Interview Tips Learnt from a Garbage Collector

Interview Tips Learnt from a Garbage Collector A few weeks ago, I got a call from a man (let’s call him John) asking me to write his resume along  with a cover letter for a specific job he wanted to apply for. He’d been working as a casual Council  Worker (specifically collecting garbage and driving garbage trucks) for the last few months, and  wanted to apply for the same position in a permanent, full time capacity. It started off as usual I went through my normal process of resume writing, chatting to him in detail about all his previous  roles, responsibilities, his strengths, his achievements. We talked about how important it was for  him to get the interview â€" being a casual meant that he was constantly afraid of being let go â€" which  is why he wanted this job this job being one he was really crazy about. He wasn’t applying for a host of jobs â€" just this one. He wanted the peace of mind that the job that  he loved would be stable and secure so that he could pay the bills. John kept in touch with me over the next couple of weeks. He called me when he got called for  a phone screen to chat through his experience. He called me, absolutely over-the-moon with  excitement and delight when he was short-listed for an interview. He was beside himself with  gratitude and appreciation for what I had done for him â€" I had gotten him an interview. Something  that he believed he had zero chance of without my aid. He was beaming with joy. I remained positive for him, telling him that he would do well, reinforcing the things that he should  illustrate during interview, such as his passion for his job, something he had explained to me in his  own words. Then John called me after the interview to tell me how it went. The post-interview chat We talked about the sorts of questions that were asked of him, and how he’d responded. He told me  that at the end of the interview, he thought that he had made a mistake. He finished the interview  by saying: I believe that I am the right candidate for the role, and I really hope I get the opportunity  to work in this role with you. I smiled, and reassured him that he had without a doubt, said the right  thing. He worried about whether it was ok that he had attended the interview in his Council uniform.  He explained that he couldn’t afford to take any time off from the job because he would be losing  money, so had the interview during his lunch hour. He also couldn’t afford to buy a suit, and  explained so to the HR lady. He wanted this job so much; it was evident through each of his concerns. I felt his sincerity in every  word he spoke. There was no bravado. It was just one human being sharing with another, how  important this was to him. The twist. Then John said something that completely caught me by surprise. Something that moved me like  no one I had ever met in the corporate world, had. He said to me, in a really slow, humble and  deliberate manner Irene. Mate. I reeeeally want this job. It’s like a dream come true for me. It’s exactly what I want  and what I’ve always wished to have. I was intrigued. What is it that made John love his job so much? So I decided to ask him. John continued: I can’t explain the feeling that I get, when I turn something that’s dirty into  something beautiful and clean. It’s the most amazing feeling. Most people think that cleaning is  degrading but I just love it. I love it. I work with a team of really great blokes. Coming in to work  every day makes me so happy. It’s the perfect job for me. John’s gratitude passion. I was so moved by this man’s love for what he does, that I started crying. Here I was, used to feeling  sorry for people who work as cleaners, thinking that they don’t have a choice. Yet here is a man who  is doing what makes him happier than all the people that I’ve worked with throughout my career,  combined. He continued: Irene, thank you so much. If it weren’t for your resume, I wouldn’t have even had a chance to get  an interview. I can’t explain how grateful I am to you. If I get the job, I want to buy you a bunch of  flowers. By this point, I was sobbing uncontrollably, hoping that he wouldn’t hear me.  This is the sort of love that I believe every single person should experience for their job. My lesson Having John as my client, has given me a gift far greater than he is even aware of. He so clearly  illustrated that age old saying of “It’s not about what happens to you, but how you view the  situation.” When one is able to appreciate and be grateful for every little thing, life becomes a series of  miracles. Look for the silver lining on the cloud. View the glass as half-full. And remember, the grass  isn’t actually greener on the other side. It’s actually just as beautiful where you are, if you just search  for it. When you find ways to make art, to create meaning in all that you do, you too will be just as  radiantly happy as John is. That’s because true happiness and fulfilment will never be found in the  circumstances that surround you, but lies deep within. And it is accessed via appreciation, gratitude  and contribution. Thank you for the humble reminder John. It’s something I won’t soon forget. Now, I challenge you, to view each phone call, each email, each word you type, each piece of data  that you enter, each difficult customer that you face, as your means to make a contribution to  somebody else’s world. Do this for one week, and you will see that joy will be overwhelmingly  present. And you will never want to go back. PS. If John doesn’t get the job, I’m going to send this blog post to the HR person who interviewed  him. I would not want to let somebody as passionate as he, leave my organisation that’s for sure. Irene is the founder of Arielle Consulting, a consultancy that helps people effectively manage their  careers.

