Pros and Cons of Working on Wall Street

Photo by Epicharmus

Yesterday,  Lindsey Pollak, an author and speaker specializing in career advice for young professionals, posted a guest blog of mine on her site.  It’s about the pros and cons of starting your career on Wall Street based on my personal experience and in consultation with a friend of mine who is still in the business. (Lest things changed since I left.  They haven’t!)

I hope you’ll click over and take a look at the post on Lindsey’s blog.

If you are a new college graduate (or even a not-so-new graduate), I highly recommend Lindsey’s book Getting from College to Career.  With 90 tips to help get your job search on the right track, you can’t go wrong.

No matter what type of job you are seeking, Keppie Careers is here for you. Let us help by writing your resume, directing your search and coaching you every step of the way:  www.keppiecareers.com.

The Most Important Interview Questions

Photo by Alexander Drachman

What’s the question that every interview includes? It may be phrased in a number of ways, but it is the underlying question in every single interview query:

“Why should we hire you?”

After all, interviewers want you to sell yourself. It’s not up to them to figure out if you are a good match; it is up to you to draw the lines, connect the dots between your skills and their needs. If you don’t know why they should hire you, you certainly won’t be able to convince anyone else!

What’s the other most important interview question?

“Tell me about yourself.”

Even if you are an “experienced” or “seasoned” professional - do NOT consider this question an opportunity to launch into your life story. If you can’t zero in on a few brief autobiographical details and connect them to the position, you will be wasting your time and the interviewer’s patience.

So, how should you prepare
to address these questions?

Refer to your elevator pitch. Your pitch, which should contain information about you and your skills (customizible to individual targets) will focus on what problem you can help solve, include specifics about your abilities and accomplishments and demonstrate your expertise, interest and enthusiasm for their organization. Of course, all of these will be focused on the organization’s needs.

Your answers should NOT focus on what they can do for you - make sure you demonstrate how you can impact them in a positive way.

I invite you to refer to some of my earlier blogs for more advice about how to respond to interview questions to GET the job:

5 Tips to Turn Your Interviewer Into A Fan
Behavioral Interview: Have STAR Stories to Share

Keppie Careers will help you figure out why the interviewer should hire you - and give you the tools and information to make sure that you can do it! Do you need a resume? A mock interview? Keppie Careers can help: www.keppiecareers.com.

5 Tips To Turn Your Interviewer Into a Fan

Have you been thinking of interviews as an opportunity to be grilled with questions like “What’s your weakness?” and NOT focusing on them as chances to make a fan of your interviewer?  Today’s blog aims to change your interview mindset.  Research shows that a positive mindset is important in job hunting, so starting with what you can control is a good first step.

1. Convince yourself that the interviewer really WANTS to hire you.
The fact is, it is tough to hire a quality employee. I can say from experience that your interviewer hopes that you WOW him or her with your answers and give fabulous reasons to hire you.  In essence, the interviewer is rooting for you! 

2. Know what to say. 
Prepare in advance.  A lot.  No, you don’t have to memorize answers to 100 interview questions, but be sure that you spend time thinking and practicing what you will say in response to topics that will come up: 

• Think of your key points (as they relate to how you fit into the job).  These points are your message.  They answer the question:  Why should we hire you? 
• Create several stories that illustrate your points and describe how you are able to fill the organization’s needs.  Stories should demonstrate successes, a time you overcame obstacles and examples of how you interact with colleagues and employers. Use the STAR technique to describe these situations.
• Incorporate the fact that you’ve conducted research on the organization, their goals, values, accomplishments and needs in your answers.  Your interviewer will be happy to know that you spent some time on the organization’s website or reading up on them.  It’s flattering to know that you’re interested enough in the job to prepare.  Interviewers love prepared candidates.

3. Listen carefully and answer the question. 
You won’t believe how many candidates reply to a direct question without actually answering it.  It can be a little painful for the interviewer.  Ask for clarification if necessary, even think for a few seconds before replying.  (Not too many seconds, though.)  If you don’t answer the question, you’ll lose your fan.

4. Don’t keep talking and talking (and talking)…
There is no quicker way to lose your audience than by droning on and on before you get to the point.  If it doesn’t seem that you’re getting to the point, you will lose your audience quickly.  Even if you do (eventually) answer the question, your interviewer will be busy making mental notes about what to pick up for dinner by the time you get to the point.  Be succinct.  Your interviewer will love it!

5. Follow Up
Send a thank you note.  It matters. 

If you follow these tips, you’ll increase the likelihood of keeping a fan on the other side of the interview table.  That fan is much more likely to become a colleague if they like you as much when you leave the room as they did when they invited you to interview!  It’s in your hands - interview to seal the deal and GET THE JOB!

Keppie Careers is dedicated to helping you seal the deal.  We offer mock interviews, a plethora of advice and tips and resumes to get the job.  Learn more: www.keppiecareers.com.

Interviewing: What’s Your Weakness?

Photo by Eszter

What’s Your Weakness?

Ah…The dreaded interview question. What should you say? Do you tell them that you’re a perfectionist? What if they ask “Why is that a weakness?” Then, if you’re nervous, you may be compelled to go on and on about the time you were in charge of a project, but couldn’t let it go because you were so involved in the details…It went way over budget and was late because you couldn’t put it to bed. A good weakness to describe for an interview? Not so much.

There are several keys to this question.

1. You should be prepared to answer it. If you’re caught off-guard, you just look ill-prepared.
2. You need to come up with a weakness that has NOTHING to do with the job.
3. You must demonstrate how you are striving to improve your skill in the “weak” area.

For example, a computer programmer whose job it is to sit at a computer and work magic might say:

“I have to admit that I am a bit nervous speaking in front of very large crowds. However, I’m considering joining Toastmaster’s and I’ve been doing some reading about how to be better at public speaking, as it is a skill I’d like to practice and improve.”

Why is this a great answer in this case?

• Public speaking in front of very large crowds is not part of this applicant’s potential work duties.
• Most people are nervous speaking in front of very large crowds, so even if speaking may ever unexpectedly come up in this job, it wouldn’t be unusual to have this weakness.

If the job involved frequent presentations, this would not be a good choice for a weakness.

So, the trick to this question:

• Be prepared to answer it.
• Describe that you are trying to improve in the “weak” area.
• Whatever you do, don’t expand on the weakness or give more information than necessary. Be brief and to the point.

Or, you can give an answer my former boss mentioned to me…(Use only with careful discretion):

What’s your greatest weakness?

Look them straight in the eye, smile and say, “Chocolate.”

Keppie Careers will help you highlight your strengths! Need a great resume? An enhanced linkedin profile? Don’t know where to begin your job hunt? We are here for you - www.keppiecareers.com

A Tribute to Mom

In honor of Mother’s Day,
I dedicate this post in
memory of my mom.

Few people doubt the important role mothers serve. A new book by Stephan Poulter, The Mother Factor: How Your Mother’s Emotional Legacy Impacts Your Life, suggests that “There may be a direct link between our career success and our mothers.” (Hat tip, Anita Bruzzese.)

Alexandra Levit recently blogged about Anita’s post about our mothers’ influence on career success:

The book’s thesis is that, whether we acknowledge it or not, our mothers leave an indelible impression on the people we become. Our ability to function in personal and professional relationships is based on our mothers’ “styles.” Poulter defines the five major styles of mothering as:

* The Perfectionist Mother: whose family must look perfect in every way.
* The Unpredictable Mother: whose ups and downs can create lifelong anxiety and depression in her son or daughter.
* The “Me First” Mother: whose children come second or last.
* The “Best Friend” Mother: who’s now in vogue but can wreak havoc.
* The Complete Mother: who provides guidance and shows compassion to her child.

For example, if your mother was a perfectionist, then you might have difficulty taking feedback at work. “Ninety five percent of the time it’s your emotional history spilling into the present,” Poulter says.

If this research is correct, I am even more lucky than I thought to have had such an encouraging, supportive, caring and giving mom. My mom was exceptional and unique in many ways. She had high standards for herself and others. She taught me to believe in myself, set goals and work hard to achieve them. She was instrumental in helping me develop my soft skills, including writing, communication and common sense.

My mom demonstrated a strong work ethic and instilled that ethic, along with a can-do attitude that supports me to this day. I am so grateful and appreciative to have had that foundation upon which to build my life and career. Thanks, Mom. I miss you.

Getting Organized for Your Job Hunt

Let’s face it…A chicken without a head wouldn’t make a good blog image…

Don’t Job Hunt Like a Chicken With No Head

You’ve probably already figured out that it’s pretty tough to conduct a job search unless you employ some organizational tools and methods.

Keeping track of contacts made while networking, jobs applied for, resumes sent, due dates, dates when you expect to hear from someone, dates to follow-up - it can be pretty overwhelming if you don’t put together a method to keep everything together.

Today, I was invited to a presentation by professional organizer Donna Smallin. The program was to showcase some fun and stylish organizational tools. Donna reminded listeners that being disorganized costs us money in time that we spend looking for things and lost productivity at home and at work.

She said one thing that I think applies to all job seekers who know that looking for a job is a full-time job in itself - “The best time to get organized is when you have no time.” I can certainly relate to that! Sometimes, we get so caught up in our “business” that we don’t realize how stopping what we’re doing and getting some perspective can actually increase productivity.

So, if you’ve been feeling like a job-hunting chicken with no head, take a break. Try chunking it down to overcome job search overwhelm. Consider what you can do to change your surroundings to make yourself more productive. Donna suggests that you clear your desk and keep materials that you need all of the time handy, such as clips, file folders, pens, etc. If you have what you need to be organized, it will be that much easier to make the leap into actually being organized.

Time is money, and when you’re in a job hunt, every penny counts!

Save time and money by hiring a career coach. Did you know that a professionally written resume can shorten the length of your search and qualify you for a higher paying job? Check our our services: www.keppiecareers.com.

 

Silver Lining to Recession for Workers?

Photo by Where are the Joneses

Do you see a proverbial “glass half full”

in this recession?

I’m on a listserve run by Peter Shankman called Help A Reporter Out (HARO). The purpose of the list is to connect experts and regular people with reporters and authors who have specific inquiries for projects such as books, newspapers, magazines, blogs and all types of media outlets. It’s free to join. The emails you’ll receive come with a dose of humor from Peter and some insight into what you might be hearing and reading about in the future. (Reporters, writers, experts and regular people can join by following this link.)

Today’s morning post (there are 3 a day) had an interesting inquiry. A freelance writer is doing a story with the theme, “Upside of the Recession.” (Listserv rules prohibit me from re-posting her contact info, but I don’t think Peter will mind that his list inspired my blog today!)

I’ve posted quite a bit about how to recession proof your job, job searching in a recession and tips for when job hunting prospects look bleak. With job seekers worried about their employment prospects, people losing their positions due to downsizing and prices for everything important going up, up and up…

Is there a silver lining to the recession
from the worker’s perspective?

At least one person I know thinks so. Nolan Feintuch, a real estate professional in Atlanta, believes that the housing market slow-down offers a “great opportunity for realtors to grow their businesses.” He notes:

Many agents are leaving the business and those who are serious are having to get back to basic sales skills to build their client base. It is common for agents to boost their careers during down markets.

Do you see any silver lining? Let me know in the comments section…

Keppie Careers with help you put your best foot forward for your job search. Need a great resume? Don’t know how to start your search? www.keppiecareers.com

Nostalgia Leads to Networking

If you’re a regular reader, you’ve noticed a pattern to this week’s posts. I’m feeling kind of nostalgic…remembering my college days, which makes me think back to high school.

My family moved away from my home town in the suburbs of Chicago when I went to college. Moving so far away, it was hard to keep in touch with any but my very closest friends from that time. (I know this probably seems a foreign concept to students today, but this was before social networking and Web 2.0. Think actually PAYING for long distance calls - made while tethered to a phone with a cord - and needing to mail letters!)

This nostalgia led to a little flurry of activity in my FaceBook account, which leads to me today’s post. Randomly (it seems), I’ve all of the sudden been compelled to spend time “friending” neighbors from my home town, classmates and even more distant aquaintances from high school. (Being more of a linkedin kind of gal, I admit to not spending a lot of time pursuing FaceBook connections in the past.)

We exchange a note, maybe post something on our “walls,” view photos…There’s no long-term investment of time or energy to touch base, and it is comforting to know that maybe I won’t lose track of these old friends again.

I like that this group of people who share a bond with me, albeit distant, is out there. I know that I’d be happy to help or support any of them if I could, and I think they would do the same for me.

L

No, these weren’t my classmates, but it is my high school!

Luckily, I am not in this flurry of networking activity because I “need” something from any of these contacts. (It’s really more of a nostalgia thing.)…Which leads me to connect this post to a relevant career topic!

With prices going up and salaries going down (and some jobs becoming fewer and further between)….

NOW is the time to enhance, re-build or create your network.

Networking is about relationships…Most of us have relationships that we’ve let fall by the wayside. Maybe a little revival isn’t a bad idea.

Using social networks - which may or may not lead to offline meetings - there’s no specific time committment, no small talk (really), no “what do I wear to go to that event.” Reaching out is as easy as a click of the mouse, some exchanged emails and touching base once in a while. FaceBook gives you everyone in your networks’ birthdate - consider sending a note to remember their special day.

Baby steps to online networking are okay - find some “friends,” see if there may be some potential revived relationships and nurture them.

Stay tuned for more on FaceBook for job hunting…

Looking for a job? Keppie Careers will help you every step of the way? Need a great resume? Take a look at our resume transformations!

Job Hunt Tips for New Grads and the Rest of Us!

Photo by Ashley Dinges

May brings the pomp and circumstance of graduations. The other day, my college roommate sent me an email with a number as the subject. The number was how many years ago to the day we graduated from Michigan. (Not mentioning the number here, suffice to say it was in the double digits.)

I remember how exciting it was to graduate, but both of us only had “fall back” plans set up at that point, and the future seemed a little uncertain. To make a long story short, we both wound up working in New York City (me on Wall Street and my friend for a non-profit organization).

Our lives took a course that we never (in a million years) would have imagined. Following a path to plans we hadn’t actually charted changed both of our lives.

Neither of us would be where we are today without having followed a road that we didn’t pave ourselves. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I think this story applies to all job seekers, not just new graduates. Keep an open mind to possibilities you may not have considered. If your hunt is getting stale, consider a new directional focus. Look for positions in a new, but related field. Open your eyes to opportunities that may not be what you expect, but may be exactly what you need.

Keppie Careers will leverage over 10 years of experience helping job seekers for you! Contact us: results@keppiecareers.com or www.keppiecareers.com.

Body Language for Your Job Search

I once wrote a term paper about the importance of body language. The quote I remember from it,

“Don’t underestimate the power of body language,”

from The Little Mermaid, is no less true today!

(Yes, I really quoted a Disney movie in my paper. It worked.)

Did you know that people who are positive and confident outperform their peers in their job searches? Research shows that persistence and a postive attitude pay off in the job hunt. You can always pick out a pessimist by his or her body language - slumped shoulders, eyes down, expressionless (or frowning). No one wants to hire someone who seems sad or pessimistic. Straighten up, smile and make eye contact. Your body language speaks louder than your words.

In fact, research also shows that body language makes up more than half of how our communication is perceived. That means that you may be describing your greatest business accomplishment, but if your posture isn’t good and you don’t make effective eye contact, you might as well tell the interviewer about the time you lost your portfolio on the way to a presentation.

Another telling body language tool is the handshake.

How many times do we have to tell you - strong and firm gets the job done! BusinessWeek recently wrote about several different types of handshakes to use and some to avoid. Eye contact along with a firm handshake can make a world of difference to how you are being perceived.

Remember - the little things matter.

In fact, the “little things” may actually be the BIG things! Focus on every aspect of your presentation to ensure that you put your best foot forward with your job search.

Keppie Careers will help you with every aspect of your job hunt. We will write your resume and teach you how to find a job. www.keppiecareers.com.