Archive for job interview
Keep in touch after your job interview
Posted by: | CommentsWatch this YouTube video as I discuss how job interviews can be more than just a career opportunity. Even if you don’t get the position, you can leverage that job interview into a learning experience down the line. If you contact the interviewer afterwards, you can see what you could have done to improve. Keep in touch with them to continue networking with them. This is a great networking and learning opportunity, to take advantage of it.
Job Search: Be a pest…in a good way
Posted by: | CommentsOn a group coaching call last week, clients Herman and James were discussing the best ways to follow up on a job application.
I always suggest, depending on the employer’s time frame and how connected you were to them during the interview, to follow up consistently but in a reasonable (but not to pesty), timeframe via phone if possible. I prefer the phone over email because email could get lost. Also, over the phone, people will connect with you more. Herman had an additional great idea I wanted to share with you that I have heard other people use with good success:
Follow up on a job application and mail or email an article covering a topic relevant to the potential job or the organization. Send them something that would be helpful or of interest to them and point out the relevant pieces you think they may benefit from. It keeps you in front of them in a non-pesty way, and shows them you’re knowledgeable about and interested in their field.
Try this out the next time you submit a job application. It’s a brilliant way to follow up and stand out from the crowd. Good luck, I hope this is helpful to you.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
Go On Job Interviews to Get Started With Your Job Search
Posted by: | CommentsWhen I start the coaching process with a new client, I am often asked, “when can I start applying for new jobs and looking for new opportunities?” I typically ask them to wait a few weeks until we’ve gotten into the meat of our ideal career program, but tell them they don’t have to wait very long.
Looking for job openings in your possible new field of interest will help you learn about the industry and what is out there. This will give you momentum and get you back in the job search mode. Even going on interviews will help you discover what you like and dislike about the fields you’re looking into.
Getting started with you job search can give you clarity about your direction. It can also make you feel better because you’re taking action, and not just thinking about it.
When you find positions that look appealing to you, it can give you hope that something better is out there for you. I’ve had this happen to many of my clients. They come back to a coaching session with job openings they’re excited about and it makes a dramatic difference in their job search. They can see that there are jobs out there they would enjoy.
I’m not suggesting that you go on interviews for jobs that you’re not interested in, wasting everybody’s time. I’m suggesting going on interviews for jobs you think you are interested in, even if you’re not 100% sure. The important thing to know is, you don’t have to wait until you’re 100% clear on your career direction before going on job interviews. Job interviewing is a way to help clarify if a job is a fit for you, and it gives you job interviewing practice if nothing else. It is better to have several job interviews under your belt before you’re interviewing for your dream job. You’ll be better prepared and more confident.
Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach
Tips for After Your Job Interview
Posted by: | CommentsI was recently privileged to give a presentation at Agnes Scott. I was approached at the end of the event by a woman named Kelly who had just been on a job interview a few days prior. She came up to me and said “I haven’t heard from them yet, is that a bad sign?!” I told her she needed to relax, worrying doesn’t help, and it sounded like she was making an assumption. It had only been a few days since she’d had the job interview.
I totally get it, not hearing back from a prospective employer is nerve-wracking! You need to remember that hiring a new person does takes time, and the time is going by much slower for you than it is for them. The hiring manager is busy. They have a job to do, plus the job of hiring a new person.
Here are some tips that can help you get through the waiting period:
- The more relaxed and confident you are in your job search, the better impression you will make. Just relax and take a deep breath. Try to “chill down” as my son Vaughn says to me when I’m telling him not to do something. That’s apparently his new phrase to get me to relax
- Instead of worrying, think of a better way to use that mental energy. Is it time to follow up with them? Do you need to check in and offer to provide additional information? Or is it just too soon, and they told you it would take a few days so you need to give them some space?
- Come up with a plan of action-next steps that you can take to move things along in the right way. Instead of wasting time and energy worrying about it or making assumptions, chill down and take a deep breath.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. If you need help with you job search strategy check out our Job Search Program for Professionals: Networking and Online Strategies for the 21st Century.
Five Questions to Ask Your Interviewer
Posted by: | CommentsWhen preparing for an interview, most people focus on the questions that might be asked of them and how they will answer. But another key element of a job interview should also be questioning the interviewer themselves.
Why would you interview the interviewer? First, it's as important to you as it is to your potential employer. You need to know if the job is a good fit for your skills, talents and work style. Second, if there is an ideal work situation that you envision for yourself, now is the time to find out if this is that kind of place. Third, if you were dissatisfied with your last job, you can learn if things will be the same in this new place. Now is the time to ask questions, and find out the answers you seek!
So the person who is doing the hiring has finished giving you the full drill. Now it's your turn. What do you want to know? Let me offer some advice that I typically give my career coaching clients. Here are five key questions to ask:
Question #1: Can you describe the work environment?
If possible, find out how many people you'll be reporting to. Ask if you can be introduced to your future boss if you haven't already. Find out how many people make up the immediate department and in what ways will you be interacting with them. Try to open up a conversation about the general "scene" of the workplace, and the company culture… what is a typical day in the life of someone who holds this position? Ask your interviewer that question too!
Question #2: What types of responsibilities will be expected of me?
Beware of open-ended job titles which can involve pretty much anything. You might be under the impression that the "marketing coordinator" does things like run and analyze reports, manage advertising campaigns and things of that nature. Then later on, you discover that your job responsibilities include proofreading and setting up meetings, neither of which you enjoy or excel at! Find out the details before you make a decision.
Question #3: Is there potential for growth?
Many companies have what is known as the "glass ceiling" – where you have just a few opportunities to advance professionally, and then suddenly you hit a barrier and can't go any higher. It's one thing to receive a pay raise every year. But if you're forever stuck in the same job with the same duties, it may not be worth making the commitment. Find out whether the company you're interested in offers training programs for future leadership positions. Ask if there are openings in areas where you can develop valuable skills that you can "take with you" on the path of career development.
Question #4: Can you tell me about employee benefits, sick day policy, vacations and such?
This one should be saved for the second interview, assuming there will be one. Some employers find it off-putting when potentials seem overly eager about taking vacation before they're even hired. Nevertheless, these are all legitimate questions that are important when weighing your options between different potentially rewarding jobs.
Question #5: Will there be any travel involved?
To some people, travel is a rewarding aspect of their career. But to others, things like being in an unfamiliar city and managing your time between flights, hotel check-ins, conferences and trade shows can be very stressful. So find out ahead of time: how much travel, if any, will be involved and under what circumstances? Do you find travel a stimulating part of doing business? Great. But if you think that travel could negatively impact your job performance, don't accept the offer no matter how enticing the pay. There's a better fit out there for you!
Many people go into the interview hoping and praying the company thinks they're the right person for the job. But they are forgetting that it's just as important to find out, "Is this job the right one for me?" Better to learn the answer up front. Remember – a job interview is a two-way street. Make the most of yours.
All the best for a rewarding and fulfilling career doing what you love!
