Interesting article about finding the right culture fit- "Getting Creative to See if You Fit In"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091900800.html

How to prepare for an interview!

Your frame of mind is really key to a successful interview. To put things in perspective: Think of the interview as a conversation. Nothing more. The interview is NOT a test, it is NOT an interrogation, it should NOT be a stress test, you do NOT pass or fail.


You are talking to the employer to learn more about their needs (relative to the position that they are trying to fill) and to determine if the position, location, environment and employees are a match with what you are looking for. The employer is doing the same thing! If the two align an offer is typically extended.


How do you best prepare for an interview?


Use the job description that they provided as a key reference point. The objective is to be able to relay to the employer how you can be of value based on their specific needs.


I recommend that you use the following strategy to best answer the employers questions. The concept is taken from the behavioral based interviewing method/model.


To divert for a minute: Behavioral based interview questions are questions that get specific examples of a candidate's past experience so an employer can determine if the candidate can be successful in the position that they are trying to fill. The interviewee's answers give the employer insight into how the candidate performed the process/job/responsibilities in a prior role.


I believe that the following strategy can be used by candidates to prepare for an interview. First review the job description. Second, review each action point on the job description and come up with the best 1 or 2 examples where you have done what the employer is looking for (use your past performance/job experience). Then apply the following tool to get your toughs in order prior to the interview:


On the right hand margin of the job description write BAR or STAR vertically and fill in the blanks horizontally. Think of the acronym BAR, B= Behavior, A= Action, R= Result
or STAR, S=Situation, T= Task, A= Action, R= Result.


EXAMPLE:

Job Description:

• Work with Sales and Marketing to develop season’s themes, promotional items and marketing campaigns

B= As Director of Men's and Boys Product

A= I worked with Design, Sales, Marketing & Key Accounts to research and develop seasonal marketing strategies (which included: POS, GWP, promotional kits, packaging, hang tags and advertising spots)

R= I had full accountability for the revenue in my assigned categories. My efforts resulted in a 30% increase to sales year over year, a 5 pt margin increase and a successful launch (and line extension) for the Men's and Boys product category.

This preparation should position you to communicate your strengths relative to the employer's needs and ultimately land you the job providing you have the KSAA's (knowledge, skills, ability, accomplishments) that they are looking for!

Update (10/16/09) -Here is another article that is consistent with some of my notes above:

http://community.ere.net/blogs/invested-innovative-brilliant-improving-the-recruiting-experience/2009/10/how-to-ace-the-interview-guest-blog-by-new-head2he/

Do you need a cover letter?

The cover letter is a controversial thing. I hesitate to communicate my thoughts on this topic because I am quite sure that many people labor over the cover letter and spend an enormous amount of time on it.



First, what should the cover letter include:

• The title of the position that you are applying for


• List how or where you learned about the position (if there is a job code include it)


• Parallel your background/experience and how you can be of value to the future employer based on what "they" are looking for


• Your availability to talk to the hiring authority and the best way to reach you


• Your contact information

Now, do you need a cover letter?

Answer: it depends.

No if,

• Someone who is already connected to the company/position is putting forth your information


• You are applying for a specific position


• You have the direct contact name for the person overseeing the hiring process

Yes if,

• You are not applying for a specific position


• You are seeking an informational interview


• Have a unique aspect of your resume that needs to be explained


• Are applying for a position where your skills are not current in the specific field (the cover letter will allow you to explain why you feel you are a fit)


• You are applying for a marketing, communications, sales position- often your written style will be a assessed as a part of the interview process!


• They are asking for one

My experience with cover letters:

When I was hiring (as a Manager of HR) I typically went straight to the resume to get to the meat of what the person could do/bring to the company/position. If the resume had positive attributes (longevity in positions, growth/advancement, relevant experience) but, they were not a direct fit, I would reference the cover letter to get a sense for why they felt that they were a good fit.

Cover letters can be valuable for showing your ability to communicate via writing, which is critical in many professional level positions. It can also "sell" your background differently than a resume.

When the top 5% bubble to the top, the cover letter may become a deciding factor relative to who a company brings in for an interview. Especially if the position is in marketing, sales or communications!

My thoughts on the cover letter:

Given a saturated market you may be laboring over a cover letter that is never read! Recruiters/hiring managers are so busy trying to get through the resumes that reviewing every cover letter can become very time consuming. Keep in mind that cover letters are often poorly written and are done in a lot of different formats which requires more time for the "reviewer"!

According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5.4 job hunters for every advertised opening in April. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey said the April ratio was up from 4.8 in March, and up dramatically from 1.7 in December 2007, when the recession began.

How to get your resume noticed!

A little foreground before I give you tips on how to get an employer or recruiter to read your resume:

Why do you need to create a resume?

• The resume is the tool that will typically get your foot in the door
• If it is done correctly it will land you the interview
• The resume is the "first impression" of you to an employer. Remember the old saying "you only get one chance to make a first impression"!

Important Note: You should consider Linkedin and other social media as a resume of sorts.
Do your social networking sites represent you appropriately to your future employer? Even if you are not looking, your next employer might be passively looking for you!

Keys to getting your resume noticed:

• Create a resume that is easy to read - bullet point format is typically best- it allows you to concisely relay your KSAA's (knowledge, skills, abilities, accomplishments)/paragraph form is NOT an effective way to relay your KSAA's...(it is overwhelming to read this type of format). Imagine yourself, for a moment, as a recruiter or hiring manager and you are up against a large stack of resumes...Would you want to read a labor intensive paragraph- even with good sentence structure!?
• Make sure your resume succinctly relays your KSAA's- you should spend the most time on your accomplishments and the least amount of time on skills- although they are important and should be mentioned!
• Be consistent in your format throughout the resume
• Flow it similar to a book (you read left to right) use that same format in your resume...requiring them to read the resume in another flow is confusing and takes precious time that they do not have!
• Create a tag line with appropriate buzz words in your industry or key skills that you are looking to incorporate in your next position (list skills that you possess not desire to gain). This will get your resume to come up when employers/recruiters "search" databases or surf the web
• Keep your resume length to two pages (1 page for 5 or less years of experience)

I could spend a whole day on this topic, but hopefully these initial tips will get you off to a good start!

What does this economy mean for a candidate/job seeker and how do you appropriately follow up?

What does this economy mean for a candidate/job seeker?

You are now competing with many more candidates (not necessarily more qualified candidates) than you were a year ago. This means that the hiring process may be slower. HR/Hiring Managers have to filter through a lot more resumes to find the "diamond in the rough". Additionally, they may be taking on multiple job responsibilities (due to downsizing) leaving them less time to focus solely on recruitment.

Appropriate follow up would include:

• An e-mail to HR or the Hiring Manager (whom ever was listed in the job posting) to clarify that they received your resume NOTE: If you do not get a response from your e-mail it would be appropriate to follow up with a phone call, but wait several days to give them a chance to respond!
• A telephone call to HR/Hiring Manager to confirm receipt of your resume. NOTE: If they do not answer please leave a message. People are extremely busy and leaving a message will still get you the same results: your resume to the top of the pile.

A word of caution (coming from in house recruitment for 9+ years) if your follow up is too aggressive, it may hurt your chances of getting an interview.