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| Executive Recruiters: Your Job-Search Commandos |
| How to Construct a Dynamite Resume |
| Seven Keys to Interview Preparation |
| How to Master the Art of Interviewing |
| How to Evaluate a Job Offer |
| Overcoming the fear of change |
| The
Proper Way to Resign
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Executive
Recruiters:
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How to Construct a Dynamite
Resume Mark Udulutch Markent Personnel, Inc. Return to top of page. In a perfect world, no one would need a resume. The candidates most suited to a particular job would simply be summoned forth to interview, based on their reputation and word of mouth referral. Employers would carefully make their hiring decisions based on the candidates’ verbal account of their past performance, without regard to any kind of written documentation. And companies would grow and prosper, having selected only the best and brightest from a large pool of qualified talent. Right. And now the reality:
Of course, many of the best candidates also have the best resumes; and sometimes, highly qualified candidates manage to surface through word-of-mouth referral. In fact, the referral method is the one I use to present talented people to my client companies. But unless you can afford to rely on your "reputation," or on the recommendation of a barracuda recruiter, you will need more than the right qualifications to get the job you want – you will need a dynamite resume. In today’s competitive employment market, your resume has to stand out in order to get the attention of the decision-maker and create a strong impression. And later on, when you meet the prospective employer face to face, a strong resume will act as a valuable tool during the interviewing process. Truth in Advertising In addition to providing a factual representation of your background, your resume serves as an advertisement of your availability. Although there is no federal regulatory agency like the FDA or FCC to act as a watchdog, I consider it to be ethical common sense to honestly and clearly document your credentials. In other words, do not make exaggerated claims about your past. The best way to prepare a dynamite resume is not to change the facts -- just make them more presentable. This can be accomplished in two ways: [1] by strengthening the content of your resume; and [2] by enhancing its appearance. Remember, your resume is written for the employer, not for you. Its main purpose, once in the hands of the reader, is to answer the following questions: How do you present yourself to others? What have you done in the past? And what are you likely to accomplish in the future? Ten Keys to a Dynamite Resume To help you construct a better, more powerful resume; here are ten overall considerations in regard to your resume’s content and presentation:
Resume writing can be tricky, especially if you have not done it before. I suggest you write several drafts, and allow yourself the time to proofread for errors and ruminate over what you have written. Practice, after all, makes perfect. If you have a professional associate whose opinion you trust, by all means, listen to what he or she has to say. A simple critique can save you a great deal of time and money. I worked with a candidate recently who had the most beautifully written resume I have ever seen. When I asked him about it, he said that he sharpened his skills by writing and rewriting his wife’s resume. After he got the hang of it, he worked on his own -- and kept revising it on a monthly basis. Building a Stronger Case To get the most mileage out of your resume, you will want to emphasize certain aspects of your background. By doing so, you will present your qualifications in the most favorable light, and help give the employer a better understanding of your potential value to his or her organization. You can build a stronger case for your candidacy, by highlighting the following areas of interest:
In a competitive market, employers are always on the lookout for traits that distinguish one candidate from another Resume Objectives Most employers find that a carefully worded statement of purpose will help them quickly evaluate your suitability for a given position. An objective statement can be particularly useful as a quick-screen device when viewed by a manager responsible for staffing several types of positions. ("Let’s see; accountants in this pile, programmers in that pile, plant managers in that pile...") While a stated objective gives you the advantage of targeting your employment goals, it can also work against you. A hiring manager lacking in imagination or who is hard pressed for time will often overlook a resume with an objective that does not conform to the exact specifications of a position opening. That means that if your objective reads "Vice President position with a progressive, growth-oriented company," you may limit your options and not be considered for the job of regional manager for a struggling company in a mature market -- a job you may enjoy and be well suited to. If you are pretty sure of the exact position you want in the field or industry you are interested in, then state it in your objective. Otherwise, broaden your objective or leave it off the resume. Summary or Chronological? Your resume can be arranged in one of two basic formats: summary or chronological.
Although the information you furnish the reader may essentially be the same, there is a big difference in the way the two resumes are constructed, and the type of impact each will have. My experience has shown that the chronological resume brings the best results, since it is the most explicit description of the quality and application of your skills within a specific time frame. The summary resumes, on the other hand, works well if you have changed jobs or careers often, and wish to downplay your work history and highlight your level of expertise. If a prospective hiring manager is specifically interested in a steady, progressively advancing employment history (as most are), then the summary resume will very likely work against you, since the format will seem confusing, and might arouse suspicions as to your potential for longevity. However, if the employer’s main concern is your technical or problem-solving ability, the summary resume will serve your needs just fine. Either way, you should always follow the guidelines mentioned earlier regarding content and appearance. Beware of Artificial Fillers and Additives So far, we have talked about ways to enhance or adjust the content of your resume. Now let us look at what should be left out, or at least minimized.
Remember, the greater the relevancy between your resume and the needs of the employer, the more seriously your candidacy will be considered. The keys to a dynamite resume are complete, accurate content and appropriate, professional appearance. |
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Seven Keys to Interview Preparation It has been said that Napoleon won his battles in his tent; that is, he did all the planning the night before the battle was joined, so that every contingency could be adequately covered. Interview preparation is similar. You never know exactly what will happen on the battlefield, but by being ready, you can eliminate a lot of the uncertainty, and know how to react to different scenarios. Later, we will look at ways to effectively conduct the interview itself; but for now, let us focus on the list, each item at a time. One: The Resume Of course, bring a couple of copies, and be sure to read your resume before the interview, so you are completely familiar with everything you have written. Nothing is more embarrassing (or potentially fatal to your candidacy) than being quizzed on some aspect of your background that appears on the bottom of page two -- and not being able to remember the details. You might also bring materials which would be particularly good at illustrating an important aspect of your work, such as creative designs, writing samples, and so forth. Just remember to use your better judgment. I once interviewed an engineer who brought with him a lawn and garden string trimmer made by his current company, so he could show me the design improvements he would make on the product. It turns out his engineering efforts had lowered the trimmer’s cost to manufacture, which resulted in increased profits for his company. His version of "show and tell" was a bit extreme (my whole office was buzzing for weeks about my Weed Eater candidate), but at least his real-life picture told me a thousand words. Be careful, though, not to overdo it with the props. College diplomas, letters of commendation, and company bowling trophies should be left at home. When in doubt, just bring your resume and your business card – they are the most important props you will ever need. It is a good idea to carry a leather folder or day runner with you so you can take notes or store written materials the company might hand you during the course of your interview. A briefcase is also fine, although I prefer a folder, which is lighter to carry, and less cumbersome. Always remember to bring a pen or pencil. Two: Appropriate Dress and Appearance Much as I find some aspects of the New Dress for Success (Warner Books, 1988) formula as espoused by author and wardrobe consultant John T. Molloy a bit disheartening, there is simply no practical excuse for dressing any way other than the book suggests. Sure, we would all like to think that we are being judged on our qualifications, skills, and depth of character. But the truth is that when it comes to interviewing, in most cases, clothes make the man. To think any other way is to ignore reality. Three: Directions to the Interview Location Try to get directions at least a day before your interview, so you do not get lost and arrive late. And here is a tip: Always brings some cash to pay for parking. Never ask an employer to validate your parking stub, or reimburse you for parking. Not only is it impolite, you will create a negative impression, since it is considered common courtesy to pay your own expenses for a local interview. If you are coming from out of town, then it is especially important to get directions. Naturally, if the expenses for your interviewing trip are going to be covered by the employer, wait until the interview has concluded (or better yet, the next day) to settle up. Usually, the company will prepay the airfare, or other major expenses, and will reimburse you for the rest, such as your car rental, cab fare, hotel room, and meals. It is customary that you pick up certain non-essential expenses, such as long distance phone calls from your hotel room, or the bar tab from the lounge in the hotel lobby. A few years ago, a company flew a candidate to Los Angeles for an interview. The candidate, unfortunately, was unemployed at the time, and was in pretty dire financial straits. He charged the phone calls he made to his wife back in Wyoming and all his dry cleaning expenses (he only brought one shirt with him for two days of interviewing) to the company. When they got his expense voucher a few days later, they got pretty upset -- they never expected to pay for all these add-ons. It was too bad, too, because he was generally well received when he interviewed. I would hate to think it was these little charges that were responsible for his not getting a job he really wanted. The best time to arrive for an interview is precisely when you are