Month: October 2014

Job Change: What is Your Greatest Strength?

What’s Your Greatest Strength is a popular interview question.

Answering this question gives you an opportunity to shine as the perfect applicant for the job.  When you are preparing for your interview, think specifically about how your strengths fit the job.

There are different types of job strengths.

Each of these strengths has value depending on the requirements of a particular job.  Take the examples from these lists, write them into your resume, and use them in your interview.

Soft skills strengths

Soft skills are tricky.  Some hiring managers and recruiters overlook soft skills in a resume.  In other cases, hiring managers and recruiters think of lists of soft skills as puffery in a resume.  Forgive me for repeating this point, but discussing soft skills is effective when those skills specifically relate to the job for which you are interviewing.

  • Interpersonal Communication skills
  • Enthusiasm & Attitude skills
  • Teamwork skills
  • Relationship skills
  • Problem Solving & Critical Thinking skills
  • Professionalism skills

Knowledge-based or hard-skill strengths

These skills come from your education and your work you have done.  They are the strengths that you can take from one job to the next.  The strengths are core qualifications for any job.

  1. Accounting
  2. Analysis
  3. Brand Development
  4. Computer Programming
  5. Data Management
  6. Education
  7. Financial Management
  8. Internet Programming
  9. People Management
  10. Planning
  11. Mathematics
  12. Research and Development
  13. Software Applications such as word processing, spreadsheet, image editing, database
  14. Software Development
  15. Selling
  16. Typing
  17. Writing

Talent or natural ability strengths

One of my favorite subjects is talent.  Talent is a gift.  However, as people learn new things, their intelligence relative to the intelligence of other people their age can increase.  In other words, our intelligence quotient can become greater.

The obvious example for an understanding of how the growth of talent has limitations is the one for gifted runners.  Training and conditioning can make a person a faster runner.  However, the person who is gifted runner will also become faster through training and conditioning.

Talents are strengths that enable you to develop skills.  There are two types of talent: convergent talent and divergent talent.  Some people would say that there are three types of talent.  The third is emotional intelligence.

Listing talent in a job description is not a normal process.  However, if you are applying for a job that requires on-going skills development, you should highlight the fact that you have a talent for developing those types of skills.

How to Prepare for Tough Interview Questions

How to prepare for tough interview questions is part of becoming a more effective job seeker.

First, prepare thoroughly for the routine questions.  This approach will make large parts of the interview easier for you.  You will increase your confidence and reduce the pressure when an interviewer asks you a difficult question.

Here are some of the most difficult questions.

The questions link to some of the hundreds of career articles on this website:

Another step in preparing for difficult interview questions is to develop basic interview skills.

  • Listen: Just listening closely to the questions will help you subconsciously develop effective answers.
  • Clarify:  Make certain that you understand the question.  Ask the interviewer for more information.
  • Ask for time:Sometimes you might ask the interviewer to allow you to come back to a question.
  • Be honest: If you do not know the answer to a question, be honest.

Don’t sweat it.

Of course, you would like to handle every question with ease.  Some interviewers ask questions to see how well you can think under pressure.  When an interviewer asks you a difficult question, take a deep breath and think about what you are saying.  Realize that everyone has trouble giving good answers all the time.  I see politicians, television reporters, talk show hosts, and talk show quests become tongue-tied.  The ones who are most effective are the ones who smile at their mistakes and work past the mistakes to answer the questions.

How to Introduce Yourself at a Job Interview

How to introduce yourself at a job interview is a series of fundamentals.

The way you introduce yourself can set the tone for the entire interview.  You create that all-important first impression.  Start with a positive tone and maintain it.  It is much easier to maintain a positive impression than it is to reverse a negative one.

When you enter the business where you are interviewing, be courteous to the people you pass.

Treat the receptionist professionally.  Smile.  Tell the receptionist your name.  State that you have an appointment and give the receptionist the name of the person you are there to meet.

You do not need to tell the receptionist that you have a job interview.  State that you have an appointment.  The person with whom you have an appointment knows you are there for a job interview.  Announcing to the receptionist and perhaps other people near you that the hiring company is interviewing people is inappropriate.

If you speak with people who are waiting in the lobby, act professionally.

Do not discuss personal matters with other people in the lobby.  While waiting in a lobby for a client appointment, I met a woman I had known professionally by telephone.  She was in town traveling on business.  She was complaining about the fact that she had a hangover and had spent too much money taking a client out to dinner the night before.  She had spent a lot of money at the bar.  She was not sure how she was going to hide the bar tab on her expense report.

At the time, the woman was had a solid career.  I had no need to know the information the woman gave me.  However, the information shaped the professional impression I have of the woman.

Use power body language.

Relax.

Confidently, walk into each room during your time at the hiring company.

Sit up straight.  Stand straight.  Hold your shoulders back.  Keep your arms open.  Don’t stare at the floor.  Don’t slump and fold your arms.  Radiate warmth and openness.  Use body language that makes people trust you and approach you.

When you shake hands, grasp the other person’s hand firmly, look that person in the eye, and say, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Have a terrific interview.

How to introduce yourself at a job interview is a series of fundamentals.  Follow those fundamentals to get a great start in your interviews.

What to Say in a Job Interview

Knowing what to say in a job interview is critical to your interview success.

“I want this job.”

You may not know that you want the job until after you leave the job interview.  Keep selling and moving forward through the interview to do the best job you can of getting a second interview or a job offer.  Keeping the process positive increases the likelihood that a company will feel positive about you as an applicant.

Simply say that they you want the job and why you want it.

“I solved these problems.”

Before you go to an interview, list examples of problems you have solved.

  • Describe the problems.
  • Explain the things you did to solve the problems.
  • Discuss the results.

Here is a simple example of a problem people solve in customer service.  Often customers line up single file to reach a booth.  The line backs up into other shopping areas.  You set up a switchback rope system that reduces the floor space customers need to reach booth.  The result is a saving in floor space and a more orderly flow of customer traffic to the booth.

 “Can you tell me more?”

You show interest when you ask for more information.  Sometimes you will not understand a question or get the point an interviewer is trying to make.  You may even find that you are dealing with a person’s objection.  A sales device in dealing with a buyer with an objection is to ask the person to help you understand his or her point of view.  You can phrase the question in this simple statement.  “Can you tell me more?”

”I exceed goals.”

Have examples of times when you exceeded goals your company set for you.  Explain the goal.  Discuss the details of how you created a plan and the steps you took to exceed the goal.

“I have studied your company, and I like what it does.”

Always prepare with details about the company that is interviewing you.  Know the details of the job.  Have a list of things that you like about the company and about the job for which you are applying.

What Not to Say in a Job Interview

What not to say in an interview is as important as what you say in an interview.

When you are in a job interview, don’t ruin your chances of getting a job by saying the wrong things.  You are rarely the only candidate in the interview process.  Saying things that make hiring managers and recruiters uncomfortable can cost you a job offer.

Don’t discuss politics, religion, sports, social issues, or news headlines.

You are in a job interview to discuss a job.  Unless the job that involves one of the above subjects, you will increase your chances of getting a job offer by avoiding those polarizing topics.

Don’t discuss personal problems.

Unfortunately, many people have personal problems and health problems.  Successful people know that the time to discuss those problems is in the privacy of their home or office.

Use your interview as an opportunity to show that you are competent, hardworking, and sincere.  If you are uncertain about some information that you think you should share with a future employer, research thoroughly what you should disclose and not disclose to a future employer.

“Don’t complain about your current company.”

When you are in an interview, do not complain about your boss, your company, your job, or anything else.  In an interview, you are trying to impress the hiring company with what a terrific person you are to have in the workplace.  No one wants to listen to a person complain.

Do not use obscene language.

Of course, you wouldn’t use obscene language in a job interview.

Don’t negotiate salary.  

