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Leadership Skills That Job Seekers Need to Succeed - How to Showcase Your Abilities

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 16:25:43 GMT

Leadership skills are important for any job seeker. But first let’s clarify that leadership is not about having the title or authority. It is about influencing others to follow the vision or idea and inspiring them to believe in themselves so the goals can be accomplished. Hiring managers look for evidence of these skills when hiring for future growth as well succession planning. You need to be able to show the employer that you have what it takes to lead a team and get the job done. While leadership skills are important, you do not need to be a manager or supervisor to start cultivating these skills.

You can develop leadership skills in the workplace by taking initiative and thinking long-term about what would be beneficial for your department and company. For example, you might brainstorm ideas for streamlining processes or developing new procedures. By committing to doing work that goes beyond your core job duties, you can demonstrate your leadership potential and set yourself apart from other employees. In this blog post, we will cover leadership skills that are important for job seekers, how to cultivate them and how to showcase them during the job search.

How to Develop Leadership Skills Companies Want:

Take initiative: Look beyond the tasks in your job description. Think long-term about what would be beneficial for the job you are seeking or the career you are pursuing. Circumstances often change from when a project, challenge, or issue originally surfaced. Leaders have to consider that technology may have evolved, or availability of resources may have changed. If they can keep a growth mindset and are willing to seek new solutions, they can keep the project moving—even if adjustments need to be made.

Be a problem solver: Leaders are often known for their ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently. Asking questions is the best way towards identifying needs and probable solutions. Demonstrate that you value brainstorming by questions: “What are the advantages of doing this assignment/project?” “What is the greatest obstacle in making this process more efficient?” “Who may I reach out internally (in another department) to get clarity on the process or why actions were taken?” Asking questions not only develops your problem-solving skills, but also identifies you as a forward thinker.

Be a mentor: Help others in your department to grow and develop their skills. Offer advice and guidance when needed, but also give others the space to figure things out on their own. For example, when a team member appears usure of how to address a problem, pose a “what if” question and ask them for the answer. This may provide insight on the team member’s understanding, and it can also provide an opportunity to build their problem-solving skills. Praising those who are succeeding and encouraging those who are struggling are key in helping develop leadership skills.

Be a good communicator: After all, if you can’t communicate your intentions and expectations to your team, they’ll never be able to achieve their goals. Because communication goes both ways, be sure to demonstrate your ability to listen as well as to clearly communicate your thoughts. “Communication is a two-way street." Active listening demonstrates empathy and promotes the exchange of ideas. Be prepared to listen to others by shifting your perspective to theirs and set aside any biases.

Take ownership of your own career development: When entering a new role or profession, there are likely areas of further development —procedures, technology, etc.— or nuances. Invest the time, and possibly money out of your own pocket, to get a jump start on your success. Whether you need to take a course, read a book, or simply ask an expert, taking the extra step to enhance these skills early on will help you gain traction. Doing this while you are preparing for a job transition and adding this to your resume even if you have not finished the course demonstrates initiative and commitment to your future growth.

How to Showcase your Leadership Skills

If you're looking to make your leadership skills stand out, there are a few things you can do. First, be sure to add relevant leadership skills to your resume by highlighting the key words as well as specific accomplishments. Second, highlight leadership skills in your cover letter. This will give you a chance to elaborate on your leadership experience and how it can benefit the company. Finally, use skill words in your job interview and be prepared to provide examples which demonstrate to the potential employer that you have the ability to lead effectively in challenging situations. By following these simple tips, you'll be sure to make your leadership skills stand out and land the job you want.

Showcasing Leadership Skills on Your Resume

For starters, you can include a major leadership accomplishment in your resume summary statement as a way of immediately capturing the reader’s attention and interest. Use your work experience section to highlight how you have used your leadership skills to build teams and solve problems. Find places throughout your resume where you can describe how you shared ideas, listened, and collaborated effectively to complete tasks, and used emotional intelligence to relate to others. Make it clear that you can communicate clearly by how you present the information on your resume! Ask yourself two questions: what did I do and how did I do it.

In both your resume summary statement and work experience , try to include numbers to quantify the impact or percentage of goal accomplished when possible. Describing your responsibilities and the results of them in more detail helps a hiring manager understand the context and impact of your specific

contributions.

Here are a few examples:

Coached my team and adopted a new business strategy (mention details about the strategy) which reduced the training period of new team members by 30%
Successfully organized seminars, meetings, team-building activities, and collaborations with industry partners resulting in greater acceptance and understanding of our new technology
Led a team of 6 associates to successfully deploy a new data processing platform ahead of schedule resulting in a 15 % savings to company

Showcasing Leadership Skills in your Cover Letter

Your cover letter gives you a chance to bring the facts of your resume to life. Leaders need to be engaging and effective communicators, and a cover letter is a great place to show both of these attributes. Open with a strong story of a successful project you led. Describe the “how” and “why” of your leadership style and preferred tactics…and don’t hesitate to be humbly bold if doing so accentuates your personal style. And most importantly, bring in more numbers, just like in your resume. Numbers don’t just provide context; they also draw the eye.

Tailoring and organizing your resume and cover letter can help an employer or recruiter consider you as a “person of action,” someone who’s efficient and gets the job done. Tailoring means mentioning the specific leadership skills from the job description and give examples to prove how you demonstrate them. This also shows that you actually read the job post which hiring managers appreciate.
Include words associated with leadership in your cover letter and resume. Here are examples of words that are associated with leadership: campaign, advocate, engage, mobilize, mentor, empower, delegate, commitment, enable, lead, assemble, enlist, instill, stimulate, elect, guide, coach. Use words like these to emphasize your ability to lead.

Showcasing Leadership Skills During a Job Interview

Prepare for interview questions about leadership by thinking about the leadership skills that are most important for the position. Analyze the job listing for more information on the type of leader the organization is looking for, as well as the types of tasks you will need to perform.

Another way to prepare is to look at this list of leadership skills and circle any skills that you think are critical to the job. Once you have a few key skills in mind, think back to all of the positions you have had where you applied or cultivated leadership skills and be prepared to highlight in interview.

Questions Most Frequently Asked About Your Leadership Experience:

What experience do you have that would help you succeed in this role?
In communicating with your team how would you determine the method of communication on a particular matter - email, phone call, or on-line meeting ?
Describe a time when took a lead role in completing a complex or challenging project. Explain how you approached it. What was the result and was there anything you learned from it?
How would you describe the qualities of an effective leader?

Tips for Giving the Best Responses to Interview Questions

Sound like a leader. The tone of voice and body language you use when answering questions about leadership are as important as your actual responses. Sit up straight, maintain eye contact, and let your expression display your enthusiasm for your work and the company.
Look like a leader. A title doesn’t earn respect—a person does. Take inventory of what your professional social media conveys in comparison to what your resume/cover letter conveys. Consistency is key. Be aware of expressions of any strong biases as this may raise concerns of your ability to be objective.
Strategize like a leader. Whenever you can, use your answers to show how you would address common management issues for the employer. Research the company ahead of time so that you are well-versed in its organizational structure, company culture, mission, successes, and more importantly, challenges. Prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer that shows that you have thought deeply about how you could bring value to their operations.
Give credit where it’s due. Good leaders acknowledge the contributions of their team members. As you describe instances where you assumed leadership, remember to credit the individual and collaborative efforts of your team.

Effective leaders have the ability to communicate well, motivate their team, handle, and delegate responsibilities, listen to feedback, and have the flexibility to solve problems in an ever-changing workplace. Whether you're starting out in an entry-level position and looking to move up the career ladder or you're seeking a promotion, your leadership skills will be among your most valuable assets.

Using Your Personal Brand in Your Job Search

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 01:41:14 GMT

Getting a job offer doesn’t always hinge on your skills and experience. It can be surprising to learn that a growing number of companies consider a candidate’s personal brand – that is, their key qualities, how they present themselves, and what drives them. Our recommended personal branding tips can help you refine the image you wish to project and make it part of your job search strategy.

What is “Personal Branding”?

If you’re only thinking about employment in terms of “finding a job,” you’ve missed a major aspect of the career marketplace. Landing a job at the entry, middle or senior level isn’t just about searching for the right opportunity – it requires selling yourself as an ideal candidate to employers through a personal brand. What is personal branding, you may ask? It’s really no different than any other brand you see every day – Apple, Nike, Coca-Cola or Nintendo – except that you’re promoting yourself as the product.

Organizations are making a major investment when they hire new employees, so they want to know that they’re not just buying your time from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but subscribing to your unique individual value proposition. All you need to do is find a way to present yourself in a way that grabs employers’ attention, which is admittedly easier said than done. To set you off on the right foot, here’s a jobseeker’s guide to personal branding.

Differentiate Yourself on Paper

One of the key benefits of developing a personal brand is the ability to differentiate yourself from those around you. That’s a plus in any industry and it’s especially important when you are looking for a new job. It will make your resume stand out from the stack, and it can help you leave a lasting impact at interviews.

A well-crafted resume and cover letter along with recommendations, portfolio pieces and awards should offer point-by-point information about your academic and professional history and successes. With these documents assembled, you can customize them for individual employers based on their business niche, job description keywords, desired qualifications, and company tone.

As you assemble your documentation and revise your resume, you’ll need to reflect on who you are as both a person and job candidate. In order to identify your brand, your personal brand should be a well-fleshed out idea of your competencies, background, and professional ambitions. What type of personality are you? What interests you most about your field? What is your specialization? Where do you want your career path to take you? These are all important considerations that you’ll need to reflect on before you get into the nuts and bolts of personal branding. All of these factors combined should send a clear message to employers about what they will be buying by hiring you.

Bring your Brand to Life with Online Visibility

Once you have the basic information you’ll need for job applications, the next step is establishing an online presence that reflects your personal brand. Social media is the best place to start, so sign up for sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn if you haven’t already. For existing social media accounts, you’ll want to find a middle ground between representing yourself personally and professionally.

For instance, continue sharing intriguing articles and internet memes with your friends – just make sure anything you post online is something you’re OK with employers seeing (so take down those college party pictures).

You’ll also want to include information relevant to your professional ambitions, like commenting on developing industry news (Linkedin is a great place to start), joining in relevant Facebook Groups, Twitter Chats on topic and Linkedin Groups. Starting and actively writing a blog is another great way to inject your voice into the online world. Purchasing your own URL will allow you to create a personal website to display your profile details while linking to your blog and social media sites. Canva is a great place to find templates for online portfolios and/or presentations to include on your personal website.

Networking

It’s not enough to have an established online presence if nobody knows about it, so the final step in personal branding is getting the word out to employers. Networking is one of the most direct and effective means of doing this, so get in contact with friends, coworkers, family members and former bosses about connecting you with influential people in your desired industry. They can pass along your website’s URL so colleagues and friends of theirs can easily browse your qualifications and experiences.

Linkedin is a great place to network by reaching out to classmates or former coworkers who may be able to assist you in your job search. It is also a great platform for reaching out directly to recruiters in your field. For specifics on how to utilize Linkedin, start by taking a look at LinkedIn experts and bloggers.

Personal branding is a great way to let a hiring manager know your value and your personality, and that can give you a head start in landing your next job.

Are your employees feeling the LOVE? Building Company Culture

Sat, 07 May 2022 02:41:40 GMT

Building a Good Company Culture

Company culture is the promise you make to your employees about what it’s really like to work for you. What sort of environment can people expect to work in? What are your core values? What are your norms? Company Culture is a system of shared beliefs and behaviors that determine how an organization’s members interact and make decisions. It’s the way people feel about the work they do, the values they believe in, where they see the company going, and what they’re doing to get it there.

The company’s leadership sets the culture. Each member of an organization ends up influencing it. This is reflected in things as small as what you wear to work and as large as how people treat each other.

Overall company culture is also influenced by other more tangible factors, such as operations, office layouts, and customer support. It is the sum of all of your formal and informal systems as well as behaviors and values. It is the one true identifying quality of your business. Systems and structure can be replicated. Marketing, tactics, strategies, products, and customer service approaches can be duplicated. Company culture is the thing that sets your company apart. It’s the soul of the business.

While a culture has strong roots, it also evolves organically over time. Its resiliency should be based on firm core principles or company values that will help the culture remain true to what’s most important even as it changes. A truly great company culture is one that inherently promotes curiosity, respect, teamwork, and employee health.

A strong company culture is set by the leaders within the organization. Leaders should model the values they want to see in staff members. Leadership sets the tone. When leaders are standard-bearers, it makes the culture much more apparent. Here are a few steps leaders can take:

Ask for feedback

You can’t improve what you can’t measure – and nobody has greater insight into your culture than your employees. Use tools like Google Survey or Culture amp to gather feedback from your employees.

Provide recognition

40% of workers say they’d put more energy into their work if they were recognized more often. So, make sure that you’re remembering to recognize people for their contributions. Encourage employees to express their gratitude for each other.

Lead by Example

When leaders fail to uphold the culture, things fall apart. Research shows that bad managers are one of the main reasons that employees quit. That means leaders need to act in alignment with the company’s cultural values.

The Importance of Company Culture

One benefit of a good company culture is Increased employee retention: Prospective employees are attracted to organizations that have a reputation for being a good place to work. Top talent is attracted to this type of organization, too, and your current employees also have a higher likelihood of staying. One symptom of a poor company culture is that your company is losing valuable talent. If you are losing employees that are providing the greatest value , the first step is to conduct an audit of your current company culture.

Culture matters for both attracting talent and keeping your current employees around. 47% of active job seekers cite company culture as their driving reason for looking for work, and toxic workplace cultures have reportedly driven 20% of U.S. employees out of their jobs in the past five years. 46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company.

91% of managers in the U.S. say a candidate’s alignment with the company culture is equal to or more important than skills and experience. Not only do employees expect respect and guidance from their supervisors, but managers look for cultural alignment in their direct reports. However, following the cultural-fit recruitment model will do more to improve your organization and strengthen employees' experiences.

Company culture isn’t just about team bonding and the annual holiday party – it can have a measurable and lasting impact on the success of your entire company.