Think of networking as a lifestyle, not an event

Think of networking as a lifestyle, not an event Remember the post about how I got dumped and still made it to a meeting with a venture capitalist in Menlo Park? But thats not actually the end of the story. I got back to my hotel, which, you may recall, I did not even need because I was not staying overnight in that area, and I sat on my bed and cried. Normal. Right? I mean, I did just get dumped. But then I had to go to a party. For those of you who dont hang out in Menlo Park, which might be 99% of you, there are no real parties there. For one thing, the ratio of men to women is about 1000 to 1. And the ratio of men with life-of-the-party social skills to women is about 1,000,0000 to 1. So all parties in Menlo Park are actually networking events. The line between work and friends is blurred there more than anywhere else in the world. Most people are very high performers, so they can choose to work only with people they want to be friends with. And most people there work all the time, so they have to tell themselves work is not workotherwise, when would they be doing their personal life? I sort of fit in with this crowd. But sometimes I make mistakes. Like, I live in Madison, Wisconsin, where all fashion comes down to some version of fancy camping. When I go to New York, I wear a professional version of fuck-me black, and I feel dressed right every time. In Menlo Park, I thought it would be sort of like New York, but with color. And I dont really do color. So I did white. Well, I did white after I cried. You cannot cry in white. So I put my blouse on the chair and put on a t-shirt that is good for blowing my nose into, and I wallowed in sadness for an hour. Then I put on the white blouse and black skirt, and I went downstairs to the party. Yes. It was in my hotel. Moments like thisme making sure that my drama episode is in the same place as my next meetingis what makes me a smart traveler. So I go to the party and the first person I see is, unbelievably, the most important person for me to see. She is a woman who has reached out to me and done a bit of mentoring and is maybe a little bit too respected in the world to pop up in a blog post like this. But she greeted me with a hug and she said, You look so nice. Which means, You are overdressed. Which I knew when I saw that she was dressed like the guysthe girl version of blue shirt and khakis and ECCO shoes. So I went upstairs and changed and hoped that too many people would be vying for her attention for her to notice that I changed clothes in the middle of the party. Back at the party, in pants and shirt, I fit in. I think. But it was loud and the idea of mingling killed me. I wanted to just be sad. But because its Menlo Park, there was already a social network for people who are going to this partyyou identify yourself in this network by how many companies you have started and how much funding you have raised. And people had already seen that I was coming. And emailed me about catching up. Because people in the top echelons of the business world are fantastic networkers. Sometimes I think I can keep up with these people. For a long time, I consciously spent one third of my work day reaching out to people and meeting them, whoever they were, to build my network. And it paid off a lot. It gave me more than a few gems, but also, it gave me the stamina for a lifestyle where networking is built into everything I do. I am always thinking about who am I meeting new on any given day. But what do good networkers do when they want to hide? The first thing I did was make my way through the crowded, noisy room to pick up my badge because it was the last one left on the table and it screamed: Penelope Trunk did not show up! Then I went to the bathroom. I picked the handicapped stall to get extra room. But I didnt need space for thinkingI needed alone time. So I left. I left the party. I told myself that no one would notice. It was huge and I am from Wisconsin and no one expects to see me at a place like this anyway. I ordered room service and I read about the recession, which is like celebrating rainy weather on a day youre depressed, and then I took the red eye home. Then I got an email from Ramit Sethi. He said, Where were you at the party? I thought youd be there. Actually, let me clarify, he first told me that he is doing something on his web site where he is launching a 30-Day Challenge for people to save $1,000. I tell you this to tell you why amazing networkers are amazing. Ramit genuinely cared that I was M.I.A., and he is also always promoting something. So he counts on people who he genuinely cares about to help promote his stuff because he figures that they genuinely care about him. And I do. Ramit is really fun and innovative and every time I talk with him I learn something. So this is what I did with his email: I deleted it. Because I couldnt think of anything to say about why I wasnt at the party. Then, later in the week, I told myself that hes a friend, and he reads my blogwell, he reads the posts that are not too heavy on career adviceso he probably already read the post anyway and knows why I wasnt there. So I should send an email saying I didnt go to the party because I needed time to sulk. But I didnt send that because I couldnt imagine a guy writing that, so I thought maybe its alienating for guys if women who are work-friends write them emails about that. But then, today, I was thinking about how when I was doing my three years of networking three hours a day, I connected with people all over the country, but my most useful network has grown in the Bay Area. And I think thats because people in the Bay Area are better at networking than anywhere else. And then I asked myself why. And then I thought: Wait. I have to respond to Ramit. Being non-responsive is exactly the wrong thing to do. So much of networking is just taking the next step to building a closer bond. And the next step is not to hide from the fact that I did not show up at the party. So here it is. But heres another networking tip: Its not enough to write a blog post. Im going to write Ramit an email. Ill tell him why I wasnt there, and then, just as he included a link to his blog, Ill send him a link to mine. To the post about him.

