Accelerate Your Search™ Now

The whole month of April we have been focusing on The B’s of Interviewing — tried and true tips to ace your interviews.  We began with a discussion on Being on Time, moved to Being Prepared and today, tip #3, is Being Interested.

Being Interested is comprised of two parts.  First, building rapport.  Seasoned interviewers are skilled at small talk, which puts the candidate at ease and allows the interviewer to test the “fit” of the interviewee.  Be prepared to engage in this small talk and engage honestly.  If the woman across the table asks about the local college’s basketball team and you don’t follow them, be honest.  Don’t pretend to engage where you lack experience or knowledge.  Remember the integrity thing?  It applies here, as well.

The second component of Being Interested is to ask sincere questions. The easiest way to do this?  Follow up on questions asked of you.  Ask for additional information or clarification.  Ask questions from your research, about the company’s direction, about what keeps them up at night, about the goals for the department or position.  Employers are much more likely to remember a candidate who engaged in meaningful, thoughtful conversations about them.  Remember, this is a two-way street.  Both parties are dancing — trying to decide if and when to close the deal.  Even if you aren’t interested, ask questions to practice.  Yes, I said practice at the interview.  Don’t share this with anyone, but I know people who go on interviews for positions that don’t interest them just for practice.

And, what will you practice?  The B‘s of Interviewing, of course!  Be on Time, Be Prepared and Be Interested.

-Mark Key is a retail professional known for driving results in diverse and challenging retail segments.  Mark’s interviewing insights come from companies big and small — having worked with organizations with just a few employees to Fortune 100 companies.

April is bringing me a very unique adventure — more to follow on that soon!  Part of my adventure includes spending fun time with amazing people and, as such, I asked a few of them to guest post on this blog and share their thoughts on interviewing, building great teams and other relevant topics.

The April guest posts focus on  “The B’s of Interviewing” — tried and true tips to ace your interview.

Let’s get at some tips to help you prepare for a knockout performance in your interview.  The tips are compiled from my experience on both sides of the table.  I do want to confess that I’ve never particularly liked interviews, but once I began to view them as simple conversations the whole process changed for me.

Let’s prepare you for your conversations.  My first “B” tip is:

Be on time.  I know, I know.  Still happens, though — candidates fail to account for weather, traffic, poor directions, etc.  My conversations with late candidates are very brief.  I confirm the time of our appointment, then tell them that being on time is a non-negotiable expectation on my team.  I tell them it’s not a fit as I escort them to the door.  If you aren’t able to get to the interview on time, what makes me think you’ll show up to work on time?  Besides, being early has its advantages.  You have an opportunity to talk to the receptionist, the administrative assistant or the VP you met in the elevator.  You have time to mentally go over last minute preparations or fine tune your questions.  There’s zero downside to being early.

So, “B” on time next week when I share with you the next B of Interviewing!

-Mark Key is a retail professional known for driving results in diverse and challenging retail segments.  Mark’s interviewing insights come from companies big and small — having worked with organizations with just a few employees to Fortune 100 companies.

Welcome to the final installment of the “adventure of my garden.”

At this point, hopelessness and overwhelm had taken over.  Honestly, I was shocked that these feelings had shown up, not in my career or business, but in my desire for a spring garden.  Maybe I should forget about the garden?  Was it really that important?  I could just pour rocks in the beds and settle for a rock garden.

I shared how stuck I was feeling (and the garden story) with a mentor.  She responded, “You are in a new place and have grown, yet you still have growing to do.  Sort out what is holding you back and you will have the garden you desire.  Ignore it and it will begin to impact other areas of your life.”

Boy!  That rocked me back on my heels — for about five minutes.  I thanked my mentor for listening, pondered her statement for a few moments and quickly returned to my “stuck place.”  After three and a half years I was in the same place — frustrated with no garden!

Oh, I was working hard!  I bought soil, plants, books and attended classes on gardening in New England.  I fussed about the trash and cement left behind by the builder.  You got it — I did it all.  I worked hard, watered, planted and kept asking myself, “Why can’t I grow a beautiful garden in New England?”

Bottom line?  My garden and I were in the same place.

A couple of weeks later, I sought the assistance of my business coach.  Could she help me with my garden?  The smile in her voice was clear and she began asking the powerful questions she always asks.  In a few short conversations I discovered what I needed to do differently and formulated a new approach.  Within a day or two I was on my way to creating the garden of my dreams!  By mid-summer my garden was lovely and so much less stressful than my 3.5 years of struggle.

Does your job search sound like my adventure with my garden?

Are you working hard, seemingly doing all the right things and still without the job of your dreams?

Are you feeling overwhelmed and looking for some help in finding a new approach?

I, too, was lost and stuck — and I realized I needed a new approach.  My answer came from working with my coach.  In a few conversations she helped me craft a new plan to get the garden I wanted.  Alone, I had been working in the garden for nearly four years without success.

Would having a coach help your search?

Are you ready to land a position fast, earn the salary you deserve and do it with less stress?

The “adventure of my garden” continues . . .

Gardening in New England <insert your job search here > is just a bear!  I found the process frustrating, full of land mines and seemingly out of my control.

I really wanted a garden.  Why?  The basics:  a garden provides CO₂, creates beauty and adds curb appeal.  Personally, gardening brings me brings joy, satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.

Just like a job — you want to contribute, earn a living, etc.

As I began working on the two small beds installed by the builder odd things began occurring.  A feeling washed over me, a feeling that the whole world was against me having a garden.  Trying to overcome the oddness of this feeling I set my intentions and dug in — literally and figuratively.

Have you done this same thing with your job search?  Your resume and LinkedIn profile are complete, you apply to every job matching your skills, interview and then nothing?  Feels totally out of your control, right?

This garden was bringing up peculiar stuff — feelings I had not experienced in years!  And, I don’t mean just the 20 pound rocks and chucks of cement buried just under the thin top soil.  But, I really wanted a lovely spring garden and I decided to do whatever it took to achieve one.

One spring morning I realized I was feeling and doing the exact same things I had so many years ago when I lost my first job.  The same feelings were overwhelming me.  I felt stuck and hopeless.  I really didn’t know what to do next.

Does any of this sound like your job search?

Are you working hard, doing what you think is all the right stuff and still without the job you want?

If you are currently “stuck” and would like to discuss how I might help with your job search, let’s talk.

Stay tuned to my next post to find out the conclusion of the “adventure of my garden.”

I welcome any questions or comments — just post them below.

In the last post I shared what deepened my understanding of the importance of setting intentions.

If you have already set your intention for your next position, declared it publicly and are thinking and acting differently AND you are still struggling to land your next position — keep reading.

Several years ago we moved from Texas to New England.  In November!  It was the toughest winter of my life and I could not wait for spring to plant a lovely spring garden at our new home.  My simple desire for a garden and what I learned from that garden (heretofore referred to as “the adventure of my garden”) forced me to deal with thoughts and things I thought were dealt with — things I thought were in the past, but were not.

These same issues keep popping up for clients, so I decided it is time to share my experience in this blog.

OK, so the adventure of my garden . . . It was March and in my mind it was time to plant, but there was still snow everywhere.  How was I going to get my garden?

I started to ask questions about gardening in New England, got information and quickly rejected most of it.  Then April arrived and still no garden — I whined, fussed and got very frustrated.

Finally, I set the intention, used the information I gathered and planted the garden.  I got a few flowers and plants, but definitely not what I would call a garden.

Intention, information and action were not enough to produce a garden.  What was holding my garden back?  Maybe it was the bad weather.  Maybe I just needed more information.  After all, there was still snow in May — how could a garden grow in this harsh environment?

Surely, the lack of a full, lush garden was not because of me.  I decided the factors were out of my control and got increasingly frustrated.  Gardening in New England was just a bear!

For my clients this is just like updating their resume, researching job openings and getting an interview or two, but no job offers.

Do you see job searching as a bear?

Have you said the same things about your search that I said about my garden?

Have you given up because of things you believe are out of your control?

Is what’s holding you back really out of your control?  Really?

Join me next week as I share more of the “adventure in the garden . . . ”

Spring and the end of the first quarter are just around the corner!  In nature, the signs of the season are everywhere.  In New England the hints are subtle — just as they are in some businesses.

My years in New England have taught me something very interesting about intention — here, the advent of spring is declared publicly and loudly.

After the intention is set, it seems as if everyone in New England moves into spring mode.  People act and speak differently and choose different thoughts — all to ensure everyone knows spring is on the way.

There is clear, focused action.  Thoughts and deeds shift.  Spring coats appear.  This happens even if there are still piles of snow everywhere and you can’t yet see the brown ground.

During my first spring I was surprised by this ritual.  When inquiring about this interesting change, neighbors with puzzled looks advised,  “Unless you want winter to stay, you best focus on spring.  It’s just not healthy to keep thinking about winter and where we have been all these months.”  That year we were covered by some 140+ inches of snow and the ground was white for months.  However, the message sank in, and I quickly moved my focus to spring.  Now my intention shifts to ‘think spring’ each year by early March.

How does this relate to you transition?  Intention is important.  As is having a clear picture of what you want.  It is also critical to declare your intention publicly.

Have you set your intention for your new position?

Have you declared it publicly?

Your life and energy have forward movement.   Spring will come each year with or without the public declaration, yet the individuals who participate in the declaration have a clear picture of what they want spring to look like and think and act differently.

You may wind up stuck in ‘winter’ or ‘without your next position’ if you continue to think the same thoughts or fail to clearly articulate what you want from your next position.

Things are changing all around you.  If you want things to change in your job search you can’t continue to think the same thoughts and execute the in the same manner — you must think different thoughts.  Remember, the shift is not always comfortable.

Is it time you set your intention for a new job?

Is it time you started thinking and acting differently?

What will you do different this week?

Post a note below and share what you plan to do.

Check out the look and words of a newspaper headline.  It is designed to help sell newspapers and get readers to at least scan the article.  Your LinkedIn headline serves the same purpose.  It helps you be found, favorably communicate what you do and why someone should care.

If your current headline is relevant and doing its job, leave it alone.  On the other hand, if it is advertising you are out of work and begging for a job,  its time to change it.

