Be Prepared for Your Interview

Going in for an interview with a company that you really want to work at? Make sure you are doing a few things beforehand to ensure success:

Google the company

Check their web site's About Us tab and make sure you know what they do and who their clients/partners are. Also, see if you can find any articles or news about the company to gather some good small talk material for the interview. For example, “I saw that you guys recently announced plans to do [project]. How will that affect this position, team, department, etc.?” Look into the management team and get a feel for who is leading the company and where they come from. Nine times out of ten, someone in the interview will ask, “What do you know about us?” Impress them with your answer and get the interview started on the right foot.

Check out the interviewer’s LinkedIn connections

Look up the people you are scheduled to interview with. Check to see if you share any work experience, connections, former colleagues, clubs, interests, etc. For example, “I looked up your profile on LinkedIn and saw that you used to work at [company]. Did you work on [person you know]’s team?” The goal is to make the interview more conversational.

Check out their posts and followers on social media

If you know who you’re meeting with, follow them on Twitter and/or scan their blog. Perhaps they tweeted about an event you recently attended, or commented on a band or sporting event that you like. Doing things like this shows that you are thorough, “plugged-in,” and can create the personality/culture connection that is very important in the interview process.

Get there early…but not too early

If you are unsure how long it will take to get to the interview, make sure you allot some extra time for traffic, getting lost, tie-straightening, etc. If you are more than 15 minutes early, grab some coffee or run through some practice questions and answers. If you show up too early, it can be an inconvenience to the manager.

Have questions ready

Show that you have put some thought into the company. I have interviewed hundreds of candidates for internal positions with my company and I will always wrap up the interview by asking: “What questions do you have for me?” If someone gives me a blank stare and has no questions, I assume they are either not interested or not able to synthesize the information in the interview to come up with a question.

Six Simple Tips for a Better Resume

Here are a few simple tips for making your resume a much stronger weapon in your job-search arsenal. These are the basics, things that all of us could use a reminder of from time to time.

Keep your resume recent and relevant

To make your skills seem current (and avoid potential ageism), limit your work history to the last 10 years or so – unless that previous experience is particularly relevant. If there is a gap between the dates you received a degree and your job history, don’t include the date you graduated.

Limit resume length to a page, maybe two

Concise, bullet-pointed resumes that highlight relevant skills and experience are all you need. I immediately discard any resume that is 4-5+ pages. Trust me on this one.

Customize your resume to the job you're seeking

Read through the job description of the position you are applying for. Update your resume to highlight where you have had relevant experience. This will be particularly helpful for companies that use software to screen resumes. It is important not to embellish, however, as there is a good chance you will be asked about said skills once you start interviewing, not being able to articulate the skills listed on your resume is a good way to be taken out of consideration.

Your resume is no place for fancy fonts

Stick to traditional fonts (Times New Roman, Arial, etc). Keep formatting simple (avoid tables, inserts, and headers/footers) so your resume will display cleanly on a variety of machines, from iPads to PCs. Or save it as a PDF, which will look the same on every device.

Incorporate your online presence into your resume

Include hyperlinks to your work, but use a service like bitly.com to shorten the string. List your LinkedIn profile, sure, but add your Twitter ID only if your posts there are professional in nature.

Clean up your lines of communication

Make sure your voicemail message is pleasant, clear and upbeat. Make sure your contact email is appropriate (studmuffin83@gmail is not the best way for a potential employer to contact you). I suggest keeping a Gmail account that is specific to your search where you can manage everything in one place.

Close The Loop First...Then Celebrate Your New Job!

Time to celebrate getting your new job!! Not yet. First you need to cut cord with all your other job search activity to avoid sending the wrong message to your new employer. Plus...closing the loop the right way will also save you the headaches that will come with leaving yourself "active" on the market.

Closing the door on any aspect of your job search may not make total sense. But if you don't do this and the information falls into the hands of your new boss that you just accepted with, it will send off a red flag. Take these simple steps to clean up the trail of your job search.  And, oh yeah, one more thing...if you don't feel comfortable shutting these options down because you still want to interview, then think twice about formally accepting the job! Don't be "that" guy that goes back on his word.

Remove Profile From All Job Boards

Take your resume off all the job boards. If you leave this profile up and active, it indicates to the new employer that you may still be looking. If you do want to keep it posted, that's fine. But at least make it confidential. If you do leave your profile up, just keep in mind that you will continue to solicit emails and phone calls from recruiters (this can be a royal pain in the neck if you aren't truly looking).

Deactivate With Recruiting Agencies

Send an e-mail to all the agencies assisting you to inform them that you have accepted a new position.  Email is always easier then an actual phone call. Remember that recruiters are sales people. If you are a strong candidate, don't expect the agency to let you go so easily. An email may make this exchange go more smoothly. It is your choice as to whether or not you want to inform them of where you are going to work. The upside is that they'll know how to reach you (which could also be the downside depending on whether or not you liked working with them!). Also, time this discussion carefully because the second you tell a recruiter that you took a new job, this recruiter will likely contact both your new and old employer to solicit business from them...the old employer may be looking to replace you and the new employer may be doing more hiring. Recognize that this will happen and factor this into your decision to divulge any data.

Shut Down Other Interview Activity

Similarly, you'll need to email the companies you were in process with to express your appreciation for their interest in your background and to tell them that you have accepted a new job. Do this out of courtesy to them so that they aren't still keeping you in the mix. The Hiring Manager will thank you greatly for giving them the heads up and...who knows...this goodwill may come back to benefit you in the long run.

None of this may seem like a big deal to you, but put yourself in the Hiring Manager's shoes. If they just hired you and your resume is still up on Monster will seem a bit off-putting. Not taking these formal steps to clarify that you are "taken" is like forgetting your wedding ring when you go to the bar. Not cool!

Sometimes the First Offer is the Best Offer... for You

Sometimes people find the right job or best fit very early in their search and miss out because they feel the need to see more of what’s out there, or someone once told them to never accept the first offer.  This, however, can be a mistake and a risk, especially in a competitive hiring climate.

As you decide to start your job search, keep these things in mind so you’re ready to make a decision once the right job comes along.

Know yourself, and know what you want

Everyone who is looking or keeping their options open for a new job has a reason for leaving. Or at least, something is missing in their current position that is prompting them to look around.  This typically includes growth, role/responsibilities, technologies, location, money, challenge, culture etc.   Instead of going to a lot of different interviews in order to determine the perfect fit, it is a good idea to have a really clear picture in mind.

If you find a position that remedies your reason for looking, then you should consider that opportunity. For example, if your reason for leaving is lack of growth opportunities and you interview for a position that offers a lot of growth, that’s an offer you should be ready to consider and accept, even if it is one of the first positions you’ve interviewed for.  It’s important that you recognize why you’re leaving your current position and find a position that fulfills what’s missing.  If and when you find this, don’t hesitate or you may miss out and have a hard time finding another opportunity like it.

Putting yourself in the hiring company's shoes

If you focus on what your ideal next job and company will have and why you are looking, you will be in a position to make a decision whether it is your 1^st or 10^th interview.   If a company is ready to hire you, it may show a lack of interest on your part if you say “let me go on some other interviews first and I’ll get back to you”.  Regardless of how interested you truly are, actions often speak louder than words.  Even if a company wants to make you an offer, they might decide not to extend one due to your indecisiveness.  There are often back-up candidates in the mix and the fear of losing them and having you ultimately turn down their offer creates too big of a risk for them to take.  In a competitive job market, an open position is a large burden on companies, both financially, to their growth plans, and to the other employees having to shoulder the extra work. Leaving a position open or having to restart a candidate search is often not an option. A company that takes the steps to get you through the process and make you an offer quickly is 1) run the right way which may be indicative of how other things work within the organization and 2) shows their interest in you (and I would want to work somewhere that wants me).

Dealing with gaps in your resume

Layoffs and a slow hiring market caused increased periods of time between jobs from 2008 to 2011.  Now, across the country, positions are opening up and candidates are getting interviews again.  For those of you with gaps between jobs, (and you are not alone) how you handle the downtime is crucial for your ability to land the job you want at the salary you want. 

If you have been unemployed for an extended period of time, the worst thing you can do is sit around and cross your fingers.  Inevitably, you will be asked, “What have you been doing during your time off?” Here are some ways to respond to that question:

Back to school

A lot of people have used the recession to further their education.  Online or on campus, adding skills and knowledge will never hurt.  Just remember to leave the option for night classes should the right opportunity come along.

Training

Changes in technology occur more frequently now then ever.  In as little as six months, your skills can become outdated.  Getting the right training is almost always worth the investment of time and money.  Almost as important as the skills and knowledge you gain is the fact that you are demonstrating your eagerness to take those extra steps, a quality that makes you a great prospective employee.

Meetups and user-groups

In your community, regardless of your craft, there are user-groups or networking events relevant to you. In addition to hearing and sharing ideas, these can be great places to meet future bosses and co-workers.  As people move away from traditional job boards, employers are attending user-groups to meet potential candidates. So make a good impression!

Freelancing

Even if it is with your neighbors, local businesses, extended family, etc. staying busy is important. I’ve seen some people volunteer at their local schools and non-profits.  The objective is less about making money and more about staying involved.

Contracting

I consider this a different category than freelancing because, more often than not, contracting takes place for a pre-determined amount of time rather than being something that is ongoing.  Contracting usually is centered around projects, implementations, upgrades, etc. which can be great for keeping your skills current.

Responding to Questions You Don’t Know the Answer To

The purpose of many interviews—especially technical interviews—is to gauge the extent of your knowledge and experience. An interviewer will ask questions until they arrive at the perceived threshold of your knowledge. Once they get there, they’ll likely ask questions that they think you don’t know the answer to.

Don’t panic. They aren’t trying to make you feel stupid. They want to know how you respond to issues that you are unfamiliar with—a situation that arises all too often while on the job.

The worst thing you can do is say “I don’t know” and leave it at that. Nobody wants to hire someone that throws their hands up at a problem. Here are some alternatives:

Go Through the Problem

Sometimes the correct answer is not what the manager is looking for. Rather, they want to see your thought process and the way that you attack problems. You want to come across as solutions-oriented.

Cite Resources

Maybe you’re not an expert on the topic in question. Sometimes you are as good as the resources available to you. Whether it’s a trusted and knowledgeable former colleague, a user forum, or a blog network, it’s helpful to have other places to get/share info.

Point to Past Experiences

The beautiful thing about technology is that it is constantly evolving. As a result, so are the challenges and issues that arise . It may be a good idea to reference situations in the past where a similar problem/issue came up and how you were able to resolve it.

Show Initiative

If you are able, research the subject in question and try to arrive at the solution. Write a “Thank You” letter that details your interest and qualifications for the position. If appropriate, reference the question that came up and the answer you came up with.

This does two things:

1. Shows your grasp of the subject matter
2. Demonstrates your work ethic/initiative that makes you a great candidate.

Starting Your Job Search: It's a Good Time to Put Your Feelers Out There!

Is it a good time to put your feelers out there for a new opportunity after a slow market or a recession? The answer is YES. There are actually quite a few great reasons to start looking now in a recovering/growing market.

Thinned-Out Departments

A lot of companies have been operating with a skeleton crew during the last 2-3 years due to the economy, lack of activity, and lack of growth (and for many, a major slow down). As things pick up, they tend to pick up quickly and the lack of man power to either deliver products or support much busier systems or even support the business as a whole becomes a huge problem that becomes urgent pretty quickly. An urgent job opening due to growth or increased revenue for the company is a great time to come on board. As a result of these thinned out departments, your opportunity for career growth will likely be faster as well. You will be very needed, appreciated, and compensated!

Lack of Talent in the Market

When things pick up for one, they pick up for many. It actually becomes pretty challenging to capture talent and companies are playing catch up. Also, a lot of great candidates are tentative to look right now and want to sit tight where they are. For anyone looking, this means more options and companies willing to compete for you because there are less qualified candidates on the market.

Salaries are Going Back Up

This is a good opportunity to get a more competitive salary because of more openings, jobs staying open longer, and the lack of active talent in the market. For the last few years, many companies have not given salary reviews at all or they have lowered the frequency of salary reviews. A combination of all these things make it a great time to negotiate a higher starting salary, title, perks, etc.

Understanding Contract Offers

Working as a contractor can be very different from being a full time employee of a company, especially for those who are not career contractors.  With the current state of the economy, more companies are choosing to fill positions by offering contracting roles.  Some companies go this route in order to “try before they buy,” some are simply not ready to commit long-term and some have a specific need that won’t last long.  Whatever the reason, make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into before you accept a contract offer. 

Who Are You Really Working For? 

Before you accept a contract offer make sure you know who will be paying you.  You might be conducting work and reporting to a manager at the company that interviewed you, but your paycheck is probably coming from a third-party vendor like a consulting or recruiting firm.  These firms should have you sign a confirming letter stating your pay rate and explaining when and how you get paid.

How Long Is the Contract?

If the contract is based on a project, the company should have a good idea of how long it will last.  If the offer is contract-to-hire, ask how long the contract period will be and when the company will commit to making a permanent offer.  You should also ask what the base salary would be if the job became a permanent position.  Sometimes the hourly rate is much higher than what they would pay annually.

What’s the Rate? 

Sounds pretty simple, but if you are being offered an hourly rate there may be some restrictions.  Make sure you clarify up front what the overtime policy is.  Some contracts are based on a maximum eight-hour day, are capped at 40 hours a week or will pay all hours but not time-and-a-half.  Also inquire about paid time off (PTO) and benefits.  Most contracts don’t offer these but depending on the length of the contract you may be eligible.

Contracting can be a great way to get a foot in the door of a company and potentially become a permanent employee by proving your worth.  Understanding exactly what you’re getting into up front will make it a much smoother experience.