Resume making tips
Go through this given set of tips and you will be on your way to making a great
Resume.
Headings...never underestimate them
With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume
hooks an employer's attention within a 5-second glance. A great way to do this is
to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you want.
For example, compare the headings Amit used in his before resume to the headings
used in his after resume.
|
Before Resume :
|
Accounting / Recordkeeping
Administrative
Computer Skills
|
|
|
|
After Resume :
|
Management of A/R and A/P Accounts
Computerized Accounting Applications
Departmental Administration / Recordkeeping
|
|
Which set of headings are the strongest for an Accounts Payable / Receivable Manager
position?
Use Design That Grabs Attention
Employers make snap judgments when glancing at your resume. If they see unrelated
job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate
assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want. Adding to this problem
is the fact that employers don't have the time to read through each of your job
descriptions to determine if you have the skills they need.
You Must Do That For Them! The design of your resume must highlight the most important
information about your work experience, skills and education. At first glance this
information forms the image that employers have of your skills and abilities.
Create Content That Sells
Resume design should get attention but it's really the content of your resume, the
descriptions you include of your skills and abilities, that determine how many interviews
you generate--as well as the level of salary offers you receive. Compare the before
and after statements from Amit's resume shown below:
Before Resume:
Maintained records for accounts receivable and accounts payable accounts.
After Resume:
Managed over 1,000 accounts receivable and payable accounts working directly with
the Chief Financial Officer.
Which of these examples presents Amit as being more qualified, having higher skills
and worth a higher salary? As this example illustrates, our image of Amit is changed
and elevated when we read the after example.
Quantify and Use Power Words
As Amit's after statement demonstrates, using numbers to describe your achievements
and responsibilities can greatly expand and elevate your image. Using numbers and
quantifying creates vivid images in our mind when we read them, whereas general
statements like the before examples are easy to skip over or forget. Typically the
more specific you can be in describing your duties the better.
Another strategy that is extremely important in controlling the image that employers
develop about you--is to use Power Words or verbs that match the level of position
you want. For example, Amit wants to use the experience he's gained to move into
a management position. To strengthen his image he should use as many "management
oriented" words as possible. Which example below do you think is the strongest?
Typical Verbs:
Gave work assignments to staff of entry level accounting clerks.
Power Words:
Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting to
general ledger, accounts receivable and payable accounts.
Analyze Ads and Job Descriptions to Identify Key Words
Learning how to analyze the key words that employers provide in help wanted ads
and job descriptions is a key element in creating powerful resumes. For example,
read the ad Roger found for an Accounts Receivable Manager below and see how many
key words, phrases, or skill descriptions that it includes.
Accounts Receivable Manager : - Seeking experienced A/R Manager to oversee
accounts, manage billing and collections, train accounting and clerical staff, develop
status reports for management and prepare monthly balance sheets. B.A. Degree or
A.A. Degree with minimum of 2 years experience required. Even though this ad is
small it contains 12-13 key words or phrases that should be addressed in Amit's
resume. Amit can also key words from an ad like this to create headings for his
resume such as:
- Excel in all efforts directed to our clients
- Provide the highest quality of products and services to our clients.
- Champion innovative and creative solutions for our clients.
- Wor to succeed and produc e the right results for our clients.
- Be sincere and fair in all dealings with our clients.
Identify and Solve Employer's Hidden Needs
In addition to the skills or needs listed in the ad shown above, the employer will
have many more needs that Amit should identify and address in his resume and cover
letter. For example, this employer will need someone who can deal effectively with
other departments, research accounting issues and records to solve problems. To
beat today's heavy competition for jobs, it's important that you identify and anticipate
the full range of needs each employer faces and show how you can solve those needs.
Sell the Benefits of Your Skills
Most resumes provide a list of duties that each applicant has been responsible for--without
explaining the benefit of those skills to employers. For example, a secretary's
resume might state she can type 80 wpm and is extremely accurate. This statement
lacks an explanation of how her typing speed and accuracy benefit an employer's
bottom line. The real benefit is that the employee can produce more work and ultimately
save the employer money. A better statement for this person's resume would be:
Selling the Benefits of Skills
- Achieved top production volume by maintaining high degree of accuracy with typing
speed at 80 wpm.
- Cut labor expense over Rs.6,000 annually by eliminating the need for part-time word-processing
staff.
Create an Image That Matches The Salary You Want
As you write your resume, keep in mind the level of job and salary you want. Be
sure to create an image that presents you at the appropriate level. For example,
language used in a resume for an Rs.8 an hour position is much different than the
language used for a Rs.16 an hour position. I recently met Lynn, who had held a
Health Insurance Claims Management position making Rs.42,000 per year. She had retrained
for the accounting field and hadn't yet gained any "direct accounting experience"
although she had prepared monthly accounting reports as a Department Manager.
