Latest news with #jobinterview
Forbes
25 minutes ago
- General
- Forbes
'Tweaking Your Resume: What Absurd Thing To Do.
The concept of employment and job interviews. Young woman during job interview, main focus on CV. It's the most common request I get as a career coach. I'm talking about 'tweaking' resumes. Being in the career coaching business, I deal with thousands of resumes, not to mention all other facets of career coaching, and as a hiring manager most of my career, I've read probably 10,000 resumes or more (imagine how many I received that I didn't read). With my background in mind, it should come as no surprise to you when I say (and I have said it many times) that your resume is the most important piece of communication you'll ever write. It is the way the world sees you before it meets you, the critical first impression you make, your declaration of self, the case you make for inclusion in someone else's future. It is a sacred document. So why do so many people think that something this important should be 'tweaked' rather than seriously written? 'Tweaked,' not revised? 'Tweaked,' not updated? 'Tweaked,' rather than modified? 'Tweaked' – OMG! Sorry I overused that word, but the best way to point out an absurdity is to exaggerate it. And that's exactly what I intend to do – until I make my point. I'm not done. 'Tweaking' implies a casual approach. It implies improvisation, lack of gravity, simplicity, and lack of consequence. I really don't believe anyone thinks a resume is a thing to take casually, but then everyone wants to 'tweak' their resumes. Ridiculous! Not only is 'tweaking' the wrong approach, even the word 'tweak' itself is a silly word, like 'Twitter' and 'Tweet,' but don't get me started on that. That's for another day soon. I promise. To further emphasize the absurdity of 'tweaking' let me ask: Did Michelangelo 'tweak' David? I doubt it. Did Leonardo 'tweak' the Mona Lisa? Not a chance. Did Jefferson 'tweak' the Declaration of Independence? Ha! These questions are relevant. Writing, you see, is an art, and what you write can have anywhere from no effect to high impact – just like the examples above. It's not for nothing that I do a whole unit in my communication class on revision alone. It's a serious, disciplined effort. It's not 'tweaking.' Let's take the Declaration of Independence, for example. The second paragraph begins with the immortal sentence, 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Most of us know this by heart since childhood. But what you may not know is that Jefferson, unanimously chosen by his peers to write the Declaration despite being only 33 years old, actually wrote something different. 'We hold these truths to be sacred,' he began. But sitting on what amounted to the editorial review board was wise old Benjamin Franklin, more than twice Jefferson's age at the time. Old Ben suggested to young Thom, 'If we say sacred, that is arguable. If we say self-evident, we shall make the King look the fool he is.' The rest is history. The point is that Franklin didn't send Jefferson's draft back to him with a suggestion to 'tweak' it, for God sake. Although the change he suggested was only one word, we see deep reflection, we see concentration on the effect of just one word, we see a major reconstruction in one word, and we see the result of just one word. It was not 'tweaked Your resume is much too important to 'tweak.' It is your declaration, and even the smallest of revisions is major. The slightest change in one word, let alone bigger changes, can make all the difference in the world. You need to take your resume more seriously than thinking of it as something to be 'tweaked' on a whim or a fancy. Even the placement of one word – and the variations of emphasis on that word – can create influence on the reader. Imagine, if you will, the question, 'What are you doing?' Now, repeat the question aloud four times, each time emphasizing a different word in the question, like this: 'WHAT are you doing?' 'What ARE you doing?' 'What are YOU doing?' and 'What are you DOING?' See? You heard a different implication each time, no? The written word comes across that way, too – so thought, care, and consideration are in order – not 'tweaking.' I know I've been whipping this horse down the stretch, but that's exactly my intent. And while I'm at it (and not out of room yet, either), I'll give you one more way of looking at this. If you had a contractor doing the addition of a room or your roof or your floors, would you settle for a 'tweak' or would you be more insistent on a total job and careful workmanship? Or if you were going in for surgery, would it be OK if your doctor said, 'I think I'll just 'tweak' your coronary arteries' or if your plastic surgeon said, 'I'll just 'tweak' your face lift?' So OK, if I had to get a little absurd to make the point, then so be it. But I hope you get the point. No more 'tweaking' resumes.
