Thou shalt not lie to a recruiter

Of course thou shalt not.

Being skilled in statement analysis, reading body language, and knowing NLP are key traits of any good recruiter. Maybe thats why the majority of the Fortune 500 clan outsource to recruitment agencies for their staffing needs.

It’s surprising (and rather amusing) to see the lies that people concoct to try and land that amazing job, and I feel bad for them, I really do. But trust me, honesty is a much better approach. You hurt your credibility by lying. And please do not assume that you won’t get caught. You will.

I recall a couple of years back, when interviewing candidates for a Regional manager position with Verizon, we once had a shark in the room. A former Federal Agent with 2 decades of telecom security and operational experience was up for the post. Only, this guy thought since he knew how to catch a liar, he’d be able to get away with his lies. Wrong assumption. The people who come across as most charming individuals you’ve ever met in your life are usually the ones lying through their front teeth. I have conducted so many interviews through out the years that it’s easy for me to detect deception in a verbal statement or even a written one for that matter. Needless to say, I sent Mr. FBI packing 12 minutes into the interview.

And for those of us still trying to find a way to weed the liars out – Thank God for social media.

Oh, btw, I hope candidates know that they are professionally stalked via social utilities such as facebook before they are given an offer letter. It’s only fair to see how ones interactions with people in his/her daily life are, and if that creative language used in their resumes and portfolio was really them talking. No recruiter wants to represent a candidate that falls short of the image the candidate has so meticulously painted in their minds. I mean seriously, how would you like it if you met a guy on  a date site who claimed he’s 6’2″ and hits the gym for 2 hours a day and when you finally got to meet him on that dinner date he’d been running around on for the past 2 months, he was 5’2″ and resembled George from Seinfeld? I dunno but I don’t like coming across an almost Ian Somerhalder on paper and then meeting a Jason Alexander look-a-like in reality.

So candidates and companies alike: please don’t lie to a recruiter. Be as professional and as honest as you possibly can. Lying only hurts you in the long-run.

Color psychology…what’s your favorite color and what does it mean to a recruiter in an interview?

Aside from facebook quizzes comprised of ten almost identical questions with exactly the same answer for each, have you ever really tried to figure out what it means to have                         as your favorite color?

Has a recruiter ever asked you this very non-intrusive question? Did you know how carefully you were measured on your delivery?

I had a friend who went through a terrible time a couple of years back. As a young widow, struggling to survive with 3 teenagers, my friend fought with obesity, unemployment, depression and was infuriated all the time with her children which greatly strained their relationship with their mother. Upon consulting with a psychologist, my troubled friend underwent a color analysis. Lo and behold, 2 weeks later (with a whole new wardrobe and some botox here and there) my friend was a completely different person.

Employers seek out cheerful, optimistic employees. Although some employees come across as the ideal candidates for a particular vacancy on paper, it’s through careful statement analysis, behavioral interviewing, competency evaluations and subtle psychological analysis that I pick the right man or woman for the job. Every so often, when I ask a candidate this question, I am questioned in return as most are unaware of the way color psychology can empower them and benefit them. I’ve used color psychology as well as many other proven effective techniques of guaging and measuring candidate/job harmony. For instance, did you know the perfect career for one who’s favorite color is yellow would be in marketing/advertising or a careeer in stand-up comedy?

Here is what your favorite color means. See if you can judge whether or not you are the best person for the job from an employers perspective:

If your favorite color is…..

BLACK : You are authoritative and have a need for power and control .

RED: You are action oriented with a deep need for physical fulfillment and to experience life

WHITE: Your deepest need is for simplicity in your own life and to be independent and self-reliant so you do not need to depend on anyone else.

ORANGE: You have a great need to be with people, to socialize with them, and be accepted and respected as part of a group. You also have a need for challenges in your life, whether it is physical or social challenges.

YELLOW: You have a deep need for logical order in your everyday life and to be able to express your individuality by using your logical mind to inspire and create new ideas.

BLUE: You have a deep need to find inner peace and truth, to live your life according to your own ideals and beliefs without having to change your viewpoint of life to satisfy others.

PINK: You have a deep need to be accepted and loved unconditionally.

MAGENTA: You are a non-conformist who sees life from a different point of view.

GREEN: You have a deep need to belong, to love and be loved, and to feel safe and secure. You need acceptance and acknowledgment for the everyday things you do for others – just a ‘thank you’ is sufficient.

GOLD: You have a deep imbedded need for the richer things in life.

SILVER: You are intuitive and insightful.

BROWN: You have a deep need for a safe, secure, simple and comfortable existence with supportive family and friends.

