How to Choose Between Two Offers

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentIf you’ve ever been fortunate enough to be in the situation where two companies have both presented you with job offers, then you know that choosing between them can be difficult.

Most candidates would make the decision based solely on the compensation; however there are many other things to consider before accepting one of the offers.  Choosing a company based solely on the monetary aspects of the offer will likely leave you regretting your decision later. We recommend you make a Pro/Con list so your decision can be well examined.  Here are some things to consider:

Environment of the office: Finding a solid group of people who make you feel comfortable yet empowered is rare. As you evaluate each company, consider the team you will be working with and the management you will be working for. Are they the kind of people who will inspire you to reach your goals and grow professionally? Are they the kind of people who you trust and feel comfortable around?

Money: Yes, money is always going to be an important factor in situations like this…but only one factor. While money is not the key to happiness, no one can deny that having it makes life a little easier.

Benefit Package: While actual monetary compensation is important, don’t underestimate the non-monetary aspects of your offer.  Do your offering companies provide health insurance benefits? How about matching 401K contribution? What type of paid time off do they offer? What about flexible work hours or an opportunity to telecommute?  For a proper comparison, you must evaluate how important these benefits are to you. The company paying slightly less money but offering you these benefit options may better fit your lifestyle.

Opportunities for Career Development: Are you interested in learning a new skill or progressing in your current career? You should think about your future goals and decide which job will put you in a better position to achieve them. Perhaps an internship where you will be paid less but gain hands-on experience in the field you’re most interested in is more valuable to you than working a desk job in the back office of some giant corporation for a few more dollars a week.

Location of Company:  Are you interested in the company 60 miles away but just can’t bare the daily commute?  Are you open to relocation…but would truly prefer to stay where you are?

Stability of the company:  Do your research and make sure you feel comfortable the offer you accept puts you into a stable, long term situation with a company that has a clear growth strategy.

Deciding between two great offers can be complicated, especially if it’s hard to find fault in either. Whether you are new to the industry or a season professional, this is not an easy decision.  Just remember to weigh all monetary and non-monetary aspects of the offers, and make a decision based on your professional goals, while affording you an appropriate lifestyle.

We want to hear from you. How have you decided between multiple offers before?

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.

Why LinkedIn Is So Critical

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentIn the early 2000s, it was MySpace. Since the mid 2000s, it’s been Facebook. And now there is a new social media trend sweeping the nation, but unlike the others, this one does not specifically target Generation Ys and Millenials. Linkedin, the professional networking site, has been expanding rapidly and gaining visibility for the past few years (it currently beats CareerBuilder and Monster with over 33 million visits a month), and analysts say that this global trend is here to stay. In fact, some argue that Linkedin has officially replaced the Rolodex.

Linkedin is similar to other popular social media outlets in that you can upload a profile picture, update your status, and search for friends who are using the site. Linkedin has really differentiated itself from other social media by focusing on the professional and business aspects of a person’s life instead of the personal and social aspects like Twitter and MySpace. Linkedin encourages you to add your work history and detail the responsibilities you had in each position. You may apply for membership to different professional networking groups (University of Georgia Alumni, Marketing Professionals, etc.) in order to branch out and connect with peers in your industry from across the world. Perhaps the greatest advantage of Linkedin over some of its competitors is the incredible job boards and networking opportunities it allows its users. Linkedin’s user friendly interface makes searching for open positions a breeze, and even facilitates easy communication with the hiring company or recruiter.

That being said, Linkedin can only be used to its full potential if you’ve completely filled out your profile information and taken advantage of the things that Linkedin has to offer. Whether you’re actively or passively searching for a new position, it is essential that you’ve not only listed your education and current and previous positions, but that you’ve detailed your work experience and areas of expertise. If you list that you worked for Johnson & Johnson from 2004 to 2011, a hiring manager screening your profile won’t know whether you’ve been working in the sales department or in the lab doing research and development, and therefore cannot qualify you for the open position he’s looking to fill.

