Do you agree or argue in response to criticism, and why?

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Of course, the interviewer (the one with whom you talk) wants to learn your strengths and weaknesses directly from you. If to this question you answer that you always argue, it can be seen as a lack of flexibility. Such a man is usually difficult to be managed, which is rarely accepted by the employer. Often people who are always arguing, are credited with megalomania. Therefore, it will be an obvious disadvantage against your name in the list of candidates.

If you say that you always agree with everything, you will more likely be considered too soft. If, in response, you indicate specific examples of criticism, that your are prepared to accept – the interviewer will immediately consider your answer a recognition of weaknesses.

The result? Anticipating the advice of many subsequent issues, we can say that in such cases, the extremes do not usually speak in favor of the candidate. Best of all – to find some middle ground.
In this case, the answer is that you will agree only with the part of critics that you feel are just. Taking into account the previous paragraph, it is better not to specify particular types of criticism.

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Interview: Why have you come to us?

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We continue studying the subject, what questions might sound during the interview.

Today we have a fairly simple, common and requiring a preparation question to the candidate during the interview: why have you applied to our company? This, if you came to the company by yourself or after reading an announcement. As an alternative: “Why have you agreed to come to an interview at our company?” – In case the company has contacted you itself.

Let me remind you that in such matters there is a need to adhere to the truth and not to think of something else, because the company can easily catch you by guile. For example, if you say that you consider the company one of the leading in any area, but in reality the company is clearly not among the best.

Your answer to the question has to convince the employer that you are interested in working for this company, and why you have applied to a certain vacancy.

Of course, the person conducting the interview, will highlight those people who will answer honestly (without guile – see above), with arguments and without a doubt. For example, during a crisis it is much easier to justify the interest – with a large deficit of jobs.

But at any time, the company is more interested in people who have burning enthusiasm, who like the chosen direction, to whom it is important to develop themselves (career and / or professionally) and develop the company, where they work.

Clothing & Career

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By paraphrasing the famous expression that “you are what you eat”, we can say with confidence: “You’ll be, what you are dressed in.” Yes, if you want to accomplish everything that your manager has, write this phrase everywhere: on the refrigerator, on the doors of the study, on your computer desktop, etc.

To find out whether you will have a salary increase, there is no need to run to the fortune-teller, calculate a lucky number, because your clothes will tell everything about you.”If you want to go up the corporate ladder, dress as if you’re already on the top of it” – these wise words apply to everyone, regardless of where you work.

Cannot decide what style of clothing to choose? Look at the clothing of your boss. No matter, whether it is a woman or a man. You do not have to become his “little copy”, just watch out for his/her manner of dressing. What your boss usually wears at work? What style, fabrics, pattern does he/she prefer? You can make up your wardrobe, guided by the answers to these questions. The most important thing is to do it discreetly and quietly. If you dress the same way as do the dignitaries of your office, they will take you “for them.”

If your boss is a man, just know that men are more receptive to the signals, which the clothing carries, than women. According to one informal survey, men tend more to judge a person by his clothes, than women. When it comes to image and appearance, men give higher marks to those women who look good. And “good” in their understanding does not necessarily mean “having beautiful facial features, or shape.” “Good” – meaning well-groomed and in accordance with the situation. This is one of the keys to success.

Main Mistakes in Finding a Job

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Russian specialists have made a list of the most common mistakes of job seekers. Those who failed to find a job have made the same mistakes.

The most common mistakes when looking for a job:

  • Wrong job search strategy: chaotic distribution of the resume, the use of only one source (eg, Internet).
  • Excessive salary and career ambitions.
  • Unsuccessful self-presentation at the interview.
  • Fuzzy formulation of the goals for example, when a person cannot describe what he would do.
  • Fraud in the summary or dishonesty during the interview.
  • Bad manners: mobile phone call at an interview or being late for a meeting with a recruiter.
  • Information overload, long resume.
  • Trade for a higher salary at the last stage of selection.
  • Incorrect self-positioning (choosing non suitable profession).
  • Talking about inappropriate topics during the interview (for example, details of personal lives, inappropriate comments about previous places of work).

Telephone Conversation with the Employer

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Telephone conversation is your first personal contact with a future employer, and it is important to make a good impression already at this stage. Even if the meeting is appointed by the secretary, she/he will immediately report the employer about how your conversation went.

What needs to be done during a phone conversation?

Find out for what position you are invited, ask the necessary questions about the vacant place. If the position originally does not suit you, tell about it in a polite manner and refuse to be interviewed, citing proper arguments. Do not waste precious time (both yours and an employer’s) on the unpromising meeting.

