5 Weird Things Nerves Make People Do in Job Interviews

5 Weird Things Nerves Make People Do in Job Interviews Many people come to me for help when they freeze up in interview, which they attribute to panic and nerves. That’s true. Your nerves can make you freeze up under the spotlight of an interview. What you may not know however, is that your nerves will make you do other strange things. So if you’ve ever had an interview that you thought went wonderfully well, only to receive a knock back a week or so later, read on. Many recruiters see the way you handle yourself in interview, as an indication of what you will be like under pressure in real life. That is, you give at your weakest points. Here are a few examples to show you what I mean: 1. Answering the question before an interviewer finishes asking it I list this first as I honestly loathe this behaviour. I’m not sure why people do this, but my take on this is that the person has poor listening skills. Interrupting someone before they finish asking you a question is like a verbal kneecapping â€" unexpected and painful. RELATED: The Only 5 Interview Questions You Need to Prepare for 2. Not answering the question Sometimes interview questions are too long. Sometimes an interview question has too much preamble. Sometimes interview questions are too confusing. So as an interviewer I don’t mind repeating a question, but when I need to rephrase and simplify a question three or so times, I give up and move on to the next question. 3. Talking too much Some people don’t seem to take a breath in interview. This is fine if you have an engaging story and you can remember the question you are answering a few minutes into your answer. However many people keep talking and forget to keep checking to see if their interviewer is listening. The tricky thing here is to know whether your interviewer is a person who likes detail or who likes bullet points. It’s also difficult to know if interviewers are actually listening. Some interviewers, particularly experienced interviewers, are professional at looking like they’re listening. See more on this at  How to Zip It in Interviews. 4. Shutting down Often people switch into “interview mode.” They’re engaging in reception. They’re lovely over the phone. But when they get into interview they talk in a completely different way. As an interviewer I think “whatever happened to?” 5. Injecting odd phrases “Like,” “like you know,” “do you get what I mean?” This verbal stuffing can completely detract from your appearance as a competent professional. The public speaking group, Toastmasters, is good for eliminating this kind of thing, as is recording yourself in an interview practice session. Bonus: Forgetting to listen Sometimes people launch into an answer that they want to give, rather than listening to what a question is actually asking. The danger in this is that it may take the interviewer a couple of minutes to realise you are off tangent. If your interviewer is short on time, or simply impatient, you may have missed your chance. Related: Do You Know How To Sell Yourself in a Job Interview?

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in the #MeToo Era CareerMetis.com

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace in the #MeToo Era â€" CareerMetis.com Source: PixabayIn the wake of the #MeToo era, there has been an increase in discussions regarding the very sensitive topic of sexual harassment in the workplace. Though sexual harassment awareness has been increasing for decades, it’s still a widespread problem. There are numerous reasons to consider why sexual harassment persists and how we can stop it.Sexual harassment often comes from a desire for control. Those in powerful positions don’t want their authority compromised. Knowing that they have status above certain employees makes them feel they have a license to demean them. Since sex is an incredibly intimate topic, the ability to exploit someone’s insecurities through suggestive comments or actions can be thrilling for harassers.There’s no single type of sexual harassment. It can include making lewd comments, telling inappropriate jokes, and offering promotions in exchange for sexual favors. Discussing an employee’s wardrobe in uncomfortable detail or grazing a hand against them could also be considered harassment.evalIf a behavior makes someone feel like they’re in a precarious situation and requests for it to stop are not accepted, a harassment claim wouldn’t be out of line. None of this information is particularly revolutionary.Sexual harassment policies are commonplace in just about any work environment. However, there’s still a divide on what constitutes sexual harassment and what the appropriate punishments are. The #MeToo movement has put a spotlight on how people are sexually humiliated in the workplace, but anyone case could have ten different analyses based on the evidence presented.In the #MeToo era, people aren’t becoming more overly-sensitive and mistaking good-natured compliments for sexual harassment. Instead, they’re feeling more assertive in voicing complaints when someone harasses them. Technology has also offered more ways for harassment to occur.Indecent emails, social media messages, and stalking online dating pro files are all examples of how harassers can prey on employees or coworkers by using modern technology. Harassment being inherently wrong isn’t likely to cause any great divide.What becomes complicated is discerning what counts as harassment. This can come from a generational gap. If someone is older and came up in a time when complimenting the looks of their employees was considered flattering, they could feel unfairly singled out when told that such behavior is inappropriate. While they might protest that no one had a problem with it in the past, the likely reality is that people did have issues with it, but they were afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation.Not being caught up with how our cultural views on sexual harassment have evolved is okay, but anyone who is serious about avoiding a hostile work environment needs to listen carefully and not become obstinate. It can undoubtedly be humbling for one to admit that didn’t know something, but ignorance isn’t wrong. What is wrong is being presented with valuable information and rejecting it because it doesn’t match up with your previous worldview.A multitude of sexual harassment incidents are avoidable with common sense. The idea of demanding sex from an employee or insulting their appearance is unthinkable for most people. For other cases, people need to put themselves in the other person’s shoes. They need to ask themselves how they would feel if this behavior was being done to them, not by them.evalHaving good intentions doesn’t mean someone can’t be in the wrong. Someone might tell a coworker that her dress looks lovely and think that it’s not a problem, but it could put the other person in an awkward situation.It’s unlikely that they’ll cry sexual harassment at one compliment, but they might want to tell you that they would prefer not to hear such comments. Deliberately ignoring such requests should be seen as a significant example of crossing boundaries. If you’re called out for sexual harassment in the workplace, make sure you understand precisely why and follow any necessary steps to change your behavior.This could be a reasonably insignificant action, such as reciting a bawdy joke that made some coworkers uncomfortable. You might be feeling upset, but you need to handle this situation maturely. Listen to your employer or human resources representative and agree to refrain from repeating this action or any similar ones.The easiest way to avoid harassing people in the workplace is to respect everyone equally. It doesn’t matter what someone’s gender, race, age, or sexual orientation is.evalEveryone deserves consideration as a human and not a sex object. The workplace is an environment for professionalism. There might be conflicts regarding disagreements regarding what direction specific projects should take, but it should never lead to people being shamed or manipulated.If you’ve been experiencing harassment, know that you have every right to speak up . There’s also no minimum for what qualifies as harassment. Don’t let yourself think that you have to wait until things are beyond unacceptable for you to file a complaint.Thanks to the #MeToo movement, people have realized that keeping silent about harassment only allows abusers to exploit their power further. Even if you’re not contributing to or receiving sexual harassment in the workplace, you can still make a difference.As an ally in the fight against sexual harassment, you should be willing to speak up when you witness someone making crude comments. If someone tells you that a co-worker is harassing them, you should take them seriously and not try to brush off their complaints as an overreaction. If you’re an employer, you need to do all you can to make your workplace a harassment-free zone.When you hire new employees, go over the harassment policy extensively and make sure that they understand what is expected of them. You can also have seminars on a regular basis whi ch remind your team about what sort of behaviors are considered sexual harassment. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions in the workplace.Sexual harassment might never be wholly eliminated, but it can be reduced through education. The #MeToo movement is long overdue and should not succumb by people who are unwilling to listen. If we learn the importance of communication and cooperation, we can make our workplaces safer environments for everyone.

What I wish I knew 20 years ago - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

What I wish I knew 20 years ago - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Heres a great article by Peter Grazier who has worked with employee involvment for 25 years: When I began working with employee involvement concepts in 1980, I was unbelievably ignorant of the human dimension of organization performance. As a degreed engineer, most of my training had been in the hard sciences and left little time for other subjects. I did attend some of the required courses in the humanities such as History of Art, but never in six years of higher education did I receive training in what I call Human Dynamics. My education finally came with my entrance into the world of employee involvement. And, to say the least, my beliefs about how organizations operate (or should operate) have changed significantly. He goes on to his three key learning points: Everyone has something to contribute?and will if the environment is right. The human element of performance is more important than the technical element. Most decisions can be significantly improved through collaboration. I like it, and I agree completely! Not only will this get people involved it will also make them happy at work. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Pump Up Your Social Media Presence

Pump Up Your Social Media Presence Hate to keep harping on your Social Media presence, but its one of the most important things to look at during your job search. Many job applicants think that Social Media is all fun and games, and while it certainly has those aspects, its also a great tool to showcase yourself. However, putting forth the wrong image could cost you dearly. Do you think HR Managers are not Googling your name, Facebook stalking you or reviewing your LinkedIn profile? If you answered no, youre absolutely wrong. Think of the first thing you do when you meet someone newyou take a look at their online profile. Nothing wrong with that, the information is there for anyone to see. So, why would that stop HR Managers from checking up on prospective employees? It doesnt.  HR  Managers  look at everything and if you have one embarrassing, drunken photo on your Facebook wall, they will see it and judge you accordingly. No one said it was fair, but that public photo is fair game. So, how do you compete in the Social Media space? What can you do to pump up your online presence without destroying your good social standing? Find out below: 1. Allow access to only certain people: Facebook allows you to block access to people who are not your friends and even filter out your posts, links and other media. LinkedIn only gives access to people who request it. Keeping your account setting private means you are insulated and safe from prying eyes of HR Managers. 2. Update your profile pictures in order to keep a professional appearance: When youre looking for a job, one of the first things people see when they Google you  are your Social Media photos. What are you doing in yours? Are you wolfing down a piece of cake with chocolate covering your face or are you dressed in a nice suit, showing your finest business attire? You think people dont look at this, but youre absolutely wrong. They place a huge amount of consideration into how you present yourself. Present the wrong image and youre finished. 3. Update your work history: Make it known on Social Media sites that you are actively looking for employment. You would be surprised with the amount of people who will come forward with job tips, advice or just general care. Updating your work history also opens up avenues for future employment because HR Managers can see your list of skills, accomplishments and awards. HR Managers are looking over your LinkedIn profile, so take pride in it. 4. Add more friends: This is especially true for LinkedIn. See a job you want, look up someone who works for the company and see if you have a secondary connection with them. If so, ask your friend to introduce you  to his/her colleague  and begin talking about the open position. Pumping up your Social Media presence is  all about making yourself available and putting  your best foot forward. Its not hard, you just have to craft the right image. The better you present yourself and your skills in Social Media venues, the better off you will be.

How to Avoid Age Discrimination in Resume Writing to Land That Interview

How to Avoid Age Discrimination in Resume Writing to Land That InterviewWhen applying for jobs, knowing how to write a resume can make the difference between you land that interview and not. Whether you are a recent college graduate or a former corporate executive with a few years experience, you should know how to construct a resume to avoid age discrimination. Most people don't even realize that some employers evaluate your age as well as your credentials on a first come, first serve basis.If your resume is not prepared by the time you walk into an interview, you will most likely be told to do a little more legwork to provide a little more information. Your employer will most likely not provide an interview until you have provided your application with updated contact information. It can be extremely frustrating to have a perfectly written resume, only to be told to fill out additional questions and provide a bit more information just because of your age.A common scenario in which an older job seeker is rejected is that the prospective employer does not see the potential in your age. Usually, the hiring manager feels that you are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of making decisions or taking time out to be interviewed. Often times, this is not a valid reason to deny someone an interview. Instead, you should try to follow up and tell them why they might not be interested in you.Another way to make sure that you get a job interview is to prepare yourself for it. If you are not familiar with the company, how they operate, or what they are looking for, learn as much as you can about their industry. And, if you already know a lot about their industry, then be sure to write the right resumes to be hired. Resumes are filled out by employers, and they are not going to hire someone who is not qualified.If you have personal issues, such as a disability, needing professional assistance, you should contact the Human Resources department. Remember, you shoul d never be the only person who has this problem. Getting professional assistance is vital when it comes to obtaining employment. You should also be prepared to pay for this assistance, if you do not qualify for it yourself.As much as possible, try to keep your resume at least five pages long. Although, it's tempting to add extra information, such as additional education or volunteer experience, your resume should stand alone without adding in extraneous information. In addition, if you do not have many years of experience, you may want to list what experience you have, if any. However, it is important to list the amount of experience that you do have.If you follow these suggestions, you will have no trouble creating a great resume to avoid age discrimination. You may not get your dream job, but you will be able to create a resume that will have great potential to land you an interview. You can rest assured that you did everything you could to keep from being turned down, and you sho uld be proud that you put together a resume that other candidates might benefit from.

When is the Best Time to Have a Big Meeting at Work

When is the Best Time to Have a Big Meeting at Work Imagine this: you’re in charge of planning exactly when to present the Big Proposal to the boss, and you have to pick the location, day, and time for the meeting. You’ve got a slot on Tuesday at 10 a.m., 3 p.m., or 4 p.m. Which do you choose so that the boss is the most receptive to your ideas? A recent New York Times Magazine piece shared research about “decision fatigue,” a concept coined by a social psychologist studying how mental activities can affect how people make decisions and which choices they make. The research showed that those who have to go through the laborious process of weighing potential outcomes from a block of information are often less in control of their own willpower. So, to relate this research to our question at hand, if you’re giving a long, potentially expensive pitch to someone, their choice on whether to act on that proposal might be extraordinarily taxing on them, mentally. And if you want someone to negotiate with you and give a little bit of leeway, forget about it if they’re worn out. People who have been hit with a lot of information, options, and scenarios to sift through (say, in a long business meeting) might just be unable to “be the decider” by the end of the presentation (hence “decision fatigue”). So how do you combat it and make sure your big complex idea makes it out of the boardroom unscathed? 1. Schedule that meeting as early in the day as possible. Fresh minds are going to be your best bet. Ever try to get even a small issue resolved at 4 p.m. in the afternoon? No way, not going to happen. 2. Have experts ready to offer their opinions in your favor. If your decider is decision-fatigued, they may just ask for a recommendation. What you want to offer is the most respected array of people who’ve already come to the same conclusion you want to win. When the boss asks for their help, you don’t want to hit him or her with even more to worry about. 3. Tempt them with something that will appeal to their senses. Like something sweet and cheap at the checkout lane, the end part of your presentation should be especially hard to resist. How about a cost savings or some flashy perks? Maybe it’s a promise of notoriety or free press that couldn’t possibly go wrong. All of that would be awfully tempting at the end (and with minimal effort by the decider). If they are tired and depleted, it will help steer them in your direction. 4. Finally, feed them. The study showed that no matter how delicious (or not) the chow, glucose helps stimulate willpower and can help keep your brain in check. If you have a skittish boss who will want to bolt as the meeting creeps towards lunch, provide the old standby: snacks. Help your target focus on the task at hand, and hopefully come away from the meeting on your side.   More From PayScale: 5 Ways to Fake Confidence Survey: 76% of Workers Are More Productive Outside of the Office Real Work-Life Balance Starts With Your Boss

The Invisible Conversation - Work It Daily

The Invisible Conversation - Work It Daily One of my new favorite blogs is called Productivity Flourishing. This article (click here) is about a phenomenon known as “emotional contagion,” a.k.a. the invisible conversation. The concept is simple: There are conversations that go on between us and others that are non-verbal. They are driven by the emotions of the people we surround ourselves with. The article describes it as this: An interconnected network of brain cells known as mirror neurons respond to the emotional state of those around us by mirroring that same state. This immensely powerful conversation happens without intention, and much of it can be nonverbal. Though it’s as powerful as any deliberate, verbal conversation, if not more so. It goes on to discuss how these invisible conversations affect us in various situations. Sometimes You Need a Ghost Writer As I read this article, I couldn’t help but think how many job seekers need a “ghost writer” to help keep their invisible conversations on-track and positive. What’s a ghost writer? It’s a person who helps you maintain the proper talk-track in your head so you get the results you are looking for. Let me give you an example: When we are struggling to find work or advance our careers, we can become very down on ourselves. This projects a negativity that impacts the invisible conversations we have with friends, family, our job search network, and even hiring managers. I often find much of the career coaching I do by phone or Skype are focused on helping people work through this negativity so they can feel better and have more productive invisible conversations with those they are interacting with. Invisible Conversation Killing the Job Interview Recently, I did a coaching call by Skype with a CareerHMO.com member who has been between jobs for 18 months. He wanted to do some work on his interviewing skills because he was convinced his answers were hurting him on job interviews. As we started to discuss how he answered basic behavioral questions, I felt a strong negative invisible conversation going on. I stopped him and asked point blank what happened in his professional past that had hurt him so deeply. He was shocked, and said, “How did you know I’ve been hurt?” I told him it was the non-verbal cues. His voice tone, body language and hand gestures were making it clear he was upset. Even the way he was articulating his answers gave away the deep anger, sadness and insecurity he was feeling. We spent the rest of the call talking about the situation and helping him to come to terms with it. As his ghost writer, I helped him look at the situation more objectively so he could remove the emotion from the invisible conversation. A few exchanges by email and a follow-up Skype call shortly after led to some encouraging results. You could feel the difference when we interacted! It won’t surprise you to learn he has found it much easier to increase his networking activities too. His confidence is up and it shows! And in my experience, this will eventually lead to a new job. Do YOUR Invisible Conversations Need a Ghost Writer? This recent experience with a CareerHMO.com client made me realize it was time we expanded our offerings and give members a way to regularly work with a career coach to ensure the invisible conversations they are having are productive and positive. So, let me introduce you to two new subscription plans: Our Professional subscription offers you a coaching call with an expert by phone or Skype every other week, while our Executive subscription offers you a coaching call every week. Check them out and let me know what you think. Depending on the subscription you buy, you save $5-10/coaching session. Click for New Subscription Plans » P.S. Any existing member (Premium or Freemium) who upgrades their subscription by October 31, 2011 will get two extra coaching calls [$90 VALUE] for one month. How to Upgrade In order to upgrade, you must e-mail and inform me which level you'd like to purchase. I will take care of everything else. You can reach me at info@careerhmo.com. Don’t let the invisible conversations you are having with others hurt your career. Let us help keep your emotions in check so you can send the right message every time! J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company. Image from Martin Fischer/Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!