PART 4: YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS · YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS: • It may LinkedIn give you • Short on Facebook • Short on Twitter • The advice - cut to the bone Chapter 13: ELEVATOR

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PART 4: YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS:Chapter 10: UNSOLICITED JOB SEARCH,

CLUMSY HANS AND INDIANA JONES• Benefitstoyou• BusinessBenefits• IndianaJonestreasure• Boundforbusinesses• Gettingalittledeeperwithgoodtools• Askyourselfavailableforluck• Facethemonster• Sixwaystoopendoorson• Putlotsofshipsinthelake• Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 11: NETWORK - BOOSTERS OR SHORTCUT TO JOB

• Networking-pieceofcake• Visibleorinvisible?• Theworld’sbestnetworkingadvice...• Network=information• Whatwillyouinvest?• Getanoverviewofyournetwork• Activateanddevelopyournetwork• Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 12: SOCIAL MEDIA - YOUR MODERN DANCE FLOOR

• Threerelevantmedia,butLinkedInis most important

• LinkedInmini-manual

• Networking - piece of cake• Visible or invisible?• The world’s best networking advice ...• Network = information• What will you invest?• Get an overview of your net-work• Activate and develop your net-work• The advice - cut to the bone

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PART 4: YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS:

•ItmayLinkedIngiveyou•ShortonFacebook•ShortonTwitter•Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 13: ELEVATOR SPEECH• Whatisanelevatorpitch?• Whydoyouneedanelevatorspeech?• Theeffectiveelevatorspeechis:• Practicingyou• Boringvs.value-addedversions• Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 14: THE JOB INTERVIEW IS IN THE HOUSE. CONGRATULATIONS! WHAT DO YOU DO?

• Beprepared-orstayhome• Weaknesses?No,Icannotthinkof• Relaxwithnervousness• Beyourself• Thecompany’suncertainty• Conversationthreephases• Sales-someworkabletheory• Whatwentwrong?• Yourdigitaltracks• Inspirationforconversation• Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 15: TEST• Dothetesttoyourfriend• Threetypesoftests• Insightintopersonalpreferences• Knowyourtype• 1,000-dollarquestion:Canyoucheat?• Howatestfeedback• Howisitspecifically?• Tastetest• Theadvice-cuttothebone

Chapter 16: PERSONAL POWER - IMPRESSIVE POWER

• Findconfidenceinyourstrengths• Presenceisrighthereandnow• ”Goodbody”• Takeresponsibilityforthegoodchemistry• Theadvice-cuttothebone

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UNSOLICITED APPLICATION, JACK THE DULLARD AND INDIANA JONESWhy does Jack the Dullard win the princess in the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen?

Give this a thought or two when you start your unsolicited job search. More about this later.

Our definition of unsolicited job search is that you – in your search for a job – contact a company concerning job which the company has not advertised. Your way of contact may differ, but the purpose is still the same, you want to know about job opportunities.

Before we rush off totally excited, we have to admit that the unsolicited job search certainly involves some additional challenges.

First you BOTH have to match (or initiate) a demand AND get selected.

In addition, such job search may seem somewhat confusing: There are so many companies, where do I start, how do I choose? It is like looking for a needle in a hay stack….

And finally some people simply find such an approach too pushy. But the unsolicited job search is not only for the self-assured and very outgoing persons. This chapter describes some strate-gies which you will probably find less disturbing.

Unsolicited job search is an excellent idea because you can get into a situation where you are not competing with hundreds of other persons for the same job. Moreover, this kind of job search also offers a boundless number of opportunities contrary to the limited number of jobs being advertised.

Chapter 10

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PART 4 / CHAPTER 10 - UNSOLICITED APPLICATION, JACK THE DULLARD AND INDIANA JONES

Your advantages• Youchoosethecompaniesyouwanttosendanunsolicited

application to.

• Youchoosewhichcompetencesyouwanttocomeintoplay.

• Youwillbevisibletomanyemployersinaveryshorttime.

• Youhavethetimeyouwanttospendonthis.

• Youshowinitiativeanddrive–somethingthat all employers value.

• Youarenotcompetingwithotherjobseekers(maybeveryfew).

In short, you are the initiator and there is less competition.

Company’s advantages• Theysavetimeandmoney(anadvertandrecruitment

process may easily amount a 6-digit number of DKK. And many hours.)

• Theyhavebeenselectedbyyousotheygetahighly motivated candidate.

• Whentheneedisthere,theyareabletoactimmediately(since most resignations imply a month’s notice and subsequently a long recruitment process, the company may risk being short of labour force).

In short – you make life easier for them.

Competition solicited application

Competition unsolicited application

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Facts• 28percentoftheprivatecompaniesuseunsolicited

applications in their recruitment.

• 72percentofthecompaniesthinkitisagoodorevenan excellent idea that job seekers contact them before they send an unsolicited application. However, the companies observe that less than every 10th applicant actually does so! (Source: Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012)

Indiana Jones goes treasure hunting Unsolicited job search is often mentioned in connection with the actual contact to the company. But the unsolicited job search involves a lot of research and identification before you get to the actual contact. In terms of time the actual contact is the smallest part.

During the first stages of your unsolicited job search, it may be a good idea to reach your inner Indiana Jones. Indiana Jones is curious, stubborn (a little headstrong) and confident with action. Perhaps you are curious by nature – fine! By all means, use it. If it does not come easily to you, then decide to wear your curiosity glasses. Imagine that the treasure is out there, you just need to find it.

!

IDENTIFY • Be curious

PRIORITISE• Make your top 20 list

CONTACT• Search wise

Unsolicited job search

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Wearing curiosity glasses means that everything you read in the news is suddenly valuable information that you can use for your treasure hunting. When you watch the news or the regional news, you listen for opportunities and take notice of interesting company names or contact persons if any.

We’ll stay in the jargon and ask to you to consider this question:

What can I do to find the treasure?

Heading for companiesBelow are listed a number of ideas for how to find the companies you need for your unsolicited contact.

• Makeitadailyroutinetowearyourcuriosityglasses.Practice chasing job opportunities everywhere.

• Makeitadailyroutinetoreadthenewspaperswhilewearingyour curiosity glasses – and yes, we mean the paper version of news. Many people do not realize that company an-nouncements are NOT part of the newspaper’s internet news. Especially “Børsen” has a lot of success stories about small and medium companies (to be specified below).

• Contactthecompanies(relevantforyou)whicharegoodpress news. You will very often find good job openings here.

• Findthetradespecifichomepagesthatarerelevantforyou(e.g. www.electronic-supply.dk, www.building-supply.dk, www.computerworld.dk, etc.).

• Contactthechairmanofatradeassociationandaskwhichtrade is most busy

• Subscribetonewsletters.

• SearchLinkedIn(andsearchitoften).

• Useyournetwork(seemoreinthechapteraboutnetwork).

• Readoldjobadvertsonwww.jobindex.dk (to be specified below).

• Readearlierrefusalletters–maybetheneedhaschangedtoyour advantage.

• Takealookatallthecompanieswhichwerepartofyourformer employer’s business (competitors, sub-suppliers, customers etc.).

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• SearchGoogleandKrak.

• SearchNNMarkedsdata(tobespecifiedbelow).

• Contactformercolleagues.

• Askeverybodywhattheyaredoing.

• Lookupgazelles(high-growthenterprisesthatareuptofiveyears old), Top 1000 and Great place to work companies.

• Takeatriptothelocalindustrialestatewhereyoualsofindother kinds of companies nowadays.

Dig deeper with good toolsJobindex: The file of old job adverts is a source of inspiration. If for example you want to apply for a job as an engineer officer within machine engineering in North Jutland from 1 January till now, you will get 156 job adverts from companies which have previously looked for machine engineers or a similar profession. The search is not 100 percent exact, but in most cases it generates a company list with new potentials.

You can also:1. Search for a profession/title in the search field,

e.g. “biologist”.

2. Scroll down and find the button “Tool for Unsolicited Applications”.

3. This gives you a list of companies which have previously looked for or are looking for biologists.

4. Click the company profile you want – to the left you see the link “LinkedIn contacts”. Click this and find out whether you know anyone. Or just get the names of people who are relevant to contact.

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LinkedIn: Search for persons with the same educational back-ground as you. Where do they work? You could write a polite e-mail the person and ask whether he/she is able to help you with any relevant information.

NN Markedsdata: When you have identified the type of company you want to work for, try to search it with the affiliated trade code (branchekode.dk) and limit this to Copenhagen for example. You can also limit the number of employees. Remem-ber to select ”virksomheder i drift” (active companies), other-wise you also get the bankrupt companies.Get login and password from Konsulenthuset ballisager.

Newspapers: This is a true feast for treasure hunters. Tuesday’s innovation section of “Berlingske” tells about new exciting projects. And this means progress and growth! In “Børsen” you find the sections “Mediemarked” (Media Market) on Wednes-days, “Ejendomme” (Properties) on Thursdays and HR on Fridays. “Børsen’s” notices mention the new positions of company key persons. The section “Mennesker” (People) shows appointments and anniversaries which you can use as an approach for contact. “Børsen’s” notices generally tell about the successes of lesser-known companies – and this is a real treat for job seekers. Note that “Børsen” does not mention this in its internet news. Read also your local newspaper, for example “Horsens Folkeblad” which often writes about local business.

EXERCISE – GOOD NEWS

Select a newspaper, preferably the paper version. Pick out 3 good news stories in the paper. The news must contain 1 feature for generating new jobs.

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Getting your foot in the door of small companiesNovo Nordisk, Carlsberg, LEGO and Maersk are typically some of the first names that come to people’s minds when talking about companies. Hence you have to think about other compa-nies such as small and medium companies with 1 to 250 emplo-yees. 92 percent of all Danish companies are small and medium companies and they generate 56.9 percent of the business turnover in Denmark. Small companies are the ones with the most rapid growth.

