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January 31, 2017 5 Ways You Don't Realize You're Turning Off Your Job Interviewer By Alison Green
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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5 Ways You Don't Realize You're Turning Off Your Job Interviewer
Pay attention to cues that will make your interview go smoother.
By Alison Green | U.S. News.com Oct. 24, 2016
If you've prepared for a job interview recently, you probably know the basics – bring extra copies of your resume, don't bad-mouth your previous employers, arrive on time and so forth. But as someone who's interviewed hundreds of job candidates, I can tell you that there's a lot more that goes into the kind of impression you make, and that an awful lot of candidates do things that really turn off interviewers, probably without having any idea it's happening.
Here are five ways that you might be turning off your job interviewer without even realizing it.
Only looking at or addressing one of your interviewers. If you're interviewing with more than one person at a time, it's important to make sure that you're looking at and speak to all of them. Sometimes candidates will address their answers only to the person they believe is the most important one in the room, which comes across as remarkably rude! (Not to mention, sometimes they're wrong about who the decision-maker is.) Make sure to make eye contact with all your interviewers as you're speaking, so that you don't inadvertently appear dismissive.
Being so formal that the interviewer can't get a real sense of you. Sometimes people get so nervous about job interviews or so hung up on what they perceive as the formality of the occasion that they go into what I think of as "interview persona": They become so formal and reserved that it's impossible to get a sense of what they would actually be like to work with day to day. On the interviewer's side of things, this can be a killer – because you can't responsibly hire someone without knowing what they're really like to work with. Obviously you don't want to treat an interview like a night out on the town with friends, but you should strive to be reasonably relaxed and conversational and let some personality show. A good way to think about it is the way you'd conduct yourself in a meeting with a colleague who you don't see every day but have a warm relationship with.
Offering up fake weaknesses. Interviewers are increasingly moving away from that old "tell me your strengths and weaknesses" standby, in part because so many candidates refuse to answer it honestly. But savvy interviewers will try to get at your weaknesses in other ways, such as by asking what kind of developmental feedback you've received or what areas you're working on improving in. An awful lot of candidates respond to these questions with answers that they think will make them look good – like, "I'm a perfectionist" or "I have trouble not taking work home with me." Leaving aside the fact that neither of these things is actually appealing to a good manager (perfectionism can waste resources and not disconnecting from work can lead to burnout), these sorts of answers have become so cliche that most interviewers see right through them. You'll come across as disingenuous and either lacking in self-reflection or unwilling to have an honest conversation about your strengths and weaknesses and how they might play out in the job.
Turning your time for questions into a sales pitch for yourself. When your interviewer asks what questions you have, this is your cue to ask genuine questions that you have about the work or the company, so that you are better equipped to figure out if the job is the right fit for you. Yet some candidates use this time to ask questions that are really just set-ups to try to sell themselves for the job. For example, they'll ask about whether the job includes much opportunity for, say, public speaking, and then follow that up with a lengthy discourse about their public speaking skills. Or when the interviewer mentions in response to a query about the workplace culture that the team is highly collaborative, the candidate will respond with a long explanation of their past successes in collaboration.
When interviewers ask what questions you have, they want to use the time to answer things you're genuinely wondering about – not have you pass up that opportunity in order to do a hard sell of yourself.
Not paying attention to your interviewer's cues. Your interviewer will probably give off a fair number of cues if you pay attention, particularly around how they'd like to manage the conversation. Some of those cues might be explicit, like if your interviewer announces at the start of the meeting how long they've set aside for the conversation or says that they have a large number of questions to get through. But some are more subtle, such as an interviewer who seems interested and engaged in what you're saying (thus signaling that you're on the right track with your answers) versus one who looks bored or impatient (and thus probably wants you to start wrapping up an answer that might be rambling). By paying attention to your interviewer's cues, you'll be better able to align your own approach to the conversation with theirs, which will likely result in a stronger conversation and better overall impression.
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7 min
July 14, 2016 Working Strategies: You want a part-time job, now go get one
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Working Strategies: You want a part-time job, now go get one
By Amy Lindgren
PUBLISHED: June 11, 2016
Last week I looked at part-time work in the abstract sense while noting that a partial work schedule seems to garner less respect than a full-time position — a fact I acknowledge but really don’t understand.
This week I’ll get down to brass tacks on how to get a part-time position and what to negotiate for.
Let’s start with definitions. When I say “part-time work,” I’m talking about the schedule, not the scope or duties. So even though you might think of retail or warehouse positions, remember that those jobs make up just a portion of the part-time landscape.
Indeed, you can do just about any job on a part-time schedule, including high-level or professional positions. I have known part-time marketing directors, accountants, attorneys, truck drivers, nonprofit leaders, nurses, school teachers, production line workers, software programmers, lobbyists, carpenters, sales representatives … have I hit your field yet?
Unless you’re just starting out in the work world, identifying your field will be critical for finding the part-time position you want. Although new workers can approach potential employers with an “I’ll take anything” message, the same strategy from an experienced worker is almost certain to backfire. Rather than seeming flexible or teachable, experienced workers with no focus may look unmotivated or possibly a little desperate — definitely not the messages you want to send.
Defining your work goals also is important because part-time positions are not as likely to be advertised. When you know what kind of work you want to do, it’s easier to identify the companies that could likely use your services. And you’ll need to do that in order to make direct outreach to employers who aren’t advertising for part-time help.
