First Friday Preview

Weekly Wisdom: September 27, 2010

by Marc Cenedella and Matthew Rothenberg of TheLadders.com

In a Google World, Prepare to Be Investigated
Excerpted from "You're Better Than Your Job Search"

How likely is it that your resume, job application and credentials will be reviewed for inaccuracies? Nearly 100 percent, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Almost all human resources professionals reported to SHRM that their organizations conduct some form of background check on every employee. For some candidates, it doesn't take much more than a Google search to pull up information, both good and bad.Besides seeing things like what you have published, an online search can also reveal unflattering or downright negative things someone may have said about you. Beyond that, most recruiters check references at every company you list to verify your duties, tenure, salary, and in some cases even your W2. Their findings include the most damning documentation, including police reports, articles about misconduct and more. All that information is shared with the recruiters' client: the hiring manager.If you have been interviewed and a falsification is uncovered, chances are that's the end of the road for that job and possibly future opportunities as well. It will be disheartening to you in your job search and cost you potentially useful contacts, so think long and hard if you feel tempted to lie.

Ask a Recruiter: Of Kicking and Tires

I’m thinking about making a change, but I’m not sure if I’m ready. Should I work with a recruiter?

That depends. Working with a recruiter is the obvious choice if you require the utmost discretion, but there are other factors to take into account.

My first piece of advice is to make this very clear to any recruiter you may work with. If you reveal yourself as a possible tire kicker once you are already entrenched in an interview process, after the recruiter has invested time and effort, not to mention staked his/her reputation on you, a sudden sign of wavering commitment is a HUGE red flag that may damage that professional relationship.

Something brought you to the conclusion that it might be time to make a change—what was it? Are you dissatisfied with some element of your current position or your overall career trajectory? Are you afraid your company won’t be around in 24 months? If your biggest concerns are about your company, itself, those feelings are unlikely to dissipate with time; those situations are rarely resolved. If your biggest concerns center on your career, advocate for the change you want to see. Instead of launching a job search and involving third parties, ask for that raise or promotion you feel you deserve. Remind your organization (and yourself) of the value you bring to the table, the contributions you have made and your commitment to the success of the company and the team.

Are you unsure about making a change or are you unsure about making a change for this opportunity? There’s a big difference between not knowing what you want and resolving not to settle for anything less. Think about what really matters to you, what you really want to see in your next company and position—what type of boss, team, title, compensation, level of responsibility… If you can outline these details for a recruiter, s/he will have a much clearer idea of what to call you about and what would be a waste of everyone’s time.

Weekly Wisdom: September 20, 2010

Career Networking Tips: Get Started on LinkedIn

Do's and don'ts for using LinkedIn to network and establish a personal brand

by Larry Buhl, for Yahoo! HotJobs

LinkedIn is fast becoming an important part of the modern "Job Search 2.0"--a powerful way to build your network and your professional brand, according to Neal Schaffer, the author of "Windmill Networking: Maximizing LinkedIn."
"Recruiters and hiring managers now see LinkedIn profiles as an alternate resume, and sometimes go looking for employees before they receive your query or even before there's a job opening," Schaffer says.

But many professionals don't know how to take advantage of its potential and therefore miss out on opportunities. Arden Clise, etiquette columnist for the Puget Sound Business Journal, says, "LinkedIn has a lot of potential to improve your sales and your visibility. But many sign up and then forget about it, or they don't use it in the ways they could."
Here are the dos and dont's of using LinkedIn:

Do complete your profile. Experts suggest writing your profile in a way that demonstrates value. And you should include a photo, according to Clise. "People from the past contact me, but if I can't see them or if they haven't filled in their jobs or education, it's possible I won't know who they are."
Do make your profile unique. Liz Ryan, a former Fortune 500 human resources executive and the leader of AskLizRyan.com, advises using the LinkedIn profile to create a strong personal brand. "We already see way too many 'results-oriented professional with a bottom-line orientation,' so use your profile to tell us more about what makes you tick and what sorts of business situations you're looking for."
Do write a headline. Ryan adds that the headline field under the name is an important but often overlooked branding tool. "Put a human voice in it," she advises. "You don't need to put your current title in that headline field. Tell us who you are as a working person. 'B2B trade show marketer interested in the intersection of social media, content, and trade shows' is a lot more interesting than 'Trade show manager, XYZ Plastics.'"
Do ask for recommendations. Well-written recommendations can be strong selling points. But use this feature judiciously, advises Schaffer. "Recommendations make sense only when they come from someone you've worked for. Friends who say you're great don't have much weight on LinkedIn."
Do take advantage of groups and advanced features. Being active in LinkedIn groups is a great way to find connections and build your brand. Schaffer sees LinkedIn groups as a "virtual industry conference."
Do give. "Don't start asking out of the blue for favors," Clise says. "Approach any network, including the one on LinkedIn, with the intent to give and serve others, so when you need a favor, others will be glad to reciprocate."
"There are a million ways to contribute, but a great one is the LinkedIn answers feature," Ryan adds. "Browse through the questions others have asked and lend your expertise there. It's a good way to get your ideas out there and make some contacts at the same time."
Don't brand yourself as a job seeker. It may seem counterintuitive, but recruiters and hiring managers often prefer "passive" job seekers to people who are actively looking, according to Schaffer. "It's the issue of 'We want someone who doesn't need a job,'" he says. "You can talk about your experience, your expertise, and your value on LinkedIn, but if you brand yourself as actively looking for a job, it may not have the effect you intend."
Don't spam. Using the InMail function to send bulk messages only clutters up your contacts' in-boxes and wastes their time. If you want to communicate, use the Q&A function, interact in groups, or ask people to sign up to the auto-responder. If you join LinkedIn groups, don't flood members with emails like "See what I have to say on my blog."
Don't ask for a connection with someone you haven't met. LinkedIn is about professional connections. The emphasis should be on quality, not quantity.
Don't annoy users with extraneous updates. Professional-sounding updates to your profile can be a good way to keep yourself in others' minds. Unlike with other social networks, however, updating on LinkedIn more than once a day is overkill. And irrelevant updates can hurt your brand more than help it. "I gave a presentation at a local small business seminar last week," is an appropriate LinkedIn update. But "I just had a yummy fruit smoothie" is the kind of thing that's better for other social networks.

Ask a Recruiter: When Silence isn't Golden

When there are lulls in conversation or when the interviewer is engaged in other tasks, should I keep talking or is it more polite to wait?

Small Talk for the Job Interview
Lack of conversation is a lack of interest.
by Dean Tracy of www.theladders.com

I am often accused, and guilty, of talking too much. In fact, my wife will tell people that I can call a wrong number and talk for 20 minutes! In business, however, a key element to success is knowing when to talk and when to keep quiet.

In my article “You’ve Accepted the Offer - Now What?,” I advise readers to “Keep your mouth closed and your ears open during your first 30 days of employment.” The same is true during the interview process. It’s important that you allow the hiring manager or recruiter an opportunity to speak, and to ask you questions while discussing your qualifications for the job.

However, as with everything in business, it’s a fine line. The biggest mistake that a candidate can make during the interview process is to address questions with one-word answers, such as “yes,” “no” or “perhaps.” I have actually seen this happen, and have been told by hiring managers that this is considered by most to be the beginning of the end for the candidate in the selection process.

As you interview, you must remember another of the main messages I like to emphasize  – “Lack of conversation reflects lack of interest.” Having said this, I have listed four simple questions below for you to ask in your interview. These questions are designed to prompt meaningful conversation in the interview while also allowing you to craft your answers in a way that sets you up as the strongest candidate of choice.

I encourage you to try these four questions in your next interview:

1. Why is this position available?
   You want to know if this is a new position or if it is one that is being backfilled due to someone leaving. The way they answer this question will open the opportunity for you to learn more about the culture of the company. If it’s described as a new position, this suggests that the company is growing. If this is a vacant position due to a backfill, it will be a great way to learn why the other person is no longer in this role. This prepares you to properly answer the follow-up questions that they may have.
2. What are you looking for in a candidate in order for them to be successful in this role?
   You want to know what the hiring manager’s expectations are for the person in this position. This will highlight the areas that are most important to the hiring manager in meeting their goals.
3. What are your “pain points” and what keeps you awake at night?
   The hiring manager or recruiter will use this as an opportunity to share how busy they are and how much has to get done before month-end. This offers a perfect opportunity for you to address ways that you can confront these difficulties while using real examples of how you may have dealt with this type of specific challenge in the past.
4. Do you see any flags that would prevent me from being the perfect candidate for this position?
   This is where you get to “close the deal.” By this point in the interview, you both have had an opportunity to sense whether or not this is a match, given the dialogue and based upon the questions above. It is at this point in the interview where they may share their concerns, or they will tell you that you are a solid candidate.
   
   If they share any concerns, it gives you an opportunity that you may not have had otherwise to address these concerns with them, and put their mind at rest regarding your capabilities.

It’s important that you carefully craft your replies to include examples of your success in previous roles. A good response will include a previous “Problem / Action / Result” that you may have experienced professionally in any of your recent positions. Tying your past experience to the current expectations will prove beneficial in highlighting your skills and capabilities.

Keep in mind that the hiring manager’s answers to these questions will also reflect their individual degree of integrity. If they begin to talk poorly of the person that is no longer in this role or of the company as an enterprise, then you have a pretty good idea of what type of boss this person may be as they manage you and your tasks.

Of course, you will need to add your own flavor to these questions based upon your gut instinct but, if asked properly, these questions may make the difference in receiving an invitation for another round of meetings.

Weekly Wisdom: 9/13/2010

What's in a name?

When it comes to resumes, resist the urge to use overly inflated or ambiguous job titles.  Clarity is the one characteristic shared by all great resumes; it doesn't matter that you're good at something if I have to spend five minutes figuring out what that something is and why it's important to me!  Was your title "account manager" but you were doing outside sales, generating 100% new business?  Do they call you a "sales manager" even though all your work is over the phone and you've never left the office or brought on an existing account?

The most effective way to get recognized in a saturated candidate pool is to be clear about who you are and what you've done and what you have to offer a potential employer.

September BLS Report

September's First Friday Preview

Ask a Recruiter-On What NOT to Say

I don't think my interview went very well...is it something I said?

7 questions make interviewers cringe
By Beth Braccio Hering @careerbuilder.com

Chances are you've prepared answers to a variety of questions an interviewer might throw your way, but have you spent equal time considering the questions you want to pose to a potential employer?

What you ask (and sometimes when) can speak volumes about your interest and work ethic. Keep interviewers from cringing -- and possibly questioning your suitability for the position -- by avoiding these seven questions:

1. What does your company do?

Sure, an interview is a two-way street designed for both parties to learn about one another. Yet how can a job seeker prove he is the person for the position if he doesn't even know the basics about where he wants to work?

"I feel that if someone is coming to an interview he should have some background about who we are and what we do," says Tina Kummelman, human resources business partner for Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. "Specific questions are great, but the overall blanketed question tells me someone did not do his homework."

Bottom line: Don't waste the interviewer's time by having her recite what could have been learned beforehand on the company's website.

2. How much does the role pay?

It may be the answer you're dying to know, but seeking this information too soon can make you look like you're jumping the gun.

"Just don't ask it. It sends the wrong message," says Chris Brabec, director of leadership talent acquisition for Western Union.

Adds colleague Julie Rulis, senior recruiter with the talent acquisition team, "I believe this question should be saved for later stages in the interview process. Asking about salary or benefits in the first interview isn't the impression you want to leave with an employer."

A better idea: Do some research ahead of time to get a feel for what similar jobs are paying.

3. What are the hours of this position?

"This one question makes me cringe more than any other," says Paul Solomon, president of Solo Management, a New York-based executive recruitment firm that specializes in financial industry recruitment. "Wall Street managers don't want a clock watcher, so when I hear that question I know the candidate will not be the right fit."

Rulis agrees. "Although I understand why candidates are eager to know this up front, it can raise a question regarding their work ethic if asked too early in the process."

4. How many sick days do I get?

What goes through the interviewer's mind when hearing this question?

"We are in the business of developing leaders, not slouchers!" states Gary Rich, president of Rich Leadership, an executive coaching firm in New York City.

Keep a potential employer from questioning your motivation (or your health) by looking this up in the employee handbook at a later time.

5. How much time do I get off?

Like numbers three and four, this question can make a potential employer wonder if a candidate is more interested in getting out of work than actually contributing. It is especially frowned upon in fields requiring significant motivation from the get-go.

"A career as a financial representative is what you make of it. Your hard work helps determine your rewards. You have the ability to be your own boss, build your own practice and arrange your own schedule, while making a positive impact on your clients' lives," states Randi Michaelson, a director of recruitment and selection for The McTigue Financial Group in Chicago who recruits career changers to work as Northwestern Mutual financial representatives.

"In the beginning, it takes time, energy and commitment, but successful financial representatives -- like successful entrepreneurs -- are able to enjoy work-life balance among other rewards."

6. If I'm hired, when can I begin applying for other roles within the company?

"This question makes it seem like the candidate isn't really interested in the job she is currently interviewing for -- that she really just wants a foot in the door," Rulis says.

While ultimately you might have higher aspirations than the position for which you are applying, remember that an employer is looking for the best person to fill an opening for what the company needs now, not in the future.

7. Do you do background checks?

If you don't have something to hide, you probably aren't going to bother asking this one. If you do ...

Rich sums up the feelings most interviewers have after hearing this question, "I definitely don't want this person on my payroll!"