CeeBee: CareerBuilder.com's Job Search SmartyPants

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Finding a job depends on your personality?

Recruiters aren’t just interested in your résumé and cover letter anymore.  These days, employers are increasingly using personality assessments as part of the recruiting process.

An estimated 40 percent of employers now use personality tests to determine whether a candidate is suited for a particular job or to examine what type of work an existing employee will be most successful doing.  Most of these employers expect these tests to reduce employee turnover.

Curious what they’re looking for?

Many people in the research community say five factors shape our overall personality, and most testing companies try to use all five to measure job fit. These are:

1. Our relative need for stability
2. Whether we are solitary or social
3. Whether we strive more for innovation or efficiency
4. The degree to which we stick to our positions or accept others' ideas
5. Whether we are more linear or flexible in our approach to goals

Tests consist of series of questions that gauge a person's natural comfort level within these categories.

(Read more)

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Following up after the interview

Having a great date who never calls again is bad enough, but now silence may also be the new rejection when it comes to job seeking. Many candidates report they never hear back at all from companies they’ve interviewed with.

Some tips from CareerBuilder.com to be sure your job search doesn’t fall silent:

·  Ask how to follow up. At the end of the interview, specifically ask how to follow up and listen carefully to the answer.

·  Check back. If an interviewer tells you to expect an answer in two weeks -- and four have passed -- it's a good idea to check in to see if the timeline has changed. You may also want to try e-mail -- many people find it more convenient (and a more comfortable way to give bad news). Additionally, recruiters for sales positions say employers like the show of interest and that some even wait to see who persistently "asks for the sale."

·  Move on. Silence can mean a lot of things: the employer hasn't made a final decision yet, they're waiting for your hiring or the job position to be approved, or they've offered the job to someone else who hasn't yet given them an answer. In any case, if after a few attempts you don't get a response, don't beat yourself up over some one else's discourtesy. The best course of action is to put it behind you and move forward. Keep at your search and your call will come!

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: You Lost Your Job -- What Should You Tell The Kids?

Losing your job is tough. If you're a parent, it can take on a whole new dimension as you worry: How will I pay for their music lessons and hockey equipment? Will the stress cause their grades to slip? Have I failed as a role model?

Lorie Lewandowski, a counselor for the Mountain Lakes School District in NJ offers these tips for talking with your child about your job loss:

·  Be honest. Children can sense when things are wrong. Lying will only cause confusion and an environment of distrust. The best approach is to deliver the news honestly and simply. Delivering it as a team with your spouse will show a strong, united front.

·  Gauge their reaction. Don't launch into a litany about why it happened and what it means. Give them information gradually; listen to what they say and ask, and address their concerns. Lewandowski compares talking about your job loss to talking about sex: Don't give them information that is more in-depth than they'll be ready for.

·  Choose an appropriate time. Avoid making the announcement right before bedtime or during a meal. A quiet moment over the weekend would be optimal.

·  Be positive. Don't dwell on the negative or spend a lot of time rehashing how unfair it is and what a jerk the boss was. Remember, how you deal with this crisis will be a powerful lesson for your kids (as well as yourself), so don't indulge in unproductive behavior. Put your energy into moving forward.

·  Assure them they will be taken care of. Lewandowski says this is the most important thing you can do. Let your children know this is just temporary. While the family may have to make a few cutbacks, you will still have what is important: the basic essentials and each other. Kids need to know that despite this setback, life is going to be OK.

·  Give them hope. Use this opportunity to show them how to maintain their confidence and deal with adversity. Some families have even developed rallying cries such as: "When life hands us lemons, the Lawsons make lemonade," or "When the going gets tough, the Tuckers get going!"

·  Watch for behavioral changes. If your child is having trouble sleeping or eating or is exhibiting unusual behavior at school, talk to their teacher or school counselor, and be sure to give that child extra attention.

·  Let them be a part of your search. Working as a team will lift spirits and maybe even help you land that new job. Depending on the age of the child, you may ask him or her to help format your résumé, proofread  your cover letters, apply for jobs online or regale you with jokes to put you in a happy frame of mind before an interview.

While the pressure of being laid off can be greatest on parents, many find that their children are their salvation. Susan, an investment banker, was laid off a little over a year ago and says her kids helped keep her motivated, energized and upbeat.

"Losing my job was like losing a piece of my identity," she said. "Had it not been for my kids, there were some days I probably would have stayed in bed with the covers over my head. But children remind you what is really important in life," she adds. "It's just a job. You'll find another."

Copyright 2005 CareerBuilder.com. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without prior written authority.

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Want a higher starting salary?

Since your starting salary determines your raises and bonuses, negotiating an extra $1,000 when you’re hired could earn you $15,000 to $30,000 more over the next decade.  Not satisfied with your salary offer?  Try these negotiation tricks.

DON’T talk salary too soon.  Wait to be offered the job before you negotiate your pay.  If you’re asked for salary requirements on a job application or in an interview, always try to give a range rather than a specific figure.

DO your research.  Find out the typical salary range for your industry, experience and location.  CareerBuilder.com, industry Web sites and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics can provide salary information for your occupation.   

DO let the prospective employer make the first move.  If an employer asks you directly what salary you want, turn the question around and ask what salary range the company typically offers someone with your job type, experience and expertise. 

DO dress and act professionally.  Remove the facial piercings and hide the tattoos.  Sit up straight, and refrain from using words like “like” and “you know.”  You’ll appear immature and turn off the hiring manager.

DON’T exaggerate. Inflating your past salaries can come back to haunt you when the company verifies your past employment. 

DO aim high. You can always lower your salary expectations, but it's impossible to inflate it once you indicate what would be acceptable to you.

DON’T be shy.  If there's ever a time to toot your own horn, the time is now. Know what your skills, experience and achievements are worth in the current marketplace.

DO be creative.  The salary’s not negotiable?  Something else might be.  Try negotiating extra vacation time or other perks, or see if you get an earlier performance evaluation. 

DON’T be greedy.  Never say no or turn down an offer until you are absolutely sure you have to.

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Nice guys finish last at work, too?

Trying to land that big promotion?  While networking and developing relationships within your company are certainly helpful, recent research has shown that being too nice can halt your career advancement.

According to a study by Dr. Nikos Bozionelos of the University of Sheffield England, white-collar workers who were the most agreeable, conscientious and sensitive to the needs of others were less likely to be promoted.

Author and executive coach Dr. Lois Frankel says one way to determine if you’re too nice is recognizing whether you let others' mistakes inconvenience you.  Instead of putting yourself out to correct someone else’s mistake, assess the risk versus the reward of meeting unreasonable expectations.

More signs you’re a sucker…

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Office e-mail safety tips

E-mail is quick, easy and the new preferred medium for office communication. But it’s far from private, so a little common sense goes a long way.

That little flirtatious note or ranting e-mail may seem innocent enough, but remember this:  It’s easy to forward on to others, and could get you in trouble, if not fired.  And remember, your company can access any e-mail going into our out of your account.  Assume any e-mail you send will be read by people other than its intended recipient.

You should also think twice before hitting send.  Be wary of sending anything sensitive via e-mail.  Anything you send to others is now in writing, and you can’t take it back. 

More e-mail tips…

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Don’t have much experience? You’re still employable!

For the first-time job seeker, writing that first resume and conducting that first job search can really be frustrating.  It’s the old Catch-22:  Employers won’t hire you without experience, and you can’t get experience if no one will hire you.

If, like most of us, you don’t have influential family members or friends who can pull some strings for you, you’re still employable.  You simply need to take a good, hard look at the experience you gained through classes and extracurricular activities.

For example, if you worked part-time at the Gap, you learned valuable time-management and customer service skills.  Volunteered twice a week at an after-school program? President of your fraternity or sorority?  That’s all valuable experience.

Need more guidance?

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: When career advice articles aren’t enough

So you’ve pored over all the career advice articles on the ‘Net and in your local newspaper and you still need a little guidance?

Nowadays, there is a career advice book written about any topic you can imagine.  But take one step into the careers section at your local Borders and you’ll realize that finding exactly what you want could either take hundreds of dollars in purchases or lots of hours spent sipping lattes in the reading section.

A better option might be to head to the ‘Net.  Careers.com takes the guesswork out of career advice book-buying by selecting their favorite books out in five categories:  career assessment, career change, interviewing, management/leadership and resumes/cover letters.

Or, try some of our favorite career development books.

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Why you should send a thank-you note after an interview

It turns out politeness does get you far.  According to a CareerBuilder.com survey released this week, job seekers who show their politeness after the interview have a better chance at scoring the job.

According to the survey, 15 percent of hiring managers say they would automatically dismiss a candidate who didn’t send a thank-you note after the interview.  An additional 32 percent would still consider the candidate, but think less of him or her.

Guess your mother was right.

(Read the full Hiring Manager Release)

CareerBuilder.com WorkLife Blog: Phone Interview Cheat Sheet

Phone interviews have a lot of advantages.  There’s no commute, you can do them in your pajamas and slippers, and you don’t have to worry about body language.  But they’re also just as important as face-to-face interviews in the job search process. Here are a few tips from Michael Worthington of RésuméDoctor.com to help make sure you ace your next phone interview:

1. Schedule it for a quiet time. Make sure the kids are busy, the dog is outside and it is the most convenient time for you. You do not want to have any distractions or any loud noises.

2. Have your résumé next to the phone. Be sure it is the same copy you had sent out to the employer who is calling. Your interviewer will be looking at your résumé throughout the interview, and you want to be sure you know exactly what he/she is talking about.

3. Prepare notes. Have prepared answers ready to some basic questions like, "why do you want to work for our company?" or "why should I hire you?" Take advantage of the fact that this is over the phone. Use your notes to help you say exactly what you want to say.

4. Research the company. Use the Internet or make some phone calls to find out more about their product or mission. You should jot down a few things in your notes that you can refer to in case questions that require company knowledge come up.

5. Have questions ready. Show your interest in the employer rather than focusing only on yourself. Have a few questions prepared in your notes that you might want to know about.

6. Know your schedule. If your interviewer is interested in setting up an actual face-to-face interview, know what your availability is. The last thing you would want to do is succeed in a phone interview only to tell them to call you back because you are not sure when you can meet them.

7. Plan a closing. How many times have you thought of something you should have said after you left an interview? Don’t let that happen again. Know that you have said everything you want to say before you get off the phone. Again, write down some notes as to any last things you might want to add or how you might want to close it.