HRinmotion Blog – Career advice from HR Pros

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper: What are you worth? Negotiate your salary

What are you worth? Negotiate your salary

One of the most common questions we get asked on a regular basis by job seekers is: “How do I respond to questions related to salary and what I am looking for?” In fact, last week we had a IT professional write in to ask this very question. He was interviewing for a job that has some responsibilities of a Systems Administrator and a Software Developer.

So in this example, suppose you are this Systems administrator, how should you answer?  Remember to never discuss salary until you are completely sure about the job and aware of pay ranges in similar positions elsewhere. Remember, most employers will start negotiations at the lower end to allow them flexibility to move up if the initial salary is not accepted.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1) If salary issue is mentioned before actual job offer: Ask the interviewer to postpone answering until you know more about the job. Once the nature of the job is clear, your best response is to push the question back and ask the employer what they have in mind.  For example, “Before we discuss salary for this Systems Administrator position, I would like to get more information about the responsibilities of this particular role.”

2) If the interviewer insists on knowing your present or previous salary: There are several ways to respond, but my favourite are: “I would prefer to fit into the company’s current salary range” or “At this point of my career I want to earn a salary that relates to my skills and experience and my previous Systems Administrator salary did not reflect on this”.

3) If the employer asks how much you want: Remember, you want to be paid what you are worth, not what you need. Let the employer know that salary should be based on what they think is your value to the company. For example: “Money isn’t my highest priority, however I know I could excel in this Systems Administrator position and I would be an asset to the company; so how much do you have in mind?’.

4) When the employer does provide you with a salary: Your best response should be silence, this shows you are considering the offer and you are not satisfied. Don’t get too anxious to accept anything offered to you. Be honest to yourself and negotiate your perceived self worth. “Although, I am enthusiastic about this Systems Administrator position and company, I feel the salary does not completely reflect my self worth or the contributions I am prepared to make for the department and company long-term”. Be silent again and wait for the interviewer’s next offer. Think of this as a chess match.

5) Once a salary has been negotiated: Don’t feel like you have to accept on the spot. Tell the employer that you would like to take the next 24 hours to get back to them after you have a chance to talk to family and have some time to think. During this time, you may also have additional questions for the employer or come up with a new negotiating tactic.  For example, “The possibility of joining your company as Systems Administrator is a very important decision for me, and I wonder if I may have some time to consider the offer?”

Remember, the better you handle yourself during the salary negotiations the more respect you gain from the employer once you accept. This will also set a tone for future advancements.

Do you have any job or work related topics you would like us to cover in the future? If so, contact us at info@hrinmotion.com

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper: Part 3 – Interview Answers the Right Way. This is the last part of the article we have covered over the past two weeks (3 of 3).

Part 3– Interview Answers the Right Way.

Over the past two weeks I have covered the topic of answering interview questions the right way for job seekers from Mechanical Engineers to Bank Tellers. This is the final part, where we continue to provide information to job seekers on how to answer specific interview questions. Let’s continue with a few additional questions below:

“How have you successfully worked with difficult people?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

It is never easy to speak negatively about other without being seen as a tattletale. This is definitely one of the hardest questions to answer; so keep things simple. Overall, you want to show the interviewer(s) your “people skills”, that you stay optimistic throughout and it’s hard to change all negative individuals. If things get out of control and you have as much as you can, don’t be afraid to approach the manager in confidence.

For example, “As a Bank Teller for busiest branch in the city, things can sometimes get stressful.  I usually stay focused and positive and hope that my actions will rub off on others around me. I had a difficult time with one individual who never seemed to see eye to eye with me and never pulled his weight. I met this individual for coffee and lunch and got to know him personally, explaining he is bringing the team down. He explained his personal situation and I was able to help him through it. In the end, he made a complete improvement and was one of the main decision makers. We continue to work well and have become good friends”.

“What kind of people do you find difficult to work with?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

This could be a probing question to the one above. You could keep it simple by saying: “As a Mechanical Engineer, sometimes it’s challenging to work with people who don’t follow company or departmental processes and procedures or slackers. These individuals are usually confrontational, dwell on the negatives and are not able to consider the positives. They always bring others down around them with lack of work ethic, team work and solutions”.

“What are some problems you have encountered on the job and how did you resolve them?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

Remember; always take ownership without laying blame or problems on your tools or other individuals. Always give a response of a problem you recognized and solved. For example:

“My job as a Mechanical Engineer consists of ongoing changes and multi-tasking, so its easy to overlook problems as they arise. I actually enjoy this environment because it keeps me alert and motivated to find solutions. Last year I was managing a group that consistently produced machines that were faulty. I could not understand why other groups had no issue except for my team. The pressure was mounting and it was costing the company each day. I took the time to go through the process on my own after work and realized that a few new steps were accidentally omitted. I quickly recognized the issue and brought the team together for a meeting the next day. We had a step by step session before going forward. The issue was resolved and I updated all the instructional manuals so the problem did not arise again in the future”.

I hope I was able to cover most of those tough questions our readers requested. Also, I invite you to read Job Interview Answers the Right Way parts 1-2 for additional job preparation information.

Do you have any job or work related topics you would like us to cover in the future? If so, contact us at info@hrinmotion.com

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper: Part 2 – Interview Answers the Right Way. This is a continuation from last weeks article (2 of 3 ).

Part 2– Interview Answers the Right Way.

Last week I introduced Part 1 of Answering interview questions the right way, where I provided information to job seekers from Financial Analysts to Early Childhood Educators on how to answer specific interview questions. Continuing on, part 2 of 3 looks at additional questions you can expect to be asked in a job interview and how to answer them the right way.

“Why did you leave your last job?” or “Why do you want to leave your current job?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

This is question is always one of the favorites by the job interviewer. You should always know why you did leave or plan to leave a job. To guide you in the right direction, here are a few reasons you may want to use: 1) you were not able to grow further professionally in your position, 2) The commute was long and it became harder as time went on, 3) There was no way to move up the ladder anytime soon, since there were too many people ahead of you, 4) You felt that it was time to get reasonably compensated for your skills and knowledge, 5) The company was not stable and needed stability due to personal and family circumstance.

For example: “The current company I work for is a small department with 5 Financial Analysts. I feel I have gone as far as I possibly can. It is time for me to grow professionally and join a more reputable company that offers greater challenges. ”

OR

“The owner of the daycare is retiring this year and is selling to a new owner.  I have worked for her as an Early Childhood Educator for over 5 years and she is a great employer.  However I am looking for more stability due to personal and family circumstances”

“What was it about your previous company that you did not like or agree with?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

This question is putting you directly in the spotlight. Provide an answer that doesn’t speak too negatively and get into too much detail. Also, provide only on answer without rambling on about a few negatives. When answering, mention how company policies and/or directives were misunderstood by some employees who disregarded the big picture – profitability. For example, “As an Early Childhood Educator, I didn’t like the way staff mentioned customers come first, but didn’t really go the extra mile to ensure this. It wasn’t the fault of the management, just a negative group that only looked to fill their own pockets. This brought on a negative vibe amongst individuals and all group cohesion was lost. I believe in team work and moving forward together.”

“What was it about your previous company that you did not like or agree with?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

This question can be easily defused by looking for answers that do not hold a significant impact to the main requirements of the position. For example: “As a Financial Analyst in my last job, we did not have any administrative support so I had to do all my own filing.  As such, I think filing was my least favourite aspect of my previous job. However, it is important to the overall success for me, my department and company, so I always remain positive even though its mind numbing.” An answer like this will show the employer that you understand mundane tasks are necessary and you take the bad with the good.

Join me next week for the last part of answering job interview questions the right way. Until then, best of luck in your job interview.

Do you have any job or work related topics you would like us to cover in the future? If so, contact us at info@hrinmotion.com

By now, I am sure all of you are aware of the devastation that has occurred in Haiti resulting from a massive earthquake.

In an effort to help those victims in Haiti and in the spirit of Canadian charity, HRinmotion will do make a donation.  Vancouver, BC based, HRIM will begin a donation to Haiti.  All proceeds from our online courses to the Canadian Red Cross for relief efforts in Haiti.

The period of donation for Haiti will be one month from Jan 28, 2010 until Mar 28, 2010.

So if you are currently job searching, and want to gain skills needed to improve your resume and job interview skills, take our course.  By taking our course, you will not only invest in yourself but also helping a worthy cause.

You can donate by either purchasing an online course directly from HRinmotion.  If you prefer, you may donate directly to the Canadian Red Cross and send us some proof of donation to obtain your free resume writing and job interview training course.

We thank all of our loyal readers in advance for their continued readership and supporting this worthy cause.