It’s worth exploring why part-time jobs are less often advertised than full-time positions. One simple reason is return on investment. It’s just as difficult to recruit for part-time workers as for full-time, but the resulting “win” may be less critical to operations. This is especially true for white-collar or professional positions where the current team can probably cover the extra duties indefinitely. It’s not ideal, but inertia is strong, leading managers to maintain status quo rather than initiate a lengthy hiring process.
Hence, if you were to judge the market by the ads alone, you’d think there were no opportunities. In truth, managers often find it easier to allocate resources for part-time workers; they may also appreciate that they can delegate defined projects or tasks to someone on a part-time schedule.
Here are decisions you’ll want to make before initiating conversations with potential employers:
• Which skills do you want to use, or which tasks do you want to perform?
• Do you want a permanent part-time job or something short-term? (If the latter, ask for a contract role, rather than joining the company as an employee.)
• What work schedule are you hoping for?
• What’s your level? That is, can you step in with little or no training, or would you need to ramp up while you gain experience?
You’ll also need to hone your story for why you want a partial work schedule. Good answers to this question include other responsibilities (such as school or caretaking), or the desire to ramp down from a full-time schedule. Less appealing will be a default to part-time after not finding better jobs. Foot-in-the-door answers may not be strategic either, as they imply you’re looking for stepping stones to something else.
Once you’ve shaped your concept of the work you’re pursuing, review your résumé and LinkedIn profiles to ensure they clearly present your related skills and training. Then start your outreach much as you would for any job search, by contacting managers directly while also telling your network what you’re looking for.
Although I’d recommend being clear from the beginning that you’re seeking a partial work schedule, it’s not necessary to specify the hours you want to work. Those are details best left to the negotiation stage, once you and the manager have determined you’re interested in each other.
Speaking of negotiation, don’t assume that you have to leave benefits behind to work part-time. Some companies do offer full benefits to part-time workers, while others pro-rate their packages according to the hours worked. If benefits are important to you, take the time to identify which ones you care about most. And if you don’t need, or can’t get, benefits from your part-time employer, try to compensate by negotiating a pay increase.
In closing, remember: Every vocation has part-timers, as do most companies. If this is the way you want to work, don’t apologize or assume it can’t happen. Just jump in and start talking to people because that’s how you’re going to find this job.
7 min
July 14, 2016 Why You Should Never Accept a Low-Ball Salary Offer
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Why You Should Never Accept a Low-Ball Salary Offer
May 11, 2016 Suzanne Lucas
No one starts to look for a new job simply because there's a full moon or Netflix removed your favorite show.
There's generally a stronger reason, like you can't stand your boss, there are no promotional opportunities at your new job, or you really, really, really deserve a raise.
All these things can mean that you are anxious to find something new, which can cloud your judgment.
Of course, if you're unemployed that's another story, and I'll deal with that below.
When you're anxious, you sometimes make bad choices and accept a low-ball salary offer. Here's why this is problematic.
We'll Give $X as a Starting Salary and Re-Evaluate After Six Months
Hiring managers say this all the time, not only with salary but with titles. "We'll hire you as an analyst, but we are preparing you for the management position in six months!"
The problem with this is, that while it might be true, it gives all the cards to the company. You're in your best bargaining position before they hire you.
When you've worked there six months, the company knows you're highly unlikely to leave. Job hopping after so short a period looks bad, and job hunting is hard anyway, so you're stuck, and they know it.
Often that six months comes and goes without so much as an evaluation, let alone a pay raise. And that title? Well...
Always, always ask yourself if you'd be okay with staying at the same salary and same title for several years before you accept an offer. If not, then that isn't a job for you. Yes, the raise and promotion might come through, but you should consider that a bonus and not an expectation of the job.
Guess What? Your Raises Are Based on Your Current Salary
You may be okay with a certain salary today because you know you are amazing and will get a great raise based on how awesome you are. Fine. True. (Anyone who reads Business.com is, by definition, awesome, of course.)
But did you know that your raise will be based on a percentage of your current salary? Yep. So, let's say that Jane and John both accept new jobs with Company Z.
Jane accepts a $50,000 offer, and John negotiates up to $55,000. (I've done the genders on purpose, and I'll explain why later). Both Jane and John are fabulous workers and their respective bosses give them five percent increases every year. Here's how it looks:
• Year 1: Jane $50,000, John $55,000
• Year 2: Jane $52,500, John $57,750
• Year 3: Jane $55,125, John $60,637
After three years, Jane had just caught up to where John was when he started, and John's salary grows faster than Jane's. This is even more pronounced if one of them gets a big promotion. These are often based on percentages as well. Starting out low means you never catch up.
Bitter? You Betcha
Sometimes you think you've negotiated a great salary and then come to find out that you didn't. Sometimes you think you can handle working for a lower salary because the new job is so awesome. But, that wears off, and you can become bitter. The problem with bitterness is that it infects every aspect of your job.
When you get your paycheck every two weeks, and it's smaller than you think you deserve, you start taking it out on your boss and your coworkers, and you start to hate the job, even if you like the work. When you're bitter, it makes it very difficult to keep a positive attitude at work.
How to Avoid This Trap
Always negotiate your salary. Above I had Jane and John at separate salaries. In real life, it's highly possible that both John and Jane were both offered $50,000, and Jane said, "Great!" and John said, "I was looking at $60,000 and an extra week of vacation. Is that possible?"
The result is John gets $55k, and Jane thinks she's done great at $50k until she finds out John makes more than she does.
Why does this happen? Well, men see salary negotiation as a game and a challenge, and women see it as akin to going to the dentist. Even if you don't like it, you need to ask for more. Most companies make an offer with the idea of it being a starting point, not an endpoint. And if they do make it as an end point, they won't be offended.
I hate salary negotiation myself, so I always made my highest and best offer the first time around, but it never bothered me when people asked for more. I'd simply explain that the offer was final. Any manager that gets upset with an attempt to negotiate is a bad manager that you don't want to work for.
What if You're Unemployed?
One of the reasons that people are willing to hire someone without a job is that they are willing to take less money. You can absolutely still negotiate, and they should offer you a reasonable offer, but your negotiating power is lower. You need a job, and they know you need a job.
If you're still employed, they know you won't accept anything unless it's better than what you have now, either in salary or other perks.
If you're unemployed and receive a low-ball offer, you'll need to have stronger salary data. It's possible to get a good offer while being unemployed, but it's also a good idea to go ahead and accept an imperfect offer rather than being unemployed. Don't hold out for perfection. You need money.
However, if you're a hiring manager, don't low-ball your job candidate just because he or she is unemployed. All those things above? Likely to increase the chance of the employee jumping ship as soon as possible.
Why does this matter to you? Because it's more expensive to hire someone new than it is to keep your current employee at a good salary. Offer a fair salary, just like you would to an employed candidate.
8 min
July 14, 2016 Working Strategies: When over-confidence is the problem
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Working Strategies: When over-confidence is the problem
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By Amy Lindgren
May 1, 2016
Did you happen to see last week’s column on being at a loss for words during key job search processes? I was describing ways to overcome a natural reticence to speak when faced with situations where speaking isn’t optional: interviews, networking, phone conversations with potential employers, etc.
If this is a problem you struggle with, you already know the impact it can have on your job search. But what if you have the opposite problem? What if you’re actually a little too quick on your feet, or glib in your answers? Is it possible to be over-confident about having a way with words?
I think the answer is yes; it is indeed possible to over-estimate your ability to communicate, or conversely, to under-estimate the possibly negative impact that your words will have.
What’s more, I think we’ve all made these errors, probably multiple times. For example, you may recall launching into a story during an interview, only to discover that you were revealing much more than you intended. Or perhaps you answered a potential employer’s question a little too candidly (did you really need to tell the whole truth when asked about your last boss’ management style?).
Count yourself lucky if this sounds familiar. At least you know that over-talking is your weakness. It’s the kind of problem that typically comes with its own built-in blind spot, which means that some people can burn through multiple interviews before realizing the problem might be them, and not the market.
As a remedy, I could tell you to watch the interviewer’s body language or facial expressions for signs that you are approaching quicksand. But truthfully, if you’re an over-talker, the ability to read these signs is probably not your strong suit.
Instead, I’m going to advise a three-part process to apply before, during and after whatever fateful question could prove to be your undoing.
• Part 1 of the process is simple: Just pause before answering. Even a few seconds will give you time to review your answer before verbalizing it. The pause will also make you seem more thoughtful, which is something naturally glib people can’t take for granted.
While you’re pausing, take a moment to consider the question itself. Most questions are fine to answer candidly, but there are a few that I recommend sidestepping, because they can be veritable landmines for a chatty candidate. These include queries that ask you to rank past bosses, to describe conflicts you’ve had in the workplace, or to explain unhappy outcomes to past jobs. While you can’t just ignore these questions, you can almost certainly answer in less detail than you’re naturally inclined to give.
One more tip for this stage: If you’ve discovered that certain questions always trip you up, it’s worth preparing scripted answers for them. Practice until your responses feel natural and unscripted, but also concise.
• Part 2 of the process involves a recovery operation during the interview when you realize that you’ve blown an answer. In this case, use humor, charm or humility to ask for a re-do. As in, “That didn’t come out quite right. Let me just backtrack for a minute and give a better explanation.”
Of course, that’s a risk too — what’s to keep you from simply digging a deeper hole for yourself? If you think that’s a possibility, you might be better off letting it go for the moment, but going back to the point in a follow-up letter.
• This brings us to Part 3 of the process, which includes taking your time to craft a re-messaging. Here’s an example of how that might look:
Dear (interviewer),
Thanks so much for the opportunity to meet with your team yesterday afternoon. I enjoyed all of our discussion points, but one topic stayed with me as I was driving home. When you asked about my experience with quality projects, I’m afraid I may have taken us off course by describing my last employer’s manufacturing process in such detail. In retrospect, I’d like to confirm for you that I’m familiar with quality concepts from my MBA classes as well, and that I’ve used these principles in a variety of settings, including in a service firm such as yours.
I’d be glad to provide more detail on these points if you’d like. In the meantime, I look forward to our next opportunity to meet as you complete this hiring process.
Best wishes,
etc.
As with any communication tool, these steps will only become a habit if you start introducing them into actual conversations. Practice enough and the process will eventually become second nature — which is what you really need for stellar job search conversations.
7 min
July 14, 2016 Working Strategies: Taking the ‘elevator speech’ to another level
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Working Strategies: Taking the ‘elevator speech’ to another level
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By Amy Lindgren | [email protected]
PUBLISHED: May 7, 2016 at 12:00 pm | UPDATED: May 4, 2016 at 3:22 pm
Since I’ve devoted the last two columns to the dangers of being either too quick or too slow with one’s words while conducting a job search, it seems natural to round out the conversation (so to speak) with a look at a classic job search communication tool: The elevator speech.
For the uninitiated, an “elevator speech” is a short message used by job seekers to convey their strengths, employment goal and perhaps work history, all within about 30 seconds.
Although this message is most often imagined for use in networking, it’s named after a classic “what-if: scenario: What if you were in an elevator with the CEO of a company you want to join? What would you say in that 30-second ride to secure his or her interest?
Maybe it’s because I’m from the Midwest, but I don’t know many people who would actually bend the CEO’s ear on that elevator ride. And if they did, I wonder if the CEO would really appreciate the information. And how would they know the other person was a CEO in the first place?
These are probably moot points because most people deploy their elevator speeches in networking situations and not in small, closed boxes. Which brings us to another flaw in the theory: The assumption that a new acquaintance wants to hear your canned speech.
The solution isn’t to practice the speech until it sounds natural. It will still be a speech, and therein lies the problem: People generally prefer to have conversations, not listen to soliloquies. For that reason, elevator speeches are antithetical to the entire concept of networking, and may even do more harm than good.
Luckily, there’s a way to avoid the bad outcome while still gaining value from the elevator speech concept. The secret is to prepare your message but resist actually using it — at least not as a speech. Instead, I’d recommend pulling apart the key points in your message to use in a more conversational give-and-take whenever you encounter someone to network with.
Curious how this might work? Start by preparing your message, using the formula noted earlier: Some key skills + your employment goal + elements from your background. For example, the elevator speech for a corporate trainer might run along these lines:
As a corporate trainer with 15 years’ of experience in global organizations, I’ve honed my skills in all areas of learning and development, including assessment and evaluation, curriculum and program development, and workshop delivery. My programs have won awards for my clients while helping to train and retain their workforces. Having led initiatives at both ABC and XYZ companies, I’m now interested in connecting with a smaller, more local operation, such as QRS Incorporated. It would be my goal to help develop the internal training department while creating programs to compete at the next level.
As you can see, this paragraph is both powerful and dense. Unfortunately, in most in-person situations, the density will become the dominant feature. It’s just too much information to spew out all in a rush; most listeners will tune out long before the closing sentence is uttered.
To preserve the power of the information, the candidate should instead dole it out a little at a time during a more normal conversation. For example, this candidate could ask a new acquaintance at a networking event, “Did tonight’s speaker interest you with his statistics about the workforce?”
However the person answers, our job seeker can reply with something conversational, such as “Me too. I think I appreciate his message even more since it touches on my field. I’ve been working with similar concepts in my role as a corporate trainer.”
You can imagine the response: “That sounds interesting. Who do you do that for?” To which our (unemployed) friend can answer, “For the past 15 years I’ve been at bigger companies, such as XYZ, but now I’m more focused on switching to a smaller organization. I’ve decided I’m interested in doing more to shape the program from the ground up. How about you — what do you do for a living?”
Do you see what’s happening? Instead of one person bowling over the other with a rehearsed litany of self-focused facts, the two people are entering into a conversation in which each will share information. This is not only more fun for both people, it’s also more likely to stick with each person longer, and provide a better base for future contacts.
If you’ve been using elevator speeches — or if you’ve been reluctant to bring yours out at a meeting — try this process instead. You’ll like the flexibility and the opportunity to connect with others on a more authentic level.
7 min
July 14, 2016 Perils of a Gap in the Résumé: Whether to Explain or Not
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Perils of a Gap in the Résumé: Whether to Explain or Not
By PATRICIA COHENMAY 20, 2016
When Brooke Bleyl started job hunting after taking 10 years off to care for her children, her interviews did not go well.
“They even said they typically don’t hire people with such a gap,” said Ms. Bleyl, who lives outside Cleveland and has three children, ages 7, 10 and 12.
Ms. Bleyl, who worked as an employment recruiter before taking time off, said she tried to fill in gaps on her résumé, including online selling to earn extra money. “But when you see eBay on someone’s résumé, you know that’s a stay-at-home job,” she said, “and that you’re just selling stuff out of your basement.”
After receiving “rejection after rejection after rejection,” Ms. Bleyl said, “I was very defeated.” She eventually found a job as an account manager at a staffing service, but only with the help of a personal connection.
For women hoping to return to the workplace after caring for their children, the advice is often “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Many women who described themselves as stay-at-home mothers can attest to receiving denigrating nods and hasty rebuffs. Researchers have repeatedly found ample evidence of discrimination against mothers in the hiring process and the workplace.
But women may be better off explaining their decision to stay home to a potential employer upfront, said Joni Hersch, a professor of law and economics at Vanderbilt Law School, and co-author of a new study on the subject, “Something to Talk About: Information Exchange Under Employment Law.” Employers, afraid of running afoul of anti-discrimination laws, don’t bring up the subject, she said, and female applicants, picking up on those cues, often don’t offer information, leaving hirers to guess at the reasons behind a hiatus.
But, Professor Hersch said, “women who conceal personal information dramatically lower their hiring prospects.”
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Ms. Bleyl, despite her own experience, shares that view. “It’s better to be upfront, because it’s who you are,” she said. “I was so hungry to get in there and work, work, work.”
Carol Fishman Cohen is chief executive and co-founder of iRelaunch, a firm that works with returning professionals and potential employers. Her advice to applicants is to briefly acknowledge the career break and quickly move on to explain why they are the best suited for the job.
“Don’t apologize for it,” Ms. Cohen said. “Say, ‘Yes, I took a career break for child care reasons, and now I can’t wait to get back to work.’”
Not everybody will be open to such an approach. But many will.
“I think it comes down to the hiring manager,” Ms. Cohen said. “If the individual has someone in their own personal orbit who has taken a career break, they are much more likely to be interested in the caliber and potential of that population than someone who has not had the experience.”
Playing up volunteer and freelance work is important, she said, but it’s a mistake to emphasize “mom skills” that are required for managing family life. The interviewer could be doing all that and working as well.
Some experts were skeptical of the experiment Professor Hersch and her co-author, Jennifer Bennett Shinall, an assistant law professor at Vanderbilt, conducted for their study. They said it was too far removed from the actual job-hunting experience.
The authors of the study, which is to be presented at the annual American Law and Economics Association conference on Friday and published in a forthcoming issue of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, did not interview recruiters or human resources professionals.
Instead, they asked more than 3,000 people recruited online to act as potential employers and choose one of two candidates with similar experience.
One applicant provided an explanation for a 10-year gap in her job history — such as taking time off to raise children and then going through a divorce — while the other provided no explanation at all. Those who revealed the personal information were 30 to 40 percent more likely to be chosen than those without.
“The number of people who preferred the woman who explained her résumé gap was staggering,” Professor Hersch said. “I was shocked.”
She said that the way many employers have responded to the law prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sex, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, serves to hinder women rather than help them. In their report, Professor Hersch and Professor Shinall argue that overly broad guidance offered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the primary federal agency entrusted with enforcing the law in the workplace, has had the effect of freezing out discussion about family life during interviews.
The commission, for example, warns employers, “Questions about marital status and number and ages of children are frequently used to discriminate against women and may violate Title VII if used to deny or limit employment opportunities.”
Professor Hersch says that more neutral language that invites employers to broach the issue of family with all candidates — both men and women — would be preferable.
A lot of the interview process is about ensuring a good fit, she said, but now there is “an environment where you’re dancing around the elephant in the room.”
Ofer Sharone, a sociologist at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who researches career transitions and hiring, disagrees. He said that changing the E.E.O.C. guidelines would be disastrous.
Marriage and children tend to hurt women much more than men in the workplace, he said, and Professor Hersch’s and Professor Shinall’s recommendation “would greatly exacerbate that discrimination.”
Employers often wrongly assume that mothers will not be able to commit to their jobs as much if they’re committed to their families. Saying a candidate is the wrong fit can be code for discrimination, Professor Sharone said.
Reducing the choice to one woman who explains a gap and another who doesn’t, he said, misses the more likely reality: that both would probably be screened out before they got to the interview stage. Employers are looking to filter through a huge number of applications in the quickest way possible. “If there’s a gap,” Professor Sharone said recruiters had consistently told him, they are “going to go with someone without a gap.”
Professor Sharone and other researchers did agree that if a candidate made it to the interview stage, then explaining a gap was better than leaving it to the employers’ imagination.
Joan C. Williams, founding director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, Hastings, agreed that the researchers are on to something. “Given how strong the bias is against mothers, women should seize hold of the situation,” she said, rather than cede interpretation to a potential employer.
When Stephanie Bond decided to re-enter the work force after taking off a couple of years to care for her two sons in 2012, she ended up getting hired by a recruiter she had contacted. “I said I was a road warrior and took the opportunity to reconnect with my family,” said Ms. Bond, who was also able to list consulting work on her résumé to cover any gap.
During the interview, she said, “I was very upfront about the flexibility I needed to have,” which included working from home at times.
Her own experience as a hiring manager has taught her what to look for in candidates with a career gap. But for some employers, she said, a gap is “a complete red flag and you wouldn’t get an opportunity to explain.”
9 min
July 14, 2016 How Do You Survive Office Competition?
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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How Do You Survive Office Competition?
Hypercompetitors spark strong reactions in colleagues, from fighting back to shutting down; warriors vs. worriers
Nothing can disrupt the ecology of the workplace like an hypercompetitive employee who's out to win at all costs. WSJ's Sue Shellenbarger joins Lunch Break with Tanya Rivero to discuss how employees become hypercompetitive and how other employees should deal with them.
By
Sue Shellenbarger
April 19, 2016
Every office has at least one—the hypercompetitive employee who’s out to win at all costs.
These adversarial types go beyond striving for success. They turn every endeavor into a competition, whether it is intended to be or not, psychologists say. And they spark strong reactions in colleagues, from fighting back to just shutting down.
Competition is often healthy and encouraged at work, of course. People who compete in a healthy way see it as a route to developing their skills, reaching shared goals, staying motivated and thriving on the job.
Research on hypercompetitors sets them apart. Intense rivalry is linked with a win-at-any-cost mind-set and a tendency to ignore the perspectives and decisions of others, according to a 2010 study at Harvard University. Other research shows highly competitive people focus on attaining status over getting work done, and readily put their own interests above others’.
Healthy or Hyper?
How competitive are you? To find out, answer ‘true’ or ‘false’ to the following questions.
• 1. Winning in competition makes me feel more powerful as a person.
• 2. I do not see my opponents in competition as my enemies.
• 3. I like competition because it teaches me a lot about myself.
• 4. I can’t stand to lose an argument.
• 5. Competition can lead to forming new friendships with others.
• 6. Failure or loss in competition makes me feel less worthy as a person.
• 7. It doesn’t bother me to be passed by someone while I am driving on the roads.
• 8. Competition does not help me develop my abilities.
• 9. Success in athletic competition does not make me feel superior to others.
• 10. If I can disturb my opponent in some way to get the edge, I will do so.
Scoring: Answering ‘true’ to questions 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 reveals a tendency toward hypercompetitiveness. Those who answer ‘true’ only to 3, 5 and 8 tend to have a healthy attitude toward competition.
How we react to competition varies widely. People may be conditioned by childhood experiences to see a hypercompetitive colleague as a challenge—and to respond by trying harder—or as a threat, triggering a retreat into fear and anxiety.
It is rooted partly in genetics: Scientists have identified a “warrior” variant of a gene linked to performance under pressure, which confers an advantage in threatening situations, and a “worrier” variant linked to poor performance, according to a 2015 study by researchers at Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest.
These tendencies shape early decision-making. College students who are competitive by nature tend to aim toward competitive jobs, such as coaching, according to a 2015 study led by John M. Houston, a psychology professor at Rollins College, Winter Park, Fla. Those who are less competitive train for more collaborative jobs, such as school counseling.
People who become anxious and shy away from hypercompetitors in the workplace often hurt their own performance, says Shelley Reciniello, a New York psychologist and author of “The Conscious Leader.” After a rival confronted one executive with a harsh critique of her speaking skills, “she lost her footing. It started to get to her,” and the executive began stumbling during presentations, Dr. Reciniello says.
Such confrontations can stir a visceral response so powerful that it blindsides people, she says. “They know they feel angry, they feel sick, they feel sad. They find themselves having revenge fantasies,” Dr. Reciniello says.
Equally at risk on the job are those who prefer to sit out any competition. “Some people don’t even want to compete,” says Steve Sims, chief product officer for Badgeville, a Redwood City, Calif., maker of gamelike motivational tools for the workplace. If you show such a person a leaderboard of the top 10 performers in the office, “that person will drop out.”
Patti Johnson first noticed a colleague’s hypercompetitive behavior when she was vying with the woman for a promotion years ago. She withheld information Ms. Johnson needed to do her job, and took credit with the boss for work they had done together, says Ms. Johnson, chief executive officer of PeopleResults, a Dallas human-resources and change-management consulting firm.
“I realized it was part of my job, to manage her,” Ms. Johnson says. She insisted the boss include her in meetings on joint projects and kept her boss well-informed about her contributions, she says. “I made it more and more difficult for her to throw tacks on the road.”
At times, the presence of super-competitive people can spur others to achieve more. Jay Bower says feeling overmatched early in his career by warrior types with Ivy League M.B.A.s drove him to study nights for 4½ years to get his M.B.A. too. Knowing he lacked skills his co-workers had “was kind of a searing experience for me,” says Mr. Bower, president of Crossbow Group, a Westport, Conn., marketing-services firm.
Deciding whether to confront an ultracompetitive colleague can be tricky. “It depends on the situation. You have to look at what you stand to lose,” says Susan Packard, author of “New Rules of the Game,” a book about how women can compete in the workplace. A little political maneuvering by a rival might not hurt much. But if a hypercompetitor starts interfering with your career goals, or with the funding or resources you need to do your job, you have to act, she says.
The first step is to be aware of your own reactions. Then, practice confronting co-workers, if necessary, to insist that they stop undercutting teammates or shared goals.
Gather specific examples of the hypercompetitor’s bad behavior and the reactions it caused. A hypercompetitor won’t understand what you’re asking unless you explain the behaviors that need to end, says Jessica Bigazzi Foster, a senior partner with RHR International, a Chicago leadership and business-psychology consulting firm. Prepare to explain how the behavior is hurting the business or the team.
Consider practicing what you plan to say with a friend, to help control your emotions, and write a script if necessary to keep the conversation on track, Dr. Reciniello says. Super-competitive people “will do everything to get you off point.”
Start on a positive note, says Elaine Varelas, managing partner of Keystone Partners, such as, “You’re very successful and I appreciate that. What I find very difficult in working with you is that you don’t share information.” Then give examples and describe the behavior you’d like in the future, she says.
Employees who are stuck with a hypercompetitive colleague may not get much help from the boss, at least at first. The dark side of a hypercompetitor often goes unnoticed because the boss “is seeing this aggressive, results-oriented person,” says Ralph Roberto, president of Keystone Partners, a Boston career-management consultant.
It can be tough for a boss to crack down on a hypercompetitive employee. Bill Fish sees competition as a motivator. When an aggressive sales agent at his company, ReputationManagement.com, accumulated an oversized roster of clients, he initially hesitated to take clients away from him, thinking the competition was fueling sales, says Mr. Fish, president of the Cincinnati provider of reputation-management services. “He wasn’t thinking about anybody else. At first, I really didn’t see it as a bad thing,” he says. After customers began to complain that the agent wasn’t responding quickly to their requests, however, he realized that the agent’s uber-competitiveness was hurting the business and made him share the load.
Hypercompetitive people tend to ignore their impact on others, so getting them to change often requires pointing out that they’re hurting themselves. David Hoffeld once managed a top-performing salesman who needled co-workers, saying, “Maybe you should work harder, because I’ve noticed I’m always higher than you on the leaderboard,” says Mr. Hoffeld, chief executive officer of a Minneapolis sales-training firm. “It didn’t spur his co-workers to work harder. It just made them angry.”
Mr. Hoffeld took the salesman aside and pointed out that he was alienating his co-workers, making them less willing to help him out on big projects in the future. The salesman changed his behavior.
8 min
July 14, 2016 Working Strategies: Finding the right words and how to use them
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Working Strategies: Finding the right words and how to use them
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By Amy Lindgren
PUBLISHED: April 23, 2016 at 12:00 pm
I’ve always been a smooth talker. As a child, I could talk circles around my peers and family. Ironically, being somewhat introverted, I didn’t often display my secret super power. If I’d had a special costume to wear under my school clothes, it might have featured a big pair of lips and a microphone as part of the logo. Hah! Take that, Wonder Woman!
That costume never materialized, but I did manage to stumble into a career where my super powers can be used for good, in at least two ways. First, I’m able to put ideas into words that help others understand the complexities of job search and career development — hence, this column, as well as books, workshops, and other word “products”.
And second, I’ve found that I can provide the words, or at least the framing for the words, that others can use themselves. That is, I can coach job seekers on what to actually say when they’re meeting with employers or asking networking contacts for a meeting.
As it turns out, job seekers appreciate this service more than I would have expected. For someone who takes words for granted, it was a learning process to see the lengths others will go to avoid saying the wrong thing or feeling foolish.
Indeed, I eventually discovered that being at a loss for words — or fearing that possibility — inhibits people at just about every stage of a career or job search. For lack of words, I’ve found people hesitating to request projects, promotions or salary increases; declining to make outreach to employers to discuss job opportunities; holding back from attending networking functions or from contacting people they don’t already know well. There’s almost no career development task, it seems, that isn’t impacted when someone feels un-confident about the wording to use.
Understanding this truth has led to multiple “aha” moments for me. For example, now it makes more sense (although it’s still not good strategy) that job seekers might prefer completing online applications over composing emails or calling department managers directly.
Likewise, I can grasp now why networkers find comfort in memorizing “elevator speeches” instead of trusting themselves to converse naturally, and why interview candidates seek answers online for common questions rather than simply identifying the message they want to impart and adapting that message to suit the questions.
If I’m describing you, then thank goodness you’re reading this column today. It’s time to break the tyranny of wordlessness and move forward with confidence.
The first thing I want to tell you is that personalized, direct communication is always better than the alternatives, even when it’s delivered in a halting or hesitant manner. You will get better at the delivery but only by repeating the exercise multiple times. This isn’t a game you can play in your head, so you will have to commit to jumping in, despite your discomfort.
The next thing you should know is that even smooth talkers have processes to help them along. In my case, it’s a series of what-if scenarios and a short list of prioritized talking points. Believe it or not, I follow these steps for nearly every planned communication. Whether it’s a short voicemail I’m intending to leave, an email I’m writing, or a face-to-face meeting I’m headed into, I ask myself the same questions every time:
1. What’s the purpose of the communication, and what’s my role (am I initiating and leading? Listening and responding?)
2. What are my talking points or messages to communicate?
3. What are some possible ways the communication could evolve? For example, if it’s a phone conversation and I’m asking for a meeting, have I considered that they could say yes, no, or perhaps later? Do I have dates in mind, as well as an appropriate, “Sorry that won’t work out” response?
If this process looks helpful to you, try it out and make the adjustments that suit you. And if you’re currently in job search, decide which form of communication you feel most comfortable with — writing emails, making calls, networking in person, etc. — then look for ways to use this strength to your advantage.
Regardless of the methodology you choose, remember that you can always seek help from a smooth talker to craft phrases and word choices for the topics you’re having trouble describing. And don’t forget that groups like Toastmasters can help you overcome some of your communication fears by providing safe opportunities to speak in public.
However you tackle this issue, know that it will be worth your effort. If you’re currently locked out of opportunities for a lack of words, it’s time to find your voice.
7 min
July 14, 2016 Don't let small talk derail a job interview
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Don't let small talk derail a job interview
Go light on personal chat, but give the interviewer a sense of who you are.
By Steve Twedt Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
June 11, 2016 — 7:00am
PITTSBURGH – Whether it's a summer job or a career launch, job search specialist Cheryl Hyatt has a word of caution for aspiring candidates: Don't get tripped up by small stuff or, more specifically, small talk.
Hyatt has heard some doozies about too-nervous interviewees. There's the applicant who inquired about the company's policy regarding employee theft, or the one who sought a $90,000 salary so he could finance his new Camaro.
