Thursday, October 23, 2008
The Truth Behind Job Search Myths
It seems like everyone is an expert when it comes to looking for a job. So it’s no wonder that so many people have misconceptions about how to actually find a great opportunity. From resumes that miss the target to forgetting about the cover letter, the are common mistakes made by job seekers every day just because they don’t know better. Here are six common job search myths and the real story that job seekers need to know.
Myth: If a company likes what they see in my resume, they’ll call me.
Reality: Good jobs are never won by waiting by the phone while the information age has made it extremely easy to send resumes, many people forget that the work involved in a job search does not stop once the “send” button is pushed. Companies receive so many resumes each day, and simply do not have time to respond to every inquiry. Therefore, it is up to the job seeker to make contact. Every resume you send should be followed up with a phone call. In his book, 95 Mistakes Job Seekers Make –and How to Avoid Them (Impact Publications), Richard Fein suggests job seekers make a chart that includes each company’s name, contact person and phone number, and a column for keeping track of action to date and next steps needed. He says you should call one week after sending a resume, and then again a week to 10 days later.
Myth: If it isn’t advertised, it’s not available
Reality: while there are certainly great opportunities to be found in the classified ads and online job postings, many open jobs are never advertised. So while it is important to include want ads and career websites as a part of your job search, this should only be one element of your strategy. In addition, you need to proactively call companies that interest you, as well as network. Call the head of the appropriate department and ask about openings. Request to come in for an interview. Have lunch with contacts and get your name out there. Chances are you’ll find just as many opportunities from cold calls and networking as you will from the help wanted ads.
Myth: A cover letter is just a throw away addition to a resume.
Reality: In almost all circumstances, resumes should be accompanied by a cover letter. This document can be used to your advantage if your letter is well written and specific to the company and position. According to Fein, cover letters can serve five major purposes: Highlighting items that are particularly relevant or impressive in your resume; reframing items to connect them specifically to the company’s needs; adding new material that is relevant to the specific job opportunity; explaining your interest in the specific job; and addressing credibility gap issues that appear in your resume. It’s clear cover letters can do a lot for your job search – make sure you put the time into creating them
Myth: A resume should explain responsibilities at previous jobs.
Reality: A resume needs to give the reader an idea of past positions you have held, but should not read like a page of job descriptions. Instead, you should write your resume like it is an advertisement for yourself. Fein says job seekers need to provide examples of success in their resumes. “Employees are paid not just to do, but to produce,” he says. “Your resume should focus on results.” Instead of just telling the reader about your duties, include facts and figures to demonstrate your success and accomplishments.
Myth: The more resumes I send out, the better.
Reality: while many people take a shotgun approach to job searching, this strategy generally does not end in success. “Your job search needs to be intensive, rather than extensive,” says Fein. This means you should focus your energy on quality contact with companies and opportunities that are truly worthwhile rather than doing mass mailings and nothing else.
Myth: every resume should show a chronological procession of experience
Reality: While chronological resumes are good for those who have been in the workforce for many years, new job seekers should take a different approach, says Fein. “Job seekers with no experience should organize their experience into categories,” he says. For example, if you are looking for a sales job, you would have a category called “Sales experience,” and list facts from a wide range of experience in that category. This will make it easy for the reader to see how your past experience relates to the position available, even when you do not have a long list of jobs.
Myth: If a company likes what they see in my resume, they’ll call me.
Reality: Good jobs are never won by waiting by the phone while the information age has made it extremely easy to send resumes, many people forget that the work involved in a job search does not stop once the “send” button is pushed. Companies receive so many resumes each day, and simply do not have time to respond to every inquiry. Therefore, it is up to the job seeker to make contact. Every resume you send should be followed up with a phone call. In his book, 95 Mistakes Job Seekers Make –and How to Avoid Them (Impact Publications), Richard Fein suggests job seekers make a chart that includes each company’s name, contact person and phone number, and a column for keeping track of action to date and next steps needed. He says you should call one week after sending a resume, and then again a week to 10 days later.
