Make Your Cover Letter SHINE With These 3 Tips

A well written, compelling cover letter can show the hiring manager that they absolutely must invite you for an interview. In my recruitment job, I see a lot of cover letters on a daily basis. Sadly, many of them are bland and forgettable and often way too long.

Or if they stand out, it is for the wrong reasons – as you can see for yourself if you read the beginning of a cover letter I’ve recently received for an Office Admin role!

“So how’s your equal opportunities record doing? Slipping a bit? I can help you. With me, not only do you get a token female-with-a-disability, you get a token lesbian as well! (and I’m Scottish, does that count?) And that’s before I’ve even lifted a finger.”

Surely, it is better to attract the attention of employers by pointing out your achievements relevant to the position you’re applying for?

Your cover letter is your best chance to show to your prospective employer that you’ll perform really well in the job, that you’re likeable and will fit in well.

Here are my three top tips on how to make your cover letter shine:

Keep It Concise And To The Point

Trust me, it is very boring to read a long cover letter especially if you have many applications to review. Succinct and to the point is always better than a long essay.

Imagine you only had 15 seconds to tell the employer why they should hire you – what would you say? Then put THAT in your cover letter.

All you need to include is:

• Why you are writing
• Why you are qualified (highlighting specific accomplishments)
• Thank you with a call to action

Customize Your Cover Letter

Your cover letter needs to show why you’re a suitable candidate for this role. Therefore, you need to read the job description very thoroughly to determine what they’re looking for and make it clear to the recruiter that you have the skills and experience they need.

If you don’t take the time to customize your letters, you might as well not bother sending them.

You need to make sure you connect your qualifications to the job requirements for your target job in your letter.

You might consider having a paragraph that begins with, “Here’s what, specifically, I can deliver in this role.” And then expand upon your strengths in a few of the priority requirements for that role – making sure you mention specific results you’ve achieved.

Make it as easy as possible for the potential employer to see that you are qualified for their job. You are much more likely to receive an invitation for an interview if you do the work for them.

Close Your Cover Letter With A Call To Action

Don’t close with something cliché like, “I hope to hear from you soon.”

Being assertive at the end of the letter can be beneficial. Consider something along the lines of:

“I believe I can be a valuable addition to your company, and I look forward to hearing from you”.

A lot of job seekers feel it is too much work to customize their resume and cover letter for each position to which they are applying. However, if you aren’t landing job interviews now, but you could start getting them by spending 20 minutes customizing your application, wouldn’t it be worth it?

5 Obstacles To Overcome As A First-Time Manager

It’s not surprising that first-time managers encounter numerous obstacles to their success. Recent polls have shown that 50% of managers have received NO training before they started their job as a manager. This is a source of many of the obstacles that first-time managers encounter.

Here are five obstacles to overcome as a first-time manager:

1. Thinking That You Will Have More Authority

Perhaps the easiest trap that new managers fall into is thinking he or she has an increased degree of authority, along with an increase in responsibility. Individuals who are proactive, standout performers are used to having autonomy and the authority to make their own decisions. When they enter into a managerial role, the tendency is to expect more of the same, perhaps even an increased level of authority. Once they are in the managerial position, they often discover that they are less autonomous. In fact, they are much more constrained in this new role.

Demands are made upon them from all fronts – their subordinates, their boss, their peers, those inside and outside of their immediate organization. There are relentless, and sometimes conflicting, requests on a daily basis. One new manager who was quoted in the Harvard Business article “Becoming the Boss” by Professor Linda Hill said, “Becoming a manager is not about becoming a boss. It’s about becoming a hostage.”

2. Thinking That You Know Everything

Another common mistake that new managers make follows close on the heels of this first pitfall – thinking that you know everything. If you have been used to “calling the shots” so to speak, you expect that your opinion is valuable and that you have an answer for everything.

As part of a team, your individual contribution is valuable to the team, but you are only responsible for one part of the team’s efforts. As a manager, you now have the responsibility for creating a cohesive team by coordinating everyone’s opinions. And, if the quality of the team is on par with your own skill level, you’ll need to be able to consolidate the knowledge of each of your team members, no longer relying solely on your own expertise.

3. Not Understanding The Difference Between Managing And Leading

How well a new manager learns to handle these first two obstacles highlights the new manager’s need to learn the difference between leading and managing. The most significant difference between the two is to know when to delegate. A manager keeps control over the team by overseeing the tasks that need to be done.

A leader guides the process by identifying the ‘big picture’ and balancing the tasks that need to be done by delegating them according to the skills and strengths of the resources on the team. A leader knows that teaching the team members to ‘lead’ makes for a stronger team. The manager still has the ultimate responsibility for the team’s success or failure. It is the manager who lets other team members participate who is able to retain his authority rather than lose it.

