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Welcome to Professional Careers Celebrating Our 23rd Anniversary in 2008! |
Take special note of these facts:
The first ten seconds often determine the outcome of a job interview.
Only one job hunter out of 100 bothers to research a company before a job interview. One out of 25 has prepared questions about the job or company. One out of 10 works at selling himself or herself. One out of 3 walks in without a resume. And only one out of 50 follows up the interview with a note to the recruiter.
BOTTOM LINE: The well-prepared candidate has a major advantage.
Bottom Line Personal Behavior that leads to rejection:
A weak handshake. Poor eye contact. Slouching in the chair. Lack of enthusiasm. Sloppy grooming. Smoking. Hostility. Boastfulness. Condescension to the secretary or receptionist.
Focus on the Needs of the Decision Maker
All too often the job seeker is focused on what he or she is looking for in a job (i.e. income, benefits, location, function, responsibilities, title, stature, drive time, industry, and corporate culture). On the other hand, hiring executives have an entirely different set of standards for what they are seeking in candidates. If you, as a job seeker, fail to recognize the difference, you will be history in terms of being the candidate of choice.
Let's explore the minds of decision makers and find their hot buttons. When you focus your search on these factors through your resume through your interviews, you are more likely to become the standard by which all other candidates will be measured.
10 Employer Hot Buttons (pdf format)
10 Employer Hot Buttons (Word format)
The Personal Interview Objective
During your interview, you have two main goals:
- Convince the employer you can make a positive contribution to their organization.
- Convince the employer you will be a contributing member of their team.
- Keep in mind that both you and the employer are selling and evaluating each other.
Guidelines for Interview Conduct (pdf format) Guidelines for Interview Conduct (Word format)
You can have the training, the experience, and the ability to do the job well. But in the final analysis, it is "chemistry," how you relate to the people involved and how you handle the interview, that usually determines whether you're offered the position. That's the conclusion of a major research project by the Bureau of National Affairs.
People often waste their interview time explaining "why I want this job" when they should be concentrating on "what I can do for the company." Yet most interviewers' questions do give you the opportunity to look good if you understand what the questions really mean!
More about the Interview Process (pdf format)
More about the Interview Process (Word format)
Here are the 10 most common job-hunting errors along with some practical advice:
- Poor resume.
Accomplishments should be emphasized. Education and experience records should be concise. - Failure to network.
Don't be reluctant to make use of friends and acquaintances. - Limiting job sources.
Don't scorn the classifieds or recruiters and headhunters. - Canned approach.
Don't reprint cover letters or send a "generic" resume - "customize your cover letter and resume to each position description"! - Short search.
Don't kid yourself; be prepared for the long haul-five months or more. - Inadequate interview preparation.
Every interview is different and responses should be timely, flexible and geared to the prospective employer. - Poor interviewing techniques.
It's a give-and-take, an honest relationship must be established. - Restricted job search.
Geographic locations, commuting time, size and type of company and other personal preferences should be secondary. Check all possibilities. - Negative attitude.
Even if you think you have all the answers, don't EVER criticize your managers or former employer!!!!!! - Poor physical appearance.
Spruce up. Wear something nice. Get a manicure. Get a haircut. Improve your general appearance.