Top 10 Job-Search & Interview Mistakes

Portland, OR - June 18, 2009 - With the national unemployment rate at 9.4% and in the double digits in more than 100 U.S. metropolitan areas, it's important not to make a job-search or interview mistake, according to OI Partners-Pathways (Portland), a global career transition and coaching firm.

"Employers are being inundated with resumes and applicants, and competition for jobs is fierce. You only get one chance to make a good first impression in a normal job market. But in today's economy, you need to be certain you are doing everything perfectly - from the beginning of your job search to the interview and through to following up," said Jean Erickson Walker, Executive Vice President of OI Partners-Pathways (Portland). http://www.oipartners.net/

OI Partners-Pathways cautions job-seekers to beware of committing any of the following Top 10 Job Search & Interview Mistakes:

Mistake #1: Not answering the question, "Why should I hire YOU?," in enough detail. In cover letters, and during personal and telephone interviews, you need to make the strongest case possible why YOU should be hired. Thoroughly research each prospective employer and specifically address what value you can add, particularly within the first three to six months on the job.

Mistake #2: Not "going the extra mile" to stand out from others. During an interview, offer detailed recommendations on how to improve sales, marketing, productivity, quality, management - whatever your field of expertise - and then document them. Send a plan afterward that will showcase what you can do if hired.

Mistake #3: Not showing enough excitement for a job and employer. Companies are looking for people who are enthusiastic about working with them, and can motivate and inspire their co-workers and direct reports. You need to demonstrate you are this type of person from your earliest communication as well as during interviews and following up.

Mistake #4: Not making enough eye contact during interviews. A good rule of thumb is to make eye contact about two-thirds of the time during an interview. Frequent eye contact signals that you are comfortable with, and sure of, yourself. Proper eye contact expresses confidence, sincerity, and interest, while looking away can be interpreted as discomfort, disinterest, and insincerity.

Mistake #5: Under-estimating the influence of receptionists, secretaries, and interns, as well as prospective co-workers, on the decision-making process. The cost of a bad hire can run as high as three times the salary of someone who doesn’t work out, when counting recruiting costs, severance, and lost productivity. Companies want to be sure that new hires fit into their organizations. They are increasingly asking everyone who comes into contact with applicants for their impressions.

Mistake #6: Not knowing in advance what your references will say about you, and not updating them on the outcome. Only use references who can address your most recent and relevant skills and accomplishments, and determine in advance exactly what they will say about you. Update them on the outcome of the position for which they provided a reference, whether successful or not, so they will want to help you in the future.

Mistake #7: Not memorizing a 90-second "verbal resume." Job-seekers need to get to the point quickly during interviews, networking meetings, and when meeting new people. Your verbal resume should briefly outline what you are looking for, your background and experience, two or three major accomplishments, and what you can bring to a job. Practice your verbal resume until it fits the recommended 90-second time frame.

Mistake #8: Not asking enough questions. The questions you ask during an interview may be given as much weight as your answers. Focus your questions on business-related matters and not compensation and benefits. If the position has become vacant, ask what happened to the person who held it previously. Failure to ask any questions, or asking irrelevant questions, can be costly.

Mistake #9: Over-relying on e-mail and the Internet and not enough face-to-face and telephone contact. Many people spend more time building their resumes than they do developing a contact network. Join groups of others who are jobless, attend professional association meetings, and work the phones. It's important that people be able to attach a face, or at least a voice, with a name.

Mistake #10: Not following up after a personal or telephone interview or networking meeting. You need to follow up on every interview and networking meeting with thank-you letters and e-mails. Use your follow-up to reinforce why you are the right person for a job.

OI Partners Newsletter: Effective Workplace Communication

Effective Workplace Communication

June 2009

In this issue:
• Resource Guide: Effectively Communicating and Receiving Feedback
• Effectively Communicating in the Workplace
• Layoff Announcement Writing: 4 Steps to Say Goodbye with Class
• Management's Role in Workplace Communication
• 7 Keys to Open the Door to Effective Face-to-Face Workplace Communications

Workplace communication. Nearly all conflicts or problems in the workplace can be traced to communication breakdowns: misunderstandings, assumptions, vague speak, poor listening abilities, and the list goes on. In this issue, we cover several areas where effective communication is critical: giving and receiving feedback, communicating about layoffs and participating in face-to-face meetings. We discuss how communication is both a bottom-up and top-down function ("Management's Role in Workplace Communication") and detail some components of good communication ("Effectively Communicating in the Workplace").

Knowing that communication works best when it's a two-way street, please share with us your thoughts on this issue. We will post them in next month's issue (anonymously, if you prefer).

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: Effective Workplace Communications Summary

Resource Guide: Effectively Communicating and Receiving Feedback
Feedback is critical to measuring performance. However, the way feedback is given or received can have a significant impact on effective communication. This short resource guide includes several tips for ensuring feedback is most effectively communicated and received.

Effectively Communicating in the Workplace
When an organization perpetuates good communication, it demonstrates an investment in employees. Here are insights into what makes workplace communication effective.

Layoff Announcement Writing: 4 Steps to Say Goodbye with Class
When written communication is the only option for relaying the fact that employees have departed your organization, be sure to follow these critical steps to make sure your message is received well by remaining employees.

Management's Role in Workplace Communication
Effective workplace communication is only possible when mechanisms exist to move information both up and down within the organization. Only management can establish and maintain those mechanisms. Here is insight on ways that can happen.

7 Keys to Open the Door to Effective Face-to-Face Workplace Communications
Improve your face-to-face contact with colleagues by following these 7 tips.

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OI Partners Newsletter: Training & Learning in an Economic Downturn

Training & Learning in an Economic Downturn

May 2009

In this issue:
• Training Cuts Often Result in Higher Costs
• Is the Economic Downturn Creating the Perfect Storm?: Continuing the Investment in Training & Development
• Employee Training in a Recession
• Justifying Training and Development in Tight Times
• Relevance of Learning versus Relevance of Training and Development

Many companies have reduced or eliminated their training and development functions in recent years. It has often been one of the first casualties when a company is "belt tightening." Unfortunately, it has often had the opposite effect on their bottom line, particularly when evaluating the performance of their middle management team who are not necessarily prepared to perform within their current responsibilities. The following articles address potential problems of cutting training all together, as well as some ways to make the most of your training dollars for the biggest return on investment.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: Training & Learning in an Economic Downturn Summary

Training Cuts Often Result in Higher Costs
Over the last year, the U.S. corporate training market saw its greatest decline in more than 10 years. Radical or indiscriminate training cuts in economic downturns can be risky. It could end up costing your company more than you imagined.

Is the Economic Downturn Creating the Perfect Storm?: Continuing the Investment in Training and Development
With businesses reeling from huge losses, it is hard to imagine spending dollars on training and development, which could be viewed as a luxury item. Most of us know from past experiences that things get better and when they do, will our businesses be ready for the increased demand for our products and services?

Employee Training in a Recession
The benefits of employee training must be considered within the context of the real world. The organization that sends an overworked, overwhelmed employee to class is wasting its money. Here are some insights for making sure your organization is getting the most from its training investment.

Justifying Training and Development in Tight Times
When the economy is tight, and your boss has ordered you to cut your budget by 15 percent, justifying training programs can feel like an uphill battle. Here are a few practical suggestions for maximizing your resources.

Relevance of Learning versus Relevance of Training and Development
One way to get ahead of operating on smaller budgets with smaller staffs is to know the difference between "learning" and "training and development"-and to understand the relevance of each in terms of your organization's environment and the overall environment. Here is how.

OI Partners Newsletter: Cost-Effective Talent Managment Solutions for a Tough Economy

Cost-Effective Talent Management Solutions for a Tough Economy

April 2009

In this issue:

• Group Outplacement: How It Can Cost You Nothing
• Navigating the New Talent Management Landscape
• Challenging the Leadership Bench in Tough Times
• Role of HR in Navigating the Economic Downturn
• 10 No-Cost Ways to Recognize Employees

In this market, decision makers can benefit from support in both career transition and talent development more than ever. You may currently be looking at reducing headcount or strengthening your talent bench to weather these tough times. In this month's newsletter, we offer several valuable articles that demonstrate ways to reduce expenses and and maximize the productivity of your talent and at the same time, enhance HR's value to the organization.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF


OI Partners Newsletter: Cost-Effective Talent Management Solutions for a Tough Economy Summary

Group Outplacement: How It Can Cost You Nothing
For those who view outplacement--particularly group outplacement--as "high cost," envision the possibility that using group outplacement services could return money and perhaps even cost the company nothing. This short case study showcases how.

Navigating the New Talent Management Landscape
In a down economy, even the most seasoned executives and savviest hiring managers are known to default to knee-jerk, short-term cost-cutting measures, rather than long-term talent management strategies. Here are 5 ways your organization can capitalize on the unique opportunities that this economy has to offer.

Challenging the Leadership Bench in Tough Times
Organizations are faced with constant challenges ranging from job cuts to budget cuts to major changes in structure and delivery. One of the best things you can do to maintain the leadership pool in tough times is to use your company leaders above and beyond their current responsibilities. If the leadership pool is challenged with solving problems, especially with low or no budget, their training will continue.

Role of HR in Navigating the Economic Downturn
In an economic downturn, many HR pros immediately ban all recruitment, cut down on every training activity and much more. Though this may be the most common approach, does that also mean it's the most appropriate? Here are 10 tips for how HR can effectively respond in such times.


10 No-Cost Ways to Recognize Employees
One of the first places you will be asked to curtail expenses often affects the very people who keep your business going--employees. The manager who can balance the bottom line and effectively keep morale up will weather economic highs and lows well. Here are 10 no-cost ways to recognize employees.

Don't Let 'Culture Shock' Keep You From Getting A Job

Portland, OR - March 24, 2009 - Many job-seekers may be unknowingly excluding themselves in the tight competition for available jobs by failing to show what they can bring immediately to a position, as well as setting themselves up for a potential "culture shock," according to OI Partners-Pathways (Portland), a global career transition and coaching firm.

In addition, companies now seeking or planning to hire employees may want to more closely examine how job candidates can immediately contribute, and how they fit into the current and anticipated future organizational culture, or business environment, according to Jean Erickson Walker, Executive Vice President of OI Partners-Pathways (Portland). http://www.oipartners.net/

There are two ways that applicants need to show potential employers how well they fit in - and for which companies should be screening, according to OI Partners-Pathways. These are:

- Fit in with immediate needs. "Businesses today want to know, and should determine, what candidates can bring immediately to a job. Can they bring in business now? Can they cut costs? Can they bring aboard skills that the employer is currently lacking, or anticipates needing in the short term?" asked Walker.

- Fit in with the employer's business culture. "Applicants are closely focusing on the best ways to present their skills and abilities to potential employers. But, they are often ignoring that they also need to demonstrate how well they would fit in with the company's business environment. In this poor economy, where there have been many layoffs, companies may want to hire applicants who can do the work of two people, or who are accustomed to having little administrative support. In addition, employers may want to hire people willing to work long hours," Walker added.

"Job applicants will not be able to show that they fit into the desired culture of the company unless they know what it is. And, they will not be hired unless they can communicate they fit in with the business environment as well as they can convey their qualifications," Walker said.

OI Partners provides these tips to both job candidates and companies on how they can get the best possible fit for jobs:


Job applicants should:

- Conduct research into the potential employer's recent business results, sales and earnings forecasts from the company and financial analysts, its management style, and human resources policies.

- Talk with as many people as possible until they can get an accurate assessment of what skills and abilities are most in demand now at the targeted employer, and what its business culture is.

- Communicate how they meet, and exceed, the immediate business needs in all phases of their contact with potential employers- resumes, cover letters, telephone interviews, personal interviews, and follow-up communication.

- Be as specific as possible about how their career achievements can help the potential employer right away.

- Demonstrate that they not only have the skills and abilities desired, but also match the company's business culture.


Employers should:

- Determine precisely what they want new hires to be able to work on as soon as they join the organization.

- Develop a short list of the two or three most critical goals and objectives they want new hires to achieve within their first six months on the job.

- Closely and objectively examine what type of business environment they have, and how well new employees will fit in. "Don't hire someone with an authoritarian management style into a laid-back, participatory environment, or someone unable to work without a lot of assistants into a do-it-yourself type of company," said Walker.

OI Partners Newsletter: Personal Branding

Personal Branding

March 2009

In this issue:

• The Power of a Personal Brand
• Do I Have a Brand and Where Did It Come From?
• Take Yourself from Brand X to You Inc.
• Personal Branding: Myths and Opportunities
• Five Ways Your Personal Brand Can Help You Get and Keep More Business

One of today's hottest topics in business is branding. Companies spend millions to brand themselves, their divisions, their products--and even their HR practices. The news is that employees are finding that branding is relevant for them as well, particularly in this economy in which finding and/or keeping a job is high on the minds of so many workers. Personal branding is a powerful career development and career acceleration technique. This edition of the OI Partners newsletter is devoted to exploring that idea.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: Personal Branding Summary

The Power of a Personal Brand
At its core a "brand" is a locating mark. It separates the product you are looking for from all of the other similar products and allows you to do so quickly, correctly and repeatedly. And so it is with people....we all have personal "brands" too. Personal brands are the labels we use for ourselves, the labels others use to describe us. Your personal brand defines and differentiates you from all others in your competitive set. Your brand is your creation and it either helps to accelerate your career success or it keeps you squarely where you are.

