Career Hub

A Tale of Two Seasons

This post is for our readers currently in college…

Fall generally finds me in the thick of two different seasons: the on-campus recruiting season for full-time jobs and the “apple season” (my cousins have an orchard where they grow and sell over 85 different kinds of apples). In many ways, the seasons are similar: both generally run from late August to early November, with a peak in mid-September to October. By November, the apples are generally off the trees and offers are “on the table” as many companies complete the majority of their entry-level hiring decisions for the year.

This year, I feel that I am reaching the end of not just a season, but perhaps an era: Wall Street banks will never be quite the same post-reorganization and my cousins have decided that it is time—after almost 70 years—to sell the farm. I’m reminded of a piece Barbara Ehrenreich wrote back in 1985 entitled “How You Can Save Wall Street”:

A free-enterprise economy depends only on markets, and according to the most advanced mathematical macroeconomic theory, markets depend only on moods: specifically, the mood of the men in the pinstripes, also known as the Boys on the Street. When the Boys are in a good mood, the market thrives; when they get scared or sullen, it is time for each one of us to look into the retail apple business.

I am not an economist, and I won’t prognosticate about what this particular season means for the “pinstripe set,” but here are a few observations on the similarities between recruiting and the retail apple business:

Crop condition, valuation, and supply are dependent on climate, market demand, and assessed value—as well as the ability to make projections. Purchasers of large numbers of apples and companies who make a significant number of hires do so in good faith that supplies (or services) that are purchased will be needed later on—and will keep in the interim provided that proper storage conditions are provided. (Like apples, job offers received for on-campus interviews frequently have an expiration date.)

Demand is dependent on the ability to make projections; when there’s less perceived need—there are fewer opportunities to be picked. As can be expected, the number of overall recruiting opportunities is down slightly this year. The National Association of Colleges and Employers recently reported that many employers have scaled back on hiring expectations:

The decreased expectation for college hiring that occurred between August and October was broadly felt across industries. Only government as a sector saw a significant increase in hiring expectations, while manufacturing and professional services remain essentially flat. All other industry categories decreased their hiring expectations for the Class of 2009.

Regardless of what's available, the conditions have to be right for the picking: apple picking and on-campus recruiting are both processes of mutual selection. Just as the over-aggressive job seeker turns off an otherwise willing employer; twisting an apple stem will result in a selection of an under-ripened piece of fruit. The proper technique to pick an apple is to cup your hand beneath the fruit, roll it up gently towards the sky and see if it lands in your hand. If it’s ready, it will come. The same holds true for full-time positions—your chances of a fit increase when you and your prospective employer are both fully prepared to consider working together. If a company can’t hire you now, don’t give up: they may be able to make it happen later on.

This year, expect harvest times to be staggered—hiring will take place on more of an as-needed basis than a calendar-based one, and competition for the prime fruit will be fierce. If you’ve been passed over, assess your skills, enhance your strengths and polish your resume and online presence so that you can be picked when an opportunity becomes available. Once it does, choose what is offered to you carefully: take the time to make sure that the position you are selected to fill meets your needs—and that you can continue to grow with it. (There’s no need to look into the retail apple business just yet, though I do know of an opportunity…)

If there are any lessons to be learned this fall, it is that timing is sometimes beyond our control. If you are in the market for a new position, the best way to get started is to keep growing and to prepare for opportunity when it does come. How will you get ready?

Cross-posted at the Emerging Professional.

Stand Up, Stand Out!

I love to practice interviewing with clients! And mostly, I love to see the confidence that emerges when the client knows they're ready to hit the streets. Take earlier this week, for example, when a client was struggling with the FAQ, Tell Me About Yourself. We had practiced several times and for the most part, we were getting nowhere fast. On that, we both agreed! :-)

Stand up, I suggested.

You want me to stand up?

Sure, why not?

The client stood up...now what?

Now I would like you to think about the PAVES strategy.

The what strategy?

PAVES -- bear with me...I am not making this stuff up!

P is for posture

A is for attitude

V is for voice

E is for eye contact

S is for smile

Our session continued and the client's FAQ responses were noticeably improved. I asked him how he felt about his presentation and he quickly quipped these three things:

1. I feel more confident standing up.

2. I sound more knowledgeable.

3. I think better on my feet.

If your interview practice isn't going the way you'd like, consider practicing your presentation standing up. Then, at the real deal - when the interview counts - you can stand out, sitting down!

posted by: billiesucher

Turn Your Job Search Complaints into Opportunities

I just finished reading Jon Gordon's book The No Complaining Rule. According to Jon, people complain either because they feel fearful and helpless or because it has become a habit. He goes on to state that "Complaining can be a gift if we use it correctly. Once we know what we don't like, we can decide what we do like and act on it. We can use complaining as a catalyst for positive change." There are a lot of things to complain about in a job search. It can be a frustrating process. Here are some common job search complaints and some strategies for implementing The No Complaining Rule to move past them.

