Debrief After Your Interview – Part 1 of 2
There is rarely, if ever, a time when you will be hired following just one interview. You will typically go through multiple rounds of interviews for any position. Conducting your own formal, written debrief after the interview will give you the information you need to refine and improve your performance for the future.
Consider the following strategies for a comprehensive debrief of your interviews:
Interview preparation:
Were you well prepared for your interview? Did you know enough about the company, the industry, the job, their financial health, and who would be doing the interviewing? Did you read the latest news about the company, and were you aware of their latest successes and largest challenges? Did you develop 5-7 insightful questions to ask?
How well did you manage the interview?
Did you arrive on time, properly dressed, and carrying the right items? Were your body language, energy level and listening skills good? Did your create an engaging conversation? Did you express interest in the job and thank the interviewer for his or her time? Did you “leave behind” the appropriate materials about yourself?
How well did you handle the interviewer’s questions?
Had you anticipated and prepared for the questions? Did any questions surprise you or “trip you up?” Did you answer as many questions as possible using success stories?
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Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times – Part 2 of 2
Career success is still an “inside job”
No matter how bad external circumstances get, your real battle is INTERNAL. You need to pay close attention to how you're thinking! As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.” If you maintain a high level of focus and clarity, it will come through in every phase of your job search and career management efforts. Hiring managers will be able to sense this, and you'll stand out from the crowd.
Unlike your competition, YOU will exude confidence, focus, and “fit” — because you've laser-targeted the kind of job where you can do your best work and deliver maximum value. Conducting a job search and managing your career really is an “inside job” — and you have far more control over your results than you might have thought! So, it's critically important to shift your attention away from today's dire market conditions, and toward your own mindset. You can't control external circumstances, but you CAN control how you deal with them.
Take a good look at your own situation. How are YOU coping with current market pressures? If you're having difficulty staying focused and motivated — if you're feeling discouraged and defeated — you can always get career help. With the proper support and resources, you'll start producing much better results.
Remember that even in this challenging job market, plenty of people just like you are sticking with their career strategies. They're advancing in their careers and, yes, even landing great opportunities. There's no reason why YOU shouldn't be able to move your career forward and enjoy the same success!
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Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times – Part 1 of 2
Work Harder and Smarter for Better Career Results
Let's face it: the job market is bad and the economy is worse. That's why this is the time to push harder than ever in conducting your job search and managing your career. In addition to working harder, you'll need to work smarter as well.
Are you upset that you didn't “ace” your last job interview? Are you feeling like a failure because the job you wanted went to another candidate? When times are tough and things look bleak, it's tempting to just “throw in the towel” and feel sorry for yourself, isn't it? Well, a lot of people are doing exactly that. They're “taking their foot off the gas” and coasting, or wallowing in self-pity and frustration. Many are exhausted, tapped-out and tired of all the rejection.
When your competition has decided to “sit out” the rest of the game, that's the worst time for YOU to quit — because now you can have every employer's attention! There's actually much less “noise” out there for your message to compete against. Push ahead now, and you'll be noticed. Leverage smart career strategies, and you'll quickly see the signs of success.
Stay focused on your goals and “stick to your guns”
When the economy is in bad shape and the job market is frozen, many well-qualified, hard working people start to lower their sights. For them, “any job” becomes preferable to no job. Getting another position (ANY position) as quickly as possible appears to make sense because, as they say, “you can always keep looking” and “it's easier to get a new job when you already have a job.”
But this is flawed thinking — and I've seen it backfire too many times NOT to warn you against it. If you take the first job that comes along, you'll get complacent. Inertia and fear will set in. In the short term, it will certainly feel good to have a job to go to each morning. However, as weeks turn into months and months turn into years, you could find yourself stuck in that job you took “just to pay the bills.” Pretty soon, you may lose your career bearings and with every passing day, the notion of initiating another job transition will become more unpleasant and scary.
What's the solution? When the job market is at its worst, you need to be MORE selective. You need to focus on EXACTLY the kind of work you would LOVE to do. You need to identify precisely the kind of company you want to join. You need to confidently “stick to your guns,” and not "settle." You need to be crystal clear on the ideal work situation for you — and go after it relentlessly. While you may need to make a few minor concessions in a down market, you shouldn't compromise your professional standards in any way.
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Embrace the Salesperson Within and Ace the Job Interview – Part 2 of 2
In a job interview, the candidate (sales person) is selling himself or herself (the service) to the hiring manager (the buyer). In order to be successful in the interview (sales call), the job candidate has to:
- Do up-front research to understand the needs of the buyer, both at the organizational and individual level
- Spend time in the interview getting a deeper understanding of the hiring manager’s specific needs
- Know his or her own unique selling points and “value add proposition”
- Present his or her benefits clearly, and powerfully link those benefits to the hiring manager’s needs
- Handle objections effectively
- Ask for the sale
- Follow through on the sales call
This consultative structure provides excellent direction for interview preparation, interviewing and follow-up. All the pieces are here to make an effective consultative sales call, and win the job (sale).
From the other side of the desk, buyers have a responsibility to be sure they are purchasing the best available service. To accomplish this, they need to know specifically what the service provides (the critical job requirements). Once the hiring manager knows the critical job requirements, her or she can assess the degree to which a candidate’s qualifications, experiences, skills, and education match the critical job requirements. Without a specific outline of requirements, it is very difficult to select the best candidate. Additionally, without detailed requirements, it is difficult for the candidate to make a good, focused sales pitch.
Selling is an integral part of everyday life. Whether we are selling multimillion-dollar deals, selling our ideas to a colleague or boss, or selling a family member or partner on seeing a movie of our choice. Selling is an important skill and it comes in very handy when we are selling ourselves in an interview to a prospective employer. My suggestion is to embrace the sales person within you and “ace the interview!”
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Embrace the Salesperson Within and Ace the Job Interview – Part 1 of 2
When working for one of the big three global outplacement firms, I was trained to avoid referring to an interview as a “sales” call. The company’s belief was that people are intimidated by having to sell or play the part of a sales person, and that thinking of the interview as a sales call would make the interview more stressful. Therefore, we taught our clients that an interview is a unique situation unlike selling, or presenting, or persuading, or convincing, or any of the other activities that make up a sales call.
After several years of additional experience and reflection, however, I can firmly state that an interview IS a sales call – a “consultative” sales call. This is actually good news because a consultative sales call has a well defined and highly researched structure that works. In addition, like any good (healthy) sales situation, the sales person and the buyer have a mutual interest in making sure that the buyer is satisfied with the selection, and that the product or service is appropriate for the situation and performs well. Certainly, both buyer and seller want to avoid the hassle and expense of a “return.”
When most people think about sales, they think of selling a product like a vacuum cleaner, a TV, or a car. This is a “transactional” sale, where most of the focus is on the product’s features. In this type of situation, all sorts of slick sales techniques may be used to “close the sale.” Another type of sale is a “consultative” sale, where the sales person takes time to understand the buyer’s needs and then links the product’s or service’s benefits to the buyer’s criteria. This approach requires a deep understanding of the buyer’s needs and requirements, and how the product or service can contribute to the buyer’s goals.
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20 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market – Part 2 of 2
5. Differentiate yourself. Position yourself as an expert by writing articles, giving presentations, or teaching a class. Get involved in professional organizations, and assume leadership roles there. Do something noteworthy in your community that will garner special recognition and build your positive reputation. Focus on what makes you special, and build your brand within your industry.
6. Use your time off wisely. Pursue professional development by participating in classes, seminars, certifications, and industry conferences. Take advantage of free and low-cost programs to enhance your credentials. Explore more of your world to generate new ideas. Do the important things that you never had time to do when you were working full-time. Enjoy the feeling of still being productive and making a contribution.
7. Pursue a temporary, part-time, or contract position. Volunteer, provide pro bono work, take on a consulting contract, or complete an internship or apprenticeship. This tactic is especially useful for those who wish to pursue a career in a different industry. Keep yourself in the game, so you won’t lose traction in your career growth.
8. Act with speed and urgency. One way for you to get an edge over other candidates is to demonstrate that you’re more serious and more determined than the competition. Show up earlier. Arrive more prepared. Move quickly and efficiently. Make an impression by being more responsive and assertive than the others.
9. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, get plenty of rest. You’ll need to be healthy and vital to maintain the pace of an active job search campaign. Stay in close touch with friends and family. Keep-up with your interests, hobbies, and activities. Follow your normal routines, even as you work hard on getting the job you want. Maintain balance in your life, and don’t let the job search become all-consuming.
10. Be flexible and adaptable. Consider shifting industries and/or being geographically mobile to open-up more career possibilities, even if you would not ordinarily choose these options. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, offer your skills to other industries and lend your experience to different positions. Do whatever you need to do (within reason) to keep your career intact and earn a living. But NEVER lose sight of your career direction and long-term career goals!
11. Improve and enhance all of the documents in your career portfolio. Now is the time to expand your career portfolio far beyond just the resume. You’ll need a one-page professional biography, a collection of powerful accomplishment stories, a series of compelling cover letters, a page of professional references, a list of targeted employers, a 30-second commercial (elevator speech), and other items. Craft a unified package that consistently conveys a highly professional image of yourself.
12. Identify industries that will emerge stronger when the market improves. Research emerging opportunities and niches that will offer career growth, and position yourself to take advantage of these trends. (Healthcare, education, and security are some fields that are expected to continue expanding.) If your field has collapsed, be sure to communicate your transferable strengths and the tangible value you offer, rather than focusing on the trade skills from your old industry. Adapt to the realities of the changing work world, rather than holding onto your old career identity out of fear, resentment, or even nostalgia.
13. Practice interviewing and negotiation skills. In an ideal world, you would have been practicing your interviewing and negotiation skills while you were fully employed, rather than waiting for a career crisis to arise. But now that the employment market is in crisis, it’s that much more important to polish and perfect these skills. Solicit the help of a partner to role-play with you, and switch roles as needed with the questions and answers. Practice with an audio-recording device, and listen to yourself as you continually improve your performance.
14. Be patient, but persistent. When the job market is bad, employers will prolong the hiring process, and your search is bound to take longer than usual. There is not much a candidate can do to rush things, so you’ll need to be patient. However, this does not mean you should sit by the phone waiting for the employer to contact you. You’ll want to pursue two basic strategies: (1) Be persistent, but don’t be a pest, as you follow up consistently on every opportunity; and (2) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, keep moving forward as you explore every appropriate opening you can find. One benefit of pursuing multiple positions is that if you don’t get an offer, or if an employer never gets back to you, you won’t feel crushed.
15. Focus on tangible results and practical solutions. In a healthy job market, candidates can market themselves with their employment history, education, and related assets. But when no one’s hiring, there needs to be a relentless focus on tangible, positive results. The primary question in the employer’s mind will be, “What can you do for me – now?” This means that you should zero in and quickly identify the employer’s most pressing needs and challenges – and then explain exactly how your relevant accomplishments will allow you to successfully address those issues in the short term.
16. Work from a budget. Instead of going into a panic or worrying that you’ll lose everything you’ve worked for, conduct a detailed analysis of your financial situation and develop a family budget. You may discover that you’re in a better financial position than you had thought. While you’re in transition, cut back on expenses and live as frugally as you reasonably can. Examine and update this budget on a weekly basis. This sort of discipline will pay-off by stretching your dollars and providing some peace of mind.
17. Be kind to yourself. Your experience of being out of work or looking for a new job will be determined by how you look at it. You have a choice. You can beat yourself up, feel like a loser, and be riddled with guilt and shame. Or, you can look at your situation in a more positive way. Realize that you are not to blame for the economic meltdown or the high unemployment numbers. You didn’t do anything wrong, and you’re still a highly qualified professional. There is no longer the same stigma there used to be about being unemployed, as almost every family in America will be touched by layoffs and downsizings. Forgive yourself, forgive your ex-employer, and forgive the world. Move on toward a better career future.
18. Pay extra attention to your personal image. First impressions count. Make a deliberate, consistent effort to present yourself in the best light. Ask yourself, “How can I enhance my attributes in the following areas: hair, eyeglasses, makeup, hands, clothes, shoes, accessories, posture, smile?” Now is the ideal time to take stock of your appearance, and make whatever changes you feel could improve your job search results.
19. Watch your attitude. Job search is really an inside game, especially when no one’s hiring. That is, the outcome of your search will have much more to do with how you think about it than with the external circumstances of the job market. Avoid the gloom and doom messages disseminated by the media, and stay away from any negative people in your life who bring you down. Maintain a positive attitude, and never state anything negative or act desperate. Spend some time each day focusing in and recalibrating your internal attitude. Even if you’re out of a job, you probably have many other wonderful things in your life, so remember to be grateful.
20. Be philosophical. Think of the old saying, “Things happen for a reason.” It usually turns out to be true. Look at the big-picture view of your recent change in employment. If you’re like a lot of my clients, after a time you may come to see this transition as a blessing in disguise. Many candidates go on to find jobs that are better than the ones they had before. Others take the opportunity to explore other careers, rediscover their professional passions, and make important decisions. While you certainly didn’t ask to be forced into a job search by the economic crisis, try to find the life lessons and new perspectives in this transition. Commit to yourself that, somehow, you will make this a rewarding and productive experience.
Conducting a successful job search campaign takes energy, discipline, and career support. Despite the pressures you may face in today’s employment market, you must stay focused on your goals and search smart.
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20 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market – Part 1 of 2
Even in a down market, job seekers and employees are not powerless or without recourse. In fact, you have more control over your career circumstances than you might think. I’ve developed 20 specific strategies and tactics that consistently generate powerful results for job seekers, even when it seems that “no one’s hiring.”
1. Network, network, network. Continually increase your level of networking and keep expanding your contact database. Reach out to reestablish and nourish business and personal relationships. Offer to help others, even if they’re not in a position to help you (because what goes around comes around). There is no substitute for connecting with people one-on-one. Stay connected and don’t isolate yourself. Being out of work does not mean you have to be out of touch, so be sure to build and maintain your networking momentum.
2. Seek help. Get career support from a professional. A qualified career coach can better prepare you to land your next position. If career coaching is unaffordable for you, take advantage of the support provided by government programs, nonprofit agencies, job search groups, college/alumni career centers, or faith-based missions for the unemployed and underemployed. If you’re thinking of changing industries, get some career testing. If you’re struggling emotionally, get help from a mental health service provider.
3. Read career books and attend career seminars. Take advantage of learning opportunities to improve your job search and career management skills. Keeping informed of business trends will help you gain greater knowledge of the industries and careers that are poised for future growth. Stay plugged into the market and your field to ensure that you’ll be current, and to maintain your intellectual capital. Apply what you learn, and generate stronger search results.
4. Leverage technology. Utilize web sites and online services to connect with your industry and to build greater visibility. Create a career web site, using tools like VisualCV (www.visualcv.com) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). Reach out through social networking sites, such as Facebook (www.facebook.com), MySpace (www.myspace.com), and Twitter (www.twitter.com). Keep in touch with colleagues consistently via e-mail. In addition to leveraging career portals and job boards, learn how to use online tools like blogs, wikis, and virtual job fairs. Focus on optimizing your online identity.
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How Employers Behave When There Are More Workers Than Jobs – Part 2 of 2
- Employers will tend to curtail promotions, raises, bonuses, and perks, taking the position that “our employees are lucky just to have jobs here.”
- Employers will fill the few positions that do open-up internally, because this is much less expensive than recruiting and hiring candidates from the outside.
- Employers will expect their staff to be more flexible and to make greater sacrifices to keep their jobs, including more relocations, heavier workloads, and greater travel demands.
- Employers will re-deploy talent by transferring employees from one division or department to another, where they can have the most impact.
- Employers will put greater emphasis on recruiting passive candidates (those who already have jobs) as opposed to considering unemployed candidates.
- Employers will reduce their investments in search firms and recruiting technologies, expecting that the best candidates will come to them.
- Employers will tend to focus exclusively on survival and shareholder value, and will stop paying attention to employee morale and staff retention.
- Employers will fill job openings only with candidates whose background and experience precisely match those required by the position.
Of course, there is nothing you can do to control employers’ behavior. But you CAN control your own. Even in a down market, job seekers and employees are NOT powerless or without recourse in dealing with the challenges listed above. In fact, you always have more control over your career circumstances than you might think.
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