Before you start flashing around your price tag, you need to sell the company on wanting to hire you.  Once the company makes you an offer, you can start to negotiate salary.  In the early stages of interviewing, don’t discuss salary.

What to Bring to an Interview

What to bring to an interview is an important as the things you say in an interview.  Getting to an interview to discover that you do not have the things you need is not only embarrassing, it is often an interview killer.  I recommend that you buy a portfolio case or a briefcase that you use just for interviews.  Keep the case stocked with the materials that you will take to every interview.

When organizing your interview case, make sure you bring the following items.

  1. Bring several copies of your resume.  You should have a copy for your own use and a copy for each person on the interview schedule.  Take extra copies for people who are not on the schedule but who might come into the interview.  Sometimes having unexpected people join the interview is a sign that the company finds you a strong applicant.
  2. Take a copy of the interview agenda.  Reading this agenda during the day will help you stay fresh on the names of the people you are meeting.  You can also make notes on the agenda.  These notes come in handy for the thank note you send after the interview.
  3. Bring a list of references.  Do not offer these references to every person you meet.  However, if things proceed rapidly to an offer, you want to have your references handy to accelerate the process.
  4. Bring a brag book.  This book contains samples of your work, letters of endorsement, and examples of recognition,
  5. Bring your laptop.  If you have impressive presentations that you can show the interviewer, you can benefit from having your laptop to show the quality of your work.
  6. Bring business cards.  Some interviewers use your business card as a way to verify your employment and verify your job title.
  7. Bring a notepad.  You need to keep track of contact and company information that you learn during your interviews.
  8. Bring three or four pens.  The extra pens help you relax that you have a pen that works.  In addition, it is wise to make sure you can help an interviewer who does not have a pen for taking notes.

Resume Titles

The purpose of resume titles is to target jobs that you are seeking.  

The wording of a resume title is different from stating an objective for your resume, but serves a similar purpose.  By carefully selecting resume titles, you will add words to your resume that will come up in database searches and will catch the eye of recruiters as they review resume files.

The title you select should reflect the experience that you have which qualifies you for a particular job.  There are a couple of ways to find good resume titles.  One is to do Internet searches based on your experience and select the most appropriate titles that appear in the search results.  Another way is to take the title of the position from a job description and title you resume with the same wording.  This method is effective for targeting a position.

For example, the job description is titled “Consumer Products Brand Manager.”  Just copy and paste that title in your resume title.  Be aware that some resume templates limit the number of characters you can put in your job title.

Below the resume title, you might add a paragraph or a few bullet points from your experience.  You can include keywords from your experience that match other words in the job description.

There are benefits to resume titles.

One of the benefits of having of resume title is that you job title may not accurately match your experience with the job you are seeking.  However, an accurate resume title may match your experience as well as the requirements of the job.

A second benefit of the resume title is that it gives you extra keywords that you pull your resume in computer searches.

A third benefit is that having a resume title to target a specific job may be the tipping point for the hiring manager actually reading your resume.

There are shortcomings to resume titles.

A resume title focuses on a specific job, specific category of jobs, or a specific industry.  This focus can prevent a hiring manager from reading past the title when your resume title does not match the keywords of the position for which the hiring manager is seeking applicants.

Phone Interview Tips

Phone Interview Tips:  Before the interview, prepare as though you are going to a face-to-face interview. Your goal is to move ahead in the interview process. Even if you are uncertain whether you want the job before you get the call, make sure that you do the best job you can. If you decide later that you want the job and you do not get an invitation to proceed, you have missed an opportunity.

Have these things on your desk:

  • Your resume
  • The job description
  • A list of key points you wish to make about how your experience qualifies you for this specific job
  • A list of questions

Select your interview place carefully.

  • Pick a quiet room.
  • Have a glass of water immediately handy.
  • Pick a comfortable chair.

Even though you are on the phone, let your personality shine.