Do I Have a Brand and Where Did It Come From?
A personal brand develops when multiple people see us in a particular way. When we are clearly known for something or known in a specific way, people begin to use descriptive language to convey that vision of us to others. Start thinking about your own brand and its relevance to your career aspirations by asking yourself the eight questions outlined here. You can shape your brand by choosing the language, the emphasis and focus of your personal brand statement.


Take Yourself from Brand X to You Inc.
If you think hard work and good fortune will be your yellow-brick paving stones to career success, you may already be living in fantasy land. Hard work is just table stakes in today's world and luck is too fickle to depend on. Your name has to stand for something more distinctive than worker bee in your boss's mind. Think of it as creating a brand for You Inc. We all carry labels and it's up to you to craft yours into a marketable brand.

Personal Branding: Myths and Opportunities
It is no doubt that a good leader and skilled communicator is an asset for an organization. But what happens when the skilled communicator becomes a brand along with that of the organization? In the ever-increasing list of things "brandable," one of the most talked about is personal branding - or the leader as a brand. Personal branding opens up for both opportunities and pitfalls, and at the same time leads to some special challenges where the individual brand becomes linked with the company brand itself.

Five Ways Your Personal Brand Can Help You Get and Keep More Business
Your personal brand is important in today's business climate. It is communicated through your physical presence, but your business tools, marketing efforts and office environment also can influence how people view your brand. When your essence is represented in all of your branding efforts, it will result in greater sales and career growth. Use these five tips to critique what message your personal brand is communicating so you can take the steps needed to consistently project a professional personal brand in every segment of your business.

OI Partners Newsletter: HR Leadership for Organizations in Crisis

HR Leadership for Organizations in Crisis

February 2009

In this issue:

• Leadership in Troubled Times: Don't Waste the Crisis
• Managing Human Capital in Turbulent Times: A Case Study From an HR Survivor
• Is the Leadership in Your Company in a Downturn Alongside the World Economy?
• Corporate Communications: Its Importance During an Economic Crisis
• How to Find Stability in a Crisis at Work

Human Resources leadership in organizations going through a crisis is always a challenge. Management seeks HR's ability to help manage difficult communications, retain essential talent and maintain morale. This newsletter contains a case study from an HR leader whose company was going through a major crisis, comments from a leading HR search consultant, and other articles discussing the challenges to HR. It is during these challenges that HR really brings its expertise to the fore.

Sincerely,
Ronald F. Ennis, Ph.D., CMF
Jean Erickson Walker, Ed.D., CMF

OI Partners Newsletter: HR Leadership for Organizations in Crisis Summary

Leadership in Troubled Times: Don't Waste the Crisis
The current domestic and global economic crisis has everyone worried, especially employees who may be unsure of their job security. They want to help correct the situation and are willing to modify the work or the culture. Develop a strong business plan, manage the plan aggressively, and encourage employee involvement. Let the employees help maximize the performance of the organization.

Managing Human Capital in Turbulent Times: A Case Study from an HR Survivor
In 2005, a jury rendered a devastating verdict in a patent lawsuit that forced Boston Communications Group, Inc. (bcgi) to face potential bankruptcy. Employee faces-from the top down-were stunned, frightened and filled with uncertainty. Today, companies facing severe economic challenges are in a very similar situation, but for different reasons. Here's a look into how bcgi managed through a turbulent time.

Is the Leadership in Your Company in a Downturn Alongside the World Economy?
In the face of the emerging economic crisis, business leaders must remember that any solution for surviving a crisis must include their employees. Although the crisis eventually will pass, people's memories about the way they were treated during tough times can impact a business forever. Leaders must inspire, motivate and reassure employees so they feel that they are in this together.

Corporate Communications: Its Importance During an Economic Crisis
Corporate Communications have evolved over years and so have their potential and objective. The primary goal remains the same - communicating information to employees, stockholders, media and customers. Anticipating the uproar and acting accordingly is the key to managing a crisis well. With a proper crisis management framework in place, an organization can turn a crisis into an advantage.

How to Find Stability in a Crisis at Work
In times of great change and uncertainty we look for some stability. We want to orientate ourselves, to know where we are so we can navigate to where we want to be. Consider what is important to you, what you really value. Your values act as an anchor so that when you have a decision to make you know which choice will honor your values and which may take you off course.. Here is a quick exercise to help prioritize your values to keep you on track.