How To Talk About Having Quit a Job

In job interviews everywhere you’ll almost inevitably run into the same handful of questions time and time again. One of the most popular is why you left your previous position. Answering this question can be tricky: you have to be able to give a logical explanation of why you left without coming off as bitter or negative. The difficulty of this question is compounded if you were fired or asked to resign from your last position. Fortunately, it doesn’t take an online PhD to come up with an effective response, and with a little forethought you can answer this question without hurting your chances of getting hired.

To begin, it’s important to understand why employers ask this question at all. Applicants’ resumes may look terrific, but there may be a difference between what’s documented on paper and how people actually handles themselves on the job. By asking why you left your previous job, employers are looking to uncover potential problems with prospective hires that might not be reflected by their application materials.

The interviewer is also trying to glean information about how you handle adversity. Whether you left your job voluntarily, were laid off, or were fired, your answer to this question will give a glimpse of how you act under trying circumstances. Asking this question is an investigation into your personal integrity. So, armed with this knowledge, how should you answer the question?

It’s important to answer the question in a way that isn’t critical of your previous employer. Respond as positively as you reasonably can. If you left because you were burnt out with working for the company and decided you couldn’t stand to work there any longer, don’t trash your employer. Instead you might respond by saying you were seeking a position that would offer you greater opportunity to develop professionally. If you quit because you hated the job, you can talk about wanting a position with different responsibilities that your old company couldn’t provide. Whatever the case, don’t focus on the negatives about your previous employers. Instead, come up with a reason that casts your desire to switch jobs in a positive light.

Another thing you can do to make yourself stand out is mention what you’ve been doing since leaving your job. If you’ve done consulting work or enrolled in classes, then by all means point it out. Employers tend to look favorably on activity between jobs that shows you can take initiative and handle adversity well.

Finally, it’s important to make sure your delivery is accurate. Never tell an outright lie to an interviewer. A company can easily cross-check the reason you left your job with your previous employer. If a potential employer finds out you’ve misrepresented the circumstances of your last job, you’ll be in a worse predicament than if you had just told the truth, even if it isn’t totally favorable.

Keep your response positive, but truthful as well. It may be necessary to practice your answer several times before the interview to ensure you can be honest without hurting your chances of being hired.

This is a tough question, and leads many applicants to stumble if they’re unprepared. By being truthful and well-rehearsed in your response, you’ll be able to make a great impression on interviewers. A solid answer here will help push you to the top of the recruiter’s list, and put you that much closer to landing your next job. Good luck!

This is a guest post from Elaine Hirsch.

Related posts:

1. How To Quit Your Job Without Burning Bridges
2. How To Handle The “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?” Question In A Job Interview
3. How Your Credit Score May Affect Your Job Search

Simple Job Search Tip: If You Want To Hear Back, Follow Directions!

It’s such a common job search refrain:

“I’ve sent my resume out hundreds of times and I’ve heard nothing back!”

9 times out of 10 though, there’s a simple reason. Want to know what it is? Well, you’ve got to go a bit into the psychology of the hiring manager.

In this job market, when an employer posts a job, she’s likely to get dozens – nay – hundreds of resumes for that posted position. So if you’re that person doing the hiring, you’re looking for any reason to cut that stack of resumes down to size. I mean, realistically, you’re only going to call 3-4 or 10-15 people for interviews, right? So when that stack of resumes hits your desk or your inbox, you’re looking for the quickest and simplest reasons to cul the herd, right?

Now, there are dozens of ways that a hiring manager might weed you out and throw your resume right in the trash. Your resume might be garbage. You might be unqualified for what you’ve applied for. You might even just be too far back in the pile.

But do you know the quickest way your resume hits the trash bin?It’s simple: if you didn’t follow the directions of the job ad.

Every single job ad, be it online, in a newspaper or whatever has 3 components:

1. The description of the job
2. The description of the sort of candidate they are looking for, and…
3. Instructions on how to apply.