Myth: If it isn’t advertised, it’s not available
Reality: while there are certainly great opportunities to be found in the classified ads and online job postings, many open jobs are never advertised. So while it is important to include want ads and career websites as a part of your job search, this should only be one element of your strategy. In addition, you need to proactively call companies that interest you, as well as network. Call the head of the appropriate department and ask about openings. Request to come in for an interview. Have lunch with contacts and get your name out there. Chances are you’ll find just as many opportunities from cold calls and networking as you will from the help wanted ads.
Myth: A cover letter is just a throw away addition to a resume.
Reality: In almost all circumstances, resumes should be accompanied by a cover letter. This document can be used to your advantage if your letter is well written and specific to the company and position. According to Fein, cover letters can serve five major purposes: Highlighting items that are particularly relevant or impressive in your resume; reframing items to connect them specifically to the company’s needs; adding new material that is relevant to the specific job opportunity; explaining your interest in the specific job; and addressing credibility gap issues that appear in your resume. It’s clear cover letters can do a lot for your job search – make sure you put the time into creating them
Myth: A resume should explain responsibilities at previous jobs.
Reality: A resume needs to give the reader an idea of past positions you have held, but should not read like a page of job descriptions. Instead, you should write your resume like it is an advertisement for yourself. Fein says job seekers need to provide examples of success in their resumes. “Employees are paid not just to do, but to produce,” he says. “Your resume should focus on results.” Instead of just telling the reader about your duties, include facts and figures to demonstrate your success and accomplishments.
Myth: The more resumes I send out, the better.
Reality: while many people take a shotgun approach to job searching, this strategy generally does not end in success. “Your job search needs to be intensive, rather than extensive,” says Fein. This means you should focus your energy on quality contact with companies and opportunities that are truly worthwhile rather than doing mass mailings and nothing else.
Myth: every resume should show a chronological procession of experience
Reality: While chronological resumes are good for those who have been in the workforce for many years, new job seekers should take a different approach, says Fein. “Job seekers with no experience should organize their experience into categories,” he says. For example, if you are looking for a sales job, you would have a category called “Sales experience,” and list facts from a wide range of experience in that category. This will make it easy for the reader to see how your past experience relates to the position available, even when you do not have a long list of jobs.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Be Prepared When Opportunity Calls
Job interviews by Phone Are No Less Formal than Face-to-Face Meetings
Ms. Gikas was interviewing a senior-level manager on the phone when suddenly the job candidate paused. He said he was reading an email, recalls Ms. Gikas, a managing director in New York at Major Public Relations Firm. “It showed me that his conversation with me wasn’t very important,” she explains. He wasn’t invited to interview in person.
Job hunters often mistakenly believe that phone interviews are less formal than face-to-face meetings, recruiters say. Yet they’re a critical first hurdle in landing a job.
For applicants, the goal of a phone interview is to secure an in-person meeting. For recruiters, it’s to narrow their list of prospects. You can increase the odds of passing this initial screening if you follow the advice in these four tips:
Minimize Distractions
Flushing toilets, clamoring dishes, and barking dogs sometimes interrupt phone interviews, recruiters report. If you have scheduled a conversation, plan to be in a quiet place, says Chris Wilkins, manager, strategic staffing at office of Ingersoll Rand Co. If the call was unexpected, it is OK to ask to reschedule, he says.
Avoid using a cell phone, if possible, “You never know when a signal is going to be problematic.” “I’ve had that happen several times with candidates. It was hard to hear them, and calls ended prematurely.”
Sharpen Verbal Skills
Given a phone interview’s lack of eye contact and body language, candidates are evaluated largely by what they say and how they say it, according to recruiters. Interviewers listen for clues indication such qualities as passion for the job, professionalism and whether the person might be a good cultural fit. In may, Ruth Bielobocky, principal of Ion Design LLC, a marketing communications firm in Frederick, Md., rejected a candidate for a senior copywriting job because she wasn’t able to “get a sense of who he was,” she says. “I couldn’t imagine putting him in front of a client to communicate a concept, because you need to have enthusiasm and intonation in your voice to sell.”
“Teen speak” and other unpolished speech habits are a common knockout factor, says Mr. Wilkins. “I’ve had people call me ‘dude’ and ‘brother’ and use words like ‘freakin,’” he says. Other turnoffs are gum chewing, smoking, and eating.
