herc, Author at Higher Education Jobs - Higher Education Recruitment Consortium

Interviewing Advice: They Want You to Succeed

September 11, 2018 by herc

Interviews tend to kick-start stress and ignite imposter syndrome in even the most self-confident among us, but remember that you have made it this far in the process for a reason: they want you to succeed. No school interviews unqualified candidates, so if you have an interview, it’s because you deserve to be there.

Beyond that, the committee is hoping that every candidate does well and is a great fit. They are hoping it’s a tough decision. They want you to succeed, and from people suggesting alternate answer topics to the design of the interview schedule itself, they often are actively trying to help you do so. Here are a few tips for making the most of their desire for you to do well.

Ask for Clarification

If you don’t understand a question during an interview, ask for it to be repeated or rephrased. If you can’t remember what the question was by the time you’re finished answering it, ask if you fully answered it. And if you’re just plain not sure if you were on the right track or not, ask if you answered the question.

As long as you’re not asking for clarification after every question or answer, the committee is likely to be sympathetic. After all, someone in every department is known for asking five-part questions or questions that aren’t actually questions at all. If you’re still truly baffled, just do your best, and try to say something that adds to what they know about you.

Follow Their Lead

Often when you don’t quite speak to the issue that the committee intended you to or when someone thinks something in your resume or cover letter speaks to the issue more pertinently, someone in the room will speak up. Follow the lead and expand on the experience that’s been brought up.

Even if you didn’t think of the exact topic yourself, the important thing is that you can speak to it. Don’t use this as an opportunity to short-sell yourself, explaining that you didn’t bring it up because you weren’t integral to the project or because it wasn’t as successful as you had hoped. Explain what your role was or speak to the lesson the unsuccessful project taught you instead.

Take All Your Breaks

Breaks are built into on-campus interviews for a reason. The committee knows you need them, so take every one you are offered. Even if you don’t need to use the restroom or grab a drink of water, take a few minutes to be alone with no pressure to talk to anyone.

If the schedule starts to become compressed because some part took too long, do not suggest skipping your break. If you want to take a shorter break, fine, but don’t skip it altogether. And obviously, if you need an extra break at any point, politely let them know you need to use the restroom.

If you find yourself feeling nervous during an interview, remember that the committee wouldn’t be interviewing you if they didn’t think you had the skills to succeed. As you move through the interview process to the on-campus interview, think about how many other worthy candidates have not made it this far. You are here because they believe in you and are rooting for you.

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Drafting a Career-Change Resume

September 11, 2018 by herc

The average person will have 12 jobs in his or her lifetime—and, in many cases, at least a few of those positions constitute true career changes. In fact, 75 percent of Generation Xers say they’ll likely return to school at some point in their careers—with their sights set on changing roles—and 80 percent of workers in their 20s want to change careers.

But, while a career change puts you in good company, positioning yourself and your prior experience can be challenging. The more competitive the market, the tougher it may be to cut through the clutter and ensure your resume is noticed—especially in a stack of CVs that seem to be 100 percent in-step with the specific role and responsibilities.

The simplest and most effective solution is to unpack your soft skills and other transferable skills—proficiencies that easily translate from industry to industry and are just as highly sought in your new potential field. By telling your professional story and organically weaving in these critical traits and experiences, you’ll create instant relevance in a hiring manager’s mind and better position yourself to get an interview—and possibly the job.

Some Great Steps for Getting Started

First, Research. Every industry is different. Even if you’re shifting niches within the same general area, be sure to do your homework regarding the required skills, training, certifications, and in-demand experiences. A quick search on HERC Jobs or a specific institution’s job board should give you a cursory sense. Jot down the key points and requirements—you’ll need to have those on-hand as you start drafting your resume.

Second, Compare and Contrast. Armed with your list of industry must-haves, the next step is to determine how your background compares and contrasts. For example, an analyst may be well-versed in distilling complex research findings into simple, actionable trends, and that’s also an important skill for a teacher or someone in a sales or marketing role to have.

As you work through your list of required skills and experiences, chances are that you’ll spot more than a few that connect your current career path to your new trajectory. Make note of each—these will be central to your updated resume and, more specifically, used to fill in the SKILLS/STRENGTHS section of your resume.

