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#JobSearch : 6 Things To Do When You Don’t Know What To Say In A Job Interview. Share it: What Difficult Question Did YOU Have to Answer?

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Research the company. Iron your clothes. Come up with questions.  If you’ve ever Googled “How to prepare for a job interview,” then you already know that acing one means — at the very least – checking these boxes.

But I’ll admit, despite all the hours of interview prep in the world, sometimes you get thrown a question that makes you sweat.

“What’s the biggest piece of criticism you’ve received from previous employers?”

“What’s a mistake you made in your last job and how could you have handled it better?”

“What does a meaningful career look like to you?”

As the hiring manager looks at you with raised eyebrows, your mind goes blank. You have one thought and one thought only: “I don’t remember putting on antiperspirant this morning…”

Maybe this sounds like an all-too-familiar situation, or maybe it doesn’t. But go to enough job interviews and I promise you one thing: eventually you’ll be sitting across from a hiring manager who throws you a curveball that you can’t hit back.

Of course, it’s much easier to overlook the possibility of this altogether (sounds tempting, doesn’t it?). But just like ironing your clothes, figuring out what to say when you don’t know what to say at all is a necessary step if you want to end the interview process with a job offer in your hands.

Here are six steps you can take to form an answer to any question thrown your way during a job interview.

Step 1: Stop worrying.

A successful job interview is more about your energy than your words. Even with the perfect response, bad energy kills the mood. Reducing your anxiety during a job interview is easier said than done – especially since job interviews aren’t the ideal time to take long deep breaths and meditate.

Still, take a moment to challenge your negative thinking. Consider books for this like Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth and Byron Katie’s Loving What Is. Remind yourself that one weak answer in an interview won’t necessarily eliminate you from the running. You’re human, so give yourself permission to be one.

Employers ask job candidates difficult questions on purpose. Filling a new position costs companies an average of $4,129, so employers want to make sure they’re hiring the right candidate. But this also benefits you — difficult job interviews are statistically linked to higher employee satisfaction once the job is accepted. Make it through employers’ tough questions, and you’ll be rewarded for it later.

Still feel anxious? While I’m not a big believer in the concept “fake it until you make it,” there is something to be said about mustering confidence for important situations.

Research shows that almost 40% of employers reject candidates for the quality of their voice and overall lack of confidence. If you don’t have a question ready-to-go in your back pocket, the best thing you can do is minimize your fear and move forward with confidence. You need to answer the question either way, so you may as well do It without looking scared.

 

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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 …

Step 2: Take a moment to pause.

A strong response doesn’t need to be quick. Don’t word-vomit your way to an answer. It should be expected that a good interviewer will ask you one or two questions you don’t see coming, and it’s completely reasonable to take a few moments to think about your response when they do. In fact, taking a moment to ponder your answer shows the employer that you’re introspective.

If a quick pause doesn’t suffice, signal to the hiring manager that you’re still considering the question by saying something along the lines of, “That’s a great question. Do you mind giving me a moment to think more deeply about this one?”

 

Odds are the recruiter will be more than willing to give you the time you need to pull your thoughts together. Have a notepad handy, start writing, and don’t be afraid to ask the recruiter to repeat the question. In some cases, they may even suggest moving to the next question so you’ll have time to develop your answer by the end of the interview.

 

Step 3: Think out loud & proceed with caution

It usually only takes a few seconds before a response starts to form your head. Deliberate on it for a few extra moments to make sure it’s appropriate and relevant to the question being asked. Then, extract the key points or lessons you want to highlight and weave them into an answer.

Some people might find it easier to think out loud. If done correctly, verbalizing how you arrive at your answer can showcase your creativity and problem solving skills to a hiring manager.

With that being said, be sure to proceed with caution if you have difficulty predicting where a thought is headed. You don’t want to go off on tangents and you also don’t want to reveal an unflattering image of yourself. Speaking slowly and deliberately will buy you more time to think and hone your response.

Step 4: Respond with honesty and authenticity.

Formulas used to answer interview questions don’t usually help when you’re thrown a curve ball that leaves you stumped. It’s hard enough to figure out how to come up with an answer when you’re flustered, let alone organize it neatly using the S.T.A.R. method.

In a more positive light, leaving room for your authentic and messy thinking can actually serve you well. A survey of 200 talent acquisition professionals reported that, in addition to their confidence, hiring managers value candidates with authenticity and honesty the most. Don’t aim to impress the hiring manager with a perfect response (these don’t exist, anyway). Instead, show your ability to be vulnerable by grappling with a difficult question on the spot.

Pulling an authentic and impromptu response together relies on more than basic interview prep. When given a daunting and abstract question like “What do you hope to accomplish throughout your lifetime?” you need to rely on more than what you learned from reading the about page on a company’s website.

Instead, think about how you can work the self-awareness and insight you already have into your answer. Deciding what career path to pursue has already required you to think about your goals and motivations. Weaving this background information into your answers where appropriate not only shows your authenticity, but shows the employer that you see your work as more meaningful than a paycheck.

 

Step 5: Elaborate on your growth mindset

In the same survey with 200 talent acquisition professionals, 72% said they consider a candidate’s arrogance as the biggest personality turn off.

If you don’t know how to answer a field-specific question, it’s okay to admit that you don’t know. But don’t end things there — convey your growth mindset to employers by explaining your willingness to learn and improve new skills. While you might not have all of the hard skills a company is looking for fully developed yet, describing your interest in the field and openness to feedback tells employers you have the drive to grow at the company.

 

Step 6: Emphasize your desire to grow at the company

Conveying a growth mindset is good, but also need to emphasize that you are especially interested in honing your skills at the specific company for which you’re interviewing. This is the time for you to sprinkle in the information you gathered from researching the company during your interview prep. Be open to discussing your personal connection to the company. How do their core values resonate with you? Have they done any recent projects that interest you? If the hiring manager hasn’t already asked you, address your motivation for applying for the job.

Above all else, hiring managers want to know that their employers are committed to the company and invested in their work. Most specific job-related tasks can be taught or picked-up during the onboarding process.

… But as far as the motivation to excel goes, only the employee can bring that.

 

Forbes.com | August 12, 2022 |  Ashley Stahl

 

 

#JobSearch : Will Your Resume Impress Employers? Take This Quiz To Find Out. Fact: Over 75% of Resumes Never Get Seen by Human Eyes. A MUst REad!

