For Job Seekers

"Describe A Weakness"

One of the more frequent questions you are likely to encounter in job interviews, "tell me about a significant weakness that impacts your job performance" deserves special attention. Not only because it's common, but because there are two fairly common pieces of really bad advice that job seekers frequently hear about how to best answer this question. Those two pieces of bad advice are:

1. Deny that you have any weaknesses that could possibly impact your job. If pressed, be evasive: "I'm sorry, I'm just drawing a blank here."

2. Take a strength and pretend it's a weakness. "I would have to say perfectionism is my biggest weakness. Everything I do, I give 150% effort."

These aren't just bad answers; they insult the intelligence of the person interviewing you. So, how do you answer this question? There is no off-the-shelf answer. Here's what makes for a good answer:

1. Honesty shows. It will be quite obvious whether your answer to this question is honest. So, be prepared to share an answer that is sincere.

2. Relevant, but not too relevant. The ideal answer has some bearing on your work life, otherwise your answer is irrelevant, and suggests that you aren't sharp enough to recognize that. But, it should be something that has a significant, negative impact on your work performance.

3. Something you ave worked on. You can turn your answer -- the admission of a real fault -- into a success story. If you can explain how you have tackled the problem and made progress.

Let's look at an example. We'll use Heather, a hypothetical accountant, who is quite introverted. Asked by an interviewer what weaknesses she's struggled with in her career, here's what Heather has to say:

"Shyness. Believe it or not (chuckling), I am a pretty shy person by nature. I chose accounting as a career path because I anticipated being able to work alone. Which is generally true, and my shyness has never compromised my ability to be an excellent accountant. But I wanted more human contact, and I wanted to advance in my career, into management. A friend suggested that toastmasters would offer some good practice at opening up, so I joined a local chapter. I still attend regularly. It hasn't turned me into a social butterfly, but I can honestly say that I feel a lot more comfortable opening up around strangers, and I'm proud of the progress I've made."

Older Candidates And Stereotypes

I know an older job seeker who feels perpetually discriminated against. He’s projected the same attitude as long as I’ve known him. He believes that employers see him as inflexible, unwilling to learn new skills, set in his ways. Honestly, I think he works hard to live up to these attitudes. He wears these attitudes on his sleeve, as they say — along with the bitterness he feels about being “discriminated against.” But I’ve never known him to do anything constructive to alter these perceptions.

I have another colleague, a woman who is almost 15 years senior to my friend. Every time I interact with this woman, I am left in awe of the tremendous depth of knowledge and experience she embodies. She is also amazingly hip to new technologies, trends, and attitudes. She works hard to stay one step ahead, and she’s not bitter about anything, not even some significant health problems.

These two older workers, one unemployed and one employed, embody prevalent stereotypes. We’ve all met them many times before, in one form or another. The stereotypes are so common, it’s easy to quickly pigeonhole older workers into one or the other. If you are an older candidate, this is a challenge you face. The good news is that it’s largely up to you to control which way you are likely to be seen.

I am not making light of the challenges older workers face, suggesting that there is no such thing as age discrimination, or implying that the solutions are instant and easy. But I do want to highlight two specific things about these older workers, and why I believe they are perceived so differently.

First, each of these people is seen very much the way that they see themselves. Granted, this isn’t always the case — we all know people whose self-image is skewed (often quite generously). But it is universally true that our attitudes tend to inform the way we present ourselves and the way we are seen.

Second, perhaps as an extension of the way they see themselves, both of these older workers act accordingly. The older of the two reads voraciously, she takes and teaches classes at the local community college, and she makes a point of keeping herself on the forefront of her field. In contrast, the embittered gentleman (although he’s unemployed) often grumbles about how he “doesn’t have time to keep up with every stupid new fad.”

A recent study confirmed a common link between creativity and age. Add to that the variety and magnitude of experience older workers often bring to the table, as well as other life experiences, vast personal and professional networks, maturity and wisdom — what a powerful package. But these qualities and gifts aren’t inevitable consequences of age. They are the results of choices we all make, throughout our lives and our careers.

The Myth Of Outplacement

Outplacement seems like a good idea. It seems a modest and sensible thing that big corporations can do to help their displaced, downsized, rightsized, re-engineered and otherwise terminated employees to find alternate employment.

Unfortunately, as career coach and author Mark Hovind explains, that's not really what outplacement is about, and the statistics seem to back him up. I have to agree with Mark -- if I were faced with the prospect of an outplacement service, I might check it out, but I'd also reach out to a professional career coach!

Read Mark's take on outplacement!

Manage Your References By Networking

A recent "tough situations" entry about a job seeker who lacked references provoked several interesting emails from readers. One focused on employers who have a policy of only providing employment dates -- increasingly common. When you've worked for employers with this policy, how do you get references?

Great question! In fact, if you manage your references well, the policy in question isn't an issue. Generic reference calls to HR departments are just one type of reference call, and they don't need to produce more than employment dates. (Although, be aware that some employers will volunteer additional information, such as salary history and possibly comments on performance.)

The best references come from people you've interacted professionally with: bosses, peers, vendors, perhaps consultants you've worked with. Even employees who have reported to you, if they can attest to your professional skills (as well as managerial talents).

Help ensure good references from these people by keeping in touch with them. Ask them if they are willing to provide a good reference for you. Let them know when you're facing active employment opportunities, and they may get phone calls. In fact, let them know about the job opportunity in question, so they know what to focus on if they get a reference check phone call.

If you ask someone (especially a past boss) if they are willing to provide a reference, and they say that their company policy allows them to only share employment dates, you can ask if they are willing to "provide a personal reference." But don't push -- what they may very well be reluctant to say is, they wouldn't provide a good reference for you anyway.

Getting hired without excellent references rarely happens these days. And excellent references don't just happen. Make sure you're prepared by managing your network!

Forget The Sizzle, Sell The Steak

I made an interesting acquaintance today, a co-author on Careerhub. He called after reading my recent diatribe on personal branding.

Mark Hovind is author of JobBait.com, and he's a seasoned veteran at helping senior executives manage their careers and job hunts. And as I learned today, he's gotten pretty disgusted at the hype surrounding "personal branding."

Readers of my blog know that I'm actually a fan of the principles of personal branding — snaps to Wendy Terwelp, my favorite expert in the field. But I agree with Mark that some people have over-hyped personal branding. To quote Mark, "Branding is dripping with 'get rich quick' hype." Reminding us that brand is a noun and not a verb, Fast Company Magazine said, "In a brilliant twist, the experts have bottled an end and sold it as a means."

At the pinnacle of personal branding, IMHO, is Brandego.com. Depending on where you stand on the "personal branding: hype or powerful juju?" spectrum, Brandego is either the ultimate tool or absolut overkill. (Absolut ... haha ... get it?) To be sure, Brandego can pimp you like nobody else ... but is that really a good thing?

Don't get me wrong, I firmly agree with all the principles of personal branding, and so does Mark. But the hype has exceeded the substance. I like Mark's take on things — back to basics, back to value — and I look forward to hearing more from him.

2007: The Year Of Your Network

My brother recently shared his new year's resolution. I thought it was a good one: to reconnect with the people he's drifted away from.

In fact, this would be a good resolution for anyone. It's one with significant career implications. As I've observed before, networking is like the spare tire in your trunk — if you wait until you really need it to take care of it and make sure it's in good shape, it's too late.

Consider: a well-cultivated network is the best safety net you can have, if you ever face unexpected job loss. It's also great for anyone who's simply open to considering any good career opportunities that come along at any time — if you work your network the right way, it can be a hugely effectively PR tool, your own personal field team. ("You need a good inside salesman? I know someone who is the best!")

If this sounds like a good resolution, I'd urge you to approach it in two ways. First, who are the people in your network you should focus on the most? Two criteria will help you identify these people: who is most likely to be able to open the doors you'd like opened for you? And, who is best positioned to act as a good professional and/or personal reference? Focus your efforts on these key people.

The second approach directly contradicts this first piece of advice (I prefer to think of it as complementary). The quality of the best people in your network (and the quality of your relationship with them) is not as important as the breadth of your network, and arguably it is the people on the fringe who matter the most!

Refreshing your network can be a daunting task, especially if you have allowed it to lapse. For example, you can only come up with 5 people you consider part of your professional network. Or (worse yet) you come up with 40 names, but you don't know how to get in touch with 20 of them, and you realize you've neglected the other 20.

There are several things you may want to focus your efforts on. One, keeping track of who is in your network and ensuring their contact information is up to date. Two, scheduling and automating contact with those people (to generate goodwill, and to ensure they know what you're up to). And three, to figure out ways to effectively leverage them in case of a job hunt.

You could do all of this manually. A spreadsheet could help.

Or, you can tap into a resource designed specifically for managing your network. I'm a big fan of JibberJobber, but I won't belabor this point: managing your network is too complicated and too important to neglect or approach casually.

So, here's my final tip for the year. Make 2007 the year you take control of your professional network, and restore it to working order. Approached methodically, this can be a manageable task, and it could be the most important thing you do for your career in the new year.

Michael Katz, Michael Jordan & You

I get a lot of e-zines. There are few I consistently read,and fewer still that I actually look forward to.  Michael Katz's e-zine is #1 on my list (about e-zines, marketing and anything else that catches his attention).

Although Michael Katz doesn't usually tackle the subject of employment or careers, his 12/06 newsletter brought a fresh and wonderful perspective to the topic. What do you & Michael Jordan have in common?

I believe that we are all capable of great things. One key to realizing this potential is choosing the right field, the right job. As someone once told me, your perfect job lies right at the intersection of what you're best at and what you love to do. Find that job and you will excel. Find that job and "you will never work another day in your life."

Here's Michael Katz's wonderful explanation:

http://www.bluepenguindevelopment.com/newsletters/2006_12_15.html

I don't think you have to start your own business to find the perfect niche, as Michael suggests. Not all of us are cut out for entrepreneurial ventures; for those who aren't, joining the right organization is just one more aspect of our perfect niche.

Thanks Michael, for a great reminder that we are all superstars!

It's That Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (For Job Seekers)

At the risk of sounding redundant, I work for a national network of local employment web sites. Every day, I live what's going on in the employment field.

Here's an insider's tip...

Some people think that year's end is a bad time for job hunting. They couldn't be more mistaken. For every employer that's coasting through the holidays, there's at least one who's scrambling to use up a "use it or lose it" 2006 hiring budget, and another who has kicked off their efforts to fulfill January hiring needs or budgets. At the same time, many of your fellow job seekers have taken the holidays off.

So, let's see: more supply (jobs) and less demand (job seekers). Do the math ... and start networking!

Forget The Mirror: The Power Of Unreasonable Personal Branding

There are a lot of people who know a lot more about personal branding than I do, so take this posting with a grain of salt. The general wisdom is that effective personal branding starts with a rigorous survey of how others (peers, coworkers, friends, family) see you.

I don't agree. This approach reminds me of a great metaphorical description I once heard, about someone looking into a mirror and thinking it's a window.

Here's why I don't think you should base your personal branding efforts on "the mirror" I'm referring to — on the perceptions of other people. First, unless you are pretty thick skinned, any remotely-negative feedback will hurt. Most likely, it will shake you and undermine your confidence — the last thing that should mar your personal branding efforts.

Second, it's too easy to let this external feedback define your playing field. To paraphrase Robert Browning, "ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's personal branding for?"

Finally, negative feedback makes it way too easy to focus on your "areas for improvement," when your real focus should be on leveraging your strengths.

If you have a reasonably accurate grasp of your strengths, and a good instinct for which ones you need to leverage, I believe you are much better off entirely devoting your energy to cultivating and reinforcing your brand. To being proactive rather than reactive.

From a traditional marketing perspective, cultivating your brand without analyzing your market is unreasonable. Well, to paraphrase another great cliché ...

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world around him. The unreasonable man bends the world to his will. Therefore, the most powerful personal branding is practiced by the unreasonable man!

Tough Situations For Job Seekers: No References

In the latest installment of Tough Situations, we see a problem faced by job seekers fairly often, one that is frustrating pretty much because it seems like it shouldn't be a big deal ... but it is!

Mark is excited about a new job opportunity. He's interviewed, he knows he's a finalist, everything has gone exceedingly well. Until the subject of references comes up. He immediately recognizes that he's in trouble. His last employer no longer exists, and he doesn't have contact information for anyone who worked there. The previous employer has a strict policy that they only confirm employment dates. And the employer before that -- that was a long time ago, and Mark knows that everyone he worked with has moved in. In a nutshell, the only reference he is able to provide a name and phone number for is his current supervisor, who doesn't know Mark is looking for a new job. The employer Mark is talking to understands his predicament, but has made it clear that references are a critical part of their hiring process. Mark contacts a couple of respected career experts for advice...

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Jim Durbin is an employment blogger and a former recruiter. He blogs at:
http://stlrecruiting.com and http://brandstorming.com

The key to providing references is knowing what the employer is looking for. If Mark is in sales or has a lot of contact with clients outside the company, these names are often better references than direct supervisors. He should list the last contact info for the company that went out of business and the company who only confirms hire dates. Often times, references are outsourced to a third party who just checks off the box when it comes to references. For his current employer, he should not provide the name or number, and explicitly make it clear in writing that contacting his present employer is not authorized. In the future, Mark needs to do a better job of keeping up with references going back three jobs or seven years, whichever is shorter. When it comes to references, even those from a co-worker are better than nothing.

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Heather Mundell is a life and career coach who helps professionals decide on their next career move. Formerly a director of human resources, she now coaches individuals to discover and pursue careers that align with their vales, aspirations and desired way of life.
Dream Big Coaching Services
http://www.dreambigcoaching.com
206.276.7763
[email protected]
life@work, the blog about finding career happiness: http://dbcs.typepad.com

Since Mark's only option for a reference is his current supervisor, he needs to talk with the supervisor ASAP. But first Mark should find out from the prospective employer if references are the last hoops in the hiring process. Before he talks to his supervisor he should feel as confident as he can that an offer is at hand.

Mark should be positive with his supervisor about his experience at the company and explain why this new opportunity is a good fit for him. This would be a good time for them to discuss the timeline for departing. For instance if they're at a critical juncture in a project, Mark might offer to ask for a later start date if he is offered the job.

Mark could then potentially ask his supervisor's manager, his peers and his subordinates (if applicable) to serve as references as well.

Also, if Mark has made copies of his past (positive!) performance reviews at the company that no longer exists, offering these would be better than no information.