Tough Job Market Requires Top Interview Skills

While many workers remain in undesirable jobs lamenting the fact that the job market is tighter than a drum, others are discovering creative ways to beat their own drums. Dr. Lois Frankel, president of Pasadena, California-based consulting firm Corporate Coaching International has seen an increase in requests for their services over the past 6 -- 8 months, Whereas most of our clients used to come from corporations who wanted their star employees coached for even better performance, were now getting more calls from the employees themselves asking for our help with making career transitions."

CONTACT:
Kim Finger
Corporate Coaching International
540 El Dorado Street, Suite 201
Pasadena, California 91101
Phone:   626.405.7310
Fax:   626.405.7312
Email:   Kim@corporatecoachingintl.com
Web Site: www.corporatecoachingintl.com

Tough Job Market Requires Top Interview Skills

Pasadena, California-November 13, 2003-While many workers remain in undesirable jobs lamenting the fact that the job market is tighter than a drum, others are discovering creative ways to beat their own drums. Dr. Lois Frankel, president of Pasadena, California-based consulting firm Corporate Coaching International has seen an increase in requests for their services over the past 6 -- 8 months, Whereas most of our clients used to come from corporations who wanted their star employees coached for even better performance, were now getting more calls from the employees themselves asking for our help with making career transitions."

Frankel encourages people to carefully plan a strategy that will result in not simply another job, but the right job for them. She has a thick file of horror stories from people who jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Unless youre miserably underpaid, the motivation for making a move is not usually about the money," says Frankel. People move for more recognition, more challenging assignments, or better leadership so its important to know why you want to move." Here are a few tips Corporate Coaching International offers clients:

Delve into whats making you unhappy in your current job. Just getting more money usually wont solve the real causes of de-motivation. Make a list of the 3 -- 5 things that turn you off about your work and consider the non-monetary requirements of your next job. When interviewing, be certain to ask questions related to these factors to help you to decide if the job is a good match.

Develop a strategic plan for job search. Finding a job is a job. Just as you wouldnt start to build a house without blue prints, dont start your search without a plan. Answer these questions (some will require research): In what industry do I want to work? What level position am I seeking? What is the standard pay range for similar positions in similar industries? How far am I willing to relocate? Who can I contact for help with finding new contacts?

Get professional help with your resume. Ask a friend who works in human resources or someone else who is familiar with job search to take a look at your resume. A fresh, professional eye can make the difference between being called for an interview and sent a no thank" letter. Remember, the resume is designed to get an interview, not the job.

Focus on interview behaviors. The interview takes place on two levels: content and process. The content is simply your responses to the questions asked. The process is how you respond. Be certain to practice being crisp, clear, and cogent in response to the most commonly asked questions. Also be on the lookout for multi-part questions and be certain to respond to all parts.

Never bring up the subject of salary during the interview. You havent even been offered the job yet so bringing up money is premature at best and presumptuous at worst. If youre not certain youre even the same salary ballpark as the prospective employer, and its important to you, then before scheduling an interview let the hiring source know what your range is (make it as broad as possible) and ask if its consistent with what they had pegged for the job.

Be patient. Theres a rule of 21" when it comes to job search. Only one in 21 contacts yields something positive. Its a numbers game, so the more contacts you make, the sooner you will achieve your goal.