Entry Level Candidates: What do you have that Seasoned Professionals don’t?

Posted on by March 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentBeing a job seeker in this economy is stressful; however being a newbie to the job force brings even more stress!

But rest assured, every professional has been in your shoes and anyone who has held a job has gone through a bad interview or two. It is important to know that it is not the hiring manager who determines if you get that awesome entry level job. It is you!

And while you consider how important it is to take control of your destiny and learn to believe in your future, want to know what you have that tenured professionals do not?

Competing with seasoned professionals can be a daunting task, but make sure you are selling that you are hungry, you’ve got passion, ambition, and in this day and age you are most likely tech savvy. Use all these attributes to your advantage by being ready to articulate why the hiring manager needs someone with those traits on their team.

Lastly, as an entry level candidate it can be assumed you have recently graduated from college; so relate every job you interview to a previous class project, internship, or part time job. You may not have the professional experience, but you DO have relevant experience. For example, describing a specific class project shows teamwork, how you manage others, your creativity, motivation, innovation, and your problem solving skills. Describing an internship will show how you have real hands-on experience and can also show incredible initiative as oftentimes internships are experiential only (i.e. – not paid). And lastly, describing how you balanced that part time job while going to school shows independence as well as incredible time management and organizational skills. Every hiring manager can relate to these types of experiences and will be impressed with your work ethic.

Be sure to check out our article on interviewing tips for entry level candidates!

Written by Jessica Nguyen

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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How to Decline a Job Offer

Posted on by May 16, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentI believe all of you would agree that the economy is tough…and many job seekers would probably feel lucky to receive any job offer.  But what if you receive a job offer that doesn’t align with your career goals?

Or what if you receive multiple job offers and therefore have to decline one (or more)?  Do you know what the etiquette is for declining a job offer?

First of all, do not procrastinate relaying your decision to the hiring manager.  I get it, having these discussions are tough, but you need to consider the hiring manager and company.  They have a need to fill and therefore will need to extend your declined offer to someone else.  So be timely and don’t hold up the process.

Secondly, be considerate in how you deliver your decision.  Regardless of your interview experience, be gracious and thank the hiring manager and his team for taking the time to interview you.  It is important to put your thoughts in writing, however I always recommend you make a phone call to the hiring manager prior to sending that decline email.

Thirdly, tell the hiring manager why you are declining the offer…but don’t provide inappropriate detail.  I recommend you avoid going into the specific reasons as to why you are accepting another offer.  In many cases, I think it is sufficient to just state that you are accepting an offer which better aligns with your current career goals and interests and leave it at that.  Why is this important?

  • You don’t want to burn any bridges with this hiring manager or company.  Perhaps this particular position doesn’t align with your career goals now, but another position may fit perfectly at a later time.
  • Additionally, it is a small world and the hiring manager at this company may be the hiring manager at a different company in the future.  Heck, he could be your manager someday (or you his!)  Build relationships and rapport instead of burning bridges.

Lastly, show you care.  Make sure you remember to wish the hiring manager and the company continued success.

Here is a quick sample email declining a job offer:

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much for offering me the position of Senior Clinical Research Associate at craresources.  I am honored you and your organization have found interest in me.  

While I firmly believe in the mission of craresources and appreciate the challenging opportunity you have offered, I have received another offer which I believe more closely aligns with my current career goals and interests.  This has been a difficult decision for me, but unfortunately I am going to respectfully decline your generous offer. 

I have appreciated the time you and the craresources’ team have spent with me.  I wish you and craresources much future success and do hope our paths will cross again. 

Sincerely,

Jane Goodman

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Should I Accept a Job I Don’t Want?

Posted on by March 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentBeing able to find a job that will make you feel satisfied and content starts with knowing exactly what you are looking for.

Do you know exactly what you are looking for as it relates to a specific job function?

I am never opposed to hiring new team members who have been open to me about what their career goals are and how working for me will enable them to eventually obtain their goals – even if they are underqualified.

So my advice to you would be:

a)     If you haven’t already, make a detailed list of the job attributes you are seeking and break that list into “have to have” and “like to have” characteristics. Personally obtain clarity regarding what YOU want to do.

b)     Have a clear discussion with the Hiring Manager (before you accept the offer). Candidly talk about your career goals, and how open she is to supporting your progression into a promotion.

Check out our tips on how to find the right job for you!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

Should I Apply For A Job I Am Overqualified To Do?

Posted on by March 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWhen you find a job you are overqualified for, you must ask yourself if it is worth applying. We get it, the job market is lousy and you have a mortgage to pay. And by the way, according to the job description, you can do the position in your sleep…so why not apply?

But will you be happy in the position? Will you feel challenged and satisfied? Can you handle lower compensation for a lower level role? If you have answered yes to all of these questions, then consider one more: Will you feel you are taking a career step backwards? If the move would be a bit lower on the career ladder than you would prefer, then do yourself and the employer a favor and abstain.

If you do decide the position is a perfect fit for you and your current situation, as an overqualified applicant, you must address certain areas to the employer, or you will not get to the interview stage. This can easily be done in a well-crafted cover letter addressing the following areas:

The compensation will be the first sticking point. Compensation is set based on the skills required of the candidate, not the actual skills held by the candidate. This is a subtle but important point. For example: If you are a brain surgeon applying for a position to be a greeter at Wal-Mart, do you think Wal-Mart will pay you the salary of a Brain Surgeon or that of a Greeter? Be clear in the beginning that you are flexible with the salary due to your interest in the position.

The second sticking point will be how serious you are about this role. Be careful not to give the impression you are only taking the job to make the mortgage payment as employers will not be receptive to an applicant if they fear them leaving for a more advanced job in the near future. Articulate why you feel this position aligns with your long term career goals by addressing areas such as:

  • You see a future with the company and want to advance within it.
  • The opportunity is one in which you can excel based on your prior experience.
  • You love that this position will place you under less stress and give you an opportunity to have greater work/life balance than previous more advanced roles.

By clearly articulating how this position “fits”, the employer will understand your reason for applying despite your higher qualification.

Written by Betty Crisp

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

How To Ask Why You Didn’t Get The Job!

Posted on by March 19, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentSomeone else was chosen for the job you felt you were perfect for. WHY???

Never take rash actions and contact the “offending” company without first taking time to process the rejection yourself. Think about your interview performance carefully for a couple of days, and consider the following:

Resume: Was it tailored for this particular job? Did it highlight qualifications the job description specifically mentioned?

Attitude: Did you go into the interview with an appropriate attitude? Body language and tone of voice are often times more highly considered than your answers to questions. Were you engaged and appeared happy to be there? Were you a bit too confident or did you come across as arrogant because you felt you were perfect or more qualified than anyone else?

Appearance: Were you dressed appropriately for the interview? The “right” answer may change depending on the company culture, level of interview, level of position, and many other variables.

After reviewing these areas, if you have decided you could have performed better, what now? What if you feel you performed at your top level and just do not understand why you didn’t get the offer?

Do you just pretend that the interview never happened and go on to the next one without having any idea what went wrong? Of course not!

Contacting a company that did not hire you can be uncomfortable, but many Hiring Managers appreciate and will be receptive to you seeking improvement. Our recommendation would be to email the interviewer instead of call and consider the following:

  • You must remember to be diplomatic and not place blame on them for the outcome. You have to create a comfortable environment where they will speak freely in order for you to obtain their feedback.
  • Politely request if he or she has time to give you 2 or 3 tips on how to better your interviewing techniques.
  • Always remember to thank the interviewer for the opportunity you were given to interview and to suggest that should they have further opportunities you would love to be considered.

If you take the time to respectfully and thoroughly listen, the feedback your interviewer gives will likely improve your next interview performance, as well as leave the company with a positive and impressive image of you in case you choose to pursue a job with their company again in the future.

Written by Betty Crisp

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

Entry Level Candidates, How Do You Compete?

Posted on by March 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentEntry-level job seekers rarely have any work history, which can make it very difficult for Hiring Managers to determine future performance. However, these prospective employees often go on to be extremely successful. So, how do you sell your potential without tangible proof?

