THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED

Due to writing schedules and other responsibilies, P.D. Yoko has closed this blog. However, you will find useful information here about how to navigate your career.

Thank you for taking the time to visit us.

Etiquette Still Matters: Writing a Thank You Letter

To this day, etiquette matters.  This statement is especially true after a job interview. 

A simple thank you letter is one of the overlooked marketing tools in landing that job you desire.  Remember, you are a commodity.  You are selling yourself, your skills, and your experience.  Never walk away from an interview and fail to send a thank you letter within the first 24-hours.  It screams, “I just wanted the job!”

Everyone likes to receive validation that their time, effort and attention were appreciated.  A hiring manager, who may see 12 interviewees in one day, appreciates knowing that you valued his time and attention for the brief moment you were with him. 

Also, the thank you letter is considered the “closure” to landing the job.  If you don’t care, then don’t send one.  However, I advise my clients that regardless of how well you thought the interview went, or whether you are interested in the position, write the thank you letter.  The business community is smaller than you think.  Someone might remember your professionalism and use your talents again the future.

Thank You Letter Objectives

• The “thank you” can either be hand-written on a note card or typed.  If you type it in letter form, make sure you use the same letterhead as your resume and cover.  Be consistent.  If you choose to write a brief note, select stationery that has a clean design and not something “cutesy.”  Stationery suppliers now offer note cards that you can use to print on your computer, allowing you to simply type your name on the front flap.
• If you choose the letter-style thank you, keep it direct and to the point.  Don’t ramble.  Simply, thank the hiring manger for their time and attention, express your continued interest in the position, and remind them of how some of the points he highlighted in the interview match perfectly with your qualifications.  Then close in telling him you look forward to hearing from him soon.
• Don’t use a template to write you thank you letter.  Personalize it and target the specific job you are seeking.  If you can’t write something, hire a resume writer who is skilled in writing all documents of the employment package.  
• Always send the thank you letter by postal mail, not email.  Many hiring manager receive so much email, your thank you could get overlooked. 
• This document is just as important as your resume and cover letter.  Spellcheck, use proper grammar and present a professional image.  There are no exceptions.

There are no guarantees in business.  The thank you letter doesn’t guarantee you the job.  However, it does give the interviewer another opportunity to consider you one more time before awarding the position.

 Good luck!

You’ve Got the POWER!

When writing a resume, POWER VERBS are essential in getting the reader’s attention and immediate grasp of your abilities.  Remember the SSAG technique!  Every second counts.  Use your words wisely.  Keep the resume concise, while building interest.  Here are some effective power verbs to use at the beginning of your list of accomplishments.

 

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Does Your Resume Pass the SSAG Test?

When a hiring manager receives your resume, he places it in the file with literally hundreds of other individuals, just like yourself, who believe they are equally qualified for posted job.  And you thought you were the only one?  So how do you position yourself to get him or her to consider you among the first to receive an interview? 

Make sure your resume passes the SSAG TEST; the acronym for Seven Second Attention Grabber. 

Believe it or not, research has been conducted by various resume writing services, including ResumeEdge.com that shows hiring managers typically spend ONLY seven seconds holding a resume in their hand before making a decision to call the prospective candidate for an interview.  Seven seconds.  That’s all.  Look at your watch and notice how quickly opportunity knocks and leaves.  If you can’t crab that hiring manager’s attention in the first seven seconds, you get placed in the condolence pile for the dreaded thank-you-for-your-interest- but-your-qualifications-don’t-meet-our- current-needs pile, or worse… the trash!

So, how to do you increase your chances of passing the SSAG test?

Keep it simple and professional.

• Presentation:  Don’t use colored paper, thinking that will draw more attention to your resume.  Colored paper is a guaranteed trash can toss.  Like clothing, you are what you wear.  Use white paper, 24 lb. with a smooth finish.  Think corporate. Think image.  Think professional.
• Content:  Recognize that hiring managers don’t have time to read wordy resumes.  Keep the content direct, focused and concise.  Use power verbs that quickly identify your strengths.  Resumes are like hand grenades; small, but powerful.

Move the reader through your resume.

• Format:  The resume should be easy on the eye, and allow the hiring manger to easily find what he is looking for.  Don’t use cutesy, embellished fonts that are hard to read.  It makes reading your resume a challenge, not a pleasure.
• Objectives Line:  DON’T USE THEM.  Obviously you want the job, that’s why you are applying.  Instead, write a PROFILE, which gives the hiring manager a quick assessment of your skills and entices him to read further.
• Resume length:  Resumes are considered a brief history of your professional experience.  Don’t write an epistle.  The hiring manager won’t read it.  In fact, it’s a turn-off.  Here is a good rule to use when determining length.  If you have less than 2 years of experience use one page.  If you have more than 3 years you are good to go with 2 pages, if necessary.  If you are a senior executive with extensive experience, you may use 3 pages.  There are cases where more than 3 pages are acceptable.  This exception pertains primarily to senior executives, entertainers, writers, and artists.  The extra pages are for publications, lectures, etc.

Write the resume for the position you seek.

• Don’t regurgitate:  Don’t produce a resume that is just a list of all your employers and positions.  Hiring managers want to see skills, capabilities and accomplishments.  When listing your accomplishments, make sure you identity not only the specific accomplishment, but how you achieved it and how it benefited the company.  Companies hire people to help them profit.  They don’t hire people to fill a vacant desk

Pertinent information only, please.

• No GPA’s or Fraternities:  This issue is always a tough debate with many of my own clients.  If you graduated from college ten years ago, don’t include all your sorority and fraternity information on your resume.  Honestly, no one cares.  If you think by putting this information will increase your chances, think again.  What if the hiring manager was from a rival group and discounts you for that reason alone?  Include only pertinent information.  No one cares about your GPA, what club you belonged to in college, or if you had perfect attendance.  The only exception to this rule is when you are a recent graduate.  For that first job, GPA and honors are good to use.  But after you have established a work history, it’s irrelevant.
• Caution Women:  Be very careful how you present other accomplishments on your resume.  Vanity doesn’t work well for you in the corporate world.  If you modeled for Neiman Marcus in college and have a portfolio of photos that you are proud of, keep them for your children.  Because unless you are applying for a job as a model, a spokesperson or an actor, listing that on your resume will only accomplish two things; 1) get you an interview just so they can “check you out”, and 2) indicates to the hiring manager that you are trying to impress him/her with irrelevant information about you that doesn’t bring credibility for the prospective position. 

Need help?  Hire a resume writer.

If you aren’t confident in your ability to write and produce your own resume, don’t stress.  There are plenty of resume writing services available.  However, know what you are getting BEFORE you commit.  Resume writing services can be quite expensive.  There are plenty of message boards around on the net that can offer you recommendations. Since I was contracted with ResumeEdge.com for some time, I am a little biased.  They are a very good service.

Here are just a few considerations when hiring a resume writer:  1) Compare prices.  You get what you pay for…however, there are reputable writers who are not associated with a service who can assist you; 2) Do they have experience in your field of interest?  Do they understand the scope of work in your field of interest?; 3) ALL resume writers should provide you with an interview  (by phone or email) to gather information.  Providing the writer with a copy of your current resume is a good idea;  4)  You should receive a rough draft for your review and consideration; 5)  Then you should be given a chance to make corrections and changes; 6)  A revision of you resume should be sent to you for final approval.  In most cases, resume writers will work with you if you require additional modifications, however, don’t abuse them.  Requests for extensive revisions and modifications can result in an additional charge.

What is the SSAG guarantee?

There are no guarantees.  Resume writing is like life.  You can have all the information and strategies in place, but sometimes it all boils down to the individual preferences of the hiring manager.  Simply produce the best resume that you possibly can.  Send it.  And hope that you get the call.  However, if you don’t, it’s a good idea to remember that when one door closes another opens.

FINDING YOUR CHEESE

It’s a powerful little book, and if you haven’t read it, you should.
 
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D. gives you a whole new perspective on why so many of us fail to embrace change as an opportunity.

We’ve all been there at one time or another.  We have a job.  Been in that job for a number of years.  Watched others in the company advance.  Sit back and keep waiting for our moment of advancement, but it never comes.  We get angry and blame our employer, believing that we have an entitlement, when in fact, these events are simply an opportunity.

