Month: July 2015

Assuming you did everything right your online application is now sitting in some black hole of an ATS.  You now have two choices.  Go on the offensive or wait and see if the God’s are with you.  What do you think would work better; asking someone out in person or sending them an email asking them out?  How would you even know if they received the email?  Plus, don’t most people like confident people who really want to date them?  Keep in mind this is where you start walking the line between being interested and being a stalker.  Don’t be a stalker, it’s sad and we laugh at you.

Once you apply it is now time to employ your network and/or build one.  See if you know anyone that works at the company.  Many companies have an employee referral program that will pay them from a few hundred dollars to a several thousand.  So get out there and see if anyone you know works where you want to, it can help A LOT!  Also search for people who work for the company on LinkedIn, FB, Twitter or other networking sites.  Just remember, don’t be a stalker.

If you are connecting with people you do not already know keep in mind that it is part of the interview process.  EVERYTHING is taken into consideration.  Yep, even your FB page or Twitter account but that is for another post.

Start spreading the word with posting it on your FB page, LinkedIn, Twitter account, etc…  It may be something as simple as a tweet like “Just applied for an awesome opportunity @company”  Or shooting a friend an email with something like “Just wanted to give you a head’s up that I applied for the XYZ opening at your company.  Do you know anything about the position or the department?”  If everyone you reach out to does not help you then you have other issues.  But it is likely that someone will help you.

I like to get the contact info for the HR person or the Recruiter handling the opening.  I would then email them and follow-up in a day or two with a call.  Keep in mind that you want to assume the best and be VERY understanding when you contact them.  You are selling them on a conversation with you, not on hiring you.

Just think of it this way.  If two people want to date you and they send you emails or leave you voice mails like the ones below which one would you be more interested in contacting?

1. Hey, I sent you a message a couple of days ago and you did not call me back.  Why not?  Think you are too good for me?
2. I sent you a message a couple of days ago asking if you would like to go out but you may not have received it, gotta love technology.  I will follow-up again tomorrow to see if you have time to meet this week.  Have a great day!

I think #2 would be the winner there but all too often candidates leave messages that are more like #1.  Don’t feel too bad for the recruiter, HR person or hiring manager but we are all trying to do our job and hire the best person for the position.  To do that there is usually a process that we follow and sometimes that process is frustrating for everyone, even us.  So put your best foot forward and start setting goals for yourself each day and week.  How many people will you network with and how many job searches will you do today?

The Man

When you walk up to opportunity’s door, don’t knock.  Kick that bitch in and introduce yourself.
Dwayne Johnson

 

Many articles declare that most people find new positions through networking.  I totally agree that it is the best way to find a position but it is by no means the only way.  Just like in dating… it is best if a friend introduces you to someone but if that is the only way you find someone to date you are severely limiting your options.

If you want to get serious about the job search then you need to be deliberate.  One of the things to add in the mix is job boards.  Don’t scoff.  Any company that is a government contractor is required to post their openings.  Now keep in mind that sometimes they are only posted for 12-24 hours.  Yep, sometimes it is like concert tickets.  I worked for a company where we would post some positions for a day or less than close the posting.  We would receive 100 or more applicants in that time frame.  I would then sort and filter the applications.  If we did not find enough people I would post it again.  Is it fair, no.  But you know what “fair” is right?  Yep, the fair is something that comes to town once a year.

So, first you need to search the boards or set up a search agent on the boards to search for you daily.  I know, that is a pain in the ass.  But you know what, suck it up buttercup.  If you are like most of us you don’t have head hunters blowing up your phone with incredible offers. So then you need to go on the offensive.

Once you find a position you want to apply for you need to hustle.  Ideally you will tweak your cover letter and resume for the opening.  If you want a government job then you REALLY need to do a lot of prep work.  The OPM has a lot of hoops to jump through when applying and they screen applicants in a totally different way than the rest of the world.  I will talk about the OPM in another post, or several posts.

