Standing Out From the Competition: Part I

Brittany Richter
Careerminds Consultant

Everyone knows that this is a competitive job market in a really rough economy. More and more people are achieving advanced degrees, obtaining certifications and gaining valuable work experience, all of which are raising the bar. It's no longer just about having a good GPA, holding positions and having experience. We talked previously about how important it is becoming for hiring managers and HR professionals to think about cultural fit when hiring someone new. Therefore, it is important that once you land an interview, you stand out from the crowd when it comes to personality.

We are not suggesting that you go in to the interview and do magic tricks, tell jokes or stand on your head. We're merely suggeting that, while mainining an appropriate level of professionalism, you let your personality shine through and offer something unique to the table.

I was recently talking with someone who used to work for one of the largest advertising agencies in the world. One year they hired several new people to fill mid to senior-level positions. As the Director of Marketing, she was in charge of conducting the second round of on-site interviews. To this day, almost twenty-five years later, she still remembers the candidates that she recommended for the position. Why? They were honest, personal and unique. They were themselves; they told short, relevant, personal stories that illustrated positive answers to her questions. She said that they gave answers that sounded real, natural, and were unique. The answers they gave showed that they could think on their feet and outside of the box, and that they were passionate.

Here is your call to action: Think about the most interesting and unique aspects of yourself. This could include a rare talent, hobbies, awards, places you've been, experiences you've had, any number of things. Make a list of these notions and think about how they are relevant to the types of jobs you are applying for. How have they shaped you to make you a better fit for these jobs? If you can answer that question, and come up with a few sentencnes about how each of these (or even just some) have prepared you for this position, then you will be ready to stand out in your interview.

Make notes for yourself so that you can talk about them at a relevant time during the interview and leave a lasting impression. 

Coming Attraction: As you can see, this post is titled as a "Part I" and yes, Part II will be coming to you tomorrow. Stephen Murphy of Get Busy Media, a small business marketing resource, will be talking to you about how to use the digital age to your advantage in order to stand out in the applicant pool.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

A Letter to Employers for Job Seekers Sakes

Brittany Richter
Careerminds Consultant

This post is for job seekers, employers and HR professionals alike. Take it as an eye-opening experience no matter which category you fall under. If you are a job seeker, perhaps take it upon yourself to ask questions about the topics being mentioned in this list or to introduce yourself to people in your new office. Even use these as a place to get ideas for questions to ask later the interview process or as you follow-up on a final interview or job offer. HR professionals and employers - use this to help you generate a list of information to address during the interview process or the start of a training schedule.

Dear Employer Who Has Recently Acquired New Employee(s):

Please be sure to address, or instruct those who are training the new employee to address, the following items:

1. Please make the dress code clear to the new employee so that he/she does not show up grossly under or over dressed.

2. Upon initial arrival please give the new employee a brief tour of the location, including where the bathroom is.

3. Please have a brief discussion of lunch and breaks. Whether or not they are paid, when they are to be taken, whether there is a kitchen area or break room that could be utilized, etc.

4. Ask someone working closely with the employee during their first day (or so) to go to lunch with or have lunch with the new employee to make sure that they take lunch and to give them a chance to socialize and get to know people at the company.

5. Introduce the new employee to at least a few other people. Make it an unwritten rule that this is to be paid forward by these new acquaintances.

6. Have the new employee change hands a little. Have them hear from different members of your team what it is like to work there, the unwritten rules and code of conduct, and have them see what it's like to fill the different roles at the company so that they gain a more comprehensive sense of how things work at their new place of employment.

7. Explain the chain of command and the hierarchy. Who are they to go to with HR issues? Who is their direct supervisor? Why should they NOT go to with basic questions?

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.

CareerCompile: Careerminds' Favorite Career-Minded Articles of the Week

Brittany Richter
Careerminds Consultant

 

Each week we read articles we find on twitter, blogs and other social media platforms in order to stay ahead of the curve. We want to be able to present our clients, job seekers, HR professionals and recruiters with the most accurate and up-to-date information we possibly can. At the end of the week we always know which articles were the most valuable, so why not share that with all of you? This is the next weekly post compiling what we feel are the top career-minded articles.

Are You Listening? 7 Tips for Successful Networking
William Arruda for The Personal Branding Blog

Sometimes networking situations, and particularly the interview process, is so nerve wracking that you forget to listen. You’re so nervous and worried about what you’re going to say that you forget to listen.. and to ask. This article provides great tips on how to listen.

10 Signs You Are Being Lazy On LinkedIn
Tim’s Strategy

Are you being a LOLI? A what? Lazy On LinkedIn. Oh! I don’t know. Well read this post and you’ll know if you’re being too lazy on LinkedIn and how to change that!

Land Faster With This 1 Important Job Search Tip
Barb Poole for Hire Imaging

Read this post to find out what Kevin Bacon has to do with your job search.

Email Etiquette and the Perils of “Reply All”
Ron Ashkenas for The Harvard Business Review

You may know the rules of e-mail etiquette, but it never hurts to have a reminder. Make sure when corresponding with HR professionals and anyone else at your potential new place of employment not to hit Reply All! Read this post for a short example to keep in mind as a reminder to take your time and click appropriately.

A Recruiter’s Tips for Job-Hunting
Miriam Salpeter for US News Money On Careers

Just as Miriam points out, as a job seeker you may receive conflicting advice about what to do. Hear it as the recruiter’s see it. A great post that outlines how some recruiters feel about the job search process.

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Careerminds provides scalable, strategic solutions to organizations seeking affordable, web-based outplacement services. Using a Web 2.0 e-learning platform that delivers affordable, online career transition services, Careerminds provides a high-tech and high-touch blend of on-demand career transition education supported by senior-level career consultants to help displaced workers reenter the workforce quickly.