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ageism
Why wasn't I successful?, Interviewing for Executives, Re-energise your job search

How can you overcome ageism in interviews?

In our youth obsessed culture, what’s the best way to navigate unconscious bias in interviews? Acknowledging its existence is a good starting point. Many of us have internalised the idea that risk, energy and agility are the preserve of the young. Yet when you reflect more deeply, we all know people in their 20s who crave security and routine, preferring Netflix to running marathons. The reality is, there’s as much diversity in the over 40s as there is in the under 40s.

To ensure you don’t get blindsided by ageism in interviews, consider paying attention to the following five areas:

Flexibility

The elephant in the room for many interviewers is whether you can work well with leaders who are younger than you. A good way of addressing this in the interview is by highlighting where you’ve worked on projects with younger mangers. Emphasise how you enjoyed collaborating with them and what you learnt from them. This will help present you as a team player and someone who can adapt easily to new situations.

Language matters

Lead with passion not experience. Reframing experience as passion will position you as someone who’s dynamic and constantly looking to expand your knowledge. By doing this you’re recognising that your journey is never ending and that you welcome new ideas and other peoples’ perspectives.

Many organisations now embrace a collaborative style of management which values initiative and the team development.  In the interview position yourself as someone who champions this. Be aware of your language. Talk about how you “lead you team” instead of “managing your staff.” Emphasise how you empower people to reach their potential and find meaning in their work.   

Growth mind set

Having a natural curiosity and managing your learning and development is really important for employers. Skills get outdated very quickly so staying relevant through doing further education, attending seminars and going to networking events to stay abreast of industry trends is essential if you want to stay relevant.

Present yourself as a problem solver

When you’re researching the company, think critically about challenges they’re facing and what opportunities may exist. Use your network to speak to people in the company to get up to speed on current projects or developments. Strengthen your sector expertise by reading articles and meeting other contacts in their field.

By anticipating these challenges and highlighting how you’re addressed similar issues in the past, you’ll present yourself as a solutions focused, action oriented player.

Manage your image

Harvey Coleman in “Empowering Yourself. The Organisational Game Revealed.” attributes 30% of career success to image, so it’s worth paying attention to. Ask yourself what your clothes and body language are saying about you. If you’re not sure, ask a friend to give you honest feedback.

Conclusion

These steps will help you make that vital connection with the interview panel and spotlight the attention on why you’re the best fit for the role.

About the author

Laura McGrath is an Executive Coach with a background in recruitment and career coaching. She has a post graduate qualification in Executive Coaching from the IMI and has been a guest lecturer with Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin. For more information call 087 669 1192.

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Body language, passion in interviews
Why wasn't I successful?

How to inject passion into your interview.

“One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.” E M Forster, novelist.

Passion is a transformative force which allows us to perform at our best and achieve what we never thought was possible. It’s no wonder employers look for it in interviews.

In my career as an executive coach, I’ve found that many of my clients struggle to show this side of their personality. Yet tapping into your energy flow is of critical importance, as it builds a strong rapport with the hiring manager and influences key decisions in your favour.

I’ve outlined below three approaches that will help you communicate your enthusiasm in a way that feels natural and authentic to you.

Telling stories

Many of my clients feel uneasy expressing themselves in a passionate way. If you’re a naturally soft spoken person with a low key style, telling impactful stories about the value you’ve added in previous roles can provide an alternative path to hook your audience.

If you’re still uncomfortable talking about your strengths, try instead highlighting what you love about your job. So for example instead of saying you’ve strong leadership skills, you could say that you really enjoy leading teams and getting the best out of people. You could then go on to give an example of where you led a team through a reorganisation, overcame significant resistance, kept a high team morale and increased productivity through upskilling and coaching.   

It’s all about the why

By explaining why you’re interested in working for a particular company, you’ll create a connection with the hiring manager. Explaining how your values align and why you’d love to be part of what they do is powerful. For example a client of mine was going for a management position in a homeless charity. By talking about the voluntary work they’d done in the sector, they showed a deep knowledge of the environment and how close it was to their heart. Likewise, a client going for a Head of Finance role in a gaming company familiarised themselves with their products. By playing the games they demonstrated both their love of the product and the level of their commitment to the role.

Be present

As part of the coaching process, I give my clients feedback on how their answers land on me. I often observe that they’re talking at me, not engaging with me.

It’s easy to fall into this trap. By over rehearsing, you risk going on autopilot. How can you avoid this? By staying in the moment. Modulating your tone of voice, bringing energy into your body, your facial features and allowing a level of spontaneity.

To help clients get into this zone, I ask them to tell me about the best holiday they’ve recently been on. Immediately they light up, smile, speak with enthusiasm, sit up straighter and start to exude energy. By doing this they effortlessly make an immediate connection with me. If you can replicate this presence in an interview, you’ll build a strong rapport and emotional connection with the interview panel.

Conclusion

It’s important to bring passion into an interview in a way that feels authentic to you. If these techniques feel strange to you at first, don’t panic. Bear in mind, that when your leave your comfort zone, it’s normal to feel awkward. This doesn’t mean that you’re not being true to yourself. You’re simply exploring a different version of yourself which will take time to settle into.

About the author

Laura is a qualified executive coach, EMCC Certified with over 20 years’ experience in executive search and recruitment.  She’s the owner of Interview Techniques, a leading provider of interview and career coaching services.  For a consultation, please call 087 669 1192 or go to www.interviewtechniques.ie.

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Linkedin Profile
Re-energise your job search

What does a good Linkedin Profile look like?

In his book “Empowering Yourself”, Harvey Coleman puts career success under the microscope to get a better understanding of where you should spend your energy to get maximum return. It turns out that being great at your job isn’t enough – in fact it accounts for only 10 % of career success. It’s just the entry point.  Your image, exposure and how people perceive you accounts for the remaining 90 %. In a nutshell, to be successful, people need to know who you are, what you do and why it matters.

Linkedin is a great vehicle for boosting your exposure. It allows you showcase your expertise and lets people know what value you can bring to a company and how you can contribute to its success.

Here’s 10 tips you should consider when crafting your online profile.

Photo

An image is worth a thousand words. Make sure it looks professional and sets the right tone. Research shows that profiles with photos on LinkedIn get up to 21 times more views that those without one.

Job titles

Think like a buyer not a seller. If your job title isn’t easily understood by people outside your company, consider changing it. This will help ensure that you come up in job searches.

Summary/About Section

It’s worth putting thought into this as when you appear in a search result, a couple of lines from your summary will feature beneath your name. It’s the first thing a head hunter will see and will influence their level of engagement with you.

You’ve room to play here as you can use up to 2,000 characters. Focus on what parts of your career you’d like to highlight and your biggest achievements.  Speak in the first person and keep the tone conversational so that the reader can get a good sense of who you are. Don’t be afraid to inject your personality and show your passions and values.

Be strategic. Before your start, reflect on what job searches you’d like to appear in. List the key skills inherent in such roles and pepper the summary with these.

Headline

This is the text below your photo. You’ve 120 characters to work with. Add a bit of colour so that you hook the reader into the body of your profile. How? Know who your audience is and speak directly to them. Let them know what makes you unique and what you bring to the table.

Get a Custom URL

This is easy to do and makes it easier for you to market your profile. To get a customised url (linkedin.com/yourname) go to edit profile, contact info, profile url.

Network

Start building your network – aim to have over 500 to be most effective. Consider reconnecting with old colleagues, school and university friends. If you’re in trade/industry associations or are currently doing an MBA, invite your peers onto your network. Continuously nurture your network and keep it fresh.

Recommendations

Recommendations can be a powerful way to shine a light on how you make a difference. It can add real impact to your profile and allow people see you at your very best.    

Experience

This shouldn’t be a cut and paste of your CV. Edit your experience and highlight the roles in your career that are most relevant. Repeat the keywords you want to be known for throughout this section. Keep it interesting using action words and focusing on your achievements, not responsibilities.

Skills

List your key skills. This is a tool that is very popular with head hunters to identify talent and ensure you get on their radar.  

Get active

The more active you are on Linkedin, the more you’ll raise your profile and expand your network. Show your expertise by sharing articles or writing content on areas that interest you. Join groups and get involved in discussions. Follow thought leaders that inspire you.

Conclusion

If you’re still having problems getting started, have a look at other profiles. See what you like and replicate the styles that work for you. Your newly crafted profile, will enable you to take proactive control over your career path. It will get you noticed by hiring managers and key stakeholders and put you on the highway to success.

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How to Shine at Zoom Interview
Why wasn't I successful?

How to shine in a Zoom Interview

How to shine in a Zoom Interview

Hiring managers have adapted with speed to the new realities of social distancing and have moved from face to face to online interviews. To excel in virtual interviews, it’s important to realise that they’re a different beast. This new form of interview requires adapting your style in order to make them work effectively for you.

Here are 6 tips to help you maximise your presence in virtual interviews and to make that vital connection with the hiring manager.

Position of the camera

Preparation is critical. Ideally your screen should be 75-90 cm away from you so that your face and upper torso can be seen. To maximise your presence, the interviewer should be able to see read your body language. Using your full faculty of expression will help them forget that you’re not in the same physical space.

Time of day

When you’re deciding on where to position your laptop, bear in mind the time of day your meeting is scheduled for and your light source. Make sure that you’re not cast in shadows and that the light doesn’t fluctuate with the movement of the sun.

Stand Out

Remember, virtual interviews are 2D. To help create depth and to avoid fading into the background, wear something that creates a contrast.

Set the scene

Be mindful of your background. Cluttered rooms will make you seem disorganised. Distracting elements will pull attention away from you. Find a space where the background is simple, reflecting your professionalism.

Engage with the panel

It’s easy when doing a virtual interview to forget that you’re speaking to a real person. Creating a rapport is even more important on line as subtle eye and body movements may not be picked up. Smile, use your body language and tone of voice to create warmth and make that vital connection. Doing stretches or indeed going for a walk before the interview can help, as this will increase your energy levels and project dynamism.

Software

Familiarise yourself with the software being used – Zoom, WebEx, Microsoft Teams, Skype. They’re all slightly different and being familiar with their settings can give you more control. For example in zoom you can hide your self-cam (which can be distracting), or choose gallery view to allow you view all participants on the screen at the same time.

Conclusion

As it’s likely that virtual interviews will become a permanent feature of the recruitment process, adapting your style will help position yourself as a strong and adaptable communicator – someone who can flex and embrace change.

About the author

Laura is a qualified executive coach, EMCC Certified with over 20 years’ experience in executive search and recruitment.  She’s the owner of Interview Techniques, a leading provider of interview and career coaching services.  For a consultation, please call 087 669 1192 or go to www.interviewtechniques.ie.

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Interview Nerves
Why wasn't I successful?

Interview Nerves

Anxiety and fear of interviews is a common problem. As a business coach, I have worked with clients whose fear has crippled their career development and earning potential. My clients are very capable and know their anxiety is irrational but sometimes that’s not enough. It takes time and effort to understand and overcome such emotions but all is possible with the right help.

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Interviewing for Executives How to Stand Out
Women in Leadership, Interviewing for Executives

Interviewing for Executives – 5 tips to ensure you stand out

The interview process is a highly competitive one and like any elite sport the difference between winning and losing is marginal.  With this in mind, it’s useful to look at the characteristics shared by successful candidates.

They reposition themselves from job applicant to business partner:

When coaching clients, I always encourage them to understand the world from the interviewer’s perspective. I invite them to focus on what they need to be successful in their new role and explore how they can add value to their new employer. This injects pace and passion to the interview……

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What do Employers Look for in Competency Interviews
Competency Questions

What do employers look for in competency interviews?

Competency questions are still hugely popular and form part of most interviews. Whilst recent research has questioned their value in predicting success in fast moving environments (Harvard Business Review Feb 10th 2016), you’d be well advised to anticipate competency questions and have examples to hand.

Here’s a few things to consider in the lead up to your interview:
Be strategic with your examples:

Review the last 5 years in your job, identify your biggest wins and build your examples around them. Choose examples that most closely align with your target role. For promotion interviews, try to choose examples where you’ve already “acted up” in your role – eg where you’ve deputised for your manager or taken a lead role in a project.

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Biggest Mistake in Interviews
Why wasn't I successful?

What’s the biggest mistake we make in interviews?

What’s the biggest mistake we make in interviews?

Interviewing for the job we’re in, not the job we’re going for.

The easiest way to avoid falling into this trap is to approach the interview as you would any part of the business – strategically. Look for overlaps between your current role and the desired position, then show you’ve the abilities required to adapt to the higher level of responsibilities demanded.
Areas to look out for:

Stakeholder management:
Strategic input:
Emotional Intelligence:

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Only 4% of CEOs are Women - What's Wrong?
Women in Leadership

Only 4% of Fortune 500 CEOs women. What’s going wrong?

In 1918 Irish women got the right to vote. 1973 heralded the abolition of the marriage bar; 1977 saw the introduction of the Employment Equality Act. Girls now consistently outshine boys across the globe in exam results. Having made so much progress, why are women still underrepresented in political circles and the upper echelons of business?

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How do you manage conflict?
Competency Questions

How do you manage conflict?

Most people I coach find this question particularly challenging. They assume that the interviewer is looking for an example of a highly charged situation where there’s a complete breakdown of a relationship.
Relax, your examples don’t need to have Hollywood style plots and drama. The key to answering this question well is simply replacing the world conflict with disagreement.  

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Laura McGrath - Executive Coach