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Your #Career : The Best Way to Answer “Why are You Leaving your Job?” Without Making your #Interviewer Worry… There are Many Reasons Why you Might have Left your Last Job, and Not All of Them are Rosy.

January 10, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Answering the interview question “Why are you leaving your job?” can be difficult.
You want to show your motivations, but also not worry the interviewer.
Emphasize results, be polite, and don’t dwell on your current/previous employer. Focus on you.

There are many reasons why you might have left your last job, and not all of them are rosy. Perhaps you worked for a toxic boss, or you met obstacles on your way up the ladder. Or, maybe you were just plain bored with your work.

When an interviewer asks why you want to leave your current job, he or she wants to try to “understand your motives and gain insight as to how [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”][you] handle work relationships,” says Duncan Mathison, author of “Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Search When Times are Tough“. “In particular they are asking themselves, ‘Will they leave us in the lurch if they become dissatisfied?’ or, ‘Is there some dirt here?'” In short, asking “Why did you leave your last job?” is one way for the interviewer to ensure you’re a person of integrity.

How to answer interview questions like this

The best strategy for effectively answering this tough interview question is to prepare for it. Here’s how to be ready and how to recover when you’re not.

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Emphasize results

Do: Focus on results: Make a list of things you accomplished in your last position and focus on those, ending with something like, “‘Having successfully done that, I’m ready for another challenge,'” suggests Stephen Balzac, president of 7 Steps Ahead, a business consulting firm in Stow, Massachusetts. “Now what you’re saying to the interviewer is: ‘You can count on me to get results and stay here until I do.'”

Don’t: Answer in a way that doesn’t reassure the interviewer. “Answers such as, ‘I wasn’t being challenged’, ‘The work was no longer interesting’ or ‘The pay was too low’ all say the same thing to the interviewer: that you might leave at any time if things aren’t to your liking,” Balzac says.

Recover: If you give a bland answer, circle back to it quickly. And if you can’t, revisit why you left your last job just before you end the interview. This allows you to leave the interviewer with your previous accomplishments top of mind.

Be polite

Do: Remember that employers run the show and can act as they see fit, Mathison says. “Yet, at the same time, make it clear that the organization you seek has the qualities to perform at a higher level,” he says. An example: “We all know that sometimes promises exceed reality. Our CEO was comfortable, as many are, with pushing the limits. But I feel that lasting business partnerships and profitability are built on my ability to deliver on my promises, so I’m looking for that type of company.”

Don’t: Badmouth the boss or the company. “That implies you may be difficult to manage,” Mathison says.

Recover: Acknowledge you were hard on your previous employer and restate your answer like this: “That might be a little harsh. I know that my former company is trying to do its best under the circumstances. I’m looking for a company that’s a better fit for me.” This also shows that you’re self-aware and have decent manners.

One final tip for the interview

Don’t dwell too long on your previous employer—the interview is about you, after all. “Always bring the conversation back to your results and reliability,” Balzac notes.

BusinessInsider.com | January 10, 2018 | Margot Carmichael Lester, Monster

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#BestofFSCBlog : These Methods Will Finally Help You Organize Your Job Search Better.

January 10, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When you’re actively looking for a new job, you can’t afford to wing it on the organizational front. Whether you apply for five jobs or 100, you’ll soon find yourself buried in an extraordinary number of resumes, cover letters, job descriptions, and interview invitations. If you don’t keep them carefully organized, you may not identify the right opportunity–or worse, you’ll flounder when the right opportunity comes along.

If you want to stay on top of all of the applications, LinkedIn requests, and other digital paraphernalia that go along with your job search, it’s time to break up with your bad organization habits. Here are seven techniques that will help you overcome the most common job hunt organization issues so that you know the where, what, who, and how for your next interview:

1. IF YOU AREN’T GOOD AT ORGANIZING . . . FIGURE OUT WHY

Organizational skills aren’t one-size-fits-all. There are just as many ways to be disorganized as there are to be organized. Instead of haphazardly applying “organization tactics” to your job search, try to identify specific ways that you tend to be disorganized and troubleshoot those issues directly.

For example, do you tend to lose hard copies? Digital apps will be where it’s at for you. But if you forget anything that isn’t written with pen and paper, a paper calendar or sticky note wall will be a better solution. And if you aren’t sure how you like to stay organized, try something new. If you’re usually an Apple Calendar kind of person, start using a paper planner, or vice versa.

2. IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME FOLLOWING UP . . . USE A SPREADSHEET

When your job search is in full swing, it’s way too easy to send an email and forget it. Not only can this cost you when you aren’t following up at appropriate intervals, but it can also make you feel like you’re constantly treading water without getting anywhere. Your job hunt becomes an overwhelming, never-ending headache instead of a systematic, purposeful journey.

Combat this by starting a detailed spreadsheet that tracks all the pertinent details of your job search, such as the company, job listing, and contact details. As you move through the job hunt process (and the interview process), highlight the steps you’ve “completed” so you can show yourself just how much work you’ve done along the way.

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3. IF YOU NEED REMINDERS . . . GO HIGH TECH

There’s nothing wrong with manual spreadsheets that lists all of the job search details you need to know if it’s working for you. But if it’s not working for you– if you frequently forget to update the spreadsheet, and you’re never quite sure about what your next step should be–you need to take your job search into the 21st century with a free online project management tool like Trello or Wrike.

Using a project management tool as a job seeker allows you to organize all of the job search details and automate when and to whom you should send a follow-up note. You can also adjust your settings to automatically receive reminders when it’s time to update the individual jobs or check in on the progress of the hiring manager.

4. IF YOU’RE A VISUAL PERSON . . . TRY STICKY NOTES

The sticky note wall is a tried-and-true organizational method that works for writing a book, setting goals, and yes, getting a new job. First, pick a large wall you can divide into three or four columns. At the top of each column, mark out a different stage of the job process or your job search to-do list (e.g., “Draft Resume,” “Apply,” “Interview”). Then, write each job on a sticky note and set it in its appropriate column. As you work through your job hunt and make progress, move the sticky note to the next step.

Not only can it be very motivating to see your progress in such a visual way, but it is easy to get a quick snapshot of where you are in the process by simply glancing at your sticky note wall. Pro tip: You can also use the “Sticky Notes App” on your phone or computer if a digital version of the sticky notes would save you the wall space.

5. IF YOU FORGET THE DETAILS . . . KEEP THOROUGH NOTES

If you’re speaking to one or two prospective employers each week, it can be tough to remember who’s who and what you talked about. If you don’t take careful notes, you may unwittingly repeat yourself or send a thank-you note to the wrong person and reference the wrong conversation. Talk about awkward!

If that sounds like something that could happen to you, use a free tool like Microsoft OneNote or Evernote to keep track of the meetings you have. For extra memory help, pull the LinkedIn photo of the person you’re speaking with into the note sheet and capture notes like the person’s company, job title, and location. Not only can you look at a picture of a real person when you’re in the midst of a phone screen interview, but you can also easily go back and remember who you spoke with when you’re considering job offers or writing thank-you notes.

6. IF YOU’RE LOSING MOTIVATION . . . MAKE A LIST OF REASONS YOU’RE SEARCHING

If you find yourself putting off your job search or simply not looking forward to any part of the process, you’re letting the discomfort of a job hunt distract you from the reason you’re looking for a new job. Get back in the right headspace by bringing the focus back to what motivates you.

Make a list of the reasons you’re looking for a new job–toxic workplace, skipped over for a promotion, low salary, etc.–and keep it in a prominent place. Not only will this motivate you to stick to your plan and find a new job, but it will also prepare you for the interviews ahead by keeping your deeper purpose of your job search front and center.

7. IF YOU’RE FEELING BURNED OUT . . . SCHEDULE SOME DOWNTIME

Little tasks can pile up, especially if you’re managing a full-time job during your job search. Instead of spending a whole day on your job hunt once a month and getting frustrated with your lack of progress, set short but regular periods of time to check in and make consistent progress. A half-hour two or three times a week will ensure that you’re responding to hiring managers at appropriate intervals and staying on top of new opportunities as they come out.

