I spend a lot of time chatting in round tables with professionals looking for work. I’m hearing some interesting stories these days about interview questions. Employers are actually asking questions like, “if you were an item in a grocery store what would you be and why?” And, “if you were an animal what animal would you be and why?” Another was asked, “if you were as superhero what would be your super power?”
I’m not going to lie, I’m horribly embarrassed for companies posing these types of questions. Interviews are business meetings not game shows. They are also a two-way exchange. How would that interviewer feel if the job seeker returned the question? So, potential employer, now that you know that I view myself to be a Spanish olive, what grocery item are you? How about the other employees you supervise? Since this is a team environment, I’d like to know if any of your current staff is, say, Cool Whip. Cool Whip and olives don’t mix all that well, after all.
I’m sure there is some logic behind the strategy. Perhaps the goal is to measure how candidates respond to the unexpected or how they deal with requests that don’t seem to make sense. That said, it seems to me there are better ways to accomplish this without compromising the employer’s credibility. It’s easy to understand how a job seeker might wonder if other business situations within the company are handled in such an, cough, interesting way.
The biggest issue I have with these types of questions is that I personally think they invite discrimination. I’ll give an example. Consider how many adults seeking employment at any given moment are potentially on the spectrum of Autism. They’re perfectly good employees and function well in their roles. Their brains dissect information in different ways. In an interview setting asking that person to pick one thing in a store of thousands of items he would identify with is overwhelming, if it’s even understood. Many who I’ve encountered and suspected of being on the spectrum are noticeably missing the ability to bull****, which is exactly what some of these questions require. Do companies really want a screening device that favors those more inclined to spit out baloney? I know I wouldn’t.
For job seekers faced with these questions, answer them as well as you can. Don’t get mad or annoyed. It’s just a question. That said, you may want to ask some questions of your own that shed light on the company’s culture and business strategy. The company you align yourself will be a business partner. They’ll be contributing a check and an opportunity to make yourself useful, while you’ll be contributing your talent, connections, energy and time. Make sure the business partner has the good judgment necessary for a successful outcome down the road.
Before you press send on an email to a decision maker you are hoping to connect with, ask yourself a few questions.
1. Does your email address look like it’s coming from a credible sender? Imagine the person on the other end of that email making a decision whether or not to risk opening an email based on your handle. Is it professional? Does it look like a legitimate account?
2. How aggressive is the spam filter on your own email? Some email account providers such as AT&T and SBC Global have very sensitive filters. How do I know? Because I couldn’t get my emails to go through to account holders I was attempting to contact. The aggressive filters are great for avoiding spam and viruses so long as potential employers aren’t inadvertently screened out too. I got around the problem by contacting the companies and asking them to allow my emails through to users. Will all employers do that? It would be wise to set up something like a Google Mail account to use exclusively for your job search to avoid this problem and still have a professional account source.
3. What would it be like to read your email on a phone screen? There is no way around it, many of the emails we send these days are now read from hand held devices. Guess what that means. The shorter the better.
4. How effectively have you used your subject line? The subject line helps decision makers with two things. First, it helps them to know if the email might be spam. Blank subject lines and those with titles like “Greetings,” “For Your Review,” “Awaiting Your Reply,” and “Thanks” have a tendency to smell of junk mail if the sender isn’t well known to the recipient. Consider how you scroll through your own email and identify spam and make sure your subject line looks nothing like those. Second, the subject line gives the recipient an idea of what’s there so they can better decide when to open it and enjoy an easier time finding it later. Some job seekers have said to me they want contacts to open their emails immediately so they want to build urgency around them and not give the decision maker the temptation to postpone reading their email. As a person who receives tons of emails a day, let me tell you the worst thing that can happen is me opening an email that is lower on the priority scale at a busy time. I’m much more likely to forget about it and never revisit the email. If I can tell what it is, I can make the decision to leave it unread until I have more time to deal with it appropriately. That’s a win for both parties.
Long time, no blog post.
I’ve been staring at my screen for weeks now and not feeling any real urge to write. I couldn’t find the motivation. Something happened today, a short moment ago actually, that gave me the jolt I needed. While staring at my blank screen a comment came in on a blog post I wrote ages ago. Okay, not really ages, but it seems like it to me. Unlike the growing number of spam comments I get about male appendages, this one was legit. See for yourself here!
