Mark Anthony Dyson, Author at The Voice of Job Seekers

8 Ways to Foster Effective Job Interview Conversations

8 Ways to Foster Effective Job Interview Conversations by Mark Anthony Dyson

The best jobs or contracts I’ve had came from conversations initially called a job interview. My theory is most of us dread the interrogative approach. Well, actually, all of us hate interrogations. I wish more employers made an effort to stop the madness.

Some job candidates don’t have a chance to get off the interrogation freight train, a train that has no regard for stop lights, cars, bikes, or humans. It’s a process with fury the size of a category-five tropical storm. In this Psychology Today article, job candidates often expect one of two scenarios: either having a “casual” conversation or being interrogated.

Oh yeah, you know this takes practice, right?

You, as the candidate, can turn the interview into a conversation. But like anything else, it requires preparation and strategy.

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The combination can invite a relaxed and balanced approach to solutions and contributions to the employer’s challenges attractive enough to bring conversation and intrigue from the employer using these suggestions:

1. Show you’ve done the research

If you don’t research the company you are prospectively seeking, you will never know what they need. Talk to several employees (even a recent former employee is helpful) and polish your message according to their needs at the time. Based on what you know, can you anticipate a need? If so, you can speak to solutions your job competition couldn’t.

Listen to: The Yin and Yang of Convincing Job Interviews with Thea Kelley

2. Give your hearers something to hold onto

What two or three problems do they repeat or what recurring problematic themes can you solve? Find ways to bring them up throughout the conversation through stories and examples. The CAR method (Challenge-Action-Results) helps you craft useful examples. Proper research and storytelling that demonstrate experience and skill place them (employer, interviewer, people you meet) on your career journey, and they likely will remember you.

3. Include resolution of business conflicts within your examples

People grow aware of how you will treat them through your scenarios involving other people. They’ll note how you made others feel and relate it to themselves. They’ll remember the tone and the volume, and your eagerness to take responsibility for the problems you resolved.

Read: The Audacious Follow Up Call After Your Interview

4. Reflect and be sure you answered all interview questions completely

You are juggling your precise answers and the employer’s information, and it’s possible you have unsatisfactorily answered a question(s). There is nothing wrong with stating you would like to go back and answer an earlier question.

Confusion and ambiguity never work in your favor. Don’t risk being misunderstood by the interviewer.

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5. Follow up appropriately

Letters and notes as follow-up are great ways to follow up, but find out what kind of communication is preferred. The question is not should you, but how and when is best. Establish the expectations before leaving the meeting for clarity.

6. Hear what they say, and what they won’t say

Interviews are draining. You want to state your potential contributions while attempting to understand expectations. Your work isn’t done when the conversation is over. Reflect on what wasn’t said (i.e., Why did the interviewer ask how many hours do I work a week at my current job?) and what was said. Depending on where you are in the process, you will need to follow up at the next interview or follow up with a call or email.

Read: Time for the Job Interview! Are Your Quirks Ready?

7. Use your excitement to drive the energy to synergy

A good interview is a good date. The excitement of one person infuses the energy of the other person. If you’re not the one generating the enthusiasm, why would the other person continue? The interest you bring is just as significant as your skills. Candidates do not impress employers with talent alone.

8. Let your personality come through

Your uniqueness offers value in profound ways. One of the unwritten tests of an interview is your primary response to stress (you know interviews are stressful, right?). If your personality shines during a panel or one-on-one interview, it’s likely to leave a positive impression. Although showing your character doesn’t mean a stand-up comedy routine, a little self-deprecating humor can help your likability factor.

A consultant mindset establishes an invaluable relationship with employers, but it comes through the business conversation. You won’t foster a business conversation if you don’t have clarity of your vision of a position delivering what employers want. Confusion can muddy the compensation discussion and create more of a wall than a bridge. Decision makers base their decision on skills and abilities and will hire the candidate who resonates with them the most.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

5 Ways to Avoid the Stormy Winters of Underemployment

Underemployment is an epidemic in America, even in 2023. For many workers today, it feels like a punishment to receive such low pay after all the money and time poured into their educations. I don’t even think “underemployment” was a word in nineteen-eighty-whenever-that-was. Now, you’re handed an umbrella too small to cover your body from the snowstorm. It’s useless.

I had my period of underemployment, and though it was partially my fault, no one told me how much damage it would do to my self-esteem. I used to tell my friends I wasn’t working instead of telling the truth. It was easier. But I was so young then and didn’t know better.

One PayScale survey showed 46 percent of respondents believed they were underemployed. Of those respondents, 76 percent said they felt underemployed because they were not using their education or training. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not measure underemployment because of “the difficulty of developing an objective set of criteria,” it is safe to say that underemployment is a severe social challenge harming our economy.

With all of the sexy talk of having two jobs either for survival or to pay the mortgage off, not everyone positioned themselves the way they hoped. For many, it’s not their fault.

Read Three Signs Underemployment Has Stole Your Soul

If you see the dark clouds of underemployment gathering around you, it’s time to find shelter.

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Underemployment doesn’t have to last – especially if you’re open to change:

1. Come Out From the Rain of Complacency

When it rains, most think, “sleep, television, or Netflix and chill.” When you’re underemployed, it’s like rain on your career – and under the covers, you go. Going to work merely to exist without looking ahead toward thriving paves the way to becoming underemployed.

So-called “professional development” is often too comfortable. People are happy with the training but never face the application afterward. People who thrive in their careers step outside their comfort zones to develop skills and find new jobs.

2. Find Shelter From the Storms of Personal Difficulties

Personal tragedies and difficulties can obscure your focus. The strongest among us can buckle under the pressure of work, depression, or losing a loved one. Even coping with people who get undeserved promotions ahead of us can be difficult.

We can all be resilient – even when faced with emotional challenges that seem larger than they are. Friends are there if you let them be. I let them in, and it motivated me to reach higher. You may have to allow friends to help where they can.

3. Install Snow Tires to Plow Through the Blizzards of Rejection

The sting of rejection is the start of healing and progress. Too many build narratives around our emotions instead of gaining perspective on what they mean. Rejection can cloud your vision, but you don’t have to feel hopeless for long. Knowing why you’re getting rejected is the beginning of a new career perspective.

I felt a double whammy when I was underemployed because it happened the same summer my girl broke off our relationship. The rejection became my incentive, and the sting eventually subsided.
It helps to feel useful immediately after being rejected. If you lack skills, volunteer work can help you develop those skills. Five to ten hours a week of honing a craft can help you achieve great things. Joining volunteer boards is a significant plus in gaining expertise and adding credibility to your brand. Blogging is still a compelling and relevant way to add credibility to your brand while finding the right opportunity.

Listen to Underemployment Trends: Your MBA or JD alone is not Enough

4. Career Development Can Ward Off Dark Clouds on the Horizon

If you wait too long, you will lose steam and find yourself behind on your journey. Training is like dog years: People who leverage new learning opportunities can do what takes seven years in one year for those who ignore development.

Part of critical thinking is anticipating what could go right or wrong. It’s a learning process, but once you can see the storms coming, you can reconfigure your actions.

You can’t close your eyes and hope for the best. It takes a little more critical thinking in today’s job market

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5. Prepare for Cloudy Days

Relying solely on job boards can be discouraging and counterproductive. You can be proud of repeatedly clicking the “submit” button, but the wait is terrible. Even job leads from your network aren’t always the most reliable. The uncertainty of trying to advance in your career can be unbearable.

You don’t need to only prepare professionally for the job search. You also need to prepare mentally for the periods when your career seems to be slumping.

Sometimes, nothing will happen. It may feel like your actions are futile. There are little things you can do to make a difference. Can you add more career highlights to your LinkedIn profile? Are there career books you can read? Can you serve a family member or spouse? Is there someone you can help with a lead, referral, or recommendation?

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For some people, underemployment is something they do to themselves. If they’re satisfied with that, it’s okay. Just as some people love walking in the rain, others would prefer to accept positions that give them peace of mind, no work to take home, and, perhaps, the chance to do something they enjoy.

But not everyone does. If you’re one of those people, start taking these five steps today to avoid the dark storm of underemployment.

This article was originally published on Recruiter.com!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Normalizing Job-hopping: What Works and What’s a Work in Progress

Reflecting on Job-hopping Do’s And Don’ts by Mark Anthony Dyson

This year, Millennials and Gen Z professionals in the tech industry found soft landing spots by using “job-hopping” to advance their careers and get salary bumps. Most job hoppers can get 10% bumps or better by taking lateral jobs without negotiating. The others are dealing and getting promotions, landing in more prominent companies, and showing value resulting in more significant increases.

Here are some do’s:

Successful professionals remain proactive by staying engaged in their job search and keeping a stream of opportunities available often.
They are networking consistently through their connections on LinkedIn, industry organizations, and coworkers (past and present).
They create career assurance by taking their new career development learnings and finding places to use it for additional experience as the next step.
Job-hoppers are creating endless opportunities and not settling for bosses showing little interest in their development. Some are finding mentors and advocates elsewhere.
They are taking feedback from bosses, trainers, and mentors and investing in themselves aggressively.
They’re creating options by controlling career and lifestyle choices and how they work as motivation to drive constant change.

Some job-hoppers miscalculated their moves, and few returned to their old companies, and others used the experience to find better-fitting employers.

Here are some don’ts or lessons learned:

Some got caught up in “The Great Resignation” movement initially. Job-hopping continues as a part of it, but it’s here to stay. Those who were more patient, not pressured by the moves of their peers, landed with both feet.
They job-hopped blindly without knowing anything about their new company and manager. Some of it was due to badly posted job descriptions being misleading and misrepresented advertised positions. Others were not good choices where the job-hopper just wanted to escape their bad boss rather than deploying patience.
Some job-hoppers misrepresent their experience and skills and land in unwanted places.
Others were regrettably unsuccessful in creating momentum with their move. They didn’t strategize by researching the company resulting in a wrong move. You can successfully go through an interview process blindly and ignore red flags.