Blog | The Write Solution

Guest post on New England Job Show blog

22 September 2010, 8:28 am

A friend alerted me to the opportunity for a guest post on The New England Job Show blog I made contact and well, there I am, in the job search section. The blog’s editor, Jackie Simmonds, made the process pleasant and easy. You’ll notice I added a link to their site on my blog roll. I found lots of good information on the site and thought I’d make it available to you too. You can also like them on Facebook.

I’d love it if you’d head over to their site and check out my post. Here’s the link: How do you find a good resume service? Thanks.

Filed under Career Advice, Guest Postings, Resumes. Tagged Career Professionals, Jaqueline Simmonds, Professional Resume Services, Resume, Selecting a resume writer, The New England Job Show

2 Comments

What’s in a name?

15 September 2010, 4:06 pm

Recently a job seeker shared this story with me:

She’d successfully completed a telephone interview and did the “proper thing” sending a thank you email after the phone interview. (BRAVO!!) A few days later, she checked her email and found not only did the email bounce back as undeliverable; the message about it bouncing went to spam. (Horrors). She called the company and found out the person with whom she interviewed spelled her name Alyson (with a “y”), not Alison, with an “i”, as she had “assumed.” The story turned out well. She corrected the spelling and resent the thank you. Alyson responded with a thank you of her own. (See how that works? … but that’s a soapbox for another day.)

This was not a client, so I took a moment to give her a tip about names I share with my own clients. Be sure to get the interviewer’s name and the correct spelling of it – gather business cards or come right out and ask if you have to, but get it right. You “should” have a notepad with you during the interview, so take a moment to focus on your interviewer and get their name. (Nothing is more melodious than the sound of one’s own name.)

While name gathering, take the time to get the correct spelling. Never, ever assume just because it’s a common name, it’s spelled the way you think. (Alyson/Alison/Allison). There’s a caveat here; you don’t want to come across as someone without a clue if the name is common.

I hear you: “OK, Dawn. So how do you THAT?” Don’t come out and ask, “How do you spell Allison?” (See, there’s a third spelling ….) Say something like is that Alyson a “y” or an “i”? Or is that with one or two ll’s? That’ll trigger the person to spell it for you. You come across as intelligent enough to know there is more than one way to spell a name and you’re thoughtful enough to confirm how this person does it. (And look at the message it sends. You’re considering options, presenting solutions, solving problems and you’re not even on the payroll … yet!)

A few more examples:

Is Brown, with or without an “e”? (Browne)

Is it Greene, with an “e”? (Green)

Is that Tom with or without the “h”? I’ve known people who spell it both ways.

Carol? Do you spell it with or without the “e” at the end? (Carole)

Scott? I know this is crazy, but I know someone who spells Scot with one “t”. Are you a one or a two “t” Scott?

See. There are a number of different ways to ask for correct spelling without coming out and saying, “How do you spell Brown?” which, can leave the interviewer thinking, “Duh.”

The positive of a well-written thank-you letter (or cover letter) can be negated by leaving the “e” off Carole or the “h” out of Thom. Or an email can end up bouncing back as undeliverable and all that effort and positive after the fact marketing is for naught. Never assume the spelling of anyone’s name. Names are important, and spelling them correctly equally so!!

(Melissa, this one’s for you. Thanks!!)

Filed under Career Advice, Communicaton. Tagged Cover Letters, LinkedIn, Names, Spelling names properly, Thank you letters

14 Comments

SEPTEMBER: Update Your Resume Month

8 September 2010, 11:25 am

In honor of “Update your resume month, I found a great article on the Career Directors International website talking about the importance of keeping your resume up to date and ready for action. Included are some great tips for keeping it that way. Why reinvent the wheel when I can share the wisdom here? Added bonus, I can give a shout out to CDI, a great career organizations and respected colleague, Illona Vanderwoude, (@CareerBranches on Twitter) in the process. Here’s Illona’s wisdom. Thanks for sharing!