4. Not Supporting Your Team

New managers need to realize that their team is a reflection on them and that they need to set a good example for their team. The delegating of tasks may flow down through the team, but the responsibility for the team’s behavior flows up to the manager. Managers earn the credit for their team’s successes and must also be ready to accept the responsibility for the team’s overall performance. A manager needs to let the team know that they have a champion who is in their corner. The team needs to feel protected by their manager. “All for one and one for all.”

5. Trying To Be Someone You Are Not

Finally, on this list of advice for overcoming obstacles as a new manager, is the importance of being yourself. You need to know your own strengths and understand your goals as a new manager. You also need to realize that it is important to let your team know who you are – your plans, your goals, your needs, and your expectations of them individually – and as a team.

Keep the lines of communication open so that you can be genuine with your team.  The sooner you set this tone with them, the better the outcome will be for you and for your team.

Each day from day one will bring you team building opportunities. These opportunities will be enhanced by your attention to overcoming these obstacles.

Here’s to you and your team’s success as you embark on your management role!

How To Answer The Interview Question, ‘What Is Your Proudest Accomplishment?

What is your proudest accomplishment?’ is an often misunderstood job interview question (‘Tell me about yourself’’ is another one).

The mistake job seekers typically make with this question is to think about it in terms of their entire life story. So, they talk about finishing the Ironman competition, or (worse) bring up their kids. It’s not that these things aren’t wonderful—they are. Your job interview just isn’t the time or place to talk about them. Every single question in a job interview is another place that you need to be selling yourself for the job, and this question is no different.

If you are asked to describe your greatest or proudest accomplishment, know that you MUST give a work-related answer. Also, it must be an answer that relates to THIS job that you’re interviewing for. Otherwise, it doesn’t help you get the job.

So, for instance, if you were interviewing for a sales job, you wouldn’t tell the story of when you solved a process problem that saved the company money. That’s a good thing, but it doesn’t say anything about how great you are in sales. You need to tell a story of how you made a big sale, or a complicated sale, or brought in a valuable new customer, or something like that.

One way to formulate your answer is to make a list of your work accomplishments and choose one that would be impressive and help sell you for this new role.

If you really want to target your answer, look at the job description for this new role and make a list of things you’ve done that match up with at least one of the requirements they’ve listed.

Once you’ve got your example, construct your story. Don’t just say what the accomplishment was and leave it at that. Tell the story of what happened. The STAR technique is a great way to organize your thoughts (STAR is an acronym for Situation or Task, Action you took, and the Result you achieved).

In your story, provide a few details. The best details quantify your accomplishment: How much time did your idea save the company? How many new customers did you bring in? How much money did you save by switching suppliers? By what percent did you increase efficiency? You reduced accidents by how much? Whatever it is, there must be some kind of bottom-line result. It doesn’t always have to be money…time is money, too. If you can tie your result to a quantifiable benefit for the company, that’s when you know you have a good answer.

4 Tips To Researching The Company Before Jumping Into The Interview

You may have spent hours perfecting the resume and to finally get that call from the employer to come in for an interview feels fantastic, but don’t stop the hard work and start relaxing just yet. Taking time to do research before the job interview makes the difference between winning the employer over and losing your shot at the job to someone else.

Clearly, you should know some basics about the employer like what they do; what they offer; who’s their audience; where they have offices; and who are the key members of management. It also helps to know more about the individuals you’ll be meeting with. Here are tips on where you may go to find the information so you walk into the interview prepared to impress.

1. Company Website

Just about everybody is online now, which makes information readily available. Even the most basic company website offers some form of information to help you prepare for a job interview. Refer to sections like About Us to learn about the basics of the company; News / Press Releases to be informed about latest news and developments at the company; Management where you can become familiar with important names and see details of who heads the particular department you want a job in; and Locations so you see where offices are located. Depending on your field of work, like if you are in Sales or Marketing, it makes sense to also look over sections of the website that talk about Services, Products and Partners.

2. Facebook/Twitter

Not every employer will have a Facebook or Twitter account, but for those who do it’s an easy resource to go through to pull a lot of information quickly. For example, under both social networking sites you can get a general idea of what the company is about simply reading it’s About section on Facebook or the 1-2 line sentence under its Profile name on Twitter. Take a look over its Wall to see its latest post and don’t forget to also look through the Photos and Videos section too. Depending on what is shared, it may very-well give you a sense of the dress code, work environment and show you faces of important individuals.

3. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is particularly helpful because it offers most of what Facebook and Twitter offers, but more. By this we mean it can put you directly in touch with individuals at the organization through its Connections. Read up on the individuals you’ll be meeting like the HR Manager, Head of the Department for the job you want, and other workers who may work in the same department. You can even search for people who used to be in the company and even find the individual who might have held the job you are seeking. LinkedIn is much more of a professional social media platform, so you can expect its page to include business-oriented news that can help you prepare for the job interview.

4. Online News/Industry News

If you’re looking to really impress, also read up on industry news and know what’s happening in the space so you can have an intelligent conversation. Employers are impressed by applicants who not just know its business, but about its market and competitors as well. Glassdoor is a very good site to see what their employees think about the firm.

It doesn’t take a lot to come off prepared for the job interview with the various online resources readily available with information. Armed with the information, you are prepared to respond and ask good questions at the job interview so that you solidify the message that you are a serious contender. 

How To Answer 3 Interview Questions About Your Personality

When interviewers ask you about your personality or personal preferences, it can be hard to know what the “right” answer is. Below are three very common interview questions about your personality along with suggestions for how to think about them, and examples for how to answer them.

“Describe Yourself In One Word.”

Hopefully, their hiring decision won’t hinge on a one-word answer, but when you’re asked this question, it sure feels like it might. What’s the right answer? It depends on the job. Before you answer, think about not just what you are, but what you are in relation to the job. What would be a good personality trait or quality for someone in this role? Which one of those qualities applies to you? That’s your answer. This is a strategic approach to interviewing that makes you much stronger and more effective as a candidate. This approach is the difference between saying “happy” or “creative.” Being happy is great, but being creative is essential for a lot of jobs.

What are some other words that may work for you? How about: motivated, strategic, reliable, focused, dynamic, organized, or accurate? Just be aware—a natural follow-up question to this is, “Can you give me an example of how you embody that quality at work?” It’s a good idea to have a story that illustrates your answer.

“Would You Rather Work On A Team Or Alone?”

Even if you have definite preferences about working with others, it’s probably not a good idea to say so. Most jobs require both. As a result, many people stick with the “safe” answer of, “I work well either way.” However, that’s a little too generic and unimpressive, and you can easily do better. Look at the job you’re interviewing for. If you know that most of the time you’ll be working on a team, say something like, “I like the give-and-take of working in a group, but I appreciate sometimes having my own piece of a project.” If you’ll be working alone a majority of the time, you could say, “I enjoy the responsibility of working alone, but I find that occasionally brainstorming with a team and working together is refreshing.” You will seem authentic because you’re stating a preference, but positive and able to adapt as needed (which is a very desirable trait).

“Describe Your Work Style.”

This question is actually a little deceptive for job seekers. It sounds like they want to know about your personality or your likes and dislikes on the job. So, some job seekers respond with a personality trait, such as “I’m a Type A go-getter,” or a preference such as, “I dislike conflict, so I like to maintain peaceful relationships at work.” Neither of these approaches will snag you any interview points.

When they ask you to describe your work style, this is a prime opportunity to show them how your particular blend of qualities is perfect for that job. Maybe you are especially organized, or a talented multi-tasker. Maybe you are a hands-on leader, or a data-driven strategic thinker. Think about the needs of the job and consider how you meet those needs.

In answering all interview questions, really stop to think about what a successful person in that role would do or have, and focus on how you bring those qualities—which means that you will be successful.

Resumes For People Aged 50+

Many of the people hit by the long-term unemployment in the U.S. are over 50 years old. Is there a special resume format older job applicants should follow? Yes and no.

First, all recruiters and hiring managers like chronological resumes. Please do not try to gloss over your years of experience by writing a strictly functional resume, one that is a narrative and not a list of positions held. A strictly functional resume immediately makes recruiters and hiring managers feel you are hiding something.

Second, as I’ve said before in this blog, your resume is not your life history. You do not have to list every job back to high school graduation. Consider grouping some jobs by company name and position only under “Additional Experience.” Do not give the date you graduated college.

Third, employers are looking for skills but they are looking even harder for evidence that you know how to use those skills. When you focus your resume on achievements, you make recruiters and hiring managers think twice before moving on to someone younger but entirely unproven. Experience is a virtue.

Finally, as a fellow resume writer once put it, your resume is not about you, it’s about the employer and the employer’s needs. You want to position yourself as the solution the employer is looking for.

All of the points above apply to job hunters at any age.

5 Key Resume Writing Tips For The Over 50 Job Seeker

“Inside every old person is a young person wondering what happened.”

That’s an amusing quote that you’ve no doubt seen on a bumper sticker or meme, but when you’re close to that half-century mark, a glance in the mirror and it becomes your mantra.

You’re still that young, vibrant, capable person you were twenty years ago, no matter what that mirror says. Or what society seems to think.

Unfortunately, when you’re looking for a job, “society” has a huge pool of candidates. And you, even with your great experience, have a lot of competition.

Age bias in the job search is real. Of course it’s illegal, but if you make that your excuse, you’ll never get the job. Instead, revamp your resume to de-emphasize your age making you more appealing and better able to compete.

While the best course of action is to consult with a professional resume writer, if you are determined to do it yourself, here are some resume writing tips to make this happen…

1. Trim your resume to the most recent 20 years.

Forget the old-school thinking that you have to put your whole history on your resume. It’s not an autobiography. It’s a marketing document – it needs to present you as a product that the employer wants to buy.

They want to see how your recent accomplishments match up with what they need, and 30-year-old achievements appear outdated. If you say your PC experience is from 1985, they’ll think that you’re clueless about new technology.

2. Include relevant early experience in your summary.

Trimming the dates doesn’t mean leaving out relevant experience, just be thoughtful in how you present it. Highlight those undated achievements in a beginning summary, or create a section at the end that lists additional experience.

By adding the experience in semi-prose, you can leave off dates without drawing attention to the fact that you left off dates.

3. Be creative in how you list employment dates.

Don’t make the mistake of leaving dates off of your resume completely. That will basically shout, “I’M OLD AND I DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW.” Or worse, it says you don’t have a clue about writing a resume.

But don’t feel trapped into the traditional way of displaying dates, i.e.

2000 – 2015

Employer, Location, Position

Downplay the date with a simple re-format:

Employer, Location,

Position (2000 – 2015)

For long-term employment with one company, list the dates for each position rather than encapsulating the time in one date listing.

We recently created a resume for an executive candidate with 35 years under one employer. Using the traditional method, his start date highlights his age and breaks the “most-recent-20-years” rule.

Instead, we left off the all-inclusive dates and listed dates with positions, going back 15 to 20 years.

ABC Employer, Anytown, USA

Current Position (2015 – Present)

XYZ Employer, Anytown, USA

Position A (2007 – 2016)

Position B (2002 – 2007)

Position C (2000 – 2002)

** Additional experience includes…

4. Include your education dates.

A common error is leaving off education dates, which you might do to “fit in” with your younger competitors.

But the resume reader expects your education date to “close the loop” on your experience. If you started your current career track the same year you earned your degree, but you don’t list that year on your education, it looks like you’re hiding it, which will immediately make the reader think that you’re older than your work experience indicates.

UNLESS…you have a good strategic reason not to include the dates of your education.

If you’re following these resume writing tips and shortening your resume to the most recent 20 years, your degree date might not make the cut. If so, include the degree, but leave off the date.

Having the degree is much more important than the date you received it; don’t make the mistake of not listing your degree at all.

5. Highlight your achievements and what you can bring to the job.

The most important of all the resume writing tips, no matter your age, is that you highlight your accomplishments and illustrate your unique value.

Showcase achievements that demonstrate your experienced-earned credibility, judgment and decision-making abilities, range of professional contacts, work ethic and reliability.

Dispel the ageist misconception that as an older worker you’re un-compromising or technologically inept. Touch on achievements that illustrate a high energy level, strong technical skills, and adaptability to change.

Position yourself for the position by demonstrating that you are the perfect candidate for the job. Show how you’ll solve their problem, or fill their need. You’ll get their attention and age won’t be an issue.

Beyond your resume…

More important than following these resume writing tips, is this:

Recognize your value.

Be proud of your age. Your experience and perspective bring value to the workplace that your younger competitors can’t. Your self-assurance, confidence, and employment maturity will come across in your resume, your interviews and your manner.

Avoiding Age Discrimination In The Workplace

With people staying in the workforce longer, one of the challenges that a business may face is ageism. Depending on what type of business you are working in will determine how much of this you may actually encounter.

What’s Ageism?

First of all, it is important to know exactly what ageism is and how it applies to the business world. You can basically sum it in up in two words “age discrimination.” It can be choosing not to hire someone, to hire someone based solely on his or her age, or it could also have to do with trying to force someone to retire.

This could be because the business has had employees in that age group that did not perform well in the past or maybe they feel that they cannot do the job adequately due to their age and abilities. Maybe a business does not want to hire older workers as they feel that they are only going to work there a year or two and then retire and it is not worth training them. Regardless of the reasoning, ageism is something that any business should strive to avoid.

Avoiding Ageism – Legally

One of the first things that a business can do to avoid ageism is to check the laws at a local and national level. While this seems like a strange thing, you want to make sure you are not hiring people you shouldn’t be. For instance, if there is a minimum age that people have to be before they can enter the workforce, you need to keep that in mind. There can be places that have a mandatory retirement age so you cannot hire anyone who is over that age limit. When looking to hire for your business, do not ask people for their age or birth year, instead ask them if they are legally allowed to work. If you are not sure if people will know those ages, you can simply ask if they were born between X and Y years.

Where You Advertise

The location of where you advertise can ultimately affect the ages of the applicants that you receive, which can make your business look like it has an age discrimination issue. For instance, if you put most of your ads in the places where teenagers are known to hang out, you likely are going to get a lot of teenagers applying for positions.

This may be your goal if you are hiring for a minimum wage job that does not require education beyond high school but if you are looking for someone with a degree and five years experience, you are not likely to find it there. One of the best locations to advertise is the newspaper or on the Internet job classifieds as people can find them there regardless of age.

Setting Up Policies

Having policies in place within your business can help to prevent ageism from happening and will also allow for better employee satisfaction. For instance, you could have a wage schedule that indicates when employees qualify for raises and how much they can be or a range. Determine a method to evaluate this based on performance or other factors and have it laid out when the employee starts their job. Make sure that these guidelines are then followed and that employees know exactly what is expected of them in order to qualify.

Policies should also be setup for discipline in the same way. Regardless, make sure that those in your business who do the evaluating keep records. Offer opportunities for advancement within the business based on qualifications and merit.

6 Tips For Job Seekers On Body Language

Body language speaks volumes at a job interview. Everything from your handshake, eye contact,  and how you move your extremities when you talk, to your posture when sitting can reveal a lot about you to the hiring manager sitting across from you.

If you want to make the right impression, be aware of your own body.

1. Eye Contact.

Eye contact can help you build a personal connection with the interviewer. It is especially important at the time of the handshake and when the interviewer is speaking or asking a question. By giving eye contact, it communicates that you are confident, listening, and engaged. However, there has to be a balance with breaks in between eye contact. If you stare too long, it can come across as being overly aggressive and you may begin to look crazy and creepy.

2. Handshake.

The handshake is a professional point of contact, so how you do it sends a very important message. To come off as confident, you want to be firm, but not overpowering. And on the other end, if your handshake is limp like a dead fish, the interviewer may sense you lack confidence and interest. Women tend to overcompensate and shake hands too firmly so practice on you family members as this is where you make a first impression.

3. Expression.

No matter what you say, if your expression does not match the message, it will not come across. For example, at the time of the first handshake at the job interview, exhibit a smile when you say, “It’s nice to meet you.” When you are talking about one of the most exciting projects you were involved in, your expression should match that, otherwise you’re giving the hiring manager a mixed message.

4. Posture.

The way you sit can impact how others want to communicate with you. If you are leaning back all relaxed, you may leave the hiring manager thinking you’re lazy and not serious about the meeting. If you lean too forward and invade their space, it can come off as too aggressive. What you want is a neutral position – sit straight up on the chair with a slight lean forward to express you’re interested and engaged. You also don’t want to be stiff in posture. It’s unnatural and can make it hard for others to communicate with you comfortably. A good technique is to slightly mirror the interviewer’s posture.

5. Arms.

Many security guards have their arms across their chest. It signals that they are in defense mode. This is the same message that’s sent to the hiring manager when they see a job candidate with arms across their chest. You want to be viewed as approachable, so it’s best to leave your hands to your sides when standing or on your lap/knees when sitting.

6. Excessive Nodding Or Shaking.

Yes, you want to communicate agreement and understanding, but excessive nodding of the head can be seen as being overly agreeable, and you end up looking like a bobble head. One or two nods tagged with a smile is all you need. Along the same lines, be watchful of your extremities like leg kicking (often a result of nerves) or flaring arms as you talk. Maintain self-control of your extremities, keeping your feet flat on the ground and using your hands only when trying to make a gesture.

To better prepare for the next job interview, consider doing a video recording of a mock interview. You’ll see habits in your body language that you can practice to correct before the next real job interview!

5 Things To Avoid During The Hiring Process

Here are five things to avoid sabotaging your chances of landing that dream job:

Excessive Follow-Up/Reaching Out

There’s nothing wrong with following up with a recruiter once you’ve either had an exploratory conversation or an interview. However, if the recruiter has stated a specific time frame as to when he/she will be reaching back out with next steps, be sure to at least allow that time period to end before following up. There are a variety of steps within the recruitment life cycle and you never know what client calls the recruiter has to complete, prior to being able to provide you with clarification on whether or not your candidacy will be taken further.

