Monthly Archives: August 2007

Making the Connection in a Job Interview

Interviews are more than a series of questions and answers. To make the most out of your interview, make a connection with the interviewer by initiating small talk. This will allow the interviewer to see a little bit more of your personality, establish rapport and leave them feeling as if they know more about you than just what’s on your résumé.

Effective small talk can help you set yourself apart from the competition. To help you get started, here are a few dos and don’ts to keep in mind when engaging in small talk.


Do stick to safe topics. Asking the interviewer if they had a nice weekend or commenting on the weather, is a great opener when beginning the interview. This gets the conversation going and helps the interviewer see that you’re comfortable interacting with others under stressful situations.

Don’t overuse flattery. Most interviewers don’t appreciate false praise. While being positive and friendly are great traits, telling the interviewer that you love their suit or wish you had a haircut just like theirs is a little much. So, try not to over do it on the compliments during an interview.

Don’t be negative. If the interviewer asks how your drive in was this morning, avoid negative remarks such as: “The traffic was horrendous, the lights took too long, and there wasn’t a parking spot close to the building.” Instead, focus on positive thoughts – your excitement for the interview, pleasant songs you heard on the radio or how peaceful the drive in was this morning. Overwhelming negativity can end your interview before it even starts. Interviewers want positive people working in their company, not negative individuals who will constantly complain.

Do open up when appropriate. If the interviewer mentions that he enjoys the same hobbies as you or attended the same college, take a moment to comment on the topic. This demonstrates your interest and connects you with the interviewer.

By making a connection with the interviewer, you can increase your odds of getting the job because now you’re more than just a piece of paper – you’re a real person with a story to tell.

Do you have any tips on how to initiate small talk in an interview?

Six Reasons to Tell the Truth on Your Résumé

Your résumé reflects who you are and is an important tool to help you get an interview. How you present your skills and abilities says a lot about you as a person and as a potential employee.

When looking for a job it is important to present yourself in the most accurate light, so it’s imperative that you stick to the truth instead of stretching it – especially when it comes to your résumé.

Obviously lying on your résumé is a bad idea, however many people have no objection to setting their personal and business ethics aside to try and land a job. Providing false and misleading information has become relatively common, with job seekers believing – or perhaps hoping – that employers will not bother checking the details of applicants.

Today’s lies can haunt you the rest of your career, so factual is the way to go. If you elect to exaggerate or misrepresent the facts you are bound to be caught in the act:

Education. Not every job requires a degree – high school, GED or college – but if you state you have a particular degree you better have earned it. With electronic alumni databases it’s too easy for employers to verify whether you graduated or not.

Experience. Work accomplishments and job responsibilities are the most common areas where job seekers stretch the truth. Employers can sniff out résumé padding, and your embellishments will lead to your downfall in an interview when you can’t support what you’ve presented on paper.

Title. It might seem harmless to give yourself a title boost from specialist to manager or from coordinator to director. But, if your responsibilities don’t match up with your title you will have a lot of explaining to do.

Dates. If you had a lapse in employment, it’s better to have a gap on your résumé than to state you worked at an employer when you did not. Common missteps here include listing inaccurate start or stop dates or listing that you worked somewhere for multiple years (from 2005-2006) when you only worked there in December and January.

Compensation. You are better served to list your real income on a job application than to give yourself a pay boost. It is better to leave those spots blank or write n/a (not applicable) then to falsify your compensation history.

Skills. Are you really proficient in Word and Excel or do you only know how to open the file? Ordering office supplies does not equate to managing the department budget. And working in a cubicle with three co-workers does not grant you supervisory or managerial responsibilities. Only list the skills you possess.

All these blunders are easily discovered from a simple reference call to a prior employer. One call and a hiring manager can determine your job title, pay rate, dates of employment, job responsibilities and if you are eligible for rehire.

No matter how bad you want the job, it’s simply not worth it to stretch the truth. Let your talents and experience speak for themselves – without embellishment.

Job Offer: When Can You Start?

Start a New JobYou’ve applied, interviewed and are waiting for the job offer that you hope is coming. Then, the offer is made and you accept it, but even though the interview is over, one more question for you awaits.

“When can you start?”

How you answer that question depends on your current situation.

No ladder. If you aren’t currently working, tell your new employer you could start tomorrow. If that isn’t possible because of child care or prior plans, ask the manager when they’d like you to start. They might want you to start the next day, or they might prefer to wait until the start of a work week or pay period. Of course, if you want a paycheck as soon as possible, starting tomorrow is your best bet.

