Category Archives: Job Search

November 27, 2014 · 9:43 am

Holiday Shopping and Career Advancement

Don’t even think of writing off the month of December for advancing your career.  You know all that time you spend sneaking in some on line shopping?  Or how about the quick trip to the mall at lunchtime?

You can use some of that holiday flex time to update your resume too.  There is always some time to kill before the group lunch or while you wait for your kids Christmas concert to start.

Break the activities into little chunks. For example, adding the latest courses, certificates or training courses can be done in 20 minutes or so.  Adding a few bullets to describe your latest project is also a 10-15 minute job.

Setting up job alerts on eluta.ca, indeed.ca or linkedin.com also takes only a few minutes.

Calling former colleagues to see if they want to have lunch – ten minutes each.

Taking time to eat your sandwich in the kitchen or cafeteria does not take any extra time and has the added benefit of built in networking.  You never know – you might find yourself having lunch with the President.

Make sure you have some positive things to say about your work.  When someone from another department asks how things are going, they do not want you to roll your eyes and sigh.  They want to hear to that you are involved in some really cool projects and learning a lot.  That’s how to make a solid impression.

So don’t write off December before it has even started.  Put some of these ideas in your calendar and tackle them one by one.  It will make those New Year’s resolutions a lot easier!

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October 16, 2014 · 9:45 am

Take a minute. Take my call.

This week I have spent most of my time talking with candidates who are not looking for new jobs. They have jobs and they like them.

But something compelled them to make some time to hear about the role I am helping my client to fill.

Maybe they found the message compelling. Maybe they were having a bad day. Maybe they were just plain curious. It doesn’t matter why. What matters is that they took a few minutes to explore an opportunity.

It’s all well and good to be happy with your job but how do you know its the best place for you? You only know that by comparing it to other roles in other places.

When recruiters call, its a great chance for you to kick the tires on something new with no obligation. You can assess the role, gauge the compensation package and get a better understanding of the market for your skills.

What if you have a rare, in demand skill set and it feels like you get calls all the time? Then be judicious about which recruiters you engage with but be conscious of the fact that sometimes companies go straight to recruiters. Some roles never get posted on corporate job sites.

I worked with a highly recognizable name brand company in the food and beverage sector and they used our firm for all their marketing positions. They found that when they posted these jobs on their own, they were inundated with hundreds and hundreds of applicants. Sifting through them was just too much.

Recruiters add value in two ways. By posting roles on behalf of clients and by digging into the market to find candidates who might be interested and qualified.

When we reach out to you, it is because we think you have good skills and experience. Only a conversation reveals the rest of the story. So talk to us. You have nothing to lose and solid market intel to gain.

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October 9, 2014 · 9:43 am

Two Minute Trick for a Better Interview

Today at lunch, I watched an excellent TED talk about power posing.  You can watch the whole thing here but the gist of the presentation was this:  two minutes of standing in a powerful position will cause physical changes in your body that will actually make you feel more powerful and in control.

Amy Cuddy, a Professor and Researcher at Harvard tested this with real humans.  She had them spit in a tube, do a power pose for two minutes, do some gambling and then spit in the tube again.  There was an actual change in the subject’s testosterone and cortisol levels. Testosterone is the “dominance” hormone and cortisol is the “dealing with stress” hormone.   In addition to the physical changes, the posers where more likely to gamble – that’s how sure they felt about themselves.pose 1

It’s not that I want to grow chest hair before an interview, but there is a pretty good chance I will feel more on top of my game and that will cause the interviewer view me as confident and positive.

So, when you arrive for your next meeting or interview, give yourself two minutes in a bathroom stall or in an empty hallway and try one of these poses.

I spoke to several of the strong business development people I know and they said that they always use tricks like this and feel more confident when they go into a pitch or a difficult meeting.

Be careful using this at home. It works on kids but go easy with your spouse.

pose 2

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September 4, 2014 · 9:43 am

Skype Interview Tips

Skype interviews are becoming more and more common. I find myself using them more and more. They are not the same as meeting someone in person but they allow me to experience how the person presents, their energy and hand gestures – basically everything except their sweaty palms.

Preparing for a Skype interview is pretty similar to a face to face interview. You still have to read up on the company and the role. You still have to practice talking about your experience.

And you still need to get a haircut. Just because the conversation is on Skype rather than in person does not make it casual in any way. You need to be just as professional as you would if you were going to their offices.

Before the conversation starts, decide where you are going to take the call. I will get nauseous if I have to watch as the camera moves around while you find a comfortable spot to prop your phone or iPad.

Reverse the camera so you can see what the interviewer is going to see. Check for laundry, lingerie or any other distractions. Put the cat in another room. You want to make sure they are paying attention only to you.

During the call, if you are going to take notes (which is fine) tell the interviewer, It is awkward if you keep looking down and they don’t know why.

Also, try to remember to look up periodically. The temptation is to look only at their image at the bottom of your screen. When you focus on the top frame of your screen, it feels more like you are making eye contact.

If you are hitting the interview circuit this fall, you need to be ready. Pull up a chair and get comfy, because Skpe is here to stay.

 

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August 28, 2014 · 9:40 am

How to Ace a Job Interview

Imagine you have just gotten off the phone with your recruiter. You got the interview! But instead of being excited, you feel like you are going to throw up.

How do you harness all that nervous energy and all those great ideas swirling around in your head so that you appear focussed and confident?

Think of the interview as an audition or a tryout. Think about how you used to prepare for those when you were in high school. How did you get ready for the community theatre audition or tryouts for your rec hockey team?

Research
You probably talked to someone who knew the coach or someone who has worked with the director before. It’s good to find out about their style or particular hot buttons before you are face to face with them.

Prepare
Consider the role you are trying out for. What kinds of skills and experience are listed in the job posting? Obviously you have some of those things or you would not have gotten this far.
Develop examples of the top three or four skills required. Where did you perform this skill? For whom? What did the team look like? Were you successful? What did you learn?

Practice
Success at an interview is just like success in any sport or performance.  It comes from practice. Do not underestimate this. Winging it based on your charm and relaxed attitude will not work. You can really only pull off the relaxed look if you are super comfortable with your material and that only happen if you practice. Tell your stories to your friends and your spouse and when they are sick of hearing you talk, use the recording app on your phone.

Last bit of advice: check your teeth and your fly on the way in to the interview. Discovering a poppyseed in your teeth when you are back in the car, is a cruel way to finish a great conversation.

Good luck!

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July 31, 2014 · 9:43 am

Reducing the Deflation Potential in Job Searches

Looking for a new job has a lot of ups and downs….no that’s not true.  There are mostly downs.  Nothing is more depressing than sitting down to look at postings on LinkedIn and realizing that they are the exact same ones you looked at yesterday.

It can be tough to stay motivated with that staring you in the face.  And motivation is what you need to get to a better place in the world of work.arrow

Here is a suggestion:  rather than picking through postings in a random lets-see-whats-new approach, make a plan instead.

Identify four or five different types of possible next steps for your career.  You might be interested in several different industries, corporate or consulting, stepping sideways or stretching up or maybe you are considering something completely different.

The idea is that you explore one of these tracts each day.  This allows you to really pay attention and give that direction some serious research and thought.  Maybe after two sessions, you realize that it’s not an appropriate choice.  That’s okay.  Better to know than to wonder about it later.

This also makes sure you are looking at fresh material every time you sit down.  There is a greater chance of seeing the interesting new roles and not just the same old stuff.

So consider adding a little more rigour and structure to your search.  It will be well worth the planning time.  It will reduce the deflation potential – that feeling of wanting to throw your laptop against the wall because it all looks the same as yesterday.

 

 

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July 24, 2014 · 9:45 am

Hiring Doesn’t Stop – Neither Should You

I talked to a lot of candidates this week who said that they had put their search on the back burner because they figured no one was going to make hiring decisions until the fall.

Wrong.

I see lots of action happening this summer. I think it would be a mistake to write off the next four weeks.

It used to be that people, especially senior leaders, took two weeks off every summer and really checked out. They went on a big family trip or they spent time at the cottage. No calling in, no messages, nothing. All you needed were two stakeholders doing this back to back and the whole hiring process got derailed. I don’t think that is as common now. My clients are going for a week at a time and then its usually over one of the long weekends.

The other current trend that helps the hiring process is stay-cations. This is where someone is out of the office for a week but they still check in once or twice each day. I did this myself and really enjoyed it. It was kind of like having nine Saturdays in a row. Productive and relaxing for sure.

This allows projects, like hiring people, to keep rolling and promotes smooth handovers between stakeholders.

So don’t turn off the networking machine. Don’t stop applying and sending inquiries. More people are paying attention than you think.

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July 17, 2014 · 9:43 am

Career Portfolio – Interview Secret Sauce

I have a friend who is a self-employed consultant.  A few years ago, over coffee, she complained that she would not have a clue as to where to start if she wanted to get a “real job”.

I suggested that she create a portfolio.  She thought portfolios were only for artists or other creative types.  Not so.

A portfolio (fancy binder with plastic sleeves and dividers) is an excellent vehicle for organizing and presenting your experience.  It can have sections that show your work, education and other credentials, volunteer activities, hobbies, thank you notes, awards and really, anything else that is relevant to the way that you do what you do.

Just the act of gathering the information together and putting it all in one place can be a pretty powerful exercise.  It’s something that you can do over a couple of weekends and then add/change revise every year.

My friend took that suggestion to heart and created what she called a career scrapbook. She had it in her car for a while and then it took up its place on a shelf in her office.

Last week she applied for an actual job and found herself staring down the barrel of an interview.  Not just any interview but a panel interview in a formal, government type organization.  She dusted off her portfolio, added a couple of items, reviewed the rest of the material and then focused on her outfit.  She felt confident and ready.  (I should point out that she was eminently qualified for the job.)

At the end of the interview, she was asked if she had any questions.  All of hers had been covered in the discussion but she told the panel members that she had brought her portfolio and asked if there was anything they would like to see.  The senior person raised her eyebrows and came to have a look.

She looked at the table of contents, saw the “Thank You” section and flipped right to that part.   She nodded and smiled as she read the cards, notes and emails.  It turns out that the adjudicator actually knew two of the people who had sent notes and that lead to a much less formal conversation where my friend got one more opportunity to show what she knows and why she has been so successful.

She left the interview, with her portfolio tucked under her arm, feeling very good about herself and her experience.  No offer yet……..but I’ll keep you posted.

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May 22, 2014 · 9:43 am

Do I need a Cover Letter?

In the old days, a cover letter had to accompany a resume because the job postings were placed in newspapers and weeks might have gone by since it was published.

Now we apply for jobs that were posted 5 minutes ago. This is not an exaggeration   You can set up your resume and alerts with indeed.ca to be notified when jobs are posted and use your phone to apply on the fly.

So what about the cover letter?

First, follow the instructions. Many ads actually contain specific instructions on how to apply or what information to include. Pay attention to this. You may be eliminated from consideration if you don’t apply in the right way or provide the information requested, no matter how qualified you are.

Be really careful composing cover letters/emails on your phone. The auto correct is not kind and spelling mistakes are not easily forgiven.

If there is nothing in the posting, then you need to make your cover letter brief and specific. This is not the place for your life story.  Two or three details about how you are suited for the role and anything exceptional such your interest in relocating at your own expense or your recently completed MBA.

It should not be longer than one thumb scroll on a smartphone. That’s all the attention it will get. Your cover letter should be enough of a tease to get the reader to open your resume. That’s all it is.  A door opener. Keep this in mind and stop yourself from pouring your heart and soul into it.

Today, the cover letter is the equivalent of a digital handshake.  If yours is clear, strong and dry, it will do what it is supposed to do.

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April 3, 2014 · 9:43 am

Interview Prep Tips

We have heard a lot about interviewing at Google and the sorts of bizarre questions hiring managers there ask.  “If you were an animal, what would you be?”  “What shall we have for dinner?”

Lots of people can probably remember going through a three or four stage interview process.  Sometimes this seems extreme but it’s usually rational in that allows the company and the candidate to go on several “dates” to really get to know each other.

Here are some really extreme interview processes.

Tafelmusik, the wonderful baroque orchestra here in Toronto is going to replace their current their current musical director.  Jean Lamon is going to step down after 33 years and an Order of Canada citation.  A search committee has been formed and they will have whittled the candidates down to a short list by the fall when the concert season begins.

Get this:  one of the interviews is with the audience.  Each short listed candidate will have to lead the orchestra in a full concert, rehearsals and all.  Talk about a panel interview!  Not just the entire orchestra but the whole audient as well!

I’m not sure if this is really what happens at Ikea but it looks about right.

ikea-job-interview1-450x366

 

If you want to work at an Apple store, you get invited to a group interview for the first stage.  This seems a bit like dance tryouts to me but I guess it allows the store manager to review candidates more efficiently.

Perhaps, most intense of all is the interview process to become an elected official.  That  involves weeks and weeks of speeches, debates, public and media scrutiny and ultimately being  liked by more of the voters than your competitors.

The lesson here is to be prepared.  Understand as much about the process as possible.  Ask the hiring manager, the recruiter and check out places like Glassdoor for more information.

Good preparation will help you show up with strength and confidence.

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