Fudging The Facts

November 06, 1998

Let's face it, you're for sale.

Jobhunting is all about selling your services. You are the product. Getting a hiring manager to seriously consider putting you on the payroll may require some sleight of hand. At some point in the Jobhunting process you may find yourself tempted to make your work accomplishments appear more significant than they really are. For example, should you lie on your resume?

Absolutely.

Lying is endemic in our culture. Telling the truth, exactly as you perceive it, makes people very uncomfortable. I know, I've tried it. Far too often. We are the TV generation, born and bred to consume lies, half-truths, and doublespeak. Our Politicians, Lawyers (a bit of redundancy there), and Celebrities make their living by spinning elaborate webs of deceit. They are selling themselves and a particular version of reality in which they come out smelling like a rose. It's as American as car commercials.

Do you know how much money is spent every year on advertising? Over one trillion dollars. All this is spent in an attempt to convince you to want (and buy) things you don't need. Your prospective employer is in a similar boat. You must convince her that she's got to have you working for her, because you're like money in the bank. Hiring managers know only what you (and your references) tell them. Obviously, if you say you were the project manager, and you were only the assistant gofer, your credibility will be difficult to maintain.

One Caveat, however. The most believable lies are those sprinkled with a healthy dose of truth. No one believes that Bill Clinton didn't inhale, but his answer was close enough to the truth to let it slide. Of course, hiring managers are trained (or have learned from experience) to sift through your spin, looking to see what is going on behind the curtain. Keep your puffery to a believable minimum, and let a few heartfelt admissions slip through the screen. "To be perfectly honest, I had a lot of help from my team members on that project." "The overall economy was good in our industry during that quarter. Some of my division's success was due to other factors."

Selling involves several stages. Once you've targeted the mark (employer), you have to do something to pique their interest. Resume fluffing sometimes does the trick, but sometimes simple in your face persistence works as well. Hopefully you will have enough time during the interview process to find out what fears and needs are driving the employer's questions. If you believe that you are best person for the job, and that this is the job that really suits you, others will be happy enough to believe you too. It takes too much energy to fight your enthusiasm.

How do you get to that point? Practice saying it. "I do believe, I do believe…" Or, for those with more time and money, acting lessons.

-Mark Poppen

Working References

November 05, 1998

Often the final stage of successful Jobhunting involves proving that past employers valued your work. Hiring managers want to have others help shoulder the burden of making the decision to hire you, so they ask for your references (if they can't find a mutual acquaintance). In this way they are trying to spread the responsibility of making the hiring decision by themselves, even though they know that former employers are wary about saying anything negative. "Her last manager said she worked like a dog!" is a weak but viable defense if your work product at your new firm begins to stink.

Employers tend to hire people they feel comfortable with. Part of your job during the Jobhunt is to find ways to insinuate yourself into the hiring manager's comfort zone. If you are unable to impress them or someone they know with your persistence, intelligence, & ability, your next best bet is to have their professional colleagues (your previous employers) sing your praises. Even if they are not in the same field, your former supervisors and colleagues know your work habits and abilities as well as anyone.

Prepare the people who are on your reference page before they are called. They should have an updated copy of your resume before they are contacted. There is no penalty for reminding them by phone or fax ahead of time what your job duties were, what projects you completed in a timely and successful manner, or what special recognition you earned while in their employ. In fact, they will appreciate not having to think too hard about what it was, exactly, you did for them.

If you don't warn the people on your reference page that they may be called in the next few days, then you deserve to suffer the consequences. "Gloria? Yes, I believe she worked for us for a while. She seemed fairly pleasant. Talked a lot, though. She's not the quiet type, you know!" This is not the type of succinct, crisp, positive, and detailed response you want going out as representative of your abilities.

Ask your prospective employer to call your references within a few days, as they are expecting the call. And don't forget to ask your references to give you a call after your prospective employer calls them. Find out, in detail, what kinds of questions were asked. After hearing several of these responses, see if you can pick up a pattern.