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
From ‘Tell me about yourself' to ‘What's your salary expectation?' — How to answer tough job interview questions (what to say and not to say)
SINGAPORE: If you've ever broken into a cold sweat when an interviewer asks, 'Tell me about yourself,' you're not alone. According to career coach Chee Sze-Yen, those classic job interview questions—so seemingly simple—are often where candidates trip up the hardest. In a recent episode of Money Mind by CNA Insider , presenter Andrea Heng put herself in the hot seat for a mock interview with Yen, who is the executive director of Career Agility . The goal is to demystify those awkward moments that often make or break a hiring decision, and help job seekers prepare smarter, instead of harder. Let's break down the interview minefield and see what the career coach says is actually the right way to answer. 1. 'Tell me about yourself' — and don't just read out your résumé You might think this is the time to share your life story, but Yen says no one's here for your memoirs. 'The thing about the introduction question is that it rarely ever comes across as 'So tell me about yourself,'' Yen explained. 'It could be 'Walk me through your background,' or 'Tell me something that's not on the resume,' or even 'Why are you here?'' Photo: YT/cnainsider Andrea's original answer was, 'I've been mostly in the media scene… I enjoyed talking to people, telling stories, getting stories out of people.' It's not a bad answer, but it still falls short of the mark. Yen's advice is to lead with clarity and relevance, such as: 'I've done a lot of A, I've worked on B, and I've always had a strong affinity for C, which draws me to this role.' This instantly communicates enthusiasm for this role—not just your general background—and tells the hiring manager you're not just here to chat, you're here because you want the job. See also S'poreans simping over Adrian Pang, dubbed him SG's Johnny Depp 2. 'What are your strengths?' — Brag smartly, not vaguely When asked about your strengths, don't just say you're a 'people person' or 'detail-oriented.' Tie it back to what the job needs. Andrea gave a heartfelt answer about being good at putting people at ease, which earned a smile, but again, it still didn't seal the deal. Photo: YT/cnainsider 'I was looking for commercial impact,' Yen said bluntly. 'Your story was great, but how does that add major value to this role?' Pro tip: Add context. How did your strength help a past employer grow, succeed, or save money? Paint a picture that the hiring manager wants to hang on their wall. 3. 'What are your weaknesses?' — It's not confession time This one stings. Andrea admitted, 'I think I need to work perhaps on time management because I juggle so many things. It sometimes tends to feel overwhelmed.' Yen's reaction? Immediate concern. Uh-oh. 'If I'm a hiring manager looking to hire you, and you bring with you time management issues… that's risky,' she explained. Photo: YT/cnainsider In this case, Yen advises framing it as an area you're already improving. For example, you can try this instead: 'I'm working on improving how I manage my workflow and time, especially when juggling multiple projects. I've started using tools like Trello to structure my day more effectively.' Remember, you're not flawed—you're growing. As Yen says, all of us are 'work in progress'. So, a quick tip is not to declare something as a weakness, but rather to focus on it as an area for improvement. This means identifying something you're looking to work on to improve — in other words, you're acknowledging that you're already good at it, but it could be even better, and that there's always room for improvement and growth. 4. 'What is your expected salary?' — Know your worth without sounding desperate When asked about her expected pay, Andrea gave a tentative '20% more' than her current salary—but with the kind of hesitation that makes a recruiter smell blood. 'Many people negotiate with themselves,' Yen noted. 'The interviewer sees that and thinks: Maybe I can [lowball] play around with that figure a little bit and not give them as much as I might want to.' Photo: YT/cnainsider Instead of underselling yourself, focus on value. Yen suggests connecting your worth to business outcomes: For example, you can say: 'Well… because of the amount of revenue I'm going to help you bring in,' or 'the number of eyeballs I can help your organisation get,' or 'the increase in the reputation of the organization,' I'm confident that with my experience and the impact I bring, I would be worth around S$X, considering the revenue and visibility I can help generate. So here, you're not just asking—you're also giving more sense to it. 5. 'Why is there a career gap in your resume?' — Don't get defensive—just own the gap and glow Career breaks happen. But how you talk about them matters. Photo: YT/cnainsider There's no need to spiral into despair or get into a defensive explanation, Yen cautioned. Instead, showcase what you did during that time, such as volunteering, freelancing, or upskilling. 'Anything that adds value to who you are today,' Yen added. In short: Show you kept moving forward, even if not on a payroll. What not to ask in round one of your job interview If you think you're being smart asking about work-life balance or whether you can work remotely, Yen says—hold that thought. 'These are pertinent, but certainly not appropriate during the first-round interview, especially with your hiring manager,' she warned. Instead, save such questions for HR or the recruiter in later rounds. Right now, focus on proving why you're the one they need in the room. Job interviews are not about perfection Job interviews aren't just about having the 'right answers.' They're about telling your story in a way that connects you to them. It's not about perfection—it's about relevance, impact, and confidence. And if you forget everything else? Just remember what Yen said: 'We're all a work in progress.' Watch Andrea Heng's full mock interview with career coach Chee Sze-Yen on CNA Insider's Money Mind episode below and learn how to turn tricky interview questions into your best moments… because the best answers come with practice, and a little coaching goes a long way. In other news, a job seeker endured five gruelling months of a job interview process, document submissions, and hopeful anticipation. The HR department even dangled an indicative job offer in front of him. And when the job seeker thought he had finally reached the career finish line, all of a sudden, HR decided to pull the rug out from under him — the offer was suddenly withdrawn. Read his full story over here: 'Why did HR withdraw my job offer after 'indicating' I got the job?' — Jobseeker asks after being put through 5 months of job interview process
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Man Tells Job Candidate to ‘Shut Up' During Interview After Being Repeatedly Interrupted
A man was pushed to his limits in a job interview and scolded the man he was interviewingNEED TO KNOW A man was pushed to his limits in a job interview and scolded the man he was interviewing After being interrupted multiple times, the interviewer told the man to "shut up and listen" People on the internet sided with the interviewer, saying that he told the man being interviewed what he really needed to hearA man revealed on Reddit that he told a job candidate he needed to "shut up and listen" after an exhausting interview. In the post, the man explained that he and his colleague were "interviewing this guy for a very good software engineering position." The candidate passed the first round, and everyone agreed that he had a great "resume and experience." "On paper, he had everything we were looking for, and honestly, this looked like a life-changing opportunity for him," the poster explains. However, when the man showed up for the second interview, he was "very serious and not smiling at all." After a round of introductions, the man immediately asked if he could tell them a bit about himself. 'He started talking and talking about his personal and professional background. After about three minutes, I jumped in to ask a follow-up question based on something he mentioned. He replied, 'I will answer, just give me a moment,' and continued talking,' the man recalls. 'A coworker jumped in with another question, and he said the same thing to her. But after more than five minutes, I jumped in again with another question. I had to talk over him to do it," the poster adds. "He finally paused and answered, but in such a long-winded way that he ended up veering into another topic." His coworker then asked another question, and the same thing happened. At this point, the poster "was ready to end the interview," and "tried to politely wrap it up several times, but he was unable to read the room and just kept talking." Finally, he "raised [his] voice slightly" and asked the man being interviewed if he had any questions for the team, and he did. However, after each question, the candidate interrupted and found a way to bring the conversation back to himself "I tried once more to interrupt politely, but he kept talking," the poster explains. "At that point, I was done. I said, 'John, you really have to shut up and listen.' He was surprised, as was my coworker, but he finally stopped talking." "I continued, 'You walked into this room with a 99 percent chance of getting the job. Now that chance is zero. The only reason is because, in less than fifteen minutes, you've demonstrated that you don't have the capacity to listen at all. So I'm telling you now, you're not getting the job. But if you take anything away from this interview, let it be this: no matter how good you are technically, if you can't listen, you'll never excel in this career.' " The man being interviewed apologized and asked if they could start again, to which the interviewer declined. The poster wished the interviewee good luck in his job hunt and encouraged him to "listen" more in the future. Looking back, he admits he "could have handled that differently," and "feels bad for the guy," but Reddit users suggested it was likely for the best. 'Honestly, he needed to hear it from someone in a position of hiring authority. Sure, his ego may be bruised, but that likely needed to happen,' one person commented. Another person added, 'You actually gave him more feedback than many people would have.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes To Avoid, Recruiters Say
Recruiters reveal the seven ways Gen Z is blowing their shot at their dream jobs and tips on what to ... More do instead. You've probably heard of the Seven Deadly Sins that are said to doom people. Now, job recruiters are naming the the seven deadly job interview mistakes that doom new graduates in a highly-competitive job market. We all make mistakes, but there's one mistake none of us can afford to make, and that's failing to ace a coveted job interview. Here are seven deadly job interview mistakes that can sabotage your future, no matter your generation, preventing you from landing the job of your dreams. The 7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes Gen Z has been severely judged by employers and older predecessors, and their reputation in the job market is rapidly declining. But sometimes the criticisms leveled against them are too harsh, unfair and one-sided. Underneath the surface, many experts insist there's a young generation in need of support and direction to help prevent them from making deadly job interview mistakes. Some experts notice that younger employees go quiet or totally check out during one-on-one job interviews. Some people have labeled the look the 'Gen Z stare," but research suggests it's because 30% of Gen Z actually fear one-on-one chats with their managers. The team at Kraftshala surveyed 30 people serving as recruiters, team leaders, hiring managers and CEOs across seven partner companies that hire. To pinpoint Gen Z's biggest interview red flags that were costing them coveted jobs, the team asked recruiters questions like, 'What signals a lack of preparedness or seriousness?' or 'Are there any recurring traits or attitudes among Gen Z candidates that concern you?' and "What makes you decide not to move forward with an otherwise qualified candidate?' The survey revealed that Gen Z has an over-reliance on AI-generated answers that feel scripted and lack depth and real-life examples, plus overly casual language—and other behaviors that signaled a lack of professionalism. Kraftshala founder Varun Satia explains. 'Gen Z has immense potential, but our recent survey highlighted some shocking mistakes that are sabotaging their careers, like relying too heavily on AI, giving shallow responses or coming across as too casual. To stand out, they need to show genuine preparation, depth and professionalism in interviews.' Satia shared more detail on how seven recurring red flags on how Gen Zers are sabotaging their careers. Several employers in the survey found that Gen Z job applicants were using AI to complete test exercises and on-the-spot assignments given during interviews. One employer reveals that they could hear an AI chatbot's voice in the background uttering responses like 'great question!' According to the team, 'Discovering that a candidate used AI during the interview instantly indicates their incompetence to many employers and also raises worries that they'd put the company's confidential information in an AI system.' 'No job interview rule states that a candidate should know anything and everything about the company they are applying to,' Satia says. 'But, being well-researched and posing sincere questions about the company's work can earn you brownie points with the hiring manager. At least five employers noted that multiple Gen Z candidates were largely clueless about the company.' The team concludes that the most common complaint from every employer was that Gen Z is unable to talk about their skills and work experience in depth during interviews, despite having impressive resumes. 'Over 10 employers stated they had to guide the candidate multiple times with follow-up questions to get them to talk about their skills or try to nudge them to answer the main questions,' Satia notes. 'While this can be due to a lack of confidence, hiring managers sometimes write this as laziness and disinterest.' Team Leaders claim that they are more than happy to be flexible for a valuable employee. However, Gen Z's demands for flexible hours and even four-day work weeks during interviews raise red flags. 'A senior HR exec revealed that a candidate openly stated that being 10 minutes late to work should be acceptable without being questioned by the management. This doesn't seem like a huge deal at first glance, but it's not wise to say this to a hiring manager.' The team acknowledges that Gen Z's use of slang is one of their defining traits. They don't follow a strict corporate language. But the hiring team sees it as another indicator of un-professionalism. 'While they want to see someone who brings fresh breath to the company's work culture, using professional language during interviews proves, the applicant will be able to fit into their working environment. Some employers shockingly stated that a few Gen Z candidates even appeared for online interviews while still in bed.' Honesty is the best policy, except when you take it too far in a job interview, Satia points out. 'The HR doesn't want you to lie about your skills, but they have revealed that some Gen Z candidates took too much time to talk about their social media, mental health and even family issues during the interview. This is naturally a huge red flag in employers' eyes,' he states. Satia describes how one hiring team lead pointed out that a candidate claimed he put 'mental health above all else,' claiming he wouldn't show up to work if he didn't feel like it. 'Mental health needs to be a part of corporate conversations.,' Satia says. 'But the employer instantly deemed the candidate as 'unreliable' after hearing this.' Most hiring managers claim they are most likely to hire a candidate who sends a thoughtful thank-you note/email to them after the interview. Satia says it's a great opportunity to not just thank the interviewer for their time but to reiterate why you are a great fit for the job. It proves that you are truly interested in the job. Unfortunately, hiring teams point out that most Gen Z candidates fail to do this. A Final Wrap On 7 Deadly Job Interview Mistakes When you consider avoiding ahead of time the seven deadly job interview mistakes that job seekers commonly make, it can give you a leg up on landing your dream job in a highly-competitive job market.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
It Works For Bryan Cranston: Job Interview Prep That Flips The Script
'We often shy away from telling detailed stories about our past work because we think that we should ... More instead just mirror the job description,' says one career coach who advises that compelling career stories are key to successful job interviews. Suppose you've been fortunate enough to land a job interview recently. First of all, well done. Second, has your job interview prep included research into what insights celebrities might have to offer? Probably not. But there's actually a surprising amount of wisdom for job seekers to consider in how some actors and other successful performers describe their approach to landing work. This is because "interviews aren't a test, they're an audition,' believes Dan Freehling, executive coach and founder of Contempus Leadership. 'Just like a great audition, you need to practice your lines, then throw them away and be in the moment.' To shed some light on this metaphor, he pointed me to a video clip of Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as career-pivoting Walter White in Breaking Bad, offering audition advice. It includes the line: 'You're not going there to get a job. You're going there to present what you do.' In a similar sense, 'all you can do in an interview is give them a little taste of what you succeeding in this role could look like,' said Spencer Campbell, career coach and founder of the Spencer Campbell Talent Agency. Freehing and Campbell have collaborated to develop a job interview prep strategy that requires shifting from a 'test mindset' to an 'audition mindset.' They say too many job seekers treat interviews as analytical assessments, rather than integrative decisions. 'The prep that really works is embodied, not intellectual,' Freehling said. 'It comes from the world of performance: acting, music, and sports, not your days as a student cramming for an exam." To get a better understanding, I asked them to explain the key elements of their recommended approach to job interview prep, which Freehling said has been a game-changer for several job seekers they have worked with. What you say in a job interview doesn't matter (not really) So much of whether you might get a job is out of your control. When you accept that and let go of what you can't control, you gain power and confidence, Cranston goes on to advise. 'You're not going there to get a job. You're going there to present what you do,' Bryan Cranston ... More says of auditions. We often focus our preparation for job interviews on things like writing out canned answers for a long list of questions that an internet search or ChatGPT tells us might come up. 'Sometimes we approach interviews like it's a game, and we're looking for hacks, or trying to trick our way into a job, because we feel like that's maybe the only option available to us,' Campbell said. 'But when you shift from thinking, 'I'm being graded,' to 'I'm being considered,' everything changes.' Moving from a test to an audition mindset makes additional sense if you realize that, as Campbell put it bluntly, "what you say doesn't matter, not really. The details of precisely what you say,' by 'workshopping this answer or that answer is likely going to do less for you than you might think.' In short, it's not what you say, but how you say it, and there is plenty of research supporting this. Opinions are often formed based on brief interactions and the nonverbal cues and overall presence one portrays during them. One study found that an interviewer may decide on a candidate's worth in as little as 30 seconds. Others come to less extreme conclusions, but on the whole, interviewees have limited time to make a good impression. 'At the end of the day, we're talking about humans making a decision about other humans. So, you need to ask yourself, 'how do I want the interviewers to feel?'' Campbell said. Job interview prep is an exercise in storytelling So what can you control? Developing career stories that 'show rather than tell interviewers what you do,' Campbell advises. The key is to zero in on what differentiates you from other candidates, or as Freehling calls it, 'your secret sauce.' The problem is that 'we often shy away from telling detailed stories about our past work because we think that we should instead just mirror the job description,' he said. 'So what we come up with is generic, jargony, and boring.' If you've been chosen for an interview, you've probably checked off enough boxes from the job description anyway. So an oral rendition of your CV probably won't do you any huge favors in the interview room. To help craft powerful stories that have an impact, Freehling and Campbell recommend following a simple formula. 'Start by setting up the stakes. Then, share what you did that is story-worthy. Finally, what is different in the world as a result?" Campbell explained. If you need some inspiration, consider 'talking to people who know you better than you know yourself, like friends and family, former colleagues, or mentors,' to help you understand what differentiates you, Freehling said. Believing your own story may matter most of all Another piece of performing arts wisdom that Freehling and Campbell like to reference comes from the actress Meryl Streep, who said that 'acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.' In a job interview, there's a natural temptation to say whatever it is you think the interviewer wants to hear — to fake it until you make it. But if you truly think you're a good fit for the role, the stories that best demonstrate this should be there for the telling. Still, many struggle with impostor syndrome and are unable to convey these stories in the way that they deserve, Campbell said. Overcoming imposter syndrome is a long-term project (trust me, I know). But Campbell said it can be helpful to think in terms of identities. Whether you identify as a leader, entrepreneur, great writer, or a person who cuts through red tape, consider which identity connects you to this role. 'If we can find it, that's the core of a really great story for telling in our interview,' Campbell said. Freehling and Campbell also recommend two visualization exercises that can reduce anxiety and cultivate more confidence before an interview. The first one they call 'the samurai,' which is rooted in the concept of 'dying before you go into battle, freeing you up to fight without fear,' Freehling said. He suggests using a generative AI platform like ChatGPT to upload the job posting and output a rejection letter. Reflecting on how this makes you feel before an interview can help you 'show up a little more removed' and less driven by your fears of rejection. 'The golfer' is another exercise, inspired by a real-life professional golfer's preparation routine for a high-stakes tournament. It involves 'closing your eyes and remembering a time when you noticed you were aware of how great you were at what you do,' Campbell said. 'If you can bring to mind some of that feeling you had when you were performing at your highest level, and bring some of that with you into the interview, that's going to rub off in the room,' he added. Ultimately, Freehling and Campbell believe effective job interview prep boils down to being able to share compelling stories that don't just aim to please, but truly represent why you are the right person for the job. 'One thing that I say to clients is that there's exactly one person you have to convince that you're a good fit for the role, and that person is you,' Campbell said.
