Projects are the new job interviews

This is an integral copy of an article written by Michael Schrage and published on the HBR Blog Network on May 10th 2012 at 1:12 PM.
A link of the original version is available on our Guest Posts' page. With these precisions made, thanks for stopping by and enjoy your reading!!!


Resumes are dead. Interviews are largely ineffectual. Linked-In is good. Portfolios are useful.
But projects are the real future of hiring, especially knowledge working hiring. No matter how wonderful your references or how well you do on those too-clever-by-half Microsoft/Google brainteasers, serious firms will increasingly ask serious candidates to do serious work in order to get a serious job offer.
Call them "projeclications" or "applijects." World-class talent will engage in bespoke real-world projects testing their abilities to deliver real value on their own and with others. Forget the "What's Your Greatest Weakness?" interrogatory genre; the real question will be how well candidates can rise to the "appliject" challenge and help redesign a social media campaign, document a tricky bit of software, edit a Keynote presentation, produce a webinar or peer review a CAD layout for a contract Chinese manufacturer.
Exploitive? Perhaps. But most organizations have learned the hard way that no amount of interviewing, reference checking and/or psychological testing is a substitute for actually working with a candidate on a real project. I know advertising agencies that have an iron-clad, inviolable rule that they will only hire creatives who have successfully done freelance work with an account team. Similarly, a fast-growing Web 2.0 "software as a service" company doesn't waste its time asking coding candidates trick "Python" questions during job interviews; they have potential hires participate in at least two "code reviews" to see what kinds of contributors, collaborators and critics they might be.
Yes, candidates must sign NDAs. Yes, sometimes these sessions effectively pit a couple or three candidates against each other. But there's nothing fake or artificial about the value they're expected to offer. These organizations treat hiring as part of their on-boarding process. Hiring becomes more holistic rather than "over the wall." More importantly, everyone in the enterprise now "gets" that people only get hired if and only if they deliver something above and beyond a decent track record and social graph.
Ethically, the most interesting behavior I've observed is that firms exploring "projeclication" hires aren't asking for free labor. They're paying below-market rates for their candidate's insights and efforts. If I were a 20-something coder or a forty-something marketer, I'd undeniably have mixed feelings about giving my best efforts for discount compensation. That said, it's worth something to know what it's like to really work with one's colleagues on a real project as opposed to the all-too-misleading charade of iterative interviews. To my mind, this approach is an order of magnitude more ethical than the "free" and unpaid internship infrastructure that has gotten so out of control in so many industries.
But just as many organizations have grown more skillful conducting Skyped interviews and using web-based quizzes and questionnaires as qualifying screens for candidates, my bet is we'll soon see new genres of project-based hiring shape enterprise human capital portfolios. Facebook and Linked-In are obvious venues for "app-sourced" — that's "app" as in applicant, not application— business project design. Increasingly, project leaders will design milestones and metrics that make incorporating job candidates into the process more seamless and natural. College graduates, MBAs and older job candidates will learn how to sniff out which "applijects" are genuine invitations to success and which ones are sleazy bids for cheap labor. In the same way job candidates learn how to interview well, they'll get the skills to "appliject" well because they understand how to optimize their influence and impact within the constraints of the project design.
Ultimately, the reason why I'm confident that "projects are the new job interviews" is not simply because I'm observing a nascent trend but because this appears to be a more efficient and effective mechanism for companies and candidates to gain the true measure of each other. Designing great applijects and projeclications will be a craft and art. The most successful utilizers will quickly be copied. Why? Because the brightest and most talented people typically like having real-world opportunities to shine and succeed.
Should your next hire come from a great set of interviews and references? Or from knocking your socks off on a project?

How to nail a job interview

A successful job interview depends on three parameters:
• The match between the candidate's profile and the position for which they are applying
• the candidate’s level of preparation
• the interviewer’s assessment

Although not in a decisive manner, the first two parameters can greatly influence the uncontrollable third, which is the determinant one as well. Therefore, these first two must be of particular interest to the job seeker. And with the Economic situation, he may have to undergo several interviews before receiving an offer, hence the need to become familiar with the different types they may be invited to, so that they can be well prepared.

To that end, here are listed the most common types of interviews:
1 - The screening interview: It usually takes place on the phone and can last between 15 and 45 minutes. The goal is to confirm the first impression from the candidate's resume, and to verify their contact information, as well as arrange for the next steps if required.
2 - The traditional interview: This is the usual private meeting with an interviewer, generally in the employer’s office. It follows the screening interview and is often the final stage of the selection process.
3 - The group interview: It’s an alternative of the traditional, where the candidate is facing several interviewers who ask questions in turn, so they can have various opinions on them.
4 - The situational interview: It aims to assess one's ability to provide solutions to problems. Here, the candidate will answer questions related to past situations and should provide resolutions.
5 – The behavioral interview: Its objective is to determine a candidate’s behavior and assess the attitude of the latter in a specific workplace context, such as in team work, customer service, sense of initiative, leadership, motivation, stress tolerance, etc...

Whatever is the type of interview to go through, to maximize one’s chances of success, a candidate should:

 1. Respect the dress code: For this, it’s recommended to do one’s homework to inquire about the look that suits your position and the company’s culture.

 2. Be punctual: it’s crucial to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the interview. In case of a contingency, it’s imperative to inform the potential employer beforehand.

 3. Be careful with nonverbal communication: It is more important than you think and is translated in the details as simple as a firm handshake, good eye contact and a dynamic and straight body posture, to name these points only…

 4. Remain professional: Make use of respectful and professional language. Keep the right distance at any time with the interviewer and company personnel by avoiding any unnecessary familiarity.

5. Listen carefully: Which will not only help them to fully understand the questions and answer them as accurately and correctly as possible, but also to ask the right questions in return.

6. Avoid any form of excess: It is possible to talk about one’s abilities and demonstrate self-confidence while remaining modest. Similarly, one can also express interest in a job while not coming across desperate; the purpose of this exercise is to ensure that the interviewer knows as yourself that, you are interested and qualified for the position.

 7. Thank his or their interlocutors: Regardless of the outcome of the interview, it is worthwhile to always thank the representatives of the potential employer for the time and interest to your application. For we should keep in mind that the important is to leave a good impression to all we’ve interacted with throughout the process.

In hopes that this new minimalist format is more convenient, I'll leave you here today, thanking you for stopping by and looking forward to your next visit.
A french version of this article is available here

48 Resources to Boost Your Social Job Search - The Career Doctor Blog

48 Resources to Boost Your Social Job Search - The Career Doctor Blog

Your online job search made easy…

As mentioned in the previous articles,the job hunter’s tool kit must contain at least one winning resume and one effective cover letter. To this let's add today a tool of weight: the unavoidable Internet.

Internet has in fact revolutionized our everyday life. Its impact on the world of work has greatly transformed the process of supply and job demand, at least in its form. Nowadays, an effective job search can't do without the world wide web. The online Job search is in fact the most effective way when done well. But it can also turn into a tedious and fruitless trip if we are not prepared to deal with its intricacies. To help you prevent such inconvenience, here's a little guide that could be useful for the newbies.

Step by step:The profusion of information available on the net requires a minimum of organization when undertaking serious research. Therefore, here are  a few steps intending to ease your online employment quest:

Step 1: Define your search subject: It’s advised to start off your hunt by defining the subject of your search, represented by keywords corresponding in this case to job titles. Stick to your subject, for we all know how one single data can generate countless others, which in turn can also generate countless additional others, thus leading you quickly away from your initial inquiry and resulting in loss of time and focus. Time, as well as the quality of the information gathered, plays a decisive role in a job search process. It’s therefore important to have these 2 factors in check.

Step 2: Have a solid E-application: Your E-application consists of your excellent cover letter and your winning resume. You can also add a video CV, which is a short film in which a candidate presents their objective, experience and education. I’ll further talk about this quite interesting formula in a future article.

Step 3: Know where to find the jobs: Job openings are advertised in specific places as listed below:

* Job boards: There are two types:

a)     Generalist job boards like Monster and Workopolis to name  only these 2, give job seekers access to various job openings,and allow them to create a profile, upload their resume which is immediately available to recruiters, and set up job alerts so that they can always be informed via email about all the suitable vacancies. Furthermore, these sites are generally free.

b)    Specialised job boards: They are similar to generalist boards, but present the specificity of sorting out jobs in niches characterized by either the location, area of specialization, domain of activity, or level of expertise, etc.

