Don’t Forget to Impress the Assistant on Interview Day

Impressing the Administrative Assistant Should Be Part of Your Interview Strategy!

A recent survey by OfficeTeam confirmed what we in the career business have known for a very long time – Diss the Assistant and you may not get the offer.

Job seekers should know that in addition to impressing hiring managers and other key decision makers they meet during the job interview, they should make a strong impression on administrative assistants who are the major gate keepers into organizations.

According to the survey, more than 60 % of executives said they consider their assistant’s opinion important when evaluating potential new hires. Why wouldn’t they? Execs rely on their Assistants for other things, so why not this?

I go a step further and tell job seekers to not only be nice to the Assistant as office etiquette demands, but also be courteous to parking attendants, security staff or facilities crew. In fact it is safe to be nice to everyone you meet; you never know who is in these roles.

I met a business owner at a conference once who shared with me that he and his father run a small auto supply company and were interviewing for a new sales representative. Before an interview, his father was in the lobby of their company wiping up a coffee spill. One eager job seeker literally stepped over his father’s hand to get to the receptionist’s desk. When the receptionist said, “You almost stepped on him.” The job seeker said, “Why don’t you guys do cleaning at night anyway?” He didn’t get hired.

In the Office Team survey, executives were asked – “How important is your assistant’s opinion about the job candidates you interview for positions at all levels?”
Check out the responses here!

Soft Skills to Demonstrate in the Job Interview

Do you think “soft skills” don’t matter? It’s just about having all the right KSA’s? (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) If you can do the job then you should have the job, right? Wrong.

Yahoo Hot Jobs has compiled a list of six soft skills that employers are looking for in the job interview.

-Leadership/Team Building. These job skills are not just for supervisors but for candidates who want to demonstrate an interest in that career direction.
-Team Player. This just seems so overstated but it is true. Team players make the office work and move forward. Silos and mavericks can kill a positive workplace culture.
-Goal-Oriented Self-Starter. The article states, “while employers don’t necessarily want loose canons or mavericks, they do appreciate people who don’t need to be told what to do and can set their own tasks and follow through.”

Check out the complete article here.

6 Tips for Job Interviewing After Graduation

May and June are definitely peak graduation season!

With college hiring down 22% the job market continues to be competitive.

If you have graduated and not yet landed your first job, consider these tips for interviewing after graduation in this article at TheHBCU Career Center.

Regional Internship Center of Southwestern PA

Pennsylvania@Work is all about sharing great job, career and employment resources for PA residents. Here is one such resource – The Regional Internship Center of Southwestern PA (R.I.C).

R.I.C began in 2003 and helps to build our region by connecting internship seekers with experiences. The hope is that an intern who connects with organizations in the region, is more likely to stay in the region after graduation.

R.I.C’s website offers great information for internship seekers. Get advice on:
- Understanding job descriptions
- Resume writing
- Sample internship resumes
- Interviewing: General questions and behavioral questions
- Employer follow up
- Internship survival tips

For the latest – follow them on Twitter!

It’s Been 10 Years Since My Last Job Search…

A great article at AOL Jobs that shares the stories of three job seekers who have not looked for a job in at least 10 years.

Rick had not looked for work in 26 years. Kama had not done a job search in 10 years and Diana had not been job hunting in 12 years.

Career reentry is never easy. Add a competitive job market and it is easy to see how job seekers can stress and lose their confidence in the job search. Here are the tips the article shares:
1. Get focused
2. Get organized
3. Be flexible
4. Work with a professional
5. Get connected

Here are some other great resources for career reentry professionals:
Career ReEntry Sample Resumes
Considering Career ReEntry in a Scary Economy
Network Your Way to Career ReEntry
America’s Aging Workforce

Resume & Interview FAQs for High School Grads

Congratulations if there is a high school grad in your life in the Class of 2009.

Graduating high school this year is a good time to upgrade or write a resume and get some professional tips for interview preparation.

Resumes and interview tips will come in handy if your graduate is applying for a college program, summer internships or even scholarships for fall.

Check out these Resume FAQs and Interview FAQs specifically for high school graduates.