BRIDGE Blog

New Years has come and gone and now that we are in the early stages of March have you been able to keep up those goals that you vowed to accomplish on that cold night two months ago?  Maybe you want to save more money or lose those extra few pounds from the holidays, whatever it is it’s not too late to get yourself back on track and achieve your goals in 2009.  

I’m sure you’re sick and tired of hearing about all of the bad news out there in regards to the economy.  Regardless of whether you are happily working or looking for your next opportunity, it’s a smart idea to set up career goals because the first step to getting what you want is knowing what you want.  Maybe you already set career goals for New Years, are you still making a conscious effort to keep on track with those or have you changed your mind and want something completely different now? 

First, start by asking yourself “What do I really want?”  A promotion?  A new, exciting opportunity?  Just something to pay the bills and get back in the job market?  Your goal can be as specific or general as you see fit.  Maybe you want to learn some new skills on the job or get that certification you’ve been thinking might set you apart from other job seekers.  Whatever it may be, once you have made your decision you can follow through by making a plan for how you will achieve your goal. 

Before you make your action plan, don’t forget to do your research.  If your goal involves salary, check out recent salary surveys for the year of 2009 to see where you fall in comparison to other professionals in your field (see the links in this month’s BRIDGE newsletter for more salary information).  Finding out how you compare to your peers can also help you focus your goals.  If your goal is to advance in your career part of your action plan could be to take some classes to sharpen your skills or to attend local networking events to scope out the local business scene.  Research local class schedules or check out the latest publications on the skill you’re interested in developing.  You can also find event calendars to see what’s going on in the area for networking, volunteering, and community events.  Think about different ways you can make yourself stand out so employers know that you will be an asset to their company. 

If you take the time to sit down and map out how you can achieve your goal it will make it less daunting.  This will give you something tangible so you can see your goals in action.  Remember you don’t have to change everything in your life at once, in fact that is the best way to not achieve your goals, it’s too overwhelming.  Writing it down will make it harder to ignore, you can even post it someplace you see every day like on the fridge.   If you are afraid that posting it will only bring to your attention that you are falling short of expectations, maybe you’ve set your expectations unrealistically high.  Take the time to reassess every so often to make sure it is still something you really want and brainstorm new ways to reach your destination. 

The final part of achieving your goals is putting your action plan into ACTION!  Once you have set your goal and have some ideas written down for how you can achieve them, go out and do it!  You can start small, ask a friend to attend a local networking event with you or get a few people together and practice interviewing with mock interviews (remember Jon’s Interviewing Tips blog last month?)  Making it fun will help make it more effective because it will be something that you actually want to do.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help when it comes to updating your resume or writing a cover letter.  Check in with a BRIDGE recruiter to see what kind of opportunities are available and if they have any tips for what you can do to get where you want to go.  Remember to stay in touch because if there isn’t anything available at the time something is bound to come in.   

If you’ve gone off track from your New Years Resolutions, just remember you still have 10 months to make it happen.  By establishing realistic goals, making a plan, and setting it in motion you can make 2009 a happy, healthy, and successful year.  Good luck!   

Amy McDermott

The internet is full of examples of interviews gone bad.  Many of these examples are humorous, from candidates challenging interviewers to arm wrestling, to mid-interview phone calls to therapists  you don’t have to search long to find examples of really poor decision making during interviews.  A personal favorite of mine is that of a candidate who came to an interview with a moped and proceeded to leave it in the reception area.  He didn’t want it to get stolen, and said he would require indoor parking for the moped if he were hired.  He wasn’t. 

While most of these examples seem far-fetched, any recruiter can give you similar examples (let’s just say that it’s not a good idea to bring a pet to an interview unless it is a service animal).

The importance of a successful interview has seldom been greater as our economy is undoubtedly in desperate times.  Simply put, you can’t waste the opportunities you’re given. Whether there is a science to good interviewing is debatable.  The so-called “experts” on the subject have led at least one interviewee in my experience to disaster even when the person followed instructions to “alleged” perfection.  This particular example came about as a candidate answered some of the most common interview questions (particularly “What are your biggest weaknesses?”), with pre-planned answers according to how a popular book on the subject informed interviewees to do so.  To make matters worse, this candidate had already interviewed successfully with the employer more than once.  Both the candidate’s technical skills and “soft” skills passed the test.  In the end, one “X” from Human Resources was all that it took to derail his successful interview train.  The cause … they didn’t like the way the candidate answered the most commonly asked questions. 

Although all employers are different in what they are looking for, there are a few “universal truths” to help you put together a successful interview.  The first of which occurs before the interview begins.  Research the employer and  - if possible -  try to learn the credentials (at least the name!) of the person that you will be interviewing with.  I have found that the impact of doing this successfully has been tremendous.  For example, one recent interviewee discussed an article that the interviewer had written to assist in the answering of a question.  Major bonus points.  More important, though, is learning about what the employer is looking to accomplish with a particular project, software, etc…  Establishing an understanding of what they are looking to accomplish, and then stating specifically how you can help them attain their goals is paramount to success.  Preparing to do so before the interview has clear benefits. 

Keeping a positive attitude and personality throughout an interview is also an important factor.  This should go without saying, but far too often candidates have been nixed for not being a “personality fit.”  As a hiring manager once told me, “you can teach someone technical skills, but you can’t teach personality.”  Some actions that can immediately raise red flags are speaking negatively about past or current employers, or prematurely discussing the issue of compensation.  The desired personality certainly does not have to be that of the life of the party.  Rather, the characteristics necessary are those of someone who will be able to get along well with most people while displaying some form of enjoyment for performing one’s job.  Seems simple right?  Of course that is greatly simplified, but it is surprisingly accurate.  And please, please do not speak over the person interviewing you!             

Finally, practice interviewing as much as possible.  If at all possible, practice with a friend or family member.  This will increase your comfort level, and will help ensure that you answer questions clearly and directly.  An interviewer, much like the rest of us, is not a mind reader.  He or she will not know what you are capable of unless you tell them.  It is always unfortunate to hear from a hiring manager that “I feel that he has good skills, he just could not get across the knowledge in his answers.”  Practicing interviews will assist in preparing you to get all of the points across that best illustrate your skills.  While practice may not necessarily make you perfect, it will optimize your chances of impressing the interviewer.        

There are multiple other interview tips to help you make the best of your opportunities.  Much like how the internet offers you access to humorous interview horror stories, there are also helpful websites to help prevent a disastrous performance.  Below are a few of our favorite links …

http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/aceinterview.htm

http://www.job-interview.net/interview.htm

http://www.jobopenings.net/interview_tips.htm#TIPS

Our own James Wright is a CELEBRITY! Ted Nesi @ the Providence Business News posed 5 questions to James, one of the partners here at BRIDGE, and the result is a read that’s engaging, informative AND provides a much needed shot of optimism.

James Wright, who worked on the West Coast through the dotcom bubble (and burst), shares his perspective on our current economic climate, how it impacts the tech sector, his predictions for tech industries that will experience growth, the skills and specialties most sought-after by employers NOW, and some solid advice for Technology Professionals considering new opportunities. James also talks about the united efforts within R.I. to support the growth of the Information Technology and Digital Media sector.

Enjoy the full article here: Providence Business News: 5 Questions with James Wright

Honestly, when you consider that (Rhode) Innovation Island is already abuzz with entreprenurial academics and tech-centered networking groups, there is no doubt the Providence Plantations will be harvesting a bumper crop of new technologies — and enjoying the opportunities that follow. I ask you: “Silicon Valley who?”

GO Rhody!
~Amber