Thursday, July 28, 2011

Resume and Interviewing Don'ts

In my past life as an HR representative I was given the opportunity to review hundreds of resumes. I was also able to interview many candidates whose resumes showed that they had the right stuff. In my current position as job search trainer, resume writer and coach, I've again been given the wonderful opportunity to work with many people who have varying job search needs.

Today, I was thinking about all the resumes I've seen, the questions I've heard and the people I've interviewed. I've put together this list of Resume and Interviewing Don'ts with hopes that I can help you. Some are written tongue in cheek but these are some of the things I have seen and heard. If you have any to share, please add them.

1. Don't wear shorts and flip flops to your interview. While you're at it, don't chew gum either.
2. Don't tell me that you have no accomplishments in your 20 year career. You do - you just have to go somewhere quiet and think about them.
3. Don't have a cute email address. Get another one for your business purposes and use that one instead of butterflylady@whatever.com or barfly@whatever.com. Your name or first initial and last name is always a good choice.
4. Don't be lethargic during your interview. Save the nap for when you get home and after you write your thank you notes.
5. Don't get caught up in the minutia of picky wording in your resume. It will drive you crazy. Stop typing and walk away for a while. While you're at it, don't include things that aren't relevant to the position for which you are applying.
6. Don't make your resume writer beg you for detail - be prepared or at least have an idea of your skill set, strengths and accomplishments.
7. Don't let your pre-interview nerves eat at you. If you review the job listing, company profile and have practiced answering questions on how well your past behavior and accomplishments have worked; you're nervousness will turn into adrenaline and you'll feel more confident.
8. Don't post anything that you wouldn't want your mother to see on any social media outlets.
9. Don't shy away from social media. It is your job search friend (resource).
10. When the interviewer asks, “Any questions?” don’t say “No, I think you covered it.” Have at least two or three questions at the ready. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions throughout the interview.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Hide Your Facebook Pictures!

My son is in a band and the other night his band loaded a new song to their Facebook page. He asked me to go over and take a listen. While I was listening to the new song, I scrolled through the comments of the band’s friends and followers and took a look at the pictures of the band members. I clicked on my son’s name and it took me to his personal Facebook page pictures. Since I am not my son’s Facebook friend (nor would I want to be), I couldn’t see his regular Facebook page. I could however, see his pictures and those of many of his friends.

Many of us are warned in job search articles and trainings to change our Facebook Privacy Settings to make sure that only the basic facts appear. If not set correctly, a recruiter may click on your pictures (like I did) and see things that may give him or her a negative opinion about you. Since people make comments under those pictures, a recruiter (and your mother) can read those too. If a technically savvy 18 year old and many of his friends aren’t aware of this, you can bet that many other people are sharing their pictures and comments with the world as well.

Here is how to correct it:
1. Go to Account (upper right hand side of the screen by the login box).
2. Click Privacy Settings.
3. Review the page, “Choose Your Privacy Settings” and make sure that the term, “Photos and videos you are tagged in” is set to Friends only.
4. Click the phrase, “Edit privacy setting for existing photos albums and videos”. This takes you to all of your pictures. Under each set of pictures is a rectangular box with a diagram of a lock on it. Set the box to Friends Only.
5. Click the box that says “Preview my Profile”, review your changes and you are finished.

Whether you're job searching not; it's better to be safe and secure knowing that only your friends can see your pictures.

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Panel Interview

The other day I had a coaching session with someone who was preparing for a panel interview. She dreaded the meeting and the thought of walking into a room for an interview with three strangers who could determine her fate was intimidating! Yes, it can be intimidating but preparation is vital and if you put the whole thing into perspective and look at the interview as a discussion (rather than a firing squad), it’s not too bad. Here are a couple of tips that I shared with my client:

1. Be prepared to answer behavioral questions that will take the panel through the steps you followed to solve a problem or work through a challenging situation. We’ve talked about the STAR behavioral steps in previous articles. Answer each question thoroughly but don’t ramble. Look at the body language of the interview team to clarify their understanding. If they seem confused, ask if you can provide further clarification or details. Each of the panel members has a personal agenda or stake in the interview so figure out their needs and concerns and respond accordingly. Ask questions.

2. Prior to the interview, try to get each person’s name and title. (They may be on LinkedIn.) Address the interviewer by name as you are asked questions. (This might be challenging for people who have problems with names but it can provide extra brownie points.) It’s good to get an understanding of how the open position ties into the various departments represented in the panel. Be engaged, ask questions, take notes and listen.

