January 7th, 2009
Luke Benjamin, Pizza Time franchisee was so angry with his employees for leaving a furnace on overnight, that he turned the heat off in the Pizza shop for 2 weeks and fired the manager who was on duty. Mr. Benjamin may have been justified in his anger as an employer, however he missed an opportunity to take the high road, correct the situation and care for his employees.
When asked about the chilly treatment of his workers, Pizza Time Franchisee From Hell! stated, “If you don’t want to work here quit, otherwise shut up and do your job. The next person I hear complaining is off for two weeks. We don’t have heat!! You guys screwed up, not us. You want to blame someone, look in the mirror.” These are harsh words that will only ensure that Luke Benjamin will not attract quality employees to Pizza Time. And without quality employees, Luke Benjamin will not be in business very long.
We are living in a day when it is an employers market. Employers no longer have to settle for employees who don’t want to work. Employers don’t have to settle for employees who are disrespectful, insubordinate or unqualified. However organizations or franchises like Pizza Time who rely on people to help keep their business operational need to remember that without people, employees, good or bad they will not be in business very long.
Tags: Interview Chatter, Pizza Time, Franchise, Benjamin
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 0 comments
January 5th, 2009
The holiday season is over and you have been waiting for the phone to ring. Silence. Now what? Follow-up is a very important part of your job search. If your phone is not ringing take the initiative and follow-up with the organization.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you follow-up:
1. When you call, make sure you speak to the decision maker, assuming you have interviewed with the hiring manager. When you have them on the phone you can say, “This is _____________ (put your name in the blank), and I wanted to touch base with you regarding ____________ (you can put the name of the position you interviewed for in here). When we spoke last you mentioned that you would make a decision by _________________. I wanted to find out when you anticipate making a hiring decision.”
At this point, stop talking and listen. Let them tell you the status. If they have not made a decision, they should be able to tell you when they are going to make a decision.
2. Don’t sound desperate. Usually this feeling of desperation comes out of limited option. In other words, you are waiting for one job offer and if they don’t hire you, than you are back to the drawing board. I can’t stress enough to you how important it is to have lots of interviews, lots of applications and resumes in the hands of various organizations. Give yourself options. Multiple options allows you to be the decision maker about which job you will take rather than being at the mercy of one organization.
3. Be polite, no matter what is said to you.
4. If you get a voicemail, leave a message asking for a return call. You can use my recommendation above in number one on the voicemail message.
5. Email follow-up works well too. Be professional, check your spelling and grammar. Be brief and specific. Again you are looking for a status on their hiring decision.
6. If you haven’t sent a thank you note, send one. It may help you get a call back.
If you are having no luck with multiple opportunities I recommend you step back and evaluate your approach. What is it that you could do differently so that you get a different result. Review your resume, ask for feedback about your interviews. If you can’t get feedback from HR recruiters or hiring managers, you will need to evaluate your performance and make some adjustment. The old adage, “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you are going to get the same results.” So do something different.
Also, you may want to take a look at the job opportunities you are responding to. If your phone is not ringing, you may not be qualified for the position. You may want to go back and review some of the job descriptions. What are you missing? Where are your gaps? How can you sure them up so that you can improve your candidacy? Keep in mind that this is an employers market. Employers do not need to settle. If you are not qualified, you will want to reevaluate the types of jobs you are applying for. If you are qualified and no one is calling, than you redo your resume, or make some adjustments in how you are interviewing.
Image Credit: Newscom
Tags: Interview Chatter, Phone is not Ringing, Email, Follow-up, Thank you Note, Job Opportunity, Be Professional, Resume, Interview
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 0 comments
January 1st, 2009
What did you do at work in 2008 that landed you in the unemployment line? Maybe nothing! But I am convinced that some people who are not currently employed made some mistakes that they regret today. As a result, they are thinking about some possible resolutions for 2009 to ensure that when they are employed again, they will make better decisions. I don’t know about you, but I don’t put a lot of stock in New Year’s resolutions. I know people make them annually, but I also know that most resolutions are long forgotten by February 1st. That being said, I thought I would share some possible New Year’s resolutions you might want to consider before you go back to work next week - or when you get that job you are looking for:
1. I will never get fired again
2. I will be kinder to my employees or employer when I find a job
3. I will not take sick days to go fishing or shopping
4. I will be on time - or at least I will try when I get that new job
5. I will not take extended lunches anymore
6. I will be more accurate on my time sheet
7. I will not steal ever again
8. I will not lie in an interview
9. I will tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God
10. I will love the next job I get
These resolutions may seem funny to you, however each one of them was birthed from a comment that someone made on my blog in 2008. So many people responded to my post So, You’ve Been Fired. This post was by far the most popular post on my blog in 2008. And one of the people responding to that post admitted that he/she stole something they didn’t even need and got caught, and they were subsequently terminated.
