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January 29, 2019 Leave a Comment

How to Handle Speed Job Interviews like a Pro

Two people sitting at a table speaking

Large companies continue to modernize their recruiting processes to screen candidates faster.  Traditionally, face-to-face and panel interviews were the standard.  In recent years, telephone, online video, and group interviews have become more commonplace.  Now employers are using speed interviews to sort through many qualified candidates quickly. 

What is a speed interview?

Speed interviewing gives employers the ability to meet with multiple candidates briefly in an organized and controlled way.  Ten to 15 candidates attend a speed interview.  One person interviews each candidate individually anywhere from five to 15 minutes.  This pre-screens candidates for selection for in-depth full interviews.

The article, Need to hire quickly? Try speed interviewing, describes how one startup company used speed interviewing to hire an account manager.  This company publicized this hiring event on social media then reached out to qualified candidates to attend a speed interview event.  During a five-minute interview, the interviewer asked four or five typical interview questions. Each candidate then moved on to three other rounds with different individuals.

After the interviews were all completed, candidates had a tour of the office. The interviewers met shortly afterwards to discuss their impressions and identify those candidates they regarded as “most promising”. The selected candidates had an in-depth second interview. This enabled the company to make a quick decision, resulting in hiring a new account manager within 48 hours of the speed-interviewing event.

This example gives you an idea of how speed interviews work. Depending on the employer and the sector, the format and character of speed interviews will vary. Small companies and startups seem to favour this technique.  You may also run across speed interviewing when recruiters or retail companies, for example, need to pre-screening candidates for multiple positions.  Speed interviews give employers a chance to compare candidates and watch how they perform under pressure.

Preparing for a speed interview

If you have ever had a pre-screening interview, or answered employer questions at a job fair, then you’ve had a taste of what a speed interview has in store.

Preparing for a speed interview is similar to preparing for any other interview. The difference is being able to respond quickly and succinctly. The more prepared you are, the better you will perform. 

Preparation and practice makes perfect

Prepare, then practice with a friend, or in front of a mirror.

  • Review the job posting and make sure you know it well, especially the requirements for and the description of the job.
  • Research the company. Review their website, understand their priorities and mission.
  • Know your resume well. Describe your work history fluently and clearly. Be ready to answer how this job fits with your career goals.
  • Think through why you are a good match for the job. Be prepared to market yourself as the best candidate.
  • Think of examples in your work history when you accomplished or performed activities that are specifically relevant to this job.
  • Practice your answers, especially common questions like, Tell me about yourself. Why should we hire you? What weaknesses and strengths do you bring to the job? What are your career goals?
  • Prepare questions to ask each interviewer.
  • Have your references ready.
  • PRACTICE again!

During the speed interview

  • Dress professionally but comfortably. You may be moving through various interview stations.
  • Bring a folder with everything you need: five copies of your resume, the job posting, your company research, your questions and answers, your reference list, paper and a pen.
  • Arrive early. You’ll be more relaxed if you’re not rushing.
  • Put your phone on silent and place it out of sight.
  • Bring a bottle of water and carry tissues.
  • Be ready to shake hands enthusiastically, make eye contact, smile, and speak clearly no matter how nervous you feel. Be prepared for a noisy interview room.
  • Collect business cards from each interviewer, or write down their name and email address for post-interview thank you notes.

After the interview

  • Write a brief thank you email to each interviewer separately after the interview.  
  • Contact your references with the position you’ve applied for.
  • Be patient. Decisions take time. If you haven’t heard anything after a couple of weeks, follow up with a brief email to your main contact, asking when you can expect a decision.

Remember, this is just another type of interview. The only difference is that you need to make a great first impression quickly with each interviewer. Good preparation and organization will give you confidence and that will lead to a great first impression!

By Karin Lewis Filed Under: Career Voice: Blog Tagged With: find work, interviewing, job search, Speed Interviewing

December 31, 2018 Leave a Comment

5 New Year Resolutions to Help You Find Work in 2019

Image of 2019 with a clock and confetti. Celebrating a New Year.

If your plans for 2019 include a new job, now is a perfect time to prepare a new, carefully-planned job search strategy. While it is true that there are many job seekers out on the hunt for a new job, most of them do not conduct their job search in the best way possible, so your challenge for the new year is to conduct the best possible job search. We put together some useful advice to help improve your search and make sure you get noticed by employers.

Job Search Resolutions:

RESOLUTION #1: I will update my resume.

A resume that appears outdated or incompatible with today’s technology may give an employer the impression that you might not be ready for a new job. New Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) demand that resumes are formatted to be processed and selected by a computer before ever being read by a hiring professional. A poorly formatted resume might never be picked no matter how qualified you may be.

To help you write the best resume possible, I surveyed the highly experienced employment staff at JVS Toronto, and put together a list of the ultimate tips for writing an excellent resume. It includes tips for layout and format, such as style, bullet points, spelling and punctuation, font, margins and alignment, as well as resume content, language, and grammar.

For those who are struggling with gaps in their employment history, we also put together these tips on overcoming resume gaps.

If you would like to write a resume from scratch, or review your resume in detail, check out our free online resume writing clinic.

RESOLUTION #2: I will improve my online presence

As a job seeker, it is important to ensure that you are easily found online, where potential employers are most likely to look for you. More importantly, employers have to like what they learn about you.  Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and updated. Updating your skills on LinkedIn will attract the right employers.  In addition to LinkedIn, consider using Twitter to gather information, networking and tips.

RESOLUTION #3: I will enhance my skills

In today’s tech-savvy world, the pressure to have up-to-date skills grows. Even if you think your skills are up to par, in 2019 your skills and experience will appear a year old (at least on your resume). Consider it a challenge to engage in an activity which will enable you to add “2019” to your resume.

It might be a course (such as updating your computer skills or CPR certification). Courses can be found at your local community centre, community college (look for the continuing education courses, for part-time options). Another possibility is to volunteer in a meaningful role. If you live in Toronto, there are many opportunities to volunteer; Canada-wide, you will find your local volunteer centre here.

Make sure to add your newly acquired skills and experience your resume and LinkedIn profile.

RESOLUTION #4: I will grow my network

This goes back to that old truth about finding work — it’s not only about what you know, but who you know. You already have a network – put the people you know to work for you and leverage your network to get job referrals. It’s a great time to reconnect with old contacts and make new ones. LinkedIn might be the best way to start the process — see who you know, and figure out who you would like to get to know by asking for an information interview.

Go out and meet with people face-to-face; ask questions, get support and guidance and make sure they know that you are looking for a new opportunity.

RESOLUTION #5: I will find new sources of job information

Many job search sites allow users to set up job alerts, which will send them emails with jobs that match their specific criteria. We have a detailed list of job boards, where you can search by keyword and location, and save an Email Alert or RSS Feed.

In 2018, Google set up a job alert system, which probably offers the broadest coverage of online job opportunities.

2019 could be the year that you secure that job you always wanted. Follow through on these 5 resolutions and watch it happen.

Happy new year from all of us at JVS Toronto!

By Karin Lewis Filed Under: Career Voice: Blog Tagged With: find work, job search, job search advice, new year resolutions

November 27, 2018 Leave a Comment

Attract Employers with Your Skills on LinkedIn

Woman sitting on sofa holding linkedin icon

LinkedIn is a unique way for employers to find you based on the skills you offer. Often underused by job seekers, adding your best skills in your LinkedIn profile increases the chances that employers and recruiters will find and connect with you.

What skills should I emphasize on my LinkedIn profile?

Job postings are a good source for ideas on skills to highlight. When searching on job postings sites, or through LinkedIn, review the qualifications listed in the postings you are targeting. If these skills line up with your experience, then add them to your profile.

You will notice that as you add skills to you profile, LinkedIn will suggest others based on your profile. Use these prompts to identify further skills to add. LinkedIn also has a directory of all the skills added to the site. Skills are categories into Industry Knowledge, Tools and Technologies (computer skills), Interpersonal Skills and Other Skills.

In addition to emphasizing hard skills on your LinkedIn profile, also include your soft or transferable skills such as organizational skills and interpersonal abilities. Online tools such as the online Employability Skills Assessment can help you evaluate your abilities, determine skills you are most confident in, and those you might want to improve.

Other helpful resources include LinkedIn’s article, The Skills Companies Need Most in 2018 – and the courses to get them and the Employability Skills reference guide published by The Conference Board of Canada.

Where else can I include my skills?

  1. Your Resume – include your strongest skills here
  2. Cover Letters – emphasis your strongest skills that match those listed in the job posting
  3. Interviews – include key skills that match the job posting when describing your abilities
  4. Show, don’t tell – use your best skills when conducting yourself throughout the recruitment process like your positive attitude, organization skills and interpersonal communication

Now that you’re prepared to share your strongest skills, here’s how to add them into your LinkedIn profile.

Starting from scratch

  • Go to the LinkedIn homepage
  • Click the Me icon at the top
  • Click on the View profile
  • click on the Add new profile section (located on the right)
  • Select Skills from the dropdown menu
  • Type the name of a skill in the Skill text box and select it from the dropdown list that appears. Once selected, this skill will be added to your list

Revising existing skills

  • Go to the LinkedIn homepage
  • Click the Me icon at the top
  • Click on the View profile
  • Scroll to the Skills & Endorsements section
  • Click Add a new skill. In the pop-up window, type the name of a skill in the text box and select it from the dropdown list. If your skill does not appear, type the full skill name in the field provided and click to add.

By Karin Lewis Filed Under: Career Voice: Blog Tagged With: employability skills, find work, job search, linkedin, LinkedIn Profiles, skills, soft skills

August 6, 2018 Leave a Comment

Is it Worthwhile to Job Search During the Summer?

Young woman using computer on green glasses in the park.

Summer is here. The days are long, the city is buzzing with events, and laid back chatter flows from outdoor patios. It’s getting harder to focus on the job search, even more so when employers seem to be posting less jobs and taking longer to reply to applications. It’s tempting to take a break and restart your job search in September. But is that a good idea?

Not necessarily.

One reason to continue job seeking is precisely because job seekers often opt out of the job search in summer: competition for jobs is reduced and you might be able to snag a good opportunities.

Another reason is that jobs do continue to be posted. Some employers simply need to hire regardless of the season. Often hiring is urgent and employers are quick to grab the next available candidate.

Sometimes, employers are even beginning to line up opportunities for the December holidays.

Another advantage of job searching in summer is that employers are often more relaxed and receptive to chatting about what the next year may bring. Use this opportunity to connect with your targeted employers to gather information about the company, upcoming job requirements. and their hiring process. Having this information before jobs are posted gives you an edge over other job seekers. You will know what jobs are coming up, when they are accepting applications, the hiring process, and who is doing the hiring. If you are lucky and resourceful, you may even secure someone on the inside who can pass your resume on for you. People have a little more time to chat and may be open to longer discussions on potential opportunities.

However, you don’t necessarily have to continue job search at the same pace. Everyone needs some time off to relax, regroup, and recharge. Just don’t stop. You may miss out on some great opportunities. So, use this time of year to your advantage. After all, this is your job search and you will get out of it what you put in.

By Karin Lewis Filed Under: Career Voice: Blog Tagged With: find work, job search, job search advice, job search summer, summer

July 9, 2018 2 Comments

Dealing with change and stress in an uncertain world

A Person Stressed

While some people might claim to enjoy unpredictability, many (probably most) of us find it exhausting, stressful and even overwhelming. The old expression that says that “there are two certainties in life: death and taxes” leaves out the most frequent, unpredictable and arguably most stress-inducing inevitability in life: change. As with death and taxes, the challenge isn’t so much that we will have to face inevitable transitions in our lives, as much as how we deal with them.

Change is a consistent challenge throughout our working lives, whether we are dealing with job loss, making career decisions, looking for work, starting a new job or career, or just dealing with changes in the workplace (a new boss, different duties or a new software program to master). Mostly, when changes happen, most of us somehow find strength and keep going, facing and handling the new challenges. But every now and then, the stress overwhelms and we begin to doubt our ability to face life’s demands and move forward effectively.

The world of work has become an increasingly stressful place, with an increasing number of people working in less secure positions, often for lower pay. Many people are handling multiple responsibilities on the job and are often expected to work long hours, for which they are not always properly paid or recognized. Job search also seems more challenging, with candidates competing with a large number of talented potential hires. Of course, having 24/7 access to news and opinions in social and other media, many of which seem to thrive on drama and gloom, does not help stress either. It is hard to keep a sense of perspective when you are surrounded by negative reports on the economy and job market, inevitably making you feel that you are not competitive enough: too old, too young, insufficiently skilled or experienced, having too much experience, facing discrimination for your ethnicity, race, gender, abilities, country of origin, language, and so many other factors.

Over my 25 years of counselling and coaching people as they face job and career changes, I have discovered that there isn’t one way that works for everyone to handle such stress. If you have ever sought support online, from friends or even professionals, you might have found that even though people have lots of advice, there often isn’t much that applies to you specifically. You might have even started to wonder whether there is something terribly wrong with you, since everyone else seems to be coping better than you. Judging from others’ Facebook updates and what you observe, most people you know seem might seem happier, more confident and satisfied with their lives. The thing is that appearances often hide the truth: no one is coping quite as well as it seems on the surface — everyone has their moments of weakness, terror and doubt, often much more commonly than it appears.

The question, then, is what might work to help you move forward past the stress that comes with life’s changes. Here are some of the more successful techniques that my clients have tried:

Get support.

Reach out for supports from others, whether they are friends or family. Don’t be shy about asking for help from those around you who are willing and able to provide an ear, some support, guidance or even more. Call people up and invite them out for a cup of coffee. Sometimes just the act of sharing your concerns and saying them out loud will give you a new perspective or motivate you to move forward. By reaching out to others, you may be gifting someone with an opportunity to take on a helpful role that they always wanted.

Get advice and help from professionals.

Remember that organisations such as JVS Toronto exist to provide services and expertise that might help you achieve your career or work goals. There are also many online resources that might help you tweak a resume or find a new way of looking for work (subscribe to the JVS Blog for a guide with resume writing and other tips). If stress is beginning to overwhelm you and is affecting your ability to function day-to-day, go see your Doctor — they might have some resources that could help, and could refer you as needed. Some physicians even offer psychotherapy as part of their publicly funded services (such as OHIP in Ontario).

Change things up.

Mark Twain was right when he said that “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got.” Perhaps you need a new routine or a different way of meeting your goals. If job search is your challenge, try volunteering, taking a course to update your skills, or seeking out new strategies to find work. If you’ve been staying home a lot, make an effort to get out – join an interest group, or if you’re not spending enough time focusing on job search, set aside a few times a week to go the library or local resource centre to do some focused work without the distractions of home.

Take care of your physical health.

Consider taking up some simple activities, such as a brisk walk around your neighbourhood with a friend, swimming or joining a class in the local community centre. The benefits of exercise go well beyond simple physical fitness – there is evidence that exercise is an effective way to handle stress or depression, with Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Michael Craig Miller recommending that it’s helpful to even “start with five minutes a day of walking or any activity you enjoy. Soon, five minutes of activity will become 10, and 10 will become 15.”

Give yourself a break.

Your mental health also requires attention; borrow a good book from the library, watch a favourite movie or just allow yourself some “me” time. Don’t do it guiltily, otherwise you won’t reap the relaxation benefits. Think of self-care as part of what you have to do to be able to move forward in your life. Make sure to get enough sleep, which is key for focus and stress management.

As Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are (which is a very good source of advice on handling stress – look for it at your local library) makes an important point: “There are always waves on the water. Sometimes they are big, sometimes they are small, and sometimes they are almost imperceptible. The water’s waves are churned up by the winds, which come and go and vary in direction and intensity, just as do the winds of stress and change in our lives, which stir up the waves in our minds. (…) You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
Simply put: change happens and you can’t always control that; but you can influence how you respond to it.

By Karin Lewis Filed Under: Career Voice: Blog Tagged With: change, job search, job search advice, job search stress, stress, world of work

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