Write the company name, name and surname of the person with whom you spoke, and a phone number for contacting them in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Find out who exactly will conduct the interview with you, his name. You will make a good impression if you contact him by name and patronymic during the meeting.

Find out the exact address where the interview is going to take place. Arrange the meeting so that other things will not disturb you.

Learn how long the interview will take place, whether you need to fill in the questionnaire, undergo written tests or carry out practical tests.

Development is necessary for everyone

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Do you often think about the development opportunities, or the professional or career growth?

Active people, who are often very involved in the working process, every day are ready to perform some similar functions, but usually at specific intervals: someone for a year, others for 2 years, someone more or less, but people begin to think about their professional, career, or just self-development.

How to deal with this issue, if today the company where you work does not offer any development possibility, and requires you to do your job in a proper way, with rigid frames and inability to expand the horizon of your functions?

First you’ll need to understand what growth you want to have: You want to take a new position, for example, a leadership position, you would like to extend your functionality and to perform more complex work, perhaps you want to change the profile of your business, to go to another department or have a narrow specialization, and maybe you just need new knowledge and it will be enough to go on any course, to study a new language, buy a “smart” book or enter the second higher education with an aim to self-development.

In my opinion, the desire of development is something that will sooner or later come to all of us. Most importantly, it is useful both for the individual and for the company where he works, because the staff is what any company is based on, and only the ones seeking self-development and career growth can create a team of professionals.

The Effectiveness of Conducting an Interview

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What kind of interview is more effective, when the recruiter is friendly, is interested in the candidate, is showing emotions, or when he is keeping distance and carries on a formal conversation?

This is a subject of argues. In my opinion, everything is very individual and while interviewing, a professional HR-specialist, depending on the position, the communication style of the candidate should use a certain method of conducting interviews.

Of course, a formal interview, where specialists are not showing their interest to the candidate and the communication is not transferred to a more friendly way, increases the objectivity of the assessment. But sometimes showing interest to the candidate, asking him how he got there, just being friendly and smiling, will relax the candidate and in such a situation, he will tell you much more than if he is very excited, constrained and thinking about answering each question correctly.

And it will no longer be the true face of the candidate.

Should “pleasant appearance” be specified in the requirements for the position?

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Requirement, such as “pleasant appearance” sounds quite strange. At first, almost every candidate, when looking for a job, evaluates himself in terms of his professional qualities, experience, language skills and personal skills. But there are positions at which the presence of pleasant appearance, accuracy and restrained business style are fundamental. As a rule, these are experts who work directly with customers through personal contacts, meetings, maintenance, negotiations, and also work with VIP clients.

On the one hand, we understand that specifying requirements such as pleasant appearance, is a discriminating factor and it is not right specifying it.

But on the other hand, we understand that a woman of a 52 size cannot be a stewardess.

And if we understand that a large flow of people will come, who already with these parameters cannot be considered for a particular vacancy, it is worth taking the risk and indicate this requirement; it may nevertheless reduce the arrival of unsuitable candidates.

What if the candidate keeps interrupting?

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There are candidates who simply do not know how to listen, constantly interrupt, and lead the conversation around their personality.

We can conclude that the person is very sociable, a leader by nature, leads an active life, but it is important to remember that you’ve come to an interview and should accept this not primarily as an argument or friendly conversation, but as a business meeting.

In this case, it is important to show the ability to conduct business negotiations, to listen and hear the interlocutor, understand where it is necessary to wait, to answer questions clearly and thoroughly, that is to build a conversation so that it was clear, constructive and providing an opportunity for both sides to speak.

If you want to argue someone, to prove that you are at altitude, then a qualified recruitment specialist will hardly be able to support you in this entertainment, but will just try to politely finish the conversation, and draw conclusions about your meeting. In this case, it certainly will not be in advantage to the assessment of your candidacy.

Stress Resistance Ability Test

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Have you ever experienced dealing with a very strict manager, have you ever taken offense from him? What do you think, where is the line between the necessary strictness and peremptory tone in business communication with the manager?

We would like to talk a bit on this topic.

Often during the job interview people are asked whether they can resist a stress. What does the employer mean with this: that the employee will be able to cope with large amount of work, that can make a decision in complex non-standard situations, or that he can work with an employer who considers quite the norm insulting his employees as a form of education?

In our opinion it is more correct to speak not of stress resistance, but the willingness to work with such a manager. We do not doubt that there are people who have a strong willed character, clearly know what to seek in a career, in general, of course, are stress resistant, ready to accept any constructive criticism, even raising tones, willing to work in constant pressure from management, with a constant focus on results, for increasing sales, for example; but these people can have a right not to take offense to their personal address, that will just interfere with their normal accomplishment, perception of communication and alignment of business relations, and of course just respecting themselves.

We agree with this point of view, but what you say?