What to Say in the Interview

If you are searching online for interview advice, you’ll find it all right and no shortage of it -- perhaps that’s how you found this blog. But, as we all know, there’s a lot of info online, some is good and some is not worthy of your time. For example: anyone suggesting simple and formulaic solutions applied to interviewing doesn’t know what they are talking about. And frankly speaking I rather hope you rolled your eyes with a sigh when you read the title of this blog entry. What, do you think all you have to do is have a few practiced lines ready for the right questions and “POW!” you’ll hit’em between the eyes with the right answers, and they’ll be stunned no, impressed enough to offer you the job – “yea!” ?  But it must be true, right, because I see lots of YouTube videos with segments doing just this, telling you and anyone who’s so gullible that there’s magic you can do and “VOILA!” you’ll have a great new job. Even better, there is some guy on the internet calling himself Career Billy or something similarly goofy, who has one of those never-ending infomercials – you know, the kind that talk all around the point in an attempt to draw you in, never talking about price until the end. The purveyor in this case contends that he can provide you with a magic document with which, if you present to an interviewer, they will be so astounded they will be forced to offer you your dream job (Career Bob’s words, not mine). And how much will it cost, you might ask, well I’ll tell you – normally something this astounding, something so important would cost you a thousand bucks but wait, if you act now you’ll also receive three free gifts valued at over $500! But that’s not all, blah, blah, blah… Save yourself some time, if you were to suffer all the way through to the end, which took forty minutes, as I did out of morbid curiosity, that is what you’d hear. I laughed all the way through it but also understand there are those who want so badly to find success in their job search, they would pay for something such as this – and possibly at a time when they can least afford it. Save yourself some time and money, its crap and you don’t need to buy that kind of snake oil.

Whether it is formulaic one-size-fits-all answers to have at the ready during an interview or a special and secret document with which to supposedly stun an interviewer; if you are looking for a job this isn’t the way to do it. With reduced attention spans and this fixation all too many people have seeking instant gratification with no investment, this is part of the problem. Combine this with the fact that most people don’t spend much time, if they can help it, interviewing – after all, it is something we do when we must and not because it is a fun pastime (unless you’re a little masochistic). Furthermore, as so much of the process has become automated and digitized, by the time you have a real face-to-face interview you’re likely already frustrated and feeling insecure at the lack of human interaction in a process that requires just that. Go ahead, fall for the easy solutions hawked by hacks, when you attempt to use that garbage and realize it doesn’t work you’ll be right back where you started, having lost something more important than money, you’ll have lost time. Don’t fall for gimmicks looking for the easy way out.

There is no substitution for face-to-face, interactive communication and developed people skills. You can be the best qualified and smartest person in the room, possess a great resume but -- can you communicate your skills and qualifications on a level sufficient to gain notice and demonstrate why you should be chosen over others – which is the essence of the interview process? For whatever reason, if you are like so many, relying almost solely upon faceless online methods to find a job, avoiding human interaction at all costs, the answer is no. There is no simple or formulaic solution to get your dream job, just as there is no easy way to obtain killer abs resulting from some silly new fad advertised online.

I have been coaching people; both job applicants and hiring managers for many years and yes, there are some questions you should be ready to address. And yes, I have advice on the manner in which you should reply, but your answers are your own. This whole thing about interviewing isn’t rocket science but you must possess the basics from which to develop advanced skills. When I increasingly meet people who say “yeah”, instead of “yes”, when they cannot even articulate simple answers without using “like” and “you know” in every sentence, I recognize failure of teachers and parents, but it goes beyond even them; every person is responsible for themselves. But this in an age where everyone likes to throw blame and not take personal responsibility, is it any wonder why no one takes them seriously? Not even the best gimmicks from Career Billy-Bob will help them and will only cost them. Want to do better in the interview, take responsibility to improve yourself – the buck stops with you.  

Waiting for Your Lucky Break

I would suggest that the majority of people looking for a job, at one time or another, rely more upon luck than putting stock into their own abilities to find a job. That’s right, most people are playing the lottery, hoping their ticket – in this case their resume, will be chosen. In their minds it’s just a numbers game and they’re playin’ the odds. Come on, tell me I am wrong.

