Career Coach Office Hours: June 7 2022 | JobSearchTV.com
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
I answered questions about #jobsearch #hiringstaff #management #leadership #workplace issues. You can also message me on Linkedin before the show and I will answer it, too. Join me at 1 PM Eastern on Tuesdays and Fridays. #careercoachofficehours #careercoaching #careercoach #jobsearchtips #jobsearchadvice #interviews #hiring #managingpeople #leadershipskills #linkedinlive #linkedinlivestreams
When You’ve Been Made Redundant, Fired, Laid Off, RIF’d
02:47
What’s the safest way a job applicant can answer the interview question, “Why did you quit your previous position?” I don’t think there’s really a safe way to do that. If you’re looking for safe, I interpret that as being no one’s gonna hold you blameless for the decision you made to quit a job. I don’t think that’s possible. I think there are a lot of people who will put blame on you for making that decision and not looking for a job on your employer’s time. And thus, that becomes the way to answer that question. ‘I made a decision that this wasn’t the right organization for me.’ ‘Why is that?’ Now you have to answer that question. ‘You know, I’ve been doing this work, the same work in the same way for the last four years. And my mind was starting to turn to mush. That’s not the way anyone should live. I want to put in an effort, feel appreciated, do great work. my employer out of time and sneaking around behind their back (Notice sneaking around behind their back, like you’re cheating on your wife or husband). You present it as I decided to do the honorable thing and just resign and look for a job on my time. That becomes the best that you can do. Otherwise, you basically say no, I’m not sure I made the right choice. But I didn’t think it was right to go looking for a job on my employer’s time. So I just quit. Either way, I think is fine. The second one needs more elaboration. But you can answer that one. It’ll work.
04:58
What do recruiters get for finding you a job. I’m going to work with the assumption that you’re looking at contingency recruiters, because executive search firms, everyone knows. So the question comes down to what do they get? They get paid. And they’re working for free to find someone that will fit the role that their client will pay them to fill. You have a job; you’re getting paid every week, but most of them are working on spec. And as a result, they’re not getting paid unless they get you’re hired or get someone hired to fill a job. What that percentage is, it doesn’t matter. Why do you care what’s going into their pocket if you take a job? What difference does it make to you? They’re getting paid? And that’s all you really need to know.
06:01
What are the major issues the top management should consider when deciding whether or not to expand business operations into a new area? I think this is a great question. And most of the questions I receive tend to be around job search. There’s some around hiring. But I love covering the ones around management and leadership and dealing with different workplace issues. So this is one of those that deals with making a business decision. So what goes into it? How does it fit the overall corporate strategy? Now, sometimes, if this is closely aligned with a line of business the firm already has, it’s ideal, because it’s like a product add on. So that becomes one thing versus going into something completely different where you may not have brand or reputation versus something that’s proximate to what you’re currently doing that your clients would also be able to purchase as well. Do they have adequate capital? Is it viable? Does it serve a growing market or an underserved one that doesn’t have any money? Do they have any competence or specialization to be able to be competitive? Or are they going to focus on their marketing and the product for this opportunity? What’s the risk that they’re going to go into? And what is the profit potential that will come out of this? Now, there’s a lot more, and there’s a lot more that would be nuanced out of this. But these are launched points, particularly how does it fit with corporate strategy that I think every firm should look at as they’re considering a new line of business?
08:12
What is it called when you’re hired for one position and given responsibility for others? I love this one. The answer is– screwed. You know, it depends on whether this is going to be the totality of your responsibilities. I would sit down with my manager and say, ‘you know, I was hired to do this thing, but now you’re throwing some more stuff on my plate. What’s that all about?’ Make them explain it to you. Don’t be accusatory, but understand what’s changed since the time that you interviewed, that all this stuff is now winding up on your plate, that you’re the one who’s going to have to do this while you’re learning and servicing your new responsibilities in the job that you expected to be doing. So you know, ‘what happened?’ You have to find that out. ‘Why was there no one else already internally who could do this, that could be best served by stepping into these additional responsibilities?’ After all, they already know the firm, they already know how it operates. You’re just first learning. So you’re not ideal for this. The question is, have you been set up for a fall and I’m being that blunt about it? Are you being set up for a fall by taking on these additional responsibilities, not even knowing your group’s capabilities, what issues are going to exist in the work that you are hired to do, and more.
What to Do If You’re Fired From Your Remote Job
10:02
What do you do if you go to a job interview at another company and see your boss waiting to interview with them as well? I think the first thing you do is smirk and notice the look of horror on her or his face and seeing you there. And you sit down next to them and say, ‘Look, we’re not going to talk about this outside of here. So I’m not going to out you. You don’t out me. Don’t hold it against me in the work assignments. Let’s let this go to bed. I hope you get the opportunity that you want. And let’s support one another making a move.’ And I think what that does is show remarkable restraint on your part, its maturity on your part. And that allows you to segue into something different that basically says, ‘Oops, someone wasn’t particularly smart and set us up for the same situation at the same or almost the same time. Let’s put this to bed, I’m not going to embarrass you. Please don’t embarrass me. Don’t do things to some undermine me at the office. I’d be very happy to support you with your interview here or elsewhere. You’ve been terrific to work for. It’s just not the right opportunity for me.
12:05
How do micromanagers sabotage themselves? Ooooh! Well, I think the simplest way to explain that is that it’s impossible to anticipate every possible condition. Thus, by being a micromanager, you’ve trained your people to rely upon you exclusively for thinking. The result winds up being you’re doomed to fail because you will miss something. You will make a mistake at some point. You will fail in a situation and thus you sabotage yourself by not cultivating your people to be able to think independently and come to you when they need advice. By being involved in the weeds on everything, you are doomed to failure. That’s just it, you are doomed to failure if you do that. So don’t put yourself into that situation. Start cultivating a team that is able to be competent without you. They rely upon you of course, but not for every decision. Like if they asked you how they should handle something, the first follow up question should be ‘how do you think? Why is that?’ And make them start thinking. ‘Have you considered such and such? Okay, good. I’m not telling you what to do. But I’m just trying to see what your process has been like.’ So that this way, you can see how I think. ‘But I want you to succeed. I want you to be in my seat at some point, and not just rely upon someone else to do your thinking for you. I think you’re very capable. That’s the way you do it because micro managers fail. They turn over too many people. People become annoyed and thus they wind up losing very competent people.
14:16
What happens if you don’t show up for a job interview? oooh! The answer is, well, you’ve made an enemy. You found someone who is is going to remember being stood up. There’s probably going to be a note in your database record indicating that you didn’t show, didn’t call and as a result, you will have hurt yourself with that employer. You will have hurt yourself with the the recruiter or hiring manager who always remembers this sort of stuff. So what happens if you don’t show up? Ostensibly nothing? And people have long memories. Don’t you?
15:16
How do I keep an employer interested? I had an initial phone interview and they told me I’m moving forward on moving on to a formal in person interview four weeks out. I’m concerned, they’ll find someone else. They told me I can message them with any questions. So the answer is they’re dating. They want to accumulate a number of people that they want to bring back. They’re not set on hiring you. They’re set on evaluating and assessing a large pool of talent for these particular positions, or for this particular position. You have no control over their behavior. What you want to be doing is making sure that you get the best opportunity possible for you. And thus, I would continue dating. I would not be sitting waiting by your computer for them to send you an email four weeks out. You can send them a message after two weeks to say, ‘I’m just confirming what you told me previously, that you plan on having me in in another two weeks. Would you like to set that up now? That’s as much as you can really do? Because the fact is, they’re dating. They’re not ready to get married.
What to Do If You Have a Gap in Your Job History/Resume
16:53
How do I know if the interviewer likes you? Well, they may tell you that directly. But what I found over the years, I call this the headhunter secret to knowing you did well on an interview. The way to know is they start talking a lot more than they’re asking questions. And thus, the more they talk, the more they like you. The more they’re selling you on the opportunity, the more it’s an indication that they like you. So how do you know that the interviewer likes you? They’re selling you. They’re talking much more than you. You’re sitting there basking in their magnificence. Those are some of the signals that indicate that you did well beyond simply, ‘Wow, you are terrific. ‘
17:52
What is the best way to answer the interview question, ‘What attracted you to this organization to this position you applied for?’ Well, I think part of the way to do this is a little bit of a suck up. You basically say things to the effect of … I used to do this when I still did recruiting, and one of my clients was The New York Times, and they would ask the question, ‘why do you want to work for The Times?’ And the correct answer is, ‘why do I want to work for the times? Why wouldn’t I want to work for the Times? You’re the leader in your field, great reputation, terrific people here, you know, there’s just so many of them, and you sound enthusiastic as you throw this crap back at them. Because basically, what they’re looking for is for you to express an interest in working for them. Why? Because they want to use that to sell back to you later on. You don’t have to mean it. You just have to fake it sufficiently that they believe it. After that, don’t sweat it. All you’re trying to do is to get through this round of interviews, and make them want to continue dating.
19:13
I finished high school at 19. I’m starting college at 30 to get a CS bachelor’s degree. How do I explain my gap to future recruiters? Great question. My son is going to be in this position, maybe not with a CS degree. But he graduated high school at 18. And he moved out at that point moved to New York, and he’s pursuing a career on his own. And he doesn’t have a Bachelor’s. He’ll figure out what he wants to study when he’s ready to do that. But the long and the short of it is you say to them, ‘I wasn’t ready to go to school. I finished high school. I want to go to college. But I wasn’t ready. And I didn’t want to waste a lot of money until I could get a clearer idea of what I wanted to do next. Now I have more of an idea. And thus, I’m ready to go back to school, get my comp science degree, because I figured out. I really like tech. It’s something I really enjoy.’ And that’s the way you explain it. Simple to the point. You didn’t want to waste a lot of money and time pursuing a degree when you weren’t sure, because it’s really expensive. So you decided to figure it out before doing it.
20:41
Can a recruiter tell you what to say? They can do whatever they want; you just don’t have to listen to it. Now, a recruiter is probably telling you what to say in order to get hired. Now, let’s work with the assumption that they’re not crazy and they’re not telling you to say things that are blatantly not true. Why wouldn’t you follow their instructions? They’re trying to earn a fee, which means you’re getting hired So follow their advice unless it’s ridiculous. It can’t be delivered by you. Or is going to wind up being a lie. I don’t believe in lying. I don’t think you should lie, either. But yes, they can tell you what to say but you don’t have to take their advice.
22:56
How can someone approach prospective employers through some mutual acquaintance? Well, employers have employee referral bonuses. It is in their interest to refer you for opportunities. So you can approach your acquaintance and say, ‘I’m really interested in working at your firm. Is there anyone you might be able to introduce me to? Are you going to get an employee referral bonus if you if you do that? Because that just kind of reminds them? ‘Yeah, I could introduce you to someone. It’s gonna be HR, that’s fine. But what do you need from me because I’d really love to interview with them.’ If there’s anything open for me, or I know this positions open. Would you happen to know who the hiring manager is? Could you introduce me to them?” ‘I don’t know who it is.’ Could you try finding out? If you can’t, or you don’t want to, that’s okay. But minimally, I’d encourage you to put my name in the hopper so this way, if I get hired, you earn a finder’s fee from your employer and I get a job I’d be happy with. That’s probably the best way to do it.
24:25
Is it good form to put detailed reasons for why you’re resigning from a company? I don’t think it serves you to do that. Because, frankly, when you put something in writing, what you explain in writing could be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Thus, you’re better off explaining it in person where your voice can do a lot of the selling for you, where you’re sincerity can come through in the way you present the information. I wouldn’t put that into an application. I would never do that. You know, I might put something brief if I were asked, but I wouldn’t put a full detailed explanation for why I thought my current employer sucks into an application. You never know who gets to see it, what impact it has on your current manager, if they interview with this firm? It’s stuff like that, that becomes problematic. So I don’t think it’s good form. I don’t think it serves you.
25:49
A recruiter told me they wanted to finish interviewing people before making a decision? Is that bad? This kind of goes back to a question I answered earlier, where they spoke about bringing someone back in four weeks, and this person was concerned, or the previous person was concerned that they’d forget about them, lose track of them, hire someone else. Well, the recruiter wants to finish, the recruiter told this person they want to finish interviewing people before making a decision. They haven’t fallen in love with you. Again, using the metaphor I did earlier, they want to keep dating, they want to see who else is out there. They’re not in love yet. No love, no money. It’s really that simple. So is it bad. They’re not in love yet. You may still get hired. But statistical probability is no, you’re not.
27:24
Why do companies ask irrelevant questions in interviews? Well, maybe it’s not irrelevant to them. You just don’t see the meaning behind the question. So why do they do it? Because they think it helps them make a decision. It could be something as simple as, what do you like doing? What are your hobbies, and they’re trying to loosen you up to get a sense of you as a human being? It could be what kind of coffee do you drink? Coffee? Black, right? Let’s go get some coffee. It’s an irrelevant question. But it helps to develop a human connection. And that’s really what they’re fishing for, is some way to connect with you as a person. So that in this way, you know, they feel closer to you. So why did they do it? Because they think it’s relevant.
28:29
I had a second interview with two senior managers. And they came 20 minutes late. One of them didn’t show up and and she seemed disinterested from the start, and will make long pauses after my replies, and hardly smile. Will I get a call back? Probably not. But that has nothing to do with you. That may have to do with them. They came 20 minutes late. They were preoccupied. Something was going on that caused them to be late. And one of them didn’t show up. This person drew the short straw and had to do the interview while the other one got off. The probability is they’ve already chosen someone. You got in there too late. So they’re giving you a courtesy interview. So I don’t expect you’ll get a call back. I don’t think that has anything to do. I think it has everything to do with them.
They Rescinded The Offer! What Do I Do?
[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ0W-42Q7i4[/svp]
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2300 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? People hire me to provide No BS career advice whether that is about a job search, hiring better, leadership, management or support with a workplace issue. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
My courses are available on my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us/courses The courses include ones about Informational Interviews, Interviewing, final interview preparation, salary negotiation mistakes to avoid, the top 10 questions to prepare for on any job interview, and starting a new job.
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