Middle rungs. Giving two weeks’ notice is pretty standard if you are already employed. This provides you with ample time to complete or reassign any current projects. When some people turn in their notice, they are told to immediately clear out their workstations and are shown the door. If you think that might happen, tell your future boss. Explain that you are going to turn in your two week’s notice but mention the possibility that you might be available sooner.

Top of the ladder. If you are a manager or have an upper-level position, giving three weeks’ notice is a safe bet. Given your position in the company, two weeks might not be long enough to make a clean break. It’s important to never burn bridges with former employers, and this is especially tricky for those in high-level positions.

Pack up the ladder. If you are relocating to a new city or state, starting in four weeks or a month is reasonable. If your new employer balks at your timeframe, try and work out a financial arrangement where you can start earlier while not being burdened with bills from two residences for an extended period of time. You’ll have the stress of leaving a job, packing up your worldly possessions, finding somewhere to live and moving. Not to mention dealing with packing and unpacking, change of address notification and all the other headaches associated with a move.

What did you do the last time you changed jobs? Did you give your notice in person, electronically or in writing?

Video Résumés – Fad or Future?

the video resumeMy résumé is boring. Twenty years of accomplishments condensed on two sheets of ivory parchment. I have all the bases covered: relevant experience, transferable job skills, recent accomplishments and education.

Although the information is accurate, it is not a complete picture of who I am, which is why I’m considering creating a video résumé. It would serve as an excellent complement to my traditional résumé, allowing me to highlight certain skills, such as strategic planning, leadership and problem-solving abilities.

Many of the video résumés on YouTube focus too much on entertainment rather than providing answers to commonly-asked interviews questions. Sites like Jobster combine aspects of social networking with job search functions to connect users with people, information and opportunities to further their careers.

Just imagine – you can turn your MySpace or Facebook profile into a living, breathing résumé. You could turn your personal blog into a virtual job interview, complete with links to your portfolio of work. You can provide detail on how you took a concept from inception to completion, how you overcame a difficult situation or what traits you are looking for in a boss. If you live in Denver and are looking for a job in Nashville, you have an opportunity to make a first impression that is more provoking than 20-pound résumé paper.

But, there are some considerations to take into account when creating a video résumé.

Can it be viewed? If an employer does not have broadband or a high-speed Internet connection you could create a frustrating obstacle for the manager. You shouldn’t rely on a video résumé alone. Make sure you provide a traditional résumé as well.

Will it be viewed? Hiring managers might only spend 10, 20 or 30 seconds scanning (reviewing) paper résumés when filling an open position. It is feasible to go through 120 résumés in an hour. But with video résumés lasting one to five minutes, a manager might only get through a dozen in an hour. Fortunately, not many job seekers have adopted résumés, so utilizing a video résumé may be a key differentiator for you.

Is it appropriate for you? Video résumés are not for everyone. But, if you work in a field where you are constantly competing with a large number of applicants, a video résumé might help grab the attention of the potential employer. Or, if you are trying to break into an industry where you have limited experience, a video résumé could be your solution.

How do you feel about video résumés? Have you used them? Have they helped or hurt your job quest?

12 Résumé Tips to Get You Hired

resume to hiredYour résumé is your introduction to a prospective employee. What it says, or doesn’t say, will be a major factor in whether you land an interview – the first step to getting the job.

To craft a résumé that highlights your strengths and sells your skills, check out the tips below.

1. Tailor your résumé to fit the job description. By rephrasing a few key words and phrases, your résumé will showcase why you’re the right candidate for the job.

2. Find out the hiring manager’s name and send your résumé directly to him or her, instead of just sending it to a generic company e-mail or mailing address.

3. Include specifics such as how big a budget you managed or what percent you increased sales.

4. Use descriptive verbs like “streamlined,” “accelerated” and “oversaw.”

5. Don’t list the reasons you left past jobs. This can be discussed in an interview, if necessary.

6. Be consistent. If you list contact information for one of your past employers, do so for all of them. If you capitalize some job titles, capitalize them all.

7. Don’t use the words “I,” “me” or “myself.” Instead, just start each sentence with a verb. For example, “Oversaw the work of 15 CNAs in a long-term care facility.”

