Posts

Your #Career : Here’s what Hiring Managers Really Want to Know when they Ask, ‘Why are You Leaving your Current Job?’…This Question, or any Variation of It, is Extremely Challenging Because it Naturally Puts You on the Defensive

/in /by

Hiring managers are often looking for a reason not to hire you, since they’re typically bombarded with resumes. You don’t want to help make the process of elimination easy — so think about being on the other side of the desk. “Would you hire you, based on your response to this question?” Taylor asks. “Make sure you help guide your interviewer into thinking about your next big contribution, which should be to them,” she concludes.

Male hands holding pen in working environment

If you’re on a job interview, there’s a pretty good chance the hiring manager will ask: “So, why are you leaving your current job?”  This may seem like an easy question. You probably have 100 reasons for wanting to pursue a new role — and can easily defend each one. But career expert Lynn Taylor says your response to this query can be an absolute deal breaker.

“This question, or any variation of it, is extremely challenging because it naturally puts you on the defensive,” says Taylor, author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “It’s one of the most difficult and critical queries you can possibly be asked during the interview process because it reveals so much about you.”

It’s also a tricky question because a terse or canned response will likely leave the interviewer waiting for some elaboration. “If you refuse to explain further, that in itself will be a red flag,” Taylor explains.

She says this query may open up a can of worms. “It can easily take you down a slippery path of describing a difficult work environment or boss, demanding workload, dull assignments, or other, similar frustrations.” And while any of those reasons may be a factor for you, they won’t help your cause. “You’ll need to take a diplomatic, professional, and forward looking approach,” she says.

Here’s what hiring managers want to hear when they ask this question:

If you get along well with others

Employers want to be sure that you’re not leaving because you have difficulty working as part of a team, or can’t take directions, Taylor says. “They will glean this from your answer if you say anything negative about the personality of your boss or coworkers, even if true.”

It’s understood that common etiquette is not to burn bridges or disparage your employer. “Your new boss wants to be assured that you’ll be easy to get along with, upbeat, and motivational around coworkers.”

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

Whether you’re aware of which atmospheres you thrive in

“You would be better served to describe the atmosphere in which you would thrive most, and explain that you think your current employer doesn’t necessarily provide that type of environment,” Taylor says. For example, you can say: “I am looking for a challenging environment where my skills could be put to the best use, and where there’s a strong team approach. I feel I have a lot to contribute that could be better tapped.”

 

If you’re high or low maintenance

Most managers are looking to minimize any corporate drama, so if you can explain how you’ve been a self-starter and seek an innovative environment where you can deliver significant results, you’ll likely enhance your chances, she says. “If you’re leaving your job because of ‘a lack of visibility by your boss,’ for example, many will assume that you require a lot of recognition or management time.”

Like most tricky interview questions, it’s how professional you are in your response that carries the most weight. “It may be true that you feel unnoticed in your current position, but a more positive alternative is to explain that you’re looking for an opportunity where you can make a difference, working alongside a dedicated team with common goals.”

Whether you speak poorly of your employer

Remember you’re talking to one employer about another employer. While they may be sympathetic to your needs, they’re always aware of the probable management perspective. “If you blame your current employer for your dissatisfaction, it’ll send up a red flag, as the hiring manager will assume you wouldn’t be discreet about them, either,” Taylor says.

 

How excited you are to work for them

No manager wants you to drone on about why you’re leaving your job. Have a thoughtful, concise answer, but don’t ramble. “The interviewer is hoping that you’re looking to the future…and to a future with them,” she says. “They are hoping that you can outline and help them envision a mutually beneficial partnership; so focus on tomorrow, not yesterday.”

Whether you want to advance your career

Most employers admire those who want to get ahead, particularly if their resumes show a consistent pattern of growth. “Interviewers are most sympathetic to job seekers who want to make more of a contribution; help build departments or companies; and take on more responsibility,” Taylor explains. It can be a double-edged sword to suggest that you’re looking for a “new” challenge, unless you explain that you want “more” of a challenge. Otherwise, it could be taken that you easily get bored.

If you have the requisite skills

Hiring managers want be assured that you have the skills to perform well on the job. “They want to feel that you’re moving forward, versus having been in over your head and now trying to recoup your losses,” says Taylor. One of their deepest fears is that you’re about to be terminated.

They can’t easily check on your performance since you’re still employed, so their best strategy is to ascertain how you view the work itself, she says. “If the job you’re applying for is similar to your current or previous jobs, and you intimate that the challenges or volume of work were unanticipated, it may be assumed that you lacked determination or a strong work ethic.”

Think of your looming departure as something that developed into a mismatch. “It was likely a great job for a period of time, until certain events occurred or didn’t occur,” she says. The more you take the high road, the more professional you will appear to your prospective new boss. In addition, if all you have to say is negative comments, it raises questions about your own judgment: why have you stayed at the company for as long as you did?

Hiring managers are often looking for a reason not to hire you, since they’re typically bombarded with resumes. You don’t want to help make the process of elimination easy — so think about being on the other side of the desk. “Would you hire you, based on your response to this question?” Taylor asks. “Make sure you help guide your interviewer into thinking about your next big contribution, which should be to them,” she concludes.

 

Businessinsider.com | July 11. 2016 | 

 

 

Your #Career : 4 Worst Pieces of Career Advice to Avoid…Here are some Career Tips the Experts Told Us you’d be Better Off Avoiding.

/in /by

There’s a lot of work advice out there, and some of it is pretty bad. When it comes to navigating your career, you have to be careful about who you take career advice from. A wrong move could cost you a job. Here are some career tips the experts told us you’d be better off avoiding.

question mark signs painted on a asphalt road surface

1. A flashy resume will help you stand out

A flashy resume could cause your application to get passed over. While a little creativity is welcome, going overboard is a problem, said Saad Rizvi, founder of career site Mentat. “In many cases, the first round interview screen is conducted by an ATS or Application Tracking System (in simple terms, a robot!). These programs are optimized for gathering information from a very basic design, and fancy graphs or pictures are not picked up or taken into consideration while filtering out resumes, so you might be passed over despite being a good fit for the role,” Rizvi told The Cheat Sheet.

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

2. Apply for as many jobs as you can at one company

No matter how tempting, resist the urge to blast your application to everyone at the same company. Also resist the urge to apply for multiple jobs at the same company. Marissa Peretz, founder of Silicon Beach Talent, said doing a resume blast reeks of desperation. “[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Don’t] cast too wide a net. Emailing everyone whose email address you can find at a specific company or applying to many open jobs at one company can convey an air of desperation. People sometimes fall in love with a specific company, and that’s understandable, but the way to increase your chances is to think about these opportunities strategically. I suggest only applying to roles you are actually a fit for, and try to network with people at a company you’re interested in or speak with recruiters who can help present you directly,” said Peretz.

3. Stay at a new job for at least one year

Job hopping looks bad on your resume, but if you’re miserable at a new job, don’t feel obligated to finish out the year. This is especially true if your job is making you sick. Debbie Chew, head of operations at Codementor, told The Cheat Sheet it’s best to leave and search for another opportunity. “If you’re downright unhappy with your job and you’re unable to cope, then it’s not worth it to pretend to be happy or stay. Instead of wasting your time at a job not suitable for you, you can be doing other things like learning a new skill or finding a different job,” said Chew.

4. Go on interviews for jobs you aren’t interested in just for the practice

Practice on your own time. Lori Bumgarner, career specialist and owner of passion and career coaching servicepaNASH, said hiring managers have a sixth sense and will know immediately what you’re doing. Your best bet is to only interview for jobs you would actually consider taking. “Avoid interviewing for a job you don’t intend to take if offered just for interview practice. Recruiters can often sense when a candidate is doing this, and recruiters run in the same circles (especially within the same industry) and they talk to each other. Word will get around if a candidate is known for doing this, which could hurt their chances of getting an interview or an offer for a job they actually want … If you want to improve your interview skills, do some mock interviews with friends or family who are in hiring positions at their jobs, or with a career coach,” Bumgarner said.

 

CheatSheet.com | July 10, 2016 | 

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

#Leadership : How To Master Your Remote Work Job Interview…A Killer Candidate will Always be One Step Ahead of the Interviewer. The Real Skill is to Take the Time to Prepare for Conversations that Will Allow you to Address the Points Above as You Detail your Work Experience.

/in /by

A job interview is a pretty challenging experience. You have to impress. You have to display a personality that will bring untold value to your potential employer. You have to stand out from an ocean of candidates who want the job as badly as you do.

Free- Iphone with Gadgets

Now imagine having to overcome those hurdles on a Skype call or Google Hangout in an entirely different timezone, and possibly hundreds (if not thousands) of kilometers away. Interviewing for a remote work opportunity presents a whole new layer of challenges that are centered around visibility and autonomy. These are traits that you have to exhibit in an office environment, but they’re much more heightened when management can’t tangibly see you at your desk every single day.

If you’re hoping to secure a remote work position and really want to stand out, consider these tips for giving a killer interview. Here’s what the hiring manager is going to want to see and hear during your interview process:

Before the interview

It’s important to assume that your interview starts the moment you submit a resume, portfolio, or body of work. Granted your work may look good and perfectly fit the organization’s functional need for your skills, but does the submitted content answer questions about your viability as a remote work candidate?

If you have previous freelance or full-time remote work experience, then it’ll be obvious to point that out. If you don’t have that experience but feel you’re a fit for the role, then make sure there’s ample language in your cover letter, resume or portfolio that really drives home your ability to work independently and across a virtual team. You don’t have to go into detail (the next point will explain why), but you will want to show on a high-level that:

  • You will be present despite multiple timezones.
  • You will bring in processes (personal and collaborative) that will be positive to a distributed workforce.
  • You are incredibly organized and accountable for your tasks.
  • You conduct your own quality assurance on deliverables before soliciting feedback from others on your team.
  • You are a clear communicator and fantastic listener.
  • You make use of technology to minimize the feeling of distance.

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

During the interview

Your hiring documents will give a taste of what you bring to the team, but storytelling will be crucial throughout the verbal interview process to reassure the hiring manager that you can work remotely.

This is your opportunity to discuss concrete examples of how autonomous and organized you can be. Don’t just talk about your ability to produce great work, be explicit about the production process you encountered or were responsible for designing. When you talk about achievements in projects or initiatives be sure to point out the following:

  • Were multiple people involved in the project? Where they all located in one building?
  • How do you personally organize yourself around new projects? What are your usual run of events to kick-off a new effort?
  • What did you work on individually, and what did you work on in collaboration?
  • What existing processes were used to move the project forward, and what new ones were created as the team progressed through tasks? Be sure to point out team check-ins, status updates, and other communication processes.
  • What tools did you or your team use to capture feedback and track progress?
  • What mistakes were made? No project is perfect, so how did you right the ship?

After the interview

As is customary, make sure you send a note at least 24-hours after the session to thank the interviewer for their time. This is also a chance to attach any new or additional information that display your ability to work well remotely; and in turn, convince the hiring manager to make a much more confident decision on your candidacy.

So what can you send over? Consider the following (and double check you aren’t sharing sensitive information):

  • A quick process map or sketch to outline how a particular project unfolded. This can help to elaborate on how your efforts helped to produce great work, and it’s a tangible way to point out team check-ins and organizational skills.
  • Examples of tools you use individually or in a team to communicate and capture progress. If your employer is considering tools that you have used before, then share your perspective on what makes that particular tool great or difficult to use especially in a virtual work context.

Always prepare to be a step ahead

A killer candidate will always be one step ahead of the interviewer. The real skill is to take the time to prepare for conversations that will allow you to address the points above as you detail your work experience. Employers who hire remotely will be impressed by candidates who bring peace of mind to the organization even if they are physically removed from the rest of the team. Your ultimate goal is to remove any doubt from your candidacy as a distributed team member and show them that you are on top of your stuff.

I regularly write about the Future Of Work. Get in touch with me here: @kaviguppta.

Forbes.com | May 30, 2016 | Kavi Guppta

Your #Career : 7 Mistakes For Rookie Job Seekers To Avoid… Mistake #1. If you Have Spent the Last 8 Hours Posting for Jobs Online, you Have Wasted 7 Hours & 50 Minutes.

/in /by

A job search is like a marathon. You can’t cut corners on the preparation and expect to cross the finish line in record time. Everyone who is in a job search wants the silver bullet. There isn’t one. Job searching, even under the best of circumstances, is a lot of work. Be prepared for a lot of rejection, but also for a lot of kindness and support along the way.

Free- Door to Building

I meet many job seekers who have never had to conduct a formal job search. After coaching over a thousand clients at every professional level and across practically every industry, I’ve found that most make the same rookie mistakes.

If you’re looking for a new job, below are some tips for starting off your search on the right foot:

1. If you have spent the last eight hours posting for jobs online, you have wasted seven hours and 50 minutes. It can be tempting to apply to jobs online. So many positions are listed, and so many appear to be a fit. But while you are hitting the send button, so are 500+ other people. Job postings represent the open market; the jobs everyone gets to see. Most people source their jobs through the hidden job market, the ones where opportunities are shared through close contacts and conversations. Shift your strategy and spend most of your time networking for job leads, and limit your time applying to jobs online.

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

2. Just because you did it doesn’t mean it belongs on your resume.Many people’s resumes read like a laundry list of everything they’ve ever done. A resume should be targeted to the needs of an employer and prove where you can add value. The employee recognition award you received for a Y2K conversion back in 1999 probably isn’t going to cut it with an employer in 2016. Instead, tell stories of initiatives you are involved in today that are helping to move your company, industry or profession forward.

3. Don’t tell me about the things you were expected to do; write about the things you did that no one ever dreamed possible. Most resumes describe tasks that hundreds of others perform in their jobs every day. What catches the hiring manager’s attention is the value you brought to that job task. For example, if you are an operations executive, don’t just write that you ran a call center. Instead, explain how you transformed its performance, implemented metrics to improve accountability and the customer experience, or saved money or time.

4. If no one returns your calls requesting a networking meeting, you are leaving the wrong message. Many people approach their contacts by saying something like, “If you know anyone who is hiring, please let me know.” It’s highly unlikely that your contact knows someone who is hiring for a position with your skill set right now. A better message would be to say, “I’m in a career transition and I would love to pick your brain to learn more about your company, the industry and trends in the profession. I wanted to reach out to you because I trust your opinion and value your advice.” By asking for information rather than a job, you are more likely to get a response and initiate a conversation. Many will be flattered that you asked and will reciprocate with whatever help they can offer.

5. People who don’t think online networking is relevant to their job search will become irrelevant to the hiring managers who think it is. Many job seekers are still reluctant to create an online digital footprint. But it’s becoming more difficult to substantiate being an expert in your profession when there is no online proof of your thought leadership. LinkedIn will be the social media tool of choice for many professionals — but don’t just create a shell of a profile. Optimize your professional image with proof of your accomplishments via strong stories of success, keywords, the LinkedIn publishing platform, and even case studies and videos if appropriate.

6. People think they should talk in general terms about career successes, but you build trust with interviewers by talking about specifics. The goal of the interview is to build trust and engagement. This is best done by showcasing stories about business problems you have solved that are relevant to the organization, not by focusing on the typical personality clichés. Telling the interviewer how you influenced the entire senior management team to fund a multimillion-dollar technology upgrade that in turn protected them from a cyber-security breach will be much more memorable than simply telling him you are a good communicator.

7. When hiring managers ask you in an interview what your weakness is, they already know. The goal is to figure out what they believe is the gap in your candidacy and address it head on. Perhaps you lack experience in a particular industry or don’t have the MBA they say is preferred. Show that while you don’t have a certain qualification, you have other skills that are more relevant and transferable. For example, an HR professional who doesn’t have hospital experience and is interviewing for a role in a hospital can focus on the similarities within the HR function that transcend industries. The candidate who lacks an MBA can show how they’ve solved business problems that are frequently solved by candidates who have the degree.

A job search is like a marathon. You can’t cut corners on the preparation and expect to cross the finish line in record time. Everyone who is in a job search wants the silver bullet. There isn’t one. Job searching, even under the best of circumstances, is a lot of work. Be prepared for a lot of rejection, but also for a lot of kindness and support along the way.

 

Forbes.com | May 10, 2016 | Forbes Coaches Council 

Your #Career : 3 Skills You Need To Rock Your Interviews & Your Career…I’d Like to Share My Take on What Interviewing Really Is, & Why you Need to Be Interviewing & Out there Consistently & Regularly Talking to Other Employers, Leaders & Managers.

/in /by

If you can’t answer these questions, you can’t present a compelling story of who you are and what you have to offer. Secondly, you’ll not be able to guide your career to the level you want it.  Amazing careers require a great deal of planning, vision and management, as well as a big dose of clarity, courage, and connection.

Two serious business partners listening attentively to young man at meeting in office

As a career coach, I work with hundreds of professional women each year who are in various states and stages of growth, leadership, and ascension.  In our work together, there are key steps we walk through over a period of weeks and months to help them achieve what they’re hoping for (and everyone’s desires are different and special, of course).

One of the steps that corporate professionals are most resistant to, and intimidated by, is interviewing. And they don’t understand that they need to be interviewing regularly – every three to four months – regardless of how happy or unhappy they are in the current role.

Interviewing is essential for your growth, expanding your network, understanding your value in the marketplace, and crafting a career that will meet your highest goals. Interviewing is connecting in a powerful way, and articulating your highest visions of who you want to be in the working world, and finding people who are excited by that vision.

