interview tips

Don’t Make this Fatal Mistake in Interviews

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I had lunch with a Deloitte alumni friend recently.  He is now a VP of Retail Sales at a major financial institution.  Since he knew I had a passion for career coaching, he told me the following recruiting story.  In the last few weeks, he has interviewed over 20 candidates for several sales openings, Manager or Director level roles.  He told me over 50% of candidates made the same fatal mistake in the interview.  Can you guess what it is? ...  read more

How Hiring Managers Think

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I went to a café for lunch today.  I don’t usually eavesdrop on other’s conversation, but in this café, it’s so cozy it’s impossible to ignore other’s conversations.   Well I happen to overhear a very interesting and loud conversation between 3 people who work at an environmental software company.   They are trying to decide whether to hire a candidate they already interview and how to fill another entry-level sales position.  I thought I share this to demonstrate one example of how the hiring managers think and what that may mean for job seekers ...  read more

The Worst Interview Faux Pas

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A friend sent me this article – The Worst Interview Faux Pas. It’s unbelievable what some people would do in interviews. In this article, various hiring managers dishes on the eight types of interview faux pas they have encountered.

Most stories should make you laugh or shocked, but if any makes you think “Wait, what’s wrong with that?” Perhaps you just answered your own questions. ...  read more

Being Proactive Pays

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Literally! We all know the concept, but I want to share with you a true story of how it was used in practice for job search. My friend (Mary – a false name) was laid off just a month ago and was told her last day will be July 24. What does she do?

Mary immediately calls her old company she previously quit (to get this current job) to see if her old position is still open. (Kudos to her for being so open minded and for keeping a good relationship even though she quit) To her surprise, her old position was still open. They were just finalizing on an internal candidate when Mary called and said they were willing to consider her, but it would need for them to open the job in HR to the public in order to hire her from the outside the company. They said they will get back to her next week. ...  read more

Job Search CheckList

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Here is a starting check list of what may be involved in a Job search “job.” If you can suggest more, let me know. This is the condensed version. For the detailed version, click here.

Set career goals and job search strategy

  1. Understand what you would like and love to do and also what things you want to avoid doing in your career.
  2. Develop your long term career goals and understand why those are your goals
  3. Define the skills you need and skill gaps to achieve your 3 to 5 year career goal
  4. Define types of jobs you would like to have next and how each type would fit with your goals.
  5. Define detailed characteristics of your ideal next job
  6. Analyze your financial situation
  7. Define your plan A, B, and C and when will you implement each

Package yourself for your job search

  1. Ask people who have the job types you want
  2. Develop your story about your career goals, what job you want next and why, and why you are qualified
  3. Practice your story as often as possible in social situations
  4. Create a resume for each job type you are searching
  5. Build an online presence

Apply for jobs based on your career goals and plans ...  read more

Job Search Advice from a Senior Headhunter

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In addition to writing from my own experience, I also want to share career advice from experts in the field. Last week, I spent 90 minutes chatting with one such expert – Steve Meyers, a senior recruiter in executive searches. I met Steve a few years ago at a Wharton MBA alumni networking lunch. ...  read more

15 Interview Preparation Tips

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An interview can be the gateway to a great job. The key to acing an interview lies in interview preparation. No one is naturally ready for an interview, even if you know all your experiences by heart. You need to prepare for every interview so that you can show:

  • You have done research on the company, and understand current news surrounding it.
  • You know why you are a good candidate for that particular position, and are prepared to tell credible stories about how your experiences support your candidacy.
  • You have prepared meaningful questions to find out more about the company.
  • You are prepared to answer unexpected questions with calm and clarity.

With that said, here is a checklist of interview preparation tips you should follow: ...  read more