Employers offer advice to job seekers
Employers offer advice to job seekers
Here are some straight-talking suggestions from employers who want you to succeed: • There’s a time to talk and a time to listen. If you want to be successful, do both. Being outgoing and entertaining can be a strength, but it can also be a weakness if you’re not paying attention to what your interviewers are saying and the questions they’re asking. Show that you can listen as well as you can speak.
• An interview isn’t the time to prove you’re great at debate. Don’t counter every statement the employer makes with "yeah, but I disagree" or "that’s not how I see it." If you want to make points, build on what employers are saying instead of arguing with them.
• The best way to make a bad impression is to tell a prospective employer that you have conditions or demands that must be met before you accept a job. Make a good impression; be the person who steps up, pitches in, helps a coworker and can be counted on in a pinch. That’s the person to whom I’m likely to make a job offer.
• You’re not ready to interview if you don’t know what the company does and what you can do for them. Show some initiative and do some research. If you’re not willing, you’re not ready.
• We’re looking for people who are as intelligent as they are curious, who are good problem-solvers and who are open to different ways of doing things. Judgmental attitudes and close-minded "been there, done that" attitudes need not apply.
• Successful applicants have life and work experience that shows they have what it takes to get the job done. They’ve learned from mistakes. They can lead, they can follow and they refuse to sit on the sidelines. They ask good questions and delegate to bring out the best in others.
• You need to be an active listener if you want to be considered for a good job. You’re an active listener when you can understand the speakers’ intent as well as content, and you can confirm their meaning and your conclusions before taking action on either of them.
• Know your audience. Adapt your style to the style of your boss or your customer. If you’re interviewing with employers who want to control the interview, let them. If you’re interviewing with someone who wants you to take the lead, step up and take it.
• It’s fine to be reserved. And quiet has its place. But when you’re interviewing you have to declare yourself. If you have an opinion, state it. If you have a question, ask it. We’re employers, not mind readers. We make hiring decisions based on what you say.
• Clean up. Dress appropriately. Arrive on time. Show respect for yourself and others. Be alert. Turn off your cell phone. Leave your friends in the car. Complete all applications. Write legibly. Sit up straight and remain alert throughout the interview.
• Show some enthusiasm. There are people out there who may be smarter than you and have a stronger resume than you, but they may not be willing to put themselves out there. If you have a solid track record and can show that you’re open to learning, you’re willing to work hard, and you enjoy doing your best, you’re likely to get a chance to prove yourself.
• As an employer I need you to be direct when you’re answering questions and direct when you ask them. Tell me what you think and what you want. If you can’t do that, or if you need to tiptoe around issues, go interview somewhere else. Time’s too short.
Joyce Richman is a speaker and career coach conducting seminars and workshops throughout the United States, and the author of "Roads, Routes & Ruts: A Guidebook for Career Success." You can reach her at 288-1799 or JERichman@aol.com. Watch Joyce Richman's latest career advice Wednesdays at 6:35 a.m. during "The Good Morning Show" on WFMY News 2 or visit http://www.digtriad.com/business/columnists/career_minute/
