The 102 Interview Question Flashcard Deck

May 14, 2013

As we have mentioned previously, being able to interview well is one of those key skills that are absolutely necessary to be successful in any professional path, but also takes a significant amount of practice.

Sure, there are some very common questions that you can generally plan to be asked, such as “tell me about yourself,” and “what is your greatest strength and weakness?”  But these seemingly common questions can serve an arguably greater purpose, which is to get you to think well and quickly in uncomfortable situations.

Since not many people have ample time to take on practice interviews just for the benefit of learning to answer or deflect typical interview questions, we’ve put together a fantastic flashcard deck of 102 Interview Questions you might be asked in an easy-to-use PDF format.

How do you use this flashcard deck successfully?  It’s simple!

  1. Download the PDF file here.
  2. Open the file.
  3. Print the file (thicker paper works better than standard printer paper).
  4. Cut the flashcards out by following along the dotted lines (scissors are sharp, so ask a grown-up to help you).
  5. Practice with your flash cards.

You might be thinking to yourself, why do flashcards work so well?

Well the trick is something researchers call: spaced repetition, which (information about the phenomenon was first published in 1885 by Hermann Ebbinghaus) exploits a learning characteristic called: the spacing effect (not to be confused with the Spacing Guild).

According to spacing effect theory, humans and animals more easily remember or learn items in a list when they are studied a few times over a long period of time, rather than studied repeatedly in a short period time (cramming).

The recommended method for individuals to become most familiar with these types of questions would be to select ten (10) random flashcards and spend time throughout a single day reading the questions and developing good answers for those questions.

At the end of the day, have a friend or significant other ask you questions from those ten (10) flashcards and have them listen and evaluate your answers to each question.  Try to keep your answers around one-minute (60 seconds) apiece.

On Day 2, pick ten (10) new questions and spend time throughout a single day reading the questions and developing good answers for those questions.

On Day 3, combine the questions from Day 1 and Day 2 and work your way though all twenty (20) of those questions.

On Day 4, rest.  Do not work with your flash cards.

On Day 5, you should rework your first twenty (20) questions.  They should look very familiar to you at this point.

Take days 6 & 7 off.

On Week 2, follow the same schedule as Week 1, but use ten (10) new questions on Day 1 and Day 2.  On Day 5, combine your questions from Weeks 1 & 2 and rework your way through all forty (40) questions.

In five (5) short weeks you will be very familiar and very comfortable with these types of questions and you will certainly see your interview skills improve dramatically.

Remember, the trick to this system is not to just memorize common interview questions, but to think of good, strategic answers that will help you win the opportunity.

Check out this post and this post on strategic interview answers.

Just be sure to never forget, like MacGyver, that with great power comes great responsibility.

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Employer Bias

February 12, 2013

If you are lucky enough to actually score an interview with an average resume and a basic portfolio, you have about 30-seconds to make your first (and final) impression on a decision-maker.  They may chat with you for an hour, but their decision was already made in the first 30-seconds.

Now, if you have a strong resume and a great portfolio most hiring managers are going to know if you are a viable candidate in first minute to 90-seconds.

Either way, that’s not a lot of time.

Even more important to consider, every hiring manager has personal biases.  They may not like your alma mater.  They may be biased against your former employer.  They might not care for redheads.  They might not share your taste in music, clothing, sports or sense of humor.

Bottom line here: You have zero (0) idea of what those biases are.

It doesn’t really matter if these biases are legal or illegal.  All that matters is they do affect the hiring decision and you didn’t get the job.

Today I’m actually going to reveal two (2) personal biases that I have and have made a difference in the outcome of many of my hiring decisions over the last ten (10) years.

The first one is: fingernails.  If you bite your fingernails or those nails and cuticles show evidence that you are a self-consumer, all bloody and cut down to the quick, you’ve already lost my opportunity.

Sure, I’ll do the candidate the courtesy of a 30-minute interview, but it doesn’t really matter, you won’t be joining my team.

So, why did I have such a venomous personal bias against fingernail biting?  Well, because it’s gross.  It’s gross if you bite and spit, and it’s even grosser if you swallow the pieces and because I’m a recovering fingernail biter.

I quit years ago, but I did bite my fingernails all through high-school and college.

In my opinion, those people who bite their fingernails tell me they have zero (0) self-control.  Fact.  If you can’t control putting your fingers in your mouth and nibbling on your nails in public then I don’t know what else you can’t control.

Do I really need to point out the shit that accumulates under your nails on a given day?  Shit that you are just putting in your mouth?  You are bypassing your body’s natural defenses, honed by millions of years of evolution, by feeding yourself that very shit under your nails.

Also, if you’re a biter, your hands inevitably look like crap.  If you are a professional of any kind, you’re in the relationship and appearance business.  Biting your fingernails is not conducive to the visual or aesthetic relationship business.

The second bias I have (as do many, many of my professional colleagues) is against cigarette smokers.  And it’s arguably a far worse transgression than biting your fingernails.

If you smell like an ashtray and walk into my office, I’m not even going to give you 30-minutes.  You’re going to get about 15-minutes before I think of a good reason to get your reeking clothes out my door.

If you smoke, fine.  Just make sure you don’t light up for a couple of hours before you meet with me.  Gum, mints and mouth wash don’t cover up your breath.  They just make me think you like menthol cigarettes.

