First impressions matter. If appropriate, ask ahead of time about what to wear. The safe bet is to dress professionally, paying attention to grooming, colors, and accessories.
Bring a notepad and pen to take notes during each interview. This is an effective way to show your interest in the job and your attention to detail. It also gives you an opportunity to look down at times if you struggle with eye contact.
Nonverbal communication cues are part of the impression you make. A weak handshake, for example, shows a lack of authority. An averted gaze signals distrust or disinterest in the job.
When working with an executive search firm it is recommended that ALL contact information, including your street address, city, state and zip code are on your CV. Typically the client, as well as the recruiter, will need that for their information.
Hirers use behavioral questions to dig into past achievements and predict future performance. These questions identify an applicant's key competencies and skills, so it's vital to prepare answers to match your skill set to the...
Rather than using standard verbiage, personalize what you want to say. Hiring managers want to hire a human, not a machine. Words such as "managed," "achieved" and "improved" are examples of positive, assertive words.
Many clients are conducting first interviews via FaceTime or Skype. Treat this as a face to face, in person interview. Dress professionally, ensure that you are in a quiet place, turn off the ringer on your home phone, lock up your animals so...
It is important to have good office etiquette. There's nothing more frustrating to busy coworkers and clients than to have their emails and phone messages ignored.
Think of LinkedIn as your resume. Fill out your profile completely but do not stop there. Use LinkedIn to reach specific individuals – the people most likely to hire you or help you get hired – and conduct research on your targeted companies.
Keep your responses short, concise and to the point. When asked a question, take a deep breath, pause and collect your thoughts before you begin to speak.
When going through the interview process, be patient. It is not uncommon for companies to have to discuss your interviews thoroughly and with everyone's busy schedules this can take time. Do not take this as a negative or the company...
Don't immediately reject critiques from others, even if you don't like or respect them. Sometimes people you don't like may be giving you more honest feedback than you can get from others. Don't take it personally.
Make the most of your week at work by establishing a routine of planning your week and your day. Start your day an extra 15 minutes early to do this...
Be open and honest with your recruiter about previous submissions/applications to a client. If you have already been submitted to a client, it will only make the recruiter and yourself look unprofessional on the duplicate submittal.
Research the company before the phone screen and especially before an on-site interview. The recruiter you are working with should be able to share insights into the company, the culture, why the position is open, how this position fits...
Most of the top candidates for a position will meet all the time requirements and have demonstrated great success in their field. The defining difference in an outstanding employee is their attitude or passion.
People remember stories over bullet points. Your goal should be to develop a set of anecdotes you can use in networking and interviewing situations that clearly demonstrate your skills, accomplishments and passion for your work.
