Never take yourself too seriously

One of the last things I always try to tell a candidate before an interview is to just be yourself.  Sure you want to research the company.  It is absolutely a good idea to consider answers to basic interview questions.  Even trying to learn about who you will be interviewing with is a swell idea.  But at the end of the day they are hiring you, so why try to be someone you aren't??

Take this picture for example.  This is from last Friday's ugly sweater party we had at our office.  Right after we took this picture we went out for lunch as a group.  Was it silly?  Absolutely.  Did we have a tremendous amount of fun?  You bet.  Did we get a few looks as we walked into the local restaurant?  Uh huh.  We also came back to the office and posted an update to our Facebook page.

Please don't hear what I'm not saying - I am not suggesting you head to the thrift store before your next interview to buy a leisure suit for the interview just to express yourself in a funny manner.  Instead think of what your best qualities are and how you can exhibit those during an interview.  Admit what your weaknesses are and consider how you are trying to improve on those.  Be honest with yourself in what you want in your next job and if the interview isn't heading in that direction that is okay.

As you consider reflecting over the holidays about the year that has passed and then move on to the possibility of New Year's resolutions or big changes in the year to come, remember to be yourself.  Even if it involves some silliness or unique characteristics.

Happy holidays and best wishes for a prosperous 2014!!

What to do when you get the offer you don't want

I am currently working with a candidate who is in an active job search.  This individual has interviewed with several companies and really likes two of them.  In the midst of that another company is moving quickly and heading toward an offer.  The fork in the road could come any day where this individual will have to make a decision on one in the hand versus two in the bush.  So what to do if confronted with that decision?

I think this picture says it all - do you go with thumbs up or thumbs down on the first money on the table?  Especially when first money on the table is not your first choice?  I usually recommend one of three options, which are outlined below:

1)  It is okay to say no.  Most active candidates feel some apprehension with this advice.  They are actively seeking a new role and may feel like ANYTHING is better than their current situation.  The problem with this mentality is two-fold.  First of all, if you are running away from a bad situation and not toward a good situation, your job move is bound to fail.  Secondly, you still don't know yet if something better is out there but simply not at offer stage.  Patience is a virtue for passive candidates, not active candidates in most situations.  But as I blogged about a long time ago, good things do come to those that wait, and I'm not just talking about a classic ketchup commercial.

2)  It is okay to be honest with the employer and ask for some time to make a decision.  Although most times I recommend an answer within 24-48 hours, this could be the exception.  This does not come without risk as an employer upon finding out that you are waiting for some other options to pan out may pull the offer.  But if it is really what you are hoping for, then honesty is the best policy.  You might be surprised how an employer may be willing to wait.  It is not likely to be an open-ended timeframe, but they might give a week's extension or something along those lines.

3)  It is okay to tell the other employers you are interviewing with that you received an offer and it is not your top choice.  This may not necessarily prompt them to act, but it at least provides that opportunity.  Upon finding out this news they could ramp up their timing and perhaps conclude their interview process with you more quickly.  It may not eventually lead to an offer, but you could complete the process.  Then you would not have to look back and question "what if" had you not communicated this update.

The bottom line is to not panic.  Any time you get an offer that is fantastic news.  That means an employer saw that you could add value to their organization and should be taken as a huge compliment.  Have you ever received an offer you didn't want?  If so, how did you handle it?

How to spot a satisfied employee

I read an interesting article recently titled "Are your best employees thinking about leaving?" and it got me wondering about the attributes of a satisfied employee.  For the vast majority of the candidates we speak with they have one reason or another to be seeking a career move.  We do, however, speak occasionally with a passive or happy candidate who is not interested in having a conversation about a new role.  So what exactly is it that keeps them satisfied at the outset to not even take a call?  And how can you integrate these ideas into your company to ensure your best employees are not one call away from being lured away?

The first sign of a satisfied employee is when compensation is not even a factor.  If I call with a job opportunity that would provide a 20% raise and the candidate says that it would take more than money to entertain a conversation, that is a satisfied employee.  I can relate to this.  When people ask me the question would I ever consider another role I always say that my salary would have to increase ten-fold.  And that still may not get me.  The point being is that everyone has a "price", but if it is artificially inflated to an astronomical figure then it is fair to describe that individual as satisfied with their current employment situation.  Happiness is clearly worth something.

The next sign of a satisfied employee is someone who has a great deal of respect for their boss.  A crucial question I always ask when gauging a candidate's interest is "What would your boss think if you resigned today?"  You would be surprised how many times candidates answer that it would be incredibly difficult to tell their current boss.  Which is a huge red flag for me as a recruiter, but is a sure sign that they like their boss and don't want to do anything to hurt them.

Yet another sure sign of job satisfaction is directly related to tenure.  Once an employee has been at a job for more than five or six  years, it will naturally be more difficult for them to give up that tenure.  If you are with a company for that long you have seen all the warts, can see past them easily, and likely think you are in the best place for the long run.  With people changing jobs every 2-3 years any more, someone who stays with one employer is likely to want to continue that journey.  Their employer has most likely done many little things over the years that add up to a satisfied long term employee.

Lastly, the biggest sign of a satisfied employee is someone who talks all the time about work in a positive manner.  We all know someone like this.  They post pictures on Facebook about company outings, they recruit other people to come work at their company, they are friends with many of their colleagues, the list could go on and on.

So the question is at the end of the day, are you a satisfied employee and why?  What is your company doing to make sure you are NOT taking calls from a recruiter about other opportunities?