My Campus Chronicles
Our college blog dedicated to helping students prepare for life outside of college.
July 2009 archive
Think about the last time you had a phone interview. A recruiter or hiring manager called, asked you a few questions about your resume, wanted a little more information about your experience, and then most likely scheduled an in person interview.
If this scenario sounds familiar, it may have been a while since you had a phone interview. Today, recruiters and hiring managers are using the phone interview as a bona fide first round interview. According to one article, gone are the days when you could cruise through the phone interview and move right into the face to face with managers and executives.
This new trend of more intense phone interviews could be a direct result of the economy. Companies are being flooded with resumes from laid off workers, so to find the most qualified applicants, phone interviews are used as a weed out tool to make sure the best applicants are being invited in for the face to face interview.
So be prepared for the phone interview. Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind:
1. Conduct the phone interview in a location that is quiet with no distractions.
2. Make sure you schedule the interview when you have time to think about your answers and are not rushing.
3. Treat the phone interview as the first round instead of a preliminary necessity.
4. If it helps, dress for the phone interview. Maybe not in a suit, but make sure you have showered and dressed if you are at home.
5. Prepare by practicing your interview answers, and use all of the interviewing skills you would if this was a face to face meeting.
With the job market still iffy, and the economy limping to a recovery, when you have an opportunity for a job, don't lose out on the opportunity by taking the phone interview for granted.
Many out of work job seekers are pounding the pavement to find a job, even taking jobs that may not be the best for career advancement or job satisfaction.
To add insult to unemployment injury, now scammers are out there advertising fake jobs or scamming money out of desperate job seekers.
According to one article, the Better Business Bureau is warning unemployed job seekers to beware of job offers that may sound too good to be true.
Job scammers may try to do everything from requiring a paid for credit check before applying, to asking for money up front for supplies for work at home schemes. Also, be careful about the amount of information you divulge on resumes or job board sites to protect yourself again identity theft.
If you have any concerns about job offers or employment scams, report it to the Better Business Bureau right away, and be careful about job opportunities that sound suspicious.
"The need to shore up differences in workplace attire is just one manifestation of the four-generation workforce of today. With diverse generations working elbow-to-elbow, gone are the days of a 'one-size-fits-all' management style or company culture."
Q: Dear Seymour, My grades aren't great. Does this mean I will have a harder time finding a job?
- Submitted by Annie Holloway, Boomer, North Carolina
A: Dear Annie,
Good grades are always a plus on your record. They can earn you recognition and often can open doors. However, good grades aren't important to everyone. To some, grades are an arbitrary measurement system that can depend on what classes you took, the difference between individual teachers, or other factors that don't necessarily reflect on a student's intelligence or abilities. Less-than-perfect grades are not a barrier to finding your dream job. There are still great ways for you to market yourself to a potential employer:
Don't make grades the most prominent part of your resume.
When you create your resume, you don't necessarily have to list a GPA. As long as you have a degree or course credit (in other words, as long as you passed something), that is enough to list. Most employers look at your broad education and any experience that relates to the job you are applying for, not your GPA.
Focus on your passions.
Put time and thought into what you want to do. Why are you applying for certain positions over others? If you are passionate about a job when another candidate with perfect grades is tepid about it, then you will stand out. Most employers are looking for people who are diligent, honest, work hard, and are happy about coming to work. If you care about what you want to do and are serious about it, that will shine through in an interview and set you apart.
Don't bring up bad grades unless you are asked -- if you are, have a good answer.
Never highlight less than stellar qualities in an application process. Unless you are specifically asked about your grades, don't bring it up. If you are asked directly, don't lie. Be honest, but be prepared with a brief explanation about your grades. Do not make excuses. Some good answers could include, "I wasn't focused for the first two years of school," or "I had some temporary personal circumstances," or "I wasn't passionate about what I was studying, but I am very passionate about my current career path." Keep it brief and move on.
Have some other activities to boost your credentials.
Find activities that complement your chosen career. Join clubs, trade associations, professional associations, or volunteer organizations that coincide with your field. Using your free time to devote yourself to these things will draw more attention to your motivation and take away from your report card.
Seymour
There are many reasons people sometimes take leaves of absences from work--having a child, illness, taking care of a family member, or continuing education are just a few. Whatever your reason for taking a break, there are several ways you can make sure that your transition back into the working world is a smooth one. Here are some pointers on how to reenter the workforce without feeling like you've missed a beat.
Try to stay in the loop.
Ask your boss or coworkers to start copying you on emails and meeting minutes a few weeks before you return. Knowing what's going on, even if it's just a part of the big picture, will keep you from feeling clueless on your first day back.
Stay sharp while you're out of the office.
While you are on leave, keep up with current trends and developments in your industry and profession. Subscribe to e-newsletters or trade magazines and check out online news sites. Consider taking a professional development class or two, which will boost your resume and your skill set.
Keep up with colleagues.
Stay active on professional networking sites, and keep going to professional organization meetings. Attend alumni events and other company social functions. The more you stay in touch with people, the easier the transition back to work will be.
Be confident.
There are many reasons people need to take leaves of absence from work. Whatever your reason for absence, remember to be confident in yourself and your abilities when you return to work. Don't feel the need to apologize for your absence. You want the spotlight to be on your good work and skill set, not on the reason you left.
How does your biography differ from your resume?
Your biography tells people who you are. In other words, it is character and values driven. It informs people about featured highlights from your vast experience without digging up ancient history. It is audience driven and motivates them to want to know more about you from their perspective. Because it is highly focused, it keeps people on track with your offering. It is the perfect communications tool for electronic media and social networks.
A well-crafted biography is far more interesting to read than almost any resume we have ever muddled through. And, unlike the traditional resume that exclusively signals that you are looking for work, the biography has many more applications. Free agents use bios; people who enjoy meaningful professional relationships use bios; biographies are almost always the most significant attachment to sales proposals and, of course, speakers use bios as introductory tools.
Some basic rules for designing your biography include:
- Write with the targeted audience in mind - you are not writing to yourself!
- 3 to 4 well-crafted paragraphs are more than sufficient for most biographies.
- Avoid cookie-cutter words and phrases and try to write using words the reader can see in their mind's eye.
- Be prepared for a great deal of re-writing but don't edit your own work.
- Remember that different audiences (readers or listeners) require different biographies.
Want to know more about biographies? The Internet is your source.
For more insight from Carleen MacKay, visit her website at www.agelessinamerica.com.
