The Bagg Group Blog

Our recruiters at The Bagg Group often tell candidates that looking for a job is like running your own company. Whether you are seeking a full-time position, contract work, or a temporary placement, you need to promote and sell your expertise – just like anyone who owns their own business.

That’s why the tactics which entrepreneurs use to get ahead in the marketplace are useful for job-seekers in the GTA.  With that in mind, staffing experts at The Bagg Group offer these four tips, inspired by the book The Risk Takers: 16 Women and Men Share Their Entrepreneurial Strategies for Success.

1.  Don’t overlook the bonus skill:  Successful entrepreneurs say it’s a good idea to service even small, special or niche markets that others overlook or ignore. In the same way, it’s a good idea for job-seekers to develop extra skills, in their spare time, that others in the field may not worry about acquiring. 

These additional skills —  which may range from learning a second language to a new software program — may not be essential for your work. They may only be of use in certain specific situations. But bonus skills can impress interviewers and give you a competitive edge over other candidates.

2.  Keep your eyes and ears open: Top entrepreneurs say they always stay up-to-date on trends so they can meet new needs and interests.  When in the business of job-seeking, stay up-to-date on trends in your area of work so hiring managers will know you’re in step with ongoing developments in your field.  

3. The best time to do anything is now. Those who operate companies insist there is no perfect time to launch a new idea. Instead, they say, the right time to start anything is ‘now.’  Similarly, don’t wait to start your job search until the economy picks up, the holidays are over, or you get the new Ipad.  Begin it today.

4.  Avoid pessimists. People who have built thriving businesses from scratch say they had to ignore those who insisted their plans would never work.  As a job-hunter, you too will want to seek people who encourage and help you, and avoid those who doubt you.  When you do come face-to-face with a pessimist, remind them that you’ve had a job before, and you will have one again.  Then, change the subject to the weather.

In the next blog, we’ll bring you four more strategies to help you succeed in your business of finding a job.

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.

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

In our business, an interview is a science and an art.  With a long track record of successful placements, we have learned a thing or two about how to conduct this very unique assessment tool. That’s why many hiring authorities across the GTA consult our staffing solution experts on how to interview effectively. 

Everyone knows that interviews are nerve-wracking for candidates, but the fact is that they can also be challenging for those doing the interviews.

Those with a responsibility to fill full-time positions, contract opportunities and temporary positions have a lot at stake. At The Bagg Group, we only send excellent candidates to be interviewed, so for our clients the challenge is to choose from our well vetted short list.

Those who aren’t supported by expert recruiters have it much harder.  A wrong hire typically reflects poorly on the person who did the recruiting. 

Whatever the situation, here are a few proven tips from interview experts at The Bagg Group:

Start with an ice-breaker.  Open the meeting with a little friendly chit-chat, a stroll to the kitchen to get a coffee, or quick tour of the facilities.  In making the candidate feel more comfortable, you are setting the stage for a candid chat.

Take jot notes:  It is common practice to sit face-to-face and just talk, without any props. But it’s advisable to jot down questions, as the candidate speaks, on areas you want to probe.  If you don’t, there’s a good chance these may slip from your mind altogether. Also, notes help you remember key details, and pluses and minuses to discuss with your recruiter or colleagues after the interview.

Let your feelings be your guide:  An interview is an assessment, not only of qualifications but also of corporate fit.  Picture this person talking to a client, or in a weekly department meeting. Cut the candidate some slack for being nervous, but a person fails to sit up in the chair and make eye contact, you are right to be concerned. 

Stick to your agenda:  It is so easy for an interview to slide into an informal, friendly chat between two people getting to know each other and their work situation.  But it’s a good idea to avoid getting too casual.  

Remember, anything you say is fair game to be repeated to outsiders, or if this person is hired, to colleagues. The interview isn’t a case of what is said in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.  Also, you will want to be positive about your organization, or you risk turning off a top candidate.

Consult your recruiter for input with questions: All questions should be “why, how and what” questions. At The Bagg Group, we partner with our clients to help them devise insightful questions that will elicit useful information.

The key is always to ask questions that determine how they would handle specific work situations and how their approach and values align with those of the organization.  Asking the candidates to walk you through actual relevant examples helps you determine their problem-solving process. 

Give your recruiter feedback: Check out our May 12 blog (In Giving Feedback- You’re Doing Yourself and the Candidate A Favour) for tips on debriefing following an interview. You’ll see why feedback can make all the difference to the search process.

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.

You might expect that on a scorching day no one would expect you do to drive or take public transit to a job opportunity in the GTA in full business attire. Sadly, you would be wrong.

It doesn’t matter which jobs you are seeking; you have to dress for success, regardless of the weather. Whether you want a full-time position, contract work or temporary employment, your interviewer is going to be looking for professionalism. 

Even on days when it’s so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

Remember, you aren’t meeting with your interviewer outside, where they too would be aware of the heat and want to bare their arms.  Instead, hiring authorities are working in air-conditioned cool offices and aren’t thinking about the weather.  So the last thing you want to do is show up looking hot, bothered, and dripping with sweat.

At The Bagg Group, we advise all those hunting for jobs in the heat to follow these 4 tips.

1. Even if your interview is on a casual dress day, don’t show up wearing shorts and sandals.  Keep your look professional. Once you get the job, you can dress as the employees do.

2. You do want to be comfortable, so keep clothing simple and not tight. But men still need to wear a tie. And both women and men need to wear a jacket in the interview. It may be tiresome to carry on the way to the interview, but a jacket hides a million wrinkles, and perspiration.

3. You can wear summer shoes but not the kind of casual sandal you might wear to the beach.

4. If there’s a washroom in the hallway before you arrive at reception, stop in to tame your hair, run cold water over your hands and wipe the sweat from your brow.  If there’s not, ask directions from the receptionist before she or he lets the interviewer know you have arrived.

All you have to do is get to the interview.  As soon as you exit the building, you can take off the jacket, roll up your shirt sleeves, change into flat sandals and go for freezing cold iced coffee.

If the only voice you’re hearing is your own, then you are likely talking too much.

But you’re not alone in gabbing more than you should. According to a US survey, 36% of recruiters believe the biggest mistake job applicants make is talking too much in an interview.

It’s understandable. Many candidates believe a job interview is supposed to be all about them. It’s not. The reason for the interview is to find out how you can help an organization meet its needs. In other words, it’s all about the company, not about you.

Whether you’re meeting with recruiters or employers in the GTA for temporary work, contract work or full-time job opportunities, keep the following six tips in mind. They’re tried-and-true strategies for ensuring hiring authorities will stay listening to what you have to say.

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. Now think about your speaking points, and ask yourself, “Why should the company care?” Is the information you’re sharing clarifying how you can help meet the company’s needs? If not, you’re off topic, and you could lose the interviewer’s interest very quickly.

Think of your interview as a presentation. The interview may feel informal, but remember that this isn’t a casual chat with a new friend over coffee. Your interview is always a business meeting and the interviewer has an agenda. It’s helpful to think of your interview as a presentation, and the interviewer as your client. Your presentation must meet client needs and interests, engage them, and be to the point.

Make sure you’re having a dialogue, not a monologue. People get restless and irritated when they are talked at. So make sure you are talking with your interviewer and asking questions that show your interest in what they have to say. People want to know you have listening skills.

Do some research. According to an international survey of executive search firms, 22% of candidates make the mistake of not learning about a company before they go in for an interview. If you are seeking contract work or full-time job opportunities in the GTA, you will want to do some research into the organization so that your conversation will be more informed.

Role play. At The Bagg Group, we help candidates prepare for interviews. Here’s a good way to prepare if you are on your own. Write down a list of questions and answers you expect to be asked. And be sure to anticipate follow-up questions too.

Here’s how this works. You can expect to be asked, “What’s your biggest weakness?.” (By the way, the best way to answer that question is to show how you are improving in an area of challenge.) But let’s say you choose to answer: “I’m a workaholic.” Be prepared for a follow-up question. The interviewer may ask, “So how many hours a week do you work?” or “What time do you usually arrive at work in the morning and what time do you leave?” Do you have an honest answer ready?

After you answer the question, stop talking: When people are nervous, they often tend to repeat themselves. And the longer you talk, without saying anything new, the more you reduce the value of your answer. So make your point and stop. You make a greater impression when you give the interviewer a chance to respond to what you’ve been saying or ask you another question.

Above all, never lose sight that the interviewer isn’t meeting with you to be entertained or to hear your life story. The interviewer just wants to hear about how you can contribute to the company. Stay focused on that, and the conversation will work for both of you.

Great question. Many people approach their meeting with a recruiter as a casual get-together. In fact, it’s better to think of it as a dress rehearsal.

Your recruiter is the stand-in for the employer. When they meet with you, they have to consider: How would this candidate come off in front a hiring authority?

At The Bagg Group, we’ve been working with GTA employers for so long that we know what they expect, and what works for them and what doesn’t.

You may be surprised to learn that there are a few casual behaviors and habits that a lot of us do without thinking which are frowned upon by hiring authorities. As always, it’s the little things in life that can lift you up or bring you down.

Here’s a list from our experts for What Not To Do when meeting with an employer or a recruiter, whether you’re meeting to talk about temporary work, contract work or full-time employment:

Don’t wear sunglasses on your head. Sunglasses dangling from shirts or on top of the head suggest a flippant attitude.

Don’t bring your own coffee into the meeting. Many people don’t think twice about picking up a latte to take into a meeting. But staffing experts urge you to think again. The protocol is that unless you’ve called ahead and asked the recruiter if they’d like a coffee, save the java for after the meeting.

Don’t remove your shoes. Believe it or not, recruiters and hiring authorities at top employers in the GTA have many stories of people casually slipping out of their shoes during meetings. And these are not stories with happy endings. Often people wear uncomfortable dress-up shoes to attend a job interview, but no matter how much the shoe pinches, try to grin and bear it.

Don’t shower in perfume. Too much of a good thing can give someone who is sensitive to fragrance a serious headache. You don’t want the interviewer to pick up any odors, of any kind. If your after-shave or perfume overwhelms them, they’ll be thinking more about getting away from you than hiring you.

Don’t smell of cigarettes. If the interviewer is a non-smoker, you face the same problem as above. If you smoke heavily, you may not notice the smell of tobacco on your clothes, but in a closed office, an interviewer, who is not a smoker, may find the smell overpowering. Try to wear smoke-free clothes to any interview.

Avoid the soft-chair slump. A good interviewer makes you feel comfortable. But you can’t afford to get too comfortable in your chair, according to the experts on body-language. Here’s why:

• If you slouch, it may appear that you’re not taking the interview seriously. And you risk coming off as a slacker. 
• If you put your hands behind your head while talking, you project arrogance.
• If you sit with your legs placed wide, you are perceived as acting over-familiar.
• If you lean too far forward, you may off as aggressive.
• If you lean far back, you come off as overly casual.

The experts say there’s only one way to sit in an interview—with a straight and upright body. This way, how you sit doesn’t distract the interviewer from what you’re saying.

You want to be yourself in any interview and keep the focus on what you have to say. You are the star of the interview. So you don’t want the little things, like too much perfume or a sore foot, to upstage you.