Are prospective employers trying to find out about specific skills that you may lack? Or are they focusing in on how well you blend in with peers? You may discern what hiring managers perceive as your employee weaknesses from either your resume or your interview. The answers to these questions may lead you to actually getting the job on the next go round.

-Mark Poppen

Changing Uniforms

November 04, 1998

Are you re-entering the civilian workforce after a prolonged absence from it? Thousands of veterans struggle with the shift to civilian employment. In fact, the unemployment rate for veterans is 7%, compared to 4.5% for the overall population. More often than not, the problem is a hiring manager's discomfort with a veteran's mannerisms. The general rule (no pun intended) is: Like hires like - and people fresh out of the military often behave in ways that the rest of us are not used to seeing.

Overcoming this difficulty may not be as easy as it should be. Humans are creatures of habit, and the military is notorious for grinding away at personal idiosyncracies and putting their generic stamp on people. Some traits that might be seen as positive work habits (e.g. curt, abrupt answers; forceful politeness; responses given only when asked) may actually be disruptive in a workplace where sarcasm and playful creativity are the norm. Veterans can benefit from recognizing this bias and proactively adjusting their mannerisms to fit into the hiring manager's comfort zone.

Prior to leaving military service, military personnel should check out the section of their particular service's personnel manual where jobs and tasks are cross-coded to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. You will need to rename your skills relative to the occupation your are seeking. Commanding a platoon becomes 'Managing Director' for cross functioning project teams. Couch your military experience in terms that the person that can hire you can relate to immediately. Often they are looking to fill a position by screening out anyone who doesn't fit into a very narrow range abilities. This tunnel vision approach to hiring often eliminates veterans who are qualified, but haven't taken the time to tweak their named skills into the proper form.

Hire Quality Inc. focuses on helping veterans make the transition from military to civilian life. A generation or two ago, companies were eager to hire veterans - it was a badge of honor and responsibility. Today there are a lot fewer ex-military personnel in the workforce, so employers and colleagues may have a subtle and subconcious tendency to feel uneasy around their more pronounced differences. This is unfair. And it's also the reality of the situation. Moving from one subculture to another requires a willingness to change.

Employers are looking for adaptability - employees who can innovatively adjust to changing work demands. Show them you are this type of employee by transforming your drab military garb (and habits) into whatever fits at your target company.

-Mark Poppen

Courting Your Employer

November 03, 1998

Jobs exist in the context of relationships.

Beginnings and endings are difficult, whether they occur in your personal or professional relationships. Jobhunting involves many of the same pitfalls as dating - one minute your hopes are sky high, the next everything comes crashing to the ground. Progressive failure is an integral part of courting, whether you are courting for fun or profit.

Rejection is a shock to your self-esteem. While 'whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger' has a comforting ring to it (albeit somewhat masochistic), the reality is this idea is promulgated by people who are not suffering from any adverse conditions now. The 'strength through adversity' crowd is always talking about events in the past tense. What they have developed, via distancing themselves from their rejections, is perspective. You can have a long term perspective as well.

Talk to others in your position - commiserate with other Jobhunters about what went wrong in the interview process. Exchange your Jobhunting horror stories. It is hard to be objective about your own performance during the interview, so dig around a little. If you didn't get the Job, ask why. Did you lack some particular skills, or did the hiring manager perceive a lack of some key qualities (e.g. initiative, assertiveness, confidence).

Remember how awkward the first few weeks (and last weeks!) on your last Job were? You're constantly walking on eggshells trying to avoid stepping on anyone's toes, or turf. The trick is to recall the ease and confidence that came as you nestled into your role with the company. Approach your date with the hiring manager on this level - because that's the comfort level that both of you are desperate to attain. Your prospective employer craves someone to bring the company stress (and workload) level back down to the comfort zone.

During the mating dance between you and your prospective employer, they will be trying to find out if there is a good match between the two of you. They will be thinking:

• "Is this the Job you want (or will you leave me as soon as something better comes along)?"
• "Am I asking the right questions to find out if you will make my (work) life better or worse?"
• "Do you have sufficient skills to do the Job (or, are you good enough for me?)