When you start updating your resume and cover letter be sure to read the job posting well.  Look for keywords and phrases that let you know what they want in a candidate. Let’s look at an example:

• Monitoring and responding to program’s success metrics in your
  region
• Sponsoring internal and external business reviews covering
  operational performance and strategic initiatives
• Creating programs and processes that will allow the field sales
  force to target highest value regions, accounts and stores
• Managing in store product transitions and retailer communications
  Collecting business and market intelligence
• Incorporate field sales findings into marketing plan and product
  road-map

Highlight keywords then be sure they are in your resume and cover letter.  A lot of hiring managers also like numbers.  Like an X% increase or decrease, ranked in top x%, etc…  Keep in mind that you want to be honest but remember what Samuel Langhorne Clemons is attributed as saying: There are three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics.  Here are the ones I see off the bat: monitoring, metrics, business reviews, operational performance, strategic initiatives, highest value, product transitions, market intelligence, and road map.

Do not just dump them in, take your time and work them in your resume.  If you are looking for jobs in one field you probably will not have to change much.  If you are all across the board it will be more work.  Just like dating.  If you only date one type of person then your wardrobe can be small.  But if you date athletic people, hipsters, the country club crowd, and academics then you need a bigger closet.  I see your resume as your wardrobe.  If it does not match the other person’s expectations it is much harder to get a date.

Don’t give me that “this is who I am and they need to accept me for me” crap.  So if you pick your nose from time to time would you do it while asking someone out?  Put your best-self forward.  Don’t want to do it, fine.  But don’t get mad when a company doesn’t want to play by your rules.  Yes, some companies won’t hire you if you don’t wear a suit to an interview.  But I bet you there are just as many companies who wouldn’t hire someone in a dark pinstripe suit with a tie in a windsor knot who is applying for a tech or creative job.  Bunch of bigots 🙂

OK, you have done all that.  Now let at least one other person read it for typos.  Yes, many companies will screen out people with any typos on their resume or in their cover letter.  Remember, most companies look for reasons to screen you out, not to pull you in.  Of course those companies are idiots but you deal with what you get.  Another good trick is to read everything backwards to make sure nothing is misspelled.  Do NOT trust spell check!  Remember, the only difference between assess and asses is whether or not you get an interview.

The Man

Everything happens for a reason, but sometimes things happen because you’re stupid and you make bad decisions.
Unknown

Most people love Fridays but for me they are often not a very happy day.  Oh, don’t go feeling bad for me.  Friday’s are not good days because that is usually the day we “wish people well in their future endeavors.”  Or, to say it another way, we can people.

Keep in mind that this is usually not taken lightly.  Most times the person is on a PIP (performance improvement plan) so it should not come as a shock.  They are told to do certain things by a certain date and guess what?  Don’t do it and you don’t have a job.  Most PIPs last 30-60 days so if the goals seem unreasonable that gives the person time to start looking.  Of course I know that it usually takes a month for every $10k you want to make.  $70k = 7 months.

What I do feel bad about is that I am unable to tell the person we are letting go any of the following things:

• I’m sorry.
• I wish it could be different.
• Did you think you were doing a good job?
• I know this sucks.
• How can I help?

I also wish I could tell other employees and other companies (if they ask) why the person was let go.  Not in a vindictive way but from a point of helping keep employee’s know what is expected and other employers what the employee’s strengths and weaknesses are.  Just because you get fired from one job it does not mean that you will bad in another but because of the veil of secrecy that lawsuits have imposed on employers, that is the assumption.

The Man

If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you’ll find an excuse.
Unknown

I frequently have interviews with candidates that have a spotty work history.  Six months here, two years here, a year and a half there, etc…  I, unlike many other recruiters, still call those people.  Why don’t many recruiters call candidates with work history ADHD?

