“The Network!” Newsletter Issue # 220

Mother’s Day Gift Idea

As the saying goes it’s better to give than to receive and I can vouch for that! A few years ago for Mother’s Day my wife and I bought my Mom a brand new car! The look on Mom’s face was captured in a youtube video that has been viewed over 21,000 times. For me the saying is true it was the best gift I ever gave and the memory gives back to me every Mother’s Day.

To view the video click here:

Today’s Jobseeker

I’m going to dedicate another issue of this newsletter to today’s jobseeker. If you already have a job, take a moment to think about someone you know who might benefit from this newsletter and forward it. There might be several names and faces that come to mind given the 13,161,000 people unemployed in America today. Since the recession began the total jobs lost now exceeds 5.5 million or 3.7% of all jobs. Don’t worry unlike most of the media The Network! is not negative and I am a devout optimist but those are the facts. The good news is all recessions have one thing in common, they end! Good news on the economy is finally coming out and according to Business Week 3 million jobs are open today but unfilled because they can’t find the right people. Or, maybe the people can’t find the jobs. In either case it’s very tough going for job seekers right now. Many feel so beat up they are ready to give up. So I hope this email will help a few.


We can help! Call Joseph Michaels at (800) 786-1099!

“Joseph Michaels has conducted two retained searches for me at two different companies… two of the very best people I have ever hired! I would highly recommend Joseph Michaels International” JMI Client – January, 2009

Tips for Job Seekers

The largest job seeker group in the Bay Area is Job Connections. They meet every Saturday morning in Danville, California. The maximum cost is a dollar and that’s if you donate for your cup of coffee, which is optional. I highly recommend this group. These job seeker groups can provide important fellowship, understanding, knowledge, leads, information and contacts, and valuable feedback.

Job seeking is a lonely road. So, wherever you are, find a job seeker support group, like Job Connections and plug in. By the way this local group has a yearly leadership summit that both unemployed and employed alike may attend. Last year’s event which I was honored to be a speaker at – drew over 600 attendees. This year leadership event is on May 30th details at the Job Connections website.

Guess what prompted this article? I was catching a flight and grabbed the nearest newspaper I could find – the USA Today. I know, I know, you don’t expect advanced reading in the USA Today in fact I love the joke about the guy who was so dim he needed a dictionary to read it! Still, I couldn’t believe what I read. It was a poll asking this question:

“When is it appropriate for job candidates to ask about compensation and benefits during the hiring process?”

Here were the answers:

  • 30 percent said at the first interview.
  • 26 percent said after the second interview.
  • 17 percent said on the phone interview it was okay to discuss salary.
  • 12 percent said at the job offer.
  • 10 percent said at, or after, the third interview
  • 5 percent said they don’t know

Let me clarify. Only 12 percent got it right. You can talk about salary only AFTER the employer brings it up!

I guess the reason so many people do silly things on interview is because they don’t have much practice interviewing. These are 50 of the most commonly asked interviewing questions so you can practice. Have a friend, or mentor, quiz you until you have a great answer for 75% of them. This will build your confidence a huge part of winning in an interview. The other thing that will get you in the right frame of mind is arriving real early, sitting in your car and thinking back on the best interview of your career.

The 50 most commonly asked interviewing questions.

Below are some of the most commonly asked interviewing questions Practice answering these with a friend, spouse, mentor or family member. Have your “Interviewer” ask again until you like your answers. Writing your answers down will help you more and generate better and better answers.

Tell me about yourself.
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why did you leave your last job?
What are your accomplishments?
Why do you want this job?
Why do you want to leave your current job?
Why do you want to come to work here?
What are your personal and professional goals?
What do you like most about your current job?
What do you like least about your current job?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Tell me about your favorite boss and what you like about him or her?
How would you describe yourself?
What was the most difficult situation you have faced? How did you react?
How would a close friend describe you?
What are your accomplishments?
Give an example of a time when you took the initiative to work.
Think of a crisis situation where things got out of control. Why did it happen and what was your role? Have you ever failed?
If you had your life to live over again, what would you do differently?
What are your goals?
Why did you select your college or university?
What college subjects did you enjoy the most and why?
What college subjects did you enjoy the least and why?
What are your hobbies?
How did you like school?
Did you hold any positions of leadership in any organizations?
If you had the chance to repeat your career, what would you do differently?
What past jobs have you held?
What job did you enjoy the most?
Why should I hire you?
If you could meet anyone in history, living or dead, who would you meet and why?
What words best describe you?
What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?
What do you know about our company?
Describe your ideal boss.
Give an example of when you have gone the extra mile.
Describe your management style?
Are you willing to relocate?
How do you feel about working overtime?
Have you ever been fired?
Why should we choose you over any other candidate?
What’s the most important thing you want me to remember about you, based on this interview?

In addition to practicing answering the above Interviewing Questions you should have 20 written questions for YOU to ask on each interview. You may not ask them all but just having them with you will boost your chances.

Remember MOPFI, taught by Dale Carnegie? It stands for: Make Other People Feel Important. Here’s a great interview question using MOPFI. See how many more you can think of and write them down! “You seem like the kind of person who could work anywhere you want. Why did you choose to work for this company?”

I know you already know not to ask these, but just to be safe, DO NOT ASK:

What are your benefits?
What’s the salary?

Let them ask you.

While job seeking you want to turn emails into phone calls and phone calls into face to face interviews. A lot of people spend too much time on the internet. If you want to get a job you need to get on the phone. And get out there in your interviewing suit. Even if you think the opportunity is not quite right for you. When they see you they might just fall in love and have another job that’s perfect job for you so, when in doubt, take the interview you can always say no if the offer doesn’t turn out to be what you want, plus it will be good practice. Better to have 5 interviews and 2 offers than one interview and one offer right?

Thank You

Send a thank you letter after every interview. When you get a job be a class act, and send an announcement to EVERYONE you talked to during your entire jobsearch. Thank them for their assistance during your search and inform them of where you are going to work. Note: 18 out of 20 people skip this last step so it’s an easy way to show the world you are a class act and be in the top 10 percent.

Warm Regards,
Joe Pelayo

Joe Pelayo, C.P.C.
Joseph Michaels International
Global Recruiting Solutions
(800) 786-1099
Email: jpelayo@josephmichaels.com
Website: http://josephmichaels.wpengine.com
One of the top 75 Recruiters in the United States ~ Recruiter Life Magazine

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