SEPTEMBER: Update Your Resume Month – 5 Reasons (and ways) to update your resume today
By Ilona Vanderwoude, MRW, CPRW, CEIP, CCMC, CJST
Career Branches
www.careerbranches.com

When September rolls around, it means “International Update Your Resume Month.” An initiative spearheaded by Career Directors International (CDI) meant to promote awareness about the importance of having an updated resume ready.

Why is this so important, you ask? Fortune favors the prepared mind (Darwin), and this is particularly true when it comes to the job market.

Specifically, here are five reasons why you should update your resume TODAY:

1. You can’t plan for this scenario and that’s exactly the reason you need to be prepared with an updated resume: one day, one of your contacts approaches you with an unbelievable job offer. The position you’re being offered is even better than the fantastic one you have right now. Your contact just needs to forward your resume to his/her boss or to the Board of Directors…NOW. Don’t be the sad person going into a frenzy and ending with a sub-par document to submit – barely in time.

2. Another scenario: Overnight, you find yourself in an industry in distress. Doesn’t sound too far off after everything we’ve been through recently, does it? Who would’ve thought not too long ago that Wall Street would be in the kind of trouble it is today? It can happen to anyone.

3. A little less dramatic: Ok – maybe your company is “just” downsizing due to an acquisition, bad financial results, etc. Dealing with the stress of suddenly having to update your resume is not something you want on your plate in addition to everything else that’ll be going on.

4. You are up for your annual performance review and/or want to ask for a raise. I’ve seen people receive internal job offers for positions with more responsibility after updating their resumes. Finally, it was clear to their bosses what they’d been contributing all along.

5. It takes time to get prepared. If you go the professional route, keep in mind that most good resume writers don’t churn out resumes overnight. If you’re looking for quality service, count on a turnaround time of 1-6 weeks from beginning to final document. If you currently don’t have a well-constructed, powerful resume and you know you should do a complete overhaul, plan ahead – whether doing it yourself or hiring a professional.

Here’s how to get prepared – either for your do-it-yourself resume project or for your collaboration with a professional.

Five ways to update your resume now:

1. Evaluate your current career goals and make sure your resume still reflects these. Use a “focus statement” or position title to make it clear who you are and what you do (this replaces the outdated objective statement). If your focus changed since your last update, go through your entire resume and make sure everything is strategic and relevant.

2. Write all your accomplishments down since your last update. Did you initiate or work on a special project? Did you achieve something special? Surpass goals? Save time or money? Gain clients? Go above and beyond? Did you obtain new skills? Be specific and quantify your results as much as possible.

3. List conference, training, and seminar attendance. If you finished your education or obtained a certification, make sure to add this, and, if it’s relevant to your current career focus, list it close to the beginning of your resume – not at the bottom.

4. Is your personal information still current or did you move, change your phone number, or get a different email address? Also, make sure this is truly “personal information” — not your employer’s contact info!

5. Include any awards or honors you received.

Sounds like a lot of work? The good news: you’re killing a lot of birds with one stone! And from now on, if you chip away at it throughout the year as you obtain new skills or finish a project, it will get done before you know it. When your peers — and your “competition” — are losing sleep and scrambling to get their stuff together, you can rest easy knowing you’re ready for whatever comes your way. No more missed opportunities: priceless!

Filed under Career Advice, Resumes. Tagged Career Directors International, Illona Vanderwoude, International update your resume month, Prepaped for a job search, Resume Preparation, Resumes

4 Comments

Feel the power

2 September 2010, 7:14 pm

I write resumes using past tense verbs, through the entire document, regardless if it’s a current position or not. Every now and then, a client asks why? I decided to post the answer.

