Taking Interviewing Outside the Box Unique Practices by Top CEOs

Taking Interviewing Outside the Box â€" Unique Practices by Top CEOs Over the past decade, we’ve all been fascinated, entertained and a bit puzzled by the brain-teaser-type interview questions that many employers have incorporated into their hiring process. Why are manhole covers round? How many golf balls can you fit into a school bus? Popularized by Google, the jury is still out on whether the ability to answer these types of questions in an interview is in any way indicative of being able to excel at a job. But one thing’s for sure â€" it gets people talking about the company’s interview process and corporate culture, which enhances their employer brand. Some CEOs, however, have opted for a more real-life approach to evaluating potential employees, developing their own unique testing methods for determining how each individual would react in working situations. While coming up with a clever answer to a tricky question may demonstrate the ability to think quickly under pressure, these CEOs feel that candidates’ actions are much more reflective of their ability to fit into the team dynamic, leading to their future success with the company. Let’s look at a few leaders who have developed their own interview techniques, and why they feel they’re effective. The Early-Morning Text Erika Nardini, CEO of sports and men’s lifestyle blog Barstool Sports, received a lot of press recently after sharing her method of evaluating job candidates in a New York Times interview. For those looking to work at Barstool, Nardini will text them at 11 am on a Sunday morning, or at 9 pm in the evening, to see how quickly they respond. Those who respond within three hours pass the test. While she says she does not intend to continuously contact employees at odd hours once they’re hired, she expects them to be responsive and constantly thinking about work, just as she does. The Restaurant Choice If you’re looking to work for music rights management company BMI, prepare to choose a good restaurant for your second interview. CEO Mike O’Neill says that after a first office interview, he’ll invite job applicants to a second interview over a meal, and have them pick the restaurant. After the initial question as to why they chose that particular restaurant, O’Neill says he can learn a lot about a candidate from what they order, whether they choose a location closer to them or him, and how hard they try to impress him during the meal. He then follows up with questions about the candidate’s coworkers, mentors, and peers, as he says he can learn more by asking about the people they surround themselves with than by asking direct questions. The Beer and Barbecue Test Back in 1994, Brian Scudamore, CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, felt he didn’t have the right people working for him, so he fired his entire company. Since then, he has prioritized finding the right team members in order to provide a great customer experience in an industry as unglamorous as junk removal. In order to do this, he asks himself two simple questions during the interview process: “Could I see myself sitting down and enjoying a beer or coffee with this person?”, and “If we had a company barbecue, how would they fit in?” Scudamore likens interviewing prospective employees to finding great friends. While friendships are made in a relaxed, casual environment, according to this CEO, so too are good employee relationships. The Order Blunder Like BMI’s CEO, the CEO of Charles Schwab, Walt Bettinger, also invites interviewees to a restaurant. However, he arrives early and gives strict instructions to the manager to deliver the wrong order to the candidate. Bettinger says that how they respond helps him understand how they deal with adversity. Do they get upset and frustrated, or are they understanding? Even choosing to not say anything about the mess-up tells him the candidate may be timid, not pay attention to detail or not be willing to right a wrong. Ultimately, Bettinger is looking for employees who know how to recover from a mistake and are polite and respectful to others when they make them. The Two-Week Option As the CEO of Build, the online seller of sinks, locks and home fixtures, Christian Friedland recruits regularly from nearby college Chico State University, as well as at the Burning Man festival. Like many employers, Build requires applicants to take a drug test. However, before doing so, Friedland provides an added option: Applicants can take the drug test immediately and, if they pass, start work the following day, or they can wait two weeks. Friedland considers this an IQ test in that any candidate who chooses to take the test right away and fails isn’t smart enough to work for the company. Ask any hiring manager how to conduct an effective job interview and they’ll be able to provide a number of examples of techniques that are and aren’t effective. CEOs who are active in the interview process can do the same, though they have an added advantage: the freedom to alter the process in any way they choose. Hence, it’s not uncommon for an individual with the ingenuity to start their own company to also develop outside-the-box interview techniques that they feel provide essential information about candidates’ future success with the company beyond simply asking, “Tell me about yourself.” So, if you were CEO of your own company and had carte blanche to interview in any way you saw fit, what would you do to ensure the best hires?

