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Ace Your Interview

February 13th, 2018 by Staff

10 Smart Strategies to Ace Your Job Interview by Jonathan Alpert…

1. Change the way you think about interviews.

Many people get worked up to the point that they feel like they’re prepping for major surgery or headed to court to learn their fate. Instead of seeing interviews in such a daunting and negative way, regard them as merely a Q&A opportunity: One where the prospective employer learns about you and you learn about them. By seeing it as a conversation where you get to know each other, you’ll eliminate the high stress that people often bring on themselves while prepping.

2. Keep your negative thinking in check.

Know that self-doubt and fear will render you helpless while a strong belief in who you are will lead to success. So, if you find yourself thinking negatively, reframe it. For example, “I’ll never get this job” serves no purpose whatsoever and should be replaced with “They called me for the interview so they’re impressed by my background. I’m going to do my best to bring this background to life for them and show them my A-game.”

3. Embrace your nerves.

That’s right, nerves can be good and at a physiological level there’s not a big difference between nerves and excitement. In both cases the heart rate and breathing increase in order to get blood and oxygen to different parts of the body so that it can perform either in the face of danger or excitement. In the case of the interview, it’s clearly the latter.

4. Use imagery before the interview.

Close your eyes, relax, and see yourself entering the interview and responding to questions with confidence. Really feel it. Remember, if you can see it in your mind there’s a greater likelihood of it actually happening so bring this mindset into the interview. Many athletes and performers I work with take a few minutes before their big event to do just this–they see themselves finishing the race and beating their competition or playing a song and the audience responding warmly and with excitement.

5. Provide real-life examples.

When asked questions, bring things to life by providing specific examples from your previous work or education. This accomplishes two things: builds credibility and makes you relatable. When asked about your strengths, illustrate them through an example. “As a student I developed my leadership skills as president of my sorority. I was responsible for heading monthly meetings, providing direction to the club and management of operations.”

6. Don’t B.S.

If you get stumped by a question, rather than fumbling your way through it, simply acknowledge that it is a question you haven’t previously considered. Explain that you’d like to provide a thoughtful response and ask if you might come back to it later. This honesty sure beats the lack of authenticity you’ll show if you B.S. It also helps to humanize you.

7. Turn your biggest weakness into your greatest strength.

When asked about weaknesses, make sure you talk about what you’re doing to improve them. For example, if you’ve had difficulty staying organized in the past, you might talk about how you’re now working with a coach or how you recently read a helpful book on time management. More importantly, bring the focus back to the job and how the new and improved you will help them.

8. Talk proudly about your strengths and accomplishments.

People will often downplay their success because they feel they’re bragging. A strong belief in your skills and who you are could land you the job, whereas a watered-down version of yourself won’t.

9. Elicit any hesitation.

Towards the end of the interview, gently ask the interviewer if they’d have any hesitation in hiring you, and if so, what might it be. This is an assertive way to elicit any unspoken issues that they might have and provide you with an opportunity to clarify or give more information. Make sure you do this gently.

10. Take every interview opportunity that comes your way.

With each new interview you’ll hone your skills and get more comfortable. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t work and you’ll be able to apply it to the next interview.

So next time you have a chance to interview, go for it. Be bold and be fearless all while utilizing the smart strategies above.

READ THE FULL ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE: .https://www.inc.com/jonathan-alpert/10-smart-strategies-to-ace-your-job-interview.html

High demand for chemical engineers coming…get ready now!

November 10th, 2017 by Staff

These are just a few indicators of expected growth…get ahead of the curve and send your resume now. We will match your qualifications and career expectations and notify you of any current or upcoming positions of interest. Let’s connect today….

Demand for Chemical Engineers is expected to go up, with an expected 2,280 new jobs filled by 2018. This represents an annual increase of 0.99 percent over the next few years. Read more: https://www.recruiter.com/careers/chemical-engineers/outlook/

Employment of chemical engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2016 to 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for chemical engineers’ services depends largely on demand for the products of various manufacturing industries. Read more: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Chemical Engineers, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm (visited November 01, 2017).

“Chemical engineers surpass other engineers in one key area — salary. ” Moreover, the retirement of many current chemical engineers by 2024 will create favorable job prospects for engineers earlier in their careers, it adds. Read more: https://www.chemicalprocessing.com/articles/2016/chemical-engineers-face-favorable-future/

5 Ways to Ace an Interview with a Bare-Bones Resume

July 20th, 2017 by Staff

Not everyone has the luxury of a long resume to power them through the interview process. New college graduates or people switching fields may find themselves at a loss when they think about just how they’ll compete against industry veterans. The good news is that many industries, particularly the fast-moving tech sector, are no longer just looking at length or depth of resumes to select people. HR managers have discovered that various sets of soft skills are key indicators of a person’s potential, and when you’re looking at hiring for long-term growth, potential can mean much more than bullet points on a resume.

Thus, the big question remains: how do you demonstrate your potential in an interview? Experience is easy to convey; you simply list items and cite examples. But potential is much less tangible, and many people might feel lost trying to quantify such a thing. Fortunately, research in cognitive abilities have identified key traits and qualities that many HR staffers have been trained to spot. These include:

1. Active listening

Regardless of technical skill or industry, effective communication is a major part of getting the job done, and active listening is the foundation of strong communication. Active listening is, by definition, simple: the clear demonstration that the listener is paying attention and picking up all significant details in a conversation. For new hires, this is particularly important, as they will be taking direction and learning lessons from many different sources. As a person moves up a career path, this becomes vital in a different way: as someone assumes a leadership role, they will need to be able to take input from people above and below to make educated, informed decisions. Gathering all of these viewpoints is only possible with active listening.

Interview Tip: Face the speaker, use body language to show understanding, ask appropriate questions, and never interrupt with unsolicited opinions.

2. Learning ability

In your first year on the job, you’ll be learning a lot of things, from day-to-day processes to project schedules to people’s personalities and quirks. The ability to absorb that information quickly and accurately is critical in any position. Outside of the first year on the job, it also lends itself to an upwardly mobile career path, as those who learn quickly are more versatile and can apply themselves to a larger variety of situations. Chances are, if you’ve made it to the interview stage despite a thin resume, that means that the hiring managers believe in your learning ability. Thus, your goal should be to reinforce this belief as much as possible during the interview.

Interview Tip: Weave in anecdotes of when you had to pick up new skills or abilities quickly, both professionally and personally.

3. Problem solving

Problem solving is one of the cornerstones of strong cognitive ability due to its combination of other traits: it requires logical thinking, active listening, teamwork, and strong situational awareness. On the job, an employee with sharp problem-solving abilities is able to work independently and can handle challenging situations. Strong problem solvers are gold for hiring managers because they allow for flexibility across departments while bringing senior-level potential.

Interview Tip: Prepare stories of severe challenges you’ve faced professionally and personally, along with clear paths to resolution and results.

4. Creativity

Most people associate the arts with the word “creativity,” but being creative is an asset in any field. Creativity simply means thinking outside of the box and innovating in new and different ways. That type of mental flexibility is highly prized among hiring managers because it means that you’re adaptable in extreme or unfamiliar circumstances. Not only does this generate previously unheard-of solutions, it allows companies to think of the bigger picture. By tapping into creativity on both process and product, companies can become industry leaders that push new ideas forward — and in many cases, hiring managers specifically seek to recruit creative people by bringing in “new blood” who can provide a different perspective.

Interview Tip: Research the company’s past and future projects and generate unique solutions to processes and known criticisms.

5. What not to do

The above four tips are excellent ways to demonstrate your value even when your overall experience is light. However, one overarching tip applies to all of those: use common sense. Don’t try too hard to force a narrative into the discussion, don’t use subversively insulting comments when talking about the company or product — even when you’re showing a potentially creative solution to an issue — and absolutely always be polite. Whether you come in with a long resume or a strong set of soft skills or both, these assets can quickly be subverted by coming off as arrogant or unlikable — and that is a trap you can fall into if you try too hard to demonstrate your cognitive abilities or best traits.

Instead, practice with friends and colleagues ahead of time and work on being natural in a high-stress environment. Not only will this help you feel more comfortable in the interview, it will also translate into how hiring managers perceive your personality. In short, it’s a win-win that can’t be quantified on paper.

Josh Millet is the CEO & Founder of Criteria Corp., a pre-employment testing company founded in 2006 that creates software for employers to gather objective data on job candidates with aptitude, personality, and skills tests. He is also the Founder of JobFlare, a mobile app that helps job seekers get discovered based on their abilities rather than their resume.

from: http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/interview-bare-bones-resume/?utm_source=UR+Recap+20%2F07%2F2017&utm_campaign=UR+Recap++20%2F7%2F2017&utm_medium=email

Forbes has honored Genie Matthews and Associates

May 26th, 2017 by Staff

Forbes has announced the first ever Best Executive Search Firms in the U.S., and Genie Matthews & Associates is one of these incredible firms! Forbes collaborated Statista to release this first annual, highly exclusive America’s Best Executive Search Firms 2017 List.

The U.S. is chock-full of Executive Search firms, and they all claim expertise, but only the greatest have the right to be called one of Forbes America’s Best. Connect with us today and see what we can do for you.

Read more or see the full list here: https://www.forbes.com/best-executive-recruiting-firms/list/#tab:overall.

9 clear signs it’s time to quit your job

May 17th, 2017 by Staff

If you’re like most people, you spend more of your valuable waking hours at work than you do anywhere else. It’s critical that you spend your time at the right company, pursuing the right opportunity.

Bad management does not discriminate based on salary or job title. A Fortune 500 executive team can experience more dissatisfaction and turnover than the baristas at a local coffee shop. The more demanding your job is and the less control you have over what you do, the more likely you are to suffer. A study by the American Psychological Association found that people whose work meets both these criteria are more likely to experience exhaustion, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression.

Staying in a bad job for too long can be very harmful to your career. If you’ve tried everything you can think of to make things better and haven’t seen any big changes, it may be time to move on.

Choosing to leave a job can be a gut-wrenching decision. You need to know that you’re making the right choice. The good news is there are some clear signs that, if you experience enough of them, suggest it’s time to move on.

The company is circling the drain

A recent study showed that 71 percent of small businesses close their doors by their tenth year in operation. If you’re worried about your company’s health, there’s a good chance you’re right. Watch for clues, like suddenly needing management approval for even minor expenses, an increase in closed-door meetings, or an increased number of upper-management departures. If you suspect that the business is in trouble, it may be time to leave. If you wait until the company closes, you’ll be in the job market competing against your former co-workers.

There’s no room for advancement

It’s easy to get stuck in a job, and, if you love what you’re doing, getting stuck can be comfortable. However, it’s important to remember that every job should enhance your skills and add to your value as an employee. If you’re not learning anything new and are just puttering around doing the same old thing while people around you get promotions and plum assignments, it’s time to look elsewhere.

You’re out of the loop

Does it seem like you’re always the last one to hear about what’s going on at work? If you’re left out of meetings, rarely get face time with upper management, and have never even heard of the big project everyone else is so excited about, that could mean that your bosses just see you as a body filling a desk, rather than as a valuable contributor. That’s bad news for your career and may mean it’s time to leave.

Genie Matthews & Associates named in NPA’s Top 25 Firms for 2016

April 17th, 2017 by Staff

One of the highlights of the NPA Global Conference each year is recognizing the top-performing firms and recruiters within the network and this year was no exception. In addition to presenting the Chairman’s Award, the Top 25 Firms were recognized. Genie Matthews & Associates ranked #16 in overall rankings among hundreds of firms, continuing a long standing tradition of placing within the Top 25 Firms of this prestigious network of recruiting affiliates. Let our experience work for you! Contact us today.

7 Facts Recruiters Look for in Your Resume or CV

August 9th, 2016 by Staff

Most business decisions are based on hard cold facts, and hiring decisions are no different. If an organisation is going to invest time and money into employing you; they will need to see evidence that you can perform.

By now we all know that clichés and buzzwords do nothing to impress recruiters, but many candidates still do not fully understand which facts are sought in a CV. When writing your role descriptions in particular; you should put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and think about the evidence you would require to make an informed hiring decision. Including the following details in your CV’s role descriptions will provide clarity to recruiters and support the case for interviewing and eventually hiring you.

1. Your position in the hierarchy

If a hiring manager is going to bring you on board, then it’s crucial for them to understand where they can place you within their team. Whether you are sitting at the top of the pile and overseeing largescale operations; leading a small team or working independently with nobody under your management; you need to make your position clear. Be sure to describe who you report to, whether you manage anybody and which people are dependent on you.

2. Who you interact with

Human interaction plays a vital role in the running of any organisation, so hiring managers will need to be satisfied that you are comfortable dealing with people. Most jobs will require you to interact with a wide range of individuals, so your CV should demonstrate you are capable of this. Show exactly who you interact with from customers and suppliers to management and external regulators; to prove your business-social abilities. Evidence that you can build strong working relationships, and use them to create beneficial outcomes for your employers.

