Dos And Don’ts For Executive Job Candidates

Like any process, applying and interviewing for a new job carries with it an unspoken set of rules. Competition for top jobs is tough, so you need to be well prepared and avoid the common CV and interview pitfalls that could lose you a lucrative position.

DO . . .

a) Think about how you present yourself

Whether on paper, by email or in person, it’s important that you give a good impression whenever you communicate about the executive appointment you’re interested in....

Keywords:

executive jobs, executive recruitment, executive search

Article Body:

Like any process, applying and interviewing for a new job carries with it an unspoken set of rules. Competition for top jobs is tough, so you need to be well prepared and avoid the common CV and interview pitfalls that could lose you a lucrative position.

DO . . .

a) Think about how you present yourself

Whether on paper, by email or in person, it’s important that you give a good impression whenever you communicate about the executive appointment you’re interested in. A professional image is critical to your success, and it is something that makes an immediate impact. It may seem unimportant to you, but every bit of contact that an agency or employer has with you informs their eventual decision on whether to offer the job to you or not.

b) Tell the truth

Apparently, we’ve all been tempted to lie about our qualifications or experience. This is always a bad move, particularly if you’re applying for an executive appointment. The company will be investing a reasonable amount of money in your appointment and on your salary, and they won’t be happy if they discover you got the position by being dishonest with them. An honest candidate is much more likely to get the job, and won’t have to worry about keeping up the lies once they start work.

c) Be on time

Lateness should be avoided at all costs. Make sure you leave in plenty of time to get to your place of interview 5-10 minutes early. If you are unavoidably caught up in traffic, make sure you have the company contact details with you so that you can call immediately and explain your situation. Once you get to the interview, don’t spend your time moaning about the delay.

DON’T . . .

a) Be offensive

Applicants for executive appointments are expected to have a certain standard of behaviour. Don’t make the mistake of being too informal with your interviewer, don’t tell rude or offensive jokes, or make comments that the interviewer may find distasteful. Limit your answers and questions to the subject and scope of the interview.

b) Be over-confident

Over-confidence in interviews is often the result of nerves, and an effort to appear self-confident for executive appointments can end up looking like arrogance to the interviewer. Sell yourself by all means, but do it in a manner that shows that you can also work as part of a team and accept ideas and criticism from others.

c) Put too much emphasis on salary

If an employer thinks that you only want the job for the money, you are unlikely to get it. Any talk about salary and benefits should come right at the end of the interview. If you begin by asking about pay and conditions, you run the risk of giving the interviewer the wrong impression. Salary is an important part of all executive appointments, so stick to your guns when negotiating salary, but don’t make it the focal point of the interview.

Executive appointments carry responsibility and agencies and companies are looking for people who have the skills, qualifications and experience. Careful preparation and planning can help you to succeed.

Facing Resentment from Unsuccessful Candidates for Your Job

Unsuccessful promotion candidates who remain in the department can make life difficult for the new manager. This article offers guidance for handling this common challenge for new managers.

Keywords:

new managers,resentful employees, unsuccessful candidates, people management

Article Body:

You've recently been promoted to management, and are now responsible for the department in which you were previously employed. One of your former peers had also applied for the job, and you are now feeling waves of resentment from him that threaten the success of your promotion.

Does this sound familiar? If so, you're certainly not alone because it's one of the most common challenges faced by new managers. Here are some ideas to help you deal with the situation.

Initiate a discussion

It's imperative that you sit down and have a meaningful discussion with the individual concerned. Your two objectives are to find out specifically how he or she is feeling, and from there to figure out how you can enlist their co-operation and help them become a productive part of the department that is now yours to run.

Try to understand how they feel and why they are resentful

The most obvious reason is that she really felt she was the best person for the job. She has ideas on running the department and had been looking forward to putting them into action. Now she feels she has lost that chance.

A lesser known, but possibly even more important, reason is loss of pride. He may have told his nearest and dearest that he was in line for promotion, so now that he didn't get it, he is embarrassed. He feels he will be less in the eyes of his family or friends. So even though he may not actually mind the job he currently has, you're facing some deep personal feelings he may have difficulty changing.

The only way you'll find out is to ask questions, and then listen to the answers. Begin by saying you know the person was a candidate for the job, and that you also understand they were considered qualified. Then begin with a straightforward question such as, "Do you still feel disappointed and resentful?" Wait for the answer. If it's a curt "yes", probe for more. "Is that something you feel you can work around, or that will eventually settle down?" Or "How can I help you deal with that?" Keep probing until the person begins to talk.

If she takes the opportunity to vent her feelings of anger, listen calmly for a bit, using body language to indicate you understand. Then step in to redirect the conversation so that it becomes productive by saying something like, "I understand you've been angry. However, I know you well enough to believe you can get past it and honor yourself by doing the job you are capable of. Let's talk about where we go from here."

Help them regain lost pride

Before the conversation even begins, give some thought to what you know about the person and how they work. How can you use their strengths to the benefit of the department? One effective way is to initiate a special project with a specific objective she can relate to, and put her in charge of it. It's important that this not be an unimportant "make work" project, but rather something of value. You might even come up with it in discussion with the employee, which gives it the benefit of her buy-in.

This kills two birds with one stone: completion of the project benefits the work of the department, and putting the person in charge provides an opportunity to shine. This helps them regain any self-confidence that may have slipped, and they have a "win" to report to those who care about them. It's also a positive achievement that can count towards possible future promotion opportunities.

What if it doesn't work?

If you give people consideration through this process and then give them every opportunity to come on board with you, and they still won't co-operate, then stronger measures are called for. In this case you must have another discussion.

This time you frankly point out their ongoing shortcomings and how they are creating a toxic environment that adversely affects the whole department and its work. Candidly tell them that if they can't find the inner strength to change their attitude and make a productive contribution, then there is no place for them in your department. From then on, follow the usual process when someone is "on probation", monitor their progress and act accordingly. As the common management consulting expression goes, "If you can't change the people, you have to change the people!"

In a recent interview with Management Consultant Mike McInerney, he told me this situation arises at all levels. Young managers may be surprised to learn that even Presidents have to deal with the resentment of unsuccessful candidates. The difference, according to McInerney, is that those people have learned to deal with it, and they don't let personal feelings stand in their way. If you are new to the world of management, you'll do well to take your cue from their example.