April, 2018 | Journey

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Monthly Archives: April 2018

Asking Relevant Questions After an Interview

By Job Journey on Thursday, April 26, 2018

Does your interviewer keep answering your questions before you can ask them? We’ve got you covered.

Last month we asked what parts of the job interview process you need help with. You all agreed that asking relevant questions was your top pick, so that’s what we’re covering today!

During your interview preparation journey, you’ve no doubt come across the tip that you absolutely must ask questions at the end of an interview. This is true. Asking great questions shows your interest in the position and helps you stand out against the competition. However, what do you do if your interviewer already answered the questions you had prepared?

The key lies in your question preparation. You need to come up with multiple insightful questions so you have backups at the end of the interview. However, avoid asking questions just to ask them—everything you prepare should be relevant to the position.

We realize it’s hard to come up with these questions on your own, so we’ve prepared a few of our favorites. Feel free to customize them to suit your unique interview situation.

1. A question asking for more information about the job.

For example: If I were hired for this position, how would my performance be measured?

This question shows that you’re interested in the intricacies of the position beyond the job description. It also shows that you’re goal-oriented and are already thinking about how you can be the best employee possible.

2. Something specific about the company’s culture that wasn’t covered online.

For example: What factors were considered when designing your logo? How did you settle on your current mission statement?

Although this question will change depending on the company, showing an interest in the company’s culture is always a great idea. Such a question displays your passion and interest in the company as something more than a place where your job is.

3. A question specifically tailored for your interviewer.

For example: I saw on LinkedIn that you oversaw [project name]. What was that experience like?

Or: Have you ever had an experience at [company] that really made you think ‘this is what it means to work at [company]? What was that like?

These questions show that you’re curious not only about the company, but about your interviewer as well. A slightly more personal question can get an interviewer to lower their defenses and see you as an individual, not just a job applicant. You can also get great answers from these questions that provide a behind-the-scenes look at the company. Just make sure not to ask about any failed projects or hard financial times.

4. A question regarding the recent history of the company.

For example: I saw that the company recently overcame [problem]. Would it be alright if we discussed how that was achieved?

Be careful with this one. Although showing that you’re interested in how your skills can solve a past company problem, you don’t always know how an interviewer is going to react. Some companies keep these problems close to their vest, while others love to see brave interviewees take on problems before they even get an offer. Research online, get a feel for the culture, and only then decide if you want to take the plunge. Avoid any emotional issues like layoffs or company reorganization.

5. And if it wasn’t covered, always ask:

What will the next steps look like?

This one is more for your benefit than the interviewer’s, but it does show that that you care about what happens next. And you’d be surprised how many interviewers fail to cover it during the interview!

Have any question you’ve had success with in interviews? Let us know in the comments section below.

Job Spotlight

Job Spotlight: Administrative Assistant

By Job Journey on Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Are you ready for an admin adventure?

Despite already having experience with several jobs, many working adults are unable to answer that age-old question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Our Job Spotlight monthly blog series is designed to help with that. In this series, we review all the basics of specific job types, from salary and duties to why people do the jobs they do.

Administrative Assistant

For this month’s Job Spotlight, we’ve chosen to focus on administrative assistants, since tomorrow is Administrative Professionals Day.

Administrative assistants do more than answer the phone. They keep the office running, act as gatekeepers, distribute mail, and master spreadsheets. A perpetually positive disposition and an organized mind are must-have qualities.

Many administrative assistants work with a variety of coworkers from different departments, from accounting and sales to marketing and more. Every day is different—you never know who might walk through the door or call on the phone.

Required Education

High school diploma or GED certificate.

Salary

Although it varies depending on a variety of factors (e.g. experience, industry, geographic area, etc.) administrative assistants can make as much as $40,000 per year.

What Administrative Assistants Do

Administrative assistants handle a variety of responsibilities, which may include:

Managing the boss’s calendar.
Processing and distributing mail.
Data-entry and typing.
Answering/screening phone calls.
Interacting with clients or customers daily.
Acting as the liaison between multiple departments.
Preparing conference rooms for meetings.
Taking minutes during meetings.
And more, depending on the position in question.

What Companies Look for in Administrative Assistants

Although every position is different, a few key skills include:

Two or more years of experience in an office setting.
Basic understanding of Microsoft Office Suite.
Type 30+ words per minute.
Being a self-motivated multitasker.
Verbal and written communication skills.
A friendly, outgoing demeanor.
Organizational skills.
The ability to solve problems skillfully and quickly.

Are you an administrative assistant? How do you feel about your position? Let us know in the comments below!

On the Job Podcast

On the Job Podcast with Radio Host Enrique Santos

By Job Journey on Friday, April 20, 2018

Enrique Santos loves his job as the popular host of 2 nationally syndicated radio shows. But his path to radio was not a traditional one. Listen to why Enrique devotes his career to remaining open to the opportunities often sitting right in front of him.

