The key to successful interviewing is being prepared.
Certain questions are considered "standard", yet few people
think about their responses ahead of time. When candidates
are unprepared, their answers may showcase emotions that
are valid, but could be damaging to reveal during an
interview. One of the most common interview questions is
"Why are you currently in a job search?" When you have been
downsized and you need to communicate your situation to a
hiring manager, your response should combine a positive
reflection regarding your previous employer with a brief
discussion of the business reasons why you are no longer
employed by them. Below are five strategies for crafting an
effective statement.
Examine your emotions
Was your position off-shored to a country where labor costs
are one-third of what they are at home? Did management
reduce their front line staff while increasing executive
bonuses? Did your position become redundant after a company
merger? When jobs are lost because of these types of
situations, people can become angry and feel betrayed by
their former employer. If this anger comes across in the
interview, you will not be seen as the top candidate, even
if you are the most qualified. Nobody wants to hire someone
who's carrying around excess baggage or has a chip on their
shoulder.
Prior to your interview, you need to separate your emotions
from the business reasons for a job loss. Acknowledge your
emotions to yourself and those close to you, but prepare a
statement that conveys the business reasons for why you are
currently in a job search.
Say something positive
Before you discuss the situation that led to your job loss,
say something positive about your experience with that
employer.
Example I was fortunate enough to work with company X for
seven years. I had the opportunity to work with some
exceptional programmers and hone my technical skills. I was
proud to provide quality customer service to clients at XYZ
company. They stood by their products and rewarded
employees that made a favorable impression on their
customers.
Discuss the business reason for the job loss
Discuss your job loss in the general context of the
company. Rather than personalizing the situation by saying
things like "I was let go", "My job was eliminated" or "My
position was outsourced", discuss how a department,
business group or particular type of professional
responsibility was eliminated. This shows the hiring
manager that others lost their jobs as well and that the
loss was not due to your individual performance.
Example Unfortunately my entire department of 20 was
eliminated. As a result of a global company restructuring,
the company had to reduce their NY workforce by 25%. The
accounting function was outsourced and all ten accounting
professionals were let go.
Prepare multiple level responses
If you were let go, but your co-worker who performs the
same job function was not, it is wise to create two
responses. Part one is a general response and part two is
used if the interviewer probes further about your situation.
Level One A business decision was made to reduce the help
desk staff by 50%.
Level Two
For some interviewers the previous answer satisfies their
curiosity. Others may probe and ask: How many were in your
department and how many were let go? Why were you let go
rather than your co-worker?
Assure the interviewer that the job loss was not
performance based. Don't discuss any speculations you may
have about the company or your manager's motives.
Example The company suffered low 4th quarter earnings which
translated into a 50% reduction of staff in four
departments. In my group the 50% reduction represented the
elimination of one position. The specific reasons for the
decision were not communicated to me; however I can assure
you that the decision was not performance related. My
manager was extremely satisfied with my performance and has
offered to serve as a reference on my behalf.
Keep in mind that if your company's workforce reduction was
significant, the situation may have received widespread
media attention. If this is the case, the interviewer may
comment on what they've read in the papers or say something
like "I recently read that company X laid off 3,000
employees in the 4th quarter...that must have been an
extremely difficult time." Stick to your original story, be
sure to say something positive about the company, and don't
turn it into an emotional exchange.
Practice
Write out what you plan to say and make revisions. Practice
your response with someone close to your situation such as
a family member, friend or colleague. Record your response
on your telephone answering machine, play it back and
critique it. Have you personalized your situation or
discussed it in a business context? Do your words flow and
do you sound sincere?
Preparing an effective statement to explain the reason you
are in a job search is critical to the overall success of
your search campaign. Reflect on the positive aspects of
your work experience and take the time to create a
statement that explains your reasons for being in a job
search. You will enhance your confidence during the
interview and improve your credibility with the hiring
manager.
----------------------------------------------------
Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers,
(http://www.careersolvers.com ) has over 12 years of
experience in career management, recruiting, executive
coaching, and organizational development. Ms. Safani
partners with both Fortune 100 companies and individuals to
deliver targeted programs focusing on resume development,
job search strategies, networking, interviewing, and salary
negotiation skills.
No comments:
Post a Comment