Most job seekers have funny stories of awkward interview moments – names mangled, drinks spilled, flubbed answers to easy questions. Jobfully team members shared a few of their favorites including accidently offering a hug instead of a handshake at the end of the interview (carried away?) and accidently walking off with the interviewer’s notebook. Knowing that these things happen, here are some graceful ways to get through those awkward moments and maybe even make yourself look good in the process. Read More
Answering “What’s Your Biggest Weakness?”
Hiring managers love the question “What’s your biggest weakness?” because it tells them at least three different things about you:
- Are you self-aware?
- Are you honest?
- Is your “flaw” something they can live with?
If you answer “I work too hard for my own good” or “I’m my own worst critic,” you don’t show honesty or self-awareness and you don’t give the interviewer a clue about whether your flaw will work OK with the job they need to get done. So it’s important you give an honest answer, one that shows you know yourself, are addressing your weakness and have no problem so big it will interfere with your work. Read More
Are You Coming Across as Old?
Ask 40+, 50+ and 60+ job seekers and most will tell you they do not feel old. Yet even with resumes free of dates, hiring managers say some mature workers simply come across as “old”, making them less likely to be hired. Of course age discrimination is illegal. What these hiring managers are talking about is not discriminating based on date of birth, but rather preferring to avoid candidates who have traits and attitudes that make them seem out of touch, difficult to work with, unwilling to learn new skills or lacking in long term potential. Awareness of these conscious and unconscious messages can help job seekers of all ages come across better in every communication. Read More
Why You Need a Job Search Strategy
Job seekers often remark about the vast number of resumes they are sending out and the limited response. Or, they tell me they go to many networking events yet they haven’t generated results. The problem is that while sending out resumes or going to networking events is part of a job search, activity without a strategy will not generate success. Measuring a job search by number of resumes sent out or events attended leads to a false sense of productivity coupled with an increasing sense of frustration. Read More
“You’re Overqualified” – Turning Your Qualifications into Advantages
Experienced job seekers are sometimes frustrated to be told they are overqualified for a position. In part one of our series on this issue, we learned there are often hidden concerns behind the label “overqualified”. Part two focused on how to address these concerns. Today, going beyond addressing concerns, to really turning your qualifications into selling points. Read More
Positive Thinking and Job Search Success
One of the biggest factors in a successful job search is mindset. Last time we talked about some actionable items discouraged job seekers can take to turn around a negative outlook. Today, we want to provide some food for thought. Read More
Keeping A Positive Mind During Your Job Search
One of the biggest factors in a successful job search is mindset. Anger, frustration and discouragement can cause a job search to fizzle. Optimism, enthusiasm and an open mind will take job seekers in the direction of new and fulfilling work. Here are some things to do to keep a positive mindset. Read More
”You’re Overqualified.” – Addressing the real concerns
When addressing the issue of being “overqualified,” it’s critical to understand the true concerns behind the label. Last week we laid out what some of those concerns might be. Today, how to address them. Read More
Creating a Job Search Strategy for Success
Imagine trying to build a house without a blue print. You might have a great vision of what the end result will look like, but without a plan, your effort might be going into fruitless pursuit. It’s the same with a job search. A lot of people want to jump right in without a strategic plan that gets them to hired. It’s tempting to just apply to as many jobs as possible, but unfocused efforts only lead to frustration and a prolonged job search. Read More
“You’re Overqualified.” What are they really saying?
It’s not uncommon for experienced workers to be told they aren’t getting a job because they are overqualified. Expressing a willingness to work below past level and beneath past salary oftentimes is not the best strategy for dealing with this situation. Instead, it’s important to understand what specific concerns the hiring manager is raising. Deep experience should not be a liability but actually an asset in your job search. To bring it out, you need to address the underlying reasons directly. Read More