Author: Michael Mayher

(Cont’d) I grow tired when I suggest to someone they should do a little research, determine the identity and contact information for a particular manager, who might be in charge of a segment or department in a company, and then initiate direct contact. I suggest they introduce themselves, having prepared to be able to introduce, present and suggest how their experience can be a benefit to that manager and the company. On more than one occasional the person I am trying to help will reply forcefully. “No, I just can’t see myself doing that.” Oh really, and why not? Everyone wants the nice shiny ring but most people are unwilling to invest in the prep time, effort and sweat equity necessary. How about you? Don’t kill the messenger, but the truth is that most people are barely making any effort and,

I hear it all the time - people explain to me why they fail to make progress finding a good job or get ahead, prevented from finding success. They go to great pains, telling me all the reasons why they can’t seem to get ahead. I understand it’s difficult out there and for the last few years it seems as if there are more hoops to jump through and, increasingly it seems you need permission to do anything because there are people everywhere telling you what you can or can’t accomplish. The act of searching for a new job has always been a task but it was always an exercise in which, if you made the efforts, used your head and applied a measure of innovation here and there whenever possible, you would eventually meet with some success. Now it

(Con’t) Employing the Take-Away is simply being honest and you’re doing what they, for whatever reason, are not; you’re just letting them move on as you inform them you’ve decided to move forward in another direction. I think it is a matter of professional self respect. But a word of caution, use a Take-Away only when you mean it. Faking it or using it as a ploy almost never helps. We all know the Take-Away Close; we’ve either used it or have been on the receiving end of it in our personal lives. Using personal relationships as a good analogy, some people get tired of being ignored, treated poorly or unappreciated and, as a result, they reach a point at which they’ll say, “enough, I’m done; I’m outa’ here”. What makes it powerful is they mean it, it’s not an attempt to

Sometimes, when hiring processes drag out and seem endless, perhaps their priorities or circumstances have changed. Perhaps it was never really a priority or there never was an opportunity - not really. Among the recruiters I know there is a cliché, which states time kills all deals. Meaning the longer the processes drag out, interest on one or both sides subsides. Some situations occasionally resurrect themselves, but when you’re waiting on the receiving end,  stuck in a stagnated process that is going nowhere, what can you do? Suppose you’ve already had at least one interview of some kind and, after a lengthy period of time, everything just stopped and you’re waiting and waiting and have heard nothing. At some point you are going to reach a level of frustration and think, “Enough is enough; I don’t care what the decision is

Loyalty to one’s employer is a commendable attribute and a worthy character trait. Loyalty has value but I would note it should never be given freely unless it is earned and, even then, it requires ongoing maintenance regardless of whether it concerns you personally or professionally. The workplace has changed a lot over the last few decades and company loyalty was something that was often assumed mutually between employers and employees. Our grandparents worked hard and, in exchange for their hard work, they received good pensions and plans that would see them through their retirement years. There was back then a basis for such allegiance and devotion to company. It seems as if it was a long time ago, doesn’t it? Since then I would suggest it isn’t the employees who’ve broken that bond but rather the other way around.

Sometimes I think there are people who consciously claim they want to succeed, yet subconsciously seem to do everything in their power to sabotage themselves. Sharing, no, imposing their problems on others is a sure way of not being invited back for another interview. Then they wonder why they can never get a break! You may be the best qualified person but, if after an interview, the person with whom you’ve met feels as if they need a shower to wash off all that bad mojo you left with them, don’t be surprised if there is no call back. There are a few topical areas you should avoid in the interview process. Forgive me, for I have worked to build a reputation for straight talk, which means I might unintentionally offend some people’s sensibilities. I like honesty and increasingly it seems

(Cont’d) Indeed, the resume might get their attention and get you in the door, but that’s it, then what? Sadly, this is where the proactive efforts of most people and their preparations end. So resume aside, I see two primary areas in which you can improve and seek to master. One area involves the process, as in the structure and navigation of the interview, and the second aspect is you. Understanding the process and being better prepared is indeed important and we talk about that stuff on this blog. Although, navigating the process is still dependent on your reaction to the steps when they occur, so it comes down to you; look in the mirror. I cannot stress enough the importance of developing and mastering your interpersonal communication skills. Communicating isn’t about talking, a lot of people talk but don’t say much.

I was recently asked by someone who follows my blog on FaceBook, “What gets a person hired?” It’s a good question and one I have heard often during my career as a recruiter / headhunter for the last 20 plus years. But there is no simple answer to a process that can be anything but simple and if there was, nobody would have an ounce of interest in blogs like this one and others. I wish there was a universal antidote because then we could instead be sitting on far off beaches with sand between our toes, sipping big drinks with chunks of fruit and little umbrellas hanging off the sides and laughing about things we used to stress over. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet solution; no secret handshakes or magical words that can ensure you’ll be chosen for

(Cont’d) Companies want people who want to join them, so it is always wise to make clear you have interest in the job for which you are applying. Playing hard-to-get might be okay if you are a recruited candidate and pursued by a company, or as a dating strategy, but if you are an applicant seeking further consideration, sleep-walking through the interview, being aloof or feigning disinterested doesn’t quite make sense, does it. And sales people especially take note, if you’re seeking a sales position and you don’t Close them, you're toast, you won’t get called back. A sales manager once told me, with regard to a failed applicant he interviewed for a sales position; he said, “…if he couldn’t close me I can’t depend on him to close a customer.” Applying this technique you’ve then got to consider when and how

There are arguably many parts of the interview event that are critical, depending on whom you ask. You can dissect it right on down to the pressure applied to a handshake, eye-to-eye contact, sitting upright as opposed to slouching, replying with “yes” instead of “yeah”, but these all relate to common sense and are behavioral in nature. For the most part, these things refer to common courtesies and this is stuff all of us already know, regardless of whether or not we choose to do it. Instead, I like to talk about strategies that enhance a person’s chances among and compared with the crowd of others who are all doing the same things which illustrate the cliché of a herd mentality. I’d rather concentrate on helping people to help themselves stand out and separate themselves from also-rans in the most