What if you are dating this person and it comes out that every relationship they have been in and their previous five marriages only lasted a couple of years?  Would you be a little hesitant to keep dating them?  Oh, they have good reasons for all of it.  Maybe they just have a bad picker.  But even that is an issue.

So what is a candidate to do with an inconsistent work history.  The first thing I suggest is to put why you left each position on your resume.  Remember, the resume gets you a phone call, the phone call a face to face and the face to face interviews get you the job.  If a recruiter just sees your dates of employment they WILL assume the worst.  I also do not recommend just using years.  2013-2014 could be a one month job or almost two years.  I would assume one month.

You can also address your work history in your cover letter but keep in mind that if we do not like your resume we won’t read the cover letter.  Something like this might work on your resume

ABC Company            6/2012 – 3/2013
Company lay off

XYZ Company            6/2013 – 5/2015
Department relocated to AZ

Will it work every time, no.  Does every recruiter like this format, no.  But if you are not getting phone calls then you need to take an objective look at your resume.

The Man

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Tim Notke

 

Like any dating situation, the relationship should be a match for both parties.  Interviews are no different. I believe that if the position, like a relationship, is not a match for one person then it is not a match for both.  We even tell people in our interviewing process that this is a two-way street.

But, like all relationships, sometimes people’s feelings get hurt or their expectations are not met.  That is when people start to show what I believe are their TRUE colors.  Ever heard this quote?

A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person
Dave Barry

I find that to be true.  If you start to get frustrated in an interview process ask questions before you start jumping to conclusions.  Also keep in mind that if you put out some kind of ultimatum companies will likely call you on it.  I will give you two examples.

A great employee that everyone likes and is doing a good job goes to their bosses boss and says “either my boss goes or I go.”  Little did they know that their boss is on a performance improvement plan and is indeed on their way out.  But what the employee has done is thrown down a gauntlet.  If the company acquiesces then the employee will feel emboldened to do this kind of thing again.  What happened?  Their bosses boss says “I’m sorry you feel that way.” They leave it at that and the employee now feels they “must” resign or their loose face.  They left and oh, wait… a position that person had been waiting for was opened up a day after they gave their less than two weeks notice.  No, they were not considered for the position but they would have been had they not acted like a child drawing a line in the sand.

or

A candidate that everyone liked and we were holding a spot in a new hire training class for.  Yep, that candidate called me a few days before their final interview and said “I have done three interviews and if you all do not know if I am the right person by now then I need to reconsider this.  I was currently working on their offer letter so we could give it to them at the end of the final interview.  Oh well, that was a wasted effort.  I told the candidate that I was sorry they felt that way but I understood and they could call me back if they were interested again in the future.

How would you like it if someone you were dating said “OK, it’s me or your friend”  or if they said “we have been dating for three months, if you are not ready to marry me then I need to rethink this relationship.”  It is usually an easy decision.  Adios!

The Man

I told that teachin’ lady… the only crayons I need are the red, white and blue.  Go ‘Merica!

You have been putting yourself out there and you have not had any luck.  You only get the “don’t call us, we’ll call you” line or you are not getting past a first phone interview.  What should you do?  Step back and re-evaluate.

Look at it this way, what would you do if you wanted to find a spouse?  BTW, I do not recommend this type of mission but I do understand why people would embark on such an escapade.  Check out this Ted Talk from Amy Webb. She is a bit obsessive about it but I think you get my point.  Step back and look at what others are doing that works.

Maybe you need to change what positions or companies you are targeting.  Do you need to change your resume?  It could even be that you need to submit more applications at companies.  Whatever it is, start stepping up your game.

The Man

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

Most of us have had it done to us.  You meet someone, you are attracted to them but one day you wake up to the fact that you are in the friend-zone.  Or maybe you have been directly placed in the friend-zone by that infamous line… “I just want to be friends.”

In the world of personal relationships the friend-zone is like a tar pit, from which few escape.  But in the business world people move in and out of the friend-zone a lot.  Who knows, I may even introduce you to one of my friends or be your wingman/wingwoman and help you find your next date.

