How to prepare for a job interview

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          You’ve gotten a good professional resume done and now you are ready for that wonderful phone call inviting you to an interview.  What should you do to be prepared?

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          It is common for job seekers to have some anxiety during a job interview.  One way to overcome that is to carry something with you to talk about.  Once you start talking about something other than yourself, your anxiety will diminish.

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          Some interviewers are visual learners and like to see examples of your work.  These examples can reinforce to the interviewer that you can handle the job.  It would be a good idea to organize your materials in advance in a three-ring binder using inserts with tabs.  Print out a “Table of Contents” page and mark it Career Portfolio of (your name). Put that in the beginning of the notebook so you can quickly find any page in the binder.

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          You might start out with a section that contains promotional materials including your resume and business card and a marketing plan if you’ve done one.  The next tab can be examples of your work, including reports, analyses, graphs, photos of your work, drawings, spreadsheet models, customer surveys and a complete list of accomplishments throughout your work history.

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           The third section could be about education and certifications including professional courses you’ve taken, seminars attended, workshops attended or led, diplomas, certifications, degrees, transcripts, licenses or publications.

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          The fourth section should be about your performance and/or recommendations.  It can include a reference list, any performance reviews you’ve gotten, letters of recommendations, assessments, aptitude test results and even a background check report, if available.

The fifth and last section could include any other information like volunteer and community service, military service records, discharge papers, employment contracts and/or news clippings about any of your accomplishments that ended up in print.

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          Now that you’ve got your binder ready to take with you, let’s talk about some of the points you should be prepared to answer during the interview.  The first one is “Why should I hire you?”  Make a list of at least three accomplishments for each position you have held along with a brief list of major responsibilities.  Think of a couple of examples of your accomplishments that you can refer to.  Know the numbers if you were in sales or if you decreased costs or increased efficiencies.

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          Be prepared for the dreaded: “Tell me about yourself.”  Plan your answer in advance and memorize and practice what you are going to say to be prepared.  In order to answer this question with a goal in mind of getting hired, you might say something like, “In order to provide you with relevant experiences, can you describe for me in detail the responsibilities of this position?  Make notes while he is talking and make it your goal to find out what the interviewer is looking for before you tell him about yourself.  When you are talking about yourself, be specific!  Do a “trial-close” by asking, “Did this make sense to you?  Is this what you are looking for?  Did I answer your question?”

What is the interviewer looking for?  Enthusiasm, competence, personality, professionalism and trust that you understand the company’s goals and can fulfill the responsibility of the position.  In order to show enthusiasm, you must research the company, their industry and have knowledge of their products and/or services.  Utilize their website to be prepared .

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          Good listening skills are key to receiving an offer.  Here are five keys to effective listening:  1. Face the interviewer, lean forward and listen attentively without interruption.   2. Pause before replying or continuing and answer thoughtfully.  3. Question to make sure you understand.  Ask, “How do you mean?”  4. Relax, stay calm and focus your attention on how you can help this person get something that he or she needs.  5. Use close-ended questions to help the interviewer give a firm answer: “Did I answer your question?”

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          Be prepared, review your material and do your homework about the company.  Good luck on your interview.

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Career advice for recent graduates

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          Congratulations recent graduate! You worked hard and got your degree and now you want to relax. That’s OK for a little while, but you need to focus on getting the best job you can while you are fresh out of school. What are some of the things you need to do right now?

First of all make you’ve got a good professional resume that reflects experience that might be relevant to prospective employers. First, look at everything you’ve got in your list of job descriptions and then add any volunteer or college experience that might peak an employer’s interest. Did you manage any campus events that can display your management skills? Did you run any campus organizations that might display your leadership qualities? All of those things are relevant and should be included on your resume.

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          Think about the job(s) for which you are qualified and make a list of the companies where you’d like to work and what departments would fit you. If there are any professional networks which have meetings you can attend, do so. If you are an engineer, find some local engineering groups; same with sales and marketing, health care or any other areas you fit. A great idea most recent graduates won’t think about is the local Chamber of Commerce. Every significant business in your area usually has a membership and you can network there at a “Business After Hours” meeting where you can find out about companies in the area that might need your skill set.

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          Create some marketing materials for yourself. Get a set of blank business cards at your local office supply store and make yourself some business cards……or go to VistaPrint online and have them done free or for a nominal fee. There are a variety of styles to choose from and you can pick a professional looking style and include your name, address, phone number, email and, for a title. use something relevant like “Recent graduate from UGA seeking an entry-level marketing position”. Then you will have something to leave after an interview or to give to someone at networking events.

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          Will you be dressed for success? You never get a second chance to make a first impression. You’ve been living the casual life of jeans and T-shirts for a while now. You need a few professional items ready when you get that call to come in for an interview. Be prepared to look professional and get a few nice pieces to wear. For men that would include nice trousers or dark dress pants and a white button-down shirt. For women, that could be a dark skirt or pants and a plain white blouse you can dress up with a few accessories like the right scarf or simple jewelry. And please be sure to pair these with a nice new pair of conservative and well-polished shoes. Don’t show up in flip-flops or casual sandals!

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          Last, but not least, be prepared for the elevator speech you will use when you network or attend a job fair. It should be about 30-seconds and encompass a mini-resume. You’re telling the person about yourself and stating something that will make him or her want to get to know you better. Make sure you let your listener know what you’re interested in and what you are looking for. It also makes sense to offer to help your listener as well. An example could be, “Hi, I’m Jan Jones and I’m a recent graduate from UGA.

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          I majored in marketing and have had several internships with local companies and really enjoy the field. I’d like to find something full-time in marketing in this area and would appreciate any advice you can give me. I also have a large network of friends who majored in other areas and would be happy to help you if you are looking for someone in a different category.”

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          Be prepared for follow-up questions and ways you can sell yourself once the conversation goes to the next level. Be ready to tell the person what you did on your internships or summer jobs that prepare you for a position with their company and why your energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn new things would make you an excellent prospective employee. And rather than say, “Do you have a job at your company that might fit me?” a better questions might be, “Do you know of anyone that could use someone with my background and interests?” That takes the pressure off the person to whom you are speaking and gives them the opportunity to offer to send you to a hiring manager at their company.

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          Good luck with your job search. Just remember, as a new graduate, the world is full of possibilities. Do your homework and be prepared.

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Ace your interview

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          There are many types of questions you will get in an interview situation and you need to be prepared for them by rehearsing your answers. You can find many of the top questions you might be asked online, but let’s talk about a few common interview questions and some ideas on how to answer them. Tell me about your experience in your last job?

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          What your prospective boss is looking for is what value you can bring to this role by providing specific examples that resulted in successful outcomes. Discuss problems you had that you overcame and how you did it. Do this in ways that lets them know you

are a problem-solver and would be a helpful person to have at their company. What was your best professional accomplishment to date?

By doing your homework and having a thorough understanding of the job description, you can prepare an answer that demonstrates things you have done that might relate to the new role for which you are interviewing. You don’t just want to answer these questions, but do so in a way that demonstrates how you are capable of contributing to a new role you might be offered. Wherever you can, quantify your answer – for example, increased production 25 percent, increased sales volume 20 percent over last year, resolved safety issues decreasing accidents in our production lines by 15 percent year-to-date.

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          How would people you worked with describe you? The interviewer wants to determine how well you work with others as well as your ability to manage relationships with your co-workers, managers and people who report to you. Think of examples of situations you have encountered that show how you have worked with people in a variety of positions and how you get along with them.

What is your greatest weakness?

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          Yes, this dreaded question usually comes up. Be honest but strategic in answering this question without taking yourself out of the running. Answering this question can help you show the interviewer that you are thoughtful and proactive about your strengths and weaknesses. Most important, the interviewer wants to know what you have done to correct those weaknesses.

Why are you the best person for this job?

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          What the interviewer wants to know is what sets you apart from other candidates. Here’s your chance to promote yourself. Don’t feel like you are bragging, but use your unique strengths to pitch yourself in a way that talks about your skill set and the qualities that

you can bring to the role they have available.

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          By thoroughly reviewing the job description for which you are being interviewed, writing these questions out in advance and coming up with several bullet points that answer them, you can be so much more confident during the interviewing process. Don’t just try to wing it. Really prepare for your interview in advance so you’ll be ready to ace it.

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What makes a good cover letter?

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Gale Brown Sandler

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        Whether you are faxing over a resume or sending it with an email, a cover letter will position you to get noticed.  You need to write enough to “make your case” and convince whoever is reading the material that you should be seriously considered for this position.  Following are some useful tips for an effective cover letter. Make sure you’ve done your homework so you are writing to the hiring manager.

If you got their name from a specific contact at the company, mention that in your letter.

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        State your purpose for the letter in the first sentence and include the title of the position or job function you are interested in and even an ID number if there is one.  Let this person know how you found out about this position so he/she will know you have done some research on this company and its personnel needs.

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          If you are not answering an ad, but are sending out an inquiry letter to see if there are any openings, mention that you have been following their company and feel you would be an excellent addition to a specific department there. Mention keywords that either match the job description or reflect something you saw in a branding message on their website.  Provide some specific examples of how you have contributed to companies you’ve worked for in the past and relate that to the position or department you are applying for.

Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch for yourself.  You want to entice the buyer to buy your product – you.  Be convincing and compelling and give the hiring manager a reason to call you for an interview.  Make sure that whatever you write communicates that you would be a strong and enthusiastic hire.

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          Always, always check over your grammar and spelling.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression and you don’t want to be passed over due to a typo. Good luck with your cover letters and your job search campaign.

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How to benefit from job and career fairs

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          January is the start of many job fairs and career fairs that are available and might be a good place to find your next job.  How do you find them?  How do you prepare for a job fair and make it work for you?

 

          One of the biggest benefits of attending a job or career fair is that when you register you will be given a list of businesses that will be there.  Spend some time researching these companies.  Use this opportunity to find out more about these businesses, the types of jobs they have available, the kinds of people they are looking for and what skills are needed. Do not assume you will be talking to the hiring manager at these events, but be ready with plenty of resumes on good quality paper stock and do something that others will not.  Stand out from the crowd by printing yourself a business card.  It can include a sentence from your “elevator speech” that highlights who you are and what you do and should include all contact info:  name, address, phone, email, website (if you have one) and even your LinkedIn address.  You may have references and endorsements you’d like an employer to see on your LinkedIn profile.  If you are in sales, you might even want to include a photo on this card and attach it to your resume.  Don’t want to print your own card?  Go online to companies like VistaPrint and get some inexpensive cards to attach to your resume.

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          Make sure you have specific info with you in case you are handed an application to fill out at the event.  The application form usually includes information you don’t have on your resume like specific dates of employment, supervisor, supervisor’s contact info, starting and ending salary and questions about why you left the position.  Having this information already prepared will save lots of time should the hiring manager be at the event and want to talk to you there.

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          Once you’ve gone through the list of businesses that will be there, narrow it down to only those companies you want to talk to, where their booth or table will be and develop a list of questions to ask the company representative.  Do your homework and check them out online so you don’t ask a question like, “What does your company do?”  Know that info in advance.  Be ready to ask questions about the department where you want to work.  You might even be thinking in advance of what you can tell them about yourself, your interest in their company and how your skills and interests match what they do.

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          Don’t be in a hurry to head to the next booth.  Have a firm handshake, make eye contact, maintain that eye contact and show your interest in their company by having some knowledge ahead of time.  Employers want to hire people who show genuine interest in them.  Be sure to pick up any brochures, business cards or literature the company has available and use the opportunity to find out the hiring manager’s name for the department where you want to work.

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          It should go without saying that you will dress for success.  But it always amazes me when I see prospects show up in jeans and T-shirts.  Men should wear a nice sports coat and slacks that are clean and pressed and even have a distinctive or memorable tie.  Women should wear a nice suit with skirt or pants with a tailored blouse and perhaps an interesting scarf tied in a unique and memorable fashion.  Leave the jewelry at home and remember that neutral colors are best with navy being a color that seems to leave the best impression.

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          Follow up your visit to their booth with a personally written thank you note.  It will let the person you spoke to know that you paid attention, you’re serious about the job and that you are the right person for it.  Best of luck to you at your next job fair.

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Time to organize your job search

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          Happy 2017.  It’s a new year with a fresh start and a great time to get organized. Get your new Day Timer Calendar ready, update your Outlook Contacts and get ready for success.  Planning is key.  Don’t just look for want ads.  Take the initiative and determine what you want to do and where you want to do it.

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          Put together a spreadsheet of companies you’d like to work for and then start checking out their websites.  Get information on the hiring managers for the departments where you are a fit. Look online and find out all about their products or services, their customers and any news updates on what they’ve done this past year.  Being knowledgeable about the company enables you to have a more effective interview when they call you.  And don’t hesitate to look at their “Career Opportunities”.  Sometimes companies don’t list them on anything but their own website.

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          Make sure your resume is up-to-date, targeted and looks great.  One of the biggest resume mistakes most clients I talk to make is the “one size fits all” approach.  The world is very specialized and if you list too many types of experience on one resume, it goes in the “circular file.”  The HR person who is looking over resumes doesn’t waste a minute trying to figure out what you do.   If you have an in-depth or varied background, develop several different resumes that highlight your achievements towards a job target.  Include “keywords” that apply to each type of job and then emphasize them in the “Core Competencies” section of your resume.

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          Don’t know what to include in your resume?  Start with the most important and relevant facts and achievements in your work experience section and don’t go back more than 15 years.  I recently did an executive resume where a career change was involved.  The relevant history needed for this objective was more than 10 years back.  So I did a “functional resume” that highlighted this person’s skill set and achievements without just listing his jobs in chronological order.

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          Don’t be fooled into thinking that your resume has to fit on one page.  Very few individuals can fit in-depth experience on one page and it’s not necessary.  On the other hand, don’t go beyond two pages either.  If you do have a second page, always feature “Name,” the word “Resume” and “Page Two” in bold letters at the very top. Make sure to check for any errors on your dates, misspellings or typos and make sure your format looks good.  Have someone proofread your resume.  Do not get cute with fancy graphics or logos that may clog up the automated applicant tracking systems that previews your resume.

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         Best advice of all; try to get your resume in the hands of someone you know at the company.  Not sure who that might be?  Check LinkedIn for the company in which you are interested and click on “Employees.”  The site will actually feature the names of key employees you might want to contact.  You can then address your cover letter with a resume directly to them with much better chances of getting a response.  Don’t hesitate to look over your updated database also and see if you have already uncovered someone you know at this company who can hand deliver your resume to the department head.

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          Good luck on your job campaign for 2017.  Remember; don’t just wait for the right ad to appear.  Be proactive!

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Bypass the online employment process

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          Recently several of my clients were so frustrated at sending their resumes into cyberspace that they decided to do things the old-fashioned way.  They just showed up at a company where they wanted to work with a folder full of resumes.  One even got hold of the HR Manager by checking out her name in advance on the company’s website.  She googled the website and got the names of the management team and found the HR Director’s name.

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          She called the company in advance and was told the usual, “Go online and fill out an application there.”  So she decided to just pop in at the company and ask for that HR Director by name.  Three times she heard the same old story.  But on her fourth try, she hit paydirt.  Persistence pays.  She was asked to fill out a job application on the spot.  If that happened to you, would you be ready?  Make sure that you are by having a sample job application already completed to save time.  Here’s what you will need:

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          Your neatly printed resume, of course, is a key.  Have your current contact information, phone number and email address.  Make sure you have all the correct contact info for your former employers including your dates of employ, who you worked for, his or her contact info, the exact name and address of these companies and your starting and ending salary.

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          You will also want to detail your educational background, dates and major course of study.  In some cases, you might be asked for your GPA.   Lastly, have a prepared resume list with all names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and perhaps even how you are connected to that person, i.e. – colleague, boss, client, friend, and how long you have known them.

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          Be prepared for a brief on-the-spot interview by telling the interviewer the hours, days and dates when you are available to work.  Have a calendar and good writing pen on you and dress for success as though you knew you were going to be interviewed.  Be sure and get the business card of the person who talks with you and then follow up this interview with a phone call about a week later.

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          You might waste some time and gasoline but wouldn’t it be nice to actually put a name with a face?  It’s certainly better than sending out 100 resumes into cyberspace.

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Keys to successful online resumes

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Gale Brown Sandler

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          Today’s resume-writing techniques have to differ from traditional resumes you’ve been mailing out because of ATS – applicant tracking systems.  Companies now use these systems to wade through the hundreds of resumes they get for every job they advertise and there are no human beings involved in this process!  This is sad but true.

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          Understanding how these systems work can make the difference between your resume getting selected to take you to the next step…..or getting “scanned out” in the 30 seconds that most of these ATS systems take to review resumes. An effective resume is tightly focused and targeted to the job available.  This targeting includes keywords to improve search rates by the robots doing the online search.

The best way to pass this scanning process is by using “keywords” that are relevant to the position you want.  How do you find the right keywords to use?  You’ll need to do some homework.  Review a number of ads looking for applicants in your field and see what keywords they use in their job descriptions. Pick out the most frequently listed words you see these ads.   Also, look for certain jargon and job-specific buzzwords used in your industry that will get picked up in the scanning process.

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          Keep the keywords simple.  Some “skills keywords”  could be:  computer skills, management, multitasking, public speaking, teaching, outside sales, verbal/written communication skills and organizational skills.  “Experience keywords” might include:  quality improvement, project management, accounts receivable and payable.  If your resume doesn’t have the right keywords, it might get rejected even if you have great experience and other related qualifications.  The keywords are for the computer software scanning, but the written content is for your human readers.

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          Make sure your resume is not just a laundry list of duties but is one that features your achievements and demonstrates that you can be a major contributor and add to the bottom line.  Use bullet points to give the descriptions of what you did more impact. Don’t just talk about what you did, but rather what you achieved as a result of what you did.  Be specific and use numbers (i.e.) increased sales $1.2 million dollars over the previous year; increased productivity in the plant 15%, decreased safety incidents in my department from 85 to 10 last year.

Finally, make sure your resume is well formatted with enough white space and that you’ve used Spell Check to proofread and correct spelling and grammar.  Use Microsoft Word since most businesses use that software over other word-processing programs.

 

          Don’t be afraid to continue your job search at this time of year.  Many employers are looking for candidates now because they have 2017 budgets set up and know exactly how much they can afford to spend on new hires.  So take advantage of the timing and good luck to you in your job search.