Jessica Pierce, co-Founder of Career Connectors, welcomed us to the event today. Our guests included about 25 first-time guests. She encouraged us to connect with new people – otherwise it means nothing for us to get us and leave the house. Don’t just attend a job fair or Career Connectors, connect with people and build relationships. Meet five new connections at each Career Connectors event you attend.

Landing with Body Language – Dan Brooks

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn

Dan opened with A tale of two interviews – It was the best of interviews. It was the worst of interviews.

Interview #1 Dan conducted a phone interview with a male prospective employee. Based on the phone interview he was “the guy” for the job. During the in-person interview the candidate stared at the table and never once looked Dan in the eye. Maybe he isn’t the man for the in-person sales position for which we are interviewing him.

Interview #2 was with a woman. The phone interview was okay but the in-person interview went really well. Dan’s boss asked how it felt post-interview. Why would he ask this? Because when we make an impression on someone it’s a feeling. You remember when you meet the person you’re going to hire

Maya Angelou quote: “People won’t remember what you said or what you did, but they will remember the way you made them feel.”

The difference is in the body language people have used. Be conscious of the following:

What signals are you sending?
Help you portray confidence, trust and positivity as you interview
Motivate you to learn more about body language

What is Body Language?

Communication is three parts. Verbal, tone and cadence and body language – what you say, how you say it and what you project.

Texting utilizes 7% of communication – there’s no context behind it. There’s no tone and cadence. It’s verbal/written only. That’s why Dan thought Interviewee #1 was great. There was very little on which to base his decision; there was no tone, cadence or body language.

Tone and cadence make up 38% of communication and body language makes up 55% of communication. Body language is universal. You don’t need spoken language to communicate. It’s not what we say, it’s how we say it.

Five Parts of Body Language

Facial expressions: What are you projecting to the person interviewing you? There are universal expressions that we automatically respond. A facial expression is worth at least 1,000 words. Smile – you put out what you want back so why not smile!
The Eyes Have It: You make more eye contact with people we like and with whom we agree. Consistent eye contact says we feel good about ourselves, we are trustworthy and know what we are talking about. Attentive listeners are making eye contact 70% of the time. Maintaining eye contact while you speak is seen as more persuasive.
Hands: Keep your hands where they can be seen. Palms up indicates you are sincere. Palms down means you are asserting yourself. Gestures help excite people about your ideas and facilitate a memory. Be careful during interviews that your sweeping gestures are kept to a minimum; it’s too dramatic for that setting.
Pitch & Cadence: Change your cadence. Are you excited? Speed up a little. Thoughtful? Slow down. Never jump to answer an interview question. Vary your pitch – it should match what you are saying. It’s memorable and keeps your interviewer awake. You want to project confidence, not dominance – you don’t need to speak loudly to do this.
Your Body: Sit on the edge of your seat rather that farther back where you will have a tendency to relax. Lean slightly forward, shoulders back. Standing: Hunched shoulders can send the signal that you are depressed, have low self-esteem and/or lack confidence. Always keep your shoulders back and stand tall – get big! Own your own space. Arms at side is best if standing, in the lap if sitting.

5 Tips to Appear Interested

Lean your head to the right
Occasionally smile at the person talking
Keep blinking
Nod in agreement, not in slumber
Shift your body – you want to get comfortable to really hear what is being said

Your language should match your words – your spoken words and words on your resume. These techniques are just part of a study of body language and can be implemented in a variety of situations, not just interviews.

Hiring Companies

State of Arizona – Jan Plank, Career Center Manager

You have to be an expert at something in today’s job market.
35,000 employees in 100 agencies
Opportunity – 25% of their workforce is getting ready to retire.
Certified as a great place to work for mature workers. Leverage your experience at the state level! 50+ job openings available today.

Tips for getting your next job with the State of Arizona

Apply online – Most are listed on the website www.azstatejobs.gov
Differentiate yourself from the competition – customize your resume for the position to which you have applied.
Google the department on the job posting to find people in the agency in which you want to work. Use networking techniques you would use on the private sector – ask friends and family who work for the state, connect on LinkedIn, find contacts online, etc..
How to apply – search for jobs, create an account, create a profile, apply for positions.

Manpower – Gail Cunningham, Metro Recruiter @manpower_inc

The Human Age: The world of work is changing regarding talent and workforce. Manpower – 10,000 people across 80 countries – placing employees in companies.

Customers know and expect more in today’s global market. Companies are looking for talent, job seekers with polished skills. Apply online – no more paper applications. Have trouble with this? A Manpower recruiter can help you. www.manpowerjobs.com for a current list of open positions in a variety of industries.

Education Management Corporation (EDMC) - Ray Baker, VP Academic Technology and Pam Zarnich, Director of Student Applications

110 campuses around the USA, 132, 000 students and 27,000 faculty

Mission: Help students obtain degrees for careers that change their lives. Focus on non-traditional students – re-starting a career, moving to another career, for example.

IT at EDMC – supporting 132,000 students plus faculty is a big job! Diverse technology platforms. Offices in Pittsburgh, PA, Robinson Township, PA and Chandler, AZ. 48 open IT positions open in these three locations. More than a dozen are in the Chandler office.

In Closing

Jessica closed us with a reminder to take a DISC Assessment. Job board is in partnership with Localwork.com – check out the postings!

Next event is March 6, 2013 in Phoenix where Jenn Kaye will be speaking about communication. Tuesday March 12, 2013 we will be back in Gilbert for Jack Dermody who will teach us how to read our interviewers. Please RSVP for these events.