Monthly archive for July 2024

Sometimes more really is better! Rather than focus on just one question from a reader this week, I’m publishing 5 short, in-your-face questions (and maybe contrarian answers) about job search culled from my huge collection. Hope you find one Q&A that gives you an edge in your job search!

Question 1

I’ve been a fan of your newsletter and website for years. I know that networking and making connections is the best way to find the right job. In a perfect world, I’d love to bypass the recruiting machine. Sometimes, though, I come across a job posting that I want to pursue. How do I increase my chances inside the machine?

Nick’s Reply

I love it when readers answer their own questions! Skip that job posting, and go around. Invest the time to triangulate. Find people who work at your target company or who do biz with the company. Ask their advice and insight. Keep it up until someone makes an introduction for you.

If you can pull this off, it’ll pay off because managers tend to hire through trusted referrals — not job postings. The job boards have brainwashed people to think you must fill out the form. That’s nonsense. You only have to fill out the form if you don’t want to do the extra work to stand out.

You can’t increase your chances “inside the machine.” For inspiration and tips check out this article: Ask The Headhunter Secrets in A Nutshell.

Question 2

At this point I can only choose between a contingency recruiter or direct application to the company. This company is ill-equipped to recruit talent on its own, so it has resorted to outsourcing talent acquisition. I have been always told to default to the recruiter. I know for a fact that this recruiter cannot sell me better than I can sell myself! If I apply direct, then I feel that I have a better edge in terms on salary/compensation negotiations. Am I missing something?

Nick’s Reply

You’re missing one thing: This is not about choosing between the recruiter and “applying” on your own. Both are insufficient. The best option is to talk to the hiring manager before you do anything else. First, get to the hiring manager. Then, be ready with what to say.

In my PDF books, I do a lot of “How to Say It.” So here goes:

How to Say It:
“Hi – I understand you have a position open. I don’t apply for jobs unless I know there’s a high likelihood I can bring something to the manager’s bottom line — and that’s rarely clear from a job description. Do you have a couple of minutes to talk about what you need your new hire to actually pull off in this job? If I think I can help, I’d be glad to interview. If I can’t, then we shouldn’t take this any further.”

Only a dope of a manager would dismiss that offer. Of course, if the interview is with a personnel jockey, you may be wasting your time to begin with.

Question 3

With so many different options now when filling out applications, what looks best? Applying via LinkedIn or filling out the application and attaching relevant documents? If a cover letter is optional, attaching it or not attaching it? Attaching extra portfolio pieces to an application, even if it doesn’t call for them?

Nick’s Reply

None of the above. Let’s flesh out my reply in Question 3 and understand the problems job seekers really face.

Automated applications are designed to herd cattle. It’s not only you that’s frustrated with these meat-grinder “applicant tracking systems.” . Check this video from PBS NewsHour.

My advice: Throw out your resume. Don’t use it. It’s a lousy crutch. Instead, pick your target companies and managers. Do the work to get in touch with them. Talk to people that know them. Get introduced. Yes, this is a lot of work — but so’s that great job you want. Why gamble on a database to win it?

To really understand why you face this problem to begin with, you must understand the HR problem: Systemic Recruitment Fraud: How employers fund America’s jobs crisis.

Automated hiring and job hunting are, in my opinion, the biggest fraud committed in our economy. It doesn’t work, then employers blame you for not being qualified enough to make it through the key word algorithm.

Sorry to rant, but your question (not you) reveals just how broken America’s employment system is. Please — go meet people. 40%-70% of jobs are found and filled through personal contacts. Why try an application system that turns you into a cow being herded into a pen?

Question 4

How do you handle those inane questions — “What’s your biggest weakness?”, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”, “Why do you want to work here?” — that HR people seemingly have branded onto their brains?

Nick’s Reply

Ah, the Top 10 Stupid Interview Questions.

Try this.