All my resolutions above are issues that people face daily in their job situation. Many of those issues got people fired from their job. Rather than declaring a New Year’s Resolution, how about just making a change in your life. Choose to change your behavior rather than making a resolution to change something you have no intention of changing. Making a commitment to change requires you to share what the change will be. Tell someone. You are more likely to make the change in behavior when you are accountable to someone else. Make the commitment, share the commitment to change and then do it!! I am looking forward to an AWESOME New Year! 2009 is the year for birthing! What is in you that needs to get out of you? Whatever it is, go for it! Move forward and choose to have a phenomenal New Year!
Image Credit: Newscom
Tags: Interview Chatter, Happy New Year, Fired, New Year’s Resolution, Conscientious Job Seeker
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 1 comment
December 31st, 2008
Relocation and career changes are a dangerous proposition right now given the employment climate. I had the opportunity to speak a young man who is interested in moving to a different state here in the US and changing his career choice. He has experience in his current field, however he doesn’t like it and wants to transition into a different career. My advice to him and to you is not to try to do both at the same time.
Changing geographic locations, or moving is not a bad option if you can’t find employment where you are currently living. However, if you have a job that you don’t like, don’t quit right now with hopes of doing something different. Finding a job in your preferred career choice is an option but not without proper planning.
Here is my recommendation:
1. Determine where you want to live
2. Find a job doing what you are currently doing in the new location
3. Apply and get a job offer
4. Make the move
5. Work the new job 1-2 years and then begin looking for a job in your new career path
6. If you need education or experience in the new career path, do some volunteer work or part time work in the new career path
When you are ready to make the change begin looking for the new job in your preferred career path. Then and only then do you leave your current position. You will have accomplished your goal of changing geographic locations and careers. It may take a little longer to do it using my recommendation, however it keeps you employed during these challenging times.
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Note: If you need a Career Coach I am still giving away 15 minute coaching sessions. Click here to sign-up. Make sure you read all of the instructions. I look forward to helping you!
Tags: Interview Chatter, Relocation, Career Changes, Job Offer, Career Choice, Planning & Preparation
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 0 comments
December 29th, 2008
Resumes have a shelf life of about 2-5 seconds in the hand of a hiring manager. So, you have a moment to make a first impression. I wrote this line in a previous post, Resume - Access to the Interview. Resumes are critical keys to your success in the hiring process. Given my statement concerning the shelf life of a resume, I want to introduce you to a site I stumbled on recently, ResumeBear.com. ResumeBear.com is a great site for you to check out if you are currently in a job search. My readers have been offered the opportunity to use their tool for tracking your resume at no cost. More to come on this promotional opportunity below.
Why Do Resumes Fail according to ResumeBear:
* Employers Do Not Open Attachments
* Never received via e-mail
* Broken formatting
* Poorly written cover letters and resumes
* Indistinguishable from other resumes
ResumeBear.com offers:
1. Real-time tracking of resume - Know your resume arrived safely and be notified when it is reviewed. Real time tracking of your resume. You will know when your resume is opened, forwarded, and printed.
2. Active alerts available for notification - You will be able to set up active alerts so you will know in real time when your resume has been opened and is being read.
3. Resume Creation Wizard available.
4. Perfect formatting Guaranteed
5. Tutorials available to help you perfect your resume.
Here is the offer to my readers here at Interview Chatter:
ResumeBear.com is offering free accounts to job seekers. For instructions click here and click on Get Started Now at the top of the page. You will create your account and you will enter the Promotional Code SEAN. There is no setup fee and no monthly fees as long as you use the Promotional Code. Please come back and leave a comment, share your impression of ResumeBear.com. I would love to hear your success stories. Feel free to use the promotional code and come back and tell us about it!
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Note: If you need a Career Coach I am still giving away 15 minute coaching sessions. Click here to sign-up. Make sure you read all of the instructions. I look forward to helping you!
Image Credit: Newscom
Tags: ResumeBear.com, Interview Chatter, Free Account for Job Seekers, Resume, Job Seekers, Interview, Resume Creation Wizard, Promotional Code, Career Coach, Sign-up, Resume Tracking
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 8 comments
December 27th, 2008
Ever have someone offer you a job or an opportunity to compete for a job when you were not looking? That is what happened to me today. Yet again, it was a reminder to me that there are jobs available out there. I understand that the market is tight and that employment is actually a commodity however I am here yet again to remind you that employment is available. I was running an errand this afternoon. I walked into a store that I love and before I left, I had the manager let me know that they had part time jobs available. I would love to work for this particular store, but I am busy and I honestly have no need for another job. How did it even come up in conversation? I was being friendly. I was asking questions and I made an off hand comment that I would love to do what they are doing. It was really an off hand comment, I was not fishing for a job, but I thought about my blog after walking out of the store. It was easy. I didn’t have a resume, I had my walking resume - ME! I was being who I am, connecting with people, and it lead to an opportunity for employment.
Do you need a job? How creative have you been with connecting and meeting people? Key people? Decision-makers? That what happened to me and I wasn’t being intentional - I am not looking for a job - but you are. So get out there and start talking to people. I believe that you can network your way into a job. Get creative, start thinking outside of the box. I am wondering about other creative ways to talk your way into an interview.
Here are a few thoughts I had today:
1. Start a conversation with someone in a restaurant, the post office or retail store
2. Contact people you know who are working, set up lunch, brunch, breakfast and share with them what you are looking for as far as employment. Ask for help, without sounding desperate.
3. Find a coffee shop near an organization you are interested in working. Visit regularly. Order coffee only, read the paper and look for opportunities to start conversations with people that frequent the coffee shop. You might actually stumble on a decision-maker or two. Which can lead to an interview.
Make sure you are dressed, not necessarily in suit and tie. Be presentable, clean, well-groomed. Be ready to share your resume in 2-3 minutes. Be clear about what you are looking for in employment and what you are not. Be able to articulate why you are interested in the organization you are considering. Above all, be confident about who you are and your ability to make a significant difference in their organization.
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Note: If you need a Career Coach I am still giving away 15 minute coaching sessions. Click here to sign-up. Make sure you read all of the instructions. I look forward to helping you!
Tags: Interview Chatter, Career Coach, Jobs Available, Get Creative, Networking, Intentional, Start a conversation, Jobs, Resume, Ask for help, Interview, Think outside of the box
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 0 comments
December 25th, 2008
Merry Christmas Everybody! I plan to enjoy Christmas Day with my family. I pray that each of you who read my blog will have an AWESOME day! If you are not working right now, don’t worry about that today. Look around you and see what you can be thankful for today. There is something wonderful going on in your life despite the economy, your finances, and your employment status!
My brother-in-law told me not to write today, however because I care about each one of you, I didn’t want to leave you hanging. Should I rest today? Maybe! However, I don’t believe the internet shuts down on Christmas Day and there is someone who may Google about hiring and interviewing today! Someone out there may need to be encouraged! I wanted to ensure that I left a Christmas greeting for you! Enjoy today! "Merry Christmas Everybody!"
Tags: Merry Christmas, Interview Chatter, Employment status, Hiring
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 0 comments
December 22nd, 2008
What is your intention when you consider your job search? When you think about sending that resume and cover letter or having an opportunity to meet with the hiring manager? Are you hoping they will like you? Are you hoping they will hire you? Do you hope you get the job?
Hoping according to dictionary.net means to entertain or indulge hope; to cherish a desire of good, or of something welcome, with expectation of obtaining it or belief that it is obtainable, to expect; to place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good. This definition of hoping is a pretty good definition. If you apply it to your job search, you might be thinking "yeah, I am hoping they like me and hire me." But I want you to reconsider that position for just a moment. Hoping is about having an expectation of your desired result - getting the job, but being intentional is walking into that next interview and knowing you aren’t leaving until you get the job. And to me, that is better perspective.
Intentional means done deliberately; Done with intent. Intent according to dictionary.net means having the mind closely directed to or bent on an object; or in this case on getting the job. Walking into an interview with your mind set on the object of your desire, getting the job. If you are bent in that direction, you will be much more successful.
Don’t get me wrong, hoping is not a bad thing, but it is not intentional. I do hope for your sake that the hiring manager likes you and wants to hire you. The principle of liking is a valuable commodity in your job search. The principle of liking says that people do business with people they like. That is a fact, I don’t care what you do for a living or what you aspire to do. But liking you is not always the determining factor when a hiring decision is made. It is one factor. So, if that is true, you better bring more to the table than a likable personality. If you can fix their problem, I promise they will get over the fact that they don’t like you as much as the last guy (or gal) they interviewed. If you know who you are and what you bring to the table, and you can articulate that to the hiring manager, they may take a second look at you when attempting to make a hiring decision.