Over the years, I’ve seen job seekers fail again and again for no other reason than the fact they they ignored component 3.

The employer will tell you how they want you to apply. Online? Through their website? Through Monster? Via LinkedIn recommendation? Via email? In person? Over the phone? They will tell you in what format, in what time frame and how often you can apply.

If you simply don’t apply in the way they have explicitly asked, I can almost guarantee that your resume and your application will immediately go in the trash.

It’s basic human nature.

I mean, the hiring manager must be thinking this:

“If this job seeker can’t even follow the directions we laid out explicitly in our job ad, then how would I ever assume they’d be good at following directions on the job?”

So don’t make the first (worst) mistake possible when applying for a job. Don’t ignore the instructions in the job ad regarding how to apply.

I know, it seems so simple… so simple as to be stupid. But, especially with online job search, people tend to take a shotgun approach. They apply in every way possible. They submit via monster. They submit via the company website. They email. They call.

Please… for your own sake… don’t.

SIMPLY APPLY IN THE WAY THEY ASK YOU TO.

If spamming people worked for job searching, then it wouldn’t be viagra spam you’d be getting in your email spam box. It would be job applications. In the same way you don’t like spam, which is a solicitation you didn’t want, in a format you didn’t request… it’s just the same for the hiring manager. If a job ad tells you how to apply for a job, follow those instructions to the letter, otherwise you risk giving the hiring manager the easiest reason in the world for deleting your resume.

Related posts:

1. Retro Job Search Hack- Remember The Fax?
2. Should I Include My Address On My Resume If I’m Submitting Online
3. Ask Brian – You’ve Not Really Applied For A Job Unless You’ve Spoken To A Person

The Perfect Job: Is There Really Such a Thing?

Most of us make the mistake of telling ourselves that our lives will be great, just as soon as we find the perfect job. As a result, we end up defining our ideal situation based on some arbitrary set of rules around job title, level of pay, amount of vacation time, and whether or not we have an office with a window. We say in our minds, once we find these things, our lives will be perfect. Life will be filled with passion. Life will be incredibly great. Life will be filled with happiness!

There is one big problem with this line of thinking- it is incredibly flawed. Even if we did find that “perfect” job, after a period of time it would probably become stale and unsatisfying. You see, passion exists within us. We create our own passion- the excitement, enthusiasm, and emotion that we feel towards something. It is not our environment that creates that passion. It is our thoughts and feeling towards something that creates those feelings.

It is also the thoughts and feelings that we carry with us that create our own “dead-end,” lifeless situations. We spend so much of our time thinking about what we hate and what doesn’t work that our lives become miserable. We repeat and reinforce the same story over and over in our minds- this sucks, this isn’t working right, this is miserable, I won’t be happy unless I find the perfect job. We become stuck in a downward spiraling cycle of negativity and with that there certainly is no passion.

So, how do we break that cycle of negativity and pull the passion that is inside of us to the forefront?

1) Take an honest look at what you’re focusing on while you are at work. Do you spend most of your time focusing on what you don’t like about your job? If so, change that around. Look for the things you do like- maybe it is the people or the flexibility of the work hours. Focus on those things instead.

2) Make a list of at least 10 things you like about your work. When you are having a “poor me” moment at work, pull the list out and reflect on those things you like.

3) Out of the list of 10 above, find one thing that you can spend a considerable amount of time focusing on each day. Maybe there is a certain customer that you like working with more than others. Find a way that you can focus more on that relationship, or think about what it is you really like about that customer. Spend your time focusing on how you can replicate that with other customers, and not how much you dislike the other customers.

4) Practice “mindfulness.” Be aware of where you are in the present moment. Direct your mind away from the negative thoughts you have about your job and instead focus exclusively on the task at hand.

5) Ask yourself, is this really so bad? Chances are- it’s not. Otherwise, you would be in a different job already. Remember, we are not really as “stuck” as we wish to think we are. There are always options available to us.

The key is to get out of the downward spiral of negative thinking.

This is a guest post. About the author:

Lori Bell is founder of Creating Powerful Change, LLC and creator of http://www.help-me-change.com which offers tips, tools, and techniques for implementing successful change in to your life. As your Personal Change Agent, Lori will provide you with an easy to follow step by step process that allows you to tap into your hidden potential, to grow personally and professionally, and to create a life that finally feels right and works great for you! To receive other free articles and the no cost product- “Are You Ready for Success?” visit http://www.help-me-change.com now.

Related posts:

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2. Ask Brian – Just Took A Job That Is Below Me. Now What? When Do I Try To Move Up?
3. How to get noticed in your job for all the right reasons!

Job Interview Tip: How to Discuss a Layoff

Being laid off can feel so awkward to a job seeker that it paralyzes them in an interview situation and undermines their candidacy–but it doesn’t have to. I’m going to show you how to change the language you use and the perspective you have about your layoff to boost your confidence and calm the concerns of a potential new employer. So: How do you address a layoff?

First things first

In a phone interview, you will be asked right off the bat about why you are no longer with such and such employer. You need to be prepared to answer that question so that it positively biases the hiring manager (or the recruiter, whoever’s calling you) towards you. One of the key questions that I ask (as a recruiter) when I talk to someone about a layoff are “How many people got laid off?” If you were with a company of 1,000 people, and only 25 got laid off, I want to know why you were one of those 25? If there was a layoff where 45% of the sales force was laid off, that seem like it would be difficult to determine who got laid off. It’s important to think about the parameters of your layoff. The key concern of that recruiter or hiring manger is “Was it just you?” and then, “Is there some kind of issue with you?” If you are able to legitimately show that it wasn’t just you, and in fact, didn’t really have a whole lot to do with you or your performance, you’re in a much better spot.

Talk about your references

If you have very positive references from a layoff situation, it alleviates the question of “Was it due to performance?” That makes us feel much more comfortable with your candidacy. Even if you were terminated, a few good references can mitigate a lot of damage.

Show evidence of your success

Brag books are wonderful vehicles for showcasing your success on the job. They can include performance reviews, examples of your work, awards letters, complimentary emails, even. Any kind of “testimonial” in your favor can be a part of your brag book. It’s all evidence of how well you’ve done at your role that goes a long way to tilting the scales in your favor.

Focus on your future success

In addition to your brag book, show them forward-looking documents that paint a picture for them of what you’ll do in this position. Candidates often use a 30-60-90 Day Plan to do that. Those plans can really help with your candidacy because they highlight your initiative and work ethic, and they help people focus on the positives that you can bring to this organization, rather than the circumstances of why you’re no longer with your last one.

This is a guest post. About the author:

Peggy McKee offers more tips, tools, and techniques to be a standout candidate on her blog at => http://careerconfidential.com/

Control the job interview and create a hiring frenzy when you bring a 30/60/90-Day Plan. Find out more at => http://30-60-90-day-sales-plan.com/getthe306090dayactionplan.htm

Related posts:

1. Interview Tip- Have Some Questions
2. Job Search/Layoff Tip- Rainy Day Fund
3. Interview AND Resume Tip- The Job Description Is Just The Starting Point

Job Interview Tip: How to Discuss a Layoff

Being laid off can feel so awkward to a job seeker that it paralyzes them in an interview situation and undermines their candidacy–but it doesn’t have to. I’m going to show you how to change the language you use and the perspective you have about your layoff to boost your confidence and calm the concerns of a potential new employer. So: How do you address a layoff?

First things first

In a phone interview, you will be asked right off the bat about why you are no longer with such and such employer. You need to be prepared to answer that question so that it positively biases the hiring manager (or the recruiter, whoever’s calling you) towards you. One of the key questions that I ask (as a recruiter) when I talk to someone about a layoff are “How many people got laid off?” If you were with a company of 1,000 people, and only 25 got laid off, I want to know why you were one of those 25? If there was a layoff where 45% of the sales force was laid off, that seem like it would be difficult to determine who got laid off. It’s important to think about the parameters of your layoff. The key concern of that recruiter or hiring manger is “Was it just you?” and then, “Is there some kind of issue with you?” If you are able to legitimately show that it wasn’t just you, and in fact, didn’t really have a whole lot to do with you or your performance, you’re in a much better spot.

Talk about your references

If you have very positive references from a layoff situation, it alleviates the question of “Was it due to performance?” That makes us feel much more comfortable with your candidacy. Even if you were terminated, a few good references can mitigate a lot of damage.

Show evidence of your success

Brag books are wonderful vehicles for showcasing your success on the job. They can include performance reviews, examples of your work, awards letters, complimentary emails, even. Any kind of “testimonial” in your favor can be a part of your brag book. It’s all evidence of how well you’ve done at your role that goes a long way to tilting the scales in your favor.

Focus on your future success

In addition to your brag book, show them forward-looking documents that paint a picture for them of what you’ll do in this position. Candidates often use a 30-60-90 Day Plan to do that. Those plans can really help with your candidacy because they highlight your initiative and work ethic, and they help people focus on the positives that you can bring to this organization, rather than the circumstances of why you’re no longer with your last one.

This is a guest post. About the author:

Peggy McKee offers more tips, tools, and techniques to be a standout candidate on her blog at => http://careerconfidential.com/

Control the job interview and create a hiring frenzy when you bring a 30/60/90-Day Plan. Find out more at => http://30-60-90-day-sales-plan.com/getthe306090dayactionplan.htm

Related posts:

1. Interview Tip- Have Some Questions
2. Job Search/Layoff Tip- Rainy Day Fund
3. Interview AND Resume Tip- The Job Description Is Just The Starting Point

New Graduate Resume – 5 Things to Get Right on a New Grad Resume

An economy in the ditch is tough on all job seekers, but particularly so on new college graduates. New grads likely went into their 2-4 year programs on the wings of an expanding economy. Most are now falling fast as the economy has retrenched and jobs hard to come by for those with little to no practical experience in their chosen fields. But there are jobs out there, albeit few. And they will go to somebody. To make sure you’re one of those somebodies, begin by making your new graduate resume the best it can be.

5 Things To Get Right on the New Graduate Resume

1) Choose Targeted Over General Resume. The days are gone when the new grad can write a ‘one-size-fits-all’ resume with a general objective statement, a bunch of overused resume cliches and a chorus line of part-time jobs, each given equal weight whether relevant or not. A job search in this environment demands a targeted approach. Every resume you submit to a job opening needs to be targeted to that position; your objective (if you have one) should mention that position by name, and every ingredient in your profile section needs to drive home the point that you are the right person for that job. Even the details under your education and experience sections should be adjusted to reflect maximum compatibility with the targeted job.

And yes, that process should be repeated for each job you apply. More work? You bet. Welcome to a recessionary economy.

2) Include an Objective Statement and a Profile Section. Yes, I know. Resume objective statements have taken a beating over the past few years, and many career counselors advise against including one on the resume. As a bit of a contrarian, I believe they should remain an option, and especially on a new graduate resume. Why? It gives the resume an immediate focus, and – if phrased correctly – the opportunity to directly address the specific qualifications of the job in question (e.g. Entry-level position in Retail Merchandising requiring a valued team player with a strong fashion sense and a relevant academic background.)

Your profile (or summary) is located either in place of, or directly beneath the objective. Your profile is a brief section (two or three lines, maybe three bulleted achievements beneath those lines) giving you the opportunity to highlight the skills and training that best qualify you for the position at hand. Note that this section might change slightly with each new targeted resume, as you subtly adjust your skill set to match each job’s qualifications.

3) Highlight Your Education. For most new graduates, their education is their calling card. Situate the education section directly beneath the profile. That is, unless you’ve held at least one full-time job for a year or more, and that job is particularly relevant to your objective. In that case, place the experience section above education in the lineup, as you will want to emphasize and elaborate on that job.

4) When To Use GPA. Mention your overall grade point average if it’s 3.5 or higher. Indeed, emphasize that fact on your resume. On the other hand, if your GPA is not so good, especially anything less than 3.0, leave it off the resume entirely. Mention your major GPA if it’s 3.5 or more, or higher than your overall.

5) Courses and Activities. List individual college courses, campus activities and such in indirect proportion to the strength of your experience section. In other words, if your experience is lacking big time, elaborate on specific courses completed, campus activities, club memberships, offices held, etc. Conversely, downplay most or all, and leave some off entirely, if you’ve held one or more jobs that add heft to your objective. And if you’re totally dependent on a list of course work to fill up space on what would otherwise be a desert moonscape of a resume, try to show how the knowledge acquired from these courses transition to your stated objective, and the needs of the employer.

New Grad – Some Things In Your Favor

As a new graduate, you have some things going for you. You have a good academic foundation in your selected profession, you’ve demonstrated the fact that you’re trainable, and odds are you’re more technologically savvy than members of the previous generation. And you’ve got a fresh perspective and a can-do attitude (in other words, you haven’t yet been crushed under the jackboot of cynicism and apathy).

Make sure your resume looks equally good, and get yourself out there.

This is a guest post by David Alan Carter who says:

Should new graduates consider using a professional resume service? “In this tough job market – yes,” says former recruiter David Alan Carter. “But make sure the writers are certified and they offer an interview guarantee.” Carter has put together Resume Service Reviews of the Web’s most popular writers at the website TopResumeServices.com, reviewing quality of workmanship, spelling out their pricing, and giving each a star ranking.

 

Related posts:

1. New Graduate Resume – 5 Things to Get Right on a New Grad Resume
2. Ask Brian- Taking A Step “Backward” And How To Address This In My Resume
3. Resume Summary – The Importance of a Resume Summary Section

Electronic Resume Formats – The 6 Most Popular For E-Resumes

In today’s job market, one needs to fully embrace electronics and the power of the internet. But job seekers are quickly confronted with a number of formatting options for delivering their electronic resume to their intended target. Get the format wrong, and your resume won’t get read.

The 6 Popular Formats For The Electronic Resume

- The Formatted Resume. The traditional resume you see in printed form. Written using a word processing program (most commonly Microsoft Word), the formatted resume is also suitable for email transmission as a file attachment. Two potential problems with the latter. 1) It’s dependent upon the email recipient to have the same word processing software application on his or her computer in order to open the attachment and view its contents. 2) It’s vulnerable to viruses. For that reason, such attachments are often not acceptable by companies.

- The Plain Text Resume. Also known as an ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) resume, this is a simple text format that allows your resume to be read by practically any computer in the world. It’s devoid of graphics and embellishments: no fancy bullets, no bold, no italics. The ASCII resume can be transmitted as an email file attachment, pasted onto the body of an email, or pasted piece-by-piece onto e-forms on job boards, corporate websites and the like. It’s not pretty to look at, but gets the job done.

- The Scannable Resume. Basically a plain text or ASCII resume that is printed out. This is applicable when a company requests a hard-copy resume with the intent to scan the document into their keyword-searchable database. Transmitted by mail or fax. Sidebar: hard-copy scannable resumes are rapidly losing favor in the marketplace as databases are increasingly able to accept resumes directly from email, negating the need for someone to sit around physically scanning paper.

- The Rich Text Format Resume. Also known as an RTF (Rich Text Format) resume, this is a file format easily created from most word processing applications (Word, WordPerfect, etc.) by simply saving the resume as Rich Text (it will have a file extension of.rtf). Use the two-step “File, Save As” procedure in Word. As a general rule, simple graphics and embellishments (bold, italics, etc) will remain intact through the conversion, although more complex enhancements – graphs and tables – may not fair so well. An RTF resume sent as an email attachment is accessible across platforms and regardless of word processing software. And an RTF file attachment is less prone to viruses than Word.

- Portable Document Format Resume. A PDF resume is a file format that retains all the design elements – interesting fonts, bolds and italics, bulleted lists and the like – normally ascribed to application software. But it is delivered independent of application software. Which means, recipients of your emails don’t need to have your particular version of Word (or WordPerfect, et al.) on their computer systems to be able to open your attachment. It’s accessible on both PCs and Macs, and it’s considered virtually virus proof. On the down side, if a PDF resume is intended for a keyword-scannable database, the document itself must be physically scanned first (unlike an ASCII file, a PDF can’t be send directly from the email to the database).

- Web Resume. The Web-based or HTML resume is basically a published page on a website. It is advantageous because you can direct Web traffic to the site, and the resume can be as feature-rich as your imagination (and common sense) allows. You do need to have a host and the architecture to publish a Web resume.

Choosing The Right Electronic Resume File Format

The particular format with which you transmit your electronic resume will be dictated by the method of transmission (email, for example, vs posting to a job board or corporate website) as well as the intended target (human eyes vs computer software which will be scanning for keywords).

Get the file format right, and get your electronic resume read. Beyond that, it’s up to the talent that went into crafting that resume.

This is a guest post. About the author:

David Alan Carter is a former recruiter. Writing for the website http://TopResumeServices.com/, Carter has confronted the Web’s most popular resume writers in his Resume Writing Services Reviews, reviewing quality of workmanship, spelling out their pricing, and giving each a star ranking.

Related posts:

1. Robert Scoble on Why (Most) Resumes Suck
2. Ask Brian- What’s the Best Way to Send My Resume?
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How To Quit Your Job Without Burning Bridges

An article about quitting in today’s economic climate may seem slightly oxymoronic, but an increasing number of people are discovering that it is actually more monetarily advantageous to create their own small business and work from home.  Small things like being able to eat three meals a day in your home, no longer needing weekly dry cleaning service, cutting down on childcare costs, and reducing the necessity to pay for gas or other commuting fees, can have a large impact on a family’s economic health.  Branching out on your own requires a lot of planning, and if you have a number of monetary responsibilities it is advisable to achieve a certain level of stability with you small business, before leaving your primary position.  If a level of stability has been achieved, and leaving your current work environment is an option, there are appropriate ways to go about giving your notice, and a couple of actions that should avoided.

1.  Start at the Top

Even if all of your friends know that your custom cake business is a huge hit and that you have so many clients you can barely keep your eyes open during the day, do not tell your best office buddies that you are quitting.  Start the resignation process with the person who hired you.  That person took a leap of faith in inviting you to join their business, so they should be the first person to know that you are leaving.

2.  Write a Letter of Resignation

Writing a letter of resignation allows your boss or supervisor to read the letter when they have a moment.  Knocking on your supervisor’s door and announcing that you are leaving in a few weeks is a recipe for disaster, as they may have their mind and energy focused elsewhere and your news will seem quite jarring and unpleasant.  The letter should be positive, clear, and devoid of lies.  If you feel that you need to give a reason for leaving, make the reason about the new opportunity as opposed to how much you dislike you current situation.  Thank them for their understanding and be prepared to do refuse any counter-offers or incentives to stay.

3.  Give Appropriate Notice

Two weeks notice is standard and anything less is rude, frankly.  Unless an emergency necessitates a quick exit, two weeks from the day you hand in your resignation is appropriate.  If you hold a job with a number of responsibilities, or a position that is highly specialized, consider giving a few more weeks notice, so that a smooth transition can be made.  Work until the agreed upon date and maintain an appropriate work standard during your last few days with the company.

4.  Formulate an Exit Strategy

Leaving positively is extremely important.  If you go off on your own and it does not work out the way you planned, you may find it necessary to return to your previous position.   Do not drop everything and walk out.  Try to wrap up any projects and open-ended discussions that have not been resolved.  If you have the opportunity to train your replacement, leave notes about everything.  The notes should give information about the history of a project or client, but not instruct the newcomer as to how things should be done.  Your replacement will most likely find the working process that is most appropriate for them.

5.  Check Back-In

A few months after you leave, check-in.  Ask how everyone is doing.  Find out if your replacement has any questions.  Maintaining a positive relationship with your former job is very important, as you may need a recommendation from them in the future.  Also, good friendships can form at the office and it would be a shame to quit those along with your former position.

Leaving the stability of a corporate environment is certainly not for everyone.  No matter whether you have a small business that is thriving, or you have chosen to focus on childrearing, or maybe you have just decided to pursue one of the millions of online degrees available, leaving your current job with a modicum of finesse is extremely important.  Be clear, concise, honest, and above else, committed to your decision.  Best of luck!

This is a guest post from Terri Lambert, from OnlineDegrees.org.

Related posts:

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2. Ask Brian- When Do I Tell My Old Job About My New Job?
3. Ask Brian – How Much Notice To Give When Quitting An Overseas Job?

What Makes an Effective Leader In The Workplace?

The extent of growth and success of an organization depends on effective leadership of the managers or other key employees. Leadership is not just managing things. It is actually doing right things at the right time in a right way. Being a good manager is, therefore, different from being a good leader. However, managing with effective leadership is important. This article helps managers to know what makes an effective leader at workplace.

Qualities of a good leader
A manager should possess distinct leadership qualities to motivate and develop subordinates. This is very much essential to promote a proper work environment. Here are some qualities of a good leader:

Good team player
A good leader is always a good team player. Successful implementation of a project is possible only through collaborative or team work. As an effective team player, a good leader knows strengths and weaknesses of the team members. He will have the competency to organize and assign the work properly among the group. In addition, the leader contributes to build a successful team and represents self on behalf of the group. The leader will not only try for excellence in team performance, but also encourages and rewards the members for their contribution.

Stand up for his beliefs
It is often difficult to stand at one’s beliefs when working with a group of people. Many undesirable situations may arise at workplace that disturbs these values and beliefs. However, a good leader does not leave his faith in such situations. He will have self-stated (or organizational) values and beliefs to solve issues at workplace. A good leader delivers whatever is promised maintaining his self-respect.

Ability to absorb challenges
Risks and challenges are common at any level of an organization. Accomplishing the task in difficult situations even under pressure is a special art of great leaders. When others fail, they win as they have the ability to absorb challenges at any time. Their desire and passion towards the work makes them ready to take the risk and finish the job.

Lead by example
True leaders do lead by example. Their conduct and actions, indeed, influence their peers in workplace. They will set and follow the established principles. This encourages team members to follow the principles. Being a right role model, they create a positive and professional work atmosphere in the organization.

Concern for the future of the organization as well as the team
Good leaders at workplace are more focused on development of the organization than their own financial benefits. They build up the vision of the company’s future and find new ways to be part of its success. They always strive to build the organization as they know that if it grows, the manager will automatically grow in his career. When it comes to his team members, a good leader knows that they are valuable resources to the company. So he supports them to perform better and grow in career.

Servant leadership
One of the most important characteristics of an effective leader at workplace is ‘servant leadership’. A dynamic leader inculcates the belief ‘To lead is to serve’ and does not wish to increase self-authority or power. His or her main attitude is to primarily serve the team and the organization. Such quality brings in valuable characteristics like trust, honesty and respect in the team members. Servant leadership stresses on moral and principled use of power. Its main purpose is to develop the growth of people in the firm and build team work.

Emotionally intelligent
Emotional intelligence is the ability to monitor and manage self-emotions at workplace. A good leader develops self-awareness, motivation, empathy, social and self-management skills to be emotionally intelligent. With such distinct behavioral characteristics, he meets the organization’s demands such as growth, challenges, glory and team spirit. It enhances the ability to take right decisions and also promotes to maintain a good relationship with the peers.

A combination of these qualities should be inculcated by a manager. With these leadership traits, a perfect leader makes sure that the following things are achieved.

Getting best out of the team members
A good leader at workplace finds ways to receive the excellent output from the team members. He sometimes involves in informal chat with the team members, but at the same time ensures that their productivity is maintained. He gives proper training to the subordinates and helps them build the required skills. He motivates the team to achieve the productivity targets of the projects.

Making the team members think through the issues
No accomplishment is successful without team work. A good leader expects opinions and suggestions from the team members. He provokes them to think through the work issues and find innovative ways to get better solutions. This not only creates interest among the team members but also promotes their skill development.

Creating broad framework in which team members can get their jobs done
A clear and effective framework is developed by a good leader to help the team members get the job perspective. He makes it easy for the team members to finish the job. He makes them think through the company’s viewpoint and encourages them to work whole heartedly for the progress of the company. He also inspires them to stretch when required.

Inculcate the above-mentioned leadership qualities to be an impressive leader at workplace.

This is a guest post from Peopleconnect.

Peopleconnect’s startup recruiters provide a full service high tech executive search connecting outstanding candidates with wonderful clients. Providing contingency search and contract recruitment solutions to clients. Peopleconnect’s Los Angeles recruiters will help you in finding the right people in New York.

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Why Didn’t I Get The (Job) Interview?

Today I’m going to start a “why” series on this blog. A lot of the questions I get from readers (and plenty of the posts in our reader forum) revolve around the question “why?” So I’m going to try to offer some generic reasons “why” things might not be working out in your job search.

Not every point will apply to you, but you should consider each one seriously because if you can change the one or two things that are tripping you up, then you’ll hear more “yes” on your way to landing a new job.

First up:

Why didn’t I get the interview?

So you’ve been sending out resume after resume but you’re not getting interviews. You’re not even getting call-backs or emails! Why? What are you doing wrong? Consider these possibilities:

1. Your resume is hurting you. A resume is all you’ve got to make a first impression. It’s like a pickup line in a singles bar. If what you’re doing isn’t working, then you have to look at what you’re saying. Maybe your resume is not effective enough. Maybe it’s not standing above the crowd. Worse: some resumes make basic mistakes that could actually hurt your chances of landing that interview. Consider tweaking or even rewriting your resume wholesale. If you’re not getting results, then tweak the one thing that is your calling card. Of course, I would strongly recommend engaging professional resume services to help you out. But you know I’m biased on that front.
2. You’re trying too hard. 200 resumes sent out does not equal 200 interviews. If you’re taking the shotgun approach to job applications, then you’re doing it wrong. Seriously study the openings out there and try a targeted application approach. Focus on the 5-10 most likely positions and do your best to stand out for those.
3. You’re not qualified. Be honest with yourself. Are you applying for jobs that are over your head? You might really want that prestigious job, but maybe you’re just not qualified for it yet. If you’re applying for jobs that are out of your league, then you’re just wasting time. Try focusing on jobs that are attainable. Be realistic about your qualifications.
4. You’re not paying attention. The only information you have about what the employer wants is in that job ad. So, is your application/resume targeting what the job ad says the employer is looking for? Have you done your homework and addressed what they say they’re looking for? If you’re just sending out generic resumes without taking the time to do some research and tailor your resume to what they say they need, then you might as well not apply at all.
5. You’re late. In this job market, any job opening can rapidly attract hundreds of applicants. If you’re applying to a job posted 2 weeks ago, you could be completely perfect for it, but your application just joins the pile that has been building all that time. It may seem annoying to constantly monitor the job boards and try to jump on new postings, but it could be well worth your time to do so.

 

Related posts:

1. The Secret of a Successful Job Interview
2. A Successful Job Interview: My One Best Tip
3. Things To Avoid At Your Job Interview

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