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CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS TO THE INTERVIEWER?

8/27/2012

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During the interview, the Interviewer will ask questions about your knowledge and your
experience and perhaps even some personal questions.

As candidates, we have to sell ourselves and be on our best behavior. We sell ourselves the best we can to get that job. The Interviewer has to like you to either hire you outright or to advance you to the next step in the interviewing process.

The question now is, “Why can’t I ask questions of the interviewer to see if I like the company?”  Have you thought of that? We are so desperate for a job that we forget that small factor. We say we will take any job that is out there. Why?  The question at the end of the day is “Do I like the job that is being offered to me?  Some people say, “It doesn’t matter to me. It’s a JOB!”

Take on a new attitude. It’s perfectly appropriate to try to determine if the company or this job fits your needs, to see if you like the employer and the company.  Here are some examples of questions you can ask.  

  1. Where do you see me 3 years from now?
  2. How long have you been with the company?
  3. What direction do you see the company going in? (Is the company planning to expand within the next few years?)
  4. What is a typical day for this position?
5.  What is the next step in the interviewing process?

Don’t bombard them with a lot of questions - just ask the ones that are most important to you.  And always try to relate your question with your experience so that they can see how you fit in.  For example: 

YOUR QUESTION: “Where do you see me in 3 years from now?”

INTERVIEWER’S REPLY: “As you gain more experience in this position, you will be able to take on more responsibility.”

YOUR RESPONSE: “That is terrific. I am looking for a stable company like yours, one which offers me a career, not just a job.  Your company sounds as though it will give me that opportunity.”

This elevates the interview from a question and answer session to a conversation, and you will be more likely to favorably impress them.

This is just one example of how asking questions in the proper way will enhance your chances of getting the job. 

YES YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS!

Good luck!

2011- Cindy Cannon – All rights reserved. ©
Reprint Permission Granted* - See details below

*Permission is granted to reprint this article provided that the bio on the side and contact information are included in the publication and a copy of the reprinted article or a link to it is emailed to cindy@gmgweb.com

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June 29th, 2012

6/29/2012

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I just taught a class on resume writing and I have decided to share the key points with you.

Key Points: How to write a resume What to do and what not to do.

Writing a resume is describing who you are in 2 pages or less. Resume objective is to get an interview. It is an advertisement of who the person is. Research also tells us that your resume will be quickly scanned, somewhere between 10 to 18 seconds when someone reads it.  This means the decision to interview a candidate is usually based on an overall first impression of the resume, a quick screening that so impresses the reader and convinces them of the candidate's qualifications that an interview results. As a result, the top half of the first page of your resume will either make or break you. By the time they have read the first few lines, you have either caught their interest, or your resume has failed. That is why we say that your resume is an ad. You hope it will have the same result as a well-written ad: to get the reader to respond to you.

If you ask 10 people how to write a resume you will get 10 different answers.

Here are some general facts:

If you are applying for several different positions, you should adapt your resume to each one. There is nothing wrong with having several different resumes, each with a different objective, each specifically crafted for a different type of position. You may even want to change some parts of your resume for each job you apply for. Have an objective that is perfectly matched with the job you are applying for. Remember, you are writing advertising copy, not your life story.


The "summary" or "summary of qualifications" consists of several concise statements that focus the reader's attention on the most important qualities, achievements and abilities you have to offer. Those qualities should be the most compelling demonstrations of why they should hire you instead of the other candidates.    

How to write a summary?

The most common ingredients of a well-written summary are as follows. 

  • A short phrase describing your profession
  • Followed by a statement of broad or specialized expertise
  • Followed by two or three additional statements related to any of the following:
    • Breadth or depth of skills
    • A special or well-documented accomplishment
    • A history of awards, promotions, or superior performance commendations
  • One or more professional or appropriate personal characteristics
  • A sentence describing professional objective or interest.
  • Skills and accomplishments
  • Areas of expertise
  • Career highlights
  • Professional highlights
List your current and past jobs in reverse chronological order. (Most recent first.) Don't go into detail on the jobs early in your career; focus on the most recent and/or relevant jobs. Go back around 10 to 15 years of experience. A resume should never be longer than 2 pages.

Education: List education in reverse chronological order, degrees or licenses first, followed by certificates and advanced training. Set degrees apart so they are easily seen. Put in boldface whatever will be most impressive. Don't include any details about college except your major and distinctions or awards you have won, unless you are still in college or just recently graduated. Include grade-point average only if over 3.4. List selected course work if this will help convince the reader of your qualifications for the targeted job.

Do include advanced training.

It has focus. A resume needs an initial focus to help the reader understand immediately. Don't make the reader go through the whole resume to figure out what your profession is and what you can do. Think of the resume as an essay with a title and a summary opening sentence.  

1. The resume is visually enticing, a work of art. Simple clean structure. Very easy to read. Symmetrical. Balanced. Uncrowded. As much white space between sections of writing as possible; sections of writing that are no longer than six lines and shorter if possible.

2. There is uniformity and consistency in the use of italics, capital letters, bullets, boldface, and underlining. Absolute parallelism in design decisions. For example, if a period is at the end of one job's dates, a period should be at the end of all jobs' dates; if one degree is in boldface, all degrees should be in boldface.

3. All the basic, expected information is included. A resume must have the following key information: your name, phone number, and your email address at the top of the first page, a listing of jobs held, in reverse chronological order, educational degrees including the  Do not punctuate end of sentences with period.

Experience before education...usually. Experience sections should come first, before education, in most every case. This is what not to put on a resume

    • The word "resume" at the top of the resume
    • Rambling "objective" statements
    • Salary information
    • Full addresses of former employers
    • Reasons for leaving jobs
    • Names of supervisors
    • References
  •   Choose a job objective or not...
  • Summarize your key points or not..



1. Format and presentation determine whether the resume is read
the average resume is scanned, not read, for only 8-15 seconds. It either creates a strong impression to the reader immediately or it is set aside. It is similar to the impression you make on the interviewer. Therefore, make sure your resume is wearing the equivalent of a "business suit" and not jeans and flip-flops!

Choose a format that complements your career goal. If you are seeking a job in your field and have experience, use a chronological resume. This resume starts with your most recent job and works backward. Conversely, if you are seeking a new type of work, you may want to consider the functional/combination resume. This style groups your skills together and includes a short chronological work history at the end.

Other ways to insure that your presentation gets noticed include:

  • No errors: use spell check and also have someone review your resume for missing or misused words
  • Use a consistent format and use of capitalization and punctuation throughout
  • Use no more than 2 fonts
  • Include your name, a phone and email address
2. Accomplishments tell what you've done; responsibilities state what you were supposed to have done
not all accomplishments have to be big, but they have to show that you got results as you carried out your responsibilities. Often, they are something you are proud of or, they can simply quantify what you have done on a daily basis. Many of your routine activities can be quantified and written as accomplishments that demonstrate your experience and knowledge, and proof of how you’ve helped the company!

Here are some things to consider when naming accomplishments. Quantify whenever possible. For instance, did you:

  • save the company money? How much and how?
  • help improve sales? By how much?
  • improve productivity and efficiency?
  • implement any new systems or processes?
  • help launch any new products or services?
  • achieve more with (same or fewer) resources?
  • resolve a major problem with little investment?
  • participate in any technical/operational improvements?
  • exceed accepted standards for quality or quantity?
  • identify the need for a program or service?
  • prepare any original reports, studies or documents?
  • serve on any committees? What was the outcome?
  • get elected to any boards, teams or task forces?
  • resolve customer problems?
  • get rated as outstanding in performance reviews?

3. Avoid common errors in resume writing
many job seekers either don't know or don't understand the many items that do not belong in a resume. They include the following:

  • Do not use "I", "me" or "my" statements; use the telegraphic method and drop the pronoun to make it more active. Instead of "I” wrote the 40-page employee manual", say "wrote 40-page employee manual"
     
  • Avoid the use of the words "responsible for" and "duties included"
     
  • Do not include personal information, such as age, health, ethnicity, marriage and family status. Employers will throw your resume out if it has such information because they could someday be accused of hiring bias
     
  • Do not include photographs unless you are a model or actor
     
  • Do not explain your reasons for leaving your previous jobs or employment gaps
     
  • Don't send extra papers such as letters of recommendation, certificates or samples of your work. They clutter your presentation and are too premature. Use in the interview if appropriate
     
  • Never include salary information
     
  • Do not forward a list of references –just state “references available upon request”
These tips should help you write a basic resume. If you need help writing your resume, give us a call. We do consulting on how to write a resume. We won't write it for you but we will give you the guidance that you need. 770-945-5445. Good luck writing your resume. You are going to need it! :)



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 20 Questions To Ask The Employer...