GRAY: You are cool, conserved, composed and reliable. You tend to conform just to keep the peace.

Did you know you just scanned the list to find your favorite color and thats the first and maybe only one you read about…..

Relax. We all do that! =)

Does the Job-hunt have you feeling like you’ve Lost your spark? Time to find a mentor :-)

Let’s face it – being unemployed for a prolonged period of time doesn’t make one feel all warm and fuzzy inside. In this world chock full of “somebody’s”, once in a while, an average Joe does feel like less than the “average” Joe. How to stay positive and motivated after having no luck with your job-search despite creating a strong on-line presence, an even stronger off-line presence? Do You need inspiration to keep going? The time has come to Seek out a mentor.

When you are losing your passion, lacking enthusiasm and pretty much just feel lost amongst the swarms of hopefuls whom you feel are so much more qualified than you are, it’s time to find someone who “made it” to spur you back into the game.

We all love people who are passionate about their work. A mentor is someone who has the tenacity to identify, hone up and make you passionate about your own passion. If your own passion, may be dwindling right about now, a good mentor may propel you into thinking along the path of success which you’ve forgotten the coordinates to.

For those whom are currently battling unemployment, do pull an advanced search on LinkedIn. Look at the profiles of individuals who are in the same industry and profession as yourself. If you feel you’ve lost your spark – find someone who still has it as they may be able to assist in renewing yours.

Consider being mentored by someone who is younger than you. Age doesn’t always mean lack of knowledge and experience. A younger mentor who is ambitious and bright eyed can provide you with the necessary guidance, tools, practical know-how needed, and bring you up to “current” status with the emerging world around you.

If you are a budding entrepreneur, I’d highly recommend you look into Score.org. With over 50 years of history helping and inspiring prospective business owners, and a network of over 13000 volunteers, even the most picky of us at heart may rest assured they’ll find their muse.

At the end of the day, we are all children at heart. We all want someone positive and enthusiastic to serve as the ideal role model and keep us motivated. That goes for our personal lives as well as our professional ones.

Who knows, you may be going from mentee to mentor in no time.

Resilience: The one trait that trumps them all….

Adversity causes some men to break;

others to break records. 

-William A.Ward

Are you one of those individuals who has bounced back after a seemingly catastrophic instance?  Have you gone through a tragic event and not crumpled up into a mess forever? Are you capable of with-standing and dealing with immensely stressful situations? If so, congratulations! Your ability of bouncing back into normalcy, functioning as you did prior to the occurrence, and appearing bright and positive despite such event(s), is a commendable feat indeed. Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back. There you go!

Every recruiter I know, including myself, is willing to risk it all for the one candidate who has those proverbial nerves of steel. I want to meet a candidate who can take it all in stride and remain cool, calm and collected in any and all situations, be they professional or personal. Don’t we all like such sensible individuals in our lives? Why wouldn’t a prospective employer want the same? After all, stress at the work place is inevitable. Although instances of hardship, mis-fortune and distress in your life are very difficult on ones spirit, your ability to deal with and bounce back from your hardships may propel you into the most viable candidate for a prospective employer. Mental strength and sheer resilience are most attractive to me and all employers seeking a choice employee to add value to their establishment for the long-term.

At the end of the day, all the behavioral questions, all those “what would you do if” instances, are only designed to provoke a response which indicates how you’d respond in actuality. I want to see that you are not going to melt-down under pressure. I want to see that you are capable of resolving issues independently. I want to see that you can assume a leadership role on an impromptu basis, if such an instance arises in which need be for you to take charge. I like to think of assessments prior to hiring as mini fire drills for which to test a candidate’ professional strengths and weaknesses.  And it’s not just me who wants to know if you are able to “deal.” Psychologically, a candidate with strong resilience is the most attractive to any employer, irrespective of field of expertise or industry.  We all want someone who won’t suffer cardiac arrest if God forbid we run out of coffee.

The question that arises for all you head-strong candidates is How does one put that resilience down on paper?

Not an easy feat. But not an impossible one either.

Start off by addressing gaps on your resume.

Everyone has issues and tragedies that affect their lives. Some people lapse into severe depression over suddenly losing a job they’ve had for decades. Others don’t.  Some people suffer from illnesses or tragic accidents. Others are deeply affected by personal losses such as the death of a loved one. When such tragedies occur, they will inadvertently have a ripple effect on your life in general which includes your professional life and your mental health.

It is important in any such instance to surround yourself with positivity and support. Some of us are best at consoling ourselves and self-counseling without external help. Others may need to find professionals to help deal with their difficulties. Regardless of which way you managed to cope through the difficult time, realize that you did just that: YOU MANAGED TO COPE THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME. And that my friend, is a note worthy task.

Resilience is a trait that not everybody has much of. If you possess the ability of bouncing back, believe me, to a recruiter, you are no less than kryptonite itself.

So, that 5 month gap on your resume needs to be filled? Write down your story…and share it. Maybe not on the front page of your resume, however, a little mention with subtlety in your cover letter of what you went through and how you managed to hold yourself together when anyone else would have fallen apart, would most likely land you that golden interview.

At the end of the day, everybody wants to meet a real life hero…

Considering going back to an ex-employer just because times are bad?

With the global economy becoming more competitive than ever, I come across many job seekers feeling flustered, cornered, utterly  desperate and sometimes even externally pressured into considering a job with a previous employer who didn’t treat them all so well. Although the job market is not-so-great, many candidates are finding success with choice employers who are hiring, and even moreso with telecommute jobs, which allow them to stay within the most comfortable confines of their home office, in their PJ’s, and simultaneously make just as much, if not more, than they were making with their conventional employers.

If you haven’t looked into telecommute jobs yet, do know I am a strong advocate of them. It’s an easy way of picking up projects and choosing how much time you want to commit to them. Generally, you can make pretty decent earnings freelancing. Sites I’d recommend you check out are:

Freelancer.com

Elance.com

oDesk.com

Guru.com

But if you’ve already quit your day job and if you are successfully pulling off telecommute work, and yet you have the urge to give it all up and return to the conventional 9-5 grind and good ol’ cubicle office structure. If you are specifically mulling over returning to an environment which you have previously left by your own choice and free will, here are some important things to take into consideration.

Logically weigh out your reasons why you want to return to an employer you CHOSE to LEAVE: Do You want to make more money? Are You are sick of working out of your home? Do you have no friends or social life and feel you need to get out more? Or are you just gambling with your career out of sheer boredom?

Ask yourself these important questions:

• How were you treated? Was it a scenario where You loved your work, but the environment and co-workers were blegh? You were once regarded a competent worker and gradually decreased to “she is going through a hard time” or “oh, she is stressed out,” to suddenly becoming the one person who everyone is trying to avoid like the plague?

• How did you feel? Did you like the environment? Did you like the people you worked with? If You have previously dedicated 6 years of your life to this employer/organization, only to be dis-credited for your hard work, demeaned, humiliated, and eventually wound up resigning as you were generally so fed up of childish co-workers, a bad boss, and being treated as a 3^rd grade citizen….are you really all that sure you want to go back there?

• How was your prior boss? Was your prior manager manipulative, a compulsive liar, who presented problems behind your back and kept everything vague? Was he ever reprimanded for his actions or does he work in unison with the HR dept? Is the manager you are going to work for this same person, or another superficially charming individual whom you have heard similar or worse of? Remind yourself, You saw all the red flags once but chose to ignore them and give your psychopathic boss the benefit of the doubt. Don’t make the same mistakes again.

• Why did you really leave? Did you receive a better offer? Or did you get fed-up of the constant stress at the workplace? Was the work really redundant and unrewarding? If you left suffering chronic pain, sleeplessness, anxiety and owe your PTSD to this former employer whom you are now considering going back to……

 

 

 

Doesn’t take rocket science to figure this one out.

 

 

Is it really all about Mindset?

Definition for mindset:

Mentality: a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.

Technical skills are very  important in today’s competitive job market. Invariably, just about every employer wants to onboard a candidate who can hit-the-ground-running and requires as little training as possible. However, more and more choice organizations are committing themselves to hiring talent for the sheer amount of potential he/she possesses, and then assisting in developing the employee’s skill set in gradual steps via structured training programs. Why are companies willing to hire a person whose skills are not quite down pat with the companies expectations over the tenured experts in the trade vying for the same post? The answer is one simple word: Mindset.

I can literally recall a hundred instances when I’ve passed on the most perfect candidate (on paper) for a seemingly less qualified one. Many factors contribute to my decision on passing up the “Mr. Perfect’s”, but it’s usually not how developed their skill set is that has them ousted from the line-up of potential employees. It’s the fact that an experienced, tenured professional who cannot successfully communicate to me that he/she would be an appropriate cultural fit within my organization, is going to have a hard time adjusting here. And at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for both the candidate and the company. Hiring someone who  will simply not ‘fit-in’ would be detrimental to both candidate and the employer.

What defines “fit” when it comes to a candidate? Don’t get me wrong – my Java UI fixed income guy must have solid experience with developing user interfaces with Java. Most employers don’t really compromise on hard-skills. What I am saying is your hard skills may be overlooked by a potential employer just because they feel you won’t “gel well” with their current team or company organizational structure.  Let me give you an example; You might be a Java wizard but have you (or rather can you) worked collaboratively with a team which is split into 6 parts over 4 different continents? Can you demonstrate that you possess the ability to learn from criticism? Are you comfortable with diversity at the workplace which transcends beyond just race and gender, and is defined by such attributes as generation, culture and skills? Do you have the necessary “soft-skills” developed to assist you not only in communicating with an ethnically diverse co-worker base, but to give you an overall edge in this global economy? Are you generally a helpful and considerate person?

See, it’s difficult being a recruiter these days. We have so much more to gauge and measure candidates on than they realize.

So once you’ve aced that interview (which you think was a dream come true and the gig is totally is in the bag for you now) - and then you receive that dreaded call saying you didn’t make the cut….here’s what you should know; This is what you were really being gauged on: 

*Do you have a Fixed Mindset:

• Believe you are just the way you are
• Avoid challenges
• Get blocked by obstacles
• Avoid effort and hard work
• Ignore criticism
• Feel threatened by the success of others

Or,

Do you have a Growth Mindset:

• Believe you can learn and improve
• Embrace Challenges
• Persist even with setbacks
• See effort as useful for growth
• Learn from criticism
• Inspired by successes of others

So, organizations have come to realize that although skill set can be developed, mind-set is imbedded. The person with the right mindset can always develop the right skill-set down the line. But developing an employee’s mindset is next to impossible.

Mindset is a person’s frame of reference that is fixed. A person can have a particular “mindset” that is so strong in a specific outlook that they do not see other perspectives, even though they might hear them and believe they have been given consideration.  Mindset has also been referred to as “the lens through which you see and navigate life.” It undergirds and affects all that you think, see, believe, say, and do.

During your interview, showcase that understated wildcard called your personality as professionally as possible. Demonstrate to your prospective employer that not only  have you developed the right skills to excel at the job you are interviewing for, but that you are the best fit for the job in terms of organizational structure and company culture as well. That way, when you land that dream job, you can be proud of your flexible global mindset as well as your years of nerdology as a major.

 * Stanford University Professor Carol Dweck outlines these two types of mindsets and the impact on personal development and success in her book, Mindset, The New Psychology of Success.

Be Classy, Do yourself a favor….Ditch the Frenemy from the workplace

Lets face it, we all have that one completely narcissistic fool on our facebook who we can’t block as we have the same mutual friends and/or colleagues. That one self-centered prick who will crop out everyone around them and zoom in on their own face in each picture ever posted on their profile. That one person whose obnoxious nature echoes in the corridors of your work space. The one loser who, right when you are happy about something good finally happening to you, will actually think out loud and say “he should be with me.”

And btw, they usually come in couples. To fuel eachothers’ evil-ness of course.

Congratulations. You are in the frenemy zone.

Selfish, manipulative, conniving people do exist. It’s a fact of life. It’s no secret. At the workplace, in the form of a co-worker, or, worse yet, supervisor or manager – they will boss you around, take credit for your work, and make sure that wherever you are, it’s all about them. And it usually is, as, God forbid, their manipulations don’t technically work on our species. They’ve mastered the art of blackmailing and they know they have power over you. They have complete control over everyone in the upper echelons of your organization being the charming chameleons they are. They will have you lie for them just to make themselves look good, force you to listen to their ridiculous over-exaggerated stories of crazy sex and partying it up (of which 70% is completely fictitious), and they guaranteed will go out of their way to make you look bad every chance they get.

To everyone else, they are the epitome of the ideal employee; The nurturer, the mentor, the ultimate leader. But to you, they are their decepticon selves.

So why do you put up with it?

Psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Brigham Young University recommends avoiding previously problematic subjects or situations. In this particular scenario, that would mean you’d need to ditch the troublemaker. Long term effects of harboring ambivalent friends include depression and hypertension. Are they really worth all that heartache?

I think not. Being extremely non-confrontational myself, I know dealing with a frenemy isn’t an easy feat.

But alas, tis’  inevitable;  This is one of those instances when you just do the right thing, no matter how much it hurts.

Have some class. No more favors. No more lying and letting them undermine you. No more holding your breath and running to the nearest exit at lunchtime, praying they don’t see you as you sneak out of the building. Breathe freely. If you see them coming, just simply step aside. If you hear them speaking, tune your ears out and just simply don’t listen to a word they are saying. The frenemy is too insecure to out and out confront you regarding why you are avoiding them. Thus, sooner or later your frenemy will become invisible.

Could you ever believe the silent treatment actually works? I swear, whomever said ”everything we ever needed to know in life, we learned in Kindergarten,” was definitely smarter than the average bear.

Don’t think being rid of your frenemy comes without a price. There will definitely be a price to pay. After all, this person acted like your friend and, busybody that they are, they probed and investigated and got you to confide in them and spill all your secrets to them…. even the big secret about where you’ve applied for your ideal future career. Once you begin taking them lightly and ignoring them, be prepared for retaliation. The slander, gossip, rumors and oh the lies! The frenemy you supported, endorsed and lied for will most definitely lie about you to your future employer and cost you your dream job because they want it for themselves. And through their lying and manipulation and time tested make-a-fool-of-the-human-race tactics, they will get it.

And you know what, you are silently relieved. You can thank your lucky stars you didn’t get that job. A higher power saved you from having to work with that monster again. And if that hiring manager was too dumb to see through the frenemy in sheep’s clothing, then that company was simply not worthy of your talents.

Remind yourself that friendship is a constructive relationship, not a destructive force which has the potential to drive you to the edge of insanity. If someone is really that painful to be around, you need to sever those ties for good with that individual.

So, you can finally take a breath of relief, delete that request for a recommendation on LinkedIn from the horrible witch, and get back to practicing your opening lines for your autobot interview with Megatron.

After all, there are plenty more fish in the sea….

How your high IQ influences the managers’ decision to hire you

Guess what? It doesn’t.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin

That’s right. Your ability to deal is what matters to a hiring manager. So for all us average folks out there, I am please to officially announce; No longer do you need to be a part of MENSA to have a 6-figure annual income.

For eons, candidates everywhere have been measured on their competence via IQ testing, (although the vast majority of us have no clue what all those weird shapes are) and albeit IQ is still an important factor when making a hiring decision, but in recent times, a high IQ score has taken a back seat when it comes to securing the perfect hire. We’ve come to learn, through trial and error that maybe we didn’t want to hire a genius. Maybe we just wanted to hire someone who was nice, could fit into the company’s culture and was easy to get along with.

Well, it’s true. Nobody wants to be around a smart-aleck who is belittling them all the time. (No offense to folks with IQ scores above 140.) So, what exactly has become the reason for IQ to be a secondary factor in one of your lifes’ most important decisions?

Your Emotional Quotient has become the front-runner in determining whether or not you’re going to land the dream job.

What is Emotional Quotient?

EQ – A measure of one’s emotional intelligence, as defined by the ability to use both emotional and cognitive thought. Emotional intelligence skills include but are not limited to empathy, intuition, creativity, flexibility, resilience, stress management, leadership, integrity, authenticity, intrapersonal skills and interpersonal skills.

It involves the lower and central sections of the brain, called the limbic system. It also primarily involves the amygdala, which has the ability to scan everything that’s happening to us moment to moment to see if it is a threat.

 As defined by Dr. Daniel Goleman, the components of emotional intelligence are “simple, yet powerful enough to effect change.” Hence, if Goleman and Darwin are to be believed, it is emotionally intelligent individuals who are most able to adapt to dynamic environments and therefore most likely to survive/succeed.

Thank fully, Emotional Intelligence can be learned. You don’t necessarily have to be born the most altruistic person on the planet just to land a job. But a little training will make even the most anti-social person, eventually tolerable.

Decision making skills, ability to deal with conflict, how well you know yourself, and how you’ll react to a stressful situation mean more to me than your calculus skills. Even if you are equipped with 240 horses in your IQ engine, you may not be well equipped to deal with real world scenarios. Let me give you an example.

Once upon a time, in highschool, one of my best friends’ and I decided to go on a joyride in her sisters car:) The keys were on the table….we were 15 years old and in Learners permit paradise. Before I knew it, I was in the passenger side seat thinking I am on my way to the mall. And my best friend put the key into the ignition, started the engine, pulled out of the parking spot, and…..the car died.

Were we out of gas? No. Did my best friends sister have a remote device she used to turn off the car engine. No. (It was the 90′s for Pete’s sake. We didn’t have that kind of technology back then.) You see, the best friend I had so benevolently gotten into the car with, knew what she wanted, however, hadn’t stopped to realize that her elder sister’s car was stick shift and she only knew how to drive automatic.

Moral of the story: You may have all the tools you need to succeed right at your fingertips, however they are useless to you if you have not developed the skills needed to use those tools. Luckily enough, skills are attainable, as is your abilty to learn to understand yourself better and recognize your strengths and weaknesses.

We all did dumb things in highschool.

This is how it works:

IQ – A number that signifies the relative intelligence of a person; the ratio multiplied by 100 of the mental age as reported on a standardized test to the chronological age. IQ is primarily used to measure one’s cognitive abilities, such as the ability to learn or understand new situations; how to reason through a given problem/scenario; the ability to apply knowledge to one’s current situations. It involves primarily the neo cortex or top portion of the brain.

• Over 140 – Genius or almost genius
• 120 – 140 – Very superior intelligence (Gifted)
• 110 – 119 – Superior intelligence
• 90 – 109 – Average or normal intelligence
• 80 – 89 – Dullness
• 70 – 79 – Borderline deficiency in intelligence
• Under 70 – Feeble-mindedness

Most of us are around the 100 range. Not that it really matters.

Studies have shown there is very little correlation between success in examinations and success in real-world adult life.

At best, I.Q. contributes 20% to the factors that determine life’s success, which leaves 80% to Emotional Intelligence.

“Emotional Intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it drives many of our daily actions.” – Freedman et al.

Either you control your emotions, or they control you.

“What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills – your EQ – not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.” – Daniel Goleman, Ph.D.

So you want to land that dream career? Here are some good rules to follow; Develop good listening habits, learn to empathize, become a social-expert, and carry out the fundamental activity of learning everything about yourself. A self-aware and pleasant individual with a sunny disposition is way higher rated in my books than a self-absorbed genius with the personality of a sock.

Please don’t believe you have to be Einstein to be successful in life. People with higher IQ’s may be at an advantage to ones with average scores, but keep in mind, average people with a distinct desire to learn, will train harder and will very quickly overtake all geniuses around them with their sheer ability. Only through passion and perserverance does one get better at what he does, one day at a time.

How to make a million dollar first impression using color psyche….

Want to make sure you’re leaving an unforgettable first impression on your prospective employer? It’s no surprise you’re gonna have to dress the part to do that. But how do you go about dressing for the part correctly? And standing out from competitors in a classy way of your own?

Research inducates that 80% of communication is non-verbal, and I’m not talking texting here. We’ve all heard that crossing your arms means one is defensive, and shifty eyes give away a liar, but aside from the text-book interrogation cliches, how much exactly does your non-verbal communication count in a real-time situation such as an interview?

Well, did you know there’s a tiny window you get to make that indelible first impression even  before that non-verbal communication will even come into play?  

That would be  the moment when your prospective employer first catches a glimpse of you….

So, here’s a non-professional world scenario; imagine you are out to dinner with friends, and you are at the restaurant, you see that cutie way off at the other table looking oh so classy and just your type. Sound familiar? Wait a minute – just your type?? What would give you that impression of someone you don’t even know? Surprise, surprise – a big part of that first thought you just had - it’s your color psyche.

Say you have a favorite color. Say it’s blue? Say her eyes were blue, or he was wearing a blue shirt? That person would immediately appeal to you as your psyche recognizes that color as a preferred color. Even if you didn’t realize it right away, that’s that what the initial attraction was.  Your color psyche is so strong and well developed, it can hone in on your preferences without you even conciously knowing about it. 

And  just like you have a color psyche, your future employers do too.

Now how to find out what it is….

The preferred (and legal) way to go about it would be to google the company page and take a look at the logo to see what colors you can incorporate into your interview day wardrobe. For your basics, stick with a suit, irrespective of what gender you are. A well fitted, clean, black, navy or grey suit is something you cannot go wrong with. Now suppose the company’s logy is blue, white and yellow? Wear a white dress shirt with blue tie (blue silk scarf for the ladies) and some nice eyeglasses with specks of yellow in the frames. Nothing too over-the-top. I’ve come to find that wearing eyeglasses with the correct color and frame for your face, helps a candidate come off as sophisticated even if he/she has 20/20 vision.

Keep in mind that generally the darker the color, the more  powerful and demanding the look.

Caution: Don’t go Ugly Betty on interview day. 

Also, the term “less is more” is an absolute no for this particular occasion.

If you feel flashes of cleavage will help you land the gig, I’m not sure where you’ve applied, but chances are, if it’s any reputable employer, I hate to burst your bubble, but, that will not get you the job. I am sorry. Life is tough sometimes.

Always wear a blazer if you are top heavy. A blazer will make you look more slender and proportionate.

Also, a nice, sleek silk scarf around your neck (for the ladies) may set you apart in a classy way.  

Many companies incorporate the color red into their logos these days. And although red is my favorite color, red has also been known to signify aggression and even danger. The color red is instilled in our minds to mean “stop” just like green means “go”. So instead of demanding attention and coming across as someone who can’t play well on a team, wear a black or navy suit, with a beige/white shirt/blouse, and then top it off with a red tie or red scarf. Not too overwhelming but yet considerate, mindful and supportive of the company’s vision. Remember, you want to be charming without saying a word.

And when you do speak, be the powerhouse that you are. Remember to research the company well. Be well informed, articulate and confident. With that combination, one can never go wrong.

Smoking and unemployment…what’s the connection?

I personally have nothing whatsoever against smokers, however, I do agree with a study conducted in 2008 to prove that smoking is injurious to your career and professional life as well as your physical and psychosocial well being.

This isn’t an article about passive smoking and how people in the same room will wind up with cancer just because you lit up and took a drag of your cigarette one day.

This is an article about how a hiring manager will look at you if you walk in with the inarguably disgusting scent of cigarettes in your hair, body, clothes….well-you get the picture.

Studies have indicated that smoking and unemployment have long gone hand in hand.  Have you ever wondered why?

Unemployment elevates your stress level and can sometimes lead to serious depression. Being unemployed leads to uncertainty, and that volatality spikes up your anxiety. This constant nervousness triggers your cravings for a smoke…you know…just to calm those nerves. And you light up, and you take a puff and it just feels so good, and then, before you know it, you’ve smoked 2 packs and are finally ending the self-imposed exile you’ve been in within your bedroom to go buy some more.

Sound familiar?

But it’s not just unemployed folks who suffer the smokers’ wrath; it’s no surprise, job insecurity has been shown to increase the negative effects on mental health too (particularly anxiety and depression). An unsatisfactory, or insecure job with terrible co-workers and horrible bosses can be just as harmful, if not more harmful, than unemployment itself.  Merely having a job cannot protect physical or mental health. Job quality and candidate/job fit are very important factors to the formula.

Although an organization cannot legally declare that they won’t hire you just because you are a smoker, on the inside, they can turn you down for that reason. Keep your eyes open to clues such as seeing those “do-not smoke” signs on the way upstairs for your interview. Those definitely may have been an indicator that this may not be the right place for you. 

Here’s what a hiring manager thinks when they know you smoke: (trust me- a hiring manager that does not smoke, will know that you do smoke. I being a non-smoker, know a smoker when I see one.)

1) To management, smoking can be a sign of weakness. (Especially to the boss who is a chain smoker himself.)

2)The management may not want to accomodate an employee who requires 14 smoke breaks a day in addition to regular breaks, just to deliver the same quality work that non-smoking co-workers are doing.

3)A hiring manager greatly contributes his/her decision based upon your behavior. Smoking exhibits that you are dependent upon an external substance. Nicotine, is widely becoming as controversial as other substances such as alcohol. Do think about quitting. It’ll give you a longer life span too!

Read up on the company you are applying to. See if you’ll be good fit with their work culture. See if you know anyone who currently works there who could provide insight as to how accepting and accomodating they are of people who are smokers. Probe a little, ask questions ie; if they have an on-site restaurant/cafeteria for lunch is that smoke-free or not? Oh and, if you are looking into working at a lab with explosive chemicals, try and leave the trusty pack of smokes at home.

Body Language Absolutes: What to say without saying a word in your next interview…

We know we’ve all experienced it; the shortness of breath in the elevator to the dreaded interview office, the double-takes we give ourselves in every store window and every mirror on the way there. The irrepressible feeling that there’s going to be  a terrible wardrobe malfunction the minute we open our mouths to speak. Generally, we feel we are ill-prepared to go in and negotiate an anti-War treaty on interview day.

Breathe now….it’s just an interview. Teach yourself to relax. Keep in mind, your non-verbal communication will be judged just as much – if not more – than your verbal communication. So don’t be afraid of what’s going to come out of your mouth. Focus on saying all the right things without using your voice.

Here’s how to make a positive impresson on your interviewer without saying a word:

1)  Establish eye-contact and shake hands: Look your interviewer in the eye, maintaining a level of professionalism and humility as you shake his/her hand. Caution – Don’t play stare-me-down. (Staring intensely may get you either a date or a restraining order, but not a job.)

2) Watch your Posture: Do sit up straight in your chair . Poor posture may indicate that a candidate is lazy and may potentially be a slob at work . Do maintain good posture and try to align your body with that of your interviewer’s  to show that you are comfortable and feel unthreatened. This will have your  interviewer positively ascertain from your body language that you are confident and that you feel you are amongst your own.

3) Maintain a neutral facial expression: I once interviewed a girl who I swear was frowning during the entire interview process and grimaced each time I asked her a question. Maybe she was technically sound, but her the way she had her eyebrows and mouth allocuted during the interview, certainly showed no sign whatsoever of an amicable spirit somewhere within her being. If you aren’t the smiley type, practice smiling a little in the mirror. I promise it doesn’t hurt. Remember, you do want to come across as a nice person who has sound knowledge of the job and is professional, and not someone who has no friends and a seriously demented facial formulation.

4) Apply a nice perfume or aftershave: It’s always pleasant to have a candidate in the room who not only looks nice, but smells nice too. Good smells strike all the right chords. (Please note: I did write ‘apply’ and not ‘marinate yourself in’.)

5) Don’t look at the door: It makes us feel you are planning your exit strategy. *Dislike*

6) Make positive, affirming gestures when your interviewer is talking: Make sure you never interrupt the interviewer. Nodding in unison, having an interested look on your face and smiling when hearing a statement you agree with, are good ways of building rapport with your interviewer without directly saying anything to them. 

Using these tips to your advantage may prove to be no less effective than a magic spell. Good luck with your interviews and your interviewers.

The many ways to make an impression, before your “first impression”

With the onset of social media, and commendable platforms such as LinkedIn breaking through to the professional side of the internet galaxy, employers are at more of an advantage to get to know you before they actually meet you. (Insider secret – I even have a couple of clients who insist on reference checking via social utilities, before a candidate is even an official, bonafide candidate!)  So, yes, what you write, and your net-presence in general, is taken greatly into account by serious employers when you apply for a job.

Here’s a basic guide for those of you who want to make a positive mark before the dreaded face-to-face.

Don’t:

1) Be a Tweet-o-holic: The creation of the certain platform tool which allows only 140 characters per tweet, may have equipped spelling-challenged job-seekers complete authority to run-wild with their creativity. However, although consistent, unrelenting tweets may be appealing to some employers, the majority of choice employers out in the vast hiring universe prefer those who know how to stop tweeting and breathe when necessary.

2) Be a Negative Nancy on public forums: Let’s face it – all companies want to hire people that are nice. People help people who make them comfortable. It’s safe to assume that even a friendly, amicable recruiter may not want to help you if you come across as a barbaric, self-centered, mean, can’t-spell-caveman on your status updates and general interactions with others on the net. Always keep in mind, as it is the recruiter who will be representing you, it’s that person’s reputation on the line too. Focus on building your connections with your network. Be it humorous, try and not make it personal, as we have all come to know by now, there’s nothing on the net that’s confidential.

3) Look like Oscar the Grouch in your display picture: You know that picture from Sophomore year in college when they dunked you in the keg at that crazy frat party? And that mugshot from the morning after? Please don’t have either of those as your profile picture on LinkedIn.  A passport pic or any other nice image of yourself would suffice.

Do:

1) Be helpful: What’s your passion? Are you a talented web-designer for instance? Why not set-up a free page on Facebook or a blog on any other social utility where you can extend free advice on HTML or CSS coding to other web designers out there? Who knows, maybe the person you are helping out is your future employer in disguise….

2) Network with the right people:  We’ve all heard this one before; It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Brush shoulders with all the right people. Of course, with awesome platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, you need not even be within the same vicinity as a potential business partner to “meet” them. Use these tools to your advantage.

The way to really go about this is to have a golden rule of thumb; to only add people to your network the way you wish to add people to your real life. People who are kind, considerate and generous, add value to your reputation and could gladly put a good word in for you in the professional arena.  Build long-standing professional relationships with those whom you know you would always vouch for. And in return to have that valuable individual vouch for you due to your diligence and professionalism… for those of us who have been there, we know that’s no less than a golden ticket.

3) Make sure your resume is up-to par:  Your resume is officially the mother of all first impressions. Even the most particular of recruiters will let an occasional slip-up on a resume go, however, if you have far too many typos and poor sentence structure, that indicates carelessness which would lead to sloppy work later on.  Although experts agree that spelling mistakes are on the rise and that it’s partially due to the abbreviations and texting in our world now, (like the famous lol and brb,) in all honesty, there is no excuse except laziness to have spelling mistakes on your resume. Do some research. Pull out a dictionary. Take your time and do it right. Take it from me; there is no glory greater than being called in for an interview, just because the employers were impressed with your resume or cover letter.