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HOLLYWOOD AWARD NOMINEES AND YOUR JOB INTERVIEW
In
case you haven't noticed - it's Awards time in Hollywood. There
are numerous award shows that honor the top-performers in film and
TV. There is one award given per category on each show and there are
several actors and shows "nominated."
The
comparison with the job interview process is that there is only one
job and there are several candidates under consideration - or
nominated.
If
you watch any of these shows you'll notice how inconsistent or
subjective they can be. On one show a certain actor will be
nominated and will win. On yet another show that same actor will not
even be nominated and an entirely different actor will win for that
category. (Go figure -we don't know what goes on behind the
scenes)
So
how exactly does this fit into your job interview process?
First
of all, the decisions made (behind the scenes) will always be
somewhat subjective in the job process as in these award shows. A
candidate at one company will be viewed as "the best fit." While
at another company, the candidate will not even be considered as a
contender, let alone a winner.
This
does not in any way mean that there is something wrong with the
candidate as a person. It just means that he or she was either not a
good fit for the position or there was someone else who had more to
bring to this particular position.
Behind
the scenes there could be a number of reasons for the decision.
Reasons will vary, and whether we like it or not there will
sometimes be overt prejudice. It's not fair, but who said life
was fair?
Even
though the hiring
managers would never admit to it,
sometimes they will only be looking to hire a male (shame on them),
or at another company they may only want people under 30 (big
mistake). Let it go and move forward.
The
next company you interview with may be the one that finds that you
are best in category. Not only can you do the job, but they also like
you and know that you are a good fit for the situation.
So,
don't be so hard on yourself. If you are invited to an interview -
consider yourself a contender and give yourself a high-five! If you
get a second interview, or are a finalist for the job, consider
yourself "nominated." Be proud of the fact that you have
something to offer,
or some expertise that is of interest to employers.
When you receive
the news that you were not selected you
may feel disappointed but don't give up. Ok, maybe you didn't get
the job this time, but remember there is only one winner or job offer
made per job. For some reason there was someone else who had
something that you did not. Who knows why?
Don't
beat yourself up trying to figure out why. Instead of being stuck and
feeling rejected, take back the power by staying proactive.
Reward yourself for being a nominee and
look forward to being the recipient of the job offer in the future.
Buddhist proverb
"Remember that
not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."
Resource Box:
Carole Martin is an "SME" (Subject Matter Expert) on the subject of
Interviewing. As an author, trainer, and mentor, Carole can give you
interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a trial copy of her
"Interview Q&A Guide" by visiting
http://www.interviewcoach.com/answer-guide/.
For more interview tips, visit her blog at
www.interviewcoach.com/blog
Emailing Your Resume
When
searching for a job, there is nothing more frustrating than emailing
resumes and never receiving responses. For this reason, I took the time
to ask recruiters, hiring managers, and human resources representatives
the mistakes job seekers make when applying for a position
electronically. Below are the main points I got from the discussions.
- Not reading
directions before applying. Some hiring organizations have specific
guidelines. Don't dismiss the guidelines just because you don't agree
with them or don't understand the purpose. When applying for a position
you have to follow their rules. So when the classified states that you
need to designate a specific position you are interested in or your
application won't be considered, be sure to include one. This means that
if you are interested in more than one position don't toy with the idea
of providing a list of positions you are willing to interview for.
Choose the position you are most qualified and interests you more.
- Classified ads also indicate an email address you should
send the resume. The email address provided is usually of screener and I
understand your hesitancy in submitting your resume to an individual
who doesn't have hiring authority. Because of this, you may decide to
call the company and get the manager's name for the department that has
the open position and email the resume directly to her. Smart move, but
your suaveness may backfire. The hiring manager may choose to delete. To
cover your bases, email your resume to both the manager and the email
provided in the job description.
- Cancel the email verification system you have installed.
You know the program. The one where the email sender (in this case the
hiring organization) receives a notice indicating that in order for the
recipient (that's you) to receive the email the sender needs to click on
a link and type in a verification code. Interviewers are very busy and
they will not take the extra steps to ensure that you receive their
email unless you are a candidate that they can't live without. And the
reality is that qualified candidates are a dime a dozen so you have to
make it easy for an interviewer to reach you. Cancel the email
verification while conducting a job search and deal with the unwanted
emails from Nigeria asking if you are interested in a business proposal.
If you choose not to, it can cost you the interview you have been
waiting for.
- The following tips seem so simplistic, but these mistakes
happen time and time again: (1) when searching for a job don't change
your email address and then email your potential employer about the
change. Keep your email address until your job search is over. The
likelihood that a hiring manager is going to find your resume and insert
your new email address is virtually non-existent (2) your subject line
should read professionally, such as Linda Matias Resume for Career
Coaching or Resume Writing Position (3) don't email more than one hiring
organization within the same email. Take the time to send each one out
personally and finally (4) if the organization requests a Word
attachment, make sure you name the attachment has a professionally, such
as matias.linda.resume.doc.
Linda Matias
Author of How to Say It: Job
Interviews (Prentice Hall Press), Linda Matias is qualified to assist
you in your career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover,
interview preparation, or resume assistance. You can contact Linda
directly at linda@careerstrides.com or visit her website www.careerstrides.com for additional career advice and to view resume samples.
How to Avoid Laundry List Resumes
The process
of writing a resume can be very tedious. There are often so many jobs
and responsibilities to include that many people find themselves wanting
to create the simplest one possible just to avoid the grunt work.
But while creating a resume
that resembles a laundry list of previous jobs and duties can be
tempting, it is strongly discouraged. This is because it only offers
prospective employers a vague sense of what you've accomplished and how
you can benefit their company. So how can you avoid creating this type
of resume? Here are a few ideas:
Refrain from Using Duty-Oriented Phrases
One practice that commonly
leads people toward creating the laundry list resume is the use of
duty-oriented phrases. Some of these phrases might include "responsible
for" or "duties included." In your resume it is important that you give
the prospective employer an understanding of what you've accomplished in
the past, but by using duty-oriented phrases you only offer what you
should/could have accomplished.
To avoid this issue, you can
use more descriptive action words like assisted, collaborated, designed,
launched, marketed, guided, edited, researched, and composed. Using
these words helps to illustrate an accurate picture of your
accomplishments; something the prospective employer needs to see in
order to determine how qualified you are for the job.
Go Into More Depth - Focus on Your Achievements
Another great way to sidestep
the laundry list resume is by taking time to focus more specifically on
your achievements at previous jobs. This means not just mentioning that
you were "responsible for organizing several marketing campaigns." This
type of description doesn't tell the employer anything specific about
your accomplishments. So instead, try going into more depth about those
campaigns.
For example, you can say that
you "developed and executed three marketing campaigns that included
branding pharmaceutical products, creating ads, and coordinating a
15-member staff to participate in corporate trade shows over a 12-month
period." This description offers specific details about your achievement
and helps the prospective employer understand exactly how you can be an
asset to their company.
Remember That You're Marketing Yourself
It's always a good idea to
remember that your resume has a purpose, which is to market your skills
in an effort to acquire a specific job. So if you had to put yourself in
the shoes of the prospective employer, what would you want them to know
about you? What might appeal to their interests and make them want to
learn more?
You want to let this employer
know that you are not just eager to acquire the job, but that you would
truly be an asset to the company. Set aside some time to think about
how you are qualified for the job. Then carefully illustrate them with
your words so that your passion for the position is clearly recognized.
By veering away from the
laundry list resume and digging deeper to focus on specific
accomplishments, you can better market your skills and abilities. So
take your time, think about how you can benefit the company you want to
work for, and write a resume that will help you land the job of your
dreams.
- Heather Eagar
Heather Eagar is a former
professional resume writer who provides job seekers with current,
reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare top resume writing services to find the best one for you at www.resumelines.com.
10 Tips For Job Seekers
Each day we will give you some job tips from Don Fornes. Don't name your resume, "resume."
About a third of applicants name their resume document, "resume.doc." "Resume" may make sense on your computer, where you know it's your
resume. However, on my computer, it's one of many, many resumes with the
same name. I used to rename them, but then I noticed the strong
correlation between unqualified candidates and the "resume" file name.
Now I reject them if I don't see something really good within ten
seconds. By using such a generic file name, the applicant misses a great
opportunity to brand themselves (e.g. "John Doe" " Quota Crusher"). If
you're qualified enough to sell or market for us, you won't miss the
opportunity to at least use your name in the file name.
Working for a Staffing Agency
From an online article....
Dear Joan:
I am looking to get any
advice you have regarding working for Staffing Agencies for temporary or
temp-to-hire positions in my town? I plan to switch to a different
field. I can use my past employment skills for the new field. I feel
now is a good time to have a fresh start in a new field as many
companies have downsized to reduce costs. I am also thinking that there
would be more work available through the agencies. To end, do you have
any specific advice for negotiating a wage when employed by the
agencies? I do not have a degree and the field I refer to does not
require a degree. I just want to make sure I am on the right track as I
go about this.
Thank you for suggestions/advice with anything I might be missing in the thought process.
Answer:
You are on the right
track-staffing agencies hold the keys people can use to unlock this
tough market. Human resources departments have been scaled back and are
stretched thin. They often rely on professional staffing firms to help
them recruit and to hire both temporary and full-time employees. In
fact, staffing agencies often get the job posting from companies first,
rather than the company advertising it to the public.
"The key to getting a great
position through a staffing agency is this: Treat the agency as if they
were a "real" employer-because they are, says MaryAnn Raash, Milwaukee
District Leader for SEEK Careers and Staffing. If they don't listen to
instructions, or they dress in a sloppy way, or continually hound us, it
reflects poorly on them as a candidate."
Here are some specific tips from Raash:
Follow
instructions to the letter. Every service is different, so stop in or go
to their website to find out what the steps are. We have people who
constantly call us but we keep telling them they need to follow the
instructions first before we can see them. It can feel like stalking. If
they don't listen to us, they probably won't listen to an employer. The
sequence is often: 1. Send in a resume or submit one online. 2. Fill
out an online application. 3. Clerical or other testing. 4. Face-to-face
interview.
Put a resume together, no matter what job category you are in.
Distinguish yourself on your resume. In other words, what
results did you get, what did people say about your customer service,
work ethic, or team attitude? What value did you bring to the company?
Put a "benefit statement" on your resume. In other words, what are you
going to do for the employer? Focus on how you can help the company save
money, make money, serve customers, produce a quality product, and so
on. This will go a long way to get your foot in the door.
Find a way to get a face-to-face meeting. Some agencies
don't encourage this but how can they know how you come across unless
they meet you in person? Even if you just stop in and get a few minutes
with someone, you will have them as a contact.
Dress as if you could be hired on the spot-because you
could be. For manufacturing-related jobs Dockers and a nice shirt would
be fine. For office jobs, a blazer and nice slacks, for higher level
jobs, a suit-however you would show up for work in your field.
Treat the service as if it is the only employer you want to
work for. Says Raash, "I've had people say, Well I don't remember if I
sent that in or not, I've called so many agencies...."
Don't be so quick to turn down project work. Project work
often turns into a good job because the employer falls in love with the
person. Companies are gun shy and don't want to offer jobs before they
test someone out.
Write a hand-written thank you note. "I can count on one
hand the number of personalized thank you notes I've received. Those
people really stand out in my mind- and when you realize we can be in
contact with 100 people a day-- that's a big advantage. I don't care if
you go out to your car and write the note and bring it in and leave it
at the front desk&it makes a difference.
The jobs dictate the salary, and the staffing service
determines what the job will pay, so there isn't as much room for
negotiation. However, if you do a good job for an employer, you are in
an excellent position to negotiate based upon how much they can see
you're worth.
Do you need answers to tough
job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you
stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd's has developed job hunting tools
that can help you to maximize your job search:
Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You're Worth on a New Job (Detailed, 8-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, 10-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)
The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job (Detailed, 37-page PDF by email - no shipping charge)
Joan Lloyd has a solid track
record of excellent results. Her firm, Joan Lloyd & Associates,
specializes in leadership development, organizational change and
teambuilding. This includes executive coaching, 360-degree feedback
processes, customized leadership & presentation skills training,
team assessment and teambuilding and retreat facilitation. Joan also
provides consulting skills training for HR professionals. Clients report
results such as: behavior change in leaders, improved team performance
and a more committed workforce.
Contact Joan Lloyd & Associates at (800) 348-1944,
mailto:info@joanlloyd.com, or JoanLloyd.com
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