Job Interview Archives - Sincera Consulting

Recruiters’ Alert: Red Flags to Watch out for in CVs

As a recruiter, one of your most fundamental (and potentially boring) tasks is to screen through all the CVs that come your way, and identify which ones to scrap and which ones to move ahead with. At times this can be tough, when you have scores and scores of CVs to go through, and there’s only so much your brain can process. However, to make your job easier, you can train yourself to look out for certain Red Flags in the CVs that come your way. This will make it infinitely easier for you to sift through the CVs, while shortlisting the very best potential hires.

So what are some of the red flags you need to watch out for?

Does not address the basics of the job description

Even if you may have listed out the specifications you are looking for, very clearly, you will still receive applications that do not heed the basic requirements. For example, one of the easiest ways to short list CVs is to check the work experience of the candidate. If you are hiring for a senior position, you have very specific conditions in mind. Or certain language requirements that may be a precondition. This way, you’ll be able to filter the CVs much faster.
The format of the CV

One of the easiest and most obvious ways to tell whether or not a candidate is a potential hire is by simply looking at the format of the CV. If it is sloppy and untidy, you know that the concerned candidate is not really serious about his application, because they clearly haven’t spent time trying to make an impression through their application. This reflects a great deal about how professional the candidate is. While the CV does not need to be elaborate and decorative, it definitely needs to be clean, well formatted and definitive.
Unexplained gaps in employment

Gap years are perfectly acceptable. And at times, even desirable. But that depends on how the gap year has been spent. Volunteering, internships, traveling, freelancing are some of the most common reasons for taking gap years. If the overall professional record of the candidate is alright, this shouldn’t be a cause for worry for a recruiter. However, what you can’t take a chance with is unexplained gaps in employment. In that case, you have no knowledge about how the candidate spent that time, and worse, you don’t know if they’re hiding something.
No achievements

The candidate might have been educated at the most prestigious institutions, and may have been employed at fairly reputed organizations; however, without achievements these aspects don’t really matter. They certainly do not account for achievements in themselves. In order to decide whether the candidate can be an asset to your organization, you need more tangible proof. While the candidate might have been entrusted with a lot of important roles and responsibilities, it is also important to get a gauge of how the candidate delivered on them.
Lack of definitive targeting

A good CV is one which definitively targets all the job requirements, and responds to each one by stating the skills necessary for the requirements. A CV without intent, or target, is not something that you can short list as a potential hire. While the candidate might be a good all round candidate, specific roles have specific requirements. As a recruiter, it is your foremost responsibility to not compromise on this very crucial precondition for hiring.

Even the seemingly “small” things do make an overall difference to the quality of hire. The way a CV is written up, speaks volumes about the overall personality of a person. While you can’t get a thorough gauge of the professional unless you call them in for a personal interview, the CV can give you enough of an idea about whether or not the candidate should even make it to the next round. Want more tips on how to recognize a great CV in two minutes? Read this great article on Undercover Recruiter.

Making Job Descriptions Gender Neutral

by sincera | Recruitment, World of Work

Are you a recruiter? Have you, at some point of your career, wondered why is it that most applicants applying to the jobs you put out are male? One of the most obvious answers is how your job descriptions are worded. Is it calling out to male candidates? While you may not have been gender exclusive on purpose, you haven’t been gender inclusive either. In order to defeat the ever-growing glass ceiling when it comes to women at work, every stakeholder needs to plays a more active role. It is important to approach recruitment with sensitivity and to ensure that you are gender inclusive in your call for applications.

In this post, we are going to share some very powerful words from powerful women that Undercover Recruiter put together, in their article How Can Job Descriptions Be More Gender Neutral?

To understand the dynamics of what we are trying to explain, can be best done through knowing how and why gender exclusive job descriptions affect women. Here are their voices –

Angela Bortolussi, Partner at Recruiting Social

A few years ago I sat with my hiring manager, a Director of Engineering, and he said “Angela, I asked my wife to review the job description for our Front End Engineering role – she is also a Front End Engineer, and she told me ‘I wouldn’t apply for this role.’”

He of course asked her “Why?” She mentioned the job description had so many hard stops in terms of qualifications. For example, you must have 8+ years of experience, React experience is a must, and a Computer Science Degree is a must. She felt that she was somewhat qualified but didn’t have the exact qualifications needed for the role, and ultimately wouldn’t attempt applying.

He decided to take this into consideration and re-write the job description to become more gender neutral to hopefully increase the attention of women applying. (Guess what? It worked!)

Keep in mind though it’s a tough to really understand the thought-process when it comes to candidates applying for roles. Whatever the reason is, I think we (women) respond to job ads/posts differently.

Rebecca Fraser, National Executive Committee, Career Development Association of Australia

It is quite interesting how some words can be perceived as being more attractive depending on your gender. Removing gender specific words, an example may be he or she and Chairman or Chairwoman. This is challenging in some languages where they have grammatical gender and this may require job adverts and job titles to specifically confirm that they are being offered to all genders. Other language could be seen as more attractive to the male gender, such as describing the work environment as fast paced and challenging, or dominant and determined. Although many females will be attracted to this environment, research has shown that these words can be perceived as being about a male dominated work environment.

Lysha Holmes, Owner and Recruiter, Qui Recruitment R2R

It is essential that a job description is written as a narrative to the potential employee regardless of gender. Avoid assumptions, focus on skills and attitude, potential and opportunity rather than a “person” per se and therefore stereotypes can be avoided. This should include imagery used to promote any post on social media.

Poonam Mawani, Director, Azuki Accounts

Job descriptions are so important. They are the first impression of a company’s culture. There is software available now that can remove and replace gendered descriptions and words. There are certain phrases that can either attract more men or women. These should be identified and replaced to attract a more balanced candidate pool. How a firm describes itself in a job description is also important.

Amanda Bell, Director of Recruiting, Lever

Luckily, this can be pretty easy. Review your job descriptions with the lens of “Who is the audience here?” If your answer is “any qualified candidate, regardless of gender,” you’ve done a good job! It’s not just about the presence of gender-specific pronouns – it’s also about using language that is inclusive of all genders. Stay away from phrases like “kick ass,” “ninja,” and, believe it or not, “brah.” You can also ask a few employees of various genders to read the descriptions and solicit feedback.

Making sure that job descriptions are crafted in a neutral manner is in fact one of the primary steps towards implementing gender equality at the work place. Have you read our post on implementation of gender equality at the work place? You can read it here. You can also read more posts from our gender series by clicking on the following links:

Gender Equity Before Gender Equality: Why Women Need More
The Importance of Gender Diversity in The World of Work
5 Unconventional Career Tracks Women are Making it Big In

The 5 Most Effective Job Hunt Hacks

by sincera | Career, Job Offers, Recruitment

Yes, we know! There are no shortcuts to success. But if you are on a job hunt, this post is something you cannot miss. Based on our years of experience helping job hunting candidates like you land their dream jobs, we have put together some insider tips (or hacks as the current trend is) to help you on your job hunting journey. What are some of the best and most effective Job Hunt Hacks that can fast-track your job hunting process ? Read on to find out exactly what they are, and why they make such a big difference.

Job Hunt Hack #1 – Use “Keywords”

Go through the job description carefully and pick up on the keywords. Remember that when sending in your application online, in all probability, the first screening is going to be mechanized. In which case, you need to ensure that your application uses as many of those phrases/ keywords possible (in a relevant way of course) as possible. It is only after the initial sorting (the first two stages, at least) that your application will reach the higher-ups in the management. In order to ensure your job application gets there, be as specific and comprehensive as possible. Using keywords is a great way to go about it.

Job Hunt Hack #2 – Use both online and offline platforms

Don’t stop once you have finished applying through the online sources. Start networking and spreading the word about your job hunt. Networking is one of the most effective techniques of offline job hunting. Reach out to your old and new contacts and have casual conversations with them about your plans. You never know what opportunities may come your way simply through those conversations. Also, make sure to avoid these 5 social media mistakes when you are job hunting!

Job Hunt Hack #3 – Modulate your applications

What really hampers your job hunt process is using one stock application and cover letter for all the places you apply to. When you do that, your application depicts an acute lack of interest and enthusiasm. Even if the job profiles you are applying to are similar, there are some fine differences between each of these profiles. Mark them and customize your applications accordingly. This will be possible only when you are truly serious and enthusiastic about the job hunt process. Pay attention to details, and remember that that’s probably the only thing that will give you an edge over the others.

Job Hunt Hack #4 – Your LinkedIn profile matters (most)!

Your existence, and activity on LinkedIn is crucial for a successful job hunt. You could reach out to scores of potential employers, and correspond with them about opportunities simply by making sure you are active on LinkedIn. By being on LinkedIn, you are not only “visible”, but also vested with innumerable valuable resources which you just need to know how to use. Still not convinced about why you need a LinkedIn profile? Here’s why. Have a LinkedIn profile but wondering how you can make it better? Here’s how.

Job Hunt Hack #5 – The magic word is “Thank You”

Incorporating the practice of gratitude into everything you do is the best thing you can do for yourself. Including when you are job hunting. It makes a huge difference when you send in a personalized note, even if it is just two lines, after you finish interviewing (no matter the stage of the interview), to the relevant people. Just acknowledging the time they invested, saying that it was a pleasure having had a chance to communicate and that you look forward. These small things are what set you apart from other candidates, and make you the more like-able, and obvious candidate. However, do it genuinely. It isn’t very hard to tell when the candidate isn’t being genuine – which will just end up making things worse for you.

And the most effective job hunt hack of all – work closely with a great recruiter. A recruiter starts work every morning with one objective – find the best candidate for his/her client and fill the open position ASAP. A candidate hunting for a job wakes up with this thought – may today be the day when I land my dream job. Notice the similarity between the two objectives – so why not work together with mutual respect to achieve this common goal? Here is how you can help her help you.

If you’ve been looking for job hunt guidance and a lot of material has been coming your way, all of that is bound to be similar in one way or the other. Through all your efforts, remember that you can go a long way by just being yourself. Take your own self to the interviews, and let it reflect in your applications and conversations. Because you’re the best when you’re nothing but yourself!

8 Simple Steps to Nailing that Volunteering Interview

by sincera | Interview, Volunteering

Today, volunteering is no longer seen as a burden or a waste of time. It is a stepping stone that can help shape career prospects and make one stand out in the crowd. As a result, there is a fierce competition amongst students to find the perfect volunteering opportunity and nail the interview. While a volunteering interview might be slightly different from a job interview, it isn’t any less important.

If you have been called in for an interview that you were hoping for, but are apprehensive regarding your chances of selection and don’t know what to do, then please, don’t panic. We have put together a set of pointers that will help you get prepared and ace the volunteering interview.

PREPAREDNESS IS THE KEY

Consistent preparation for any interview is essential as it speaks volumes about your professionalism and also reflects your enthusiasm for the volunteering opportunity. There are a number of ways in which you can prepare before the big day arrives!

a) Do your research

Before you go for any interview, it is extremely important to find out as much as you can about the organization, the position, and the person/people who will be interviewing you. Understanding the organization’s mission and history, goals and sense of style can not only help you in determining the sorts of questions that will be asked, but can also help you decide whether it’s the right place for you. The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to give intelligent answers. Knowing your interviewer’s name and some details will allow you to strike up a conversation, which often leads to the interviewer forming a more positive impression.

b) Make a list of your skills

Another important part of preparation is to make a list of your skills, certifications, abilities, experiences, and professional or personal qualities that are critical to the position. Review your list, and the volunteering requirements, prior to the interview so that you are fully prepared to share with the interviewer your qualifications. It is important you look through your list before hand, as taking long pauses to recollect information during the interview will not help set a good impression.

c) Practise with a mock volunteering interview

This is perhaps most important step that should not be missed. Take advantage of your research and go through a mock interview with a friend/colleague. It is helpful to review potential interview questions so that you are confident during the interviews. In addition, the more prepared you are, the better equipped you’ll be for interview success.

d) Work on your resume

It is safe to say that your CV is the single most important thing in the recruitment process. Make sure it has all that your interviewer needs to know about you and not a word extra. Be direct and prepare your resume in such a way that your qualifications, skills and achievements are searchable and stand out. Add links to your work portfolios, online profiles or blogs so that there is an additional outside reference for your skills.

2) DRESS THE PART

Believe it or not appropriate clothing does make a big difference! The right outfit can help make a great first impression.

This brings us to very important question, what’s the appropriate dress code for an interview? The dress code may vary, depending on the formality of the workplace or the job. However, it is important to pick out an outfit that makes you look professional and feel confident, as well as something that matches the ambience of the organization.

3) GET THERE ON TIME

Trust us when we say this, nothing looks worse than arriving late to an interview! It would be more prudent if you arrive a few minutes early so that you can settle down and be ready for your turn. However, do not come in too early for the interview, as you will put yourself and the recruiter into stress, because he/she might have other working duties before your interview.

In order to be punctual, make sure you know where the interview venue is and how long it will take you to get there. Map out the directions on Google maps beforehand if necessary. If despite all the precautionary measures you are not able to make it on time due to an unforeseeable crisis, make sure you call the recruiter and inform him/her beforehand.

4) MUTE OR TURN YOUR PHONE OFF BEFORE YOU ENTER THE INTERVIEW ROOM

This is something that is easily forgotten but is very crucial! During an interview if your phone starts to ring, it can be annoying and distracting for both, the interviewer and yourself. So remember to mute it or turn it off.

5) FOCUS ON YOUR BODY LANGUAGE

Be conscious (but not overly), of your body language. As you walk into the interview room, smile warmly , firmly shake hands, and say something pleasant. Remember to make eye contact and don’t gesticulate a lot. During the interview, maintain a good posture and appear relaxed. Lastly, try not to cross your arms or legs in front of your body and do not put your hands in front of your mouth.

6) CRACK THE QUESTIONS

All your preparations up till now, boil down to this stage. This is your chance to shine!

Every volunteering interview has a different tone as no two volunteering opportunities are the same. Opportunities differ because of the work, time period, the people you’d be working under and more. However, there are some common questions that are asked across all volunteering interviews. The idea behind such questions is to asses your intent, skills, level of experience and whether you would be a right fit or not. Some of these are:

a) Why have you applied for a volunteering position?
b) What do you hope to seek out of this?
c) Why do you think we should select you?
d) What are your strengths and weaknesses?
e) Describe a time when you overcame a challenge, whether in school or college.

As we have already discussed, practising the answers to these commonly asked questions is one way for acing the interview. But, in order to sail smoothly until the very end you must keep some more pointers in mind. These are as follows :

i) Be Yourself

At an interview, you’ll likely feel nervous and want to perform your best. It’s a scary situation, no doubt about it. But try to remember that you don’t need to put on an act to get this opportunity, you just need to be yourself. Focus on remaining calm and listening closely to the conversation as it unfolds.

ii) Listen closely and pay attention

One of the worst things you could do in an interview is have to ask an interviewer to repeat their question because of your inattentiveness. Don’t disqualify yourself by letting your mind wander. Most interviews won’t take more than 15 minutes, and certainly never longer than an hour or so. Focus on the conversation at hand and respond actively.

iii) Think before you speak

When you’re asked a question, you don’t need to have an immediate answer. In fact, it can be a turn off for an interviewer to feel as if you’ve given no thought whatsoever to a complicated question. Slow down and think about it. Pause and say, “That’s a great question, let me think of an answer.”

iv) Be structured and precise

When giving your answers, try to get the substance of things and keep a certain chronology. Do not jump from one subject to another and try to add too many things – your answers will appear chaotic. Furthermore, even though you have practised the art of answering the questions before hand, don’t try to recite them like a speech on the day of the interview; let your answers unfurl smoothly.

v) Speak about real life experiences

You’ve researched the organization and you’ve read the volunteer’s description. So during the interview, try to match your stories and experiences to what they are looking for. Give a detailed explanation on how you have solved problems and overcome obstacles in the past. But once again, make sure you’re listening to them and answering their real questions, and not just trying to run the interview yourself.

vi) Be honest

If you don’t know an answer, be honest about it, there is no shame. No good interviewer expects you to know absolutely everything. But at the same time express your interest in understanding and learning more or add a good question related to what they just asked.

7) ASK YOUR OWN QUESTIONS

Interviewers often ask if you have any questions during or after the interview, which throw off a lot of first-time interviewees. It is important to bring in your own set of questions as it shows you are engaged in the conversation. Some questions that can be useful during an interview are:

a) How do you like working here?
b) Who will I be working with most closely?
c) Could you provide me with the project details that I will be working on?

8) FOLLOW UP

As the interview comes to an end, it is time to bid adieu to your interviewer with a smile and thank him/ her for taking out the time. The very next day, send across a thank you letter and enquire about the course of events to follow.

Having gone through our fair share of interviews we understand how edgy and anxious you must feel. But it would help if you try to keep an enthusiastic and positive attitude, from the time you start preparing for an interview till it’s time to say goodbye. This will help you remain cheerful and optimistic and sure enough your interviewer will feel the positive vibes too. We hope this blog helps you to crack that interview and you come out of the room smiling!

Cracking Campus Placements – 5 Tips to Help You Get Prepared

by sincera | Career, First Job, Interview, Managing Yourself, World of Work

Almost every Indian graduate knows how big a deal the Campus Placements is. There is no reason why it should be such a big deal. Unfortunately, the social systems around us do not concur with this thought. Every fresher feels like this is it, this is the end of the world – but it isn’t, it is just the beginning. And if you begin well, you will finish well. To help you with your placement preparation, we have put together some time-tested strategies. Here are five tips that could help ease the process for you.

Work on your resume–

Spend enough time polishing your CV. It is safe to say that your CV is the single most important thing in the recruitment process. Make sure it has all that your employer needs to know about you and not a word extra. Creating a CV can indeed seem a daunting task if you’ve never done it before, so we encourage you to have a look at our guide on how to create the perfect resume, which will give you a fair sense of everything that there is to know about resumes.

Be organized in your approach –

Maintain a notebook where you keep a list of the organizations you are applying to, the deadlines for the applications and the specific requirements these applications may have. Update it every single day. Sync your calendar on your phone so that you get reminders for all important dates and don’t miss any. Keep your print outs of your resume, passport sized photographs and any other document which may be required, ready in multiple copies. Do all this well in advance so that you are saved the stress and worry in the last minute.

Identify your area of interest –

Spend time thinking about what it is that you are passionate about. Find something that you would love to wake up to. Different people have different skills and interests, what works for me, may not work for you. It is important to be able to identify what exactly it is that you would love to do, otherwise you might have to spend a considerable time dreading Mondays, and the next three days of the week!

Brush up your communication skills –

The Campus Placements process will typically involve rounds of Personal Interviews as well as Group Discussions. How you communicate and speak can be game changers in these rounds. Being able to articulate yourself eloquently is a rare skill and a skill worth acquiring which sets you apart from most. This is something that you absolutely must spend some time working on. Have a look at a post we wrote some time ago, on ways to brush up your communication skills. We hope this helps you.

Cooperate with the campus placement department –

This is probably one of the most important factors. Cooperating with the department which is organizing the placements at your university will make the entire process much smoother for you. Keep communicating with them so that you don’t miss any important deadlines. Send them your resumes and other documents they may want on time so that they will be able to schedule your interviews. Remember this is a team that is working for a lot of other students just like you, and that it is not an easy job. Do your bit to help them.

The last, but really the most important thing is to remember to not get stressed or worked up. We understand that it is easier said than done, but remember that it is not the end of the world. The world really ends only once. When it actually ends. Anything else before that is simply a false alarm. Don’t give in to stress and tension, you will be doing yourself more harm than good.

Everyone you meet will have a ton of advice for you, listen to them politely, but understand that the decision is ultimately yours to make. Take breaks to recharge yourself, you don’t want to be running out of steam in the middle of the campus placements race.

We understand that cracking campus placements to get a good first job can be a deciding factor for your career graph ahead and acknowledge that it is important to be able to do your best. But when you know you are doing your best, give yourself a pat on your back and stay calm. Things will surely work out. Be patient and keep going in the direction that your heart pulls you (but listen to your head at times too!)

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