TAOnline Transition Insight Newsletter

Interviewing Etiquette Checklist - 14 Steps to Success

The rules of etiquette in a job search deal with behavior. Certain behaviors are expected and others may or may not be acceptable, depending on the circumstances. When we combine the expected behaviors with common sense and common courtesy, we end up with a useful interview checklist 1. Confirm the appointment. Do this twenty-four hours or one working day in advance. Make sure you know the date, the time, and the location of the interview. Try to find out how long you should expect to be there. An hour? Half a day? The entire day? Also, make sure you have the appropriate phone numbers in case you have to call ... Read More

Before You Apply: Answer 4 Important Questions

By Susan Joyce - WorkCoachCafe.com

In this very competitive job market, job seekers need to stay focused and bring their "A Game" to every opportunity they pursue. If you are in spray-and-pray job application mode, applying for every job you see, you are bringing your "C Game" to each opportunity. Disconnect from that apply-apply-apply instinct because a job search is not a numbers game. Before You Apply for a Job Conserve your "A Game" energy and efforts for jobs that are a good fit for you. Carefully read the job description, and then, ask yourself these 4 questions. 1.Do I want this job? Yes, a paycheck is VERY important! But, earning that paycheck will mean doing that job. So before you chase and ... Read More

How social media can break your job search

Reprinted with permission - HRNASTY.com

Think about your potential reader before you tweet or post a rant or negative content on your social stream. You never know who is looking. Social media gives the world access to your life. You are living in the proverbial glass house, and if you keep a messy house, everyone has access. If you do not want the public to judge you then don't give them the opportunity. We all wonder if Lindsey Lohan understands how public her life really is because if she did realize how many people were watching, you would think that she would slow her roll. I look at social media in a very similar way. Social media doesn't just give your social network insight to your life, but the entire ... Read More

Applications open for expense-paid Purdue University's Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

Source: Purdue Krannert School of Management

Purdue University's 5th Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EVB) will be offered at Purdue's Krannert School of Management November 1st — 9th 2013. The EVB program was founded at Syracuse University in 2007 and was quickly adopted by other major business schools around the country. The participating schools are: The Whitman School of Management (Syracuse), UCLA Anderson School of Management, Florida State University's College of Business, Mays Business School at Texas A&M ... Read More

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Interviewing Etiquette Checklist — 14 Steps to Success

© Tom Wolfe, author; all rights reserved; excerpts from Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition; used with the permission of the author and publisher, www.potomacbooksinc.com.

Confirm the appointment. Do this twenty-four hours or one working day in advance. Make sure you know the date, the time, and the location of the interview. Try to find out how long you should expect to be there. An hour? Half a day? The entire day? Also, make sure you have the appropriate phone numbers in case you have to call.
Anticipate the paperwork. Determine what you need, gather it together, organize it, and make sure you have the appropriate container; e.g., a briefcase, portfolio, binder, or pocket notebook. Copies of your résumé, references list, performance evaluations, and education records are among the documents that might be requested. Also, bring some writing materials in case you need to take notes.
Know the players. If you know the name or names of the interviewers in advance, confirm the pronunciation and spelling. This comes in handy both during and after the interview.
Verify your destination. Make sure you know how to get there. If time and circumstances permit, take an advance trip. Scout the location, parking options, traffic patterns, and walking distances. Waiting until the day of the interview to discover a construction delay could be costly. Never arrive late.
Clear your calendar. If possible, keep your schedule free of any other commitments. The interview might run over or you could be asked to stay longer. Explaining that you have someplace else to be could create an awkward situation.
Do not arrive late. Showing up late, regardless of the reasons, not only casts doubt on your reliability, but also labels you as discourteous or rude. If unforeseen circumstances arise and you will be arriving late, do everything in your power to call ahead of time to explain.
Do not arrive too early. Time your arrival so you are fifteen minutes early. That is about when they start looking for you. Any earlier and you could create an uncomfortable situation. They might not know what to do with you while you are waiting.
Dress appropriately. Arriving at the interview only to discover that you are not properly attired is embarrassing for both parties. Although traditional business attire is appropriate most of the time, circumstances may dictate otherwise. If this issue is unclear, seek guidance from your point of contact at the company. When in doubt, take the safe course. Being overdressed in your conservative interview suit is preferable to the alternative.
Turn off or silence your phone. There is no excuse for an interruption of that sort during the interview. No texting. No tweeting.
Announce your arrival. Walk up to the receptionist, smile, shake hands, introduce yourself, state that you have an appointment with Mr. or Ms. so-and-so at 9:00 a.m., offer your business card or résumé, and wait for instructions.
Be patient. This is a double standard. Although you cannot be late, they are allowed to keep you waiting. Keep smiling. Make eye contact with the receptionist. Try not to fidget, sigh, or look perturbed. After about thirty minutes, ask the receptionist for a glass of water or directions to the lavatory. The hint will be taken.
Be courteous and polite. Everyone you meet in an interview expects and deserves common courtesy and respect. Although the guard at the gate and the front office receptionist are not part of your interview agenda, you should expect that their opinions of you will be solicited.
Anticipate the necessary follow-up activity. Make sure you are aware of any post-interview expectations on the part of the interviewers. You might be asked for additional materials, a modified résumé, to complete an application form, or to provide references. Whatever the case, do it and do it in a timely and accurate manner. Additionally, send follow-up letters or emails.
Communicate well. Call when you say you will. Return calls promptly. Make your voicemail message short and to-the-point. If you use their voicemail, always include your phone number and the date and time you called. Communicating via email may or may not be appropriate. Find out in advance.

This guidance may seem like a simple combination of basic common sense, politeness, and personal and professional courtesy, but it is very important. There is much about the interviewing process that is out of your control. It does not do you any good to worry about those issues. However, you do have control over the steps leading up to the interview. Putting in a little extra effort and exercising some caution will pay dividends.

By Tom Wolfe, Career Coach

© 2013; Tom Wolfe, is an author, columnist, career coach, veteran, and an expert in the field of military-to-civilian career transition. During his career he assisted thousands of service members in their searches for employment, placing more than 3000 in their new jobs. Prior to civilian life, he graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and served as a surface warfare officer. He teaches transition courses, gives seminars on career and job change, writes about the career transition process, and continues to counsel current and former military personnel. His book, Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition, was published by Potomac Books in 2011. Tom lives on the North Carolina coast with his wife, Julie, and their Chesapeake Bay retriever, Maggie.

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Before You Apply: Answer 4 Important Questions

By Susan Joyce - WorkCoachCafe.com

In this very competitive job market, job seekers need to stay focused and bring their “A Game” to every opportunity they pursue. If you are in spray-and-pray job application mode, applying for every job you see, you are bringing your "C Game" to each opportunity. Disconnect from that apply-apply-apply instinct because a job search is not a numbers game.

Before You Apply for a Job

Conserve your "A Game" energy and efforts for jobs that are a good fit for you. Carefully read the job description, and then, ask yourself these 4 questions:

Do I want this job?

Yes, a paycheck is VERY important! But, earning that paycheck will mean doing that job. So before you chase and, perhaps, land the wrong job, read the "duties" or "responsibilities" section of the job description very carefully. Maybe you've done this work before, earlier in your career, and, sure, you could do it, but you don’t really want to. Perhaps, the job sounds OK, but the location is a long, expensive commute. Or, maybe the duties and the job sound very interesting to you, and you are excited by the idea of having that job.

The benefit -

When you apply for a job you really want, your enthusiasm will show in the quality of your application and interview.
Do I qualify for this job?

Examine the "requirements" or "qualifications" section in the job description. Even if you "know" that you could do the job described, applying will be a waste of your time if you don't meet most of the requirements - like meeting 3 out of 4 or 5 of the requirements, or 7 out of 9 or 10. In this competitive job market, employers have their choice of applicants. So, applying for a job without meeting most - or all - of the requirements/qualifications makes it very doubtful that you will be considered for the job.

The benefit -

When you apply carefully for a job that is a good fit for you, you have a better chance of making it through the human or automated screening (or both) to be invited in for an interview.
Do I want to work for this employer?

Hopefully, this employer is already on your list of target employers. If not, do some checking to be sure that this is a good place to work. Put Google to work for you, and check GlassDoor.com to, hopefully, find reviews by employees. Maybe this employer has a terrible reputation as a place to work or been involved in a bad situation - legal, financial, quality, etc. Or maybe it’s great and everyone who works there loves it.

The benefit -

You will be better prepared to do an excellent job of applying, and your knowledge will demonstrate your interest in the employer in a job interview. Your research could also show you that while the job sounds great and you qualify for it, working for this employer would be a nightmare best avoided.
Do I know anyone who already works there?

If you have answered the top 3 questions with affirmatives, you can immediately start your application. But you will increase the probability of a job offer if you can also answer this question with a "Yes"! Check your network online (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) and off-line (friends, family, colleagues, etc.) to see if you have a contact already working for the employer who could deliver your resume into the hands of the hiring manager and/or into the formal "employee referral program" process, too.

The benefit -

When a contact on the inside (an existing employee) submits your resume and vouches for you, you have a much better chance of being considered. And, it is much better to "spend" that favor of a personal resume delivery on a job that is a good fit rather than wasting it on a long shot.

Your Mileage May Vary…

Yes, sometimes the planets align, timing is inexplicably perfect, and rarely a random application does turn into a great job. But, such exceptional situations are extremely rare. So, probably better not to count on that happening for you. In this job market, anything less than your A Game is a waste of your time, and since you cannot bring your A Game to every job application, ask yourself those 4 questions before you spend your time applying.

About the Author…
Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 2011, NETability purchased WorkCoachCafe.com, which Susan has been editor and publisher of WorkCoach since then. Susan also edits and publishes Job-Hunt.org.

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How social media can break your job search

Reprinted with permission — HRNASTY.com

Social media deserves respect

I look at social media in a very similar way. Social media doesn't just give your social network insight to your life, but the entire internet-connected world is granted access to your life. My friend, your life isn't as private as you may think.

According to this CareerBuilder article last year, 37% of companies use Social Media to research job candidates.

Lets breakdown the listed statistics:

37% of companies use Social Media to research job candidates

I say the number is higher; much higher. In a technology company, I would venture that the number is closer to 90-plus %. I just blogged about a company that took the use of Social Media to the next level by asking for a candidates Facebook login during an interview. I am confident that just about every company out there is using LinkedIn.

34% of hiring managers that use Social Media say they have found a reason to decline a candidate via Social Media

Again, I would say the number is higher because I believe that most hiring managers just don't want to admit to these tactics. There is only a downside in this confession. In the least, what they may not have found may not have caused them to decline a candidate, but it didn't help your case toward a job offer.

29% of hiring managers say they have FOUND something that caused them to hire a candidate

I completely agree with this statement and I believe the number SHOULD be much higher. This is a huge opportunity for the candidate that is usually NOT being leveraged. Writing style, how someone presents themselves, opinions they voice or the help they to a forum are all actions that reinforce the idea of a greater potential employee.

Some other states mentioned in the survey:

Employers primarily use Facebook (65%), LinkedIn (63%) and Twitter (16%)
15% of employers surveyed DO NOT allow Facebook in the workplace
Any recruiter of hiring manager worth their salt will check for personal blogs, comments on forums, a candidates name on a program of an industry related conference as a guest speaker. All of these are outside of the Big 3 in the social media sphere and SHOULD be leveraged

Regardless of what you think is happening, or what empirical data is suggesting, I want to leave you with three thoughts:

The use of social media in the interview process is only going to become MORE prevalent in time as companies move into the future. Resistance really is futile.
Even if a company doesn't allow employees to view social media sites at work, too many people have smart-phones that CAN access these sites from work and everyone has access at home.
If there is even a chance your profile is being looked at, don't just clean it up, LEVERSAGE YOUR PROFILE and online presence to help you land the job.

Don't be afraid of Social Media. To most recruiters, Social Media is an eye-catcher and it will only become more prevalent in the workplace. Here are some ideas on how you can leverage the above stats to YOUR advantage:

If you don't have a profile, start one now. LinkedIn tells us who is checking you out and how many times you were checked out. If we know that our profiles are going to be checked, use this information to your advantage. Don't cower, don't hide. The best defense is a strong offense.

Ask a (conservative) friend to look at your profile and if they even HINT that something is in poor taste, remove it. The hiring manager may be just as conservative as your friend. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

Even if the company doesn't allow social media in the workplace, I can still check your profile from my desk via my smart-phone. It is not a matter of if someone will check your profile; it is a matter of WHEN your profile will be checked. The bottom line is that you really should clean up your online social profile.

Other things to think about and leverage:

Blogs! Because so few people have them, they REALLY stand out. You can be a sub par writer, but the very fact that you have a blog that is consistently updated will go FARRRRRR. The topic doesn't even have to be related to the industry you are applying for but it won't hurt if it is. If you are a sub par writer, a blog will improve your writing.
Forums: Providing advice, opinions and help in general is always a good thing.
Rapportive: I have Rapportative(http://rapportive.com/) installed, and with this app, I can see your social stream via my inbox.

Pictures:

Make sure your profile picture is current and ONLY portrays you. Pictures with two or more people in the profile suck because I cannot figure out which person is applying and which person is the frick'n BFF.
To leverage more facets of your personality, use a casual picture that shows some personality on Facebook and a professional picture suitable for a company website on LinkedIn. Mountain climbing on FB and corporate headshot'esque picture on LinkedIn.
The absence of a picture this day and age is interpreted as "must look like Quasimodo and the Hunchback of Notre Dame combined". There must be something to hide or be embarrassed about. If you are looking for a job, you ABSOLUTELY need a picture.

Twitter:

Type in the word "job search" or "interview tomorrow" and you will be amazed at the tweets that candidates post. Swearing, bitching, complaining. Companies want to hire employees that they can trust will represent them professionally with customers, at conferences, and online.

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Applications open for expense-paid Purdue University's Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

Source: Purdue Krannert School of Management

Purdue University's 5th Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EVB) will be offered at Purdue's Krannert School of Management November 1st — 9th 2013.

The EVB program was founded at Syracuse University in 2007 and was quickly adopted by other major business schools around the country. The participating schools are:

The Whitman School of Management (Syracuse)
UCLA Anderson School of Management
Florida State University's College of Business
Mays Business School at Texas A&M
The Krannert School of Management at Purdue University
The University of Connecticut School of Business
E. J. Ourso College of Business at Louisiana State University
School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University

Learn more at krannert.purdue.edu/military/ebv/home.asp.

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