How Not to Baba Booey an Interview

We know it. We have studied it. We dread it. The Interview. When you are actively searching for jobs many thoughts run through your mind: “This position looks like it fits me, I’m going to apply!” or “Awesome! They sent me a positive email/phone response to my application!” and “What do I wear? What time do I arrive? How do I act for… The Interview?!” Let’s face it interviews are terrifying! No matter how prepared you are, how well you are suited for the job or how nice the interviewer is, that “interview panic” stays with you before, during and for a little while after you knock their socks off…or don’t (but that’s why you are reading this!). So here are seven tips and tricks for how to make a positive impression:

1.    Make Your Resume Relevant

Over the course of our professional careers our resumes are going to be edited dramatically not only from the variety of positions we will hold, but also from altering each resume for each job application. You may have held 10 internship positions in your college career, from working at a magazine, graphic design, carpentry, etc., but that doesn’t mean that your potential future employer needs to know, nor cares about all of these positions. Make sure that what you list on your resume applies to the job you are hoping to get! Sure, add a few things to show that you are well rounded, but not too many. Make it relevant not ridiculous.

2.    Practice, Practice, Practice

No matter how many interviews you have attempted, practice always makes perfect! Look up common interview questions and practice your responses to them. Make sure that your responses are short and relevant to the position. The more you practice the more confident and competent you will look!

 3.    10-15 Minutes

Arriving on time is arriving late. If your interview is at 9:00 a.m. be there at 8:45, 8:50 at the latest. Without saying anything, your timely, or not so timely, arrival shows how important this position is to you and what kind of worker you are. Arriving early is the easiest way to make a positive impression, so plan ahead and show them you are serious!

4.    Do Your Homework

One of the most common interview questions is: So tell me what you know about (company’s name)? If you can’t sum up the basics from what is on the company’s website or social media pages, you mine as well just apologize for being a moron/wasting their time, and leave. Like showing up early, knowing basic facts about the company’s history and goals is a must and shows how seriously you do and will take this position. Make them feel like you have been a part of the team for years from all that you know about the company!

5.    Dress The Part

Dressing the part goes hand-in-hand with doing your homework on the company. For example, showing up for an interview at a laid-back company that sells surfboards in a suit is not appropriate and quite frankly borders on embarrassing. The same goes for showing up at an interview with a law firm in jeans and a t-shirt. Like showing up early, this is a non-verbal cue that shows how much work you have put into your research on the company and what you know about the position you are hoping to fill.

6.    Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Some Q’s!

The best way to show that you are engaged in the interview is to ask questions throughout, and end it with a few closing q’s! Questions like: What are you looking for in the employee who fills this position? And, When are you hoping to fill this position by? Are great ways to look as though not only do you want the position, but you are willing to be whatever they need you to be and you are ready to start immediately. Obviously, do not ask these questions if they have already been discussed in the interview, so make sure you come up with a list of 5 or 6 ahead of time. 

7.    Follow Up!

Lastly, after your interview, when they smack themselves in the head wondering where you had been hiding all this time because of how perfect you are for this job, follow up. Send an email, or hand-write a thank you card (the latter is a great choice in an age where technology has overtaken personal mail), expressing your gratitude to them for taking the time to interview you and emphasize your continued interest in the position. Be prompt and professional! As I have repeated, show them that you are serious about their company and this position!

Motivational Mantras

It’s the beginning of January! New Years Day is still fresh in our minds! So what does that call for? Motivational quote time! Here at Search Solution Group we are all about being our best selves and loving our lives and what we chose to do with them! So, we have decided to share some of our favorite quotes with you to help you conquer that inner, or outer, battle you may be facing!

Ashley:

“ A year from now you will wish you had started today.”

-“I believe in going after your dreams and goals. Procrastination will not get you there.”

Eric:

 “The choice isn’t between success and failure: it’s between choosing risk and striving for greatness, or risking nothing and being certain of mediocrity.” –Keith Ferrazzi

-“I’ve always liked this quote because it serves as a reminder to push the envelope. Without risk, there is no reward.”

Candace:

“The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.” –Thomas Edison

-“This means never giving up. Deciding what you’re made of and proving that you can accomplish your goals. Follow-through, Follow-up, never give up…”

Danielle:

 “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something-your gut, your destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart even when it leads you off the well worn path; and that will make all the difference.” –Steve Jobs

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

-“I am a planner, overly so, and can easily feel overwhelmed with the uncertainty of the future. These two  [quotes] really help to push me out of my comfort zone which is usually when the most exciting things happen!”