Those interested in interviewing you will look you up online.  Your photo and headline will determine if they read or scan your profile.  Your headline may be the only thing they read.  Does it make a favorable impressions?  If not, they may just move on.

Your LinkedIn headline communicates your brand and gets your profile read!

Which profile would you read?

Your photo is critical.  People are visual.  A LinkedIn profile without a photo seems as if something is missing.  In fact, something is missing – your photo!  Today everyone needs a good professional head shot.

If your head shot is old, consider updating it.  If you are still a “no photo” hold out with one of these excuses  …

• no time to schedule a portrait appointment
• hate having my photo taken
• have a head shot but don’t like it
• worried about age discrimination
• or …  <add your excuse here>

Here are the top four tips to getting a great head shot:

1. Look at the work of potential photographers.  Do you like it?  If not, keep looking.  They are not the photographer for you.
2. Like their work?  Interview them.  Ask questions, learn about their style, studio and rates. Tell the photographer about your photo’s use and the look you are seeking for your head shot.  Do you click?  Will you enjoy working with them?
3. Set an appointment — do it a good time of day for you — then do some planning.  Think about hair, clothes, and the look you want.   Love the clothes you wear for your head shot.   I thought this was interesting advice because in a head shot you don’t see much of the outfit.   One photographer pointed out that if you don’t like what you pick to wear, it will ‘show’.  Another  photographer had a note in the studio that said “If you don’t like the outfit – neither does the camera.”  Great point!
4. When you arrive for your appointment think “Showtime!”  Be on-time, listen to the photographer, be coachable and have fun.  If you drop the self-consciousness and enjoy the session, odds are you will get a great head shot.

Have a comment?  Post it below.

Are you still on target with your intentions?  Why or why not?

I recently read there are two factors that impact your success of achieving a New Year’s resolution more than anything else:

1) Do you like and want the end result of the resolution and

2)  Do you believe the change is good for you?

Dictionary.com defines belief as “something believed; an opinion or conviction.”

Belief is a powerful factor.  How are your beliefs impacting your job search and/or your New Year’s resolution results?

Recently, a client shared he preferred the freedom of unemployment over receiving a weekly paycheck.  With this realization he created a new plan.  He would not seek a new job and instead was planning on selling his home and moving in with his elderly parents to serve as their caregiver.  This would allow him to continue to enjoy the freedom of his current lifestyle.

His conviction, as he shared it, was that his freedom was more important than receiving a paycheck and he decided finding a way to have the freedom was more important to him than finding a job.

What is important to you?  How is it impacting your career-related New Year’s resolution(s)?

I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on the topic.   Post a comment or share your resolution and your progress.

Yes, it is!   Boring is out for 2013 and WOW is in!

Everyone needs an Elevator Speech.  It is your commercial and often serves as your only introduction.

Used when you meet and greet, it answers the question,“Tell me about yourself.”   The term “Elevator Speech,” as I understand it, comes from the Venture Capital world.  It was developed as a marketing pitch, customized to the people and situation and designed to secure funding for the next great idea or product.

Has your Elevator Speech lost its WOW (or maybe never really had it)?  If so, it’s time to ditch it!

What is the WOW in your branded Elevator Speech?

WOW stands for your Worth (what you do and the impact of it), the Opportunities you are seeking, and What you can do for the person (or someone they know) experiencing your message.

Your WOW makes you memorable, helps others connect with you and understand why they should care about what you have to say.   If the WOW is missing, odds are you will be forgotten or the conversation will fizzle quickly.  Without a strong WOW your brand awareness is diminished and it takes longer to have influence in any situation.

Remember, you only have seconds to connect, set the stage and share your WOW.  Your first impression is vital — make it count or you will be forgotten!

Ditch your boring Elevator Speech.  Be relevant.  Gain favorable attention.  Ensure that when you meet someone they understand what you do and the impact you have.

Ready to ditch boring and add WOW?

There are thousands of formulas for an elevator speech — pick any formula you like.  Draft your initial speech.

Then slice it, dice it, edit it, and make it yours.    Deb Dib co-author of “Ditch Dare Do!”  recommends being ruthless when editing — every word should count!

Now it is time to hone your elevator speech.  Practice it.  Use it.  Change it as you grow.  You need to be comfortable delivering it, yet if it sounds canned it will impact the impression you make.

This formula will get you started:  “I <what you do> <the problem you solve> and the <results you produce>.

Here is an example a client started with:

“I train rescue dogs to serve as companions for recent widows struggling with a lifestyle change and who want a friend around the house, but no more laundry in their life!”

The above message includes humor that may not fit you.  It fits the person who shared it.

In 25+ words you know a great deal about her brand and what she does.  When she speaks you will decide to continue a conversation or not.  Yet the message is long.

After some editing, she now delivers her WOW in 12 words.   Less is often more!

She revised it as follows:

“I train dogs to serve as companions for widows who hate laundry!”

You get the idea.  Ditch boring and the extra words.

Does your Elevator Speech have WOW?   Is it on brand, clear and to the point? Does it tell your brand story?

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.