* Companies' websites: Today, a lot of companies have a website with a careers section, through which, as on the job boards, it's possible to create a profile, upload your resume, set a job alert and more importantly, find the vacancies within the company, and apply right away. Also, visiting companies' website is the occasion to learn more about the values ​​and culture of potential employers.

* The staffing agencies’ websites: Staffing agencies should be part of the arsenal of anyone serious about finding relevant work. In fact their specialists are eager to put you in contact with all the rights opportunities; and are purposely equipped with all the adequate tools, among which their websites. And here also, there are generalist and niche staffing agencies.

* Government portals: In any ofour provinces, the different levels of government offer an exhaustive range of information to enable a successful job search including indeed numerous job opportunities. We count among them sites like BCjobs, jobbank.gc.ca, servicecanada.gc.ca, emplois.gc.ca, etc

* The media: Several national and local newspapers such as The “Globe and Mail” propose an employment section on their website, where can be found very interesting jobs. It should not be forgotten popular sites like Craiglist whose employment section is quite commendable.

* The social and professional networks. They are the tool of choice for many recruiters in their efforts to acquire talents. Indeed, in an era where emotional intelligence is increasingly valued, social networks allow recruiting professionals to get instant information about the candidate as a social being. In addition many  jobs and related information circulate within forums, blogs, professional groups and other platforms existing in the sphere. Consequently, if you are looking for a job, it is imperative to make the leap into the world of social media, while being careful with your E-reputation. In that regard, it's important to make a difference between strictly professional networks such as LinkedIn or Xing where it’s only about word-related exchange, and more social networks like Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, Myspace where you can develop personal as well as professional relationships.

Step 4: Knowing how to respond to job offers: The point not only being that of finding the job that interests you, you also must take action and follow up on it. Being online of course, that will be done through e-mail, but make sure however to respect some civilities of circumstances as shown below:

·         a) The e-mail address: Choose It simple and professional such as firstname.name@server.com.

·         b) The object: Opt for an eloquent one such as “firstname.lastname application for such position".

·         c) Attachments: As per the object, make sure that your files have revealing and fitting names like "CV.firstnameandlastname" and “coverletter.Firstname.Lastname”. Also, remember to keep the files light enough so they can be opened.

·         d) The content: As with any business correspondence, you must have a zero tolerance for spelling errors. It's also suggested to avoid any form of "laisser aller" such as the abbreviations and the use of emoticons. Keeping the message itself to the point and if possible, having a signature with all your social media links are the cherry on the cake!

This is what concludes this rapid overview on "the information highway", if you decide to add it into your job search tool box.
Thank you for stopping by and until next time, stay well.
The french version of this article is available here: http://bit.ly/uNhuKQ .

What's an effective cover letter?

Last time, we began this section by talking about the resume and the role it plays in securing you a job interview. But to be totally faithful to the chronology of the selection process, we should've started with the cover letter. 

In fact, it's the latter that usually kicks off an application review. And even if it's not essential, the cover letter is of undeniable value when done properly. On this paper, I'll try to highlight its impact on your resume review and thus on your probabilities of having an interview.

 

If, as previously said the importance of the resume is underestimated, then the cover letter's value is simply disregarded. Certainly it's not as important as the resume that accompanies it, but it would be a serious mistake to botch it. The fact is that the cover letter and the resume are complementary and more effective when used in tandem. That's why the job seeker's toolbox must contain as many effective resumes as cover letters of the same caliber.

 

Let's keep in mind that the cover letter's function is to incite the reader to look at the resume which it introduces, but doesn't repeat nor summarizes. Chronologically, the reading of a cover letter precedes the resume's, not only for the practical reason of its shorter length which shouldn't exceed one page, but also and especially because its lecture gives a prompt idea about the candidate's suitability, allowing the recruiter to see if the resume that comes with it is worth the detour. 

In the hopes that after my last sermon, the winning resume has no more secrets for you, let's strive to achieve the same feat with the "winning" cover letter or as I prefer to say, an effective cover letter.   

 

The effective cover letter: user manual

Just as the winning resume, an effective cover letter must:

• win the recruiter's attention and arouse his interest towards the joint resume
• submit coherent, accurate and relevant content
• use a sober and professional style with the usage of adequate jargon if necessary
• be more creative, imaginative and original if you belong to an arts field
• be appealing and comfortable to the reader's eye with an impeccable presentation 

However, the similarities end there. If the goal behind your resume is to get an interview answering to the questions who, how, when and where; the objective behind your cover letter is to raise interest towards your resume, answering to the question "why" in 3 steps:

 

I - Why this company ?

 

II - Why you ?

 

III - Why an Interview ?

 

I – Why this company? This question is introduced right after the greeting. You must enter into the heart of the matter, specifying the source which informed you of the job vacancy, and briefly explaining why the company is of interest to you. It's indeed an opportunity to demonstrate your acquaintance with the company and it's culture. No need to mention that the exactitude of the data is crucial. It's better not to dwell on this part, so there's not too much talking about your own expectations and interests rather than those of the employer who, at this point, is mostly concerned about what you have to offer.

 

II – Why is your candidacy the right one? This paragraph is more about you because it's where you must highlight the relevance of your candidature. Without going overboard or sounding pretentious, it's important to describe here your strengths and skills related to the position you're applying for, stressing on your experience with examples and figures to support as much as possible your statements. It's also appropriate to mention your training and academic education with the necessary details such as the type of degree, year of graduation and area of ​​expertise. In other words, say succintly yet in a striking way what you can do for the company. For convenience purposes, using action verbs and the present tense is suggested. 

III - The Interview: Why a meeting? This last point fits pretty well in the conclusion because it's ends your letter with the main point: your request for an interview. It's helpful to skillfully justify your demand, specify your availability and the means to reach you. Close the paragraph and at the same time the cover letter in a polite and simple fashion.  

Whether it's in the form or substance, writing a good cover letter isn't an easy task.The exercise definetely requires some skills of synthesis.

But if we remember to say the most with the least and remain professional, we should have that effective cover letter which pinpoints our profile in the blink of an eye, draw interest to our application, and thus lead to our resume, where I hope will be continued the operation of persuasion. 

It's on this optimistic note that I will conclude this paper, thanking you again for your attention and looking forward to catching it again soon.

The french version of this article can be found on http://bit.ly/vN6t3v

The secrets of a winning resume

This is the first in a series of articles dedicated to the job search. In this section you will find relevant information, practical advice, simple and effective tips and tricks to help you land the job of your dreams. Feel free to send us your comments and suggestions to better serve you.

And if we started at the beginning ...
Let's take off with the resume, and this firstly to respect the chronological order of the job search process, and also and especially because the resume is the key that opens the door to the "Sinequanon" interviews. Thus, it's essential for the job seeker to provide himself with one or more effective resumes. But what is an effective resume?
In french, it's called the CV. This set of initials comes from the Latin expression "curriculum vitae" which means "way of life". In fact, the resume is a document that traces an individual's career path by highlighting its objective, skills and achievements with the goal to get him a selection interview.
Consequently, an effective resume is one you design with the objective of attracting the Recruiter's interest to the point that he wants to meet you. It's with a good resume that we can obtain telephonic and in person interviews. Indeed shouldn't you just be satisfied with passing interviews, the main point being to make them conlusive, but this will be the subject of a future article. In the meantime however, it's important to remember that the resume is not a formality or an accessory. But rather it's a document whose understimated role is decisive in our employability endeavors : It should be of more interest and attention from the job seeker, for all the reasons already mentioned, and for the three following which are crucial:

1 - You never get a second chance at making a first impression! ! ! ! !
A serious application review requires about three readings of the same resume. Usually the first contact between the recruiter and the candidate is made during the first reading. This one consists in rapid browsing to gain a quick overview. And due to the current unemployment situation, the volume of resumes received daily by recruiters is pretty impressive, no matter the level or area of ​​expertise of the applicants, still with some exceptions. Therefore, despite all their willingness, recruiters subjected to time constraints, do not spend more than a minute by resume during that first screening. It's clear that if your resume does not make the good impression at first glance, if it doesn't stand out, then it's a shame but it will not survive the first selection, and it will be for a another time perhaps ...

That's why, at least as much attention and care should be giving to one's resume as it is when getting ready to go to an interview, the latter which for the matter of fact depends of the quality of the former, and to which a lot of care is lent such as style and color of the candidate's clothes, body language, verbal language and answers to ancticipated questions etc.
Before sending a resume to an employer, one should make sure that its reading is automatcally comfortable,its presentation is impeccable, clear, airy, and that its content is targeted, opportune, accurate, complete and organized on one or two pages, putting in bold everything that we want to draw attention to.
Between the good first impression and the "short list", there's a second reading of the resume which must convince the professional that its author has the right profile for the position to be filled. And if that seems easier said than done, in the next chapter, I'll try to provide you with elements which should change that perspective.

2 – Your resume is your business card.
The resume, as the business card is an important communication tool that aims to introduce you to your contacts at your best and in your own words and style. As the business card, a good resume provides relevant information about your candidacy and what it can offer. As mentioned earlier, in order to pass the first impression, a resume should stand out. Once that is achieved, the next step is for the resume to be convincing enough so that your candidacy is short listed. Such a resume is often refered to as a "WINNING RESUME", meaning a resume which:

• survived the first impression test
• stands out for its efficiency in both form and substance
• doesn't contain spelling and grammatical errors
• presents an accurate, coherent, eloquent and concise content
• is written in a professional style, avoiding the use of extravagant fonts and ink colors, except for creative fields indeed
• is organized in different sections according to the usual chronology namely, the personal information, the summary of qualifications, the professional achievements and accomplishments, the training and education, the professional associations and involvements, and last but not least the para professional activities, if any
• has achievements and results written in numbers for a more powerful effect and a prompt spotting
• Always accompanies a cover letter.

Here's a tip: To maximize your chances to have a winning resume, always tailor your resume to the job description content, in all honesty of course.

3 - The purpose of the resume is to obtain an interview. The term "winning resume" has often been questioned, and its theory considered as a myth. It is clear that no formula can guarantee that a resume will systematically result in an interview. But beyond the terminology debate, the main point is to know that the pupose of a resume is to get you a job interview. Therefore a high quality resume is mandatory.The success and the brevity of the process depends on it. A well written resume will better sell a candidate. And in the event that it is not short listed in the immediacy, it will be kept for future use, which is beneficial to all parties involved.

Finally, here is a situation that illustrates and summarizes all I'm trying to pass as a message: Imagine a situation where a recruiter has to choose between two equally qualified candidates. To break the tie, it will pay a third reading of the resumes. And unlike the second reading where the assessment is objective and based solely on the information provided in the summary, the third reading like the first is more subjective and takes into account the finer details relating more of the form such as typos, style, presentation and so on. It may seem too severe initially but in this context, one forgotten letter could portray you as a good candidate certainly, but lacking a strong sense of detail, which happens to be a key criteria for the position; Here's how a little detail can be sufficient to disqualify you and ruin your chances to be heard in the interview, to the advantage of the other candidate with an immaculate resume ...or should I say with winning resume, for this time at least.
With that, I thank you for your interest and look forward to catching you next time.

You can read the french version of this article here: http://bit.ly/sE8KTe

　

You read french...Vous lisez le francais...

Les secrets du CV gagnant:

La negligence qui se degage parfois de certains de CV est decidemment tres surprenante. Pourtant  derrière ces dehors peu reluisants  se cachent souvent de reels talents tres recherchés et dont l'économie actuelle, de même que le marché de l'emploi ne sauraient se passer.
Se munir d'un excellent résume n'est pas une coquetterie, c'est réellement la stratégie gagnante si on veut decrocher une entrevue.
Dans cet article http://bit.ly/pX2Imk publié dans le magazine en ligne du Repère francophone, je me suis a mon tour penchée sur la question et y partage quelques secrets sur ce document essentiel a l'obtention d'une entrevue d'embauche.
Jetez-y donc un coup d'œil et n'hésitez pas à me faire part de vos commentaires et suggestions.
Bonne lecture!!! 

____________________________________________________________________________

Thursday May 3rd 2012

Comment réussir un entretien d’embauche

La  reussite  d'un entretien d'embauche depend essentiellement des 3 parametres suivants:

      · une adéquation entre le profil du candidat et le poste pour lequel il postule 

      · une bonne préparation de la part du candidat     

      · l’appréciation de l’interviewer

Sans être décisifs, les deux premiers paramètres jouent un rôle important sur le troisième, et devraient faire l’objet d’un intérêt tout particulier pour le chercheur d’emploi. Conjoncture oblige, Il arrive souvent que ce dernier, avant de recevoir une offre, ait à passer plusieurs entrevues, d’où la nécessite de se familiariser avec les différents types d’entrevues auxquels il pourrait être convié, afin de bien y être préparé.

A cette fin, voici répertoriés les types d’entrevues les plus courants :
1 - L’entrevue de présélection : Il se déroule généralement par téléphone et peut durer entre 15 et 45 minutes. Le but est de se faire une première impression sur le candidat, ainsi que de vérifier ses coordonnées, et de prendre les dispositions pour les étapes si de mise.
2 - L’entrevue classique : Il s’agit ici de l’habituelle rencontre en privé avec un interviewer, généralement dans les bureaux de l’employeur. Elle fait généralement suite à l’entrevue de présélection et constitue souvent l’ultime étape du processus de sélection.
3 – L’entrevue de groupe : Elle se situe au même stade du processus que la classique, mais ici le candidat fait face à plusieurs interviewers qui lui posent tour à tour des questions dans le but de se faire plusieurs opinions sur lui.
4 - L’entrevue situationnelle : Celle-ci vise à évaluer la capacité à apporter des solutions aux problèmes. Ici, le candidat va se voir poser des questions ou présenter des situations, auxquelles il devra apporter des solutions.

5 - L’entrevue axée sur le comportement : Son objectif est de révéler la personnalité et le comportement  du candidat, et à évaluer  l’attitude de ce dernier  dans un contexte précis du milieu de travail, tels que dans un travail d’équipe, dans un service à la clientèle, dans la prise d’initiative, leadership, motivation, tolérance au stress, etc.

Et quel que soit le type d’entrevue à passer, afin de mettre toutes les chances de son cote, il est important que le candidat : 

1.    Respecte le code vestimentaire : Pour cela, il est opportun de se renseigner sur le look qui sied à votre poste et à la culture de l’entreprise. 

2.     Soit ponctuel: il est crucial d’arriver au rendez-vous 10 à 15 minutes à l’avance. En cas d’imprévu, en informer le potentiel employeur au préalable.

3.     Soit ponctuel: il est crucial d’arriver au rendez-vous 10 à 15 minutes à l’avance. En cas d’imprévu, en informer le potentiel employeur au préalable.

4.     Reste professionnel : Faire usage d’un langage respectueux et professionnel. Garder la bonne distance à tout moment avec l’interviewer et personnel de l’entreprise en évitant toute familiarité inutile.

5.    Fasse preuve d’une bonne écoute: Ce qui permettra au candidat  non seulement de pouvoir bien comprendre les questions posées et d’y répondre le plus  précisément et correctement possible, mais également  de poser les bonnes questions à son tour.

6.    Evite les excès : Il est possible de parler de ses capacités et démontrer sa confiance en soi tout en restant modeste. De la même manière, on peut aussi exprimer son vif intérêt pour un emploi tout en n’ayant  pas l’air désespéré, le but de l’exercice étant de s’assurer que l’interviewer sache tout comme vous, que vous êtes qualifié pour et intéressé le poste.

7.    Remercie son ou ses interlocuteurs : Peu importe le résultat de l’entrevue, il est indiqué de  toujours remercier tous les representants de potentiel employeur pour le temps consacré et l’intérêt manifesté à votre candidature. Le plus important etant de s'assurer de faire bonne impression.

En espérant que ce format plus concis vous convienne, je vous remercie pour l’aimable visite et vous donne rendez-vous le mois prochain.