Interview Panic When You’re Rusty

Has it been a long time since your last job interview? Months? Years? How will you handle it if now an employer asks you to come in for an interview tomorrow?

After a long gap, despite all you’ve heard and read about interviewing, a sense of panic can set in when there is little preparation time. Maybe you thought you’d never reach this crossroad again. You’re gulping, breathing a little harder or worried you won’t sleep tonight.

It’s time to quickly oil up the rusty pipes and get ready. There are some techniques to stave off panic while preparing to put on your best self and win the job.

Start by mapping out your day, and then sticking to your plan. Your day could look like this:

9:00-10:00 a.m.—Review the company’s website thoroughly and read the job description again, taking note of key words. Check online for the latest industry issues that may be affecting the company’s business.

10:00-Noon—Review and practice telling your best success stories and answering potential tough questions. (Didn’t write any success stories yet? Now’s the time to make some bulleted notes you can use as talking points.)

Noon-1:00 p.m.—Take a full lunch break away from your computer. Eat healthful foods that give you energy and a sense of well being.

1:00-3:00 p.m.—Print resumes and compile your portfolio or other visual materials. Write down the address where you’re going and the phone number. Organize what you will bring with you, review it once and then set it aside in a staging area for your departure.

3:00-4:00 p.m.—Time for some exercise or a fresh air walk. Don’t skip this in your day. It’s important for your whole being, especially your brain.

4:00-5:00 p.m.—Pick out your interview clothes. Press or shine anything that needs it. Assemble your complete outfit in a convenient spot so you have no clothing decisions to make before you leave for the interview.

5:00 p.m.—Call it a day. Relax over a good meal and light evening activities, such as reading.

Get to bed early. A full night’s sleep of 7-8 hours can make an important difference in your energy level.

If you methodically plot out your time this way, adjusting for what works best in your personal situation, you will have covered all the bases and be as ready as you can be to win over the recruiter or hiring manager…and get that job.

Do Your Homework Before Accepting a Job Offer

It may seem counterintuitive in today’s tight job market to think of turning down a job offer, but what if you took a job and then found out you’d entered a lion’s den or a totally dysfunctional organization? It’s happened to many of us—everything seemed good on the surface, but inside it was another story.

You can increase your odds for job satisfaction, longevity and general happiness at work by doing some advance work—if not before applying, at least before accepting an offer.

Before you get to an interview, research the company or organization by searching on LinkedIn or Facebook for recently departed employees you can contact for an inside perspective. Use your network. Also, look for news items, S&P data, stock values and annual reports to see if the company is on good financial and ethical ground.

When you arrive for an interview, get to know the receptionist (if there is one) a bit. Notice how you are greeted. Use this opportunity, only possible when inside the building, to gather intelligence on various aspects of the company. Notice, for instance, how people relate to each other. Ask how long people you meet have worked there and what they like about being there. Observe body language and listen for oral clues to staff morale.

Try to ascertain how the company operates. Do departments operate in silos or are there functional, cross-departmental teams? How are employees evaluated—once a year or regularly, one way or 360, formally or informally?

Assemble your findings to create your own employer profile—not the one they publicize. Rate what you found against your own priorities. Then you can make at least a relatively informed decision that could make the difference between taking a job that will last or one that will disappear in a short time—or one that will be fulfilling compared to one that will make you miserable.

What Should You Bring to a Job Interview?

When you arrive for an interview, you want to be prepared for all possibilities, especially probing questions. After all, the goal is to get the job you want. You should also bring a few items that will help you shine and leave a positive and indelible mark in the interviewer’s memory. This is your chance to beat out the competition—in person. What should you bring?

What you bring depends on your past or intended line of work and what’s relevant to the position being filled, and it also depends on who is interviewing you. Recruiters, unless they are specialized, probably won’t want to see a portfolio, but hiring managers will. Charts and graphs showing financial success could work in your favor in either situation. If writing samples are required, in most cases, you should plan to send them electronically.

If you bring a portfolio of work samples, such as design or project work, it is important to keep it simple. You don’t want to be encumbered by a pile of materials or shuffling papers around during the interview. The focus should be on you, not your stuff. You also don’t want to overwhelm the interviewer and take up too much time.

