Networking, Job Interviewing and Salary Negotiation

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Networking,Job Interviewing and Salary
Negotiation
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Purpose of Studying Business Etiquette

• To feel more socially comfortable
• To make others feel more at ease
• To make work easier and more pleasant
• To become more successful

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The Key Words

• Simply put
• PLEASE
• THANK YOU
• SORRY

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Please Thank You

• Whenever you ask for something of anyone,
  remember to say please and thank you
• Ways to say thank you for substantive favors or
  gifts
• Spoken in person
• Telephone within 24 hours
• Written - the most effective - on record

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Apologies

• For simple mistakes - apologize right away
• For more serious mistakes - follow verbal
  apologies with a written note
• For serious or hurtful mistakes - verbal and
  written apology followed up with flowers or a
  gift of some kind such as fruit, wine, or candy
  to reinforce your apology

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Compliments

• Be generous with them
• If you cant say anything nice, dont say
  anything at all!
• Compliments are meant to be accepted, not
  rejected - take a compliment in the spirit in
  which it was given (dont self deprecate and
  point out your negative points)

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Networking for Success

• Be genuine, know yourself (what you want and what
  you need to get what you want)
• First impressions count
• People tend to do business with people they know
  and hire people they know or know of
• Use what and who you know to help in your job
  search everyone can be important when
  networking

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Networking for Success

• Good networkers are good listeners
• Use technology to make contacts information
  puts you in the drivers seat
• Put your resume into on line data bases and
  actively seek out employers
• Keep your contact lists up to date and follow the
  market closely dont burn any bridges!

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Networking for Success

• Advertised Openings
• On campus recruiting/career fairs
• University career services (job listings)
• Internet websites, postings and job banks
• Professional/trade associations
• Employment agencies, third party recruiters
• Unadvertised Openings
• Networking, personal contact, referrals
• Alumni groups, professional organizations
• Co-op internships, contract work, part-time etc.

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Interview Preparation

• Study the job description before hand
• Do a self-assessment Know your strengths,
  skills aspirations (your CV)
• Make links between your strengths, experience and
  the job description
• Research the firm (mission, products and/or
  service,projects, website)
• Prepare questions that you plan to ask

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Interview Preparation

• Dress appropriately according to type of
  organization and position level
• Be professional dress up one level above the
  position which you are applying for
• Finance/Banking Suit, shirt and tie
• Law firm Three piece suit
• High Tech Business casual
• Start-up depends upon the industry

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The Interview

• Arrive early (drive by the day before)
• Smile
• Always be polite to receptionist
• Extend your hand thank interviewer
• Dont sit until motioned to do so sit straight
  and still (dont fidget)
• Dont make any negative statements whatsoever
  about previous employers

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The Interview

• Make eye contact
• Be clear concise and ask for clarification
• Dont rush (leave double the interview time)
• Always bring a copy of the CV with you
• Take notes
• Inquire about what comes next
• Follow up with a note of thanks

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Be Yourself and Be Honest

• Know what you want to do and what you dont want
  to do.
• Dont agree to things that you dont want to do
  just to get the job.
• Determine what type of job and hours you want to
  work.
• Will you be willing to travel/commute?
• Do you want an active job or a desk job?
• Do you want a lot of variety in your work?
• Do you want to work in a position with high
  people contact or would you prefer to work alone?

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Dont do any of the following

• Be overly familiar, arrogant or cocky
• Talk too much or too fast
• Smoke
• Chew gum, or anything else
• Interrupt or finish the interviewers sentences
• Wear perfume or cologne
• Forget to turn off your pager or cell phone
• Dont ask for feedback after the interview

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What is an Interview?

• Dialog between two or more people
• An exchange of ideas experiences
• An important marketing presentation a display
  of what you can do for a prospective employer
• A good interview will be
• 80 candidate
• 20 interviewer

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Who Conducts the Interview?

• HR can be a screening (gateway) or final step
• Panel or Group (usually 2-3)
• Combination of technical and HR
• Technical
• Geared towards assessing skills
• You should always try to find out what type of
  interview is scheduled and prepare accordingly

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Interview Types

• Traditional primarily based upon gut feelings
  and personality
• Behavioral the basic premise behind behavioral
  interviews is that an applicants past performance
  is the best predictor of future performance in a
  similar environment

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Traditional Interview Questions

• Some typical questions would be
• Tell me about yourself
• What are your strengths weaknesses?
• What was your favorite course?
• What do you think that you can offer our
  organization?
• Tell me what your greatest accomplishment to date
  has been?
• What do you think your former boss would say
  about you?

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Behavioral Interviews

• These interviews are more conversational
• Most of the questions asked will be situational
• The interviewers are trying to determine whether
  you possess a certain quality that they are
  looking for. For example
• Can you
• communicate, lead, make appropriate decisions,
  work with others, be a team player, innovate,
  think outside of the box, negotiate, organize

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Behavioral Interview Questions

• Some typical questions would be
• Give me a specific example of a time when you
  failed to complete a project on time despite your
  best efforts?
• What was your specific role?
• How did you prioritize the various tasks?
• How did the outcome impact the firm?
• What would you have done differently?

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Additional Types of Questions

• Open ended short answers
• Closed ended used for confirming questions
• Technical knowledge orientated
• Hypothetical/Situational What ifs?
• Behavioral examples stories

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Confirmation Questions

• Are you in your graduating year?
• Are you in finance?
• Are you mobile?
• Are you looking for full-time employment?
• Can you start on the 1st of May?

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Tell Me Questions

• Why did you apply at our company?
• What kind of position are you looking for?
• When would you be able to start working?
• What was your favorite class while in university?
• What kind of extracurricular activities do you
  take part in?

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Acting Questions

• Tell me about an opportunity you came across
  recently?
• How do you handle difficult people?
• Tell me about a situation that challenged you
  recently?
• Do you believe that telling a white lie is
  acceptable if it wont hurt anyone?

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What if Questions

• A new and potentially valuable new client wants
  to change the specs for a product which you have
  already shipped?
• What would you do?
• Questions like this are meant to test your
  ability to handle realistic work problems.

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How to Respond

• There is no right or wrong answer when it comes
  to behavioral or situational questions.
• Often the interviewer is more interested in how
  you get to your answer rather than what your
  final conclusion is.
• They want to determine how you will think and
  react.

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When You are New to a Job

• Listen and learn, dont do all the talking
• Learn as many names as possible
• Be equally nice to everyone
• Dont make snap judgements
• Ask your peers to lunch one by one
• Dont ask prying questions about others
• Dont tell co-workers how they did it at your
  other job

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Lets Make a DealNegotiating a job offer

• Overview
• Understand yourself
• What am I worth
• When does salary negotiation begin
• Receiving and evaluation of the offer
• Negotiation with the employer
• The language of negotiations
• Delaying your response
• Closing the deal
• Questions

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What am I worth?

• Know your value to the market
• Research your worth
• Where do I get salary information?
• Campus Career Services
• Internet
• Friends, Family, Industry professionals
• Department of Labors Occupational Outlook
  Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Be realistic
• Use these numbers only as general guidelines.
  Salaries are calculated according to a variety of
  factors.

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When does Salary Negotiation begin?

• Never during the interview process
• Use the interview to show your worth
• During an interview focus on getting an offer
• Worry about what the offer will look like once
  you receive one.
• If asked by the interviewer for Salary Info
• If your not comfortable giving a figure, say
  negotiable or competitive
• Never give a set salary
• Give a range, The bottom should be your minimum
  and top 10-15 above that.
• Start Salary Negotiation only after you have
  evaluated the job offer

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Receiving the Offer

• Dont negotiate until you have received an
  official written offer.
• Never accept immediately
• Always think twice
• Be sure the offer package includes benefits
  overview.

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Receiving the Offer

• There is more to any offer then just the base
  salary. Always consider the whole package.
• The total package may include
• Base Salary
• Bonus and incentive plans
• Stock Option or Stock Purchase Plans
• Sign on bonus
• Educational reimbursement
• Medical, Dental, Vision Benefits
• Long Term Savings Plans (401k and Pension)
• Sick Time and Personal Days
• Child Care

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Evaluating the Offer

• Always measure the offer against other offers in
  hand
• Use a chart to map offers against each other
• Consider Cost of Living
• 60k in Winnipeg is not equal to 60k in Ottawa
• Use cost of living calculators available on the
  internet
• Assess what you need or want and what is
  acceptable and not acceptable in the offer.

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Evaluating the offer

• When Charting your offers Consider the factors
  that are most important to you and give them a
  weight.

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Negotiating with the Employer

• Do not feel that you are expected to negotiate
  the offer.
• If the offer is what you were expecting and meets
  your requirements accept it and get ready for
  work!
• Talk to the decision maker
• Decision makers can be Human Resources, a
  recruiter or the hiring manager.
• If you talk to a person who is not, still be
  polite and courteous. You could tell the person,
  What do you recommend I should do?
• Solicit advice and be receptive

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Negotiating with the Employer

• Be Logical in your request
• Back up what you are asking for with a reason
• People are more willing to accommodate request
  with clear explanation
• Avoid using personal reasons
• An employer would like you to work for them.
  They do not want to take on the responsibilities
  for your personal life.
• You can scare off an employer if they get the
  impression you carry a lot of excess baggage

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Negotiating with the Employer

• Be honest and up front
• If you really want the position, but there is a
  minor request to negotiate, tell the employer.
• If there is just a small detail standing in the
  way of an accept, employers are generally more
  willing to negotiate with you.
• Most details are negotiable
• This varies from company to company
• Get everything in writing
• Verbal agreements dont count

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The Language of Negotiation

• Avoid using but and expect
• Use However and Hope
• I liked the offer, however I was hoping for X
  dollars. VS. I liked the offer, but I was
  expecting X dollars
• People respond better to hopes then expectations.
• Use what not why in your questions
• What would you consider?
• What are the alternatives?
• What is reasonable?
• What is the opportunity for?
• What is the approval process?
• What are the next steps and what is the timing?

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The Language of Negotiation

• Other phrases to use
• I understand your concerns
• Are you willing to
• Would you think about
• I would like your thoughts on
• Can we explore the possibility of
• Is there anything you might be able to do about..
• Is it in your power to.
• Are there any reasons that my proposals would not
  be considered?

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The Language of Negotiation

• DO NOT BE CONFRONTATIONAL
• Never let a negotiation turn into an argument
• Remember you may have to work with these people.

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Additional Questions to Ask

• How many times a year do I get a performance
  review?
• Does this include salary review?
• Do you do salary adjustments based on the market
  as well as merit?
• Is there a training budget for professional
  development?
• How is this position important to the company?

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Delaying your response

• Dont unless it is absolutely necessary
• There are good reasons companies set acceptance
  deadlines
• Headcount requirements
• Continued Recruitment
• Anticipated workload

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Delaying your response

• If you must delay
• Do it before you negotiate the offer
• Only start offer negotiations when you are ready
  to accept the outcome.
• Be Careful!
• Employers are people. No one wants to feel as if
  they are plan B.
• Remember that your conduct before you accept an
  offer may impact your career at the new employer.
• Be Prepared
• The employer might say no.

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Closing the Deal

• Always be prepared if the original offer stands
• Decline other offers as soon as you make your
  choice
• Be polite and respectful when declining
• Never burn bridges!
• When accepting an offer, Verbally agree and send
  a letter confirming your decision.

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Downsizing Others

• Always allow sufficient time to give someone the
  bad news privately and make certain that they can
  leave afterwards
• Make certain that human resources is doing
  everything possible to help
• Write a glowing letter of reference that leaves
  no doubt in the persons mind that he or she was
  not let go for poor performance
• Keep in touch

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References

• Much of the interview material was taken from
  presentations by Judy Doggett, Spring/Summer 2002

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Useful Web Sites

• Some useful job hunting web sites are
• www.jobscanada.com/resource/interview.asp
• www.littlegroup.com/appintv2.htm
• http//jeunesse.gc.ca
• www.cacee.ca
• http//www.monstertrak/
• http//www.staffsolutions.com/profjobs_newgrad.htm