After just six weeks in his new job following months of unemployment, Andrew voluntarily resigned. It sure wasn’t what he had expected to happen! Yet, here he was; walking away from a job where from day one he felt excluded.

He could remember his first day well. It started badly with his manager confiding that she had gone against her judgement in hiring him. He was older, more experienced and a man to boot in what she referred to as “The Sisterhood”.

Andrew was taken aback by her candour, yet excited by the challenge this represented in turning around her perceptions. His eagerness to learn was stymied though, as his “trainer” devoted more of her workday to Facebook, texting and Twitter than in training him. Andrew became increasingly frustrated. What was he supposed to do? Everyone was doing their own thing and he was being kept in the dark.

Worse was to come. In his second week, Andrew was called to the manager’s office. His work colleagues had raised doubts about his ability to fit in and suggested he was struggling within the unstructured work environment.

Andrew was shocked, betrayed and angry that his work colleagues should question his experience, particularly as he had shared nothing of his struggles, nor his distaste for the lack of work being done. On the defensive, Andrew immediately raised concerns about the lack of training and the overwhelming interest exhibited by his trainer in maintaining her Facebook account. He was shocked when these revelations were met with a disinterested shrug and assurance of his work colleague’s expertise and value.

From that point, Andrew was unable to gain traction. Left out of department discussions and still without training, he resigned demoralised and confused. Andrew felt bitter about the experience and apportioned blame on everyone from the manager, to his trainer and Gen Y staff.

What had happened?

First, the manager failed to explain to Andrew how the workplace operated, the environment and culture of the department, and the personalities of the staff he would be joining. Her concerns voiced that she hired him against her judgement were far from helpful and came too late—after the decision to hire had been made. Being transparent and providing insight could have saved Andrew six weeks of gut-wrenching disappointment and blows to his confidence, and saved the company time and money.

But Andrew also failed. So keen was he at interview to be accepted and end the unemployment drought, Andrew neglected to ascertain whether the role was the right one for him and whether it was the type of environment where he could flourish. It is not just about having the requisite skills to do the job. A job is so much more than that. It is about getting along well and relating to others, enjoying the way the workplace operates and understanding how people communicate.

It’s a hard lesson to learn.

When it comes down to it, most of us just can’t “take anything” to get a job or if we do, it will be more like good luck than good planning that will make it work successfully long term.

If Andrew had asked the right questions at interview, or had the manager volunteered the information that this was a young team, expert at multi-skilling in an environment where it was expected people would research the job, be self-starters and seek work out in return for certain freedoms to do their own thing, Andrew would have understood and could have adapted his work style. He would have understood that his “trainer” was checking her Facebook while answering work emails on her Blackberry. Andrew didn’t know that his colleague had accomplished more in ten minutes than Andrew had waiting for someone to buddy-up and train him all day!

Instrumental to anyone’s success on the job is fitting in. If you know yourself well and know how you like to work, then instead of just wanting to be liked at interview and win the job, try to find if it is the job for you first by asking:

• What type of environment is this? Is it structured or unstructured?
• Do people do their own thing and have cross-over roles, or are a strict list of duties completed every day?
• Is the person who is training me there to sit beside me and “buddy” with me until I learn the job or is she there to help by providing background to my research?
• How would you characterise the people and culture in this department?
• What are your expectations for me in this role? How do you envisage I work with others?

If the answers are not what you want to hear, then you can do two things. Ask to have your candidacy withdrawn or if you’re financially unable to be selective and you think you can adapt, then do so rather than expect the people to adapt to you.

By asking a few simple questions at interview, you won’t be taken by surprise.

ZY5RG5AGVKGY

It’s probably fair to say that most jobseekers have a story or two to tell about recruiters and those stories are not always complimentary! Primarily it’s through the frustration jobseekers feel; the lack of control in the process, the “brick wall” they experience and the conviction that if they could just get in front of the employer themselves, they could nail the job.