Reaching Out To A Client Directly

In some cases during the hiring process, you may be interacting mostly with a recruiter, as opposed to dealing directly with the hiring manager of a particular company. Occasionally, potential candidates will overstep the recruiter and attempt to contact the hiring manager directly. This tactic rarely bodes well for the candidate or the client.

Clients contract or retain recruiters and search firms not only to locate top talent, but also to serve as an intermediary between themselves and potential candidates. Many companies enjoy a sense of anonymity during the initial phase of the recruitment process, due to various reasons including previously established business relationships, the sensitivity of open positions, and the lack of time and resources to execute the search internally.

This is especially the case if the need for someone to play “bad cop” arises, as that responsibility typically falls on the recruiter to provide feedback from the client or merely inform the candidate of the requirements that he/she does not currently meet in order to be considered for the role.

It is imperative to follow the formal recruitment process set forth by the recruiter, regardless of a personal relationship one may have with a client.

Tip: If you know someone personally, either at the company or on the hiring team for an opportunity you’re exploring, simply mention that to the recruiter and ask if he/she can reach out to that person on your behalf.

Lack Of Honesty And Open Communication

Throughout the recruitment process, there will be a verification of information including education, current employment, and reference checks. If you are currently unemployed, be upfront with the recruiter and say so in the initial conversation. Also, be sure to update your resume and any online career profile you may have, so there is no confusion.

When a Recruiter inquires as to whether or not you have a degree (because it’s unclear on your resume), be honest! We all know the result of how a “mishap” in unclear education information turned out for ex Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson. While most companies tend to have a penchant towards those who at least hold an undergraduate degree, there are times where clients prefer more hands-on industry experience.

Delayed Response Time And Lack Of Commitment To The Process

Recruiters will typically keep you abreast of when they will be discussing your background with the client, so be sure to communicate any upcoming travel plans to your recruiter, ensuring that he/she is aware of when you might be more difficult to reach. This is also important, as you may be requested to complete additional documents or assessments which are time sensitive.

It is never in your favor to leave your recruiter without an explanation for why he/she can’t reach you or why you haven’t returned your completed documents. The client will always want to know what the delay is (instead of assuming you’re no longer interested), so make sure your recruiter can truly be an advocate for you at all times.

Pleading A Case For “Must Have” Requirements Clearly Not Met

If you absolutely do not meet a minimum/non-negotiable requirement, it’s always best to be up front with the recruiter. There’s nothing wrong with providing a brief overview of how you believe additional experience you have might serve as an asset. However, one of the worst things a potential candidate can do while on the phone or in an interview with a recruiter or hiring manager is spend time providing an irrelevant, verbose answer to a question about a specific qualification the candidate does not possess. This will only prove to the recruiter that you’re either not listening or you don’t fully comprehend the necessary requirements to be successful in the role.

7 (Really Hard) Interview Questions You Must Answer Properly

7 (Really Hard) Interview Questions You Must Answer Properly

Interviewing isn't easy. The employer is the customer and you're the business-of-one trying to prove you're the best service provider for their job. Studies show it costs a company as much as 130-140% of your salary to hire you. That includes things like benefits, taxes, training, etc. The stress of choosing the right candidate worries hiring managers. The result is a series of intense interview questions designed to let them, 'kick the tires and look under hood' before they invest.

Behavioral Questions = Let Them Inside Your Head

Hiring managers often use behavioral questions in an interview in an attempt to have you reveal your true professional self. These are open-ended questions designed to make you give longer answers. Your answers will demonstrate your personality, aptitude, and experience level. These three things matter greatly to employers who choose a candidate based on their ability to fit in with the company's culture. Here are seven intense interview questions you should always be ready to answer:

1) What's wrong with your/past current employer? This question seeks to understand what's driving you to leave the job. Happy employees don't go on interviews for new jobs. The hiring manager is trying to see if you have unrealistic expectations of employers.

2) Tell me about the worst manager you ever had? Again, seeking to understand your expectations, the hiring manager wants to know what kind of management style you don't work well with. Especially, if it's a style they currently use.

3) What's the worst job you ever had? A hiring manager needs to know what type of work disengages you. They also want to understand what (if any) attempts you made to fix the problem. When unhappy, are you proactive and try to fix your situation,? Or, do you sit around and get disgruntled?

4) Why are you better than anyone else for this job? A test to see if you can balance confidence with humility, this question is designed to see if you have a grasp on reality and can articulate how you are different from the competition without resorting to 'throw them under the bus' tactics.

