Quick Tip: Using the STAR method when answering behavioral interview questions

By Rachael McDermott
Reprinted with permission
civilianchick.tumblr.com

Many employers ask interview questions that reveal how strong a candidate is in a certain behavior or competency. Sometimes these are situational questions that present a candidate with a scenario they might encounter on the job so the candidate can show how they would handle the situation. Other questions are behavioral and ask candidates to describe a time when they demonstrated a particular competency or performed a similar task they would encounter at their new job. For example, a sample question could be "tell me about a time when you had to manage a project with ... Read More

How to Build a Twitter Profile That Will Take Your Career to the Next Level

By: by Sultan Camp
Reprinted with permission
EveryVeteranHired.com

Last week, we discussed why you need Twitter for your career (even if you think you don't). If you missed it and you're not convinced Twitter is for you, take a few minutes to read it now and catch up. If you ‘ve read it and you're still with us, welcome back! Ready to get started? Then let's go! Your Username and Profile Picture - Your actual name on Twitter is only visible on your Twitter profile. However, your username, which is called your Twitter "handle," is connected with all of your tweets. It's also the URL for your Twitter account. Be creative when you choose your handle. You want it to reflect your profession; however, keep in mind ... Read More

New Grads: These 10 Job Search Mistakes Cost You Time and Money

© Copyright, 2014, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.

Your first "real" (as in, now-I-must-be-self-supporting) job search is a learning experience like no other. So many options; so little time! You do NOT want to make mistakes, but you may not be clear on exactly what to do next and what is appropriate. The 10 mistakes that new grads (and many others) make that postpone that first paycheck: 1. Don't apply too slowly. According to a 2011 study of 6,600 hires in 10 industries by StartWire.com: "Of those hired, 27% applied within the first two days after a job was posted. Nearly 50% of the hires were ... Read More

Veterans look to succeed as entrepreneurs

By Stephanie Snyder - Ventura County Star, Calif.
Used with permission from Stars and Stripes © 2014 Stars and Stripes
www.stripes.com

VENTURA, Calif. — Making a transition out of the military can be challenging for service members as they look to translate their military skill set into civilian work. But as increasing resources become available, prospective veterans are more easily connecting leadership and task-oriented characteristics they have as military members with the mindset of an entrepreneur. A joint collaboration between the Defense Department and the Small Business Association produced a new course, ... Read More

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The Stars and Stripes Transition Guide is a compilation of articles - on financial matters, education, resume-writing, career fairs and more — specifically designed to help active servicemembers and veterans navigate into their next stages of life. Each edition of this semi-annual publication provides practical guidance and resources for maneuvering through their next objective, whether it is enrolling in college, finding a job or getting their finances in order.

Transition Guides are distributed through Stars and Stripes' daily editions overseas and on military bases in the United States.

Quick Tip: Using the STAR method when answering behavioral interview questions

By Rachael McDermott — reprinted with permission ©
civilianchick.tumblr.com

Many employers ask interview questions that reveal how strong a candidate is in a certain behavior or competency. Sometimes these are situational questions that present a candidate with a scenario they might encounter on the job so the candidate can show how they would handle the situation. Other questions are behavioral and ask candidates to describe a time when they demonstrated a particular competency or performed a similar task they would encounter at their new job. For example, a sample question could be "tell me about a time when you had to manage a project with many moving parts and deadlines" or "give me an example of a time when you had to persuade reluctant people or teams to adopt a new idea or practice."

A good structure for answering these questions is the STAR approach. S stands for Situation or Scenario — set the context for your example. T stands for Task — what was required of you. A stands for Action — tell what you actually did to achieve your task. R stands for Result — what was the outcome of your actions?

For example, if I was asked about a time when I had to improve upon a process, I might answer like this:

S-We have many employers that recruit our students and organize recruiting events. However, often times these events were not well attended and employers were growing frustrated. Students are very busy and have many priorities and commitments so often these events get lost in the shuffle.

T-I really needed to restructure our recruiting process and think of ways to increase student attendance and visibility for employers on campus.

