Steal These Great Ideas to Get Hired Faster

Steal These Great Ideas to Get Hired Faster Ive written before that your job search is really a marketing campaign, designed to identify, qualify and contact prospects (companies you want to work for), meet decision makers (people who can hire you) and sell them (convince them to hire you). Today Im going to write about that topic again. Because theres an almost limitless number of marketing ideas you can steal and adapt to your job search. Here are four 1) Write sales letters, not cover letters: Why imitate the same dull-as-dishwater cover letters most job seekers send out? To write a better cover letter, emulate the best sales letters. After all, youre trying to sell an employer on the idea of hiring you, right? You can Google writing sales letters or visit your library to learn how, but heres a quick list of the essential elements in every sales letter: Personalized opening. Example: Dear Mr. Jackson. Never, ever write: Dear Sir or Madam. Reader-focused. All good sales letters are written about you, the reader, and not, I, the author. If you change all instances of I to you in your cover letter, youll instantly make it more interesting and effective. Prove your claims with specific facts, numbers and dollars. Self-explanatory. Ask for the sale. Example: Please call me today to learn how I can save you $42,000 or more as a customer service manager. Or, say youll follow up your cover letter with a phone call just make sure that you do! 2) Treat your voicemails as radio spots: Heres a great marketing idea I got from Internet radio host and producer, Martin Wales. Its this think of your voicemail messages as 30-second radio commercials. That means you should script and rehearse every voicemail you leave for employers. While other job seekers leave rambling, unplanned, unprofessional messages, youll give employers one more reason to hire you. How simple is that? Try to leave tantalizing messages that practically force hiring managers to call you back. Example: Hi, this is Steve Jones. I just wanted to make sure you received the resume and cover letter I emailed you on Monday for your accounting position. I thought you might want to discuss the part where I saved $27,000 last year for a firm just like yours. If so, please give me a call at 702-555-1212. Thank you! 3) Networking a little better can mean a lot: According to the book, 1001 Ways to Market Your Services, a study by Stanford University showed that a small increase in the size of your network can greatly increase your odds of reaching the right person. How much? Just a 10% increase in the number of high-quality contacts can double your results, according to the study. What does this mean for your job search? If youve been networking and not connecting with decision makers who can hire you, try to add just 10% more qualified people to your network. You can do this! 4) Sell to past customers: Most businesses spend most of their marketing efforts attracting new buyers while neglecting past customers who already know and trust them, and would likely buy again if only they were asked. Similarly, most job seekers get so caught up in looking for positions at new employers that they neglect the co-workers and managers who already know and trust them. Are you committing this same boo-boo? If so, heres how to fix it and produce more job leads. Make a list of every co-worker and manager you have ever had, going back to high school. Now, cross off the ones you cant stand. Then, call or email each of the remaining people to let them know about your job search. If somebody has moved on to a new company, rejoice! You can not only contact them at their new employer, you can also introduce yourself to their replacement at the old employer turning one contact into two. You should be able to pick and use at least one of these marketing ideas for your job search, starting today. Why not start now? Image: Shutterstock

How Can Employers Avoid Bias in the Recruitment Process

How Can Employers Avoid Bias in the Recruitment Process AI, Gamification and even blind applications are just some of the ways companies have tried to banish bias from the recruitment process. Ultimately the hiring process is finally decided by a human so is it possible not to have any bias in the recruitment process? Our panel of diversity and inclusion experts are back to give us their tips on reducing bias in the recruitment process. Natasha Broomfield-Reid We all have biases. Most people don’t admit to having biases, and many organisations prefer not to acknowledge them, but denying they exist doesnt means that they go away. By having self-awareness and identifying our own biases and how they affect our behaviour, we can begin to slow down our thinking and challenge our decisions. Consider the reasons behind your decision-making process and challenge them, especially when discounting individuals who are different from yourself or the majority of people in the role/ industry. Natasha Broomfield-Reid, Head of Development at Equal Approach. Caroline Stokes Be aware how human it is that it exists. We can all learn to understand what our biases are, and to make an effort to stretch themselves in interviewing even hiring talent that really make sense, vs the comfortable route you would typically choose. There’s a lot of self work here, and everyone needs to do it. Caroline Stokes, Executive Headhunter Coach. Founder of FORWARD. Nicola Crawford The recruitment process should always encourage applications from a cross-section of society; companies should make their equality and diversity policies (or anti-discriminatory policy) clear and easily available to those who are interested in applying. The goal of the group is to promote diversity in risk management, to harvest the unique experiences, skills and perspectives that women can bring to optimize decisions and build positive risk cultures. Fundamentally it is about recruiting the best person for the job. Nicola Crawford, CFIRM, Chair of the Institute of Risk Management. Joanna Abeyie Use inclusive recruitment processes including using alternative sources for recruitment. Look at interest groups, professional networks, charities, professional thought-sharing events, social enterprises that support diverse talent, industry bodies and the like. All of which will have members who are talented, experienced and professional who would be a great pool of talent to tap into. Joanna Abeyie, Managing Director, Hyden, SThree.  Suki Sandhu The problem with bias is that most people do not realise they have it. Unconscious bias is a big problem for businesses, but you can take actionable steps like ensuring that all staff undergo unconscious bias training to make them more aware. To combat bias, whether it’s conscious or not, I would also encourage all businesses to implement name-blind recruitment and standardised interview questions and scoring systems for ALL candidates. Interviewing in pairs to gain a different perspective can also help, as well as having diverse interview panels to ensure diverse candidates have a more meritocratic process. Suki Sandhu, CEO and founder of  Audeliss. Charlotte Sweeney Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge that bias is a natural â€" we all have them. What we have to do as employers is (i) make sure the recruitment process is reviewed to ensure all bias is removed (for example assuming a certain degree grade at a certain university naturally means someone is right for the job) and (ii) raise the awareness of the impact of bias in decision-making for everyone. We should help people understand what their personal biases are and give them tools to help mitigate the impact of their bias throughout the recruitment process and any other areas of decision-making. For example, ensuring there is a diverse interview panel means there will be different viewpoints and more potential for them to challenge each other’s thinking. Charlotte Sweeney, Managing Director of Charlotte Sweeney Associates Ltd. Sarah Nahm Running a good hiring process and reducing bias in the hiring process ultimately come down to the same thing: structure. Structured interviews help lessen the subjectivity involved in hiring â€" increasing the chances of making a good hire and decreasing the threat of unconscious bias. Put great thought into the experience and capabilities needed for excellence in the role, make sure they are reflected in the job description, and train your interviewers so they know what to look for. When roles and expectations aren’t clearly defined, interviewers are more likely to let their biases cloud their decisions. Understanding what you’re looking for before you interview candidates helps take that bias out of the equation. Sarah Nahm, CEO, Lever.

How to Prepare For a Sales Interview Tips and Strategies - Career Sidekick

How to Prepare For a Sales Interview Tips and Strategies - Career Sidekick How to Prepare For a Sales Interview: Tips and Strategies Interview Preparation / https://www.edenscott.com/blog If youre looking for how to prepare for a sales interview, youre in the right place.Sales is one of the best careers out there, but these positions have some of the toughest interviews. Youll face questions about your mental toughness, why you want to work in sales, past challenges and success, and more.So how do you prepare for a sales job interview to land the job? This article is going to show you EXACTLY how, step-by-step.If you have a sales job interview coming up or youre hoping to find a sales job, then keep readingSales Interview Tips: How to Prepare For a Sales Job InterviewWhats Different About a Sales Job Interview?Lets talk about what is different in a sales job interview first. Then Ill cover some basic interview preparation tips that you should follow.First off, when you prepare for a sales job interview you need to show that youre driven and motivated.Sales has its ups and downs and companies dont want to worry that theyre hiring someone who will constantly need encouragement if they have a bad week. So prepare to show them youre resilientand have faced challenges in your life and career.Think of one or two examples of past challenges or tough weeks youve faced at work and how youve overcome them.This will prepare you to answer questions like, Tell me about a time you failed?In fact, even when you answer a basic intro question like, Tell me about yourself, you should already be thinking about how to show the resilient, motivated attitude that employers want in a sales interview.Dont Tell Them You Expect It To Be EasyThat brings me to the next point. You need to show them that you KNOW that having bad days and weeks is a part of working in sales.The ups, the downs, the challenges are normal. Hearing no multiple times per day is expected. So you need to show them that you know this is how it works.Part of preparing for a sales interview is thinking about how youll convince the interviewer that youre ready for these c hallenges.If youve worked a sales job in the past, thats the easiest way to prove youre ready for this. If not, think about what youve done in the past thats most similar.Its Okay To Talk About MoneyTheres also anotherdifference between sales job interviews and every other type of job interview out there.Most of the time in sales job interviews, its okay to talk about money and say youre motivated by money. So prepare a few reasons for why you want this job, and dont be afraid to include high earnings potential as one reason you are interested.Why Do You Want To Work In Sales?If you already work in sales you should be able to explain why you like it and want to continue doing it.If youre preparing to interview for your first sales job, this is even more important. Have a reason for why youre interested in sales in general.Ive interviewed plenty of recent graduates and entry level candidates for sales positions in one of my former companies. And we would NOT hire you if you didnt kno w why you wanted to work in sales.And also, its a big red flag if our company is the only sales position youre applying for. If I ask what other jobs youre looking at, and none of them are sales, Im going to wonder why youre here (and then Im not going tohire you).So lie if you have to, but dont tell the interviewer that their jobis the only sales position you are interviewing for.Show Energy/EnthusiasmYou need to show them youre excited about landing this job if you want them to hire you.So dont just say, Yes, I really want to work in sales. Show energy and enthusiasm when you do it.This includes having strong body language, maintaining eye contacting, and having some energy in your voice.Dont say it quietly and timidly. Im not saying you need to shout, but just turn your energy up a bit higher than usual if youre naturally quiet/introverted.(FYI you can absolutely be GREAT at sales even if youre an introvert. Ive seen it many times).So raise your energy level a bit for your sales interviews, and try to match the person youre speaking to. If theyre energetic and excited, add a bit of that to your own communication.If youre on a phone interview, stand up and smile while you talk. Those are two ways to change how you sound.Im not telling you to be completely fake. Tons of GREAT salespeople are introverts. I am, and I did fine working in sales. But you cant go into the interview mumbling under your breath and acting half asleep if you want to get the job.Having low energy is one of the top reasonsfor not getting hired in a sales job interview.Stories and AccomplishmentsAre Your Best WeaponThis is going to be tougher if youre interviewing for an entry level job and you have no sales experience. But try to think of ways to do this either wayWhen you preparing for a sales job interview, the hiring manager is going to want to hear specific examples of past accomplishments that relate to the job. Talking on the phone, convincing people to see things your way, being a good listener, overcoming objections, dealing with failures and setbacks, etc.If youve worked in sales before, youll want to give specific results you achieved. Get detailed, talk about exact numbers and accomplishments. I recommend this on your resume too FYI.But even if youre a recent graduate or entry level job seeker without sales experience you can talk about usingpersuasion to make people see things your way, or how you convincedsomebody of something in a class project or internship.You can also definitely talk about a challenge youve overcome, and a time a project didnt go how you expected but you overcame the obstacle.Those are two things youre almost sure to be asked about.Have One Big Thing That Motivates YouThis is important when preparing for any interview, but is especially important for a sales job interview. Why? because things tend to get tough in sales, and the hiring manager wants to make sure you have a powerful motivator so you dont give up and quit.This one big motivator can be many things: The desire to build a career youre proud of. The desire to earn a lot of money and buy nice things for your family. A love of challenges and pushing your limits professionally. A passion for talking to people, using persuasion, etc. Or come up with your own reason for why you get out of bed and go to work each morning. But have one big, powerful reason.Get Ready For Behavioral QuestionsThese are questions that start with phrases like: tell me about a time youCome up with one of the following:A time you overcame a challengeA time you had to convince somebody to see things your wayA time you failed and what you learned from itYour proudest accomplishmentA time you were under a tight deadline and how you handled itThere are over 50 behavioral questions you could be asked, but theseare things youre likely to be asked in almost every sales interview.If you want more help, I cover over 130 questions in mycomplete guide to job interview answersand I also shar e an easy 4-step method for answering any behavioral question correctly. Go ahead and check it out now ifyou think it might help you.Next up, Im going to cover some basics you should know for any interview, including your sales interview.Know EVERYTHING Here:Theres some basic stuff you should do to prepare for any interview. I cover it in-depth in this interview preparation article,but heres the basic ideaYou should know all of these things before the start of your interview (and be able to explain them well)Why youre job searching right nowWhy youre interested in their job/company in particularWhat the job involves (read the job description before you go in!)A good reason for why you left your last job(if youre unemployed right now)Who youre speaking with and what their background is (go spy on them on LinkedIn)You should also know all of these things about the companyHow do they make money? What do they sell?Who are their customers?Who are their biggest competitors?Who is their CE O and how/why were they founded?Youre Ready for Your Sales Job Interview!If you followed the steps above, you now know how to prepare for a sales job interview, and youll be much better prepared than the average job seeker!Many job seekers feel blindsided by some of the tough questions they hear in a sales interview, but if you study the questions and sales interview tips above, you will be ready.Dont forget to practice your answers at home, too, though. Thats my final tip for preparing for your sales interview.Nothing comes out perfect the first time, so practice the questions we looked at. You can talk in the mirror, record yourself on your smart phone and play it back, etc.And if theres one final thing I want to stress/repeat to you, its this: Prepare to talk a LOT about why you want to work in sales or why you enjoy working in sales.Most companies have their own sales training methods, their own scripts for emailing and calling, etc. So theyll teach you the how. But they need to make sure youre motivated and that you know what youre getting into (a rewarding, butemotionally-challengingcareer).Youre not going to pass your sales interview if you act like you expect sales to be easy. Show them you know it comes with mental challenges. When things get tough, they want to make sure youll stick around so acknowledge that you know this and expect it!If you have a question about any of the above tips for preparing for a sales interview, leave a comment below!