The small and medium companies don’t get much atten-tion from job seekers even though they should have the most attention!

This is where you come into the picture.

A common feature of small companies is that they simply have no any time or resources to execute all the tasks, projects and ideas for new developments they want to. There is a good chance of finding a job in a small company if you have the requested skills at the time in question. Your challenge is to identify the small company’s challenge.

Next you need to identify the decision maker and this is easy because in small companies the CEO or Manager is within reach. He or she might even be the one answering your phone call.Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012 indicates that small companies tend to be more open to network and unsolicited applications in their recruitment process.

Ask relevant questions, introduce yourself in a clear-cut manner and point out that you can solve one of their challenges. See also the method in chapter 5 Skills assessment. Then you have more than 75 percent chance of getting a positive approach, making an appointment, getting a job, agreeing on when to call again or getting an idea of other persons to contact.

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Suggest a fixed-term project employment because this involves only a small risk for the company. Very often one task will lead to the next and suddenly you are indispensable.

(Sources: Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012. Berlingske business, May 2012, e-book, Foden Indenfor (Getting your foot in the door) by Mike Wenøe and Jacob Høedt Larsen)

Be ready to face luckThe unsolicited job search is first and foremost a question about whether you are ready to face opportunities and luck. Even if there is much you can do to qualify your approach, it is all about being visible when opportunities arise.

We are often asked whether candidates should aim at quality instead of quantity. In other words, what matters most: sending a lot of applications or sending only a few but specifically targeted applications? The obvious answer is that a few good applications are better than many bad ones. And we agree entirely. However, do not accept this as being an either or choice – because it is not. Raise your level of ambition so that your actions reflect quality as well as size.

Much of the advice you get for your job search is about quality – maybe because it is much nicer to advise about quality that quantity. But having advised many thousand people in terms of job search, we can only state that the people sending many applications are definitely more successful than those who don’t.

Of course, your product should indicate a certain quality – you still have to work hard. But you also have to increase your opportunities by producing a lot. And you are free to work smart by sending a bunch of rather identical unsolicited applications which are targeted at for example a trade or a job function. We call that launching a campaign. An example of a campaign could be that during a given week, you intend to send an unsolicited application for a controller job at 20 manufacturing companies with 10 or 100 employees in the west of Zealand, followed up by a phone call.

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See examples of successful job search campaigns in the following sections.

Additionally to your campaign, we recommend you to select the companies you want to target and qualify your unique approach for.

Your unsolicited applications should always be well written and targeted – and indicate that you can create value for the company. In other words, even if you are sending many unsolicited applications, quality still matters.

In football, the top team always seems to hit the inside frame and score more often than the bottom team. This team seems only to hit the outside frame more often. But a closer look shows that the top team makes many more attempts on goal and actually also hits the outside frame much more often. All in all, the top team hits the outside and inside frame most often, hence increasing their chances of scoring. This means that you can improve your result both by increasing your efforts and/or strengthening your quality. This is the point of the equation:

Efforts x Quality = Result

Face the monster Some people find it quite a hurdle to contact companies for an unsolicited application – other people find it exciting.

Many of our candidates are inhibited by barriers which prevent them from calling companies. The most common barriers are: It’s probably inconvenient, what if I mess up, what if the person is in a bad mood, and the highest barrier of all which is very human: The fear of being rejected. All the candidates crossing the barrier are happy that they did so – without any exception! Why is that? Because they realize that they are talking to human beings and most of these are friendly.

But most of all, apparently it is a basic human satisfaction to change from being invisible to visible – to exist in the conscience of “your employer”.

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When you send an unsolicited application, you should have some kind of contact to the company via your network or the network of your network as reference. Otherwise, it is difficult to get access and competition is hard.

Finn Vestergaard, HR Director, ISS Facility Services

We had a call workshop where 15 candidates (job seekers) managed to get through to 29 companies and 19 candidates were told to send their papers. (Call workshop is one of Konsulent ballisager’s activities for job seekers and its sole focus is getting into contact with companies over the phone).

Back to the question: Why does Jack the Dullard win the princess and half the kingdom? Our fairy tale hero wins because he believes in himself, he is inventive, he is unimpressed by the posh surroundings and most of all – he acts!

Trick: When you call up, you gain credit by respecting recipient’s time. For example if you say it will only take a couple of minutes, you have set up a deadline and indicated that you know people are busy and thus you have taken responsibility for your actions. Remember to keep an eye on time. You often get more time because the call recipient is now more open to your questions, but leave this for him or her to decide.

6 ways of opening doorsThe next pages provide a few examples on how to open doors. There are different approaches: Short and Simple, Not So Short, Curious, Thorough, In Person and Campaign Model.

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For each example we have tried to describe the pros and cons of each approach. Reflect on these and determine which approach suits you in the respective situations.

1. Short and SimpleCall and make it very short. Ask if you may send them your unsolicited application and CV.

Hi, my name is Lisa Petersen. May I send you my unsolicited application? If yes:Okay, whom may I send it to?

Pros: Short, precise, not dangerous and efficient.Cons: You are not talking to the recipient of your unsolicited application and you do not get any information by calling.

2. Not So ShortHi, my name is Lisa Petersen. I would like to talk to the person who is responsible for hiring people in your customer service department. When you are through to the right person:Hi, my name is Lisa Petersen. Have you got time for me? (Be specific: can you spare me a couple of minutes?)I’ve been working in TDC’s customer service for 15 years, but the company is being reorganized so I’m looking for another job. I wonder if you have any people working in customer service?

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If yes:What are your prospects right now? What do you focus on when you’re hiring people? May I send you an unsolicited application?If no:Would there be any other departments in your company where my skills could come into play?

Pros: You are talking to the right person, you are visible and show your motivation – and you get information. Hopefully you also show that you are direct in your approach and still in a pleasant way. Cons: It takes time and may feel not so safe because the impression you leave with the decision maker is not necessarily a good one.

Trick: When you call a company and ask for the head of depart-ment or the HR responsible, the receptionist will often not put you through. Instead, call the company, get the name of the head of department or the HR responsible. Call again the next day and say: Hi, you’re talking to Lisa Petersen. Could you put me through to XX? (The name you got yesterday). The receptionist thinks you know this person and puts you through. If you have to explain your reasons for calling, then say it is about sparring/skills talk/good advice.

3. CuriousWhen you write a thoroughly targeted and specific unsolicited application, it is beneficial to look for information and identify the company’s needs. The internet gives you a lot of information, but you can’t get an answer to everything. That’s why you have to make calls.

Hi, my name is Ane. I have an MA and seven years of experienceandspecialisationwithineducationand counselling. I’m calling you because:

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• I’venoticedthatyouoncehadpeoplewithaprofilelike

mine among your staff

• I’venoticedthatyourcompanygetspositivepublicity

• Ionceappliedforajobinyourcompany

• Mynetworkhasrecommendedyourcompanytome.

So could you tell me:

• Whichdepartmentinyourcompanyisthebusiestoneright now?

• Whatdoyouthinkaboutjobopportunitiesinyourcompany?

• Doyouexpecttohireanypeoplewithinthe(specific)areain the near future?

You may also choose a more elaborate introduction: I’m calling you because I would really like to work with market analysis and from your web page it appears that this is an area that you deal with. Could you tell me which professional and personal skills you value the most for a position in this area?

I’m calling you because we have a mutual acquaintance, Søren Jensen at Lego. He told me a bit about what you’re working withandIthinkthissoundsveryexciting.IhaveanMAinhistory and would like to hear more about what you’re work-ing with. Maybe you could also give me some advice if I want to apply for a job within your business?

Pros: You will (probably) get a lot of information that can be very useful in your job search..

Cons: There is a risk that you might appear somewhat vague and in that way be perceived as someone taking up people’s time.

4. ThoroughWith this approach you are warming up your contact before you call. Send an e-mail which is polite, to the point and motivated. For example:

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Dear Hans JensenI’m sending you this e-mail because I would be pleased to contributetoxxx’s(companyname)workwithxxx (theoveralltask).Ihaveexperiencefromxxx(yourrelevantexperience)andmyeducationalbackgroundisxxx (if this is relevant). I can contribute by:

• Myknowledgeaboutxxx

• Myinsightofxxx

• Myrelevantexperienceaboutxxx

(You may add some bonus information about your motivation, but keep it short)I enclose my CV so that you can read more about me. I’ll contact you in 3 days (and stick to that) to discuss opportunities.

Example of your follow-up call: Hi, my name is Svenne. I’m the one who sent you an e-mail with my CV. Have you had time to read itIf yes: Fine. What do you think about the chances for a job in your company with a profile like mine?(And yes, you assume that there are chances for a job).If no: Okay, may I call you again on Thursday at 01:00 PM? (Be specific). If there is no interest:: Do you know someone else who might be interesting for me to talk to?Pros: By sending your CV before your call, you already have a small reference point at the beginning of your call which makes your approach easier and faster. You might even be so lucky that your CV has made the recipient to relate you to certain opportunities in the company.

Cons: You need to get the e-mail address first and this can be time consuming. There is a risk that all your work (in terms of targeting CVs and writing e-mails) is wasted if there is neither need nor interest. There is also a risk that you get a short frank e-mail rejection – and then a phone call suddenly doesn’t come easy.

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5. In PersonFor some jobs it makes sense to show up in person with your CV. If you are lucky, you will get a cup of coffee. Worst case scenario is that you are being rejected at the front desk and that’s all. You can still hand in your CV and ask the receptionist to pass it on to the person it is relevant for. You should also offer to send an electronic version also.

Tip: Showing up in person can turn out to be quite a success if you exclude the major companies. There is a good chance that you are the first one showing up. In that way you can get many steps ahead of your competitors who have just sent an applica-tion. Once your potential employer has met you and found that you are a nice person, he or she will surely remember your application. And more so, you have gained points by showing determination, motivation and initiative.

Pros: You stand out – not many persons show up in person today. Also, you show your face and this is positive. You may even get a chance to meet the boss who is most relevant for you to talk to.

Cons: A paper CV may get lost. Most bosses have the unsolicited applications saved in an e-mail file. Also, they may feel that you are disturbing them.

Campaign modelThe following unsolicited applications are successful real life examples.

Example 1:Rikke, a young legal secretary, has been out of work for 7 months. She had sent 8-10 applications per month but did not even get to one interview. Consequently, she changed her strategy and tried out what we call campaign application. She wrote this e-mail which she sent to 20 law firms on a Sunday evening:

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LAW SECRETARYI’m writing to you because I’m a law secretary looking for a job. The position I am looking for could be a permanent one, but I am also interested in temporary positions. I believe that it is important to show action when you are unemployed and a temporary position can help me maintaining my place among the working force and on top of that also increase my skills.

I’ve been reading about you on your very informative web page and would be pleased to join your company – both on a perma-nent and on a temporary basis.

I can offer you:• Experiencefromforeclosures• Coordinatinglawresolutionmeetings• Thoroughdictationbymeansofbraille• Greetingclientsinafriendlyway• AdvosysandWeDouser• ITandMSOfficeskills• Flexibility• Easytoworkwith• Meticulous,efficientandconscientious• SpeakandwriteDanishandEnglish

I hope that you find this interesting and would be pleased to meet you in order to talk about opportunities in your firm.I attach my CV and other documents.

Best regardsxxx

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Monday morning two e-mails ticked in. One e-mail asked her to come to an interview the following week and the other asked her to come to an interview later the same day. She went to the interview on Monday and on Tuesday she was called in for the second interview where she would meet the manager and be ready to sign a contract. She now works in that law firm and is happy about her job..

Example 2:Lars is a 55-year-old construction engineer and carpenter. He has been unemployed for a long time and has not been to an interview the past year.He decided to try out a new strategy and only send unsolicited applications according to the campaign model. Lars found 36 consulting engineers and sent his application on a Sunday evening.This is what he wrote:

Companyxx

Dear Consulting Engineer yyProject Employment Focusing on Energy Labelling!I’m writing to you because I would be pleased to join you on a short-term internship or similar basis so that I can learn how to work out energy labels.

I can offer you the following skills:•Greatmotivationforworkingwithgreen energy

and construction•RecenttrainingcourseattheDanishTechnologicalInstitute

concerning energy counselling and building envelopes•Experienceinthermalrehabilitationafterworkingfor4years

as a moisture technician•Goodcommunicative skills and easy approach to other people•Solidknowledgeaboutbuildingsandconstructionsfrommy

education and work as a carpenter, constructor and architect.•SkilleduserofvariousIT systems and EK-Pro knowledge.

I hope this is of interest to you and would be pleased to meet you and talk about the opportunities in your company. I attach my CV. Best regardsXxx

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As a result of this action Lars received 12 replies within the next 48 hours. This resulted in 5 interviews which again resulted in 2 potential short-term employments. Lars chose a company in Hillerød and after 1 month’s internship he got a job on general terms.

Launching a lot of shipsBut this is hard work, right? No, not necessarily. You just have to be as brief and specific as Rikke and Lars and manage to send a lot of e-mails which is an excellent basis where time is working for you. And what’s more, in just a few days you actually suc-ceed in finishing the same amount of work like you spend on a 6 months’ traditional job search.

The tough part comes when – not if – rejections start coming in, and obviously they will by so many applications. Be prepared to face this. Consider it as part of the job and try not to take it personally. Always make sure to launch new ships because this will also make you stick to your optimism in relation to other possibilities.

GOOD ADVICE – IN BRIEF:

• Be curious.• Be open to opportunities and luck.• Select 20-30 companies you want to send an

unsolicited application to.• Use several approaches: Written application,

phone calls and show up in person.• Be ready to change your strategy if you don’t get

the wanted result.• Send your applications in the evenings espe-

cially on a Sunday evening to eliminate the risk on being just another e-mail among many external and internal ones.

• If possible, find the right person as your point of contact – preferably the head of department.

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Chapter 11

NETWORK – OVERESTIMATED OR SHORT CUT FOR JOB?Network is wilder than sex,drugsandrock’n’roll. Certainly if you ask Google where sex + drugs + rock’n’roll result in a total of 907 million hits whereas network alone makes 998 million hits.

Network is also highly acclaimed when it comes to job search. Is this really true or has everybody just gone completely crazy about it?

We have no doubts: Job seekers can’t network enough. For one thing, network is the most efficient way of getting a job in the private sector. For another thing, the excitement and experience gained by talking to people about job opportunities instead of applying to an advert will boost your energy and inspiration.

In this chapter we have consulted one of Denmark’s smartest network brains. Christian Waldstrøm is an Associate Professor at the Aarhus University, School of Business and Social Sciences. Some of his research areas are network analysis and network organisations. He has received several honours and awards for his research and in this chapter he shares some of his network perspectives with us.

Do you doubt the effect of network? If you do, then start looking for situations that could trigger off a job. Maybe you are too traditional in your approach and mainly focus on applying to job adverts. If this is the case, then your networking is too sluggish and subsequently you gain no effect.

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PART 4 / CHAPTER 11 - NETWORK – OVERESTIMATED OR SHORT CUT FOR JOB?

Facts 58 percent of the private enterprises make use of network during their recruitment process which is remarkably. Job adverts come in second with 52 percent. Hence, more people are recruited in the private sector through their network than by applying to job adverts. In other words, network is cer-tainly not overestimated but something that most job seekers can profit from if they spend more time on it. (Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012)

FactsIn the public sector it is a little different. Here, network only makes up 33 percent of the organisations’ recruitment processes whereas 2 out of 3 jobs (68 percent) result from an advert. But note that in the public sector, network is still used in every third recruitment process. Is network allowed in the public sector? Yes, it is. The only rule is that the job must be advertised, but this doesn’t exclude network.(Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012)

Networking – piece of cakeDoes it worry you that your network is limited? If yes, check out this calculation:

We all know about 200 persons which is a realistic estimate. It certainly is if we include all the persons we have met during our whole life and could meet again – and with a little help – they might even also remember us. Such persons could be old school friends, neighbours, former colleagues or friends we know from our leisure activities. If each of these 200 persons also knows 200 persons, then we have access to 40,000 persons in the second link. We do not all have the same useful network, but everybody has one and it is often wider than at first glance.

!

!

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Network isn’t complicated and you can do it every day and at a party:

• Havingacupofcoffeewithanacquaintance.

• Havingachatwithafriend.

• Smalltalkinginaqueueatthesupermarket.

• Talkingtoyourdinnerpartner.

• Helpingyourneighbourcarryingshoppingbagsorhaving

a chat over the fence.

• Takingpartineventsforyourkidsinkindergarten,at

school, at football games and other sports.

Networking is actually quite easy. You do it every day. The difficult part of it is somewhere entirely different.

Visible or Invisible?When you are small talking at the supermarket, do you also remember to mention: By the way, I’m looking for a job at the moment?

And do you also remember to ask whether he or she has heard about a job where you would fit in? Or is there anything he or she thinks you could do to improve your situation? No, now it’s getting more complicated, right? Many feel that this part of network is hard. Because this is where you unmask yourself and ask for assistance. And asking for assistance is part of the discipline.

If you want to be efficient in your job search, you have to decide whether you want to network as part of your job search. No or even a half-hearted effort is good enough. It just won’t be easy to find a job if you’re being secret about it.It’s not about who you know – it’s about who knows you.

Relations aren’t necessarily symmetrical. It’s much more about whowillrememberyouinconnectionwithanexcitingoppor-tunity. If you want your network to be your eyes and ears in the labour market, your network must always think about you – or at least have you in mind.

Christian Waldstrøm, Associate Professor specialising in networking

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When you describe yourself and only have short time for it, it’s important to focus. Even if you probably want to tell about everything you can, but don’t because nobody will remember this afterwards and there is also a risk of too much information. So choose a brief and focused description. Read more about this in Chapter 13 Elevator Pitch.

World’s Best Network Advice ….… is that you are the giver! If you make a little effort in helping, supporting or sharing information every time you meet some-body, then you are investing in your network and winning network points. Network only functions when it is a mutual exercise where people give and take. This is also the advantage of the network idea: A good network increases the amount of information between all parties to the advantage of the whole network.

Picture this: You are busy at work and get an e-mail from a person in your network who wants to have a short coffee meeting. The person – looking for a job – wants to hear where you see any good opportunities in your network or local area. You reply in a brief e-mail that you’re too busy for a coffee meeting so it’ll have to wait. But 6 months later roles have changed. You have lost your job but the person looking for a job is now working at the local company with the currently highest recruitment rate. What do you think about your chances of having a good and maybe successful coffee meeting with this person? Well, they’re not good because you didn’t take time for a coffee meeting when you had a job.

There is another vital point in this story. You must picture your network as something that needs to be constantly nursed and maintained – also when you feel on top of the world. In your next position it might be a good idea to think about network from the very first day in terms of sub-suppliers, customers and business partners.

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Network = InformationAs a job seeker it is more important to look for information than for a job when you are networking. When you look for information, you often get useful news for your further search. Information search is not as limited as the very direct job search in your network. However, it is vital to make clear that you want information which can help you finding your next job. Maybe somebody in your network can help you with trade information, competitor information or the name of a given person you want to enter into a dialog with.

Information search is also easier to respond to for the persons you are asking. Most people have some information they want to share. Think about the credit you give to the person you ask for advice.

