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Michelle A. Riklan
Certified Resume Writer, Career Coach, LinkedIn Profile Writer, Trainer, Facilitator, Author, Columnist, Speaker
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Career Newsletter
Volume II, Issue 2 February 2013
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Riklan Resources, LLC 522 Highway 9 North #290 Manalapan, New Jersey 07726 (800) 540-3609
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Greetings!
Happy February!
What is President's Day?
 For some, Presidents' Day is intended to honor all the American presidents, but most significantly George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Both considered important leaders of the United States and remembered for their unique contributions for shaping The Nation.
Whether you are in job search mode or simply keeping your career materials up-to-date, I recommend that you ask yourself the following important questions:
- What makes me unique?
- What significant contributions in my career have had a positive impact for my previous / current employers?
- How am I perceived by my peers, clients, and employer(s)?
- What are my key areas of expertise?
The answers to the above will help you to differentiate yourself from the competition and to design a script for having a career-related conversation with a potential employer, career coach, or with your current employer as you seek career advancement.
Our list is growing! If you would like to advertise in future issues, please send an e-mail to robin@riklanresources.com. Please feel free to send suggestions for improvement and additional areas that you would like to see covered in future issues to michelle@riklanresources.com. |
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How to WOW Your Interviewer
by Michelle A. Riklan, ACRW, CPRW, CEIC
In the course of my career I have interviewed thousands of individuals seeking employment at all levels from the entry-level college graduate to the Chief Financial Officer. While my experience spans across a wide variety of industries, the interview mistakes that I've seen are constant.
Once you have procured a meeting with a potential employer, there is a tremendous amount of preparatory work to be done. Here are a few strategies to increase your chances for a successful interview:
1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Research the company, department and position. An interviewer will expect that you have looked up the company and understand their purpose. Questions based on your findings would be welcomed. Have a clear understanding of where you would fit in and how you would be an asset. Be prepared to sell the interviewer on this concept.
2. PREPARE AND THEN PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED
Preparing means to personally prepare for the interview and to make sure you have what you need when you arrive and arrive on time! Remember, first impressions are EVERYTHING.
Get a good night's sleep and eat a decent meal. An interview might take 15 minutes or three hours if you are passed on to several people. Running out of energy with a growling stomach will not serve you well.
Look your best. Interviewers will notice if you did not take the time to put your best foot forward, and they will question whether you would demonstrate the same lack of interest to their clients, customers, vendors, executives, etc. It may sound nit-picky, but a run in the pantyhose, chipped nail polish, a five-o'clock shadow or a wrinkled shirt are all indicators that you just did not care enough to WOW the interviewer. The competition is fierce. Potential employers need to be "WOWed."
Be on time. Map out your route to the interview in advance and plan for the unexpected. What time is your interview? Might there be traffic? Make sure that you make allowances for unforeseen circumstances and have a backup plan. Think it through and even go on a "dry run" if you can. Being late is unacceptable.
Get it right. A major mistake is mispronouncing the interviewer's name. Find out how to correctly pronounce the person's name in advance.
Be confident and articulate. Maintain good eye contact and demonstrate good listening skills. Don't interrupt the interviewer and prepare appropriate questions to ask regarding the company and position. Be polite to everyone that you come in contact with. The person riding up the elevator with you might be your future boss!
Bring necessary materials (and put away unnecessary ones). Several, crisp copies of your resume should be in a folder or bag. Bring your own pen, a notepad to take notes or to review questions that you have jotted down prior to the interview, a reference sheet if requested and any other supporting materials that advocate your candidacy. Don't offer references if you haven't been asked. Make sure that all contacts are accurate and phone numbers are up to date. Also, make sure that the people on your reference sheet know that you have listed them as a reference and get their permission to do so. If there is any doubt as to whether or not a person will speak of you in a positive light, then don't list them.
Turn cell phones off and make sure that your briefcase/handbag, etc. is neat and organized. If you are rummaging through clutter to find something during your interview, then you are showcasing poor organizational skills.
3. LEAVE A POSITIVE LASTING IMPRESSION
Always make sure to thank the person for his or her time. Let them know that you look forward to hearing from them and express your interest. Follow up with a written thank you. While the snail mail version may seem "old-fashioned," you will be in the minority and perceived as the candidate who "went the extra mile."
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| It is Time to Reinvigorate Your Job Search
by Judit Price, MS, CDFI, IJCTC, CCM, CPRW
 The encouraging employment statistics ought to be of some comfort to those of you who are still looking. In fact the number and variety of job leads we see seem to be growing nicely and I believe we can be cautiously optimistic. I would therefore suggest that those of you who have been discouraged and have opted out, at least for now, should look at reinvigorating your job search.
The unemployment figures suggest a strengthening job market. While the factors that influence the career or job search decision versus giving up do vary, simple discouragement is clearly a factor, as I interview clients regarding their situation. Assuming the client has a viable direction and the experience and training to assume an appropriately paying job, weak personal motivation and an inconsistent commitment to a vigorous job search undoubtedly play a role.
Let us be realistic. Rejection, unreturned phone calls, and interviews cancelled certainly impacts the ego and understandably leads to discouragement. And, I am certain that virtually every job candidate insists they are doing everything possible. But careful questioning still leaves me with the view that a commitment to the job search is often filled with self-delusion, excuses and rationalization.
I want to be clear that I am not claiming that it is easy, or that a solid job search strategy aggressively pursued will always succeed. What I am suggesting is that in this new age, where each of us must take much more responsibility for our job search, and must be so much cleverer and aggressive, many have not internalized this, and for those who really do understand, unsuccessful efforts have taken a toll. Ten to fifteen years ago, modest networking, a decent resume and some effort could land a job. No longer. It is essential that job seekers rethink both their career strategy and the tactics for finding a job.
For example, some would assume that spending a couple of hours a day, every day, on a job search is sufficient. Many make assumptions that summers, holidays or other times may be avoided because "people are not hiring." Of course, that is false. The watchword should be if you want a full time position, put a full time effort into it. Organizations do business throughout the year, and the job search should follow suit.
I believe that hours of real hard work, which includes a strategy and realistic game plan will increase the odds of success. As a counselor, I also believe that an all out effort will also raise self-esteem, providing incentives to greater action when a plan that has promise is in place.
It is also important that the job search is based on a rational, articulated strategy that makes sense. In fact, some recommend a periodic strategy review, perhaps quarterly. Consider the tactics that succeeded and those that didn't. Check the resume to ensure it has been modified to conform more closely to the requirements of the hiring firm, when opportunities arise. Remember, the first person to see your resume is unlikely to be the hiring manager. In fact, many say that first pass does not get much more than a 20-30 second scan. That means the resume must be clear, action oriented, not terrible technical and full of accomplishments.
That means research. The job description, by itself, is probably inadequate. Use the networking community to get information about the company, its culture, goals and market challenges. If possible find someone who will actually put the resume into the hands of the hiring manager. Consequently, networking for opportunities that can be linked to your resume is very important.
Job hunters should be especially cautious in wedding themselves to tactics that do not work. Some job seekers are highly active at networking. Unfortunately, many tie themselves to groups for which they have a social or professional affinity that may simply reinforce bad habits and provide few useful leads. Remember, the goal of networking is uncovering "qualified" opportunities. If the network is not delivering, it is essential to find new contacts, and make sure those contacts have knowledge of openings at the appropriate level.
Bad networking wastes time, but can also reinforce bad habits. Often job seekers accept bad advice, because a set of tactics did not work for one colleague. However, tactics that do not work for one job seeker may be totally appropriate for another. It is impossible to know why someone was not hired. A real job may not have even existed. The point is that everyone must evaluate and reevaluate their experiences, strategies and tactics and adjust accordingly.
It is easy to understand how discouragement can impair the desire to press forward.
Nevertheless, it is important to recognize those moments of despair and deal with it with renewed vigor and commitment. If necessary, seek out support groups, perhaps seek professional advice. Career coaches are quite familiar with these problems and can recommend solutions that work.
Finally, take a break. Get away from the phone and the computer, renew and refresh and then return to the job hunting with renewed vigor.