You may be thinking “I’ve been in the industry for 20 years and I’ve got an incredible resume to prove my value, I don’t need an online profile to land a job.” Yes, yes you do. As a recruiter in the clinical research industry, I can tell you that a candidate’s Linkedin profile is opened on my computer screen immediately after I open their resume. An updated profile is absolutely essential because the resume I have on record may be the one you sent me in 2010, but your Linkedin profile will allow to me to supplement your outdated resume with your current work. Essentially, your Linkedin profile is your resume and should be treated as such.

With the decline of the economy, Human Resource departments have been the first to experience hiring freezes and layoffs. Linkedin provides hiring managers an easy and extremely cost effective way to search and screen candidates, a job that would normally fall to the HR department. Linkedin currently has over 9,200 corporate customers, and they are looking for YOU.  Having a strong Linkedin profile will communicate your expertise and professionalism, connect you with industry peers and hiring managers, and put your resume and qualifications in front of the people ready to offer you an amazing employment opportunity.

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 Beat the Resume Keyword Scanning Systems

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentWith the decline of the economy and growing job stability concerns in this country, businesses and corporations are receiving more job applications than ever before. The problem is that these companies have felt the effects of the economic downturn as well and are unable or unwilling to staff the personnel needed to read through thousands of submitted resumes. Fortunately for them, technology has come to their rescue in the form of Applicant Tracking Systems, which scan resumes for a set of certain keywords that hiring managers deem relevant to the job opening. This can create a problem for applicants, as they have no clue what keywords the ATS will be scanning for; most applicants just submit their resume and hope for the best.

The good news is that job applicants do not have to remain powerless against the resume keyword scanning systems. By following these guidelines, you will craft a resume that is not only peppered with appropriate keyword phrases, but highlights your success and accomplishments.

  • Read the job description. This is perhaps the most important of the guidelines. Reading the job description and doing web searches on the department within that company will give you some incredible insight as to the specific skills and knowledge the company is looking for. For example, if a job description lists that applicants must have a Bachelors degree in the life sciences and extensive experience monitoring Phase I trials, then you are definitely going to want to include the phrases “Bachelors degree” and “monitoring Phase I trials” (but only if those apply to you, of course). Remember that there is a difference between tailoring your resume to a job description and regurgitating it. If you are successful in getting past the ATS, the first set of human eyes that read your resume will immediately recognize this and throw your resume out.
  • Choose keywords that fit the general position, even if they aren’t detailed in the job description. For an open CRA position, you may want to include phrases such as “Phase II,” “regional,” “monitoring,” and “oncology.” These keywords will not only better your chances of getting passed the ATS, especially since you are not privy to the specific keywords they are looking for, but also highlight your expertise.
  • Include keyword phrases in your cover letters and emails. Like your resume, your cover letter is written specifically for a particular company and position. Use the job description and outside research to include probable keyword phrases in your cover letter. Similarly, the email to which you attach your resume and cover letter can include your keyword phrases as well. The email should almost mirror your cover letter and reiterate those important phrases.
  • List your keyword phrases multiple times throughout your resume. The way most ATSs work are by awarding “points” to an applicant each time it recognizes a keyword phrase, and after earning so many points, a resume is deemed “good” and added to the pile for human inspection. Without sounding redundant or obvious, include the keyword phrases as many times as you can throughout your resume. Some applicants go as far as typing suspected keywords in very tiny font in the headers and footers of their resumes, and then changing the font color to white. Called “white fonting,” this allows the ATS to recognize and award points for these keyword phrases but makes them invisible to human readers. This practice is “sketchy” and does not guarantee results, however.

A reported 80% of companies use some form of resume keyword scanning systems in the initial stages of their hiring process. Most applicants feel powerless against these systems, but you don’t have to be! Peppering your resume and cover letter with relevant keywords matching the job description and overall position and industry will greatly increase your chances of beating the machine and landing in front of human readers.

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.

The Wrong Way to Fire Someone

Posted on by February 13, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentTelling someone that they no longer have a source of income is probably one of the hardest parts of your job. But as a hiring manager, you know that sometimes the cost of keeping someone is greater than the benefits they provide to the team. Firing someone the wrong way is going to cost both you and the company a mountain of time and effort; many hiring managers find themselves falling into these firing traps:

  • The termination is a surprise. Firing someone should be a formal, deliberate process. Verbal and written warnings should be administered, progress checks should be implemented, and a plan for improvement should be agreed upon. Firing people should be the last resort.
  • They weren’t prepared. Have data to support your decision to let someone go. Be able to give them direct evidence as to why their performance led to the situation.
  • Allowing back-and-forth discussion.  Don’t let the employee drag you into a conversation. Once you state your decision clearly and provide your data evidence to support it, there should be nothing else to discuss. You are the boss. Chances are that the employee will be upset, so don’t let them take control of the conversation.
  • They waited until Friday to do it. Firing someone on a Friday might seem like a good idea, but it’s really not. The terminated employee will spend all weekend stewing over what happened and growing more frustrated with the situation. An employee let go on a Monday will be upset, but they will be able to wake up the next morning and start their job search.
  • They sugar-coated the truth. You’re not dealing with a small, fragile child. You’re dealing with a professional adult and they deserve to be treated as such. If the person is being let go because of unsatisfactory performance, then tell them that! Don’t tell the employee that they’re being let go because of “downsizing” if it’s untrue; lying to them about their performance isn’t going to do them any favors.
  • Forgetting to lay out the important information. Most hiring managers don’t realize that the meeting during which they terminate someone might very well be the last time they see that person. Make sure you close the conversation with information they will need moving forward, such as when they will receive their last paycheck, unemployment options, and insurance benefit information.

Firing an employee is hard, but planning ahead, avoiding certain situations, and remaining in control of the conversation will help you avoid unnecessary complications.

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.

5 Most Common Phone Interview Mistakes

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentPreparing for an upcoming phone interview is just as important as preparing for an in-person interview. Of course it is important to have thoughtful answers to questions you may be asked, speak clearly, and be personable (see more tips in our article How to Conduct Powerful Phone Interviews).  However, it is equally important to know what you shouldn’t do during an interview.

After all, you have spent your adult life building your resume and hours making sure that it is written perfectly – why jeopardize your chances because of making simple, avoidable mistakes during your phone interview?

We asked our hiring managers to help us compile a “never do” list and the top 5 have been listed here:

“The candidate is clearly in an unacceptable area during the designated interview time.” This is a pet peeve of mine.  When I have scheduled an interview, I expect that candidate to be sitting in a controlled environment where they will not be distracted so they can be fully focused on our discussion.  Never take an interview when you are driving down the highway with all of your windows down. Not being focused or in a controlled environment shows you are inconsiderate, unprofessional, and are not taking the job opportunity seriously.  Our hiring managers will not conduct the interview at all if they feel the candidate is not 100% focused on the interview.

“I can barely hear the candidate! The line is cutting in and out.” Consider using a landline for phone interviews as this will eliminate the possibility of bad reception and ensure that the conversation will be clear and static free. If you don’t have access to a landline, at least make sure that you have full signal strength on your cell phone.

“The candidate is not being direct or is rambling.” While answering questions with a concise and direct answer is always important during an interview, it is especially critical during a phone interview. It is much easier to get distracted on the phone than it is during a face-to-face interview. You don’t want your interviewer to get bored and start playing Minesweeper because you’ve spent the last forty minutes explaining how flipping burgers when you were 16 helped you achieve the position you’re in now.

“The candidate didn’t bother to review our website before our discussion.”  In today’s competitive environment please make sure you have researched the company (see our article on how to do this) and can clearly articulate why working for this company will enable you to progress in your career.

“The candidate lacked confidence.” If you’re nervous, you are naturally going to speak at a lower volume and stumble over your words a bit. These can be costly mistakes during a phone interview because the interviewer cannot use your body language to interpret what it is you’re trying to communicate.

Be in control of your own environment; it is important to take responsibility for making sure your area is suitable for a business conversation. Additionally, being confident and having prepared answers will ensure that you are able to focus all of your attention on being effective during the interview.

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.

