Top 5 things to take with you on an interview!

So, you landed the interview. Here are some things to think about before you head out the door!

1. Paperwork! Take a few copies of your resume. A one on one interview can quickly turn into a panel interview! Also, it’s possible that you will be introduced to others who were not on the schedule (which is usually a very good sign)! Don't forget a list of references, any examples of work (that do not have confidential information), and those letters of recommendation.
2. List of great questions! Get creative with this. Do your research! Think of questions that not only highlight that you did your homework but also ask questions that help you showcase your skills!
3. A nice portfolio! Please do not take a manila folder. Yes, this has happened. Go out and buy yourself a decent portfolio. And make sure you have a pen to take notes! Yes, it’s ok to write something down during the interview or remind yourself of a question you want to ask at the end.
4. Your suit and a smile! Yes, you should be wearing a suit! I can't even believe I still have to say that out loud. You only have one chance at a first impression. It’s always better to overdress, even on Fridays. Remember: You are interviewing for the job you want, not the one you have! Also, don't forget that smile. Positive energy is contagious!!!!
5. Stories! When you are working your way through the job description think of examples that apply. Try to make a short story out of it. The purpose of this is to create a picture in the interviewers' mind of you doing the job. Stories make a much bigger impact than canned answers.

Good luck with your next interview and don’t forget to check out these tips before you step foot in the lobby: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-things-remember-before-after-you-step-foot-lobby-delgado-lemaire

Searching for a new job? Comment below or contact one of our expert recruiters today! Find the closest CFS location to you here.

5 tips to ace your next phone interview

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The no. 1 way to nail a job interview

Article originally published on Forbes

Early in my career, I was responsible for staffing up a new department store. More than 200 jobs needed to be filled quickly, so I sometimes conducted 20 job interviews in a day. It was a crazy time, but one that taught me a valuable lesson about what separates a good job interview performance from a great one.

Here’s what I learned: Most candidates are qualified. Most come to the interview prepared with answers to likely questions. But the candidate who uses compelling stories to demonstrate his or her value is the one who’s most likely to win the job. 

Fortunately, you don’t need to be Garrison Keillor to master this skill. An excellent new book, Get That Job! A Quick and Complete Guide to a Winning Interview  by career coach Thea Kelley features a step-by-step approach to crafting winning interview stories. The book is a short read, but it overflows with smart tips for navigating every phase of the interview process, from the initial prep to accepting an offer.

The Three Cs of a Job Interview

Before getting into Kelley’s suggestions, I’d like to mention the three unspoken questions — commonly known as the Three Cs of Interviewing — that need to be answered in every interview: 

Competence: Do you have the skills, experience and knowledge to do the job, and do it well?

Compatibility: Do you fit with their company culture, especially if it’s significantly different from where you’ve worked before?

Chemistry: Are you someone the employer would like to work with? Businesses, government agencies and nonprofits want to be convinced that their people will enjoy spending a big chunk of their waking hours with you, day after day, in good times and bad.

So, which types of stories best convey this critical information? Ones that tell an employer about a challenge you faced, the actions you took to solve it and the results you achieved. Kelley uses the acronym SOAR (Situation, Obstacles, Actions, Results) to describe this framework.

When using SOAR stories, you don’t just tell an employer “I’m a good manager” or “I’m resilient,” you show it. That feels genuine. Done well, SOAR stories help convince employers that you’re likeable, competent and the best fit for the job.

Here’s a SOAR example excerpted from Kelly’s book from “Rob” talking about how he implemented the business management software, “SuccessSuite.” Note that it takes just a few sentences for Rob to convincingly and clearly convey his value:

Situation: “At the Cooper Company, I realized our business management software wasn’t helping us work efficiently.”

Obstacle(s): “Management initially said SuccessSuite was too expensive. I prepared a presentation that changed their minds.”

Actions: “I researched the options, selected SuccessSuite, learned it, helped configure it and trained our staff on it.”

Results: “Efficiency was increased by 40%.”

How to Prepare SOAR Stories

Kelley recommends you prepare 20 stories or more, so you won’t run short if you go through multiple interviews at the same company. That sounds like a lot, and it is, but here are three ways to quickly come up with a good list:

Study relevant job postings. For each experience or skill mentioned, ask yourself: “What have I done or how have I demonstrated that successfully in the past?” Add those stories to your list.

Collect stories from your resumé, LinkedIn profile and performance evaluations. All of these sources have information that can be crafted into relevant stories.

Create question-and-story flashcards that answer common interview questions. Get a bunch of 3 x 5 cards and on one side write a common behavioral interview question like: “Tell me about a time you had to manage a difficult boss.” Then, on the flip side, write down two or three stories that could answer that question.

Once you’ve come up with a master list, format and type-up your stories using the SOAR framework. Kelley’s tips for strengthening each of the SOAR elements:

Situation: Highlight pain points that resonate with employers, such as situations that had caused wasted time, lost money or missed opportunities before you came to the rescue. Keep this section brief, since it just sets the scene for the next three parts, which are more important.

Obstacles: See if you can think of how you helped your employer overcome a big obstacle, like an economic downturn, a microscopic budget or an aggressive deadline. This makes your story more impressive.

Action: Give just enough detail, without getting too granular. Err on the side of brevity; nobody needs to know every draft you wrote in preparing your big speech. Later, you can always fill in with more information, if the interviewer requests it.

Results: This is the part that impresses employers most, so be specific and quantify your impact. It’s best to use impressive numbers or percentages. But if you can’t, use words like significantly, substantially or dramatically. And if a boss said something memorable about your accomplishments, or your action resulted in an accolade or award, include that as well.

After you’ve completed your outlines, highlight the skills and strengths demonstrated in each story. That way, you’ll know exactly which story to share when an employer says something like: “Tell me about a time that you dealt with a difficult co-worker” or “Tell me more about your software expertise.”

Practice Makes Perfect

No matter how carefully crafted your stories, they’ll likely fall flat if you don’t practice your delivery. So…

Practice different versions of the same story. Sometimes you’ll have ample time; others, you’ll need to make it short. Kelley recommends cutting the story down until you can say it in 15 seconds or less. Then, prepare a longer version in case time permits.

Practice in front of a mirror or take a selfie video to see and hear how you’re doing. Then, practice with a buddy or coach, ask for feedback and implement it.

Finally, schedule practice sessions. Start with a brief period of time, like 30 minutes. Set a timer and when the timer rings, you’re done.

Follow these steps, and hopefully, the next story you write will be about your job search success!

Have questions about interviewing? We want to hear them! Comment below or contact one of our expert recruiters today! Find the closest CFS location to you here.

Read the original article published on Glassdoor. 

How to answer: "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

Article originally published on The Muse

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

When a hiring manager asks you this, there may be a few things running through your brain. “Moving (way) up the ranks,” “running this place,” “working for myself,” or “in your job,” for example.

None of which are necessarily things you should say out loud in an interview.

So, how do you answer the question? Watch this quick video, where Muse CEO Kathryn Minshew shares a formula developed by our career expert Lily Zhang. It’ll help you share your goals and ambitions the right way—and not give your interviewer anything to worry about.

(Can’t watch the video at work? Don’t worry—we’ve also copied the transcript below.)

So, how do you answer, “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

This can feel like a bit of a trick question, because sometimes the answer is, “not in this job,” or, “in your job,” or something like, “at a bigger better opportunity elsewhere.” But none of those are things you actually want to say to a hiring manager.

The good news is you can be honest while still telling them what they really want to know. Do you have realistic expectations for your career? Are you ambitious? And does this particular position align with your growth and goals overall?

For example, one way I like to think about it is: Think about where this position could realistically take you, and think about how that aligns with some of your broader professional goals.

So, for example, you might say, “Well I’m really excited by this position at Midnight Consulting because in five years, I’d like to be seen as someone with deep expertise in the energy sector, and I know that’s something that I’ll have an opportunity to do here. I’m also really excited to take on more managerial responsibilities in the next few years and potentially even take the lead on some projects. I’ve been lucky enough to work with some amazing managers, and so developing into a great manager myself is something I’m really excited about.”

So, what if this position is not a one-way ticket to your professional aspirations? It’s okay to say you don’t really know what the future holds, but you see how this experience could really help in making that decision.

Have questions on interviewing tips? Have advice that's worked for you? We want to hear them! Comment below or contact one of our expert recruiters today! Find the closest CFS location to you here.

Read the original article published on The Muse. 

Interview like a professional

Article originally published on SharpHeels

For many of us, college was our first experience as adults. We lived away from home and took care of our own schoolwork, schedules, and responsibilities. College is a time of constant transition and learning, but there is one thing that students might not learn during their college career: how to ace the employment interview.

While many college campuses across the country offer classes focused on career preparedness and interviewing strategies, these courses are usually not required to graduate. Knowing what’s really important when it comes to interviewing will help you successfully transition from student to working professional. Here are three key tips:

1. Don’t go in blind or empty-handed.

Reading a company’s mission statement and scanning a few pages on its website won’t necessarily arm you with the information you’ll need to ace an interview. Instead, spend your time learning about the values that are important to the company. Make sure you read through employee bios to get a feel for who the staff is, and take note of any similarities in your own personality or of anything that makes you feel as though you would be a good asset to the team. These are the things you should know before going to the interview.

Additionally, educate yourself on the company’s culture. Employees who fit in with the company’s culture make a work environment successful, so employers look for applicants who share the company’s vision, values, and norms. Show your interviewers that their beliefs and values are important to you by highlighting aspects of your personality and work ethic that align with them. This will differentiate you from other candidates vying for the same position, and help your interviewers to visualize you working in the office alongside them.

It is not recommended to show up for an interview empty-handed, but the traditional notion of bringing paper and pen to take notes is outdated and not useful anymore. You need to portray yourself as a professional, not a student, and engage with your interviewer rather than sit and listen while taking notes. Bring things that show your talents and skills; for example, class projects that show potential employers what you’re capable of.

2. Dress comfortably and appropriately for the environment.

Keep your outfit polished and professional. Don’t wear anything that is too tight or revealing. Many companies have adopted casual dress codes, so it can be difficult to decide what to wear, but something between business casual and business professional is always a safe bet. Most importantly, make sure that you are comfortable in what you are wearing.

The first key to comfort is wearing shoes you can easily walk in. Companies in metropolitan areas often do not have parking that leads to the front door. You don’t want to show up to an interview with blisters forming on your feet because you wore shoes that weren’t easy to walk in.

It’s also a good idea to opt for pants rather than a skirt, because you don’t know what kind of environment you’ll be interviewing in. Having a wardrobe that works in a variety of settings and that you are comfortable and self-assured in will eliminate some of your pre-interview stress.

3. Be confident in your strengths and honest about your weaknesses.

While confidence is the key to making a good impression, over-exaggerating your capabilities is not a good tactic. In the moment, you may feel like playing up your skills and overstating your strengths might increase your chances of landing the job, but if you do, in fact, land the job, your employer will expect you to deliver on whatever you promised in your interview. If you claimed to know something that you don’t actually know, it won’t matter how poised or personable you were in the interview, or how much you connected with your interviewers; your credibility with the person who hired you and the people you are working with will be ruined. This kind of mistrust can possibly lead to your termination from the position.

It’s important to remember that someone running a business will appreciate your honesty when it comes to your skills. As long as you can show a potential employer that you are aware of weak spots and are actively working to improve, you should not be afraid of being truthful. Your interviewer will appreciate you even more for your candor, and it may position you as an even better fit for the company than he or she may have originally thought. Stay confident and be honest in how you represent yourself and your abilities.

The more you interview, the more things you will learn and the better able you will be to develop your own unique style, but these tips are a good starting point to help you showcase your personality, honesty, and work ethic. Don’t be intimidated by the transition from student to working professional. Embrace it, and remember that you have skills and talents to offer. Let those shine through and you’ll find success.

Have questions about interviewing, or your own tips for new grads? We want to hear them! Comment below or contact one of our expert recruiters today! Find the closest CFS location to you here. 

Read the original article published on SharpHeels. 

The follow-up email that works even better than “Just Checking In”

Article originally published on The Muse

Fact #1: After you’ve interviewed for a job, hiring managers don’t always get back to you in the time frame they told you they would.

Fact #2: You should absolutely follow up with a polite email if you’re expecting to hear back and you haven’t.

Fact #3: You can use this message not just to check in, but to give the decision-maker even more info that’ll show you’re the right person for the job.

That’s right. Take this traditional “just following up” email:

Hi Damon,

I hope you had a great week. You had mentioned that you’d be in touch with next steps on the hiring process by Wednesday, so I just wanted to check in. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with your decision.

Best, 

Adrian

There’s nothing wrong with that note. It’s brief, it’s polite and it gets your name in front of the hiring manager.

That said, instead of asking if there’s anything you can do to, in essence, boost your candidacy, why not take that next step and provide something that does just that?

Let’s say you’re applying to a social media position with Dolby. You might say something like this instead:

Hi Damon,

I hope you had a great week. You had mentioned that you’d be in touch with next steps on the hiring process by Wednesday, so I just wanted to check in.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a social campaign that I launched this week. It’s already had more than 5,000 shares—the company’s second most successful program ever. I think something similar to this would be very impactful for Dolby, and I’d be excited to jump right in and get started.

Best, 

Adrian

In this message, you’ve shared another example of your work, you’ve highlighted a recent success and you’ve reiterated your enthusiasm for the position. And you’ve done so proactively, which is never a bad thing.

You can tailor this template pretty easily if your work is online or easily sharable, like writing, marketing or design.

Or, if your work or goals can be quantified—you’re in sales or account management, say—you might try something like this:

In the meantime, I wanted to share that I finished this month as the #1 sales rep in the New York market. It was a big honor, and also a reminder that I’m ready for my next challenge, hopefully as the Sales Manager at Dolby.

If your work is more behind-the-scenes, or you’re working on proprietary information that can’t necessarily be shared externally, you might consider describing a project you’re working on (one that could apply in some way to the job you’re applying for) in broader terms:

In the meantime, I wanted to share that I just put the finishing touches on a crisis communications plan for one of our technology clients—a three-month process that involved collaborating with everyone from the customer success team to the CEO. It was a great experience, and one that made me even more excited about the opportunity to work on the communications team at Dolby.

Still stumped? Here’s something anyone, in any field, can do:

In the meantime, I wanted to share an article that I published last week on LinkedIn, which was inspired by the conversation we had about [topic you discussed in interview]. It’ll give you a little more on how I think about [subject matter]. Thanks for the inspiration—I hope we have the opportunity to work together and have many more of these conversations.

Assuming you’re not the only candidate in the pipeline, your “just checking in” email will probably be one of many sitting in the hiring manager’s inbox. Use the opportunity not just to follow up, but to show once again why you’re the best candidate for the job.

Have questions about your job search or interviews? We want to hear them! Comment below or contact one of our expert recruiters today! Find the closes CFS location to you here. 

Read the original article published on The Muse.