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| Ava age 5 |
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| Mia age 2.5 |
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| Kai - age 6 months |
Now that I’m done being a proud papa I’ll get on to the real
reason you read my blog. Today, I’m
going to offer some advice on some random questions I get that I think plague
many people. Think of this as something
like that Dr. Oz segment where people get up and ask their embarrassing questions
– except on less gross subjects… Read em
below:
What if you lose your
job while in the interview process?
This is something that happens way more than people know and its problematic because
it freaks people out. Losing your job
whether its by firing squad or layoff is a deeply personal issue that many people
find embarrassing. First of all – you
shouldn’t be embarrassed – it happens to most of you. I personally feel that this is because so
many of us define ourselves by our career and are worried about what getting
fired or laid off says out us. If you
are unemployed and actively looking it’s pretty easy – you tell the truth. However, when people lose their job once in
the interview process they sometimes they feel like sharing that they were
fired might make them look like damaged goods and choose to hide it. First of all, there is a risk that you will
appear damaged for getting fired.
However, this risk is outweighed by the risk that you appear to be lying
to them. Lying is one of the few things
that are unforgiveable. The best course
of action is to tell the company what happened – own it – and move on. Most companies will be pretty
understanding. After all – you are
interviewing for a new job, right?
My boss knows
everybody – How do I interview without losing my job?
It’s a small world, a really small world. I one time had a previous boss find out that
I was interviewing somewhere because a friend of hers, who had never met me in
person, recognized my voice from the phone and heard it through a door in an
interview. There is no way to fully
protect yourself in this area – its just one of the risks that you run when
looking for a new job. Here are a couple
of suggestions to keep in mind.
- Use a recruiter that can be discreet on your behalf
- Suggest having meetings outside of the office to minimize the number of people that might see you
- Remind your interviewer how confidential your search is once or twice (overkill looks bad here)
- Be very selective in who you apply to
I’ve only worked for
one company – how do I get someone to be a good reference?
First of all – congratulations on your tenure! Your resume looks better than 99% of the world including mine. First, let me tell you that there are some
unbending organizations that absolutely require a reference from a
supervisor. In these unique cases it is
OK to go dig out a supervisor from your college or high school job as the
company is most likely just checking a box off.
In other cases where you don’t need a supervisor you should look at the
following people as acc eptable
references:
- Former co-workers
- Current customers – these are awesome references
- Vendors – again – really good references
Whatever you do – don’t use your brother, sister, mother,
priest or AA sponsor.
I have some issues on
my credit or criminal background – what do I do?
This is one I’ve discussed before as well. Here is how you handle it. First of all – if it is a major issue like a
felony – bring it up early and own it.
If it is a misdemeanor or a bad credit issue people are pretty
understanding. What usually trips people
up is not the act its because they don’t disclose it on the application and
then it comes up on the background check – make you look like a liar. So, the best way to overcome this is to read
the application carefully and err on the side of caution. Go ahead and disclose the skinnydipping
ticket you got in college on the application and there will be no worries when
it shows up on your background. Again –
the lie is what gets you – not the bad act.
I’m scheduled for an
interview and I just heard some bad things about the company – should I cancel
the interview?
When I worked in the restaurant industry a wise man once
told me that when someone has a bad experience they tell 50 people and when someone has a good experience
they maybe share it with five people.
Now, I’m not telling you to disregard what you hear out in the
world. After all, where there’s smoke
there is sometimes fire. However, you
should listen, go to the interview with this in mind and make your own
decision. Let what you have heard shape
your questions. However, make sure that
you are subtle when doing this. Don’t
say – “I heard you are a sweatshop, are you really that bad?” Instead ask “What kind of work-life balance
do your employees have?” You will get
your answer.
I can’t wear a suit
to an interview because it will draw suspicion – what do I do?
This is one that I’ve discussed before. Whatever you do – don’t just show up dressed
business casual. Do you know why people
where suits to interviews? It’s not because they are comfortable or because they
make you look good. People wear suits to
interviews because it is a sign of respect.
It is also a test to see if you understand social norms. So, it really isn’t a big deal if you can’t
wear one. You just need to ask for permission to do so. Call the interviewer and explain your
situation – ask if it is OK if you wear a nice shirt and khakis. They will say yes – and you will look good
for understanding what is expected.
That’s all I have for today!
What random questions do you have?
Email me at sthompson@insurance-csg.com
or leave a comment below!
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