Nowadays, everyone has some kind of computer skills they can bring to the table when applying for a new job. So, does that mean you should still list your own skills on your resume? The answer to that question is, yes, absolutely. Everyone has experience in both hardware and software. Depending on the kind of job you’re applying for, you may not necessarily need to list the hardware you’re familiar with. The kind of computer software you’re familiar with, however, may make or break your chances of getting that job. Some software, like Microsoft Office – and, in particular, Microsoft Word – you can usually leave off your resume because an employer assumes you already have a basic understanding of Microsoft Word by now. Here, instead, are the most important computer skills you should absolutely list on your resume. Operating Systems You should list on your resume the operating system(s) with which you’re more familiar. The reason for this is because some jobs require Mac knowledge, while others use strictly PCs. If you have more experience with a PC, for example, you may find it difficult to navigate a Mac. This would require the employer to put extra time into training you if they ultimately feel you are the right candidate for the job. Therefore, it is important to be up front about the operating system with which you are most familiar. Google Drive Today, many businesses prefer operating in Google Drive, rather than Microsoft Office, when it comes to things like documents and spreadsheets. There are just so many more benefits to using Google Drive, like the ability to save your work in real time without doing anything at all, or sharing a document with multiple users, who can also edit it. However, simply listing “Google Drive” on your resume isn’t specific enough. You want to go into detail about what exactly it is you know how to do in Google Drive. For instance, you can list “Google Drive” as a main heading, and then, as subheadings, you can list the aspects with which you are most familiar, such as:
Google Docs Google Sheets Google Forms Google Slides
You can also use this nesting format for other software skills on your resume. For instance, if you chose to list Microsoft Office on your resume, you could do something like this:
Microsoft Office
Word Excel Power Point
This list is not only more pleasing to the eye and quicker to skim, but it also tells the employer exactly where your skills lie. Social Media Social media definitely falls into the category of “Most Important Computer Skills to List on a Resume.” Businesses everywhere use social media, and while they may vary up which channels in particular they frequent, they have come to understand that social media means everything when you’re in business. It’s the fastest way to spread the word about new products and services, as well as provide a sounding board for one’s customers and clients – and maybe attract new ones in the process. So, how do you tell a prospective employer that you’ve got what it takes to give their company the social media platform they deserve? Well, in addition to listing the specific channels with which you have the most experience (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), you can also talk about the achievements that social media has brought you. For instance, at your last company, did you regularly monitor the company’s post engagements on Twitter? Did you scour Google Analytics to discover what worked about the company’s social media advertising campaigns, and what didn’t? Were you able to determine the company’s reach, and how best to expand it? These are all skills you can – and should – highlight in the computer skills section of your resume. Listing Computer Skills on Your Resume Something very important to note about listing your computer skills on your resume is that you should not dedicate one section in particular to these skills. Instead, you should incorporate your computer skills throughout your resume to show how they have benefitted you throughout your career. Ideally, you want these skills to be most concentrated in three areas in particular:
Your professional summary or objective statement Your main skills section Your experience
Of course, don’t try to shoehorn your experience into areas where it feels forced. Instead, find those areas that would benefit from your inserting a skill naturally here and there, and you will ultimately create a more well-rounded resume.
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An objective statement is the first bit of information a hiring manager sees on your resume. Within it is your well-defined career objective, along with a super-short blurb about why you’re the perfect person for the job to which you are applying. This is why your objective statement should be as impressive as the skills and experience that follow it. When to Use an Objective Statement Some say that objective statements are becoming outdated. However, while your particular situation may not call for an objective statement, it is always a good idea to have one on your resume anyway. In the following circumstances, however, an objective statement may mean the difference between getting or being passed up for a job:
If you are a recent graduate who is entering the workforce for the first time If you are considering relocating, else your out-of-town address may confuse the hiring manager and he or she will disqualify you If you are changing industries, to help explain why you are making the change
Here are some tips insofar as what to do, and not to do, when crafting your objective statement to help you stand out from the crowd. Be Concise An objective statement is an appetizer of sorts, designed to “wow” the HR department enough to convince them to conduct an introductory interview with you, typically over the phone. During your interview you can talk more about your skills and experience, but you don’t want to go overboard here either. One of the reasons people dismiss objective statements is because they tend to be narcissistic. Many applicants ramble on about themselves and their accomplishments, rather than highlight how hiring them can benefit the company. This is why remaining concise throughout the entirety of the interview process, from start to finish, is crucial to improving your chances of getting the job. Here’s a good example of a concise objective statement that gives the hiring manager just enough information without becoming overly wordy: “Ambitious and experienced technical support professional with proven success managing the help desk for an international corporation. Seeking an opportunity to use my five years experience to serve a nonprofit organization.” Do Not Use the Same Objective Statement Every Time Do not use a vague “one size fits all” statement to sum up your past career and future career goals. The entire point of the objective statement is to tell the employer why you are the perfect choice for that particular job. What is it about that job that enticed you to apply? Why do you think you, above all other candidates, would be a perfect fit? Plus, this also serves a dual purpose as well. When the hiring manager inevitably asks you, “So, why did you decide to apply to ABC Company?”, you can use your objective statement to jog your memory if you’ve applied to so many jobs this week that you honestly can’t remember why you applied to that specific job. Here’s a good example of an objective statement that, while somewhat cookie-cutter insofar as relocation, can be more specifically tailored to a particular position: “Current accountant with more than fifteen years experience in the field of finance seeking a tax advisor position when I relocate to Boston in May. I am excited to apply my tax knowledge and related skills and grow my experience as part of your established institution. Remain Relevant Make sure that the career goals you note in your objective statement match those that the company can actually fulfill. Many applicants talk about how the job they’re applying for now can help them land their dream job in the future. This speaks more to the company about what you want, rather than how hiring you could benefit them as a company. Consider the following example. You’re a high school graduate, and it is your first-time ever applying for a job as a cashier at a local retail store. Do not simply put in your objective statement that you would like the job because it would give you the experience to one day become a store manager. Focus more on the give-and-take, on how you can grow within the company and what you can do for the company by growing within it. Here’s a good example of how you might want your objective statement to sound in this situation: “I am a highly driven team player and aspiring store manager with proven analytical skills seeking to grow my knowledge of the retail industry by using my communication skills as a retail associate for your department store.” List Degrees, Certifications, or Licenses You May Have A quick blurb in your objective statement regarding the certificates you have acquired over the years (and which are relevant to the position to which you’re applying) is an impressive start to your resume. An objective statement should be an outline of sorts. It tells the reader, “if you think that’s good, keep reading!” Putting your licenses, degrees, and certifications right in your objective statement gives the reader a clearer picture of what you can bring to the table.
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Have you extensive experience in the field of customer service? This is an invaluable resource, as it tells an employer that you have kept your cool in situations where customers were less than happy, and when it might otherwise be difficult to remain calm. You should therefore be sure to highlight your customer service skills on your resume so that a prospective employer can find them easily. Even if you are not applying for another customer service job, you still want to put these skills on display to show the employer exactly what you are capable of. Here are 6 tips to help you better highlight your customer service skills on your resume. 1: Use Your “Skills” Section Wisely Almost all resume templates employ a “skills” section. This is your time to shine! You should put both hard skills and soft skills on your resume. Soft customer service skills you can highlight include your effectiveness and efficiency when it comes to problem-solving. In your hard customer service skills section you can include typing, including your words per minute, as well as the software you used (proprietary or otherwise) to help you do your job effectively. Bottom line: never make a “one-size-fits-all” resume, and then send it off to every Tom, Dick and Harry with whom you want to work. Tailor your resume to each job you apply to. Yes, this takes more time and effort, but it shows the hiring manager that you truly thought about the position you’re applying for, rather than applying at random to anything with an “Apply Now” button. 2: Be Concise No matter the type of job you’re applying for, remaining concise on your resume is always preferable to letting yourself get too wordy. Don’t include a list of every little task you did at your last job, even if you’re trying to make your resume more dense. Mention only those details that are relevant to the type of job you’re applying for, and try to group similar skills under one bullet point. Many applicants find their resume goes into a second page, so they beef up the word count in an effort to make it longer. In reality, you don’t want to go onto a second page unless you have a wealth of skills and experience that justify it. 3: Make It Your Own Using a resume template you find online is fine as a guide. But do not simply copy the structure of a resume template and replace the template’s information with your own. Remember, any resume you find online can be found just as easily by a prospective employer with an internet connection. Further, when a hiring manager sees hundreds of the same style of resumes coming in on a weekly basis, it’s not difficult to see which applicants are not putting the time and effort into making their resumes truly unique. Stand out from the crowd, show you care, and make your resume your own, and you will show the hiring manager that you are willing to do what it takes to earn that job you’re eyeing. (This also hints at the dedication you’ll bring to the role, too.) 4: Use Keywords Keywords are important because for those companies who use software to evaluate resumes automatically, the software will select the resume that uses the right keywords and dump the rest. Do some research insofar as a list of the customer service skills that exist, and incorporate only those relevant to your personal experience in your resume. You can use keywords to describe everything from your skills to your credentials. Try to incorporate as many as possible without getting too wordy. The goal is to catch the hiring manager’s eye – not drown them in details. 5: Keep the Focus on Your Results Many applicants explain on their resumes what they did in a position, rather than on what they accomplished or learned during their time with that particular company. For example, an applicant may put that he or she “provided technical support for [company’s product] to approximately 150 customers each week.” A better sentence would be something like “achieved the company’s target of 95% customer satisfaction rating within the first three months of employment.” See why this is better? Not only is it less generalized and, frankly, boring, than the first statement, but it gives the company a clearer picture of who you are as an employee, what you have accomplished in your prior roles, and how their company can benefit from hiring you over all the other applicants they have left to consider. 6: Think Outside the Box If you have never held a customer service job before, read through the qualifications of the job you’re interested in and see how they measure up to your personal experience. Have you helped customers over the phone or in person, even if your title did not technically include “customer service”? Do you have experience in training others on a particular product in a prior position that would translate well to helping people more regularly in a customer service job?
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Searching for a job nowadays is a far cry from the way things used to be. Now, recruiters “ghost” you (i.e. leave you hanging without a return phone call or e-mail), and you don’t even know why. Sadly, one reason could be because your resume is making you look “too old.” It’s a tragic truth. While you may think giving your all over the last 35 years to the same company proves you are a loyal and dedicated worker, all the recruiter may be thinking as he or she looks at your resume is that you’re over 50 years old and that you’re going to want to retire soon. In that case, the recruiter thinks, it’s probably best not to choose you for a long-term position. Here are three tips to help you craft your resume in such a way so as to not let your age define your qualifications before the recruiter even agrees to meet with you. Keep Your Experience Relevant It seems logical that if you have a plethora of experience in a variety of areas that you should include that experience on your resume. After all, you never know which of the jobs you’ve held previously will be the closest match for the position you’re seeking. However, as tempting as it may be to include all your promotions over the last 30 years, don’t. Even if you don’t include dates, the hiring manager knows how much time it takes to accrue that much experience. Whittle your resume down to two pages, and include only the most relevant information from your career. Try to match your resume as best you can to the skills and qualifications listed in the job posting. Many recruiters use software that only selects the resumes that match the terms they’re looking for, so the more terms you can legitimately include on your resume, the better. Watch Your Dates While this builds on the advice in the above tip, you should be careful of any and all dates you include on your resume. This goes for graduation dates and dates on which you earned certifications. For instance, if your last Windows certification was from when Windows 95 was released, this is a dead giveaway that you’re not fresh out of school. You shouldn’t not include dates, because this too is a bad idea. So what can you do? It may seem like overkill, but if you want to freshen up your skills, you may want to consider taking a nighttime or online class. Not only will you freshen up your resume, but you may also find you’re able to apply for more positions by learning something new. Then you can leave off the older certifications (like Windows 95) entirely and replace them with newer ones (like Windows 10) that make you more employable. Switch to a Professional Summary If you’re including an objective statement on your resume, this too can make you look “old school.” Today’s candidates often use a professional summary. The difference is that, instead of one line of at the top of your resume describing your purpose in applying, you instead include a blurb of factual evidence that proves you have what it takes to succeed at the job. Consider the following: Example Objective Statement: “Seeking a position that allows me to use my strengths as a project manager to provide quality feedback to my team while helping the company achieve its organizational objectives.” Example Professional Summary: “Business graduate with proven communication, email and project management skills. Seeking a position as a project manager at Company ABC, to leverage management skills to support internal and external communication.” The differences are minor, but by staying on top of trends in job applications, you’re giving the recruiter or hiring manager one less reason to question your longevity with the company. This is also a great space to fill in a little more of your experience without attaching dates.
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Most recruiters nowadays conduct phone interviews before they meet with you in person. Initial phone interviews are typically on the shorter side. If they go well, the recruiter will call you back for a second interview, which may be either another phone interview, a video interview, or an in-person interview. While a phone interview can be an efficient way for both the candidate and the recruiter to take the temperature of the candidate’s interest in the job, a phone interview can be an unnerving experience. It’s difficult to read a situation when you can’t see the other person’s reactions to your statements. With that in mind, here are six tips to help you ace your next phone interview and move on to round two! Maintain Good Posture While the interviewer can’t see you over the phone, you still want to maintain good posture while speaking to him or her. This is similar to the idea that if you smile, the other person will hear it in your voice. Good posture encourages you to sit up straight and helps you breathe better. A confident posture will lead to confident answers. Use a Landline Phone When you’re on a phone interview, you want the process to go as smoothly as possible. Taking a phone interview on a cell phone is a bad idea for several reasons. For one, you certainly don’t want to risk dropping the call. Secondly, you want the interviewer to hear every word you say – something that is not always possible with spotty cell phone signals. Using a cell phone also encourages you to get up and move around, which changes your breath and your voice – and not for the better. If you don’t have a landline – it is 2019 afterall – consider a VOIP service. Rehearse Your Answers You should not be improvising your answers on a phone interview. Part of the research you should do before taking the call, in addition to finding out all you can about the company and the position, is finding similar responses to questions candidates have answered in the past. Some questions are unique, but many are standard fare. For instance, you should already have a situation in mind that you can speak about with confidence when questioned on the biggest challenge you have faced in your previous experience, or something you accomplished of which you are particularly proud. Pause Before Answering When you’re asked a question on a phone interview, you may feel like you need to answer immediately, lest you sound unprofessional. After all, silence can seem to last longer on a phone call. However, it’s actually in the pauses you take that you allow your confidence to shine through. Telling the interviewer “that’s a great question. Let me think about that for a moment,” demonstrates to the interviewer that you’re someone who doesn’t rush into a situation without giving it serious thought first. Don’t Be Afraid to Take Notes You may think you will be able to answer all of the interviewer’s questions with ease, but the moment you answer their call, fear may kick in and cause your mind to go blank. Don’t hesitate to make a “cheat sheet” of sorts. Write down anything you may need to refer to on the call, such as the questions you have about the company and the position, and the salary range you’re considering. Just be sure to keep your notes short, like bullet points. You certainly don’t want to sound like you’re reading from a script. That would make you sound more like a telemarketer than a candidate, which only works if you’re applying for a telemarketing position. Remain Upbeat One of the biggest mistakes candidates make in phone interviews is that they don’t sound excited or energized about the job. Unfortunately, because the interviewer can’t see your face, you have to work extra hard to infuse your voice with the enthusiasm you have for this position. However, you have to keep that delicate balance of not going so overboard as to sound phony either. Just be honest. Gesture as you would if the person was sitting right in front of you, as this helps you emote better. And don’t be afraid to laugh if the interviewer says something funny. You’re both human, after all. The job search can be difficult, but following these tips will make at least one part of the process a little bit easier.
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Drug testing. It’s a trope used as an anxiety-inducing plot device in countless stoner comedies. Perhaps it has even made its way into your real-world job search with your current or former employer. For years medical drug screening has been a tool utilized by well-meaning but cautious companies who want to ensure their newest hire is focused on their work and not under the influence or partaking in illegal activities on personal time. It’s also big business with some estimates predicting the drug testing market will have a value of $13.89 billion by 2027. While that’s all well and good, the increasing number of states that have legalized medical and even recreational marijuana use places a snag in the previously streamlined system. Can, or should, companies expect their employees to not engage in perfectly legal behaviors outside of office hours? As it turns out, many states are wrestling with exactly that question. The Push to Legalization Beginning in the 1990’s states began taking a serious look at the potential benefits to marijuana use. By the time the millennium rolled around, five states had legalized medical marijuana use via a doctor’s prescription. In 2012 Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana use. Today 11 states have laws on the books legalizing recreations weed use. Marijuana and Drug Testing Years ago, employers realized the utility in drug testing potential new hires. The logic went that anyone who engaged in illicit drug use during personal time probably wasn’t up to company standards. You could eliminate problem employees and ensure that anyone you brought on board was in line with your corporate culture and focused on their daily job duties. Marijuana was typical one of numerous substances tested for on broad screening panels performed by third-party drug testing labs. With the advent of legalized recreational marijuana use, however, many employees are rethinking screening for its use, and for drug use altogether. As of 2017, one in seven U.S. adults admitted to occasional marijuana use. With the increasing number of states taking action on the topic, it only stands to reason that the number will continue to increase. Marijuana use continues to be studied for its benefits on a range of health conditions from insomnia to pain management and is consistently touted as a useful and enjoyable tool for many adults. While the topic is hotly debated, many advocates tout marijuana as a safer drug of choice than alcohol for recreational use, a legal but regulated substance. With the increase in use and legal status, it’s not too hard to see the quandary employers are faced with when it comes to drug testing for marijuana. Companies in states that allow recreational marijuana are narrowing the potential applicant pool by eliminating otherwise talented candidates from consideration. With the increase in acceptance and mainstream use of weed employers also run the risk of alienating younger talent who tend to be more focused on company culture and inclusiveness in the workplace. Then there are the legal considerations. New York state recently passed a law prohibiting pre-employment screening for marijuana in all but a handful of professions such as construction workers, nurses, and police officers. While drug screening for marijuana use is still allowed in many states, it’s not hard to imagine similar legislation being enacted as the push towards federal legalization continues. What Can (and Should) Employers Do While the verdict is still out on marijuana’s ultimate status, there are common-sense steps employers can take now to provide guidance and clarity with their new and existing workforce. For starters, companies are well within their rights to prohibit the use of drugs or alcohol while employees are on duty. Reasonable policies that clearly spell out the ability of employers to terminate anyone who shows up to work intoxicated or high are an accepted and safe course. Likewise, it’s also a reasonable expectation for careers in industries that deal with public health and safety that employees refrain from drug use that may impact their ability to operate at a high level of attention. What companies shouldn’t do, however, is throw the baby out with the bathwater by enacting zero-tolerance policies that alienate and limit their access to quality talent. Finally, it may be worth your time and money to consult with an employment attorney to learn about the laws of your particular city or state concerning drug screening and use. Taking this holistic approach allows companies to adapt to changing the societal acceptance of marijuana while still protecting their business.
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If you’ve turned on the radio, switched on a television, or scrolled through a news app anytime in the last few weeks you’re probably aware of the U.S. economy’s recent wild swings. Chances are you’ve also heard or seen terms like “recession”, “yield curve”, “bond market”, and “trade” more times than you can count. Even if you don’t have a deep portfolio of investments or aren’t a Wall Street trader, economic performance as a whole can still have a major impact on your ability to land a decent job. One of the most relevant sets of statistics for anyone currently in the employment market is the monthly JOLTS report. Here we break down where those magical “jobs” numbers come from and how the results could influence your employment search. What is the JOLTS Report? Launched in 2000, the JOLTS, or Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, is a monthly report prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The information in the report is based on voluntary reporting by certain U.S. employers. The data collected from key industries and employers is crunched and used as a base to derive wider national numbers of hirings, firings and total open positions. The report is released monthly for the time period two months earlier. The most recently released report on August 6th, for example, covers statistics gathered from June of this year. Breaking Down the Numbers The August 6th JOLTS report shows little change from the May results. The total number of job openings clocked in at 7.3 million with 5.7 million total monthly hires and 5.5 million separations. 3.4 million of those separations were “quits” or people who chose to voluntarily leave their job while 1.7 million were involuntary firings or layoffs. When comparing total job openings with the number of unemployed individuals there are around 1.4 million more jobs than people currently on the market which is slightly fewer than during the previously tracked month of May. What Does This All Mean? While the gap between open jobs and those looking for work is closing, the facts still point to an employee market in that companies will have to work harder to attract individuals given the short supply of talent. While this may not ring true for every field, it’s a good gauge of hiring prospects and your ability to potentially negotiate for a higher salary. This is further enforced by the healthy number of workers willingly leaving their jobs since this is a strong indicator that employees feel like they have other, better prospects. While total job openings didn’t quite meet analysts expectations, the consistency with the previous month speaks to the stability of the current job market and your ability to find work, if you’re looking. If you’re looking for a specific industry to target, the JOLTS report also has some useful tidbits in that area. Private versus government jobs didn’t see much of a change, but openings in real estate and rental leasing along with state and local government education were on the rise. Hirings also ticked up in foodservice, indicating restaurants may be in need of talent. While this data may be useful to your immediate employment prospects, it also provides insight into larger trends in the economy. An increase of companies interested in hiring realtors may indicate that the housing market is about to boom while the strong foodservice showing is a good sign that people are dining out and spending money. Hirings and Firings Bottom Line If you enjoyed our breakdown of the employment prognosticating, be sure to tune back next month when the July report is released on September 10th. In the meantime, if you’re looking to add to these numbers by leaving your current job, be sure to check out the Simply Hired blogs for tips on making a graceful exit.
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During an interview, the interviewer may throw a curveball your way with a tough question that you may not know how to answer. While these tougher questions may seem out of left field at best, or silly at worst, it is important to maintain your professionalism and answer them accordingly. Even if you have a stellar resume, how you answer a tough question is just as important as what you say when you give your answer. Here are some tips on how to handle some of the tough interview questions out there. “What is Your Greatest Weakness?” The key to handling this tough interview question is to give an answer that doesn’t make the interviewer’s job easy for them by giving them permission to reject your application. You always want to remain upbeat in an interview, focusing on your strengths. But how do you focus on your strengths when they’re literally asking you about your weaknesses? One thing you definitely don’t want to do is say that you “don’t have any.” Everyone has a weakness, and the interviewer, of course, knows this. The key is to pick out something positive about yourself that you might see as a negative but that employers might see as a positive. For instance, if you say “I tend to put my job over my personal life,” this tells the employer that you are a hard worker, perhaps at times to your own detriment. It’s a weakness, yes, but it’s also a strength. “Tell Me About Yourself.” This is one of those tricky questions because: a) it doesn’t even seem like a question – more like an icebreaker, and b) it’s easy to get wrapped up in this one and drone on and on forever. The interviewer is not looking to have a friendly conversation before the interview proper. He or she simply wants a two-to-three-minute summary of your experience thus far and a reason why you are the only person for the job. If you’re overwhelmed by the question and unsure how to answer it, think of it instead as “tell me something unique about yourself.” Give the interviewer a quick summary of your experience and education, as well as one strong quality that you have learned thus far to help you in your career. For instance, you can say something like “my business degree, coupled with my experience as a Hospital Director, has made me a strong leader, and I am confident my leadership skills could also carry me far in this role.” “Why are You Looking to Leave Your Current Job?” Even if you’re leaving your current job because your boss is a lot to handle, or you haven’t received a raise in five years, you never want to give these as your reasons. Remember to stay positive and upbeat with every answer you give. And also remember, how you talk about your current employer may be how you talk about your prospective employer one day – and your prospective employer knows this. The best way to answer this one is to focus on the positives of the job you’re applying for. You can never go wrong with expressing your desire to pursue a more challenging opportunity. Also, remember to keep your tone upbeat, too. If your real reason for leaving your current job is because you are desperately unhappy, the interviewer will be able to tell and may fear you’ll do the same thing to them in six months. “Do You Have Any Questions for Me?” The answer to this tough interview question is always “yes.” You must always have questions prepared for the interviewer. Else, it looks like you don’t really care about the company and that you are only interested in a paycheck. Even if this is true, you certainly don’t want to convey it to the interviewer. Ask questions that you could not have answered yourself with a quick online search. Lazy questions are just as bad as not having questions prepared at all. Ask the interviewer questions that no one but he or she could answer, such as “what do you like about working for the company?” or “can you describe the company culture?” You want to ask about two or three questions total. Three is often better, but you can usually gauge from the interviewer whether to ask that third question or stick to the two. Riddles You’ve made it to the end of your interview, and you know you aced it. Then the interviewer asks you something incredibly odd and out of left field, like “how many ping-pong balls can you fit inside of a minivan?” or “how many marshmallows can you fit inside of an airplane?” This is another one of those situations where they’re looking for how you answer as much as, or more than, what you answer. Rather than acting cute, stick to logic. Try to come up with an honest solution to this question, no matter how ridiculous it may seem to you. The interviewer is testing your ability to be a problem-solver, and snark is just not going to fly here. Have you ever been asked a tough question you weren’t sure how to answer? Tell us about it in the comments!
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You hear it all the time, how highlighting problem-solving skills on a resume or cover letter is more important than throwing together a shopping list of the tasks you performed at your previous job(s). But you may be wondering which way is best when it comes to highlighting these problem-solving skills. Examples of Problem-Solving Skills First and foremost, in order to be able to highlight problem-solving skills on your resume or cover letter, you have to be able to identify them. In fact, you may have more problem-solving skills than you give yourself credit for. Here are some examples of some of the more common problem-solving skills that candidates tend to list in their resumes and cover letters:
Research Skills – In order to fix a problem, you have to be able to understand it. And sometimes understanding a problem requires you to go deeper, to research and discover its root cause, before you can figure out how to fix it. Communication Skills – Communication is important at every level, from informing others that a problem exists in the first place to brainstorming ways to resolve it. Analytical Skills – Sharpened analytical skills can help you discover and understand a problem, as well as come up with ways to research and, ultimately, solve the problem. Dependability – It may not seem like a problem-solving skill, but dependability is crucial in that employers can depend on you to solve problems in a timely fashion. This is an invaluable skill in that it can save your employer time, money, and other finite resources.
Customization is Key It’s a lot of work, yes, but it’s important. You should tailor your resume and cover letter to each individual job you apply to. In other words, you should consider the job you’re applying to, and compare the skills they’re asking for with the skills highlighted on your resume and cover letter. Do they match? If there are skills that you have and that the job requires, but you have not listed them on your resume, then now’s the time to do so. You want to show the company that you are the best candidate for the job because you have performed and accomplished everything they’re looking for in an employee. If this causes your resume to be longer than it should be, then you should weigh which skills you could do without in favor of highlighting the more important ones. Be Short and Sweet In most situations, hiring managers don’t have the time, nor the desire, to sit and read a lengthy cover letter. If you ramble on for too long, you practically guarantee your application will end up in the “outbox” (garbage can). You want to strike that delicate balance between telling the hiring manager enough about yourself to strike up interest, and keeping your cover letter short and sweet so as not to drone on and lose the person. The best way to sum up your problem-solving skills in a cover letter is to, in one paragraph:
Briefly explain a work problem that either happened or could have happened, and whether it was resolved. Elaborate, briefly, on your role in the situation and what you did to solve the problem. Describe the positive result of your actions, and whether there were any positive, long-term effects.
You should be able to cover all these points in one paragraph. You should be able to flesh out the first bullet point in one or two sentences, and the remainder in a sentence each. Cater to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) In today’s world, the odds of an actual human being reading your job application are less than they were ten years ago. This is largely due to the introduction of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which scan a candidate’s application, looking for certain keywords. If those keywords aren’t there, then the system rejects the application. Therefore, the best way to ensure that your application receives a phone call back is to try as best you can to match the problem-solving skills in your resume and cover letter to the exact qualifications listed within the job posting. The more your skills match what the company is looking for, the more likely you are to receive a phone call for an interview, rather than a bot-issued rejection. If, for example, you’re looking for a secretarial job, you may see “time management” listed among a job posting’s required skills. You should therefore include the keyword “time management” in your resume and briefly describe your experience with that skill.
The post Highlighting Problem-Solving Skills on a Resume or Cover Letter appeared first on Career Advice.
When drafting your resume, you normally include a line at the bottom stating “References: Furnished upon request.” But what happens if the hiring manager actually requests your references? Who should you list? Most places ask for two personal references and two professional references, but what if you no longer speak to any of your prior coworkers? What if you were the only employee at your former job? What if you have never even had a job before? Here are some ideas for job references you can use if you’re not quite sure who to turn to. Just be sure to always ask the person’s permission before putting them down as a reference. You don’t want to put them in a situation wherein they feel like the hiring manager is putting them on the spot. Not only do they not have enough time to craft their answers, but they could end up resenting you for not giving them the common courtesy of simply asking their permission first. A Former Professor or Teacher If you’ve never had a job before, a former professor or teacher works wonderfully as a “professional” reference of sorts. This is because a teacher is an unbiased party who will provide the hiring manager with the information he or she needs regarding your work ethic and level of enthusiasm when it comes to learning new things. In that same vein, another option is your college advisor. An advisor is a great choice because he or she can explain to the hiring manager what your career goals were when you started your college career and how you have evolved in meeting those goals. If your advisor has been with you every step of the way and has seen how hard you were willing to work during your college years, then he or she can act as an effective witness to your character. A Former Supervisor If one of the reasons you are leaving your current job is because you don’t get along with your boss, consider asking a former supervisor to act as your reference instead. Chances are, your supervisor spent enough time with you on your projects to provide a hiring manager with a clear picture insofar as who you are as a person and what you accomplished as an employee. Past and Present Colleagues Most folks choose former colleagues to act as their references. While former colleagues you still speak to are more than likely your friends, they are also valuable references because they can inform the hiring manager of the kinds of projects you worked on together. They can fill in the blanks on your achievements as part of the team that you might have forgotten to focus on in your resume and cover letter. The same goes for present colleagues. Some folks may not realize they can utilize the people they still work with as references. And who better to give the hiring manager a current snapshot of your skills as a worker than someone who is still presently working with you? A Family Member For most people, putting a family member down as a personal reference is a no-brainer. However, this packs more power if you have a family member who can also speak to your skills as a professional. For example, while you may want to list your mother as a reference, because she’s sure to give you a glowing review, why not consider instead listing the cousin you worked with at the ice cream shop over summer break every year? Your cousin is just as likely to give you a glowing review because he or she is family, but you also have the added benefit of a professional reference, having also previously worked with your cousin. An Authority Figure from Your Past While not as common, some folks don’t have much, or any, remaining family, and/or they have never held down a job. What does a person do then? You can use any authority figure from your past whom you trust and who can speak to your character as one of your references. This can be anyone from your pastor to your former Boy or Girl Scout leader – anyone who served as your leader or organizer of sorts. Just be sure to ask their permission first – especially if it’s someone you haven’t spoken to in years. And, of course, no matter who you choose as a reference, always be sure to thank your references, whether or not the hiring manager contacts them. Thanking your references is just as important as thanking those who interviewed you. And be sure to return the favor and offer to act as a reference for them too, should they ever need one.
