Career Advice Blog

Networking…Evolved for 2018

October 24, 2018 by Linda Luman

networking gears Networking is often described as the most important factor in getting a job, landing a promotion or even holding on to a desirable position.

Yet, people often hear the term and think it means they must attend functions where they must introduce themselves and hand out business cards, and ask strangers for job leads. If that’s what you are thinking, think again.

Networking has evolved into a process of building solid professional relationships that involve exchanging communication, ideas and information. It’s about creating ongoing dialogue with peers, associates, individuals in positions you may aspire to, and those with knowledge and insight into your profession – or a profession in which you may have interest.

Building a network
To make networking work for you, start by identifying people you already know. Those who know you, your background and your skills represent a key network foundation. From there, you can expand and develop your network both online and off. Consider these avenues:

Online sources: Sites such as LinkedIn offer effective ways to get in touch with people with whom you have worked or know on a more casual or social basis. They, in turn, may be able to introduce you to other people you’d like to get to know. It pays to do more than just “connect” in these online groups. Take some time to learn how to use and leverage resources on the sites.
Career and leads groups: In many locations, you’ll find groups that exist to share job leads and opportunities. Beyond finding out about specific positions, these groups can help you get a better idea of what organizations are hiring in your area. They also can be excellent sources of tips and advice on how to improve your presence in other networking situations, online and off.
Professional groups: Almost every profession has an association or informal group, online or off, to further education and connections within the field. Do some research to identify the ones that best meet your goals, and become active in those.
Community organizations: Whether it’s a neighborhood association, church committee, volunteer opportunity, hiking group or your Spanish language class, you often can effectively expand your network close to home. General business groups, such as Toastmasters and the local Better Business Bureau, can also be good resources.

Getting started
Networking is far less intimidating when you realize it’s really not all about you. Take the approach of learning something interesting about others. Start by asking questions about the person with whom you are talking. Learn about his or her business, career path and interests outside the workplace. Even in social situations, good conversation can easily include the chance to ask someone about what they do in their work and about their company.

Learn by listening – carefully. A good two-way conversation will almost always lead into the other person taking an interest in what you do and what you’d like to do.

As you expand your network, you’ll find that you will continue to meet more people and make more connections, receive valuable career advice and learn of job opportunities – often before those positions are openly posted. This means you can come to a company through a referral, which can be positive for both you and your referral source.

Through developing a network, you’ll likely learn about companies and organizations – of all sizes and types – whose names you may not immediately recognize, but that could open the door to new opportunities. You’ll gain input on interview preparation and may meet important role models and mentors.

Remember, too, that networking is not just a one-time activity to do while job-hunting. Developing a professional network is an ongoing activity throughout your career that will help you improve the quality of your work and increase job satisfaction.

Looking through the employer lens
Understanding the benefits networking accrues to employers also can help you understand the benefits of career-long networking.

Companies frequently fill jobs through trusted referrals, without posting the positions. They frequently find that referral employees are better performers, and create more engagement in the business when hired. Employees hired through referrals typically have longer retention periods. Many human resource executives consider referrals the “secret weapons” in building performance-driven organizations.

It may be time to update your definition of networking, and view the process as an ongoing way to meet and learn from new, interesting people. You will find doors opening to opportunities that very well might otherwise stay closed.

Should you post your resume online?

May 30, 2017 by Jeri Hird Dutcher

Written by: Jeri Hird Dutcher
Professionally edited by Kitty Carlisle

First, understand that posting your resume online is not a guarantee of a job. Everyone knows someone’s brother’s friend’s cousin who landed a high-paying job by posting a resume online. It has taken on the status of an urban legend.

In fact, the success rate is miniscule. Online resume posting has only an 8% success rate for discovering an opportunity. That doesn’t mean getting the job; it means finding a job to apply for. (Source: http://julliengordon.com/50-job-search-statistics-successful-job-seekers-need-know)

Another downside to posting your resume is that it can become dated. If recruiters see your resume day after day, week after week, they start not seeing it at all. It’s like a house that is up for sale for too long. People start assuming there is something wrong with it.

You must also carefully guard your personal information when posting your resume. Job boards will require you to register. Be sure not to divulge your birth date or Social Security Number in an online application unless you are applying for a federal job. Remove your home address and home phone number from your resume before posting it. The heading of your resume should contain only your name, cell number, and disposable e-mail address such as one from Gmail. Make sure your email address is professional, such as LastNameFirstName@gmail.com.

Considering the negatives, don’t think of resume posting as your job search strategy. Rather, think of it as a small part of your strategy.

The upside to posting your resume

If you add your resume to the millions already online, it becomes available for employers to search by using criteria known as keywords. Make sure your resume includes the proper keywords for the position you want to apply for. Find the keywords in the requirements listed in the job posting of the position you desire.

Upload your resume

Usually, the job board will offer a “resume builder.” Upload a PDF of your resume if possible. A PDF is a picture of your resume rather than an editable version. That is desirable so that the builder doesn’t change the appearance of your resume automatically. One client who uploaded a Microsoft Word resume found, to his horror, that the bullets in front of each line had been turned into skull and crossbones.

If you must copy and paste the version of your resume, be sure to review and revise your information as you enter it. Pay close attention to the formatting to make sure lines
end where they are supposed to, the bold type is still bold, tabs are placed correctly, and no odd characters have been added.

Don’t volunteer information such as age, gender, or nationality, or answer“bonus”questions that can hurt your chances. Instead, study the questions and formulate answers to them in case they are asked in an interview.

Do your homework on Salary.com before answering questions about your target salary. It’s OK to include a number; just make sure it fits your target level.

Cover letter

Some job boards will request a cover letter. Others will have a place titled Additional Information or something similar where you can upload it. Again, upload a PDF if given the choice.

Save and print

Save your entry occasionally in case you time out or there is a server interruption. When you complete your entry or upload, preview it to make sure it looks professional, is readable, and represents you well. Print it, create a PDF, or copy and paste the online copy into a text editor and save it.

Click apply

Now, you can view a job posting and click on Apply. Your resume will be available to the company’s recruiter.

Since online resume posting yields such a small return on your time investment, be sure not to spend more than 10% of your job search posting your resume.

Lessons from Larry

May 26, 2017 by Pamela Heward

Written by Pamela Heward

Professionally edited by Kitty Carlisle

I met Larry at the beginning of my career as a job placement counselor, He arrived one day, just as our office opened; he was eager and motivated. What was unique about Larry is that he was completely deaf in one ear and about 80% deaf in the other. Because of this, he spoke with a speech impediment. Even if I was not able to understand every word he said, there was no misinterpreting his laser focused determination. I quickly learned that he was a skillful lip reader. He explained that it had been a difficult road getting out on his own and how in the past, interviewers seemed uncomfortable when they heard his speech impediment and would quickly end the interview.

His enthusiasm and determination was contagious, though, and I joined his quest to gain his independence and land the perfect job. I introduced my clients to Larry with an explanation of his challenges and a solution he presented to me. It was brilliant in its simplicity:

If you want to speak with Larry, tap him on the shoulder first.

If they were willing to do this, he would be able to do whatever job they gave him. This was all it took to open the door to Larry’s future! The jobs were temporary assignments at first, but quickly led to a permanent full time position.

I don’t remember his particular job skills, what part of town he lived in or what level of education he completed. What I remember is his passion and determination to live on his own. He knew Why he was there and knew that he was not going to give up until he achieved what he was looking for.

I understand that finding a new career is one of the hardest “jobs” you may have. You may endure several “Nos” and several “Nothing at alls”. Do not be discouraged. Learn from Larry:

Get clear about your “Why” and your passion for it.
Search for people and resources that are willing to help you (don’t stop til you find them).
Once you are given an opportunity to prove your value, be prepared.
Whatever your challenges, remember you are not alone.

