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The Interviewer Said!

February 6th, 2012 by Kira

This post was written by Perry Newman and was originally featured on the Career Rocketeer blog.

In my career, I have written and read thousands of resumes and I will be the first to admit a well-written resume is no guarantee that you will be hired for a new job. However from my own experience and the experiences of many of the people I have worked with I can say with 100% certainty that a well-written resume will increase your apply to interview ratio by at least 25% and improve your chances of impressing the people who interview you.

To highlight for you how a effective a tool a well-written resume can be, I asked a number of people who found a new positions about the feedback they received on the resume we collaborated on, and here are a few responses..

1: The interviewer said “you are a candidate we could not afford to pass on so after I finished reading your resume I picked up the phone ASAP to contact you to schedule an interview.”

2: The interviewer said” the minute I finished reading your resume I knew you were a perfect match for the profile we developed for a new hire.”

3: The interviewer said “after reading your resume I felt I’ve known you for years even though we’ve never met.

4: The interviewer said “based on your resume I know what we can expect from you in the future if we hire you.”

5: The interviewer said “I screened over 100 resumes but yours was one of only a handful that stood out and caught my attention based on its style and content.”

6: The interviewer said “your resume answered all the questions I had about you and raised a few questions I had not considered about your competition.”

The bottom line is if you have a well-written resume you can elicit they same type of responses as well. Not every resume can get interviewers and screeners to react like this; after all you must have the talent and ability to put on paper that will excite people. But I can tell you that a well-written resume will get people to take notice of you and what you have to offer and it will increase your chances of being considered a front runner for a new job.

Perry Newman is a nationally-renowned job transition specialist who develops branded resumes and is a career coach for executives, professionals and MBA’s seeking six- figure positions in multiple industries within the USA. As a Certified Placement Consultant, Certified Social Media Strategist and founder and former Managing Director of a NYC-based executive search firm, Perry has a rare combination of talent and experience that is essential for your success in today’s job market. Acknowledged as a subject matter expert in his field Perry is a sought-after public speaker for radio, TV shows and career services seminars and his articles and blog posts are published in national newspapers, magazines and blogs throughout the nation and the world.

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When You’re Getting Interviewed, But Not Getting Hired

November 21st, 2011 by Kira

With all the applicants that are sending off their resumes to fill open positions, it’s easy to get excited when you get a call back for an interview. So, what happens when you consistently interview, but don’t get offered the job?

Here are a few things to consider if your getting an interview, but not an offer.

  1. Does your resume accurately reflect your accomplishments, skills, and qualifications? If you’ve fluffed your resume, you could inadvertently cause a red-flag during the interview. When most employers or staffing companies do their first round of interviews they are seeking to eliminate people. They are watching for cues that you are being untruthful, incongruences, and signs that you won’t fit within the company culture. The more accurately your resume represents you, the more likely you are to move through to the next round of interviews.
  2. If you are sure your resume accurately reflects your work history and skill set, take a look at where the next stumbling block may occur – the actual interview process. Would you consider yourself to be a good interviewee? Are you able to act natural and be yourself? Do you exhibit the level of professionalism the company is looking for? It’s not uncommon for people to believe they are a good interviewee, when in fact, compared to other candidates they lag behind. Seek out a professional coach or mentor to help identify where your interview skills could be improved.
  3. Do you go for the close? Candidates who don’t inquire about the next step are missing out on a great opportunity to seal the deal.  Always ask what the process is to get hired, don’t be afraid to inquire if there’s anything they are concerned about with you as the candidate of choice – which will give you an opportunity to refute those concerns. Also find out how you should follow up and how soon. Additionally, take the time to send a handwritten thank you note or card through the mail. Email is okay when you know the decision making process is short (it’s Wednesday and they want to decide by Friday), but nothing says you really want the job like proper follow up. Lastly, tell your interviewer that you are definitely interested in the position. If they feel you are possibly on the fence, it’s likely they’ll overlook you as a candidate.

Getting the interview is a great thing, and you should acknowledged that your resume helped you stand out in the stack. But interviewing frequently, without a lot of forward movement just lets you know there are other areas you can improve on for your job search. With a little awareness, attention, and creative thinking you’ll be sure to get an offer soon.

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Consistency, Clarity, and Integrity in Your Job Interview

October 3rd, 2011 by Kira

Have you ever been in an interview and found that the interviewer was asking very similar questions over and over again? The questions may sound different, but in fact, what the person is asking is essentially the same.

This is why consistency, clarity, and integrity are an important part of your job interview. Interviewers are often seeking to understand a personal fully, and to listen to any inconsistencies.

