Getting past the recruitment consultant

Grab attention with your CV!

How do you get an employer to pick your cv over any other candidate?
 It does not matter if you are a Managing Director, sales or receptionist – the same rules will apply …..

Remember that when you apply for a position, the likelihood is that an average of about 350 others would have applied for the same position. But you can get noticed!

This principle will apply from submitting your details directly to clients or to recruitment consultants alike.

Remember that during the course of running the advertisement for the position, the recruitment consultant, Human Resources Officer or Line Managers can evaluate dozens of CV’s for a particular role. And each and every person applying (well almost each and everyone) will be able to do exactly what you do!

But before you panic – here is how to show your worth!

We all add value to our companies in a very unique way.

Very often we think – oh, this is just who I am. I can’t do things differently. Well, this is exactly what will set you apart from the competition. It’s very often the way you approach your job and the way you do things that separates you from the crowd.

Answer the following questions (it need not be phenomenal achievements – it can be small and practical)

When answering the following questions, make sure that you describe what the situation was, what you did about it and what was the end result?

1. What have you done that caused you to stand out amongst others in the same position?
2. What have you done to increase revenues?
3. What have you done that could save your company or department costs?
4. What have you done that saves your company or position that you are in, time or increase work flow?

Need help?  Email info@dbsch.co.za

First Impressions

First impressions are critical and are based on your appearance. The interviewer will start forming an opinion of you before your interview begins. Most employers believe that people who look as if they care about themselves are more likely to care about their job. Your goal should be to come across in the best possible light – attractive in the way you dress, in your gestures and facial expressions an in your speech.

DRESS There is only one way to dress for the first meeting – professional. This means clean cut and conservative. Unless you apply for a creative position in a very creative company. Dressing appropriately is important to establish credibility and be seen as a person who can be part of a team. Ensure that your appearance is clean and tidy.

A suit is the best form of dress for both men and women. Your most professional colours are still dark blue, black or charcoal with a white shirt or blouse and a red tie. As a general rule, the more clothing you have on the more credible and persuasive, the more business-like you will appear.

This does not mean that you should wear a three-piece suit for an interview when the temperature soars to 35 degrees, it simply means you have more credibility. It would also depends what type of position you are applying for. Forget about personal style.

You can always wear your “personal style” wardrobe once you have the job and know the company culture. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Ladies: wear stockings. The less skin you show, the higher your credibility. Trousers with a jacket, or a formal shirt goes well together. No extremely short skirts or daring necklines. Wear light make-up and ensure to freshen it up prior your interview. Keep your make up fresh and don’t let the make up wear you. Wash your hair, groom your nails. Clear nail polish; even if you are not accustomed to wearing nail varnish. Put your bag down besides you, where it does not obstruct movement or is in the way. (Always switch that cell phone off.) Men; Refrain from wearing your earrings, short clean cut nails and suit and tie. General tips: Take a tissue or handkerchief with you to dry possible damp brows or clammy hands before meeting with your interviewer. Greet you interviewer by his/her surname with a smile and a firm handshake. (Don’t break your interviewer’s hand.)

A firm handshake shows confidence and establishes good rapport. It is perfectly normal to show some sign of slight nervousness, it shows that you are taking the interviewer serious. Wait until you are offered a chair before you sit down.

Do not smoke during the interview, even if your interviewer smokes or offer you one. Accept a non alcoholic beverage when offered or ask for a glass of water. If extremely nervous, refuse in the event of spillage. Do not chew gum.

Do not call anybody by they first name, unless you are invited to do so. Use a persons name when talking. This allows you to get and keep the persons attention. Do not be late. Be there 5-10 minutes early and announce yourself at reception 5 minutes prior your interview. It gives you a chance to look at the company’s news letters, brochures and to view the overall employee’s satisfaction and interaction. You will be able to form an opinion about the company. If you are too early for an interview, the interviewer will get agitated and you might feel uncomfortable. Sit upright but relaxed, do not cross your arms or slouch and try to look your interviewer in the eyes. Look rather than stare at the interviewer. Focus your attention upon him rather than gazing around the room. Inappropriate smiling is the most common example of non-verbal behaviour that undercuts verbal messages, making you seem weak and unassertive.

Fill in application forms or do tests if required. This is formality or based on the company’s policies. You will create suspicion or unnecessary trouble if you argue about it or refuse to do so. Fill all documentation in neatly and as accurate as possible. Do not fill in a salary figure, write down negotiable. Speak clearly and concisely. Avoid verbal clutter. Poor communicators tend to talk in paragraphs. Successful communicators talk in short sentences. Do not mumble or try to disguise dialects or regional accents as this will only create more problems for you later in the interview. Technical questions can cause problems, but if you think carefully before making a response and ensure that your answer shows initiative, common sense and imagination, you will not trip up at this stage. An intelligent reply, even if not strictly correct, will satisfy. Remember the use of voice, eyes, posture and your overall attitude can often make up deficiencies in other areas. If you are attending a panel interview, try not to direct all answers and questions to one person. Look and speak to the whole panel. Have a writing pad at hand with your questions and feel free to take down the alternative note. Write down the second interviewing time as soon as you reach your car and make arrangement to ensure that you are free. Express your interest that you want the job from the beginning and then confirm at the end of the interview. A positive attitude is very important even when you have doubts about the job. It is very easy to decline a position once a job had been offered but not easy to retrieve an interview after suddenly realising that it is exactly the job that you were looking for. Make sure the interviewer knows that you want the position.

Make that interview count!

First Impressions – guess what - They count! And here’s why. Its almost like going on a blind date. You arrange a meeting and walk into the room. You see about 3 people who looks good and then you see the one with hair hanging in the eyes, chains that makes it difficult to regonise his gender and you are almost sure that’s a touch of make up too. And you pray – please don’t let it be him, please don’t let it be him ,,,,,, And guess what – Its him!!!! Clients feel exactly the same about possible employees. Every person has certain likes and dislikes and although a position should be based on your ability to do the job, people unfortunately work with a gut feeling and perception. Research over decades have shown that non verbal communication and appearance accounts for about 80% of a decision being made before you have said one word! The interviewer will start forming an opinion of you before your interview begins. Most employers believe that people who look as if they care about themselves are more likely to care about their job. Your goal should be to come across in the best possible light – attractive in the way you dress, in your gestures and facial expressions an in your speech. There is only one way to dress for the first meeting: clean cut and conservative unless you apply for a creative position. Dressing appropriately is important to establish credibility and be seen as a person who can be part of team. Ensure that your appearance is clean and tidy- a suit is the best form of dress for both men and women. Your most professional colours are still a black, dark blue or charcoal suit with a white shirt or blouse and a red tie. As a general rule, the more clothing you have on the more credible and persuasive, the more business-like you will appear. This does not mean that you should wear a three-piece suit for an interview when the temperature soars to 35 degrees, It simply means you have more credibility. Make sure that you don’t ware cartoon character socks or ties, sandals or too much make up. Also limit the amount of jewelry peaches that you wear. Stay away from nose rings and tongue rings and certainly don’t flash your belly button ring. Forget about personal style. You can always wear your wardrobe once you have the job and know the company culture. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.

Difficult interview questions: How to answer

Answer your questions with more than a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’.

Use examples and offer explanations wherever possible.

What the situation was, what you did about it / your role and what the end result was.

Always relate the end result back to time saved for your company, money saved for you company or any improvements that you might have made. This will show the value that you have added in your specific position. Listen carefully to the interviewer’s questions.

If you don’t understand the question, ask him / her to please repeat it.

Don’t answer too quickly. Never criticise past or present employers, the prospective employer or their employees. This will scare the interviewer and you will leave the client with a negative impression.

If there is something you strongly disagree with during the interview, don’t raise an objection at that point or disagree immediately.

Hold it back until after the interview, when you can clarify the issue with your Consultant or with the HR officer.

When asked about your reasons for leaving a company, it is very important never to blame, criticise or say “promises weren’t kept”. Be prepared to substantiate your reasons and explain what your understanding of a challenge. To say that you moved for more money is also not a proper answer. This will make you sound only interested in the money and not the opportunity.

When clients ask you to talk about your strengths and weaknesses, do not give a personal characteristic as a weakness – rather make it work related, e.g.: “my sense of urgency is sometimes interpreted as impatience by peers who are not as driven” People do judge although not consciously. Your strengths and weaknesses should reflex what you are like in a business environment.

If you are asked to list your strengths / positive characteristics, it is important to show how this strength will compliment or benefit the work you do or the company you will work for.

Try and use different examples and not the same situation again and again.

When you are asked by a client to describe who you are as a person, make sure you are careful and stick to your working background and not your personal life.

When asked where do you see yourself in five years time? This is a dangerous question – if you come across to ambitious, clients will be scared that they might not be able to keep or retain your skills. If you come across to weak or look disinterested they think you lack ambition and a sense of urgency. A good way to answer is to ask what they expect for that specific role?

Salary is always tricky. The best way to answer this question is “My current package is RX and I get (discuss benefits, commissions and when your next increases is)” and then say, ‘From what we have discussed, this opportunity is really something I see as challenging (and then substantiate). I am certain that your organisation would make me an offer which is fair and market related, in which case I would be very keen to consider it.

(Remember if pushed for a figure – a good way to leave is to say that you would accept a lateral move on your current package)

Successful interviews!

