6 BEHAVIOURAL INTERVIEW TIPS

 

      An in-person interview can be a critical step in the hiring process and can help a recruiter or hiring manager determine whether a Job Candidate fits the organizational safety culture and core safety values of your company. Studies have shown that behavioral interviewing can be an effective interviewing technique and can help the interviewer understand more about how a candidate might act when faced with a workplace concern or safety issue.

      The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that a person’s past behavior can more accurately predict future performance in similar situations. By asking a job candidate how they performed in specific real-life settings, you’ll gain a better idea of how that person may behave if they work at your company. By considering a candidate’s propensity to adopt safe workplace practices, business owners can gain insight into how they will embrace the company’s safety culture.

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If You’re Not Looking for a Job During the Holidays….You’re not going to Find One

There is a myth out there that says that companies don’t hire during the holidays. But it’s just that…a myth. Just ask the jobseeker who was offered a job on Black Friday. Or the one who was invited in for a second interview two days before Christmas.

Putting your job search on hold between Thanksgiving and New Year’s isn’t just a bad idea — it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” If you’re not looking for a job during the holidays, you’re not going to find one.

Employers hire all 12 months of the year. In fact, many new positions are funded to start with a new budget year — which often coincides with a new calendar year. Other hiring managers have hiring budgets that must be spent before the end of the year — “use it or lose it.” Both of these scenarios offer opportunities for jobseekers in December.

The holidays also offer some natural opportunities to network and spread the word about your job search: there are company parties, social gatherings, end-of-the-year professional association events, and even Christmas cards and letters. Many of these strategies are available whether you’re unemployed or if you have a job but are looking to improve your job situation.

Working on your job search during the holidays may also mean less competition from other candidates who put their job search on hold. Many people wait until January — making it a New Year’s Resolution — to look for a new job. If you wait until January 2 to start — or resume — your job search, you’ll have more competition.

It may even be easier to connect with a hiring manager during December as many key personnel are in the office while lower level staff takes paid holiday time off during the month.

Even if you aren’t offered a job in December, you can lay a lot of the groundwork by making connections before the end of the year, making it more likely that you’ll be hired quickly in the new year.

11 Ideas for Job Searching During the Holidays

Here are some specific strategies you can use in your holiday job search:

Accept all invitations you receive for holiday parties and get-togethers.

Whether it’s a social or charity event, dinner party, spouse’s Christmas party, or professional association event, use these opportunities to reacquaint yourself with people who might be useful in your job search, and make new connections. Be sure to follow-up.

Re-connect with old friends and colleagues.

Your network can be a great source of information, job leads, and referrals. Get back in touch with previous co-workers and supervisors, people from high school and college, former neighbors, etc.

Host your own holiday party.

It doesn’t have to be anything formal or elaborate. Hosting your own holiday open house, dinner party, or get-together can help jumpstart your job search (but that shouldn’t be the focus of your party, of course!). However, extending an invitation is a great excuse to reach out and talk with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while!

Ask for specific information or help.

For example, ask if the person knows anyone who works at “x” company instead of asking if they know of anyone hiring. During the holidays, your contacts might have more time to be of assistance, and they might be in a mood to be generous at this time of the year!

Volunteer.

There are many opportunities during the holidays to give your time to charities and organizations. Some of these opportunities might also help you build your network, make new connections, and bolster your résumé.

Use holiday cards to connect.

If Christmas cards, holiday letters, and e-greetings are part of your end-of-the-year tradition, mentioning your job search (if you’re currently unemployed, or your position is ending) can be a useful strategy. Let people know you’re looking!

Create a business networking card. Develop a business card that lists your contact information and social media links — especially to your LinkedIn profile. You can use this in lieu of your normal business card — or instead of it, if you’re unemployed.

Update your social media presence. If you don’t yet have a LinkedIn profile, now is the time to create yours. If you have one, give it a fresh look. Is it time to update it? Can you increase your number of Connections — or solicit additional Recommendations?

Read the rest of this article including Challenges To Overcome With a Holiday Job Search

It’s that Time of Year Again: the Holiday Job Search is On!

By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. for LiveCareer

As cooler weather arrives and stores fill aisles with holiday items, it’s easy to get distracted — even discouraged — about the holidays and your job-search. Many job-seekers believe if they are in the middle of a job-search and Thanksgiving is on the horizon, that they might as well give up finding a job until the new year.

Thinking that job-hunting, networking, and hiring stop because of the holidays is perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions of job-seekers — and that could be good news for you since you’re reading this article. The simple truth is that while the holidays do cause business to slow, employers are still interviewing and still hiring — and deep into planning for the following year. Plus, because many job-seekers suspend their job-hunting activities during the holidays, there is simply less competition for open positions.

Use the how-to advice in this article to revisit, revamp, and reinvigorate your job-search during the holidays — and by doing so lay the groundwork for giving yourself the best present of all… a new job.

