The Seventh Commandment: Thou Shalt Have Three Questions Prepared.

It might be up for some debate, but in my humble opinion the most important question asked in an interview is if YOU have any questions.

If you haven't shined up until this point, here's you chance. You're holding the conch Ralph. Use it.

When an employer asks you if you have any questions they're shining the spotlight on you. They're giving you one last chance to impress. You need to be prepared to take full advantage.

When an interviewer says "That about wraps up what I had to say. Do you have any questions?" And you respond "No, you did a pretty good job of explaining everything." I can guarantee that you're not getting the job.

In essence what you have said is: "No, I just came to hear about the job because I need a job and I've applied to hundreds, and I need money, so why doesn't someone just give me a job already? I can do this one. Tell me when to start."

No manager wants to think of theirs as just another job. Some employers think their job is so special that if you're not doing cartwheels over it in the office, you're probably not excited enough to be doing it.

 
The best way to show interest is to ask questions. It shows that you've done some research. It shows that you know something about the company and want to know more. It shows that you're thinking about yourself and your career and the value that this position could add to your resume. Most importantly: It shows that you're looking for more than just any paycheck.

Nobody wants to hire the person that shows up, punches the clock in, does only what their job description entails of them and punches the clock out. Don't be that person.

Where do you come up with these questions? Do a Google search of the company. Have they been in the news recently? Have they just been acquired by a major Fortune 500 company? Surely you must be seriously interested in how that will effect the team, the department, your position, etc.

Maybe the company has recently done some important work in the community and you want to know if that's something you'd be able to get involved in. Maybe they've just won a prestigious award. What better way is there of getting on an employer's good side then asking them to talk about their recent success?

Remember, an interview is two sided. When a hiring manager asks you if you have any questions, they do want to make sure you've done some homework and have an active interest in their opportunity. But you also need to make sure the opportunity is right for you. Any good employer will appreciate you doing this. And what better way to do it than ask questions in the interview?

Ask how big the team is. What direction they are headed in. Any new initiatives for growth. How much growth. Why did the position become available. And so on. Be inquisitive. Know what you're getting yourself into.

So have three questions prepared. Why three? Because some of them will get answered during the interview. That's inevitable. You want to be sure that you have enough prepared so that, come time, you're not only ready to take over the conversation, you're ready to Own It.

Mike's Personal Pointer: Of these three questions, two of them should be related directly to the position, the department, the company, etc. However, one great question that I always encourage candidates to ask is: Based on our conversation and the requirements for the job, how do you see me fitting in? This question requires you to have built good rapport. Don't ask it if you know the interview has gone south.

However, if things are going well and your confidence is high, go for it. Put the employer on the spot. This gives you a chance to get feedback before the interview is over, but more importantly, it gives the employer a chance to address any problems or concerns on his or her mind that may have never occurred to you.

Maybe there was a misunderstanding about something in your past experience. Maybe a certain turn of phrase caught them off guard. Maybe there's a gap in something you said that hasn't quite been explained away. It could be anything for all we know. Nobody knows anything.

The Moral Of This Commandment: Managers want to hire people who are passionate about their opportunity, their company, their way of doing things. They need to be able to picture you as someone they'd be happy working with. If you have questions prepared to ask the interviewer you'll look inquisitive, excited and prepared to name a few. If you don't have any questions prepared you look like you're just out to collect a pay cheque. No employer really wants to hire that person. Don't be that person. 

The Client Interview Ten Commandments

The Eighth Commandment: Thou Shalt Always Leave a Good Impress at Reception

True Story

 

Bob steps to reception and introduces himself with a smile. It's 1:20 pm and he's arrived for his 1:30 pm interview with the VP of Finance. He's wearing slacks, dress shoes and a navy blue blazer. The receptionist gives him some paperwork to fill out. As she hands it off Bob notices her ring.

 

"That's an interesting ring you're wearing."

"Thanks my boyfriend got it for me when we were in Australia."

"Yeah? How is it there? I say I'll go every year."