Are You Sniff and Scurry?  Or Hem and Haw?

In getting his message across, Spencer Johnson uses four creatures that everyone can relate to.  Sniff and Surry are mice and Hem and Haw are tiny mice-sized people.  They live in a maze and must venture out each day searching for cheese in order to survive.  Of course, they’ve gotten quite accustomed to finding a nice portion of cheese in the same spot every day, until one day it’s no longer there.  Sniff and Scurry waste no time setting off to find new cheese in another location, while Hem and Haw waste time in stressing out and worrying about their dilemma.  Meanwhile, Sniff and Scurry have utilized their time wisely and have found cheese elsewhere, living life quite comfortably.

Although simplistic, the book reminds all of us that with change comes opportunities.  We can choose to venture out and seek our fortune, or simple sit back and waste valuable time trying to over analyze why an event occurred.

The Wisdom of Helen Keller

One of our most beloved writers and Americans, Helen Keller, embodies the result of faith and perseverance. As stated by the American Foundation for the Blind; “The story of Helen Keller is the story of a child who, at the age of 19 months, suddenly lost her hearing and vision, and who, against overwhelming odds and with a great deal of persistence, grew into a highly intelligent and sensitive woman who wrote, spoke, and labored incessantly for the betterment of others. So powerful a symbol of triumph over adversity did she become that she has a definite place in the history of our time and of times to come.”

It was Ms. Keller who once said, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens.  But often we spend so much time looking at the closed doors that we cannot see the doors that have been opened for us.”

Embracing Change

No one likes change.  We are all creatures of habit, preferring each morning to return to our “cheese location,” and resting assured that we are secure.

However, life is about change.  It’s change that is the evitable factor in our lives.  So we have two options.  We can embrace change as a opportunity and advance our careers.  Or we can sit back and complain, and hope the circumstances will change.

Which approach do you really think will benefit you the most?

BECOME AN ATHLETE

Here you are with 10 years of experience.  With each new job, you have endeavored to further your career.  You have developed skills and experience that position you strategically for the next position based upon your accomplishments.  So when you write your resume, why do choose to only focus on your responsibilities and duties?

Resumes are never about your responsibilities and duties.  In fact, here’s a secret that all hiring managers know, but won’t tell you.  Job-description resumes NEVER sell you to a prospective employer. If you want to sell yourself to the all-omnipotent hiring manager and get an interview, your resume has to be accomplishment-oriented.  

Get An Athlete Mentality

In order to see the bigger picture, let me give you this analogy. You should always consider your resume to be your “stats sheet.”  It should be written in a manner that will motivate the hiring manager to see your worth and give you a chance.  It is your history of performance.

Take Brett Favre for example; Quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, for those who didn’t know.  If you are interested in putting him on your team, you don’t care what his responsibilities or duties were on the Green Bay team, because if he was the quarterback, as a coach you know. All you are interested in are his statistics:  How many interceptions did he have?  How many injuries?  How many turnovers?  How many touchdowns?  How many winning games in a season?  Did he bring the team to the Super Bowl?  Is he a team player or a prima donna?

Your resume is no different from Brett Favre’s stat sheet.  Prospective employers are not only interested in knowing if you have a working knowledge of the duties and responsibilities of a position, which all candidates will have, but more importantly they want to see what you have been able to achieve in that position and how you benefited the company.  What sets you apart of other candidates who will most certainly be able to perform the very same responsibilities and duties? 

Strategy Recap:

1. Always use accomplishments-oriented language when writing your resume.  Job-description language does not sell a resume.  It’s your stats that sells you to a prospective employer.  Show how you’ve taken initiative and made your jobs your own.
2. Ask yourself these questions when writing entries for each employer. What did you do? How did you accomplish it? What were the results?  How did it benefit the company?
3. Be prepared to elaborate to a hiring manager in your interview any specifics about our accomplishments.

It’s that simple.

“HOT” JOB SEARCH SITES

If you can find the right “hot site” with the best job postings, you are one step closing to finding the best job suited for your talents and experience.   However, with so many job search sites on the Internet, how do you know which one is the best for you?

The Internet serves as the primary source for job postings with over 40,000 online job search sites available with job postings ranging from general listings to more industry specific.  Many of the well-established job search sites will allow you to search for jobs by keywords, job titles, location and even salary.   However, keep in mind that each site may provide you with different search results, depending upon the job sites that companies choose to use in publishing their job postings.  Therefore, it’s a good idea to search more than one site.

Top Ten Job Search Sites

Listed below are some of the more popular job search sites used by major corporations.

CareerBuilder:  This site partners with Gannett, Knight Ridder, Tribune, and other newspapers to provide local, as well as national, job postings.

Monster: Positions listed on this site range from hourly to professional salaried positions in a variety of industries.  MonsterTrak is the affiliate site for college students and recent graduates.

Craig’s List:  This bare bones simple site offers you a review of job openings by state.

Indeed:  These listings include millions of job postings from thousands of websites, job boards, newspapers, associations and blogs.  You have the option of saving job searches as an “email alert,” so new jobs are delivered to your inbox daily.  You can also search job trends, salaries, participate in a discussion forum, and research company profiles.

Jobster: Known as the “social recruiting” network, this site allows you to search a variety of resources, even Facebook.

SimplyHired:  Basic job search site with ability to search by job type, company type, keywords, location, and the date of the job posting.

Yahoo! Hot Jobs:  This site offers features similar to Indeed.

JobFox: Matches job seekers with employers, provides a professional web page for personal branding, and has a selection of tools, including text messaging, resume tracking, and Instant Messaging (IM) to manage your job search.

LinkedIn:  Considered by many to be the top career networking site, this site allows you to connect with people who can help with your job search and/or who work at a company you’re interested in working for. In addition, LinkedIn has a Jobs Section where you can search for positions by keyword and location, or use the Advanced Search option to search for listings by even more specific criteria.

RealMatch:  This service is exactly what is says, “real match.”  The system matches you with employers and presents the results according to the jobs that closely match your experience.

It is important to differentiate that job search engines such as Indeed, Jobster and SimplyHired will pull results from the big name jobs sites, as well as feed your results from the job boards of major corporations, associations, and newspapers.  Then you can narrow down your results to specific geographical areas, so local listings that may interest you will pull up as well.

Considering Niche Sites

There are many niche sites available that allow you to target specific professions, experience levels, or even age groups.  In fact, these niche sites make up approximately 70% of the online job search sites.  One of the most popular niche sites is TheLadders.com.  This site is geared for job seekers who typically make $100,000 or more.

An excellent resource for locating niche sites is Quintessential Careers where you will find a plethora of resources and listings of job search sites for your consideration.  These sites are grouped by industry to make your search easier.

With over 40,000 job search sites available, it is safe to say that there is a job posting out there that will suit your career aspirations.  It just takes time and patience to search the sites in finding your dream job.  So what are you waiting for?  There is a job out there waiting for you.  Go and find it!

Byline:  P. D. Yoko is an accomplished writer/editor with over 25 years producing business documents and corporate marketing material for Fortune 500 corporations in various industries. Her articles have also appeared in various national business publications such as Sustainable Land Development Today. She currently works with Cyberedit.com where she provides career-minded professionals with resume and cover letter writing services, as well as career guidance.

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY

We’ve all used them from time to time. They are called ‘malaprops.’ These are words that are unintentionally misused by confusing two different words with similar sounds.

The legendary comedian, Norm Cosby, was famous for his use of malaprops. He would always speak from this ‘diagram’ and drink ‘decapitated coffee.’ Even Gilda Radner’s character on Saturday Night Live, Emily Litella, was a master of malaprops; “What’s all this fuss I keep hearing about endangered feces?” But as funny as they are to comic skits and standup routines, malaprops have no place on a resume. Unless, of course, your objective is not to land the job you are seeking.

Confusing words and twisting speech is really rather easy to do, especially when typing. Sometimes your fingers just move faster then your brain, taking on a life of their own. Before you know it, you have typed ‘rabid’ instead of ‘rapid.’  And Spell Check can’t rescue you from the dreaded malaprops, because these are words that are found in the dictionary. You have just misused them.

Here are a few resume and cover letter bloopers that I have encountered in my career. Funny as they are to read here, thankfully the client asked me to proof and rewrite before a prospective employer ever had the opportunity to laugh outloud and then throw the resume in the slush pile.

