15 Toughest Interview Questions (and Answers!)

by Crissanka Christadoss on April 18, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, How To: Interview, How To: Job Search, The Interview, Uncategorized

Questions/Answers are from HR People – The Resource Behind Human Resources. Below are 5 questions from the article that can help you frame your interview answers.

1. Why do you want to work in this industry?

Bad Answer:

“I love to shop. Even as a kid, I spent hours flipping through catalogs.”

Don’t just say you like it. Anyone can do that. Focus instead on your history with that particular industry, and if you can, tell a success story.

Good Answer:

“I’ve always loved shopping, but my interest in retail marketing really started when I worked at a neighborhood boutique. I knew our clothes were amazing, but that we weren’t marketing them properly. So I worked with management to come up with a marketing strategy that increased our sales by 25% in a year. It was great to be able to contribute positively to an industry I feel so passionate about, and to help promote a product I really believed in.”

2. Tell us about yourself.

Bad Answer:

“I graduated four years ago from the University of Michigan, with a Bachelor’s in Biology – but I decided that wasn’t the right path for me. So I switched gears and got my first job, working in sales for a startup. Then I went on to work in marketing for a law firm. After that, I took a few months off to travel. Finally, I came back and worked in marketing again. And now, here I am, looking for a more challenging marketing role.”

Instead of giving a chronological work history, focus on your strengths and how they pertain to the role. If possible, illustrate with examples.

Good Answer:

“I’m really energetic, and a great communicator. Working in sales for two years helped me build confidence, and taught me the importance of customer loyalty. I’ve also got a track record of success. In my last role, I launched a company newsletter, which helped us build on our existing relationships and create new ones. Because of this, we ended up seeing a revenue increase of 10% over two years. I’m also really interested in how companies can use web tools to better market themselves, and would be committed to building on your existing platform.”

4. Why are you leaving your current role?

Bad Answer:

“I can’t stand my boss, or the work I’m doing.”Again, stay away from badmouthing your job or employer. Focus on the positive.

Good Answer:

“I’ve learned a lot from my current role, but now I’m looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons and to gain a new skill-set – all of which, I see the potential for in this job.”

6. What’s your greatest weakness?

Bad Answer:

“I work too hard,” or for the comedian, “Blondes.”

This question is a great opportunity to put a positive spin on something negative, but you don’t want your answer to be cliché – joking or not. Instead, try to use a real example of a weakness you have learned to overcome.

Good Answer:

“I’ve never been very comfortable with public speaking – which as you know, can be a hindrance in the workplace. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous employer if I could enroll in a speech workshop. He said “yes.” I took the class, and was able to overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, I’ve given lots of presentations to audiences of over a 100 high level executives – I still don’t love it, but no one else can tell!”

8. Why should I hire you?

Bad Answer:

“I’m the best candidate for the role.”

A good answer will reiterate your qualifications, and will highlight what makes you unique.

Good Answer:

“I’ve been an Executive Assistant for the past ten years – my boss has said time and time again that without me, the organization would fall apart. I’ve also taken the time to educate myself on some of the software I regularly use (but didn’t really understand the ins and outs of). I’m an Excel wiz now, which means I can work faster, and take over some of what my boss would traditionally have had to do himself. What’s good enough for most people is never really good enough for me.”

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Write Your Resume from an Employer’s Point of View

by Crissanka Christadoss on April 15, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, How To: Job Search, How To: Resume, Struggles, Uncategorized

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas is the owner of Creating Prints, a professional resume writing service. She’s an Elite Master Resume Writer (MRW), Certified Expert Resume Writer (CERW), Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW), and Academy Certified Resume Writer (ACRW). Article posted on International Business Times.

Your resume is in pretty good shape. Isn’t it? You have been perusing professional samples online and you have been reading all the how to’s, when to’s, and don’ts. Well, then why no quality interview calls?

