Calling All Recruiters Urgently

[Leigh 87]

I am totally devoted and hell bent on getting employed ASAP.

 

Recruiters and employers who interview candidates: I need your help guys! Even though I have dreams of completing college next year, I will not be mentioning that in interviews. Please stick to providing relevant advice, with no mention of my personal life whatsoever.

 

I have started to arrange interviews for call centre and admin/reception roles as I want a clean office type of a job during college as I feel it will lend well to any future career I take on once I finish college.

 

Please read bellow and provide feedback.

 

RECRUITERS ONLY please.

 

Recruiters: what to say to impress the interviewer?

I intend on doing the following....

 

- how to sell things to the interviewer if we are asked to sell things on the spot

- how best to act in group settings and tests

- Turning up early

- researching the company and highlighting the key points and the things I like about it

- state how I can help the company and be an asset to them/plan my answers before the interview so I do not get nervous and flail about

- speak in a clear and concise manner

- dressing professionally in crisp black blouses with black or grey or black striped workpants

, neatly ironed and with no stains. I will pack a spare blouse in case I get a stain on the train on route to the interview

- take a new looking, good quality bag

- take a neat folder of my documents and show I am highly organised

- Be friendly to the receptionist when she speaks to me

- DO NOT carry on about irrelevant crap; address what I am being ask in a clear, concise manner whilst also being friendly and enthusiastic about being there

- be a team player in the interviews: smile, be polite, LISTEN well to what other people have to say DO NOT talk too much and be overbearing, but don't be quiet as a mouse either.

- be positive and encouraging to other people

- stay alert and lean slightly forward in my seat and be eager and interested

 

Questions I am going to likely have to answer. These are a few examples of how I intend to answer questions. PLEASE give me feedback if you are a recruiter.

 

- my greatest achievements ( a common question)

 

I have been, most recently, to volunteer with an eight year old with ____ organisation, and help him to move up a few levels in his reading. My greatest achievement of all time would be helping my clients reach their fitness goals, one woman in particularly had pretty severe health issues due to her being severely obese. I managed to devise some simple exercises that she would be able to carry out in bed and when sedentary, that would over time, surely build up the strength in her ___ and ___ Muscles. A month later she was able to enter into our gym and start using the treadmills and 3 speeds higher than when she first came in with her walking aid; this time around, she was able to come in with her walking device alone and with no walking assistant, and was able to complete our tests to a better standard than before I prescribed her the specialised exercises.

 

- how have I managed to handle difficult situations

 

I have had to multi task in my retail role by serving the customers in front of me, accessing the order books and finding the products and then ordering in products, whilst also upselling products by recommending them products in our range that could stand to benefit them (sales, other products within the line that they purchased from, etc). Of course I was also answering phone calls and placing people on hold whilst I was at it.

I also told everyone in line at what time our quieter trading hours were, so that anyone who wished to go and run some errands in the centre/mall could do just that and then come back and get faster device when there was not a long line.

I have managed to turn a large line or irate customers into pleased customers through empathising with their frustrations, suggesting similar shops nearby and recommending quieter trading hours and most of all, apologising to them about the delay and agreeing with them that " this is very inconvenient and I do apologise"

 

Any other questions that you recruiters KNOW will be asked for a call centre style of job?

 

We do have a fixed salary for this job that we earn irrespective of commission, although I will not last more than a week if I do not manage to accurately describe products to clients and customers and have at least some of them opt to use those services. I would start work next Monday. They are going group interviews with no numeracy tests but rather, an individual and group interview and testing your ability to make sales.

 

I will likely end up having more interviews in the near future so I will need to hone in on my skills so I can eventually land a job in either a call centre, administration and reception, or retail work.

 

Thanks so much in advance for any advice given!

 

But please, NOT mention of my personal life or previous threads, this is strictly about helping me in successfully undergoing interviews and getting a job at long last.

 

 

 

 

Please, recruiters and job interviewers only.

[Eternal Sunshine]

Leigh why are you posting another thread when you got so upset by the last few?

[Candy_Pants]

Leigh why are you posting another thread when you got so upset by the last few?

 

Is this an interview question?

