Always Put Your Best Foot Forward

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dog-633562_1920There are times when it’s okay to just throw in the towel, right? Especially when it comes to interview preparation.  Whether it’s an interview for a job, an internship or possibly grad school, you can cut yourself some slack on occasion.

After all, you’ve applied to dozens of places. Even though you’ve scored an interview with a great company, it’s not your first choice and there’s still time for “number one” to give you a call.

Sure, you do the basics such as getting an interview outfit and telling a few trusted friends about this new development. Without putting forth much effort you convince yourself that you’re prepared, you’ve done this before, you are ready for any question and that this interview is really more of an opportunity for you to take a look at them.

You don’t need to put much effort into preparing for an interview that you’re not 100% sure about anyway.

SAID NO CAREER COACH, EVER.

Yet I’ve heard this before, watched it play out and then seen the results. It should be no surprise that they aren’t pretty.

Always put your best foot forward. Approach every interview as though this is THE ONE; the job or internship that you really want.

Here are a few reasons why you should always put your best foot forward:

Personal Brand – Remember: you represent the brand of YOU.  And you always want to present your brand in the best possible way.  Prepare, smile and shine during the interview!

Six Degrees of Separation – It’s a small world. The hiring manager you interview with today may be best friends with the hiring manager you interview with tomorrow. Or they could be connected to some other key individual that may be instrumental in your career.  Give them every reason to praise you.

You Can’t Turn It Down Till They Make You An Offer – Many times I hear clients say, “Based on what I heard during the phone interview, I’m going to turn the company down”. Turn what down?  They haven’t made you a job offer yet!  In most cases it’s in your best interest to continue with the process to see where it leads.  Job location may be a concern for you, yet if the company likes you they may be willing to accommodate a telecommuting situation.  Who knows?  If you pass an opportunity too early you’ll never find out.

Always Go for the Win – Sports teams always approach a game with a winning mind-set. So should you when you go into an interview.   The goal is to receive a job offer – a win.  It allows you to make the decision about employment rather than having it made for you.  Go in to each interview as though it were the only job you want.

Practice Makes Perfect – If nothing else, every interview is an opportunity to practice your interviewing skills. Always look for improvement over your last interview. Grade yourself and afterwards note additional ways to improve.

 

3 Tips For Successfully Answering Interview Questions

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practice-615644_1920What is it about interviewing for a job that can make otherwise intelligent people get tongue-tied? After all, we are at a job interview to discuss how we might help the company achieve its goals and who knows our career story, with all of our successes, better than we do?

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. Here are 3 tips to help you successfully answer interview questions.

1.Write Your Answers Ahead of Time

You have a good idea of the questions the hiring manager will ask, right? “Why do you want to work here?” “Give me an example of a successful project you managed” “What is your biggest strength/weakness?” and the all-important, “Tell me about yourself”.

Rather than “wing it” during the interview, think about what you want to say and type out your answers ahead of time.

Go back and review your answers, making sure they are succinct and convey the best part of you and your career. Place yourself in the hiring manager’s position: Are your answers what you would want to hear from a candidate?

2. Answer the Hiring Manager’s Question: WIFM?

The hiring manager is looking for someone to solve her problems. She’s silently asking the question, “What’s In It For Me?”

To answer this question, you need to “show”, not “tell”.

It also means using examples to show why she should hire you, NOT using fluffy words or generic information that isn’t specific to the position for which you are applying.

For example: “Tell me about yourself”. Your answer: “I’m passionate about analytics and am a dedicated, hard worker.  I really enjoy working in finance and would love to work here at XYZ Company.”

That’s awesome that you want to work for the company but the hiring manager doesn’t care about your needs/desires. I’m sure you are dedicated and hard-working, but how do you prove that in an interview? Besides, isn’t every candidate going to say that?

A better answer is, “I’m a financial analyst with more than ten years experience helping companies such as yours strategize and plan for the future. My career includes both corporate experience as well as consulting, for both domestic and global organizations. Recently my team completed a project that allowed our company to increase revenue by 8%. I believe my experience has prepared me to take the next step, and I’m ready to make a positive contribution to your organization.”

