Waiting to know where you stand after an interview can be difficult.
Learning to ask questions about your standing or determining how large the candidate pool is takes guts and preparation.
While you cannot ask all of these questions, you can apply 1 or more based on the context of your interview.
If you are interviewing with multiple individuals or multiple groups of people; using different questions with each may create insights to your potential for an offer.
Mastering questions similar to these may be a good starting point:
• Do you have referral candidates scheduled to interview?
• Are there any friends or family who will interview for this position?
• If am not offered the job at an appropriate time should I reapply in the future or consider other companies?
• If am not offered the job, would you consider me a I silver-medalist candidate or a distant runner-up?
• Candidly speaking, what would keep you from offering me this position besides [other interviews / just starting / pending internal referrals]?
• What position would you recommend me for if my experience does not align with your needs? Are their contacts in the industry you can introduce me to?
• Do you have any friends outside the company who might be a fit for this position?
• Who outside the company is the go-to-person for discussing openings like this?
Using questions like this breaks the norm. Few candidates come in to an interview this prepared or bold.
It takes guts and is full of risks.
It will likely alienate the hiring manager. They may feel answers to these questions is confidential or would undermine the process.
Why? Some hiring managers have been sand-bagged by groups of candidates coordinating their interview efforts. This experience can make them slow to sharing information and many of them have been trained to be vague by HR or legal.
And while I can mention the risks, many of you will be thinking:
- Nothing ventured, nothing gained
- It is my chance to understand how big the playing field is
- I need to know if I am in the running
Whatever your decision - be prepared by being well rehearsed. Over-learn the content. Memorization alone will fail you.
You have achieved an over-learned condition with the material when you realize you have had "dreams" about it.
Do not skip this step - if you are going to go for it; be prepared.
The next post for this series: a list of questions for hiring managers on one page.
My Lead-Page for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
Printer Discount Code: FA6pWQ4J
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
The blog link is http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
My photo content is here https://www.flickr.com/photos/origamidirk/
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-must-buy-books-for-job-seekers/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Showing posts with label Recruiter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Recruiter. Show all posts
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Questions For Hiring Managers - Potential Insights
The answers to your professional interest questions initiate a relationship irrespective of an offer or not.
Some of those insights could include:
• Attribution bias of the manager; is success self-made or made by working with people
• If they have healthy work relationships and or the political skills to prevail at the company
• Their mentors, if they had any and or if they mentor others currently
• Validation of work-life values as presented by the company
• Insights to which parts of the job they enjoy and which parts might they delegated
• If they are attached to the work, people or company or something more personal
• If they might be in a transition phase down, across, up or out of the company
Beyond a better understanding the hiring manager, the candidate creates a context for keeping in touch if they are not selected for the position!
This is helpful as networking with professionals is the fastest route to new employment.
The mistake most candidates make is focusing solely on the job piece - the short-game to the exclusion of the long-game.
People can be sympathetic to a candidate's need for a job.
But... they would rather treat the candidate as a professional who has an agenda, a consistent business persona, some self-awareness and "stones" big enough to move from the short-game to the long-game effortlessly.
Generic question list coming up next... Dirk
My Lead-Page for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
Printer Discount Code: FA6pWQ4J
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
The blog link is http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
My photo content is here https://www.flickr.com/photos/origamidirk/
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-must-buy-books-for-job-seekers/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Some of those insights could include:
• Attribution bias of the manager; is success self-made or made by working with people
• If they have healthy work relationships and or the political skills to prevail at the company
• Their mentors, if they had any and or if they mentor others currently
• Validation of work-life values as presented by the company
• Insights to which parts of the job they enjoy and which parts might they delegated
• If they are attached to the work, people or company or something more personal
• If they might be in a transition phase down, across, up or out of the company
Beyond a better understanding the hiring manager, the candidate creates a context for keeping in touch if they are not selected for the position!
This is helpful as networking with professionals is the fastest route to new employment.
The mistake most candidates make is focusing solely on the job piece - the short-game to the exclusion of the long-game.
