Carolyn Smith

How to address illegal questions at interview

July 17, 2012 by Carolyn Smith 2 Comments

question-mark11 Equal Opportunity legislation has been around in Australia, for a couple of decades now, but a surprising number of job applicants, are still asked illegal questions at interview.

An illegal question at interview, are questions in relation to race, disabilities, sex, marital status, parental status, or religious or political beliefs. People conducting interviews should only ask questions that are relevant to the skills, abilities, experience and knowledge required to undertake a position.

Examples of illegal types of questions might include asking your age, marital status, your maiden name, whether you speak English at home, what religion you practice, whether you intend to start a family and whether you took sick days off to care for your children.

After being indirectly propositioned at interview many years ago and then being asked how I used my girly looks to manipulate a work situation, I decided to take a quick random survey of my friends to see if they had also been asked an illegal question at work. I was shocked to discover that at some stage, most of them had been asked an illegal or inappropriate question during interview. So in this article, I outline some of the approaches you might take, if asked an illegal question at interview.

Just answer the question

If the question is relatively innocent, or your response will actually enhance your application (e.g. you are asked about your religion, for a position at a religious organisation) then just answer it. Just remember however, that personal information, which is irrelevant to the job, could be detrimental to your application as it can open the door to prejudices and provide another reason not to employ you.

Tactfully side step the question or address their concerns

If you think the question was not malicious, or intentional (remember, most employers are not expert at interviews and might not even realise that they have asked an illegal question), then you might be able to side step the issue, by gently reminding them that the question is not relevant to the position and making sure you don’t get defensive. Another tactic is to simply address the question head on, by providing a response that will alleviate any concerns they might have. For example, if the question relates to disability, reassure them of your capacity to undertake the responsibilities of the position, by providing them with examples of working effectively in a similar work environment.

Refuse to answer

If you really want the job, this is probably not the best tactic, but if you decide this is not the type of organisation you want to work for, then you really have nothing to lose, by simply telling them that the question is irrelevant and you won’t be answering the question.

The top interview questions designed to eliminate you

July 3, 2012 by Carolyn Smith 3 Comments

Many interview questions are designed to eliminate candidates from the process, in particular if competition is tough.

Below are a list of interview questions designed to knock you out of contention and the best approach you can take to these tough interview questions, so at the very least you get short-listed for the job.

Why did you leave your last job?

This question is asked by recruiters and employers in order to eliminate job seekers who have something to hide about their last job.

Don’t tell them you were fired, got bored with the last job, and were not being paid enough, or that you hated the boss.

It is OK to tell them you were made redundant due to the downturn in your sector, or that you are looking for a fresh challenge, exactly like they are offering!

We all feel frustrated or angry at times. Have you ever resigned in frustration or anger?

If you tell them that you walked out on a job, then you will find yourself walking out of the interview, without a job.

When addressing this question, it is probably fine to state that you get frustrated at times, but that if you have personal or work-related difficulties, you have always managed to resolve them successfully without taking them out on people and you are resilient and don’t walk away from major issues or problems.

Describe the worst boss you ever worked for?

The number one rule is to never EVER run down your former employers. If you end up ranting and raving about an ex boss, this will result in your elimination from the selection process.

So when answering this question, focus on an example in which the boss was problematic for all employees and explain to them, how you easily resolved the issue with the boss and ended up with a good working relationship with your boss (as a result or your efforts of course).

Finally, don’t provide a specific name of the boss (just in case the person you are describing is the uncle, best friend, son of the person interviewing you).

Do you work well under pressure?

Nobody likes to work under intense melt down pressure, but don’t tell them that working under pressure leads to higher stress levels and lower performance levels.

With this leading question, always tell them you work well under pressure and that you are able to work in a productive manner and you have high energy and motivation levels.

It might also be a good idea to give them an example of how you managed to get a task done on an urgent basis and easily met time pressures.

Are you sensitive to criticism?

Of course we all hate criticism, but if you answer honestly, you will probably be eliminated, in particular if the position is one, in which negative feedback is part of the work environment.

The best approach is to state that you always take note of criticism and if it is valid, set about to improve your performance and if it is invalid, you don’t take it personally.

Have you ever broken some company rule?

Even if the company rule you broke, actually value added to systems and your employer, don’t tell them you broke a company rule, as this is another knock-out question. Some employers will view such behaviour in a very negative light, in particular in a work culture in which an individualistic approach or alternative way of doing things is viewed as heresy.