  • Smile.  You will project warmth even though the interview cannot see you.
  • Listen to the interviewers questions.  Answer the questions. Do not just a reply to the question.
  • Remember to take a quiet deep breath from time to time.
  • Say positive things about yourself and about your employer.
  • The reason you are interviewing with the new company is that they offer things you cannot get from your current company.
  • Make sure you understand the question before you answer it.

Remember to focus.

  • Make your answers detailed but to the point.
  • Allow the interviewer a chance to speak.
  • Ask trial close questions: for example, ask the interviewer when the company will make a decision.
  • Emphasize that you are definitely interested in going forward for with the opportunity.

Do not allow interruptions.

  • If you get another call, ignore it.
  • Make sure that people know not to disturb you.
  • Certainly do not multi-task.
  • Do not talk over the interviewer.
  • Do not try to tell a joke.
  • Do not fake your answers. If you do not know that answer to a random question, just say so.

Remember to close on an upbeat. 

Thank the interviewer for taking time to speak with you.  Emphasize that you hope to have a chance to speak again.

Dealing with an Angry Boss

Dealing with an angry boss is a skill that every great manager must develop.  Even the best bosses will eventually find themselves frustrated with something that you have done.  Here are some tips that have worked for me.

  1. Listen to what your boss has to say about the problem.

Let them air out their feelings.  This way of listening will help your boss know that you want to see things from their point of view.  You might even say that if you standing where your boss is standing, you would feel the same way.  Most importantly, letting them know that doing things the way that they want them done is important to you.   You might develop some phrases that help you deal with an angry boss.  “I understand.”  “Yes, I can your point.”  “I regret that I overlooked that detail.”

Acknowledging your boss’s point of view is a good way to help you bond with your boss.

  1. State that you want to learn from the situation to make sure that you do things differently in the future.

Everyone makes mistakes.  Successful people do not repeat them.  If there are many details in the information your boss is giving you, you might consider making notes.

If your boss wants things done differently than your company policy directs you, let your boss finish telling you how they want things done.  Then you might say that you will follow their direction yet that had followed the company prescribed procedure.

Thank your boss for taking time to call the situation to your attention and assure them that you will not let the mistake happen again.

  1. Solve the problem immediately.

Nothing is more frustrating for an angry boss that to find greater frustration when someone does not take action on the situation caused the person’s frustration.  If the problem is something that was part of a major project and is not something that you can mend or correct on future projects, let your boss know that if you had it to do over again, you hope that you would have handled things differently.

Landing a Job with Your Elevator Pitch

Landing a job with your elevator pitch takes preparation.  Before you go to an interview, you should script and practice a brief presentation to discuss why the company should hire you.

Your elevator pitch should cover three points.

  1. State the objective of the job.

Before you go to an interview, study the job description.  Learn as much as you can about the company.  Script how you understand the job based on the business of the hiring company.  Practice presenting a short statement of the hiring need of the company.

  1. Explain how your experience shows that you can achieve the objective of the job.

Compare your experience with the job objective specifically within your understanding of the goals of the company.  Have a three or four point summary of the ways your experience benefits the company.  Tailor your pitch directly to the company and to the specific job.  Anticipate questions and objections.  You do not need to include every possible thought in your elevator pitch.  However, you do want to have answers to likely questions.

Use simple plain English.  Avoid jargon that your current employer uses and that might not be common usage outside of your company.

  1. Ask when you can start to work.

Let the person know that you want the job and that you will make yourself available to fit the needs of the hiring company.  Do not mention income.  Your goal is to get a job offer.  Once you get the offer, you can fine-tune the details of salary, bonus, and benefits.

Practice your speech so that you can give it flawlessly.

When you have the opportunity to give your elevator pitch, take a breath before you start.  Don’t let the adrenaline drive your pitch.  Remember to smile.  Look at the person’s face.  Remember that you are dealing with a human being.  Allow a comfortable three feet of space between yourself and your contact.  Remember you speaking with the person to offer solutions and opportunities to the person and the person’s company.  You want to join their team.

Why Should I Hire You?

Why should we hire you and not one of the other candidates?

This interview question is one of the many scripted interview questions that challenge your ability to think on the spot.

You do not know anything about the other candidates.  Therefore, you need to focus the answer on yourself.  Some people focus on the three E’s:  Experience, Enthusiasm, and Education.

This type of answer is weak if your experience and education do not qualify you to do the job.  In addition, you not only want to show that you have the experience and education for the job.  You want to show that you have a record of accomplishment and successful performance in this type of job.

Therefore, you should have a short pitch on how your experience shows that you have successfully performed the same job.

  2. State that you do not know the other people the company is interviewing.
  3. Say that they should hire the most qualified person for the job.
  4. State the objective of the job.
  5. State a list of successful things you have done to achieve and exceed this type of objective.
  6. State that the reason that you are interviewing for the job is that you enjoy performing the type of tasks the job requires.
  7. Close by saying that whomever the company hires, the person will be lucky to get the job.
  8. Say that you hope that the company hires you.

Preparing for the question “Why should we hire you and not the other people we are interviewing “is an excellent way to prepare to interview for any job interview.  This type of question challenges you to think about your qualifications.  In your preparation, you can practice giving answers that show that you are an outstanding applicant for the job.  Answering the question with a positive enthusiastic statement about how much you want the job will help seal your opportunity in getting a job offer.

Best Words for Your Cover Letter and Resume

Best Words for Your Cover Letter and Resume

The best words for your cover letter and resume are words that will get you an interview.  A hiring manager or a recruiter spends just seconds reading either one.  The cover letter is usually an email.  Often, the hiring manager will decide to read your résumé based on the keywords (names of experiences, goods, services, and skills) that you put in your cover letter.  If your cover letter shows that you are someone who has the experience the hiring company needs, the hiring manager will open your resume.

After your résumé is on file with a company, the keywords words you have in your résumé will determine whether your résumé appears during database searches for active applicants.  Hiring managers use keywords to find matches between the words in job specifications and the words in resumes.  If your résumé has the buzzwords the recruiter is searching, your resume will appear in the search results.

In addition, industry lingo and buzzwords show that you have an understanding of the job for which you are applying.

Here are some examples of names that might help a hiring manager find you and, therefore, are words you might want to include in your résumé and in your online profile.

  1. Names of companies where you have worked, especially names of prestigious companies in your field
  2. Names of schools you have attended
  3. Names of academic achievements: cum laude, dean’s list, first in graduating class
  4. Names of clients or key accounts
  5. Names of brands, products, or services you have developed
  6. Names of fields in which you worked
  7. Use action words: launched, resolved, won, improved
  8. Names of computer software or Internet applications you know: C++, PowerPoint, JavaScript, Java, Google Documents, iOS, Android
  9. Names of certifications and credentials:  Certified Public Accountant, Certified Marriage and Family Counselor,  Credentialed Teacher, Licensed Driver of Commercial Vehicles
  10. Names of Hard skills:  Fluent in French, Typing Speed: 120 words per minute, Diesel Mechanic
  11. Names of Soft Skills with examples:  Team Builder, Inter-departmental Facilitator, New-hire Mentor
  12. Do not use clichés and opinions of yourself: proactive, strategic, dynamic, thought leader, go-getter

These same principles apply to your online professional profile.

Top 10 Cities and States for Job Growth

Top 10 Cities and States for Job Growth: Riverside, CA and San Francisco, CA led the list on the W.P. Carey School of Business top ten cities for job growth.  See the other cities and the top 10 states for non-agricultural job growth at Top 10 Cities & States for Job Growth | W. P. Carey School of Business.

Debbie Freeman: “Unemployment and job growth continue to capture attention as the U.S. economy rebounds from the Great Recession This week, the final, revised numbers on state and city job growth for the year 2013 as a whole are out. Research Professor Lee McPheters of the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University provides rankings and analysis of the winners and losers, based on the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

error: Content is protected !!