Third, Determine Your Objective. A solid career-change resume starts with a clear-cut objective: a short statement at the top of your resume that definitively states why you’re applying for the job. Some examples include:

To transition into an executive-level position in graduate admissions that, specifically, leverages my experience in diversity initiatives and staff training.
To bring my decade-plus of experience working with students, educators, and high-level donors and alumni to a student-affairs role.
To shift from a research-focused position to a classroom-based teaching role, enabling me to bring my experience, insights, and unique presentation approach to graduate students.

Each of these statements weaves in why the candidate is right for the position, without overtly saying it, and hints at his or her skills and qualifications. Done right, a strong objective should drive hiring managers to lean in and read on—exactly what you want.

Fourth, Draft Your Resume. Many people who are making career changes opt to use a functional resume. While most resumes are chronological—listing your most current experiences first and continuing backward—a functional resume brings your skills and experiences to the forefront. By pulling your best skills forward as they relate to the job for which you’re applying, you can better highlight why you make sense for the role. For example, a functional resume might showcase your research and presentation skills from all previous roles as well as your training, academic work, and supporting pursuits. For a functional resume, the format would be:

OBJECTIVE

SKILLS/STRENGTHS (Include relevant skills and experiences as they relate to the role.)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES (Break down critical experiences and skills into a few relevant buckets. Under each header, bullet out related experiences from previous roles. See examples below.)

Educational Work

Related Experience

Project Management

Related Experience

Managerial Experience

Related Experience
Technology & Administrative Support

Related Experience

WORK HISTORY (List the positions in which you acquired the bulleted experiences above. Because you’ve already explained your experiences above, there’s no need to elaborate here.)

Associate Professor, University of San Jose, San Jose, CA (2011-2017)
Assistant Professor, Colorado College of Engineering, Boulder, CO (2003-2011)
Graduate Assistant, University of Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids, MI (2000-2003)

EDUCATION & TRAINING (Conclude with your education and any relevant training or certifications.)

Finally, Send With Confidence. The final step is to send your resume—with confidence—to prospective employers. Many hiring managers and human resource (HR) leaders are searching for candidates who are good cultural fits for an organization or institution. Beyond that, they want engaged, active doers who are ready to dive in and learn. Often, a candidate who’s making a career change can check those boxes.

Additionally, candidates from other backgrounds and industries may be positive forces for change by bringing unique perspectives to the departments or divisions. It’s easy to become caught up in the status quo when you’re surrounded by like-minded professionals. An outside hire can shake things up for the better, pushing everyone to consider new perspectives and think differently—often, bringing about exciting innovations and new ways of looking at old problems. Be that person, and you’ll be in-demand—no matter what your desired next step.

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Mentoring Tips: How to Find, Keep, and be a Mentor

September 7, 2018 by herc

There was a time, years ago, when it was common to learn a craft or trade by being an apprentice to a master teacher. The transferring of skills was achieved through watching and practicing under the guidance of someone with significant experience in the craft, such as learning how to shoe a horse or become a cabinetmaker. Not only were traditions passed down from generation to generation in this manner, but lifelong relationships were also developed, as the apprentice became a part of a trade. Today, one might view mentors serving a similar role as that of a master teacher.

The Value of Mentorship

Is mentorship really valuable? Yes, it can be – for both the mentor and the mentee. Being mentored enables you to:

Learn from an experienced practitioner;
Expand your professional network;
Learn how things get done in the cultural, historical, and political environment of an institution;
And moves you along your career path.

Mentoring someone can also be a very rewarding experience. You are exposed to new and different ideas, plus you acquire the opportunity to reflect on your own current practices through the eyes of another up-and-coming professional.

Formal and Informal Mentoring

The process of mentoring can be either formal or informal. Universities, colleges, and other institutions may offer formal mentoring programs to new faculty, staff, and administrators. Here, seasoned individuals serve as mentors to those new to the institution following a formal, proscribed pre-planned program of activities and events. Informal mentoring is another option and can be as effective, if not more effective, than participating in a more formal program.

If there is no formal mentoring program available for you to participate in, how do you find a mentor? One way to find a mentor is to observe individuals around you that you admire. Maybe there is someone that always seems to get things done, even in the most difficult of circumstances. It could be someone that others respect, understanding the ins-and-outs of strategic funding, or supports those they lead. Or, it could be an individual that possess knowledge and experience in a particular area (e.g., budgeting, professional development, etc.) that you want to learn more about.

Finding a Mentor

Once you have identified someone who could mentor you, it might be a good idea to invite them to lunch or coffee, and have a conversation about your career interests. If you find that you get along with this person on a professional level, then ask if they would be willing to show you how to do something, such as manage a complex budget or deal with difficult colleagues. Then let the mentoring naturally develop from there.

Good Mentoring

The key to having a good mentoring experience is for both individuals to agree on clear expectations regarding the experience. This starts with making sure that the mentor and mentee is a good match. According to Haddock-Millar and Sanyal (2015), effective mentors possess common characteristics. Good mentors:

are experts in their field of study;
are committed to their own professional development as well as that of others;
have the ability to develop meaningful relationships;
and have significant internal and external networks.

In comparison, a good mentee is open to learning, but is also not shy about communicating with their mentor if the experience is not meeting expectations or if they feel overpowered in the relationship.

Avoid Mentoring Pitfalls

Todaro (2015) shares some pitfalls to be aware of regarding mentoring:

Avoid mentors who are not happy with their work, who appear to know-it-all, and who use others to get ahead;
Avoid breaching any type of confidentiality or talking about personal issues, including asking for advice and counseling;
As a mentee, take the mentoring opportunity seriously;
And do not allow the mentor/mentee relationship to develop into an intimate one.

Checking in frequently with your mentor helps to make sure that the experience is truly working in your best career interests.

Is Mentoring Right for You?

Before seeking or engaging in a mentoring experience, ask yourself if a formal or informal mentoring program is right for you at this point in your career? Think about what you would like to gain at the end of the mentoring experience. Know that it is ok to end a mentorship, that sometimes a mentoring relationship will fizzle out on its own, or it will continue on for a lifetime.

You may have several mentoring relationships throughout your career – some may be formal, some informal; in some you may be the mentor, in the others the mentee. The best mentoring experiences occur when both individuals share common interests, engaging in the process of learning from each other.

Gail M. Staines, Ph.D., is dean of library services at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) where she also oversees the Center for Teaching and Learning. Previously, Gail held administrative positions at Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University. She was also an executive director of a nonprofit organization for eight years. In these positions, Gail has and continues to provide advice to the next generation of higher education professionals. She holds an MLS and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University at Buffalo. Over her career, Staines has served as a faculty member teaching both undergraduate and graduate level courses online and on-the ground. An author of several books and articles, she is frequently asked to be a keynote speaker at conferences, and has been inducted into several honor societies. A lifelong equestrienne, Gail teaches riding and has developed and will be teaching an introductory equine course at UCM.

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Job Search Guide: For Staff & Managerial Positions in Higher Ed

September 7, 2018 by herc

Why work in higher education?

If you want a fulfilling career that positively impacts your community, consider a job in higher education. Working in higher education blends elements of the corporate and nonprofit experience, and provides lifelong learning opportunities. Colleges, universities, affiliated hospitals, and research labs need diverse professionals with a variety of skills, perspectives, and experiences to drive innovation and empower student success.

What kinds of jobs are out there for me?

Think about any position you’d need to run a small city. Colleges and universities need people with all levels of experience — from the recent graduate to the experienced professional. Here are just a few examples of the types of jobs you’ll find:

•Accountants

•Doctors & Emergency Responders

•Facility Managers

•Lab Technicians

•Legal Experts

•Student Advocates

•Marketing & Communications Managers

•Recreation Professionals

•Technology Staff

What is unique about applying for jobs in higher education?

Keep in mind that many positions in higher education require working across departments and with multiple stakeholders – include information about your soft skills, like communication and collaboration, in addition to your hard skills. And be ready to address how your experience will help advance the mission of the institution or department. Also, you may need to provide a Curriculum Vitae (CV) instead of a resume — read on for CV tips.

Sign up for higher education job alerts at hercjobs.org, so you will know when schools are looking for talented people like you!

Quick Job Search Checklist

Create a custom job alert(s) at hercjobs.org to learn more about the jobs that are out there
Outline your accomplishments so you know what jobs you’ll have the most success applying for
Create an expanded version of your resume
Activate your personal and professional networks to serve as references and make introductions
Create a free account on hercjobs.org to easily apply for jobs with a tailored resume

What will I need to apply for higher education positions?

Applying for positions in higher education is a lot like any other job search – you’ll create a strong cover letter and resume tailored to the position, fill out an application, and prepare for the interview. Here is a list of the basics you’ll need, and some advice on how to make your materials stand out!