There are more ways than you may think.

Usually there are three job skills that experienced interviewers will be looking for in beginning candidates. So you, as an entry-level candidate, should be highlighting these job skills during your interviews in order to compete against more seasoned applicants.

But before we jump into the three specific areas where you should focus, I wanted to remind you to be prepared for Behavioral Interviewing. The interviewer will likely ask you situational-based questions and you can give great answers without using business-related examples. By recalling an actual related event, you will give the interviewer a window into your thought process.

1) Time Management & Organization: A good question for this is, “Tell me about a time when you had a big project and how you completing it on time.” Employers learn a lot just by listening to how you internally prioritize tasks and duties to be performed.

2) Problem Solving Skills: Limited work experience or even an in-home or school environment can provide experience for questions such as, “Tell me about a time when you were working on a project and an unexpected problem occurred. How did you initially react, proceed to handle it, and what was the final outcome?”

3) Communication Skills: A lot of these skills can be determined by how you listen & respond throughout the interview. However, a question that can directly address your communication skills without using work experience is, “Tell me about a time you disagreed with a friend or colleague on an important topic? How did you approach this person and resolve the dispute?”

Emotional Skills are also important to evaluate. These abilities are more difficult to determine in interviews but are extremely important to consider when hiring. What do other people think of or have to say about you? Do these remarks relate to your motivation or ethics? Employers will likely ask for references to determine your skills in this area, so be prepared to provide great references.

However, you must not forget just how important the resume is to the first time candidate. We have gaggles of information on how to create a great resume so be sure to check it out. And finally, please invest time in creating quality cover letters to accompany your resume, since these can explain qualifications that may not be evident in a resume with limited work experience.

Considering these tips will help you as an entry-level candidate draw focus on the skills and potential you truly already have, and encourage employers to schedule an interview with you!

Written by Betty Crisp

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

5 Ways to Kill Employee Morale

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentMaking sure the company is running efficiently and effectively is more complicated than hiring qualified people and telling them what to do. Having an incredible staff to support and carry out your business’ goals will only get you so far; the key is fostering a community within the workplace in which your workers not only feel comfortable to work and produce quality results, but empowered to take ownership and make decisions which will have a positive impact to the company. Here are some common mistakes managers make which have a profoundly negative effect on their workers’ attitudes:

Not introducing yourself on a personal level. Personally connecting with your team members will make them feel as if they aren’t just workers, but individuals and key contributors to your organization.  I am not talking about meeting them for drinks at Happy Hour, but simply inquiring about their interests and hobbies. Find a common ground by showing genuine interest in them and what they care about, and you will build trust and alliance.

Refusing to accept responsibility. I have noticed when projects fail and goals are not met, a lot of managers neglect to acknowledge their responsibility for the failure.  Great questions to ask are “What didn’t I do to ensure the successful completion of the project? What support did I not give my employees which may have prevented this end result? Could I have done anything to change the outcome?” Then be vocal about your part in the missed deliverable or milestone – your employees will respect you for it.

Calling employees out in public. There is no quicker way to stifle creativity and create resentment in a team than publicly criticizing someone’s work in front of their coworkers. This is a humiliating act and is likely to cause other workers to think differently of this employee, create tension in the workplace, and establish fear which will keep others from “stepping up”.

Threatening their jobs. The fear of failure is something that can easily take over your employees’ minds and greatly impact the work they produce.  Threatening their jobs will create this fear. Workers who are in constant fear of losing their jobs will either leave the company in search of more security, or they will be too afraid to branch out, embrace new concepts in the workplace, or let their creativity show in their work. If you have an employee who makes a mistake which needs to be addressed, address it!  But do it in a private forum of helping the employee create a plan to improve.  Set your boundaries, but be clear you are there to support the team member while he works on an improvement action plan.

Not being approachable. One of the biggest keys in ensuring your employees are happy, comfortable, and empowered to help the company achieve its goals is by making yourself accessible. Workers who aren’t able to openly ask questions, request more guidance, and brainstorm ideas and concepts will often produce work below your expectations.

What a lot of managers fail to realize is that you need your team members to reach your goals.  Additionally, your team is a direct reflection on you and your ability to lead effectively. Making small changes to your management style could go a long way in making sure employee morale is high and the work being produced is of the highest quality.

What do you think – do you have others “Morale Killers” to add?

Written by Katie Fidler

Dedicated to Every Client’s Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you ever involved with the clinical recruiting hiring process? If so, sign up for our Hiring Manager email course which focuses on how to attract and hire the highest quality candidates.

How to Prepare for a Video Conference Interview

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWith companies being more cost conscious and our culture’s growing reliance and utilization of technology, it is no surprise that more and more companies are requesting Video Conference Interviews with candidates.

Video conference interviews are a great way for Hiring Managers to “size up” a potential employee by allowing the Hiring Manager to evaluate the candidate’s communication and presentation skills.

So the question to answer:  Are you prepared for a Video Conference Interview?  How is it the same or different from Phone or Face-to-Face interviews?  Here are a few important tips to keep in mind while preparing for your Video Conference Interview.

Rehearse just as you would before a Face-to-Face interview. Prepare yourself for the questions you’re most likely to be asked and be ready to explain the responsibilities you’ve had in your previous positions. Conduct a mock Video interview with a friend, having them ask you some generic and typical interview questions. Something you may find very helpful is to record your practice interview session so you can analyze your answers and facial expressions later.

Make sure your work space is ready for the Video interview. The space where you will have your interview should be free from clutter and things which will distract your interviewer or divert attention from you. Put your dogs and/or cats into another room, put the baby to sleep, unplug the phone, and put a sign up on your office door so your loved ones are clear they should not make noise while you are on your Video Conference.

Test your connectivity and hardware at least one hour prior to the interview. Ensure that your internet connection is strong and free from interruptions and verify that your camera and microphone are working. Be mindful of your microphone and its position during the interview. Microphones naturally amplify sound, and rustling papers or speaking to closely can make it hard for the interviewer to understand what you’re saying. Check the angle of your camera, making sure that there is a tight view on your head, shoulders, and chest. Monitor the lighting in the area you’ll be doing the interview, as plenty of light will improve the quality of the video being transmitted to your interviewer.

Speak slowly and clearly; as advanced as technology is becoming, there is often a slight lag or delay in the connection, and enunciating your words and speaking slowly will ensure that the interviewer understands what you are saying.

Dress as if you are going to a Face-to-Face interview. Just because you aren’t going to the office doesn’t mean you can wear your pajamas. Your interviewer will take notice of your attire whether you’re physically in front of them or on their computer screen.

A video conference interview shouldn’t be any more intimidating than a Face-to-Face interview, and following these tips will help you prepare and present the your best to the interviewer.

We want to hear from you – how successful have your Video Interviews been?

Written by Katie Fidler

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? We specialize in clinical recruiting! You can sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.

How To Write an Attractive Job Description

Posted on by March 18, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentOne of your employees is moving out of the state, and you are faced with the daunting task of replacing him. You shutter at the idea of having to find a candidate who is as qualified and professional as the employee you’re losing. Where do you start? The first step in finding quality candidates is writing an attractive job description; job descriptions are critical in creating a quality candidate pool because you (and your company) never get a second chance to make a first impression. Here are a few key things that transform a generic and boring job description into an opportunity that potential candidates will get excited about:

  • Job Title, Role Within the Organization, and working relationships. This includes not only the official name of the position you’re looking to fill, but also the department within the company that this job is associated with. This is also the area of the job description where you will explain how the position ties into the overall goals of the company, as well as who the candidate will be working with. Example: As Venue Relations Coordinator, you will work closely with our experiential marketing team. The Venue Relations Coordinator position reports to John Doe and Mary Jane, Senior Project Managers.
  • Forgetting to include the location of the position you’re trying to fill will result is a massive amount of resumes from applicants who will immediately withdraw their application upon learning that they would have to relocate in order to work.
  • A fairly common aspect of the job description overlooked by many hiring managers and HR personnel is the About Us. It is so important that you explain what it is that your company does, as well as the company’s culture and environment. Many hiring managers also choose to include vital statistics, such as growth, in order to give the potential candidate a better understanding as to where the company is headed in the future. The About Us Section can also include characteristics of the company, such as size.
  • Perhaps the most important pieces of information to include in a job description that will attract high quality candidates are main job duties and responsibilities. Potential candidates need a firm understanding of what will be expected of them, and having a vague or non-descript job duties and responsibilities section will leave the high quality candidates thinking they are overqualified and the lower quality candidates thinking they have what it takes to succeed in this position.
  • Directly following the job duties and responsibilities sections should be the prerequisite and requirements section. Information to include in this section is the years of experience, prerequisite positions held, necessary skill sets, and any certifications or memberships candidates should have. Omitting this section will leave you sorting through hundreds of resumes submitted by unqualified candidates and be a waste on your time and theirs.
  • Special working conditions, if applicable, should be made known from the beginning. Putting these out in the open will ensure that the candidates who apply are serious about the position regardless of working conditions they might not be used to. Examples of special working conditions include odd hours, on-call responsibilities, and physical duties.
  • Last but not least, include information that will make the position even more attractive to potential applicants. Information to include in this section is benefits, training, travel, and advancement opportunities. This is also a great opportunity to show some extra perks of working for your company, such as casual dress, the ability to work remotely, and any discounts that employees may receive (example: Starbucks employees receive discounts on AT&T and Apple products).

Replacing an employee can be a frustrating and challenging task, but writing an effective and attractive job description is the first step in not only making the process easier on yourself as a hiring manager, but finding the highest quality candidates.

Written by Katie Fidler

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you ever involved with the clinical recruiting hiring process? If so, sign up for our Hiring Manager email course which focuses on how to attract and hire the highest quality candidates.

How to Transition into Your New Job

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWouldn’t you agree that transitioning into a new job can be a lot to manage?  Your first 90 days is critically important and is all about fitting into the company culture, learning new processes and procedures, and being able to adjust to your new workload.  Making a great impression quickly is imperative!

Volunteer for Assignments: Stepping up to the plate without being asked is instrumental in how your fellow peers and supervisors view your initiative and willingness to add to the organization. However, be careful not to volunteer for too many assignments that you can’t follow through on! Be aware of what you can and can’t deliver, and don’t be afraid to say no. Taking on too many responsibilities would be a disservice to your team, and to your job.

Be Nice to People: Whether it is someone from the cleaning crew or a posh executive, everyone who shows up to your organization works together to make everything efficient. Treat others with respect; you never know who could be your boss tomorrow, or who could be a good reference!

Prioritize Your Work: It is critical to categorize your day to day tasks by level of importance. There may be some tasks more mundane than others, but use those opportunities to hone your skills.

Stay Positive: With any new position, you must stay positive. Every new position has its challenges!  You will be confused.  You will be flustered.  You will be discouraged.  Just remember this:  Your employer selected you. Now is your time to shine and prove that not only they made the right decision, but that you made the right decision as well.  Take a small win from each day of something new you’ve learned or accomplished. Build on those wins and you’ll see how far you’ve come!

Highlight a Problem but Bring Solutions: Depending on your organization, they may have certain processes in place that they’ve used for ages that you may disagree with. However to give yourself credibility when bringing the problem to their attention, you must bring an alternative solution to fix the problem. Otherwise, how can they ever see that it’s a problem? Not only will it show your initiative, it will also show your creativity and innovation.

Manage Expectations and Set goals:  Don’t fib about your skills! Your manager will take your learning curve into consideration if she knows your true assets and skill levels. Once you and your supervisor are on the same page as it relates to your starting point, set your goals!  The number one question you must ask your supervisor and gain agreement to:  What does my Supervisor expect me to accomplish within the first 90 days?  Being mutually clear on what your supervisor expects of you and what you can accomplish is critical.  Build a plan, drive towards achieving those goals, and your manager will be impressed.

Written by Jessica Nguyen

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
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Are you considering a career change? We specialize in clinical recruiting! You can sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace.