Monthly Archives: July 2012

Job Interview Tips for Mature People

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To start with, here are some statistics:

  • Only 28% of workers 55 and older find jobs within one year versus 71% of those aged 25 to 35, reports Career Builder.
  • 63% of workers 55 and older applied for positions at lower levels than their previous jobs.
  • 48% of workers 55 and older found positions at lesser pay.

The picture is clear but not surprising. Age discrimination is evident despite being against the law. Mature people still need jobs because they have financial commitments in addition to not having enough saved for a longer retirement. So, how can they win in the marketplace while competing for fewer job openings—and against younger applicants? The answer is by having an outstanding résumé (drafted by a recommended, certified, professional résumé writer) and, ideally, working with a career coach to improve their interviewing skills. Interviewing is a learned skill like any other skill. No one was born being excellent at interviewing. The way to prepare for an important interview is similar to the way of preparing for an important college test. Here are a few tips on how to properly answer the following interview questions when age discrimination bias could be detrimental.

Aren’t you overqualified?

This question could—but not necessarily—mean you’re too old for the job. It also could hint that you want more money. Another possible thought behind this question could be that you’ve held bigger positions and you might leave once you find a better job, or it could imply that you’d get bored with this job within a few months. The point here is that you simply cannot answer this question before finding out what the interviewer is actually after. The answer might be, “I’m glad you raised this issue. It gives me a chance to deal with it objectively.” And then you can say, “I suspect you mention this because you may think that [list here some of the possibilities mentioned earlier].” Make sure you end your sentence with “Is that it”? Based on this, the interviewer’s answer will reveal the intention behind the question. Now that you know the intention, you can provide an example of a success story from the past that is relevant to the question.

What are your strongest skills?

Here the interviewer may be testing you on whether you’re up to speed with today’s rapidly changing technology. In your answer, you should be emphatic about how advanced with technology you are—provided this is so—and how extensively you used technology skills at your jobs.

What are your interests outside your career?

This could be another trap question by which the candidate inadvertently reveals actions associated with more-mature people. Such an answer might be, “I enjoy family, reading, watching TV, and going to the theater.” On the surface, this is a good answer, but for a more mature person, it would be better to talk about physical activities in addition to intellectual ones. Notice that the family, reading, TV, and theater examples represent sedentary activity. A better answer would be, “I enjoy intellectual activities such as reading or watching TV, but above all, I jog on a regular basis, I play tennis, and I bicycle on weekends.” Physical activities prove vitality and high energy. And what employer would not like that?

Are You an Effective Job Search Networker?

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Loads of people network during their job search, but very few are effective at such networking. Certainly, some are better at it than others, but in general, the majority of people not only dislike networking but also are simply not good at it. Based on a survey they conducted, Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., and Don Morgan discovered several keys for successful job search networking.

  •  First, survey respondents said the most important part of being effective is to be timely with follow-up on referrals. Not following up kills momentum—along with your personal credibility.
  •  Next, one must exhibit a positive attitude. A positive attitude attracts others like a magnet, which in turn fuels more energy into the process.
  •  One also has to exhibit passion, enthusiasm, and motivation. In fact, this one correlates with what employers say they want to see in applicants.
  •  The next trait that makes an effective networker is being viewed as having trustworthiness. People want to feel sure that when you refer someone to them, they can trust your judgment of the person.
  •  Effective listening skills are a must, because the faster you and your networking partner learn what you need to know about each other, the faster you’ll establish a worthwhile mutual relationship.
  •  Here’s something else: Be aware that job search networking can’t be approached like a hobby. It must be a full commitment to networking around the clock. Among great networkers, networking comes so naturally to them that they network in stores, on checkout lines, at professional offices, and everywhere else. They are continuously taking advantage of every opportunity presented to them.
  •  To markedly improve one’s networking effectiveness, one must exhibit gratitude. Unfortunately in today’s business world, the expression of gratitude is being neglected. Thanking others for their assistance is a great opportunity to immediately stand out from the crowd.
  •  Helping others should be an integral part of networking. We’ve all heard the saying “What goes around comes around,” and it’s true. A networker’s mind-set is focused on giving, because every time one gives, one gets in return. This is what makes natural networkers feel good.
  •  Effective networkers keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities to advance other people’s interests, and they do so with sincerity. Lack of authentic sincerity will show instantly. Displaying sincerity is easy: one need only give undivided attention to the person with whom one is developing a referral relationship. For instance, making eye contact shows sincere caring, and great networkers take this seriously.
  •  Some people devote a lot of effort and energy to the networking task; they are totally dedicated to working their network. They meticulously manage their contacts by using specialized software. They organize their e-mail address files and carry their referral list, ready to use it via, say, a smartphone. They are continuously looking to meet new people, they’re arranging appointments for getting better acquainted, and they’re learning as much about others as they can in order to become a genuine part of others’ networks.

If you take these recommendations to heart and follow them, your chances of landing the right job could be much greater than you think. Your comments are welcome.

 

Employers Hire the Best: Is That You?

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No employer is seeking to hire Mr. Average. All employers seek the exceptional and the very best. But how do you convince them that you are the ideal candidate? And how do you beat your competition for this one job? Most candidates approach the interview similar to a test. For many, this is the logical way. The interviewer asks questions, and your job is to answer them. But can you anticipate the types of questions you will be asked? The answer should be yes. The interviewer will ask you a selection of questions from a pool of common interview questions, and certainly, you can prepare for that. But you can do even better than that.

Position Yourself as a Consultant

The secret to landing that job is to identify the interviewer’s problems and then show how you have already solved such problems much to the satisfaction of your boss, customers, and other stakeholders. In fact, the concept of problem solving should already be incorporated in your résumé, which is to be tailored specifically for the job you are applying for. Including the part about being an accomplished problem solver is critical because most résumés concentrate on skills and past job duties, yet employers are looking into the future and trying to determine what you can do for them.

Think of yourself as a consultant who goes into a company to help it meet its challenges. As a job seeker, consider yourself a business consultant. What consultant enters a client presentation meeting without understanding the client’s most pressing issues? A competent consultant conducts an extensive analysis and researches the customer’s core problems and challenges prior to presenting proof of being best qualified to solve those problems and meet those challenges. Unfortunately, though, most candidates don’t know they should view an interview as such. That’s exactly why—if you do—you should outshine the rest.

Find out the employer’s specific problems. Why are they hiring in this position? Once you know what the employer needs, it’s easier to make the employer want you.

How to find what your next employer needs:

  • Research the employer. Study its Web site and other Internet or library resources. Or talk to current or former employees. Use your many LinkedIn connections to find out as much as you can.
  • Be observant and keep your eyes and ears open when you interact with human resources, recruiters, and interviewers. Make a note of what you learn.
  • Read between the lines of the job posting. Identify the specific skills, the amount of experience, and the type of personality being sought. Incorporate even in your résumé what you learn, and then compose several solutions that you’ll communicate in the interview via brief success stories.

Your comments are welcome.