact you.
But as days turn into weeks without hearing a peep, questions arise. Did they get my material? Has the job been filled? Did they just not like me?
Here, experts weigh in on what might be behind that silence — and what you can do to get the conversation rolling.
The reality of the situation
Companies truly are glad that people want to work for them. Unfortunately, many places simply do not have the manpower to offer individualized responses.
“Given the volume of applications an HR office receives, you should not expect a response beyond an automated ‘we received your application’ unless they are interested in interviewing you,” says Pennell Locey, senior consultant for Keystone Associates, a career management consulting firm headquartered in Boston. “In the event there was no auto-response, you can send a note via snail mail to someone in HR along with your résumé to ensure that they received it.”
But is there anything one can do besides play the “wait and see” game?
“After submitting a job application, it is wise to follow up with a telephone call to the appropriate contact within a week to 10 days,” says Mary Massad, vice president of talent acquisition and retention strategies for Administaff, a professional employer organization headquartered in Houston, Texas. “Some individuals might feel that following up may be perceived as being pushy, but this actually demonstrates to the employer that you are conscientious, organized and professional.”
When following up, Massad recommends asking if the application was received and if any additional information is needed. (Of course, if they didn’t get your application, offer to send it again.) “It also is important to restate your interest in the job, but don’t be overzealous.”
Locey suggests trying to stand out from the masses by seeing if you can find a contact at the company who can single you out to the hiring manager and speak to your strengths. “That can be beneficial to you (you may get an interview) and to the company (finding a candidate who someone is willing to vouch for).”
The waiting game, part 2
Job seekers who are fortunate enough to generate employer interest may feel like their days of waiting are over. In truth, however, an interview (or even two or three) may simply usher in a new era of frustrating silence.
According to Locey, if you have interviewed with a company and not heard back within two weeks, chances are that one or more of the following is happening:
They are talking to several candidates and it is taking awhile to get them all scheduled.
They can’t get the interviewers together to discuss the candidates post interview.
You are not the first choice but are strong enough that they do not want to say “no” yet.
Having talked to several qualified people has changed the hiring manager’s view of the job and he is working behind the scenes to upgrade or shift the role.
“The best thing you can do is try to set some expectations during the interview about what the company’s process is,” says Tracy A. Cashman, partner and general manager of the information technology division of Winter, Wyman — one of the largest staffing firms in the Northeast. “Ask when you can expect to hear if you are selected for the next round. Take that date, add a few days to it and then don’t be afraid to politely follow up.”
Sending a thank-you note immediately after the interview can help set the stage for further contact. Follow-up strategies later in the game may include:
Sending an e-mail that reiterates interest and offers to provide any additional information.
Finding an article on a topic discussed during the interview and sending it with a note as a way to show you are thinking about the company.
Phoning the person who interviewed you to thank her again, to ask if there is an update on the position and to share anything you might have forgotten in the initial interview.
While employer silence is anything but golden to an eager applicant, stay positive by remembering that the day will come when the quietness will be broken by the sweet sound of a job offer!
Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.com. Follow @CareerBuilder on Twitter
25 people who do what they love
When I set out to find people who love their jobs so much that they can’t believe they get paid to do it, the response was overwhelming. Which is awesome, because we love it when you love your job!
So let’s get to it. Without further ado, here are 25 people who can’t believe they get paid to do these awesome jobs: (more…)
20 Jobs That Pay $25 per Hour
Twenty-five dollars. It can buy you two movie tickets, one bottle of nice wine – or several of the cheap stuff – or 25 of your favorite items from the dollar menu at McDonalds. It might not seem like a lot — but when you think about it in terms of your salary, you might change your mind.
If you earned $25 an hour and worked the standard 40-hour workweek for 52 weeks each year, you’d be raking in $52,000* per year. Considering the national average salary is $43,460, according to the National Compensation Survey, you’d be doing pretty well for yourself. (more…)
Job advice that was true 20 years ago, but not today
Think back to 1991, if you were even alive at the time. Operation Desert Storm began. The Soviet Union dissolved. “Beauty and the Beast” was one of the year’s top films. Some women were still wearing jackets with shoulder pads. Men wore moustaches without any irony. Super Nintendo made its United States debut.