Well, like most matters, it’s a two-way street. Some candidates can’t be a walk in the park for recruiters either! So today we’re going to talk with Mary E. Clark, Director of Professional Recruitment Australia, a Brisbane-based recruitment company to understand the other side of the job search.

Let’s begin!

How do you feel about candidates who are not ambitious? For instance the 50 year-old candidate who has never risen above System Administrator?

Mary: First, I would consider the circumstances surrounding this unambitious candidate. Is he bored, under-utilised, not channelled in the right role, under a great deal of personal stress, using the role as a filler job while studying some other passionate interest, suffering from a lack of self confidence? There are so many external forces affecting a candidates’ outlook.

The glass is “half full” to me. I view a 50 year-old systems administrator candidate as someone who is passionate about systems administration and is fulfilled in his or her career. Until…my instincts-–which are a collection of learned experiences and not a sense, advise me otherwise.

“To love what you do and know that is matters–what could be more fun?”

Have you ever told someone he/she was “over qualified?” Was that just a euphemism to mean something else that you were bound by client confidentiality not to release?

Mary: You must be authentic in your relationships. Conversations have to be real. Use candour especially when it comes to a candidates’ career. While many fear “real” it is the unreal conversation that are costly for the individual and the company. I have found when the conversation is real, the change occurs before the conversation is over and we tackle goals together. Fortunately, my clients believe as I do and allow me to fully disclose interview feedback. One of the reason many clients and candidates seek my recruitment expertise is because I am brutally honest.

I’m particularly interested in what to do with the persistent candidate? Is it a good strategy for the candidate to keep on calling? How is the recruiter relationship best handled?

Mary: Persistent candidates are simply in search of accurate information. It is the core of a recruiter’s role to provide candidates with enough information to make informed decisions on their careers. If you think the phone call from a persistent candidate is an intrusion to your day then you are in the wrong business! That call is an opportunity to potentially have a candidate become a client. Sun Tzu states “Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat”. So, my advice to the candidate is if your strategy is to keep calling a recruiter to ask “What are you doing for me?”, present some tactics each time to develop your career plan. Such as, what courses you are enrolled in, certifications you have recently received or technology user groups you are participating in or results from a Teckchek assessment (www.teckchek.com). Give us something we can sell to our clients and differentiates you.

What is your pet hate when it comes to resumes?

Mary: Pictures. Save your picture for LinkedIn or Facebook profiles. A recruitment agency database is not for social networking.

Also resumes with heaps of colours and decorative fonts. This creative flair is too distracting to my eye. Most recruiters read in depth at least fifty resumes in a day. So content over appearance is my recommendation.

What is your pet peeve when it comes to job candidates? (I had an interviewer tell me that some candidates text or are casually slurping coffee as they walk in the door).

There are two things and they are intertwined. First is when a candidate is late to an interview with me and does not call to let me know. The second is when you advise a candidate not to do or say something in the client interview and they do so anyway. My conclusion is most candidates who do not value the role of the recruitment company therefore do not value my time (so they are late) and do not value my insight and expertise (so they mess up in client interviews). If the candidate was invoiced for my time and expertise like a lawyer or accountant would do for a similar consultation — I think they would then listen to my advice!

The more you know about someone the greater you can influence them.

Can you give an example of the worst thing said or done by the candidate during an interview?

Mary: This is rather funny now. Five minutes into an interview, a very polished candidate asked to be excused to go to the toilet. He never came back! I waited along with a client representative for 10 minutes staring at each other. At first we thought maybe he got lost coming back to the conference room but he vanished from the building. I called his mobile to see what happened but never got a reply. The client commented to me “Wow Mary, I heard you interrogate your candidates in an interview but wow!

Mary E. Clark can be contacted at: www.pra.com.au | www.linkedin.com/in/maryeclark
Results through Connectivity, Participation and Knowledge

Okay so you made a mistake at your last job.

