Jean's Blog

What should you do in an interview if you don’t know the answer to a question?

Jean — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:57:37 +0000

I’ve been working on my new book, “Job Interview Answers That Work!” due out in the fall, and this is a question that I think many job seekers struggle with. You don’t want to lie, but you don’t want to admit you can’t do something either. My advice, ask a question to see if you can broaden the issue, and if you want to be super polilte, ask if it’s all right to ask a question.

So, the sequence could go like this:

Interviewer: Jean, have you ever designed courses for college students?

Me: May I ask you a clarifying question?

(I get a nod)

Me: Are you concerned about courses that are age-appropriate or is your focus more on how to design courses that engage students?

Interviewer: I would have to say both.

Me. Thank you. That is very helpful. I have designed and delivered courses for a wide range of participants from elementary school children to senior executives. My trademark is making sure that the information is easy to understand and that the class is interactive and stimulating. For example, I was asked to teach creative writing in the schools in New York City. I desinged a course that built students’ understanding of the ways language can be used, taught it and received excellent reviews from both the students and the classroom teachers. And I’ve created similar successes for corporate executives.

Debrief: So if I hadn’t taught college courses (and I have) this answer shows I’m comfortable and effective designing materials and teaching many different populations. This is a much better answer than “No, I haven’t taught college students.”

Practice this question-question as I like to call it in your everyday conversations and you’ll find that when faced with a tough interview question, you have an effective strategy for giving yiourself the best shot.

Why Follow-Up Rules

Jean — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:04:41 +0000

Any job search is full of ups and downs, leads that go nowhere, contacts that go silent. If you only have ten mintues and want to do something productive to help you get to your next job, consider follow up. Look back at your notes, spreadsheets, calendar–whatever ways you have of tracking your activity and I promise you there are several people you have forgotten about.

Send them a quick email, update them on your search (but make sure your message is positive yet truthful) and reconnect. Remind people that you’re still out there looking. Offer resources to others. Share leads that aren’t right for you. It isn’t magic but it’s really smart, as this way your network is thinking about you.

“Your Career Is Calling”

Jean — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:11:37 +0000

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of being interviewed on this radio program out of Rider Universtiy. Rod Colon and Frank Kovacs are the hosts for 60 minutes of career coaching, offering tips on job searching, networking, interviewing, and more.Your Career Is Calling empowers today’s students and career professionals to reach their career goals and aspirations. You can listen live on Sundays at 8AM or to a rebroadcast on Thursdays at 7PM at 107.7FM or replay at www.1077thebronc.com anytime.

Yesterday we were talking about obstacles that slow down or stop job seekers from being effective. The one that I spoke about was the mind set that assumes: There are no jobs out there. Now keep in mind this is often said by someone who hasn’t had to look for work for a long while and who hasn’t even started to test the waters. In my book, “Eliminated! Now What?”, I devote a whole section to myths, lies and obstacles, including: I’m too old to get a job, I don’t have a network, I’m overqualified, there is no hiring over the summer or during the holidays, I can’t get a job because I don’t have a job and so on. To order my book go to:

http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9781593578169.do

or through the iBookstore app on Apple products.

Lastly, take advantage of free resouces like Rod and Frank’s radio program, “Your Career Is Calling.” And it’s a call in show so if you have questions, they are happy to answer them. Just call 877-900-1077.

Remedy for a Down Day

Jean — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:53:43 +0000

We all have days where nothing seems to go right, but in job search, they can be particularly paralyzing. What should you do if you’re stuck in one of those days where no one is calling or emailing you back, you can’t fix an error you just discovered in your resume, the cat throws up on the rug and the people from the interview you had a week ago seem to have fallen off the planet?

My short answer is: something else. Get away from your desk and even your phone and shake things up a bit. Get outside if it’s nice, call another job seeker and see if you can help him or her, bake something for a neighbor, take a walk, brush the dog, you get the idea. Don’t just sit there thinking that by sheer persistence you can make the phone ring.

As a career coach who has worked with thousands of people in transition over the past 18 years, I’m a big believer in breaks. And I’m not talking about booking a cruise–just an afternoon where you go to the movies or do something you can enjoy. How do these help? They refresh us, keep us going and help us gain a better perspective. So work hard on your search but don’t forget to take some time off, too.

When Being in Transition is an Advantage

Jean — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:09:32 +0000

Spoke on the phone today with a former client who was as excited as she has landed a new job. As we talked about it and I asked her to walk me through the steps, an interesting thing surfaced. The company had placed an ad for a Sales Manager but a few weeks later took it off their website. When she called to find out if she was in the running, HR told her that the company had decided not to fill that position.

Fast forward a few months and my client gets a call from the same company and learns that a different division needed a sales manager and asked HR to share the resumes they had previously collected. Hers was chosen because they knew she was in transition and might be more open to an opportunity that was temp to perm. In other words, being out of work made her a more attractive candidate. She went on the interview and got the job. So don’t assume that your current status, if you’re out of work, is a disadvantage.

Recap of “What’s Stopping You From Landing The Job You Want” Seminar

Jean — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:33 +0000

Great group at The Hamilton Public Library last week thanks to Katie and Nick DeVito of NJ Unemployed. It was interesting as we looked at my topic, “What’s Stopping You From Landing the Job You Want?” to see a range of reactions. At one end of the spectrum was anger and discouragement, and on the other end, excitement about a new venture. And of course everything in between.

Age seems to be a big issue that I hear about in almost every talk I give, so here’s my quick take. Make sure you’re up-to-date in your field and demonstrate the flexibility and enthusiasm of younger job seekers. Use your physical skills: posture, gesture, voice, and facial expression to communicate that you are excited about your work, not just looking for a paycheck. And be with it in terms of social media, especially LinkedIn, as this will help you come across as contemporary and trainable.

Rule number one: get out of the house and attend meetings like this one. You’ll make new friends, get energized and have the chance to help someone else. And it’s a healthy break from surfing the net. Lastly, whenever I attend a meeting, I set a quota for myself so that I don’t talk only to the people I know. I usually make myself meet three to five new people–even if it’s just a “hello.” Try this and you’ll find that others appreciate it and your network will continue to grow.

When It’s All Brand New

Jean — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:52:23 +0000

Met a woman today at a presentation I was giving. She was let go yesterday and had that stunned look–not really belieivng what had just happened to her. She told me the scope of her responsibilities as if that could have saved her from being let go. As we all know, it doesn’t. She is starting her search in an interesting way–taking a trip to the Far East to visit a god-child. I suggested a few things she could work on during her long flight, but mostly affirmed that she is off to a great start. Nothing beats an adventure!

Why the Thing You’ve Been Avoiding May Be The Most Productive Step You Can Take for Your Job Search

Jean — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 19:24:31 +0000

That’s a long title, but the concept is important and I often ask my clients, “What have you been avoiding?” or “If you could only do one thing today to move your search forward, what would it be?” Having asked this I’ve learned that most of do what’s easiest, not necessarily the smartest thing to do in our job searches.A quick trick to get around this obstacle: write down that one thing that you must do as your number one agenda item for tomorrow. Place it on your calendar or notebook or whatever devise you use so that you can’t miss it when you sit down to work on your search. Resist the temptation to do something else. Don’t clean your desk or empty the refrigerator. Get that one thing done. Period.What you may discover is that you feel really good for having pushed through your resistance and that you’re now ready to tackle some other challenges. This is a critical part of what I like to call “searching smart.”

Confirmation

Jean — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:53:14 +0000

I had lunch with a former client recently and as he and I compared notes on what had happened to us with our previous companies, it came to me that hard work, creativity, and making things happen can’t guarantee that our jobs are safe. In fact, as we talked about it, I almost felt as if the two things exist on separate, perhaps parallel universes.

We’ll call my former client Joe. He ended up in a senior role with a small company and had, in his words, “the time of his life.” The hours were long but he was building a department from the ground up and he loved his team and was so excited to see things take shape. His boss left and a new boss came in just a month shy of his performance review. That meeting should have been a tip-off–no matter what he said he couldn’t get the new boss to give him anything beyond “satisfactory.”

Things got worse, a lot worse, and as chance would have it, Joe learned about another position through his network. But because he was loyal and dedicated, he stuck it out a few more months until it finally hit him–no matter what he did, he was not going to be able to succeed. He accepted the new position and is now excited to be working where his talents are recognized (as they had been by his first boss.)

While my experience was different than Joe’s, I too had contributed in ways that were beyond my job requirements, but that didn’t keep me from losing my job. What he and I realized is that we’re proud to be strong contributors, we like making things happen, and that there are plenty of places where we’ll fit in just fine. So, besides a really good lunch, he and I confirmed who we are and what we care about. And we also know that we’ll help each other along the way. Not bad at all.

Register Now! “What’s Stopping You From Landing the Job You Want” seminar this Tuesday

Jean — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:03:49 +0000

What’s Stopping You From Landing the Job You Want?

Tuesday, March 13th from 9:30-11:30am

Hamilton Public Library, Hamilton, NJ

Jean will cover common obstacles that often get in the way of job seekers, how to stay motivated and organized and ways to make the process more enjoyable. In this interactive session, Jean will answer questions and be available with copies of her first book, “Eliminated! Now What? Finding Your Way from Job-Loss Crisis to Career Resilience.”