November 14, 2017November 13, 2017

Building Rapport: Making Small Talk Work for You

Every interview starts with a casual conversation; maybe it is about the weather, sports, or even traffic. The hiring manager wants to put you at ease and avoid any awkward silence before the interview officially starts. It’s pretty well-known that small talk is an essential factor in building rapport for a long time, but a Harvard Business Review article lays out exactly how important.

The researchers did a study of 163 applicants and interviewers to see how much a first impression influences the interview. Half of the interviewers spent 2-3 minutes making small talk with the candidates. The other half watched a recorded video of the interviews and provided ratings. The interviewers who made small talk wrote down their initial impressions before moving on to the interview phase. When researchers reviewed the notes about the first impression, they found that they were directly related to job-related attributes. The hiring managers are judging your ability to perform the job the moment you walk in the door.

The researchers also found that the first impressions had the most significant impact on the first few questions. Interviewers rated applicants higher than deserved if they made an excellent first impression, and lower than justified if they made a poor impression.

It only takes 5 seconds for someone to have a first impression of your personality, trustworthiness, and intelligence, and you never know who is providing feedback on your behaviors. Hiring managers may very well ask the admins or other staff for input on how applicants treated them. There are a few things you can do to build rapport and increase your chances of getting hired.

Strategies to Build Rapport

For some, building rapport comes easy — **For some lucky people, building rapport comes easy.**

Physical Communication

There are a lot of bad handshakes out there, so find a partner and practice. Match the pressure of the other person; your handshake should be firm, but not a bone-crusher. On the other side, if you don’t apply enough pressure, you’ll also make a poor impression. Do your best to make sure your palm is perpendicular to the ground. If you turn your palm up you’re indicating submissiveness; downwards communicates dominance.

Be aware of your body and the messages you’re sending. Crossing your arms tells the interviewer that you’re closed off. On the other hand, be mindful of the space you are taking up and avoid spreading out or slouching. Since the first impression happens so quickly so be sure you’re practicing this while you’re waiting. How you use your head can also help make a positive impact. An article by PsychMechanics explains that tilting and nodding your head slowly conveys that you are interested and agree with what’s being said.

Mirroring

An article by PsychologyToday recommends mirroring the other person to build a stronger connection. When you’re mirroring, you are subtly reflecting behaviors. This includes the language they use, their tone, body language, and energy level. If the interviewer is using a quiet voice and not making a lot of hand gestures, you would do the same. When you’re nervous, mirroring can be a tough task to master. Practice mirroring with your friends and notice your how your behaviors change when you are around other people. By working on it beforehand, it will come more natural to you at the interview.

Verbal Communication

Topics are relevant. When you are trying building rapport, you should be looking for common ground and asking open-ended questions. Do your research on the hiring manager beforehand. Scope out them out on social media and see if you can find any common ground. Then, when you’re making small talk, look for opportunities to bring it up, but not in the “I-stalked-you-on-the-internet,-how-was-your-cooking-class-last-night” kind of way. Stay away from controversial topics like politics and religion, even if you think they’ll agree with you. Bringing up sensitive issues at the interview is always a bad idea.

Open-ended questions are another excellent way to get them talking. Asking questions that begin with how, what, and why can get the interviewer talking. The next step is to be a good listener. Don’t think about what you’re going to say next, just focus on what they are telling you. Do your best to be friendly and comfortable in the conversation, but remember this person could be your boss, so don’t forget to stay professional.

Practice through Networking

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Building rapport is a skill, and you will get better at it with practice. Every time you meet someone new, you have the opportunity to develop your skills further and build a bigger network. I know that for the introverts out there, this can be a daunting task but it will pay off dividends if it helps you get the job. You never know, the next person you meet could have an incredible job opportunity for you.

June 22, 2017

Benefits: Unlimited Vacation

Unlimited Vacation

Imagine, you’re interviewing at a company, and they tell you that they offer unlimited vacation benefits. Awesome, right?! Maybe, but first, you need to do your homework. While it’s been around for a while, it’s only offered by one to two percent of companies in the United States. Netflix, GE, LinkedIn and a fair number of small to mid-sized technology companies have these types of flexible vacation plans. In the case of Netflix, they don’t track vacation usage, but they expect the time away to be reasonable and ensure that employees still get their job done. At General Electric, around 43% of the US salaried workforce can take as much vacation, sick, and personal time off as needed without any tracking involved. Since GE’s policy only applies to a particular population, it could create quite a divide among the employees that work there.

Why offer Unlimited Vacation

Offering unlimited vacation can be a smart move for business. It’s no secret that Americans have less vacation than the majority of the world, and in 2016 an estimated 662 million vacation days were given up. An unlimited plan eliminates the administrative burden of tracking and monitoring of leave usage. The biggest benefit to employers is that it removes the financial responsibility to pay out unused days to employees who leave the company. Finally, It can be seen as a great perk for employees and is used to help stand out against competitors.

