True story: Imagine the shock of a hiring manager when the candidate appeared for the interview with her parents, who said they wanted to sit in and listen to what their daughter had to say. Obviously, that interview never happened.
At Signature Source, our job is to send only top candidates to our corporate clients. Today, we share 10 red flags that in most cases are guaranteed to remove a job candidate from the race for a job.
AUGUST 24, 2015 – We all have our thoughts about what a candidate should and shouldn’t say during a first interview, and the list often includes salary, when raises are expected, flex-time options and when to expect a promotion. At Signature Source our job is to dig deeper, so candidates understand the best way to present themselves, putting them on the short list of candidates that return for a second interview.
The Muse recently published an article on questions you should never ask – and some you should – that we feel has great merit for any candidate. Of course, if the interviewer brings up any of these topics, that opens the door for discussion. But in most cases, asking the following questions can often make it seem as if you already assume the position is yours.
And of course once an offer is made, any of these questions should be asked and answered if they are important to you.
April 10, 2015 – Small and large businesses all plan to step up hiring activity in the second quarter, according to CareerBuilder’s latest forecast.
Twenty-three percent of companies with 50 or fewer employees expect to add full-time, permanent staff over the next three months, up from 18 percent last year. Among employers of all sizes, the number planning to hire in the second quarter is up six percentage points over last year.
Which leads many of Signature Source’s clients to ask the perennial question: What are the issues that will impact staffing this year? Read More
March 11, 2015 – Our last two posts have focused on developing and implementing a personal brand. Today we focus on the “why” of personal branding, which for us at Signature Source is the most compelling argument about why you need to develop yours.
First, let’s touch on what a personal brand is not, according to more.com:
The above list obviously is very important. But there’s more work to be done.
Consider your personal brand your trademark, what you are most passionate about and what you stand for. It defines you as a person but also communicates what sets you apart from others. It is not bragging, nor is it about constant self-promotion. If you manage your brand correctly you become a role model for others, the go-to person on a specific topic and someone others can trust to provide insight and information. More.com gives this example: “vice president of XYZ Company” becomes “a forward-thinking team leader with a dedication to mentoring and an unwavering focus on profit and efficiency.”
You probably will have many jobs in your lifetime, but the one constant you take to all those positions is your brand because it is all about you and your core values.
And here are the two questions we advise all our job candidates to think – and then do something –
about:
Don’t feel badly if you didn’t positively answer these questions. Based on a survey conducted by the Glenn Llopis Group, less than 15 percent of people have truly defined their personal brand and less than 5 percent are living it consistently at work. To answer those two questions positively takes a huge amount of self-introspection, combined with a call to action, and then a daily check-in to see if you are living true to your brand.
Glen Llopis says what is truly fascinating is that although only 15 percent of people have defined their brand, 70 percent of professionals believe they have one and 50 percent say they are living their brand.
Today, our real world and online personas co-exist on two parallel paths, and both must be managed effectively for success in business. And both must be true to your brand.
It is imperative that your online message coincides with your in-person self. A 2013 Career Builder survey found that 39 percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates. As social media expends, that percentage will surely grow. That same survey discovered that 43 percent of hiring managers who research candidates on social media said they found information online that caused them not to hire a candidate.
Stew Friedman, director of the Work/Life Integration Project at the Wharton School of Business explained to more.com: “When your personal brand is a genuine expression of your core values, it focuses your attention on actions you should be taking – as well as making clear what you should avoid. The result is better alignment among the different parts of your life, which creates a greater sense of purpose and more coherence and optimism.”
Define yourself with your brand, live your core values, and the result should be a greater appreciation of who you are and where you are going in all aspects of your life.
Personal branding has been a hot topic for almost two decades, since Fast Company Magazine published Tom Peters’ article, “The Brand Called You.” But creating your own personal brand back then was not as easy as it is today, thanks to social media and technology.
We work hard at Signature Source to match top-notch candidates with the most highly regarded employers in the global relocation industry. Building your online presence and managing your brand is up to you, the fastest way to get noticed and grow your career. Read More
