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Your #Career : #Interviews -How to Practice for an #Interview in 5 Steps (Bonus: Great Checklists)…Ready to Learn How to Walk into an #Interview with Confidence, and Knock It Out of the Park? Follow these Five Steps

What if I run into traffic on my way to the interview and get there late? What if I mess up one of my answers? What if I draw a total blank when my interviewer asks me if I have any questions for them?

If you’ve ever been up for a position you really wanted before, then questions like these have probably raced through your head in the hours — or worse, throughout the night — before your big interview.

Many people think of overwhelming anxiety as an inevitable part of the interview process. But the truth is, your nerves can be greatly eased once you learn how to properly prepare for an interview. Not only will this make you feel a whole lot better going in — odds are, with a clear head, you’ll actually do a better job.

Ready to learn how to walk into an interview with confidence, and knock it out of the park? Follow these five steps.

1. Research the Company

Recruiters and hiring managers don’t just want to know about your skills and experience — they also want to know how knowledgeable you are about the company. In fact, questions like “What is the name of our CEO?” and “Who are our competitors?” are both among the most commonly asked interview questions. But even if you don’t encounter a question like this, looking up the basics of the company is still worthwhile.

Use Glassdoor and online searches to learn about the company’s industry, products, mission, names of leaders, competitors, recent news and more. Then, you can drop these tidbits of newfound knowledge throughout your responses — e.g., when asked “Why do you want to work here?” a candidate might say, “The reason I decided to apply to this job was because of how much your mission resonates with me. I truly believe that making affordable, high-speed internet widely accessible will help bring the world closer together.” This proves a few things: a) you’re passionate about the opportunity, b) you’re a proactive self-starter with good critical thinking skills and c) you’re a good culture fit for the company.

You can also use this info to ask more informed questions of the interviewers themselves — more on that later.

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2. Look Up Common Interview Questions

A lot of candidates stress out over not knowing what a recruiter or hiring manager is going to ask them. But in reality, you’ll get a lot of the same questions from one person to another. There are a few basic questions that you’ll almost certainly be asked — these include staples like “Tell me about yourself,” “Why do you want to leave your current job?” and “What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?” If you’re a data-driven job seeker, you’ll appreciate the list of the 50 Most Common Interview Questions that Glassdoor identified after sifting through tens of thousands of interview reviews.

You can also use Glassdoor’s interview reviews to find out which questions they specifically ask at the company you’re applying to, as well as which questions are common for your job title. Sure, you might be thrown an oddball interview question every now and then, but you’ll likely find that the vast majority of questions you’re asked are ones that you can identify in advance.

3. Rehearse Your Answers

Now that you have an idea of which questions you could be asked, it’s time to think about how you will respond to them. Keep in mind that in general, interviewers want responses that are specific, positive, impactful and genuine. If you want to know what kind of answers recruiters and hiring managers are looking for from specific questions, check out Glassdoor’s How to Answer the 50 Most Common Interview Questions.

Don’t just think about what your response should entail — go ahead and write it down. You probably shouldn’t write out full answers — that can result in you memorizing the responses verbatim, which can come across as too rehearsed — but making a bulleted list of key points you want to hit is a great idea. Try using the worksheet at the bottom of this blog post to sketch out your answers.

After you’ve written down the key points you want to hit in common interview questions, it’s a good idea to hold a mock interview aloud with a friend or family member. Some people might feel a little shy about doing this, but brush these feelings aside as best you can — in my experience, this is the number one way to improve your odds of succeeding in an interview. Doing a dry run will allow you to get any mistakes you might make out of the way before it counts against you, and also helps you get valuable feedback, so don’t skip this essential step.

4. Come Up With Your Own Questions

One of the questions you’ll almost always be asked by an interviewer is “Do you have any questions for me?” It might seem innocuous, but believe it or not, this is a very common area in which candidates trip up. Interviewers aren’t just asking this question to be nice — it serves as somewhat of a litmus test for whether or not you’ve done your research, are a good culture fit and demonstrate strong critical thinking skills.

Use the research you gathered in step two to help you craft intelligent, informed questions about the role and company that will give you a fuller picture of what it’s like to work there and what it takes to be successful. For example, if you learned that the company you’re applying to is launching a new mobile app, you might say “I read that your company is launching a new mobile experience soon. Can you tell me more about that, and how it relates to this position?” You can also use this opportunity to dig into anything that hasn’t been brought up yet or covered in sufficient detail, like company culture, how the company defines success and what drew your interviewer to the company.

5. Hammer Out the Logistics

Congrats — if you’ve gotten through the previous four steps, you’ve already gotten the hard part out of the way! Now, all you have to do is think through all the little logistical details of your interview. These can vary depending on what kind of interview it is — phone, video, in-person, etc. Here are a few things to keep in mind for some of the most common types of interviews:

Phone Interviews

  • Pick a quiet place with good service to take the call
  • Confirm the day and time, accounting for differences in time zone
  • Confirm how you’re getting in touch with the hiring manager (Are they calling you? Are you calling them? Will you call their cell, or a conference number?)
  • Review the job description and company information 30 minutes before the call
  • Breathe — try to stay relaxed and focused!

Video Interviews

  • Pick a quiet place with good lighting and a simple background to take the interview
  • Do a test run to try out the video software
  • Restart your computer before the interview to help avoid technical difficulties
  • Dress like you are going to an in-person interview

In-Person Interviews:

  • Research standard company attire and dress one step above that
  • Have directions to where you’re going
  • Print multiple copies of your resume
  • Plan on arriving 30 minutes early, but wait in your car or at a coffee shop nearby until 5 minutes before
  • Brush your teeth or chew some gum before walking in
  • Run through your cheat sheet of responses, and a list of questions to ask each interviewer

Preparing for an interview the right way does take some work on your part, but believe us — it’s worth the effort. Who knows? You might just find that interviews aren’t as scary as you thought after all. Now go out there and get ‘em!

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GlassDoor.com |  | 

Your #Career : #CareerAdvice, #Interviews -How to Sell Yourself to a #HiringManager …You Quickly Get a Couple of Calls to Set Up Interviews, Talk to a Couple of #HiringManagers , and…you Don’t Hear Back. What’s Going On?

You’re ready to make a change, so you throw your hat in the ring for a few opportunities that look interesting. You quickly get a couple of calls to set up interviews, talk to a couple of hiring managers, and…you don’t hear back.

This is frustrating because the company wouldn’t interview you if you didn’t look like a reasonable candidate on paper or if you didn’t come with a recommendation from your professional network.

So your resume and recommendations are strong enough to get interviews, but then the opportunities just sort of dry up.

What’s going on?

This is almost always a sign that you need better positioning.

“What is positioning?”

Your job interviews are a part of your negotiation. The better you perform, the better your offer will be and the better you’ll be able make your case when you begin the formal salary negotiation.

Every question you’re asked is a chance to move them in this direction. Imagine you have a power meter that fills up a little more every time you give a great answer to an interview question. The more full that power meter is when they make you an offer, the better the offer will be.

Once you get into your interviews your job is to change the company’s thinking from “What’s the minimum we can offer this candidate to get them into this role?” to “What’s it going to take to convince this candidate to take this job?”

See the difference? You want to shift their thinking from “What’s the minimum salary we can offer?” to “What’s it going to take?”

Positioning is how you describe yourself as the hero this company needs, turning your skillset and experience into superpowers by matching them with the outcomes the business wants.

Let’s illustrate this with an example you may have experienced: Let’s say you’ve applied for a job as a software developer and you’re being interviewed by someone on the team you might work with.

Suddenly, you’re asked a common interview question that scares most people:

“Why should we hire you?”

You’re definitely qualified for the job, but this question catches you off guard, so you freeze up and say something like this:

“I’m a software developer.”

Maybe you elaborate a bit and mention the school you went to or the programming languages you’re familiar with. But in the end, your answer doesn’t really tell the interviewer anything new or compelling.

You’re not alone—that’s what most people would say! They might use more words, but their answer boils down to “I read the job description and I think I can do that job.”

Here’s what your answer might sound like when you leveraging strong positioning to stand out as the candidate for the job:

“You’re transitioning your application to Ruby on Rails, and I’ve been using Ruby on Rails for production client projects for two years. I can save your team a lot of time because I can start writing production code right away.”

Well, hello there! That’s a compelling answer that will impress your interviewer and significantly increase your chances of getting another interview and ultimately getting a high-quality job offer. And there’s a straightforward process you can follow to consistently give strong answers like the second one.

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Learning about the job and company

In a nutshell, positioning is how you show a company that you’re the person they need for a specific job.

But how do you do that? How did the Software Developer know the company was transitioning their application to Ruby on Rails?

Research!

Basic research you should do for each opportunity

You’ll start with basic research and careful preparation for your interviews. Your goal is to learn enough about the company and job you’re pursuing so that you understand exactly what they need. Once you have that information, will tell them why you are exactly what they need.

Here’s a short list of things you should look for as you discover exactly what the company needs:

  • Company name
  • Company size
  • Mission statement
  • Company goals
  • Company challenges/struggles
  • Company website and jobs page (a link to the specific job listing would be great, plus a link to their generic jobs page)
  • What types of other jobs are they trying to fill right now? How many of each type?
  • A summary of what your know about the company from blog posts, news, experience with their products, etc.
  • Are they growing? How quickly?

Knowing that information before you go into an interview will help you be prepared to talk about the specific company and job you’re considering. And, more importantly, you’ll be able to tell a more detailed story about how their company will be better if you’re a part of it.

Where to find that information

So where do you start? There are three main places where you’ll find pretty much everything you need: their company website, Google and Glassdoor.

This doesn’t need to be complicated—you’re simply doing the work that others won’t do. Here are the types of information you’re looking for:

  • Company website—You’re particularly interested in their “Careers” or “Jobs” page, their home page, their About page.
  • News and articles about them—Are other people talking about this company? What are they saying?
  • Blogs—If they have a corporate blog, read a few entries to see what they’re talking about right now; if there are other blogs written about the company, see what others are saying about the company.
  • Financial statements—If the company is publicly traded, then they’re required to file 10-Q (quarterly) and 10-K (annual) financial statements. You don’t have to read the entire thing, but the first page is usually pretty enlightening.

In general, bigger companies will have more information available than smaller companies. That’s ok. For now, all you’re doing is building a list of data sources you can use.

Using your research to answer interview questions

Use the short list of above to discover exactly what the company needs. Most of the information is publicly available, and some companies will have more information than others. But that’s ok because you just need basic information to get through the first interview or two.

How can you help them achieve their goals and address their pain points?

