Archive for Job Search
Silence As An Interviewing Technique
Posted by: | CommentsSILENCE – A POWERFUL TOOL IN EVALUATING EMPLOYMENT CANDIDATES
Hiring executives are rightly proud of the companies they represent. So proud that they spend considerable time and effort telling the story of their company during the early phases of interviewing employment candidates. Company history, product development, glistening facilities, employee teamwork are examples of high visibility topics highlighted by executives.
These topics are seen as a crucial part of the interview. After observing organizational monologues, I often ask the executive “what have you learned about the candidate that is critical to making a hiring decision” or “describe and compare the candidate’s values with those of your company”.
Managers dance rhetorically and describe generalist observations but fail to provide detailed information. In this type of interviewing scenario, managers talk 80% of the time: candidates 20%. It is obvious – an interviewer can either talk or listen… Not both at the same time. Information gathering, difficult at best during an interview, is seriously impeded when the company representative talks and talks and talks.
Having sold the Company to the candidate (and having essentially told the candidate the answers to forthcoming interview questions) the interviewer many times has an anxious need to interrogate the candidate. Prepared with their template questions, employers pose one question after another.
What happens when the candidate hesitates? Or responds in a way which is not consistent with a previous response? The preferred response to hesitation or non answers is SILENCE.
Silence provides the hesitant interviewee an opportunity to gather their thoughts. They can frame responses in a logical, well thought out manner. This comfort building respite gives them time to gather their thoughts and builds confidence in their ability to respond to further questions. Obviously this is of mutual benefit to the candidate and interviewer alike.
When the candidate does not respond to an inquiry, silence again is in order. Having created a non threatening atmosphere, the interviewer calmly waits on the candidate to respond. Yes, time may seem to pass slowly when this technique is 1st utilized. It can feel uncomfortable as we tend to want to fill in all interludes with noise. Our conditioned habits tell us to “hurry up” and ask another question.
Candidates read our pause as a clue that we want an answer to the question presented to them. They know we are going to be patient and wait them out. Yes, the interviewer is exerting silent control in the discussion. Not in a negative or prerogative manner… rather in a constructive manner.
I have found that self discipline is a key to remaining silent as an interviewer. For example, curling ones toes is a helpful technique. Obviously don’t cut off the circulation. Just a hint of pressure acts as a reminder to withhold commenting until the candidate responds.
Silence is one of many constructive techniques available to facilitate dialogue. Interviewing is intended to be civil, collegial, and an honest exchange. It is not an interrogation or “gotcha” exercise. Silence can contribute to this positive, mutual respectful conversation.
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Contact Bob Handwerk at 262-903-1602 to discuss in person, webinar, or teleconference interview training. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Handwerk |
Ace Your Interview With Confidence – 5 Steps to a Great Interview
Posted by: | CommentsGoing for a job interview? It is important that you give the impression of a qualified and a confident person who is not only capable of doing the job at hand but also taking initiatives and crisis management. Here are some tips to ace the interview.
Step 1
Yes, you read the headline correctly. Confidence is your first step and most important aspect of pulling off a great interview and getting that dream job. Clearly, the employer already thinks you are qualified and is interested in your past work and accomplishments-otherwise, you wouldn’t have landed the interview in the first place! So take a deep breath and focus on that fact: they already like you! Now let that idea replace any self-doubt you might have and walk in with total confidence. After all, if it looks like you are doubting yourself, chances are, the employer will too.
Step 2
Keep in mind that the interviewer or the person hiring often isn’t the first person you meet when walking into a business. Be friendly and courteous to everyone-your interview begins the second you walk through the door.
Step 3
You’ve probably heard this before, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to make eye contact and smile genuinely when greeted by your interviewer (or anyone, for that matter). Eye contact shows confidence and smiling shows that you are happy to be there-two small, easy things that can make a big impact on whether or not you get hired.
