Category Archives: Interview Tips

If you have a criminal record and are looking for work, don’t ever give up

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Caroline Trude-Rede

Caroline Trude-Rede

Looking for work if you have a criminal record can be a Herculean task. One that requires more than a little out-of-the-box thinking. And perseverance that compels you to never give up no matter what it takes.

A woman in Florida named Caroline Trude-Rede is a perfect example of this. She left a comment on our Facebook page, and we knew from what she wrote that her story needed to be told.

Her message: Never take “no” for an answer. If you think you’re the right person for a job, make sure they know it. And don’t let them turn you down just because you have a record.

Here’s her story. The reason for her felony conviction and incarceration is a bit complicated, but it has to do with the fact that she received Veteran’s Administration benefits based on her father’s military service. The payments, which she thought were like a pension that would continue to be given to her, were actually supposed to stop at her mother’s death in 2003. The result was a felony charge of grand theft and a six-month sentence in federal prison – FMC Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas – that began in January 2018. Up until that time she had never been arrested for anything.

But like most others with felony convictions, surviving prison wasn’t her only challenge. After release, she needed to find a job, not only to pay the bills but because her probation required that she work 32 hours per week.

Two-hundred applications, 10 interviews and no job

So Trude-Rede applied for about 200 jobs during the 3-1/2 months between the time of her release and until she became employed. She applied for a variety of types of work, including taking orders at Panera Bread, answering phones in call centers and stocking items at places like Target and Sam’s Club.

“I was willing to take anything to get employed. I have two college degrees and I was applying for jobs at entry level just to try and get a foot in the door,” she says.

Although Trude-Rede had about 10 interviews, no one would hire her, not even Universal Studios, where she had previously worked for five years in a professional position in the creative department.

And then she interviewed for a graphic designer position at an architectural firm. The interview – which was conducted by her direct boss, the president of the firm and a potential coworker – went well, and she knew that she was the perfect candidate for the job. In fact, she thought she would get it.

Trude-Rede brought up her felony conviction in the interview, but the president of the company had already left, after saying, “I see all I need to see. She is perfectly capable of doing the job.”

The human resources department then emailed her a form to complete for a background check. But 10 days after the original interview, she received an email stating that they had gone a different way.

She refused to take “no” for an answer

When she saw that the position was reposted online a few days later, however, she decided to take action. She refused to take “no” for an answer.

Trude-Rede sent an email stating why she’s the person they should hire. In the email, she included a link to an article on her blog explaining her incarceration, said that she’d never had any interaction with law enforcement before that point and mentioned all the things she had accomplished in prison.

In addition she explained the Federal Bonding Program that protects businesses from financial or property loss that might incur from hiring workers in “at risk” groups and mentioned that his company could also qualify for tax breaks and/or credits if they hire her.

And it worked. She sent the email on Friday, and on Monday she had a response and invitation to interview with the firm’s CEO/owner.

“He started off (the interview) by thanking me for my email and said that he was impressed by my tenacity. The fact that I wanted the job so much and was so determined was extremely impressive to him,” Trude-Rede said. “He also appreciated my honesty and candor. He said he wasn’t quite sure that everything went down exactly how I explained the story, but my frankness about everything was refreshing.”

The next day she received an offer letter and is now very happily employed. “I absolutely love the company. Not just because they took a chance on me, but I truly fit in there. I am not treated any differently by anyone who knows my story and was given a Christmas bonus after only being there three weeks,” she says.

The moral of this story

“Job seekers with a felony on their record should never give up on themselves or their dreams,” Trude-Rede says. “If they want to go back to school because they would like to do something they need a degree for and are worried about employment afterwards with the felony, I say go for it.”

“You define who you are, not what you did in the past. Be humble. Be brave. Know that it is going to be hard, but we all start somewhere. Take chances. A few minutes of courage could change your life. A five-minute email changed mine.”

From the editor: In preparation for interviewing, we suggest that you check out our interview tips, including how to create a turnaround talk and turnaround packet. Preparation and having a plan can make a big difference between getting a job offer or not. Good luck!

