Unfortunately, my current employer also will be attending the job fair. Is there any way I can go to the fair without offending my current employer? - Steve

DALE: Being seen at a job fair is nearly as blatant as putting a stack of your resumes in a “Free, Take One” display in the lobby of your office building. Anytime you are openly looking for work, you are “calling out” your employers, challenging them to either renegotiate or replace you.

J.T.: In this economy, I wouldn’t risk the possibility of ending up without a job. Honestly, the job fair is going to prove about as effective as the submission of your resume to job postings online – not very.

DALE: Whoa. I’ve been to job fairs where people are being actively recruited, some even being hired on the spot.

J.T.: True, but most new jobs come through a personal connection. Hiring managers like to hire people who come in via someone they trust. I suggest that you identify companies you want to work for and then begin to network into them. This is how you find a new job without jeopardizing your current one.

DALE: Speaking of your current job, it’s disheartening to see how much companies are demanding of employees beyond the traditional workweek. That’s another reason to network your way into a company – you need to get a realistic appraisal as to whether it truly will be a more agreeable culture.

Feel free to send questions to J.T. and Dale via e-mail at advice@jtanddale.com or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

© 2012 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Look for new job image from Shutterstock

Every day I read employers are going to experience a “War on Talent” as evidenced by employees not being “engaged.”

Reports show as many as 66% of employees are “dis-engaged” with their organization and actively taking measures to make a change.

In a recent Oi Partners survey, 90% of employers are concerned about losing high potential employees. Identifying, recruiting and developing talent is a key initiative for many organizations. The key is to find candidates that not only can “do” the job, but also are a cultural fit for the organization.

I am a firm believer in fixing the problem as opposed to treating the symptom. So, how do you go about building employee engagement? Let’s start at the beginning, with your recruiting strategy.

Employee Engagement defined… “an employee’s involvement with, commitment to, and satisfaction with work.”

Employee engagement starts from the first contact made with your organization. Whether with an internal recruiter, an external recruiter, or the cumbersome applicant tracking system which may be in place, the level of future engagement is based on the first impression the candidate has with your organization.

The interview and selection process builds on that level of engagement… or detracts from it! Make sure that first impression is a positive one and continues to get better from that point on. The on-going “recruiting relationship” needs to be coordinated and managed, not assumed or taken for granted because the number of candidates.

Many recruiters try to “screen out” candidates as opposed to finding the right “culture” fit for the organization. Although screening for the proper skill set is important, the screening for the culture fit is equally important. The cost of turnover is too high not to do so!

Without turning this into a behavioral based interviewing training, I look at HEART as part of the decision making process… Honesty, Energy, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork.

Honesty… probably the most important characteristic that I look for in candidates. Not only to make sure that they will not “steal,” but also to confirm that their integrity is such that they are going to do what they say they are going to do.

Of course the big assumption here is that “honesty” is a characteristic that your organization values by your behaviors, actions, and how you treat employees.

Energy… I know this may ruffle a few feathers as some people equate “energy” with youth, therefore it might seem to be a potential discriminatory action.

On the contrary… I look for the positive energy, attitude, excitement that a candidate will bring to the table. To me, it is important to find that type of individual who, when they walk into a room people feel the difference. These are candidates who smile, look at you in the eye and are engaging in their conversation.

Bottom line, these are leaders and candidates that exhibit and demonstrate confidence and as Stephen Covey has said… moral, not formal authority.

Accountability… using proven behavioral interviewing techniques, this is probably the easiest to probe for as you interview candidates. Going into detail as to how they managed projects, teams, budgets, etc. will help you understand how accountable they were in the past. What I try to find is how accountable are they with their actions.

Success or failure, I want to know if they “own it” or point a finger at others. This is especially important in a leadership role where their behaviors will be modeled by others.

Respect… how someone gets along with others is important as you bring on a new team member. Disagreements are going to happen in organizations, how someone handles them will say a lot about their character. Also important is how an individual will respect a goal or vision of the organization. Upon making a decision, will they support it or sabotage it?

Teamwork… as with any team, everyone has a role to play within the structure. Not everyone can be the star and get the accolades. When I coached little league football, I always told the offensive line that “if it was not for them, the QB would have not scored a touchdown.”

You want to hire individuals who accept roles and responsibilities for the good of the team. How they communicate with others, how they support others who need help and even how they celebrate a team’s success.

As a leader, it is up to you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your team and assign initiatives based on their ability to perform.

The hiring of a new employee can be the most important decision you can make for your organization. With turnover costing approximately two times salary… bad hiring decisions will have a definite financial impact on your organization and your ability to execute initiatives.

The recruiting and hiring process is like a jig saw puzzle and it is up to the organization to identify the desired skill set, determine the relevant experience/education, assess for competencies and then… determine the cultural fit. With the right team in place, your organization will move much more quickly towards your goals.

Your Turn

What do you based your hiring decisions on? I would love to hear your comments!

Hiring for H.E.A.R.T image from Shutterstock

The interview with me, a recruiter, is simple: If you meet the minimum qualifications to be considered, I’ll bring you in for the interview. Then the fun starts.

There are a number of sure-fire signs that a person should not be submitted to a client. And I am not talking here about the basics: being late; being dressed inappropriately; smelling bad (from perfume, cologne, or cigarette smoke); bad mouthing current or past employers; talking about sex, religion or politics; all the basics that everyone knows – or should know!

The first sign is not being prepared. I love it when candidates ask me questions based on what they learned about me from my website. If they researched me, I know they will research the employer and the interviewers. But that’s rare and a nice touch but not necessary.

What is necessary is knowing the job description. Reading the job description for the first time when they arrive at my office is a clear sign that a candidate does not understand due diligence.

And that’s not all. It also means that when I asked, and I always do, if they read the job description, they lied. No one hires liars. Period.

Second, not being able to answer simple questions. When I ask a finance person a “numbers” question related to a past employer, I don’t mind them having to think about it. Everyone if forgetful, myself included!

But if they can’t answer a question about their current employer, it’s not a good omen. No one hires someone who can’t provide basic information about their current job or employer. Period.

Third, refusing to answer a question. I’ve interviewed scores of veterans and not one has ever used confidentiality as an excuse for not answering a question. There is always a way to answer without giving away corporate or state secrets. If you refuse to answer, you’re hiding something. No one hires candidates with something to hide. Period.

Fourth, not giving a direct answer to a direct question. The interviewer sets the priorities by the questions she asks. If a candidate’s reply deals with extraneous issues, clearly he either does not listen or does not understand what is being asked of him. That means he does not communicate well. No one hires poor communicators. Period.

And fifth, not having questions to ask. Granted, as a recruiter I may not be able to answer most questions, but if a candidate has none, that means that he has not thought about the position. No one hires individuals who do not contemplate what they are doing. Period.

Avoid things interview image from Shutterstock

That depends.

I honestly believe there are times when you should ask for more. I also think there are techniques you can use to get more. In fact, I wrote about it over at AOL Jobs.

And then, I shot a video on it (below).

In it, I explain:

• How negotiating $5K more now could result in $600K more in your lifetime.
• Why you need a valid business reason to attempt this type of salary negotiation.
• How gratitude can help you get the increase.
• What to do if the answer is “no.”

If you hate the idea of negotiating, you need to read the article and watch the video. It will make you put your fears aside so you can make more – you deserve it!

More money image from Shutterstock

One of them recently just left a business to take a job at a different company and was filling us in on the details of her new position.

But then she paused.

And provided a startling insight that many businesses often overlook… which is very shocking.

At her previous employer, no one (still) has not bothered to check voice mails being left at her old extension, NOR on the business cell phone she had turned in.

Messages coming into her former e-mail address were also still going unanswered, according to a former colleague still working at the company.

Unbelievable. Given the fact this person was in a high-profile sales role, it’s not too hard to imagine that many of the inquiries coming in are potential customers looking to get a quote or even book business.

What happened in that moment of inaction and lack of proactive thinking meant that the company has actually exposed a brand weakness: they are not taking care of their clients and sending a clear message: the leadership doesn’t care. All of which further underscores the inelegant handling many companies engineer around the departure of employees.

Of course, some businesses “get it” and immediately redirect inbound inquiries to interim personnel or support staff to make sure that business continues on uninterrupted.

But many don’t.

In this same conversation, I found out another industry colleague had left their job at a separate company.

There was, in this case, an auto-responder put on this person’s e-mail notifying people of the following: “I am not here.”

Given this is also a high-profile business and position, what on earth is that saying to potential customers if they send an e-mail and get this kind of reply? I was horrified.

This would absolutely turn off any potential customers…  I know I would send my business elsewhere if I got this kind of message in return to a booking inquiry!

The reality is that truly effective HR departments will take steps to smooth over employee departures to make sure the company doesn’t lose any brand momentum and sales. They will:

1. Determine an appropriate (and capable) interim person to direct callers to who can handle inquiries.
2. If no one is specifically tapped to handle inbound inquiries, then a staff member should be appointed to routinely check voice mails and e-mails to let customers know there is a “live body” at the company who cares about their business.
3. If the departing employee is leaving on good terms with the company, it helps to smooth over the transition if they can leave a friendly, helpful outbound message letting customers know how their request will be handled by the company. It preserves the employee’s brand during their time at the company while solidifying the company’s commitment to the customer by making sure they are serviced.

I’d love to hear them… from my own experience, this is a chronic problem not addressed at many businesses. What horror stories have you heard about companies shooting themselves in the proverbial foot during employee transitions?

Brand momentum image from Shutterstock

The moral of the story? Be ready to read between the lines.

Here are seven of the most common interview questions, what the hiring manager is really asking, and how you should respond:

1. “Tell me about yourself.”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“How do your education, work history, and professional aspirations relate to the open job?”

How to respond: Select key work and education information that shows the hiring manager why you are a perfect fit for the job and for the company.

For example, a recent grad might say something like, “I went to X University where I majored in Y and completed an internship at Z Company. During my internship, I did this and that (name achievements that match the job description), which really solidified my passion for this line of work.”

2. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Does this position fit into your long-term career goals? Do you even have long-term career goals?”

How to respond: Do NOT say you don’t know (even if you don’t) and do not focus on your personal life (it’s nice that you want to get married, but it’s not relevant). Show the employer you’ve thought about your career path and that your professional goals align with the job.

3. “What is your greatest weakness?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you self-aware? Do you know where you could stand to improve and are you proactive about getting better?”

How to respond: A good way to answer this is with real-life feedback that you received in the past. For instance, maybe a former boss told you that you needed to work on your presentation skills.

Note that fact, then tell the employer how you’ve been proactively improving. Avoid any deal breakers (“I don’t like working with other people.”) or cliché answers (“I’m a perfectionist and I work too hard.”).

4. “What motivates you to perform?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you a hard worker? Am I going to have to force you to produce quality work?”

How to respond: Ideal employees are motivated internally, so tell the hiring manager that you find motivation when working toward a goal, contributing to a team effort, and/or developing your skills. Provide a specific example that supports your response.

Finally, even if it’s true, do not tell an employer that you’re motivated by bragging rights, material things, or the fear of being disciplined.

5. “Tell me about a time that you failed.”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“How do you respond to failure? Do you learn from your mistakes? Are you resilient?”

How to respond: Similar to the “greatest weakness” question, you need to demonstrate how you’ve turned a negative experience into a learning experience.

To do this, acknowledge one of your failures, take responsibility for it, and explain how you improved as a result. Don’t say you’ve never failed (Delusional, much?), don’t play the blame game, and don’t bring up something that’s a deal breaker (“I failed a drug test once…”)

6. “Why do you want to work here?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Are you genuinely interested in the job? Are you a good fit for the company?”

How to respond: Your goal for this response is to demonstrate why you and the company are a great match in terms of philosophy and skill. Discuss what you’ve learned about them, noting how you align with their mission, company culture, and reputation.

Next, highlight how you would benefit professionally from the job and how the company would benefit professionally from you.

7. “How many couches are there in America?”

What the hiring manager is really asking…

“Can you think on your feet? Can you handle pressure? Can you think critically?”

How to respond: When faced with a seemingly absurd question like this (there are many variations — just ask anyone who interviewed at Google before December), it’s important you not be caught off guard.

Resist your urge to tell the interviewer the question is stupid and irrelevant, and instead walk him through your problem-solving thought process. For this particular question, you would talk about how many people are in the U.S., where couches are found (homes, hotels, furniture stores), etc.

As with other parts of the job application process, it’s a good idea to solicit feedback from family, friends, and former colleagues. Try out your answers to each of these questions on at least two people, then revise based on their feedback.

Your Turn

What are your tips for responding to these and other common interview questions?

Common interview questions image from Shutterstock

At that point, they’re already playing catch up.

A great resume is important, but it’s not a silver bullet. It can’t single-handedly land you the position of a lifetime. There’s still a lot of work that you need to do.

And, unfortunately for those playing catch up, a lot of that work is investments in time and energy that are best done before you need a resume.

Eliminate Technical Weaknesses

Do a frank self-evaluation, comparing your skill set to the idealized skill set described in your target positions. Also look at the skill sets of people more advanced in your target field. How do your technical skills compare?

Honestly identify areas of needing improvement. Then get to work on actually making those improvements and—even better—adding some awesome achievements and skills that your competition won’t have. Always look toward your goal and stay ahead of your competition.

Eliminate Perceived Weaknesses

Again, do a frank self-evaluation, this time focusing on soft skills and your circumstances. What areas would an employer worry about? Are you impatient? How does that impatience reveal itself in your resume? Are you a job hopper? New to the area? Figure out what real or perceived weaknesses might make an employer hesitate to interview or hire you, and then systematically address them.

Keep in mind many traits may be perceived as weaknesses in one context, might be recast as strengths in another. So while you address these weaknesses, also consider whether you need to change the context or prism through which they’re viewed.

Take a Professional Head Shot, or Two

Even if you don’t want to spend the money for a professional photographer (it’s cheaper than you think!), get a friend to talk a high quality photograph of you in your business suit. Be relaxed, friendly, and confident.

You can even have a selection of a few photos: dark background, light background, and outdoor. You might also consider “action shots” of you at your desk, speaking to an audience, or conducting a meeting.

Clean Up Digital Dirt

Conduct internet searches of your name, phone number, email addresses, etc. Do an image search. What information do you find? Get rid of—or bury—anything you don’t want to explain in a job interview or that otherwise may be an obstacle to your goal.

Lock up social profiles like Facebook, remove tags from photos, and de-link personal blogs from your name by using an alias. Then build a cache of positive information—a professional LinkedIn profile, articles, and other information—that will help bury the bad stuff onto page three or four of the Google search.

Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader

Your options on establishing yourself as an expert may be limited by your current employer. If your current employer allows it, write articles and blog posts. Volunteer to serve as a panelist. Present at conferences. Get involved with professional organizations as a committee member or officer.

Get your name out there as a professional who’s knowledgeable and reliable. As you advance in your career, you can increasingly establish your bona fides as someone who’s creative and cutting edge, but grounded in historical context.

Establish Your Network

Reconnect with family, friends, classmates, and colleagues. Don’t start out by asking for favors. Instead, find out what they’re up to these days, and let them know what you’ve been doing. If they need assistance and you can provide it, then offer to help them out. Build good karma.

Then start branching out your network to grow it, by connecting with professionals in shared interest groups or organizations, fellow alumni, and others. Be a good citizen, offer friendly and thoughtful opinions, assist people when you can. These people have the power to change your career in both the short-term and the long-term.

Of course, it’s never too late to do these things. But the earlier you get started, the easier it will be to shorten your job search.

In fact, if you are diligent—and lucky—you will never have to look for work again: Opportunities will begin to come to you.

Shorten job search image from Shutterstock

For bigger conferences, we spend even more time preparing for the sessions and events we want to attend, people we want to meet and build in time for random hook ups.

When you return from a conference you had been planning for, sorting it all out in an organized, timely process is the key to beginning the conversion from connection to relationship.

I talk a lot about the importance of blending in-person networking with social media. The importance of Integrating your personal marketing and branding activities to build reach and impact. I delivered this very content recently at XPO NYC, the largest B2B conference in the northeast.

There is the planning to go, being there and the follow up, probably the most important way to leverage your RON-return on networking.

There are three important things to consider after going to any in person event but especially bigger conferences.

• Prioritize contacts
• Customize follow-up messages
• Timeliness

Here are eight steps for converting the information and connections into actionable relationships after a big conference.

1. Sort through your cards and the people you met.

Hopefully, every card you got was a person you owned a moment with, or had a meaningful exchange with. I like to write a word or two or note on the card to remind me of what we exchanged.

2. Review all the sessions you attended.

Take the program and review all the sessions you attended and what was presented. Add notes to the notes you actually took during the session while reviewing it.

3. Review all the notes you took.

Go through all your notes and highlight the key ideas from the speakers and that you wrote down.

4. Review the handouts and information you got.

Take the time to review all the handouts, leave behinds, worksheets, post cards you took home with you. Take advantage of any incentives offered to you by the speakers and conference presenters.

5. Prioritize and define who to follow up with and why.

Although we gather cards at these events, prioritizing the warm connections and ones that make the most sense to follow up on should be followed up on first. Qualify why, and be specific about what you will follow up with them about.

6. Draft a customized follow-up letter to each group.

Divide your connections into groups and customize a follow-up letter to them, that makes sense and is appropriate for why you should continue. Being thoughtful about this to them will make a big difference.

7. Invite them to follow up on social media.

This is the bridge that can help you get into people’s communities, stream, conversations and get you started in building commonality. Use LinkedIn as a starting point, add Twitter and then if appropriate Facebook. Comment on their blog, or invite them to yours.

8. Create a 30-day follow-up plan.

For the contacts you make you want to develop, make a 30-day plan for each person, or the group of contacts that you met. Be consistent, and interact as regularly as possible. Show up, be a part of and join.

Relationships don’t happen in a week!

These eight steps should be started and worked through immediately. The timeliness of follow-up is critical. You will want to get back to people while you are both fresh in each other’s minds.

How do you follow up after a networking event and conference?

Build relationships networking event image from Shutterstock

Using poka-yoke to answer interview questions is better than preparation.

What is Poka-Yoke?

And, how do you apply it to an interview?

Almost every employment resource tells applicants to prepare for an interview. Unfortunately, preparation is a vague term open to interpretation. A job you want is on the line; this is not the time to guess about anything.

Poka-yoke is a Japanese term that was developed in relationship to the Six Sigma business model.

Within Six Sigma poka-yoke specifically refers to creating designs or systems that anticipate and prevent future problems before they happen.

The automatic backup of computer files is a poka-yoke, the use of different prongs on electrical outlets is a poka-yoke, an online form that comes back immediately saying that the information doesn’t match is a poka-yoke.

In all cases preventing problems before they arise is the idea. Poka-yoke is much more specific and proactive than preparation. Here we are only going to poka-yoke interview questions.

However, the process can also be used for interview personal hygiene and speaking. The strength of poka-yoke is that it allows a person to focus on potential interview problems before they occur.

Here is an example:

A bright young single mother goes in for a job interview as a Financial Analyst. By all measures she is the most qualified person for the job.

During the course of the interview the employer asks her if she has any further questions. The single mother, focusing on the things she wants to know about the company, asks the interviewer if there is a company daycare program. This is an important consideration for the woman.

However, she has just told the interviewer she has a child? Children? The interviewer then inquires about the age of the child and the woman tells him that she has three kids under the age of five and that she is a single mother. While it is not ethical, the employer wonders how this woman will cope in the position, and he hires someone else.

If the applicant had sat down to poka-yoke interview questions before the interview she would have answered the question differently and she would have been hired.

The woman prepared very well for all the standard interview questions and had done very well up to this point. The largest potential problems in her working career are related to taking care of her three children and she knows this.

However, she had not poka-yoked various scenarios to deal with the problems that are likely to arise let alone poka-yoked the interview questions related to her personal Achilles heel.

Poka-Yoke Biggest Weaknesses and Craft Successful Interview Answers

Identify your three biggest weaknesses related to any job and poka-yoke questions related to them before the interview.

For the example above, our interview candidate identifies her three weaknesses before the interview as:

Affordable care for her children in New York City.

No knowledge of social media.

Difficulty working the long hours associated with the position of Financial Analyst.

Once the three greatest weaknesses have been identified create answers to potential interview question bombs. In the example above, the job seeker would look for answers to the daycare question from the company’s website and by using Linkedin information.

Before starting employment she would have good ideas about how to deal with weaknesses one and three. She certainly would know not to offer up one of her greatest weaknesses in the interview. Once she has been offered the position she can negotiate from a position of strength to secure additional time off and resources for her family.

By listing her second greatest weakness, a lack of Social Media knowledge, she can prepare a suitable answer. Something like: “I have investigated the structure of Facebook and have found that their security was seriously flawed until just recently.

Similarly, many of the other Social Media outlets have serious security issues that can leave users’ privacy and identities vulnerable. Rather than jump into Social Media as a first adopter, I am waiting for most of the flaws to be corrected so that I do not expose myself to any unnecessary risks.”

Poka-Yoke Common Interview Questions

After dealing with the bombs tackle these questions the same way. This is preparation that looks to identify potential problems. When you find issues create your own detailed poka-yoke answers. Here are some common questions and some poka-yoke ideas for creating answers.

1. What do you know about our company? Why are you applying for this position?

Poka-yoke: Use research to learn about the company AND to determine your likely value to them. Be specific; mention research, research sources and then talk about how you can specifically add value to the position.

2. Tell me about yourself.

Poka-yoke: Do not tell your life-history. This isn’t a bar and these people are not your friends. Focus on relevant job experience that is applicable to the current position. Follow up with why this position is a natural progression for you rather than discussing negatives about your current situation.

3. What are your strengths? How can you add value to this position?

Poka-yoke: Answer with a broad strength list that applies to the position. Then highlight with an applicable example from your career history that answers the main desired qualities listed in the job advertisement. Make answers unique and engaging; something that will stick in the mind of the employer.

4. What are your weaknesses?

Poka-yoke: Be honest rather than use the common “my strength is my weakness” double speak. However, make sure any weakness you discuss will have a limited impact on the position. Then discuss ways in which you plan on dealing with this known weakness to limit its impact on your productivity.

5. Why should we hire you for this position over another candidate?

Poka-yoke: Know your worth related to the position. List and highlight your unique qualities. Keep to the point and focus on your strengths rather than trying to guess what skills other applicants might posses.

The value of poka-yoke is it asks the mind to think about problems from a different perspective. Fix the problems in your interview before they appear and then get ready to negotiate a better salary!

Poka-yoke interview questions image from Shutterstock

As the weekend comes to a close and Monday morning nears the horizon, consider these three ideas for getting your week off to a fabulous start:

Arrive at the office 30 minutes earlier this Monday morning.

Close your door and forward your office phone. Use this time to plan your week:

• Review your calendar for last week, this week and next week.
• Review your project list.
• Review your “to-do” lists.
• Review your annual goals — business and personal.
• Review your inbox (paper inbox).
• Review your e-mail inbox and key folders (but try to refrain from beginning the process of responding to e-mails during your planning time).

As part of your weekly planning, identity the top three goals you’d like to achieve this coming week – what are the three MOST IMPORTANT tasks or projects you need to accomplish?

For each of these top three goals, what is the very next action you need to do (or delegate to someone else)?

Schedule and protect time blocks.

Schedule blocks of time on your calendar to work on tasks associated with your top three goals. Time blocks of 60 to 90 minutes generally work best. Ideally time blocks should be uninterrupted time behind closed doors in your office whenever possible (or away from your office).

Entering the work week with clarity on your goals, a clear plan of action, and sufficient time scheduled to work on them feels good and will almost always have a positive impact on your productivity and results for the week.

Hit the ground running on Mondays… get a positive start on your work week.

All the best to you for a great week!

Work week image from Shutterstock