If you wait a bit or don’t have your first smoke until after you have met with me, you might actually fool me into not knowing you’re a smoker until it’s too late for me to legally figure out a way to get rid of you.

But rest assured knowing this, I would get rid of you if I could.

According to a recent USA Today article, direct health care costs are $3,000 to $4,000 more per tobacco user per year than non-users.  This realized loss doesn’t even count the unrealized loss.

In terms of unrealized costs, cigarette smokers also take more frequent breaks than non-smokers and require more sick days for upper respiratory problems than non-smokers.  You might be interested to know that when you are taking smoke breaks or are home sick, you aren’t getting your work done.

If you don’t get your work done because you are sick at home, that load has to be picked up by someone else on my team.  Clients don’t care why work wasn’t accomplished by a deadline, only that it wasn’t accomplished and why are they paying for unfinished work?

Work that isn’t accomplished leads to client accounts going to other organizations.  If enough of these accounts leave, people get laid off.  Some good people.  People who should be working.  People who’s only problem was being unlucky enough to have a smoker for a coworker because the hiring manager didn’t sniff them out.

Why should I jeopardize my organization’s already well-functioning team, who already produce top-notch results, by bringing on a smoker that costs the organization far more money and time than a non-smoker?

This isn’t about your “rights” as an individual, this is about business.  If you aren’t helping my business, you are hurting it.

So why would you give a hiring manager yet another reason to disqualify you from the rest of the candidates, based on something you can easily control?

Do yourself a favor, don’t make it easy for me to disqualify you.  Instead, help me identify those reasons why I should bring you on-board.

And don’t think I’m the only one out there with a couple of personal biases, the professional world if full of people just like me.  Fact.

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The Most Potent Weapon in Your Arsenal

January 8, 2013

Recently a student who was about to graduate and is trying to secure an internship said to me, “I feel like I’m fighting a battle just to be considered for an internship opportunity.”

I thought about that for a moment before I agreed and said, “You would probably be doing yourself a huge favor if you thought about trying to find an internship, a job and maintaining a career as a total war with your resume, portfolio and LORs as your strategic weapons.”

It’s sometimes shocking to me (and most other faculty) that students always underestimate the battlefield that internship and job seekers find themselves in.

After four (or more) years of college, most upperclassmen who are just getting their feet wet only see their current or a few former classmates as their sole competition.

This is a mistake.  You are fighting a battle against every graduate from every school who is trying to find a job in that industry.  This doesn’t mean 100′s of other enemies, that means 1000′s of other foes who would, without a second thought, step on your neck to get that same opportunity.

I hear often students trade experiences and stories in classes about their hopes and desire to work at this “amazing agency” or that “incredible magazine.”  They often use statements like (and I kid you not, I have heard this at least a dozen times): “I will literally DIE if I don’t get in there.”

Aside from the all-too-common and ear drum-shattering poor use of “literally,” the odds are very unlikely that anyone will land at their first choice for anything in life. Getting everything you want rarely happens, but that truth is neither here nor there.  We’re here to talk about the one key weapon you can use today.

Importantly, most students or recent graduates fail to see they have one more formidable weapon in their proverbial quiver.  I blame their parents completely for this failure.

This device is note honed in school. In fact, it’s rarely ever mentioned and it requires some personal initiative.

It might even cost you $20 and will certainly take about 20 minutes.

It also needs to be well timed and very sincere.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A good pen (blue or black).
  • Nice stationary (please have some class and splurge on 100% cotton bond).
  • A matching envelope to go with the stationary (notice I’m not saying the word “paper”).
  • A first-class USPS stamp.

After you have had a chance to meet with a potential employer about an internship or job opportunity, go home and sit down and hand-write a thank you note.

I don’t care if you use printing, italics or cursive, but do try and have legible penmanship.

Do not dot the “i”s with little hearts, either.  That’s just weird.

Thank that individual or those individuals for their time. If there was more than one person meeting with you that day, plan to write a unique and individual note to all of them.

Let them know how much you appreciated the chance to learn more about the organization and the opportunity.  Point out why you think this might be a great match for you.  You might consider raising a conversation point that was discussed during the meeting.  Reiterate that you appreciate their time.  End the note with a sentence that includes how much you look forward to personally meeting with them again in the near future.

You might think that everyone is already doing this (I just SMSed my note today!) so why should you?  Because contrary to what you think, a handwritten thank-you note is exceptionally rare; nobody does this – especially GenY.

Everyone has a resume, which captures professional experiences.  Most people have a portfolio of work samples.  Many people will have several LORs to improve their credibility.

But when I asked a colleague at a very large advertising firm how often he gets a personal handwritten thank you note from interviewees he said, “None this year and two (2) last year.”

Then I asked him how many people had their firm interviewed for positions in the last fiscal year and he said, “Well, I’d guess about 45.”

Set yourself apart from your competitors enemies in the job-search battlefield.  Take the time to hand-write a thank you note.  Do not use email.  Do not use SMS. Accept no substitutes.

Remember, finding a job or internship in this economy is a total war, not a competition.

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Paid Internship Opportunity at Thorn Run Partners!

December 3, 2012

Picture 1Thorn Run Partners (in Portland) is seeking a paid intern with an interest in state legislative politics and/or policy, and full- or near full‐time availability from January to June 2013, to aid Thorn Run’s state lobbyists during the legislative session at the Capitol in Salem.

The selected applicant will experience a full Oregon state legislative process and get a view of the political work, elected officials, legislative staff and the lobbying process.

About Thorn Run Partners:

Established in 2010, Thorn Run Partners is a leading government affairs firm whose members are Capitol Hill veterans with over a century’s experience in federal lobbying, government service and policy development.

Unique for its bipartisan composition and client-friendly size, Thorn Run was founded by former aide to Democratic Senator Edward M. Kennedy (MA), Andy Rosenberg, and former aide to Republican Senator Fred Thompson (TN), Chris Lamond.

Having spent decades at some of Washington’s most prestigious large-scale lobbying and law firms, Rosenberg and Lamond designed Thorn Run Partners to incorporate the professionalism of large firms with the strategy and tactical approaches of an elite, boutique-sized agency.

Active in both Democratic and Republican political circles, the team understands the legislative process – and the politics of the process – and possesses the relationships necessary to be effective advocates for clients before Congress and the Executive Branch.

Download a PDF copy of the internship description here: clicky-clicky.

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Breaking Down a Real Job Ad

November 30, 2012

While sifting through the Internets and Twitterverses today, PDXSX came across a pretty typical entry-level agency (PR/ADV/Design) position.  Although they probably wouldn’t mind, we decided to make this agency of record anonymous and call it WayneTech PR.  If you are a member of PRSA (or savvy with Google), you can certainly find a similar opportunities listed in PRSA-Portland job bank or Mac’s List.

This is actually a very good job ad from two perspectives.  From the organization’s perspective it’s a good ad because it really captures exactly what they are looking for and Iseewhatyoudidemphasizes that a candidate’s success will be very important to the organization.

It is also a pretty good ad from the applicant’s perspective because it gives you ample areas to cover in your letter or resume and lets you know exactly what experiences or skills you should emphasize and focus your response on.

The following post is a suggested method for you to analyze and attack such an opportunity, by breaking it down into smaller parts which gives you the maximum chance of success.  What you are trying to do, strategically, is address as much as you can from the job description into your cover letter (no more than two pages) and support your claims with your resume and experience, which will then result in a face-to-face interview.

Your GOAL: to be invited for a personal interview with the hiring manager.  Nothing else.

Actual Job Description
WayneTech PR is looking for a junior team member who is ready to hit the ground running, bringing media relations experience and an understanding of social and digital communications, as well as organization, research ability and writing skills (both creative and AP style). The ideal candidate is a self starter with good judgment who is curious about brands, marketing and popular culture and willing to jump in and help at all levels of tasks. Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask is a must. Responsibilities include all elements of media and blogger relations, social media marketing and consumer promotions, including research, generating editorial coverage reports, tracking results and evaluating programs. As a boutique firm, a WayneTech PR culture match is important, so we’ll be looking for someone who fits well with our team and our mix of sustainable, tourism and consumer food and beverage clients. The ideal candidate brings 1-3 years PR experience (agency experience a plus). To apply, please send your resume, three writing samples and examples of media pitches and results to jobs@waynetechpr.com.

Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in communications or a related field and 1-3 years of PR experience, agency preferred. Experience with social media and digital communications a plus.

Section 1: WayneTech PR is looking for a junior team member who is ready to hit the ground running, bringing media relations experience and an understanding of social and digital communications, as well as organization, research ability and writing skills (both creative and AP style).

Breakdown: The first area is the basic needs announcement or requirements section.  The opening paragraph of your cover letter (CL) should address most of the points in this section.  Here you should eloquently acknowledge that you are looking for an entry-level or junior position (less than three years) in this field (PR).

You should also highlight/mention/call out that you have significant experience in social media and give at least two solid examples of your expertise.  Solid examples would be something like: “Recently I created, designed and managed a 10-day Twitter promotional campaign for a major shoe retailer, which resulted in more than 165 retweets and increased the organization’s Twitter account by an additional 380 followers, according to HootSuite’s measurement analytics.”

In addition, you would want to address any media coverage you have earned (send links) and, if you have solid examples, showcase your research or writing skills.  Note:  Your CL, if well crafted, should already display your superlative writing abilities.  If you do not have the requisite social media experience they want, stop now.  It’s clear what the agency is seeking and if you don’t have the skills, move on.  DO NOT lie about your abilities, skills or talents.

Section 2:  The ideal candidate is a self starter with good judgment who is curious about brands, marketing and popular culture and willing to jump in and help at all levels of tasks. Strong attention to detail and ability to multitask is a must.

Breakdown: This area is included so you know you may (will) be asked to take on a number of seemingly unrelated, but very important tasks that will help the organization maintain profitability and run smoothly on a daily basis.  This is also sort of a caveat to an applicant, which means: There might be a difference between the work you will actually be doing here and what you are picturing in your head at this very moment.

Be open and cheerful.  Accept constructive criticism.  Be open to trying new things or doing old things differently.  Some work will be a lot of fun, while other work will probably be a challenge.  Bottom line, this agency WANTS SOMEONE WHO WANTS to be there and is willing to do whatever needs to be done.  It’s also evidence of an organization that wants YOU to grow and learn.  This is a good sign.