 

How to negotiate the salary or wage you think you deserve

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negotiate the salaryOne of the most important steps in a job interview comes at the end when it’s time to negotiate your salary or hourly wage. The last thing you want to do is to accept a job and then discover later you should have been getting paid more.

To be confident you’ll be paid a fair rate for the particular job you’re accepting, the first step is to do a bit of homework before the interview.

Research pay ranges

First check out two or three websites that will give you an idea of what sort of salaries are paid for particular jobs in various locations:

  • Glassdoor.com allows you to just enter the type of work and the location, and it brings up a graph with the average salary for that job, adjustable by size of company and other criteria.
  • Payscale.com asks for additional information, including your years of experience, what type of businesses you have worked in, your level of education and the name of the college you attended, if any. It then gives you a chart of the salary range for that position.
  • Salaryexpert is another site you may want to try.
  • The American Job Center offers an hourly wage calculator by occupation and local area.

You can also check out similar job titles on online job boards like indeed.com or careerbuilder.com. Another tactic, although it may be a bit more difficult, is to find someone who works inside the company and ask them about wages paid there. Or just speak with other people in similar businesses to find out the industry standard for the type of work you’re looking for.

With this information in mind, you’ll have an idea of what you’ll be able to aim for in terms of pay.

Negotiating salary is essential

Although not everyone negotiates salaries – according to salary.com, 18 percent of the people it surveyed never negotiate their salary – it’s important to do so. Otherwise you might miss out on money you wouldn’t get if you didn’t have the confidence to ask.

If the hiring manager asks what salary you’re looking for early in the interview, tell them that you’d like to get to know more about the job and its requirements before discussing salary. It will work to your advantage if you take this approach.

And if they ask your salary history, you should be honest and tell them. But then you should also make your case that with your skills and experience, you think you’re worth more. Answering their salary question directly can also show that you’re candid and have integrity.

In some states it’s no longer legal to ask your past salary. In fact, a new Massachusetts law that went into effect on July 1, 2018 makes it illegal for any employer in that state to ask about current or past salaries. They must also publish pay ranges for all job openings. A similar bill has been passed by the California legislature and approved by Governor Jerry Brown.

Pay negotiations come last

The salary negotiation should come at the end of the interview – or during the last of a series of interviews – when the hiring manager is ready to make a job offer.

But be careful if they ask for your salary requirements. You may name a number that is too low, thus shortchanging yourself, or an amount above the company’s budget. Instead, say something like, “What is the salary range you have in mind for this position?”

If they tell you, you can say (if you agree), “Well that’s the range I had in mind. Are you willing to offer (name the amount at the top of the range, if you feel comfortable doing so).

And if the range for this particular job is lower than the average salary or pay that you’ve found through your research, you can reply with, “Based on the research I’ve done on jobs similar to this one in the area, I was hoping to receive a bit more. Are you willing to be flexible?”

If they only mention a single number, that “$60,000 is what we’re offering for this position,” for example, it could just be an opener for a negotiation. You can answer with, “Would you be willing to consider a slightly higher starting salary of, say, $65,000? Based on my research, this is the average for this type of work around here, and I’m confident that you will be happy with the skills and experience I will bring to the job.”

Keep in mind that it’s usually easier to get a higher salary before you accept a position than to wait for a raise that may or may not materialize. If the hiring manager insists that you start at a certain pay level but will get a raise in “x” amount of time, try to get it in writing. Sometimes verbal promises made during the hiring process are later forgotten.

Also keep in mind that with taxes figured in, the differences in various salaries may not be as great as you think. Benefits, including health insurance, vacation and sick pay can outweigh extra pay. You need to be realistic about income, especially if it’s your first job after being incarcerated. As long as it’s a living wage, you should be satisfied.

Take time to decide

The hiring manager may say that they’ll look into it – or they may say that’s the final offer. If it is the final offer, you need to decide whether to accept the job offer or not. And it’s best to take some time to think about it, so make sure to ask how long you have to make a decision. Not only do you appear more professional with this approach, but it will give you time to think about and weigh the options. Giving an applicant a few days to make a decision is common practice among employers these days.