For example, if you said you left an employer for better employment opportunities (very general answer), yet you bring up a conflict with your manager in your interview, you’ll be sure that the interviewer will pick up on this. They will then ask more questions that will come back around to finding the real answer. Interviewers know that people are going to give the best answers they can in an interview, but when asking a question repeatedly it generally makes the interviewee drop their defenses and get to a more honest answer.

Consider this, if you were asked a question and then were repeatedly asked to dig deeper, how would you respond? What happens is that you are given a chance to really think about your answer as you reflect on the reasons behind your actions. This is where consistency, clarity and integrity come into play.

It’s actually a great topic to think about prior to your interview. You can ask yourself questions such as:

  • What do I stand for?
  • What are my values?
  • What’s really important to me?

Then, when you start your interview you can have a clear direction and focus for your answers. As the person digs deeper, they shouldn’t get a different answer because your first answer will be in alignment with your integrity.

What do you think? Have you been in a situation like this before?

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Applying Patience to Your Job Search

September 26th, 2011 by Kira

If only the job search happened instantaneously… Unfortunately, not all jobs are filled quickly, nor do applicants find a job in a short amount of time. Some employers take their time hiring, others are so short staffed that even hiring the help they need is too much work. That’s why it’s critical to apply patience to your job search.

The average person spends about 20 hours per week when actively searching for a new job (according to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire).  It can become a time consuming task in itself.  And while patience is essential, there are a few things that you can do to be proactive in your job search.

  • Keep your resume updated and individualized for the different types of jobs you are applying for.
  • Let your contacts and network know that you are actively seeking new employment.
  • Ensure your social media profiles are up to date and accurate.
  • Target specific companies, even when they are not advertising a new/open position.
  • Study the companies where you’d like to work.
  • Learn a new skill or trait, take a course, or invest in your education.
  • Use a variety of methods in finding openings (online, career fairs, recruiters).
  • Be prepared for the phone call. Have your interview suit ready to go.
  • Practice interview questions, know your answers before your appointment.
  • Look for back-door opportunities to meet executives and potential employers.

While some job searches and transitions can take as little as a few weeks, most individuals who are unemployed or who are actively searching, spend between 3-6 months in the job market. Be patient with your results.

If you aren’t getting any calls back, be sure that you are only applying to jobs that you are qualified for, or at least meet 90% of the requirements.  When you apply to jobs beyond your qualifications you are likely setting yourself up for disappointment. If you are qualified for the jobs you are applying to, but not getting calls back, check with a resume writer or career coach/mentor to see how your resume can be improved.

What are some other tips you have for being patient in your job search?

Best of luck in your job hunt!

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5 Things to do Before a Job Loss to Help you Prepare and Survive Financially.

August 22nd, 2011 by Kira

This was written by Ellen Dorle, a contributor to Forbes.

Part One of a Survivor’s Guide to your own Personal Black Swan Moment

Thoughtful investing includes your most important hard asset: YOU. Investing in you and your “brand” is essential to increasing your value to current and future employers. Take a moment to review this check list and see how many you can mark off as active personal “investments.”

1. Find sources of income and cash.

  • If you have enough equity in your home, apply for a line of credit. If you already have one, see if you can increase it.
  • Take a good look at the offers you get from credit card companies. Some are better than others and you may need to use them as a way to borrow money. The ones that offer a low interest rate until you pay it off give you more time to pay back with a low interest rate. If you go this way, be disciplined about making your monthly payments or the interest rate may increase. Stay away from the limited low rate teaser rates. For now, just keep a file on the offers.
  • Contribute to your 401K so that you receive the full match. If you are contributing more than that, consider adding that money to your short term savings.
  • Is there a family member you can ask for a loan? This may be a tough one but it may be your best source.

2. Learn everything you can about your current employee benefits.

  • This includes all of your insurance: life, health and disability. Can you take them with you? What is the cost?
  • How does your pension work, and are you vested?
  • What are your options with your 401K plan?
  • If you have a loan on your 401K determine what happens to this if and when you leave.
  • If you need prescriptions filled, do it before you start COBRA.
  • Find out if your current employer has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This may allow you to see a psychologist for a set number of appointments to discuss your job situation. As long as you are an employee when you start, you may be able to complete the set of appointments even if the job ends before your sessions are complete.

3. Research the insurance part of your employee benefits.

  • Shop around to see what kind of health and life insurance you can afford.
  • Review your health history with your financial advisor and factor this in to the cost and underwriting process.

4. Stop spending and pay off as much credit as you can. Include the family in your plans.

  • Explain the belt tightening to your family, especially children. Have a family plan to get through this. If you have made any financial commitments, (college, wedding, etc) explain and discuss why this may need to change.
  • Discuss relocation.
  • Stock up on non-perishable household items so you can limit your trips to stores if you do lose your job.

5. Network and Get your resume ready.

  • Meet with anyone and everyone you know inside the company to expand your opportunities to stay with the company.
  • Get your 30 second elevator speech prepared and give it to anyone that will listen.
  • Be pro-active.
  • Start networking now.
  • Start applying for jobs now.
  • Understand your employer’s view of social networking sites, and limit what you share if it might impact your current employment in a negative way. Some employers view LinkedIn activity as a red flag that you are networking for a new job outside the company. Some want you to let people know you are working there so your activity may involve recruiting a new employee.

I invite you to share your best tips on these subjects. If you’ve lost a job, what do you wish  you had done while you were still working? You just might inspire someone to take action in a new direction. If you prefer, I can be reached at edorle@ellendorle.com

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Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions

June 20th, 2011 by Kira

Interview questionsMany interviews consist of the same questions. You’ll find that most employers use these serious of questions, not because they aren’t creative enough to think of new ones, but simply because they work – and they tell a lot about the candidate. The good thing for you, the interviewee, is that you can practice, rehearse, and have a good sense of what you will say when one of these questions is asked.

Here are some of the most frequently asked interview questions:

Tell me about yourself.

This is an opportunity to make your lasting first impression. Be sure to practice what to say here, and be able to sum up your skills, history, and experience in 2-3 minutes. You want to showcase your value right up front, keep to relevant information, and pique the interest of your interviewer.

Why did you leave your last job?

Always remember to evaluate your answers as if you were on the receiving end. What type of reasons would you want to hire someone from another company? If you heard about an argument with a co-workers or a disagreement – would that raise a red flag? Now what if you heard about downsizing or changing for a different career opportunity?

What are your strengths/weaknesses?

When asked about your strengths, here is another chance for you to shine. Think about what isn’t easily conveyed in your resume and cover letter and what adds to qualifying you for this position. As for your weaknesses, it’s okay to have a weakness, but if it doesn’t effect your ability to complete the job – even better!

Why do you want this job?

Share why you are a good fit for this job, and how your skills and experience match their requirements. If you like the company, product or service, be sure to mention that as well.

What are your career goals/where do you see yourself in five years?

Companies would like to know where you really see yourself – do you want to be in leadership, management, or another position? Be sure to think about longevity and loyalty with the company and avoid answers that would appear as if you had no plans on staying with the company for 5 years.

What are your salary requirements?

Hold off on answering this question for as long as possible.  This is something to address at a later time when you are closer to getting the job offer.

Do you have any questions for me?

Make sure you’ve always done your research on the company, product and/or service. The more you know about the company, the more it shows your potential employer that you are interested, you care, and you are willing to do your homework.

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7 Ways to Make Your Resume Stand Out

May 23rd, 2011 by Kira

Resume standards change over the years, and as candidates go in and out of the job pool they often lose touch with what’s relevant in an updated resume. Here are seven tips you can utilize to make your resume stand out.

#1 Drop the objective statement.

Objective statements are now considered outdated pieces of information. A resume should be targeted to one position and therefore eliminates the need for an objective. Instead – replace your objective statement with a qualifications summary.

#2 Formatting

Resumes can now be more creative than in the past. Your format doesn’t need to stick with one column, nor do you need to worry about keeping all of your information on one page. Use creative formatting to help emphasis important information, and highlight what you want your reader to notice.

#3 Share your expertise

Employers and recruiters want to be able to quickly identify whether or not you match the position’s requirements – using a separate box or highlighted area to identify your key areas of expertise will help those attributes stand out on the page.

#4 Use recommendations

Do you have a few good recommendations from your current or previous employers? If so – use them on the resume itself. It’s best to use recommendations from past managers instead of co-workers.

#5 Share accomplishments

Instead of simply rehashing the duties of your old positions, be sure to state what you achieved during your employment there. Companies want to know how you cut costs, increased revenue, or increased productivity. It may take some thought to come up with these for your old positions, but it will pay off in the end.

#6 Use hyperlinks

The majority of resumes are read online; take advantage of this by linking your resume to your LinkedIn profile, past employers, and any other relevant information. Use this sparingly and where it makes sense, however, don’t clutter your resume with links that don’t matter.

#7 Add a splash of color

Again, because many resumes are read online using color can make your resume stand out instantly. Don’t go overboard with color. Make sure the color and style you use fit with the job you are applying for. For example, a graphic designer may use more color in a resume over an executive who would use more basic tones and shades.

What trends have you seen in today’s resume?

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How Attractive is Your Company Culture?

May 16th, 2011 by Kira

Today’s job seekers are interested in more than just the bottom line salary, benefits, and job titles – today’s candidates want to work for a company with an enjoyable company culture that they can be proud of.

When candidates seek out new employment opportunities they often want to know – before they are even hired – What’s the job really like, and what is the day-to-day energy of the company and the employees?

(HR Tip: You might want to do a web search on your company name + employee reviews. You can find online reviews of past employees and what they’ve think of your company and the culture. This would also give you an opportunity to write a response back and address any misinformation if required.)

Some questions to consider in the evaluation of your company culture include:

  • How well do employee’s work together?
  • How do employee’s and management communicate?
  • How does the company deal with new ideas and suggestions?
  • Have you recently undergone layoffs – how were these handled?
  • What does the company value?
  • What do the people in the company value?
  • How does the company cultivate culture?
  • How is conflict handled?
  • What is your turnover?

Company culture can be changed and improved, but it starts with awareness about the current state of the cultural dynamics.

Today’s candidates want companies that care about their people, foster opportunities, and offer a positive and balanced work environment. So, if you’d like candidates to clamor over your next open position place attention on your company culture and seek to improve it in all areas and functions.

What’s important to you in your company culture?

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How to Ask for a Recommendation

May 9th, 2011 by Kira

Recommendations of your work history, skills, and abilities are a great way to showcase your value to both your current employer and future employers.

Here are a few tips for asking for recommendations.

First, let’s take a look at who should write a recommendation for you.

  1. Your manager is the first place you’ll want to look for a strong recommendation. A manager’s recommendation will tell how you handled the job, and where you excelled in a position.
  2. Next, a client can offer their experience in working with you directly. This will show how you interact with individuals and the relationships you were able to build with them.
  3. Lastly, colleagues and co-workers. While these recommendations tend to carry the least amount of weight, if you can get honest reviews about your ability to lead your co-workers, or how you work well within a team, or to highlight certain skills and aspects of your career – they could also be beneficial.
  4. Others. There could be other individuals whom a recommendation would carry weight for you, such as a professor, a board member from the non-profit from where you do volunteer work, or some other contact that can attest to your skills and abilities.

Let’s now look at how to ask for a recommendation. Currently, LinkedIn provides an excellent platform for asking for recommendations. Once you are connected to a person, you can simply request a recommendation from that connection. Here’s what you need to know.

  1. The sooner you ask for a recommendation, the better. Don’t wait. If you just changed jobs, go back to that previous employer now and get them to write a few words about you while you are still fresh in their minds.
  2. Be willing to reciprocate. If you ask for a recommendation, be willing to write one right back.
  3. Consistently seek out those who value your work, and stay in touch with them. When the time is right, send an invitation to write a recommendation. It’s okay if you give the person more details about what you are looking for, such as – “I’m seeking recommendations that highlight my ability to (manage others, close sales, etc.).”
  4. Say thank you! Don’t let their kindness go unnoticed, if you can’t write a recommendation back for them see if there is anything else that you can do for that person.

Recommendations are a great way to build your career portfolio, whether you use them solely on LinkedIn, or add them into your resume; a few good words about your ability can go a long way.

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Getting the Support You Need to Get That Dream Job!

March 21st, 2011 by Kira

You’ve been searching the online job boards, scouring the internet, and sending your resume off into the abyss on a regular basis, but nothing seems to be happening. Here are a few tips to getting that dream job by utilizing the support in your own backyard.

1. Reach out to friends and family. Friends and family offer a great opportunity in expanding your network and making a critical introduction that could ultimately lead to a new career.

2. Past colleagues, co-workers, and employers. If you’ve moved on from a company, but left on good terms, utilizing your past network can prove to be a wealth of job connections. Some of your past colleagues may have moved on to other companies as well, and if you stayed in contact and maintained your connections, reaching out and letting them know you are in the market for a new job can be a pretty easy phone call, potentially worth millions.

3. Your social networks. Don’t forget to enroll the use of your social networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other sites. These contacts could also provide a great opportunity to expand your reach with employers and make a critical introduction to helping you land that next dream job.

4. Hire a coach or find a mentor. Utilizing a coach or mentor can help you become more strategic in your job search approach. Sometimes it just takes an outside perspective to help you find creative ways to find that perfect job.

5. Find a recruiter. Recruiters are often sources of information, and get knowledge to new jobs and positions before they are even listed to the public. Making quality connections with recruiters in your industry can help you land that job, before others even know about it.

Above all, think outside of the box when searching for your new dream job or before making a career move. There are plenty of people and resources out there who are willing to help, all you have to do is ask.

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