I was appalled when she shared the resume she had been counseled to create. It began
with this statement:
Now what pay rate do you think this statement would motivate employers to offer
Lynn? A much better statement would be:
Seek an Accounting position utilizing my experience:
Managing a department and accounting for up to Rs.250,000 in monthly claims. My
goal is to help people either stay at their current salary level or move up--not
go backwards. As you can see, the last statement greatly elevates Lynn's image and
will be much more likely to generate salary offers comparable to her last pay rate.
Prioritize the Content of Your Resume
Another big mistake that job seekers make is to list very important data in the
lower sections of their job descriptions. As you compile statements for your resume,
prioritize them by importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job you want.
Remember that a strong statement which uses power words and quantifies will affect
every statement under it. Read the two examples below. Which one has the most impact?
Unprioritized
Maintained records control, filing, and office supply purchasing and equipment maintenance.
Managed front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff
of 20 Sales Representatives.
Prioritized
Managed front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff
of 20 Sales Representatives. Maintained records control, filing, and office supply
purchasing and equipment maintenance.
Tweak and Target Your Resumes and Cover Letters
You will generate many more interviews by tweaking your resume and cover letter
so that they address the specific skills each employer requests. For example, Sally
originally wanted a customer service position, and then found an ad for a Retail
Management opening. How well qualified do the headings in the left hand column present
her for the Retail Management position? Do you think the headings in the right hand
column will generate more and better interviews for Retail Management positions?
|
Customer Service
Cash Accountability
Computer Skills
|
Retail Management / Customer Service
Cash Accountability / Supervision of Retail Stations
Retail Accounting Applications
|
Sally's actual title had been Lead Cashier, even though she managed her own retail
cashiering station in addition to 6 other cashiers and stations. Once Sally had
created her original resume, it only took about 5 minutes to tweak and relabel her
skill descriptions to fit Retail Management positions. This "relabeling" is entirely
truthful and is extremely important in landing more interviews because it allows
job seekers to apply for, and look qualified for, a wider range of jobs.
Choose your career
Deciding on a career may seem daunting but it is easier when you give yourself a
lot of options and time to consider it. Although the idea of a "job for life" is
fast becoming a thing of the past, the field of work which you choose is important
because it will determine where you will spend a good deal of your working life
and will also define how many opportunities you will have to branch out using your
basic skills set. So, choose wisely and select a field that encompasses as many
of your talents as possible, to allow you to the greatest freedom and leeway for
shifting around a field doing different jobs with a good set of basic skills, along
with a good dose of solid confidence in your worth and abilities.
Steps
1. Begin by determining what you like to do. A lot of people look to others
to determine their career paths: teachers, parents, neighbors and peers. Think about
people you respect and what they do for work. Take time to map out your wants and
to match your skills with skills that are actively sought within certain fields
of work. This will involve a fair bit of research work but it is well worth it.
2. Identify the skills you use when you're doing the thing(s) you enjoy.
Look at the things you are good at doing already. These will give you a very good
indication of what you are likely to enjoy doing by way of a career. For instance,
perhaps you like being with animals. Already this simple but important enjoyment
opens up a very broad field of work for you that encompasses such possible jobs
as caring for animals, veterinary work, animal advocacy, transporting animals, calming
animals (e.g., horse whispering), making animal clothing and feed items and running
a pet store etc. Once you have identified a potential field, you are then ready
to match your skills.
3. Think of fields broadly. A field of work is far more than a single job.
It is an area in which many jobs or trades are possible and you should be able to
consider your training and interests in terms of looking for a career path that
will give you a shot at least five related types of jobs that are available within
that field. For instance, if you learn engineering, you might consider being an
engineer out in the field (such as oil production), a manager of a site, an office
manager, a trainer of engineering skills and a consultant in engineering. Or, if
you study law, you may want to be a lawyer in a large law firm, a lawyer in a non-profit
organization, a team leader in an office of any type (even non-law), a manager of
a company or a writer of corporate compliance manuals. Realize that the breadth
of the field will be determined in part by the training you receive and also by
your own personal, up-to-date "skills set", as well as your willingness to try new
things and to be retrained.
4. Consider cross-field work. When working out what you would like to be
and what you will need to study to get to this point, give consideration to the
possibilities involved in crossing fields; for instance, many teachers are good
with word skills and hence make excellent editors and publishers. Think outside
the square your title bestows (or will bestow) upon you.
5. Learn as much as possible about the qualifications required for fields
that interest you. Library, Internet and direct contact research will be required
here. It is also helpful to ask your school, local community services, university
etc. for assistance in career choices and development. Your thorough research will
help you to determine quickly which areas you want to study in, as well as the depth
of study required. Dig deep and look at third and fourth year subject/skills training
requirements as well, so that you don't find any nasty surprises awaiting you, such
as additional time or harder skills that do not match your interests or abilities.
6. Find people who work in the field and learn from them. Once you have
worked out which specific jobs interest you, speak to those already working in these
areas. This will enable you to hear their suggestions and to ask them what they
like and dislike about the field in which they work. Sometimes you may even have
an opportunity to do some work experience with a place that interests you, to help
you to "get a feel" for the work involved.
7. Evaluate your choice of field according to your own perceptions and
the information you have gathered. Assess the comments you've received, weigh these
up with your research work and add in your own feelings about your potential career
path. This is now the time to decide whether this career continues to appeal to
you. Do not forget to include the type of lifestyle you would like in the balancing
equation. If you make enormous compromises as to the type of lifestyle that you
ultimately want, you may be unhappy and live to regret this. As such, it is wise
to try and combine your career choice with a lifestyle balance, with minor or short-term
compromises rather than major, long-term ones.
8. Sign up for an educational or training program in the career of your
choice. While studying, do not neglect to take advantage of networking opportunities
and chances to work in your career field either as a volunteer or in short-term
paid positions. These opportunities will give you the best possible feel for the
work and the types of people in the field that you will be working with. It will
help you to filter out any unneeded areas of study or to take on additional subjects
and skills training that may be of possible use and could help to extend your horizons.
9. Keep positive. When you are finally trained and ready to find that dream
career, the most important thing is to maintain a positive outlook about your life
and to be ready for change, difference and shifts in your comfort zones. This is
the real world and it moves rapidly; it is important to keep up with changes and
to take a positive approach by making opportunities out of challenges. However,
always keep what is unique about you because at the end of the day, that is the
special something many employers are looking for while they choose from many skilled
and educated workers available to them.
Tips
When searching for your job in the field of your choice, always be sure to find
out as much as possible about your potential bosses to make sure you will be happy
to work with them. An interview is a two-way process. Go through a university course
catalog of a school your respect. Circle all items that interest you. Categorize
your choices and see if there is a trend towards an education path that resembles
your interests. It can be helpful to search the Internet for professional associations
in the field that interests you. Use "association of xxx professionals" as your
search criteria (fill in the x's). The earlier that you can join such professional
association(s), the better as this will give you great opportunities to network
with people working in the careers that interest you by joining in online discussions,
attending in-person meetings or reading the organization's newsletter or journal.
Warnings
Do not be afraid to admit you have made a mistake and that you need to change your
choice. This is the major reason why it is so important to choose a broad field
that matches your skills, so that you can move across a field or several fields
to change the type of work you are doing until you find a niche that fits well.
Do not spend your life putting up with substandard careers.
Interview Tips
We all have to make a living somehow — and most of the time that process starts
with a job interview. The only problem is that most job interview tips are either
so basic that they aren’t useful or so ridiculous that they are just a waste of
time. That’s why we have put together this comprehensive list of interview tips
filled with the real essentials that you actually need to know. Focus on what really
counts. Yes, it’s true that you should polish your shoes before an interview. Sure,
it’s a good idea to wear a noticeable accent on your clothing, so that you stick
out in the recruiter’s mind. And maybe people don’t enjoy shaking a cold hand in
the winter, so if you have time to run them under some warm water after you walk
in the door then I guess you should do that too. But let’s get real. Do you actually
think that any of those tactics are going to win you the job? Is the candidate who
remembers to bring a pen going to be the one who sticks out? Maybe if it’s really
close. Like this close.
Instead of worrying about 10 little things that could be a tiebreaker, why not spend
time thinking about the stuff that actually matters? Then you could blast the other
candidates out of the water. You’d be so far ahead of everyone else that the hiring
manager could care less about whether your handshake was cold or if your shoes are
scuffed or any other meaningless metric. Let’s get started.
I. Mindset and approach
1. it’s your job to sell yourself. If you don’t do it, then you can be sure
that no one else will. Most of us understand this, but that doesn’t mean that need
to paint the best picture of yourself. If you’re feeling apprehensive about this
idea, then remember: it’s not bragging if you did it.we’re all comfortable with
it. There is no need to bloat your accomplishments or make false claims, but there
is every
2. Apply to fewer jobs. When you need a job, it’s easy to shotgun your resume
in 100 different directions. And that is exactly why the stack of resumes is so
high for that job you want. Everyone is sending out the same resume to every job
they can find. Slow down. Focus on a few jobs that you actually want. Then tailor
everything about your application to each specific job.
2. Apply to fewer jobs. When you need a job, it’s easy to shotgun your resume
in 100 different directions. And that is exactly why the stack of resumes is so
high for that job you want. Everyone is sending out the same resume to every job
they can find. Slow down. Focus on a few jobs that you actually want. Then tailor
everything about your application to each specific job.
3. You’re interviewing them too. Your goal should be to find a job that you
actually care about and a company that you want to be a part of. If you focus on
jobs like that, then the interview will be much better. You’ll be genuinely engaged.
You’ll ask more questions because you’re interested and not because “that’s what
you’re supposed to do in an interview.” Plus — and here’s a crazy bonus — if you
only apply to jobs that you look interesting, then you aren’t going to end up in
a job that you never actually wanted. Sort of makes you wonder why you’re applying
to a bunch of jobs that you aren’t going to enjoy, right?
4. . Realize that some things are of minimal benefit. If you really wanted,
you could write out a list of 1000 things to remember for a job interview. Of course,
most of them wouldn’t really help you because some things just aren’t that important.
Your focus should be on solving problems for the company, on proving why you’re
the best candidate for the job, and on finding a culture and community that you
naturally fit in with. If you do those three things, then you’ll find that the little
things (like remembering to iron your shirt) are… well… little things.
5. . Sometimes you may need to be persistent. If you want to make an impression,
then you might have to find the courage to never say die. You might need to take
ten people out to lunch before you find a contact that can help you. You might need
to send a progress report to the recruiter every week for two months before they
even care. You might need to start a project on the side and email a progress report
to a recruiter every week for two months before they start to pay attention to you.
You might need to ask one person to vouch for you. Then you might need to ask five
more. Don’t lose hope and keep moving forward every day. Keep walking and you’ll
make it to the finish line.
II. How to prepare for an interview
6. If you want to be an exceptional candidate, then you need to do exceptional
preparation. Preparation is the number one thing that will set you apart from other
candidates. Want to be more impressive? Prepare more. If you are obsessed with preparing
for every aspect of the interview, then you will be ready to crush it.
7. Know why you are applying for this job. Yes, you want a job so that you
can pay for your lifestyle. But what are your underlying motivations? Why are you
driven towards this job? Why are you passionate about this position? How do your
values match the values you will need to do your job? This is a deep question and
if you know the answer to it, then you will understand what drives a lot of the
answers you will give during the interview. You’ll have a better idea of why you’re
a good fit for the job … and that makes it easier for you to tell the recruiter
why you’re a good candidate.
8. Research everything you can about the company. You want to know about the
place you’re going to work not just so that you can sound intelligent in the interview,
but so that you can figure out if it’s a place that you actually want to work at.
Even if this isn’t a “career” for you, it’s likely that you’ll be in the job for
a year or two. A year might not seem that long, but talk to anyone who hated their
job for a full year … and they’ll tell you that one year is a long time. See what
you can find on the company. You’ll want to know what you’re getting into.
9. If you’re applying for a job at a public company, then check out the financial
statements and SEC filings. Go online and search for the Annual Report, Proxy Statement,
and 10-K for the company that you’re interested in. These documents aren’t thrilling
reads, but they have excellent information in them. Even if you only read the summary
near the beginning of each document, then you will be well versed on the inner workings
of the company. The corporate filings are also a great way to discover specific
questions about the company and you can mention that you read these documents in
your research.
10. Get to know someone on the inside. Employees can give you an idea of what
“a day in the life” is like and can help you determine if this is a place you would
like to work at. Plus, if you mention your meetings with employees during the interview
then you will make an impression as someone who is serious about the job. If you
don’t know where to start, then head over to LinkedIn or Google and do some searches
for people at the company you are interviewing with. If all else fails, give them
a call and talk to someone in the department that you want to work in. It shouldn’t
be too hard to find someone willing to let you take them to lunch.
11. Show them that you are familiar with that culture and that you’re a good
fit for it. Interviewers are looking for qualified candidates and people who fit
in well with their community and culture. They want to be able to trust you, so
show them that you display values that are consistent with their group. (Side note:
if you really aren’t a good fit and don’t match up well with the people you talk
to, then you might want to reconsider going there. There is no sense in spending
tons of time with people you don’t enjoy being around.)
12. Describe the ideal candidate. Once you know a bit more about the company,
spend some time writing out a full description of the ideal candidate. Try to be
totally objective about it. What would the company want? See things from their perspective.
If you were the recruiter, what would the perfect candidate look like?
13. Reframe your experiences. Once you understand what the company is looking
for and what the ideal candidate would look like, you can reframe your experiences
to meet those expectations. For example, if the job description requires a “proven
ability to motivate others,” then it is basically asking for “effective leadership
skills” … but one of those phrases might match up better with your background than
another. Spend some time thinking about alternative phrases and how you can reframe
your skill set to match the desired qualifications.
14. Create an “I can handle it” list. If you can convince the recruiter that
you can handle the job, then you’ll have a much better chance of getting the job.
Print out the list of required skills and experience that comes with the job. Next
to each item, write down an experience you have had that is relevant. It doesn’t
need to be a perfect match… just an experience that proves that you can handle the
task. This is also a good place to look for stories from your personal life or previous
work that matches up well with the “I can handle it” list. It’s a great way to keep
your stories relevant to the position. The hiring managers want to make a good call
because their reputation is on the line. You need to ease their fears and show them
that you can handle the position.