How to Say It:
“I’d be happy to answer the classic interview questions, but with your permission I’d also like to actually show you how I’d do this job for you profitably. Would you please lay out a live problem or task — something you’d want me to do if you hired me — so I can show you how I’d go about it? If I can’t show you how my approach would make your department more successful/profitable, then you shouldn’t hire me.”

If the manager can’t handle that, ask yourself what you’re doing there. (Of course, if you can’t do the above demonstration, you don’t really have any business in that interview, do you?)

Don’t worry about your answers to those Top 10. Just do your best on them. Then move the manager on to what really matters.

Question 5

What advice do you have for job seekers who have “golden handcuffs”?

Nick’s Reply

Make the choice: Do you want what you have more than you want something else? Life is short. Sometimes the only way to find what you really want is to stop doing what you’re doing — and give up the bribe of a high salary that keeps you from doing what’s better for you.

Your employer has put those cuffs on you, so we know you’re already pretty unusual and you know it. No one would have invested in putting those golden handcuffs on you if you weren’t incredibly talented. I think the mistake you might be making is to believe that the one who put those cuffs on is the only one that really recognizes what you’re worth.

No one defines your value — they just buy it. Your value is in who you are and what you can do. My guess is, you can do it again elsewhere or totally on your own. Trust yourself and choose.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this 5-question summer slam as much as I have!

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Question

I was offered a position after three interviews. In the offer the title was changed from Assistant to Senior Assistant and the salary was $5k more than was originally discussed. The offer also included a 5% bonus after one year. Of course there were other benefits, major medical, etc. All this was in the written offer which I accepted. Great, right? Yes and no.

The next day I gave my letter of resignation and two weeks’ notice. In my last week of work and three days to go, my new employer advised I had passed my background check and said they just needed my latest pay stub.

I lied about my salary on the application I had completed a week earlier. (I took a salary cut to get my current job, so I gave my prior higher salary.) After they questioned me I panicked and was not honest. I then tried to make it right but they rescinded the offer just the same. I am not a youngster and so I know better. I thought if they knew my real salary they would not have offered me what I am worth, given my experience, skills, and successful career so far.

I tried to get my current employer to take me back but they would not. I was a great worker but I think they felt slighted. Now I am actively looking and I don’t know how to address the dreaded question about why I am not employed. This was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I’m devastated. Thank you for any suggestions.

Nick’s Reply

I’m very sorry to hear what happened. Your experience is a painful reminder about why I advise people to never disclose their salary history and to never lie about it.

Lying about salary is not necessary

Your salary history is confidential and private and employers have no right to it. But as you’ve found, if you disclose your salary they can hold it against you later, as they did in this case. If you keep it private, you’re safe. In fact, I wrote a short PDF book about this, but you don’t need to read the book to get the main ideas:

Keep Your Salary Under Wraps

While some companies will end the interview process if you won’t disclose salary, my readers tell me that most employers back off when the candidate politely but firmly declines — and if the employer is really interested in hiring them. Lying about salary is simply not necessary, and disclosing your salary is definitely not advisable if you want to get the best offer!

If an employer is going to make “advancing your candidacy” contingent on knowing your salary, what do you think working there would be like?

Hide your cards and negotiate

While no law I’ve ever encountered obligates you to disclose your salary, and while it may even be illegal for an employer to ask, what happened to you is probably not a matter of law. (Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.) It’s a matter of what you agreed to when you signed that offer. When you accept an offer, you accept the company’s rules, which likely require all new employees to turn over past pay stubs. You may not be legally required to hand them over, but if you accepted that offer you probably entered into an agreement to do so — and that allows the employer to fire you or to rescind their offer if you don’t.

So, how do you avoid a job offer that’s too low? You play your cards close to the chest and you negotiate a higher offer. Don’t wait until you’re in the interview process or at the point of getting an offer. Learn how to handle salary negotiations now.

Get back up on the horse

You fell off the horse. You lied about your salary. When we make mistakes, I believe there are three rules good people follow. (1) Fess up. “I blew it. I lied.” (2) Apologize. “I’m sorry.” (3) Make a commitment. “I’ll never do that again.” Of course, the fourth rule is to perform on the first three.

Then you put this behind you and move on. Your life and career aren’t over. You already know you’re good at your work. Focus on demonstrating that going forward. As for what to say about why you’re not working, it’s somewhat similar to explaining why you’re unemployed because you got fired:

What’s Better: Quit or get fired?

My advice is simple: Never disclose your salary history when applying for a job, and never lie about your salary. Don’t put yourself in a position to get busted. Then negotiate from a position of strength.

Is lying about your salary ever wise? Do you politely decline when asked for your salary history? Is there something else this reader could have done — or should do next?

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Question

I’m interviewing with a good company for a job that’s just right for me, but I’m worried about whether it might be a bad cultural fit. I don’t mean whether I’m exactly like them. Being different is, to my mind, a benefit, as monocultures are evolutionary dead ends. Nor am I worried that they are all jerks. What concerns me is the difficulty we have had communicating with each other thus far, and how that could lead to unpleasant working experiences for all of us later.

In other words, I fear that we might be oil and water. Two very good substances, capable of being useful and productive in their respective contexts, yet which do not mix well together. How should I handle this? Thanks in advance.

Nick’s Reply

I wish you had shared an example or two of the communication problems, but I think we can approach this generally and still explore some ideas that everyone might benefit from.

I compliment you for not glossing over this communication problem in the heat of wanting to get a job offer. More important, I give you extra points for realizing this isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker. An emotional reaction to a problem like this can cost a candidate a great opportunity. It’s important to step back and approach this reasonably. And the only way to do that is to have a candid talk with the hiring manager before it’s too late.

Before we continue, while I think I understand what you’re referring to, it’s worth pointing out that “cultural fit” is a controversial concept. For those that want to read deeper, I like this provocative article from the BBC: What does being a ‘cultural fit’ actually mean?

A bad cultural fit?

People are quite programmed when it comes to the interview process. Maybe brainwashed is a better word. They believe certain topics are off limits. For example, they may think it’s not proper to question an employer’s culture or communication style. Candidates often will make the mistake of trying too hard to show they can fit into a culture, when the cultural fit isn’t right for them. Likewise, candidates sometimes fail to question things that don’t make sense, and they incorrectly assume they are the source of the trouble. (Employers nowadays might assess “your fit” using unvalidated — and often downright goofy — automated interview tools. This may be the actual problem!)

When your antennae pick up a problem, trust your judgment. It’s the thorny problems that should spark the most careful examination. Nothing is off limits, as long as you’re diplomatic. If it’s likely to come back and bite you after you accept a job, talk about it now.

When a meeting reveals a communication failure (or other problem of cultural fit), you should raise it as an issue with the hiring manager. The manager is likely to debrief the interview team after your meetings, and if they saw a problem, they’ll discuss it with the boss. So should you, but you will have to initiate this discussion. So call the manager. Share your concern, and emphasize that your purpose is to resolve it together.

How to Say It

“I just wanted to give you some feedback on our interview. I like your company and your products, and I believe I can contribute to your bottom line. But, I’ve got some concerns about the difficulty we seemed to have communicating with one another. Sometimes that’s just an artifact of highly-structured meetings. In this case, I’m not sure. Did you get the same impression I did — that communication between us wasn’t as clear as it might be?”

(Of course, don’t use these exact words. Tune your comments so you’re comfortable.)

Most job candidates wouldn’t bring this up with a manager because it may be awkward or seem risky. They’d rather keep mum and hope for the best. That’s plain silly. A tactful, head-on approach reveals the sort of judgment any good employer would want you to demonstrate on the job. So show it now. (If your concern surprises them, then your perception is likely correct. You’re oil and water. You won’t mix.)

