7 ways to prepare for an interview and shine like a star.

7 Ways to prepare for an interview and shine like a star.

Is your way of interview preparation helping or hurting your chances?  There are a lot of people who are talking about the best way to prepare for interviews.  I would like to throw my 2 cents worth in the ring.   If you Google “interview preparation”, you will be hit with onslaughts of information to try sift through.  Preparing for an interview can be a nerve racking experience and it can also be an exciting process.  Here are 7 ideas to try when you are preparing for an interview.

1.       Make sure your clothes are clean, pressed and ready to go.  Take you suit or dress suit to the cleaners and have them spruce them up.  There is nothing worse than wearing wrinkled or even out of date clothes to an interview.  Make sure that you have the appropriate outfit for the job.  For Men the suit should be Blue or Grey, according to many sites, and for the Women make sure you wear wither a dress skirt or pants suit that does not reveal to much.

2.      There are so many people that do not know the appropriate time to show for an interview.  I have heard people say 30 minutes, and even some say that one should show up an hour early for the interview.  The appropriate time to show up for an interview is 10 minutes prior to the interview.  I understand why people think showing up 30 minutes to an hour early is a good thing.  They think it shows dedication and determination to do well on the job, but what they fail to see is that showing up that early is disrespectful to the employer because now their day has been offset.  Maybe they do not want you to show up and run into the other candidates.

3.      What do you know about our company is now becoming a usual interview question.  There are a lot of individuals who go to an interview and know nothing about the employer, what the employer needs, or even the problems that the employer is having.  It is extremely important to research the company and see what types of issues they may be having, what their mission or goals are, or some of their most recent successes have been.  It is always good to reference things that the company has received Kudos for.  In the golden age of the internet you can go to most employer’s web sites and research, gather information and even see the problems they might have experienced.  Being a problem solver that comes in with their solution to a possible problem the employer is or might be having is a great way to stand out.

4.      One great way to prepare for an interview is to Google “how to answer Interview Questions”.  Practicing how you would answer an interview question helps you feel more relaxed during the interview and it allows you to make some great answers just flow instead of feeling rehearsed or not really what you think.  Employers can tell when you are trying to tell them what you think they want to hear.  Be relaxed and confident without being cocky.  Remember interview questions might have a hidden question underneath.  “Tell me about yourself” is one of those questions.  So many people make the mistake of telling about themselves on a personal level.  This question is not for personal information like where you went to school, or how many kids you have, it is about what skills are you going to bring to the company that will make you different from other candidates.  Have a friend mock interview you also to see how they think you did.

5.      Did you know that you can prepare enthusiasm?  As you walk around in your daily life look and see how many people are smiling.  Preparing your enthusiasm will help you look happy and ready to work.  Learn to use both types of smiling.  The mouth smile and the eye smile.  Even if you are having the worst day, make sure that when you are in that interview that you are smiling at everyone, leaning forward and smiling with your eyes.  Remember they say the eyes are the gateway to the soul, well they certainly tell what you are thinking.

6.      Remember the receptionist is the most important person you will run into at an interview.  Being pleasant to everyone, smiling and chatting is a great way to have you remembered. So many people make the mistake of checking in with the front desk, sitting down and looking frightened or anxious.  If someone walks through the lobby make sure you speak to them because you never know if it is a “plant” that wanted to see how you would be to join their team.  Many employers use a “plant” to test the answer to the question “Are you a team player”. If you sit there and do not speak to anyone and everyone that walks through, you might not be a team player.

7.      The worst thing that individuals do to not be prepared at an interview is to not prepare questions for the interviewer.  If you have ever answered the question “Do you have any questions for me”? with “No” then you have shot yourself in the foot with that job.  It is extremely important to have 2-4 prepared questions for the interviewer.  It shows that you are prepared and interested in the company and position.  Now be careful with your questions.  If they have told you that the position is open because the person who had it before moved up in the company, do not ask “Is there room for advancement”?  That shows you were not paying attention.

I hope this information is helpful.  I wish you all the best luck on your interview.  

How committed are you to your job search?

Commitment to the job search 2012!  There have been many articles on job search written just after the ball dropped beginning the New Year.  There is a lot of useful information out there but how does one know which information is most important to listen to.  This question is a lot like the same questions that will come up in November.  You know the one, “who will make the best candidate for President”?  I have read a lot of articles on things like “If you want a job then find the job”, or “Only you can prevent unemployment” but really the issues that needs to be addressed is tougher than just saying go get it, it is how does one stay committed to the job search in a time where many say it is nearly impossible to find work.  That is where Commitment to job search 2012 is a must.  Staying motivated and committed to a job search can be a difficult thing to do, but not impossible.  Here are a few things that you can do to stay on the job search:

1.      1. Finding a mentor is a great way to learn about the recent changes to the employment field of your choice.  Mentors can be not only a great source of information, but someone who has the inside scoop on the career spectrum.  Finding a mentor who has lived the job search life and understands the frustrations that go along with it can be a tremendous help when the motivation begins to wane.

2.      2.  Giving your job search more commitment than you do your New Year’s resolution will do wonders for you and your job search.  It amazes me when people make New Year’s resolutions and a month or so later they have stopped going to the gym, or has returned to the solitude of the couch instead of “meeting new people”.  Why does this happen you ask? Well it is simple, people lose the motivation to keep going, and they do not have the Gym buddy or even the Job buddy who will keep them accountable, so they do not maintain the resolution.

3.      3.  Commitment is much different than committed when it comes to job searching.  There is a lot of stress that goes on in a job search, and looking for a job, being a full time job can bring that on even more.  Make sure that you have outlets and people to relax with after job search hours, so that you do not end up committed or feeling like you are going crazy.  Working 40 hours a week to find a job should be like 40 hours working in a job.  Make time for life outside of work and work related issues.

4.      4.  Remembering daily that life will turn around and you will find employment will help keep you motivated.  I suggest that people think of their job search like they do their favorite food or family member.  There are those times that we will go to any means to get our favorite food, so why not go to any and every means to secure ourselves a job?  If you wait around for the job or employment opportunity to fall into your lap, you will have a very empty lap.  Finding that motivator that will keep you in the action phase, will help you wake up every day ready and willing to seek out that employment and not just sit on the couch and watch Maury.

Just remember that in life we either have commitments that we follow up with or commitments that we run and hide from.  Having a commitment to the job search is more about having a commitment to yourself and your life.  The more you keep focused and look at every success that you have daily, will help you stay on the road to commitment to the job search 2012.

6 Degrees of job transformation

Do you have a plan for a career make-over or a complete change?  I know that many people are looking to change jobs, start a new career or just get away from the current job they have.  I wanted to encourage you all to make sure when you are looking at doing this that you remember that the skills you learn from one job can be useful in the next.  The skills can even make the transformation easier.  I want to share with you how the transitions in my life have followed the same pattern even though they were very different results.  What I learned from being a substance abuse counselor will take me from counselor to Job Coach and Trainer via ex-offenders.

There are a lot of skills that a person needs to have to make a transition and I feel my path is shaping up well for my next transition and hopefully landing me into the final transition.  What are the skills that I learned I had to make this transition work?

1.  1.     Learning to read people is the first and foremost skill I developed.  If you do not know how to read people either in person or on the phone you might not be able to make the transition into the place you want to be.  I learned to read people when I was a counselor, I took that skill and it has helped me read the ex-offenders I deal with today.  Learning to read verbal and non-verbal language is a key aspect to learning what is expected of you from others.  Helping individuals while being a trainer/job coach will utilize that skill to make sure the information being presented is being understood and internalized by the other person.  I developed a strong “gut feeling” year ago and it succeeds more often than fails.

2.     2.  Communication is a major key to life.  When I am providing my trainings I try to make sure I am walking around keeping eye contact with everyone, talking loud enough to be heard and communicating the information using life events that most if not everyone can understand due to personal experience.  I have been to trainings where the presenter stands in the front of the room, just flipping through slides and they put no humanity into it.  Make a training/job coaching session almost like a counseling session, bring real life experience into it, ask the participants what experience they have had with the topic.  Engagement through communication is a Win-Win.

3.      3.  One thing I have learned through being a counselor is that everyone makes a mistake.  That has come in handy when working with the ex-offenders.  People make mistakes on the job and can benefit from some good strong job coaching.  If everyone in the world refused to give another human being a second chance, there would be no one in our lives, we would all be hermits living under our solitary rock.  Mistakes can be fixed and individuals can be remorseful of the mistakes, which leads to a better employee or trainee, but once others see that individual as a mistake, the damage is done and getting back in the good graces is nearly impossible.  Just look at the ex-offenders I work with, without a chance to show life changes, they will re-offend just to get back to a safe place.

4.   4.   I have heard of this concept of six degrees of separation, mainly around Kevin Bacon, but I truly believe that we are all just about 6 degrees of separation from each other.  We all have similar life experiences; we can draw off the experiences of another to make a point.  One example I use is about anger management.  Who has never been angry or let down.  Reaching a group and bringing a group consciousness around a topic while making it personal enough to make sense to everyone is a talent I developed which I know will help me become a great trainer/job coach.

5.  5.    Coaching the coach is a lot like training the trainer, but my concept is around everyone has a story to tell, everyone has a lesson to learn, everyone has a lesson to teach.  When I started out in the counseling field, all I had was a degree, no experience, but a desire to help individuals.  The lessons I learned while being a counselor helped me develop my skills, learn from those who had been there and done that.  Listening to the life lessons of others will help you in your own life, as long as you listen.

6.   6.  I learned over and over again to listen for the meaning under the meaning, sort of like the question under the question.  Dissecting the discussion before I respond helps me understand the true meaning of what another person needs.  Looking into the reasons a person does what they do is one of the greatest life teachers an individual can run into.

Looking at your skill set’s from past jobs, and the skill set’s you use with those closest to you, I know you can find a way to better your job search, better your career and enhance your life.

What can you learn about yourself?

I realize it has been a while since I have written a post.  I wanted to catch everyone up with the developments from the summer.  I learned a lot about myself and my ability to wear multiple hats, sometimes the hats were being worn together.  In July I was asked to be an interim case manager for another program at work.  This program is helpful for individuals who have a severe disability to help them maintain employment.  These individuals are the custodian staff for one of the federal buildings here.  I was still working fulltime in the reentry program and then I had to work for this program that is a fulltime job itself.

I learned how much resolve I had by having two eight hour days, one 5 hour day, and two 10.5 hour days.  Wearing multiple hats can become a challenge if you are not ready.  In this other program there were annual reviews that had to be written to prove the individuals working have a documented disability that meets the severity level.  This was a difficult challenge but one I worked through and feel I learned a lot about myself.  There were days that I was very tired and not sure if I could continue pushing through but with each passing day I learned more about my own abilities.

1. Resolve was something I thought I had but it seems I had room for more.  I worked through the tiredness, was able to write more in depth reports and still have time to keep my other program running smoothly.  I was able to utilize problem solving skills to juggle both programs and not lose my mind.
2. Asking for help when needed does not show weakness but it shows a healthy understanding of your own abilities.  There were days that to many things were happening at once and I had to prioritize the events and ask for help from others.  I am normally the kind of person who can tell others to ask for help but sometimes I cannot take my own advice.  This program helped me become better at asking.
3. Stress Management was almost a daily task.  I would have to turn to others to vent, problem solve and lean on them for support.  I was working hard to not work overtime.  I learned that the people in my life are more of a support than I ever thought.
4. Grateful is a concept that I know, but it was more of something I needed to remember.  There are so many people who are out of work and would love to get a job, I am sure there are a lot of people who would have wanted my job.  On even the most stressful day, I had to remember that I have a job and I needed to be reminded of how difficult life is and appreciate what I have. 
5. Ex-offenders are great teachers.  I get to see several ex-offenders daily and the life lessons they teach are tremendous.  I see individuals coming out of prison with little or nothing to their name, most are still in survival mode, trying to figure out the way of life.  It is rewarding when you help someone gain hope, wisdom and yes learn what Facebook is.  Many of my participants have been incarcerated for 15-20 years.  That is a shock to many who already see technology and know how to use it.

Helping someone gain and maintain employment to have a better quality of life is a great mission.  Over this holiday season, remember that no matter how hard it seems now, it can and will get better.  Just take the time to do some soul searching and you can succeed. 

Returning soon

I know I have been a bit late getting more posts up, but I am on the fast track of getting back to it.  The reason will be in my next post

Staying motivated in an unmotivated world

Staying motivated while searching for a job can be one of the most complicated actions.  Many people find it difficult to have enthusiasm and motivation when doors are closed in their face.  With the economy down and unemployment up how do you stay motivated to keep looking?  A normal human being can only hear no so many times before they just want to give up.  Here are a few suggestions to look at to hopefully stay motivated and not give up.

1. Enthusiasm is sometimes difficult when you are looking for a job, but if you walk into a place and you are looking depressed and down, sounding down when you are speaking with the person in front of you then that is going to show all over you.  Even if you are having a bad day, plant that genuine smile on your face, pump yourself up and make sure you have that enthusiasm oozing from you even if it is just for that interaction.  I know it is hard to stay enthusiastic when you feel the search is not going anywhere, but find someone that can pump you up and be your cheerleader.
2. Motivation comes from many different places.  Look at what motivates your actions.  What do you do every day to make sure you are motivated to succeed?  Who do you have in your corner that helps motivate you?  Using social networking sites are a good way to help and encourage each other to keep the chin up and share the frustration.  Making sure you motivate yourself to keep going is so important in today’s world.  Most people are motivated by money but there are other reasons to look at motivating yourself.  Maybe your children motivate you to make better choices, maybe your friends or family motivate you by walking the frustrating road of job search with you.  Maybe you just know your potential and that motivates you to change.  If we are not motivated to change, will we ever change?
3. Barriers can get in our way on a daily basis.  What barriers do you have that stand in the way of you gaining employment?  The individuals I work with have barriers ranging from little to no education, minimal job experience to having a criminal record.  These are some of the barriers that individuals face in the job hunt.  I tell my participants the same thing I will tell you. Success is not measured in having everything you want but the barriers that you have overcame to achieve it.  Facing a barrier can be frightening but with the right support and a plan of action overcoming the barriers can be rewarding and fulfilling.
4. Learning is a powerful tool to have on your side.  It is important to try and learn at least one new thing a day.  It might mean going back to school to help drive your career in an upward direction.  It might be learning a new skill that will make you stand out more to an employer.  It might be learn how to use multiple social networking sites to join other individuals in a forum to discuss different issues around employment.  It might be taking your self out of your comfort zone and doing something different.   
5. Planning is important because without a plan of action how will you know if you have succeeded.  Sticking to that plan of action is imperative to having success.  Each day we all do things that are minor successes for us.  Maybe it is following through with something you said you would do, maybe it is accomplishing a task, even if it is an assigned task, maybe you wanted to be on time today or even early and you did that.  We all have things that we do daily that we should pat our own backs for succeeding, but we often fail to recognize these achievements.  

If we wait around for others to motivate us, or expect others to give us the accolades we feel we deserve but we are not giving them to ourselves, then we are missing the boat.  I have several people in my life that motivate me, help pick me up when I am down, and help bring a smile to my face.  Some of them are only known online but they still know how to help me help myself.

Show me the money, not the door

Show Me the Money was a requested topic for my blog that a reader wanted me to write about.  I am not sure that the specifics I will be talking about are exactly what they would like to hear but I am going to write it anyway.  Many employees will take a job just because of the money, not because they really want to work for that company.  I took a job once just because it was going to pay me more money than I had ever received at a job.  The job was being a ticket broker for a company that would buy tickets to many different events and then mark them up to an almost ungodly amount.  A lawn seat ticket at an outdoor amphitheatre that had a face value of 25 dollars would be sold starting at 125 dollars.  After a year of that job I quit because of my personal ethics would not allow me to keep ripping people off because they wanted to have some entertainment.

Employers are always looking to find incentives to help employee moral or to help employees with their productivity.  So many people want to make more and more money in their careers but they are not doing the proper things to begin to get that.  An employee who is just at a job because they feel they deserve more money but are not putting out the quality of work that would bring that sort of incentive are the employees who will become disgruntled, negative at work and have their productivity fall flat.  There are some ways to make it where you might make more money, but remember they gave you the privilege of working for them, not the other way around.  Employers do not need you, they do not have to hire you, so if you want more money you might want to consider doing some of these suggestions.

1. Doing more work that asked is a good way to show your value to the company.  It is not the company’s necessity to come to you when you could help out on a project.  Doing more work than you are asked demonstrates initiative and that is something all employers will want and make great use of.  In this economy many employers need to ask fewer people to do more of the work due to financial needs because they cannot hire others.  Do not be the complainer who whines about being asked to do more work, remember you do have a job and that could be taken away at any point. Along with doing more work, try doing more difficult work, learn some new valuable skills and prove your worth before you assume you are worth more to the company
2.  Out perform other co-workers.  Make sure that you are the favored employee, the one the boss goes to because they know you are dependable and not a flake.  Look around your office or place of employment and seek out the different workers.  The whiners, the complainers, the hard workers, often known as the suck up’s, the just waiting for the 5 o’clock whistle employee, the let me hide from extra possible job duties under my desk or in the bathroom employees.  Do not be the one who falls into most of these categories, if you want to make more money, then make yourself more useful.
3. Remember that your actions on the job can make or break you.  If you want to make more money make sure you promote yourself.  Your actions can land you a promotion, but you have to remember that it is the work that you have performed, not the amount of time you have been with the employer.  In the past people would receive a cost of living raise, and now not many employers provide even that to their employees, because being employed is the cost of living  funding.
4. Seeking out other opportunities in a different department is also an idea.  Corporations have many different departments that can offer many different options or possibilities for a change and even more responsibility for an employee.  Look through the open jobs board or start meeting with human resources to develop a career development plan which can help direct you.

These are just 4 solutions on how you will be shown the money, but remember your attitude and negativity can also have you shown the door.  

How I do what I do... Training for Ex-offenders

Second Chance/Reentry By Design development was a task I took on in 2009.  2009 was a bad year to start off but ended on a high note.  I was asked to write an article on “how I do what I do”.  To have this make sense I will need to tell you how I got here.  I was unemployed in September 2009, feeling like the world was never going to feel right and becoming obsessed with finding a job.  I was also going through the process of gaining my certification at that time.  I actually had put in for another job with the company I am with now and after that interview, the individual. I interviewed with stated there was a position that would better suit my experience and credentials.  I was provided an interview with the manager over the newly grant funded Second Chance Program.  During the interview the manager discussed wanting someone to design, and create a program for individuals who are on probation, parole or have criminal charges.  I had plans and tickets to visit friends in London so in late October via email I was offered the position and my start date was November 16^th.  I had until January 4^th to create this program, design the curriculum for the program and build all the lectures for the program.  On December 28^th the Employment specialist, whose job it is to work with employers in the community to hopefully hire our participants, started her first day. 

This day was the first orientation for the first class of the Second Chance program.  On January 4^th I entered the class and began teaching life skills, critical thinking skills, and reintegration skills to a room of ex-offenders.  I had a lot of people ask me if I was scared to be in a room with ex-offenders with all types of offenses and my response was no.  I have power point presentations, videos, and lectures that cover everything from relapse prevention to anger management and everything in between.  I am not afraid because the first question I ask the participants is “What are your charges”?  They all have to discuss their charges which range from Child Support to Murder.  I then follow that question up with another question.  “Now tell me who you are”?  See looking at what is on that police report tells me that someone made a mistake in their life.  I also know after being a substance abuse counselor for nearly 12 years that most crimes are committed due to being under the influence of a substance, trying to get the substance or selling the substance.  The most recent reports have stated that 80% of crimes are because of Drug intake or activity.  I feel this number is a bit low.  I present my lectures, my trainings for individuals who many in society have turned their backs on.  I share knowledge and wisdom with individuals who have little to no hope or belief that they will ever have the kind of life they would like to have.  I open their eyes by sharing information that they did not realize was available.  By the end of their time in my trainings they have better self worth and are 110% feeling confident.  I train the individuals on how to enhance their passion for employment and this helps them succeed.  Some end up calling me the enhancer of employment passion.

I lecture and train individuals who are ex-offenders to change their thinking, change their lives and become the best employee they can for any employer who would give them a chance.  For if there are people in the world who have never made a mistake, made a bad choice, or turned the wrong way.  They are lying.  In this world think of a time you made a mistake.  Did the other individual give you a second chance?  Did they learn to forgive and move on or did it end?  In life everyone deserves a second chance especially if they have done some internal learning where they saw their mistake and do everything they can to better themselves and not make that mistake again.  Do you deserve a second chance? 

Coming soon the next requested Article:  “Show me the Money”

Question?

I would like to know topics or information that you as readers would like to be informed of.  Please comment and give me your desired information


Thank you

Other Duties as Assigned

Handling changes on the job can be a stressful and scary event.  I had my position change within the last month and it has thrown me for a small loop.  I normally work training ex-offenders in life skills, reintegration skills and employment skills, well about a month ago the grant I worked in ended and while waiting for the next one I was moved into a position that I was not trained for and had no idea what I was doing.  I was grateful to remain employed but had to learn to roll with the change.  My organizational skills jumped into play and off I went.  Getting all the paperwork caught up that had been neglected, meeting with the disabled clients and putting out fires.  This change took me away from my training classes and made it hard for me to cope.

Once I got beyond the stress of the change, got myself organized and continued to work with my Job Coach, I found some inner peace with the change.  I do know that this change is not forever since we were given an extension on the grant and another one in October so I will be going back to the training mode only in October.  From July to October I will still be doing both programs.  I am hoping that I am doing this program like they want but I am doing it to the best of my ability.

How do you handle job changes?  How do you handle new responsibilities?  Do you roll with them or do you curl up in a frustrated ball?  I have worked with many individuals who do not like or accept change very well, now there are times that I myself do not handle change well, but it takes people who can be around to help support you through it.  I have found when a manager gives you more responsibility or changes your position it is because they feel you can handle the change and do the job.  It is so important to know how you handle job changes because that one part of the job description that says “perform other duties as assigned” can come back and bite you if you are not careful. 

I find that it is important to build a career development plan to make sure you succeed in the job.  Knowing what you want to do and following that passion is the best thing for you to do.  Now there is no perfect job out there, each place will have its own quirks and problems.  You might find the best fit to your needs but remember when you accept the job it can change.  Learning to handle change is a great way to succeed in you job or your life.