Interviews

The Problem With Informational Interviews

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJh8l7oyP1s[/svp]
In this video, I go into detail about what the problem is with doing an informational interview and how you can counter it.

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Do you really think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Two Second Interview Questions and Answers

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains how to answer two tricky questions that are often asked on second interviews.

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Today, I want to talk with you about two questions the rest on second interviews pretty regularly. They aren’t difficult but, because of the stress and tension that is often associated with a second or third interview, people sometimes panic and blow the questions.

The first one is, “What have you learned about us so far?”

This requires a certain amount of good preparation for you because it will help coalesce your thoughts and opinions of this firm before the interview. You may be on a second or third interview. Each interview, you probably have spoken with different people or different groups of people that give you impressions about the job and the organization. You may have visited the website at some point before the interview.

Answer by starting off with an overview of the position as it is been discussed with you. When you get to the end of your description, pause and say, “Have I described it accurately because if I haven’t, I want to get the correct description of the position.”

Then talk about each of the people you’ve spoken with so far, what your sense of the personalities is and how they presented themselves to you ALWAYS IN COMPLIMENTARY TERMS, of course. Speak about the firm, what it’s standing is in its industry, what it does. That will come from the website and any other research that you’ve done.

So, that’s the easy question to handle. Then, there is the follow-up, “how would you proceed if you were hired for the role?”

Some people talk about it beginning from day one. I suggest talking about a firm before day one.

You receive the offer; you accept the offer; you give notice. You speak with your future manager about what their expectations are starting the role. You do that right after you give notice. In this way, you can lay out some plans, perhaps schedule some meetings not long after you come on board. Perhaps they have an idea of what your early schedule will be like, but it is best to talk about this proactively before you start, rather than beginning with your first day.

“On my first day, what will wind up doing is walking in and… ” Whatever

these are very simple questions but because of the stress associated with second or third interviews, you want to demonstrate that you have done your homework well.

And the second question (the one about preparing for when you start), that one is an easy one because what you are doing is showing that you are go-getter, aggressive, you are hardcharging and that you are getting yourself prepared even before you start.

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Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

How to Ask for the Job – No BS Job Search Advice Radio

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains how to ask for the job at the end of your interview.

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Today, we’re going to talk about ending the interview and asking for the job.

Asking for the job is one of those classic pieces of advice that recruiters offer and no one really explains how to ask for the job. You never want to go into that situation by saying, Please give me the job! I need a job!” or anything that could be interpreted in that way; instead asking for the job is really a euphemism for expressing interest. So, I don’t think it’s appropriate at the end of the interview to say things like, I would be a perfect for this job. When are you going to hire me?” . . . or words to that effect or anything they could be interpreting that same way. Instead you want to express interest.

So at the very end, when they signal they are wrapping up,” I think the smoothest way to end is to say,”I just want you to know how interested I am in this role. Have I answered all your questions? Is there anything else you need to know in order to feel comfortable with me in this role? Is there anything that’s left unaddressed that you might want to ask me?” In this way, you have you given them one more cut at asking you questions you also expressed interest.

When they say “no. I think I’ve gotten everything I need.”

“Great! What would the next step be there in the hiring process? When might expect to hear back from you in one way or another?”

“Well, I expect we’ll finish first round interviews next week. We’ll be back to you right after that.”

“As things stand now, how do I rank? Again, I’m very interested.”

That’s it of very blunt question that requires that they give you a candidate assessment. To me, it’s best that you know right then and there, but you don’t have to necessarily be that blunt if you’re not comfortable with that. You can again say,”Again, I want to be clear, I am very interested in this role and look forward to hearing from you about next steps in the process. If I heard correctly. I know this isn’t cast in stone, because sometimes cancellations and reschedules occur but I might expect to hear back from you within the next week.

“Yes.”

“Terrific, thank you so much look. I look forward to meeting you again as well as other people on the team.”

The idea is to express interest. I happen to like that question about where you rank in the process because I would rather have you get honest feedback than the current BS where they don’t respond back right away and getting delays and you are holding out hope unecessarily. Sometimes, people make the mistake of freezing other interviews, waiting for that one thing.

You keep going out there interviewing until you have the offer in hand because otherwise, you can get caught short. You can be misled by someone who doesn’t have the courage to be honest with you. And, again, if they say to you, “You did really well. We think very highlyof you,” they still not committing themselves to you. At least you’re getting good feedback by being told you interviewed well.