[Leigh 87]

Leigh why are you posting another thread when you got so upset by the last few?

 

 

 

People had a go at my personal life which was totally inappropriate.

 

I really do need advice from recruiters though as I am going above and beyond to get employed.

 

If people stick to the questions, so I wont be offended by anyone.

[Leigh 87]

So, saying why I would fit into the company is a good one. I obviously need to do a lot of research on their company and explain how my experience would be helpful in this new position.

 

So: research on the company so I can best answer why I would be a good fit.

 

I was planning to introduce myself, IF they ask me " tell us about yourself"

 

" I am highly organised and energetic, I have worked in the customer service industry for about ten years, in various different roles"

 

 

 

Any recruiters have anything better I should say when they want me to first introduce myself?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I desperately want to start a career/get an office job during college so I can save some money and not have to rely on benefits throughout my entire degree.

[Conners]

I thought your boyfriend and parents refused to let you post here anymore?

 

Regardless, I think you got pretty good advice early on in your last thread before it got a little off topic. There's only so much over analysing you can do about a job. You have been scoring interviews, that's awesome just be polite and answer their questions honestly with a bit of enthusiasm and if they like you enough they will hire you!

 

I think you mentioned that you missed out on a job at the bank because you rushed through your test with a few errors however overall they seemed to be pretty impressed with your personal presentation and personality. If a situation like this comes up again, make sure you take your time with the tests so you don't make any silly mistakes.

Edited September 1, 2014 by Conners

[Leigh 87]

My boyfriend and family have banned me from ever talking about my personal life. Ever. They don't mind if I reach out to recruiters who can better help my chances of securing a job.

 

 

 

I didn't prepare myself for the bank, my hair was dishevelled and not brushed well I had no sleep and my sleep hygiene was terrible.

 

Now, I am getting enough sleep, I will ensure my hair is freshly brushed, and I have gone through a possible scenario that I have ever been asked in an interview and I feel comfortable enough to answer any question in more depth.

 

I am trying to think up plenty of examples of how I have previously put my skills into actions in the workforce, what was my greatest professional achievement, what are my strengths and weaknesses, and what can I bring to the company.

 

I never get jobs so obviously I do something very wrong or are best, I am very mediocre albeit a " nice girl ", barf. I've heard that one a lot in the rejection line... " you're a nice girl BUT...."

 

 

I need all the help I can get really. I want to be clear, sucucient, to the point as well as being friendly and speaking clearly and at a good speed ( I can speak too fast at times)

[cerridwen]

"Explain these gaps in your employment history. It seems you've jumped around a lot."

[Kizmet Fisher]

- how have I managed to handle difficult situations

 

I have managed to turn a large line or irate customers into pleased customers through empathising with their frustrations, suggesting similar shops nearby and recommending quieter trading hours and most of all, apologising to them about the delay and agreeing with them that " this is very inconvenient and I do apologise"

 

So you tell prospective employers that you handle long lines of customers by recommending they go shop at competiting businesses?

 

[cerridwen]

So you tell prospective employers that you handle long lines of customers by recommending they go shop at competiting businesses?

 

 

Good catch, Kizmet.

I glanced over that part.

 

Leigh,

I'm not sure about recommending times when business is slower, either.

As a customer, it feels like you're shooing me out the door.

If I leave, there goes a sale.

An employer isnt going to like that.

[clia]

Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

How would you handle a call from an angry customer?

 

Tell me about a time when you had a difficult customer and how you dealt with it?

 

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

 

How will you handle a high stress environment?

 

Why do you want this job?

 

Can you work under pressure?

[Lani]

What would your manager say is the most challenging aspect of managing you?

 

Also, just a tip- don't turn up more than 10 minutes early. It's annoying.

[UpwardForward]

People had a go at my personal life which was totally inappropriate.

 

I really do need advice from recruiters though as I am going above and beyond to get employed.

 

If people stick to the questions, so I wont be offended by anyone.

 

Your personal life is of interest to an interviewer Leigh.

 

It has to do with how committed or how long term you would consider their job/position.

 

If returning to school, this would let them know you may be using their job as temporary or a stepping stone.

 

Your plans for marriage - which may include starting a family are also of interest to them.

[Tailspin]

I work in HR in the finance industry. I always ask applicants what their GPA was in high school or college. I need smart people who can handle the job training and the software we run. But I also need honest people so I'm as interested in what the answer is as I am in how they answer.

[UpwardForward]

Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

How would you handle a call from an angry customer?

 

Tell me about a time when you had a difficult customer and how you dealt with it?

 

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

 

How will you handle a high stress environment?

 

Why do you want this job?

 

Can you work under pressure?

 

^^^^^^^^^^ the above ..

 

Thanks Clia.

 

Leigh, The above is the reason I came to prefer temp agencies. You get into the job with minimal screening, work your butt off and impress them - and get to keep the job - and w/o going through all the interviewing and testing.

[writergal]

Leigh wouldn't you be better off just calling up some recruiters in your city and do informational interviews with them instead of posting here? Or reading articles online that are written by recruiters about how to interview for jobs as a college student. Surely your college has a career center on campus, as most do, that help students prepare for and find jobs.

[IfWishesWereHorses]

Do you have a Goodwill Easter Seals in your area? They can help not only with job placement but training for interviews and testing. Try contacting a rep in your area to find out how they can help you.

[MidwestUSA]

While I'm not a recruiter, I'm surprised to hear you say you weren't prepared for the bank interview, given how keen you were on it.

 

I can only suggest being mostly prepared at all times. Have your briefcase organized and ready. Forget the designer handbag if you're carrying a briefcase, they may wonder why you need to work.

 

Lay your clothing out the night before (two outfits, in case you have a change of heart about one) and do whatever it takes get a good night's sleep. I'll admit that if I know I'm not going to sleep well, I just stay up all night.

 

Give yourself much more time than you'll think you need to get ready. There's not an excuse for not having your hair properly brushed! Keep the makeup to a subtle minimum, and the lipstick understated, if at all. Nudes or a gloss should suffice.

 

Good luck.

[GemmaUK]

Where do you see yourself in five years?

 

How would you handle a call from an angry customer?

 

Tell me about a time when you had a difficult customer and how you dealt with it?

 

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

 

How will you handle a high stress environment?

 

Why do you want this job?

 

Can you work under pressure?

 

To be honest Leigh these are more common questions than what is your greatest achievement.

If by chance they do ask the greatest achievement question then I would leave out that your customer was obese. It is unnecessary and could offend someone who has just been told by their doctor that they are obese, or someone who has had a family member experience it.

 

I would absolutely not say that you suggested a customer go elsewhere and also be wary about apologies to some degree also. A simple 'I'm sorry that you have had that experience with us' is OK. Adding that it's unacceptable or saying too much to empathise could cause problems for a company.

 

Do brush your hair. Mine is curly so I can't brush or comb it but if your hair is as straight as it is in your pics then it's brushable. You could even just put your hair up in a neat little bun so that you don't have to worry about it.

Don't brush your hair in reception, do it before you go in out of sight..same for make up.

More often that not any odd thing a candidate does while waiting comes back to us the interviewers - everyone there is assessing you, not just the interviewers.

I wouldn't go as far as packing another blouse. It will only crease and be more for you to carry - just drink water on the way if you need a drink.

If you spill something, it's water, blame the train, you are allowed to be human!

 

I'm guessing these up coming interviews have hours that would fit in with you having the time you want for studies?

Do tell them that you will be starting a degree. You can say it's something that you have always wanted to do and that you plan to work at that in your own time (if the company has no rules about having another income that is).

Failing that podiatry is something you have wanted to do and will be a 'trade' you have and a skill but should you ever at some point in the future want to get into a practice you want a few years at least of insight into how a business runs.

In a few ways you have almost run a business (it sounds like to me anyway from what you have said) when you were a PT. I am guessing you were contracted but within a gym which is greater responsibility than simply being a PT in a gym.

 

Podiatry practices though would be very different to that so business practices and the knowledge of are essentials (even if you do podiatry in your spare time). You want to gain a step and some good knowledge on business and you are aware that takes several years to achieve.

 

They will want to know about your personal situation too.

