The Executive Update

Ask the Coach: How ATS Systems Affect Hiring Decisions

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Last week we welcomed a new career coach to the team, Sue Hansen. Here is an excerpt from last week’s coaching session with Sue.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have become an integral part of the machinery that influences the hiring process behind the scenes, and if you understand their role you can better understand how to position yourself for your next job. ATS’s have come into common usage, especially among larger employers, as a means to both track candidates as they progress through the hiring process, and to objectively rank employees based on their qualifications against preprogrammed criteria. Here are the basics of how an ATS works:

ATS are designed to be sold to organizations as a means of providing a centralized tracking system to manage the recruitment process. Tracking candidate applications using software improves the workflow and reduces the cost to fill a position.

Candidate information is typically gathered through a job board or web application and then entered into the submission process. The ATS then tracks the applicant, gathering information about interviews, background checks, reference checks, etc. Once a hiring decision is made the system generates the offer letter, then tracks the candidate’s acceptance and the start date. Once the start date is set, the ATS is used to alert all necessary departments, such as IT, telecom, payroll, and HR operations and facilities, to ensure a smooth first day.

One of the real advantages of using an ATS is to prevent legal hassles over employment discrimination. The ATS has a built-in point system that provides an objective ranking of applicants. Sue cites one experience she had working with a large consulting firm. The ATS vendor working in collaboration with the firm preloaded the names of national and regional and boutique competing firms into the ATS system so any applicants with credentials referencing those competitors would rank higher in the ATS’s point system. This is common practice with ATS systems. Google, for example, tends to rank candidates with degrees from specific schools higher than other candidates.

What this means for job applicants is that you may not be perceived as visible by the ATS system unless you meet enough of their preprogrammed criteria. Rather than trying to “game” the ATS system by guessing at those criteria, your best defense is networking. Sue says that her experience shows that 60 to 75 percent of hires at every level come from employee referrals. Making referral connections and networking your way into the company is still your best bet to be considered as a serious job candidate.

Ask the Coach: Providing References

Here is the latest insight from our weekly Ask the Coach calls with NETSHARE members. This week’s session features career transition coach and career management consultant Randy Block.

One of the questions posed during this week’s Ask the Coach call had to do with job references: do you provide them when you first submit your resume or express interest in a position?

Randy’s response was a firm and resounding “No!” Do not provide the references until someone asks for them, and even then be judicious.

Whether you are dealing with an internal hiring manager or an outside recruiter, be sure to ask what types of references they want. Normally, they ask for managers, subordinates, and a few peers to get a 360-degree view of the candidate. When determining which references to provide, remember that there are two kinds of reference checks that are typically performed:

1. Fact – did you do exactly what you said you did? This will include information about titles, salary, and skill set, and also about your accomplishments. If you embellished your achievements, this is where you will be found out.

2. Fit – what’s your style? Part of the recruiter’s job is to determine if you are a good fit for the company’s culture. They will ask your references about your ability to work as part of a team, your temperament, and about other character traits that determine cultural fit.

If you are not sure about your references, you want to mitigate the “surprise” factor. Tell the recruiter that you had a difference of opinion, or a difference in approach to a problem. Be frank and be honest. Randy noted that in his recruiting practice, he found that references often reveal more about themselves than about the candidates.

Be sure to give as many references as have been requested – no more, and no less. Also be sure to prepare your references and give them a “heads up” to receive a phone call or email. Also be sure to tell your references what position you are applying for, what qualifications are expected, and, if you can, what types of questions or specifics the recruiter or hiring manager may ask about. You want to be judicious about using your references because you don’t want to burn them out with overuse, particularly if you prep them and they never get called.

You may also want to ask if the recruiter if they are using a third-party or independent agency for a background check. It’s become common practice to review a candidate’s background for a criminal record or financial problems, although there are new laws in some states that limit what types of financial information can be used in hiring decisions.

Your best approach to providing references is to provide what you are asked for and no more. Be honest with both the recruiter and your references. And try to make sure everyone knows what to expect.

Go Ahead! Lie to Me!

I am not a great fan of network television but up until last year there was an interesting crime show called Lie to Me, in which Tim Roth played Dr. Cal Lightman, a consulting psychologist who had the uncanny ability to be able to tell when people were lying through their facial expressions. I always thought such a super-human lie detector was wasting his abilities on crime solving; he should be a hiring manager!

This premise of the television series is actually based on science. The main character uses the Facial Action Coding System, which was developed by a team of psychologist to standardize the physical characteristics of emotion. There is a science to detecting lies, including in a job interview. For a better understanding of how to spot liars, I suggest you read Spy the Lie, which was written by three former CIA analysts. These three former interrogators have some real insights about human deception.

First of all, understand that most people are prone to believe everyone. No one likes to think of the other party as a liar. No one feels comfortable judging other people, and even law enforcement officials tend to take statements at face value. However, if you watch carefully, you can use telltales that may indicate when you shouldn’t trust what the other party is saying.

If you are looking to catch someone in a dishonest act or a lie, most of what you need to know comes out in the first five seconds of asking the hard question, “Did you do this?” If the person is innocent, chances are they will respond in straightforward language. If the other party is guilty, he or she will go to extremes to prove his innocence, such as the man who insisted he walk his inquisitor to the trunk of his car to see the carton of Bibles he had for his church as a way to reinforce his denial that he stole $40 from a coworker. (Her later confessed to stealing the cash.)

Then there’s the misdirection tactic, where rather than answering a direct question, the liar will provide the truth to a question that wasn’t asked. The example from the book cites Vice President Dick Cheney dropping the “F” bomb on Senator Patrick Leahy on the Senate floor. Although the legislative session was not recorded, a number of reporters heard it, and when asked about the incident later, Vice President Cheney replied, “That’s not the kind of language I usually use” – classic non-denial, denial. Liars also will repeat a question to buy time, or they will flip the question around and use it to accuse or misdirect the questioner.

Although there are many physical cues for lying, averting eye contact isn’t one of them. More telling are behaviors such as hiding the mouth or hiding the eyes, throat-clearing, swallowing, and biting or puckering the lips. There also is what the authors call “anchor point movement,” where the subject shifts his or her weight, such as fidgeting in the chair, to reduce anxiety. Grooming gestures like straightening a tie or brushing the hair can be a signal of anxiety. And, of course, nervous perspiration is also a dead giveaway.

So how can you apply these insights in a job interview? Here are some thoughts:

1. Ask some direct questions and watch for signs of deceptive behavior and responses within the first five seconds.

2. Remember that if they answer a question immediately and plainly, chances are they are telling the truth.

3. Liars will often respond to a question with another truthful statement that casts them in a more favorable light.

4. Liars also will repeat a question as a stall for time. They also will start attacking their inquisitor to cover up, or they will try to butter them up with compliments.

5. Nonverbal cues can be instructive, so watch for hiding the mouth and eyes, throat clearing or swallowing, grooming gestures, and fidgeting.

So try your own lie detector test the next time you find yourself interviewing a candidate. You might find the results enlightening.

Ask the Coach: Screening the Screeners

It’s been a while since we shared insight from our weekly hosts Ask the Coach calls with NETSHARE members. Here is an excerpt from this week’s session with career transition coach and career management consultant Randy Block.

When going through the interview process, you will have to run the screening gauntlet, negotiating your way past the various pre-screeners that stand in the way between you and the hiring manager. The first screener will more than likely be the third-party recruiter who will make the initial contact and conduct the initial telephone interview. If you are armed with the right attitude and the right questions, you can learn a lot about the prospective position and position yourself to move to the next step in the screening process.

When you get that call from the third-party recruiter, one of the first questions you need to ask is “How long have you been working on this search?” There are two answers that should immediately raise red flags for you:

1. We just started. This should be a red flag because the first few candidates are rarely hired. Early in the search process the company typically does not have a sufficient sense of urgency to make a hire. Chances are the hiring managers want to see what kind of talent is available first.

2. We have been working on this for a long time. Ask a follow-up question about how many candidates actually have been interviewed. If the number is high, then the position may be too difficult to fill for some reason, either because the criteria are too narrow or there is some other challenge. And if the search has been going on for a time, the recruiter may be about to be fired.

When doing an initial screening interview, you should ask about the recruiter’s track record with the hiring company. You want to get a sense of how close their relationship is with the company and if they have worked with them before. This will give you a better sense as to whether the recruiter really has an inside track into what the company is really looking for.

Be sure to ask if they have already presented candidates for the open position. If they have, ask in general terms about what the company liked and didn’t like about the candidates. Also be sure to ask about the screening process and how it progresses through phone screening to in-person screening with the recruiter, in person with hiring manager, and in person with hiring manager’s boss. The recruiter should have this information. Also be sure to ask about the next steps and when they will be done screening candidates. Be sure to schedule a follow-up call for the next day.

As an interesting side note, recruiters are using video screenings more frequently. Research shows that about 20 percent of screening interviews are now being done over Skype. Be sure to treat every interview, including telephone screenings, as if they were face-to-face interviews.

Honesty is the Best Hiring Policy

I was reading the news about Baseball legend Roger Clemens being acquitted of lying to Congress and I started to think about professional ethics. Sports are not the only place where cheaters don’t prosper. There has been a lot of corporate scandal recently in the news, from the Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson resigning after it was found he lied on his resume to Richard Schulze resigning as CEO of Best Buy for turning a blind eye to an inappropriate office affair between a senior executive and a subordinate.

In business, ethics are everything. So if you are looking to get ahead or move on, you need to make sure your reputation is squeaky clean, especially online. Anything discoverable on the Web or elsewhere can come back to haunt you.

What steps can you take to maintain a clean record? They’re pretty simple. Here’s what Deborah Jacobs of Forbes recommends:

1. Remain trustworthy. You need to be reliable so others can rely on you. If you can prove to senior management and your coworkers that you are trustworthy, then they will trust you because they know they won’t have to look over your shoulder or police your conduct. Especially in senior positions, where if something goes wrong it could impact the company’s performance, you want someone who knows right from wrong and who can be trusted to report wrongdoing to the board or the appropriate senior managers.

2. Stay beyond reproach. Follow your own code of ethics and do the next right thing, even if you believe that course of action may not be what others want. If you can be true to yourself, no one can question your motives.

3. It’s okay to say “no”. If your boss asks you to do something you feel is wrong you have a right to say no, or even to disagree on gray areas. As Jacobs points out, saying “yes” to the boss all the time elevates that manager go “deity status”, and that’s when weaknesses are eclipsed by power and influence. Retain your right to disagree.

4. Watch your back. We live in a world of open data exchange, which means transparency. If you do something that could come back to haunt you, it probably will. Be honest and admit when you make a mistake so someone doesn’t have to point an accusing finger.

5. Project your image. Whether in business affairs or online, maintain a profile that projects integrity. Think about how others perceive you and your actions. Do you tend to hide or are you forthcoming? Knowing how the world perceives you will help you maintain your integrity.

In the age of the Internet your life is an open book. Be careful what your history says about you because you can be sure that someone will read it.

Your Gadgets May Be Cool, But NOT at a Job Interview

Here’s an interesting new problem I never anticipated – job candidates showing up for their interviews armed with iPads, tablet computers, and laptops. Granted, these toys are becoming more prevalent in a host of business settings, such as meetings and presentations, but at a job interview? Apparently it is becoming a prevalent problem, so much so that U.S. News had a recent article on the subject.

Granted, laptops, iPads, and smart phones have become ubiquitous. Everywhere you look there are people walking down the street, with their eyes glued to their cell phones. Or they are sitting in Starbuck transfixed by their tablet or laptop computer. And that’s the real problem; the technology detracts from the interview and, more importantly, from the interviewer.

According to etiquette experts Diane Gottsman, even using a small device for note taking gets in the way of the interview:

"I have spoken with many hiring managers and recruiters that say they're not positively affected by an applicant that comes in and opens their laptop to start taking notes," she says.

The exception is if you have a creative job and your tablet or iPad could be useful for displaying samples of your work. Or if you need to use a tablet or laptop for some sort of interactive discussion with the hiring manager, then it might make sense to use your computer or iPad. But remember to bring paper backups. There is nothing worse than having all these great ideas or examples ready only to have the presentation technology fail when it comes time to present them. And there may be multiple people in the meeting, so trying to crowd around a small screen would be very awkward.

However, technology always gets in the way of making a personal connection with the interviewer. How many of you have experienced the frustration of trying to hold a conversation with a spouse or friend who is immersed in their smart phone? If you are looking at your phone (or computer, or iPad), you can’t make eye contact, and you aren't giving your undivided attention to the interviewer. Most hiring managers will tell you that they find it distracting and disturbing when a candidate breaks out their iPad or laptop to take notes. They should be paying attention to the interview, no their computer.

So if you want to avoid technology trauma in an interview, remember the basics:

1. Be prepared. Do your homework and prepare with as much information about the hiring company and the position you are looking to fill. Don’t be afraid to ask beforehand what the interviewer would like to see during the initial interview so you are adequately prepared.
2. Rehearse beforehand. Think about the most common interview questions and how you would answer them. Be sure to preplan to arrive on time. If for whatever reason you do decide to make a presentation or use your laptop, be sure to arrive sufficiently early to set up and make sure everything is running properly.
3. Follow their lead. Remember, the interview is the hiring company’s agenda, not yours, so even if you have a killer presentation, wait until it’s clear that it’s time to pull out the PowerPoint. You will be given the right opportunity to produce your laptop only if the opportunity is right.
4. Paper is still useful. Be sure to bring paper copies of everything you may want to leave behind, starting with your resume. Hard copies are always useful to reference and share with other managers, and if you don’t need to worry if your laptop fails.

Technology certainly has its place, but usually not in a job interview. Bringing the new toys to show off your stuff is not the best way to make a first impression, and too often the tools get in the way of the message. It’s always better to show up for a job interview prepared, but without the additional bells and whistles that get in the way of presenting the genuine you! After all, they are hiring you, not your PowerPoint or your toys.

The Unicorn Theory – Why Companies Take So Long To Hire

Guest post by Matt Gill

Matt Gill, is the Managing Partner and a founding member of MICA Consulting Group, a retained recruiting and consulting firm specializing in connecting people in marketing, interactive, creative and advertising disciplines. Matt has been a key participant in the recruiting industry for the past 17 years. He is also a certified Behavioral Interview Trainer.

Marketing teams have been re-orged and RIF’ed - some of them multiple times over the past few years. As the tide rises, slowly but it is rising, companies are approving headcount additions to their marketing teams. Good news. Unfortunately, the hiring managers are hesitant to pull the trigger.

I’ve consulted with a number of CMO’s over the past couple of quarters on how to get the most out of their precious few hires. The conversation usually starts out with the CMO trying to figure out how to get all the skills and capabilities from three hires that are approved when he really needs seven people to get everything done. For example, they may have a position approved with a list of requirements that looks like this:

· 12+ years mobile, Ecommerce experience – (one of my absolute favorites)

· 10+ years in consumer goods marketing with expertise in channel development with major retailers

· Brand planning expertise with products for the baby boomer demographic

· Social and digital media expertise for new product launch in the infant care category with significant experience managing a co- branded product launch

· 5-7 years managing a global PR campaign

· One horn protruding no less than 12” from the middle of the forehead

I know CMOs and marketing folks fancy themselves able to solve difficult problems, but no matter what the impact of the recent economy, it hasn’t changed the rules of common sense. Unfortunately, the apprehension about making the wrong hire and the hope that this person exists is drastically impacting the length of our jobs recovery and why hiring managers will pass over great candidates.

To combat the Unicorn Hunter you have to start early on in the interview process. Work very hard at uncovering what the priorities are for the job. These will vary based on who you ask during the interview process, not only do you have to prioritize for the position but you have to assess the influence of the person you are asking. For example if the CEO ranks “Brand planning expertise with products for the baby boomer demographic” as #1 and the junior team member ranks it as #6 you can estimate where it sits on the overall list. If you make uncovering the “experience priorities” part of your interview process from the very first contact and all of your research you may be able to coach and consult your potential new employer in the direction of your strengths. At the very least it will allow you to self-select out if you don’t fit so you can focus your time in higher potential opportunities.

Who’s Hiring Whom? How to Spot a Bad Boss During the Interview

Too many job candidates fail to grasp that they have power during the interview. Too often a candidate walks into an interview setting trying to determine the best way to grovel to get a solid job offer. Instead, they should be approaching the interview as an opportunity to assess their potential employer, and not only impress them with his or her credentials but to create an opportunity to be impressed in return. It’s a golden opportunity for you to interview the interviewer.

A job interview is a two-way interaction. The job candidate is interviewing the company to see if he or she is a good fit for the position, and that includes interviewing the boss. Checking out your prospective boss in advance is essential. According to a recent study by Baylor University, an abusive boss can have a huge effect on your health and your family life, so you want to make sure you know what you are getting into. There was an interesting story in Forbes this week on how to spot a bad prospective boss in an interview. Here are some tips to consider:

1. “You” versus “we.” Pronoun usage is a telltale. If during the interview the hiring manager talks about how “you” will be responsible for tough challenges or dealing with something negative, he probably won’t be a mentor. And if he talks about “I” in the context of department successes, then he is not a team player and may deflect blame. Observe how he talks about his employees and his department.
2. Fishing for personal information. It is natural to try to get to know a candidate and learn about some of their outside interests. It is something else to ask probing questions about life outside of work. Be wary if the hiring manager moves from a healthy interest in your hobbies or charity work to a nosy interest in your personal commitments. The interviewer can’t legally ask about your marital status or your family, but by probing about your personal life they may be trying to get you to surrender information to determine if you have too many commitments outside the office.
3. The distracted interviewer. You should command respect during an interview, including the undivided attention of the hiring manager. If your prospective boss is distracted by his iPhone, or email, or telephone calls, of if he is late for your interview, that’s an indication of their normal operating style, and you probably can’t expect them to make much time for their staff, including you.
4. You can’t get a straight answer. If you can’t get a direct answer to a direct question, that could be an indication that they are covering something. For example, if the last person who held the position for which you are interviewing may be characterized as a “bad fit,” which may be an indication that the company didn’t spend enough time on employee development. Listen for awkward pauses and evasive responses. Also look at things such as turnover rates and where others have a path for advancement.
5. What’s the hiring manager’s track record? How long as he or she been with the company? Where did they come from? Look for indicators about their performance and management style. For example, bosses from large companies may want more formality where managers with a history at start-ups may have a less formal approach. Which suits your work style?

Be sure to ask around about the company and your new potential boss. You can search sites such as eBossWatch or ask your network on LinkedIn. There’s nothing wrong with getting references about your prospective employer. You will want to think about the context of what you might uncover, but look for glaring inconsistencies or differences between what you were told and what you discover on your own. It’s better to have more information in advance and avoid a potentially disastrous job than to realize your mistake after you have been hired.

Ask the Coach: In Job Search, Perception is Reality

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from this week’s session with Nicola James, Managing Partner of Thomas Brooke International.

This week’s career coach, Nicola James, emphasized the importance of projecting the right image, whether on the phone, in person, or in your marketing documents. You only have an opportunity to make the right impression once, so how do you portray the real you?

To illustrate her point, Nicola related a story:

It seems that aliens were studying the earth and saw how everyone was interested in the daily newspaper. So they bought a paper, analyzed it, and all they found were wood pulp and ink. They couldn’t understand what all the excitement was about.

So when you meet new people, either in person or online, are they seeing the real you, the you that you want them to see, or are they seeing a two-dimensional representation of who you are? It’s important to have the right message, but it’s equally important to know how to convey that message correctly. You need to leave an impression of not only who you are but what you represent.

Nicola reminded the callers then when you are selling anything, including yourself, you never know if the prospect is ready to buy until you communicate with them. You can’t turn a “no” into a “yes” if the perceived fit or need isn’t there. You can, however, have an impact on how you are remembered. But to have an impact, you have to listen! Listen closely to what the other party is saying. Don’t assume that you understand. Be responsive to their needs rather than trying to push your own personal brand first.

Nicola urged everyone to hone their listening and questioning skills. You need to listen before you can present yourself in an engaging manner.

When you make a new connection, try to offer information as well as ask for it. You should be sure the other party doesn’t leave empty-handed. Make it easy for them to help you, and offer whatever help you can in return. Also be sure to close your conversation like you would close a deal, with a question that requires an answer, such as “Who can offer me more insight?” or “Who would you suggest I contact?”

The objective is to present a clear understanding of what you represent and where you offer value, leave a lasting impression with a thoughtful conversation based on carefully listening to the other party, then parting with information that cements the relationship and leaves the door open for future conversations. You want to make a lasting first impression because, in job search, perception truly is reality.

The Face-to-Face Interview: Maximize the Opportunity

The Face-to-Face Interview: Maximize the Opportunity

Guest post by Randy Block

Randy Block is an executive coach specializing in career transition. He also serves as a staffing and onboarding consultant for high tech start up companies. He has over 30 years experience in executive search/recruiting. Randy’s executive consulting practice includes both tactical and strategic issues; i.e. Interview Preparation, Personal Branding, Onboarding, Consulting/Freelancing Opportunities, Boomer issues, etc. Randy will be the featured presenter on this month’s Experts Connection. His topic, “The Face-to-Face Interview: Making the Most of Every Minute” will be presented on Wednesday, October 26th.
experts-connection.com

From my perspective in working with executives, particularly over the past few years….two things have become apparent:

1. Everyone purports to know how to interview…but few execute well.
2.The most qualified candidate does not necessarily get the offer…the offer usually goes to the candidate who interviews the best.

So, if you have survived the emailing, the phone interview(s) and made it to the face to face interview, you’ve done well…and you really deserve to maximize this opportunity that you have earned.

In my workshops on interviewing, I ask the audience this question: “If you are going to paint a room, what is the most important step in that process?” The answers vary from picking the paint color to choosing the right brush. The answer I’m looking for is “the prep.” If your masking is sloppy or you have not filled in the picture hook holes, you could pay $50/gallon for the paint and it will still look unprofessional. Your prized antique furniture or meaningful art will not cover up the mistakes.

When it comes to interviewing, we all know the preparation is important. So what do most people do for prep…check out the company website, study industry/product trends and Google the interviewer. And of course, review the job description. After all, we want to be knowledgeable and “right” with our answers.

This is helpful, but there is much room for improvement. Let’s examine one of these more closely; the job description. The job description is typically broken into three general parts:

1.Description of the company products and its industry.
2.The title, job duties/responsibilities and reporting structure.
3.The candidate profile –the person with these skills and qualities.

Numbers one and two are quantitative and the basis of your research. In my view number three is the most important part of the interview preparation. Here is where the all important “fit” comes into play.

The candidate profile is divided into “hard skills and experience” and soft skills i.e. leadership, decision making, management, etc. And of course all of them are grouped into “required” (usually in descending order of importance) and “preferred.” The “fit” is determined by relevancy (your skills and experience against their definition of what skills the successful candidate should have) and that indefinable something called “will you like doing the job and will I like you doing the job”.

To determine relevancy, I recommend the following as a guide. (Excessive humility or braggadocio will not help you here.)

1. List their required skills (again, whether you agree or not)
2.Then evaluate your skills (both hard and soft) on a scale from 1 (never heard of that acronym let alone do I know what it means) to 10 (I have current and direct experience, achievements and knowledge.)

Companies today want 8’s, 9’s and 10’s.

• For any low scores (7 and below) prepare an “equivalent answer”. For example, if the position requires an MBA and you don’t have one, your response might be “I have 20+ years of successful business experience.”

• For all of the soft skill questions, prepare a story of about 3 minutes that is a solid achievement supporting each soft skill.
Let’s consider the elements of that softer side of “fit” by today’s definition.

(Your technical competence is assumed at the time of the in person interview. Yes, they will check your references. Initially, technical is the focus of the phone screen with soft skills to be screened in the face-to-face meeting. You don’t even get the face-to-face interview unless you have the right background.)

1. During the interview, they want to know how excited you are about the position and the company. Have you chosen them? Be prepared to discuss why (from your heart as well as your head)
2.Will they like you doing the job? (This will be influenced by how you express yourself in #1) It is my opinion that #2 is at least 50-60% of the hiring decision today.

There are definite measures and tactics that you, the interviewee, have control over: your preparation, the interview itself and the followup. When following up with clients and their interviews, the question comes up …"would you do anything different?" If yes, we learn from it and move forward. If the answer is no, then we know we maximized the face-to-face interview. In these cases, we get and go out on another interview stronger and wiser and increasing the probability of success.