Houseman Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Houseman Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Houseman Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

Foul Ball! When Interviews Go Out Of Bounds

Foul Ball! When Interviews Go Out Of Bounds Remember that interview when you were asked a question that set off an alarm in your head?  It wasnt something youd prepared for because its not supposed to be asked.  There are questions that, by law, a potential employer is not allowed to use in the interview. Here are a few jaw-dropping questions that have actually been asked in real interviews: When was the last time you did drugs? Do you get PMS? Can you wear more makeup next time? Is that a hickey on your neck? As a potential employee, you have to know how to respond to questions that are out of bounds.  But if    the roles have changed and its you who is looking to add a staff member for the organization or your own team, its important to know the rules. Heres a quick look at whats okay, and whats not. Interviewing Dos And Donts Generally, you can ask questions that relate to job performance.  But you cannot ask questions that lead to or demonstrate a bias in hiring.  More specifically, take a look at this guide produced by the Harvard Office of Human Resources. The best quick and easy to remember guide is this:  If the question has anything to do with a protected class, you shouldnt ask it.  Protected classes include race, religion, national origin, sex (including gender preferences), age, and physical or mental disability.  Beyond that, care must be taken when phrasing questions about family status. First Time? There will come a time when youre asked to do that first interview.  Maybe your boss wants to see how you perform in that situation.  The problem is that in such a situation theres little or no training about how to conduct the interview.  Its usually something like here, ask them these questions and tell them well get back to them. Beyond the stress of it being your first experience, there is the reality that you simply are not familiar with whats okay and not okay to ask.  If you find yourself in this position, dont hesitate to ask for assistance.  The liability for your company, or even yourself, is too great to just jump in without at least some qualified coaching. Preparing to Interview Whether its in person or a phone interview, if the interview is going to be productive, youll want to prepare.  Look over the candidates resume and make notes.  Jot down general and specific questions you want to ask or get clarification on.  Prepare an outline so that you not only keep within legal bounds but so the interview follows a predictable path. Below youll find a great infographic produced by Hireology.  Its a great reference tool.  Start out with that, and the references cited above, and youll be on your way to performing quality, and legal, interviews. via Image credit:  Main.