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Judit Price, MS, CDFI, IJCTC, CCM, CPRW is an employment and career transition consultant, coach and personal brand specialist. in private practice with over 30 years experience. She holds a Masters Degree in counseling and is a Masters level certified career guidance professional, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Development Facilitator Instructor, International Job and Career Coach a Certified Career Master.
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Suggested Reading: Shatter Your Leadership Limits - Better Results in Less Time with Less Stress
By Bob Kantor
Shatter Your Leadership Limits - Better Results in Less Time with Less Stress
by Bob Kantor
Kindle Edition ~ Release Date: 2012-06-23
Early Praise for "Shatter Your Leadership Limits"
"Provides practical advice anyone can use to become a better leader. Kantor brings his years of leadership coaching experience to explain in 6 steps he calls "The Simple Leadership Life Cycle" invaluable guidance that will help you become an effective and respected leader. A must read for anyone looking to move into a leadership role or looking to sharpen their leadership capabilities."
- Joe Bruzzese, Senior IT Executive, Bloomberg, LP
"Whether you work in a large or small organization, this book will help you get right to the heart of leadership. Kantor, a superb executive coach, presents practical advice that actively assists managers in identifying opportunities for growth and fulfillment as leaders."
- Whitney Small, Regional Director of Communications, Ford Motor Company
"Great leaders are not Born - they are Built. Kantor has taken stacks of management theory and years of leadership experience and developed a simple process that will help improve ANY leader, whether "wet behind the ears" or "long of tooth." If you will commit to 'being' a better leader, the KEY to success of our complex organizations, and apply the practices presented in this book, you will emerge a better leader and more fulfilled as a person."
- Tim Rooney, President, PeopleMation
"Kantor lets us in on his well-researched secrets about leadership, and then he is the good coach who encourages us to practice, practice, practice. He says, "Great leadership is simple." Fortunately, he backs that up with what it takes (some simple practices) to make it simple."
- Carlos Recalde, Director of Enterprise Architecture, Barclays Capital
INTRODUCTION
Two recent experiences motivated me to write this book. The first that I was covering several of the same topics repeatedly in my coaching, and that there was a natural progression through those topics much as there was with project life cycles. When my clients expressed enthusiasm about the clarity this approach brought to their understanding and practice of leadership, I suspected there might be value in formalizing it. The second experience was my reaction to an editorial by Maryfran Johnson in the 5/1/2011 issue of CIO Magazine: "...Despite the many metric tons of books and articles written about IT leadership, most of our workplaces are still better at identifying its absence than encouraging its growth. ...We just proved that again in our recent CIO Executive Council survey of 328 IT executives, which turned up a lamentable lack of leadership development activities at most companies today..." I decided that I needed to move from observing this problem, to taking action to address it. That is, I had to step up and lead. I realized that many of today's leaders had arrived in their roles because of their subject matter expertise, and not due to their demonstrated leadership skills. I.e., they'd not had the time that several generations of business leaders before them had, to learn the craft of leadership via a suitable period of apprenticeship to successful leaders. This book is written for all such leaders. For all of you who have gotten to where you are based upon your subject matter mastery. I am writing this book with the hope that it may help you bridge the gap between what you know and believe about leadership, and what you actually do as a leader, day in and day out. This book can be your guide to change some of your leadership behaviors. If you are willing to actually change one or two of those behaviors, this book has the potential to enable you to deliver better results, in less time, and with less stress. And I truly hope you do...
Bob Kantor
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If you have a favorite career book to suggest or an article that you'd like to submit for our upcoming issues, please send your information to newsletter@riklanresources.com.
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Do you have a career related product or service that you would like to promote in our upcoming newsletters? Contact us at robin@riklanresources.com for more information.
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Recorded Teleseminar
Did you miss our live teleseminar last month? Here's your chance to listen to the recording.
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That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
- Abraham Lincoln
It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
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| About Riklan Resources
Riklan Resources offers the following services:
- Resumes that land on the top of the pile!
- Coaching that puts you ahead of the competition.
- Training that ensures career advancement.
We want you to reach your top potential!
Riklan Resources is now on Facebook. Be sure to stop by and like our page!
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