Some writers use present tense for current positions, then shift to past tense for past positions. Some writers use all past tense like I do. Either way is acceptable. I intentionally write resumes using past tense verbs for several reasons:

Power. Say the word manage or managing out loud. – You can slouch and sort of “wimp” it out. Now say the word managed out loud. – You have to sit up straighter and push the word out, putting some power behind it.

Past tense verbs are the powerhouses of the English language. They convey more power, more value, make a stronger impact. Another verb to try is act or acting. vesus acted. You can physically feel the difference in the push and impact when delivering a past tense verb.

Document consistency. It keeps one tense through the entire document.

“Been there done that.” While you may still be doing something, you have also done it. You’re conveying a sense of “I’ve done that. What else ya got? I can do that too.”

All that said, if a client isn’t comfortable with past tense for current positions, I make the change. Although, after my explanation, I seldom do.

Filed under Resumes. Tagged Past tense verbs, Resume Writing, Resumes

6 Comments

Why thank you

23 August 2010, 8:43 pm

What do the following acts have in common?

Hand-crocheted baby blankets as congratulations for new parents.
Sent information interviewing and interview prep handouts, at no charge, to complete strangers.
Took pictures, made reprints, burned CDs or created movies and forwarded to friends and family after parties, showers and gatherings.
Emailed federal resume writer referral information to callers.
Emailed pet sitting information – 17 forms and contracts, along with website links and book titles – to several individuals wanting to start their own business. (I ran a successful pet sitting business for seven years.)
Gave birthday and Christmas gifts to friends and family.
Introduced people who could benefit from knowing each.
Forwarded links and articles of interest to help with or enhance a specific piece of business or personal life.
Did minor edits and revisions to documents at no charge for clients, long after project completion.

Do you give up? Here it is: I’ve done all of these things for people at one time or another in my life and the recipients never took the time to express thanks or even acknowledge receipt. No. This is not a diatribe on the state of society today, although it could be … but I digress. And no, this doesn’t mean no one ever says thanks either.

I didn’t do any of those things expecting a thank you. (OK, maybe a little.) But, I also understand the best intentions can get way laid in the busy-ness of life. I’ll continue to help people, and do and create for them with or without a thank you. The joy for me comes in the doing; not in the thanks.

Fine. I won’t lie. Hearing thank you is nice.

This leads me to my point. With the scarcity of thank yous being handed out today, imagine the impact you’ll have by taking a moment to utter those two powerful words – in a thank you letter after a job interview, in an email or a hand-written note when someone in your network gives you a referral, verbally and with a smile when a stranger holds the door for you. (I sometimes throw in a curtsy …Yes. Yes I do.)

And no, I’m not talking insincere, self-serving, useless platitudes. I mean take a moment and truly appreciate the fact that another human being stepped outside themselves for a moment to do something nice for you and recognize it. You’ll be remembered. Chances are they’ll do it again. And you’ll feel good for making someone else feel good, so you’re likely to pass it along … and pretty soon, we’ll be holding hands and singing Kumbaya together.

Wait … I got a little carried away. Seriously though, a big part of a job search is about differentiating yourself from the rest of the candidate pool. One easy way to differentiate is with two simple words –THANK YOU.

A while back, I read an article stating only 20% of job seekers ever send a thank you letter after an interview. (Of course, I can’t find it to cite now.) Quintcareers.com says 5% and eHow.com says 10% – regardless, it’s a small percentage. In the article I read, it also said, of that 20%, 80% received the job offer because of the candidate took the time to send a thank you letter.

Anecdotally, a client told me, early in her career, she was offered a position because of a thank you. The decision was between to her and another candidate. Her after-the-interview thank you note arrived, it tipped the scales and she got the job. Powerful stuff, that thank you!

Oh, and one more thing, if you’re the nice person receiving a thank you, be gracious in receiving it. It wasn’t “nothing”. Say “you’re welcome” and if you want, tell the person how good it felt to be able to help.

Lest I don’t practice what I preach, thank YOU for spending a moment of your day with me.

For more of my thoughts on the power of thank you, you can read this post too.

Filed under Communicaton, Interviewing Information. Tagged After interview thank you notes, etiquette, LinkedIn, Networking, Thank you

16 Comments

What are YOU saying about you?

14 August 2010, 6:22 am

We are not garbage. (And no, that's not my house. *smile*)

This week I lost a client. It happens. That’s not the reason for this post. You know I’ll eventually get to the point, but first some background. The client was someone who had some “not that big a deal jobs” in her career (her words, not mine). She decided to reinvent herself, went back to school and recently earned a two-year nursing degree. She had her license (meaning she’d sat for and passed the boards) and was ready to launch her new career.

When we first spoke, she was tentative about working with a pro to create her resume. The more we talked about the process and the leg-up she’d have in the job market, the more excited she became. She quickly saw the resume creation process was not about hiring someone to type and that a resume wasn’t flopping job descriptions down on a sheet of paper and hoping someone would call. She saw value in the process. She realized she needed help transitioning the skills gained from her “no big deal jobs.” She started to see she HAD gained skills from those “no big deal” jobs. She booked.

I called at the appointed time. She started the conversation with “we need to talk.” I don’t care the circumstance; those are not words anyone wants to hear. She nervously started the conversation with something like, “I’ve decided the fee we discussed WASN’T WORTH IT because I don’t have that much experience. I’m JUST a recent graduate with ONLY clinical nursing experience. My mom and I talked about it and agreed, my other jobs WEREN’T THAT IMPORTANT so it really shouldn’t take you that much time to put something together for me.” I politely asked what price point she and her mom thought was fair for her specific circumstance. (All caps mine, not hers)

(Note: I was mirroring her verbiage. I avoid using words like cost or price when discussing investing in a career. Price is what you pay for milk. Investing is what you do when you’re looking for long-term benefits. Investing in professional guidance and support while shaping your career, and in essence your life, is an investment that delivers almost a 100% ROI in a very brief time … but I digress.)

Anyway, she and mom decided her resume was worth only half of what I originally quoted. I politely explained the process I’d take her through once again and the additional handouts I provided as part of the resume package. I went so far as to share how many hours are spent working on this type of project, breaking down the price to an hourly rate. After the calculation, I asked her if she asked if she was willing to work at that hourly rate. Funny. She wasn’t. But she also wasn’t willing to move forward with the project, reiterating she’d done so little in her career she didn’t see how it could possibly take long to share it.

Seeing a deeper problem here I backed off. She wasn’t balking at the investment level for a resume. She was balking at taking a chance on investing in herself. She didn’t see her own value. I can’t fight that. Here is someone who already invested several thousand dollars on her education, spent hundreds of dollars on books, worked hours and hours gaining clinical experience and studying for state boards, gave up two years’ income to earn her degree and sacrificed family time and social gatherings for those two years to study. My fee for resumes pales in comparison to what she’d already invested.

What happened between the time we booked and the time we were ready to get started? Negative internal sentences. And, yes, I’ll say it out loud, a mom willing to support that negativity, in essence encouraging her daughter to devalue herself. I know this wasn’t the intent, but it sure was the outcome. During the entire conversation, this young woman kept using the words, “just”, “only”, “not worth it”, “no big deal.” Knowing this battle was lost, I shifted into helping mode. (I know. You’re screaming WHY????, but I had to do something to circumvent the “I’m not worthy” thinking … if I could.)

I spent about a half-hour sharing a few sites that would help her get the correct focus for a search and help her craft her own career sales and marketing documents. (I know. I’m devaluing my own value by giving my knowledge away, but someone had to be a positive force in this young woman’s life. I decided I was willing to donate 30 minutes to that cause.) I suggested a different perspective on her work history. She thanked me and said, “I’ll give it a try. If I get frustrated, can I change my mind and come back and have you do it for me?” I assured her, if she needed help I was there.

I then told her, “I don’t care if you find another writer. I don’t care if you do it yourself. I don’t care if I never hear from you again. I don’t care if you call next week and we get started then. The thing I do care about is how you’re talking about and to yourself. No matter which way you choose to go with this, you have got to dump “the just, only, not worth it, no big deal” messages from your life. If your perception of yourself is so negative; if you place such minimal worth on your life’s experiences to date, how will you ever convey your value to a potential employer? If you tell someone you’re no big deal, then can you blame them if they start believing it too? In this job market, people that believe they’re no big deal take a lot longer to land jobs than those who go into the interview, and though life, confident in their skills and the value they bring. There is no such thing as “just” when it comes to talking about yourself.”

I don’t know that I’ll ever hear from her again. I can only hope at least part of what I said stuck. If nothing else, I hope her story helps someone else see their value. We’re not garbage. Most of us are viable, contributing members to society. Believing it is the difficult part.

Filed under Attitude. Tagged Attitude, Career Advice, Internal sentences, Job Search, LinkedIn

27 Comments

One bad apple doesn’t ALWAYS spoil the whole bunch

10 August 2010, 12:56 pm

Today, an “innocent” link floated by in the Twitter stream. I’m normally a “live and let live, you’re entitled to your opinion” kinda gal, but when my entire industry is bashed, I have to take a stand. It doesn’t matter the original post is from April 2009. Broad brush generalizations about ANY industry serve no one.

This is the post: “Resume Writer Ripoff – Why not buy better drugs? (tips for the job search)” (And yes. I realize I’m driving traffic to a negative post, but sometimes you “gotta do what you gotta do” to circumvent that negativity.)

The site is selective about allowing comments, so rather than wait to see if I pass moderation muster, I’ll post “the other side of the story” on my own blog.

Here’s my response:

Painting the resume writing profession with such a negative broad brush is akin to saying all used-car dealers are crooks, all lawyers are sharks and many of the other ridiculous generalizations permeating our society today.

Yes. Absolutely. There are rip-offs out there — as in any other profession on earth.

To say “this is the general process” casts negative aspirations on those of us who poke and prod and cajole and spend hours ferreting out the career stories that differentiate our clients from the rest of the pack. And offer ongoing support during the process — frequently at no additional fee.

“Well, I believe that an excellent resume writer spends a lot of time talking with you and produces very few resumes.” You’re correct in this assertion. A good writer seldom goes back and forth more than once, maybe twice with a document. I don’t have time to tweak a document 15 times. I do the homework and research up front so by the time I deliver, it’s usually a slam dunk.

This line intrigued me:
“…when pressed on ‘what is your resume writing process” I got a lot of hand-waving. I should have stopped right there, but all these people had told me ‘his resume helped me get a job’, so I went forward.”

Personally, I’ve found when I don’t listen to my gut, I usually get burned. Sounds like peer pressure overrode common sense and now an entire industry is being blamed for bad research and decision-making.

I’m not foolish enough to think my CPRW credential gave me mind-reading capabilities. I won’t work with a client that doesn’t understand there is a lot of heavy-lifting and introspection involved in creating effective sales and marketing documents. It’s up to them to provide the career details so I can develop a solid presentation. I also expect them to research their industry so they are aware of what the “buyer is buying” — what the companies are hiring — so the document is focused on easing corporate pain.

As I said, there is “bad” in every profession. But failure to do due-diligence and establish expectations up front is not indicative of a bad industry. It indicates a lazy-job seeker, looking for a panacea without being willing to put forth the effort it takes to find a quality writer that meets their expectations.

Bash the specific provider, if you must, but don’t put true professionals or the entire industry in the same bucket because of a bad decision on the job seekers part.

====================

PS: My dear friend and quadruple-certified resume writing colleague Rosa Vargas started to post a comment a here, but ended up with so much to say on the topic, it turned into a full blown post on her own blog. It’s definitely worth the read. Check it out.

Filed under Communicaton, Resumes. Tagged Attitude, LinkedIn, Professional Resume Services, Resume Writers

25 Comments

A tale of two networkers

26 July 2010, 1:27 pm

Career Collective post: Once every month or so, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.

This month’s topic: “Networking.” Responses from others contributors are linked at the end. Search the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.

Networking. The mere mention of the word strikes terror in the hearts of even the most seasoned professionals. For some reason, the thought of connecting with fellow human beings has become more like something we have to do, instead of something that happens naturally. What used to be pleasant conversation and sharing morphed into to-do list entries and deadlines. We set specific dates and list relevant topics for planned contact. We make detail notes regarding outcome. We schedule the next contact. Whew. Sounds like work.

True. Everything works better with a plan. And there’s nothing wrong with contact management systems, especially when incorporated into a job search. But networks and connections aren’t just for job search. Get caught up in the busy-ness of business and life and risk missing important supports and resources. Isn’t networking another word for “staying in touch”? Focus on being a supportive friend and business associate. Share – ideas, training opportunities, business articles, hobby-related information, recipes, a quick hello – whatever may interest your contacts and watch your network grow. Stop fretting so much about the concept of networking and start cultivating relationships – a solid network sprouts from thoughtful, considerate contact.

Recently, two clients, independent of the other, shared networking stories with me. Both clients experienced the power a network they didn’t “intentionally” engage. First is Albert. Albert recently completed his master’s degree in psychology. He’s been considering different career paths ever since graduation. Albert remains, after all these years, connected to a childhood friend, Fred. While Albert and Fred now live in different states, they make time for occasional catch-up phone calls. During a recent call Albert mentioned his latest career options to his friend, as part of the overall update, not in a “help me find a job” context at all. Fred’s father has known Albert since childhood and always welcomes his son’s updates after a phone conversation with his old friend. Fred shared Albert’s most recent academic accomplishment. Fred’s dad said, “Gee, I was golfing with a friend the other day who can use someone with just that background …” Albert flew out for an interview this past Thursday.

Candice attended an industry conference a few months ago. She ran into a former colleague, Les. They’d touched base over the years, but it was nice to have a face-to-face opportunity to connect. They quickly shared life and career highlights and drifted back to conference sessions. Several months later, Candice’s phone rang. It was Les. Les had a conversation with another industry associate. That associated needed Candice’s skill set to launch a new program. Candice flew out last Tuesday to interview for the position.

Both clients enjoyed the conversation with old friends. Both conversations, inadvertently led to career opportunities. Both interviews came about because of a casual conversation. Neither position was advertised. Both positions were “perfect” for the respective client. Albert and Candice were the first, and hopefully only candidates, interviewed. They entered the interview knowing their contacts “pre-sold” their skill set giving them an unsolicited, enthusiastic endorsement. Both opportunities emerged because of an effort to stay in touch.

Absolutely, plan your work, work your plan, attend networking events, keep your online presence clean and up-to-date. That’s all important too. But don’t forget to sit back. Sip some lemonade on the porch with a neighbor. Email an old friend. Connect. You never know where you’ll find that next opportunity. There … doesn’t networking sound like a bit more fun?

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

5 Little Secrets About Networking, @Careersherpa

Networking: Easy as 1, 2 , 3, @WorkWithIllness

How to Take the Intimidation Out of Networking, @heathermundell

Networking for the Shy and Introverted, @KatCareerGal

A tale of two networkers, @DawnBugni

Introvert or Extrovert: Tips for the Job Search No Matter Which ‘Vert’ You Are, @erinkennedycprw

Networking for Job Candidates Who Hate Networking, @heatherhuhman

Networking? Ugh! @resumeservice

Network, Network, Network, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

3 ways to make networking fun for introverts and extroverts, @Keppie_Careers

Grow Your Career Networking Seeds Organically, @ValueIntoWords

Networking: It’s a Way of Life, @WalterAkana

Social Media Networking & Your Career, @GayleHoward

Networking: Why who you know doesn’t count, @Chandlee

Networking for the Networking-Phobic, @JobHuntOrg

Filed under Career Collective, Networking. Tagged Career Collective, Chandlee Bryan, Connections, Dawn Bugni, Erin Kennedy, Gayle Howard, Hannah Morgan, Heather Huhman, Heather Mundell, Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Job Search, Katharine Hansen, LinkedIn, Martin Buckland, Miriam Salpeter, Networking, Rosa Vargas, Rosalind Joffe, Walter Akana

22 Comments

… and then “shut up.”

11 July 2010, 6:24 pm

Back in the late 70s, early 80s I attended a Careertrack seminar. I don’t remember the name of the seminar. I don’t really remember the exact topic, but one story the presenter shared stuck with me all these years.

The presenter, (we’ll call her Sue) traveled across the US doing seminars. Because of a hectic travel schedule, Sue spent a lot of time in airports people watching. One day, she noticed a woman in an absolutely beautiful white suit. It fit her to perfection and had delicate, intricate embroidery adorning the jacket. The woman was breathtaking and caught quite a few eyes as she navigated the airport terminal. Sue approached her and complimented her exquisite raiment. She went on and on about the fit and the gorgeous detailing. The woman thanked her and shared she had made the suit herself AND done all the embroidery work. This blew Sue away. Not only was the suit (and the woman) stunning; the woman created it. Then, the woman did something equally stunning to Sue. She started pointing out the flaws in her own work. “I appreciate the compliment, but I never took time to line it properly. <opening her jacket to demonstrate> Look at how ragged the seams are. I should have finished them better. And really, if you look, I probably should have trimmed up the ends of the embroidery threads a little closer. It shouldn’t look this rough on the inside. I should have lined it.” WHAT???? In about two seconds, this impeccably-dressed woman took a well-intended, sincere compliment and used it as an opportunity to point out the “flaws”, degrading herself and her talent in the process.

Sue used this example to show how we (especially woman) find it difficult to accept a compliment. Rather than say “Thank you.” or “Thank you. I always feel good when I wear this suit.” we find a way to negate our own wonderfulness. Sue challenged us that day to start graciously accepting and enhancing compliments. At the very least she wanted us to learn how to say “thank you” … and then shut up. She wanted us to stop diminishing ourselves with reasons why a compliment couldn’t possibly be valid. It’s not only insulting to the giver. It’s insulting to you too.

I use this same idea to help clients understand it’s OK to answer interview questions without offering every shred of detail about a circumstance. For example, I worked with a talented and skilled nurse a while back. During the information gathering part of the resume process, she told me about a previous job she’d lost because of family crisis. Without prompting, she told me her son’s former girlfriend (and guardian to their two children) had been arrested. Her son was out of town and everyone was unsure of the arrangements made for the children. She had no choice but to miss work, locate the children and ensure their safety. She lost her job because of it.

I was taken aback. I’d not asked for an explanation and didn’t need to know that level of detail. “Past family crisis” and “it’s now under completely under control” was all I or anyone else needed to know. Recognizing how freely she shared this information with me, I had to ask if she ever shared this story during interviews. You guessed it. Her response was “Of course. It’s the truth. My past employer was wrong and I want a potential employer to know it wasn’t my fault.” (From a hiring standpoint, do you see a few red flags here?)

Sadly, even with impressive credentials, leadership capabilities and vast medical knowledge, potential employers had little interest in her after an initial interview. When I asked if she saw a possible connection between that story and no job offer, she didn’t see it. In her mind, she was being honest. She didn’t see how an employer may see her unnecessarily-shared past baggage as overriding her expertise. In essence, she took a “beautifully-embroidered, perfectly-fitted white suit” and showed the “lack of lining and embroidery knots” with the details behind the termination. She diminished her expertise and, I’m sure, talked herself out of countless positions. (We worked out a less telling way to share that piece of her employment history.)

I’m not proposing making up things or lying during interviews, but an interview isn’t the time to show your lack of lining. You don’t have to bare your soul and share your most intimate secrets and questionable personal information. Take time to prepare and rehearse a positive response to “sketchy” portions of your work history. (And if you’ve worked long enough, you’re sure to have had a bump in the road somewhere along the line.) An interview is the time to put your best foot forward and dazzle a hiring authority with your expertise. Find a way to answer questions while painting yourself in the best possible light. Show off your perfect fit and exquisite detail … and then shut up.

PS – See the power and impact of a good story when used to demonstrate a point (or a skill). This one stuck with me for almost 30 years. Stories sell. Stories are memorable. Perfect yours.

Filed under Interviewing Information. Tagged Appropriate interview responses, Communication, Interviewing, LinkedIn

12 Comments

Some assembly required

17 June 2010, 10:13 am

This month’s topic: “Heating up your job search.” Responses from others contributors are linked at the end. Follow the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.

My dog, Summer, happy it's "Summer time."

Wooo-Hooooo! Summertime. Cookouts. Fun with family and friends. Time to break out the new grill. But wait. What’s that on the outside of the box – some assembly required?

“<Gulp> You mean I have to read the directions? Never mind, I know what I’m doing. I’m mechanically inclined. I’ll be able to figure it out as I go. (Four hours later.) There, last screw tightened. I’m not sure why they included all these extra parts. They must do that as a precaution; although this hose looks important. Oh well. I know what I’m doing. I would have figured out where it went it was that important. (BBQ time.) Awww man. The grill won’t light. Figures. Shoddy manufacturing. They just don’t make things like they used to anymore.”

Hmmmmm. Is it any wonder the grill didn’t light? Now imagine a job seeker taking this same approach to their search. With more and more and more companies going to online applications, it’s inevitable, at some point in a search you’re going to have to fill out an application online. From personal experience and anecdotal evidence from countless clients, navigating the process is challenging … at the very least. Most systems have instructions and information regarding what you can and cannot do and what’s required to complete the process. Failure to follow the directions can leave you in the same boat as the “grill master” above.

A good friend, Gayle Tabor of Glynne’s Soaps, recently sent this Dear Abby letter* to me. Here’s a perfect example of what not following the directions can do:

“DEAR ABBY: The company where I work posted an ad online and at our state unemployment job board for a position that needed to be filled. The ad detailed simple but specific instructions that included asking applicants to write a cover letter to address certain questions. It also said — in large letters: “YOU MUST FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS OR YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT.”

Of the 133 resumes we received, 76 did not contain the information that was requested. These applications were moved to an “Incomplete” file and not considered for hire. What’s sad is that judging by their resumes alone, several of these applicants had the qualifications we were looking for.

With unemployment being what it is, I was surprised that the majority of the applicants did not comply with the simple instructions. Please advise your unemployed readers that a job is out there for them, but they must follow instructions.”

Read this part again: “What’s sad is that judging by their resumes alone, several of these applicants had the qualifications we were looking for.” This implies 57% of the applicants, many qualified for the position, were not considered. They were knocked out before they even had a chance to dazzle, because they failed to accomplish the simplest task: Follow the directions.

Just like the poor soul with the grill, you can’t heat up a job search if you don’t follow the directions. While you’re relaxing this summer, take a moment to reflect on your search. Are you failing to read or ignoring the directions? Are you figuring it out as you go and then wondering why you’re not getting any response? Change the approach. Read the directions. Sometimes little things can make a big difference.

PS: And don’t forget, while you’re out having fun this summer, use opportunities to expand your network whenever possible. (For help with that, read this and this.)

*It’s the last letter on this page: Dear Abby