A job search is a job of its own: You’re practicing time management, patience, and even customer service as you balance your search with your current job. But you don’t have to let the complexity of all the resumes, cover letters, applications, and interviews throw you off. Just find an organizational method that works for you so that the energy you put into the job search pays off with a new job–not a new headache!

FastCompany.com | January 10, 2018 | BY SARAH GREESONBACH—GLASSDOOR 6 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : Here’s How to Answer 5 of the Most Difficult #InterviewQuestions … The #Interview is an Elimination Process. The #Employer is trying to Weed out Those Who are Not the Most Worthy of the Position.

January 6, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You reworked your resume, perfected your cover letter and landed the big interview. But walking through the door is only the beginning — especially if the interviewer throws some hard-hitting questions your way and you don’t know how to respond.

“The interview is an elimination process,” says Dr. Thomas J. Denham, a career counselor at Careers in Transition LLC in Colonie, New York. “The employer is trying to weed out those who are not the most worthy of the position.”

Here, Denham offers some advice on how to answer five of the toughest interview questions:

1. What is your biggest weakness?

Strelka Institute/Flickr

Questions like these, says Denham, are asked so that interviewees admit a weakness that justifies their being shown the door. He recommends responding with: “I have a tendency to say yes and get over-committed.” Then follow that with an example of how you are working on prioritizing and setting personal limits. Never draw negative attention to yourself by stating a weakness that would lead an employer to think you are not the best person for the job, Denham says. “The focus of your interview should be on your strengths,” he says.

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2. What salary do you think you deserve?

“The person who states the salary is the loser,” says Denham, explaining that if you are the first to throw out a number, the number you give could be less than what the employer was planning to pay. Wait for the employer to give a range, and when it does ask you for a figure you expect to be making, choose a salary that is higher than the median they provide. Use our salary tool to find out what you can realistically expect. Also, don’t talk salary on the first interview.

3. Why should I hire you?

Strelka Institute/Flickr

For this one, Denham says it’s important to prepare before the interview. “Go back to your resume and look through it for the three to five things that make you outstanding,” he says. These qualities should accent your work ability, like “I’m a hard worker” or “I get things done.” You have to demonstrate a track record of results. “The notion is that past performance is always the best predictor of future performance,” Denham says.

4. What didn’t you like about your last job?

The employer who asks this question could be looking for you to answer with something that would indicate a weakness of yours, once again in an attempt to eliminate you. So while it may be tempting to trash your boss or complain about the hours (they expected me to be in at 8 a.m.!), try answering with something like this: “I did not feel my responsibilities were challenging enough.” Then the employer will feel confident that you are ready for whatever they may throw at you.

5. Where do you see yourself in three to five years?

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The worst answer you can provide to this one, Denham says, is “I have no idea,” even though that might be the truth. “It’s basically like saying, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing with my life and I have no idea how long I’ll stay with this job,'” Denham says. Try a response like “I’ve done a lot of self-assessment, and what I’ve learned about myself is that I want to make a commitment to this career and I want to build my career here.”

Answering tough interview questions is just one step in landing the job. There’s follow-up interviews, salary negotiation, then making a great impression when you start working. Join Monster and you’ll have access to expert job search advice, plus job alerts sent to your inbox.

Career expert and best-selling author of Girl on Top, Nicole Williams is redefining the world of work—making it glamorous, entertaining and relevant to modern women. Her Web site, Nicolewilliams.com, is the go-to destination site for modern working women.

FastCompany.com | January 5, 2018 | Nicole Williams, Monster

Your #Career : 10 Ways You’re Blowing A Job Interview, and How to Fix…After Interviewing Hundreds of Applicants, Here are a Few Common Mistakes that Damage your Chances of Success.

October 16, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

As you know, it’s not always easy to get an interview for a job, but when you do get that call-back for a live interview, it feels great and a little nerve-wracking. When I used to get that all-important call giving me the time to come in for an interview, I know it would start to do a number on my head. I wanted the job so much more once I knew I had a real shot at it. The problem is that mistakes tend to occur the moment you become fixated on how great it would be to have that job rather than focusing on preparation and the best way to approach the interview.

Entrepreneur and investor@johnrampton

Your #Career : 11 Interview Questions That Trip Everyone Up…As Someone who Hires, Throwing you Off your Game is How I can See How you Might Perform Under Pressure in the Workplace.

September 1, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

According to a small business report, 50 percent of companies in 2016 say that hiring is the toughest challenge they face. With 50 percent of business hiring, this means your dream job awaits. Now, it’s time to prepare for the interview questions that trip up even the best of interviewees.

You can do this. Keep going and don’t give up.

Despite all of your preparations, a job interview is a nerve-wracking experience. To make matters worse, interviewers have numerous questions that can easily trip up the interviewee. These questions are not meant to be malicious. They’re used to get a better understanding of the candidate to make sure that they’re qualified for the job and can be a solid fit for the company’s culture.

Over the years I’ve hired hundreds of people and interviewed thousands of job candidates. As someone who hires, throwing you off your game is how I can see how you might perform under pressure in the workplace.

No matter how experienced or prepped you are, at times, these questions are bound to trip anyone up. If you want to prevent any fumble, large or small prepare a few responses to tricky questions like the following 11 examples.

1. “Can you tell me about yourself?”

This sounds like an innocent and straightforward question. But, it can trick you into diving too much into your personal life. Even though great interviewers use conversation to determine culture fit, you want to focus more on your educational background, career, and recent job experiences.

How to answer: Don’t discuss your family or hobbies. Stay on-track by sharing how you can bring value to the organization.

2. “Are you the type of person who checks their email during vacation?”

On one hand you want to convey your dedication to your work, as well as assuring the interviewer that you’re available and reliable. On the other hand, you also want to make it known that you know the value and importance of work-life balance so that you don’t get burned out.

How to answer: Let the employer know that you are 100 percent committed to your work. However, let them know that you also need time away from the office. Make it clear that you will have all of your responsibilities completed before you leave for vacation and that you may be contacted if there is an emergency.

Keep in mind, if you’re like Elon Musk or myself… the answer I’m really wanting may be a little different as I’m running a startup and really want my team working 24/7. If we’re not working harder, faster and longer than everyone else, we will lose the race.

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3. “How did you prepare for this interview?”

This question is intended to find out whether or not you really care about this job or if you’re just going through the motions.

How to answer: Demonstrate that you took the time to research the company and industry prior to the interview by sharing information like the company’s background or mentioning the trends occurring in the industry and noting how you can make a positive difference.

To give you an example of the last person I hired. When I asked this person, he began to describe our ecash product. He went into a level of detail that even I didn’t know. He also pointed out three potential problems that neither I nor my team had thought about. That is being very prepared for the question.

4. “What’s your dream job?”

This is another question that’s used to determine how serious you are about working for this specific organization or if you’re just applying for each and every job opening.

How to answer: Keep it simple by responding with “This is the place I’d like to work.”

5. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

I personally fell into this trap when I was younger by responding that I would like to continue my education so that I could move onto to a better position…in a completely different industry. After six months, I was let go. Not because of my job performance. But because the organization felt that I wasn’t going to be around in the long-run.

How to answer: Companies don’t want to invest in an employee who isn’t planning on staying around, it’s not typically in their business plan to hire people short term. While you don’t have to lie, answer this question honestly by saying that you’re looking for a job that is challenging and that you’re passionate about, along with your future goals. If you believe that this position fits those needs, then explain how the organization can help you reach those goals.

6. “What’s your biggest weakness?”

Responding with the cliché answer of, “I’m a perfectionist” is a phrase that interviewers hear all the time and are usually turned off by. Not only that, it doesn’t explain how you take the steps needed to become a stronger employee or how you overcome obstacles.

How to answer: “Instead of saying your one flaw is that ‘you’re just too committed to excellence or ‘you’re just a perfectionist,’ dig a little deeper,” suggests Randle Browning on Skillcrush. “The key to divulging a weakness is following up immediately with your solution. For example, respond with, “I tend to want to do simple tasks first and more complex tasks later, but I know that the reverse is better for my productivity.”

7. “Why do you want to work here?”

Again, this is a question that shows your interest in the job, as well as showing that you’ve done your homework and are a fit for the company’s culture.

How to answer: Arnie Fertig has five possible answers on U.S. News that will impress your potential employer. These include;

“I’ve known several colleagues over the years who have worked at your company, and they have all said great things.”
“I was excited to see on your website that you feature employees talking about how great it is to work for your company.”
“Your company’s Facebook page is really engaging. I love how you [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”][fill in the blank].”
“Your company is known for making great products that help people do X. But on top of that, I know of your company’s leadership role in our community through your support of X, Y and Z events or causes. Your products and philanthropy show you to be a company that cares about both the bottom line and about giving back to society.”

8. “Do you like to work alone or as part of a team?”

If you state that you like to work alone, then you may come across as too much of loner that does their own thing. But, if you respond by saying that you prefer working only in groups, then you may seem like an individual who can’t make independent decisions.

How to answer: This may sound like a co-opt, but you should state that you enjoy both types of work relationships. List the pros and cons of each kind of work. For example, working in groups allows you to learn new skills and exchange ideas. However, you also like the freedom to work independently so that you can get tasks done more quickly and without interruption.

9. “Why did you leave your last job?”

Don’t use this as an opportunity to badmouth your former employer or company. That will raise red flags when the interviewer contacts your references.

How to answer: Be truthful and honest. Don’t focus on the negatives. Instead, detail what your learned from your previous employer or how the experience helped you grow. The reason that you left, however, was that it was time to explore new opportunities or push yourself out of your comfort zone.

10. “Have you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by a colleague or supervisor?”

This is a question that is intended to test your ethics and morals. The reason that it can get tricky is because it could lead you down a path where you could badmouth your former employees or employers. Even worse, you could accidentally share sensitive information, such as the internal practices of your former company or parts of a private investigation.

How to answer: Be honest, clear, and concise. Most importantly, remain a professional by not sharing any private information regarding your former employer.

11. “What are your salary requirements?”

This question can make both parties feel uncomfortable. Furthermore, the interviewer may not have the power to negotiate or discuss your salary. The reason that this question is asked is because the company wants to be sure that they can afford you.

How to answer: Do your research and know what the salary is in your industry and market. After that Payscale recommends these two answers to the following questions;

Question: What salary range are you looking for? “Let’s talk about the job requirements and expectations first, so I can get a sense of what you need.” That’s a soft answer to a soft way to ask the question.

Question: What are you expecting to make in terms of salary? “I am interested in finding a job that is a good fit for me. I’m sure whatever salary you’re paying is consistent with the rest of the market.” In other words, I respect myself and I want to believe the company is respectable.

When answering any of these questions above, be yourself and don’t try to be something your not. It’ll come out eventually. Be true to the person inside yourself. If an interview doesn’t go as well as hoped, maybe it’s not meant to be. I once interviewed 26 times with 17 companies before I got a job. I was about to break but kept going.

You can do this. Keep going and don’t give up.

Entrepreneur.com | August 30, 2016 | John Rampton

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Your #Career : How To Tell If You’ll Fit Into A Company’s Culture Before You Take The Job…An Interview isn’t Always the Best Place to Learn What it’s Really Like to Work in a New Office, But There are Ways to Find Out.

August 20, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Jocelyn Greenky really hates fluorescent lights, so when she started a new job years ago, she showed up with a floor lamp a few weeks in and dragged it over to her desk. “It did not go over well,” she says. That’s how Greenky discovered that every office has its own culture—and as a result, how sometimes even the smallest acts can look like a rebellion.

Now with more than 20 years of experience as an office culture and politics expert, Greenky says you should always understand a company’s norms and no-no’s before you accept a job there. “As the new employee, you have to adapt to the culture rather than the culture adapting to you,” she adds.

“Not everybody in the company can happen to be having a bad day at the same time.”

Previous research has shown that our coworkers and managers have a big impact on our productivity and job satisfaction. And workers surveyed by Glassdoor reportedthat company culture was more important than compensation and work-life balance.

So if you like chit-chat and a background hum, you probably won’t be happy in the tomb-silent office where you just interviewed. Or if you love coming up with new ideas and taking big risks, you may not like a place that doesn’t embrace change.

