Greater Milwaukee Jobs

2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • December 25, 2014 important part of the inter- view process. Good posture, a firm handshake and making eye contact can set a positive tone at a job interview and makes a strong first impres- sion. When arriving at an office for an interview, don't slouch in a chair while wait- ing for the interviewer to arrive. Sit straight up and avoid nervous behavior such as toe-tapping or checking the time. • Be a good listener. Many job seekers have practiced what they're going to say countless times in the days leading up to an important interview. Preparation is important, but it's just as important to listen to the interviewer throughout the interview. Avoid simply wait- ing your turn to speak before spouting off a rehearsed answer. The interviewer is providing valuable informa- tion, which applicants should use in their responses to ques- tions. • Remain professional. Job seekers should always remain professional and avoid coming off as overly familiar. Such an attitude might make it appear as though you aren't taking the interview seriously and aren't very interested in the job. Staying too rigid throughout the interview is also not a good way to make a first impression. It's accept- able to allow the interviewer to set the tone of the inter- view, but it's also important to land somewhere between rigidity and being overly familiar. • Be specific when answer- ing questions. Applicants must distinguish themselves from one another. When the interviewer asks a question about a past job experience or project, be specific with your answer. If need be, take time to answer the question. Thoughtfully answering a question is always better than spouting off the first response that comes to mind. • Ask your own questions. At some point during the interview, applicants will be asked if they have any ques- tions for the interviewer. Applicants should always ask questions, which demon- strates interest in the position. Failing to ask a question will likely put an awkward end to the interview. When asking questions, base them on pre- vious statements from the interviewer to show you have been listening and would like to know more about the posi- tion and the company. easy ways ... from page 1 The process of finding a new job has changed dramatically over the last decade-plus. Whereas profes- sionals once printed their resumes and mailed them to hiring managers in response to job postings, nowa- days resumes and cover letters are largely uploaded via the Internet or emailed directly to a company's human resources department. But how resumes are sent is not the only adjustment job seekers must make. Resumes themselves have changed as well, and professionals looking for a new job might want to tweak their existing resumes in the following ways to increase their chances of finding a new job. • Show accomplishments rather than responsibilities. Many hiring managers are experienced enough to know the responsibilities of a certain job title. So instead of listing your responsibilities as a Regional Sales Manager, list what you accom- plished during your time in that position. Be as specific as possible, listing any sales goals you exceeded and awards you might have won. Your achievements are what set you apart from other candidates with similar work histories, so use your resume to highlight those achieve- ments instead of listing your respon- sibilities. • Keep things brief. Brevity should be your friend when accentuating your accomplishments on your resume. Your resume should high- light those accomplishments and that should be enough to secure an interview. When you get that inter- view, that's when you can go into greater detail. But try to keep your resume to one or two pages. • Remove older positions. Older positions, such as a long-ago college internship, have no place on a sea- soned professional's resume. On a similar note, if you have long since changed careers, you may not need to include much about your previous positions in another field, especially How to give your resume a facelift A publication of Conley Media Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media, LLC Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Subscriptions are available for $34 (non-refundable) for a 6-month subscription. Call 262-306-5035 for information. Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske 262-306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Jeanne Bonlender 262-306-5035 jbonlender@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262-513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262-513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Volume 17 • Number 16 December 25, 2014 To place an ad: Call us at 262-306-5035 or fax us at 262-542-6082 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. Finding a balance when collaborating on a project By Liz Reyer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) & A Q Q. I lead a project that is supposed to be a collaboration of equals to share resources. However, my peer at the other agency is trying to take over and put her agency's needs first. How should I handle this? A. Model the behavior you want and expect accountability to your agreements. THE INNER GAME You are looking for a fair process and an equitable outcome; is it clear what that means? Setting aside your own defensiveness and annoyance, is it possible that you each have a different definition? What if she thinks that you're actu- ally on track in pursuit of your shared goal? Or, even more inter- estingly, what if she could have asked the same question because she feels like you're trying to take over? The point is, there's a lot of room for ambiguity in a project like this. Just for example, if you haven't spelled out the following items, you could easily get out of sync: • How you select areas for resource sharing – people time vs. paper clip purchases. • The criteria you use to prioritize. • How you break ties if you dis- agree. Then there's the personal side. If she has a strong personality and you're more laid back, you may feel like she's trying to dominate. Style differences are often confused with intent, and it's important to differentiate. Imagine – she may be wishing you were stepping up more aggressively. THE OUTER GAME Take the point of view that, together, you can make this an incredibly effective partnership and bring fabulous results to both organizations. Having said that, what needs to occur to bring that to fruition? Your best tool is communication, openly engaging to remove any walls and prevent barriers that may interfere with progress.This takes a little planning and a lot of courage. If there's currently some discord, it may also require involvement from a third party to help you both let go of any antagonism and get on the same page. So, if your relationship is generally solid, set up time to meet, billing it as a "review of progress to date." Be up front about areas that you think need attention, while staying positive in your tone and including successes in your review. Be sure she knows that it's a meeting for mutually exploring ways to contin- ue to strengthen the relationship, not a dumping session on her. Adapt this as needed if things are more contentious, perhaps suggest- ing to her that you have a working session with a coach or facilitator to help work through any issues. Also modify your behavior, if needed. It's not just about her. It's your role to be an effective and direct advocate for your agency's needs, so be clear about what those needs are and practice artic- ulating them so that you're ready if challenged. Celebrate successes together and put time into knowing each other. Having some personal con- nection will help you understand style difference and will help you give each other the benefit of the doubt. Plus, it's more fun. THE LAST WORD If you can understand her point of view and share yours, you'll achieve a more successful part- nership. see GIVE YOUR RESUME . . . page 3

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