Use this list of common interview questions to prepare ahead of time. Although you
don’t want to sound like you’re reciting a canned answer, keeping some key points in
mind can be helpful.

1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
3. What are your strengths?
4. What are your weaknesses?
5. Why should I hire you?
6. What are your career goals and objectives?
7. How does this job fit into your career goals?
8. What do you know about our organization?
9. How do you normally handle change?
10. What would you last employer say about you?
11. If you could do anything in your career differently, what would it be?
12. Describe your greatest achievement.
13. Describe your most significant failure.
14. Which of your jobs did you like the best? Why?
15. Which of your jobs did you like the least? Why?
16. What kind of employee are you?
17. How do you handle authority?
18. On your last performance evaluation, what did your manager criticize you for?
19. How do you handle conflict with peers?
20. How do you normally handle criticism?
21. Describe your relationship with your last manager.
22. Where do you want to be five years from now?
23. Why do you want to work for us?
24. Why have you changed jobs so often?
25. Why is it taking you so long to find a job?
26. Tell me about a time when you handle to handle a crisis situation.
27. How do you deal with stress and pressure?
28. How much are you presently earning?
29. How much money do you want?
30. When can you start?
31. Can we check your references?
32. Where else are you interviewing?
33. Is there anything that we have forgotten to ask you?
34. Do you have any questions for us?

Mealtime interviews pose a unique set of interviewing challenges, which are outlined
below:

1. Keep drinking to a minimum, or better yet, don’t drink at all.

2. Don’t order anything messy. It’s hard to concentrate on the interview when your
spaghetti is dribbling down your chin.

3. No smoking, please—even if you’re sitting in the smoking section of the restaurant.

4. Keep it simple. Never order too much food or choose the most expensive item on
the menu. It’s not your last meal and, as you’ve probably heard, there’s no such
thing as a free lunch.

5. Remember your company manners. No matter how comfortable you feel during the
interview, don’t shovel your food into your mouth, talk with your mouth full, or eat
with your hands (unless it’s finger food).

6. Keep the conversation friendly but professional. While you want to be likeable and
charming, you don’t want to turn on the conversational faucet by sharing too much
personal information.

Nothing in life taxes your flexibility quite like interviewing. Here are some of the interviewing
scenarios you might expect to encounter:

1. Screening interviews usually take place on the telephone and are conducted by a
human resources professional or executive recruiter. Their goal is to determine
whether you have the minimum qualifications to do the job and then move you
along to the next person in the hiring hierarchy.

2. Sequential interviews take place in organizations that prefer to hire by consensus.
As a result, you may find yourself meeting with several hiring authorities over the
course of a day, a week, or a month. The key here is to approach each interview
with freshness and enthusiasm. Don’t worry about repeating yourself; this will only
make you look consistent—not boring.

3. Group interviews can be conducted by a handful of people simultaneously or resemble
a regular mob scene (with a cast of dozens). These interviews are usually more
about presentation than conversation, but you should still try to establish rapport
with each and every person in the room whenever possible. Candidates with group
training or facilitation skills definitely have the edge in group interviews.

4. Stress interviews are another variety. While most interviews are by definition stressful,
stress interviews are intentionally and artificially stressful. The intention of these
interviews is mostly to see how you react to pressure and stress—the key is to recognize
that you’re in a stress interview and keep your cool!

5. Performance interviews often require that you give a presentation to an audience as
a way of showcasing your platform skills and expertise. You will usually receive an
assigned topic in advance, enabling you to prepare the information that you want to
deliver in an organized and articulate manner.

6. Many employers like to supplement their interview process with aptitude, personality,
and values tests. The experts vary in their advice about how to deal with these
tests. My advice is to be truthful and to make sure that you always put the best spin
on the truth. Answer questions with confidence, enthusiasm, and skill.

7. Computer-assisted interviews are changing the face of the selection process. During
a computer-assisted interview, you will often be asked to sit at a computer terminal
and enter information into the computer or answer by using a touch-tone phone.
The thing to remember here is that you shouldn’t say anything to a computer that
you wouldn’t say to an interviewer in a face-to-face meeting.

8. Mealtime interviews are a challenge for many reasons. Because of the more relaxed
atmosphere, interviewers sometimes ask personal questions that would otherwise be
considered illegal in a more formal setting. Don’t be lulled into shooting yourself in
the foot. Make sure you use your company manners and keep your game face on.
You don’t want to lose out on an interesting opportunity over the price of a steak
dinner.

Communication is always a two-way street. In order to be responsive to interviewers’
needs, you must know how to listen and listen well. To improve your listening skills:

1. Focus your attention on what the interviewer is saying. If your mind starts to wander,
consciously force yourself to listen for the content, even if the interviewer’s intonation
is boring or the questions are phrased in a rambling manner.

2. Respond with appropriate nonverbal cues. Smile or nod your head in agreement
when appropriate. Conversely, don’t roll your eyes, clench your fists, or grimace at
the interviewer’s words.

3. Resist the impulse to interrupt.

4. Listen non-defensively. Do not be judgmental or critical of what you hear. This will
only prevent you from truly understanding what the interviewer is saying.

5. Don’t get distracted by trivial things that don’t really matter, like the interviewer’s
appearance, accent, lisp, or lipsmacking. Respond to what is being said rather than
how it is being communicated. Not everyone is a great communicator.

1. Do dress for respect—conservatively and professionally.

2. Don’t sit passively in your seat and wait for the interviewer to do all of the work.

3. Do make small talk and try to find areas of common interest with interviewers, who
are—believe it or not—people, too.

4. Don’t look as if you are facing a firing squad. Smile and try to relax.

5. Do make sure to research the organization before the interview. This shows interviewers
that you are genuinely interested in them.

6. Don’t be late. This makes a terrible first impression. Instead, make sure that you
have proper directions and leave plenty of time (in case traffic is bad, the bus is
late, or you get lost).

7. Do bring extra copies of your resume in case the interviewer forgets or misplaces
your original copy.

8. Don’t call the interviewer by his or her first name unless they specifically instruct
you to do so.

9. Do remember the interviewer’s name and use it periodically throughout the interview.

10. Don’t dominate the conversation. Your answers should always be succinct, direct,
and well articulated.

11. Do learn to listen attentively and show genuine interest and enthusiasm. Remember,
employers want people who care.

12. Don’t deliver answers to interview questions as if you were making a speech.
Although you should prepare responses to typical questions in advance, your delivery
should sound sincere and unrehearsed. Remember: Make conversation, not presentations.

13. Do ask intelligent questions. Ask about job responsibilities, company goals, and
other related topics.

14. Don’t initiate conversations about money or benefits until you have a job offer.
After you have received an offer, you have a lot more negotiating power.

15. Do present a confident self-image that offsets any concerns that you may be hiding
something or have skeletons in your professional closet.

16. Don’t lie or get defensive. Try to frame negative situations as positively as possible
(in terms of a “mismatch,” “different styles,” or what you learned) without speaking
badly about past employers or colleagues.

17. Do answer the questions fully and punctuate your answers with good stories that
illustrate your competencies and style.

18. Don’t beat yourself up for making mistakes. It’s part of the process. The important
thing is that you learn from those mistakes so that you don’t repeat them in future
interviews.

19. Do follow up. If you agreed to provide references or additional information, make
sure that you deliver on your promises.

20. Don’t forget to send a thank-you note either by e-mail or snail mail. In your letter,
reassert your interest and qualifications.

21. Do continue to conduct your job search and look for additional opportunities. As
Yogi Berra is famous for saying, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

22. Don’t sit around waiting for the interviewer to call you. If you don’t hear from them
within a week after your interview, make sure that you check in to see where they
(and you) are in the process.

23. Do remember that “no” doesn’t always mean forever. Although you may not always
get a job offer, if you stay on cordial terms with the people who interview you, you
may end up hearing from them again.

24. Never burn bridges. However disappointed or rejected you may feel, try your best
not to take it personally. Make sure that the interviewer knows that you enjoyed
meeting them and are still interested in future possibilities.

25. Do move on. There are many, many fish in the sea of jobs—your challenge is to is
to spot them and catch them.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression, which means that you have to
do everything in your power to make that first impression a good one.

1. Dress for success. An interview is a formal employment occasion. Treat it accordingly
and wear your best suit or dress.

2. Your handshake is as important as your resume. It has to be strong, confident, and
assertive.

3. Your energy level communicates interest and enthusiasm. Get plenty of sleep and
make sure that you are alert and ready to engage the interviewer.

4. Posture also communicates energy. Sit up straight and look like you’re alive, please.

5. A smile is worth a thousand words. It says “It’s nice to meet you and I’m happy to
be here.”

When it comes to job interviewing, winging it is not an option. To find—and get—the
best position, you must prepare often and well.

✔ Determine your marketable skills. These include technical qualifications, general
liberal-arts skills (analytical, communication, problem solving), and character traits
(honesty, trustworthiness, dependability)

✔ Develop a selling strategy to persuade employers that you have the right stuff to do
the job.

✔ Learn to tell stories. Review your work experience and be prepared to give examples
that demonstrate your skills and qualifications.

✔ Anticipate tough questions. For better or worse, employers can be cynical and suspicious
that candidates are trying to fool them with lies and half-truths.
Recognizing the potential stumbling blocks in your history will enable you to anticipate
and strategize effective ways of overcoming these obstacles.

✔ Research the company/organization. To understand the needs and values of potential
employers, tap into your own network and go online to find out whatever you
can about the company and the kind of person they are most likely to be looking for.

✔ Deal with sensitive information sensitively. After you gain insight into an organization’s challenges and liabilities, you need to deal with that information tactfully.
Like individuals, organizations have emotional sore spots that, if pointed out in the
wrong way, can make people defensive.

✔ Organize. As part of your interview preparation, you will also need to handle logistical
matters. By managing issues of time and place well, you create an impression
of competence and professionalism.

✔ Negotiate. As you and your future employer explore the question of “fit,” you may
be asked to discuss compensation. Although it’s best to postpone salary discussions
until you have an offer, you must be prepared to handle the question whenever it
surfaces in the process.

✔ Practice makes perfect. Great interviewing skills are not learned overnight. To be
effective in job interviews, you need to develop a practice-and-perfection mentality.
This means learning from your mistakes, revisiting your communications strategy,
and improving your responses.

Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted because candidates are hired for
positions they aren’t qualified for, while others are turned down for jobs that they are
more qualified to fill. To make sure that you don’t become one of these workplace casualties,
you need to take the time to understand what employers are looking for.

1. Shared values

Companies often espouse a particular set of values and ideals. Review their mission
statement to determine what those values and ideals are.

2. Commitment

Most employers are fearful of job hoppers. Although it’s no longer expected that
employees will spend their entire careers in one place, employers do want to know
that you are going to do more than collect a paycheck and use them as a stepping
stone in your career ladder.

3. Energy and enthusiasm

Employers are impressed with candidates who have the desire, enthusiasm, and
energy to do the work they are hired to do—and more.

4. An innovative spirit

Many employers are seeking to gain the competitive edge and, in that spirit, are seldom
content with the status quo. Translation: They look for employees who bring a
sense of creativity and innovation to their jobs.

5. Responsiveness

Employers want their people to be responsive to their organizational goals and
needs. It’s good to be able to work independently, but it’s also important to
acknowledge and be comfortable with the reality that you work for them.

6. Accountability

The buck has to stop somewhere and there are times when it will stop with you as
the responsible employee. This means that you must be willing to take responsibility
for your mistakes and be willing to be accountable to the people you work for and
with.

7. Team players

Many employers want team players who can work collaboratively more than they
want individual stars. In a technologically advanced, highly competitive workplace,
they look to hire people who can work together effectively.

8. Compatibility

Managers prefer to hire employees who will improve their own standing in the
organization. Demonstrate that you can look good and they’ll race to hire you for
their team.

9. Communication skills

The ability to communicate—both verbally and in writing—is an essential skill set
in every industry and profession.

10. Style

Employers also evaluate how an individual’s work style fits in with their organizational
culture. If there’s a match, this can be an important factor in the hiring
process.

To conduct a successful job search, you need to manage both the logistical dimensions
and your own attitudes and feelings. A summary of what (I hope) you now realize that it
takes to succeed:

1. You have established your job search goals and objectives.

2. You can articulate what you are looking for.

3. You can discuss your strengths and qualifications with networking contacts and
potential employers.

4. You know how to research your job targets and identify job leads.

5. You feel positive about your job search direction and strategy.

6. You have a network of people you can contact or, in the alternative, a strategy to
develop new contacts and resources.

7. You have—or can develop—a support system for yourself during your transition.

8. You are willing to work hard to find a new job.

9. You have the ability and desire to learn from your mistakes.

10. You are able to manage your negative feelings and thoughts.

11. You can recognize when you need help and aren’t afraid to ask for assistance and
guidance.

12. You are able to motivate yourself and take responsibility for your actions.

1. Do you check several job posting sites (such as Monster.com [www.monster.com] or
Careerbuilder.com [www.careerbuilder.com]) every day and submit your resume to
appropriate positions?

2. Do you subscribe to at least one trade journal or professional publication with job
listings?

3. Are you member of at least one professional association in your industry?

4. Do you have a membership directory for a professional trade group, networking
group, or alumni association that you can use for networking purposes?

5. Have you reviewed your resume to make sure that it is on target and error free?

6. Are you doing Internet research to identify companies that might be interested in
hiring you?

7. Do you have an actionable networking strategy?

8. Are you conducting informational or exploratory interviews as part of your networking
strategy?

9. Are you persistent in following up on all job leads?

10. Have you researched and contacted employment agencies or executive recruiters in
your industry or occupation?

11. Do you know how to interview, or do you need more interviewing preparation and
practice?

12. Have you contacted your references to ask permission to use their names?

13. Do you know how to communicate your strengths and weaknesses and target
employers who can benefit from your qualifications and experience?

14. Do you have family and friends who can support you through this process?

15. Have you determined whether you can benefit from a career counselor and identified
and contacted career counselors who can coach you on job search strategies and
techniques?

It’s often been said that finding a job is a full-time job. This advice is fine if you’re unemployed,
but it is less useful if you already have a full-time job that requires your attention.
To get better control over your job search time, follow the guidelines below:

1. Set reasonable job search goals—either by time spent or activity accomplished. If
you have a limited amount of time to conduct your job search, strive for efficiency
and set your goals by activity rather than the clock. This kind of structure will give
you a greater sense of accomplishment.

2. Chunk your activities together for maximum efficiency. For example, set aside blocks
of time exclusively for Internet research, make several phone calls sequentially, or
write your resume. This method will enable you to focus and concentrate exclusively
on the task at hand rather than trying to squeeze too many different activities into
too little space. Make sure to set achievable goals in each category.

3. Create a place to keep track of your job search activities. You can use a simple
spreadsheet or word-processor document or make a chart in a notebook to list your
activities along with the time you spent on them, the people you’ve contacted, the
results, follow-up tasks you need to complete, and any other relevant information.
Having such a file will help you quickly locate information you need when an
employer or other contact calls.

4. Reward yourself when you have completed your job search tasks competently and
effectively by doing something you really enjoy.

5. When time is limited, procrastination is not an option. Don’t let yourself be sidelined
with unimportant activities. If you can’t make your job search one of your priorities,
you can’t realistically expect to find a good job.

6. Carve out a physical space for yourself that enables you to have some expectation of
privacy. The kitchen table is not a place for quality solitude or communication with
potential contacts and employers.

7. Learn to view each obstacle as a challenge to your problem-solving skills. After all,
if finding a new job were easy, you would have done it weeks or months or years
ago.

8. For those of you who have the opposite problem—meaning that you are unemployed
and have too much time on your hands—you need to approach your situation
differently. Most importantly, do not conduct your job search in total isolation.
If you have access to outplacement services or a transition center, make it a point to
go to their offices several times a week because people often find it easier to conduct
a job search when everyone around them is engaged in the same activity.

9. Make sure that your job search includes plenty of networking time as well as both
social and professional activities. If possible, join a professional group or weekly job
club and participate in their events. Even if you aren’t a particularly social person,
try to force yourself to stay socially motivated. Successful job hunting is often a very
social experience—so socialize!

10. Don’t get distracted by household tasks or chores. If you’re at home during the day,
don’t think that you don’t have anything to do. For you, looking for a job really is a
full-time job.

11. Don’t neglect your physical or mental health. Job hunting is stressful, and you need
to develop your own personal stress-busting strategies in the form of exercise, meditation,
gardening, or whatever works for you.

The world is a complicated place, and if you think that job searching within the United
States is tough, it’s even more confusing when you want to live and work abroad.
Fortunately, there are lots of resources that you can use to get the so-called “lay of the
land.”

✔ Going Global (www.going-global.com) is a Web site designed primarily to meet the
needs of international job seekers and professionals. It contains a comprehensive
array of country-specific career information, including resume/CV writing advice,
job sources, interviewing strategies, salary negotiations, and work permit and visa
regulations. It also has country guides, which you can purchase for a reasonable fee;
they are well worth the investment.

✔ Expat Exchange (www.expatexchange.com) is a virtual community that connects
people who are relocating to, living in, or returning from more than 135 overseas
locations. This site provides a great way to network with people who have “been
there and done that,” as well as experts and regional contacts who can answer more
specific questions.

✔ The International Jobs Center (www.internationaljobs.org) is a membership organization
that provides extensive information on international jobs. This includes a
weekly newspaper with more than 500 job postings, profiles of major employers in
the international development market, and an e-mail notification system to alert you
to new job openings in your areas of interest.

✔ Overseasjobs.com (www.overseasjobs.com) is part of the Aboutjobs.com network of
sites (www.aboutjobs.com) that provide free services to job seekers (employers must
pay to list positions). The site has lots of useful information, including country
guides, informative articles, visa/work permit information, and job listings.

Long-distance job hunting poses a unique set of challenges and therefore deserves special
consideration.

1. Employers prefer to hire familiar faces. Although you know that you are not a visitor
from outer space—just another city or state—you may be perceived as an alien
from another planet. To overcome this perceptual barrier, you will need to familiarize
yourself with the city’s landscape and resources.

2. If you already have contacts in your target location, recruit them as allies in your job
search. Ask them to send you a copy of the local telephone directory and provide
you with the names of major newspapers, business directories, or locale-specific job
search books.

3. Don’t worry if you don’t have contacts in your target location; you can gather this
information yourself by contacting the local Chamber of Commerce to obtain business
directories and any other available information.

4. If you currently live in a city with a good library, the business librarian (or any
librarian who is familiar with the library’s job search and business resources) can
help you identify and locate the information that you need.

5. Plan to subscribe to the local newspapers. Many newspapers now have online editions,
which make it easier to access local information and job listings in a timely
manner.

6. Join a professional association with a national membership and then obtain the
names of the people who head the chapters in your target areas. Network with these
people by telephone or e-mail to make new contacts and learn more about the city’s
resources.

7. You can also use the professional organization’s membership directory to conduct
informational interviews by telephone. Also, don’t overlook the many potential contacts
available through alumni directories from your alma mater. These directories
have proved invaluable to many job hunters who are looking to relocate.

8. When you have the names of potential contacts, decide on your preferred method of
contact. If you represent yourself well on the phone, you can warm up the conversation
with small talk. If you prefer to write first (and call later), e-mail usually works
best, as it is quicker and more efficient than traditional snail mail.

9. Never send your resume to a new contact person as an attachment because they will
probably be afraid to open it. In general, it makes more sense to build some of your
resume information into the content of your e-mail and send the resume at a later
date after you have established a contact.

10. Depending on your profession and level of experience, you can also benefit from
contacting executive recruiters who specialize in your target location. If necessary,
revisit the information in Checklist 45 for ideas about how to make this strategy
work for you.

11. Plan to visit the city, preferably around industry conferences and trade shows, so
that you can make as many contacts as possible in the shortest amount of time.
Also, take the initiative to set up informational or exploratory interviews while you
are in the city in order to become a familiar face.

12. Stay in touch with your contacts. When you are far away, it is a little too easy for
them to forget you. It’s your job to make sure that you become memorable and keep
them motivated on your behalf.

If you decide to explore the possibility of working with a career counselor, it is important
to choose someone whose style and values are compatible with your needs. There are a
number of ways to identify good counselors.

1. Networking is usually one of the best methods. Talk to the people you know
(including the career services office at your school or alma mater) about any career
counselors who they know to be competent and reputable.

2. Use the telephone and Internet Yellow Pages to identify career counselors in your
community.

3. When you have a name (or preferably a few names) of career counselors, call the
counselors and interview them on the phone about their services.

4. Ask about credentials. Although career counselors do not have to be licensed in
most states, it is in your best interest to inquire if a counselor has an advanced
degree in psychology or counseling as well as specific training and experience in
career and employment issues.

5. If you prefer to work with a counselor who is licensed or certified, you can find a list
of those career counselors at the Web site of the National Board of Counselor
Certification (www.nbcc.org). Use their CounselorFind feature to search for certified
counselors by specialty and geographic location.

6. Ask about areas of specialization and experience. Some counselors either specialize
in working with specific populations (for example, lawyers, doctors, or business
executives) or have extensive experience with certain industries or occupations.
Depending on your needs and situation, you may want to choose someone who is
knowledgeable in your particular field or profession.

7. Counselors vary in regard to their use of testing instruments. If you are interested in
testing, make sure that you choose someone who is comfortable and knowledgeable
about these instruments and vice versa. You certainly wouldn’t want to choose a
counselor who relies heavily on testing if you prefer a counseling modality. Having
said that, keep in mind that there are many counselors who provide both testing and
counseling, depending on the specific needs of the client.

8. Some career counselors make a clear distinction between career counseling and personal
counseling. Others, particularly those who are trained in psychology, recognize
that feelings and conflicts may surface during a job search or career transition
(fear of success, fear of failure, lack of support, and so on) and will work with you
to help resolve those issues. If you sense that you might want to delve a little deeper,
make sure that you choose a counselor who works psychologically.

9. Ask the counselor to provide you with the names and numbers of people they have
worked with who can attest to their capabilities. Although some counselors may not
be able to provide the names of former clients (for confidentiality purposes), they
can and should refer you to professional colleagues who can attest to their capabilities.

Here is a list of services career counselors offer.

1. Provide individual counseling for career choice, career development, and job search
concerns.
2. Conduct career workshops and job support groups.
3. Administer and interpret vocational tests.
4. Teach job hunting skills and strategies.
5. Write resumes and cover letters.
6. Provide support during transitions.
7. Help resolve emotional and psychological conflicts.
8. Aid clients in developing career plans.
9. Refer clients to outside resources.
10. Help clients improve career decision-making and interpersonal skills.
11. Coordinate services with other helping professionals (social workers, psychiatrists,
psychologists, and so on).

A career counselor is a job search coach who can help you develop a career plan and
implement a job search strategy. If any of the following situations apply to you, you might
want to consider working with a career counselor.

1. I often get stuck in stressful and/or dead end jobs.
2. I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
3. I have trouble getting along with my bosses or co-workers.
4. I often get passed over for promotions.
5. My work bores me.
6. I don’t respect the people that I work for and with.
7. I feel like I’m not living up to my potential.
8. My work is meaningless.
9. I change jobs a lot, but the new job isn’t any better than the last one.
10. I have trouble setting or meeting goals.
11. I had bigger dreams for myself.
12. I often get fired or laid off.
13. I have a reputation as a troublemaker.
14. People take advantage of me at work.
15. I never get any credit for the work that I do.
16. I feel like I don’t have any skills.
17. It’s hard to get up and go to work in the morning.
18. I don’t know how to sell myself.
19. I feel like I don’t have anything to offer an employer.
20. I never get the salary that I deserve.
21. My resume is a disaster.
22. I don’t know what I want to do.
23. I don’t know how to look for a job.
24. I hate authority.
25. I can’t stand the people I work with.
26. I feel like an impostor at work.
27. I’m too much of a perfectionist.
28. My work doesn’t fit my personality.

It’s both easy and understandable to want to blame the job market for an extended bout
of unemployment, but you do yourself a disservice if you aren’t also willing to consider
that you are contributing to your dilemma. It’s easy to get frustrated with job hunting and
conduct your search in a stale, half-hearted manner. If you continue to do what you’ve
always done—network the same way, send out the same resume and cover letter, and use
the same group of contacts over and over again—without much success, it may be time to
change your approach.

To evaluate what you need to change, answer the following questions:

1. Which of your job search methods no longer seem to be working?
✔ Does your resume generate the kind of response you want?
✔ Do recruiters express interest in you and send you out to interview with prospective
employers?
✔ Do the people in your network continue to send you leads, or do you have the
sense that they’re avoiding you or don’t know how to help?
✔ Do the Web sites that you visit yield appropriate listings, or do you get the feel
ing that they don’t have the kind of position you’re looking for?

As you approach the new work week, make a habit of reviewing this information
and make whatever changes are necessary to generate new leads, motivation, and
enthusiasm.

2. Which job search strategies and techniques are working to your satisfaction?
Obviously, you don’t need to fix what isn’t broken—you just need to do more of
what is working. When you get the kind of responses and feedback that you’re looking
for, it empowers you to get and stay motivated and optimistic.

3. Is there something new that you haven’t yet tried?

✔ A new Web site?
✔ An electronic mailing list?
✔ A job club?
✔ A career counselor?
Instead of dismissing these novelty approaches a priori, why not give them a chance
to work for you? After all, you never know where your next job may come from.

Learning how to use your references properly is an important aspect of the entire job
search process. The following checklist will help get you thinking in the right direction.

1. Never provide the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your references on
your resume or employment applications. You always want to meet with prospective
employers first before providing them with any reference information.

2. Do not bring a list of your references with you to job interviews and offer them to
the interviewer at the conclusion of an interview. After you interview for a position
that interests you, you need to give careful thought to the best person to offer as a
reference.

3. Try not to lose track of former employers, supervisors, and colleagues. If you have
lost touch with some people, you may want to track them down early in your job
search process so that you can reconnect with them to jog their memories about you,
reestablish a connection, and give accurate reference information. If you haven’t
worked with your contact person in a while, give them a current copy of your
resume and an overview of your current career goals.

4. Be creative about your reference choices. While direct supervisors are often useful
choices (assuming, of course, that you had a good relationship with that person),
other people can speak to different dimensions of your performance, including
clients/customers, suppliers/vendors, co-workers, and even subordinates.

5. After you have interviewed for a position that interests you, contact your references
again to ask permission to provide them as a contact person and give them an
update on the position and the company that will be calling them. This information
will allow your references to tailor their comments. Also, be sure to verify contact
information, including telephone number, e-mail address, and best contact times.

6. When preparing your list of references for potential employers, provide some background
details as to how you know each reference and the information they can
confirm, as well as their name, telephone number, e-mail and physical addresses,
and job title.

7. Reference lists are professional documents. They should always be typed and professionally
formatted, preferably in a font and style that is consistent with your
resume. If you send this information via e-mail, send it as an attachment so that it
will look more professional.

8. After you have received and accepted a job offer, send each of your references a
thank-you card to tell them about your success and express your appreciation to
them for their help.

Here are step-by-step instructions on using networking as a strategy in your job search.

1. Get your goal in focus. Decide what you want to do and where you want to do
it. Use earlier checklists to identify key skills and potential employers.

2. Prepare a contact list. Include anyone who might have some information about
your field. Think broadly.

3. Contact your connections. Meet with them to explain your goals, share your
resume, and ask for advice and for referrals to others who might be able to help.

4. Follow up. Pursue any information, other contacts, and potential opportunities
you learn about from your contacts. Make sure that you keep in touch with them by
following up on leads and checking in for new information.

5. Say thank you. Be sure to formally thank all the people with whom you meet.
Reciprocate by sharing information they might find useful.

6. Attend programs and events. Participate in all networking programs and services
available through professional trade associations, alumni groups, and other
membership organizations.

Myth #1: The help-wanted ads are the best way to find a job.

False. Current statistics estimate that 60 percent of all new jobs are found through
either networking or the Internet.

Myth #2: A headhunter will find me a job.

Wrong again. Headhunters (or recruiters) work for the companies who pay them to
find the best candidates for a job. While a headhunter may help you find a job,
recruiters will always tell you that they work for the client companies who pay their
fees.

Myth #3: The best place to send resumes is the human resources department.

Also wrong. Human resources departments are usually in the business of screening
out candidates or collecting resumes to pass along to the hiring manager. The best
way to make contact with a potential employer is to go directly to the hiring manager
whenever possible.

Myth #4: It’s who you know that matters most.

Yes and no. While it is true that many jobs are filled through word of mouth and
referrals, what you know still matters as well. You can have the greatest connections
in the world, but if you don’t have the skills to back you up, you could still end up
on the wrong side of the employment equation.

Myth #5: There are no good jobs for people over 50.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Without denying the reality of age discrimination in the
workplace, it’s important to realize that there are many people over 50 who are still
able to land great new jobs. Before you leap to the ageism conclusion, make sure
that you have really honed your marketable skills and can sell potential employers
on your qualifications and experience.

Myth #6: You’ll never get a good job without a college degree.

Also false. While it definitely helps to have a college pedigree to your name, it’s
your job to persuade employers that your practical experience makes you the most
valuable candidate. Before you talk yourself into despair over your lack of an education,
make sure that you are doing your part to convince employers that you have
the smarts and skills to do the work they need done.

Myth #7: The more resumes you send out, the more likely it is that you will be successful in your job search.

Extremely doubtful. Most research indicates that targeted mailings are more effective
than mass mailings when it comes to generating job leads and offers. By taking
the time to do some quality research, target employers who can really use your experience,
and generate good referrals, you are more likely to advance your job search
cause in all of the right ways.

Finding an employment agency that is both reputable and useful to you in your job
search requires some skill and persistence. Before you sign up for an agency’s services,
you need to ask some or all of the following questions:

✔ Does the agency specialize in any specific industry or area?

✔ What kinds of people do they prefer to work with?

✔ Who pays their fee?

✔ Does the job hunter need to sign an exclusive contract with them?

✔ Do they provide resume writing assistance?

✔ Do they coach candidates to be effective interviewees?

✔ Do they have job orders that match your qualifications and experience?

Executive recruiters can provide valuable job search assistance to professionals and executives,
assuming you can find the right person for the job. Some of the things you need to
know to make this relationship work:

1. Recruiters work for client companies rather than individuals, which means that you
can’t expect them to assume too much responsibility for your job search campaign.
However, they do have access to bona fide job listings and are also rich in contacts,
so it makes sense, whenever possible, to add a recruiter’s name to your network of
contacts.

2. Networking is usually the best way to get connected to a recruiter. Ask your friends
and colleagues to recommend recruiters that they have worked with in the past. A
recommendation from someone who is currently one of the recruiter’s clients is akin
to a magic bullet. It usually hits its mark early and often.

3. You can use The Directory of Executive Recruiters to identify recruiters who specialize
in your field, industry, or job function. Rather than blanketing the recruiter marketplace
with unsolicited resumes, selectively contact those people who work in your
target market.

4. Some recruiters suggest that candidates telephone first before sending their resumes;
other prefer to see your resume first before having any telephone discussions. Given
the variation in their preferences, you’ll probably need to work by trial and error to
determine which approach is most effective for you.

5. Offer the recruiter a quid pro quo. Pass along information, refer them to potential
client companies, and recommend other job hunters (who may be good candidates
for different positions) in order to motivate the recruiter to want to help you in
return.

6. Follow up resumes with telephone calls. If possible, try to get the recruiter to meet
with you face-to-face as well. It’s always better to be able to distinguish yourself with
an in-person meeting.

7. Don’t expect a recruiter to get you a job or get mad at them because haven’t sent
you out on enough interviews. They don’t owe you a job, and because you haven’t
paid them a fee, you aren’t entitled to any specific service. If they can help you, it’s
usually because they are working on an assignment for which you really are the best
candidate. And if they don’t help, more often than not it’s because they don’t think
that you’re the right candidate for the assignments that they are trying to fill. To
them, it’s not personal—it’s just business.

Career fairs are an excellent place to meet new employers and interview for possible jobs.
But you need to do more than make 20 copies of your resume and have your business
suit cleaned and pressed. You also need a game plan.

✔ Make sure that your resume is well-written and error-free. Generally speaking, you
will want to print out copies (rather than use photocopies) because the quality will
be better.

✔ Read the career fair handout in advance to figure out which companies will be represented.
If possible, do some advance research on those companies so that you can
present yourself intelligently.

✔ Focus on three to five companies that really interest you (rather than trying to cover
the universe of employers). Try to engage the recruiters in an intelligent conversation
about their company goals and priorities.

✔ Prepare a 30-second “elevator speech” to use with recruiters. Basically, this is a
succinct introduction of who you are, what you know how to do, and why you are
interested in them.

✔ When you give recruiters your resume, ask them what the next step in the process
will be. Also, get their business card so that you can follow up with them if, for
some reason, they neglect to follow up with you.

Many people are used to being “plugged in” 24/7. But when you communicate with
potential employers, you may want to think through your options carefully before deciding
what numbers to give out on your resume and cover letters.

1. If you work a traditional 9-to-5 job, it may be most convenient for you to use your
office phone number as your primary contact (assuming that your employer doesn’t
monitor your calls and that you’ll have enough privacy to respond to a call from a
prospective employer).

2. If it’s too risky for you to use your office phone, cell phones are another option. If
so, give some careful thought to how and when you normally use your cell phone,
because you certainly don’t want your seatmate on the train or the kid behind the
Starbucks counter listening to your phone calls with prospective employers.

3. If you decide to use your home phone number as a primary contact, make sure that
your phone message sounds professional rather than cute or overly friendly. (I’m
still recovering from the woman who sang opera arias with her husband on their
answering machine.)

4. If you share your home with other people (especially children), they will need to be
instructed to answer the phone courteously and to always take messages.

5. E-mail offers another expedient way to communicate with employers. It is usually
prudent, for the sake of privacy, to use your personal e-mail account rather than an
office address.

6. Take the time to create a new e-mail address that reflects your professionalism.
Potential employers don’t need to know about the sexual preferences, drinking
habits, or favorite hobbies that are often reflected in personal e-mail addresses.

Sooner or later, almost every job hunter turns to the want ads hoping for an easy way to
find the job of their dreams. Knowing how and when to use advertised listings is an
important part of your job search.

1. Identify the newspapers, magazines, and trade publications that are most likely to
advertise the kinds of positions that you are looking for.

2. Read the entire classified section from two or three past issues to get a feeling for
how the information is organized.

3. Make a list of the job titles and section headings that are most appropriate for you
and make sure that you check those job titles and section headings each and every
time you read the ads.

4. Cut out or make copies of the ads that you want to respond to.

5. Review the ad carefully before responding. What qualifications are required? What
are your greatest strengths and selling points? How do they prefer to receive
responses? Remember to take your lead from their cues—if they say “No phone
calls!”, that means no phone calls.

6. If the ad requests that candidates send resumes, write a strong cover letter to send
along with your resume. In your letter, stick as closely as you can to the language
and information that is highlighted in the ad.

7. Make sure that you include an address, telephone number, and e-mail address
where you can be reached.

8. If you haven’t heard back from the employer after one week, follow up your letter
and resume with a telephone call. In that conversation, confirm that your resume
has been received, discuss your qualifications, and request an interview. FYI: Some
employment experts estimate that follow-up phone calls increase the likelihood of
getting an interview by 25 percent or more.