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Your First Interview

When you’re interviewing for a job, a company may want to meet with you from two times to ten times before they make their final decision. The entire process is time consuming. But, through all of these interviews, it could be argued that one of the most important conversations happens in the very first interview.

At the time, the first interview may not seem too significant. It’s typically conducted by a recruiter who works for the company. The conversation may feel like a checklist. The recruiter will ask straight forward questions, such as why you’re interested in the job and when you’re available to start working.

Then, the recruiter may ask you how much money you currently make, or how much money you’d like to make. The question can sound reasonable. Unfortunately, answering this question may hurt you.

For salaried roles, companies typically have broad salary ranges. This allows the company to pay more or less based on factors such as experience. It also allows the company to pay less if they know the candidate currently makes less. In other words, if your current salary is low and you share it, the company is not incentivized to pay competitively. This can happen even if your market rate is higher.

At the other extreme, if you are highly paid today, you may eliminate yourself from the consideration set before the company gets to know you. In some cases, a company cannot increase the pay beyond their existing budget. But, in others they can. The only way to find out is to make it all the way through the process.

Rather than disclose your current pay, ask the recruiter if they are willing to share the pay range for the role. In most cases, this request is no problem. When it happens, you can simply share that you are (or are not) in the same general ballpark.

In the meantime, research what the company pays on your own. Look on websites such as Glassdoor.com, where you can look up pay by title and company. Glassdoor shares base pay and bonus pay information for the positions it reports on.

If you approach salary negotiation this way, you reduce the chances that you’ll be underpaid in the future.

Most companies are also beginning to realize that this technique of asking for salary is not entirely fair. Over the past ten years, the laws around salary disclosure have evolved. These changes, such as requiring the company to disclose the salary in certain states, are in place to help make the workplace fair.

There is one exception to this advice. If you find yourself working with an external placement firm, this approach likely won’t work. Unfortunately, they very often have a rule that you must disclose your salary before you meet the company.

Do your homework. Find out your worth. Practice your answers to salary questions, so you’ll be ready for your first interview.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Grieve, and Keep Going

Receiving a rejection after a job interview can be devastating. Whether you had three interviews or ten, you were all in. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have snuck away from your existing job to interview. The process of interviewing for a job is a lot like dating. The longer it goes on, the more you can picture your new future. You begin to layout plans in your mind.

It’s not hard to do this. In fact, it’s natural. In the first interview, you’re expected to share how soon you are able to start working. And, through the process you are often ask to lay out your ninety day plan. You’re asked to design the strategy you might later implement. In order to perform well in a job interview, you must picture yourself in the new role.

Unfortunately, this comes at a high personal cost to many job seekers. Job interviews with one company can often span over multiple months. I’ve personally observed interviews as long as six months. You jump over hoop after hoop. You connect with your new team. The problem is that many companies take more than one candidate through this grueling process. It is not unusual to have at least two, if not three, finalists.

It’s also not uncommon for the company to tell you that you’re definitely getting the job. They do this because they feel optimistic in the moment. They do it to keep you engaged in their months-long interview process.

If the company hires someone, all other candidates are rejected. But, sometimes the company chooses not to hire anyone at all. To be honest, many companies look at interviewing candidates like you might try on shoes at a store. If they aren’t a perfect match, they put them back and go about their day. Rarely does a company truly understand the impact to the individual job seeker.

But, this doesn’t make it hurt any less. It often makes the job seeker question their identity. You may find yourself wondering if you took a wrong turn somewhere. You will very likely grieve the loss of the future you would have had. You feel the pain of being stuck in your current situation.

Know that these are normal emotions. If you weren’t all in on a company, you wouldn’t land the job interviews. And, it’s a real loss. But, it doesn’t make you any less of a professional. It doesn’t mean you should change your career path. If you made it to the final round, realize that you did a great job. And, if the company gives you an excuse about why you weren’t selected, remember that it’s an excuse. It may or may not be accurate.

Whatever you do, keep going. Keep applying. Keep interviewing. Grieve, but keep moving forward. And, don’t give up on your dreams. One company having a disorganized, insensitive interview process is not a reflection on your own career potential.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Interview Misconceptions

One of the biggest misconceptions that we have about job interviews is that they’re fair. Going through an interview feels a little like taking a test at school. And, we’re taught to believe that enough preparation could help you to overcome any obstacles. Being great at answering questions will help you put any objections to rest. I wish this were completely true, but there’s more to the story.

Job interviews are like anything else in life. Sometimes they’re fair. But often, you can’t see the entire picture. Unfortunately, when you believe you’re taking part in a fair process, you may put forth all of your energy in order to ace one interview. When the interview doesn’t work out, we take it personally. We believe there must have been something we could have done differently. We assume it was our fault that we didn’t get the job.

Sure, it’s possible to mess up a job interview. It’s possible to completely be rejected with the wrong attitude. But, you can also do everything right and not land the job. On the other extreme, you can land a job for virtually no real reason. I once knew someone who landed a technical computer job because they were a great golfer. It’s hard to compete when you didn’t know golf was a requirement.

So, where does that leave you? Does it mean that you should just give up? No, it doesn’t. But, it does mean that you have to try to separate yourself emotionally from the process. It’s hard to do. I struggle with this myself. But so very often, there are things going on outside of your control that have nothing to do with you or your talent – and they often have little to do with your interview performance.

So, first, separate yourself emotionally as much as you can. Realize that job searching is a numbers game and consider changing your approach. Rather than applying online, look for creative ways to contact the hiring manager. When you land a job interview, you should do your best to prepare. You should know your elevator pitch, why you believe you are a fit for the role, and basic information about the company. If the interviewer likes you, this should be enough preparation to get you past the first screening.

For the sake of your mental health (and being able to sustain multiple first round interviews interviews), you should avoid pouring your entire being into preparing for a few round interview. I know that this is somewhat counterintuitive. But, the more time you spend focused on one interview, the more devastated you will be if you don’t get the job. And let’s face it, you often have to get a number of rejections before you’ll get to a yes.

Realize that the process is broken; not your resume. Keep pushing ahead. After all, winning at job search is in fact a numbers game.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Scary interviews aren’t just for dreams

Happy Halloween! In celebration, I want to share one of my frightening job interview stories.

Years ago, I interviewed for a job in Pittsburgh. I flew in late at night, with the interview scheduled first thing the next morning. As I unpacked, I realized I had forgotten the pants to my suit. My mind was racing as I went through the options of what to do.

Could I wear the pants I’d flown there in? No, they were sweatpants. Could I call a cab to take me to a mall? No, it was late and everything was closed. Could I have a pair of pants shipped to me from home? No, all the shippers were closed for the day.

This brainstorming went on for an hour. I wracked my brain as I tried to think of a creative solution to this big problem.

It turned out, packages could be dropped off directly at the airport until around midnight for FedEx, and could be delivered by six the next morning. The only catch was getting the pants to the airport.

My apartment manager was the only one with a key to my apartment, but I didn’t have her phone number. So, I called a neighbor who was friends with another neighbor who had a dog that the building manager walked every day. I knew he would have the building manager’s phone, and I knew my other neighbor had the dog owner’s phone number.

After a few calls, I found the building manager’s phone number. I called and asked her to give my key to a friend who was willing to drive the pants to the airport. My friend entered my apartment and called to locate the correct pair of pants. Then, he drove them to FedEx, and mailed them.

Afterward, I alerted the hotel desk to contact me the moment the pants arrived—which they did. The interview went smoothly and nobody noticed anything unusual.

One of the questions they asked was, “Tell us about a time you encountered a problem and were able to find a creative way to solve it.” It was the perfect opportunity to share my story. The interviewers were both surprised and impressed. What started as a nightmare turned out to be a big win!

I don’t remember if I got that job, but I do remember that the interview went well.

The lesson: When it comes to job interviews, don’t expect everything to go perfectly. There’s often something that will go wrong. If you can plan on that thing, it’s much easier to roll with the punches and have a positive experience.

Interviewing is not about answering every question correctly. The hiring manager is more likely to remember how they felt about you than how you answered each question. It’s like going to a live comedy show. You don’t remember each joke, but you remember whether you had a good time.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Your Secret Job Search

Benjamin Franklin said, “Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” It’s hard to overstate the importance of keeping your job search private from your work colleagues.

Getting an interview can be exciting, especially if it goes well. If you’re dying to leave your company, the hope of a new job can leave you feeling both relieved and energized. And, the more interviews you have with one company, the better the chances are that you’ll get the job. Right?

Some of the reasons I’ve heard for sharing this job search secret include, “I know this person is my friend, so it’s okay.” “My boss and I are close; they won’t mind.” “My company needs to know I’m interviewing, so they’ll be prepared if I do leave. It’s the right thing to do.” “I want to see if my company will give me more money to stay.”

First, none of these reasons provide the personal benefit they appear to. They simply give away your power. And worse, they put your current job at risk.

When it comes to interviewing, nothing is a sure bet. Even if a company has talked to you ten times and is in love with you, the position may be put on hold for budgetary reasons. The hiring manager may leave, and the process may halt. The company could reorganize and the job may no longer be needed.

Until your offer is officially in writing and in your hands, there’s no offer. It could take you as long as a year or more to find a job. In the meantime, you still have bills to pay and a family to feed. Why would you put that in jeopardy?

Often, a boss you perceived to be your friend feels an obligation to let the company know you have disclosed this information to them. Even if they like you, your search may be perceived as being disloyal to the company. In the worst-case scenario, you may be fired and asked to leave immediately.

When it comes to asking for more money, keep this in mind. If you don’t have a written job offer, what incentive does your company have to give you a raise? They don’t. There’s no good reason they should offer you any more money just because you’ve been interviewing.

If you begin to tell colleagues about your search, don’t be surprised if the word gets around. People love to find something to talk about. If you share information about your search, you’re setting yourself up to become next. The last thing you want is for word to get back to your boss before you’ve found a job.

As exciting as it is to share about your job search, it’s 100 percent unwise to do so. You’ll set yourself up for failure that can be difficult to repair. When it comes to job searching, there’s no better alternative than to keep yours secret.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

 

Interviewing for Successful Outcomes

With unemployment still relatively low, employers are continuing to struggle to find and retain great talent. The huge jumps in inflation, and the changing landscape of work, are incentivizing employees to consider switching jobs. Employees are prioritizing themselves and their quality of life more than in the past. With this backdrop, it continues to be surprising that many employers have not updated their hiring practices.

Did you know that for certain jobs, employers expect candidates to go through up to ten rounds of interviews? Many companies use testing as part of their interview process. Some ask candidates to do unpaid work as part of the interview process. And, many employers are taking months to make a hiring decision.

These same employers are blown away when a candidate turns down their job offer, or walks away midway through the process. But, what do they expect? Job seekers are being discerning, and they expect to receive the same level of respect that they’re giving.

For example, it’s not uncommon for an employer to ask a candidate to reschedule an interview at the last moment due to a conflict. But, if the candidate asks to reschedule an interview, they will most likely never hear back again. This is unfortunate, considering the candidate secretly interviewing while they’re working at their current job.

Many interviewers will grill candidates to try to squeeze them during the interview. In many cases, this is to see how the candidate responds under pressure. But, rather than simply getting a read on the candidate, the candidate is also getting a read on the company. They will walk away remembering what a negative experience it was to interview at the company.

Employers are also continuing to leave candidates in the dark for weeks or months during the hiring process. It is expected that the candidate will patiently wait until the company is ready. In reality, the candidate is moving on. They will keep interviewing at other companies until they find one that truly values their time.

When you’re the hiring manager, you want to have the control to pick the very best candidate you can find. But, when you treat a candidate in a less than desirable way, you’re giving up that control. The only candidate who will be interested in your job is the desperate one.

So, what should a hiring manager do if they want their pick? Be quick. Take weeks to make a hiring decision, not months. Be clear with your communication. Meet when you commit to meeting. Do not put the candidate through never ending rounds of interviews. And, don’t grill candidates as if they’re lucky to be talking to you.

Interviewing has become a two way street. If you want to hire the best candidates, you have to give them the best hiring experience. Otherwise, they’ll find someone who will. Candidates have choices, and they aren’t making decisions solely based on factors like money.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in iTunes or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach