Carry on ...

Enough already! I had my little break at Lake Tahoe and it was absolutely fabulous. My dad got VIP tickets to the Elton John Concert for me and my husband. This included at pre-show cocktail and food party. I am not much of a gambler, but still ended up coming home with extra money in my pocket.

Enough said. Now down to the nitty gritty. Before I left for Tahoe, I had a two phone interviews for two very different positions. It has been one week since the first phone interview and I have not heard anything. And we know that in the case of job seeking, no news is bad news. It actully gets worse from here. I had a face to face interview yesterday with the County. Eight questions with a panel of 5 people. It lasted 20 minutes. Talk about the deer in the headlights look. Well that was me, when they asked several questions that I could not articulate an anwer for. So I definitely fumbled that. I need help with interviewing. I am sure my resume is okay because I am getting phone screens, but not any interviews or job offers. Not even with my former employer.




So if anyone wants to assist me in becoming a better interviewer I could use all the help I can get.

Carry on.....

A short repreive....

I have been so exhausted since my last post because I have had two phone interviews with two different companies for two very different positions.  I find phone interviews to be utterly exhausting.  Lots of preparation for a 20 - 30 minute conversation, of me trying to sell my skills to someone who knows next to nothing about me, except what was written in a resume.  In the meantime, I am also preparing for a face-to-face interview for a government job on 7/28.  I am not sure if they interview their candidates any different than the private sector.  I know I had to take a written exam and pass in the top ten to make it to the oral.  There were 92 applicants for one position.  They invited 34 to take the exam and 29 people showed up for one position.  It is all so exhausting.

I am going to take a short break.  I am heading out to Lake Tahoe with my husband and my mom and dad.  A short getaway is exactly what I need right now and Lake Tahoe is so beautiful.

Peace out!

Confidence Achieved!

Yesterday felt like "Ground Hog Day" all day.  My husband and I put a little humor into an otherwise series of unfortunate events.  In the end we did manage to get the boys off to Alaska, albeit rather slowly. And, best of all, I managed to buy a pair of shoes that I had been trying to get in my size for weeks.  And you all know women and their shoes!!!

Tonight I am preparing for my phone interview that I have scheduled for Thursday morning.  I feel confident that I am better prepared for this phone interview than for any other one I have had in the past.  Special thanks to all my LinkedIn connections  (and Andy too) who worked with me to ensure my answers were positive and had a smooth flow.

I am learning alot about how to best answer questions, especially ones that require me to say "no".  I have learned how to put a positive spin to those types of questions.

I did some research on the Internet, asked for advice and feel strong!  Also, since I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket, I do have a face to face interview scheduled for 7/28 with the county.

So best wishes to me and to anyone else who has the dreaded phone interview scheduled in the near future.

You learn something new everyday....

I have recently become a huge fan of LinkedIn.  I started using LinkedIn as a means to an end.  I have since realized that LinkedIn is an enormous resource to both the working professional and those who have found themselves in the job seeking mode, like myself.

Today, I connected with an individual who has a wealth of information and is willing to go the extra mile to assist those who seek his advice.  I am still preparing for my phone interview that is scheduled for Thursday morning.  I felt that I was lacking the confidence I needed for this interview, for any interview for that matter.

I was reinforced today that I "rock" at what I do and I can improve efficiency at any organization.  I have to exude that in my tone when I speak, especially over the phone.  I realized too, that I need to do more research, dig deeper, don't give up.  There is information to be found, you just need to be diligent and persistent.  If you think about it, with all this technology, we need to use it to our advantage.  Try to find out something personal about the hiring manager and use it to your advantage.  Reach out to others and they will reach out to you.  But beware of the "axels" that are out there.

Keep on truckin.....

Phone Interview Success Part 2

I am continuing my blog regarding phone interview success.  I am preparing for one that I have next week.  I have had 5 phone interviews and none of them have led to a  face-to-face. I am thrilled that I made it past phase one, the cover letter and resume submission. Now it’s time for the phone interview. 

Use this opportunity to shine and earn that face-face time with the employer.

 

Avoid these simple (and common) phone interview faux pas:

 

• Do not hesitate or use excessive slang. Uh, um, and like are horrible.  It is better to pause for a moment to collect thoughts than it is to explain that you were the, uh, like, uh head, uh analyst . Practice answering potential questions with a friend or family member to help weed out these unnecessary (and unprofessional) words. I get nervous and I know I pause or hesitate (ugh!, I hate when that happens!)
• Do not reply in all yes’s and no’s. Answer with some personal experiences that are relevant to the job in question. Yes/no answers do not help sell your personal brand to the interviewer.  If there is a need to say "No", try adding, however, and then support how you can still provide them the service.
• Do not lose focus. Remember this is an interview, not an historical biography. Keep your answers short and to the point. Make sure you are in an area with limited distractions and both people can hear each other clearly. 
• Do not volunteer information. This is supposed to be a preliminary interview, so there’s no need to commit to a salary requirement at this point. The salary the company is prepared to offer may be higher than what was expected, or, likewise, your requirements may be a bit more than they can afford.
•  Do not just roll out of bed. Since the caller cannot see you, it is tempting to appear disheveled. Getting up early, eating a good breakfast, showering, and dressing (does not have to be business attire) will relieve stress and make you more prepared and alert. 
• Do not respond in a monotone voice . Show the interviewer that you are excited about the position with specific references to what is fascinating about the company. The energy and excitement will be clear in your voice. Have an upbeat, positive attitude.
• Do not wing it. Prepare ahead of time with some traditional questions and have your resume and the job description handy as well as any additional information about the company. Have a list of your attributes with situational examples that would be considered important for this job. Write down important questions that you have for the interviewer beforehand.
• Do not have a hurried interview. While one would ideally be in a quiet setting with no other pressing engagements when the potential employer phones, sometimes it’s just not possible. Politely ask if it would be alright for you to call him or her back later and suggest a time (the sooner, the better). 
• Do not forget to thank the interviewer. After working diligently to answer questions, showing passion for the company and job offered, and standing up and smiling at someone who cannot even see your face, do not blow the interview in the last five minutes. Be certain to leave a positive final impression. Thank the caller and state that you are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to discuss the position with him or her further face-face.

 Finally, relax and don’t let the idea of a phone interview overwhelm you. Hopefully the employer was once in the same position. It may even help to have a list available of things that want to discuss or questions you would like to ask.  Try to stay confident and be prepared.

If I can keep these tips in mind,  I just might achieve the success.

 

Tie a Knot, and Hang On......

Job searching can make you feel down in the dumps, frustrated, and feeling borderline hopeless that we will never get the interview or another offer!  At times the process can seem daunting, overwhelming, or even frustrating. Today, I want to be the rooting section for everyone and hopefully provide you with a little hope and renewed energy for your search.  I am hoping that this can provide me the exact same energy!


I would like to think that my tips, advice, and resources about job searching is inspiring. I try to formulate the tips and advice I provide based on real problems, downfalls, and issues I have as a job seeker that I struggle with every day.  I realize there isn't any to-the-point, hard advice on careers, job search, etc. but, I will tell you that perseverance can pay off. You CAN do it! If it's not working, change it-and hold on tight, because before you know it, you'll have that new position.

What I am thinking is, we need to be creative in our job search. If what we are currently doing isn't working, then what risk or harm is there in changing it up? Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?  I know that I recently changed the adjectives that I was using to describe what I did in my former position.  Realize that all job titles DO NOT transfer across all industries.  We need to generalize what we did in the past to better fit the positions we are striving to get.  How about trying something like sending out information in a handwritten envelope that resembles a thank you letter. Everyone loves a thank you letter, and it guarantees your resume, cover letter, pitch letter, etc. will be read! Unprofessional or genius?  The jury is still out on that theory. 


