How to Manage a Group Interview

In a former profession, I was invited to a group interview after being laid off from my previous job. I walked into a room with five people, all unsmiling other than the primary interviewer. After quick introductions, with names I quickly forgot, the representative from Human Resources provided an overview of how the interview would go and turned it over to an older man to ask the first question. When I say older, I mean he was probably the age I am now, twenty-five or so years later. I’ll never forget the first question.

“Tell us what you know about X”, he asked. Well, X was a huge topic. Not quite like asking “tell us what you know about the universe” but it felt close. I asked the questioner if he’d like to make his question more specific and he said no. I, of course, mumbled through some sort of reply while wishing I’d just gotten up and left. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job.

Even if you haven’t participated in one yet, group interviews are common, so it pays to be prepared. Here are a few ways to effectively manage the experience.

Remember names. It can be difficult to remember everyone’s name in a group interview so be sure to repeat the name and then jot it down in your notes. Your interviewers will form a closer bond with you if you mention their name in your response: “Well, Nancy, when I was working at …”.

Ignore the negative. As in any interview you want to remain positive and smile when appropriate. However, some people in a group interview will not want to be there. They do not like interviews and wish they were back at their desk getting some work done. They might let you know of their displeasure by glancing at their watch, sighing, looking at their mobile phone, and exuding a general sense of unhappiness. Do your best to focus on the smiling, pleasant people in an interview. They will help provide you with energy while the others will bring you down and remove your focus.  

Move on. Don’t be troubled by one question or your response to it. You never know exactly how your response was received by another person so even if you think you answered poorly, it’s possible the interviewer will forget all about by the time the interview is complete. Do your best to think about each new question and forget about making judgments about your interview until you’re on your way home. Ultimately, you won’t know how you were perceived until you hear back from the company.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: The Perfect 3-Step Sunday Night Routine

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Inc. discusses "Sunday Scaries" and identifies three steps to implement on Sunday evenings, including taking a 5-minute retreat. Check out the video to learn more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Why So Many Employees Quit Within The First 6 Months

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

• Why So Many Employees Quit Within the First 6 Months: "when managers take an active role in onboarding, 'employees are 3.4 times as likely to strongly agree their onboarding experience was exceptional'."

• 9 CEOs Share Their Favorite Interview Question: "This helps me get at what really motivates people and how passionate they are about the work they do."

• How to Know Which Ideas Your Company Should Pursue: "our method might not make it easier to pick great ideas, but it should make it easier to avoid picking bad ones. It helps to prioritize ideas or consider which ones should be more thoroughly evaluated."

• 4 Tips for Prioritizing Your Health: "We make it a team commitment to be healthy. Lunches are catered at work, and we hold each other to picking the healthier options. Every hour on the hour during the work week, we do a short round of exercises."
• 4 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance:"In many cases, I would delegate something and then grab it back if I started to see a problem. Thankfully, I eventually learned to simply oversee the process and help freelancers bring their output up to my standards."

5 Things to Do While You Await a Job Offer

After you have a job interview or two the time between the interview and hearing back from the company on a decision can feel excruciatingly long. It can be easy to fall into despair or to be tempted to seek out updates on your application.

Instead of using this time to worry or think about all the things you wish you’d said differently in the interview, focus on the following things to manage the time while you await word back from the interviewer.

Be patient. This can be difficult but resist attempts to contact the interviewer or employer about your application status. Many companies will disregard your application or remove you from consideration if they feel they are being rushed in their decision. Cultivate gratitude for the opportunity to interview for the position and identify some things you might have learned from the process about the company or supervisor that can help you in future interviews or deepen your knowledge of the position should you be offered the job.

Take care of yourself. Don’t sit around the house waiting for the phone to ring. Be active. Take that run or get on your bike. Walk the dog. Eat well, get enough sleep, and avoid excessive alcohol. Meditate or pray. Meet up with a good friend for lunch. See a movie. Do things you enjoy and that are healthy for you and avoid the temptation to become discouraged while you await that phone call or email.

Take a class or sign up for an online course. Continue to develop your knowledge and gain more skills in an area of interest, or simply add a new hobby by signing up for a class or taking an online course. Strive to be a continuous learner and you will find more opportunities available to you. You might even meet someone in a class who is looking to hire someone like you. 

Polish up your resume. Revisit your resume and make any necessary tweaks to highlight your strengths and areas of success. Add information about that class or course you’re taking. Ask for feedback on it from a friend, colleague, or career coach.

Actively seek out other job opportunities. Continue to seek out other opportunities by keeping your eye on job boards and listings such as those on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or Indeed. You never know when the right opportunity will come along so plan to regularly seek out jobs of interest and attend events where you can expand your network and learn about opportunities.

Incorporating these strategies will enable you to manage the time while you await a job offer more appropriately and productively.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Be a Great Leader

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Harvard Business Review discusses the qualities of a great leader, including humility and intense professional will. Check out the video to learn more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Making Joy a Priority at Work

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

• Making Joy a Priority at Work: "By providing people with more of the experiences that engender joy in any team setting, leaders can tap more of the practical power of joy in their companies."

• 9 Tips for Avoiding Loneliness When You Work at Home: "Below, you’ll find a guide for avoiding loneliness when you work from home, including tips from writers like myself and other professionals who’ve learned the best ways to be social without an office."

• What Women Want at Work: "When working women have coworkers and an employer who has their backs plus the opportunity to grow and climb, both hierarchically and financially, their overall job satisfaction gets high marks."

• 10 Companies to Work For if You Want to Like Your Job: "Indeed says these companies got high marks from employees because they each provide an enjoyable work environment."
• How to Have a Difficult Workplace Conversation:"Your conversation is not only about the immediate message itself, but more importantly about the outcome and behavior you want to see afterward."

5 Things to Do on Your First Day at a New Job

Congratulations, you got the job! Perhaps you’re filled with nervous excitement as you plan for your first day and imagine what it’ll be like in your new position. Perhaps your new employer has a formal new employee orientation or maybe you’ll just be thrown into it.

Regardless, there are some things you can do on your first day to set the tone for your new work experience and to ensure that you get off on the right foot.

In addition to planning what to wear on that first day, consider how you might fit the following into your first day plans.  

Get organized. There is no better time to figure out the best system of organization for your work style. By day two you might already find things to be a chaotic mess and struggle to catch up. Talk with your supervisor and co-workers about the methods they use to keep things organized and under control and begin to implement your own system immediately.

Eat lunch with others. Sure, you might need some time alone to catch your breath and refocus your energies but do that over a short break. Do not eat lunch by yourself. If no one invites you to join them, take the initiative and extend the invitation to your colleagues. You’ll feel more comfortable on the job the quicker you get to know the people you work closely with every day.

Familiarize yourself with the layout of the building. Take a few minutes to get the lay of the land. Some companies will take new employees on a tour of the workspace and even if you get this tour, take some time to wander around on your own. You’ll become more easily oriented when you look around at your own pace and stop to situate yourself. Even if you work in a small office you’ll want to know where the kitchenette and rest rooms are located. 

Meet the person in charge of technology. Regardless of our work, we usually end up needing to use some form of technology to get the job done. And our tech eventually breaks down or malfunctions. On your first day take some time to seek out the person you’ll need to contact in this situation. Understand the best way to contact him or her and how you submit a request for help.

Be friendly and curious. This should be obvious but might be difficult if you’re overcome with anxiety. Make an effort to smile, be friendly with those you meet, and be curious about the work. Everyone you come in contact with does something of value to your new company and your job will be more enjoyable if you understand what it is that they do and how it relates to your new position.

Enjoy that new job and congrats!

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 4 Signs You Need to Leave Your Job Right Now

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Fast Company discusses four signs you need to leave your job immediately, starting with not feeling like your work matters. Check out the video to learn more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 22 Microhabits That Will Change Your Life

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

• 22 Microhabits That Will Change Your Life in a Year: "if you want to have a completely different life in a year or two, you need to start now, and you need to start small."

• 5 Steps Mel Robbins Followed to Radically Transform her Career and Life: "Support others, because another person's success does not limit your ability to achieve your own."

• 11 Ways to Achieve True Work-Life Integration: "Rather than trying to keep things separate, it’s about finding a way to integrate the two. Do a little work from home, build in some remote work time, find ways to efficiently handle personal errands and tasks while at work if it’s easier."

• 4 Common Misconceptions About Networking: "Building real relationships is about investing in them first, figuring out what they want and love, and then helping them get it."
• Don't Set an Agenda Before Important Meetings:"The group needs an agenda, but the group members need to decide how to spend their time together — whether that’s a few hours or a few days. Below are the steps we recommend."

5 Tips for Maintaining Work-Life Balance

The idea of maintaining work-life balance might seem to be a myth and many times in our careers our work lives can feel overwhelming.

Instead of struggling for a balance that might not exist we can instead seek out a way to work that works for us and our unique lifestyle, while allowing us to maintain sanity.

Consider the following five factors when thinking about work-life balance and what is best for you.

Learn to say no. An important key to getting to a balanced place in your life is developing the ability to say no. Your mental health will thank you. Your stress level will thank you. And your work life will thank you. No one can do it all. Understand your limits and be willing to protect them with a well-calculated “no.”

Set structure and boundaries. There will always be exceptions, of course, but we need to be clear about the boundaries we set for our work lives and give it an appropriate structure. For example, you might choose to avoid working past a specific time each day or decline to work on the weekends. Additionally, you might add a walk around the block to your work schedule or after-lunch routine. Perhaps a brief nap or time for reading in the afternoon is what you need to regain focus and energy.

Take advantage of time off. You have time off for a reason. Use it. Whether it’s for a holiday or personal days off, be sure to take time off from your job and recharge. This time should be carefully guarded and carefully planned to ensure that it provides the maximum benefit to your personal like and to your career.

Use technology wisely. There are many problems for which tech companies claim to have a solution for. Unfortunately, some technology solutions simply add to the stress and busyness of life. Be sure that when you add tech to your plans that the technology actually solves the problem you need solving. If you have a work phone, consider getting a personal phone, too, so you can turn off the work phone at times without being available 24-7.

Focus on your health. Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your work life balance is to pay attention to your health and get adequate rest, eat healthy foods, eliminate harmful habits, and be sure to have an exercise regimen. Also, pay attention to your emotional health and mental well-being and seek out professional help when necessary.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: 3 Ways to Fast-Track Your Career

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Fast Company provides three tips to fast-track your career, starting with helping others succeed. Check out the video to learn more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Techniques to Boost Your Confidence

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

• Confidence Boosters to Help You Overcome Your Nerves: "Write down affirmations that remind you of your capabilities and strengths and keep them somewhere you can find them if nerves strike."

• 5 Bad Managerial Habits: "Regardless of how the employee presented that feedback -- calmly, angrily or with frustration -- the worst thing you can do is be defensive and argue against what they're feeling."

• 5 Must-Read Books for the Independent Solopreneur: "If you've ever thought you wanted to do something more, but were afraid to because you were comfortable, or just didn't know where to even begin, you should be reading this book."

• 9 Ways to Know What Passion You Should Pursue: "Ask others in your circle to see what they think you are best at and what enthralls you most. What do they consider your biggest strengths?"
• 5 Ways to Lead a Group to Greatness:"As difficult as failure is, it is inevitable for teams that are stretching and growing and trying to make a difference."

5 Ways to Feel More Independent at Work

As we celebrate our country’s Independence take a few moments to evaluate your own freedom. How independent are you at work? Do you go in each day and depend on someone else to tell you what to do?

An important part of the enjoyment we get out of our work is the degree to which we are self-sufficient and direct our own work.

While your work routine might be not be flexible due to the needs of your company, you still have some opportunities to gain some independence and variety at work. Try these five approaches to feeling more independent on the job.

Take on greater responsibilities. There are likely other tasks you can take on in your job. Don’t be shy. Talk to your manager and volunteer to do more. It might not result, immediately, in a pay increase but it will expand your abilities at work, make the job more interesting, and increase your odds of gaining a promotion in the future.

Learn new skills and gain additional knowledge. Similarly, seek out knowledge and skills in other areas at work. The more you know about your company, the field you work in, and the various tasks required to do the job well, the more employable you’ll be and the more your employer will trust you to get things done.

Mentor or supervise others. Demonstrate your knowledge of the job and your leadership abilities by volunteering to mentor new employees. Seek out opportunities to supervise or manage the work of interns. You’ll gain valuable managerial experience and demonstrate your ability to move into roles with more responsibility.

Expand your network. Just as it’s important to learn as much as you can about the work of your company and your field, seek to meet new people, particularly within your company and in areas you are unfamiliar with. You might not only gain a new friend, but also a new opportunity to move into another job later down the line.

Work at home. If your company allows employees to work at home take advantage of this perk. Working from home provides freedom you don’t always feel when stuck in an office, cubicle, or at the plant, and allows you to demonstrate your ability to get things done without close supervision.

Paying attention to these areas can help you increase your freedom at work, expand your opportunities, and increase your enjoyment on the job.

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Design a To-do List

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

The video below from Fast Company provides strategies for developing a highly effective to-do list, starting with dividing your list up. Check out the video to learn more.