High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Career Lessons from Dad

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

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• 9 Tips for Boosting Productivity at Work This Summer: "If you’re not productive simply because things around the office are slow, use the time to get a jump start on upcoming projects, or to catch up on many lose ends that have accumulated."

• Do You Know What Signals You're Sending at Work?: "If you watch the clock and leave every day at 5 p.m. on the dot, prepare to be seen as someone not especially committed to work, and only putting in what's absolutely required."                                                      
• Don't Waste Your Time Applying to Job Postings: "Jobs in the hidden market are filled based on internal promotions, referrals and recommendations, with candidates being assessed on their past performance and future potential. For job-seekers who aren’t perfect matches on skills and experience this is great news, but to get the chance to be evaluated this way you need to be recommended by someone in your network."


• The Smartest Leaders Make Their Own Opportunities: "If there's an initiative you'd like to see at your company, offer to head it up. And if there's a skill set you'd like to cultivate, don't be afraid to make a lateral move ... if you know it will serve the long-term interests of your career."


• Career Lessons from Dad: "When you let fear stop you, you open the door to regret. You have to trust and believe in your own capabilities. That doesn’t mean taking stupid risks, of course. But recognize that fear is an inevitable consequence of learning and growth, and without it, you’re doomed to stand still." 

Non-Verbal Communication is Critical to Interview Success

I read a recent article on CareerBuilder about the most common interview mistakes. According to a survey of hiring managers, these are the errors job seekers make most often in an interview:

Answering a cell phone or sending a text - 77%
Appearing disinterested - 75%
Dressing inappropriately - 72%
Appearing arrogant - 72%
Talking negatively about current or previous employers - 67%
Chewing gum - 63%

It was interesting to me that of these top 6 mistakes, 4 of the errors are based in non-verbal communication. As job seekers, we often focus so much on what we are going to say in an interview that we neglect to think about how we say it or how we look when we say it. Non-verbal communication is much more than facial expressions. Let's look at the 5 most important types of non-verbal communication and how each one can positively - or negatively - affect your performance in your next job interview.

Facial Expressions
The same message can take on vastly different meaning dependent upon the facial expression that accompanies the message. A genuine smile conveys that you are friendly, interested, and engaged in the interview.


Posture and Body Language
Posture can also convey confidence and enthusiasm. Sit up straight, hold your shoulders back, and lean into the conversation with your entire body to convey interest. Hold your head up high and stand up straight when you walk into a room to convey confidence. Be aware of nervous habits or ticks such as shaking your leg or cracking your knuckles and try to avoid them during the interview.


Vocal
Once again, the tone of voice you use can be the difference between sounding enthusiastic or disinterested and arrogant or confident. Speak up, speak clearly, and vary the tone of your voice to keep your interviewer engaged in the conversation.


Eye Contact
Eye contact is critical to making a connection with someone - especially an interviewer who is trying to determine if you will make a valuable addition to their team. Direct eye contact can convey confidence and honesty. Avoiding eye contact erodes your impression of self-confidence and makes it difficult for the interviewer to trust you. Eye contact should be natural and comfortable, do not stare.


Appearance
There is much to say about dressing for interview success. For a start, try this blog post to read about some common fashion mistakes. However, as a rule you should be dressed professionally, at the appropriate level, and in clothes that are freshly pressed, clean, and neat. Your appearance needs to show that you will fit right into the company and should not be memorable at the end of the day.

Fake it Until You Make it, How to Fake Confidence in the Job Search

When meeting potential employers, it is important to remember that in their eyes, confidence is equal to competence. In other words, if you appear confident, they automatically assume you know what you are doing. Many people take the process - and its inevitable rejections - personally. Therefore, one of the first victims in the job search process is self-confidence. 

Confidence, however you may be feeling on any given day, can absolutely be faked. You may find that after using the non-verbal and verbal tips below to "fake" your confidence that you will soon "make it" and feel the confidence you have been faking!

Posture
Stand up straight, put your shoulders back, and hold your head up high. The next time you feel down or less than confident, run yourself through this posture checklist. Slumped shoulders make you look like a deflated balloon. Poor posture is one of the first signs of low levels of confidence.

Eye Contact
People who are self-confident are not intimidated by looking directly at people - especially in the job search process. Candidates who avoid eye contact are deemed untrustworthy and lacking in self esteem.

Tone of Voice
Project enthusiasm, passion, and excitement for your career field and the job for which you are applying. This rule applies whether you are talking with the receptionist, the human resources manager, or the hiring manager. Don't think for a minute that everyone who you interact with does not come together to discuss the candidates.

Appearance
People who are well-groomed, wear clothes that fit them properly, and are flattering to their individual shape often appear the most confident. The old saying of "When you look good, you feel good" definitely applies in this case.

Listen More, Talk Less
People who are nervous or lack self-confidence tend to talk more and listen less. Unfortunately, it often comes out as nervous babble that will provide the impression that you are a nervous, know-it-all. Try to strike a balance in these situations that involves talking less, listening more, and adding a few questions to keep the other person engaged in the conversation.

Have you Committed one of these 10 Interview Fashion Crimes?

In an earlier blog post, I discussed the importance of non-verbal communication when forming a positive first impression in an interview. Although we can’t change other people’s perception of the world, we can increase our chance or being perceived positively. Keep in mind that a positive image is a result of careful planning, preparation and an honest assessment of your image.

Take this assessment to see what your fashion verdict would be:

1. What are you carrying? Don’t carry a backpack or fanny pack instead of a briefcase or portfolio. Women may still feel the need to carry a purse, but it should be small and conservative and should be tucked away under your chair during the interview.

2. “Transit gear” must be stowed away. Sunglasses on top of your head, headphones around your neck or in your ears, and cell phones not turned off or set to silent will all make negative impressions. Be sure to take care of all these details before entering the lobby.

3. Too much skin showing. Ladies, are your skirts too short, your tops too low cut? Men, do your pants rise up and show skin between your socks and pants, do your buttons gap? Try on your interview outfits and sit down in a chair in front of a mirror to see what your interviewer will see.

4. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing. Ties should be made of silk, no less than 3 inches wide with a conservative pattern. With the possible exception of creative fields like advertising or computer programming, it's best to stick with navy, black or gray with a small accent of color on your shirt, blouse, tie or a scarf.

5. Makeup. Avoid heavy makeup on women (or any makeup on a man).

6. Piercings. More than one set of earrings on women and facial piercings, tongue jewelry or visible tattoos can be a negative for many employers. Earrings on men should be avoided. In fact, men should avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or metal watch.

7. Shoes and hosiery. Avoid fishnets, patterned, or colored hosiery, and bare legs (no matter how tan you are). Women should stick with neutral color hosiery that complements their suit. Never wear open-toed shoes to an interview. Men’s socks should match their shoes and should not show a gap of skin when seated.

8. Clothing and shoes in bad repair. Avoid rumpled or stained clothing. If interviewing late in the day, try to change to a fresh suit beforehand. Avoid scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including sneakers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals.

9. What is your smell? Avoid after shaves, perfumes or colognes. Many people are allergic to certain scents. For a subtle fragrance, use good quality bath soap.

10. Remove any telltale signs that you’re wearing new clothes. Remove all tags, stickers, and extra buttons, remember to cut off the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed, and don’t forget to press out any creases from the clothes being folded in the store.

Five Things you Communicate with your Professional Image

An image can be defined as the opinion or concept of someone as an expert that is held by the public. Your image can be compared to your reputation and how you are perceived by others. As both a job seeker and an employee, your professional image is critical to success.

Studies have shown that 93% of how we communicate with the world is non-verbal. Only 7% of our interaction with people comes from the words out of our mouths! When you meet someone for the first time, you get 7 to 10 seconds to make a first impression. In those first few seconds, you don’t get to say much, so most of this first impression is based on a combination of professional image and non-verbal communication. Here are five things you can convey with your image.

Self-esteem. Right or wrong, people perceive that how you take care of yourself on the outside is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. In an interview, confidence is equal to competence in the interviewers’ eyes. Therefore, you must project an aura of confidence and self-assuredness with your image.

Organizational Skills / Attention to Detail. Remember you are managing the impression you make through the details of your image. If you have paid no attention to the details or organization of your grooming and clothing (mismatched socks, unpolished shoes, dirty fingernails, or chipped nail polish, etc.), then it appears you will not pay attention to details or may be unorganized in your work habits. If you look sloppy, it is assumed that you will do sloppy work.

Sound Judgment. If you wear clothes that are too tight, too informal or formal, too provocative, or just plain unprofessional, you demonstrate a lack of judgment. The employer correlates this lack of professionalism in your image into your inability to fit into their environment. Show you can make good decisions by erring on the side of conservative professionalism in your clothing and grooming habits.

Creativity. If you are in a field where creativity and innovation are an important part of your job, then it is important to demonstrate this with your professional image. However, don’t go overboard. Try a simple statement of your uniqueness with a small splash of color on your tie, a scarf, or a unique piece of small jewelry such as a pin or ring.

Reliability. Fair or not, right or wrong, you must keep in mind that people will view your image every day to determine your intelligence, level of education, social class, and yes even your reliability. From the big picture to the small details, your image should convey that you are solid and that people can count on you.