Interview: The Kiss of Death x5

You’ve got a fool-proof resume chucked full of all the experience and education and you get the big call for an interview. Aside from arming yourself in a business suit and bearing a folder-full of references, is there anything you can do to better prepare yourself for a superior interview without knowing in advance what the questions will be? The answer might not be with the questions your interviewer asks, but perhaps with the questions you ask. Curious if even your most minor inquiries can sabotage your job interview? Oh they can—read on.

Number one kiss of death: When will I get a raise? No matter how much you want to know the answer, don’t inquire about a raise until at least your second interview, and even then, you must take a tactful approach concerning the subject. In this economy, many people have been downsized or laid off and are taking jobs below their typical pay. For this reason, you’ll probably find it necessary to factor in the raises before you can make the best decision about accepting a job. Try this instead: Does the company perform annual or semi-annual reviews for feedback and salary review?”

Number two kiss of death: Exactly what do you do at this company? It’s your responsibility to know this information and if you don’t prior to applying, Google the heck out of the company name, type of company, product or services is designs, provides, performs, whatever—do it yourself. If you don’t, there’s a long line of folks who will. Try this instead: Uh, nothing—just don’t ask dumb questions...

Number three kiss of death: Will you do a background check or drug test? Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy…and yet employers keep telling us they’re hearing these questions regularly during interview sessions. Way to red-flat the interviewer that undertaking such checks or test might be a problem for you. As best as I can figure, this question emerges from nervous conversation…? Please tell me that’s the case. Try this instead: Is there a facility you’d like me to submit to for a drug test? And/or: Can I provide you with any additional information to assist you in checking my background, references or credentials?

Number four kiss of death: Do you have smoke breaks? This tells a potential employer where your priorities lie and also indicates a lack of self control. Probably at some point the issue of smoking will come up in an advanced portion of a job interview, and hopefully not because you’ve entered an office reeking of the smell of your habit. But the subject may arise. Try this instead: I am a smoker. Are there any policies regarding tobacco use that I should be aware of at this facility?

Number five kiss of death: Is my depression medication covered under your insurance policy?—or any other type specific medication relating to mental health issues, no matter how common or mundane the issue is. Look—we know that at least half the nation is on one type of medication or other for such issues—but it’s certainly nobody’s business and is an issue to be taken up later on via an insurance provider hotline designated for such inquiries. There’s no shame in it, it’s just an inappropriate question to ask your interviewer, and yet it makes the list of top twenty (roughly) questions asked at an interview. Only during an advanced interview session, you may try this: The insurance plan looks solid—is there a reasonable prescription plan that goes along with it?

Chances are good that the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for him or her regarding the position or the company. It’s not mandatory that you have any for show if the interview has been a thorough one. But if you do, word wisely, be tactful, and know when to shut up, frankly. Now, go get ‘em, tiger.

Most Wanted!

Ever wish you could get inside the mind of your perspective employer and figure out exactly what he or she is looking for in a new hire? Beyond the skills necessary for the job you are applying for, there is a skill set that is most wanted by employers. Once you understand these wants, you revamp your resume and general outlook to make yourself a more viable employment candidate.

You’ve got to have analytical skills: Do you have the ability to analyze whatever situation is presented to you? Can you identify the issues and/or problems and then look for the most likely solutions?
How you list analytical skills on your resume: Demonstrate talent for identifying issues and streamlining multifaceted work processes. Good, huh?

You’ve got to have communication skills: Probably should have listed this one first, as communication is the key to all things problem-solving. Are you an effective listener? Do you remember and respond appropriately? The key to good communications, oddly, is good listening skills.
How to list communication skills on your resume: Able to listen and communicate effectively to facilitate problem solving in the workplace.

You’ve got to have mad computer skills: If you don’t know how to operate the standard computer programs, take a class or get a mentor. Better yet, have your middle-school kid teach you a thing or two about getting around the World Wide Web. You’ll need to know everything about Microsoft Office and anything that pertains to the position you’re applying for.
How to list communications skills on your resume: Computer and software proficiency in a wide variety of programs. Sounds better than mad computer skills, does it not?

You’ve got to have organization skills: If you know where you’re going to be from minute to minute, it’s easier to know what’s going on around you. It’s makes you a shoo-in for leadership positions.
How to list organization skills on your resume: Highly efficient organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time.

You’ve got to be aware of office political correctness: Be sensitive to others’ backgrounds, sex, preferences, etc. and handle any conversation regarding such with dignity and utmost kindness. Employ this in your everyday life as well.
How to list PC on your resume: You don’t—everyone who’s looking at your application assumes that anyone applying for a serious job brings these courtesies to the work table. So don’t blow it, okay?

You’ve got to be a team player: If you can’t be part of the team, it’s out of the question that any potential employer will ever see you as being a team leader. Besides, employers want folks who’ll fit in, work hard, and not try to step all over each other on a personal climb to the top.
How to list teamwork on your resume: Builds trusting relationships with colleagues and customers.

These are just a handful of the most wanted characteristics employers are seeking from job applicants. The goal is to enhance the company workforce by selecting an individual who is hard-working and earnest, smart, polite and a team player. By continually practicing these skills and knowing how to put them into written form, you can improve your chances of getting the job you most want!

Just What's Wrong with Retail?

On the front page of Yahoo! today sits an article about a survey that was conducted across several countries that gauged the respect people have for different professions. Not surprisingly doctors rank right at the top. It's not just respect that the survey polled people on though, it was also which profession people would prefer to marry a practitioner of; doctors again ranking at the apex of the mountain. What's disturbing, though, is that retail employees join Mack at the bottom of the stack (study up on your Dr. Seuss if you don't get that reference).

The study itself is laced with ironies such as actors and musicians also ranking low when their daily antics clog up hours of gossip TV "news" time -- methinks some respondents were less than truthful with their answers. But I really think I'm going to have to call shenanigans on this whole disrespect for retail employees business.

I know many, many people who work in retail at a store level. There's some absolutely fascinating people in that bunch with expertise in a wide variety of subjects. Many of those people are college educated and could be working in fields that this misguided survey would consider respectable. Why are they not doing it? Many reasons.

Since retail offers a very flexible schedule it's a fantastic industry to return to school while continuing to support yourself. Many of these employees work there while pursuing an advanced degree to change careers. And a great many more are kids in college for the first time earning the extra money they need to complete that first degree.

Although beyond that I think a very good reason people stay in the retail sector is that it's uncomplicated. Although a clear majority of people would prefer to marry a person in the health field -- nurses and other health care technicians were included, not just doctors -- they don't seem to realize how much free time these people don't have. These are the professions that seem to get in the way of having a family and generally living life. Retail is very simple, and although it doesn't pay as well, leaves plenty of time for people to live life and love their families. Not to mention nursing didn't pay all that great last time I checked.

That's not to say that people in the health care field aren't living fulfilling lives with their families. It's just disheartening to think that people are judging a career choice without fully understanding it. Different personalities mesh better with different professions.

And by the way, I met my wife, got married, and purchased our first home while working in retail. We're blissfully happy twelve years later.

Keyword Stuffing

Let me tell you a little trick marketing people use when they are marketing a new product that they want to pop up high in the search engine results: they keyword stuff. One of the most basic ways that search engines organize their results are by the types of words that appear on Web sites. For instance, if you're marketing a mop, you want your Web site to have words like "clean floors," "mopping," and "wash floors" included in the site's content. You want to think of as many combinations that a person would type into a search engine and use those phrases in your Web site copy to flag their attention.

Now, would it surprise you to hear that employers use keyword searches when scanning the resumes they receive? Since most of the job applying happens via the Internet or through e-mail, companies get hundreds, if not thousands, of replies to one single job posting. Instead of wasting precious man hours manually reading each one, they use a modified search to scan the documents for keywords that will help cut the stack.

For instance, there are far too many people that apply to jobs out of their area. It's not uncommon to post a job in St. Louis and get responses from Seattle. One of the initial qualifiers the company would therefore run the resumes through is a keyword search for St. Louis to weed the out-of-towners from the stack. Then, to make sure the rest of the stack is actually qualified for the position, they will run a search of the keywords from the job ad.

This is where you come in. If you feel you are qualified for the position, modify the language of your resume or cover letter to include some of the language from the ad itself. So, if the ad calls for someone with "network marketing experience," and your resume says that you have a "distinguished history with network marketing," modify the language to mirror the former. It's likely to get you launched to the top of the search results.

The key to successfully landing an interview is to think like the people actually doing the hiring. It's the surest way to get your resume to the top of the stack.

Recession Proof Jobs

I'm sure most have you have been hearing the horror stories about the unemployment rate. It's hard to avoid as it's seemingly been the lead story on every evening newscast for the past few weeks. These guys are throwing up some incredibly frightening numbers. Ten percent of Americans are projected to be out of work by next year. Yikes!

Similarly, there has been plenty of ink devoted to the concept of which jobs are recession proof and which are not. When you start comparing the lists from publication to publication, you'll see some similarities and some glaring contradictions. However, the overall theme of the lists is perfectly clear -- a recession proof job is one that sells services or goods that people need. Luxuries they can do without.

That's why health care workers appear on just about every list. People will spend money on their health. However, within that group there are jobs that are not safe because they are still luxuries. Adults, for instance, will forgo dental care in lieu of their children. Plastic surgery is similarly something that will begin to falter as the bad economy trickles up to the rich and famous.

Auto repair can similarly score pretty high on the list because people can't earn a living if they can't get to work. Grocery stores are seeing an uptick in business as more people abandon restaurants to save a few bucks by eating at home. As more and more people face unemployment, job recruiters are being asked to work overtime.

If you're one of those people spending an entire day online browsing the job boards, and you want to shore up your employment for what could be the next year and a half of dismal economic times, examine the roots of the job and ask this question: Is this selling something people need, or is it something they can live without?