job-seeker contacts/advice

[dadofandrew]

I'd tell her you're going to be in the area in a week and ask if you could set up a time to interview. This would be a good thing to put in a cover letter.

[GAME05]

after some thought, i think i'm just going to leave things as they are. i already told her i'd be willing to come over or that i could do an initial phone interview, and i got no real response from that. and it's a different person doing the interviewing, who will know i'm still interested. if he'd throw my resume away without going through a minor hoop of at least calling me, then i probably wouldn't have landed the job, anyway. and more, i'm going to be thin on money as it is when i move there in April, so $500 is a lot.

[Menotti80]

Has anyone ever had a phone interview with someone from HR at a company you currently work for? (An internal position)

 

If so, would it be any different than an interview they conduct with someone outside the company? Do they ask the same questions? Any insight or tips would be much appreciated.

[dadofandrew]

I did a decade ago, took about 30 minutes, basically same questions. They asked a couple things tryintg to get me to be critical of my boss.

[CheezWizHed]

They asked a couple things tryintg to get me to be critical of my boss.

 

Were you interviewing for your boss's job? http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif

[dadofandrew]

No, another store manager's job.

[GoudaBrew]

Does anyone have any advice on how to calm pre-interview anxiety? I used to perform pretty well in interviews, but since my most recent search has netted me three interviews, but no job offers, my confidence is a little shaken. I usually try to study and prepare for things as much as I can going into an interview so I'll feel confident in my answers, but for my last interview I felt a lot of anxiety about 30 minutes before and it really affected my performance. I said "uh" and "umm" about a dozen times and then I started thinking, STOP SAYING UMM and it just went all down hill from there.

 

I think part of the problem was that I showed up about 40 minutes early and had to wait in my car until it was appropriate to go inside. I'm interviewing for a job next week that I would absolutely love to get, but I feel like I'm probably a fringe candidate and will really have to interview well to get it.

[CheezWizHed]

I sounds like you are pressing too hard.

 

What relaxes you? Do all your prep work prior to the interview. Then when you get there (or maybe in the car prior to going in), close your eyes and focus on something that relaxes you. Think about the beach, spending a day at the ball park, fantasy vacation, whatever. Breath deep.

 

If your focus is on "I must get this job" its going to be tough to focus on the interviewee and his/her questions.

 

Depending on what time of day, you might also try working out prior to the interview (assuming you can clean up in time). Blow off some steam. Have sex. Whatever helps you reduce stress in general.

[dadofandrew]

If it's a phone interview, write down what you want to say. Otherwise, be positive and say what you want.

 

Right now, it's nothing for employers to get 75 apps for a single job. 3 interviews and no job offers is nothing. It ain't the late 90's when I'd apply for 8 jobs, get 5 interviews and 3 offers.

[CheezWizHed]

3 interviews and no job offers is nothing.

 

Yeah, I was going to add something along those lines also. Don't let that reflect on you personally. At my company, I'm involved in interviewing candidates for job openings. But even while we need to hire, management is being very picky about what they want. We have passed over several good candidates because they didn't have a strong suit in one particular area. But they were still very good candidates.

[jazzytrav]

I wouldn't worry about saying "umm" too much. When I'm interviewing someone, I'm much more interested in content than delivery. If you drop an "umm," then try to catch yourself doing it, you will only manage to lose the message you're trying to convey. Obama said "umm" a lot and still got one of the most powerful jobs in the world.

 

Any research and understanding of the company and what they do is a huge plus. If it sounds like a candidate hasn't even looked at the front page of our website, it's difficult to take them seriously for the rest of the interview.

 

This one is more my personal preference, but if you're asked what your biggest weakness is, don't say you're "too much of a perfectionist" or something lame like that. I would rather someone give me an honest answer, since it shows me that they can recognize their own weaknesses and understand that they are, in fact, weaknesses. It also makes me more likely to believe them when they tell me about their strengths.

 

As for the pre-interview jitters, working out is an excellent idea. Not only can it help relax you, but it can also make you feel stronger and more confident, as if you've already put in a day's hard labor.

[GoudaBrew]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll find a way to release some nervous energy (jogging) and remember that that I don't HAVE to land this job.

[RobDeer 45]

Another tip to help you is go in to the interview with the phrase "I'm interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me." Go in with the goal that you want to find out as much about the company and positions as you can. You want to see if it's a good fit for you. I think this shows confidence and can put you ahead of the other candidates who just sit there and answer questions.

[GAME05]

*post deleted. comments too specific to my job that i only wanted to raise the question temporarily and not leave it up for permanent record. one never knows how deep a future employer might dig into internet records if they'd be able to match up game05 to my real name. Edited February 27, 2012 by GAME05

[CheezWizHed]

GAME05, I've had similar experiences with certain co-workers, so a bit of advice:

- Control what you can control. Cliche' but true. People can be jerks. Prepare yourself in dealing with him. Get things in writing (email).

- My guess is that your boss (and others) knows the guy is a jerk and uses a grain of salt with what he hears from that person.

- Don't reciprocate. You don't have to be best buds, but be a good co-worker no matter what. Its a losing battle to reciprocate because you justify his actions.

- Remember that if that person isn't in a position of high esteem to you (like a significant other, parent, sibling, close friend, mentor) why would their opinion of you mean a hill of beans? Be more interested in the people that really matter.

 

edit - spelling, clarification

[jjkoestler]

Does anyone have any experience with Aerotec? I submitted my credentials to them about a month ago and a recruiter just called me.

[nate82]

Does anyone have any experience with Aerotec? I submitted my credentials to them about a month ago and a recruiter just called me.

 

I have received a job through them once. They are OK but definitely not the greatest recruiters out there. Basically they forgot all about me and everyone else at the position and didn't really check in on us on how everything was going and if the job was a fit but then again I have been spoiled by Randstad as they would check up on me every month. I am currently doing a contract position with them right now.

 

I have had problems with Aerotek in the past where the recruiter only knew the bare basics of what the job entailed basically only what you would get from a job posting and that was it. Be careful with that as it either means the recruiter knows nothing about the job and was just assigned to fill it or they need to hit their quota for the month and need to fill the job no matter what even if it isn't a fit for you and your skills.

[GAME05]

thanks, Cheez. i think i'll still talk to the boss in private about it. call it practice on being aggressive in the workplace instead of being passive. i'll just ask the boss to put himself in my shoes and tell me how he'd interpret it all, then just accept his toned-down response.

 

if i wasn't already leaving, i'm upset enough by all of this that i would have quit, anyway.

 

on a side note, i've learned that men are actually worse gossipers than women are.

[hawing]

call it practice on being aggressive in the workplace instead of being passive.

 

I didn't see your original post, but you probably want to aim more for being assertive in the workplace (not aggressive).

[CheezWizHed]

I didn't see your original post, but you probably want to aim more for being assertive in the workplace (not aggressive).

 

Or proactive might be the right term. Nip it in the bud before its a huge problem.

 

on a side note, i've learned that men are actually worse gossipers than women are.

 

The stigma is on women, but men are no better or worse. Its just a human failing not determined by genitalia.

[GAME05]

yeah, "assertive" is what i really meant. didn't end up saying anything because maybe i'll be leaving sooner than i thought and i'll just mention it in the exit interview.

 

i'm getting both excited and scared/nervous about my upcoming move to North Carolina. a small part of me is still thinking about Colorado because my brother is there, which would be fun, but i also have a good friend in NC and i lived there the past six years.

 

i know it's the right move because i can't continue being as lonely as i've been (and because the job stinks), but having no unemployment benefits and about $4000 saved won't be easy. even small-time jobs can be tough to get these days, and being 35 and over-educated doesn't help for those. $400/mo rent and i can put a deferral on my student loans, so hopefully i can land a $9/hr job to start and get by with that for a while.

 

i'll be putting my work in a major bind, but that's their problem, i guess. now to decide when in April to go...

[TooLiveBrew]

i'll be putting my work in a major bind, but that's their problem, i guess.

 

If your employer felt it could improve its bottom line (without any major headaches) by firing you, I seriously doubt a sense of loyalty would save your job. Do not feel bad about making your life & situation better. Ever.

[GAME05]

i give my job its notice tomorrow afternoon. woo-hoo!

 

choosing North Carolina over Colorado was tough because my brother, his wife and an eventual niece/nephew are there. but when i think of just me by my lonesome, North Carolina seems more like home (second to WI, anyway), and i think that's most important.

 

beyond finding a career job, i have so many plans on how i'd like to improve everything with this new start. i'm so excited for this.

[CheezWizHed]

just me by my lonesome

 

But you have us!

 

God speed on your move and fresh start!

[Jimbo]

Does anyone have any experience with Aerotec? I submitted my credentials to them about a month ago and a recruiter just called me.

 

I've dealt with them. They often contact me with opprotunities. But it seems I have to chase after them to follow up. But there was one good guy who was proactive and lined something up for me, but it fell through.