The Bagg Group Blog

Ask any athlete how they prepare for a game, and they’ll tell you they talk to themselves - a lot.  The pep talk is as much a part of an athlete’s warm-up as stretching.

And what helps in a competition for gold, can work equally well in competition for full-time employment, a contract opportunity or temporary work. 

Staffing solutions experts at The Bagg Group know this for a fact.  We have been coaching candidates on how to interview well with the best companies in the GTA for decades.   

Here are two winning tips for helping you put together a pep talk to give your best performance, whether on a ski hill, a skating rink, or in an interview.

Think about what you can control:   At the Vancouver Olympics, athletes talked to themselves about succeeding at elements they could control, not what they couldn’t.

Jennifer Heil, who won a silver medal in freestyle skiing in Vancouver, told reporters that she prepares by telling herself that she is “going for it” and that she will have a “fun” and “exciting” run.  

And she said, she visualizes being flexible enough to deal with any unexpected event.

She gives herself a pep talk about what she can accomplish on the way to the finish line.  But she says, in sports, it’s impossible to know the outcome ahead of time. So she doesn’t think about it.

 ”I’m doing everything I can,” she told reporters before the Olympic Games.  “And at the end of the da,y I’ll know I’ve done my best effort. I don’t think I can ask more of myself than that.”

Likewise prior to an interview, visualize yourself speaking positively about your prior work experience and your skills.  Tell yourself that you will enjoy the interview and talking, with confidence and knowledge, about issues of interest to the interviewer.

And like Heil, before your performance starts, remind yourself that you are going to give this your best effort, and that is all that you need to do. 

If you focus on things you can’t control — such as other competitors or  the interviewer’s personal likes and dislikes — you will be increasing your panic and anxiety, not decreasing it.

Turn negatives into positives: For athletes, training is often a physically painful experience.  In a Canadian Curling Association blog, Gidon Gabbay writes that athletes know they can’t always eliminate the negative thoughts, so instead they turn these into positive affirmations.

For example, he writes, athletes don’t tell themselves, “This hurts too much, I want to lie down and die.”  Instead they say, “This feeling is connected with doing my absolute best.”

As a job candidate, you may have to do a test, an assignment, or a series of interviews that are truly migraine-inducing.  Take your cue from the curlers, and psych yourself up by telling yourself this challenge is a new experience that is letting you stretch and strengthen some skills.

Remember, what you say to an interviewer is important.  But so is what you say to yourself.

Calling on long-ago contacts and others to learn of any possible job opportunities is nobody’s idea of fun.  But that is a fact that works in your favour.

People respect you for making the call because they know it isn’t easy to do. It takes initiative and some courage, and everyone appreciates that.

As we said in the last blog, looking for a job is like having your own company.  What is your product?  Your services as an employee  – whether you are looking for full-time employment, contract opportunities, or temporary work. 

Most companies have to do some degree of cold calling. Your company is likely no exception.  With that in mind, The Bagg Group offers seven tips for when the time comes to pick up the phone and promote yourself.

Remember, this is a call between equals.  You have something valuable to offer - your skills.  If you feel awkward about calling, the person on the other end will pick up on your embarrassment.  And your discomfort will make them uncomfortable.  At that point, they will want to end the call as quickly as possible to put you both out of misery.

Be professional, confident and friendly, and the person on the other end will respond in kind.  The more at ease you are, the more at ease the recipient of the call will be.  The end result will be a more productive, useful exchange of information. 

Set the stage:  Ask the person if you’re catching them at a good time.  Most will respond that they are busy (no one can afford a lengthy chat at work), but will ask the purpose of your call.  You may want to say that you have a “quick” question to reassure them that you will be respectful of their time.  People get impatient and annoyed if you talk too long.

Research before you call:  Look online for any professional information on the person you are calling, on their company, and trends in their market.  Making a relevant comment or providing some information of value establishes good rapport. And if you have any common ground-perhaps you worked for one of their clients - be sure to emphasize it.

Seek information, not luck:  Calling old and new contacts is an important way to identify opportunities, but also to expand your network and get people to think about you if anything comes up.  Don’t ask only if there are openings at the person’s organization.  Instead, set a wider net.  State the kind of work you’re looking for, and ask if they’ve heard of any opportunities in the field, or if they know of anyone you might contact.  

Script your message:  Write out how you will open the call and what you want to say, and rehearse it until it sounds natural. Remember, you have to communicate three things clearly:  The kind of work you do, the kind of work you are looking for, and what you are asking of the person you are calling. 

Have a cheat sheet by your side:  Keep your resume in front of you so that you can quickly refer to key experience and achievements.  Anticipate all kinds of questions and write out bullet point answers to have at the ready.   

Cold calling is always a numbers game. The more people you call, the higher the chance you have of reaching your objective.  It’s work. And like any work, set a schedule for yourself and stick to it.  Then give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

Study shows some times to call are better than others, but The Bagg Group recruiters insist it’s what you say that counts more.

Every now and then, anyone who is selling anything has to do it.  They have to pick up the phone and make cold calls or, at the very least, they have to call contacts that have long gone cold.  

If you think as a job-seeker you aren’t selling, it’s time to think again.  Right now you are running your own business.  And what you’re selling are your services as a potential employee — whether you’re looking for a full-time job, contract work, or temporary employment   

Like any business, you have to market, as many ways as you can.  Cold calling everyone and anyone you can think of could be one of those ways.

At The Bagg Group, we are often asked when is a good time to call new contacts or revive long-lost ones.  Speaking with hiring managers in companies across the GTA, we know that it’s much more important to focus on your message, than on the day and time of the call. 

There’s no crystal ball that will let you know whether your call is perfectly timed or not.  Typically, people don’t answer if they are otherwise busy.  So if someone picks up, they may not have a lot of time to talk, but it’s safe to say they aren’t in the middle of a crucial meeting. 

Still, according to Dr. James Oldroyd of the Kellogg School of Management, some times and days may be better than others.  He analyzed more than a million cold calls, made by thousands of professionals, at 50 companies.  

Dr. Oldroyd’s study investigated traditional sales cold calls, but the findings can also be of interest to job-hunters.   According to his research …

Thursday is best day to call someone out of the blue, and get a conversation going. It’s 19% more effective than Friday.

Friday is the worst day of the week for cold calls..

The best times to call are first thing in the morning, between 8 am. and 9 am and end-of-day between 4 pm and 5 pm.

Still, for job-seekers, the expert recruiters at The Bagg Group can’t emphasize enough that it is always what you say, not when you call, that really counts. 

The best call depends not on the clock, but on your preparedness, and your friendly, professional tone of voice.  Have your message ready before you pick up the phone.  In our upcoming blogs, we’ll review the key points for a good message and how to follow-up with an email. 

Meanwhile, if you are going to set a day aside for cold-calling, experiment with Thursday. It can’t hurt to try. But of course, there are no guarantees, and some people have their own preferred day and times which work best for them.  Here’s the one thing you can be sure of: nothing will happen if you don’t make contact - on any day.

The beginning of a new decade always feels like a clean slate - the zero at the end of the number seems to act like a reset button.  And for those seeking employment, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what you want to delete, and what you’d like to keep, as you move into the future.

At The Bagg Group, we have been helping candidates find full-time opportunities in the GTA, as well as contract work and part-time employment for more than three decades.  We know, from experience, that the best thing you can do is keep your list of achievements top-of-mind, and delete any history of bitterness and resentment from past work experiences. 

This is not always easy.  But it’s a great new year’s resolution to make.  To help you stick to it, ask yourself, as a job-hunter, “How is being anything less than positive going to help me?”  The answer is simple.  It’s not.  

Hiring managers across the GTA tell us they steer clear of candidates who project negativity.  And we know that contacts who might be able to help a job-seeker also prefer not to take the call of someone who will bring them down.

A 30-year-old University of California study is still used as the definitive research on non-verbal communications. The study shows that tone of voice accounts for 38% of people’s perception of you, and body language for 55%. That means that the actual words you speak only contribute to 7% of a person’s impression.

That’s why it’s essential to walk into an interview feeling good, in body and mind, about who you are, and what you’ve accomplished.  Here are two key tips from expert recruiters at The Bagg Group to help you do just that: 

• Write a realistic daily plan and break down each of the day’s tasks into bite-size activities.  In her new book The Follow-Through Factor: Getting from Doubt to Done, Gene Hayden notes that the smaller the task, the more likely you will accomplish it.  What’s more, in this way, each activity will be well thought out to bring you one step closer to your goal.

For example, let’s say your goal is to call a former boss.  Write out each of the steps necessary for the task to be successful, as shown below.

Task:  Contact Bob  (former boss).

Step 1:  Write out key points you wish to convey to Bob.  (What are the 2 or 3 messages that I want Bob to know?) 

Step 2:  Write questions or requests for Bob.  (What do I want the outcome of this call to be?  What do I wish to ask Bob to do? )

• Celebrate all the small wins on your way to finding employment.  Updating your profile on Linkedin is a win.  Calling a contact and setting up a coffee is a win.  Whenever you can put a checkmark next to a task, it’s worthy of a pat on the back.  

Being positive about what you have done in the past, what you are accomplishing day-to-day, and what you can contribute in the future, is a key job-seeking strategy.  So be sure to put it high on your list of resolutions.  And the good news is that it is likely a lot easier to stick to than giving up sugar, fat, and bad TV.

Tis the season to remind all your contacts of your name, say recruiters at The Bagg Group

It’s a great idea to send out holiday cards to people on your networking lists.  It’s not just about keeping a nice tradition going.  The holidays provide an excellent opportunity for job seekers to put themselves on the radar with those who are helpful contacts.

But whether you are seeking full time work, contract work or temporary work, use this occasion to build relationships, not to blatantly sell yourself and your skills.

Our expert recruiters at The Bagg Group have put together a list of etiquette tips for how to send seasonal greetings that impress.

Make it a Happy New Year:  You can’t go wrong with a New Year’s card as it is an occasion that is celebrated by everyone.  It’s a good idea to avoid sending cards with a religious message to mark a holiday unless you are certain that your contact celebrates the event.

If you miss the deadline for sending cards, you can still use the New Year as a good excuse for touching base.  In early to mid January, send an update email that opens with greetings for a happy new year.  Follow this with a short paragraph that details your latest activities.  If you don’t have any professional news, look to share an interesting piece of industry news that relates to your area of work. 

Splurge.  You don’t need to break the bank on cards, but don’t send the very lowest quality on the market.  You want to make a good impression, not a cheap one.  You can never go wrong with cards from Unicef or other charitable organizations.

Keep it classic, not cute:  Consider the greeting card as a marketing piece and keep it professional.   It’s not worth it to you to send a card that could risk being perceived as distasteful, even though you may find it hilarious.  Similarly, one person’s idea of cute is another’s idea of dumb.  

Write a message that is personal, but not pushy:  You need to do more than simply sign your name, but not too much more.  For instance, “Best wishes for a wonderful start to the new decade” or ” All the best for the year ahead” is enough for the occasion.  You may add, if it’s appropriate to your relationship, a line such as, “Looking forward to touching base in the New Year.”

Don’t send ecards to business contacts:  It’s one thing for corporations to send specially-designed emails to their clients, but it’s not ideal as a personal initiative. Unless you know the contact well, don’t send an ecard.  The recipient has to take the time to download the card and most people will not wish to do that so your efforts are wasted.  Even worse, your gesture could backfire as many who suffer from mail overload consider non-essential email simply annoying.  

Keeping your name out there makes a difference.  So make your new year’s resolution to stay top-of-mind.

The art of writing a good resumé is taking on renewed importance as unemployment rates remain high and the number of candidates vying for the same job increase. Yet many job hunters are making mistakes that eliminate them from the short list, say recruiters.

“It is a very competitive landscape,” says Jackie Chua, general manager of the Full Time search arm with The Bagg Group in Toronto. “There are lots of resumés to be reviewed.” Spelling and grammar mistakes, fluffy or vague language and bad formatting are still prevalent when sifting through a stack of resumés, so many recruiters say there is a need to get back to the basics….

Many organizations use applicant tracking systems that will automatically search for certain keywords used in the job postings. If those words don’t appear in a job hunter’s resumé or cover letter, they could be weeded out, so make sure to read the posting carefully.

Tailor your resumé to each organization and align it and your cover letter with the needs of  the organization and the posting, demonstrating you have done your research. It all starts with the first document a recruiter will see.

Cover letters should be no longer than three concise, succinct paragraphs outlining your skills, education and experience in relation to the job posting. In the last paragraph, outline why you are interested in the job and the company by showing you have done your research on the firm.
Most recruiters advise against using a functional resumé that groups skills; instead, utilize a more effective chronological resumé that highlights jobs individually. Professional experience and education should be first and second on the resumé. Avoid using corporate job descriptions, since your job has likely evolved or expanded during the time you have worked there. Instead, use concise language to be as specific as possible about key roles and the achievements you have reached, such as milestones and performance targets.

In both cover letters and resumés, make use of white space to avoid clutter. Similarly, avoid long bullet lists and compress the points into smaller groups that are easier to read.

The standard format is Microsoft Word, but pay attention to the job posting. There has been a trend toward using Adobe Acrobat (.pdf ) documents, but Word is preferred unless an alternate format is requested in the posting.

Stick to the past 10 years, other than any very important previous experience, since you can elaborate on older experience if asked.

Use positive language and make sure all dates are accurate, since recruiters often verify this information. If you fudge a date, it could come back to haunt you if you get the job…. it’s more important than ever to keep in mind most resumés are not just submitted electronically, but also viewed in that format. Too many people leave the spelling, grammar and formatting functions turned on when submitting a document, only highlighting and magnifying mistakes and generally cluttering the document.

Job hunters can set themselves up for success long before they even start looking for a job if they keep their resumé current. It’s easy to forget key information as time passes, so keeping a document updated on a regular basis will help ensure it stands out and includes all relevant information.

Finally, check with references that they are OK with you using them, but don’t list their names and contact information on your resumé. Just note that references are available upon request, and tell your references what you are applying for so they can have some thoughts prepared if contacted.

Throughout the process, keep in mind the person reading the document. And remember the document’s purpose.”A resumé isn’t to get you a job, it’s to get you an interview,” Ms. Chua says.

excerpts from the National Post, FP Careers, Wednesday November 16, 2009

The Bagg Group recruiters say the best thank you is a short one.

Following a job interview, should you send a thank-you note? That’s a question that the experts at The Bagg Group are asked often. 

The answer is easy.  No one has ever gone wrong by saying thank you. 

But recruiters at The Bagg Group know that  people who are seeking full-time work, a contract opportunity, or temporary employment often don’t send a follow-up letter for one reason-they just don’t know what to say.

The good news is that you should not say much.  

Here are some tips to help you put together an appropriate thank you that communicates professionalism and enthusiasm.  And that’s what hiring managers at the top companies in the GTA are looking for.

Keep it short:  Don’t use a thank you note to make a long plea for the job.  Instead of communicating enthusiasm, you’ll be communicating desperation. 

Remember, everyone in the workplace is overwhelmed by emails these days.  So your note should not take more than 15 seconds to read. Since your interviewer has already reviewed your materials and talked to you, it’s safe to assume that they don’t want to take the time to read a repeat of what they already know.

Say it in 3 points:  

• Thank your interviewer for having taken the time to meet with you about the position. 
• In one or two sentences, reiterate your interest in applying your skills and experience to meet the company’s needs.  
• Finally, mention that you would be happy to supply any additional information or answer more questions.

Keep personal comments to a minimum:

For example, you can wish the interviewer a good holiday, or best of luck with a product launch, if these subjects came up during your meeting. But don’t get carried away and assume you are now friends.  You have to stay strictly professional to make a good impression.  

Check for typos…10 times:

Write the note, read it and then don’t send it-not right away.  Instead, take a ten-minute break and read it again.  You will be able to spot typos and grammatical errors more easily when you read it with what proof-readers call “fresh eyes.”  Above all, make sure you have the correct spelling of the interviewer’s name.

For proof-reading tips, check out our April 15, 2009 blog:  Ask a Recruiter: Does one typo on my resume put me out of the race for a job opportunity?

Saying thanks to an interviewer is a small formality, but it’s one that is worth your effort.  Everyone appreciates receiving acknowledgement.  And as American writer Gertrude Stein put it, “Silent gratitude isn’t much to anyone.”

“Let me make this clear…”  Do these words sound familiar to you?  If you have heard President Obama give a speech, you’ll probably recognize them.  The President uses that phrase whenever he wants the audience to remember a key point.

His technique for introducing a statement with an alert that something important is about to be said is not unique. All the great speakers and interviewees do it.  There’s a name for it, it’s called flagging.  And just as you flag an email that you want to make sure someone reads, when you speak you can flag a particularly critical point that you want to drive home.

At The Bagg Group, we’re renowned for our expertise in helping candidates interview well.  For the past 30 years, we have worked with the best employers in the GTA on placing full-time candidates, temporary workers and contract workers, so we know what interviewers in companies in the GTA and across the province are looking for.  And what they are looking for is clarity. 

They want to know what you can bring to their company. And if you can flag your major contributions so that these are easy for the interviewer to grasp and remember, you will be doing everyone a favour.  

What’s more, by flagging, you help the interviewer figure out what to say about you when talking to their colleagues after your meeting is over.  They will likely repeat the key points that you flagged as important.  And these are the perfect messages you want to spread about yourself. 

It’s not hard to flag. Our expert recruiters can tell you how to do it in two easy-to-follow steps:

Step 1:  Before your interview, write down 3 to 5 key points about why you are well suited to the job.

As an example, perhaps you want to emphasize that you developed effective software solutions at your previous job.  Or you want to make sure the interviewer is clear that you have a proven ability to communicate well with external clients.

 Step 2:  Come up with some flags that work for you.  The words should roll off your tongue easily.  

Here are two possible flags:   

• “I think you may find it interesting to know….”
• “If I might emphasize….”

So perhaps you would say, “I think you may find it interesting to know that I developed a software solution…..” Or you might say, “If I might emphasize two things, these would be my ability to come up with software solutions and to communicate these solutions to clients effectively.” 

Flags work because they tell us when to pay attention.  When told you will find something “interesting to know” you can’t help but be curious. Just as when someone alerts you that they wish to emphasize a point, you are keen to learn what it is. This is simply human nature. 

So develop a flag and use it wisely in interviews.  And as you walk away, after your meeting, you may find yourself overhearing the interviewer say about you…”There were two things in particular that impressed me about  (your name here).  He/she developed……”

I prepare well for my interviews. But often, when I’m sitting across the desk from an interviewer, I blank, or I babble.  After I leave, I’m so angry with myself.  Any tips to avoid the interview wipe-out?

Don’t be too hard on yourself.   There’s nothing like the pressure of having to be brilliant to shut you down.  This is performance anxiety and it has a habit of spinning out of control.  Panic leads to more panic.

The recruiters at The Bagg Group have extensive experience with helping candidates succeed at interviews.  We’ve been working with top employers in the GTA for decades, and we know how they think and what they need.  So whether we send someone to interview for a full-time job, contract work, or temporary employment, we know what hiring authorities are looking for.  And we understand our candidates too. 

In an interview situation, we know that both parties are feeling some stress.

That’s right.  You may not be the only one who is nervous. Your interviewer is under pressure to make the right decision, and choose the best person for the job.  They have to select a person who can not only do the work very well, but can also fit in with the company. 

(Companies count on The Bagg Group to send them great candidates, but the hiring authorities still must choose the best person for their organization from the group.) 

So while you may feel that you are alone on a stage, and the interviewer is a critic who is watching you with a skeptical eye, that’s not the way it is.  You are not giving a performance. You and your interviewer are engaged in a conversation. Both of you are trying to learn what you need to know about each other.

But if you still feel performance anxiety, here are proven tips of recruiters at The Bagg Group:

1. Take the desperation out of the situation.  Remind yourself that this interview isn’t the last opportunity you will ever have.  You will get another one if this one doesn’t work out.

2. Whenever your mind goes blank, ask a question.  This buys you time to sit back and breathe.  Have some questions prepared in advance. A great question may be, “How would you describe your ideal employee?”  

3. The only thing you have to do when the interviewer talks is listen.

4. When the interviewer stops talking, repeat back key points or qualities they mentioned. And then address each one, preferably by using examples to show how you possess the desired attributes they described. 

5. Finally, don’t panic about panicking.  Just remember, all you ever have to do is ask a question and that will get you back on track.

It feels like everyone is going back to school and going back to work after their summer holidays, except me. I am already doing everything I can to find a job, do you have any suggestions how I can do more?

At The Bagg Group, we know September can be tough month for job-seekers. It seems as if everyday life is revving up again after the slow days summer, and you are eager to be part of the back-to-work crowd. 

But don’t forget you are working at finding a job.  You are not unlike a salesperson who needs to find a client, or a customer. In your case, you need to find an employer.  And just like every good salesperson, you need top-notch marketing tools and up-to-minute knowledge to get a win.

Whether you are looking for full-time employment, contract work or temporary employment in the GTA, there are things you can be doing to help you stand out from the crowd.   Here are three R’s from recruiters at The Bagg Group. :

Revise your resume:  Don’t just list your responsibilities for each job you had, instead show each of your activities benefited the organization. Update with volunteer or contract work, again demonstrating how you helped meet objectives.

Revisit your contacts:  Send out a friendly short email, reminding your contacts of the type of position you are seeking and mentioning that you’ve updated your resume should they know of any opportunities.  If you know them well, attach the email. If you don’t, paste it into the body of the message. 

Research and read: Stay up-to-the-minute on your industry so that you are able to hold timely, informed conversations at any opportunity. Sharing insights and shop-talk gives you a competitive edge.  Top employers recognize knowledge when they hear it.  As do contacts in your network who will be more likely to pass on your name when they find you have a solid, impressive grasp of your subject.

September is a great month to reinvigorate your job search-and there is no better way to do that than to master the 3Rs.