Job Interviews

Recovering From Interview Blunders: Part 3

By Jared Cole on Friday, November 11, 2011

In this series of blog posts about recovering from major mess-ups during a job interview, we shed some light on how to recognize the gaffe and apologize where those giving the interview will respect your upfront acknowledgement of the mistake and respect your desire to learn from it. Then, we addressed the importance of staying calm and professional instead of dwelling on mistakes that will distract you and keep you from presenting the best possible you. The final ingredient in the recipe of interview recovery is to move on.

Move on

Sometimes it’s all you can do. Moving on doesn’t mean to give up, it just means to get past it and get on with the interview. If you waste time in the interview dwelling on your errors, the interviewer may too. Sometimes, the worst feeling from a mistake is realizing the mistake after you’ve gotten home from the interview. If you really feel like you’ve made a grave error after an interview, and think it needs to be addressed, put it in the thank-you card and send it that night. It’s still important to stay positive and let the interviewer regret your mistake. Even when the interview is over and you’re home it’s important to stay calm. Don’t mention the experience on your Facebook or Twitter. If you’re asked, be polite and professional when discussing a potential employer.

Prepare

Above all, the most important lesson to learn from your mistake is to always be prepared. This is the best way to avoid any sort of embarrassing blunders and mistakes. If you have any doubts such as name spelling or pronunciation, location, and other details, take a dip in your ego and call the interviewer for the information you need. It’s better to be cautious than make easily preventable mistakes.

It’s also important to keep in mind that sometimes it’s not a mistake at all. Interviews are tools meant for both parties. It’s just as much your chance to gage and analyze the employer as it is theirs. You may not have made any mistakes, but you feel like something isn’t right. It may just mean that the opportunity isn’t the right fit for you, and there may be something better for you in the future.

No matter how much you prepare, sometimes mistakes happen. If you apologize, and keep going in a professional manner, the interview doesn’t have to be a failure.

Career Options Job Interviews The Job Search

Recovering From Interview Blunders: Part 2

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, November 9, 2011

In part one of recovering from interview blunders, we talked about the importance of acknowledging the mistake and apologizing. It could be worse to ignore the mistake and let it linger. Interviewers can be more forgiving than you expect, but what do you do after apologizing?

Falling down may be easy, but picking yourself back up can be the biggest challenge as you continue the interview. When you feel like you have a lot of ground to cover, just remember to keep your head.

Stay Calm and Professional

Many times it’s not necessarily the mistake that is judged, but how the situation is handled, that employers will notice. The important thing to remember is to remain calm and collected after a mishap, like receiving a phone call after forgetting to set your phone on silent, even though panicking may be your initial reaction. Don’t dwell on your mistake and focus on the question that is being asked so you can answer with confidence.

Always try to turn the situation into something you can use to show your professional skills. So what if you forgot your portfolio, didn’t bring extra résumés, or left a relevant fact off your résumé? If you’re quick enough, you can come up with a response like “I wanted to discuss the specific skills and accomplishments that are most important to the company. This way I can better demonstrate the sort of skills you are seeking.”

A good example of this is a scene from the movie The Pursuit of Happyness where Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, was arrested the night before his interview and had no choice but to show up wearing his painting clothes. Being calm, collected, and aware of his situation helped him get the job he was after. You can watch the clip below.

Please note, the video clips herein and their sponsors do not necessarily represent the views of Express and are used for educational purposes only.

You can remember this point with a brief history lesson. During World War II, the British government released a motivational poster and slogan to raise morale. Despite it being a popular fashion trend in today’s society, it can still have a lot of meaning if you remember it during your interview. If you’ve made an interview blunder, just “keep calm and carry on.”

For part three, click here!

Career Options Job Interviews The Job Search

Recovering From Interview Blunders: Part 1

By Jared Cole on Monday, November 7, 2011

Interviewing can be one of the scariest parts of the job search. While being asked to interview means a potential employer is interested and feels that you are qualified for the position, you still only have a short amount of time during that interview to promote the best possible you. From the moment you step into the building to the moment you leave the parking lot, your actions, words, and posture will be compared and contrasted with other potential candidates. It can feel like one false move could cost you a potential career.

That scenario can make anyone looking for a job, especially their first, seem dreadful. Interviews are as big of an opportunity for you as it is for the employer. It’s a chance for you to see if the company environment and position is right for you. But, it is still a nerve racking process for some, and what you do influences all employers final decision.

You may feel like making small mistakes will mean all hope is lost for getting the job, but don’t give up so soon! Check out these tips to help you quickly recover from a big blunder and still show an interviewer why you are right for the job.

Acknowledge the Mistake And Apologize

Interviewers are human too and often understanding of the pressure you feel, but they will expect some mild form of apology or redemption if you make a blatant error. If you end up being late and neglect to contact the interviewer, quickly apologize, but resist the temptation to make up an excuse, just state the facts.

Companies and leaders have faced tremendous scrutiny when hiding and ignoring their mistakes. Remember Enron? Transparency is important in today’s business world. If you openly admit to a mistake and apologize, the interviewer can be impressed by your genuine character.

People are more likely to forgive than what most of us might think. Owning up to your blunders can be very disarming, especially if you understand the value of the lesson you learned. If you walk in with a noticeable stain on your clothing, you can say, “I’m very sorry about the stain. I didn’t realize it was there. In the future I’ll bring an extra change of clothes.”

Sometimes it may take you a few bone-headed mistakes to learn your lesson. If anything, you’re now ready to face whatever comes your way and have a leg up for your next interview. Do you have any interview blunders? Please share what you’ve learned and how to become a better interviewee.

For part two, click here!

Job Interviews Teamwork The Job Search

Showcase Your Soft Skills and Make Them Shine

By Jared Cole on Thursday, November 3, 2011

When looking for a job, you’ve probably come across opportunities requiring experience using certain types of abilities called hard skills. Hard skills are technical or administrative procedures related to an organization’s core business that are easy to observe, quantify, and measure. Like a dentist’s ability to fill a cavity or a carpenter’s aptitude for crafting a chair.

What are Soft Skills?

Soft skills are sets of interpersonal attributes that have to do with how people relate to each other: communicating, problem solving, listening, conflict resolution, giving feedback, and contributing in meetings. A secretary’s social ability to relate and take an active interest in visitors to an office is considered a soft skill.

Employers tend to put more emphasis on hard skills when describing a job, but soft skills play an important role in day-to-day operations and shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’ve just graduated from college and lack real world experience, are looking to switch careers, or are wanting to stand out from qualified applicants who share your skill set, you can bring attention to your soft skills on your résumé or interview.

Assess Yourself

You should have a list of hard skills and examples of what you’ve done with them from your education and previous work experience, but try to evaluate yourself and see what kind of interpersonal skills you have. Are you often in a leadership position? Have you produced good work when you were in a pinch? Do you know how to prioritize tasks and work on a number of different projects at once? Try listing your best qualities and adapt them to the job opportunities you are interested in.

Keep it Real

Think about specific examples of how you have used your soft skills. Just like hard skills, try to share how you used your soft skills to benefit a previous employer, school project, or group initiative. If possible, include any numeric data like money saved, teams managed, customers served, or people participated. Combining these examples with the accomplishment made from your technical skills will help you appear more well-rounded on your résumé and in interviews.

When you learn how to make soft skills work for you, they can go hand-in-hand with experience and hard skills to help you become more marketable and desirable to employers. What are some of your favorite soft skills and how have you used them to land a new job?

Dress for Success Job Interviews The Job Search

5 Quick Steps for a Great First Impression

By Job Journey on Friday, September 9, 2011

Like it or not first impressions carry some weight in your hunt for a new job. Whether you are heading to a job fair, attending a networking event, or going to a job interview you’ll want to make sure your first impression sends the right message.

1. Keep it simple.

When you’re networking or presenting work samples during an interview, chances are you’ll have a few belongings with you. While this is understandable, you don’t want to make it a nuisance. For example, if you’re at an association meeting make sure to have business cards in your shirt pocket or the outer pocket of a purse. You don’t want to have to dig through a backpack for them. In addition, try not to carry around a portfolio and a drink at a meeting, you won’t be able to shake hands or accept any handouts without awkwardly setting your other items down. Choose a simple glass or bottle of water at an interview over a cup of coffee that requires milk, cream, etc., it will help you stay focused on the meeting. Before you head out the door, take inventory of your belongings and see if you can leave anything behind that would reduce your personal clutter – remember less is more.

