RECCE ROOM

From the Examiner : ----- Most large companies these days do not look at employees as people. HR folks try to distance themselves, lest they get "too close" to someone for fear of showing favoritism. Management folks try to distance themselves, just in case they ever have to let someone go. The average length of tenure on a job is just a shade over 2 years. That means for every person that holds a job 30 years, there are at least 12 other jobs that were held for a year or less. Of course, a lot more goes into this calculation than 30-year jobs, or 1-year jobs. Still, the point is the same, tenure is not increasing. Given these facts, it is easy to see why larger corporations give off the feeling of impersonality. If you work for one of these companies, you know the feeling. A well-balanced employee does not hold this against a company, they use it to their advantage. Let's look at things another way: suppose you have a pen. This pen is nothing special, it is ...

From the Examiner : There comes a point in almost every job when it is time to resign. The reasons vary, but usually can be lumped into one of a few broad categories: new job, unbearable working conditions, moving, and family/health circumstances. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind as you leave a company: Notice Traditionally, the mindset given by employers is that they want two-weeks of notice. Some employers will withhold benefits or PTO (Paid Time Off) payouts if a full two weeks notice is not given. In some states, payout is required regardless of length of notice. Some companies will walk an employee out the door within moments of a given notice. Usually, these are companies that handle sensitive client data. Usually, the employee is given opportunity to gather all personal belongings - either at that time, or at a later agreed-upon time. An employee needs to keep in mind how the company handles resignations when planning to hand in a notice. For example, if finances...

From the Examiner ----- We have discussed having the right knowledge to do the job. We have discussed having the right education on your resume to get past the prescreeners so you can get the interview. But there is still one last major area of education you need for a job: how to ace the interview for that position. This is a tricky subject. Like any skill, it is best acquired from experience. However, that experience is all too often failed job interviews. How do you gain the skills, techniques, and tactics, as well as the experience, without burning bridges and losing out on opportunities? This is a question that actually has an easier answer than you might think. But there are several steps. Just like any endeavor, you wish to acquire skills that will produce results. A few simple observances will have you acing interviews in no time. First, learn the mechanics of interviews. Be prepared for behavioral questions as well as canned questions. If your profession warrants, ...

From the Examiner : ----- Last time, we met with "Bob," an IT professional who learned the need for having the right training listed on his resume. Bob learned first hand how important it is to have the right education to get past the screening process. So lets assume you have the right education for the screening, and you can ace the interview, but you do not have the right knowledge for the job at hand. Everyone knows that at any job, there is a learning curve. In some positions, it is simply a matter of learning how this company wants a report done, or what processes they prefer. Other positions require you to learn something for them. Or perhaps, you wish to gain knowledge or training that will be used daily in your employment. Specifically, you want to gain knowledge or learn skills that you do not currently have, that are needed for a job you have or want to perform. This is education for the job and it is critical in every position. Enter Jeff.* Jeff is a...

From the Examiner : ----- One can barely search the job boards online without running into dozens of ads from numerous institutions attempting to solicit the job seeker to come to them for education purposes. Without a doubt, having the right knowledge is crucial to getting most jobs: how many times does a nursing position require the applicant to be a CPA? But the question arises, what is the balance between enough knowledge, and too much or useless knowledge? Tricky question, and the answer is more complex than one might think. Having the correct knowledge and skills is a prerequisite for most positions in the workplace. In many instances, the only way to acquire the knowledge is through some sort of training. This article is the first of a three-part series, because there are three main ways that education / knowledge can improve a job applicant's success in the job market: education for the screening, education for the job, and education for the interview. The fir...

From the Examiner : There is a disturbing trend in the hiring front. Not only in Nashville, but nationwide. In the author's opinion, this stems from companies that have been disloyal to their employees, and engaged in irresponsible hiring and firing; causing an overall reduction in average workforce tenure. Companies have come to realize that people who stick with a job are more likely to be quality employees. BUT - and this is a big "But" - it is the actions of the companies themselves that has created the dilemma of a more transient workforce! Nevertheless, most companies persist in wanting long-tenured employees. But fewer and fewer applicants have the required tenure - often, due to no fault of their own. Some applicants have resorted to misrepresenting their tenure on their resume, and perhaps even during interviews, in an effort to simply get a legitimate shot at a job they are more than capable of performing. This leads to a dilemma itself: while lying (...

From the Examiner . "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." - Common quote. ***** The author was recently made aware of the following insanity from an interview process: Candidate: "I like the offer. Just one problem. I cannot relocate now, my kids are still in school. However, if you can let me work from home - which is actually most commonly done in this industry - for only 90 days, then my kids could finish the school year and I could focus on the move then." Hiring manager: "You know, were I in your shoes, I would simply disregard the final month or two of the kids schooling. They are in early elementary school, so it's not like it's important." ***** Kind readers, there are some companies out there that are either too foolish to realize how interfering they are on a person, or are so arrogant that they do not care. Either possibility leads to the same conclusions, though. A company that would make such a de...

From the Examiner: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." - Robert Heinlein .  Here is a scenario that plays out all too often in the hiring world: ***** Employee (interviewing): "May I ask about your benefits package?" VP: "We have a full package, including health benefits." Employee: "Great! I have a family and health insurance is a must for us!" VP: "You will be interested to know that our benefits start from Day 1, then." A few weeks pass, and Employee is hired at the company.   VP: "And in this email, we explain the benefits package you showed interest in." Employee: "I can't seem to find the health insurance portion." VP: "Oh, the health insurance starts after 90 days." Employee is dismayed, as part of what was expected was health insurance from Day 1, as had been promised. Several weeks pass. Employee is doing well on the job, and 90 days is comin...

From the Examiner : Despite what some might tell you , weight-discrimination does exist. Many supervisors and hiring influences will use this ugly method of discrimination against employees and prospective employees. Weight discrimination, or weightism , is protrayed in media outlets , and is one of the last forms of discrimination that is still looked on in a "good" light. Fortunately, our society has largely done away with discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, and other trivial matters. The other side of this coin is that these days, there are more overweight people in America than ever before. And Nashville, being in the Southeast , is right in the middle of a state that is one of the most obese. Sadly, weightism is not technically illegal in hiring processes. Further, it is often covered up very carefully behind other, legitimate-sounding excuses. So combating weightism during interviews and hiring processes is difficult and often tricky, ...

 From the Examiner :  From time to time, an employer or a recruiter might ask to see your W2 or 1099 earnings from previous years. There are numerous reasons to comply and provide the documents. There are just as many reasons to find another solution. The difference is, supplying the documentation can lead to problems, and those problems can be more severe for the employee than the employer. In the Nashville market, it is rare to have an employer or recruiter ask to see documents proving previous wages. However, it does happen from time to time, depending on industry. Specifically, out-of-state based corporations hiring for the Nashville area are more likely to ask for tax documents to support wage claims, than are local companies. Reasons not to provide wage documentation: 1. Personal Nature of the Information There are several reasons the author advises against providing this documentation. Not the least of which is the personal nature of the information. Asking for...

Most employers, and most professions have very straightforward salary arrangements. Typically, there is a set pay per week, month, or hour worked. Sales is different . Salespeople want to be compensated based on effort and performance. Many companies do this. Some companies do not. Most companies talk about sales compensation in shades of gray. They hide behind words like "potential" or "top salesmen can make..." How does a candidate determine the actual compensation in a sales position? Sales people are familiar with the "80-20 Rule." Traditionally, this has meant that 20% of a salesperson's clients will generate 80% of his or her revenue, or similar. In salary translation terms, the "80-20 Rule" is different, and a bit more detailed. Basic Idea: You must find the range that the pay will be. The way to find this is to use the numbers the company gives, and translate that into true figures. To get the range, you need two numbers: -...

From the Examiner : --- Prepare to learn how to answer any interview question with utmost confidence, and put yourself in the driver's seat in any interview. But, as with all things, this is not a miracle pill, or else everybody would already be doing it. This method involves work - making yourself a better candidate. 1. The Behavioral Interview Start with the hardest part - making your behavioral answers iron-clad. Keep to the format "STAR": - S ituation / T ask - A ction - R esult Write down several situations, actions you took, and the results of those actions. Have five separate situations written down. Three good situations, one situation that was less than positive (and what you learned), and one that is more neutral. Of course, write down the actions and results, too! Avoid generalizing: "I always..." or "I never..." are dead answers - telling the interviewer you did not listen to the instructions. Be specific in your responses - s...

From the Examiner : --- Interviewing is often treated like a game - sometimes by the employer, sometimes by the candidates. This is not a disparaging statement as much as it is a conditional statement. If interviewers or interviewees are treating the interview as a game, then how does one win? By knowing the rules, and playing better than the others. Remember, all interview questions are attempting to find out one of three things: A) Why does this candidate want the job? B) Why should the company hire you? C) What value do you add? By knowing that, and by preparing on how to answer interview questions,  the candidate can play the interview game better than others. But first, the candidate must identify which type of game the interviewer is playing: "American Idol" Interviewers sometimes are simply looking for "red flags" on the candidate. Just like certain judges on America's favorite singing competition look for imperfection, some interviewers ...

From the Examiner : -- The phone pre-screening interview is possibly the most unpredictable part of the interview process. Different companies do so many different things in this stage. In Nashville, not many companies will do this, but the reader is best advised to be wary of companies that call you, want to do the phone interview on the spot, and want you to know something of their company right then and there. If a job seeker has been seeking jobs properly, then they will have applied to numerous positions, and it would be difficult at best to keep them straight. A good company (and most do) will call and ask to set an appointment for the phone pre-screening. Interviews range widely. A company may try to simply lay out the job for you, and make sure that it will be a fit. The company may start straight into interview questions. Phone interviews may be anywhere from 15 minutes in length, to over an hour. To be sure, there are many types of initial phone interviews. The on...

From the Examiner : --- When searching for a job, many people use a recruiter. Recruiters , and opinions on them, vary a great deal. Some people - usually those who have been placed by a recruiter - swear by them. Others - often folks who have not been helped by the recruiter - are either ambivalent, or worse, dislike recruiters. As with anything in life, one must understand the basics to get the full use out of it - and recruiters are no different. Basic rule with recruiters - they are being paid by the company, so their loyalties will be with their client , not the job seeker. Once a job seeker understands this, and takes the personal aspect out of it, expectations of recruiters will be more appropriate. Some good suggestions, when dealing with recruiters: - Don't tell them something you would not tell the employer. - Do try to sell yourself as being the best fit for the job. - Don't use recruiters for career changes. - Do use recruiters if you've been lai...

From the Examiner : --- "You gotta know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em," is the famous line from the song "The Gambler," made famous by Kenny Rogers. This song contains some shrewd advice for those who gamble. The same advice is true of people who are in the middle of  the interview process. Some positions are just not a good fit, and there is no sense in wasting more of your time - or the prospective employer's time. A major source of imperfect fit is in the salary department. There are many reasons prospective employers might pay lower than the norm for positions in Nashville. Some employers have a business plan based around the lower paying end of the scale. Some are trying to take advantage of the poor economic conditions. Some employers are unaware of how much they should be offering. Still other employers are trying to see if the candidate will accept lower pay (for any number of reasons). Regardless of the company's reason fo...

From the Examiner : When it comes time to negotiate salaries, there are several effective methods employed by job seekers. Those in sales and management should aggressively negotiate. After all, who would want a sales superstar that can't sell you on why you should pay them $5000 more per year? For Nashville job seekers in less aggressive roles, there are a few suggestions to be had so that the candidate does not come across as pushy or greedy. First, understand the lingo. A recent job seeker wrote in of applying online to a Nashville job. On one screen of the online application, there was a question: "what is the minimum salary for which you would work in this position?" On the very next screen, the computer had changed the wording to state "desired salary: $xx,xxx." Prima facie evidence of what recruiters have known for years - ask the minimum salary, and use verbal gymnastics to turn that into the desired salary. Second, understand the rules. Since th...

As published in the Examiner . --- A resume is a one-page summary of one's work experience. It can be compared to fishing bait: the purpose is to land a specific fish - in this case the "fish" is actually an interview with a promising employer. A good resume contains career highlights, accomplishments, and relevant certifications. A good resume never contains derogatory information. Length In Nashville, employers generally like to see a one-page resume. A smart job seeker has a longer Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a summary of it - their resume - on hand at all times. Custom Crafted Resumes: Nashville employers like to see a resume that is tailored to the job they have open. Most hiring influences look at the average resume for about 15-20 seconds. In that time frame, it can be a difficult task to decipher whether a person's skills can transfer to the job at hand. The candidate should follow the steps below to make sure they stand out to the employer. Format: ...

I recently was asked by Examiner.com to become a contributor for their segments on hiring practices. Of all the things I write about, they liked my comments on hiring practices? Wow. Anyways, here's what I submitted : --- Job Seeking Advice - with a Nashville, TN flavor. It's no secret, the economy has been bad for several years. Many people have lost their jobs. Many more are underemployed. But there is a secret. Right now, there are people in the job market who are advancing their careers. There are others that, though they have lost a job, found a better job on the rebound. How do they do it? Luck might be a factor. However, successful people do not rely on luck - it's akin to hoping to win the lottery once you get laid off. Instead, follow some tried and true methods. But, more than that, add some spice, and some techniques that have been found to work in the local Nashville area.A few simple changes to one's resume, interviewing skills, and assessment-taking...