If you’ve been laid off recently or think you might lose your job in the near future, you need to respond strategically and massively. The hard reality about layoffs is that how you respond may depend on your financial and emotional state.

You may have predicted this event and prepared for it, or you may view the layoff as a blessing in disguise if it forces you to make a change you’ve wanted to make for some time. In these cases, it’s time to crank up your search efforts with focus and confidence.

If, on the other hand, you are totally blindsided by the layoff and/or unprepared for it, your first step is to take stock. What is your cash position? Do you feel strong, and can you see the situation as an opportunity to move into something better? Or are you at a loss about what to do next? What kind of support can you get to help you through? What do you have to do to ensure that you survive—financially and emotionally?

While feelings of panic and uncertainty are normal, remember that the most effective job searches are not scattershot approaches but rather targeted strategies that leverage your past experience.

In either situation, a strategic job search is in order. Based on my report, “How to Manage Your Career in Scary Times,” here are eight top-level tips to ensure your response to a layoff is focused and effective.

1. Breathe
Find your center. You are a professional and there is a place for you out there. You will get through this. And the best way to do so is to focus on what you offer and take massive action.

2. Get out the contact list
Make a record of the people you worked with and dealt with. Put that address information into your own system and contact people using your personal email address.

3. Inventory what you offer
Take time to develop a sound understanding of your abilities, skills, experience, and fit. This includes really analyzing your professional background to identify stories, evidence, and data about your job performance that you can use to better market yourself and prove your candidacy. What are you interested in doing next? What is the next logical step for you? Depending on your position and situation, you may be looking to move forward or you may need to focus on where you are most employable.

4. Define your targets
You are not equally valuable everywhere. Define A, B, and C target groups. A is the perfect home for your offering. B is acceptable. C will pay the bills. Use information like job title, organization type, organization size, industry, and market to make your targets as defined as possible.

5. Cultivate multiple channels
Work more than one channel to find those target opportunities. By all means, use online job postings and apply selectively to jobs. But realize this is only one channel. Develop a multichannel strategy and invest your time accordingly. Those channels might include recruitment agencies, professional associations, and, of course, your network.

6. Create channels for people to find you
Nothing is better than receiving a call about an opportunity. It puts you in the driver’s seat, at least for a bit. Ensure your network contacts know what you’re looking for so you are top of mind when they can make a referral. Use social networking sites as another way to accomplish this.

7. Follow the Pareto Principle
This is otherwise known as the 80/20 rule. Analyze your network for the people who are hubs of contacts and information. Who do you know who can hire or refer you? When you’re ready, get in touch with them. And remember, the actions you might resist are usually the most valuable, high-impact ones. In my experience, successful job searches are often the result of that one, correct call.

8. Get out and talk to people
The worst place to conduct a job search is in your pajamas at your family computer. Yes, there are a lot of important activities you can do from your computer, but schedule them outside of prime meeting time. You must get out there—every day.

The post Laid off? Eight effective ways to respond appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Moving for a new job can be a scary prospect. But a recent survey shows that workers who take the plunge and change zip codes for a better position don’t really regret the decision.

In fact, there is a bevy of benefits to relocating for work—and at least three reasons you should consider making a move. According to The People Perspective on Relocation, the survey conducted by IMPACT Group, 3,078 employees report these relocation rewards:

New experiences. A whopping 71 percent of survey respondents said that moving to take a new job allowed them to enjoy new experiences, whether at work or outside the office.

Better career prospects. By relocating for a prime position, 55 percent of employees say they feel their career is on a better track, both today, in their current job, and in the future.

Better community. If you don’t love your community in the office or in your neighborhood, chances are you’ll find better ones when you move: 40 percent of respondents say they did.

And yet, we hear you: even these obvious benefits don’t make picking up and leaving your current ‘hood any easier. But with these tips, you might just find the chutzpah to pack up for a better position—and consequently, perhaps even a better life outside of the office, too.

1. Embrace change, and grieve the loss of your former home.
Maybe you’ve never moved for a job. Maybe you’ve never moved, period. No matter what, change is tough, and leaving a home can be sad. But Cynthia Bucy, career and transition coach at IMPACT Group, says allowing yourself to grieve will make the move much easier.

As she sympathizes, “You’re stepping away from what is familiar—perhaps a city you loved and a house you built. There will be challenges.” But, Bucy adds, it is recognizing challenges that will help you overcome them. You can face these challenges full-force by being open and honest about your feelings related to the move—the good and the bad—Bucy insists.

2. Make new friends.
New experiences will make relocating for work worth it—and we all like to experience new things with people we care about. So, when you move, try to “find ways to get to know your neighbors on a personal level,” Bucy recommends, adding you can get to know new people at work or in your apartment complex by asking simple questions, such as what dry cleaner to use. Once the conversation is started, “you’ll develop a meaningful relationship if you are intentional about going deeper than surface-level” with additional questions, Bucy says.

What’s more, you might want to try to invite coworkers, neighbors, and new friends over to your home. Hosting a BYOB-style dinner can be a low-pressure way to get to know people.

3. Enjoy a new beginning.
Whenever you feel alone or sad, remember that relocating for a job represents a new start, something fresh to be celebrated, Bucy instructs. “Many of the individuals I coach treat the relocation as a new beginning,” Bucy says. “They take the opportunity to do things they’ve always wanted to do but never made time for,” such as trying new foods or making friends.

As Bucy points out, when you try to view the experience of moving for work as a bold new adventure, you’ll feel excited for what lies ahead and willing to push through any negatives.

The post 3 Reasons Why You Should Consider Relocating for Work appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Get a better understanding of what exactly an employer is looking for, and use those insights to put some extra shine on your job application.

If you’ve been searching Monster job postings for a golden career opportunity, you don’t have to look too far for a helping hand. Job descriptions themselves offer valuable guidance on which resume words to use to best position yourself as a strong, competitive candidate.

Job descriptions can vary from company to company—even if you’re searching for one particular job title—so you have to know how to interpret the information in front of you. Primary tip: Note the keywords used and be sure to use the same words in your application materials.

Why? Because many recruiters and HR professionals use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to pre-screen resumes for applicable words related to the job’s requirements. They do this to narrow down the number of applicants, which can grow to be in the thousands depending on the popularity of the open position. A recruiter doesn’t have time to look through all those resumes one at a time, so they rely on ATS to pull the most relevant for (human) review. By using the same words in your resume that you see prominently displayed in a job description, you’re increasing the odds that you’ll pass the screening test and move on to the next round.

Obviously, this entails that you customize your resume words to each position you plan on applying to. This is key. You can’t use one resume for each job because the keywords will differ from job to job according to what you uncover in each job description.

For more, we broke down the parts of the job description that are most likely to contain the best words to use on a resume so that it leads to a signed offer letter.
Resume Words: Where to Find Them in Job Descriptions

1. The Company Description
How this can inform which resume words you use: The description of the company helps you learn more about the company culture and how well it syncs with your personality.

A company describes itself as it wants to be seen, and from that, you can get clues as to what the company values, what you should research, and what kinds of questions you should ask in an interview.

For example, if a company describes itself as “a rapidly growing athletic brand for busy young professionals,” you can infer that the company sees itself as energetic, youthful, and poised for success. If that matches your personality, then describe yourself similarly in your cover letter.

On your resume, you could incorporate the phrases “rapidly growing” and/or “busy young professionals” to establish that alignment.

Then, once you score an interview, investigate the financial health of the sporting goods industry, design trends, the current generation’s buying habits, and competitors. In general, it’s smart to research the following

• the industry
• the particular position
• the company’s customer base
• challenges
• interests
• goals

Use what you learn to write up some interview questions that demonstrate you’ve done your homework. This research also helps you understand the business better from the perspective of the company.

2. The First Few Bullet Points
How this can inform which resume words you use: They usually map out the bulk of your duties.
Hiring managers frequently front-load job descriptions with the most crucial responsibilities of the job. As you get further down the list, the bullets more than likely represent a smaller percentage of the job duties and requirements.

To stand out to potential employers, make sure your resume elaborates on your skills that mirror the duties mentioned in the top bullet points; you can simply list your skills that align with the job description’s lower-level bullet points.

For example, if a job description’s top bullet requires “advanced knowledge of medical terminology” or “the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders and the public,” those exact phrases should appear in either your career summary or work history.

3. Required Experience/Skills
How this can inform which resume words you use: They tell you what to highlight on your resume and cover letter.

As with required duties, job descriptions will list the most valuable skills and experiences at the top of the list. Your resume and cover letter should follow suit. Why? Because most employers will try to hire the person who will need the least amount of training.
It’s smart to use your accomplishments to address each of the required skills and/or work experiences and to put this information on your resume first. For each major accomplishment, create bullet points that describe:

• the challenge presented to you
• the actions you took
• the results of your strategic efforts

For example, if the job description says you need “extensive experience in staffing,” you might use that exact phrase and mention that you researched and implemented the launch of a new applicant tracking system that helped accelerate hiring times by 25%.

Finding a new job is all about finding the right fit, for both you and an employer. While a job description can show you how you can present yourself as a good fit for the company by using targeted resume words, there are other ways of finding jobs that are tailored to your skills and experience.

The post The Best Resume Words Are Lurking in Job Descriptions appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

We show you how to answer one of the trickiest questions that might come up in your interview: Why did you leave your previous job?
It’s one of the most feared questions in an interview: Why did you leave your last job?
But it doesn’t have to be something to worry about. We’ll help you through that potential interview minefield and show you how you can not only answer the question but also use it to your advantage. The interviewer might be seeing if they can trip you up. You’re going to show them you can smash through any obstacle.

Why do interviewers ask why you left your last job?
An interviewer will want to know why you’re leaving (or have left) your previous role for a number of reasons.

Do you have a good reason for leaving your job?
If you left without good cause, or just because you were in a bad mood that day, your interviewer might doubt they can trust you and suspect you’ll do something similar to them.

Were you fired?
If so, your interviewer will want to know whether this was for bad performance, behavioral issues or something out of your control like a business restructure.

Did you burn any bridges?
If you still speak to your old manager or better yet have them as a reference, it shows you were good at your job and didn’t leave by flipping your desk and smashing your computer.

Do your values match theirs?
If you left for ambitious reasons like a greater challenge or more responsibilities, that shows your values are good and can benefit your new employers. If you left because you were bored or felt underappreciated, you might need to word it in a smart way to show you’re not difficult to work with.

How do you explain your reasons for leaving a job?
There are three main reasons for leaving a job, and some of them are easier to explain than others.

1. You’re leaving for career progression
This reason is perhaps the one interviewers are happiest to hear. If you’re leaving your job to further your career, you can explain how your previous role has helped you develop the skills you need to take that next step, and how excited you are to show what you’re capable of in this new position.
It also plays into one of the key rules of a job interview: you’re looking to move into something better, not leave something bad.

This positive outlook shows you’re ambitious without bad-mouthing any previous employer. It tells people that you’re confident and up for a challenge, ready to develop and learn new skills, and capable of moving up, instead of sideways.

2. You left your last job with nowhere to go
This reason is a little tougher to talk about, but it can still be done in a positive way. Many people will leave their jobs with nowhere else lined up, and there could be several contributing factors as to why. You might not have fit into your old employer’s way of working, your values might not have aligned, or you might have left for personal reasons such as your family moving away.

Whatever it is, you can explain in a way that shows you in a good light:
• You knew you were capable of doing more than your old job allowed.
• You knew you would find something better with the skills you possess.
• You hold your values dearly and were unwilling to let them go for the sake of your work.
All these answers show you to be confident and capable. Even if the real reason you left is that your boss was driving you insane, you can say that you were looking for a better cultural fit where your strengths could be put to better use.
Don’t interview angry. Interview smart.

3. You were fired
Maybe the most challenging reason to explain in an interview is that you were fired. It’s happened to the best of us, and it’s never easy to show a sudden career change like that on your CV.
However, you can approach it creatively.
Being fired isn’t always a bad thing. It can take you out of a situation that wasn’t right for you and give you an opportunity to find somewhere you can thrive. Make sure you mention everything you learned at your old job, talking about how the experience helped you and showed you what you really wanted in your career.
Keep your answer positive. You were fired because the business and you were moving in different ways, and now you’re moving in a better direction.

10 GOOD reasons for leaving a job
Whatever your reason for leaving, there’s a way to make it work in your favor. Try using one of our examples the next time you interview for a role. You’ll see how easy it is to turn a potentially negative situation into a positive outcome.

Example 1. This job was too good to ignore
“It’s not so much about why I’m leaving my current role; it’s more that this is a role I couldn’t ignore. I’ve loved my time at <current company> and learned so much about <examples of what you’ve learned>, but now I’m ready to put those skills to use in a new challenge. When I saw this role, I knew now was the time for me to step up and prove what I was capable of.”

Why it works:
You show that you’re ambitious. You’ve studied the job posting and know you have what it takes to make it your own. You’re not bad-mouthing your former employers, and you are subtly praising your potential new ones.

Example 2. I’ve achieved all I can and I’m ready for a new challenge
“In my current role, I’ve achieved all that has been asked of me. I’ve won the business new work, earned them more money, and hit all my KPIs. There’s nothing left for me to prove, and I’m ready to take on a new challenge. This role represents new opportunities for me to test myself, using the skills I’ve learned in my current job to step up to the plate and do even more.”

Why it works:
You show how much you’ve already done and how you’re ready to do even more. You might be bored at your current job, but you don’t say that. Instead, you say you’re ready to push on and achieve great goals.

Example 3. I believe I can offer more to you than them
“I’ve enjoyed my time in my current role, but I believe the job description for this role better aligns with my skills and values. I’m capable of doing more than my current role requires, and this job would give me the room to grow.”

Why it works:
You demonstrate that you’re ready for the next step. You understand how your values match and how well you could work with a potential employer.

Example 4. The company was struggling
“Unfortunately, my old company lost one of its biggest clients and had to make structural changes. I was one of the last people in through the door, so I was also one of the first out. My former manager was sad to see me go, as they believed I would have been of huge benefit to the business in different circumstances.”

Why it works:
Your job loss was for business reasons, not personal ones. You’re still in touch with your former employer, which shows you build good relationships.

Example 5. Management changes
“A change in management meant my role was no longer best suited to my strengths. They brought in new people to deliver the kind of work they wanted. Ultimately, this taught me where my true passions lie, and when I saw your job ad I knew I could better express them here.”

Why it works:
You don’t sound negative or defensive. You explain the situation in a straightforward way.

Example 6. Relocation
“The business announced it would be merging with another company, meaning its head office would move to a new location. My family lives here, and I knew that leaving them behind wouldn’t be good for my professional or personal life. I chose to pursue a job I could thrive in closer to home.”

Why it works:
You care about your family and put your mental health before corporate restructures. This shows you have strong values.

Example 7. Our values are better aligned
“Looking at your website and the work you produce, I can see that our values are very closely aligned. My current company sees things in a different way than me, and I would love the chance to work somewhere I can be truly proud of.”

Why it works:
Values matter. Companies are keener than ever to promote their beliefs and hire people who share them.

Example 8. Family reasons
“My partner was offered an exciting role in a new area, and I chose to move with them to support their career goals. Unfortunately, this meant I could no longer work for my old company, so I am looking to bring all my knowledge and experience to a role in the area I now call home.”

Why it works:
Family comes first. This shows you’re loyal and committed, two traits any good employer would be happy to bring on board.

Example 9. It’s the right job at the right time
“I believe this role has come about at the perfect time for me. I’ve loved every second at my current company, but having worked there for a number of years, I know I need to step up in order to advance my career. I don’t want to wait around for the chance to come – I want to chase what I know is best for me.”

Why it works:
You’re not happy to sit and hope for the best. You’re pursuing the right job, which shows ambition and determination.

Example 10. You want better pay (but be careful)
“I’m motivated by achieving the best results for my clients, something I had a great track record of doing at my previous role. I’m also motivated by career growth, and being compensated fairly for the work I do.”

Why it works:
We all want to be paid more money. This shows people that you are willing to work for it. However, make sure money isn’t the only thing you talk about. Hiring managers will want to see your passion for the job and a commitment to the cause. If money is your only motivation, it might look like you’d be willing to jump ship if a better offer came along.

How NOT to explain your reasons for leaving a job
There are a few reasons for leaving a job that an interviewer just doesn’t want to hear (no matter how true they might be). If any of these are why you left your job, it might be best not to mention them. Use a more positive reason such as career progression or a new challenge, and leave the manager hate behind.

Bad example #1: You hate your boss
Lots of us have worked for people we just don’t like, but that hatred will only hold you back at an interview. Instead, say you’re looking to work somewhere that better fits with your values. It’s the same thing, just done in a smarter way.

Bad example #2: You’re bored
If we were all being honest, boredom would be the reason behind many job switches. But saying it out loud is a lot worse than just thinking it. Instead, say you’re looking for an exciting new opportunity.

Bad example #3: You thought the company was rubbish
Worked somewhere terrible? Join the club. But it sounds a bit unprofessional to slam your old employers in an interview. You never know, the interviewer might have friends who work there, so don’t burn any bridges you might still need to cross.

The post How to explain your reasons for leaving a job (and still get hired) appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Job hunters are putting their vaccination status on LinkedIn and on their résumés. Should you?

As someone who’s been working in the recruiting and talent acquisition industry for two decades, Dustin Mazanowski knows how important it is for job candidates to use “keywords” on their profiles and résumés that quickly distinguish them from the pack.

“If it comes down to me and another person with the same qualifications and the same interview, what I wanted to do is have that extra qualification of being fully vaccinated,” the 44-year-old Chicagoan said, as his approximate four-month-old search continues for a senior role in the recruiting industry.
Jacki Hall, an experienced IT project and program manager, has the phrase “Available and Vaccinated for Travel” on her LinkedIn profile. She’s searching for a managerial role that includes international business travel.

“I hoped there were hiring companies requiring travel for an IT project manager, but who were discovering that candidates were nervous about traveling,” said Hall, 57, who spends her winters in Tampa, Fla., and her summers in Minnesota. “If there is a lack of candidates wanting to travel, letting recruiters know that I am ready to get out there might give me an advantage.”

Today’s job market is already starkly different from its pre-pandemic version. There’s a much greater likelihood of working from home, of course, but also the much greater chance of protocols concerning masks and social distancing when physically at the job.
Now, job seekers like Mazanowski and Hall say volunteering their COVID-19 vaccination status could give them a competitive edge.

“It’s better to be overqualified and state all the qualifications you have,” Mazanowski said. The “#vaccinated” mention is not a political statement, but a way he can signal to potential employers that he’s comfortable with in-person office work, he said.

Mazanowski added “#vaccinated” to his profile in July. Hall added it around mid-June, and her résumé’s personal statement also mentions vaccination. So far, neither has seen the disclosure making a noticeable change one way or another in their search.

Figuring out when to disclose vaccination status — or ask about it — is a top new question
It may make a difference going forward, said John Challenger, CEO of the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Instead of managing morale over vaccination rules, Challenger said, “employers want to focus on other things. If you are vaccinated and looking to be hired, for more employers that just portends fewer difficulties.”

Challenger said he’s seen “a small group of people” who are revealing their COVID-19 vaccination status on résumés and online profiles, and he thinks more will follow suit.

Josh Daniel, a career coach at Korn Ferry Advance, works with job seekers and employers — and on both sides, figuring out when to disclose vaccination status or ask about it is the top new question. Is it on LinkedIn? On a résumé? During the interview? “Those tend to be the big three,” he said, and he doesn’t see the dilemma going away.

Like his clients, Daniel’s still figuring out what’s the best advice. “There really is no precedent for this,” he said.

“We are exploring new ways for job seekers on LinkedIn to learn more about how companies are approaching the future of work including vaccination requirements, if they plan to go back to an office, stay remote or go hybrid,” said Suzi Owens, director of corporate communications in consumer products at LinkedIn.

More companies are requiring vaccinations for employees
Here’s where job-market dynamics get more intricate — and make it a serious matter to consider including vaccination status.

In early summer, when Mazanowski and Hall announced their vaccination status to potential employers, the number of companies with vaccine mandates was small, yet growing.

A survey of more than 950 large employers found that 21% had some type of vaccine requirement for all or some of their staff by the summer, up from 9% in the spring, according to Willis Towers Watson a human-resources consulting firm.

The same trend shows in help-wanted ads. By the end of August, the share of postings per million on Indeed.com requiring vaccination rose 242% from the same point in the previous month.
Though vaccination is specifically being required in less than 1% of all ads on the site, AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab, wrote that “with delta variant cases surging, employers are undoubtedly wondering how they can keep their business’s recovery on track.”

Here’s a blue-chip example: Delta Air Lines is making full vaccination a requirement for its new hires.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has grown impatient with the nearly 80 million people who remain unvaccinated. He said last week that the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is creating rules that will require private-sector employers with at least 100 workers to either require vaccination or regular testing.

Though some Republican governors are threatening to sue, Biden has signaled he’s ready for any court showdown (“Have at it,” he said when asked about the prospect of legal challenges to vaccine requirements from Republican governors), and some legal experts say the president has the law on his side.

Knowing a prospective employee’s vaccination status ‘could be a relief for employers’
The real possibility of new federal rules will give some companies the cover they’ve been seeking to proceed with vaccine mandates, Challenger said. In such a contentious moment, spotting a mention of someone’s COVID-19 vaccination status “could be a real relief for employers to say, ‘I don’t have to ask about this,’ ” he said.

Even though the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said there’s no legal breach if companies ask current staffers about their vaccination status, “an employer should refrain from asking prospective employees about their vaccination status until after they have received a job offer,” according to attorneys at Husch Blackwell, a firm representing employers.

Probing too soon might get them in hot water under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which bars employers from asking job candidates about potential medical matters before a job offer, the attorneys said.

Nevertheless, employers ought to make any vaccine standard loud and clear from the start and maybe even put a statement on the job application, the attorneys added.

How providing vaccination status on a résumé could be a gamble
Hall and Mazanowski say they haven’t encountered any nasty reactions to their job-search-related revelations. That doesn’t mean the strategy is risk-free, said Challenger. Generally speaking, résumés and job profiles should steer clear of controversies that could sink a job possibility from the start, he said.
In a smaller market, perhaps in an area with a lower vaccination rate, it might be a gamble to put mention COVID-19 vaccination on a résumé before having any other chance to make an impression, Challenger said. “You don’t know who an employer is, who might see it, who might take offense,” he said.
But in a larger market with a higher vaccination rate, Challenger said the mention could be a way to quickly stand apart.

Daniel’s not ready to say there’s a risky way or a wise way to talk about vaccination status in a job hunt. It’s a case-by-case situation, he said. But keep this in mind, he said: a LinkedIn announcement is out there for everyone to see. Waiting for a mention of vaccination status in a résumé could be a “deliberate decision because you see it as marketable,” he said.

Uncertainty over Biden’s vaccination mandate for employers
This all hits on a larger uncertainty with the coming federal vaccination requirements.
“There are so many open questions about how this plays out,” said Laura Boudreau, an assistant professor at Columbia Business School.

What she’s interested to know is how any federal vaccination-or-testing rules play out with businesses that have more than 100 workers but are small enough to stay out of the public eye — especially if those businesses happen to be located in places where vaccine hesitancy runs high.

For Hall, the upside to providing her vaccination mention outweighs any risk. “The pros are that it would make me stand out as someone who wants to travel for work and who is willing to take the necessary steps to make that happen,” she said. A risk would be pushback from people questioning the vaccine, but she hasn’t faced that.

As for Mazanowski, he’s willing to take his chances. “I felt that putting that I was fully vaccinated has more upside than not having it or the opposite.”

The post Job hunters are putting their vaccination status on LinkedIn and on their résumés. Should you? appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

So you have a job interview with a CEO. Welcome to the big leagues! At this point, you’ve probably already made a great impression on the hiring manager and other key decision-makers. Now all that’s left is to sell yourself to the company leader.

Wondering how to wow the top brass? Here’s how to prepare for an interview with a company’s CEO.

Do some detective work
Put on your private investigator’s cap—you’ll need it to dig into the CEO’s background. Your mission is to gather as much information about the head honcho as possible so that you have intel you can leverage during the interview.

Check out the CEO’s social media accounts to see what businesses the person has worked for during their career. Based on what they share, what topics are they especially passionate about, and what accomplishments do they seem most proud of?
Also, do a search on Google News to see if they’ve spoken to media recently or have been involved in any major projects that are generating buzz.

Show admiration for the company
Not only do you want to research the CEO, but you also want to make sure you’re very familiar with the company’s history and any current news. You probably already did this kind of homework when you were preparing for your initial interviews with HR and the hiring manager, but it can definitely benefit you to reiterate what you learned to the CEO.

Like many people, CEOs are susceptible to flattery. However, you don’t want to come off as a brown-noser. Your best approach, therefore, is to compliment the CEO by praising the company’s performance. Maybe the firm earned above-average revenue last quarter, or it recently launched a new product that’s been in development for years. Your interest in the company will go a long way.

Prove you fit the company culture
While it’s critical that you call out your big career wins, core skills, and the unique perspective that you bring to the table during your interview with the CEO, you also need your personality to come through.
It’s no secret employers hire based on cultural fit. Leaders often set their company’s culture based on their leadership style, so demonstrating to the CEO that you’re a good fit is a must.

“Providing examples that demonstrate how your attitude and mindset make you a good fit to work there can help you show you’re in alignment with the company’s culture and values,” says Vicki Salemi, Monster’s career expert.

Get ready to revisit your answers
You met with the HR team and hiring manager, but don’t expect that everything you told them will have made its way to the CEO’s ears. Be ready to answer these common interview questions again:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why do you want to work at this company?
• Why should we hire you?
• What do you want to accomplish in your career?

Questions to ask a CEO in an interview
Just as it’s expected that you’ll ask questions in your initial interview, you need to also have a handful of smart questions to ask the CEO.

• How would you describe your leadership style?
• What excites you the most about where this company is heading?
• What challenges within the company are you most occupied with currently?
• How do you set goals for this particular department?
• How and how often does senior management communicate with the rest of the company?

Say the right things
Acing a job interview with a CEO, hiring manager, or recruiter is all about choosing your words carefully.

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The pandemic has upended many businesses, with some companies furloughing employees. A furlough is a mandatory, temporary leave of absence from work. It often leaves employees in an uncomfortable middle ground: They have a job, but they can’t go to it. And while benefits such as health and life insurance typically remain, furloughs are often taken without pay and perks.

Terry McDougall, career coach and author of “Winning the Game of Work,” says that companies often furlough employees when they are no longer able to pay them “but would like to maintain the employee relationship so they can call them back when the economic challenge has passed.”

But there’s no guarantee that employees will be called back, McDougall points out. (In fact, she says she’s worked with clients who’ve waited several months to be called back into work only to find out they never will.) That’s why McDougal says that while loyalty to your current employer is important, “your first loyalty needs to be to yourself.” In other words, it’s totally OK and brilliant to look for another job — perhaps even one that pays more — while you’re on furlough.

However, if you decide to start a job search, McDougal recommends you don’t tell your current employer. It’s not about lying: “There’s no guarantee that the employee will find a job,” she says, “and it’s not really the business of your employer what you do on your own time.” What’s more, if your employer does have an opportunity to bring back some employees, “they may decide not to bring someone back if they believe that person may leave soon anyway,” McDougal explains.

Instead, McDougal says, it’s important to diversify your opportunities: “Maintain the possibility that you’ll be called back to your old job when the business improves while also exploring if there are other opportunities that you may be qualified for,” she says. “Don’t diminish the possibility that you will not be called back because your employer thinks you’re ‘already gone.’”

If you start your job search and your employer catches wind of your efforts, then you’ll need to be transparent at that point. McDougal says you should tell your employer that you’re exploring your options if you’re not called back after the furlough. “Employers should understand that if they are not paying employees that they cannot expect the employees to sit and just wait for the possibility that they are called back,” she says. “The employee can let the employer know that they would very much like to be called back, and that’s their first choice — but that they need to take their own well-being and ensure that they have the income to support themselves.”

For some, it might be scary to look for another job while you’re on furlough. But McDougal has some encouraging and motivating words: “You own your career, and you need to take full responsibility for it,” she says. “Companies will lay off employees with little-to-no notice when it suits the business. Employees should always be looking to trade their skills and experience to the employer who provides them with the best value in exchange for those skills.”

The post Furloughed Employees: Should You Tell Your Employer You Are Job Hunting? appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

While some interviews may feel more like interrogations, they shouldn’t.
Close your eyes and think of a tennis match: The ball is hit back and forth, rather effortlessly (well, unless you’re opposite Serena Williams). An interview should be like a casual game of tennis, where questions are lobbed back and forth. They ask a question, you respond. Then you ask a question, and they respond. Back and forth.

The key is to ask the right kind of questions. The type of questions you chose to ask your interviewer should stem from what you need to know in order to fully evaluate the position. This means the questions you chose to prioritize should be well thought out.

Here are 8 prompts to get you in the right frame of mind:

QUESTION #1: What do the day-to-day responsibilities of the role look like?

Writer Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Success and happiness in a job boils down to contentment with the nitty-gritty of the everyday.

QUESTION #2: What are the company’s values? What characteristics do you look for in employees in order to represent those values?

Dig deep to get more information on company culture. You’ll get insight into what is most important for the company as a whole, and what it values in the individuals who work there.

QUESTION #3: What’s your favorite part about working at the company?

It’s important to get a sense of your interviewer’s opinions about working there. If enthusiasm flows easily, that’s a great sign. If it doesn’t, that is worth noting too.

QUESTION #4: What does success look like in this position, and how do you measure it?

It’s crucial to have a deep understanding of how a company measures success. What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the role? How, and how often, are they measured?

QUESTION #5: Are there opportunities for professional development?  If so, what do those look like?

When asking this question, you’re looking to key into whether there are opportunities for growth and whether the company has a Learning & Development program. Stagnation is a big red flag, so be alert!

QUESTION #6: Who will I be working most closely with?

This question will help you get a better sense of the dynamics of who your collaborators will be. Jot down names, ask for titles. It’s important to evaluate how cross-functional the role is.

QUESTION #7: What do you see as the most challenging aspect of this job?

Knowing the good is just as important as knowing the not-so-good. You want to understand the scale of the problems you’ll be dealing with.

QUESTION #8: Is there anything about my background or resume that makes you question whether I am a good fit for this role?

This question displays that you’re highly invested in the job and committed to understanding your prospects as a candidate. Plus, it will also allow you an opportunity to respond to any potential concerns.

The post 8 Questions You Should Absolutely Ask An Interviewer appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

When you finally see that job interview request pop up in your inbox, it can be tempting to start thinking about all the ways you can please and impress the interviewer, especially right now in a competitive job market.

But, now is not the time to forget that interviews are your chance to interview the company, too. So many companies and industries have changed due to the pandemic. It’s your duty to ask insightful questions to ensure you make the best-informed decision for you. At the very least, it’s your responsibility to make sure you know what you’re walking into if you do accept the job.

Here are 5 new questions you should consider asking in a job interview, whether you land an interview during or post the pandemic.

1. What are the company’s biggest challenges right now and in what ways will this role help alleviate those challenges? 

Any company that has decided to open a new position during this pandemic has determined that the particular role is essential to the growth or continuation of the company. As a job candidate, it’s vital you understand the challenges the company may be experiencing as a result of the pandemic and how the company desires for your role to solve those challenges.

Asking this question allows you to go beyond the job description and gives you an idea of what you should expect if you were to land the position. It shows the interviewer that you’re a problem solver and that you’re not just thinking about yourself, but that you’re also thinking about how you can contribute to the company’s goals. Plus, as you move forward in the hiring process, their answer to this question will give you more ways to show the hiring manager that you can be impactful to the team right away.

2. In light of social distancing and remote work, what tools or practices have you all implemented to continue communication and collaboration, and to support employees?

While some companies embraced remote work and flexible hours years ago, many other companies have been forced to embrace remote work because of the pandemic and have experienced many changes because of it. Now more than ever, it’s important to know what type of company culture you’re walking into – or logging into from home before you accept the job. Especially if you are applying for a manager role, this question will help you get a good understanding of how the company is working together. This will help you be sure you’re joining a place that will allow you to connect and support your direct reports and senior leadership in a way that is productive and effective for everyone.

3. I noticed that you all are big on collaboration and failing fast [or other aspects of the company’s culture]and I could imagine that being adaptable and flexible are a few traits that are even more essential right now. What other qualities have become even more vital in a new hire since this pandemic?

One of the hardest things for recruiters and hiring managers to determine while interviewing virtually is if a job candidate will mesh well with the team. Role fit and culture fit are the top two things companies look for when hiring. Eliminating face-to-face communication makes it a bit harder to determine the latter. But luckily, it’s still your duty to do everything you can to show the interviewer that your values, work style, and personality align well with the company and team. Asking this question is a great way to show them that. It will also give you a chance to see if the team has qualities that will allow you to thrive on the team and at the company.

4. I’m interested in joining a company where I’ll be able to contribute and add value right away. Could you share more about the onboarding process, in light of COVID-19? What changes have been made to ensure that the new hire is still successful once they join the team?

Everyone knows that the first 90 days at any company are crucial to success. As a job candidate and potential new hire, you need to know how the company intends to onboard you while working remotely and practicing social distance. What new methods have they implemented to ensure you get started on the right path? How do they plan to connect you with other employees once you’re hired? What tools or pieces of training do they plan to give you access to once you join the team to make sure you’re well informed and well equipped? How long do they intend for you to work remotely before transitioning to the office?

Asking this question will help ensure you’re not lost at sea once you accept the job offer. It will also show the interviewer that you plan to be a valuable asset to the team right away.

5. I know things are quite uncertain right now but as we continue to navigate this time, what are the company’s top priorities and plans for the next few months? 

Transparency is key right now. If your future company can’t be honest with you as a job candidate about their plans or goals right now, then they most likely will not be honest with you once you’re an employee. Of course, none of us can predict how the next few months will pan out, but you can get clarity on the company’s rough draft. Job security is never guaranteed but, at the very least, you should know that you’re joining a company that has a strategy for proactively moving forward.

Asking some variation of these questions will give you a good understanding of the company you could be joining. These questions will also show the interviewer that you’re a problem solver, a big-picture thinker, and an adaptable team player, all things companies are looking for right now when hiring.

The post 5 COVID-19 Questions You Should Ask in A Job Interview appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Don’t worry if you have a gap on your resume—it’s all about how you explain your experience.

Resume gap. Even the phrase is scary, calling to mind yawning chasms void of all light and sound—and any hope for a new job. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Knowing how to explain gaps in your employment history isn’t as difficult as you may think. There are dozens of reasons why you might have gaps in your resume. Good news: If you know how to explain it well, it won’t hinder your job search.

Whether you just graduated into a down jobs market, got laid off or furloughed, took time off to raise kids or take care of a family member, started a job you hated and quit without another job lined up, traveled the world, or something else entirely, it is all about how you explain your experience that’s going get the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager.

Even if you feel awkward about your resume gaps, trust us—shedding light on the situation will be better than simply leaving it to an employer’s imagination. Here are three ways to explain gaps in your resume and come off as the great candidate that you are.

Be positive
You might have been hoping that the folks interviewing you would take a quick look at your resume and completely miss the fact that you didn’t work for two years—but, we’re sorry to report, that’s not going to happen. When figuring out how to explain gaps in your employment history, you can almost always find some value in it.

As you’re preparing for your job interview by practicing your answers to the most common job interview questions and researching the company, try to identify a few things you gained from your time away. Whether it’s a stretch of freelancing experience, a handful of new skills you picked up during your time off, or a realization of what you’re really passionate about, there’s often a way to frame resume gaps as a period of personal and professional growth rather than just downtime.

Focus on how your experience contributed to your professional development. Shift the focus away from a gap in work to what you learned and accomplished and the transferable skills that will make you a great hire for this job.

Be proactive
If you worked at all or volunteered during the gap, include it on your resume. Demonstrate how you stayed active and learned some new skills.

Did you pick up freelance work, take a part-time job, start your own business, or work on a passion project? Include it in your resume and cover letter. (If you freelanced and had multiple clients or projects, you can group it together under a catch-all like “freelance web developer.”)
Just like with the full-time jobs on your resume, don’t just list your responsibilities—show what you accomplished. If you went back to school, took one-off classes to learn new skills, or completed certification programs, add it to the education section on your resume along with the dates.

Be honest
This is a big one. Lying about your resume gap is a really, really bad idea. Don’t change the dates of employment so it looks like you’re still working at the company or shift them so it seems like you have a shorter gap. Employers can verify your career history, and you could get fired for lying on your resume. Honesty is always the best policy.

If someone asks why you left your job, be honest without talking badly about your previous employer or boss. If you were laid off, explain that the company had budget cuts or restructured and that you were let go. Keep it positive and say that you enjoyed your time at the company, learned skills and that you are proud of what you accomplished.

Transition by tying what you learned and accomplished into why you would be great for the job at hand. If you quit your job without having another lined up, explain what you learned and achieved, what you are looking for in your next job and role, and why that led you to apply to this job.

If you left to be a stay-at-home parent, take care of a family member, were sick, or even quit to travel the world, you can simply say that without diving into details.

There are so many reasons that someone’s career trajectory might have a gap of a few months or a few years—a good employer should be focused on the here and now. After all, the most important thing should be the value you’ll bring to the company.

The post This is how you explain gaps on your resume appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.