But how accurately can you pinpoint a company’s culture before you’ve actually worked there? Here’s what Greenky and other experts recommend asking and observing before you show up with your own lamp—or even take the job.

START READING

Bouvier Williams, PhD, president of Your Personal Brand Solution, says to read through the organization’s annual reports, find any articles about it in popular publications, and of course, scope out its own website—all before your first interview there.

“You’re trying to get the flavor of the organization,” Williams says. “Does it come across as bureaucratic? Is it an organization that really believes in and fosters innovation?” And, most important, “Does it line up with the things you believe?”

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NOTICE EVERYTHING

Greenky says that as soon as you step into a prospective office, you should start observing. What are people wearing? Are their desks messy? Do they have earbuds in or are they talking to each other? Is there an open floor plan? If people work in individual offices, do they keep their doors open?

Pay close attention to body language, too, Williams says. See whether people are smiling, if they seem engaged, and whether they look happy to be there. “Not everybody in the company can happen to be having a bad day at the same time,” he adds, so if you’re surrounded by frowns, that should be a red flag.

FIND THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

Asking about summer Fridays or dress code may turn off a hiring manager during the interview process. Even questions about expected work hours can be shaky ground. But Greenky says you can absolutely ask your would-be boss to define their office’s culture. “See what they have to say,” she adds. “If somebody says it’s very corporate, for example, that means they play by the rules—that it’s more formal.”

Williams also recommends asking some of these “subtle but revealing” questions as the interview progresses. For example: How are employees developed in the company? What happens when someone makes a mistake around here? How is risk-taking rewarded? How can people share their opinions about the work environment? What are some of the things that might get under your skin about working here? How does the organization deal with managers who manage poorly?

READ THE HANDBOOK

Yes, people really do read the employee handbook. No, it’s not weird to do it before you even have the job. If the hiring process is cruising forward and you’re seriously considering a position, Greenky suggests asking for a copy of the handbook. The rules and regulations inside can tell you a lot about a company’s culture—including how much it likes rules and regulations.

GET A GUIDE

Both Greenky and Williams say talking to a current or recent employee is essential. Comb your own networks first. If that doesn’t turn up a connection, Williams recommends using LinkedIn to find past employees. He says to let them know you’re interviewing at the company and ask if they have a few minutes to talk about the culture there. “Be prepared to ask some fairly targeted questions,” he adds. For example: Can you describe the office politics? Is there high turnover or constant churn?

Greenky suggests “tell me about your day there” as a good opener with current or former employees. She says it’s also a chance to ask all those questions you may not want to ask a potential boss about dress code, lunch breaks, expected hours—and maybe even lighting. That could shine a light on whether or not you’ve found your dream job, or if you should think twice before accepting their offer.

FastCompany.com | MOLLY PETRILLA | 08.19.16 5:52 AM

Your #Career : How to Recover from a Bad Job Interview…If you’re Like most People, you’ve Left a Job Interview or Two with that Sinking Feeling in the Pit of your Stomach. You Just Knew you Didn’t Get the Job from the Way Things went During the Interview.

August 18, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you have ever been in a situation where the interview turned into a runaway train, there are still some things you can do to recover. With some practice, you’ll be able to save your interview from going south.

Here are a few tips for how to salvage a job interview gone terribly wrong.

Problem: Your hands are shaking and you can’t stop sweating.

Solution: Take a few deep breaths

Nothing can ruin an interview faster than sweaty palms and a bad case of the shakes. One reason you may not be performing well during the interview is because you might be letting your nerves overwhelm you. Job interviews can be incredibly stressful, so it’s not surprising if you feel a bit anxious during your meeting. If you feel yourself getting anxious and jittery, take a few deep breaths so you can calm yourself down. It’s hard to stay focused and relaxed if you can barely catch your breath due to nerves. Once you breathe deeply, you’ll feel calmer and able to think clearly enough to answer the interviewer’s questions.

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Problem: You only catch half of the question because you’re planning what to say next.

Solution: Ask the interviewer to repeat the question and then try to stay present.

Don’t start to answer the question in your head before your interviewer is even finished asking her question. You’ll not only make yourself more nervous but also lose track of the conversation. Concentration is key during a job interview. It’s easy to focus so intently on how you will answer a question that you miss what is being said. Take time to relax and listen to what the interviewer is saying to you. The best way to save face is to say that you want to make sure you answer the question thoroughly, so you’d like her to repeat the question one more time. If the interviewer feels you weren’t listening, that will be a strike against you. Try your best to play it off and then stay present from then on. If you need help staying focused, repeat the question back to yourself (in your head, of course) before answering.

Problem: You bombed the job interview.

Solution: Send a follow-up note.

What if you did all of the mistakes mentioned above? (You were a nervous wreck, you rambled through most of your answers, and you didn’t catch half of the questions.) We’ll be honest with you: Your chances of getting the job are quite slim. However, don’t give up hope. You may come across an exceptionally forgiving hiring manager.

If you completely bombed the interview, your best bet is to send a follow-up note. Thank the interviewer for his or her time and then briefly answer the questions you had trouble with. Who knows, the interviewer may have a change of heart and take your updated answers into consideration. Following up shows not only that you’re interested in the job but also that you’re aware of and willing to work on your flaws. Just keep your fingers crossed and look for other jobs until you hear back.

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CheatSheet.com | August 18, 2016 | Sheiresa Ngo

Your #Career : How to Answer ‘Why Should I Hire You?’…This is Where you Stand Out from the Crowd. Once you’ve Established your Ability to Deliver on Core Competencies of the Job you can Consider yourself at Least as Impressive as the Best Qualified Candidate.

June 20, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s one of the most popular questions in interviews, and also one of the most understandable. Why not hear why your future employee is right for the role straight from the horse’s mouth?

Why then, does it fill us with so much trepidation? Partly because there’s no way of tricking this question, you’ve just got to believably detail exactly why you’re better than all the other applicants for the job. You’ve got to tell them why what you’ve got is worth having.

The one key thing to remember is that the hiring manager is putting their reputation on the line, whoever they hire. Sell yourself into them with confidence and evidence that you’re the best person for the job, and this question can be the key to unlocking that job offer.

Work out what they want

Your first step, as always, is to do your research. Start by reading the job specification. Then read it again, looking between the lines. It might be that they’re asking for soft skills like flexibility or high emotional intelligence while what they’re really looking for is someone who can adapt to new tasks and be proactive with their work, or someone who understands others and can manage effectively.

By decrypting some of the jargon in job descriptions, you can gain an understanding of the kind of experience and skills you need to show the interviewer.

Next up, take a look at the usual avenues, quarterly reports, websites and industry or company news. This way you’ll be able to get a good idea of the kind of needs the company have, gain some insight into the focus of the business, and understand important growth areas across the industry or sector.

After this, explore their social media, blogs and general company output. This is key to preparing yourself to hit one of the most important factors in hiring nowadays; culture fit. You’ll know the kind of work environment you’re stepping into, and how to pull up old experience that is similar so that you can impress.

Once you’ve got a complete understanding, you can then start to tailor your answer to the interview. This is a chance to demonstrate that you’ve researched and care about the company, and you increase your chance that you’re saying what they want to hear.

It’s not about misrepresenting yourself in trying to plug a round hole with a square peg, but about selecting your most applicable qualities and demonstrating a particular problem you can solve.

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Quality over quantity

The key things you want to get across in your answer are experience, skills, accomplishments, training or education and culture fit.

You also want to keep it concise. The chances are that you’ll lose their attention if you use more than three or four examples to cover these areas, and the quality may start to go on. Besides this, you want to keep a few things back for questions later on, even if you’re using your killer answers straight away.

Experience & Training — To start with you want to use your experience to give a general picture of you as a candidate, and make sure it’s understood that you’ve got the knowledge to succeed. Having said that, if they’re hiring a project manager and you have project managing experience, the chances are that’s probably why they’re interviewing you in the first place. This is an opportunity to get specific, and correlate your experience to the specific industry, role or problems that you know the company has.

Accomplishments — employers love quantifiable accomplishments as they provide proof that you can offer a strong return on investment immediately. Wherever possible, deliver relevant numbers, whether that’s that you’ve managed 24 people, driven sales by 150%, or completed 9 successful projects with client A, B and C.

Skills & Culture Fit — Once you’ve identified the sort of soft skills that are key to the culture of your new company, provide some example of a time you’ve displayed them. Consider things like whether they want someone who is supremely organized, a great leader, or keen to come up with innovative solutions to problems.

React

No matter how much research you do, you might have missed something, particularly if it’s a part of the job that the company aren’t open about for whatever reason.

Think about all of your skills and experience beforehand so that you have bunch of great examples ready. No matter what, the things the interviewer tells you when you meet will be your best resource and you need to be prepared to react.

It’s easy to get so wrapped up in your answers that you forget to listen, but this is probably the most important skill in a job interview. Listen carefully to everything that’s been said and you should get a clear idea of what they want to hear from you.

Save something special

This is where you stand out from the crowd. Once you’ve established your ability to deliver on core competencies of the job you can consider yourself at least as impressive as the best qualified candidate. You’ve demonstrated that you’re safe and there’s minimal risk associated with hiring you.

So far so good. But what sets you above the next best qualified candidate? The answer is in a unique combination of skills. You need to offer something that others don’t.

Whether this is the fact that you have some coding experience despite coming in under a marketing remit or that you are fluent in a foreign language which could allow the sales team to develop into an emerging market, try to finish your answer off with something impressive, relevant and interesting.

If you can find an answer that wouldn’t be typically associated with the role, but could be advantageous, even better. This question is a great opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest, so don’t be afraid of doing so!

Entrepreneur.com | June 18, 2016 | Matt Arnerich

#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.

May 30, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

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.

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.

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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 : Left on Bad Terms? When Not to Include a Job on Your Resume..It Happens to Almost All of Us at One Time or Another. You’re Working at a Great Job, Things are Going Well, & Then Before you Know It, All Hell Breaks Loose.

May 21, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Before you can even blink your eye, you’re given a couple of cardboard boxes so you can pack up your desk and go home for good. If you had a bad work experience, there are times when you may want to exclude it from your resume and just forget that job ever happened.

Most times, omitting a job isn’t going to hurt you. Suzanne Lucas, founder of the career blog Evil HR Lady, said short stints at a company may not be so important to include. As long as your resume isn’t riddle with lies, you may not have much to worry about. “So the reality is a prospective employer is very unlikely to find out about a short-term job that isn’t listed on your resume. After all, resumes are marketing documents, not historical records. Everything on your resume must be true, but you don’t have to list everything that is true on your resume,” said Lucas.

When to omit a job from your resume

Your best bet is to leave off a job if you were fired as a result of ethical misconduct. Some examples would be if you stole company property, you lied, or you harassed someone. It would be very hard to explain your way out of a situation like that. And more likely than not, if the issue comes up during an interview, you won’t get the job. Who wants to work with someone who can’t be trusted? Sure, people change, but you may not be willing to look past this and give you a chance to redeem yourself.

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Could an omission land you in hot water?

Sometimes leaving a job off your resume is a good idea. However, there are also some gray areas. In some cases, omitting a job is not the best thing. One example would be if you are applying for a job that requires security clearance. Your lack of transparency could cost you a job. Also be aware that your work history is part of youremployment credit report. Consequently, past jobs could be researched by your potential employer. It’s a risk you may not want to take.

Lucas said you’ll want to be careful if you’re asked to sign paperwork that requests a complete job history. “Where you run into a problem is if the company asks you to fill out an application and asks you to list every job you had over the past 10 years or so. If you leave it off there, they still won’t likely find out about it. But if they find out about it five years down the road and somebody has a bee in their bonnet, you’ll be fired for lying on the application,” said Lucas.

Also be aware of large gaps in your work history. This could raise a red flag with an interviewer. You’ll want to make sure you have a reason for the time lag. “One of the quickest ways to get recruiters and hiring managers wondering about your suitability for the position is by having gaps in employment on your resume. Yes, the recent economy affected numerous people and resulted in long-term unemployment for many. However, that doesn’t release you from the obligation of explaining what you did during your time off,” said career expert Darlene Zambruski.

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CheatSheet.com | May 20, 2016 | Sheiresa Ngo