Instead just state, that your personal policy is to observe the rules, and that you consider company rules and procedures as necessary for the effective and safe running of a business.

Do you think you are being paid enough?

Tread with caution, as this question is really problematic. Answer with a no, and your anger and frustration might show up and they might eliminate you on the basis of their budget constraints. Answer with a yes, and you might end up under-selling yourself during salary negotiations.

The best response is to simply state that no matter how much people earn, they always strive for a higher figure as that is human nature. You should also add that you will be flexible during salary negotiations (but DON’T put a figure on the table at this stage or proceedings).

When is the best time to prepare for a job search?

June 18, 2012 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

The reality of the modern jobseeker, is that they only time they are actively engaged in searching for a job is when they need to secure a new job, or are bored and frustrated with the current job. Is job-hunting is a reactive, episodic activity that you do when you have to?

However by having such a reactive approach to your career or securing a new job could be detrimental to your career. To be really effective, you need to undertake job-hunting tasks now, not when an unexpected career transition such as a layoff, or firing happens, or when you reach the tipping point when you just need to change job.

To be an effective modern jobseeker, you need to change your perspective and undertake the following activities. These include:

Online Visibility

You need to understand that being a successful job seeker is increasingly about your online visibility and presence. This means guarding your online reputation even when not looking for a job and ensuring that you keep an eye out for your name online. Google your name and check what comes up about you and if necessary remove all material that could make a bad impression, such as questionable comments on blogs or on Facebook, participation in seedy forums, or unflattering photographs. Anything posted about you on the Internet is fair game, so tidy up what is online.

Plus start utilising the Internet to enhance your career prospects, so that you become someone of interest to recruiters or employers, and become a candidate before the job ever becomes a job advertisement that others can apply for. Use the Internet to enhance your profile, such as posting articles online within your area of expertise, developing an online resume, or even blogging.

Finally develop your LinkedIn profile and actively network online. Don’t wait until you need to find a job to establish and nurture online networks through LinkedIn. When you are not looking for a job, is the perfect time to get out there and network online, so when you do start looking, you have a strong LinkedIn presence and network in place that you can successfully utilise.

Preparation of resume

When a job seeker needs to find a job, they rush out to update their resume, understanding that without a resume, it will be impossible to find a job. However tasks like updating a resume should be ongoing. If you have not already done so, develop a spreadsheet or a word document and start documenting and tracking ALL accomplishments and positive feedback that you receive. If you want to land a great job, you need to focus less on what you do, but more on what contributions you have made and what problems you have solved for your employer. If you have recorded these, it will be very easy to update your resume, or have the information on hand so that an experienced resume writer can create a strong and compelling document.

Face-to-Face networking

The thrust of most job seekers is the job board, instead of generating a multi-faceted campaign that involves tasks such as LinkedIn or the building of face-to-face connections. Networking should be an ongoing activity, so that you can tap into the so-called ‘hidden job’ market, which are basically those jobs and opportunities that exist but are not advertised. Also with an established network, when the need arises you will be in the position of being able to quickly locate opportunities amongst your established network of people.

Debunking some of the key myths surrounding the Australian Résumé

June 4, 2012 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

Everyone has his or her opinion on what should, or shouldn’t, be included in an Australian résumé. In this article I debunk some of the prevailing myths about résumés created for the Australian Market place.

Myth One -A résumé is about YOU

If you think your résumé is about YOU, you need to start thinking about this document in a whole new light. NO a résumé is not about YOU – it is about what YOU can offer THEM! That is – the employer, recruiter, agency and selection panel members (if applying for a government position).

Once you understand this vital principle, then you can start creating a document that meets the needs of the employer.

Myth Two – Only include your last ten years of work history

This is one myth that needs to be busted, as not including older work history could mean you undersell yourself. While you should not include old work history that does not value add, you should be including work history that supports your focus and value proposition.

Yes – it is true that the majority of readers of your résumé will be most interested in your recent experience, BUT there could be real value in going back further than 10 years. Perhaps you want to include older work history that includes working for well-known prestigious companies. Perhaps you have an impressive list of accomplishments in a position that you held 12 years ago. Don’t stop at 10 years if this experience adds value. The 10-year rule is a rule that can and should be broken, if you can strategically incorporate material that enhances your application. Think carefully about what should be included and how much emphasis you put on your older work history. For example, you could focus on your achievements in previous positions and screen out early dates, by providing a summary. If there is solid reasoning behind including older work history – then include it!

Myth Three – Résumés should be limited to 1 or 2 pages

If you undertake a search on how to prepare a résumé, so often you end up on career sites that make a strong suggestion as to the length of your résumé. Please IGNORE those sites that advise you to limit your résumé to one or two pages. These are usually American or UK sites where the recruiting practices are different from those prevalent in Australia.

Instead, focus on a résumé that truly reflects your skills and experience and even if this takes five pages, so be it (unless a page limit is imposed by the employer). HOWEVER, make sure you don’t waffle, and don’t include information that is not required, repetitive, or irrelevant.

Note: The average length of résumés I professionally prepare for clients is usually anything between three and four pages. This length is usually more than adequate, even at the very senior executive level, and I can include all the relevant details required by employers. So if your résumé runs into six or more pages, it is time to refine your current document.

Ways to prune:

Make sure you address the needs of your audience. Ask yourself – is your information relevant to the position, and is it something the employer would be interested in? For example, a long list of hobbies is probably irrelevant unless they relate to the position.
When addressing the needs of your audience, ask yourself – is this information critical? If it was left out, will it jeopardise my application?’
Delete concepts that repeat themselves. For example, don’t repeat the same duties for each employer you worked for.
It is not necessary to include all your work history, going back to the ‘year dot’. Not only will this age you unnecessarily, but also much of your older work history will not add value.

Remember, your résumé isn’t your biography and it is unnecessary to include work history that is not relevant to the position.

Myth Four – A résumé should include a strategic objective

I don’t like career objectives and only occasionally utilise them – for example, for a career changer or new graduate. The reason is because a career objective is entirely focusing on

YOUR needs, rather than the employers! Since the most effective résumé is focusing on the potential employer’s needs, why focus the prime real estate space of your document on what you want? (That visual centre, 1/3 down on the first page of your résumé, is where the employer will typically stop first so this is where you should pack your biggest punch!)

A better alternative is to include a Profile, an Introduction, or Qualifications and Experience summary. That way you can really provide focus on the value that you offer the employer.

This critical, but subtle difference might just result in you securing an interview.

Myth Five – Résumés MUST thoroughly describe the responsibilities of each position.

I love busting this myth because it is so prevalent. The answer is no, you don’t need to thoroughly describe the responsibilities of each position. In fact, many of the résumés I create focus entirely on putting my client’s experience into context. For example – number of direct reports; budgets managed; areas of management authority; and scale of company or project.

Then I simply outline what my client achieved.

This also applies to the WIFM principles (what’s in it for me). Employers are looking for someone who solves business problems, meets challenging goals and produces the desired results to improve processes or increase profits.

When outlining responsibilities, all you are stating is what you were supposed to do. Not what you actually did, or achieved, or what value you bring to your new employer.

So focus on documenting your consistent ability to achieve results, rather than long and boring lists of duties and responsibilities within your résumé.

Is your age working against you?

May 14, 2012 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

It seems whether you are a Generation Y, or over 50 and a Baby Boomer, there is a perception that because of your age, you will be discriminated against during your job search.

Most of this so called age discrimination is based on stereotypes, rather than reality. If you are Generation Y, there is the perception that you are there to pursue personal satisfaction, that you are less concerned with permanence and not influenced by authority. There is also a perception that you have unrealistic expectations, large egos and you are not reliable.

If you are over 50 the stereotypes include the perception that you are unable to adapt to change, don’t like being micro-managed and you are less tech savvy.

So how do you overcome these stereotypes and what techniques should you use, to successfully secure a job?

Get paid what you are worth – things you need to know about salary negotiation

May 1, 2012 by Carolyn Smith Leave a Comment

There is nothing that throws fear into our hearts, than talking about salary negotiation. I mean let’s face it, there is some comfort in applying for public jobs, as you pretty much know what you will get within a classification band. But if you are applying for the private sector, then make sure you follow these six tips below to ensure that you get PAID WHAT YOU ARE WORTH.

Tip One – Know your value

For an employer you represent a financial expense, as well as an investment – and the returns on their investment must be higher than the cost, (ROI), otherwise it is not viable to employ you. So it is up to you to know what your worth is and make sure that the potential employer is clear on what this is, so they pay you the best possible salary or wage for your contributions.

To ensure that you get paid what you are worth, you need to demonstrate your worth in your resume and at interview. To do this, you must focus on achievements and the challenges and problems you faced and successfully overcame. If possible, quantify these results with dollar figures, or percentages. If you can’t quantify them, think about how your contributions enhanced the organisation. (If you are struggling to come up with any tangible achievements – email me for a free list of questions, to help focus your mind on the task).