But this kind of thinking is defeatist and by nature not a serious approach. Furthermore, I speak with people who believe a university degree for which they paid so much is an automatic door opener, a golden ticket for success; in past decades it may have been, although it is becoming painfully obvious that is increasingly no longer the case. The new normal (since 2008) requires more than simply showing up and expecting a red carpet thrown before you. It absolutely requires an orchestra of effort requiring multi-tasking abilities. It is right here where peoples’ eyes glaze over and I lose the attention of too many unwilling to make the effort to do what makes the difference, rather falling back on the concept of dumb luck than to motivate themselves beyond their comfort zone, but you must. It isn’t that it’s so hard to do, you must resolve to do it, even just a bit at a time.

I was speaking with someone just this morning on this same topic, suggesting people need to do more even if it is physically hand carrying their resume to drop it off in person whenever it is possible, even for the sake of connecting a smiling face to that lifeless piece of paper that represents you. Nonetheless, they replied negatively, saying they’d be looked upon oddly if they ever did that and, well, because nobody else does it, which makes it weird. I also suggested their resume should be more than a bland and boring description of their current job; that whenever possible it should include accomplishments that represent them better than what they are already (yawn) supposed to be doing anyway. Again their reply was negative, telling me that HR looks at a resume and if they don’t see anything special they will just toss it aside – which, ironically, only proved my point but they’d hear nothing of it, instead committed to proving my 20+ years of experience is wrong. They said it’s all rigged and companies only hire people they already know before the jobs are posted and, even then, companies receive 100 or more people applying for the same jobs. In other words, it’s all a waste of time and the system is set up for you to fail.

By the way, whoever said finding a good job was easy – especially now. So imagine their shock when I smiled and replied, “Okay, so then if you’re right, if you feel that way you should just give it up – why bother then?” Clearly, they wanted to be convinced otherwise because they have self-doubts – which is completely understandable in the current jobs market; lots of people feel this way. But I’ve said it many times, that regardless of the state of the economy, companies are hiring people every day; they are taking longer to do it and you must compete with more people than ever, but they are hiring. However, the same old routines and methods that worked 10 years ago won’t get you the same results in the current market. A new normal requires adaptation and adjustments to meet the new challenges.

I write about this stuff every week and I recently posted onto YouTube a series of videos which provide usable advice; just go to YouTube and do a search with this word grouping: “Why Should Anybody Hire You?”  Or the word combination of “Empower Yourself Michael Mayher” and you’ll find it, there are 25 of them. But if I may be philosophical for a moment, the answers aren’t coming to you, you’ve got to take the initiative and seek them out. If in this ‘recovery’ you think you can find a good job without putting forth more effort than in the past, you just don’t get it. It requires effort, you’re going to fail and hear no more then you’ll hear yes. Even with advice that I or anyone else can provide, it’s still a task but a worthy one. As for roadblocks and obstacles in your path, years after my service I still possess an airborne military mindset and my reaction to any obstacle is to contemplate how to get over, under, around it or to go straight through it.

Here’s an analogy for you to consider -- when you play any video game for the first time you’ll get only so far, able to reach a certain point only to have to go back and start again. Each time you repeat the process you advance a little further along, don’t you? Well, that is analogous with the process of mastering an interview. So with each interview, if you’re paying attention, adjusting and self-critiquing your performance afterward that means that it is not a waste of time, is it? And you will learn different and alternative things to utilize in combination to use at the right moment, somewhat similar to the different tools or weapons available to you in a videogame in order to adapt to whatever you might encounter. In the case of the job hunt or interview process that would be, resume, cover letters, how to present yourself, interview tips, follow-up and Thank You letters, developing your negotiating & closing skills, maximizing use of your references, etc.

So if you want to give up, as many sadly have, nothing I can say will change your mind. But if you want to up your game, or get back into the game there are tools that can help you – but you’ve got to want it. It’s not only about your ability to get back up, after being knocked down, but instead, how many times you can get knocked down and still get back up again, dust yourself off, moving in the right direction in the smartest and most effective manner learning as you go. You’ve done it all your life, otherwise you’d still be crawling around as if you had a diaper wrapped around you. The current jobs market is tough but far from impossible – if you have had doubts, now is not the time to get wobbly, there’s help and advice but you must seek it out and then – capitalize on and use it.   

(update)

By the way, a few days after I composed this blog entry the person I refer to above received an offer resulting in a new (good) job opportunity. The message is simple – NEVER give up! Indeed, you should adapt and adjust your efforts along the way. Don’t you know that good things are rarely easily won and must be earned? Or have you, up until now been one of those rare folks who got everything in life so easily? I doubt it, so don’t doubt yourself.

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The Immeasurable Value of Soft Skills

Perhaps you’ve heard of the term Soft Skills but, like a lot of terminologies floating around out there, they are subjective in nature and so most people don’t pay much attention unless or until it becomes a buzz-word, which suddenly gains importance when the boss or management makes it so. However, I know and I can tell you that Soft Skills are a big deal and in addition to being a qualified job seeker, if you possess them or seek to develop them, you’ll have a clear advantage in the current market. Sadly, a growing number of people, especially those under the age of 35, are more likely to be lacking in this area at a time when senior company managers have rightly begun to recognize this deficit with respect to their hiring processes.

After more than 20 years of recruiting and placing many different kinds of people, my personal opinion is that I don’t care how much money you have spent for your college degree, or how much technical expertise you may possess, if you cannot communicate as to why an interviewer should choose you over someone else; if you cannot articulate how they will benefit by selecting you instead of someone as similarly qualified as you are, you’re going to get beat out by someone who can – and this is when Soft Skills count.

Lately, there is more and more evidence that companies have worryingly recognized the lack of Soft Skills among applicants and current employees and they are beginning to put increased value and focus on them. The reason is simple: without soft skills salespeople can’t effectively sell, managers cannot manage to their full potential, teams can’t optimize their efforts as one nor interact, which affects their bottom line of profitability and competitiveness. In short, it has an inevitable dumbing-down effect across the societal and economic spectrum.

So just what are Soft Skills? Read this from Wikipedia:

“Soft skills is a term often associated with a person's “EQ” (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities. They are related to feelings, emotions, insights and (some would say) an 'inner knowing': i.e. they provide an important complement to 'hard skills' and IQ.

Soft skills are personal attributes that enhance an individual's interactions, job performance and career prospects. Unlike hard skills, which are about a person's skill set and ability to perform a certain type of task or activity, soft skills relate to a person's ability to interact effectively with coworkers and customers and are broadly applicable both in and outside the workplace.

So don’t let anyone tell you this is no big deal and it goes to the heart of all the advice and methods I advise people to consider and work on because this is the stuff that transcends a nicely-prepared resume. It is what gives your resume horsepower; it’s the second part of the one-two punch that elevates you beyond most others competing in the same contest – it is what makes the difference.

Technology and the convenience it provides us is a good thing, but growing dependence on it has an unintended crippling effect. You may find my perspective extreme and dystopian but, as people become more and more connected virtually and digitally, they are more disconnected in reality. That face-to-face disconnect of the physically interactive world on social levels is being replaced with the digital unreality. In the best case, those who lack soft skills will continue to be frustrated when their job search efforts continue to result in a dead end. At worst, we’re on track to dividing into two distinct social strata, between those who can function and obtain for themselves good employment and the rest; incapable of finding decent work thus reducing their career options to the most menial of tasks; a self-imposed virtual caste system. Of which group will you and your family be a part?

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Outplacement Services - and What They Should Be

Outplacement services, generally speaking, are services provided to those who are outward bound, for whatever reason, from a company or organization. These services are meant to soften the transition and help those affected to find new jobs and move ahead with their lives.

Stereotypically, it encompasses some pep talks with the primary component of resume-writing assistance; perhaps a job fair where you can meet and shake hands with company representatives, get some business cards and a few brochures and perhaps even be added to a database and then – you are on your own, good luck! Sorry, but if the goal is to help people to make a transition then I am not shy about suggesting what people are being provided with is a bad joke. I know what it takes to get the job, I know the ritual well. Job fairs? You can find them on your own and mingle with the crowds. Resume assistance – really? So what are people getting that they can really use to help themselves? Truth is, not much. For some managers, executives and bureaucrats, that may be enough to enable them to sleep guilt-free at night, because they’ve convinced themselves and anyone who will listen to their protestations, that they offered to help and after all good intentions count for something, don’t they? In fact, there are a great many decision makers in management who do seek to provide legitimate transition assistance, and they are increasingly dissatisfied with the majority of outplacement services available.

As a headhunter for many years and, considering the manner by which I conduct my work, I am an expert in the hiring / interview process and I possess a unique perspective. Those who know me recognize I don’t hold back and I shoot straight and when I grab hold of something I latch on like a bulldog. When it comes to the substandard services available to most people I am not only complaining, I have an answer, and my own view of what these kinds of services should be providing to people. But to do so requires a skill set and experience that is vanishing in today’s market; you can’t just wing it if you only talk the talk but can’t walk the walk.

For many years I regularly provided advice to people who later said it was insightful and helpful. To make it more available I wrote a handbook the year before last to more widely help job seekers to help themselves. Next, I went further and started this blog in October 2012. 

                                                               (DRUM ROLL)

From today, I am going even further with the aim of demonstrating ways that people can learn, or re-learn, how to affect their own chances in the jobs market – and also – to demonstrate what an outplacement program and content should resemble. I’ve taken the contents of a recent 5 (five) hour lecture (well actually, it was 6 hours but I don't count the breaks), I sliced, diced and condensed it into twenty-five 8 – 10 minute segments which are now posted on YouTube for anyone to watch and from, thereby, to benefit. And I am also taking this occasion to urge anyone who knows someone who is having difficulty finding a good job to view this information. Attached, hereto, is a short intro followed by the (better quality) first of 25 segments; material clearly meant to equip the job seeker to go out and compete against the masses of others who don’t have the info I am sharing with those willing dig a little deeper to give themselves a fighting chance; check it out and pass it around.

And oh yeah, one more thing -- there’s a self-respect component here because when you are less dependent on others it is empowering -- and isn’t this a good thing?  So what are you waiting for, invest a little time and improve your chances in the jobs market - become a more formidable you.

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Why Should Anybody Hire You?

At first glance, that appears to be a cynical question, doesn’t it? And, perhaps, one that makes some people nervous if you don’t have an answer. However, it’s a question for which you should have an answer. The reason is obvious: it is precisely the question in the mind of every hiring manager with whom you interview, every time.

When I meet with people, whom I may or may not represent, I often ask them during the very first meeting, “Why should anyone hire you?” Then I stop talking and listen to what they have to say next. Often I wait a long time and, more often than you may think, they stutter and stammer trying to come up with an answer. Have you considered what your answer might be, within the first few minutes of an interview, because it can very well determine the validity of your candidacy for the job you are seeking?

And even if you have something to say, is it concise, is it something others with whom you’ll meet find to be instructive and beneficial toward your goal of ranking among the top job applicants they’re likely to meet, all seeking the same job? I’ve sat with people who rambled on at great length but never really said anything, and I recall thinking to myself, “god, make this end!” as I look for an opportunity to escape and hasten the meeting’s end.

Now don’t get me wrong, nobody is an expert interviewer and anyone who wants to improve their skills can do so. Even if during the interview you may stumble and it is recoverable, most of us get tripped up at one time or another. By the end of the first interview, and each subsequent step however long you may have with an interviewer -- because the clock is ticking, you need to get your message across as to why they should consider you further and subsequently invite you to the next step.

How you formulate and deliver this message is up to you, but it is the central question; or do you mistakenly assume a piece of paper with your job history is all you need to get a job? If so, from where did you get that silly notion?

When I coach individuals, time and experience has taught me that you must craft an effective introduction, which encapsulates A) your most notable experience, B) what you’ve accomplished, and be able to illustrate to whomever you are meeting how they might benefit from the combination of A & B. And it is this factor that will then give your resume the horsepower you seek. It is a combination of things you will do; use of a good resume and the internet are but a portion of the overall effort – a concert of things you must do otherwise. You are just like everyone else and if you are not differentiating yourself from others you’re just going through the motions; do you have that kind of time to waste?

If you’re not aware, I wrote a handbook on this subject matter and I refer to this same experience and perspective every week, but I’d call your attention to my next blog entry a week from now when I will share with you the Rosetta Stone (of sorts) for those who recognize there has to be a better way and they only need for it to be shown to them in order to take full advantage of it. For those who think they know it all and are satisfied with the results they have, go ahead and get back into line with everyone else; but get comfortable because you might be there waiting for a while.

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The Value of Your Resume – in Real Terms, Pt. 2

(Cont’d.)

In reality, as a headhunter with over 20 years of experience on two continents, working with those who populate every level of employment and position, from the ground floor to the board room, let me tell you, your resume represents two things. It is a calling card with your contact info and your marketing brochure (representing you, the product) and that’s all! All it is meant to do is to help you get a foot in the door by providing information about you; it’s just a door opener as well as to provide a preview of your experience to a potential employer, but once that has been accomplished, then what?

Completely lost in the minds of too many people are the critical interview skills that most people have lost or, if you’re under 40 – you have never learned. As a result people are walking around thinking their resume will bring them success in getting a job!

Of course you need a decent resume, but it is in reality a small component in the overall process; it is no wonder people are so frustrated. If you think I am off-base, if I’m not being sensitive enough you’d better grab a tissue because I’m telling it like it is. If you read this blog regularly, you are not among the clueless zombies out there bumping into walls and wondering why they get nowhere. Or, you’re at least striving to do more for yourself, which means you are already setting yourself apart and ahead of many others. If you know someone who’s frustrated and doesn’t know what to do, give them a gentle nudge – or if necessary a tough-love slap on the back of the head and refer them to this blog because finding work in this difficult economy, during this recovery is tough and getting tougher and you’d better evolve and adapt to meet the challenges.

For the record, I am not suggesting you don’t need a resume, yeah you do, but it’s just a piece of paper. Maybe you still think I am exaggerating so, okay, let’s say you have a great resume or CV, written by a real certified professional and it helped you to get an interview. After you are seated before an HR screener or a hiring manager and the introductions and pleasantries are out of the way and they say to you, “So tell me about yourself?” So now what? Please, don’t say you’ll just recite and repeat what’s on that wonderful piece of paper, no, no, no, that simply won’t fly. But it did get you five minutes into the interview process and served its purpose; now it is relegated to that of a mere reference sheet with contact info and it is at that moment the resume you spent so much time perfecting is no longer of much use; now, it’s your turn. So what are you going to say, or do? How much is that resume into which you’ve invested so much time and relied so heavily upon now worth, from that moment forward?

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The Value of Your Resume – in Real Terms, Pt. 1

Look around and what do you find as the pinnacle of advice for job seekers? It’s the resume that’s held up as the key and primary tool. It’s your passport to success, your Golden Ticket of sorts and, without a good resume, you have no hope. You must have a good resume! Perhaps you can already sense a little sarcasm. Well, isn’t this the perception and, as is often the case, that unless or until questioned and shot down, perception becomes reality? So what then happens; we spend hours and hours, days in some cases, to create a resume that is just right. I meet people who cling to it like a security blanket, or they’re so proud to show and present to you their resume, as if trumpets will begin to sound from the heavens and confetti will fall from the skies.

What if, after all that fanfare you don’t find success; what then and what of that piece of paper you’ve worked so hard to craft? Well, the people who are supposedly in-the-know will tell you it’s your fault, yep, that’s right and your resume or CV probably isn’t good enough! They will advise you to go back and keep on making adjustments until you find success. We’re given to believe that the resume is of the utmost importance, such that a cottage industry has popped up in recent years by those who’ve made a business of writing resumes. They even have certifications to show you, plastered on their websites to prove they can write a really, really good one for you -- guaranteed to bring you success -- or at least, better results. Hello, but with so much info available on the internet and software programs, so easy a monkey could do it, why would anybody pay someone else to write (keystroke) their resume. If you want to pay for advice that is one thing, but paying someone else to compose a resume or CV reflects just how lazy and clueless we’ve become. A resume-writing biz model, in my opinion, makes about as much sense as opening a video store in the age of Netflix. Nonetheless, with so many people desperate to find work I suppose they have customers who are prepared to try anything, after all, there is one born every day. Is this, ladies and gentlemen, to what we have been reduced?

Incorrectly, conventional wisdom suggests that you have two primary means or tools to use when looking for and pursuing a job -- your resume and the internet; the latter is a whole other subject that is equally overrated, but today we’ll focus on the all-powerful resume. Let me ask you a rhetorical question: how many people do you know who got a good job because of a resume? Who do you know who told you, “…my resume got me that job.”, anybody? Maybe there is one in a thousand and even then, I’ll bet timing and luck were the biggest contributor, but I wouldn’t rely on those circumstances, would you -- are you? I’ve seen good resumes, but they were only as good as the compilation of the owner’s experience and the primary reason, and here’s a little secret, the rest was up to them and not the result of a piece of paper. The primary goal of this blog entry today is an attempt to open peoples’ eyes to recognize it takes more, much more, if you want a good job, than the resume you hold in such high regard. Frankly speaking, if you’re making the resume the focus of your efforts, then you are worryin’ about the wrong thing.

Part 2 will be posted next Monday

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