Aaron:

 “Esse Quam Videri” = “To be, rather than to seem (to be)” –State Motto of NC

-“A.k.a. = don’t talk about it, be about it. Let your actions define your words.”

Angelique:

“Our whole philosophy is one of transparency.”

-“I think that self-awareness is the most necessary trait someone can possess. You can never enhance your character or stimulate personal and professional growth unless you truly understand your current state of strengths and weaknesses.”

Hannah:

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take you to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”

– “There are so many things you want your life to turn out to be, things that you desire, hopes and dreams, but the only way to be able to look back on your life with minimal regrets is if you accept that, without your permission, the time will pass and it is your choice what to do with it.”

Dave:

“Be nicer than necessary to everyone you meet.  Everyone is fighting some kind of battle.”

-“I like this quote because I believe it is very true, and I like giving people the benefit of the doubt.”

How pumped are you about life right now?! Are you ready to go and be the best you can be? Here at SSG we are all about doing what we love and loving what we do. If you are not there yet, give us a call, we can help you figure it out! I decided to close this post with our final and most moving motivational quote of all from none other than our SSG President:

Jeremy:

 “We need people to suck at their jobs, it makes us look better. Thank you for sucking at life and your job.” 

–“SSG is successful for a number of reasons, but mainly because other recruiters have failed to do the bare minimum to make their candidates and clients happy. We at SSG have to continue doing the little things to succeed.”

Hustle

If you haven’t noticed by now, not making a New Year’s resolution is practically a sin punishable by severe nagging and repetition of the phrase, “Come on, you have to think of something!” The really helpful part of this scenario is when the person that asks continues to stay and watch while you sweat it out, trying to come up an answer. Since, you know, everyone likes to be bug-eyed stared at while they try to come up with something to change about their life.  Well, at the office of Search Solution Group, we wouldn’t subject our team members to anything less.  After asking, prodding and pulling out answers from all who work here, we present to you the 2014 New Year’s resolution list from Search Solution Group!       

Jeremy:

Listen to motivational/business books while working out instead of music.

Ashley:

Hustle Harder, Go to church at least 2x a month, read more, save more/spend less. 

Aaron:

Follow through with plans, ideas, and things I want to do. 

Angelique:

Travel out of the country/take more trips, never allow myself to become complacent in anything I do. 

Candace:

Follow the Grant Cardone mantra to create and stick to a daily habit/plan.

Danielle:

Hmmm I don’t technically do New Year’s Resolutions because I make a list every year on my birthday … but here are some highlights from my 26 by 26 List!

– Travel out of the country.

– Read 6 new books cover to cover. (I never finish books, partly because Henry ends up eating them.)

– Run a half marathon in under 2 hours.

– Eat the daily serving recommendation of fruits and vegetables for one week. (This may be my hardest one)

Dave:

Run at least three 5k races in 2014. 

Eric:

Spend more time with family. Also, consistently exercise 3x weekly. 

Taylor:

See Mumford & Sons in concert (favorite band of all time), and since I just moved here, I want to make some more friends here in Charlotte! 

There you have it, the master list of inspiration for 2014!  How could you not want to work with a team who has such great resolutions!?  If your resolution for 2014 involves seeking out a new job, then Search Solution Group is where you need to come to make that goal a reality.  If you want a new beginning to go along with the New Year, we can help you get started.  Around here, we push ourselves, and inspire you to become the success story that you have always wanted to be. Now, get the confetti out of your hair, the empty champagne bottles off the floor, and the llama out of the kitchen so that we can get going!   

Make Your New Years Resolution a Reality for 2014

Duh nuh…duh nuh…duhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuh…DUHNUHHH!!  Do you hear that? That is the sound that some people might think of when it comes to making a New Year’s resolution.  It is just so easy to come up with something to change about yourself, right? Well, maybe not always, considering that the same resolutions tend to keep getting made, and broken.  I will drink less, be less stressed, quit smoking, travel more; you know those old lines.  These are the things that you blurt out when you have nothing else to say, and it is time to change that.

 At Search Solution Group, we just have one question: do you want to continue what you are doing for another year?  If the answer is yes, then more power to you!  If it is no, then we need to connect.  Jobs are essential, we all have bills to pay and mouths to feed, but it doesn’t have to be the most miserable part of your day.  There is nothing worse than constantly checking the clock at work, and praying that there is a small office fire so that you can go home early.  Eventually, you will be the one to toss that lighted match into the paper-recycling bin, and we don’t want you to get to that point.