How to Job-Hunting During the Holidays

The first step involves a change in your mindset — both about job-hunting and about the holidays. You’ll need to believe — really believe — that you can have job-search success during the holidays. You’ll also need to fight — and completely shake off — the holiday blues. A positive attitude and energy will not only provide you with more confidence, but will also radiate to employers — and give you an edge. Furthermore, make an action plan for the twenty or so business days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s — with a goal of accomplishing at least one job-search activity each day.

The second step is about reviewing your job-search materials and strategies. If you have been job-hunting and not receiving any (or few) interviews, it is time to revisit your resume. (Consider free and paid services for critiquing your resume, as well as our job-seeker resume tools and resources). If you are obtaining interviews, but not receiving any offers, it is time to review your interviewing strategies. (Consider asking for feedback, conducting a mock interview, and using our job interviewing resources).

The third step focuses on taking advantage of the holidays for pushing your networking activities into a higher gear. Besides your usual networking activities (which should be the main focus of your job-hunting strategy), consider sending holiday greeting cards to former co-workers, bosses, clients, vendors, and the like that include a networking or resume-highlights card; attend business, professional, and social holiday gatherings prepared with your short elevator speech and a plan to uncover any job leads and add more people to your network (but remember not to dwell on any job woes); conduct informational interviews with people — even the busiest folks (hiring managers and recruiters) are less likely to be traveling or stuck in meetings (plus most people will also be happier with the holiday spirit). Remember to follow up with all these folks after the holidays too.

The fourth step involves monitoring key employer career centers and niche and professional job boards. Even in December, new job opportunities will be posted by employers, so spend some of your time monitoring and applying for these positions. These activities should in no way consume more than a quarter of your holiday job-search activities, as the other tools of job-hunting are much more likely to lead to job leads, job interviews, and job offers. Answering an urgent call from an employer, though, could lead to a quicker than usual hiring decision.

An optional step, if you have the time and energy, is to volunteer. Charities and other organizations are often stressed to the limits trying to help people cope with the holidays. Besides the emotional and spiritual lift you’ll receive from giving back, volunteering is an excellent way to meet new people to add to your network.

Final Thoughts on Conducting a Job-Search During the Holidays

If you put your mind to it, you may be able to accomplish more for your job-search during the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than any other time. Bosses and higher-ups are less likely to be traveling and more accessible and year-end budgets and new-year budgets are being finalized opening up opportunities. Furthermore …[Read the Rest of this Article]

PR NEWSWIRE: FACET Expands Talent Division To Entertainment

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HOUSTON, Oct. 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — FACET, known since 1981 as an HR-based Consulting Firm providing Career Consulting, Executive Coaching and Retained Search, has found a new pool of talent in need of its services – Entertainment. The official launch is slated for January 2017 with focus on Music, Media and Sports. FACET’s home base is Houston, Texas, but the company’s Entertainment Division will reside in the Entertainment capital of the world – Las Vegas. Marc Brattin, veteran rock musician and entrepreneur, will spearhead the division.

Marc has provided FACET with marketing, advertising and media development for the past 12 years. Drawing from his entertainment and music business experience, the new division is expanding the company’s business model of over 30 years to incorporate a collaborative team of high-level executives, artists, media and public relations experts and industry insiders to provide a one-of-a-kind experience. Most importantly, the Division provides Artist development programs with customized regimens for artists and managers to develop the skills they need to step into new roles, advance their careers and enhance their overall performance and live their dream.

C. L. Greco, President and CEO of FACET states that “We are very pleased to add this Division to our company and include talent search, artist development, coaching and management.”

Musicians and athletes interested in career services are asked to inquire at www.facetgroup.com.

We People Your Success ^sm

6 SIMPLE JOB SEARCH TIPS (That we all Forget)

By Jenny Foss for The Muse:

The irony of job search advice: There’s so much available that you don’t have to spend more than four seconds Googling about before you land on some nugget of wisdom or another.

Yet, at the same time, there’s so much available (some of which completely contradicts other advice you’ll find) that it can easily overwhelm you. Which, in fact, is probably the exact opposite outcome you’re looking for when you go sleuthing for genuinely useful counsel in the first place.

So let’s do this: Let’s boil things down to a short list of sound, timeless job searching tips that’ll help you fine-tune your strategy so that you may sail through the process (or at least cut out some of the unnecessary time and frustration).

1. Make Yourself a “Smack-in-the-Forehead” Obvious Fit

When you apply for a job via an online application process, it’s very likely that your resume will first be screened by an applicant tracking system and then (assuming you make this first cut) move onto human eyeballs. The first human eyeballs that review your resume are often those of a lower level HR person or recruiter, who may or may not understand all of the nuances of that job for which you’re applying.

Thus, it behooves you to make it very simple for both the computer and the human to quickly connect their “Here’s what we’re looking for” to your “Here’s what you can walk through our doors and deliver.”

Tip

Study the job description and any available information you have on the position. Are you mirroring the words and phrases in the job description? Are you showcasing your strengths in the areas that seem to be of paramount importance to this role? Line it up. Line it up.

