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Labor Day: The Start of the Hiring Season

September 2, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Today is Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2013. Historically Labor Day has been a day when laborers have the day off from work. It’s supposed to celebrate the social and economic achievements of American workers. But if you are a job searcher, it is the start of the job search season. Or should I say the last day of the summer job search pause.

Many job searchers have taken the summer off because they think no one hires in the summer. If you are one of the many who continued your job search all summer, take the day off and celebrate your efforts. Tuesday both groups of job searchers will be back to searching for jobs. And the competition will be stiff.

Here are some websites that will get you back to the job search:

The U.S. Department of Labor website, lists resources for the job search. They include:

Job & Training Information

USA Jobs – Jobs in the Federal Government
Career Guide to Industries
Career Tools & Services
Employment Opportunities at the Department of Labor
MySkills MyFuture
MyNextMove
MyNextMove for Vets
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Occupational Outlook Quarterly
One-Stop Career Centers
Senior Community Service Employment Program
Services for Job Seekers

Layoff Resources

Career Tools & Services
Dislocated Workers: Rapid Response
Information for Dislocated Workers
State Dislocated Worker Coordinators
State Unemployment Benefits Offices

PC Magazine posted an article in June about The Best Job Search Websites. It is a slide show of job search websites (Dice, MediaBistro, Monster, Careerbuilder etc.) and has a brief explanation about the site and what you can expect.

The Riley Guide provides information on How to Job Search, how to Explore Career Options, lists of Networking and Support Groups and resources to help you find Counselors, Coaches, and Mentors. You can find lists of Sites with Job Listings and job banks, executive search firms, recruiters and staffing firms for all 50 states.

I think these three sites have enough information for your job search to off to a good start tomorrow.

How can I help you in your job search?

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net: nuttakit

10 Sure Ways to Botch Your Interview and How to Fix Them

August 30, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Interview success takes work.

Your résumé has done its job, someone thinks you’re qualified for the job, now they want to bring you in and see if you are what you say you are. And if you will fit into the group; are you someone they want to be around for 40 hours a week.

Doing the following things at your interview could end your candidacy for the position. I have provided you with ways to fix flaws to keep you in the running.

If you are:

1. Overconfident— come across as a know it all, seen it all, and done it all with no need for improvement indicates that you will be arrogant and won’t fully cooperate with the rest of the team. You will be self-serving.

How to Fix: Show you are open to learning new things from anyone.

2. Unprepared—if you don’t know about the organization, or what they do can either displays a lack of interest or that you do things off the cuff without much thought. You’re not a conscientious worker.

How to Fix: Read every page on the company website and anything you can find about the company.

3. Avoiding answering the questions directly —don’t answer the question directly or ramble on with an ambiguous message indicates that you don’t know what you say you know or haven’t prepared. You aren’t ready to do the job.

How to Fix: Know your résumé, the company, and the role. Answer the question fully but stop when you feel you are going off topic. Practice interview questions that could probably be asked.

4. Nice to only the people you think influence the hiring decision—you are treating the others rudely or in a condescending manner. The hiring manager will be concerned how you will treat co-workers and customers.

How to Fix: Treat everyone as they are the hiring manager. Be kind and respectful to everyone you meet at the company.

5. Too interested in salary, benefits, and perks—reveals that you aren’t in it for the company but only for yourself. You are likely to jump ship when a better offer comes along.

How to Fix: Avoid bringing up anything about compensation during the first interview. If the interviewer brings it up, tell them you are interested in the position, and the money can be discussed later.

6. Desperate—you want to be remembered for what you can do for the company and how you can do it better than anyone else. The I’ll take anything attitude highlights your needs, not the needs of the company.

How to Fix: Be enthusiastic and energetic in the position and the company without being over eager. Show them how you have done this before with stellar results.

7. Not asking questions—they think you don’t care, don’t want the job or aren’t prepared. It will be viewed as only going through the motions of the interview and probably won’t accept the job.

How to Fix: Assemble a list of questions about topics you want to know more about.

8. Late for the interview—indicates either lack of planning or are always late. You have time management issues. Your work won’t be turned in on time.

How to Fix: A few days before the interview, take a dry run to the interview site during the same time of day to see how long it takes. Leave your home a little earlier than the estimated time.

