Follow up is one of the most important parts of networking. It doesn’t matter if you are in a formal interview or talking with an acquaintance on your softball team, follow-up is crucial to engaging and building. In the last part of our series on informational interviews, we explore follow-up for this type of networking. Read More
Conducting the Informational Interview
Informational interviews are a great networking tool when conducted correctly. In our previous posts on networking meetings, we walked you through goal setting, setting up and preparing for informational interviews. Now, how to effectively make the most of your time with your contact. Read More
Setting Up and Preparing for Informational Interviews
Informational interviews are an important part of a successful job search. In part one of our series, we established some of the goals for setting up informational interviews. Now, how to set up these meetings, and prepare for them. Read More
Making Informational Interviews Work for You
Informational interviews are an invaluable tool for today’s job search. While you never actually ask for a job during an informational interview, many do lead directly or indirectly to employment opportunities down the road. In part one of our series on information interviews, we look at why you should do informational interviews. Read More
Answering the Interview Question “Who Has Inspired You?”
Everybody has had a mentor, hero, or supervisor who has been inspiring. Interviewers sometimes ask applicants “Who inspired you?” or “Who has been the biggest influence on your career?” or “Who is a role model for you in your professional life?” While it may not necessarily be a tough question to answer, it can throw you if you’re not prepared. Read More
Answering “Tell Me About Yourself”
It’s one of the most predictable interview questions out there, yet many job seekers are still caught off guard when asked “So tell me about yourself”. Instead of dreading this question, job seekers should relish the chance to present themselves as an ideal match for the position for which they are interviewing. Read More
The Art of Follow-up
Some of the most common questions I hear from job seekers have to do with if/when/how to follow-up. Whether you’ve met a new contact, submitted a resume or gone in for interviews, appropriate follow-up is critical. Use your specific situation to determine how to best follow-up. Here are the basic guidelines as a start: Read More
Answering the Question “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
Where do you see yourself in five years? It’s a question many people face in interviews, yet don’t take the time to prepare for it. You may be tempted to envision where you’ll be in five years on a personal level, but that’s not an appropriate way to answer the question. Read More
Note Taking During Interviews
To take notes, or not to take notes: that is the question. Many job seekers might have been wondering about what to do about note-taking during job interviews. On the one hand, you want to write down important items that come up during the conversation. On the other hand, you don’t want to seem inattentive and distracted, or miss out on other important things your interviewer said while you’re busy writing down her last sentence. Read More
Balancing Being Confident and Being Humble
Job seekers are often given two pieces of potentially conflicting advice:
- Be humble
- Sell yourself
The two seem contradictory. Is there a way to do both? The answer is yes, but it takes great communication skills, self awareness, and practice. First understand the reasons behind each piece of advice. Read More