Knowledge is Power, diary entries from a dear jane client

Dear Jane Diaries:

It’s important to view each interview as an assignment versus a potential job until an actual job offer is made.  Having your expectations too high can set you up for disappointment and also block you from missing one of the most important elements of the interview itself…what it offers for future interviews.  In each interview – good or bad – leading to a job or not – is the seed of what to do next.

In one of my interviews, the prospective employer asked me questions and mentioned terms and companies I knew nothing about so instead of feeling bad about myself, I immediately made it my business to educate myself about those terms using Wikopedia and doing research on those companies following that interview.  What that led me to was MORE job opportunities in the companies he’d mentioned and more knowledge and skills in my job-searching toolkit.

Another interview recently led me to discover exactly what I AM willing to do as far as a commute is involved.  I tend to be pretty rigid as far as where I’ll work so when someone from San Francisco called, I wasn’t interested…until I checked out his company on the Internet and saw that it was a fantastic company.  That led me to actually do the math and the logistics on BART tickets, parking costs, time spent, etc…all things I had never done before dismissing the possibility out-of-hand.  So “willingness” has become another important tool in my kit.

In addition, I’ve begun using dear Jane’s recommendation of www.salaryexpert.com and www.salary.com under the job descriptions that fit my background to see what salaries are out there in the locations I’m interested in.  What an amazing “free” tool to find out what my skills are worth in the positions out there…

As with everything else in my job search, knowledge really IS power and the very least I expect to come out of this process with is a job…the more important thing is a deeper knowledge of myself.

Authentic Cover Letters – It’s ok to be you!

I wanted to share one of our dear jane client’s cover letter with you and feel free to forward this sample to your friends and colleagues.  I have changed the names to protect the innocent and received permission from this client to share her cover letter with you.

What is amazing about this cover letter is that our client communicates her passion, dedication to her hobby/sports interests, and professionalism within this letter.

She is a stay at home mom re-entering the workforce and this job is 10 minutes from her home and she has never had any retail experience.

Based on her research of the company she realized that her personal and professional values are aligned with Patagonia’s values.

I love cover letters like this. Based on my former recruiting experience and now my coaching experience, I know that 50% of hiring managers and human resource professionals read cover letters and 50% of them don’t. It’s so important if you want your cover letter to be read to make it real, authentic and personable. It’s crucial to show the future hiring manager or hr representative that you have done your homework on the company you are applying for and that you have a real interest in working at the company you are targeting.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER BELOW

Jane Doe

1111 Doe Lane

Encinitas, Ca  92024

Patagonia                                                     August 2, 2010

2185 San Elijo Avenue

Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA  92007

John Does, Manager

Jane Doe, Assistant Manager

Dear Jane and John,

Patagonia in Cardiff first caught my eye because of my love of surfing and the store’s emphasis on surfing.  The special events, community enrichment and the inventory were of interest to me and I saw the benefits Patagonia was providing to our coastal area.

Now that my children are grown and I desire to reenter the work force, I looked for a company with a philosophy that matched mine.  I researched Patagonia and found a connection to the corporate values and operations, besides just the great products.  I appreciate the innovation and constant desire to improve products; the commitment to deal with factories that meet Patagonia standards; and the company’s choice to look for ways to be “green”.

In addition, I feel a connection to the people who make up Patagonia because I too am an active, environmentally conscious, outdoor loving person.  I wear Patagonia clothing and can personally attest to its durability, quality and style.

I would like to bring my current skills and past sales experience to the Patagonia Cardiff store as a part time employee.  I know I could add value to the team and look forward to the opportunity to work for Patagonia.  I am available immediately and have no schedule limitations. My completed application is attached. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Jane Doe

cell: 000-555-9999   email: doe@gmail.com

Warning Signs that your job search isn’t working!

The last time I read the labor statistics report it stated that millions of people were unemployed in CA alone and that 65% of the people had been unemployed for at least 1.5 years.

This is sad and it saddens me to know that people are suffering out there. They don’t need to suffer. Ok warning signs below will help you in your job search.

Your way: You have posted your resume on the job boards and no one is calling you.

The dear jane way: Recruiters and human resource professionals live on the job boards, however, they only look at the last two days of postings. So every three days you need to upload the SAME resume so you will stay at the top of the search engines.

Your way: You can’t get to the second interview.

The dear jane way: Contact us for our list of 34 questions and once you have answered them you will definitely advance to the second interview. www.clientservices@dearjane.info.

Your way: You never leave your home office or your house in job search.

The dear jane way: We expect our clients to work 4-5 hours a day on their job search. We also suggest that they put a schedule together and give themselves at least two-three hours of time away from the house to enjoy their day. Also, you can conduct your search at the nearest starbucks, peets, or diner.

Your way: You make a decision to leave the profession/career that you loved so much because you can’t get interview.

The dear jane way: Making decisions based on assumptions is not the right thing to do especially when you are in job search. Nobody said getting a job was easy. It takes consistency, persistence and hard work. We assume that if recruiters don’t call and we can’t get interviews that we should give it all up and head to the mountains. Before you do that invest the time and energy into your search.

Your way: You change your resume content every other day to please the other side (hiring managers, recruiters, and human resource professionals) and/or you submit 10 different resumes.

The dear jane way: As our clients at dear jane say, “1″ resume “3″ jobs. The only thing you need to tweek and customize is your summary of qualifications and your cover letter. That’s it. You don’t need 10 resumes because you really shouldn’t be applying to 10 different jobs.

Your way: You have a great conversation with a recruiter or human resource professional and then you never hear back from them.

The dear jane way: First of all we hear this about 10-20 times a day from our clients. Please remember to have a pen and piece of paper with you at all times when you are talking with a recruiter or hr professional. Make sure you ask for their name, email, phone number, website, etc. Ask them how you can stay in touch with them. Then don’t forget to call them and email them.

Bragging! You need to do a lot of it during your job search process.

One of my clients just finished a great [short] book that you may find helpful,  Brag! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It.  Peggy Klaus is a communications coach who works with individuals and Fortune 500 companies on a national/international basis.  My client has known Peggy for many years through a professional woman’s organization and seen her coaching in action!   Her book is a quick read and builds on some of the concepts that we’ve talked about in the dear jane blog. Peggy is especially effective at crafting short “brag bites” and “bragologues” that we can use in just about any situation. Many of the local libraries carry her book (non fiction, 650.1 K).    You can buy it on amazon.com as well.

Pre-interview research…

 Hello Everyone, I wanted to share an article with you that I wrote last month for another website. I hope you can get some great tips from it.

 

Pre-Interview Research: Five tips to investigate a company before the interview.

 

By Rebecca Martin

 

The goal of any job interview is to get to the next step which is the offer stage and land the job! The best way to achieve this goal is by being strategic, linking your experience and strengths to the requirements of the position throughout the interview process and by dialoguing with the interviewer(s). The more prepared you are the more relaxed and confident you will be.

 

Five tips for employer research

 

1.  Visit the Company Website – An organization’s website will contain basic information about products and services, company history, and leadership.  If available, spend time in the online press room reviewing the latest press releases and media coverage.  This information will get you up-to-date quickly.

 

2.  Consult Human Resources – Ask the HR representative to provide you with a list of the interviewer(s) and their titles.  Knowing their titles will tell you about the types of questions they will be asking.  For example, the operations manager may be asking you questions about day-to-day processes and how the position you are interviewing for relates to production and quality. 

 

Knowing their names will allow you to do some additional research to find commonality with the interviewer(s) and learn more about their educational and professional backgrounds.  See step three:

 

3.  Review LinkedIn – LinkedIn is one of the largest professional online networking sites in the world. Populated with 25 million members, it is a warehouse of information for job searchers. First, look for the people who will be interviewing you.  Study their profiles to learn more about the organization to which you are applying and look for shared connections and interests.

 

Next, search LinkedIn for people you know who work or have worked for the organization in question. This will help you with step number four:

 

4.  Network, Network, Network – Talk to people you know who have worked at the company or are familiar with it.  They will be able to give you information that you might not find on the company website such as corporate values, leadership and management styles.

 

5.  Search the Internet – Run a general search of the internet for information on your prospective employer.  You may find the company referenced in the minutes of civic groups or in legal proceedings.  Key the company name into Google Maps to find customer reviews.  Similarly, sites like Jobvent.com provide a forum for employees to praise or complain about their employers. 

 

Using these resources, you can find insight into company reputation, culture and values such as work life balance, volunteerism, and philanthropy.  Some of this information will help you during the interview, while other information can help you decide if this workplace is right for you.

—
Rebecca Martin, founder of  dear jane… lives in northern California where she works as a career coach and training professional. She believes that people can find jobs/careers that bring them enjoyment and prosperity. She blogs about the career search and produces The Best Darn Career Show posted on YouTube.

Interview preparation- See list of questions below.

Interview Questions you will need to answer before you start interviewing.

1)       Tell me about yourself?

2)       What are your strengths?

3)       What are your weaknesses?

4)       Why do you want this job?

5)       Who was your favorite manager and why?

6)       Where would you like to be in your career in five years from now?

7)       Tell me about your proudest achievement.

       How would you go about establishing your credibility quickly with the team?

9)       Was there a person in your career who really made a difference?

10)   What’s your ideal company?

11)   What attracted you to this company?

12)    What are you most proud of?

13)   What are you looking for in terms of career development?

14)   What do you look for in terms of corporate culture?

15)    How would you describe your work style?

16)   Why should we hire you?

17)    What did you like least about your last job?

18)    What do you think of your previous boss?

19)    Do you have any questions for me?

20)    What are three positive things your boss would say about you?

21)    What salary are you seeking?

22)   What negative thing would your last boss say about you?

23)     What do you know about this industry/

24)    What do you know about our company?

25)   Have you gone to our website?

26)   Are you willing to relocate?

27)   What was the last project you headed up, and what was it’s outcome/

28)   What kind of goals would you have in mind if you got this job?

29)   Have you ever been on a team where someone was not pulling their own      weight? How did you handle it?

30)   What three character traits would your friends use to describe you/

31)   List five words that describe your character.

32)   Why are you leaving your present job?

33)   What techniques and tools to you use to keep yourself organized?

34)  If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?

 

 Questions you can ask the hiring manager?

What are the company’s top three corporate initiatives for 2009?

Why is the position open?

Can you describe the corporate culture of the company and your department?

What would your team say about your management style?

What is your leadership philosophy?

What do you expect of the person that is hired into this position to accomplish in the first  six months?

Can you describe the day in the life on the job of this person?

 

 

 

The way you get treated during the Interview is the way you will be treated on the job!

I have so many clients that ask me how long they should wait in the lobby for the interviewer after they have signed in with the lobby receptionist.  I tell them, please don’t wait any longer than 30 minutes. Your time is very valuable and you need to respect yourself or they wont. After 10 minutes you should walk up to the receptionist and ask how long will it be until the interview, then relax and sit back down. If you are still sitting in the lobby 30 minutes after the time you are supposed to be interviewing, then you need to sign out and leave.

There are only a few reasons that you should excuse the interviewer for being late. 1) If the interviewer was called into a last minute meeting 2) If the interviewer was sick at the last minute 3) If the interviewer was really backed up in traffic because of an accident.

Just remember, the way they treat you during the interview process is the way they are going to treat you on the job and vice a versa. If you treat them with little respect or are unresponsive, they will assume that is how you always are and they will be apprehensive to select you as a top candidate. 

Years ago I read the “Knock Em Dead” books by Martin Yate and I especially loved the “Knock Em Dead” interview books. So check out the link and starting preparing for the interview, etc. by reading these books.   http://www.knockemdead.com/

Tips on How to Answer the question on Why did you leave your last job?

This is always the topic and issue of the day for me. I have clients that get laid off, fired, pushed out because they fell out of favor and are forced to resign for reasons unknown to them. Does this sound vaguely familiar.  It’s happened to me and most people I know. Ok so here is my advice. 1) Don’t ever give them any information they don’t ask for. 2) Don’t ever lie 3) Always be positive and never let them take you down a negative path 4) Prepare your answers and rehearse with your coach, friends or family 5) Make sure you have processed what happened to you especially if it wasn’t your fault, so you don’t bring a lot of emotional charge/baggage to the situation/interview, so if you are not over it, figure out how to get over what happened to you. 6) And don’t worry too much because most of us that have been in business for over 15 years have experienced some type of problem or issue with a manager or boss that hasn’t liked us and vice a versa.
I hope this helps.

Job Fairs – Are they Loser conventions?

I can’t tell you how many people get embarassed about attending job fairs. I had one of my clients in a two day training course call it a loser convention. I love job fairs and think they are a great way for job seekers/candidates meet hiring managers and human resource professionals and recruiters face to face. There are very good tips on how to work job fairs for example, you should always sign up before the event and get a full list of employers that are attending; do your research on the companies you want to target at the job fair so you sound prepared when you meet them; arrive 45 min early and make sure you are dressed like you are going to an interview.  Job Journals is a link that lists all the job fairs in the Greater Bay Area. www.jobjournals.com   Try out a couple you might find that you really like them and might get hired from one.   Employers are not at job fairs for their health or to skip out on work. They are looking for hot candidates to fill their positions.

Immediate job openings

•          Anticipated job openings

•          Contract/project work

•          Newly created positions

 

Employers attend job fairs primarily to:

•          Collect resumes -Source candidates

•          Interview candidates to potentially hire them (time varies)

•          Promote the company

 

 

 

 

 

Do your research on companies, hiring managers, etc. using linkedin.com

 I was working with a client tonight and talking to her about using linkedin.com for researching hiring managers and companies. I walked her through www.linkedin.com and told her that it was a warehouse of information. Try using it for research. You will be amazed at what you find out. See below one of the screen shots after you type in the company name.

LooptPlease enter a company name The company you entered is not in our database

30 total, 28 in your network

·                     Jane Doe, QA Manager

·                      San Francisco Bay Area

·                     John Doe, User Experience Designer

·                      San Francisco Bay Area

·                     Julie Yon, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing

·                      San Francisco Bay Area

·                     Gus Planes, Chief Privacy Officer; Vice President, Corporate Affairs

·                      San Francisco Bay Area

·                     George Young, VP, Engineering

·                      San Francisco Bay Area

New Hires

What’s this?

·                     Jane Doe,  QA Manager

·                      was Quality Assurance at Mobile Wireless – 6 months ago

·                     Julie Givens, Senior Systems Architect

·                      was Founder at Unix Software – last month

·                     Sean Pastor, Senior Mobile Software Engineer

·                      was Software Engineer at Omega Software- 2 months ago

Recent Promotions and Changes

What’s this?

·                     Peter Tom, Lead Server Developer

·                      was Software Engineer – 2 months ago

·                     Popular Profiles

·                      What’s this?

·                     Eve Youth, Senior Server Engineer

·                     Sam Jones, Mobile Developer

·                     Hilary Siemens, Senior Mobile Software Engineer

·                     Jan Temp, VP Location Technologies

·                     Robert Byrd, Web Front End Team Lead -

·                    Career path for Loopt employees

·                     before:

·                      Microsoft

·                      Motorola

·                    Loopt employees are most connected to

·                      AdMob

·                      VeriSign

·                      Stanford University

·                      Facebook

·                    Top Locations

·                      San Francisco Bay Area (29)

·                     Headquarters Address

·United States

	·                      Industry	·                      Computer Software
	·                      Type	·                      Privately Held
	·                      Company Size	·                      11-50 employees
·                      Top Schools		·                      Stanford Univ. ·                      23%

 

·                      Median Age

·                      31 years

 

·                      Gender

·                      Male ·                      77% ·                      Female ·                      23%

·                      Estimated based on LinkedIn Data

 

 

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