For the rest of this article, please click here: clicky-clicky.

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Dress For the Job You Want, Not the Job You Have

October 30, 2012

One of the nicer things about GenY and college students, in general, is they are pretty casual and laid back.  They don’t get too worked up about some of the things that vex older professionals and parents.  This also works well in Portland, where you can lose count of the number of Keep Portland Weird bumper stickers on your way to work.  We’ve seen people with so many tattoos that natural skin color has started to look like a self-modification.

It’s cool.  It’s one of the reasons the Pacific Northwest is one of the most desirable places to live these days.KPW

Even for a self-described Microbrew Capital of America and location of the largest summer beer festival in the US, the beer of choice for a substantial number of young employees is not Widmer, but remains Pabst Blue Ribbon – the beer of the common, blue-collar, union-supporting worker.

We do things a little differently out here.

There are some things, however, that living Portland just can’t transcend – one that many of my colleagues have noted about the young professionals we are hiring today.  That is to say, some of the younger professionals (generally almost always young men) in allied communication fields just don’t grasp the concept of attire – and understandably so.  Attire is one of those things you just don’t notice until someone pulls you aside or you feel strangely out of place.

Let’s face it; professional attire is expensive – especially for ladies

Many young people have spent a significant amount of time acquiring attire that reflects their distinct personality, anti-mainstream tendencies and complete rejection of parental values.  Again, this is understandable.  Baggy jeans and loose sweatshirts ARE comfortable. They are as close to a Snuggie as you can get without actually having a blanket with sleeves.  Running around the house in a pair of boxers and your girlfriend’s Uggs, a la Tom Cruise in Risky Business is a blast!  We feel you.  Just don’t show up to work on a Wednesday dressed like that.

Professional_AttireIn the professional workplace, however, you ARE being judged on your appearance from the moment to set foot in your agency or a client’s boardroom.  Fair or unfair, your status in the workplace is impacted by your choice in couture.  Unfortunately, in order to dress the way you would like everyday, you’ll need to bring in millions of dollars in new account dollars per year.  Sadly this role is already filled by what is called “the boss.”

Here is the realistic cost of getting a wardrobe …about a grand …maybe more.

It will run you close to $1,000 to get your professional wardrobe really started.

If you are an account coordinator, take a gander at what the senior account executive is wearing.  Try to emulate him or her.  Humans are very visual kanyewestcreatures.  People are judging you and if your LOOK like a senior account executive people will start to believe that you ARE a senior account executive.

Guys, here is the breakdown: You’ll need to get started with three professional slacks (brown, tan and black), two pairs of high-end shoes (brown/black) and a week’s worth of business appropriate shirts (has collars and can be worn with a tie when needed).  Hit the Nordstrom Half-Yearly Sale and take a fashion conscious lady-friend with you.

Trust us here.  Take someone with you (a woman, a fashionable gay man or your Mom) to approve your selections.  If you are really, really clever (and not with your Mom) you can turn this event into a fantastic date opportunity.  Think about it.

The good news is you don’t have to drop all that cheddar in one trip.  Build your wardrobe over the course of your first year.  If you buy good quality clothing, it will last and serve you well for eons.  In addition, utilize a dry cleaner.  Polish your shoes regularly.  Consider having your eyebrows waxed monthly.  Dress above your station.

It is far better to be overdressed than under-dressed.  Some organizations (arguably very rare) will even offer a loan or a salary draw for clothing.

So, as you approach graduation and entry into the professional world, instead of asking for cash, concert tickets or a three-week trip to Australia, ask for gift cards to Men’s mens_birkenstocks_socks_1Wearhouse or Nordstrom Rack.  Put together a week’s worth of professional clothes that can be interchanged or recombined for even more options.

Here is a simple PDF document of professional dress guidelines for you to reference, put together by the University of San Francisco – Career Services Center.  Take a look at it.

Oh, never, ever, EVER, wear white cotton socks with your dress slacks (or with Birkenstocks).

L8r!

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From the eMail Reader Bag – A Question of Worth

October 9, 2012

I just got a job offer for an account coordinator position at a midsized agency in Portland (Hooray!).  They offered me $28,500 to start and I feel like that is too low, should push back on them and ask for more?  I have had one agency internship over the summer and I graduated last June.  What do you think?  My Mom thinks this offer is too low.

Welcome to the real world!  We get questions like these all the time, especially from GenYers.  Salary is one of those things constantly on everyone’s mind by hardly discussed publicly.  From a purely strategic standpoint, there are two perspectives.  From the business perspective, they are trying to get a good quality employee for the minimum amount of cost.  You, on the other hand, are trying to get employed for the maximum amount of money.  Somewhere between these two seemingly opposing ideals lies the reality.

Before we dive in to the details and finer points, we recommend you smile and accept the offer, send your contact a handwritten thank-you note, call your Dad to let him know you’ve now become an adult and he is free to retire to a life of luxury and leisure.

You might also want to send both your parents a handwritten thank-you note for all of the years of support, college, etc.

So here is the quick answer: Don’t make a counter offer, you don’t have any negotiating room here.  Someday you will, but right now you don’t.  Period.  End of story.

