Thursday, September 30, 2010

3 Questions Every Candidate Should Ask in the Interview

During my morning coffee today, I logged on to my LinkedIn profile  to peruse the job postings of the day for a few clients I had in the back of my mind.  As I was on there I realized it had been a while since I answered any job seeker questions and made a quick mental note to go back this afternoon and do so.

We all know how great mental notes are when you're past the age of...mmm...sorry, must have gotten a pretzel crumb stuck in my throat there. I digress. In any event, my crackberry reminder beeped to remind me that I wanted to post an article I read this morning on Yahoo! Finance about the drop in jobless benefit applications. Somehow in my insane entrepreneurial mind that told me that I needed to head back to LinkedIn and do some question and answer posting.

Meet Carl. A candidate who posted the question "What questions are good to ask in an interview?" If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question, I'd have a whole lot of dollars. This is such a frequently asked job search question, I have dedicated: a sub-chapter of my book, "Career Sudoku: 9 Ways to Win the Job Search Game", created a Do-It-Yourself Impressive Interview Kit and professional speak at conferences around the country on Impressive Interviewing in Today's Market.

It occurred to me that it's been a while since I wrote about this on my blog. What's a candidate need to ask in today's interview? Here are a few questions to get you started.

Six months from now how will you know you hired the right candidate?
This question elicits information on how your performance will be measured in the position. If the interviewer is unsure in their response, proceed with caution. Your performance may be measured subjectively rather than objectively at this company.

Listen carefully as the answer also provides insight into what characteristics the hiring manager is looking for in a new team member.

What do you see at the Top 3 challenges in this position?
Set yourself up to win before you even land the job starting when you ask this question. The answer to this one gives you the functions to address on days one through ninety of your new position. This is also good information to use when formulating answers during a second interview and in writing your personalized thank-you note.

If you had one piece of advice to give the person coming in to this position, what would it be?
I love this question. It always takes the interviewer by surprise, a good surprise. It also elicits some of the best "insider" information and can quickly get to the root of a company's culture.

Real Life Story: One of my clients had a day of back-to-back interviews and asked each person she met with this question. Her most surprising answer came from the last person she met with who said, "Eat oatmeal." When the interviewer saw the surprised look on her face, he elaborated. "everyone here eats oatmeal every morning. If you want to fit in right away, bring oatmeal and eat it every morning. It's the easiest way to fit in."  She wasn't sure if he was serious. She scanned the office as she was being walked out and noticed 3 large containers of Quakers Oats around the office. A few weeks later she was sitting in her new office eating a nice big bowl of oatmeal and chatting up her new colleagues who were all delighted to see that she, too, loved oatmeal. What a coincidence.

Interview questions are a way to make connections both during, and after, the hiring process.  The guy that gave her the inside scoop on the oatmeal has become one of her closest colleagues and has helped her establish everything from new accounts to procedures along the way.

Career Coach Confession: Candidates that walk in with at least 4 to 6 questions written down in advance on a pad folio convey confidence, interest and motivation.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Women's Wage Gap - Is this really news?

Women in Washington, D.C. make an average of $54,000/year (they ranked #1) compared to women in Puerto Rico who make an average of just $20,000/year (they ranked last). Hold on to your hats though because the ladies in Puerto Rico are pulling in 103.3 cents for every one dollar man makes compared to just 88.2 cents in Washington, D.C.

Okay, I'll admit that these stats and facts are interesting but is it really news? The whole idea that this is something "new" is a bit insane to me. As a Hispanic woman, I've known that I make less than white men for a long time (read: over 17 years). Why is the media so up in arms about this? By the way, as a group, Hispanic women are the lowest paid professionals.

Here's the skinny on what American women really make, by ethnicity. According to the U.S. Census Data, updated, and released, in September 2010:

Rate per white male dollar:
All Races, women | 77 cents
White, non-Hispanic, women | 75 cents
Black, or African-American women | 61.9 cents
Asian women | 82.3 cents
Hispanic women | 52.9 cents

Interestingly enough, I just read a new report, apparently released on Tuesday from another government agency, that gives different figures from those above. Is it surprising that two government agencies have different figures for the same data? Of course not. Then again, they have different dates on this data so I'll cut them a bit of slack.

The Government Accountability Office released their report after 20 years of data showing that, as of 2007, women earned 81 cents to every one dollar a male manager earned, up from 77 cents in 2000. Only problem is that this information is already three years old. Thanks for the timely data, GAO. Oh yeah, this is the report that the national and local media outlets are all hyped up over. Hey, Bloomberg, anyone bother to notice that three year old wage data is about as relevant as three year old unemployment numbers. Oh wait, it's not relevant. Women don't make 81 cents/dollar; we make 77 cents/dollar.

