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From time to time, I get asked by jobseekers about questions that interviewers are permitted to ask during a job interview. While almost everything is fair game, there are certain questions that interviewers are not legally permitted to ask. A post that recently appeared on the “Interns Over 40 blog” pretty much covers them all. 

And, while interviewers are not supposed to ask most of these questions, many do. That said, you need to be on the “look-out” for them and be prepared to judiciously answer them whether or not you think they may be legally acceptable or not. After all, challenging the legality of an interviewer’s question during a face-to-face is not likely to lead to a job offer!

In any event, the post list 13 questions on the forbidden list and how interviewers may be able to garner the information that they are seeking without necessarily violating any laws in doing so.

1. Age

Inappropriate:

• How old are you?
• What year were you born?
• When did you graduate from high school?

Appropriate:

• Before hiring, asking if you are over the minimum age for the hours or working conditions.
• After hiring, verifying same with a birth certificate or other ID, and asking age on insurance forms.

2. Citizenship

Inappropriate: Are you a US citizen?

Appropriate:

• If you are not a US citizen, do you have the legal right to remain permanently in the US?
• What is your visa status (if no to the previous question).
• Are you able to provide proof of employment eligibility upon hire?

3. Criminal Record

Inappropriate:

• Have you ever been arrested?
• Have you ever spent a night in jail?

Appropriate:

• Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

4. Disability

Inappropriate:

• Do you have any disabilities?
• What's your medical history?
• How does your condition affect your abilities?

Appropriate:

• Can you perform the specific duties of the job.
• After hiring, ask about medical history on insurance forms.

5. Family

Inappropriate:

• Questions concerning spouse, or spouse's employment, salary, arrangements, or dependents.
• What kind of child care arrangements have you made?
• How will your spouse feel about the amount of time you will be traveling if you get this job?

Appropriate:

• Can you work overtime?
• Is there any reason you can't start at 7:30am?
• Whether an applicant can meet specified work schedules or has activities or commitments that may prevent him or her from meeting attendance requirements.

6. Marital Status

Inappropriate:

• Are you married, divorced, separated, engaged, widowed, etc?
• Is this your maiden or married name?
• What is the name of your relative/spouse/children?
• Do you live with your parents?

Appropriate:

• After hiring, marital status on tax and insurance forms.

7. Military

Inappropriate:

• What type or condition is your military discharge?
• Can you supply your discharge papers?
• What is your experience in other than US armed forces?

Appropriate:

• Describe the relevant work experience as it relates to this position that you acquired from a US armed forces.

8. National Origin

Inappropriate:

• What is your nationality?
• Where were you born?
• Where are your parents from?
• What's your heritage?
• What is your mother tongue?
• How did you acquire the ability to speak, read or write a foreign language?
• How did you acquire familiarity with a foreign country?
• What language is spoken in your home?

Appropriate:

• Verifying legal U.S. residence or work visa status.
• What languages do you speak, read or write fluently?

9. Parental Status

Inappropriate:

• How many kids do you have?
• Do you plan to have children?
• How old are your children?
• Are you pregnant?

Appropriate:

• After hiring, asking for dependent information on tax and insurance forms.

10. Race or Skin Color

Inappropriate:

• What race are you?
• Are you a member of a minority group?

Appropriate:

• None

11. Religion or Creed

Inappropriate:

• What is your religious affiliation?
• Which religious holidays will you be taking off from work?
• Do you attend church regularly?

Appropriate:

• Can you work on Saturdays and Sundays?

12. Residence

Inappropriate:

• Do you own or rent your home?
• Do you live in town?
• With whom do you live?

Appropriate:

• Inquiries about the address to facilitate contact with the applicant.
• Will you be able to start work at 8:00am?

13. Sex or Sexual Orientation

Inappropriate:

• Do you wish to be addressed as Mr., Mrs., Miss, or Ms.?
• What are your plans to have children in the future?
• Are you gay?
• What is your sexual preference?

Appropriate:

• None

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!

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Sometimes job candidates do the stupidest things during job interviews. Several years ago I begged a hiring manager to give an MD a second shot at a face-to-face job interview after he botched the first one. The hiring manager reluctantly agreed to give my candidate a second chance to redeem his poor performance during the first interview. After the interview, the hiring manager told me that he wasn’t going to extend a job offer to my candidate because he was “on call” the day of the interview and he kept on excusing himself to answer his pager. This happened almost 12 years ago before the cell phone–texting explosion became annoying pervasive. 

Imagine my surprise when I learned that results from a recent CareerBuilder survey of 2400 hiring managers that revealed that 71% of hiring managers cited that answering a cell phone or texting someone during a job interview was the worst transgression that a job candidate can make (I guess things have not changed much in the past 12 years).

While answering a cell phone or texting is an egregious thing to do during a job interview (turn off all electronic devices and put them in your briefcase or purse until the interview is over), it is not the only transgression that hiring manager loathe to see from job candidates. Others cited in the survey include:

• Dressing inappropriately – 69%
• Appearing disinterested – 69%
• Appearing arrogant – 66%
• Speaking negatively about a current or previous employer – 63%
• Chewing gum – 59%
• Not providing specific answers – 35%
• Not asking good questions – 32%

I highly recommend those of you who may have interviews in the near future to review this list and avoid making any of the mistakes listed there. In the current economy, hiring managers are looking for prospective job candidates who stand out from the others. But, it is important to remember to stand out for the right reasons!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!

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With unemployment high and the economy showing little sign of improvement, finding a new job has become increasingly challenging. And, not surprisingly, the types of interview questions that hiring managers are beginning to ask prospective job candidates are becoming more intricate and complex. I found interesting examples of this at the  “You’re the Boss” blog sponsored by the New York Times.

In the article, a person who owns a small retail business revealed that he always asks job candidates to describe their most stressful customer experience in previous jobs. The question helps him to ascertain how prospective new employees might cope with difficult situations. Also, it tends to reveals whether or not they speak honestly about their own actions and what their attitudes may be towards customers. Another question that he frequently asks is “Why did you really leave your last job? Were you fired? Did you hate your boss? This is devised to determine whether or not a candidate is being truthful. If the answer is their leaving was “mutual” the owner posits that there is usually more to the story than is being divulged. On the other hand, if the response is “It was time to move on” a follow up question usually is “What does that mean?”

Other examples cited in the post include:

What am I going to hate about you in the next 6 months?

What haven’t I asked that you want me to know about you?

How will we both know in six months that you are succeeding?

Why did you apply for this job?

None of the questions is illegal, improper or out of bounds during a job interview. Consequently, I advise jobseekers to add these new questions to their list of difficult-to-answer interview questions. And, perhaps more importantly, think about legitimate responses to them before your next job interview.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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It is well established that many scientist are not particularly adept at social interactions and are notoriously poor at networking. Contrary to popular belief these deficiencies are not genetic and likely result from the erroneous notion that scientists don’t need career network to advance their work or careers.

There is no question that face-to-face networking is an acquired skill and that practice is necessary to master it. However, the advent of Google search and social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter permits even the novice jobseeker to establish an online network—in the absence of a real life one—that may be useful in a job search or future career development. To that end, I came across a 2008 post written by Trent Ham that offers insights and tactics on how to incorporate online networking into a successful job search.

Ten Fundamental Steps for Successful Online Career Networking                                       By Trent Hamm

Let’s start with the big question.

Why?

What is the point of doing online networking for your career? How is it any better than simply keeping in touch with people you know via email or at meetings? Isn’t stuff like LinkedIn or Facebook a waste of time, or at least not worth the time you invest in it?

Online networking tools serve two purposes, really.

First, they make it easy for people to find you – or at least find the information about you that you want to be found. Once you set up a proper profile at a social networking site, it’s often the first thing that shows up about you on search engines. Thus, when people go searching for information about you, you can have a lot of control over the information that they find.

Second, they allow you to keep tabs on other people – and allow other people to keep tabs on you. Let’s say, for example, that you’re starting a new project that might interest a lot of people in your field – and you might want input from some of them. Is it easier to collect all their email addresses then send a blanket email to all of them or to just simply update your online networking tool?

Similarly, if you’ve set up such tools properly, you can effortlessly and automatically follow such news and updates about others in your field, which can automatically alert you to any interesting changes without having to hope that that person remembered to send it to you.

Together, these things add up to tons and tons of opportunities to connect with people without having to invest a ton of time continually tracking people down.

Tactic #1: Just Use Google
One problem that many people have with doing this is that there seems to be a giant pile of services available for people to connect to others. Should I use Twitter? Should I use Facebook? Should I use LinkedIn?

Really, though, there’s only one you need to worry about. And that’s Google.

When people want to find other people online, they turn to Google. They type in that name, click on the first few links, and see what they can find out.

That means your focus shouldn’t be so much on which of these services to use. It should be to make sure you’re controlling that top search result on Google.

How can you do that? You need to have a page that’s (a) fully open to the public and (b) linked to by a lot of other people.

Based on what I’ve observed, for professional purposes, the best tool for that is LinkedIn, so if I were just getting started with things, I’d use LinkedIn. Facebook has more users, but it’s a “walled garden,” meaning the general public cannot read your profile. If you’re focusing solely on professional material, that’s actually a pretty big disadvantage.

Tactic #2: Detail Your Profile
When you sign up for such a service, the first step is to add appropriate detail to your profile. The key word here is appropriate.

The purpose for doing this is to attract professional connections, so keep it professional. Describe your career. Enter all of the relevant information and include as much detail as you can, including past places of employment, organizations you’re involved with (that you’d want to share professionally), where you went to school, and so on. Make especially sure to describe your current work (again, in as much detail as you can). Be sure to share it all publicly, too, so that you can easily be found on Google searches.

The more information you provide – particularly interesting information – the more likely it is that people will take an interest in you, follow you, and contact you for further connection, which is exactly what you want.

Tactic #3: Find People You Know (Or Want To Know)
Once you’re in place, start searching the site for people you know and establish connections with them. You may not know anyone – that’s fine – but if you can at least establish a few connections, you’re off on the right foot.

You might want to search whole companies, like your own, just to get a list of people, so you can quickly identify people that you may want to link up with. Don’t be afraid to connect with people above you in rank – or even below you – but focus on connecting to those that might actually have value in that connection. Don’t just connect for the sake of connecting or else you’ll suffer from needless overload.

Tactic #4: Invite Your Friends To Join
So, you signed up at LinkedIn (or whatever site you’ve chosen to use), filled in your profile, and located a few people you know. Now what?

These tools work better if you know lots of people using the tools, so email a bunch of your work contacts. Send them the URL of your LinkedIn page, along with perhaps the URLs of some other people most of them might be interested in, and encourage them to sign up. If people already know that they have at least a few connections in the bag, they’re much more likely to sign up for such a service.

Tactic #5: Keep People Reminded Through Other Means
Once you’re established there, make an effort to remind people through other mediums about your profile page, so they can follow you, too. I’d encourage you to stick a link to your profile in the signature of your emails as well as into the profile of any other online services you might use (like Facebook, for example).

What this does is it gives people many opportunities to visit your page and keep you in their mind – and that’s a pure benefit for you.

Tactic #6: Keep An Eye Out
Once you’ve established a profile and a lot of connections, it’s worth setting your basic page on the site as a bookmark so you can keep up with what’s happening with the people you’re connected to. I tend to look at what’s happening with my connections on various sites every other day or so, just to keep tabs with them.

For the most part, I don’t do anything with the updates – I just try to keep track of them. I usually send congratulations in response to big news and occasional follow-up questions, but I usually try to avoid too much follow-up (see #8 for why).

Tactic #7: Update Regularly
I also make an effort to update my own profile whenever there’s something significant to note. Whenever something happens that’s significant enough for me to wish to contact people professionally, I make sure to update any relevant social networking pages with a global update (so that everyone can see it and anyone who follows me or is connected is alerted to it).

Of course, there’s a fine line here – too much stuff can overburden the people connected to you. To mitigate that, I keep the update count down to the serious stuff – things that I would actually bother to contact others about, such as major project changes, changing jobs, the birth of a child, or another major event.

Tactic #8: Don’t Get Bogged Down
Ideally, you find yourself in a situation with a lot of connections, which means a lot of people are keeping tabs with what you’re doing. The danger in that is that it’s tempting to get involved in a lot of conversations – and that turns the social networking tool into an unproductive time suck.

My suggestion: avoid long conversations on the site. If you see something truly compelling, contact that person directly off the site. If it’s not compelling enough move on and don’t waste your time!

Tactic #9: Add Value
There is one other reason I add updates to such social sites, and that’s when they add direct value to the people following me. If I find a truly great resource or piece of information that many others in my field will find valuable, I add an update letting others know about it.

Why do this? Why share something of value so easily? If you share truly valuable things, people will come to ascribe value to you – and that will stick in their minds. Do it regularly enough with stuff that’s truly valuable and people will share valuable things with you – information, important news, and so on.

Tactic #10: Follow Up
Most of these tactics don’t require much time, and so it can be easy to just put up the profile, check in every once in a while, and not think about it.

If you just do that, however, you may miss out on opportunity. Thus, I’d suggest two methods for regular follow-up on your profile.

First, set the site as a default page in your browser. This way, checking the page becomes part of your normal routine. You can often integrate a number of pages into a single iGoogle start page – that’s the tactic I use.

Second, check your own profile regularly and make sure it’s updated. Don’t let it slag with out-of-date information. Check it once a month or so and make sure that correct, current, and relevant information is easily found by people searching for you.

Follow these ten tactics and you’ll be using online networking to great career advantage.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Networking (try it, you may like it)

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I counsel a large number of foreign students as part of my career development activities. Over the years, I learned that questions regarding a job candidate’s personal information like nationality, religion, marital status etc are permissible and perfectly legal in countries other than the US. Consequently, I decided that it may be instructive for job candidates to learn what questions are acceptable and those that are not during a face-to-face interview for positions at US companies. 

Much of the information presented in the post was gleaned from an article written by Porcshe Moran of Yahoo Finance.

The following are examples of illegal questions that SHOULD NEVER be uttered by interviewers during a US job interview.

1. How old are you?

The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), protects individuals who are 40 or older from being discriminated against in the workplace in favor of younger employees. There is no federal protection in place to protect workers younger than 40 from age discrimination. To determine if you are legally eligible to perform a job, employers are allowed to ask if you are over the age of 18.

2. Are you married?

Questions about marital status are prohibited. Employers might be tempted to ask this question to find out if your relationship could have a negative impact on your work. For example, if you are married you might be more likely to leave the company if your spouse gets a job transferred to a different city. Even a question as seemingly innocent as "Do you wish to be addressed as Mrs., Miss, or Ms.?" is not allowed.

3. Are you a U.S. citizen?

Citizenship and immigration status cannot be used against a potential employee during the hiring process according to The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). Employers must wait until after a job offer had been extended to require a worker to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) Form and submit documentation that proves identity and employment authorization. It is lawful for an employer to ask an interviewee if they are authorized to work in the US.

4. Do you have any disabilities?

This question might seem necessary to determine if a job applicant can perform the required duties, but it is illegal to ask under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Employers cannot discount anyone from a job because of a physical or mental disability. In fact, the law requires that they accommodate disabilities unless they can prove it would cause significant difficulty or expense to do so. Employers also cannot ask you if you have had any past illnesses or operations.

5. Do you take drugs, smoke or drink?

Concerns about drug, alcohol or nicotine addictions are valid as they can impact an employee's quality of work and the rates of a company's health insurance coverage. However, an employer might find themselves in legal trouble if they don't frame questions about these potential problems in a careful manner. They are allowed to ask if you have ever been disciplined for violating company policies about the use of alcohol and tobacco products. They can also ask directly if you use illegal drugs, but an employer can't inquire about your use of prescription medications.

6. What religion do you practice?

Inquires about religious beliefs are a sensitive issue. An interviewer might be curious for scheduling reasons such as holidays that an employee might need off, or if the candidate will be unavailable to work on weekends because of religious obligations. It is illegal to intentionally discriminate against an employee or harass them based on their religious beliefs. Employers are required to accommodate an employee's religious beliefs or practices in regards to things such as dress and grooming policy and flexible scheduling.

7. What is your race?

There is no situation in which questions about an employee's race or skin color should be use to determine their eligibility for a job. This protection is granted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Employers are permitted to ask an employee to reveal their race on a voluntary basis for affirmative action purposes.

8. Are you pregnant?

Questions about family status tend to affect women the most, but they can also pertain to men in certain situations. Employers might have concerns about an employee taking time off work for pregnancy leave or not having child care arrangements during work hours.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act states that an employer cannot refuse to hire a pregnant woman because of her pregnancy, because of a pregnancy-related condition, or because of the prejudices of co-workers, clients or customers.

It is, however, lawful for employers to ease their nerves about an employee's availability or commitment to a position by asking about long-term career goals or the ability for an employee to work overtime and travel.

Click the link common interview questions for other examples of some questions that should not be asked.

The Bottom Line
It is important to know your rights as an employee. Unlawful questions are not acceptable on applications, during the interview process or in the workplace. Although improper questions by employers might be simple mistakes, they could also be intentional cases of discrimination. 

While it is good to know your “rights,” I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you may be asked these questions during a job interview. Whether or not you respond to the question(s) is up to you. However, if the personal questions that are asked make you uncomfortable, let the interviewer know as professionally as possible that he/she is treading in dangerous territory. After the interview is over, you may want to contact the company’s Human Resources department to report the incident so that future job candidates may avoid similar unpleasant and illegal experiences.

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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I came across this excellent article written by Carol Martin a professional career coach.  The tips that she provides are useful and have stood the test of time!  So read and learn!!!!

Not getting a follow-up call when promised is a very common occurrence. Candidates are sometimes sure that they aced the interview and are perfect for the position, in fact they are anticipating a call and an offer. But instead they get "nothing." No offer; no call. They never hear from the company. This is not only frustrating, but reflects poorly on the company. In fact it is rude. What can you do about this situation? Here are some tips on how to handle the follow up that may save you from some anxiety.

1. Try to find out about the decision-process before you leave the interview. Ask when you could expect to hear back. Take that date and then add a few days before you start to worry.

2. Always send a follow up addressing any concerns you may have picked up or any thoughts you had about the position since the interview. Think of this as one more chance to put yourself in front of them.

3. After you have waited for a reasonable period beyond the date they stated, call and inquire as to the status of the position and whether you are still in the running.

4. As a general rule, don't call on Mondays - bad day to market anything. 5. If you leave a message inquiring about the status of the job, and no one calls you back after a couple of attempts - move on and forget about it. Don't call back more than a couple of times. There is a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. 6. If you are told you are no longer under consideration, try asking for feedback (most of the time they won't give you any, but still worth a try). Ask if there is any additional information that you can supply that will convince them that you are the right person for the job.

7. Don't rely on one job interview. No matter what was said in the interview – continue your search. There have been too many bad examples of those who thought they were a shoe-in - only to get a reject letter.

8. Don't take it personally! There are about a thousand reasons that could have affected your chances.

9. Accept the fact that not all companies are right for you. Just like blind dates - they are checking you out and you are checking them out. Sometimes it's chemistry – and sometimes it wasn't right for you – for whatever reason.

10.Try not to get discouraged by the rejects. It's a numbers game and your turn will come if you hang in there.

Copyright (c) 2007 Carole Martin, The Interview Coach

Until Next Time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

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Congratulations! The resume that you spent many hours carefully crafting has resulted in a face-to-face interview at a Company that you are extremely interested in. After the adrenalin rush has worn off, you think “OMG, I have to put together a seminar, make travel arrangements and buy new clothes and shoes (well only if you are a woman)”. Although you may think that the hard part of your job search is over; think again….the fun is just beginning.

The fact that you been invited to a face-to-face interview means that you likely possess the knowledge and technical skills required to performed the job that was advertised. The true intent of a face-to-face interview is to determine whether a job candidate has the personality and so called “soft skills” to easily fit in with a company’s corporate culture. Corporate cultures and soft skill expectations vary widely from company to company. That said, it is important to remember that certain types of behavior are expected of ALL job candidates during a face-to-face interview. I discuss a few of these expected behaviors below.

First, regardless of the state of affairs in your personal or professional life, you must always be upbeat and positive. Every person you meet should be greeted with a smile and a comment that goes something like “It is a pleasure to meet you”. Nobody wants to talk with (or possibly work with) a chronically unhappy or negative person. True, there ought to be diversity in the workplace (unhappy people have rights too) but when it comes to a positive attitude it is a requirement in the corporate world. Second, always make eye contact with your interviewers. We are social creatures and not making eye contact may signal to the interviewer that you are either anti-social or lack basic interpersonal communication skills. Further, never interrupt an interviewer when they are asking you a question. Yes, everyone gets excited and wants to show the interviewer how smart they are, but cutting a person off in mid-sentence is not polite nor is it ever appreciated by the person who is talking. Always answer questions directly and honestly. Never exaggerate or stretch the truth (as appealing as it may seem in the moment)….it will likely come back to haunt you in future. Also, do not offer the interviewer more information than is necessary. For example, an interviewer may say “I see that you did your postdoctoral work with Dr. Doolittle at MIT”. An appropriate response to this statement could be something like “Yes, he/she was my supervisor during my 8 years in the lab. An inappropriate response may go something like “Yes I worked with Dr. Doolittle for 8 years and, I have to tell you, it was the worst 8 years of my life because Dr. Doolittle is nuts”. Although Dr Doolittle may actually be nuts, you do not know what the interviewer’s opinion of Dr. Doolittle is and, for all you know, they could be best friends. Which leads me to my next recommendation– never play the name game. What I mean by the name game is illustrated in the following example. An interviewer asks you, “BTW, did you ever work with Dr. Spock while you were working for Dr. Doolittle at MIT?” If you did in fact work with Dr. Spock, an appropriate response may be “Yes, I worked with Dr. Spock on several occasions.” It is never a good idea to share your actual experiences or true feelings (positive or negative) about a person with the interviewer. This is because you do not know what the relationship is between the interviewer and the person whose name was mentioned. In the example with Dr. Spock, it may be that Dr. Spock slept with the interviewer’s spouse (stranger things have happened) a few years ago and saying anything remotely positive about Dr. Spock, in this instance, is highly unlikely to garner you a job offer.

Frequently, candidates either go out to lunch or dinner with company employees who are hosting the interviewing visit. Just because you are no longer talking with these folks onsite, don’t think that you can relax, kick off your shoes and let your hair down. Contrary to popular belief, you are still being carefully scrutinized and evaluated for your social skills and how you might represent the company (if hired) in social situations. That said, follow the lead of your host(s). If he/she orders an alcoholic beverage, then it is perfectly acceptable for you to also order a drink. However, if you tend to “loosen up” after a few drinks (remember; loss lips sink ships) it may be wise to limit or not drink alcohol during the meal. Finally, and surprisingly perhaps most importantly, remember to turn off all electronic devices before you step in the building to begin your interview. In fact, you may want to leave your cell phone in your rental car or briefcase (turned off ) for the entire interview. A ringing cell phone during an interview is a definite “job killer”.

Until next time…..

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Under ideal circumstances, job interviews can be very stressful and emotionally draining. After all, how you perform on a job interview will likely determine whether or not you get an offer for a position. Unfortunately, unless you are an experienced jobseeker, who has has participated in many job interviews, you will likely be taken by surprise at your next one.  To that end, the following tips, when adhered to, will likely help to reduce your stress level at your next job interview and possibly increase your chances of getting a job offer.

• Allow yourself an ample amount of time to arrive on time at your interview; if, for some reason, you are running late (never a good thing) call ahead ASAP and let your host know that an "emergency" or "traffic problem" is responsible for your tardiness. In general, it is a good idea to arrive at an interview 10-15 min early or right on time. Arriving early allows you to relax, assess the interview space and collect your thoughts before the interview begins.
• Bring extra copies of your resume with you. In my experience, most of the people who you meet will not have read or misplaced your CV. By bringing extra copies with you, your prospective employer is likely to think that you are organized, thoughtful and reliable.
• Regardless of what is happening in your life, it is always a good idea to be personable, upbeat and “positive” on a job interview.  I recommend that you greet everyone (no matter what their standing is with the organization) with a smile and a comment that goes something like “It’s a pleasure to meet you”.  Nobody wants to talk (or possibly work with) a disgruntled or unhappy person.
• Always make eye contact when talking with anyone. We are, by nature, social creatures and a lack of eye contact (or an inability to look directly at a person during a conversation) may cause the interviewer to think that you may lack the requisite interpersonal communication skills necessary for the job.
• Don’t offer an interviewer more information than is necessary. Direct and concise answers are appropriate. Also, these types of responses show the interviewer that you can think quickly, clearly and decisively.  Don’t waste an interviewer’s time with rambling, unfocused answers or stories that are not relevant to the question that was asked. They are busy people and have other things that must be accomplished in additional to interviewing you.
•  Answer all questions as honestly and forthrightly as possible.  If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t hmmm and haw simply say so!  However, I recommend that you soften the “I don't know response” with verbiage that resembles: “Pause ….hmmm.....That is a very good question …..Pause....I don't know the answer to that one!  Or you can say: Gee I don't know the answer but perhaps you can give me your ideas on the topic?” Also, by pausing, you may sometimes be able to come up with an answer that originally eluded your when the question was first asked.
• Never interrupt an interviewer when he/she is talking or in the middle of a thought. When appropriate, always allow the interviewer to control the flow and pace of the conversation. This signal to the interviewer that you can act professionally, are a team player and can be easily managed or supervised if you decide to join the organization.
• When eating lunch or dinner with prospective co-workers always act professionally and don't "let it all hang out."  This isn't meant as a time for you to kick back and "level" with the guys and gals. This is a chance for current employees to assess your social skills and offer them  a glimpse of how you may represent the organization if hired. Everything you say or do will ultimately be reported or  find its way to the person who will be your immediate supervisor. Remember; although you are in a social setting, you are still being scrutinized for your professionalism. So, always act responsibly and professionally when dining with prospective co-workers or managers.
•  Never drink alcoholic beverages at lunch (even if your host(s) does) and only at dinner when your host(s) orders a drink first. Also, if you cannot “hold your liquor”, I highly recommend that you don’t drink alcoholic beverages at any during your interview.
•  Ask questions about the company when appropriate. Prospective employers love when job candidates ask questions about the company or their roles in the organization. This shows prospective employers that you have done your homework and are interested in possibly joining the company. Also, it gives you an opportunity to assess a company’s culture and whether or not you will be able to fit in if you decide to join the organization.
• TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES, PAGERS, BLACKBERRY DEVICES and iPHONES when the interview begins and leave them off.  Nobody likes being interrupted during a conversation by a ringing cell phone, blackberry, or pager. If you are so important that you need to be electronically-connected at all times, then you probably don’t need the job that you are interviewing for!
•  Never say anything derogatory or pejorative about anyone when interviewing. In case you haven’t noticed, the scientific community is a small one and chances are that one or more of people you meet will know some of the same people that you do!  Everyone loves to gossip so be careful about what you say and how you say it!
• Interview to win! Receiving one or more job offers likely indicates that you are qualified for a job and your interviewing skills are good. Multiple interviews without offers signal that something may be wrong with your interviewing skills or technique. If this is the case, I urge you to seek a career coach who specializes in mock interview training.

Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect. That said, the more job interviews that you go on, the more experienced you will become and the more job offers you will likely receive.  

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Life sciences employers ranging from academic institution to private sector companies are increasingly turning to telephone interviews as an initial means to screen prospective job candidates. While in many instances these interviews are perfunctory, they are conducted for two main reasons. First, the employer wants to verify that the information presented by the candidate in his/her curriculum vitae is correct and accurate. Second, and perhaps more importantly, to determine whether or not a candidate has sufficient oral communications skills that warrant the cost necessary to bring a candidate in for a face-to-face on site interview. 

The use of telephone interviews has become increasingly popular because of the escalating costs associated with bringing candidates in for onsite interviews and a growing number of foreign born applicants applying for life sciences jobs. Put simply, a prospective employer can easily determine an applicant’s command of the English language and his/her immigration status in a telephone interview. Both immigration status (permanent resident or citizenship) and outstanding command of the English language have become of paramount importance to most life sciences employers over the past five years or so. However, it is important to note, that individual employers place different emphasis on the qualifications and skills of applicants for different job opportunities within an organization.

Like it or not, you may find yourself in the position of having to participate in a telephone interview before a decision is made on whether or not you may be invited to visit for an onsite interview. To that end, Pete Kistler, CEO of Brand-Yourself.com, recently posted a great piece that describes how to best prepare for a phone interview. He offers seven easy-to-follow tips that are likely to increase the probability of a visit for an onsite interview.

1. Use a landline. You don’t want to risk having problems with cell phone service. It is irritating for employers to conduct interviews if the call breaks up frequently or is dropped completely. If you don’t have a land line at home, just make sure you are in an area with as much cell phone service as possible. Do what you can so the process runs as smooth as possible.

2. Keep your materials handy. In fact, lay everything out in front of you. This includes your resume, notes about your career objective (even if it isn’t included in your original cover letter it’s a good idea to have this out depending on the questions he will ask you), a pen and pad of paper for note-taking and anything else you think may be helpful during your interview. Because you won’t have to schlep into an office, you can have anything out in front of you to aid with your success.

3. Steer clear of distractions. Find a quiet place to interview and stay there! There shouldn’t be any noise in the background to distract you or your potential employer. However, it is understandable that this can be tricky if you have young children at home who need your attention. When you set up your interview appointment, try to schedule it for as precise a time or window as possible. That way, you are able to avoid possible distractions (ex.: your phone interview is between 4 and 4:30, so no one can have company over during that time, the kids are fed and occupied or a sitter will watch them, if need be.)

4. Speak slowly and clearly. When you speak to people face-to-face, you are able to understand what they are saying more clearly because you can see their mouth move. So in a way, you are reading their lips! Neither you nor your potential employer will be able to do this over the phone of course, so speak clearly and a little bit more slowly than you would if you were talking to this person in person. If you can’t hear him, drop hints that he isn’t speaking clearly or loud enough by politely asking him to repeat himself. If this makes you uncomfortable at all you can always blame it on your phone: “I’m really sorry, it’s hard to hear you, the volume on my phone just won’t go up!”

5. Remember – you can’t be seen. That means that anything you say cannot be interpreted by your body language. Beware of jokes or sarcastic remarks that would have been harmless had he seen your facial expression. Maintain your professionalism; stay on target with the interview topics and focus on the key information about you that will get you hired.

6. No eating, drinking or chewing gum! This is self-explanatory. But, we humans are creatures of habit and might pop a potato chip in our mouths at just the wrong moment. However, when I say no eating or drinking I mean during the phone interview. You should eat beforehand to get your brain going so you can focus.

7. Prepare questions ahead of time. Just like in a personal interview, prepare a few questions to ask your potential employer at the end of your phone interview. Some examples are:

“What is the start date for the opportunity?”

“What software/equipment would I be using?”

Remember – do not ask about salary or benefits until the employer has brought it up.

Fortunately, it can be less intimidating interviewing over the phone with these telephone interview tips and you may even feel more confident that you’ll do well. Great! As long as you are fully prepared and take the necessary precautions, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a successful phone interview.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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Now that the economy is improving and the job market is loosening up a bit, the likelihood of a face-to-face job interview is increasing. The folks over at Best Online Colleges recently sent me a post about common mistakes made during job interviews and how to avoid them. While some of the proffered suggestions and tips overlap with some of my own, there are several that are new and novel and worth considering. 

Like most other things in life, practicing your interviewing skills will improve your performance and increase the probability of receiving a job offer. That said, take a look the list and see whether or not you can avoid these oft time embarrassing mistakes during your next face-to-face.

1. Forgetting the name of your interviewer
   Often times, a company will give you the name of your interviewer when it contacts you to set up an interview. In these cases, not knowing their name as you set foot in their office is inexcusable. If first impressions are everything, then you’ve scored a zero before the process has even started. Be sure to memorize their name as soon as you get it, and if you forget, look for clues in their office – like a nameplate.
2. Succumbing to your nerves
   Remember that you aren’t facing a firing squad – your life isn’t at stake, so don’t act like it. What’s the worst that could happen? You won’t get the job you already didn’t have? Don’t work yourself into a panic. Vomiting on your interviewer’s desk, sweating like an NBA basketball player or shaking like you’re sitting in a 727 that’s hitting turbulence are way worse than a couple of stutters. Clear your mind beforehand and keep things in perspective.
3. Relaxing too much
   If you have too much perspective – or just nerves of steel – don’t make it apparent by propping your feet up on your interviewer’s desk, for example. Don’t make inappropriate jokes or inane comments. Unless instructed otherwise, you should act formally and business-like. Your behavior should be 100 percent professional. More likely than not, they’ll judge you based on how you act during that short period of time.
4. Divulging too much
   In the haste to appear as open as possible, many interviewees tend to give too much information. But honesty isn’t always the best policy. Your prospective employer doesn’t need to know about the three-month-long coke binder you went on after freshman year. They don’t want to hear about how your previous boss did his best to imitate Bill Lumbergh. Only disclose what they need to hear related to your performance as an employee.
5. Coming empty-handed and empty-minded
   Don’t give your interviewer the impression that you didn’t take any time to prepare before meeting with them. They’ve done their homework and they expect you to do yours. It’s essential that you study the company. How’s it performing? What’s its mission? How does the position for which you’re applying fit into the grand scheme of things? Be sure to bring additional copies of your resume, a list of your professional references, the job posting (if possible), and a pen and notepad.
6. Transforming into a phony salesman
   No interviewer likes a phony – unless of course your prospective job title is “phony salesman.” But in most cases, acting overly-enthusiastic can be off-putting. They know you really want the job. You don’t have to pretend it’s the best job in the history of jobs. And don’t exaggerate your abilities. If you try too hard to say what your interviewer wants to hear, they’ll know.
7. Cell interruption
   There’s nothing ruder than a noisy cell phone chiming in during an exchange with your interviewer. Silence your phone before entering the building. Mom’s “Good Luck <3" text message will still be there after the interview and the sentiment will remain the same.
8. Succumbing to your ADD
   The worst is when an interviewer gives a long-winded information-filled speech and you’ve only managed to absorb the first sentence. Take a deep breath, slow your racing mind and give them your full attention. You don’t want to respond with a blank stare when they ask if you have any questions.

Hat tip to Best Online Colleges!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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If you would have asked me that question before I became a professional recruiter and hiring manager, I would have suggested that body language plays a minimal role in the success or failure of a face-to-face job interview or business meeting. However, over the years, I have come to realize that body language is extremely important; and it may be the deciding factor in whether or not a job offer is proffered or a business deal is consummated.

To that end, Celina Jacobsen from the Career Overview Blog sent me a link to one of their posts. While much of the post wasn’t germane to life sciences career development, parts of it were spot on with regard to the importance of body language during job interviews and business meetings. With this in mind, I reproduced parts of the post that I think would be useful to BioJobBlog readers for career development insights.

Body Language and the Job Interview

Pay attention to your body language using these tips to ensure you are giving the best impression during a job interview.

1. Handshake. Everyone knows that a handshake is an important element of first impressions. Offer a firm handshake that shows confidence in yourself.
2. Don’t cross arms and legs. Crossing your arms or legs is seen as a defensive position and is not what you want to present to your prospective employer.
3. Sit or stand with legs slightly apart. When you sit or stand with your legs slightly apart, this gives the impression that you are self-confident.
4. Keep your hands and legs still. Fidgeting exudes nervousness. Instead, keep your hands relaxed in your lap and be aware of what your legs are doing.
5. Chair movement. If you are sitting in a chair that swivels, be sure you aren’t accidentally turning back and forth as it can be distracting and also makes you appear nervous.
6. Voice tone. Be aware of your voice tone qualities. Don’t be monotonous, yet don’t let your voice tone vary to such extremes that you sound excited or nervous. One helpful tip is to take a deep breath before speaking.
7. Be aware of the interviewer’s body language. Pay attention to what the person interviewing you is saying through her body language. Not only can you determine if she is interested in what you have to offer, you can also match your body language to the level of formality.
8. Palms up. Use hand gestures that keep your palms up, which indicate you are open and friendly. Gestures with palms down tell the interviewer that you may be dominant or aggressive.
9. Keep eyes focused. Shifty eyes moving all around the room will give your prospective employer the feeling that you are being dishonest, or at best, uncomfortable.
10. Active listening. Be an active listener during the interview. Make eye contact, nod your head while others are speaking, and interject a few verbal acknowledgements such as "yes" or "I see."

Body Language in Business and Career Development

What you say with your body language can convey as much to your business colleagues as your words. Learn how to manage your body language in a business setting to help promote your career.

11. Relax your shoulders. When many people feel tension, they pull up their shoulders. Be conscious of this and relax your shoulders. Not only will this help prevent neck and back pain, it makes you appear less stressed, too.
12. Be mindful of your head position. Holding your head level both vertically and horizontally indicates confidence and asks others to take you seriously. If you want to show that you are listening and open to the other person, tilt your head slightly to one side.
13. Use your hands. Hanging your hands down by your side during a presentation indicates depression. Instead, keep your hands active and use gestures to show involvement and energy.
14. Remove the opportunity for eye contact in conflict. If negotiations have turned sour or co-workers are disagreeing, moving them to a different form of communication that does not involve eye contact, such as email or IM, may diffuse the situation and allow for a better flow of communication.
15. Keep your hands out of your pockets. Standing with your hands in your pockets may send several signals to those around you, probably none of them what you intend. Unless you are trying to look less confident, as if you are holding yourself back, you are bored, or you are hiding something, then take your hands out of your pockets.
16. Women, learn the "business gaze". For women, a key element to being taken seriously is the "business gaze" or holding your line of sight on the area from the eyes to the mid-forehead. A gaze held lower indicates a more "social gaze."
17. Make eye contact with everyone. If you are in a meeting or giving a presentation, make it a point to make eye contact with each one of the people involved (unless it’s a packed house and physically impossible to do).
18. Watch your stance. Standing in a commando stance, with legs spread and hands on hips, tells others you are feeling disapproving, superior or are arrogant.
19. Keep your hands from behind your head. Sitting back with your hands clasped behind your head is another position that communicates arrogance or superiority.
20. Interruptions. If you are in the middle of a conversation with a superior or in a meeting that has been interrupted, it is best to look away from the person dealing with the interruption in an effort to give them privacy and to indicate you have disengaged yourself from something that is not your business.

I hope that you found these tips useful and apply them to your next job interview or business meetings.

Hat tip to CareerOverview.com

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

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In previous posts, I have mainly focused on job search strategies and behaviors designed to increase the likelihood of either getting a face-to-face job interview or a job offer. 

Today, I want to focus on behaviors and strategies that jobseekers must AVOID at all costs during a job search. In a CareerBuilder.com poll, more than 3,000 hiring managers and human resources professionals were asked to identify some of the more egregious mistakes that jobseekers (most notably recent college graduates) making during the application and interviewing process. Poll results per centages and associated commentary and advice were originally posted on the Pongo Resume blog.

1. Acting bored or cocky (69%)
This sounds familiar. We had someone interviewing at Pongo recently who seemed pretty good, but two or three people used the word "cocky" to describe the person's attitude. (Our managers, like those at many companies, solicit opinions from everybody who comes in contact with a job candidate, not just those in the interview room – hint, hint.) If you're a new college graduate, it's important to realize that you may have been the coolest kid on campus a few months ago, but today you’re an unproven beginner. A positive, respectful attitude is one way to set you apart. Confident = good. Cocky = bad.

2. Not dressing appropriately (65%)
Your interview attire, like your attitude, says a lot about whether you're serious about proving yourself, or just think you're entitled to the job because you're you. Your clothing should be clean, pressed, and modest. As they say in middle school, no visible boxers, bellies, or boobs.
 
3. Coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company (59%)
There's no excuse for not researching an organization that's considering hiring you. They have a web site; use it to learn what they do, who they are, what they specialize in. Google the executives' names (after all, they'll be Googling you; see #8, below). 

4. Not turning off cell phones or electronic devices (57%)
Frankly, I'm surprised this isn’t No. 1. If you accidentally leave your phone on and it rings during the interview, don't get flustered and start babbling, "OMG, I can't believe I did that!" Offer a brief, sincere apology, turn off the phone (without checking who it is), then carry on professionally as if nothing happened.

5. Not asking good questions during the interview (50%)
If you don't ask anything, you must not be interested. That's what the hiring manager will assume. This is a place where you supposedly want to spend most of your waking hours for the next couple years or more. You must want to know something. Besides, there are certain questions you should always ask.

6. Asking what the pay is before the company considered them for the job (39%)
Mentioning salary in a first interview is like asking your crush what s/he plans to spend on you during your relationship – before you've even agreed on a second date. You have to flirt and make sure they're attracted to you before you ask about a financial commitment.

7. Spamming employers with the same resume and/or cover letter (23%)
This guy John really, really wants to work for Company A, so he applies for every job opening Company A posts, whether he's qualified or not. Annoyed by John's never-ending resume spam, Company A's recruiters unofficially blacklist him (although if asked, they'll deny it). Don't be like John. Tailor your resume for the one or two jobs at your target company that align with your skills.

8. Failure to remove unprofessional photos/content from social networking pages, Web pages, blogs, etc. (20%)
Dude, you will be Googled. Employers today use every means at their disposal to uncover red flags that might foretell a bad hire. So, hide all Internet evidence of your past (and present) indiscretions.

While many of these not-so-smart behaviors may appear to be obvious, the percentages of new jobseekers who engage in them would suggest otherwise. The job market is extremely tight at the moment and the competition for jobs is the fiercest it has been in last 50 years. Don’t give hiring managers an excuse to not hire you by engaging in the above mentioned behaviors and practices!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Life sciences employers ranging from academic institution to private sector companies are increasingly turning to telephone interviews as an initial means to screen prospective job candidates. While in many instances these interviews are perfunctory, they are conducted for two main reasons. First, the employer wants to verify that the information presented by the candidate in his/her curriculum vitae is correct and accurate. Second, and perhaps more importantly, to determine whether or not a candidate has sufficient oral communications skills that warrant the cost necessary to bring a candidate in for a face-to-face on site interview. 

The use of telephone interviews has become increasingly popular because of the escalating costs associated with bringing candidates in for onsite interviews and a growing number of foreign born applicants applying for life sciences jobs. Put simply, a prospective employer can easily determine an applicant’s command of the English language and his/her immigration status in a telephone interview. Both immigration status (permanent resident or citizenship) and outstanding command of the English language have become of paramount importance to most life sciences employers over the past five years or so. However, it is important to note, that individual employers place different emphasis on the qualifications and skills of applicants for different job opportunities within an organization.

Like it or not, you may find yourself in the position of having to participate in a telephone interview before a decision is made on whether or not you may be invited to visit for an onsite interview. To that end, Pete Kistler, CEO of Brand-Yourself.com, recently posted a great piece that describes how to best prepare for a phone interview. He offers seven easy-to-follow tips that are likely to increase the probability of a visit for an onsite interview.

1. Use a landline. You don’t want to risk having problems with cell phone service. It is irritating for employers to conduct interviews if the call breaks up frequently or is dropped completely. If you don’t have a land line at home, just make sure you are in an area with as much cell phone service as possible. Do what you can so the process runs as smooth as possible.

2. Keep your materials handy. In fact, lay everything out in front of you. This includes your resume, notes about your career objective (even if it isn’t included in your original cover letter it’s a good idea to have this out depending on the questions he will ask you), a pen and pad of paper for note-taking and anything else you think may be helpful during your interview. Because you won’t have to schlep into an office, you can have anything out in front of you to aid with your success.

3. Steer clear of distractions. Find a quiet place to interview and stay there! There shouldn’t be any noise in the background to distract you or your potential employer. However, it is understandable that this can be tricky if you have young children at home who need your attention. When you set up your interview appointment, try to schedule it for as precise a time or window as possible. That way, you are able to avoid possible distractions (ex.: your phone interview is between 4 and 4:30, so no one can have company over during that time, the kids are fed and occupied or a sitter will watch them, if need be.)

4. Speak slowly and clearly. When you speak to people face-to-face, you are able to understand what they are saying more clearly because you can see their mouth move. So in a way, you are reading their lips! Neither you nor your potential employer will be able to do this over the phone of course, so speak clearly and a little bit more slowly than you would if you were talking to this person in person. If you can’t hear him, drop hints that he isn’t speaking clearly or loud enough by politely asking him to repeat himself. If this makes you uncomfortable at all you can always blame it on your phone: “I’m really sorry, it’s hard to hear you, the volume on my phone just won’t go up!”

5. Remember – you can’t be seen. That means that anything you say cannot be interpreted by your body language. Beware of jokes or sarcastic remarks that would have been harmless had he seen your facial expression. Maintain your professionalism; stay on target with the interview topics and focus on the key information about you that will get you hired.

6. No eating, drinking or chewing gum! This is self-explanatory. But, we humans are creatures of habit and might pop a potato chip in our mouths at just the wrong moment. However, when I say no eating or drinking I mean during the phone interview. You should eat beforehand to get your brain going so you can focus.

7. Prepare questions ahead of time. Just like in a personal interview, prepare a few questions to ask your potential employer at the end of your phone interview. Some examples are:

“What is the start date for the opportunity?”

“What software/equipment would I be using?”

Remember – do not ask about salary or benefits until the employer has brought it up.

Fortunately, it can be less intimidating interviewing over the phone with these telephone interview tips and you may even feel more confident that you’ll do well. Great! As long as you are fully prepared and take the necessary precautions, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a successful phone interview.

Until next time....

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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Under ideal circumstances, job interviews can be very stressful and emotionally draining. After all, how you perform on a job interview will likely determine whether or not you get an offer for a position. Unfortunately, unless you are an experienced jobseeker, who has has participated in many job interviews, you will likely be taken by surprise at your next one.  To that end, the following tips, when adhered to, will likely help to reduce your stress level at your next job interview and possibly increase your chances of getting a job offer.

• Allow yourself an ample amount of time to arrive on time at your interview; if, for some reason, you are running late (never a good thing) call ahead ASAP and let your host know that an "emergency" or "traffic problem" is responsible for your tardiness. In general, it is a good idea to arrive at an interview 10-15 min early or right on time. Arriving early allows you to relax, assess the interview space and collect your thoughts before the interview begins.
• Bring extra copies of your resume with you. In my experience, most of the people who you meet will not have read or misplaced your CV. By bringing extra copies with you, your prospective employer is likely to think that you are organized, thoughtful and reliable.
• Regardless of what is happening in your life, it is always a good idea to be personable, upbeat and “positive” on a job interview.  I recommend that you greet everyone (no matter what their standing is with the organization) with a smile and a comment that goes something like “It’s a pleasure to meet you”.  Nobody wants to talk (or possibly work with) a disgruntled or unhappy person.
• Always make eye contact when talking with anyone. We are, by nature, social creatures and a lack of eye contact (or an inability to look directly at a person during a conversation) may cause the interviewer to think that you may lack the requisite interpersonal communication skills necessary for the job.
• Don’t offer an interviewer more information than is necessary. Direct and concise answers are appropriate. Also, these types of responses show the interviewer that you can think quickly, clearly and decisively.  Don’t waste an interviewer’s time with rambling, unfocused answers or stories that are not relevant to the question that was asked. They are busy people and have other things that must be accomplished in additional to interviewing you.
•  Answer all questions as honestly and forthrightly as possible.  If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t hmmm and haw simply say so!  However, I recommend that you soften the “I don't know response” with verbiage that resembles: “Pause ….hmmm.....That is a very good question …..Pause....I don't know the answer to that one!  Or you can say: Gee I don't know the answer but perhaps you can give me your ideas on the topic?” Also, by pausing, you may sometimes be able to come up with an answer that originally eluded your when the question was first asked.
• Never interrupt an interviewer when he/she is talking or in the middle of a thought. When appropriate, always allow the interviewer to control the flow and pace of the conversation. This signal to the interviewer that you can act professionally, are a team player and can be easily managed or supervised if you decide to join the organization.
• When eating lunch or dinner with prospective co-workers always act professionally and don't "let it all hang out."  This isn't meant as a time for you to kick back and "level" with the guys and gals. This is a chance for current employees to assess your social skills and offer them  a glimpse of how you may represent the organization if hired. Everything you say or do will ultimately be reported or  find its way to the person who will be your immediate supervisor. Remember; although you are in a social setting, you are still being scrutinized for your professionalism. So, always act responsibly and professionally when dining with prospective co-workers or managers.
•  Never drink alcoholic beverages at lunch (even if your host(s) does) and only at dinner when your host(s) orders a drink first. Also, if you cannot “hold your liquor”, I highly recommend that you don’t drink alcoholic beverages at any during your interview.
•  Ask questions about the company when appropriate. Prospective employers love when job candidates ask questions about the company or their roles in the organization. This shows prospective employers that you have done your homework and are interested in possibly joining the company. Also, it gives you an opportunity to assess a company’s culture and whether or not you will be able to fit in if you decide to join the organization.
• TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES, PAGERS, BLACKBERRY DEVICES and iPHONES when the interview begins and leave them off.  Nobody likes being interrupted during a conversation by a ringing cell phone, blackberry, or pager. If you are so important that you need to be electronically-connected at all times, then you probably don’t need the job that you are interviewing for!
•  Never say anything derogatory or pejorative about anyone when interviewing. In case you haven’t noticed, the scientific community is a small one and chances are that one or more of people you meet will know some of the same people that you do!  Everyone loves to gossip so be careful about what you say and how you say it!
• Interview to win! Receiving one or more job offers likely indicates that you are qualified for a job and your interviewing skills are good. Multiple interviews without offers signal that something may be wrong with your interviewing skills or technique. If this is the case, I urge you to seek a career coach who specializes in mock interview training.

Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect. That said, the more job interviews that you go on, the more experienced you will become and the more job offers you will likely receive.  

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Like it or not, the best way to land a new job whether or not there is a recession is to network. While career counselors and recruiters trumpet the virtues of networking to job seekers, many people really don't understand what it is or how to do it correctly. I found an outstanding article that demystifies networking and offers tips on how to excel at it. 

For many scientists, online networking is ideal because they frequently lack the requisite skills to effectively network in real life situations. Until recently, face-to-face networking at conferences or "professional social events" was the only way to effectively network. However, the advent of web-based social networks allows job seekers to eschew the awkwardness and time requirements for  one-on-one networking in favor of a more convenient and less-threatening online experience. BioCrowd, a new online social network for scientists and other bioprofessionals, was created to help scientists advance their careers and find new jobs. While BioCrowd and similar online networking sites can help scientists make connections, it is still the face-to-face networking experience that will ultimately  help them land new jobs!

Because networking is not taught or emphasized in graduate school, it is not surprising that many graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are notoriously poor “networkers.” That said, for those of you who recognize the importance of networking and want hone your networking skills, Contacts Count a Maryland-based network training company may be worth a visit. I have no doubt that there other organizations and companies out there that specialize in network training. If you find any, let me know and I will gladly post them!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting

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After returning from a job interview, the most frequently asked question by your colleagues and friends is likely to be “So how did it go.” Unfortunately, in most cases, the answers that you provide are purely speculative because the only people who really know whether your interview was successful or not is the hiring manager who interviewed you. That said, are there any telltale signs that your interview went well and that a job offer may be in your future? Peggy McKee over at the Medical Sales Recruiter blog came across an informative post  that may provide some answers. 

FYI, in my experience as a professional recruiter, the best indicator that a job candidate’s face-to-face was a winner, was a rapid response (usually a telephone call) from the hiring manager. Since many of you will likely not be working with a recruiter, read and learn!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!

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When I was a professional recruiter, I would always call my candidates the day before a scheduled face-to-face job interview to: 1) confirm the interview location and start time 2) insure that the candidate clearly understood the interviewing process and the schedule that he/she would be following and 3) to pump them up by giving them a pep talk reminding them how qualified they were for the position. Although most  of my candidates thought I was just me being nice, I really had ulterior motives (since I was a contingency recruiter and their performance could mean the difference between a paycheck or not). Further, I wanted to confirm that in addition to being mentally prepared, that my candidates were also physically ready for the interview i.e. they were wearing the appropriate clothes and shoes, knew exactly how they were going to get to the interview, made sure that all cell phones and beepers were turned off during the interview etc, etc.  As everybody knows (but is reluctant to admit) looks and image really do count when it comes to finding a job!

Many recruiters I know send their candidates an interview physical appearance preparedness checklist that they are instructed to follow before they leave their homes for a job interview. Of course, most candidates never bother to read the checklist (who wants to read stuff that you think is obvious?). And, not surprisingly, many candidates don’t get job offers because they were physically unprepared for their face-to-face.

Times have changed drastically since I was a professional recruiter. However, one thing that has remained unchanged is the need to be physically presentable and to act professionally at all times during a face-to-face job interview. Coincidentally, I came across an online “interview image quiz " that assesses whether you are physically and professionally prepared for your next face-to-face.

Check it out—you may learn a thing or two (and possibly get a job offer!)

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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As we all know (or should by now) the face-to-face interview is the most important part of any job search. I and others have lectured and written exhaustively on appropriate interviewing behaviors and the requisite skills that must be developed to become a successful interviewee. However, it is important to point out that you are not the only person in the room during an interview—let’s not forget about the interviewer! To that end, little has been written about the types of interviewers that a job candidate may encounter during the face-to-face. As somebody once advised me, knowing your “enemy” can go a long way to insure success. 

With this in mind, I came across an informative article that describes 6 different types of interviewers that job candidates can expect to encounter during a face-to-face job interview. More importantly, the author provides insightful tips on how to manage each of them. As an aside, I have encountered each of the six types during my long and illustrious quest for my dream job.

If you have an upcoming job interview, I highly recommend that you read the article. It may make the difference between a job offer or not.

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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With the price of gas and travel skyrocketing, many companies are cutting back on the number of face-to-face job interviews that they conduct. Instead, companies are resorting to alternate interviewing strategies that include multiple phone interviews, videoconferencing interviews and yes, even virtual interviews (check out Second Life) —how cool is that!!!! 

This means that job candidates must adapt to these new format in order to remain competitive. I came across an article that discusses how to approach and successfully manage these new interviewing formats.

Just remember to keep those wings and halos to a minimum during your next virtual interview!!!!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

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When I was working as a recruiter, I always called my candidates a day before a scheduled face-to-face job interview. I did this to reassure them, build confidence and provide them with any insights that I may have had regarding the hiring manager or the job. But, more importantly, I called to insure that they were adequately prepared to go on the interview. I typically talked with them about dress, interview etiquette, cell phone usage, body language etc. Sometimes, when I was concerned about particular candidates, I even sent (via fax or e-mail) an interview preparation checklist. 

Although I am not a big fan of checklists, many people find them useful! To that end, I discovered this . The notion of taking an online interview preparedness quiz may seem silly to many of you, but I can tell you with certainty that I had more than one highly qualified candidate fail to get a job offer because they were poorly dressed, didn’t turn off cell phones or incapable of making eye-contact during their face-to-face. 

The quiz takes about 5 minutes to complete and there are interview tidbits embedded in every answer. You can even take it on your Blackberry, Sidekick or cell phone of choice! It may make the difference between a job offer or not.

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!

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The hard work you that invested in your resume has finally paid off–you just received a call from the ACME Biotech’s Human Resources Department inquiring about your availability for a face-to-face interview with the company. After about 30 seconds of elation and joy, fear and anxiety begin to creep into your psyche-“OMG, an interview, this is my first one, what am I going to do?” 

As you all should know by now, a job interview is typically the pivotal event in any job search. Your performance on a job interview will likely be the different between a job offer or not. That said, you must be adequately prepared for all of yourjob interviews (even the ones that you think you don’t want) if you expect to receive job offers. Unlike stand-up comedy where improvisation has its place, ad libing or “shooting from the hip” during a job interview is dangerous and can yield disastrous results. Like everything else in life–practice makes perfect! So how does one prepare for a productive and successful job interview?

Scheduling An Interview

Typically, during your initial phone call, an HR representative will offer you several dates and times for an interview. I highly recommend that you refrain from verbally accepting the first date and time that the representative offers. Instead, thank him/her for the proffered dates and times and indicate that you will get back to them shortly regarding your availability. It is wise to use this approach because, at this stage of the job search process, there is a huge imbalance in the relationship between an employer and job candidate. Put simply, at this point, the employer has the power–without an offer you cannot work at the company! By delaying your response, you are signaling to the company that you (like their employees) are a busy person with a full schedule. Further, it suggests to a hiring manager that you may have other job interviews and that you’re “not desperate” for the job. Whether your level of desperation is high or low is irrelevant. The purpose of this tactic is to attempt to tip the balance of power in your favor–something that will be important in negotiations if a job offer is extended.

After you have decided which of the proposed interview dates and times is most convenient for you, call the company back to schedule the interview. Obviously, if there are scheduling conflicts surrounding the date that you chose, you must be flexible enough to accommodate the company. If your interview requires air travel, I highly recommend that you arrive a day before your interview. Arriving the evening before is okay but if you flight is delayed or cancelled you may be out of luck! Likewise, if the interview requires that you drive more than 2 hours, I highly recommend that you arrive at the interview destination the evening before. Again, if you wait until the day of the interview to travel, heavy traffic, weather conditions, road closures or car problems may prevent you from arriving to your interview on time.

Interview Preparation

Once the interview date has been scheduled, you must begin to prepare, in earnest, for the actual face-to-face. This will require a fair amount of work on your part. That said, you must allocate a sufficient amount of time from your otherwise busy schedule to accomplish this task. Leaving it to the day before your interview is not a good idea!

First, you must thoroughly research the company to find out: 1) what they do, 2) how they do it and 3) who is in charge. A facile way to accomplish this is to visit company websites, read press releases and blog posts and chat with current or former employees. Another way, if the company is publicly traded, is to read a company’s annual stock holders report. 

Typically, during a job interview, you will meet and chat with a variety of individuals ranging from co-workers to managers to company executives. It is vitally important that you craft a list of questions that you can ask all of interviewers that you will meet. This signals to a prospective employer that you “did your homework” and that you are interested in the job that you are interviewing for. It also provides them with insight into your work habits, skill sets and the level of detail that you might bring to the company if you are offered a job. If you don’t ask any questions, it might appear that you are not seriously interested in the job or the company. Nevertheless, it is critically important to remember that a job interview is a fact finding mission for the both the company and job candidate. Both parties need to be convinced that they are a fit before a job offer is extended.

I have listed below several questions that you might ask various individuals during a face-to-face job interview:

Hiring Manager (your future boss)

• What are the most important skills for the job?
• What type of person are you looking for?
• What is the typically career path for individuals hired into this position?

Company Executives (the big kahunas)

• Why does this company have an edge over competitors?
• Where do you see the industry moving in the next five years?
• When do you anticipate that your lead product will hit the market?
• What are the company’s biggest challenges and how will the company meet them?

Coworkers (the guys in the trenches)

• What is a typically day like for you?
• What is the company culture like?
• What do you like most about your job?
• What challenges do you face at the company?

In addition to the questions that you will ask, you must prepare answers to a serious of questions that company representative will undoubtedly ask you during your interview.   I will cover those in my next post.

Interview Appearance and Wardrobes

Surprisingly, choosing what to wear for an interview is not as easy at it might seem. The bioscience industry is a very conservative one–not as traditional or “stuffy” as the banking industry but not as free-wheeling at the advertising biz. When in doubt, it is better to trend toward the conservative rather than the flamboyant. Like many other things in life, interview appearances and wardrobe choices are much simpler for men than women. Listed below are some of my recommendations on how to look and what to wear on a job interview.

For Men 

• Always wear a sports jacket or suit and tie to the interview and dinners that you may attend (never wear shorts, blue jeans or other informal attire)
• Get a haircut
• Shave (unless you have a full beard) the morning of the interview
• Don’t wear an overpowering deodorant or cologne
• Make sure that your shoes are polished and match your outfit (do not wear sandals or Birkenstocks)
• Take off your earrings, nose studs and other piercings
• Cover all tattoos and other body art

For Women

• Wear a suit (with pants or skirt)
• If you wear a skirt, make sure it is an appropriate length (miniskirts may get you looks but usually not the job)
• Don’t wear low cut blouses (again, you might get looks but not the job)
• Wear an appropriate amount of make up
• Decide on a hairstyle (don’t wait until the morning of the interview to decide!)
• Make sure that your shoe choice is appropriate (4”-6 “heels may not be a good idea)
• Wear a subtle (not overpowering) perfume
• Don’t wear nose studs or rings or other piercings (earrings are, of course, acceptable)
• Cover all tattoos and other body art

Look for my next post on interviewing to learn how to behave, act and react on the day of your interview!!!!

Until next time….

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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