Once your resume gets you in the door, the next step is the interview. How do you handle interview questions like “Tell me about yourself” and “What are your weaknesses?” If these questions sometimes leave you stumped, read Interview Tips: Answers to the Tough Questions by Christopher McGill. Stumped by compensation-related questions? Read more of McGill’s Interview Tips.
Are you an older worker facing the challenge of finding a new job? Here are some things to consider that may help you in your search. 10 Things to Consider If You’re an Older Job-Seeker
Many job applications require that you answer an extensive set of essay questions, even before you get an interview. These questions might transport you back to the days of college essay applications – days you may have thought were safely behind you.
Are you faced with a list of questions to answer on a job application? Read the following carefully: The absolute most important thing you can do – in fact you MUST do – on that application is to answer the questions. When I say “answer the questions” I don’t mean write something in the box provided. I mean answer the questions.
Seems simple enough, right? But many of the job applications I review make a cardinal error. Sure, there’s an answer in the box provided, but it’s an answer to some other question than the one the company has asked.
For instance, one company asked the candidate to speak of a measure an employer had set and to report how he had compared to that measure. The candidate wrote about the measure and then reported how he had measured up to other people in the company instead of to the standard itself. Red flag goes up – it sounds like this candidate is hiding something. And he was. I coached him to tell the truth, and we found a way to state it so that it still sounded impressive!
I once gave a talk to a group of students applying to law school. I asked them, “If a school requested a 500-word essay, would you submit a 511-word essay?” One of the potential law school applicants said that he would have no problem doing so. Guess what? The admissions committee would be justified in choosing not to read a single one of those 511 words. If you were an admissions officer, would you want someone in your law school who could not follow instructions?
Another common tendency is to provide more information than the company has requested. This tendency can get you into trouble. For instance, a newspaper asked how the candidate had become interested in the field of journalism. The candidate wrote almost an entire paragraph about why she did not want to be a lawyer even though she had attended law school. Somehow she read into the question something that simply was not there. I made sure she wrote a great story about her path to journalism, instead of an apology about why she did not do something else.
It’s more difficult than you might think to answer questions and to answer them accurately and well. If you are working on a set of essay questions for a job or college application, get a second pair of eyes to make sure your answers have addressed the questions asked – no more and no less.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot! If you truly answer the questions, you will have a shot of getting an interview – where you will get to answer yet more questions, and maybe have a chance to elaborate on the things you were so smart to leave out of your essays.
Susan Ireland provides detailed advice on a potentially complicated situation. I Quit My Job. Can I Erase a Job Reference?
Quick and valuable advice from examiner.com on how to avoid common job-seeking pitfalls. Top Job Seeker Mistakes – and How to Avoid Them
If you are seeking a top executive position, it is essential that you prepare well for and perform well in your interview. Here are some tips from Tierney Remick of Korn/Ferry International, as published in the Wall Street Journal. How to Master the Art of Executive Interviewing
Nobody’s perfect. How would you handle making a mistake in an email or interview? HeraldNet provides some advice. How to recover from painful job-search mistakes.
Many job search experts, including me, are out there giving tips about how to find jobs. I thought I’d give you all some advice based on my own recent job search – one that got me several interviews and a part-time job! In my search, I was open to accepting a part-time position as something steady and stable while I started my own business.
Here’s what I did:
1. Created multiple versions of my resume. One emphasizes my managerial experience; one emphasizes my legal experience; another emphasizes my writing and editing experience. For each job I was interested in, I made sure the keywords from that job description were in my resume!
2. Applied to a lot of jobs. Yes, even ones I thought I didn’t want. Some of them turned out to be more interesting than I had expected. I also applied to jobs there was probably no way I would ever get. And I sent cover letters and resumes to places where I would want to work but where there were no available jobs advertised (including the University of Wisconsin Law School). Because you never know.
3. Wrote engaging, punchy cover letters. Each cover letter was custom tailored to the specific job I was applying for. It made a difference. I was offered several interviews in widely divergent fields.
4. Went on an “informational interview.” where there was no position currently available but there was a possibility of a future job.
5. Asked what I needed to bring to interviews, and brought the requested materials.
6. Showed up 15 minutes early for interviews, and chatted politely with the receptionists whenever possible. Believe it or not, this practice can get you far!
7. Stayed positive and friendly in the interviews. Talked about things other than the job. Researched the company and came prepared with questions I could ask about the organization and the job.
8. Wrote thank you notes (at least when I was interested in the job!) If 2 people interviewed me, I wrote 2 thank you notes, each with its own unique message.
9. Clarified my priorities for myself. I got clear that having a part-time job with flexibility, in an open and friendly environment, was what I wanted. These attributes were more important for me than the pay rate or even growth opportunities. The more I got clear about what I wanted, the closer I got to getting it.
10. Stayed active! I searched for or applied for jobs every day. I exercised every day. I sent out at least 2 job applications per week, whether I found the “perfect” opportunity or not. I volunteered to help a woman with disabilities to write a book. I took a transcription job that kept a little bit of money flowing in. And I started my own business, which got me out in the community and on the internet networking. I was never sitting around wondering what to do on any given day. Remember, action breeds action! Doing something — anything — keeps you engaged in your life and work. You never know what will come out of the relationships you form.
What did I get out of all of this? Several interviews, and ultimately a 25% time job at the University of Wisconsin Law School, Office of Career Services. It’s the perfect fit for me, and it is likely to turn into a 50% time position in the Fall – with benefits.
You can take my advice or leave it, but it sure did work for me.
What has worked for you?
Thought you knew how to look for a job?? Think again! Paul Anderson of ProLango Consulting offers 5 tactics for your job search in the new job searching world.
Click here for the full article: The rules for job hunting have changed.
These tips will prepare you well for your job interviews and help you avoid some common pitfalls!
Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
For real time practice and interview coaching, contact The Essay Expert (scroll down for the Interview Coaching Package). Our team provides the coaching you need to walk into your interview confident and prepared!