2. Check your scent.

Whether it’s heavy perfume or clothing scented with your favorite Thai restaurant, it’s best to be seen and not smelled. People can be sensitive to smells, and you wouldn’t want an interviewer distracted by your heavy cologne. Reduce scents by avoiding strong perfumes and scented lotions. Don’t eat at aromatic restaurants prior to meetings and make sure to combat bad breath after meals with mints or by brushing your teeth.

3. Match and mirror.

Take note of the mood and environment of any event and match your responses appropriately. You may typically be fairly informal in conversations, but if you’re being introduced as “Mr. Smith,” make sure to address others using their surname. If you’re at a company meal and no one orders an alcoholic drink, mirror their response and save your cocktail for another night. First impressions aren’t a time to make bold impressions. If your interviewer voices a strong opinion on upcoming legislation, it’s okay to share your understanding of the changes but avoid debating the issue at a first meeting. While it’s important to connect with others, it’s best to play it safe.

4. Step out.

The shoes make the man, right? Well not quite, but having clean and appropriate footwear does help set the right first impression. It’s not the time to break out your killer heels. Make sure your work boots have been cleaned from excessive dirt and repaired of any wear and tear. You don’t have to have new or expensive shoes, but consider taking your dress shoes for a professional shoe polish. You’ll be amazed what a difference this can make. Of course you can polish them yourself, but you need to do this sooner rather than later. When you’re heading to an interview, the last thing you want is to be late because you are cleaning your shoes.

5. Hats off.

Leave your baseball cap at home when you’re heading out to meet new people. Hats can make it hard for people to see your eyes, making conversation awkward. Also, fix your hair and avoid outrageous styles for first impressions. You don’t want people to remember your hair style, you want to be remembered for your thoughtful insights and engaging attitude. At the same time, make sure your hair is styled. Throwing it up in a ponytail may work for casual Friday, but when you want to look your best, put a little effort into fixing your hair.

While it may not be fair to judge a book by its cover, when it comes to first impressions, the best rule is to not do anything too extreme. While a conversational piece of jewelry is okay, wearing a tiara to stand out is taking it too far. Bringing a portfolio to show off your work samples is fine, requesting an easel for a flip chart and overhead projector for your PowerPoint is overboard. The less you have to handle, the more you can focus on connecting with your new contacts.

By Rachel Rudisill

Career Advancement Job Interviews

Work Experience Vs. Education – Take Our Poll

By Job Journey on Friday, September 2, 2011

The debate against education and work experience has good arguments on both sides. When marketing yourself for jobs and advancing in your career, let us know what you find more valuable.

What is more valuable in advancing in your career?

Job Interviews New Job Tips Resumes and Cover Letters

Time to Replace Your Objective Statement

By Job Journey on Friday, July 22, 2011

With increasing regularity, job seekers draft a résumé with an opening “objective statement” section without realizing this can be a turn-off to employers. Objective statements, by definition, are a declaration of what you want out of your next position. Think, “A stable position with room for advancement”. However, employers rarely hire an applicant based on what the applicant wants, but rather based on what the applicant offers.

Objective versus Qualifications
In today’s demanding job market, the most effective job seekers are utilizing a “summary of qualifications” as the opening section to their résumé in lieu of a traditional objective statement. This summary of qualifications states what you are offering to a potential employer in terms of expertise and experience, causing the potential employer’s first impression of the applicant to be a synopsis of the positive impact you’ll make, rather than what you are demanding from your next employer. At the end of the day, employers only invite a handful of applicants in for an interview and it makes sense that those job seekers who demonstrate what they offer, instead of highlighting what they demand in their next position, will be those lucky few chosen for the interview.

Change It Up
When you start your résumé with an objective statement it may say, “Seeking an administrative position that works closely with customers and keeps the office organized and efficient,” instead of telling them what you want try kicking off your résumé with an objective statement like this, “Organized administrative professional who types 55 words per minute, has supported a staff of eight in a fast-paced environment and effectively managed an office expense budget of $50,000 annually.” By shifting the initial focus of your résumé to what you bring to the table instead of what you are looking for in a job, you’ll help the potential employer picture you contributing to the team.