Keep in mind that a negotiation is a discussion of pay and shouldn’t be adversarial. You and your potential employer are attempting to come to an agreement that, hopefully, will make you happy and will fall within the department’s budget for the position.

And ask for the salary offer in writing, especially if it’s a small company. If the hiring manager doesn’t typically do this, you may want to write an email confirming the fact that you are happy to accept the position, mentioning the salary that was offered.

Determining the cost of living

Especially for those who are just getting out of prison or jail, it could be useful to determine the cost of living in the place where you’d like to settle. That way you can determine if you can afford to live there or whether you might need to consider taking on more than one job. And you can find out the cost of living by using the MIT Living Wage Calculator

Just select a state and a county from the list on the website, and you can find out the living wage for 13 situations ranging from 1 working adult to 2 adults (1 working) and 2 adults with 3 children. The calculator also includes a list of typical expenses: food, childcare, medical, housing and transportation, as well as the required annual income before taxes, so people will know how much they will need to earn.

For some in reentry and just returning to the workforce this very useful tool can be shared with the hiring manager, if needed, to influence a pay rate that is at least in line with a living wage.

From the editor: Bringing notes to your interview is considered acceptable by most hiring managers. Not only do your notes help to calm your nerves during an interview and offer a reminder of the key points to cover, they can also serve to express your preparedness and professionalism to the hiring manager. Bullet points and short phrases as reminders, and questions to ask can all be useful. Asking good questions can also help to make a favorable impress with the hiring manager, and having them written down makes for less that needs to be remembered.

A unique approach to handling a job interview over lunch

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job interview over lunchA while back Shankar Vedantam, NPR’s social science correspondent, had an interesting segment on scientific research proving how eating the same food can bring people closer together. And it’s something you might want to consider if you’re having a job interview over lunch.

He interviewed Ayelet Fishback of the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. She and a colleague ran a series of food-related experiments, including one in which a group of volunteers playing union members and managers were negotiating hourly wages.

The two members of each pair were either both given candy, both given salty snacks or one received candy and the other salty snacks. It turned out that when each was eating something different it took twice as many rounds of negotiations to make the wage decision than if they were both eating the same thing.

The researchers admit that the process is probably unconscious. They don’t exactly understand how it works but suspect that eating the same food creates trust and fosters cooperation.

This may be something to keep in mind when you get together for a job interview that involves a meal.

Important tips to keep in mind for a lunch interview

But then there are also many other things to do:

  • Prepare as you would for a normal interview, although often an invitation to a meal is the second or third interview, so you may have dealt with all the ordinary interview questions previously.
  • Either way, taking you to lunch is a chance for the employer to observe how you act in a social situation and get to know you informally. Make sure you plan ahead for some interesting things to talk about (along with the usual answers to typical interview questions). Try to stay clear of anything controversial, including political subjects. Also keep the conversation professional and be careful what you say in general.
  • Research the restaurant ahead of time to get an idea of the ambience and location. Study the menu and think about what you might like to order (in case you don’t want to order the same thing as the interviewer, although we suggest you do when possible). Also, if there’s something interesting you learned about the building it’s in or the food it serves, you can use that as a topic of conversation.
  • Arrange a meeting place preferably in front of the restaurant, so you won’t have trouble identifying the person you’re meeting with. And if you’ve never met them look for their photo online so they’ll be easier to recognize.
  • Dress professionally appropriate to the job you’ve applied for.
  • Arrive at least 15 minutes early.
  • Practice a power pose to boost your confidence.
  • Turn off your cell phone and don’t check it – not even once – during the meal.
  • Try to relax and enjoy yourself.
Make sure to mind your manners

Practice proper etiquette:

  • Don’t order the most expensive – or the cheapest – item on the menu.
  • Don’t order alcohol, even if your host does. Alcohol tends to loosen inhibitions, and you might say something you didn’t intend to.
  • Order something easy to eat.
  • Be polite to the waitstaff.
  • Wait until everyone receives their meal before you begin to eat.
  • Eat slowly, and don’t talk with your mouth full.
  • Make eye contact with the person interviewing you and others if more than one person comes.
  • Don’t forget your manners. Say “please” and “thank you.”
  • Try to eat everything, if possible, and never ask for a doggy bag.
  • When finished, put your knife and fork on the plate and carefully fold your napkin and place it beside the plate.
  • Let the host pick up the bill. You were invited.

Follow these rules, and your interview should be a success.

And don’t forget to follow up with a thank you note.

 

How to get an interview by offering to help hiring managers solve their problems

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Get an interviewAs many jobseekers have discovered, contacting HR (human resource) departments or applying online – where resumes also tend to end up in HR – are rarely effective job search techniques.

In fact, the primary purpose of HR departments is to screen people out. We recommend avoiding HR and instead contacting the hiring manager of the department you want to work in. If it’s a small company, that person might be the owner or president.

And when you contact them, there’s a unique approach you may want to try.

A very unique process for getting an interview

To carry out this approach you should first create a list of companies where you might want to work. A good way to find these companies is by using CareerOneStop’s business finder database. Include as many companies as you can within whatever specifications you set, whether it’s the distance from where you live, the size of the company, the products it produces or the services it offers, or whatever.

Then the real research begins. Decide which department would use your talent and skills, and find out the name of the hiring manager for that department.

You may be able to find them on the company’s website. Or you might try using the “advanced search” function on LinkedIn and entering the company name and a variety of manager titles, which could bring up the name of the manager you’re looking for and their correct title. You can do the same thing by doing a general internet search – Google a manager title and company, and see what comes up.

If neither of these work, you can call the company’s main telephone number and ask the person who answers the phone to give you the name of the manager in whatever department you’ve decided would be the right one.

Once you have the hiring manager’s name, you’re ready to begin this process, which is different than any other we’ve ever heard about it.

The idea comes from Liz Ryan, founder and CEO of Human Workplace in Boulder, Colo., and author of Reinvention Roadmap: Break the Rules to Get the Job You Want & Career You Deserve.

Determining business pain is the key

This technique is all about business pain. In other words, you have to figure out what challenges and problems the hiring manager may be facing and let them know how you can help solve them or “lessen their pain.”

Once you’ve zeroed in on the companies you want to work for, do some research on them and others like them to see what kinds of problems they or their industry are facing. If ideas for these problems aren’t obvious from what you already know, search the internet, check out LinkedIn and read local business publications.

If you live in a city with a Business Journal or Business Times (search by using “name of city” and business journal or business times), you have an excellent resource. These newspapers provide invaluable insight and most can be searched online. While some of these are independent publications, many belong to a group known as American City Business Journals, which has publications in 40 cities across the U.S.

If you’re looking for blue-collar work, think about the challenges and problems you’ve encountered in the type of work you do and how you’ve created ways to deal with – or solve –  them.

Now comes the creative part. You’re going to write what Ryan calls a “pain letter.” Instead of promoting your talents and skills like you would in a normal cover letter, you address the issues your potential next boss may be facing.

How to write a “pain letter”

Your brief pain letter should begin by complimenting the hiring manager on something the company has recently accomplished, whether winning a new award, releasing a new product, discovering a new way to operate or whatever.

The next paragraph, according to Ryan, should be a “pain hypothesis,” something you think might be troubling the hiring manager and that you know about from your previous experience.

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For example, you might write, “I can imagine that you sometimes have trouble because there aren’t enough people scheduled to work on your manufacturing production line, and it could slow down.”

Then tell what Ryan refers to as ­­­­­­a dragon slaying story, how you had this problem and solved it in a previous position.

For example, you might write, “When I was the production supervisor at Excellent Technologies, I instituted a new training program for the 30 assemblers on the manufacturing line that trained at least two people for every position. That way if a person was absent, there was always someone else to take their place. And slowdowns became a thing of the past.”

The letter should be as brief as possible, and all that remains is the closing.

For that you might write something like, “If production line slowdowns or stoppages are something that your company is challenged with, I would love to talk to you when you have some time. Sincerely, Jack Rogers”

Once you finish your pain letter, Ryan suggests printing it out along with your resume or JIST card and mailing it to the hiring managers you’ve targeted. Yes, you read it right. Snail mail. That way they’ll surely see it when it lands on their desk. If you don’t hear back in a week or two, she recommends changing the date on the letter and sending it again.

Still no response? Pick up the phone and call, but do that before or after hours. That’s when you’ll be more likely to reach the hiring manager. Don’t leave a voice mail message, Ryan warns. It’s better to keep calling until you get them on the line. Then you can have a conversation and tell them verbally what you wrote in your pain letter. And if they think you can help alleviate “their pain,” the end result will be an interview.

This is a rather revolutionary technique, and it might not always work, but it sure beats submitting your resume on a job board and having it disappear into the black hole.

 

 

Five pre-interview confidence builders that may help you get the job

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pre-interview confidence boostersIf you haven’t been for a job interview in a while and are beginning to feel nervous, that’s OK and perfectly normal. Even someone with extensive interview experience can get the jitters or butterflies in their stomach when the day arrives.

But don’t worry. There are things to do so you can participate in that interview – and any others in the future – more relaxed and confident.

Here are our five favorites:

  1. Strike a power pose. – Few things are likely to make you more confident than imagining you’re Wonder Woman or Superman or that you’ve just won a major athletic competition. And there’s an easy way to do that. It’s called a power pose. About 10 minutes before your interview, go into the bathroom, put your hands on your hips – like Wonder Woman or Superman – and pose for a couple of minutes. If you prefer another style, pump your arms up into the air like athletes do after they cross the finish line or finish a competition. Try it. It works, and there are scientific studies to prove it.

 

  1. Dress for success. – As they say, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” And much of that first impression may come from the way you dress for the interview. Research the company where you’re interviewing to get an idea of the employee dress style and dress a bit above that. Wear something that feels comfortable and that you know looks good on you. If you can’t afford interview attire, try to find an organization in your area that will supply you with free professional clothing. And don’t forget. The most important thing you can wear is a smile, and there is research to back up this claim.

 

  1. Get a pep talk. – Ask a close friend or relative to call you a few hours before the interview to say some good things about you. Encourage them to tell you what your strong points are, the reasons that you’re an excellent candidate for the job, and why they should hire you.

 

  1. Rehearse, rehearse and rehearse some more. – There are few things that will give you more confidence than being prepared for an interview. Rehearse the way you will introduce yourself to the hiring manager in front of a mirror, and practice giving a confident handshake. Search the Internet for job interview questions, and rehearse the answers out loud. Research the company where you’re applying so you understand what they do and can tailor your answers accordingly.

 

  1. Remind yourself that you were chosen. – And most important of all, remember that you were selected to be considered for the job. Out of those who have applied, the hiring manager believes that you are a viable candidate for serious consideration. Keep this fact in mind. It can be the best confidence booster of all.

 

 

How to dress for an interview and for success at work

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How to dressWhat you decide to wear for an interview can help make or break your chances of getting the job.

It’s important to make a positive impression by dressing appropriately. Studies have shown that hiring managers make a decision on a particular candidate within the first few minutes of the interview. Their opinion is based on how they dress, their body language, their handshake and the way they speak.

Before the interview you need to do a bit of homework. Be sure to look at the company’s website to see pictures of employees and what they wear. Many job search experts suggest dressing a bit better than what you would wear every day for the job being applied for, but don’t overdo it. Dressing appropriately shows you understand the company culture and will be likely to fit in.

Where to find free interview clothing

Once you understand the dress style, you can go shopping and purchase an interview outfit, if you can afford one. Otherwise you can go to one of the nonprofits that give away free interview clothing and work with them to create something to wear. You may be able to find one of these nonprofits in our online directory of organizations nationwide.

Job search experts recommend that women should not overdue the makeup. In fact, many say to wear as little as possible. Pay attention to shoes, which should match the style of your outfit and be comfortable and polished. Needless to say, tattoos should be covered, if at all possible. And don’t forget to wear a smile.

The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident, so you will do well in the interview.

Once you get the job, then what?

After spending the first few days at your new employer, you’ll have an even better understanding of what’s considered acceptable attire.

Payscale survey finds most companies have dress codes

In a survey conducted by Payscale of 34,000 employees between November 2016 and January 2017, 49% said their company had an explicit dress code. Another 19% said that although there is not a dress code, pressure exists to dress a certain way.

The research found that companies in western states were most likely to have a casual dress code, while those in the southeast were least likely to have one.

And it also found a correlation between dress style and salary. The median salary for employees at companies with a:

  • Formal business dress code is $57,800.
  • Business casual dress code is $53,700.
  • Business Casual dress code is $50,300.
  • Requirement to wear work uniforms is $38,300.
How to dress for success at your new job

Be sure to understand and follow your company’s dress code, if there is one. Otherwise just look around and determine what people doing a job similar to yours are wearing and what the bosses are wearing to get a good understanding of the company’s dress culture.

Here are a few tips that women may want to follow:

  • Don’t wear clothes that are too flashy or look like you’d rather be in a nightclub than at work.
  • Make sure your dress or blouse is not too revealing. In other words, don’t show cleavage.
  • Skirts and dresses should not be shorter than knee-length.
  • Avoid heavy makeup.
  • Super high heeled shoes are not only inappropriate, but they can be difficult to walk in.
  • Don’t make a statement with your jewelry. Keep it simple and conservative.
  • Avoid wearing fake fingernails, and if you use nail polish make sure it’s not an unusual or eccentric color and that all of your fingernails are painted the same color.
  • Cover up tattoos, if possible.
  • Avoid wearing strong perfume.

Here are a few tips that men may want to follow:

  • In most office jobs, khaki pants and long-sleeved button-down shirts will work just fine.
  • Those who must wear a suit should stick with white or pastel colored shirts and black, gray or dark blue slacks with a matching coat or a sports coat.
  • Make sure your tie is properly tied if you have to wear one.
  • Avoid boldly designed ties. Rather, stick to single colors or simple designs.
  • Choose brown or black leather shoes, and be sure to keep them polished.
  • If T-shirts are allowed, be careful not to wear any with inappropriate designs or messages.
  • Cover up tattoos, if possible.
  • Avoid wearing strong cologne.

Above all, it’s important to remember that the whole point of proper attire is to draw attention to the talent you bring to the job and your abilities to perform the work rather than what you look like and the clothes you wear.

The importance of a handshake in a job interview

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handshakeA handshake can sometimes make or break an interview. That’s right. It’s that important.

In fact, research has proved the significance of a proper handshake and how it can make a good – or bad – impression and influence hiring decisions.

According to a study done by the University of Iowa Tipple College of Business, a good handshake is more important than your appearance or the way you dress in sending a message to a hiring manager. Neuroscience research has also confirmed the power of a handshake and the fact that strangers form a better impression of those who effectively offer their hand in greeting.

The Iowa research focused on 98 business students who participated in mock interviews with area businesses. They also met with trained handshake raters, who shook their hands at various times during the study period.

What the researchers found was that those job seekers who were scored highly by the handshake raters were also considered more likely to be hired by those conducting the mock interviews.

It’s partly based on first impressions. Interviewers are said to make up their minds about a person in the first two or three minutes of an interview, and that’s exactly when the handshake takes place.

But it’s also the fact that, “Job seekers are trained how to act in a job interview, how to talk, how to dress, how to answer questions, so we all look and act alike to varying degrees because we’ve all been told the same things,” said Greg Stewart, Tipple School of Business professor and one of the researchers. “But the handshake is something that’s perhaps more individual and subtle, so it may communicate something that dress or physical appearance doesn’t.”