Focused Cover Letter

Focus on how your unique skills and experience will help to advance the school’s mission and back up your promises with evidence.
Address the minimum qualifications of the job
Slow down before applying and proofread carefully! Spelling, grammar, and consistency issues are unacceptable in a higher education application.

Scannable Resume

Tailor your resume for each application using keywords from the job description. For each keyword, you focus on, give a short example of how your work ties to that strength or skill.
Highlight relevant and quantifiable accomplishments.
Include internal promotions in your resume to demonstrate growth and leadership potential.
Give your resume to a friend to do a “10-second review” to see if your resume is easy to read and important information is easy to find.

Interview Preparation

Research the institution and department. Understand their function, structure, and mission.
Think about what drew you to apply. What about the institution impressed you?
Prepare examples from your work or volunteer life that are related to the job responsibilities. Give tangible examples.
Bring questions about the job or school to the interview! Asking questions shows you are well prepared and eager to make sure this is a good job fit for both you and the institution.

For academics applying to staff and management positions:

You may need a resume in addition to / in place of a CV. This requires more than new headings and re-ordering your information. Re-frame your experience to focus on job responsibilities, accomplishments, and transferable skills.
Tap into your professional network just as you would during an academic job search.
Finally, there are great careers in higher education outside of the tenure track. Find an aspect of academic life you particularly enjoy and forge a career path that excites you.

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Do I need a degree to work in Higher Education?

September 6, 2018 by herc

(This article originally appeared on the website Jobs.ac.uk in May 2011)

The short answer is no, as universities and colleges are committed to access to their institutions for their employees as well as their students. If you have suitable work experience, and depending of course on the role you’re applying for, most universities will consider this in lieu or in combination with any other training you may have undertaken or plan to complete.

In my experience, however, a degree is very helpful to working in HE, for several reasons.

1) It shows you have an interest in, and an aptitude for, the central service/product on offer by the university or college you are applying to – education is at the core of their business and their values, and you would be best placed if you can demonstrate the role it has had in your life as well.

2) Higher education is an increasingly complex and dynamic industry, and advanced studies lend themselves to the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are valued in that kind of environment. Having a degree doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to be a flexible, adaptable, pro-active employee, but it may show that you have a pre-disposition towards this.

3) Working with others who have advanced degrees and/or who are at the top of their field – you won’t automatically be able to get the respect you deserve from a fellow staff member just because you’ve got some letters behind your name, but when you’re working in a place that places a great deal of importance on teaching and research, you may find it easier if you know your quantitative from qualitative evidence, and are able to demonstrate this tangibly not only from your professional working history, but also from having taken appropriate courses at some stage in your career.

All of this will of course depend to a certain extent the role that you have as well as your relationship with your peers and of course the institutional culture where you work. But in my experience, you will likely find it easier to get settled in a new role if you have had some prior experience of university-level study and how a university organizes itself. And certainly as a hiring manager, with all else being equal, I would certainly prioritize an applicant or a candidate for promotion who showed a continuing interest in their own personal and/or professional education, and would certainly encourage him or her to take courses at the institution.

Another option to consider is joining professional networks and memberships. Most professionals working in higher education (on either the academic or administrative side) hold multiple memberships of relevant professional organisations, which are also selective and often also require studies at an appropriate level in order to gain membership.

There may be a “degree” of academic snobbery at work here, in that members of the academy expect that others in the organization should have achieved a similar standard of education. But when you think about it in terms of an institution’s brand values and mission in society, what does it say if they conclude a degree isn’t important to success?

This article was provided by HERC Trustee Partner Jobs.ac.uk. As the leading International job board for careers in research, science and academia, jobs.ac.uk can help you access, attract and engage with the best faculty talent from around the world, whilst providing a time- and cost-effective solution for optimizing your institution’s recruitment.

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Balancing a Professional Career and Academic Profile

September 6, 2018 by herc

(This article originally appeared on the website Jobs.ac.uk in February 2017)

In an article entitled ‘Working for a university in a non-academic role’, Dr Catherine Armstrong explores the alternative careers that academics can pursue in Higher Education. By recognising that not all postdocs will gain employment as a university lecturer or researcher, Dr Armstrong examines the ways in which academics can remain part of the university community while building up a professional profile. Yet, this raises the question of whether it is possible to work outside of academia while continuing to preserve a presence within a specialist field. In other words, can you have your professional cake and eat it?

