1. Can you do the job? 2. Will you love the job? 3. Can we tolerate working with you?
That’s it. Those three. Think back, every question you’ve ever posed to others or had asked of you in a job interview is a subset of a deeper in-depth follow-up to one of these three key questions. Each question may be asked using different words, but every question, however it is phrased, is just a variation on one of these topics: Strengths, Motivation, and Fit.
Can You Do the Job? – Strengths
Executive Search firm Heidrick & Struggles CEO, Kevin Kelly explained to me that it’s not just about the technical skills, but also about leadership and interpersonal strengths. Technical skills help you climb the ladder. As you get there, managing up, down, and across become more important.
You can’t tell by looking at a piece of paper what some of the strengths and weaknesses really are…We ask for specific examples of not only what’s been successful but what they’ve done that hasn’t gone well or a task they’ve, quite frankly, failed at and how they learned from that experience and what they’d do different in a new scenario.
Not only is it important to look at the technical skill set they have…but also the strengths on what I call the EQ side of the equation in terms of getting along and dealing or interacting with people.
…younger employees do not wish to get paid merely for working hard—just the reverse: they will work hard because they enjoy their environment and the challenges associated with their work…. Executives who embrace this new management style are attracting and retaining better employees.
Can We Tolerate Working With You? – Fit
Continuing on with our conversation, Heidrick’s Kelly went on to explain the importance of cultural fit:
A lot of it is cultural fit and whether they are going to fit well into the organization… The perception is that when (senior leaders) come into the firm, a totally new environment, they know everything. And they could do little things such as send emails in a voicemail culture that tend to negatively snowball over time. Feedback or onboarding is critical. If you don’t get that feedback, you will get turnover later on.
40 percent of senior executives leave organizations or are fired or pushed out within 18 months. It’s not because they’re dumb; it’s because a lot of times culturally they may not fit in with the organization or it’s not clearly articulated to them as they joined.
Preparing for Interviews
If you’re the one doing the interviewing, get clear on what strengths, motivational and fit insights you’re looking for before you go into your interviews.
If you’re the one being interviewed, prepare by thinking through examples that illustrate your strengths, what motivates you about the organization and role you’re interviewing for, and the fit between your own preferences and the organization’s Behaviors, Relationships, Attitudes, Values, and Environment (BRAVE). But remember that interviews are exercises in solution selling. They are not about you.
Think of the interview process as a chance for you to show your ability to solve the organization and interviewer’s problem. That’s why you need to highlight strengths in the areas most important to the interviewers, talk about how you would be motivated by the role’s challenges, and discuss why you would be a BRAVE fit with the organization’s culture.
Executive Onboarding
Once you’ve got the job, be sure to pay attention to executive onboarding, the key to accelerating success and reducing risk in a new job.
There are several components of this including positioning yourself for a leadership role, selling before you buy, mapping and avoiding the most common land mines, uncovering hidden risks in the organization, role, and fit, and choosing the right approach for your transition type.
At this rate, Prince Harry may be on his way to superhero status. Continuing his first diplomatic tour with a trip to Jamaica representing his grandmother the queen, the Prince of Wales defeated the world's fastest man in a 20-yard dash and turned what might have been a testy meeting with the island's prime minister into a lovefest. In a report from Jamaica by NBC's Kerry Sanders on TODAY Wednesday, Harry showed he is equal parts statesman and jokester. On Monday, he went toe-to-toe with Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt, the three-time Olympic gold medal sprinter and holder of five world records, who rivals the late Bob Marley in esteem in his native country. Prince Harry lined up against Bolt for a sprint and reveled in defeating a laughing Bolt, who barely broke out of a jog in the race.
The pair had a rematch, but Harry split the starting line early, leaving Bolt laughing as Harry crowed about his victory. While saying, "I'll get him back one day," Bolt told London's Daily Mail newspaper he wants revenge in a rematch at this summer's Olympic games in London, but that the Prince cheekily told him, "I'm busy."
On Tuesday, Prince Harry had a face-to-face with Jamaica's prime minister Portia Simpson Miller, who has called on Harry's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II to relinquish her title as Jamaica's official head of state. But when boyish redhead Harry met up with her, he seemingly disarmed the prime minister with his 100-watt smile, an embrace and kisses on both cheeks.
Afterward, Prime Minister Miller gushed, "He's a nice man, very nice — a wonderful person."
And Harry's well-earned reputation as a party prince continued as well. After mixing it up with the locals during stops in Belize and the Bahamas last week, Harry — resplendent in Elvis-like blue suede shoes — once again cut a rug with the native gals during a visit to a children's center in an underprivileged area of the Kingston.
At the center Tuesday, Prince Harry rubbed elbows with Bob Marley's widow Rita, and at a charity dinner later that night, showed his musical knowledge by quoting the famous chorus from the Marley song "Three Little Birds" in his opening remarks.
"Her Majesty has asked me to extend her great good wishes to you all, and is sorry that she can't be here — so you're stuck with me," he said. "But don't worry, `cos every little thing gonna be alright!"
Prince Harry, out spreading goodwill on this, the diamond jubilee marking Queen Elizabeth's 60 years on the throne, is gaining raves for his own good-times brand of diplomacy. Speaking from Jamaica, noted royal watcher Camilla Tominey told NBC smiles should abound back home at Harry's performance.
"I think really Buckingham Palace will be exceptionally pleased with how well he's gone down here," she said.
thank you By Michael Inbar, TODAY.com contributor.
24 Months Contract - after working two years, can apply for Permanent residence in Canada
Must have:
- experience and knowledge in lumber industry - good English skills and a knowledge of lumber materials
Must be organized, self motivated and a team player
Job Description:
Load, unload and move products and materials by hand, or with basic material handling equipment, Operate a variety of equipment to load, unload and move materials and products, Pick orders and stock, Wrap goods, Pack and unpack goods, Sort goods, Crate goods, Stack goods, Store cargo and materials, Transport and distribute materials and goods, Handle dangerous goods and hazardous products, Maintain and organize inventory, Operate computerized inventory control systems.
We are still looking for qualified students and will be happy to give a reward of US$30.00 to anyone who recommends a student that is not already registered with E-JAM.
JOBS AVAILABLE FOR UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN THE US THIS SUMMER – UNDER THE J1 WORK & TRAVEL PROGRAM.
Applicants must be: - 18 to 28 years old - A full time student enrolled in a College, or University (not in final year of studies - proof required). - Willing to participate in an unskilled or service sector job. - Able to work a minimum of 3 - 4 months. - Able to attend a pre-departure orientation. - In possession of a valid passport (expiration date after end of assignment).
To start earning your US$30.00 per student, submit your referrals by providing information on the Referral Form. Please let the individuals know in advance that you are referring their names. Upon receipt of your referral, we shall notify the contact person. If your referral is successful we will contact you regarding payment arrangements.
Payment Schedule: If you recommend a friend, or colleague to employmentjamaica.com, who is not already registered with us and they are placed in a job, you will receive US$30.00. Payment will be issued after your referral receives their student visa.
Find Your Passion Make sure your resume instantly communicates your career target with a descriptive headline (e.g., "CPA Backed by Corporate Audit Experience") and adequately reflects your depth and breadth of experience in a brief, hard-hitting opening summary highlighting your top selling points.
If you're thinking about changing careers or industries, be sure you've clearly defined your goal. Your job search will be more successful if your resume targets a specific field instead of being a one-size-fits-all document. Research positions to gain a solid understanding of what you want to do as well as the qualifications employers are seeking. Once you identify your career target, assess your background and identify transferable skills and experience that will enable success. Add a resume objective that spells out your goals and shows the relevance of past experience. For example: "Award-winning educator seeking to leverage five years of teaching experience to transition into corporate training."
Add New Employment, Skills and Accomplishments Refreshing your resume also means keeping it current. If you've changed jobs during the past year, earned a promotion or expanded responsibilities, your resume should reflect this. Even if you've remained in the same position, you've probably achieved noteworthy accomplishments in the last year.
Don't forget about your new skills, including technical and computer ones. Survey your Skills section to ensure your proficiency level and years of experience are current.
Include New Professional Activities Add professional-development activities you completed last year, including certificates, degrees, courses and in-service training. Also include professional organizations you've joined and industry conferences you've attended. List training programs you've begun, even if you haven't completed them. This shows your commitment to ongoing professional development.
Edit Ruthlessly As you add new information to your resume, also consider the usefulness of older or less relevant experience. This will ensure your resume doesn't become unwieldy. Unless you want to return to a former career, decrease the amount of detail you provide for older experience. For job seekers with 10 years of experience or more, this may mean setting up an Early Career section, where you briefly summarize employers, job titles and employment dates. Other expendable items include obsolete technology and your high school diploma once you've earned a college degree.
Proofread your resume carefully to ensure it is error-free. Watch for information that needs to be updated from previous versions. For example, if your old resume included a summary that stated your years of experience, increase this number if necessary.
Start a Kudos File Resolve to start a file for projects and successes you achieve during the year. Copy performance reviews and keep them in this file. Print out complimentary or congratulatory emails and file these away. List new committees you join. Jot down assignments you complete during the year. Include details of quantifiable results (e.g., percentages, dollar amounts, before/after comparisons) of your efforts while still fresh in your mind. Your kudos file will remind you where you excelled so you'll be ready to punch up your resume.
Update Regularly You should refresh your resume throughout the year, not just at the beginning. You never know when opportunity may come knocking.
We are still seeking Food Counter Attendants for new positions in Canada.
Period: Early March - October 2012 Hours: 40-44 hours per week Salary: $12.00 per hour Housing: $60.00 per week approximately
The position is at an amusement park and requires travelling to different locations. Candidate must have great customer and food service experience. We are also seeking Food Counter Attendants with a valid drivers’ license to drive a small truck/trailer.
Employer pays airfare. There will be a fee payable to an Immigration Consultant for preparation of application forms in order to apply for a Work permit.
If you are interested in having your resume submitted, please contact us right away at ejamjobs@gmail.com. Also, let us know if you have a valid driver’s license to drive a small truck/trailer. Registration and Interviews are being arranged for December 21st or 22nd in Ocho Rios.
1. "I responded to a job posting and nothing happened, I never heard the outcome, is this a waste of time”
2. “I followed up with E-JAM and never received a response, what's going on?”
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We thank the many applicants that responded to the various jobs advertised on our website over the past few months. We sincerely regret that due to the large amount of resumes received, we have not been able to respond personally to all applicants. Despite that, we can assure you that we do review all resumes received; some are contacted within a short time; others passed on to our clients; or categorized to review for future openings.
In most cases, if you applied for a job and have not been contacted, that means we have selected an applicant who is the most qualified for the position.
One major problem that sets us back is reviewing and handling resumes of applicants that respond to jobs that they are NOT qualified for; (read - Not Qualified For A Job? Don’t Apply).
Here are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting your resume noticed and to receive a response.
Follow specific instructions as to how to apply to the job that is advertised. Your resume is a marketing piece; it is supposed to answer an advertisement. If an ad says "I want to buy a Mustang!", you would not respond by sending a picture of a minivan. But that is in essence what many people do.
The resume needs to be restructured to meet the needs of every employer that receives it. If they are advertising for a "Sales Manager" then that is the positioning statement you put as the Job Title; or in the Subject Line of the email. A hiring manager is more likely to read the resume that says "Sales Manager" than the one that says "seeking employment with a progressive, growth oriented company."
Add a professional headshot photograph to your profile – your headshot is an important part of your online personal brand; it gives credibility to your content. A good example of a professional headshot photograph is a passport photograph with a smile added.
E-JAM appreciates the time you invested in your application and encourage you to apply for posted and advertised positions, for which you qualify. Please read the blog articles mentioned, they will assist you in getting your resumes noticed and receiving responses to your job application.
1. FOREMAN with 10 Years Experience - one needed for each of the following category: Framing, Roofing, Siding, Drywall, Flooring, Stucco, Painting, Landscaping & Masonry (Block Work).
2. SPECIALTY FINISHERS - 10 Years Experience - 5 Concrete Flat Work and 5 Framing/Carpenters.
3. GENERAL LABOR - 2-5 Years Experience in the following areas: Framing, Roofing, Siding, Plumbing, Electrical, Drywall, Flooring, Stucco, Painting, Home Finishing, Landscaping, Masonry (Block Work) & HVAC.
Please upload your resume on our website www.employmentjamaica.com and enter the word CONSTRUCTION as your resume title. If you are sending an email, please place CONSTRUCTION in the subject line and email ejamjobs@gmail.com.
PLEASE ONLY APPLY IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCED AS STATED ABOVE. ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR RESUME, IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED, WE WILL SEND YOU FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSITION.
There's no better way to learn about the United States than participating in the US Work and Travel Program. It provides an opportunity to work, meet international friends and experience another culture.
Apply Early with E-JAM and Pay a Lower Program Fee - A Savings of US$110.00
$990.00 - Paid in full before 12/31/2011
$1,100.00 - Paid in full between 1/1/2012 - 3/15/12
More reasons to apply early... JA$500.00 Savings on Registration Fee JA$2,500 reduced to JA$2,000.00 if paid before 11/25/2011
Even more Savings... Recommend your friends and get US$10.00 off your Program Fee for each referral. There is no cash value for referrals; the money you accumulate is used against your program fee.
When using major job boards and resume posting sites, you may find yourself frustrated by the lack of responses. If you posted your resume and haven't received any hits in a couple of weeks, there are some things you can do to improve your odds of getting noticed by employers. Even online job searches should be an active process. So be prepared to get involved.
1. Set aside at least an hour (or two for a new profile) to improve and update your resume-posting profile. All job boards have a questionnaire process that you click through, when you first sign up. If you want your profile to be effective, you have to put a lot of effort into preparing it so a potential employer will find you when it is searching for applicants with certain keywords and phrases. If you have already posted your profile, go through the initial steps again, bearing this advice in mind. If you are posting for the first time, make sure you use this information to your advantage.
2. Know where your resume files are and have copies prepared in two formats. The first should be a text-only, or ASCII, format that you can copy and paste into the appropriate text box on the website. The second should be an MS Word version. This is due to the fact that many job boards allow you to upload a formatted copy of your resume so that they can easily print and read or forward it. Most of the sites say you can upload a "Word" copy.
3. When you fill out the required information in the questionnaire, be thorough. When they ask for a job description, don't just give them a repeat of what's in your resume. Using a solid list of keywords and key phrases, give them a brief overview of your duties and then tell them about your accomplishments and special projects you worked on. Use things that you didn't include on your resume, but you feel are important.
4. Take your time going through the lists of skills. Don't leave anything out. Even if you only have a little bit of experience or only have training, click on the skill and say that you're a beginner or only have one year of experience.
5. Remember that keywords are the only way that an employer can find you. If the keywords and key phrases they're looking for are not included in the language of your profile, employers won't find you. Use those keywords in as many places as you can, while making sure they are used in the natural language of your profile. If you see a particular job posting that you want to apply for and the language they use is not in any of your profile writings, make changes. Add the keywords in natural places or exchange them with others, where they'll fit appropriately.
6. Update and save your profile at least every 30 days, although every 14 days is better. Resume-posting databases use timestamps to return profile search data to hiring professionals. The more recent your updates were, and the better your keywords match, the closer your profile will be to the top of the list.
7. Search for and apply to job postings. The more active you are in contacting potential employers, the more likely you are to get a response. Remember, you are competing with millions of others. Odds are that your resume won't be seen by an employer unless or until you express an interest in a position by applying for the job. Also, the more active you are on a job site is a direct correlation with your ranking in the database.
The pair had a rematch, but Harry split the starting line early, leaving Bolt laughing as Harry crowed about his victory. While saying, "I'll get him back one day," Bolt told London's Daily Mail newspaper he wants revenge in a rematch at this summer's Olympic games in London, but that the Prince cheekily told him, "I'm busy."
