What does being pro-active in an interview really mean?
How do you do it?
How can you be in charge of an interview or at least equalize it, rather than being on the receiving end -- the defensive?
Let's divide the process into three parts:
Preparation
Interview
Follow-UpYou get the call. The meeting is set. Let's put on your pro-active hat and proceed.
1. You should RESEARCH the company as completely as possible, including bios on the leaders and the person to whom you would be reporting, their annual report if public, their performance and competitors, financial statement, etc..
Importantly, get more information about with whom you will be meeting, the culture, the challenges, the position, by calling the person who is coordinating the meeting such as an HR staff member. Make this person YOUR ALLY, your friend, and see what additional information he/she can provide which will make you more knowledgeable going into the interview.
Why do they want to meet with you? Seems obvious, but why not find out what about your background and experience stood out for them and motivated them to call.
This is about RELATIONSHIP BUILDING and growing your connections inside the organization.
Prepare for THEIR QUESTIONS -- from, why you for this position? to your strengths and weaknesses.
Be clear about who you are -- your BRAND -- what makes you special -- 1 or 2 key this position relevant accomplishments that you are most proud about and and that will distinguish you from other applicants.
Be clear about why you are the PERFECT FIT for this position.
The BOTTOM LINE is that you should position yourself to begin YOUR MEETING -- it's not just 'their' meeting -- knowing a lot more about them, than they know about you.
2. The moment of truth has arrived. Begin the meeting in the DRIVER'S SEAT and stay there.
Establishing CHEMISTRY with the interviewer is critical, and it usually happens in the very beginning. The perfect fit is driven by the PERFECT CHEMISTRY.
Remember, in most cases, assuming you have the basic qualifications for the job, at least fifty percent of the equation is CHEMISTRY, rapport. Usually the beginning of interviews are small talk. The more you know about the person interviewing you the more successful and engaging are your questions. Whether you ask about her recent trip, his golf game or ...
Also, since you are in the driver's seat you can segue into your questions about issues that the company may be facing now, or recent successes, etc.. ENGAGE your interviewer in what is important to him/her.
After a few minutes of small talk, the interviewer may ask you all sorts of questions from why you left or plan to leave your present position to your accomplishments, your strengths, your weaknesses, your salary, etc.. So, you reactively answer. Now, suppose you were to flip this exchange by YOU ASKING him/her questions -- their challenges, expectations for the position, opportunities going forward, growth and competition, CEO's and President's style, your potential bosses' style, etc.? Try to get them to talk about themselves and their company. And, positioning yourself early on with this additional information will enable you to answer their questions more intelligently and successfully.
The critical ingredient is to ASK QUESTIONS. Asking questions usually gives you more power than the respondent since you are guiding the conversation in the DIRECTION you wish by the nature of your question.
Also, when you are asked a question, always remember that LESS IS MORE. That is, clear, concise answers are always the best. If the person wishes more information or elaboration, they will ask a follow-up question.
Next, how to make your answer become your question. Conclude your answer with your FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. When you are asked a question, it sets up an opportunity for you to follow-up with a question. E.g. Tell me about your relationship with your boss at X Company? After you have answered the question, you can follow-up with one of your own. Does that sound similar to how ______ likes to interface, or, how does his style differ?
Even the SALARY question sets you up for a question, only in this case you want to immediately follow their question of, "What was your salary in your last position?" with "What are your salary parameters for this position, high-low"? Or, "What would be fair for someone with my skills and experience who can make a contribution to your company's success?" (Besides, your salary can be complicated with bonus, other performance rewards, 401K, car, etc. and would take time to explain, so why spend time on this when we can focus on the future.)
You should also be prepared to discuss why you are the PERFECT FIT for this position and company, and what interests you about them. But again, you are better prepared to make that statement if you have done your homework about the company's needs and the type of person they are looking for to fill the position.
Before leaving the interview be sure you are clear about the NEXT STEPS with a time frame.
3. Be certain that you promptly FOLLOW-UP with a 'thank you', 'pleasure meeting you' note or card. Be sure you do it hard mail, not email. Email has become the quick and easy way, but you want to distinguish yourself vis-a-vis the other contenders.
Also, again in HARD COPY, try to refer to and expand on an issue or challenge that came up in your meeting. You can state that it is an interesting area and that since the meeting you have given it further thought, and here is an additional idea, or a suggested solution.
And, yes, you are INTERESTED in the position because of the challenges, your experiences and fit, the culture and company. You are confident you would do a great job, make a contribution, etc..
Finally, even if you do not take the position, whether through a better opportunity or losing out to someone else, this is not a loss, but a NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY gain, You have made new contacts at the company, from HR to the position's report. It is to your advantage to stay in touch. In conclusion, PRO-ACTIVE interviewing is about showing your interest in and knowledge about the company by asking questions, and in so doing, by guiding the conversation. Think of the interview as a peer-to-peer information gathering meeting, where you are the perfect fit, and are looking forward to being part of a winning team and making a contribution to the company's success.
Marshal Backlar is a Motion Picture Academy Award nominee and a highly accomplished Career, Business, Executive Coach/Consultant with a track record of success with senior executives and individuals from diverse business sectors who want to change, accelerate, progress and manage their careers. His focus is on results -- maximizing career success and leadership excellence. Marshal has created and managed successful businesses. His extensive experience as a senior executive and entrepreneur, coupled with strong international experience enables him to successfully coach professionals for maximum long term results.
Marshal is President of the Career and Executive Coaching firm, Backlar Consultants, coaching corporate executives and individual professionals in such areas as: Career Acceleration and Change, Leadership, Team Building, Presentation Skills, Personal Branding, Career Strategy and Implementation. His clients have consistently surpassed goals. Marshal as your Success Partner inspires and guides individuals to excel in their careers. He considers coaching as an invaluable tool for success, and he is one hundred percent committed to the maximum success of each individual he coaches. He is a member of the Professional Coaches and Mentors Association and the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences.For further information, including contact information for a complimentary consultation, please visit his site, http://www.backlarconsultants.com
Monday, May 25, 2009
OFFSHORE OIL RIG JOBS IN NIGERIA
1) For every oil rig job you see advertised, 100s of people have already applied for it
Is this what you want? To chase after the same job as hundreds of other people? Unless you frequently win the lottery, your chances of getting an interview, much less be hired, are downright pathetic - especially in a recession. If you have been looking for jobs in these three places:
Websites of large oil companies, e.g. Shell, Exxon, Transocean, etc.
Free online job boards, e.g. Monster, Yahoo Jobs
National and local newspaper job advertisements
Then stop wasting your time. I won’t say don’t do it, but use your time wisely. 80% of the other guys looking for offshore oil rig jobs are looking at these 3 places, so your chances of getting a job there are like buying a lottery ticket. If you seriously want to work on an oil rig, you need to look for offshore drilling jobs which have not been advertised yet. Remember - when someone leaves his job, it takes time for that fact to trigger the full response from HR. It could take months before the job vacancy is advertised in the newspaper (especially when the company is big). Here are just 4 specific ways you can use to find oil rig employment:
The Wilshire index lists the 5000 largest US companies, the smallest of which has a market value of hundreds of millions of US Dollars. Go through the list one company at a time and carefully copy down the names and details of oil companies. You should end up with a list of 200 to 300 companies.
Look up trade associations and business bureaus, concentrating on those which serve companies in the oil industry. Buy the membership directories they publish. Start with the groups nearest where you stay, and slowly broaden your research. These directories will contain some contact numbers and a variety of useful information on smaller companies. Shortlist the companies which deal in the oil industry.
Almost everyone forgets or ignores the Yellow Pages these days, but they still contain some useful information. Copy down the names and contact information of companies in the oil industry.
Tell everyone you know that you are looking for oil rig jobs. Ask your friends, family, ex-classmates, ex-teachers, your neighborhood grocer, and anyone else you have ever come into contact with. The theory of Six Degrees of Separation (proven by sociologists and other scientists through practical experiments) says that you can be connected to any other person on this planet through a chain of six people on average. In other words, the theory says that if you talk to your Uncle Adam, he talks to his golf buddy Bob, Bob speaks to his cousin Charles, Charles speaks to his barber Danny, Danny speaks to his plumber Ed, and Ed speaks to his brother-in-law Frank who may be the toolpusher (manager) who needs new workers on his oil rig. Is it easy? No, you need to talk to at least 20 or 30 people to start out with, but it gets results.
Become a regular at the bars where oil rig workers spend their time after work (at the end of their tours). Spend time during the quiet times at the counter and make friends with the bar tender. Buy the guys at the bar a drink, make friends with them, and keep your eyes and ears open. Nurse your beer carefully and don’t let yourself get drunk. Don’t shoot your mouth off or you may as well go shoot yourself for real. By hanging out with guys who already have offshore oil rig jobs, they are more likely to tell you when there is a job opening. They are also more likely to recommend you to their boss, which offers you better chances than competing with 1000 other people for the same job on Monster. You might be doing them a favor too, because if things work out their company might pay them a recruitment bonus.
2) Too many job seekers screw themselves over by jumping the gun
Don’t be impatient. Do some research before sending your resume to the oil drilling company. Once you get a good lead on a job, visit the company, stake it out, and find out where their employees spend their time away from the office. Where do they work? Where do they go to drink after work? Try to meet them socially, take a genuine interest in them and make friends with them. Don’t interrogate them, don’t force them, listen to them and they will eventually open up to you. This is exactly what top salesmen do to make their multi-million dollar sales deals. Don’t worry, you’ll fail at first. But after you fall on your face a few times, you’ll get the hang of it. You’ll know how to find out who is the best person to speak to about the job - this is usually the supervisor or department manager who needs the worker and NOT the HR Manager. In a smaller offshore drilling company this means you will end up speaking with Mr. Bob Tools, the guy in charge of the oil rig who needs 20 roustabouts now and is asking “Why hasn’t HR sent me any people yet?”
3) Don’t wait for your prospective employer to pay for your certifications and paperwork
When oil was selling for over $140/barrel in 2008, oil companies fell over themselves to pay for your training, certifications and any other necessary paperwork. In 2009, when oil is selling for $40/barrel, the situation is different. If your resume prominently states that you already have all the needed paperwork and certifications, and you have attached certified copies of your paperwork, you will be three or four steps ahead of almost everyone else applying for the same job.
Different countries, states and provinces have different requirements, but here is a list of the needed paperwork to get you started:
Passport
Vaccinations
Firefighting certification
Medical fitness certification
Trade certification/license recognized by the state where you will be working, e.g. welder, electrician, nurse/medic, etc.
First aid certification
Offshore survival training certification
Helicopter underwater escape training certification
American youths have another shortcut into the oil industry. They should check out the US Department of Labor’s JobCorps program. This program offers special training and certification to help you get jobs with oil service companies. British ex-servicemen also have a similar program to help them get the training and certifications to work in the British oil industry.
If you want to get hired for offshore oil rig jobs, you have to follow (famous Civil War cavalry general) Nathan Bedford Forrest’s winning strategy: “to git thar fust with the most men”. In other words, to get hired for offshore drilling jobs, you need to get to the vacancies before anyone else, and you need to do it fully prepared with all necessary and relevant paperwork, certifications and recommendations. This is even more important in a recession.
Tips #1 and #2 are highly targeted ways to look for offshore oil rig jobs. They are like Warren Buffet sifting through hundreds of stocks to find the winners. On the other hand, people have also been successful using the shotgun approach - they invest in index mutual funds with hundreds and thousands of stocks. RigWorker.com sends your resume/CV to more than 1200 US and international oil companies.
Is this what you want? To chase after the same job as hundreds of other people? Unless you frequently win the lottery, your chances of getting an interview, much less be hired, are downright pathetic - especially in a recession. If you have been looking for jobs in these three places:
Websites of large oil companies, e.g. Shell, Exxon, Transocean, etc.
Free online job boards, e.g. Monster, Yahoo Jobs
National and local newspaper job advertisements
Then stop wasting your time. I won’t say don’t do it, but use your time wisely. 80% of the other guys looking for offshore oil rig jobs are looking at these 3 places, so your chances of getting a job there are like buying a lottery ticket. If you seriously want to work on an oil rig, you need to look for offshore drilling jobs which have not been advertised yet. Remember - when someone leaves his job, it takes time for that fact to trigger the full response from HR. It could take months before the job vacancy is advertised in the newspaper (especially when the company is big). Here are just 4 specific ways you can use to find oil rig employment:
The Wilshire index lists the 5000 largest US companies, the smallest of which has a market value of hundreds of millions of US Dollars. Go through the list one company at a time and carefully copy down the names and details of oil companies. You should end up with a list of 200 to 300 companies.
Look up trade associations and business bureaus, concentrating on those which serve companies in the oil industry. Buy the membership directories they publish. Start with the groups nearest where you stay, and slowly broaden your research. These directories will contain some contact numbers and a variety of useful information on smaller companies. Shortlist the companies which deal in the oil industry.
Almost everyone forgets or ignores the Yellow Pages these days, but they still contain some useful information. Copy down the names and contact information of companies in the oil industry.
Tell everyone you know that you are looking for oil rig jobs. Ask your friends, family, ex-classmates, ex-teachers, your neighborhood grocer, and anyone else you have ever come into contact with. The theory of Six Degrees of Separation (proven by sociologists and other scientists through practical experiments) says that you can be connected to any other person on this planet through a chain of six people on average. In other words, the theory says that if you talk to your Uncle Adam, he talks to his golf buddy Bob, Bob speaks to his cousin Charles, Charles speaks to his barber Danny, Danny speaks to his plumber Ed, and Ed speaks to his brother-in-law Frank who may be the toolpusher (manager) who needs new workers on his oil rig. Is it easy? No, you need to talk to at least 20 or 30 people to start out with, but it gets results.
Become a regular at the bars where oil rig workers spend their time after work (at the end of their tours). Spend time during the quiet times at the counter and make friends with the bar tender. Buy the guys at the bar a drink, make friends with them, and keep your eyes and ears open. Nurse your beer carefully and don’t let yourself get drunk. Don’t shoot your mouth off or you may as well go shoot yourself for real. By hanging out with guys who already have offshore oil rig jobs, they are more likely to tell you when there is a job opening. They are also more likely to recommend you to their boss, which offers you better chances than competing with 1000 other people for the same job on Monster. You might be doing them a favor too, because if things work out their company might pay them a recruitment bonus.
2) Too many job seekers screw themselves over by jumping the gun
Don’t be impatient. Do some research before sending your resume to the oil drilling company. Once you get a good lead on a job, visit the company, stake it out, and find out where their employees spend their time away from the office. Where do they work? Where do they go to drink after work? Try to meet them socially, take a genuine interest in them and make friends with them. Don’t interrogate them, don’t force them, listen to them and they will eventually open up to you. This is exactly what top salesmen do to make their multi-million dollar sales deals. Don’t worry, you’ll fail at first. But after you fall on your face a few times, you’ll get the hang of it. You’ll know how to find out who is the best person to speak to about the job - this is usually the supervisor or department manager who needs the worker and NOT the HR Manager. In a smaller offshore drilling company this means you will end up speaking with Mr. Bob Tools, the guy in charge of the oil rig who needs 20 roustabouts now and is asking “Why hasn’t HR sent me any people yet?”
3) Don’t wait for your prospective employer to pay for your certifications and paperwork
When oil was selling for over $140/barrel in 2008, oil companies fell over themselves to pay for your training, certifications and any other necessary paperwork. In 2009, when oil is selling for $40/barrel, the situation is different. If your resume prominently states that you already have all the needed paperwork and certifications, and you have attached certified copies of your paperwork, you will be three or four steps ahead of almost everyone else applying for the same job.
Different countries, states and provinces have different requirements, but here is a list of the needed paperwork to get you started:
Passport
Vaccinations
Firefighting certification
Medical fitness certification
Trade certification/license recognized by the state where you will be working, e.g. welder, electrician, nurse/medic, etc.
First aid certification
Offshore survival training certification
Helicopter underwater escape training certification
American youths have another shortcut into the oil industry. They should check out the US Department of Labor’s JobCorps program. This program offers special training and certification to help you get jobs with oil service companies. British ex-servicemen also have a similar program to help them get the training and certifications to work in the British oil industry.
If you want to get hired for offshore oil rig jobs, you have to follow (famous Civil War cavalry general) Nathan Bedford Forrest’s winning strategy: “to git thar fust with the most men”. In other words, to get hired for offshore drilling jobs, you need to get to the vacancies before anyone else, and you need to do it fully prepared with all necessary and relevant paperwork, certifications and recommendations. This is even more important in a recession.
Tips #1 and #2 are highly targeted ways to look for offshore oil rig jobs. They are like Warren Buffet sifting through hundreds of stocks to find the winners. On the other hand, people have also been successful using the shotgun approach - they invest in index mutual funds with hundreds and thousands of stocks. RigWorker.com sends your resume/CV to more than 1200 US and international oil companies.
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