October 20, 2014 1 Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Mature workers dealing with tricky interview questions

Dear Joanna

I guess that I’m part of the older or mature worker demographic. I am currently working, but need to make more money. I have been applying for better paying jobs in my field, and have been invited in to several in-person interviews which have not led to any job offers.

Do you have any recommendations as to how to respond to these complicated questions as an over-55 job applicant?

Signed: Too Old To Apply

Dear Too Old,

You are NEVER too old to look and apply for work. Get past the negative labels facing the older worker, mature worker, senior or elder, remarks Barbara J. Bowes, president of Legacy Bowes Group and member of the “over 55 group.”

Statistics Canada reported that one out of four individuals in the workforce are age 55 or over; Bowes adds that “this age range cohort is expected to continue at this size as baby boomers age and individuals continue to stay at their current workplace or re-enter in another role with another organization.” Bowes describes most employee candidates in the age range of 55-plus today as healthy, motivated and highly skilled. She presents a list of tricky questions that potential employers tend to ask the over 50 job applicant. Her responses could help you better prepare for your next interview.

Question 1. Describe your long-term plans

Two of the common interview questions, “What are your long-term career plans?” or “Where do you see yourself in five years?” often create awkward moments for older workers. The response strategy is to provide an answer that isn’t too specific, but sufficient to prevent further probing.

Some sample responses include the following:

“If you’re asking how long I would stay with your organization, the answer is that I would stay as long as I am challenged and experiencing job satisfaction”
“I’m the kind of person who thrives on challenge and as long as you can offer a challenge, I’ll be here.”

Question 2. How do you feel about reporting to a younger leader?

This question relates to the myth that older workers will not take direction from a younger leader. Although reference to age is a prohibited human rights offence, you might still experience this blunt question, or a less direct version of it.

The best way to answer this question is to once again provide a response that is somewhat indirect, such as the following:

“I have always had strong respect for good leaders no matter what age or gender.”
“There are a lot of young people in the workforce that have made significant contributions early in their career and I respect that.”

Question 3. You seem to be over-qualified. What specifically interests you in the job?

Another question the older workers will often be asked is related to the issue of being over-qualified. No matter how offensive this question is to older workers, formulate a neutral response and do not let your emotions get in the way.

This could be as follows:

“I agree, I would bring a good deal of experience to your company.”
“I don’t believe in the concept of over-qualified. I find there is always something to learn in every new job.”

Question 4. You have been with your company for a while. What makes you think you can make the adjustments to a new company?

Bowes coins this question as whether the “mature dog is ready for new tricks”. Another key challenge encountered by older workers, especially those who remained with one employer for a good length of time, is the perception that change will be difficult for them. The implication is that learning a new organization and perhaps a new way of doing things will not come easily and will prevent the worker from adapting quickly to the new work environment.

Highlighting your continued community or volunteer work, activity in social media, and engagement in lifelong learning by discussing your current and future educational professional development activities, and new designations and how you love to learn and grow professionally and personally. Bowes suggests that you need to focus on your transferable skills and the many changes you have already successfully encountered in your earlier work-life.

Provide a response to the issue as follows:

“I have been a dedicated employee for XX years and during that time, I was promoted three times and undertook several new changes just for the sake of learning. I am confident I will fit into your company in a short time.”

Question 5. How are your information technology skills?

Employers also frequently make the assumption that older workers lack information technology skills.

You can provide two responses such as the following:

“Actually, I have been working with proprietary CSM software for a number of years and I am very proficient in using the Microsoft Office Suite.“
“I have always been a quick learner and while I am familiar with the common software, I am confident I can quickly learn your customized software.”

Question 6. What are your salary expectations?

It is important that you do your labour market research in advance of the interview to find out what is the average rate of pay for your position with the competitors. You can respond to this question by describing your research findings regarding the fair market compensation package.

Never quit your job before you have a new one, but you will need to be open to taking some steps back in salary and responsibility. It is important because you have to start somewhere and you might have start at the beginning.

Best of luck with your job search,

Joanna

October 6, 2014 Leave a Comment

Lying on Your Resume: is it worth it?

Search for the term “resume lies” on the Internet and you’ll find a range of studies quoted, saying that between a third to over half of resumes include misrepresentations of some kind. Worst of all, it seems that employers are assuming that candidates are not telling the whole truth; many are investing time and money gathering information from references and researching candidates on social media. This means that there’s a high likelihood of being caught in a lie, big or small, and that employers are probably not very forgiving of these lies either.