Potential-based Hiring – Hiring for what they can DO

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:42:59 GMT

Once upon a time (circa 20 years ago), requirements for screening job applicants were based on the written and vetted job description which was fairly cut and dry and focused on easily measurable hard skills. A candidate needed X experience or skills to perform Y job, and they were generally only considered if they possessed those skills. With the rapid development of technology and a shift in the way people are choosing to work, how we hire and even how we manage is changing. Adaptability, flexibility, and critical thinking are a few of the soft skills landing now in the job descriptions. When it comes to making a new hire, hiring managers may be asking, “Which is more important, experience or potential?”

Past Performance vs. Potential

“Performance” often relies on metrics and stats but what if the metrics for one industry/job are not in keeping with how the new position will be measured? Performance corresponds with a person’s knowledge, experience & job skills–but will this be enough in the rapidly changing workplace and the new age of hybrid and remote work? The hard skills are aspects that can be trained and improved upon using learning interventions and practices. But learning new skills or adapting to a change requires an attitude and willingness to learn new skills and shift away from “this is the way I’ve done it in the past” attitude.

“Potential” goes beyond the “laundry list” of hard skills required for the jobs, as it looks at whether the people have the CAPACITY to perform well in a future role. Past performance is not necessarily an accurate indicator of how a person may perform in a different role or roles 2 or 3 levels up or how a person will perform shifting from in-house to work-from-home.

Hiring for potential shifts the focus to the person’s traits and competencies that will enable him or her to best adapt and perform in the new role and/or navigate through the ambiguity and change which often comes with the unfamiliar especially when it is a newly created job. This approach also elevates the stakes for the hiring manager as it challenges conventional wisdom and prompts a razor-edge prioritization of traits that will also define who is going to be a good fit for the company and the role.

Implementing a Hiring Process Centered on Candidate’s Potential

There are a few things that hiring managers can do to implement hiring for potential. One example is to set up interview questions to assess whether or not the candidate has the targeted traits and potential to be a good employee. Ask them situational and behavior-based questions. These types of questions are a good way to analyze a potential employee’s abilities to handle adversity, motivation, and general attitude which can ultimately reveal how they’ll be able to work and grow within your company.

Executive chairman of Starbucks Howard Schultz once said, “Hiring people is an art, not a science. And resumes cannot tell you whether someone will fit into a company’s culture.” Soft skills, also known as “employability skills,” are defined by Business Dictionary as “a group of essential abilities that involve the development of a knowledge base, expertise level, and mindset that is increasingly necessary for success in the modern workplace.” Things like teamwork, motivation, leadership, ability to take initiative while working alone–all of these come into play when screening candidates.

Emphasizing soft skills in hiring also can help you determine how well the candidate will fit into the company culture. In today’s global workforce, employees must be able to work with a diverse group of people. Ask candidates how they have collaborated with people who have had very different perspectives than them and assess their ability to adapt to different ways of thinking and open-mindedness in problem-solving and leadership. One way to assess attitudes on inclusiveness is to ask them to describe a time when they had to work with a difficult teammate.

As more jobs are performed in a “remote workplace” which in most cases means in the employee’s home, gaining insight on what the challenges could be for the employee or learning of their current challenge in the interview process will help you determine the best work arrangement. Tip: ask them to describe the most memorable distraction during a Video meeting and how they handled will answer more than one question.

Taking the steps to move toward hiring based on potential vs. past performance requires new strategies and new ways of thinking about how you hire.

HOW TO LOOK FOR IDEAL QUALITIES IN A NEW EMPLOYER

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 20:16:01 GMT

There are key qualities to look for in a new employer because where you work, how they work, and who they are can be just as important, if not more so, than the actual role for which you are applying. When you are evaluating a new position or job offer there is more to consider besides the pay and the benefits. How can you be sure your employer has the qualities you value?

Do your research on the company/employer and ask questions.

Ideally, you would have conducted research on the company before applying or maybe they reached out to you first. Either way, doing your research can help you identify key qualities you are looking for:

Security

During your interview you can ask how long people have worked at the company or look at employee retention rates online or via the company’s LinkedIn page. Feeling comfortable and valued is essential to performing your best.

Stability

Consider the company’s recent performance, are they growing? Continually creating new roles and hiring new employees? Is there an increase in pay or benefits? Also, understanding what drives the company’s growth will help you determine if the growth is due to favorable market conditions or the company’s leadership and offerings (hopefully the latter is true). Positive signs of a stable and growing business are one of the most sought-after qualities of new hires.

Communication

How do managers invite suggestions and solutions from employees on issues faced by the company? How frequently do they ask for feedback and what platform (means) do they use for maintaining an open-door policy?

Work-life balance

In addition to researching and asking how many hours per week you are expected to be working, ask about communication expectations. Is your new employer expecting to communicate with you concerning projects after working hours? Are team building events mandatory or optional? What is their definition of “Flex- Hours”? It’s important to measure your expectations and the ones of your new employer to determine if your work life balance expectations are the same or not.

Opportunity for growth

Another crucial quality in a new employer is the opportunity for growth. A company that has a history of progressing staff in their careers is a clear sign to look for to ensure that there is room for expansion in your career. A way to determine career progression opportunities is to ask interviewer for examples of employees that have moved to other positions within the company that represented a career enhancement or advancement opportunity.

