Recruiter Solutions International Interview Prep Packet

This RSI booklet credits contributions from the following sources:

The Interview; A Guide to Obtaining a Job Offer By Chuck Rusell & Associates, Management Consultants, Houston Texas Courier Journal & Times: Careers By Joyce Lain Kennedy Win the Interview Win the Job By Theodore Pettus Telephone Interviewing Tips By Calvin E. Bruce & Paula W. Moore

INTERVIEW PREP PACKET .................................................... 3 OBJECTIVE OF THE INTERVIEW ......................................... 4 INTERVIEW PREPARATION ................................................... 4 1. KNOW YOURSELF ................................................................... 4 2. RESEARCH THE COMPANY ..................................................... 4 3. ITEMS TO BRING TO THE INTERVIEW ................................... 4 ARRIVAL AT THE INTERVIEW.............................................. 5 APPEARANCE .............................................................................. 5 MALE CANDIDATES .................................................................... 5 FEMALE CANDIDATES ................................................................ 6 THE INTERVIEW ........................................................................ 6 A TYPICAL SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ARE: .................................... 6 IF THERE IS INTEREST ON BOTH PARTIES: ................................ 6 TYPICAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & RESPONSES ......... 7 TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. ...................................................... 7 WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS? ............................... 7 WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST WEEKNESSES? ............................ 7 PERSONALITY QUESTIONS .................................................... 8 WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? ................................. 8 MOTIVE QUESTIONS ................................................................ 8 HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THIS COMPANY? .................... 8 WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU FOR THIS POSITION? ....................... 8 WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR OUR FIRM? ....................... 8 WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO BE IN FIVE YEARS?........................... 8 WHAT INTERESTS YOU MOST ABOUT THIS POSITION? ............. 8 HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN TO BE WITH THE COMPANY? .......... 9 WHAT ARE YOUR CAREER GOALS? ........................................... 9 WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS? ................ 9 2

JOB SATISFACTION QUESTIONS .......................................... 9 WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR PREVIOUS EMPLOYER? ................ 9 WHAT DID YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT YOUR PREVIOUS JOB? ..... 9 WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB? ........................ 10 WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR EMPLOYERS OBLIGATIONS ARE TO YOU? ..................................................................................... 10 ARE YOU APPLYING FOR ANY OTHER JOBS? ........................... 10 PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONS .................................... 10 WHAT KIND OF DECISIONS ARE MOST DIFFICULT FOR YOU? 10 WHAT CAUSES YOU TO LOSE YOUR TEMPER? ........................ 10 WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS?............... 10 HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT A YOUNGER MALE/FEMALE BOSS? .................................................................................................... 11 WHAT KIND OF WORKER ARE YOU? ........................................ 11 SALARY QUESTIONS............................................................... 11 WHAT TYPE OF SALARY DO YOU HAVE IN MIND? ................... 11 WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT SALARY? ......................................... 11 OTHER QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TRUTHFULLY ANSWER ......................................................... 11 QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO ASK............................................. 11

INTEREST QUESTIONS................................................ 12
JOB SATISFACTION QUESTIONS............................................... 12

PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONS ................... 12

WERE THEY PROMOTED OR DID THEY LEAVE THE COMPANY? .................................................................................................... 13 HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE COMPANY?.................... 13 WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF THE BEST RESULTS PRODUCED BY PEOPLE IN THIS JOB? ................................................................ 13 ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ..................................................... 13 3

TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING TIPS .................................... 14 PREPARATION IS KEY............................................................ 14 PHONE PERSONALITY ........................................................... 16 THE TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ............................................ 17 THE HOME STRETCH ............................................................. 18 CONCLUSION OF THE INTERVIEW ................................... 18 THANK YOU LETTERS ........................................................... 20 RESIGNATION LETTERS ....................................................... 21 SAMPLE LETTER ONE .............................................................. 22 SAMPLE LETTER THREE .......................................................... 23 SAMPLE LETTER FOUR ............................................................ 24 SAMPLE LETTER FIVE .............................................................. 24 SAMPLE LETTER SIX ................................................................ 25 .................................................................................................... 26 SAMPLE LETTER SEVEN ........................................................... 26 .................................................................................................... 26 SAMPLE LETTER EIGHT ........................................................... 26 DEALING WITH COUNTEROFFERS ................................... 27 THE THINGS THEYLL SAY: ...................................................... 27 YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF: ................................................. 28 NEVER ACCEPT A COUNTEROFFER ................................. 28 THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE ........................................................ 29 WHAT REALLY GOES THROUGH A BOSSS MIND WHEN SOMEONE QUITS? ...................................................................... 29 WHAT WILL THE BOSS SAY TO KEEP YOU IN THE NEST? THESE COMMENTS ARE COMMON: .......................................... 30 JUST A STALL TACTIC ........................................................... 30 4

WHY IT PAYS TO QUIT........................................................... 31 PRE-EMPLOYMENT EXAMS ................................................. 38 REASONS FOR REJECTION................................................... 38 WHAT DOES A FAB DO?......................................................... 39 HOW TO DO A FAB................................................................... 40 BASED UPON YOUR FABS, IF YOU WERE AN EMPLOYER, WOULD YOU WANT TO INTERVIEW THIS PERSON. ...................................................................................... 40 14 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN DOING FABS .......................... 40

Interview Prep Packet

Once you find the career you are interested in pursuing, Recruiter Solutions International will assist you with getting through the interviews and leaving your old job. Review the Interview Prep Packet to insure you are prepared for the interview. After the interview you will need to send a Thank-You Note to the hiring authorities. Samples are available. Now that you have gone through all of the interviews, sent your thank-you notes, and accepted your new position, you need to turn in the dreaded resignation with your current employer. This is one of the hardest parts of taking a new job. Sample Resignation Letters are here to assist you. What are you going to do if your current employer makes you a counter offer to stay in your current organization? You can read what you should do if you are Counter Offered to stay with your current organization.

This Interview Prep Packet will provide you with valuable interviewing tips that can give you a winning edge over other, less prepared, candidates. Review it thoroughly and prepare your responses and questions from the suggestions contained in this packet. As always, please feel free to call us if you have any questions or concerns. Good Luck!

Objective of the Interview An interviewer has just one objective: to decide whether or not to make you a job offer. While the interviewer will examine your work history and educational background, your strengths and accomplishments will also be important criterion. He or she is also interested in evaluating your level of motivation, values, attitude and personality. In other words, to find out if you are the right person for the job, what your potential is for promotion and whether or not you will fit into the company environment. While it is true that an interview is an important screening tool for companies, it also allows you to learn those things you need to know about the position and the company so that you can make an intelligent decision about the job. Always approach an interview focused on your objective: getting a job offer. As with many situations, preparation is the key to success. The job market is very competitive and you probably will not be the only qualified candidate for a position. The deciding factor may simply be the way you present your skills and qualifications relevant to the position and how well you conduct yourself during the interview. Interview Preparation 1. Know Yourself Can you honestly visualize resigning from your current position? (See Dealing With Counteroffers) What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What are your short and long-term goals? Evaluate yourself in terms of the position you seek? Formulate responses by asking the question: Why should they hire me? Remember that you are there to sell yourself and secure a job offer. 2. Research the Company Utilize the library to review annual reports, trade magazines and newspaper articles. The Internet offers a wealth of company information and industry statistics. Know the companys products and services. Be prepared to tell the interviewer why their company is attractive to you. 3. Items to Bring to the Interview

References

o Use three former supervisors who are familiar with your work. o Include their name and company as well as home and work phone numbers. o Always consult with references for their approval and to ensure that their remarks are positive.

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o Review your resume thoroughly and be prepared to discuss all points. o Always bring a resume copy identical to the one supplied to the interviewer. o Bring along samples of your work, if possible. Never discuss or show proprietary information.

Other Items

o Bring a folder and pen to the interview to jot down notes. o Prepare and review your questions as well as specific responses. o Bring directions to the interview location as well as the interviewers phone number in case you are running late. o Bring along your recruiters phone number to give immediate feedback after the interview.

Arrival at the Interview Arrive no earlier than fifteen minutes before the interview, but no later that five minutes prior to the interview. Allow adequate time for traffic, parking, and a last minute appearance check. If possible, scout out the location the day before the interview to avoid any last minute problems. Review your notes and go in with confidence. If asked, complete an application. Complete the application in full and leave no blanks. Do not write see resume as a response to any application questions. Respond to expected salary questions as open and current salary questions truthfully. List references if requested. Your recruiters name should be your response to any referred by questions.

Appearance Male Candidates o Fingernails should be short and clean; manicured if possible. o Hair should be clean, well groomed and freshly trimmed. Use a dandruff shampoo, if necessary, and always comb hair with your jacket off. o A navy blue or dark gray suit is appropriate for most positions. Be sure it is cleaned and pressed. Men with stout builds should avoid three-piece suits. o Shirts should be white, freshly laundered and well pressed. o A quiet tie with a subtle design and a hint of red is suitable for a first interview. Avoid loud colors and busy designs. o Jewelry should be kept minimal. A watch and wedding or class ring are acceptable. Dont wear jewelry or pins that indicate membership in religious or service organizations. Use deodorant and avoid colognes or fragrances completely. o Shoes that are black and freshly polished (including the heels) are a safe choice for an interview. Socks should be black or blue and worn over the calf.

o For good posture, cross legs at the ankles, not at the knees. o Maintain good eye contact. o Dont take portable phones or beepers into an interview. Female Candidates o Fingernails should be clean; manicured if possible. Choose subtle lowkey colors over bright fashion colors for nail polishes. o Wear a suit or tailored dress in basic navy or gray. Blouses should also be tailored and color coordinated. Dont wear big bows or ties. o Avoid exotic hairstyles and excessive makeup. Hair should be neat, clean and brushed with your jacket off. Makeup should be light and natural looking. o Use deodorant and avoid colognes or fragrances. o Jewelry should be limited and subtle. Dont wear jewelry or pins that indicate membership in religious or service organizations. o A closed toe pump that is color coordinated with your outfit is appropriate for an interview. Avoid open-toed shoes or sling-backs. o For good posture, cross legs at the ankles, not at the knees. o Maintain good eye contact. o Do not take portable phones or beepers into an interview. The Interview A typical sequence of events are: Interview with personnel; general questions, review of the company and their benefits. Interview with the immediate supervisor and peers. Interview with the hiring authority (manager, etc.) Shake hands firmly and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Maintain a high energy level. Sit up with back straight. No coffee (to spill) and no smoking. It is to your advantage if a subject of mutual interest arises, but do not fake knowledge. Be yourself. Poise, confidence, and self-respect are of great importance.

If there is interest on both parties: Testing (physical, drug test, written test, and proof of employment eligibility). Offer.

Personnel will usually provide company information and available benefits. Thorough review and questions concerning benefits should be addressed after the interview. Remember, the interviewers are trying to see how you can contribute to the company.

Conduct yourself with confidence and determination to get the job. You have the options, of course, and your interviewer knows this, but wants to think that you want a job with this company. Dont play coy. Sell yourself. This is your first meeting and the position, as well as future promotions, may depend on your presentation. Are you going to sell them on the idea of hiring you, or will they sell you on the idea that this job is not for you? You must present a positive attitude to the prospective employer. You must NOT seem disinterested or appear to be job shopping. The interview should be a two-way conversation. Ask questions of the interviewers. This shows your interest in the company and the position, and enables you to gather the right information to make an intelligent decision afterwards. The questions you have prepared can be asked to the different people you see. Remember, the objective of the interview is to obtain an offer. During the interview, you must gather enough information concerning the position to make a decision. Typical Interview Questions & Responses You should give complete but brief and relaxed answers to questions. When possible use questions as a basis for developing information that you want to make sure is presented. Continue to sell yourself in a positive way. Tell me about yourself. Answer these questions in terms of the qualifications required of the position. Keep responses concise and brief and avoid being derogatory or negative about previous jobs and bosses. Tell-me-about-yourself means, Tell me about your qualifications. Prepare a one or two minute discussion of your qualifications. Start with education and discuss your experiences. Describe your performance (in raises, promotions, innovative designs, sales volumes, increased profits, etc.)

What are your greatest strengths? Interviewers like to hear abstract qualities. Loyalty, willingness to work hard, eagerness, fast-learner, technical skills, politeness, and promptness, expressed in concrete terms are good examples. Avoid the simple generalization I like people. Its not a good answer.

What are your greatest weaknesses? Dont be intimidated. The interviewer probably wants reassurance that hiring you wont be a mistake. This is not the time to confess all your imperfections. (Do not state not being able to go to work on Mondays, or coming in late, etc.). Present your weaknesses as professional strengths, (i.e., Sometimes work too

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hard to make sure things are done accurately). Be prepared to explain how you overcome your weakness. Personality Questions What do you do in your spare time? Workaholics are not always the best employees. Present yourself as a wellrounded person. Your answer gives you dimension. Name some hobbies.

Motive Questions Answer motive questions enthusiastically. Show the interviewer that you are interested in the position and that you really want the job. Remember to maintain eye contact and be sincere. How can you contribute to this company? Be positive and sell! Bringing strong technical skills, enthusiasm, and desire to complete projects correctly and efficiently are good responses.

Why should I hire you for this position? Explain your qualifications and how they fit the available position. Address your interest in the job and the field and why its work that you enjoy. Emphasize your ability to successfully perform the duties required.

Why do you want to work for our firm? Make a compliment about what the company does, its location, or its people. Other positive remarks might be about the companys product or service, content of the position or possibilities for growth or advancement. Research about the company is important here.

Where do you hope to be in five years? Use conservative growth positions that clearly show you plan to be there in five years, and that their investment in you will pay. Be sure that you know what you can and cannot be achieved by the ideal candidate in this position. Never tell the interviewer that you feel youll be more successful than they are. But do show a strong desire for promotions.

What interests you most about this position?

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Teasing the interviewer with a truthful one or two-word answer such as, the challenge or the opportunity, will force them to ask you to explain. Here again, you have the chance to demonstrate your knowledge of the company.

How long do you plan to be with the company? As with marriage, most employers expect a till-death-do-us-part attitude, but they can be equally attracted to the candidate with ambition and candor. As long as I continue to learn and grow in my field, is a reasonable response.

What are your career goals? Short term I want to be the best in my current position, while learning additional responsibilities. This, in itself, will assure my commitment to the firm and raise me to the next level of responsibility and promotion. I see myself wanting to stay technical but learn the necessary skills to lead people and projects. Long term After proving my abilities, I see myself in a firm with the possibility of moving into a level of management that allows me to keep my skills sharp.

What are you doing to achieve your goals? I look at continued learning as the key to success. I continue my education, as you can see from my resume, by taking company educational courses, when offered, and college courses. I also read trade publications and magazines to keep informed about the current and future directions in my field. When possible, I participate in professional organizations in my field.

Job Satisfaction Questions Why did you leave your previous employer? NEVER speak poorly about a former employer. Be pleasant, be positive and be honest. Your answer will probably be checked. Mention your desire to work for a more progressive company that offers more growth opportunities and recognition.

What did you like least about your previous job? An employer can evaluate the type of worker you will be by the items you choose. Give specifics. You are also providing clues about the environment you seek. What you liked most can include a strong teamwork atmosphere, high-level of creativity, attainable deadlines. What you liked least should include any situations that you are unlikely to encounter in your new position.

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Why are you looking for another job? Again, be positive. I have to say that I have really enjoyed my years at Corporation. There are a lot of good people over there. But I am looking for a more progressive organization with greater opportunities for growth, and recognition. I am looking for a team to join where I can make real contributions and advance my career.

What do you think your employers obligations are to you? Interviewers listen for employees who want a positive, enthusiastic, company atmosphere, with the opportunity to advance. Such a person, they surmise, has motivation and staying power.

Are you applying for any other jobs? In your answer, show that your search is geared for similar positions. This demonstrates a well-defined, focused objective. Make it known that your talents are applicable to other businesses and that you have explored ways to maximize your potential and are serious about finding the perfect opportunity. Dont give an indication that you are just shopping.

Past Performance Questions (To determine behavior based on past examples) What kind of decisions are most difficult for you? Again, be truthful and admit not everything comes easily. Be careful what you do admit so as not to instantly disqualify yourself. Explain that you try to gather as much information and advice as you can to make the best decision possible.

What causes you to lose your temper? Everybody has a low boiling point on some particular issue. Pick one of yours; something safe and reasonable. People who are late to meetings, blame shifting, broken appointments and office back-stabbing are suitable responses. Dont say that you never fly off the handle. You wont be believed.

What are your greatest accomplishments? Be ready to recant one or two stories that demonstrate strong capabilities or achievements that will make you attractive to your new employer. A special project that you pioneered at your previous job, cutting department expenses, increasing productivity or receiving frequent promotions.

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How do you feel about a younger male/female boss? A question like this usually means that your boss will either be younger or of the opposite sex or both. Be certain that if you register any concern, you will probably not be hired. Explain that their age or sex is of no importance to you. You are only interested in their capability and what you can learn from them.

What kind of worker are you? Again, no one is perfect. Showing that you tackle every assignment with all of your energy and talents is admirable but mention that you also learn from your mistakes.

Salary Questions Salary discussions should be avoided, if possible. You should NOT be the one to bring up Salary questions. What type of salary do you have in mind? Do not state a starting figure. A suitable reply: I am looking for the right opportunity and I am confident that if you find me the best candidate for this position, you will extend to me your best and most fair offer.

What is your current salary? Answer truthfully. Remember that salary includes base, bonuses, commissions, benefits, and vacations as well as sick days and personal days. Be prepared to explain this so there is no misunderstanding. Also, if you are due a raise in the next three months, state the approximate percentage you expect.

Other Questions You Should be Prepared to Truthfully Answer Are you willing to relocate? May we check your references? May we verify your income?

Answer a question to the best of your ability and then relax. If there is a period of silence before the interviewer asks the next question, stay calm and do NOT fill in the blank spaces. Interviewers often use silence to see if you can handle stress and maintain poise. Questions for You to Ask Your interviews, however, should be two-way conversation. You must ask questions and take an active role in the interview. This demonstrates the importance you place on your work and your career. Asking questions gives you a chance to demonstrate your depth of

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knowledge in the field as well as to establish an easy flow of conversation and relaxed atmosphere between you and the interviewer. Building this kind of rapport is always a plus in an interview. Remember, you are not just there for the interviewer to determine if you are right for the position but your questions can help you determine if this position is right for you. Some of your questions should evolve from research youve done on the company in preparing for the interview. Following are some guidelines for your questions as well as some examples. Dont cross examine the employer. Ask questions requiring an explanation. Questions which can be answered with a yes or no are conversation stoppers. Dont interrupt when the employer is answering YOUR question. Ask job-relevant questions. Focus on the job, the company, products, services, people. Prior to the interview, write your list of Interest Questions and take them with your. Ask about your potential peers, subordinates, and superiors. Take notes. Ask the employer how he/she got where they are today.

Interest Questions
Why do you want someone for this job?
Force the interviewer to explain why this job cant be done by one of his current employees. The answer may give you a valuable job description.

Job Satisfaction Questions

Ask questions that relate to the responsibilities, importance and authority of the position as well as those investigating the rewards for a job well done and the long range career opportunities.

Past Performance Questions

Why isnt this position being filled from within the company?
You may discover that nobody in this organization would accept it or that your future fellow employees are not a very experienced group.

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Were they promoted or did they leave the company?

If the turnover has been high, you have a right to suspect that the job may leave something to be desired. Or it could mean that you can expect to be promoted quickly.

How did you get started in the company? A good way to get to know the interviewer better and gain insight into the promotional path the company follows.

What are examples of the best results produced by people in this job? Here you may discover you are overqualified or in a position to ask for considerably more money.

Additional Questions What would my responsibilities and duties be? What are the most difficult aspects of the position? Describe a typical day on the job. Describe the departments/companys growth in the next 2 years. What is the philosophy on training and development here? Has there been downsizing within the company? How is it handled? What projects would I be involved in now? In the future? Who would I be working for and with? What is the person doing who used to hold this position? When would you need me to start? May I see my work area? May I meet some of my future co-workers?

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Telephone Interviewing Tips How to pass a screening interview when its conducted over the phone. By: Calvin E. Bruce & Paula W. Moore Perhaps youre a pro at selling yourself face-to-face. How comfortable, though, are you at interviewing over the phone? Telephone screening interviews are becoming more commonplace as companies seek to cut hiring costs and streamline the selection process. A hiring manager can spend an hour and a half screening three candidates over the phone, then invite the most impressive one to the company for a lengthier interview. John Young, president of First American Rehab, a health care company based in Athens, Georgia, personally interviews as many as 50 candidates a week over the phone. Telephone prescreening is extremely cost effective, he says, because 75% to 80% of the people you talk to can be easily eliminated. Mr. Young believes more companies will make use of phone interviewing for this reason. Given this trend, your job search may involve more telephone interviewing. Whether you are talking to headhunters or company recruiters, the more convincingly you make your case over the phone will determine further interest in you as a job candidate. Phone interviewing is unique. You cant count on visual stimuli such as good looks or power suits, eye contact or body language, to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewers response. In this context, faceless conversation takes on an added dimension of importance. Both strengths and weaknesses, as conveyed by voice, are magnified through the phone. Your voice personifies everything about you. Headhunters, in particular, listen for a relaxed style that communicates confidence, enthusiasm and intelligence. This is reflected in a smooth conversation flow devoid of clichs or verbal catchalls to stall for time as well as other negatives. The following techniques will help you prepare for and handle any phone interview situations, especially with company officials. Preparation is Key The success of a telephone interview begins with mental preparation and setting the stage with the interviewer. The first order of business is to establish a clear time frame for the conversation. By mutual agreement, this should be at least thirty minutes when both parties can be free of interruptions and distractions. If youre currently employed, arrange for a phone interview in the evening rather than during the workday. Confidentiality and discretion may be at risk if you interview during working hours; you never know who might barge into your office unannounced

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or overhear something by accident. In the privacy of your home, you can be more at ease and in control of your surroundings. Being clear on the interview format gives you an edge in preparation. Before the actual interview, it will help to know the topics to be covered, objectives to attain and the basic information regarding the position to be discussed. It helps to rehearse: Try to think as the employer, what key information is the interviewer looking for? What questions is he likely to ask? What things do you hope he doesnt ask? George Walther, president of TelExcel in Seattle, Washington, is a consultant and speaker on the subject on improving telephone interviewing effectiveness. From my experience, I would say that 98% of business executives can assess the candidates personality after thirteen seconds, with no visual information, he says. Furthermore, initial voice impression tends to be reinforced by the content of continued conversation. In other words, you need to sound like a winner quickly to sustain the listeners interest in you. Its also advisable to prepare for possible scenarios that might unfold. Hypothesize a bit; Suppose the interviewer asks questions that make you make you feel uncomfortable. How do you handle that? Suppose he rambles, is easily sidetracked and doesnt allow you to sell yourself. How do you subtly take control of the conversation and target pertinent issues? As a worst-case scenario; Suppose the interviewer doesnt call at the agreed time. If its an evening interview, and you have other engagements, how long should you wait by the phone? If its a daytime interview, should you assume the interviewer forgot and call him directly? Or do you await his call at some other, unspecified time? Finally, clear a work area near the phone and keep the following tools handy to aid your fact gathering and information sharing. A copy of the version of the resume you sent to the interviewer. A note pad and pen. Five or six carefully worded questions youll want to ask. Company literature with pertinent sections highlighted. A calendar. A watch or clock.

Preparation will increase your confidence and ability to focus on the conversation during the interview as well as enabling you to make a favorable impression.

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Phone Personality The need to make a good impression on the phone cannot be overemphasized. The telephone screening interview is a make-or-break proposition, your one chance to convince the interviewer that you are worth serious consideration. The interviewer will be carefully listening to determine three factors: your sincere interest in the job, how you verbalize your qualifications and how aggressively you pursue the position. Voice reflects personality. A well-modulated, controlled voice communicates authority and heightens the verbal impact you want to make. The quality, pitch and tempo of your speech convey a certain attitude, energy level and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm and excitement are the biggest selling points of candidates talking on the phone, says Mr. Young of First American Rehab. This translates directly over to their performance and work ethic. Here are some practical tips to enhance your phone personality and overall presentation: Talk directly into the mouthpiece. Hold the receiver approximately three inches from the mouth, not below your chin or above your nose. Speak in a relaxed, conversational style as though the other person were in the same room, not on the other side of the plant. Avoid sitting in a hunched position, grasping the phone in a vise-like grip. This will add a note on stress, and your voice will communicate that uneasiness. Try standing, it opens your diaphragm to a smoother air flow and imparts a feeling of liveliness. Getting up and moving around introduces an element of action, which instills a relaxed, conversational manner and reduces fatigue. A longer cord or cordless phone will maximum mobility. Pay attention to the interviewers voice patterns; does he speak slowly or rapidly? Try to match the cadence so that the conversion flows smoothly. According to Mr. Walther, at TelExcel, the average person speaks at a rate of 160 words per minute. Adjust your speaking rate, voice volume and phrasing to be more in rhythm with the interviewer. Sound upbeat. If you had a lousy day and came home to find your spouse and kids arguing, put it out of your mind. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious. Smile to show a sense of humor. After all, the interviewer may have had a bad day too. Be a conversationalist. Listen carefully to get the big picture and to avoid saying something that indicates any momentary mental distraction. Allow the interviewer to complete questions without you finishing his train of thought or blurting out answers prematurely. Handle any trick questions in stride. The interviewer may throw in several to test your alertness or mental keenness. Showing verbal adeptness is a sign of how quickly you can think on your feet. Be cautious: the interviewer may say something that

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puzzles you or that you firmly disagree with. Show enough respect to voice your thoughts in a professional manner. A defensive posture or argumentative tone is the surest way to alienate the interviewer and eliminate your candidacy. The Telephone Interview Establishing a rapport at the beginning of the phone conversation sets a favorable tone. During the first few minutes, mention something that shows commonality of interest or similarity in background. This helps both parties feel more comfortable as the conversation progresses. Get to know the person behind the voice. Does he show a sense of humor? Is she direct and forthright in supplying information. Does his speech sound canned, or does it exhibit freshness of thought and expression? Just as importantly, does she listen to you, or merely wait for the chance to ask her next question? The interviewer may be a personnel officer or a hiring manager. If the individual is someone with whom you will be working, pay all the more attention to her explanation of the job and what potential it offers. Your prepared list of questions will indicate that you have given careful thought to the prospect of joining the firm. Even though you dont know everything about the position at this point, convey the impression that its something you are interested in and competent at handling. Only in a face-to-face interview can you totally sell yourself. The purpose of the phone interview is to identify areas of mutual interest that warrant further investigation. In other words, wet their curiosity and give them good reasons for wanting to invite you to the company location. Basically, what the interviewer needs to hear and conclude is that you can get the job done. Mentally, he is making the connection between the companys problems and you as a problem solver. Dont overwhelm him with facts and figures; hes only going to remember so much. You can best make your point by reciting memorable stories that document your ability to analyze a dilemma, weigh alternative responses and choose the appropriate action. By selectively highlighting turnaround situations you spearheaded, you are communicating a willingness to tackle similar problems for his company. As you glance over your notes and keep an eye on the clock, there may be additional important points to cover in the pre-allotted time frame. Tactfully take control and introduce the subject mater that needs to be discussed or further elaborated. Example: Thats a good point. Can we come back to it a little later? I have some additional thoughts on the subject we were discussing a moment ago. As the conversation winds down, become less talkative and give more thought to what you say. Your final words will generally have greater impact and be remembered

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longer. Careful word choice and voice inflection will under-score the significance of your remarks. By contrast, a machine-gun volley of words will likely put the listener on the defensive or turn him off altogether. The Home Stretch After 30 minutes, both parties should know how much of a fit there is. Provided the job interests you, express your desire to proceed to the next step: a company visit. The interviewer may extend an invitation at that point. With calendar nearby, suggest several available days and times that agree with your agenda. Should the phone interview go well but end without a specific invitation to visit the company, state your desire to investigate the opportunity further. Example: Id be very interested in such a challenging position. I would be available to come in for a personal interview and discuss my abilities in greater detail on (day). He may then mention the likelihood of an onsite interview once he confers with other officials. Your assertiveness will be remembered. If you hear nothing within 48 hours, follow up with a call. A final concern: the interviewer may ask a salary range that youre expecting (dont introduce the issue yourself). Its best to mention that at this point you are not altogether certain what the job is really worth. Example: I would feel more comfortable discussing a salary figure after meeting the key people I would be working with and knowing more about the position. If the interviewer continues to pressure you for a figure, specifically ask, What salary range are you working within? Chances are 50/50 that he will tell you. Respond by indicating that your desired salary is in that range (if that is correct). If the dollars are a little low, dont despair or defend what you feel you are worth. For an absolutely sterling candidate, most companies can flex the purse strings and make a very attractive offer. On the phone, your job is to entice the buyer, not to close a sale. Salary negotiation will fall into place at the right time. End the conversation on a positive note. Thank the interviewer for the information shared. Let her know again that you look forward to visiting the company. After all, if the position discussed is not the ideal job for you, something else might be. Improved telephone interviewing techniques can really give you a competitive edge. Conclusion of the Interview If you are sincerely interested in the position and are satisfied with the answers given, you should ask the interviewer if he/she feels you are qualified for the position. This gives you another chance to review points that may need clarification. Illustrate

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confidence in your abilities and convince the interviewer that you are capable of handing the position successfully. Ask for the job. Make a positive statement about the position. Emphasize that this is exactly the type of opportunity youve been looking for and would like to be offered the position. Ask when you should expect an answer. A typical conclusion might be:

Thank you for this meeting, . I like what Ive heard today and Id like to join your team. I know Id be an asset to you/your department because you need someone who can , and . As you know, I have (match your qualifications with the employers hot buttons). Before I leave, do you have any more questions about my background or qualifications or can I supply you with any more information? On a scale of 1 to 5, how do I compare to the other candidates youve interviewed? I can start as soon as you need me. The farewell should also include a smile, direct eye contact, a firm but gentle handshake.

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Thank You Letters Immediately following the interview, call your employment recruiter. It is very important to convey your impressions of the position and the company. Let the recruiter know whether you are interested in the position or not and if there were questions you forgot to ask at the interview, express them at this time. Only after we get your feedback about the interview and the company do we contact the employer for theirs. And finally, we follow-up with you regarding the employers thoughts. It is always a good idea to send a short note of appreciation to thank the employer or interviewer for their time. Reiterate your interest in the position and the company as well as your ability to do the job. Be sure to mail your correspondence the following day. This is a good way to keep your name current in the interviewers mind. Following is a sample thank-you letter that you can adapt to fit your specifics.

1. Address Line a. The full company name and address (no abbreviations) as well as the full name of the interviewer and his/her complete title. 2. Subject Line a. Re: Interview for the Position of (title) on (date). This illustrates the content of the letter. 3. Greeting a. Dear Mr./Ms. (last name): i. Miss or Mrs. Should not be used unless you are sure that person does so. Do not use a first name in the greeting unless you have established a strong rapport. 4. Opening a. It was a pleasure meeting with you (day) to discuss the opening in (department) with (company). b. I appreciated meeting with (name) and yourself in your office on (day) to discuss the (title) position with (company. c. Thanks for taking the time to see me regarding the opening in (department).

Again, comment or add something discussed during the interview that will allow you to restate your qualification and confidence in performing the job.

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5. Body a. From our discussion, and the fine reputation of your organization appears that the (title) position would enable me to fully use my background in . b. I was particularly impressed with the professionalism evident throughout my visit. (Company) appears to have the kind of environment I have been seeking. c. The atmosphere at (company) seems to strongly favor individual involvement, and I would undoubtedly be able to contribute significantly to its goals.

6. Closing a. While I have been considering other opportunities, I have deferred a decision until I hear from you. Therefore, your prompt reply would be greatly appreciated. b. Its an exciting opportunity, and I look forward to hearing your decision very soon. c. The (title) position and (company) are exactly what I have been seeking, and I hope to hear from you within the next week.

7. Salutation a. Sincerely, b. Very truly yours, c. Best regards, Resignation Letters Informing your current employer of your resignation takes tact and discretion. If they inquire as to whom you new job is with, it is best to tell them that you cannot disclose that information until your new employer announces it within his/her own organization. The following sample letters are suitable correspondence to announce your resignation.

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Sample Letter One

(Date)

Dear

Please accept this letter as my formal resignation as (Title) for (Company) to become effective as of (Date). I have accepted a position in (Location). I believe this position will offer me more challenge and opportunity for advancement as well as allow me to broaden my own experience and knowledge. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your time and efforts in my training and advancement during the past (Time). The support and concern shown by you and the rest of the management team has been deeply appreciated. I leave (Company) with no animosity or ill will and wish you and your company continued success. My decision is irrevocable and any counter offers extended by you and/or (Company) will be rejected. Sincerely, (Your Name)

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Sample Letter Two

Dear _____________, This is to inform you that I have accepted a position with another firm. Therefore, I would like to offer my resignation effective _________. I want to assure you of my gratitude for a rewarding professional association during my employment with (current employer). This decision was not an easy one, and involved many days and hours of thoughtful consideration, particularly with respect to my own plans for my future. Nevertheless, the decision is final. Please do not make this process more difficult than it need be by discussions of the reasons for my decision or whether it can be changed. My main thoughts now are to work as hard as possible to wrap up my affairs here and turn over my responsibilities as you direct. However, I would like to join my new firm as soon as possible. Therefore, if convenient, please notify me if you wish to waive my two week notice and conclude my employment any sooner than _____________.

Sample Letter Three Moving to another company. Dear As per section ... of my contract of employment / employment handbook, I hereby give x weeks notice of my intention to leave (company name). I want to thank you for all that you have done for me in my employment here. Its been a pleasure working with you and representing the company. It is now time for me to move on and I have accepted a position with another firm. This decision was not an easy one and took a lot of consideration. However, I am confident that this new role represents a positive move towards fulfilling my career aims. I wish the company continued success and once again, would like to thank you for allowing me to be a part of your team. If there is anything I can do in aiding a smooth transition of responsibilities, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

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Sample Letter Four Waiver of Notice Period Dear As per section ... of my contract of employment / employment handbook, I wish to give notice of my intention to leave the company. I have been very happy working here and found my work challenging and enjoyable. However, it is now time for me to move on and I have accepted a position with another firm. This decision was not an easy one and took a lot of consideration. I am confident that this new role represents a positive move towards fulfilling my career aims. I understand that my notice period is x weeks but I would like to join ...(new company name) as soon as possible. Therefore, if possible, I would like to request that you waive this termination notice. Please let me know if I can help a smooth transition of responsibilities. Thank you for your help and guidance during my employment, and best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely,

Sample Letter Five

MEMO TO: DATE: November 25, 1998 SUBJECT: Resignation FROM: This will confirm my resignation as Title at Company.

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I have accepted a position as Executive Editor at a growing publishing house in New Jersey. I am looking forward to my new position and the challenges that await me. My last day of work will be December 10, 1998, which should allow me plenty of time to finish ongoing projects and to turn over my position to my replacement. Please feel free to contact me at any time should you have any questions regarding my past work. I hope that the transition will go smoothly for everyone. My experience with ABC Company has been very rewarding. I appreciate having had the opportunity to work for such a fine company. I wish you and the organization continued success.

Sample Letter Six

Dear __________, This is to inform you that I have accepted a position with another firm. Therefore, I would like to offer my resignation effective ______. I want to assure you of my gratitude for a rewarding professional association during my employment with (current employer). This decision was not an easy one, and involved many days and hours of thoughtful consideration, particularly with respect to my own plans for my future. Nevertheless, the decision is final. Please do not make this process more difficult than it need be by discussions of the reasons for my decision or whether it can be changed. My main thoughts now are to work as hard as possible to wrap up my affairs here and turn over my responsibilities as you direct. However, I would like to join my new firm as soon as possible. Therefore, if convenient, please notify me if you wish to wave my two week notice and conclude my employment any sooner than _______.

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Sample Letter Seven Date Name Company Name Address City, State, Zip Dear _______________, I have decided to resign from COMPANY NAME as of DATE. My decision does not reflect any dissatisfaction or unhappiness with my current position with COMPANY NAME. On the contrary, this job and company have been very helpful to me in my career development. However, I have accepted an opportunity with another company that I simply could not turn down. Ive carefully considered my decision and do not wish to discuss counter proposals. I would ask only that you wish me well. I have enjoyed my relationship with COMPANY NAME and will always speak very highly of the company and you personally. Sincerely,

Sample Letter Eight Date Name Company Name Address City, State, Zip Dear _______________, Subject: Voluntary Resignation of YOUR NAME This will constitute my notification to you of my resignation from COMPANY effective DATE.

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Please accept my sincere gratitude to both you and COMPANY for the opportunities extended to me during my time with your company. My decision to resign was reached with great difficulty; however, I have accepted a position with another company which will be in the best interest of my family and my career. Please understand that I am not in a position to consider an alternative offer from COMPANY since my decision to resign is final. Again, thank you very much for all your past courtesies. Sincerely,

Dealing with Counteroffers Quitting a job is never easy. Career changes are tough enough and the anxieties of leaving a comfortable job, friends and environment for an unknown opportunity can easily cloud anyones judgment. But what should you do when your current employer muddies the waters even more by asking you to stay. A counter offer is an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after youve announced your intentions to accept another job elsewhere. And, in recent years, counteroffers have practically become the norm. If you are considering a counteroffer, remain focused on your primary objectives. Why were you looking for another job to begin with? If an employee is happy with their current job, employer and/or salary, theyre usually not paving the roads with resumes. So, often times a counter offer that promises more money never really remedies the real reasons for wanting to move on in the first place. Apart from a short-term bandage on the problem, nothing will change the company and when the dust settles you can find yourself back in the same old rut. Recruiters report that more than 80% of those who accept counteroffers, begin looking for another job, or are let go within six to twelve months after announcing their intentions. Counteroffers are certainly flattering and make an employee question their initial decision to leave. But often times they are merely stall tactics used by bosses and companies to alleviate an upheaval a departing employee can cause. High turnover also brings a bosss management skills into question. His reaction is to do whats necessary until hes better prepared to replace you. The things theyll say: You cant leave, the department really needs you. We were just about to give you a raise.

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I didnt know you were unhappy. Why didnt you come to me sooner? What can we do to make things better?

Again stay focused on your decision and your opportunities. You need to ask yourself: What kind of company do you work for if you have to threaten to resign before they pay you what youre worth? Where did the money for the counteroffer come from? Is it your next raise or promotion just given early? Are future opportunities limited now? Will you have to threaten to leave again for another raise or promotion? Youve demonstrated your unhappiness and will be viewed as having committed blackmail in order to get a raise. Your loyalty will also be questioned come promotion time. Well managed companies rarely make counteroffers since they view their employment policies as fair and equitable. If you do consider being bought back, obtain the details of the offer in writing, as well as a one-year no cut contract from the employer. If they refuse, as two-thirds of counter-offering employers do, your decision to leave is made. Look at your current job and the new position as if you were unemployed, then make your decision based on which holds the real potential. Its probably the new job or you wouldnt have accepted it in the first place. Never Accept a Counteroffer Its nice to be wooed, but dont expect to stay long Source: The Wall Street Journal 1998. Reprint from the National Business Employment Weekly. By Paul Hawkinson A tax accountant with a Chicago-based public accounting firm accepted a top corporate position at a local manufacturer that paid $15,000 more than he currently earned. But the accountant changed his mind after his firm's senior partner made him a counteroffer. The partner dangled a plethora of incentives, including the promise of a partnership in the near future. Three months later, after the tax season ended, the accountant was fired.

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A manufacturing manager with a medium-sized metal products company in Albuquerque, N.M., accepted a new position that included a higher salary and better benefits. But he decided t stay put after his company agreed to match the offer and told him of great things on the horizon. However, he wasn't told that the firm might be merging with another. Six months after the executive decided to stay, he was merged out of his job. Following nine months of unemployment, he landed a lower-paying position. Ask any executive recruiter and you'll hear dozens of heartbreaking stores like these involving counteroffers. Unfortunately, more executives seem to be getting and accepting them because of the inconsistent economy. Companies are operating with reduced staffs and any defections from the ranks create problems for those who remain. It's much easier for employers to sweeten the pot to keep executives from deserting than to conduct grueling and expensive searches for placements. Mathew Henry, the 17th-century write, said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in find gay colours that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after you've decided it's time to fly away. But in good times, or bad, the dictum remains constant. Counteroffers should never be accepted...EVER! Those few rare instances where accepting one is beneficial occur about as frequently as being struck by lightning. The Right Perspective A counteroffer is an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you've announced your intention to take another job. It doesn't include instances when you receive an offer but don't tell your boss, or when you tell your employer about an offer you never intended to take in a classic "they-want-mebut-I'm-staying-with-you" ploy. These are merely positioning tactics that can reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a true counteroffer, however, carries an actual threat to quit. Interviews with employers who make counteroffers, and employees who accept them, have shown that accepting a counteroffer--tempting as it may be--is tantamount to career suicide. Consider the problem in its proper perspective. What really goes through a bosss mind when someone quits? "This couldn't be happening at a worse time." "He's one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it'll wreak havoc on the morale of the department."

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"I've already got one opening in my department. I don't need another right now." "This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule." "I'm working as hard as I can and I don't need to do his work, too." "If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to 'lose' me too." "My review is coming up and this will make me look bad." "Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement." "We're working with a skeleton crew already. If I lose this one, we'll all be working around the clock just to stay even.

What will the boss say to keep you in the nest? These comments are common: "I'm really shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let's discuss it before you make your final decision." "Aw gee. I've been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you, but it's been confidential until now." "The VP has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities." "Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter, but we'll make it effective immediately." "You're going to work for who?" "How can you do this in the middle of a major project? We were really counting on you." (They're always in the middle of one.)

Just a Stall Tactic Let's face it. When someone quits, it's a direct reflection on the boss. Unless you're really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his/her side, the boss might look bad for allowing you to go. It's an implied insult to his management skills. His/her gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he/she's ready. That's human nature. Unfortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay--unless your work life is abject misery. Career change, like all ventures into the unknown, is tough. That's

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why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons. Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths. Any situation is suspect if an employee must receive an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions. No matter what the company says when making it's counteroffer, you'll always be a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you will lose your status as a team player and your place in the inner circle. Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you. Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. They'll just be slightly more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you. Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions? By accepting a counteroffer, you have committed the unprofessional and unethical sin of breaking your commitment to the prospective employer making the offer. Decent and well-managed companies don't make counteroffers...EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable. They will never be subjected to counteroffer coercion, which they perceive as blackmail.

If the urge to accept a counteroffer hits you, keep on cleaning out your desk as you count your blessings. And, if you decide to stay, hire a lawyer to put your newly won promises in the form of a long-term no-cut contract. Why it Pays to QUIT

Cover Story 11/1/99 Loyalty, shmoyalty. In today's frenzied job market, staying put gets you nowhere. Walking out gets you ahead BY KIM CLARK Truck drivers are abandoning their rigs at truck stops and driving off with recruiters who offer them a few more pennies per mile. Waitresses scooping up

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tips of dollars and dimes are also pocketing business cards left by competing restaurant managers. When pharmacists answer the phone, they hear the healthy voices of headhunters offering big signing bonuses to jump to the new chain store across town. Maybe your mother told you that quitters never prosper. Well, Mom never saw a job market like this. No one has. Trying to rein in salaries, employers continue to limit annual raises for longtime employees to a paltry 4 percent, on average. But in their hunger for extra staff, they are offering job hoppers 10 to 20 percent raises over their current salaries. By the millions, American workers are taking the hint and the cash. Based on a survey of resignation rates by the Saratoga Institute, a work-force research firm, U.S. News estimates that approximately 17 million workers will quit to take other jobs this year, up 6 million from five years ago. The quit rates in some industries, such as the notoriously low-paying retail sector, are mind-boggling. On average, companies nationwide will have to replace one seventh of their work force this year, but the National Retail Federation says that because part-time clerks tend to stick for only a few months, a typical store replaces the equivalent of nearly its entire work force annually. Money talks. True, people change jobs for all sorts of reasons. But anyone who thinks puny raises aren't at the root of almost every decision to quit gets a snort from Stephen Pollan, co-author of career advice books like Live Rich and an upcoming negotiation primer. "Boy, are they wrong," he says. In his opinion, money is behind many of the common non-financial explanations for changing jobs. It can ease the pain of personal problems such as child- or elder-care crises, Pollan notes. A hefty raise can also compensate for an obnoxious boss or other workplace hassles. Dan Meyers, 51, couldn't agree more. The manager of five mobile-home parks in Connecticut, Meyers was fed up with being on call seven days a week, breakdown-prone equipment, and his frozen salary. Early this year, he gave up asking for improvements and found another job. Now manager of a nursing home near Chicago, he is still on call evenings and weekends and has plenty of stress. But he doesn't mind so much because he's earning $15,000 more a year. "People say it isn't the money," Meyers says. "But it is. It is always the money." There may be plenty of good reasons to stick with your current jobgreat benefits, a pension plan, or you might just plain enjoy it. And the quit-to-win strategy does have a downside. Job- hoppers have no chance of retiring with a company pension, for example, and they face the danger that in a downturn, the most recent and higher-paid hires will be the first fired. But loyalty also now carries a cost. If longtime employees ever decide to look for other jobs, some recruiters suspect they lack drive or competence. Chris Olson, a headhunter in Fresno, Calif., says she recently tried to sell an employer on a prospective applicant who had been at his current job for 15 years. "The employer asked: 'What's wrong with him?' I said: 'He's loyal.' "

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How did we stumble into this through-the-looking-glass job market, in which loyal workers are left behind? One reason is that companies believe it is more profitable this way. It's hard to argue with themso far, anyway. Since the beginning of this economic expansion in 1991, companies have budgeted 4 percent annual merit raises for their salaried workers and slightly less for hourly workers. Corporate profits, meanwhile, have risen by 9.4 percent a year. Executives and investors have done even better. Take-home pay of CEOs of large corporations rose by 13 percent a year in the same period. The S&P 500 index has skyrocketed by 15.5 percent a year. Bye-bye, staffers. The calculus is simple to managers like Theresa Hoover, who heads human resources for Gallery Graphics, a Joplin, Mo., firm of some 100 workers that makes frames and gifts. Large raises have gone only to a few indispensable workers who threatened to leave. That's meant a lot of costly turnover, but Hoover shrugs it off. "We just have to lose people," she says. "It is cheaper than giving general raises." That's why professional career coaches like Leslie Prager, founder of the PragerBernstein Group and coordinator of the Career Center at New York's New School University, warns clients not to expect big raises from their current employer. If your boss tries to keep you from jumping by making a counteroffer, you're probably wise to ignore it. "They shouldn't, but employers hold it against you," she says. Her straightforward advice: "To get a significant raise, you have to change jobs." Demographics also work against many baby boomers who stay loyal. Most companies say they distribute raise funds by merit. But they also tend to distribute the money by age: The older the worker, the smaller the percentage raise, observes Sylvester Schieber, vice president of research and information for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a human resources consultant. He says this makes economic sense not just because it limits the dollars the companies hand outit doesn't take many dollars to give a big percentage raise to a young, low-wage worker. It's also a good strategy for companies because younger workers are probably showing the biggest increases in productivity, Schieber says. Middleaged workers, who are already comparatively well paid and productive, find themselves bumping up against the corporate ceiling. "There are so many baby boomers in journeyman positions that there is a bottleneck at the top," Schieber explains. No bump. That's what happened to Dennis Morris, who spent seven years working in the lab for Watson Pharmaceuticals in Salt Lake City. Early this year, Morris, 42, realized he had topped out. "They couldn't bump me up to the next level, senior scientist" because he only had a bachelor's degree, not a doctorate. And there was plenty of competition for management jobs. Facing the prospect of doing the same job for 3 percent raises for the rest of his life, Morris concluded: "The only way to move up was to move companies." He called a local headhunter, checked Web sites for job listings, and read the want ads. After a

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couple of months, he found a job testing vitamins in the lab at a nearby vitamin company for a 20 percent raise. Even if they aren't being pushed to look for new jobs by their current employers, new technology is pulling a lot of workers into the job market. Becky Dinkins, 49, a part-time school aide, "hadn't even thought of looking for a job online." Cruising the Internet this summer, she happened to click on a banner ad for the CareerPath Web site. She noodled around and suddenly was staring at a want ad that seemed to have her name on itand paid twice as much as her current jobfor 10 hours less a week. She clicked over to the employer's Web site, printed out an application, and a week later, was talking to the man who became her new boss. She loves her new job installing videoconferencing equipment in schools so NASA scientists can talk with students, she has more time to spend with her 13-year-old son, and she's using the extra money to buy a houseall because of an accidental job search. Drugstore cowboys. Don't think for a moment that the job shortage is limited to the red-hot technology field. As a result of the booming economy, dozens of headhunters make cold calls or lurk outside workplaces to nab bodies in occupations that just a few years ago were overcrowded. Ray Rogers spends much of his day taking calls from desperate pharmacies at the San Antonio headquarters of Innovative Staff Search. He scours the country for pharmacists at a drugstore paying, say, $25 an hour and offers them, typically, a 50-cent-anhour raise and up to a $5,000 signing bonus if they'll shift to a competing store across town. They'll get more if they have to move or if the job is a promotion, he says. "It's crazy. Five years ago we had to fight to get openings. Today there aren't enough pharmacists to go around," he says. Other headhunters repeat similar stories for anyone with computer expertise, as well as a host of less nerdy skills: chefs, assistant store managers, nurses, truck drivers, journalists, even barkeeps. Chuck Dressler had worked at a Red Lobster restaurant in Atlanta for less than two years as a bartender and fill-in manager when headhunters started calling. "I always thought that was just for computer people or high-level" executives, he says with wonder. Soon he got a call he couldn't refuse: a $10,000 raise and promotion to assistant manager at Mick's, an Atlanta-based chain. Now Dressler is one of the hunters, handing his business card to waiters and waitresses at other restaurants. Keep on truckin'. Finding another job is so easy that workers of all stripes are jumping for relatively small advantages. Donnie Whitley of Milano, Texas, had trouble finding his first truck-driving job in 1987. In the past couple of years, though, whenever he pulls into a truck stop one recruiter or another tries to lure him. Earlier this month, he jumped to his 11th employer in his 12-year driving career, joining Hawk Transport of Dallas because it promised steady work, a friendly atmosphere, and a 3 percent raise. "From my point of view, it's a big raise," he says.

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All this pushing by employers and pulling by the Internet can't help but change worker attitudes. Through much of the hiring binge of the 1990s, economists, including Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, have puzzled over why so many workers have clung to low-paying jobs. After all, surveys by the Hay Group show workers' satisfaction with their compensation has eroded steadily from its 58 percent approval rating in the late 1970s. As workers have watched profits and executive pay skyrocket past them in the 1990s, their happiness with their compensation level has slipped to about 40 percent. Fed up, wired, and ready to grab their share of the boom, workers are abandoning their economically puzzling job insecurities and loyalties. Millions of American workers who'd never before thought about changing jobs are logging on to want-ad Web sites. What's more, they're doing it on company time. Hits on the new Wanted Technologies meta-Web site (which searches 30 other job sites) peak at 1 p.m. And those who seek are taking the jobs they're finding. Five years ago, 1 in 10 workers was a quitter. Today the number is 1 in 7. Darren Smith, 32, remembers how he lost his nerve in his first attempt to switch jobs. Instead, he gladly accepted a counteroffer from his first employer, a small software firm. Within a year he was sorry, though, as he realized he would have to keep getting other offers to get more raises and promotions. In the five years since then, he has changed jobs twice for big raises. He likes his job as a network services engineer at the Web division of a publisher in Tampa, but he still checks Web site job listings and help-wanted ads religiously because he believes "there's always somebody willing to pay you more down the street." When Dixy De La Rosa, 28, was finishing up her architecture degree at Kent State University in Ohio last year, she was frightened by reports from recent grads that they'd had trouble finding jobs. She found one easily, and early this year, when she heard that her boss at a New Jersey architecture firm hadn't given annual raises to other employees, she picked up the Sunday paper and started looking again. "He thought we had to put up with whatever he offered," she says. Another New Jersey architecture and engineering firm offered her a job paying $4,000 more a year and a leased BMW if she stayed a year. Lunch crunch. Yet job jumping can carry a psychic cost. Proving yourself again is emotionally exhausting. So is learning new bureaucracies, coping with a new insurance and benefits package, making new friends, even figuring out the best lunch spot. That's what 31-year-old Penny Brothers learned this summer. After four years of feeling underpaid as an account manager at an Orange County, Calif., insurance brokerage, she landed a job as an account manager at a health claims administration company for $6,000 more. But her new office was poorly organized, so she had to put in long hours filling in for others. Worn out and frustrated, she quit for a sales job that paid less (though still more than the previous job) but promises more in commission and fewer hassles. "The more you [quit]," says Brothers, "the easier it gets." Some employers are finding the growing popularity of job hopping so distressingand potentially unprofitablethat they are beginning to reward loyalty

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again. Costs associated with turnover are skyrocketing for some employers. Surveys by the Saratoga Institute show the average time to fill openings has increased by 10 days to 51 days in the past 3 years. And some employers say they can't afford to lose too much institutional memory. A penny saved by not giving a raise isn't always a penny earned. Mike McBroom, vice president for human resources for the Hendrick Health System in Abilene, Texas, says his hospital brags that it is keeping raises to the industry standard 4 percent. But, he acknowledges, "When you tack on recruiting costs and hiring bonuses, our budget is probably up 10 percent." McBroom says the hospital is now considering retention bonuses as a counterweight to hiring bonuses. Don't go. Larry Hall, Chuck Dressler's boss at Mick's Restaurant in Atlanta, has thought hard about the value of loyalty. Last year, he was recruited away from a company that offered meager raises, and he doesn't want to repeat his previous employers mistakes. He's also seen studies showing that restaurants with stable work forces make more money. So Hall is handing out annual raises of about 8 percent this year. But he can't afford such big raises forever. At some point, his workers "will be topped out and they'll leave," he says. Someday, too, the great hiring frenzy will screech to a halt. The growing recruitment and retention costs will put pressure on prices. The Federal Reserve, already hypersensitive to any signs of inflation, will raise interest rates in response. Then will come the true test of the technological and attitudinal changes in the labor market. The free agents of the work force may indeed be the first to suffer when Internet sites and headhunters stop bidding for their services. But two dozen years of corporate layoffs and the Internet communications revolution have combined to release the genie of employee loyalty from its cubicle. It would take more than a run-of-the-mill recession to make workers as different as architect De La Rosa, computer maven Smith, and account manager Brothers forget the thrill of walking into their boss's office with a better offer in their pocket and saying, "I quit." With Joellen Perry

Cover Story 11/1/99 GET OUT! Ten signs that it's time to go

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Every job has frustrations. But if you feel ignored, it may not be because you're a loser. So how do you know when it's time to update the rsum or hit up the college pal with the dot-com start-up? A few thoughts: 1. You spend your entire raise on the celebratory six-pack. You may not be working to get rich, but money is still the best way to keep score. 2. Your new project leader is so young he thinks Creedence Clearwater Revival is a Pentecostal church in West Virginia. You want to work at a place where you are getting the choice assignments. 3. You get more calls from headhunters than from the boss. It's true; sometimes people outside an organization will recognize and value your abilities more highly than the folks whom you see every day. 4. When you ask about stock options, you're given the choice of blue or black ballpoint pens. If the company isn't giving you proper incentives, says Hussam Hamadeh, president of Vault.com, a career resource Web site, it probably doesn't value your work. 5. The company spends more on the executive retreat than on research and development. New products mean new opportunities for you. And remember, while a job hop is risky, there is risk in whiling away productive years at a dead-end job. 6. You see your office PC at the Smithsonian. You need the right tools to do your job right, says Mark Poppen, career- advice columnist for inter biznet.com, an electronic recruiting newsletter. 7. Your only friend at work is the UPS man. It could be you just don't fit into the corporate culture. Then again, it could be you! But seriously, if work mates are focusing on how you dress rather than on what you say, your ideas may never get a fair hearing. 8. Your long-awaited promotion means taking on the workload of the guy who just quit. Hard work is de rigueur these days, but when a company cuts costs it could be slipping. 9. The continuing-education program is the Learning Channel on the breakroom TV.

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Don't discount the benefits an employer offers. They are another form of cash. 10. You are reading this, aren't you? Enough said. -Holly J. Morris Pre-Employment Exams The use of drug testing as part of a pre-employment physical examination is becoming more prevalent. It is predicted, that within five (5) years, drug testing will become one more standard for getting a job. Some firms are testing for drug use as part of a preemployment physical without telling the applicant that he/she is being tested for drugs, Personnel Journal reports. Some over-the-counter products can produce positive drug-test results. Among them: Alka-Seltzer Plus, Allerest, Bronkaid, Contact, Donnagel, Nyquil, Primatene, Promlamine capsules, Sinutab, Sudafed and Triaminic. Poppy seeds in your food can also produce a positive drug-test result. You should not take any medication 48 hours before your pre-employment physicals, but if you must, be sure to list all drugs taken and advise the examiner. Reprinted from Courier Journal & Times, August 28, 1987 Careers by Joyce Lain Kennedy

Reasons for Rejection 1. 2. Poor Attitude. Many candidates come across as arrogant. While employers can afford to be self-centered, candidates cannot. Appearance. Many candidates do not consider their appearance as much as they should. First impressions are quickly made in the first three (3) to five (5) minutes. Review the appearance checklist. Lack of Research. Its obvious when candidates havent learned about the job, company or industry prior to the interview. Visit the library or use the Internet to research the company, then talk with friends, peers and other professionals about the opportunity before each meeting. Not having questions to ask. Asking questions shows your interest in the company and the position. Prepare a list of intelligent questions in advance. Not readily knowing the answers to interviewers questions. Anticipate and rehearse answers to tough questions about your background, such as a recent

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termination or an employment gap. Practicing with your spouse or friend before the interview will help you to frame intelligent questions. 6. Relying too much on resumes. Employers hire people, not paper. Although a resume can list qualifications and skills, its the interview dialogue that will portray you as a committed, responsive team player. Too much humility. Being conditioned not to brag, candidates are sometimes reluctant to describe their accomplishments. Explaining how you reach difficult or impressive goals helps employers understand what you can do for them. Not relating skills to employers needs. A list of sterling accomplishments means little if you cant relate them to a companys requirements. Reiterate your skills and convince the employer that you can do the same for them. Handling salary issues ineptly. Candidates often ask about salary and benefit packages too early. If they believe an employer is interested, they may demand inappropriate amounts and price themselves out of the jobs. Candidates who ask for too little undervalue themselves or appear desperate. Lack of career direction. Job hunters who arent clear about their career goals often cant spot or commit to appropriate opportunities. Not knowing what you want wastes everyones time. Job shopping. Some applicants, particularly those in certain high-tech, sales, and marketing fields, will admit theyre just shopping for opportunities and have little intention of changing jobs. This wastes time and leaves a bad impression with employers they may need to contact in the future.

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What Does a FAB Do? Tells what you can do for the employer. Tells how you can benefit the potential employer. Details what you have accomplished in present and past jobs. Can highlight your unique accomplishments and experiences. Definition of F-A-B F Facts about yourself. Example: Supervisor for 8 years. Staff engineering. B. S. in accounting. Experiences that are factual and objective. A Accomplishments Significant, specific results you have obtained for present or past employers.

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Quantitative and measurable. Example: Reduced scrap by 15% by doing Increased sales by $200K. Opened 38 new accounts. B Benefits Concrete example of what you can do for NEW employer because of past experiences. Example: Wont need long training periods. How to do a FAB 1. Analyze yourself and what you have done. Single out FEATURES that make up your education, years and types of experience, tiles held, patents, licenses, awards won, special seminars and unique life experience. 2. Prepare a timesheet of your history. List all positions, no matter how small, including all promotions. List all significant ACCOMPLISHMENTS for each position. How well you performed compared to someone in a similar position. Try to quantify them with specific accomplishments. Numbers talk. Study them over. Identify what you can do and how you can BENEFIT the new employer because of past experience or training. What Value do you have to the perspective employer. Pick the most compelling reason someone should hire you over someone else. 3. Put the information together on the FAB form. List these Features and the Accomplishments for each feature. Next to it show BENEFITS as result of the Features and Accomplishments. Try to get as many as possible. There may only be one benefit for numerous accomplishments. Study them. Have you forgotten anything? Were there more accomplishments or benefits that you overlooked? Can you qualify anything else? Based Upon Your FABs, If You Were an Employer, Would You Want to Interview This Person. 14 Questions to Ask When Doing FABs 1. Did you help to increase sales, productivity, efficiency, etc.? What was the percentage or dollar contribution? How did you do this? Did you have a unique approach or different results from others? Did you save money for the company? What were the circumstances? How much more ($,%) than others? How were your results compared to others?

2.

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Did you institute any new systems or changes? What was the situation that led to the change? Who approved? Why was this system selected over others? Did it compete with others? What happened as a result? Did you identify any problem that had been overlooked? What was the problem? What was the solution? Why was it overlooked? Were you ever promoted? Why were you promoted? How long between promotions? Did you do something outstanding? How much more responsibility? Did you get to manage people? How many? Were you promoted by more than one party? Were you given significant salary increases or raises? Did you train anyone? Did you develop training technique? Compare your results to others? Is your technique being used by others? Why is that? Did you suggest any new programs? What were they about? What are the results? Did they increase efficiency or sales? Were they published or presented at any industry seminars? Did you help to establish any new goals or objectives for your company? Did you convince management that they should adopt these goals or objectives? Why were they adopted? Did you change the nature or scope of your job? Why or how did you redefine your position? Have others with similar positions had their positions redefined because of you? Were there responsibility changes because of this? What were they?

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10. Did you ever undertake a project that was not part of your responsibility because you liked the problem? This is proof of job interest as well as the ability to take initiative. 11. Did you ever do anything to lighten your job or make it easier? (This could result in increased profits or productivity.) 12. What special problems were you hired for or brought in to solve? What did you do? How did you do it? What were the results? 13. Show any areas where you were creative (i.e., solutions, products, applications, markets, accounts, etc.) 14. What would you say would be the most important qualities for the position you seek? Put yourself in the shoes of your prospective boss. Describe six qualities and look for examples you have for each of them. How do you stack up?

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