scheduled, not early or late. It can irk an employer to be told that the candidate for a 2 o’clock appointment is waiting in the lobby at one thirty-five. The employer will either become distracted knowing there is someone hanging around waiting to see him, or he will scramble to rearrange his schedule to accommodate the candidate, which disrupts the rest of his day. If your appointment is at two, then arrive at two. If for some reason you are running late, call ahead to ask if you can reschedule for later the same day, or if not, later in the week. If something unexpected happens that you have no control over, simply explain the situation to the employer when you arrive. If you are ever caught in a difficult situation, stay cool, take a deep breath, and remove whatever misfortune befell you from your mind. Four: Name and Title of the Interviewer(s) When you arrange the interview, find out who you will be talking to, and what their function is within the company. Will you be speaking with the hiring manager? The manager from another department? The personnel director? The internal recruiter? A peer level employee or subordinate? A staff industrial psychologist? You might already know the person. If that is the case, you are ahead of the game. If not, send out feelers among your own contacts within your industry, or look in your industry’s trade publications to see if the person you are going to be meeting is distinguished in any way. It is also helpful to find out whether you and the person you will be meeting have any commonalties or interconnecting points of interest, in the way of origins ("Hey, you are also from Wisconsin?"), schools ("My brother went to Duke, too. How did you like it?"), professional achievements ("My article appeared in Ad Week a month after yours did."), or personal interests ("I heard you were the Nebraska state ping pong champion. We will have to get together sometime for a match."). These tidbits can break the ice when an interview begins, and create a bond with the interviewer. Five: Understanding the Company’s Hiring Procedure To correctly gauge the sequence of events surrounding or following your first interview, ask these questions:
This is important to ask, because you want to find out if (and when) the company needs to schedule a second or third level interview. Some companies will make hiring decisions on the spot; others will take months of meetings and endless signatures to process a simple request for a second interview.
And if so, what are they, and how long will they take to administer? Proctor & Gamble, for many of its professional positions, requires candidates to take a one-hour math and abstract reasoning test. Some companies require a full day of psychological, aptitude, technical skill, and intelligence testing. With most companies, failure to pass the tests means automatic elimination from consideration. Most drug tests are simply referred to as "physicals," and may take several days to schedule and process.
This will help you measure your progress through the hiring process, and could spare you from getting the jitters if you do not hear something immediately. I once got bent out of shape because a new client company was taking a long time to make a decision whether to bring back one of my candidates for a second interview. Later, I found in my original notes that the company was right on schedule; they had told me up front that it would take them several weeks to reach a decision. As it turns out, I had no reason to complain.
This question lets you know if you have entered the race late, and your interview with the company is only a formality. In a situation like this, is not it best to know where you stand?
Find out if the decision will be made by a committee. If it is, must the committee come to a unanimous agreement? Or, will the decision be based on the recommendation of a single person? The more information you can dig up about the hiring procedure, the better you will be able to give a more confidant, thoughtful interview. What is more, arriving at an interview armed with a bastion of facts will help you shield yourself from the fear that occurs as a result of feeling out of control. Six: Background Information on the Company While the amount of background information you can gather about a company is practically endless, it would be ludicrous to try to become a walking encyclopedia of corporate trivia. However, knowing something in each of these categories should significantly improve your odds of getting hired:
By arriving for your interview adequately briefed, you will make a strong impression on the interviewer. Best of all, you can spend your interviewing time discussing your background and the company’s needs, not the corporate biography, or company financial report. Seven: A Complete List of Questions You Want to Ask. During the course of an interview, your dialogue with the other person will spawn a number of questions spontaneously. However, there may be important issues to discuss which will never come up unless you take the initiative. For that reason, you should bring a list of questions with you that will address these issues, so that you do not leave the interview uninformed. Premeditated questions can be grouped into four different categories:
