Becoming Scheherazade…
Posted: January 10, 2014 Filed under: Interviewing | Tags: Behavioral Based Interviewing, Interviewing, Job Search 1 CommentYou remember Scheherazade, right? The legendary storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights? Go read Wikipedia.
Anyway, if you haven’t had an interview lately, you may find that the process has changed some. Good interviewers use Behavioral Interviewing and while no longer revolutionary, it’s still state-of-the-art.
The theory is that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. If you ask a candidate how they would handle a certain situation (for example – talking with an angry customer) they’ll tell you what they think you want to hear. But, if you ask them to tell you a story about the last time they handled an angry customer, they are more likely to reveal their true stripes.
As the applicant, you need to be ready to tell the story. Search the web for interview questions then think about them and write out your answer. Practice them until you can tell a story. Include all the color and excitement. Rehearse them out loud so you feel comfortable with the answer. You may not be asked that specific question, but having a back pocket full of stories will build your self-confidence and you’ll be surprised how you can weave one story into many different questions.
Here are some of my favorite questions just to get you started and Google can find you thousands more.
- Tell me about a time when you were a member of a team that had a difficult goal to achieve. What was your role on the team and how did you help influence the success of the group?
- Tell me about a time you had an employee who was not being successful. How did you manage that process and either help the employee become successful or transition out of the organization?
- Tell me about a time when you were in a fast-paced environment and you had multiple and possibly conflicting priorities. How did you prioritize your work? What techniques did you use to keep yourself organized and avoid missing deadlines?
So, be ready when a recruiter says “Tell me about a time when … “ and become Scheherazade.
On Being Overqualified …
Posted: January 5, 2014 Filed under: Job Search | Tags: Job Search, Overqualified, Resume 1 CommentHas anyone ever told you that you were “overqualified”? Have you used that phrase to eliminate a job applicant? What does overqualified really mean?
I see both sides of the “overqualified” debate. The basic premise is that if you have a candidate with significantly more experience than is required by the position that you are recruiting for, that candidate will not be happy in the job and will leave as soon as she finds a job more closely aligned with her experience. Then you are forced to start the recruiting process all over again. While I understand that argument, I’m not sure it is always holds water.
But how does this apply to the job seeker? When you are trying to find a job and you are the one that is overqualified, what do you do?
Well, you could dumb down your resume, scale back your accomplishments and leave off some of your earlier jobs to that your age and/or experience does not jump off the page. You could understate your salary requirements in the hope of negotiating the salary up after they’ve fallen in love with you. But those things aren’t really my style.
First you need to be honest with yourself. Is this a job you really want? Are you willing to take that big of step back in your career progression? Can you afford to live on that salary? If you can’t say yes to these questions don’t apply for the job. You won’t feel good about it and you’ll be wasting everyone’s time.
Next, look hard at the job and the company. I’m a big fan of being ‘open-kimono’ – what you see is what you get. Are there advantages to this smaller job? Will you be able to work fewer hours and get your work/life balance back in balance? Will this job be less stressful and maybe healthier? Does this company offer better or different benefits that may offset some reduction in salary? Are you attracted to the mission/vision of the company – would you feel good working there?
If you can answer yes to these questions, go for it with your kimono open. Tell the hiring manager the truth – that you probably do have more experience than they are looking for – but it is a win-win situation. They will get a worker that does not need as much training and who brings extra skills to the table. You will get a job that answers the questions we just talked about.
If you can all look objectively at the situation and be honest with yourself, being overqualified can be a blessing.
New Year’s Resolutions …
Posted: January 1, 2014 Filed under: Networking | Tags: Job Search, Networking, Resolutions, Resume, Target List Leave a commentHappy New Year!
New Year’s Day is about putting last year behind us and making plans for a new beginning. While it may be a bit corny, New Year’s Day is about making resolutions. If you lost your job in 2013 and you want to start a new one ASAP, here are some resolutions you might consider…
In 2014 I resolve to …
- Make a target list of at least 25 companies that I might like to work for and update it weekly with new information I learn
- Identify and reach out to at least 10 new contacts every week so I can tell them my story and ask if they know anyone I can network with
- Have a human resources professional critique my resume and cover letter for content and appearance
- Write a list of at least 10 accomplishments from my career that I can mix-and-match on my resume based on the job I am applying for
- Identify job clubs in my neighborhood and attend at least two meetings per month
- Ask a friend (or professional) with good typing/page-layout skills to help freshen up my resume and cover letter
- Work as hard at finding a job as I am willing to work at my new job
- Search the Internet for lists of interview questions, then write out my answers to those questions and practice saying those answers out loud
- Keep myself healthy so I can interview more effectively and be a better worker once I land that job
- Stay positive – I will find a job this year that utilizes my skills and helps me to provide for myself and my family
Clearly there is a theme here. Finding a job is hard work – but it is work that is proven to have rewards. The economy is improving. January is traditionally a good hiring month. Let’s work together and get you back to work.
Best wishes for a fantastic 2014!
How long will this take …
Posted: December 26, 2013 Filed under: Networking, Support | Tags: Emotions, Job Search, Networking, Patience Leave a commentI get it. You just lost your job. You have bills to pay. You’re ready to go back to work. The question you ask is “how long will it take to find a new job.” You better be sitting down, because you may not like my answer.
The rule of thumb that I use is that you should be prepared for your job search to take one month for every $10k of salary you want to earn. So, a $30,000 annual salary job could take 3 months and an $80,000 job could take 8 months. I’ve been fired/laid off/RIFed/what-have-you six times. The fastest I’ve ever found a job was 2 weeks (and actually I had some advance notice so it was really about 4 weeks) and the longest was 13 months. That is not completely true because one time after about 4 months I decided to open my own consulting business and stopped looking. After about 2 years that consulting business led me to my next job.
This does not mean it will take that long. Some people are in the right place at the right time. Also, if you already have a strong and well-maintained network, you may be able to speed up the process.
Likewise, this does not mean that it will only take that long. For the 1-month rule to be a rule, it has to be an average. For many of you it will take longer – but hopefully not much longer.
What this means is that you need to be patient and you need to be prepared. If you think you are at risk for losing your job, evaluate your assets. If you have no other source of income and will rely on unemployment and savings, how long will they last? If you don’t have enough money for the rule of thumb it will change your search process. You may be forced to settle for a lower paying job just to get some income flowing. You might have to lower your standards, or look in another geographic area. You just need to be prepared.
If, like me, you have a loving spouse with a good job and you can get by, be patient and work the process. Know that it probably won’t happen overnight, but it won’t happen on its own either. You have to do the work, build the network, and get the system to work for you.
Patience may be a virtue, but when it comes to finding a new job, impatience often is just as important.
Resume Magic Part II – Accomplishments vs. Responsibilities
Posted: December 22, 2013 Filed under: Resumes | Tags: Job Search, Resume, Tips 4 CommentsYou’ve been working on creating the perfect resume. But something seems to be missing. What is it?
For most resumes that I see, what is missing is context. Someone tells me they managed this, or implemented that, but there is nothing to suggest that they managed it well or implemented it successfully. Without the context, their “responsibilities” are empty statements.
A list of accomplishments tells the recruiter what you’ve done and how successful you’ve been. The theory is: what I’ve accomplished for my prior organizations, I can accomplish for you. The good news is that theory often holds up.
Rather than highlight your career and various functions you’ve been responsible for, your resume needs to quantify what you’ve accomplished. Your resume might say “Responsible for managing a staff of 14 with an operating budget of $500,000”, but what it does not say is if you did those things well. If instead it said “Successfully managed a staff of 14 with an operating budget of $500,000 with turnover substantially below the organizational average and expenses within budget” then we’d know a lot more about you.
Showing that you’ve improved operating margins by X percent or reduced expenses by $xxx gives context to your statements. Tell the recruiter how much you increased sales or profits, reduced expenses, expanded market share, etc. That is what will open their eyes, and get you the interview.
Here are a few more resume guidelines to consider:
When emailing your resume, send it in a PDF format rather than in Word (or your word processor’s format). This will ensure that it looks like you want it to, rather than how their word processor formats it. This also avoids problems if you have a newer version or an incompatible software. (There are several free software packages to publish your documents as PDFs.)
