Career Advice by Randy

Interviewing is something we will all do at some point in our lives. We may be interviewing for that great job or interviewing to be accepted into that great country club. We may also be the person conducting the actual interview; however, that topic will be covered in a separate article. I have been in management for over 25 years, and I have interviewed hundreds of potential employees at all levels from entry level sales people to executive level managers. However, in each situation there are some basic principals that can set you apart from the others right from the very beginning. There are many, many tips that I could offer to you. Here are four suggestions that could make a big difference when interviewing for that dream job you have always wanted.

First, always remember that any interview should be a two way interview. You are trying to decide is this the right job for me and the hiring manager is trying to decide are you the best person for the job. Never be afraid to ask questions about what will be expected of you. The interview should be a conversation about the job, the company, and how your skills and experience would add value to the position and the company. The interviews that I remember are those where I was able to have a relaxed conversation about the candidate’s skills and experience. Interviews where I had to pull information out of the candidate seemed more uncomfortable and more like an interrogation rather than a conversation. These types of interviews rarely led to a job offer, even if they had more experience as I could not see dealing with this person on a daily basis.

Second, remember you are going on an interview and not to a hockey game. Dress appropriately, even if it is business casual. I am still amazed at how some candidates show up for interviews these days wearing jeans, sneakers, T-shirts and so on. Ma Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know that you can gain a competitive edge by establishing a personal brand? With a personal brand, you have the luxury of differentiating yourself from the competition and positioning yourself in a way that will allow you to get the job you want.

Many hiring managers and recruiters view candidates as a ‘commodity’ mainly because they receive thousands of resumes each day all saying pretty much the same things. One of the best ways to remove yourself from the ‘commodity’ list is to develop a personal brand that identifies the ‘value-add’ that you bring to the table which your competitors do not. This distinguishes you from your competitors and places you on the ’sought after’ list.
The four elements that you need in order to develop your personal brand are:

Personal Appearance (be sure to take into account your clothing choices, style not fashion and personal hygiene)

Personality (this includes your personal goals and values as well as the way in which you conduct and present yourself)

Competencies (the skill sets that enable you to perform your job better than others)

Differentiators (the benefits you bring to the table or what you offer different from others)

As you define the components of these four elements as they apply to you, your personal brand will evolve from combining personal appearance, personality, competencies and the differentiators that set you apart. Looking at yourself through the prism of these elements enables you to see where there is room for improvement and where you can highlight your abilities. By employing what you learn about yourself, you will notice an improved self-confidence because you have identified and pinpointed the qualities that were always there and perfected them.

Now that you have a well-developed personal brand statement, turn it into a story-lik Read the rest of this entry »