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Linda is a baby boomer who has spent her entire career working in the HR field. This Human Resources Manager currently works at a Fortune 500 company, and she asked for help writing her resume. Kathy said, “I look at resumes all the time. Thousands have passed through my hands, but when it comes to writing my own, I have difficulty doing it. I’m horrible at self-marketing. A resume is just a slick piece of advertising, but it is crucial to your success in getting hired.”

Human eyes never see many resumes. When you make it through the screening process, employers report that most resumes only get a 15-to-20-second glance. If you do not capture their attention quickly, they pass you by and call someone else in for an interview.

Writing a persuasive resume is challenging for most people. Yet, a top-quality resume that effectively sells your skills and accomplishments to an employer is essential to your success. Is yours impressive enough to grab a recruiter’s attention? Will your resume get through the employer’s Applicant Tracking System? There are mistakes you need to avoid in writing your resume. I have created this quiz based on dozens of hiring surveys, hundreds of employer interviews, and 30 years of resume writing experience. It does not matter what generation you are from. I’ve worked with people from every age group to create eye-catching resumes that land the new job.

Let’s put your resume under a “hiring magnifying glass.” First, look at your current resume and take the following quiz to see if your resume stands out.

Are you getting interviews?

This is a yes or no question. Maybe you haven’t tested the waters yet. But if you have, and no recruiters have sought you out, or you are not getting appropriate interviews, you may need professional intervention to learn why your resume is not working. Typically, it is not getting through the ATS or may be too generic without specific accomplishments. Then again, you may be applying for jobs for which you aren’t qualified. No interviews mean you must overhaul and edit it to stress your crucial work tasks, accomplishments, and related experience.

 

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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, 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 …

Is your resume loaded with results?

These are the top criteria employers want to see. Accomplishments and results are what recruiters and hiring managers want to know about. They want proof that you will excel in the job based on the results you have achieved in previous positions you’ve worked at in the past. Outline what you have increased or decreased, how you saved money or time, made the organization money, created something new, solved a big problem, or how you improved employee productivity.

Does your resume use detailed job descriptions?

Vague, general resumes with wordy job descriptions often are ineffective. It is specifics that sell and capture attention. So, first, target the resume to the job you seek. Then, incorporate only the information pertinent to doing that specific job in the resume. This will alleviate the tendency to crowd your resumé with too much nonrelated information or too much detail on older positions that may not be relevant now.

Did you use keywords?

CNBC reported that over 75% of resumes never get seen by human eyes. An uploaded resume goes through scanning software called the applicant tracking system or ATS. To be found when the human recruiter or hiring manager searches, you need to add appropriate keywords. This does not mean copying every word from the job opening and putting them into your resume. Most employers seek your hard and pertinent soft skills determined by the work tasks you have done in the past. Try reviewing several job openings. You will see a pattern: employers want specific skills, knowledge, and experience. Then incorporate those work tasks and job functions in your resume.

Does your resume include a Summary of Qualifications section?

This four-to-six-sentence section includes your experience and top-selling points to do the job. This section is quite influential with employers, but most candidates neglect to include it. This part of the resume has an incredible impact since employers reported that this is the very first area they read. And it concisely demonstrates your solid ability to perform the advertised job.

Do you list competencies up near the top of the resume?

These are typically created in a table, and most employers’ Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read tables. So this section comes across as blank when the employer sees your submitted resume. Instead of a list, employers prefer to see the skills in a statement that shows how you have used that particular skill on the job. So, for example, instead of listing something like project management as a competency, write a bulleted statement under a position you have held to illustrate how you used that in a job.

Is your resume visually appealing?

The appearance of the resume cannot be overemphasized! Don’t get creative with your resume. Fancy fonts, tables, columns, text boxes, colored ink, graphics, charts, headers, and footers are often unable to be read by most of the Applicant Tracking Systems employers use. Instead, you get blanks or garbled, unreadable text. Use a standard format. Use italicizing, CAPITALS, underlining, bolding, indentations, and bullets to emphasize your essential points. Keep your font readable. Size 12 is best and only use standard fonts like Arial or Times Roman.

How do you start each sentence under professional experience?

Begin sentences with descriptive action verbs, such as established, analyzed, implemented, designed, or spearheaded. They add power to your sentences by demonstrating actions. For example, never use the word “I” in your resume. Instead, action verbs help you create powerful statements by listing the step you took and the results the action created.

Have you used acronyms and abbreviations?

Spell out names of schools, cities, work acronyms, and abbreviations completely. It is better to give complete information, as employers may not recognize abbreviations or acronyms. In addition, they often glance over the resume, and you do not want them to get tripped up or annoyed when you do not state the entire phrase.

How long is your resume?

Two pages are the current maximum employers want to see or are willing to read. Whether you are a 60-year-old executive or a professional with years of experience, being brief and concise works best. Be a skillful editor, deleting the portions which are not relevant or are least helpful to supporting the job title you currently seek. Employers look for experience at the current levels so emphasize your work done in the last seven-to-ten years.

Did you proofread it?

Employers notice and hate typos and mistakes. Be sure you proofread the resume a couple of times. Then ask another person to review it carefully too, so you eliminate any errors. Ensure your resume is perfect before you submit it.

 

Forbes.com Author:  Robin Ryan :   Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | August 9, 2022

#JobSearch : Why It’s A Smart And Effective Strategy To Interview In August. Good News -Bad News. MUst REad!

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August is traditionally one of the slowest months for hiring. The slowdown is comparable to the December holiday season. The major reason for the usual lull in the hiring process is that August is the last chance to take a summer vacation. Most families take time off around Christmas, Hanukkah and during the summer months, especially August.

A new vibe sets in toward the unofficial last month of the summer. Three-day weekends, summer Fridays and mentally checking out of work are commonly accepted practices. It’s an unwritten rule that this is the prime time for families to take their long-awaited trips to Disney, visit family, fly to Europe, check out interesting destinations across America or relax on a sunny beach, reading a trashy novel or just being in a moment of peace and tranquility.

What To Anticipate When You’re Interviewing

If you are in search mode, be prepared for more than the usual ghosting, absence of communications and lack of feedback. Since it’s prime travel and sightseeing season, there will be a turnstile effect occurring at companies. One person after another will be out of the office.

An interview scheduled weeks in advance will get canceled the night before, as the human resources professional reported that they have a cold and need to reschedule. They most likely emailed the change from their summer home in the Hamptons or Catskills.

Upon miraculous recovery, the HR person is back to work, but now the hiring manager is off on a two-week vacation. No sooner than when the supervisor returns, there is a domino effect of all the other parties involved in the interview process saying they’ll be on vacation or away for a few days. You were probably receiving communications about the process and now the emails, texts and phone messages have subsided. This pattern will last throughout the rest of the month into the first couple of weeks of September.

 

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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, 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 …

There Will Always Be Some Opportunities Available

Don’t give up hope and put your search on hold. You can’t generalize that everything grinds to a standstill. There will always be a small number of roles deemed by management to be essential and need to be filled immediately.

For the crucial open roles, you’ll have a big advantage if you are actively hunting for a job. Fewer candidates will compete for the same job, as they’re off vacation. Even if people don’t go away, they mentally check out.

A smart contrarian plan is to aggressively search for a job while there’s less competition. You’ll stand out that way. With fewer résumés submitted, yours will resonate with the hiring manager. Savvy HR professionals and long-time managers know that if they neglect hiring over the last part of the summer, they’ll be inundated with angry requests from managers yelling, “Why don’t I have any applicants for my job openings?”

The forward-thinking people involved with the hiring process recognize things may move slowly, but they’ll proactively build a solid pipeline of candidates willing and ready to interview once mid-September rolls in. They know that mid-September resembles that back-to-school mentality. It’s the feeling that summer and fun is over and it’s time to get serious and focused again.

The Behind The Scenes Reasons Why Businesses Will Hire Now

Smart hiring managers know from experience that they’ll be caught flat-footed in September and October if they don’t continue hiring now. If they wait until September to re-up the hiring cycle, the time frame may take three to six months to place job listings online, review the onslaught of pent-up demand résumés, retain recruiters to assist with the hard-to-find prospects, conduct interviews, run background checks and prepare an offer. The recipient of an offer would require two or three-plus weeks for their notice period. This would bring you into a start date in late November or early December, which triggers big issues.

White-collar professionals in sectors, such as Wall Street and tech, rely heavily upon their oversized bonuses. In a blazing hot market, companies would buy out bonuses to allure a person to join their organization. It’s not an insignificant amount of money. An investment banker or software engineer may expect high five-digit bonus figures.

A placement in August allows someone to qualify for a bonus if they switch jobs. The longer the time goes by, companies may not want to buy out or give a person a $50k bonus for only working a month or so at the new firm.

In this current economy and job market that is characterized by uncertainty, including runaway inflation, a recession, possible stagflation, layoffs, job-offer rescissions and hiring freezes, it’s more than likely that companies won’t want to shell out a significant bonus. They’ll instead pass on the candidate and wait for someone else who doesn’t require a large bonus reward.

Search For A Job, But Also Practice Self-Care

Understandably, folks don’t want to embark upon a lengthy job search in brutally hot weather. It’s not pleasant to go into the subway station in New York City when it’s 95 degrees and humid outside. The temperature uncomfortably rises as you’re waiting by the railroad tracks. After departing the crowded train car, squished between two sweaty people, you’ll need to walk about 10 blocks to the building for an in-person interview. By the time you arrive, you’re sweaty, your attire is wrinkled, your hair disheveled and you’re starting to get cranky and irritable. This isn’t the best way to shine in a first meeting.

Despite the challenges, you should still continue interviewing. After two-plus years of unrelenting stress and anxiety, taking time out for self-care is not unreasonable. You owe it to yourself to process the effects of the pandemic, try to comprehend what will happen with runaway inflation and a recession and question if the job cuts and hiring freezes are the new normal. With the slower pace at the office and the ability to sneak away while working remotely, it’s easy to just coast for a while and decompress.

What Companies Should Do

After all these years, you’d think executives would see the cycles and take action. It would make sense for business leaders to call for vacation schedules that would make it easier to streamline and fast-track the hiring process.

Businesses lose two or more months of interviewing and vetting candidates by not taking proactive measures. Once companies return to a normal schedule, there will be pent-up demand for hiring without sufficient applicants available. Feeling that they’ve been ghosted, some may have given up. Top talent will have already found jobs with more motivated candidate-friendly companies.

Management should embrace the summertime vibe. As 4 million Americans quit their jobs every month, if companies are missing out on hiring during August, the least they could do is stem the tide of attrition.

With the slower pace, team leaders should schedule time to talk with their staff. They could go to an offsite location and the worker could share their goals. The manager, in turn, can address their desires, ask for feedback, provide accolades for their accomplishments and share constructive criticism that would help them grow and flourish.

The Bottom Line

August is a great time to both enjoy a relaxing summer and search for a great new job, as there will be less competition and you can stand out.

 

Forbes.com | August 4, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 6K Reads! Interviewing In A Recession Will Be Tougher—Here Are Questions To Prepare For And What You Should Ask. It Will be Harder to Get a New Job. A MUst REad!

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It will be harder to get a new job. Record-high inflation, interest rates and costs, a likely recession and other economic and geopolitical matters led many companies to lay off workers, enact hiring freezes and rescind job offers. In this environment, pace yourself, as you might be in for a drawn-out interview process. Hiring, for many businesses, will seem like a luxury.

This mindset will make human resources and hiring managers closely scrutinize each candidate and hold them up to the highest standards. You will need to prepare for tough questions designed to weed out people. Here are a few questions HR loves to ask and how to effectively answer them to help get you through the hiring process with flying colors.

Show Your Genuine And Authentic Self

A hiring manager wants someone who they like. This runs contrary to what everyone has told you in the past. It’s essential to have all the right skills and background required in the job description; however, it’s all for naught if the interviewer doesn’t warm up to you and can’t envision working with you every day. Establishing a great first impression is the key to winning over an interviewer. You want to exude confidence, enthusiasm, motivation and humility.

This sounds trite, but be yourself. Most job applicants put on a serious demeanor and answer questions robotically, trying to sound professional. They are stiff, conservative and lack any display of humanity. It’s a big mistake. Don’t change your personality because that’s what you think the manager wants.

Let the hiring manager see the real you. The secret to interviewing is that the supervisor wants a person who can do the job, be easy to work with, can form a mutually beneficial relationship and enjoy each other’s company.

 

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:

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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, 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 …

The ‘Could You Please Tell Me About Yourself?’ Question

Immediately, the interviewee starts talking about delivering newspapers as a kid, referencing some after-school jobs and meanders around talking about personal matters. That is the worst thing to do. The interviewer simply wants to find out about your relevant work experience. The cliché question is not well-structured.

The interviewer wants to be sold on how you can help them. They want an answer that makes them feel you have the right skills, talent, background, credentials and interpersonal and social skills to succeed in the position.

Consider the question: “Please tell me about your post-college work experiences, how it relates to the role and why you will succeed.” With this in mind, start with sharing your current job, responsibilities, daily tasks and share some examples of how you made an impact and added value. This is what they really want to know.

‘What Made You Want To Apply For This Specific Role?’ Question

Let’s be honest. Most job seekers have a “spray and pray” approach to their job search. They fire off résumés to hundreds of job listings, hoping that a few will stick. Human resources and experienced hiring managers are aware of this. Their antenna is raised to detect those who truly want to work for their company and have an affinity for the job at hand. They are not too happy about applicants who just want a job or are solely desirous of having a marquee brand-name company on their résumé.

The question is designed to flesh out the interviewee’s real reasons for applying to the job. We all know that sometimes people desperately need a job and are at the point that they’d accept anything to either get back into the job market, if they’re unemployed, or find a new role, if they hate where they are now and are feeling burned out.

When the job market tightens, getting approval to hire someone is not easy. Usually, there will be a need to get sign-offs from a number of higher-level executives who carefully scrutinize each headcount addition. In light of this scenario, you need to sell yourself as someone who loves the job and holds all the right criteria to do well at the new organization.

Revert to your elevator pitch. If you are unfamiliar with this concept, it’s derived from having the ability to pitch an idea or project to a person in the short time frame of riding together in an elevator for only a couple of minutes. If you haven’t practiced an elevator pitch, here’s what you need to do to address the question.

Provide a 30-second to roughly one-minute pitch of why you are perfect for the position. Presumably, you’ve already read the job listing and are aware of all the requirements. Offer your on-target skills, work history, responsibilities and other factors that address the job description’s demands. Hopefully, you’ve done due diligence on the firm, so you can add targeted reasons, in addition to your on-point background, why you are also attracted to the company and how your skills and interests are perfectly aligned with its corporate mission.

‘Do You Have Any Questions?’

This easy-sounding question gives job hunters a hard time. The question is typically standard in the hiring process. The interviewer is asking it to be polite and wants to ensure that you fully understand the role, its requirements and what to expect if the company decides to move forward with you.

Since most job seekers know this question will inevitably come up at the end of the conversation, they obsess about it throughout the entire interview. The candidate becomes more preoccupied with what to ask at the end of the meeting than being present in the moment and actively listening to the interviewer.

Here is an easy solution. Think of how you hold a conversation with family and friends. You don’t wait until the end to say something. You interject when you feel it’s appropriate. Don’t worry about waiting until the end of the discussion to ask your questions. Throughout the meeting, pose questions when you genuinely want to probe and learn more about what the just interviewer said.

The interviewer will appreciate that you are making inquiries. They’ll feel you are interested and desirous of learning more. By interjecting with questions, the hiring manager will gain a better sense of you as a person. What’s likely to happen is that the interview process will change from a robotic, question-and-answer format to a lively back-and-forth discussion, in which both parties will learn more about each other and start bonding.

At the end of the meeting, you no longer need to stress out. Feeling comfortable having engaged in a pleasant discussion, you could say, “Thank you! I appreciate all of your insights. You’ve done a great job addressing all my questions and concerns.” If unresolved issues are left, you can add, “I appreciated our conversation. I’m very excited about the opportunity. You’ve been so great in detailing what to expect if selected for the position. I just have one other question. Could you please elaborate on X? I’d really like to gain a better understanding of it.”

Uncomfortable Questions You Should Ask

In an environment characterized by layoffs and hiring freezes, it’s reasonable to feel concerned about switching jobs. You don’t want to be the person who is the last one hired and first one fired when things go awry. To protect yourself, while it will be awkward, you must ask tough questions of the interviewer and everyone else who is involved with the hiring process.

It’s only fair for you to dig into the organization’s financial situation. Does the company have plans for layoffs that were not yet publicly announced? Could the firm offer a contract that guarantees that you won’t be terminated, except if there is a transgression or violation of company rules?

You want to gain the temperature of the company. Is everyone feeling overworked and overwhelmed? It’s only fair to inquire about the safety of your base salary, bonus and stock options. The same holds true for the work style. You don’t want to accept a role only later to find out that the company is canceling the remote work option you signed up for, or enacting salary cuts and slashing bonuses and other benefits.

 

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Forbes.com | July 14, 2022

#JobSearch : These Overlooked Interview Mistakes Are Costing You The Job. Great REad!

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With tons of job interview advice out there on how to best prepare for an interview, it’s easy to think that simply practicing your responses in front of a mirror ahead of the interview will help you land the job.

Yet, as a career coach who helps corporate high-achievers go from overlooked to hired and who has also interviewed and hired for multiple job openings, I’ve seen firsthand how small, seemingly harmless interview mistakes can lead to unexpected rejection.

Here are a few of those subtle interview mistakes that might be costing you the job:

You’re showing interest in the company, but not the role.

Usually, candidates fall into this interview mistake when they just want to get their foot in the door or when they apply for open positions simply because they’ll do anything to work at the company that is hiring. While it’s flattering and may help you move through several rounds of interviews, it isn’t always enough to land the role.

Companies don’t want to hire fans. They want to hire problem solvers. So, if you’re not able to speak to the role and how you can clearly execute the responsibilities for that specific position, then you’ll likely get passed over for someone else who successfully conveyed this.

 

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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 …

You’re oversharing irrelevant details.

It might be tempting to talk about the first job you had 10 years ago that you loved, the side-hustle you’re proud of, or the major accomplishment you consider to be the highlight of your career. But, if relaying that information does not add to why you’re a role fit or culture fit, then it’s more than likely a distraction.

Oversharing irrelevant details forces the interviewer to have to figure out for themselves why what you’re saying matters. However, whenever you put the interviewer in charge of piecing together your story, they’ll typically guess wrong or give up and pick someone else who didn’t make them guess.

You lack enthusiasm when responding to questions.

No doubt everyone has different personalities, and this isn’t to say that you have to be someone you’re not to land a new role. With that said, if you’re extremely short when answering questions or respond in a monotone voice, it might cause the interviewer to question if you’re truly interested in the opportunity.

Think of it like dating. If you’re on a date and the person doesn’t know how to hold a conversation or doesn’t seem curious or engaged, then you’ll likely assume that they’re not that interested and move on. The same goes for job interviews. Even if you’re qualified with more than enough experience to excel in the role, a lack of enthusiasm can still influence a company to choose another candidate. Sometimes they might even choose one with less experience than you because they might assume the other candidate will be a better long-term fit.

You’re not asking questions during the interview.

Occasionally, you can get so caught up with making sure your answers are perfect that you can forget to prepare your own set of questions to ask in an interview. While it’s an honest mistake, you miss out on an opportunity to drive home that you’re invested in the opportunity.

This mistake can also occur when candidates get too comfortable as they move higher in the interview process. After several interviews, it can be easy to think that there’s no need to keep asking new questions. But, consistently showing up confident, curious and engaged can leave a lasting impression that tips the scale in your favor.

If you’re guilty of making any of these mistakes, first commit to only applying for roles you’re genuinely interested in pursuing. It’ll make it easier for you to show up enthusiastically in interviews without having to fake it or force it. Next, don’t just spend all your time practicing the perfect responses ahead of your interviews. Take time to understand the role. Get clear on your story and why your background and experience aligns well with the role and company, and prepare insightful questions. Taking these additional steps to gain more clarity and confidence in your skills and the role will boost your chances of standing out from other candidates and landing the job offer.

Forbes.com Author:  Adunola Adeshola
Adunola Adeshola coaches high-achievers on how to take their careers to the next level. She is the author of the guide How to Go From Zero Interviews to Dream Job Offers.
Forbes.com | July 13, 2022

#JobSearch : Five Insider Tips To Acing The Interview. You Learn That There’s a Lot you were Never Told About the Interviewing Process. A MUst REad!

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When pulling back the curtain on the interview process, you learn that there’s a lot you were never told about. Meeting the requirements listed on a job description is only one small part of the hiring process.

There are easy-to-implement actions you may be unaware of that will make you stand out and win the job offer.

Charisma, Charm And The Likability Factor

Put yourself in the place of the interviewer or hiring manager. Would you prefer to hire someone who possesses all the right skills, but comes across as arrogant and hard to work with, or would you want a person who you resonate with and visualize having a great relationship; although, they’ll need some training and upskilling?

Most people would likely go for the person that they bond with. You can always learn new skills; however, it’s hard to change a person’s personality that’s been in the workforce for a couple of decades.

The key to successfully navigating the interview process is getting everyone involved to like and want to work with you. It’s simple to do. Be present in the moment and actively listen to the interviewer. Use their name when you address the person, nod your head when they make a point you agree with, refrain from interrupting them while they’re speaking, maintain eye contact, smile and display relaxed body language. Reframe a statement made by the interviewer to show that you understand what they are saying. Instead of waiting until the end of the meeting to ask a question, treat the interview as a conversation and bring up questions to which you genuinely want to learn the answers. These actions position you as a person who is authentic, polite, curious and interested in the role. It also generates goodwill and enhances your likability.

 

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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 …

Scheduling Interviews

Defer to the interviewer the days and times of the meeting. You want to demonstrate⁠—right from the start—that you are considerate. If the company asks for your ⁠availability, do not select early Monday mornings or late times on Friday, especially in the summertime. This tone-deaf approach will create tension with the interviewer. They want to meet with you, but are not too happy about the hours you selected. It’s off-putting and makes for a bad first impression.

While it may be a burden to meet their timeline, it’s essential to show that you are a team player and want to make things easier for your new boss. You can tell the human resources person or hiring manager, “The time you offered conflicts with another meeting I have. Nevertheless, I am really excited about the role, company and opportunity. I’ll be glad to check to see how I could reschedule my appointment and circle right back to you and confirm the date.” By doing this, the supervisor will appreciate that you are highly motivated for the role and willing to take action to make this work.

Negotiating Compensation

When human resources ask how much you are looking for, don’t say the number you want. Add a 10 to 20% premium to the salary you desire. When you provide a number, the HR person automatically thinks that you are shooting too high and will scale back the offer.

For instance, if you desire a $100k salary and say that’s what you want, they’ll likely offer around $90k to $95k. Their thought is that since you likely overshot your ask, they’ll offer a lower salary and call your bluff.

If you replied by asking for a base salary of $120k, they would offer about $110k, which would be greater than what you would have settled for. Execute the same strategy for stock options, vacation time and your corporate title. Ask for more, so that you have room to negotiate.

Check Into Your New Boss

Before you accept a job, conduct due diligence on the new boss, so that you won’t be blindsided. You don’t want to resign, only to later find out that you made a major mistake once you start the new job. It is important to find a person who works at the company to gain insider information. If you don’t know anyone at the organization, tap into your network for assistance. If you have a large enough base, there will be a person who knows someone at your target company. Ask your recruiter what they know about the hiring manager. Google the person to see what comes up.

The company could be amazing and the job wonderful, but your prospective boss may be a deal killer. Some managers are great mentors and will champion your career. They’ll be empathetic and help you succeed and grow.

Sadly, there are a lot of bad bosses. They only care about themselves. The manager will take all the credit for your work. The person may disparage you in front of others. Some leaders lack clout. These professionals may not have the ear or respect of senior leadership. In this scenario, you’ll be lumped in with your manager. The chances of growing and developing will be minute.

Master The Art Of Small Talk

Both the interviewer and interviewee are nervous. The hiring process is not a natural thing to do. In a video or in-person meeting, the interviewer fires off questions and you need to answer them on the fly intelligently. It could be a cold and clinical affair. The trick is to lighten up the mood. This could be done by effectively engaging in small talk.

Here’s an example of this type of banter. First, before the interview, check out the hiring manager’s social media footprint. Find some common ground. It could be that you both attended the same university, live in a nearby neighborhood or share an enthusiasm for a certain sports team.

Armed with the knowledge that the interviewer is a Mets fan, you can break the ice by saying, “I don’t know if you are interested in sports, but did you see the Mets last night? It was an amazing game!” Since you already know that they’re an avid fan, it’s a great way to immediately forge a common connection. The same holds true for building a bond through your mutual interests in TikTok, music, movies, television shows, Netflix series and other events.

Additionally, before the interview commences, ask the interviewer some questions. It could be, “What made you decide to select my rèsumè? Why did you want to meet with me?” This will nudge the interviewer to articulate the good things they saw on your rèsumè. It starts off the interview with a positive first step.

It sounds banal, but chatting about the weather, the commute into the city or other noncontroversial matters that we all talk about takes away some of the stress on both sides of the video or table. The mission is to transform the interview from a stuffy, serious affair to a more relaxed and friendly conversation.

 

Forbes.com |  July 7, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

#JobSearch : How To Make A Great First Impression In An Interview. Here are Some Suggestions for Making a Great First Impression. Great Read!

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Within moments of meeting, the other person immediately forms an impression of you. A successful way to do well in an interview is by quickly capturing the interviewer’s attention—making them feel comfortable and like you. Obviously, skills are important, but people place a large premium on a person’s personality, looks and actions.

The corporate world is usually buttoned-up and traditional. If you are interviewing for a job with an investment bank, you will most likely wear a sharp, tailored suit. At a startup tech company, a more casual attire is acceptable.

The managers want someone who they feel comfortable with. Since they will work closely together with you, the supervisors want to like and trust you. To gain their interest, you need to play the game by doing a number of things. Here are some suggestions for making a great first impression.

The Interviewer Is The Most Important Person In The World

At this moment in time, no one is more important than the person who is interviewing you. You must give them your complete undivided attention.

People’s opinions on how to win someone over are characterized in the media as the smooth, fast-talking salesperson who schmoozes their way into a big deal. In reality, that approach often backfires. You need to take the opposite approach and put your ego aside. Listen more than you speak. You want to come across as authentic, genuine, empathetic and caring about how you can help the manager.

The best way to do this is by asking them how you could help, and then actively listening to their needs. Once you hear what the important tasks are, you could ask specific questions to flesh out more details. The more they talk, the better they feel about you. In addition to the job description, you now have great insights from the source of what’s needed for the position. You can then address the pain points by sharing your background, talents, experience, skills and education that will make you successful in the role.

 

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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 …

Eye Contact, Smiling And Body Language

There are very easy steps to take to make the interviewer like you. Whether it’s an in-person or video call, you need to make eye contact. This doesn’t mean continually staring at them for long durations. It’s about showing that you are paying rapt attention to what the person is saying and absorbing the information.

Along with eye contact, nod your head every once in a while to acknowledge that you agree and understand what they are talking about. When the time is right, you want to offer a smile and a certain sparkle in your eyes to demonstrate that you are interested in the role and the company.

Stay present in the moment. Don’t fidget in your seat, look away from the camera or seem distracted. If you are in the person’s office, remember to sit up straight, pull your shoulders back and maintain a relaxed vibe. On a video call, you need to ensure that the lighting and sound and video quality are top-notch. The background must be aligned with the image you seek to present.

Ask Questions That Show You Are Interested

We all know that compensation, raises, bonuses, stock options, career progression and work style (remote, hybrid, in-office, flexible) are the most important things you are thinking about. Put them aside for now.

The initial questions you should ask relating to the hiring manager. You want to ask the interviewer about what made them decide to work at this particular company. Inquire whether or not they like their job. Politely bring up why they chose you out of all the other candidates.

These questions will get them talking. You will learn a lot from their answers. When the person doing the hiring talks more than the interviewee, it’s a good sign. The interviewer starts telling themself that they must like you because they are spending so much time selling the job to you.

Later on, during subsequent interviews, you could then ask questions about salary, bonuses, vacations and other important matters. You first want to get the buy-in and then the salary and other negotiations will be easier later on.

Mirror The Interviewer

Everyone has different speech patterns. In New York City, people tend to talk quickly and abruptly. Folks from the Midwest have a more laid-back, quiet and slower tempo. If you are not conscious of the other person’s style, it could be a turnoff.

Mirror the interviewer’s cadence. This doesn’t mean copying what they say. It’s the art of tailoring your speech pattern to align with the interviewer. This will make them feel more at ease and comfortable.

In addition, use their name once in a while. People like and respond better when you use their name in a conversation. It draws them and creates a bit of intimacy. Don’t overuse it or you’ll risk alienating the person with too much repetition.

Always Be Positive, Genuine And Authentic

No matter how dreadful your former boss and co-workers were, don’t say anything negative or derogatory about them. If you do, everyone in the interview process will assume that you’ll later badmouth them too when you leave and interview with another company.

You want to come across as positive, motivated and enthusiastic. Demonstrate that you are a team player. Avoid putting on airs. Instead, be genuine and authentic. Let them see the real you.

 Forbes.com Author:  Jack Kelly

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | June 27, 2022

#JobSearch : Surprise -The Hiring Manager Is More Anxious Than The Job Seeker. What Hiring Managers Obsessively Worry About. MUst REad!

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Here is a hack that will make you feel more confident in your job search: the interviewer and hiring managers are more nervous than you are.

It’s hard to wrap your mind around this concept, as people are indoctrinated to think that job seekers should be the ones who are nervous and anxious going into an interview. They worry about being judged. Job hunters must contend with the shame of not moving onto the next level in the interview process. Even worse, they don’t receive feedback and get ghosted. The hiring process feels—to the job seeker—like the company, human resources, management and internal talent acquisition professionals hold all of the power.

What Hiring Managers Obsessively Worry About

A supervisor needs to hire. They want to make sure that the applicant possesses all of the requirements listed in the job description. The interviewer also wants to feel that they can click with the candidate and forge a mutually beneficial relationship.

If a person is a software engineer, the company can test their skills during the hiring process to tangibly assess their coding abilities. It’s not that easy for the average job seeker. You almost have to just hope for the best. The manager is at a disadvantage, as they rely upon what the candidate says about their background, skills and experience. While references are called upon, most candidates scam the system. They only provide the names of people who they know will say warm and glowing things about them.

If the manager decides to make an offer and it doesn’t work out well, the supervisor loses political capital and is embarrassed. For instance, once an offer is extended, it takes time to be reviewed and approved by senior-level executives.

 

Oftentimes, especially in hot job markets, there is a lot of haggling concerning compensation, stock, options, benefits and corporate title. There may be an uncomfortable debate over the permitted work style—remote, hybrid, in-person, relocation to a lower-cost location or being a digital nomad.

The back-and-forth changes to the offer letter, which drags in human resources and a layer of management can start to irritate the bosses. They have their own work to do and feel that the direct manager can’t handle it.

 

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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 …

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

A job seeker, who said they love the job, spends weeks nitpicking the offer letter, finally accepting the offer. Everyone involved breathes a sigh of relief. The team members are ecstatic over the news, as they’ll get some relief with the new hire.

The day before the new hire is supposed to start, the person emails the human resources representative involved with the process and copies everyone else, writing, “I’m sorry to have to let you know, but I’ve accepted another offer from a different company.” The now-former incumbent adds, “The other organization is paying significantly more money, is allowing me to work remotely and didn’t give as much pushback as you did. At the end of the day, I’m sure you appreciate that I need to do what’s best for my family.”

The direct supervisor is mortified. They feel betrayed and embarrassed. Over the three-week notice period, they were reassuring the senior executives, human resources and everyone else involved that things were going well. The office was already set up, including a computer, phone, desk, chair, paintings on the wall and a welcome gift package with balloons.

The team was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new team member, as they’ve been putting in long hours and weekends, helping with the extra workload. Now, they’re confronted with the harsh reality that there’s no help coming to the rescue. Even if the company commences a new search, it could take months. The workers will likely all complain and at least one person may quit for another job elsewhere, placing additional stress on the remainers.

The candidate in question moved on with their life. They are happy to have received a great offer. Meanwhile, the manager is miserable. The person feels that they let everyone down. The next level up is upset that this turned out so wrong. They now have to worry about the safety of their own job.

Lack Of Interview Training And Time Constraints

For some reason, leadership feels interviewing is an easy and natural thing to do. A quirk in the corporate system is that a sizable number of managers, who may be great at their jobs, don’t possess the social skills and etiquette to effectively interview people. It looks easy, but it’s not. Companies generally don’t offer interview training courses. They just assume managers will know what to do. This accounts for why you always get the clichè job questions. For many professionals thrown into the hiring process, interviewing is a frightening, nerve-wracking experience.

It’s also stressful, as they’re pulled away from their core responsibilities to read through dozens of rèsumès, coordinate and meet with three to 10 applicants over six months. For an extended period, the hiring manager needs to juggle his workload, oversee the staff and stay heavily invested in the recruiting process.

The next time you go to an interview and notice that the boss looks harried, worn out, unprepared and clearly didn’t read your rèsumè or view your LinkedIn profile, you can understand why, as you are now aware of what goes on behind the scenes.

The Paralyzing Effect Of Groupthink

It used to be that a candidate would meet with human resources, the boss and maybe one or two other people within a few weeks to a month. The current trend calls for a candidate to meet with the human resources, the manager, the manager’s boss, other executives within the division, peers, underlings, business counterparts and some others who clearly don’t know why they’ve been invited.

With so many people involved, the process becomes long and clunky. As up to 10 people need to be looped into the interview process, there will always be someone who is out sick, stuck on a conference call, running late or simply forgot to put it into their calendar. This process needs to be repeated over and over again for around six to 10 candidates.

No one wants to be the one to make the final decision, as they don’t want the finger-pointing and blame, in case the incumbent employee turns out to be a disaster. The hiring manager will lean on the other interviewers to weigh in with their opinions. If there are a few dissenters, a low-confidence manager will remove the person from consideration and the process starts all over again. This is similar to the annoyance of trying to get family members or a group of friends to all agree on a movie to watch or where to go for dinner.

Fear Of Lawsuits Or Being Called Out For Biases

This topic is largely avoided in polite circles. Ten-plus years ago, human resources or the hiring manager would offer feedback and constructive criticism throughout the hiring process. If the candidate was not selected for an offer, the HR person or hiring manager would tell them the reasons why they were not chosen. It was an uncomfortable conversation, but it was made. The company deemed it the right and fair thing to do by offering its reasons as to why the applicant wasn’t moving forward—giving the job seeker closure.

In today’s litigious society, everyone is worried about lawsuits or being labeled. There is a fear that if feedback is offered, it could be misconstrued as being sexist, racist or some other prejudice or bias. People involved with hiring are afraid of having their reputation ruined and being fired or viewed as a pariah. An allegation could lead to their career being over. No other company would touch them. The path of least resistance is to ghost the applicant and not say or write anything at all.

How You Can Benefit From The Situation And Close The Deal

Now that you know what is happening behind the curtains, you realize that the people responsible for hiring have to deal with stress, fear and anxiety. Of course, if you are in between roles, you suffer from similar feelings. However, the applicant can always walk away. The HR professional and everyone involved with the recruiting process are still at the company.

You can use this information to your advantage. You know now how to play the game. Make the interviewer’s life easy by offering days and times that work best for the hiring manager. Show up with extra copies of your rèsumè. Have a tight, concise elevator pitch handy, in case they didn’t do their homework on you. Be polite and understanding, as you know the hoops that they are made to jump through. You also won’t get as offended now that you understand their challenges.

A key takeaway to closing the deal is to say, “I enjoyed the conversations with everyone. The company and people are all great. My experience, background, talents and education meet and exceed all of the requirements on the job description. I believe that I would be a great candidate and offer value to your organization.”

Then, you go for the close, “If you would offer me the role at the compensation we discussed, I’d happily accept the offer!” Add, “I promise that if the offer is extended I won’t entertain a counteroffer for a competing offer from another company.”

This will make the nervous hiring manager relax, as they know they found the right person who will take the offer and end the laborious hiring process. The boss can go back to their job, the staff gets additional help, you get a great new job and everyone is happy.

 

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | June 28, 2022

#JobSearch :Why You Should Start Preparing For Rejection When Interviewing. With Both Stock Market Drop & Higher Inflation, the Job Market will Tighten Soon.

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The United States has been accustomed to a hot job market with plentiful jobs and an abundance of interviewing opportunities. Over the last year, the job market offered so many opportunities that there were months when 4 million Americans quit their jobs, feeling confident that they’d find a better opportunity.

Economic and geopolitical events will most likely change the job market landscape. Record-high levels of inflation, the Federal Reserve Bank stopping its policies that pushed vast sums of money into the economy, the Biden administration curtailing financial stimulus packages to families and other events will have a deleterious impact on both the consumer and companies.

As costs significantly increase, businesses need to pass it on to the customer. Tech companies have already initiated hiring freezes and job cuts to save money, hunker down and get through this new, more austere period. The spigot of venture capital funding will be tightened.

Fortunately, there are still more than 10 million jobs available. We need to keep a watchful eye out for the JOLTS report that provides the data on the number of roles available, as it may soon show fewer jobs open.

The result of all of this is that when you are interviewing, it’s likely to be harder, with more meetings that lead to nowhere. Since the future is cloudy, executives are not sure what to do, so they’ll slow-walk the process. It will be easy for businesses to dump the extra work on the current employees and wait to find the perfect candidate who will accept a lower compensation package.

 

Here is what you need to know while you are interviewing to keep your sanity.

Mentally Managing Rejection

No matter how successful a person is, there is always rejection in their journey. If you are once again turned down for a job, take some time to accept, process and grieve. After a short while, dust yourself off and start again.

There is nothing to be ashamed about. People get rejected all the time. An all-star athlete is traded to another team. A popular politician is voted out of office. Famous actors get rejected for roles all the time.

Try to learn how to be resilient. After feeling bad, you need to focus on bouncing back. To do this, avoid fixating on the loss. Be honest with yourself. Think of anything you did or didn’t do, which could later serve to improve your next interview performance.

The good news is that interviewing is a numbers game. The more interviews you go on, the higher the chances you have of finding a new job. This is why you need to brush yourself off and get started right away. As you attend more interviews, you’ll improve your performance. You’ll start anticipating commonly asked questions and be armed with great answers.

It’s helpful to cultivate a supportive network to share your feelings. You’ll likely hear the same stories from them too, as it’s not unique to get rejected. Try to keep a sense of humor and perspective. There will be other jobs. You may end up finding a job that is far superior to the one you lost out on. In hindsight, the rejection was the best thing that ever happened to you.

 

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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 …

Adjust Your Expectation

If a colleague interviewed and found a job three or six months ago, their experience will not be similar to what you will be going through. It will take longer, you’ll lack feedback and get ghosted. There is a good chance you won’t receive an offer. If you do, it may be substantially lower compared to what your coworker received.

On the positive side, you can take solace in the fact that it’s not just you that is experiencing this new change. Nearly everyone else will be in the same position. This may not make you happy, but at least you’ll know that it’s not your fault.

You Need To Remain Confident

When the job market swings dramatically from buoyant to somewhat challenging, it can be jarring. It’s easy to start feeling dejected after not obtaining invitations to interview or constantly coming in second or third place. After a while, it’s easy to start losing confidence. After taking so much time and energy to interview, not receiving offers can damage your self-esteem.

You need to practice positive self-talk. This entails continually reminding yourself of all of your great qualities. Keep in mind all of the times you triumphed over adversities. Think of your reasons for going after this new role. It could be because you’re trying to earn more money to provide a better life for your family. This powerful reason will help you power through the difficulties of interviewing and getting rejected.

Accept The Change

If you’ve been accustomed to easily finding jobs, it’s natural to become complacent. In a blazing hot job market, you don’t haveto try as hard, since hiring managers desperately need the help. Their standards will be lowered and expectations not too high. This is changing due to the new reality. You now must bring your A-game to the interview.

You need to study the job description and prepare an elevator pitch that shows you possess all of the requisite requirements. Search LinkedIn to learn all about the people who will be interviewing you. Use the profiles to consider mutual commonalities that will enable you to quickly bond with them. Ask your recruiter for all the insider information about the company, the hiring personnel, corporate culture, compensation ranges and what they are looking for in a candidate. See if you know anyone at the organization and ask them to put in a good word and recommend you.

Role-play interviewing with trusted friends and peers. Ask for constructive criticism. You may have been too casual, as the job market was hot. That attitude won’t work in a cost-cutting environment.

Think Of Interviewing Like A Marathon

Interviewing during tough times is hard. Getting rejected hurts your ego. It is easy to give up. Instead, frame the process as a marathon. It’s actually, at times, more akin to a Tough Mudder competition, along with a decathlon.

Just as top athletes need to be in peak condition to perform, you need to view interviewing similarly. Prepare and perfect your presentation. Make sure that you take care of yourself. Try meditation, affirmations, manifestations, yoga or whatever you like to do to get psyched up.

Rejection Stokes Passion And Great Achievements

Overcoming adversity can empower you to achieve great things. It is easy to let rejection get the best of you. The harder part is to learn from the experience.

The key is leveraging rejection in your favor. It could serve as the motivating factor to try again with greater vigor and passion. A Jedi-type mind trick is to feel that if you can rebound from a setback, still feel fine and have the people you love still care for you. You’ll be empowered and unafraid to take on new challenges. The lesson learned from rejection is that with the right mindset, it’s only temporary, but can build your inner strength, which can help lead you to achieve great things in the future.

Forbes.com Author:   Jack Kelly

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | May 25, 2022

 

#BestofFSCBlog : How To Make Your Job Application Stand Out. Whether you are Online or On-Site. A MUst REAd!

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Faced with too many job openings and not enough people to fill them, employers find it difficult to recruit top talent. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 11 million job openings at the end of 2021, but only 6.3 million unemployed people. However, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to find a well-paying job with the perks and flexibility you crave. As companies hire more remote employees, they realize that they can recruit international workers, making competition stiff. And if you’re trying to make a career pivot, you may also be competing against more qualified candidates.

That’s why it’s still important to make your job application stand out in a global marketplace. Here are some ways to do just that.

Do your homework

One thing you must do is learn as much as you can about the company. Some research methods include reviewing the company website to understand its mission, values, products and culture. Talk to people that work there to get first-hand knowledge of the environment. Explore news articles and follow the company on social media so you are up to date on any breaking developments, including mergers or acquisitions. Then check out their competition to better understand the industry overall.

Customize your job application

It’s crucial to customize your job application and any other materials to the specific role you are applying for. The last thing you want to do is send a generic resume and cover letter to hundreds of employers. Instead, it’s much better to narrow your search to the positions you’re genuinely interested in and then tailor the application materials accordingly.

 

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:

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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, 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 …

Focus on what makes you unique

No one has the same skill set and background that you do. Take the time to determine what makes you unique. Think through the expertise and experiences you have and how they make you an ideal candidate for the role. Highlight the personality traits and skills that will enable you to contribute to the company in a productive way. Then choose examples from your background, and make sure that you reference the positive outcomes from previous roles as well as some of your notable accomplishments.

Share your “why”

Employers don’t just want to know about your skills and experiences. They want to know why you want to work for them in the first place. In other words, of all the companies you could have chosen to apply to, why this one? What is it about this role that gets you excited? Take time to think through this question carefully. If you can’t come up with an answer, it may be a sign that it’s not the right company or role for you.

Let your personality shine through

Sifting through hundreds of resumes can be quite boring. Any effort to reveal more of your personality will go a long way. Don’t be shy. Do you speak a foreign language? Have you lived overseas? Did you climb Mount Kilimanjaro? Employers understand that they are hiring people, not robots. Ultimately recruiters and hiring managers want to know you better, which builds trust. It will also make you a more memorable candidate.

Think outside the box

Get creative when thinking of ways to make your job application stand out. One example is Jonathan Swift, a 24-year-old job seeker who wouldn’t take no for an answer. He decided to print paper leaflets containing the words “Hello, I’m Jonathan” alongside a QR code connected to his LinkedIn profile. Then he left them on the cars parked outside the company he wanted to apply for and was later offered a job. While not everyone may want to follow this approach, just delivering a job application in person rather than via email will make it more personal and help you stand out from the crowd.

The most important thing to remember during the job application process is this: be intentional! If you are just going through the motions, you are wasting your time. While you can get many things back, you can’t get time back. Time is priceless. Make it count.

Wondering if it’s finally time to make a job or career change? Take my 60-second career quiz and find out!

Forbes.com Author:  Caroline Castrillon Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Forbes.com | March 29, 2022