"It was one of the best experiences of my life."

"Were you there for work or pleasure?"

"It was only a week for vacation. I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could."

"I hear a lot of people say that."

 

A man approaches, hand extended. "You must be Bob." 

 

The VP of Finance leads Bob into an interview room.

 

Bob aces the interview.

 

On the way out Bob thanks the receptionist, says it was nice meeting and wishes her a good day.



...

Ken steps up to reception and introduces himself with a smile. It's 1:50 pm and he's arrived for his 2:00 pm interview with the VP of Finance. He's wearing a dress shirt, tie and a black blazer. The receptionist gives him some paperwork to fill out. As she hands it off Mark notices an attractive woman who steps up to reception. "I'm going downstairs you want anything?"

 

"Nah I'm okay, I go on break in fifteen. Thanks though."

 

Mark's gaze follows the woman to the elevator. "She work here?" He asks the receptionist. The receptionist affirms. "Hopefully all of them that work here look like that."   

A man approaches, hand extended. "You must be Mark."

The VP of Finance leads Mark into an interview room.

Mark aces the interview.

He smiles and nods at the receptionist on his way to the elevator.

...  

The next day the VP of Finance can't make a decision. Along every interview stage no one has been able to decide whether Bob or Mark would be a better fit. Each aced every interview. He has an idea.

 

The phone at reception rings. "Yes Mr. VP?"

"Tiffany, you remember those two guys that came in for the interviews yesterday afternoon?"

"Bob and Mark, sir? Sure, I remember them."

"Did you get any read off either of them?"

"Was Bob the one who was asking about Australia? Yeah, he noticed my ring and was asking about my trip. He also said something about a wife. He was nice on the way out."

"What about the other one."

"He was nice too. We didn't talk as much. He did say one thing..."

"Yes?"

"He made a bit of a comment when Angela came over to ask if I wanted anything downstairs."

"What kind of comment?"

"Well, I don't know how he meant it, but it came off as a little..I don't know...sexist. But I don't know. He didn't really say anything when he left."

...

Bob gets the job.

 

The Moral of This Commandment: You never know where a hiring manager will turn to help sway a hiring decision when the race is neck and neck. The receptionist is your first and easiest opportunity to make a good first impression. Use it to your advantage. If the receptionist gets bad vibes off you, (s)he will let anyone know if they ask. Please don't be the person who gives the receptionist bad vibes.

 

The Client Interview Ten Commandments







The Ninth Commandment: Thou Shalt Assume A Blazer is Appropriate Attire

If you don't own a blazer, stop reading, make the conscious decision to invest in yourself, and go get one.

The blazer is the most versatile article of clothing in any professional wardrobe.

It looks great on men

It looks great on women

It elevates that shirt and tie to a new level of professionalism

And it transforms jeans and a t-shirt into something work appropriate

If you're ever in doubt about what to wear in an interview, Wear a Blazer.

If the hiring manager comes into the interview room in a suit and tie, at least you'll be wearing a jacket that shows you've made an effort to look professional. And if the hiring manager comes in wearing a polo and khakis, you're not so overdressed to appear as though you wouldn't fit in to the culture.

Show me one other article of clothing that can do so much.

Dress is very important in an interview. Improper dress can result in an immediate bad first impression.

Again, FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE IMPORTANT.

You don't want to blow your shot before even making it into the office.

You'd be surprised how many people will show up to interviews in shorts, t-shirts, jeans, sneakers or hats, if you don't tell them otherwise.

The Moral Of This Commandment:  Making a good first impression counts. You want to make sure you are dressed to impress. Ask your Recruiter for insight into what the company culture is like. If they assure you it's okay to wear jeans, then wear jeans, but a blazer can make just about any outfit, no matter the style, into something smart and professional.

The Tenth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Arrive Any More Than Ten Minutes Before The Interview

Here's scene for you:

INT. - OFFICE - AFTERNOON

A clock reads 2:10 pm. A MAN sits in a chair in front of a desk. His VP looms above from behind it.

VP: What do you mean you lost it?
MAN: It was on my phone. I was in the club. There were these girls. I don’t know what happened to it.
VP: Where are the back up files?
MAN: What back up files?
VP: Do you know how embarrassing it will be for this office if those files aren't sent by 4:30 today? I could lose my job. 
MAN: I’ve got an idea.
VP: It better be a damn good one.
MAN: I could --

He is cut off by A BUZZ.

RECEPTIONIST: Paul, someone here to see you.
VP: Who is it?
RECEPTIONIST: She says she’s a Developer.
VP: A Developer? That’s not for another 20 minutes.
RECEPTIONIST: She’s here now whenever you’re ready.

The intercom clicks. The VP turns back to the Man.

VP: Just what I need, this, and now a f&@king Developer who can’t tell time. It never ends.

If you schedule a meeting with me for 2:30 pm and I get a call from reception at 2:10 pm saying you're here, I hope you brought reading material. You'll be waiting.

If you show up ten minutes before an interview it looks punctual, professional, prepared, and probably several other positive adjectives starting with P.

If you show up more than ten minutes early it looks like you've got nothing better to do. Well guess what? The hiring manager probably has better things to do and they're probably doing them as you sit in the waiting room. They don't need to be interrupted twenty minutes before their next scheduled task.

You don't want to make a bad first impression.

First impressions are everything. Don't blow your's before they've even met you.

I know what you're thinking:

But this is Canada. People are Nice here. We have Beavers and Maple Syrup and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They Understand.

Yes, but this is also Toronto where we have the TTC, The Toronto Maple Leafs and The Don Valley Parkway.

Some people won't understand.

Why risk it?

The Moral of This Commandment: Be punctual, be professional and if you can impress the manager that is so picky they're ready to take you out of the running for showing up too early, you'll be able to impress anyone else.

The Client is God: The Ten Commandments of Client Interviewing

As a Recruiter you're taught to believe several things:

1) Know The Best And Don't Bother With The Rest.

2) If You're Not Buying, You're Supplying.

And

3) The Client Is God

In the eyes of the Recruiter, the client is that power that watches over and keeps everything on course. The Client is an all seeing, all knowing, omniscient being that always ensures the agency can keep the lights on.

As a God the Client can be nurturing.

Or punishing.

That's why we need to prepare you before meeting them.

Luckily, after years of searching, I have been sent down the Client Interview Ten Commandments to deliver to you.

Follow them and glorious utopia will be yours. Disobey them and let the fires of hell consume you.

10. Thou Shalt Not Arrive At Reception More Than 10 Minutes Before The Interview
  9. Thou Shalt Assume A Blazer Is Appropriate Attire
  8. Thou Shalt Always Leave A Good Impression At Reception
  7. Thou Shalt Have Three Questions Prepared
  6. Thou Shalt Know Who They Are Meeting With
  5. Thou Shalt Carry Mints
  4. Thou Shalt Not Take Thy Former Employer's Name In Vain
  3. Thou Shalt Not Talk About Salary
  2.  If Brought Up Thou Shalt Revert All Salary Negotiation Back To Thy Recruiter
  1. Thou Shalt Not Attempt Contact With The Client

Once it's over you can thank them for their time. Get up. Shake their hand and tell them it sounds like a great opportunity and you look forward to hearing their feedback.

Don't forget to now call your Recruiter and tell them everything.

We'll go over each one of these Ten Commandments in detail over the next couple of days.

The Leads Aren't Warm: Three Ways Recruiters Get Job Leads

The Recruitment business is first and foremost a sales business. Sales are based on leads. The warmer the lead, the easier the sale.

You've seen Glengary Glen Ross?

We're all looking for the good leads. The good leads keep us employed. And in this business, the best ones come from you.

 

Yes you.

 

And there are ways to get them from you:

 

1) You know when we ask you if you got that bank job on your own or through an agency?

 

That's because we want to know if that company works with agencies. They do? What a coincidence, I work for an agency too. Maybe I should give them a call. 

