Today’s Tip: Prove-It Interviewing

The interview is the core of the candidate assessment process even though it is not a very reliable predictor of "on the job success". In fact, studies show that the interview process has less than a 50% correlation in determining the long-term effectiveness of making a good hiring decision and having a productive employee that was worth the investment. However, even though it is proven to be ineffective, (just like a lot of other things that corporations do), it is very ingrained into most company cultures and it isn't going away anytime soon. So what should you do?

Assume that you have to prove to the Hiring Manager that you are the perfect fit for the position. As illustrated in the cartoon below, if you were interviewing for a Furniture Builder role at IKEA, this is the perfect interview for you.



Although not all of us get thrown a "soft-ball" like this, if we stretched our imagination, I think you could prove to the interviewer that you are a great investment. For example, how many of you go to an interview with samples of your work? I know from my 20 years of experience that this percentage is very low. This is a lost opportunity to sell yourself for that role. Another example, how many of you follow-up after the interview with a 30-60-90 day plan on how you would begin your career with your new company? This would be an excellent opportunity for you to prove to them your capabilities and thought process of how well you understand the role and the "pain points" that the Hiring Manager is currently experiencing. If done effectively, it will demonstrate that there is minimal risk in pulling the trigger in hiring you.

So the next time you prepare for that interview, assume you are on trial in the court of law and you have to prove beyond a shadow of doubt that you are guilty; guilty of being the perfect candidate for the open position!

Today’s Tip: Time To Get Controversial!

My blog is new and, as a consequence, my readership is still low. But that doesn't mean you should be quiet about things I write! So, in hopes that you will start replying to my posts, I am going to start introducing topics that are a bit more controversial and emotional. And with that in mind, today's topic is all about discrimination. (I hear clickity-click already! <grin>)

If you've heard me speak at networking events then you know that I have "Kevin's Laws" and law #4 is: Discrimination EXISTS! As a recruiter for over 20 years, I have seen just about everything. Unfortunately, I do see a lot of discrimination, but it is often disguised and the true message never gets back to the candidate about the real reason why (s)he was not selected for the position.

I see discrimination against job seekers in the following categories:

• Age - mainly against older workers, but let's face it, college grads are left wondering whether their investment was worth it. Note: It was worth it, but it just doesn't seem that way to many unemployed, under-employed or discouraged college grads.

• Salary - companies are realizing that paying 2005 wages is not necessary since the unemployment rate is approaching 20%. Yes, I said 20%! That is the real unemployment rate. Economists call it U6, but the media reports the unemployment rate at 9.7%, which is the U3 number. That's a story for another blog post...

• Passive vs. Active - Too many Hiring Managers feel that the best employees are the ones that aren't looking (the passive ones), while the people that are actively looking for a new opportunity (the active ones) must be the rejects of society, otherwise why would they want to leave. Something must be wrong with them!

• Employed vs. Unemployed - If you are employed, you must be a superstar, while conversely, if you don't have a job, it must be your fault.

• Contractor vs. Full-time Employees - If you have been in a contract role, a lot of Hiring Managers will not consider you for a full-time opportunity. They feel that you are getting paid a premium and will not be loyal when another contract role is presented to you.

• Location - Assumptions are made about your commuting distance.

• Length of time you have been out of work - If this gets to be too long, the Hiring Managers don't bother on learning the reason why, they just assume you are not employable.

• Government workers - Working for the government is perceived by some to have less skills or experience than in a corporate role.

So, how do you win against being discriminated against? You have to be tricky! You have to fight incompetence with fire. You can't play poker with your cards face up, and you can't obtain that dream position by following the rules. Keep subscribing to my blog, listening to my speeches, signing up for my webinars, coming to my classes, and you will learn all about how to cash in on that dream position.

Today’s Tip: Reference List on Steroids

I would be willing to bet that over 99% of job seekers submit the standard looking reference list when asked for it by employers. It simply consists of the contact information for the people that you want the employer to contact. It's time to up the ante and inject some steroids into that document!

Below is a sample reference list that will impress your potential employer. None of your competitors will have one as impressive as this one and it demonstrates that you go above and beyond the norm!

It also provides the person checking your references a "road-map" to follow and thus might not ask the wrong questions to the wrong people.

Kevin W. Crews

25305 Wheat Drive

Plainfield, Illinois 60585

Home: 815.439.4957 Cell: 630.660.0000

kevincrews@hotmail.com

References

Individual	Relationship	Range of Knowledge
Mike Brady, District Director AAA Company 123 Main Street Chicago, IL 60606 (888) 444-5555 email@msn.com	Reported to Mike for 5 years while I was at AAA company. He consistently gave me a rating of “Exceeds” on all of my performance reviews. Years Known = 5	He will verify my three-fold sales increase in a 3-year time period on the products sold at AAA Company. He can also speak to my tenacity in going above and beyond the customer needs.
Carol Brady, Manager BBB Company 234 Center Street Chicago, IL 60606 (888) 555-6666 email@msn.com	Reported to Carol for 5 years while I was at BBB company. She promoted me twice during this timeframe. Years Known = 7	Will verify three-fold sales increase in new product line for mp3 players. Can speak to my tenacity in courting new clients/companies and turning them into loyal, major accounts.
Greg Brady, Peer Manager CCC Company 345 Baker Street Chicago, IL 60606 (888) 666-7777 email@msn.com	Worked with Greg for 5 years while I was at CCC company. He requested me to assist him and his team on all his important projects. Years Known = 8	Mr. Brady selected me and two other key sales professionals to collaborate on new product lines for emerging technology. Southeast region met target goals ahead of schedule and gained top market share by close of first-year sales.
Marsha Brady, Subordinate DDD Company 456 Elm Street Chicago, IL 60606 (888) 777-8888 email@msn.com	Managed Marsha for 5 years while I was at DDD company. She knows my tenacity in managing projects and being fair to individuals. Years Known = 5	Can confirm consistent #1 ranking in a district with six sales representatives, in addition to record incremental increases over goal and market share. Will also elaborate on my ability to orient and train new sales representatives.
Cindy Brady, Vendor EEE Company 567 Main Street Chicago, IL  60606 (888) 888-9999 email@msn.com	Partnered with Cindy for 5 years while I was at EEE company. She knows about my commitment to excellence and professionalism. Years Known = 6	Cindy will confirm my trade-show planning and execution skills, as well as my ability to motivate a tireless volunteer team.

Today’s Tip: I Command You To Use This Command!

Okay, maybe that's a little too direct, but I want to stress that the X-RAY Command will be your new best friend from now on! This command may fall short of fetching a ball or sitting at your feet to comfort you while you watch TV or read a book, but the dog pound just might see an increase in residents after you start using this networking strategy.

The miracle command is site:

In the Google search bar, enter these 5 characters followed immediately by the website you want to X-RAY and keywords that you want to find on particular profiles, and the search engine will produce a goldmine of networking opportunities with people from your targeted companies.

To see this in action, cut, copy and paste the following command into the Google search bar:

site:www.linkedin.com "sears * past” (marketing) (" greater chicago area") (inurl:in | inurl:pub) -inurl:dir -intitle:directory

(just replace "sears" with your targeted company and "marketing" with your skill or skills)

From the results in Google, you can see over 20 LinkedIn profiles of employees that currently work at Sears, live in the Chicago area, and have the word "marketing" somewhere on their LI profile. These results produce a powerful list of the exact people that you should spend time contacting (via phone or E-mail) when you see a position that you are interested in. Most people see a marketing position at Sears on Careerbuilder and click APPLY. This is a mistake! Most jobs are obtained through employee referrals or networking. Besides, a lot of companies still offer employee referral bonuses to their employees that submit candidates that are hired by their company. It's a WIN-WIN for everyone (except the dog)!

Today’s Tip: Are You Driving in Neutral and Expecting to Get Somewhere?

I attend a good number of job clubs and networking events and I am amazed at how many people are running on a treadmill. It reminds me of my hamster when I was a kid. He ran as fast as he could on that wheel and never escaped the captivity I had him in. The effort was there, but it didn't produce any results for him. He kept doing it night after night, and although he never talked to me, I'm convinced he would have said, "Tonight is going to be the night that something different happens".

I feel that the job seekers I met have fallen into this same routine. They do the same things over and over and are waiting for the results to be different. I ask them what they have been doing since we last talked and I get the same old story. Note: If I don't have to ask you to stop talking when I ask you what you have been doing in regards to your job search, then you haven't been doing enough. Unfortunately, most of the time, they are doing the EASY tasks (applying for positions on job boards, attending networking meetings, listening to advice from way to many people, etc.). These might be "busy" tasks, but your toolbox has many more (and better) tools to use. In tomorrow's blog, I will explain what to do after you see an opportunity that you want to consider. In the meantime, prepare to put that car in high gear and "floor it"! You need to get somewhere fast, because Kevin "the psychic" predicts rough times ahead.

Note: Wednesday is the last day to sign up for my September Job Seeker Training classes. See the calendar on my website: www.kevincrews.com for more information.

Today’s Tip: Picking the Gatekeeper’s Lock

If you're doing your job search correctly, then part of your strategy will be to contact current employees in your targeted companies.

But be careful, smart corporations have placed razor sharp gatekeepers to slam the door on your communication efforts. Sometimes they are the receptionist, maybe security, possibly HR, and definitely the administrative assistants.

Gatekeepers Goal: Keeping you from talking to most people in the company.

Job Seekers Goal: Maneuver around the gate.

So how do I accomplish this?

Option #1 - Act like you belong there! Call the main number for the company and basically demand that you NEED to talk to Jim Smith. You will say in an un-friendly voice, "This is Kevin and I need to talk to Jim Smith now!" Sound urgent and mildly upset. This will throw the Gatekeeper off  their game and they don't get paid enough to go to battle with angry people and they definitely don't want to jeopardize their job. Most people make the mistake of sounding very friendly, thinking that you will kill them with kindness, but think about it, who might be calling into these companies sounding friendly? Does Salespeople come to mind? That is exactly who the Gatekeeper thinks you are if you are trying to be their best friend. Thus, they have their finest protective gear on, and they are trained to push you away in a professional manner.

Option #2 - Use the Bait & Switch Method. Call the main number and ask for the Accounts Receivable department. The Gatekeeper has been trained to put those calls through to that department since obviously you are a customer and want to pay your bill. When you get the Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable department, say in a surprised voice, "Oh, I was trying to reach Jim Smith in the Marketing Department, could you please transfer me to him?" They will quickly look up Jim's extension and transfer you because they are assuming that the receptionist just made a mistake. Note: If you are feeling brave, you can even ask them what extension they are transferring you to so you can update your records.

Option #3 - Call at odd hours (before 7:30am, during lunch, after 5:30pm). The smart gatekeeper may not be around during these hours and/or you might have better luck with the "covering" gatekeeper, or you might get the "dial by last name" automated directory line. Jackpot!

I have many more, but you can get the idea. You need to be resourceful. After all, are you going to let someone stop you from achieving your goal of obtaining your dream job? I didn't think so! Pick up that phone and get what you deserve!

Today’s Tip: Let’s Get Fired Up!

Been fired on the job (for cause)? Yes? Then it's now time to Play Ball! Hard Ball that is...

The first thing that you should do is to call an employment lawyer. Cuz you want to hire them? No! It's cuz you want to use this leverage when you call your former company.

Ask the employment lawyer what they charge, politely thank them, and hang up. Immediately call your former company's HR department and inform them that you have contacted an employment lawyer and before you took things to the next level, you wanted to call and see if you could get the "firing" reclassified as a mutual separation, layoff, or resignation by you. After all, companies do this all the time for C-level executives. It's now your turn to take a swing at the plate and your going for the home run! Anyway, they will sometimes agree to this for fear of lawsuits, fear of their image if this gets ugly, and the fact that you are now a potential threat to the company. However, you cannot sue them for wrongful termination if you left on your own accord. Note: you will be giving up collecting unemployment insurance if you take this route. But most likely, if your were terminated (with cause), you weren't going to be able to collect unemployment benefits anyhow.

If successful in this endeavor, you will benefit by not having to click the "Have you ever been fired" box on future employment applications, you won't be worried that someone will find out about your termination, and you will feel more confident answering sticky questions during the interview about why you are no longer with your previous company. But most importantly, it will change your attitude. After all, you just took down the corporate BEAST.

Today’s Tip: Networking Meetings – Work the Room!

The ultimate goal of Networking should be to create relationships. And these relationships will ultimately create opportunities. However, as I attend Networking Meetings and Job Clubs, I notice that the majority of the attendees are comfortable sitting at the table and waiting for lightening to strike. In order to accelerate your job search, you need to WORK the room. After all, these are willing and able people that attend these meetings and will be more than happy to listen to your elevator speech in hopes that you can help them or that they might be able to help you. You're not going to get a better audience of WILLING people that will go out of their way to assist you.

So, arrive 20 minutes early, get off you butt, and greet people (especially the "newbies") as they enter the room. Start off with small talk or an ice-breaker, move to business "size-up" mode and quickly decide if this is someone worth following up with at a later date and time. If yes, ask for their Handbill or business card and ask them if they would be open to meeting you for coffee within the next week. Then, after you tell them that you will follow-up in 1-2 days, write on the back of their Handbill or business card details about the "intelligence" that you learned about them. This might be companies that they know people from, industries that they worked in, common skills that you share with them, or maybe even personal data that you can bring up during coffee (ie. "How did your son's soccer game turn out on Saturday"). This will earn you respect and show that you care about them and that you are dedicated to this relationship.

Networking is all about your attitude, your ability to sell yourself, your willingness to help others, and the ability to not care about "keeping score". If done properly, the results will come. Networking is by far the best way to land your next position. So make sure you're doing it right.

Today’s Tip: Want to Triple Your Number of Informational Interviews Overnight?

This one has a real simple answer! Don't call them "Informational Interviews". Instead, ask people for "Informational Meetings". This slight change in wording will at least triple the number of informational meetings that are accepted and scheduled.

The reason behind this is psychological. An employee of your "targeted company" feels that they have the power and authority to schedule a meeting at their discretion. However, when asked for an "Informational Interview" they pause and think to themselves:

• "Do I need them to fill out an application?"


• "How do I obtain an application?"


• "Do I have to get HR's permission?"


• "Since we don't have an open position in this area, is this legal?"


• "Will I get in trouble for officially INTERVIEWING someone?"


• "Is this part of my job responsibilities?"


• and many more...

Thus, you are probably given a "push-back" excuse on why they can't (or won't) conduct an informational interview with you. By changing one word, you are more likely to get that "Okay, I will meet with you" answer that you are looking for (especially if you pose a win-win for both sides to meet and talk).

In addition, when you ask for these informational meetings, offer to conduct them during lunch or after-hours at a local Starbucks or Panera Bread. This will help them overcome any potential obstacles that some employees might have in meeting with you.

Today’s Tip: Don’t Trust Job Descriptions

As a job seeker, I don't want you to rely 100% on what those poorly written and outdated job descriptions say about the position. They were most likely written 10 years ago and not by the Hiring Manager! For some strange reason, these documents are more protected than the winners of the Emmy Awards on the eve of the big night in Hollywood. It takes a full corporate legal team and the VP of Human Resources to approve of any changes to these sacred documents. Thus, they are quite different from what the Hiring Manager truly wants and what gets posted on the job boards and company website. So what should a job seeker do?

Do your homework and try to read between the lines. I know it is difficult, but if you network with enough people at that company, you will begin to paint a picture of the projects they are working on, the tools, applications and "pain points" that they are currently experiencing. Eventually, you will be able to "extrapolate" the real needs of that Hiring Manager, and be able to modify your resume to meet those "unwritten" desires that might only be in the mind of the Hiring Manager.

In the meantime, don't let a few shortcomings stop you from researching and eventually applying to a job posting in which you only have 75% of the posted requirements. In reality, you might be the perfect candidate in the Hiring Manager's mind.