Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 ·...

12
Richard Bolles expanded his pamphlet into What Color Is Your Parachute? which became the most influential manual on job-hunting and career development ever published. Bolles, now 85, calls his bestseller “a book of hope, masquerading as a job finding manual.” Hope certainly is what we need. Bolles recently remarked: “We have hope, when we have alternatives.” Parachute gives readers alternatives. Therefore, hope. More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce Centers November & December 2011 YOUR SUCCESSFUL JOB INTERVIEW ― part 2 ― Employment news and features www.PositivelyMinnesota.com Career connection ... continued on page 11 A Book of Hope, Masquerading as a Job Finding Manual Inside this Issue ... “ Your Successful Job Interview ” series continues on page 7 What Color Is Your Parachute? celebrates its 40 th year In the 1970s an unemployed minister wrote a job hunting guide for his colleagues, who also had been dumped by financially strapped churches. A reader told Dick Bolles his booklet for fellow clergy members was too good not to share with everybody. Hi, You said that you would be able to help me. I am willing to do anything I need to do to find a job. Please let me know what I need to do. I have been searching everywhere. I have searched daily on Career Builder, Monster, Craigslist and on “specialty sites” in my field (Dental Hygienist). I have even spoken to dental recruiters and I still have no luck. Thank you. A “reactive” job search is a “passive” job search! What Works to Find Work, and What Doesn’t A WorkForce Center staff member responds to a plea for help

Transcript of Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 ·...

Page 1: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

Richard Bolles expanded his pamphlet into What Color Is Your Parachute? which became the most influential manual on job-hunting and career development ever published. Bolles, now 85, calls his bestseller “a book of hope, masquerading as a job finding manual.”

Hope certainly is what we need. Bolles recently remarked: “We have hope, when we have alternatives.” Parachute gives readers alternatives. Therefore, hope.

More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 ►

The Career Connection

Minnesota WorkForce Centers November & December 2011

YOUR SUCCESSFULJOB INTERVIEW

― part 2 ―

Employment news and features

www.PositivelyMinnesota.com

Careerconnection

... continued on page 11

A Book of Hope, Masquerading as a Job Finding Manual

Inside this Issue ...

“ Your Successful Job Interview ” series continues on page 7

What Color Is Your Parachute?celebrates its 40th year

In the 1970s an unemployed minister wrote a job hunting guide for his colleagues, who also had been dumped by financially strapped churches. A reader told Dick Bolles his booklet for fellow clergy members was too good not to share with everybody.

Hi, You said that you would be able to help me. I am willing to do anything I need to do to find a job. Please let me know what I need to do. I have been searching everywhere. I have searched daily on Career Builder, Monster, Craigslist and on “specialty sites” in my field (Dental Hygienist). I have even spoken to dental recruiters and I still have no luck. Thank you.

A “reactive” job search is a “passive” job search!

What Works to Find Work, and What Doesn’t

A WorkForce Center staff memberresponds to a plea for help

Page 2: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

November & December 2011 2

Parachute’s 40th edition carries more authority than any existing job search primer. Read on to find selected chapter titles, excerpts from the new Parachute, and commentary:

How to Find Hope

“Determine to find something that is within your power to change, even if it’s just 5 percent of the total.” Churchill said: “Never, never, never give up!”

“There are always jobs out there.” When jobs aren’t advertised, your mastery of advanced job hunting means you can find hidden jobs or even create jobs by reaching people who have the power to either hire you or to do business with you.

Job Hunting Survival Skills

“Job Hunting has become a survival skill.”Bolles declares most people’s job-hunting skills “out- dated for these new hard times.” We must go beyondresume writing and interview prep-aration, relying only on job-postings, agencies and the Internet, and learn advanced job-finding techniques. “We need to reexamine every job-hunting method there is, and reconsider whether there is a better way we could be going about this.”

Attitudes for Survival

Realize, Bolles says, you do not need to go about your work search with a “job beggar” mindset. Instead, know that you are an asset for employers!

A Book of Hope, Masquerading as a Job Finding Manual

continued from page 1

A Book Review How to Deal with Handicaps

“No matter what handicap you have, or think you have, it cannot possibly keep you from getting hired. It can only keep you from getting hired at some places.”

“Everybody is handicapped. Everybody. In each of our cases, there is a lot we can’t do.”

“Keep going until you find that other kind of employer: the one who only looks at what you can do, not what you can’t.”Bolles calls prejudice a “phantom handicap.” Once you prove that you can perform the job, and showthat practical solutions are at hand such as reasonable job modifications which are no obstacle, no “handicap”exists. For Age Discrimination: Bolles’ advice boils down to show energy! and to develop multiple ways to tell the story of what you are and what you can do. What is it that you can do which others cannot because you are an experienced worker?

Yet a disability can pose practical limitations. So Bolles counsels how to explore assistive technology and toinvestigate related jobs. Again – alternatives!

Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?

Page 3: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

The Career Connection3

“Job Hunters’ notions that ‘Employers don’t want someone with my background’ are just not true. Some employers do want you. Your job is to find them.”

A particular strategy Bolles recommends to find those employers is: focus on new and on small companies.

Best & Worst Ways to Look for Jobs

Resumes? Job postings? Agencies? Those are what the typical job hunter uses MOST, and they are the methods that work the LEAST. Networking? Talking to employers? Those are what the typical job hunter does LEAST, but are the methods that work the BEST.

Advanced Job Creation Techniques

Anytime you convince a person who has the power to hire that you can help them, even if they don’t have a job opening now, they might create a spot just for you!

People also create jobs for themselves by “finding a fit” for themselves and starting a new business of their own. But talk to a lot of people who have begun businesses in the same field; Bolles strongly cautions: “If you are in a hurry and don’t want to do this homework because it is too much trouble, you will deserve what you get. You will rue the day.”

Inventiveness and filling needs are other ways to create a job. Bolles tells the story of a woman who knew how to make fabulous apple pies, saw that her town lacked a pie shop, so she opened a pie shop. Is there anything you are extremely talented at for which there is an unmet need?

Networking in this Age of Social Media

Bolles cites some revealing statistics …

• 70-90% of employers are on LinkedIn. Many use LinkedIn to research specific applicants. • You are 40 times more liable to be contacted by an employer reading your profile if your profile is 100% completed, than if not complete. ►

ARE YOU READY TO GET A JOB ?

Do you really want a job? Here’s what to do:

Form or join a group of extraordinarily committed job-hunters. No whiners!

Form small teams of 2 to 4 people.Mornings: Phone continually to set

appointments with employers.Phone separately if you work better

apart, in close proximity if tight collaboration moves things faster.

Afternoons: Meet individually with appointments ▬ even for shoptalk about industry trends and yourcommon line of work. Share what can help the employers you meet. They will remember you gratefully.

Job Hunters’ 3 biggest problems are getting motivated, lack of structure, and ennui (“the slows”). This action-based approach addresses all 3. It’s premised on full-time activity, every single weekday.

These kinds of groups are unlike most Job Clubs ▬ the support and the learning come through shared action. This is an unusual kind of group, hard to find. You may have to form your own small group of like-minded, committed partners!

– Based on concepts from J. Michael Farr and Richard Bolles

THE COACH’sCORNER

Page 4: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

November & December 2011 4

• 85% of companies report applicants’ online images influence whom they hire.

Advanced Job Finding Techniques

“Job-hunting skills are definied as creative when they take seriously the world of the employer, enter into the mind of the employer, and understand why they do what they do.”

Bolles says: be resourceful! Find and research companies that are a good match for what you offer and what you are looking for. Network with employees inside those companies. Do a lot of listening.

When you’ve made a good impression, ask to be recommended to Managers of their company who use people with your kinds of skills ─ who have work to be done or problems to be solved that you can help with. Then you will be meeting people who need your skills and also have the power to hire you!

“He or she who gets hired is not necessarily the one who can do that job best; but, the one who knows the most about how to get hired.” ─ Richard Lathrop in Who’s Hiring Who? as quoted by Richard Bolles.

THE COACH’S CORNER

THE ULTIMATE ACTION VERB LIST

2,010 verbs to identify talents and wordsmith a resume are at http://aneliteresume.com.( on the left column of the homepage you can sign up to receive a list ) Then build Accomplishment Statements:

Verb (piled) + an Object (snow) + a Reason (to maximize parking) + a Result (more customers and profits) =

● Piled snow for maximize available parking space, resulting in more customers and greater profits.

(aneliteresume.com cited in 2012 Parachute)

The Flower Exercise (Self Inventory)

“Most people who fail to find their dream job, fail not because they lack sufficient information about the job market, but because they lack sufficient information about themselves.”

“Discover alternative ways to describe who you are.”This means telling everyone you encounter “I ama person who . . .” rather than “I am a ─ [Job Title].

Dealing with Unemployment Depression

Bolles’ Rx is:

• Outdoor exercise and good self-care• Clean up your physical environment• Think about others, not just yourself• Fun, affordable recreation in moderation• Learn something new• Vent to a friend • List the things you are grateful for• Spirituality

Following Bolles’ prescription helps get past the blues. When we get on with things and put greater time into job hunting, we’ll get that job much faster. The official website of Parachute is www.JobHuntersBible.com - Ed. note

Page 5: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

The Career Connection 5

VetNews

In this issue of Career Connection we recognize and salute all veterans for serving their country. Veterans Day, November 11, is designated by Congress as the day each year that we honor our military vets.

“On Veterans Day, we come together to pay tribute to the men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces. Americans across this land commemorate the patriots who have risked their lives to preserve the liberty of our Nation, the families who support them, and the heros no longer with us. It is not our weapons or our technology that make us the most advanced military in the world; it is the unparalleled spirit and devotion of our troops. As we honor our veterans with ceremonies on this day, let our actions strengthen the bond between a Nation and her warriors.” (2010 Veterans Day Presidential Proclamation)

The chaplains took off their own life jackets, and placed them on waiting soldiers who had none.

The Four Chaplains“ Greater love has no one than this,

that he lay down his life for his friends.”

One example of such heroic duty occurred during World War II. Three troop transport ships and three escort ships were on their way through the icy waters of the North Atlantic in a strait of water known as “Torpedo Alley,” given that name due to frequent attacks there by enemy submarines. On the third of February, 1943, the German submarine U-223 torpedoed one of the three U.S. Army transport ships of the convoy SG-19 in the frigid waters between Newfoundland and Greenland. The USAT Dorchester, carrying 902 servicemen, sank within 18 minutes.

Four U.S. Army chaplains (also known as “The Immortal Chaplains”) were among the first on deck, calming the men and handing out life jackets. The chaplains, two Protestant, one Roman Catholic, and one Jewish, gave out life jackets until all life jackets were gone. The chaplains then took off their own life jackets, and placed them on waiting soldiers who had none.

These chaplains’ selfless, compassionate, caring actions became a legend. They gave up the opportunity to save themselves, so fellow soldiers could live. According to some witnesses, they were the last ones seen on the deck of

... continued on page 6 ►1948 Postage Stamp commemorating

The Immortal Chaplains

Stained glass window at Fort Snelling Chapel

Page 6: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

November & December 2011 6

Career connectionlll

lll

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUEBRUCE HANSON PAUL SEARSGRANT HEINO HEIDI STAYCURT SAMMANN RACHEL VILSACKMARY SCHMIDT NANCY WHITECHER SCHOWALTER DAVE WOLD

EDITOR: PAUL SEARS

Career Connection is produced and distributed by the MinnesotaWorkForce Centers. Further information, suggestions, circulation, additional copies: telephone (612) 821-4008.

► the ship as it slipped into the freezing Atlantic. Witnesses among the survivors reported seeing the chaplains standing arm-in-arm on the slanting deck, and hearing them offering prayers and singing hymns as the ship went down. Almost 700 men died that night, but 230 were rescued from the ice-cold sea.

Stained glass windows honoring these heros have been built in chapels across the country, including at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. The Four Chaplains have been recognized in many ways for their selfless acts of courage, compassion, and faith. In 1948, the United States Post Office issued a commemorative stamp in their honor. In 1960, Congress and the President conferred on them a special Congressional Medal of Valor, never

to be repeated, and gave the medal to the next of kin of The Immortal Chaplains.

The four chaplains were Rev. George Fox (Methodist), Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Father John Washington (Roman Catholic), and Rabbi Alexander Goode (Jewish).

These Immortal Chaplains were truly heros, and exemplified the immortal spirit of the United States military. We salute and remember them this Veterans Day, as well as all of those who served and who now serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

– By Dave Wold, Veterans Employment Representative

From the Labor MarketAnalyst’sDESK ... By Rachel Vilsack

Green careers have a direct or essential impact on a product, service, or process that results in environmental benefits. Green jobs span many industries, including environmental conservation, recycling and pollution reduction, manufacturing, renewable energy generations and building-related energy efficiency.