A-I decided to condense all recruiting activities into two dedicated weeks per semester so we could market the whole period as a major event. Starting with new student orientation in August, we could advertise this period to students so they knew this was the time to meet employers and could mark it on their calendars. I also conducted proactive outreach to employers to tell them about the recruiting period so they could plan their events for this time. Finally, I organized a career fair during the period which would draw many more students than an organization’s individual recruiting event.

R-As a result, there was more visibility for the recruiting period and events among students and in many cases, attendance at recruiting events was double what it was in the past. Also, the career fair drew over 100 students, which is a much higher number than any employers ever saw at individual recruiting events. Employers saw many students and were satisfied with their recruiting experience.

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How to Build a Twitter Profile That Will Take Your Career to the Next Level

By: by Sultan Camp - reprinted with permission
EveryVeteranHired.com

Last week, we discussed why you need Twitter for your career (even if you think you don't). If you missed it and you're not convinced Twitter is for you, take a few minutes to read it now and catch up. If you ‘ve read it and you're still with us, welcome back!

Ready to get started? Then let's go!

Your Username and Profile Picture

Your actual name on Twitter is only visible on your Twitter profile. However, your username, which is called your Twitter "handle," is connected with all of your tweets. It's also the URL for your Twitter account.

Be creative when you choose your handle. You want it to reflect your profession; however, keep in mind that when you tweet, it counts against your 140 character limit in your messages, so you don't want to make it overly long.

I also have to emphasize that the first word in social media is social. Be sure to select a picture for your Twitter profile that represents you as a professional — not an avatar or etc. Remember this is your new first impression, so choose your photo accordingly. This picture should also be the same one you use on LinkedIn. Why? Your aim is to create consistency. People recognize you faster as you interact with them, and it adds a personal touch to what can be an impersonal medium.

Your Bio

The first thing that someone sees after your Twitter profile picture and your name is your bio. This is your 10-second elevator speech or sales pitch. People will decide whether or not they follow you based on it. Your main objective is to arouse the Twitter user's curiosity, but also make yourself findable by employers. (Click here to tweet this though.) (I'll talk about a cool tool that I use as a recruiter to search Twitter bios in a few.)

Remember that Twitter isn't as straight-laced as LinkedIn, so have a little fun with it. The neat thing is that you can see how many followers (and what type of audience) your profile attracts over the course of a week. After doing so, you can then change your bio slightly and track the new amount of followers the following week. If the amount of followers and the type of followers you want to follow you went up, then keep the changes you made and make an additional one. Fewer followers? Go back to the previous version and change something else.

The last component of your Twitter profile is the choice of a link. Twitter allows you to share one clickable link for users to find out more about you. Most professionals start off with their LinkedIn profile URL. However, if you have a blog or a website — or you've gotten creative and set up a Prezume or visualCV — that may be a better choice for you.

Your Circle of Influence

One of the biggest challenges for the new Twitter user is deciding whom to follow. I typically suggest that you follow the Twitter accounts of companies or organizations you want to work for or with whom you want to do business.

Just think of the impact you'll make on a hiring manager when they ask you the predictable "What can you tell us about our company?" Your competition will parrot the vision statement, etc., from the company's website; but you will share news about a new product, contract or other announcement that may have been shared by the company on their Twitter feed that day.

Talk about a wow factor! Heck, your interviewer may not have been aware of that breaking news! (Unless they're reading this article, of course.)

Heed Caution Before You Interact

Most Twitter users fail because they don't take the time to listen. Don't be one of them. (Remember the old adage "listen before you speak"? It still applies.)

Once you've chosen to follow a company's Twitter account, watch their Twitter feed for about a week. Pay close attention to the information they share and how they interact with their followers, and then start engaging in the conversation. Start building your social capital by retweeting a post. Your aim is to slowly establish a relationship with the person(s) managing the company's Twitter account.

Once they've felt comfortable enough to follow you, you can then direct message them asking for tips or suggestions for applying for positions at their company, or even request the name of the hiring manager for a particular position.

Building Your Personal Hiring Team

As I previously mentioned, another strategy is to find people on Twitter who can either hire you or place you in front of hiring managers. For this reason, I like Followerwonk. Once you've signed in using your Twitter account, it allows you to search all of the 600+ million Twitter user biographies.

For example, for the military job seeker looking for a recruiter who specializes in sourcing military talent (which you should be), you can enter "Military Recruiter" or "Military Talent" in the "search Twitter bios" tab and then narrow your list based on their bios and industries. You can also search for titles such as "Executive Vice President," "General Manager" and "CEO" to grow your network.

Don't go overboard, though, because you want to have as many people follow you as you personally follow. This is called your friend-to-follow ratio (FF). Most Twitter users will look at your FF, most recent tweets, how long you've been on Twitter and whether or not your profile seems genuine. You should do the same before following anyone. This is how you can spot spammers, as well.

Remember that you're not obligated to follow anyone back simply because they follow you. There's a cool app called JustUnfollow to help keep your FF ratio balanced. Twitter allows you to follow up to 2,000 tweeps (had to do it). At that point, it looks for an FF ratio of less than 120% before it allows you to follow any more.

Let Technology Work for You

There's a host of different articles that will provide more of the "nuts and bolts" of using Twitter for your career than the scope of this article allows. Topics such as the best hashtags for job seekers to use and advanced job search techniques using Twitter are a few that are out there.

It's important to note that managing Twitter can become confusing and time-consuming. For that reason, I suggest you use Twitter management tools such as Hootsuite, Tweetdeck and SocialBro to keep track of whether or not your name has been mentioned, to keep your Twitter feeds organized, and to set up persistent searches (such as jobs and business opportunities). Using these tools allows you to dedicate no more than 10 minutes to managing your Twitter account each day.

I'm eager as always to hear your thoughts and feedback. If you're on Twitter, let's connect and "Tweetup" with the hashtag #MilChat. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have on there, if you dare to enter the Twitterverse. For those who are still unconvinced, you can connect with me on LinkedIn.

How will YOU start using Twitter for your career? Let us know!

About Sultan Camp - Sultan Camp is a proud veteran, travel hound and Orion International Military Recruiter looking for hard workers to place into rewarding careers within Fortune 500 and 1000 companies. Making your military transition successful is his goal.

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New Grads: These 10 Job Search Mistakes Cost You Time and Money

© Copyright, 2014, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.

Your first "real" (as in, now-I-must-be-self-supporting) job search is a learning experience like no other. So many options; so little time! You do NOT want to make mistakes, but you may not be clear on exactly what to do next and what is appropriate.

The 10 mistakes that new grads (and many others) make that postpone that first paycheck:

1. Don't apply too slowly.

According to a 2011 study of 6,600 hires in 10 industries by StartWire.com:

"Of those hired, 27% applied within the first two days after a job was posted. Nearly 50% of the hires were applicants who applied within the 1st week; approximately 75% of all hired candidates applied within three weeks."

2. Don't apply too quickly.

This is the flip side of not applying quickly enough — many job seekers seem to apply too quickly. They don't appear to take the time to read more than the job title of the posting. So they waste time and energy applying for jobs that are not appropriate, and they look dumb while doing it.

If you don't meet at least 80% of the job's "requirements" move on.

3. Leverage the mutual benefits of employee referrals.

According to the annual CareerXRoads' "Sources of Hire" survey, the number one source of "external" hires is referral by an employee. Year after year, referrals are # 1! (An "external hire" is someone who is not an employee.)

Many employers have "employee referral programs" which reward employees if someone they recommend is hired. Connecting with people who work for your target employers or in your target industry is a great foot-in-the-door move on your way to being referred in to an employer. Everybody wins with this approach!

4. Be skeptical of websites, employers, and job postings.

Human predators are as plentiful on the Internet as in real life, perhaps more plentiful because through the Internet they can reach you from all over the world. These predators target job seekers because job seekers are willing to share information that most people are not (location and other contact information, education details). So, verify before you trust with your resume and other personal information.

Be wary of employers you've never heard of, and verify the ones you find. A job posting by Google (or any other genuine employer) could be a fake. Even though Google is real, a scammer could be using Google's name to attract victims. Look for a published business phone number in the location where they claim to have a job ready for you to compare with the contact information included in the job posting. Superpages.com is a good source.

Learn more about online scams and how to avoid them in Job-Hunt's Guide to Avoiding Scams and Scammers.

5. Understand that most job seekers are "selling," not "buying."

It's too easy to approach a job search from a WIIFM (What's In It For Me) perspective. However, when you are corresponding with an employer, a focus on WIIFT (What's In It For THEM) is a more successful approach!

The example, below, is a WIIFM-style "cover letter/email," a very bad approach -

"I saw your job posting on Indeed, and I want to apply for the job. I think that your company would be an interesting place to work. I think it offers me a great future, and I would like to live in Phoenix where you are located. I have attached my resume for your consideration."

NNothing in that paragraph offers a benefit to the employer! Nice as the employer reading that paragraph might be, he or she doesn't really care what you want. They care what you can do for them. So, look at the opportunity from the employer's perspective, and sell your qualifications for their job. First, make it clear the job you are applying for so they won't need to figure it out, and then connect your qualifications with their job's requirements.

6. Don't spend too much time networking online.

While LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Plus, and Facebook can be very helpful for job search, the best networking is done face-to-face.

Networking can happen any time at least 2 people are in the same place. I saw 3 people connect with good jobs at a colleague's wake! So, go to those association meetings, attend those seminars, talk to people in line at the grocery store, etc. You never know who knows about job opportunities that might be right for you.

7. Don't ignore your online reputation.

LLike everyone else, employers use search engines for research, but they are researching job applicants. And if they find something bad, even if it is by or about someone else with the same or a similar name, you are done. So establish a "clean" name, use it in all your job search documents, and practice Defensive Googling regularly, even after you have found a job.

BTW, LinkedIn and Google Plus are very effective for claiming your name and establishing your online reputation. You control what both show employers about you, and both rank high in Google search results, so they are very powerful and effective for online reputation management. Read Job-Hunt's Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search and Guide to Google Plus for Job Search.

88. Don't passively wait for the job offer.

Find a way to network in, if you haven't already. See if you know anyone who works there, or anyone who knows anyone who works there. Someone else from the same school? Or someone from the same town? Do they know the hiring manager? Can you get your resume to that internal person to hand to the hiring manager or the HR manager or the Decision-Maker with a big smile and a personal recommendation?

9. Don't stop looking too soon.

SSo many job seekers stop their job search when they have what feels like a "hot lead." They wait for that job offer to come through. They stop looking for opportunities, and they spend a lot of time wondering what is taking so long.

However, you don't have an offer until you have a starting date and a starting salary. So, keep networking, and keep looking!

10. Act like a grown-up.

That means not applying for inappropriate jobs and not using texting language and slang in resumes or other business communications.

That also means being prepared for job interviews — dressing appropriately, knowing the job and the employer, using good grammar and language, having good questions to ask (NOT about the salary and vacation!), not bringing in food or drink, and not answering your cellphone during the interview (turn it OFF!).

Bottom Line

YYes, you will find a job. You will make mistakes (part of being human), but you will hopefully learn from them and not make the same mistakes twice. And, BTW, new grads are not the only job seekers making these mistakes.

About the Author… Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 2011, NETability purchased WorkCoachCafe.com, and Susan has been editor and publisher of WorkCoach since then. Susan also edits and publishes Job-Hunt.org, is a Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a columnist on HuffingtonPost. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Google+

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Veterans look to succeed as entrepreneurs

By Stephanie Snyder - Ventura County Star, Calif.
Used with permission from Stars and Stripes © 2014 Stars and Stripes
www.stripes.com

VENTURA, Calif. — Making a transition out of the military can be challenging for service members as they look to translate their military skill set into civilian work.

But as increasing resources become available, prospective veterans are more easily connecting leadership and task-oriented characteristics they have as military members with the mindset of an entrepreneur.

A joint collaboration between the Defense Department and the Small Business Association produced a new course, Boots to Business, to give military members the tools they need to become entrepreneurs.

An estimated 1,000 people transition out of the military through Naval Base Ventura County annually, said Kirstin Davy, a transition coordinator for Naval Base Ventura County.

Boots to Business is one of three optional workshops on easing veterans into civilian life, whether it is entrepreneurship, vocational training or higher education.

About 45 local active military members and veterans have participated in Boots to Business since it launched at Naval Base Ventura County in September.

The quarterly two-day workshops are led by Patrick Rodriguez, a Los Angeles-based economic development specialist for the Small Business Administration.

Rodriguez, who served in the Army for eight years, started the recent workshop at the base's Fleet and Family Support Center in Port Hueneme by telling the class of 10 that moving from being enlisted in the military to being a business owner is not a long leap.

"The majority of folks who are coming out of the service have a lot of discipline, motivation. They're very task-oriented," Rodriguez said. "They have a lot of the same skill sets that entrepreneurs have so they're not really having to climb that hill. They're at the top of that hill. Now they just kind of have to get over and get their idea in place and get their business plan in place."

Veterans make up 6 percent of the U.S. population and nearly 14 percent of the country's small-business owners, Rodriguez said.

"Just being a veteran in that network is tremendous. It's a really great starting point," Rodriguez said. "They know that they don't want to work for anybody else. They're tired of taking orders from anybody so they have that mentality of doing it themselves, working for themselves."

The course uses a curriculum developed by the Syracuse University Institute for Veterans and Military Families and offers an introduction to business development, ownership and planning; the economics of small businesses and startups; an understanding of markets and competitive space; the selection of the correct legal entity; and the use of resources.

Boots to Business participants include active-duty and retired military members, Rodriguez said. Some come in not knowing what they want to do after leaving the military, while others are ready to develop a business plan, he added.

"It's always a challenge to hit that right note for those folks who are already kind of more sophisticated and know more about business," Rodriguez said.

Hector Calderon, 40, spent the past 20 years in the Navy, serving two tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. For the past three years, he worked as a construction facilities manager at the Port Hueneme base.

But the Oxnard father of three said starting a business has been on his mind for the past decade. Through the Navy, he received his bachelor's degree in business administration, and he's one class away from finishing his master's in business administration.

Calderon, who attended the Boots to Business workshop, said he hopes to launch a security company after he completely separates from the military at the end of July.

"There are so many resources in this country that we can take advantage of," said Calderon, who moved to the U.S. from Colombia at age 18. "I want to accomplish something that I built, that I constructed."

Calderon said he chose a security guard business because of the skills he learned in the military and after researching its market growth. But he said he has concerns about obtaining the money to get the business up and running.

"The hardest thing is to get the financial help that you require," he said. "Not a lot of banks or companies loan on a new business."

Typically about half of the Boots to Business lessons are led by members of the Ventura County chapter of Score, most of whom have owned or run a business and offer a variety of expertise.

Along with Score, the Small Business Association has a national resource partnership with the Small Business Development Center Network and the Women's Business Center.

Larry Willett, chairman of the local chapter of Score, said the nonprofit's involvement in Boots to Business is going well and that he hopes to establish more ongoing opportunities with the base to connect with military members as they continue to build their business.

"The service people that are taking that Boots to Business program at the base are basically personnel looking to be mustered out in the future and thinking about going into business, so, to me, that's kind of a limited opportunity," Willett said.

Willett said it would be effective to connect interested military members with regular seminars hosted by the nonprofit that are more in-depth than Boots to Business. Score also provides free business counseling with any of its 63 members, Willett added.

"If they contact us for counseling, that's really the best way to start," he said. "Then it's according to their schedule. ... We work out a time and place to meet, and at that point we're working one-on-one."

Some local veterans are taking advantage of Score resources, including a recent all-day small-business seminar in Camarillo.

Ventura resident J.P. Budd retired from the Marine Corps in 2005 after nearly six years of service as a communications officer that included tours in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Budd is one of 120 franchise owners of Unishippers, a national freight-shipping company that focuses on small to midsize businesses.

"I like the franchise model because it's a proven business model and you have a support network. You're not reinventing the wheel," he said. "Within shipping, even in a down economy, companies are still going to need to ship, and so there's always going to be a need for it. It's just when things are slow, they might not be shipping as much."

Budd said he worried about finding a way to translate his military skills to a civilian job but quickly realized the intangibles he gained from the Marines were invaluable to becoming an entrepreneur.

"There's a lot of grind to running your business," he said. "If you have the discipline to get up and do what you need to do on a daily basis and work toward a goal and work with people — whether it's your vendors, customers or employees — you'll be successful. A lot of that stuff is kind of driven into you in the military."

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