Interview Questions: Responding Favorably

Are you completing your education and searching for your first serious job?  

Or, are you just trying to change jobs?  

Since employment is an important part of our life, an interview can be life changing.  Most consider job interviews extremely stressful. However, the more you know and the more you prepare, the less stressed you will be.  

Remember a job interview is a two-way exchange of information.  This is also your chance to learn from the questions they ask, ask your own questions, and determine if you really want to work for the organization.

Employers find situational and behavioral based questions give them useful information about job candidates. Be prepared to answer interview questions that are situational and behavioral based. Those questions can be the most stressful and often cause us to ask:

"How can I prepare and craft responses that will make a favorable impression?"  

Situational Questions

These are related to situations to help employers test your thought processes and logical thinking. Interviewers may describe a hypothetical situation and ask how you would handle it. Since these questions will most likely vary based on the type of position, researching information about the position and the company culture prior to your interview will help you respond favorably. Remember, even if the hypothetical situation sounds negative, keep your response positive.

"What would you do if the priorities on a major project you were working on were suddenly changed?"

Even though being flexible is important, don't make the mistake of assuming the interviewer wants to hear about your ability to be flexible. Perhaps, the reason they are asking is because they are tired of priorities changing all the time and no one having the courage to put their foot down. Whenever project priorities change, it usually costs companies money and people get upset. A good way to begin answering this question is by asking a question. Who is changing the priorities on the project? The boss? The customer? Factors like weather or strikes? A supplier? Craft your response accordingly. What they really want to know is how you think under pressure, how you analyze a situation, and how you will respond to others.

Behavioral Questions

Instead of traditional interview questions, you may be asked to tell stories.  The interviewer may begin by saying, "Describe a time when..." or "Tell me about a time when...." To respond effectively, use the STAR technique:  what was the Situation or Task, what Action you took, and what were the Results. Try to describe only current educational and work-related situations or tasks. Practice the STAR method before your interview and recall specific examples for each bullet point on your resume.

"Tell me about a time your work was criticized."

We all know that in our quest to work hard and do a good job, we aren't going to make everyone happy.  Sometimes we will fall short, make an error in judgement, or wish we could have handled things a little differently.  But, can you admit to this? And most importantly, what did you learn from it?

The best way to answer this question is to share a criticism about yourself that had a measurable positive outcome.  Perhaps, you implemented cost cutting measures and you were criticized about over planning (with positive outcomes) and that resulted in delays.

Leaders who are flexible and self-confident will have no problem sharing a couple criticisms, and how they grew as a result.  Your goal in answering behavioral questions should be to send a clear message that you get results but are also open to criticism.  However, there is a flip-side if a company is experiencing lots of problems, changes or chaos.  An environment of this nature often receives criticism or push back from peers or subordinates.  Perhaps, the company is looking for a thick-skinned candidate who isn't afraid of resistance or complaining.  Once again, acquire knowledge about the position and the company culture to help you respond favorably. If you didn't find helpful information during your research, then ask about the company environment or use a scenario that encompasses problematic environments in your answer. 

Your Questions

Remember an interview is a two-way street.  Of course, be respectful when you ask questions. At some point in the interview, usually near the end, interviewers often give you the opportunity to present questions. Take this time to express your interest in the position and ask questions that can help you gain information. You may want to ask questions like What will my duties be? (if not already discussed) or What are the major challenges for a person in this position? or  What action will follow this interview?  You want answers that can help you determine if this job is right for you and when they expect to fill the position.

At the end of your interview, demonstrate your interest in the position and don't be afraid to say that you want the job! End on a positive note and be sure to thank the interviewer for considering you for the position.  And, increase your chances by following up with a thank-you note immediately after the interview.  Yes, email thank you messages are acceptable!

Keep Calm - You got this!

Video Resumes: Lights, Camera...CUT!!

Job competition can be fierce and thinking of ways to promote yourself above that competition is growing. Video resumes are becoming more popular in the job market.  But, are there really advantages to submitting a video resume or could it have an adverse effect?  Some say it's not worth the effort and could actually worsen your chance of being hired for your dream job. Others believe they provide an edge over other competition and seal the deal. 

Let's look at a couple of scenarios that may help us understand the difference between sealing the deal and spoiling the deal.

Susan - Scenario #1

Susan is a recent graduate with a love for animals. She is a well-rounded individual who volunteers weekly at the local animal shelter caring for homeless pets. She also volunteers at her grandmother's assisted living facility on Friday nights during bingo. Susan is seeking her first job and submits her application for a job advertised at a neighboring city veterinary hospital as a pet aide. It's the perfect job for her since she loves animals. Susan decides to submit a video resume that includes her working with the "fury children"  at the shelter. She's dressed professionally and interacts with the staff in part of her video also. The Human Resources Manager at the veterinary office reviews all of Susan's information but isn't sold on her experience since Susan has no real job experience. After viewing the video resume, it's obvious Susan is the best fit for the job. Her video displays not only her interaction with the shelter animals but demonstrates her duties and interaction with shelter staff. Susan's video resume was a success! 