5) Why were you fired? For those that have been involuntarily terminated, you need to be able to objectively share what happened and be accountable for your actions. If you resort to blaming and explaining your way out of any wrong-doing, you'll be dismissed as in denial.

6) What are your weaknesses? Nobody's perfect. If you can't discuss your areas in need of improvement then you aren't self-aware enough to grow on the job. In fact, if you can't explain how you are already trying to minimize these weaknesses, then you are showing a lack of understanding about the need to always be improving as a professional.

7) Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person? This question gets to the core of what you're like to work with. Whoever you choose to explain is likely your polar opposite. The hiring manager needs to know what type of co-worker you struggle to collaborate with and whether you know how to find a way to work together successfully. They are paying you to do a job, and that means getting along with all types of people, even ones who don't work like you do.

Tip: Hiring Managers Hear What They See

One of the biggest reasons a hiring manager asks intense interview questions is to not only evaluate your answers, but to evaluate your non-verbal communication skills i.e. your body language, facial expressions, hand gestures, eye contact, etc. Hiring managers can tell when someone is acting nervous or untruthful. That's why everyone should work on their interview answers as much as they can before they go to the interview. It will help you relax and communicate with more confidence.

A Final Thought...

The questions above are designed to help the hiring manager understand how you have interpreted past professional experiences and whether or not you've used what you've learned to become a stronger professional. What you say and how you say it tells a hiring manager a lot about your anxieties and frustrations as they relate to work. If you aren't careful, you will provide an answer that can get you disqualified. The best way to avoid making a mistake is to invest time in preparing for interviews. Employers don't want to hire high-maintenance employees. Any sign that you might be difficult to work with and they'd rather pass on hiring you. 

Workplace Disagreements: How To Handle Them The Right Way

The workplace is a dynamic place. Unfortunately, any time multiple humans get together, there is potential for conflict. Disagreements in the workplace can be unpleasant. Assuming two people are at odds with one another, that negative vibe can quickly spread through a team or organization.

It is almost a guarantee that into each career some disagreement will fall. It would be impossible to always agree on strategy and tactics with colleagues. It would also be counterproductive to always have agreement in the workplace. Encouraging and promoting different ideas and perspectives are key to coming up with solutions and teams performing at high levels.

The task becomes determining if a disagreement is healthy. If it is unhealthy, it can be difficult to diagnose and solve the problem. No matter how much people say, “Let it go, it’s just work,” that is easier said than done. When people put so much into their career and job, it often becomes worth it to try to understand disagreements. Navigating these squalls can go a long way to saving or strengthening relationships, and improving one’s professional reputation.

Try The Mirror Before The Window

For starters, when there is a disagreement in the workplace, look in the mirror before peering out the window. In other words, reflect on your actions and perspective before looking at anyone else. In fact, this advice is handy in a lot of situations. Something to keep in mind is that, in most disagreements, each side genuinely believes they are doing the right thing. Each person’s stance can be completely foreign to the other, but if the conflict is approached with an attempt at understanding and mutual respect, a positive resolution is more likely.

Talk To A Mentor, Not Out Of School

Having someone to talk to about the matter can be helpful. Someone who is removed from the situation, can be trusted, and is discreet. If this person can bring a unique perspective, all the better. He or she can listen, ask challenging and thought-provoking questions, or maybe he or she has been there before and can offer some thoughtful advice.

However, choose a confidant carefully. The other side of this advice is to avoid airing grievances in the workplace. Always attempt to take the high road. Talking too much to too many people can not only be counterproductive and damage relationships, but it can be harmful to a one’s reputation. The point of talking to someone about the situation is to help you assess your perspective.

Take A Positive Approach

After reflecting on a disagreement, as uncomfortable as it may be, it is almost always most productive to sit down with the other party. Rather than approach the meeting as adversarial, go into it seeking to understand, make progress and find a resolution. Ask each other questions, try to help each other see the other’s perspective. If there is a commitment to compromise and flexibility upfront, good things often happen.

Engage A Facilitator

Good intentions alone may not help. In the event addressing the disagreement head-on is not successful, or the other party is not receptive, it may be helpful to engage a third-party facilitator. The facilitator may need to serve as a mediator, or the person may be helpful in creating a more constructive meeting environment. Either way, there is often value to having someone objective and removed from the situation provide another set of eyes and ears.

In order to be most effective, the facilitator should be someone both parties agree about participating. Many organizations have HR or organizational development consultants in-house that can serve this purpose. Smaller employers may not have that luxury, but there may still be an HR professional or other trusted resource equipped to help the situation. The point is, this person will need to be credible, respected, and willing to provide candid feedback.

Disagreements at work are going to happen. In many instances, disagreements are productive and good signs of diverse thought. They do not need to be the end of the world, but the ones that matter cannot be allowed to fester. Working in an environment where there is hesitancy to disagree or offer an alternative can squash creativity and add unnecessary stress.

When disagreements crop up, it’s important to stay professional, reflect on each side’s perspective and try to find the best solution possible for the good of everyone involved. No two situations are going to be alike, but by taking a measured, collaborative approach, even the toughest hurdles can be overcome.

9 speaking habits that will make you sound smarter

There are four kinds of speakers in the business world:

1. The incoherent, who meander, use tons of jargon, and talk of things interesting mostly to themselves.
2. The coherent, who can verbally communicate facts and opinions but seldom say anything memorable.
3. The articulate, who speak succinctly and clearly but whose words are seldom persuasive.
4. The eloquent, who use language and body language to win the hearts and minds of listeners.

Eloquent people sound smart, regardless of how intelligent they are. The opposite is true as well. Smart people who are incoherent — like some engineers I've known — often come off as if they're of limited intelligence.

Fortunately, eloquence is a skill that can be taught, practiced, and mastered. Here are nine easily mastered techniques to quickly make yourself more eloquent and smarter-sounding.

1. Stand or sit with spine straight but relaxed

Eloquence is more than just how you use language. It's also how you use your body language. The position of your back is the foundation of your body language and therefore the root of your eloquence.

Slumping communicates a lack of confidence in yourself and your words. The other extreme, a ramrod straight back, says "fight or flight." A straight but relaxed spine puts you in a mental and physical state from which words flow smoothly and easily.

2. Keep your chin up

The position of your head is just as important as the position of your spine, a fact reflected in many common expressions. To "hold your head high," for example, is to show pride and determination. To be "downcast" means you're already beaten down.

An upright head is essential for eloquence for physiological reasons as well. A tense neck — inevitable if your head is facing down — tends to strangle your words, preventing you from speaking clearly.

3. Focus on your listeners

Eloquence is meaningful only if people are listening to you, and they won't listen if you're thinking about something else or if your eyes are wandering all over the room. Eloquence without attention is mere speechifying.

Two special cases: Avoid glancing sideways — it makes you seem dishonest, i.e., shifty-eyed. If you must check your notes, use your eyes to look downward without nodding your head.

4. Speak loudly enough to be heard

For maximum eloquence, speak loudly enough so people farthest from you can hear but not so loudly that it's uncomfortable for those in front.

If you're unsure of your volume, ask somebody in the back if they can hear you clearly. If they answer yes, say "How about this?" in a voice slightly less loud. If they answer no, crank your voice up a notch.

But never raise your voice to a yell. Yelling makes you sound insane rather than eloquent. If you find yourself in that position, either ask for a microphone or request that people move closer.

5. Buttress words with appropriate gestures

Use your hands to emphasize key points. The easy way to learn this skill is to watch how celebrities and popular public speakers use gestures as they speak. Note how their hand movements seem to "emerge" from their words.

If you're not actively using a gesture, keep your hands still. Fiddling with your glasses, rattling your papers, scratching yourself, and so forth will distract the audience from your message and "cancel out" your eloquence.

6. Strategically position your body

Add power to your words by moving your body appropriately. For example, if you're speaking to a group from a stage, you might move from one spot to another to signal that you're introducing a new idea.

Similarly, when sitting at the conference table, incline forward slightly when you want to emphasize a point. Reorient your sitting position when you move from one subject or concept to another.

7. Use vivid words that everyone understands

Clichés — especially biz-blab — are the opposite of eloquence. Use unexpected but common words or phrases that illustrate points in a memorable manner. Example: "common as houseflies" rather than "dime a dozen."

Also avoid words that your audience might not understand. Using fancy words makes you sound snobby, not smart. If you absolutely must introduce a term unfamiliar to the audience, define it in plain language.

8. Speak at different speeds

Speaking at a single speed quickly turns whatever you're saying into a monotonous drone. Instead, slow down and speed up depending upon the importance of what you're communicating at the time.

If you're summarizing or going over background, speak more quickly than when you're providing new information. When you're describing introducing an important concept, slow down to give listeners time to absorb it.

9. Use pauses to create emphasis

Silence isn't just golden, it's also the crowning glory of eloquence. For example, a slight pause before you're about to say something important creates suspense. It leads your audience to "hang on your every word."

Similarly, a pause after you've said something important emphasizes its importance and gives listeners a moment to reflect on its importance.