Month: February 2019

Winning Interviews: 5 Steps to Success

Winning Interviews: What can you do to prepare and practice for your job interview? Here are some ideas that will help you.

Give yourself an edge over the competition with interview preparation. ~ www.jaywren.com

What You Can Anticipate in an Interview

No one can know with any certainty what questions to expect in an interview. However, interview questions tend to fit into categories.  For the most part, these questions fit into a range of questions.

Essentially, interview preparation come under four categories:

  • Everything about you
  • Everything about the hiring company

These points will become clearer in the discussion below. Here are examples of questions under these two categories.

Everything About You

Workplace Relationships: Keep your answers positive.  The interviewer is trying to understand how well you work with others.

  • How would you describe your workplace relationships?
  • Who was the best supervisor you have ever had?
  • Tell me about the worst supervisor you ever had?
  •  How would your peers describe you?
  • Tell me about a conflict you faced at work and how you dealt with it.
  • What do you expect out of your team/co-workers?
  • describe your expectations of your future manager?
  • What qualities to you seek in building a team?

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY

Personal Chemistry: Creating Bonds in Job Interviews

Your Character and Emotional Intelligence: These questions help the interviewer understand your individual professional and personal qualities.

  • What is your management style?
  • Have you ever told a lie?
  • What motivates you? Whom do you most admire?
  • Tell me about yourself?
  • How do you deal with stress?
  • To what do you attribute your success?
  • How do you describe your perfect day?

Qualifications:  In asking questions about your qualifications, the interviewer is looking for specifically skills and experience that qualify you for their job opening and your potential for long-term success with their company. Here are some sample questions.

  • What is your greatest strength?
  • Describe your greatest achievement?
  • How do your qualifications make you the best fit for our job?

Your Growth Potential:  In this case, the interviewer is examining how well you can grow short-term and create long-term value to the company.

  • What are your long-term goals?
  •  Describe the things you do you do to grow professionally?
  • What are your career passions?
  •  When you were a growing up, what did you want to become?
  •  Can you describe your typical day?
  • Tell me about your greatest weakness?
  • Where do you see yourself in five years?
  • Are you willing to relocate?

Questions about Why You are Making a Job Change:

  • Why are you leaving your current job?
  • Were you laid off?
  • What are you looking for in your next job?

Everything about the Hiring Company

Taking all of the questions above, you should direct your preparation on how your answers to those questions show why the company should hire.  You must show that understand the opportunity.  Additionally, you must know the company’s products, distribution channels,

Putting your knowledge of the opportunity together with your knowledge of company, you must show how you fit the company’s short-term and long-term goals and needs.

The answers should show, based on your knowledge of the job opportunity and the conditions at the company, that you are the companies best possible hire.

Here are some sample questions.

  • Why do you want to work for [insert company name]?
  • What is your dream job? Should indicate why you the hiring company is the place where you want to work?
  • Could you describe your plan for the first 90 days on the job at our company?

Mental Attitude and Interview Practice

Interview practice will help you think more clearly.  Furthermore, the practice will strengthen your ability to think on your feet.  Interview role playing with another person and in front of a mirror will help you feel more poised.

Winning Interviews: Going to the Interview

Interviews are like batting in baseball. Who knows what pitch is coming next? Often the pitcher does not know where the next pitch is going until it gets there.   As professional baseball players do, take a deep breath. Stay loose. Trust yourself.

Effective Communications: 7 Steps to Being Understood

Effective Communications are part of the job for professionals in all types of fields and responsibilities. Here are 7 ideas for communication success.

Headlines

Even when speaking, you will help people understanding you with a headline.  The headline states the topic. “Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend” is a simple sentence that let’s Bill know what you are discussing.

In writing, where you put the headline depends on what you are writing. In a letter or an email, the headline goes in to the subject. In your LinkedIn profile, the headline goes next to your name.  In a resume, the headline can be a short statement below your contact information.

Clear Communication: The Opening Paragraph

For most effective communication, state the purpose of the discussion in the opening paragraph.  Note that the purpose is more than the subject.  The purpose includes the subject and the reason for discussing that subject.  For example,

“So, that we don’t overlook anything, Bill, let’s talk about the plan for this weekend.”

One Subject at a Time

Whether writing or speaking, you will have more success by sticking to one subject at a time.

Busy people tend to look for the point.  Once they find it, their mind is ready take action or to file the information.

Additionally, jumping back and forth on different subjects confuses people.

New Subject Introduction

Sometimes, you need to discuss several subjects in one meeting or correspondence.  When you do, you can help the other person follow your discussion with transitional tools.

In a conversation, you can state that you are moving on to a new subject.

When writing, use subheadings, all caps, bold type, or initial caps at the beginning of each subject.  The switch from normal style to one of these four styles highlights that you are moving on to a new topic or subtopic.

The reader may only have time to scan information.  Your key points stand out in the brief statements that you highlight with subheadings and initial caps.

Transitional Devices

Transitional devices are a bridge to help the reader follow you from one sentence or paragraph to the next.  Additionally, these words or phrases can help your reader know whether you are adding more information on a subject or moving on to a new one.

They are signals to smooth the flow of your message.

Here are some examples.

  1. Write a transitional statement such: “Now I would like to discuss a new subject.”
  2. Use transitional words such as “also, so, for this purpose, later, furthermore.
  3. Time categories help you reader following your message: First, Second, Third, and so forth.
  4. Additionally, bullet points or numbered lists are excellent when making short phrases are statements.

Proofreading

Grammar is as important as content. I carefully proofread what I have written and use word processing software to check for mistakes.  I still make mistakes.  If you see any mistakes in my writing, please let me know.

Vocabulary Development

I make it a habit to look up words I don’t know.  Furthermore, my curiosity prompts me to read articles about new terms.  Today, in this digital world, the flow of information gives me the opportunity to grow professionally and personally.

Here are some examples of new words or topics I have learned in the past 5 to 10 years.

  • “Disruptive” in reference to innovation
  • “Emotional Intelligence“
  • “Mindfulness” in reference to focusing attention on the present moment; also, in reference to breathing meditation

Effective Communications: Conclusion

In conclusion, the formula for saying or writing anything is simple. Start with a headline.  Second, state the subject in the opening sentence.  If you wish to write about multiple topics, just say so clearly in the opening.

Use capital letters, subheadings, and transitional devices to introduce each new subject.

Your listeners and readers will appreciate your effort to communicate effectively.

Furthermore, you will find that people take more action and give you better responses with effective communications.

Winning: 4 Conditions that Empower and Motivate Successful Teams

Winning:  The best conditions empower, motivate, and engage teams.  Additionally, these conditions create bonds and ownership among the team members.

Four Conditions for Winning Teams.

  1. Inclusiveness
  2. Ownership
  3. Recognition
  4. Honesty

Inclusiveness

The words “we,” “our,” and “together” create feelings of membership in a group.

Additionally, calling people by their name increases bonds.

For example, picture this presentation. A team leader is recognizing a team’s efforts in front of other people in the company.

The presentation of the team leader might go like this.

“Bill and Sue are new members on our team.  Together, our team has finished ahead of schedule and below cost.  Furthermore, we have exceeded our team goals.”

Ownership

Accepting responsibility for mistakes is an important trait for members of a team. These are examples of ownership statements.

“I regret my mistake.” “I accept responsibility for the things I could have done better.” “I can and will do better.”

Recognition
Award ceremonies serve several purposes.  One is to make people feel good about their work.  A second, is to motivate people through recognition.

However, team leaders don’t need to wait for an award ceremony to give credit.  Here are words to recognize contribution.

“You did a good job.” “Thank you.” “I would not have expected less from you.”

Honesty

Nice words are not enough to empower teams.  The members need honesty.  When they make mistakes, team leaders must help them see those mistakes.

Misleading team members damages the team’s effort.

People who are defensive about their mistakes lack self-honesty.  Insecurities cripple their ability to bond with a team.  Rather than accept responsibility and correct their mistakes, these people become a burden to the team.

Here are some ideas for dealing with people who struggle with self-honesty.

Criticism of these people makes them feel more insecure.  They become more defensive.

Team leaders can help defensive people become more effective team members by teaching them that taking ownership for their mistakes builds trust.

Additionally, team leaders can teach these people that most people make mistakes.  However, denying mistakes or repeating mistakes makes these team members ineffective.

Team leaders can teach people how to own their mistakes with the words they choose.  For example, “I was wrong. I made a mistake and will try not to make it again.”

Negotiation: Communications with the Intention of Reaching an Agreement

Negotiation begins with the ability to see solutions for the people across the table. Whether you are offering a service or a product, your success will depend on solving problems.

The purpose of a negotiation is to reach an agreement that benefits both sides. How do successful companies see, create, present, and deliver solutions?
~ www.jaywren.com

Step 1. Products and Services

When I worked at Polaroid, my orientation included a history of the company.  Edwin Land (Dr. Land) got the idea for the instant camera from his daughter.

While on vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dr. Land’s 3-year-old daughter asked why she could not see the pictures as he took them.

The idea led to Dr. Land envisioning a camera that contained a photo finishing system.

The camera satisfied the needs, wants, and fancies for consumers, law enforcement, military, businesses, and perhaps others who wanted to record visual record of the things they saw.

The success sale for these cameras was to negotiate with resellers who had to take the risks of buying camera in hopes that they would resell the camera to their customers.  The negotiation began with a presentation that in some show the buyers how the camera fit the needs of their consumers.

Step 2. Awareness and Demand

Negotiation needs awareness and demand. For manufacturers of consumer products, the persuasion happens at two levels.

Here’s how it works.

The Push. Edwin Land hired a sales team to sell the cameras into retail stores.  He sent product demonstrators into the stores to train clerks and consumers on how the camera worked and how it solved problems for them.

At this level, the manufacturer sells or “pushes” the product into the stores and onto the retailers’ shelves.

The Pull.  Next, Dr. Land hired marketers.  With print and television advertising, the Polaroid marketing teams created consumer awareness and consumer demand.  From what consumers saw in the media, they wanted Polaroid cameras before they went to a store.

The marketing-driven consumer demand pulled the products through the retailers and into the hands of the consumer.

Negotiation

In closing, most people have a sense of what they want.  If they are sales people, they want to sell their product.  If they are resellers, they want to sell their products to the end users.  The negotiation process must show how all these steps will work.

Mental Flow: Present Moment Awareness Continues Through Time

Mental Flow: Living in the present moment is like riding a canoe. You have control with your paddle, but you ride effortlessly in the river’s current.
~ www.jaywren.com

In a previous article, Becoming Aware: The Power of Living in the Present Moment, I wrote,

“Doing one thing at a time and clearing my mind of everything else: these steps empower my mind to a higher level of thinking.”

To some people the phrase “the present moment” implies an instance in time. And that understanding is correct. However, the concept that I am discussing is to experience a mental awareness flowing freely and without distraction.  For example, if you are engrossed in a movie, your mind is not thinking about the theater, the people around you, or things from your past or your future. Instead, you mind flows with the movie.

Flow is critical in athletic sports or chess or poker or any competition for that matter.  The greats don’t analyze.  They just see solutions and flow through them. A baseball fielder doesn’t mentally stop and analyze how to make a catch. Through training and mental awareness, the player’s mind carries the player through the catch and into the next motion to throw the ball to the pitcher or to another player to complete a play.

When they sense a change in the circumstances around themselves, their instincts can kick in to enable them to adjust to the new situation.

During the game, in all sports the greatest coaches, don’t want their players thinking about the score, the crowd, or the players on the other team. They want their players in a mental flow of executing a play exactly the way that the coach has trained them.

Benefits of Living in a Mental Flow

When in a mental flow, you experience a higher level of thought. You become intuitive, mentally receptive.  You release the pain of ruminating over the past or worrying about the future.  From my point of view, I can’t change the past, and most of the things that I worry about never happen.

Becoming Aware: The Power of Living in the Present Moment.

Becoming Aware: Doing one thing at a time and clearing my mind of everything else, these steps empower my mind to a higher level of thinking.

Becoming Aware: My Promise to Myself

Today I am going to do one thing at a time.  I will start the day by going over my plan for the day.

Then I will work with one computer program until the project is finished. When I have finished that one project, I am going to take a break and do some crunches.

Then I will return to my computer and work with one computer program. When I finish that project, I will take a two-mile walk.

Then I will eat some fruit.  I will not turn on the television.  I will not sit at my desk.  I will sit at my table and eat slowly.  I will taste each single bite of the fruit.

Then I will make phone calls. I will call the people on my schedule.  I will focus on each call. I will be present during the moments of my time of conversation with that person.

Then I will take a break and step outside to look around.  I will think about what I see.  I will not judge what I see.  I will think about the colors and the lines and shapes.  I may take out a ladder and pull some things from my gutters.  I may just appreciate my surroundings.  There is no plan for this break in the day.

Then I will have lunch, a short but slow lunch.  I will think about my food and appreciate the fact that I have that food to eat.

Then I will return to my computer.  I will read and reply to my email. I will read each email once and make sure that I understand the action I am to take on that email. Then I will complete the action on that email and move it to the trash bin or archives.