8. Keep your formatting simple. Excess bold, italics or underlining is distracting.

9. If you provide an e-mail address, make sure it sounds professional and isn’t something like hotstuff4ever@email.com.

10. Don’t oversell yourself. Only list skills and training you actually possess.

11. Proofread. Typos and grammatical errors make your résumé look sloppy and may land your résumé in the trash. Mistyping your contact information can also prevent an employer from being able to get a hold of you.

12. Include a cover letter with your résumé. Making the extra effort to create a brief cover letter can do a lot to help your résumé stand out.

A well thought out résumé always makes a better impression than one that is thrown together at the last minute. So, if you really want to grab an employer’s attention, take the time to create a solid résumé.

How do you try to make your résumé stand out? What are some of your struggles in creating a résumé?

Additional Resources:

Resume and Cover Letter Articles

Pick the Job That’s Right for You

My sister-in-law recently received her bachelor’s degree in nursing and began searching for a job. She was a licensed practical nurse for 12 years prior to her graduation – so she had a lot of experience in her field, which helped her job search. She received several job offers and is having a terrible time trying to figure out which job to take. She has three small children, so picking the right job is crucial to her work/life balance.


This job dilemma is a good one to have; however, some people aren’t quite prepared to handle this situation when it arises.  Of course, in the grand scheme of things, you must take into account all factors when trying to find the right job choice for your career. When trying to determine the right job, keep these tips in mind:


Take time to compare: Don’t say yes immediately. Make sure to take some time to evaluate each job offer. Write down the pros and cons of each offer, and go over them with your family or someone you trust. If you have additional questions, write them down and call the potential employer back for answers. Remember, you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. You want to make sure it is a good fit for everyone involved.


Focus on your priorities: Money isn’t everything, so make sure that you understand everything each potential employer has to offer. Check out their benefits and healthcare package. Do they offer corporate perks or bonuses? If you receive a great salary but the company doesn’t offer any benefits program, or career advancement opportunities, is the pay worth it?


Be honest: Let other prospective employers know that you were offered another job and you are trying to determine the best fit. You don’t have to divulge any information about the salary or who is offering the job if you don’t want to. Let them know that you need some time to evaluate the offer, and give them a time frame in which you will get back to them. Most employers will understand if you ask for a few days to think.


Don’t back out: Make sure that you are respectful to all prospective employers. After you decide which job you are going to take, don’t back out. Once you have accepted a job offer, the company lets all other applicants know that the position has been filled. If you back out, the employer has to start all over, and it doesn’t usually reflect well on you.


You may love the idea of having multiple job offers, but the anxiety of picking between them can be tremendous. By following these tips, you can help narrow the field down to the one offer you want to accept.

Have you ever juggled multiple job offers? What was the deciding factor – money, benefits, time off?

The Workplace Classroom: Creative Moments Allow Lifelong Learning

workplace classroomMost of the children in my area are starting back to school this week or next – which got me thinking about my own school days.

I remember lying awake the night before school started filled with excitement about wearing my new school clothes, meeting my teachers and finding out who I’d sit by in class or play with at recess.

The start of each school year was filled with eager anticipation for the new things I’d experience and discover.

When I graduated from college and entered the working world, I really missed the ever-changing class schedule that promised challenging ideas and unfamiliar faces. But, after my first year in the professional world, I got in the groove of my new lifestyle and missed my scholastic days less.
In my current job, I still have the opportunity to take new classes (projects), meet new students (vendors, clients, co-workers) and learn from interesting teachers (supervisors, colleagues, books). While my recess (lunch break) doesn’t involve swinging on the monkey bars or playing tetherball, it probably could if I wanted to head to a local park in my work clothes.

One of the things that made elementary school great was the opportunity to cut loose and experiment with new ideas – whether that was increasing our understanding of politics by sculpting world leaders out of Play-Doh or learning about teamwork by running a three-legged race.

Those moments stimulated our minds and helped us kids refresh from a sometimes draining day of reading, writing and arithmetic. I think those same moments are invaluable in the “workplace classroom.” Employees need to be able to try out new ideas and shake off the hum-drums when their enthusiasm wanes.

Infusing creativity and fun into the workday helps employees stay sharp and engaged.
Of course no classroom or workplace is all fun and games, but my favorite classes were always the ones where I learned without realizing I was learning. The same can be true at work. If we have enough moments that stimulate our minds and shake up the status quo, we don’t feel like we’re working, but rather exploring and making contributions to our world.

What were some of the best learning moments from your school days? How could some of those creative learning times be brought to your workplace?