Event: Craig Fisher on Social Media

Craig Fisher is from DFW and is VP of Business Development for People Report, an HR Intel SW Company, and host of the TalentNet Live #TNL recruiter forum. As a 15-year recruiting industry veteran, Craig is a social recruiting & new media branding strategist for job seekers and employers.

No sales pitch. Craig spoke to us last spring and blew us away with great information about personal branding. You won’t want to miss this!

WHAT: Social Media Brown Bag Lunch
WHEN: Friday, 1/14; 11-1pm
WHERE: Asbury UMC, 6767 S. Mingo
PARK: on the NE side of the church; come in the doors marked “Family Room”
COST: Free
QUESTIONS: Contact Russ Knight @ (918) 640-6148

5 reminders about interviews

5 REMINDERS ABOUT INTERVIEWS

When does the interview start?

How do you prepare?

What should you bring?

How do I leave it?

How should I follow up?

In looking up the definition of "Interview" I found it means: discuss formally with someone for the purpose of an evaluation.

When you're called to come in for an interview, I believe it is a TWO WAY evaluation. They have questions and so should you!

So when does the interview start? The evaluation begins before you walk in the door, even before you get the call for the interview. They're checking you out. They are studying your resume. They are looking at your online profiles. They are Googling you. While your preparation begins even before you submit an application, the interview, with the traditional understanding of them evaluating you starts as you pull in the parking lot and walk in their office. How you treat the receptionist matters. How you dress matters. What you bring with you matters. Everything factors in. There's an old addage about first impressions...I forget how it goes.

How do you prepare? What if they ask you as the first question, "What did you do to prepare for this interview?" If you tell them you looked at their website, could you tell them three things about it you liked, or three things you didn't like? That is a pretty common question because it shows how detail oriented you are. It shows how interested you are in the position. Beyond that, you can talk to people who work at the company - call up the sales department, tell them you are coming in for an interview and ask them for a few minutes to describe the product or service, features and benefits, challenges and competitive landscape. Sales people talk too much. Use that to your benefit.

Google them. Go check out their website. Go to competitor's websites. Look them up at Hoovers.com, Manta.com, Jigsaw.com, LinkedIn.com, check Google for news articles, check them out on Twitter and facebook too. See if they have a Wikipedia entry. The internet ruins any excuse you might have had for not knowing about their industry, their business and the competitive landscape.

Create a list of questions to ask during the interview. Some questions I suggest you have ready include:

* What obstacles will I need to overcome to be successful in this role?

* Could I schedule a time to speak to someone who is in a similar role?

* What are the key vendors that I will interact with?

* I found lots of information about competitors in this industry (list a few), but who are the ones we most often run into? (notice I said "we" painting a picture of me on this team. It might be presumptuous to lead with that but if you feel good about the conversation, consider it.)

* If they ask you to clarify an answer or go into more detail, feel free to ask them to clarify or add detail to something they answered.

Here are a two questions that you could ask to end the interview immediately. They might be polite, but if you ask these, the interview is over and you're toast:

1. So, what do you guys do here?

2. Tell me about your industry?

There are lots of websites dedicated to helping you come up with the questions you want to ask. Feel free to either print out your list or write them in the margins of your notepad. Some questions will get answered through the course of the interview without you asking. Cross it off your list and don't ask it if they already gave you the answer.

Right before you go in, have someone cued up to speak on the phone to remind you of how awesome you are. If you go in hat-in-hand begging for A JOB, any job! you aren't putting your best foot forward. Nothing stinks like a desperate salesman (and you are in sales selling YOU!)

Bring:

* At least a notepad, preferably a padfolio or something that you can keep everything in.

* A printed list of your references so you can be prepared. Even if they ask for it, you should only give those out if you are serious about going to work for that company. Feel free to say no if you have decided the company isn't a good fit.

* Two pens (at least) in case one quits or explodes on you.

* Several copies of your resume, in case you meet with more than one person.

How do you leave it?

Always thank them for their time and the opportunity to speak about the job. Ask them about how you should follow up. They will tell you they will get back to you and might even say they will get back to you by next Monday at the latest. If they say that or something even more vague, you should ask them if it would be OK to call if you don't hear from them by X - pick the day, I suggest three days after when they said they'd get back to you. This way you maintain some control and have gotten their permission for you to follow up.

How should you follow up?

Always send a hand written thank you note. If every job seeker sent thank you notes the way they SAY they send them, the USPS would be profitable. (rimshot!) You will differentiate yourself by sending a thank you note. Some say it's OK to send a typed out letter if your handwriting looks doctorish. Mention something that came up during the interview. Remind them of the kind of results you deliver . Make it specific to the job you want. Remind them that you are interested in this position.

I hope this is helpful. Live the Boy Scout motto and "Be Prepared"!

BHAD: Big Hairy Audacious Dare!

This message is written to those who participate in the job search ministries at FUMC in Tulsa, OK.

You have probably heard the term BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal) which is an almost too-big-to-believe goal. So I have a BHAD for you - a big, hairy, audacious dare.