A really, really big one.

You lost your temper when you were frustrated and you cursed loudly and publicly. Suffice to say that your team considered your actions unacceptable. Some called it workplace bullying. Of course you have remorse. You felt bad the minute these things passed your lips and when you saw the expression on the recipient of your anger, you knew you’d done the wrong thing.

Anyway, it’s done and dusted and you lost your job. Lesson learned.

Copping it on the chin though, doesn’t mean it will be easy to slide into your next job. Nobody wants to take on a problem employee that’s for sure.

If anger issues were raised at your last job, then they’ll be made at the next and they will follow you wherever you go if you don’t modify your behaviour. Before you inflict your personal issues on one more subordinate or colleague, please seek assistance. Whether this help is in the form of an anger-management program, counselling or coaching to help you recognise the signs that precipitate bad habits, work on yourself first. You don’t have to stop job searching while you’re doing it, but you need to come to terms with this before it impacts your life negatively once more. If you think that this situation was a storm-in-a-teacup, or an over-reaction, remember you lost your livelihood over it. Do you really think that people take this drastic step without full knowledge of its implications?

Don’t assume that the interviewer isn’t going to ask you why you left your last job; equally, don’t assume he hasn’t done some checking before your interview and may already know the answer, but is waiting to hear the right response.

Apportioning blame to other parties, lashing out and angry denial won’t work. You’ll come across defensive and scary and you’ll lose the interview right then and there.

You could attempt the “I was looking for new challenges” line, but it’s a risky move if the firm has done their homework on you.

The best bet is to come clean, but frame your statement in a cocoon of positivity.

“My last engagement ended in personal disappointment. I allowed myself to become too enthusiastic about meeting targets and I became frustrated when my team didn’t seem to share my same drive. I know now that my management style was too direct and my focus on getting things done was too uncompromising. This was certainly a wake-up call for me to change my leadership style and as a result of that, I’m doing some work with a coach to identify stress triggers, adapt the way I communicate and approach my team. Already I see how I could have approached problems better and I feel much stronger and capable as a result. This next engagement will be one of consultation, transparency, respect and calm so I believe this has been a really valuable experience”.

When you’ve done something wrong, it doesn’t have to stop your career momentum in its tracks.

But it is a matter of convincing first yourself, and then others, that this is an unfortunate and isolated incident in what had been up to then, an accomplishment-filled career. You just need to accept your part it in, take steps to prevent its recurrence, and admit to it, while showing the focus and enthusiasm you have for moving forward.

Many  jobseekers take worrying to a whole new level until they become obsessive about the impression they will make at interview. They fear they are not dressed appropriately, that sweaty palms will be a deal breaker when they shake hands, or that they will be found to be inadequate in some way. They talk themselves into a lather of “what ifs”. What if I stutter when I’m talking? What if I say something dumb? What if I cannot answer the interviewer’s questions?

Wanting to do your best and showcase your skills is natural. Excessive and unnecessary concern about things that may never happen is not.

I’m not going to add myself to the chorus of friends and family who think that all you need is to apply positive self-talk.

Instead I’m going to equip you with some action steps. Actions that once you’ve followed them, you will be able to breathe a big sigh of relief knowing that you have done everything possible to address the areas causing you the most concern.

• Eliminate perfumes and aftershave: Fear will make you sweat and get overheated and if you are wearing too much scent, you will be give off the odour of a walking bordello. This in turn will make you self-conscious that you may be offending your interviewer. You can eliminate all of that unnecessary angst and just put on some nice clean clothes and deodorant.
• Wear clothes that make you feel good. For women, if you try on a dress that you feel is a little snug around the hips, or that rides up as you walk from static electricity, it will be all you will think about all day and it will make you self-conscious. Men, if you choose a shirt or suit on the tight side then you will be constantly uncomfortable. Spare yourself the distraction of adjusting your clothes by choosing your wardrobe for the day carefully and considering the right accessories and apparel.
• Sweaty palms. Unless you have a medical condition that needs treatment you are probably just fine. But if sweaty palms is a problem for you, place a cotton face towel in your briefcase or handbag. While you’re waiting to be called you can give your hands a quick wipe while pretending to look for something. Often the use of alcohol-based hand cleaners will help too and some people even use unscented antiperspirants made especially for hands and feet. If you can conquer the fear, that’s half the battle.
• Appearing Stupid: Preparation is the key here. You will not sound stupid by being at a loss for something to say, as long as you have prepared for the discussion. Of course there is no way you can rehearse parrot-fashion answers to what people may ask you, but you can have an intimate knowledge of what is in your resume, and you can think long and hard about your experience and how your contributions have made made money, saved money, boosted productivity or just made it a better place to be. If you are prepared, if you know what you’re offering and can refer to your resume as a prompter, the chances of looking like a fish with no sound coming out is greatly reduced.
• Stuttering Most of us stutter from time-to-time and it is frequently made worse by stress. The best you can do is take a big breath, grin and start again.

Interviewers are not there to tear you down; they’re not there to find fault and embarrass you. They want you to be a good fit for the job so they can move on too! Above all they want to know you and what you are offering. Allowing yourself to get sidetracked by your fears is nothing but a distraction for both sides.

So follow these action steps and then relax and get ready. I think they’re calling your name now!

Good luck!

Communicating achievements is cited as one of the key issues jobseekers consider a real challenge.

Some people are reluctant to be frank about what they do well; they feel squeamish about recounting tales of how they distinguished themselves against their peers and consider it bragging (and we all know that nobody likes an show-off!)

As a result, people tend to talk in generalities to take the focus off themselves. They pepper their responses with words like “we”,”our” and “the team”. They think that by communicating in this manner that they will appear modest and a team player.

In fact what they have done is obfuscate the truth and make communications unclear. This can hurt a jobseeker’s candidacy for a job where clear communications not self-effacing statements rate highly on most employer’s wish lists.

The jobseeker, in trying to give credit to everyone from the receptionist to the CEO, actually gives nothing away about himself and in doing so, has raised a red flag about his candidacy. Is he camouflaging his true involvement because he actually let “the team” do everything? It wouldn’t be the first job search consultant who would mistrust the “we” defence for apathy!

I’m not advocating jobseekers claim ownership of something that isn’t theirs. For instance, asserting that you “Successfully built the world’s tallest building which was delivered on time and on budget” is quite a stretch if you were the receptionist who photocopied plans for the architect!

In fact, using this same scenario, thousands of people who would be involved in the design and construction of this building could claim the success as their own.

So this is what I’m saying: claiming success for something that isn’t yours to claim will make you sound like you are big noting yourself and it won’t be true.

Instead talk about your part in the team or project. You won’t sound immodest, you won’t be bragging about saving the world, and you will allow the people evaluating your skills and abilities to gain insight into you and what you do well.

Here is an example:

“I was fortunate enough to work on the design team that created the world’s tallest building. My role in the team was to research engineering that has been done in the past and see whether we could use any of these methods to achieve optimum building stability. I was given six weeks to complete this research and during this time I uncovered a new, yet little known technology that would be perfect for the type of building materials and geological layout that we needed to observe. I delivered my contribution to the team ahead of the six week deadline and I was pleased to see that my recommendations were adopted by the Chief Architect.”

Clearly this is not bragging, this is not claiming a world achievement and it is truthful. It communicates the role, the expectations of the task and what was delivered. This example would speak volumes to a decision maker who is looking for clear insights into a potential candidate’s work performance.

When a person is hiring you, it doesn’t matter what the team did or how successful the team was. What matters is what part you played in that team and what you contributed that made a difference.

It is right to claim what is yours.

Let “the team” take care of themselves.