Jobs give us a connection to our communities and the ability to provide for ourselves and our families. Your work may be your passion or it could just be the way you make ends meet. Each week, On the Job will share stories about the pursuit of work by delving into the employment situations people from all walks of life face each day.

Don’t miss an episode!
Download the On the Job podcast on iTunes or anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Ask a Recruiter Inside Express

Ask a Recruiter: Your Questions Answered—Part 1

By Job Journey on Thursday, April 19, 2018

Everything you wanted to know about the recruiting process.

Last month, we asked readers what they wanted to hear about from recruiters. The response was huge.

The same few questions kept popping up again and again, so we decided to feature them in a two-part blog series. We took your questions to our top recruiters, and they replied with expert responses.

If an employee asks for a staffing company to help them find a new job, do they tell your current job that you are looking for work elsewhere or keep that information confidential?

All our recruiters agree that keeping the job search confidential is key. They never notify your current employer that you’ve started the job search, and they recommend that you keep quiet on the topic as well.

“It would depend on the situation. I have found that when a layoff is imminent, managers know and understand that their cohorts will be looking and interviewing at other companies. If this is not the case and business is ‘good,’ I would advise against letting your manager know that you are looking for work.” —Desiree Stevens, Littleton, CO.

“In my experience, many applicants ask that we do not contact their current employer in fear of losing their job. Last week, a coworker of mine was working with an associate who was looking to leave their current employer. The employer overheard a conversation that took place at work and fired them for it.”—John Calabrese Jr., Utica, NY.

Why do companies require a college degree when it isn’t necessary for the job?

Many companies use a college degree as a baseline. Sometimes a degree is indicative of passion and hard work. However, that doesn’t mean that you might not be able to make up for the lack of a degree in other ways.

“Sometimes this is a company policy. I tell people to never let it deter you in applying. Many clients will take on-the-job experience in lieu of a degree.”—Shannon Jacoby, Bellingham, WA.

“Some positions may require a degree for specialized positions, for example, a mechanical engineer. For other positions, completing a degree signals to an employer that you are a person who is determined to see a task through and committed to doing so.”—Desiree Stevens, Littleton, CO.

Why do some companies/staffing companies continue to post jobs that have already been filled ?

This one’s a bit complicated. When it’s a posting from a staffing company, it could be that the same position is being offered at multiple companies. In addition, some job listings are purchased for a certain amount of time and will stay online regardless of being filled or not.

“A lot of the time, for a staffing company, there is more than one job available or the same job is available with a different company. Also, when a job is posted, it usually has an ad run time of 30+ days to attract the most job seekers. Even if they find an applicant before that time, the ad will continue to run.”—Heather Buster, Texarkana, Arkansas.

“Our office often leaves jobs up on the job boards just in case the candidate who was chosen doesn’t work out. It is good to have extra candidates in our back pocket if we need them. We also use the same strategy for jobs that we may not have now but know we will get soon, so we can cut down on the time it takes to fill the position.”— John Calabrese Jr., Utica, NY.

Have any more questions for our recruiters? Let us know in the comments below!

At Work Job Interviews The Job Search

Is Your Online Activity Costing You the Job?

By Job Journey on Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Your lack of interviews could be due to what you said online years ago.

The internet is a huge and wonderful place. You can search for tips on how to fix your sink, buy a used car, and leave a review for your favorite restaurant. However, it’s important to remember that anything you say online is pretty much permanent. An angry review or a sarcastic comment from years ago could come back to haunt you later.

This is incredibly relevant to the job search. The lack of a face-to-face connection might seem to give you some degree of anonymity, but it doesn’t. Recruiters and interviewers will see what you’ve done and said online and factor that into their consideration of you as a candidate, for better or worse.

According to the HUHS Library Media Center, 45% of all hiring managers use search engines to find information on people who applied for jobs. And, 63% said that something on a job seeker’s social media site caused them to not offer them a job.
And the best way to avoid that situation? Not doing anything bad in the first place. But what exactly is “bad” when it comes to the internet and your job search? We’ve got you covered.

Don’t Complain on Social Media

If you had food poisoning during a recent trip to Sherry’s Crab Emporium, it’s fine and dandy to let them know on social media or a review site. However, avoid ranting or using any rude language. Be concerned and polite. That review might come up when you’re being considered for a great job, and it could be the deciding factor that throws you out as a candidate.

Avoid complaining about a boss or co-worker on any of your pages. Even if you aren’t social media friends with these individuals, it’s still possible they could see your comments through a shared contact. And if you’re applying for a new position, your potential employer could write you off as a temperamental employee.