THE DARE: Document your job search activities for the next month and share with the entire group via a weekly email what you have been doing, who you have been talking to, who you want to talk to, posts you've seen, articles you've read, jobs you have applied for, jobs you considered and didn't apply for, who you have met, how you followed up, the lessons you learned, the changes you make to your resume: everything.

Why?

The same reason we want you to tell us your story and take advantage of the launch pad. If I know (and by "I" I mean all 400+ people on our distribution list) know what you are doing for your job search and you show you are really hitting it hard, that makes it much more likely that I (and by "I" I mean all 400+ people on our distribution list) will know what you are doing, be more engaged with your personal search and may take the time to reach out and help you with contacts, your message, etc. You will be creating agents TO HELP YOU! You might also just encourage others who are stuck, feeling down, or otherwise not doing all they can to find a job.

So, will you take the dare? (Or are you yella?)

Post a comment if you'll take me up on this!

What's your Excuse?

WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE FOR NOT PURSUING YOUR JOB SEARCH FULLY RIGHT NOW?


The economy?
The holidays?
Multi-level marketing?
Temporary work?
Counting on something you're working on to come through?
Other little lies?

Historically, hiring slows down from mid-November until February. People get busy, budgets are tight, etc. This year looks to be different according to lots of people. Even if that were not the case, the holidays are a time when people connect – they go to Christmas parties, they go to office parties, etc. People gather during the holidays. You should take that as a reminder to wash your hands often and to get your resume out in lots of hands. You need to be networking NOW to get in front of people who will go to parties, talk about work with others and be able to say “I know someone who can help you solve that problem.” I don’t want to sound petulant, but I’m stomping my foot when I say you need to ramp up your networking activities now, now, NOW!

What else are you doing to delay your job search? Let me tell you a story about what I did. My first layoff was in October of 2007, just on the front edge of the economy, employment was still good then. I made lots of mistakes, but got hired from a posting I found online. It took me six months. Then, four months later I was let go again due to product limitations. So 10 months in, I’m again on the hunt and my confidence is shot. I took an opportunity to dive into a startup in September, 2008 which will forever be remembered for the financial collapse. After 8 months of broken promises of equity, low sales and virtually no income, I walked away. That startup effort was my excuse.

This week, the excuses I’ve heard for not job searching are multi-level marketing, the holidays and focus on temporary employment (a degreed professional working at a holiday skating rink.) If you want to pursue MLM, do it on the side, but don’t pretend you can beat the odds and make a career out of it. Get your feet on the ground first.

For that matter, please don’t take a commission only sales job that requires your full attention to distract you from getting something reliable. This is the voice of experience talking.

Could you hit a homerun with commission-only sales or MLM? Perhaps. The great majority of people do not and it ends up being another speed bump in their road to gainful employment.

No one I know spends 8 hours a day on their job search, even if they have the time to do it. My admonition for you today: Press hard now.

Even if you think "that company" will certainly call any day, you have to keep pressing. Meet new people, explore new possibilities, plan for the possibility that one great thing you're hoping for may not come through.

My sincere desire – and that of our volunteer team – is that you will find not just a job but THE job that God has for you.

Psalm 40:5 "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak of them they would be too numerous to count."

I sincerely hope you are encouraged in your job search. I know of one man who came to OJT in October and was hired two days later (for a grand total of 8 days out of work!) Congratulations Steve H.

Also, several people who have been on the hunt for quite a while have been hired. Take Rod C. for example. Rod’s background is in supply chain (purchasing/procurement) and I take it as a good sign when guys like him and HR people start get back into the workforce. SO BE ENCOURAGED!! If you aren’t, know that I am optimistic FOR you based on what I am seeing.

Many of you have moved on, gotten hired or have already gotten what you need from OJT. That’s great! Please help us spread the word if you value this offering. I hope to see you at OJT this Tuesday night at 6:30pm at Asbury. Come in the NE side of the church (opposite Mingo). We meet in “The Family Room”.

Does your resume contain Perissology?

Perissology Noun – “Use of more words than are necessary; redundancy or superfluity of expression”

I saw this in one of those goofy posts people make on facebook but saw this word and immediately thought of resumes. It could also be applied to every other blog post I've ever made. ever. Ever.

So, keep it simple, Steve or Sue.

The end.

Board of Directors for your Job Search

Imagine: You are the CEO and you have an active, helpful, thoughtful board of directors without any other agenda other than helping YOU succeed in running the company.

Have a challenge with a certain department and need advice?
Take it to the board.
Could you benefit from some additional accountability in your sales efforts?
Ask the board to help you.
Need someone to pump you up before a big meeting?
Talk to the board.

For a company, a board of directors is in place to provide oversight for the senior management and to represent the best interests of the stockholders. Typical duties include:
· Establishing policies and objectives
· Review of the chief executive’s performance
· Ensuring the availability of adequate financial resources (this is true too on a non-profit board)
· Approving the budget
· Accounting to the various stakeholders for overall organizational performance

Now that you are on your job search working for YOU, Inc. why not recruit a board of directors to support and advise you?

Specifically, this board of directors can serve you in:
· Accountability – are you networking well, making calls (how many?), and putting in a full day’s work? Some job candidates may need this more than others.
· Networking Contacts – These should be people who will take a meeting with you every so often for you to practice and to get more contacts.
· Cheerleaders – Being on a job hunt is tough. Sometimes you don’t feel like you have much to offer a prospective employer. Before an interview, calling someone on your board and saying “OK, tell me how great I am” may be exactly what you need to be sure the first interview turns into a second which leads to a job offer. If you go in feeling down about your search you might approach the interview with hat-in-hand feeling like you NEED a job, which is a tougher position to be in. Remember: you have value for the right employer! Find people who will remind you of that when you need it!
· Review for resume changes – Serve as your primary sounding board to help you refine your message.
· Evaluation – Sometimes you get so focused on the tactical elements of job searching or doing the job of job hunting, that you can’t step back and look at your search from a strategic perspective. That kind of evaluation can help you identify problems and needed changes in:
o Focus – what kind of jobs are you pursuing? Are you a good fit for the jobs you are pursuing or is there a problem with the market for the jobs you are pursuing (too many candidates, not enough opportunities?)
o Clearly stating your value proposition – Don’t tell a job seeker you want “a job”; you have to tell them what kind of problem you can solve for them.
o Networking – are you out meeting new people? How can you improve there?
o Resume – maybe there is something on there that is limiting your ability to get a first interview.
o Computer skills – are you using LinkedIn and other online tools well? How can you improve?
o Interview skills – If you are getting a lot of first interviews, it means you are doing some other things well, but if it doesn’t yield second interview and eventually job offers, perhaps there is a problem? Your board can help you determine what that is.

How I would build a board of directors.
1. Evaluate my network to determine who are possible role players for my board of directors. Some of the things I would look for would be:
a. Ease of communication; if they’re on an oil platform somewhere, or very busy at work or home, you might consider someone else.
b. Variety of experience with you; Include some good friends, but try to incorporate a mentor or two or someone you admire, and people you have worked with first hand.
c. Pros; someone who has some relevant professional experience (HR person, Staffing person, Senior hiring manager, etc.)
2. Develop a plan on how you are going to “train” your board of directors. Maybe use this post to help draft a job description for your board. Just like you are going through, you need to clearly communicate what the job entails before someone can agree to serve you in that capacity. Write it out.
3. Ask them for 20 minutes in their office. If you haven’t yet done this, go have a networking meeting with them. A networking meeting is an opportunity for you to meet with someone to get input and advice about your job search. If the initial meeting goes well and you have identified them as a potential board member, ask them about serving.
4. Set clear parameters for checking in with them. Try to keep the responsibility for communication as your responsibility, but set guidelines about when you want them to contact you. If you aren’t doing what you know you are supposed to be doing, they will call. Depending on how many people serve on your board, you could have regular phone contact and less frequent in-person contact.
a. Check in with two different board members each week, so a board of four people would hear from you every other week, plus maybe a monthly meeting.
b. If you are needing increased accountability, get five board members that you check in at the end of each day with a different one, so you call Tammy on Mondays and Jim on Tuesdays, etc. to report on what you have been doing.
c. Obviously, the more frequent contact, the higher commitment required by the person you are asking to help you.
d. Maybe you are really working hard and making lots of personal connections. GREAT! You may need less accountability and more strategic support to evaluate your search. Build your board to help you where you need it.

You may have various people serving you in this capacity already; at the very least be deliberate about who is supporting you in your search. Surround yourself with good people who will support you. Train people who are willing to help you. Bless you in your search!

OPINIONS

Everyone has them. When you’re on a job hunt, you may likely be in position to receive them with great frequency. Input and advice from one person may tell you to do just the opposite thing that the last person told you to do. How do you deal with the press of conflicting input?

When President Clinton was in office, one of the knocks on him was that he was overly concerned with public opinion. My memory was that he had teams of people taking polls before he would commit to a position.

In your job search, you may be getting more input than you can handle. What do you do with so much advice intended to be helpful?

My simple answer is do what you think is right.

YOU are the one who is looking for the job.

YOU are the one who will be in the interview.

YOU are the product that is being “sold” here.

In my search, I found it helpful to get lots of input. My suggestion to you is to take all that input and evaluate it based on who is giving it but more importantly what fits with who you are. If you aren’t comfortable with a suggested rephrasing of something on your resume, don’t use it. You have to be at ease with your message.

One recruiter last week told me that everyone should have their LinkedIn profile on their resume to give an interested reader a source for more information and to communicate you are up to speed on the latest technology and trends of job search. Another told me that you only put it on there if you are concerned that someone might make a value judgment about your age. Still another says not to put your LinkedIn profile on a resume because they will find you there whether it’s on your resume or not. So what do you do?

Do what you think is right.

The decision to do nothing is a decision too, and that's probably not a good choice.

Pursing a job search WELL means putting yourself in positions where you’ll be uncomfortable because you have to reach out beyond people you know. You must be making calls and for most people, that is uncomfortable. However, the input and advice you receive has to be run through your own filters to ensure the message you are communicating to prospective employers and others is right for you.