This is the key question you want to answer before your interviews. When you can tell the hiring manager how you’ll help the company or team achieve its goals and address its challenges, they will want to hire you.

Remember, they’re interviewing you because they need to fill an open position. That position is open because the company has needs or challenges that the person who does that job will help address. So when you tell them that you’ll help them address those needs and challenges, and you tell them how you’ll do it, you’re saying, “I am the candidate you opened this job for.”

Why would they look anywhere else?

Here’s the formula:

  1. Identify needs and challenges the company or team has.
  2. Identify specific ways you can help them address those needs and challenges.
  3. Answer interview questions by telling them how you’ll help them address their needs and challenges.

Let’s go back to the very beginning. The question we’re considering is:

“Why should we hire you?”

Most people are intimidated by this question because it’s so vague and open-ended. Usually, they’ll say something like, “Because I’m a software developer.”

A more experienced interviewer might say something like:

“I’ve been in this industry for 10 years, and I worked on a major project for ACME Corp and carried a lot of responsibility there. I also have experience managing teams and I have published five white papers on various topics.”

But look at who this candidate is talking about: I’ve, I, I, I.

That’s not good enough.

Don’t just talk about yourself. Talk about how you can help the company achieve its goals or address its pain points. You’ll still say “I”, but you’ll say it in the context of “you”.

This is a softball question, the perfect setup for you to tell them how you’ll help them meet one of their goals or resolve a challenge they’re having! Take advantage of it!

If you’ve done your research before the interview, then the first thing you’ll do when confronted with this question is think, “What is their most urgent need or challenge?” It will probably be pretty obvious since you’ve spent time reading about their company, but it’s ok to just pick something from your list if there isn’t any particular outstanding one.

Now that you’ve identified their most urgent need, ask yourself, “How can I help them address that need?” You’ve already been thinking about this before the interview, so it’s a slam dunk.

Then you put them together into a nice, short answer that tells them how you’ll help them address their most urgent need with your skillset and experience.

When companies hire people, they have a range they’re able to pay to fill the position, and they’re more inclined to pay at the higher end of that range if they find the right candidate. You want to be that candidate.

Another look at our Software Developer example from earlier

Before we wrap up, let’s jump back to the software developer example we saw earlier. Now that you know how to use positioning to answer interview questions, see if you can spot the need and how the developer describes the solution when asked “Why should we hire you?”

“You’re transitioning your application to Ruby on Rails, and I’ve been using Ruby on Rails for production client projects for two years. I can save your team a lot of time because I can start writing production code right away.”

You’re, your, I’ve, I, your, I.

Do you see it now? This answer is much more focused on the company and their needs.

The most urgent need this developer identified was a big transition to a new technology. The developer could directly help address that need because he had a few years’ experience with that specific technology.

All he had to do was tell the interviewer how he could help meet that need.

That’s an excellent use of positioning to answer a tricky interview question.

Use this process for every new opportunity

Let’s go back to our Positioning definition from the beginning of this series:

Positioning is how you describe yourself as the hero this company needs, turning your skillset and experience into superpowers by matching them with the outcomes the business wants.

For each opportunity you pursue, do the research described above, and consider the company’s goals and challenges. Then think about how you can use your skillset and experience to help the company address those goals and challenges.

Do that for every opportunity and you’ll stand out from other candidates and get more high-quality job offers.

 

Glassdoor.com | May 28, 2018 | Posted by 

 

 

Your #Career : Behind the Scenes: Uncovering the Myths and Mysteries of #Recruiting …For many #Jobseekers , it Can be Confusing & Downright Frustrating to Try to Understand what a Recruiter is Thinking when He/She Reviews a #Resume or is Evaluating a Candidate Post-Interview.

For many jobseekers, it can be confusing and downright frustrating to try to understand what a recruiter is thinking when he or she reviews a resume or is evaluating a candidate post-interview. Most recruiters would like to speak with everyone personally, but some of their job postings have so many people applying, that they often have to rely on form letters.

Here are some insights into all those questions you would love to ask the person on the other side of the “Apply” button.  

Scenario #1: I just clicked Apply and submitted my application. What happens now?

After a job is posted, recruiters will spend time reviewing applicants and setting up interviews for the most qualified people. They also do some proactive searching for skilled candidates if they’ve got a really tough job to fill. After interviews wrap up, recruiters spend a lot of time comparing notes with the hiring teams. During those discussions, they will offer expertise to influence hiring decisions and help determine the best person for the job.

Scenario #2: I thought the interview went well, then I got a form letter. What happened?

Don’t take a form letter as a sign of not doing well; it’s possible that you did a great job, someone else just did slightly better. Recruiters truly wish they could respond to everyone personally, but some of their open jobs have literally hundreds of people applying.

Scenario #3: Is it a bad idea for me to apply to the same role multiple times?

It’s not unheard of to apply multiple times before being hired, especially at well-known companies or in competitive industries. The key is to show the recruiter you have something new to offer the next time you interview. Start by doing an honest self-assessment of your interview performance:

  • Did you struggle to provide strong answers? 
  • Did the recruiter have to ask follow-up questions to understand your responses? 
  • Did you make it to the interview step or were you declined during the apply phase? 

Whatever you uncover, know that you don’t necessarily have to offer something drastically different the next time, sometimes just improving your interview performance is enough. But if you were declined early in the process, take some time to consider whether you met all the criteria for the role. You may want to take a few months to obtain new skills or experiences before trying again.