While a well formatted resume is great, often times a company wants you to copy and paste your resume into a text box on their website. That typically means that all formatting is stripped away and your once beautiful resume is not very functional. So, keep a .txt version handy. After you’ve “finished” your resume, convert it to plain text and clean up the formatting so that it looks good again. This will ensure that those nasty uploads work well and still look good.
Back in the day when I was starting out we were taught to put a “Career Objective” as the first thing on our resume. We’d craft a bold statement like “To use my education and analytical skills to allow me to grow with a strong and forward looking company.” While that might have been good advice in the early ‘80s (emphasis on might have been) it’s not anymore. Now recruiters want to see a 2-3 sentence (or bullet points) elevator speech that tells them exactly who you are and why they need to read the rest of your resume. Words like proven, experienced, customer-focused, market leader, etc. show energy and drive. Craft your summary so it makes peoples say “wow, tell me more.”
I imagine some of you are shaking your head or rolling your eyes. I’ll admit, some of these suggestions are a lot easier for me to say than they are for you to do, but trust me, they work. If your word processing or editorial skills aren’t up to the task, get some help. Find a friend who can help. If necessary, use a consultant. But if you get help, make sure they give you “your” resume and not “theirs”. Make sure it reflects you, because that’s what you’ve got to sell when you land that interview.
A great resume can open doors. Spend some time on yours and you’ll get more interviews, which will lead to getting the job. Happy Holidays!
Holiday Giving …
Posted: December 18, 2013 Filed under: Networking, Support | Tags: Friends, Gifts, Job Search, Networking, Thankfulness Leave a commentIn about a week many of us will be sitting down with family and friends to celebrate the holidays and exchange gifts. What gift can you give a job seeker? Here are some of the items that have been on my wish lists over the years:
Resume Support – not all job seekers are equally gifted with grammar, writing or word processing skills. If you have those skills offer to help the job seeker with their resume and cover letters. Help with the phrasing, proofreading and layout so the resume presents the job seeker in the best possible light.
Networking – actively work to help the job seeker expand their network. Just because you don’t know anybody that you know is seeking to hire someone with the job seeker’s background, does not mean that you don’t know someone. Introduce the job seeker to the people you know and let the network take care of itself.
Time – job seekers are often unemployed and may need support like day care or transportation so that they can go on networking meetings and interviews. They may need someone to run some errands so they can focus on meeting an application deadline. Give them some of your time, so they can spend their time focused on the job search.
Financial Support – while many won’t want to ask for help, being unemployed can be financially draining. Financial support, no matter how small, can be incredibly uplifting. Offer to pay a phone bill or water bill, buy some groceries, or whatever you can.
Emotional Support – more than anything, job seekers need your emotional support. Most job seekers didn’t plan to be job seekers. They lost their job, and while often that was not their fault, that does not mean that they don’t see the loss of a job as their failure – their inability to provide for their family. Often, they don’t need advice as much as they just need to someone to be there, to listen, to encourage and just be a positive and affirming presence in their life.
Holiday giving isn’t about the dollar value of the gift; it is about the thoughtful act of giving. Give your job seeker a hug, tell them that you believe in them, and you’ll support them during their job search.
Happy holidays!
Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings …
Posted: December 14, 2013 Filed under: Networking | Tags: Emotions, Fired, Job Search Leave a commentAnybody a fan of the movie Big? I love it when Tom Hanks sings this Barbara Streisand song to his mom to prove that he is really her missing little boy.
How does it feel to get fired? Simple – it sucks. It’s like getting punched in the stomach. Even when you know its coming it is an awful feeling. I’ve been blindsided a couple of times. The boss calls you in. You think everything is going great. Then she says, “I’m sorry but we’ve decided to make a change. We’re eliminating your position. Your last day will be …”
You don’t really hear much after that. Your head starts to swim. You feel a little nauseated. Depending on how quickly you move through the stages I wrote about in an earlier post you may get angry. You may try to plead. Your fight or flight instincts kick in and sometimes you just want to get the heck out of there.
You’re probably reading this because you’ve already been fired and know what I’m talking about. If so, then you may be wondering why I’m wasting your time recalling bad memories.
