I recently had the pleasure of speaking directly with 360JobInterview’s Senior Management of Recruitment, Brad Kaunitz. We went over various aspects of the job search, Brad’s experiences in looking for his first job, as well as what he looks for in career and interview coaches, and what makes 360JobInterview.com stand out in a world filled with people telling you, the job seeker, they can help you get hired.
After receiving a degree in Psychology, Brad decided that his life-long goal would be one of helping others. His love of people, alongside a desire to change peoples’ lives, was what drove him to the recruitment sector of human resources. In this economy, however, there is fierce competition in the job market, and many good, qualified people are being beat out by those with ‘inside connections’ or the ability to sell themselves more effectively.
This is where Brad comes in – he works behind the scenes to find the top of the line coaches for you. There is a very rigorous screening process in place to hire only the best of the best at 360JobInterview.com. Brad evaluates previous roles in their careers, the level of decision making power they’ve had, indicators of professionalism, and, most importantly, that they have a good heart. That is what each of the 300+ career coaches and interview coaches in over 55 fields have to offer, ensuring an excellent experience for everyone. And you get them and their coaching one on one and live via Skype’s video messaging service.
Speaking of interviews, the most popular one you need to be prepared for when going into a job interview is behavioral-based interviewing. Instead of merely evaluating your skill sets and experience, recruiters and hiring managers are looking more at your personality. How would you handle a given situation? What have you done in the past to resolve a conflict on your team? Can you problem solve? Do you have any personal quirks that may make working in their particular office environment easier or more difficult? All of these, and more, are aspects taken into consideration by the interviewer, and can make or break your interview.
The most crucial, and most overlooked, common denominator amongst interviewees is that they do not now themselves. Are they aware of their own personality quirks? Can they answer a thought-provoking question without looking off and being unprepared? Do they notice that they bite their nails or fiddle with a pen when nervous?
But are you ready to answer the tough questions? Another frequent issue, Brad says, is that many job seekers will go off on a tangent about their personal life when asked to talk about themselves.
The important, and frequently failed part of the job interview is when you’re asked to describe what you know about the job. As the potential hire, it is your responsibility to do research on the company and the position ahead of time. Utilize the company website, web search, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook to find out about the details of what the company is all about and who the people are that work there.
What’s the appropriate follow up time? After sending in your resume, the average response time ranges from one week to one month. There are between 300 and 500 applicants for the position, so it is important to follow up the next week. Post-interview, it is also appropriate to send a follow up a week later. Just because you didn’t receive a response from the hiring manager, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the picture. Show you’re dedicated, responsible, and truly interested in the position.
Looking for a job, sending in resumes, and going on countless job interviews is frustrating. You must keep your head up and have patience. Don’t let the job market get you down. Instead, fight back by being prepared. From the fresh face, straight out of college, to the more seasoned professional, it is important to have an edge on your competition. Check out 360JobInterview’s resume building service, live career action planning, and live, one on one interview coaching.