Another best practice is to take some reflection time immediately following an interview. Write down everything you can remember – questions you were asked, your answers, what you did well, and what you would improve.

Scenario #4: Why didn’t the recruiter offer me feedback after the interview?

Recruiters and the hiring team collaborate before deciding where strengths and opportunity areas exist, so immediate feedback wouldn’t be helpful to the applicant. Another reason is time – offering feedback to a large volume of applicants isn’t very efficient. Even if only a few people applied, many recruiters are hesitant to give feedback due to legal reasons.

Scenario #5: How can I stand out during the interview process?

Believe it or not, simple things like professionalism, manners, and a polished presence make a huge difference. Display your enthusiasm for the job and practice articulating your qualifications so they’ll sound natural, not rehearsed. Make sure to research the hiring company so you’ll sound informed, and avoid gimmicks. And don’t forget to send a personalized “thank you” note – you’d be surprised how many people forget.

Scenario #6: I was originally scheduled for a phone interview in two days, now it’s pushed out two weeks. Is this a bad sign?

Not necessarily. Many industries (banking, finance, PR, to name a few) have frequent emergencies that need addressing right away. If your interview is rescheduled once or twice, that may be a normal course of business. Five or six times? It could be a sign that the business or person is a bit disorganized. Chat with a trusted contact in your industry to uncover if this is normal.

Scenario #7: During an interview, I was only asked two or three questions. Should I be concerned?

There are many reasons for short interviews, so don’t worry too much about the length. Sometimes, recruiters identify something early on that tells them they want to move a candidate to the next step in the process; they then save deeper questions for that stage. Many phone screens, for example, only take about 15 minutes. It could also be that your interviewer isn’t prepared for the conversation or is newer at interviewing. Always make sure to ask your own questions to demonstrate your interest in the role. Asking solid questions can make a more memorable – and more positive – impression.

Scenario #8: I get so nervous during interviews! Will this affect my ability to get a job?

While it’s true that you are being assessed on your ability to stay composed in a tough situation, how much you are measured will depend on the role. For example, if you are applying for a senior leader position, recruiters will expect you to appear confident and relaxed.

In other roles, many recruiters will overlook slight nervousness, but if your emotions get out of control (crying, gasping for air, being unable to speak) it can negatively affect the impression you make. There are little tricks to look less nervous than you feel – smile a few times, avoid conversations fillers (such as “um” and “uh”) and don’t be afraid to pause if you need a moment to compose your thoughts. Above all, realize that recruiters empathize that interviewing is hard. Remember that they brought you in for a reason – they want you to do well and get hired.

Devon Miller, Talent Branding and Recruitment Marketing at Vanguard, is a writer specializing in branding and marketing topics that create authenticity and engagement via social media channels. Vanguard is one of the world’s largest investment companies, offering a large selection of high-quality low-cost mutual funds, ETFs, advice, and related services.

GlassDoor.com |  

#BestofFSCBlog : Sixteen(16) #InterviewQuestions that are Designed to Trick You. Here are a Few Particularly Thorny Questions — and Some Suggestions on How to Answer Them.

Savvy hiring managers know exactly what to ask candidates. Sometimes, that means asking prospective employees seemingly simple questions.

These questions may seem innocuous at first, but they’re actually trying to get you to reveal information you may have been trying to conceal.

Hiring managers often love these queries. Used correctly, they break through the traditional interview noise and clutter to get to the raw you.

So it’s important to learn how to answer questions designed to trick you.

Here are a few particularly thorny questions — and some suggestions on how to answer them:

1- ‘Can you tell me about yourself?’

“The employer wants to hear that the candidate did their homework,” Tina Nicolai, executive career coach and founder of Resume Writers’ Ink, told Business Insider. “The interviewer is also listening for a level of confidence in how well the candidate portrays herself through the information that is communicated.”

So, how can such a straightforward question be a trap? Nicolai said that it’s important not to use this question as an opportunity to chat about your personal life. You need to focus on your potential value to the organization.

“The employer wants to hear about your achievements broken down into two or three succinct bullet answers that will set the tone of the interview,” Nicolai said.

Remember, what we tell people about us is what they hear. So stay sharp and convey your top strengths when answering this question.

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2- ‘How would you describe yourself in one word?’

With this question, interviewers are likely hoping to elicit several data points.

They want to know about your personality type, how confident you are in your self perception, and whether your work style is a good fit for the job, explained Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job

This question can be a challenge, particularly early on in the interview, because you don’t really know what personality type the manager is seeking.

“There is a fine line between sounding self-congratulatory versus confident, and humble versus timid,” Taylor told Business Insider. “And people are multifaceted, so putting a short label on oneself can seem nearly impossible.”

When in doubt, opt for the conservative route. For example, if your coworkers find you both hilarious and reliable, Taylor said to stay on the safe side and emphasize the latter trait.

But most of all, try to tailor your response to the role or organization in question.

“Most employers today are seeking team players that are levelheaded under pressure, upbeat, honest, reliable, and dedicated,” she added. “However, it would be a mistake to rattle off adjectives that you think will be well received. This is your opportunity to describe how your best attributes are a great match for the job as you see it.”

3- ‘How does this position compare to others you are applying for?’

They’re basically asking: “Are you applying for other jobs?”