9. Bad mouthing your previous employer—you don’t practice discretion. You could become the office gossip or will do the same when you leave this job.

How to Fix: Refrain from saying anything negative about anyone. Only talk about the positives and/or what lessons you learned from working with them.

10. Dressed inappropriately—shows lack of respect for the position and the interviewer. You are at your best dressed self at the interview. You show your personality through your wardrobe.

How to Fix: Know your industry and the company. If you aren’t sure what’s appropriate, ask the person who set up the interview or someone at the company.

Competition is tough in today’s job market. Many people have the right credentials to do the job. You have the skills and experience now you have to show them your soft skills. You will be spending a significant part of your week with these people and they want it to be a pleasant experience. Show them that you are the perfect fit.

Job Fairs: How useful are they?

August 28, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Are Job Fairs Successful?

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend an outdoor job fair at a local semi-professional ball park. It was a beautiful day. The weather was hot and sunny a beautiful day for a ballgame. But the people I saw didn’t seem to be enjoying themselves. The heat and the frustration of a job search were weighing heavily on their faces. I wondered how successful the attendees were going to be.

I overheard many recruiters from companies say variations of the same phrase to many of the attendees. They said they didn’t take paper résumé, but the job searchers should go to the company websites and submit their résumés there. So why are the searchers asked to bring copies of their resumes?

An interesting mix of people attended. There was the husband and wife team. The wife was dressed in a religious headdress. The husband did all the talking as she didn’t speak English or much English. Is the husband talking for his wife more of an impediment to hiring or her English skills?

Talking about obstacles to hiring, there was a woman pushing her child in a stroller. Her clothes were more appropriate for washing clothes, doing dishes and making beds. What message is she sending to the recruiters?

A group of 4 boys, probably high school graduates, dressed in their finest basketball shorts and tee-shirts. I don’t think they got the memo about proper attire for a job fair. Do recruiters speak to groups or should they have separated and worked the booths alone?

I saw a few mature, gray-haired gentlemen wearing dark suits, white shirts and ties. They carried portfolios. I overheard one of these men talking to a recruiter, he was making his case trying to convince the recruiter he was the one. I felt for these men, they looked hot and tired. How do you come across to the recruiter when you are hot and tired looking? Is it from the heat or from the job search? Does it help if the recruiter is hot also?

People sought out what little shade there was to make notes, to make phone calls and to cool off. Did anyone come away from the event feeling successful? I don’t know. But I’m sure they went home to scurry off thank you notes to the people they met. And drink a cold glass of water.

The faces I saw showed the effects of the heat and frustration. So why did they attend? They attended because any glimmer of hope of a job is better than doing anything else. You never know when the right opportunity will arise. You want to be prepared and ready to take advantage of all the resources available to you.

But how useful are job fairs? It’s anyone’s guess. But from what I saw yesterday, there were people who are going to be successful. Others don’t stand a chance. Any time you have an opportunity to present yourself to recruiters, you should be at your best. No matter how hot it is, dressing professionally and polished will help rather than sabotage your chances. And they way you adapt to the conditions speak volumes about you. Ignore the conditions and give it your all.

How can I help you?

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net: artur84

Preparation is the Key for the New Face of Interviewing

August 21, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

My last post, The New Face of Interviewing, I talked about a new type of interviews that I have just learned about. Pre-recorded, time-shifted and automated interviews are part of the new recruitment. Rather than having the interviewer and candidate communicating in real-time and with one another, the candidate logs on into a program provided by the company and answered the questions while being recorded.

There are pros and cons to the method for both the employer and candidate, but for the employer the pros far outweigh the cons. But just like any other interview the candidate needs to practice and be prepared. I have listed some considerations the candidate needs to be aware of in order to be ace the interview and get hired.

Complete the practice interview session—learn how you look and sound on video; learn and understand the technology, so you are concentrating on the questions and not on the technology.
Look at the recording to see what needs to be adjusted—check the volume level. Look at the lighting, a bright room with soft lighting works best. Don’t use the monitor as a lighting source, instead use a desk lamp and adjust it to get the best resolution. The background should be simple with nothing distracting. Adjust the monitor for glare from your glasses. Your glasses should be cleaned as spots can show up on video. You should have a close up of your head and shoulders.
Look directly into the camera—don’t look all around the room, and make sure you smile and look friendly. Have your webcam located so that you are looking directly at instead of looking down or looking up at it.
Use a quiet area where you can be uninterrupted—keep family and pets out of the area and making noise.
Before you go “live” check all your connections— make sure all the equipment is working and you have a reliable internet connection. If you are using a laptop, keep it plugged into an outlet instead of running on battery power. Turn off alerts on your computer, such as email alerts.
Dress appropriately for an interview—it is an interview so dress as you would for face-to-face interviews. When practicing the session where the outfit you plan to wear. Some colors and patterns don’t look good on video, such as white.
Don’t read your answers directly from your notes—look at the camera as you would an interviewer. Smile and limit the use of your hands.
Have everything you need located conveniently around you where you can get access to them without shuffling papers. Including your questions to ask the interviewer.
Avoid nervous habits—don’t click your pen; tap your pencil, or other annoying activities. The same goes for eating or drinking or chewing gum. If you wouldn’t do it on an interview, don’t do it here. Because you are alone in the room, it’s easy to forget that you are actually being interviewed.
Watch your posture—sit up straight and lean slightly in to look interested and engaged.
Relax and breathe—focus on the value you bring to the employer and not on the technology.

Some of the stress of a face-to-face interview has been removed by a pre-recorded interview. Instead of interviewing at the employer’s office, you are in the comfort and safety of your own home. You don’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic or finding a parking place. You can’t be late; you are doing this interview when it’s convenient for you. You can now concentrate on your answers and your unique value proposition. And getting a message saying: You’re hired!

How can I help you?

Image: freedigitalphotos.net nonicknamephotos

The New Face of Interviewing

August 19, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Your next interviewer could be your computer screen.

There are many interview styles available today. You have face-to-face, phone and Skype interviews. In these three methods, the interviewer and candidate communicate in real time. Yesterday I was introduced to another style of interviewing that is becoming popular.

This alternative interview has different names, automated, time-shifted, and pre-recorded interview. They different from the others in the simple fact they do not occur in real time. Instead of having two (or more) people connecting by either personally or by technology at the same time, the new to me approach the people involved are connecting at different times.

The process is actually quite simple. The interviewer enters questions into a computer program and then sends the candidate the link to the interview. The candidate logs in to the program by a computer connected to a webcam. They read and answer the questions that are recorded. At a later time, the interviewer can get access to the recorded interview.

The advantages of this process for the candidate are:

Save time and travel expenses for a face-to-face at an employer’s location.
Can get access to the interview at a convenient time; when the house is quiet, or the time of the day they are at their best.
Ability to job search without having to take time out of work to interview.

The disadvantages are:

No ability to ask for further clarification of a question.
Limited time to answer each question.
Cannot see the facial expression of the interviewer to get a sense of how things are going.
It’s impersonal and removes the human element from the process.
Must have access to a webcam and a microphone.

The advantages for the employer:

Saves time and money.Allows the interviewer to compare candidates side by side, and to rewind to play again specific answers.
- No need to bring people in to the location.
- No need to tie up human resources, hiring manager and other people in on the interview several times for each position.
Can send video to all interested parties to view at their convenience instead of adjusting schedules.
Works great for a large turn over positions and seasonal help.
Can be tied into the company’s application tracking system.

The only disadvantage for the company seems to be the cost in implementing the system. However, those costs are offset by the savings in interviewing at the company location.

What does this mean for you the job searcher? Just like any other interview you need to prepare and practice. But the difference is you must be familiar and comfortable with the needed technology. It is a practice adopted by more and more companies. And just like any other interview, you should ask questions (you are allowed time after answering the questions) and send a thank you.

In my next post, I will give you things you should do to ace this type of interview.

Image: freedigitalphotos.net nonicknamephotos

Arleen Bradley Career Coaching

Labor Day: The Start of the Hiring Season

10 Sure Ways to Botch Your Interview and How to Fix Them

Job Fairs: How useful are they?

Preparation is the Key for the New Face of Interviewing

The New Face of Interviewing

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