How else can you look for your ideal qualities in your new employer? By matching the values of your company/employer and seeing if they align with your own. We often talk about the ideal traits or values of the ideal candidate: motivated, team player, reliable. But what about the values of a company? What do you value within your specific role? Integrity? Honesty? Trust? Having a clear perspective of your personal values and prioritizing them will help you best address these during an interview or in your research.

Conducting research on a potential employer may be time consuming and not always is the data available online. Tapping into the knowledge arsenal of an experienced recruiter in your field is one of the best ways to gain access to information on companies and hiring managers that is not usually available online.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to speak up during an interview to get to know your new employer better. The interview is for both of you to determine if this is the right fit.

BUILDING A TEAM IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 20:45:05 GMT

Prior to 2020, businesses were already utilizing many aspects of technology. Software development helped companies communicate, organize, increase productivity and automate their processes. As a society, we were used to technology being part of the landscape of the corporate world.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit and employers were forced into remote work, the utilization of technology was put into overdrive. For instance, video conferencing (via Zoom or Teams ) was quickly implemented as the meeting method of choice, as it offers the closest-to-real-life experience.

Now that the workforce has adjusted to working remotely, many companies are taking a hard look at their work environment and considering making some big changes. As companies build their post-pandemic teams, they are considering the following.

Geography is not a barrier

Previously, companies were generally limited to hiring talent in their immediate metro area. With remote work, the talent pool is virtually limitless. Companies can offer competitive salaries, as the cost of living is greatly varied.

Candidates with in-demand skills can apply for jobs anywhere in the country (or world!) without having to worry about relocation. This puts power in both the candidate and the company’s hands, as the talent availability is unleashed.

Working at Home or Living at Work

One of the greatest elements of remote work is flexibility. Manpower Group recently surveyed more than 8,000 employees and one of the most common areas of concern were in regard to losing the flexibility they have while working remotely. The study found that, “offering employees the opportunity to work remote isn’t the only way to enable people to work flexibly and balance work and home. For roles that need to be done in the workplace offer staggered start and finish times, more flexible scheduling, and understand the priorities people have to balance in order to get their work done.”

In order to maintain the flexibility remote work offers, many companies are opting to continue remote options. If not full time, some companies offer remote days, or partial time needed in the office. This allows their team to manage their work around their life, and not the other way around.

One simple pain of working collaboratively across the country has been managing different time zones. Working remotely, this isn’t as big of an issue. Even if a meeting has to start earlier or run later, employees are able to manage it easier because there is no commute, and they are able to shift downtime as needed.

Using technology is the norm

Hopping on a video chat used to be for the younger generations and those who were particularly tech-savvy. Now, grandparents have met new grandbabies over a video chat. Weddings have been hosted virtually. Video chats aren’t just for the tech-savvy anymore; it is generally accepted as a regular form of communication, both at work and at home.

Company culture is often why an employee feels satisfied with their work environment. Harvard Business Review states that, “culture doesn’t exist within walls; it exists within people, so you have to build culture through people.”

Many supervisors struggle with micromanaging their subordinates. Working remotely offers employees an opportunity to prove their productivity. Not everyone is organized and efficient while working from home, but for some this opportunity has been refreshing to their workflow. This allows managers to trust and nurture the employee well, because they feel secure that the job is being done well.

We are here to help you build your team. Contact us for a free consultation.

IT’S TIME TO FIND BALANCE AGAIN

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 20:59:54 GMT

Work/life balance is a common struggle across all industries. Typically, there are several cues through the day that help our brains know when it’s time to move to the next activity. Our commute allows us to “boot up,” grabbing coffee or going to the restroom forces us to take a break (and a little walk), post-lunch we’re ready to hunker down for a productive sprint and leaving work tells our brain it’s okay to shift gears and leave the rest for tomorrow.

Working from home virtually, we miss out on these built-in cues that help us move through the day and achieve balance. Without them, it can be difficult to pull yourself away from work, especially during a busy season.

To combat the urge to keep working into all hours of the night, it’s important to intentionally look for ways to re-engage the cues you were used to.

Wake up early enough to give yourself time to mentally prepare for the day.

If the first thing you do in the morning is boot up your computer and start the daily grind, you aren’t giving your brain time to adjust from sleeping to working.

Turn your commute time into self-care time. Get dressed (it’s ok to stay comfy, but no pajamas), make yourself a hot cup of coffee, browse current events, and ease into your day.

Set a timer.

Take at least one break in the morning, lunch at the same time everyday, and a break in the afternoon. Walking your dog is a great morning and afternoon break in your day. The furry companions also need the change of scenery.

Don’t forget to listen to your body and drink plenty of water and snack if needed.

Use this time to walk around, stretch, and engage in something that is not work related. (Don’t check your email!)