 

They will also want you to explain your work breaks.

 

Don't go in being 'too practised'.

It's like interviewing a cardboard cut out with a tape recorder when someone is like that.

 

Thinks along these lines to an extent - you found your man by being you. You found your friends by being you...apply some of that to getting a job.

[pink_sugar]

 

Your plans for marriage - which may include starting a family are also of interest to them.

 

This can also be considered discrimination unless the OP volunteers the info. The only thing they may ask is if you have any restrictions which may affect you in regards to the job, such as if you need to leave early or work certain hours to accommodate childcare. But they cannot come out and ask if you are married and/or have kids or if you plan to have them.

[Leigh 87]

About the customer going elsewhere....

 

It was not to another business - it was to another high end bar that belonged to OUR company.....

 

It was at an event (hence the "event" work" job title....)

 

We were very short staffed as per usual and no one in my team was willing to bother appeasing the angry customers. However, while I took 1 minute to inform everyone that sorry, our bar was moving incredibly slowly right now because the beer tap was running at half pace for a popular beer; but that there was another of OUR bars around the corner and also at another location in the stadium.... And that the lines there were not as bad (we had the ever busy bar, the other ones were never as bad yet people would always go to ours because it was more prominent).

 

That one minute I took to help the patrons of the event rather than just going about my business and putting my head down, really really helped us that night.

 

Many of those customers ended up coming back to our bar later on when it had quietened down, because of my service.

 

 

 

 

I wont use that example though but yeah, I am not umm, retarded. I wouldn't recommend a competitor in an interview

 

 

 

 

I also will not mention the obese client, I will say she was nearly bed ridden instead without alluding to her weight ( and rather, the interviewer may suspect she is simply injured when I helped her to learn to walk faster again).

I also worked in part of a team where I met the patients occupational therapist and family, so I worked effectively with these people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So not turning up too early, practicing an answer to CLIA'S questions, NOT mentioning the obese woman, NOT mentioning customers being diverted to another bar......

[Leigh 87]

My employment gaps are not evident in my resume.

 

A recruiter who is also doing case work in her spare time made my resume.

 

She covered the gaps by extending the amount of time I lived overseas.

 

Just because I had personal issues, doesn't mean it is far that I should miss out on every job because of it -after all, I was good at my old job/jobs and deserve to have every chance at getting the next job/jobs I go for.

 

Having a large gap would mean no one would employ me so no I do not feel bad about lying, I deserve a job as much as anyone else and the fact I have one gap shouldn't ruin me forever.

 

I did work throughout the "gap" anyway, just casually and I went through a few too many jobs since I was trying to contend with a personal matter.

[anne1707]

Don't rush yourself. Listen to what they are asking you and make sure you answer that question clearly and concisely.

 

Be prepared to discuss weaknesses and how you manage those in the workplace so as not to impact on your work.

 

Prepare some questions for you to ask them that show that you have researched the business and/or understand what the job requires.

 

Don't focus on things like pay, hours etc. Do that too soon and it just makes it look as if that's all that matters to you. It's the job that matters, not the pay (at this stage). The terms and conditions however really matter if offered a job and you need to be absolutely clear on those before you accept a job.

 

Don't be a robot. Allow your personality to come through. They want someone who they will enjoy working with.

[anne1707]

A gap should not ruin your chances but it could make it harder. Be very careful if you choose to lie. If they suspect you are lying or find out later that you lied after offering you a job, they will be mightily pi$$ed off and quite right too. You could find yourself being fired which would be even more damaging to your career.

[cerridwen]

 

 

...I wont use that example though but yeah, I am not umm, retarded...

 

 

 

So not turning up too early, practicing an answer to CLIA'S questions, NOT mentioning the obese woman, NOT mentioning customers being diverted to another bar......

 

More suggestions:

 

1) Don't tell people you're not retarded.

 

2) Don't lie.

 

3) Don't always think casual or volunteer work is equal to full-time work in an employer's mind.

 

They may very well consider times of once monthly casual work as gaps.

 

Such large or frequent gaps cause some to wonder why others haven't found you employable.

 

Be prepared for employers who will verify dates.

That's in part why honesty is the best policy.