Why did they ask that question in the interview?

Here is an article that I found that I thought was worth looking at. The title is a little too slighted for me but you should be aware of what HR folks can and cannot ask you in your interview.

I wouldn't suggest being too closed off in the interview despite this. Anyway, click here to read the article.

Forbes' mistakes to avoid in your job search

 

I enjoyed this article from Forbes.com on mistakes to avoid on your way to greatness and happiness.

If you're going to be successful in your job search, you will definitely want to avoid these mistakes.

Can employers use social media against you?

When you're looking for a job many companies are checking your social media, whether you like it or not. In fact, some employers are trying to monitor their employees' social media including getting their login info. Read this article on social media login requests from employers.

How should you ask for time off during the interview process?

 

Believe it or not, but you may very well find yourself in this situation someday. Maybe you already have. You are making a job change but you have plans for time off already set in stone. So how do you bring that up during the interview process?

The first question precedes this. Should you even share that at all? I've had many candidates bring this up throughout the years. What do you think?

Companies want decision makers

I read this article today: http://www.ere.net/2012/04/18/are-you-hiring-deciders-or-drifters/

I agree. Most of my clients are looking for people who feel confident that they can figure out the problems that are weighing on their organization and fix them. They want people that can make decisions.

The best way to prove that you are this type of person is to first, ask questions about their pressing problems or the problems specific to the position you're interviewing for. Second, give them a map of how you would go about solving the problem and/or how you've solved similar problems in the past.

How to speak in an interview: Talker personalities

We're to the final personality profile. The Talker. If the person interviewing you has a talker personality, look out. Talker's are called talker's for a reason, because they can gab. That can throw you off your game, so make sure you stay focused. Talker's are by nature extremely warm and friendly, which can help you relax. Don't be deceived though, their inviting disposition can be a trap. Many people get more liberal with what they say and do when communicating with a talker because of that disposition. You might say some things that you regret because they made you feel like you could be brutally honest.

Here's some tips on how to handle this. First and foremost, reciprocate their overly amicable nature. Compliment them often. Don't be patronizing when you do it, be genuine about what you compliment. Don't go overboard or they'll feel you're both patronizing and disingenuous.

Second, be very expressive. Use gestures. Exaggerate your facial expressions a little. They'll interpret this as passion, which is what a talker will look for.

Third, talk in terms of what compels you, not obligations and duty. For example, say I "enjoy it," or "I helped them do this," instead of  "It was part of the job," and short emotionless answers like "I did this or that." The former express that you feel an inner passion. 

In summary, be overly friendly, be passionate and expressive, but don't go overboard. Be genuine. Most importantly, talker's are more focused on the feeling they get about you. So make sure it's genuine and positive.

How to speak in an interview: Pacer personalities

When interviewing with a pacer personality you must understand one important thing. Their decision process is most likely slower than yours, unless you're a predominant pacer personality yourself. Have you ever given some one what you think is a no brainer decision, including all the facts they would need to make that decision, yet they still said I don't know I have to think about it. Worse yet, it was just a simple unimportant decision. Yeah, that's a pacer. This easily frustrates the doer and talker personalities. 

Another attribute of the pacer is their patience and listening ability. If you're not careful they'll let you talk and talk and talk until you've dug your own grave. You may feel like you're saying all the wrong things because of the lack of responsiveness.

So how do you interact appropriately with a pacer?

Immediately, it would be important to find out what to them are the deciding factors for this position. In other words, ask them: in your opinion what would the optimal candidate be like? Let's say for example they will say we need someone who is thorough and a perfectionist. You need to pull out your bag of power statements (again search this term in my blog archive if it's not familiar) and give them as many examples of your thoroughness and perfectionism as you can. The whole point is you want to get their buy in. Pacers are all about warm fuzzies. They need to feel reassured. So give them lot's of reasons and benefits.

Also, you definitely want probably close to a gagillion references on hand, approximately. And you want them to be as third party as possible, so no co-workers, managers and executives (that worked closely with you) only. Again, the more you understand what their expected the timetable is and what factors will decide who they pick, the better you'll be able to do things at their pace. And that will win over a pacer.
 

How to speak in an interview: Doer personalities

Now it's time to go over the Doer personality. What would your interview be like if the person conducting the interview was a doer? They would be curt or short in their speech. They would try to move things along quickly and try to cut straight to the weightier matters. They want to see results. They want to know what the bottom line is.

This type of personality can come off as impatient and short, which could make some feel like they're just trying to blow you off. You may feel like you're saying all the wrong things. Perhaps, you just feel like they're being rude.

Those things may be true for some, but most of the time it is just how Doers communicate. Especially with Doers DON'T TAKE IT PERSONAL. They are just extremely focused on being effective, efficient, priority-oriented, etc. It's not about you, it's about them.

Here's how you respond...

Give them the major points. They are not interested in the details. They want to know what results you've accomplished in your past positions. So come prepared before hand with power statements (search my blog if that's a new terminology for you), so that you're organized and confident. Confidence is key with Doers because they are confident in general. Also, do not give excuses or talk unnecessarily. These will cause them to get impatient with you. Above all try to be confident about what your saying and give them only the information that will prove that you can get the job done. 

How to speak in an interview

It's important to know how to speak in an interview. The most important advice I can give on this is to imitate the interviewer. People respond better to those that are more like them. They think to themselves, now finally a person who really understands the world. This will inevitably improve your position in the interview.

So how do you do it? First, you must understand the their language and then how to properly respond. Here is a quick personality chart. Remember no one person can be categorized into these personalities. Every person is extremely dynamic and is a combination of these personalities. However understanding these can help you to better understand and respond to others.

The 4 different personalities are Controller, Doer, Pacer, Talker. Today I'll just go over the controller personality. Here are some tendencies of controller personalities. They are detail oriented. They want to know all the facts and data so that they can be in control, so they will ask you a lot of questions. They want to feel like they were able to get to the root of the story and solve the case. While they're questioning you, they don't use many gestures which leaves you believing that they are very skeptical of you and suspicious that you are not the real deal Holyfield.

Have you ever run into someone like this before in an interview? Here's how to approach them. Again, depending on your personality you will find this easier or more difficult to do.

So here we go. Be courteous and diplomatic. Controller's will like that you are acting "appropriate" for the situation. Make sure that your questions and answers have a purpose. Don't ask questions that are not related to the job. Do not criticize. Although controller personalities can be big critics themselves, you don't want to criticize your last employer or they might see that as your weakness not the employers. They'll assume that you're going to have similar issues if you were to get this job.

Finding a Job 'the Hunger Games' Way

The job market is extremely competitive right now. One mistake and you could lose out on a job to another candidate. This can mean the difference between making it or breaking it in the fight to take care of your family. Take a few tips from The Hunger Games.

1. Seek sponsers. Seek out supervisors and colleagues from your past jobs (supervisors are the best) that will vouch for your work. Give these as referrals in the interview. Be forward and let them know, if you want an unbiased opinion on my work there give so and so a call. Here's his number. Remember, make sure that they will say positive things about you before you decide to give their names out.

2. Build alliances. Make sure you are talking to everyone you know and letting them know that you're looking so you can get as many job leads as possible.

3. Be the last one standing. Work harder, smarter and faster than anyone else in the interview process. Research the company, practice how you will answer questions, practice what questions you will ask, practice your pitch, make your communications professional and on queue.


Side not: Whatever you do though don't show up the host.

How are people finding jobs right now?

So I did an HR internship for a global organization while in school and they had a statistic that over 75% of jobs are filled through networking. We used that as a basis to teach folks how to better leverage their networks.

New technologies such as online job boards, meta search engines, company career sites, etc. disseminate information about job openings much faster, broader and more efficiently than what we've ever seen. So with all this technology is old fashioned networking still the best way to find a job?

What do you think?

Have an objective in your interview.

I've talked a lot about preparation prior to your interviews, but what's the point of preparation if you don't know what you're preparing for. Do your company research before your interview and then decide what you want to accomplish in the interview.

Do you want to learn more about the day to day duties of the position? Do you want to learn what their competitive advantage is? Do you want to know what they're culture is like? All of these questions can be important but you need to determine these objectives before hand.

If you don't have an objective, you'll look lost and that will not get you hired, unless you're interviewing for Gilligan's Island.

Looking for a job? Watch NCAA March Madness!

If you're looking for a job right now, turn on the ol' boob tube and watch a little NCAA March Madness. We've already had a few amazing comebacks that prove that you're never down and out.

Take inspiration from these guys who have spent countless hours their throughout their lives and do not know how to give up. Don't you give up on yourself either.

