You got the interview...now what?!

You've been waiting and hoping and, finally, it happens. That company that you applied to weeks ago finally called and you are scheduled for an in person interview on Friday. Panic sets in as you begin to think about it--relax, you'll be great! Of course you want to look your best, be rested, take several copies of your resume, be 10 minutes early (never more and NEVER, EVER, EVER, late), google the company and learn as much as possible (not just the first paragraph of their website--really research including competitors, products, culture, etc) and make sure you know where you are going.

Here are a few helpful tips for during the interview:

Always present yourself confidently and offer a firm handshake. A handshake is very important and it conveys your confidence. Look the interviewer(s) in the eye and say “it’s a pleasure to meet you” or some other greeting during the handshake.

Sit up straight during the interview—do not slouch.

Don’t fidget

Maintain eye contact

Listen carefully and reiterate back important points stated by the interviewer in your answers.

Never interrupt.

Avoid making inappropriate remarks or statements—in general, stay away from anything person unless prompted and then answer concisely and move on (see list of illegal interview questions).

Speak clearly and project confidence. You are there to let the interviewer know that you are the right candidate for the job and why.

Make a list of questions from which you can ask at the end of the interview when the interviewer asks “Do you have any questions for me?”. Questions to avoid are salary, hours, bonus information or anything else that is not directly related to the work you would be doing, the job itself or the company.

Never talk bad about a previous employer or company. Try to avoid negativity altogether.

Stay focused and on topic.

Always thank the interview for his/her time and make a parting statement such as “I hope that I will hear from you” or “

It is appropriate at the end of the interview to include a question as to where the company is in their search and if you should expect to be notified if you are not selected to continue in the interviewing process.

Ok, so you're there, you look good, you have made a solid impression--but are you prepared for the hard questions? Here are some practice questions to get you ready:

"Tell me about yourself."
This is usually the opening question in an interview and it's the perfect moment for you to toot your own horn -- not to tell your life history. Your answers should be a quick rundown of your qualifications and experience. Talk about your education, work history, recent career experience and future goals.
Suggested answer: "I graduated from University X and since then, I have been working in public relations with an agency where I have generated millions of PR hits for my clients. While I've enjoyed working on the agency side, I'm looking to expand my horizons and start doing PR for corporate companies such as this one."

Why did you leave your last job?"
This is your chance to talk about your experience and your career goals, not to badmouth a former boss or give a laundry list of reasons for your exit. Instead, focus on what you learned in your previous position and how you are ready to use those skills in a new position.
Suggested answer: "The company just wasn't a good fit for my creativity, but I learned that organizations have distinct personalities just like people do. Now I know where I'll be a better fit."

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
Let the employer know that you're stable and you want to be with this company for the long haul. Keep your aspirations to take over the firm with which you are interviewing, own your own company, retire at 40 or be married with five children to yourself.
Suggested answer: "I want to secure a civil engineering position with a national firm that concentrates on retail development. Ideally, I would like to work for a young company, such as this one, so I can get in on the ground floor and take advantage of all the opportunities a growing firm has to offer."

"What are your weaknesses?"
The key to answering this age-old question is not to respond literally. Your future employer most likely won't care if your weak spot is that you can't cook, nor do they want to hear the generic responses, like you're "too detail oriented" or "work too hard." Respond to this query by identifying areas in your work where you can improve and figure out how they can be assets to a future employer. If you didn't have the opportunity to develop certain skills at your previous job, explain how eager you are to gain that skill in a new position.
Suggested answer: "In my last position, I wasn't able to develop my public-speaking skills. I'd really like to be able to work in a place that will help me get better at giving presentations and talking in front of others."

"Why were you laid off?"
This question will become more common as the economy continues to slow down. It's a tough question, however, especially because many workers aren't told exactly why they were laid off. The best way to tackle this question is to answer as honestly as possible.
Suggested answer: "As I'm sure you're aware, the economy is tough right now and my company felt the effects of it. I was part of a large staff reduction and that's really all I know. I am confident, however, that it had nothing to do with my job performance, as exemplified by my accomplishments. For example..."

"Tell me about the worst boss you ever had."
Never, ever talk badly about your past bosses. A potential boss will anticipate that you'll talk about him or her in the same manner somewhere down the line.
Suggested answer: "While none of my past bosses were awful, there are some who taught me more than others did. I've definitely learned what types of management styles I work with the best."

Now---go get em!

Today's Outplacement

Some people hear the word Outplacement and they think of things like a career center where job seekers are sitting in cubicles using the phone, or a classroom where people from different industries, career levels, and backgrounds are lumped together being given all the same information. Or they might think of someone helping them with their resume, giving some "career" advice and sending them on their way. Doesn't seem very helpful does it? Well, I suppose at some point in time it may have been, but that isn't going to cut it in today's world.

Today, Outplacement has to be more than a cattle call or a cookie cutter solution aimed at the masses. Displaced employees need real support and in order for them to view Outplacement as a viable source of support and not just something their employer tossed in while they were leaving with very little value, it has to be targeted and must provide each person with the tools they need based on where they are in their career, what industry they are in, their career path, skills, goals, and so many other factors. An important factor is when they were last in the job market. A Senior Manager or someone who has not had to actively look for a job for years is going to need far different support than someone who has been out of college and in the professional world for a few years.

An Outplacement Specialist should spend time getting to know each person and truly understand their needs, goals, concerns, etc. Only then can a plan of action really be developed. Each person should feel that their Outplacement Specialist is listening and working specifically for them.

In today's market, looking for a job is complex to say the least. There are job boards to navigate, resume spiders, job portals, social networking sites, business networking sites and that is just the beginning. How do you interview and stand out when there are dozens of candidates vying for the same position? What is a resume supposed to look like today? How do you navigate these things and not go crazy or at least have an anxiety attack twice a day? All of this and more should be handled and planned out by the Outplacement Specialist.

In the end, it is our job to help you---on your terms. We are the experts, you set the pace. At Pinnacle Resource Partners, this is our business model and we are all about bridging the gap and getting displaced employees back to work as quickly as possible. www.pinnaclerp.com.

Looking for a job?

Looking for a job, especially in today's volatile market is tough. It seems that everyday companies are going out of business or we are hearing about yet more lay offs. But there are jobs out there to be had and you can find one--if you have the right tools.

Many people have been out of the job market for years and never expected to be looking. What do you do if you found your last job in the Sunday Times? Or if you were recruited into your previous job? Sure, most people know that today most job hunting is done on-line and scouring the newspaper is a thing of the past. But many job seekers don't have a clue as to what their resume should look like, how to prepare for an interview in today's world, how to use on-line business and social networking as a job search tool, how to launch a successful job search and many other aspects of what is now, a quite complex job market. Employers expect more and have their pick of candidates so it is important that candidates know how to navigate the market and stand out amongst all of the other qualified (and not so qualified ) candidates.

Outplacement supports workers who have recently been laid off or who will soon be facing a lay off, by working with displaced worker one-on-one to build the skills necessary to find a new job quickly. There are many aspects of Outplacement but basically, a good Outplacement firm/counselor will be there to support, coach and provide direction to displaced workers at every step in their job search journey.

Outplacement is a benefit that many employers will provide at the time a lay off is announced and pay for the service so that affected employees have support and can get a jump start on getting back to work quickly. There are a number of packages and levels of support the employer can purchase but almost all involve some level of all of the above mentioned areas. At Pinnacle Resource Partners we work with employers to map out a strategy which ensures that the displaced employees have a solid transition plan. We also work with individuals who do not have a sponsoring company but who want to ensure that they are fully prepared to enter the job market.

Visit us at www.pinnaclerp.com for more info or call us today!

The Benefits of Outplacement

If you are an employer who is faced with the unfortunate reality that in order to remain competitive and profitable you must lay off some of your workforce, you are probably struggling with how to ensure that the employees who are affected will get through the lay off and wondering how you can best ensure they are able to move forward quickly. While laying off employees is sometimes necessary, particularly in today's world, it is never easy. No employer wants to see hard working, valuable employees without a job or income to support themselves and their families. So what can you do? Severance is good, it allows the employee a bit of a cushion to get their bearings, continued health care benefits for a period is nice, who wants to be unemployed and worry that they can't afford health care? But what about giving the employee a resource that they can work with in order to be prepared and successful in their job search? Many employees have not been in the job market for years and have no idea how to navigate, how to create a resume that works in today's electronic driven world, how to interview, how to launch a successful job search strategy or even how to deal with the stress of being unemployed.

All of this and more is part of what Outsourcing provides. For a small fee per employee, an employer can engage an Outsourced firm such as Pinnacle Resource Partners www.pinnaclerp.com, to provide one-on-one support to the displaced employees. This support is invaluable as it provides the displaced employee with the tools and skills to quickly find a new job. For the employer, aside from the satisfaction of knowing that you have provided transitional support to these employees, you also increase your visibility as an employer of choice for your remaining employees as well as future employees, clients are happy to be working with such an employee centric partner, and you also save costs on unemployment and more importantly, reduce the chances for employment related litigation.