There may be reasons why they choose someone else that include in differences in the compensation, personality and fit and a variety of other things.

At least for now, you’re getting feedback that you interviewed well. So, to me, the best way to ask for the job is to simply say, “I just want to know how interested I am in this role. What would the next steps be like? When would I expect to hear back? How would I rank amoung the other people you’ve interviewed so far?

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Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Stupid Interviewing Mistakes: Seeming Desperate! – Job Search Radio

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Being desperate is a turnoff in dating AND it’s a turnoff in job hunting.

On this show, I discuss “the stupid interviewing mistake” of seeming desperate and explain how to correct it.

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This one is about one of those stupid job hunting mistakes people make all the time. That mistake is appearing desperate.

Have you ever been on a date with some of you seem desperate? Now, women, you can’t tell me you haven’t been on a date with some of you seen that way to you somewhere in your life?

They just are too (fill in the blank). They are just too much. As a result, I would presume to know how you feel when you’re out with someone who seems desperate. I just know that in situations where I’ve been out with “desperate women,” it hasn’t been a pleasant experience.

Women who appeared desperate, in the male vernacular start appearing like “stalkers.”Act as though they are like stalkers.” I suspect the same is true on the women’s side… Or worse.

Such behavior doesn’t work in dating and it certainly doesn’t work and job search.

When you go to an interview and appears to eager, you start to act, “oh boy! This is great!! I’ll do that!” Eventually the hiring manager takes a deep breath and says to themselves, “what’s with this person?”

So you can appear too eager (it is okay to be accommodating, but not too eager).

So your job is to relax and to deal with your future bosses though they are a peer. In this way, they understand and do you understand what you are capable of doing for them. In this way, they can evaluate and assess you and see how you fit into their needs.

Acting like the obedience school trial, sitting in your chair, leaning forward (did you ever do that one when you were a kid), just doesn’t work. It doesn’t make you more attractive than other candidates; if anything, it makes you less appealing.

At the end of the day, what you seem like his desperate. No one really likes desperate. So, relax. Follow my advice about the single best question you should ask on any interview. Talk with them is an equal and explain how your background fits that which they are looking for. Do it with confidence and self-assurance because part of what your job is on an interview is to put their mind at ease and that you are the solution to a problem that they have.

They need someone to do such and such. You want to talk about how you did it for someone else before. In joining them, you don’t want to do this for the next 30 or 40 years of your life. You also want to understand the upside for you. After all, do you really want to do the same thing for the next three or four years? Of course not.

That’s why you always want to make sure that you ask questions about your potential future. And, if you don’t like the answer, don’t be a shmuck and take the job and then blame them for what is happening to you. It’s your fault then.

So, again, don’t bag and don’t appear desperate.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.= http://www.JobSa

Connect with me on LinkedIn

How Do I Overcome My Fear of Interviewing? – Job Search Radio

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Fear of interviewing is a common problem for people. Arguing with the fear won’t work but there are different things you can do that will work. Here, I discuss a few things you can do to to overcome your fear.

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The question for today is how do I overcome my fear of interviewing?

I want to start by saying that arguing with your fear and telling it that it’s wrong, it’s crazy, it doesn’t work. You can’t argue with it.

Generally, what you’re going through his fear of the unknown, fear of what’s going to happen and being unprepared for it. As generally with this kind of fear is all about.

You just don’t know what’s can happen and you are afraid of what will happen… Or worse – afraid of the consequences of what will happen if you fail to perform.

The best way to overcome your fears by preparing to perform. What were doing is learning how to interview well.

How do you interview well? There are many different ways. The way I’m recommending is by joining my site, JobSearchCoachingHQ.com. It is a great vehicle for helping people learn how to interview because there are tons of questions that are asked that you can practice answering.

You see the question first, answer for yourself, listen to how I teach you how to do it, and then practice it again. And again. And again.Part of what I teach is the theater of interviewing.

So JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is great for basic questions, advanced questions, those annoying brainteasers and a host of other questions you might be asked.

You can also work with a friend, someone who is in your field, give them a series of questions, or tell them the kind of job you are interviewing for and destined to interview you. Have them critique how they see you. Have them give you feedback. Go over it again. And again. And again. Until you become more masterful.

I want to be clear. I said, “more masterful.” I didn’t say perfect. Perfection takes time and with an interview, the first time or two you go on a real interview, you may not be perfect at it.

After all, practice DOES make perfect and you are going to need practice. So, the best way, the very best way to overcome your fear is by practicing questions and answers with people’s when it comes to those magic moments you are well prepared.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.= http://www.JobSa

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Mojo. Swagger. Attitude. Whatever You Call It, Show It!

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Whether you call it mojo, swagger, or attitude, make sure you show it on your next interview.

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This is a show about Mojo… Swagger… Attitude… Whatever you want to call it.. Whether you are a leader, executive or a staff person, firms buy into it. Often when you’re out looking for work, and on your turf and don’t feel completely confident, you feel like you want to feel about the other person… Mistake.

What you need to do is deal with the other person as you presuppose them today. After all, 95 times out of 100 when you meet people in the social situation your instincts about them right. Don’t waste time feeling out of the people; just go right into trusting your instincts about the other person.

As you walk into the interview, shake hands assertively with someone. I’m not talking about one of those ridiculous handshakes that almost seem like someone is pumping water from a well.

I’m talking about a firm confident handshake. An assertive manner about yourself (Being assertive is not rude or obnoxious. It’s just confident, certain and decisive).

We think about certain actors or actresses and how they carry themselves in front of the , a have “IT.” You want to have “IT” and show it. You want to have that great handshake, a great smile in your face, as you talk you don’t want to seem concerned or worried or like you are wondering. What you want to be doing is speaking confidently and with certainty about the subject.

At the end of the day if they choose someone else, it makes no difference because someone is going to hire you. You have to conduct yourself with that belief. Someone is going to hire you. It’s just a question the right firm finding you and you demonstrating your skills in a way that makes sense to them.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Getting Ready for a Cold Weather Interview (VIDEO)

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Watch the video

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter offers several simple tips to help you prepare for a cold weather or nasty weather interview.

 

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn 

Using a Proper Handshake or Bow

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains the importance of using correct body language at the beginning of your interview.

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I want to talk with you about body language today and a very simple piece of body language that some people in the US get tripped up on.

I’ve spoken about the smile; I’ve spoken about the positioning of yourself in a chair during an interview but they were but, today I want to about the handshake. If you are born in the US, you understand that in the US a handshake is firm that you and maintain eye contact while you are shaking hands. If you’re from other cultures, that would be considered rude; but if you are interviewing in the US that is the appropriate thing to do.

So I want to encourage you to practice the proper handshake if you are not US born and if you are US born and interviewing outside the country, remember, culturally, it may be different. You may not be interviewing with an ex-pat working abroad. You may be interviewing with someone local who is used to, we say, a milder handshake.

In some cultures, the appropriate thing is not a handshake. It’s a bow. if you’re US-born, you have no experience with this. It’s the equivalent of someone being foreign-born and shaking hands in the US. You have to learn to bow. I can’t do that because different cultures do it differently but wherever you are, if you are interviewing with someone who’s expecting a bow, because you are interviewing in and other country (that is a non-US country), you have to come to someone to practice with.

This is an example of one of those “practice ahead of the interview” kind of things I talk about with regularity and being rude and not bowing, being rude and not shaking hands properly, will hurt you in the interview because it will temporarily distract the interviewer from paying attention to who you are or what you can give them.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Ending the Interview Right!

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter discusses the way to end a job interview and leave a great impression.

[spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Executives–Be Careful With Those Metrics!

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter points out how executives need to be careful when discussing metrics on the resume and in an interview.

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I picked up a great job search tip from Perry Newman (www.perrynewman.com) when I interviewed him for Job Search Radio recently.

Perry pointed at something that I’d forgotten and that I had not been emphasizing when speaking with people– if you’re a veteran professional, if you are an executive or at a C level for an organization, you have to be careful with the metrics that you reveal if you work for a public corporation.

If you provide real numbers, sometimes those metrics are way too revealing you are disclosing information that may not be public yet.

However, if you speak in terms of percentages instead of real numbers, they are not at risk of an employer looking at you and thinking, “Gee, that was confidential information I was just told.”

That information might give them a competitive advantage to your firm and reveal too much about your current employer and cause them to have an advantage in certain negotiations and in certain situations.

Again, for use in executive, you have a fiduciary responsibility to your current organization. You cannot cross that line. Firms will listen to you and wonder whether you will do that to them, too. You don’t ever want to be in those circumstances.

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Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn