Step Up to the Salary Negotiation
Don’t Leave Money on the Table
“Don’t leave money on the table,” is the advice of negotiators, and applies whether you're investing, navigating a business deal, applying for financial aid, making an offer on a house, wrangling over the sticker price on a new or used car, haggling with a market vendor, bartering over your allowance or negotiating your starting salary, benefits, perks and other fine points of your newly-minted job offer.
The Post-Interview Follow Up
“If you hesitate,
some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.
~ P.T. Barnum
Your interview is over. It’s time to walk the fine line of finesse and assertiveness. You should continue to express interest in the position, while avoiding the appearance of being a pest. Always be positive and appreciative, never arrogant or negative.
Therefore, before you leave the interview and send your written thank you(s), ask for the expected timeframe to make the hiring decision. This information will help you to plan your follow-up strategy.
The Luncheon Interview
“The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork.”
~Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde's quotation is a metaphor for the choices he made. Its meaning for you is although you've made it this far, all can be forfeited if you fail the final test that many employers require: a demonstration of your table manners. Many positions require attendance at meetings and events that involve dining; exhibiting top-notch table manners proves that you can be trusted to represent the company well. In a close race, the smallest details can reveal the victor.
The Post-Interview Written Thank-You
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
~ James Allen
You’ve reached the end of your interview, or in some cases several interview sessions. Do you feel as though you’ve nailed it and the prize is yours? Or aren't you sure? In any case, now is not the time to drop the ball! You need to implement your follow-up strategy, starting with your written thank-you.
The Panel Interview
Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor.
~ H. Jackson Brown, Author, Life's Little Instruction Book
Panel interviews have become popular with many companies because it involves various stakeholders in the hiring process for a particular position and often cuts down on or eliminates the need for successive interviews. The panel interview can save time and money for everyone involved, including the candidate.
Building Rapport with Your Interviewer
You want to work with people who you like
and have an easy rapport with.
~ Mike White, Writer, Actor, Producer
Building rapport with your interviewer is crucial to a successful outcome. You’ll recall that this is one of the 12 Hot Tips for Making A Show Stopper of a First Impression that I mentioned in a previous entry.
The truth is people prefer to work with those they like and with whom they get along, identify and have something in common. With this principle in mind, the following dozen techniques, and some reminders, can help you to build rapport with your interviewer:
Those Sticky, Tricky Interview Questions
Why Should We Hire You?
This question has stymied many candidates. And it's not the only one. Recently, I had a conversation with career counselor Lyn Nelson, who enlightened me with her insight on the hot topic of interview questions. Today's post combines Lyn's insight with my experiences on both sides of the interview desk.
12 Hot Tips for Making A Show Stopper of a First Impression
Be Nice to the Receptionist (see Tip 6) and 11 Other Hot Tips
As we continue our Job Search Series after a break for National Etiquette Week and a guest post last week by fellow business etiquette authority John Daly, today’s focus is on providing a show-stopper first impression at the company to which you are interviewing. Here are a dozen tips and reminders to help you dazzle your interviewer, and progress to the second interview -- or to the job:
By John Daly of The Key Class – Reprinted with permission of the
author and Noozhawk. View the original article on noozhawk.com
Several weeks ago, I watched a 60 Minutes segment entitled “Years Up.” It focused on an organization helping youth to get internships. It is very much on target with The Key Class. What struck me in this piece was this group’s emphasis on “hiring for skills and firing for behavior.”
A week or so later, I read with interest a guest blog for Extraordinary Events, written by my long-time friend, Bonnie Siegel, the founder and CEO of ASE Group, an event production firm based in Overland Park, Kan. In it, Siegel takes a slightly different approach to hiring the best and the brightest.
What Men Should Wear
“Vestis virum facit.” ~ Erasmus (c. 1466-1536)
“What a strange power there is in clothing.”
~ Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991)
Jeanne Nelson 