Job Interview Archives - Page 2 of 5 - The Voice of Job Seekers

Job Interview Just As Ella Fitzgerald Improvised

Job Interview Just As Ella Fitzgerald Improvise by Mark Anthony Dyson

We, the performer, speaker, actor, or emcee inhibits our performances by our errors. Job seekers can learn from this because many are afraid of making an error. We want a do over. We can correct resume mistakes, and change our answers to job interview questions if it inadequately serves us. If you have ever performed on stage, you are told while learning this craft that if you make a mistake, keep going. Your audience is often unsuspecting and likely forgiving of any mistake.

Allow me to digress a moment.

In the last few years, I’ve listened to a lot of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Traffic, Blind Faith, Cream, Cannonball Adderley, and Miles Davis lately. I don’t know what it is about these artists (not to mention James Brown) but I tell you, all of these artists are resilient in their own right. We can learn from all of them about getting up from failure or even yet, turn “…plow shares into a swords.” All of them were heavy improvisors.

Ella Fitzgerald did this once, and turned a mental gaffe into gold.

Ella Fitzgerald is called the “queen of jazz vocals.” In a recorded concert in 1960, she was to sing “Mack the Knife,” a pop and jazz standard that everyone in the audience knew. Listen carefully to the recording. You can hear her voice her doubts about knowing the complete song. A job interview is a performance, and the interview success is a result of a great performance. A savvy job candidate is well aware of this.

One job interview is as stressful as a concert performance.

Click To Tweet

No matter the diligence of preparation, there are moments that can result in making mistakes. Mistakes do not have to be costly. Any error can be corrected in a way that is unnoticeable. Ella’s performance clearly suggests the same effort will help you deliver expectations the audience desires.

Ella Fitzgerald is called the “queen of jazz vocals”. In a recorded concert in 1960, she was to sing “Mack the Knife,” a pop and jazz standard that everyone in the audience knew. Listen carefully to the recording. You can hear her voice her doubts about knowing the complete song. A job interview is a performance, and the interview success is a result of a great performance. A savvy job candidate is well aware of this.

One job interview is as stressful as a concert performance. No matter the diligence of preparation, there are moments that can result in making mistakes. Mistakes do not have to be costly. Any error can be corrected in a way that is unnoticeable. Ella’s performance clearly suggests the same effort will help you deliver expectations the audience desires.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

Ella attempted to learn the lyrics on the way to the concert on a flight from Stockholm to Berlin. There wasn’t time for a lot of preparation. As stated before, she voiced doubts that she was not confident about the lyrics. We know the downside of the lack of preparation for a job interview, but even the job candidate who is well prepared can forget details or be thrown off by an unexpected question or response. Keep in mind that most interviewers are looking for a misstep, and are looking for disqualifying behavior. It is better to prepare thoroughly than half-heartedly, which you can apply to your job search as a whole.

Practice, practice, practice

Ella did not practice “Mack the knife” much. Perhaps she was over confident in her natural abilities, although you would have thought that the song needed sufficient because:

1) Everyone in the audience knew every word of the song

2) It’s a lengthy song

Most people do not practice the question and answer portion of the job interview when that is the part needed the most. Even those employed should interview a couple of times a year to remain job search ready. What to ensure interview success? Be intentional about practice and receiving quality feedback.

Practicing will help you prepare for the unexpected question. This will challenge you to rely on the preparation efforts, and may exploit weaknesses, if any by not preparing enough.

Make a mistake? Keep going!

It was apparent by the sixth verse of “Mack the Knife” that Ella forgot the words. If you listen to the recording, she not only continues, but also she was just as enthusiastic in delivering the performance as ever. When you are at a job interview, and you make an error, it is not the end of the interview. In fact, you can circle around later and ask to clarify your answer by stating, “I would like to clarify an earlier answer to a question you asked earlier.”

Your talent matters, but performance matters more

By the middle of the song, it was clear Ella completely forgot the words, yet the performance was stellar. Practice has another positive element if done regularly. You learn different ways to express your best attributes and answers. Yes, interviewers care about the right answer, but await to hear a unique perspective. That is your voice, like Ella’s improvisation, never heard before as a memorable performance. Your voice is a powerful one when you ask for any opportunity. The quality is not based on how loud and clear, but how direct and clear. The job interview is the best place to showcase your

voice, the integral part of your brand.

Ella, Ella, Ella ended strong

Let’s say Ella felt humiliated by forgetting the words to the most popular song in the world at that time. People still cheered, the critics still raved, and Ella won a Grammy for best vocal performance. People will forget how you began when you finish confidently. Thank you notes for any meeting (hand-written and email) are strong finishers in any meeting bringing you closer to employment such as one-on-one

networking meetings with someone you met online, or someone who went out of his or her way to meet a need as a result of an event, or a panel of interviewers (or an HR person screening you).

Your job search must include a strong job interview strategy to ensure interview success. Practice will challenge you to research and develop a keen awareness of your strengths. Once you do that then interviewing will come naturally and frequently. It is difficult to prepare for that one unexpected question or line of questioning.

If you are unsure, then hope you can tap into your inner Ella, and improvise like she did.

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

The Slightly Uncomfortable But Necessary Times and Techniques to Following-Up

The Slightly Uncomfortable But Necessary Times and Techniques to Following-Up by Mark Anthony Dyson

Follow-up is a staple of business and careers. It’s uncomfortable, yet necessary. Your career might be light years behind because you are afraid of being rejected or pigeonholed. We are going to dissect some awkward situations where follow-up is critical. I hope to remove some of the fear of following up and moving past any mistakes. You can feel fearful and deploy courage. Courage will win once you experience the benefits.

We live in an age where constant business moves and decisions exist. You’re not an employee anymore who settles into a job for years to come. You are a business of one. As soon as you accept this reality, you will seek clarity about your career more urgently.

I’ve been saying for more than two years now, “job search is a lifestyle.” But when I said it, it wasn’t new. “Everyone is a business of one“ is not new, either. More acceptance of it is new. You can bet people make perpetual moves because they’re uncomfortable with uncertainty. A close friend of mine is one of those over-employed people. He says 70% of time during his recent job searches is spent making follow-up calls.

Here’s what makes follow-up tough and time-consuming:

Calling back to follow up after an interview or conversation for opportunities is humbling. They promise to call you after a date, and the hiring manager or HR didn’t contact you. Yet, you’ll need to follow up a couple of times to no avail. You don’t want to be a pest, yet how many times is too many is subjective.
There are times the follow-up can be a dud. Not everyone will welcome a follow-up but will appreciate your effort. All of it may amount to nothing. You must be OK with it because you can move on. It’s only disappointing if there are no other potential opportunities.
HR professionals and hiring managers are not always thrilled to call you back. It’s one more call of a hundred they need to make, and even though you performed well during your meeting, you may not stand out to them yet.
Decision-makers say they like persistence if someone calls a few times to get through with an email or phone, yet they don’t always reward those who are tenacious. You must be resilient because the “not-rejected-not-hired” tone is painful.

Follow-up is about business.

In business, it takes several contact points to collaborate with another entrepreneur. In most employer/employee situations, the same idea applies. People go into business with whom they know, like, and trust. When hired, the employer trusts their investment in you will bear fruit in an employment situation. In today’s job search, you are separate from the company.

You are the business. Start treating yourself and your career that way.

Employment is a paid collaboration between you and the company that always looks to add talented professionals to their team. People who apply and interview are a dime a dozen. Those who stand out are the contenders. That’s the end game with follow-up.

Success: Doing what’s uncomfortable

Between me overexplaining and you overthinking it, following up is necessary, especially when it comes to having the conversation rather than just getting a yes or no.

Every interaction is intel for you, including what is said and what isn’t. Most people are uncomfortable with the unknown, but uncovering the unknown is the task.

Follow up on good conversations.

Networking takes work to meet people, but the magic is in conversations that initially are unrelated to what you need at the moment. The best conversations I’ve ever had were where no one asked for anything. Chemistry is a legitimate reason to follow up after a great discussion 24-48 hours afterward in thanking someone for their time. When you don’t take these for granted, the return will multiply over time.

Getting constructive direction

For coffee or an informational interview, helpful people will throw a nugget for you to follow. It could be a job lead, someone to call, an event to attend, a course to take, or someone’s LinkedIn profile of someone who shares great content. Some people will say, “let me know what you think,” and more often than not, the other person misses a follow-up opportunity. I call this “constructive direction.” Understand the person wants to know if you’ll follow up. They are interested in your success and may give you more help.

One step further in this is to ask, “Can I follow up with you and let you know what I found?” Or, “how did this interaction go?” People will be more helpful than you think, and sometimes a gentle prompt of curiosity on your part can provide more intel for your job search.

Job offers

While this response is the most critical, you still must be strategic in what you’ll say. The basic tenets of responding to a job offer are communicating the time you want to look over the offer, and think thoroughly about the compensation package. The first thing your response should include is to express gratitude for the opportunity.

Graceful in rejection

In my days as a manager, it was rare that I received thank–you letters. Once, I received a thank–you letter from a woman who said, “Whether hired or not, I thought you were thoughtful and respectful of my achievements. Our interaction was rare as most interviews are so impersonal and trite.” I hired her, and she became a rockstar team member.