While in theory, an unlimited vacation policy might seem great, it could backfire. If you are considering a job somewhere that offers unlimited vacation, be sure to do your research and ask questions. Glassdoor can be helpful to see how current and past employees feel about the benefit. Some companies offer unlimited vacation but make it difficult to get time away from work. Others might have a culture that frowns upon taking time off, even though it’s available.

Questions to Ask

When you start asking questions about benefits, choose your timing carefully. It can be a big turn off to hiring managers when applicants ask lots of benefit questions during an interview. Typically, the best approach to is to wait until you get the job offer. Here’s a list of questions you can ask that will give you an idea of how the benefit works at a company:

What are the parameters around the vacation policy?
How many days do employees typically take off each year?
What is the approval process like and how far in advance should requests be made?
What holidays does the company recognize?
How do you measure performance?

Company Culture

You also want to take into account what you know about the company culture. Anytime you are on site for an interview take note of the way the team interacts in the workplace. Often, it’s easier to get a feel for the culture from potential peers than from hiring managers, since they tend to speak a bit more freely about how they feel about certain topics. As you meet with hiring managers and peers through the interview process keep in mind the following:

Is the type of work you’ll be doing primarily independent or team-based?
Are you the only person who will be doing that kind of work?
Do people typically respond to emails at night or during weekends?
Are the leaders modeling the behavior and taking time away from the office?

The goal is to determine if employees make use of the unlimited vacation policies or if there’s a subculture that frowns upon it. Also, think about how the policy makes you feel. If you worry that you won’t take a vacation because there’s not a set number of hours assigned, it might not be the best fit.

Ultimately, this should be one data point among many when deciding to accept a new job. You want to take into account the total compensation and benefits package and the kind of the work you’ll be doing. As long as you can see yourself happily at the company for at least two years, then go for it!

May 24, 2019May 15, 2017

Updating Your Resume

updating your resume doesn't have to be painful
If you’re like most people, the thought of updating your resume sounds about as fun as a dental appointment. It’s one of those chores that is easy to put off. You may even wonder, why you should worry about it if you aren’t looking for a job. Just like going to the dentist, updating your resume is much less painful if you are doing it frequently. Each time you make updates, find a quiet space and give yourself an hour or two of uninterrupted time to focus without distractions. Regular updates will make it easier to remember your accomplishments and make the process much less painful. As your career changes, your resume should reflect that. We’ve highlighted some key times when you should be updating your resume below.

Job Changes

This one is easy. Anytime you change jobs, take a moment to make those updates on your resume. Highlight your new responsibilities and reflect on the accomplishments you achieved in your last position. Remember to update the dates on your resume too. If you’re staying at the same company in a new position, it probably makes the most sense to list the total length of time with the business name, and then list the dates for each position below. Keeping copies of your old job descriptions with your resume can help you recall past responsibilities as you make updates.

New Education/Training/Certificates

Did you get a new degree or certification? Make sure to include it on your resume and take credit for it! When working with resume clients, I often see education and training in progress with expected completion dates that have long past. Once you complete the training, I don’t recommend using dates of education on resumes unless there is a particular reason it makes sense. If your license or certification has an expiration, you’ll want to include that instead.

For most professionals, the education section of a resume should go near the bottom. I recommend that after around three years of professional work experience, that the degree should be moved down, and the experience should be a bigger focus.

Performance Reviews

When you work at a company that does performance reviews, they can help you capture your significant accomplishments. Making updates after your performance review is an excellent way to incorporate regular resume updates into your rhythm as well. Your review can help you capture big projects with measurable results as accomplishments bullets. Save these files in the same place as your previous job descriptions to make future resume updates easier.

Before Applying

Anytime you’re considering applying for a new position; you should review your resume and make updates. Even if you just recently made changes, your resume should be customized for each job. Since most companies use applicant tracking system, the words you choose in your resume should reflect the phrase used in the job posting. Without a high keyword match, there is a chance that the hiring manager might never see your resume.

Use caution when you make these updates though because if you just stuff a bunch of keywords into your resume, the systems are pretty good at picking that up too. The goal is to reflect the language in the posting, without it coming across as forced or over the top. For example, your resume uses the phrase “managed multiple projects at once, but the job description talks about multitasking, make a quick edit to reflect that word better.

