| This article is for readers who are desperately | | | | reasonableness. After all it is not unreasonable to |
| searching for information with ready-to-implement | | | | think that we've neglected a bit of the |
| strategies on job search. It is common knowledge | | | | responsibility on our shoulders from time to time. |
| that job search is getting tougher. Breakthroughs | | | | There may have been one or two (or more!) |
| come from going "outside the box" and bringing in | | | | situations when we failed at it. Relate this story of |
| new proven strategies back in. | | | | failure then but use it to illustrate a virtue or a skill. |
| An informative job search article should give the | | | | For example you may say: "Yes, I do recall a |
| reader a complete control over the job search | | | | time like that, although neglect may be a strong |
| process regardless of the economy or any other | | | | word. I may have had to delegate a responsibility |
| market condition and put an end to the endless | | | | to someone else after a more urgent priority |
| waiting for that interview call. | | | | came up. You see..... " |
| It should replace all old-fashioned job finding | | | | Focus also on the lessons that you learned. For |
| strategies and inform the reader about: | | | | example in answering what was the biggest |
| - What Hiring Managers are looking for in a | | | | mistake you ever made you can expound on |
| resume; | | | | something where you learned a valuable lesson. |
| - How they select a resume among hundreds of | | | | Emphasize the lesson you learned and not the |
| resumes; | | | | mistake. Illustrate your points with examples and |
| - What attracts them and what pushes them | | | | substantiation when applicable. Remember that |
| away from a resume; | | | | just because you say it, doesn't mean that |
| - What transferable skills to include in your | | | | you've already proven it. To add impact to your |
| resume; | | | | answers, it might help if you can illustrate it using |
| - What to do and how to conduct yourself during | | | | concrete examples. For instance you were asked |
| interviews. | | | | "what do you think is your greatest strength?" |
| And most importantly it should provide interview | | | | A response of "I am a resourceful person" is |
| response tips for job seekers including the | | | | clearly not enough, even if you try to quantify it |
| following: | | | | like, say, you give yourself 9 out of 10. Anyone |
| Practicing Active Listening Skills | | | | can claim they are resourceful. It would be better |
| Interviews can make us focus too much on | | | | if you provide concrete examples of this |
| having to answer that we may forget that we | | | | resourcefulness. |
| are also supposed to be listening. Without active | | | | You can say: |
| listening, we might make the mistake of jumping | | | | "I make it a point to explore all possible options |
| the gun, being too eager to respond to the | | | | that are available to me and I can be relied on to |
| question that we may have missed the meaning | | | | think outside the box. For instance, when the |
| of the question altogether. Therefore once a | | | | venue for a fundraising concert that we had |
| question is posted to you, evaluate it carefully | | | | organized became unusable at the last possible |
| before you answer. | | | | minute, I came up with the idea to transform an |
| If you are confused or you wish to be certain if | | | | abandoned church lot in our community into a |
| you had understood the question correctly there | | | | suitable venue for a gathering of 500 people. I |
| is nothing wrong in giving your interviewer | | | | called on my closest friends and we built a |
| feedback with regards to how you understood | | | | makeshift stage just in time for the event. It |
| him. Contrary to what most people are thinking, | | | | went on successfully." |
| asking a clarificatory question does not express | | | | Make your examples relevant to the job at hand |
| weakness but rather strength. It sends the | | | | as much as you can. In the same vein, be careful |
| message that you sincerely want to understand | | | | not to use too many generic and vague |
| the question and that you are confident enough | | | | adjectives like friendly, kind, and industrious. |
| to ask for what you need. | | | | Remember that these adjectives can mean |
| For example the interviewer asked you: 'How do | | | | differently to different people. To better hit the |
| you feel about starting on a practicumer?' You | | | | nail in the head, use specific terms and action |
| may be confused as to what he meant by | | | | words, the way you do in your resume. Thus |
| practicumer. If this is the case there is nothing | | | | instead of saying 'friendly' say that 'People who |
| wrong in asking "are you inquiring if I would be | | | | know me say that I am approachable and easy |
| willing to get accepted as an on-the-job trainee?" | | | | to work with.' |
| You can also just ask for more data. "I don't | | | | Focus on the observable and preferably verifiable. |
| understand what you meant by practicumer. | | | | "My teammates have told me that I have strong |
| Could you kindly elaborate on what that means?" | | | | leadership skills." is better than "People look to me |
| Remember that not all that the interviewer will | | | | as a leader" or "I think I have leadership qualities." |
| say is in need of a response. There are times | | | | In the same way, saying that "my internship |
| when the interviewer takes the session as an | | | | supervisor gave me top marks for diligence" is |
| opportunity to tell you what the company and the | | | | better than "I believe I am responsible." |
| job is like to check with you if this is your cup of | | | | Substantiation and proof need not be verbal. You |
| tea. If so, take the opportunity to carefully think | | | | can also bring documents that can help you prove |
| about what they are saying and offer an | | | | your competence such as certificates and work |
| appropriate response afterwards. | | | | samples, as long as these are not bulky or overly |
| Give effective and appropriate responses. | | | | complicated. Ideally, these things should be |
| Have the objectives of responding clearly in your | | | | attached with your resume. You may direct your |
| mind before you answer. They are, but are not | | | | interviewer to these documents when appropriate |
| limited to, the following:a. Emphasize what you can | | | | e.g. "Yes, I've written press releases before. Kindly |
| offer.b. Emphasize your edge over competition.c. | | | | see the attached document." or "Yes, I've written |
| Show how you really want the job.d. Address | | | | press releases before. I've brought a sample. |
| possible objections to hiring you ande. Get to | | | | Would you like to see it?" Use words that denote |
| know the company and job better. | | | | conviction and personal responsibility. |
| Aside from the tips mentioned before, the | | | | Sometimes we use terms that are intended to |
| following are also some advice worth taking: | | | | account for a margin of error in our promises. |
| Keep your sentences short, concise and to the | | | | These words do not give the impression that you |
| point. | | | | are taking full responsibility for what you utter and |
| There is nothing that is much more beautiful than | | | | thus can compromise your credibility. When |
| brevity: the ability to express yourself simply but | | | | answering, be direct, excellence-centered and |
| clearly. You do not need to use complicated | | | | concrete. For example, if asked "can you do |
| sentences and highfalutin words to impress. In | | | | something like this?" the common response is "I'd |
| fact too much technical jargon may confuse | | | | try." But if you are reasonably confident that you |
| rather than impress your interviewer. The | | | | can do the job, why not say bluntly "Yes, I can"? |
| important thing is that you get your point across. | | | | You may be worried that it will come across as |
| Brevity is strategic in many ways. For one you | | | | too arrogant but remember that assertiveness is |
| have to remember that your interviewer has | | | | different from arrogance. |
| limited time and might not be able to spend a lot | | | | Use I-sentences too to illustrate that you are a |
| on you. | | | | self-driven individual. Thus instead of saying that |
| With this in mind, it is best to cover as much | | | | "my college professor taught me well" it is better |
| ground as possible without sacrificing the quality of | | | | to say "I paid a lot of attention to my excellent |
| your response. Second, a far too complicated | | | | college professor on this subject." After all, you |
| answer is difficult to process and you might lose | | | | are building your credibility, not your professor's! |
| attention that should be on you. Third, a short but | | | | Answering this way is actually empowering |
| impactful answer is easier to recall and leads a | | | | personally. You get to commit yourself to do the |
| more lasting impression. If your interviewer is | | | | best that you can. You also get to emphasize |
| seeing more than one applicant a day, you do not | | | | that you are in charge of yourself. |
| want to fade in all the words you used. Lastly, | | | | If you are indeed hesitant in answering in a direct |
| the human mind can only retain a limited amount | | | | affirmative then "I would do my best" is better |
| of information at a time. If you overload it with | | | | than "I'd try." It is more effective however to |
| too much junk you might not be memorable. | | | | just state in your response what you need to get |
| Answers positively or at least end positively. | | | | that job done. If you are worried because it is a |
| There are times when interviewers ask leading | | | | task you are unfamiliar with, then state the need |
| questions in order to elicit answers they normally | | | | for guidance: "With guidance, yes, I can definitely |
| wouldn't get. These questions, if not evaluated | | | | accomplish this task." Silence is okay. |
| carefully, appear to be asking for a negative | | | | Here is a weird advice: there is nothing wrong |
| response. An example of this question is: "Give | | | | with silence in an interview. Do not rush to fill in |
| me a situation in your life when you neglected | | | | the lull unless needed. Silence could mean that the |
| responsibility" or "What is the biggest mistake that | | | | interviewer is thinking or reflecting, processing |
| you've done?" Do not fall into the trap of | | | | something that you said. Silence need not be |
| answering negatively. For example in the first | | | | negative appraisal. |
| question you may say that you cannot recall a | | | | If the worst occurred and you blanked out, be |
| time when you've neglected responsibility. If this is | | | | genuine. Obviously it is not recommended that |
| your honest response then you have to be | | | | you blank out or have a mental block. But in the |
| authentic rather than make up a story that didn't | | | | occasion that you do, it is helpful to just be |
| happen. | | | | genuine and admit what happened. "I seem to |
| It may be more effective however if you | | | | have difficulty processing the question. Let me try |
| approach questions like these with a certain | | | | again... |