Psychology of the Interview

May 3, 2017 by Carl Forkner

Written by: Carl B. Forkner, Ph. D.
Professionally edited by Kitty Carlisle

You crafted a beautiful resumé. You attended Career Connectors and got some great advice. You networked with professionals in your industry.

And then you get that call—a company that you have targeted for career potential wants you to come in for a face-to-face interview! Your next question…what do I do to win the interview?

The operable term here is simple—prepare—but the challenge becomes how to prepare. Most people meeting managers for a job interview know the basics—have copies of paperwork for each interview board member, get a haircut, shine your shoes, dress for success, etc. In other words, you are thinking about the same things that pretty much every other person going to an interview does. What you need to win the day is to make yourself special … you know, just like everyone else.

With this in mind, you must go beyond the traditional and the expected in order to have a successful interview; to do this, you have to quit focusing all of your time on things and shift some of that focus to people. This is where psychology comes in. How can we use psychology to make us unique to the interviewer and make a favorable impression? It is all about being human.

How Psychology Works

Humans are genetically predisposed to respond to visuals differently than other stimuli; from early childhood development, children master skills based on visual cues before they develop verbal language and well before the advent of reading and writing skills. The psychologist Jerome Bruner presented data that shows how visual communication has a significant impact on learning. Beyond the basic findings of Bruner’s studies, the effect of visuals on information retention showed that images may improve information retention and much as 6x over words alone—spoken or written.

Because of this phenomenon of the human condition, it is important to engage non-verbal, visual cues to help get your message across and make your interview memorable. Whether purely visual or visual, verbal, and tactile, you leave an impression with interviewers—starting with the first time you greet them and shake hands. Warm, dry hands inspire confidence. Cold, clammy hands are a turn-off. Go to a bathroom and wash your hands under hot water and then dry thoroughly. In cold weather, holding a hot beverage help warm your hands as well.

Be cognizant of what you wear to the interview—not just the type of clothing, but their colors. For example, a red tie is a clear symbol of power that could distance you from the interviewers. They may consider you arrogant, forward, or even hunting for their jobs—or that of their supervisors. A nice yellow tie sends a message of being approachable, while a pastel blue shirt conveys trustworthiness. For women, pastel blue tops and some sort of pastel yellow trim, pin, or other accessory send the same message.

What is most important, however, is putting it all together; in other words, it is about how you present yourself. Even though you make a first impression when you walk through the door, how you act and respond during the interview is paramount. The following behaviors can send the right message to interviewers, drawing them into a feeling of teamwork and comradeship, making them decide that you are a good fit for their organization.

Never lean back in your chair. Conversely, don’t lean forward or sit like you are made of stone. You need to portray a professional and alert—yet relaxed and comfortable—image to the interviewers. But remember that employers like candidates who exhibit characteristics of being calm under pressure! Hmmm … how do you portray a professional and alert, but not stiff or over-anxious, image to the interviewer? One of the best techniques for this is to apply counting and breathing to control enthusiasm and show a calm demeanor. Listen to questions in their entirety, count 1-2-3 before answering to give yourself time to collect your thoughts into a cogent response, and breathe deeply and slowly during the interview process.

Where are your arms and legs? One of the most easily transmitted non-verbal cues is whether you are closed to discussion or open to new ideas. These cues are most often sent by how you position your arms and legs. Crossing your arms across your chest sends a message that you are closed to discussion or acting in an authoritative, aggressive, or condescending manner—this can end your chances before you answer any questions. Having your arms comfortably in your lap or, perhaps, holding a note pad and taking notes during the interview sends a message of openness to discussion. When you sit, the relaxed position of having one leg up with the ankle sitting on the opposite knee presents an overly-casual, unprofessional message. Sitting with your legs uncrossed (but relaxed) or crossed at the knees sends a more professional message. As for hands and feet, don’t tap or swivel your feet during the interview—again, it shows nervousness and can send a message that you do not do well under stress. The same applies when fidgeting with your hands—a good way to avoid this is to have a note pad and pen in your hands to take notes.

Mirror the interviewer. In other words, mirror some of the movements that interviewers make when they communicate with you. But … only do this if you are comfortable and the motions are natural to you! If an interviewer picks up that you are purposely mirroring their actions throughout the interview, you will be perceived as being disingenuous and manipulative—hurting your chances at being hired (Baron, 1986).

Just how good are you at what you do? Many times you will know more than the interviewer(s) about the job and its associated tasks. This makes the process even more stressful because you may be compelled to dive deeply into a higher level of material than the interviewer(s) are able to understand—this is typically going to result in losing the interview. I inadvertently lost a potential job this way when an interviewer asked a question to which I knew information about their own company about which the interviewer had no clue (and the lead interviewer validated my information to her during the interview). One sure sign of this eagerness to show just how much you know is the urge to interrupt the interviewer and either predict what they were going to say next or, if you are really too bold, correct them. One simple rule on this one—don’t interrupt the interviewer!

Now that I have covered some of the “don’ts,” let’s focus on some of the “dos.” From the time you arrive for your interview, you must understand that there are more interviewers than the one(s) at the table with you. The receptionist will be asked their opinion of you—you have only one shot at making a good first impression! Courtesy and a friendly demeanor go a very long way because one of the unwritten metrics people will use to assess you is, simply, do I want to work with this candidate?

Every person with whom you come in contact has one thing in common—they are human beings with emotions, opinions, and skills. Take time to fit in ways to subtly compliment the interviewer(s). If you are in an office, perhaps there is a family picture, an award plaque, an article of sports memorabilia, or some other things that may provide common ground and start to move toward a relationship instead of purely an interview. If the interview is in a common area, such as a conference room, you can comment on pictures of their products, corporate recognition items, and so forth to start the relationship. BUT … in order to do these things effectively, you must be diligent in researching the company beforehand, including their website and social media platform sites. If you start the conversation without really knowing the material, again, plan on likely losing the interview.

Smile during the interview, but sparingly. Studies have shown that candidates are judged to be more suitable for a position—especially those requiring a serious demeanor—if they smile less (Ruben, Hall, & Schmid Mast, 2015). These studies also found that smiling at the start and end of the interview, but having a more serious presentation in the middle of an interview, resulted in a higher desirability score from interviewers.

Be clear in your answers and questions. Remember the part about counting and breathing I mentioned previously? That works in your favor. Do not try to impress interviewers with fancy jargon or answers loaded with acronyms—even if they are relative to the position. You may be interviewing for an IT position, for example, but have interviewers from HR for your initial interview who do not understand those terms. A simple, affirmative presentation of what you have to offer is your best bet. Research has shown that candidates who speak clearly, intelligently, and logically are far more favored than those who immerse the conversation in technical jargon and seem to bounce randomly around an issue (Clark, 2008).

Enthusiasm counts! Do not be a monotone drone during the interview. Use inflections in your voice to indicate excitement and confidence. Research shows that these expressions significantly increase the candidate’s score, leading to a higher probability of call-backs and a favorable hiring decision (Young & Kacmar, 1998). Candidates with higher affect, energy level, and vocal inflections garnered more second interviews than those with lower affect, lack of energy, and less vocal character (Degroot & Motowidlo, 1999). Candidates who lack enthusiasm are often judged to be more anxious or nervous (Levine & Feldman, 2002), translating to a perception of lacking confidence and being less effective communicators (McCarthy & Goffin, 2004)—these are likely death blows to your hiring chances.

Always ask about company culture. A standard ending to interviews includes being asked if you have any questions for interviewers. The absolute wrong answer is “No.” Be sure to have two to three questions thought out (and written down) before the interview. One question must always be about the company’s culture; you are exploring whether the company is a good fit for you now, rather than the other way around. Other questions should have their foundations in your study of the company’s website and other resources, delving into areas relative to the position for which you are interviewing. Have a note pad out to write down answers—this shows that you are interested in what interviewers tell you in their answers.

Finally, make sure to thank the interviewer(s) and do so more than once. It is appropriate to thank them at the beginning of the interview for the opportunity, at the conclusion of the interview, and to send a follow-up email thanking the interviewer (or lead interviewer of a panel) within 24 hours after the interview is completed. Again, courtesy counts—the email shows that you are competent by doing follow-up to an event … and it shows a touch of business class.

The following list is a compilation of tips as listed on the American Psychological Association (APA) website (APA, 2016):

What to Do in an Interview

Present an air of confidence during your interview and understand what is expected of you.
Do your homework and find out as much as possible about the institution, department, and the faculty. Know the institution’s Web information.
Tailor your job talk to the attendees and make arrangements for any A/V support in advance.

Keep your job talk general and short. Don’t talk about all of the details, but show that you are aware of them.

Address questions about your job and don’t be afraid to admit you don’t have an answer.
Show interest in your interviewer’s work. Read at least one paper written by each person in your area.
Show respect to committee and department staff. Be flexible and polite.
Dress appropriately.

What Not to Do in an Interview

Don’t forget the goal of the interview is to see if there is a match between you and the department.
Don’t forget you are always being interviewed, even at meals, parties, in casual conversations, and graduate student meetings.
Don’t forget to check your time and not go over the time allocated for your job talk.
Don’t forget to ask people about their work.
Don’t forget to send any materials you promised to individuals as soon as possible.

In Closing

No interview is ever a non-stress environment. No interview is an automatic win or loss. In most cases—but not all—interviewers have set questions and processes that they follow and typically have experience doing interviews. In other words, YOU are the variable that they cannot control if you prepare effectively. Be yourself—not what you think they want you to be. Use a mirror to see how you look before going to the interview. Practice answers to questions you think might be asked—even have a close friend do a mock interview with you. Pay attention to how interviewers act—their non-verbal cues are as important to you as your cues are to them.

In short, prepare, be attentive, relax, and gather thoughts before answering, respect interviewers, and be ready to show how you are the company are good for each other. YOU CAN DO THIS!

References:

APA. (2016). Interview and Job Talk Tips. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/careers/resources/academic/interview.aspx

Baron, R. A. (1986). Self-presentation in job interviews: When there can be “too much of a good thing.” Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 16 –28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1986.tb02275.x

Clark, C. (2008). The impact of entrepreneurs’ oral ‘pitch’ presentation skills on business angels’ initial screening investment decisions. Venture Capital, 10, 257–279.

DeGroot, T., & Motowidlo, S. J. (1999). Why visual and vocal interview cues can affect interviewers’ judgments and predict performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84, 986 –993. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ 0021-9010.84.6.986

McCarthy, J. M., & Goffin, R. D. (2004). Measuring job interview anxiety: Beyond weak knees and sweaty palms. Personnel Psychology, 57, 607– 637. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2004.00002.x

Ruben, M. A., Hall, J. A., & Schmid Mast, M. (2015). Smiling in a job interview: When less is more. The Journal of Social Psychology, 155(2), 107-126.

Young, A., & Kacmar, M. (1998). ABCs of the interview: The role of affective, behavioral, and cognitive responses by applicants in the employment interview. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 6, 211–221. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1468-2389.00092

Touching Lives Matters

April 18, 2017 by Julia Churan

Written by Julia Churan

People go to work everyday in a variety of fields but never really feel like they are “making a difference.” An accountant may resolve a complicated tax issue or an IT professional writes a program to process online transactions, but at the end of the day they haven’t really touched a human being. Pursuing a career in healthcare, whether it is as a nursing aid or a physician, offers a daily opportunity to change people’s lives both physically and emotionally. The attitude and spirit a healthcare professional brings to their job can greatly impact the healing process and overall well-being of many lives.

Making Every Day Matter

An Abrazo ICU Clinical Coordinator talks about the difference a “friendly face” during bleak moments in the ICU can make to calming fears of the family. That caring attitude can be the difference between a patient progressing on the journey to recovery or not.

Networking…Evolved for 2018