Still Job Hunting Online, Never Hearing Back Try This! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Still Job Hunting Online, Never Hearing Back Try This! - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you are the typical job hunter in today’s job market, I strongly suspect that you are among the legions of those who are doing the same things over and over and still expecting different results. (Isn’t that the true definition of “insanity”?!) What I’m referring to here concerns going to the job boards to find and then apply for a multitude of open positions, many, if not most, of which you may not even be qualified to perform. Here is how the typical “job hunting” scenario unfolds for many, day in and day out: You spend hour  upon hour in front of your computer posting for job after job after job. Oftentimes,  it makes little, if any, difference if you are even remotely qualified for  the positions. All you know is that you “need a job”! Now! You send the   same “generic” résumé and the same “generic” cover letter (if you even  send one at all) to virtually each and every posting. You get  discouraged and frustrated when you hear absolutely nothing back from any posting. You continue to   send résumé after résumé to posting after posting. You become even  more discouraged and frustrated. Sound familiar? It should because this is precisely what literally millions of job hunters experience each and every day. And most have absolutely no idea why! It’s what Iâ€"and other “headhunters,” tooâ€"refer to as the “Online Lottery,” which I’ll explain at the end of this blog. In this blog I am going to share a little known “headhunter” “secret” (approach) that still utilizes the job boards but with a uniquely different, far more effective “twist.” It’s a secret I love to share with job hunters, but I have to tell you right up front that, in order for this approach to work, you must first brand yourself as a candidate who is exceptional at what they do. That is, this secret will not work if you are viewed as a “mediocre” or “average” candidate. (See “Stop Applying and Start Competing” http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/stop-applying-and-start-competing/) I must also tell you that I get mixed responses from those to whom I suggest using the approach. While many job seekers say, “Wow! That’s a GREAT idea!,” still others say such things as, “You have got to be kidding me. That is something I would never do!” Plus, the feedback I get from those who do try it ranges from, “I tried it but it didn’t work” to “I landed an interview with it!” to “I just got hired!” With these caveats in mind, then, let me outline the five-step approach that I recommend using in conjunction with the job boards, an approach that can get you out of the job-hunting doldrums, out of playingâ€"and continuing to lose atâ€"the “Online Lottery” and on your way to finding your next great job. Step #1 Go to the job boards and find an open position for which you are fully qualified. Step #2 Do NOT, however, apply for the position online! Instead, find an “internal sponsor” for the position, someone who will “represent” you and your candidacy. (Many companies offer a “referral bonus” to employees who recommend someone who ultimately gets hired. Such bonuses can be substantial, too, ranging from $500 to $3,000. So, if you see an opening with a company that you are a fit for, i.e., you truly have the credentials/experience/skills required, you can use proactive networking skills to identify someone who works in that company, get them to review your résumé and credentials and, if they feel you would be a good fit, ask them if they would be willing to sponsor you and submit your information internally. What’s in it for them? Of course it’s the “finder’s fee”!) Step #3 Use LinkedIn to find someone in the company within your network or, if your network is relatively small, use the LinkedIn “hack” to find someone within the desired company. (See “The LinkedIn Hack” http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/the-linkedin-hack/  Note: The algorithm has been changed since that blog was written, but the blog will tell you how to use the algorithm.) Here is the new algorithm to paste into Google: site:linkedin.com -intitle:profiles â€"inurl:dir -intitle:updated -intitle:blog -intitle:jobs -intitle:groups -intitle:events -intitle:answers (title   OR title 2 OR title 3) company Note: That which is in bold italics are your variables. Knowing that sales people are generally “money motivated” and thus excellent networking opportunities, you can then use the LinkedIn hack to find sales and business development people within a company in this manner. In this example, let’s use Nalco as the company: site:linkedin.com -intitle:profiles â€"inurl:dir -intitle:updated -intitle:blog -intitle:jobs -intitle:groups -intitle:events -intitle:answers (sales OR “business development”)  Nalco This Google search returns 24,000 people who are potential “referral” candidates you can use! Step #4 Begin calling the “referral” candidates you have identified. Here is an example of an effective script to use: (YOU) “Valerie, this is Jim Smith. I know your time is valuable and this will only take three minutes. Do you have three minutes, or should we schedule a time to speak?” (VALERIE) “I have three minutes but that’s it. What is this about?” (YOU) “I noticed that your company has an opening for a mechanical engineer at its Chicago facility. Now, I know that, since the position is posted, I either need to go to HR or apply online. However, I have one important question for you. Many large companies like yours have employee referral programs, where if someone is referred and hired the referring employee gets paid a couple of thousand dollars. “Valerie, if I were to send you my résumé, and indeed you felt that I was ‘MNO Company quality material,’ would you be willing to introduce me into the company? The value of your doing so ensures that I get reviewed by a real person and not a computer, and the value to you is that you might get the referral fee. Would you be open to me sending my information to you for review?” Does this approach actually work? you’re probably asking yourself at this point. In my experience, it works about half the time. That is, about half the time the person you speak to will be willing to review your résumé and about half the time they won’t. When you encounter someone who is not willing to be your “sponsor,” simply move on to the next  person on your list! Step #5 After you have found an internal “sponsor,” do NOT then apply online! That will cause any   referral bonus for the current employee to be “null and void.” Only apply online once someone in Human Resources contacts you and specifically directs you to do that. Quit playing the ‘Online Lottery’! What do I mean by the term “Online Lottery”? Let me briefly explain by giving you an example of how a hiring company recently used one of the major job boards (which shall go unnamed here), touting its “new technology,” to fill just ONE of the company’s open positions. The major job board claimed that, through its relationships with media outlets, as well as its unique social media positioning, it could “push” ads to locations throughout the Web and more effectively and efficiently “winnow” down a usable “pool” of fully qualified candidates for participating hiring companies. And indeed that is what the job board was able to do for this hiring company! In this case, the “first cut” of potential candidates for just a single job opening the company was trying to fill consisted of 50,000 applicants. These 50,000 applicants were then further assessed using the job board’s “new, sophisticated software” to pare the list down to just 50 people. This “short list” of candidates was provided to the hiring company, candidates were contacted, interviews were set up and, ultimately, the successful candidate was hired. The hiring company said it was “ecstatic” with the job board’s results and very impressed with the “quality of the candidates” produced. And, of course, the candidate who ultimately got hired was equally “ecstatic.” But how about the other 49,950 job seekers who were never even “in the running”?! In this particular example, which is very typical of the results today of applying for positions online, the odds of “winning” the position were just one in 50,000â€"and that only  considers the applicants who made it to the initial pool of 50,000! The choice in today’s job market is clear, or at least it is to me, and it certainly should be to you, too,  if you’re still playing the “Online Lottery” and still hoping to “win.” I’ve been a “headhunter” for going on nine years now and I know, without hesitation or qualification, what works and, equally importantly, what doesn’t work. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t get paid! I wouldn’t eat! And one thing that I definitely do know is that continuing to play the “Online Lottery” is a fool’s game, and one which only a very, very few will ever “win.” To succeed in today’s job market you must first brand yourself as someone who is not just “average,” just “another candidate looking for a job.” You’ve got to brand yourself as someone who is both imaginative and creative, someone who is ready, willing and able to try new approaches, such as the one outlined in this blog, and WIN your next great job! The choice is yours! Author: Skip Freeman is the author of “Headhunter” Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever! and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The HTW Group (Hire to Win), an Atlanta, GA, Metropolitan Area Executive Search Firm. Specializing in the placement of sales, engineering, manufacturing and RD professionals, he has developed powerful techniques that help companies hire the best and help the best get hired.

Experiencing Hair Loss Heres Some Causes and Effective Remedies -

Experiencing Hair Loss Heres Some Causes and Effective Remedies - Hair loss is a problem that countless people suffer from, but there is no single cause about it. In many cases, it is a hereditary factor.   In short, it is the genes that determine hair loss at a young age. But in many other cases, however, early hair loss can be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, an unhealthy and unbalanced diet, or even by the fact that you’re taking medications. In recent times, some studies have shown that hair loss can also be associated with stress and anxiety. Those who live, as unfortunately often happens in our contemporary age, particularly difficult situations from a psychological point of view, are easily subject to this phenomenon. One of the most effective remedies is transplantation and implantation. Many people believe that these two treatments for hair loss are very similar. Actually, this is not the case. So, lets try to highlight the differences between hair transplantation and implantation and their pros and cons. Hair Transplantation Hair transplantation is a minimally invasive surgery, also known as an autotransplantation. Removal and transplantation take place on the scalp of the same subject. If you choose this remedy, you will be your own donors. The removal of course is done under local anesthesia and, after the operation, you will not notice any empty parts in the area where the hair was taken. Your doctor will always take care to remove the hair in areas of your scalp where there are many healthy follicular units. As it is easy to understand from the considerations we have just made, the transplant can be chosen as a remedy only by those who do not live a particularly serious condition and who still have a lot of hair available. The hair transplant does not show immediate positive results. Usually, the hair in the area of intervention will revert to its natural and thick appearance only after about ten months. It is important to remember that this method reduces the areas that are presently subject to baldness and those with thinned hair, but it does not stop the hair loss permanently. It is therefore necessary to undergo the right therapies to be able to block the problem at the root. But is there a need for special post-transplant maintenance? Absolutely not. With the transplantation of your hair, you only need to pay attention to its proper cleaning. Hair Implantation Hair implantation, on the other hand, consists in inserting artificial hair, as similar as possible to the real hair of the subject, under the scalp. Obviously, you can choose any color, shape and length of the hair.   So you can get an effect that is as natural as possible. The insertion is obviously done under anesthesia and gradually. The great thing about the implant is that the results are immediately visible. The subject will immediately notice the difference as soon as he leaves the clinic. However, periodic implants and good care are necessary in order to achieve the desired effect, as well as proper hygiene.

Boosting Your EQ Steps to Build Your Emotional Intelligence

Boosting Your EQ Steps to Build Your Emotional Intelligence Editors Note: Id like to welcome and introduce Wendy Bailey for todays guest post. Experts in the fields of psychology and business management agree; old fashioned I.Q. tests are not clear indicators of human potential. While adeptness with math, logic, and language may be useful measures of one narrow field of expertise, the implications of emotional intelligence cannot be ignored. Developing relationships, assessing the potential of new clients, and even determining how best to employ the assets of employees depend upon great leadership and emotional intelligence. The impact of this type of intelligence reaches far beyond professional life, affecting personal relationships, academic success, even family dynamics and parenting. Yet, outside of psychology programs, there are very few classes dedicated to developing ones emotional skills. So how can you take advantage of cultivating a high E.Q.? Follow a few simple steps and watch your expertise grow exponentially. What Is Emotional Intelligence Various contributors to the field of emotional intelligence studies offer their own definitions of emotional intelligence. Common to all of them is the idea that emotional intelligence begins with awareness of emotions within oneself and others which can then be developed into the ability to use that awareness to strategize and control emotional dynamics within the self, with others, and amongst groups. While this may initially strike one as being a recipe for manipulation, it is in fact a means of learning to appreciate and appropriately utilize the widely varied talents and temperaments of the many people within an organization or community. For example, an emotionally intelligent leader recognizes the value of an extrovert who is energized by the attention of a large group, and may assign them to roles which require strong community organization and motivation. Conversely, the same leader will recognize a person who is more comfortable in one-to-one interactions, but who may be more skilled at analytical tasks and private consultations with colleagues. Perhaps the easiest model for emotional intelligence development comes from Daniel Goleman. His four point model highlights: • Self Awareness- An awareness of ones own emotions which is strong enough to allow for emotion-guided decision making. • Self-Management- Managing the self involves the ability to regulate the intensity and effect of emotions, allowing for impulse control and adaptation. • Social Awareness- This is the ability to perceive the emotional states of others, whether as individuals or within a group. Often, this is referred to as empathy. Social awareness also includes the capability to understand social networks, or the way people relate to one another within a larger community. • Relationship Management- This is a more advanced form of emotional intelligence which manifests as leadership abilities such as inspiring groups to action, influencing popular opinion, and mentoring growth in others while simultaneously managing conflict. How To Build Your Emotional Intelligence 1). Look To Your Self. Emotional intelligence begins with awareness of your own emotional state, and the amount of influence you allow that to have over your decisions. Assessing whether you have a healthy connection to your internal reality, or whether you repress or deny stronger emotions is an important first step. From awareness of your emotions, you will gain the ability to trust your gut and dedicate yourself more firmly to your chosen path 2). Know Yourself, But Control Yourself Emotions are wonderful tools for assessing your Self, your surroundings and the people in your life. However, it is important that their influence be one of balance. Are you tuning into your emotions or are you allowing them to run your life? Impulsivity and emotional volatility may be signs that you would benefit from learning how to diffuse highly charged feelings and regain control. 3). Empathy, Empathy, Empathy. Perceiving emotions in others and being able to internalize them is a crucial component of emotional intelligence. Being able to do so allows you to relate more smoothly to those around you, and forge stronger personal and professional relationships. Putting yourself in other peoples shoes is the surest way to start flexing your empathy muscles. As your ability to empathize with people grows, you will notice a deeper level of trust, responsiveness, and satisfaction with all of the people with whom you interact. What About You? Do you see the effects of emotions in the workplace?   Any crazy stories?   Or is emotional intelligence not a big deal? Image courtesy of zlady

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out - The Perfect Resume

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out - The Perfect ResumeGetting the perfect resume is the first step in getting the job that you've always wanted. A resume is the first impression your employer will get about you before he or she even takes a look at your work history and portfolio.So how do you go about writing the ideal resume? Here are some tips on what to put on your resume:* Section one- Brainstorm as many ideas as you can think of. The ones that will help you stand out alone and possibly be the best choice for the specific job. There are many sample resumes online that will help you. It's your resume.* Section two- Create a bullet list of what you do for work. This can be an executive summary. Some examples of the jobs you might have include managing customer service, sales, etc. If you've been laid off, you can use this to have your resume looking more current.* Section three- This is where the life of your resume comes in. List all of your education and professional achievement s. Check into the industry that you're in.* Your personal or relevant information should be listed here. You could include anything that would show you're as important as others who are in the same position that you are. For example, if you are a wedding planner you could put your experience at weddings in your personal section.Finally, do not forget to include links to your websites and past work. A link to your portfolio or how you can be contacted would make your resume stand out from the rest.Getting a job is not always easy. Sometimes it takes a little more work than just going through the motions. But if you are able to use these few tips on what to put on your resume, you will have a much better chance of getting that job you want.

Top 5 Shiny Happy Resume Optimization Tips (Guest Post From Craig Fisher)

Top 5 Shiny Happy Resume Optimization Tips (Guest Post From Craig Fisher) 76 Flares 76 Flares Craig Fisher is recruitment consultant, social media strategist, and trainer. He helps people and businesses leverage social media, mobile, and other new communication tools to get matched with the *right* customers, the *right* talent, and the *right* jobs. Craig hosts the original social recruiting forum on Twitter, and live conference events, known as TalentNet Live (#TNL). Connect with him on Twitter/FishDogs. Are you tired of the silent treatment after you send your resume to a company online?   Maybe your resume isnt getting the love it deserves because its not as shiny as it should be.   And by shiny I mean easily found  and full of the proper keywords in the right places.    Here are  my top 5 tips to help your resume shine. 1. First of all, at the top of your resume, in the summary area, you should list the required skills for the job for which you are applying.   Next to each of these, you should list the number of years experience you have with that skill.   If you have no experience with that skill, just say so, or say knowledge of or training in.   Also list any core skill that you possess that may be relevant to that job with the years experience next to it. Ditch the generic summary at the top of your resume. 2. Make sure each skill that you have listed at the top is also shown in the body of the resume in the proper job description where you used that skill so that the reader can see where and how you used each skill that you list.   Under each job description, also list a summary of skills used.   Yes, I mean actually list the skills again, along with any other skills that were used during that job.After the title and company name for each job description in the body of your resume, write a short paragraph with details about what the company is and does, and what your main job duty was there.   Although you may think its obvious, not every reader of your resume will understand what that company is and what your role was unless you spell it out specifically. 3. In your bullet points under that short paragraph do not just list what you were responsible for.   List accomplishments.   Use numbers and descriptive words to show what your impact was.   Increased sales is not enough.   Increased sales by 15% over 6 months is better. 4. Dont get too fancy with formatting.   Tables, graphics,  and special formatting tend to get interpreted poorly by many a company applicant tracking systems (ATS), the database to which you submit or upload your resume online.   PDF format (Acrobat) doesnt always translate well either.   Your best bet is to use the 97-2003 version MS Word (I know!), minimizing tables and graphics.   A Rich Text Format version works well too.   Here is a test.   Take your resume, select all, copy, and paste it into a blank MS Word or text document.   How does it do? 5. Now that you have your resume just right, repeat everything from your resume on your LinkedIn profile.   Use the information that you might include in a cover letter in the top summary portion of your LinkedIn profile.   Include your keywords there, too.   Repeat those keywords again in the  skills used section under each job description, and start them off  with your name, like this:Craig Fisher: Sales, Marketing,  Recruiter, Trainer, Certified Linkedin Training, Social Media Strategy, Texas, Speaker, Writer, Profile Optimization For an example, check out my profile on LInkedin:  http://linkedin.com/in/wcraigfisher In both your resume and Linkedin profile,  including  keywords that are specific to what you do will help separate yours from the thousands of resumes that are less specific.   Having these listed multiple times, in the proper places,  will help it come up at the top of the search results in Google, Linkedin, Job Boards, and company databases.   And it will help the reviewer to quickly find the information they need to push you along to the next step.   Nice and shiny!

Not sure How to Get Started with LinkedIn

Not sure How to Get Started with LinkedIn I regularly hear job seekers say they dont know how to get started with LinkedIn.   It breaks my heart.   There are thousands of resources online to answer questions about this.   Read on for some of the excellent resources I recently shared. By the way, LinkedIn is more than an online resume.   It is more than a job board.   It is a tool which allows you to build brand and connect with people!   Got it?! Jason Albas Got You Covered! By far, the guru on LinkedIn, from the job seeker perspective is Jason Alba.   His most recent DVD answers all the questions most people new to LinkedIn have.   He also does a great job of critiquing LinkedIn profiles which explains what Jason thinks works and doesnt work.   If you are interested in ordering one, I highly recommend it!   Heres the link You will also find loads of valuable information on his books site, Im On LinkedInNow What! (Also a wonderful guide!) Profiles can be boring.   Learn how to spiff yours up by reading Jasons post Turbocharge Your LinkedIn Profile AND view the presentation by Chip Hartman within! Help from LinkedIn Themselves Did you know LinkedIn has online tutorials, videos, help and webinars?   Really, they do!   All free! Find answers to your LinkedIn questions in their  Help Center (new in 2013) You can also visit the Official LinkedIn Channel on YouTube How To Write a More Meaningful Profile Chris Brogan shares his vision of what LinkedIn should be and provides some interesting thoughts in his post:   Write Your LinkedIn Profile for Your Future If you are looking for more resources, you can also check out my Resources page. Is there a go-to resource youve found to be helpful?   Share!