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

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

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

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

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

It Starts With The Job Description

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

Article continued …

An Annoying Application Process

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

Beware Of Sweet-Talking Headhunters

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

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

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

Unprepared Interviewers

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

Be Prepared For Condescending And Rude Treatment

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

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

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

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

The Long, Drawn-Out Process

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

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

 

Forbes.com | January 4, 2023 | Jack Kelly 

#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.

 

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 …

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 : 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.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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

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

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

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

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

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