Posts Tagged ‘behavioral interview’

Stop interviewing and get hired! Here’s how.

Monday, June 11th, 2012 by Judi

cross your fingers Teleseminar Tuesday, June 12

Successful interviews aren’t built on hope.  Nor are they built on researching the company online. 

Mock interviews help some, but what if you’re asked a question not in the mock interview?  Then what? 

A successful interview is built on 2 secrets you haven’t heard about.  And those 2 secrets are why my clients typically get an offer immediately, or very soon after, they’ve learned them.

Kelly, in WA, had been on……50+ interviews?  About 2 weeks ago I helped her prep, and last week she got 2 offers.  Sunday we dicussed which to accept and how to turn the other down.   Two interviews, two buyer positions, two offers. 

This is what I did for 22 years.  Set up 15,000 +/-  interviews.  Make sure both company and candidate met each other’s needs so an offer was extended and accepted.  I had repeat clients and sometimes the first person I sent was the person hired.  And they stayed.  That’s why I had repeat client companies who used me exclusively. 

imagesCAXZ4DS2Now you can be just like Kelly.  But you have to attend – or at least register and get the recording – to learn how.  Tuesday, June 10, one full  hour plus Q & A.

If you want to stop worrying if this time,  maybe this time, you’ll get lucky… and want to be one of the select few that interview 1 – 3 times and then are hired, go here for more information and the link to reserve your spot on the call.
http://bit.ly/O3KgVN

questions?  email me at judi@findtheperfectjob.com

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Posted in behavior/psychology, interviewing, job hunt tips, job hunting advice, job offers | No Comments »

How to get an offer and stop interviewing

Friday, June 8th, 2012 by Judi
not hiredYou didn’t get the offer again?
 
I just did some quick research via Google.  I queried
“average number of interviews before getting a job 2011.” 
 
The answer?  17 – 20.

Here’s what the answer should be:  2 – 3    and mostly dependent on 
if  you want them, not vice versa.

I scheduled a phone consultation with Judi to go over my interviewing
skills… To say Judi knew her stuff regarding conducting oneself during
an interview would be an understatement… The interviewer actually
commented on my preparedness…. The job offer and my acceptance
came shortly after. One resume, one interview, one job offer. 
I know I would not have been as successful had I not had Judi’s help. 
~~Bruce K., Las Vegas, NV

How many interviews do you want before you get the offer? If you’d like to be in the second group, I’ll show you how next week
===========>  Tuesday, June 12 <==========
 
 To learn more:  join my community (your info is 100% private!) - right over there at the top –>
and stay on top of what’s happening, including Tuesday’s presentation.  You’ll also get great advice articles, specials, and other fun things that only my community receives.

Or…..if you want to make sure you at least get info about this class, email me here, right now  judi@findtheperfectjob.com and put “I saw it on your blog!” in the subject line and I promise to make sure you get the info.

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Is a job ever worth handing over your social media log-in info?

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 by Judi

Coercion“Oh brave new world! That has such people in’t!”  In context, this line by Miranda in Shakespeare’s The Tempest (Act V, scene 1), was ironic.  Huxley’s title Brave New World, also ironic.  Let’s visit another literary work:  A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.  A little less facetious and considerably closer to Orwell’s 1984.  

AP recentlyreported that Justin Basset was asked for his FaceBook log in info during an interview so that the company could examine his page because his profile was set to private.  Basset withdrew his application.  (Job seekers getting asked for Facebook passwords)

This egregious request – and expectation that it will be met – isn’t a stand-alone act.  It just happens to be blatant enough that there’s action moving against it.  But the principle is  condoned within the parameters of other invasive acts, some of which we willingly participate in.  So allow me to digress a bit and follow along outside of the job search world for a minute.

  • Want gas or electricity? A phone? Cable service?  Hand over your ss#. 
  • Get savings and gifts!  Just swipe this little tag you carry on your keychain…. (how many of those do you have?)
  • Prevent terrorism!   Millions support the Patriot Act, which allows the FBI to freely search emails,  phone records, and financial records without a court order. 
  • Been “frisked” or searched when you went through the metal detector prior to flying?
  • How much of the world knows who you are, what you’re doing, who and what you like and don’t like, where you live and went to school, when your birthday is…..because you’re all over social media?

This is not an exhaustive list by any means.

Hiring companies have always conducted references.  Government related entities have always done their checking a little more arduously, and in some cases, rightly so.  But then private companies started with the background checks and fingerprinting.  Then drug tests – even if you weren’t operating machinery.  In the last few years credit checks were added to the mix.

As a career coach, I teach job seekers how to  take back control of their career by not doing everything they’re told, showing them why they don’t have to follow rules such as submitting their resume online and teaching them more productive and effective ways.   I’ve long maintained the reason the companies take all the power is because job seekers give it to them.

But this Facebook thing is different.  There’s not a way around it.  You either give it up or go home.  Obviously not everyone is going to be able to go home, like Basset was.    So what do you do if that’s you?  You still go home.

Don’t be cowed into submission or rationalize it by telling yourself you’ve nothing to hide.  A company who will ask you to hand over that information has no respect for boundaries and that will show up elsewhere after they’ve employed you.  Signing yourself in so they can nose around isn’t any more acceptable. 

Acquiescing is the same as condoning.  Letting a company blur your boundaries is no different than being in a relationship where your partner has no respect for your boundaries.  They’re both invasive and abusive.

Nothing is black and white, especially to a private company who wants to rationalize their screening process for hiring, because unacceptable behavior is tough to define.  What is one company’s harmless behavior can be another company’s cause for dismissal.  It’s the principle we’re talking about here, and the principle is controlling others.  It’s coercion.

For the record, note the article says the Dept of Justice regards it as a federal crime to enter a social networking site in violation of the TOS (although they’re not prosecuting for it), and that both MD and IL have proposed legislation making this illegal.

Have enough respect for yourself to leave, just as Bassett did.  Because if too many people don’t, then bit by bit, it becomes acceptable, simply because there are too many complying.

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Posted in case studies, heinous, interviewing, job hunting advice | 2 Comments »

Is it important to learn different interview styles? part 2

Thursday, March 15th, 2012 by Judi

imagesCAX56528In part 1 I shared why learning the different interviewing styles is a waste of time.  Better to make sure you’ve thoroughly done your interview preparation.   Recognizing a particular style won’t alter how you feel about the interaction between yourself and the interviewer.  In fact, because you’re focusing on the style, it may cause you to rationalize personality traits you should pay attention to.      

For instance, you run into an interviewer who uses a behavioral style and throws a little “stress technique” in there.  He wants to make you sweat. You feel as if you’re under a bright light – he’s grilling you, and you might as well have been fingerprinted. There’s no need to get all worked up (besides, he wants you to).  If that’s his interview style, what do you think it will be like reporting to him?

 The answer to that should calm you down. You won’t care what he thinks, because you probably won’t want to return. Good money? Eventually you’ll hate your boss, then you’ll hate your job, then your life will be hell, because the salary won’t be worth it.  Short drive? Eventually you’ll hate your boss, then you’ll hate your job then your life will be hell, because the drive will still be too long – you won’t want to go where you’re driving. Great advancement promised? After how long? How many people have quit because their boss was a jerk?

If you want to work for a control freak or someone who needs to appear tough and all-knowing, you’ve found the place. If he’s rapid firing questions at you, hoping to trip you up, let him feel important.  Finish the interview and cross the company off your list.

If your first interview is with human resources, sometimes they’re crisply detailed, lofty, and attempt to intimidate you.   Don’t let it throw you. If you know yourself, what you’re looking for, and have done your research on the company, you’re less likely to get flustered.

Others are adept at giving you enough rope to hang yourself, but don’t be lulled into a warm, cozy camaraderie. Watch their visual cues – which can be subtle. Follow your instinct, but follow their lead. They’re screeners, but in that sense, they’re also decision makers.

There are different interview styles, just as there are different types of people. The hiring authority’s interviewing style is usually reflective of his personality.  Stay aware of what’s happening at the moment, what you’re saying, what you’re learning, and how you’re feeling about what’s taking place.

The more you’ve done your homework in accordance with what I’ve suggested, the more relaxed you’ll feel.  The more relaxed you feel, the more confident and in control of your answers you’ll be, and the less likely you’ll be to get flustered by trying to conform to a specific style.

Put effort into making sure you know what your skills are, what gets you excited about going to work, and under what type of management style you flourish.  Know your accomplishments and how they relate to what the company is looking for. Be aware of what motivates you and what turns you off.  Spend time learning about the company with whom you’ll be interviewing instead of trying to prepare for an interview style you can’t possibly anticipate. 

Finding your perfect job is about you being real about who you are, not trying to respond in a favorable manner to some style in hopes that this will endear you to them and give you a better shot at the job.

Because when you’re real about who you are and know what you’re looking for, it doesn’t matter what style you encounter. You’ll be comfortable with any style you meet. And when they want you to come back for another interview, you can decide if you want to….or not.

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Posted in behavior/psychology, interviewing, job hunt tips, job hunting advice | No Comments »

is it important to learn different interview styles? part 1

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 by Judi

imagesCAX56528There are those who emphatically advise job seekers to study and learn the interview styles:  The Directive Interview, The Behavioral Interview, The Stress Interview, The Qualifying Interview, The This Interview, The That Interview.   Their articles outline different styles, list typical questions for each and tell you how to prepare for them, as well as suggesting appropriate answers.

 That’s all well and good, but there’s an obvious question that begs to be asked: how do you know which style you’ll encounter? When you phone to schedule the interview, do you ask, “Oh, by the way Mr. Interviewer, what interview style do you use? I’d like to study that one and ignore all the others.”?

Do you study all of the styles? Memorize every question that applies to each style and all the recommended answers to prepare for each one? And when the interview begins, you say to yourself, “Aha! It’s The Abstract Theoretical Look Sideways Style!” and then you know exactly what to say and do. 

Unless of course you missed a style or happen to confuse them, which throws you off and causes you to bomb the interview.

Worrying about interviewing styles is ridiculous. Not only is it too much information to memorize, but it’s also a waste of time. An interview is nerve-wracking as it is without worrying about which style you’re going to encounter.

The interview is about the company and how your presence will benefit them.  The preparation (with the exception of your company research) is about knowing who you are and what you’re looking for.  It’s not about the company or anticipating the hiring authority’s interviewing style.

Interview preparation is an absolute, non-negotiable, unequivocal must, but preparing by learning different styles is not. That’s why your interview preparation needs to be focused on learning about yourself, listing questions to ask, and forming your answers to fundamental interview questions.

You prepare by focusing on yourself because you are seeking your perfect job. You want to have the power to decide if you want to return for another interview instead of giving that power away. You want to be in control of your future.

An interview is a sales process. The product is, essentially, you. And you need to be real about who you are, and be prepared enough to interview well.  Do that properly and the style you encounter is irrelevant.

Interviewing is 85% prep and 15% common sense. Sometimes it does involve a bit of mirroring, but again, some of that is common sense.   Do it without losing your individuality. For instance, if the interviewer is chatty, longer answers are okay. If the interviewer is crisp and serious, keep your answers focused and on the topic.

For instance, one interviewer might leave you thinking “What’s up with this guy?” He seems rather at a loss as to what to ask you. His questions are open ended and don’t seem to have any firm direction or point. Just use common sense. You’ve done your interview prep work – jump in and sell yourself. That doesn’t mean talk non-stop, but you don’t have to sit there and be uncomfortably silent for long periods of time either.

Ease the awkwardness. Help him out. Lots of holes? Gracefully and professionally answer some of the questions you were prepared to answer, even though he hasn’t asked them. He may not know how to interview very well.

No one – except maybe a human resources person – should have a lot of experience interviewing. If they do – they either can’t keep a job….or they can’t keep employees, so he may be an incompetent interviewer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be an incompetent boss.  On the other hand, other styles can be a definite warning sign.

Part 2 next week:  A few examples, as well as why styles are irrelevant and what’s much more important to prepare for.

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Posted in behavior/psychology, interviewing, job hunt tips, job hunting advice, job offers | No Comments »