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A journal of events, trends,
challenges and opportunities
in the employment marketplace. |
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Winter 2008 Issue |
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Employment Trends . . . |
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Survey Forecasts Employment
Trends for 2008 |
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Nearly one-third of employers plan to hire new full-time, permanent employees in 2008, according to a survey from CareerBuilder.com. Although down from two-fifths expected for 2007, as found in the annual Job Forecast last year, the number is still healthy, says CareerBuilder.com's CEO Matt Ferguson.
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Overall, this year's outlook is slightly less bullish than last year's, but the data nevertheless suggest that companies expect the economy to remain healthy. As a counterbalance to the 32% of employers that plan to increase their number of full-time, permanent employees in 2008, 47% expect no change. Thirteen percent are unsure of what they will do, and only 8% expect to decrease the size of their workforce.
The outlook for part-time employment follows a similar trend. Twenty-one
percent of survey participants plan to increase their number of
part-time employees, a small year-over-year change; in 2007, 23%
expected to do so. Furthermore, just 6% percent of employers plan to
decrease the headcount of part-time staff in 2008, nearly three-fifths
(58%) expect no change, and 15% are unsure what they will do.
In large numbers, employers expect to continue with their flexible work
arrangements in 2008. Three-fifths say they currently offer such
schedules to employees, and 39% plan to provide more flexible work
alternatives in 2008. Additionally, 31% of employers anticipate working
with freelancers or contractors, which suggests a growing receptivity
among employers to nontraditional work arrangements, but also a possible
hesitancy to hire more full-time employees.
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Dear
Steve and Jon,
I send thank you notes after an interview but I have been
told that thank you notes are a waste of time; that the best
qualified candidate always gets the job, thank you note or
no thank you note. Should I send them?
Signed: Thanks |
Steve Hines, consultant, career coach and
author of
Atlanta Jobs
Dear Thanks,
Frankly, I have spoken with many interviewers who said that
they attach little significance to these notes, and that the
notes will not affect their decision. On the other hand, I
have spoken with others who feel that this extra detail is
indicative of a more thorough person, one who is willing to
go the extra mile. Since you have nothing to lose and much
to gain, I encourage you to send a short note. (Also send
one to networking contacts and your references who help you
in your job search.) |
Jon Harvill CPC,
consultant and recruiter with
Dunhill
Professional Search
Dear Thanks,
Only one in three candidates send thank you notes, and they
do make a positive difference. But, don’t just send a
perfunctory note. Allow a good example of your writing
skills to make you stand out positively. Use this
opportunity to sell each interviewer on why you are the
right person to satisfy that interviewer’s individual hot
buttons, based upon your research and upon your observations
during the interview. |
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For the unprepared, the most difficult
questions you will encounter in a job interview are the
commonly asked behavioral or situational interview
questions. Behavioral interviewing advocates assert,
"The most accurate predictor of future performance is past
performance in a similar situation." The interviewer uses a
probing style to ask questions seeking very specific
examples. They often start out with, "Tell me about a time
... ", "Describe a situation ... ", or "Give me an example
...”
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Why should I prepare for behavioral
interview?
- Candidates who prepare for behavioral interviews
are better prepared - even for traditional interviews.
- Using behavioral based answers works well with
inexperienced and experienced interviewers alike.
- Companies that invest the time and energy in
developing behavioral interviews often attract top candidates. Top
candidates make the company a more desirable place to work.
How do I prepare for behavioral interview?
- Companies that employ behavioral interviewing
have predetermined the skill sets they require for a particular
position. For instance, a set of skills could include attributes
such as decision-making, problem solving, lean/six sigma use, ERP
use, leadership, communication, team building and the ability to
influence others. The company determines the specific skill set by
doing a detailed analysis of the position they are seeking to fill.
- As a job seeker, you and your recruiter
must also go through this same process by analyzing the job posting
and/or job description, and from your own knowledge of the
organization, determine the most likely job specifications. To
conduct a job analysis the job seeker should ask themselves
questions such as:
- What are the necessary skills to do this job?
- What makes a successful candidate?
- What would make an unsuccessful candidate?
- What could you do to make the boss’s job
easier?
- What is the most difficult part of this job?
- What behaviors/attributes would be considered
a fit with the company’s culture and values?
- Next, develop a list of your own personal
accomplishments by brainstorming the subject until you have two to
three pages of your own notable attributes and accomplishments,
particularly those that match the job requirements.
Use the STAR process.
One of the keys to success in interviewing is
practice, so we encourage you to take the time to work out answers to
the expected questions using the three step
STAR
process (Situation/Task, Action, Results) with examples from your
brainstormed list of accomplishments. For example:
| Situation/Task |
When asked, ”Give me an example of a time
when you had to use leadership in managing people”, you might
recount a time when you were assigned a new and dysfunctional
inventory control department. |
| Action |
Your story, “I held off-site training and
teambuilding exercises and straightforward one-on-one
communications with each employee, to gain everyone’s buy-in to
our group’s objectives. |
| Results |
With better use of the tools we had, teamwork
and the individuals initiatives, we were able to reduce
inventory by 18% within two months and 52% within the first
year, increasing our turn rate from 7 turns a year to 14.5
turns, reducing the company’s investment in inventory by
$3.2MM. With less volume of inventory, we were able to get rid
of two outside warehouses and reduced warehouse staff by six
people, reducing operating cost by an additional $750,000 a
year.” Analyze significant results until you can project them
quantitatively – in dollars if possible. |
You do not need to memorize answers; the key to
interviewing success is simply being prepared for the questions by
having the facts freshly in mind and a mental outline to follow in
responding to each question.
Depending upon the position being considered, let’s
finish with a list of some typical behavioral interview questions:
- Describe a situation in which you were able to
use your persuasion and presentation skills to successfully convince
someone to see things your way.
- Give me a specific example of a time when you
used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
- Tell me about a time when you had to go above and
beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
- Describe a time when you were faced with a
stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
- Describe a difficult decision you've made in the
last year.
- Give me an example of a time when something you
tried to accomplish failed.
- Give me an example of a time when you set a goal
and were able to meet or exceed it.
- Describe a time when you anticipated potential
problems and developed preventive measures.
- Give me an example of a time when you used your
fact-finding skills to solve a problem.
- Provide a specific example of a time when you had
to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.
- Please discuss an important written document you
were required to complete.
- Describe a time when you had too many things to
do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
- Give me an example of a time when you had to make
a split second decision.
- What is your typical way of dealing with
conflict? Give me an example.
- Tell me about a time you were able to
successfully deal with another person even when that individual may
not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
- Give me an example of when you showed initiative
and took the lead.
- Tell me about a recent situation in which you had
to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
- Give me an example of a time when you motivated
others.
- Tell me about a time when you delegated a project
effectively.
- Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious
solution to a problem.
- Tell me about a time when you were forced to make
an unpopular decision.
- Please tell me about a time you had to fire a
friend. Describe a time when you set your sights too high (or too
low).
You will not correctly guess every question you will
need to answer, but you will be prepared for many of them. This
advanced preparation will enable you to confidently answer most other
interview questions like a pro. Even if you are not asked
questions in a behavioral interview format, provide answers that give a
STAR response and specific examples of your accomplishments will be
remembered.
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Fax: 770-952-9422 