 You deserve to have a rewarding career, and not to feel stuck in a place that you are unhappy with.  Search Solution Group is ready and available when you are to make a change for 2014. If you want to work with the most helpful, dedicated and experienced recruiting staff in Charlotte, then give us a call so that we can get you on the right track for the New Year.  By the way, sorry if your resolution was to drink less, be less stressed, quit smoking, or to travel more….those are still really great too!   

Gnozzo Knows Quality

 

When it comes to competition and challenges SSG does not ever shy away.  With clearly such an attractive, well dressed, and holiday spirited team, you can see how it was quite the toss up for who won this years Christmas Sweater Competition.  Without any hesitation from everyone at SSG putting the time, effort, and dedication into trying to win our office contest- you can see how we always put our best foot forward into any situation or task we face.  We take pride in our tenacious drive and commitment to our clients/candidates to see only successful results.  Whether its committing to the ugliest sweater in the City of Charlotte to win an office contest, or embracing every client/candidate we can to help provide the best professional services possible- Search Solution Group has no shame in our game 🙂

 

 

Happy? Content? Or Miserable?

Unless you are like this family –  http://elitedaily.com/humor/family-makes-viral-christmas-card/ and plan on making viral videos for the rest of your life in your Christmas jammies (which, might I add, is very cool and personally I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity of this video), you probably are either:  

A.Completely happy at your current job and wouldn’t change it for the world,

B. Somewhat content/may consider a change, or

C. Miserable and never want to get out of bed in the morning.

All of you in group A – That is wonderful.  Now give us a call so we can assist you with your hiring needs J

B’s – over 90% of the candidates we work with are currently employed.  We believe it is a good thing to have an open mind and explore new opportunities.  Talk is free, so why not give yourself a shot if it is something you are genuinely interested in?

Group C – If you have an up to date resume, email it to us or call us immediately.  If you do NOT have an up to date resume, still email us or call us and we will work with you to revise and revamp your resume so it is in tip top shape for companies out there.

We are always open and ready to talk!

704.332.8702

info@ssgresume.com

Resume Honesty Tips from Expert Recruiters

Fake Interpreter?  Fake resume?

As I’m sure many of you have read, Thamsanqa Jantjie is under fire this morning for the accuracy of his sign language at Mandela’s memorial service.  He said he has been doing this job for many years, and that he is a “champion” of his profession.  However, questions are beginning to surface as to the details of his training and the company for which he worked.

Talk about a great digression into candidates and their resumes!

We have seen it often enough, where it is not just the 1% that do this anymore.  Do NOT lie on your resume! You will get caught – one way or another!

It is best to put ONLY the exact companies, job duties, skills, knowledge, degree, etc. that you actually have worked for/done on your resume.  Do not over exaggerate, do not put down a duty that you never did but you “saw your boss do”, and do not try to make your position seem any different than it actually is.  You will only be wasting your time, our time, and our clients’ time. 

A couple weeks ago, I was going through a resume with a very strong candidate and he was highlighting a few bullet points.  I asked him to explain the third bullet point at his current position, and the phone went silent…for about 30 seconds.  He then said softly, “oh, well, I didn’t exactly do that.  My boss did most of that within HIS role.”  WOW. 

All in all – do your best to highlight the skills in which you excel, without falsely advertising your experience.  If you need assistance with this, our Recruiters are experts in Resume editing =) 

Hall of Fame Worthy Recruiting Experts

Whether you’re a Red Sox fan, Braves fan, Yankees fan, or a fan of Kyle Richards from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (like some of us in the office), you more than likely have at least heard of the legend, Joe Torre. 

 

It was announced yesterday morning that Torre, along with Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa, will be inducted in Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame for all you non-fans out there) in July.  Torre brought the Yankees dynasty to four world championships and six pennants in his first eight seasons.  In 1996, he brought the Yanks to their first world championship since 1978.  These are some pretty OUTSTANDING results – no wonder the guy received a unanimous vote. 

 

Are you Hall of Fame material?  Would you receive a unanimous vote of YES after completing a panel interview?  Why or why not?  It’s a pretty tough thing to do.  I mean think about it.  First, you have to get the interview, then while interviewing, you need to get everyone on the panel to not only like you, but like you enough to want to bring you onboard.

 

We are experts at Search Solution Group.  Our candidates go into all their interviews fully prepared by our diligent recruiters.  Before any interview, even if it is over the phone, Search Solution Group recruiters have a full blown conversation with our candidates to make sure they are ready to answer all questions above and beyond, overly excited J, and able to show our clients that they are Hall of Fame Material. 

Call us today to make sure you get inducted in Cooperstown. 

Nelson Mandela: Leadership Qualities To Follow

Freedom Fighter, Magnanimous Leader, Revolutionary, Triumphant Conqueror for the Good of Humanity…

Nelson Mandela who embodied the hopes and the dreams of South Africa, died at the age of 95. Surviving 27 years in prison ( 27 years!) and rising, 4 years after his release from prison, to become the president of a unified South Africa in common goals and reconciliation and not revenge. The era of the Apartheid in which racial segregation was enforced by legislation ended with Mandela and while it could have caused a civil war in South Africa, a new era of progressive and coexistence society was formed. Now that he is gone, South Africans are left by themselves to embody those ideals and coexistence.

He was persistent and never gave up on what he knew was right. Great leaders, be it a world leader or a business leader, know that behind greatness comes great sacrifice and risk. Building great partnerships and gaining trust amongst his constituents and populace allowed Mandela to be beyond great.

Leadership Skills Inspired By Nelson Mandela:

• Lead by Example: This one might seem like a no-brainer, but most people in leadership struggle with actually adhering to this principle. Gaining the trust of your employees and colleagues comes most from your actions, not your words. Words are great, we love words, but your actions need to match what you say.
• Be Insightful: Mandela once said, ‘Know your enemy, and learn his favorite sport.’ Having insight into what makes your ‘enemies’,or competition, tick can give you incredible power in negotiation and leadership. Same goes for people you work with in your office that seem to be cutting into your productivity or employees who seem to be wasting your time. Connect with that employee or business partner in a new way to resolve issues and prevent further trouble.
• Set Goals: Many people fail miserably when attempting to resolve an issue or become a better leader if they do not set any goals for themselves. Organize your thoughts, write out a plan, give yourself an attainable deadline, and implement your plan.
• Build Real Relationships: Nelson Mandela was a dynamic and lovable person. He could bypass boundaries and reach past prejudices and varying backgrounds to reach people. His goal wasn’t world domination, it was to heal the broken society that was South Africa, and he succeeded. Making your goals as a leader not about your success, but the success of those around you, will indeed make you a success. It’s a cycle of success.

Nelson Mandela was brilliant and kind, a great leader and motivator, he listened to the concerns of those in need, and resolved decades of strife and sorrow. He will be missed in this world, but his legacy lives on in those whose lives he changed forever.

 

Ashley Goldberg: Bringing Tenacity and Passion back to Sales

Ashley Goldberg might be the most tenacious and witty person you will ever meet in your whole entire existence on this planet. Not only is she persistent in her work, she is goal oriented and successful outside of work at Search Solution Group. Ashley can smoke anyone in a bowling match and isn’t afraid to say so.

Ashley started her career doing phone sales and liked the relationship building aspect of that job. She liked working with clients, but felt limited only doing sales over the phone. It always felt like a quick sale and she wanted more interaction face to face.

Connecting with Jeremy through LinkedIn led her to where she is now, The National Sales Manager at Search Solution Group. At only 25 years old, this is an impressive feat and a strong indication that she will only continue to achieve greatness in her career.

The hunt and excitement of sales is what gives her the drive and tenacity to continue day-to-day, besides the occasional ‘no’ being thrown at her. Every day is something new and every day she has a new great candidate to market to the millions of companies out there in the world. If you are a hiring manager, you better believe that you will one day receive a call from Ashley Goldberg and when you do, it’s going to be awesome!

According to Ashley, the most exciting thing is when her persistence and tenacity pays off in a job order that evolves into a long-term relationship with a happy client. Ashley’s work ethic goes above and beyond the average woman in business. She works hard, is sassy, and is assertive, and it pays off. People love working with her because they know that she will get the job done quicker and more effectively than anyone else. Ashley believes in SSG and believes that Search Solution Group can fill any job quicker and better than any other firm in the Nation.

If Ashley could be anywhere doing anything she would be at Search Solution Group working with everyone, in Tahiti tanning on a floating hut, or on a shopping spree. If you are looking to make a career change or looking to build a long-lasting professional relationship, contact Ashley at (704) 332-8702 x 216