Here's a little proof for that pudding. My book, "Career Sudoku: 9 Ways to Win the Job Search Game" was published on July 14, 2010. The statistics about this wage gap issue, including the breakdown by gender and race, are listed on page 206 and address head on how to take the bull by the horns and negotiate your way to a better paycheck.

The one piece of insight the GAO report had was what having children does to a woman's paycheck. As Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, (Democrat, New York) said, "When working women have kids, they know it will change their lives, but they are stunned at how much it will change their paycheck."  Just how much does it change their paycheck? According to the GAO report, mothers earned 79% compared to fathers, and their married, childless colleagues earned 83%.

Career Coach Confession: This news is not at all surprising to a Hispanic businesswoman and recovering Fortune 500 executive. I do think I'm happy I don't have kids just yet though. (sorry, mom)

Questions NOT To Ask During The Interview

I am often asked "What questions should I ask during an interview?" and "How do I answer____ question?"  Fill in the blank with any of the Top 10 Toughest Interview Questions from "Tell me a little about yourself" to "What are your weaknesses?"  

What surprises me is that candidates rarely ask me what questions they should avoid asking during an interview. This was exactly what Maria Hanson, contributing writer for Monster HotJobs (formerly Yahoo! HotJobs), asked me and other career industry experts, for her article "14 Questions You Should Never Ask At An Interview".

In a conversation this morning this very topic came up and a senior manager for The City of Chicago looked at me and said "I know exactly what to ask in an interview.  There's only two questions and they are completely appropriate. How much are you going to pay me and When do I start?"

I grinned and replied to him, "That first question was the number one question to avoid asking in an interview; based on asking it the answer to your second question is likely never." Given that he and I are friends, we had a good chuckle. He has had the luxury of not interviewing in....44 years. Realizing that the 55+ age group is one of the most impacted in today's market, and many have not interviewed in 20+ years, I share this story because it's important to learn from others.

Today's Confession of a Career Coach: Use a padfolio to write down interview questions (to ask) in advance of your interview. This keeps you from asking "dangerous" questions and shows the hiring manager you're interested, smart and motivated.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Lessons from "The Apprentice"

Last Thursday night, I cancelled my business dinner and curled up on my couch for a little "me" time. We all have those nights when we need to just relax alone and this was one of those nights for me. I put on my glasses, a comfy pair of pants, t-shirt and grabbed my remote. Ah, time for a little TV. Donald Trump had other plans for me when he announced this season of "The Apprentice" was recession-based. What? My mind jumped to action.

My clients can definitely benefit from this season's show!  So much for relaxing TV night. My ears perked up, along with my posture, and I was tuned in to the show like it was CNN's latest report on the unemployment numbers.

This week's lesson from "The Apprentice" that all job seekers in America can use:

Lesson #1:  You are what you wear
Clint, while in the Boardroom, decided to show up for the most important interview of his life, without a tie. Did it go without comment? Nope. Don Jr. called him out in front of all 16 candidates, Donald Trump Sr. and Ivanka. Clint's response was that he'd wear a tux, a suit with tie or anything else if it meant getting the job.

The reality is that he didn't though, he showed up in the boardroom dressed too casually and it showed. Every other person in that room (a.k.a. his competition) was dressed to impress and ready to take the job right from under him at any minute.

Always remember that you are what you wear and the details matter.  Donald Trump responded that years ago Wall Street guys would show up in shorts and shirts to sell him and now every one of them walks in his office in a suit, tie and polished shoes.

Tonight's episode of  "The Apprentice" airs on NBC at 10/9c and if you're in the high-stakes game of looking for a job, you just might want to tune in...or set your DVR to record it. You can bet I'll be tuning in each week to find out what these feisty candidates are up to and how I can coach you on turning their antics into successful job search strategies the next week!

/AL

Monday, September 20, 2010

Nice Girls End Up on Welfare

Across the table from me sat Amy, a lovely blond who is one of the city's best financial advisers around. She also happens to be in her early 30's and look as though she's in her late teens. Amy has spent the majority of her life being a "nice girl" when it comes to negotiating for herself despite the fact that she's been a hard-nosed, kick 'em in the teeth financial advising guru when it came to her clients.

Here we sat sipping on fresh brewed coffee and Amy was about to be the nice girl again.  Three major clients had left her firm and she was the ticket to getting them back. The only problem was that they were no longer in the division that Amy was a part of, and to get them back she would have to take a pay cut and go back to work for a guy that paid her less money, and less respect.

I don't think so, Amy.  Enter the "Nice Girls End Up on Welfare" conversation.  This is not only a tag line and conversation, it's a topic I speak about across the country.

Why is it that when it comes to ourselves, we women tend to do things for "free" or "less" than we would if it were for other people?  We give and give and give. No more, at least not for Amy.