It was a different era. (more…)
Your job loss FAQs, answered
Questions abound when dealing with a job loss — or the threat of one. Following are answers to some frequently asked questions about how to handle different aspects of a layoff or firing:
Q: My company recently announced that some positions will be eliminated in the months ahead. What can I do to ensure my job isn’t one of them? (more…)
20 avoidable job search mistakes
The phrase “shoot yourself in the foot” didn’t create itself. In fact, job seekers probably coined it.
Every day, thousands of people look for a job — and almost every single one of them makes at lease one mistake (or 10) in the process. The worst part is, many if not all, of these blunders are completely avoidable.
“It never ceases to amaze me when people make mistakes, then slap themselves on the forehead and say, ‘I can’t believe I did that.’ I feel the need to pop them on the head,” says JaLynn Hudnall, of Ravenwood Forest Consulting.
Here are 20 dumb job search mistakes that experts say you can avoid with a little thought:
1. Not using a professional e-mail address.
“It is wonderful that you are proud of your heritage and cultural roots. However, please don’t use ‘juicygapeach’ as your e-mail address,” Hudnall says. “There are enough free e-mail hosts out there that you can set up a plain first.last account that is professional and non-descript.”
2. Jumping into the fire without your fireproof undies.
“[Don't start] your search without a plan or much thought as to where you want to go and how you plan to get there,” says Julie Bauke, author of “Stop Peeing On Your Shoes- Avoiding the 7 Mistakes that Screw up your Job Search.” Also, make sure you can answer these three key questions: Why are you in the job market? Tell me about yourself. What are you looking to do next?
3. Not checking yourself in the mirror before walking into an interview.
“I once interviewed someone who had a giant piece of lettuce hanging off his mustache,” says Mario Schulzke, founder of CareerSparx.com. “I should have said something to him, but it was just too awkward and instead I spent 30 minutes staring at the guy’s upper lip.”
4. Falling into the ‘black hole.’
Many job seekers misunderstand the role of the Internet in their job search, Bauke says. “It is good for research and connections,” she says, but “you are not most likely to get a job that way.”
5. Being forgetful.
“One mistake that I have seen a number of times over the years is people using a cover letter template and forgetting to change the company and name to who it is addressed,”
says Paul Peterson, MA, MBA, national talent resource manager, human resources. “Your cover letter should always be customized to the company and position to which you are applying.”
6. Going to networking events — but not really networking.
“Real networking is building mutually beneficial relationships,” Bauke says. That can be hard to do in a group setting. “Make sure you are having at least three to five one-on-one meetings per week.”
7. Omitting a signature block in your e-mail.
“A signature block is a perfect place to give a brief 20-word teaser and include a link to your online résumé,” Hudnall says. For example, “Georgia Environmental Engineer with 7 years experience, seeking job in new locale, click here for full résumé.”
8. Casting your net too widely.
“You are not a fit everywhere and you are not good at everything,” Bauke reminds. “Your search will be much more effective if you focus on exactly what kind of work you want to do and where you want to do it.”
9. Not paying attention.
“Job seekers aren’t reading the job description carefully and following the specific directions provided by the employer, recruiter or hiring manager,” says Eddy Salomon, founder of Workathomenoscams.com and Workathomecareers.com. “The job description may state ‘please apply by visiting x site. Please do not send a résumé.’ But many job seekers are guilty of scanning the information provided and will end up doing the opposite of what has been described and send a résumé. Employers can’t help but disqualify these candidates because it shows a lack of attention to detail and the failure to follow directions.”
10. Overlooking the interviewing “gimme” questions.
Prepare to answer the basics questions: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Tell me about yourself. Why should we hire you? “You know they are coming. Be prepared!” Bauke says.
11. Not joining your local Chamber of Commerce.
“Every Chamber across the United States has a monthly get together usually called something like ‘Business After Hours,’ and many even have young professionals associations,” Hudnall says. “Not using this an as opportunity to network and meet others in your field is a missed opportunity.”