5/29/2012

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 I read this article that I thought you would enjoy from The Ladders, By Marc Cenedella


  1. What's the biggest change your group has gone through in the last year? Does your group feel like the recession is over and things are getting better, or are things still pretty bleak?
  2. If I get the job, how do I earn a "gold star" on my performance review? What are the key accomplishments you'd like to see in this role over the next year?
  3. What's your (or my future boss') leadership style?
  4. About which competitor are you most worried?
  5. How does sales / operations / technology / marketing / finance work around here? (I.e., groups other than the one you're interviewing for.)
  6. What type of people are successful here? What type of people are not?
  7. What's one thing that's key to this company's success that somebody from outside the company wouldn't know about?
  8. How did you get your start in this industry? Why do you stay?
  9. What are your group's best and worst working relationships with other groups in the company?
  10. What keeps you up at night? What's your biggest worry these days?
  11. What's the timeline for making a decision on this position? When should I get back in touch with you?
  12. These are tough economic times, and every position is precious when it comes to the budget. Why did you decide to hire somebody for this position instead of the many other roles / jobs you could have hired for? What about this position made your prioritize it over others?
  13. What is your reward system? Is it a star system / team-oriented / equity-based / bonus-based / "attaboy!"-based? Why is that your reward system? What do you guys hope to get out of it, and what actually happens when you put it into practice? What are the positives and the negatives of your reward system? If you could change any one thing, what would it be?
  14. What information is shared with the employees (revenues, costs, operating metrics)? Is this an open-book shop, or do you play it closer to the vest? How is information shared? How do I get access to the information I need to be successful in this job?
  15. If we are going to have a very successful 2013, what will that look like? What will we have done over the next 18 months to make it successful? How does this position help achieve those goals?
  16. How does the company / my future boss do performance reviews? How do I make the most of the performance review process to ensure that I'm doing the best I can for the company?
  17. What is the rhythm to the work around here? Is there a time of year that it's "all hands on deck" and we're pulling all-nighters, or is it pretty consistent throughout the year? How about during the week / month? Is it pretty evenly spread throughout the week / month, or are there crunch days?
What type of industry / functional / skills-based experience and background are you looking for in the person who will fill this position? What would the "perfect"
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Your Dates Of Employement 

4/26/2012

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 This is an article from "The Ladders" I think you will find it very helpful. Cut and paste the link.

http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/dates-of-employment-might-be-hiding-resume?et_id=2763792055&sign=y&link_id=537
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Body Language Speaks Volumes on a Job Interview

3/26/2012

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I read a great article on body language. When we say to practice interviewing, this also includes practicing your body language. Enjoy the article that is written by Karl Rozemeyer  

Please cut and paste link into your browser:

http://www.theladders.com/career-advice/body-language-speaks-volumes-job-interview?et_id=2667948370&sign=y&link_id=537
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CHOICES...

1/30/2012

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There is a difference between  choosing to change jobs and being let go from a job.  When it is a personal choice to look for a job, you feel better about yourself than you do if you are fired.  You walk tall, you are confident; you have a good idea of what you want to do and tend to be focused on getting what you want.  

When it isn’t your choice, when you lose your job, you tend to get depressed, you slouch, you no longer walk tall, you say things that are negative, you aren’t confident in yourself. You may even withdraw from your family and friends. You tend to be in a bad mood all of the time and when someone asks, “What’s wrong with you?” they say, “Nothing.  You don’t understand.”

When you are fired, you may feel lost and without direction.  You may not know what to do or what steps to take.

Here is what I suggest you do when you start your job search. It’s a short exercise to get your juices flowing, and it applies to anyone who is looking for a job.

Take out a pen and paper, and allow plenty of time to think about your responses. 

1.    Write down all of the positive things that you like about yourself: your hair, your handwriting, your voice, your laughter, etc.

2.    Write down what is it that other people like about you. Think of times in your life when people said you have a great voice or nice hair, etc.

3.    Write down the following: If you can have any job, what would it be? Write down all of the different job opportunities that you would like to have open to you. Keep writing until you run out of ideas. Even include what you think is impossible.

The point of this exercise is to get you to start to feel good about yourself and to think outside of the box. You will find that when you feel good about yourself, you tend to feel that you can do anything that you want to do in life. You become more creative and more positive.

When you are finished with the exercise, you will see the possibilities for your next career. Some of the ideas may be way out there and impossible to do. That’s OK.  Figure out what you can do with your ideas that you have. This exercise will help you think of ways to use your creativity; it will give you a different way of looking at life.

Now walk away for a couple of days, then come back and do the exercise again. You will find that you have different ideas than the first time.  Keep doing the exercise until you come up with what you really want to do. When you get your final answer, you will know what direction to take and what to do. One step at a time.  That is all it takes...one step at a time.

2012- Cindy Cannon – All rights reserved. ©
Reprint Permission Granted* - See details below

*Permission is granted to reprint this article provided that the bio on the side and contact information are included in the publication and a copy of the reprinted article or a link to it is emailed to cindy@gmgweb.com

 
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TOASTMASTERS AND YOU!

12/28/2011

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  Everyone has a different reason for joining Toastmasters, including you. I joined because, being from the north, I talked too fast and needed to slow my speech down.  I joined also to meet more people.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to enhancing communication and leadership skills.  It is where leaders are made. I have been a member since 1999. After being a new member for 6 months, I became President of the club that I belonged to which had 20 members.  This gave me the opportunity to really develop my skills.  I learned how to speak in front of people and to speak at a slower rate.  Toastmasters also taught me to become an effective leader and communicator. I even learned how to spell better.   

Toastmasters ended up being a great place for networking and meeting people from all over the world. I have learned things from making a cake to building an engine on a rocket by listening to others speak about their experiences.

After a year someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to be an Area Governor which is where I helped lead and develop other leaders in 5 clubs. After that I became a division governor and was over 40 clubs and I kept growing up in Toastmasters to the top position there is locally, which is District Governor where I was over 5,000 members and indirectly 1400 officers.

I now am over all of the marketing in 7 states and the Caribbean and Bahamas! I get to travel and mentor more people, teaching them leadership, recruiting, public relations, networking and coaching skills so they can lead and teach others to become better communicators and leaders along with developing their own leadership skills.

It has not only helped me grow as a leader, but I have become a partner of my own company, a motivational speaker and even an author!  I attribute the experience and exposure that Toastmasters has given me to my success. I get to meet 100s of people and learn all sorts of different things. If you want to develop

 your skills and become a leader, Toastmasters gives you that opportunity and much more.

For more information please go to www.gatoastmasters.org or www.toastmasters.org and learn more about Toastmasters and look into a club for you to visit. You really should join as a member. It is the best investment that one can make.

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WHAT DO YOU WEAR TO AN INTERVIEW?

11/24/2011

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You are so excited now that you have had the phone interview and they set up a “live” interview with you. It is the very first time the hiring authority lays eyes on you.

What do you wear?

It is simple... Keep it simple.

 Both Men and Women should always wear a suit.  Never wear perfume or cologne the day of the interview. If they smell it, that is all they will be thinking of when they are interviewing. I know you have been somewhere when someone walks by you and you say, “ugh, because they have so much perfume on”

Men should wear a dark color suit. Always have socks on. Yes I have to say it...you would be surprised at what people wear. A shirt and tie is a must. The tie needs to be anything but electrifying. Men should not wear any ear rings. You don’t want to stand out in any way.

Women should wear a suit of some sort. It can be a pant suit or a skirt suit. It also should be a dark color or at least not something that is too bright. If you wear a blouse opposed to a shirt, make sure it isn’t too low. You should only have one set of earrings on and not too much jewelry. You want the interviewer to pay attention to you not to the jewelry. Open toe shoes are inappropriate.

Yikes! It is a Friday interview and you are told, “We are casual on Friday.” What do you do? How do you dress? Do you wear a suit? The answer is...it depends. Men you could wear a sports jacket, shirt without a tie and a pair of dress pants and women can wear a nice dress or nice dress pants with blouse and preferably a jacket of some sort.

However, remember this is their first time laying eyes on you. You make a first impression within 30 seconds. It is impossible to recreate a first impression.

Once we told a lady to wear her best outfit to the interview. Yes, she did...a prom dress!!! Yes she did.

 Keep it simple and you will look terrific!

2011- Cindy Cannon – All rights reserved. ©
Reprint Permission Granted* - See details below

*Permission is granted to reprint this article provided that the bio on the side and contact information are included in the publication and a copy of the reprinted article or a link to it is emailed to cindy@gmgweb.com
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Time Management and You: Part one

10/29/2011

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I had to walk the dog, feed the kids, dress the kids, take them to school, go to the dry cleaner, get to work on time for a 9:00 meeting with my boss, go to 11 meeting and 12 meeting. Meet my husband for “lunch” at 1 and pick up the kids at 3, pick up dry cleaning, go to store, get dinner, make dinner and then go to a Toastmaster meeting! When did I have time to go to the bathroom!!!

IS THIS YOU? We tend to take on more than we can chew. Why do we do this? We want to get so much done. We hurry up and wait for tomorrow.

In this day and time we have so much to do and try to fit it all into the day. We just can’t do it all but what we can do is plan better.

Do you make lists or keep all that you have to do in your head. We did a survey and found with the people that made lists got more done than those who didn’t have a list. You are more focused and can get things done by making a list.

You should use one or two calendars to help you with your planning. If you have a lot of appointments I suggest you have a calendar that is monthly and you can see it at a glance. Write only appointments on there whether it is a standing phone call every day or even  taking the kids to school. I also suggest that you have a calendar (there are calendars that have the month and the day in it) that lists hour by hour or lines across so you can keep your list of what you have to do. If you do this you will find that your time will tighten up and you will have more time.

My system is a monthly calendar at a glance and a calendar book with the daily pages with lines on it where I can list out my to do list for the day. The system has worked for me for 5 years.


There is so much more I can tell you about time. Stay tune for the rest of the article.

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LAID OFF 5 MONTHS - NOW WHAT?

8/3/2011

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LAID OFF 5 MONTHS - NOW WHAT?
by Cindy Cannon, Successful Interviewing Coach


5 months of looking, and still no job.  You have done everything you know to do to, and

you are discouraged.  Now what?

Answer: You keep plugging away. Don’t stop and, more importantly, DO NOT GIVE

UP!  Many people just give up because they have lost the fighting instinct.  Keep up your

 energy, your enthusiasm, your dedication - and especially your image.  When someone

looks at you, they should think “confident, successful, polished, and fun to be around.”

How do you do that when you are down in the dumps! You stand tall and fake it until you

 make it. Constantly complaining or, worse, giving up the search, will not achieve your ultimate goal - employment! 

Get out there and network. Chose your groups carefully. Keep looking until you find one

that meets your needs. Volunteer while looking for a job. (See my blog “Volunteer - Why

Do It to Find a Job.”)  Network, network, network!  Read books about current affairs,

ones that keep you positive. Be around people who are working, who can help you find a

job. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. (Did I mention network, network, network?) Get out

there and do whatever you have to do to keep yourself optimistic and on track to finding

that job.

Whether you’re in your 5th month or 12th month of your job search, you must treat it as

though you were just laid off. Be at the top of your game. The payoff will come, and you

will be glad that you persevered. 

Keep at it.  You will get hired, I promise you!

Are you still looking for a job? Come to our workshop and freshen up on your skills and

learn new interviewing skills. Everyone is talking about it. Behavioral

interviewing...body language... right and wrong answers... Have you practiced

interviewing? Do you know the questions they are going to ask you? Come to our class

and find out more. For more information go to Event tab.

2010- Cindy Cannon – All rights reserved. ©
Reprint Permission Granted* - See details below

*Permission is granted to reprint this article provided that the bio on the side and contact information are included in the publication and a copy of the reprinted article or a link to it is emailed to cindy@gmgweb.com

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    Cindy Cannon, principal of Growth Management Group, provides career assessment and advancement advice and assistance derived from 25 years of recruitment experience in over 2,000 hires.

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