Twice a Year

If you make it a habit of updating your resume twice a year on a regular schedule, you’ll make the entire process much easier. You never know when your dream job might appear, and you don’t want an old resume to cause you to scramble. If you revisit the file every six months, making the updates and customizing it to a particular job will be much less intimidating. The important thing here is to write it down and do it. Make a commitment to yourself and set a calendar reminder to get started. If it’s been awhile since you’ve made updates and you’d like some help we can help with resume coaching options to fit your needs.

March 13, 2017

How to Succeed in a Work From Home Job

Work from home

For those of us who have spent our careers in an office, a working from home sounds like a dream! No commute, no dress code, no co-workers stealing your lunch from the shared fridge and best of all, a lot fewer interruptions than those open office floor plans. While working from home can be pretty attractive. Glassdoor just released a list of 20 legitimate companies that offer work from home opportunities.

The downsides:

While the grass may seem greener at home for those of us fighting traffic each morning, be aware that there are some disadvantages associated with working from home. There are still distractions, though it shifts from your loud cubicle mate to your unending pile of laundry, dirty dishes or other nagging projects around the house. The other major complaint about those who work from home full-time is that it’s tough to maintain separation between work and personal life. When you go to an office every day, it’s easier to ‘turn work off’ when you walk out the door.

Working from home can be isolating. If you’re an extrovert and thrive on working with other people, work from home job might not be for you. When applying to work from home positions, asking questions about how the team interfaces with each other might be helpful. You’ll want to know how much of your time will be spent communicating with other people versus independent work and make sure that balance fits your personal needs.

Tips for work from home success:

Have a dedicated office space

To help with the separation from work and home, designate a spot just for work. If you have space in your house, appoint an office area. Try only to use that space for work and minimize the distractions in the room. Being able to shut the door is helpful too, especially at the end of the day. When you are done for the day, close the door and walk away from the work. Unless it’s an expectation of the job, don’t monitor emails and calls after hours to help you preserve a work-life balance.

Establish a routine

Set the alarm each morning and create a pre-work routine. Change out of your pajamas at the very least. Having a morning routine will help you transition into a working mindset for the day and build a better separation. The same goes for the end of the day too. After work, take some time for yourself and unwind. Maybe that’s going for a walk with your furry office mate, hitting the gym, throwing on sweats and catching up on a favorite show. Having a transition period after work will signal that the work is over.

Get out of the house

Work from home - get outside From time to time, you will need some human interaction. Getting out of the house will force you to put pants on and give you a change of scenery. When I asked some work from home veterans for their tips, this was a common theme. One friend recommended going to the gym for a workout at lunchtime, while another suggested never eating lunch at home. Another option is to join some extracurricular activity. Maybe you get involved with a sports team, a regular art class, or some recurring community service project. Whatever it is, make an effort to get in-person interaction on a daily basis.

Connect with your team

Make time on a regular basis to connect with your team members. That could be one-on-one meetings or whole group meetings. If your entire team works from home, building that rapport and having the chance to collaborate with each other on current work happening will help you feel much less isolated. If you’re a virtual member of a local team, you might need to over-communicate, so you’re not getting left out or overlooked. Visiting the office on a regular basis helps too if your employer is open to that.

Getting Started

Once you decide you would rather work from home, there are a couple of different approaches you can take. If you’re already employed, talk to your boss and to get an understanding of what your options might be. It’s easier to make these arrangements at a place where you have an established relationship, and they know the quality of work that you produce. Sometimes due to the nature of the business and type of position you have, that’s not always possible. Although it might be a bit more challenging to find a legitimate remote or work from home type of job, they do exist. Before you provide any personal information to companies, be sure to do your research to ensure the business is legitimate. There are a lot of “work from home” opportunities out there that are too good to be true.

February 8, 2017February 8, 2017

Jump Start Your Job Search

Congratulations, you’re ready to start a job search! Change can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. If you aren’t quite sure where to start, you’re in the right place. Before you start applying for a new position, the first step is to update your resume. Then, it’s time to start checking out the job market to see what’s out there. To help you in your search, we sharing some of our favorite job search resources and how to best leverage them.

One of the best things about using LinkedIn for your job search on LinkedIn is that you can see who in your network at companies where you’d like to work. Personal referrals are still an excellent way to find out about new positions and get positive references for jobs. The other nice thing about LinkedIn is that allows you to signal to recruiters that you’re looking, without making it known on your profile. If you are planning on using LinkedIn as a tool, be sure that your profile is updated before you start reaching out.

It’s considered poor form to send out connections to people you don’t know, without some explanation. If you come across a profile of someone you don’t personally know and want to connect, be sure to personalize the request. Introduce yourself and be clear about your intentions. If they accept the connection, be sure to follow up with a thank you note and be patient while you wait for a response. Be sure to be respectful and proofread your message before sending it off.