So the moral of the story is... Hold on, your breakthrough is coming! Be patient and persevere, stay the course; but if the same old song isn't working, then don't be afraid to take a risk and change it up. Learn a new dance, so to speak.  You're doing all the right things, and one day you'll be rewarded with a new promotion, better position, or great new opportunity. You can do it-I believe in you! So put yourself out there, take a few risks, try something new, and above all else, keep your hopes up. 
 

So, as quoted by Franklin D. Roosevelt, "When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."

Murphy's Law

This morning I was struggling with the thought of getting on my treadmill.  It just did not sound appealing to me at all.  It was about 7:30 a.m., but I did manage to get myself out of bed.  After tying my shoe laces, my cell phone rang. Now remember, it's about 7:50 a.m.  and I am thinking who the heck is calling me so early in the morning.  I looked at the number and the area code was definitely not recognizable.  I answered the phone and was quite surprised when the caller identified herself as someone who I reached out to on LinkedIn for a position I had applied for.  Now the recruiter I connected with was from their corporate office in Cape Canaveral, Florida.  She said she was impressed at my initiative to send her an e-mail about the position.  We spoke for a bit and she said that the director ""owed her one and she was going to hand deliver my resume to him, and forward it to the recruiter for that particular position as well.  We shall see.

Later in the morning ,I received another call from a recruiter for a 5-month contract with Genentech.  Here's where Murphy's Law kicks in.  My cell phone dropped the call, not once, but twice during our conversation.  He wasn't upset, but come on, twice, really.

Then I plugged in my iPhone and I get a message asking if I want to upgrade, I say yes, and it crashes on me.  I was able to restore it, but still ended up losing all my contacts.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day....

Inspiration

A few months ago, I was in San Francisco for a job interview.  After my interview, I met my cousin Roseann, for a cup of coffee.  We chatted about jobs and she wished me well with the interview I just had.  However, she told me a story that I found to be quite inspiring. 

I thought I would share it so that we can all know that there is a reason for everything.

A friend of hers, who I will refer to as Lisa, moved from California to the mid west somewhere.  She couldn't find a job, but needed to work, so she took a job at Starbuck's.  There was a woman who came in to Lisa's Starbuck's regularly.  One day, out of the blue, the women told Lisa that she is exactly the kind of employee she wanted working for her.  She asked Lisa if she would consider a job as her regional sales associate at Bare Escentuals.  Yes, THE BARE ESCENTUALS!!  As I am sure you figured out, Lisa took the job.

She ended up becoming the top regional sales rep.  She was awarded an all expense paid trip to San Francisco and was honored for her success.  I understand she stayed at a five star hotel in San Francisco was given free tickets to see Wicked as well. 

Needless to say, you never know who you might meet and where you might land! 

There truly is a reason for everything.

Pay It Forward

I was sitting here thinking about what it takes to land a job these days and since I never in my life thought I would be one of 15 million Americans seeking employment after all my dedicated years at one single company, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I need to pay it forward.  If I spend 5 minutes a day helping someone else in their job search maybe it will come back to me too.

So I am going to encourage you to do something RIGHT NOW.

Reach out. Ask a friend what one or two things you can do to help with his/her job search.
.
Spread the word so we can get thousands across the US to help get friends back to work!

Please help by sharing this on your email lists, Facebook, Twitter etc.

I encourage you to use my comments section to suggest ideas or share what you did today for someone

Here are a few suggestions:

• Forward a job opportunity to someone
• Write a LinkedIn recommendation
• Review a friend’s resume and give objective feedback
• Ask for nothing in return

Pay It Forward All Across the USA! USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA

  

Turn The Tables

I am continuing my blog on the subject of interviews.  I am at the point where I am finally getting more interview opportunities.  Writing advise about interviews and the interview process continues to be great therapy for me.

Sometimes it feels like the interview process is an interrogation or inquisition.  It can be extremely unnerving.  That's because you are doing all the answering and not the one asking questions.

It is possible to turn the tables during the interview.

At some point in the interview you may have a chance to impress the employer on your own terms and see if the job is a good fit for you. You should absolutely take this opportunity to do so. By asking the right questions you can determine if the job is right for you and also show you're engaged and interested in the job.

You can gain insight, put yourself in a good light, and take some control in the interview if you identify with their pain such as:

What is one of the biggest problems the company faces that someone with my background could help alleviate?

If you started in this job tomorrow, what would be your two most pressing priorities?

Find out where the company is going.

Where is this department/company in five years?
What are the long and short term goals of the company/department/work group?

Determine whether you'd fit in.

Ask about the company's culture.

What qualities attracted you to the organization?

Show you're really interested.

Ask if there is any additional information you can provide about your qualifications.

Definitely ask what the next steps in the selection process is.

Ask follow-up questions.

Perhaps ask them to clarify or ask for examples.

By requesting clarification or examples, you show interviewers you care and that you're thinking deeply about the issues they brought up.

What you don't want to ask are questions with obvious answers.

Remember to do your homework before the interview.

It's important to remember the job interview is a two-way street.

Happy Interviewing.....

Phone Interview Success

I find phone interviews to be extremely difficult. You have no face-to-face contact so you can't read their body language. 

Here are some tips on how to handle a phone interview.

• Listen very carefully so you answer the question they are asking.
• Make sure your responses have energy in your tone
• Speak clearly and make sure you don't start to ramble.  If you have ever been deposed you know that you should only answer the question the attorney asks you.  For example if they ask "Did you pick up your child after school last Wednesday"?  Your answer should be yes or no, NOT "No, I had to work that day so my neighbor down the street, who is so helpful, picked her up for me." or Yes, I pick up my little girl every day, because I am a good mom."

Finally, try to relax and be yourself.

I have contemplated taping the phone interview so I can critique it afterword.

To determine how well you did on the phone interview ask yourself:

• How long did it last?  Presume, for the most part, that the longer the better. My very first phone interview lasted 8 minutes.  Needless to say, it didn't go very well.
• How was the interviewers tone when they were responding to your answers?
• Did the interviewer ask you to elaborate on any of your responses?  This could be an indication that they are interested and want to hear more.
• How did they end the phone call?  Did they elaborate on when they would get back to you?

Good luck to all who are anticipating their next phone interview and here's to getting to the next phase in the interview process, The Face To Face...

Tell Me About Yourself...

I recently discovered that when asked the question "Tell Me About Yourself", what the interviewer really wants to hear is what is it that you did in the past that correlates with the position you are interviewing for.  They purposely ask this type of open-ended question to see where you will take it.  Basically, the way you want to answer this question will set the tone for the rest of the interview, regardless if it is a phone interview or a face to face interview.

When the hiring manager asks this question, please do not respond, "So what would you like to know?"

Take the time to read the position description thoroughly and make sure you mention job duties that you have performed in the past that tie to the position you applied for.  If they want someone who has skills at planning events, be sure to mention how you managed your event planning when describing yourself.

Make sure that you include any accomplishments you achieved.  With the event planning example, you might want to say how you managed to put together an event and stay under budget.  Or talk about how you managed to get vendors to supply things for a discount or make a donation...  This shows your negotiating skills.....

I hope this helps.  Have a safe 4th of July.

Interview Questions - One At A Time

I thought I would try posting ideas for answering typical interview questions. 

Today's Interview Question is the dreaded

What Are Your Weaknesses?

I want to bring up the point that it is never a good idea to say that you do not have any weaknesses or that you just can't think of one right now... The reality is, we are not experts in every aspect of our jobs.  You definitely don't want to say that being perfect is a weakness or that you give everything 120% effort.

Now back to a good answer to the weakness question.

Be honest with this question, because it will show.  Make sure that the weakness is relevant.  Find something that you can turn into a positive such as:

" I am basically a shy/quiet person and I get nervous talking to groups of people.  So, I decided to join Toastmasters.  I must say that it has honestly helped me become more comfortable speaking."

Or

"I take a long time proofreading, and while the end result is a high quality of work, it definitely takes up more time."