What to wear to a job interview – the second time around?

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

If you are what you wear, what do you wear to a job interview?

There is heaps of advice around on what to wear to a job interview. I’ll link to some better resources at the bottom of this post.

The trickier question I think, is what to wear to a second job interview.

I had a question the other day from a candidate wanting to know what to wear to his second job interview. He’d worn a suit to the first job interview, but his interviewers were dressed in business casual. The interviewers had complimented him on the way that he understood the culture of the organisation, so he was wondering whether he should show that he’d taken notice of the culture and dress in the same style as his interviewers for his second interview.

Tricky question! So I took the opportunity to ask a consultant from an image advisory company.

She said an emphatic no! And that no was because:

–  People sum you up pretty quickly when they meet you. You may meet someone new in the second interview who is a stickler for a suit

–  It is rude and presumptuous to second guess what is important to an organisation and that more casual dress would be acceptable for the second interview

–  The first interview could have been held on “casual Friday”

–  The interviewers had already complimented him on his knowledge of the culture the first time around, while he was wearing a suit

What to wear to an interview, whether it is a first or second interview is a difficult question.

The consultant was emphatic that people should wear suits, and I agree to a point. However, one of the employers we interviewed for our book, What Do Employers Really Want?, said she worried when people wore suits to her interview, as it showed they would not be suitable for their environment, which was strictly casual, and based at the markets.

My rule of thumb for what to wear, is to think about the job and what people from that company would typically wear, then dress as smartly as they would do, if they were visiting their clients. So it generally means a suit for a male. That suit however does not need to be deep blue banking conservative, if you are going for a marketing agency role, but a suit nonetheless.

Nobody is going to penalise you for making an effort!

This post has some excellent advice on what to wear to a job interview.

{ 0 comments }

Selection criteria tips for the frightened

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

Selection Criteria Tips for beginners

Are you interested in a career in government, but don’t know where to start?  I receive hundreds of emails from people who want a public sector position, but who are stumped on the selection criteria the government uses. It is possible to crack the government criteria as an outsider, but you do need to do a lot more research than someone who is inside the system. I’ve written more selection criteria than I care to count, so I’ll share a few top tips to get you started.

Selection Criteria Tips # 1: Understand what the selection criteria is asking

Selection criteria can be tricky. You can be lulled into thinking you are perfect for the job, because on the face of it, the skills listed in the selection criteria sound the same as yours. I know it sounds obvious, but all roles are different. Even though the skills listed on the selection criteria seem the same as yours, it’s possible that they mean something completely different.

Confused or bemused?

Let’s have look at the selection criteria used in the federal government for leadership roles. They use an “Integrated Leadership System.” This system states the skills managers and leaders will need to become effective in all tasks required of them as leaders. The government recruits around these skills.

One of the criteria they list, is for example:  “cultivates productive working relationships“, and for each point of the selection criteria they bullet point the underlying skills a manager will need to demonstrate. If you are a manager to cultivate a productive working relationship, you will need to do the following:

  • Nurture internal and external relationships
  • Facilitate cooperation and partnerships
  • Value individual differences and diversity
  • Guide, mentor and develop people

This is where it gets tricky! If you are responding to this criteria, you will need to know with whom you need to develop a productive working relationship.

If you think about it, you could almost take all these steps to build strong relationships with internal customers, external customers, or your team. Yet the role for which you are applying, may have no external contact, for example. If you do not know this, you may give the wrong example and the panel may penalize you.

I really can’t emphasize this enough. If you are outside the public sector system you need to call the convener to find out few simple facts about the role. I have never seen an application pack that does not have a name and a number to call. Please use it.

Selection Criteria Tips # 2: Ask the convener the right questions

To find out the right types of examples to provide, you’ll need to ask the convener intelligent questions about the job. Like anyone they can be time poor. Start with acknowledging that you have read the selection criteria, but state you would like to clarify some aspects, to fully understand the challenges of the job.

If you don’t mention you have read the selection criteria, the convener is likely to give you the flick or direct you back there.

Good questions to ask are:

–  “what do you see as the challenges of this role”. The emphasis is on the you, that should get the convener talking

–  “can you give me a run-down of a typical day or week” I like this question because this is not what a list of duties on paper tells you

–  “what are the main priorities in this role”  you would be surprised how often the real priorities are buried down at the bottom of the selection criteria

–  “could you explain how I may apply this requirement”  this helps clarify any of the selection criteria that you find baffling. The question you could ask in the example above, is: “who are the stakeholders in this role?”

Selection Criteria Tips # 3: Join the dots

Depending on the space you have in your application, refer to your research in your application. Explain how the challenges you may face in the advertised role are similar to challenges you have faced in your experience. That then introduces your examples.

Read this before you apply for a government job. This is one of my most read posts on this topic.

Need to get ahead of the pack for your next interview? 

Get Our FREE e-book The 7 Deadly Sins to Avoid at Job Interview!

Deborah Barit wrote this book. She is one of Australia’s leading interview coaches.

To get your free e-book and some of our best interview tips direct to your inbox, simply click on this link. It is packed full of easily actionable interview tips.

Here’s what happy readers said about the e-book and interview tips:

“Deborah Barit is a very smart lady…She is good at figuring out what an employer is looking for. It’s like she has ESP, with her help in preparing, I found no surprises in a recent interview and I was prepared for every question….” Cathy, Leichhardt, NSW

“Because I read so many of your posts, I feel as if you were my personal employment coach. I start my new position in two weeks. I had so many obstacles to overcome and each day you posted a solution to my dilemma and how to improve my search. Thank you so much for your input and PLEASE continue to do what you do!”

Click here to get access to the e-book.

{ 34 comments }

10 tips for compelling cover letters

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

Ten tips to make your cover letter stand out

Does your resume go better with a cover letter? Some people say no, because nobody reads them. I agree to a point. Not all recruiters read cover letters with resumes. But I think many recruiters don’t because so many cover letters they see are a bit “blah blah blah”. That’s when the cover letter says nothing new or exciting, nor does it say anything about why the candidate wants the job, or it just repeats claims you make on your resume. In a sea of such banality, one way to make your resume cover letter stand out, is just to do a good one. You can do more than that, though. Here are 10 rules to help you write compelling cover letters to complement your resume.

Cover Letter Tips # 1.

Do your research, part 1.

Even if the job is advertised through a recruitment consultant you can still do your research. Call them and connect with them. They will probably not give you their client’s name but they may give you an outline of the challenges of the role as they see them. Your resume cover letter becomes far more engaging if you can tell the recruiter how they’ve inspired you to want to take this opportunity further.

Cover Letter Tips # 2.

Do your research, part 2.

If you know who the company is, then there is no excuse for not looking up the website, doing a thorough google and reading the linked in profile of their company executives. And that’s just as a start.

The aim of this research is for you to find some compelling reasons to want to work for that organisation and some ways that you can add value. So many people forget to say this on their cover letters.

Cover Letter Tips # 3.

You cover letter should clearly show you have read the job advertisement. The way you do this is to pick the key criteria in the advertisement and point out how you meet this in your letter.

Also use key words from the advertisement, throughout your resume cover letter. That way it has a better chance of being picked up in screening software.

Cover Letter Tips # 4.

Try to keep your cover letters to one page and three or four paragraphs.

The only real exception to this rule is if you are asked to respond to an “expression of interest”.  An expression of interest is a mini government selection criteria where you outline how you meet job criteria. Then your letter may run to two to three pages.

Cover Letter Tips # 5.

Don’t be boring. Try to keep your own voice.

Cover Letter Tips # 6.

Keep a logical format. I use “hook,” “book,” and “took.”

“hook” :- specific and memorable reasons as to why you want the role
“book” :- a coherent argument as to why you should be hired
“took”  :- what you want to happen as a result of an employer reading your letter

Cover Letter Tips # 7.

Be personal. If you have someone’s name use it. Ideally a cover letter should start with a title Ms, Mr or Mrs.

The exception to this is when informality is invited. A first name is more acceptable in an informal email, perhaps if you already have had a conversation with the contact person.

Cover Letter Tips # 8.

Type it. This sounds so basic. But I have to say this next bit because I have been asked this question.

Yes.

An application in writing generally means typed.

Cover Letter Tips # 9.

If you are submitting a posted application – then plain white paper please. Pretty pink perfumed pages or something similar are never a good idea. Your letter will be unique, but for the wrong reasons.

Cover Letter Tips # 10.