I’d like to share my take on what interviewing really is, and why you need to be interviewing and out there consistently and regularly talking to other employers, leaders and managers.

 

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

What is the best kind of interviewing?

Interviewing at its best is an open, honest dialogue – a conversation between two interested people sharing their needs, preferences, and visions, and determining if there’s a match.  So many corporate professionals don’t understand how critical it is to get out of your own company’s mindset, and explore and “try on” other avenues and approaches. In a recent talk I gave for the University of Connecticut and the National Association of Women MBAs, one senior-level executive shared with me that her mentor (at her company) advised strongly not to interview or find a job elsewhere, but to stay where she was. In my opinion, that’s bad advice. Always interview, so you can fully understand (and expand) your options and make the right choice based on as many opportunities as possible.

Interviewing for other jobs with other companies helps you see more clearly what you have and what you want next.  Once you begin to embrace and enjoyinterviewing on a regular basis, you’ll find these positive outcomes will naturally occur:

  1. You’ll understand your perceived value in the marketplace, and how well you’re faring against the competition.
  2. You’ll see other ways of operating – other types of work, cultures, politics, policies and procedures, new exciting outcomes that other organizations are striving for, and other “ecosystems” that will inform your personal and professional desires and preferences.
  3. You’ll make great connections (including powerful mentors and sponsors), who will open thrilling doors for you.
  4. You’ll begin to see more clearly and refine exactly what you want to do with your talents and gifts.
  5. You won’t feel so stuck and limited when it comes to the job you have.
  6. Finally, you’ll be able to discern more clearly if what you have today at your current job and employer is really want you want.

What needs to happen before you can interview successfully? There are three essential skills you need to master before you can rock at your interviews and make the most of meeting new hiring managers and leaders at new companies:

Know and communicate precisely what you have to offer and what makes you, you

Again, in working with thousands of professionals, I’ve seen that that vast majority or working people simply can’t answer these fundamental questions:

    • What are you especially great at?
    • What stands you apart from the competition?
    • What do you adore about your current work, and what would you like to let go of?
    • What are visions for how you’d like to contribute professionally, in an ideal world and workplace?
  • Why should we be interested in you over others with your same training and experience?
  • What’s the ideal next role for you?
  • Why are you interested in us?
  • What types of people motivate and inspire you best?
  • What kinds of work outcomes are you most excited by?

If you can’t answer these questions, you can’t present a compelling story of who you are and what you have to offer. Secondly, you’ll not be able to guide your career to the level you want it.  Amazing careers require a great deal of planning, vision and management, as well as a big dose of clarity, courage, and connection.

Network socially

After reviewing so many LinkedIn LNKD -0.93% profiles (and hearing from lots of my followers – now over 170,000), I can read your LinkedIn profile and in three minutes, identify a great deal about you that you didn’t realize you were communicating.

After all,

How you “do” LinkedIn is how you do your career.

I’m always stunned to see how many people just aren’t utilizing LinkedIn or other social networking tools to the fullest (or at all). They haven’t uploaded a photo. They use only their job title as their tagline. They don’t fill out their summaries or list in a compelling way the amazing accomplishments they’ve achieved.  They don’t tell a story about who they really are and want to be in the workforce.

The harsh reality is that how you approach developing your digital profile and footprint is how you approach your professional identity. If you’re lazy, shy, uninspired, scared or reluctant to do the work to build a profile and connect with others in a committed, excited way, this is a strong indicator of how you’re operating at work as well.

In addition, you can’t just rely on digital networking to move you forward. You have to meet new people in person as well. Get out of the doldrums by “bringing yourself to market.” Attend industry association meetings, conferences, meetups, build a new networking group, etc. In other words, bring yourself forward in all ways possible to show the world who you really are. The people you meet with inspire, uplift and support you.

Envision and articulate what you want next

Because the majority of professionals I see come to me when they’re stuck, I’ve observed that human beings see only what’s at the tip of their noses. They forgot who they’ve been at their best or who they can be. If they’re unhappy in their careers, they experience only limitation, confusion, paralysis, exhaustion, toxicity, crushing politics, disillusionment, fear, malaise, and reluctance to change.

The problem with all that is that if limitation is all that you see regarding your own abilities and your past – then limitation is all you’ll get coming back at you in your future.

What to do instead?  You need to think bigger and higher than what you see in front of you, and what you have been. Find new ways to be inspired by what’s possible for you, and talk in those terms – what you’re looking for, what lights you up, what compels you, what you’re capable of — rather than only what you’ve done and focused on to date.

If you need new sources of inspiration, go out and get them. For instance, watch one TED talk a day, or connect via social media with people who are 100 steps ahead of you doing what you long to do, and share their tweets and posts.  Write an article on LinkedIn, or take a class that will inspire you. The more you connect with others who are making the impact you dream of, and with work that lights you up from the inside, the more you’ll see that what you dream of is not as far out of reach as you imagined.

Join me in my Amazing Career Project online course today to build a happier, more rewarding career.

 

Forbes.com | April 16, 2016 | Kathy Caprino

 

 

#Leadership : 4 Keys to a Killer Interview Process…One truth I’ve learned in that experience is: The Most Expensive Hire you Will ever Make is Hiring the Wrong Person.

/in /by

Throughout my career, I’ve made both good hires and bad hires, and I have helped hundreds of clients find their key staff.

Free- Man at Desktop

 

One truth I’ve learned in that experience is:

The most expensive hire you will ever make is hiring the wrong person.

Culture, momentum, growth, and morale are just a few of the casualties that come in the wake of a bad hire.  In the vast majority of bad hires I’ve seen, there’s one common denominator: a rushed or short circuited interview process.

The old adage is truer to me now than ever: Hire slowly, and fire quickly.

Like this Article ?  Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 15K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

Facebook: (over 12K)   http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-Sun-Consulting-LLC-Outplacement-Services/213542315355343?sk=wall

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

Continue of article:

As I continue to learn how to hire thoroughly, I’ve run across four key components of a thorough and effective interview process.

  1.    Use Video Questionnaires as Part of the Process

Simply reading typed out answers just doesn’t cut it anymore. For whatever reason, it’s easier to get a read on people when you’re hearing them talk and watching their body language. There’s no replacement for face to face interaction (see below), but a great way to filter who you should sit down with in person is by having candidates submit video questionnaires specific to the job you are filling. It might sound like a bad version of “The Bachelor,” but what you will learn in a five minute on-camera interaction will help you narrow your candidate pool in the initial stages of your search.

Do yourself, your clients, and your staff a favor, and make sure you invest in an intentional hiring process. It may take more time, money, and energy than you’d like, but it’s a decision that’s too important for cutting corners.

  1.    Meet People In Person

Video questionnaires have become a big part of our search process, but I am not a fan of virtual interviews. Why? Not because I am old school or slow to adapt. It is because over 55% of our communication is nonverbal, as Albert Mehrabian, a pioneer in body language research, discovered.

In my work with churches, I tried building a more affordable search solution by cutting out face to face interviews. It sounded like a great idea, but turned out to be a miserable failure. Even though we used the same team, the same process, and had the same database, client satisfaction cratered from nearly 99% (with face to face interviews) to 65% (with virtual interviews).

Even though you can see facial expressions over video, you cannot perceive the 55% of nonverbal communication over video. There are certain qualities, skills, and weaknesses that can only be discovered when people interact face to face.

I’ve come to realize that unless the person will be doing their job virtually, you cannot do their interview virtually.

Yes, flights are expensive and time is precious. But the most expensive hire you’ll ever make is hiring the wrong person. Do yourself a favor and take the time to do in-person interviews.

Peter Drucker is credited as saying, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I believe this now more than ever.

  1.    Include Your Team

Earlier in my career, I thought that doing 360 degree interviewing was an abdication of leadership and a sign of indecisiveness. I was so wrong.

Nowadays, my team has incredible weight and influence on the people we hire on. There are a couple reasons for that.

First, every department lead I have knows the needs of their team better than I do. We’re all on the same page in vision, mission, and values, and they’ll know who will make things run better and fill in the gaps we have as a company.

Secondly, they may be able to pick up on some good or bad traits a candidate has that I might miss.

Finally, including your team in the interview process will protect your culture better than anything else. Nobody will produce better hires for your company than the best hires you have made. Don’t overlook including your key team members in the hiring equation.

  1.    Culture Over Competency

My friend Cliff Oxford wrote a great column some years back titled, What Do You Do With The Brilliant Jerk? I hired way too many of those over the years. I saw a rock star and hired them irrespective of whether or not they would fit our team. I’ve vowed not to make that mistake again. It’s never worth it.

Peter Drucker is credited as saying, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I believe this now more than ever. If you ask our team what our five year plan is, they would look at you like you were speaking a foreign language. But ask them what our culture is like, and they will rattle off our nine values and how they see them lived out at work. Culture is at the core of who we are, and that’s a huge reason for the success we’ve had.

When I hire new people, my first thought is “Do they fit our culture?” When I include others in the hiring process, it’s to protect culture. If they do, then I’ll take a look at things like skills and competency. If they don’t, it’s not even worth a look. The team is more effective when everyone is on the same culture page; and when the whole team works more effectively, the business thrives. Hire strategically. Hire competent workers. But in my experience, if the culture piece isn’t there, the rest is all for nothing.

You can teach skill, but you cannot teach cultural fit.

Do yourself, your clients, and your staff a favor, and make sure you invest in an intentional hiring process. It may take more time, money, and energy than you’d like, but it’s a decision that’s too important for cutting corners.

 

Forbes.com | March 9, 2016 | William Vanderbloemen

 

 

#Strategy : 24 Life Skills every Functioning Adult Should Master…We’ve Put Together our Own Handbook of Sorts, Which Lists Many of the Skills you’ll Need to Survive as an Adult in the Modern World.

/in /by

Life is funny.  No one gets a handbook upon turning 18, complete with all the rules they’ll need to memorize and competencies they’ll need to acquire.  Somehow you’re just supposed to know that you should have more money coming in than going out and you shouldn’t wear a fuzzy orange sweater to a job interview.

Fortunately, we’ve put together our own handbook of sorts, which lists many of the skills you’ll need to survive as an adult in the modern world.

It’s based on the Quora thread, “What are some of the most useful skills to know?” as well as scientific research and expert opinion.

We can’t promise we’ve outlined every skill, but if you’ve mastered these, you’re off to a good start.

VFS Digital Design/Flickr

1. Accepting feedback gracefully

“For most of us it is hard to hear how we made a mistake or could have done something better,” writes Quora user Pedram Keyani. “An amazing skill (which you can learn through practice) is to set aside your emotional response in the moment and focus on the information presented to you. Some of it will be valid and some of it invalid but let your brain decide that, not your ego.”

Depending on what kind of feedback you’re receiving, there are different strategies for responding with a cool head. For example, if your boss points out what she thinks is an error and you’re not sure she’s correct, you can say, “I hadn’t thought of that, and I’m going to look into it right away.”

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider

2. Apologizing sincerely

To err is human — but to craft a believable apology isn’t a universal skill.

The apology “needs to be sincere, not qualified, not quantified, and also needs [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][to] outline how X will not happen again,” Keyani says.

According to one CEO, there’s a six-step strategy for successfully saying you’re sorry:

1. Act quickly.

2. Apologize in person. 

3. Explain what happened. 

4. Show how you are going to avoid the problem in the future. 

5. Apologize.

6. Make restitution.

Keyani gives an example of what you might say if you were tardy for an appointment:

“I’m sorry I was late for the meeting. It must have been frustrating because you spent a lot of time preparing and got up early. I did a poor job accounting for traffic and didn’t give myself enough buffer. That is my bad and I’m going to give myself an extra 10 minutes instead of five moving forward.”

Like this Article ?…Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 300K+ Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network: (Over 8K+ Members & Growing !)   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

  • Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

continue of article:

Flickr/DncnH

3. Managing your time wisely

There will probably never be a time in your life when you aren’t juggling multiple personal and professional priorities. Time-management skills are a must, unless you want to feel constantly frazzled.

Perhaps the most important time-management lesson is that you should stick with one task at a time. Research suggests that multitasking is generally counterproductive, because the brain expends energy as it readjusts its focus from one activity to another.

You’d be wise, too, to limit the hours you spend working. Decades ago, Henry Ford discovered that productivity started to decline after employees logged more than 40 hours per week. Other research suggests that, after three weeks, 60-hour workweeks become less productive.

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider

4. Using keyboard shortcuts

“Since most of the work we do nowadays involves computers,” says Arpit Jain, “using keyboard shortcuts definitely gives you an edge and saves you a lot of time.”

Jain posted a list of some of the handiest shortcuts in her Quora answer. For example, simultaneously pressing the “Alt” and “F4” keys when using Microsoft windows lets you close a selected item or program. Keep the list somewhere close to your computer at work to supercharge your productivity.

Flickr/frankieleon

5. Saying ‘no’ respectfully

Many of us fear the word “no” because we don’t want to let other people down. But when you’re already swamped and your coworker asks you to take an hour to help him with his project report, “yes, of course” might not be the best answer.

“It might sound a cliché, but saying NO when needed can save you lot of time, confusion, guilt, attachment, commitments, stress and other social evils,” writes Yogi Raj.

There’s another Quora thread dedicated to learning how to say “no,” where Eva Glasrud writes, “we routinely overestimate the cost of saying ‘no.'”

According to Glasrud, the best way to muster up the confidence to turn down a request is to recognize that “[t]here are some things you can never have back. Your time, your health, your virtue, your life. Don’t mess around with those things. It’s fine for people to ask — most likely, in their mind, they’re trying to help introduce you to a great person or opportunity or meaningful cause. And it’s just as fine for you to say ‘no.'”

pedrosimoes7 via flickr

6. Empathizing with others

A number of Quora users mentioned the importance of learning to empathize with other people — to listen to them and try to see things from their perspective.

Psychologists say empathy is a fundamental part of human interaction. In fact, people who lack the ability to empathize and take an interest in other people are often narcissists.

Business Insider

7. Communicating through body language

“Sometimes your body language tells people everything they need to know before you ever open your mouth,” writes Dean Bokhari.

Experts have highlighted specific body language techniques that can make you more likable. For example, don’t break eye contact with your conversation partner, even after they’ve finished speaking. And make sure not to fidget or touch your face too much, which can give the impression that you’re lying or anxious.

You can also read other people’s body language to help figure out what they’re thinking and feeling. For example, if they mirror your body language, the conversation is probably going well. If they smile but there are no crinkles around their eyes, they might be faking it.

NBC

8. Making friends in any environment

Mayeesha Tahsin says she thinks of forming relationships as a skill, as opposed to leaving things to chance.

That skill is especially important to develop during young adulthood, once you’re off the college campus, where it’s generally easy to forge close friends.

One way to make friends as a grown-up is to trade confidences. Research suggests that “self disclosure” predicts liking, closeness, and relationship building. Another, surprisingly simple, tactic is to simply spend more time with the people you’d like to befriend. According to the “mere exposure effect,” we tend to like things and people we’re familiar with.

Melia Robinson/Business Insider

9. Mending your clothes

Button popped off your shirt at work? There’s no need to panic if you’re handy with a needle — which you should be.

“Learn how to stitch that button to your shirt collar or sew back the tear on your sleeve from the edge of the table,” writes Zehra Alvi. “You will save a lot of money by just knowing how to handle that two-centimeter sword.”

Flickr/Nacho

10. Speaking a second language

Learning a second language “opens up the mind to an entirely new way of thinking,” says Noe Villela. You’ll notice and appreciate parts of the world you never before experienced.

It’s also possible that learning a new language can make you smarter — though the jury is still out on this issue. Some studies have found that being bilingual can improve cognitive skills, butmore recent research disputes these findings.

One of the best ways to learn a new language is through immersion. Get started with this free online tool that replicates the immersion experience.

Flickr / Kate Hiscock

11. Sticking to a budget

“It’s amazing how many people can’t do the simplest of things — like balance a checkbook, fill out a tax form, make sure that there’s more coming in than going out, [set] aside reserves for contingencies,” writes Miles Fidelman.

Let’s start with “mak[ing] sure that there’s more coming in than going out,” which is essentially about adhering to a budget. We recently rounded up the best budgeting tips from readers who have shared their budgets with Business Insider.

For example, you’ll want to anticipate any major costs in the near future – like if you’re planning to have a kid or go back to school. It’s also wise to set aside an emergency fund with several months’ worth of expenses in case the unexpected occurs.

Adactio/Flickr

12. Using basic Photoshop

There’s no need to call in a professional to touch up the headshot you’re posting to your personal website — you can do that yourself, using a few basic Photoshop tools.

“In the professional world few things have helped me more than knowing Photoshop,” says Brad Sanzenbacher.

You can sign up for a free 30-day trial here, or download the free app for iOS that lets you retouch photos.

Flickr / Giuseppe Milo

13. Spending time alone

As an adult, you should be able to spend a full day alone without going crazy for want of social interaction.

Take a tip from Quora user Sanzenbacher, whose partner travels often for grad school:

“I approach being alone with a very specific list of things that only I want to do. I go to weird museums, see movies that only I want to see, take mini-road trips, or see bands that only I like.”

If you’re planning to live alone, which many Americans do today, you should accept that you will occasionally feel lonely. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or upset by, but it might be a signal that you should incorporate some more socializing into your daily schedule.

Jon Gosier/Flickr

14. Public speaking

You may not ever be required to perform in a Superbowl halftime show, but you’ll almost certainly be tasked with making presentations at work. For that reason, it’s important to hone your public speaking skills.

“[T]he ability to speak confidently to a large mass of people is a skill to be learnt,” writes Ramachandra Bhakta. “It makes a lasting impression and brings you to the notice of several people at once.”

If the mere prospect of walking your coworkers through a Powerpoint gives you nightmares, there are strategies to quell your fear. One research-backed tactic is to reframe your anxiety as excitement, which can make you seem more competent and persuasive. You can also strike a “power pose” before the presentation — one example is to stand with your legs wide and your hands on your hips, to make you feel more like a leader.

Reynermedia/Flickr

15. Negotiating

Several Quora users cited negotiation skills as important for any professional.

If you’re negotiating your salary (which you should do), the best strategy both for getting what you want and still coming off as friendly is to ask for a range including and above your target number. For example, if you’re aiming for a $100,000 salary, you’d suggest a $100,000 to $120,000 salary.

Another trick is to frame your proposal in terms of what you’re giving the other person as opposed to what they’re losing. So instead of saying, “I want $10,000 for my car,” you’d say, “I’ll give you my car for $10,000.”

Flickr / Rainer Stropek

16. Cooking basic meals

You don’t need to be Julia Child to sustain yourself, or to impress fellow guests at a potluck.

“Know how to cook at least five dishes,” writes Erin Nakano O’Quinn. “These are likely to be dependent upon the culture you live in, but be able to cook at least one vegetarian dish, a breakfast dish, a dish that you can serve to a group of people, a dessert, and a starch. Try to be able to do these without a cookbook, and you can look like a rockstar wherever you go.”

Flickr / University of Exeter

17. Making small talk

Conversation skills always come in handy, whether you’re chatting up cuties at your local bar or networking at a professional conference.

One of the most important rules of making small talk is to demonstrate interest in your conversation partner and let him share information about himself. Another tactic is to flatter your partner, so that she feels better about herself after having spoken to you.

Getty Images / Omar Havana

18. Backing up your electronics

Having your phone die or your computer stolen is nerve-wracking enough. Saying goodbye to all your important information with those gadgets is even worse.

Be responsible and back up your data.

PCWorld has a comprehensive guide to backing up pretty much everything, including what exactly to back up and how often to do it. And we’ve rounded up all the tools you’ll need.

University of Exeter/Flickr

19. Asking for help

There’s nothing shameful about asking for a little advice or assistance, especially at work.

In fact, research suggests that soliciting advice can make you look more competent. That’s likely because people feel flattered that you turned to them in the first place.

If you’re looking for general career advice, entrepreneur and author Tim Ferriss told Inc., it’s best to ask someone who became successful quickly and against the odds, instead of someone with a more conventional story.

Shutterstock

20. Picking up a date

Approaching an attractive stranger and starting a conversation is a terrifying prospect for pretty much every normal person.

But there are ways to reduce both your anxiety and the chance that you’ll come across as a bumbling fool.

One study found that men tend to prefer direct approaches, like “You’re cute — can I buy you a drink?” Women, on the other hand, generally prefer more open-ended questions, like “What do you think of this band?”

Very few people in the study said they preferred standard pick-up lines — so it’s best to avoid those, no matter how clever you think you are.

Shutterstock

21. Dressing appropriately for a job interview

We’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, but it’s no secret that hiring managers judge job candidates by their appearance.

So avoid wearing too much makeup and definitely don’t show up wearing a hat. Instead, you’ll want to dress relatively conservatively. Even your shoes should be clean and tidy.

The color of your clothes matters, too: According to a CareerBuilder survey, blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview, while orange is the worst.

Phalinn Ooi/flickr

22. Waking up on time

In college, rolling out of bed five minutes before class starts and showing up late because you stopped to get a latte is (sort of) understandable.

In the professional world? Not so much. Pull it together and figure out a personal strategy for getting up and out the door on time.

It really starts with your nighttime routine — so try doing something relaxing like taking a hot shower or meditating before bed.

In the morning, experts generally advise against hitting “snooze” and going back to sleep. Instead, hit the snooze button once and use the time until your alarm goes off again to turn on a lamp and do some light stretching.

WPA Pool/Getty Images)

23. Giving a good handshake

One poll found that 70% of people don’t feel confident in their ability to give a proper handshake.

But when you meet your company’s CEO for the first time, you don’t want to present her with a limp noodle — especially since a weak handshake suggests that you’re insecure.

The best shaking strategy is to get a good grip, with your elbow nearing a right angle. Be sure to smile and make eye contact as well.

REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil

24. Power napping

You’ve heard it a thousand times: Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

But pressing work deadlines, family obligations, and the siren call of your Facebook newsfeed mean that you probably don’t get as much sleep as you need.

Enter the power nap. It’s just 10 minutes long and you sit slightly upright, so that you don’t wake up groggy from a deep sleep. This brief rest period can leave you feeling refreshed and alert.

Hopefully you work at an office with nap rooms — if not, you can always head to your car or a vacant conference room.

Businessinsider.com | October 21, 2015 | 

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Your #Career : Pregnant & Looking For A Job? How To Land The New Role Now…There is a Lot of Waiting In-Between Interviews & Decisions, & During this Time, the Candidate Can be Forgotten or the Employer’s Doubts Fester & Grow.

/in /by

Job Search & Pregnancy are Two Very Individualized Experiences on Their Own, so when you combine them, it goes without saying that any anecdotes, platitudes or even specific strategies I share need to be customized for your specific situation. However, if I look at the two real-life situations I shared – in two very competitive, fast-moving industries and at senior, high-stakes levels – some general patterns do emerge:

 

When I was an executive recruiter at a retained search firm, one of my colleagues placed a pregnant candidate, in her eighth month of pregnancy, in a senior strategy consulting role. Strategy is a demanding job, with frequent travel and volatile hours. The eighth month of pregnancy is when you’re visibly pregnant (so the employer clearly knew), and you are soon-to-be, if not already, not allowed to travel by air. Still a match was made.

 

When I was an in-house recruiter at a tech company, one of my candidates for an HR Manager role was in the middle of a pregnancy. She wasn’t as visibly pregnant as the eight-month candidate, so it’s unclear that my hiring group would have known for sure. Yet, she disclosed, was selected for interviews, and went far along the process (she ultimately stayed at her current employer but did refer an excellent candidate to us, so she clearly had a positive experience).

In my 15+ years of recruiting, I have seen multiple instances of pregnant, soon-to-be-pregnant, or recently pregnant/ new mom candidates get interviews, callbacks, offers, internal moves, and promotions. What worked for these candidates?

Job search and pregnancy are two very individualized experiences on their own, so when you combine them, it goes without saying that any anecdotes, platitudes or even specific strategies I share need to be customized for your specific situation. However, if I look at the two real-life situations I shared – in two very competitive, fast-moving industries and at senior, high-stakes levels – some general patterns do emerge:

The candidates were competitive for their roles

Pregnancy or no, the candidates were competitive. Both had specific skills, expertise, and relevant experience for the roles. In the case of the consultant, she was at a major competitor, she had worked on the specific projects that were a priority for the employer who hired her, and she had a personality that gelled with the team. For the HR candidate, she had experience at another fast-growth tech company, which was a deal-breaker requirement. I both cases, the candidate had something the employer really wanted. Pregnancy or no, how competitive are you for the roles you are targeting?

 

Like this Article ?…Share It !    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 300K+ Growing  Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

FSC LinkedIn Network:   www.linkedin.com/in/frankfsc/en

  • Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

educate/collaborate/network….Look forward to your Participation !

continue of article:

The roles were hard-to-fill and required discerning, flexible employers

If a job is hard to fill, the employer can’t easily dismiss candidates. There aren’t going to be many candidates when the candidate pool is scarce, so the employer has to consider all of them. The more generic the job, the less likely an employer will have to compromise before finding the right fit. So an employer will simply take the readily available candidate (the path of least resistance) and likely won’t be as accommodating to a pregnancy, a flexible work schedule, a delayed start date or any other non-traditional arrangement. A hard-to-fill job isn’t necessarily unpleasant, difficult, or unreasonably demanding. It just means there are fewer candidates who meet the requirements. Typically, it’s a cutting-edge skill set, a specialized expertise, experience at a certain type of firm (e.g., the employer’s competitors), or experience in certain market conditions (e.g., a turnaround or a growth spurt). In many cases, it’s some combination of rare attributes. How difficult are the roles you are targeting? Are they difficult enough that the employer will be creative when considering candidates and will fight for the right candidate?

The work would still get done

In the case of the strategy consultant, the nature of the job involved travel, and the candidate could not travel for a period of time. This needed to be sorted out (in this case, there was a combination of remote work and an emphasis on local projects for a specific period of time). In the case of the HR Manager, the candidate’s delivery and subsequent leave timeline was mapped against key HR deliverables (e.g., benefits enrollment, performance review time) to see what coverage was needed and when. The optimal arrangement comes by collaboration so it is best to disclose the pregnancy during the interview process when both candidate and employer can see if there is a mutually agreeable and beneficial solution. The employer can’t accommodate the candidate if they don’t know what the candidate needs. Similarly, the candidate can’t put herself forward as the best solution to the employer’s problem if she doesn’t know upcoming objectives and timelines in much more detail than would likely be shared in a typical interview situation. Have you figured out what accommodations you need? Do you know enough about your prospective employer’s business objectives that you can outline a plan and timetable for the next 12 months?

The candidate had advocates to keep discussions on track

There is a lot of waiting in-between interviews and decisions, and during this time, the candidate can be forgotten or the employer’s doubts fester and grow. As the job seeker, you need to make sure you stay front of mind during the gaps and keep the employer interested over the entire process. In the case of the strategy consultant, my recruiting colleague was the advocate — checking in on both candidate and employer sides regularly. My colleague was facilitating what arrangements would need to be made to both onboard the candidate if she were to be hired but also to preserve her maternity leave. In the case of the HR Manager search, I was the advocate, ensuring that the pregnant candidate was seen and her timetable and requirements were out in the open. But I was also advocating for the hiring group, setting clear expectations with the candidate on business objectives and deadlines. You don’t necessarily need a recruiter or other intermediary to be your advocate. However, the process can take a long time (with consulting, for example, coordinating the travel schedules of everyone who has to interview really slows the process down). If you, as the candidate, don’t have an active recruiter keeping in touch with you and with the hiring group, you need to stay on top of every stage of the process. Without being inside the company, you can’t as readily interact with all of the decision-makers and know what is holding up the process or possibly derailing your candidacy. An insider, whether the recruiter or someone within the hiring group, is an ideal advocate. Who else is invested in your job search?

The candidate believed in the possibility of a better job right now

With both the strategy consultant and the HR manager, they raised their hand for these new jobs, while they were pregnant. They did not assume that they would automatically be rejected by the employers. They did not assume that it would be better to wait till after their maternity leave to consider new opportunities. They also came to the interview process with their game face on – brilliantly and competitively interviewing for these roles. If they had not considered the possibility that a better job was available, then they would have taken themselves out of the running at the start. This isn’t to say that every pregnant professional should be actively looking. But if you want to look, but think you can’t because you’re pregnant, reconsider your assumptions. Are you open to the possibility that there is a better job right now, even now?

 For more career advice, join me in the upcoming FREE webinar series,Confessions of a Former Recruiter, running September thru November. We’re talking all about Interviews on Sept. 23. You can also find me on Google+.

 

Forbes.com | September 18, 2015 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine