I am Martin Buckland. I’m an executive career management practitioner and I help senior executives across the world, reach their career goals. The question that I’m answering today is, “How many references do I need?” I would suggest you have five. Why five? It’s always good to have an odd number and the five should […]
Job Interview Success
Securing a job interview can be as exciting as landing the job! Are you prepared? If you haven’t had a bad job interview you’ve heard from someone else who has. There is no guarantee that nothing will go wrong; accidents happen, personalities differ and expectations could be dashed on either side of the table. The […]
Are you interviewing in 20 year old attire?
If you are a senior executive you have probably updated your wardrobe several times over the past few years and would not consider going to a job interview donning a 20 year old suit. If you are managing an executive career with your sites on moving up the corporate ladder, have you given consideration to updating your […]
Job Interview Questions
??????????? Is your professional resume getting you in the door but you can’t get passed the job interview? Were you prepared and confident in providing answers to the job interview questions that were asked? There could be many reasons you were not considered as a potential candidate after your job interview and if you are not aware of the reason, […]
Show your love in the job interview!
Experience, education, job history and your willingness to relocate could easily be influencing factors in a job interview but are you aware of how influential body language, confidence and enthusiasm are? A recent survey of hiring managers found 68% less likely to hire a candidate who failed to make eye contact. The lack of a […]
Job Interview Advice – What’s In It For Them?
If there is one piece of advice you need to follow in your job interview it is to avoid the thought of what is in it for you and concentrate on informing the Interviewer what is in it for them. If you’ve made it to the job interview, you have successfully sold yourself in your resume, impressing upon a potential employer […]
Be a Follower, Not a Leader
Rarely is it in your best interest when seeking a job to be a follower rather than a leader unless, you are in a job interview. In this case, be a follower, not a leader! Allowing the interviewer to lead the interview will provide you with the opportunity to follow their lead to provide the information they […]
Follow The Rules
If you have received specific instructions and rules related to a company’s hiring process, do not deviate from them. Choosing to make up your own rules will most likely result in a lost job opportunity and a tarnished reputation. You may even put the reputation of others at risk so follow the rules. Recently, I learned of an individual who had an inside track on […]
Nonverbal Communication and Your Job Interview
In The Wall Street Journal, “The Power of Nonverbal Communication”, provides some very interesting information regarding the unconscious and nonverbal ways that humans communicate with one another. Dr. Alex “Sandy” Pentland, a professor at the MIT Media Lab, has written the book “Honest Signals”, based on studies related to unconscious social signals and patterns in how we interact […]
What goes around, comes around!
Some of us are firm believers in what goes around, comes around and as professionals, we spend a great deal of our time networking. Successful networking involves sharing information, experiences, and most importantly, our needs. Understanding what we can do for others and what they can do for us and then following through will sooner […]
Don’t Panic in Your Job Search
It is unlikely that you will find your new job within the first month of your job search. Or the second or third or even the fourth or fifth! The fact is you could be in your job search for longer than you expected and although this is not a comfortable situation for most of us, it is important that […]
Big Expectations for Today’s Executives
Globe and Mail article, Hit the ground running, by Wallace Immen relays the reality of expectations for immediate and measurable success from today’s executives. Stephen Smith, regional vice-president for Canada of Servisair Inc. said, “There was a huge agenda of things I was expected to do immediately”. In the first week he had to make personnel changes […]
Investing in Soft Skills
How much time and money have you invested in your soft skills? Developing soft skills and hard skills are equally important in moving forward in your career. Despite this fact, you’ve likely invested a great deal more in your hard skills. Investing in hard skills, such as a university degree, is an important element in your career. Your hard skills will be impressive on your resume […]
Your Job Interview – Will you receive an offer?
The job interview is over and you would love to know how you did. You may already have a good idea that you will receive an offer, or not. If you really are not sure the following questions may provide you with a little better insight. Did the interviewer provide you with a specific date or timeline for when a decision will be made? Were […]
Beware of Distractions
Recently I had a discussion with a colleague about a blog I had written, Job Interviews and Tattoos and was surprised that the feedback I received was their belief that most potential employers have a negative perception when it comes to tattoos and body piercings. It is highly likely that many of these people are also sporting tattoos and possibly body […]
Bizarre Behaviour in a Job Interview!
In a recent survey, OfficeTeam asked executives to recount the most embarrassing job interview moments they had heard of or witnessed. Yes, in a job interview, the time you really want to put your best foot forward. The opportunity you are given to present an exemplary first impression! The following are just a few of the responses: “The candidate […]
Professional References
You have presented an impressive cover letter, an enticing and professionally written resume and you are contacted for the job interview. Once there, you are nothing less than brilliant during your interview in front of a panel of three! So why was that the last time you heard from them? One of the most common reasons a highly qualified job applicant is eliminated as a […]
Job Interviews and Tattoos
“Tattoos can mark a career”, a recent article in the Toronto Star says Toronto employers advise job candidates to “be sensible” when meeting a prospective boss for the first time, and that includes hiding any tattoos or body piercings in order to make a good first impression. Marc Belaiche, president of TorontoJobs.ca says most employers […]
First Impressions
We have all heard it so many times before but it is a reminder that needs to be said again and again, “You do not get a second chance to make a good first impression”! Your look, your information, your voice, your words; everything you say and do creates an impression and if you want the job you […]
Questions and Concerns from the Company’s Perspective
Are you prepared to address the questions and concerns of a decision maker during a job interview? Are you aware of the questions and concerns prevalent throughout the various levels within a company? The following questions, even if they are not asked, will be ones that you should be prepared to answer or at least take into consideration: Hiring Manager; Will […]