Why do people lie?

My experience working with job seekers has shown me that people don’t necessarily misrepresent themselves out of greed, laziness or a lack of morality. I have met many job seekers who have been struggling to find work over a long period of time, and have become worn down, fearful and desperate to do whatever it takes to get back in the workplace. They’ve often tried unsuccessfully to be totally honest. Many say that employers are sometimes dishonest in how they describe the job and pay, leading them to feel a little less guilty about not representing themselves absolutely truthfully.

Many of the job seekers I meet have a lot to offer a job, but fear being overlooked because of difficulties over which they did not have control, which might include:

work history gaps (due to a health problem or family reasons, for example)
lack of specific experience (for example, an employer wants 5 years, but the candidate has 3)
being over or under qualified (for example, an internationally trained doctor who wants to work as a medical assistant)
having a specific skill at a certain level (the difference between intermediate and advanced Excel skills, for example)

Is it worthwhile to lie on a resume?

Probably not. Putting aside all moral claims about lying for a moment — it’s not even practical to do so. More than ever, employers have access to a number of tools to help them verify the validity of a resume. These include thorough reference checking, surveying social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), criminal and other background checks (e.g. checking membership in professional association, verifying accreditation with licensing bodies, utilizing services such as HireRight.com). The result of being caught in a lie can be dire, with candidates risking the possibility of developing a reputation of dishonesty that might affect future positions with other employers.

So, what do I do to overcome resume problems?

Obviously, do your best to identify your barriers and tackle them. For example, the impact of a gap in recent work history can be reduced with doing some volunteer work and/or taking a course. Specific skills and experience can also be gained through volunteer work.

Second, figure out the best way to tackle the barriers head on, being as honest and detailed as you can, but not unnecessarily so.

Some ideas:

Work history gaps:
- Include all volunteer and course work on the resume, in chronological order; if you are presently doing a course or have recently completed one, list your education before your employment
- Always list dates, though not necessarily months; simply list the years in which you did each job
- Rather than lying or ignoring the truth, try to explain the gaps in simple unapologetic language

Spotty work history (multiple short-term jobs):
- If you worked for an agency, list the contracts together under one title; for example “Office Administrator, various contracts via ABC Agency, 2009-2013”
- If you cannot combine the jobs, label them as “contracts” [Office Administration (contract), XYZ Company, 2013-2014″]
- Leave out the especially short jobs — no need to include everything
- Consider a Functional Resume, though it’s not always recommended for all sectors

Irrelevant work history (career change):
- Identify the skills you need to showcase and highlight them under each job
- A Functional Resume allows for candidates to showcase their transferable skills
- If you have completed a recent course that gave you the training and certification for the your new career, list them ahead of your work history

Finally, probably the most effective way to deal with problems on a resume is to make sure that the employer hears about you, or — even better — meets you BEFORE reading your resume. That way, you can make the first impression and explain your background, rather than that two-page piece of paper that is your resume.

September 15, 2014 Leave a Comment

Resume Writing Basics – Step 5: Completing Your Resume

This is the final post in my ongoing Resume Writing Basics series, which included the following:

an overview of the basics of resume writing, including an outline of the information to be included in a resume
a detailed description of the formatting needed to create an easy-to-read resume
tips for writing a Profile Summary that catches employers’ attention
a guide for outlining an impressive Employment History

All that remains is to list your education and training, and volunteer experience, if relevant. Most resumes also end off with a mention of references.

List your education and training

Most employers are impressed by the candidate’s education, regardless of whether it is directly related to the job, so it is always worthwhile to include your highest education, as well as any other degrees of certifications. The best format: the degree, the school and its location (e.g. Bachelor of Art, Ryerson University, Toronto).

It is generally not necessary to include dates, as these just give the employer too much information about your approximate age. However, if you just recently graduated and you want to explain the employer what you have been doing in the last few years, add dates and consider bringing the section up higher up in the resume, above the Employment History.

In addition to all your degrees, it may be useful to list any relevant courses or certification you might have obtained. This might include any on-the-job training, as well. List only courses that are relevant to your work.

Don’t leave off volunteer work

Employers tend to be impressed by involvement in community activities, so it’s well worth including it in the resume.

You can add it, using the same format recommended for Employment History under a separate heading, or you may include the volunteer jobs in your employment history. If you add your volunteer roles to your jobs, make sure to clearly indicate the volunteer jobs clearly as such.

Mention (but don’t include) your references

It is generally recommended that candidates do not include references in or with their resume. So, by way of reassuring the employer that you do have references and will share them when the right time comes (i.e. at the interview), you can add a line at the end that states something to the that “References are Available Upon Request” (One of my clients even cheekily stated that “Enthusiastic References are Available Upon Request”).

Final note..

For resume samples, there are some good online resources such as The Balance’s Sample Resumes, Monster.ca and WorkBloom. Keep in mind though, that resumes differ by industry, country and sector. This means that job seekers should thoroughly research the best resume formats by consulting with employers and employees who work in their target jobs, before finalizing the resume.

September 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Is Cold Calling REALLY Dead?

Dear Joanna

I have been advised by my JVS Job Developer to start cold calling for a job, an information interview and/or co-op placement. I participated in a cold calling workshop and understand how this technique can be used to tap into the hidden job market and build a professional network.I am terrified to pick up the phone and talk to strangers. Is this an appropriate strategy for the job search?

Signed: Terrified of Calling (TC)

Dear TC,

In recent years, with the onset of social media, there have been countless articles positing that cold calling is dead. I am a big believer in learning and applying all the skills, techniques and strategies in a job search, including cold calling, but I disagree: cold calling is not dead. It’s just different in this complicated and competitive labour market.

Career coach Robert Hellman featured in Susan Adams’ article in Forbes, How Cold Calling Can Land You A Job has some fantastic advice on cold calling that I have combined with my recommendations, which I apply in my cold calling that I use to build my professional network and business in my role as a Job Developer at JVS Toronto.

1. Targeted and deep research.

Decide where you want to work and research the companies, the industry and best contacts there. Following a consultative sales model, I would identify (prospect) the employees with the decision-making power or hiring manager of the department where you wish to work. Use social media to research the profiles of these individuals. Understand their resumes, join their groups, and follow them on social media. Before you pick up that cold telephone or email, learn as much as you can about the targeted individuals and company’s hiring practices, the workplace culture and opportunities. I wouldn’t even say no to cold calling the president of the company as well regardless of where you are in the hierarchy of the organization work.

2. Use LinkedIn, Facebook, Google and the company website to get contact information.

Many people list their contact information on their LinkedIn or Facebook pages. Company websites frequently include directories. Switchboards will often give out direct dial numbers and extensions.

3. Write a specific subject line for your email.

Come up with a phrase or sentence that will make the reader want to open the email, like “discuss development and fundraising ,” or “your AdWeek article about sales strategies.” LinkedIn can also show you whether you have any contacts in common and those can produce good subject lines, like “we’re both connected to Susan Adams and Fred Allen.” (Check out an article in this blog about writing emails that get noticed for more information about this topic).

4. Focus on your value to the employer.

Prepare a bullet point list of your accomplishments in advance for the cold call or email. They should be quick and specifically explain their relevancy to the company and/or positions you are contacting. Think about how your work would apply to a potential employer. Focus on your value to them. Quantify your achievements with numbers, saying you boosted revenues by 27% in your first year or doubled market response within two years by adopting a new testing program, for example.

5. Follow up.

After you cold call, send the first email, wait three days. Then follow up by forwarding the original email with a short sentence saying something like, “Hi, I’m touching base about the email I sent. Would you be available to set up a meeting?” Leave only one voicemail. It’s a good idea to phone repeatedly but only leave one message. If you leave multiple voice mails, your target may feel stalked.

8. Boil your verbal pitch down to 15 seconds.

Research something special about the company or the person you are calling. Did they win an award? Were they featured in an interview on the radio of television? Did they write something interesting to your profession? Begin the pitch with something positive that you learned about them and/or their firm. Recognize their achievement. Share this information as a warm up. If you get through to a CEO or senior executive on the phone, you will need to make your point quickly, while asking for a 20 minute meeting. Don’t be disappointed if they turn you down. If you make a good impression, they will likely send your contact info to someone else. Most companies are on the hunt for good people.

9. Use the words “mutually beneficial” in your email and phone call.

Make it clear that your goal is to help the potential employer achieve their goals.

10. Send the resume only when asked.

Don’t attach your résumé to the email, unless you know there is a job opening for which you’d be well suited. Otherwise, focus on your stated goal, of helping the potential employer.

11. Ask for 20 minutes.

Most people can spare this amount of time and it’s enough of an interval for you to learn something about a company or institution. In your email and phone call, ask if the person can meet in person.

12. Express gratitude.

When you meet, emphasize what you can do for them. Spend the rest of the time listening to what they need so you can follow up with a thank-you note that emphasizes how you can contribute to solving their problems.

Good luck!

Joanna

August 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Am I Really Overqualified for the Job?

Dear Joanna,

I was invited for a job interview last week for a senior accountant position and didn’t get a job offer. When I asked for feedback from the hiring manager, he said that I was “overqualified.” How can having too much experience and strong skills be negative? Also, it feels like they are belittling my credentials and experience that I worked so hard to get. Why did they invite me to an interview after reviewing my resume?

Please explain this mystery to me.

Signed: Unfair Feedback

Dear Unfair,

You’ll find some excellent thoughts behind such painful and unreasonable sounding feedback from bloggers J.T. O’Donnell and Toni Bowers.

1. The hidden agenda. Donnell is adamant that this overqualified feedback is merely a “catch-all excuse that hiring managers, recruiters and HR use to politely eliminate you from the candidate pool”, suggesting that if employers said what they were really passing on you for, it would seem silly, petty, or down-right discriminatory.

2. Your personality isn’t a match for the company culture. You were either too upbeat or too low-key and came across wrong. Your personality is perceived as rubbing an existing employee the wrong way and the employer doesn’t want to deal with the drama that hiring you would bring. Bowers suggests that the hiring manager might be really thinking: “I don’t like you, can’t see working with you every day, and I just don’t want to be rude.” You didn’t connect with the hiring manager, and maybe even annoyed them; employers assume that if they didn’t feel comfortable with you in the interview, it will only get worse over time.

3. You don’t look like you would fit in. Your attire indicated that you weren’t the type of person that would be a fit for the organization. (Yes, what you wear matters. People have been known to discriminate because of clothing!)

4. You seem like a slow worker. Your speech was slow and methodical, and gave off the impression that you wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace of the work environment.

5. You are too expensive. You have too many degrees and/or were paid too much previously. Plus, there is an assumption that you will get bored quickly or quit when a better job comes along, leaving the employer to have to start looking again.

6. You didn’t seem reliable. Your answers to questions made it appear like you had health issues, personal life challenges, or attendance issues that would cause you to not be on-time and accountable.

7. You acted like a know-it-all in the interview. You said, “Well, at my old company, we did it this way...” one too many times. Plus, you oversold yourself. As a result, you gave off the impression that you weren’t ready to learn something new, nor ready to adapt to a different environment than the one you were in.

8. You didn’t seem like you really knew what you were talking about. You came across as not having as much expertise as your resume indicated. You didn’t answer questions in the way expected.

9. The employer had already found the candidate (s)he wanted, and interviewing you was just a formality. Some hiring managers, by law or company policy, have to post and interview for jobs. Many times, they already have who they want to hire. So, they just go through the process to cover their bases.

10. The hiring manager feels threatened by you. Sometimes, the hiring manager might feel afraid if the candidate seems more qualified for the position than they are, they might threaten their job. Bowers clarifies that if you are more qualified but can convey sincerely to the employer that you respect their position and don’t want it, you might overcome this challenge and get hired. In fact, I know many hiring managers who like to hire people whom they feel are smarter or more accomplished than them in certain areas as a way to strengthen their team.

11. There are organizational problems going on that the company does not want to share. The true reasons behind a verdict of “overqualified” could range from running out of money from the time the ad was placed to the time of your interview, to something more insidious, like the company doing interviews to gauge the market or “price shop” when it really has no intent of hiring anyone. In this scenario you will likely never get the truth, since few companies will admit they were wasting your time and giving false hope while trying to do market research.

Try to gather information and learn some lessons from the feedback. O’Donnell stresses the need to go to the source and ask for the reasons behind the verdict of “overqualified”. Make sure that you frame the discussion as an opportunity for personal improvement to try to improve your prospects, rather than a vindictive witch hunt. While this route is often successful, be prepared for the possibility of more vague feedback, since like most of us, hiring managers have their secrets. If you cannot get any constructive feedback, learn what you can from the interviewing process and move on to the next one. Beating yourself up will do nothing to help you move forward.

Joanna

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