Author Topic: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview  (Read 89036 times)

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #50 on: February 10, 2014, 09:58:06 PM »
I like to start interviews by answering a "hit in order" including everyone at the table.  They love that.

Gregzs

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gettingbetter

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #52 on: February 21, 2014, 12:53:46 PM »
Probably too late but I'm always doing interviews and I've never miss one.

Don't overthink anything, just whip yourself into a peak state by controlling your body just before the interview. It sounds corny but doing incantation and power moves à la Tony Robbins really does wonder.

Always worked for me in any case and I got jobs where I had absolutely no qualifications just because I was in a state of total confidence.

Best of luck to you in any case.

Primemuscle

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #53 on: February 21, 2014, 01:19:40 PM »
Probably too late but I'm always doing interviews and I've never miss one.

Don't overthink anything, just whip yourself into a peak state by controlling your body just before the interview. It sounds corny but doing incantation and power moves à la Tony Robbins really does wonder.

Always worked for me in any case and I got jobs where I had absolutely no qualifications just because I was in a state of total confidence.

Best of luck to you in any case.

Why are you always doing interviews? Don't you keep the jobs you get? Is it because you oversell yourself and then can't perform at the level you implied that you could?

gettingbetter

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #54 on: February 21, 2014, 01:24:34 PM »
Nope, I've been an independent managing consultant for 10 years so I'm always going through that process to win the bigger contracts. Most mandats are two months because they're very high level (organizational changes, mergers etc...)


Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #55 on: March 14, 2014, 04:05:01 PM »
http://www.themuse.com/advice/5-signs-you-should-run-from-an-interview-and-never-look-back

5 Signs You Should Run From an Interview and Never Look Back

A common job-hunting aphorism observes, “a job interview is as much about interviewing the company you’re applying to as it is about the hiring managers interviewing you.” But, we all know that’s not exactly how it goes. Mostly, we’re too obsessed with looking and acting the part to reflect upon whether we actually want a certain job.

Yet, if you spend all of your time trying to ace the interview process, you might miss some foreboding signs of what’s to come. Allow me to be the harbinger of bad tidings for a moment and tell you that if you ignore inconvenient truths during the interview process, it won’t take long before you’re miserable. In fact, you may be starting the job hunt all over again. The horror!

At your next interview, as much as you want that paycheck, look closely. And if you see any of these major red flags, think long and hard before signing on the dotted line.


1. The Interviewer Says Bad Things About the Company


At an interview, most hiring managers are on good behavior—they dress up a bit, clean the place, and show the best sides of the company. So, if your interviewer uses the opportunity to indulge in a venting session about anything from her role to the company culture, your suspicions should be raised.

Sure, some people are just general downers, but non-stop complaints could also indicate that dissatisfaction is so pervasive that it penetrates every facet of the workplace. Your best bet is to sidestep this sinkhole of negativity.


2. The Interviewer Expresses Disbelief That You Actually Want the Role


I was recommended to a previous job through a friend. In my final interview with the company, the hiring manager asked me, “So you know [Jane] and you still want to work here?” and laughed, incredulously. “Of course I do!” I said, and eagerly brushed the comment aside in an attempt to persuade her just how much I wanted the job.

And I did, at the time. But I don’t work there anymore, and now I understand all too well why she asked that question. It was no secret that most colleagues on my level despised every waking moment of their time at the company and fled as soon as they could.

While my situation may be an extreme one, pay attention to any comments like, “You sure you want this job?” or “You sure you can handle difficult clients?” If your interviewers seem surprised that you actually want the job, it might be signs of things to come.


3. You Question an Interviewer’s Competence


There are lots of people in the world—some smart, and, let’s be honest, some not so smart. Even people in that latter group frequently enter the business world, start professional ventures, and hire new colleagues.

Particularly if your interviewer is the person you’ll be reporting to every day, make sure that he or she is someone you can respect and learn from. If he or she appears flaky, doesn’t know how to answer a lot of your questions, or appears disorganized or unintuitive, don’t brush it aside. You probably don’t want to work with this type of manager on a regular basis.


4. The Interviewer Pressures You To Take The Role Immediately


If an interviewer or hiring manager acts like your position is a ticking time bomb, you should probably run for the hills. There are exceptions, especially in highly sought-after fields like banking or engineering—but as a rule, extreme pressure to take a job generally indicates that the company or hiring team is in some type of crisis management mode.

Take a step back and evaluate why the team is so desperate to hire you and why they’re trying so hard to sell the job to you. We know you’re awesome, but make sure you’re not in a situation where they’re just looking for someone—anyone!—to fill the role.


5. Turnover is Crazy High


I cannot stress this enough: Do everything in your power to investigate the turnover at the company. If people talk frequently about pursuing new opportunities or returning to graduate school, question it. If the hiring manager mentions that this position has been filled by four different employees in the last year, ask why.

For one, high turnover almost always signals a big problem in the management or working environment. But what’s more, at some companies—including my previous role, which, if you can’t already tell, was the worst—insanely high turnover was actually built into the business model. Every couple of years, large groups of analysts would filter out for other professional or educational ventures. The company expected this exodus and set up a “farm team” of sorts, full of interns who would replace groups of departing analysts at entry-level salaries.

I didn’t recognize this until it was too late, but it was a valuable lesson: If you want to grow with a company, make sure that it’s even a possibility, and that it doesn’t operate on a “burn and churn” model.

Even if you’re unhappy with your current position, don’t jump at a new opportunity if it’s not a great one. By taking the extra time and care to uncover red flags during the interview process, you can make sure your next job is the right move for the long haul.

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #56 on: March 26, 2014, 01:50:16 PM »
http://www.themuse.com/advice/the-little-interview-mistakesthat-cost-you-big-time

The Little Interview Mistakes—That Cost You Big Time

You’ve worked hard to get the interview, and now it’s your time to shine. While you might be spending most of your time rehearsing your pitch for exactly how your skills fit the job, you might want to think more about the overall impression that you’re making.

Turns out, that impression is about much more than what you say. In fact, 93% of first impressions are based on the way you dress, act, and walk through the door, and the quality of your voice and confidence. And even little things—like failing to make eye contact with the interviewer—can hurt your chances of walking out with an offer in hand.

Want to make sure you have the best chances of interview success? Read the infographic guide below to see all the things interviewers are paying attention to—big and small.


DroppingPlates

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #57 on: March 26, 2014, 03:24:24 PM »
Has Bikini the job or not?

anabolichalo

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #58 on: March 26, 2014, 04:27:26 PM »
TELL ME WHY I SHOULD HIRE YOU?

"because i suck your cock good daddy"

Primemuscle

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #59 on: March 26, 2014, 04:55:57 PM »
TELL ME WHY I SHOULD HIRE YOU?

"because i suck your cock good daddy"

Doesn't seem like a good way to get hired to me. Once had an interview when I was pretty young where the interviewer asked if he could suck my cock. I declined him and the job. Was I being too righteous and uptight or was I correct to not whore myself for a job? 

anabolichalo

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #60 on: March 26, 2014, 05:28:42 PM »
Doesn't seem like a good way to get hired to me. Once had an interview when I was pretty young where the interviewer asked if he could suck my cock. I declined him and the job. Was I being too righteous and uptight or was I correct to not whore myself for a job? 
::)

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #61 on: March 26, 2014, 11:34:32 PM »
Doesn't seem like a good way to get hired to me. Once had an interview when I was pretty young where the interviewer asked if he could suck my cock. I declined him and the job. Was I being too righteous and uptight or was I correct to not whore myself for a job? 

That depends, ...were you applying for a job as a prostitute?
If you were... maybe it was a mistake, if not, why give it a second thought?  ::)
w

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #62 on: March 26, 2014, 11:43:22 PM »
Doesn't seem like a good way to get hired to me. Once had an interview when I was pretty young where the interviewer asked if he could suck my cock. I declined him and the job. Was I being too righteous and uptight or was I correct to not whore myself for a job? 

who turns down free blowjobs    ???

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #63 on: March 27, 2014, 12:12:24 AM »
who turns down free blowjobs    ???

Someone with self-respect, dignity, and who is mindful of which holes they stick their peepees into.
w

visualizeperfection

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #64 on: March 27, 2014, 12:17:49 AM »
Someone with self-respect, dignity, and who is mindful of which holes they stick their peepees into.

Like you have ever turned one down!

24KT

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #65 on: March 27, 2014, 04:41:31 PM »
Like you have ever turned one down!

Uh ya! I turn them down everyday, most women do. Unlike some people, ...I ain't desperate.
w

Primemuscle

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #66 on: March 27, 2014, 09:46:23 PM »
::)

Does your  ::) mean you disagree with the decision I made?

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #67 on: April 07, 2014, 04:48:02 PM »
https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-common-interview-questions-and-4-perfect-answers

4 Common Interview Questions (and 4 Perfect Answers)


Interview invitations should really come with a warning: Strong feelings of excitement changing suddenly into dread are imminent upon receiving this invitation.

Career counselors (and yes, I’m guilty of this, too) will frequently say, “Oh, it’s a two-way street. You’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you.” And while that is partially true—you should definitely use the interview as a way to gauge whether or not you want to work for a company—there is still a power imbalance. Ultimately, the hiring manager will get to decide first whether you’ll get an offer. So, it’s understandable to be nervous.

But fear not! With a little preparation, you’ll know exactly what to say to impress. To get you started, here are four tricky, but common, interview questions and how to tackle them.



1. Tell Me About Yourself

This completely open-ended opportunity to talk about yourself throws a lot of people off. Worse, it’s usually the first question interviewers ask! The confusing part about this question is that it actually isn’t an invitation to tell your life story. The interviewer really just wants to know why you’re interested in this position and what makes you qualified.

One way to structure this answer is to start with your present, go into your past, and finish off with your future. This approach covers all your bases by answering the question, giving you an opportunity to talk about your relevant skills, and getting to what the interviewer genuinely wants to know: How are you going to perform in this position? Remember to focus your experiences and accomplishments on what’s most relevant to the position and the employer.



I’m a second-year master’s student studying computer science and a research fellow at the Hudson Lab. I have previous industry experience at Dell, where I honed my skills in modeling and data analysis. This experience really piqued my interest in the field of big data, so I’m excited to learn more about your company and the chance to contribute to your data science department.





2. What is Your Greatest Weakness?

Surprisingly, this isn’t actually meant to be a trick question. A more straightforward way an employer could ask this question would be, “Are you knowledgeable about the areas that you can improve upon? I prefer to hire people who are reflective about their skills and actively seek to improve themselves.”

And I’m sure you’ve heard the advice to spin this into a strength, but don’t. Don’t say you’re such a perfectionist that it sometimes affects your work. No one is going to believe that, even if it’s true.

Instead, give a genuine weakness—whether that’s delegating to others or attention to detail—but push it back into your past. Talk about the concrete steps you took to address your weakness and show improvement. Mention you’re still working on it, but you’ve made some great progress.



When I first started college, I was a pretty horrible public speaker. I knew this was something I wanted to overcome, so I promised myself to speak up more in small groups. Later, I took it a step further and took a public speaking class. Now, even though it doesn’t come naturally to me, I think I’ve made some big improvements. In fact, I recently presented at a student conference to an audience of over 100.


Not bad, right? Now just make sure you don’t say public speaking, because everyone uses that example.




3. Tell Me About a Time You Failed

Again, this is a time to be real. Talk about real failure, not the B+ you got in Introduction to Psychology. Maybe it was a group project that wasn’t meeting deadlines or a miscommunication with your supervisor during a previous internship—the failure doesn’t need to be huge. It just needs to involve a mistake that you can reflect on thoughtfully. Interviewers are less interested in making you cry and more interested in seeing how you handle setbacks. Do you bounce back? Ask for feedback? Learn from your mistakes? Talk about the failure and, most importantly, discuss the lessons you learned from the experience.



At my last position, there was a three-month period of time when my supervisor had a very intense travel schedule, which meant most of my communication with her was via email. At some point, there was some miscommunication over who would be the point person for a new client, resulting in some confusing interactions and repeat memos to him. Ultimately, it wasn’t the best customer experience. From then on, I personally made it a point to clarify what information I was sharing with each of our clients on a weekly basis to my supervisor if not in person, then over the phone. I definitely learned the importance of frequent and clear communication.





4. Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

In other words, “How long are you going to stick with us? Are you worth the investment of training?” Ethically, you don’t want to say that you’ll stay with their company forever, because you probably won’t. Maybe you want to eventually move on to a smaller company or you want to go get your MBA—whatever your plan is, it’s probably not going to line up with what your interviewer has in mind.

The good news is you can still answer this question thoughtfully and with specifics without lying. After qualifications and fit, interviewers usually care more about your ability to make an impact at their company than anything else. So, play to that, but also bring up your excitement to join their company.



Well, I’m definitely really excited about the associate consultant position at Midnight Consulting, and I can see myself growing professionally in this role. I think, generally speaking, within the next five years I would seek to make a significant impact at Midnight Consulting, particularly in the energy sector. I’m also looking forward to eventually taking on additional managerial responsibilities and possibly taking the lead on some projects. Another big part of my life is mentoring, so I would hope to incorporate more of that as my knowledge of this industry develops.


As with all things, practice makes perfect. Make sure to practice answering these questions aloud several times for maximum confidence during your interview.

DroppingPlates

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #68 on: April 08, 2014, 03:28:19 AM »
Not sure about the job, but at least she got the boob job

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #69 on: April 10, 2014, 01:21:10 PM »
https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-1-mistake-people-make-on-phone-interviews

The #1 Mistake People Make on Phone Interviews

Increasingly, employers are phone screening job candidates before inviting them for an on-site interview.

Maybe this is good news. Phone interviews are easier, right? You can have a bunch of cheat sheets in front of you—your resume, sample answers to common interview questions, and key facts about the company. You can wear your pajamas—heck, you can even stay in bed while you chat!

Well, not exactly. In fact, the number one mistake job candidates make on phone interviews is sounding tired, bored, or disengaged. Good luck avoiding this if you’re reading from a script or tucked away in bed!

Without visual cues, interviewers are paying extra close attention to the content of your answers and anything else they can glean from your voice. So, lackluster answers or low energy could be read as lack of interest—and can keep you from getting in the door for that next interview.

So, how can you maximize what you convey with your voice? Follow these simple steps.


1. Do Some Power Poses

A few minutes before the interview, prep by doing some “power poses.” Research shows that standing with your legs shoulder-length apart with your hands on your hips and your chest out for just two minutes raises your testosterone levels, lowers cortisol, and makes you sound more confident. You might feel silly, but at the very least, it’ll help calm some nerves. Definitely a good thing!

2. Stand Like a Speaker

Like anyone who’s speaking or telling a story, you want to sound dynamic and engaged. And slouching in a chair is just not going to help with this. Instead, try positioning yourself like a speaker: A good setup is having some relevant materials on a desk or table in front of you as you stand. (And by relevant, I mean bulleted talking points, not prepared documents—remember, you want to sound natural and energetic!)

3. Don’t Forget to Smile

And feel free to laugh! Yes, this is an interview for a job, but ideally it’s also a conversation between two mutually interested parties. Don’t make the mistake of sounding overly serious or timid. Your skills and qualifications got you the interview, but it’s your personality and commitment that wins over hiring managers. The fact is, no matter how standardized companies try to make their interview processes, being friendly and getting the interviewer excited about working with you will have a huge effect on whether you get invited to the on-site interview. So, smile! Even if they can’t see it, your voice will sound more cheerful.

 As a final note, treat this as you would an on-site interview, and do the proper logistical preparation. Make sure you have a quiet place to conduct the interview, and check to see if you have good phone signal (better yet, use a landline). Confirm the date and time with your interviewers a day before, along with a line letting them know you’re looking forward to it. Because, you are! Especially now that you’re ready to blow them away with your energy and drive.

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #70 on: May 14, 2014, 05:34:33 PM »
http://news.efinancialcareers.com/us-en/172332/eight-tips-coping-interviews-youre-introverted-socially-awkward/?utm_campaign=US_EDI&utm_source=AMS_US_ENG&utm_medium=EM_NW

Eight tips for coping with interviews when you’re introverted or socially awkward

For all the rambunctious traders and suave relationship managers, the financial sector still relies on technical experts. Quants, technologists, actuaries and accountants – all are not known for their personality. However, expertise isn’t always enough to secure the job; you also need to convince individuals to hire you during the interview process – no easy task if you’re an introvert. Here’s how to ensure you do yourself justice.

1. Get the energy right

Introverts typically take 20-30 minutes before they start to “warm up” in an interview, according to John Lees, a careers coach and author of How to Get a Job You Love. This is no good, since most interviewers tend to make up their mind about the suitability of a candidate within the first two to three minutes – often before you even sit down for the formal questioning.

“It’s often less about what you actually say, because at the beginning it’s largely small talk anyway,” he says. “Speak slowly and calmly, but also remember to be warm and open – it’s about maintaining energy and enthusiasm in your voice and we always advise introverts to practice this.”

Simply personalising sentences, so you appear enthusiastic can do wonders, says Lees. For example: “I was very excited about being part of this project, the work really interested me.”

2. Exude confidence in your achievements

Talking openly about themselves, let alone shouting about their achievements in the workplace is an uncomfortable experience for introverts, who tend to remain reserved with their interactions with people until they know them better, says  interview coach Margaret Buj. Put aside your reservations, the interview is the one time to really sell yourself.

“The mistake introverts often make is that they don’t talk about their tangible achievements and how good they are, as they feel uncomfortable about talking about themselves in glowing terms – this is very much out of their comfort zone,” she says. “Introverts can come across as not confident in their abilities as they don’t feel they are in control of the situation and as there’s a lot on the line, the fear of failure is even greater.”

Think of it less as boasting and more about stating facts, she advises. These facts just happen to make you look good.

3. Bear in mind cultural differences

Eye contact at the right time during interview shows that you’re both trust-worthy and confident in what you’re saying. However, how to behave in this situation varies from country to country and some cultural norms can be disconcerting to those who have had to deliberately practice their body language.

In the UK, interviewers tend to look at your mouth when you speak, according to a 2013 study published in the International Journal of Behavioural Development. In Japan it’s the norm to stare you intently in the eye and even follow your gaze when you look away, while Canadians have a tendency to look straight into your eyes as they explain their point. In Asia generally, it’s considered rude to look someone in the eye as they’re speaking. All worth bearing in mind.

4. Be honest with yourself

There will be interview questions that are practically guaranteed to come up in every interview, whether it’s questioning your motivation for joining a particular firm or walking someone through your CV. Practice these, and be honest with yourself if you’re coming across awkwardly.

“Prepare the content in bullet points of how you plan to answer common interview questions. Then practise with friends but also in front of the mirror on your own,” says Peter Harrison, a former Goldman Sachs executive director and founder of Harrison Careers. “It seems weird but it works. You notice your inadequate enthusiasm and awkwardness, and you take steps to fix it. After 20 minutes watching yourself flounder, you quickly realise how you need to sound and appear during interviews. Independent opinion isn’t enough – you need the mirror to see for yourself what you are doing wrong.”

5. Try not to internalise your thought processes

It’s natural for introverts to internalise, says Lees, which can often take too long and lead to some uncomfortable silences when a question has been asked. It’s fine to pause to get your thoughts in line, but don’t leave it too long – at least demonstrate verbally that you’re processing the answer even if that’s with space fillers like “That’s a good question” or “Let me just consider that for a moment”, he says.

6. Know what you’re getting into

It should be standard practice to research the firm, role and person you’re likely to encounter during the interview beforehand and will likely put you in good stead with the interviewer. However, this is doubly important for introverts, who should have prepared questions about the company, job and recruitment motivation as well as answers to expected questions, says Buj.

“Before the interview, outline how you will contribute to the company and help meet its goals – you want to be able to demonstrate how hiring you would benefit the company so ensure you have tangible examples prepared that demonstrate you have relevant experience,” she says.

7. Stay focused on the task at hand

Getting to that interview could have been a nightmare – the trains were late, you were soaked in torrential rain and you struggled to find the office location. Then, perhaps, the person interviewing you isn’t what you expected and the first few minutes don’t appear to be going well. Don’t over-analyse these situations – keep focused on the questions and answers and try to make the best of the scenario. Too often introverts can get caught up in their own thought-processes, which distracts them from the task at hand, says Lees.

8. Remember, you’re not the Wolf of Wall Street

The chances are that if you’re introverted you’re not up for a sales role or one that requires wooing clients. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not by aping what you think the interviewer wants to see – not all jobs require extroverts, the challenge here is to do yourself justice so simply ensure you’re answering the questions to the best of your ability and stop worrying about trying to dazzle the interviewer with your personality.

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #71 on: May 22, 2014, 08:23:41 PM »
http://news.dice.com/2014/05/15/navigate-complex-hiring-process/?CMPID=EM_SV_UP_JS_AD_LC_AD_&utm_source=Cheetahmail&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=Advisory_Lifecycle&om_rid=AAGso-&om_mid=_BQI8$-B8tYqRPk&dadv&om_rid=AAgjM8&om_mid=_BTfcqiB86L4q-i&dice

How to Navigate a Complex Hiring Process

Some employers like to put candidates through their paces as they search for the perfect fit, which can lead to a process that requires multiple interviews spread over several weeks. Unless you know what lies ahead, you could be derailed by an abrupt salary question, a bad credit score or a poor showing at a technical interview. The best way to be ready for any contingency is to be prepared. Here’s an outline to help.

Step 1: Understand the Process

Most companies are happy to share their hiring process. Some may detail it on their website, but if they don’t you shouldn’t hesitate to ask HR about it when you first apply. In addition, ask recruiters and networking contacts for their views as soon as you get the chance. When you speak to the hiring manager, gauge their sense of urgency by finding out when they need someone to start. Employers rarely skip steps, but they may accelerate the hiring process if they’re short-handed.

Step 2: Pass the Initial Screen

After they’ve reviewed resumes, most companies conduct a phone screen or live video interview. At first, you’ll probably speak with a recruiter or HR manager who’ll confirm your experience with the top technical requirements. They’ll also evaluate your communication skills and measure your interest.

To move forward, establish rapport, cite statistics and experience to verify your technical skills and sidestep salary questions. As the conversation winds down, confirm the next steps and timeline. And be proactive: If you don’t hear back within the specified timeframe, follow up.

Step 3: Ace the Technical Assessments

Although technical questions may arise at any time, at this point most employers administer an online coding test, white board exam or technical interview. Naturally, you’ll want to study the answers to certification exams and practice your white boarding skills beforehand. During the sessions, be sure to walk engineers through your problem-solving methodology. Don’t be afraid to ask for hints and explain how you’d find an answer if you need more information. Offer further validation in the form of coding samples or portfolios. Finally, ask about the next steps and be sure to follow up.

Step 4: Master In-Person Interviews

Next, you’ll undergo a series of face-to-face interviews with IT managers and prospective teammates. They may ask behavioral questions or assess your cultural fit and interpersonal chemistry over coffee or lunch. Study the company’s culture and values, prepare examples and vignettes for behavior-oriented questions and be ready to discuss compensation and other areas that particularly matter to you. Finally, flat-out ask for the job and find out when the hiring manager will make a decision. By now you know the drill — send a thank you note to everyone you meet and show your interest by following up.

Step 5: Negotiate Salary

Finally, it’s time to nail down the deal. Prepare to negotiate compensation by researching the market rate for someone with your experience and skills, and be sure you’re comfortable with negotiation strategies and tactics. Touch base with previous managers and references because a background check is usually the final step to your being brought on board.

Be patient, be engaged, follow up at every step and focus on showing off your strengths. That way, you’ll develop the employer’s interest, and they’ll recognize that you’re the person they’re looking for.

Gregzs

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #72 on: May 22, 2014, 08:45:10 PM »
https://www.themuse.com/advice/41-ways-to-help-a-jobsearching-friend

41 Ways to Help a Job-Searching Friend

Whether it’s your friend who’s totally miserable at her job, your little brother who’s panicking about his post-graduation plans, or your child who you fear will never move out of your basement, we bet there’s someone in your life who could use a little help on the job search.

And if you’re like many, you probably don’t know exactly what you can do to lend a hand. Should you reach out to people in your network? Shoot over job postings? What would be helpful—and what would be, well, annoying?

Here’s our advice: Choose a few of our ideas from the list below, put them in an email, and ask your loved one if you can help and if so, which option would be most useful. You’ll be making the most of your skills, putting your energy where it matters most, and, most importantly, helping out in exactly the right way.
 
Lend Your Skills

Are you a great people-connector or an editor extraordinaire? When thinking about how to help your friend, think about the areas in which you feel most strong and confident. For example:

1. Offer to review your friend’s resume. But don’t just check for typos—really make sure each and every bullet point is sending the right message and selling him or her as the best person for the job. Our five-step resume-editing process will cover all of your bases.

2. Take a look at your friend’s cover letter. Just how awesome does it make him or her sound? If you think you could up the ante a bit more, revamp it.

3. Resume bullet points are infinitely better when they’re quantified: How much money was saved? How many man-hours were reduced? Offer to dig into Excel and do some calculations that will help your friend quantify each of his or her accomplishments.

4. They’re also better when they don’t use the same tired words over and over. Offer to spice up his or her resume with these 185 power verbs.

5. Put on your marketing hat, and create a list of sample taglines that your friend could use as his or her LinkedIn headline. (For a step-by-step process to brand yourself—or someone else—on LinkedIn, check out our career expert Lily Zhang’s tips.)

6. Offer to proofread his or her follow-up or thank-you emails. Most people like to get these out really quickly, which means it’s easy for typos to happen.

7. If you have design skills, offer to design your friend a new resume (or customize one of these ready-to-go resume templates).

8. Offer to set up your friend’s online portfolio or personal website. If you have an eye for design and basic web skills, you can easily set something up on one of these 14 personal website platforms.

9. If you have a camera and a bit of a creative streak, help your friend write, film, and produce a killer video resume.

10. More of a photographer than a videographer? Take an awesome headshot he or she can use on social media profiles.
 
Help Prep for Applications and Interviews

The process of sending out resumes, writing cover letters, and preparing for interviews can be daunting. Let your friend know you’re there to help with one of these ideas.

11. Google your friend and report on your findings, particularly if there’s anything that might be off-putting to a hiring manager (remember to look at image and video results, too!). Google results can be slightly different from person to person, so you might find something he or she hasn’t.

12. Send relevant job listings. (Note: Ask first so you’re not overwhelming his or her inbox—a better option might be sending a long list of links rather than IMing every post you see.) When you do send a listing, add an encouraging note with why you think he or she would be so perfect for the job. That confidence boost can do wonders.

13. Is your friend stuck on what types of jobs to even apply for in the first place? Offer to brainstorm together. Or, point him or her to our nine-question worksheet designed to help you find your dream career.

14. While your friend crafts his or her cover letter, do the Google legwork needed to track down the hiring manager’s name and contact info.

15. Channel your inner actor, and play hiring manager as your friend practices mock interview questions. Not sure what to ask? Take a few from our list of most common interview questions, or browse Glassdoor to see what questions are frequently asked at the companies he or she wants to work for.

16. Is he or she headed to a phone or Skype interview? Offer to hold a trial run to check for technical difficulties and lighting or sound issues.

17. Go shopping together and help your friend pick out the perfect interview ensemble. (Need suggestions? Check out our picks for guys and gals.)

18. Offer to drop his or her suit off during your next run to the dry cleaner’s. (Hey, sometimes it’s the small stuff.)

19. Help your friend practice his or her handshake. Sounds simple, but having a great one can go a long way in making a stellar first impression. And hey, follow these tips, and you might pick up a few pointers, too.

20. Help your friend craft and practice the perfect “So, tell me about yourself!” elevator pitch.

21. Print out a few copies of our All-in-One Interview Prep Guide, so they’ll be ready to go when your friend needs them.

22. Offer to put together a list of career coaches in your area. Look for people who specialize in your friend’s industry (marketing, tech, nonprofits) or specific situation (career changers, new grads).

23. Point your friend to The Muse’s free “Kick Start Your Job Search” class—we’ll do all the advice-giving for you.
 
Use Your Network

You’ve heard it before: Your network is your net worth. Invest a little of it in your friend by seeing if you have contacts who can help him or her out.

24. Browse your LinkedIn network to see if there’s anyone who might be helpful in your friend’s job search. If so, ask your contact if he or she might be willing to sit down for an informational interview with your friend.

25. Better yet, ask if you can connect your contact with your friend directly. Make an introduction that sings your friend’s praises, then step away and let your friend blow your contact away with his or her initiative and smarts. To make it even easier on yourself, here's a template to use for asking your contact if you can connect him or her to your friend, and then a template for making the actual introduction.

26. Ask your friend for a list of his or her dream companies, then search your LinkedIn network to see if anyone you know works there (or has in the past). There might be some surprising contacts you’ve missed.

27. Volunteer to attend a networking event together (believe us, it makes the whole process so much less intimidating). Make sure you split up, and when you meet someone who’d be a good contact for your friend, you can easily introduce the two of them.

28. Or, host your own networking event. Invite a few contacts, have your friend do the same, have each of those people invite a few more, and before you know it you’ll fill a room with interesting people.

29. Have your friend put together this “Help Me Find a Job” email template, than forward it along to anyone you know in his or her industry or dream companies.

30. If your friend has a blog or online portfolio, share a link or two on your social network. You never know whose eye it might catch (plus, your unsolicited participation will come across as a solid vote of confidence in his or her talents and abilities).
 
Show Your Support

The job search can be tough—it’s long, it’s frustrating, and it can really be a confidence-killer. So make sure you’re finding ways to be encouraging and uplifting throughout the process.

31. Offer up 30 minutes of your time for an interruption-free “seriously, this job searching business is the worst” venting session.

32. Send your friend an email sharing what you think are his or her strongest skills and abilities. It can often be hard to identify our own strong points, but an outside perspective can be really helpful.

33. Is your friend changing careers? Help identify the most easily transferrable skills on his or her resume.

34. Help your friend identify his or her superpower—the one thing he or she does better than anything else.

35. Big interview coming up? Invite him or her to a special lunch or cocktail afterward to celebrate.

36. If your friend doesn’t get a job he or she was really excited about, send an “it’s all going to be OK” email. Bonus points for including links to a few other exciting openings or ridiculous gifs.

37. Put together a pump-you-up playlist your friend can play late at night when he or she is scrolling through job postings (think Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger” and basically anything Kanye).

38. Keep your friend accountable for his or her goals. Does he or she want to send out three applications each week? Go to at least four networking events this month? Offer to periodically (and nicely) check in and see how the search is progressing.

39. Make sure your friend isn’t just settling or taking any job just to have one. Debrief after each interview and make sure he or she is really stoked about the position. If not, encourage him or her to look for greener pastures.

40. Remember not to let the job hunt be your immediate and only topic of conversation. Has your friend picked up a new hobby, like blogging or web design? Taken up kickboxing? Tried an awesome new recipe? Your friend wants your support in his or her job search, of course—but sometimes, he or she may just want a friend. Period.

41. Do nothing—just make sure your friend knows you’re there if he or she needs help. Sometimes, that little knowledge will go further than you know.

24KT

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #73 on: May 26, 2014, 12:01:38 PM »
TWO WORDS:

SELL MARGARITA's  ;D

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DroppingPlates

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Re: Give Me Your Best Tips For A Stellar Job Interview
« Reply #74 on: May 26, 2014, 04:49:24 PM »
TWO WORDS:

SELL MARGARITA's  ;D



Shizzo is suited for this job, since he has the boobs and knows where to buy the best liquors.