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#JobSearch : What To Say In An Interview When You’ve Been Laid Off. How to Answer: Why Were you Let Go?” A MUst REad for ALL!

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When you’re interviewing, the human resources representative, hiring managers and other interviewers will invariably ask you, “Why were you let go?” The question is mostly innocuous. It’s one of the fundamental questions an interviewer is curious about without having an ulterior motive. Nonetheless, it makes you feel like you’re guilty of something. It’s unpleasant to have to discuss why you lost your job. The key is to prepare a pitch of how exactly you’ll answer this question. By practicing it, your response will become deeply ingrained. You’ll be able to work through the discomfort and, ultimately, shine.

You can respond by telling the interviewer, “I loved working at X company. It was the best experience of my career. I learned so much and got to know so many amazing people. My boss and teammates were wonderful. It was heartbreaking to receive the news of my separation. I’m not going to pretend it didn’t initially hurt. However, after some time, I realized that this might be the best thing for me. If it wasn’t for the major layoff, I’d have likely stayed with the company for another 10 years—because it would be the easy thing to do. Now, I have the chance to seek out a new challenge—something exciting! Going through the layoff made me mentally stronger. I’m open to taking on new risks that I wouldn’t have done before. This includes interviewing for the role we’re talking about now. If it wasn’t for the downsizing, I wouldn’t be here speaking with you.”

Make sure to drive home why you want to work for this organization and why you are suitable for the role. “Your company is fantastic. I always held it in high regard. The opportunity you presented to me is my dream job. My background, experience, skills and education are all a perfect fit. It’s wonderful that I’m in the right place at the right time.’

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Be Prepared For Feeling Out Of Sorts

One of the biggest challenges throughout the job search process is figuring out what to say when interviewing. It’s hard for people who’ve succeeded most of their lives to suddenly feel like a failure, since they’ve been laid off. Before the interview, the person that was downsized will confide to their loved ones that they are uncomfortable and slightly embarrassed, even though intellectually they know it’s not their fault and the company laid off over 10,000 workers.

If you’ve been impacted by the wave of white-collar layoffs, it will take some time to spring back into action. You’ll need to process and come to terms with what happened. Then, while still healing, there’s pressure to jump into job-hunting mode. When you currently hold a job and are searching for a new role, it’s relatively easier. If you don’t succeed in moving forward in the process, you still have a job to fall back on. For those in between roles, it’s scarier. You worry about paying the bills and how you will stand out with thousands of other smart, white-collar professionals also looking for work with these unrelenting layoff announcements.

The alteration of your daily work habits will throw you off kilter, making you feel disoriented. You’ll miss your work friends and the familiar flow of the workday. Most fast-track professionals associate their personality and identity with their jobs. Without the title, there is a feeling of loss and emptiness. When you associate with career-driven people and have family members who pressure you to succeed, that’s an additional burden to bear.

Be Positive

It will take some time for the wound to heal. You’ll require some self-care. Deconstruct what happened. Speak with your boss, colleagues and others to understand why you were selected for downsizing instead of someone else. This serves a couple of purposes. If it turns out that you were terrific, but management called for a certain number of people from each division to be let go, then you know it’s not about you. If you did something that made the firm choose you, it will be an uncomfortable conversation, but ask for constructive criticism and feedback, so you can learn from the situation.

Unless you come to terms with the layoff, it will be hard to get a new job. You’ll inadvertently come to the interview process feeling embittered, angry and hurt. You may not realize it, but others will pick up on your vibe and frequency. Although it is natural to feel discouraged and resentful, the interviewer doesn’t care. It sounds crass and cold, but they want someone who comes across as a winner. In an environment where thousands of people are being laid off, managers feel they have their pick of the litter. If you enter the interview with a chip on your shoulder or say something mean-spirited or derogatory about your former boss, co-workers and company, it’s too easy, in this market, for the interviewer to take a hard pass and move on to the next applicant who has a more positive and enthusiastic attitude.

Forbes.com | February 2. 2023

#JobSearch : What To Watch Out For When Interviewing In 2023. Interviewing is Not Easy. A MUst REad!

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Interviewing is not easy. You must remain vigilant as the hiring process is not always honest and transparent. You must be aware of misleading job advertisements, overpromises and questionable tactics used by companies to entice applicants to join their firm. Some businesses will purposely try to game the new salary disclosure laws or ghost you after 10 rounds of interviews over the course of three to six months. It wouldn’t be shocking if you receive a lowball offer and are pressured by a pushy recruiter to accept it, by being made to feel that you are lucky an offer was even extended.

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to find a new job. Many people who lost their positions last year are highly motivated to start interviewing now that the wheels of commerce are starting up again. However, be prepared. Due to the current economic situation and the likelihood of an upcoming recession, finding a new role may not be as easy as it used to be.

Companies have held off hiring during the holiday season, as both potential candidates and internal corporate professionals, including human resources, talent acquisition, hiring managers and executives, have been out of the office on vacation. Now that both the candidates and businesses are ready to hunt for new opportunities and fill open headcount respectively, the 2023 interview cycle begins in earnest.

Here Is What You Need To Keep An Eye Out For When Interviewing

It Starts With The Job Description

Pay close attention to the job description, as it will tell you a lot about the company and its culture. If the job ad demands too many unrealistic requirements, lacks reasons why the job is open, why you should be interested in the opportunity and circumvents the new salary transparency rule in your state by giving a vast range, it’s a red flag.

It’s rational that a job seeker will naturally anchor their expectations to the higher end of the salary band. They don’t know that the company purposely placed the lofty range to entice more candidates to apply for the role to add to its pipeline of candidates.

After going through about three to six rounds of interviewing, the internal recruiter tells you, “We’d love to offer you the role at $100K.” Believing that you’d get at least $200k, you now feel like you’ve been played. Companies hope to hook you and get away with a lowball offer, as you’ve invested a reasonable amount of time and energy into the interview process. They feel that since it’s a more challenging job market, you may jump at the opportunity, even though it is far lower than you had hoped. This works effectively when a person is in between jobs and desperately wants to return to work.

 

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

An Annoying Application Process

When the application submission process is archaic, as it requires you to submit the résumé and also complete a glitchy, lengthy application that mirrors everything in your résumé, this is indicative that the company doesn’t care about your time. If there is no response within a few days or longer, it confirms that the company is not employee-centric.

Beware Of Sweet-Talking Headhunters

Your recruiter may be a great person, but remember that they get paid a hefty commission when the headhunter places you in a role at the company. Like a stockbroker, attorney, real estate agent or plumber, you need to be careful of their ulterior motives.

They may be more concerned about lining their own pockets than doing right by you. You want to ensure that the executive search professional is not steering you to a company that pays a higher commission than another company that offers a better opportunity but won’t compensate the recruiter at the same high level.

At the end of the interview process, you want to make sure the headhunter doesn’t pressure you into the job or is reluctant to fight hard in salary negotiations, out of fear that the firm will push back and they’ll lose their lofty placement fee.

Unprepared Interviewers

Pay attention to when interviews are scheduled. If the HR person or managers involved with the hiring process schedule times without first asking if you’re available or push you into accepting days and times that are inconvenient, it’s a red flag about how much they value your candidacy. If the scheduled meeting is canceled at the last minute or the contact person ghosts you for long periods and returns without apologizing for their absence, it’s a tell that they won’t treat you well if you decide to join the firm. Similarly, when interviewers show up late and unprepared for the interview, clearly didn’t read your résumé or check out your LinkedIn profile and then proceeded to mispronounce or call you by the wrong name, it’s a problem.

Be Prepared For Condescending And Rude Treatment

When you are hunting for a new job, it’s a stressful undertaking. It’s both daunting and pressure-filled when you’ve lost your position and are concerned about your financial situation. All it takes is dealing with someone who isn’t empathetic, polite or helpful to make your job search even more painful.

The process of selling yourself to strangers, being made to jump through hoops and contending with the rollercoaster of emotions of highs and lows can cause even the most mentally strong person to become anxiety-ridden. Condescending, rude and abusive words and actions lead to frustration and anger over the entire job-search process.

Bosses Who Don’t Really Know What’s Going On

Some managers are out of touch with the job market and reality. They lack up-to-date metrics about compensation and are not intellectually curious to perform due diligence to see if the job market and pay have changed over the years. They are blissfully unaware of how hot a sector is. Bad bosses don’t bother to gauge how many people may be in the job search that actually possess the requisite requirements and experiences needed for the job. Instead, they’ll just assume that there is a never-ending abundance of candidates waiting in line to take the position for low pay. Rather than making inquiries into competitive compensation, the boss thinks they know it all and dismisses anyone who tries to enlighten the supervisor, leading to no one getting hired and causing the existing workers to contemplate leaving.

The Long, Drawn-Out Process

Lately, the interview process has become a three-to-six-month ordeal. You’re ordered to meet with up to 10 people. Many of those involved are tangentially related to what you would be doing at the company, but are pulled into the process anyway. This happens because the hiring manager lacks confidence in their own decision-making process and needs others to validate their choice of a candidate.

The challenge is that it’s hard to get five to 10 people to agree on a candidate. If one or two people have reservations about the candidate, it’s easy for a less-than-confident manager to accept their feedback and start the search all over again—wasting the time of the person who almost got the job.

 

Forbes.com | January 4, 2023 | Jack Kelly 

#2023JobSearch : How To Sell Yourself In Your Job Search. Not Getting Job Interviews? Read This.

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If you’ve been applying to jobs and not getting interviews or offers, chances are you aren’t selling yourself enough. You can have the greatest resume or speak brilliantly in an interview, but if you don’t sell yourself, it can often be the difference between getting a job offer or not.

Before you start to roll your eyes because you think sales is a bunch of surface-level conversations, networking, and coercing, let’s take a step back. Not all sales strategies are inauthentic and ethically questionable.

Sales is crucial in the business world because marketing alone isn’t always enough to turn an interested prospect into an actual customer. Sometimes it takes a bit of a human touch.

Great sales people know potential customers often take time to make a purchase decision. Sales people help customers overcome objections and see the tangible and intangible benefits of a product.

You’ve probably heard the common sales mantra, “always be closing.” But what does closing actually mean? In reality, perhaps a better way to phrase this is “always be connecting.” If marketing is about ensuring people know about you and what you have to offer you then sales is about ensuring they connect the dots and see enough value in the product or service to actually buy it.

In your career, when you apply sales strategies to help communicate your value, you can increase the chances that:

  • Your job application is actually read and maybe even flagged as a strong candidate
  • You stand out in the minds of people who interview you, even after a long day, or week of interviews.
  • You’ll be top of mind when friends, former colleagues, family, or acquaintances hear about roles that might be relevant for you
  • And once you’re hired, your boss or manager sees your value and considers you for promotions, raises, or other opportunities

If sales is about connecting, then in your career, you need to focus on building authentic relationships that can help hiring managers and recruiters see your value.

Here are 3 example messages you can send at various stages of your job search to communicate your value. You’ll notice that in all of the examples below, the messages are concise, direct, and clear and don’t use vague requests to have a “coffee chat” or “pick your brain.”

 

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Before You Apply: Find & connect with people who work at the company

When looking for a new job, it’s important to know that 88 % of jobs are filled through networking and relationships. But what happens when you don’t know anyone at a company you want to work at? You have to find people who work there and reach out to them and start to build a relationship.

Let’s imagine you want to work at Salesforce and you don’t know anyone there. One of the first things you should do is leverage various professional groups and communities you might be a part of to see if anyone works there. For example, you could post something like this.

Hey everyone, I have a quick question.

I’m curious about working at Salesforce and want to learn more about their interview process. If you’ve interviewed there, what was your experience like? How long was the process, and did anything come up that you weren’t prepared for?

Feel free to private message me your answers or leave your general thoughts below.

Thanks in advance!

[Your Name]

This works because with one post in a group, you’re likely to receive many replies from people who work at or used to work at Salesforce or people who have friends or family who work there. These conversations can help uncover useful information about the culture and what it’s like to work there or maybe even offers from people to give you referral links to apply.

When You Apply: Send a cold email or message to the hiring manager

Contrary to what you may think, it’s not a bad idea to cold email a hiring manager before or after you apply for a job. Cold emailing gets a bad reputation because so many don’t know how to write a good cold email. However, a strong cold email can help catch the attention of a hiring manager.

The purpose of a cold email is to let the hiring manager know you applied (or plan to), provide a concise pitch for why you’re a fit for the role, and start a conversation. Think of it like this, if the hiring manager only read your cold email (and not your resume or LinkedIn profile) would it be compelling enough to make them want to learn more?

Hi [Hiring Manager / Recruiter Name],

I wanted to connect to let you know I applied for the Product Manager role at Salesforce that you’re hiring for.

I’m currently a Product Manager at HubSpot with 4 years of experience. Previously I worked as a Data Analyst for 5 years and have a MS in Data Science. Based on the job description, I think my experience could be valuable on the Analytics team.

If you have any questions or would like me to send you my resume, please let me know!

[Your Name]

After You Interview: Convert job interviews to job offers with follow up messages

If you think no one reads thank you emails, think again. According to a study by Top Resume, 68% of hiring managers said that a thank you email or note can make a difference.

The key to writing an effective thank you note is to use is to use it as an opportunity to highlight your relevant skills and experience, especially anything you maybe forgot to talk about in the interview, as well as demonstrate your written communication skills.

Using our example of the person applying to the Product Manager role at Salesforce, here’s what they might write after an interview.

Hi [Hiring Manager / Recruiter Name],

It was a pleasure to learn more about the Product Manager role at Salesforce and the analytics team. I’m excited about the opportunity to use my product management and data science background!

In the interview you asked me about [insert something they asked] and I forgot to mention [something relevant to demonstrate your skills or experience]. Please reach out if there are any other questions you have.

I look forward to hearing from you when you know what the next steps might be.

Best wishes,

[Your Name]

You should try to tailor your message to each person. Sending a generic and vague message that mentions no specifics about the role or company will not help you stand out. In fact, it might do the opposite as it could make you come across as lazy!

If you’re applying to jobs and not getting interviews or job offers, one of the most important things you can do is to leverage the power of connection and sell yourself through fostering relationships and communicating your value to recruiters and hiring managers.

 

Forbes.com | December 28, 2022 | Sarah Doody 

#JobSearch : Received A Strong Job Offer? Now Avoid These 3 Negotiation Mistakes. Negotiate a Salary More than You Expected? REAd This!

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I received a job offer that’s better than I expected? Should I still negotiate? If so, can I send this [email with the current offer details and counter arguments]? I plan to accept and hope to work with these people long-term, so I don’t want any bad feelings. – JT, Energy Policy Analyst

Kudos to this job seeker for landing an offer and having the discipline to not accept right away, but rather step back and reassess. Additional kudos for seeking out help since JT is returning to the workforce and hasn’t negotiated in years. Finally, even more kudos to JT for getting a strong offer even with an employment gap of almost a decade. (This offer came at the end of a temp assignment and is a great example of how to convert a project into a full-time job.)

That said, JT’s question also illustrates common misconceptions that job seekers have about the offer negotiation process. Luckily, JT didn’t act on any of these incorrect assumptions and as a result got an even better job offer (higher base, which will be compounded because it’s the basis for the performance bonus and retirement contribution calculations!). Follow JT’s lead and avoid these three negotiation mistakes:

1 – Failing to negotiate at all

Even though the initial offer was strong, JT didn’t accept right away. Too many job seekers jump the gun and accept the first offer out of excitement. Or, they don’t want to risk the offer by countering (even though you won’t, which we’ll cover in point 3).

You don’t want to negotiate just for the sake of negotiating. However, there’s probably something in the offer that isn’t ideal. If it’s not the money (e.g., base salary, bonus or other cash aspect of the offer), then you might want to negotiate the start date, your title, your scope of responsibility, when you’re eligible for benefits or bonus, etc. – there are so many factors to consider in deciding your next career move. As it turns out, JT realized that, while the base salary was strong, it was lower than she hoped. (JT had smartly used her interview process to gauge how much room there could be for negotiating salary.) If she didn’t get the base she wanted, then that lower figure would also lower her bonus, retirement contributions and future growth.

 

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:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2 – Negotiating by email instead of voice-to-voice

Once JT decided to negotiate, she drafted a long, detailed email with her counterarguments. Like many job seekers, JT felt that an email would allow her to collect her thoughts, edit carefully and avoid the confrontation of a direct conversation. While these are legitimate advantages of an email negotiation, there are disadvantages that outweigh the benefits.

You don’t know how an email is received, while in a voice-to-voice conversation you can hear and potentially see (if live or video) the other person’s reactions. Even though you can draft and refine email, it’s still hard to capture tone and intention 100% accurately in writing – and again, you won’t be able to gauge how it’s received by the reader. Finally, if the negotiation requires a lot of back and forth, perhaps even some brainstorming on what creative compromises could work, a long email chain is confusing and slow, compared to the immediate collaboration of a direct conversation.

3 – Assuming that negotiating will harm collegial relationships

One of JT’s primary concerns in negotiating at all was incurring bad feelings by not accepting the offer right away. However, companies respect strong negotiators. In addition, done correctly, there need not be any hurt feelings.

JT opened every conversation with a heartfelt Thank You for the offer. She reassured both the recruiter and her direct manager that she was excited about the opportunity and was looking forward to joining. She introduced her negotiation as questions about the offer, rather than a formal negotiation. In this way, she kept the dialogue positive and emphasized collaboration over conflict.

Even with a strong initial job offer, there are many upsides to negotiating

As JT’s story demonstrates, one major upside to negotiating is the opportunity to get an even stronger offer. Differences in compensation compound over time, not just for the base salary but for other aspects of an offer. A higher title now will support an even higher title in the future. More responsibility or resources now will put you in the running for a bigger role in the future. At the very least, you get much-needed negotiation practice every time you ask for more. This also gives you confidence and reinforces a self-image as someone who advocates for themselves.

Forbes.com Author: Caroline Ceniza-Levine Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | December 20, 2022

 

#JobSearch : Long Gaps Between Jobs? Answer The 4 Interview Questions Employers Won’t Ask. Question #1: Why should I Interview you Over other Candidates without a Gap?

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When you have long gaps between jobs (unemployment) or a series of part-time or short-term jobs with no clear career progress (underemployment), these gaps will slow down the momentum to your next job. Employers see a gap as a big unknown and may not fill in the blank with positive assumptions. As the job seeker, don’t get defensive and don’t give up.

Instead, be prepared. Address potential objections when you present your background, skills and motivation for that next job. You’ll have to anticipate these objections, and preemptively answer.

Start with these 5 questions employers are probably thinking but won’t ask:

1 – Why should I interview you over other candidates without a gap?

This is a question that arises in the application stage, well before an official job interview. It underscores why answering job postings when you have a hurdle in your background is a losing proposition. Sure, you may be able to convince employers to interview you with an exceptionally persuasive cover letter, but many employers don’t read cover letters. By all means, include a cover letter with your application (you can write cover letters quickly). When employers do read it, it can help immensely. But you can’t assume it will be read.

You’ll need a strategy for getting in front of your target employers beyond your unsolicited resume. This involves reaching out directly – tapping friends for warm introductions or making your own introduction (i.e., cold calling). Make introductory connections on LinkedIn, or perhaps you can meet via a professional association or conference. Slowly deepen the relationship by focusing on mutual point of interest, even helping the other person, well before jumping into what you need. Yes, this is an investment of time and effort on your part, but if you’ve been unemployed or underemployed for this long, what’s another few weeks to lay down a proper foundation for your networking?

2 – If you’re so good, why hasn’t anyone hired you?

When you do get that job interview, the question of why you haven’t been hired yet is the elephant in the room. Whatever the interviewer asks you, your ultimate answer needs to assuage any concerns about your qualifications. You have to sell your skills, expertise and personal attributes to such an extent that the employer considers themselves lucky to have found you before someone else snaps you up.

Focusing on your qualifications neutralizes the negative effects of the gap. Ultimately your gap is inconsequential — the employer is hiring your ability to help them, not your life story — so don’t spend a lot of time explaining your gap. Be concise, and speak in a neutral voice devoid of frustration, anger or defensiveness. Whether you stopped working entirely or worked less than you would have liked, give an overview without a lot of details – “I was tending to a family issue”, “I was on sabbatical”, “I was experimenting with several different interests”. Always bring the conversation back to the employer and why the employer is hiring in the first place.

 

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 Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

3 – Do you really want a job?

Even if you’ve done a good job selling the employer on your qualifications, they may still question your motivation. If you’ve been able to survive this long without a job or with a less taxing job, why not just continue as you were? Employers may see your gap as something you deliberately chose, which calls into question your work ethic.

Just saying you have a strong work ethic won’t be enough because past experience speaks louder than promises in the hiring process. However, you can make a compelling case that now is a different time by redirecting the conversation to the employer, what they need and why you’re so excited to help with that. You’re not just excited about getting back to work – you’re excited about specifically working there.

4 — Why should I invest in you so you can just leave?

Focusing on your genuine interest in the employer you’re speaking with and not just any job, not only deflects objections about your work ethic, but also addresses another hesitation employers have about long-term gaps: you are looking for any job to jumpstart your career and will leave at the first sign of a better offer. The employer might think you can help, and they might believe you have the work ethic to stick to your career, but they fear being the rebound relationship.

If you are interviewing for a job that is not a long-term fit, be careful about making promises related to how long you’ll stay. Instead, outline what you’ll accomplish. This doesn’t guarantee that the employer won’t still be upset if you leave before a full year, but you can at least point to specific contributions you made while you were there.

Plan your next career move, not just your next job

If your career hurdle is unemployment or underemployment, be careful about joining a company where you’re not willing to stay. If you need to take on work strictly for the money, then that’s about your bank account, not your career, and you can keep those for-the-money jobs separate from your overall career-specific experience. (If these stopgap jobs are somewhat career-related, group them as consulting or freelancing when you include them in your profile or pitch, so there is some continuity.) Otherwise, invest in clarifying your long-term career goal, so you’re not just finding your next job but taking a strategic next step in your overall career.

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Ceniza-Levine  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | November 25, 2022

#JobSearch :How to Write a Thank-You Email After a Job Interview. “A Properly Prepared Thank-You Email, it Just Sets you Apart”. Great REad!  

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Some experts say the thank-you email after an interview is as important as your cover letter, so don’t waste this important opportunity to finalize your pitch—especially now that you know so much about the company, the role and your interviewer.

            Question: How do you stand out?

“A properly prepared thank-you email, it just sets you apart,” says Paul McDonald, senior executive director at recruitment agency Robert Half. “It shows that you care and it restates your interest in the position.”

Most HR managers say they consider thank-you messages when deciding who to hire, but they only receive notes from nearly a quarter of applicants, according to a survey by Robert Half. So don’t miss out on this chance to stand out, in a good way. 

Send your thank-you email as soon as possible.

Aim to send your thank-you note as soon as you can after the interview. This gives you an opportunity to seal the interviewer’s good impression of you immediately after your initial meeting, while their memory of you is still fresh, recruiters say. If you interviewed with more than one person, you should email each one separately.

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Article continued …

Reiterate why you are interested in the role and why you would be a great fit.

Now that you have had a chance to meet the interviewer and you have asked all the right questions, you know more about the role and can make a stronger case for yourself. While you were preparing for the interview, you probably didn’t have access to as many details about the job and employer as you may have now that you have met the hiring manager.

In your thank-you email you can:  

  • Briefly address any pertinent new facts you gleaned about the role during the interview and bring the point back to how your experience or skill set aligns with it.
  • Include examples that demonstrate how you would be an asset to the company.
  • Include relevant samples of your work, particularly if you discussed any during the interview.
  • Provide a suggested solution to a challenge your employer faces that may have come up during your interview.
  • Bring up any insights or examples that highlight your suitability for the role that you might have forgotten to mention in the interview.

Three examples of highlighting qualifications in a thank-you email: 

  • “With my experience focusing on the intersection of retail, customer experience and technology, I am in a strong position to help the company with its e-commerce launch.”
  • “Since you mentioned that the company is currently struggling to establish a business model that embraces technology, I wanted to offer a few ideas that I think might help.”
  • “You’ll find a link to a recent UX design study I conducted at the bottom of this email.”

If there was an anecdote or a shared interest that both you and the interviewer seemed to connect over, you may briefly nod to that in your email, but only if it feels natural and appropriate. This makes for a more personal letter that feels organic and authentic to you and to the relationship you began to forge. If you interviewed with multiple people at the company, adding a personal detail allows each email to feel unique. This also helps your thank-you email stand out.

Three examples of framing a personal detail in your thank-you email: 

  • “On a personal note, it was lovely speaking to you about your recent experience on safari. It inspired me to look into taking a trip like that someday.”
  • “I took up your suggestion to try that oatmeal-cookie recipe, and it was a hit with the kids. Thanks so much for the tip.”
  • “I very much enjoyed talking to you about your home-renovation project. If you have a link to that blog you mentioned, I’d love to take a look. I’m eager to try something similar in my home soon.”
Offer to answer any questions and bring it back to your application.

Bring it back to the hiring process at the end of your email. Gently raising the prospect of the next steps in the process makes it clear you are keen to progress and reminds the interviewer that they should come back to you without being too pushy. Offer to answer questions to give the employer an opportunity to clear up any possible doubts they may have about hiring you. Such an offer also promotes interaction between you.

Here is an example of how to end your thank-you email:

  • “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, and to explain the company’s needs. I look forward to hearing from you about the next steps in the application process, and welcome any questions you may have about my fit for the role.”

 

WSJ.com | April 9, 2021 | Deborah Acosta

#JobSearch : How To Avoid Making The Top 5 Virtual Interview Faux Pas. If you Make these Interview Missteps, you’re Undermining your Chances of Landing the Job.”

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Ask any job seeker the worst possible thing to happen during a virtual interview, and they’ll likely say having a spotty internet connection. However, ask potential employers the same question, and you’ll receive very different answers.

According to a recent survey of employers by TopResume, the world’s largest resume-writing service, job candidates’ are making huge mistakes when interviewing virtually. And because the study found that one-third (33%) of employers offer an exclusively virtual interview process, and only one in five (20%) participants stated that most of their company’s interviews take place in person, nailing your virtual interview is paramount.

“Although virtual interviews have become a ubiquitous part of the hiring process, even as more companies are requiring employees to return to the office, our data shows many job candidates have yet to master the art of the virtual interview — and it’s sabotaging their candidacy,” said Amanda Augustine, career expert for TopResume, and a certified professional career coach (CPCC) and a certified professional resume writer (CPRW).

Fortunately, unlike faulty Wi-Fi, these missteps are completely within a candidate’s control to mitigate.

 

Here’s how to avoid making the top five virtual interview deal-breakers:

1. Make eye contact and pay attention

The number one complaint among potential employers is when candidates avoid eye contact or stare into space. A lack of eye contact signals that you’re disinterested or distracted, so make a point to focus on your device’s camera. In addition, close out extra tabs, silence notifications, and remove anything from your view (including your phone) that could pull your attention away from your interviewer.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2. Tidy up your space

And speaking of being distracted, make sure that everything behind you is a mess-free zone by opening up your video call app and ensuring everything within your screen is spic and span. Sitting in a messy room while conducting a virtual interview increases the chance that your interviewer will focus more on your piles of paper and dirty laundry than they will on you and what you have to say. Plus, it sends a message that you don’t care about how you present yourself or don’t value the potential employer enough to tidy up.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re participating in a phone screen, interviewing via video conference, or meeting in person,” said Augustine. “If you make these interview missteps, you’re undermining your chances of landing the job.”

 

3. Close out all inappropriate tabs and apps

No one—especially a potential employer—wants to see extracurricular activities and interests on your laptop. Leaving inappropriate tabs or apps open when screen-sharing is a huge no-no for virtual interviews, so close out all non-interview-related windows before starting.

4. Skip the “fun” backgrounds

You know that hilarious Zoom background you use while chatting with your buddies? Don’t dare use it while interviewing. Ditto, anything you think is clever or cute. Using an unprofessional background is high on the list of potential employer turnoffs, so be sure to use a neutral background or none at all.

5. Make your interview space a “no-interruptions” zone

If you’re interviewing from a shared environment (aka your living room), take the time to alert others that you’ll need a quiet space for the duration of the interview. And if required, get temporary help to watch young children and control pets. Being interrupted by your family members is a mistake easily avoided with proper planning.

Though these faux pas top the list of virtual interview don’ts, not surprisingly, there are other behaviors employers find highly offensive, regardless of the interview format. Potential employers frown on candidates lying, arriving late (without a valid excuse), badmouthing a current or former employer, appearing disinterested in the opportunity, and being unprepared.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re participating in a phone screen, interviewing via video conference, or meeting in person,” said Augustine. “If you make these interview missteps, you’re undermining your chances of landing the job.”

 

Forbes.com | November 3, 2022 | Amy Blaschka

#JobSearch : Former Co-Workers Could Be Sabotaging Your Interview. You can Get Sabotaged When Applying for a New Job. A MUst REad!

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You can get sabotaged when applying for a new job. There have been many instances when a job hunter with all the right skill sets and experiences was knocked out of contention due to disparaging comments made by former employees.

Recruiters refer to this as a “back-door” reference. On an unofficial basis, behind the scenes and without the candidate’s knowledge, former colleagues get wind that a person is interviewing and go out of their way to deliver unflattering opinions about the person to people at the new company.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

Now, human resources, the hiring manager or other executives at the company are placed in an awkward position. They’ve received an unsolicited negative reference citing issues of the person not being a team player; they botched a big deal; are difficult to work with or some other action that raises red flags.

Armed with this knowledge, they have a couple of choices. If the applicant has impeccable credentials and is a perfect fit for the role, the company may want to bring up the negative reviews during the interview process. It would make for an uncomfortable conversation and blindside the applicant. However, raising the topic would allow the interviewee to offer their side of the story.

Some managers may elect to halt the interviewing process, offering vague comments to the candidate that they are going in a different direction, placing the role on pause or have already isolated a person for the job. This action signals that the managers lack confidence in themselves.

They could continue the process, which for mid to senior-level white-collar professionals, may mean three to six-plus interviews with several people conducted over about three months. After the culmination of the process, they’d possess sufficient information to render an intelligent decision, including the damaging unsolicited performance review. On the condition of extending an offer, the firm could require the candidate to submit references from their last two or three employers. The responses may be in complete contradiction to the allegations levied against the person.

This happened more frequently pre-pandemic when interviewing was nearly 100% in person. You need to be prepared. As companies pivot toward hybridization and workers back in the office, the pattern will start again. Staff will deduce you’re there for an interview, sizing up your new wardrobe and haircut. You could be that person walking into the building and navigating the hallways into the meeting rooms when a former co-worker recognizes you.

Some People Just Can’t Let Go Of Past Grudges

An empathetic person would make a mental note to say something positive about the candidate to help their chances of getting hired. Managers and human resources place credence on internal referrals. They feel more comfortable hiring someone well-known and highly regarded by a currently valued worker.

Unfortunately, there will always be people who harbor past grudges and can’t let go of prior arguments and disagreements. Some may feel that the person got a promotion, but believe they richly deserved it. There may have been some long-standing rivalry or they just disliked the person.

Try To Work And Play Well With Others

You don’t always have to be a people-pleaser, but try to get along and make friends and allies instead of enemies. It’s essential to be honest and trustworthy and deliver on your promises. Be respectful to your boss, co-workers and staff. Burnish a reputation above reproach that will follow you to the next job. Remain humble in your victories, and don’t blame others when you fail to achieve your objectives. Avoid talking badly about co-workers behind their backs. Praise and applaud your colleagues when they do well. The advice is both helpful for excelling in your career and minimizing the number of haters who are wishing for your downfall.

The Broken Recommendation Process

Recommendations from former employers are mostly a farce. Nearly all businesses ask for one to three or more references when applying and interviewing for a new job. This is one of the many standard practices that don’t make sense, but continue to happen out of habit.

The reality is that the applicant will seek out only those professionals who will say positive, flattering and overly kind things about them. It’s an open secret that everyone helps each other out in this aspect of the job search. Few people would say anything negative when asked to submit a reference. If that happens, the candidate would cast it aside and choose another person to write a reference. The result is that the company receives questionable references that may not be wholly accurate and are tilted in favor of helping out a work friend. Nevertheless, employers pretend that the reference checks are legitimate, which checks off another box on the interviewing to-do list, and have some cover if the newly hired person turns out to be a dud.

 

Forbes.com | October 28, 2022

#JobInterview : How To Talk Positively About A Negative Job Experience. MUst REad!

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You don’t have to love everything about your current job. It’s no surprise to prospective employers that there are aspects of a candidate’s current job that are suboptimal. That’s why the candidate is looking or agrees to an exploratory interview or returns the recruiter’s call. That said, no employer wants to feel like you’re looking at them only because you want to get out of wherever you are.

The “positive twist” that Ivy is asking for is simply a reframing of what you don’t like in your current job to the aspirational thing you do want in your next job. Talk about what you’re looking for, not what you’re running from.

Here are five common job complaints and how to put a positive spin that helps your candidacy move forward:

1 – If you think you’re underpaid

Never talk about compensation as a reason for wanting to leave your current job. It just makes you sound like money is a primary motive, which is a shortsighted way of managing your career. Of course, money is a motivator, and you can and should negotiate for what you deserve once an employer expresses interest in hiring you. However, the driving motive should be career-related.

Employers want ambitious people with long-term aspirations. Highlight how broad your scope of responsibility is and how you’d like a similar or even larger role. This sets the level of your role, which indirectly sets the compensation expectation. You can also highlight specific wins and their impact on the bottom line. This introduces money into the conversation but in terms of the value you’d bring, which also indirectly sets a compensation expectation.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

2 — If you don’t like your boss

If you’re asked to describe your boss, don’t talk about what drives you crazy and pretend it’s okay. That’s just lying, and you might attract more of the same in your next role. Instead, think about a small specific thing they do that is okay, and then quickly shift the conversation back to the job at hand. For example, if you have a micromanager, for interview purposes they are someone who gives detailed instruction or who asks for exactly what they want or who gives continual feedback. If you have a yeller, they are passionate. If you have an idiot, they are hands-off. Then talk about your ideal work environment, and get the interview focused back on the best case, not the worst.

Many interviewers don’t ask about your boss, so definitely don’t offer. Even when you are asked about them, it’s typically to get a sense for the current environment you’re in. It may be in the context of asking how you like to be managed. It could be a trick question to see if you do go negative – and are the type of person who talks behind other people’s back. The only positive way to spin this question, if it pushes your hot button, is to be quick, gracious and focused on the next question.

 

3 — If you disagree with the company direction or are concerned about its business prospects

You don’t want to go into too much detail if the company isn’t doing well because you might give away confidential information. If you’re not sure, assume all financial details and other numbers are confidential. Instead, you can point to the broader industry or the general economy as a reason that you’re listening to other opportunities.

What if the economy is strong, your industry is growing and even your company has had positive media coverage, but you don’t have faith in the leadership or strategic direction? In a strong market, keep your motives general. You’re open to opportunities because you like hearing what else is out there. You recognize that business can shift quickly, so you like to keep your options open. You have seen situations where conditions change unexpectedly (you don’t have to specify that this situation describes where you’re at), and so you’d like to be prepared.

4 — If you feel mistreated

A project did worse than expected, and your boss blamed it on you. A recent restructuring means you’re now stuck doing less desirable tasks than others in your group. You once had resources that are now taken away. There are many legitimate reasons why an employee can feel slighted, frustrated or upset.

However, your prospective employer can’t help with any of these things, so there’s no point in raising upsetting experiences in a job interview. If you’re worried that you’ll leave one blaming boss for another or be stuck doing tasks you don’t really want or think you have resources only to have them taken, then earmark time in your search for thorough due diligence once you get an offer and know who your new boss is, what the job scope is supposed to be and what resources are supposed to be yours. Till then, find another reason that is motivating your move, and do not discuss problems specific to your old company with potential new ones.

5 — If you want to do something else and no longer want your current role ever again

Don’t get defensive if you get calls for the same old jobs you no longer want. It makes sense that employers will target people who have done the job before. Have people to refer so you build a relationship, and pivot the conversation to what you are looking for, not a diatribe on why your current role no longer suits you.

Even if you only have positive experiences, you will encounter the negative interviewer

It’s well worth your time to learn how to handle difficult questions because you will encounter difficult interviewers. Some people frame all their questions to put others on the defensive. What was your biggest mistake? Tell me about your least favorite boss. How do you deal with a difficult client? The negative interviewer tries to stress you out and bring you down. The positive twist is to not let negative interviewers or negative questions bring you down, but rather move the interview back up with your aspirational talk and focus on the ideal.

Forbes.com | October 13, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#JobSearch : How Companies Mislead And Take Advantage Of Job Seekers And Employees. Welcome your Comments/Suggestions!

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Recruiters have an inside look into how companies take advantage of job seekers and employees. With all the arguments over remote work or being forced to return to the office, one key issue is often forgotten: large publicly traded companies primarily care about making profits, lining the pockets of the top executives and keeping the shareholders happy.

They pretend to be concerned about the well-being of the workers when it’s a hot job market and top talent is in high demand. When the need to hire subsides, businesses immediately lay off employees, enact hiring freezes and dump all the extra work on the remaining people.

What To Watch Out For When You Are Interviewing Or Just Started At A Company

The Job Description: A Work Of Fiction

It starts with the job description. Noticeably, the compensation isn’t listed. Think of every transaction you do in life. The costs are clearly shown if you go to the supermarket, attend a sporting event or book a plane trip. While there are pushes to enact salary transparency laws, if you go on any major job board, you won’t see the salary, bonus or benefits clearly indicated.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Long, Involved, Glitchy Job Applications

You are then forced to fill out a lengthy application that calls for sharing personal information and submit it into a clunky, glitchy applicant tracking system. There is no real need for this extra step, as the company also asks you to upload your résumé. Once you’ve taken an hour or so to review the job ad, answer all the questions and complete the applications, you’d like to believe that the firm would be gracious enough to contact you and let you know if you’re a fit or not. Instead, more often than not, you’re ghosted. Despite the time you have invested, there’s not even the courtesy of a reply.

You Are At A Disadvantage

The interview process is one-sided. The company tells you when and where you’ll interview, the amount of time you’ll need to interview, the number of internal people you will be meeting with and how long the hiring process will take is a mystery.

There will be long gaps between communications. There will be an absence of any meaningful feedback or constructive criticism offered about your performance—making it nearly impossible to improve your chances of shining.

How Much Does The Job Pay?

Usually, it’s good for the company to inquire about your salary expectations before commencing the interview process. Nonetheless, it’s all too common that at the end of a six-month interviewing ordeal, you are given a verbal offer significantly less than what you said you desired. The lowball offer is a test to see how desperate you are.

If you are in between roles, burning through your savings and eager to get back to work, the company believes you’ll suck it up and accept the offensive offer. The hiring personnel will be happy over how they saved the company money on the lower offer.

It gets worse when the company is cagey about bonuses, raises, promotions and benefits. Promises will be made and not kept. The hiring personnel will say, “The bonus structure is great! You can expect to earn a bonus of 20% to 30% of your base salary.’ They’ll add, “We aggressively promote people, provide stock and options, and our benefits program is top notch.”

When you ask for specifics, they dance around the topic. It’s awkward to push too hard, as you don’t want to come across as distrusting, so you let it go. Sure enough, the money isn’t there when bonus time comes around at the end of the year.

Human Resources Is Not Too Helpful

You’ll go to human resources and ask what happened. They’ll say, “Did you get it in writing,” to which you sheepishly reply that you did not. Cheerily, the HR person will tell you to make sure you get everything in writing within the offer letter contract in the future.

Sometimes an exploding offer is given. This means the company is putting pressure on you to make a quick decision within one or two days—to accept the offer or not.

This tactic preys on people’s insecurity. If you need a new job, but have a few other leads brewing, the applicant would prefer to have the time to pursue all options before deciding upon the best fit. The exploding offer forces you to forsake all the other possibilities and take the offer out of fear of not getting another one soon enough.

‘Sorry, We Went With An Internal Candidate’

You can spend weeks or months interviewing for a company and then be told, “Thank you. We really liked you and your skills are right on target. However, we are going in a different direction and promoting an internal candidate. Good luck with your job search!”

It would be sort of okay if they had told you at the beginning that there was a likely chance the job will go to an internal employee. Most people would understand and respect the fact that current employees get the first crack at internal job openings. You’ve wasted all of the outside interviewees’ time by withholding this crucial fact.

Rescinding An Offer

Imagine you’ve gone through the entire interview process and the hiring company extends an offer to you. You then execute the offer letter, complete your background check and tender your resignation at your current firm. You’re on track to start your new job and then suddenly, you receive an email from your new employer—or so you thought. It states, “We regret to inform you that we have made the very difficult decision to rescind your offer of employment. You will no longer be starting with us on your previously agreed start date.” You feel like you have just taken a sucker punch to the face, as the rug has just been pulled out from under you.

The situation now puts you in a precarious and very unfortunate position. Your world has been turned upside down, as now you find yourself without a job. Sure, you can go back to your former employer and beg for your job back, but you might have burned that bridge.

Regretting The Job Switch

With trepidation, you write a letter of resignation and tell your boss you’re moving on. Excitement is building, as you can’t wait to start your great new job.

At first, everyone seemed pleased. Then, over time, you notice that your tasks, assignments and responsibilities do not correlate with the original job description and what the recruiters and hiring managers told you.

It hits you that you’ve been the victim of a bait-and-switch. You were told one thing, but the reality is completely different. In fact, the role is lesser than the one you previously held.

Now, you’re stuck. Do you quit and cut your losses or stick it out for a year so that it doesn’t look like you are a job hopper? Either decision isn’t too great, leaving you feeling cheated and misled.

‘We Want To Know Everything About You, But Won’t Share What The Boss Is Like’

You realize that the company never provided any disclosures about your direct manager. Although they made you take a Myers–Briggs assessment test to find out if you are normal or not, the process isn’t reciprocal. It turns out that your boss is a monster.

The people involved with the hiring process conveniently left out that this job is like a turnstile, as people keep coming and going because the manager is so toxic. He’s a micromanaging bully that takes all the credit and hangs you out to dry when there’s a problem. This omission ruins your work and home life, as you bring back your anger, frustration and rage to the family.

 

Forbes.com | September 8, 2022 | Jack Kelly