Here is my bottom line.When you are working your job search, sending resumes, networking, and interviewing, you must be intentional. You must have your mind so focused on getting the job, that you literally create an environment in your interview that makes the hiring manager say "yes". This is not about manipulation or smoke screens, it is about you knowing "you" so well, knowing your value in the market place and how you truly add value to an organization. And your ability to articulate to them why they must hire you. You are not using these words, you are dialoging with them, you are having a conversation with them, you are demonstrating to them how you can come into their organization and make a difference, solve their problem and take their organization to the next level. What is your intention when you are sitting across from the hiring manager? If you are not there to get the job, you are wasting your time and theirs too!
Tags: Interview Chatter, Intention, Intentional, Hoping, Hope, Deliberate, Job Search, Interview, Hiring Manager, Expectation, What is your intention?, Determination, Job, Hiring, You must be intentional, Dictionary.net, Desire, Are you just hoping?
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 5 comments
December 16th, 2008
Closing the deal is the most critical part of the sales process - it should be your desired result from every interview you complete in your job search. Your ability to turn your interviews into viable job offers is important. In order to close the deal you must give the hiring manager a reason to buy - to hire you - the product! Before I go any further, let me make this disclaimer: There are no guarantees when you have an opportunity to compete for job opportunities. You can have an excellent interview and for whatever reason the hiring manager makes a different hiring decision that doesn’t include you.
So how do you close the deal? There are two keys to successfully closing the deal and get the job offer. The most critical key to closing the deal and getting the job offer is your ability to create value in the interview. Why should the hiring manager hire you over every other candidate? This is a question you should be waiting for, This is your opportunity to close the deal. Why are you the one? What makes you unique? What will you bring to the organization that no other candidate can bring? It may seem like a lot of questions, but these questions are the ones you must ask in order to create a desire from the hiring manager to offer you the position. Your ability to communicate the value you bring to an organization will ensure you get on the short list of potential candidates.
Overcoming objections to your candidacy is the second key to closing the deal and getting the job offer. Overcoming objections means identifying all the potential reasons why a hiring manager might decline the opportunity to work for you. Can you identify reasons why a hiring manager might not be impressed with you? If you can, than your responsibility is to give value statements that override the “negative” perception or reasons for the hiring manager to say no. Let me give you an example. If you don’t have a college degree, and the position requires a college degree, you must figure out a way to create so much value for your ability to do the job and bring value to the organization, that you beat out every other candidate with a degree.
The best way to create that value for the economic buyer or hiring manager is to do a summary close when given an opportunity. What do I mean? When you are asked to “tell me why we should hire you over all the other candidates?” That is the opportunity you are waiting for in the interview. Take two minutes to recap your skills and abilities, your strengths and what you will bring to their organization. Getting an interview is great when you need a job and you have been waiting for the phone to ring. But getting the job offer means you closed the deal and employment is in your immediate future. Taking time to prepare for the interview by preparing for potential objections, and understanding your value will separate you from other candidates. Closing the deal is the outcome you plan for during your preparation. Then step into the interview, establish rapport, articulate who you are and what you will bring to the organization and close the deal!
Note: Marketing YOUrself is read (”Marketing You Yourself”)
Image Credit: Newscom
Tags: Interview Chatter, Closing the Deal, Marketing you yourself, Interview, Overcoming Objections, Hiring Manager, The Product is You, Job Opportunities
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 2 comments
December 13th, 2008
Government jobs are available in 2009. If you need a job, consider applying for a government job! Corporate jobs are hard to come by these days, but government jobs are available - they are not decreasing they are increasing. What are you waiting for? The government’s 2009 hiring needs have been reported: 193,000 mission-critical jobs must be filled over the next two years. Based on a survey of 34 federal agencies there are five career paths that are projected to hire at record numbers in 2009. Go to GovCentral.com to create a profile and begin to search through the available job opportunities.
Here are the 5 Career Paths:
1. Security, Enforcement & Investigation - 37,515 New Hires
2. Medical & Public Health - 25,756 New Hires
3. Engineering & Sciences - 23,806 New Hires
4. Program Managers & Administrators - 17,373 New Hires
5. Accounting & Business - 12,959 New Hires
If you have never worked for the government, do your homework. Find out about government careers. There are lots of websites available including GovCentral.com. Understand that the hiring process for government jobs is different than the hiring process for private industry. Complete all of the requirements. Thoroughly fill out the application.
Tags: Interview Chatter, Government Jobs Available, Security, Enforcement & Investigation, Medical & Public Health, Engineering & Sciences, Program Managers, Administrators, Accounting & Business, GovCentral.com, Do your homework, Careers, Hiring Process, Need a job? Jobs
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By Darlene McDaniel -- 1 comment
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