In the interview process this happens when you get an email or call that sounds something like this:

“Thank you for applying with us.  At this time you have not been selected for the position.”

But I bet when you read a rejection email you hear:

“You suck, I do not like you and I think you are an idiot.”

Most of the time that is not true.  Sometime it is, but usually the truth is that I wish you were a match and I really wish we could hire you for any number of reasons:

1. I like you as a person and would like you as a coworker.
2. You would bring some unique skills or enthusiasm to the company.
3. You are unemployed and I know how much that sucks.
4. You are in that conundrum of needing experience to get a job but how do you get experience if no one will hire you.
5. Lastly, I am tired of this pain in the ass hiring manager that wants their “perfect” candidate for 20% less money than the market pays and I just what to put a but in that seat.

What I really want to tell you when I don’t hire you is this:

Look, here is the deal… I/we do not feel that this position and or the company is a good match for you and/or you are not a good match for us.  So, how about we help each other out?  You help me find the right person (you were a close match so you probably know other people who are similar) and I will help you.  How could I help you?  I could do a lot.  The least of which is connect on LinkedIn.  If you handle things right I might even give you some suggestions on your resume or interviewing skills.

So keep your chin up and keep fighting the good fight.  It WILL work out for you, if you believe it will.

The Man

Everything happens for a reason and sometimes that reason is that you are an idiot.
Unknown

 

I am going to let you in on a secret.  If a company is a government contractor they have A LOT of hoops to jump through in the hiring process.  I am not telling you this to make you feel bad for the HR people but rather to give you an understanding of why some things happen.

First of all, government contractors are periodically audited by the OFCCP.  I speak from personal experience that an OFCCP audit is no bueno.  One of the first things to keep in mind that each government contractor must maintain an AAP.  Also, 7% (sometimes more) of a government contractor’s hires must be veterans.  Lastly, in each category of jobs, a government contractor must have 7% of their hires be IWDs.

In and of themselves, these are not “bad” but they do drive some behavior that is VERY frustrating for candidates.  Plus, if you are not disabled and not a veteran there are a potential of 14% of jobs at each company that you are not going to get.

The first hurdle is that you cannot just submit a resume to a government contractor.  You must be an “applicant.”  I know, that sounds stupid but it is a VERY important part of the process.  Why?  Because a government contractor MUST report certain information to government on their applicants.  What do the companies report you ask?  Why many things that are illegal to ask:

• Race
• Gender
• Are you disabled?
• Are you a veteran?

Yep, THE Man wants to know it all.  The REAL crazy thing is that on IWDs and Vets you can only ask after they are hired so there is not way to see what the candidate pool is like.  So, to be considered for employment with government contractors you MUST first be an applicant.  With most companies that means is you must fill out an application including a self identification form so THE Man can get his information.

So just keep in mind when filling out all that paperwork to apply, not all companies want it that way.

The Man

Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.
Ronald Reagan

Today is a great day to think about independence.  Not just our Country’s but your’s.  My kids ask me “do you HAVE to go to work today?”  I tell them “no, I do not have to, I GET to.  Many people do not get to go to work.”

We have heard the phrase “perception IS reality” and oh, how true it is.  Ever heard of first world problems? We need to keep in mind that we are blessed to have many of our “problems.”  I was talking to a neighbor’s child that is a recent college grad the other day.  I asked him how the job search is going.  He said he was not sure what position he wanted to take.  He said it like I had asked him which ugly girl he was taking to the prom.  My response?  “First world problems, yours is a good problem to have.”  He still did not get it.

Many people take on a victim mentality in life.  I think we/people learn this as children.  We even have a tendency to teach them this as parents: see what you made me do, you made me mad, you make me crazy, etc…  I try to tell my kids AND remind myself the old adage: “You can not control what happens to you, only how you react to it.”  Look up happiness on Ted Talks and you find 515 results.  I highly recommend viewing many of them.  First one to watch? Shawn Achor.  Watch it, you will thank me later.

Back to being a victim.  As a recruiter and HR person I try to actively monitor and manage what we call our “Employment Brand.”  One place a lot of people go to find out about companies is Glassdoor.  They are a great resource.  Just keep in mind that many people are victims of their own stupidity.  Here are a few examples.  The names and specifics have been changed to save me a headache from dealing with one of these idiots finding some idiot employment ambulance chaser to sue us.

Glassdoor review: The company does not understand that stuff happens in your life and sometimes you have to miss work.  They are not flexible and don’t care about their employees.

Reality: You were only with the company about three months and were late more times than you were on time.  You did have a family issue (sick family member you needed to care for) but we have customers we need to take care of and we are unwilling to let you work whenever you can and not when you can’t.

Glassdoor review: I was one of the best sales people they had and this new manager just came in and fired me without regards for my years of service.

Reality: You are a sexist pig that more than once hit on your new female boss.  Making comments about how good looking they are (on several occasions) to her, to co-workers and to clients is unacceptable.  We even gave you a few chances to change you behavior before firing you.

Glassdoor review:  The company has old technology and makes it tough to sell.  They need to lower the cost of their product.

Reality:  We told you in the interview process that we are upgrading many of our systems as previous management had not kept up with the times.  Also, if you want to sell on price go to Wal-Mart.  Again, we told you all of this in the interview you idiot.

Glassdoor review:  They expect too much out of people and work you too hard.

Reality:  We told you that the job involved dealing with difficult customers.  We even had you shadow people and they gave you examples of tough situations.  Also, sorry that we expect you to be on time, ask for days off in advance, and don’t let you take hour and a half lunch breaks.

OK, as you can see, this is a bit of a sore-spot for me.   Yes, I understand that some companies flat out lie to people in the interview process.  Yes, I also understand that people have bills to pay, I do too.  Yes, I get it that some places just flat out suck to work at it and some bosses’ management styles would have gotten them put in prison at Nuremberg.  But guess what?  If you have a job then count yourself blessed.  If you do not like it….  You have two choices: do something about it or shut your pie-hole.  Celebrate your independence, it is YOUR choice.

THE Man

Be with someone that makes you happy.
Unknown

Let’s get one thing straight about the interview process.  It may be two sided but the deck is stacked in the house’s favor.  So, what should you do if the recruiter stands you up?  I suggest to always assume the best!  Assume that it was an honest mistake.  I always reach out to a candidate if they no-show an interview.  I leave a message and follow up with an email because, well… life happens.  I have had candidates end up in hospital, have an emergency, or even something come up at their current job.  So guess what?  The same thing happens on our end.

Sometimes it is a case of “bigger name, other line” and a SVP, EVP, CVP or BSVP needs my time.  Sorry to say it, but they pay my bills so they come first.  Not to mention, who knows, maybe it is a test.  I am just saying…

I suggest leaving the recruiter a voicemail (you did get their number, right?) and follow up with an email saying something like this:

Hello Mr/Ms Smith, this is Nathan Arizona.  I am very interested in your sales position at Unpainted Arizona and I look forward to speaking with you about the opportunity.  I may have missed your call as I know sometimes cell phone calls get dropped.  You can reach me at 555-867-5309 or Narizona@email.com.  That is 555-867-5309.  I am available the rest of the week.  Have a good day.

I know, I know!  Your righteous indignation does not want you to do that.  You really want to leave this message:

Hey, Mr. big shot.  Did your sundial break old man or were you still napping when you should have been calling me about your weak-ass position that I wasn’t really interested in anyway.  You were lucky to have me as a candidate but your luck just ran out, ass-hat.

BUT don’t do it!

THE Man

Before you “assume” try this crazy method called “asking.”
Unknown