Productivity

 by kageAdmin-1120

Tips to make your interview a success

Prior to the interview, visit the company’s website, and if possible, any recent newspaper articles. By doing this, two things will be accomplished. First, it will give you tools to learn as much information about the company as possible. Second, it will allow you to ask this important opening question:

“Thank you very much for meeting with me today. I am somewhat familiar with your company and your great reputation. I’ve had a chance to look at your website and have read about your latest achievements (be specific) in the Wall Street Journal. Can you tell me a little more about the company and the skills that you are looking for in someone to do the job that I am interviewing for?”

By asking this question, in this exact way, you will impress the interviewer and let him/her know you have taken the time to learn more about the company. This question will make it much easier for you to discuss the strengths and skills you possess that are best suited for this position. It is a very effective way to begin the interview.

Somewhere along the line, the hiring manager is going to ask you a question like:

  • What are your strengths?
  • What can you bring to our organization?
  • Based on what you have heard about the position, why would you be a good fit?

Think about how you would answer these questions before the interview and WRITE IT DOWN.

Get a blank piece of paper and do the following exercise. Draw three columns (like a tic-tac-toe grid). At the top of column 1 write “Features”; at the top of column 2 write “Accomplishments”; and at the top of column 3 write “Benefits”.

Features are the answers to the above stated questions. List three facts in column 1 about what you believe are your strengths. Accomplishments are the quantifiable details that give examples of the strengths you have listed. Benefits are the immediate result the employer would realize from the application of your strength. What’s in it for the employer! Create 3 stories using the grid that demonstrate what you can bring to the company. Even in this day and age, an interviewer might ask you about your biggest weakness. In truth, it is a very simple question to answer, but tends to get people very tongue-tied and flustered. In my experience, I have found that this question is usually used as a stress test. It is designed to see how someone reacts under pressure. The best way for you to answer this question is by making a strength sound like a weakness. Sounds complicated – but I promise you it’s not.

“I think my greatest weakness is that I’m very dedicated to doing my job well, and usually lose track of time until I’ve finished what I’ve started.”

It’s a simple answer to a difficult question, and although this might seem like a weakness to someone’s spouse/significant other, all this tells the interviewer is that you’re a very hard worker and don’t mind putting in long hours if needed. By answering this question in a calm manner, you have shown that you can react well under pressure, and the interview can move onto something more important.

Questions

You are judged as much by the questions you ask as the answers you give. Think about the questions you want to ask and list them on a piece of paper. This will help you be prepared for the interview.

Here are some examples of questions:

  1. Have some strategy-based questions based on the research you did on the company.
  2. Ask “What is it going to take for me to be the #1 (position) on your team next year?”
  3. What is the first major project that you would give me to do unsupervised within the first 90 days?
  4. What other questions would you like to ask?

When you feel the interview is winding down, you want to do a trial close just to take the temperature of how it’s going so far. Everyday people miss out on their dream job because there was a hidden objection that was not addressed. By asking one of the following questions you might get a chance to uncover that objection and address it.

Most Important Question:

Mr. Smith, I want to thank you for taking time to meet with me today. I want you to know that I am very interested and excited about this opportunity. In your opinion, do my skills meet the requirements that you are looking for?

This is a very important question, because it allows you to know exactly where you stand at the end of the interview. You want to hear the interviewer say “yes”. If the interviewer says yes, then you should ask what the next step would be. If the answer is no, chances are you have left something out and will need to go back and clarify any discrepancies. This is your last chance to sell your skills and show that you are the right person for the job.

If the answer is “yes”, follow up with a close:

  1. Great, when can we get together again? Wait for an answer.
  2. I’m excited about this opportunity and the organization. I could see us working successfully together. What do we need to do to get me onboard?
  3. Great, when can I start?
in Guide / Productivity 0 comments
 by kageAdmin-1120

IMPORTANT: Keys to make an Interview a success

  1. Be on time!
  2. Dress for the interview. Even if you suspect the working atmosphere will be casual.
  3. Show enthusiasm and energy during the interview.
  4. Nothing was bad about your last place of employment.
  5. Do not speak negatively about old/current boss. No place is perfect.
  6. Most importantly — relax and enjoy the experience.

 

in Goals / Productivity 0 comments
 by kageAdmin-1120

Market yourself effectively — via your resume

Just as consumers browse through aisles of competing products, hiring managers browse through piles of competing resumes. To get the hiring manager’s attention and be heard, you need to start thinking about your resume as your own personal advertisement. You need to promote your skills and experience as a solution to a company’s job opening requirements and indicate how you can directly benefit the company as a new employee.

Think like an ad exec and consider the following guidelines to give your resume a better chance of staying on the recruiter’s desk, rather than in the recycle bin.

  1. Customize each resume– Hiring managers can spot a generic resume a mile away. Take the time to investigate the company’s points of pain, and focus your communications on why you are most qualified to respond. Tailor your resume to mirror the job description. If the company is looking for someone with sales experience, make sure to include yours. Use the real estate on your resume to demonstrate your relevance and why you’re the best product on the market.
  2. Write a clear and compelling career summary– Think of your career summary as a brand positioning statement. It enables you to quickly convey your experience, skills and training right smack at the top of the page. You can showcase two or three of your most notable accomplishments along with a brief description of who you are as a candidate to attract first time buyers.
  3. Highlight accomplishments, not job duties– Companies are interested in results, not just features or ingredients. Instead of focusing on the duties you were responsible for at your last jobs, list your achievements. The hiring manager probably has an idea of what your duties were anyway, but will not know how you tackled these duties and excelled. Below is a list of accomplishments that most hiring managers look for. It’s possible that you’ve accomplished some of these in your current jobÑthink of how you might include them on your resume. Approach each one from the viewpoint of a recruiter: How can this past accomplishment benefit a potential employer?
    1. Increased revenues
    2. Saved money
    3. Increased efficiency
    4. Cut overhead
    5. Increased sales
    6.Improved workplace safety
    7. Purchasing accomplishments
    8. New products/new lines
    9. Improved record-keeping process
    10. Increased productivity
    11. Successful advertising campaign
    12. Effective budgeting
  4. And don’t forget the numbers and details– There’s a reason so many reduced fat items say “99% fat free” on their packaging. Numbers are meaningful. Maybe you implemented a successful marketing campaign that resulted in increased sales. Maybe you developed a new computer system and saved your company a significant chunk of change. Whatever it may be, spell it out in numbers on your resume package.
  5. Be discriminating about what to include– If you have been working for several years, chances are your high school work experience is no longer relevant. Think “new and improved.” Focus more on your recent successes. Keep your resume brief and to the point. Often, this means dropping some of your older jobs unless those positions are integral to the required experience.
  6. Use power words and phrases– No one wants to read something that is dull and redundant. Grab a thesaurus and spice up your snoozer resume with some strong action verbs to give your resume a new spin and get it placed in the recruiter’s shopping cart.
  7. Read, read and read again– If your resume has spelling errors or typos, it might very well gain the reader’s attention, but not in the way that you would like. After you have worked hard and put in the time to develop a resume that sells you, don’t let a copy writing error ruin the pitch.

Cover Letter Tips:
1. When at all possible, address your letter to a particular person. Do some research to find out the name of the person who will be reviewing your resume. This reinforces that this is not a generic cover letter, but one made especially for them.

  1. Modify your cover letter to the particular job you are applying for and illustrate why you are the best choice for this particular position. Hiring Managers look for specialized cover letters, not mass-produced ones.
  2. Do research on the company you are applying for. Discuss why this company/organization appeals to you. This shows employers you went the extra mile to learn about them – it may give you the edge over the competition.
  3. Don’t just repeat your resume. This is a chance to not only to illustrate your outstanding qualities, but to show your personality as well. Employers should want to meet you, not just your credentials.
  4. Double and triple check for spelling or grammatical errors. 48% of hiring managers say they will not even consider a resume or cover letter with spelling errors.
in Productivity 0 comments
 by kageAdmin-1120

Pitfalls of accepting a counter-offer

A counter-offer is simply an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay with the company even though you’ve announced your intentions to accept a position with another firm.

  • Interviews with employers who make counteroffers, and employees who accept them, have shown that as tempting as they may be, accepting a one may cause career ruin. In only rare cases does the counteroffer actually benefit the employee.

TOP 10 REASONS TO SAY “NO” TO A COUNTER OFFER:

  1. If you have to threaten to quit to get a raise, your boss may think so little of you that he’s not worth working for.
  2. If you weren’t earning enough money to keep you at your job, your company has a problem with its personnel policies.
  3. Loyal employees get promoted, disloyal employees don’t.
  4. Your company may hunt for bargains in skilled people who will settle for less money. If you want more money, odds are, your company is looking for someone who will do your job for less.
  5. The circumstances that led you to job hunt in the first place will recur in the future.
  6. Layoffs start with troublemakers.
  7. Jealous coworkers can make your life miserable if your counter offer leaks out.
  8. Few people want to feel that they’ve been bought, and accepting a counter offer can seem like selling out.
  9. You have made your boss aware of your unhappiness, and an unhappy employee reflects badly on him.
  10. You will probably leave within six months or be fired within a year, if you accept a counter offer.
in Guide / Productivity 0 comments