12. Having grammar or spelling errors on your résumé or cover letter.
“No matter how many résumés you send out, each customized to fit one job description, you must review each one closely for grammar and spelling errors,” says Rick Saia, CPRW, content writer for Pongo Résumé . “Even the tiniest error will cast a bad impression on the hiring manager, especially if you write ‘attentive to detail’ as a strength. It’s good practice to have a trusted friend or relative read through your documents before you send them.”
13. Not being mindful of social media presence.
“Job seekers need to be mindful of social profiles and pictures they may have out on the Web that may deemed inappropriate. In some cases employers may secretly try to ‘friend’ you on a given social network so they can have access to your wall and photos,” Salomon says. Before applying to any job, one should search for his or her own name to ensure there isn’t anything out there that would be deemed inappropriate.
14. Trying to turn an informational interview into a job interview.
“This is probably the worst form of abusing your network contacts. An informational interview is to get information, not an offer,” says Ron Katz, author of “Someone’s Gonna Get Hired … It Might As Well Be You!” “When people start peppering the contact to see if there are any openings or jobs available, the person with whom they are meeting feels duped, taken advantage of, and at worst, angry and resentful.”
15. Not having a LinkedIn profile.
“Many employers and HR professionals use LinkedIn as their go-to resource for more information about a candidate,” Schulzke says. “If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you are missing out on a critical opportunity to showcase your skills and experience.”
16. Failing to research the company.
“At least take some time to review the company’s website and use some of that knowledge in your résumé and cover letter,” Saia says. “When you get to the interview, you’ll need to know much more, especially to show how your skills and experience match up with the demands of the job and how your skills and experience can benefit the company.”
17. Not following up after applying for a job.
“Following up is critical to set you apart from other applicants. Job seekers often neglect this key step because, for example, they applied online and don’t have a name to follow up with,” says Amy Olmscheid, manager of the Career Center at Capella University. “But if you don’t have a name of a person to follow up with, find one. Use the Internet or use your network. Get the name of a contact in human resources or a manager in the department you want to work in and then follow up with a call or e-mail.”
18. Neglecting to follow up after an interview.
“Always send a thank you note to the interviewer,” Olmscheid says. “Sending your note by e-mail is perfectly acceptable, but a handwritten note is a nice extra touch.”
19. Failing to ask questions at the interview.
“Remember that you want to find out about the company and hiring manager as much as you want to tell them about you,” Saia says. “By passing on the opportunity to ask questions, you’re sending a message that you’re not that interested in the job. And employers want candidates who are interested.”
20. Relying on a single job-hunt strategy.
“Some job seekers will declare that they are only using online job boards and those individuals may miss excellent opportunities,” Olmscheid says. “Job seekers typically identify more jobs and make more connections that can lead to jobs when they use a multi-pronged approach. Amp up your job search with job boards, face-to-face meetings, networking at professional development meetings, phone networking and other search strategies.”
Career risks: Tips for deciding which are worth taking
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
The motto sounds simple enough — until you try to apply it. From fears of making the wrong move to worries about looking foolish, taking a career risk is not an easy thing to do.
While there is no magic way to predict an outcome, some honest evaluation beforehand can make the decision to take a risk a little, well, less risky. Things to consider: (more…)
30 Jobs That Pay $30/Hour
Nobody likes to be average. Not you. Not me. Not even your salary.
The national average salary in the United States is $43,460, according to the National Compensation Survey. That works out to be $20.90 per hour. So in order to be above average, you have to earn more than $21 per hour. Why not be way above average and find a job that pays $10 more than the average hourly salary?
We gathered a handful (30) of the many jobs that pay between $30 and $39 per hour, which rake in a solid $62,000 to $82,000 annually. Take a look and see how your salary stacks up: (more…)
3 Ways to Appease Your Toughest Customers
If you work in customer service, it’s safe to say you’ll probably encounter some clientele who are simply harder to deal with than others. For starters, there are those clients who always insist that they are right, even when they are wrong. Other customers might believe they are a company’s only responsibility and expect you to drop everything to respond to their needs. And there are customers who will demand to talk to your boss – no matter what you try to do. We’re not saying all customers are difficult but there are the exceptions.
Fortunately, there are some universal ways to work with these difficult customer types to keep the client-company relationships going strong. Debra Kahn Schofield, a regular contributor to Guerilla Marketing Online, describes a few of these useful strategies to help you find the middle ground.
“[These strategies] may not turn your nightmare customer into a salesperson’s dream, but they can help you maintain your cool and more importantly, maintain your customer.” Here are Schofield’s strategies for dealing with the toughest customers you may encounter.
Strategy No. 1: Controlling Mr. “Always Right”
Mr. Always Right wants to control the situation no matter what. He blames the kitchen for preparing a dish a certain way, although it was exactly what he requested. He blames the photo shop for developing out-of-focus pictures, even though he took the pictures from a roller-coaster. This customer type has a tough time adjusting to higher prices, new processes, or changed products. He can’t control the situation, so he blames you – the first line of customer service he can get to.
Allow Mr. Always Right to be heard, and let him know his frustration is understood. Only then should you present a well-reasoned explanation for the situation at hand. For example, give reasons why prices have gone up, such as market conditions, new regulations or added features. Make the situation “tangible” to the customer, Schofield advises. If an unwanted change has been instituted, suggest to Mr. Always Right that he give it a try and report his experience to the company. If this customer can’t be appeased, Schofield says it helps to “defuse the situation, show sympathy and endeavor to fix the problem. Acknowledging [their] distress isn’t an admission of blame.”
Strategy No. 2: Managing Ms. “Number One”
Stop what you’re doing right now and come help Ms. Number One! Ms. Number One will call three times a day to make sure her account is your top priority. She will relentlessly deploy a steady stream of questions that will keep you hopping on her behalf. The keys to coping with Ms. Number One are clarity and reliability. Letting her know exactly where she is in the customer “stream” and how long it will take you to get to her question can take the edge off her impatience.
“Manage expectations upfront. Tell people who need to wait what is ahead of them,” advises Martin Eerhart, a business writer for Inspiredliving.com and the author of “Quick Guide to Small Business Survival Skills.” “Acknowledge their patience. Tell them you appreciate their cooperation. If you thank someone or pay a compliment, you open the door for more cooperation.”
Strategy No. 3: Handling Mr. “Where’s Your Boss?”
Sympathizing with customers and listening intently will help you to resolve many problems. But when a customer is intent on bypassing you to talk to a supervisor, that person may have given up on listening to your explanations or proposed solutions. As a customer, there is nothing worse than having to repeat your problem to multiple people; use this knowledge to your advantage. When dealing with Mr. Where’s Your Boss, insist that you need to understand the concerns inside and out before bringing your supervisor in to assist. The more that you and the customer can agree upon, the more smoothly you will reach a resolution. Bringing in a supervisor doesn’t mean you haven’t done your job; some customers need to feel like they have taken their issue to the highest authority possible. If you do need back up, focus on resolving the customer’s problem as quickly and easily as possible.
Shaun Belding, author of “Dealing with the Customer from Hell: A Survival Guide,” recommends the LESTER approach: listening, echoing, sympathizing, thanking, evaluating and responding. Listening gets the essential information and echoing it repeats the customers’ own words so they know they were understood, Belding explains. Sympathizing with customers and thanking them for sharing their concerns shows you understand their dilemma and you’re going to help them fix it. And finally, evaluating the options ahead helps reach a satisfactory solution.
How to answer, “Tell me a little about yourself.”
To a painter, an untouched canvas holds unlimited possibility for a bold new creation. But for each artist, the potential for something great is counter-weighed by the potential for unparalleled failure.
Similarly, excitement and anxiety loom over job interviews. When you present yourself to an employer, you hope all the right words come out and you woo them. (more…)
11 Job Search Tips For 2011
It’s 2011 and it’s time to take control of your job search. This year, it’s no longer up to companies to hire you, it’s up to you to get hired. Forget about how the economy is doing. Reflect on last year if you must, but then forget about that, too. This year, your focus will be on finding the right job for you and doing everything you can to be the best candidate for that job. The competition may still be tough, but you’re going to be better than the competition. (more…)
