December 2018 |
Transition-e-news Volume 4 Issue 149 |
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Sponsored By: |
Transition Insight
"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm "
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Best Interview Tips for Leaders
by Barbara Adams, Federal and Military Job Transition Expert There's no doubt, it's a competitive time to be seeking new employment as an executive. But for some, this is actually great news! It encourages savvy job seekers to up their game and be ready for the challenge. Applicants arriving well prepared for interviews have a distinct advantage over all the amateurs who are just "winging it." With this in mind, here are the best interview tips for leaders to help put you over the top! Tell Stories about Your Accomplishments We all know, if you want to hear a good story, sit down with a seasoned business executive! Many executive personnel have traveled the world and have seen and done so many things that many lower-level employees don't get the opportunity to partake in. And that's the best way to start a story related to one of your accomplishments—by saying your former company gave you the opportunity to tackle a massive project or resolve a messy labor issue, etc. You don't want to alienate an interviewer by bragging or going off on a tangent, though. Keep your stories objective and tightly focused on how you were given a task with measurable indicators of success. . . and how you knocked it out of the park! Leadership Competencies Many organizations love to throw inexperienced troops into the thick of things. Whether you call it experiential learning or trial by fire, most who rise to the rank of executive status gained inordinate amounts of exposure to leadership challenges early on. Such leaders honed their competencies by managing personnel conflicts, learning how to establish team cohesiveness, and conducting one-on-one mentoring with subordinates to ensure they would succeed and be able to replace their predecessors. Talk about your traits and again, share examples through brief stories. Another absolute must-mention is any training or experience you have on diversity and inclusiveness issues. These topics are increasingly on the forefront of many Human Resources (HR) teams looking to onboard executives with a proven background in running respectful work environments. Leading Change Human nature is resistant to change, yet nearly all organizations experience it at some point. Talented executives know how to manage and lead change in ways that allow personnel to buy into and accept (perhaps even embrace) the new way of doing things. And when pockets of resistance pose obstacles, experienced leaders know how to deal with those, too, by finding persuasive ways to unfreeze old ways of thinking in order to pitch the advantages of the new method being introduced. This often entails some understanding of marketing techniques to break down barriers, establish an empathetic line of communication, and then get to work selling the change process. At the end of the day, being an executive means knowing how to get results through a combination of methods and personality traits. This is a multifaceted skill set that hiring managers find irresistible, so share your past victories! Building Coalitions No matter where you work, odds are you don't work alone. Most executives manage, collaborate with, or engage with a team. Thus, they've learned (sometimes the hard way) how to cooperate and when to be flexible versus when to stick to their guns. Such leaders realize that it's also imperative to know how to build new teams or network two or more existing ones to establish a coalition. This often requires sitting down with the interested parties and outlining detailed plans for combining resources and for creating an agreed-upon framework for mutually beneficial information sharing. Such partnerships may also require dividing applicable computer and HR support in a fair and equitable manner. Relating any such applicable experiences you may have had will serve you well at your next job interview! Results We mentioned results, but it's worth talking more about. Every company, every agency, every institution is after the same thing. They need to hire individuals who can understand the mission and get it done, day after day, year after year. If you've spent any length of time as an executive leader and manager, chances are you have the demonstrable know-how to prove you are the right candidate for the job. Why? Because you've "been there, done that." Relate your war stories to the types of goals your potential new employer has in store for you. Impress upon them that you're the best person for the job by telling how you got results while serving in your prior post. If you're at the interview phrase of the process, that means hiring officials are interested in learning more about you. Your resume can only describe your value so much; however the interview will seal the deal. They can tell from your application the level of commitment your old job required. All you have to do is tie those previous experiences to the position you're seeking. If you're able to do that convincingly during interviews, chances are you'll be made an offer before you know it! Barbara Adams, President and CEO of CareerPro Global (CPG), the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com, has been a member of the careers community for the past 20 years. Ms. Adams holds four prestigious industry certifications. CareerPro Global is the only ISO 9001-2008 Certified Career Service in the industry, as well as one of the fastest-growing Military, Federal, and Civilian Resume-Writing and Careers-Coaching companies. The team of Certified Professional Federal and Military Resume Writers at CPG assist thousands of clients in applying for and gaining employment each year. We can help you land your military to civilian job. |
New VA website makes it easier to build a career based on giving back to VeteransDepartment of Veterans Affairs - Reprinted with permission The new and improved VACareers.va.gov makes it easier than ever to explore and apply for a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare career from your desktop, tablet or mobile device. “Attracting the best healthcare providers for Veterans means simplifying the ways candidates can learn about and apply for a VA job,” said Darren Sherrard, associate director of recruitment marketing. “The redesigned site provides medical professionals, Veterans, transitioning military and students with a streamlined path to the resources and information they need to make informed decisions about a VA career.” The newly designed website uses dynamic visuals and simple navigation to help healthcare jobseekers learn about VA careers. Here’s what users can do at the new site: Visit these specific VA career pages:
VA career opportunities are available across the country at 1,250 sites of care. VA is the largest integrated healthcare system in the nation and employs over 338,000 professionals. In the 2017 academic year, VA provided 43,565 medical residents, 24,683 medical students, 463 advanced fellows and 849 dental residents and students some or all of their clinical training. |
Volunteering for Job Search Success© Copyright, 2018, Susan P. Joyce. | Work Coach Cafe | All rights reserved. If you do quality work in a role that is related in some way to what you want to do as a job, volunteering can be very helpful for your job search and career in many ways. How Volunteering Benefits Your Job SearchYou help an organization or cause which you support, and…
You may even conclude that being employed by a nonprofit is where you can find the most satisfying work. All the benefits above help with a nonprofit job search. Choose the Best Opportunity for Your Job SearchBe careful choosing the organization and the role within that organization. Volunteer for an organization or a charity which is a nonprofit or not-for-profit. As much as possible, choose an organization with a mission you can support unconditionally. Look for a role in that organization which:
When the organization and the role are a good fit, the benefits are substantial, particularly when you are unemployed. Double-check that the organization is a genuine nonprofit. In the USA, you can search through the IRS database of “exempt organizations” (a.k.a. charities) here: Exempt Organizations Select Check. Plug the organization’s official name into the “Name” block, and click the search button. Demonstrate the High Quality of Your WorkSince you aren’t being paid, it’s easy to feel less committed to the organization and the work. But, that’s a mistake for many reasons. Think of your volunteering efforts as more than just a way to have something to put in LinkedIn and your resume to take up space. Like your visibility in social media, your volunteering is an example of your work — your quality as an employee, even though you aren’t being paid for your volunteering. In many ways, volunteering is an audition, and needs your best efforts. How to Make Your Volunteer Experience Most Helpful for Your Job SearchFocus on being the best volunteer you can be! 1.) Choose a good fit for your target job/industry/profession and your personal values.If you don’t believe in the cause, you’ll have a difficult time demonstrating enthusiasm for what you have done for them. That will show up in job interviews and in your other public visibility (like your LinkedIn Profile). If you wouldn’t continue to support the organization after you find a job, don’t support it while you are unemployed. 2.) Show up when you are expected to be there.Don’t make a commitment you can’t keep. Being undependable, even as an unpaid volunteer, will hurt your reputation. You will be seen as untrustworthy. Not good for you. 3.) Keep your commitments.This fits with number 2. As inspired and committed as you may be to the mission of the organization, don’t agree to do more things or contribute more hours of work if you know you can’t handle the commitment. You will be hurting the organization and your own reputation. 4.) Be honest.If you really don’t know how to use QuickBooks, don’t claim that you do. You can offer to learn it (on your own time or with help from another volunteer) especially if it’s a skill you would like to add to your work experience. Make it clear that the task would be a “learning experience” for you when asked to do something you don’t know how to do. 5.) Be easy to work with.Do your work as professionally as possible, but be cooperative with management and other volunteers. Accept management suggestions as you would in a “real” job, and treat your co-workers with the respect you normally have for co-workers at work. Follow the organization’s process and standards. If those standards or processes need improvement, tactfully offer suggestions to make them better. Leave if you feel the organization is too “non-standard” to be acceptable, but don’t trash the organization publicly either before or after you leave. Finally, don’t forget to have fun and enjoy your volunteering experience Make Your Volunteering VisibleDescribe it accurately on your LinkedIn Profile. If you are employed, add it to the volunteering section of your Profile, describing the organization as well as the job performed. Describe the accomplishments, focused on those that are relevant to your career. If you are unemployed, include your volunteering experience in the Work Experience section of your Profile. When something you have done or learned is relevant to a job you are seeking, include the relevant description in your resume or job application. More About VolunteeringVolunteering: A Silver Lining in the Job Crisis Why Volunteer if It Doesn’t Lead Directly to a Job Handling Those Job Search Blues © Copyright, 2018, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.
About the Author… |
Why It's Wise To Hire Veterans With DisabilitiesBy NAPS, North American Precis Syndicate. The Associated Press - Reprinted with permission - ©2018 (NAPSI)—"Today, nearly 4 million Americans have a service-connected disability. At a time when many employers are struggling to fill positions, hiring veterans with disabilities can boost diversity and inclusion efforts," explained Jeff Hall, national employment director for DAV (Disabled American Veterans). For example, Dave Ellis found it difficult to get a job after receiving an honorable discharge from the Army. "I had a severe back injury, but I also carried mental scars from active duty," he said. After six months of searching, he was able to find a supportive company that understands and values the traits that come from military training, including job-ready skills, tested leadership abilities and a mission-focused work ethic. For others, however, it can be a struggle. In fact, a survey in The Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation found that 57 percent of veterans with disabilities transitioning to the civilian workforce feared hiring discrimination due to their disability. "The reality is that many of America's businesses, big and small alike, recognize the importance of hiring veterans with disabilities, but often don't know where to begin," added Hall. To address this need, DAV has published " The Veteran Advantage: DAV Guide to Hiring and Retaining Veterans with Disabilities. " This free, comprehensive guide is the result of more than four years of study about what the veteran community contributes to the workforce and how hiring veterans, especially disabled ones, can improve a company's bottom line. The 36-page publication, which can be downloaded at http://dav.la/jobs, offers best practices and helpful tools for employers. But it goes further, helping to correct misperceptions and inspire more organizations to hire from this talent pool. Content includes statistics about veterans with disabilities, in-depth onboarding and retention strategies, a practical checklist for employers, and explanations of financial incentives, tax credits and other support. The Guide also highlights powerful testimonials of veterans thriving in successful careers, and case studies from employers who benefit from having disabled veterans in their workplace. Nationally respected companies such as First Data and USAA apply the findings within their own internal human resources departments and hiring teams. There are also free and helpful resources that veterans themselves can take advantage of to help with the transition into a civilian career. For example, DAV holds free career fairs throughout the country for veterans and their spouses. Details are available at http://dav.la/jobs. "While our nation's veterans, particularly those who have been injured in service, are faced with unique challenges, they also offer the skill sets, loyalty and dedication needed to help successfully power America's economy," said Hall. "While our nation's veterans, particularly those who have been injured in service, are faced with unique challenges, they also offer the skill sets, loyalty and dedication needed to help successfully power America's economy," said DAV's Jeff Hall. http://bit.ly/2RAiMO5 " On the Net: North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI) |
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