Then I will sit on the sofa.  I will take a mental break. By now I will feel tired and anxious from the fatigue. What I know is that if I close my eyes for twenty minutes, I will be refreshed. I will have more energy. Anxiety will disappear.

I will return to my desk and begin to review my progress on the list of things to do today.   I will work on those things to finish the day.  I will do them one at a time.

As the day goes on, my mind may wander.  Sometimes my mind is ready to be someplace else. My mind may start watching the clock the way it did when it would focus on watching the last two minutes of the clock tick off the big clock above the blackboard at the end of the school day.

As I approach each task, I will take a deep breath the way a major league baseball player takes a deep breath before stepping into the batter’s box or before making the next pitch.  A deep breath brings focus. These breaths relieve anxiety and increase the focus I will need rest of the day.

I will stop my work for time with my family.  I will sit in the room with them and listen to them about their day. I have listened to my own thoughts all day. It will be refreshing to hear some else’s thoughts.

After dinner I will return to my desk for about an hour. I will plan my day for tomorrow, making notes on my daily schedule. Then I will spend about thirty minutes on a daily tutorial for a study course I am taking.

Then I will stop. I will reflect on the day.  I will say, “Day is done.  Close the door on today.”  Then I can sleep and be grateful that I have had a day to be productive and have learned how to approach each part of the day as a part unto itself and how to take breaks to be more effective.

Action: Just Being On Time is Not Enough

Action: Just Being on Time is Not Enough. Successful people use their time effectively to accomplish more. ~ www.jaywren.com

Big Projects and Time Management

When going through lengthy periods with big projects, I sometimes push aside the big project to do the things that are easy and pressing.  I let the most pressing tasks take priority over my long-term goals.

When I encounter a rush of pressing issues, I pause.  I take a few slow deep breaths.  A little pause keeps me on track for long-term goals and helps me prioritize pressing issues for the day.

Daily Goals and Productivity

When I get off schedule, my days become less productive. I wander off task.

I click around a couple of websites to stimulate my thinking for new projects.  Then, I check my phone for personal texts. I surf the web for news of current events. Even though I have been very busy, I accomplish little or nothing.

However, I have learned a more effective method to stay on track. I schedule an objective with each activity. The objective creates clarity in going through activities for the day.

Scheduling Activities with Objectives

When I went through sales training, I learned that setting an objective for each sales call increased my productivity on that call.   Step one: I scheduled a sales call. Step two: I added what I plan to accomplish. This second step may sound unnecessary. However, with an objective, I was more thorough and more productive on each call.

Additionally, scheduling an activity and a list of objectives is effective in managing personal matters.  For example, when I have a doctor’s appointment on my schedule, I add the things that I need to discuss with the doctor during my visit. With a list of things to discuss, I cover all the issues I have for the doctor.

In summary, for me, there are at least four benefits to including objectives to my list of things to do.

  1. I don’t overlook important issue.
  2. Stating objectives stimulates creativity.  I awaken my mind to more opportunities.
  3. Each day, I accomplish more.  Over the years, even the little things add up to greater long-term success.
  4. I do one thing at a time.

Status Board 

As I complete tasks, I mark them completed.  At the end of the day, I review the schedule for tasks to reschedule things I have failed to complete.

My schedule is a status board of tasks completed and tasks to act on the next day. With these things completed and rescheduled, I have the confidence of knowing that I will continue to stay on tasks the following day.

Job Change Success: The Elements and Actions of Making a Job Changee

Job Change Success:  In this article you will find powerful tools that others have found helpful in making an effective career move.

Career Change Success: 5 Essential Elements

  1. Resume
  2. Resume Cover Letter
  3. Interview and Interview Preparation
  4. Thank You Letter
  5. Extra Tools and Tips

You don’t have to do everything for success. But you do have to do the right things. ~ www.jaywren.com

First, a Resume is Basic to a Career Change

Here is what you put into a resume and the order in which you put this information.  If you replace this information with your information, you will have written a resume.

Your name
Street address
City, State Zip
Phone
Email address

Rule 1: Never refer to yourself in the third person in the body of the resume.
Rule 2: Use factual accomplishments and not subjective opinions of yourself.

  • Example of a fact:  exceeded assigned sales goal by 30%
  • Examples of opinion; goal-oriented, creative, tenacious, strategic, honest, loyal:  For a person to
    use adjectives about themselves puts human resource people to sleep

Objective:  This is optional and often redundant.  Your resume has the objective of getting you interviews with an employer who sees a match in your location, your compensation, and your experience and that employer’s needs.  It is conventional to state an objective here but you can probably find a better use for the space.

