What employers really think?

What Do Employers Really Think?

Have you ever wondered about what really matters to employers when going in for that interview?  As a job developer working with both clients who are looking for employment and employers looking for new staff, I have the opportunity to hear a lot of helpful information.

Over the last few weeks it seems like the universe has cooperated in providing me with interesting fodder to share with readers. 

The first step is contact

When presenting your resume to an employer or your counsellor who is presenting on your behalf, make sure your contact information is correct.  Check your email and voice mail regularly as employers only have one opportunity to get you before they move on to the next candidate. Have things in place so that you can attend an interview that suits the employer’s schedule not yours, and if you are not sure, become sure quickly and make arrangements without providing the employer with the details. And consider your answering machine recording, does it sound professional or are you sounding like a prankster with too much time on their hands.  Another key piece of advice from an employer who was attempting to set up an interview was; who is answering your phone when you are not home…..this feedback from a recent employer trying to get an individual in for an interview…..

When I finally got through, I spoke to her brother.  He sounded young and unsure about her whereabouts. When I finally connected with the candidate she was unable to attend the interview I suggested as it did not suit her schedule when picking up her son. She may be unreliable, I am not sure if this is the right job for her.

First impression matters

So you have the interview and now you have received some great tips from your counsellor and the valuable employment counsellors in the resource room.  The rest is up to you and part of your responsibility is to apply what we are encouraging you to practise when you are in an actual interview situation.  Consider your attitude and the small talk that can flow freely from our lips….some more feedback from one of our employers….

I am not sure about him; he seemed to complain about a lot.  He commented about the government and how they were such a money grabber.  I have a feeling that he might not have the attitude that we are looking for here at our facility.

Dress for the interview in a professional, suitable to the workplace manner. Our first impression and how we present ourselves is critical and you only have one chance to leave that impression.  I give you once again direct feedback from one of our employers….

Client showed up for his interview wearing a maple leaf jersey/jeans.  The other two candidates we interviewed on that day showed up wearing a casual dress shirt and khaki pants.  He did not provide us with an overall good first impression. Jeans would have been acceptable but I’m suggesting that he purchase an inexpensive golf shirt or something. 

Prepare for your interview

Think of yourself from an employer’s perspective, when you look at your work story how would you market yourself favourably and authentically.  Employers are humans as well, they understand that we have events in our life that prohibit us from keeping a job but preparing a reasonable explanation with some humble insights are required to show growth.  The wise employer speaks authentically….

One of our biggest concerns was ambition and initiative.   He informed us that he was fired from Company ABC after returning from an illness/injury and stated that he was not informed why nor did his union back him up.  Being fired we appreciate can happen to anyone.  He would benefit from being coached as to how to answer this question.   His response left us feeling that there was likely more than what he disclosed and raised some red flags and did not provide us with any confidence that he learned anything from this experience.   

Our biggest concern was his responses regarding what he has been doing or rather not doing since 2010 to find employment which gave us an overall impression that he really was not taking active steps to secure employment (casual, part-time or full time) or develop himself.

So keep applying those great techniques that your Employment Counselors and Job Developers promote in your interview preparation.  Realize that they play a big part in creating a culture of fit with that potential employer, as an interviewee you have the ability to set a great tone and the key to your success.

References – There are better options than Yo’ Mama!

Here at VCCS we do something called a first appointment summary with each client. One of the questions that frequently cause clients stress is “Do you have references?”

The usual responses include;

“Its been so long – I wouldn’t have any idea how to contact them.”

“They wouldn’t have any idea who I am.”

“Only family members – some of them have different last names.”

“You could call my mom.”

References are very valuable, yet most people don’t seem to spend as much time arranging and coordinating with their references as they should. References are important because they give potential employers an idea of what they are getting into by hiring you – a glimpse of your work ethic and personality from someone who has already had experience with you.

There are 2 types of references; PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL. Both can be equally valuable.

Professional references are people that can attest to your skills, qualifications and abilities at work. Professional references can include; Managers, Supervisors, colleagues, clients and business contacts.

Personal references, sometimes referred to as character references, are people that can attest to characteristics that would benefit you are work, such as; reliability, taking initiative and being result-oriented. Personal references can include; teachers, pastors, someone that as supervised you volunteering or that you’ve volunteered with, coaches, members of the community and the list goes on. That’s the great thing about personal references – you can use anyone!