Prepare in Advance
If you’ve scheduled or are anticipating a phone interview, keep notes and your resume at hand, says Amy Segal, director of talent management for Verizon Communications Inc., a New York based Telecommunications Company. “The interviewer is none the wiser,” she notes.
A bit of homework can go a long way. In January, a candidate for a job as vice president of human resources at Ingersoll Rand impressed Mr. Wilkins by mentioning its acquisition of Italian manufacturers CISA Spa. “The press release came out literally the day we spoke,” he says. Mr. Wilkins invited the candidate to interview in person, though the person withdrew because of the job’s location.
Susie Klinck, manager of the site-management team at the Palo Alto, Calif., office of Xerox Corp., says a candidate for a content-manager position at the technology and services company emailed her some work samples, and they reviewed them together on the phone.
The candidate secured an in-person interview. While she didn’t win the job, says Ms. Klinck, “being able to review her work together went a long way in her getting as far as she did.”
Follow Up
After a phone interview, send a thank-you that recaps your best selling points.
Yvonne Gagnon, a part-time communications-management student at Manhattanville College’s School of Graduate & Professional Studies in purchase, N.Y., did just that after a phone interview in July. She had emailed her resume to a recruiter at an executive-search firm and called a few days later to follow up. She was interviewed on the spot for a communications job at a credit-card company. “I didn’t know anything about the position or where her questioning was going,” She says. Afterward, Ms. Gagnon crafted an email summarizing what they had discussed and information that she hadn’t thought to mention.
“I’m really glad I did it, because I ended up getting five [in person] interviews” for that job through the recruiter, she says. While she didn’t get the job, she still makes follow-up emails a practice. “The face-to-face interview won’t happen if you don’t treat a phone interview with the same gravity,” she says.
Ms. Gikas was interviewing a senior-level manager on the phone when suddenly the job candidate paused. He said he was reading an email, recalls Ms. Gikas, a managing director in New York at Major Public Relations Firm. “It showed me that his conversation with me wasn’t very important,” she explains. He wasn’t invited to interview in person.
Job hunters often mistakenly believe that phone interviews are less formal than face-to-face meetings, recruiters say. Yet they’re a critical first hurdle in landing a job.
For applicants, the goal of a phone interview is to secure an in-person meeting. For recruiters, it’s to narrow their list of prospects. You can increase the odds of passing this initial screening if you follow the advice in these four tips:
Minimize Distractions
Flushing toilets, clamoring dishes, and barking dogs sometimes interrupt phone interviews, recruiters report. If you have scheduled a conversation, plan to be in a quiet place, says Chris Wilkins, manager, strategic staffing at office of Ingersoll Rand Co. If the call was unexpected, it is OK to ask to reschedule, he says.
Avoid using a cell phone, if possible, “You never know when a signal is going to be problematic.” “I’ve had that happen several times with candidates. It was hard to hear them, and calls ended prematurely.”
Sharpen Verbal Skills
Given a phone interview’s lack of eye contact and body language, candidates are evaluated largely by what they say and how they say it, according to recruiters. Interviewers listen for clues indication such qualities as passion for the job, professionalism and whether the person might be a good cultural fit. In may, Ruth Bielobocky, principal of Ion Design LLC, a marketing communications firm in Frederick, Md., rejected a candidate for a senior copywriting job because she wasn’t able to “get a sense of who he was,” she says. “I couldn’t imagine putting him in front of a client to communicate a concept, because you need to have enthusiasm and intonation in your voice to sell.”
“Teen speak” and other unpolished speech habits are a common knockout factor, says Mr. Wilkins. “I’ve had people call me ‘dude’ and ‘brother’ and use words like ‘freakin,’” he says. Other turnoffs are gum chewing, smoking, and eating.
Prepare in Advance
If you’ve scheduled or are anticipating a phone interview, keep notes and your resume at hand, says Amy Segal, director of talent management for Verizon Communications Inc., a New York based Telecommunications Company. “The interviewer is none the wiser,” she notes.
A bit of homework can go a long way. In January, a candidate for a job as vice president of human resources at Ingersoll Rand impressed Mr. Wilkins by mentioning its acquisition of Italian manufacturers CISA Spa. “The press release came out literally the day we spoke,” he says. Mr. Wilkins invited the candidate to interview in person, though the person withdrew because of the job’s location.
Susie Klinck, manager of the site-management team at the Palo Alto, Calif., office of Xerox Corp., says a candidate for a content-manager position at the technology and services company emailed her some work samples, and they reviewed them together on the phone.
The candidate secured an in-person interview. While she didn’t win the job, says Ms. Klinck, “being able to review her work together went a long way in her getting as far as she did.”
Follow Up
After a phone interview, send a thank-you that recaps your best selling points.
Yvonne Gagnon, a part-time communications-management student at Manhattanville College’s School of Graduate & Professional Studies in purchase, N.Y., did just that after a phone interview in July. She had emailed her resume to a recruiter at an executive-search firm and called a few days later to follow up. She was interviewed on the spot for a communications job at a credit-card company. “I didn’t know anything about the position or where her questioning was going,” She says. Afterward, Ms. Gagnon crafted an email summarizing what they had discussed and information that she hadn’t thought to mention.
“I’m really glad I did it, because I ended up getting five [in person] interviews” for that job through the recruiter, she says. While she didn’t get the job, she still makes follow-up emails a practice. “The face-to-face interview won’t happen if you don’t treat a phone interview with the same gravity,” she says.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
A Short Course
The Six Most Important Words:
“ I admit I made a mistake”
The Five Most Important Words;
“You did a good job”
The Four Most Important Words:
“What is your opinion?”
The Three Most Important Words:
“ If You Please”
The Two Most Important Words:
“Thank You”
The Least Important Word:
"I"
“ I admit I made a mistake”
The Five Most Important Words;
“You did a good job”
The Four Most Important Words:
“What is your opinion?”
The Three Most Important Words:
“ If You Please”
The Two Most Important Words:
“Thank You”
The Least Important Word:
"I"
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Four Don'ts When Dealing With Corporate Recruiters
What's the first step to getting a job interview? Getting past the recruiter.
Recruiters are usually your first contact with a potential employer. And they often decide whether your resume lands on the hiring manager's desk or in a far-off filing cabinet.
While it's important to know the basics of what recruiters do, you also need to know what they DON'T do. After all, you don't want an inappropriate request to ruin your chances for an interview.
Here are four things you shouldn't ask of a recruiter.
Don't Be Overly Friendly
Sure, recruiters are usually warm, friendly and helpful. After all, it's their job to put you at ease and guide you through the hiring process. But they're professional colleagues, and it's crucial that you never forget it.
Think of the recruiter as a respected coworker and treat them accordingly. Be friendly, but not overly casual or familiar. It's wise to keep personal conversations, jokes and physical contact to a minimum.
After a tough interview with a hiring manager, you may be relived to see a recruiter's smiling face. Don't be tempted to let your guard down though; you're still "on," even if the interview has ended.
A useful rule of thumb: Don't say or do anything in front of a recruiter that you wouldn't say or do in front of your boss (or your mother).
Don't Expect Career Coaching
The recruiter's goal is not to help you get a job. It's to help you navigate the hiring process at one specific company. Recruiters aren't career coaches. It's not appropriate to ask them to help you craft your cover letter, edit your resume or plan your career path. You can ask questions about the company or industry in general, but try to relate your questions to the job you're being considered for. And save your best, most thoughtful questions for the hiring manager -- that's who you need to impress most.
Don't Ask for Insider Information
There's only one job candidate you really need to worry about: You.
Though it may be hard to resist, don't ask about who you're up against for a job. Recruiters generally won't share information about other candidates. And asking for specific details about the competition makes you look insecure in your own skills.
However, questions about the hiring process or the position itself are fair game. Here are a few questions you can feel comfortable asking:
• Are you still interviewing candidates?
• How large is the current pool of candidates?
• How would you describe the ideal candidate for the job?
• Is there anything I can do to make myself a stronger candidate?
The best way to get an edge on the competition? Make yourself a more competitive candidate.
Don't Request Special Treatment
Although you may wish you were, you're probably not the only candidate for the job.
And, while recruiters are often happy to help, their aim is not to be your advocate to the hiring manager. Their aim is to fill a position.
Never ask a recruiter to put in a good word for you with the hiring manager. If they think you're a strong candidate, they'll probably sing your praises anyway.