Where do you start when going on an interview?
You get the time and the address and the contact person - and there you go! Or should you do more?
Your opportunity to create a long-lasting impression To make sure that this impression is positive do preparation upfront.
You don’t run a marathon without training or preparing?
How to prepare:

• FIND OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE COMPANY, THE POSITON AND THE INTERVIEWER BEFOREHAND.
• Research the company and group on the internet – Google them!
• Learn about the company. Products, product range, size, size of department, international connections, to which group do they belong, what is their position in the market.
• Know the address and exact location. Ask reception or your consultant for a map and exact description of how to get there, where to park, which floor to go to.
• Know the name and position of the person you are going to meet with. Her/his personality, specific concern for the position. Also make sure how many people you are meeting with.
• Knowing the type of boss you are going to have helps you to tailor yourself to the situation. It helps to understand the sort of attitude to adopt as well as how to dress. Know the name of MD of the company!
• Get details of the position offered. What skills do they look for? Duties, responsibilities, reporting line, promotional prospects, machinery/equipment, salary, fringe benefits. Your recruitment consultant will brief you on much of this information. If you have access to the internet, look up the company’s web site.
• It’s an excellent way of learning more about the company. If you are contacted directly by the company – get the information from Human Resources See every interview s an opportunity to learn something new and meet new people to network with.

What happens after the interview? FEEDBACK

But why should you give feedback to a consultant or HR or the client?
And what type of feedback should you give and why:

The HR division or the recruitment consultants already have built a relationship with the people who interviewed you – the line managers. They will have a better knowledge of the Employer and will be able to better counsel you with constructive comments relating to whether you should accept a position with that company or rather drop it.

A feedback session will also enable you to objectively decide if the position is really one that is in line with what you want or need for the next career move.

There are things you should look out for and take into consideration before accepting an opportunity.

Usually successful interviews last a little longer. There is the odd client that interviews 10 minutes or less, but the usual time would be anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the position and the client. That is why feedback is always important.
It’s good to remember who you met with and the designation of the interviewer. This will give you an indication of how long the process will take. It is almost always a good sign when the interviewer introduces you to other people during the interview or shows you the premises.

It’s important to voice your thoughts on the people or person you met with to your consultant or HR, it will also help you realise if you would be able to work with the person or not. Trust your instincts. Also look around and get a feeling for the environment and the culture of the company and clarify what you don’t understand with the person you are feeding back too.

Treat every interview the same, whether you have a first, second, third or even 7th interview with the same client – treat it like the first. NEVER assume you have the position. Arrogance will definitely knock you out of the process. Also never assume that the person you have met before has relayed the information from that particular meeting. Treat it like the first interview!

The purpose for the interview is to really understand if you can do the job! Clients don’t hire for what you want to become but for what value and skills you can already add. So when giving feedback to HR or your consultant, reiterate how you think you can add value.

Also let your consultant or the HR know if the interviewer made any references to another interview or testing that should be done. They will help you speed up the process.

When you have any concerns about the position, the company, the situation etc SPEAK UP. Don’t leave it and hope it will go away or come right once you have accepted an offer. It won’t it will get worse. Address all your concerns upfront with HR and your consultant; you can even mention it to the client in a follow up interview. If it’s not in line with your career plan, then you really should discuss it openly and decide if its really worth you perusing the opportunity.

Escaping the BIG C- Zone!

“We haven’t made the effort to come to earth just to get comfortable and then hibernate.
We are here to learn how to be passionate, vibrant beings and to taste the depth and breadth of the human experience”
Many of us spend our whole life searching for a place where we can feel more appreciated, more fruitful, more secure, not realizing that place is within each of us.
When we gather up those parts of us that have become scattered and we recognize our limiting behaviour, we will have access to all the resources needed for us to enjoy the immense promise our brief life holds.

What am I on about – the big C – Comfort Zone! A friend recently described this to me brilliantly. He asked me the definition of insanity and explained it as follows: “to do the same thing the same way more than once with the same effort, planning and intensity and expecting a different result”.
This to me equals COMFORT ZONE! Slipping into a Comfort Zone is a simple process.

Our activities and behaviour tend to take on familiar patterns. Patterns become habits; habits become routines; and before we know it those routines become a rut. And the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth of the excavation!
If we are creatures of habit, why do we feel so dissatisfied when we finally manage to get into a routine and reach consistency?

More often than not the routine happens without conscious planning. So why do we put ourselves through what can be a stressful situation? Above all – growth! Intellectual stimulation gives you a sense of achievement.

It’s something you don’t have to compete with anyone else and it is a constant ongoing process. Treading into the unknown teaches you and gives you new life experiences and tests you. It’s a sense of adventure and once you push through the initial fears you might find something you love, e successful and make money! Facing your fear! And this feels good! So what gets you out of your comfort zone? Face your fears and change your behaviour.

Raise your estimation of yourself with at least 10% and realise that you to can be capable of… One of the great stumbling blocks to getting what you want out of life is the fear of failure.

Achieving what you really want almost always requires overcoming some fear of failure. Use your fear to drive your passion to succeed! We life in an era where there are literally hundreds if not thousands of tools to help us grow and develop.