Thanks for your calls and emails requesting information about the following topics related to job interviews.
What are the best questions to ask on an interview?
The ones that net the information you need to make a good decision. They’re the probing, open-ended questions that ask how, what, where, when, and why? They find what you ought to know and not always what you want to hear. They’re tough to ask and challenging to answer:
“Describe the employees who have been your most successful; and those who didn’t make it.” “Tell me about the boss’s management style and the people who respond best to it.” “How do you measure success in this company and who does the measuring?” “Who’s going to tell me how I’m doing and how and when will I find out?”
What are three ruts to avoid while on an interview?
Being too eager, being too aloof, and being too sloppy. Over eager applicants talk too much, try too hard, and keep the spotlight on themselves instead of the positions they seek. They seldom ask questions and turn every question they’re asked into a soapbox for their candidacy.
Under eager applicants call themselves “laid back”. They say too little, slump too much, and generally project an “I could care less” attitude into the proceedings. There are too many “I could care more” candidates out there to take any time on this one.
Too sloppy applicants arrive late, act clueless, and look like yesterday’s lunch. They sit in the wrong chair, call the boss, “pal”, and answer their cell phones in mid interview.
What can you do about age discrimination if you’re in a job market that’s tossing people out who are half your age?
You can’t control an economy that’s firing more people than its hiring; or control an aging process that giveth more wrinkles than it taketh away. You can control how you respond to what’s happening, and like it or not, you’re measured by your reactions to the things you cannot change. Pay attention to what employers want. They look for employees who are positive and optimistic.
They want problem solvers, not problem makers. They need people who can do more with less, who can streamline, expedite, deal with change and change at will. They need people who know that team players do more than just show up and that respect for diversity is more than a slogan. Being part of this work force is more than looking the part; you have to play the part, every day.
And that’s true if you fifteen or fifty-five.
What are some basics for good salary negotiation?
Knowing the lowest salary you can accept before you set foot in your first interview. That keeps you from taking a job that pays less than you can afford. “But they want me!” won’t pay the rent . “They promised me a big increase in 90 days” won’t put food on the table.
Once you land an interview, defer talk of pay and benefits until you’ve had ample opportunity to understand the challenges the company and your prospective department faces. Match your strengths to their needs, providing appropriate anecdotal examples that describe how you will add value to their business.
What should I emphasize when preparing my resume?
Brevity. Clarity. Truth. A resume is a fact filled summary of your work experience. It’s an outline of duties and responsibilities with an emphasis on significant accomplishments in terms that are quantifiable and measurable.
Organize your resume in reverse chronological order, reaching back 15 years. List those jobs that you held earlier (prior to 1986) without elaborating upon them. Select 24 lb. paper that’s white, off white, or gray; 12 pt. type, in easy to read font. The person screening your resume dedicates about 30 seconds to its review, so edit, then edit some more.
Go heavy on the action verbs (accomplished; established; leveraged) and easy on the adjectives (loyal, trustworthy, hardworking). Keep the emphasis on what you did and how you did it. A resume isn’t an advertisement or a marketing piece; it’s an objective presentation of your work history.
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Joyce Richman (www.joycerichman.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts conducted seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.