“The hiring manager is first trying to figure out how active you are in your job search,” Nicolai said. The interviewer wants to see how you speak about other companies or positions that hold your interest — and how honest you are.

If you say, “This is the only job I’m applying for,” that’ll send up a red flag. Very few job applicants apply to only one job — so they may assume you’re being dishonest.

If you openly speak about other positions you’re pursuing, however, and you speak favorably about them, the hiring manager may see you as unattainable and pass.

“Speaking negatively about other jobs or employers isn’t good either,” she said.

It is appropriate to say, “There are several organizations with whom I am interviewing, however, I’ve not yet decided the best fit for my next career move.”

“This is positive and protects the competitors,” Nicolai said. “No reason to pit companies or to brag.”

4- ‘Can you name three of your strengths and weaknesses?’

The interviewer is looking for red flags and deal-breakers, such as an inability to work well with coworkers or an inability to meet deadlines.

“Each job has its unique requirements, so your answers should showcase applicable strengths, and your weaknesses should have a silver lining,” Taylor said. “At the very least, you should indicate that negative attributes have diminished because of positive actions you’ve taken.”

Exposing your weaknesses can hurt you if not ultimately turned into positives, she said.

“Your strengths may not align with the skill set or work style required for the job. It’s best to prepare for this question in advance, or risk landing in a minefield,” Taylor said.

And, as for strengths, Hiring managers want to know that they will be a direct asset to the new position.

But the most important thing is to be able to show the interviewer that you’re capable of well-thought-out self-reflection.

“They are also looking for your ability to self-assess with maturity and confidence,” Taylor said.

5- ‘Why do you want to work here?’

Interviewers ask this because they want to know what drives you the most, how well you’ve researched them, and how much you want the job.

“Clearly you want to work for the firm for several reasons,” Taylor said. “But just how you prioritize them reveals a lot about what is important to you.”

You may be thinking to yourself, “I’m not getting paid what I’m worth,” or, “I have a terrible boss,” or, “All things being equal, this commute is incredibly short” — none of which endears you to the hiring manager.

“You’re also being tested on your level of interest for the job,” she said.

Hiring managers want to see that you’ve taken the time to research the company and understand the industry.

They also want to know that you actually want this job (and not just any job); that you have a can-do attitude; that you are high energy; that you can make a significant contribution; that you understand their mission and goals; and that you want to be part of that mission.

6- ‘Why do you want to leave your current job?’

“Your prospective boss is looking for patterns or anything negative, especially if your positions are many and short-term,” Taylor said.

The interviewer may try to determine whether you have had issues working with others leading to termination, if you get bored quickly in a job, or other red flags.

So tread with caution. If you’re not diplomatic, your answer could raise further questions and doubts or sink your chances entirely.

The hiring manager is likely hoping you are seeking a more challenging position that is a better fit for your skill set, according to Taylor.

“Know that hiring managers don’t mind hearing that you’re particularly excited about the growth opportunity at their company,” Taylor said.

7- ‘What are you most proud of in your career?’

Interviewers want to understand what you’re passionate about, what you feel you excel at, and whether you take pride in your work.

“How you describe your favorite project, for example, is almost as important as the project itself,” Taylor said. “It’s assumed that if you can speak with conviction and pride about your past work, you can do the same during important presentations at the new employer.”

Managers may assume that this type of work is what you really want to do most or focus on in the future.

It can make you sound one-dimensional if you don’t put it in the context of a larger range of skills and interests.

Hiring managers want to see your ability to articulate well and foster enthusiasm in others, as well as your positive energy.

“But one note of caution: In all your zeal to share your successes, remain concise,” Taylor said. “You want to showcase your ability to present well once on the job.”

8- ‘What kind of boss and coworkers have you had the most and least success with, and why?’

The key to answering this question is staying cool.

You run the risk of appearing difficult by admitting to unsuccessful interactions with others, unless you keep emotions out of it.

Interviewers are trying to ascertain if you generally have conflicts with people and/or personality types.

“Secondarily, they want to know how you can work at your best,” Taylor said.

You may also inadvertently describe some of the attributes of your prospective boss.

“They want to hear more good than bad news,” Taylor said. “It’s always best to start out with the positive and downplay the negatives.”

You don’t want to be evasive, but this is not the time to outline all your personality shortcomings either.

This is an opportunity to speak generally about traits that you admire in others yet appear flexible enough to work with a variety of personality types.

For example: “I think I work well with a wide gamut of personalities. Some of my most successful relationships have been where both people communicated very well and set mutual expectations up front.”

9- ‘Have you ever considered being an entrepreneur?’

In most cases, this question gets at whether or not you’re planning to abandon ship and found your own company, Taylor said.

“No firm wants to sense this, as they will begin to ponder whether their valuable training time and money could vanish,” Taylor said.

Don’t get lured into talking about your one-time desire to be your own boss with too much perceived enthusiasm. An employer may fear that you still hope to eventually go out on your own and consider you a flight risk.

It’s okay to tell a prospective manager that you once considered entrepreneurship or have worked as an independent contractor.

Turn the experience into a positive by saying that you’ve already experienced it or thought about it, and it’s not for you.

That might be more convincing than saying, “No, I’ve never considered that.”

This is an opportunity to discuss why working in a corporate environment as part of a team is most fulfilling to you.

You may also enjoy the specialized work in your field more than the operational, financial, or administrative aspects of entrepreneurship.

You can further allay their fears by explaining exactly why their company appeals to you.

10- ‘If you could work for any company, where would you work?’

Hiring managers want to ascertain how serious you are about working for them in particular, versus the competition, as well as your level of loyalty, Taylor said.

“It also helps them weed out candidates who may veer from the core career,” Taylor said. “You may have heard that Google is a great place to work, but that off-road strategy would spell doom, as you’re being given the opportunity to theoretically work at your ‘dream job.'”

Basically, stay focused on the job at hand. Don’t get caught up in the casual flow of the discussion and inadvertently leak out your preference for a well-known firm.

“Your interviewer wants to know that you’re interviewing at your first company of choice,” Taylor said.

A response to this might be, “Actually, I’ve been heavily researching target firms, and [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][your company] seems like the ideal fit for my credentials,” Taylor said. “It’s exciting to me that [your company] is doing XYZ in the industry, for example, and I’d like to contribute my part.”

11- ‘Why were you laid off?’

“Employers want to know how you hold up under pressure and less fortunate circumstances such as job loss,” Nicolai said. “They want to hear that you are positive and ready to get back to work with a great attitude. They also want to hear a level of confidence — not defeat or anger.”

For starters, you may be bitter or angry about the layoff, and this question may prompt you to bad-mouth your former employer, which you never want to do in a job interview.

“Stay away from finger pointing, desperation, or portraying a victim,” she added.

Instead, talk about the business decision behind the layoff and keep your own feelings about the situation in check.

“Be sure to not cast blame or any discontent,” Nicolai said. “Stay on track with the facts as you know them.”

12- ‘What would you do if you won $5 million tomorrow?’

What’s the goal of this out-of-left-field question? The interviewer probably wants to know whether you would still work if you did not need the money.

They want to hear that you would continue working because you’re passionate about what you do — and they want to know you would make smart financial decisions.

If you would do something irresponsible with your own money, they’ll worry you’ll be careless with theirs.

Your response to this question tells the employer about your motivation and work ethic.

Your interviewer also might be testing your ability to handle a somewhat random question.

“They have nothing to do with the job at hand, and you may wonder if there is any significance to them,” Taylor said. “Whether there is or not, the fact remains that you can easily lose your cool if you don’t pause and gather your thoughts before you respond to a question like this.”

13- ‘Have you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by your supervisor or colleague? Tell us about it.’

Your prospective boss is evaluating your moral compass by asking how you handled a delicate situation that put your integrity to the test, Taylor said.

“They may also dig too deeply to test your level of discretion,” she said.

Essentially they want to know: Did you use diplomacy? Did you publicly blow the whistle? Did a backlash ensue? What was your thought process?

Interviewers want to know how you manage sensitive matters and are also wary of those who bad-mouth former employers, no matter how serious the misdeed.

“They will be concerned if you share too much proprietary information with the interviewer,” she said. “So it is tricky because you must carefully choose your words, using the utmost diplomacy.”

It’s wise to be clear, concise, and professional in your answer, without revealing any internal practices of prior employers.

“You have nothing to gain by divulging private corporation information,” Taylor said.

14- ‘Can you give us a reason someone may not like working with you?’

Prospective bosses want to know if there are any glaring personality issues, and what better way than to go direct to the source?

“They figure that the worst that can happen is you will lie, and they may feel they’re still adept at detecting mis-truths,” Taylor said. “The negative tone of the question is bound to test the mettle of even the most seasoned business professionals.”

But be careful. You can easily shoot yourself in the foot with this question.

If you flip and say, “I can’t think of a reason anyone wouldn’t like working with me,” you’re subtly insulting the interviewer by trivializing the question.

So you have to frame the question in a way that gets at the intent without being self-effacing. “Hiring managers are not seeking job candidates who have self-pity,” she said.

Taylor suggested leading with the positive: “‘Generally I’ve been fortunate to have great relationships at all my jobs.'”

“‘The only times I have been disliked — and it was temporary — was when I needed to challenge my staff to perform better,'” Taylor added. “‘Sometimes I feel we must make unpopular decisions that are for the larger good of the company.'”

15- ‘How did you make time for this interview? Where does your boss think you are right now?’

Hiring managers want to find out if your priorities are in the right place: current job first, interviews second.

“They know that the habits you follow now speak to your integrity and how you will treat your job at their company should you undertake a future job search,” Taylor said. “They also want to know how you handle awkward situations where you cannot be truthful to your boss. Ideally your interview is during a break that is your time, which is important to point out.”

The implication is, “How is it searching for a job behind your boss’ back?” For most employed job seekers, it’s uncomfortable to lie about their whereabouts.

So they’re vague and treat it like any other personal matter they handle on their time.

It’s wise to explain that you always put your job first, and schedule interviews before or after work, at lunchtime, during weekends if appropriate, and during personal time off.

If asked pointedly, “Where does your boss think you are right now?” be vague.

Don’t say: “I took a sick day.” Instead, Taylor suggested you try something like: “My boss understands that I have certain break periods and personal time — he doesn’t ask for details. He’s most interested in my results.”

16- ‘Tell me about a time you disagreed with a company policy’

The hiring manager is attempting to determine a number of things with this query.

Namely, your decision-making ability, ease of working with others, and most importantly, whether you will speak up after identifying an area in need of improvement.

“To say, ‘I’ve never disagreed with a company policy’ is tough to believe from even the most amenable employee,” Nicolai said. “This also sends a message that you may just accept anything that you are told to do without thinking through all possible outcomes.”

While companies want leaders and employees to follow the rules, they also want people who are going to review potential outdated policies and have the courage to push back and propose changes to maintain a current, competitive edge and productive workplace.

So offer up a real situation that points out a logical and business reason that you were in opposition of a policy, she suggested.

“Focus on how your idea to rework the policy was beneficial to the company as a whole,” Nicolai said. “Speak up on the research that you conducted, the facts that you presented, and the outcome of your attempts to have the policy rewritten.”

Jacquelyn Smith contributed to a previous version of this article.

 

Businessinsider.com | March 27, 2018 |  

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Your #Career : How To Answer Questions About Your #CareerGoals …When You’re Unsure It’s Difficult to Answer, “Where Do you See Yourself in Five Years?” When you are Still Figuring Out What you Want, But you can Still Give a Good Answer without Sounding Lazy.

There are certain questions all job candidates should come to expect during the interview process. Some of them might be easy to address. Others may be tougher. But if there’s one question that tends to fall somewhere in the middle, it’s the ever-popular, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Remember, it’s okay to admit in an interview that you’re not 100% sure where you see yourself in five years, but make certain to emphasize where you see yourself today. 

Of course, it’s a fairly simple question to answer if you actually know what you want career-wise. For example, if your goal is to be heading up a design team at that point or to be a high-level financial analyst for a major corporation, then you’re likely to breeze through that inquiry without a problem.

But what if you’re new to the workforce and therefore have no idea what you want to be doing half a decade from now? You can’t exactly respond to that question with an uninspired, “I don’t know,” because if you do, you’ll come across as unmotivated and unprepared–even if that is an honest answer. Here’s a better way to address that question without seeming flaky or aloof.


Related: Four Smart Ways To Dodge Dumb Job Interview Questions


1. OFFER A RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES

It’s hard to know exactly what you’re looking for early on in your career, but one thing you can do is talk about a number of paths that interest you. For example, if you’re applying for a role as a marketing assistant, you might tell your interviewer that you can see yourself working toward senior copywriter status, or that you might come to enjoy project management. Both answers are valid given the job at hand, and this way, you’re not locking yourself into too specific an answer.

Remember, the danger of the “Where do you see yourself” question is that if the role at hand doesn’t really support your projected career path, you could end up lowering your chances of getting hired. Keeping your options open is a good way to make yourself a more desirable candidate, so in this regard, not having a specific plan might work to your advantage.


Related: These Are The Worst Answers To The Most Common Job Interview Questions


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2. ADMIT YOU’RE UNSURE OF A SINGLE DIRECTION, BUT SHARE SOME OPTIONS THAT EXCITE YOU

Not everyone is a planner, and some folks–especially those just starting out on their career–might prefer to gain some experience and see where it takes them. If you’re one of them, you can try explaining to your interviewer that you’d like to keep yourself open to various possibilities. Chances are, he or she will appreciate your honestly, especially if you’re fairly new to the workforce.

At the same time, be prepared to share some directions that excite you so that your interviewer gets a sense of what makes you tick. For example, if you’re looking to get hired as an office assistant at an IT company, you might admit that while you’re unsure of what you want, you’d be open to the idea of managing an office and becoming a database administrator.


Related:3 Killer Job Interview Questions Entry-Level Candidates Forget To Ask 


3. FOCUS ON COMPANY CULTURE

Maybe you don’t know if you want to explore a career in accounting versus marketing versus HR. But one thing you can probably say with certainty is that you’re looking to grow at a company that values its employees and fosters a supportive environment. And so in the absence of a detailed, concrete career path, it pays to talk about the sort of environment you’re hoping to experience both now and in the future, as opposed to focusing on a particular career path you may or may not have settled on. This will help your interviewer determine whether you’re a good fit without having to make up stories.

Remember, it’s okay to admit in an interview that you’re not 100% sure where you see yourself in five years, but make certain to emphasize where you see yourself today. If you’re able to highlight your skills and bring the conversation back to the present, you’ll have a real chance to sell yourself and hopefully land the job of your (temporary) dreams.

 

FastCompany.com | February 26, 2018 | BY MAURIE BACKMAN—THE MOTLEY FOOL 3 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : 10 #CareerExperts Share Their #1 Piece of #JobSearch Advice…. We Reached Out to Nine #CareerExperts to Learn their Best Advice on How to Find a Job in Today’s Market — Here’s what They Had to Say.

Once you announce that you’re looking for a new gig, unsolicited job search advice is inescapable: “Video resumes are the future!” “Go back to school!” “Talk to my cousin’s best friend’s son, he knows someone who used to intern there!”

While all of the people sharing job search advice like this are well-meaning, they’re usually not career connoisseurs — just friends and family who want to help you out. As a result, the quality of their advice is often suspect.

There’s plenty of good job search tips out there, but if you really want to identify the advice that’s worth your time, you’ve got to get it from a credible source. And who better to weigh in than professional career coaches, HR consultants and other subject-matter experts?

We reached out to nine career experts to learn their best advice on how to find a job in today’s market — here’s what they had to say.