Step 4
Be conversational! The interviewer has already reviewed your resume and qualifications-they aren’t looking for a bullet point list of your accomplishments. Relate your experience to tasks that coincide with the current position you are trying to get. Do your research on the company! Go in with an idea of how to answer standard interview questions (and a few “zingers”) such as:
- What was your biggest work-related accomplishment?
- How do you handle conflict in the work place?
- Give an example of a situation where everything seemed to be going wrong; how did you handle it?
- What is your biggest weakness?
- If you know that your boss is wrong about something, what would you do?
- Why should we hire you?
- What are your future career goals?
Step 5
Follow up. Yes, I know, they said that they would call you. However, go ahead and send an e-mail (or even better: a handwritten note) thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating how excited you are about the chance to work at their company. This will let them know that you are serious about working there, and that they weren’t just a stop along your job hunting route.
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Worried about joining the work force? Take a trip through the tips and tricks to that are key to your survival in your job with the help of jonathan hayman wharton, a business graduate. To learn more about him and his experiences, visit http://www.jonathanhayman.wordpress.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Hayman |
From temp gig to dream job
Posted by: | CommentsNEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — For those on the hunt for a new job, temping may feel like a last resort. But some determined professionals are finding it’s a way to upgrade their careers.
Allison Riney, 24, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, relocated to Houston for a marketing job last year, but was laid off last September, shortly after starting.
Without much experience on her résumé, or any leads, she moved back to Pennsylvania in May to be closer to her family and primary network. Still, her job search reaped little results.
By October, a family friend suggested she try a local temp agency for leads, an option she had been reluctant to try. “Initially I was hesitant to go the temp agency route,” Riney explained, “because of the stigma that it would be mostly secretarial jobs and nothing that would lead to a real career.”
BBB Warning on Three Scams Targeting Job Hunters
Posted by: | CommentsAs the unemployment rate rises, so does the threat of scams targeting job seekers. Better Business Bureau warns job hunters to be extremely cautious in their search for work because scammers are out to take advantage of them and make a fast buck.
The national unemployment rate is creeping closer to 10 percent—worse than the Federal Reserve predicted back in April. Already 13 states are experiencing unemployment rates in the double-digits. As more people find themselves out of work, they are also becoming targets of scammers looking to take advantage of those who are already facing a tough financial situation.
“More families are becoming increasingly susceptible to suspect offers for employment as they try to find work in an extremely competitive job market,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “Scammers have set their sights on the unemployed because the number of potential victims is growing by the hundreds of thousands every month.”
BBB advises job hunters to beware of:
Interview Do’s and Don’ts
Posted by: | CommentsThe Interview: Body Language Do’s and Don’ts
CareerBuilder.com
Your heart feels ready to leap out of your chest. Beads of sweat build on your forehead. Your mind is racing.
It’s not a full-blown interrogation — although it may feel like it — it’s just a job interview. While it’s no secret that job interviews can be nerve-racking, a lot of job candidates spend a significant amount of time worrying about what they will say during their interview, only to blow it all with their body language. The old adage, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it,” still holds meaning, even if you’re not talking. You need to effectively communicate your professionalism both verbally and nonverbally.
Because watching your nonverbal cues, delivering concise answers and expressing your enthusiasm at once can be difficult when you’re nervous, here’s a guide to walk you through it:
From Laid-off to Multiple Job Offers
Posted by: | CommentsI was laid-off in early November, as little as two weeks later I was beginning to recieve job offers.
How did I do this?
I used the tools and techniques that are available as part of the Interview Advantage program.
You can use these same tools to help your job search.
Interview Advantage
Posted by: | CommentsWe all know what it is like to go in to a test after you have studied the material and have the confidence to know that you are going to make a top grade. We aim to give you that advanatge when you go on a job interview.
There are few feelings that compare to leaving a job interview knowing that you have aced it. One of the best is when your potential employer doesn’t let you get back in your car or on your flight without making an offer to you on the spot.
With the Interview Advantage you will be able to walk into a job interview knowing that you are fully prepared. You can leave with the confidence that you aced the interview. You may even get a job offer before you get home!