Career Tools

Mark recently blogged about the crazy advice being given - by the Wall Street Journal! - about how to handle the perennial interviewing question, “Tell me about a weakness.” He was stunned by how wrong some of the suggestions were, as well as the implication that a clever interviewee could trick the interviewing manager into accepting a non-responsive answer. We think it’s funny how many folks think that “they” can fool “their” interviewer, but of course, if “they” were the one “interviewing”, why, “that would be different”.

Yeah right.

In this cast, we share one of the best interviewing answer templates you’ll ever hear. It’s simple, elegant, easy to deliver, and surprise, surprise: it directly answers the question.

We've talked about the importance of interpersonal skills before, with casts on topics like handshakes, meal etiquette, and how to be effective in everyday conversations. As a professional, career management skills are what determines whether or not you'll be successful. The reason for that is often times the most important business gets done at dinner, at parties, at conferences, at conventions, at product launch events, at annual meetings, on the golf course, at non-profit fundraisers. So, what do you when you walk into a party and don't seem to know anyone there?

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We’ve talked about the importance of interpersonal skills before, with casts on handshakes and meal etiquette. While for many, they might not sound like managerial subjects, the fact is that career management skills are part of the modern manager’s repertoire. And, as surely you’ve read, business gets done at dinner, at parties, at conferences, at conventions, at product launch events, at annual meetings, on the golf course, and at non-profit fund raisers.

So what do you when you walk into a party and you don’t seem to know anyone there?

In this cast, we walk through a simple technique for introducing yourself into a small group in an unobtrusive, polite fashion. Everyone can do it … of course, the question is, will you? Are you willing to stand in the corner and have everyone think you painfully shy, and therefore surely not managerial or executive material?

Well, once again, we’re barely getting this out in time to call it an October cast. But, I think you’ll find it worth the wait. This month, Mark and I want to share a cast from our upcoming Interviewing techniques product. This particular cast is one out of 14 casts on Interviewing.

In this cast, you’ll learn how to handle the crucial first five to ten minutes of any interview - Introductions. It is absolutely true that this is a critical part of the interview - first impressions are being formed, and I’d bet 75% of interviewers have a strong indication of how it’s going to go by the time this portion is done. That translates into our gut feeling that this is where 75% of technical interviewees fail. It’s THAT important.

There are essentially four parts to the Introduction:

You're a professional, and that makes you human. You're human, and that makes you mess up. You mess up, and that means you apologize.

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You’re a manager, and that makes you human. You’re human, and that makes you mess up. You mess up, and that means you apologize.

It’s really that simple. So how come no one seems to apologize anymore?

Unfortunately, for all kinds of reasons, the art of apologizing has fallen from favor. We think the primary reason is about power - most people mistakenly believe that when they apologize, they’re admitting weakness. In fact, an apology is almost considered to be an incredible show of strength. If you’re apologizing, then you and the recipient must both know that you’ve made a mistake, or created an awkward situation. You’re already in the dog house. Failing to apologize doesn’t say it didn’t happen. it says you don’t think it’s a big deal. And if your boss or associate or team member thinks it IS a big deal, you have - YOU have - just made your first mistake into a double header.

And another reason is that managers don’t know how to apologize, and that’s why Manager Tools is here.

In this cast, we share an elegant three and a half step apology, and talk about some of the misconceptions and glaring errors associated with saying one regrets one’s error. There are three parts:

Regretlessly,

Mark and Mike

In a previous cast, we talked about how many managers don’t understand the importance of taking recruiters’ calls, and walked through step by step (hey, this is Manager Tools) how to handle those calls. What to say, and what to learn, and how to proceed.

But there’s another side to the recruiting relationship, isn’t there? What if you want to contact a recruiter, without waiting for them to call you? Maybe you’re recognizing a change in opportunities where you are, or you want to move in a different direction, or perhaps it’s as simple as suddenly inheriting a terrible boss, and alarm bells are going off in your head.

How does one contact a recruiter? What are the basics to consider, and how does one approach them when you’re going to initiate contact? It’s easy if you do it step by step, the Manager Tools way!

Note: During the show, we mentioned we would post a couple of links to some recruiter resources. Hunt-Scanlon is a provider of information about the executive recruiting business - great resource for access to recruiters. Kennedy is a well known technology executive recruiting firm.

Most folks just don’t realize HOW important resumes are, and not just as pieces of paper.

In our Resume Cast, we talked about the PURPOSE of resumes: to create an interview. Now just imagine…wouldn’t it be great if its value didn’t end there? It doesn’t! yes, the resume itself gets you the chance to sell yourself, but buried in the resume are the PERFECT seeds of success, if you’ve followed our guidance.

Listen in to an interesting cast about how your resume and your interviews can be perfectly connected.

Can there possibly be anything more to say about business meal etiquette?

Yep! Today we conclude our 2-part series on Meal Etiquette.