Readers:
Dr. Randall Hansen, a nationally recognized career expert, is the Career Doctor.
Discover more about Dr. Hansen, read about the purpose of this column,
and find previous issues of this column at the home of The Career Doctor.
If you have any college, career, or job-related questions or comments that Dr. Hansen could
provide valuable assistance with, please
feel free to email him at: careerdr@quintcareers.com.
Dr. Hansen writes this column on a biweekly basis.
Shawn writes:
I have currently worked for Wal-Mart for the past three years. Last year I was promoted to
Department Manager. Around that time I also started college studying software programming.
About nine months after I started the Department Manager position, I voluntarily stepped down
to concentrate more on my school work. The thing is, I have a job interview coming up in my
desired field that I have been going to school for. What I was wondering was, if they ask
why I stepped down, what should I say? I don't want it to seem as if I am not willing to "go
up the corporate ladder" within the company. I am willing to do so, it just wasn't in my
career path to be a manager in a retail company.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
It’s funny, because I don’t see it as much of a problem for the interview as I do on
your resume. If you already have at least one interview lined up, then I assume
you’ve handled it properly on your resume.
In normal situations, a step backward could easily be perceived by prospective
employers as being a major red flag. Many might see your situation and assume
you are either lacking the skills or the drive to be successful.
However, you can totally spin your situation into a win-win. Here’s what you have
going for you: First, you highlight your time management skills by showcasing
how you managed to work full-time and attend college. Second, you can showcase
your loyalty to the company by voluntarily stepping down from the manager position
for their best interest -- since you knew you could not do the job justice and attend
college. Third, you can discuss how retail was simply a tool to help pay for college
(while also gaining valuable experience) and that what you are studying in college
is preparing you for your future career.
Just don’t go negative. Don’t trash retail or the company. Instead, talk about some
of your key accomplishments, as well as the transferable skills you have developed
while working there. Show how the combination of your experience and education
make you the ideal candidate for the position.
Q:
Andy writes:
Someone told me I need to use this special technique for interviewing. I
would like to talk to someone about the STAR interviewing technique.
What is it? How is it used?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
The job-seekers who have mastered interviewing know the importance of
weaving a narrative -- a story -- that showcases their talents, strengths,
and accomplishments. The STAR method is just one of several models that
attempt to guide job-seekers in providing the kinds of answers employers seek.
When employers ask behavioral interview questions -- questions that ask
you about specific situations you have faced in the past (“tell me about a time
when…”) -- what they are seeking is not some rambling story with much too
much detail, but rather a clear description of the situation, the actions you
took, and the lessons you learned from the experience.
The STAR method stands for Situation or Task -- Action you took -- Results you
achieved. It serves as an outline for how you should formulate your response.
From my experience, more employers seem to be moving to behavioral interviewing
for at least one of the rounds of interviewing… so it makes sense for most
job-seekers to review common behavioral interview questions and prepare narratives
for each one.
Remember not to memorize your responses. You want to have the pieces of the
story in your head, ready to call forward when you need it, but it should not sound
rehearsed or robotic.
Some sample behavioral interview questions:
Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.
Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.
Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
Here are some Quintessential Careers resources for you:
Barb writes:
I need some advice. I want to apply for a position at a place I had interviewed for
previously (a different position). The new posting reports to the same person I
interviewed with before. Should I call her to let her know I am interested in the
new posting? If so, how do I approach it? What do I say? The letter I received
from her for the first position I interviewed for basically stated I was over qualified.
That was fine with me because I figured I was.
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
You face an interesting, but not as unusual situation was you might think,
and there are a couple of key variables that will determine your fate with this
new position.
First, you need to examine more closely your relationship with this hiring
manager. How did you leave it when you were rejected from the last position?
Did you sense rapport with the manager when you interviewed? Did you send
a thank-you note after your interview? Did you follow-up the rejection letter
with any kind of communication?
Second, is this new position closer to your level, or are you again going to
be seen as over-qualified? Do your research so you know where you stand.
It seems to me, you will be wasting your time and the employer’s time if the
position is still too far below you.
Third, what is your fascination with this company? Is it one of the few
employers in your town -- or does it have some unique aspects that make it
a coveted place to work?
So, take some time answering my questions and really evaluating the position
-- and why you are interested in applying for it.
If you are a good fit for this new position, if you really want to work for this
company, and if you had/have a good relationship with this hiring manager,
then of course it makes sense to apply for it.
Q:
Maria writes:
My husband is in the middle of trying to send out resumes where ever he could
find jobs. The problem we are having is trying figuring out how to send a resume
with a cover letter when the company wants you to send them his salary requirement.
I looked into your web page but you have nothing for salary requirements. If you
could find a few minutes to help me with this question. What should he do?
A:
The Career Doctor responds:
Reading between the lines of your question, I think you have an even bigger
issue here. The first thing I think your husband needs to do is develop a
job-search strategy. Responding to want ads -- whether online or in print --
is just not going to be enough to successfully land his next job… or at least
not the best job possibility.
Besides job want ads, job-seekers should be utilizing your network of contacts --
friends, family, co-workers, business associates, etc. -- to learn of new
opportunities. If you are searching for jobs in a specific area, you should also
research and target a specific group of employers – whether they have any jobs
openings posted or not. And if you’re a college alum, consider contacting the
career services office and the alumni office to seek help on job leads.
Once you have a larger set of job leads, the next step is to make sure you
have a specific and tailored resume and cover letter going to each prospective
employer. Use some of the words they use in describing themselves and the
jobs… highlight the most important skills that each employer seeks. And be
certain to show how you are the perfect candidate for each position.
And for those job leads that request a salary requirement, do your homework.
If possible find an insider in your network who works at the company. With
salary requirements, employers want the inside track on what you feel you
are worth -- sometimes giving you the under- or overqualified labels if your
salary is too far below or above the salary range.
Finally, please do not put salary requirements on your resume, but do address
them in your cover letter. Ignoring such a request will your application at risk
(and possibly eliminate you from consideration).
