Title: Job Hunting
1What do I want?
Handout
The Balanced Scorecard of Opportunity Fit
Why we ______ A job
Why we ______ A job
We also ______ if the left side changes
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
2What do I have to offer?
Handout
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
3Resume
Handout
1 or 2 pages with white space signposts
It is about them, and a little about you
Job reference Simple, clear and easy to read
Job co. description no more than 1-2 sentences
Numerical accomplishments only
Be careful about age
4Cover Letter
Handout
1 page with white space, indents and not
justified
Relevance, phone call reference, or referral
Understanding of firm, mild flattery, and
attachment
Call to Action with alternative communication
method
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
5Bryan KlemmAXA AdvisorsEmployment Referral
Network
Resources
Handout
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
6WorkOne Express (www.workonecentral.org)10204
Lantern Road (Delware Park) Fishers, IN
46038317-841-8194
Resources
Handout
- Skill and career assessment
- Personal career counselor
- Computer lab and Internet
- Fax, copier, cubicles with computers and
telephone - Job leads
- Job club every Thursday from 9 1030 AM
- Workshops
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
7Business Professional Exchange
(BPE)www.bpeindy.org
Resources
Handout
- Northside Chapter
- 7 AM Every Monday
- St. Lukes United Methodist Church
- 100 West 86th Street
- Indianapolis, IN 46240
- Making informal networking contacts
- Developing referral opportunities
- Learning effective job search strategies
- Practicing community and business-to-business
networking techniques - Learning career transition strategies and support
techniques presented by guest speakers - Membership is not required, but ask for 30 for
first six months and 5/quarter after that
8Resources
Handout
- Online sources
- www.indeed.com
- www.monster.com
- www.careerbuilders.com
- www.job.com
- www.TheLadders.com
- Job boards
- Offline Sources
- Trade Associations
- Community Networking events
- Headhunters
- Church
- Friends
- Family
Key Point 83 of all management jobs filled come
from a referral
9Clothing for Women to Interview In
Handout
- http//www.dressforsuccess.org/affiliate.aspx?sisi
d31pageid18
10Making Phone Calls
Handout
- Schedule a time
- Prepare a script
- Hello, my name is _____________, I recently
- Read an article
- Spoke to a friend
- Looked into your firm
- I wanted to contact you to discuss . . .
- I can be reached at . . .
- If I do not hear back from you, I will give you a
call again at ______, tomorrow - Keep your first Commitment
- Rinse and Repeat 5 times
- Last step is e-mail and follow up call
11Interview Goals
12What is a typical first interview?
- 1. Introductory stage The interviewer will
establish rapport and create a relaxed, though
businesslike, atmosphere. This is where the
interviewer gets the very important first
impression of you. - 2. Review of your background and interests This
usually takes the form of "what," "why," "where,"
and "when" types of questions. Focus on what you
are like, and what you have accomplished, your
academic and work background, and your goals. One
of the interviewer's objectives is to see if your
qualifications match your declared work
interests. Give concise but thorough responses to
questions. - 3. Matching begins Assuming you have the
necessary qualifications, the interviewer will
begin the process of determining whether the
employer's job opening(s) match your interests
and qualifications. If there seems to be a match,
the interviewer will probably explain job details
to see how interested you are in the position.
- 4. Conclusion In this stage, the interviewer
should explain what the next steps are in the
hiring process. Be sure you understand them.
Promptly provide any additional information
requested. There should be ample opportunity for
you at this point to ask any questions you have.
13Easy Questions to expect
Handout
- Tell me about yourself
- What made you want to apply here?
- Why are you uniquely qualified for this job?
- Why did you leave your last position?
- You seem to have a short tenure at some of your
positions . . . Why? - How did you handle _______ type of situations?
- How would you handle _____ type of problem?
- What is your greatest weakness? Strength?
tim.searcy_at_yahoo.com
bryan.klemm_at_axa-advisors.com
14More difficult questions to expect
Handout
- Have you every had more than one project with the
same deadline. How did you handle it. - Tell us a time you failed at a task.
- Tell us about a recent angry customer and how you
handled her. - Tell us about a project in which you were
responsible for the budget. How did you stay
within budget? - Tell us about a recent split second decision you
made at work. How did you do it. - What's the last thing you and your boss disagreed
about? How did you settle it. - What is the most significant presentation you've
given to clients. - What was the most frustrating experience in your
current (or last) job? The most satisfying?. - When you're asked to make changes at the last
minute, how do handle that task? - Tell us about a time you took a risk and failed.
How did you feel?
15More typical questions to practice
Handout
- How would you describe yourself?
- Why did you leave your last job?
- What are your long range and short range goals
and objectives? - What specific goals other than those related to
your occupation, have you established for
yourself for the next ten years? - What do you see yourself doing five years from
now? Ten years from now? - What do you really want to do in life?
- What are your long range career objectives?
- How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
- What are the most important rewards you expect in
your career? - What do you expect to be earning in five years?
- Why did you choose this career?
- Can you explain this gap in your employment
history? - How well do you work with people? Do you prefer
working alone or in teams? - How would you evaluate your ability to deal with
conflict? - Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor?
How did you resolve the conflict? - What's more important to you -- the work itself
or how much you're paid for doing it. - What do you consider to be your greatest
strengths and weaknesses? - How would a good friend describe you?
- Describe the best job you've ever had.
- What qualities should a successful manager
possess? - Do you consider yourself a leader?
- What are the attributes of a good leader?
- Describe the workload in your current (or most
recent) job. - Which is more important creativity or
efficiency? Why? - What's the most recent book you've read?
- Describe the relationship that should exist
between the supervisor and those reporting to him
or her? - What two or three accomplishments have given you
the most satisfaction? Why? - Describe the most rewarding experience of your
career thus far. - If you were hiring a job-seeker for this
position, what qualities would you look for? - Do you have plans for continued study? An
advanced degree? - In what kind of work environment are you most
comfortable? - How do you work under pressure?
- Are you good at delegating tasks?
- What's one of the hardest decisions you've ever
had to make? - How well do you adapt to new situations?
- Why did you decide to seek a position in this
company? - What can you tell us about our company?
- What interests you about our products?
16Tips for Answering
Handout
- Make sure you understand the question
- Organize your thoughts
- Straight answer with a question from you on the
end for the easy ones - List answers for the more difficult examples or
process questions - History lessons
- Brief but meaningful
- Practice!
17Murder Board
- Questions we dont want asked
- Questions we need to have asked
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- Answers we will give
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- Answers we will give
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
- ___________________
Handout
18Tracking
Handout
19Robert Half Organization
Handout
- Arrive on time or a few minutes early.
- If presented with an application, fill it out
neatly and completely. Don't attach your resume
unless you're told to do so. - Greet the interviewer by last name if you are
sure of the pronunciation. If not, ask the
employer to repeat it. - Project energy and enthusiasm. Smile and shake
hands firmly. - Wait until you're offered a chair before sitting.
Sit upright, look alert and interested at all
times. - Listen carefully and respond succinctly and
articulately. Look the hiring manager in the eye
while speaking. - Early in the meeting, try to get the interviewer
to describe the job and the duties to you so you
can focus your responses on your background,
skills and accomplishments that relate to the
position. - Be sincere and truthful while focusing on
communicating your specific professional
achievements that relate to the accounting or
finance job opening.
- Don't answer with a simple "yes" or "no." Explain
whenever possible. - If you don't understand a question - or need a
moment to think about it - say so. Never pretend
to know something or someone when you don't. - Don't rely on your application or resume to do
the selling for you. Interviewers will want you
to be convincing. - Don't make negative remarks about present or
former employers. When explaining your reasons
for leaving, communicate your rationale
professionally. - Don't over-answer questions. If the interviewer
steers the conversation into controversial - or
even illegal - topics, try to do more listening
than speaking. Keep your responses non-committal.
- Don't inquire about salary, vacations, benefits,
bonuses or retirement on the initial interview
unless you are sure the employer is interested in
hiring you. If the interviewer asks what salary
you want, give a range based on your research of
the job market, but indicate that you're more
interested in the opportunity for continued
learning and professional development than in a
specific salary.
20Questions to ask the employer
Handout
- What are the company's strengths and weaknesses
compared to its competition? - How important does upper management consider the
function of this department/position? - What is the organization's plan for the next five
years, and how does this department fit in? - Could you explain your organizational structure?
- How will my leadership responsibilities and
performance be measured? By whom? - What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this
job? - Could you describe your company's management
style and the type of employee who fits well with
it? - What are some of the skills and abilities
necessary for someone to succeed in this job?
- What is the company's policy on providing
seminars, workshops, and training so employees
can keep up their skills or acquire new ones? - What particular computer equipment and software
do you use? - What kind of work can I expect to be doing the
first year? - What percentage of routine, detailed work will I
encounter? How much opportunity is there to see
the end result of my efforts? - Who will review my performance? How often?
- How much guidance or assistance is made available
to individuals in developing career goals? - How much opportunity will I have for
decision-making in my first assignment? - Can you describe an ideal employee?
- What is your organization's policy on transfers
to other cities?