Archive for the How to Say It Category

Informational interviews — gag me with a spoon. They call it an informational “interview” because… it’s a veiled job interview. The challenge is how to get the information you need in the right setting. And an interview ain’t it.

In the October 13, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader questions advice she was given by a career counselor about informational interviews. Lucky she asked.

I know that I’m supposed to call the people I know in decision-making positions in my field to set up appointments for “informational interviews.” A career counselor I’m working with suggests that I should say, “I was wondering what unmet needs you have now or anticipate down the road.” But it just doesn’t sound natural or productive to me. I bet you have a better idea.

Gimme a break and fire your career counselor, who is telling you to go embarrass yourself by asking for a job with a wink and a nod. Imagine asking that exact same question in an attempt to get a date with someone… Urrrrgh.

Why is every interaction between a job hunter and an employer assumed to be some kind of interview? Why can’t we just have a little talk? You know — talk shop. Discuss business. Share information and insight. Everything doesn’t have to be a dad-blasted interview.

This means you have to shake loose from talking about “the job,” “a job,” “an opening,” “an unmet need,” (Jeeze, I wouldn’t touch that one even with a lawyer in tow…) or anything having to do with getting hired.

And that means talking to the manager in a different setting. What industry associations does she belong to? Where does she take professional development courses? Does she volunteer somewhere? Find out where you can run into her, then do it. Assuming you really want to learn something new, here’s How to Say It:

“Hi, nice to meet you. I know you work for ABC Company. I’ve always admired ABC’s stature in its field. Could I ask you something? What’s your opinion of this industry and where it’s going? What do you think are the hurdles and opportunities coming down the pike?”

This can easily turn into a talk about her company and even about her department. And that’s the beginning of your “informational” discussion, if that’s what you really want.

If what you really want is an excuse for a job interview, I can’t help you. Don’t mix up job hunting with a peer-to-peer discussion with someone in your field. It’s rude.

Am I wrong? What’s the best way to say it, and in what setting?

I think it’s legit (and smart) to learn all you can about an industry, a company and a job. But is the “informational interview” a legit way to do it? I don’t think so. (I discussed this topic in another post, Informational (heh-heh) Interviews over a year ago. But don’t look at that til you’ve posted your comments here!)

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In this week’s Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a job hunter tries to deal with a roadblock that hasn’t even materialized. This is a roadblock that should not be tackled until a job offer is extended.

I have a potental roadblock in a job search. I have eldercare responsibilities that limit my workday to standard work hours (not more than 8 hours, weekdays and daytime only) and cannot travel. Do I disclose any of this to a potential employer, or do I wait until after I get the offer in hand and invoke FMLA and the Small Necessities Leave Act?

I think the best way to say it is not to say it — yet. Wait until after an offer is made. But don’t threaten. (If you want to invoke the law, go for it, but be ready to go to court.) “Thanks for your offer. I’m eager to come to work. I know I’m not required to do this, but I feel it’s proper to disclose that I care for my [mother, father, whoever] when I’m not at work. I am ready to work hard during a regular 40-hour work week, but after an 8-hour day I must attend to my eldercare responsibilities. I wanted to discuss this prior to accepting your offer. I will organize my work day to ensure I get the job done in 40 hours. Is that acceptable?”

How and when would you say it? I think an employer has a right to know you can’t work overtime. But I would wait until after the employer has made a commitment, so you can both try to work it out. Bring it up too soon, and you jeopardize an offer — and you’ll never know whether you were rejected because of this issue. Once the offer is made, the employer has more motivation to work it out with you.

What’s your take on this?

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In the Top 10 Stupid Interview Questions category… the new Ask The Headhunter Newsletter includes this query from a reader about How to Say It:

This question is asked by almost every employer: Why did you leave your last job? Frankly, I’m tired of it, but it just keeps coming. It’s like they’re asking me whether I’m a good-for-nothing bum because I left a job. I’ve got nothing to hide — I left because my boss was a jerk and I got tired of being abused. What does that have to do with whether I can be a good worker? I’ve been totally honest with some and I’ve been clever with others. Nothing seems to feel right because I can never tell how they take my answer. How do I answer honestly without screwing myself out of a job?

This ranks right up there with, “What’s your greatest weakness?” (Answer: Uh, my last job?) There are tons of clever responses, if you can afford all the career books they’re stored in.

I’m not gonna touch this one because the best approach will be squeezed out of all the dialogue I expect it will stimulate… So let’s have at it.

How would you explain in an interview why you left a crummy boss?

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In the September 22, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader has the right idea to impress a manager but needs a nudge:

I agree with your advice to do a demonstration in the job interview to show what you can do. But I seem to lock up during the part where I am telling the hiring manager how I will do the job. How do I explain to the manager what I’m about to do so he won’t be thrown for a loop?

How to Say It: For many people it’s easier to answer a question than to launch a presentation. So get the manager to cue up your answer! At some point during the meeting, say this:

“I’d like to make our meeting as profitable as possible for you. I don’t expect you to hire me unless you have evidence that I can do the job. In that spirit, would you lay out a live task or problem you’d want me to handle if you hired me? I’d like to show you how I’d tackle it as best I can right here in the interview, by explaining the plan I would use.”

That gets some very interesting discussions going, and if the manager is really focused on getting a job done, he will welcome a motivated candidate who wants to get specific. Is this risky? Yah, of course. But so is sitting there waiting for the next interview question…

How would you cue up your effort to impress the manager?

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In the Q&A section of the September 1, 2009 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter we’re talking about how to convince an employer to hire you (or even just to interview you) when your resume reveals you have “jumped around a lot.”

I’ve offered some perspective and suggestions to the reader who asked the question in the newsletter. Now I’m asking you to advise how this reader should say it to the manager.

Why should an employer consider this applicant, much less hire him, if he has had four different jobs in four years? What should the applicant say to merit an interview or a job?

(Don’t get the newsletter? Sign up, and the next time we discuss a topic like this you’ll have the whole story! But feel free to chime in now anyway!)

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In the August 25, 2009 edition of the newsletter, I discuss A Killer Interview Strategy. (Don’t get the newsletter? Sign up. Sorry, it’s not archived. This special “rollover” feature from the blog is for newsletter subscribers… a place to discuss what’s in the newsletter and your ideas about it.)

You advise “doing the job in the interview.” A manager isn’t going to understand that I want to demonstrate what I can do, and might not like the idea of me taking over the interview. If I want to make this suggestion, how do I say this to the manager without getting the boot?

Wowee, you’d be surprised how many managers are shocked when job candidates actually suggest showing how they’d do the work… right there in the interview. In this week’s Q&A feature in the newsletter, candidate Gerry leaves the manager with his jaw on the floor. And gets the job without a traditional interview.

How would you introduce an offer to show what you can do? Ever tried it? How would you say it? Ever get booted out of an interview for being “so brash?” Or, did it get you an offer?

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Line ’em up and shoot ’em. That’s the approach some companies take to interviewing job candidates.

Some employers like to put job candidates through “stress interviews.” They set up a panel of interviewers who lob rapid-fire questions—like tomatoes—at the candidate. They watch to see how the candidate deals with the stress. I think this is ridiculous, unfair, insulting and not very productive. I want to tell these people to cut it out. How should I say it so that I’ll come across as responsive and “a cut above” the meek applicant?

That’s the question a reader asked in this week’s Ask The Headhunter Newsletter. (Get the whole story. Sign up for your own free subscription.) My advice is in the newsletter, which is not archived. I’ll post it here after readers chime in.

Do you stand there and catch the tomatoes, or do you do something else? Tell us.

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