Posts Tagged ‘CPGjobs’

Preparing For The Interview

By Kathy Keshemberg, NCRW, CCMC

So, you’ve got your resume in order, have searched for openings, networked extensively, and finally, you have an interview. And then the panic sets in! Job interviews can be very stressful, but if you spend some time preparing, your stress level will be reduced. Here are a few tips to get you started.

First, research the company. Google will be a very helpful tool. Find out as much as you can about their products/services, challenges they currently face, upcoming expansion plans, new product releases, etc. Also find out as much as you can about the person(s) you will be speaking with. Once again, Google him or her, but also search LinkedIn and Facebook. Knowing that he is an avid golfer or she is very involved with a local charity will give you ammunition for “small talk.” Finally, set up a Google alert about that company so that you are armed with the most current information before going to the interview.

Next, you want to prepare yourself by knowing your own personal brand inside and out. What is it that you offer that others do not, or what sets you apart from the competition? Special aspects of your experience, key areas of expertise, strengths, transferrable skills, and personality traits— these are all components of your brand. Once identified, weave this information into well-rehearsed “sound bites.” And speaking of rehearsing, do so out loud with a family member or in front of a mirro — you will be surprised at how differently the words come out of your mouth vs. in your head!

Finally, develop answers (and rehearse) for questions you anticipate will be asked. For instance, the “tell me about yourself” can be answered with your branding sound bites, while “walk me through your resume” will require you to be able to succinctly move through the highlights of your experience and accomplishments. If you’ve been let go from your last position be sure to have a positive “spin” prepared to explain the circumstances. If you’ve been looking for a job for many months, be prepared to talk about professional development or volunteer activities that you’ve devoted time to.

My April teleseminar featured Carole Martin, the Interview Coach. To listen to the recording of that call, click here and sign up for the Recorded Teleseminars. While you are at my site, be sure to register for May’s Teleseminar, which will be about developing your personal brand.

For more than two decades, Kathy Keshemberg, NCRW, CCMC and her team at A Career Advantage have been providing professionals with world-class resume consultation and writing, career coaching and personal branding services.
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New Clients for CPGjobs

Thank you to the following companies in the last 60 days for becoming a part of our CPG Talent Network.  Far from “just another job board,” CPGjobs offers clients personal service (yes, we mean a real, live person), industry leading technology and value “beyond the board,” saving you time and money as you build your recruiting pipeline.

I welcome you to our CPGjobs Talent Network.

Pinnacle Foods
Beach Body – Partner Products
Bob Evans Farms
National Cooperative Grocers Association
G L Mezzetta
Curtis Circulation Company
Farmland Foods
Aquahydrate
Foster Dairy Farms
Perrigo Company
United Dairy Farmers
Straus Family Creamery
Rosina Foods
Buxton Company
JT International USA
JD Power & Associates
Airbourne
Big Train
Ghiradelli Chocolates
Visual Latina
Canine Hardware
Peapod

Message from Penny Sallberg

Candidate Q & A: “Why Have I Received No Reply To My Job Submissions?”

Every week I answer a huge number of emails from candidates who have questions about the job submissions process. One common concern is the response rate from employers advertising open positions.

Recently I received the following question from a candidate:

Penny,
I saw your profile on LinkedIn and I am seeking assistance in my job search. Been a rough road with trying to land something. With many opportunities out there, and the economy in rough shape, I am seeing if possibilities could be made to land through your services.

Here is my reply, which many of you may also find helpful:

Thank you for contacting me. I checked on your submissions and see that you have applied to Company X a lot. X is a company that receives a lot of candidate submissions— and not just from us. They are so big in fact, that they have 3rd party vendors to which they outsource their initial candidate screening processes. This 3rd party vendor handles a lot of Company X’s early qualifying. They too are big, move slowly AND they don’t want help— even though they don’t do such a great a job and really need the help. I’m telling you this not to discourage you, but only so that you set your expectations about response time realistically. Company X does hire people, so the best thing to do with them is to apply whenever you see something that is appropriate…but don’t expect a quick response or any response unless they go to step 2.

Because there are currently so many people looking for work, you must always be prepared for someone else getting the job. I know that isn’t what you want to hear, but out of the hundreds of qualified people who apply to each job, only one of them gets hired. Make sure your resume is perfect, and I mean perfect. Any grammatical errors, font errors, spelling errors (oh no!), and formatting errors are just an excuse for them to throw you in the trashcan.

Remember too, this is a numbers game. You might have been the next person they were going to contact when they found Mr. or Ms. right. It’s timing, a perfect background and resume, and luck, the trifecta of getting hired. It has really always been this way but more people are involved now and like you, they are getting anxious and scared.

I don’t blame you for feeling this way, but keep checking the site and keep applying to the jobs that are appropriate. Try not to expect a call from recruiters telling you that you aren’t a fit, they won’t be doing that. I know it’s rude, but they barely have time to call the people that are a fit. So instead of using up your energy on being angry or upset about that, use the energy you saved to apply to another job or attend a networking event.

When you do find a position on CPGjoblist that you think is really a good fit for you, perfect your resume and cover letter, submit, then wait for 3 weeks. If you don’t get a call, send me an email telling me why you would be perfect for the position. If, upon reviewing your background and experience I agree, I will personally forward your information on to the Hiring Manager with my recommendation that they give you a closer look. After that it’s up to you and your resume. I hope this helped a little bit.

Penny Sallberg-Carrillo
Senior Vice-President & Co-Founder,
CPGjoblist

CPGjobs Continues to Grow

600,000 page views, 57,000+ candidates

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The Human Nature of Recruiters

Have you ever stopped to consider the job of a corporate recruiter? It's hard. Really hard.

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