Sunday, December 20, 2015

"Shopping around for a new gig?"/ "How shall I answer that?"

Here are some articles I cut out, and that I can't find on the internet to copy and paste here.  I will have to type it up and get to the gist of it.:

Jul. 1 "The Greatest tips for the 2014 graduate": I cut out this article by Dan Schwabel in the Metro on Jun. 9, 2014.

1. Choose a company based on culture- your personality has to fit the company.

2. Don't major in liberal arts.  If you did, start reading business books immediately.

3. Develop your soft skills- have a positive attitude, communication skills, and be able to work as a team.

"You've made the cut, and now you're thinking 'but'": I cut out this article by Lauren Marinigh in the Metro on Jan. 18, 2015.

If you want to decide on a job offer.

1. "Is it suited to your lifestyle?"- what are the hours?  Are they flexible?

2. "Is the money right?"- you have to research how much the position in this field is paying.  Go to payscale.com.  Young professionals and new grads need to have money they can live off, but don't expect a lot of extra money.

3. "Will this role help your career?"- think of the pros and cons for working there short-term or long-term.  "Is this the role in the field you are aiming for?  If not, what transferable skills will you learn from this position that will help you down the road?"

"Shopping around for a new gig?": I cut out this article by Elias Da Silva-Powell in the Metro on Mar. 19, 2014.  It talks about working in retail, and that it's not a low level job.

You can learn and grow in this company, especially if it's a really big company with lots of positions."

"In the event of an event, follow these golden rules for getting yourself out there": I cut out this article by Rosie Hales in the Metro on Oct. 8, 2014.

This is about networking at a job fair.  The tips are to ask questions about the company like:

What post secondary education did you major in to get this position?
What kind of students are you attracting to your company?

Give your resume and cover letter.

"Look me up I've fine tuned my digital profile": I cut out this article by Sidneyeve Matrix in the Metro on Feb. 26. 2014.

1. Write a different story: Create a free blog at Blogger.  You can put professional and personal, work- safe content.

2. Make it personal:  There are vanity domains like .guru.  It will show how far you've come on your "personal career journey."

3. Show, don't tell: Put up pictures.  "Spread a little joy with awesome images and in the process you'll engage and inspire others with a story of how you see the world."

"'Tis the season for job hunting!": I cut out this article by Carole Kanchier in 24 News on Dec. 10, 2012.  If you look it up on the internet, it's on the E- Edition.  I can't copy and paste it.   It's basically look for a job during Dec. the holiday season because lots of people are going on vacation and not looking for work.

Jul. 6 "Build rapport for serious career success": I cut out this article by Jingwei Yan in the Metro on Feb. 25, 2015.  It's about building rapport in job interviews, customers, teachers so you can get a job.

The tips are like:

1. Be friendly- you don't have to outgoing.  Be nice and if you're shy, start with one person.

2. Be helpful.

3. Be a team player.

One time I went to a job interview and I built a rapport with the 2 interviewers.  There was a good flow to it.

"Get ready to ace this school year with these secrets to post- secondary successes: I cut out this article by Lauren Marinigh on Sept. 3, 2014.

1. Get organized- with an agenda so you can prioritize and time management.

2. Get involved- Work on or off campus, volunteer.  You can put that on your resume.

3. Build relationships with profs.

4. Attend on- campus events. 

Aug. 2 "Body talk cues you can't ignore": I found this article in 24 News on Nov. 26, 2012.  It was adapted from the book The Six Truths Faces Tell Salespeople."

If someone doesn't seem to be telling the whole truth, ask "Tell me more" and pause and listen.

"Stop workplace drama": I cut out this article by Marlene Chism in 24 News on Nov. 26, 2012.

"Making one significant change could change every other area in your life, including your workplace relationships."

1. Stop comparing yourself to others.
2. Stop engaging with negative people.
3. Stop resisting (complaining.)
4. Stop trying to be right.
5. Stop criticizing others.
6. Stop working through lunch.
7. Stop questioning your self-worth.
8. Stop arguing.
9. Stop panicking.
10. Stop the noise (being online all the time.)
11. Stop talking about what you lack.

"Loose lips at work sink livelihoods": I cut out this article by Joanne Richard in 24 News on Jan. 14, 2013.  If you look this up on the internet, you can read the e-edition.  I can't copy and paste it here.