People can be sympathetic to a candidate's need for a job.
But... they would rather treat the candidate as a professional who has an agenda, a consistent business persona, some self-awareness and "stones" big enough to move from the short-game to the long-game effortlessly.
Generic question list coming up next... Dirk
My Lead-Page for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
Printer Discount Code: FA6pWQ4J
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
The blog link is http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
My photo content is here https://www.flickr.com/photos/origamidirk/
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-must-buy-books-for-job-seekers/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Monday, January 25, 2016
Professional Summary – Make It Count
To make a professional summary work for your resume the content needs to be substantive.
Why?
Substantive content wins both the human reader and higher scoring by the Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) being used by most companies to manage resume submissions.
This is important because no hiring manager has ever been swayed by a marketing blurb or hyperbolic language to interview or hire someone.
The technology is less forgiving. At a minimum the algorithms score resumes by ranking the 8-parts of speech. We can reasonably assume adjectives and adverbs (hype) work against a positive ranking of the resume.
Here is an example of what not to do:
“Result-oriented, team-leader, open door mentor with a collaborative approach to success and achievement in a fast-paced environment dedicated to winning.”
This example fails because it contains hyperbolic or empty language. There is no substance. There are no keywords. There is no mention of specific experience. Hiring managers and recruiters see these type of professional summaries and view them as unoriginal at a minimum.
We also know the “eyes” are looking for an optimal focal point to follow along the text. To take advantage of this phenomena, you want to keep your paragraphs to approximately 3-lines each on a 1-inch margin document.
To make the professional summary easier to develop follow the grammar rules for a preamble.
A preamble is a “legal” run-on sentence. It is designed to trick the reader into following along for the length of the text.
Here is an example to model:
“Project manager with expertise in SCUM and Agile on-time task completion frameworks with experience managing remote and co-located teams in a matrix structure supporting aviation, software and construction projects.”
This text works because it is informative. The reader learns something for their efforts. They harvest 3 to 5 pieces of data.
Technically, the preamble showcases the job title (Project Manager) which is a keyword. This helps how the resume is ranked by the technology as well.
It also uses the word “expert.” This replaces the word “experience” which is over-used and more vague in meaning. Between these 2-words, expert is stronger. If you compare “expert” to a years of experience statements such as “20 years of experience”; which sounds better?
Next the text mentions two methodologies (SCUM/Agile). These are keywords shared in the context of “tasks” which relates directly to typical job functions.
The candidate telegraphs their experience working with “remote and co-located teams.” This phrase is stronger than the usual statement of “all levels of management” or “across departments.” It also shows he or she did the work without authority (matrix structure).
Then the preamble closes with specific industry mentions (aviation, software, constructions).
If you are willing to take a systematic approach to your content to engage the human and the software, you can improve your chances of being seen as a viable candidate!
My Lead-Page for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
Printer Discount Code: FA6pWQ4J
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
Copy of the blog link http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-must-buy-books-for-job-seekers/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Why?
Substantive content wins both the human reader and higher scoring by the Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) being used by most companies to manage resume submissions.
This is important because no hiring manager has ever been swayed by a marketing blurb or hyperbolic language to interview or hire someone.
The technology is less forgiving. At a minimum the algorithms score resumes by ranking the 8-parts of speech. We can reasonably assume adjectives and adverbs (hype) work against a positive ranking of the resume.
Here is an example of what not to do:
“Result-oriented, team-leader, open door mentor with a collaborative approach to success and achievement in a fast-paced environment dedicated to winning.”
This example fails because it contains hyperbolic or empty language. There is no substance. There are no keywords. There is no mention of specific experience. Hiring managers and recruiters see these type of professional summaries and view them as unoriginal at a minimum.
We also know the “eyes” are looking for an optimal focal point to follow along the text. To take advantage of this phenomena, you want to keep your paragraphs to approximately 3-lines each on a 1-inch margin document.
To make the professional summary easier to develop follow the grammar rules for a preamble.
A preamble is a “legal” run-on sentence. It is designed to trick the reader into following along for the length of the text.
Here is an example to model:
“Project manager with expertise in SCUM and Agile on-time task completion frameworks with experience managing remote and co-located teams in a matrix structure supporting aviation, software and construction projects.”
This text works because it is informative. The reader learns something for their efforts. They harvest 3 to 5 pieces of data.
Technically, the preamble showcases the job title (Project Manager) which is a keyword. This helps how the resume is ranked by the technology as well.
It also uses the word “expert.” This replaces the word “experience” which is over-used and more vague in meaning. Between these 2-words, expert is stronger. If you compare “expert” to a years of experience statements such as “20 years of experience”; which sounds better?
Next the text mentions two methodologies (SCUM/Agile). These are keywords shared in the context of “tasks” which relates directly to typical job functions.
The candidate telegraphs their experience working with “remote and co-located teams.” This phrase is stronger than the usual statement of “all levels of management” or “across departments.” It also shows he or she did the work without authority (matrix structure).
Then the preamble closes with specific industry mentions (aviation, software, constructions).
If you are willing to take a systematic approach to your content to engage the human and the software, you can improve your chances of being seen as a viable candidate!
My Lead-Page for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
Printer Discount Code: FA6pWQ4J
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
Copy of the blog link http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/10-must-buy-books-for-job-seekers/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Thursday, January 21, 2016
EVENT: Job Axis Network - Ask a Recruiter "Resumes & Interviews"
February 22, 2016 at 7:00. Job Axis Network is at 8680 Main St. Frisco, Texas 75034.
Job Axis Network is part of the Crossroads Career Network. They promote a 7-Step approach to job seekers:
1. God's Calling - Upward
2. Reach Forward - Attitude
3. Discover your best - Aptitude
4. Target Opportunities - Altitude
5. Seek to serve - Searching
6. Wow interviews - Sorting
7. Walk in Good Works - Selecting
This is my second visit with Job Axis Network! We should have a time to answer everyone's questions. I will gift a few copies of Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired!
My attempt at a "Lead-Page" for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
NEW Discount Code: BMWH7DH4 Save $7.00 per book
This discount expires: Feb 22nd 2016
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
Job Axis Network is part of the Crossroads Career Network. They promote a 7-Step approach to job seekers:
1. God's Calling - Upward
2. Reach Forward - Attitude
3. Discover your best - Aptitude
4. Target Opportunities - Altitude
5. Seek to serve - Searching
6. Wow interviews - Sorting
7. Walk in Good Works - Selecting
This is my second visit with Job Axis Network! We should have a time to answer everyone's questions. I will gift a few copies of Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired!
My attempt at a "Lead-Page" for the book is www.resumepsychologythebook.com
This Link is to the print and Kindle version on Amazon http://www.Amazon.Com/-/dp/0692525602/
The author page on Amazon is www.Amazon.Com/Author/DirkSpencer
Buy the book at a discount here https://www.createspace.com/5714917
NEW Discount Code: BMWH7DH4 Save $7.00 per book
This discount expires: Feb 22nd 2016
The book is called Resume Psychology Resume Hacks & Traps Revealed- Beat the Machine. Be Seen. Get Hired! by Dirk Spencer. ISBN-10: 0692525602 and ISBN-13: 978-0692525609 available in print and Kindle eBook.
My Twitter is https://twitter.com/dirkindallas
http://resumepsychology.blogspot.com/
Connect to me on LinkedIn here https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkindallas
My online content is here http://www.slideshare.net/dirkspencer
Recent media mentions include:
https://www.recruiter.com/i/8-ways-to-stay-in-touch-with-rejected-candidates/
http://insights.dice.com/2016/01/11/should-you-apply-for-the-same-job-twice/
http://www.careercloud.com/news/2016/1/23/the-outdated-job-seeker-part-2
https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-unlikely-places-to-find-a-job/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/be-a-better-recruiter-10-simple-tips/
https://www.recruiter.com/i/interview-questions-the-top-10-curveball-questions-and-why-you-should-pose-them-to-candidates/
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