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Ten minutes after I meet with a coaching client for the first time, the client is facing my video camera for 60 to 90 seconds. Then we watch the video together. Differently from in real life and because we have modern technology, I can separate the impression—and the client’s image—from the spoken words. I simply turn the speakers off so I don’t get influenced by the video’s verbal content and context. This is a powerful experience, one that provides rich information. In most cases a client can use that information for improving job interview skills and then can apply the newly learned skills during a job interview. Most people are awestruck by their video experience. In less than two minutes, people can see for themselves how they’re perceived by others—something they couldn’t have known before.
Albert Mehrabian, currently UCLA professor emeritus of psychology, published his findings on inconsistent communication of feelings and attitudes and on the relative importance of verbal messages and nonverbal messages. He devised what’s known as the 55%-38%-7% rule. Professor Mehrabian’s basic tenet is that when we communicate with other people, we’re being judged to the extent of 55% by our nonverbal behavior such as body language and facial expression, 38% by our tone of voice, and only the remaining 7% by the actual words we speak and their context. Moreover, if the words we use are incongruent with our body language and tonality, then the other person tends to believe more in what he sees and hears and less in the meaning of the words.
When we interview, our body language says a lot about us and about our emotional state; and poor body language often sends the message that we’re stressed or fearful. But even before the interview interaction begins, the interviewer looks at your face, your hair, your clothes, and the image you’re projecting. Thus, he forms an opinion about you before you’ve even had a chance to formally meet.
The interviewer observes your body language and interprets it quickly, knowing at once whether you’re scared, passive, under- qualified, or something else. If you say the wrong thing, the interviewer can forgive that, but if your body language says something different from what you actually say—for example, you say you’re a person who works well in stressful situations, but your body language betrays the fact that you’re indeed stressed; or, for another example, you say you’re confident, but your body language again betrays the fact that you’re not—well, those are things an interviewer knows you can’t change.
Following are a few body language mistakes to avoid during a job interview.
- Crossing your arms, which suggests you’re either overconfident or uncomfortable
- Lack of eye contact, especially while the interviewer is talking
- Not smiling, which makes you appear nervous or unfriendly
- Hiding your hands, because the interviewer will want to interpret how open and honest you are by looking at your hands
The only way to improve correspondence between the words you say and what your body language says is to prepare for the interview and practice, practice, and practice some more. It’s best to practice interviewing with someone who can point out to you your areas of deficiency and can guide you in making improvements.
The first question is, Why do you need help to start with? After all, in the past, you were always able to find jobs. Well, today things are different. There aren’t many open jobs to begin with, and the competition for those few is fierce. So, let’s think about good reasons to get assistance.
- Your efforts for the past several months have not produced job offers.
- You’re confused as to what step-by-step approach you should take.
- You’re ready to create a specific plan that incorporates your skills and interests.
- You want to maintain a reasonable level of self-accountability.
- You may want to speed up the process by consulting some experts.
- You could learn how to negotiate a job offer, which in most cases would cover your expenses severalfold.
The foregoing might be good reasons, but they don’t represent all of the reasons. Yet each job seeker is unique and has unique needs and circumstances. Some people are by nature do-it-yourselfers who believe they can get the results they want; others believe in getting expertise from professionals. No one approach is right or wrong.
In principle, job seekers can get assistance in four different ways.
- Group help via a state unemployment office or volunteer-based job-search networking groups
- Books, e-books, seminars, Webinars, Webcasts, video courses
- Career coaching one-on-one
- Career marketing firms
The first option is free most of the time. The second—if there are fees at all—is most often inexpensive. The third one could be a bit pricey, especially if the job seeker has no money coming in. And the last one typically costs many thousands of dollars. So, which one is for you? In general, select the plan that is the most personalized for your own circumstance and is the least costly. That doesn’t mean you should refrain from the other opportunities.
Another dimension clearly evident but rarely written about is the time element. Every week without income is a lost week, and only under miraculous circumstances could income be recovered—even partially. To recover one week’s lost income, the following week needs to generate double, which is a 100% increase. Sorry, not in this job market!
Access to information about how to find a job is available and ample. In fact, there’s so much of it and it’s so easily accessible that it’s simply overwhelming job seekers. This is where a (hopefully, recommended) career coach can be very valuable. The reason is that such a coach can guide you to the essential information, since the coach has already sifted through it and eliminated the fluff. If you decide to get assistance from a career coach or career marketing firm, here are a few caveats.
- Do your due diligence to check up on the prospect. LinkedIn is a good source. Also look at the content and not the looks of the coach’s or firm’s Web site.
- Be clear on what you’ll get for your money. Stay away from high-pressure sales gimmicks.
- Work only with people or firms that have been highly recommended by a number of sources—not just one.
- Beware of signing contracts and especially of paying fees up front. Does your doctor, lawyer, or plumber charge you for future services?
- Be wary about testimonials that sound too good to be real. They may not be genuine.
- Your gut should be the final judge. Once you’ve done an examination and you’ve learned the implications of your decision and you feel good about it, go for it.
Wishing you all the best luck with your job search.
One of the toughest challenges job seekers face is figuring out how to make a career transition. Sometimes transition is forced; maybe jobs in your industry or area are dwindling. Other times, you want to do something different – explore new options. Whatever the situation, HOW to transition is a critical sticking point. Having worked with clients at various levels of their careers, transition is an area that comes up time and again. Here are some things I continuously hear about and address as job seekers lament, question, and concentrate on during their ‘transition’.
There is no doubt that a transition is a tough thing. Perhaps you don’t know anyone in the field that is the focus of your transition or you don’t know even where to begin. Overcoming FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is a first step to putting yourself on a path to success. Consider the following as you foray into something new and exciting. Your initial steps should include the following:
• Research your interests. Consider taking a personality assessment (e.g. Myers Briggs, DISC) to help you uncover and understand more about what your strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes are. This exercise will allow you to learn more about yourself and promote increased self awareness.
• Research the industry. How do you even know what you think you are interested in is a real interest? Doing some preliminary (at first) and then more in-depth industry research will give you a sense of how companies in that space operate. You will learn about key players and emerging trends. From there you can…
• Research specific positions. Since this is a time of change, evaluating positions will help you understand where your background fits into the broader picture. You can then prepare your action plan.
Action: Your successful transition is largely predicated on the research you do (see above) and also establishing a strong action plan. Your action plan sets the tone of your search and keeps you on track to manage the application process. It is a well known fact that if you write something down, you are more than likely to focus your energies on achieving your desired outcome. Your action plan will consist of the following:
List of target companies. After completing your industry research, it will be time to create a list of companies that hold your interest. Again, more research is involved. In fact, the entire job search process is one that is centered on research: research about your interests; research about opportunities, companies, cultures, positions, and situations that will fulfill your personal and professional needs. Of course, this will be balanced by your ability to meet the needs of the company.
Create a spreadsheet where you will include the following to keep you organized:
• Company name
• Position title and description
• Date of your application
• Name of person to whom you addressed your application
• Date of interview
• Follow-up
Marketing Materials: Your marketing materials (aka résumé and cover letter) are perhaps the most important part of your search. This is because these documents are the first thing people see about you. You want to project a positive personal brand. Your documents should match in terms of font selection, layout, and style. Making a transition might require you to highlight relevant experience from earlier in your career. If this is the case, consider a hybrid style presentation.
Online Presence: If you don’t have an online presence (e.g. LinkedIN, Twitter, online profile) you should fix that immediately. Hiring managers ‘Google’ the names of people they are interviewing and those they are considering interviewing. An online presence (with positive information about you) is a great way to get exposure while allowing someone to learn a little bit about you before they meet with you in person. Your online presence is an extension of your personal brand. If you really want to take it to a new level, you can create an online folio – your “Professional-ME” where your résumé, key traits, competencies, and other discerning information will help the reader gain a broader understanding of who you are.
No doubt making a career transition is challenging. What about job search isn’t, though? It is up to you to make sure that your strategy and resulting plan is well thought out. Your clear understanding of industry and opportunity will put you on a path to realize your goal of making an effective transition.
Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
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What’s the value of writing a cover letter? Why do you need that if you are going to submit your résumé? Does that not tell the entire story? NO WAY. Simply sending a résumé is not enough. A cover letter IS important. No cover letter with your résumé is like leaving your house with a shirt and no pants. You wouldn’t do that, would you?
Here are some valid reasons why a cover letter is a very important complement to your résumé:
1. Your cover letter demonstrates your ability to put together a cogent sentence, or in this case many sentences about what you offer in a new position and how you can add value for a potential employer.
2. Your cover letter serves as your introduction. You don’t expect to walk into someone’s house through their kitchen, right? The cover is your entranceway. Here, you can enter with grace, set the tone of what the reader should expect to see on the résumé.
3. Your cover letter is an opportunity for you to highlight certain things that you might not have been able to include in the résumé. For example, perhaps you have been designing model houses since childhood, but have worked in another industry and now want to enter architecture. A cover letter would be the optimal place to discuss such information and provide specific examples of what you have designed. Or, maybe you have been cooking gourmet meals and regularly have dinner parties at your house and your friends’ houses. If you were applying for a position in a test kitchen, the cover letter would be the appropriate place to reveal this information – especially if you currently work in a more traditional business role.
4. Your cover letter is part of the résumé package. The ‘package’ is not complete without the cover. Will everyone read the cover? Probably not. While I haven’t done a full study of how many hiring managers read them vs. those that don’t, I can tell you this: when I worked in human resources I ALWAYS read them. I gained a better understanding of the candidate, what underlying skills he possessed and how he might contribute in the organization I represented.
Here’s a good tip: If you want to increase the chances that your cover letter will be read by a potential hiring manager, include it in the body of your email and attach the résumé. By doing this, the hiring manager will only have to open one attachment and can quickly read the cover letter when opening your email.
Here’s to your career success!
Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:
No organized search strategy: You need a plan. Keep yourself organized with a list of things that you need to do on a daily basis. This list will allow you to focus your efforts in the areas that require your full attention. Would you go to the supermarket without a list of things you need? If you do, I will guarantee that you forget to buy something or purchase things that you don’t need. Your job search works in a similar fashion. The list will allow you to plan for a successful campaign.
No record keeping: It is important to keep a list or spreadsheet of some kind so you can review to whom you have sent your resume or the contacts made. There is no possibility of your being able to recall all of the companies or people that you have contacted – let alone those that may have contacted you. Without a record, you might miss an opportunity, or worse be unprepared when someone does reach out to you. Make sure you keep names, dates, and details of discussions you had. Your records will allow you to follow-up when appropriate and supports your organized approach (see above.)
No use of diverse search methods: You cannot simply apply online and think that the calls are going to roll in. A job search requires far more effort than the use of the Internet. The following must be done to ensure a successful campaign:
• Identifying specific companies where you might be interested in working. Once you have a list, you should do some research to get the name of someone internally to direct your correspondence.
• Conducting research regarding the names of people in senior level positions. Use trade publications and the Internet to uncover names of people. Trade publications can be a great source of information, including providing you with movement within your targeted industry.
• Leveraging your network of friends and family members. Your network should also include people you meet at local networking events. You will not be able to join every group so choose wisely. Engage with people that you meet to establish relationships that can be reciprocal.
• Identifying a few niche job boards where you can post your resume. You should not broadcast it on every board out there. You will look desperate.
• Establishing a relationship with a few key recruiters. Like any relationship, you will need to work at maintaining contact. Recruiters definitely know the market and have contacts within the companies where them make placements. You cannot work with everyone. Make sure you choose wisely; be prepared to conduct a fair amount of follow up to keep communication lines open.
Failure to maintain a positive outlook: One of the best, and most important things you can do for yourself and your search is to develop and maintain a positive approach. Every person you meet or interact with represents an opportunity. Given that people are drawn to those that are positive, a strong finish necessitates that you give positive vibes. Under no circumstances should you complain or be the picture of doom. It will take time; you will work hard – BUT in the end, the person who can remain engaged and willing to embrace a proactive and positive focus will generate results.
Failure to follow-up: Your search requires that you reach out to people on an ongoing basis, including people that you have already spoken with. To remain top of mind, it is imperative that you have a plan to conduct follow-up. This doesn’t mean that you should constantly call or email people. Following-up is a strategy too. If you are keeping your notes and remain organized, you will have the dates that you contacted people and can space your interactions so that you remain memorable without being overbearing.
Failure to prepare for your interviews: Preparing for your interviews is important to ensure you are successful. You should be reviewing information about the company and position, and studying your resume so you are prepared to discuss the information in detail. Do some research on commonly asked interview questions so you can answer appropriately if someone throws you “What is your greatest weakness?” question. Make sure you are able to connect your achievements to how you will make an impact in a new role.
Poor appearance and grooming: You should dress to impress during your job search. This means that you should be dressed in a suit when you interview. Even if the company has a dress down policy, you are not yet part of the group. First impressions are lasting ones. If you go into the interview looking sloppy and unkempt, you are not going to make a positive or lasting impression on your audience – except that you did not look the part.
You have the power to establish a strong job search strategy. With a plan, you can and will achieve your goals. Preparation is half the battle; your winning is entirely predicated on how you establish and implement your program!
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
ResumesDoneWrite.Blogspot.com
Connect to me on LinkedIn
Follow me on Twitter