Do [you] feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." - Thomas Jefferson

A little luck never hurts. Hard work does. Maybe that's why some people are willing to bet on luck before working hard. Regardless, luck can come from being in the right place at the right time. You can't be in the right place unless your doing something.

Be like Thomas Jefferson. Believe in yourself. Believe that working harder and smarter will bring luck and good fortune. Don't sit around and do nothing, then hope in your moment of desperation that Clint Eastwood's gun has already run out of bullets. So you gotta ask yourself that one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya... punk?

'Lead by example' is not just a cliché!

Last night I watched a documentary on D-Day. One segment included a great story of leadership. The allied soldiers found themselves pinned between the cliffs below the Nazi fortifications and the exposed beach. General Norman "Dutch" Cota rallied the nearby allied soldiers and they rushed one of the Nazi fortified gunner positions. Cota lead the charge.

This principal holds true in business. You can lead by example. When every one else is scared or they simply don't know what to do, a leader must be willing to throw himself in the trenches and show them the way. I don't know about Cota, but most leaders get scared just the same as everyone else. The difference is they don't lose their heads, they don't give up, they don't acquiesce. They take courage, make a plan and move forward.


Whatever is blocking you from getting out of your pinned position, finding a job, increasing sales for your team, or whatever, take a page from General Cota's book. Take courage, make a plan and move forward. That will inspire others and they will follow.

Should companies hire for talent or for personality?

Are you extremely good at what you do, but don't have the world's most sparkling personality. Take comfort from this article on personality-based hiring.

Sometimes companies try to maintain a certain culture among it's employees. I think that's a great idea in many regards. I also think it's a great idea to surround yourself with the brightest people and especially people who think and/or see things in different ways than you do.

Some of the best matches made in heaven are between a sparkling, dynamic, gregarious personality and a boring, pensive, reclusive one.
 

Technical Support Jobs Available

I just wanted to get the word out that one of our clients in Utah County needs to hire 3 tier 1 tech support people ASAP. If you are interested or know someone who might be, click on Job Openings in my Links widget on the right.

The company is looking for a generalist with experience in both Windows and Mac operating systems, who has a knack for troubleshooting. You would be supporting their software products for both consumers and corporate clients.

How to beat Resume Screening Software

Who hasn't come across a few opportunities where they were screened by those software programs? It's frustrating right? Here's a few tips on how to beat 'em.

Try calling the company and "working the building" (sales term for finagling your way from one person to the next until you find the decision maker) so you can figure out what keywords their looking for.

Contact a friend who works there and ask what the process is, what keywords they're looking for, etc.

Don't have a friend there? Make a friend who works there, by commenting on their blogs, websites, FB, etc.

I have done all of the above and got a call from the companies with those blasted scanning software programs.

SIDEOUT: Ask yourself, why are you just sending resumes into companies? The best way to get a job is through your personal network. So start networking.


Note: Those software programs can have some term recognition flaws, as well.

Interview with Passion

Happy Holidays! I'm just getting back to my blog after an intense month of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I'm still about two thousand words away from finishing before tomorrow's deadline, but it's been quite the endeavor. So in case anyone has checked in on my blog and your heart has just been crushed with sadness that there were not many new posts this month, that's why.


So here's a new post about having passion in your interview. Don't be a deadbeat, no matter if it's a CPA interview or a sales interview. Also, be specific in your responses to questions. Even if it goes above the head of the HR folks. It's ok to dummy it down a little but stay as specific as possible when describing your accomplishments.


Thanks, I hope you enjoy this post and that everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and F-bombs in a job interview!

I just read this article that has a few uncommon interview questions. I think a couple of the questions are good questions from an HR perspective. The questions about your favorite restaurant, reality tv show and your biggest regret are good ones and I'll tell you why in a minute. Some of the others are not, but you should prepare for them because a lot of interviewers/hiring managers will ask them. Check it out here:
 
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/best-job-interview-questions-1820/

So here's why I like those aforementioned questions. The most important part of an interview for me is creating an environment where the candidate feels relaxed. There's a couple details involved in creating that environment but when that happens it makes people act as if they're not in an interview. It's amazing what people will say when they get to this point. They talk differently and start to let things fly that they normally wouldn't in an interview. Sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and F-bombs. Yep, I've heard a few things that'd make your jaw drop.

If you are the job candidate, be careful! Watch out for guys like me!

I do this for a reason. I want to know what they'll be like after the newness and excitement wears off and see them how they truly are.