And now I hear you saying “Well what’s wrong with my mom then?” The important thing to remember about any reference is that the employer wants a legitimate opinion of your past work and personality. Having your mom or similar references on your list will make the employer wonder if their opinion of you is clouded by the fact that you are family or how much they would like you to get the job.

There are several keys to having good references:

1. Contact your references early and often. Don’t wait until you’ve been asked for an interview and then arrange your references. You should have a list of references that you are regularly in contact with. Consider holidays and special events as a great time to get back in touch.
2. Make sure your references know what type of work you are applying for. When you get a call for an interview and are asked to bring references with you, call your references, and discuss the qualifications of the position and what skills and experience you are depending on them to be speaking about. You could even go as far as sending the job description to them.
3. Let your reference know when your interview is and who the employer is.

If you still have questions about references…  “How do I ask people to be references for me?”….  “How do I format a references page correctly?”…Come into VCCS and our staff would be happy to help you! 

Frustrated with not hearing back from employers? No problem!

Recently, I was speaking with a client and she was having a bad day. She was deep into her job search but was frustrated by a lack of feedback from employers for all the resumes she was sending out. As soon as she started to reflect on this lack of communication I nodded my head in understanding. I have been hearing these same comments and observing the same frustrations since I began my career in Employment Services. Why is it that employers do not seem to care to respond to applications coming in for their different positions?  

It is a great question and some believe that it has an obvious answer, but more to the point how do we work through this problem. In the end, you are job searching and this is just another hurdle in your successful campaign to find that new job. So it really doesn’t matter what the answer is does it?

How to move forward? What are the challenges?

The first biggest barrier is the job that specifically says, do not email or call – you will be notified if you have been chosen. There may not be much room for you to maneuver, but this can be where your network of contacts can help, do you have somebody within the organization that may let you know of the progress, if you do then use them to find out. Please don’t feel that you are bothering or intruding on a friend in asking them to help you out, asking the question will not burn any bridges. Another option in this case is keep moving forward, continue to apply to the next job lead you have and don’t sit and wait before moving forward.

If there is no comment about following up, then of course, you should follow-up in a reasonable amount of time and ask things like when will the next steps in the process begin, when you will be arranging interviews, is there anything I can add to my application to help with your decision? Keep the dialogue open and progressive, add to the information you have sent in your application. But make sure you are addressing the correct person with these questions. When you apply get the name and position of the person making the hiring decisions, you don’t want the “gate keeper” answering you – they’re told not to give you any information.

Furthermore, you can get beyond the lack of communications by laying the ground work for an open dialogue with the employer early in the application process. Use your job search as a networking opportunity. If you present yourself in a professional manner, by email, phone or face to face, before there is a job opening, and maintain contact with the employer through your job search then when something comes up they may be more open to letting you know the details as you go along.

The job search can be a frustrating experience especially when not getting any feedback about your applications, but there are ways to keep moving forward with your search. Keep the applications flowing, don’t sit and wait to hearing back from your leads, get out and be busy in your search. If given the opportunity let the employer know you’re interested in the position and offer more reasons why they should be hiring you and finally use every opening as a chance to network if this is the job for you maybe there is another hidden around the next corner.

Good Luck! 

"Treat searching for a job like a full-time job"

Hello readers! I thought that I would post a blog about the infamous comment “treat searching for a job like a full time job.” When I tell my clients this I usually get mixed reactions. Some gasp, some laugh and some agree. Sometimes people will say to me “how is that possible? I wouldn’t have enough to keep me busy!” My answer is that perhaps job seekers need to incorporate more creative strategies into their job search. Job searching is far more advanced than having a resume. Job searching is far more advanced than finding advertised work online and applying by e-mail. I remember during a period previously in my life when I was job searching I decided to map out employers that I would apply to in person. I had approximately 20 employers to apply to in person and created customized resumes and cover letters for each employer identifying why I wanted to work for them and why they should hire me. I thought to myself on the day that I was handing them out in person, this will be easy, I will get this done in no time. I was naïve. Applying to 20 employers in person takes a lot longer and lot more effort than I had originally anticipated.

There are 3 primary reasons why I tell job seekers to treat finding a job like a full time job. First this will force the job seeker to introduced creative strategies into their job search that they are not yet utilizing. Second sometimes this will help to create a schedule such as waking up at 9am to start and not job searching after sleeping in during the morning, which can actually become more draining. This is the age old saying “The early bird gets the worm.” Finally, sometimes job seekers will not stop job searching and this can make for a hectic family life or could lead to burnout. It is best to create a schedule for yourself. So what will this schedule look like? We are housed with Employment Counsellors that can help to introduce to you creative strategies that you are not yet utilizing into your job search. Here is an example of what a day in the life of a job seeker may look like:

9am-10am: Read the paper. Not just the classifieds but the whole paper. Look for employers that just received funding or that are creating new opportunities or expanding that could lead to future hiring. Look at the advertisements.

10am-12pm: Follow up with those employers. Before you cold call the employers to follow up make sure that you research more about them.

12pm-1pm: Lunch – enjoy your lunch break this will help you to set a schedule.

1pm-3pm: Look through the online job postings. You are focusing on advertised work here. Apply to the positions that interest you with a cover letter and resume that is tailored to the job and to the company hiring. Always keep your eye open for new websites that house advertised work and create yourself a “favourites” list.

3pm-4pm: Hit the pavement. Apply to employers in person. This will also be a good time to follow up in person to any of the employers that you noticed in the papers or online today.

4pm-5pm: Log into your LinkedIn account. Connect with local employers. Send them a message online to inquire about upcoming opportunities. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account already you may want to create on. It’s a great way to market your skills online and connect with key players in the community.

There are many many more creative strategies beyond those listed above that can be utilized. Visit VCCS Employment Services to gain extra support and advice on how to become more successful with your job search.

 

Getting your 2013 job search going with a BANG!

It’s a new year, forget about any frustration you were feeling leading up to the holiday season and jumpstart your 2013 job search by asking yourself these questions;

1.      Are all your documents updated?

Go through your job search materials and make sure they are up to date. You may even want to consider a change in presentation or format to renew/refresh things. Take a good look at your cover letter, resume, online profile and/or professional portfolio. Remember that these are documents that SELL you to employers! Consider registering for our upcoming Resume Workshop January 24^th, 2013.

2.      Analyze your job search strategy?

Take a detailed look at what your strategy so far has been. Do you feel like you are using job search strategies that are helping you move towards your goals? What has been successful? What hasn’t?  Come into VCCS and speak to a counsellor about what else you could be doing. Also, consider registering for our Find Work Now Workshop January 15^th, 2013 which covers current job opportunities in our area and maybe some new strategies that you haven’t tried in your search!

3.      Are you networking?

Networking is one of the most successful job search strategies. A new year is a great time to catch up with old contacts. Drop them a line asking how they are and letting them know what type of opportunity you are looking for. Also, remember how important it is to make new networking connections. Jump-start your 2013 job search but attending networking events, employer presentations or community meetings. Check out local agencies and volunteer opportunities by visiting www.fourinfo.com

Call (705) 328-0180 to register for workshops. Or email career@careerservices.org for more information.

A Guide To Finding Seasonal Work

The Christmas season is fast approaching and hiring has already started by major local employers. Finding seasonal work can be a great way to “get your foot in the door” and make a lasting impression on employers. If you’re thinking about applying for seasonal work, don’t delay and apply today! By the time that the season is in full blown Christmas mode, the majority of hiring will have been exhausted. Here are some tips for landing seasonal employment:

ü  When you’re thinking of places to apply for seasonal hiring, think of the places you go to do your Christmas shopping such as bookstores, large retail “box” stores, grocery stores, gift and card shops, clothing stores, jewellery stores, toy stores etc. If you shop in these stores chances are many other people do as well! These stores will need to hire to accommodate a larger customer base. Also think of other store locations that have looked busy during past seasons, perhaps they will need to hire extra help too! Think of every store you pass as a potential employer!

ü  When you submit a resume and a cover letter for the position, tailor your resume and cover letter to the store, and to the position. Try to get the name of the hiring manager for your cover letter and avoid stating “to whom it may concern.” This additional touch makes the application personal.

ü  Apply in person! Some stores specify that you need to apply online and if that is the case, follow the instructions and apply online. However; take the resume in person as well for that extra touch. It helps to make you memorable.

 

ü  Dress the part! If you are applying for retail work, especially in clothing retail, pay attention to the style of the store. For instance, the way someone would dress for an interview at Northern Reflections, Stiches and People Jewellers should all be different because each store is unique and has its own style.

Be sure to visit VCCS during your job search! We can help you find and keep work.