Don’t Breach the Line Between Business and Personal

Social media can be a great networking tool. However, don’t add interviewers on any social platform. Keep the personal and professional separate. Your online interactions with the company should always be strictly professional.

Avoid contacting companies you’ve applied or interviewed with via social media. A quick question to your interviewer via email is fine, but writing a post to a company’s Facebook page is not. The person in charge of the Facebook page most likely has nothing to do with your interview. And, if you post directly to the company’s Twitter or Facebook feed, you’re letting everybody else see your conversation.

Don’t bother your contacts on social media. Don’t message them just because you can. Avoid doing anything that could be seen as begging for a job. Realize that there is a line between social media for business and social media for personal use.

DO Be the Best Version of Yourself

When you want to impress someone in the real world, you bring your A game. You put on a nice suit, smile, and take care to be as polite as possible.

The internet should be no different. If your name is in any way attached, realize that whatever you say or do is there to stay. Don’t post pictures of yourself partying or say anything overtly political. Keep complaints to yourself, and don’t use any profanity.

To keep your personal life private, it’s important to adjust your privacy settings. Although the method for this will change depending on the platform, you usually can adjust what the general public (non-friends/followers) see on social media through something on the site’s “settings” tab.

Don’t Forget to Log-Out

The internet is a great place, but nothing replaces the power of a true one-on-one, face-to-face interaction. Go the extra mile and deliver your resume and cover letter to a business in person.

If you have questions, pick up the phone. Call the office and schedule an in-person appointment to meet with someone and discuss your concerns politely and succinctly.

Whenever an interview is over, send a handwritten thank you card in the mail. That little bit of extra effort goes a long way.

In all that you do, be quick, polite, and kind. That’s something truly memorable.

Have questions about how to behave online? Let us know in the comments below!

Reader Surveys

Poll Question: What Benefits—Not Including Health—Do You Value Most From Employers?

By Job Journey on Thursday, April 12, 2018

In a competitive job market, companies have to be more creative about how they attract and retain top talent. That might mean offering certain benefits over others in a bid to keep you with them for the long-term.

According to MetLife’s Benefit Trends Study, 61% of employees would be more likely to accept a job with a new employer who offers health and well-being benefits, and 51% if the employer offered financial planning programs.

For our April question of the month, we want to know what benefits you value most in a job.

The Job Search

Revamp Your Job Search After 60

By Job Journey on Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Show that age isn’t a factor with these hit websites

Are you older and recently laid off? Decided it was time for a change when you reached mid-life? Hoping to finally find a job that lets you fulfill your passions? If your answers to any of these questions were yes, you’ve probably already realized how difficult it can be to job search after 60.

The hardest part is how different everything is. You haven’t had to interview or update a resume in years. And the internet is full of job search websites that all seem the same.

Fortunately, there are several websites available that cater directly to your needs. These sites provide a wealth of resources to put you in the driver’s seat.

WhatsNext.Com

WhatsNext.com is a perfect first stop on your mid-life career journey. The site covers six main categories, each with its own blog, as well as sections for guides, courses, tests, tools, and connections (where experts in the community can get in touch with the website).

These sections include: career change, purposeful living (where you can figure out what you want to do in life), self-assessment (to find your strengths and useful skills), retirement, entrepreneurship, and connection (a social section that teaches you how to maintain relationships in a busy life).

The site is built around a single mantra: “We are the future of mid-life transformation.” The founders recognize that changing your whole life, although hard at any age, is especially difficult after age 60.

RetiredBrains.Com

While WhatsNext.com focuses on changing your career path after retirement age, RetiredBrains.com emphasizes working after retirement. Finding the perfect work situation that allows you to supplement your retirement savings without working a typical eight-to-five job.

Resources include information about jobs that allow you to work from home (selling online, freelancing, and telemarketing, among many others), part-time jobs to supplement retirement savings (this includes traditional part-time jobs as well as seasonal and temporary jobs), and entrepreneurship ideas (the site includes a directory of low-cost franchise opportunities).

This is all in addition to retirement planning resources (from job search to continued education, volunteering, resume help, and more).

Other sections of the website focus on the trials that come with retirement age, from grief support to travel, money, and health.

RetirementJobs.com

RetirementJobs.com is a great place to use all the information you learned at the two websites we’ve already reviewed. It’s a job board—a place to upload your resume and find the perfect job.

RetirementJobs.com is special in that the website’s stated goal is “to identify companies most-suited to older workers and match them with active, productive, conscientious, mature adults seeking a job or project that matches their lifestyle.” The site even has a reviewed list of “Certified Age Friendly Employers.” This eliminates any chance of encountering age discrimination. The site is also totally free for jobseekers, and you can narrow your search down to part-time or full-time jobs.

Have any experience with other job search websites for those of a certain age? Let us know in the comments below!