ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2007 > June
June 2007
Marketing yourself to employers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of the most common job search mistakes is not having a clear plan for marketing yourself to an employer. We’re all guilty of it. When we need to find a new job, our first thought is to revise our resumes and start applying for jobs on-line.
In a successful job search, you first need to identify the “product” you plan to sell in the market place of potential employers before you even touch your resume. Next you have to understand whether or not your product is marketable. Otherwise, you’ll invest a lot of energy in the application process without getting any results.
Marketable products (candidates) simply make sense to the buyer (employer). For example, an accountant who wants to stay in the same type of job, within the same industry is marketable. This straight-forward product makes sense to the buyer.
Even if you’re making a career change, you can still have a marketable product.
Changing industries but maintaining the same job function results in a marketable product. A good salesperson can sell shoes or computer software equally well. You’re marketing your sales abilities and this makes sense to the employer.
An administrative assistant who has experience in the construction industry, who wants switch to a more interesting or higher paying job function within that same industry has a marketable product. You’re marketing your expertise, your contacts, and your ability to understand industry jargon. Employers can easily see that connection.
Are you a Math major with work experience in the health care and car insurance industries who really wants to work for an advertising agency?
From the employer’s perspective, this is roughly equivalent to seeing a combination toaster/screwdriver/hairdryer on the shelf at the supermarket. There is no clear connection between your credentials and your goals. It’s simply not a product that people are excited about buying.
So, before you polish up that resume, decide on what you’re most interested in changing about your current work situation. Your employer? Your industry? Or your job function? Once you know what kind of product you’re going to be marketing to a potential employer, you can direct your energy toward your goal!
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment |
Unique interviewing techniques
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Part 2 of 2 (the face-to-face interview)
Introduction
A positive, confident and firm handshake is a great way to begin an interview. Be sure you are projecting a strong self image. Be very confident. Demonstrate NO negative body language - no crossed arms in front of you and no checking your watch or the clock on the wall.
Getting to know you
It is important to be engaged in the conversation. Make eye contact. Listen to the questions and answer everything in the most positive light. No negatives at all about previous employers, no matter how comfortable you feel with the interviewer. Common questions: What was your biggest challenge in XYZ role and how did you overcome it? What are your weaknesses? What are your strengths? What would your previous employer say about you? Do you like to work as part of a team or alone? How do you get the best out of people? What questions do you have of us?
You getting to know them
Maybe even take notes. This will allow you to gain enough information about the job and the thank you letter. What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job? Could you describe the company’s management style and the type of employee who fits well with it? How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my efforts? Who will review my performance? How often? Can you describe an ideal employee?
Closing the sale
This is where you leave a great impression. Reiterate your interest in the position and how the company’s culture is just what you are seeking. Re-shake their hand and genuinely thank them for allowing you to better learn about the company and position. You feel it would be a great fit.
Read part 1: Getting through the phone interview.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Are you physically fit to do your job?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some jobs require you to be in great physical condition or you can’t perform the essential functions of the job. Office jobs are not as strenuous as jobs that involve heavy lifting or a lot of physical exertion.
For office work, the majority of the muscles used are in your back and stomach, which help you sit properly, or your hands and arms, which allows you to write type and shuffle papers.
The question I have is, “should you be physically fit in your office job?” This is what we know:
- Obesity is on the rise.
- A few extra pounds can make you feel tired all of the time.
- Weight can restrict your mobility.
- Fat increases the risk for heart disease.
- Extra fat increases the chance for high cholesterol, diabetes and strokes
In order to combat these unhealthy problems, it’s important to improve your lifestyle to reduce there health risks and stress.
Boosting physical activity will:
- Increase the amount of blood flowing to the brain, making you more alert and able to concentrate for longer periods of time.
- Exercising increases endorphins, which make you feel better about yourself.
- Exercise also gives you more energy and helps your body regulate fat intake.
Above all else, it’s more important to be comfortable with your body, as it is. A healthier attitude about yourself can do wonders for your mind, body and soul.
Whether you are gripping a power jack or an ink pen; try to be in the best possible shape for your body type. It will enhance your outlook on your job and most likely make you more productive.
Are you in good shape or is your physique hindering your job performance?
Permalink | Comments (19) | Post your comment |
A picture is worth a thousand words
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For years, the practice of putting a photo of yourself to accompany your resume has been considered passe, if not, downright tacky.
I’ll never forget a story a recruiter told me years ago about a job seeker who had submitted his resume for a pharmaceutical sales job. It wasn’t just that the jobseeker’s employment history as a milkman was unrelated to the medical profession, but that the candidate attached a picture of himself in his milkman uniform. He proudly explained in his cover letter that he felt qualified for the role because he delivered milk to numerous physicians’ houses. Although the candidate’s credentials and cover letter weren’t compelling enough to land him the job, the picture indicated he didn’t know the unspoken ‘rules’ of the job search, subjecting himself to the recruiter’s ridicule. What rules, you may ask?
Although I think the word ‘rules’ may be unfair because there is no governing body to clarify the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ of job seeking, some form of punishment is experienced when you go against popular job search methods. The punishment is usually experienced in the form of rejection, and in the worst cases, can be experienced as humiliation. The reason including photographs became such a ‘no-no’ long ago was likely due to equal opportunity laws.
Human Resource professionals, who are obligated to prove they are not discriminating in their employment practices, became leery of having pictures attached to resumes since an individual’s race, age, or ethic background may be apparent in a picture. The internet, however, has begun reversing these trends. It seems that since YouTube is here to stay, video resumes may become a new ‘rule’ in successful job hunting. With Facebook and Jobster in the midst of launching video resumes on their site, you may be challenged now with the ominous task of writing your resume, as well as producing a video that is going to ‘speak volumes’ about you.
It’s one thing to claim you have ‘superior communication skills’ in your resume and it’s an entirely different challenge to prove it on a video. The bright side of this impending trend is that you can allow your personality to shine through in a video. On the flip side, a poorly produced video, or even worse, one that is produced in poor taste may allow you to humiliate yourself.
My advice is that if you’re going to be an early adopter of this multi-media job search strategy, make sure you produce a video that enhances your image and doesn’t seriously hinder you from getting a job. That means no bathing suits, beer cans, and behavior unbecoming of a future employee!
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment |
Pranksters among us
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Forty hours a week, week in and week out, is far too long to be serious nonstop. It’s difficult not to engage in a little good-spirited teasing or practical-joking when you spend all that time with the same people — some of whom seem to be natural “targets” and some of whom seem to be natural “perpetrators.” And it’s almost impossible if you are surrounded by intelligent people with great senses of humor — and perhaps a bit too much time on their hands every now and then.
Sometimes, creative and/or maniacal genius shines through in practical jokes played on co-workers. Niketa Patel, the moderator of BlogBreak and a colleague of mine, recently e-mailed me a PowerPoint presentation of some purported pranks played when the “victims” were on vacation or out of the office for an extended time. For example, one hapless worker returned to find every item on his or her desk — keyboard, monitor, stapler, the works! — individually wrapped in newspaper. Another witty prankster covered every surface of a work space with aluminum foil. Perhaps the best-known (and most-e-mailed) of these photos is the cubicle filled to the brim with foam packing peanuts. Even if, as cynics may claim, some or all of these are manipulated photos, some “virtual practical-joker” still came up with these beautifully warped ideas.
Admittedly, I am a born target. Co-workers have teased me at every job, and I’ve often been the recipient of some creative and interesting practical jokes. (Take vacation time with caution if you are the frequent “victim”!) One of my favorites occurred last year. I sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair at work, and I returned from vacation to find a few of my little stuffed animals lined up in front of my keyboard — all sitting on small “stress balls” and facing the screen. This little prank didn’t take long to execute or to disassemble (unlike if everything on my desk had been wrapped in tin foil!), but it was funny — and it let me know my boss was thinking of me while I was gone!
Some practical jokes take more planning and require more time and effort. One of my friends worked for an auto-insurance company. When a member of her office group was on vacation, she and a few co-conspirators meticulously moved everything from his desk to a vacant desk nearby. They made sure to arrange everything the same way so that the “new desk” would look exactly like his actual desk had looked when he left it.
What’s the best, most creative practical joke you ever played on a co-worker — or what’s the best one that ever was played on you? Has any workplace practical joke backfired on you or someone else? Does your work group have a sense of humor about these things? How do you know whether someone will be a good sport about a practical joke or whether it’s best to leave well enough alone?