Donation For Haiti Instructions:

Donate via Direct Purchase from HRinmotion

Donate Directly to Canadian Red Cross (Ensure to send some proof of donation to receive complimentary courses)

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper: Part 1 – Interview Answers the Right Way

Part 1 – Interview Answers the Right Way.

Job Interview Answer Notes:

Over the past few months, we have received messages from all types of job seekers from Certified Nursing Assistants to Mechanical Engineers asking to about how to answer specific interview questions. Since there is quite a bit to cover, I plan to take the next few weeks covering common job interview questions and providing sample interview answers.

The job interview is perhaps one of the most stressful situations most would like to bypass, but difficult to avoid. The interviewer’s questions can act as the catalyst for your own fear; and the only way to get over the fear is to prepare.

So let’s start the interview by responding positively towards open ended questions. Here are some questions you can expect to start of an interview and how to answer them.

Common Interview Question:  “What is you greatest weakness?”

This is probably the one of the most difficult questions anybody can face; especially because we hate talking about ourselves. It’s only human nature that we never like to share too much about ourselves, especially if it is negative. If faced with this question, try and avoid a weakness that is directly related to the job. Focus your interview answer on a personal weaknesses and one NOT related to the job that can easily be fixed and you are taking the right steps to want to fix them. For example, “It’s never affected my job as a Certified Nursing Assistant but I get nervous when public speaking and usually freeze up in front of a large audience. Since this has been a weakness of mine for quite awhile, I thought I would overcome this weakness by joining toastmasters”.

Again, it’s important to note that we cited a weakness that was NOT a core job requirement.  As a Certified Nursing Assistant, a weaknesses of “public speaking” is not a deal breaker as opposed to a “lack of patience”.

Common Interview Question: “What kinds of decisions are most difficult for you to make?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

We are faced with decisions everyday, but be careful about this question….don’t admit too much. Try to use key profiles to answer this question: “Its not that I have much difficulty in making decisions, its just that some take more consideration than others depending on the situation and risks involved”. This is a trick question, so be sure that your interview answer takes your boss and colleagues into consideration. For example, “I was planning to get away on vacation, but our department was under pressure, especially with a few people away or sick. As lead CNA, by going away I would leave my team and managers in a bind, so I spoke to my family about the situation and decided to postpone the vacation until after the deadline was met”. In this example the individual demonstrated consideration, departmental concern and the company bottom line – This is Big.

Common Interview Question: “What are your feelings about your last employer?”

Job Interview Answer Notes:

Always respond in a positive manner and keep your personal feeling to yourself whatever you may think. Refrain from a long job interview answer to this one. Your interview answer should be “great” or “very good” then smile and wait for the next question. There is a strong belief by most employers that people who complain about past employers will only cause a problem for the new one as time goes on.

Join me next week for part 2 of interview answers the right way. Until then, best of luck in your job interview.

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper – Using the phone as a job search tool

Using the phone as a job search tool

The telephone remains one of the most uncomfortable tools for most people, especially when it comes to talking to a stranger on the other end. However, if used properly, it is a vital part of the job search. So try and put your fears aside and use it in your job search.

Your first step is to target prospective employers before making the call and being well prepared.

Getting started: find out the phone number, title and correct contact name of the main person in charge of making the hiring decision.

Obtaining information: The receptionist is the key person to ask for the name and correct spelling of the person you wish to speak with. Always thank her, hang-up and call back when you are ready to speak with the main contact person.

Getting past the receptionist: When making calls, try calling shortly before 9:00 am or just after 5:00 pm. Remember, the secretary is there to screen calls, so be confident and direct as though you know the person you are calling.

A well created presentation: When you are put through, it is important you have a well written and tight presentation with a strong “grabber”. Plan what you will say before the call by rehearsing possible questions and answers. For example, “Good Morning, I am John Smith I have 10 years training and experience as a project manager. My strength is leading teams of 10 people with successful projects exceeding 3 million dollars. I would like to come by for an interview”

What if it becomes an interview? : If the telephone call last more then at least 2 minutes you are probably being interviewed. If this happens, be sure you have the following information in hand: your resume, the source of the job lead, past experience related to the posted position and the knowledge, skills and abilities you can contribute to the job and company. So do your research about the company prior to picking up the phone.

What if there are no openings? : If the employer does not have any current openings or the position has been filled, tell the employer that you would still like to talk about openings that may arise in the future. If the employer asks to send in your resume, ask if you can drop it off in-person so you may introduce yourself and put a face to a voice. If the employer sounds hesitant, try to find out why, and then try and set a date for an interview

Remember, even if you get rejected, smile and thank the employer and get on with the next call. Keep your head-up high and keep at it. You just may have called at a wrong time or they genuinely may not need someone with your skill set.

Photo by James Cridland http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/277673803/

Security vs. Privacy

To bring in the new year, Canadian airports across Canada are installing full body scanners.  All of this is in an effort to comply with American regulations and make the airways “terrorist free“. While some passengers welcome this move and see it as an improvement making their flight safer, others view the scanners as nothing more than an invasion of privacy.

Well for those who are worried about the airport security employee behind the screen getting their thrills, I have to say, “really?”  If the images that are visible to the airport security staff are similar to those shown in the CBC news article, then there is not much to worry about.  Sure the body scanners reveal an image without clothes, but if you look the article you will see that the images are not exactly “Playboy” material.  But there are those very opposed to the scanners proving you must always balance the benefit of security with the cost of privacy.

Fly Nude, Fly Safely

But what if there was a way to improve security without stepping on the privacy rights of individuals?  Why don’t airlines start offering nude flights where passengers wear nothing but their birthday suits?  By offering nude flights, the government, airlines and travel agencies can honor an individual’s freedom of expression.  Travel sites such as FlightCentre.com, Expedia.com, and travelocity.com, can now offer their naturist travelers another option. Those who value security above all else can call their travel agents to book a nude flight or as the nudist say, “clothing optional flights“.  Others who value privacy over security can take their chances with the “clothed flights“.  And best of all, it is totally safe!

Nude Flights Barely Cost Anything

Best of all nude flights offer our struggling airline industry a significant cost savings.  Airlines such as Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, and United Airlines can all enjoy the extra profits.  Aside from the lower fuel costs from passengers without the weight of clothing, there will be:

• No need to install expensive body scanning equipment
• No need to offer in flight meals to passengers (from loss of appetite, if you have been wanting to lose a few of those Christmas pounds, just take a good long look at the photo above)
• No need to have leather upholstery (which will also appease the animal activists)

Nude Flights Our Answer To Terrorism

In the “war against terror”, nudism may be enlisted as our secret weapon.  Flying buck naked will almost surely stop a would be terrorist from smuggling a bomb onto the plane (notice how I said “almost surely”).  Not only will it be next to impossible to smuggle explosives onto a plane but any would be terrorist would surely be frightened by all the skin, hair and moles waiting for them on the plane (notice how I said “next to impossible” but not impossible).  In this way, nude flights can be our answer to terrorism.  A response that says, “Al Qeada, we too hide weapons beneath our clothes“. Just try board a nude flight and we’ll show them our “axis of evil”.  Using nudism to fight terrorism has such simple elegance, it’s just one “ism” to fight another….a tried and true approach.

So there you have it, nude flights is a simple and inexpensive way to improve airport security, fight terrorist and preserve the freedom of expression all at once.

Below if our latest submission for this week’s 24 hour newspaper – Students – taking steps towards a successful job search.

Students – taking steps towards a successful job search.

Although this article was written with students in mind, Looking for a job is a full time job in itself for all job seekers, so it’s key to go in with a positive attitude. The important thing is never become discouraged, impatient or frustrated. It’s worth taking the time and effort to search for the job you want, not the job you settle for.

For students looking for jobs before graduation, start looking as soon as possible. Get to know the job market by checking the newspaper and online job postings daily, casually mention in conversation with friends and family that you will be looking for work and to keep you in mind. There is nothing like a head start to get you going. The more people that know you are, or will be, looking for work the more opportunities you will have.

The next step is to get organized. Applying for a job at many different places can get confusing and individuals have missed potential job opportunities because they couldn’t remember which prospective employer told them to check back with them. Use a notepad or a spreadsheet in which you can list the date, company name, address, telephone number and the contact person responsible for hiring or you may have spoken to. If you are unsure about this information before going to a company make sure you write it down as soon as you leave a job interview (ask for a business card). Also, after the job interview include relevant information in your notepad or spreadsheet such as: Call back next Tuesday, Come back in 1 week, Spoke to Jane Doe, they will call back at end of week etc.

This information will assist you when you write your follow-up or thank you letter after the job interview. Remember, a company is always impressed and keeps you in mind when you write back thanking them for their time. By seeing your name again, reminds the employer that you are still interested in the job.

If you require assistance, our team has created a job search checklist available via www.hrinmotion.com (online education) or feel free to contact us with your job search questions at info@hrinmotion.com.

Wishing you much success in your job search.

Here is an interesting news item from the Province newspaper about a Victoria area doctor who has been charged with fraud over lying that he holds two doctoral degrees.

According to the news article, James Walker is 31 and his credential includes “a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master’s degree in social work and two PhDs. It also lists him as a registered social worker, and indicates that he has worked as a paramedic, a child-protection investigator with Toronto police and Toronto’s Children’s Aid Society, a manager of public education for the B.C. Ambulance Service, an auditor and adviser for the Capital Health Region, and a policy adviser for the province.”

The charges are over forged documents that “indicates he holds a doctorate in medical sciences from the University of Calgary, a doctorate in philosophy from “Smith College” — the name of a women’s liberal arts college in Massachusetts — and a diploma in human behavioural science from the Yale School of Medicine.”

I have written a few articles on resume fraud, (including politicians who have lied) and the consequences of lying on your resume. The danger of lying on your resume or misrepresenting your credentials is that it threatens your entire application. Meaning, if a hiring manager catches a lie, omission, or embellishment on your resume, your entire application will be suspect. In such a situation, even the credentials you have worked hard to attain will not be trusted.

Re-read the credentials and accomplishments that Mr Walker indicates he has achieved and ask yourself how much of it you believe.  Now as for Mr Walker, if his career as a “doctor” does not work out, he might just have a shot in politics.

Photo by soundman http://www.flickr.com/photos/soundman1024/576328302/

Below if our latest submission for the 24 hour newspaper – Starting the new year by revising your resume

Starting the new year by revising your resume

As we welcome in a new year filled with resolutions, I thought it would be useful to revisit the resume for all the job seekers looking for a new start in 2010.

As you know the resume can be a powerful tool in getting you in for that all important interview. But how it looks and reads will have a big affect on if it will be successful in getting you noticed. Here are useful tips we have used in writing resumes to help you revise your resume to make it the most effective weapon on your job searcher.

Use titles and headings effectively
Change your approach to the key phrases and titles that jump out when the employer looks at your resume. Instead of highlighting what you did, highlight what you can do for your new employer.

Think about your format
Put more thought into the organization of the resume. Stay away from long paragraphs and go with lots of short phrase and bulleted list presentation styles. These will work well during that “initial scan” and get your resume put noticed.

Sell your content
Too often a resume is a history document of your background. Change your approach to make it a roadmap to your future and to your employers. Use action verbs. Instead of “work on the project”, think about phrases like “was successful at achieving results working with…”

Action words are powerful
After you have written the first draft of your resume, review the words you use, particularly the verbs. Verbs describe action and you want your resume to communicate that you are a person of action and
accomplishment.

Refer to the job description
A key to what your employer needs is shown in the job description. Read it carefully and use words from it directly. This is called “echoing” because you echo back in your resume and in your interview words that employers use because in that way you are talking in their language.

What do they “really” need
Think about what an employer really needs.They may say in their job ad that they need “a programmer expert” but what they really need is a technical problem solver with strong programmer experience and skills who can help communicate the problems of the business to the technical team to provide solutions and long term support. Think of the business problem that your special skills will solve and word your resume and cover letter around those needs.

What makes you so great?
Your resume may do a terrific job of telling about your background and successes but what it may not do is answer the question “what will be the benefit of hiring you over the others?” Develop language and text in your resume that both talk about your skills and experience but also the benefit you bring to the business setting you wish to enter. Describe your value.

Sell yourself upfront
Your resume has many worthwhile things to brag about for you. But you know that this employer is looking for particular skills and personality traits. So prioritize your resume so the things that are your top skills are highlighted in titles, italics, bullet lists upfront. You can include those other great things you want to say later in the resume.

Customize
Have a generic resume that has everything you could possibly need or want in any resume. But remember, every job application is unique and you may need to carefully customize your resume and cover letter to match exactly what this job is calling for.

Many job seekers have multiple variations of resumes and cover letters. You may have one resume for very technical work, one for project management or another for more management positions you might want. By customizing your resume, you will feel that you have done everything you can to make sure you are reaching out to that employer with the best resume for that situation that you can possibly offer.

Wishing you all the best in 2010 from the HRinmotion team!