Interview Connections

Best Companies

2008-10-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

Looking for the best 100 companies to work for in the US?

Check out this link from CNNMoney.com!

They provide links to the best companies to work for and list them by state.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2008/states/OH.html

Great resource!!

Jobless Claims at a 7-year high

2008-10-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

An article written on October 2nd from CNNMoney.com explains that jobless claims are at a 7-year high and at their highest level since September 2001.

According to the article, The Department of Labor said initial filings for state jobless benefits increased by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 497,000 in the week ended Sept. 27.

The number of people filing for jobless benefits is the highest since the 517,000 reported in the week ended Sept. 29, 2001, when unemployment soared in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. At this time last year, the figure stood at 324,000.

The Labor Department said that about 45,000 of the new claims were due to the effects of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Economists from Briefing.com expect September job losses to spike to 105,000 and for the unemployment rate to remain steady at 6.1% when the government's monthly report is released Friday. The economy already has lost 605,000 jobs this year.

With this type of news being reported now is the time more than ever to make sure your resume is updated and ready to go. It is also the time to look to your current employer and find job assignments that make you a valuable asset to their organization. Especially, try to learn skills that only a few people know within your organization.

Now is not the time to provoke your current employer in a negative fashion because with so many people hitting the job market your competition just got greater!

Top 10 Qualities Employers Look For In College Graduates

2008-10-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

A recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) listed the top 10 qualities that employers look for in new college graduates.

Be sure to use these on resumes and cover letters to help increase your chances of getting hired!

The top 10 rated qualities are:

1. Communication skills
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills
4. Initiative
5. Interpersonal skills
6. Problem-solving skills
7. Analytical skills
8. Flexibility/adaptibility
9. Computer skills
10. Technical skills

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Accept a Job

2008-09-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

You have just found the job you wanted and it's time for an offer to be made. This is a critical stage in the interview process and listed below is some questions you need to ask yourself before you accept the position.

The information listed comes from "The Occupational Outlook Hanbook 2008-2009", published by the U.S. Department of Labor

1.) Does the organization's business or activity match your own interestes and beliefs?

2.) How will the size of the organization affect you?

3.) Find out everything you can about the company before you accept or reject the offer. The day-to-day working environment is very important to know.

4.) Where is the job located? Is the location 100% OK with you?

5.) Does teh work match your interests and make good use of your skills?

6.) How important is the job (your position) to the company or organization?

7.) What will the hours be?

These are just a few things you should ask yourself. If you are not 100% sure about the company and you have some reservations. Find out as much as you can and get those reservations answers. The last thing you want to be is stuck in an organization you will eventually not like or grow tired of.

Tips For The Dinner Interview

2008-09-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Listed Below are some quick and simple tips for when you have a dinner interview:

1.) Never order the most expensive plate on the menu and be sure to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. Even if the interviewer is ordering beer after beer, keep a good pace and stay well within your limits.

2.) Avoid spaghetti or other messy items.

3.) Common courtesy is to wait for everyone to be served, be sure to practice it here.

4.) Eat slowly. Don't sprint to the finish with your dinner. When you eat, keep the bites small, so you are not stuck chewing for a long time during conversation.

5.) Always chew with your mouth closed.

6.) Always pass the breadbasket to the right, but first ask the person on the left if they would like a piece first.

Hope these tips help and best of luck!

Red Flag Employer

2008-05-13T17:45:00.001-07:00

From time to time I like to go on interviews to keep up to date with the current interview trends. This helps me pass valuable information along to the customers of Interview Connections. Also, as stated in the Interview Survival Guide, everyone should interview for jobs even if they are not looking. This helps to stay ahead of the competition in the event of a possible layoff, company closing or downsizing.

While on a recent job interview, I came across numerous red flags and wanted to share the story with everyone.

I always investigate a company by looking at their website. A website tells a lot about an organization. This is their storefront. Some companies understand this concept and other don’t. Instantly when looking at the website I encountered my first RED FLAG. Not only was their website poorly created but on the “About” page there was 5 very obvious grammatical errors. The first error being in the very first sentence about the company! This instantly put me on my guard.

Next the sales manager called me for a phone screening. He was very bland, lacked any and all personality and without making any small talk instantly told me, “Tell me about yourself.” So no small talk, no real introductions on his end and immediate questioning, that is an instant RED FLAG. I described to him my experience and described myself both personally and professionally. He then very quickly, without making any reference to what I just said, asked what I knew about the company. RED FLAG (Even though it is a phone screening there should be dialogue generated on both ends of the conversation) I explained I went to their website and told him about what I found. (I actually had these items written down ahead of time in anticipation of his phone interview). After that he asked me to come in for an interview. The entire phone screening process lasted all but maybe 5 minutes. RED FLAG (A good phone screener will ask numerous questions to get to know the candidate and make sure they are a right fit for the organization prior to the interview so not to waste anyone’s time) He also told me to go to their website and review the company. RED FLAG (I already told him I did this – obviously he was not listening to anything I said)

Under any normal circumstance I would have never gone on this interview based on what I saw on their website and how poor the phone screening was. However for the sake of gaining more knowledge and knowing this interview was going to give me valuable information to share I went on it.

Now the fun begins. I arrive 10 minutes early, expecting to fill out an application. When I arrived, there was no waiting area, there was a broken chair in the corner of the non-existent waiting area and no application process RED FLAG (Companies who fail to represent themselves in a professional manner are immediately disqualified) Then one of the guys working in the crammed office space went and got the manager and I heard him state aloud “He is early!” 10 minutes, too early? I guess I was expecting a real waiting room and an application process! RED FLAG So not only was I forced to stand and wait but my interview was at 2pm and he did not come and get me until 2:20pm, 20 minutes past the scheduled interview! RED FLAG (I would’ve left at this point but I wanted to learn more about this unprofessional company) Individuals who fail to keep commitments and appointments is a sign of complete disrespect. If this occurs in the interview process, just think about how they treat their actual employees.

So after standing now for ½ hour I was finally invited in by the President, not the sales manager. RED FLAG (I asked if I would be meeting with anyone else during the phone screening and I was told no) The President introduced himself and I instantly knew I was in for it. His shirt was completely wrinkled; it looked like it was rolled in a ball for weeks! RED FLAG (The President is a direct reflection of the company and if he shows up for an interview in a completely wrinkled shirt, no tie or suit, that shows his lack of concern for the company and himself and is extremely unprofessional) Then while waiting for the manager to arrive he was reviewing my resume and stated, “I see you have your bachelors degree. Is that a 4 year degree?” RED FLAG (If the President of a company doesn’t know if a bachelor’s degree is a 4 year degree, there is issues)

Now the manager arrives. His first three buttons on shirt are unbuttoned and a nice gold chain showing! RED FLAG (Lack of concern about appearance) So then the questioning starts and without getting into great detail, the manager asked nothing but closed ended questions and both he and the President asked questions that kept me on the defensive and each tried to get me to cross up my words. He also started by stating, “Tell me about yourself”. Ummm………didn’t I do this on the phone screen? At least acknowledge what I already described for you and ask questioned based off what I already stated to you over the phone. RED FLAG (Interviews are meant to be discussions where dialogue is created between the interviewer and interviewee.) Then without asking great detail about my past experiences they made assumptions about my career history. For example, I was a National Sales Manager and I traveled the entire United States focusing on large accounts. They assumed my territory was right here in Cleveland, OH and I only targeted customers on a local level and only concentrated their line of questioning about my sales calls in the Greater Cleveland Area. I have always traveled out of state and out of the greater Cleveland area for all my jobs but this was never discussed because they ignored my earlier descriptions of my career history and assumed my answers through a very poor line of questioning! RED FLAG

In addition to the line of questioning being terrible, the sales manager made absolutely no eye contact with me during the interview. He sat to my left and the President sat directly across from me and he sat very defensive with his hands crossed and looked straight ahead, asking his closed ended, assumptive questions. RED FLAG (Do you want to work for someone who can’t make eye contact with you when they ask a question or are always in a defense mode?)

The best was when they asked me if I had any questions and I asked what their vision was for their company over the next 5 years and the President couldn’t answer, deferring the question to the manager who stated, “Grow sales.” Well, duh, isn’t that obvious. So my question was, how?!? He instantly got defensive and said by hiring sales reps; now that is a strategic business plan. I then looked at the President and asked him for his answer and his reply was, and I quote, “Just what he said”. MAJOR RED FLAG (If the President of a company cannot give you his vision on how he plans to grow his own organization over the next 5 years that company is headed no where!) I asked a few more questions but the one that stood out most was I asked each to describe their management style. The manager replied, “I’m hands on. Very hands on.” RED FLAG (When someone tells you they are hands on, that is a clear sign of micro-management – last I checked, not to many people like to be micromanaged) My final question was about training and what type of training they provide. Again, their reply was less than stellar in that they couldn’t give me a definitive training program or what it even consisted of. RED FLAG (Successful companies value training and see it as an important piece of their organizations success. If a potential employer cannot describe their training program to you, there are serious issues there because it shows they either wing it or just don’t put emphasis on training)

In closing I asked how long the position was open for and the manager told me 6 months. RED FLAG No shocker there, I am sure the position will be open for a long time. This interview is a true sign of how companies fail to realize that they have a need to and that they need to represent themselves in a professional manner to get good employees. Successful companies realize this and that is why they are successful. They start with the interview process and hire good employees. Companies who represent themselves poorly struggle and will always get sub-par employees because the good employees get gobbled up by companies who believe in representing themselves in a professional manner.

So be wary of the Red Flags and if you find yourself in an interview like this, have fun with it. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions and watch the people on the other side of the table squirm, especially when they feel “empowered” because you are coming to them for a job. A good hiring manager will want you to ask tough questions because it shows you care and you are prepared. Plus it shows you are not easily intimidated. Remember they have just a need as you and if they give you a hard time during the interview, just laugh to yourself, have fun with the interview, take notes so you know the red flags for future interviews and most importantly don’t get discouraged because you are the winner, not them.

Disaster Interview

2008-03-12T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Disaster Interview! We've all had them!

You've gone through the entire interview, only to find out your zipper was down the entire time!

You drove 45 minutes to the interview, only to find out you went to the wrong location!

You got dressed up in your best suit and forgot to put deodorant on. Then you were confined to a hot room for hours interviewing with numerous people!

We want to hear your stories! What happened? How did you overcome the disaster? Most importantly though, did you get the job?

Interrogation Interview

2008-03-12T18:45:00.000-07:00

You are headed to the job interview. You are excited because you know this is the job for you. You have done all your homework and you have over prepared for the interview. You know you are going to ace this interview!

You arrive at the facility feeling great. The receptionist is the kindest person you have ever met. The company is pristine both inside and outside. Based on your homework about the company and what you are seeing, you know this company is for you!

You meet the person you are interviewing with and all is good as you are walking to the room you will be interviewing in. You sit down smiling and ready to go. After exchanging small pleasantries, the interview questions really begin (if you call it that). It's more like an interrogation of who you are and where you came from. The interviewer hammers you with questions and keeps you on the defensive the entire time, making you feel uncomfortable.

At some point during the interview you think to yourself, is this company really worth working for based on how this person is treating me? You are now at a crossroad!

How did you handle this situation? Did you say forget this place and throw questions back in their face to tick them off OR did you take the line of questioning, do your best and leave, not caring whether you got the job or not? If you took a different approach, let us know what you did and how it worked for you.