In the past, Outplacement involved a work center in many cases, where displaced employees would go to attend group workshops, use a cubicle, etc, basically it was a cookie cutter approach. Today, Outplacement has to be much more than that. It has to be individualized and focused in order to be effective. Most people have a home computer and don't need a center to go to, thereby eliminating the need for brick and mortar, which results in lower costs to you. Some Outplacement firms charge up to $5,000.00 per employee---this is completely unreasonable and not economically responsible. A good Outplacement provider should be flexible in their approach, be able to provide support virtually and be able to show you exactly what the employee will get.

Today, 72% of employers are utilizing some sort of Outplacement when laying off or downsizing--the benefits and values are absolutely worth it!

Four Good Job Sites

Everyone knows about the big 3--Monster, CareerBuilder and HotJobs. However, sites that are industry specific are actually becoming more and more prevalent. Employers are seeing the value in targeting job seekers from with their own industry. For example healthcarejobs.com increase its market share last year substantially, Dice.com which is tech specific rose as well, while CareerBuilder actually went down. It's important to do your homework and find specific sites for your target job. Below are 4 examples of more general websites that have recently become very popular.

Indeed.comIndeed includes millions of job listings from thousands of web sites, including company career pages, job boards, newspaper classifieds, associations, and blogs. Job seekers may also search job trends and salaries, read and participate in discussion forums, research companies and even find people working for companies of interest through their online social networks.
LinkUp.comLinkUp is a job search engine that searches jobs on company sites. The job postings are from small, mid-sized, and large company career sections, and are updated whenever the company web site is updated.
SimplyHired.comSimplyHired searches thousands of job boards, classifieds, and company sites. Advanced search options include type of job, type of company, keyword, location and the date the job was posted.
JobsterSeach for jobs posted by location (city, state, zip), keyword, vicinity, and best match. Advanced search options include state, city, radius from a city, date posted, and multiple keywords or a phrase.

Lost in a sea of technology

If you are like me, you are struggling everyday just to keep up with the latest technologies and praying that it will slow down so you can catch up. If you aren't blogging, tweeting, twibing, Im'ing, Facebooking (is there a verb for posting on FB yet?!), texting, emailing video conferencing or pod casting then you are clearly asleep at the wheel and quickly become a relic. It feels like if you slow down for a second, the information super highway is going to make roadkill of you in short order. I have anxiety just writing about it!

I now keep a spreadsheet of all of the accounts I have--log-in's, passwords etc. for Twitter, Twipe, Facebook, BlogSpot, Skype, GoToMeeting.com, e-mail, IM, MySpace, Gather, Spoke, Linked IN---there are more names on the list than were at my wedding.

So here's what I've decided to do--I've decided NOT to try and do all of it. I mean come on, it is ridiculous to think that anyone can hold down a full time job and do all of this stuff (while maintaining any sense of sanity whatsoever!). I have decided to weed out what I don't need. Mostly what I need is business. Facebook isn't helping my business, IM is just distracting, and I am drowning in email because I have several accounts. I am consolidating and having only one--I will spend more time calling my friends and family and less time feeling guilty because I can't respond to their emails, and I will be honest and tell them that I won't respond unless I can. I have decided that we have to set boundaries and limit what we try to take on, lest we become the roadkill previously mentioned. My Space is so yesterday and texting, Hello?! No, I'm downsizing in an effort to be more efficient and lean. Are you with me??

Here's to pulling into the slow lane!

What are key words and why should you care??

Ok, so you're out there--Like it or not--in the vast abyss that is today's job market. You keep sending out your resume, you've posted it on every job site you can find and still...nothing. The phone isn't ringing, no emails, you stare at the phone and your inbox and hear crickets. Is it just that there are no jobs out there? Are you not qualified? It's driving you nuts...

One thing that job seekers have to do in order to insure that their resume is being seen by employers and recruiters, is to make sure that it contains the key words that potential employers would enter into a resume database such as Monster, CareerBuilder, Dice and others when searching for candidates. If your resume does not contain these important key words, you will never make it into the batch of resumes returned in a search. If you are an Accountant but no where in your resume is it listed that you have private and industry experience or that you have your CPA, have used Peachtree, QwickBooks, etc. then you might as well settle in, because it will be a long wait.

The good news is, it's easy to figure out exactly what key words you should include in your resume. A good practice would be to go to one of the on-line databases and do a search for the kind of job you are looking for. Once you have located several postings from various companies, compare them and find the commonalities used in the job descriptions and then incorporate them into your resume!

Happy hunting!
PRP