If you’re interested in exploring green jobs, look no farther than www.MNGreenJobs.org.

This new website provides you an in-depth look at green jobs here in Minnesota. View green profiles to learn about life on the job, wage and salary information, education and training requirements, skills, and future outlook. Many profiles also include a video interview of a Minnesota resident who works in the field, so you can hear firsthand what it’s like to work in the profession. Here’s just a sample of the jobs you can learn more about:

■ Energy auditor

■ HVAC engineer

■ Recycling coordinator

■ Supply chain analyst

■ Sustainability director

A New Web Resource for Green Jobs

You might even be surprised to learn that some jobs – maybe even a job you already have experience in – are green. These include bus drivers, co-op store clerks, marketing managers, roofers and urban and regional planners. The website also provides tips on how to make your skills more marketable to green employers.

Some ways to green your resume include:

■ Using your career objective statement to highlight your interest in a position that benefits the environment

■ Emphasizing any green volunteer work that you’ve done, or being specific about how your previous work duties may have been related to helping the environment

■ Your skills and qualifications are most important, but if it’s appropriate for the position, you might mention a personal commitment to environmental issues

The website also offers more than just career information. You can also find lists of green businesses, explore green entrepreneurship, get green job search tips, and even search for green jobs.

Page 7: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

The Career Connection7

● Find JOB INTERVIEWING, PART I in our September & October 2011 issue at ●http://tinyurl.com/CareerConnectionNewsletter

JOB INTERVIEWING, PART II

Interview Tips from the Employer

Career Connection sat down with DEED staffers Grant Heino and Mary Schmidt, who have interviewed hundreds of candidates during their careers in the private and public sectors.

Confidence and attitude are 90 percent of a successful job interview. Never walk into an interview wondering if you are qualified. If you have an interview, assume you are qualified! To make yourself feel confident, do your homework. Be prepared. And, have a positive attitude: Take the fact that you have an interview as affirmation of your desirability to prospective employers.

An interview is about finding the right fit. In today’s job market, employers oftentimes are inundated with qualified candidates. The purpose of the interview is to find the candidate who is the best fit. This is a mutual, two-way process. You should be as keen as the employer to use the interview time wisely to ascertain your comfort level with the challenges of the position, with your prospective supervisor, and with your prospective co-workers.

Search for the interviewers on LinkedIn. Google the employer and follow them on Twitter to gather recent news.

Even if you are not certain going into the interview that the position is the “best fit” for you, consider the interview as an opportunity to highlight your qualifications and qualities to the entire company. Many interviews are conducted by panelists of interviewers, e.g., the hiring manager along with one or more department heads or co-workers and maybe an HR rep. You may not be the first choice of the hiring manager (and vice versa), but you will come out ahead if you impressed one or more of the other panelists who will be in a position to hire or influence future hires.

Find out who will be on the interview panel: ask for their name(s) and title(s) when you first get the call to schedule the interview. Then search for these folks on LinkedIn so you feel more comfortable relating to them during the interview. Maybe you are graduates of the

same school. Ascertain in advance how you can connect with the interviewers on a personal level.

Research the employer and the industry in advance. (You should have done this before you applied for the job!) Google the employer and follow them on Twitter to gather recent news. When you make reference to items you learned on the company website, trade periodical, and business report, you are sending the interviewers a message that you are skilled in company research tools and that you are motivated to work for their company in particular.

The job interview starts before you enter the interview room. Treat everyone you come into contact with courteously, particularly the receptionist (aka the company’s Director of First Impressions). Ask how long they have worked for the company and what they like about their company. This assertive action sends a message that you value the opinions of co-workers. It also helps answer “Is this a good fit for me?”

Interviewing is not about memorizing. Compile your talking points on paper to have in front of you for easy reference. Categorize your notes according to qualifications from the job description or other broad themes, e.g., “budget and financial control” or “staff supervision.” Use your written notes to organize your thoughts in advance of the interview. Accessible notes signal the interviewers you are organized and prepared. Refer to your notes to calm nerves.