"Most people have common sense and would not ask those questions," said the co-founder, CEO and partner at Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search
But even savvy and experienced candidates can get tripped up by little things, she said.
First, she says, job candidates should assume the evaluation process begins the minute they drive into the parking lot. Be professional with everyone from the security guard to the executive assistant who rides with you on the elevator up to the C-suite. Arrive five minutes or so before the scheduled time unless you've been told there will be application forms to fill out beforehand.
Also, get familiar with the company's culture. If it's a workplace where everyone wears jeans and polo shirts, "You need to come in one step above what you think the company policy is." In this case, a shirt and tie with khakis would work for men, a pantsuit, skirt or dress for women.
Once that preparation is done, you've come to an often-overlooked phase: Those first few minutes of "small talk" after introducing yourself to the interviewing committee. Even if the topic is weather (and hopefully not religion or the current election cycle), remember that you're making a first impression.
Touch lightly on the personal, if at all. It's OK to say you have relatives in the area but telling them you want the job so you can move closer to family will not help your chances.
Once the formal interview begins, she said the best responses fall in the 2- to 4-minute range, touching on how you would handle the situation and drawing on a related personal experience. If you don't understand a question, don't fake it. "Just say, 'I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for.' "
If you've been invited to interview, the company has probably already decided you have the technical skills for the job "so they want to find out if you are you are the right fit for us," she said. The objective of the "small talk" phase is to avoid giving them reason to choose someone else.
"You want to make them like you for who you are and what you can bring to the institution."
5 min
July 14, 2016 Don't Ignore These Job Search Red Flags
Career Corner is a program produced by the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network, part of State Services for the Blind, and it is recorded for people are blind or have reading disabilities. You can listen to the stream of the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and the password is RTB. Your host, for Career Corner is Anne Obst.
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Don't Ignore These Job Search Red Flags
Sometimes turning down a job is the right decision.
By Alison Green | June 27, 2016,
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When you're searching for a job, it can be easy to get so focused on getting hired that you overlook the red flags that can reveal a job or a company isn't the right fit for you. That's a dangerous mindset to have, because it can mean that you end up in a job that makes you dread going to work each day.
Here are seven job search red flags that people often ignore, to their detriment.
The person who would be your boss is rude. Your boss will have an enormous impact on your day-to-day quality of life at work, as well as on things like what projects you get, how visible they are, what kind of recognition you receive, future raises, what professional development you have access to and more. That means that your boss's character and way of operating is hugely important, and it's crucial that you use the interview process to assess what kind of manager you'd be working for. If your prospective boss is rude or disrespectful, assume that won't let up once you're hired (if anything, it's likely to get worse). Watch out for the following types of disrespect in particular:
• Seeming put out when you ask questions about the job or the workplace culture
• Acting as if you should be grateful you're being considered
• Disparaging your skills or past work
• Asking you to do unreasonable things, such as interviewing with only a few hours notice, without any acknowledgement or apology
You feel uneasy about your ability to do the job well. When you're anxious to get a job, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that your goal isn't just to get hired, but rather to get hired for a job that you'll do well in. Otherwise, you can end up struggling and miserable at work, or even getting fired, which can make getting your next job much more difficult. Even if these worst-case scenarios don't happen, being in a job that isn't a great fit means that you're unlikely to have the kind of accomplishments that will help you reach the next level in your career. If you have real concerns about your ability to excel at the job you're interviewing for – not normal nerves, but genuine doubts that you can do what the employer is looking for – it's probably better to withdraw from consideration and focus on jobs that play to your strengths.
No one has been able to tell you quite what the job will entail. If the employer can't clearly explain exactly what you'd be doing if hired, that's a danger sign. It can mean that the job is likely to change drastically after you've already been hired, possibly to something that you don't want to spend your days doing or aren't good at. It can mean that they'll realize they don't need the position at all, even if you've already quit a previous job and started working for them. And if they're unable to explain what doing the job successfully would look like or how they'll decide if you're doing it well, it can mean that you'll be left to flounder with no clear direction and be held to vague standards that never quite get articulated.
The interviewer doesn't interview you. An interviewer who doesn't ask many questions about your work experience is an interviewer who isn't equipped to make a smart hiring decision. If you're offered a job by a company that knows little about you and hasn't made much effort to learn more, you're taking a risk that once you're on the job, it will turn out that the role or company isn't right for you.
Online reviews of the company are overwhelmingly awful. Sites like Glassdoor.com, where people can leave reviews of their employers, aren't always 100 percent reliable. People's reviews are subjective, and a disgruntled employee might paint a very different picture than the reality. However, if a company has a significant number of reviews and they're overwhelmingly negative, that's worth paying attention to.
You have a terrible gut feeling. If you feel uneasy every time you think about the job or the manager, listen to your gut. Those alarm bells are often based on things that you're picking up subconsciously, and it's far better to walk away now than get stuck in a job that will make you miserable.
You're pressured to accept the offer on the spot. Good employers will give you time to think over a job offer. They want you to have time to make sure that the job and offer are right to you, because they want to make good hires and not have people itching to leave after a few months. Employers who pressure you to accept on the spot or before the day is over are pushing you to do something that isn't in your best interest. Be very wary.
7 min

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The Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network was the world's first radio reading service for people with blindness and visual impairment. It began January 2, 1969. The signal is also heard via the internet and across the country via satellite..

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