Employment History (Most recent job first)

Company Name, Location, and Period of Employment (From to)
Most recent title:

  • Use bullet format.
  • List things you have accomplished.
  • Do not waste space on your just giving a job description.
  • List things that showed you made a difference.
  • Include increasing sales, reducing costs, promoting people, saving time, increasing productivity,
    etc.
  • Employers and recruiters search their databases for specific words.
  • List successes with specific industry words or functions.
  • Include the actual name of your product categories, product names, sales accounts, functions (e. g, Profit & Loss, Market Research or Software Names, New Product Development, Market Insights, Innovation), etc.

Next List Previous Titles at this company and again bullets on successes:

  • List your accomplishments.
  • Do not waste space on your just giving a job description.
  • List things that showed you made a difference.
  • Things you have accomplished include increasing sales, reducing costs, promoting people, saving time, increasing productivity, etc.
  • Companies and recruiters search their databases for specific words.
  • Include the actual name of your product categories, product names, sales accounts, functions (e.g., Profit & Loss, Market Research or Software Names, New Product Development, Market Insights, Innovation), etc.

Then include Previous Companies going back in time from most recent.

Education goes next after you have listed the first job you held after college or in your career:  Part-time or vacation jobs held while in school are sometimes not listed except as a bullet to the education experience.

Do not put references or salary information on your resume.

Second, Resume Cover Letter

Suggestions on writing a cover letter

Your Name
Street Address
City, State Zip
Phone Number
Email Address

Date

Name of person receiving your letter
Company Name
Street Address
City, State Zip

Dear First Name:

(If you come recommended by someone, list that person’s name here).  Name of person referred me to you.  I am writing to apply for as position as a (fill in name of position) with your company.  My resume is attached.

In my resume, you will find a record of success in (list competencies)

When may I interview with you?

Best regards,
Your Name

Third, Interview and Interview Preparation

Here is what you can do to have a better interview.

1) Prepare an agenda for the interview, things you want to cover.
2) Research the company.  Find articles on the company and use information from these articles in your interview presentation.
3) Research the job and be prepared to talk about how your skills fit the job.
4) Review your skills and the information in your resume.
5) Be upbeat and positive about the world, the way you might be on a Friday afternoon.
6) Take with you extra copies of your resume, a typed list of questions, and paper and pen for notes.
7) Bring examples of your work that show your skills and successes.
8) Be factual about the work you did and the work others did to make you a success.
9) In the interview, listen to the questions you are asked and be sure that you understand the question before answering.  If the question is too broad to enable you to give a good answer, ask the interviewing to help you understand better what he or she is trying to learn.
10) Be positive when you talk about your current company, your boss, and your job.  Emphasize that you are looking to make a change to get more of what the company interviewing you has to offer.
11) Write stories of your successes as preparation to discuss how you can contribute to a company’s business.

Outline for an Interview Agenda

Candidates have found that the following outline is effective in getting the job.

In using this type of outline to prepare for an interview, a person will have anticipated and practiced how
to handle many of the questions and contingencies that may arise in a job interview.

  1. Why I am Interested in Working for Your Company
  2. What I Bring to a Company in Your Industry
  3. My Plans for Developing Your Business
  4. Ways that I Will Implement This Plan

WHY I AM INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR YOUR COMPANY

  •        The reputation of the company
  •        The long history of success of the company
  •        The appeal of the industry
  •        The opportunity to work in an environment that enables me to use my skills
  •        The company commitment to respecting and honoring their employees with programs
  •        The opportunity to work in the field of my choice

WHAT I BRING TO A THIS INDUSTRY

  •        Creatively and enthusiastically use the knowledge I gained in college to make the organization
    more successful
  •        Have a range of appropriate skills
  •        Have developed marketing strategies to include customer service, pricing, and product selection

Fifth, Thank You Letter

Your name
Street address
City, State Zip
Phone
Email address

Date

Mr. /Ms. Interviewer
Name of company
Street address, City, State Zip

Dear Mr. /Ms. Interviewer:

Thank the person for meeting with you.

Express your impression of the company.

Express your interest in the job.

Best regards,

Your name

Extra Tools and Tips

  1. Reference material
  2.  Work your network by making a list of every possible contact you have ever made in business and contact these people for ideas and opportunities.
  3. Ask for referrals of every person you contact.
  4. Lay out your goals as specifically as you can, but be aware that the more flexible you are in terms of money, location, and opportunity the more opportunities you will have available to you.
  5. Contingency recruiter or retained recruiter?  In practice, how a recruiter is compensated is not nearly as important as what contacts the recruiter has.  Typically, retained recruiters are conducting searches where the salary is above $750,000 and involve “C” level managers.
  6. Be organized.  Make a list daily of your contacts, what you discussed what action you have taken and what action needs to be taken.
  7. Read the want ads in the local newspaper, national publications, and especially trade journals. Become an expert on what is in the job market.
  8. Before approaching a company directly, research it thoroughly.  How is it structured?  Bottler, distributor, direct, or broker sales?  Public or private?  Do you have a referral to get your foot in the door, etc.?  Who are the key managers for the job you are seeking? To whom do these people report?
  9. Prepare for an interview the same way you would prepare for a major sales call, business review, or planning session where you are the key presenter.
  10. Follow up on contacts you have made.

Career Change Success: The Elements and Actions of Making a Job Change

Career Change Success:  In this article you will find powerful tools that others have found helpful in making an effective career move.

Career Change Success: 5 Essential Elements

  1. Resume
  2. Resume Cover Letter
  3. Interview and Interview Preparation
  4. Thank You Letter
  5. Extra Tools and Tips

You don’t have to do everything for success. But you do have to do the right things. ~ www.jaywren.com

First, a Resume is Basic to a Career Change

Here is what you put into a resume and the order in which you put this information.  If you replace this information with your information, you will have written a resume.

Your name
Street address
City, State Zip
Phone
Email address

Rule 1: Never refer to yourself in the third person in the body of the resume.
Rule 2: Use factual accomplishments and not subjective opinions of yourself.

  • Example of a fact:  exceeded assigned sales goal by 30%
  • Examples of opinion; goal-oriented, creative, tenacious, strategic, honest, loyal:  For a person to
    use adjectives about themselves puts human resource people to sleep

Objective:  This is optional and often redundant.  Your resume has the objective of getting you interviews with an employer who sees a match in your location, your compensation, and your experience and that employer’s needs.  It is conventional to state an objective here but you can probably find a better use for the space.

Employment History (Most recent job first)

Company Name, Location, and Period of Employment (From to)
Most recent title:

  • Use bullet format.
  • List things you have accomplished.
  • Do not waste space on your just giving a job description.
  • List things that showed you made a difference.
  • Include increasing sales, reducing costs, promoting people, saving time, increasing productivity,
    etc.
  • Employers and recruiters search their databases for specific words.
  • List successes with specific industry words or functions.
  • Include the actual name of your product categories, product names, sales accounts, functions (e. g, Profit & Loss, Market Research or Software Names, New Product Development, Market Insights, Innovation), etc.

Next List Previous Titles at this company and again bullets on successes:

  • List your accomplishments.
  • Do not waste space on your just giving a job description.
  • List things that showed you made a difference.
  • Things you have accomplished include increasing sales, reducing costs, promoting people, saving time, increasing productivity, etc.
  • Companies and recruiters search their databases for specific words.
  • Include the actual name of your product categories, product names, sales accounts, functions (e.g., Profit & Loss, Market Research or Software Names, New Product Development, Market Insights, Innovation), etc.

Then include Previous Companies going back in time from most recent.

Education goes next after you have listed the first job you held after college or in your career:  Part-time or vacation jobs held while in school are sometimes not listed except as a bullet to the education experience.

Do not put references or salary information on your resume.

Second, Resume Cover Letter

Suggestions on writing a cover letter

Your Name
Street Address
City, State Zip
Phone Number
Email Address

Date

Name of person receiving your letter
Company Name
Street Address
City, State Zip

Dear First Name:

(If you come recommended by someone, list that person’s name here).  Name of person referred me to you.  I am writing to apply for as position as a (fill in name of position) with your company.  My resume is attached.

In my resume, you will find a record of success in (list competencies)

When may I interview with you?

Best regards,
Your Name

Third, Interview and Interview Preparation

Here is what you can do to have a better interview.

1) Prepare an agenda for the interview, things you want to cover.
2) Research the company.  Find articles on the company and use information from these articles in your interview presentation.
3) Research the job and be prepared to talk about how your skills fit the job.
4) Review your skills and the information in your resume.
5) Be upbeat and positive about the world, the way you might be on a Friday afternoon.
6) Take with you extra copies of your resume, a typed list of questions, and paper and pen for notes.
7) Bring examples of your work that show your skills and successes.
8) Be factual about the work you did and the work others did to make you a success.
9) In the interview, listen to the questions you are asked and be sure that you understand the question before answering.  If the question is too broad to enable you to give a good answer, ask the interviewing to help you understand better what he or she is trying to learn.
10) Be positive when you talk about your current company, your boss, and your job.  Emphasize that you are looking to make a change to get more of what the company interviewing you has to offer.
11) Write stories of your successes as preparation to discuss how you can contribute to a company’s business.

Outline for an Interview Agenda

Candidates have found that the following outline is effective in getting the job.

In using this type of outline to prepare for an interview, a person will have anticipated and practiced how
to handle many of the questions and contingencies that may arise in a job interview.

  1. Why I am Interested in Working for Your Company
  2. What I Bring to a Company in Your Industry
  3. My Plans for Developing Your Business
  4. Ways that I Will Implement This Plan

WHY I AM INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR YOUR COMPANY

  •        The reputation of the company
  •        The long history of success of the company
  •        The appeal of the industry
  •        The opportunity to work in an environment that enables me to use my skills
  •        The company commitment to respecting and honoring their employees with programs
  •        The opportunity to work in the field of my choice

WHAT I BRING TO A THIS INDUSTRY

  •        Creatively and enthusiastically use the knowledge I gained in college to make the organization
    more successful
  •        Have a range of appropriate skills
  •        Have developed marketing strategies to include customer service, pricing, and product selection

Fifth, Thank You Letter

Your name
Street address
City, State Zip
Phone
Email address

Date

Mr. /Ms. Interviewer
Name of company
Street address, City, State Zip

Dear Mr. /Ms. Interviewer:

Thank the person for meeting with you.

Express your impression of the company.

Express your interest in the job.

Best regards,

Your name

Extra Tools and Tips

  1. Reference material
  2.  Work your network by making a list of every possible contact you have ever made in business and contact these people for ideas and opportunities.
  3. Ask for referrals of every person you contact.
  4. Lay out your goals as specifically as you can, but be aware that the more flexible you are in terms of money, location, and opportunity the more opportunities you will have available to you.
  5. Contingency recruiter or retained recruiter?  In practice, how a recruiter is compensated is not nearly as important as what contacts the recruiter has.  Typically, retained recruiters are conducting searches where the salary is above $750,000 and involve “C” level managers.
  6. Be organized.  Make a list daily of your contacts, what you discussed what action you have taken and what action needs to be taken.
  7. Read the want ads in the local newspaper, national publications, and especially trade journals. Become an expert on what is in the job market.
  8. Before approaching a company directly, research it thoroughly.  How is it structured?  Bottler, distributor, direct, or broker sales?  Public or private?  Do you have a referral to get your foot in the door, etc.?  Who are the key managers for the job you are seeking? To whom do these people report?
  9. Prepare for an interview the same way you would prepare for a major sales call, business review, or planning session where you are the key presenter.
  10. Follow up on contacts you have made.

Overqualified? How to Get Interviews that Match Your Skills

Overqualified? Are you frustrated, because hiring companies will not see you for jobs you can do easily?  You are not alone.  Here are the reasons why you are not getting interviews and what you can do about it.

The Risks to Employers of Hiring Overqualified People

Speaking as a recruiter, I can tell you that my clients focus on specific skills  These clients want to hire qualified candidates. However, they avoid overqualified applicants.

Why? Overqualified people are a risk of leaving as soon as they find a job at their skill level.   Vacancies are a burden.  They damage morale and productivity.  Filling vacancies takes time away from other company efforts. Furthermore, staffing fees are costly, especially when searching for highly qualified candidates.

The Risks to You for Interviewing Job Below You Qualifications

Taking a job below your qualifications damages your career.  You risk creating a picture of yourself as backslider.  You raise questions about your ability to continue to grow.  Furthermore, you may raise questions about what happened to push you back in your career.

How to Get Great Interviews with Companies Who Need Your Experience

Case Study:

Bob (not the real name): “How I should format my resume for the greatest success?”

Me: “As a person with advanced degrees and advanced qualifications, you should consider two formats for you resume: A Curriculum Vitae (CV) format or a resume format. Here are two articles that may help.

Bob: ”How should I list my skills in a resume?”

Me: “Be specific. List your qualifications listed in the job description. For example, I once had a search for a company that sold perishable products (products types are different from this example). I had a resume for a general manager who was perfect for the job. His resume showed that he had canned goods experience.  However, his resume did not show is that he also had the required perishable foods experience at the same company.

After I filled the job, I learned that he was qualified for the job.

Bob: “How do I select companies?”

Me: “My recommendation is that you target specific jobs, not just every job opening. Identify roles that match your skills and get to know people who work at places that hire people for those roles.

Professional and Personal Network

Use your current close professional and personal network more frequently than you use a broad network of people on LinkedIn.

When introducing yourself via a referral, first ask for permission to use the person as a reference.

Where you have friends, who want to help you, ask them to forward your resume to a professional at a place where you want to work. Additionally, ask them to copy you on the resume.  Then you follow up directly with the new contact.”

Overqualified: How to Get Interviews that Match Your Skills

Overqualified: Are you frustrated, because hiring companies will not see you for jobs you can do easily?  You are not alone.  Here are the reasons why you are not getting interviews and what you can do about it.

The Risks to Employers of Hiring Overqualified People

Speaking as a recruiter, I can tell you that my clients focus on specific skills.  These clients want to hire qualified candidates. However, they avoid overqualified applicants.

Why? Overqualified people are a risk of leaving as soon as they find a job at their skill level.   Vacancies are a burden.  They damage morale and productivity.  Filling vacancies takes time away from other company efforts. Furthermore, staffing fees are costly, especially when searching for highly qualified candidates.

The Risks to You for Interviewing Job Below You Qualifications

Taking a job below your qualifications damages your career.  You risk creating a picture of yourself as backslider.  You raise questions about your ability to continue to grow.  Furthermore, you may raise questions about what happened to push you back in your career.

How to Get Great Interviews with Companies Who Need Your Experience

Case Study:

Bob (not the real name): “How I should format my resume for the greatest success?”

Me: “As a person with advanced degrees and advanced qualifications, you should consider two formats for you resume: A Curriculum Vitae (CV) format or a resume format. Here are two articles that may help.

Bob:” How should I list my skills in a resume?”

Me: “Be specific. List your qualifications listed in the job description. For example, I once had a search for a company that sold perishable products (products types are different from this example). I had a resume for a general manager who was perfect for the job. His resume showed that he had canned goods experience.  However, his resume did not show is that he also had the required perishable foods experience at the same company.

After I filled the job, I learned that he was qualified for the job.

Bob: “How do I select companies?”

Me: “My recommendation is that you target specific jobs, not just every job opening. Identify roles that match your skills and get to know people who work at places that hire people for those roles.

Professional and Personal Network

Use your current close professional and personal network more frequently than you use a broad network of people on LinkedIn.

When introducing yourself via a referral, first ask for permission to use the person as a reference.

Where you have friends, who want to help you, ask them to forward your resume to a professional at a place where you want to work. Additionally, ask them to copy you on the resume.  Then you follow up directly with the new contact.”

Respect: How to Get It and How to Give It

Respect: How do people gain respect and set the tone to create a winning workplace? Here are four steps I have seen that separate workplace winners from the crowd.

Showing respect is more than doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It about laying the groundwork for a winning workplace. ~ www.jaywren.com

Respond Intelligently to Criticism

When someone criticizes me, I can easily criticize him or her for things that they have done.  This type of response does not lead to solutions.

The best thing I can do is to listen to the person. I can create space and time until I can understand what the person is saying.

The person may have information I need to do a better job.  Even if the person has suggestions that will not help me, I can listen and avoid tension.  I can focus on the situation at hand.

Let Other People Have Their Say

I have two ears and one mouth.  I need to learn from other people.  If I am talking all the time, I will never learn anything from anyone.

Most people talk, because they feel the pressure to say something.  Allowing people to have their say allows them to decompress.

If a person has gone off the subject, I can direct them back to the point of the discussion.

Moreover, Pay Attention to What People Are Saying

When my mind is elsewhere during a conversation, people will notice that I am not paying attention.  I need to wake up and pay attention.  People respect me for the attention I give as much the attention I get.

Show concern for people who are struggling

I once became impatient with a secretary who was hesitant about helping me schedule a flight.  When I pressed her on the matter, she confessed that she had never scheduled a flight.  She had never been on an airplane.  The fact was awkward for her.  She was so bright and capable in so many ways.  I apologized for my impatience.  I explained the simple process to her.  She booked the flights.  A little bit of patience from me helped us both move on to the important things we needed to do that day.

Workplace Winners

In Conclusion, respect creates workplace winners who create  a winning workplace. Don’t focus on what is wrong in other people. Rather, show respect them respect and teach them to respect and learn from each other.

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