Microsoft Strategy Rubs Wall St. the Wrong Way

 

It may have rubbed Wall Street the wrong way, but it rubbed me the right way...

CEO Steve Ballmer told Wall Street analysts on Tuesday that the software giant has no intention of making any more job cuts despite the year-long U.S. recession's effects on the technology industry.

 

 

Technology News: Wall Street: Microsoft Strategy Rubs Wall St. the Wrong Way

Your online reputation can hurt your job search

While I've rarely done this when considering a candidate, I imagine there are quite a few recruiters who do...

As millions seek new jobs to replace positions lost in the recession, keep in mind that the Internet gives employers unprecedented access to information about you.

Employers aren't content with facts gleaned from public records. They're also using the Internet to assess your character.

Your online reputation can hurt your job search - USATODAY.com

Workplace Coach: Interview 101

 

AS LAYOFFS CONTINUE, thousands are out there pounding the pavement looking for work. Perhaps you heard about the 1,400-plus applicants for one meter reader job in Tacoma recently. Yet, astonishingly, I hear from employers complaining about how job seekers show up for interviews -- late, unkempt, dressed inappropriately and often having done no research about the company or position. That would be "how not" to land a job.

In times such as these, job seekers need to be maximizing every opportunity they have to land a job. Consider this column a refresher in "Interviewing 101."

As a career coach, I help prepare clients to ace their job interviews. (I also coach hiring managers on how to conduct interviews on the flip side). Sadly, many people are ill-prepared for their most important opportunities. Interviews are anxious situations. You need to know how to sell yourself, clarify why they should hire you and answer tough questions. There is simply too much at stake in this economy to leave it to chance.

Times have changed. Landing a job in this market is anything but business as usual. With the flood of available people on the market, employers can be very choosy. Hiring managers rely on more sophisticated interviewing techniques today than in the past. Job seekers who haven't interviewed for many years would be well advised to prepare for situational- and behavioral-style interviewing.

Here are my tips:

First impressions will make (look professional!) or break you (tattoos, body piercings, beltless jeans, unkempt hair and wrinkled clothing). Lest you think I'm kidding, an employer recently complained to me about applicants showing up for interviews for a professional sales position in jeans and other "inappropriate" attire. His takeaway: If this is how they look at their best, he didn't want them representing him or his business. Men should be clean-shaven with a neat professional haircut. And suits -- no jeans for either sex. Women should avoid anything too baggy, sexy, low-cut or tight-fitting. Again, I hear from employers aghast at "what she showed up in." Leave the flash for the clubs.

Research your prospective employer. With the Internet at our fingertips, there is no excuse not to do this (yet many hiring managers complain most candidates don't). Go to its Web site and read the "About us" section. You should walk into an interview knowing such things as the size of company, its products/services and target market. Google the company to see if it has been in the news recently. Google the hiring manager. This isn't stalking, it's just smart preparation. Use your social networking sites to find someone who knows the hiring manager or someone else in the company. Demonstrate during the interview that you did your homework.

Be seen as someone who will add value and not be a problem. Prospective employers are on the lookout for "red flags" or any sign that would indicate you might be a potential problem (such as aggressiveness, laziness, blaming, dishonesty, etc.). Be prepared to prove your track record and what you can do for them, including collateral material -- testimonials, awards, spreadsheets, design samples and reports that showcase your work. Hiring managers are trying to assess not only your skills, but also your dependability (will you get the work done?), and whether or not you are responsible (will you show up on time and do what it takes?).

Connect. Interviewers are also sizing up your personality and communication style -- "soft," or "people," skills. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your comfort level talking to a stranger in an uncomfortable situation. Find something in common as an icebreaker (note office pictures or common schools, for example).

Show up with positive energy. Attitude matters. Nobody wants to hire a downer or a blamer. Never badmouth your previous boss. Sell yourself (this is no time for modesty) and draw attention to your proudest accomplishments. Craft a strong opening and closing that serves as your 60-second elevator speech for why you should be hired.

Bottom line: Ramp up your interviewing skills. If you aren't making it past the first or second interview rounds, you need help figuring out what isn't working. The No. 1 complaint given by employers in a USA Today survey about job candidates during interviews was "poor communication skills." Career coaches can help you with preparation, practice and professional, unbiased and expert perspective. You need to be prepared for the tough questions: Why should we hire you? What is your greatest weakness? Have you ever been fired? How you answer matters greatly. The "deer in the headlights" response will only get you back out pounding the pavement.

Mobile News Network

Modifying your resume isn't always the answer

 

I'm also a blogger on www.jobsblog.com - Microsoft's Jobs Blog... I'll be posting those posts here as well. Be sure to visit jobsblog.com for some great information!

Dear JobsBlog: Would you recommend I tailor my resume when applying for a job? Does this help or hinder my chances of getting the position?
-Resume Riled

Dear "Resume Riled": As with many areas of recruiting, it depends.

It can definitely be valuable to tailor your resume for a specific position and, generally, I would tell my friends to do so. For example, if you are applying for a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) position, you may want to highlight or emphasize your QA/testing experience. While you don’t have to have hardcore testing experience to be a successful SDET, it definitely helps if you have prior experience in that area.

That being said, when you apply via the Microsoft career site, you can only have one resume in your profile. When you create/upload a resume through our career site, you want to make sure that all of your relevant skill sets and appropriate keywords are in your resume.  For our technical roles, you may have skills that would be applicable to a SDE, SDET or PM role. If you tailor your resume to one specific position, you may miss out on a different opportunity.

However, if you are only interested in a specific role, say an SDET, and you are not interested in being an SDE or PM, make a note of that in your summary/objective on your resume.

Though tailoring your resume can be beneficial if you’re interested in a specific position, there is the rare occasion it can back fire. I heard of a candidate who had tailored his resume but forgot to turn off the “track changes” feature on the Word document. The recruiter missed it and when the hiring manager reviewed the resume, he felt that the candidate specifically exaggerated his skill set to fit the position. Also, if you are tweaking your resume to match a position, don’t copy and paste the job requirements into your resume. (I’ve seen it done!) This can also be a red flag for a manager, as they may think you're only telling them what they want to hear. Write about your skills in your own words.

So when submitting your resume, if you have a specific job in mind and only want that specific job, tailoring is a good thing. If you are open to different roles, keep it more general. And remember, use the “track changes” feature with caution.

 

Modifying your resume isn't always the answer : Microsoft JobsBlog