Handshake dos and don’ts

So what makes an appealing handshake? Here are some tips:

  • Even if you’re left-handed be prepared to shake with your right hand, and make sure it’s free when you’re meeting the hiring manager before the interview.
  • If your hand is sweaty, wipe it off. If it’s cold, warm it up before you arrive at the interview room.
  • Make eye contact and smile at the person you are meeting, before you shake their hand.
  • Let the hiring manager initiate the handshake.
  • Squeeze their hand firmly and shake from your elbow, not just your wrist. (About the worst impression you could make is with a limp, or dead fish, handshake, so avoid this at all costs.)
  • A handshake should only last for a few seconds, so after two or three pumps, loosen your hand.
  • Just like you rehearse the answers to potential interview questions, practice your handshake with friends and family members, so it will seem natural.

Keep in mind that a handshake is a universal greeting that can express connection and unity and that you care, which may help to make a lasting impression.

And make sure that your handshake is as polished and perfected as the rest of your interview skills. It may make the difference of whether you get the job or not.

 

References may be key to helping ex-offenders find a job

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job referencesWhen you’re in reentry and looking for a job, you’ll need all the help you can get. And that means finding people who can speak about your talents, skills and character to a potential employer.

Along with your resume or JIST card and turnaround packet, don’t forget a list of references.

It’s no longer appropriate to just include “references available upon request” at the bottom of your resume. Instead you should compile a professional looking list of several people who are happy to sing your praises. Pick people who have known you for at least three months, but the longer the better.

These references can be a boss you worked for, a supervisor at a volunteer gig (all the more reason to volunteer) or, if you haven’t had a job for a while, you can use a personal reference that knows you well. For a personal reference, you might choose a teacher, coach, mentor, spiritual leader, counselor or even the job developer you’re working with.

Before you include them on your list, however, check to see if it’s OK and ask them the best way for potential employers to contact them. Make sure you get all the relevant info: the person’s name and title, name of the company or organization and its address. Also ask for the reference’s work phone number (or mobile phone if it’s a personal reference) and an email address.

Include a sentence or two on how the reference knows you and maybe some specific information they might be able to share about you.

Find a job reference template online

There are many templates online, but we particularly like the one on the Damn Good Resume Guide website. Another good example can be found on the Career Nook website.

Make sure your references have your latest resume or JIST card, so they’ll be up to date on your experience. Also contact them when you go on a job interview, preferably before, in case the hiring manager calls them soon after the interview is over. Let your references know what type of job you’re applying for and where, just as a heads up in case they do get a call.

Have your reference call the hiring manager

Another effective, usually overlooked, tactic is to have your reference call the hiring manager, preferably before the interview. This can demonstrate initiative on your part and a sincere interest in being offered a job. Your reference could say something like, “I understand that (your name) is coming in for an interview tomorrow (or whenever), and I’d like to highly recommend him. He worked for me on a bathroom remodel, and he’s an excellent carpenter, hard worker and reliable. I highly recommend him.”

Of course what the reference says would be tailored to you and the job you’re applying for, but this can be very effective.

Finding a good reference or two who can vouch for your abilities might just be the extra thing that will inspire someone to hire you.

 

Determining the best final question to wrap up an interview

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interview

Brad Drevno

In job interviews, the questions that you ask the interviewers may be as important, if not more so, as the questions they ask you. And the question you ask last may leave a lasting impression.

As you prepare for an interview, keep in mind that very carefully crafted questions will give you insight into the company or organization and help you determine what type of place it is and whether it would be a good fit for your skills, talents and personality. In other words, would you be happy working there?

Asking intelligent questions will also show the person who is interviewing you that you’ve done your homework, understand the business and are interested in potential employment within it.

There are a multitude of questions to ask throughout the interview, and many examples of these can be found online. (We also offer tips on our website.) But what happens after most of the questions have already been asked? How do you respond when the interviewer closes the interview with, “Do you have any other questions? or “Is there anything else you’d like to know?”

Save an intelligent question for the end of the interview

Instead of saying, “No, I think I’ve asked everything I need to,” be sure to save a question for the end.

Brad Drevno, chief operating officer of Professional Case Development in Denver, Colo., – and mentor for business students at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business – has a suggestion for an idea he picked up during his search for his current position.

“We’ve all been there,” he says. “It’s the end of the interview, and after nearly an hour of pouring your heart (and work experience) out to a potential employer, the hiring manager asks if you have any last questions before wrapping up.”

“It’s meant to be a formality, of course – a way to end the conversation without kicking you out right then and there. But it’s also an opportunity, intentional or not, to make one final impression and give your interviewer something to remember you by.”

Effective question to close interview

Drevno was inspired by an article on the Medium website which was written by Marshall Darr when he was entrepreneur in residence at Tradecraft.

In the article, Darr says he ends each interview with: “Actually, yeah, I was wondering what your best moment so far at (company name) was?”

Darr credits this rather innocuous question not only with giving him insight into the hiring manager and the company in a way that perhaps no other question could, but it has also turned interviews that weren’t going well for him into invitations back.

And Drevno found that, “There’s no higher note to end on than with your interviewer’s fondest memory of the company, a feeling that can now be subconsciously associated with your prospects as a future employee.”

It gives the hiring manager a chance to share the benefits of working for the company, and if they can’t come up with a “best moment,” you might want to consider looking elsewhere.

Everyone likes a happy memory. And encouraging the hiring manager to remember one might just be the thing that sets you apart from other applicants – and leads to a call-back interview or possibly a job offer.

 

Informational interviews can prove effective in job search

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Informational interviewsLooking for a job and want to learn more about a specific field and the people who work in it? There are few better ways to do this than by conducting informational interviews.

In an informational interview, instead of an employer interviewing you, you will interview them. And it gives you a chance to talk to potential hiring managers – or even regular workers.

It’s surprising how few people use informational interviewing, but they should, because it works. Randall S. Hansen, former Stetson University marketing professor and founder of the Quintessential Careers website, says that while only one in 200 resumes results in a job offer, one in 12 informational interviews results in an offer.

Many people are happy to participate in informational interviews, because they like to share information about what they do. A face-to-face meeting is the best kind of informational interview, but if people say they don’t have time, see if you can ask them a few questions on the phone.

How to conduct informational interviews

To set up an informational interview, you need to do the same sort of research you would do if you were trying to find potential employers. Choose a few companies to target, and find out the names of the hiring managers of the departments you’re interested in.

Call them up, tell them you want to do an informational interview and schedule a time. These may take place at the person’s office, or better yet, invite them out for coffee. the $4 or $5 it would cost is an excellent investment, and they often pick up the tab anyway.

You can also use friends to create contacts for informational interviews. If you know someone who does the kind of work you want to do, ask them who in their company might be a good person to talk to. When you call that person, you can say, “So-and-so suggested I call, and I’d like to get together for an informational interview to learn a little more about the type of work you do.”

Online forums can be another tool to help you in your job search. Indeed.com, for example, is not just a great job aggregating website, but it also has great tools. You can use it to identify trends and salaries and to get advice on its online forums, where people go to share knowledge. These forums appear to be very effective. If you ask a question on the forum, people tend to be very helpful in supplying information about working in a particular company or field.

Be aware that an informational interview is not a means of asking for a job. Rather it is a chance to pick someone’s brain and learn what it’s really like to work at a particular type of job. You may also seek advice on how to conduct a better job search or improve your resume.

It’s an opportunity to network and practice talking to people without the pressure of an official interview.

Some examples of questions to ask

Make sure you do some research on the person’s company and the field, if you don’t already know a lot about it. Also prepare a list of questions and take notes during the interview.

Here are a few examples of questions to get you started:

  • Why did you choose this particular field?
  • How did you get your first job in this field?
  • What excites you the most about this type of work?
  • What are the biggest challenges?
  • What is a typical day in your work like?
  • Why did you choose this company, and what do you like about working here?
  • What are the most important skills one would need to work in this field?
  • What is the best way to get experience for this type of job if one doesn’t already have it?
  • What kind of advice can you give to someone who is seeking employment in this field?
  • Is there anyone else you can recommend for me to talk to?

When you go for an informational interview, dress professionally (as you would for a job interview), and don’t forget to send a thank you note afterwards. Although an email thank you would be OK, you will make a much better impression if you send a hand written thank you card.