Category Archives: Interviewing Skills
← Older posts4 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview
Employers often screen applicants with a phone interview. Not only are they making sure you’re sane and reasonably intelligent, they also want to make sure both the candidate and employer are on the same page regarding location, salary, availability, and qualifications. A phone interview can be an easy task to under think, given the informality of a phone call and the casual location in which you may be taking the call. Not being able to wow … Read more »
The 3 Things That Scare Us Most in a Job Search
Looking for a job can be a scary, overwhelming, and unknown endeavor. There are so many things we should do for a successful job search. But why don’t we do them? I believe it’s because we don’t know if it will make any difference. There are no guarantees and there is no return policy for lost time. For example, during my search for a meaningful career, I was too busy working a service job to … Read more »
You Have What’s Missing
Last week, as I scrolled through a number of sad, disturbing, or otherwise disgruntling pieces of news posted on Facebook, instead of mindlessly responding out of habit, I did something different. Which had lovely results. My habitual responses might include: eating something with high-sugar content, complaining about the constant stream of negatively skewed news in the world, or tumbling into the Pit of Despair, which, as you might know, is not far from the Fire … Read more »
4 1/2 Things You Must Do in an Informational Interview
I had the good fortune on Wednesday to attend the 2013 Communicators Conference sponsored by the Portland Metro Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the Oregon-Columbia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. One of the conference highlights for me: Michelle Lantow, chief administrative officer for New Season’s Market, told how she found her dream job by having coffee with 65 strangers. It was an excellent presentation full of valuable tips and a … Read more »
What to Say and How to Say it When You’re Looking for Work
“100 Conversations for Career Success” Shows How to Communicate about a Job Search We all recognize that knowing what to say and do in the workplace takes practice. Whether you start with a part-time job in high school or in a full-time position after graduation by working every day you soon master the basics of how to talk to coworkers, build relationships with colleagues, and achieve professional success. Job-hunting, however, is not something you do … Read more »
How to Deal with a Bad Reference
Marty was losing sleep. She’d done well in her job interview for a catalog proofreader position, but she was anxious about her references. She couldn’t stop imagining her ex-boss answering the reference call; “Marty? As a copyeditor? She’s thorough, but slow. Really s-l-o-w.” If you’re nervous about a recent employer’s reference, relax. You’re among good company. Sometimes, our past positions aren’t a good fit for us. Right now, you need a strategy for damage control. … Read more »
7 Things Really Amazing Job Seekers Do
In my career, I’ve done hundreds of informational interviews as a job seeker myself and with people looking for work, and I’ve helped hire dozens of people. Over the years I’ve noticed that no matter what the background – nonprofit, government, or the private sector – the people who enjoy the most success in a job search use many of the same strategies. Here are seven things I’ve seen really amazing job seekers do. Conduct … Read more »
Practice the Art of Listening to Pull in the Right Job
Do some people stop listening before you stop talking? Especially in a stressful job interview situation, we are likely to talk expansively about our past successes or blurt things out without pausing to think for a moment. Two traits that seemed remarkably rare when I was interviewing potential interviewers for a new TV program were: 1. How little advance research they did in advance about the position and our organization. 2. How often they did … Read more »
5 Ways to Answer the ‘What Are Your Weaknesses’ Question in a Job Interview
We’ve all been there. We’ve breezed through the job interview, and then we get the dreaded question; “Tell us about your weaknesses.” Hmmm… A tricky question. You want to choose an authentic answer. But you can’t hurt your candidacy. Just like politicians, briefly respond to the sticky question, then pivot back to your major strengths. Choose how you’ll handle the ‘weaknesses’ job interview question. Address the Obvious For example, “You note that you’d prefer a … Read more »
The Minimalist Guide to Informational Interviews
“The 20-Minute Networking Meeting” Shows How to Tap the Hidden Job Market What’s the best way to find a job? Some people still believe there’s only one approach: spot an opening on a job site, write a brief email with a resume attached, and hit the send button. We all know someone who has found a great job like this. The problem is that most positions – estimates put the figure as high as 80% … Read more »