Bring along examples of your work. Choose only those materials that demonstrate what ►

Page 8: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

November & December 2011 8

► you can do for the employer, i.e., would be of interest to the employer. Arrange your material in a professional-looking portfolio. One of the best ways to answer the “Tell me about yourself” question is through visual material. Use the portfolio/folder to hold your talking points and to show off the research you have gathered about the company. While you are explaining your materials, you are giving the employer another demo of your communication, marketing, sales or computer software skills. Be savvy so you don’t look to be using only out-dated technology.

Ask good questions! One of the biggest mistakes candi-dates make in an interview is to ask no questions or ask no good questions. The questions you ask in the interview are as important as the answers you give. Use the minutes you have for your questions to show off your knowledge of the company and to uncover information that will help you determine if the company and position are a good fit for you. If you have time for only one question, consider this one: “How will you know in six months that you made a good hiring decision this week?” The answer will tell you what the hiring manager values most.

Another possible question (assuming the position is not newly-created): “What made the previous person in this job successful?” Do you have those qualities? Have you conveyed that information to the interviewers? If not, then as a follow-up to the interviewers’ responses, use an anecdote or short story to convince them that you will produce the same and even better results for the company.

If you are certain you want the job, then state this before

A lot of us shudder to think of going through a “stress interview.” We imagine being subjected to intentional rudeness, an awkward situation, or pressure.

Maybe you’re ushered into a room of people and there’s a chair for everyone ─ except for you. (Will you ask for a chair, or sheepishly stand through the whole hour?) Or you may get a “stress interview moment” ─ the employer greets you warmly with a handshake, only to give you a quizzical look and remark, “My, your hand is cold!” How do you respond to that?!

A couple months ago a participant in a Job Transition Group where I volunteer related this story:

It was the most difficult moment of my life.

It was a job interview. I’d had five earlier interviews with this company, and I was invited back to the company yet again.

I sat down with the top Manager for what I’d been told would be a final interview. I expected it to be an informal, friendly affair, just a perfunctory meeting, more an anointment than an interview.

To my surprise, I was grilled intensely. And in a very aggressive manner! When I was asked my opinion, the Manager violently disagreed with me. He didn’t merely challenge my views, he mocked them. He made me sweat. I left convinced he thought I was not the right fit for the job.

But to my amazement, I got the job offer!

Afterwards, the Manager told me: “I wanted to see if you would stand up to me, because on the job, you will have to deal with far tougher situations than even what I put you through. Congratulations. I know you are the best candidate for this job!”

Nine years ago this writer received the “Your hand is cold!” test at an interview. My response at the time was, “Oh, well, I just left the washroom …” I’d actually never heard that good, old Minnesota expression, best delivered with a confident smile: Cold Hands, Warm Heart!

─ Reported by Paul Sears, WorkForce Center Staff

My Successful Stressfull Interview

... continued on page 12

Page 9: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

The Career Connection9

Last fall I had a client who had been unemployed for about a year. She was quite discouraged by the time she met me. She told me, “I need to get a job by January 1st!” She understood the value of networking, and she began to set up Career Research (aka informational) Interviews.

She was able to set an average three Career Research Interviews a week.From her perspective it probably looked like a desert. She went along week after week, talking to one person after another. But from my perspective, she was on fire! It was like planting seeds in a garden. You have no idea which one or when it will sprout, but the critical thing is to get those seeds in the ground.

In December she called me to say, “I have a job offer!” It was actually for more money than her previous position. I think she was an amazing

The Power of the Career Research Interview

Good Questions to Ask at a Career Research (Informational) Interview

◘ What best prepared you to be successful in this position?◘ What do you like best about working here? What would you change if you could?◘ What trends are you seeing in this line of work?◘ What is the most pressing problem this company is trying to solve?◘ What advice and recommendations do you have for someone who may be interested in working in this field / for this company?◘ My background /past experience is _____. Where would someone with my skillset best fit in this organization?◘ Would you be willing to critique my resume and provide feedback?◘ Is there anyone else you recommend that I speak to? Would you be willing to introduce me?◘ Is there anything I can do for you?◘ May I have your business card?

example of the power of the career research, or informational, interviewing and networking processes.

With a Career Research Interview you’ll find yourself listening to people talk about what they do and how to get a job in that field which you potentially want.

One caveat: If you already have decided to pursue that company or work, don’t use a Career Research Interview as a ploy to turn that encounter into a job interview. People resent being misled.

That said, a Career Research Interview may lead to an actual job interview if both parties are interested. Just be honest.

My interviewing classes begin with the class doing an interview of one another for information about their previous job. My students report conducting an informational interview is easy and low pressure.

Setting up a Career Research InterviewLinkedIn is an excellent tool to initiate Career Research Interviews, a professional site for people interested in networking in the first place, in person or on the phone.

To arrange an interview you might say: “You seem like a very knowledgeable person in your area of expertise. I’d love to know more about what you do and the company you work for. Would you be willing to let me treat you to coffee for 15to 20 minutes, to tell me about your company and what you do?”

─ By Heidi Stay, WorkForce Center Staff

Page 10: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

November & December 2011 10

Good Questions for You to Ask in Your InterviewTHE JOB ITSELFWhat are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my work?What are the main objectives and responsibilities of this position?How does the company expect these objectives to be met?What obstacles are commonly encountered in reaching these objectives?What is the desired time frame for reaching these objectives?What resources are available from the company and what must be found elsewhere to reach the objectives?What is the largest single problem facing your staff now?

BACKGROUNDIs this a new position?Was the previous person in this job promoted?May I talk with the person who last held this job? Others on the staff?What would my orientation to the company / training involve?How important does upper management consider the function of this department / position?What is the organization’s plan for the next five years? How do this department and this job in particular fit in?

THE COMPANY ENVIRONMENTCould you tell me about the primary people I would be dealing with?Could you tell me about the management style here and what type of employee fits well with it?How much opportunity would I have for decision-making on my own?Does the organization practice promotion from within?

STRATEGIC QUESTIONSWhat kind of person do you find to be successful in this job?Can you describe your ideal candidate?What are the short-term and long-term expectations of performance?To whom would I report, and who would evaluate my work? How often?

CLOSING QUESTIONSAt what step are you in the hiring process?How soon can I expect to hear from you?May I contact you a week afterward if I don’t hear back?Can I provide you with any other information to help you in the decision process?

─ Submitted by Bruce Hanson, St. Andrew Jobs in Transition Support Group

HOT TIPSfrom WorkForce Center

Interview Class Participants

Google the company!

Go beyond Google ─Research extensively

Know the job!

Create a portfolio

Bring mini-portfolios or CD to leave behind

Bring samples!

Practice the trip over

Practice extensively. Then,you can relax and enjoy!

Wear nice butcomfortable clothes

NO perfume/cologne

Eat breakfast

Travel light(essentials only)

Carry a folder or binder

Arrive 10 minutes early

Treat the Receptionistas a professional

Be yourself

Watch your body language(posture too!)

Smile!

Be ready to tell storiesabout problems you’ve solved

Bring your paperwork(several resumes, reference list

certs & licenses)

Send or deliver Thank You note Stay in touch

on the same day with follow-ups!

Page 11: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

The Career Connection11

What Works to FindWork, and What Doesn’tBecause the job market has become extremely competitive over the last couple years, and will likely continue to be, standard methods of job search such as searching online postings and sending out resumes will likely be less productive than we would hope, simply due to the fact that everyone else who is looking for work is doing the same thing.

Job seekers spend hours screening postings, filling out applications and submitting resumes – and think that they’re accomplishing something.

The job crunch is not just a local problem but national. You’re competing not only with local job seekers but with people across the country who are willing to move from state to state for a $12/hour job. This means that once a job is posted on the internet, it’s receiving the attention of hundreds or thousands of job seekers.

Job seekers will spend hours screening through postings, filling out internet applications and submitting resumes – and will think that they’re accomplishing something. Consider that “reacting” to job postings by filling out applications is a “passive” activity, and the problem is compounded by hundreds and thousands of other job seekers performing the same passive functions. What’s going to make you stand out from all the others who are passively applying for those few and infrequent dental hygienist jobs?

What’s going to make you stand out from all the others?

A recruiter might have some incentive to market to or recruit someone who is currently employed, to try to lure that person to a commissionable position, but there’s no incentive for a recruiter to solicit someone unemployed

and “off the street.” Those “recruiters” who do so are often less than ethical, and may try to take advantage of a job seeker who has become desperate and willing to pay for information that the job seeker can usually find on their own. There’s no anticipatable gain for a recruiter to “work for” an unemployed job seeker. Too often that “relationship” simply becomes a free money source for the recruiter and also introduces an illusory barrier between the job seeker and the employer. Some job seekers try to engage recruiters simply because they prefer to avoid feeling rejected by employers.

Make direct contact with employers. You’ve got to take some risks and develop a “sales and marketing” approach to finding work.

Again, a “reactive” job search is a “passive” job search. This is why I encourage job hunters to make direct contact with employers that would be within a reasonable commute distance, and create an “outreach” campaign to market yourself to those employers directly. Here a “proactive” job search is an “energized” job search. This means you’ve got to take some risks and develop a “sales and marketing” approach to finding work. You’ve got to become your own best salesperson and your own best advocate.

There are many “meta-search” programs on the web that can provide you with some alternative approaches to occupational/regional job search. Some that you might consider are www.job-hunt.org, www.jobcentral.com, and www.rileyguide.com. ►

Page 12: Career YOUR JOB ― part 2 ― INTERVIEW SUCCESSFUL - Career Transitions Magazine · 2019-11-06 · More about 2012 Parachute on pages 2 – 4 The Career Connection Minnesota WorkForce

10% TOTAL RECOVERED FIBERALL POST-CONSUMER FIBER

DEED is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

Career connectionEmployment news and features

12 Upon request, this document can be made available in alternative forms by calling: 612/821-4000

The Minnesota WorkForce Centers are sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

continued from page 8

► Also, read through the job seeker advisory sections at www.job-hunt.org, www.rileyguide.com, and www.positivelyminnesota.com/JobSeekers/Recently_Unemployed/Preparing_for_a_Job_Search/index.aspx. There’s also an “internet radio” information source at www.jobtalkamerica.com/ that may be helpful.

Changing from a “reactive” job search methodology to a “proactive” one will be demanding and will require some rebuilding and introspective work on your part, but you can expect your job search to become more productive and, ultimately, self empowering as you dedicate your energy to it.

─ By Curt Sammann, WorkForce Center Staff

After your interview you wait and hear nothing from the employer! It’s frustrating but all too common. Did the job go to someone else? Did the hiring process stall out? You rarely know.

Amy Lindgren of St. Paul’s Prototype Career Service advises job candidates to do 5 (yes, f-i-v-e) post-interview follow-ups:

► A handwritten Thank You note and also ► A Thank You email the same day as the interview. What to write? ► “I was delighted to meet with you …Thank you again.”

Over the next few days or weeks, make

► Up to 3 follow-up calls. What to say?► “Upon reflection I realized we did not get to discuss the advantages of my skills in …” ► “I wanted to be sure you have all information you need … I’m still very interested in this position.”

But for a fifth, final contact say:

► “I remain interested in the ____ position but have had to

THE COACH’sCORNER

DON’T WAIT TOHEAR BACK ▬STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE EMPLOYER !

focus attention on other employers. Please don’t hesitate to call me to arrange another conversation. Otherwise, I’ll reconnect when I have a new position and we can get together for a cup of coffee.”

Here is a practical approach that many job seekers have found helpful to prepare for a successful job interview.

Make a copy of all job postings you apply to. Keep notes of when the application was submitted, when and how follow-up was conducted, and any outcomes. Attach any research notes you have on a particular company.

Keep your job postings alphabetically by position title or company in a 3-ring binder. This will give you immediate access to information when an employer calls. Having easy access to your notes is essential to your ability to speak in a strong, self-confident voice!

Type or write down all the requirements of the specific job as contained in the job posting, followed by a list of your previous work experience or skills that addresses each requirement. This is essential to help you remember.

There is a strong correlation between the process of physically typing or writing something down and our ability to recall information. Too often job seekers leave an interview thinking, “I wish I had said that” or “I forgot the most important thing I wanted to say!” This is the result of relying only on your “mental notes” rather than taking the time to record your information.

– By Nancy White, WorkForce Center Staff

WRITE THINGS DOWN – and GET ORGANIZED

you leave. On the other hand, if you finish an interview and you are not certain it is a good fit, then you need to respect those reservations.

Write a personal thank you note to each of the interviewers. Try to write something specific to a question they posed or an answer they provided to one of your questions. The purposes of the thank you note are to (i) demonstrate you can show appreciation; (ii) reaffirm your interest in the position and company; and (iii) mention anything that you forgot to emphasize during the interview.

Interview Tips from the Employer