Job Transition Workshop Series

1. Job Transition Workshop Series James Atkinson, CDF Steve Kraus, SPHR Deacon Dan Parker Bob Priest Shelly Trent, SPHR

2. Today’s Topics • Dressing Appropriately • Interviewing, including Behavioral Interviews • Tough Interview Questions • References • Negotiating Salary • Evaluating and Choosing the Best Offer (it’s not always the one with the highest salary) • Your Work Image

3. Proper Dress • Interviewers make judgments about how you look in the first few minutes that could impact their decision to hire you. • Your clothing, grooming, and accessories tell them a lot.

4. Recruiter Evaluation Form • APPEARANCE: Grooming, posture, dress, manners, neatness. • PREPARATION: Knowledge of company and positions. Asked pertinent questions. • VERBAL SKILLS: Delivery and animation, presentation of ideas, grammar, vocabulary. • DIRECTION: Well-defined goals, confidence in abilities, realistic, practical. • MATURITY: Responsible, self-reliant, decisive. • SINCERITY: Genuine good attitude, honest, sincere. • PERSONALITY: Enthusiastic, motivated, assertive. • QUALIFICATIONS/COURSE WORK: Academic preparation, work experience, good match for position. • OVERALL EVALUATION: Long-range potential, drive, ambition, ability, qualifications. • This is from a “real” evaluation checklist!

5. Proper Dress--Women: • Have an attractive, modern hair style. No wild ‘dos or “fun colors.” • Don't wear too many accessories. • Wear little or no perfume. • Brush your teeth and use mouthwash. • Never chew gum or smoke. Don’t smoke in the car on the way to the interview. Don’t wear clothes that smell like smoke. • Do not use excessive makeup. • Clean your glasses, including the nose grips. • Wear a clean, pressed outfit. • Clean and polish your nails with a soft color or clear. • Wear conservative hosiery—a skin-tone shade is best—NOT suntan or any color. • Clean and polish your shoes. Your purse should match your shoe color. • Carry a conservative purse (no big buckles or chains) or briefcase. • Tattoos and piercings should not show other than one pair of earrings. • Do not wear white shoes or carry a white purse to an interview. • NO SANDALS or bare feet!

6. Sample Interview Attire

7. What NOT to Wear—too casual and trendy

8. What NOT to Wear—too trendy and revealing

9. Proper Dress--Men: • Have clean, trimmed hair in a professional style. • Have a fresh shave or trim your facial hair. • Wear little or no cologne. • Brush your teeth and use mouthwash. • Never chew gum or smoke. Don’t smoke in the car on the way to the interview. Don’t wear clothes that smell like smoke. • Clean your glasses, including the nose grips. • Wear a clean, pressed shirt and suit. • Wear a clean, fashionable tie. • Make certain your collar covers your tie in the back. Your tie should touch your belt buckle. • Clean and trim your nails. • Clean and polish your shoes. Your belt should match your shoe color. • Carry a briefcase or portfolio. • Tattoos and piercings should not show. • Wear flat-front pants, as pleated pants make you look heavier. • Your dress shirt should be solid in a neutral color, preferably white, but certainly a light color. • Wear solid-color socks that cover your thigh—no leg hair should show if you sit down or cross your legs. • Opt for navy or charcoal suit, not black.

10. Sample Interview Attire—no colored shirts

11. What NOT to Wear—too trendy

12. What NOT to Wear—too casual for inter-view, but okay for work in business casual setting

13. What about tattoos?

14. What image do you portray?

15. Remember! • Always err on the side of conservative dress—dress for the job you want, not for the job you have (or don’t have YET!). • Even if you know that the dress code is casual, do not dress that way for an interview. Dress to impress!

16. Interview Quiz • You should arrive at a job interviewa. On timeb. 10-15 minutes earlyc. 30 minutes early • At the interviewa. You should know the company's historyb. Ask about the company's historyc. Ask about the products the company makes

17. Interview Quiz (cont.) • You should ask questions when the interviewer asks if you have any a. Trueb. False • It is okay to speak negatively of a previous employera. Trueb. False

18. Interview Quiz (cont.) • It's okay to ask about salarya. Trueb. False • Thank you notesa. Are an old-fashioned device no longer necessary b. Should be sent to the interviewer within 24 hours c. Should be sent to the interviewer only after the job is obtained

19. Interviews • When someone calls you for an interview and says, “May I speak to John/Jane Smith,” your response should be . . . • “This is him/her.” • “This is me.” • “This is he/she.” • “Who wants to know?”

20. Interview Scheduling • When someone contacts you for an interview, do not give excuses about when it is convenient for YOU to come in. • There is always someone else who is eager to meet the employer’s timeline! • Cancel your personal plans if needed. • Be enthusiastic on the phone. • When talking on the phone with a potential employer or other business contact, never put them on hold to answer another phone call. • Don’t be a no-show!!! Recruiters talk!

21. Interviews • Pre-Screening Telephone Interviews • Used to screen candidates to narrow the pool of applicants who will be invited for in-person interviews. • Also used to minimize the expenses involved in interviewing out-of-town candidates.

22. Interviews • Pre-Screening Telephone Interviews • Take the call in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted. (No kids, pets, cell phones, email, TV, conversation noise.) Take the call on a land line so you will not lose your signal and will be able to hear well throughout the call. • Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. • Compile a list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone interview questions. In addition, plan on being prepared for a phone conversation about your background and skills.

23. Interviews • Pre-Screening Telephone Interviews • Keep a glass of water nearby to “wet your whistle.” • Keep your resume and the job posting in clear view. • Have a short list of your accomplishments available to review. • Make notes of points you need to make about how your qualifications match the job. • Have a pen and paper handy for note taking. • Turn call-waiting off so your call isn't interrupted. • Turn off your cell phone.

24. Interviews • Pre-Screening Telephone Interviews • Speak clearly and watch your grammar and slang. • SMILE when you answer questions and be enthusiastic. • Tell what you know about the company and job. • Refer to the interviewer as Ms. Smith or Mr. Jones, and not Susie or John. • Follow up with a thank-you letter.

25. Interviews • Arrive EARLY for the interview (10-15 minutes). • Get good directions. Plan to get lost and park! Take money for the parking garage. • Check yourself in the bathroom before the interview; eat a mint beforehand, but don’t chew gum or eat mints during the interview. • Take your portfolio binder, pen, and a notepad in a nice case. • Bring extra résumés and your reference list. • Take a list of at least 10 questions with you that you can ask the interviewer about the company.

26. Interviews • Be confident; smile; give a firm handshake. • Wait until you are offered a chair before sitting. Remember body language and posture: sit upright and look alert and interested at all times. Don't fidget or slouch. • Avoid using poor language, slang, and pause words (such as "like," “you know,” “I mean,” "uh," and "um"). • DO NOT take your cell phone into the interview!

27. Interviews • Expect behavioral and competency-based interview questions • Tell me about a time when you had to handle a stressful situation in a job and how you handled it. • Tell me about a time when you did not get along with a coworker and how you resolved it. • Tell me what you liked and didn’t like about your last boss.

28. Interviews • Behavioral interviewing is used to learn about your: • Critical thinking • Self-confidence • Teamwork • Professionalism • Specific questions are designed to elicit information about the applicant’s traits and abilities in the areas of initiative, judgment, motivational fit, presentation, information, team work, and negotiation.

29. Interviews • Speak clearly and enthusiastically about your experiences and skills. Be professional, but don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. • Listen carefully. You will want to remember what you learn about the job, and you will certainly want to answer the question that was asked. • Be positive. Employers do not want to hear a litany of excuses or bad feelings about a negative experience. If you are asked about poor grades, a sudden job change, being fired, or a weakness in your background, don't be defensive. Focus instead on the facts (briefly) and what you learned from the experience.

30. Interviews • Converting your accomplishments into the STARs format will help you answer interview questions effectively. • What was the Situation? • What was your specific role or Task? • What Action did you take? • What were the Results?

31. Interviews • Your answers should spend time like this: • 20% on the situation or problem • 60% on the action you took to solve it and your role • 20% on the results, such as cost savings, etc. • Be sure that every answer covers these three areas

32. Interviews • Pay attention to your nonverbal behavior. Look the interviewer in the eye, sit up straight with both feet on the floor, control nervous habits (cracking knuckles, drumming fingers, shaking your leg, putting hair behind your ears, etc.). • Don't be afraid of short pauses. You may need a few seconds to formulate an answer. The interviewer may need time to formulate an appropriate question. It is not necessary to fill up every second with conversation.

33. Interviews • Be prepared to market your skills and experiences as they relate to the job described. • Work at positioning yourself in the mind of the employer as a person with a particular set of skills and attributes that can help the company. • Employers have problems that need to be solved by employees with particular skills; work to describe your qualifications appropriately.

34. Interviews • In many career fields, the lunch or dinner included during the interview day is not only employer hospitality, but a significant part of the interview process. • Brush up on your etiquette and carry your share of the conversation during the meal. • Often social skills are part of the hiring decision.

35. Interviews • BE SPECIFIC and don’t use clichés • I’m a people person (why?) • I’m a team player (how?) • I’m goal oriented (how?) • Don’t make them ASK you why and how! • BE CONCISE (to the point) • INCLUDE ACTION (what did you do?) • DEMONSTRATE YOUR ROLE • BE RELEVANT TO THE QUESTION • HAVE RESULTS (how did you fix it?)

36. Interviews • Write out full answers to about 15 tough behavioral interview questions • This way, you will have examples prepared before you get to the interview • If you don’t, you will be “stumped” by the questions and not have a ready answer or you will give answers that are not going to help your cause

37. Interview Questions • What are your weaknesses? • Think of them as "development areas” rather than "faults” • Are there any areas where you could improve? Be honest with yourself. • The employer is looking for proof that you can identify your areas for development and then do something about them. So you'll need to admit that you're not perfect, while showing that you are already working on the issues and giving examples of the progress you have made. • Have you been to any training courses? Or maybe you've taken on a project at work to increase your skills? • It's usually a good idea to make the "weakness" something small, but something that you are actually working on.

38. Common Interview Questions • Note: These are NOT behavioral questions, which are also very common (see handout) • Why should we hire you? • Why do you want to work here? • What do you know about us? • What do you want out of a boss? What did you like/dislike in your last boss? • How long do you plan to stay in this job? • What is your management style? • Where do you see yourself in five years/what are your goals?

39. Being Overqualified • Sometimes, the interviewer may be worried that you are overqualified. Find a way during the interview, if you think you may be seen as overqualified, to address these issues in a few sentences: • Will you stay in this job very long? • Will you feel that performing certain tasks is beneath you? • Will you try to take the interviewer’s job? • Will you feel that your skills/education are being underutilized? • Will you be bored? • Will you feel that you are not paid enough? • Will you be a know-it-all? • Address these questions before the interviewer has a chance to worry about them.

40. What to Ask? • Be prepared to ask questions at the end when they say, “Do you have any questions?” • If you don’t, you appear bored or disinterested. • Impress them with your pre-planned questions about the company.

41. What to Ask? • DON’T ask about salary, benefits, time off, paydays, etc. Save that conversation for when you get the job offer! • DO ask about: • How does the company manage employee performance? • Where is this organization headed in the next five years? • Why do you like working for this organization? • Other sample questions on handout

42. Ways to Blow an Interview • Know little or nothing about the employer. • Have a negative attitude. • Have poor communication skills. • Use rambling answers that don't address the question. • Display inappropriate behavior (e.g., smoking, chewing gum, tapping your foot). • Fail to make eye contact. • Fail to ask questions. • Dress inappropriately. • Be passive; don't sell yourself. • Show up late to the interview. • Lack proper career planning; have ill-defined goals and purposes. • Appear bored with the organization or the industry. • Show no enthusiasm and be indifferent. • Be overbearing, over aggressive, or conceited. • Be interested only in the best dollar offer.

43. Portfolios • A portfolio is an organized collection of items that visually displays your: • Education • Training • Awards • Certificates • Accomplishments • Letters of recommendation • Diplomas • Grade transcripts • Experiences in the workplace

44. Portfolios • Tips on Compiling a Binder-Style Portfolio • put items in loose-leaf binder • use sheet protectors • use copies (keep a master copy of all items) • use index tabs and/or title pages to divide each section • omit page numbers to make it easier to add and move items around • use consistent headings and placement of work samples • put sections together according to what the employer is looking for (job description) • make sure it looks professional and error-free • You can also create an online portfolio! This shows you have web savvy!

45. References • Don’t send your reference list along with your résumé; instead, take it with you to the interview and offer it to the interviewer if requested. • Have at least three references listed who have given you PERMISSION to use them. • Types of references: Professional, Personal, Educational • Professional references can vouch for your work skills • Personal references can vouch for your personal ethics • Educational references can vouch for your intelligence and studiousness

46. References • Prepare your references by giving them your resume, telling them all about yourself, what you are seeking, your special skills. • Provide the employer your references’ cell numbers to be sure they answer calls. Ask for written references, get copies of your performance evals and ask if you can share the info, make sure your references plan to respond quickly (most reference checkers expect a response in one day). • Closely coach and counsel your references to ensure you both agree on what will be said if someone calls. Get agreement on key achievements and resume points. Make sure you take time to copy the reference on your latest resume. • “My own CIO at my company actually disputed two facts on my resume! When one of the reference checkers called, they found out that I had given him an old version of a resume.” – true story that cost someone a job!

47. References • All references need this info • start and end dates of employment • the reason for leaving • salary • positional responsibilities and achievements • work ethic • communication skills • team focus • promotions • willingness to re-hire • general strengths and weaknesses

48. After the Interview • After the interview, take time to write down the names and titles (check spelling) of all your interviewers, your impressions, remaining questions, and information learned. • Follow up after the interview with a thank-you letter or note. Employers regard this as evidence of your attention to detail, as well as an indication of your final interest in the position. • When given a choice between two equal candidates, the one who wrote a thank-you letter will be chosen.

49. Thank You Letters • Follow up with a letter within 24 hours • Repeat your interest in the job • Thank the interviewer(s) for the time • Remind them of how you fit their needs as discussed in the interview • Not writing a thank you letter will cost you the job! • Write separately to EACH person who interviewed you.

50. Following Up • After the interview, follow-up with a telephone call to the employer within a week to ten days (or sooner, if the employer had a shorter timetable) to ask about the position. • And do continue to build rapport and sell your strengths during the phone call.