The post Who Makes for a Good Job Reference? appeared first on Career Advice.
Have you ever been asked, "How do you rate yourself?" in a job interview? The qualifier could be "as a professional," "as an employee," or maybe as the holder of a certain skill set. In most cases, they want you to give them an answer between 1 and 10 in order to get some concrete idea of where you and your skills are.
This is a tough question to answer. You will find advice that you should always rank yourself as a 10, or even higher. They say that anything less makes it look like you don’t have confidence in yourself or that you’re admitting a weakness.
In my opinion, automatically rating yourself at a 10 makes you seem a little conceited (at best). It sounds like a false answer, just like "I’m such a perfectionist" does to the "What’s your greatest weakness?" question.
At the same time, answering "5" may keep them from offering you the job.
Here’s how you should really answer, "How do you rate yourself?" in a sincere, job-winning way:
The best answer for someone with experience is a 7 or an 8. You’d elaborate on that by saying something along the lines of you see yourself as someone who’s learned a lot and is valuable at this point in your career, but you also realize that you can learn more from this organization—and then say what that is. This is reasonable, positive, and appealing.
If you’re just out of school or have very little experience, you should answer a little lower, at maybe a 6 or a 7. Again, elaborate on your answer. You see yourself as better than average (5) but with room to grow. You’re excited about what you can learn from this company and how you can contribute to it.
Is it ever okay to rate yourself at a 9 or a 10? Yes, but only if you’re a true subject matter expert with extensive experience. In most cases, we all have room to learn and improve.
Your interviewer will be surprised that you don’t automatically tell them "10" (or in some cases "11"). So make sure you explain your thought process. Say something like, "On a scale of 1 to 10, a 5 would be a true average, and a 10 is perfect. I think I’m better than average, and no one is perfect."
Continue the conversation in a positive vein by pointing out what you’ve learned that makes you valuable, qualities that make you a great fit for the job, and why you’re excited to continue your career at this company.
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We all put a lot of thought and effort into how to answer questions about times we failed so that we don’t look bad in the interview, but how much thought do we put into choosing stories to answer softball questions like, “Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty?”
Even though this is a positive question, it’s very important to carefully choose a good story to answer it well. You should always have a story or two to tell about times you went above and beyond at work. It points out that not only did you meet the expectations of your employer, you exceeded them. That shows you as extremely valuable to a future employer.
The key to keep in mind when choosing a story to tell is to choose one that speaks to how you could and would be successful in this new role. Think about the job description for this new role. Your first choice of story should be one that describes how you went above and beyond in relation to a central task in the description. This should talk about a conflict or a difficult situation related to your job that you overcame. If you don’t have a story like this, then a story that highlights a positive character trait can also be good, although there should still be a conflict and a resolution.
Whatever story you choose, you've probably heard you should tell it using the STAR method: (S)ituation or (T)ask; (A)ction you took; (R)esult you got. So it sounds like, “I faced this situation, and we needed that done. Based on (specific factors), I decided to do (specific actions), and the results were (whatever they were).”
However, a more effective way to answer behavioral interview questions like, "Tell me about a time you went above and beyond the call of duty?" is by using the "Experience + Learn = Grow" format. Employers nowadays can spot the STAR method a mile away, and your answer will come off as more genuine by using the "Experience + Learn = Grow" format instead.
An alternative way to answer this question is to bring out your brag book for a little show-and-tell time. Brag books are wonderful visual aids for your job interview. They help you communicate more clearly and more powerfully about who you are and what you can do.
Evidence can do great things for the impression you make with your answer. So, along with your story, show the note from your happy client or boss; the graph that shows how the production numbers went up after your action; or the award you received from your action.
As a kid, I remember thinking teachers had great jobs because they got to take summers off. I didn't quite grasp the challenges of the position nor did I understand that, unlike their students, teachers do not spend the summer at sleep-away camp or catching up on video games.
I still think that teachers have great jobs, although for entirely different reasons. They get to play a meaningful role in the lives of their students, they solve new problems every day, and they are constantly challenged and constantly learning.
Spending your summer teaching abroad can be a wonderful change of pace from the U.S. education system. These jobs also give you the opportunity to travel and experience a foreign culture with new students.
Abbey Road is one great organization that offers abroad summer teaching jobs. Qualifications include experience working with teenagers, experience of work, study, or travel in your destination country, fluency in the local language, passion and professionalism, and a college degree. Responsibilities include teaching classes, supervising students, and being on-call up to six days a week.
Compensation includes airfare, room and board, and a weekly allowance for incidental expenses.
Working at a summer camp involves many of the same skills and responsibilities as teaching but in a more laid-back and enjoyable environment. As a teacher, you should qualify for more than just a position as a counselor, so look for a job that involves some administrative or supervisory responsibilities to earn a higher wage.
Qualifications generally include prior experience working with youth, as well as evidence of competency in any additional area of responsibility (e.g., administrative, teaching subject). You should expect to supervise campers, lead group activities and be on-call at night.
Pay generally ranges from $175 to $400 weekly, with provided room and board.
By taking advantage of your contacts with colleagues, students, and parents, you should have no trouble finding tutoring opportunities if you want them.
In addition to tutoring students in the subjects you teach, it may be worth considering tutoring in other areas. If you scored well on a graduate school admissions test when applying for your Master of Education, for example, you might be able to earn $50 to $100 an hour tutoring graduate school applicants.
Of course, you always have the option of taking a summer position in the education field. Summer school jobs are usually comparable to your school-year job, but the shorter hours will allow you some time to enjoy the spoils of summer.
It also gives you the opportunity to engage students and reignite their interest in learning by teaching the students at their own pace, which can be incredibly rewarding.
English teachers have more than adequate writing abilities for many freelance jobs. Many STEM teachers will have the necessary skills for work in web design, computer science, or online education fields. Working from home and making your own hours may also feel like a treat after nine months of rising early to commute to a crowded classroom!
It is hard to generalize about freelance work because you will likely end up working for multiple employers and negotiating your own deadlines and wages. A good bottom line for negotiating is not to accept any job that would pay less than you make as a teacher for the same time commitment.
The Institute of Reading Development provides literacy programs that seek to instill a lifelong love of reading in students. Unlike most literacy programs, the institute not only provides classes for children but also trains parents on how to nurture and support their children's literacy development.
Responsibilities include preparing lesson plans, teaching children and parents, reporting student data, and more. Qualifications include a love of reading, leadership, warmth, professionalism, intelligence, and communication skills.
Compensation ranges from $500 to $700 a week.
Tired of working in a classroom? Get a job working to conserve the environment by building mountain bike trails, building bridges, and/or leading a crew of youth environmental conservationists!
You must be positive, articulate, hard-working, comfortable getting your hands dirty, and physically fit. Responsibilities include supervising youth, construction, and, in some cases, being on call at night.
Pay ranges from $260 to $575 a week
However you end up spending your summer, you should aim for a position that will give you a break from the particular stresses of the school year. As much as any teacher loves his or her job, the work can sometimes feel exhausting. A summer job should be a position that offers challenges and rewards of its own so that you can return to teaching refreshed and invigorated.
Need help finding a summer job?
This article was written by Senior Social Media Outreach Coordinator Sarah Fudin on behalf of Work-It-DAILY-approved Partner, 2U—an education-technology company that partners with institutions of higher education such as USC to deliver their Online Masters in Education and MSW programs.
Imagine getting your post-secondary degree and being presented with a multitude of job offers… within the next week!
Related: 4 C’s To Career Success
You’re overwhelmed and excited at the same time; the world is your oyster! There’s no trace of fear, no worrying about paying your loans or making your way in the world. You have guaranteed your success in life, and you’re going to be great. Doesn’t that sound nice? Well, years ago when people with college degrees were the BIG fish in a small pond, that may have been a graduating student’s reality. But for those of us in the first stage of our career TODAY, we know this is just a dream. Because today, having a college degree is the norm. It’s the new standard for entry-level jobs, and (if you’re lucky) you’ll be able to pay all your bills each month with your first job out of college. Nowadays, things are different. There’s more competition than ever, and the best companies out there can take their pick from an ocean full of qualified, normal sized fish.
“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively”(Eleanor Roosevelt)
No matter what you do in life, as long as you lead with a positive mindset and energy you will attract career success. It all begins between our ears!
Being a successful sales professional is one of the most demanding, and rewarding of all careers. Before you pick up a phone, walk into a customer’s office or interact at all with the public, make sure to get your head on straight. Be ready to put your best impression forward. Remember there is only one chance for a first impression, so make it a bold, authentic one! That first impression could be your last or just the beginning of what you hope will be a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship.
Having the right mindset each and every day is absolutely one of the most important commitments you make to yourself. It is all about getting focused, grounded and poised to face whatever the day has in store for you and learning to be armed for the uncertainty and the unexpected. Each one of us needs to build this into our everyday lives, in our own personal way.
Here are five things you can do to nurture your positive energy, help you get focused, disciplined and set up your daily mindset.
1. Set aside quiet time to be focused and organized. Just 30 minutes early in the day can fuel your mind and spirit with motivation. It can have a huge impact on the rest of the day.Rotate motivational or inspirational content around so it is fresh and has a more profound impact on you every day. Seek out books, websites, newsletters, inspiring people and other media from alternative sources.
2. Keep things in perspective. Focus on your goals and initiatives. Seek out alternative sources for news and information. There are so many examples of people or businesses finding positive opportunities in challenging times and representing the solution, not the problem.
3. Manage your time, tasks and interruptions. Practice time blocking. Build your daily and weekly schedule in advance. Assign periods for your activities. Stay on schedule to accomplish what you need to do through your day. Be flexible. When things change, go with the flow.
4. Stay in touch regularly with those that are important to you and always make you feel valued and special. Pick up the phone; call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time. Dash off a quick e-mail or note to someone and let them know you are thinking of them. Keeping your "positive people" active daily can be powerful for your future success and your positive well-being. Don’t isolate, congregate.
5. Have fun, practice laughter and develop your sense of humor. Enjoy your workspace and co-workers. Plan a family day. Take the dog to the dog park. Organize a game night with friends.
What are some of the things you do to set up your mindset daily?
Trading your job as a lawyer for one in marketing? It may sound crazy, but given the current economy, you may need to apply for positions that are outside of your range of experience. But how do you secure gainful employment in this way? Below are five tips on applying for a job outside your usual field - who knows, maybe you will find your true calling in the process!
1. Round up your skills.
Future Force Personnel Services, a staffing firm, recommends that you start by taking inventory of your past experiences, strengths and skills. Do not just glance at your past job titles and decide that they are not relevant.
Really comb through your previous duties to come up with a list of transferable skills. These can include responsibilities like training new staff, giving presentations, multitasking and organizing events. Write down all of the computer programs and technology with which you are familiar. Use your experiences with community groups, college clubs and travel to tout your interpersonal skills.
2. Start at the bottom and work your way up.
This is also known as swallowing your pride. Even if you were at the top of your last field, do not assume that you will immediately take on a leadership role. Remember, this is a new field in which you lack experience. Your willingness to start at a lower position will also show that you are cooperative and eager to learn more.
3. Sell yourself in your cover letter.
This is your big opportunity to share things that are not covered in your resume. Make it unique, showcasing your skills and traits that will make you the best candidate for the job. Make sure you know about the company to which you are applying, so that you can reference its mission and goals. Quintessential Careers, a career development website, offers a wealth of resources to help you write a cover letter that will get you noticed.
4. Tailor your resume.
Even if you have a polished resume, you will need to do some revising. Go through your past job experiences and rewrite the descriptions so that they better match the skills and accomplishments that the new companies are looking for. If you were a nurse and are applying to work in a bank, you should focus on your documentation, organizational and interpersonal skills. Make your past experiences work for the new position. Quintessential Careers also offers resume advice and samples.
5. Prepare for your interview.
Research your prospective company well in advance of your interview. Find out what the job entails and learn as much as you can about the position so that you are not caught off guard. Google the occupation, as well as common interview questions, so that you can mentally prepare your responses. Be ready to fall back on your strengths and experiences, and give specific examples in answering questions whenever possible. You may be well on your way to the job of your dreams -- or at least some quality interim experience!
This article was written by Melissa Woodson on behalf of CAREEREALISM-Approved Partner, 2tor – an education-technology company that partners with Washington University in St. Louis to offer a premier LLM degree.
In most cases, people don't realize their job is in jeopardy or that it's time to move on to something else. However, I understand that changing jobs can be scary, especially in the current economy. But at times, it's necessary because you can be happy and fulfilled one day, then laid off and depressed the next.
Nothing can be worse than holding on to a job that will give you a headache in the end. Here are three signs you should look for a new job.
The main reason why you seek employment is to get paid to be able to pay your bills and meet other basic needs. Moreover, you deserve to be rewarded for the work you do.
If you're underpaid, it will be hard for you to put extra effort to really excel. This is because, to most people, pay is the best motivator. If you're not motivated, you may fail to perform as required and you may end up being fired. Therefore, if you're not being paid or you're paid significantly less than you deserve, this can be a good reason for you to look for a better job that meets your needs.
You can talk to your boss about a raise first, but if they don't recognize the value of your skills, then it's about time you look for a new job.
When you do spectacular work on a given project, but no one appreciates or recognizes your effort, it's terribly discouraging. A good company should give you a pat on the back for a job well done.
Recognition is a very effective non-monetary motivator, but if no one recognizes your efforts, it's like being in a relationship that has no affection. If your boss refuses to acknowledge or commend your accomplishments, you're less likely to be promoted or given any opportunity to advance in your career. There are no signs of future growth—more reason for you to look for employment elsewhere.
There are companies out there that can value your contribution. Don't close your eyes and continue working for such an organization. Start looking for a new job.
If your company is losing money, its future (and yours) looks grim. It would probably be wise for you to open your eyes wider for new job opportunities. It doesn't matter how important or fulfilling your job is because the company may not be able to keep you in that position. You may find yourself jobless whether you like it or not.
In such a situation, the future is not guaranteed and you should play it safe. It's better for you to be proactive and start looking for a new job at the first sign of trouble in your beloved company.
Whatever the case may be, if you see such signs and feel it's about time you secure a job elsewhere, don't be discouraged by stories about the tough job market. Just dust off your resume and put together several applications to test the water. This may be the start of a new chapter in your life.
Your daily sanity and comfort at work depends on you. Start looking for a new job and don't ignore the signs!
Is your resume generating offers to interview? If not, it’s time to make some changes. The number one resume improvement any job seeker in any field can make is simple.
Quantification means to describe your accomplishments in terms of numbers, dollars, and percentages. For instance…
Numbers are attention-grabbing, hard evidence of your success. They make hiring managers (your future boss) sit up and take notice of your resume. Hiring managers see resumes all the time that talk about job responsibilities and accomplishments. Seeing the numbers helps them put it into perspective and see you as more valuable.
Quantification boosts your chances of getting called in to interview. Almost anything can be quantified. One person tried to trip me up once by asking if even a janitor could quantify, but the answer is absolutely "yes." They could talk about how cleaning things up reduced workplace accidents or contributed to a company culture that was able to achieve 95% retention.
All jobs contribute to the bottom line of a company in some way. If they didn’t, the company couldn’t justify keeping someone in that role and paying them. All you need to do is think about how you in your job contributed to those goals. Show that potential new boss how you can benefit their company.
When you look at your resume with a goal of quantification, ask yourself these kinds of questions:
You may not have complete records of everything you’ve accomplished. My best advice is to guesstimate. Don’t exaggerate; you need to be able to back up your numbers with some kind of evidence and stories that support them, and they need not be contradicted by your references.
Anything you can do to begin quantifying your accomplishments will help you stand out from other applicants and get you the interview. On top of that, it will set you up to appear more valuable to the hiring manager when they do interview you. That gives you a leg up in the interview and in later salary negotiations. It’s all good.
Quitting. It's a huge decision. It's also something all of us have considered at least once. Are you thinking about quitting your job? Before you make any rash decisions, you need to ask yourself a few very important questions.
The last thing you want to do is regret a major life move like quitting your job.
So, here are five things you should consider before quitting your job.
What the heck is the two-year rule, and why does it matter? Well, typically, it takes a few months to train and get comfortable in a position. However, most people aren't just automatically great at their jobs. They need to take some time to hone their new skills and provide value to the company before they can market those new skills toward another job.
Developing new skills or building on current ones usually happens sometime during your first or second year at a job. Spending less than two years at a job could hurt your career and give employers the impression that you're a job hopper. But if the situation is dire, staying could be worse.
It's important to ask the following questions to better determine if quitting your job is the right career move for you.
Have you built up enough experience so you can effectively market yourself for another role? You may need to stay a little longer so you can build that credibility and hone those skills. That way, you'll have a better shot of getting that job you really want.
On your resume, the best way to get a hiring manager's attention (and get your resume past the ATS) is to quantify your skills and accomplishments. So, ask yourself, "Can I quantify my work experience on my resume? Or have I not accomplished enough in my current role?"
If not, it's probably best for you to stay a bit longer at your job before quitting. Finish up that big project, or try to get as much experience as you can before the quarter ends.
Are you feeling like things are getting a little out of control? Are you just burned out? If that's the case, you want to try to "reclaim" the job, as J.T. O'Donnell, founder and CEO of Work It DAILY, says. Look for assistance, tools, and resources so you can take more control over your job and tasks.
If being "overworked" is part of the workplace culture at your job, then it could be time to quit, especially if it's negatively affecting your mental health and you've tried to make changes but you still feel burned out at work. Just make sure you ask about workplace culture in your future job interviews so you don't accept a job offer at another company with the same overworking atmosphere.
"Sometimes, we get bored," says O'Donnell. "We know the job like the back of our hand, it's easy, and we're looking for more of a challenge. So, you should be stepping up to the plate and asking for those responsibilities." Instead of quitting your job, it might be a good time to leverage the skills you've learned.
Before asking for a promotion, try asking your manager if there's anything you can take off their plate. Not only will this show initiative and make it easier for you to ask for a raise or promotion in the future, but it could help protect you from getting laid off.
If your company is laying off employees, your manager might be more likely to vouch for you to the higher-ups because if you're gone, your manager will have to go back to doing everything you took off their plate (and they don't want that).
Are you blaming work when it's really something going on in other areas of your life? Things like relationship issues or other challenges can cause extra stress. If you're blaming your job for that extra stress, quitting is probably not your best option because that stress is just going to carry over to the next job.
It's better to resolve the issues that are happening outside of work before you leave your job—if you decide that's still the right career move.
"If you choose to quit a job, don't do it without having another job lined up first," says O'Donnell.
According to O'Donnell, the average job search takes about nine months. That's a long time to be without work. And if you're looking for a management or executive position, it could take much longer.
Think it through and make smart choices. If it's time to quit, you know what to do!
After asking yourself these five questions, you should have a good idea of whether you should quit your job or stay put. Once you quit your job, there's no going back. Make sure you think long and hard about the decision and be strategic about your exit. Your career will thank you!
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Picture this: Someone hands you a resume without saying anything, and a few seconds later, someone else hands you a resume, saying, “This person seems like just what we’re looking for and he is really interested in the job!” Which resume do you think you will favor? Naturally, you will favor the one with the great introduction. This is part of what a great cover letter does for you in your job search.
Related: 3 Tips For Writing A Successful Cover Letter
The entire goal of a cover letter is to get the employer to read your resume. Knowing that, it only makes sense to set your goal just a little higher to make them not only read your resume, but be excited to read it. A good cover letter will set a positive bias for you, boosting both your resume and your chances of getting the interview.
A great cover letter is worth the time and effort it takes to write it. Employers do read cover letters, and they do accept or reject candidates based on what they see. The cover letter is where the employer will get their very first impression of you as a candidate for the job.
Related: How To Write A Cover Letter That Will Get You Hired
No matter how talented, skilled, or educated you are, if you're an introvert, you're at a bit of a disadvantage in a job search. I am not an introvert, but I speak to a lot of them, coaching them through the process of getting a new job. The vast majority of them are amazing, highly qualified people who do their jobs extremely well—but they have a lot of trouble when it comes time to get hired.
There's one piece of advice I give that introverts almost universally step back from or even sneer at. Here's what it is…are you ready?
What I've found is that job seekers with more reserved personalities aren't as interested in hearing this. They take a big step back from this kind of mindset because it comes with a need for more aggressiveness or assertiveness than they might be naturally comfortable with in a job search.
If you're an introvert, what kind of image pops up in your mind when you hear that? An overly aggressive used-car salesman? A pitchman on a TV infomercial? Put those thoughts out of your head. That isn't at all what I mean.
What I'm talking about is a guideline or a frame of reference you can use to take action that will get you hired. It does require you to step out of your comfort zone, but the rewards for making that effort are great. You have a greater chance of winding up in a job you love, rather than a job that appears in front of you that may not be the best fit. You will almost certainly get a job faster, which puts money in your pocket in terms of a paycheck. Months without earning a paycheck adds up to thousands of dollars in lost income.
How does "selling yourself" work in practical terms? In the big picture, you are the "product" (aka business-of-one), the hiring manager (your future boss) is the "customer," and your salary is the "purchase price." The psychological process of an employer choosing to hire you is the same as that of a customer choosing to buy a product. When you break that down, you see that:
1. Your resume is a marketing document (not a job history) that needs to reveal the benefits of the product using data-based evidence. That means using numbers, dollars, and percentages to describe your accomplishments.
2. Your social media profiles are advertising—like commercials or billboards that grab attention and generate interest in your product. (You must be on LinkedIn, but don't forget the power of other social media platforms.)
3. The interview is a sales call where you're talking to the customer about what your product can do for them. How can you benefit that company? What value do you bring? When you think of it this way, all of your interview answers become another way for you to show or describe what they'll get out of hiring you. This makes all your answers much more effective.
4. Also in the interview, you'll bring "sales materials" that are printed evidence of the benefits of your product. You'll bring a brag book that shows your past successes, as well as a 30-60-90 day plan that maps out what you will do for them in the future.
5. At the end of the interview, you act like a sales rep and close. This means that you ask for the business or the sale—the job. You say something like, “Based on what we've talked about so far, do you agree that I would be a good fit for this job?"
This question is a technique borrowed directly from sales pitches. Most introverts are intensely uncomfortable with the idea of closing. However, I think that the results you will get from it are worth stepping out of your comfort zone.
If you do feel uncomfortable, stop thinking of it as a sales technique. Think of it as good communication—because it is. You're simply asking, "Are we on the same page? Have I told you everything you need to know?" All of these steps are really about communicating more effectively with hiring managers.
Better communication is a goal worth chasing for all of us. If you're an introvert, coming at your job search with this mindset will help you get a better job.
Job interviews can be intimidating, especially if you're not prepared. There are a number of ways to prepare for a job interview, but one of the best ways to simulate the actual interview process is by doing a mock interview.
Mock interviews provide candidates with an opportunity to test out their job interview skills with someone who isn't evaluating them for an actual job.
If you're a college student, mock interviews may be offered through career services for students or recent alumni. If you're already in the professional world, a mock interview could be done with a trusted colleague, professional connection, or friend. Never do a mock interview with a family member.
Here are some of the major benefits of a mock interview.
If you're not sure how to answer typical job interview questions, mock interviews provide a great opportunity for you to "test drive" your answers. The person conducting the mock job interview can give you feedback on whether or not your responses are suitable.
Whoever is conducting the mock job interview can point out your strengths and weaknesses as the interview process goes along, which gives you time to address the weaknesses and build on your strengths. By having confidence in your skills, you will perform better during the actual job interview.
No one is the perfect candidate, so mock interviews help you clarify responses to certain questions and help you work on areas where you may have weaknesses. In an actual job interview, you don't usually get feedback about your interviewing abilities, so a mock interview is a perfect opportunity to find out why you may be having some difficulty in landing your dream job.
Many companies use behavioral interview questions. If you're not familiar with this type of interviewing, it may be advantageous to give it a practice run in a mock interview.
Practice makes perfect! Even the best athletes struggle without practice, so you should never assume that you could just wing a job interview unprepared.
Take advantage of mock interviewing opportunities even if you think your skills are at a very high level. There are things that we can all improve upon when it comes to making a great impression on a prospective employer.
While mock interviews are an important part of preparing for an actual job interview, there are many other ways to practice when you're alone. This includes writing down and answering as many potential interview questions as you can think of and practicing your answers over and over again. When practicing alone, it also helps to visualize as much of the interview process as possible.
Mock interviews are an essential part of interview prep. Do a mock interview with a trusted colleague before your next job interview and reap the benefits above!
There are several things you can’t control when you're on the job search, especially today. Jobs are limited, the way you look for jobs has changed, and you never truly know why employer X decided to hire candidate Y instead of you. However, beating yourself up about why you couldn’t get the job isn’t going to get you anywhere. In fact, it will make the process a lot harder, and the chances of ever finding employment will continue to dwindle.
Related: 5 Yoga Practices That Make You More Productive
There was an article on Mashable that talked about how one’s attitude can really make a difference when it comes to attracting employers. It advises job seekers to come up with positive phrases about themselves to not just give them the confidence they need when things get frustrating, but also to show hiring managers a person who doesn’t carry any baggage, someone who is confident and positive even in the dimmest of situations. But how do we get there? How can we get out of our depressed state when all we can think about are things like: How am I going to afford rent next month? How am I supposed to feed my kids? Will I be able to afford gas next week? The key is to get into the right mindset. Before we can start thinking positively about ourselves, we have to take a deep breath, relax, and meditate. According to HelpGuide.org—a non-profit dedicated to combating anxiety, stress, depression, among other things—suggests “bringing your nervous system back into balance” in order to fight “overwhelming stress.” Here are some of the sites suggestions on how to do just that:
Writing your resume is hard! As if being unemployed wasn’t enough of a morale-buster, you’re now pressured to put the best version of yourself on paper. An experienced writer balks at this task! But I’ll let you in on a secret: you already have more than you think you do.
Related: Top 100 Most Powerful Resume Words
Here are some quick ways to take whatever you’ve got (blank screen, job description, old resume, first draft) and transform in with a 10-minute power punch! The hiring manager has already given you a blatant ‘edge’ over your competition, but so few applicants take advantage of it! The posting you read online contains a secret giveaway of what the employer considers an ideal candidate. Your ten-minute task is to make yourself fit that bill. With this 10-minute transformation, you can give your resume a power punch!
The following is an excerpt from the white paper "10 Forms of Predatory Management".
While there are many forms of management, it is often mistakenly assumed to be a position of leadership. A management position usually establishes the handling, direction and/or the control of company resources. These resources can include personnel in their given departments, duties, and skills. This may typically be in the form of ‘command and control’ but is not always the case. Whereas true leadership opportunities offer employees the chance to shine and be their best, while simultaneously providing a vision for the future. In short, management is not always leadership.
Now predatory management, unlike the typical management role in the business world, is the sense of power over others and their fates to the point of exploitation, greed, or destroying others for one's own pleasure or gain. Predatory management can come in differing forms like bullying, or mobbing when others become involved against another employee. However, predatory management is usually subtle and evasive than the typical bullying scenario. The difference is it can affect not only one's health, but also one's career. Whether short-term or long-term, the affects can be frustrating and even devastating. Here are the 10 forms of predatory management:
Opportunities and promotions are given out only to the selected few as proof of the available opportunities; while select “others” often receive the stick. Those who have “fallen out of favor” with the predators are sometimes given undesired “opportunities.”
Like the Venus flytrap, it's very much like having an ‘open-door' policy for any unlucky victim willing to step into.
Management seeks advice as a means of validating their thoughts or beliefs. When this doesn’t happen, the employee is trapped into asking what management truly wants instead.
Warm-blooded cogs are there to serve management. Should any problem arise, the solution is to attack the source rather than the issue.
While technically, it is not considered “punishment” but rather a legal dark gray area. This is also the “work around” policy to extract revenge.
A stance taken that feeds upon itself in the form of protecting one's position or status. This form of management is short-sighted in not training future leaders or managers for their eventual replacement.
For those who fall out of favor with the predatory management hierarchy – that doesn’t mean these individuals are slackers or incapable. The opposite may very well be true instead. It is a means to control or to squash any hope for advancement or promotion.
The shuffle is a tactic used by predatory management by placing who they want, where they want, regardless of the persons needs, desires or skills. It is much like playing a crooked game of cards – you know the house is always going to end up winning.
Pawns are sacrificed for the good of the predators. This sometimes becomes a game of cat and mouse, this can go on until the employee succumbs, gives up and/or quits.
While these games are being played in the predatory environment, others are observing this practice – watching, listening … and learning, learning in a manner to continue this toxic environment. This is the true legacy that is left behind.
About the author: Scott has an MBA in Information Security from Keller Graduate School of Management and is currently employed within a local government agency. His professional experience ranges from Private Sector Corporate to Federal Government agencies. He can be found at /in/scottcgriffin.
There's no such thing as an ATS-friendly resume. I'm going to dispel that myth right now. I do not want you wasting your time on scams that tell you they're going to make your resume ATS-friendly or that you're going to get past the ATS with their technique.
There are over a hundred different applicant tracking systems (ATS) and they all parse your resume in a different way. So the idea that any single resume can game the system for all 100 of these applicant tracking platforms is just not true. More importantly, so many people are using tools like ChatGPT to create fake resumes that companies are now trying to figure out who's a real human with real qualifications or someone who used fake systems to game the system. The technology is coming for them to be able to figure that out.
In fact, I think text-based resumes are going to die. We've hit a tipping point where they're going to die because so many people are trying to game the system with their resume to get it through an ATS. That whole concept is going to collapse on itself. I am talking to recruiters and companies who are pivoting toward something called evidence-based hiring. They're already doing it. Evidence-based hiring is when companies require you to prove to them (through evidence like quantified work experience, video resumes, etc.) that you know what you're talking about because they can't trust a resume or a text-based profile anymore.
Please don't waste your money on this idea of gaming the system to get you through to the hiring manager because even if you get through, if you then get a call and you can't back up what you're saying on this resume, they can tell, and then you're going to be blacklisted and banned from getting hired at the company.
Right now, though, employers still want text-based resumes. So, what do you do instead of trying to make your resume ATS-friendly?
You need a skimmable resume. A skimmable resume is a resume with a simplified layout that quickly lets a recruiter skim through (in six seconds or less!) and see that you meet the basic requirements for the job that they were told to look for in a candidate.