1. Have a Job Target You Believe In

“Be clear on what you want, why you want it and what qualifies you… Without clarity from the very start, virtually every stage that follows will be based on little more than a hunch — and that is an extremely fragile foundation for navigating a dynamic job search. You begin by engaging in some form of assessment. It could involve taking a standardized assessment instrument, keeping a journal or talking with people whose advice and feedback you value — friends, family, or a career coach. The goal is to achieve self-awareness in the form of a career target. The next, and equally important, step is a reality check. Here is where you determine that the goal you selected makes sense. Is it appropriate for you and is it attainable?” —Roy Cohen, career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide

2. Create a Plan

“Identify a few key features, such as, why is finding a new job important to you? What is your ideal time-frame for finding a new job? …What are types of companies you’d like to work for? When will you perform job searches — is there a day of the week that you will meet for coffee with your networking connections? What’s your timeline for updating your resume and cover letter? Post the plan somewhere you will see it and put important dates on your calendar. This is my favorite advice because most people don’t plan their search; they simply go about it in a haphazard fashion, [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][so] you’ll be ahead of the game. If you plan your search, you’re committing to a new job and will be more likely to find the job that you love.” —Mary Warriner, career coach

3. Develop Your Career Story

“A branded career story helps differentiate you from the competition, provide clarity for yourself and showcases your unique value proposition to the employer. The people that are most successful in their job search are those people who are able to first clearly articulate what they’ve done, how it’s been impactful and how it can benefit a future employer. From there, the resume tweaking, network building and LinkedIn optimizing become a lot easier and more effective.” —Jena Viviano, career coach

4. Apply Even If You’re Not a 100 Percent Match

“Job seekers (especially women more than men) may be underestimating the value they can bring into a role. For many roles, hiring managers are looking for people who will be quickly deployable to do the work and usually the tasks you need to complete on a regular basis are learned or refined on the job. If you meet the majority of the qualifications for a job you are interested in and are confident you can quickly learn the remainder, apply for that job, but make sure your resume demonstrates your past success in learning new skills.” —Mary Grace Gardner, career strategist at The Young Professionista

5. Go on Informational Interviews

“The best way to get a meeting with decision makers is to ask for informational meetings with them. Rather than the ‘hard sell’ of ‘I’m looking for a job, do you know of anything,’ this informational meeting takes the ‘soft-sell’ approach of asking for information and for them to share their story so you gain advice for your job search and career journey. People who are happy in their work generally love to talk about what made them successful, so if you reach out to decision makers and ask for informational meetings, it’s only a matter of time.” —April Klimkiewicz, career coach and owner of bliss evolution

6. Brand Yourself

“You need a brand in the digital age because while your job is what you do, your brand is who you are… By branding yourself properly in the digital age (think: elevator pitch with a digital footprint on LinkedIn), and combining it with true networking strategies, you will rank yourself higher in the job search potential.” —Wendi Weiner, Resume Writer & Career Transition Coach

7. Supplement Online Applications With Offline Efforts

“Sites like Glassdoor provide so much great information about job postings, salaries and company reviews. We’ve never had more good information at our fingertips. But, don’t rely on the internet [entirely]. Hiring managers are bombarded with hundreds of resumes that come in through the internet. When you’re searching, apply online. But, then think about what you can also do offline. For example, do you have contacts at the company that you could network with? Could you reach out to the hiring manager directly? When you connect to the company offline, you become a real person… These straightforward offline steps will put you in the fast lane when it comes to hiring.” —Angela Copeland, career coach

8. Become a Star Performer at Your Current Job

“Assuming you can do the work, the most important differentiator that will land you a sought-after gig is to establish yourself as the positive, collaborative, authentic and trustworthy co-worker/boss everyone would love to have. And you only do that by cultivating professional relationships and acting from a place of authenticity and integrity. Like attracts like, and people who are themselves authentic and trustworthy are looking to hire and work with people who show the same commitment to a positive work environment… show in every interaction you are the type of colleague or boss who keeps her word, values the team and contributes to a positive work environment… Focus on people and opportunities will open up.” —Aurora Meneghello, career coach and founder of Repurpose Your Purpose.

9. Network With Everyone — Not Just the Bigwigs

“I think the most effective networking includes the informal kind which happens in daily life — at your kid’s soccer game, at the dentist’s office, at parties, etc. If someone says, ‘What do you do for work?’ you can say something like ‘I’m a project manager at a large industrial manufacturer but I’m looking to make a move to XYZ, do you know anyone in that industry?’ It may smack of the ‘putting it out into the universe’ kind of advice but you honestly never know who will have a connection for you, so I’m a firm believer in working any and all angles… As a consultant, I’m always interviewing for jobs, in a way, so I treat every baby shower, swim class and vet visit as a chance to meet potential clients and get that job.” —Jill Santopietro-Panall, HR consultant and owner of 21Oak HR Consulting, LLC

10. Use Resume Keywords & Get Referrals

“Companies today receive a high volume of resumes. With the increased use of online applicant tracking systems even among smaller companies, it means the recruiter or hiring manager may not see your resume unless you use just the right keywords… Referrals [also] increase the likelihood that a recruiter will see your resume. If you don’t have a personal connection, use social media to find out who does. Don’t be embarrassed to ask someone to make an introduction on your behalf, people do this all the time. If you’re uncomfortable asking for favors include an easy way for them to say no, like ‘If you’re not comfortable connecting me, I completely understand.’” —Mikaela Kiner, Founder/CEO of UniquelyHR

GlassDoor.com |  |

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