I don't know about the rest of you, but here lately I have heard a lot of "Pomp and Circumstance." Everywhere parents and graduates are taking a deep relieved breath. But then reality sets in. What's next? Basic training? Graduate school? Hitting the job market right away?
Alice Waagen, president of Workforce Learning, recently wrote an article concerning new hires who quit too quickly after they start. In this article, she describes some mistakes hiring managers could potentaily be making during the recruiting and interviewing process. Waagen gives three areas in the recruiting and interview process hiring mangers could evalute if they are experiencing a problem with new hires leaving their new job too quickly.
Just like an ad catches your attention on TV, your resume should catch a potential employer’s eye. First—shed the Times New Roman. Every computer has that as the default font and you want your recruiter to know that you can find those settings in Word. Tailor the typeface to reflect your abilities. For example, a number cruncher might use a san serif font which will produce a clean spreadsheet. A stylish serif font would lend itself to the more creative industries.
Everyone has heard this at least once in life, “It’s not you. It’s me.” Maybe that applies to your resume as well. The reason that you might not be able to land an interview might be your resume and not your winning personality. How do you approach building your resume? Here are some tips that might help you filter to the top of the pile.
Believe it or not, a resume is not about you. Really! Don’t tell a prospective employer what YOU want and please don’t divulge your life history. Only include pertinent skills—especially the ones for which they are looking.
Laurie Glover, CEO of QSTS, a consulting firm helping companies and individuals move from "good" to great" wrote a recent article titled "How to structure a search for the 'right employee'." Glover explains in her article that "right" is very organization specific and is defined by organizational structure. Often times hiring managers tend to ignore their organizational culture when hiring because it is often hard to describe or even identify. Glover says that when hiring managers ignore organization culture when searching for candidates, they tend to make these mistakes:
Interviews are unnerving for the most experienced job seeker. For those who are new to the job search, it is even more alarming. A little prep work can boost your confidence dramatically. Here are a few of the basic interview questions to help you get ready to keep you on course for that new position.
When a candidate walks in your conference room for an interview there is only one interview question that matters. A recent study showed that 90 percent of hiring managers think they are good interviewers, yet they rarely reach unanimous hiring decisions with other 90 percenters in the same room interviewing the same candidate. Lou Adler, CEO of The Adler Group went on a 10 year quest to find the one question that would produce universal agreement from hiring managers.
Here it is:
To borrow from Shakespeare, what’s in an email address? Believe it or not, something as sublimely simple as an email address can get your resume dropped to the bottom of the pile. More and more employers now prefer that resumes be emailed to them. Trust me when I say that "hotsexythang@knology.net" or "pookiebear@zmail.com" is not the professional impression that you wish to make.
Lou Adler, CEO of the Adler Group, a consulting firm helping companies implement Performance-Based Hiring. Adler recently wrote an article on best hiring practices which he based on his own benchmark findings. Here is a quick overview of what the best hiring managers do differently.
What the Best Hiring Managers Do Differently
1. Clarify Expectations up front. Describe the 4-5 critical performance objectives required to be successful in the role.
Let your personality shine! Your skill set got you in the door but many employers make decisions based on personality and potential. BUT—and this is a big one—don’t get too comfortable. Never speak negatively about a previous employer. Don’t go into detail about any deeply personal issues. Be nice but keep up your guard. Your recruiter can help you explain the facts in the most concise and least offensive way.