Jobless and Frustrated NTers check in VOL. WE NOT-WORKIN!!!

[timelessflight]

I got a call from HR saying that my conference call on tuesday went well and that they're (hiring manager and director) ironing out some more details so I should hold tight.

Congrats

At least you got a call back. I'm still waiting on a call back. Heck I'm still waiting for them to respond to my email I sent last MONDAY! Lol

 

[Remy LeBeau]

I appreciate it fellas, I really thought things were looking bad for me with this company due to my lack of experience.

Hang in there timelessflight

 

[dathbgboy]

Yea, experience is almost a legal and ethical way to discriminate in this day and age. The required skills are so exact and distinct that they have to pretty much create the person out of thin air to get the person they want. It's coo that that took a chance on u and see your potential which is what most of us want.

 

[rocafella kidd]

I somewhat agree with you on that @dathbgby but a lot of people also sell themselves short by not understanding or researching the job type/ title to relate and align their previous work experience. They also don't update their resumes to match them. The descriptions are cookie cutter. After your research If you can show some experience, application & growth, there's no reason not to apply. From there it's just proving them right. Everyone should also get familiar with the STAR format: Situation/task action and result. It's used for interviews but can be broadened so easily. I have yearly commitments and I use the star method to answer and update my performance reviews. Made my bosses job super easy lol.

 

[mrswagtastic]

Remy LeBeau

best of luck to you famb. def hold tight, I was waiting for the longest thinking it was a negative, I actually had 2 job offers after a prolonged waiting period.
sometimes it just works that way

 

[Remy LeBeau]

Thanks bro

 

[Velle47]

Looked at my old resume and saw my skills and qualifications section was filled with stuff that should've been in my job description. My job description was looking too bland. Hopefully that change will make the calls come.

 

[malcmoney]

Finally got a job. Its not much but its better than nothing.

 

[swaggdaddy]

Finally got a job. Its not much but its better than nothing.

Congrats my g!

 

[dathbgboy]

I somewhat agree with you on that @dathbgby but a lot of people also sell themselves short by not understanding or researching the job type/ title to relate and align their previous work experience. They also don't update their resumes to match them. The descriptions are cookie cutter. After your research If you can show some experience, application & growth, there's no reason not to apply. From there it's just proving them right. Everyone should also get familiar with the STAR format: Situation/task action and result. It's used for interviews but can be broadened so easily. I have yearly commitments and I use the star method to answer and update my performance reviews. Made my bosses job super easy lol.

Elaborate more on the STAR format. If u could, post it in here and make it more visible (changing font size, color,etc.) sounds like something like that could be really useful for a lot of people.

As far as resumes go, I've helped a few NTers revamp theres, hope things worked out better for them afterwards. Wit mine, I have a dedicated skills sections listing all of my skills w/ the most important ones listed first, then my job history follows. It a lot easier for the employer to see the skills upfront as opposed to searching for them in your job history.

I think we should also talk to OP about editing the Original Post in order to add all of the great info that's been passed along in here.

 

[pacmagic2002]

Here you go.

Using the Star technique to shine at job interviews: a how-to guide
Here's our guide to using the Star technique when answering questions in competency-based job interviews
Spectacular meteors during a Leonid meteor shower in forest
Using the Star technique can help you answer questions in competency-based job interviews. Photograph: Tony Hallas/Science Faction/Corbis

Michael Higgins

Monday 10 March 2014 03.00 EDT
Last modified on Thursday 26 March 2015 07.20 EDT



There are many types of interviews, from the free flowing to the formal, but one that you are likely to come up against at some point is the competency-based interview.

They're designed to make the job application process as objective as possible, removing any conscious or subconscious bias by the interviewer by asking each candidate the same questions. Some people feel this type of interview is more stilted – there can be less opportunity to build rapport. However, they are very common, especially in large organisations and the public sector, so it's worth refining your technique.

The questions will be driven by a competency framework that's required for the job. For example, a marketing executive may require problem-solving skills, or a job in customer services may require conflict management skills.

The interview questions tend to start with a variation of, "Tell me about a time when…" This may sound simple but, in the heat of the interview, it's easy to give an unstructured answer, miss out key details, or let the story peter to a halt.

One way of avoiding this is by using the Star acronym to structure your response. Here are two examples of how to implement the technique:

A candidate for a marketing executive role might be asked: "Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale." Here's how you could structure your response:

• Situation – set the context for your story. For example, "We were due to be delivering a presentation to a group of 30 interested industry players on our new product and Stuart, the guy due to deliver it, got stuck on a train from Birmingham."

• Task – what was required of you. For example, "It was my responsibility to find an alternative so it didn't reflect badly on the company and we didn't waste the opportunity."

• Activity – what you actually did. For example, "I spoke to the event organisers to find out if they could change the running order. They agreed so we bought ourselves some time. I contacted Susan, another member of the team, who at a push could step in. She agreed to drop what she was doing and head to the event."

• Result – how well the situation played out. For example, "Stuart didn't make the meeting on time but we explained the problem to the delegates and Susan's presentation went well – a bit rough around the edges but it was warmly received. Stuart managed to get there for the last 15 minutes to answer questions. As a result we gained some good contacts, at least two of which we converted into paying clients."

There are a few things to note with this response: it's important to speak in specific rather than general terms and quantify your success. In this example, we mentioned 30 delegates, the names of the people involved and quantified two contacts converted to clients. From a listener's perspective, this makes the story more interesting and they are more able to gauge your success. Nameless figures and undefined successes can make the answer less feel less convincing. Secondly, as there are likely to be many questions and interviewers have short attention spans, it's important to keep your answers concise: convey the maximum achievement in the minimum time. Finally, it's important to finish on a positive note so the overall impression is strong.

In a second example, a candidate for a customer services role is asked: "Describe a situation when you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint"

• Situation: "A customer rang up complaining that they'd waited more than two weeks for a reply from our sales team regarding a product query."

• Task: "I needed to address the client's immediate query and find out what went wrong in the normal process."

• Activity: "I apologised, got the details and passed them to our head salesperson, who contacted the client within the hour. I investigated why the query hadn't been answered. I discovered that it was a combination of a wrong mobile number and a generic email address that wasn't being checked. I let the client know and we offered a goodwill discount on her next order."

• Result: "The client not only continued to order from us but posted a positive customer service tweet."

Used at its best, the Star structure is invisible to the listener and it simply comes across as a well-articulated example. Create a bank of answers in this format in advance, so don't struggle to do it on the day and can make it appear as seamless as possible.

Michael Higgins is a career coach at This is My Path and is author of Pit Stop: A Career Workbook for Busy People.

 

[dathbgboy]

Here you go.

Using the Star technique to shine at job interviews: a how-to guide
Here's our guide to using the Star technique when answering questions in competency-based job interviews
Spectacular meteors during a Leonid meteor shower in forest
Using the Star technique can help you answer questions in competency-based job interviews. Photograph: Tony Hallas/Science Faction/Corbis

Michael Higgins

Monday 10 March 2014 03.00 EDT
Last modified on Thursday 26 March 2015 07.20 EDT



There are many types of interviews, from the free flowing to the formal, but one that you are likely to come up against at some point is the competency-based interview.

They're designed to make the job application process as objective as possible, removing any conscious or subconscious bias by the interviewer by asking each candidate the same questions. Some people feel this type of interview is more stilted – there can be less opportunity to build rapport. However, they are very common, especially in large organisations and the public sector, so it's worth refining your technique.

The questions will be driven by a competency framework that's required for the job. For example, a marketing executive may require problem-solving skills, or a job in customer services may require conflict management skills.

The interview questions tend to start with a variation of, "Tell me about a time when…" This may sound simple but, in the heat of the interview, it's easy to give an unstructured answer, miss out key details, or let the story peter to a halt.

One way of avoiding this is by using the Star acronym to structure your response. Here are two examples of how to implement the technique:

A candidate for a marketing executive role might be asked: "Tell me about a time that you solved a problem to a tight timescale." Here's how you could structure your response:

• Situation – set the context for your story. For example, "We were due to be delivering a presentation to a group of 30 interested industry players on our new product and Stuart, the guy due to deliver it, got stuck on a train from Birmingham."

• Task – what was required of you. For example, "It was my responsibility to find an alternative so it didn't reflect badly on the company and we didn't waste the opportunity."

• Activity – what you actually did. For example, "I spoke to the event organisers to find out if they could change the running order. They agreed so we bought ourselves some time. I contacted Susan, another member of the team, who at a push could step in. She agreed to drop what she was doing and head to the event."

• Result – how well the situation played out. For example, "Stuart didn't make the meeting on time but we explained the problem to the delegates and Susan's presentation went well – a bit rough around the edges but it was warmly received. Stuart managed to get there for the last 15 minutes to answer questions. As a result we gained some good contacts, at least two of which we converted into paying clients."

There are a few things to note with this response: it's important to speak in specific rather than general terms and quantify your success. In this example, we mentioned 30 delegates, the names of the people involved and quantified two contacts converted to clients. From a listener's perspective, this makes the story more interesting and they are more able to gauge your success. Nameless figures and undefined successes can make the answer less feel less convincing. Secondly, as there are likely to be many questions and interviewers have short attention spans, it's important to keep your answers concise: convey the maximum achievement in the minimum time. Finally, it's important to finish on a positive note so the overall impression is strong.

In a second example, a candidate for a customer services role is asked: "Describe a situation when you had to deliver excellent customer service following a complaint"

• Situation: "A customer rang up complaining that they'd waited more than two weeks for a reply from our sales team regarding a product query."

• Task: "I needed to address the client's immediate query and find out what went wrong in the normal process."

• Activity: "I apologised, got the details and passed them to our head salesperson, who contacted the client within the hour. I investigated why the query hadn't been answered. I discovered that it was a combination of a wrong mobile number and a generic email address that wasn't being checked. I let the client know and we offered a goodwill discount on her next order."

• Result: "The client not only continued to order from us but posted a positive customer service tweet."

Used at its best, the Star structure is invisible to the listener and it simply comes across as a well-articulated example. Create a bank of answers in this format in advance, so don't struggle to do it on the day and can make it appear as seamless as possible.

Michael Higgins is a career coach at This is My Path and is author of Pit Stop: A Career Workbook for Busy People.

Thanks man, quoted it to make it more visible so others won't see a plain wall of text and run away

 

[suberzat1]

So I'm off doing training in another state but got a call from a recruiter saying they want to move forward with my application. The interview is schedule for this Wednesday. I asked if I could get a phone or Skype interview instead.

The recruiter said she will talk to the hiring manager to see if he could arrange that.

It's a 60k job in NYC, so not sure if it would be enough for me to move out there for.

 

[pacmagic2002]

Thanks man, quoted it to make it more visible so others won't see a plain wall of text and run away

Thanks. i didnt even think about how it would look, lol.

 

[ASE]

60k is definitely doable depending on the housing situation. If you're trying to live by yourself, half your paycheck will be going to rent. But if you're willing to make concessions like a not so nice/not so close neighborhood or roommates, you can you live comfortably on that salary.

 

[suberzat1]

60k is definitely doable depending on the housing situation. If you're trying to live by yourself, half your paycheck will be going to rent. But if you're willing to make concessions like a not so nice/not so close neighborhood or roommates, you can you live comfortably on that salary.

Don't really know anyone in NYC to roommate with. I'll see what the recruiter says about a phone interview before I start thinking about housing in NY.

Like you said 60k is doable there but I feel I can make 60k go alot farther in DC.

 

[antidope]

Don't live in NYC, it is a total waste of money. I live in Jersey and just commute as do a lot of my coworkers.

 

[hiphopsays]

So I'm off doing training in another state but got a call from a recruiter saying they want to move forward with my application. The interview is schedule for this Wednesday. I asked if I could get a phone or Skype interview instead.

The recruiter said she will talk to the hiring manager to see if he could arrange that.

It's a 60k job in NYC, so not sure if it would be enough for me to move out there for.

You can make do in with 60K in NYC....you can find an apartment, get back and forth to work, take a vacation and see friends and family from time to time, during the year, go out on dates, go out with friends on 60K in NYC.

To put it in perspective....teachers in the city make less, police in the city make less, firefighters in the city make less, the support staff you would be surrounded by at the new job make less, and in fact 65% of the folks you would pass during the day would make less and manage in the city.

 

[suberzat1]

Don't live in NYC, it is a total waste of money. I live in Jersey and just commute as do a lot of my coworkers.

I stayed with a chick who lived in North Bergen. Avalon North Bergen apartments to be exact, just didn't like the commute into NY and the late buses back to Jersey was awful.

But her apartment was nice. I said I would have moved there if it wasn't for the commute. Plus I'll get to keep my car instead of leaving it in DC or selling it if I did move into Jersey.

So I'm off doing training in another state but got a call from a recruiter saying they want to move forward with my application. The interview is schedule for this Wednesday. I asked if I could get a phone or Skype interview instead.

The recruiter said she will talk to the hiring manager to see if he could arrange that.

It's a 60k job in NYC, so not sure if it would be enough for me to move out there for.

You can make due in with 60K in NYC....you can find an apartment, get back and forth to work, take a vacation and see friends and family from time to time, during the year, go out on dates, go out with friends on 60K in NYC.

Yea just would need to eat in a lot more and budget living out there.

 

[yamcha]

I got offered a job as a supervisor for big box chain store contingent on a background check. My employment dates are accurate but I lied about my positions. Anyone know if this will come back?

 

[suberzat1]

I got offered a job as a supervisor for big box chain store contingent on a background check. My employment dates are accurate but I lied about my positions. Anyone know if this will come back?

Yamcha you good dude, their not worried about that with those type of companies

 

[suberzat1]

I didn't hear anything back from the company I was speaking about in NYC last week so I gave the the recruiter a call today. She was telling me that she has not gotten in touch with the hiring manager yet.

She told me that company is willing to fly me from Louisiana(where I'm doing military training) up to NY.

But the problem is I will not be granted a day off from training to fly to NY for this interview... She also said she will contact the hiring manager again about setting up a phone interview(the interview is suppose to be for this Wednesday)


In other news Sherwin Williams sent me an email today about setting up a Skype interview for store manager position or I should say assistance manager position

 

[letsgetit22]

I got offered a job as a supervisor for big box chain store contingent on a background check. My employment dates are accurate but I lied about my positions. Anyone know if this will come back?

You good bro. They normally use an outside agency who only validate the information you put on the background check form.

 

[mrswagtastic]

So a little update on my situation bros..

I accepted the other job offer (more $ and design position which I wanted all along)

My start date is next monday but I have yet to notify the recruiter(who I am working for, not the company) but I'm just trying to make sure everything is good on the other end before I cut ties. I know it's kind of cutting it close, but the recruiter said I should at least give 5 days notice if I decide to leave, if not then it wouldn't be to big of a deal. My questions for you guys are:

1) How do I "quit" in a professional manner( I plan on being upfront with the recruiter and the managers at work)
2) Am I good to go with the other company? I have a start date, they sent me i-9 form but didn't say anything about drug or background test.

 

[hoosierdaddy317]

So a little update on my situation bros..

I accepted the other job offer (more $ and design position which I wanted all along)

My start date is next monday but I have yet to notify the recruiter(who I am working for, not the company) but I'm just trying to make sure everything is good on the other end before I cut ties. I know it's kind of cutting it close, but the recruiter said I should at least give 5 days notice if I decide to leave, if not then it wouldn't be to big of a deal. My questions for you guys are:

1) How do I "quit" in a professional manner( I plan on being upfront with the recruiter and the managers at work)
2) Am I good to go with the other company? I have a start date, they sent me i-9 form but didn't say anything about drug or background test.

1. Sit down with  your manager or the recruiter and be honest with them. Yeah they may be upset that you bounced and they have to recruit someone else, but its the risk they take and at the end of the day its business.

2. Did you sign an offer? I would wait until they send you an offer and then I'd let the other job know. You probably dont have a drug test and background if they haven't told you about it.