3. Always look at the person who asked you a question in the eye, respond to him or her and then continue your response while making eye contact with the rest of the panel. Don’t feel intimidated (easy for me to say). Rather, pretend that this interview is a business dinner and that you are having a conversation among colleagues.

4. Be confident but not overly so. When you are passionate about your field or a topic it shows.

5. Follow up the interview with a personalized thank-you note to each panel member.

An hour and a half later and my client had a plan. She had three days to prepare and was going back to review her past accomplishments, strengths, weaknesses, and discussion points. She also had a set of questions to ask the panel. She was excited and while her nerves were still on high alert, she was preparing to do her very best. I can’t wait to hear how she does.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Lacking Skill Sets and the Unemployed

I just read this article from CNN Money. It's about the jobless stories of seven individuals who are concerned that their current skill sets are just not cutting it in today’s uncertain job market. There are a number of common positions in the article such as IT professional, journalist and mortgage broker. These people remind me of many of the people that we all know; solid workers who have been toiling along for the past 10, 15, 20 or 30 years and then the rug was pulled out from under them. I meet many of these unemployed in every one of my classes and most of them have one thing in common; they never took advantage of any skill development or training offerings that their companies offered.

I know, I know, not all companies offer training. These companies are in the minority. What hits the suddenly unemployed is that they are unceremoniously shown the door and when everything calms down and they take a long look at themselves, they wonder if their current skill set can take them somewhere else. Many times the answer is no. It's scary.

I found myself in the same position when I lost my job. I however, didn't blame my company for not preparing me with the current skills in my field. That was my fault. I was too busy working to go to any classes. (I was too busy training other people to worry about my own development). I was comfortable; I knew my field inside and out and frankly didn’t want to waste a day attending a class. This is a serious mindset of many people and we need to change it. We all need to develop and learn the new technologies and theories in our particular fields. The problem is, we don't have time to take off from work or if we do go, the company doesn't support the training or "allow" us to use the new skills. Then, many of us just stop attending training. It's unfortunate and it seems as if many of the people in the CNN article went through the same thing. So what can we do?"

1. If you are currently unemployed. Go to the library, look on line, read and study everything there is to learn in your field. If you can afford if, take a couple of courses. Perhaps you can speak to a financial advisor at a college or technical school to learn if there are any incentives or grants to allow you to train for your current or a new position. Another suggestion is to take a free career assessment and measure your skill level in your field of interest. Finally, look for various professional groups and see if you can attend a meeting at no cost.

2. If you are currently employed. Go to training. Take advantage of everything your organization offers you both internally and externally. If your company allows, join a professional group and attend the meetings, lunch and dinner meetings and networking events.

There are other reasons that the unemployed are concerned about their limited skill sets and the lack of training is just one reason that I see as a major cause. There are jobs available but many employers are consolidating positions, hiring interns or younger, less experienced people or even, dare I say, discriminating against the unemployed. Still, I'd love to hear your thoughts about the article and any suggestions you may have to help people sharpen their skill sets.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Five Keys to Success for Older Workers (Part 2)

Last week I wrote about a report from the MetLife Mature Market Institute® that said there are several assumptions that the older job seeker has about the job search. They call them the Significant Seven, or “Seven Mistakes That Keep Aging Boomers Unemployed”. The same report says that there are five “keys” to success for older workers. They are:

1. Acknowledge the new realities of the job market: Yes, there is age discrimination but deal with it. Realistically assess the local employment market and go from there. Identify the growing or stable industries (food, transportation, energy, healthcare, and accounting do well during difficult times). Look for organizations that are respectful (check retirementjobs.com and ARRP Best Employers for Workers Over 50). Research small and medium sized companies as these will value your experience and skill set.

2. Reframe your expectations to demonstrate your future value: Identify and articulate the specific value you can bring to the workplace while simultaneously recognizing that your underlying skill set must be constantly evolving. Most importantly, be aware of your skills, values and passions and be able to articulate how these can have an impact on the future of the company.

3. Nurture your network: Nurture your network to cut through the electronic application process and the age bias. Align your passions and skills to similar people, volunteer, or speak at various events in your field. Realize that networking isn’t always about finding a job; it is about developing relationships. Spend time with people in their twenties and thirties.

4. Update your computer/technical skills: Catch up on technology and update your relevant skills. Not doing so gives hiring managers another reason to screen you out and supports the fact that you will not fit into the culture.

5. Do the Math then manage your ambivalence: Consider your future financial needs and as they relate to your “need” vs. “want” to work. Some people in this age group have a waning urge or ambivalence to work but this must be balanced by understanding and seriously planning for the future. The article states that older job seekers may be more successful if they are absolutely clear about their financial needs.

You can read more of the study at Buddy, Can You Spare a Job?

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Writing a Resume

I'm writing a few resumes today. They are all requests from people who attended my resume writing classes. Just as I do in the class, these folks complete a worksheet listing preferred skills and competencies, strengths and weaknesses. The form also asks for specific examples of measurable results within the skill and competency areas. This is where people get lost.

One thing that people almost always have trouble with is identifying their measurable results. They do have them because everyone has them. They just don't mention them unless I ask them this question, "Looking at this particular area, what impact did what you did have on the organization?" Then we move to the next area and I ask the same question. We do this until we get to the end of the worksheet and when we are done we have a list of measurable accomplishments.

Of all the resumes that I have reviewed, approximately 90% of them read like a job description and that's not a good thing. People as a whole don't like to brag but when you're competing with hundreds of people for one coveted position, you need to shake off the modesty. If you find yourself with a resume that looks like a job description, go through it line by line and ask yourself how this “task”, “project”, “activity”, etc. impacted the business. I am pretty certain that you are going to sharpen your resume writing skills.

Friday, July 8, 2011

A Look at the Unemployment Numbers

When my position was eliminated in June of 2008, I was concerned because the unemployment number was 5.6%. Over the years that number has steadily grown and today we saw the highest number in 2011 at 9.2%. While this number isn’t the highest we have reached, (10.2% in October 2009), the numbers are concerning.
Today I went to the National Conference of State Legislatures to review the numbers over the past three years. So much has happened over the past couple of years and I don’t think people consider the overall history of the numbers. Here’s what I came up with:

National Unemployment 2008 - 2011
Highest Unemployment Rate: 10.2% in October 2009.
Lowest Unemployment Rate: 4.8% in February, 2008.
Highest Unemployment Rate in 2011: 9.2% in June, 2011.

State Unemployment January – April, 2011
Puerto Rico: 16.9% in March.
Nevada: 14.2% in January.
California: 12.4 in January.
Florida: 11.9% in January
Rhode Island: 11.3% in January
Michigan: 10.7% in January
South Carolina: 10.5% in January
Kentucky: 10.4% in January, February
Mississippi: 10.4% in January
Oregon: 10.4% in January

It doesn’t seem to be improving, what do you think the solution is?

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Assumptions Made by the The Older Job Seeker

I recently read a report by the MetLife Mature Market Institute® that said there are several assumptions that the older job seeker has about the job search. They call them the Significant Seven, or “Seven Mistakes That Keep Aging Boomers Unemployed”.

1. I will just do what I was doing. Many Boomers assume that they can continue doing what they did before leaving their last position. Skills and technology have changed since then. Older job seekers need to visualize themselves doing something different or using their skills in a new way.
2. My experience speaks for itself. Lots of employers would be lucky to have me. If you can’t link your skills to the employers needs then you are discounted before the interview. Older workers need to be able to explain to the hiring company how their experience can help solve problems in the future and help make that company a success.
3. I don’t have time for the touch-feely stuff about what work means to me. Older workers need to think about the value that they can bring to the workplace and reflect upon their strengths, values and passions.
4. I know! I’ll become a consultant. Many don’t take into consideration the actual skills needed to be a consultant as well as the physical demands and psychological fit.
5. Of course I’m good with computers. Re-evaluate your technical skills to see if they are relevant today. If not, don’t include them on your resume and get some training in the current technologies. See what employers are looking for today.
6. I’ll use a recruiter or some career coaching to get another job. A fresh perspective is good but unfortunately, many times the phone will stop ringing after a few weeks.
7. I’ve always been successful, so why should things be different now? Thinking that the past is the best predictor of the future isn’t going to work today. Technology, wages, and skill sets have all changed.

Next time, we’ll look at the “Five Keys to Success for Older Job Seekers” from the same report.

Please Visit a Dermatologist

Today I had surgery for a Stage 0 Melanoma. It was discovered about a month ago when I went to my dermatologist for my annual skin screening...