You should probably wait until you get the offer before you say that…..

1.  So what exactly is it you guys do? If you are walking into an interview and you don’t know what the company does……you don’t deserve the job. Do your research before walking into the interview.
2. Will I have to travel and/or relocate? This is a legitimate question but wait for the interviewer to bring up the topic.  If you bring it up first it may make you sound like you are not flexible and being flexible is very important in today’s job search.
3. Will I have to work over time? How about…”What does the typical day/week look like?”  
4. What is your vacation policy? Really? You’re trying to get a job and the first thing on your mind is how much time you can take off? Benefits discussion starts once you get to the offer stage of the interview process…you must chill!
5. So what does this position pay? NEVER ask this in a first interview. Wait for the interviewer to ask you about your salary requirements.  We all need to pay our bills but there is more to the job than money. If you are focused on what the position pays you may make the interviewer think that all you care about is money and will be considered at risk to leave for the next higher paying job.
6. How long do you think this interview will take? I have to be somewhere else afterward.  Oh for  God’s sake, if I have to explain what’s wrong with this question you’re really in trouble!
7. How long is it before I can apply for other positions internally? Again, you are making your interviewer question your intentions. Ask this after you have been hired.
8. Do not end the interview with “No, I don’t have any questions. ” Do not show up to the interview without a list of questions to ask. Take the time and do research on the company. Don’t you want to know more about who you will be working for?

Recruiters Need Friends Too!

Great Executive Insider article this morning…..Thought you would enjoy it as well.

Most job seekers wouldn’t dare cold call a senior-level executive and ask for a position within their company, yet search firm recruiters often find themselves on the receiving end of requests for jobs. The same networking care and consideration (give before you get) should be given to executive recruiters as to any other contacts, but many only think about them when they are in need of a job.

Whether you’re currently in job search or not, there’s value in having a few recruiters in your network.

• It helps to diversify your contact list.
• You likely have industry information that’s helpful to their business.
• Your company will have recruiting needs.
• You are considering new opportunities.

ExecuNet CEO and Founder Dave Opton suggests three ways executives can make connections with recruiters and begin building relationships with them – in advance of when they are in job search.

1. If you are a member of a professional association in your industry segment, become more than just a name in the directory. Get involved, on committees, on the panel discussions at their regional and/or national conferences. Become an officer in the local chapter and maybe invite some of the recruiters with whom you would like to build a relationship to be a presenter at one of your meetings.
2. Contribute to publications within your industry. Recruiters read trade magazines in order to maintain their level of knowledge but also to see who is contributing to thought leadership in the segment.
3. Network your way to them. If someone in your network has a relationship with a recruiter, ask for an introduction. Recruiters rely on their networks, so if a recruiter’s connection, someone he trusts, tells him to meet you, the recruiter will listen. This is a better avenue than their databases.

“The name of the game when it comes to effective career management is to be remembered and to be referred,” says Opton, “and you have to be visible to those you wish to have remember you.”

Are you a good boss or a bad boss?

So I had an interesting conversation with one of my clients regarding why the company was losing their talent to competitors…..Are you a good boss or a bad boss? What do your employees know about you that you don’t know?

What if you could get inside the mind of your employees to hear how they think? What if you knew exactly how to influence them, how to motivate them, and how they perceive fairness?

Whether good or bad, bosses have an amazing impact on their employees. Great bosses can make going to work an enjoyable, worthwhile experience while bad bosses can wreak havoc on an employee’s physical health. In fact studies have shown that workers dealing with poor managers have higher blood pressure and incidents of stress-related illnesses.

The fact of the matter is that it’s natural for human beings to form relationships with the people around them whether personal or work related. And how those relationships function impacts our mental, physical and emotional well-being.

Good bosses treat their employees with respect, engage in open communication, and value what each person brings to the organization resulting in a healthier work environment and reduced turnover. Bad bosses operate out of fear or mistrust, micromanage and don’t understand teamwork thereby resulting in a environment of suspicion and demotivation.

Remember: employees don’t leave companies they leave management.

 

 

Happy Interviewing Part 4: Show Me the Money!!!

RULE: First person to name a number loses!!!!! If you name a number that is too high, you are out.  If you name a number that is too low, you have left money on the table that could be yours.

Here are some examples of how you can answer the salary question:

• “Although salary is important, it is not my only consideration. The most important thing to me is career growth. I am open to a fair and reasonable offer and I will take the entire package and opportunity into consideration.”
• “With all do respect, I am going to be reasonable and give good thought to such an important decision. I cannot give you an absolute number right this minute, but if you make me your very best offer, I’ll give it my very best consideration.”
• “Well, at my last position I was earning XX, and of course one always hopes to earn more rather than less, but again, I would like to emphasize my interest in the role as my number one priority. I will consider the whole package when making a decision, including benefits, bonuses, opportunity, in addition to a base salary.”
  
• On a written application, write, “open” in desired salary box.
• If you are working with  Recruiter, let them do all of the salary negotiations.  “My recruiter is aware of my basic salary expectations and can fill you in with everything after we go over all the aspects of this position.”
• If you are not working with a Recruiter……contact me!

Happy Interviewing Step 3: During the interview – know your resume!

Know Your Own Resume…

• Know it in detail.  Yes, you wrote it, but REALLY know it and HOW to elaborate on it.  Talk about current projects, systems, team dynamics, challenges that you have or have had and how you overcame them (remember they know nothing about you and 95% of the time probably have not “read” your resume – in fact, you can safely assume they have not).

• Compliment previous employer/current employer for a set of skills learned or exposure gained, etc. DO NOT SPEAK NEGATIVELY ABOUT A CURRENT/FORMER EMPLOYER…..period! You have gained something positive from every negative experience…that’s what you should focus on in the interview.

• Be prepared to explain why you left or are looking to leave.