There are some very obvious signs that can indicate you’re in the wrong job, but often, we avoid admitting those even to ourselves. Yes, the job market is tough right now, but job satisfaction cannot be overlooked. After all, we spend too much time at our jobs to be unhappy every day. That doesn’t mean someone who’s not satisfied should march into their boss’s office and quite tomorrow morning, but it IS something we want to look at closely. Start by asking yourself these four questions:
1. Do I avoid talking about my job when I’m out with friends?
2. Do I hate getting up in the morning to go to work?
3. Am I always (or often) tired and drained at work – in a way that says more than “hard work”?
4. Do I find that I can’t wait until the close of work day?
It’s good to look take some time to look at job satisfaction overall. Because when you think about it, we spend more hours at work than we do awake at home. As a result we should make sure we LOVE what we do. If we love what we do we don’t think of it as work. You could start with the job that you’re in by asking for more responsibility, or by supporting interesting projects or working with other great teams.
If you’re sure that the place you work is not going to make you satisfied, be sure to stop and determine what your core issues are. Don’t just run out and start a job search without having a good due diligence in place. It’s very easy to just move from one unhappy spot to another in life. But if we take the time to really assess WHAT we don’t like, what we wish was different, what our behavior traits are, and what our core goals are, we can make a change that REALLY builds a better life. Take the time to decide what would make you HAPPY.
• Is it a job closer to home?
• Fewer hours at work?
• Or maybe it’s more hours and more money.
• Perhaps it’s a more creative industry.
Once you’ve determined some of those factors, you can begin to weigh your options. Knowing what you DO want is the foundation of a GOOD job effort. It’s very easy, after all, to spend a LOT of time on a job effort that ISN’T good. One that leaves you more unhappy than the job or career you hated, believe me. So getting things together the RIGHT way is an investment well worth doing. There are two things to embrace while you’re considering what direction to take with your job search: 1) Be networking all the time, and 2) Keep your resume updated with the latest information. Just in case a wonderful opportunity comes up. (In fact, I always say that the RIGHT time to update your resume is the day you start a new job.)
Then, invest the time to have an amazing resume AND an individual cover letter for EACH job that you’re interested in (wherever possible, at least). You’ll be able to use that cover letter as a chance to specify why a particular company interested you and what skills you bring that would make you a great asset to their team. Although it takes more time to conduct this type of job search, it’s far more likely to yield better results, and in the end, a HAPPY career.
To your success,
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC
President of Adam Personnel, Inc. and Adam Temporary Services, Inc.
President of Palmiere Career Services
Phone: 212 557-9150 ext. 208
cpalmiere@adampersonnel.com
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Four More Top Interview Questions
Although there’s no way to be 100% prepared for a job interview, a candidate can always feel confident and knowledgeable. Quite honestly, that comes from only one thing: preparation. The BEST form of preparation is to spend the time to learn about the company in question and to mock interview using as many common questions as possible. Investing in a career coach to go through this process is something EVERY candidate should do the day that they find out they’ve lost their job. This will keep them on track, teach them vital interview skills, and quite possibly get them a job MUCH faster than someone who doesn’t have all of these tools properly in place. Having answers prepared for the common interview questions is vital to a serious candidate.
#1. What are you looking for? Don’t miss the opportunity in this question! Be ready to talk about the job that would be appropriate for you and how your skills would translate to the new employer. Be careful NOT to talk about opportunities for advancement – you could talk yourself right out of the job you are interviewing for. Companies want to know that you have many assets and skills and an enthusiastic attitude about your job, but they don’t want to hear that the position at hand is a “stepping stone” to something greater. It’s far too easy to unintentionally imply that their company is also a stepping stone – or a quick stop while you find the “right” job.
#2. Aren’t you overqualified for this position? This is a tough one. Definitely be enthusiastic about the job and proud of your expertise; don’t downplay your accomplishments. Instead, share what makes you interested in the job at hand at this point in your career. For instance, elaborate about applying your expertise to a new industry or talk about the upside of working in a smaller company – or a larger one. Be VERY careful to leave out any tone of desperation!
#3. What’s your biggest weakness? Definitely do not answer this with a self-deprecatory statement about yourself. This is not the place to be humble. Keep your answer brief and be sure to put feature your “weakness” in a good light. For example, “I’m very much a perfectionist, but I use that to always make sure my team’s needs are fulfilled quickly and completely.”
#4. What are your salary requirements? Be prepared! This question should NOT leave you caught off guard. Always try to postpone answering this question until a job offer is made. If you used a staffing agent, let them handle this for you. But do be prepared and know what the salaries are in your industry (you can find this out at SimplyHired.com and Salary.com). If you don’t know the budget that the company has available, and the interviewer persists, you can simply ask, “What salary range are you working with at this time?” If you’re seriously being considered for the job, it’s quite likely that they will tell you what their constraints are.
Finally, the question where many candidates falter is the last one asked by most interviewers: “Do YOU have any questions?” This is your opportunity to show interest and initiative. Be ready to ask specific questions about the organization at hand or what to expect in the job. Remember, this is your chance to shine. Be prepared and use your response to demonstrate how your skills can contribute to the company. Finally, try to have the right mix of conservative enthusiasm AND a goal-oriented view of your future. This will take you far in the hiring process.
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC
President of Adam Personnel, Inc. and Adam Temporary Services, Inc.
President of Palmiere Career Services
Phone: 212 557-9150 ext. 208
cpalmiere@adampersonnel.com
#1. What are you looking for? Don’t miss the opportunity in this question! Be ready to talk about the job that would be appropriate for you and how your skills would translate to the new employer. Be careful NOT to talk about opportunities for advancement – you could talk yourself right out of the job you are interviewing for. Companies want to know that you have many assets and skills and an enthusiastic attitude about your job, but they don’t want to hear that the position at hand is a “stepping stone” to something greater. It’s far too easy to unintentionally imply that their company is also a stepping stone – or a quick stop while you find the “right” job.
#2. Aren’t you overqualified for this position? This is a tough one. Definitely be enthusiastic about the job and proud of your expertise; don’t downplay your accomplishments. Instead, share what makes you interested in the job at hand at this point in your career. For instance, elaborate about applying your expertise to a new industry or talk about the upside of working in a smaller company – or a larger one. Be VERY careful to leave out any tone of desperation!
#3. What’s your biggest weakness? Definitely do not answer this with a self-deprecatory statement about yourself. This is not the place to be humble. Keep your answer brief and be sure to put feature your “weakness” in a good light. For example, “I’m very much a perfectionist, but I use that to always make sure my team’s needs are fulfilled quickly and completely.”
#4. What are your salary requirements? Be prepared! This question should NOT leave you caught off guard. Always try to postpone answering this question until a job offer is made. If you used a staffing agent, let them handle this for you. But do be prepared and know what the salaries are in your industry (you can find this out at SimplyHired.com and Salary.com). If you don’t know the budget that the company has available, and the interviewer persists, you can simply ask, “What salary range are you working with at this time?” If you’re seriously being considered for the job, it’s quite likely that they will tell you what their constraints are.
Finally, the question where many candidates falter is the last one asked by most interviewers: “Do YOU have any questions?” This is your opportunity to show interest and initiative. Be ready to ask specific questions about the organization at hand or what to expect in the job. Remember, this is your chance to shine. Be prepared and use your response to demonstrate how your skills can contribute to the company. Finally, try to have the right mix of conservative enthusiasm AND a goal-oriented view of your future. This will take you far in the hiring process.
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC
President of Adam Personnel, Inc. and Adam Temporary Services, Inc.
President of Palmiere Career Services
Phone: 212 557-9150 ext. 208
cpalmiere@adampersonnel.com
Friday, November 20, 2009
Top Three Interview Questions
Let’s face it, if you’re out of work, the hundreds of hours spent reading job postings, working on and sending out resumes, pounding pavement, going to networking events, etc., etc., ALL of that effort is really about ONE thing: the interview.
The interview (either live or by phone) is where you need to bring your best stuff – and to be quite honest, there’s no second chance to get it right. So let’s jump in and cover the top three questions everyone needs to be ready for.
#1. Tell me about yourself. This is usually the FIRST question that comes up and the FASTEST way to end an interview. First of all, be sure to make your answer short and sweet and try to focus on experiences and goals that relate to your prior work experiences. We don’t need to know that you like to canoe or bake. If you can, make the effort try to tailor your answer to the specific job you’re applying for. If you’ve been in the workforce for a long time, resist the desire to stress that fact. It’s much more important to focus on your skills, achievements and how you add value. Be sure to emphasize your personal attributes as well, but only if the interviewer seems open to hear more – stress great assets, like flexibility and a positive attitude.
#2. Why are you looking for a job? Be sure to keep this answer brief and straightforward. For example, “My company was forced to downsize.” Avoid negative statements about yourself, your work, the company you left, or your ability to get along with your team. I share this quite often, but never criticize former employers or coworkers. What do you say if you really hated where you worked? You can say that you simply did not find the opportunities that you were looking for. It’s also important to have a few goals at your fingertips, in case the interviewer asks you to expand on that thought.
#3. Why have you been out of work for so long? This question can come in a variety of ways, but responding to gaps in your employment history is definitely a tricky one, especially with the economy being so tough. People end up out of work for a variety of reasons, but they’re not ALL downsizing. So first of all, be sure to be honest. Next, make every effort to speak confidently about your experiences during gaps in your employment. Some of those efforts can surely transfer to on-the-job skills. For instance, if you were a caregiver, you may have managed complex financial issues. If you volunteered while looking for work, you might have worked with diverse groups of people and on flexible schedules – and definitely talk about your achievements. If you managed a huge annual fundraiser for a local charity while you were out of work, that speaks VOLUMES about your organizational skills, your work ethic and your integrity.
The bottom line is to not be caught off guard by these questions. They WILL come up. REHEARSE your answers and have them ready to pull out at a moment’s notice. In fact, take the extra time and make the extra effort to tailor them to each specific company that you meet with. This will demonstrate knowledge, initiative and sincerity. What might take an extra hour or two could result in a lifetime of opportunity (and employment!) with the company of your dreams.
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC
President of Adam Personnel, Inc. and Adam Temporary Services, Inc.
President of Palmiere Career Services
Phone: 212 557-9150 ext. 208
cpalmiere@adampersonnel.com
The interview (either live or by phone) is where you need to bring your best stuff – and to be quite honest, there’s no second chance to get it right. So let’s jump in and cover the top three questions everyone needs to be ready for.
#1. Tell me about yourself. This is usually the FIRST question that comes up and the FASTEST way to end an interview. First of all, be sure to make your answer short and sweet and try to focus on experiences and goals that relate to your prior work experiences. We don’t need to know that you like to canoe or bake. If you can, make the effort try to tailor your answer to the specific job you’re applying for. If you’ve been in the workforce for a long time, resist the desire to stress that fact. It’s much more important to focus on your skills, achievements and how you add value. Be sure to emphasize your personal attributes as well, but only if the interviewer seems open to hear more – stress great assets, like flexibility and a positive attitude.
#2. Why are you looking for a job? Be sure to keep this answer brief and straightforward. For example, “My company was forced to downsize.” Avoid negative statements about yourself, your work, the company you left, or your ability to get along with your team. I share this quite often, but never criticize former employers or coworkers. What do you say if you really hated where you worked? You can say that you simply did not find the opportunities that you were looking for. It’s also important to have a few goals at your fingertips, in case the interviewer asks you to expand on that thought.
#3. Why have you been out of work for so long? This question can come in a variety of ways, but responding to gaps in your employment history is definitely a tricky one, especially with the economy being so tough. People end up out of work for a variety of reasons, but they’re not ALL downsizing. So first of all, be sure to be honest. Next, make every effort to speak confidently about your experiences during gaps in your employment. Some of those efforts can surely transfer to on-the-job skills. For instance, if you were a caregiver, you may have managed complex financial issues. If you volunteered while looking for work, you might have worked with diverse groups of people and on flexible schedules – and definitely talk about your achievements. If you managed a huge annual fundraiser for a local charity while you were out of work, that speaks VOLUMES about your organizational skills, your work ethic and your integrity.
The bottom line is to not be caught off guard by these questions. They WILL come up. REHEARSE your answers and have them ready to pull out at a moment’s notice. In fact, take the extra time and make the extra effort to tailor them to each specific company that you meet with. This will demonstrate knowledge, initiative and sincerity. What might take an extra hour or two could result in a lifetime of opportunity (and employment!) with the company of your dreams.
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC
President of Adam Personnel, Inc. and Adam Temporary Services, Inc.
President of Palmiere Career Services
Phone: 212 557-9150 ext. 208
cpalmiere@adampersonnel.com
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Mock Interviews and Why They Can Change Your Life
Being out of work can be overwhelming. It can be disheartening, discouraging and downright terrifying. Probably the best investment a person can make, once they find themselves out of work (or if they’re simply looking for a new career choice), is to work with a job coach who specializes in mock interviews. In fact, it’s worthwhile to be sure that the career coach you choose actually specializes in interviews – and perhaps is even a Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC).
Why are mock interviews important? Well, let’s look at a few common situations.
1. A mid-level manager finds themselves out of work after fifteen years with the same company. One would think that fifteen years of service at one job would be an asset, right? Well, of course it is. But what isn’t an asset is that they haven’t been on an interview in fifteen years. And let’s face it, EVERYING leading up to the interview is just prep work. The hundreds of hours reading job postings, working on and sending out resumes, pounding pavement, going to networking events – all of this is simply setting the stage for the interview. THAT is where you need to bring your best stuff – and sadly, there’s no second chances.
2. A top-level sales manager finds himself being called for interview after interview, but not getting even one offer. Yes, one might think it’s just the economy, but let’s face it, even at our worst unemployment rate (a whopping 10%), that still leaves 90% of us employed. And a great sales leader shouldn’t be getting NO job offers. A job coach specializing in mock interviews can work with a candidate on subtle things that might be tripping him or her up, like body language, tone of voice and how they answer the various questions that come up in an interview. It’s not uncommon for a candidate to go on and on, in fact, and never really answer a question at all. These are some of the areas that a job coach certified in interview techniques can help a candidate work through.
The bottom line is that a candidate needs to do everything within their power to be 100% ready to walk into that job interview and share their BEST assets with poise and confidence. It’s much too easy to “think” we’re confident, and instead find ourselves either trying too hard, coming across unintentionally arrogant, or worse, clamming up and getting tongue tied at what might be the most important meeting of our professional lives. A mock interview with a career coach can help us to identify our rough spots and turn them around BEFORE we shake hands with the head of HR or the CEO of our dream company.
Remember, whatever you do, don’t let hopelessness creep in and undermine your job search. There ARE jobs out there and you WILL find one if you’re armed with confidence, a great resume, solid references, and the ability to show up and be poised and amazing at each and every interview.
To your continued success,
Catherine Palmiere, Career Coach
CEIC, CPBA, CPCC, CPC, CTS, CSS
Owner of Palmiere Career Services
(212) 557-9162
cp@palmierecareerservices.com
Why are mock interviews important? Well, let’s look at a few common situations.
1. A mid-level manager finds themselves out of work after fifteen years with the same company. One would think that fifteen years of service at one job would be an asset, right? Well, of course it is. But what isn’t an asset is that they haven’t been on an interview in fifteen years. And let’s face it, EVERYING leading up to the interview is just prep work. The hundreds of hours reading job postings, working on and sending out resumes, pounding pavement, going to networking events – all of this is simply setting the stage for the interview. THAT is where you need to bring your best stuff – and sadly, there’s no second chances.
2. A top-level sales manager finds himself being called for interview after interview, but not getting even one offer. Yes, one might think it’s just the economy, but let’s face it, even at our worst unemployment rate (a whopping 10%), that still leaves 90% of us employed. And a great sales leader shouldn’t be getting NO job offers. A job coach specializing in mock interviews can work with a candidate on subtle things that might be tripping him or her up, like body language, tone of voice and how they answer the various questions that come up in an interview. It’s not uncommon for a candidate to go on and on, in fact, and never really answer a question at all. These are some of the areas that a job coach certified in interview techniques can help a candidate work through.
The bottom line is that a candidate needs to do everything within their power to be 100% ready to walk into that job interview and share their BEST assets with poise and confidence. It’s much too easy to “think” we’re confident, and instead find ourselves either trying too hard, coming across unintentionally arrogant, or worse, clamming up and getting tongue tied at what might be the most important meeting of our professional lives. A mock interview with a career coach can help us to identify our rough spots and turn them around BEFORE we shake hands with the head of HR or the CEO of our dream company.
Remember, whatever you do, don’t let hopelessness creep in and undermine your job search. There ARE jobs out there and you WILL find one if you’re armed with confidence, a great resume, solid references, and the ability to show up and be poised and amazing at each and every interview.
To your continued success,
Catherine Palmiere, Career Coach
CEIC, CPBA, CPCC, CPC, CTS, CSS
Owner of Palmiere Career Services
(212) 557-9162
cp@palmierecareerservices.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
NY Job Coach, Catherine Palmiere, Now Offers Expert Resume Consultations
Please hit the above link to leave comments on my Press Release, in its entirety below.
NY Job Coach, Catherine Palmiere, Now Offers Expert Resume Consultations
Well known New York job coach, Catherine Palmiere, has added expert resume consultations and renovations to her Job Coaching business, Palmiere Career Services.
(PressReleasePoint) Well known New York job coach, Catherine Palmiere, has added expert resume consultations through her job coaching business, Palmiere Career Services. Since the recession began, Ms. Palmiere has been on a personal mission to turn the tide of unemployment, empowering client after client with interview techniques, creative job search insights and tools, and now, expert resume consultations.
A Certified Career Coach, Ms. Palmiere is the CEO of Palmiere Career Services, as well as two successful New York employment firms, Adam Personnel, Inc., and Adam Temporary Services, Inc. She is also an adjunct teacher at the prestigious New York Grace Institute, where she teaches office policies and practices. It will come as no surprise that in addition to her long list of credentials, Ms. Palmiere is also a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.
In a recent show on her weekly free Radio Show on job search techniques, Ms. Palmiere shared the following:
“Creating a resume that is written to strongly feature a candidates accomplishments, rather than simply laying out their work experience is VITAL. Believe me, companies are all about impact and added value right now, so if you streamlined several processes at your last job, cutting down the project time by 50%, you need to say that. If you developed a training program that taught new hires the corporate culture and philosophy, that’s what to feature, rather than what you were simple responsible for” – the bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what role you played in a corporation, it’s the value you brought to that role that makes you stand out in a long line of candidates. Choosing a resume consultant who can create THAT type of resume is a million-dollar investment.”
Ms. Palmiere freely shares her expertise and invites the job searching public to hear her radio show every Monday evening at 5:30. There is no prior registration; the call is open to all job seekers by calling the guest line at 646-595-4020.
In addition to this radio show and other outreach efforts, Ms. Palmiere’s first book, “Unlocking the Door to Your Career,” was published by Pearson Educational Publishers in February. The workbook offers exercises and real-world tips to job seekers. (Copies of the book are available at http://www.palmierecareerservices.com/.) In addition to her book, Catherine Palmiere is a sought after corporate consultant and speaker and was recently featured as an industry expert on Cable NY1, and AMNY.com. Ms. Palmiere can be contacted regarding resume consultations through Palmiere Career Services.
# # #
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC, CEMC
mailto:cp@palmierecareerservices.com
Please hit the above link to leave comments on my Press Release, in its entirety below.
NY Job Coach, Catherine Palmiere, Now Offers Expert Resume Consultations
Well known New York job coach, Catherine Palmiere, has added expert resume consultations and renovations to her Job Coaching business, Palmiere Career Services.
(PressReleasePoint) Well known New York job coach, Catherine Palmiere, has added expert resume consultations through her job coaching business, Palmiere Career Services. Since the recession began, Ms. Palmiere has been on a personal mission to turn the tide of unemployment, empowering client after client with interview techniques, creative job search insights and tools, and now, expert resume consultations.
A Certified Career Coach, Ms. Palmiere is the CEO of Palmiere Career Services, as well as two successful New York employment firms, Adam Personnel, Inc., and Adam Temporary Services, Inc. She is also an adjunct teacher at the prestigious New York Grace Institute, where she teaches office policies and practices. It will come as no surprise that in addition to her long list of credentials, Ms. Palmiere is also a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches.
In a recent show on her weekly free Radio Show on job search techniques, Ms. Palmiere shared the following:
“Creating a resume that is written to strongly feature a candidates accomplishments, rather than simply laying out their work experience is VITAL. Believe me, companies are all about impact and added value right now, so if you streamlined several processes at your last job, cutting down the project time by 50%, you need to say that. If you developed a training program that taught new hires the corporate culture and philosophy, that’s what to feature, rather than what you were simple responsible for” – the bottom line is that it doesn’t matter what role you played in a corporation, it’s the value you brought to that role that makes you stand out in a long line of candidates. Choosing a resume consultant who can create THAT type of resume is a million-dollar investment.”
Ms. Palmiere freely shares her expertise and invites the job searching public to hear her radio show every Monday evening at 5:30. There is no prior registration; the call is open to all job seekers by calling the guest line at 646-595-4020.
In addition to this radio show and other outreach efforts, Ms. Palmiere’s first book, “Unlocking the Door to Your Career,” was published by Pearson Educational Publishers in February. The workbook offers exercises and real-world tips to job seekers. (Copies of the book are available at http://www.palmierecareerservices.com/.) In addition to her book, Catherine Palmiere is a sought after corporate consultant and speaker and was recently featured as an industry expert on Cable NY1, and AMNY.com. Ms. Palmiere can be contacted regarding resume consultations through Palmiere Career Services.
# # #
Catherine Palmiere, CEIC, CPBA, CPCC, CEMC
mailto:cp@palmierecareerservices.com
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