PS: We love this timer cube from Amazon.

Implement a cut-off time.

If you need to use your afternoon commute time to get a little bit of extra work done, that’s ok – especially during a busy season. But remember to spend your evenings with your family and friends, enjoy a nice dinner, and decompress from your hard day’s work.

Let tomorrow’s work be just that – tomorrow’s.

Having trouble turning off?

You may simply be experiencing temporary overload due to the industry’s increased workload right now. Implementing strategies that help eliminate the temptation to work incredible amounts of overtime will actually help boost your productivity.

If you feel your current position is part of the problem and you’re looking to make a job change, give us a call . We’re here to help you find balance again.

HOW TO NAIL YOUR NEXT JOB INTERVIEW

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 21:14:06 GMT

It’s no secret that preparing for a job interview has changed a lot over the years. These 8 tips are sure to impress the interviewer and get that job offer.

Body Language

It is often said that our body language is the expression of our emotions and studies have proven this. So, what is your body language saying about you in an interview?

One example is posture. Slouching or sitting back in a chair conveys lack of confidence or passive attitude, a lack of initiative. Eye contact is another “silent speaker.” Although eye contact can vary based on cultural differences, lack of eye contact in an interview raises a question about the person’s honesty and confidence.

Be Ready for a Video Job Interview

We are experiencing unprecedented times worldwide. Remote school and work has been popular for awhile, but social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 has caused many industries to get creative and utilize the technology. We are prepared to help facilitate video interviews for our clients and candidates.

Sometimes it can be a little intimidating to be on camera, especially in a high-stakes situation such as a job interview. But, it’s easy to make a great first impression with a video call.

Be sure to take the call in location that is well lit, quiet, and free from distractions. Pay special attention to your background, notify anyone near you that you cannot be interrupted during the call, and take care to ensure your technology is working.

Use earbuds with a microphone or a headset to ensure you have quality audio that does not echo. Also consider the lighting – sitting in front of an open window will fill your frame with flattering natural light.

Last, just as with an in-person interview, practice good posture. Sit upright, shoulders back, and maintain eye contact. This will portray confidence and professionalism.

Prepare Your Pitch

When the interviewer asks the inevitable question, “Tell us about yourself,” how do you answer?

Many enter into a long drawn-out history lesson of their life, sometimes including silly hobbies, sprinkled in with some strengths and weaknesses, hopefully circling back to highlighting some personality traits.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with that, as a hiring manager typically does want to know a little bit about who you are as a person.

But what they’re really asking is: What makes you special? Why should we hire you?

Tell them things that no other candidate can. Take some time to think through your “elevator pitch” beforehand so you’re prepared for this question. Put together a couple of key points that really showcase your abilities, making sure to touch on your experience and achievements.

Be Prepared

Never go into an interview unprepared. That means dressing for success, having a positive mindset, and being ready to answer the hard questions. Be sure to also take the time to research the company you are interviewing for.

When asked, “why do you want to work here?” the hiring manager is wanting to see if you’d be a good fit, but also seeing how much you know about the company. A quick internet search will pull up credible sources including the company website and social media channels, industry experts and trade organizations.

Evaluate the company’s ranking among their peers for sales and market presence, technology and culture. Read their mission statement and investigate their reputation from online reviews.

Be prepared to briefly address how these company attributes align with your goals and values.

Looking for long term?

Hiring managers are often looking to gauge a candidate’s goal setting ability, and a great way to inquire about this is by asking “where do you see yourself five years from now?”

This helps to also see if you are seeking to fulfill a short-term goal and then move on, or are you committed to a longer-term goal with company?

You may see this as a great opportunity to present your vision, but keep in mind that the specific goals may not be as relevant as showing that you are able to set goals and reach them.

Consider answering this question by describing goals you set in the past and how you met them. Follow up by asking what the career paths (notice this is plural as there may be several paths) look like for you with their company. This will also show that you reach the goals you set and that you are planning on a future with the company.

Be sincere

What would your former boss say about you? When asked this, most people think that the interviewer wants to know all of the positive attributes that others would say. The real reason for this question is usually to assess your level of sincerity and how open you are to receive constructive feedback. Be prepared to describe a prior weakness or shortcoming and how you overcame it.

Know why should they hire you

This is the show-stopper question. Of all the questions during an interview, this one that carries the most points on the job offer barometer. This is your opportunity to brag about yourself, something most people are not fully comfortable in doing which is why this question requires a rehearsal. The real question here is: What is your level of confidence in yourself?

Have questions ready

You’ve spent a solid hour with these folks getting learning all about this position.

They’ve answered everything thoroughly and you have a good grasp on the responsibilities, company culture, and job overall. But then they ask the inevitable, “Do you have any other questions for us?”

What they are really gauging is how prepared you are and how interested you actually are in the position. By the time you get to this question in an interview, the hiring manager has likely answered most of your questions. Nonetheless, you always want to be prepared with at least one question.

The questions you never want to ask are those related to compensation, benefits or company policy as these are generally answered by a Human Resource representative.

Two great questions to have ready are:

What makes you excited about working for the company?
What will you expect me to achieve in the first 90 days on the job?

Get help if needed

If you’re looking to make a job change, we can help. We’re industry experts, have established relationships with employers across the country, and will coach you through each step of your job transition. Contact us to start your search today.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A COUNTER OFFER

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 21:27:06 GMT

What to do when presented with a counter offer from your current employer

In a high-demand market, sought after positions come with many incentives for qualified individuals. When an employee announces their departure especially during a peak season, finding a quality candidate is a daunting challenge. It is more cost effective and less disruptive for companies to retain their top talent. Employers will often present a counter offer to incentivize an employee to stay with the team, rather than having to invest in an extensive search for new talent.

A counter offer may sound like a fantastic opportunity – avoid change and improve your working conditions in the process. In reality, accepting a counter offer is the beginning of the end.

What is a counter offer?

When an employee is offered with a new opportunity and informs their supervisor, they may respond with a counter offer. This is usually a pay increase, a bonus (or the promise of one), or an action plan to appease a concern or problem that the employee presented, in an effort to retain the employee.

Why is it bad?

The allure of a counter offer can be confusing, and evaluating the options may be tempting – especially if presented with a juicy incentive, like the common retention bonus.

In reality, counter offers rarely meet the expectations of either party in the long run. The proposed bonus, promise, or action plan is often not sustainable nor fully carried out. This leaves the employee feeling even more unsatisfied, and seeking opportunities again.

When an employee notifies their supervisor of their intended departure, it causes stress on the department, the company overall, and on the supervisor himself. If personnel leaves to work elsewhere, it is an implied negative reflection on the supervisor’s leadership.

Demonstrating a lack of loyalty in this way can break down a relationship. It’s natural for the supervisor to see the employee as no longer a team-player for the company. Preferable to having a vacancy, the supervisor attempts to keep the employee on board (for even a short amount of time.) In order to keep production rolling, a counter offer is just a stall tactic until the employee can be replaced – on the supervisor’s terms – or the first in the next reduction of force.

How do I prevent this?

In short, there is no way to prevent a counter offer. Instead, try to address what’s on your mind in a constructive way. Before looking for external opportunities, employees should voice their concerns. Supervisors want employees to feel content in their work environment. Work together to set clear goals and follow up with an action plan. Include detailed steps to improve working conditions or salary standards. Present tangible and realistic solutions to valid concerns.

Let’s face it. Conducting a job search and going through the interview process takes time and effort, so best to be sure you have made every effort to reach your goals and job satisfaction with your current employer before you initiate a job search.

I tried to quit but I was presented with a great counter offer! Now what?

The best way to prepare for a counter offer is to have clarity of your goals and expectations. Writing these down will serve as a reminder of why you are leaving and what attracted you to the new job (which will avoid being easily swayed in the moment). Consult with an industry expert to evaluate the options and gain confidence with the decision. Making a job change can be scary at times, and it feels much easier to stay with the familiar than dare to move towards the unfamiliar. Make the decision to leave, announce the plans, finish your two weeks strong, and then move on.

Stick to the plan and do not feel tempted by an enticing counter offer, no matter how much easier it would be to stay. Look forward to the exciting new future and not backward at what could have been.

HOW WE WILL WORK AFTER COVID-19

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:44:01 GMT

Prior to COVID-19, some employers were hesitant to embrace remote work. Many managers feared it would lead to less effective communication and the added flexibility would lead to distracted, unproductive workers.

Following Stay-At-Home orders, businesses needed to adapt swiftly in order to remain functional. It took a few weeks to settle into a new workflow, but remote work quickly became a norm.

Now, as businesses slowly reopen, we anticipate that the workplace will operate a little differently. The businesses that take a proactive approach and have a well thought out plan in place ahead of time will be the most attractive to prospective employees.

Flexibility with work schedules

In order to support their staff, employers will need to accommodate various work schedules, and build in flexibility where they are able to. Of course, there will be some non-negotiable meeting times, but offering employees the ability to choose when to work from home, leave early, or come in late can help with their work-life balance. If they need to take care of responsibilities at home, they can rest easy that their job is not in jeopardy. This will become particularly attractive to employees with school age children, as experts are predicting regular school closures through the next school year.

It is important to think through what this looks like for your organization, and set expectations (and any restrictions) your specific company will put into place.

Cleanliness & Hygiene

All companies should implement specific protocols for personal hygiene and office space cleanliness. Expect to see additional signage in bathrooms, kitchens, and breakrooms as reminders to practice excellent hand hygiene. Social distancing and wearing a face covering is likely to become new workplace norms.

Communication with employees

Email is still the standard way to communicate in the workplace, although apps like Slack have become more popular in recent years, especially for teams. Without face-to-face interaction, it is more difficult to build connections between team members.

Remote teams will require more nurturing than in-person teams, but new norms can ensure each employee feels adequately supported. Suggesting video chats (over phone calls), instant messaging (over email), and regular check-ins through the day are a few ways to acclimate your team to remote work.

Managing virtual teams

Review your organization chart

Physically being in an office makes it easier to find help, even without a formal organizational chart. Knowing who to approach for assistance can become more difficult when working remotely if there isn’t a clear hierarchy. This is an ideal time to engage every department by identifying their resources on an organizational chart. Be sure to then make it easily accessible to all employees.

Utilize technology

Tracking employee’s work progress and daily results alleviates the micro-manager syndrome which many managers fear when employees are out of sight. It may be worth making a phone call to your software vendor to fully discover tools you may not be utilizing yet available. There are many project management tools such as Asana , ClickUp , and Monday.com that may be helpful to keeping your team on track. These tools can increase productivity, communication, as well as track the work progress of your team members.

Evaluate and adjust

Are performance incentives aligned with the new work challenges? Adjusting to a new norm may mean that production goals may need to be adjusted along with incentives. If the new environment is contributing to slower progress, get creative with ways to incentivize your team to meet your production goals.

Find the fun

Working remotely can be desirable, as it offers a lot of flexibility. But there are drawbacks to not working in-person. The camaraderie, friendly competition, relationship building, and even simple chats at the water cooler during a quick break are what makes employees feel like they are part of the team. Intentionally look for ways to incorporate fun into the workweek. For large teams, consider a weekly game via video chat, or a company-hosted virtual happy hour. For small teams, cookie delivery is an easy crowdpleaser or DoorDash lunch delivery to each team member and hop online to chat while you eat together.

Reduction of leased office space

As remote work ramps up, the need for large offices will be reduced. Some companies may take shifts for their time spent in the office, cutting down their need for space by half or more. Alternatively, businesses may prioritize which job cannot be done effectively at home, and only require those employees to work from the office.

In turn, employees will need to carve out office spaces in a spare bedroom or a repurposed corner of their home. Homebuilders may look to draft floorplans with space to intentionally accommodate a home office in the coming years.

Technology advancements

A laptop computer, quality video camera, and high-speed internet are all necessities to working from home effectively. Portability is important in equipment, so work can be done on the go.

The popular video chat service Zoom saw immediate increases in the use of their program, following the COVID-19 outbreak. They were met with several security challenges but acted quickly to patch the issues. Innovative technology companies that make doing business easier or faster will thrive during this time.

Technology advancements

If these are new aspects to your company culture, employees may feel apprehensive about utilizing them. As a manager, intentionally look for ways to encourage your employees to take advantage of the options available.

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Leadership Skills That Job Seekers Need to Succeed - How to Showcase Your Abilities

How to Develop Leadership Skills Companies Want:

How to Showcase your Leadership Skills

Showcasing Leadership Skills on Your Resume

Showcasing Leadership Skills in your Cover Letter

Showcasing Leadership Skills During a Job Interview

Questions Most Frequently Asked About Your Leadership Experience:

Tips for Giving the Best Responses to Interview Questions

Using Your Personal Brand in Your Job Search

What is “Personal Branding”?

Differentiate Yourself on Paper

Bring your Brand to Life with Online Visibility

Networking

Are your employees feeling the LOVE? Building Company Culture

Building a Good Company Culture

The Importance of Company Culture

Potential-based Hiring – Hiring for what they can DO

Past Performance vs. Potential

Implementing a Hiring Process Centered on Candidate’s Potential

HOW TO LOOK FOR IDEAL QUALITIES IN A NEW EMPLOYER

Do your research on the company/employer and ask questions.

Security

Stability

Communication

Work-life balance

Opportunity for growth

BUILDING A TEAM IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

Geography is not a barrier

Working at Home or Living at Work

Using technology is the norm

IT’S TIME TO FIND BALANCE AGAIN

Wake up early enough to give yourself time to mentally prepare for the day.

Set a timer.

Implement a cut-off time.

Having trouble turning off?

HOW TO NAIL YOUR NEXT JOB INTERVIEW

Body Language

Be Ready for a Video Job Interview

Prepare Your Pitch

Be Prepared ﻿

Looking for long term?

Be sincere

Know why should they hire you

Have questions ready

Get help if needed

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A COUNTER OFFER

What to do when presented with a counter offer from your current employer

What is a counter offer?

Why is it bad?

How do I prevent this?

I tried to quit but I was presented with a great counter offer! Now what?

HOW WE WILL WORK AFTER COVID-19

Flexibility with work schedules

Cleanliness & Hygiene

Communication with employees

Managing virtual teams

Review your organization chart

Utilize technology

Evaluate and adjust

Find the fun

Reduction of leased office space

Technology advancements

Technology advancements

Be Prepared