Sarah - Scenario #2

Now, let's change it up a bit with Sarah's scenario. Sarah has similar credentials: recent graduate, loves animals, volunteers at a shelter and assisted living facility. However, Sarah has some additional experience working at a local pet store. Sarah is also applying for the job at the veterinary hospital and also submits a video resume. However, Sarah's video is produced in her "not-so-tidy" bedroom and she didn't bother to change out of her gym clothes into something more appropriate. Her video is more of a giggly list of skills or unrelated hobbies that do not positively affect the position she is seeking. The Human Resources Manager reviews Sarah's application and is impressed with her employment and volunteer work. Then HR reviews the video resume and Sarah's experience is instantly countered by her unprofessional dress, disorganized room, and ineffective presentation. Sarah's video resume may ultimately cost her a job opportunity that she would have otherwise received.

Conclusion

While some employers are accepting video resumes others reject them for fear of being accused of discrimination. Laws protect the rights of applicants by not allowing certain questions to be asked on employment applications. However, a video resume provides visual information that could be viewed as an invitation to discriminate. 

Other unconventional methods may serve a better outcome than a video resume. For instance, a personal webpage can be created to  demonstrate a portfolio of design work for an artist seeking a graphic designer position. The webpage link can be referenced on the employment application to provide examples of work produced.

If you are given the opportunity to submit an electronic version of yourself, (video, webpage, etc.) accurately and professionally represent your image - unless your goal is to remain unemployed!


Author Note:  The names and scenario details are purely fictional and are not representative of anyone or any actual life events.

Presentations: PowerPoint Can Satisfy the Visual Crave!

Microsoft PowerPoint has become the standard visual aid used in presentations and speeches.  

This communication tool has also gained criticism due to  poorly created and badly delivered presentations.  As a result, we realize tools are helpful only when used properly.  

Statistics reveal society continues to crave visual content. With that knowledge, let's discuss the pros and cons of using (and not using) visual aids, specifically PowerPoint, in presentations.

The Pros - Accomplish More with Visual Aids

• Make the presentation more interesting
• Enhance speaker credibility
• Aid with the flow of the presentation
• Communicate complex information
• Reinforce the verbal message
• Help the audience retain the information

The data presented in the graph compares retention times of persons exposed to content presented verbally and content reinforced visually. After 3 hours, only 70% of people remember content presented verbally. However, 85% remember visual reinforced content. More impressive after 3 days, results show 60% of listeners remember visually reinforced content and only 10% remembered exclusively verbal presentations.

Further, a study conducted by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. (3M) at the University of Minnesota found that people who use visual aids are 43% more persuasive. The study also found that visual aids can improve communication effectiveness and speaker's confidence.

The Cons - Common Visual Aid Mistakes 

• Animation on slides distract listeners from message
• Failing to look at the audience and reading slides
• Verbal information does not relate to visual
• Appearing too dependent on the visual aid
• Providing too much information

The most important visual aid for your audience is you, the speaker! Never create a situation where the PowerPoint is the main focus and you are on the side, reading or helping the listeners follow along.  Be a presenter not a reader. Great visual aids support and enhance a presentation. 


Finally, clarity is key in the use of visual aids. Avoid the most common mistake of information overload. Improve visual aids by using less words and more pictures. People often understand pictures and images more quickly and easily than text.  Use this to your advantage. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words!  

Works Cited

Successfully Using Visual Aids. 10 May 2005. 17 April 2015. <http://www.uab.edu/uasomume/fd2/visuals/page2.htm>.

Undeniable Conference Impact: Using Visual Aids. n.d. Web. 17 April 2015. <https://www.accuconference.com/resources/conference-impact.html>.

Vogel, DR., Dickson, GW., and Lehman, JA., Persuasion and the Role of Visual Presentation Support: The UM/3M Study, 1986

Zuck, Roy B. The Speaker's Quote Book. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2009.

Professionalism: It's Required!

When companies list job openings, they include technical skills and soft skills required of applicants. Soft skills are desirable and include the ability to communicate, work well with others, solve problems, make ethical decisions, and appreciate diversity. Such skills bring a higher level of professionalism to any position.  After reviewing job postings in my career field, I created a list of most commonly required soft skills:

• Independently perform responsible analytic work;
• Make sound independent decisions within established guidelines;
• Work collaboratively and effectively with project teams, internal and/or external units or individuals;
• Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
  
  Where do you rank in soft skills?
  
  When searching for a career, one must determine if they qualify. Technical skills are important but don't forget to determine where you rank for the soft skill set that is required.  As for where I rank with the soft skills for my career choice, I would like to say I'm 10's across the board. While I do feel I score a 10 in the first 3 items, I give myself an "improving 9" for communication. 
  
  Communication should be something that we seek to constantly improve upon since we live and work in a diverse world. Effective communication is necessary in leadership and promoting teamwork.  These are important areas in my career field.  As a result, I actively pursue ways to portray professionalism and improve communication daily.

Plagiarism: What it is and How to Avoid It

Often we are tasked with conducting research and writing reports.  In order to complete the tasks, we search the web to find secondary data sources.  There's nothing wrong with using secondary data sources to compile data for a project. However, be very careful of how that information is presented in your report or project to avoid plagiarism.

Plagiarism is defined as copying or using someone else's words or ideas as your own. While that seems simple and logical, sometimes plagiarism is not always intentional.  

For instance, stating statistics or survey results cannot often be "reworded". To avoid plagiarism, simply state the source of the data and give credit to the author. 

The following is an example of how to cite works for an article on a website.

Here are some helpful links that further discuss how to cite data sources:

• MLA format
• APA format

Business Reporting: Technology Changes Things!

It's report time!  Like it or not, business professionals eventually find themselves writing many reports. Most reports place an emphasis on analyzing problems, assessing facts, suggesting solutions, stating progress or just providing information.  Since these reports help management stay informed and make decisions, they are a vital part of the organization.

Reports can be simple or very complex.  Some may be a single page while others are hundreds of pages.  Routinely reports are delivered as typeset documents. However, technology continues to break traditional trends.  Digital formats such as email, PDF files, slideshows, and apps are becoming more common methods of business report delivery.  With the push to "go green", electronic methods are being adopted quickly as preferred standards.

Do you remember when email was not consider to be an "official" document?   I do. Things had to be "in writing" with a signature. A printed email was not acceptable because it didn't contain that scribbled signature.  Then one day, email became official without the scribble!  

Reporting can become more efficient by incorporating technological aspects.  For instance, hyperlinks to Web sources can provide depth and flexibility to traditional methods of reporting. Technology continues to move us toward more efficient ways of doing and thinking. Businesses are no longer limited to mortar and brick nor should they be limited in how they deliver business reports.

Sales Messages: Direct mail vs Email

Sales messages are used to promote specific products and services. Companies continuously strive to develop marketing strategies to reach their ideal customers. In doing so, direct mail and email campaigns usually play a huge part in prospecting and nurturing customer relations. Let’s take a look at how the two compare.

   EMAIL

Faster.   Email can be typed and delivered in a few seconds after clicking the SEND button.  Direct-mail takes a minimum of a day and possibly up to weeks to arrive.

Cheaper.  Email doesn’t require any printing, addressing, postage stamps or trips to the post office.

Easier.  Email messages can be created, duplicated and distributed to multiple people simultaneously with a simple click of a button.  Email can also be automated to send messages at a future date.  With messages flowing with less intervention, marketing teams can dedicate time in other areas.

   DIRECT MAIL

Powerful. Direct mail is slower than email but it is personalized and tangible, actually touched by the recipient.  It can be kept, shared or passed on to others.

Acceptable.  Regardless of whether direct mail is considered by some to be “junk mail”, it is still accepted as normal.  However, unsolicited email is viewed as a problem. Often email is deleted without being read or blocked by spam filters.

Noticeable.  When comparing daily email items received to daily direct mail items received, the direct mail is generally less.  Therefore, direct mail will likely be more noticeable when it arrives with fewer competing items. 

While faster, cheaper and easier may be preferred, thought has to be given to the overall concept. Creating a powerful, acceptable and noticeable campaign may be more beneficial or effective. Most likely, business will use both direct mail and email to promote their brands and build customer relations. Determining which is most effective and when they should be used will depend greatly on the response received from each campaign.

Business Communications: Is 'Indirect Strategy' Ethical?

Products arrive late, service performance disappoints, bills are mishandled or customers are misunderstood.  Sound familiar?  Even the best businesses often respond to these or similar issues. 

After enrolling in a college business communications course, I was surprised to find techniques are actually taught on delaying or buffering bad news.  When a business intentionally delays bad news, they are using an indirect strategy.  Personally, my mother taught me many years ago not to just blurt out bad news because it may hurt someone’s feelings.  But, is it ethical for businesses to use this approach when responding to a customer’s request?

Delivering disappointing news is not easy or pleasant but, if done effectively, it can be gratifying.  As a business communicator, you must consider your goals and analyze how the customer may react.  By delaying bad news, the blow is softened and allows time for the customer to be receptive to your explanation.

In using an indirect strategy, the motive is NOT to deceive, hide or misrepresent the truth.  Actually, it is about being ethical, showing compassion and expressing sensitivity while remaining an effective communicator.  Besides, everyone knows mom is always right!

Customer Requests: Making Adjustments and Delivering Good News

Even well-loved businesses receive customer complaints and requests.  Don't get discouraged!  Some of the most popular statements are: "Your product doesn't do what I thought"; or, "You didn't do what you promised." And, it's not unusual for customers to request a refund or adjustment.

Unless the claim is obviously fraudulent or excessive, most businesses strive to satisfy their customers and promote customer goodwill.  When businesses respond favorably to the customer’s request, the message is called an adjustment.

Adjustment messages are good news for your customer and should be delivered using a direct pattern approach.  The following writing plan follows this direct approach:

• Subject Line (optional):  Identify the previous correspondence and refer to the main topic.

• Opening:  Grant the request or announce the adjustment immediately.

• Body:  Provide details about how you are complying with the request. Try to regain the customer's confidence.  Apologize, if appropriate, but don't admit negligence.

• Closing:  End positively with a forward-looking thought; express confidence in future business relations.  Include a sales promotion, if appropriate.  Avoid referring to unpleasantness.

It's all a part of doing business and hopefully doesn't happen often.  However, adjust messages give you an opportunity to correct mistakes, regain customer confidence and promote further business.  

Works Cited:

8 Common Customer Complaints and How to Fix Them. Ed. Barry Moltz. 14 August 2013. Web. 28 February 2015. https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/8-common-customer-complaints-and-how-to-fix-them/

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication. South-Western Cengage Learning, 2013.

Social Media: From Personalized Tabloid to Marketing Mahem

Who needs the paparazzi when we have social media?  Social media has evolved into our personalized version of a tabloid.  As we ‘like, pin, tweet and post’, we exposed our voice to the entire world; a voice filled with beliefs and opinions that can affect our success and the prosperity of others.  

Consequently, businesses seek our attention and social media to improve brand awareness, gain our loyalty and defuse ‘not-so-nice’ comments.  But, with so many social media sites available and limited budgets, choosing the most effective solution can be overwhelming.  Comparing social media sites can reveal interesting user trends and simplify the selection process.  Let’s start by comparing social sites popularity, demographics and features!

Favorites

Over half the adult internet population use two or more social media sites. However, the majority use Facebook more than any other site.  So, Facebook wins the social media popularity award! 

Meanwhile, studies indicate users are also interested in other platforms. The following chart was released as part of the Pew Research Center Social Media Update 2014 report. LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter increased user percentages for 2014 but Facebook was unchanged between 2013 and 2014.

Demographics

Facebook attracts 56% of senior internet users (age 65+) while 50% of college graduates continue to join LinkedIn. Twitter is most popular among those under age 50 and the college-educated. Meanwhile, Instagram serves 53% of young adults (ages 18- 29).  Pinterest is popular among young adults but is dominated by 42% of online women. 

Features

Facebook offers handy tools that help track fans and gauge page statistics. It is also a great platform for running contests and competitions.  However, Facebook demands interacting with followers which can be time consuming.

LinkedIn provides a more professional and expert collaboration while providing great recruitment tools.  Although, the user interaction rate is much lower when compared to other platforms.

Pinterest is a great way to organize web treasures.  Users create boards and pin links to items of interest. Users can view other boards to see what is trending and ‘repin’ items they like. However, to ‘pin’ an item, the website must contain an image.

Instagram screams creativity and fun.  It provides an opportunity to show the fun side of life and business.  Yet, sharing photos is more functional from mobile devices and text space is limited.

Twitter updates are posted in real-time and you can send frequent posts easily.  It is a quick way to respond to customer questions and requests.  However, the responses are limited to 140 characters.  

Selecting a site is easier after reviewing the site popularity, user demographics and platform features.  Regardless, if confusion still lurks, there’s a simple remedy.  You can join the majority percentage by using more than one social media site! 

Works Cited

"Social Media Update 2014". n.d. The Pew Research Center .

<http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/social-media-update-2014/>

"Percentage of U.S. internet users who use selected social networks as of September 2014". n.d. The Statistics Portal. 

<http://www.statista.com/statistics/246230/share-of-us-internet-users-who-use-selected-social-networks/>

"Pros and Cons of 5 of the Biggest Social Media Platforms". n.d. Social Media Today.

<http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/pros-and-cons-5-biggest-social-media-platforms>

"Pin for the Win: How to Market Your Brand On Pinterest". n.d. Social Media Today.<http://www.socialmediatoday.com/white-papers/pin-win-how-market-your-brand-pinterest>