Have good behavioral interview skills?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I would suggest that most companies use behavioral-based interview processes for professional positions. Don’t quote me on that! It is just my best professional opinion.
Behavioral interviewing has proven to be one of the most effective interviewing processes for employers.
In the behavioral interview process, you are given a series of opened ended questions. The interviewer will ask you to specifically describe a situation(s) from your past experience and will be evaluating what your behavior was while handling that particular situation.
Skilled interviewers will ensure that your answers can not be yes or no, and will require you to give some thought to your answer. The assumption is, the best predictor of future performance is based on past behavior.
During this process, you will want to be completely honest and describe the situation and your behavior as accurately as you can. You are not telling the truth, it will show. If there were incidents were you may not have handled the situation properly, admit to it and explain the lesson you learned from it. The last thing you want to do is to place blame because from an employer’s perspective, you will be doing the same thing if hired at their company.
Permalink | |
Dealing with unemployment frustrations
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Occasionally a job seeker will come to me as a last resort. Their situation has brought them to the point of desperation. Usually in this case, this is compounded by their feelings of anger and frustration about their state of unemployment.
They’re talented people with great experience who want to go to work and feel as though they’ve contributed something at the end of the day. But sadly, many of them have waited so late to ask for help, that there may be no quick solutions at this point.
Looking for a job is a highly emotionally charged time that most of us will have to experience at some time or another. The longer the uncertainty of unemployment continues, the deeper into desperation many people sink. Unfortunately, desperation is the worst possible place from which to be conducting a job search. This is of course, the last thing that a person desperate for a job wants to hear.
It is under these circumstances that we make poor decisions. We waste time applying to jobs for which we’re unqualified. We avoid social gatherings because we’re embarrassed about not having a job. We dismiss the value of networking by saying we don’t have time because we need a job today.
If we’re lucky enough to get a job offer, we’re in danger of taking a job that’s a poor fit. If the fit is bad enough, we may end up being let go and finding ourselves in multiple cycles of unemployment. Of course by that time, our resume is a mess. So, that makes it even harder to set things back on the right course.
It’s helpful to think about your career in terms of preventative maintenance, much like taking care of your car. If don’t replace the oil, the engine will clog, stall and eventually break down. It will take a lot more of your resources to fix once it’s already broken than it would have if you’d invested the time and effort early on. It’s the same with your job search.
Preventative career maintenance involves preparing for a career change while you are still happily employed. It means keeping your network current, regularly checking in with your supervisor to make sure that you’re meeting and exceeding goals, staying on top of your computer skills or certifications relevant to your profession. If you have the misfortune to be downsized, take advantage of every resource available to you as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be.
Getting through the phone interview…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A phone interview is a very common first step in the interview process. This is where the HR manager/recruiter/hiring manager further screens candidates after the resume review process. The first thing you want to do is be prepared. Once you make initial contact, they may want to conduct the phone interview at that very moment. So expect it. If you are contacted out of nowhere with no time to prepare, ask the person to allow you to switch to another line. Then regroup, go to a quiet place, get a copy of your resume and go into another room and tackle the interview with confidence.
It is crucial to have your resume in front of you as a reference. It is better if you are looking at what they are looking at - your resume. Have a pen and paper. Most phone interviews are determined by how you handled the call initially, how you are engaged in the conversation and how you respond to the questions. You must maintain professionalism and be sure you are focused on the call, not your surroundings.
Be sure you write down the recruiter’s name (first and last) and ask them to spell it out for you. Also, get his/her e-mail address so you can send any correspondence easily (such as requested references or examples of a project you were involved with). Be positive and focus on what you can offer and what you’ve accomplished throughout your career. Be a good listener. Talking over a recruiter in an interview is not a good idea, be part of the conversation, but do not take over.
Common questions:
- Are you currently employed? If not, why?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why are you looking for a new position?
- What type of work are you looking for?
Now you have a good start to phone interviewing like a champion. Good luck!
Coming soon: Part two - Ace that interview!
Permalink | |
Why didn’t I get the job?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You complete the application and get an interview that you thought went very well. So now you are wondering, why you weren’t called!
Most companies are not going to tell you why you were not selected and for good reason. They are attempting reduce their liability from those who can’t handle the truth.
Employers are not required to divulge the reasons why they did not hire you. As long as they are not discriminating, the employer has the right to choose candidates that they feel will be the best fit for the job. This is a judgment call, based on education, experience, job references and the actual interview.
Many employers rely on testing methods, which can be good and bad. Tests have a certain amount of accuracy, but there can be too much emphasis placed on tests, which can reduce the amount of diversity in an organization. If everyone in an organization is a perfect fit, how do you get different perspectives, debate and critical thought?
My suggestion is, if you really desire to work for this company, continue to be persistent in your pursuit. It may take a couple of years. Otherwise, move on.
How you been left wondering why you didn’t get the job? Or did you get a nasty reality check instead?
Time to exercise an exorcism?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Have you ever worked with someone who was at best irritating and at worst damaging to the company? You know the one, negative attitude, subversive, always stirring the pot, nasty email queen or king, back stabber, gossip, trouble-maker and the list goes on and on. When they leave, how do you cleanse the organization and return to some semblance of a functional workplace?
Sometimes when bad employees leave, they don’t really go far, their legacy lingers and infects new employees. A good example is the departmental supervisor who has run a toxic office and when he/she leaves, they leave emotional wreckage, dysfunctional policies and perhaps a mole who continues to funnel information to and from them.
The first step is to take the pulse of the workplace, listen to employees and find out what damage has been done. Don’t dwell on old hurts or elicit horror stories, just look at the department or group objectively. A group meeting may be helpful, not to criticize or place blame, but to review the mission and goals of the group. Determine what the employees consider to be the characteristics of an ideal workplace. Avoid blame and slander, focus on moving forward.
Consider what can be done to heal damaged relationships. Remember to emphasize the strengths of each employee - it’s hard to care for others (coworkers, customers) if you don’t feel cared for yourself.
Reorganization and redistribution of duties can encourage employee growth and break old patterns. When something looks and feels different, people can move forward.
Consider reuniting the group by supporting a local charity or event to raise money for a charity or a group that helps people with a specific disease. Make it real though, we’ve all seen bad examples of forced conviviality on shows like The Office.
If the damage is too pervasive, consider consultation from outside to reframe the situation and help the group to move forward.
Have you ever survived a toxic boss or coworker and the damage they’ve done? How did your group exorcise the old and proceed forward with the new?
Stop that texting! It’s annoying!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You are making a presentation at a meeting that you spent hours preparing for. As you are presenting, you see several people reaching down under the table to pull out their treo’s, blackberry’s or cell phones and they start sending text messages.
You start to get pissed off. Why? Because it is impossible for them to text message someone and listen attentively to what you are saying. How annoying is that? When do you say something? What do you say?
A better approach for all of us is to ask people at the start of the meeting to turn off their phones completely, however, if you must leave it on vibrate, please respect the time and effort the facilitators have put into the meeting and refrain from sending text messages during the meeting. It sounds crazy that you have to ask, but it may be necessary.
I have found that managers will say, these are critical issues that I have to stay on top of with my employees. My response is, “you must not have trained your people very well if they can not go 90-minutes to two-hours without talking to you”.
For those going on an interview, cut the phone off completely. The message is not that important.
How do you deal with colleagues that are addicted to their wireless devices?
Soak up some sun on the job
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Getting out and taking in some sunshine during the day can give you a boost at work!
Several workers feel compelled to spend their entire day at their desk, which includes their lunch break and additional breaks. Eating at your desk is not very healthy and can be counter productive.
Everyone needs a break. If you work through your lunch hour, or you are having a working lunch, you don’t get any more work done than if you had taken the time away from your desk.
Since the sun and warmth has a positive impact on our attitude, taking a short walk around the building during your lunch hour in the sun may boost your productivity.
Try to venture into a nearby park for a short while. Walk with a friend and talk about things that make you feel good.
If your workplace has an outdoor sitting area, take advantage of this benefit. If you go out to lunch, try to sit outside.
We know that it can get very warm in the ATL and sometimes uncomfortable however, a little fun in the sun is very refreshing!
Just remember to grab some sunscreen!
Permalink | |
