Month: April 2009

Interview Tip #11

Interview Tip: Prepare for an interview by taking sample assessment tests.

Interview Tip:  Prepare for an interview by taking sample assessment tests.

Many companies utilize assessment testing in their screening process.  Test taking is a skill and can be improved.  If taking a test intimidates you or you feel your test taking skills are rusty, practice.  Find sample assessment tests online and take them.  The practice will help prepare you and will improve your test taking skills.  Even if you run into a different kind of test from an employer than you practiced, the practice will help by improving your test taking skills.

 

 

 

 

Greg Paulus Searches for a Job in Football

A lot of people are considering career changes. The economy has declined and opportunities are scarce. Many people see no future in the career they have been in and are looking for an alternative. For NCAA athletes that are not going to make it in the pros, a career change is necessary. Choosing an alternate career is a tough choice.

A lot of people are considering career changes. The economy has declined and opportunities are scarce. Many people see no future in the career they have been in and are looking for an alternative. For NCAA athletes that are not going to make it in the pros, a career change is necessary. Choosing an alternate career is a tough choice.

A point guard from Duke is considering a switch to football after four years of focusing exclusively on basketball. Greg Paulus was a star quarterback in high school but decided to play basketball for Duke. In the last four years, he hasn't played football at all. Now, with his basketball eligibility up, he could play football for one year.

A lot of rumors surround Paulus's options. Michigan and several other schools are reported to be considering him, and a few NFL teams may be interested. The question is whether he can transition from basketball to football at this stage of his career.

The challenges he will face are common among individuals changing careers. In his football career, he performed exceptionally well as the quarterback of a high school team.  He then moved into a different sport at the college level. After four years, he has two options – go pro in basketball or shift to another career.

The is similar to an individual working as a supervisor (high school) in one industry and then taking a job as a manager (college) in a different field. Now, after four years as a manager, he faces a layoff (the end of his college eligibility). The next step in his career would be to move into senior manager (the NBA), but this is a very tough step. Of the thousands of college basketball players, only a few dozen will have a shot at the pros each year.

The decision to switch to another sport is appealing. Paulus was a gifted football player and is an exceptional athlete. If he had pursued football, he might have had a shot at pros. The question today is whether he can make the shift.

If Paulus wasn't in sports but had a career in industry, my advice would be clear. Returning to an industry after being in a different industry for several years is tough. Most people would expect the candidate's skills to have grown stall. Additionally, the development of the candidate (four years in college basketball) didn't help develop the skill in the other industry (football). I would expect Paulus's football skills to be worse today than they were when he graduated from high school.

In industry, I would recommend considering a step back, not forward. Job seekers will often want to move laterally or to a higher level when they make a job change, even if they change careers. Unfortunately, this isn't always possible. A step back will often make it easier to make a career change.

Paulus doesn't have the option of a step back. Returning to high school to refresh his skills is impossible. A lateral move is tough. Finding a school that will want a quarterback with only one year of eligibility may be a stretch. I can't see how an NFL team would take a chance on Paulus. The quarterback position requires years of practice to master. It may be the most challenging position in all of sports. To step in and pick it up after four years off is difficult to consider.

In industry, there are a lot more options. A person can “go back to high school” and take a lower level position in another industry. Making a lateral move also offers more potential, since working for a company does not have the limitation in years of eligibility that college sports have. 

If a person takes a step back, moving from a manager position in one industry, to a supervisor role in another industry, is this a good move? In many cases it is. Very talented and successful people will learn and grow in another industry very quickly. Often a person that takes a lower level position will have the opportunity to move up much faster. Transferable skills, such as communications, leadership, organization, time management and others, will help a person succeed.

So, if I was Greg Paulus, what would I do? Even if the chance of playing in the NFL is a million to one, it would be too tough to pass up a chance to try. If a college or pro team will offer him a spot, I would tell him to take.  It's a long shot, but worth a try.  There are NFL teams will often take a chance on a player and give him a couple years to develop. How can you pass that up?

If I was an NFL team, what would I do? I wouldn't take the chance. This has nothing to do with Paulus, but is a reflection of the other players available. There is huge competition for the few spots in the NFL. I would find someone with a proven track record and more current skills.  I would then tell Paulus to get some additional experience at a lower level.

If I was a college coach, what would I do?  With only one year of eligibility, I would want to see Paulus get some experience and refresh his skills before bringing him on board.  His ability to play effectively is only one factor that some coaches will consider.  One significant benefit to signing Paulus is the notoriety that could be gained.  If Paulus goes to Michigan, he may drive increased advertising revenues for the program as people want to watch Michigan to see how he does.  This has nothing to do with his ability to play quarterback successfully, but it may persuade a team to give him a shot. 

Bottom Line: If you are considering a career change, it is ok to try to go pro in a different field, but be open to a step back to college or high school to gain some experience first.

Job Market Statistics

Career Builder released their 2nd Quarter job forecast recently. The report showed a slowing in hiring – just as we would expect in our current economic situation. Companies are laying off workers, cutting hours, reducing benefits and freezing hiring. There were a number of positives in the report, though.

Career Builder released their 2nd Quarter job forecast recently. The report showed a slowing in hiring – just as we would expect in our current economic situation.  Companies are laying off workers, cutting hours, reducing benefits and freezing hiring. There were a number of positives in the report, though.

The hiring forecast surveyed more than 2500 hiring managers. As expected, more firms reduced the number of full-time employees as compared to the number of firms who increased staffing. In fact, the number cutting employment was double the number expanding. What is interesting, and a reason to be optimistic, is the number reducing staffing was only 26% of the hiring managers surveyed. The other 74% of firms either maintained staffing levels or increased them.

For many firms, maintaining staffing levels requires continued hiring. Employees will still leave and need to be replaced. In fact, some of the companies reducing staffing levels may still need to hire to replace the loss of key employees. Although only 13% of the hiring managers said they were increasing staffing levels, the number who are doing some hiring could be as high or higher than three out of four companies.

The hours worked per employee were less positive. Again around a quarter of the firms made cuts, but this time only 5% increased the hours worked. The difference between this measure and the measure of the number of employees is a results of how companies are reacting to the recession. They are cutting hours and benefits, while trying to maintain staffing levels. Every manager knows that the company who maintains their staff and is ready to grow coming out of a recession will gain market share. The challenge is cutting enough to survive the recession, but not cutting too much.

You can read the full report at http://img.icbdr.com/images/aboutus/pressroom/Q22009forecastreport.pdf

Should You List Every Job on Your Resume?

One of the questions I’m asked frequently is whether a job seeker should include every job on their resume. You should provide a complete and honest picture of your background. For most job seekers, this means listing everything. There are a few exceptions. One significant exception is when a person makes a major shift in their career.

One of the questions I’m asked frequently is whether a job seeker should include every job on their resume. You should provide a complete and honest picture of your background. For most job seekers, this means listing everything. There are a few exceptions.  One significant exception is when a person makes a major shift in their career.

This week, I read the resume of a job seeker that had held an entry level admin position at the start of his career. He then joined the military. The candidate’s work experience prior to the military totaled less than a year. The candidate served in the military for twenty years and is now transitioning.

The admin experience prior to the military has no relationship to the progression within the military or the career objective the candidate is currently pursuing. It is also more than twenty years old. There is no reason to include the work experience prior to the military service on the resume. Omitting this information will not mislead an employer and will not change the impression the resume makes. It will make room for more relevant and important information.

Where do you draw the line?

An entry level admin position held for less than a year more than 20 years ago isn’t significant to a person’s career progression. Making this position more recent, a longer duration or related to the job seeker’s career field could make it important to include on the resume. The challenge is knowing when the position becomes significant and when it isn’t.

Generally, you should list any positions you have held in the last ten to twenty years. If you had a full-time position and a part-time position at the same time, you may omit the part-time role, especially if it is unrelated to your primary career.

An entry level position early in your career may be important to list even if it is twenty or more years ago if the position establishes the start to a career progression. Individuals that stay in the same career field, progressing upward to increasing levels of responsibility can show a consistent pattern of success through the promotions they have received. To do this, you need to show the starting point – an entry level position where you got your start.

In the case of the resume I read, the initial admin position had nothing to do with the military career. Omitting it wouldn’t detract from the career progression. The job seeker should show all of his military positions. This establishes the start of the career progression.

If you need help determining what to include in your resume, get help from a resume writer.

Successfully Showed Up

I read a lot of resumes that are nothing more than copies of the job descriptions the employers wrote. The basic responsibilities from a job description do not demonstrate any ability or skill. One resume I read recently was especially bad.

I read a lot of resumes that are nothing more than copies of the job descriptions the employers wrote. The basic responsibilities from a job description do not demonstrate any ability or skill. One resume I read recently was especially bad.

The resume had a litany of basic responsibilities that did nothing to sell the job seeker’s potential. One bullet that really stood out for me was:

Attended staff meetings

A staff meeting is a meeting where all the staff get together. Attending requires moving from one’s desk to the conference room. This is barely a step up from “showed up to work.”

There are two reasons I can think of why a job seeker would list something like this. First, the job seeker may have copied the job description and was too lazy to edit it. Second, the job seeker may have added this bullet in order to fill space and make his resume look more hefty. In either case, the bullet makes a terrible impression.

When writing your resume, focus on giving reasons why you are valuable. The key question you need to answer is:

How are you better than others doing exactly the same job as you?

If you do not give a reason why you are more valuable than your competition, you will not get hired. The job market is competitive enough to guarantee that someone applying for the same job as you will develop a resume highlighting their skills, accomplishments and potential value.

Does your resume show specifically the attributes that make you valuable? Do you show how you have used these abilities in the past with concrete examples of what you have done?  Do you provide specific results you delivered? Does your resume show the value you will provide an employer?

If you are having trouble identifying how you stand out from your competition, talk with a resume writer or career coach. These individuals are a experts in assessing job seekers and identifying the strengths that can be marketed.

Reverse Chronological Order

The most common resume structure is the Chronological resume. The name is a misnomer though. A chronological resume should be in reverse chronological order, with the most recent information at the top and oldest at the bottom of the resume.

The most common resume structure is the Chronological resume. The name is a misnomer though. A chronological resume should be in reverse chronological order, with the most recent information at the top and oldest at the bottom of the resume.

There is a good reason why this structure is so common and effective. A resume is a sales pitch for the job seeker. The sales pitch should start with the most persuasive and impressive information at the top. The most recent experience usually makes the the best impression.

For the vast majority of job seekers, listing the most recent job first is not news. Despite this, there are job seekers that continue to make mistakes. I’m currently conducting a resume study, similar to the resume benchmarking survey we did last year. So far, I have run into several chronological resumes that either start with the oldest job or have the jobs in an order unrelated to the dates of the jobs.

The reverse chronological order is so common, you should not deviate. Choosing a different order for your work experience will draw attention away from your skills and experience and cause the reader to question why the order is different from normal. You only have a short time to make a good first impression. Wasting even a few seconds can hurt your chances. The time the hiring manager spends thinking about the structure is time they are not thinking about the content of your resume.

Choosing something other than reverse chronological order for work experience is rare, but is more common with other sections the resume. I’ve read a number of resumes that list training and education in unusual orders. For example, one resume listed the bachelor’s first, then the master’s degree.  This wouldn’t have been as big a problem if the degrees had not be mixed in with a list of training classes. This caused me to almost miss the master’s degree.

When listing your education, degrees are listed separate from training classes. They should also be listed in reverse chronological order. This should place the most advanced degree at the top of the education section. Training classes can be included within the education section, or in a separate training section. These should also be listed in a reverse chronological order. You may want to put your degrees near the top of your resume, but your training classes should be at the end. They are far less significant and should be placed after more critical information.

If you have other sections that list experience, place these in reverse chronological order. For example, someone in the construction industry might have a section of their resume with a project list. This list should be in reverse chronological order.

Now there are other organizational options that need to be considered. Dates are important, but grouping information by type and function is also important. I mentioned that a person’s education should be organized with degrees and training classes separate. The same can happen with the construction example. Projects in construction may be organized by building type. Within the building type sections, we go back to the reverse chronological order.

The work experience order can have one major issue that may cause a person to break their experience into different sections. There are job seekers that concurrently have two different careers. This is common with military reservists. The job seeker can have a civilian career at the same time they have a military career. Listing two work experience sections, one for military and one for civilian work can make the resume easier to read and understand. Other individuals may have a business they run outside of work. Others may have significant volunteer work. Separating these roles from their career is good idea. In both experience sections, the reverse chronological order should be maintained.

When you write your resume, group information in the sections that make it easiest read.  For most people, this will include a summary, work experience, eduction, skills and training.  Each of these sections should then be in reverse chronological order.  If you consider breaking up information into other sections or a different order, get someone to do a resume review.  Make sure your organization makes your resume easier to read, not harder.  It is likely your resume will only get a 15-30 second look before the hiring manager decides to keep reading or throw it away.  Don’t waste a second.

A Recruiter’s Perspective

One of my primary goals in writing the this blog is give you the ability to look at your resume the same way a recruiter or hiring manager will. I ran into a resume today that illustrates a common mistake I see, although this example is worse than most.

One of my primary goals in writing the this blog is give you the ability to look at your resume the same way a recruiter or hiring manager will. I ran into a resume today that illustrates a common mistake I see, although this example is worse than most.

The resume is from a salesperson with fifteen years of experience. The resume listed a number of great accomplishments. There were bullets where the job seeker had exceeded their annual quota by significant percentages. Other bullets showed their ranking within the company or region – for example, top five out of three hundred sales associates at one position.

The work history looked good. Then, at the start of 2007, the candidate took a new sales job. The new position had one bullet, “Sell comprehensive line of…” and a list of products. The listing had nothing about the success of the individual. No details of the territory, customer base, training or anything else about the position.

Recruiter Perspective

My reaction to this resume is simple. The job seeker had been successful in the past but failed dismally in their most recent position. I can’t think of any reason why the job seeker wouldn’t give some detail of their performance for this position if their performance was good. Describing this as a dismal failure may seem strong. I have to assume the candidate did not meet or exceed expectations in any way.

I also read the cover letter closely. My thought was the candidate might have a reason why he didn’t detail the position. The company many have had financial difficulty or the sales process may not have been a fit for the candidate. These reason could mitigate a failed position. The cover letter mirrored the resume, emphasizing the past and skipping over the most recent position.

The Job Seeker’s Perspective

I expect the job seeker left out details of this position because he has trouble acknowledging the failure. The career track record shows a pattern of success. It doesn’t appear that he has had to deal with failing before. The easiest thing for the job seeker is to skip over the position and emphasize his accomplishments. I’m sure this seemed like a good idea, but it doesn’t create the impression the job seeker wants.

Just as there are reasons that would mitigate the significance of a failure, there are reasons that could make this failure a major issue. What changed about the job seeker that led to the failure? In an interview, this would be my focus.

Solution

The best way to deal with this is to be upfront and give some detail. The job seeker should explain their performance. If the performance was below expectations, then the job seeker should explain way. I’m not suggesting that they job seeker needs a bunch of excuses – that’s the wrong approach. He just needs to provide an honest assessment. For example, shortly after starting the position, the company may have experienced a change in a their operations that made their products less competitive. Stating this by itself is just an excuse. Adding details about how the company’s sales dropped significantly would make it understandable that a new salesperson would struggle.

Another option is to remove all the accomplishments from the resume. I think this is a terrible option, but some job seekers may consider it. By removing the other accomplishments, the job seeker will create a consistent pattern from start to finish. The lack of accomplishments in the current position will not standout without any other accomplishments on the resume. In a down economy, this tactic will cause the job seeker to appear completely unimpressive and reduce the chances of getting an interview.

Often a resume tells as much about the job seeker from the lack on information as it does from the information is included.

Identifying Impressive Accomplishments

I read two resumes today with accomplishments that appeared to have nothing in common. One is from a senior manufacturing executive and the other is from an individual in the Navy. The scope and type of the accomplishments are vastly different, and yet, they both are impressive.

I read two resumes today with accomplishments that appeared to have nothing in common. One is from a senior manufacturing executive and the other is from an individual in the Navy. The scope and type of the accomplishments are vastly different, and yet, they both are impressive.

The Manufacturing Executive

The accomplishment on the resume provided specific results and a description of how they were achieved:

Reduced annual labor costs by $1.75 million through standardization of work methods, instituted employee productivity reporting system, improved product-flow, realigned supervisory responsibilities, and implemented a comprehensive employee training program

This is an impressive accomplishment. Nearly $2 million in labor savings through a number of changes. Any manufacturing manager would want an accomplishment like this on their resume. Most people don't have accomplishments this significant, though.

The Transitioning Sailor

The accomplishment from the individual transitioning from the Navy also provided specific results and a description of how they were achieved:

Saved over $7,000 by expertly using outside government sources to provide services previously taken from activities budget.

After reading about a $1.75 million in savings, $7,000 appears insignificant. You may be thinking that it is pointless to write about saving a few thousand dollars. For this individual, the accomplishment is impressive and may be more impressive than the accomplishment from the manufacturing executive.

The reason the accomplishment is impressive has nothing to do with the dollar amount. Going by dollars, there's no comparison between these two accomplishments. Dollars saved isn't the only factor. We also have to look at the role of the individual and the potential for savings. If the CEO of GE, IBM or Exxon listed an accomplishment of saving $1.75 million, it would not be impressive. These companies have sales in excess of $100 billion dollars. A million is insignificant to the scope of company.

For the transitioning sailor, there is very little opportunity to generate cost savings. This individual was enlisted and at a lower level. Very few of his peers can identify any specific cost savings they have delivered. This is what makes the accomplishment significant.

In your career, you may not have had the opportunity to save millions of dollars. This does not mean you do not have significant accomplishments. Review your background for situations where you were able to make a contribution beyond your basic expectations. These accomplishments could involve saving money, but they could also relate to other aspects of your job. Have you improved a process? Did you help a company become more efficient? Did you do something that elevated customer service levels? There are a wide variety of ways people contribute to their employers. Look for ways you have contributed and highlight these on your resume.

 

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Career Lessons Learned

An important part of preparing for an interview is recognizing the lessons you have learned in your career. These lessons are the most valuable part of your experience. They allow you to do more in the future than you have done in the past.

An important part of preparing for an interview is recognizing the lessons you have learned in your career. These lessons are the most valuable part of your experience. They allow you to do more in the future than you have done in the past.

Few job seekers talk about the lessons they have learned in their careers during interviews. There are two primary reasons for this. First, the job seeker doesn’t want to detract from the experience they are describing. Any lesson learned is an indication of a less than perfect performance. If you completed a task perfectly, what could you have learned along the way? Often we learn by making mistakes, and few job seekers want to discuss their mistakes. The second reason job seekers avoid lessons learned is they are not in the habit of assessing and discussing their performance on a regular basis. This causes them to skip over the things they learned.

These two reasons actually demonstrate weaknesses in the job seekers. If you are afraid of admitting you didn’t know everything in a situation, it is unlikely you will ask for help when you need it. Hiring managers can pick up on this. They are looking for people that can deliver results, and they understand that no one is perfect. What is important is how you deal with mistakes and failures, and what you took away from the experience.

You can also make a good impression by showing you can self-assess your performance and professional development. A job seeker that knows what they are good at and where they struggle is much more likely to avoid problems. This also demonstrates a commitment to get better. If you don’t care about your performance, it’s unlikely you will deliberate on it.

When preparing for an interview, consider the major challenges, projects and accomplishments from your career. Think about each, focusing on what you did and the results you achieved. Then, second guess your actions. What would you do differently with what you know now, and how would the results be different. If you are prepared to discuss the lessons you learned throughout your career, you will be much more successful in interviews.