Making the Case for a Case Study - Spark Hire

Making the Case for a Case Study - Spark HireMany companies today are turning to behavioral based interviewing, also called behavior description interviewing, or BDI. In this kind of interviewing, questions generally require the candidate to describe a situation they have faced personally and interviewers focus on their specific response to these cases. A typical BDI question could be something like, Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your boss. What did you do? The general idea and goal behind this type of interviewing is that those doing the hiring might be able to predict how a candidate would respond to situations they might face in the future, should they be asked to join the company. If youre interested in a mora in-depth look at this kind of interviewing, you can check out my previous post here.While this sort of interviewing can prove useful in certain hiring situations, the issue often faced is that the answers received are based on the candidates singular recall o f the events which took place. Namely, with no one to corroborate or disagree with the story, it is difficult at times to tell if the candidate is truthfully representing the situation or their actions in that situation.Hiring managers and a hiring committee can attempt to avoid this by using a case study. This usually consists of a predetermined, hypothetical situation that is relevant to the position being applied for. The situation is laid in front of the candidate and they are asked to respond to it as they see fit.Writing for The Chronicle of Higher Education, John R. Lubker says this method of interviewing was used successfully to hire a new dean for the university where he was previously holding the interim dean position. Their case study involved the head of a department who was eligible for the status of full professor and denied the promotion. The candidates were given time to become familiar with the case and then asked to respond to the issues that arose. In Lubkers view , the case-study approach provides a behavioral window through which to view your potential hire in action. Like any assessment, it should not be used alone but it can contribute greatly to the success of your search.This method of interviewing can be adapted to just about any job interview within any industry. It can be more time-consuming for both the candidate and the interviewers, as well. But coupled with a few behavioral based questions, it can help to create a more complete picture of how a candidate has performed in the past and how they may perform in the future.Do you use case studies in your interviewing process? Tell us about it in the comments.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr bywhatleydude

6 YouTube Videos Offering Practical Resume Help

6 YouTube Videos Offering Practical Resume Help 6 YouTube Videos Offering Practical Resume Help YouTube is a go-to destination for all kinds of excellent how-to videos. Unfortunately, when it comes to resume help, you have to cut through a lot of junk to find the good stuff. (I know because I just spent all day doing it.)Here are six videos from coaches, recruiters, and resume writers that get right to the point in offering stellar resume tips.Taking a real 3-page resume down to a single page (946)Many experienced professionals are taken aback by advice to keep their resume to one page. How does one distill more than a decade of work down to a single 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper? John Marty takes on a personal challenge of whittling down a real persons three-page resume down to the one-page standard, explaining his process along the way.How to replace your resume objective meinung (214)Tejal Wagadiais a technical recruiter who helps job seekers peek behind the curtain of the recruiti ng process in order to become better candidates. In this short video, she discusses the outdated resume objective statement and how to replace it on your resume.Check out Tejals YouTube channel here.Resume help from Google recruiters (758)Not everyone wants to get hired as a software engineer or work for Google, but we should all be listening when arguably the hardest tech company to get into offers resume help. Google receives many thousands of resumes every single week, meaning the Google recruitment team knows exactly what it takes for a jobseeker to stand out in a crowd.Keep in mind that parts of this video are geared towards recent grads and/or software engineers. Most job seekers dont need to put their education at the top of their resume or share their Github profile. Those caveats aside, this videooffers great general advice on resume best practices and does a nice job of breaking down how to include measurable results on your resume.How to write a professional resume (1801) If youre ready to take a deeper dive into resume help videos, Andrew LaCivitaoffers a great place to start. The video below is a comprehensive top-to-bottom walkthrough of how to create a stellar professional resume and the most in-depth of hisresume tips videos on YouTube. Andrew has experience as an executive recruiter but makes a point address the questions people have at a variety of career points and industries.How to align your experience dates in Microsoft Word (209)You dont need a fancy resume schablone to wow a recruiter, but your resume should feature consistent formatting. If your resume sections get all out of whack, your professionalism and credibility take a hit.Getting everything to line up consistently can be a major pain whether youre using a pre-made Microsoft Word resume template or creating your own from scratch. Resume writer Kamara Toffolos video below shows a simple Microsoft Word tip for getting your experience dates exactly where you want them.Tailoring your resumes when applying for multiple jobs at the same company (222)Kerri Twigg is one of the top people to follow on LinkedIn for job search. Back in November 2017 she posted an excellent video series called 30 days of resume on LinkedIn which has since made its way to YouTube. This video is about what to do when you want to apply for two different positions at the same company.Bonus How to optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems (208)Did you know Jobscan has a YouTube channel? Our videos share the how and why of Jobscan while allowing jobseekers to preview resume tailoring tools at their disposal.This video provides an introduction into what applicant tracking systems are and how Jobscan helps get your resume past them.??Ready to give it a shot? Simply paste in the text from your resume and a job description for an instant resume analysis.?What are your favorite resume help videos? Let us know in the comments.

What to do After Getting Laid Off From Work

What to do After Getting Laid Off From WorkWhat to do After Getting Laid Off From WorkBeing laid off from work is stressful. You were doing your job and invested time in the company. Then, one day they went in another direction or had to make budget cuts. Getting laid off is especially tough when you do not see it coming and did not have a backup plan.It is not the end of the world. You will get through this tough time better than before.Update your resumeWhile it is fresh in your mind abflug to update your resume with your prior job. At the same time, redo your professional resume with services like the ones at Find My Profession. Resumes used to require a boring template style, but this is the time to make yours fresh again.Call those loan providersLaid off from work means not being sure when the next steady paycheck will come in. Yes, you may have severance. Yet, if you have bank loans, car loans, etc. make a call to see if you can set up a payment plan, or better yet, get a forbe arance (break in making payments). This is a good idea to protect your credit rating and cut down on your monthly bills.Let the world know you are availableTime to let the world know your job is a thing of the past. You are now available again Update LinkedIn using these 19 essential LinkedIn profile tips for job seekers. Bury the negative emotions of being laid off. Let others know you are seeking employment with a positive attitude. No one hires people that need saving. People get hired when they are positive, confident, and ready to contribute.Its a new beginningThe important thing to remember about being laid off from work is that it had little to do with you. You were not fired.So, this is a chance for a new beginning Yes, you do have to act fast to stay paid while you look for new employment. Maintain perspective and remember that all jobs, at some point, must end. Yours just happened to be a surprise ending. Regroup, mourn the loss, laugh about it, and move on.By all means, t his is not a reason to panic. Fear of loss is the enemy of progress. You want to abflug working again as soon as possible. So, you cannot be worried about things you cannot change.See this as an invitation to do something bigger and betterIf youd like some help finding a job, and you happen to be a six-figure earner, check out the Find My Profession - Career Finder service today.

Why I Took a $12,000 Pay Cut and Why It Was Worth It

Why I Took a $12,000 Pay Cut and Why It Was Worth ItWhy I Took a $12,000 Pay Cut - and Why It Was Worth It There was only one problem with accepting the best job offer I had ever receivedIt meant taking a $12,000 pay cut.As attractive as the role was, I had to wrap my head around making such an unconventional career move. In the end, heres why I decided to switch jobs for less money - as crazy as it sounds.There are all sorts of natural reasons to take pay cuts. You might be transitioning into a new career field and starting at the bottom of the food chain. Or you might be starting your own business and keeping your companys expenses low.More likely, youre taking a smaller wage because you have to, whether because you need the work in your current city or because youre moving to a new one .In my case, there was no single reason for deciding to cut my salary by $12,000. In fact, there were four.Working mostly in digital media, I have been a producer, an editor and a content marketing strategist. But I had never been paid to write full time. Tired of jack-of-all-trades jobs, I wanted to jump at this new opportunity because it fit my desire to type words like these on a daily basis.For me, it wasnt just about the opportunity to write. It was the opportunity to specialize.I understood that Id have to lower my salary expectations . After all, you typically work your way up in pay by taking on more responsibility, not less.Maybe finding your better fit isnt about a role but is instead about a better fitting environment. You might be willing to deal with a lower salary, for example, in exchange for rewarding work at a mission-driven dem gemeinwohl verpflichtet or for-profit company. Feeling like your work matters might erase your concern about being paid below market value.Often in the case of small companies and bootstrap startups, employers know that theyre offering less money than you can get elsewhere. Theyre not fooling themselves. So, they try to make up for it.In my case, my new company offered me the ability to work from home, from a co-working space, and on the move. I now have colleagues based in every corner of the U.S., Chile, and Russia. A few of them travel the world as they work.To me, this closed the deal. Im not the only one who thinks so. The average professional would be willing to sacrifice 8 percent of their pay to work from home, according to 2017 research from two Ivy League professors .Similarly, a 2017 survey performed by Qualtrics found that 37 percent of millennials would take a pay cut between 6and 12 percent for flexible work hours.My companys flexibility when it comes to location and hours is important to me because it helps me achieve a better work-life balance . The work wherever policy allowed me to work from California when my sister gave birth. It allowed me to play beach volleyball on a Wednesday morning before putting in Uber driver-like hours in the evening.When evaluating job offers, look past the salary to other perks. Decide for yourself if theres something you can no longer imagine living without. Thats how I feel about working remotely.As nice as it is for your company to show it values you in other ways, your salary is almost always a primary consideration. At the end of the day, many of us do what we do because we getpaid for it.In fact, 47 percent of employed Americans describe their job as just what they do for a living, according to a 2016 report from the Pew Research Center .Although I have had the fortune of enjoying each of my post-college jobs, Im like any young professional. I want to keep enough money coming in to pay off debt, cover current expenses and save for the future.Thankfully, my big decrease in base salary - $12,259, to be exact - wasnt what it initially seemed. Thats because my new job offered five financial benefits that my previous one didntEven if youre math-wary, its not difficult to put a dollar figure on all of these benefits.Im agine the dividends for 401(k) accounts. If your company matches5 percent of your contributions, youre essentially giving yourself a 5 percentraise.Similarly, if a company is offering to cover 100 percent of your health care plan, the arithmetic is simple. I had been paying $85 per month for similar coverage at my previous job, for example. My new job would save me $1,020 per year as a result.Run the numbers of your potential benefits package . Also, consider other factors like whether youd be switching to a lower federal income tax bracket.All told, you might find that your potential pay cut isnt as significant as it appeared at first glance.The most difficult parte about giving up salary is that you could be stunting your long-term salary growth . Enter your information into any lifetime earnings calculator, and youllsee that what youre earning now invariably affects what youll be making five, 10 and 20 years from now.All things being equal, giving up $12,000 per year could cost me more than $775,000 between now and my 65th birthday, according to a Calculators.orgs tool .No amount of benefits - even the disappearance of commuting costs - can change that. But heres what can If your new job puts you on a better trajectory to earn more over time.My $12,000 pay cut, for example, could be lessened by climbing the ladder more quickly. I could eventually get back to my original salary number by excelling in my role or earning a promotion .Assess whether you might be able to rise through the ranks faster at your next employer. If you have to take a lower salary in the short-term for a better opportunity to advance in the long-term, the decision could pay off.This is especially true if you move to a company where you can successfully negotiate regular raises .Take a look at your overall financial health before deciding to either take a pay cut or chase a bigger salary by job-hopping . If youre burdened by student loan payments, for example, maybe you need to put off a better fitting role for a higher-paying one.But dont rule out a lower paying position in the future. Youll know the right opportunity when you see it. Sometimes you just have to look past the dollars and cents.This article was originally published on Student Loan Hero . It is reprinted with permission.

5 Ways Managers Squash Innovation

5 Ways Managers Squash Innovation5 Ways Managers Squash InnovationInnovation is a popular topic in practically every industry these days. Workers in all fields are generally expected to be creative and think outside the box.However, fruchtwein CFOs in a Robert Half Management Resources survey cited this as an area where their teams need improvement. Ironically, its often the managers in many companies who snuff out the very creativity they desire.Are you one of them? Here are five signs you might be stifling your teams innovation quotient without realizing it.1. You do things the way theyve always been doneIf your primary goal is to preserve the status quo, your employees will quickly learn not to bring new ideas, assuming theyll get shot down on principle. If you think this might be your issue, its time to start opening up a bit. If you feel your employees arent coming up with as many innovative ideas as youd like, you may want to offer a creative work environment.2. You rely on the HiPPOHiPPO, or Highest Paid Persons Opinion, and reliance on it means the people with the biggest salaries makes all the final decisions. After all, theyre paid the most, so they must know the most.But that isnt necessarily true. Sometimes the most innovative ideas are left to die on the vine because they werent the HiPPOs.This is a particularly difficult thing for many managers to recognize, much less face, because often they may be the issue. To avoid falling into this scenario, regularly ask for, and adopt, ideas from every member of your team.3. You overload and overstress your teamWith busy project schedules and semi-regular crises to address, any team can get overwhelmed from time to time. But if you consistently give your staff more work than they can handle, keep them hopping to address every emergency, and dont allow them the downtime they need to recover, theyll barely have the energy to keep up with their regular tasks, let alone be innovative.If this sounds familiar, co nsider exploring, with your teams input, ways to work more efficiently and effectively. Also, make sure to respect your employees work-life balance, and allow them to leave their work at work. Sometimes the best new ideas pop up during downtime.Bring in additional support as needed, too. Four out of every 10 CFOs interviewed in the Robert Half Management Resources survey said they use small business consultants to access fresh perspectives and foster innovation among employees.FIND SENIOR-LEVEL TALENT4. You dont see finance as innovativeHeres another fault of tradition. It can be all too easy to view accounting and finance as sufficiently standardized, following rules and regulations rather than being truly innovative.But this view is wrong. Consider, for example, the accountant who finds an innovative way to complete the close more quickly, or an analyst who sees a whole new way to interpret company data that ends up pinpointing unforeseen revenue opportunities.If youre facing this issue, have a conversation with your finance and accounting teams about how they view their roles in the company. Discuss what company problems they - and you - could solve using innovative thinking.5. You have too much red tapeSometimes the problem isnt a lack of good ideas, but rather your companys bureaucracy and its tendency to stifle those ideas before they can see the light of day. If your firm takes forever to approve and implement new ideas, you not only lose the opportunity to innovate, but you also risk disillusioning the employees who put their time and energy into developing them.If this is the case in your company, consider taking steps toward reducing the procedural red tape between creative ideas and their implementation. Your goal is an innovation-friendly environment.Subscribe to the Robert Half newsletter for articles and resources to help you build and manage a winning accounting and finance team - all sent directly to your inbox.

The Right Questions to Ask When Conducting An Interview

The Right Questions to Ask When Conducting An InterviewThe Right Questions to Ask When Conducting An InterviewThe Right Questions to Ask When Conducting An Interview FalconeLets face it knowing how to bewerberinterview can be a challenge. Conducting an interview isnt always fun and it doesnt come all that naturally to lots of people. Why? Most interviewers are unarmed with the appropriate interview questions, unable to follow-up up on candidate responses and otherwise fill the void that often results when two strangers sit together for the first time.In fact, many hiring managers fear interviewing and hiring. Still, the stakes are exceptionally high in terms of building your team and furthering your own success.There are a few simple tips that, when consistently applied, will help you identifycandidates who are geared for progression in their careers and who can make an immediate contribution to your organization.On closer analysis, the list is fairly intuitive. First, look for an in dividuals ability to self-assess and articulate how he or she could make a positive contribution to your firm by virtue of their emotional intelligence. Second, look for compatible communication and work styles. And third, look for the candidate desire factor. After all, that will typically serve as the ultimate swing factor in determining whom to bring aboard.Interview Questions Gauge the Candidates Level of Self-Awareness Open your interview with a question likeWalk me through your progression in your career leading me up to your current role.Follow up with something along the lines ofHow have you had to reinvent your job in light of your organizations changing needs?What makes you stand out among your peers?Then, progress toWhat would your most respected critic say of your strengths, areas for development, and future potential in your field?Likewise, gauge the individuals understanding of his current positionHow many employees does your company have?Whats your organizations annua l revenue base?How is your department structured in terms of reporting relationships?And dont forget the obviousHow exactly does your company make money, and what are its two biggest expenses?Depending on the level of candidate youre interviewing, their responses can provide excellent insights into their level of business acumen and self-awareness.Look for Compatibility, not Just LikeabilityWe all tend to hire in our own image, but look beyond immediate chemistry by asking questions likeHow many hours a day do you find it necessary to work in bestellung to get your job done?How sensitive are you to accepting constructive criticism?Describe the pace that you typically work in the office moderate, fast, or hair-on-fire?How much structure, direction, and feedback do you generally prefer on a day-to-day basis?Do you generally ask for permission or forgiveness when making decisions?A natural follow-up to this initial question might beTell me about a time when you may not have erred on th e side of caution when you should have.After all, unless youre focusing on matching the individuals personal style to your departments corporate culture, you may end up with someone who can do the job technically but whos totally out of sync with the rest of your team.Assess the Candidates Desire FactorTheres no excuse for candidates not having researched your company, its achievements, competitors, and challenges prior to an interview. Still, some will go out of their way to articulate their understanding of who you are and why theyre so excited about joining your firm. Try questions like these to isolate those who are hungriest for the opportunity that you offerWhy would you want to work here, and what do you know about our organization?What makes us stand out in your mind from our competitors?If you were to accept this position with us today, how would you explain that to a prospective employer five years from now?In other words, how would this role with our company provide a lin k to your future career progression?Assess your Role in the InterviewThe key to a good interview will always lie in your ability to avoid common hiring mistakes and assess potential talentin the interview process. But keep in mind that more new hires fail due to personality-culture mismatch than technical skills mismatch, so keep a keen eye out for compatible stylesin terms of communication, pace, constructive criticism, and work hour commitments in candidates responses.Finally, when youre figuring out how to interview, make sure youre following the 8020 paradigm (interview candidates, then educate them) so that the candidate speaks for 80% of the time at the beginning of the interview, and you speak for 20% of the time after youve completed your initial round of interview questionalways be willing to offer a good amount of career advice and direction.After all, every relationship gives us an opportunity to share our wealth of knowledge and experience with others If you simply lands ee the interview as an opportunity to give a gift to someone else whether you hire them or not youll find that the communication becomes a lot more natural and enjoyable.Author BioPaul Falcone is Vice President of Human Resources at a major Fortune 500 company. He is the author of several books including 96 Great Interview Questions to Ask Before You Hire, 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees, 101 Sample Write-Ups for Documenting Employee Performance Problems and 2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews.Know what makes a great interviewMany people think that the candidate has the tougher task when it comes to job interviews, but for you, the hiring manager, the challenge is just as imposing. You want to know the right questions to ask to determine which job seeker is going to be the best fit for your needs. Could you use some help with that?Sign up for exclusive https//www.youtube.com/ adviceand well send you the latest recruiting tips, hiring trends, management st rategies, and even some awesome deals.Weve got the time-tested expertiseto help you conduct effective job interviews that will lead you to your next terrific hire.

First Time Job Resume Help!

First Time Job Resume Help For an objective statement, concentrate on the particular job you need or an overall job type and highlight your qualifications. If you wish to submit an application for a lifeguard position, your resume objective should mention all certifications you have gotten. Should you have whats needed for the job, you are able to then craft your objective to communicate that you have what is necessary to be successful at work. If youre looking out for any change in job or applying for the very first time, then here are a few essential guidelines to remember when writing a technical resume. Writing one for the very first time actually is a headache that does not have any medication for the immediate calm. Teacher Resume Example Being a teacher is a type of job that you may want to have if you like to meet children. The Fundamentals of First Time Job Resume That You Can Benefit From Beginning Immediately Conclusion If youre a high school student seeking to la nd a part-time job which brings you extra income and enables you build some skills that might become important to your career in future, you must present a compelling resume to prospective employers to increase your odds of being picked for the job. So rather than writing just one resume, it is preferable to tailor each one for a particular assistant medical job. You may be a great team player. Write about your career up to now. First Time Job Resume - the Story A scarcity of job experience doesnt indicate too little work experience. Even when you have very limited work experience, include all you have done. A good deal of first time resume writers often wish to consult others in bestellung that they could gather a decent one of their very own. Apart from that, it saves time and energy. However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. All you will need is a small bit of research, some creativity and a good comprehension of your ow n competencies, skills and abilities. Theres no doubt that there are lots of reasons why its in your best interest to submit an application for teaching job. In reality, theres no one can understand your skill for sure. Recruiters often have a lot of applications to examine and might spend under a minute reading your resume. Resumes give potential employers a means to learn about applicants quickly and readily, and theyre your very first step toward new job opportunities. Although you might be a fantastic doctor, consultant or nurse, your probability of employment are dependent on what your Medical CV says about you. With some essential data in the appropriate order, everyone can create one. Unprofessional preliminary contact You always wish to produce an excellent first impression. Keep in mind that theres no single universal format for resumes so make sure that you do not just pick one particular sample resume and base everything from that point. Bear in mind you must a sk somebody to serve as a reference before you are able to list them as one. Now you are starting to feel discouraged. The second line is going to be the date range. Now its time to create your first resume. Thus, take some time to explore your past. Top First Time Job Resume Choices It isnt comprehensive, so start looking for others in your past and on the internet. There are plenty of unique techniques to organize the info you decide to include. Youll be greeted with thousands of search results and everything you need to do is pick several websites that contain helpful info. Be certain that the information that you give is strictly associated with the applied job. When you get prepared to update your resume, there are a number of significant measures to take before you begin writing. Quite simply, the target of your resume is to obtain an interview. Do that, and youre going to be your very first picks very first pick. The resume is the very first impression thats of fered to them and for you to possess the likelihood of making it to the interview, it ought to be remarkably powerful. Writing a CV may be stressful job, particularly if youre starting from scratch And though theres no one-size-fits-all solution for the best CV, it should. Either can demonstrate the dean youre more than only an application. You could stick to the guidelines supplied in the job resume template here and produce your own resume. A superb means to begin on your resume as a high school student is to take a look at examples of resumes and read tips about what to include and the way to format your resume. Learning how to do a resume when dont have any work experience is much simpler if it is possible to demonstrate some seasonal or short-term work experience. What a resume does is it summarizes your experience, skills, and other details. Concentrate on highlighting relevant coursework to the job youre applying for. For instance, if youre asking for a job as an ad ministrative assistant, you dont will need to discuss the way your job for a babysitter helped improve your childcare skills, but you might share the way the experience helped you cultivate time management abilities and the capacity to juggle many tasks simultaneously. Ok, I Think I Understand First Time Job Resume, Now Tell Me About First Time Job Resume Now set the intention that youre likely to discover important information regarding the job and company which will help you to make a stellar presentation. The aim of the career objective isnt to tell the hiring manger what you would like to escape the provider. With such a wide variety of varieties of sales techniques, including cold-calling, client presentations and expert networking, its essential to discover and isolate work which you know you will be comfortable in and be afforded every possibility of success. Instead ask thoughtful questions regarding the company itself or the specific job youll be doing.