Are you getting plenty of interviews but no job offers? If so, you have some work do to on your interview skills. One part of doing well in an interview is preparing for it! The Jobs Guy offers some extremely useful steps to take before going on any job interview. Do these things and you’ll have a lot of material you can use to succeed in an interview! Interviews Are Precious… Are You Preparing Enough to Get the Job?
A cartoon image that had me laughing out loud was an “IKEA Job Interview.” The interviewer sits behind a desk in a sparsely furnished room and points to a bunch of pieces of a disassembled chair, which lie neatly on the floor. “Please have a seat,” says the interviewer.
While this image is hilarious, if the interview were for a mechanic or an assembler of chairs at IKEA, the scene would not be so farfetched. And in fact, it is not unusual for an interviewer to test an interviewee with a task to perform on the spot. A good interviewer might test your practical skills in an interview, or your ability to respond to criticism, by asking you to perform a task or adjust your demeanor mid-interview.
I once interviewed a young man for a social worker position at the non-profit where I worked in Brooklyn, NY. There were two of us interviewing him, and I really liked him. He answered questions well and I was considering hiring him. My frustration was that he never made eye contact with me. It seemed as if he were gazing off into space and not fully connecting with me. And I knew there was no way I would actually hire him if he couldn’t make eye contact.
I did something perhaps unconventional. I stopped the interview, told him what I was experiencing, and asked him why he wasn’t making eye contact. He gave a reasonable response that he was struggling with having two interviewers and didn’t want either of us to get all his focus. From that moment in the interview, he made full eye contact with either me or my associate.
I hired him.
Why? Because I knew beyond doubt from that interview that this man took criticism and coaching well, and could implement a suggestion quickly and effectively. He also had all the other qualifications we were looking for.
He is still working at the organization today, and is appreciated for his work ethic and great attitude, as well as for the results he produces.
So this IKEA cartoon, while humorous, might not be that far off the mark for something you might be called upon to perform on the spot in an interview. Luckily, all the tools you need are already in your possession. You just need to be good at following directions.
When we were kids, we all loved stories. Well guess what? That hasn’t changed! I recently read an article on why storytelling is an effective training method and it sparked me to write this blog.
The fact is, we all love a good story. Admissions committees love good stories. Hiring managers love good stories. Customers and clients love good stories. Always remember: the person you’re writing for is a human being! How do you get another human being to read your document? Spin a good yarn!
If you’re applying to college, tell a story with a beginning, middle and end. I had a client who wrote about teaching his sister to ride a bike. His first draft was all rosy about how great the experience was, and it did not have a compelling beginning, middle and end. He felt lost in the writing, and the essay was boring.
What ultimately made the story great was that he started at the beginning, when he was annoyed at his sister for being small and clumsy, then moved through the process of a breakthrough in becoming a teacher, and a better teacher — and finally to where he released the seat and the sister took off on her own on the bike. Victory! A great story.
In college applications, many times what makes a great story is to admit to a struggle or fault, and show how you broke through it. In a cover letter, believe it or not, you can do the same thing.
All kinds of people are saying “No one reads cover letters anymore.” Well, of course no one is reading them – because they are stilted and boring and no one can get through them! Have you ever considered that if you write a good enough story in your cover letter that it really *will* get read!
Do you have an example of a time when a project was failing, and you stepped in to fix it? That makes a great story! Is there an example of something you achieved that relates to the job you’re applying for? Don’t be afraid to tell these stories in your cover letters!
On your resume, too, tell as much of a story as you can in a bulleted line.
What not to write: “Assisted scientists with their research.”
What to write: “Conducted genetic, epidemiology, and behavior research on sport fish in Illinois, Canada, and the Bahamas.”
Ah, now that sounds kind of interesting!
For an example of a bio that tells a great story or two, see Senior Investment Analyst Bio on The Essay Expert’s website. This client reported to me that she loved her bio story so much that she kept reading it to herself after it was done!
Whatever the reason, we all love a good story. Tell one in your college and job applications. Tell one in your bio. If you do it well, your intended audience will keep reading… and reading… and reading.
Who else would you want to take advice from but a hiring manager? US News & World Report offers 21 tips straight from the people who judge your job applications. I wouldn’t argue with their advice if I were you! 12 Things Hiring Managers Wish You Knew – from Yahoo and US News & World Report
Did you know you should never schedule an interview on a Monday or in the late afternoon? Find these and other simple tips for increasing your chances of getting hired. If you’re not getting job offers, it might not be personal! Find out why in How Make Yourself Three Times More Likely to Get Hired – by Arthur I. Frank
Learn why you shouldn’t focus all your energy on a job-board job search… and how to best use job boards if you’re using them! Heat Up Your Job Search: Avoid Job Boards – from Job-Hunt.org
Don’t assume you know everything about searching for a job on line. Janet Fouts offers some great current tips on how to conduct your job search through social media. This article is worth a read! Job Hunting with Social Media
These resume mistakes provide some comic relief for anyone getting too serious about the job search. Just make sure not to make these mistakes yourself! Worst Resume Blunders
The exact numbers vary, but it’s generally agreed upon that the vast majority of people obtain their jobs through networking. The statistics are particularly valid for high level corporate positions. This article from The Wall Street Journal provides some insight into the process of “greasing the inside track.” Greasing the Inside Track to a Job
It’s never too early to start putting together a resume! As a teenager, you are competing for jobs just like adults. Plus as a teen, your resume can help when you start requesting letters of recommendation for college. Your recommenders will love to have a resume as part of the materials you hand to them! Find out more tips on how to craft a successful teenage resume: Even for Summer Jobs, Teens Should Craft a Resume - The Washington Post