When you need to provide a more precise answer

Interviews are nerve-wracking and sometimes very stressful. Not everyone is calm under pressure, nor can they offer adequate answers to questions. It’s OK to follow up with the interviewer during or after the interview to clarify an answer. If you’re writing a thank–you note or email, you can take the time to clarify a specific question if you felt your original answer was vague or unclear. You can also call the interviewer to offer a different answer if you think it would impact the outcome.

Epilogue

Every stage of the job search process requires follow-up. As you prepare for a successful job interview, you must put the same energy into the post-interview follow-up. People are busy with many priorities and people who depend on them. Go beyond discomfort and fear. Top candidates who regularly make it to the final stages of the hiring process understand more what happens outside of the interview than during the interview.

Overall, follow-up is the key to successful networking. Treat each interaction and relationship you build as if it will grow and not be final. The opportunities to give are immense compared to what you’ll get in a second chance.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

9 Career Experts Weigh-In On Follow-Up Mistakes Job Seekers Make

9 Career Experts Weigh-In On Follow-Up Mistakes Job Seekers Make by Mark Anthony Dyson

Follow-up is one of the vital parts of your job search you control. It is the life support of all of your efforts. During unpredictable job market activity, you’ll need to drive results. My focus on a follow-up series is motivated by the opportunities I hear job seekers miss when a follow-up call or email would impress an employer or tell them they hired someone else, along with many other reasons.

The first article in the series focuses on follow-up after the interview, and it’s essential to be thoughtful and strategic. Your approach matters; remember, no action dismantles the hard work you spent years building. People fear rejection and don’t want to be told no. I mention many other reasons and scenarios other than interview follow-up is essential.

The second article offers ten mistakes job seekers must avoid for successful follow-up. While getting hired is the ultimate goal, there are many pieces along the way that helps you traction. While the worst mistake is no follow-up, the lack of thoughtfulness will thwart your efforts.

I recently shared some thoughts on LinkedIn and asked if I missed any common mistakes. Below are responses I received from career experts, and I thought they were so good that I wanted to share them here. I also link to the person’s LinkedIn account so you can follow them, their content, and other helpful information they provide job seekers:

Here is quality advice on why and how you should follow up during the job interview process:

Jim Black, Certified Career and Life Coach

“I tell people to show real enthusiasm before, during, and after the interview. It gets you far! So if you like the job, show that you are enthusiastic about it, verbally and in writing. If you aren’t enthusiastic, don’t go for the job.”

Dr. Scott Dell, Career Educator, LinkedIn Advocate

“Two other questions that I suggest candidates asking DURING the interview (besides the intelligent ones you are asked if you have any further questions). The first is obvious, but the second is more controversial. One, is what are the timeframe for the decision making process, next steps and when would be a good time to follow up – and then make sure to follow up! The second is about the competition, as in “If I may ask, how many other candidates are in the pipeline” and “what are the strongest things you think I bring to the table (and watch for what is NOT said.” This will bring up some of the strengths to emphasize and reinforce with your next communication to help them remember you.”

Norma Davila, Resume Writing & Career Management Expert

“Another follow-up mistake which may be even worse than no follow-up at all: coming across as desperate for the position by sending too many emails or making too many calls and not giving hiring managers or recruiters time to respond.”

Bill Holland, Ph.D., Principal Founder, College to Career Catalyst, LLC, and Author

“One reason why employers have short memories has to do with the relativeness of what is important to them versus what is important to you. Your job search and candidacy are likely among the highest of your priorities. Your priorities and that of the employer as closer together if, and only if, you happen to be their top candidate or among the top few.”

If you are a top candidate, the value of follow up is easier to understand. If you are not, follow up feels more like busy work. When you allow that feeling to dictate how you respond it leads you to at least one of the nine mistakes listed above. Do not let that happen to you. Toward the end of the interview tell them you would like to follow up but do not want to be a pest. Ask, ” when should I follow up?”

Virginia Franco, Executive Storyteller, Certified Resume + LinkedIn Writer

“There’s literally no downside to writing a thank you note, especially one that expresses genuine interest.”

Jim Peacock, CCSP, GCDF

“One of the top skills employers are looking for is communication skills. Why not start demonstrating your skills right after the interview?”

Loren Grieff, Career Coach, Founder of Portfolio Rocket Careers

“…for goodness sakes, please create a Non-Generic subject line!!”

Meg Applegate, Award-Winning Resume Writer & Certified Personal Branding Strategist

“A generic follow-up is a mistake. Be specific. Reference something from your conversation and better yet, add even more value around that topic.”

Farnoosh Brock, Empowering STEM Professionals & Students with Essential Leadership Skills

It is simple and easy when you know enough to know if you’re enthusiastic about the job, and yet, I find many just don’t know so much about (1) what they want (2) what excites them (3) what drains them (4) what criteria matters to their job success (5) what their core values are and how the environment fits/misfits it and so on.”