15. Develop a list of “sound bites.” Sound bites are short phrases or sentences
that you want to make sure you say throughout the interview. These are phrases that
highlight everything that is great about you as a candidate. The exact way you tell
a story might change, but you’ll always want to include the sound bite. For example,
“I once worked with a co-worker who constantly pushed her work off on me because
Excel spreadsheets are a strong point for me and she knew this…” is a great sound
bite to use at the start of a story about dealing with a difficult co-worker. It
kicks things off and refers to one of your skills. You can tell the rest of the
story naturally and still know that you included a solid sound bite. You should
have a sound bite for each story you tell.
16. Own your online reputation. Everyone going through the job process is
going to have their name searched. You don’t need to be an internet superstar, but
it’s a good idea to have an online presence that puts recruiters at ease. You either
need to be comfortable with having the hiring manager reading your tweets and browsing
your Facebook pictures or you need to adjust your privacy settings so that those
areas are hidden. Some people provide a lot of value through social media, so perhaps
they want hiring managers to see that. It doesn’t matter which method you choose,
but make sure it’s a conscious decision. This is one area of the job process that
actually is under your control, so it would be silly to not take responsibility
for it.
17. If you know who is interviewing you, then search for them online. You
can flip the script and search for your interviewers as well. Of course, you’re
not looking for dirt, you’re looking for evidence that you might fit in well at
the company, for areas of common interest, and for possible questions you could
ask the recruiter.
18. Determine who the most appropriate people are that you can list as references.
Then, tell them that you are listing them. It’s important to give your references
a heads up. If you feel uncomfortable telling someone that you’re listing them,
then what makes you think that they are going to be a good person to talk about
you?
19. Do as many practice interviews as you can. It’s not fun — and it might
even be more awkward than the real interview — but doing practice interviews with
friends, family, or others is a critical piece of the puzzle. You need feedback
not just on your responses, but also on body language, tone, and approach. You’ll
never know how your answers need to change unless you deliver them a few times.
20. Use the STAR method to guide your answers. This simple formula ensures
that you accurately describe your experiences and highlight the results they provided.
The STAR method includes,
- S: The Situation – describe it
- T: The Task or problem – what dilemma or problem did you face?
- A: The Action – what action did you take?
- R: The Result – what was the result of your action?
Make sure that each experience you describe includes those four areas.
21. Devise bullet points for each question, not a full script. You will want
to write out your answers to hard questions beforehand because the written word
forces you to clarify your thoughts. However, you only need to know the main point
or primary story that you want to tell for each answer… you don’t need to memorize
everything word for word.
III. Tough job interview questions
22. Hiring managers usually ask questions related to five categories.
a) Your background, so that they can understand your experiences, education, and
overall qualifications.
b) Your knowledge of the job, so that they can test your understanding of the position,
their company, and the industry.
c) Your personality, so that they can understand your work style and social style
and decide if that fits in with their company.
d) Your skills, so that they can get an idea of your abilities and test your knowledge
and competency for the job.
e) Your future goals, so that they can get an idea of your career aspirations and
determine how motivated you will be in the position.
If you’re fully prepared for these five types of questions, then you’ll be ready
for most interviews.
Here are a few questions that you should be thinking about beforehand…
23. Tell me a little bit about yourself. Use this question as an opportunity
to tell a short story about yourself that describes the values you have and why
you think they are important for the job.
24. Why are you interested in our company? This is where you show that you
did your research. Tell them what you know about the company, about the challenges
they face and the opportunities they have, and how you fit in well with that overall
picture.
25. Give us an example of a challenge you faced and how you overcame it. Once
again, a good story here is crucial. One solid story about overcoming a challenge
will stick with a recruiter long after the interview.
26. What are your strengths? Only mention strengths that you can back up with
clear proof. Prove your strengths with numbers and percentages, not generalized
statements.
27. What are your weaknesses? This is a classic question that everyone hates.
If you say that you “work too hard” then no one takes the answer seriously, but
if you say a real weakness then you look like a bad candidate. So what do you do?
My suggestion is to pick a technical skill that is real, but mostly unrelated to
your job. For example, you could say “Finance isn’t really my thing. I understand
the big picture of profit and revenue, but small details and the mechanics of how
it works — that’s just not how my mind works. So I would say that’s a weakness,
but it’s also a reason I’m applying for this job in marketing. I know that it leverages
my strengths and steers clear of some of the weaknesses.”
28. Did you and your former boss ever disagree? Never speak poorly about a
former employer in an interview. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were or
how bad it was — keep things positive or neutral. Nobody wants to hire someone that
might talk bad about them down the road.
29. Why did you leave your last job? Be honest, but also use it as an opportunity
to show why this job is a better fit.
30. Are you a team player? Yes, you are — and make sure you have a good story
and some proof to back it up. If you can provide the results that your team efforts
provided, then that’s great too.
31. What books or magazines do you like to read? This question is meant to
find out how much you keep up with the industry, market, and so on. Feel free to
throw in some of your own personal tastes, but the hiring manager wants to hear
that you read things that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
32. Why should we hire you? Don’t make vague statements here. Show them that
you have done your research by highlighting what problems they are facing. Then,
provide specific examples of how you’re the right person to help solve those problems.
Give them proof of your value and your answer will come across as clear, concise,
and confident.
33. You won’t be able to prepare for every possible question. Don’t worry
about having all of the answers before your interview. It’s more important to develop
stories that highlight your key virtues and adapt those stories to the questions
that are asked.
IV. What to do the day of the interview
Before you arrive…
34. Print out your resume and bring multiple copies to the interview. You
can’t assume that everyone you meet will have your resume handy, so make sure that
you have copies of it ready for anyone you might encounter throughout the day.
35. Print out your list of references and their contact information. If someone
asks who they can contact to find out more about you, then you’ll be able to pull
that list out at a moment’s notice.
36. Make sure your car is clean and your briefcase, purse, or bag are organized
and contain only what you need. You never know if the recruiter will walk you to
your car. Seeing a sloppy interior might not be a good way to end the day. (Hat
tip Ronald Kaufman.)
37. Don’t even bother bringing your phone to the interview. If someone gives
you their number, write it down. You don’t need to type it into your phone right
away and it’s worth the peace of mind to not have to worry about it ringing or buzzing
accidentally.
38. Dress for the job you want. Stick to the dress code that they will expect
of you as an employee. And when all else fails, it’s better to be overdressed than
underdressed.
39. If it’s a good fit, then bring a few additional materials that highlight
your accomplishments. These could be recommendations, awards, and so on. If it seems
appropriate, then you can leave those materials with the hiring manager as further
proof of your abilities.
After you arrive…
40. Treat everyone with respect. Smile when you come in and treat the receptionist,
secretary, or administrative assistant with respect. It’s not uncommon for recruiters
to ask these people about their first impression, so you want to start off well.
41. Remember names. Make sure you know the name of everyone you meet and use
their names throughout the interview. If you can’t pronounce their name or don’t
know how, then ask again right away. Asking how to say someone’s name isn’t awkward
if you do it immediately. If you ask 30 minutes later, then it reflects poorly on
you.
42. When you shake hands, pump twice. This is a minor detail, but apparently
many people worry about how to shake hands properly, so this tip is worth mentioning.
Keep your handshake short and professional. Grasp hands, pump twice (up down, up
down) and release. Practice with a friend one time and you’ll get it. Don’t make
it harder than it has to be.
43. Answer the question that is asked of you. Don’t stray off topic and babble
about unrelated areas. Show that you’re focused on the task at hand and engaged
in the conversation. Better to have a short answer that’s on point, than an in–depth
one that is off topic.
44. Use time frames and numbers. Remember tip #20, the STAR method? Well,
the R is what everyone forgets. Don’t forget to mention the results that you have
achieved and how long it took you to achieve them. Results are compelling, broad
and general statements are not.
45. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know something. It is far better
to truthfully state your skills and experiences than it is to lie, get the job,
and be asked to do something you don’t know how to do … and then have to fess up.
Keep things truthful and accurate and you’ll put yourself in a position to succeed.
46. Start with a short answer and then go into more depth. If you begin your
answers by rambling off on a long story, then it often takes awhile for you to get
to your point. This confuses the interviewer and can make them wonder if you’re
addressing the right question. If you start with a quick statement that shows you
understand the question and have a solid answer, then you can continue with a full
story and go into more depth. Even a short introduction can make it easier for the
listener to follow along. Something like, “Yes, I do believe I have the qualities
of a good leader. I’ll tell you a story as an example…”
47. Employers value people who are capable of taking an opportunity and running
with it. The situations and circumstances change, but a person who can take advantage
of whatever opportunity is presented to them will always be valuable. Regardless
of the level you will play in the organization, do your best to showcase that you
have the ability to handle whatever comes your way.
48. There are no rules about the types of questions you should be asked.
Some people whine and complain about getting a hard question. You should be ready
for hard questions. And if you get a question that you don’t understand fully or
aren’t sure where to go with it, then ask them a question back. Get more clarity
from the interviewer and see if you can get a better understanding of what they
are looking for. Have them restate the question in different words. If you have
a back and forth conversation, then you will usually talk your way through the tough
questions. Sitting in silence, guessing awkwardly, and then complaining about the
question later on doesn’t help anyone.
49. The interviewer’s assumption is that this is you at your best, so be
ready to bring your best. Enough said.
50. When all else fails, smile as often as is appropriate. It’s hard to hate
someone who is happy.
V. Phone interview tips
51. Preparing for a phone interview is just as important as preparing for
an in–person interview. Usually, you won’t have the chance to meet face–to–face
if you ruin it over the phone, so make sure you’ve prepared for these preliminary
interviews as well.
52. Make sure you have a location to take the call that is quiet and free
from distractions. If possible, avoid going outside since excessive wind can often
ruin a call.
53. Wear something that makes you feel like a winner. Maybe that’s a suit,
maybe it’s jeans … whatever it is, just make sure you have a physical presence that
makes you feel good about yourself. You might not be face–to–face with the interviewer,
but what you wear is just as much about how you feel as it is about what others
think.
54. Keep it simple. Don’t make the mistake of printing out your answers, laying
a bunch of pages on the table in front of you, and thinking that you’ll have time
to look up the answer to each question. This isn’t an interview over email, it’s
a phone conversation. Your replies are instant. Instead, develop a list of key bullet
points and phrases that you absolutely want to cover. You can easily check off these
bullet points as you talk about them.
55. Do not reveal your salary expectations on a phone interview. This is a
common play by recruiters and they want to box you into a number as early as possible.
If you hear something along the lines of, “What are your salary expectations?” Then
simply respond with, “Well, I think we’re a little ways from having that chat, but
if it seems like a good fit for the both of us, then I’m sure salary won’t be a
problem.” If they push further, then just insist that you can’t give a number until
you meet your co-workers, visit the company, and have a better idea of what the
job will entail. Tell them that you’re simply not comfortable revealing a number
until you can see the full picture.
VI. Second interview tips
56. Show that you’re in it for a career and not a job. Most people just want
a job. They want to be employed and get paid. Show the recruiter that you’re looking
for a career. You want to become a part of the culture, of the company, of a team.
You want to be there through good and bad and support the people around you. You
researched the company history, their culture; their advertisements and marketing
campaigns, their Twitter and Facebook pages… you want to get to know them because
you want to know the type of family that you’re being a part of. You’re in it for
a career — not just a job.
57. Ask “What intrigues you about me enough that you called me in for a second
interview?” It’s obvious that they like you because they invited you back for a
second interview, so you might as well find out what they like. They will give you
some key areas that they are impressed with, which make it easier for you to briefly
highlight those strengths as well as focus on the other areas that will seal the
deal.
VII. Questions you should ask
58. Start the interview by making it easy on the recruiter. Ask them, “What
can I do to make today as easy as possible? How can I make your life easier today?”
This sets a nice tone for the interview, gives you an indication of the recruiter’s
personality, and will give you some good information to start with.
59. Find out what is important to them. It might seem like the interview is
all about you, your career, and whether or not you’re a good fit for the job… but
it’s actually about them. You need to discover what’s important to the company and
how you can help them reach their goals. At some point during the interview, be
sure to ask “What’s really important to the company within the first 90 days of
me joining?” The answer to that question will give you specific problem areas that
you can talk about solving for the company.
60. If a question comes to mind during the interview, then ask it. Most recruiters
would prefer to have an interactive conversation during the interview. For example,
if you give an answer that describes how you’re excellent at working in teams, then
it would be the perfect time to ask about the opportunities you would have to work
on a team in the new job.
61. You should have at least three excellent questions ready for the end of
the interview. If you have fewer then it won’t look like you did your homework.
Don’t ask about vacation benefits or something else that can be easily researched.
Ask something that is integral to how you’ll perform in the position.
Here are some examples of good questions you can ask…
62. What is the organizations plan for the next five years, and how does this
department fit in?
63. How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured?
By whom?
64. What do you think is the greatest opportunity facing the organization
in the near future? The biggest threat?
65. Now that we’ve had the chance to talk a bit more, do you have any doubts
or concerns about whether or not I would be a good fit for this role?
66. Can you explain a typical project that I would be working on? What would
“a day in the life” of this position look like?
67. How do my answers compare to other candidates that you’ve seen?
68. Give me an example of someone you hired for a position like this that
you are delighted you hired.
69. Twelve months from now, I want you to tell me that hiring me was the best
decision you have made the whole year. What needs to happen for us to have that
conversation?
70. Give me an example of an employee that exceeded expectations.
71. What are your company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
72. What are the significant trends in the industry?
73. How do you develop your employees and make them better once they start
working here?
74. How are decisions made here? How much is team-based and how much is on
the individual?
75. What performance expectations do you have for a good employee in this
position? What would success look like?
76. Tell me about some of the department’s successes in the last few years.
77. In my research I found the following competitors, [companies A, B, and
C]. Can you please tell me what they’re doing that keeps your executive team up
at night? If the job doesn’t work out, you can call up their competitors and say,
“I just had an interview at Company X and given what they told me about you and
why you keep them up at night I think I’d rather work for you! Can we meet for coffee?”
You’ll get that coffee and it may just turn into an offer. Only do this only if
you’re denied after the first interview. Once you have a second interview with the
company, they’re interested and it’s best to keep your discussions confidential
until you close it or walkway.
78. Say thank you and actually ask for the job. If you think you’re a good
fit, then say so. If this job is your dream job, then tell them that.
VIII. Negotiating salary
79. Always be ready to talk salary, but don’t be the first one to bring it
up. The one exception to this rule is if the company asks you to start signing papers,
but never brought up what you will be paid. This is a discussion you need to have,
so make sure you have it before you sign off on a new job.
80. Know what you’re willing to accept before you walk in the door. Many candidates
never give themselves a chance to negotiate a better salary because they don’t spend
enough time thinking about it beforehand. Take some time and consider the compensation
that you would be happy with receiving. What number would you walk away from because
it’s too low for you? Don’t get locked in a bad position because you’re not sure
what you are willing to accept in the first place.
81. Know what you’re worth. Get as much data as you can on the going rate
for the job. Check online and offline sources. Reach out and talk to people at similar
positions in different companies. If they are willing to tell you, find out what
they make. Keep the conversation relaxed and simply ask, “What kind of salary could
someone like me expect at your company?”
82. Understand the company’s financial position. If a large company and a
small company have similar openings, then the large one will usually pay more because
they have more financial leeway. Where are you interviewing? How is that company
doing financially? Some companies simply don’t have much flexibility and it’s important
to realize that going in.
83. Talk with the recruiter, not against them — they need to sell you. The
typical recruiter almost never has the ability to make the final decision on your
compensation package. After you negotiate with them, they will need to go back and
confirm the package with a hiring manager or another supervisor. In other words,
the recruiter is going to sell you to the hiring manager. It’s up to them to communicate
why you deserve a higher salary. You want their support because they are going to
need to sell you. You’re not battling against them. You’re working with them.
84. Some perks are easier to negotiate for than others. Typically, a signing
bonus is much easier to negotiate than more vacation days or a shorter waiting period
on 401k matching. There is usually some flexibility in your salary range as well,
which is another good area to focus on. Not all perks are created equal.
85. If you’re meeting resistance, then ask about starting at a higher pay
grade. A higher pay grade helps because you can often earn a raise without needing
a promotion.
86. Ask to shorten the period that it takes for you to come up for a raise.
You might not be able to start higher on the pay scale, but it’s very possible you
could get a raise after 6 months on the job instead of 12. That’s a quick boost
for you and it only takes a few minutes to negotiate.
87. Remember that the salary negotiation is a conversation and conversations are
two–way streets. If you make an offer and then continue to talk and make another
offer, then you’re negotiating with yourself. Allow the conversation to go back
and forth and don’t make more than one offer in a row.
88. Ask, “What is the salary range you have allocated for someone in this
position?” This is a great question to ask at the very beginning of a job interview
or the first time you meet a recruiter. It gives you the ability to get information
on the expected salary before the actual debate arises later on.
89. “I’m going to need more information about the job/total benefits/expectations
before I can name a number…” This is an excellent phrase to use if the interviewer
is pressing you for a number and hasn’t revealed their expected salary range yet.
90. “Do you have any flexibility in that number?” This is a great phrase to
use right after the interviewer names their expected salary for the position. It
offers a nice transition into the conversation of asking for more money.
91. “That sounds really good. What’s the present value of that?” Sometimes
recruiters will try to sell you on arbitrary numbers by saying things like “We’re
giving you 1000 stock options.” Ask for the present value of all items in your compensation
package and find out what the total dollar value is.
92. “I’m a bit disappointed…” This is a great phrase for starting the salary
negotiation once you’ve discovered what they have initially offered you. “I’m a
bit disappointed in the starting salary. What can we do to figure this out?”
93. “That sounds like a good starting place…” This is another solid phrase
to use if you want to ask for a higher salary range. “Rs 45,000. That sounds like
a good starting place. Now we just need to figure out the details.”
94. “Let’s review this after 3 months…” If you’re having trouble making headway
with the negotiation, but you’re fine with starting at the package they gave you,
then you can use these phrases to get a quicker boost. “Let’s review this after
3 months and talk about a raise once you’ve had a chance to see my work.”
95. “Can we get that in writing?” If you negotiate for a better compensation
package, then make sure you get all of the details in writing.
96. If you don’t ask for a higher salary, then the answer is always no. It
takes some guts to push back and ask for more, but it’s far better to ask and be
turned down than not to ask at all. Getting what you want doesn’t mean that you
need to act like a jerk. Furthermore, you’re not going to lose an offer because
you tried to negotiate for a higher salary. The recruiter is expecting you to negotiate.
If you want to keep it really simple, then just smile and ask for what you want
while offering some proof to back up your request.
IX. Follow up email after an interview
97. Say thank you. Once the interview is over, send an individualized thank
you note to each person you interviewed with and mention something specific that
happened or that you said during the interview to remind them who you are. Don’t
worry about saying all sorts of things. Just keep it short and sweet.
98. Be diligent and keep checking in. You don’t want to pester them, but occasionally
check in to see how the process is coming along and remind them of whom you are
and why you’re committed to the position. Waiting one week before reaching out is
usually a good time frame.
99. Smile. You’ve done your best.