Whether you hope to pursue an academic career in the future or simply wish to remain connected to your subject area, this article investigates the various possibilities available to academics working outside the ivory tower of academia.

Sessional teaching and guest lectures

If you are part-time or your employer offers flexible working, then you may consider approaching your local university for some sessional teaching hours. It is important to ask yourself whether you can balance the requirements of your professional post, with the teaching preparation and marking that comes with sessional teaching. Still, this can be a very rewarding way of staying within the academic community. Another option is to offer a guest lecture either for an undergraduate module or a specialist academic group. This allows you to publicize your work on your own terms.

Independent Researcher

Despite leaving mainstream academia behind, your research findings will still be of interest to many other people working in a similar field. Although you must be prepared to take your attendance at conferences, seminars and study days off as annual leave, there is no reason why you should not present or participate in academic events as an Independent Researcher.

Social media

A key way of advertising your research and engaging in cost-free networking is social media. A Twitter account is a great way of publicizing your research while engaging with other academics and networks. It also allows you to keep abreast of current research in your field and is an instant way of finding out about academic events that may interest you.

Publishing

Being outside of mainstream academia, you can publish your research at your own leisure. It is entirely up to you if you wish to publish your work. However, if you do hope to return to academia in the future, then it is imperative that you publish at least an academic journal article or chapter in an edited collection. Publishing is a key way of getting your ideas out there and with an emphasis now on outreach, writing for a more public audience is also encouraged.

While it is not easy to balance the demands of a professional post with maintaining an academic profile, it is possible. The extent to which you do both depends on your personal situation. It is clear, however, that the communication, networking and professional skills that enabled you to do the PhD in the first place can also be used to preserve links between two distinct professional worlds.

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4 Steps To Networking Success

September 6, 2018 by herc

(This article originally appeared on the website Jobs.ac.uk in July 2015)Careers advisers the world over will tell you that networking can be one of the best ways to make connections, unearth hidden jobs or advance your career. What we often don’t tell you is how to actually do it.

To be fair to them, and to me (guilty as charged m’lord), it is an art form and it’s not something that you’ll necessarily pick up by just reading an article. To become a networking master takes practice and a resilient mind-set that’ll help you to try out different techniques and hone your skills.

Whether you’re still studying or a fully-fledged graduate, networking could be one of the best ways to either prepare for, or find that elusive first position.

Networking can help you learn from those that are more experienced, as well as help you escape the madding crowds and resulting competition.

OK, so I’ve made the big sell, networking is essential ……. blah blah blah. Now to the nitty gritty!

What I’m going to try to include in this article will give you a starting point to make networking work for you. So here they are; my 4 steps to networking success.

Use your Alumni

In my opinion, one of the most underused resources is a university’s alumni. We all know it exists, but most of us (me included) never get past the blurb on the university website.

Your alumni will have hundreds of thousands of successful graduates some of which will be working in your chosen sector and may even be at companies that you want to work for.

If you’re still an undergrad, I suggest making the most of your alumni now. Many offer networking events, mentoring and ‘meet the professionals’ sessions to help you connect and learn from past students.

For those of you that have graduated, get a list together of companies that you’d be interested in working for and check to see if your alumni have any graduates working for them. They may be willing to help you connect and the great thing about being introduced by your alumni is that you already have a connection; a commonality that helps to build that all important rapport.

When you do meet, you’ll need to be ready to learn as much as you can about the culture, future developments to the industry, and challenges faced by those in the sector and roles that you’re interested in. By gaining an insight into the inner workings as well as some of the lingo, you’ll be able to show that you can hit the ground running when you get to an interview.

Start with who you already know!

Networking isn’t just about making new connections. Those that already know you are more likely to help you. One problem that you’ll probably face is that you’ll try to talk yourself out of it. You’ll be thinking things like “they’re too busy” or ‘I don’t want to bother them’. When I hear objections like this I always try to get people to think of it this way, if you were asked to help a friend or acquaintance start their career and you actually could, would you?

Once you’ve got past that initial doubt, get in touch and let them know a little about your predicament, what you’re hoping for and what your careers aspirations are. If it sounds like they might be able to help, arrange to meet up for a coffee and try and work out how they can help you. They may be able offer advice; provide CV feedback, know of graduate positions coming up, or know someone on the interview panel of a job that you’re going for.

Find out where influencers in your industry meet and get an invite

If you’re lucky, the people you already know will be able to do this. If that’s not the case you’ll have to put yourself out there. One way to do this is to use the networking site LinkedIn.

Firstly, if you haven’t already, you’ll need to fill out your profile. This is not an activity to take lightly and should in my opinion take you the best part of a day to research what works, and to develop a strong profile that shows off your skills, experience and more importantly your unique identifiers that set you apart from the crowd. These could take the form of a niche skill, some particularly interesting work experience or it could even be the personality that you weave into your profile. Remember, LinkedIn is your chance to elaborate and to wax lyrical about what makes you a good hire.

Once you’ve set the scene it’s time to become an active member of groups related to your sector or role. By conveying passion and genuine interest, you’ll already be half way there. Ask for advice and not for a favour and above all, explain why getting a foot hold in your chosen sector is important to you.

Follow up on any connections that you make at events – even if they were brief!

Networking events can often pass with a bit of a blur. A mixture of nervous energy and excitement can mean that you flit from one conversation to another, often meeting several people at the same time.

If you can, make notes, get business cards or try a little mnemonics to remember people that you meet. Hopefully, during the event you’ll have made a good impression by being confident and sociable, as well as showing that you have a real enthusiasm for your industry.

Once you’ve said your farewells and made your way home, the following day is the time to start following up on your connections. Start with those that may have intimated that they’d like to help you, but don’t forgot those that you only had a brief encounter with. Use email or LinkedIn and start by reminding them of you who you are, and more importantly why you’d like to keep in touch. Again, focus on seeking advice and help rather than out right asking them to do something for you. People often like to help on their own terms rather than being asked directly.

With any luck you’ll have the made the right first impression for them to want to keep in touch and over time you’ll be able to earn their much needed support.

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Successful Interviewing with Rapport

September 6, 2018 by herc

(This article originally appeared on the website Jobs.ac.uk in April 2012)Consider this. You have just been for an interview for a job that you really want. You wake up the next morning feeling good about your chances of getting the job. You answered all of their questions and you got across all the points that you wanted to make. You know that it would benefit them to take you on because you would be good at the job and you fit all of their requirements…..and then you get the telephone call…..you have not been “successful.”

The reason for your non success? “There were other candidates that were more suitable for the position than you.”

What does that mean exactly? “More suitable than you?” If they were prepared to interview you, then they must have to have considered taking you on. Your application or your CV must certainly have given them grounds for considering you for the job, otherwise they were wasting their own time.

On the face of it then, you did meet their criteria, so what was it? Did they not like you? I am sure that you did make a good impression on them and that they did like you. It is just that they liked someone else more than they liked you.

The bond that you establish with your interviewers is the single most important factor in achieving success in job interviews. In their eyes, when they meet you, they are considering working with you. Depending on the job, you may well end up spending more time with the people that you work with than you do your own family, so you would not recruit someone to work with you who you did not feel absolutely comfortable with, would you?

Now, in an everyday, relaxed situation, when you meet someone, I am sure that you make a great impression. I am sure that you can turn on the charm and that in no time at all, you are bonding together nicely. The thing is that a job interview is not an everyday situation, you are not relaxed, and you do not necessarily behave in your natural way.

The chances are that at the beginning of a job interview you are a bit nervous, you are really concentrating on what you are saying and what the interviewers are asking you. You are trying not to make any mistakes and really trying to make a good impression by answering their questions to the absolute best of your ability.

This is all completely normal, and you are not doing anything wrong, it is just that you are leaving it to chance as to whether you establish that ‘connection’ with your interviewers. That unconscious ‘connection’ that will mean that you connected with them better than all of the other interviewees.

You know what I mean by that ‘connection,’ don’t you? It is that ‘connection’ that will leave them with a feeling of a warm glow inside as you leave the room. It is the presence or not of that feeling of connectedness when they perform their review of the candidates at the end of the day, or the next morning, that will probably determine whether you get the job. That ‘connection’ is called Rapport.

The good news is that building Rapport is a process that you can learn. It is a process that you can carry out at the beginning of an interview that will produce that feeling of energetic connectedness with the interviewer, and it might just give you that edge that you need to get the job. I have worked with people who have used this process to succeed in being offered senior jobs in fields where they have no experience and I have had people succeed in getting rapid promotions also by using this process.

The key to building great Rapport is to work at an unconscious level to get the other person to think that you are like them. If they think that you are like them, then they will like you. Think about it. Do you and your friends have common interests? Yes, that is why they are your friends. Think about someone that you met recently and you got on really well with. What sort of things did you talk about? Did you have certain things in common? The chances are that you did.

One of the ways that we can build Rapport with someone is to discuss what we refer to as commonalities. Such as where you went to school, where you grew up, where you go on holiday, your favourite sport, social networking, and so on. The trouble is that it is not always suitable to talk about these things at the start of an interview, is it? Well, it is, but not for long. There will be a small period of time before the interview proper begins, where you will have a chance to discuss a commonality. As you are being greeted, before you sit down in your interview chair, that is the right moment. What can you say? Well even something related to the weather, such as “what a beautiful day, isn’t it?” That will get them agreeing with you, as long as it is a nice day, otherwise they may think that you are mad! The weather is something that you have in common and that is a good starting point for your bonding.

What else can you do to build this unconscious energetic feeling of Rapport? There are a whole host of things that you can do: you can match (copy) their breathing, you can match their tone of voice, you can match the words that they use, the phrases that they use, and you can match their body posture and body movements.

Copying breathing is a good one, and it can be really effective. Give this a go. When you next sit down to chat with someone, copy their breathing. When they breathe in, you breathe in. When they breathe out, you breathe out. Don’t worry, they will not notice you doing it! The best way to tell if someone is breathing in or out is to watch their shoulders go up and down. A tip also here is that if they are talking, then they are breathing out, otherwise they choke to death! Notice how you feel, notice how they respond. Notice if you get that feeling of being in rapport?

The key to success with any process is practice, so practise this skill in non interview situations before you go ‘live’ with it. The process of building Rapport works, it works brilliantly in interview situations, and it might just be the thing that helps you to get your dream job.

If you wish to know more about this process, then go to https://excellenceassured.com and visit the free NLP Resources section of the website.

To your success.

-Anthony Beardsell, Excellence Assured

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Interview question: What’s your biggest weakness?

September 6, 2018 by herc

(This article originally appeared on the website Jobs.ac.uk in May 2013) It’s an old classic and a question that seems to have had plenty of interviewees struggling, but should this question cause so much worry? Well, today we’re going to have a look at the different types of answers and offer some useful tips to help you with this tricky interview question!

Describe a weakness that’s a positive.

This is a popular strategy and there are certainly no shortages of advice articles that propose this type of answer.

Below we’ve listed some of the more common examples:

“I’ve often been told I’m a bit of a perfectionist.”

“Sometimes, I put too much of myself into my work and I struggle to get the right work-life balance.”

“I like responsibility so I’ve a tendency to take on a little bit more than I can manage but I’ve since learned to delegate.”

“I find it difficult to sit and do nothing so have set myself some self-development goals.”

In theory this appears to be a sound approach and there’s no doubt that in some circumstances it works.

The problem with this approach is that often recruiters and interviewers have heard it all before. Giving an example that is obviously a positive in the workplace is easy to see through and may even be off putting to an interviewer. Nobody is perfect and an interviewer could even see this as arrogant. So what’s the alternative?
Be honest, describe a true weakness and show how you have overcome it.

The first thing you’ll need to do is to think of a weakness to use as your example. Try to pick something that isn’t too serious or too integral to the role that you are going for. For example, “in the past I have struggled a little with presentations to large groups.”

When describing your weakness in the interview, try not to emphasise it. The key is to show that you have struggled a little with this aspect in the past. This ensures that the interviewer doesn’t worry too much about how it will affect you in the role.

The next stage is to show how you have overcome this. Did you complete a training course? Did you practice to overcome the problem? Did you ask for advice from a colleague or get support from your line manager?

Once you have explained how you dealt with your weakness, the next part of the process is to incorporate a success story. For example, “recently in my current role, I gave a presentation to the regional managers. Due to the practice I’ve been doing, it went really well and I got some great feedback.

Ideally if you follow these 3 steps you should have an example of a weakness that you struggled with a little, an explanation of how you overcame the problem and a success story, proving that you have made progress with your weakness.

Why showing a weakness isn’t a bad thing

Pinpointing a weakness in an interview can help to show to an employer that you are self-aware. It shows that you are able to look at yourself objectively, spot a training need and resolve that need with training, practice, or by seeking advice. This helps to show your commitment to personal development. Importantly for an employer this shows that you will continue to grow. We’re all human, and being able to spot our own weaknesses can be the key to developing strengths.

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