IT Division Tips for Success ! ! !
| The successful job hunter should always be prepared. At least cover the basics, as outlined below. | |
| 1) | RESUME – printed on white or a neutral shade of stationary. The resume you hand to the recruiter or hiring authority should be crisp, clean, and neatly presented - not crumpled and taken from a hip pocket. It is not necessary to present in a binder or folder. |
| 2) | REFERENCES – think these through. IT professionals should have at least three professional references who can vouch for their technical abilities. Personal references are not to be used unless specifically requested. The best reference is a supervisor or manager, or a project or team leader – either past or present. Co-workers are acceptable references if no managers or supervisors are available. Speak with each person you use and get their approval to be a reference. Take a listing of reference names and numbers with you to each interview – be ready to provide them upon request. |
| 3) | RESEARCH – find out about the company. Go to the library or search via the Internet. Be able to show that you’ve done your homework; also you may get clues how to answer some types of questions (ie., will you consider relocating). Special interest areas can light a fire in your interview style also! |
| 4) | APPEARANCE – see attached article entitled Dress for Success. |
| 5) |
THE INTERVIEW –
it all comes down to this! Be aware that the first impression is
key, so be ready with a friendly smile and a firm handshake. PRACTICE
BOTH. Also, practice speaking in a clear, concise and deliberate
manner. Get a friend to practice with you and role play. Remember
that the goal of the interview is to get an OFFER. Without
an offer, you are not in a position to decide whether you like or
dislike the job, the company, the people, the dress codes, etc. |
| 6) | FOLLOW-UP - After the interview, debrief with your recruiter. Send a thank you email or note to the hiring authority, or appropriate person at the company. |
| 7) | EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS - Fill out completely. Be neat, legible and use black ink. Do not put “See Resume” anywhere on the application. Leave asking salary boxes blank. Be prepared to verify the number you list. Be prepared to give names and phone numbers of your references. |
See these articles for ideas and information:
Preparing for the Interview Grill
Becoming A Mover and Shaker in Your Place of Business
Ten
Commandments of Keeping Your Job
PREPARING
FOR THE INTERVIEW GRILL
James E.Challenger
WHAT is your biggest weakness?
This is one of the questions interviewers may ask and if you have failed to prepare an effective answer, your biggest weakness may be your job-search strategy in general.
Prospective employers interview a wide variety of people every month and they purposely ask very tough questions to help separate one job seeker from the next. Those who fail to answer tough questions greatly reduce their chances for being hired and may eliminate themselves from consideration entirely.
Interviewer’s questions are intended to see if job seekers are able to think quickly and clearly in challenging situations. Answering questions from prospective employers is no easy process but being prepared will help to increase your chances of successfully responding to probing inquiries.
When you are asked to “tell something about yourself” or to “explain what you are looking for in a job” your answer and the way in which you respond goes a long way in determining if you will eventually be hired. It is important to have your answer ready and to keep responses brief.
Often times job seekers say too much when they are asked to tell the interviewer something about themselves. Long answers should be avoided since the chance of describing yourself too narrowly increases as you say more. A good time limit to put on answers is between 20 seconds and two minutes. Keep in mind that most interviewers will not stop you from saying too much.
Another way people eliminate themselves from an employer’s hiring plans is by being overly specific when asked what they are looking for in a job. Describing areas of interest in a very general nature will help to avoid outlining workplace responsibilities that may have nothing to do with a potential job opening.
If the tried and true question “what’s your biggest weakness?” is asked, the best bet is to pick something that can be turned into a positive. A response such as “my wife says I work too much” is something employers can see as a plus. People who provide a verbal listing of numerous faults that explain why they shouldn’t be hired probably will be dropped from consideration.
Developing a list of questions and appropriate responses is a good practice in preparing for interviews. Following is a brief list of common questions to be ready for:
Why did you leave the last company you worked for? This question could evoke negative feelings but is it important to stay positive when talking about former employers. Be honest but avoid making the company you previously worked for seem bad. Interviewers will question how job seekers may work in a team of coworkers if they are quick to put down people they have worked with at other companies.
Why should our company hire you? The most effective way to answer this question is by detailing the experience you have that is relevant to the employer’s business. Show the interviewer that you are an expert in the line of work they are hiring for and describe how your skills could be adapted to fit their industry.
How would your last employer describe you? Have an answer ready that will show the value you added in your last job but avoid using one-word descriptives. Turn this question into an opportunity to describe projects you completed effectively for previous employers. Talk about how you helped the employer increase productivity or cut costs. Sell yourself as a problem solver and creative thinker who can help the employer.
What is your reason for wanting this job? If you answer “money” you have probably eliminated yourself from consideration. The key to answering this question is in balancing your objectives with the employer’s needs. What you want is not nearly as important as what the company is looking for. Always respond in terms of what the company’s objectives are first.
Do you work better alone or in a team? This question requires a well-thought-out answer. Most employers value teamwork and encourage employees to work together in achieving corporate objectives. But if the job you are interviewing for involves a good deal of working on your own, it would be bad to say you work poorly on your own. Try to leave interviewers with the impression that you perform well in both situations.
How can you help our company? This question is a potential land mine. The last thing employers want to hear is a dialogue from an outsider on how they should run their business. Instead of recommending strategy for a potential employer, discuss a project you worked on in a previous position that helped solve a problem.
Why have you had so many different jobs? Some employers are hesitant to hire someone who has hopped from one job to another over a short period of time. To dispel any negatives related to this, concentrate on describing your series of jobs as a well-designed career path. Having a varied background with several firms can be a plus if you effectively demonstrate the level of expertise you can bring to a new position.
Being prepared for tough questions will help to smooth the job-search process. You should be ready for anything and have responses available so you do not have to stop and think about an answer.
Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. counsels discharged persons from across the nation, primarily from Fortune 1000 companies. The author has granted permission for this information to be presented on this site. For more info see: www.suntimes.com/classified/careers/faq.html and/or www.challengergray.com.
| 4. Ten Commandments of Keeping Your Job | ||
DRESS for SUCCESS
First impressions are important. In a job interview, the hiring authority will form an opinion of you early in the process. You should project an acceptable image for the company you are interviewing. Normally this means be professional, neatly groomed, and self-confident. The idea is to put your best professional foot forward on all accounts, including appearance and presentation. The key words are conservative and compatibility. You want to favorably impress the hiring authorities and show that not only can you do the job but you fit their corporate culture.
You should show you understand and accept the interviewer’s values, tastes, and socioeconomic expectations about dress and demeanor. These expectations will vary by industry, job type, and geography. What works in Houston may not work in New York City, so do your research in advance. For example, bankers and physicians traditionally are expected to be conservative and to have that fact reflected in their appearance. Innovative, creative businesses tolerate and even welcome a more adventurous personal style.
Regardless of the position for which you are interviewing, you should project professionalism, attention to detail, credibility, and self-confidence.
| For Men – | |||
| · | Advanced planning and preparation are necessary. Plan ahead for the interview. You should have a neat, conservative haircut, be closely shaven, or have a neatly trimmed beard and/or mustache. | ||
| · | Dress in a dark blue, black, or dark gray suit with a white or light blue shirt. Avoid brown suits for interviews. | ||
| · | Wear a complementary, conservatively colored and patterned tie. If in doubt on shirt/tie/suit combinations, visit a high-quality men’s clothing store and ask a well-dressed salesman for his opinion. | ||
| · | Socks should match the color of the suit or slacks, not the shirt! | ||
| · | Shoes should be polished black, dark brown or cordovan. | ||
| · | Jewelry should be minimal. Definitely remove earrings. Wear only conservative jewelry, such as a watch, wedding ring, signet ring or college ring. Do not wear gemstones or gold nuggets to an interview. | ||
| · | Hands should be neat and clean, with neatly clipped fingernails. | ||
| · | Wear a suit, even if the work environment is described as casual or informal. Remember this is an interview – not a normal workday. The only exception would be if company personnel suggest you dress in more casual clothing. | ||
| · | Aftershave and cologne should not be worn. Fragrances are controversial and some people may be allergic to them. | ||
| For Women –- | |||
| · | Advanced planning and preparation are necessary. Have a neat, clean, and conservative hairstyle. | ||
| · | Dress in a business suit, business dress with jacket, business dress or business pants suit (if you have determined in advance that it is appropriate). Dark colors or mid-range shades are best. Avoid loud colors, such as yellows, reds, oranges, etc. | ||
| · | Never wear mini-skirts to an interview. Conservative, near-knee length skirts/dresses are always good. Pantsuit trousers should be long enough to extend past the top of the shoes. | ||
| · | Blouses should be professional and tailored. Avoid plunging V-necklines and sheer fabrics. | ||
| · | Never wear sleeveless clothing to any interview. | ||
| · | Always wear hose for interviews regardless of the climate in which you live. Wear dark or flesh tones that match or coordinate with clothing and shoes (no reds, yellows, etc.). | ||
| · | Shoes should have low or medium height heels. A good mid-level pump is always perfect with suits, dresses or pant suits. Do not wear sandals or open-toe shoes to an interview. | ||
| · | Jewelry should be conservative. Do note wear dangly earrings, clunky bracelets or necklaces. A conservative watch and ring(s) only. | ||
| · | A purse should be small and coordinate with clothing and other accessories. If you carry a portfolio/attache, you can skip the purse. | ||
| · | Cosmetics should enhance, not hide your features. | ||
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| · | Perfume or cologne should not be worn. Fragrances are controversial and some people may be allergic to them. | ||
| · | Hands and nails should be clean and neatly trimmed or manicured. Use neutral, conservative, subtle shades of polish. | ||
| For Everyone – | |||
| · | It is okay to carry a notebook, small lightweight briefcase or notepad. It should not be a useless accessory. If you carry samples of your work with you, they need to be in a portfolio of some sort. If you take a note pad, use it – take notes such as people’s names, duties, key points, etc. | ||
| · | Have a writing instrument with you that you can easily retrieve. | ||
| · | Breath mints are recommended before the interview. | ||
| · | LAST MINUTE – immediately before the interview, check your appearance. Make sure your hair is combed and your clothing is neat, straight, lint-free, etc. | ||
| At the Interview – some good things to remember: | |||
| · | If you are offered coffee, it is best to decline. This relieves the worry of spillage. | ||
| · | If you are taken to lunch, order foods easily consumed using a knife, fork and spoon. Order foods you can eat neatly. Review acceptable table manners before the interview. Do not order the most or least expensive items on the menu. | ||
| · | Do not smoke or chew gum. | ||
| 4. Ten Commandments of Keeping Your Job | ||
TIPS
FOR BECOMING A MOVER AND SHAKER
IN YOUR PLACE OF BUSINESS
Cheryl Matherly and Bob Sanborn
Joe Blow, Molly Worker and Steve Clean all work hard and want a promotion at BIG Corporation.
However, it is Sally Star that gets all the attention, the respect of the bosses and the promotions. She is the one that they think of when starting new projects or when completing those that need extra help. She is a mover and shaker at BIG Corporation. When it comes to promotions, she is the leader of the pack.
How does Joe Blow become more like Sally Star? Much of what happens to you in your career is based upon impressions that you make on your immediate boss, the big bosses and your colleagues. Many of those can be first impressions or impressions that you cultivate and develop over time. We have assembled a few pointers for those that are interested in being a mover and a leader in their workplace.
Vision
We’ve mentioned it before and we are not afraid to mention it again. You must have a vision for your future for your company and for your field. Know where you want your career to go and imagine what you ideally would like people to say about your job performance. If you don’t know where you are going, you will never get there.
Risk Taking
A real mover within the corporation will have developed enough trust that taking a few risks can have a payoff. You should never hesitate to act out of the fear you might fall. Hewitt-Packard rewards employees who take risks, even if their efforts flop, merely because they took the risk. A risk may also occur when someone has measured all of the options and is confident that this risk is not really risky.
Hard Work
Everyone likes a hard worker. How then, do you demonstrate to everyone that you are one? One way is when you have the ability to get the job done. If you can make yourself into someone who, no matter what the circumstances, completes projects in a timely manner, you will be seen as the best of hard workers. Be early to work when the boss is around and be punctual to all meetings. These small things make you one of those unique hard workers.
Take On Responsibility
If you are seen as a hard worker, most supervisors will trust you with additional responsibilities. The proper response is to take on as many new duties as you can, provided you can continue to be successful at them. Through new assignments, you prove to others that you are ready for new challenges and are worthy of being leader in the workplace - and maybe of earning a pay raise.
Speak Up
Have you ever noticed that the real stars in the workplace are also the most vocal? They know no one else at work is going to speak their minds for them. When asked for your opinion, have one. When asked to make suggestions about how to improve your area of responsibility, make some. This means that you must be informed and thoughtful enough about issues related to work to offer good input. The last thing you want people to think is that you spend too much time with your mouth open and mind shut.
Know And Help Your Boss
Why is the boss so important? Frankly, the boss is your lifeline to the rest of the company. Bosses decide raises and promotions and they are the ones who talk to others about their star employees. If you make your boss look good, chances are they will make you look good in others' eyes.
No Excuses, No Complaining
This is a real biggie for many supervisors. No one likes those who make excuses or complain. Stay away from anything that puts a negative spin on who you are. If something goes wrong, apologize. Excuses never make anything right. Even if they are true, they are still seen as excuses.
Loyalty
This is one of those intangibles that everyone likes to see in an employee. Make sure that you know your priorities in the corporate culture and place your loyalties with your boss and company and not with disgruntled colleagues.
Set An Example
The final key to becoming a fast track employee is the ability to be the type of worker that sets an example for all others in the workplace. Be the best worker you can be.
by
Cheryl Matherly and Bob Sanborn
The authors have granted permission for this article to be presented on
this site.
| 4. Ten Commandments of Keeping Your Job | ||
TEN COMMANDMENTS
OF KEEPING YOUR JOB
William T. Simmons
Many readers of Texas Business Today will remember an article from the second quarter 1997 issue called “The 10 Commandments of Firing”. After that article came out, we received many suggestions, some meant seriously, some in jest, that we do a similar article on ways to keep a job. Here it is – we hope that it will prove useful to both employers and employees.
| 1. | Be on time, whether it is with showing up for work, returning from breaks, going to meetings, or turning in assignments. |
| 2. | Call in if you know you will be tardy or absent. Most companies treat absences or tardiness without notice much more seriously than simple absence or tardiness. |
| 3. | Try your best; always finish an assignment, no matter how much you would rather be doing something else. It is always good to have something to show for the time you have spent. |
| 4. | Anticipate problems and needs of management – your bosses will be grateful, even if they do not show it. |
| 5. | Show a positive attitude – no one wants to be around someone who is a “downer.” |
| 6. | Avoid backstabbing, office gossip, and spreading rumors – remember, what goes around comes around – joining in the office gossip may seem like the easy thing to do, but almost everyone has much more respect for people who do not spread stories around. |
| 7. | Follow the rules. The rules are there to give the greatest number of people the best chance of working together well and getting the job done. |
| 8. | Look for opportunities to serve customers and help coworkers. Those who would be leaders must learn how to serve. |
| 9. | Avoid the impulse to criticize your boss or the company. It is easy to find things wrong with others – it is much harder, but more rewarding, to find constructive ways to deal with problems. Employees who are known for their good attitude and helpful suggestions are the ones most often remembered at performance evaluation and raise review time. |
| 10. | Volunteer for training and new assignments. Take a close look at people in your organization who are “moving up” – chances are, they are the ones who have shown themselves in the past to be willing to do undesirable assignments or take on new duties. |
William T.
Simmons
Legal Counsel to Commissioner Ron Lehman,
Texas Workforce Commission
Excerpted with permission Second &
Third Quarters, 1998 of Texas
Business Today
| 4. Ten Commandments of Keeping Your Job | ||
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