The things you don't tell your boss (or co-workers):

1. Anything you want kept confidential: Don't tell anything that may be discussed with CEO, HR of the company.

2. That they're unprofessional or incompetent: It's about if you're complaining about something that's legally protected like discrimination.

3. That you're looking for another job: You will be out of a job because they want to protect the company.

My opinion: It really depends on the situation.  By all means you may tell your boss you think you may have to move to take care of a family member and may have to quit this job.  Unless you ask to be transferred to another location of the company.

4. That you know they are doing something illegal: If you find out your boss is like embezzling money or something like that, report it higher in the company, and in writing.  If you tell the boss about it, you will be fired.

"Beware the buzzwords in the job hunt!": I cut out this article by Joanne Richard in 24 News in Dec. 10, 2012.  The most common word across the globe was "creative."

Other top words in Canada are:

-effective
-organizational
-motivated
-analytical
-interpersonal
-problem solving
-extensive experience
-innovative

The tips are to improve your Linked In profile is to get recommendations, put descriptions of your experience.

What sets you apart from others?

My opinion: In the article, it didn't say "Get a thesaurus."  That would help too.


Sept. 27 "How shall I answer that?": I cut out this article by Daisy Wright in 24 News on Jun. 10, 2013.  This is a really good article.  It gives a sample interview question and what the interviewer really wants to know about you and how you work.  There are good strategies here.  Here's the whole article:

The main reason job seekers fear and fail at interviews is that they are attempting to read the interviewer’s mind then give answers they think the interviewer wants to hear.  This mind-guessing game will not work and is destined to fail.

Most interviewers will use Behaviour-based interview questions to find candidates who will fit the job, fit the team, and fit the company. These are open-ended questions designed to drill down and uncover evidence of the competencies needed for the position. While no one interview strategy is fool-proof, the premise behind behavioural interviews is that past behaviour predicts future success.

This is where a good understanding of the PAR/CAR/SAR interview concept will be helpful to the job seeker. If he or she knows how to develop success stories demonstrating problems faced, actions taken and results obtained, it puts them in a better position to ace the interview.

Below are five randomly selected questions followed by a sneak peek into the mind of the interviewer and ending with strategies on how to answer the questions:

QUESTION #1: Why should I consider you a strong applicant for this position? What have been your most significant achievements in your previous job?

WHAT THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO KNOW: Does this candidate understand the duties and responsibilities associated with this position? Does he have the specific skills, abilities and the right experience that demonstrate a high level of proficiency?

STRATEGY: Review the job posting very closely and identify the skills and knowledge that are critical to the position. Then offer your specific achievements that directly or closely relate to the job.

QUESTION #2: What were three of your most significant accomplishments in your previous role that directly relate to the position we are discussing today?

WHAT THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO KNOW: Is the candidate aware of the contributions she has made to the employer? Has she left a legacy that has had significant impact on the company? Did she make or save the company money?

STRATEGY: Recall and tell stories of instances where your efforts made significant impact on the company’s bottom line and where you saved the company time or money. Also mention any awards or recognitions you received for your efforts.

QUESTION #3: If I were to contact your supervisor, what would she say about your ability to complete a difficult task? What criticism would she have about your technical competence?

WHAT THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO KNOW: Is the candidate someone who accepts or resists management directives? Does he have a good work ethic? Does he willingly pitch in to help coworkers with challenges?

STRATEGY: Focus on the teamwork / collaborative competencies that directly relate to the job for which you are interviewing. Give specific examples of how you get along with your coworkers and how willing you were to go the extra mile to get the job done.

QUESTION #4: Describe a situation when you worked with someone whose work style was different from yours. What problems did you encounter? How did you resolve the problems?

WHAT THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO KNOW:  Can this candidate work with different personalities? Is she accepting of others? Is she flexible? Is she aware that there’s more than way to accomplish a task?

STRATEGY: Offer stories that demonstrate flexibility and tact when dealing with people and problems. Relate your cross-cultural experience and your respect for diversity.

QUESTION #5: Tell me about a challenge our company is facing and offer a solution. Why do you feel this solution is the answer?

WHAT THE INTERVIEWER WANTS TO KNOW: Does the candidate understand our industry and can he offer some insights into potential challenges the industry is facing?

STRATEGY: Tell stories that demonstrate a thorough understanding of the industry and offer ideas for solutions. Give examples of ideas you offered that were accepted in your previous role. If you can do this you will be an extremely desirable candidate.

It’s your turn. Review the questions and leave your answers and or comments below.




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