Here’s why. You need to remember what that feels like. I don’t know if you got fired yesterday, last week, or 10 years ago, but look at where you are today. You’re alive. The world continues to revolve, the sun rises and sets. Life goes on, and no matter how bad you felt when that happened, you survived.
It might have been difficult to talk about – maybe it still is. It’s always hard to tell your family – believe me I know that. But you’ll go on. Follow this blog. Read the book (soon I hope). Build a network. There are people who can and will help you.
Now let’s get busy and find you that next job.
On Giving Thanks …
Posted: November 28, 2013 Filed under: Networking | Tags: Friends, Job Search, Networking, Thankfulness Leave a commentOn Thanksgiving afternoon, after too much turkey, potatoes, veggies and pie, it seems a perfect time to write a post about thankfulness. But rather than thanks for all the blessings I’ve been given, I’d like to reflect on those blessings I’ve received from repeated job searches.
I’m thankful for Michael Shirley and Leigh Branham. They were my first job coaches when I went through outplacement after my second reduction in force. Together they taught me, really for the first time, how to write a resume, how to use a target list, and probably most importantly, how to network. My time with these guys plays heavily into I’m Fired?!? and Leigh graciously wrote the Forward.
I’m thankful for all the people I’ve met along the way. Some have become close friends while others I’d rather not speak to again, but all of them helped to shape who I am. I’ve learned to ask for help when I needed and graciously accept it when it’s offered. I’ve learned to be more objective about business decisions and not take personally those that affect me adversely.
I’m thankful for the different bosses that I’ve had. Some have been great coaches, mentors and teachers who have taught me about business and helped me refine my craft. Some have been complete jerks who in their own way taught me valuable lessons of patience and discretion.
I’m thankful for the twists and turns in my career path (at least most of them). I’ve experienced more industries and types of businesses than anyone I know. I think this gives me a great appreciation for diversity and flexibility and limits my ability to say “we’ve always done it this way.”
Most importantly, I’ m thankful for my wife, children and parents. They have supported me and encouraged me time and again as I’ve gone through the job search process. They have never blamed me; never been angry with me, and never doubted that I would find another job. Their constant love and support gave me the encouragement to continue to work the process, even when it seemed like there were no jobs to find.
I encourage you to sit back and reflect on your blessings. Your career may not be heading in the direction you’d planned, but don’t be surprised if there is good news just around the corner. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Sticks and Stones …
Posted: November 26, 2013 Filed under: Job Search | Tags: Canned, Fired, Job Search, Terminated 2 CommentsWho Are You Targeting?
Posted: November 16, 2013 Filed under: Networking | Tags: Job Search, Networking, Target List 3 CommentsI often am asked to network with job seekers. Having been in their shoes six times I usually agree and freely give out advice and contacts as appropriate. Most job seekers are much more adept at the search process than I was when I first went through this it my first time. They have good looking resumes; they know how to network; and they are getting better at being prepared and doing their research. But most still have not prepared one of the most important job search documents.
If you are job seeker you need a target list. This is a list of 20-25 organizations where you think you might want to work. These organizations may not have job openings, but they’re place who might be a fit for you due to their size, industry, location, reputation, what-have-you.
Inevitably, during a networking meeting you ask, “So, do you know anyone that I should talk to?” All too often your host says “No, I can’t think of anyone.” The prepared job seeker then pulls out the Target List and says “Here is a list of organizations that I’d like to know more about. Do you know anyone who works at any of these?” Now the conversation can begin anew.
That list of companies will spark some potential contacts, “Oh, my next door neighbor works for XYZ Company.” You may also hear, “You don’t want to work for that company; they’re a sweat shop.” Whatever the feedback, you’ll have more information that you did at the beginning of the conversation and that’s what networking is all about.
Target Lists should be updated continually, adding new companies and removing those that aren’t the fit you’d hoped they were. Format the list to look like your resume – same headers, fonts, paper, etc. You want this to be a professional looking document that has the same feel as your other search related papers.
So, if your networking is not yielding the success you need, add a Target List into the mix. It is guaranteed to make your networking sessions more productive and speed you on to that next career adventure.
I'm Fired?!? 
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