 

If we're in good standing, I'll ask who you were reporting to. If you give me their title it's off to LinkedIn to get their name, but you'll also have that information if I'm lucky.  

 

Just one meeting and I now know that X hiring Manager at Y company hires Marketing Managers and they use agencies to do it. That's a warm lead. I like warm leads.

 

 

2) You know how we ask where else you've applied or are interviewing?

 

I legitimately want to know. If you've applied directly to a position at Joe's Chicken Shop, it wouldn't make much sense to send your information there. They know about you and it doesn't look good on either of us if I'm applying you for the same thing.

 

If you've had your third interview with the bank this week and are expecting an offer, I'm going to wait until next week to see if you got it. If I book you all over town only for you to go off the market, we both look bad again.     

 

But the leads are also getting warm. It's good intel to know what companies are looking for people with your skillset. If you got the interview through an agency, even better.

This is where you want to make sure you trust your Recruiter. I've know some who would interview candidates to figure out where they were interviewing. They'd then call up the Hiring Manager and say: Hey I heard you're hiring a Marketing Manager and met with Sally? I just met with Sally too and if you liked her, you have to meet with Brenda before making a decision. She's got all that Sally has and more. When can I book her?

 

 

3) Your References.

 

We're Recruiters. Give us a list of hiring managers and their contact information and we're going to call them. It's what we do.   

 

Know This: In most cases we're not doing this to thwart you or derail your chances of getting a job. Some shifty salesmen may try, but that's why it's up to you to ask enough questions to make sure you're not dealing with one of them.

 

I'd like to think we're being the Good Samaritan and helping.

 

 

Good leads mean more job opportunities. If you trust your Recruiter and think they stand for good business, why not help them? The lead you give could potentially score someone else a great job. The lead someone else gives could potentially score you a great job. Remember that movie where the kid from The Sixth Sense gets shanked? 

 

 

Think of it like that.

 

If we help each other and work together, everyone wins. Share the love and if the leads are good, the more people we'll be able to help before we get fired.

The Recruiter's Red Pen

The Recruiter's Red Pen is a new feature that will appear on Notes From The Recruitment Desk every Friday. Our Recruitment professional will take his red pen to several sections of an anonymous resume and make notes based on what he thinks, followed by an assessment. 

If you wish to be considered for future installments, please forward resumes as Word documents with all personal information removed to michaelllippert@gmail.com

PERSONAL SUMMARY

 

A confident and reliable IT Support Engineer with extensive experience working with computers (I assume that if you're working IT you have experience with computers. What you do with them is what I'm looking for) routers, switches (What kind? If I need a Cisco expert, these general terms will not turn up in my search) and any support ("Any support" is a very broad term. Do I call you if I can't get my internet working or if the entire Network is on the brink of collapse?) issues raised to the Service Desk. I gain the Customer’s trust by continually exceeding their expectations (Really, how?), looking after them and their environment (Look after them? Do you bring them meals? Do you do their dishes?). Also have experience in Mortgage industry as Business Analysis and Customer Service Representative (Wow, left field. This is not getting you a help desk position. If you want to be a BA, write a separate resume for that). I look after people (Me too. So?).

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE

Customer Service (This is a soft skill. Anyone can say they have it. Lead with technical skills most relevant to the job) 

Networking

VOIP (Avaya? Cisco?)

1st-2nd line issues

Infrastructure Support

VPN

Training Employees and Team Members

ITIL (But not ITIL certified?)

Business Analysis/Mortgage Experience (Remove)

CERTIFICATIONS - EDUCATION

ITIL Foundation in IT Service MGMT (Your certifications tell me more than your Skills section. Maybe consider removing it altogether and moving this up)

Cisco Certified Network Associate CCNA

Cisco Certified Network Associate Voice CCNA Voice

Cisco Certified Design Associate CCDA

Cisco Certified Network Professional CCNP

Network +, A +

University of BC Mortgage Securities Course

Bachelor of Arts, Trent University

Networking Technology Diploma, Herzing College

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

 

(Company Name Removed)

Senior Service Desk Engineer                                                                                September 2012 - Present

·         Support LAN/WAN in Cisco environment (Size of environment please).