Indeed is my favorite site to use for a job search. The site is a basic aggregator, which means that it pulls together job postings from all over the internet. If you are only going to use one website to search for jobs, this is the one I would recommend. Indeed is easy to use and doesn’t require you to sign into an account to see the postings. Of all the sites, this one offers the most inclusive list of positions which ends up saving lots of time.

Another helpful thing about Indeed is that they don’t charge companies to post on the site. If you’re primarily interested in working for smaller companies who don’t have a big corporate recruiting budget, this is one of the places you’re likely to find the jobs.

I have to admit, as a former HR professional, my feelings on Glassdoor are mixed. I think that it’s a useful tool for job seekers, because it includes salary data and a lot of information on companies. There does tend to be a lot of noise in the system. Generally speaking, most people don’t take the time to write reviews unless they’re really happy, or really not happy. I’ve seen some unfair reviews written by individuals who had obvious issues with the company. On the other hand, there is great information about the interview processes for businesses and their interface is pretty easy to use. Overall, I appreciate that it is a comprehensive tool, just be sure not to make your decisions based solely on a few negative reviews.

Your Network

When you’re ready to go public with your job search, one of the most powerful tools you have is your network. Consider who you can reach out to that might be able to help. Your network can be one of the strongest advocates for you. They might know about positions that haven’t hit the job boards quite yet, and they can put you in touch with the primary decision makers at organizations.

Sending emails and making phone calls are both decent ways to stay in touch and reconnect with your network. If you want to make the biggest impression, make time to meet with them face to face. In-person meetings tend to drive stronger connections that will leave longer lasting impressions, so they are always preferred. Finally, after you’ve applied for positions, be sure to brush up on your interview skills and stories too. You never know when a recruiter will call you and ask if you have a moment to chat!

November 21, 2016November 21, 2016

Lessons from Seattle Startup Week

Last week I was lucky enough to attend Seattle Startup Week. Determined to make the most in the time that I had, I attended 17 sessions over 4 days. Seattle Startup week pulled together amazing presenters and fantastic networking opportunities. I learned SO much and by the time the conference ended I was exhausted. Once it was all over, my notebook was filled with pages and pages of thoughts, ideas, and takeaways. You could feel the rooms buzz with creativity and electricity throughout the conference. This week I’m sharing a few of my key learnings from the sessions.

Key Take Aways

Networking is like Rolling a Dice

cube-689617_1280 Everyone has different opinions on networking and how effective it is. But when it comes down to it, Networking is ultimately just getting to know new people. Now, at these events there are a LOT of people, at one point I heard that 3400 people had gone through the 150+ sessions and one of the key benefits that Seattle Startup week offered was the opportunity to meet like-minded people.

So, how is networking like rolling a dice? For one thing, you’ve got about a one in six chance you are going to connect with someone and have relevant, meaningful conversation. These are gold. Maximize these connections and follow-up with the people later. Meet them for coffee and do your best to continue the conversation later.

Now, on the other hand, you also have about a one in six chance of getting stuck in a conversation that’s not going anywhere. Maybe you got cornered and can’t escape a conversation, or maybe the person is really passionate about a topic you’re not even the tiniest bit interested in. Knowing how to politely excuse yourself from a conversation is a skill any seasoned networker should perfect.

Building Networks versus Building Relationships

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Most networking conversations started with a handshake, a quick introduction and the “What brings you here?” or “What do you do?” questions. These are great but tend to be really superficial. Building relationships is a lot harder. I’d say I probably spoke to over 200 people while I was at startup week, but there’s probably about 10 people who I made really strong connections with. I actually spent 2 1/2 hours sitting at a tiny table with one person. Of all the connections I made, that was probably the best. My new friend and I just seemed to vibe really well. The conversation flowed really easy and it was pretty obvious that we’d built a relationship. And just in case he comes across this, Hi George!

The next big takeaway was the idea that you should give first. Think about your relationships with others like a bank account. When you start building a relationship, you should make deposits into your checking account. Do that by giving, helping, and advising. Maintain relationships with your network so that when the time comes that you need help or a favor, you’ve built up a big enough balance that you can make a withdrawal. Focusing on building your network before you actually need it, so that when you do need a favor, you know who to ask.

Working at Startups

I spe Startup office nt a lot of my time on the “Talent” track so I could learn more about what Startups look for when hiring employees. While startups and smaller companies aren’t usually able to compete with the Amazons, Microsofts, and Googles of the world, they have a lot to offer. The rooms buzzed with energy. Everyone I talked to was passionate about their work and you could see eyes light up when they talked about the business. There’s so much opportunity to build skills and influence change at a smaller company. They’re more nimble and flexible than bigger organizations.

Startups and small companies have to work hard to recruit the right people, and those employees become irreplaceable. If you decide that you want to work for a startup, chances are, your benefits and paycheck aren’t going to be as competitive. You’re going to work a lot of hours. The office might be a co-working space or someone’s basement, but it’s probably not going to start out being super sexy. On the plus side, you’re going to learn a lot. You get the opportunity to really stretch your skills and have multiple roles. They’re usually a lot more flexible with vacation, but you’re definitely going to earn it. Your team is going to be really close & you will build some amazing relationships with your coworkers.

Tell Good Stories

Throughout the week, there were some amazing stories. Stories are incredibly powerful tools to connect with people. Whether you’re giving a presentation, having a casual conversation with someone or even interviewing, stories help people understand you. We are all storytellers and the more you practice telling your stories the more powerful they can become. Think about how you use them in your day to connect, communicate and share. Be conscience of the message you send with your stories and how they’re perceived, especially if you are in a position of power. Think about a leader who talks about the importance of work-life balance but contradicts that with stories about consistently working late or never taking a vacation. The leader’s personal stories and behaviors will make the bigger impact on how the team works and manages their own time.

It’s Okay to be Vulnerable

hands-1044882_1920 One of the common threads during the week was the power in vulnerability. I went to a session called “The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship” where five leaders told their stories about failure, self-doubt, and depression. It was probably one of the most impactful sessions for me. Being vulnerable helps people connect and relate to you. Have the ability and self-awareness to admit when you made a mistake or need help on a project.

At another session, Jenn Briggs talked about focusing on 80% instead of 150%. You can’t do 150% well, but if you keep a little bit of time for yourself, you’ll end up happier and more productive. I’m a wife, a mother, and a business owner. Most days it’s pretty difficult to balance everything. It was really helpful to hear that it’s impossible to be good at everything at the same time. There are days when I am going to be an amazing business owner and not a great wife or vice versa. The key is to have balance and most of the time we know when we need to make adjustments.

Next Steps

Over the next few weeks, I’m focusing on applying some the key takeaways to work. My focus this week is on spending time reviewing my notes and working through my list of action items from Seattle Startup Week. I’ve committed to taking at least one day off and reconnecting with one person in my network each week. What are you focusing on?

November 28, 2016October 31, 2016

What Takes so Long? Inside the Hiring Process

One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard throughout my career is that the hiring process takes way too long. Applicants don’t get it, and nothing frustrates hiring managers more than this. A lot of times, HR gets the blame for this too. I’ve seen company goals of 60 to 90 calendar days from the time they post the job to the start date. Of course, it’s frustrating. Today I’m shining a little bit of light on the hiring process that tends to look like a black hole for applicants. Keep in mind these are generalizations, and every company has a different process that may go faster or *gasp* slower than the time frames I’ve listed.

Job Posting (1-3 weeks)

Companies want to attract the best possible candidate pool, so job postings are usually put up for two weeks. This way, they can advertise and get a diverse applicant pool. I’ve seen postings just go up for one week, but most of them are around two weeks. If the job is highly specialized, or they are hiring for multiple positions, they might keep it posted for longer.

Some companies will look through the pool as people apply and start reaching out to candidates, but others wait until the posting closes to review any of the candidates. Here’s a tip, if you have a list of dream companies you’d love to work for, go set up profiles on their websites right now. You can set preferences so they’ll email you jobs that you’re interested in and you can apply right away.

Selection and Interviews (1-4 weeks)

Hiring Process - Reviewing Candidates

Applicant tracking systems have helped the hiring process move a bit quicker through automation. These systems scan the resumes and rank them based on keyword matches. Once candidates are ranked, hiring managers or recruiters see the “top” applicants in the pool. The systems are still learning, and in a lot of companies, there’s a distrust of the technology, so they may still review every resume in person. Once the top 5-7 resumes are selected, usually the next step is to schedule interviews. I’ve seen companies that have internal reviews of the candidate selection before the hiring managers move forward with scheduling, which can add a lot of time as well.

After the candidates are selected, then the interviews take place. This whole process takes 1-3 weeks, but it can take longer if there are vacations, holidays or other scheduling challenges. Plus, Some companies have multiple hiring loops or interview sessions. There could be multiple phone screenings, in-person interviews and they might require senior leadership to meet with final candidates. The more senior the position, the longer and more involved the interview process is. This stage is where applicants may be asked to participate in a personality assessment as well. Just a reminder that these evaluations test for consistency in your answers as well as your personality.

Once the interviews are finished, hiring managers select the final candidate. The next step is to get the conditional employment offer out to the applicant

Conditional Employment Offer & Negotiations (1-2 weeks)

The first step in getting an offer out is to determine what salary to offer. Small, nimble companies can move a lot quicker in this step than some larger businesses that have multiple layers of approvals and bureaucracy. At this stage, you should be negotiating salaries, benefits and other conditions of employment. After negotiations are done a conditional offer is initiated, but don’t turn in your two weeks notice quite yet. Most employers have pre-employment paperwork and testing to get through first. Once you agree upon a salary, the offer is considered accepted. As an applicant, you should request all of the details of the offer in writing. The next step in the process is to complete all of the required paperwork and all of the checks.

Background, References, Credit Checks (1-3 weeks)

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At this point in the hiring process, you’ll get a pile of paper to go through. In HR-speak, this is called your pre-employment paperwork. It typically contains your conditional job offer in writing and a bunch of forms to fill out. There are a lot of different pre-employment checks that a company can have in place depending on the type of positions. This list isn’t intended to be exhaustive, but to give you an idea of what they could include. It’s not common for an employer to use all of these checks, and there are federal and state requirements for companies that collect this information

Employment verification
Education verification
Criminal background
References
Drug Tests

Credit Check
I-9 Paperwork
Polygraph tests
Medical exams
Security clearances

It’s important to note that some background checks take longer than others. If you’ve lived in multiple states, the criminal records can take a while to report back. This is just as frustrating for the employer as it is for you. When clearances start coming through, the hiring managers starts getting antsy too. Typically a drug test only takes a few days, unless there’s a problem with the sample. If there’s a problem, the medical doctor reviewing the test will typically contact you first to let you know the results before calling the employer.

Two Weeks Notice & Start Date (2-3 weeks)

finish-1414156_1920 The end is in sight! It’s risky to quit a job before you have the proper clearances from your pre-employment checks. Even if you’re confident that nothing will come up, there can be mistakes or delays in the process. One of my previous employers had a difficult time verifying my degree because I had placed a privacy hold on my records. I had to physically go to the campus to remove the hold before they’d tell the employer that I had graduated. Making the trip to my old college campus added some time to the process and almost cost me the job. The safest bet is to wait until everything is verified before you turn in your notice at your current company.

Most employees give two weeks notice at their current employer. Giving notice allows your current employer to come up with a plan for the work and a bit of training the person filling in. Some companies may ask you to stay longer if possible while others have policies to pay out the last two weeks and not have you complete the time. Paying an employee out and letting them go is rare. It tends to happen in when an employee is dealing with confidential or proprietary initiatives at the company.

What Can You Do?

As a job seeker, you don’t have a lot of control over the hiring process. The best you can do to stay informed and help move things along. Always ask what the next steps are so you know what to expect. Once you start talking about the offer with the company, ask how long the rest of the process typically takes. Respond quickly to emails, phone calls, and requests for information, so things don’t get stalled. Keep in touch with the company and your references. If your references aren’t returning calls, that can delay the process. Consider checking in with them to let them know to expect a call. Lastly, do your best to stay patient and assume positive intentions. Remember, the company needs you, and they’re doing everything they can to make the process work quickly within their boundaries.

November 30, 2016October 25, 2016

Video Interview Tips: How to Get the Job

Imagine an interview where you record your responses into a camera with no one watching. You’re given a question to respond to and a countdown to start talking. You give your best response to your webcam and then hit stop. You might see your face on the screen as you are recording or the question you’re expected to answer. If you’re lucky, the software will give you the chance to re-record, but that’s not always the case. Then you’re on to the next question. You might never hear back from the company, or you could be invited in for a face to face interview. If you haven’t noticed the video interview trend, get ready, they’re becoming much more common as a tool to screen applicants. We’ve got our best video interview tips to help you get ready.

Why Video Interviews

Companies like SparkHire and HireVue provide technology that allows employers to use video interviews as a way to both screen and interview candidates. These technologies claim that they make it easier for employers to hire higher performers and streamline the hiring process. More and more companies are starting to use these tools in their hiring process; GE, Honda, Ikea and even USPS are listed as clients. Conducting a video interview is much easier than a phone screen since applicants can do it on their own time and the recruiter can just review the tape later.

Video Interview Challenges

Lighting, sound, internet connectivity and even the lack of feedback are all things you have to be aware of in a video interview. There’s no space for you to ask questions or ensure that you answered the question they’re asking. Without an encouraging nod or even eye contact from another human being, it can be pretty hard to make sure you’ve hit the mark with these types of interviews.

As an HR person, I wonder about accessibility and fairness of a video interview. I’m curious if it creates additional opportunities for bias to enter into the hiring process. However, I can see the benefits from the employer’s side. It allows them to quickly move through a large number of applicants without having to worry about scheduling around time zones and meetings. It lets them narrow down the candidate pool much quicker and hopefully, helps the hiring process move along faster.

Video Interview Tips: Getting Ready

Congratulations, you’ve been invited to record your answers for a “virtual interview.” The company sends you an interview invite with a link to the site and some instructions on how to get started. Spend some time preparing before you sit down to record and treat this just like you would a regular job interview. Research the organization and the position so you’re ready to talk about why you want to work there and what skills you’ll bring to the job. In the initial screening, the questions are most likely going to be traditional or behavioral interview questions. If you are lucky, they’ll give you the questions are ahead of time so you can think through and prepare your answers

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Find a Quiet Space & Prepare

The benefit of video interviews and screenings is that they happen on your own time and in a place you’re comfortable. There are a lot of stuff to consider when getting set up for your video interview. Choose a time when you’re not likely to be interrupted and mute your cell phone. Set aside about an hour to record and turn in your responses. Some of the companies require a software download to use their tools, so make sure you’re not waiting until the last minute to turn in your responses in case you run into any technical difficulties.

Set the Scene

Do a test run with the lighting and volume on your webcam. You want to make sure they can see and hear you clearly. Your light source should be in front of your camera, not behind you for a clear image. Be sure to check that your background is professional and not distracting. A blank wall works fine, but if you can use an office setting it will send a more professional message. Also, remember to plug in your charger since recording video can drain your batteries quickly.

Dress for Success

It can be easy to get a little lax when it comes to video interviews since you may not be leaving your house. It’s still critical to dress as if you were going to the office for an interview. Dressing professionally tells the hiring manager your serious about the job. It will also help you feel more confident and polished. Wear solid colors since patterns can come across as fuzzy and distracting. It’s a good idea to keep the jewelry to a minimum to avoid reflections into the camera.

Answer the Questions

Chances are you’ll need to record answers to between 3 and five questions for an interview screening. As you are answering, do your best to look at the camera and speak clearly. If you make a mistake, do your best to move on and don’t dwell on it. It might help to imagine that the hiring manager is in the room with you. One nice thing about the recordings is that you usually have the chance to collect your thoughts before starting on the next question. Once you’ve finished answering, take a moment to collect your thoughts. Have a drink of water and review your notes before getting started in your next response.

Having the ability to review and re-record your answers might be harder than just having one chance. For the perfectionists out there, this can be a major pitfall. Don’t spend hours trying to perfect an answer. Chances are it will be visible to the recruiter and come across as rehearsed or insincere. Unless you’ve made a major mistake, it’s best to move on without recording multiple times.

Waiting Game

Once you hit submit on the interview, the waiting begins. Usually, you’ll get some notice that it has been received by the company, either via email or right after turning it in. One downside is that it’s hard to follow up with anyone to see where you stand or even get an idea of what the next steps are in the process. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell if or when you’ll hear something from the company after submitting your answers. The best advice I can give is to keep applying to other positions while you wait to hear back from the video screen.

If you’re ready to build your interview skills in a virtual environment, we offer web-based interview coaching services that will help you prepare, either in person or over the web. To learn more about our interview and resume coaching services get in touch via email or at (206) 289-0358.

November 30, 2016October 18, 2016

Resume Accomplishments

mona-lisa-leonardo-da-vinci-la-gioconda-oil-painting-40997 Leonardo da Vinci is the man responsible for the first resume, created over 500 years ago while he was seeking employment as a military engineer in Milan. A lot has changed from that da Vinci’s resume, and etiquette is always evolving. When I was in college, the career centers recommended using a resume to provide high-level information on job duties. They also said I needed an objective, but that’s no longer the case either. Most of the bullets on my first resume started with “responsible for” and went from there. Admittedly, that was over a decade ago. Nowadays, just listing job duties isn’t enough to get you hired. Hiring managers want more than what you did each day; they want you to tell them about what you were able to accomplish. Strong resume accomplishments will help you to stand out amongst the competition.

Show & Tell

Resumes are filled with buzzwords: team player, flexible, strong multitasker, great communicator, etc. While you probably have these skills using these words doesn’t help your resume. Buzzwords are general statements that don’t come with proof, and hiring managers tend to ignore them. Instead of using empty buzzwords, show employers that you have these skills through your accomplishments. While anyone can say that they’re a great multitasker, think about what you can put on your resume to prove it. There are three great ways to present resume accomplishments on a resume: numbers, annual goals, and awards & recognition.

Numbers

Numbers make your resume stronger. Take advantage of any chance you have to show your accomplishments with numbers. Using numbers is a lot easier if you work somewhere that tracks metrics and measures results. I know that it’s not always easy to measure your impact and sometimes it’s hard to remember the numbers that you influenced. These bullets will fall in one of three categories: dollars, percentages, or hours. Keep track of the number of team members, budgets and hours saved as you work on future projects so you can quickly update your resume later.

Managed all aspects of the $1.5M program budget including membership benefits, events, project development, and staffing.
Launched three successful campaigns in 2015 in new industries resulting in 150% grow
Developed a tool to update and track data entry transactions, saving 40 hours of weekly labor.

Annual Goals

Chances are you go through some goal setting at work each year. Goals are fantastic tools for resume writing so pull out your previous reviews and see what projects you were working and how you performed. These are the big-ticket items that you should include on your resume. As a project manager, your resume should highlight how you effectively led teams to deliver ahead of schedule, under budget or exceeding the requirements.

Led two teams through bi-yearly employee survey action planning, increasing survey response rates from 37% in 2009 to 68% in 2011.
Organized and oversaw a multi-day trade show for vendors in the food and beverage industry at the Hospitality Expo in Las Vegas.

Awards and Recognition

Awards or recognition make great resume accomplishments Any recognitions or awards are potential resume accomplishments. Since you are using your resume to highlight your achievements, awards and recognition are an excellent way to go about it. If the project is outside of your normal scope but matches a skill that the job is looking for, then it’s worth including. When you use your resume to highlight accomplishments you’re showing that you’re willing to go above and beyond.For my superstars out there who have lots of awards under your belt, be selective and choose the most impactful awards.

Recognized as Employee of the Quarter for organizing a community-wide food drive and overseeing 15 volunteers to advertise, collect and deliver non-perishable goods to the local food bank.
Selected as 1 of 12 Executive Advisors out of a class of 250 nationwide. Donated over 200 hours of management consulting to a student team over a three month period.

Functional Bullets

Sometimes it’s not possible to focus solely on resume accomplishments. Sometimes you need to demonstrate skills for the job, and you don’t have an achievement that relates. This is where the functional bullets come in handy. They focus on the general responsibilities of the job. A resume has limited space, so do your best to keep these items to a minimum. Don’t repeat them, and only list skills that you’re not able to cover in other areas.

Responsible for reporting and ensuring compliance with federal, state and local laws
Built and managed project schedules using both waterfall and agile methodology
Used HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS to design the internal company website.

Frequency of Updates

The good news is that resume updates get easier each time you do them. After awhile making updates becomes more about fine-tuning your resume. As your career grows, you want to revisit your resume every six months to a year, even if you’re not looking for a job. Set up a calendar reminder and set aside an hour or two to update your current job responsibilities. That way your accomplishments stay fresh, and you capture them before you forget. It’s okay if this version of your resume is long, you’ll be customizing it for each job you apply for in the future 🙂 This just provides you with more material to choose from when you become an active job seeker.

November 30, 2016October 6, 2016

Incognito Mode: Let LinkedIn Recruiters Know You’re Looking

LinkedIn just announced a new feature called Open Candidates, helping active job seekers go incognito. This feature lets LinkedIn recruiters know that you’re looking, without your boss finding out. In the past, we told clients not to publicize they’re looking for a new position unless they’ve conversation with their leader first. There are a lot of reasons why you might not want your employer to know you’re looking for a job. You might be worried they’ll treat you differently once they know you are looking or believe it would affect your work assignments.

Now, it might not be perfect yet, but it’s a start. LinkedIn says they’ll do their best not to let recruiters who work at your company know that you’re looking. There might be a few situations you’re current employer could find out you’re looking. If your business recruiters haven’t updated their current employer in their profile, or if your company goes by multiple names, they still might be able to see you. They assign companies ID’s, and if your company’s ID matches the recruiters, you’re not visible to them. If your business uses agency recruiters to fill positions, there might be a chance the agency recruiter comes across your profile.

How to Update your Settings for LinkedIn Recruiters

If you’re ready to open the floodgates of InMails from recruiters, here’s how you can get started. First, make sure your profile is up to date and recruiter ready. If you’re set on your employer not finding out that you’re looking, turn off your update notifications in your profile. This way your connections don’t see your profile changes in their LinkedIn newsfeed.

Once your profile is ready to go, it’s pretty easy to turn on this new feature. From your LinkedIn home page, click on Jobs. Here you can search for jobs, explore suggested jobs and update preferences. The Open Candidates feature is located under the preferences menu. LinkedIn has set your preference to off as a standard, so you’ll need to turn the feature on. From there, you can narrow down your choices. Decide the types of jobs, start availability and set an introduction to recruiters. Then you choose your interests, including industries, experience level, company size, and locations. Hopefully, providing this information will help you get in front of the right people. Recruiters will be able to see the date you flagged yourself, your interests and the types of jobs you like.

I want to hear your thoughts on this new tool; do you think that it’s going to be helpful in your job search? If you’re not planning on using it, tell me why. If you found this article helpful, please share it! Sound Interview Professionals is on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and I’d love to connect with you.