The reason you build a six-second resume and make it skimmable is that when they see you're qualified, they will also think, "I need more information. There's not enough information on this resume. I should schedule an interview with this job candidate to learn more about their qualifications."
You want to think of your resume as teaser copy. You don't want to tell them everything you've ever done. You don't want to have an epic novel resume. By doing those two things, you actually make it easier for them to screen you out of the hiring process.
A simple, skimmable resume with just the facts can get employers to call you. Also if you want to beat the competition for the positions you're applying for, instead of sending your resume through an ATS, you should try a strategy called back-channeling where you send this skimmable resume directly to the recruiter or the hiring manager so it actually gets looked at and you get more job interviews.
If you want to learn how to do that for free, sign up for a Work It DAILY membership today. Let's get you the job you want and deserve.
As success-minded people, you and I are always looking for the fastest, easiest ways to accelerate our careers and achieve more success.
Related: 3 Steps To Move Ahead In Your Career
And that’s what I want to give you here... These 10 little things are the GameChangers... the little things you can do now that will give you the biggest bang for your buck.
You are about to invest a lot of money for a college education with the expectation that a degree will land you employment after graduation. How will you best assure a return on this investment (ROI)? News flash! In today’s global workplace a degree alone is no longer a direct ticket to a professional job. Students must engage strategically outside the classroom as early as freshman year to become successful in landing employment after graduation. This means leveraging a whole new set of strategies not taught in the traditional college classroom.
Related: 3 Ways To Emphasize Your ROI On Your Resume
By the year 2020 over 40% of jobs will be contract work (The Intuit 2020 report). As more companies downsize full time employees and replace them with contract employees, the job search process will change considerably. Fewer companies will utilize placement offices at colleges and universities in order to find candidates. Instead, job seekers will rely more and more on social media, professional connections and professional referrals to locate work. Therefore, college students must start building and nurturing strong professional relationships the minute they step foot on campus. And, here are four strategies to get started.
If you’re not getting interviews, a few things might be coming into play. Take this test to see what might be holding you back from getting job interviews. If you answered “YES” to any of these things, you need to reevaluate your job search strategy.
In the game of life, you play to win. You do whatever it takes to be successful. But when it comes to your career, there might be one area you’re neglecting - and you could lose some great opportunities if you continue to ignore it.
Related: 10 Places To Promote Your LinkedIn Profile
A bad (or lazy) LinkedIn strategy could hurt your personal brand, which can hurt your overall career success. Without knowing it, you could be scaring away valuable connections. Want to win an interview? Don't risk losing out to another job candidate because of a bad profile. Here are five tips for upping your LinkedIn game:
You dread going to work. Every morning is the same: You have to drag yourself out of bed. It's not that the body is weak. It's that the mind is not willing. Most of us know that. Many people have felt this way at least once in their careers. Is there a way to overcome the dread of going to work every day?
I am not sure if I have the absolute solution, but these are some of the strategies I have personally tried in my years of experience.
If you dread going to work, do these four things:
Yes, it's completely normal to dread going to work. If you wake up and can't bear the thought of working, take a mental health day. If the feeling lasts for days, weeks, or even months, that may be a sign that it's time to look for a new job.
Before you decide to quit your job and find a new one, try doing these four things...
Do not let the Monday blues or the "dread going to work" syndrome become your dominant thought. Yes, I know it is easier said than done. But you have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is your thought process.
The more you think about how much you dread work, the deeper you will dwell on that feeling. Stop thinking about it. Take that thought out and focus your thoughts on something else.
Find out the source of your dread. Otherwise, you will not be able to tackle it. Do not complain if you do not know what you are complaining about.
Why do you dread going to work? Is it because of your co-workers, your boss, your routine work, your pay, or the commute?
Write all the reasons down and see if you can tackle them. I am sure resignation has crossed your mind. But before you do that, let's see if there is a way to alleviate your feelings of dread. We cannot expect life to be perfect, or work to be perfect, for that matter.
As I stated above, life is not perfect. Why should work be? Accept that things being imperfect is how things work. If you expect perfect colleagues, perfect bosses, perfect resources, or perfect processes, then you are in for a shock.
There can never be a perfect system, perfect factory, and perfect office wherever you work. Because, trust me, no matter how high your pay is, it can always be higher; no matter how good your colleagues are, they can always be better; and no matter how understanding your boss is, he or she can always be better.
Seek not perfection if you do not want to dread going to work. Seek adaptation—adaptation from yourself. What can you do to make the work environment better?
Ever think that the process of work can also teach us something about life? Think of work as a pedagogue.
It teaches us that we do not always have things our way and that life can sometimes mean having to do things we do not like or even enjoy. But it's only temporary, and we have a choice of doing something about it.
Use this experience of dreading work as your teacher. What does it teach you? Ask and answer, and you will immediately see this experience in a different light.
There is something you can do about the feeling of dread you get when thinking about work. Do not fear it. Sit down calmly and have an action plan to tackle it. When you start working on a plan to diffuse it, you will feel better—even if the plan does not work in the long term.
Remember: Every job is temporary! You'll get through this rough patch in your career soon.
We know most people don't enjoy going to work, especially if they're feeling lost, trapped, or burned out in their career. If you're struggling to find a job that you like, we can help.
The person who gets the job offer is not always the one who is most qualified—it’s often the one who prepares the best. Good preparation gives you confidence, helps you deliver better job interview answers, and it will help you get the offer. And the best part is…anyone can do it. Here are seven steps anyone can follow to be the best-prepared candidate who gets the offer:
Everyone knows to research the company and the job (although not everyone does) but the best-prepared candidate will also research the interviewer. Do an internet search, but also use social media (LinkedIn is great) and your network as resources. You want to find out everything you can about:
Also known as kudos folders or portfolios, brag books are simply a collection of things you’ve done and feedback you’ve received. Awards, performance reviews, project summaries, and so much more can be included. You can use it in the interview to back up or illustrate any stories you tell, and this evidence of your success is very impressive to hiring managers. It acts as another kind of reference for you, and it’s a huge confidence boost, too.
This is the most important piece to interview success. A 30-60-90-Day Plan is an outline of action steps you would take in order to be successful in your first three months on the job. Your research will help you create it. When you discuss it with the hiring manager in the interview, they will clearly see your value as a candidate. It turns the interview into a professional conversation (rather than a simple Q&A) that allows them to visualize you in the role. See more about How to Create and Use a 30-60-90-Day Plan.
When you stumble over the answers to common interview questions, it highlights either that you didn’t really prepare for this conversation, or you aren’t confident in yourself as a candidate. Come up with great answers to questions like:
Don’t just come up with great answers—actually practice saying them. You can rehearse by yourself or with someone else, but absolutely practice so you are confident delivering them and know how you are coming across to the interviewer.
First, make sure you know the route you’ll take to the interview, and how long it will take you to get there. Then, arrive at least 15 minutes early. This will help you stroll into the building seeming calm, cool, and collected. Second, make sure your suit, hair, nails, shoes, portfolio, and so on, are in the best possible condition. You want to aim for stylish but conservative dress for an interview, and the details matter—shine your shoes, press any wrinkles out of your clothes, and have a reasonably fresh haircut.
Before you go to the interview, choose and prep good references. They may be called quickly after your interview, so you want to be sure they are ready to go when needed. Before you leave the interview, ask about timelines and when they expect to make a decision. Don’t leave the interview without knowing that. Within 24 hours after the interview, write a good, substantial thank you note. It’s always good manners and a nice thing to do, but I have seen many hiring managers on the fence about a candidate be swayed by a thank you note (or lack of one). Err on the side of safety and send a good note. If you’d like additional job interview preparation tips, check out my 20-page Job Interview Prep Kit.
Want your resume to distinguish your leadership brand among competing candidates for C-suite or VP positions? Then ditch the boring language you’ve seen on many other executive resume summaries. Just because other resumes (both professional and self-written) employ a blend of monotonous, overused words doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. Shake things up and ensure the effectiveness of your leadership brand message by refusing to add these mundane descriptors to your executive resume:
What it says about you: “I’m not sure what other words to use, so I copied this opening line from hundreds of other resumes.” Why you should reconsider using it: This "no kidding" phrase does you a disservice, almost immediately providing a generalized view of your skills. On the other hand, telling companies what’s different about your accomplishments – competitively so – opens up a different conversation. What you could say instead:
What it says about you: “I’ve continually updated my resume throughout the years, but I can’t think of anything more enticing to say about my career experience.” Why you should reconsider using it: Years of experience are not always an asset in the job search, especially as you advance into prime territory for age bias. Earlier in your career, accumulating those first 8-10 years under your belt makes you a mid-career asset (experienced, but not quite expensive). Don’t let employers see your 20+ years of history as a reason they can’t afford you. You’ll also notice that, throughout your career, a divide may have formed between you and colleagues who are just putting in their time. Therefore, longevity doesn’t always mean effectiveness, so you’ll need to focus on ROI vs. the length of your tenure. What you could say instead:
What it says about you: “Hey, listen. I have more than 25 years of experience, and should be the senior person here… and I pulled this in to make my case.” Why you should reconsider using it: No matter how you put it, this description is going to sound as if you’ve got one foot into retirement – perhaps because it’s lasted among the over-55 set for a number of years. See point #2 regarding age bias in the job search. There’s many other ways to note your lengthy experience and results, without making references to your age or seniority. What you could say instead:
Interviews really are the defining moment in every job search. They result is either dreams coming true or hopes being shattered. Think of a time in your life that was extremely important to you and your immediate future. It may be a sporting event you were competing in, a driving test or a college exam. Whatever it was, I’m willing to bet that the outcome depended on your performance at that given moment. Interviews are, of course, no different in that respect.
Related: 4 Benefits Of A Mock Interview
Would you turn up to the most important match of the season without any practice? Would you come to your driving test having never sat in the driving seat for years? Would you attend a college exam without studying hard beforehand? For most of us (I hope!) the answer to these questions is a resounding NO! That’s why mock interviews are so important when preparing for a real life interview. Aside from the (obvious) old adage ‘practice makes perfect’, here are three reasons you should consider a mock interview:
Non-verbal communication is an extremely powerful influencer on whether or not you get the job. In fact, in a recent survey of 2000 hiring managers, 33% claimed to know whether or not they would hire someone within 90 seconds. There are lots of different examples of non verbal communication in an interview scenario, however, some of the more common ones are:
Also known as competency based interview questions, these are often particularly difficult to answer well in an interview. They, more than any other type of interview question, need practice to get right. In my career as a Job Search Coach and Recruiter, I have seen hundreds of candidates that, whilst they were the ‘perfect’ candidate on paper, failed to get the job because they didn’t do a good enough job of answering the behavioral interview questions. Behavioral interview questions are based on the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. As such, behavioral interview questions require specific examples of when you, the interviewee has displayed certain behavioral characteristics. Some example behavioral questions might be:
The best way to answer these questions is by using something called the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique. In a mock interview, you will get to practice using the STAR technique and how to structure your answers. This can be the difference between nailing a behavioral interview question and missing the mark completely. Behavioral interview questions are also extremely difficult (if not impossible) to try and ‘wing’ off the cuff.
The questions you have for the interviewers at the end of the interview could really set you apart from the competition. They could also kill your chances dead in the water. That’s why using a mock interview as a sounding board for some of your questions can be super beneficial. So, the interviewers say ‘Do you have any questions for us?,’ and your response is ‘No, I think we’ve covered everything’. This can be so frustrating because if you prepare properly for the interview, you understand everything about the role and the company, you nail your non verbal communication and your answers to the behavioral questions, only to mess everything up right at the final hurdle because you didn’t attach any importance to your own questions. You were so relieved that their questions were over that you couldn’t wait to get out of the room. Bad idea. This is your opportunity shine and to demonstrate that you really have done your homework on the company and that you have completely bought into the idea of the role itself. If you have some intelligent, well thought out questions for the interviewers, you will leave them on a high note and create a lasting and memorable impression on them. If you consider a mock interview as part of your interview preparation, your chances of success can dramatically improve!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.
If you're like most people, you either (a) hate phone interviews or (b) don't take them as seriously as face-to-face interviews. The truth is that phone interviews are incredibly important because if you don't do well, you'll never get the chance to interview in person.
With the right preparation, you can learn to hate them a little less and practically guarantee yourself an invitation to an in-person interview. These seven phone interview tips will help you prepare for (and ace!) any phone interview.
You often have choices about when to schedule your call. It only makes sense to schedule it when you're most alert. If you're a morning person, schedule it early. If it takes you a good few hours to become your best, schedule it for the afternoon. If they call you and it isn't a good time for you, let them know that it isn't the best time (no need to tell them why) and ask to reschedule. Just don't wait too long to make that happen.
Hint: Make sure that when you do set your phone interview up, you leave yourself a cushion of time after the call, in case it goes especially well and runs long. Some phone interviews stick with a time limit of 10-15 minutes, but others last 30-45 minutes or longer.
There's nothing like being on the phone in a noisy public place to signal that you aren't taking this call seriously. Instead, do the phone interview at home, in a room by yourself. You want no distractions.
Bad reception can ruin your call. Play it safe and use a landline, if possible.
Some job seekers think phone interviews are basic information sessions, but you'll make a much stronger impression if you already know everything you can about the company before your call. You'll ask better questions and give more impressive answers to their questions.
It's easy to be tempted to stay in your pajamas for this call, but it's better to wear work clothes. Clothes do affect how we behave and you need to be all business.
Eat, drink, take a bathroom break, and take a few moments to breathe and relax before your call.
Since the hiring manager can't see you, this is the perfect opportunity to have a printed-out resume, notes on the company, questions you want to ask, and words and phrases you want to use in your phone interview answers out in front of you. This is one of the few advantages of a phone interview, so make the most of it. Just spread them out in front of you so they can't hear you shuffling papers. Make sure you also have blank paper with a pen to take notes.
It's important to do as much interview prep as you can. You will never get another chance to make a first impression with this company. How you do now will affect whether or not you get the face-to-face interview, and it can bias them to like you even more before you set foot on site.
You sent out the resume. You think you're a perfect fit. And yet no one calls. Sound familiar?
In fact, the majority of candidates today do not receive a response on a submitted resume. So, the big question is, “When is it appropriate to follow up with an employer on my submission and how do I do it?"
There is no answer that will fit every scenario, but there are some good rules you should follow when following up on your resume submission.
Hiring managers and recruiters are busy and they can't acknowledge every resume and cover letter, even if they wanted to, because there's just so much that they need to process.
It's best to follow up one to two weeks after you have submitted your resume. That is generally the amount of time most employers take to review all applicants and contact candidates of interest for an interview.
This may not always be universal, but in many cases, if you make contact during the early morning you'll have a better chance of reaching someone before they are bogged down with other tasks to do for the day.
Also, never follow up on a Monday. It's common for people to have a case of the "Monday Blues," which could make them more likely to ignore your email or say "no" to an interview more quickly.
So, you should absolutely follow up on your resume in the morning—just not on a Monday morning.
Whether you're reaching out to the hiring manager by email or LinkedIn connection, it's important to be professional and not overzealous. Keep the message simple:
"Hi, XYZ. We haven't met, but I applied for the XYZ position and I just wanted to be proactive and see if there's anything that I could do to further my candidacy or check on the status of my application. Thank you for your time."
This simple note at least gets you on the hiring manager's radar.
It could be that they've been meaning to get back to you and this note will get them to respond. It's also possible that they looked past your application and your note got them to take a second look. Either way, it's worthwhile to always follow up.
Follow these tips the next time you want to follow up on a resume submission. Following up the right way can get you the interview you deserve.
Is your career experience in academia, but you’re ready to move to business? If you’re a teacher, a professor, a scientist, or a lab tech, employers can see a move to business or industry as a pretty big leap.
They may have some perceptions about academic types that will bias them against you, and they will want to know why you want such a dramatic career change. What will you say?
This answer is a wonderful opportunity to present yourself as a great fit for business by talking about your drive, ambition, and enthusiasm, and turn any bias from a negative to a positive. Here are a few examples of potential answers and corresponding questions:
“I’m ready to move now because I want to be more directly rewarded for the things I do. In academics, I can put in a lot of hours of quality work and still never be recognized or paid any more than someone else who doesn’t put in the effort that I do. In a business role, I feel that the harder I work and the more that I do, the more I will be rewarded by the company I work for, both financially and professionally. I expect that I would be given the opportunity to grow and take on more responsibility, which will eventually reward me even more.”
You will want to talk about what’s important to you: money (salary or bonuses), recognition, appreciation, or increasing authority and responsibility. Your answer will depend on your situation and your motivation. This answer gives a reasonable explanation that makes sense to employers. It’s natural to want to see a benefit from all your hard work.
An alternative answer could speak to your desire to work in a practical way as opposed to a theoretical one, so you can feel that you make more of a difference, or experience the end result of your work.
Whatever answer you give, keep this big picture in mind: You need to show them why you are running TO this job, rather than AWAY from your old one. Talking about all the reasons why you want out of academia or the lab is a negative way to approach this explanation, and it won’t do you any favors in the interview because it will make you seem negative, whether you actually are or not.
Focus your explanation on why you want to move forward into business and how excited you are about that. It’s positive, and it keeps the conversation and the interviewer focused on your great qualities and your fit for the job.
Need more help with your career change?
If you’ve been job hunting for a long time, you’ve probably hit the online listings and maybe asked around your network. However, there are a few places you may not be thinking of that could be the source of the perfect job for you.
Hopefully, the people you’ve worked with in the past are on your current networking list. If not, add them now. Don’t just include people you directly worked with. Also think about who may have been in adjacent departments, support departments, other divisions, and so on. People in your career space will naturally hear about relevant job leads and can pass them on to you. If you’ve lost touch, try looking for them on LinkedIn.
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If you interviewed with a company in the past, there was something about you they liked—even if they didn’t choose to hire you for that one position. If you contact them now, they may have a job that’s a better fit, or they may be ready to hire you. If they don’t have a spot, they might know someone who does. If you interviewed with them, you’ll still have the contact information for the hiring manager there and maybe others. Use it to reach out now.
You probably won’t find a job lead on YouTube, but you could generate one. Create and post a video resume, or create a video showcasing your skills or knowledge as a subject matter expert. Make sure your video is good quality because it will reflect on you. Everything you put online contributes to your personal brand and makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you.
Fewer companies these days post jobs in the classifieds, and fewer people read them. But some do post jobs, and you may have less competition for those jobs because readership has declined. What’s more important for you is the actual news. Keep your eyes peeled for headlines relating to companies in your space. Look for who’s expanding with new projects or acquisitions—that’s a clue that they’re probably also hiring.
Business newspaper article Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash
If you haven’t been active in your college alumni organization, now is the time to start. Many colleges have alumni groups in cities all over the country, and the people in them are loyal and ready to promote fellow alumni. Go to functions and talk to people. You never know who will be there, and where that relationship may lead.
A career coach (not a life coach) can be a great path to a new job. Someone with knowledge of your field who can look at your resume, evaluate your interview performance, and show you how to best sell yourself in the job search can be a huge help to you.
Find out more about career coaching and what it can do for you.
If you’re not using the best, most effective methods of following up after a job interview, you’re missing out on the chance to score some easy points that could push you over the top and out of the unemployment line.
Make sure you’re going above and beyond to impress interviewers and secure the job. Here are some guidelines for the perfect interview follow-up strategy.
In a CareerBliss poll asking how soon people follow up after a job interview, 39% of respondents said they do it the next day. Good answer, according to career expert Vicky Oliver. Oliver, author of 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions, says the best time to reach out after an interview is within 24 hours. The 61% of poll respondents who said they wait two to three days, a week, or never follow up should take note.
“If you’re incredibly lucky,” Oliver says, “the interviewer will hit the email back to you saying she/he really enjoyed meeting you, and voila—now you’re in the running! These rules apply even if an executive recruiter helped you land the interview.”
Your follow-up email should be short, sweet, and personalized. Generally, a good rule of thumb for the length is three paragraphs, with no more than two or three sentences in each paragraph.
Candidates should “double check the spelling of the interviewer’s name, his or her title, and the address of the company,” Oliver says. While you’re at it, don’t forget to spellcheck the entire letter. These steps may seem obvious, but all too often minor spelling and grammatical blunders get through, making the candidate look careless.
After you have written your notes, double-check to ensure that you have avoided these common mistakes:
Usually, toward the end of an interview, hiring managers will indicate a general time for when they will contact you. If this was not addressed, be sure to ask them to give you an idea in your initial follow-up email. Only call the employer if that date has passed. Call any time before then and you will come off as desperate and bothersome.