Tips on Writing a Winning Resume

Tips on Writing a Winning ResumeAre you looking for tips on writing a winning resume? If so, you are not alone. The reality is that today, with all the new technologies that we have available to us, it is almost impossible to get a quality resume written by a computer.These days there are a few lucky few who can get it done. However, it is not something you can do on your own. Here are some tips on writing a winning resume.First and foremost, when you are applying for the perfect job, you need to make sure that the person reviewing your resume sees exactly what you can offer. The best way to do this is to give a good explanation of who you are and why you are the best candidate for the job. For example, if you are applying for a marketing job, you will want to provide a better description of who you are than if you were applying for a sales position.Different employers may have different expectations. So the best thing to do is to look at what type of job you are applying for. Is it a technical one or does it include many sales and marketing aspects? Do you need a professional writer or can you do it yourself?With the explosion of new technologies, there are a lot of people who will use computers to fill out their resumes. However, these programs do not provide the same look and feel as a handwritten resume. Therefore, make sure that you do not send in a resume that is formatted the same as a computer generated resume.Lastly, make sure that you know what the company is looking for. For example, if the employer is looking for a staff writer, make sure that you are selling yourself well enough to be considered for the position. If the employer is looking for an accountant or bookkeeper, find out how you would benefit from the position before sending in your resume.If you are someone who is gifted at writing, you should consider learning to create resumes for your current employer or someone else in your field. You can also consider hiring a professional to help y ou write your resume. This can be a great way to learn more about how a professional looks at a resume.As you can see, there are a lot of tips on writing a winning resume. You will be well on your way to landing the right job.

Get Paid Fast How To Make Sure You Get Paid On Time Everytime

Get Paid Fast How To Make Sure You Get Paid On Time Everytime Are you having trouble with your invoiced payments? You cant run a business if you cant get paid fast. Heres what to do to get paid on time everytime. On paper, the premise of freelance work is simple. You provide a job or service, and you receive a fixed payment for it. Right? However, if youre among the 57 million freelancers working in America, the formula may not be so simple. From unpaid invoices to late payments to miscommunication issues with your clients, its frustrating to chase down your funds. If you run a business, you need to get paid fast- on time, every time. Lets get into the top tips for success. Understand Why The Payments Are Late To identify a solution, you first need to target the problem. In other words, what exactly is going on? There could be a couple of scenarios at play here. On the one hand, a long-time client may make a one-time mistake. This is normal, as were all busy humans with full schedules. On the other hand, if youre working with someone new and a late payment happens, theres a very good chance of this history repeating itself. Its also important to identify if you are part of the problem. For example, are you being too nonchalant with how you expect payments? Are you sending invoices weeks after completing the work? Identify and Specify Your Payment Requirements When you work as an independent contractor or freelancer, its usually up to you to determine what the payment calendar and schedule looks like. This means you need to identify the cost of time and labor and specify how and when you expect to get paid. You need to specify these requirements and expectations from the beginning of your working relationship. Dont expect your clients to read your mind. After all, its usually not their top concern to think about when their contractors receive payment. Get It In Writing Before you even begin any contract work with a company, its best to have both a verbal and written understanding about the work, payment, and communication. This is where many people start with upfront deposits. Its not uncommon to request a 50$ deposit prior to beginning work. This provides both the freelancer and the company to put some skin in the game. Furthermore, a legal contract protects you in the event of your client skipping out or underpaying you. Setting up a contract may require consulting with a lawyer, but this is usually worth the financial peace of mind. Encourage Incentives Some freelancers incentivize their customers by offering small discounts for paying in full or even making early payments. This is, of course, at your discretion, but it can serve two purposes. On the one hand, you establish a protocol for increasing your chance of getting paid on time (or even early). For two, youre rewarding customer loyalty, and that can improve your reputation and overall business structure. However, dont assume that clients will know about these incentives. Make sure that you show the price differences, send out flyers or make a note when drafting out your invoices. You want the incentives to be obvious and enticing! Finally, you can also offer incentives for different modes of payment (such as using an electric check instead of a credit card). Automate Your Payments If you truly want to eliminate late payments, its worth considering whether you should automate your billing system. In doing this, you automatically process your payments without the hassle of manually invoicing and sending out reminders. Fortunately, the process of how to use automation software is fairly straightforward. You will input the vendors name, contact information, and tax ID number. From there, you can verify payments, monitor changes, create audits, and essentially streamline your accounts. This is usually advantageous if you work with clients in providing recurring services. If you have many clients on the books, its easy for you to get overwhelmed or even forgetful about the services your render. Automating will help you save time- and it could help you earn faster money without all the headaches of reminding your clients. Have Protocol For Late Payment Management Payment still not received? You need to establish authority and ownership by taking action. Once the invoice or payment is overdue, you need to send out a reminder within 48 hours to the company. Still no word? Send out another. At that point, you need to remind your customer that you do retain the legal rights to charge interest on their debts. Yes, you may hear excuses, and youll need to learn how to deal with those. Customers will blame other colleagues. Theyll tell you about their financial problems. They may even try to coerce you into a lower rate. If needed, you may have to locate a reputable debt collection agency and tell your consumer that to establish your intentions. In other words? Dont just ignore the problem and hope that it goes away on its own. While some customers occasionally forget to make a payment, this shouldnt be a pattern. Its normal for first-time entrepreneurs to doubt their work or skills, but that doesnt mean you should overlook your worth. After all, you have expenses to pay and a business to run. Dont feel nervous to take further action for those who disregard your business practices. Final Thoughts On How To Get Paid Fast No matter how amazing your business is, its not worth any of the work if you arent receiving the compensation you deserve. You deserve to get paid fast and on time without questions or concerns. You and your business are both valuable, and you need customers who can and will validate you for that! Interested in learning more about improving your career or creating the business of your dreams? Contact me today!

9 principles that will put more women in the corner office

9 principles that will put more women in the corner office According to the Center for American Progress, women hold 52 percent of professional jobs but only 14.6 percent of women reach CEO status. I asked Shirley Weis, recently retired from her position as the Chief Administrative Officer at Mayo Clinic, how she was able to make the leap into the CAO position of an organization with 60,000-employees and a budget of more than $9 billion. Weis says that many women have been unaware of the rules of business success. She offers these nine playing to win principles for advancing in the workplace. 1. The workplace is a big game Work is a game. Before jumping in and committing mistakes, take some time to watch the action with these questions in mind: What are the rules? What is the strategy? What does it take to succeed at this game? 2. Know thyself Take inventory of your strengths, weaknesses and skill set. Ask yourself, Is this going to be satisfying for me? Am I willing to do what it takes to win? There are no right or wrong answers here, but you need to know what will, and wont, work for you. 3. Learn the rules The Rules â€" with a capital R â€" are easy to find in a policy manual. The unspoken rules are trickier. They have to do with the informal or cultural rules. What is (and isnt) shared in meetings? How do others interact with the boss? In order to be successful, you not only have to learn what the rules are, but also follow them or pay a penalty. 4. Whos winning? Define winning. Landing that big promotion? Developing work/life balance? What do you want out of life and your career? People who look to external sources to determine whether they are winning or losing are often unhappy. What are you willing to give in order to get your wins out of life? 5. Develop grit and perseverance Take on assignments that no one else wants. Be seen as someone who is willing to take on tough projects and get them done. You may not be successful at all of them, but you will be seen as someone who is willing to try. Grit and perseverance make the difference between winners and losers. 6. Become an expert In some workplaces there is a bias that assumes men are more capable than women. Becoming an expert removes this bias. What are you most passionate about? Become an expert on it. When a crisis arises (as they inevitably do), people look for the person who knows the most about the issue and who can address the problem: you. 7. Manage your losses The road to success is paved with losses, and you must learn to deal with them. Admit the loss and move on. If you remember that this is a game, it helps you keep your perspective. In any game, there are mistakes made, and setbacks and obstacles to overcome. How we deal with the losses and learn from them is critical to our long-term success. 8. Keep the naysayers at bay Some will criticize without understanding or caring about what youre trying to do, saying, Im just being real and authentic. Dont let them get to you. Put on your game face. Connect with people who are supportive and who help you to become stronger without any personal attacks. 9. Know when its time to quit Some think quitting is bad, but there are times when quitting is exactly the right thing to do. Maybe you dont want to play this game anymore. Then it is time to leave. Learn to do this gracefully and with class. Always let your supervisor know about your plans before you share with subordinates and colleagues. For more insights, check out Weis new book, Playing to Win in Business, which helps women (and men) navigate the sometimes-confusing waters of the workplace. Treating it like a game, learning and understanding the rules and playing well can lead you to great success.