Daily Career Connection

Guest Post by Laurie Kahn

Interviewing can be one of the more stressful situations that a person can endure.  It doesn’t matter if you are a recent graduate or a seasoned worker of many years, interviews can be unsettling and can cause anxiety. 

Once the interview is set, your mind starts racing and questions pop up:  “What if they ask me something I don’t know how to answer?  What if I say something stupid? What if my palms get all sweaty? Will they like me?”

Here are some tips to help you ace the interview:

• One major tip to keep in mind, interviewing is a two-way street!  You should be interviewing the company to see if it is a good fit for you as much as they are determining if you are a good fit for them!
• Be prepared. Do your homework on the company that you are meeting. Check the website and annual report (if available); research products or service so that you are knowledgeable before you go on the interview. never go to an interview at a company that you have not researched — it will show!
• Find out the position of the person interviewing you: is it HR, a sales manager, a creative director, an office manager? This will help you when participating in the interview.  Prepare questions in advance and take them with you in writing. Times are changing and  many employers need to do more to encourage people to join their team, so asking questions will  help you determine is the company is a good fit for you. 
• What do people enjoy talking about most? Themselves!  Include questions to probe why the person you are meeting joined the company, how long they have been there, what got them interested in the industry, etc.
• Immediately upon entering the office, take a mental sweep of the area. Does anything stand out? Are there pictures of kids, pets, and hobbies? That is a great way to start a conversation to break the unease – “Are those your dogs? What kind are they? How did you pick that breed? Or “I see lots of pictures of sailboats, do you have one?” Or “I see you have an award for Outstanding Employee of the Year, how did you achieve that honor?”  Making some small talk can offer you both a few minutes to get to know each other before getting into more serious questions. Putting someone at ease is an art and will take you far!
• Use proper body language – don’t slump or lounge in the chair; don’t be arrogant and look the person in the eye!

Keep in mind, the person you have an interview with could be new to their job and be just as nervous as you!

About the Author

Laurie Kahn is Founder and President of Media Staffing Network, Inc. ™ the first staffing company to cater exclusively to media sales and associated departments for both temporary and permanent placement for the Agency, Broadcast, Cable, Internet, New Media and Print industries.  Successfully placing people since 1993, Kahn has expanded her practice, lending her staffing and sales management expertise to the general market. She is currently CEO and Co/Founder of All About Careers, a start up business which is a comprehensive resource for job hunters and corporations. www.mediastaffingnetwork.com

Mobile Technical Institute presents Sales Strategies That Work: How to Open Doors, Win Business, and Build Relationships, a Success Seminar Series workshop on Friday, August 28 from 9 am–4 pm at the MTI training center in Mobile, AL.

Looking for a way to recession proof your business? Want to become a more effective sales professional as well as a trusted resource for your customers and potential clients? There was a time when the “hard close” was an acceptable sales method, but it isn’t appropriate in the 21st Century. Today’s consumers and business owners rebel against that method. Learn what it takes to succeed in today’s tough economic climate.

Every sales person, sales manager, and business owner should be familiar with a needs-based sales process that always puts the buyer first.  Sales Strategies That Work: How to Open Doors, Win Business, and Build Relationships is designed for new and seasoned sellers, teaching them how to uncover a client’s needs through a consultative approach and guide them through the buying process. Relationship building is the key-element in this class. Topics covered include building trust, establishing belief, determining client needs, building and presenting a solution, maintaining a client relationship, and more. 

Seating is limited and pre-registration is required.  The seminar fee is $99.  To reserve your seat, register online or call  251-478-6848 . Continuing Education Credit is available for a wide variety of professional occupations. If you’re not in the Mobile, AL area and you’d like to bring this program to your company or association, call 251-478-6848.

Article Provided by Career Treking, LLC

Not necessarily, according to Career Treking, a job coaching firm based in Wellesley and Sudbury which specializes in helping college graduates find the right job.  The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that earnings for those who graduate in a recession are 9% lower than those who graduate in strong economic times and this gap may not close for a full decade.  Career Treking believes that the ambitious college graduate can narrow that salary gap much faster with appropriate career planning.

A study conducted by Professor von Wachter at Columbia University studied the impact on compensation on college students who graduate in a recession.  This study followed and measured the career tracks and compensation levels of 70% Canadian college graduates from 1976 through 1995, encompassing 2 recessions. 

The study found that job quality and job mobility were the two critical factors to close that pay gap 30 to 40% faster. 

o “Recession” graduates who found work in their chosen fields, no matter how low the pay or how temporary in nature were able to close that pay gap 30 to 40% faster than the group who took the first job available. When the economy rebounded, this group had developed the skills they needed in their chosen fields and found themselves to be the sought-after candidates.  
o Recession graduates who changed jobs more frequently than average closed the pay gap approximately 30% sooner. 

So how can the college graduate narrow the pay gap? 

o Set a wide range of goals in the chosen field/industry.  Candidates need to have a plan to develop the skills and experience they will need for an economic rebound.  The plan should be realistic and help them to demonstrate their capabilities. 
o Be prepared to change jobs frequently by mastering the art of networking and job searching. 

Career Treking has utilized this strategy with their clients since the economy tanked. “Last year, we worked with our clients to identify their dream job and then determine how the client could land that job.  This year, we are recommending that our clients continue to identify and pursue that dream job, but include backup plans that are realistic and will prepare the client for that dream job”, commented Susan Kennedy, senior partner at Career Treking.  Kennedy likens this process to the college application process: students typically identify their dream schools, schools they feel reasonably confident they will get accepted as well as their safety net.  If a student attends his safety school, he will still get his degree.  Likewise, if a young professional begins his career using “Plan C”, he will still develop the skills he needs to build his career and close that compensation gap sooner.

Take John, who worked with Career Treking.  John wanted to combine his double major in finance and marketing with his passion for sports apparel to land a job in brand management at Under Armor.  John knows the skills and experience he will need to approach Under Armor as well as the gaps in his background.  Career Treking helped him design a plan to build his experience and close his gaps.  Knowing that Under Armor is extremely competitive, John will also pursue an entry level marketing job at Reebok, Saucony and New Balance.  This back up plan (“Plan B”) will enable him to develop his marketing skills and obtain a proven track record of work experience that he can take to Under Armor in the future.  He will also pursue part time work at a high-end health club to market their international golf tournaments so he can get some direct marketing experience.  John identified a gap in his background: graphics design.  He will take a course at a local community college in graphics design.  John will learn the design piece and he will also make contacts that can help further his search. 

“John is not giving up on his dreams,” commented Mitch Bornstein, P.hD.,  founder of Career Treking.  “He is being realistic about the job market and has created a plan to move forward.  By developing the skills and experience he will need for that job at Under Armor, he will be ready to land the job and close any compensation gap sooner.”

In addition to setting a wide net of career goals, Career Treking works with their clients to teach them the life skill of networking and job searching so they can change jobs as frequently as they need to.  “Finding the right job is a life skill that’s best learned at the onset of one’s career”, added Bornstein.  “It puts you in charge of your own career and in any economic climate, it’s a critical skill to have.”  Career Treking provides extensive career assessments, interview skills training and job search strategies for its clients.  Their process has been documented and published in The Job Coach for Young Professionals, an interactive workbook designed to teach the life skill of job searching to college graduates and young professionals. 

 
About Career Treking LLC

Career Treking LLC is a job coaching firm that specializes in helping college graduates and young professionals identify and land the right job.  Based in Wellesley and Sudbury, Career Treking LLC provides customized career development programs to meet the needs of college graduates and young professionals in a challenging job market.  Career Treking LLC also works with current college students to help them build their resumes while still in college so they are ready to pursue their goals upon graduation.