Before or after a job offer?

Is this too aggressive? Nope. It’s assertive, and it’s responsible. There’s no rule that says a candidate has to wait for a company to take action after an interview. The candidate can take action first. Sometimes, the candidate should act first.

Alternately, you may feel you should wait until after they extend a job offer. You’re the best judge of that. The larger point is, do not ignore your concern because you will likely have to deal with an ill-fitting match after you start the job.

Give the manager a chance to express their perceptions and thoughts. If the two of you can come to a meeting of the minds (whether you get the job or not), you will have handled this with aplomb. You could take this one step farther by suggesting a follow-up meeting with the team, where the discussion about “fit” can continue. If there’s a thoughtful manager on the other end, this could set the stage for a healthy, long-term work relationship.

Again, I’m impressed that you’re trying to deal with this constructively. I think the best way to figure out whether there’s a cultural fit is to bring it up now. I wish you the best.

What’s all this stuff about “fit”? As long as you can do the job and the company pays you, why worry about the cultural fit? Is this issue overblown, or does it make a difference? How do you assess this component of a job match?

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Question

I may have an interview for a really great job (yay!).

I have braces on my teeth. Big ugly braces. They are not attractive. I could have them taken off (and then put back on again after the interview) for a few hundred dollars. I know I look a lot more grown-up without these damn braces.

At the end of my initial phone interview the guy I spoke with expressed concern that I might be over-qualified. I’ve got more experience and credentials than the typical fresh-faced college senior who might be going for this position. It’s an administrative position that would allow me to get a lot of exposure to the business. It would be a chance to work with some of the best people in the industry, so I really, really want it!

At 26 (geez, when did that happen?) I have been in the workforce for five years. As a woman I’ve seen some of the worst biases at work, but I do my job and make it clear I don’t tolerate anyone making assumptions about what I can and can’t do.

Do I need to change the way I look? Are the braces going to be enough of a negative to shell out the dough for temporarily removing them? If I’m lucky, I will be able to schedule interviews for more than one position during that week.

Nick’s Reply

Some will shake their heads because I’m publishing a Q&A about braces. There’s a lot more to this. What you’re really asking is, do you have to modify your face (or body) so you’ll look more “normal” in a job interview?

Some years ago, I worked with a company that had a very potent, respected manager who was 22 years old. She didn’t have much of a formal education, but she had more street smarts than managers twice her age. She could hold her own in any situation, and she brought a lot of profit to the company’s bottom line. During the entire time I was involved with the company, she wore braces on her teeth. BIG braces.

It didn’t matter one bit. It just revealed she was serious about what was important to her — in this case, nice, healthy teeth. And she wasn’t afraid to do what was necessary to achieve that goal, even if it meant walking around with a mouth full of metal for a couple of years. I always admired her — but I never think about her braces when I remember her. I think about how effective she was, and how much I respected her.

Don’t play games. Be yourself. Until the braces come off because they’ve served their purpose, they’re part of who you are. If a company can’t deal with that, then why would you want to work there?

This isn’t some trite lesson in “seeing beyond the physical” to “appreciate what’s within.” It’s basic business sense. There are indeed managers who will feel uncomfortable hiring someone who looks different. They’re dolts. It’s better to find out now who they are. If you’re good at what you do, a smart manager will hire you. Your braces will eventually come off, but a dolt will remain a dolt after they reject you for no good reason.

I realize you’re just trying to optimize your chances of getting a job you really want, and you’re willing to sacrifice some money to do it. My vote: save your money and save your self-respect. Let the braces reveal the integrity of the manager.

Managers, take note. If you don’t hire this candidate because of the braces, she will go to work for one of your better competitors. So, take a close look at the candidate’s abilities – and braces. Because one way or the other, you’ll have to face both.

Have you ever faced a choice like this? How much about yourself would you alter to land a job? Is there something else this young professional could do to improve her chances of success?

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