21 Questions : Things you should and shouldn't ask your potential employer

Interviews are an essential stepping stone to landing a job. Most candidates expect to be grilled and tested by their interviewers but few remember that asking questions themselves is an important part of the interview process.

Being prepared for your interview and knowing what questions to ask potential employers not only demonstrates your interest in the job and the company, but it’s a key indicator of confidence as well.

In this post we examine the questions you should and shouldn’t ask your interviewer.

Let’s start with the questions you should ask :

Company Centric Questions:

1. What is the company’s culture like?

2. What type of leadership style/philosophy does the company employ?

3. Are there opportunities for growth and advancement within the company?
4.Does the company offer education and professional development opportunities?
5. What sets the company a part from its competitors from a public and insider perspective?

Job Specific Questions:

6. Can you describe the responsibilities of the position?

7. What is a typical day in the position like?

8. What is a typical work week like and is overtime expected?

9. What is the typical career trajectory for someone in this position?

10.What are the top three essential skills required to succeed in this position?

11. What specific skills and qualities would your ideal candidate possess?

12. Is this a new position or did someone leave this position?

Questions for your information:

13.Would you like me to provide a list of references?

14. If I am extended a job offer, how soon would I be expected to start?

15. When do you expect to make a decision? Next steps?

Questions to Avoid:

16. What is your background? How did you get the job?

17. Did I get the job?

18. Do you do background checks?

19. What does the company do?

20. Do you have any concerns about me or my qualifications that would prevent me from getting the job?

21. How quickly will I be promoted/ get a raise?


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Job Seeker the new Job Title for Recent Grads?

Since the 2008 recession jobs have been a scarcity in North America and many have been left either out of work or looking for work. But where does this leave new graduates? Although the economy took a hit many universities have still boasted of high enrollment numbers in graduate programs. In fact many undergraduates have opted to stay in school and further their education. Even those recently laid off have decided to seek comfort in education looking to increase their knowledge and widen their scope or even seeking to try a second career later on in life.

It seems that now Job Seeker is the new job title for recent graduates. Although Universities are cashing in on the influx of graduate students in post-recession North America, they fail to realize that the market simply cannot handle more job seekers. There are too few jobs available and too many unemployed or underemployed graduates. New grads often have to compete with more experienced job seekers who have been laid off due to recent cuts in the private and public sectors.

Last month Canada's unemployment rate remained steady at 7.2% even as the country added 12,500 new jobs; increases in unemployment rates in the maritime provinces and some prairie provinces resulted in no change in the overall rate. So where is it toughest to find a job in Canada? Newfoundland had the highest unemployment rate across Canada in April coming in at 12.4%, not very inspiring for young job seekers.
 

Being a full time job seeker is tough, but the biggest mistake new graduates make is devoting 8 hours per day or more to online job searches. Although many firms advertise vacancies online, most jobs are found through networking and connections. In order to make connections job seekers need to ditch the computer for some face time and handshakes! This means attending networking and social events. Job seekers should not be ashamed of letting others know that they are indeed looking for work, this is a great way to self-market and expand your database of contacts. That’s not to say that online vacancies should be overlooked, but we suggest spending no more that 2 hours per day applying online and devoting more time to in person interactions.
 

Joining a local Chamber of Commerce or Student/Alumni union is a great way to make new connections. Many Job Seekers feel demoralized by the fact that they don’t have a job and often feel pressured to find or accept just any job just to have a title so to speak. The sooner they embrace Job Seeker as a title the faster they’ll be able to market themselves to their connections and reach potential employers.

Although you make connections don’t oversell yourself. Chances are your new connections will ask you what you do, stating that you are now a professional Job Seeker will pique their interest and prompt them to ask you what kind of work you are looking for. Here’s your window but be careful not to seem too desperate. State what you are looking for and what relevant experience and skills you can bring. Even though joining social and networking groups can cost money you must view this as an investment in yourself and a way to create and maintain your personal brand. It’s all in the way you look at it, you can market yourself as a “recent graduate desperate for money to make ends meet” or a “Professional Job Seeker looking for an opportunity in  . . . “   Which one sounds better? We think the latter. 


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

5 Things to Remember When Writing Your Resume

With the current unemployment rates in both Canada and the U.S. many young graduates and even seasoned veterans are left pounding the pavement looking for work.  In order to secure a job you not only need connections but a resume to present yourself as well.

Here’s our look at 5 quick resume writing tips:

1. Cut it short – There is a stark difference between a resume and curriculum vitae. One main difference is length.  While a CV can be upwards of 3 pages long and contain details about your professional and academic life, a resume should be 2 pages at its longest and contain some academic qualifications but mostly work experience.

2. Profile it – Include a profile in your resume. A profile should act like a snapshot of your entire resume. Make sure to highlight job specific skills that you have acquired and bold font the skills themselves. Often times hiring managers will not go through your resume and may even rely solely on your profile to give them a quick introduction to you and your work experience.

An example of a phrase used in a profile can be found below:

e.g. Project Management skills acquired through work for a NGO heading projects in Africa

Note how the phrase alludes to work experience and a position listed in the resume.

3. Create a Master Copy – When writing your resume it is always helpful to have a working copy that you can use as reference. This document should contain all your experience in a brief manner. Once you have a working or master copy you can use it as a guide and create a customized resume specific to the particular job you are interested in. This way you can emphasize job specific experience as needed.

4. Edit and re-edit – You can never spend too much time proofreading your resume. In fact spelling and grammatical errors are the most common mistakes job seekers make on a resume. These errors can be costly as hiring managers will notice them, even though they may not spend too much time on your resume. Proofreading can be a cumbersome task to perform alone,  so it’s a good idea to have  a friend, relative or peer look over your resume. A new set of eyes is always welcome as they will notice errors you may have missed. This also gives you a chance to see how reader friendly your resume is and how others perceive it.

5. Nothing but the truth – Often times job seekers feel the need to over embellish their experience or qualifications. This can be risky as one can get carried away. The last thing you want to do is list experience, academic credentials or skills that you do not actually possess. Hiring managers and HR personnel will find out eventually and it will not bode well for you. Of course it’s alright to re-word your experience :

e.g. Canvassing donations can be rephrased as “community outreach and fundraising”

Remember to stay true to your skill set. Sometimes you may not actually have the skills for the job so instead of fibbing on your resume try to look for opportunities that do match the skills and experience you have to offer.


Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

Are you employable?

With the recent onset of the so called recession in North America many job seekers are left with the dismal feeling of a futile job search. Some may believe there are no jobs out there but in reality there are jobs, if you are in fact employable. Here's an inside look at what job agencies and most HR managers consider when evaluating candidate fit and employability.

1. Are you available?
We mentioned this in our previous post : 10 tips for Job Seekers, but availability is a key factor in being employable. HR firms and hiring managers prefer a candidate who is available immediately or unemployed as opposed to someone looking to make a career move or lateral transition. This is due to the notice period, often 2 weeks that must be provided to their current employer. Like most people hiring managers are often impatient and want a candidate to start immediately, or on their terms.They will very seldom hold a position for a desired candidate the market is just too huge.

2. Experience in a related field
Avoid applying for jobs in which you have no relevant experience. Lack of relevant or job specific experience is an  immediate red flag for hiring managers. Don't just apply to any and every job. Read the job description carefully and gauge your level of experience within the given field, if you have the experience then apply. If not, move on to something else. This will save you time and trouble. For example if your field is Communications and there's a vacancy for a accounting clerk, shy away even if you may have taken some accounting courses in university or college. Hiring manages are usually looking for directly rateable experience.

3. Software knowledge
In today's technology driven world knowledge of workplace software in addition to Office, Excel, Outlook is a hot commodity. Hiring managers and HR firms look for candidates with knowledge in specialized software such as SAP, Quickbooks, Simply Accounting, ACPAC, Teraview, Peoplesoft and HRIS to name a few. It's always a good idea to invest in upgrading your knowledge and even consider taking a course in a software programs  that may be of interest or relevance to your career aspirations.

4. Education/Certification

Some positions may ask for specific education or certification that is essential to scoring an interview. For example a position for a Counselor may ask for a Degree in Social Work or Counseling Certification. In this case years working as a free-lance counselor sans a qualification would not garner an interview. Firms that list educational requirements such as degrees or diplomas value such requirements and will most likely eliminate candidates who do not have them. Although experience is valuable sometimes education and certifications are essential in proving you are able to perform a specific task.

5. Salary expectations

Placement agencies often ask candidates about their salary expectations and the biggest mistake candidates make is setting their expectations too high or too low. Expecting a six figure salary with minimal experience but years of education for example is just one scenario in which agencies and hiring managers would be turned-off. It's important to know your worth and not to over or under value yourself. Conduct some market research on the kind of salaries jobs you're interest in would provide and what type salary increases your experience would warrant. Flexibility is another key factor in being employable; what's your salary range and how flexible are you within that range? Are you willing to take a pay cut to get your foot into a firm you've always wanted to work for? Or are you dead set on a figure and not willing to budge? These are all facts agencies take in to consideration when they decide to represent you. In fact flexibility in terms of salary may be the deciding factor between them presenting you or another equally qualified candidate to a potential employer. 



Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting

10 Tips for Job Seekers

With the recent economic downturn leaving many previously secure jobs in jeopardy, looking for work has now become a familiar pass time in North America.  Job seeking is not a pleasant activity to engage in especially when one may have lost a secure job that was not only financially but emotionally secure as well.  Job hunting is time consuming and often ends in a futile effort as most seekers fail to capitalize on some key aspects of the job market and what exactly hiring managers are looking for.  In an effort to remedy this here’s our take on ten useful tips job seekers can  put in to use in order to make their search more effective and generate the results they are aiming for.

1.Have a general resume on hand

 A general resume should consist of all your work experience over the last 10 years or so, assuming you did not switch jobs frequently.  Most general resumes are a balanced mix of education and work experience. The structure of the resume however is not job specific  as you have not customized it to suit any particular job description. It’s important to have a resume that highlights your strengths as an employee. A profile which is essentially a summary highlighting the most important aspects of your resume should also be included in your resume. Ideally a general resume should be approximately two pages long.

2. Have a reference bank

Some hiring managers will ask for references if you are successful  at an interview. These references will then have to attest to your skills and abilities as an employee. Therefore it’s crucial to have a wide variety of people that can attest to your varied skills and experiences.  General references won’t cut it, you have to have references that can account for your suitability to the specific job to which you’ve applied. Thus it’s always better to have a handful of individuals that you can ask to recommend you as opposed to just two or three. Make sure you seek out job specific references.

3. Be wary of online job postings

Although many workplaces and even placement agencies now post vacancies online applying online can be a tedious and rather discouraging process. Many times job seekers get discouraged applying to online jobs as the vast majority does not receive a response let alone a favorable one. This is because many times companies post jobs online in order to demonstrate that the information regarding the vacancy was available to the public, they’re simply going through the motions. Often times they’ve already selected a candidate for the position before it’s even posted, and this candidate may be an existing employee chosen through internal postings or a contact of someone working in the firm.  Employers also inhibit job seeker success by using gate keeping software such as Taleo which automatically eliminates candidates that do not have specific key words (chosen by the employer) on their resume. They may be the ideal candidate for the job but never get through thanks to Taleo’s selective and tedious application process.

 4. Don’t discount networking

Networking is a valuable tool job seekers can use to render their search more effective. More than 65% of jobs are found through networking and some positions are not even posted externally. This is where networking and access to private information comes in to play. When you have  a contact on the inside of an organization you will have access to valuable information such as upcoming vacancies and possible internal postings.  As stated in point # 3 most online postings are filled before they are even posted for 24hours. Building an effective network is one of the most helpful things when you’re looking for work. As a job seeker you should aim to attend local networking events and look to expand your network ( Further Reading : Building an Effective Network for more networking tips).

5.  Professional Voicemail

Employers may opt to call you on the phone with news about an interview rather than emailing you, thus having a running voicemail system on your cell phone and home phone is essential. If your home phone has an answering machine message that is more casual opt to give out only your cell phone as a means of contacting you. Make sure you record a professional voicemail message stating your name and asking callers to leave their name, number and informing them that you will follow up on any missed calls. When giving out your cell phone you should also be wary of any ring backs, or ring in tones. Although they may be amusing to your friends, hiring managers will not look favorably upon a candidate that has their favorite song whatever genre it may be as a ring in tone as opposed to the traditional ring.

6. Professional email address

Email is another means of employers to contact you. When applying to online postings or through a company website you will need an email address to use when corresponding with employers. When job hunting a clear conservative email address is key. Your email address should consist of yourname@gmail.com. We recommend using Gmail over Hotmail as it has a more professional sound to it. If your name is already used in an email address we suggest using variations such as firstname.lastname@gmail.com . Avoid using numbers and characters as this is unprofessional. You could even opt for a shorter form of your name such as Rob instead of Robert if your name is already taken.

7. Make use of agencies

Although job agencies are a dime a dozen and promise unrealistic job placements they may have some interesting tips and advice to offer. As a job seeker you should not rely solely on agencies to find work, but you can make use of their resources which may include career counseling and tips on resume writing and cover letter drafting. Signing up with a placement agency also gives you more exposure as you can apply to many online jobs, even if they are predetermined, your resume still gets to the hiring manager and he/she may see something they like. It’s also beneficial to sign up with many agencies as opposed to just one as this will increase your visibility in the job market.

8. Create a LinkedIn ProfileLinkedIn is a great professional networking tool. It provides potential employers and current connections with a snapshot of your resume and experience. The tool also allows co-workers or clients to recommend you which aids in building credibility and marketing your personal brand. Creating a profile and adding professional contacts to LinkedIn vs. Facebook is a great idea as you cannot post personal photos etc on LinkedIn. Always separate your professional and personal life and aim to keep professional profile with your co-workers/boss etc. Some companies even recruit using LinkedIn so it’s a good idea to keep an updated profile and add a picture as well so recruiters can associate a face to your name. This also makes you more marketable to potential employers.

9. Are you available?
Availability is one of the key aspects of how employable/ marketable a candidate is. Even top employment agencies will look for candidates that are available immediately vs. ones that are currently employed and looking for a change of career etc. In order to secure a job you are interviewing for you need to be available to start within the employers’ desired time frame. Do not make the mistake of interviewing for jobs for which you are not immediately available. This may sound harsh but in the professional world time is money and employers very seldom hold positions just for one candidate that they may seem to like. Often times there are many candidates that are equally qualified with similar experience and availability just might be the determining factor.

10. Follow up
In the age of online job postings some may feel that following up on an application is a thing of the past. On the contrary, following up can bring a hiring manager’s attention back to your resume. Follow ups should be done via phone or email about 48 hours after submitting your resume. If the job has a closing date it might be best to follow up the day after the posting closes. In any case it’s good to be persistent but not desperate calling twice and leaving a message is deemed acceptable, however messaging, emailing, and calling every day is not. Just use your common sense. If the ad specifically says no phone calls, there’s a good chance the employer already has someone in mind for the job and is placing the ad just to be “transparent and fair”.

Copyright © 2013 by Professional Edge Consulting