What did she really want, I asked.  She responded promptly.  She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to tell me.

"Does he have a way with women that's different than he does with men?" I prodded her

"Yes" she said as she chuckled

"Perfect. Wear a beautifully tailored skirt suit. Nice, professional jewelry and your best 4 1/2 inch heels. Unbutton your shirt just a tad bit low and get ready to negotiate using everything, and I do mean everything, you've got. Most importantly, use your best asset, your brain."

"Keep it fact-based and non-emotional." I continued "The difference here is he needs you, you don't need him. Make sure he knows that you know that. Ask for one thing you don't really care about. Let him be able to say 'no' to something so he can maintain his ego as the boss and feel like he won. Start higher than where you want to be so you have room to negotiate."

"And remember, you're happy where you are. As long as you're willing to walk away, you win."

All of a sudden Amy was beaming. Her confidence was shining through her like the sun after a rain shower. I loved that she felt the strength that she knew she had within and was going to win the negotiation she deserved to win all along.

The reality is that nice girls end up on welfare because we're nice. Yes, I include me in this group. For a long time I coached professionals on career transitions and their job searches for free. I would help with their resumes, give interview advice and provide counter-offer strategies for job offers without charging a dime. Where did it get me? Exhausted and frustrated. I was charging nothing for hours and hours of coaching that took years of expertise leaving the other person feeling excited and ready to go while I felt exhausted and spent. Where's the win-win in that?

Smart Girls End Up On A Yacht! Go Girls Go!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Job Posting to Interview in 24 Hours

In a market where landing a new job takes an average of 211 days (or just over 7 months), it can become frustrating to continue the search. If you're a job seeker that's been strategically approaching your search, know that there will be a time when success comes your way and your unique qualifications and talents are the right fit for a position out there.

When I got a call this week from Richard* sharing his success story, I requested his permission to share it here. His success is an example of what you can, and will, experience with the type of focused persistence he applied to this position.  In the spirit of full disclosure, Richard is a recent career coaching client of mine; I coached him on a new Resume That Gets Results and a new Pimped Out Linked In Profile focused on a strategic search plan based on networking. 
*names have been changed to protect actual client confidentiality

Richard's 24-hour Success
10:00 a.m.
Noticed position posting for Vice President at Company X, posted on 8/25
3:00 p.m.Based on networking advice, he created a targeted profile and applied on-line.
3:30 p.m.
Logged in to Linked In to search for a contact he knew at Company X. Identified Jason, a Recruiter within Company X he'd met at a career networking class he attended just last week.
4:00 p.m.
Sent Jason an email referencing the class they attended.
4:05 p.m.
Jason responded via email with the contact information for the recruiter on the V.P. position.
7:00 p.m.
Crafted customized cover letter to accompany resume and sent it to the recruiter, and Jason.
7:15 p.m.
Jason responded to my email; he's sent a personal note to the recruiter.
7:30 p.m.
The recruiter responded; scheduled a phone interview for 10:00a.m. tomorrow.
10:00 a.m.
Phone interview with the recruiter went great; Richard is now 1 of only 5 candidates being submitted to the Chief Marketing Officer for an in-person interview.

Why did Richard have this type of success in a 24 hour period? Preparation. Using every tool in his tool box and Taking Swift, Clear Action.

Richard's highly qualified for this position and clearly got in on the interviewing schedule at the last minute, bypassing the stacks and stacks of resumes that the recruiter had received. If you're going to go after a position posted on Monster.com, Yahoo! HotJobs (now owned by Monster), Careerbuilder.com, TheLadders.com or any other top job board, it's to your advantage to take a comprehensive approach and create a strategy around landing that job rather than merely submitting your resume online.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Shape of your job search

The Chicago Tribune published an article on the front cover the career section on Sunday, August 29th titled "Body of Evidence" that focused on the link between a candidate's physique and ability to get hired.  Before you start emailing and calling The Chicago Tribune, know that their article is based on the findings of a Newsweek Magazine survey of over 200 national hiring managers. Of those surveyed, 60 percent were men and 40 percent were women, something to keep in mind when you consider the results. Here's what the survey found:
  • 63% believe physical attractiveness is beneficial to men; 72% believe it's beneficial to women
  • Looks matter more than education: 59% advised spending as much time and money on making sure you look attractive in person as you do on paper. 
  • Ladies, we've got it worse. Respondents said women are better off wearing figure flattering clothing at work yet 47% agree that women are penalized for being too good-looking in the workplace. 39% believe being "very good-looking" is an advantage for women.
  • Being fat is the worst (despite most of us are). Almost 75% of Americans may be overweight according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, yet 2/3, nearly 67%, of hiring managers would hesitate before hiring a candidate that's qualified but significantly overweight.
  • Ageism, alive and well. If you're older looking, it's even worse. 84% of hiring managers said they believe bosses would hesitate before hiring a qualified candidate who looks much older than his, or her, co-workers. Facelift? Botox?
  • 64% of hiring managers believe companies should be allowed to hire employees based on looks.
  • Confidence matters. When ranking the Top 2 qualities in a candidate, hiring managers listed confidence and experience first and second.

This past week I was asked by a reporter to comment on this article and my response will likely cause controversy. While I believe there's a serious issue with the perception of what overweight looks like in America, I also think that hiring managers have to consider hiring practices that keep their bottom-lines healthy.

Hiring an overweight candidate can have a serious impact on the health of their bottom-line. Let me clarify what I mean when I say overweight. As a slender woman people think I automatically think everyone needs to be a size 0 or 2. The average American woman is a size 12, that's healthy. America's distorted sense of weight has no part in hiring practices. On the other hand, hiring obese candidates (men or women) causes a strain on companies. Here are a few facts on what obesity is costing employers*:
  1. $93 billion in direct medical costs
  2. $3.4 billion annually for sick leave
  3. $2.5 billion annually for obesity-related life insurance spending
  4. $1.1 billion spent on disability insurance
When hiring a normal weight employee, the annual health care premium average is $4,016 which nearly doubles for an obese employee (BMI >40) to $8,359*. (*source: Optifast)

Hiring a candidate that keeps their weight under control and takes care of their body directly impacts the company's productivity, health insurance costs and, as a result, the bottom-line.  When it comes to hiring a new employee, the hiring manager has a responsibility to consider more than just the look of a candidate. They need to consider the productivity, cost of the candidate to the business both short-term and long-term, the impact on the team and their qualifications.

As a veteran career coach, former HR executive and hiring manager, I'm an advocate for equitable hiring practices. As a woman, minority, family member of an obese person and career coach of high caliber 45+ candidates, I am far too familiar with unfair hiring practices. This study is not new information, it's simply confirmation of what we knew has gone on for decades.

Monster works?

Joe and I spoke on Friday about his desire to land a new position as an engineer. One of the questions I asked him was how he landed his current position. He went a bit quiet as he thought back and then started to chuckle as he replied, "Believe it or not, I think I had my resume on Monster and a recruiter called me." 

I responded, "You sound surprised."

"I am. Those things never work."

"I agree. That's why I focus my clients on networking. It's just amazing to hear someone who actually landed a job off Monster say that it doesn't work. They do work 20% of the time, it's just such a small percentage that, particularly with the merger of Monster and Yahoo! HotJobs, you have as good a chance at finding a needle in a haystack."

"I agree. I'm still shocked I got the call from the recruiter here."

Joe and I had a good laugh about his experience landing his job off Monster. Here's a top notch engineer that landed a job with a premier technology company four years ago, off Monster.com, and he has no faith in job boards.  As we continued to chat about what he was looking for from a career coach, I was impressed by Joe's initiative to get his resume organized and laid out in a fashion that put his best foot forward in today's high-stakes market.

Is Joe's job in jeopardy? No.
Has Joe been forewarned of a layoff? No.
Why is Joe preparing his Resume?

He's the same as 25% of all employed professionals that are keeping their eyes and ears open for other opportunities in today's market. Having your resume and Linked In profile reviewed and revised by a professional career coach gives you the upper hand in today's overcrowded market. It gets your phone ringing before something happens that requires you to start making outbound calls.

Friday, September 3, 2010

August Unemployment Rate shows little change

This morning the Department of Labor released the August Unemployment Rate showing that the the past four months has remained relatively unchanged for those seeking work in America. This month's numbers show that 14.9 Million Americans are looking for new jobs and the unemployment rate (9.6 percent) has barely changed from last month.

When you consider that the unemployment rate has remained at 9.5 to 9.7 percent from May through August, the situation looks to be consistently disappointing for those hoping to land a new position. Or is it?

Diving deeper into the figures released by the D.O.L., it shows that the rate of long-term jobless (those looking for work for more than 27 weeks, or just over 6 months) declined by 323,000 to 6.2 Million. For those of us that live, eat, sleep and breathe in this industry, we know this change is minimal and that 6.2 Million is basically unchanged yet when the numbers do change, this is the one that will change the fastest.

As career coach in one of the toughest economy's America has seen ever, including the Great Depression, it's important the my clients know the facts from the myths of today's market. The fact is, it takes an average of 211 days to land a job in today's market. (CNN). To decrease your time on the market, and increase your job search effectiveness, focus your efforts on networking. 80% of jobs are landed through networking (ABC News) and the majority of those positions are never advertised.