2. Don’t Limit Yourself to Online Applications

You want that job search to last and last? Well, then continue to rely solely on submitting online applications. You want to accelerate this bad boy? Don’t stop once you apply online for that position. Start finding and then endearing yourself to people working at that company of interest. Schedule informational interviews with would-be peers. Approach an internal recruiter and ask a few questions. Get on the radar of the very people who might influence you getting an interview.

Tip

By lining up with people on the inside of the companies at which you want to work, you will instantly set yourself apart. Decision makers interview people who come recommended or by way of a personal referral before they start sorting through the blob of resumes that arrives by way of the ATS.

3. Remember That Your Resume (and LinkedIn Profile) Is Not a Tattoo

Yes, your new resume is lovely. Your LinkedIn profile, breathtaking. However, if they don’t position you as a direct match for a particular role that you’re gunning for, don’t be afraid to modify wording, switch around key terms, and swap bullet points in and out. Your resume is not a tattoo, nor is your LinkedIn profile. Treat them as living, breathing documents throughout your job search (and career).

Tip

If you’re a covert job seeker, remember to turn off your activity broadcasts (within privacy and settings) when you make edits to your LinkedIn profile. If your current boss or colleagues are connected to you on LinkedIn, they may get suspicious about all the frequent changes.

4. Accept That You Will Never Bore Anyone Into Hiring You

Don’t get me wrong—you absolutely must come across as polished, articulate and professional throughout your job search. However, many people translate this into: Must. Be. Boring.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Realize that few people get hired because they had perfect white space on their cover letters, memorized all of the “correct” interview questions or used incredibly safe, common phraseology (i.e., clichés) throughout their resumes. All of this correctness is going to make you look staged and non-genuine. Instead, give yourself permission to be both polished and endearing. Memorable, likable candidates are almost always the ones who go the distance.

5. If You’re Not on LinkedIn, You Very Nearly Don’t Exist

Considering that more than 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn as their primary search tool, this is not an understatement. If you’re a professional, you need to not only be on LinkedIn, you need to be using it to your full advantage. Don’t believe me? Think about it this way: If tomorrow morning, a recruiter logs onto LinkedIn looking for someone in your geography, with expertise in what you do, and you’re not there? Guess who they’re going to find and contact? Yes, that person’s name is “not you.”

Tip

If you figure out how to harness the power of no other social media tool for job search, figure out LinkedIn. It’s (by far) the best resource we have available today for career and job search networking, for finding people working at companies of interest, and for positioning yourself to be found by a recruiter who has a relevant job opening.

6. Thank You Matters

I once placed a candidate into an engineering role with a company that manufactures packaging equipment. He was competing head-to-head with another engineer, who had similar talents and wanted the job just as badly. My candidate sent a thoughtful, non-robotic thank you note to each person with whom he’d interviewed, within about two hours of leaving their offices. The other candidate sent nothing.

Guess why my candidate got the job offer? Yep, the thoughtful, non-robotic thank you notes. They sealed the deal for him, especially considering the other front-runner sent nothing.

Tip

Consider crafting, original, genuine thank you notes (one for each interviewer) the moment you get back to a computer, following the interview. The speed with which you send the notes, and the quality, will make an impact.

And finally, remember that the interviewer cares much more about what you can do for them than what you want out of the deal. Certainly, they’re going to care a bunch about what you want once you establish your worth. But during the interview, you must demonstrate why you make business sense to hire, period.

Now, go forth and show your job search exactly who is the boss.

MusiCares Louisiana Flood Relief

MusiCares

Are you a musician who has lost a home, instruments, car, equipment or ability to earn a living due to the devastating flooding?

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need.

MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.

MusiCares has established the MusiCares Louisiana Flood Relief Fund to assist music people affected by the South Louisiana Floods.

MusiCares’ initial assistance will provide funds for food and clothing, gasoline and transportation, clean up efforts, relocation costs, medicine and other critical supplies.

In order to apply for assistance or to donate, please contact the South Regional office at (615) 327-0050 or toll free (877) 626-2748.

Download the MusiCares Louisiana Flood Relief Application

Acadiana Diversity Job Fair – News brief for September 12 2016

Acadiana Diversity Job Fair

Join us! Thursday, October 13, 2016

Acadiana SHRM is a proud sponsor of this event.

When: Thursday, October 13, 2016 from 9 am to 12 noon
Where: Heymann Convention Center, 1373 South College Road, Lafayette, LA 70503 | No cost to reserve a table!
Thursday, October 13, 9 a.m. – 12 noon
Heymann Convention Center
1373 College Road, Lafayette, LA 70503
Business set up begins at 7 a.m.
No cost to reserve a table!

Annually this job fair is hosted by community organizations led by Louisiana Workforce Commission providing the opportunity for local area businesses to meet with willing and able workers. Last year this event attracted approximately 400 job seekers.

WHEN
Thursday, October 13, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (CDT)

WHERE
Heymann Convention Center – 1373 South College Road, Lafayette, LA 70503

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