Despite unemployment rate still at 9.2% as of the end of March, there ARE opportunities out there. It is tougher, let’s face it, but why? Because your competition is talented and highly qualified. Therefore, you, my friend, have to step up your job-search game and dare to take control of your brand on paper (resume) by not playing it safe but standing out on your own.

What am I referring to? Applying the old objective plus career chronology resume format you learned in high school isn’t going to cut it anymore. It is now imperative your resume pop and quickly capture attention. That it convey value over others who are also extremely qualified. That you tell a story about how you rescued the company, department, location, region, initiative, client base, or project. How? Survey your career from the employer’s-eye view and promote your exclusivity. Then, you will know how to best write a resume that implicitly tells an unmatched story that hogs the job search spot light.

The Basics You Must Know

1. Presentation does matter. Seizing the attention of an employer means you have to break from the traditional and overly used resume presentation. While ultimately, content (achievements and qualifications) is what will win you an edge-by capturing attention first, you net the additional seconds necessary to entice, enthrall, guide, and compel through content (yes, content is still king). Now, know the design of your resume is conceptualized based on the industry you are targeting. Depending on your target industry, it may be necessary to keep the resume design conservative. Yet, conservative does not mean mundane.

2. Write storytelling descriptions. As a career professional, I receive resume submissions daily. Most are in horrible shape but every now and then, I will find a few in my inbox that look nicely polished. (Thumbs up!) Yet, as I begin to read, the truth is discovered. The truth? The resume is an absolutely boring boilerplate; the job seeker has simply regurgitated the job description as if we don’t already know what the job entails.

Get this, your resume is not a job ad. You are not to list all the requirements to perform the job. (Employers already know what a job entails). Your resume is a candidate promotional tool and you are to tell and show…what YOU did with the opportunities under the given job title—not just you fulfilled the job title (that is the least expected of you).

Example:

Before: Job Description

Cross-Selling Specialist, Company Name Here, 2007 to Present

Responsible for managing sales of distributor partners and direct customers. Facilitated customer relationships, leveraged marketing programs, provided sales training, and developed unique selling tools to drive sales volume, revenue and margin by translating customer needs to product solutions.

What is unique about the above? Wouldn’t others who hold this very same position describe their job this very same way?

After: Job Story (Cliffhanger, normally followed by quantifiable achievements in bullet form.)

Cross-Selling Specialist—Company Name Here, 2007 to Present

Identified, tackled, and solved the lack of a systemic processes and efficient tools necessary to uncover account cross-selling opportunities and maximize sales growth despite a down market. Engineered a unique and user-friendly tool by leveraging industry ratios as benchmark to identify product slate. Developed accompanying process. Tested, rolled out, promoted, and launched commensurate sales staff training, successfully equipping this B2B organization to better quantify, target, and aggressively close cross-selling opportunities across 14 sectors. Earned a promotion based on results; tool is recognized as a global best practice standard.

The above tells a story. Does it not? Let’s see: 1) this person faced and solved an existing problem, 2) created opportunities for growth, 3) engineered a tool that positioned the company for long-term growth. This person’s work was recognized company wide. Wow! They actually produced results and not just executed the job.

Employer’s-eye View = “This person is worth meeting. Perhaps they can come and dissolve our similar obstacles in reaching increased margins.”

3. Add impact with marketing power. Sometimes quantifiable achievements can be best illustrated with a bit of pizazz (A graph, a table).

Bottom line is don’t be afraid to break from the historic way of presenting yourself on your resume. True, perhaps you will surprise prospective employers and yes, perhaps you will be the only one submitting a resume likes yours. Is that a bad thing? Are you a leader or a follower?

Playing it safe and blending in does not win interviews for top-paying jobs.

Time to shoot higher and dare to break the norm.

As always, e-mail me if you have any questions: rvargas@creatingprints.com.

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Start from Your Strengths

by Crissanka Christadoss on April 13, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, Free Agency, How To: Job Search, Recruiters, Struggles

Andria Corso, founder of C3-Corso Coaching & Consulting, has worked with a variety of Fortune 100 C-suite leadership teams as well as individual HR professionals who want to gain more respect for their expertise. This article was originally  published on International Business Times on April 11, 2001,To Reach your Highest Potential, Start from Your Strengths.

I just read a wonderful book called, Unique Ability: Creating The Life You Want, by Catherine Nomura, Julia Waller, and Shannon Waller. The book is about identifying what makes us each unique and then sharing that ability with the world. It is about discovering our unique gifts and then using those to create our livelihood and life’s work.

For me, reading this book reinforced what I’ve known and seen successfully demonstrated throughout my 16 year career as an HR coach and consultant; that is, when we work from our strengths and let our unique abilities shine through, we are most successful. By doing this, we thrive, and, in turn, those who work with us can also thrive. To reach our highest potential, we need to start from our strengths.

Too often I see company leaders and even HR professionals focused on helping employees with their “developmental opportunities.” They take a lot of time to identify what is wrong with the employees or what skills they are missing. They explore the areas where they are lacking and then hone in on getting the employees experiences or training so they can develop those “weak” areas. As an HR professional, I understand why this is important. Companies need to be sure employees are skilled enough to do the jobs which they were hired to do; however, it is much easier to hire people who already are strong in the areas required for the job and then work with them to leverage and build upon those strengths.

I have seen many people successfully develop or grow in an area where they were weak but that growth is often limited and may only last for a short period of time. Why? Because they are not starting from their strengths and it can be an uphill climb for any of us to develop in an area that does not come naturally or feel right to us. For example, when my friend, the artist, asks for a recommendation on a course in creating Excel spreadsheets (because she needs to learn Excel to help out with a family business), I can accurately predict she will complete the course but highly doubt she’ll retain what she learns. Why not? Because she is being pushed to do something against her grain. It is counter to her unique ability and it is almost certain that even if she does learn a lot about spreadsheets, she won’t do it very well or, even worse, will do it reluctantly. Yet, if you put her in a course on advanced photograph development, she will thrive, soar and excel because that is aligned with her unique gift.

When hiring employees, we should seek them out for their unique abilities. Find out what comes naturally to them and where they excel. There is a reason why some of us got outstanding grades in art class as children and others did not. There is a reason why some of us stood out in science class and became doctors and others did not. When we start from where we are strong and build upon that, we are already ahead of the game. We are using our strengths as a bouncing off place to excel even further. Forcing someone to develop in an area where they are not strong, or, even worse, in an area that has no meaning to them will be like paddling upstream in a very strong current.

The whole idea with operating from our strengths is to enable our unique ability to shine through. Instead of fighting the current, we go with the current. We need to start from our strengths and watch how naturally we can reach our highest potential.

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Navigating Criticism

by Crissanka Christadoss on April 11, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, Free Agency, Guest Blog, Recruiters, Reinvention, Struggles, Uncategorized

Crissanka Christadoss is a recent Des Moines transplant, having spent time on both the West and East Coasts before returning to the Midwest where she grew up. With a Masters Degree in Health Communication from Emerson College in Boston, MA, Crissanka is interested in health literacy and acknowledging marginalized health issues. She has worked on health issues related to the transgender population and end-of-life care. Crissanka uses her specialized training to create stories and messages that increase awareness for health care organizations and relevant health issues. LinkedIn| Twitter

Don’t we all wish we were so well adjusted that nothing could break our spirit? Well, criticism is one of those potentially spirit breaking things. An aspect of life that we must encounter and deal with in order to become better people and professionals.

I was recently faced with some harsh criticism. To be honest, I still don’t know how to deal with it. I have internalized it, and it has completely taken the best of me. I want to take that criticism, light it on fire and throw the ashes away in my brain’s trash bin. It is difficult to hear something about ourselves that is bad. You can’t escape criticism’s wrath. No matter how hard you try.

Have you heard of the writer who couldn’t take a critique on her e-book? The author of the blog Big Al’s Books and Pals reviews books by Indie authors. He reviewed a book of one author, and she didn’t take it well. She actually proceeds to drop an F-bomb in the comments sections, among other defenses:

“…Who are you any way? Really who are you?  What do we know about you?

You never downloaded another copy you liar! You never ever returned to me an e-mail.

Besides if you want to throw crap at authors you should first ask their permission if they want it stuck up on the internet via e-mail. That debate is high among authors.

Your the target not me! Now get this review off here!”

The comments section is actually quite amusing, and other readers of the blog are perplexed by the author’s lack of professionalism and grace. Let’s take this as an example of how not to take criticism, shall we?

So, how should we take criticism? I think the first thing we do, those of us who aren’t criticism ring masters yet, is to get defensive and angry. Why do we get defensive and angry? Because we take the critique as a reflection of who we are. I believe we are our own worst critics, so why can’t we allow others to critique us? I am chalking that up to being human. We are all wired to protect ourselves from harm, it is only natural. So, I say that if you do get defensive, congratulations! You’re human! But we aren’t living in the wild, we live in a society where interacting with others professionally is a must.

I encourage you to read Leo Babauta’s blog called Zen Habits. Not only is it a wonderfully written and maintained blog, he wrote a post recently called The Art of Handling Criticism Gracefully. He makes four very clear points:

1)      Does the criticism you’ve received have a point? If it does, take the criticism as a way to change for the better. Babauta writes, “I’ve learned that criticism is a fact of the game. I can respond with anger, or let it stop me from doing things, or I can let it help me. Or accept that it’s there and move on. I choose the last two.”

2)       He also uses the overly defensive author as an example of how not to take criticism: “This is how not to respond to criticism. It was the worst way to react. If you’re angry, you do not tell people to f–k off. You do not attack them, blame them for your mistakes, deny that you made any mistakes, and feed fuel to the fire by compounding your mistakes with more mistakes. It would be so much better just to stay silent.”

3)      Continue to be amazing: “Do something amazing, and share it with the world. Criticism can be necessary, but often it is just dragging down the people trying to do amazing things. Don’t let it stop you.”

4)      Give thanks to the critic: “Thank the person offering the criticism. Sometimes they’re coming from a place of wanting to help you. That takes courage, and is a very generous thing. Be grateful for that. Even when they’re not trying to be helpful, they’ve taken the time to respond to you — and trust me, getting a response is better than absolute silence. Provoking a reaction means you’ve done something interesting — and for that, you should be thankful. Either way, thanking the critic will help lead to a positive exchange.”

I write this post because I know there are so many people who are so hard on themselves. Including me. Sometimes we feel too deeply, are too human for our own good. I know I am going to read Babauta’s post every so often to remind myself that the critics of the world are, in many ways, our teachers and challenge us to be stronger.

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7 Ways to Use Facebook for Your Job Search

by Crissanka Christadoss on April 6, 2011 · 0 comments

in Already Employed, How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, Social Media, Struggles, Uncategorized

Lindsay Olson is a founding partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffingand Hoojobs, a niche job board for public relations, communications and social media jobs. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues.

Use Facebook to leverage your job search

We often hear about how job seekers can use social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter to their advantage. But what’s sometimes overlooked is the biggest network of them all: Facebook.

We think of Facebook as a way to connect with friends, not necessarily hiring managers or employers. But with over 500 million active users, Facebook is useful for professional networking, too.

Here are some ways you can use Facebook to land your next job:

1. Follow your target companies on Facebook. Some companies, such as Ernst & Youngand Ford Motor Company, have special Facebook pages specifically for recruiting. You might find out about job opportunities on their Facebook pages quicker than finding their postings on a job board or their own career portal. It’s also a place to learn more about the company culture and ask the recruiting department questions about the hiring process. In smaller companies, the page may even be monitored by the decision makers, putting you in direct contact with the person who offers opportunities or hires.

[See 10 Ways to Use Social Media in Your Job Search.]

2. Contact employers directly. Facebook allows users to send messages directly to other users even if you aren’t friends with them, which is especially useful if you can’t find their contact information anywhere else. Be careful with this approach though. Some people only want to communicate with their “real friends” on Facebook. Before contacting someone, make sure you’ve done your homework, and send a personalized message making sure to let them know who you are and why you are contacting them.

3. Use BranchOut for networking. BranchOut is a Facebook application similar to LinkedIn. It helps you find where your friends work—and where your friends’ friends work—and discover connections at your target companies or in your field.

4. Consider experimenting with Facebook Ads to target certain employers and gain attention. For a few bucks a day, you can promote your work through a creative job search advertisement. Target the ad to reach only people who work in certain companies or have specific information listed in their profile. Link to your online resume, blog, or other social media profiles so interested parties can quickly learn more about you.

[See Proactive Job-Search Strategy: Pitch Your Dream Company.]

5. Keep your privacy settings open enough for people to find you. If most companies are using social media sites for research as studies suggest, you want to make sure you profile can easily be found. It’s a good idea to lock down certain parts of your profile, making, for example, personal photos available to your friends only, but allow biographical data, including your employment history, to be searchable. Also consider having your profile indexed in Google and allowing even non-friends to send you private messages.

6. Let your network know you’re on the job hunt. Letting people know some of the details of your job search could lead you to new introductions. Who knows, your college friend’s cousin’s wife might be the HR Manager in a relevant industry or at the company where you just applied—and maybe that person is willing to make a direct introduction. You could get the inside scoop with a simple status update letting your friends know the latest on your job hunt.

[See 6 Ways to Boost Your Job Search on LinkedIn.]

7. Optimize your profile for your job search. Make sure you fill out your employment history. You can easily list your professional online sites as well in the “information” field. Showcase some of your work, like writing samples or presentations, using third party Facebook applications like Slideshare. And play around with your privacy setting to make sure you job search information is accessible to everyone and everything else is only accessible to your friends.

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The Angel’s Share

by admin on April 4, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Job Search, Reinvention, Struggles

Shawn is the Vision Quarterback.  His talent lies in executing strategy and tactics that maximize the skills of the professionals Shawn Woolmanaround him.  The result is a creative and collaborative effort toward achieving an organization’s vision. LinkedIn | Twitter

Last week I made a reference to ‘making bourbon out of corn’ as it relates to how Autonomy can be both a negative and a positive.  I thought I’d stretch the bourbon metaphor a little further this week.

Bourbon starts as a combination of spring water, specific strains of yeast and a combination of various grains (around 70% is corn).  This mixture is cooked to create the ‘mash,’ which is then cooled and allowed to ferment for a couple of days.  The mash is distilled to capture the alcoholic liquid (usually around 130 proof).  At this point the clear whiskey, called ‘white dog,’ is used to fill newly charred American oak barrels and is aged.  The aging time varies, but is usually around five or six years.  During the aging process some of the whiskey evaporates out of the barrels and is called ‘the angel’s share.’

Even though the whiskey is lost to simple evaporation, the tradition of distiller’s says that it instead goes to the angels.  Happy angels!

What do you do as the ‘angels share?’  How do you actively give of your time and talents?

Volunteering is a great way to network and keep your skills sharp, but it also benefits others; you have the time why not let it benefit people around you?

Where to start?  The United Way has a long list of non-profits that could use your help.  Chambers of Commerce are also a great place to start, as are churches and hospice facilities.  The list of opportunities is long.

Don’t be afraid of being strategic in choosing which organizations you work with. If the president of your favorite company sits on the board of two non-profits make those your top choice.  Of course you don’t want to forget to work hard for those organizations while building your network.

Who knows maybe you’ll find your next position with that organization or a passion that can continue long into your life.

Take a few minutes and contemplate your ‘angel’s share.’

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Autonomy

by admin on March 28, 2011 · 0 comments

in Guest Blog, How To: Job Search, Reinvention, Struggles

Shawn is the Vision Quarterback.  His talent lies in executing strategy and tactics that maximize the skills of the professionals Shawn Woolmanaround him.  The result is a creative and collaborative effort toward achieving an organization’s vision. LinkedIn | Twitter

So you are out of a job and it’s a bit scary.  Finances, or lack there of, may be the biggest concern.  Certainly not knowing when or where your next job will come from is scary.  I think there is something else lurking here that can be equally scary – Autonomy.

I read a book by Dan Pink called Drive a couple of months ago and in it he identifies three keys to people’s motivation: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.  People need to feel like they are being allowed to perform their job with some level of Autonomy even if it’s within a strict set of guidelines.  It’s also important that you feel like you are developing or already have a high degree of Mastery of what you do, not simply competence, but Mastery.  Finally, we have Purpose, that feeling that what I do matters or that we are working toward a common goal.

So you say, ‘Okay Mr. Smarty-Pants Guest Blogger Guy, how can something that is integral to motivation also be scary?’

Good question, Fair Reader.

Autonomy is synonymous with Independence and Self-reliance.  See where I am going here?  You are 100% in control of your activity and efforts and, consequently, the results.  That can be scary if you’ve never worked on 100% commission.  My guess is that most of you are at least slightly troubled by the idea of being completely and utterly in control of your job, which is, of course, finding your next J.O.B.

Let’s see if we can turn some lemons into lemonade, or as I prefer to say corn into bourbon.  Besides, lemonade can be made in what, five minutes?  Bourbon takes years and is worth the wait.  If you don’t like Bourbon, I’ll take your share.

You have Autonomy, and you certainly have a sense of Purpose (Find. A. Job.) so the last ingredient is Mastery.

Strive to become as good at looking for employment as you need to.  Nobody wants to be a professional, but finding your way to Mastery of the process will help you focus on the tasks in front of you and take the edge off some of the fear.  Ask for help, those who have ever been through it are usually very willing to help.  On the backside help out others who may be less experienced than you.

Ten billion merit points if you email me a story of how you helped someone, they called you ‘Master’ and you in return called them ‘Grasshopper.’

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Getting Uncomfortable in Your Job Search

by Crissanka Christadoss on March 25, 2011 · 0 comments

in Free Agency, Guest Blog, How To: Job Search, How To: Networking, How To: Resume, Reinvention, Struggles, The Interview

Crissanka ChristadossCrissanka Christadoss is a recent Des Moines transplant, having spent time on both the West and East Coasts before returning to the Midwest where she grew up. With a Masters Degree in Health Communication from Emerson College in Boston, MA, Crissanka is interested in health literacy and acknowledging marginalized health issues. She has worked on health issues related to the transgender population and end-of-life care. Crissanka uses her specialized training to share stories and create messages in order to help others help themselves. LinkedIn| Twitter

The posts this week from blogger Shawn Woolman on “Resistance” and the post on Wednesday about interviews gone wrong have a theme. The theme is embrace the uncomfortable.

In the past couple of Unemployed in Des Moines networking events, I kept hearing people talk about the notion of being comfortable with the uncomfortable.

We are all attaining for some level of comfort in our lives. But we also have our share of dealing with unsavory matters, namely, unemployment. For me it especially hits when a friend, former colleague, acquaintance or even a relative starts out with a “So, how’s your job search? Any interviews? Do you have a job yet? Are you even looking? etc.” The weight of unemployment is no doubt immense, especially in a world where a career is supposed to be your life. No matter how you put it, unemployment is uncomfortable. The trick is to embrace it.

Here’s a little story, it isn’t movie/novel material but I think I can provide a fun anecdote. For the past two weeks, my car was possessed. The doors unlock randomly while driving, and it makes the dinging sound (the same sound a car makes when you unbuckle your seatbelt while driving) when you make right hand turns. My husband and I lived with it for a while, figuring it is a cute little quirk that will pass. It just got worse. It started to ding all the time. We lived with it for a couple of days and got used to it. We started to joke about how it’s our Hyundai Sonata’s way of complaining. Just this week I was able to get an appointment, and it turns out the door latch just needed to be tightened. No more dinging, and it didn’t cost as much as we thought. Yes, I am trying to equate the dinging with unemployment. The dinging was temporary. It didn’t last forever. We lived with it for a bit, got used to it, but it eventually got fixed because we took action. Unemployment seems like such an unfortunate circumstance, but it really isn’t. You are looking for the next best opportunity, but with that comes a lot of discomfort. You have to get used to it, but not so used to it that you can’t expand your horizons, learn from the experience and have a few laughs. (And I promise to work on my anecdotes more…)

I am still learning that the uncomfortable-awkward-unsavory situations that life throws our way are an opportunity. If you can survive an inquisition about why you are still unemployed, an interview gone wrong, some personal resistance, or an annoying car problem, pat yourself on the back, have a drink and look forward to embracing your next uncomfortable moment.

Please feel free to share. How have you embraced the uncomfortable experiences in your job search or otherwise?

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How to Save an Interview Gone Wrong

by Crissanka Christadoss on March 23, 2011 · 0 comments

in How To: Interview, Struggles, Uncategorized

This article was originally authored by Steve Berman and posted on HRPeople, The Resource Behind Human Resources on May 24, 2010.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Everything was going so well. Your professional handshake was met with a warm smile from the hiring manager. The interview started off with some small talk that segued into some skillfully answered questions. You can already see what your desk is going to look like.

Then, as suddenly as a lightning strike, the interview takes a turn for the worse.

Whether it’s a question you weren’t prepared for or not-so-well-received answer it’s easy to tell when an interview has gone off course. And it’s quite possibly the most nerve-wracking, upsetting, desperate experience an HR job seeker can suffer.

Like Charles Sullenberger approaching the Hudson River, one can make the best of a bad situation, no matter how dire. However, saving a bad interview takes quick thinking and persistence. Are you up to the challenge?

Sticky Situation No. 1: Drawing a Blank

You studied the company’s website and memorized the answer to every common interview question you could find. Then the unimaginable happens: you’re faced with a question you weren’t expecting. You can’t figure out what to say and the impending silence feels so awkward, you might as well be wearing nothing but your birthday suit. How do you fix this?

Solution: Focus on something you were prepared for.

While you don’t want to get in the habit of doing this, sometimes it pays to give a non-answer, especially when the alternative is a seemingly unending chasm of silence. Hey, politicians do this all the time. If the interviewer threw you for a loop with a question on how you handled a conflict with a coworker, change the subject to something semi-related that you did prepare for, like your collaborative skills on a challenging project where you excelled.

Sticky Situation No. 2: The Devil’s Advocate

No matter what, you and the person on the other side of the interview table aren’t going to agree on everything. Hopefully you won’t find much resistance to any of the answers you give during your interview, but you should prepare for scenarios where the two of you don’t see eye-to-eye. After all, some interviewers argue with candidates just to test how they’ll react under scrutiny. Still, a disagreement can be very unnerving, making you wonder if you just lost your chance at landing the job.

Solution: Find Common Ground

You don’t want to position yourself as someone who’ll change their opinion based on who they’re trying to impress, but you do want the interviewer to feel comfortable. Don’t get defensive or combative — try to smooth over disagreements with statements like, “I can understand that point of view,” or “You know, I never thought about it that way.” Then, even if you didn’t give the perfect answer, you’ll look flexible. That’s a better idea than changing your answer entirely, as that will lead the interviewer to think you’re just saying what they want to hear.

Sticky Situation No. 3: No Chemistry

You want the job. You spent days preparing for the interview. So why does it seem like your interview has all the excitement and energy of a bunch of turtles running a marathon? No matter what you say or do, the interviewer is yawning, looking at his watch, and pretty much doing anything besides showing you the attention you deserve. Since you can’t exactly suggest that they take five minutes to drink a cup of highly caffeinated coffee, how do you make sure you don’t put this person who has your future career in his hands to sleep?

Solution: Involve the Interviewer

You might be the one getting interviewed, but everyone likes to talk about themselves. If you sense a lull in the questioning, ask your own open-ended questions. See what the employer is looking for in an employee. Ask what they like about working for the company (and if they have a hard time answering this question, you might want to take that into consideration).

Sticky Situation No. 4: Sweaty Palms Syndrome

To be nervous before and during an interview makes you human. To suffer the jitters to such an extent that you are shaking, stuttering and sweating profusely will sound the alarm to employers that you aren’t a stable enough person to work with every day. After all, if you’re freaking out so much that you can’t give reasoned responses, you won’t give a very good first impression.

Solution: Practice, Practice, Practice

The way to avoid rattling the table with your nerves is to prepare. Preparation can take many forms, depending on what works for you. For some, visualization is enough. Others need to practice reciting answers in front of a mirror or friend. The key for most people is to practice the same interview answers several times — if you only do it once, you might forget it when the spotlight’s shining on you. Practicing the same answer five times (or more) will trigger your brain’s memory. So even if you get flustered during the interview, you’ll find yourself reciting the intelligent responses you’d planned on giving.

Sticky Situation No. 5: Too Little, Too Late?

The hour’s almost up, and you have this lingering feeling that you haven’t done enough. Some of your answers were flat, or maybe you weren’t able to hit some of the talking points you’d prepared. However, the interviewer’s time is undoubtedly valuable; if they’re clearly wrapping things up, you can’t exactly beg for more time. How do you turn a mediocre interview into a good one when time is running out?

Solution: Post-Interview Damage Control

Focus on what you can do afterward. Thank you notes are required these days, but you should know that by now! You don’t need to keep it simple though, especially if you want to make a couple of points you didn’t get to during the actual interview. Don’t write a novel, but feel free to touch on additional skills and reiterate your interest in the position. In the case of a good follow up letter, sometimes the last impression can mean more than the first one.

Just getting an interview should boost your confidence. Something about you, your resume, cover letter, or references got you this far. No interview goes perfectly, but as long as you keep your wits about you and prepare for the worst, you have a good chance of staying in the running.

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Resistance

by admin on March 21, 2011 · 0 comments

in Guest Blog, Struggles

Shawn loves ideas, particularly ideas that come from asking ‘What If?’  His talents lie in removing personal barriers and fostering Shawn Woolmancollaboration that connects ideas and people.  His professional passion is helping people and organizations move toward excellence. LinkedIn | Twitter

My good friends Tammy and Melynda at the Mevyn Group host the Business Book Club and this month’s book was The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield.  While I recommend the book for its direct manner of calling the reader out and recognizing Resistance in his life, this isn’t going to be a book review.  Instead, we are going to explore one aspect of the book.

The premise of the book is that Resistance is real and is something we feel every day in all aspect of our lives.  Resistance is the force that tells you that a couple of loads of laundry or the dirty mirror in the bathroom are important or more urgent than making those networking calls you planned on making this morning.  Resistance is the friend or family member that tells you that an idea won’t work or that a path is too hard.

Resistance is often strongest in the direction in which we need to go the most.  Personal example: I despise customizing my resume for the position, mostly because when I wrote it I considered it ‘done’ and I don’t like repeating myself.  Oh sure, I’ll tweak it now and again, but to actually move sections and re-write sentences just bugs me.  Resistance.

Where do you feel Resistance?  What can you do about it?

The first step is to recognize Resistance and Mr. Pressfield does a nice job of showing the different ways Resistance likes to disguise itself.

After you identify Resistance you have to combat it – full frontal assault works well.  Don’t like to customize your resume?  Welcome to the Burger King ‘Have it your way’ resume school, Mr. Woolman.

Don’t like to network?  Go meet some people.  Pick up the phone and make an appointment.  Join a Chamber.  The first meeting is the most difficult, they get easier, much easier.

Ask for help in how and where to network.  If your heartbeat just went up or your palms got sweaty you just discovered Resistance.

Commit to doing the very thing where you feel the greatest Resistance for just five minutes today.  That feeling after those five minutes?

Yeah, that’s Victory.  She’s much cooler than Resistance.  Prettier, too.

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