5 Tips for Recent Graduates Applying for Their First Job

It can be pretty exciting and downright scary when you apply for your first professional role. You may have already applied for vacation or part-time jobs to help pay your way through your education, but now you are ready to take on your first career making role. So what do you need to do when applying for that first role?

One of the first things you really need to do is to ask yourself: 

1. Why do you would want this role?
It’s a good idea to ask yourself the question: Why do you want this role? Before applying for any role. There is absolutely no good in applying for roles that you don’t really want – some graduates do this, applying for every role they see, in a scatter gun approach, hoping that they will land at least one role. You are far better being selective and only apply for those roles that will forge the way for the career you really want to develop. Think about what you want and ask questions of people already in these careers, do some investigation, regard the process as a project and do some planning.
Next it is a good idea to find out:

2. What people typically do in this type of role?
It is one thing to think that you want to be an astronaut, but for many jobs the reality is different to that of the outsider’s expectation. So it really is a good idea to do some checking with people who already working in the kind of role that you aspire to check that it really is your thing. In addition the process of learning about a role will be also beneficial when you come to a job interview you will know what it takes to do the role.
Now that you know what the role is about, the next thing to do is to: 

3. Research the employer.
Employers vary greater in particular organisational culture; it really is a good idea to get a handle on what an organisation is like culturally as well as just knowing the nature of its business. In addition knowing about your potential future employer will impress your interviewer when you are interviewed.

Having researched your potential employer and decided that they are people you could work for, it is time to put down on paper:

4. What do you bring to the role? – Put it down in a cover letter.
A good thing to do whenever you apply for a role is to carefully craft a cover letter that introduces you to a potential employer; it is also an opportunity for you to address the key criteria in a role. It is good discipline to do a new cover letter for each new role that you apply for. And the process of doing a cover letter and answering the key criteria will also alert you to whether you are at all suitable for the role.

Now that you have put together a great cover letter, you need to back your application with a brief and to the point resume that supports your contention that you are the ideal person for this role. So you need to:

5. Put together a resume of 2 – 3 pages.
A resume should list:
• You name,
• Contact details,
• Education , (Academic)
• Training, (Vocational)
• Plus a list of your work experience and should not extend to anymore than 3 pages if you are a recent graduate. Your most recent experience should come first with earlier experience following in order.

Does asking candidates crazy off the wall questions work?

What vegetable would you be? Why are manholes round? Teach me something I don’t know. 
There are all kinds of tactics for getting to the heart of your candidates knowledge, creativity and problem solving skills, but is asking something that open-ended and high-pressure, especially in an interview setting, really useful?

Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway says no – it just causes stress and confusion. The question was asked at the Hay Festival of literature and arts, and a panel of writers struggled, with one saying they didn’t know anything other people didn’t know and whatever he used to know he’d forgotten.

“Listening to this, I changed my mind,” Kellaway said. “Mr. Page’s (from Yahoo) question (Tell me something I don't know) isn’t great at all. It is as hopeless as all the other things people ask applicants.”

The theory goes that by asking a question the applicant isn’t prepared for, the answer will carry more meaning compared to things like “Tell me about a time you showed courage.”

Kellaway lists some of the oddball offerings collected by Glassdoor.com, including these gems:

• If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender how would you get out? (Goldman Sachs)
• What do you think of garden gnomes? (Trader Joe’s)
• If you were a Microsoft Office program, which would it be? (an unnamed auto repair shop)

As fun as these might be to ask – especially if you enjoy making interviewees sweat – studies show the results are little better than picking people at random.

The question “What is 37 times 37?” might show some useful information about a candidate, Kellaway added, but she suggested interviewers ditch the off-the-wall approach if they want to get more than a look of terror from candidates.

Do’s and Don’ts of Skype/Video Interviews

It is not all uncommon nowadays for Skype (or similar technologies) to be used to interview candidates who for whatever reason are unable to attend an in person interview.

A Skype interview has a great number of advantages in our busy world, it is economical and with the right equipment easy to set up. Having said that, there are also a number of disadvantages too. These disadvantages fall into two categories, firstly those that relate to technical limitations such as bandwidth where you get poor picture quality, jerky images, out of sync sound and so on and secondly those that relate to perception and presentation.

Unfortunately a proportion of candidates who allow them-selves to be interviewed via Skype, don’t prepare themselves as well as they might for a regular in person interview. Please find below some Do’s and Don’ts when preparing for a Skype interview.

Do:
1. Dress as well as you would expect for a person to person interview. Just because the interview is taking place in an environment that you may choose, is no excuse to wear your old tracksuit.
2. Make sure that you are well groomed. There is no excuse not to be well scrubbed.
3. Be ready at your computer, just as you would turn up in time for an in person interview. Make sure that your computer is up and running ready to receive the connection. Make sure your internet connection is reliable. Take advantage of the "Test" feature to test both Video and Sound before the interview. Be ready to go to Sound only if the Video is bad or fails.
4. Prepare yourself for the interview. Do exactly the kinds of preparation as you would for an in person interview. The interviewer is going to ask the same questions and judge you on the same standards as for an in person interview.

Don’t:
1. Set up the interview where distractions come into play. You may think it is cool to conduct your end of the interview in a café with your nice new iPad, but don’t forget that extraneous noise will be picked up and people passing by may be an annoyance.
2. Think for one minute that a Skype interview is a rehearsal for the real thing; it is just as serious and important to your success in working your way through the recruitment process as any other step.
3. Forget to look at your interview position from the interviewer’s perspective, make sure that you are located in a comfortable chair that allows you to sit with an erect and alert posture. Adopt a posture that shows you are interested and keen for the role. Make sure that the background behind you is uncluttered and non distracting. Specifically ensure that the background is not too brightly lit, otherwise you will appear as a dark silhouette against a glary background, likewise don’t set yourself up so that you are staring into bright light, squinty is not a good look.
4. Forget to be as attentive as possible to the interviewer, paying careful attention to the interviewer is perhaps more important in a Skype interview because you don’t have the same benefit or intensity of all the audio visual cues found in an in person interview.

Tips for a Successful Interview

The advice below is intended to assist candidates in their preparation prior to a first interview with a client. Candidates should bear in mind that this advice is not binding and a general guide only and that other factors, most especially their “fit” to the job specification will determine their success or otherwise at a job interview.

A successful interview is the result of thorough preparation and research. No matter how well-qualified you think you are, it is not advisable to walk into an interview with the intention of “winging it”. Preparation breeds confidence – you present yourself and communicate better. When you communicate well, you have a better shot of convincing the client that you are what they are looking for.

BEFORE the Interview

1. Make sure you confirm your interview details.

•        Check that you have the exact time, date and location of the interview.

•        An interview is an important commitment of time for both you and the interviewer. Do not reschedule at the last minute or reschedule more than once if possible. From the interviewer’s point of view, if you are a serious candidate, you will attend the interview at the scheduled time and date.

•        Plan how to get to the interview beforehand. If you’re driving to an unknown location, take the time out to do a trial run the day before. If taking public transport, familiarize yourself with the schedules. Make allowances for delays and bad weather when scheduling transport.

2. Do some research

•        Find out all you can about the company and the industry they belong to. Familiarize yourself with the organization’s products, services, history, performance, market, location, size, structure and competition. It will be easier to answer questions such as “Why do you want to work for us?” and “What do you know about the company?” if you are armed with well-researched information.

3. Study the job specification.

•        Make a list of your skills and achievements that match the company’s selection criteria.

•        Prepare specific examples that demonstrate a particular skill or attribute and that show the client that you have what they are looking for.

4. Reread your copy of your job application.

•        The client has chosen you to come for an interview on the basis of your job application. A good part of the interview would probably be expanding on the information you provided. It is important that your answers to the interviewer’s questions (for example those related to previous employment, dates etc) are consistent with the information in your resume/ job application.

5. Prepare a list of questions you may want to ask the interviewer.


The Interview

1. Punctuality

•        Be on time. It is ok to arrive 10 minutes early to your interview but don’t be too early and, above all don’t be late. Arriving late with excuses (e.g. delays in public transport, road works, foul weather) gets your interview off to a bad start.

2. Appearance/ Presentation

•        Dress in appropriate business attire. Do not dress casually or business casual, even if it is Friday. Dress conservatively – wear minimal makeup and jewellery. Your appearance should reflect your professionalism and attention to detail.

•        It is best not to wear cologne or perfume. You never know if the interviewer is allergic or cannot tolerate your scent.

•        Do not walk into the company premises chewing gum – if you have a breath problem, use mints instead.

•        Be very polite to receptionists and secretaries. Some employers ask their staff how they felt about the candidate so take care of the impression you make on others.

•        Try to relax. Walk with confidence, shake hands firmly. Smile and keep eye contact.

•        Switch off your mobile phone or put it on silent mode.

2. Answering Questions

•        To project confidence and authority, control your tone of voice, speed of delivery and volume.

•        Answer questions as concisely and clearly as possible. Do not take more than 2 minutes in answering a question.

•        Use examples when necessary to stress a point, expound on an idea or support a statement.

•        Ask for clarification of questions you do not understand.

•        If asked about job-related knowledge or experience you don’t have, do not panic. It is okay not to know everything. Stress other attributes and provide examples that show your ability to cope with new challenges and learn new tasks quickly.

•        Be truthful. Most information can be verified. Do not try to hide gaps in your work history, instead explain them.

•        Don’t run down your existing company. Don’t tell tales or make damaging remarks about your present/ previous colleagues. Emphasize that you have positive reasons for leaving that job.

3. Asking Questions

•        Asking questions allows for a better understanding of what the role requires and your suitability for the role.

•        Asking questions about the role and the company also demonstrates enthusiasm and career motivation.

•        Examples of questions you may want to ask are:

-          How is performance measured?

-          What encouragement is given to undertake further training?

-          Expansion plans?

-          What are the company’s goals in the short/ medium-term?

•        Do not ask too quickly about money and benefits. That is for the second interview only, unless you are asked your current salary.


AFTER the Interview

•        Do not leave the interview without asking potential employers how you did or asking what information they might need from you to keep moving forward.

•        Never fail to have a professional, mature conversation after an employer extends you an offer; you can indicate that you want some time to think things over.

•        Normally, the offer will be made via the recruitment consultant. If the employer makes a direct offer, it is better to ask for time and to then ask advice from your consultant.

•        Under no circumstances should you telephone the interviewer directly to follow-up your application. Get in touch with your recruitment consultant if you want feedback. They are better trained to discuss details and offer advice and will always negotiate with the client on your behalf.

•        Write a Thank You letter or email to the interviewer. This small gesture is appreciated by most people.

Workplace Gossip

Do you believe this? According to a new study, workplace gossip may have its disadvantages, but it can also improve your health. "It can act as a great stress reliever," said Kathryn Waddington, senior lecturer in psychology at City University, London. "It can be a way to vent anger, envy or frustration. Many of our respondents noted that they used it as a way to let off steam." The study also observed that it played a key role in group cohesion. Unsurprisingly, it found that gossip usually occurred when people had plenty of time on their hands. But Waddington warns not to underestimate the destructive power of gossip, especially when used as a subtle way to harass people. She noted that the subjects of rumours could suffer irrevocable damage to their careers and self-esteem. Waddington said that gossip tended to increase at times of insecurity and change in the workplace, and she advised HR managers to ensure that reliable information was conveyed to the workforce site regularly and as swiftly as possible during these periods.

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7 behaviours to avoid when negotiating

Whether you are negotiating a salary with a new employee or with your boss, trying to make a change in work practices or trying to get the kids to do their homework, you are trying to influence the behaviour of other people. Many of us spend much of our working day negotiating, yet are often aware of just how much of our working life revolves around this most important skill.

You can become better at influencing if you recognise that other people's perspectives are rarely the same as yours. Increase the amount of listening you do, and, when you do present your ideas, tailor them to your listener's logic by using words and phrases that make it easier for them to accept what you are suggesting.

So the next time you are talking about a salary with someone, think hard about the following influence breakers, otherwise you may not get the result you want.

Influence breakers - 7 behaviours to avoid:

·      Talking more than listening. People would rather be listened to than talked at. We become defensive when someone is trying hard to influence us. Probe, listen and try hard to understand them. Eventually they will tell you what you need to say to influence them. 

·      Formal-speak. In ordinary conversations, people don't use terminology such as "in the fullness of time", "has not been forthcoming" and "it has been brought to my attention that". Ineffective influencers feel that such phrases boost their case. They don't use the terminology that you would employ in everyday conversations.

·      Parental language. Adults talking to children often use autocratic words such as "can't', "must", "should" and "ought". Delivered to an adult, these irritate and increase resistance.

·      Using "imitators". Phrases such as "with respect", "I hear what you say", "let's be realistic" and "I'm being perfectly reasonable" all convey the opposite message loud and clear to the other person. These terms are all influencing no-no’s.

·      Doing their thinking for them. “What you don't seem to realise is...", "what you clearly haven't taken account of is..." and similar phrases suggest that you are telepathically gifted. They sound insulting and have no persuasive potential. Most people react to them negatively.

·      Arguing. Disagreeing with someone produces a 60 per cent chance that they will disagree back. It's better to probe and understand their point of view.

·      Being dogmatic. The harder you push people, the harder they resist.

Listen to learn and use that learning to influence.