State who you are and show you can do for the hiring manager and the company.

3. Practice!

Just like being in a play, practice saying your answers out loud until they roll off your tongue naturally. Do not wait until the interview before you speak these words!

Trust me when I tell you that practice makes you sound perfectly unrehearsed.

Remember: Write. Show. Practice. These three tips will take you from tongue-tied to eloquent.

Should Flawless Execution Be Your Goal?

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“Flawless Execution” – I guess it’s appropriate to say that I’m haunted by this phrase since Halloween is this month.

Companies, hiring managers and – gasp – even I have used this term to describe what we expect from employees or ourselves when it comes to performance.

But is “flawless execution” really what we want?

To clarify, once we have identified a project, set goals, worked through the “kinks” and it’s now show-time – which in my world of marketing would be execution of an event, a major PR announcement or a product launch – then yes, the goal would be flawless execution.

When I was a college summer intern with another student at a chemical products plant (yeah, that was memorable), our job was to re-wire the electrical burners in a very long oven that was the entire length of the plant. Why they entrusted us with this job, I’ll never know. After working on this for about four weeks, we announced we had finished and all of the workers came to see us pull the switch to start the burners. Only one third of the burners started.

In this instance, flawless execution would have been a good idea, as well as testing it ourselves first.

Where I challenge us in our expectations of flawless execution is when we expect ourselves and/or our companies to be forward-thinking and to grow beyond what we are currently doing. To do so, we have to make allowances for “flawed execution”.

Without trial and error, we will never discover the next “big thing” or move beyond our current status.

Employees who are afraid to fail will not take the necessary steps to bring the company new ideas and test new concepts if their reviews are based on flawless execution. Would you take risks if your job was on the line? Maybe, but then again, maybe not.

It’s easier just to take the safe route.

I understand that we are all held to bottom lines and delivering results and budgets and pleasing shareholders. Really, I do. Been there, done that.

Yet there has got to be a way to allow for some calculated risk that allows the company and the employee to grow, with both reaping benefits.

The chemical company definitely took a risk allowing two college students to re-wire the electrical on a major piece of equipment. We thought we were in big trouble. But the company had taken a calculated risk, knowing we would probably not get it right the first time, choosing a slow-season in which the second oven could handle production needs.

As hiring managers we should rethink using the phrase “flawless execution” when reviewing potential candidates or developing job descriptions, and use that instead for a particular project. We should want to hire employees that will use critical thinking to take calculated risks, especially when developing new ideas or planning for the company’s future.

There really are ways to take risks and still meet goals, allowing some wiggle room for “flawed execution”.

And the Award Goes To: What To Do When You Don’t Win At Work

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DMN column praise

The awards were all sitting in front of me. A large screen flashed accolades, written by readers of the newspaper and submitted anonymously, praising the work of the columnists sitting in the room with me. We all watched anxiously for comments about our work.

I’m not gonna lie; I counted the number of times my name appeared on the screen, even taking photos of each comment with my phone.

To say I’m competitive is an understatement. I’ve always strived to be the best at everything I do. Whether I succeed or not is beside the point; I have an inherent desire to do my best.

Who am I kidding? It’s all about winning! I want an award and all the recognition that comes with it, including bragging rights and the photo for social media.

But today I was not a winner.

Thank goodness I learned a hard lesson when I was younger: not everyone gets a trophy just for participating.

When I was a child, we learned the value of winning but more importantly we learned the value of losing, and losing with grace. It didn’t matter if it was softball or dance or debate or any number of competitive activities. There could only be one winner; possibly a second and third place. But that was it. We didn’t receive a trophy simply for participating, a practice common today.

We learned to accept defeat graciously, and we learned to separate the loss of the event from ourselves. Just because we did not receive an award for our hard work did not mean that we, personally, were losers. It simply meant that someone else had performed better than we did at that given moment.

I believe we became more resilient. If we wanted to succeed next time, we evaluated the winning entry or the winning team’s strategy. We took notes. We practiced more. We set a goal, developed a plan to achieve that goal, and went to work.

My biggest lesson in defeat and winning came in high school. A life-long dancer, when drill team tryouts came I thought it would be no problem to make the team. I practiced and had the routine down pat. Piece of cake, I thought.

What I didn’t count on was the strong desire of others to secure one of the limited spots on the team. They may not have had the same years in the dance studio as I did, but they made up for it in determination.

Defeat hit me hard. I was devastated.

After twenty-four hours of solid tears, I held my head up, walked past the smiling girls who made the team and met with the director to ask for constructive feedback for next years’ tryouts.

Once I understood my areas for improvement, I developed a plan to master those skills by the next years’ try-outs. I was determined to win.

Was it hard to sit on the sidelines for a year? Yes. Was it difficult to practice alone while waiting for my next chance at redemption? Absolutely.

What will happen to kids today when they grow out of the “everyone gets a trophy” phase and experience true defeat? Will they know how to separate the loss based on skills without thinking, “I’m a loser”? And will they have the determination to develop a plan to win next time?

My losing experience taught me no matter how good I am at something, there’s always going to be someone better. I learned how to develop a plan to get from point A to point B.

Second time out, I made the team. Got the award, the bragging rights and the photo.

As for today’s events, I’m proud of my fellow columnists who received recognition for their work. It’s an honor to work with such skilled writers.

And the graduation gift we all received was lovely; a leather writing journal to capture our thoughts, which I know I’ll put to good use.

But I still want to win.

What is the Best Career Advice You’ve Ever Received?

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What is the best career advice you’ve ever received? According to Jason, my former colleague and longtime friend, it’s “Feed the Bear”.

I had to think about this for a minute.

People living in areas prone to bears know better than to leave food or trash outside, where it’s easily accessible. When bears haven’t been fed and are having a hard time finding food, they will come looking for it. Bears will walk right up to the house, knocking over the trash cans looking for what they want – food.

The bear usually leaves a mess to clean up and a frustrated homeowner. It’s better if the bear is full, so he doesn’t come around looking for food.

Sometimes at work we get so busy with a project that we forget to update the boss with our progress. We figure we will tell him/her at the weekly staff meeting, or simply wait until we hit a milestone when we “really have something to share”.

Wrong! We should constantly provide information to our manager about the work we are doing.

We need to “Feed the Bear.”

We should always be one step ahead, providing updates on our project status; information that the manager can share with his boss that will make it look like he is “in the know.”

One thing you never want to happen is to have your boss’s boss ask a question that your boss is unable to answer.

Talk about one hungry bear visiting your desk.

Here’s what happens if you fail to feed the bear at work:

  • Your manager will catch you off guard, asking questions about your work that may or may not be relevant to the success of the project
  • Your manager may lose trust in your abilities if you are not prepared with an answer
  • Once engaged, your manager may get creative as he asks questions, deciding to add side-projects that may take your efforts off-focus
  • Frustration may set in as you feel like you are being micro-managed with these additional projects and drive-by meetings

Yes, we all need to remember to “Feed the Bear.” It makes perfect sense.

The Truth About Networking

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Job hunting is a lot like dating. There’s the hunt for a strong connection, mutual goals and a personality fit before actually committing to each other for any length of time.

I’m now going to take this one step further and say that networking is like blind-dating. This seems to be especially true when it comes to using LinkedIn.

Random messages from prospective “dates” arrive in my inbox that say, “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”

These messages are auto-produced, without any thought given to the message. Apparently these people – who are strangers to me – are so desperate to make a connection that they have trolled LinkedIn looking for people to connect with, even if it’s ten degrees of separation.

The notes come without an explanation as to why I might want to connect with them, such as “We are both friends of Joe” or “We both worked together at XYZ”, or “I am in marketing and I would like to connect with other marketers” – anything that would remotely make sense.

You know what happens when I receive a blind-date from LinkedIn? I treat it with the same level of respect as a real date that had shown so little effort.

I ignore the request to connect.

Here’s the truth about networking: Networking is about building a relationship. Even blind-dating is done with the hopes of finding a spark that will build a relationship. But to get the spark, there first has to be some sort of conversation starter.

Simply sending the auto-generated “I’d like to add you to my LinkedIn network” is the worst mistake you can make when networking on LinkedIn.

It shows you have given zero thought to me as a possible connection. It tells me you’re lazy and you won’t give time to even try to establish small talk or begin a relationship.

Worst of all, without any relationship, you are nothing to me and I am nothing to you. There’s no way we can help each other. All we’ve done is pad our LinkedIn numbers in an attempt to show we’ve got tons of connections, albeit bad connections.

Networking takes work. It takes time. It’s not something that can be done by trolling LinkedIn and clicking a few auto-generated invitations.

The truth about networking is that it’s harder than dating. It’s harder than blind-dating. And that’s really, really, hard.

Work Better by Taking a Break

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Kylie 3 Nov 2012For the first time since I started writing my blog years ago, I did not post an entry last week.

My mind just completely shut down. I mean it completely turned off, 100%.

I could not think at all, much less write anything. Actually, I did have one thing on my heart to write, but it was not on topic for a career blog.

It was an obituary for our precious pooch, Kylie. Our beloved four-legged daughter has been my office-mate, constant companion, editor-in-chief and security detail while I work from home. The house is beyond quiet without her.

Even if you are not a pet lover, you can appreciate the myriad feelings one endures with the loss of a loved one.

We are heart-broken even though we had a feeling her time with us was coming to an end. It just happened much sooner that we expected.

After several days and nights nursing her, taking her to the vet, holding her paws, stroking her head and anticipating what we knew we had to do, I was exhausted. Writing and working were just not in the cards.

So I took a break, only working on projects with a deadline or those that required little creative energy.

Sometimes we all need – and deserve – a break from work and our routine. It could be that we’ve experienced something as serious as a death in the family, or maybe we’ve had a stressful few months at the office without a vacation day.

Either way, it’s good to recognize when you need time away.

Usually I’m one to put my head down and keep on going. I’ve always thought it was better to “be strong”.

But I’ve come to the conclusion that breaks are a good idea. They can be short, such as a long weekend. Or if you’re like me and work spills over, take a weekend and simply don’t work. Plan something fun, maybe take a day trip or sit at the park and watch the world go by.

The point is to do something different; something to clear your mind.

Especially if you’ve lost a loved one, I find that it’s best to get out of the house to process things, then come back and start moving forward. You will actually work better if you take a break. It allows you to regain your focus much quicker than without taking a break.

Word of caution: Eventually, and I mean sooner rather than later, you must get back to work. This is for your own good.

It’s difficult to sit at my computer without my loveable four-legged editor looking at me, begging for a treat.

Yet I go on, knowing she’s with me in spirit. And I know that’s what she would want me to do.

The Best Time To Look For A New Job

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We all know it’s a good idea to look for a new job while we are still employed. But when, exactly, should you launch a job search?

Similar to any social event, it’s always best to leave the party while you’re still having a good time. The best time to look for a new job is while you are still enjoying your current job.

This is much harder to do than it sounds. It’s difficult to walk away from a position you enjoy, co-workers you like and a boss you respect.

Here are some tips to help you determine if it’s time to leave the party:

  • Have you been at your current company long enough to show progression and a record of success? I’m talking about being at the same company for several years, with a series of wins under your belt.
  • Have you been considering a change in the back of your mind, yet putting it off until “someday”? If you know this is not your long-term gig, then it may be time to make a move.
  • Do you see opportunities for advancement at your current company or will you need to leave to achieve your goals? Be realistic here. If there truly is opportunity, then be patient. Yet if the same promise of promotion comes year after year without action, it’s time.
  • Is opportunity knocking? Sometimes through networking we get an opportunity that piques our interest, even something that’s not in our current field. A well thought-out opportunity may be just the ticket to an awesome career change.
  • You’ve been there how long? It’s possible to stay at a company too long, especially if you want to make a change. Hiring managers may wonder if you are set in your ways, unable to adapt to new ways of thinking. Definitely something to consider.

Only you can determine if the party is going strong enough for you to stay or if it’s winding down and time to make a move. Remember one thing: you don’t want to be the last guest, the one the host asks to leave.

Think Like an Athlete to Recover From a Bad Interview

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football field

The day starts out great. You have prepared for this moment, practicing your answers as if your life depended on it. Your outfit is perfect. Smiling at everyone you meet, you are gracious and relaxed.

You know you’ve got this interview nailed.

Then, out of the blue, the hiring manager asks a question that you should have been prepared for. In fact, you were prepared for it but for some reason your tongue got twisted in your mouth and you stumbled. Big Time.

It was like a slow-motion train-wreck happening as the wrong words came out into a mish-mash of an answer.

Not one of your finer moments.

To your credit, you recovered and kept going with the next question, yet it was a bit too late.

You could sense it – even see it – in the hiring managers’ eyes.

Game over.

How many of us have made a mistake during an interview, blowing the answer to a question that we should have answered correctly?

It happens. What we need to remember is not to wallow in defeat. We need to have a very short memory when it comes to our interview mistakes. We need to pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and get back in the game.

Take a lesson from athletes. They have to get up and get back in the game literally seconds after making a potentially game-changing mistake, with large crowds of people watching their every move.

My nephew is learning how to master this skill, which will serve him well in the future.

In his first college football game he faced almost every obstacle possible, from wind, to losing his deep snapper (the guy who holds the football while nephew kicks), to penalties that forced him to attempt a field goal from a distance that many pros won’t make.
The style of kicking that his high school coach loved is different from what the college coach wants. His first two kick-off attempts failed, yet by number three he found his groove.

My nephew showed determination and a commitment to succeed. He let his short-term memory take over during those moments, forgetting his mistakes so he could focus on succeeding the next time he was on the field.

Next time you have an interview that doesn’t go as planned, think like an athlete.  Learn from your mistake, engage your short term memory so you don’t wallow in pity, and move on to success next time.

The Easiest Way to Hurt Your Career

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What’s the easiest way to hurt your career?

Ruin the one thing that you own; the one thing that no one can take away from you except yourself: Your reputation
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We forget that we own our reputations; we manage them. A good reputation can open doors; a bad reputation is difficult to repair.

I’m sure there are times when you have want something so badly that you would do almost anything to get it. I know I’ve been in those situations.

What would you do to get what you want?

  • Walk over hot coals to get a date with your dream guy or gal? No problem.
  • Stay up all night waiting in line to try out for a TV show? Sure! Who needs sleep?
  • Lie to the hiring manager by accepting a job knowing that you intend to quit after only a few months in order to start working at your dream company when a position opens? Hmmm.

Let’s see where this career decision might lead, if you acted on it.

You try desperately to rationalize the career decision in your head. “Well, the job pays really well and I need the money since I just quit my other job.” “I will work really hard for the company, making sure to exceed their expectations.” “Just looking out for number one in case something happens with the other job.”

Deep down you know that this is wrong on so many levels. But the job is so good, you accept and hope things will work out.

And it does work out well – for you.

In a couple of months the dream company calls with an offer; you resign from your current position and are excited about the future. The current company is not so thrilled to find out they’ve been played, having invested time and money into training you. They’ve seen this happen before, so they move on, making a note in your file.

Fast-forward a few years.

You have achieved success at the dream company and now it’s time to expand your horizons. Through your network, you learn about an awesome opportunity with a new company and your resume gets passed to the corporate recruiter.

This is where it gets interesting: the corporate recruiter at this new company happens to be the same person who was the corporate recruiter at the company you worked at for only a few months. The one you “played”. Kind of doubt she’s going to ask you to come in for an interview. Why should she trust you? She certainly doesn’t want to get played again.

Yes, it’s a small world when it comes to business. People move around to different companies; you never know when you might run into them again.

With social media it’s super easy to find someone who knows you as well. Recruiters know each other, and even if it wasn’t the same person it wouldn’t take much networking for your name to pop up in the recruiter’s LinkedIn account. Your story would be uncovered and the same results.

Your reputation is worth protecting, especially with situations that are within your control such as lying or other questionable behavior. As I said before, a good reputation can open doors; a bad reputation is difficult to repair.

Ruining your reputation is the easiest way to hurt your career.