3. Technology expertise

Technology is used in every line of work; from computer based tools like programming languages and accountancy software, through to hardware such as production machinery and vehicles. Most roles will require some working knowledge of one or more tools, so employers will be keen to understand your ability to use their core systems and hardware. So whether you’re an expert coder or a sports car technician, it’s essential to detail the tools you are able to use and how you apply them within your roles.

4. Work Produced

The work that you produce will vary greatly depending on your industry. It could be anything from Excel reports or website pages, to physical products like mobile phones or even buildings. Whatever tangible work you produce within your own roles, include it within your CV and be clear on the volumes you have produced, quality of the work, and how valuable they are to your customers or internal dependents.

5. What your employer actually does

This may seem obvious, but a surprisingly few candidates include a sufficient explanation of their employers. Before you delve into the specifics of your roles, it’s important that the recruiter understands who you work for and what they do. Without building context around your role, it will be difficult for readers to fully understand your work. However the level of detail you need to include will vary depending on the organisation.

If you work for relatively small business, it’s less likely that recruiters will have heard of them; so you will need to provide a full explanation of the services they offer and markets they operate in. However if you work for a household brand then you will need to place more focus on describing the department you work in, and how it’s function contributes to the success of the wider business.

6. The objective of your roles

The most important aspect that recruiters will want to know about your previous jobs, is what were you hired to do? It’s all well and good writing a detailed list of your daily activities, meetings and presentations; but without outlining the high level purpose of your role, nobody will understand what all your hard work was for. Every role should start with a clear objective statement so that readers can comprehend the bigger picture of your duties.

7. Numbers

Recruiters will look for numbers in your CV as a means of quantifying your value to an employer. Figures can provide strong evidence of the return on investment that an employer can expect after hiring you. For example, if you can provide some statistics around revenue that you’ve generated for a firm, or the value of a project you have supported, they are a great way to demonstrate your value. But the figures do not always have to be monetary; you can include figures such as; percentages of targets achieved or time taken to deliver a piece of work.

By including some of the facts above in your own CV role descriptions, you will prove your worth to recruiters and greatly increase your chances of landing job interviews.

Originally published at http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/recruiters-facts-cv/?utm_source=UR+Recap+28%2F7%2F2016&utm_campaign=URRecap+28%2F7%2F2016&utm_medium=email

Mindset Matters

June 9th, 2016 by Staff

Like many fans of HBO’s comedy Silicon Valley, I love that the show so accurately depicts life in the high-technology industry. A few episodes depict a mindset and experience common among in-demand candidates. When I see it on the screen, it’s entertainment. When I encounter it in my recruiting, it’s challenging.

The “I’m Hot” Mindset

Nelson “Big Head” Bighetti is the close friend of the show’s main character, Richard Hendricks. After Richard’s file-compression startup, Pied Piper, starts attracting high-profile venture capital, there are discussions about whether Big Head — a likable fellow but an average-at-best programmer — would get to stay on with the company. The problem is rendered moot when competitor Hooli offers him a three-year contract at $600,000 per year, unaware that he brings nothing to the table.

Continue at http://www.eremedia.com/sourcecon/getting-your-sourced-candidates-ready-to-interview/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

The Career Summary – What, Why and How?

May 11th, 2016 by Staff

As it is the key to every job application, there’s a lot riding on your resume. In many cases it’s the only thing a hiring manager will look at, and even so, not for very long. When crafted well a resume can give a great perspective of your employment history, from where you have worked, to your accomplishments within each company. Ideally, it will reveal the skills you’ve attained. The difficult part in crafting a resume is finding a way to translate what you have done already into a demonstration of what you could bring to the table. Adding a career summary to your resume is a great means to do just that.

First of all, what is a career summary?

A career summary is brief introduction that is meant to convey your personal skill set. View it as a place to showcase how you are unique. What combination of skills and experiences makes you an asset? What can you provide that no one else can?

2015 Awards are presented…

May 6th, 2016 by Staff

Connect with a winning team! Genie Matthews and Associates is very proud to announce recruiter and company awards for 2015.

Sr Recruiters, GENIE MATTHEWS and JANET KING, have both secured places in the NPAWorldwide Board of Directors’ Top 25 Recruiters of 2015 list this year. Each will receive a plaque and a check for their hard work. Great job Genie and Janet!

Genie Matthews & Associates, Inc. collectively, was also recognized by NPAWorldwide as one of the Top 25 Revenue Achievement agencies for 2015 and was recognized in the #9 spot in the IPA Agency Awards for 2015.