Monthly Archives: August 2012

Is the Employer Always Right?

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In this new, chaotic, and uncertain century, with its more and more minutely specialized occupations and skill sets and with nothing to do with the faltering economy, it’s not only human resources employees who might not be familiar with certain job skills and the actual needs of the open positions in their organizations. Believe it or not, the hiring managers themselves many times don’t know their own needs until the hapless chosen candidate has completed a typically extensive, lengthy, complex, and personally probing on-boarding administrative process and the candidate has already started reporting for work. Then the employer suddenly dismisses the employee—after perhaps only one or two days on the job—saying it has decided the employee’s skills apparently don’t match the actual needs of the position. That reason is not an employer cover-up for dismissal for a different reason. It is indeed the actual reason.

We’re living in a fast-paced world. Not only in our personal and family lives is everyone in the household or among our acquaintances going in different directions, but the same phenomenon is prevalent even more at work. For instance, the economy forces senior management to make budget cuts, which then cascades down the chain of command. Sometimes management changes are made, and literally everyone gets asked to do more with less and in less time. It’s no wonder, then, that hiring decisions nowadays are going not through a reasonable-length process but through an accelerated, hasty process—one that brings its victims. Employers are treating staff like a printed circuit board in an electronic module: Plug it in, and let’s see whether it’s working. If it is found that the wrong part has been used, it gets quickly replaced with a new one. Perhaps the replacement part will work better.

It is a fact that high employee turnover is very costly and not only in dollars and cents. Does the employer regret or feel contrite that such a dismissal—not based on the employee’s fault—leaves an indelible scar on the psyche of the employee? The answer is, most likely not. And the painful part of that too-often occurrence is going to stay with us until the buyer’s market shifts to the seller’s market, the way it used to be in the late 1900s.

Many people in America lost their jobs because of a shift in the economy that was due to the transfer of a large part of manufacturing to countries where labor is less expensive. Another reason is that evolution of the technology whose machines and computers introduced efficiency made people or hands become redundant. And generally, people are slow in adjusting to the new world. For instance, today’s car mechanics need specialized computer skills and knowledge; otherwise, they cannot repair today’s highly computerized vehicles.

So, with these sorts of rapid changes here to stay, the only issue we’re left to grapple with is whether employers are always right. Do you know? Do you have an answer? What’s your opinion?

Are You Really Good at Job Interviewing?

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Job interviewing is an act. Yes, you are the actor, and both sides know the rules: You, who are one of the candidates for the position, are doing your best to convince the interviewer you are the ideal candidate. The interviewer, who is the audience, has choices, is an independent thinker and often skeptic, and needs evidence and proof before buying everything you want to sell. (Please pardon the mixed metaphor.)

The winner in this competition is not only the individual who, on the positive side, has good answers but also the one who, on the negative side, does not make mistakes. So let’s look at both of those issues.

What are positive factors in an interview?

  • Without being specific, an interviewer’s number one concern is whether you’d fit into the company’s culture. This is a loaded subject because the decision is subjective. The candidate should attempt to find out as much as possible about the company’s culture by talking to present and past employees and should then display to the extent possible the traits for a good fit into the culture.
  • The other factor weighing heavily on the interviewer’s mind is the image you create. A candidate who exhibits a great deal of passion and excitement as well as specific knowledge about the company seems very attractive.
  • More ways to give a positive impression are via general appearance, attire, and, above all, a natural smile. Regardless of geographic location, language, or culture, a smile means the same thing around the globe.

What are negative factors in an interview?

  • Lack of confidence is an interview killer. If you’re not sure of yourself, or you don’t have specific examples, or you’re winging many of your answers, the interviewer will probably not be very impressed. Your body language will instantly reveal the truth, and both parties are thinking the same thing without talking about it.
  • Certain things are universally considered gauche and should be strictly avoided—for example, being late or smelling of nicotine or strong perfume, dressing improperly, chewing gum, or the ringing of your cell phone in the middle of the interview. Any of those could be detrimental.
  • And there are other ways a candidate can disenchant the interviewer—for example, denigrating a previous employer, voicing strong opinions, being caught lying, pointing out where the interviewer is wrong about something, or making the interviewer feel bad—about anything.

So, in summary, what is the holy grail of the interview process? The answer is, it depends, because a large portion of the decision-making process is subjective and hinges on the interviewer’s consciousness, past experiences, personal culture, and intellectual world. What I’ve learned from performing job interview coaching for several years is that the most important success factors are extensive preparation via mock interviewing the building of self-confidence. Both of those are instantly evident to an interviewer.

How to Sell Yourself in a Job Interview

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So, finally the phone rings and the caller ID displays the name of a company you sent your résumé to. The caller is from the company’s human resources department and wants to schedule you for an in-person interview. Fantastic, this is music to your ears, but what now? Are you prepared? Do you have time to get ready? More important, do you understand the interview process and in what context the company wants to explore your candidacy? Plus, also remember that such interviews are competitive. In other words, your résumé provided some clues about you that may fit the company’s need, the company’s culture, the skills sought, and so on, but in addition to exploring hiring possibilities with you, the company does so with several additional candidates as well. So now the question is, What can you do to maximize your chances?

Know your relationship with the interviewer

From the moment you hung up the phone with the person arranging the interview, this upcoming face-to-face meeting becomes the focal point of your next few days. Such is not the case, however, with the person who’s going to conduct the interview. For that person, the excitement about meeting with you is minimal—sometimes even to the point that the interviewer might not be prepared to conduct the interview. Sometimes the interviewer does not have with him a copy of your résumé—or even the job description!—and will just wing it, as they say. On top of that, you think that well-rehearsed answers to common interview questions are very convincing. Well, think again. The interviewer knows you came in to sell yourself and knows to expect from you many self-proclaimed adjectives about how great you are. But do you really think the interviewer believes everything you say? Well, maybe some of it—and probably more of it if you have factual examples and you describe them as viewed by others.

What’s actually important to the interviewer?

This is where the candidate is at a disadvantage. Don’t forget that the hiring manager initiated the quest for the “ideal candidate” because there’s a problem to solve. It’s most likely the hiring manager (or interviewer) did not agree to meet with you because of your beautiful hands—well, unless you’re a professional model and the company is selling, say, wristwatches.

Seriously, your focus should be on identifying what the hiring manager needs done. And most likely, that information does not get revealed even via a candid dialogue. The thing is that job descriptions are typically rather general by not highlighting the specifics that are in fact the driving forces behind the hiring process for the positions advertised. Additionally, a large survey conducted among human resources personnel and hiring managers exposed the fact that 100 percent of them were looking for candidate fit into their companies’ cultures. And 82 percent of interviewers said they look for passion and excitement in candidates. So, based on this information, you may think your past speaks very well and you’d therefore be a shoo-in for the position. Not so, says the survey, unless you fit into the culture and you exhibit passion and excitement while interviewing.

As a reader, you may have your own opinion. I’d welcome your comment.

Election Correction

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Here we are again at the end of another summer. Kids are getting ready to head back to school as you change your alarms to accommodate to the new cycle.  I myself look forward to the change because in the business world, things start to get busy once again.  Vacations are over and people are planning for the new year.

This year is going to be different from years past due to the Presidential election that we are about to encounter.  If you thought it was hot then, just wait for the next few months.  I believe that this election is going to be most important election America has ever had.

America has never been this divided over anything like it currently is and all by design. You might be asking, “Jeff what does this have to do with a job advice?”  Well, I will tell you.  Whenever you hurt the job provider, you hurt the job consumer.  The provider will figure out how to protect and provide for themselves just like they did when they decided to start their own business. These people are indeed different and understand their capabilities.  On the other hand, job consumers understand that if they perform a task, they then get paid.  If there is not enough money to go around, then the job provider will perform the task that they once paid for someone to do for them.  Let’s face it: there is only so much that can go around.  When you have unaccountable politicians that are trying to get votes from the people they pay, the system will break.  America is divided in half by the “haves” and the “have nots”.  No offense by the terms that I am using, but let’s face it: if you are receiving money or assistance from the government then you are receiving that money from the “haves”.  You then are indeed a “have not”.  This policy works until you run out of the “haves” money.  The government does not have its own money.  They simply are trying to divide us by saying the “haves” do not pay their fair share. Well we already know that 50% pays nothing into the system and in fact they collect from the system.  Well how does that collect if the “haves” don’t pay their fair share?  Very confusing!      I do know that some people think that there is a money tree somewhere that they just pick the dollars from.

Now back to the job advice.  If this Idiot gets elected again, the next 4 years are going to be a nightmare for the “have nots”.  Without a doubt, jobs are going to be far scarcer than they have been.  Companies will hold back on growth and will go into hibernation mode until the bellies of the “have nots” meet their spines.  We can all hope that this election will bring about a correction and if not we’ll have 4 more years of developing more “have nots” !

How to Shorten Your Job Search

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People in transition know that finding a new, suitable job is a process—and most often, an unpleasant and lengthy one. While this is true in most cases, it doesn’t have to be that way, provided the job seeker understands the search process and becomes efficient with planning, creative thinking, networking, and research.

Where Do You Start Your Search?

You can’t even start searching for a job unless you know what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, many people are so burned out from their previous jobs that the idea of going back to the same kind of position seems to be a monumental barrier. Often, talking to an experienced career coach can help. No career coach will tell a client what to do but will ask the right questions, and jointly the coach and the client can come to the right conclusion. Occasionally, when the situation is severe, a third party is introduced for help. In such extreme cases, I myself refer clients to an experienced counselor and career-coaching expert who has a Ph.D. and over 20 years of experience specifically in such situations.

How to Plan Your Day

A job seeker needs to develop a plan and a strategy. The plan is not only a road map but also an important element in achieving a positive mind-set. Focus and determination are integral parts of the process if one wants to shorten it. This job search strategy has as its goal the identification of ways the job seeker will conduct the job search via various methods, including searching for online job listings, connecting with employment recruiters, and building personal relationships through networking. Keeping track of daily activities is essential by developing a spreadsheet with such information as whom you called and e-mailed and when, what networking events you participated in, and so on. Build a roster of people you met and followed up with. And beware of falling into the trap of spending more than 10 or 15 percent of the day answering online job postings and just searching the Internet in vain.

The job search has several components to it, and therefore, identifying and measuring realistic milestones are very important in order to maintain the positive attitude and self-confidence needed during the long process.

Make sure you have an outstanding résumé. I mean outstanding—not good or very good. Those who do not have an outstanding résumé unknowingly prolong their job search. This is a shame, because they think they’re in the running when in fact they’re not—because their résumé isn’t up to snuff. Companies search mostly among only outstanding candidates. Remember that you are represented by what your résumé projects. No company is knowingly looking for good or very good job candidates. Companies all are looking for outstanding ones. For years, my recommendation has been to use a recommended professional résumé writer. Unless you are one, chances are very good that you’re not capable of producing an outstanding résumé—even if many others have helped you improve or edit it. And last, I suggest you work with a career coach who can prepare you by helping you acquire the skills needed for a successful interview.

Only in the Olympics are there three winners. In the job market, all candidates are losers except one. Good luck to you!