The big question in any interviewee’s mind is “What are managers looking for during a job interview?”
This is a very hard question to answer for every other interviewer because each of them have different expectations in a candidate.
Listed below are six qualities that generally make a good interview candidate:
1. Self Confidence – Candidates must be sure of what they are doing, and to show this one must answer questions articulately while stating facts as they are. This will involve saying no to something you do not know. A candidate with low self confidence will run into situations where he won’t take risks or make “the tough calls” just because he is afraid of being wrong.
- Common Sense– Many at times, candidates need to make decisions based on incomplete pieces of information and the only way to succeed in this task is by having a good level of intelligence and common sense. Every candidate does not need to be a genius (it won’t hurt either), but the candidate needs to at least display the ability to think and reach conclusions even when he doesn’t have all the data in his hands by extrapolating and “tying loose ends” in order to draw for himself a clearer and bigger picture.
- Communication Skills– This is a must for most jobs. Good communication is the ability to explain and communicate an idea to someone who is not in your immediate working context. This is even more imperative of a candidate who needs to explain non-trivial things like tests, and even potential risks related to the technical tasks they can perform to people that will need to make important decisions based on these explanations.
- Knowledge (basic or advanced) of his subject– If you want to be a good candidate make sure to understand what an interview is about (at least in theory!!!). Today there is no excuse for not having some idea about the principles surrounding interviews since everything (literally everything!) can be found on the Internet by doing a quick Google search.
- Some Knowledge of the Company they are Interviewing for– As an HR executive, it may sound strange but you always want to know the person in front of you is curious enough to learn (even a little) about the company they are interviewing for. In the mind of an interviewer anyone who comes to a company without knowing their basic business is not interested enough in order to get the job at hand.
- Truthfulness– This last one is maybe the most important one, an HR executive needs to trust the person in front of him/her. If during the interview he reaches a conclusion that you are making things up and lying just to please him then he won’t be able to trust you in the future.
HR will always be willing to compromise on some of the other attributes as long as they feel the person in front of them will be able to fill the gaps by investing his time and efforts, but if someone is not truthful then they won’t be able to trust him or his work.
Lastly, and to make sure you have the whole picture, there are always extra-points for technical knowledge in the field in question, and this may even be a requisite if they are looking for an expert in a specific field but most of the times this is one of the attributes with less weight in any interviews.
There are a few select phrases that no job seeker wants to hear in an interview. “Go ahead and see yourself out,” is one of them. “Did you know that your fly is down?” or “Please, stop crying,” are likely others. But—let’s face it—those aren’t exactly commonplace (at least, I certainly hope not).
However, there’s one dreaded set of words that’s sure to crop up in any job interview. Words so terrifying that they immediately cause your leg to twitch and a nauseous feeling to wiggle its way up from your stomach to your throat.
Tell me about a time when…
“Oh, crap,” you think to yourself. You were more than prepared to spin your weaknesses into strengths and talk about why you’re the best fit for the open position. Heck, you can even recite the company’s mission statement from memory—in three different languages.
But, this? This part you’re not adequately prepared for.
Let’s face it—having to think of specific examples from your professional history is already challenging. Add in the element of needing to transform them into captivating and relevant stories to engage and impress your interviewer? Well, suddenly you’re tempted to just stand up and walk out.
Not so fast! These inevitable behavioral interview questions are definitely nerve-wracking. But, they’re nothing you can’t handle.
The first step is to make sure that you already have a few key interview stories queued up and ready in your back pocket. Once you have a solid roster of examples ready to go, it’s time to polish up your delivery. Here are the five key elements you’ll want to incorporate: Put them to good use, and you’ll be sure to save yourself the embarrassment of rambling on without a point or purpose.
1. Answer First
Yes, being prompted to tell a story in an interview is enough to send you spiraling into panic mode. But, there’s one important thing you need to remember here: These prompts are called behavioral interview questions. Emphasis on the word questions. This means you need to provide an answer to something specific, and not just launch into a long-winded explanation about something that’s completely irrelevant.
The best way to ensure that you drill down to the meat and potatoes and give the interviewer exactly what he’s looking for is to start your story with a concise, one-sentence response, before elaborating on those nitty-gritty details. While you’re telling a story, you don’t need to weave in tension and suspense the way an award-winning author would. Your main concern should be answering the question.
For the sake of example, let’s assume that your interviewer asked you to talk about a time when you made a mistake.
What This Looks Like
“A professional mistake that still sticks in my memory is when I mixed up the date for a large meeting my department was hosting.”
2. Provide Context
Now that you’ve given a brief answer, it’s time to expand and provide some background information. After all, a one-sentence response won’t be enough to satisfy your interviewer. She’ll be left wondering exactly how you managed to goof up that date. What was the fallout from your blunder? What did you do to fix it?
So, it’s time to give the context of the situation. Don’t get so bogged down in minor details here. Your interviewer doesn’t need to know that it happened on a rainy Tuesday or that you were feeling particularly groggy from that huge burrito you ate for lunch. Instead, zone in on what’s important and actually helps to provide some clarity to the situation.
What This Looks Like
“My department was coordinating a training session that our entire company was set to attend in order to learn about a new process we were implementing. We had tentatively scheduled the large meeting for the middle of May. But, when we changed the date to a week earlier, I neglected to make that change in my own calendar. The meeting was a week sooner than I thought, forcing me to scramble to get things pulled together in time.”
3. Explain Your Role
You’ve laid the groundwork and explained the problem. However, remember that these questions were designed to find out how you handle certain situations. So, you need to make sure to emphasize the role you played.
Think about what specific duties you were responsible for, and then elaborate on those. One key thing to keep in mind when describing your role is that you shouldn’t make any attempt to make excuses or shift blame—particularly if you’ve been prompted to discuss something like a mistake, failure, or a conflict. So, don’t even bother explaining that you weren’t included on the email about the date change or that your co-worker forgot to loop you in. Instead, take ownership.
What This Looks Like
“I was responsible for creating the slide deck that would be presented at the meeting and walk our entire staff through the new changes. I had wanted to take my time with the presentation, making sure that I hit the right details and explained things in a simple and efficient way. But, when I managed to goof up the date, I had to speed through the presentation creation—meaning it wasn’t quite as polished as I would’ve liked.”
4. Share the Results
This is the part when you need to start to wrap things up. Every story has a resolution where you tie loose ends together—unless you’re writing a sequel, which I wouldn’t recommend in an interview situation.
You always want to highlight results in your interview. So, the best way to pull together the ending of your story is to explain the outcome of the example you chose. What happened in the end? How did this all play out for you?
What This Looks Like
“Although I had higher standards for the presentation than how it turned out, everyone was happy with it in the end. It taught my colleagues a lot. So, despite the all-nighters and moments of sheer panic that resulted from my date screw up, I was glad the presentation ended with everyone’s approval.”
5. Make the Lesson Clear
Think of any classic children’s story, and you’ll identify one thing they all have in common: a lesson. The tortoise taught us that slow and steady wins the race. The ugly duckling showed us to always be kind to others. To really make sure your story has a lasting impact, end by talking about what the experience taught you.
Even when you’re asked to share an example of something negative in your professional history, it’s important to remember that your goal is still to present yourself as a qualified and accomplished candidate. So, don’t just stop after you’ve explained your failure or mistake. Instead, go on to elaborate on how this experience inspired you to improve in those areas and made you an all-around better employee.
What This Looks Like
“While I definitely didn’t enjoy that frantic mad dash to reach the finish line, making this mistake illustrated the importance of keeping a close eye on my calendar. Now, I make a point each week to sit down and look through all of my scheduled commitments to make sure I’m not missing anything important.”
I get it—being prompted to tell a story in an interview is enough to make you want to hightail it right out of that meeting room. However, these questions are inevitable. You might as well accept that fact and work on delivering as polished and powerful of a tale as you can.
So, when you’re asked to provide a personal example, remember to structure your approach using these five crucial story elements. Incorporate those key pieces, and you’re sure to end up with an impressed interviewer—and maybe even the job!
Credit : themuse.com
It is so easy to get wrapped up in what we don’t have and haven’t accomplished that we don’t always realize what we do have. It’s easy to feel like we’re not doing as well as we should, but sometimes we have to pay attention and measure our progress more objectively.
Here are 12 signs you’re actually doing much better than you may think. Maybe it’s time you appreciate the strengths within you that you take for granted.
1. You Learn From Your Mistakes
If you can convert your struggles and challenges into valuable lessons, you’re definitely doing something right. Mistakes have the power to turn us into something better than we were before. If you acknowledge and learn from them, mistakes are among the greatest of teachers and an important part of most success stories.
2. You Seek New Opportunities
If you’re seeking new opportunities instead of sitting and passively waiting for the right chance to come to you, you’ve taken one of the most important steps toward success. Great things don’t happen on their own, but life gets better when you treat every new opportunity as a way to expand and explore the possibilities before you.
3. You Pursue Your Passions
If you are pursuing your passion and going after what you want, you are already better off than most people. Wildly successful people pursue their passions, while others refuse to let go of struggling with their problems.
4. You Believe in Yourself
It’s one of those things that’s easy to say but not so easy to actually do. We all harbor an inner saboteur who wants to keep us stuck—but it’s your choice whether to listen to that negative inner voice or shout it down with faith in your own capabilities and strength.
5. You’ve Mastered Your Mindsets
Our life is made up of our thoughts, and if you want to accomplish great things you have to learn to manage your mindset—the thoughts that become actions that become who you are. If you can manage a positive mindset, you can exert a positive control over your destiny.
6. You Keep Trying
It can be among the hardest of decisions: whether to give something up or try harder. But if you want something you’ve never had, you have to do things you’ve never done. When you stop trying is when you stop caring, but tenacity is the antidote to failure—whether it’s real or potential.
7. You Embrace Challenges
You don’t grow when things are easy, but when you embrace your challenges. The greater the challenges, the greater the potential for growth and opportunity.
8. You Face Your Fears
Most people see fear coming and run. But if you can face your fear, you become stronger than you were. Fear is nothing more than an obstacle to progress and achievement, but if you can treat is as you would any other obstacle, you’ll be far better off than someone who had never been afraid.
9. You Care for Your Health
It may be a cliché, but health really is one of the most important things you can possess. Your body is a priceless possession, and even if you’re young and vigorous, it’s important to take good care of it and appreciate it.
10. You Help People
Success has nothing to do with what you gain, but is all about what you do for others. If you are helping others and lifting others up, then you are more successful than most; the greatest success any of us can know is helping another grow and succeed.
11. You’re Free to Do What You Want
If you have freedom, you’re far better off than all those who worry about what others will say or think. They don’t have the luxury of doing what they’d like but are always second-guessing or defending their own choices.
12. You’re Not the Same Person You Were Last Year
If you are still learning, still growing, still developing, congratulations. You’re constantly adding value not only to yourself, but those around you.
Credit : inc.com
NB: Trending Jobs – For Week (26 – 2 July) – 400 Jobs Posted
Top Brands Recruiting
UN Jobs Update – IOM , IESC, IFC, UNDP, Top Jobs in Kenya at Safaricom, Zanaa Africa Group
1. Mobius Motors
(i) Senior Sales Officer
(ii) Marketing Associate
(iii) Service Administrative Officer
(iv) Vehicle Test Engineer
(v) Workshop Supervisor
(vi) Sales & Marketing Manager
(vii) Vehicle Build & Validation Engineer
(viii) Vehicle Integration Manager
(ix) Quality Director
(x) Technology Officer
(xi) Cost Engineer
2. NEMA
(i) Graphic Designer
(ii) ICT Jobs. NEMA
(iii) Quantity Surveyor
(iv) Information & Public Participation Officer
(v) Information Systems
(vi) Executive Secretary
3. BvAT
(i) Radio Production Assistant
(ii) Mobilization Officer
(iii) Project Manager
1. Kenya Orient
(i) Relationship Officer – Bancassurance
(ii) Claims Executive
(iii) Systems Administrator
(iv) Sales Team Leader
(v) Relationship Officer – Intermediaries
(vi) Underwriting Executive
2. African Virtual University
(i) Computer Science Program – Editors
(ii) Teacher Education Program – Editors
(iii) Instructional Multimedia / Web Interns
3. Nairobi Hospital
(i) Internal Auditor
(ii) Nairobi Hospital Housekeeper
(iii) Nairobi Hospital Senior Registrar
1. Cigna
(i) Customer Service Representative
2. ZanaAfrica
(i) Connectivity Specialist
(ii) Creative Director
(iii) Production Manager
3. Sacco
(i) Operation Associate
(ii) Stock Accountant
4. HJF
Program Manager III
5. AMSCO
(i) Corporate Relationship Manager
(ii) IT Security Officer
At Siginon Group, our determination to achieve our vision of being Africa’s world class logistics company is the driver of everything we do.
We are proactively designing systems and processes that ensure operations excellence and peace of mind for our customers.
Block by block, we are building a team of Qualified, Motivated, Competent and Energized individuals with a Winning culture to drive this vision.
It’s with this in mind that we announce the following vacancies based at Siginon Aviation, JKIA – Nairobi.
Key Account Manager, Airline Coordination
1 Position
Job Purpose: Reporting to the Exports Manager, the job holder will be responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating and managing activities of ramp operations through team leaders and front line employees for dedicated customers.
Responsibilities:
- Deliver superior service to customer airlines according to airline service level agreements (SLA’s).
- Effective coordination of turnaround activities with ramp handling agents.
- Reviews activities, cost operations and forecast data to ensure progression toward station/corporate goals and objectives.
- Daily operational tracking of performance, taking immediate action to correct any shortfalls.
- Administer organizational polices and provide accountable oversight of all the duties and responsibilities.
- Develops, reviews, updates and implements operational and financial performance and new business developments.
- Provide leadership through effective communications, coaching and positive recognition.
- Provide leadership for problem resolution to facilitate improved performance metrics.
- Hold the team accountable for timely and effectively handling of all employee related issues, focusing on improved performance and professional documentation.
- Ensure station compliance with all airport regulations including the posting of all Government required documents.
- Ensure clear and effective communication between the administrative office, safety/security departments.
- Ensure optimization of equipment, effective service delivery and cost reduction.
- Timely response to issues raised by customer airlines.
- Ensure all non-compliance reported are closed within the time frame provided, action which should include identifying the root causes and the area of failure.
- Ensure safety and security of cargo operations is in compliance with relevant legislative/industry requirements.
- Follow up on revenue collection through proper accounting for services rendered to enhance revenues.
Education, Professional Qualifications & Work Experience
- University degree or relevant industry qualifications.
- Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in aviation.
- Previous airline ramp coordination experience is required.
- Customer service and ground handling experience in the airline industry.
- Trainings in aviation i.e. Cargo regulations, safety and local emergencies procedures.
Skills & Competencies
- High Level of integrity.
- Highly analytical and innovative.
- Excellent Teamwork/Collaboration ability.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Excellent Planning and Organizing/Work Management Skills.
Senior Supervisors
2 Positions
Job Purpose: Reporting to the Key Account Manager, the job holder will be responsible for ensuring cost effective, safe, secure handling and storage of imports/exports/transit cargo in order to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards and customer airline requirements.
Responsibilities:
- Ensure safety and security of cargo operations is in compliance with relevant legislative/industry requirements.
- Ensure a healthy working environment in accordance with relevant industry and legislative requirements for personnel working in cargo operations.
- Ensure conformity with all regulatory requirements, organization standards and local procedures as well as requirements of customer airlines.
- Safe and secure handling and storage of cargo to comply with Service Level Agreements and customer expectations.
- Cost effective deployment of resources to maximize productivity.
- Accurate and timely communications in compliance with Service level agreements and customer expectations.
- Integrity and accuracy of manual and computerized systems data to ensure effective administration.
- Timely preparation of reports for management planning and control.
Education, Professional Qualifications & Work experience
- University degree or relevant industry qualifications.
- Minimum of 2 years work experience in a supervisory position.
- Experience in managing a ware house.
- Trainings in aviation i.e. Cargo regulations, safety and local emergencies procedures.
Skills & Competencies
- High Level of integrity.
- Self-motivated and result oriented.
- Proficiency in use of computer applications.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Operations Agents
7 Positions
Job Purpose: Reporting to the Senior Supervisor, the job holder will be responsible for ensuring efficient and effective customer focused cargo handling in compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards and customer airline requirements.
Responsibilities:
- Ensure safety and security of cargo operations is in compliance with relevant legislative/industry requirements.
- Ensure a healthy working environment in accordance with relevant industry and legislative requirements for personnel working in cargo operations.
- Ensure conformity with all regulatory requirements, organization standards and local procedures as well as requirements of customer airlines.
- Safe and secure handling and storage of cargo to comply with Service Level Agreements and customer expectations.
- Cost effective deployment of resources to maximize productivity.
- Accurate and timely communications in compliance with Service level agreements and customer expectations.
- Integrity and accuracy of manual and computerized systems data to ensure effective administration.
- Timely preparation of reports for management planning and control.
Education, Professional Qualifications & Work Experience
- KCSE Mean C –.
- College Diploma preferably in Air Cargo Services.
- Specialized trainings in cargo handling and aviation security awareness will be an added advantage.
Skills & Competencies
- High Level of integrity.
- Self-motivated and result oriented.
- Proficiency in use of computer applications.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Drivers
2 Positions
Job Purpose: Reporting to the Senior Supervisor, the job holder will be responsible for operating ground support equipment safely in compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards and customer airline requirements.
Responsibilities:
- Operate handling equipment to support the needs of the business.
- Ensure the serviceability of equipment prior to and after use to ensure safety.
- Maintain required levels of certification/licensing to ensure safe and effective use of equipment.
- Ensure safety and security of cargo operations is in compliance with relevant legislative/industry requirements.
- Ensure a healthy working environment in accordance with relevant industry and legislative requirements for personnel working in cargo operations.
- Ensure conformity with all regulatory requirements, organization standards and local procedures as well as requirements of customer airlines
Education, Professional Qualifications & Work experience
- KCSE Mean C –.
- Valid driving license categories BCDE.
- Appropriate experience/certification to operate GSE.
- Minimum 3 years accident – free driving.
- Valid certificate of good conduct.
Skills & Competencies
- Team player.
- High Level of integrity.
- Self-motivated and result oriented.
- Good communication and interpersonal skills.
- Pleasant personality/presentable appearance.
If you believe your experience, competencies and qualifications match the job and role specifications described; send your application and detailed CV (with details of at least 3 referees and MUST indicate your current salary on your application) to reach us on or before Friday 15th July 2016 by email to: [email protected]
Source: Lifehack
No matter how old you are, where you’re from or what you do for a living, we all share something in common—a desire to be successful. Each person’s definition of success is different, however, as some may define success as being a loving and faithful spouse or a caring and responsible parent, while most people would equate success with wealth, fame, and power.
We all want to achieve success so we could live a comfortable life—have financial freedom, drive a nice car, and live in a beautiful house. However, although success can be achieved, it does not come easy.
There are a lot of tips and strategies out there on how to be successful in life, but I am still a firm believer that there is no better way to succeed than to follow that footsteps of those who have already done so. Here are 13 success tips from some of the world’s most successful and renowned people:
1. Think big.
From Michelangelo Buonarroti, Great Renaissance Artist: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
2. Find what you love to do and do it.
From Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul: “You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job and not be paid for it.”
3. Learn how to balance life.
From Phil Knight, CEO of Nike Inc.: “There is an immutable conflict at work in life and in business, a constant battle between peace and chaos. Neither can be mastered, but both can be influenced. How you go about that is the key to success.”
4. Do not be afraid of failure.
From Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motors: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
5. Have an unwavering resolution to succeed.
From Colonel Sanders, Founder of KFC: “I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.”
6. Be a man of action.
From Leonardo da Vinci, Renaissance Genius :“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
7. Avoid conflicts.
From Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of America: “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
8. Don’t be afraid of introducing new ideas.
From Mark Twain, Famed Author: “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”
9. Believe in your capacity to succeed.
From Walter Disney, Founder of Walt Disney Company: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
10. Always maintain a positive mental attitude.
From Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of America: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
11. Don’t let discouragement stop you from pressing on.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of America: “Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed.”
12. Be willing to work hard.
From JC Penny, Founder of JC Penney Inc.: “Unless you are willing to drench yourself in your work beyond the capacity of the average man, you are just not cut out for positions at the top.”
13. Be brave enough to follow your intuition.
From Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple Inc.: “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
1. ShopIT
(i) Data Entry and Analysis
2. FilmAid
(i) Finance Manager
3. RMC
(i) Quality Controller
(ii) Safety, Health and Environment Manager
4. KIM
(i) Procurement Officer
(ii) EA Field Facilitators
5. KISAFI
(i) Operation Manager
You’ve got your eye on an amazing opportunity. You update your resume, perfect your cover letter, and line up your references. So far, you’re doing everything right. But before you submit your application documents, ask yourself this important question: What sets me apart?
You may have an extraordinary cover letter and resume with strong references. Great—but there will probably be other candidates with very comparable documents. So if you really want the gig, you have to be bold and prove your worth—before you’re asked to.
When I was a college student and member of the campus newspaper staff, I participated in interviewing a candidate for Director of Student Publications. While perusing her application materials, I noticed something unique: a newsletter she created announcing her hiring. It demonstrated her design and writing ability, and it made a bold statement about her desire for the job—which she got.
I still remembered that director about 10 years later, when I really wanted an open position with my alma mater, but assumed there would be other qualified individuals who wanted it, too. I asked myself what I could do—beyond writing a standout cover letter and resume—to showcase my abilities.
I ended up developing and submitting a program proposal that demonstrated my ability to plan an event grounded in theory and research, my strong writing skills, and my ability to think creatively. Less than three weeks later, I started in the new role. The proposal had served the exact purpose I wanted it to: It caught the hiring committee’s attention, confirmed my abilities, and showed a level of drive and enthusiasm that none of the other candidates demonstrated in quite the same way.
To be bold in your job search, you need to provide quality information to your potential employer beyond what a standard cover letter and resume convey. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. My approach for a position in higher education probably wouldn’t work at a corporate accounting firm. So, how do you make this work for you and your unique situation? It comes down to simply providing evidence that you are the ideal fit. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1. Submit a “Pain Letter”
Follow the advice of Liz Ryan, and substitute a pain letter for your cover letter. A pain letter identifies a challenge the company is facing and explains how you, if hired, would solve that problem. This demonstrates an uncommon depth of company knowledge and your unique ability to solve problems—which can seriously boost your appeal as a candidate.
2. Connect With an Insider
Don’t rely on a recruiter to understand your value solely based on what you put on paper as your cover letter and resume. Find someone influential on the inside of the company and send your information directly to that person—or, depending on the relationship you form, ask that person to vouch for you. It’s a gutsy move (especially if you have no prior connection to that person), but a personal reference almost always results in a higher success rate than relying solely on your cover letter and resume to get you the job.
There are a variety of ways to connect with that influencer: Try connecting on LinkedIn, joining a professional organization he or she is a member of, or use your personal network to garner an introduction. Then, continue forging that connection by conveying your passion and the value you can bring to the role.
You could send an email or LinkedIn message, for example, that says:
Hi, John,
I was researching your company because I am applying for the open marketing position there, and I came across your profile on LinkedIn. I saw that you recently published a post about the BuzzFeed approach to viral content. I’m sending a link to a website I helped develop as a marketing intern for my university’s Division of Student Life, which used a BuzzFeed approach.
As you can see from the data I’ve included, it increased traffic to online campus resources by 25%, supporting your theory. I thought this site might be an interesting resource for you. I would be happy to provide you with more details if you are interested, and I would greatly value your support in my pursuit of the marketing position.
With this, you’re making a meaningful connection, without just asking for a favor.
3. Showcase Your Skills
A cover letter and resume can only go so far to describe what you can do; a portfolio provides concrete evidence of those abilities. Have you done a lot of writing in your previous roles? Don’t just tell an employer that you have strong writing skills on your resume; include samples of your writing in your portfolio.
You can bring this portfolio with you to the interview, but that assumes you actually get an interview. Instead, do yourself a favor and build an online portfolio that employers can access immediately when they receive your application materials. Your portfolio then becomes a tool that helps you land the interview, instead of something you showcase at the interview.
Plus, an online portfolio also allows you to include media that a traditional portfolio doesn’t. Do you have experience developing proposals and securing funding for projects? Include a proposal, timeline, and photos or a time-lapse video of the project in your portfolio.
4. Demonstrate Your Value
In addition to an online portfolio, consider submitting additional documents that can demonstrate your value to the company. Think about what the company needs, and develop something unique around that. For example, you could develop a proposal for a new program, an out-of-the-box marketing tactic, or a grant opportunity. The opportunities are endless—you simply have to use your knowledge of the company and your creativity to develop something relevant and realistic.
This approach will demonstrate your depth of knowledge of what the company needs and your ability to realistically meet those needs. It also proves your effort and enthusiasm—qualities that any sane employer wants in every employee.
5. Ask Bold Questions
When you snag an interview, you’ll certainly need to prepare for the questions that interviewer will ask you—but don’t forget that the interview is a two-way street. You should prepare a few questions of your own to help you decide if this is the right position for you and show just how interested you are in pursuing the opportunity.
This doesn’t mean you should be overly aggressive—but being willing to ask straightforward questions will show you know what you want. Lily Zhang suggests three strong wrap-up questions here.
I recently interviewed for a new opportunity on campus. I came to the interview with two proposals—one for a new counseling practicum position and one for a new student group—both closely aligned with the goals of the office. I hadn’t been asked to develop either item as part of the application process, but I saw an opportunity to showcase my potential impact in the role.
I closed the interview by asking one of Zhang’s bold wrap-up questions (among several other pointed questions), and in general, I did everything in my power to make it easy for everyone involved in the hiring decision to see what I envisioned for this new role and to understand that I had the experience to pull it off. And guess what? I started my new job April 13.
In your job search, you can submit the same old cover letter and resume like every other job seeker, or you can look for a way to stand out from the competition for all the right reasons. Will you make the investment in yourself?
Credit : themuse.com
My sister-in-law, a lovely woman and former elementary school teacher, once confided in me that all teachers have favorites. The key is not showing it. Judging from the afternoon I spent with her and her class of six-year-olds several years ago, she did an excellent job of hiding her favoritism. I had no idea Curtis was her pride and joy!
Unfortunately, not everyone’s so stealthy. Workplace favoritism is real. And it is rough. How can you do your job when your boss is buddy-buddy with your cube-mate and barely friendly to you?
I’ve had more than one manager play favorites, and I’d say neglect is right up there with rejection in terms of feeling low and worthless. Finding yourself in a position where you’re not favored (though, being the “star” employee isn’t without its problems either)—especially if it limits your success at a company or in a position—is bad news for your career.
If your supervisor isn’t professional enough to put her preferences aside, assuming you and your colleagues are equally competent and diligent, you’ve got to know how to manage the situation. For help in navigating this tricky workplace scenario, I reached out to several Muse Career Coaches, and their advice is spot-on.
1. Behave Normally
Act as if your boss is not playing favorites. The worst thing to do is react in such a way that puts you on your boss’ bad side. Assumptions can be deadly! While you may believe you’re not the favorite [team member], that doesn’t necessarily make you the least favorite either. Avoid becoming your boss’ least favorite by reacting negatively to your manager’s behavior.
Avery Blank
2. Improve Yourself
The best you can do with any boss is clarify what he or she expects, do your best to deliver, and get feedback regularly. Focus on doing good work and improving yourself. Bad boss behaviors are usually noticed by others; trust that good companies have management systems in place to catch and correct these situations.
Bruce Eckfeldt
3. Self-Promote
Understand the unique role you play on the team, and go the extra mile to act professional, thorough, and prompt in all deliveries. Advocate for yourself by requesting meetings, proposing new ideas for the team, and demonstrating respect and appreciation for your boss. Don’t allow yourself to get distracted by feelings of neglect, which will only hold you back.
Ashley Crouch
4. Take Control
Make your ambitions known to your boss using clear, straightforward communication, ‘My intention is to receive a promotion this year. The project Sarah has been assigned to is the type of work I’d like to be doing. What can I do to set myself up to be selected for similar assignments in the near future?’
Melody Wilding
5. Emulate Your Boss
When I was put on a performance improvement plan and felt like my every action was being monitored and judged, I emulated my boss’ work style as best as possible and acted pre-emptively. For example, I worked in sales, and before my boss could ask me how many meetings I had booked for the week, I had already sent her an email letting her know what my week looked like.
Rajiv Nathan
6. Toss Aside Emotion
When a boss plays favorites, it usually strikes an emotional chord in us. Emotions cloud our vision—especially in the workplace. Take your emotional blinders off, and strategically evaluate the favorite to see if there’s anything he or she is doing exceptionally well that you too can implement. No one said a boss can’t have more than one favorite.
Melody Godfred
7. Build the Relationship
Continue to do excellent, high-quality work and build a relationship with your boss. Work on building a rapport and be confident in your abilities without needing someone else’s constant approval.
Anna Runyan
8. Find a Mentor
Mentors can help you explore other avenues within the organization and find the best fit for your skill set. And, if your mentor can relate, he or she can hopefully guide you toward honing in on your skills, and coaching you on how to best get noticed by your boss and other leaders within the organization.
Allison Tatios
9. Take the High Road
Badmouthing the boss or your co-workers won’t help and could make matters worse. Any signs of anger or bitterness will reflect badly on you. If there are projects or assignments that interest you, take the time to speak to your supervisor about why you should take them on, instead of stewing in the less-than-ideal situation.
Heidi Ravis
10. Maintain a Neutral Attitude
Be consistent about performing at your best with a neutral attitude (you don’t want to be desperate or a brown-noser). Find a point of connection (e.g., shared personal interests, things in common), and try to cultivate it to generate more favorable attention, help you stand out, and, ultimately, improve the situation.
Kristina Leonardi
11. Do Your Research
Before you discuss the situation with your boss or HR, think carefully about what’s going on, and consider getting candid feedback from your peers. Why are you being overlooked? What are the other employees doing differently? Don’t lose your cool and speak badly about your perceived “favorites;” rather, listen with an open mind so that the conversations leave you with actionable outcomes.
Ryan Kahn
12. Ask for a Favor
Ask for a small, easy-to-deliver favor. The Benjamin Franklin Effect that says if someone does a favor for you, he or she will feel more favorably toward you as a result. Our brains like to justify our behaviors, so when your supervisor does a favor for you, her subconscious will convince her that she did the favor for you because she likes you. Kindness toward others makes people feel good about themselves as well, so your favor will be a double whammy: She’ll feel better about herself, and about you.
Credit : themuse.com
You can debate whether cover letters are dead as much as you’d like, but that won’t change the fact that some hiring managers will continue to read them, and to those people, what you write still matters. Knowing that, it’s worth taking some time to think about what message you want to send.
And no, the message shouldn’t simply be “Hire me.” Everyone’s application can be summed up with those two words. The best examples always have a “because” attached that explains why you deserve to be hired.
In other words, if you were to distill your whole letter into one line it would be: “Hire me, because I have a ton of relevant experience,” or “Hire me, because you’re a two-person company and I know how to wear a ton of hats as things evolve,” or the ever-popular, “Hire me, because I’m incredibly excited about this position.”
As you may’ve noticed, that last line isn’t quite as strong as the first two—at least not off the bat. While it shares why you’re interested, it doesn’t mention what you’d bring to the role. It only covers your passion for the position. Sure, you’re excited about the position, in love with the company, and obsessed with the industry. But while your goal may be to distinguish yourself as someone who’d go the extra mile because you genuinely care, you end up blending into a crowd of notes that read more like fan mail.
Don’t get me wrong: Enthusiasm can be a strong selling point. But you have to package it correctly so that it speaks to how you’d be a capable hire. Here’s how to reframe three of the most common (and worst) lines:
Old Line: “I Have Dreamed About Working at [Organization] for Years”
New Line: “I Noticed the Company Has Recently Shifted Toward [X]”
Saying you’ve always wanted to work somewhere doesn’t actually mean anything. First, anyone can make that claim. Second, you might have always dreamed of being an amazing cook, but if you never spend any time in the kitchen, you’re not qualified to prepare a banquet meal.
Now, if you’ve actually followed an organization since its website was in beta, that’s a definite advantage. Clearly, you get the target audience, and you have a strong sense of the company’s evolution. These two facts would make you a more valuable hire then someone who just stumbled upon the business.
So, focus on the tangible way that your history with the company would allow you to quickly fit in and get to work. By mentioning that the organization seems to have shifted its messaging, or packaging, or something that only someone who worked there or truly loved the product would know, you’ll make it clear that you could contribute an informed opinion from day one.
Old Line: “I Want This Job More Than You Can Believe”
New Line: “I Was Excited to See One of the Main Responsibilities Is [X]”
A lot of people worry about their cover letters sounding stiff and robotic. So, they err on the other extreme, making it sound like they’re sitting across the table from the hiring manager, telling him or her just how much they really want the role. Not only could this line show up in anyone’s cover letter (i.e., it’s not distinguishing you at all), but you never want someone to be able to switch out the word “job” for “relationship” and have your note read like a speech from The Bachelor.
Instead of professing your love for a role, look for a specific aspect of the position’s description that you’re perfectly suited for. One way to do this is to ask yourself follow-up questions: Why do you want this job so much? What element of it are you most excited about? Why will you be better at that task than other people applying to the same role?
Use the answers to drill down to why you’re excited and what you’d bring and your letter will be much more memorable than one that simply shares overall enthusiasm.
Credit : themuse.com
