Monday, May 4, 2020

Will Your Answer To This Interview Question Help You Get The Job?

With tens of millions of new people filing for unemployment, in addition to the existing unemployed and marginally employed, you need to stand out from your competition to get the job.


As a former hiring manager in IT, I look for people who do more and go beyond just the minimum. During this unprecedented time in our lives, one of the questions I would definitely ask in order to distinguish between candidates is “what have you been doing since mid-March?”

Of course everyone’s circumstances are different so there is not one answer, for instance some people have taken on the role of teacher at home. What a hiring manager will be looking for in your answer is what you have done in the weeks or months to maintain and grow your skills.

To be competitive, you need to have a good answer to this question. Even if all you have done to date is binge watch shows, gain the Covid-19 pounds by overeating, and sleeping in, it is not too late to develop a truthful answer that will help you stand out. Here are several no-cost ideas.

1)      Sign up for and “attend” free webinars on key topics in your industry or for your profession. To find these events, search the internet for the name of your industry or job title and the word “association”. Many groups which normally meet in person are now holding webinars.

2)      Search the internet for “free training” on the topic you want or need to learn.
If the training requires you to have certain software, also search “free trial copy” and the name of the software. Many companies will give you a trial copy of the software for 30 days. (Hint: do not download the software until you are ready to use it because the countdown begins when you download it, not when you first use it).
Then to structure that training, go to sites where they charge for training on that topic and copy their syllabus into a list so you know what topics to learn and in what order.

3)      Read the articles posted in the LinkedIn groups for your industry. To find these groups, click in the search bar of LinkedIn and select the Groups option that appears below the search bar.

Then in the search bar type in the name of your industry. Once you find groups of interest, request to join. It may take a while for your request to get approved because it is normally volunteers who monitor and process requests.

Once you are approved, click on the Work icon (the one that looks like a Rubik’s cube), select Groups, then select the group and read the articles.

This is the time to get ready for the job search and that includes preparing for your answers to interview questions.  I refer to myself as the “queen of analogies” and my Covid-19 analogy is this: if you want the toilet paper, you need to be in the front of the line before they run out (i.e. before the few good jobs get filled).



Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz
The Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

16-Point Job Search Check


16-Point Job Search Check

As you can imagine with the current situation, the job market has become even more competitive. The good news is that companies are still hiring but you cannot succeed haphazardly or halfheartedly. You need to be sure you are doing everything you possibly can to stand out from your competition to shorten the duration to that next job.

RightChanges is offering a one-hour, one-on-on (using technology), 16-point check to be sure you are positioned for success. This will not be a sales pitch. You will receive focused and actionable feedback about what you are doing well, areas to improve, and how to search, even while self-isolating, to stand out from your competition.

RightChanges was launched a decade ago with the mission to offer the most affordable and successful services for those in a job search. We have made this 16-point hour available for only $25.

Go to our on-line store at rightchanges.square.site and select the 16-point special.

Be sure you are doing everything to stand out from the competition, now more than ever.


Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz

You Just Added Another Accomplishment / STAR


You Just Added Another Accomplishment / STAR

If you have been in a job search for any length of time, you are familiar with accomplishments or STARs. These accomplishments in STAR format are not of the nature of curing cancer, solving world peace, or fixing the economy. These accomplishments are actual instances of things you have done that support the truth of your skills, abilities, and previous successes. Some of your accomplishments will be used on your resume, all will be fresh in your mind for the interview, and they are great to remind you how accomplished you are.

Without even knowing you, I already know that you have a new accomplishment to add. I will start you in the process of recording it by sharing the Situation or Task (the S / T part of the STAR), the A (Actions you took) and the R (Results) and you will fill in the details. This STAR is a great example of how you can adapt to situations.

S/T: There was a global pandemic. In order to minimize the impacts to myself, family members, and the community as a whole, non-essential workers in our community were asked to Shelter at Home and schools were closed.

A: I (and now add details of what you did to adapt to this major life change)

R: I did my part in minimizing the spread to others in my community and (add details of other benefits)

Be sure to document other accomplishments as they occur. As I am known for saying “memory does not get better with age and it starts at a very young age”.

P.S. If you are not familiar with STARs (or PARs or CARs) or only have a handful ready, you will want to take advance of the 16-point Job Search Check offered by RightChanges. We will share with you a STAR Kit that will help you capture over 75 STARs.

Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz