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Articles from Peggy McKee | Selfgrowth.com
- ***90 Day Interview Plan - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2014 from Peggy McKeeA 90 Day Interview Plan is also known as a 90-Day Plan, a Business Plan, or a 30-60-90-Day Plan. Whatever you call it, the point is that it’s a plan—a plan for how you will attack your new job in the first 90 days of employment. Having a plan, or a strategy, in place helps you show your true ...
Views: 2169(1 vote) - ***Executive Job Search - by Submitted on Sep 18, 2014 from Peggy McKeeAre you in an executive job search? Statistics say that you’ll spend one month in the job search for every $10,000 you earn. Do you have that kind of time? Of course not. You can have your pick of executive positions if you are as strategic with your executive job search as you are with your ...
Views: 1784 - ***So you got fired. Is your career over? Nope - by Submitted on May 16, 2014 from Peggy McKeeAs a career coach, I talk to job seekers in difficult circumstances all the time. One of the biggest problems that job seekers can face is that at some point, they were fired--for fault. It wasn't downsizing. It wasn't the economy. They did something that caused the company to let them go. ...
Views: 1734 - ***Is It Your Age, or Is It Your Resume? - by Submitted on May 09, 2014 from Peggy McKeeJob seekers over 50 (and over 40) can run into real trouble getting job interviews. Before you assume it's age holding you back, make a few improvements to your resume. With the right resume know-how, your age and experience will be a huge positive for you in the job search. Try these ...
Views: 1898 - ***Amazon Audiobook – 101 Job Interview Questions – Listen and Learn - by Submitted on Mar 28, 2014 from Peggy McKeeMy most popular ebook, How to Answer Interview Questions, is now available as an Amazon Audible Audiobook! (It’s also available as an audiobook on Google Play, iTunes , Barnes and Noble, and Audible.) You can learn the best answers to 101 job interview questions in the car, on the train, ...
Views: 2268 - ***What To Do When Your Job Search Sucks - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2014 from Peggy McKeeIf your job search sucks, it's probably the result of one of 3 things: You can't find good jobs to apply for You can't get interviews for jobs you are interested in You go to interviews, but you don't get job offers If you want to find great ...
Views: 2125(1 vote) - ***How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions - by Submitted on Feb 14, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHiring managers love behavioral interview questions, because these kinds of questions dig deeper into what kind of employee you really are. Answers to behavioral interview questions must be in the form of stories, or examples of things you've done in your career. They are projections from you ...
Views: 2388 - ***Curriculum Vitae Tips: Use Principles of Good Resume Writing to Get a Better CV - by Submitted on Feb 07, 2014 from Peggy McKeeCVs are the long, detailed cousin of the resume. It delivers much more information than a resume and takes many more pages to do it. But whatever differences they might have, CVs and resumes both have the same function: to get you interviews. If you have a curriculum vitae and aren’t ...
Views: 2123 - ***90-Day Business Plan for Your Job Interview - by Submitted on Jan 31, 2014 from Peggy McKeeA 90-Day Business Plan for your job interview is an outstanding tool to show the interviewer why you're the one they should hire--whether you're very experienced or just starting out in your field. If you really want the job and you're facing some stiff competition, a 90-day business plan is ...
Views: 2435 - ***5 Phone Interview Questions You Will Be Asked (And Tips on How to Answer Them) - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2014 from Peggy McKeeHow to answer common phone interview questions Hiring managers don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of time, money and energy interviewing every potential candidate face-to-face. So most of them fall back on the practical: phone interviews. Do well with the phone interview, and the ...
Views: 1432 - Military Vets - Top 3 Tips To Get a Civilian Job - by Submitted on Aug 29, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhen you take the big step out of military service back into civilian life, the last thing you need to be worrying about are the difficulties of a civilian job search. It’s true that veterans’ unemployment rates are higher than average, and it’s true that there are specific obstacles in your ...
Views: 1888 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 37: How to Prepare for a Phone Interview - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2013 from Peggy McKeePhone interviews are an incredibly critical tipping point in the hiring process. They liked what they saw your resume enough to talk to you…will this phone call make them like you enough to call you in for a face-to-face interview? There’s a lot you can do to prepare for phone interviews and ...
Views: 1481 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 36: How to Keep Them From Screening You Out - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2013 from Peggy McKeePhone interviews are really phone screens. They are screening candidates, narrowing down a list that’s too long, figuring out who to invite in for a face-to-face interview. So really, in a phone interview, they’re looking for reasons to mark you off the list—to screen you out. Your job in ...
Views: 1411 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 35: The One Question You Should Ask - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2013 from Peggy McKeeDo you know the most important question you should ask in phone interviews? Hopefully, you already know that it’s important that you should ask questions in your telephone interview. But you might not know that one question in particular can ensure a good interview or even turn the tide of a ...
Views: 1456 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 34: Thank You Notes - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2013 from Peggy McKeeHow do you follow up after a phone interview? You better follow up the exact same way you would after a face-to-face interview: you send a well-thought-out, comprehensive, and timely thank you note. Your thank you note should actually be a thank you email. Why an email? Because it’s ...
Views: 1505 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 33: Typical Phone Interview Questions - by Submitted on Feb 05, 2013 from Peggy McKeeHere’s a secret: There’s really only so many interview questions you can ask. Some hiring managers like to break out of the rut and ask crazy things to catch you off guard, like “What kind of tree would you be?”, but most of the time they tend to ask the same kinds of questions. There’s just ...
Views: 1344(1 vote) - Phone Interview Tips - Number 32: Good Telephone Communication - by Submitted on Feb 04, 2013 from Peggy McKeeJob interviews are all about communication, right? You will only get the job if you can successfully communicate that you understand the job, that you can do the job, that you will do the job, and that you pose no risk to this person’s continued employment. (That’s why 30-60-90-day plans are ...
Views: 1425 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 31: Relax, Be Calm, and Make a Good Impression - by Submitted on Jan 25, 2013 from Peggy McKeeOne of the easiest ways to make a good impression in your phone interview is to be calm, cool, and collected. To do that, you need to be prepared, organized, and relaxed. Here are some tips that will help you have a great phone interview. Be Prepared – In fact, be over-prepared. Nothing ...
Views: 1795 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 30: Make a Phone Interview Checklist - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWant to be organized for your phone interview? Leave nothing to chance? Give yourself the best possible outcome? Then create a phone interview checklist like this one so you won’t forget any vital detail. Pick a good time and place – The first thing you have to do when setting up a phone ...
Views: 1623 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 29: Things You Should Never Say - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWe all spend a lot of time talking about what you should say in phone interviews—how to answer interview questions, how to sell yourself for the job, how to ask questions of your own. But have you ever considered what NOT to say in your phone interview? Sometimes what you don’t say is just as ...
Views: 1526 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 28: Small Phone Interview Mistakes That Cause Big Problems - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeEven if you’ve got all the big factors covered for your phone interview (quiet spot, landline, preparation), there are still some pretty small phone interview mistakes that will get you screened out and marked off their short list. Sometimes it doesn’t take much….phone interviews are real ...
Views: 1382 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 27: Biggest Phone Interview Mistakes - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeFor such a short conversation, phone interviews are a surprisingly wide-open opportunity for screw-ups. Why is that? Partly, it’s because in a phone interview, the interviewer is really looking for mistakes. Telephone interviews are a screening process—a way to weed out too many candidates. ...
Views: 1370 - Phone Interview Tips – Number 26: How and When to Follow Up - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeHow should you follow up after a phone interview? If you think that your follow up is the face-to-face interview (if you get it), you are making a mistake. Following up after telephone interviews is just as important as following up after face-to-face interviews—whether or not you are ...
Views: 1565 - Phone Interview Tips – Number 25: How to Get the Face-to-Face Interview - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhat’s the point of a phone interview? A phone interview is an inexpensive, time-saving way to determine whether or not you are worth the time, effort, and expense of a face-to-face interview. That’s it. For the employer, it’s a screening process: Do you merit further consideration? For ...
Views: 1348 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 24: Phone Interview Etiquette - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2013 from Peggy McKeeIn any job interview, it’s important to use your best manners—and telephone interviews are no exception. Besides your resume, this is their first impression of you. Make it a great one by being super-polite and professional. Set Up Your Space for Quiet Nothing says “I don’t care about ...
Views: 1365 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 23: Watch Your Language - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2013 from Peggy McKeeIn job interviews, the language you use can make or break your chances—and that’s even more true in a phone interview, where your voice is all they have to focus on. Your conversation must be professional. Several very common speech habits you probably have will hurt your chances of getting the ...
Views: 1579 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 22: Don’t Talk Too Much - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhat happens if you talk too much in a phone interview? Or related to that, you offer up Too Much Information? Both show poor communication skills that could keep you from getting the invitation to the face-to-face. It’s important that you know how much to talk and what to say to have a ...
Views: 1317 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 21: How to Listen Well - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2013 from Peggy McKeeThe art of conversation requires that you not only express yourself well, but also that you listen well. Good listeners are valued. Being a good listener means that you’re going to have a more productive, higher-quality conversation than you would otherwise. Being a good listener is ...
Views: 1437 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 20: Ask Questions - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2013 from Peggy McKeeIn every interview, whether it’s a phone interview or a face-to-face interview, it is absolutely, critically important to ask questions. Why? (1) It makes you seem more engaged and interested in the job. No hiring manager wants to hire someone who isn’t going to be excited about working ...
Views: 1345 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 19: Secret Tricks to Phone Interview Success - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2013 from Peggy McKeeTelephone interviews are tricky things. Even though they seem more casual, they are very, very important and should not be taken lightly. Even though it seems less stressful to talk to someone on the phone rather than facing them in your business suit, it’s actually a little unnerving to not ...
Views: 1451 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 18: Speak the Right Body Language - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2013 from Peggy McKeeEven though your interviewer can’t see you, using the right body language in your phone interview will help you to have a better outcome. Smile One of the simplest things you can do to project confidence and enthusiasm over the phone is to smile while you talk. It’s amazing what smiling ...
Views: 1379 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 17: Help Them Qualify You for the Face-to-Face Interview - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2013 from Peggy McKeeFor companies, the phone interview is a screening process. The hiring manager or human resources manager has a stack of resumes of potential candidates sitting in front of them, and their job is to wade through the stack and get it to a manageable number. Many candidates don’t realize just how ...
Views: 1427 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 16: How to Project the Right Image Over the Phone - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2013 from Peggy McKeePhone interviews are notoriously difficult for the simple reason that the interviewer can’t see you. So much of how we communicate is through gestures and expressions and those have no meaning at all on the phone. But phone interview or not, it’s still vitally important that you project an ...
Views: 1458 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 15: How to Give the Interviewer What They’re Looking For - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhat are hiring managers and human resources people looking for when they call you for a phone interview? There’s a general answer and there’s a specific answer, and you need both. First, let’s talk generalities. Above all things, a phone interview is a gating process. It’s a way to weed ...
Views: 1555 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 14: Your Phone Interview Voice - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Peggy McKeeYou might not think about the quality of your voice before your phone interview—but you should. Interviewers concentrate very hard on your voice in that conversation: Do you sound alert? Confident? Enthusiastic? Are there any red flags they need to be worrying about? They just don’t have ...
Views: 1426(1 vote) - Phone Interview Tips - Number 13: The Best Phone for Your Phone Interview - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Peggy McKeeAre you going to have your phone interview conversation on a landline or on a cell phone? I personally think you should always, always use a landline. The sound quality of the conversation is better, there’s no risk of dropping the call, and there’s never any questions like, “Can you hear me ...
Views: 1335 - Phone Interview Tips - Number 12: How to Hit Your Phone Interview Goals - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhat are your phone interview goals? The bottom-line goal of any phone interview is getting the invitation to come in for a face-to-face. That’s the whole point of a phone interview. Your goal in this interview is not the job. It’s the next interview. The phone interview is a screening ...
Views: 1338(1 vote) - Phone Interview Tips - Number 11: Practice Your Phone Interview - by Submitted on Jan 08, 2013 from Peggy McKeeHow do athletes win championships? Practice. How do violin students become virtuosos? Practice. How do you get better at interviews? Practice. Interviewing is not a talent. It is a skill. Most people don’t get a chance to spend much time honing that skill, because most of us don’t ...
Views: 1336(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 9 – Research the Company - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2013 from Peggy McKeeDon’t be surprised in your phone interview if the hiring manager asks, “What do you know about our company?” It’s a reasonable question. Why would they want to bother talking with someone who doesn’t even understand what they do? And who didn’t care enough to find out? Some candidates think ...
Views: 1525(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 10 – Prepare Answers to Common Phone Interview Questions - by Submitted on Jan 07, 2013 from Peggy McKeeYou always want to prepare answers for common interview questions before every interview. If you occasionally have to stop and think a bit before you give your answer, that’s OK. But if you constantly have a deer-in-the-headlights look in your eyes, it will be painfully obvious that you’re ...
Views: 1548(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 8 – Research the Interviewer - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhy research the interviewer before your phone interview? Look at it this way: The job interview is a sales process in which you are both the product and the sales rep. One of the first rules of sales is “Know Your Customer.” You can’t sell effectively unless you know a little something ...
Views: 1340(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 7 – Use Cheat Sheets - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2013 from Peggy McKeeThe very best thing about phone interviews is the fact that they can’t see you—which means, you can use as many “cheat sheets” as you want to. So what’s a cheat sheet? Cheat sheets are just what they sound like: Notes that help you do better on the test, which in this case is the phone ...
Views: 1272(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 6 – How to Project Enthusiasm - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2013 from Peggy McKeeWhat hiring manager doesn’t want to choose someone who is sincerely enthusiastic and excited about the job? They all do. If you’re excited about the job, you’ll try hard and probably do better than someone who isn’t. Plus, your genuine enthusiasm will make them like you more. If they like ...
Views: 1747(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 5 – How to Build Your Confidence - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2013 from Peggy McKeePhone interviews have all of the critical, “make-or-break” qualities of a face-to-face interview with none of the advantages. (1) You don’t have very much time to make a good impression. Phone interviews are very often over within 10-15 minutes. If you make a mistake, you don’t have much time ...
Views: 1441(1 vote) - Phone Interviews Tip 4 – How To Keep Your Focus - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2012 from Peggy McKeeDoes your mind ever wander, even slightly, when you’re on the phone? I think we’re all a little guilty of that…I mean, it’s not like they can see you, so we very often feel a little more freedom to look around the room or even complete another task while we’re on the phone. We’re not as ...
Views: 1228 - Phone Interviews Tip 3 – Where’s the Best Place for a Phone Interview? - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2012 from Peggy McKeeThink you can talk on the phone anywhere? That might be true if you’re discussing dinner plans, but it is not true for your phone interview. For that, you have to choose your location carefully. Why? Because this phone conversation is the gate you have to pass through to get to your ...
Views: 1352 - Phone Interviews Tip 2: The Best Time to Set Up Your Call - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2012 from Peggy McKeeYou have much more power over your phone interview than you probably think you do, including when to schedule it. If you can exercise that power, please do so. Why is it so important to control when you interview? First, you want to give yourself enough time to prepare. This phone ...
Views: 1417 - Phone Interviews Tip 1 –Check Your Voicemail Greeting - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2012 from Peggy McKeeI have heard some bad voicemail greetings in my lifetime…ones that make me listen to that person’s favorite song before I can leave my message, ones that were recorded by charming but difficult-to-understand 3-year-olds, and even some that tried to be funny but weren’t, like “How do you leave an ...
Views: 1572 - Phone Interviews: The 37 Most Essential and Extraordinary Tips That Will Get You To the Face-to-Face - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2012 from Peggy McKeePhone interviews are often the very first step of the interview and hiring process. You’re not likely to get a call to come in and interview without some kind of conversation on the phone first. How Important Phone Interviews Really Are Your resume got you the phone call. Now this one ...
Views: 1302 - Fastest Way to Find a Job - Tip 25 Offbeat Ways - by Submitted on Oct 28, 2012 from Peggy McKeeOffbeat Ways (Sandwich Boards, Dating Services, Your Child’s Ball Games, and other Desperate Job Search Measures ) If you’ve been out of work for a long time, you’re ready to try anything to find a job. Some of today’s suggestions are a little tongue-in-cheek, but some of them could be ...
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