Resume/Interviewing Tips Using the Performance Management Model

For many years I worked in the Human Resources and Learning & Development departments for a very prominent pharmaceutical corporation. One of my tasks was designing, training and implementing a performance management program. A performance management program is the annual cycle of an employee’s performance to include goal setting, coaching, performance appraisal and career development. I loved designing that program and felt that it was very beneficial to both the staff and the management team.

Today I no longer work in that field but realize that many of the components of that program fit into the job search arena; specifically for resume design and interviewing.

1.    Goals Setting: We used the SMART acronym to write out goals that were Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. SMART goals were never vague and were very easy to measure. You could “see” someone managing a project but you could never “see” someone understanding the steps involved in project management. In relation to job search, specifically resume writing, it’s important to look at the accomplishments within your job. What were they specifically? How did you measure or define success? Think of the SMART acronym to define your accomplishments.

2.    Coaching: If you were ever lucky enough to receive feedback from your manager, you learned about the tasks you were doing right and those that could use some improvement. What were you doing right? Why? What made it great? Use these as accomplishments for your resume. 

3.    Performance Appraisals. I used to tell people to keep a “Me File”; a file that contained thank you notes, letters of recommendations, awards, etc. that you could use and share with your manager in preparation for the appraisal. Getting back to the job search, keep a similar file and use this data to help populate your accomplishment-rich resume. If you can, gather your past appraisals to refresh your memory about all of your accomplishments.

4.    Career Development: Career development wasn’t just about sending someone to a course. It was also giving someone an opportunity to cross train or mentor someone or even lead a project of group. These are areas that can be applied to your resume as well. What classes can you add to your resume? What developmental activities can you apply to your resume?

I mentioned that the steps to performance management are beneficial to resume writing and interviewing. The preparation that you take to write your resume is also preparing you to participate in an interview. You will notice real life examples of your accomplishments as you go through these notes.

What if your company didn’t use a performance management program? While unfortunate and harder to dig up data, try to remember your accomplishments and think of the impact these made on the business. In the meantime, if you are currently employed, keep a “Me File” and keep it filled with your accolades, kudos, thanks, training or development activities. Thinking like this will help keep you from getting stuck coming up with accomplishments.

If You Could Interview Your Home Buyer

We put our house on the market a few weeks ago. As I walked through the rooms and removed any and all elements of family or personalization to “stage” it, I was overcome with melancholy.  We raised our family in this house; our youngest son knew of no other homes. He was born here. Our daughter was eight years old when we moved in and quickly made friends will all the neighborhood kids. Now grown and out of the house, both kids are feeling the pain of moving too. Other than having to come back and clean out their old stuff, they are sad because they wanted their own children to eventually see and experience where their mom or dad grew up.  They want another Christmas there. I wish we could wait for that but it’s time to move on. 

We’ve had a couple of open houses and since we have a security camera inside our home, we can see the expressions and hear the comments of potential buyers. Some people smile, some point, some send their children out to play in the backyard. A few times I returned home as the open houses were ending and there were potential buyers still milling around. I wanted to tell them just how great a house it is but instead I had to get out of the way and let them make up their own minds.

Everyone tells us that all we need is one buyer who will fall in love with the house just as we did 23 years ago.  Then, I wish that I could interview that potential buyer as if it were a job interview. If that were a possibility, what would I ask?

Why do you want this house?

What will you do to improve this house, this yard?

Tell me about the dinners/holidays/picnics you had in your former house and how you would put those ideas to use in your new house?

Tell me about the improvements that you made in your former house. What were they and what are your ideas for this home?

Take me through a typical day at your house. How did it begin and end?

How would you love this house?

Obviously we can’t ask a potential home buyer these questions but if you’ve ever had to go through the process of selling your home, you know how difficult it is. It’s hard to get caught up in the emotion of moving to a new place and starting a new chapter.

It’s kind of like starting a new job.