You may have specific interests or concerns surrounding topics in each category. For example, if you are interviewing with a computer manufacturer, you may want to ask about the future growth of the industry. Or, let us say you are interviewing for a position with a company that is known for its high rate of personnel turnover. You might want to prepare a carefully worded question that deals with that issue. Leave Your Laundry List at Home Naturally, you need to be careful not to come on too strong by asking too many questions -- it may turn the interviewer off. Presumably, if there is mutual interest, you will get all your questions answered at a subsequent interview. The general rule of thumb is to limit the number of premeditated questions to about a dozen or less. While it is true that you will be interviewing the company as much as they will be interviewing you, the last thing you want to do is turn a dialogue into an inquisition, or come across as a walking encyclopedia of corporate trivia. You should also be aware that there is one specific taboo to first-level interviewing, in terms of the questions you should ask. Never, ever bring up the issue of salary or benefits. If the employer initiates a dialogue surrounding these issues, and asks if you have any questions, fine. But if it appears to the employer that your primary motivation for changing jobs is the new company’s compensation or benefit package, you will be out the door quicker than a bolt of lightning. Employers get chills of fear and loathing when they think you are only on the job market to feather your nest at their expense. They visualize your employment with them as a short term, non-committal, career-leveraging maneuver, and understandably, want to avoid being victimized. Early in my career as a recruiter, I arranged an interview for a qualified candidate with a client company. After the interview, I called Shelly, the employer, to debrief her. "Well, your candidate did not do so well," Shelly said. "Really? I thought he had the perfect background." "That was not the problem. I just did not like the way he handled the interview." "What happened?" "I spent over an hour with him, telling him everything about the company, and introducing him to all the key people," Shelly said. "I even gave him an extensive tour of the manufacturing area." "And then?" "And then, I brought him back to my office, and we sat down to talk about what he had seen. I asked him if he had any questions." "And did he?" "Yes. That is when the interview ended. He looked me straight in the eye and asked, ‘What are your benefits?’" "And?" "And I got up," Shelly said, "and walked him right out the door." Do not misunderstand me. The candidate’s actions in no way reflected on his abilities or his character; his intentions were perfectly honorable. But after that incident (which cost the candidate a job and me a placement fee), I learned to caution interviewees not to initiate the subject of salary or benefits. My suggestion is to take the John F. Kennedy approach to interviewing: "Ask not what your company can do for you, ask what you can do for your company." This way, you can present yourself as a loyal, hard-working, virtuous, and dedicated candidate, rather than as an opportunistic job-hopper who would prefer to live off the fat of the land. While it is unthinkable to accept or even consider a job without first knowing the financial rewards (or the details of the benefit package), there are better and more timely ways to broach the subject, without endangering your candidacy. Interview preparation is perhaps the single most overlooked aspect of the job changing process. A candidate who is fired up and ready to go at the time of the interview has a tremendous advantage over a candidate who is not. The more carefully you prepare for your interview, the better your chances of getting hired. |
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How to Master the Art of Interviewing
Return to top of page.To a large degree, the success of your interview will depend on your ability to discover needs and empathize with the interviewer. You can do this by asking questions that verify your understanding of what the interviewer has just said, without editorializing or expressing an opinion. By establishing empathy in this manner, you will be in a better position to freely exchange ideas, and demonstrate your suitability for the job. In addition to empathy, there are four other intangible fundamentals to a successful interview. These intangibles will influence the way your personality is perceived, and will affect the degree of rapport, or personal chemistry you will share with the employer.
By the way, most employers are aware of how stressful it can be to interview for a new position, and will do everything they can to put you at ease. The Other Fundamentals Since interviewing also involves the exchange of tangible information, make sure to:
Both for your sake and the employer’s never leave an interview without exchanging fundamental information. The more you know about each other, the more potential you will have for establishing rapport, and making an informed decision. Basic Interviewing Strategy There are two ways to answer interview questions: the short version and the long version. When a question is open-ended, I always suggest to candidates that they say, "Let me give you the short version. If we need to explore some aspect of the answer more fully, I would be happy to go into greater depth, and give you the long version." The reason you should respond this way is because it is often difficult to know what type of answer each question will need. A question like, "What was your most difficult assignment?" might take anywhere from thirty seconds to thirty minutes to answer, depending on the detail you choose to give. Therefore, you must always remember that the interviewer’s the one who asked the question. So you should tailor your answer to what he or she needs to know, without a lot of extraneous rambling or superfluous explanation. Why waste time and create a negative impression by giving a sermon when a short prayer would do just fine? Let us suppose you were interviewing for a sales management position, and the interviewer asked you, "What sort of sales experience have you had in the past?" Well, that is exactly the sort of question that can get you into trouble if you do not use the short version/long version method. Most people would just start rattling off everything in their memory that relates to their sales experience. Though the information might be useful to the interviewer, your answer could get pretty complicated and long-winded unless it is neatly packaged. One way to answer the question might be, "I have held sales positions with three different consumer product companies over a nine-year period. Where would you like me to start?" Or, you might simply say, "Let me give you the short version first, and you can tell me where you want to go into more depth. I have had nine years experience in consumer product sales with three different companies, and held the titles of district, regional, and national sales manager. What aspect of my background would you like to concentrate on?" By using this method, you telegraph to the interviewer that your thoughts are well organized, and that you want to understand the intent of the question before you travel too far in a direction neither of you wants to go. After you get the green light, you can spend your interviewing time discussing in detail the things that are important, not whatever happens to pop into your mind. Do not Talk Yourself Out of a Job I have got a friend who is the hiring manager of a manufacturing company. He told me once that he brought a candidate into his office to make him a job offer. An hour later, the candidate left. I asked my friend if he had hired the candidate. "No," he said. "I tried. But the candidate would not stop talking long enough for me to make him an offer." Do not misinterpret me. I am not suggesting that an interview should consist of a series of monosyllabic grunts. It is just that nothing turns off an employer faster than a windbag candidate. By using the short version/long version method to answer questions, you will never talk yourself out of a job. The Prudent Use of Questions Beware: An interview will quickly disintegrate into an interrogation or monologue unless you ask some high quality questions of your own. Candidate questions are the lifeblood of any successful interview, because they:
Your questions should always be slanted in such a way as to show empathy, interest, or understanding of the employer’s needs. After all, the reason you are interviewing is because the employer’s company has some piece of work, which needs to be completed, or a problem that needs correcting. Here are some questions that have proven to be very effective:
Questions like these will not only give you a sense of the company’s goals and priorities, they will indicate to the interviewer your concern for satisfying the company’s objectives. Give It Some Thought Here are seven of the most commonly asked interviewing questions. Do yourself and the prospective employer a favor, and give them some thought before the interview occurs.
The last question is probably the hardest to answer: What do you like least about your present company? I have found that rather than pointing out the faults of other people ("I can not stand the office politics," or, "I do not get along with my boss"), it is best to place the burden on yourself ("I feel I am ready to exercise a new set of professional muscles," or, "The type of technology I am interested in is not available to me now."). By answering in this manner, you will avoid pointing the finger at someone else, or coming across as a whiner or complainer. It does no good to speak negatively about others. I suggest you think through the answers to the above questions for two reasons. First, it will not help your chances any to hem and haw over fundamental issues such as these. (The answers you give to these types of questions should be no-brainers.) And secondly, the questions will help you evaluate your career choices before spending time and energy on an interview. If you do not feel comfortable with the answers you come up with, maybe the new job is not right for you. Money, Money, Money There is a good chance you will be asked about your current and expected level of compensation. Here is the way to handle the following questions:
Notice the way a range was given as the answer to question [1], not a specific dollar figure. However, if the interviewer presses for a exact answer, then by all means, be precise, in terms of salary, bonus, benefits, expected increase, and so forth. In answer to question [2], if the interviewer tries to zero in on your expected compensation, you should also suggest a range, as in, "I would need something in the low- to mid- fifties." Getting locked in to an exact figure may work against you later, in one of two ways: either the number you give is lower than you really want to accept; or the number appears too high or too low to the employer, and an offer never comes. By using a range, you can keep your options open. Some Questions You Can Count On There are four types of questions that interviewers like to ask. First, there are the resume questions. These relate to your past experience, skills, job responsibilities, education, upbringing, personal interests, and so forth. Resume questions require accurate, objective answers, since your resume consists of facts, which tend to be quantifiable (and verifiable). Try to avoid answers, which exaggerate your achievements, or appear to be opinionated, vague, or egocentric. Second, interviewers will usually want you to comment on your abilities, or assess your past performance. They will ask self-appraisal questions like, "What do you think is your greatest asset?" or, "Can you tell me something you have done that was very creative?" Third, interviewers like to know how you respond to different stimuli. Situation questions ask you to explain certain actions you took in the past, or require that you explore hypothetical scenarios that may occur in the future. "How would you stay profitable during a recession?" or, "How would you go about laying off 1300 employees?" or, "How would you handle customer complaints if the company drastically raised its prices?" are typical situation questions. And lastly, some employers like to test your mettle with stress questions such as, "After you die, what would you like your epitaph to read?" or, "If you were to compare yourself to any U.S. president, who would it be?" or, "It is obvious your background makes you totally unqualified for this position. Why should we even waste our time talking?" Stress questions are designed to evaluate your emotional reflexes, creativity, or attitudes while you are under pressure. Since off-the-wall or confrontational questions tend to jolt your equilibrium, or put you in a defensive posture, the best way to handle them is to stay calm and give carefully considered answers. Whenever I hear a stress question, I immediately think of the Miss Universe beauty pageant. The finalists (usually sheltered teenagers from places like Zambia or Uruguay) are asked before a live television audience of three and a half billion people to give heartfelt and earnest responses to incongruous questions like, "What would you tell the leaders of all the countries on earth to do to promote world peace?" Of course, your sense of humor will come in handy during the entire interviewing process, just so long as you do not go over the edge. I heard of a candidate once who, when asked to describe his ideal job, replied, "To have beautiful women rub my back with hot oil." Needless to say, he was not hired. Even if it were possible to anticipate every interview question, memorizing dozens of stock answers would be impractical, to say the least. The best policy is to review your background, your priorities, and your reasons for considering a new position; and to handle the interview as honestly as you can. If you do not know the answer to a question, just say so, or ask for a moment to think about your response. Wrapping It Up At the conclusion of your interview, you can wrap up any unfinished business you failed to cover so far, and begin to explore the future of your candidacy. During your interview wrap-up, it is a good practice to make the interviewer aware of other opportunities you are exploring, as long as they are genuine, and their timing has some bearing on your own decision making. The fact that you are actively exploring other opportunities may affect the speed with which the company makes its hiring decision. It may even positively influence the eventual outcome, since the company may want to act quickly so as not to lose you. However, your other activity should be presented in the spirit of assistance to the interviewer, not as a thinly veiled threat or negotiating tactic. I would advise you to play it straight with the interviewer. And remember to maintain a positive attitude. In today’s job market, you would be surprised how often victory is snatched from the jaws of defeat. The better your interviewing skills, the greater your chances of getting the job.
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Position Comparison: How to Evaluate a
Job Offer Return to top of page.Let us assume your employment interview went well, and there is sincere and mutual interest on both sides. Now you need to decide two things: first, whether the new position is right for you; and if so, what sort of offer you would be willing to accept. To evaluate the pros and cons, ask yourself the following: Does the new job meet the criteria you spelled out when you first began your search? Will the new job improve your level of personal and professional satisfaction? Or will it simply offer you a rehash of what you already have? Hopefully, the unique qualities you are seeking will be within your grasp. Keeping Score If you are not sure about the new job, or need help in being more objective, take the following test as a way to compare the two positions. You should be able to get a feel for how the job you interviewed for stacks up against your current position by selecting which considerations best suit your needs. The position comparison test can be "scored" two different ways. You can either tally the totals (the best job has the highest score); or you can use the test as a way to examine your priorities. Let us suppose your score was 15 to 7, in favor of the new company. Does that mean you should change jobs? Well, not necessarily. It depends on which considerations are most important to you. If an increase in travel will ruin your marriage, then it will not matter how many positive considerations point to the new job. However, a simple tallying of the score can be very helpful when the decision is a tough one, and no single consideration acts as a "knockout" factor. Besides, mathematical "logic" can always be used to justify what you already feel to be the right decision. The Economic Factor Compensation, of course, will be a key factor in your decision whether to accept a new position. Oddly, few people take the time to really understand their economic choices, mostly because there are so many hidden factors, such as cost of living, benefits, relocation expenses, and so forth. Regardless of where compensation ranks on your list of priorities, it is a good idea to know what you may be getting into when faced with a career decision. To help you put your economic choices into perspective, use this compensation comparison to evaluate both your prospective compensation package and what you are currently earning. The best time to make your calculations is before an offer is made. That way, you can form a clear idea of what you will need, without having to dicker (or experience shock) later on. If you are looking at an opportunity that is in a different geographic location, you might want to do some investigating before you even interview. For example, if you live in Madison, Wisconsin, what would it cost you to maintain your current lifestyle in an area like San Francisco? Your answer (and your willingness to make the necessary trade-offs) will help determine your level of interest when considering the new position. Figuring the Bottom Line The best approach to putting the deal together is to decide whether you want the job before an offer is extended. This allows you to clarify whether the job suits your needs. Unless you are motivated solely by money, it is doubtful a few extra dollars will turn a bad job into a good one. If the job interests you, then determine the conditions under which you will accept. These fall into two categories: Bottom Lines and Porcupines. The term bottom line refers to the amount of compensation you feel is absolutely necessary to accept the job offer. If, for example, you really want $46,000 but would think about $45,000 or settle for $44,000, then you have not established your bottom line. The bottom line is one dollar more than the figure you would positively walk away from. Setting a bottom line clarifies your sense of worth, and helps avoid an unpredictable bargaining session. I recommend against "negotiating" an offer in the classic sense, where the company makes a proposal, you counter it, they counter your counter, and so on. While this type of tit for tat format may be customary for negotiating a residential real estate deal, job offers should be handled in a more straightforward manner. Here is how: Determine your bottom line in advance, and wait for the offer. If the company offers you more than your bottom line, great. If they offer you less, then you have the option of turning the offer down or revealing to them your bottom line as a condition of acceptance. At that point, they can raise the ante or walk away. Lay Your Cards on the Table Once the bottom line is known, you can avoid the haggling that so often causes aggravation, disappointment, or hurt feelings. My experience has shown that it is much better to lay your cards on the table in the beginning than to barter to get what you want. An employer can get very irritable when a candidate says, "I will think it over," or keeps coming back with new demands again and again. Even if you get what you want, you have created a negative impression with the company, which will carry over, after you have been hired. In effect, you may win the battle, but lose the war. By determining your own acceptance conditions in advance, you will never be accused of negotiating in bad faith or of being indecisive. Whether you are representing yourself or working with a recruiter, learning to differentiate between financial fact and fantasy will facilitate the job changing process. You may want to itemize your bottom line, and, if it is appropriate, show it to the company (or your recruiter) as a means to justify your salary request. Carefully figure your total package, and document any loss of income that may result from a differential in benefits, geographic location, car expenses, and the like. If a recruiter asks for your bottom line, he or she is not trying to manipulate you or conspire with an employer that plans to "lowball " its candidates. The recruiter is simply making a good faith effort to discover what makes you happy, and put together two interested parties. The Porcupine Category Of course, there are considerations aside from money that usually need to be satisfied before an offer can be accepted. Factors such as your new position title, review periods, work schedule, vacation allotment, and promotion opportunities are important, and should be looked at carefully. To understand the candidate’s needs, I use the porcupine approach to quantify each consideration or "point" made by the candidate as a condition for acceptance. Once I understand each point, I can work with the company to put the deal together, without having to go back later to get "one more thing." Once you know your bottom line and each condition, or point on the porcupine, you are in a better position to get what you want, since you have established quantifiable goals to shoot for. How an Offer Is Staged Every company makes hiring decisions differently. Some will encourage shoot-from-the-hip managers to make job offers on the spot. Other companies will limit the decision maker’s ability to act quickly and unilaterally, and require a drawn-out series of staff meetings, subsequent interviews, corporate signatures, and so on. These days, it is not uncommon for the hiring cycle to last weeks or even months, regardless of how "critical" the position might be. The best approach is to maintain contact with the company, allowing for the fact that there will probably be some delay. Presumably, you asked what the hiring procedure was when you first interviewed. Their answer should give you some indication as to when a decision will be made. Offers can be extended by either a letter, or verbally from a hiring manager. They can also be made through a third party, such as a recruiter. In either case, be careful. An offer needs to include these three components before it can be considered official:
Before you resign from your present job, make sure you nail down each of these components from a company official, either verbally or in writing (in the form of an offer letter). Even if the offer comes through a recruiter, you should get a letter of offer or acceptance to verify the deal (although a verbal offer and acceptance will act as a legal contract). Not long ago, I was working with a candidate who interviewed for a position with one of my client companies. The interview went extremely well; so well that the VP of the company called the candidate at his home that evening to discuss the offer. "Well, Paul, we really like you," the employer told the candidate. "The job is yours if you want it." "I want it," said Paul. "When do I start?" "Well, I will call Mark tomorrow and work out the details," replied the employer. Understandably, Paul got excited. Filled with pride, he drove his ailing grandmother by the new company the next day, so he could show off his new place of work. But guess what? The employer never called me, and never called Paul, either. For some reason he changed his mind, and did not have the decency to let anyone know. The reason I tell this story is to warn you that even when the cat seems to be in the bag, it isn’t over ’til the fat lady sings. An offer has to include a position title, a starting salary, and a date of start to be official; just telling you the job is yours is not enough. Here is another word of caution: Offers sometimes have strings, or contingencies attached. Do not be surprised if the fine print requires you to:
Accepting the Offer If everything about the new position is satisfactory, go ahead and accept the offer. If you are expecting an offer from a second company, you should let the second company know about your offer right away, so they can speed up their decision. That way, you will avoid jeopardizing one deal for the sake of another. Once an offer is on the table, it makes common sense to accept or reject it within a day or so. Otherwise, your inability to commit will reflect poorly on the way you make decisions; or it will telegraph your lack of enthusiasm to the new employer. In either case, you are likely to be bruised by waiting too long. If you have legitimate concerns, or you still have questions that need to be answered, now is the time to bring them up. Rather than tell the employer, "I will have to think it over," use the following script: "Mr. Employer, this job looks very good to me, and I am enthusiastic about coming to work for your company. I will be in a position to accept your offer and start in two weeks if I can just clarify a couple of things..." The answers you get will make your decision for you, and you will either accept or reject the company’s offer. If you decide to reject an offer, remember that it is almost impossible to resurrect the deal at a later date, since the position will be offered to someone else, or the employer will feel insulted, and close the door on your candidacy. Whatever you do, make certain your decision is final. New Angles and Unusual Deals Most deals come together quite cleanly, with little need for haggling or creative financing. Sometimes, though, it takes a little imagination to satisfy both parties. Money can present a problem for employers when your salary requirements exceed the published range for the position, or create an inequity within the department. In fact, internal equity issues (in which your expected salary might be greater than someone on the staff who has more professional or company seniority) are the cause of most deals that fail to close for financial reasons. To satisfy money matters, look for ways to increase your overall yearly compensation, rather than your annual salary. Here are a few added goodies you can shoot for to boost your earnings without ruffling too many feathers:
When required, companies will sometimes serve up these tasty morsels to hungry candidates who recognize that overall compensation consists of more than salary alone. The craziest deal I ever put together involved a candidate who had just purchased a home and was beyond commuting distance to the interested company. Since the candidate would not sell his home and relocate, the company president agreed to buy the candidate (who had a pilot’s license) a single engine airplane so he could fly to work each day. It just goes to show, where there is a will, there is a way. Careful evaluation mixed with a little bit of creativity will help you get the deal you want. Position Comparison Guide Candidate_______________________________
• Directions: Compare the position you have now with the one you are considering, according to the following elements:
• Score: ____________ Position Compensation Guide
Today’s date _________________________ • Directions: Compare the position you have now with the one you are considering, according to the following elements:
Current job $_____________ New job $____________New job differential (+/-) $___________ |
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Overcoming
the Fear of Change You and I are lucky -- we live in a world rich in possibilities. Besides being able to select from an unlimited variety of occupations, we also have the right to find happiness in our daily work. Naturally, everyone has a different definition of job satisfaction. For example, the job that seems fine to you may not be of much interest your best friend, and vice versa. The fact that you live in a free society gives you the privilege to decide your own fate. You have as much power in determining where you work as you do in selecting a spouse, a home, a car, or a pet. Your choice of jobs really depends on how much you want to shape your career, and how much effort you are willing to spend to make the necessary improvements in your life. If you are considering a job change, it is probably for one of three reasons:
Whatever your personal, professional, or situational reasons may be, you are motivated by the desire to improve your level of job satisfaction and make a change. The Complete Job Description In order to translate your needs into results, let us begin by evaluating your present position – it is the first step in any job change. You would be surprised how many people are unclear about what they actually do for a living, and the way their jobs make them feel. For example, whenever I interview a candidate, the first thing I ask for is a complete job description. "So tell me, Bonnie, " I begin. "What is it that you do at your present company?" "Gee, Mark, I thought I told you already. I am a systems analyst." "All right, fair enough," I reply. "But would you please describe to me in detail the following two things:
Often, I discover that people are hard pressed to come up with solid answers about the specific nature of their work. They are not exactly sure about their job responsibilities, and their lack of focus results in stress or counter-productivity. While a little bit of stress may is natural in any job, a steady diet of it can destroy your incentive to work. In fact, a recent study indicates a direct correlation between a person’s lack of task clarity and their level of job dissatisfaction. Try this exercise: On a sheet of paper, write a complete, current job description in which you list your daily activities and their expected, measurable results. This exercise will not only help you clarify your own perception of your work; it will be useful later on when you begin to construct a resume and communicate to others exactly what you have done. The Positive Power of Values Once you have described all the facets of your job, the next step is to understand the relationship between what you do and the way you feel. I use the term values as a descriptor of personal priorities; as a yardstick to help you:
Although it is fairly simple to decipher which daily tasks you really enjoy, the task of scrutinizing your personal priorities can be tricky. That is because there are often factors unrelated to your job that can come into play. To demonstrate the importance of values in our decision-making process, consider the following:
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