Scot popped by, read a blog post and offered up a thank you. He felt the blog helped him. Honestly, that’s all it took to get me going again. My whole reason for writing this blog is to be helpful. There is no money in it for me. The sole reward is the satisfaction I get from knowing I helped someone get one step closer to that next job. Without reinforcement that my blogs are helping people, my focus shifts to other things where the results are more evident.
I’m not sharing this here to drum up comments, but to make a broader point. What if the people in your life who could be helpful to your job search aren’t motivated to do so because you’re not giving them incentive to do so? Incentive doesn’t have to be in the form of money or a trinket. There are likely a lot of people in your inner circle who would gladly scout for leads and secure connections for you in return for a smile and a thank you.
Speaking from the position of someone who voluntarily helps people on a daily basis, it is more common than you might think for job seekers to take referrals and suggestions and never offer up any progress reports, thank yous or positive feedback on what was offered. That’s a problem. It takes the wind right out of the sails of those in a position to give your search some momentum.
The goal is to keep those you find helpful engaged in your search. Remember, we all have a never ending list of choices to make in terms of how to spend our time and who to focus our efforts on in life. Most have a desire to do things that are worthwhile, that matter, in the grand scheme of things. If someone does something that matters to you, that helps you get closer to your goal of finding employment, let them know. In all likelihood they’ll be inspired to do even more. How handy is that?
Today I thought I’d take a moment to make another point on the importance of having the right mindset in your job search. Job seekers who are out there networking and making their efforts known are on on the receiving end of a lot of advice and leads. The quality of this information is often prematurely judged by the job seeker. In basic terms, the individual has a punctuation malfunction. Let me show you.
What do they know. They’re telling me ABC Company is hiring, but I applied there several months ago and never heard back.
What do they know. I search internet job boards for my field and there is nothing.
What do they know. I tried that approach and it bombed.
Notice above how I ended “what do they know” with a period. It’s so easy for a job seeker to do this. You hear information that sounds hollow or like something you already knew or tried and immediately mentally discount it as useless. What’s worse is when that judgment doesn’t remain in your mind, but is actually shared with the person attempting to pass on a valuable connection or nugget to you. It’s like there is a driving need to make it clear to that enthusiastic sharer of solutions they are wrong, two steps behind you or not really in a position to understand your situation.
With the period at the end of the sentence, conversation breaks down. By assuming the contact has nothing new or valuable to share, there is nothing to move the discussion forward in a positive way. Correct this punctuation malfunction and see where it takes you. Let me show you.
What do they know? They’re telling me ABC Company is hiring, but I applied there several months ago and never heard back. Do they have a contact on the inside? Do they have more information on what the company is looking for? Have they seen a recent posting or been asked to help refer people to the job?
What do they know? I search internet job boards for my field and there is nothing. Where are they seeing jobs? What resources do they know of that I may not? Who are they talking to giving them information jobs exist I haven’t seen?
What do they know? I tried that approach and it bombed. What did I do wrong? What contributed to others having success with that strategy? Did this person manage to make it work for him?
Can you see the difference a simple question mark can make in terms of mindset? Imagine the wealth of information you’ll have the potential to grab when your mind is tuned into wondering what that person knows you may not.
Job seekers can find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to follow-up with potential employers. By not keeping in touch enough, one risks appearing unmotivated, yet calling too much takes on a stalker feel. Where is the balance? What’s the right answer?
The simple truth is no “expert” can give you the real answer. The only person who can tell you the best way to follow-up with a potential employer, and how often, is the employer himself. So many fail to ask hiring managers when they have their attention what their preferences and expectations are. Job seekers should make a point to raise the question of ideal ways to keep in touch before hanging up from a phone call or stepping out of an interview room. Trying to get the information through voice mail and email pleas after the fact is rarely effective.
On the other side of the coin, there are those who do ask for input, but fail to honor the established plan once they find the employer unresponsive. The employer said in the interview connecting every other week was reasonable, the candidate left a voice mail on time, the employer didn’t reply, so the candidate starts pummeling the hiring manager with frequent calls asking for follow-up and pointing out that person is dropping the ball. Not the best way to win brownie points.
As with other posts on the topic, I’m going to take a moment to be blunt. In my mind I can hear job seekers grumbling about how companies bring this on themselves by not offering good follow-up or not living up to predetermined plans. I get that, but they are no different than the rest of us. It’s tough to hear, but if follow-up with you is poor you probably aren’t a priority for that person at the moment. Either you aren’t the top contender or the actual position ranks below other demanding issues requiring that person’s attention. That’s not a dig on employers or on job seekers, that’s just reality. So the decision needs to be made, do you hound employers to the point you eventually get the rejection you’ve essentially forced them to deliver, or do you roll with it, consider why you aren’t their priority and who else might have a more urgent need or greater interest in what you do?
I vote for the latter. Hands down. Becoming obsessed with wringing follow-up out of decision makers serves no purpose. Determine the expectations up front. Honor those expectations by your actions. Accept the fact if you made a stellar impression and are a top contender you’ll be remembered for however long it takes companies to sort things out on their end. Realize if you didn’t make a stellar impression a voice mail inbox full of “you haven’t returned my call yet” isn’t going to inspire a change of opinion.
It’s wise for job seekers to take the word can’t and toss it in the trash. No worries, this isn’t a post about all things being possible. I’m a realist who fully appreciates limitations. Limitations are part of the human condition. They aren’t mental fabrications. Do some people put more limitations on themselves than need be? Of course, but that’s a conversation for another day. The focus today is use of the word can’t in conversations with potential employers and networking contacts and the effect it can have.
It’s been my experience potential employers respond more favorably to positive solutions-oriented people. Job seekers who highlight what they can’t do by speaking to limitations directly are much more likely to come off as negative or problem focused. The word can’t is a repellent to those wanting to hear about possible gains from having you on board versus focusing on the compromises or sacrifices.
Some who read my post “It’s Like Asking For Directions” are probably thinking, wait a minute, you told us to be honest about our limitations. True, but you’ll notice I did so by talking more about what would work versus what wouldn’t. I’ll give some examples of what I mean. Consider your own reaction to each.
I can’t work overtime or on weekends. vs I am consistently available to work Monday thru Friday from 8 to 5.
I can’t take a job for less than $15/hr. vs I am able to consider positions at $15/hr and above.
I can’t work too far from my home. vs Opportunities in (name cities/areas of town) are ideal.
I can’t be on my feet all day. vs I’m best suited for opportunities where I am able to sit more than stand.
Do you see the difference taking the word can’t out of the equation makes in the overall tone of the message? The information is still the same, but it is delivered in a way that speaks to what’s doable versus what is not. Presenting with a can-do attitude can be as simple as cleaning up the bad habit of approaching conversations with employers from the wrong direction.
Ever get a form letter in the mail from a company attempting to market to you? Silly question. If your mailbox looks like mine, it’s a daily occurrence. I’m not sure which I dislike more, those beginning “Dear Sir or Madame” or those with my name digitally inserted in key places by a computer data base to make them seem more personal. No matter, any with a “we’ve sent the same letter to everyone turning oxygen into CO2” feel end up immediately in my recycling bin. I can’t think of one generic solicitation that’s ever grabbed my attention and inspired me to pick up the phone or break out my credit card. How about you?
Considering that, why do job seekers use form letters when approaching companies? Impersonal cover letters and resumes have the exact same feel to them as most of the mail you likely toss. Do you expect decision makers in companies to respond differently than you would?
I personally believe there isn’t a big mystery when it comes to appealing to employers. So many make it harder than it needs to be. For all intents and purposes, approaching companies in a way you’d want to be approached is a pretty good bet. Simply put, if it would turn you off to be on the receiving end of your job search efforts, it’s a safe bet the decision maker you are pursuing would be too.
If you had the challenge to list all of the professions/job titles you could think of, how many do you think that would be? Hard to say. I’m guessing all of us would fall far short of the actual number of job variations that exist in our community, let alone society as a whole. In many ways our scope of what there is in this world to do is somewhat narrow.
This point became clear to me when talking with my four year old daughter in the car this morning. She’s already starting to think about what she wants to be when she grows up. So far cashier, ballerina, rock star and zoo keeper are high on her list. When I was young I wanted to be a lawyer, cruise director, actress or doctor. All of the above are professions the general population recognize and are somewhat familiar with. What about other jobs though? How many times have you heard a child say, “I want to be a citrus fruit colorer?” I’m guessing never. Yet somebody has that job. Considering how many fruits in our stores have had their color enhanced, the profession is likely a busy one.
Since a child’s understanding of the world and all it has to offer is largely modeled after our own, is it possible as adults we have a narrow view of all the potential opportunities we could chase? Consider the fact, aside from natural occurrences, everything that happens around us has a person connected to the process, many times in the form of a job. Turn your eyes on and allow yourself to wonder what happens behind the scenes of the events, products, services and objects you encounter. You may be surprised what ideas you come up with and the awareness of options you achieve.
Though the dozen or so jobs we are all more familiar with may seem like they are in short supply these days, or even non existent, the same may not be true of jobs we’ve never really paid attention to. Because we’ve been oblivious, we’ve completely compromised our ability to find them and consider how our backgrounds and interests might make them a good option. You can’t find what you aren’t looking for. There will be needs and jobs in society so long as mankind exists. Rest assured of that.
I love to network and meet people. I learned as a third party recruiter (a.k.a. – headhunter) of accountants the importance of networking. For recruiters, meeting people and getting your name out there is key. When an active recruiter, friends often spied me at different events passing out business cards and jockeying for speaking opportunities. Many times the events had nothing to do with accountants. For example, I participated in a group that catered to technical writers. Why did I do this? You’d be amazed how many technical writers interact regularly with accounting and finance professionals. So often it wasn’t the initial contact I ended up working with, but his friend, spouse, cousin or coworker. The results I got networking my way to accounting and finance pros through technical writers were much better than when I attended, say, local CPA events where every financial recruiter in town was present.
Though I’m not an active recruiter at the moment, I still network heavily. These days I’m using every free moment I have to help unemployed professionals get back to work. When I speak to groups of job seekers I always try to drive home the importance of networking to find employment. Too often I find individuals who believe it is a waste of time to circulate with those who are not hiring managers while on a job hunt. Some have shown disappointed when I revealed I primarily worked with accountants in the past. You can see it on the faces of the non-accountants in the room… “great, this is going to be a complete waste of my time.” Never mind the wealth of contacts I have from various walks of life and professions. In order to effectively network myself to place accountants in companies, I had to build relationships with CEOs, CFOs, Controllers, Human Resource Managers, Office Managers, IT Managers, etc. Don’t you suppose a fair number of job seekers could benefit from those contacts even if their backgrounds have nothing to do with accounting?
It’s so easy to write people off based on general assumptions of what they may or may not be able to do for you. It is equally tempting to chase relationships with people you feel will directly benefit you and overlook the fact others may be able to offer more help indirectly than some are able to extend directly. I try to impress upon people you should view others as a scratch off lottery ticket. It’s impossible to tell if the ticket holds a prize if you don’t take time to grab a quarter and remove the layers that hide the answer. Passing up an opportunity to get to know someone new based on an assumption they couldn’t possibly be of any benefit is just like throwing away a scratch lottery ticket before scraping away the gray matter.
By the way, for those of you who followed me on another blog, this post is a rewrite on a piece I wrote several years ago. If it sounds familiar, that’s why.
Those who know me in real life are aware I get pretty prickly over negative assumptions some still make about the unemployed. I read comments in media outlets that drive me mad.
“I feel for the unemployed and I know it’s tough, but if they budgeted better, stopped smoking and watched less Oprah they wouldn’t be in this predicament.”
As irritated as I am at people who make these types of statements, I blame the unemployed for these assumptions even existing. Too many displaced workers are invisible. They are working away in seclusion, doing what they can to secure employment so they can emerge formally attached to some corporate enterprise. Guess what, if the rest of the community doesn’t see active, intelligent, motivated, professional job seekers circulating in every public forum possible there isn’t anything to combat the common belief those who are unemployed, especially for longer periods of time, are unskilled and more willing to live off of the charity of others than to expend any amount of energy on finding a job.
I know first hand the quality and drive of many unemployed individuals in my area. I seek the unemployed out and do what I can to get to know them well, so I know the assumptions are bunk. Me knowing this isn’t good enough though. The rest of the population is too busy with life to seek you out. That means job seekers must surface. They must put a true face on unemployment in 2010 and they must be out there equally, if not more so, than the working. Once people cross paths with motivated and talented job seekers I’m convinced they’ll be less likely to lump all of the unemployed into the “sitting on the couch eating Ruffles” category.