Why Everyone Is In Sales

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentYou may not initially agree with this statement, but we believe everyone is in sales. Even if your job description doesn’t include selling products or services to customers, you are still in sales.  As a professional, you are constantly selling yourself. Whether you’re currently employed or searching for a new position, every day is an opportunity to sell yourself to those around you.

If you are currently in the job market, make sure you are always in “sales mode” and working on your personal brand. Every resume submission, email exchange, and interview is a sales pitch. A helpful way to approach the situation is by considering yourself as a product in a store. If the hiring manager could walk up and down the aisles to choose the product (candidate) he thought would best fit his needs, what would make him choose you?

When you are shopping for flat screens TVs, what do you look for? Reliability? Performance? Cost? Consumer Complaints? Drawbacks?  Differentiation factor? Here are a few things to consider when branding yourself:

  • What are your benefits?
  • What are your drawbacks/weaknesses?
  • What makes you better than the others? What makes you impressive?
  • What’s your image?

A crucial part of selling yourself during the job search is your resume. Your resume is like an advertisement for you, and it is responsible for creating interest and communicating your strengths as a candidate. If your resume’s content doesn’t stand out, there is a very small chance you will be selected for even an initial phone interview. You can make your resume stands out by listing your most recent and relevant work, any training you’ve complete or certificates you have earned, your key accomplishments, and impressive statistics directly relating to your job performance.

You should also evaluate your online presence as this will improve or degrade your personal brand.  We will address your online presence in future articles.

If you’re currently employed, you are selling yourself to your coworkers, managers, and clients. Having confidence in the ideas, skills, and qualities you bring to the table goes a long way with selling yourself to the people around the office. Upper management will take notice of an employee who shows initiative, is a natural leader, is always professional, has confidence in his abilities, and produces superior work.

Regardless of your position or employment status, don’t underestimate the fact that you are selling your personal brand every single day in every single interaction.

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.

Don’t Let Your Email Ruin Your Chances: Professional Email Etiquette

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentMost of today’s job searching and communication is done through the internet. While the blossoming of job boards like Monster and Careerbuilder has made it easier to find relevant jobs and facilitated easy communication with employers, it has also created a new set of rules concerning etiquette. It’s very important to communicate your professionalism through your email correspondence, and failing to do so could jeopardize your chances of getting the position before the hiring manager even has the opportunity to look at your resume. Keeping these etiquette tips in mind while writing and sending emails can help save you from eliminating yourself from the candidate pool.

  • Unlike a formal letter sent via post, it is unnecessary to include the date, your address, and the recipient’s address at the top of the email. All of your important contact information should be included in your email signature at the conclusion of your email. Putting this information at the top of your email will make you appear out of touch with current etiquette.
  • Emails shouldn’t just be one long paragraph of words. The format of your email should mirror that of a regular letter. Make sure to use clearly defined paragraphs, indentions, and correct grammar and spellings. When in doubt, look it up
  • Hiring managers don’t have time to read long emails from job candidates. While including all relevant and important information, your emails should be direct and to the point. Remember, most hiring managers use an email services such as Outlook or Lotus Notes, which show a preview (usually the first three inches) of the email before it is opened. Focus on including all relevant and important information in those first three inches.
  • Don’t share your email account with a sibling or spouse. Employers are not impressed when they see they’ve received an email from “jimmyanddiane@dontdothis.com.”
  • The subject line of your email is like the title of a book – it should draw people in and encourage them to open it and learn more about what’s inside. Failing to put anything in the subject line or having a generic line won’t provoke the recipient to look any further.
  • Email etiquette is more than just monitoring what you type. Your email should look as professional as the content you include. Emails should not be a strange font, especially one that’s hard to read. Words in all capital letter and bold font do not indicate enthusiasm or importance, but rather unprofessionalism. Another thing to avoid in your email format is the use of a “stationary” look; emails that have background images or cute pictures included do not communicate that you are a serious candidate.
  • Do not mass email your resume and cover letter to several employers. Bcc-ing is not an option either. Your resume and cover letter should be tailored to each position and employer in order to increase your chances of being selected for an interview.
  • Lastly, make sure that the email account from which you are communicating is appropriate. Using your current work email address or an email address that gives you a negative image (sexykittenlovesvodka@donthireme.com) will immediately ruin any chances you had of being considered as a serious candidate.

You’ve worked hard to build your resume and put a lot of effort into finding the right job for you. Don’t let simple mistakes in judgment negate your efforts.

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 Effective Cover Letter

Posted on by February 25, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentYou’ve spent hours working on your resume, and you’re now confident that it’s going to land you your dream job, or at the very least afford you the opportunity to interview. You’re done, right? No! Cover letters are an often overlooked yet essential factor in positive initial communication with potential employers. In fact, some employers require a cover letter be included with your resume submission. Hiring managers read your cover letter before they read your resume, and you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Here are some guidelines to help you draft an impressive cover letter to supplement your resume:

Section I – Contact Info

  • Writing a cover letter and submitting the resume you’ve worked tirelessly to perfect if useless if the hiring manager or human resources personnel can’t get in touch with you. For cover letters that you are uploading or direct mailing, be sure to include your name, street address, phone number, and email address at the top of the page. If you are sending your cover letter as a direct email, then include the contact information at the bottom as part of your email signature.

Section II – Salutation

  • Where is your cover letter going? If you know the name of the hiring manager, human resources personnel, or other employee who will be receiving and reading your cover letter, then be sure to address the cover letter to them specifically. If you find yourself in the position of not knowing your cover letter’s recipient, use a generic salutation. While you should avoid using the phrase “To Whom It May Concern,” some great examples to use are “Dear Hiring Manager” and “Dear Sir or Madam.”

Section III – Body

  • This section is the most important part of the cover letter. The information that should be included in this section can be easily broken down into three paragraphs. 1. Paragraph I should detail why you’re writing. A great way to start this off is by saying “I wish to apply for _________________.” 2. Paragraph II is where you explain what you have to offer the company. Be specific! This is your opportunity to communicate your qualifications and the relevant experience you have. 3. Paragraph III should detail how you plan on following up with the hiring manager. This paragraph should also include your availability to interview in the future.

Section IV – Closing

  • The closing section will be your shortest section; take two to three sentences to thank them for their consideration and encourage them to read your attached resume. Close this section with phrases like “Kind Regards,” “Sincerely,” and “Respectfully,” followed by your name and signature. As previously noted, if sending your cover letter in email format and not uploading a document or sending via direct mail, include your contact information after your name.

A few extra things to keep in mind when writing your cover letter:

  • Just like with writing your resume, research the company to which you’re sending your cover letter. This will help you understand what you bring to the table regarding the specific organization.
  • Keep it short and simple – no longer than one page.
  • Your cover letter should compliment, not duplicate, your resume.
  • Never use a form letter and substitute the hiring manager’s name. Unlike your resume, cover letters should be written specifically for the position for which you are applying.

Following these guidelines will allow you showcase your skills and experience in the most effective way.

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.

Do You Know Who You’re Hiring? The Importance of Background Checks

Posted on by February 13, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentAs a hiring manager, you’ve been given the daunting task of searching through hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes in order to find the candidate best suited for the job. You’ve narrowed down the pool, gone through several rounds of phone and face-to-face interviews, and think you’ve finally found your top candidates. Before deciding on one and making an offer, you must complete one more essential step – the background check. In this economy, you may think that your company cannot afford to screen several candidates, but the truth is, you can’t afford NOT to. Background check will prevent you from hiring a person that has a history of violence, drug abuse, and other offenses that will hurt your company and fellow employees. Here are a few reasons why background checks in today’s work environment have become so critical:

  • Negligent hiring. That’s right, employers such as yourself can face legal and civil action if it is proven that you should have been aware of the negative facts pertaining to a candidate and failed to disqualify them. If you hire a person who has been arrested for check fraud, and he ends up getting hired and stealing sensitive company financial information because you didn’t run a background check and see his criminal history, then you could be in huge trouble with the law. The quickest and safest way to release yourself and your company from liability is to run a background check on the candidates you are serious about hiring.
  • It will save you money in the long run. Sure, background checks aren’t free, and the cost could really add up if you plan on screen a large amount of individuals. But consider the cost of disruptions, liability issues, and financial costs you could face if you hire a candidate who negatively affects the company’s environment.
  • Candidates will do anything, including lie, to get a job. The most common aspects of a resume that come back as untrue are job responsibilities and skills, length of employment, education level, college attended, and previous salary. People that have lied about their experience and education will hinder a company’s development, and it will only be a matter of time before you are so far behind on your projects that the lack of promised expertise is evident to you and your other employees.

Background checks allow you to evaluate a person’s honesty and integrity – both of which are essentials qualities hiring managers are looking for regardless of their industry. Investigation into a candidate’s past will go a long way in protecting your company’s values, equipment, and sensitive information, as well as the physical and emotional well being of your employees. While background checks to come with a price tag, the future problems they will save you are priceless.

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.

Ten Fatal Interviewing Mistakes

Posted on by February 21, 2013

Clinical RecruitmentIn most situations, the face-to-face interview is the “make or break” point of the hiring process; it is here that hiring managers evaluate the characteristic of the individual that cannot be expressed on paper or through email. The last thing you want to do is negate all of the time and effort you’ve put into perfecting your resume and writing an impressive cover letter by acting in inappropriate ways. Here are some common mistakes that will immediately eliminate you from the candidate pool:

  1. Inappropriate attire. 57% of hiring managers say they have encountered, and eliminated, candidates who are dressed inappropriately for the interview.* Trade in your rainbow colored halter top, bedazzled Levis, gaudy jewelry, and sequin flip flops for a neutral colored suit and close-toed shoes.
  2. Not being groomed appropriately. Along the same lines of proper attire, please make sure you are appropriately groomed. Unless you are applying to be a fashion designer or punk rocker, conservative is better!
  3. Not being prepared to answer the basic interview questions. Regardless of the industry or position, there are certain questions you should always assume interviewers will ask. Have answers prepared beforehand; the worse case scenario is that you aren’t asked those questions, so what do you have to lose? Be prepared for questions like: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years? What do you bring to the table that others don’t? How does your previous experience relate to this position?
  4. Not giving specific answers: 34% of hiring managers claimed that being vague in your answers is like not having an answer at all, so do your best to prepare!*
  5. Not having questions for the interviewer. Not having questions of your own for the interviewer stems from not doing your research before the interview. Remember, you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you and not asking questions about the position and/or company can be misinterpreted as a lack of interest. 34% of hiring managers claim that this indiscretion will result in elimination from the candidate pool.*
  6. Not able to justify your salary requirements. Every hiring manager wants to hear why you think you are worth your requested salary so be prepared to discuss it. We can help in this topic if you aren’t sure where to start.
  7. Not getting personal. I am not talking about asking your interviewer out for drinks afterwards…I am addressing the topic of you being real. Be honest. Be genuine. And be sincere. Anything else is a waste of everyone’s time.
  8. Slips of the tongue. We are all guilty of it, but making a conscious effort to control your words makes all the difference in the world. The most common mistake is trash-talking a current or previous employer. Not only does this show a lack of integrity on your part, but also gives the impression that you are disagreeable and hard to work with.
  9. Not turning your cell phone off. Big mistake. Turn it off. Off. Not on silent, not on vibrate, OFF. We know that you have texts to read and Facebook posts to respond to but it’s really not worth losing a job opportunity. And do not, under any circumstances, check your phone during the interview. That shows the interviewer that you are clearly more interested in what’s happening on your phone than what’s going on in the interview.
  10. Being late. You would think I wouldn’t have to address this but I still have candidates who are late to interviews. Just don’t do it.

Your cover letter and resume can only win you the interview. Making the conscious effort to avoid these common interview mistakes will help you make a great, lasting impression on your interviewer.

* Statistics courtesy of CareerRookie.com. http://www.careerrookie.com/s/Employers-Reveal-the-Outrageous-and-Common-Mistakes-Candidates

Co-Written by Katie Fidler and Angela Roberts

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.