OK I’ve crammed a few things here into one rule. A cover letter should not be:

– a repeat of your resume
– a standard letter that you send out to everyone
– hard to read
– full of spelling and grammar mistakes

 

{ 11 comments }

How to explain tricky resume gaps

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

This guest post is brought to you by: Jorgen Sundberg aka The Undercover Recruiter

Sometimes a resume will look like the person has had more jobs than hot meals. This is a sure fire way to make any potential employer run for the hills. Big gaping gaps on a resume will bring attention to you for all the wrong reasons. Job hopping indicates a lack of stability in your career. The worry is that you get fired too often, you easily get bored or you just can’t seem to pick the right job for you. You can be regarded as you being a quitter and not committing to any career.

As hiring and firing is both time consuming and expensive, the last thing anybody wants is to have to redo it all in 3 months time. Employers are snowed under with applications nowadays and looking for reasons to rule people out, just to get through their stack of resumes for the day. This is why you need to work on your job hopping profile and try to turn the attention away from your gaps and on to you as a person.

Turning these resume gaps into a positive is a hotly debated subject in the resume writing world. The good news is that more and more people will have gaps in their profiles as we’ve been in the midst of a recession and many of us have had our positions made redundant, at least once.

Here are some hot tips on how you can put a positive spin on your job hopping resume:

1. Turn attention away from your employment dates

Avoid putting employment dates in prominent places on your resume, making them bold, including them in the headings or any other way that will bring the reader’s eye to it. Try putting the dates at the end of the description of the job. You can also skip months and simply put years on there. Some recruiters and HR people will insist on the exact dates, some won’t. You can always try using years only at first.

2. Put all short term assignments together in one group

Lump any short term, interim, contract, freelance work together in one. You can use a collective header such as “Consulting Work” in which you list all your short term assignments until today. The aim of your resume is to demonstrate your skills and experience for a particular company and job. It’s not a document listing all tiny events of your life.

3. Omit anything irrelevant on your resume

Omit any jobs that aren’t relevant to this job search and the company you are applying for. There is no rule saying you have to include all jobs you ever did on your resume. You decide what goes on there, it’s not an autobiography.

4. Be open about why you left your previous employment

Be prepared for questions about why your previous employments ended. One acceptable reason for job hopping could be that you were exploring different jobs to see what you were meant to do. Based on that experience, you now know that the job you’re applying for is perfect. In case you left a job due to legitimate reasons such as cut backs, mergers or outsourcing, make certain you say this in the resume already. Being made redundant is something out of your control and happens all too often in this economy.

5. Use online networking and personal branding

Having a strong personal brand and using this to network across the many online platforms that are available out there will also help to bring the focus on you as a person instead of your resume document. If you make a good first impression while networking, chances are the company will scrutinize your resume less and you will get a personal interview. Update your online profiles on LinkedIn and other social media, some employers will even spend more time checking you out online than reading your resume.

6. Write a great cover letter

Make sure you write a fantastic cover letter that will stand out (to outweigh the resume). The cover letter must indicate your knowledge of the company you are applying for as well as how you are going to add value to your prospective new company.

Bottom line

Your aim here is really to bring the focus away from you being a risk to hire. By demonstrating your achievements and experience as opposed to what is missing, you could get away with your job hopping history and land a new job.

What are your best tips for job hoppers?

Jorgen Sundberg is a Personal Branding Consultant based in London. He helps sales people, entrepreneurs, business owners and executives to create, build and promote magnetic brands to attract more business online.  After 7 years of marketing people in recruitment, he started Personal Branding UK and he blogs at The Undercover Recruiter and JorgenSundberg.net. You can connect with him on Twitter @jorgensundberg.

{ 15 comments }

Are you at one with your resume?

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

A question from a professional resume writer

Are you and your resume the one person? This almost the single most important question you need to ask before you send your resume. It’s a particularly important question to ask if you have used a professional resume writer. It pretty much means do you look, sound and appear like everything on your resume? And that’s important because? Over inflate your skills, and you’ll disappoint in the flesh. Don’t give enough of yourself, and you won’t make it that far.

This doesn’t mean you can’t write things on your resume to sell yourself up, or down, but if you do this, you need to be able to confidently back up the claims in your interview.

Here are a few questions to ask of your resume.

Have you oversold your responsibilities?

This is one of my favourite soap box topics. If you have a tendency to inflate your responsibilities, stop and give your recruiter some credit. They will have seen plenty of resumes. If they’re experienced in their market, they’ll know the responsibilities of most roles.

For example: in a role at as a cashier at Woolworths, you are serving customers not building client relationships.  As a junior project administrator, it’s unlikely that you are “managing relationships with key stakeholders.”

If you have more junior experience, the impressive things you may have done are more likely to be where you’ve gone above and beyond the job description, not what’s on your job description. So highlight your achievements on your resume.

Have you undersold your responsibilities?

The flip side of this is where people undersell their skills on their resume. I’ve seen resumes where senior executives describe their strengths as “excellent team players” or “strong communication”. While these are great qualities, executives are leaders of leaders, not necessarily team players.

Does your resume make you sound pompous?

I am not a big fan of managerial language. See this post on a previous rant on weasel words. The reason I don’t like weasel words on resumes, is when you use these words, you sound like a bureaucratic HR person with no imagination.

Instead of using words like :efficiencies” and “outcomes”, try to state what you have achieved, and what the outcome was. Try to find your own voice.

Does your resume clearly describe what you want to do?

You know what you want to do. You probably know what type of industry, company and working environment you’d like. You may even know your next career step. So why be so vague on your resume? Be proud and describe what you want. What you say you want provides the headline and influences the way the recruiter will perceive your skills.

If you’re fluffy on your resume, you may be overlooked.

Does the presentation on your resume send the right message?

This may sound strange, but even the font on your resume can say something about you. If you’re a serious candidate at a serious level, then you need a serious font. If you’re a graphic designer your visually boring resume won’t do you any favours.

 

{ 0 comments }

Can you repeat that? Top training tips for the Skype job interview

by K B , updated on November 10, 2020

Top training tips for handling the Skype job interview

If you’re looking for a job interstate or overseas chances are you may have a job interview over Skype. While this is similar to a face to face interview, there are some important differences. So what are they? Can you do a Skype interview in your “newsreader outfit” with your pyjama bottoms hidden under the desk? Apparently not, or so says Bronwyn Murphy from BJ&M Consulting. We’ll believe her. Bronwyn runs interview skills training courses for recruitment consultants. Here are her top training tips for winning your Skype interview.

KB: What’s difficult about a Skype interview?

BM: Sometimes the connection can be slow, which can make communication frustrating. There’s a bit of delay. So both parties need to be patient, and wait until the party stops speaking, before launching into what they want to say.

KB: Have you ever offered anyone a job just from a Skype interview?

BM: That would depend on the role. In a solo job, say as a software engineer, where the candidate would not need too much interaction with the team, I would. However if the job was one where I needed to see how they related to people, say business development, I would need to see them face to face.

KB: What can you tell from a face to face interview, that you can’t tell over Skype?

BM: Physically interviewing someone in the flesh, you can see their body language. You get more of that gut feel. You can see their facial micro mannerisms. All these actually go into assessments we make of people. In a face to face job interview you hear more of someone’s tone. That also goes into how I translate meaning.

KB: Should you accept a job offer over Skype?

BM: Probably not. One thing that is important to do before you accept a job just from a Skype interview, is to remember that you should see your working environment. That can make a real difference to whether you are happy in your new job.

KB: So what are your top training tips for handling a Skype interview?

BM: Give yourself some private space. Do not do these interviews from work. Remove any distractions, shut the door, turn off the mobile and focus. Don’t have a cup of tea or coffee with you. This isn’t like a chat in a café. Dress formally, and you’ll put yourself in the mood for the interview.

KB: So no pyjama bottoms, then?

BM: No!

Need to get ahead of the pack for your next interview?

Get our free e-book The 7 Deadly Sins to Avoid at Job Interview!

Deborah Barit wrote this book. She is one of Australia’s leading interview coaches.

To get your free e-book and some of our best interview tips direct to your inbox, simply click on this link.

Here’s what happy readers said about the e-book and interview tips:

“Deborah Barit is a very smart lady…She is good at figuring out what an employer is looking for. It’s like she has ESP, with her help in preparing, I found no surprises in a recent interview and I was prepared for every question….” Cathy, Leichhardt, NSW

“Because I read so many of your posts, I feel as if you were my personal employment coach. I start my new position in two weeks. I had so many obstacles to overcome and each day you posted a solution to my dilemma and how to improve my search. Thank you so much for your input and PLEASE continue to do what you do!”

Click here to get access to the e-book.

{ 23 comments }

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →