Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Halloween Job Search Horror Stories

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halloween 1In honor of Halloween, I thought I would re-post some job search horror stories I’ve collected over the years. The goal is to share tales from job seekers (so you know you’re not alone) AND from hiring managers, so job seekers can learn what things might NOT work.

I guess that I wasn’t too surprised to learn that some of these horror stories may have had different endings had the job seeker taken a different approach. NOT that this excused rude behavior on the part of the hiring manager, but it is important to learn something from these stories…

Todd shared this story:

So, this so-called executive recruiter sends me a questionnaire (10 pages BTW) and says complete it and schedule an “interview.” Well, in full disclosure, I only completed half, but went ahead and scheduled the meeting. After all, I was an executive and my resume was what I wanted to talk about. So, while waiting in the lobby of this firm, some guy walks out to greet me. He’s wearing some ridiculous looking suit with tennis shoes and showing off a shiny keychain that says “Hyundai” and acts like he’s doing me a favor by taking the time to meet with me.

The guy walks me to some conference room, throws the half-complete questionnaire on the table and begins to yell at me–literally. He proceeds to tell me that I’m a loser and have no future. I couldn’t believe it!

So, I stood up and said I made a mistake. Then–THEN–he calls me an “a-hole” as I walked out. All I said was, ” Back at ya!”

Following this, eh em…episode, I landed a job as an executive for an online brokerage firm in Texas. I always wanted to call the guy and rub it in, but why stoop to that level?

So, what can we learn here? Clearly, Todd wasn’t very interested in this job! The fact is, if he was not willing to fill out the application (no matter how long), he should not have bothered to apply! As a job seeker, it is your responsibility to follow directions regarding the application if you want the job!

On the other hand, if you see what seems like a ridiculous application process, consider it a red flag. Maybe this company has policies and proceedures that are not likely to mesh with your preferred way of doing things. Evaluate it and decide NOT to apply! Even if you are desperate for a job, you know, deep down, you are unlikely to be happy working for a place that sets up what you consider to be an absurd hiring process.

In this case, obviously, the hiring manager was a bit “off.” It’s never appropriate to yell and swear at an applicant, and you have to assume an employee would receive the same treatment. So, it was lucky for Todd that things worked out the way they did!

What do you think? Share your comments below.

How to decide between two job offers

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Keppie CareersWhen it rains, it pours. Sometimes, it seems as if you’ve been looking for a job forever with no results, then, all of a sudden, you’re being offered an interview with another company when you are in the midst of negotiating an offer. Lucky you! However, even if it’s an enviable position, it can be stressful to navigate this challenging, new terrain. How can you decide between two job offers?

This is a tricky situation, as you don’t want to put your existing invitation in jeopardy. There’s no perfect solution to this. No general advice can address every possible situation or circumstance, so consider your options carefully.

What should you do if you have an offer in hand and have a chance to interview for another job? Consider the following, and make the choice that is right for you.

Your options.

Assuming you haven’t signed a non-compete and have no legal reason why you cannot work for another organization, nothing stops you from interviewing for a new job at any time – even if you’ve already accepted an offer. If you’re still negotiating and have not signed an acceptance, you can still consider other offers.

Inform the second company.

You may want to let the second company know that you are already considering one offer and ask about the timing for their hiring process. If you believe it is worth interviewing for the new opportunity, you can try to request the organization that has made you an offer to give you more time to consider joining them.

Beware of repercussions.

Be aware, companies can rescind their offers at any time, so if you stretch things out too much with the first company before knowing if you’ll have a chance at the second company, the hiring authorities at the first company may decide to cut you loose. This is a “the bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” scenario. In other words, if you have one offer, you don’t want to risk everything for the possibility of another unless the reward is big enough to be worth that risk.

Assess your standing.

You’ll want to assess your standing in being offered this role. Do you have the sense that you are a perfect fit, and they’ve been searching for someone with your skills for a long time? Or, are you more likely one of many people who are well suited to the job?

If you must make a decision before you have a chance to know your standing for the second potential opportunity, decide how much of a risk you are willing to take in hopes of landing the second job. If it’s worth the risk, you can let company #1 know you are interviewing for company #2 and see if that may inspire them to provide a more competitive offer if you are a highly competitive candidate.

If company #1 improves its offer once it knows you are being considered for company #2, your best bet is to continue and finalize negotiations with that company or assume you may lose the offer altogether unless you are the perfect candidate they’ve been waiting to meet. Only you can decide if it is a risk worth taking.

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.

Should you dress up for Halloween at work?

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file9931269753288For children, Halloween is a fun time to be imaginative and become anyone you want to be. Adults have co-opted this holiday for their own purposes, and some even bring their fantasy selves to work in the form of a dress-up day. Is it a good idea to dress up at work for Halloween or a big mistake? The answer is “it depends.” It depends on where you work and what you plan to wear. [Read more…] about Should you dress up for Halloween at work?

What happens when you lie on your resume

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“Seeking liars; apply within.” An unlikely headline for any job. While some employers may be lazy and fail to confirm credentials before hiring certain applicants, people who embellish their qualifications or lie about them are always at risk for losing their positions — even after having worked in the job for years.

Case in point, news reports indicate that Steve Masiello’s coaching career has gone into limbo because the University of South Florida (USF) decided to verify his credentials before extending a formal offer to recruit him away from his current position at Manhattan College. Clearly, based on his bio posted on his current employer’s website, he was representing himself as having a bachelor’s degree. A background check uncovered the lie; he never graduated. Now, he stands to lose the offer to join USF he is on leave from his current job as a result. One lie could result in two lost jobs.

If you don’t want to be looking over your shoulder or hoping no one in HR gets suspicious and decides to audit their files, avoid these whoppers on your resume:

Lies About Past Employers

Do not lie about where you worked, even if you think it sounds impressive to pad your resume with big-name employers. It’s very easy to verify employment, even via a quick review of LinkedIn contacts and an email or two.

Lies of Omission

If you think failing to mention key points will keep you out of trouble, think again. “You never actually asked me if I graduated with a degree” will not serve as a good excuse if you’re approached about lying about your academic credentials that may be listed in an ambiguous manner on your resume. Leaving dates off your resume and failing to disclose other details is not wise.

As illustrated in Masiello’s case, these lies can come back to bite you, even after you’ve been in a job. In fact, there was a case of a dean at MIT who resigned her post after working there for 28 years when the university audited its files and learned she did not have degrees from the three schools listed on her initial resume.

Half-Truths

Plan to leave a job off your resume because you were only there for a short time? Keep in mind, there is a lot of scrutiny on new hires, and if a company conducts a background check, you’ll need to be prepared to explain why you didn’t want anyone to know you worked in that company. You don’t want to raise any red flags or spook employers who might wonder what else they don’t know about you before they hire you.

Little Embellishments

You’ve likely read about how personal branding is an important part of marketing yourself for a job, but you may have incorrectly assumed boosting your qualifications was part of growing your brand. Avoid embellishing your titles, your mentors or your skills and accomplishments on your resume and you’re much more likely to land in a job that’s the right fit for you. Avoid this big job search mistake to find – and keep – your next job.

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.

Can you “text in” sick at work?

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Don't text while drivingNo matter where you work, knowing how to communicate effectively with your boss, colleagues and clients is key to your continued success. However, with so many different mechanisms to get in touch with people, it isn’t always easy to choose the most appropriate tools to communicate. For the traditionalists, in-person communication has always trumped all other methods, including other long-standing options, such as telephone and email.

However, what if your boss or team reside in far-flung spots all over the globe – or at least all over town? Many people rarely, if ever, see their colleagues in person due to telecommuting and team members based in different places. When in-person interaction requires an airplane ride, you need to consider other appropriate methods to get in touch. The tricky thing: it’s not always obvious what’s appropriate and what is not.

Go-to communication in lieu of in-person meetings now can include: phone, email, text, direct messages (via Twitter), Facebook messages, or, in some cases, even Instagram, SnapChat,Whatsapp or other texting applications. Some people even communicate with their bosses by simply sending an image via text!

However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. In an environment where there are so many methods to connect and communicate, it’s even more important to evaluate the best tools to use when engaging professionally with your boss or co-workers.

Consider these scenarios and make a decision about how to communicate based on your circumstances:

“Calling in” sick.
This could be a misnomer in the future, if talking on the phone becomes less typical and texting even more accepted. Unless your boss specifically requested you to communicate your sick days via text, it’s generally expected that a sick day requires a phone call. Of course, there are many exceptions. Maybe your boss is in a different time zone or calling isn’t practical. Consider other, more permanent options to communicate, such as email, in those cases. Even if you don’t text, however, keep an open mind and be aware that texting is becoming more accepted in many work environment. If your boss wants you to “text” in sick, don’t balk.

Sharing good news.
It’s always fun to share good news on the phone or in person, but good news may give the communicator a “pass” on worrying about appropriate tools. The better the news, the more excited someone will be to learn about it and the less likely the recipient is to analyze whether or not you should have communicated it in a different way.

While you should absolutely be attentive to the typical methods of communicating, unless your boss never checks texts, it’s unlikely anyone will complain if you text a screen shot of your great sales numbers or a photo representing a big win. Consider following it up with a more formal update, such as via email or phone.

Asking for a Raise
Some things haven’t shifted with the times. It’s unlikely even the most text friendly boss will want to receive a request for a raise via text, or even email. It’s best to communicate this type of request either in person, if possible, or on the phone if an in-person meeting isn’t feasible.

Constantly evaluate.
The best approach for any professional is to ask in advance about preferred ways to communicate. If you see people are changing how they communicate, re-assess and ask if you have questions about what’s expected and acceptable. Even though many bosses would balk at a text to “call in” sick, it’s possible your situation is different, or you have a supervisor who doesn’t fit a typical mold. As more communication options become available, the onus will always be on the individual to evaluate and make the best choice based on his or her own circumstances.

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.