Tips to help make your job work for you!
Didn’t get the job offer you wanted? Got the bad interview blues? Does “I got rejected AGAIN” feel like your new mantra? I know it doesn’t help all that much, but please know that even seemingly “perfect” candidates experience those feelings.
With all my heart, I wish that you would get the offer you want every time you interview. And then YOU can be the one who gets to decide whether to accept the job or not. But sometimes you just don’t get the offer — even if you’re totally qualified.
She was fired. How to interview?Hi Ronnie Ann! Please help me. I don’t know how to interview after being fired. I was terminated from my job, nearly a year ago, because I decided to take a stand. There were some very questionable things going on within management.
Since it affected the employees and the company in a very negative way, I started a petition within my department regarding the issues. And more than half of the employees signed it. Then I submitted a letter, along with the petition to the compliance department.
My efforts got remarkable attention — resulting in a visit from the President of the company that included a one-on-one interview with everyone in the department. In the end, half of management was terminated. And that included me.
I imagine they were uncomfortable with me staying there considering what I knew. The much needed change that was due to that particular department was granted because of my actions. So I am very happy that the employees have a better place to work. Some of them had no positive outlet, including no high school diplomas. They had no way out.
After taking some time, I recently began seeking employment as a legal assistant and have gotten several call backs for interviews. How do I explain my termination without scrutinizing the company?
~~ Zandria
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Hello Ronnie Ann. It’s been nice to read all the advice you have given. Still waiting for job offer to be officially approved seems to be the worst waiting game for many of your readers. And now I am in the same boat.
Here’s my story. I flew in for a the job interview on July 7. And it went very well. My contact there (the hiring manager) tells me that I’m their top candidate. So now we are all waiting for job offer to get the final sign-offs.
About a week later, the hiring manager called and said that he put something together for me that should be a good territory. And it just has to be signed off on. I spoke to him the week after, and he said it is now in financing to be approved. So for now it has been two weeks and still nothing official.
I spoke to my contact again on Monday, and he said that he is still waiting for it to be approved, But once again, he assured me that I am still “their guy”. This has me wondering. Do you think that I have anything to worry about?
It seems like things are going pretty slow. Especially after how quick they flew me in to interview, from when I submitted my resume. That only took 2 weeks.
Another question I had is, how often should you contact the hiring manager to inquire about the progress? One thing I don’t want to be is annoying to them.
~ David
Hi David,
As far as I can tell from what you wrote, all is on track. Internal processes can take weeks — often much longer than the whole initial interview process. Nothing’s for sure of course, but things look good. So relax, have faith, and find something to do in the meantime. Maybe a project or something you want to learn — or anything to keep your brain occupied!
As for how often to contact the hiring manager … there’s no hard and fast rule. In your specific situation, you might send him an e-mail toward the end of next week. Just let him know you’re still interested, and ask if there’s anything more you need to do.
Truth is, at this point they know who you are, so unless you get another offer, give them some time. I once waited about 5 months to find out I was the top candidate. And I only e-mailed them every now and then. 🙂
Good luck! Please let us know what happens.
~ Ronnie Ann
Ronnie Ann, founder of Work To the Wise and Work Coach Cafe, bases her real-world advice on her many years as an organizational consultant where she helped interview and hire people, added to a certificate from NYU in Career Planning & Development, as well as her many adventures as a serial job seeker.
[Post updated in 2020]
Job interview nerves. We all get them. Really. So please don’t think you’re alone. Even if you prepared perfectly and have every qualification, it’s easy for doubt to creep in. And for many of us, doubt not only creeps in, it takes up residence in our heads.
But the good news is that you can do some things to help you feel better during the interview — and even beyond. And it starts with the all-important “P” word: PREPARE!
One of the best ways to help tame job interview nerves is to PREPARE. Really take time to follow these steps. They can make a huge difference to the way your mind and body react on the day of the interview. Winging it may sound great, but it can leave you feeling very exposed. [Read more…]
Some job search “experts” will look you in the eye and tell you there are guaranteed ways to ace your job interview. How? By giving the “right answer” to every job interview question. Or so they assure you.
Well, please know this: There are no absolutely guaranteed right answers for every situation. The interview selection process is far more complicated than that. And it’s much more about the whole than the parts. Luckily, there are some practical job interview tips that can help.
NOTE: I’m using the phrase “ace your interview” because it’s a familiar phrase to many job seekers. But I think keeping the thought bring your best self to the interview is also a good way to think about it. Hopefully these tips will help.
Find out all you can about the company. You aren’t expected to know everything, but if it’s a public company there is no excuse for at least not knowing their business line(s) and a little about their products.
It will help you aim your answers toward things they are actually looking for. Not that you should simply give them back what they asked for, but you can use the description to help guide you.
This may sound obvious, but I’ve interviewed people who can’t quickly remember a job I referred to that was on their own resume. Review the order of your jobs, the tasks at each job, and the reason(s) you left.
Also look through the resume to remind yourself of some stories where you found a problem and solved it, came up with a ways to save the company money, etc. A good story that rings true can make a big difference.
You work so hard preparing for your job interview. Then finally the big day arrives. And you do your best to make a good impression. Before you know it, your job interview is over! And there you are, stuck in the old waiting game,wondering about your chances for a second interview. With no idea what impressions you leave after an interview!
Did I do as well as I could have? What kind of an impression did I make? Could I have answered my interview questions better? What are they really thinking about me now that the interview is over?
Well, I can’t speak for everyone. But for me a job interview is kind of like tasting fine wine…First, there’s the initial impression. The way it tastes while drinking. And the feeling you’re left with afterward. And it’s that very feeling (memory impression) that can make all the difference.
Maybe too bold? Or too acidy? Not yet mature? Too mild-mannered? Possibly too complex? Not complex enough? Worse yet, not memorable at all? Or is it (hopefully) exactly the right blend of characteristics?
In most cases, the absolute power of a thank you note to win you the job is limited. Still, saying thank you after an initial interview or even later on in the hiring process is quite simply a smart thing to do. But the question of making it an interview thank you apology for nerves is another thing.
Whether you get those jittery interview nerves or stay calm and cool as a cucumber, here’s a basic tip on post-interview thank you notes: you want them to be short and sweet – a nice reminder of who you are and how well you would fit in with the rest of the company.
And if you do have something extremely relevant to add that will reinforce your value (a new degree, an award you just received, or a congratulations on something good that just happened to the company), by all means include that too.
Need phone interview helpDear Ronnie Ann,
I am looking for a new job and was wondering if you could provide me with hints on how to handle a phone interview. Unfortunately, since we’re unable to see the recruiter, we can’t rely on visual cues.
I just had a phone interview 2 days ago (see: screening candidates) and felt things went well. This is an initial, first phase interview and successful candidates are then sent for an on-site interview. She did say at the end of the phone interview that she would certainly recommend me for an in-person interview and wished me good luck.
How long would it take (if I am selected for a 2nd interview) to receive a phone call?
NB
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Hi NB!
So glad you asked. This is the third phone interview question I’ve gotten this week. Must be in the air!
I get all kinds of questions about thank you notes to send out after a job interview. “What should I say in my job interview thank you letter?” “Do I even need to send a thank you after my interview?”
Good questions. Glad you asked. More of your questions: When do I send the thank you note? To whom do I send it? And please please please, Ronnie Ann, precisely what words should I use in my thank you letter even though you don’t know anything about me or the company?
So in response, I offer the following “secrets”:
Fired after reading patient recordsHi Ronnie Ann. I got myself into a predicament and need your advice. Until yesterday, I worked in the office at a healthcare facility. But I got fired for reading patient records. Here’s the thing … I was given access to both the office manager’s and the administrator’s passwords as part of my job. And we were actually recommended to read patient charts to keep abreast of things.
I only work part time and on my days off I would read patient records, which is accessible online (kind of a dumb setup if you ask me). Anyway, I didn’t know that reading patient records is a serious offense. And so I was fired for doing that.
I hate that I’m going to have this stigma attached to me. But I honestly had no clue that this was against the health regulations. (And we were encouraged to read records.)
I had no previous training in the medical field. Also some of my current training went by the wayside because I was only part time. And they initially hired me to work the weekend.
You were a great help to me last time I asked for help. And so I hope you can help me again. I’m sorry to bother you once more. But I would be extremely grateful for any advice would be extremely grateful. I can’t seem to find any help online.
~ JoJo
Hi JoJo!
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. While I wish I could make this all go away for you, there are a few things I’d like to explain first. But most of all … hang in there. At one point or another, we all do things we wish we could take back. You’ll be ok.
First, this is a lesson you will remember a long time. And that’s a useful thing in case you ever work in a hospital or health facility again. (I’ll explain in a second.) But please don’t worry. As you create new work experience to offer in its place, the stigma will eventually fade into the distant past.
There is a Federal law called HIPAA that, among other things, protects the privacy of our health records. And that includes reading patient records. Most major computer systems are available online now, JoJo. But the protection is that you need a secure password to get in.
Quite honestly, if the nursing home were operating from a security-first standpoint, you should have been given limited access. And NOT passwords assigned to others. That’s a mistake on them. They know reading patient records for entertainment or other non-medical needs is a big no-no!
These records are private. And no one except people directly concerned with treatment should be reading them. Personally, I would be appalled if I thought just anyone was reading my health records in their spare time! (I just want you to really understand what happened here.)
No question this company didn’t handle security as well as they could have. But considering the position you held there, reading private personal patient records while off duty is simply not ok. If you really get that and learn from it, I think this is a lesson that will serve you well for the rest of your career.
All that said … I don’t want you to beat yourself up for reading patient records. Or feel bad. You really didn’t know. And we all make mistakes. Especially ones we weren’t properly advised about, as in your case. And we all move on. Lord knows I’ve screwed up so many times I can’t count it on my fingers!
Maybe someone else wants to chime in here. But for me the best way to handle this is by really knowing in your heart you’re a good employee. And that you will do your best for your next employer. Maybe even try harder as a result of lessons learned.
In the interview, all I would say when asked is something like “I made a mistake. And I learned from it.” If you like, you can add that you know mistakes occasionally happen. But you believe that the best thing we can do is learn from them. And then work extra hard never to let it happen again!
And hopefully you seal the deal by sincerely looking them in the eyes as you tell them you intend to work double hard to shine in this job. Maybe even give them another example from a job or elsewhere where you turned a mistake into something really good.
And by being honest — again, without going into details — that may also help when they do reference checking. A good employer will like that you didn’t lie. But your approach, leaving them with s strong and positive impression, is really your strongest interview tool.
I have every faith you’ll be OK, JoJo. Don’t hold anger or resentment about all this. Least of all toward yourself. That can show in interviews and when networking.
Brush yourself off. And go find that next job. Each mistake makes us stronger. Just show the most positive, pleasant, fully-engaged side of yourself when you interview and you’ll get another chance.
Good luck!
[Post updated 2020]V
Ronnie Ann, founder of Work To The Wise and Work Coach Cafe, bases her real-world advice on her many years as an organizational consultant where she helped interview and hire people, added to a certificate from NYU in Career Planning & Development and her own adventures as a serial job seeker.