Also, don't ask them to relay a message to the hiring manager for you. Instead of saying, "Tell So-and-So it was very nice to meet him ...," send a thank you note.
Taking the initiative and speaking for yourself shows the hiring manager that you're capable, confident and conscientious.
Remember, if you treat the recruiter well, chances are they'll treat you the same way.
Recruiters are usually your first contact with a potential employer. And they often decide whether your resume lands on the hiring manager's desk or in a far-off filing cabinet.
While it's important to know the basics of what recruiters do, you also need to know what they DON'T do. After all, you don't want an inappropriate request to ruin your chances for an interview.
Here are four things you shouldn't ask of a recruiter.
Don't Be Overly Friendly
Sure, recruiters are usually warm, friendly and helpful. After all, it's their job to put you at ease and guide you through the hiring process. But they're professional colleagues, and it's crucial that you never forget it.
Think of the recruiter as a respected coworker and treat them accordingly. Be friendly, but not overly casual or familiar. It's wise to keep personal conversations, jokes and physical contact to a minimum.
After a tough interview with a hiring manager, you may be relived to see a recruiter's smiling face. Don't be tempted to let your guard down though; you're still "on," even if the interview has ended.
A useful rule of thumb: Don't say or do anything in front of a recruiter that you wouldn't say or do in front of your boss (or your mother).
Don't Expect Career Coaching
The recruiter's goal is not to help you get a job. It's to help you navigate the hiring process at one specific company. Recruiters aren't career coaches. It's not appropriate to ask them to help you craft your cover letter, edit your resume or plan your career path. You can ask questions about the company or industry in general, but try to relate your questions to the job you're being considered for. And save your best, most thoughtful questions for the hiring manager -- that's who you need to impress most.
Don't Ask for Insider Information
There's only one job candidate you really need to worry about: You.
Though it may be hard to resist, don't ask about who you're up against for a job. Recruiters generally won't share information about other candidates. And asking for specific details about the competition makes you look insecure in your own skills.
However, questions about the hiring process or the position itself are fair game. Here are a few questions you can feel comfortable asking:
• Are you still interviewing candidates?
• How large is the current pool of candidates?
• How would you describe the ideal candidate for the job?
• Is there anything I can do to make myself a stronger candidate?
The best way to get an edge on the competition? Make yourself a more competitive candidate.
Don't Request Special Treatment
Although you may wish you were, you're probably not the only candidate for the job.
And, while recruiters are often happy to help, their aim is not to be your advocate to the hiring manager. Their aim is to fill a position.
Never ask a recruiter to put in a good word for you with the hiring manager. If they think you're a strong candidate, they'll probably sing your praises anyway.
Also, don't ask them to relay a message to the hiring manager for you. Instead of saying, "Tell So-and-So it was very nice to meet him ...," send a thank you note.
Taking the initiative and speaking for yourself shows the hiring manager that you're capable, confident and conscientious.
Remember, if you treat the recruiter well, chances are they'll treat you the same way.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Suffocate Your Fears
By Dr. Robert Schuller
Isolate yourself from those who would tell you, “It can’t be done,” It’ll never work,” “Somebody else tried it and failed,” It’s never been done before.”
Isolate yourself from such destructive, negative forces.
Isolate yourself against the persons who generate depressing, discouraging vibrations.
Suffocate your fears. Deprive them of their life support systems.
Isolate yourself from those who would tell you, “It can’t be done,” It’ll never work,” “Somebody else tried it and failed,” It’s never been done before.”
Isolate yourself from such destructive, negative forces.
Isolate yourself against the persons who generate depressing, discouraging vibrations.
Suffocate your fears. Deprive them of their life support systems.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The harder you work, the luckier you get
By Barry Farber
Luck is created by increasing the frequency of those activities that are most likely to lead to success.
For instance, a salesperson who calls on 10 people will be luckier in terms of finding a viable prospect than will a salesperson who calls on two people. There’s no getting around it: It takes effort to get lucky.
Tiny pieces of luck seep into every small step you take toward your goal. Put all those steps together, and you’re more likely to get that lucky break!
Or, as the writer and educator Shelby Steele once said, “Opportunity follow struggle. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.”
The extra push
The one trait that makes some people more successful than most others is working past the general work ethic, putting more work into their job than the next person.
It’s that extra push that makes the difference, whether it’s finding ways to get new prospects, serving current customers, or working with a vendor. What counts most is the “behind the scenes” effort that your prospects and customers don’t see.
Hard work is never glamorous. Nobody sees it. There are no TV shows that begin with the announcer saying, “Today we’re interviewing the successful salesperson Bob Jones of Acme Corporation.”
Enjoy the benefits
So what caused high achievers to put in the extra effort? Sure, they have pressures and obligations like everyone else, bills they have to pay and goals they want to meet. But that’s not why they do it. They do it because they like to do it and they want to enjoy the benefits that hard work brings.
Luck is created by increasing the frequency of those activities that are most likely to lead to success.
For instance, a salesperson who calls on 10 people will be luckier in terms of finding a viable prospect than will a salesperson who calls on two people. There’s no getting around it: It takes effort to get lucky.
Tiny pieces of luck seep into every small step you take toward your goal. Put all those steps together, and you’re more likely to get that lucky break!
Or, as the writer and educator Shelby Steele once said, “Opportunity follow struggle. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.”
The extra push
The one trait that makes some people more successful than most others is working past the general work ethic, putting more work into their job than the next person.
It’s that extra push that makes the difference, whether it’s finding ways to get new prospects, serving current customers, or working with a vendor. What counts most is the “behind the scenes” effort that your prospects and customers don’t see.
Hard work is never glamorous. Nobody sees it. There are no TV shows that begin with the announcer saying, “Today we’re interviewing the successful salesperson Bob Jones of Acme Corporation.”
Enjoy the benefits
So what caused high achievers to put in the extra effort? Sure, they have pressures and obligations like everyone else, bills they have to pay and goals they want to meet. But that’s not why they do it. They do it because they like to do it and they want to enjoy the benefits that hard work brings.
Friday, June 6, 2008
The Most Memorable People in the World!
Pop quiz (and it doesn’t count if you look up the answers.)
Who were the highest paid CEO’s for the past 3 years?
Who were the last three Heisman trophy winners?
Who were the last three winners of the Miss America pageant?
Who were the last three winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature?
Who were the last three recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize?
Who won the last three Academy Awards for Best Actress? Best Actor?
So, ho did you do? You probably left more than a few answers blank. Well, don’t worry, you are not alone. Few people remember yesterday’s news. And that’s what these folks are. Sure, they’re the best and brightest in their fields, the wealthiest, the most attractive, and the most successful. But sooner or later, the applause dies, the beauty fades, the awards tarnish. And wealth? Well, you really can’t take it with you.
Okay, now try this quiz:
Name three teachers who helped you get through school.
Name three friends who helped you through tough times.
Name three people who’ve taught you valuable lessons.
Name three people who’ve made you feel loved and appreciated.
Name three people whose company you enjoy.
Name three personal heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Bet this one was easier. The people who truly make a difference in our lives are rarely the ones with the biggest names, the most money, or the greatest number of accolades.
They are the ones who care!
Who were the highest paid CEO’s for the past 3 years?
Who were the last three Heisman trophy winners?
Who were the last three winners of the Miss America pageant?
Who were the last three winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Literature?
Who were the last three recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize?
Who won the last three Academy Awards for Best Actress? Best Actor?
So, ho did you do? You probably left more than a few answers blank. Well, don’t worry, you are not alone. Few people remember yesterday’s news. And that’s what these folks are. Sure, they’re the best and brightest in their fields, the wealthiest, the most attractive, and the most successful. But sooner or later, the applause dies, the beauty fades, the awards tarnish. And wealth? Well, you really can’t take it with you.
Okay, now try this quiz:
Name three teachers who helped you get through school.
Name three friends who helped you through tough times.
Name three people who’ve taught you valuable lessons.
Name three people who’ve made you feel loved and appreciated.
Name three people whose company you enjoy.
Name three personal heroes whose stories have inspired you.
Bet this one was easier. The people who truly make a difference in our lives are rarely the ones with the biggest names, the most money, or the greatest number of accolades.
They are the ones who care!
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