• Skilled at pubic [public] speaking and lecturing.
• Recognized as an academic lecher [lecturer].
• I have archived [achieved] national recognition for my articles on behavioral science.
• Detail-oriented professional with ability to asses [assess] situations and provide viable solutions.
• Brain [Brian] Campbell
  Served as media advisor for the Democratic Champagne [Campaign].
• Served as Baseball Couch [Coach] for Little League team.
• Crated [Created] the design concept used for the prototype.
• Provided sign language translation for the death [deaf].
• Posses strong work ethnics [ethics] in meeting company’s objectives.
• I am writhing [writing] to express my interest the position of Account Executive.

So, how do you avoid malaprops, you ask? Very simple.

1. Read and re-read your resume and cover letter.
2. Sleep on it. Lay it aside for a day and proof the following morning.
3. NEVER RELY TOTALLY ON SPELL CHECK.
4. Read your resume backwards. That’s right. Start at the last word and proof your resume starting at the end of your document and working to the front.
5. Ask someone else to proof your resume and cover letter. A second pair of eyes are always helpful.

It’s a fact of life that mistakes are going to happen. But when you are trying to impress a prospective employer with your ability to be “detail-oriented” and “meticulous” about your work ethics, the smallest error on your resume can simply send the wrong message.

 

BEHAVIORAL-BASED INTERVIEWS….. What’s that?

You received the call. The interview date is set. Now what? You prepare!

The old traditional interview has now taken on a whole new perspective. Once used exclusively by large corporations like IBM and General Motors, behavioral-based interviews are fast becoming the mainstay in many smaller companies as well. This interview process quite simply allows the interviewer to discover how the interviewee acted to a specific employment-related solution. The logic behind behavioral-based interviews is this; “How you behaved in the past will predict how you will behave in the future.”

What’s the Difference?

The traditional interviews ask the same generic questions: “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” “What were you responsibilities?” “What challenges did you experience in your job?” “How did you problem-solve?”

The behavioral-based interview is designed to access if your skills and approach to your job is in line with the perspective employer’s philosophy. For example, if your resume says that you made recommendations that resulted in a 20% increase in revenue in the 1st quarter, the interviewer may ask you, “How exactly did you achieve those results?” The interviewer will then be listening intently to the details of how you “behaved” in that situation.

What Questions Will They Ask?

Behavioral-based interview questions are more direct and probing. You must be able to give hard facts and not generalizations. This strategy is also designed to weed out the “fakers.” In a behavioral-based interview you can’t lie. If you didn’t do it, it will show. Here are a few potential questions:

• Tell me how well you worked under pressure.
• Did you ever have to convince your staff to work on a project that was less than desirable? How did you accomplish that?
• Did you ever go above and beyond what was expected of you? If so, how?
• How have you dealt with difficult situations with co-workers?
• Let’s talk a little bit about time management. What do you do when your schedule is interrupted? Can you give me an example of how you handled that?
• Give me an example of a goal you accomplished and how that was achieved.
• I see here that you decreased expenses by 30% in the first year. How did you accomplish this? What obstacles did you encounter and how did you deal with that?

How Do I Prepare for a Behavioral Interview? 

Since you have no way of knowing the type of interview format that will be used, be prepared for both. Quite simply, if you look carefully at the job posting, you can get a general idea of some of the questions you may be asked. A job posting is an excellent indicator of what the company is seeking in a successful candidate.

Review your work history. Refresh your memory about your performance and what issues you had to deal with in your current job. Make a mental note of times that illustrate when you have successfully solved problems, met project deadlines, mentored employees, reduced expenses and built revenue. Remembering these incidents will build your confidence and allow you to recall details more easily during the interview.

What Do I Say?

Relax. You are not being interrogated. There is not right or wrong answer. The interviewer just wants to be assured that what you have listed on your resume is an accurate representation of your skills and abilities. The easiest way to do this is to walk you through your work history. Here are few simple strategies to help you have a successful interview.

• If you are asked a question that you are not sure how to answer, ask the interviewer to clarify.
• If you are asked a question that requires data that you don’t have committed to memory, don’t panic. Simply be honest. Tell the interviewer that you don’t have the answer to that question at that moment, but will gladly to get it for him/her after you leave in a follow-up phone call.

Sometimes these questions are designed to sift the fakers from the real deals.  Answers to questions should be framed with specific responses. The best way to remember how to frame your response is to be a star. That’s S-T-A-R. This is an easy method to remember.

S – Solutions: Give specific solutions that you used in achieving success.

T – Tasks: Identify the tasks that you utilized in achieving the goal.

A – Action: Outline the action that you took.

R – Results: Give the results and how it benefited the department or company.

I Didn’t Get the Job! What Went Wrong?

Not every job is meant for you, just as you are not meant for every job. Keep in the mind that the interview process is just as important to you as it is to the potential employer. Five minutes into the interview, you may learn that the job is really not right for you. So, if you keep in mind that you are interviewing the company while they are interviewing you, you will be more relaxed and confident.

And if you don’t get the job, it just means that there is a better job waiting out there for you. Go get it!

 

SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW STRATEGIES

It is true that a well-written resume opens the door for you in getting an interview. However, looking good on paper is only part of the job search equation. Once you cross that threshold of opportunity and receive the invitation for an interview, your ability to get the job relies strongly on how well you present yourself and your capabilities to the hiring manager. There are seven fundamental elements to the interview process.

Know The Employer

Gathering background information on employers is an essential element to a successful interview. You are typically asked two standard questions, “What do you know about [company name]?” and “Why do you want to work for us?” Your well-educated response will determine if you are just looking for a job or choosing your career prospects carefully. Obtaining as much information about the company’s performance and future plans will also produce a more interactive interview.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Like it or not, the interview is your time on stage. You must be able to answer questions with educated responses, and conduct yourself in a manner that leaves the best possible impression. Prepare answers to standard questions asked during an interview. Practice in front of a mirror, or record your responses and listen to yourself. This effort will help you evaluate your qualifications, as well as calm your nerves.

Know Your Performance History

There is a growing trend known as “behavioral-based interviews.” Although major companies such as AT&T have been conducting behavioral interviews for over 15 years, an increasing number of employers are seeing the benefits. These interview questions are designed to establish whether your performance and strategies are good fit for the company. In reviewing your resume, you will be asked a situational question. Once you give your response, the interviewer will begin breaking down your answer with more detailed questions. This effort is to determine if your methodology is an accurate representation of your performance. Therefore, you must know your performance history.

Dress for Success

First impressions count heavily. Dress for the interview keeping in mind the image that the company wishes to present to their clients. If you have tattoos, cover them. If you wear an earring in your ear, leave it at home. If your nail polish is chipped, remove it. If you prefer to wear more casual clothes, look for another job. Your attire should match the job you are seeking. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you are a woman, consider carefully what you plan to wear. Don’t overdress or underdress. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum. And by all means do not let them hear you before you arrive or smell pungent cologne after you leave.

Arrive Early

Several days before your appointment time, locate the office. Plan your route. Check travel times. Don’t be late. Arrive at least 10 minutes early and use the wait time to relax and prepare. Bring an extra copy of your resume and list of references.  There is an old saying among band and orchestra musicians; “If you are on time, you’re late!”

Find Your Moment of Zen

Remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. You may discover three minutes into the interview that the job is not a good fit. So relax. Be professional, polite and think before giving your responses. If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply be honest and say, “I don’t have that information at this time. But I can get it for you after I leave.”

Use Your Manners

Begin the interview by thanking the hiring manager for his time and the opportunity to meet. At the close of the meeting, thank him again and ask if he needs another copy of your resume or your list of references. Get his business card. Then within three days of the interview, write and mail a thank note or letter. This gesture extends a courtesy that is still recognized and appreciated. Thank him for his time and reiterate your interest in the position.

Byline: This article first appeared on www.bevforce.com. P. D. Yoko is an accomplished writer/editor with over 25 years producing business documents and corporate marketing material for Fortune 500 corporations in various industries. Her articles have also appeared in various national publications such as Sustainable Land Development Today. Formerly contracted with ResumeEdge.com, she provides career-minded professionals with resume and cover letter writing services, as well as career guidance.