·         Support Cisco VOIP environment; Cisco Call Manager 8.6.2.20000-2/Cisco Unity 8.6.2.20000-76.

·         Installation and Troubleshooting Cisco 7941,7942 VOIP phones (How many? In an office? A call centre?)

·         Strong knowledge of voice engineering principles and concepts. (OK)

·         Update ACLs and create/troubleshoot VPN connectivity on Cisco ASA 5520.

·         Knowledge in Remote Access VPN (Client-Site) and Site-Site VPN. (I have knowledge of the moon. Doesn't mean I'm going to fly there any day soon)

·         Create technical training documentation for staff and post information onto In House knowledgebase. (As much as I love someone to know how to post information, I'd rather know what impact this information had on the staff) (In-House Knowledgebase might not mean anything to some people. Consider a new phrasing)

·        Created various Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) documents for review by Senior IT Management. (Just because they were reviewed by the Senior IT Manager doesn't mean they were reviewed well.)

·         Remote administration and management of customer premises equipment. (What kind of equipment?)

·         Create (Administer sounds better. Especially if the description asks for Exchange Administration) new email and network accounts using Exchange 2010 and Windows 2008 Active Directory.

·         Sound knowledge/experience with Exchange 2010 and AD Windows 2008. (For my money this is the same point as the one above)

·         Knowledge of switching concepts, access ports and trunking. (Glad you have that knowledge, because I don't. Nor would I know what you'd do with it) 

·         Grant access to Exchange 2010 inbox(s), calendar(s) and network folders and files (Windows 2008). (I'm not prone to deja vu but I feel like I've read this point somewhere before)

·         Strong PC skills (Windows, PC Hardware, Internet Browsers, Networking). (More repetition)

·         Excellent communication skills, effectively communicates with staff to discuss issues and triage issues. (If your resume speaks to me, I'll know you can communicate. Don't waste a bullet on this)

(Company Name Removed)                                                                                          Nov 2011 – Sept 2012

 Senior Helpdesk/Desktop/Network Support Specialist (You're a lot of things to a lot of people. If you're applying for Help Desk positions, be a Senior Help Desk Support Specialist. If you're applying to Network positions be a Senior Network Support Specialist. Don't try to be all things to all people)

·         Troubleshooted/supported LAN/WAN in Cisco environment.

·         Provided Network and Desktop Support which includes connectivity issues involving network cabling, and network services such as DNS, DHCP, HTTP and FTP. (Awkward. Need tightening)

·         Provided Support for Citrix Environment. (What Kind?)

·         Provided IP networking support on Cisco Routers and Switches for VLAN environment.

·         Enabling switch ports for end users to establish connectivity with their VLAN.

·         Installed workstations and configure laptops for end users including Windows 7, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, Wyse Zenith and Wyse Zenith Pro devices. (Windows 7 and MacBook Pro are your end users?)

·         Assisted with research and implementation of new Helpdesk Software and Asset Management tracking system. (How much assistance. What was the final impact of your contribution? Which ATS?)

(Company Name Removed)                                                                          April 1998 to May 2000

Business Analyst/Payment Processing Supervisor (Not only is this experience over a decade old it's irrelevant to what you're currently doing. Get rid of it.)   

 

Assessment

 

If I had a broad, generic Help Desk or Network admin position I may give this person a call to get more information. In IT the biggest concern is buzz words. Sometimes a job just comes down to whether the person has the right mix of technologies or not. This resume has a good smattering of Cisco technologies and such. But while I can tell the environment this person is working in, it's hard to gauge the scope or importance of their work. Providing network support could be as simple as going to someone's desk and giggling some cables or as advanced as routing entire networks. With more focus on actual accomplishments and less on simply stating technical environments, this resume would be much more appealing.