Half Off! That’s Right, 50% off!

Job Interview Coaching, Career Coaching and Resume Building services are all 50% off from March 13 – April 30, 2011.  We want to help job seekers get noticed and get hired.  What better time than now to get a job!  Sign up now and pay for any of the discounted services before the end of April to receive this FANTASTIC sale.

ACT NOW!

To take advantage of this offer, click Job Interview Coaching, Career Coaching or Resume Building and get going!

“Great hiring isn’t an instant process, and many companies would benefit from developing more-structured internship programs, in which success and proof of a good fit are measured over time,” says Mary Ellen Slayter in her recent article entitled Bring Strategic Rigor to Your Internship Program.

In the current economy, companies can afford to take more time with, and put more effort into, the hiring process. In fact, smart companies should be doing exactly that. When the labor market is slow, more talent is available and companies should tighten up hiring procedures, improve job descriptions, and focus on hiring quality people instead of hiring a resume. Internships are a great way to take a look at job candidates and determine – in real time – if they have the skills and attitude to flourish in the company.

Over the last several posts, I have tried to make it clear that finding a good job is about much more than polishing up your resume and checking out a few websites. Candidates have to work diligently at improving their value to employers. They have to find ways to increase the ways in which they can contribute to the success of an organization. In a nutshell, you simply cannot rest on your laurels; you have to be improving, growing, and constantly learning.

Need more proof? Read this excerpt from Slayter’s article:

Scare B-list candidates away upfront. General, fluffy job listings create more work for your HR team in the long run than a sharply focused one would. First, too many random candidates respond. Second, HR must then sift through a mountain of lackluster or insincere applicants. Third, these are short-term applicants that need any job they can get, as opposed to A-list candidates interested in a long-term career path with you. There’s a much better way: Sit down with key managers to carefully draft the most challenging, rigorous, mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive job description write-ups as possible –– with zero fluff. Include a roster of advanced role requirements and high cover letter expectations that invite only the keenest and most accomplished to apply. In short, scare the heck out of flaky applicants. Shotgun-blast resume slingers and well-dressed slackers won’t bother applying.

At first glance, this might be pretty intimidating. As you look at your situation and your resume, you might worry that you have little chance to secure that “perfect job.” My suggestion is to change your perspective: to move out of the realm of “resume slinger” or “well-dressed slacker,” you have to make every single job interview a learning experience. Failure to get an offer is not FAILURE – it’s an opportunity to learn where you need to improve. If you don’t get the job, you need to get as much information as you can that will help you in the next opportunity.

Always thank your interviewer and ask if you might ask a couple of questions regarding your interview. Most HR professionals will give you the opportunity, so make the best of it:

“I want to learn from this experience, so…”

“If you were in my shoes, what one thing would you work on to improve my ability to get hired?”

“What is the weakest part of my resume?”

“As an HR professional, what advice would you give me regarding my interview with you?”

At the same time, if you are serious about working for a particular company, you should consider an internship. They may or may not pay, but you could gain valuable experience inside an organization and potentially work yourself into a nice opportunity. If you don’t get an offer, and you’re fairly certain you were a final candidate, don’t be afraid to ask your interviewer if an internship is an option.

Is it just me, or do most people have little sense of what is going on in the world beyond American Idol or Survivor or The Real Housewives of (Fill in Your Favorite)? The average “man (or woman) on the street” doesn’t seem to know much of anything beyond sports and reality television.

Yes, I know, that is a sweeping generalization and completely unfair. Actually, most people are well-educated (read this), well-read, and quite knowledgeable about current affairs.

Not.

The “average” adult in the United States reads at a 9th grade level, and, as referenced in this MSNBC article, adult math skills have gone into hiding:

According to the Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy, U.S. adults are terrible at solving real-world math problems, like calculating tips or comparing prices in grocery stores. Some dismal results:

Only 42 percent were able to pick out two items on a menu, add them, and calculate a tip.

Only 1 in 5 could reliably calculate mortgage interest.

1 in 5 could not calculate weekly salary when told an hourly pay rate.

Only 13 percent were deemed “proficient.” Worse yet, only 1 in 10 women, 1 in 25 Hispanics and 1 in 50 African Americans made the grade.

More good news: according to the President’s National Mathematics Advisory Panel, “half of 17 year olds couldn’t do enough math to work in an auto plant.”

Hey, I’m not some kind of intellectual snob, nor do I value a person more or less because they don’t know who the Vice President is or can’t find Montpelier, VT on a map (for those of you keeping score at home, that would be the capital of Vermont). No, the problem is that employers are typically looking for employees who can think, solve problems, and develop ideas. If job seekers don’t do anything to develop those skills, they risk being permanently relegated to second-tier status as a job candidate.

The idea in job search is to give yourself the very best opportunity to land a good job. Every single advantage, no matter how small, helps. One certain way to elevate yourself above many competitive job seekers is to demonstrate your ability to think and solve problems. Sadly, many job seekers don’t read well, can’t write business correspondence, and can’t do basic math calculations.

The solution? Extend your interests. Read a newspaper regularly. Pick up Math for Dummies. Complete a Sudoku puzzle once in a while (a little practice at solving problems).

Sound silly?

So does this: “We have filled that position.”

As if looking for employment didn’t pose enough of a challenge, here is an entirely new problem for those seeking employment – the effective use of social media. No, no, no…not how to use it for networking or job search, but how not to use it. It seems many job candidates torpedo their chances with some employers because of the inappropriate things they post on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

Is that fair to job candidates? Apparently so, according to this article:

Four years ago, Stacy Snyder, then a 25-year-old teacher in training at Conestoga Valley High School in Lancaster, Pa., posted a photo on her MySpace page that showed her at a party wearing a pirate hat and drinking from a plastic cup, with the caption “Drunken Pirate.” After discovering the page, her supervisor at the high school told her the photo was “unprofessional,” and the dean of Millersville University School of Education, where Snyder was enrolled, said she was promoting drinking in virtual view of her under-age students. As a result, days before Snyder’s scheduled graduation, the university denied her a teaching degree. Snyder sued, arguing that the university had violated her First Amendment rights by penalizing her for her (perfectly legal) after-hours behavior. But in 2008, a federal district judge rejected the claim, saying that because Snyder was a public employee whose photo didn’t relate to matters of public concern, her “Drunken Pirate” post was not protected speech.

Since Facebook and other sites are public domain sites, it looks like they are fair game for assessing your common sense and discretion. So, next time you get in one of those “drunken pirate” moods, you might want to hold off on posting the pics. I’m just sayin’…

This article further points out that 75 percent of recruiters and HR professionals scrutinize online sites for information about job candidates, and 70 percent of those individuals have actually rejected a candidate based on information obtained from these sites. As companies seek to acquire the best talent they can find, they have been given the golden opportunity to not only assess that talent, but to assess the character of that talent as well.

Formerly, employers were limited to a credit check, a background check, and all those stellar references you put on your resume. Now, however, you have willingly opened up your entire world for them to examine – which, by the way, can be a good thing just as much as a potential risk. After all, your Facebook page could just as easily reveal a solid citizen as much as it could reveal a scalawag.

With recruiters and HR professionals on the prowl, consider this “Word to the Wise:” You might want to check out your Facebook page and analyze it from an employer’s point-of-view. Does your online persona reveal someone that might be considered a huge hiring risk?

In the 21st century, finding gainful employment means mastering the fine art of networking. Clearly, social networking tools are a part of that landscape, but the most important networking skills are still those face-to-face interpersonal skills that many people are completely uncomfortable with.

Starting a conversation with a complete stranger – at a so-call “networking” event or at other chance meeting times – can be an intimidating exercise. Even people who are outgoing and comfortable with meeting new people can drive right into the ditch if they are too aggressive or lack social awareness.

There is, in fact, a precarious balance between “I am looking for the right opportunity” and “I desperately need a job.” For whatever reason, desperation just doesn’t play well with others. Strategic career planning, on the other hand, is eminently professional (“No, I haven’t found the position that fits my career plan”). The difference – in networking – is how you approach the task of meeting people and discussing your situation.

First, in any networking opportunity, you must be come prepared. You should have carefully rehearsed your answers to the following questions:

What do you do? (“I’m unemployed” or,”I’m between jobs” probably doesn’t leave the impression your looking for.)

What happened? (“My boss was an idiot” or “They just didn’t understand me” rarely results in a referral to a job opportunity.)

What are you looking for? (“Anything I can find” or “Something to pay the bills” sounds more like commodity than valuable resource.

Second, you should present yourself in a way that communicates success. Look the part. Dress appropriately. Shine your shoes. Have a nice pen in your notebook or jacket. Professional dress and conduct leads people to believe that you would be professional in the workplace.

Third, you need to be way more interested in finding out about other people than you are in telling others about you. Networking is a lot easier when you are focused on listening rather than talking. Eventually, the other person will ask about you (see the questions above) and you will get the opportunity to see if there is a connection for you. The interesting thing is that the better the listener you are, the more apt the other person is to listen and consider what you have to say.

Don’t know how? Don’t know what to ask? Use POGO – a technique from world famous motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar:

P – First, ask about the person. What does he do? Where does he work? Where did he go to school? Does he have any kids? Those kinds of questions.

O – Second, ask about the organization. How long has he worked there? What does he like about the company? Who does the company do business with? These are questions about the company he works for.

G – Third, ask about the company’s goals. How is his company, or department, doing? Are they reaching their goals? How is the economy affecting their progress?

O – Finally, ask about the obstacles the company has encountered. What has been your company’s biggest challenge? How have you worked around it? What do you see coming in the future that might be a challenge to reaching your goals?

You certainly don’t have to ask these exact questions, nor do you have to hit all four areas in any conversation. However, using this simple acronym – POGO – will prompt you to ask useful questions that lead to a productive dialogue. By the way, you will find out a lot about that company, as well as the industry they work in, and that is always valuable knowledge to have for future conversations!

360WorkForce is the newest and most innovative service provided by the creative minds of Jeff Garber, CEO, and Dan Fedrizzi, COO.  In an era plagued with a volatile job market and constantly evolving landscape, 360WorkForce is delivering what employers everywhere didn’t know they couldn’t live without.

As a client of 360WorkForce, Cathy Avallone, Vice-President of Human Resources for hhgregg was kind enough to allow me to interview her regarding her experience with this exciting new product.

Q.  Cathy, how would you compare your experience with 360WF to more traditional recruiting methods?

A. Like many companies working with very lean HR staffs, I don’t have a designated recruiter.  The people on my staff wear many hats and have more than they can get done in a day.  Once we were assigned an HR professional that met our needs, the process was very smooth.  We did not incur the typical costs that traditional recruiters charge and had all the information on our designated portal of the 360 website available 24/7.

Q.  What were the biggest challenges and what were the biggest advantages?

A. We are a unique retailer with very specific needs. Probably, the biggest challenge was getting on the same page regarding what we were actually looking for.  We are opening several new stores in new geographic regions, so this was a learning experience for all of us.  Once we were able to articulate what we wanted and our HR partner understood the criteria, it was like having an extension of the team, as opposed to just a vendor. I suppose that is the biggest advantage, along with being able to actually view a recorded screening interview.  So many times you bring people in having not met them and it is a total waste of time. That would not happen with this process.

Q.  As a service provider, was there transparency throughout the staffing process?

A. From the client side, I was able to log-in, review any or all resumes that were submitted, review notes and recommend who I wanted to be interviewed via a recorded Skype interview.  I was notified when the recorded screening interviews were available and was able to watch a 30 minute screening interview, which was very valuable.  Our HR resource also provided great notes and things she saw that were valuable to determining who to bring in for a face-to-face interview.

Q.  Did you find the quality of the candidates met your requirements?

A. Of the 5 we brought in for face-to-face interviews, 3 were made offers.

Q.  Would you recommend 360WorkForce to other companies?

Yes, I would recommend 360WF to other companies.  It is a great concept. I think it is especially beneficial when you are working with fewer resources than you need internally.  I loved being able to view the recorded screening interviews, which is a huge advantage.  I can’t stress enough the value and importance of the relationship between the employer and the HR resource.  I believe it is a cost effective way to enhance your staffing process.

So, there you have it – straight from the client.

Hey, want to see how marketable you are? Here’s an exercise for you: create a PowerPoint presentation that is designed to market…YOU! Yes, that’s right – create a marketing presentation for yourself. No, I’m not suggesting that you use it in a job interview, but consider this exercise as a way to think carefully about what you bring to the table for an employer.

A couple of words of caution before we discuss some ideas for your presentation: First, if you don’t know how to use PowerPoint, here is a good time to figure it out. Get a PowerPoint for Morons book, or some such thing, and start learning. However, do your homework on the Internet and learn some basics about good presentations (check out this blog post, for example). Second, many job positions require some aptitude with PowerPoint, so this may actually be good practice because most people don’t have a clue about how to create an effective slide presentation (haven’t you seen some really awful presentations in the workplace?). Do some research and learn how to avoid disastrous presentations (here is another great blog post to read). Google “bad PowerPoint presentations” and you will get a bazillion hits; go ahead and read one or two.

OK, let’s get started.

1). Write down your personal workplace strengths. Get out of “interview” mode and be real for a second. What skills and talents do you have? Are you dependable? A good listener? Are you Rain Man on Microsoft Word or Excel? Can you write coherent business correspondence? (If so, there are about 40 of you left in the universe.)

Think it through…why should an employer hire you? What makes you special? Now, put together a half dozen slides – one for each strength. Find a graphic for each slide. Prioritize the slides and build a case for yourself.

2). Next, write down your personal weaknesses. Same process as before – get real and be specific. Are you horrible with details? Do your follow-up skills leave something to be desired? Do you have the people skills of a pit bull?

The more you know about yourself, the smaller your blind spot in an interview. Interviews are not about clever answers to tricky questions; they are about positioning yourself effectively to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths. If you can be honest with yourself and identify a key weakness that is keeping you out of the best jobs, you can create a plan to improve that weakness or manage it effectively. Do that now – create two or three slides that identify your weaknesses, one per slide. Find a graphic that fits. Then, create a solution for each weakness and use a slide to communicate it.

3) Finally, answer these questions: What do you want to do most? What is your vision for your career? What is it that you do in the workplace that gives you great energy and satisfaction? Now, create two to four slides that communicate your passion.

The point here is that, until you know what you want to do, you won’t look for the ideal job for you – and you won’t remove every possible barrier in order to get that position.

When you are all finished, show it to two or three people who care about you and are willing to offer some constructive feedback – about the presentation itself, your thoughts about your personal strengths and weaknesses, and how you are positioning  yourself in the workplace.

Take notes, make changes. Get serious about your personal marketing.

The NFL draft is right around the corner. In case you don’t care – or don’t have a clue – this is the process in which thirty-two National Football League teams take turns selecting players for their respective teams over the course of seven rounds. When it is all said and done, 224 players will have been selected to compete for the 1,696 starting positions available at the start of next season.

Of those that are drafted, some will make it and some won’t. Which also means that some of last year’s 1,696 starters will get replaced. The NFL is tough and unforgiving. The bottom line is you have to develop your skills and be good enough to contribute on Sundays, or you will be looking for another line of work.

Sound familiar?

If you are looking for a job, you have to develop a skill-set that is compelling to an employer, and you have to convince prospective employers that you are better than other candidates. In the NFL, potential draftees spend months preparing for the draft – improving their performance both in critical positions skills and in raw physical performance (40-yard dash, vertical jump, shuttle run, and so forth).

What exactly are you doing to improve your “draft position?”

Tim Tebow, a high-profile star from the University of Florida, has been widely criticized because of his skills as a quarterback. Despite two national championships and a Heismann Trophy to his credit, Tebow’s skills were seen as marginal to play QB at the pro level so he has been projected as a late-round draft pick at best, perhaps even at a different position.

Tebow, however, wants to play quarterback – so he got help. Former NFL coach Jon Gruden, among others, worked with Tebow to change his throwing motion and improve his footwork. The new, improved Tebow is now projected as a likely second-round pick. The difference in salary? About $1.5 million. A second-round pick will make an average of nearly $2 million while a late round pick will average less than $500,000.

It is time to take a critical look at your skills. Are you better than everyone else, or are you just middle-of-the-road? Do you have specialized or highly-developed skills that ensure you will be a first-rounder, or do you have to hope that somebody takes a chance on you? Candidates that get hired not only have good skills, they typically have demonstrated the willingness to work hard and improve their skills on their own time. Employers love this initiative because it demonstrates accountability – a critical factor in workplace performance.

Work on improving your critical “position skills” – attend classes or workshops, get certified, become an expert. Make yourself indispensable.

You don’t want the draft to end and a team never called.

(Credit)

Green careers are hot right now.  The environment-saving crusade is drinking in a phenomenal victory, which seem to be growing at an exponential rate, to the extent that the wind (generating energy) industry employs more people then coal mining in the United States.  More employment opportunities are available in an ever rising green economy.

The amazing appeal to this prospect is that these jobs require little or no credentials other then a GED or high school diploma.  In addition, there are readily available green job training programs, and workshops for the less studious.  Many colleges offer  courses in this field, even full degrees in renewable energy.  And, those who already have a degree or background in mechanics or engineering, can redirect their career to the benefit of the environment.

Everyday new regulations are being set in place that actually increase the number of jobs.  The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) dictates higher use of renewable energy, higher reduction of emissions, and has set a penalty for violation of the bill.  The result being, major reconstruction in the power industry, increased production of electric vehicles, and significant increases in energy efficiency in businesses, households, and electricity generation in general.

The government has provided funding, and continues to do so, to encourage growth in the field.  In the following statement:

“The Green Jobs Act of 2007 (H.R. 2847), introduced by Reps. Hilda Solis (D-CA) and John Tierney (D-MA), authorizes up to $125 million in funding to establish national and state job training programs, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, to help address job shortages that are impairing growth in green industries.”

360JobInterview is serious about Green Jobs too – check out our coaches that can help you for your green jobs!

If your job involves constant interaction with other people, it’s a good idea to ensure your presentation and physical appearance are up to par.  This is particularly obvious in a public career where the individual is under the constant scrutiny of the media.  Believe it or not, the same thing applies to your life too, albeit on a more subtle level.

Many companies already have a dress code in place, even for jobs that require no interaction with clients.  Nonetheless, statistics show 41% of employers say that workers who dress better, or more professionally, tend to land more promotions than others in their organization.  Reason being, it helps project a more dedicated image to your boss and co-workers.

Dressing professionally can be a challenge. Here are some helpful tips:

• Make sure your closet is stocked with versatile basics:  black pants; dark suits; a number of button-down collared shirts; dark shoes.
• You can build on from there by adding some conservative sweaters or vests.
• If you want to add color, a nice tie or silk scarf can look great, and still maintain your professional goal.
• Be careful not to overdo your accessories and jewelry to avoid looking busy.  It can be very distracting.
• Avoid a sloppy appearance by ironing your clothing and tucking in your shirts.
• Ensure that your clothing is clean and in good condition.  Stains are a major deterrent.
• Avoid clothing that’s too tight, or cut-off tees.

Aside from dress, your physical appearance and health are important too.  A person who is healthy and exercises regularly displays more energy.  This is especially appealing to an employer because it shows you are able and willing to use your energies for the benefit and development of the company.

(Image Source: mediabistro)