My resume isn't working. When job seekers don't get interviews, they often blame the resume. While it's true that an achievement-driven resume helps position job seekers for interviews, the resume is just one piece of the process. If you are complaining about your resume, examine how you are using that resume and change your behavior if necessary. If your primary method of search is posting on job boards and you aren't getting results, start building meaningful connections with the people who can hire you rather than the people who are parsing the resume data. Create a proactive plan to target companies that you would like to work for where you believe there is a good fit and approach them directly, whether they are actively recruiting or not. Every company recruits at some point...build relationships now so you are considered as a candidate when an opportunity presents itself.

No one in my network can help me find a job. Why is that? Have you spent the last 15 years talking to the same 3 colleagues or have you extended your networking efforts to include friends, family, school alumni, past colleagues, members of professional organizations, community service providers, and members of online networking communities? Not everyone can help you in a job search and you need to have a robust network so you are not relying on the same 3 people for introductions.

I interviewed for a position and I haven't heard back about next steps. Take the initiative to follow up on your own. This doesn't mean leaving dozens of voicemail messages or sending multiple emails. Become top of mind by sending a reminder of the value you could bring to the team. This might be a relevant article, information about an industry event, or an acknowledgement of something you read about the company recently.

It takes so long for the companies to make a hiring decision. Get used to it. While we would like to think that we are the #1 priority for hiring authorities, we often aren't. General business issues, workplace snafus, and shifting priorities can all effect when the hiring decision is made. Deal with it by reaching out periodically to communicate that you are aware that they haven't made a decision yet but you continue to remain very interested in the position.

The person who interviewed me doesn't seem to "get" what I do. If your first interview is with a human resources professional, that person may recruit for several functions across the company and not know all the nuts and bolts of what you do. They may still represent a bridge to the next round of interviews, so keep an open mind and a positive demeanor. Generally, HR is looking for cultural fit and your ability to work well in a team, so be sure to have several accomplishment-focused stories to demonstrate these competencies.

What other job search complaints do you have and how can you use complaining as a catalyst for positive change?

Posted by Barbara Safani

Give More (Networking interaction) to Get More

When networking, remember to bring the other person’s interests into the conversation. Networking is about relationships and developing connections and a sense of trust. One of the best ways to create good interpersonal chemistry and promote a productive interaction is for both parties to potentially benefit from the encounter, Even though only one of the individuals may currently seeking job searching assistance, the potential candidate can provide value by praising the other person's knowledge and generosity, offering future support, providing follow up to the conversation's outcome, etc. If you are the individual seeking assistance, look for ways to give something back. It can be a simple thank you email or voice message, a holiday greeting, an invitation to an event so you can get together again, a link that they might find interesting, an introduction to someone that you think they should know, etc. In other words, don't treat your networking contacts as "one off" /one-sided exchanges but incorporate them into your existing relationships.

Posted by Debra Feldman, JobWhiz

Volunteer Work: A Different Type of Behavioral Interview

If you think doing volunteer work for a professional organization is just "filler to pad the resume" while you are looking for a "real job" think again. A volunteer role in your professional circle can make or break you. If you serve on a committee, your actions will be observed by the committee leader or association board. Volunteer work is kind of like an extended behavioral interview. Volunteer experiences can be a great way to shine, build credibility in professional circles, and get your name out there...if you have the right attitude. The bottom line is people talk and people are more likely to refer someone based on past successes, so your volunteer resume should be just as outstanding as your professional one. Here are some examples of "volunteers gone bad"...I've seen them all and I know that people who demonstrate these behaviors don't end up on the "short list" when members of these organizations are looking for people to fill paid positions.

Complaining about the workload. Yes, we know they don't pay you to do this...that's why it's called volunteering. Go in with the attitude that short term you will give more than you receive but you are volunteering to give back to your community and build long-term trusting relationships.

Going AWOL. Sometimes volunteers make commitments to projects with the best of intentions and then "stuff happens" and they fall off the face of the earth. This puts an extra burden on teammates and causes resentment. And if that's not enough, it damages your professional reputation. It is unlikely that you will be trusted with a paid role if you can't deliver on a volunteer project. If you volunteer for a project, stick with it to the end even if it means doing some juggling.

Needing your hand held. Volunteer appointments are a great way to showcase your leadership, organization, and communication skills. If you can help take some of the burden off the team leader, your efforts will be noticed. If the decision that needs to be made falls within the responsibilities of your role, make it and keep the team leader informed. Don't send 200 emails a day asking for guidance, permission, etc. Doing so makes you appear indecisive and unsure of yourself. Not great qualities to display in front of people that may be in a position to refer you somewhere down the line.

Making decisions that are not within your authority. It is equally damaging to make decisions that are not within your role of responsibilities that could potentially damage or muddy the relationship you have with the team leader. There's a fine line between being supportive and being power hungry, so make sure you don't cross it.

Posted by Barbara Safani

Aceing the Interview at an MBA Job Fair

I recently delivered a resume writing workshop for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) to prepare members for the upcoming national conference October 9-11 in Atlanta where hundreds of companies will be recruiting for their open positions. My colleague and fellow Career Hub blogger, Chandlee Bryan, was there as well, speaking on networking and personal branding. Following our presentations, we sat in on a panel of professionals from JPMorgan Chase, Deloitte & Touche, and L'Oreal to here more about what these employers look for when recruiting MBA candidates at job fairs and conferences. Here are a few of my takeaways.

1. Research the company. Understand how market conditions have impacted the company you are speaking to and the industry as a whole. Know why you want to work for a particular company and be ready to discuss your reasons.
2. Have a value statement. Be ready to express how your MBA will enhance your career and how the degree differentiates you from others competing for similar positions.
3. Showcase multiple accomplishments. If you meet with several hiring authorities, they may ask you similar questions. Don't use the same examples/stories for each interview...the interview team will regroup and discuss your responses. Avoid looking like a one-hit wonder.
4. Be ready to address your weaknesses. If you haven't worked during your MBA program or snagged a plum internship, be ready to discuss why and articulate what you have done while working towards your degree that will have value to the hiring manager.
5. Know what you want. Candidates who know what type of position they are looking for and can prove the relevance of their qualifications to the employer's open position tend to have greater credibility in the hiring manager's eyes.
6. Be flexible. If you are willing to relocate for the right position, say so. 
7. Ask meaningful questions. Don't ask about the company's training programs or benefits. Big companies have great training and great benefits packages. Instead ask questions that demonstrate your interest and knowledge of the company and the industry.

Cross posted on the iHispano Blog

Posted by Barbara Safani

The Salary Expectation Dance

I recently conducted an informal survey of internal recruiters and hiring managers to see if they ask candidates to reveal their salary expectations on a first interview and if they will reveal the salary range for their open position if asked by a candidate. As I expected, many responded that they routinely ask for salary expectations on the first interview and never reveal salary ranges. The consensus among several hiring authorities that request salary information up front was "why waste any time with candidates with excessive salary expectations."

But if hiring authorities are truly seeking to build efficiencies and authenticity into the interview process, wouldn't it make more sense to be transparent about the salary range for an open position before the interview process begins? Wouldn't it be more prudent to post the salary range on the job spec or job board? If you schedule interviews without knowing if you can afford the candidate, aren't you already possibly wasting everybody's time?

In the interview process, the hiring authority holds all the cards. He/she knows the job spec, the salary range, the budget, and how the position impacts the organization as a whole. Generally, the job seeker can't possibly know or benchmark all this on a first interview...that is one of the reasons they are there to interview.

But since we are living in a world where hiring authorities are asking for salary expectations up front, your best strategy is to research your earning potential and understand what the market will bear. If the hiring manager asks you about your salary expectations, you can respond by saying "Based on my research of the market, salary ranges for positions similar to this one are between x and y. Is that consistent with what you are looking to offer?" You can research your market value by asking agency recruiters what similar positions are paying, making inquiries about salary ranges/surveys through professional organizations, talking with colleagues, reviewing job boards to see if you can uncover salary ranges for similar positions, or reviewing salary information on sites such as salary.com.

Posted by Barbara Safani

Until...

One of the things I do when I am coaching someone on their interviewing skills is to start with a list of things they most fear or find most disconcerting about an interview. It's really interesting to hear clients' responses, some of which include:

Not knowing how to answer questions

Being asked why I am no longer employed

Talking about myself - period

Not feeling confident

Why I've had so many different jobs

Not knowing my strengths

Not knowing my weaknesses

Not having a college degree

Why my grades aren't all that good

Coming across like I'm desperate

What are your fears, if any, when it comes to interviewing? Do you relate to any of these concerns stated above? Listed below are five ideas to consider if you find yourself getting anxious about an interview, regardless of what your particular concern might be:

1. Strike the word "interview" from your vocabulary. Think: meeting; you've been going to meetings for years; view this as nothing more, nothing less than another meeting. Think: conversation with a purpose; you're there to learn about them and they're there to learn about you. It's a mutual exchange; it's a shared purpose. Think: chance to succeed versus chance to fail. Keep thinking that way until you get hired.

2. Approach your meeting with an upbeat, positive attitude. Sure, there will be lots of candidates who look similar on paper...distinguish yourself with words -- words that you intentionally choose to brand, market, promote, and share about yourself. Keep your word selection purposeful and positive; speak with energy and confidence! Smile!

3. Make it easy for the interviewer to learn about you; few people have time today to drag information out of you. Freely educate, teach and train others about you and the value you offer to them, delivering information in an organized, efficient manner. Practice too much!

4. Keep your responses relevant, essential and in support of the question asked. Say what you want to say with clarity and conviction, then stop talking. Insert a period. Think: PowerPoint...the fewer words the better.

5. Don't take the bait. By that I mean, if the interviewer says to you "Bet you're really angry about losing your job when the market is so bad," do not say "yes" and go off on a tangent of explaining how terrible things are for you right now. You will dig yourself a nice little ditch in which you probably won't be able to get yourself out of during your time together.

While there are many strategies to integrate into your presentation to a hiring manager (the person who can delete you or move you forward), do not give up, regardless of the number of times you've been rejected. Do not give up on yourself or the people with the power to hire you and help you. As my friend says, stay in the hunt until...

posted by: billiesucher

Every Job Seeker Needs a Good Story

The New York Times Shifting Careers blog recently featured a post about the art of storytelling and how mastering this skill can add value to your career. During a job search, several tools and strategies can be used to weave together a compelling story of your value to an employer. Resumes, interviews, and networking meetings should be rich with memorable information about you and the problems you have solved for organizations. Your story should be so good that the interviewer can't wait to repeat it to the next person in the hiring chain. Here are some tips for making that happen.

Create an exciting resume that the reader just can't put down. Don't just write about job tasks and don't just list statistics. Build a story around your accomplishments that succinctly communicates the impact you had on an initiative or an organization as a whole.

Tell your story with pictures. Try adding some charts or graphs to your resume to create a visual representation of your impact. For example, if you increased sales 500% over a 5 year period, create a bar graph to show the year over year growth.

Showcase samples of your work. Bring examples of the types of reports, business communications, or design work you do to the interview. Consider including links to websites, photographs, videos, or project prototypes to your portfolio when appropriate.

Answer interview questions using the Challenge-Action-Result story format. Employers are interested in learning about your past successes because they feel that past successes are a good indicator of future success. By describing the challenges you faced, the actions you took to address those challenges, and the corresponding results for the organization, you are more likely to create interest and excitement about your candidacy.

Ask questions that invite the interviewer to tell their story. In order to build a strong rapport with the hiring authority, you need to share information. Asking the interviewer to also share information helps deepen this relationship. Ask what issues the department is struggling with and what types of strategies they have tried in the past to address these issues. Asking questions shows your interest and concern for the company's problems and also positions you as the right person to address them.

Posted by Barbara Safani

You Say Goodbye; I Say Hello

Earlier this year, I spent a fair amount of time researching data about a multi-generational workplace. It was both interesting and enlightening the nuggets of information I uncovered and discovered. Something rather fun I came across more recently has to do with greetings and farewells, depending upon the particular generation. For example, welcome greetings commonly used by the four different generations, as shown below, include:

• Silents/Traditionalists: Hello
• Baby Boomers:  Hi
• Gen X: Hey
• Millennials: Sup

Along those same lines, some commonly used farewells include:

• Silents/Traditionalists: Good-bye
• Baby Boomers: Bye
• Gen X: Later
• Millennials: Out

So, what do you say when you're greeting someone in a job interview or business meeting? Do you say any of the above, or something else? Even though I'm a Boomer, frequently I say hey in informal or casual situations; in professional or more formal meetings and interactions, I definitely say hello, hi, or hi there. When greeting our three Millennial children, I tend to gravitate toward their familiar greeting of hey or what's up. (And yes, Aunt Bertha, I got an A in English and most days, I do try to do it justice.) : - )  I do find, however, that I seem to select a greeting / farewell that best (and most appropriately) fits the occasion. For example, if I had the pleasure of meeting the new Chamber of Commerce Board President, a Baby Boomer, I don't think I'd be saying Sup Dude.

When you say farewell to someone, which, if any, of the above farewells do you choose. Or, do you say something else altogether...adieu, adios, arrivederci, au Revoire, auf wiedersehen, bye, bye-bye, cheers, cheerio, ciao, good-by, goodby, good-bye, goodbye, good day, sayonara, see you later, so long, ta-ta, or toodle-oo?

Millennials and Gen Xers, how do you like to be greeted in a professional interview setting? Boomers and Silents, what greeting do you prefer?

posted by: billiesucher