Here’s a brief list of the main items that you might need:

• Portfolio or other recent, relevant documents—enough to use as talking points or visual demonstrations of your capabilities 
• Copies of your resume printed on quality paper—enough for each person you will meet (check ahead to be sure)
• Pen and notepad or notebook—for taking notes for yourself and to show your interest (just don’t overdo it)
• Calendar, if you carry one (but keep your Blackberry or cell phone on mute and out of view)
• MOST IMPORTANT: A well rested and prepared YOU

 For more, see these earlier posts on portfolios:

Portfolios for Creative Non-Creative Job Hunters
Your Portfolio Can Put You in the Spotlight…or Out

“Uh, Hi. Um, I’m here for an interview”—Are You Communicating Well?

How well do you communicate in an interview? Do you hem and haw, add a few “ums” and leave “pregnant” pauses that leave you wondering afterward how you did? For people who are not public speakers or used to talking about themselves, an interview can be full of trepidation before, during and after they speak their first word.

There are various techniques for preparing for an interview that will help you overcome the heebie jeebies. First, you need to know yourself. Make notes and write up some of your recent best successes that show why you should be hired, ones that could easily translate into business success for your potential new employer. Be sure to include relevant, meaningful key words that suit your line of work. Keep in mind who’s going to be listening.

Then rehearse talking about these successes, either by yourself, with a friend, on video or in front of a mirror. There are plenty of lists of interview questions on the web that you can practice answering, including that proverbial one, "Tell me about yourself and why I should hire you."

You don’t want your answers to be over-rehearsed so they sound canned or inauthentic. You just want to be comfortable enough with talking about yourself, what you’ve done and what you offer an employer that you speak in smooth, clear and logical sentences. Think of it as telling your story in a conversational way.

Take notes, or have someone do it for you, of how many times you say “um” or “er” or the like, and of your eye contact. Try pausing briefly to breathe instead of inserting one of these non-words. If you are using a mirror, notice the expression on your face. Is it earnest, friendly, thoughtful, worried or intense? Try to adjust your facial expression to keep any anxiety from showing.

Then try it all over again, modifying what you did wrong before. And do it again, and again. In fact, you should practice until you can tell your story like it’s one you’ve been telling all your life and so it comes across as if you are telling it for the first time.

Here’s an interesting self-assessment tool from Mind Tools to evaluate your communication skills.

Text and word art: Copyright 2010, Cynthia C. Rosso

10 R’s to Keep Your Job Search Alive When Winter Interferes

You were going gangbusters at searching for a new job to replace the one you lost through a layoff or other job loss. Then winter hit with full force.

It’s frustrating waiting for roads to clear and the job market to get back into full swing after blizzards and other natural interferences. What can you do in the meantime? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Review your strategy and make adjustments. Are there avenues you haven’t explored yet?
2. Research companies online to find those that might be a good fit and build a plan for getting inside for informational interviews.
3. Read books, blogs and articles by recruiters and other HR experts on conducting an effective job search.
4. Revise or update your resume and online profile.
5. Reconnect with your networking circle, checking in to see how they are doing, share interesting articles and make future plans.
6. Reorganize your files and workspace.
7. Ready your wardrobe in case you are called for an interview.
8. Recharge your energy with some exercise and healthy eating.
9. Reminisce a bit about your past accomplishments and write up some success stories you can discuss in cover letters and at interviews.
10. Rehearse your 30-second elevator speech—or write the one you don’t have and practice it.

© 2010 Cynthia C. Rosso

Don’t Hold Your Breath—Be a Proactive Jobseeker

Suppose you submitted an application, made it through the first cut, had a phone interview and went on to an in-person interview. You are a success story already, even if it doesn’t feel that way yet. Every time you make it to the next level, you have achieved a goal.
Suppose you’ve even had two interviews, having made it to the finalist level, maybe even the top two. What should you expect next? Assuming the interview went well, your hopes are high for an offer.

You go home, write and send your thank-you note, and wait. How long should you wait? What is your strategy?

It is kosher and advisable to ask at the interview, if it hasn’t already been stated, what the time line and decision process will be.

However, don’t hold your breath. If a long time passes and you haven’t heard, there are a couple of likely scenarios. One is they have decided to delay making a decision or they are just slow—in other words, no offer has been made yet. The other is that you didn’t get the job.

No matter which scenario may be at play, take the initiative yourself to make a call or write an email to the lead interviewer, recruiter or hiring manager. Use this contact as an opportunity to restate your interest in the position. If it has not been filled yet, you increase your odds another notch by being proactive. If the job went to someone else, you will have closure so you can stop hoping this one will come through and put it behind you.

Shoes—A Detail That Can Affect Your Job Chances

In the past two weeks, I have focused my attention—while commuting by subway into the city—on feet. It started when I glanced across the aisle at a professionally dressed traveler who neglected (or chose not) to wear socks in his shiny loafers. Either way, he seemed unfinished.

There have been many interesting pairs of feet in the stations and trains. Some are shabbily shod with worn down heels, thin spots, dulled and scuffed leather, and even worse. Then there are the flip flops (even on cold days), humongous furry boots (even on warm days) and enormously long-pointed, needle-heeled showy shoes that make my feet hurt looking at them. Most others are wearing walking shoes for the commute, presumably because they have shoes at the office reserved for wearing at work only.

If you are a job seeker, your footwear decisions can be very important. Shoes can offer a lot of clues about you. Reportedly, many recruiters and hiring managers take notice of what’s on your feet the moment you walk into the interview room. And more often than not, first impressions can determine your fate. Within seconds, assumptions are being made as to whether you will fit in to the company culture.

Clean, polished, sensible but stylish shoes that complement your outfit, preferably a tailored suit in a neutral color, send a clear message that you pay attention to detail and want to make a good presentation. They mean you want the job. Paying attention to such a seemingly small detail will also take the interviewer’s focus off your feet and bring it back to you, where it belongs.

Preparing Ahead for Curveball Job Interview Questions

If you have a spotless background—never made a single error—then hats off to you. You are a rarity. As humans, it is normal to commit gaffs on the job such as misjudgments, hasty decisions, misspoken words, overlooked details, and so on at some time in our careers. Since not everything goes perfectly all the time, you need to think ahead how you would handle a curveball question.

It’s the curveball questions that can trip you up, especially if you are not ready for them. Try answering one of these without any preparation:

1. Tell me about a decision you have made that turned out to be wrong.

2. Describe an incident where you disagreed with an executive decision.

3. We all make mistakes. Tell me about one of your worst.

4. What was the worst job you ever had?

5. In what area are you weakest?

The list could go on, and I suggest that you make your own list of questions. Include the questions you’d rather not have to answer, ones that might point to embarrassing events or your own errors.

Then, as an exercise, privately write out your answers truthfully, laying out the worst details in no more than a paragraph. Next take a look at what you’ve written and think about how you resolved these situations when you were under fire, in a tight spot, or just plain wrong. Did you learn anything from these experiences? Did they influence how you acted later to ward off the same kinds of ill events?

Whatever actions you took during or after a mishap—the ones that fixed the problem, saved the company unneeded expenses or embarrassment, or kept you from repeating the unfortunate situation—those are the ones you want to focus on during an interview. By demonstrating that you can step up to the plate to solve problems, learn from your errors and shoot for positive outcomes, you will show how you can handle any pitch, even a curveball.

The Curveball Interview Question—Don’t Let It Toss You Out

“So, tell me about your worst campaign,” asked the interviewer. The candidate, an experienced but young association professional, wasn’t ready for this question.

The “worst case” question is the proverbial curveball, thrown at the candidate to see if she can think quickly, solve problems and learn from mistakes.

Three scenarios came quickly to her mind:

1. An assistant neglected to match the names on letters with the addressed envelopes for a large mailing.
2. The applicant herself inserted the wrong year on a renewal form.
3. A temporary helper hired to fold letters and stuff envelopes, who reported for duty wearing 3-inch fake fingernails, wound up getting her blood red nail polish on the letters.

Given these three stories as my options, I like the fingernail story, because it injects a bit of humor into a serious answer, while giving her a chance to show how she addressed the problem. Perhaps she noticed the red marks on the letters early on and thus staved off a costly disaster. She may have called the agency to ask for a new temp after seeing what was happening. There are many possible approaches, but ultimately, she needs to demonstrate for the interviewer how she took charge of the situation and turned it around. Did she supervise temp staff more closely after that event? Did she change agencies? Did the mailing end up going out on time despite having to reprint some letters? Did it affect the bottom line for the campaign?

Of course, if the scene was a true disaster, she shouldn’t bring it up at an interview.

When asked to describe a negative event, job candidates should shape their answers in terms of positive outcomes, lessons learned and what they did the next time.

Watch for my next post on planning ahead for curveball questions.

The Old Fashioned Thank-you—Your Post Interview Spotlight

People like to be thanked for gifts or attention. It’s human nature. The same principle applies in the job hunting process.

After an interview, there is nothing better than a formal, personally written thank-you note from you to solidify you in your interviewer’s memory. It also shows your attention to detail and follow-up. Saying thank-you is done all too seldom, so your note of gratitude will make you stand out. It’s like shining a spotlight on yourself.

Prepare ahead by purchasing a set of simple thank-you cards and postage stamps, and do this before you even send out resumes. Consider them a necessary staple in your job hunting toolbox.

Why not just send an email? Emails these days are ordinary and easy to lose in the mass of other emails everyone receives. A note on card stock in a small envelope, written in your own handwriting (printing is also fine) will emerge as unique in the office mail.

Here is what your note should include:

• The date
• A formal greeting, such as “Dear Mr. Jones,” unless you are writing to an old friend, in which case you can use the first name
• Your personal statement of appreciation for their time, information and interest in you
• A brief mention of something about the job or company discussed during the interview.
• A reiteration of what you offer that will be of most value to the employer.
• A restatement of your interest in the job and working with them.
• A professional closing, such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards”
• Your full signature

The note should be short and friendly but professional, and enthusiastic but not gushy. Because it will be hand written, draft your note on the computer or a separate piece of paper. That way you can edit and improve it before transcribing it onto your purchased note card.

Mail your note the same day as the interview or at least the next morning. In today’s competitive job market, being first and being timely are highly important.

Passing Unemployment Milestones and Focusing on the Future

Many who were laid off earlier this year or before are still on the market for a job. There’s no denying that job hunting in today’s environment is more challenging than when the economy was booming. You can’t change historical facts, but you can change your future reality.

If you are passing an unemployment milestone, say six months or more, maybe it is time to take stock of your accomplishments to date.

Have you:

• Sought advice from friends and experts?
• Lined up your references?
• Had your resume professionally critiqued?
• Regularly updated your online profile?
• Networked at every opportunity?
• Followed up on leads given to you by friends and former colleagues?
• Shared job leads with fellow jobseekers?
• Developed or participated in a support network?
• Contacted recruiters?
• Attended workshops and seminars to keep your skills up?
• Enrolled with temporary agencies?
• Kept in touch with your contacts?
• Volunteered anywhere?
• Joined Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn groups?
• Conducted informational interviews?
• Updated your portfolio?
• Started a blog or your own website?

While these are great steps to take, especially if you have done them all, you might respond, “Yeah, but,” because so far they haven’t landed you a permanent job. However, at this juncture in your quest for re-employment, it’s okay to congratulate yourself for what you have accomplished…for a moment…and then move forward.

Rather than sagging into the dumps, now is the time to try new angles and ramp up your efforts. Instead of losing steam because of the time passed, energize yourself and get going.

Portfolios for Creative Non-Creative Job Hunters

You may not design beautiful brochures or websites, but I’ll bet you have put together a report or two, maybe with graphs or charts. Maybe you wrote a portion or all of an investor report or contributed to last year’s annual report. Can you show critical path and milestones for a project you managed in a Gantt chart? How about SOPs you wrote or an executive summary?

There are lots of creative ways to demonstrate your abilities with visual effects even if your work itself is not in the creative arts. Portfolios are not just for writers or graphic designers. When you walk into an interview, it creates more impact if you have something visual that you can show while you discuss your role and the outcomes of your contribution.

Fill a portfolio with your best recent examples, including PDFs, web pages or other documents (printed in color) that graphically demonstrate your business skills (without divulging proprietary or confidential information) in developing such initiatives as:

• proposals


• plans


• programs


• policies


• profits


• problem solving


• positive results
  

When the interviewer says, “So, tell me about yourself,” you’ll be ready to talk about your accomplishments in a novel way. In today’s highly competitive market, it should make you a standout candidate who will get the job.

10+ Portfolio Tips for Creative Professionals

If you’ve been out of the job market for a while—now thrust into it by a layoff or other job loss—your portfolio has likely been languishing on a shelf. Hopefully, you’ve been saving samples of your work in your recent jobs in case you needed them someday. Now is the time to dust off or replace your old presentation binder and start all over with a winning portfolio. Here are some tips to help you make your portfolio a tool for job hunting success:

1. If your presentation binder is old and worn, buy a new one. Look for an attractive, professional one that will be durable, flexible and easy to carry.
   
2. Research the types of materials produced by the employer. Ask in the phone interview what types of pieces they would like to see.
   
3. Customize your portfolio to the organization’s needs and the job description.
   
4. Make sure your portfolio contents are fresh, bright and interesting with no torn or spotted pieces.
   
5. Organize your pieces by type or by employer, whichever seems most logical for your presentation.
   
6. Put your award winners, if any, up front.
   
7. If your work is online, do screen captures and print them. Explain what your role was and the outcome.
   
8. Inquire ahead if you want the option of showing your portfolio in presentation slides or online, to make sure the employer’s office is equipped, particularly if you are interviewing with a group. Test your electronic presentation at home before arriving for the interview. Technical glitches can be spoilers.
   
9. Time your presentation to no more than 10-15 minutes. Practice by showing it to a friend or family member.
   
10. Talk about your work as you show it, relating how it fit into the business plan, what your role was and what the results were.
    
11. Highlight any comprehensive projects you had and how you managed them.

Your Portfolio Can Put You in the Spotlight…or Out

Standing out in the crowd is harder when the crowd is bigger, as it is in today’s job market, but there are ways to make yourself a true standout, and among them are your portfolio and how you present it.

If you do any type of creative work, whether it’s writing, design, web development, signage, art or making presentation slides, to name a few, a portfolio is a must. However, it can take a lot of different shapes. Let me tell you about three portfolios I have seen.

Worst: A candidate showed me samples in his portfolio that were completely off the mark from the type of work I needed, although once I noted it, he said he had those back at home. It was already too late. The image was set. The portfolio should have been reset ahead of time to match the job, showing similar pieces done for other groups. In addition, the presenter should be enthusiastic about his or her own work. This one showed no excitement, no real sense of pride. I was left cold.

Bad: One portfolio that scored low with me had obviously been sitting on the shelf a while. A graphic designer was showing it to me, pulling out piece after piece from a faded presentation binder. Before the meeting, I expected to be dazzled by the design. Instead, the portfolio was disorderly and the samples were old and stale. There was nothing that said “hire me” in any of the work.

Best: The best portfolio I have ever seen was not only targeted, but it was delivered with panache and a bonus. The candidate arrived for the interview with a binder that showcased her recent writing and project management experience, both for print and online media, organized with tabs for different types of projects. The cover was personalized for me and my organization, and when she left she gave it to me. She had clearly done her homework, too. We had talked about a planned overhaul of a publication during our phone interview, so, inside the binder cover, she included a three-page thoughtful proposal for how the project could proceed. It didn’t matter that not everything in it was actionable. What mattered is the research and effort she put into it. I was sold.

A Sudden Cloudburst on Your Way to the Interview

Here’s a scenario for you:

When you leave home the weather is sunny and bright and forecast to remain so. It’s a great day for an interview. You are dressed in your best—sharp looking and ready to present yourself as a professional. Your hair looks great; your shoes are polished. You feel confident.

You step off the Metro train a few blocks from your destination, go through the turnstile and ride up the escalator to the street. The sun is completely gone, and it’s pouring cats and dogs! Puddles are everywhere, and you have blocks to walk without an umbrella.

What would you do?
1. Panic
2. Resign yourself to looking (and feeling) awful
3. Use your imagination

If you pick 1 or 2, your interview is probably doomed. If you choose to use your imagination, you can grab a free newspaper or apartment guide from the machines that surround Metro entrances and hold it over your head while you run for cover along your walking route. You could also quickly buy an umbrella in a nearby shop or from a street vendor. If you planned ahead well enough, you might be early enough that you can slip into a coffee shop to wait out the downburst, because in D.C. such storms usually quit as quickly as they start.

And, if you get to your interview a little disheveled, with hair out of place and a few water spots on your shoulders, legs and shoes, who will care? Only you. So, visit the rest room to comb your hair, pat yourself dry and reenergize that confident air you left home with. Approach your interview with hand outstretched to say hello, and smile. It’s your day no matter what the weather is doing.

Marketing Yourself for a Job—Gather Your Playing Cards

There are resources you should gather right away after a layoff. And, if you still have a job, make this a “just-in-case” preparation measure.

RESUME—Your resume is the most obvious resource, and it is one that should be addressed quickly and updated constantly, even when you are still employed. Seek out some expert advice on your resume content and format, and make sure it has not one single error in it.

SUCCESSES—Have you thought about your achievements, i.e. what you have done that you can call a success? Write up short success stories while you can still remember the details. Be sure to include data, if you can quantify your accomplishments. Being able to tell “your story” will come in handy in letters and interviews. Highlighting your achievements on your resume will draw attention to the value you offer.

KUDOS—Save any congratulatory messages or recognition that you may have received for successful projects or outcomes. Have them ready and at your fingertips when you write a cover letter or prepare for an interview.

AWARDS—Won any in recent years? If so, add them to your resume and your online profile.

PORTFOLIO—Depending on your career line, a portfolio may take different forms. In any case, it should be visual, showing documents, products or charts and graphs that showcase your skills and best efforts. You can post your portfolio on a personal website, but you should also have PDFs ready. (Recently, I saw a job announcement that specified “no links” for writing samples submitted with resumes.) In other words, keep your options open.

These resources will be covered in more detail in upcoming posts.