June '10 Entertainment—Paul Carpino's Career Curator Column

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The Top Ten Ways How NOT to Get Hired
H
appy Summer 2010!

I’ve been meeting with many recent grads and past alumni in the last few months. Most of these candidates have never experienced a “down economy.” Many have been given jobs or experienced “AIH,” (Apply, Interview, Hired). I see too many candidates applying

the same job search strategies from the so-called, “boom years.” Those days are gone forever and those techniques/methods will no longer yield success.

I’m seeing lack of professionalism, little attention to detail, unimpressive résumé content and the mass-marketing approach. One of my favorite quotes by Albert Einstein is “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” No doubt, there is much frustration with the current job market, BUT there ARE jobs and many people are getting HIRED. But seriously, how long can we blame Obama, China and Wall Street for the current state of the economy? The answer is “How long do you choose to blame these and others?”

Once we empower ourselves to get hired or transition careers, progress will begin. What exactly is that “empowerment?” In this economy, your empowerment is related to a paradigm shift. The shift is from a “sellers market to a buyer’s market.” Most candidates design and execute a job search positioning them as the center of the program. Candidates are, as I like to say, “50% of the equation.” It is critical to maintain the awareness that you seek the employer and the employer seeks the right candidate for the job. All of our methods, techniques and communications must keep that in perspective.

The initial inertia of the application process is created with the cover letter/résumé, application and phone screen. Without the face-to-face interview, there is no chance for an offer. As Stephen R. Covey would say, “What is your end in mind?” The answer is “the interview.” So, all energy, quality and creativity must be invested in these early stages of the process. Yes, it IS a process.

No two are exactly the same. Each employer creates and executes their own recruiting process. Most employers will disclose to candidates this process. Most candidates don’t ask.

This month, I’ll be taking you through the “Top Ten Ways of How NOT to Get Hired.” Ready? Here we go:

10. Apply for the wrong job/position.

Thoroughly scrutinize the Job Description. How many of the “key words” do you have? Two, three, 100% or none? You must have almost ALL of the key words in the Job Description. If it is a supervisory position, do you meet the levels? Another critical phrase is “preferred, but not required.” You have some flexibility on those qualifiers. Total honesty is required here. Do you qualify for the position? If yes, build your plan. If not, move on! It is not just the quantity of jobs you apply for, but also the quality of the job posting.

9. Send the same résumé/cover letter to every employer.

This practice never ceases to amaze me. The employer’s job posting is the center of the cover letter/résumé. By sending the same “cookie-cutter” résumé/cover letter to each posting, tells the employer that you believe you are the center of those marketing tools. Each job application MUST have a customized, tailored cover letter/résumé for that specific job opportunity. The key words in the job posting show the way to a great cover letter/résumé for that job application. If you leverage those key words, you’ll be successful. How long does it take for an employer to identify the “cookie cutter” approach? About 2 seconds. What will happen if you send the same cover letter/résumé to every employer? Nothing.

8. Leave out information on the job application and/or ignore “optional” sections.

Employers expect applicants to fill out the entire application, including optional areas. If you have information to “hide,” eventually it will be disclosed to the employer. It is better to be blatantly honest up front. In this age of “uber-technology,” your entire background can be searched. It is also to your advantage to include all optional areas/requirements on the job application. This will help to differentiate you from other candidates who choose not to leverage these areas.

7. Know nothing or little about the employer.

Once you choose to apply for the position, research, research and research some more! Extract key elements/statistics about the employer and use them in ALL of your communications. This technique solidifies your commitment to gain employment with the organization. I’ve heard too many times from employers attending our career fairs about students approaching them saying, “So, what do you do?”

6. Don’t prepare for the phone screen or interview.

Remember the phone screen is exactly the same process as the in-person interview, without the in-person part. Your voice becomes your person. If you learn to leverage your voice in the phone screen, you will move on to the in-person interview. If you are nervous, ill-prepared or too casual, the process ends at “Good-bye.” How do you reduce anxiety during the phone interview? First, practice with someone that you are not that close to. Second, do all that you can to create a comfortable, relaxing environment to do the phone screen. I know of candidates doing a phone screen, while driving, shopping and waiting in line at the bank. Remember, this is a 50/50 process. Obviously, they can’t see you, so you are totally in control of your side (50%) of that process. There is no reason to fail at a preliminary phone screen. Only, if you choose to.

5. Don’t sell your results, solutions or positive impact on the organization.

The entire job application process is totally about how you can solve problems, improve quality, generate revenue or take the organization to the next level. If you simply state/market your tasks from previous employment, you will not impress the employer to move you along in the process. Why would simply doing tasks, impress any potential employer? In the job market, there are literally thousands, or even tens of thousands of candidates who can execute the same tasks. Always sell your talents, accomplishments, skills and strengths to each and every employer you apply with. Don’t be afraid to tell employers how great you are. Isn’t that what they want? Don’t you want a great place to work?

4. Don’t ask enough questions during the phone screen/interview.

When I facilitate mock interviews with my students, most only have 1 or 2 questions for me at the end of the interview. This is a sure-fire way to move another candidate up to the next level in the process. You will prepare at least 6–7 key, relevant questions for a phone screen or in-person interview. You will never have too many questions, because the interviewer(s) will end that part of the process. Not having enough questions, shows the employer that you are not really seeking the opportunity and that you really don’t care. Lists of questions to ask the interviewer(s) are available on the internet. Your job is to seek out the relevant ones to ask the potential employer. It is certainly about the quality and the quantity of the questions asked. Always make notes regarding the answers to those key questions. You will use them in your follow-up strategies. The last question you will ask is, “When can I expect to hear from you?” or “So, what is the next step in the process?”

3. Don’t bring extra résumés, props, kudos or letters of reference.

Americans love “show and tell.” We are a visual culture. So, keep that in mind during in-person interviews. I’ve brought my book, office publications, letters, note cards, t-shirts and other forms of kudos to in-person interviews. These marketing tools will help differentiate you from other candidates. You are obligated to market yourself as the single best candidate for the job. If you don’t embrace that obligation, you might want to stay home and watch “Oprah.” Always bring 3–5 extra copies of your résumé…just in case.

2. Don’t dress professionally.

The rule is: “Better to dress up, than down.” You may always change your dress code, after the first interview. If you are unsure or conflicted on this topic, you may always ask what the dress is for the interview. It is your right to know. Field that question to the person coordinating your interview process.

1. Don’t follow-up.

The first post-interview follow-up is the “Thank-you” note, letter or e-mail. This is done immediately after the interview. Most candidates are using e-mail, in consideration of the rapid pace of business these days. A “snail mail” letter may take too long to get to the decision makers. In your e-mail to each interviewer, you will customize a unique message to reinforce why you are the best candidate and to thank them for their time and consideration. You do not need to remind them that they can contact you. They know that. That is what professional recruiters do. Do not expect a reply from them. If you do get one, be happy! You may follow-up with a personal phone call, one week after the last interview. Your goal is to find out the status of filling the position. It is possible that you will not be able to contact a recruiter for the position, but try anyway.

Good luck and happy job-hunting! I’ll leave you today with a quote from my book, “Now, Launch Your Career.”

“We all need good fortune to build rewarding careers, but being prepared is essential, as is the ability to overcome the obstacles that inevitably lie in our way. A good attitude is vital; unfailing determination is the sine qua non. — John C. Bogle, Founder, The Vanguard Group