How Weekend Productivity Can Lead to Success

How Weekend Productivity Can Lead to Success My day yesterday was the epitome of a “lazy Sunday.” While I did laundry, made dinner and washed some dishes, I honestly just sat around in sweats and switched back and forth between football games and House Hunters on TV.  I thoroughly enjoyed every single second of my RR, but I can’t help but feel a tad bit guilty. In college it was so easy. Weekends were spent drinking too much at night and then recovering the entire next day. Rarely did I get anything accomplished besides eating horrendously greasy food and catching up on Real Housewives.Now that I’m working so much during the week, I’m exhausted by the time Friday rolls around and want nothing but to lie in bed sans hangover and get a grip on my exhaustion.  #PostGradProblems Recently I came across this Forbes article titled, “14 Things Successful People Do on Weekends.”  I decided to do a little compare and contrast on the article and realized if the tasks listed are a true measure of success, I have got a lot of work to do: Make time for family and friends.           Check! I have some pretty great friends and an awesome family, so this is always an easy one for me. Exercise. Fail. But don’t worry â€" I’m starting back to the gym tomorrow. (I swear I haven’t been saying that every day for the past six weeks…) Pursue a passion. Ummm….*Crickets* Vacation. Fail. Getting pulled into work on a Monday that should make for a long weekend crushed my camping/hiking dreams this time. Disconnect. Check! I can’t even log on to my Gmail account without someone at work G-Chatting me. Yesterday I practiced the art of “Go Invisible”. Volunteer. Fail… I got nothin’. Avoid chores.   Fail. Working 55+ hours during the week leaves me no choice but to clean and do laundry on the weekend. Plan. Fail. The beau and I have been “talking” about a pre-Christmas ski trip for the past six months. We’ll see if it actually happens. Heck, I can barely plan my meals for each week. Socialize. Check! I kicked butt at Scattegories Friday night with some great peepskiis. Gardening/crafts/games/sports/cooking/cultural activities. Check! I threw a bunch of ingredients into a crock pot. Totally counts for cooking. Network. Fail. As a girl in PR, you’d think I’d thrive in any atmosphere where I can network. Truthfully, I hate it and if I have to network during the week, I avoid it on the weekends. (Clearly something I need to fix.) Reflect.   Check/fail. I’m not sure. In typical Millennial fashion, I did spend some time thinking about all the wonderful people and things in my life, but at the same time started stressing about all the things I want to have/do that my bank account won’t allow. Meditate. Does praying to the football gods for a Redskins victory over the Cowboys count? If so, then Check! Recharge. Check times five! Certainly caught some Zzzs this weekend. For past several months, my argument has been, I work enough on my career success during the week. No need for that on the weekends. But after failing a majority of the 14 tasks that make people successful this weekend, I realize it’s probably time for some change. Normally, when I read these types of articles, I start to freak out thinking I’m living life all wrong and I’ll never become “successful”. I’m going to take this little evaluation as incentive to be more productive on the weekend and teach myself to save some energy for my life beyond work. This evaluation was a reminder that being successful isn’t all about work, work and more work. It’s about learning to balance work with all of the other things you love to do in your life. As driven career girls, the sooner we can learn how to love our careers and our lives at the same time, the better. We’ll be much happier with the lives we’ve created â€" what’s more successful than that? Let me know what you do outside of work that gets you a little closer to your balanced, successful lifestyle!

Writing My Resume: Tips on How to Write My Resume and Include Writing Samples in It

Writing My Resume: Tips on How to Write My Resume and Include Writing Samples in ItThere are several ways that I have used to get my writing resume accepted by many companies, and one of the most important is to include a writing sample in my resume. So let's look at how you can write your resume and make sure that it includes some writing samples as well.The first step is to actually do the writing. If you need help on how to write your resume, read the information below and then decide if you want to use the advice to write your resume.After you've finished the writing samples, list them in order of importance, from first to last, and what type of writing they demonstrate. Once you've done this, you will have a very good idea of what kind of writing sample to add to your resume.One way that I found to help me make my resume format come across as professional looking was to write my work experience first. Remember that you only need to list the first two years of your employment. Th e only exception to this is if you were hired within the last few months, in which case you will need to list your full-time employment.Next I listed the type of writing examples that I had used. Examples of my writing included essays, newsletters, letters, reports, web pages, etc. I listed them all chronologically from oldest to newest. This helped the resume format come across as I had listed my writing samples chronologically.In case you don't know what a resume format is, it is basically just a format for writing resumes. By listing your work experience chronologically you eliminate the bias that might come from having a chronological listing. Having my work experience listed chronologically helps my resume come across as professional looking. And it helps you too.When it's time to actually get down to it and begin sending out your resume, make sure you write in your full name and your current company and location, followed by your year of employment and the specific position yo u are applying for. It is okay to have a gap between the years that you worked, but no more than seven years. Your resume should be submitted along with your letters of recommendation, if any.After I had listed all the writing samples in order of importance, my next goal was to include my work history in my resume, as well as the education and training that I had obtained, and finally my writing samples. If you take your time and don't rush yourself, the rest of the process will go much more smoothly. Make sure that you are able to write a resume that your potential employer will read and not need to be re-written in order to understand.