You can always count on PDXSX to be tough but fair with our advice; that’s how we roll.

As a job seeker there are a lot of other issues to consider.  Look at the marketplace.  There aren’t a lot of “incredible” opportunities in allied communication fields right now.  People with many years of experience are getting laid off left and right.  Clients are dropping firms without a second thought.  Budgets are tight.  And most importantly, there is ALWAYS someone better qualified for an entry-level position than you, and who is willing to work for less.  Always.

3024_1234743393_Love-Mom_300_300You can easily do some research online and try to convince yourself that you are worth far more cheddar, but honestly you are worth exactly what someone is willing to pay you.  Even if your Mom constantly tells you “what a great catch you are” and wants to know why you haven’t asked the neighbor girl out yet, because she is making a killing in pharmaceutical sales.

BTW, don’t have your Mom call the organization to tell them how great you are.  It won’t help.  Sorry Moms.  It’s time for your precious kidlet to get kicked around a bit in the deep end of the pool.  It’ll build character.

$28,500 is a reasonable salary for someone with very little professional experience, very little client management skills and little to no talent for bringing in new accounts to an agency.  In fact, it might even be considered a bit generous.  We know this because we spent the last hour chatting with four (4) different HR folks who all echoed this number (within about 15% of each other).  We also know this because we have stood in your shoes.  It’s up to you to demonstrate to the employer that you are worth additional treasure.

You are worth exactly what someone is willing to pay you.

After you hear about your offer you should really utilize a site that can help you get a better understanding of what your actual bottom line is.  We recommend that you use PaycheckCity for your calculations.

According to our data and the salary you mentioned above, if you are paid twice-a-month (ex: typical for agencies on the 1st & 15th) in the State of Oregon, you can expect to earn $859.00 AFTER TAXES every paycheck or roughly $1,700 a month.

Now from here you can figure out pretty much the rest of your expenses:  Rent, food, clothes, retirement, that new Snuggie, comic books, leisure activities, a car, utilities, credit card bills, internet access, Netflix, insurance, savings, student loans, beer, etc.  For young professionals who might need some financial support, we highly, highly recommend Mint.com to manage your income and expenses.

From the employer’s perspective it costs them several times (research indicated about 3x) your annual salary and about six-months to get you trained, familiar with teams, integrated onto accounts, ramped up to speed, pay state/federal employment taxes, pay unemployment taxes, pay insurance, etc., before you are actually considered an “asset” to an organization.  An asset, BTW, would be considered someone who is helping to create profit for the organization.

From the perspective of your supervisor and other people with more seniority/experience, you haven’t earned Jack.  You have to show your Earn those stripes!capabilities.  You have to be willing to take on more responsibilities.  You have to demonstrate that you are capable of supporting your team and, ultimately, you have to help create value for clients, which, in turn, will help bring in more clients.

Here’s the truth.  No bullshit.  It’s a simple idiom: “You have to earn your stripes.“

Now, how long does it take to earn your stripes?  About three years.

For three years, go to work every day.  Work hard.  Get there 20 minutes early, leave 30 minutes late. Show your value and be passionate about your job.  Help your colleagues.  Be kind to others.  Share.

And if you are able to do these things, the money will come.

But whatever you do, don’t counteroffer.  When you have less than one year of work experience, it isn’t strategic; it’s downright tacky.

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20 Perspectives from a Professional Partner…

September 24, 2012

Take a gander at little professional inside baseball… These 20 tips are from Ms. Shannon Pratuch, the President and CEO from one of our program’s strongest partners, The Scene Marketing Group (SMG).

Ms. Pratuch took some time to sat down and really think about what SMG needs from an intern in order have her company, her clients and a young professional thrive in a highly-competitive business environment.

While it is probably tempting for any young professional to just “show up” and “wing it” – assuming that someone will just tell you what to do when you get there – the wisest of you will carefully read through this list and see how you can immediately add value to an organization and your own professional growth on Day 1.

As you already know, the first part of being successful is being prepared.

  1. Be resourceful – Try to find a solution to your question before approaching your supervisor. Reduce the impact of your training time and show initiative by putting forth an effort to source information first.
  2. Write down questions – At times you will be challenged with work that you are unfamiliar with. Write down your questions, concerns and feedback and then schedule a time to review with your manager.
  3. Prioritize for work, not yourself – It can be very tempting to want to work on projects that you’re comfortable with. Unfortunately, that may not be best for the client or their deadlines. If unsure, clarify with your manager what you should start on first.
  4. Be considerate – You, as an intern, are a cost to the business. From the computer you are working on, programs you’re accessing, to a team member’s hourly time, your employer has found you worth the investment. So give them the same respect.
  5. Leave baggage at the door – Break up with the boyfriend? Had a fight with mom? Worried about finishing your portfolio? Don’t bring it to the office. Take a few moments to gather yourself and remember that everyone in this workspace has their own issues as well.
  6. Be flexible – Come into work every day with an open mind to what you encounter. This really is a skill that will last you a lifetime. What happens today may not be what you expected, but that’s okay – just let it roll off your back and move on.
  7. Accept failure – You will make mistakes. Accept that as part of the process. Be ready to receive criticism and negative feedback and start to develop a thicker skin. It has nothing to do with you as an individual and everything about quality work for the client.
  8. Be open to new challenges – Part of your supervisor’s job is to expose you to work and projects that you haven’t experienced before. That’s part of your internship training. If they feel you are ready for the task, accept them with pride, confidence and dig in!
  9. Professionalism is key – We cannot emphasize enough how far maturity and professional decorum can go. Leave the rumors, gossip, texting, phone calls and bad etiquette behind – your reputation depends upon it.
  10. Confidentiality is serious – As an intern, you’re being accepted into the professional fold of individuals who have spent years creating a career for themselves and exposed to client information that can make or break a business. Never EVER share information outside of the office.
  11. Work on communication – No matter how perceptive your manager can be, they aren’t here to hold your hand. If you need something, speak up. Have a goal or project you’d like to be a part of? Share it. Have a problem? You better talk about it now before it gets worse.
  12. Be honest – With yourself, with your co-workers and with your boss. It really is the best policy.
  13. Do your best – We know you are new. And young. And inexperienced. That’s why you’re an intern! Don’t be afraid to just simply do your best and then be open to the opportunities that come from that. It’s really all we ask of you.
  14. Show up on time and ready to work – Trust us when we say to take it slow the first couple weeks. Your brains will be in training overload and you’ll want to just focus on the basics – eat healthy, get plenty of rest and exercise. And yes… your boss knows when you’ve been partying the night before.
  15. Respect our clients – You may not be all that interested in writing a press release about a widget, but understand that there is a person who has a story, who has sacrificed endless unknowns to create that business. Their livelihood and the livelihood of others are at stake for it. Take the time to find the passion within their story and brand – it will speak volumes.
  16. Be open to opportunities – Opportunities are not just within the work assigned to you but also in discovery of yourself. What you went to school for may not be where you land. We’ve had interns come through our office interested in a particular position and leave incredibly engaged with another.
  17. Share your hobbies – Your personal passions may run the gamut of video gaming to photography and while you may not think it appropriate to share, we often champion and utilize those interests within various projects. You have years of experience within that hobby and we want to know about them!
  18. Listen and observe – Yeah, you, rockstar. We know your type. You have big ideas, straight A’s and nothing’s going to hold you back but the glass ceiling. Unfortunately, you’ll end up strutting your stuff right out the door. Be patient.
  19. Create nothing (at first) – Part of the first few weeks of internship training at SMG gives our team a chance to learn about who you are and what you are capable of. Those who are patient with the process often reap the most rewards (a.k.a. awesome projects) because we have had the time to build confidence, trust and understand who you are.
  20. Have fun – We have had some of the best interns through our place of work – and our team still talks about them. Bubbly, energetic, playful, engaging, entertaining, amazing people. We try to stay in touch with them, now that they’re all superstars with fancy job titles. We really hope that you have fun and enjoy this moment for all it’s worth!

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When They Don’t Call Back…

September 6, 2012

One of the most common questions I get from young people who are interviewing for their first (or even second) professional position is:

“If I haven’t heard back, what is a reasonable amount of time should I wait before I contact an employer?”

The real answer, and not the one you’ll likely want to hear is: “It’s tricky” and “it depends on the time of year.”

The time around the holidays, for example, is notorious for organizations trying to hire quickly, revising their budgets and then never getting back to the candidates.  Late winter and early spring, from my experience (and profound knowledge of fiscal calendars), is generally the best time for job-seekers.

Before going forward, I should note: I absolutely believe most employers could do a far better job of letting candidates know about their hiring decisions in a reasonable amount of time.

The truth behind an employer’s perspective is pretty simple, but rather cold and callous:  As bad as you want this job opportunity, as much effort as you have put into preparing for this one chance and no matter how well you nailed your first or second interview, you really aren’t that important on an organization’s ever-changing list of priorities.

I know this is hard for GenY to hear, but as a job applicant, you really aren’t all that important to anyone.

The people to whom you were first introduced at your interview aren’t thinking about you (your name was forgotten as soon as they heard it).  A hiring manager isn’t wondering about your feelings (they don’t have feelings).

And no, human resources is not crafting you a ridiculously generous offer-letter as you daydream about your first promotion at the job you don’t have.

Once your interview is over and you have left the building, the interviewer is immediately considering several scenarios in his or her head: Getting something to eat (turkey sandwich or Thai food-cart?), the forty-six client emails that have stacked up during your recent conversation, how to avoid the boss for the remaining five hours of the day or trying to sneak out early to grab a beer and watch a Coug Duck game.

I’ll be the first to tell you the post-interview waiting period is rough and it’s always terrible.

It’s the business equivalent of the high school or early-college dating scene.  Does he really like me?  I mean really like me, like me?

Gah! This whole flashback to the high school and early-college dating scene still makes me shudder involuntarily.

[*Blog Tangent*] If there is one, single reason why I would never seek a divorce or voluntarily quit my bad-ass day-job, it’s because I can’t handle the emotional roller-coaster of dating (love you, Wife!) or job-hunting. [/*Blog Tangent*]

And dating is freakin’ expensive.  Which also parallels the job-search process in terms of attire, resume printing, parking, lunches, coffees, professional organization dues, dedicated time, and emotionally taxing fantasies of what you are gonna do once you get your first paycheck (sushi!).

This is one of the many reasons you should always ask the interviewer toward the end of your time with them: 1) How many other candidates are you considering for this opportunity? And 2) What is your time-frame for filling this position?

The answer to Question 1 will tell you the level of competition you are facing AND tell you about how much time the organization is going to put into this process (figure about an hour per candidate).

The answer to Question 2 will help put your mind at ease and give you reasonable idea of when you should plan to directly communicate with your contact.

Your post-interview plan of action:

  1. As soon as you get home, hand-write individual and personal thank-you notes to the person or people who you interviewed with.  Remember postage.  Mail them.
  2. Mentally prepare to play the waiting game.  Hopefully you have asked what a likely time-line for a decision will be, and hopefully they will honor it.
  3. If the deadline passes and you have not heard back from the employer, give it one extra day. After that extra day, you should send a short, but well-written follow-up note via email to one (the person you felt the most connection with – do not send the same email to everyone you met with, it’s annoying and they probably aren’t all decision-makers).
  4. In the subject line type: “Quick Question.” Now, actually frame your email as a question by asking them if there is any additional materials you might be able to provide or questions you could answer which will help make their decision-process a bit easier.
  5. Hopefully you will receive a return email that will put your mind at ease.
  6. If you do not receive a return email, or their email is a generic-sounding brush-off, give it a few more days.
  7. Make a personal phone call to one of the interviewers (again: the person you felt the most connection with – do not call everyone).  If you get voice-mail, just leave a kind message explaining that you are very excited about the opportunity, the organization, the clients and hope that you are still in consideration for the position.  Leave a call-back number.
  8. If you receive no email or call-back after this point, just consider the interview process a learning opportunity, a chance to polish your mad skills and emotionally prepare yourself to move on.
  9. Move on.

I have a 35-year-old buddy who still refuses to call any potential employer back; I can only assume he doesn’t want to “bug them” – His whole perspective is laughably ridiculous and pointless.  He gets all despondent and frustrated.  Even if they say, “Sorry, we’ve gone with another candidate,” at least he’d have some closure.

Point being: This guy is putting himself through unnecessary grief when he really ought to be sacking-up, making a simple phone call and showing some initiative.  I think it just boils down to the fact he doesn’t want to hear bad news.

Oh, one more thing:  After you call them and hear the bad news, an organization will often try to make the pill easier to swallow when they say: “We’ll be keeping your resume on file for future opportunities.”  They won’t.  And neither would I.

This is  the professional world’s version of “It’s not you, it’s me.”  Trust me here:  It’s you.  It’s always you.

Whatever you do, do not:

  1. Send a snarky email to anyone (or everyone) at the organization expressing your displeasure at one’s lack of professional courtesy.
  2. Become an organization stalker and continue to email or call them about other opportunities.
  3. Allow yourself to turn into a pool of self-pity. Do something to take your mind off of the situation.
  4. Call your mom and whine.  You’re a grown-up now.  Call your mom and tell her what your next plan of action is.
  5. Call your professors and whine.  While we wish for you the best in life post-college and may write you a LOR, we are not your sounding board.
  6. Call the Dean and whine.  He’s a busy guy who has to listen to professors whine all day about teaching schedules and committee assignments.

On my next post, I’ll tell you how the hiring process works from the organization’s perspective.  I think it’ll help give you a little more insight into why this little dance is so incredibly frustrating for all parties involved (and why it rarely results in a win-win).

Nonetheless, you can take heart at some additional professional wisdom:

My dad once told me, “Son, finding job you love is the toughest job you’ll ever have.”  Was he right?  Absolutely.  Did it make sense at the time, not in the least – I just wanted a job (and money).

Does it make sense a dozen years and several (read: half-a-dozen jobs) later?  Oh yeah.  He hit the nail on the head.

Conan O’Brien gave, as his final words (~3:30), during his last monologue after getting canned from The Tonight Show, told his entire audience:

“All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism – it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.”

I think both pieces of advice are some of the most valuable, truthful and applicable I’ve ever heard.  Keep your head up, work hard and, like dating, play the career field to the best of your ability – eventually you’ll find a real gem of a partner and a career amongst all the crap.

Most of all, be patient.

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Pucker Up, Buttercup!

May 2, 2012

Brownnoser… Sycophant… Lackey… Yes-man… Teacher’s pet… Toady… Smithers…

What do all of these words have in common?  Well, while obviously scornful, they certainly describe one (or many) of your coworkers.

The very same coworkers you probably make fun of along with your go-nowhere colleagues.  Those people you love to hate at every office social event.

What’s that you say?  There is no way you’ll ever stoop down to the ass-kissing level to get ahead?  Well, that’s perfectly great for the rest of us.  Let me be the first to welcome your precious and short-sighted moxie to the professional workplace.

You get to be the Admiral Ozzel to my Darth Vader.

I (like many of my GenX colleagues) will gladly make sure to wipe my exceedingly comfortable and classy size 10.5 (size 44 for my Euro readers) oxblood ECCO’s all over your pathetic Izod polo shirt, as I step over you into my next promotion review.

Side note: I’ve also obtained an awesome spouse who has impeccable taste in clothes and loves nothing more than to point out the finer points of couture (usually while I’m jumping rope and doing crunches).  I highly recommend the spouse for career advancement – you really should look into finding one of these too.

And, after I accept said promotion (with additional bonus structure included), I’ll be keeping careful note of exactly how well every one of you remember the important minutiae of my personal and professional life.

“What a douche,” you are probably saying in that haughty, professionally inexperienced GenY accent.  “I’m not gonna play that game, I’m going to be rewarded by my own merits and goal-driven achievements!”

And then you steeple your adorably teeny-tiny, baby-soft 22-year-old hands together and think inwardly to yourself, “And once I get to be his boss, I’m gonna make his life SO miserable!”

But, unfortunately for you, it’s not going to happen.

I’ve got more than 13 years of workplace experience on you (plus many years of graduate school; where a sizable number of senior faculty members fine-tuned my suck-up prowess until it gleamed like an Audemars Piguet).

Oh, you don’t know what an Audemars Piguet is?  That’s too bad.  Better go back to the shallow end of the pool, chump; only the big kids get to splash on this side.

By now, there are so many specialized professional weapons hidden on my person that I should actually have to tell people I’m Boba Fett and be registered with the state; I’m the workplace equivalent of krav maga, as it were.

Point being, when I meet a newly minted GenY graduate entering the professional realm, I see this: A young person, taking a solitary hike somewhere in the rugged Columbia Gorge, looking thoughtfully into the sunset – thinking about how successful they are going to be if they just go to work every day, try really hard and be rewarded over and over again by their merits alone.

This whole “I’m not gonna kiss anyone’s ass to get ahead” scenario you are playing in your head is just bizarre.

To me your mental picture of reality looks a lot like an advertisement for the University of Phoenix. You know, the one where the person wants to get on the fast track to success but doesn’t know how yet?

Okay, fine, like a benevolent GenX Daddy Warbucks, I’ll help you figure this game out.

According to research from James Westphal and Ithai Stern at Kellogg School of Management, via penelopetrunk.com: “…being adept at ingratiating behavior was the number-one factor for getting positions at the top of the corporate ladder.”

One of the best things I’ve found you can do to strategically brown-nose in the workplace?  Ask for advice.

Not general advice on where the best food-cart pod in the city is, advice like: “How were you really able to negotiate an increase in that account budget so adroitly, especially when we all know hand sanitizer sales always plummet during the spring quarter?”

Another one: Don’t speak ill of your direct manager, to anyone, ever.  Never.  Not once.  Not even if that manager is actually a complete and total nincompoop.

Not even if that manager thinks Michael Bay is the greatest director in Hollywood.  In fact, the best thing you can do is find a way to subtly compliment their god-awful taste in cinema to their colleagues and clients.

Yes, it’s okay to disagree with your manager about a decision or client plan, but do it in private and be prepared to tell them exactly why you disagree with them.

Example: (after everyone but you and your supervisor have left the room) say, “You know, I understand why you think a direct mail campaign to high-school kids might be a good plan to increase awareness of Four Loko in theory, but I think you should know I’ve done some research and it looks like the state liquor control board is going to ban all caffeinated malt beverages with 12.5% ABV early next month, so maybe we should have a semi-legal back-up plan ready for the client …you know, just in case?”

Memorize the name of your supervisor’s spouse, that spouse’s career, how many children they have and their alma mater.  Try to ask about them once a week or where appropriate. Remember their answers.

WARNING: Do not, under any circumstance, come across as a creep by asking about their children (or spouse) while staring at a picture of a recent family vacation on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

You want to know what the real suck-up secret is? Show some actual interest in helping your supervisor be successful.

Show some loyalty.  Work hard to make both of you look good.  The professional world is filled with individuals who’s supervisors have been hired away to a better career at another company and they took their most loyal team members with them.  Happens all the time.

And you know what it means for you if your supervisor gets promoted and you have curried favor with them?  You’re the heir apparent for that open position.

So pucker up, buttercup and kiss that booty, but do it strategically.  Kiss it where appropriate.  Smooch it when necessary. Gently caress the relationship. Don’t make it a PDA.

Do everything you can to bring yourself into the good graces of a supervisor, but do it tactically and purposefully; don’t make it obvious.

And just so you know, there is a very strategic, tactical, deliberate and well-planned reason that each holiday season I give handmade pickles, alpaca-fur mittens woven upon my basement loom, time-consuming organic garden-grown marinara sauce and assorted home-roasted coffee beans to my supervisors…SMOOCH!

In addition, I also make it a point to kiss ass when I:

  • Get to work early
  • Leave later than necessary
  • Be nice to Admins
  • Always try to do my best work
  • Go beyond the minimum requirements for any assignment
  • Take a “working lunch” at my desk 3x a week
  • Dress for the job I want to have, not the job I have
  • In every challenging situation, ask myself, “what would Batman do?”
  • Know exactly how I can make my supervisor’s job a little bit easier for him/her that day

Being a really good sycophant takes a lot skill and patience.  It takes practice.  It also takes many different forms.  Think of it as more than brown-nosing; think of it as career security.

So don’t be so scornful of a little workplace ass-kissing, because you never know if that little smooch today is going to be the French Kiss of Power tomorrow.

TTFN!

~PDXSX

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