If your network tells you which relevant companies are currently landing orders, then you have a very good specific reason for an unsolicited application. Maybe you also get information from an employee about what is needed for a certain position where your skills are relevant. Generally, knowledge about the company also increases your chances in a job interview.

EXERCISE:

Choose 3 persons from your network. Tell them that you’re unemployed and looking for information. Invite them to a 30 minutes’ coffee meeting; see below e-mail draft. Imagine that 2 of the invitations are accepted. Prepare and ask questions for the meetings and make sure to have a smooth dialog.

Conclude the meeting by asking if your contact knows 1 or 2 persons who might be relevant for you to talk to in your further information search.

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How much do you want to invest? How much time do you want to spend on network? It is our experience that most candidates spend much more time on job adverts than they do on network and unsolicited applications. This is rather odd as we know for a fact that network is the top recruiting channel in the private sector. You are not rational in your job search if you spend only very little time on the channel triggering off most jobs. We advise you to spend half of your time on network. Can I really do that? Can I really spend about 15-17 hours a week on network? Yes, you can, and hopefully you agree when you have finished this chapter. See Chapter 9, Goal – Action concerning a job seeker’s weekly schedule for optimum network.

Tip: Think out of the box. Where do you find people from all sections of society having a great time? One place could be on a skiing or beach vacation, perhaps also on the paintball field. On such occasions people are quite relaxed and they are usually in a very good mood, too. In other words, this is the perfect time for networking.

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When you are working on your network, it might be useful to consider this as 3 phases being repeated over and over again.

OVERVIEW=>ACTIVATE=>EXPANDOVERVIEW=>ACTIVATE=>EXPANDOVERVIEW=>ACTIVATE=>EXPAND

More about this in the next two paragraphs.

Getting an overview of your networkMap your network because this will give you a good overview. There are two important tools for this exercise: LinkedIn (your modern business card holder) and Mind Mapping (your visual network).

LinkedIn could be where you keep the contact information for your network and expand it. Read more in Chapter 12, Social Media. When you expand your network, LinkedIn is also useful because it keeps suggesting new persons for your network. This is done by calculating who knows who and it is a great help during the process of getting an overview of your network.

When you are mapping (and expanding) your network, it might be useful to distinguish between the A-, B- and C-networks:The A-network consists of people you know quite well: Family, friends, fellow students, teachers, former colleagues, neigh-bours, acquaintances from school or boat club, banker adviser or the local grocery store. In short, the A-network consists of people you actually meet from time to time.

The B-network consists of people who – after a brief introduction – immediate realize that you once met: Friends of friends, acquaintances from previous courses, earlier school mates, parents of your kids’ friends and acquaintances from previous leisure activities. In short, the B-network consists of people you know but not necessarily meet every day.

Get an overview of your network by using our network memo:

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Network memo

When we think about network, we tend to see it from today’s perspective – but try also to think back in time because this often leads to great opportunities.

Use network memo:Use the network memo to kick off the identification of your (wide) network. Get an A-3 paper and draw a picture of yourself in the middle. Write all the prospects from the network memo on your drawing but make room for adding factual names. Keep drawing and expanding your network – and don’t forget to update LinkedIn in parallel. You can add new prospects next to each prospect which we have illustrated as “present position” in the memo.

You may also use the free software program Freemind to illustrate your network. See http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.

School Closest family

All family members

Closest friends

Friends and acquaintances

Present job

Pension advisor

Colleagues’ family

Sub-supplier

Relations through kids

Leisure activities

Present residence

Someone randomly met

Last course

Course before last

Education

Earlier residence

Last job

Job before last

Finished leisure activity

Holiday acquaintance

Past Present

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Activate and expand your networkKeep expanding your network. Ask your A- and B-networks for new contacts when talking to them. Your new job search contacts are called the C-network and can also be added to your mind map. The C-network consists of people you don’t know today but are related to through your network. You are, in fact, able to expand your network every day if you grab the obvious opportunities: People you meet at new courses, on the train, at a friend’s wedding, at kids’ events in school, on holidays, at network meetings in your trade union and on other occasions.

Ask yourself how you can use your network and how you want to use it. Do all your contacts know your situation, skills and job goals?

The following explicit questions are worth considering as part of your network strategy:

• Whatwouldbeyourfirstmovetomake(better) use of your network?

• Howcanyouimproveyournetworking?

• Whereareyouinthenetworkprocess?

• Whichinformationareyouinterestedin?

• Whatdoyouneedtoprepare?

• Howdoyouwantyournetworktocharacteriseyou?

• Whodoyouneedtocontact?

• Whoisnotonyourlist?

• Whatisthereasonforthis?

• Whathappensifthecontactisaddedtothelist?

• Whydoesthiscontactstopyou?

• Haveyoudoneinvestmentsinyournetworkrelations?

• Howmuchtimedoyouwanttospendonnetworkactivities?

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Tip: Remember to send a network message on all happy occasions: Merry Christmas, Happy Easter, Happy Whit Sunday, Happy Holidays, (wishing a nice weekend is overdoing it and on the brink of spam). Other happy occasions are: Birthday congratulations, anniversary congratulations, “I-read-about-your-company-in-the-media-message”; and you could easily find more occasions. The overall concept of job search networking is that you keep staying at the top of your net-work’s mind – without being pushy.

Tip: Think in network, not relations

Since we started referring to the term network in Danish about everything involving more than 3 persons, this has caused a lot of confusion about what is meant by relations and network. The brief definition is that your network consists of relations between people. You see, it’s not just about the number of relations but also about how these relations are linked. If you have many relations who typically know each other, you have quite a closed network – and a closed network isn’t always the best one for finding a new job.


Consequently, always make sure to keep your network open (many people who don’t know each other) and also have it point in different directions.

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Example of network e-mails:

Dear Peter,I hope that you’re still doing fine at PSK Consulting. As I’m looking currently for a job, I wonder if my IT project experiencecouldbeofinteresttoconsultingcompanies.Asyou know this business from the inside and also my professional skills, I would be quite happy if you could give me some advice as to how and where you think it would be relevant for me to take contact.

Do you have time for a coffee break to talk more about this oneofthenextdays?

Best regards,Ruben

Hi Anders,You probably know that my job was cut during the recent redundancies at the factory so I’m now looking for a new job. You are a person that I trust and I wonder if you have time for a short coffee meeting? I’m really interested in hearing more about the business you’re working in. Maybe you also know something or somebody I could use in my job search?

I attach my CV so that you can read about my skills.

I’llcallyouoneofthenextdaystohearifyou’vegottimefor a cup of coffee and a chat.

Best network regards,Troels Poulsen

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Example of network phone call:

HiAlexI’ve always found you great at sparring and now I need somebody for sparring. Do you have time for me? I could drop by when you have 30 minutes for a chat and a cup of coffee.

Concluding by Christian Waldstrøm’s perspective:

You are more important than your networkThe past many years’ lecturing about all the pleasures of network would almost make you think that just by having a great network, you’ll get all thinkable opportunities. But – and fortunately – you and your skills are what really matters ultimately.



• Help, support and share information. In that way you invest in your network.

• Spend time on networking daily – half of time you spend on job search.

• Get an overview of your network and keep improving it.

• Expand your network when you can.• Make it easy for your network to remember you

and what you can and want.• Use LinkedIn.

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SOCIAL MEDIA – JOB SEEKER’S DANCE FLOORYou are either on the dance floor where people can see you, follow your movements and watch what you are able to; or you are a wallflower. This is putting it roughly, but the truth is that if people cannot follow you on social media, then you have reduced your chances of being there when the “job dance” starts.

In this chapter we want to point out why you should invest some of your job search time on social media. But even though social media do offer great opportunities for network and knowledge, they do not work wonders. You still have to be efficient and think about how you spend your time.

Social media are comprised of many different digital services. This chapter focuses on the social media we believe are most important for you and your job search: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Three relevant media, but LinkedIn is the most important one When it comes to social media in Denmark, you should definitely spend most of your social media time on LinkedIn. Facebook and Twitter are also recommendable, but they do not offer the same job search opportunities as LinkedIn.

Danes are some of the world’s biggest fans of LinkedIn. Com-Score’s social report from 2011 lists Denmark as number six of the most frequent LinkedIn users measured by the number of inhabitants using it.

Moreover, our own survey shows that LinkedIn has also become a hit among the Danish companies. In 2011, we asked 346 companies which tools they used in the recruitment process. Three percent of the companies said that they used LinkedIn. When we asked the same questions to 586 companies in 2012, the share of LinkedIn users had gone up to ten percent. And for private companies only the share had increased to 13 percent.

Chapter 12

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One year, LinkedIn was hardly ever used during the recruitment process in private companies and suddenly next year it was used in every eighth process. This is a significant growth and some-thing all job seekers should include in their strategy. In other words, companies’ increased use of social media has resulted in a fundamental change of rules for job seekers.

We recruit more and more of our new employees via LinkedIn and Facebook. Social media save half a day’s or one day’s work per recruitment because we can quickly have a dialog with the candidateswhomatchusbest.Iexpectsocialmediatobeanevenmorepopularrecruitingchannelthenextyears–bothinour company and in general.

Anne-Marie Finch Iversen, HR Director, Telmore

We also believe that this development will continue. And why is that? Well, because it pays. In 2012, companies expect to benefit significantly from social media during their recruitment process; in addition, companies also see potential savings during their recruitment process by using LinkedIn more frequently. In other words, companies’ search for new employees on LinkedIn gets more and more intense and that’s why you have to be there.(Source: Networked Business Factbook 2012)

Briefly about LinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking site aimed at the business community. Facebook is typically about the social and private sphere whereas updates on LinkedIn almost only concern business activities, business partners and jobs. More than one million Danes are on LinkedIn whereas about approx. every third company has created a profile on LinkedIn.(Source: Rekrutteringsanalyse 2012 and LinkedIn)

Maybe you heard people saying that LinkedIn isn’t going to stay, that LinkedIn isn’t user-friendly and that LinkedIn is only intended for managers, communication and sales or self- employed persons. And what’s more it is embarrassing to mention on LinkedIn that you have no job. But take it easy, these statements are only myths.

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Denmark’s one million users on LinkedIn are quite different: Managers, employees in practically all professions like parsons, plumbers, recruiters and people looking for a job. LinkedIn is very user-friendly. It may seem a little hard to get an overview at first glance but there are also many functions you don’t have to use. Be curious, serious, use your common sense – and you’ll be well on track.

LinkedIn mini manual1) Create a profile on www.linkedin.com where you key in

your CV etc.

2) Next, invite friends, acquaintances and contacts into your network. You can also join certain groups and follow certain companies.

3) Every time some of your network contacts, groups or companies post an update, these will be listed on your profile site.

It’s really as simple as that. LinkedIn is uncomplicated and quite user-friendly. However, the job doesn’t turn up automatically just because you have created a profile. Your activity on LinkedIn is what matters. Let’s move on and have a look at the useful and active code of conduct for job search on LinkedIn:

4) Make it clear to your connections on LinkedIn that you are looking for a job. Write this in your headline so that everybody looking at your profile knows that you are unemployed. Write for example: Strong communicator and PR specialist looking for a new job. Some also write their mobile number in the headline, but this actually conflicts with LinkedIn’s own guidelines.

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5) Join relevant groups on a current basis (for example, job seeker groups or professional groups where you can network with other professionals from your field).

6) Follow interesting companies and get their updates on your update list. Remember that not all companies have a profile on LinkedIn.

7) Basically, search for the companies you are interested in on LinkedIn. Your search result will show you whether somebody in your network knows somebody in the company concerned. This will grant you easy network access to the exciting companies. Note also that your search lists companies similar to the one you searched for. You can also make a wider search – including sectors and industries – and in that way gain knowledge about other companies.

8) The profiles you are viewing are able to see this (unless you have set your profile as anonymous). People are curious and might also view your profile. So there is a good chance that they remember you if you contact them later on.

9) Finally, start using the network and the connections you are building. Read more about this in the chapter on network.

10) Enter also your educational background in the search field and see what people with your background are working with.

In short, LinkedIn can provide you with a lot of information which might be difficult to obtain in other ways.

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How to profit from LinkedInImagine that you have created a group of 100 connections on LinkedIn. It turns out that your good friend Bent in his network is connected with a person called Signe. You do not know Signe at all. Signe works at a company called Future Spot and the Future Spot Management has asked their employees to tell their network that Future Spot is looking for an IT developer. Signe writes this on LinkedIn as an update.

Bent shares this news with his network by clicking like on Signe’s message about the IT developer. Because Bent likes this update, you can see it on your update list. Your advantage: Apply for a job which is not necessarily advertised. And for Future Spot this could mean efficient recruitment without an advert.

If you are also following a number of companies by clicking follow on these companies’ profile on LinkedIn, you will get all the company updates – and this may also lead to a good chance of gaining access to exciting job openings.

More and more jobs are circulating on LinkedIn. Therefore we recommend that you make it a routine to search LinkedIn several times a day. Start by checking the latest LinkedIn updates about two or three times a day. If you search LinkedIn only on rare occasions, you may miss important updates because they keep moving down the list concurrently with the ongoing updating.

Briefly about Facebook Facebook started as a social network in 2004 and has been growing rapidly since then. Yet the last couple of years indicate that Facebook users are not that active any more. There are more than three million Danes on Facebook. (Source: Atcore.)

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Three tips for job searchers on Facebook:1. Make sure that your private account radiates the right

signals. A potential future employer wants to view your account and 34 percent of employers check you out on Facebook before you get the job. (Source: Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012.)

2. Inform your social network about your situation – maybe they have somebody or something to share with you

3. Check out companies’ Facebook profiles. This will give you an idea of their company culture and spirit.

Briefly about TwitterTwitter was established in 2006. Twitter is a kind of blogging portal where everybody with a profile can tweet (make updates). The updates are short 140-character messages. On Facebook and LinkedIn you decide who you want in your network and who you want to view your updates directly. But this is not the case on Twitter because everybody who wants to can follow you if you have a profile. (Source: Morten Vium, ModerneJobsoeger.dk)

Three tips for job seekers using Twitter:1. Write tweets highlighting your qualifications.

2. Follow interesting and relevant persons.

3. Reply to their tweets, this makes them notice you.

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• Do not “hide” behind social media. They must make you visible – not invisible. Spend about 2-4 hours per week on job search, knowledge search and networking on social media.

• Remember to pass on relevant knowledge to your own contacts – networking is a mutual activity.

• Be positive – grouchy comments do not promote strong networks.

• When you invite somebody into your network, you should always write a short note about where you met each other or why you want to connect to the person.

• Add your LinkedIn URL to your personal data on your CV.

• Use social media for researching companies or even better the person you are going to an interview with.

Look up www.modernejobsoeger.dk for more information about job search on social media.

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ELEVATOR PITCH – IN A NUTSHELL What if you meet the CEO of the company you’re dreaming about working for? What if you meet him in an elevator, and you only have time to grab this unique opportunity between ground and third floor? He smiles at you and seems easy to talk to.

What do you say?• Niceweathertoday.

• Thisiscertainlyaniceplace.

• Haven’tIseenyouherebefore?

Or you are having a long hectic inner dialog about what to say and finally you cry out inside yourself: SAY SOMETHING …. ANYTHING! And then what happens? You do exclaim something awkward and inappropriate!

Chapter 13

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So many opportunities are lost because people haven’t prepared what to say in a given situation. This is our belief.

It is a big plus if you can introduce yourself and your skills in a short, clear-cut and catchy manner. Especially in a job search situation so you are sure to send the right message when you meet the CEO in the elevator.

It is our experience that the candidates who are in good control of their elevator pitch more often grab opportunities than those who are a little embarrassed about their situation. What do you think when you get an invitation for a parents meeting in school or a family gathering? Do you think: Cool, this is where I can practisemyelevatorpitchandexpandmynetworkordoyouthink: Bugger-me! Here I go again having to talk about being unemployed – what a downer.

What does elevator pitch mean? The personal elevator pitch is an ultrashort introduction of yourself and where you have a clear answer to the questions asked by a person you meet for the first time: Who are you? What are you able to? And sometimes what do you want?

Why do you need an elevator pitch?You need a personal elevator pitch because you – for instance in connection with networking – often are in a situation where your chances for a job will be improved if you can introduce yourself and your skills briefly and to the point. Maybe you are also asked to make a short introduction of yourself at the beginning of a job interview. In addition, the elevator pitch also serves another purpose. Once you have prepared the right one, there is a real good chance that you get a better picture of yourself in terms of work.

Maybe you need several different elevator pitches. On the phone, you have to introduce yourself and your mission in about 10 seconds. You need a longer version when you are at dinner party.

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The efficient elevator pitch is:• Brief. This means about 10-60 seconds. You must be able to

manage the elevator pitch during the time it takes to go up and down a few floors in an elevator. Hence the name. 10-60 seconds may not sound of much. But the truth is that you have plenty of time to make your contact really interested and not bored with your talk.

• To the point. Go straight for it and avoid any liaisons, reservati-ons and subtleties which might disturb your communication.

• Authentic. Your elevator pitch must reflect you as the narrator.

• Relevant and suiting the occasion. Target groups are different and have different viewpoints. Think about who you are talking to and try to approach your audience in the best possible way.

• Creating attention. The ideal elevator pitch makes other people more interested in you and in that way you create attention about yourself.

• Passionate. Let your audience feel what your professional passion is all about.

• Present. Make sure that your body language is responsive during your elevator pitch. Make eye contact and smile. People smiling seem sure about themselves. Remember that on the phone your voice is the first impression people get of you.

• Easy to understand. Your elevator pitch must be clear-cut.

(Source: Jesper Klit. Personlig gennemslagskraft 2009)

Title in English: Personal Clout

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How to practiceYour words are not the only signals you send to other people. Also your walk, stance, talk, moves, look, facial expression, voice and way to dress are sending clear signals and thus telling a story about you.

How to practice your elevator pitch:

• Start by writing down your elevator pitch. Be careful to choose the words and sentences that come easy to you. Do not use hollow phrases.

• Learn your elevator pitch by heart. But stay attentive and authentic in your actual introduction. Improvise during your speech.

• Practice in front of the mirror: Your words are not the only important signals. Also your mode of expression matters. So be aware that your body language reinforces your words.

• Practice in front of a friendly audience. Ask your wife, hus-band, boy- or girlfriend, mother, sister or another ally to watch your elevator pitch.

• Make a video recording of yourself. This may seem quite a challenge but what you learn from this is extremely valuable.

•Find an opportunity to make your elevator pitch. Look for real-life situations in order to practice your elevator pitch.

But remember that authentic presence, where your audience can sense you and your passion, very easily beats a rehearsed elevator pitch.

In English the elevator pitch is also called benefit statement meaning a declaration or an announcement that creates value.

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Example of an ultrashort elevator pitch:Boring version: Hi, my name is Louise Sørensen. I have an MSc andseveralyearsofexperiencefromprocurementatFrodeLaursen, among others.

Version which creates value: Hi, my name is Louise Sørensen. I help my company to make purchases in such a way that both customers and vendors are satisfied.

This version is a very good choice if the elevator pitch only lasts from one floor to another. It may also work well for a phone call where the idea is to create a dialog rather than to make a long speech.

The long elevator pitch which might be useful for introducing yourself at a job interview:

Boring version: Hi, my name is Louise Sørensen. I have an MSc inInternationalBusinessandseveralyearsofexperiencefrom procurement, administration and logistics within transportation. I have a good knowledge about and also take an interest in the important aspects of international cooperation and procurement in particular. In my work I focus on creating and maintaining customer relations and at the same time ensuring the best possible purchase price. I like my job parti-cularly when I’m busy and part of a team where we also have a good time.

Version which creates value: Hi, my name is Louise Sørensen. I have an MSc in International Business. I create good customer relations because I speak customers’ language and know their culture. These trustful relations help to ensure a good coopera-tion and also help my company to purchase goods at a fair price. When it comes to the transportation of goods, I contri-bute by finding the most efficient and favourable route from vendor to purchaser and to their mutual benefit.

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• Grab the chance for your elevator pitch when it’s there.

• Learn how to introduce yourself in 10 and 60 seconds, respectively.

• The elevator pitch is good if it is true, attentive and creates curiosity.

• Practice a value-creating version of your elevator pitch.

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Chapter 14

YES, JOB INTERVIEW IS IN THE BAG CONGRATULATIONS! WHAT DO YOU DO?• Ifyouwereperforminginacircus,whichperformerwould

you like to be?

• Howdoyoufeelaboutworkingovertime?

• Areyoursocksalllinedupinthedrawerforsocks?

• Whereandhowdoyoupictureyourselfin5years?

• Doyouhaveanyweaknesses?

• Whydidyounotstaylongerthan3yearsatthecompaniesyou earlier worked for?

• Areyouandyourboy-/girlfriendplanningtobuyahouse?

• Whataretheplansofyourfamily?

• Howdoyoureactunderpressure?

These are quite realistic questions during a job interview. Do they scare you? The reason why we present them is that you must be absolutely sure that you know the rules of the game and feel confident when you set out for a job interview.

Be prepared – or stay at home Good preparation is the alpha and omega. This is a tour of what matters most:

• Askkindlywhowillparticipateintheinterview.

• RemembereverydetailofyourCVandapplication.

• Bereadytomentionexamplesofwhatyouwriteinyourapplication.

• LookupthecompanyontheInternet.Whataretheirvalues?

• Isthereanynews?Checkthelatestannualreport(maybeonNN Markedsdata).

• GetaheadofyourcompetitorsbyalsolookingupLinkedIn,google the company name, or look up business.dk or borsen.dk and search the name of the company. Do not under-estimate the importance of showing an interest in the company.

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PART 4 / CHAPTER 14 - YES, JOB INTERVIEW IS IN THE BAG CONGRATULATIONS! WHAT DO YOU DO?

You may also find something that explains why they need you and in that way you can make a better strategy for the

interview.

• ResearchthepersonsyouaregoingtohavetheinterviewonLinkedIn and Google. Maybe you find out that they also know people that you know. This can be useful for the introductory small talk.

• Prepare(andbringalong)somequestionsforthem.Thinkabout what you need know in order to find out whether this

is the right job.

• Practiseyourintroduction/elevatorpitch.

• Prepare(andbringalong)3-5wordsofwisdom,meaningthefacts which are most important to mention during the interview. What do they need to know about you and your candidacy before you leave? Be sure to have brought up

these facts before the end of the interview.

• Wearniceandcleanclothes.Thismaysounddullandnotimportant, but it does matter. If you want to make sure that you are not over- or underdressed, look for photos of the company staff. Rule of thumb: Dress in a neutral way and don’t overdo it. Note that the dress code for people in

creative jobs differs from this statement.

• Lastbutnotleast:Bringalongallyourwrittenmaterialincluding the job advert. It is not a cool thing to ask the interviewer for your CV to check out what you actually worked with in 1995.

Weaknesses? No, can’t think of anyWell, you just mentioned one.

Prepare your answers to difficult questions. Expect to be asked about three strengths and three weaknesses in general or in relation to the job. Strengths are the easy ones – and if not, then enhance your elevator pitch and skills definition. The weak-nesses are the ones you may have to make extra preparations for. Maybe you have heard that it is about turning weaknesses into something positive? This is a common misunderstanding and there is a risk that you underestimate the interviewer who will then start to digging more into it

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If you mention that you are a little impatient, assuming that the interviewer will think: Great, here comes a hardworking person! But it rarely works like that. The reason for asking into the weaknesses we all have is that the interviewer wants to know how you handle them.

If you are an impatient person, the interviewer wants to know how you deal with tasks, people or systems that are slow, time-consuming or not leading to any specific solutions. Your answer to this could be that you are aware that you cannot find a solution to everything right away. Also mention that if you have small and fast ad-hoc tasks to compensate for your impatience, then you are able to be more meticulous about the time- consuming tasks.

If you make high demands on yourself and other people, you may mention that you do get frustrated if other people don’t have the same high standards but you are aware that they are not necessarily being unwilling. Counter this issue by being specific about your need for keeping agreements and why you believe it’s important to respect each other’s time.

If one of your weaknesses is that you are not detail-oriented in terms of administration, this might indicate that updating of Excel sheets and CRM systems does not come easy to you. You handle this by leaving time in your calendar so you get it done.

If you are a perfectionist, the interviewer wants to know how you cope with having to conclude your work without any time for perfection. You reply that you are a perfectionist and this makes you make high demands on the quality of your work, but you also know by experience that tight deadlines often mean that you have to compromise.

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Leave nervousness at homeNervousness is a natural thing and signals that you are up to a challenge. Good preparations may reduce your nervousness considerably. If you are one of those who get very nervous, sweaty and easily start stuttering, then try one of the following lifelines before the interview. And yes, it may seem somewhat scholarly, but it works:

• Takeadeepbreaththroughyournoseandkeepitwhileyouslowly count to ten. Maybe it feels a little unpleasant, but this is okay. When you exhale, it must be through your mouth which you shape as if you were exhaling little air. This must be a long exhalation. Keep exhaling and finally you have to push for emptying the air out of your lungs. The respiration following the long and forced exhalation is a deep one by nature and makes your body slow down. Repeat and sense how your body gets better at relaxing.

Be discreet about it if you have already arrived at the company. If you are in real trouble and have time for it, go the lavatory to make your exhalation exercise.

Trick: If you’d rather not go to the lavatory, then eat bananas before the meeting; bananas help to absorb liquid.

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And remember also:• Tomakeaperspectiveofthewholesituationforyourself.

Distance yourself from the situation and realize that no one is likely to get hurt during the interview.

• Gettingtoaninterviewisasuccess–sorememberthereisapositive reason for selecting you.

• Visualisethateverythingisgoingtobefine.Closeyoureyesand try to visualize how it looks when you make your performance at the interview. Avoid the opposite negative visualisation.

Be yourself It can be hard to feel like an entirely equal during a job interview because the employer has something to offer which is highly demanded. This is just the way it is. But remember that you are free to be proud of the value that you and your skills represent. You cannot sell anything that you don’t have in a convincing way. That is why you have to include your own self in the interview – stay in close contact with yourself. Do not pretend that you are somebody else. It doesn’t work.

My best advice to every job seeker is authenticity. Recruitment professionals get positively curious when we meet authentic persons, but rather tired when we meet the “pretenders”.

Ditlev Piper, HR chef, Supergros A/S,

Companies’ doubtsCompanies usually have doubting questions to your candidacy. Perhaps they wonder why you were only employed for nine months in your previous position. Or they wonder if you were given your notice because of cooperation problems. Or they wonder how long you will stay motivated by the tasks you are going to work with. There will be critical moments like these during any interview.

There are two options in a situation like this. One option is to avoid answering the question directly or worst case scenario not being quite sincere. For 95 percent of the cases this will lead to increased uncertainty and make it more difficult to land the job. The other option is to take the bull by the horns and come up

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with your best possible answer. If you are well prepared especially for the critical questions, your chances for success will improve significantly. Where you are most successful, is actually also where the trust in you increases.

Our general recommendation for how to answer these questions is: Prepare yourself well and come up with your best answer without causing new uncertainty or being evasive. You can also demonstrate your responsibility by asking the interviewers what they consider your greatest challenge in the job. In this way you are able to respond to their concerns.

As to good advice for the job interview we asked Vestas, one of Denmark’s most prominent energy industries. We inquired about the two most general “mistakes” during the interview and the two best tips for job seekers going to an interview:

1) Unfortunately, we meet many candidates who speak badly about their previous or present employer. Stop doing that. It often puts you in a bad light if you come across as “a bitter and sulky person”. 2) Another typical mistake is when candidates are overselling or underselling themselves. One person talks about him- or herself as being God’s gift and the other person is simply too humble. The goal is to land somewhere in-between and be aware of your strengths.

And then we asked for the two most important tips for improving the job seeker’s position for the interview:

1) The best thing you can do for yourself before you go to an interview is first and foremost to prepare yourself well. Read about the company and not just what they say about them-selves but also what others say about them.2)Next,itisaboutbeinghonest,lookingniceandsmiling.Itworks. Of course, there should also be room for nervousness, but the trick is to overcome this as early as possible during the interview so that you are able to show your very best self.

Karina Boldsen, Director Vestas People & Culture

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Interview’s three stagesWe regard the job interview as three different stages. This is also how we distribute of most job interviews in our recruiting:

• Contact stage. First, it is about creating good contact. This is where body language, facial expression, eye contact and behaviour are essential. Let them get a picture of you as a person. Actually, you can seem too professional. It is you they want to meet – not the perfect you. This is where you create the good first-hand impression by a firm handshake (firm is not the same as strong) and a smile. Break the ice by smalltalk. Maybe use the information you found about the interviewer on LinkedIn. Say “yes please” to water/coffee/tea – and then off to the next stage.

• Sales stage. As soon as contact has been established, you start selling yourself. Now, it is time for answering questions, countering objections and finally contributing to a good dialog, being curious and showing interest. Keep eye contact with the person you are talking to and make sure to have had eye contact with all participants during the interview. The interviewer will typically ask about your previous career, skills, knowledge about and motivation for applying for a job in this company in particular. There is where you can benefit from bringing up your ambitions, your driving force and how you can contribute to the company.

• Final stage. Allow yourself to conclude the interview well. Even if you feel like relaxing when the wrap-up gets closer, you are still very eager to land this job, so prove it. Say for instance: It has been really interesting to hear about the job – I’m still VERY interested, or something similar.

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Sales – some useful theoryIn both formal and informal job interviews you have to convince other people about the value of hiring you. For those interviews it may be an advantage to get inspiration from a sales model which we call the Sales Ladder:

• Introduction. Create a pleasant mood. Take the lead. Introduce yourself briefly.

• Needs. Identify company’s situation, goals and needs. Ask questions.

• Motivation. Ask what the customer gains by reaching his/her goal.

• Presentation. Presentation of the solutions you are representing.

• Conclusion. What has been agreed and what is the next step – make some pleasant remarks.

Introduction

Needs

Motivation

Presentation

Conclusion

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Get inspiration from the model, but remember that nothing beats authenticity.

One thing that job seekers should remember is that a good sales process is also about customers’ needs and motivation. Job seekers are often so eager to present themselves and their skills that they forget to ask about customer’s needs and motivation.

For jobs advertised, customers (employers) know their needs, but it might be relevant to identify their motivation – in other words, what do they want to achieve. This rarely appears from a job advert. As for jobs not being advertised (network or unsolicited), it may be relevant to discuss needs as well as motivation (what is the value of meeting their challenges within a given area).And the very brief message irrespective of job advert or not: Always ask what they want to achieve because this indicates that you are keen on making results. In this way, you can target your presentation as the solution to challenges. In one of Denmark’s major companies they dream about more sales-conscious job seekers:

At Dansk Supermarked we spend time on considering which goods we should have on our shelves in relation to our customers and how we have to market these so that people will do their shopping in Netto instead of Rema 1000. In general, this is something job seekers should be better at. Job seekers’ goods are: Your professional skills, your personal skills, results you have achieved, your educational background, your motiva-tion for the job and how you can contribute to this position. Iwanttoknowwhatmakesyoutheexcellentsolution to our “problem”.

HR-partner, Frederik Madsbjerg, Dansk Supermarked

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What went wrong?There are many reasons for unsuccessful job interviews. Below are listed the obvious reasons for not getting the job:

• Beinglate.

• Talkingtoomuchorbeingtooquiet.

• Notlistening.

• Answeringinavaguemanner.

• Showingnodriveorenergy.

• Notdefiningyourachievementsandresults.

• Sayingwhatyouthinktheywanttohearinstead of being honest.

• Tellingaprettyboldjoke.

• Beingfartoomatey.

• Avoidingeyecontactorkeepingthistoolong.

• Beinguntrustworthy–youdonotwalkthetalk.

• Speakingbadlyaboutformerbosses/colleagues.

The above list reflects something imperative for the job interview – details or unspoken aspects are often crucial to the outcome.

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Your digital traceIf the interview went well, the employer will typically stay curious about you and look for further information with your references and in your digital traces. Previously, references were primarily the source of research, but today you can rest assure that employers will check you out on Google, LinkedIn and maybe Facebook. See employers’ reply to our Recruitment Analysis 2012:

That’s why you should:• Googleyourselfandgetafeelingofwhatemployersmayfind.

• MakesurethatyourLinkedInCVmatchestheCVyouuseforapplications in general.

• ThinkabouthowopenyouwantyourprofileonFacebook to be.

Total

Do you normally research a coming employee on the following media?

Yes No Don´t know Percent Number

Google 46 pct 267 51 pct 297 4 pct 22 100 pct 586

LinkedIn 43 pct 252 52 pct 303 5 pct 31 100 pct 586

Facebook 29 pct 171 66 pct 387 5 pct 28 100 pct 586

Total 39 pct 690 56 pct 987 5 pct 81 100 pct 1758

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• Be well-prepared (CV, application, questions for the company, nice look, research).

• Make sure to substantiate all your “claims” in the application.

• You are responsible for passing on your messages and words of wisdom.

• Be ready for killer questions (test and practise before).

• Be authentic.

• Feel well – it’s a selling point.

• Know the three stages of the job interview: contact, sales, conclusion.

Inspiration for your interviewIf you need some inspiration for how to answer the difficult questions, check this link:

Link for the 27 killer questions http://www.kommunikationsforum.dk/artikler/jobsamtalens-27-draeberspoergsmaal

If you need inspiration for questions to your next boss, check this link:http://www.kommunikationsforum.dk/artikler/15-spoergsmaal-tildin-naeste-chef

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Chapter 15

TESTIf you are applying for job with a lot of responsibility, you will most surely be given a test during the recruitment process. There is a tendency that the use of tests is increasing at all levels of the organisation. Almost all consultants using tests call them a dialog tool mea-ning that the test is not regarded as the only truth about you but as an add-on to your application and references. The result of the test is a great opportunity for getting information which you can use actively in your job search. Maybe you will not get this job, but there is certainly a chance that you get a better sense of your actions and how other people assess your strengths and weaknesses.Look at the test as a situation where you – due to your great skills and qualifications – have been selected exclusively and then you move on to the opportunity of learning more about yourself and possibly heading for the job you want.

There is a tendency that the use of personality tests is increa-sing. Previously, tests were only used along with the recruit-ment of managers. But now tests are a more common feature – and I predict it will stay like that. My best advice for the persons undergoing a personality test is: Be honest in your answers instead of tactical. A tactical approach may backfire.

Christian Kurt Nielsen, CEO, Mercuri Urval

Three types of testGenerally, there are three different types of test:

Personality test: Identifies the candidate’s general attitude and pattern of behaviour.

Ability test: Identifies basic skills in relation to the specific job (for example, English writing skills).

IQ-test: Identifies logical reasoning/intelligence (typically in terms of language and math skills).

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PART 4 / CHAPTER 15 - TEST

Insight into personal preferencesThis chapter describes the personality test because this is the most common type of recruitment test. The reason for this is that cooperative skills, inventiveness, character, motivation factors, reflection ability, degree of detail orientation and similar skills are often considered more important than intelligence.

Even if it is called a test, there is no result, any right or wrong answer. A test is an analysis indicating your personal profile and giving you an insight into your fundamental personal preferen-ces and driving forces. It shows what motivates you, what deprives you of your energy, how you optimally interact with others and which tasks will be obvious for you to carry out.

The personality test is a valuable support tool in terms of recruit-ment. It often happens that an employee is hired because of his or her skills, but sacked because of his or her personality because he or she does not fit into the organisation or the team. In such case, a test might indicate some characteristics of the candidate which the interviewer should pay attention to.

But a test is, and will remain, a support tool offering the intervie-wer some keywords for the interview. It is our experience from recruitment as well as consultancy that a test is rarely vital to the process. The interview and the overall impression of you have a significantly higher impact.

Typically, a personality test consists of a number of questions about your feelings, way of thinking and acting. The questions could be multiple-choice with several possible answers, but also could also be based on an open scenario.

Know your typePersonality types can be described in many ways, but generally four types are dealt with:

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• An analyst (asks when?)

• An organiser (asks who?)

• A creator (asks: how?)

• An enthusiast (asks: when?)

A personal profile is determined by characteristics like introvert, extrovert, hesitant/energetic, determined/undetermined, reluctant/dominating, insecure/self-assured, realistic/dreaming, individual/social, analytic/creative, not disciplined/very disciplined, persistent/impatient etc.

The million dollar question: Can you cheat?I most of the personality tests prepared by professionals check questions are incorporated to minimise the risk that the test person does not reflect himself/herself correctly. The respondent, and that is you, does not know the decisive factor of the test either. So the picture you might be trying to make of yourself does not match what the company is looking for at all. And remember: You and the company both want that you get a job where you are able to apply your personal skills while also feeling good.

Feedback on testOnce you have completed the test and the result has been evaluated, you are entitled to a so-called test feedback from a professional test-certified consultant. During this feedback you should be attentive and curious. The feedback may either take place on a separate occasion (concerning only the response to your test) or at a second job interview.For some personality tests your answers will be compared to a job profile which the employer has worked out for this specific job – meaning the new employee’s preferred attitude. Remember you cannot give any wrong answers to a test concerning attitude

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Profil DK

M A S T E R P E R S O N A N A L Y S I S

Label2Navn: Offt Ejleren, Jon Fødselsdato:

Label2

Nuværende stilling: (Uspecificeret)Projekt: Søgt stilling: (Uspecificeret)Nationalitet: Danmark

Formål: Ansøgning Oprettelsesdato: 24-05-2012

Ego Drive + - T

Præstationsorientering A

Selvhævdelse B 6 1 5

Energianvendelse C 12 0 12

Sociale Faktorer

Følelseskontrol D 14 1 13

Social Kontakt E 9 0 9

Tiltro/Tillid F 10 1 9

Arbejdsstil

Detailorientering G 9 0 9

Sikkerhed H 4 1 3

Abstraktionsorientering I 12 0 12

Total 76 4

© 2012 Master Management Konsulenthuset ballisager a/s 26-09-2012

Profil DK



Label2



Ego Drive + - T




Sociale Faktorer




Arbejdsstil


Sikkerhed H 4 1 3


Total 76 4


Profil DK



Label2



Ego Drive + - T




Sociale Faktorer




Arbejdsstil


Sikkerhed H 4 1 3


Total 76 4



In other words, you cannot have a wrong attitude profile but for most jobs some types of attitude fit better than others. You could say that your profile in terms of a specific job is more or less appropriate.

During the test feedback you will get a picture of where your profile might differ from what the company wants. If you do not think that the feedback is understandable, then ask. The feed-back is your chance to clarify and come up with specific and different examples of how colleagues would perceive you in a workplace. Both parties want to have an open and honest dialog – also concerning the aspects where your attitude differs from what the company has in mind. Honesty provides the best cooperative relations in the longer run, and a better match will only increase your job satisfaction.

Example of test result from Master Person Analysis

Achievement Orientation

Emotional Control

Attention to Detail

Social Behaviour

Work Style

Self-assertion

Social Contact

Security

Use of Energy

Confidence/Trust

Abstraction Orientation

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How and where to complete the test?Most personality tests are completed by answering a number of questions in an online questionnaire. The questions are mostly structured in such a way that you have to choose between different approaches for handling a certain situation (for in-stance, what would you certainly do and what you certainly not do?). It can be hard to prioritise the multiple choices, because you want to answer yes to several of them, but this is exactly why you must prioritise. Be honest, fairly spontaneous and make your decisions from a working situation perspective. Our professional attitude rarely matches our private attitude.

The time you have for completing a test often differs. It is our experience that it takes somewhere between 30 minutes to one hour. In some cases, you should be prepared for two hours. Before you start the test, you should know the approximate duration as most tests have to be completed in one go.

Get a taste for test Du har mulighed for at afprøve tests gratis her:

You can take these tests for free:jobindex.dk/cgi/typeindikator.cgi (typeindikator) thinkaboutit.dk/typetest/ (enneagramtest) www.dk.iqtester.eu (IQ test)

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• Find out how much time you have for the test. You should also know whether the time you spend on the test is important.

• Prepare for the test by taking the light-test on jobindex.dk.

• Imagine yourself in the job you applied for as if you had already started before you answer. After all, the job is the reason why you are taking the test.

• If you are in doubt about what to answer, then always use a work situation perspective.

• Create calmness for yourself when you complete the test.

• Be aware of yourself and your ways of acting – and get across a true image of yourself.

• Eat healthy and get plenty of sleep – this is especially vital for the IQ and Ability Tests.

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PERSONAL POWER It can be difficult to categorise what personal power is, but we all understand it, when we have met a person, who has it.

Personal power can be a kind of x-factor – that is, something undefinable about a person, which makes an impression and provides the person in question with the ability to make an impact. However, it is not pure x-factor and magic. Fortunately, it is also possible to train and strengthen the personal ability to make an impact, so you are able to deliver the most adequate version of yourself, when it is necessary.

However, exactly when do we require personal power in the job search process, and what is it all about? Let us begin with the last part: Regarding job search, we are going to describe perso-nal power as a combination of confidence, presence and “good body”.

Find confidence in your strengthsDo not visualise a street-smart salesperson because we mention confidence. There is no doubt that you can come across as being too confident towards an employer. Our point is that your personal power arises when you are in contact with what you are good at – both professionally and personally. It is about being aware of it and presenting it in a natural way. Try to think about that your confidence should evolve around your abilities and not be aimed at you as a (super) individual.

Also, try to think about that your confidence may well include other people. It is more convincing; if you explain that, you together with other people – and in the right setting – really are able to deliver great results. It may seem rather ego-like, if you explain that no matter who you are working with, you as an individual provide the best results. In other words, you should pay attention to the fact that your confidence should derive from some sort of community feel. In some connections, for example in sales positions or in the consultant business, it is ok to express an individual confidence.

Chapter 16

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PART 4 / CHAPTER 16 – PERSONAL POWER

Presence is right here and nowBesides confidence, your personal power is dependent on your presence. If you appear to be very controlled, provide standard answers, are absent-minded, think ahead too much in a dialogue or cut off to answer, you will hardly exude presence and perso-nal power. It is important that you are present, have good eye contact, listen attentively to questions and preferably think for a few seconds before you answer.

Your way of speaking has also significance. Partly, you can use your voice as a tool to be present by being aware of it; partly the voice is an overlooked and important tool to secure a personal impact. Most people associate a calm voice with a reasonably deep pitch as belonging to a person with personal integrity. Think about how you are able to use your voice: Tone, hardness or softness, distinctness, the volume, emphasis, pace and so on. Have you ever asked how your voice affects other people? It might be a good idea to ask someone you have confidence in.

“Good body”Finally, you should think about your posture – especially, if it is a face to face meeting. The people opposite you, evaluate you on your look, your facial expression and your body language. Concerning body language we have four good advice:

Advice number 1: Receive feedback from other people – perhaps you will be surprised. It may be that they say that you constantly are scratching your hair in an irritating way, without you even being aware of it. You may easily have certain facial expressions or gestures that you are not aware of.

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Tip: Direct eye contact can be tiring – instead focus on the mouth or nose. From the other party’s side it comes across as being good eye contact.

Advice number 2: Smile. The smile is important because it signals energy, a positive attitude and a pleasant colleague. The smile also has an effect internally, so it is able to diminish your own nervousness.

Advice number 3: Relax in your body instead of tightening all of your muscles. The more relaxed you feel, the better. There are many different opinions concerning body language. If you google body language and read about it, you are going to encounter many dogmas on what you should NOT do. For example, you may have heard that you should not have folded arms because then you are signalling that you are reserved. We think that is nonsense. We have experienced many people with folded arms who are definitely not reserved.

Tip: Previously, if you have exercised, you will probably feel more relaxed and present. However, make sure you have stopped sweating prior to the interview.

EXERCISE:

Ask someone you know well, how he or she is going to de-scribe your body language from these parameters:

• Positive vs. sceptical• Confident vs. insecure• The level of eye contact• Any facial expressions or gestures which your sounding

board has noticed

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FactThey say that body language accounts for 55 percent, when you perceive a message. This is one of the most long-lived myths, which is quoted repeatedly. The myth comes from Albert Mehrabian’s study results from 1967. However, what the results really showed were that only when there is a severe inconsistency between what you are saying and what you are showing with your body language that the body language means so much.

Advice number 4: Be calm in your body. Unknowingly, many people are dealing with nervousness by stamping the feet on the floor, shaking one leg, rolling with a ball pen, uninhibitedly fiddling around with the moustache and the like. You have to avoid the nervous habits during the meeting. Unless the habits actually calm you down – you know this yourself. To exude personal power in a job search situation can be deman-ding, because the job search process for most people, sometimes does not come across as being packed with power. So work on confidence, presence and “good body” by:

• knowingwhatyouaregoodat

• beingpresentandattentive

• receivefeedbackfromothersregardingyour conversation skill and body language.

Take responsibility for the good chemistryWhen is it then that we need the personal power? In all unsoli-cited contact with potential workplaces it is going to be an advantage, as long as you have a sense of situation. Mostly at the job interview. Read more about this in the chapter, The Job Interview. However, the personal power is also relevant when you are presenting yourself to network individuals and when you are having a dialogue on the phone with your network or a potential employer. You can try out affecting yourself with your body language when you are talking on the phone. Feel the difference between sitting bent, hunched, and sitting straight with your chest out and your head held high.

!

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When you at a job interview exude confidence and are present in the dialogue, then you are an important step ahead. In this way, you contribute to the experience that there is a good chemistry between you and the persons on the other side of the table. Of course, good chemistry also derives from the other part, but your part is to make sure that your personal power affects the chemistry positively.

According to employers, good chemistry has a profound signifi-cance in the choice of the candidate. When we in Rekrutterings-analysen 2012 asked what means the most in the choice of the final candidate, most employers (54 percent) replied that personal chemistry at the interview has the greatest significance in the choice of the final candidate. In comparison 52 percent of employers stated that relevant work experience was the most decisive factor and only 16 percent answered that relevant education was the most important factor. The consulted were allowed to answer more than one category – hence the final result is more than 100 percent. In other words, nothing has a greater significance in the job interview than personal chemistry.

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• Personal power can be trained and strengthened.

• Pay attention to the fact that presence, confidence and “good body” are crucial for the power you exude.

• With good effect, use your voice, your smile and your eye contact.

• Receive feedback from other people – for example about body language.

• Make sure your power contributes to the good chemistry in the conversation.

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CONCLUSION AND 2 DECISIONS

Conclusion and 2 decisions

Now advice, facts and good ideas have been delivered. We have nothing more to say. Now, it is up to you.

When we are working, it takes up more than 1/3 of our time. It is not so strange that our job largely is responsible for affecting our identity – who we are.

As a jobseeker, you have to make an important decision:How much are you going to invest in your job search project? Make sure that you actually make this decision. It must live up to three criteria: First, it needs to be so specific that it can be written down. Secondly, you need to be able to cope with it when the weekday comes. Thirdly, it has to benefit your job search.

The other great decision you have to make is more at a psycholo-gical level. Decide that your job search should be an exciting journey, which you rarely have the opportunity to experience.

That decision cannot conjure the jobseeker’s letdowns away – but it can help you get back in the saddle more quickly.

Good luck with your job search.

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REFERENCE LIST

REFERENCE LIST

Reports: Konsulenthuset ballisager: Rekrutteringsanalysen 2012

Bredgaard, Thomas m.fl.: Flexicuritypådansk. CARMA research paper. 2009

Kjær, Futtrup Jan m.fl.(red.): Networked Business Factbook, EU-DK 2012.

Books:Ankersen, Rasmus: Knæk talentkoden. Turbulenz. 2012

Bloch, Mette: Tør du blive en vinder? Blochamok. 2011

Covey, Stephen: 7 gode vaner. Gyldendal. 2009

Cullberg, Johan: Krise og udvikling. Gyldendal akademisk. 2007

Dweck, Carol: Du er hvad du tænker. Borgen. 2006

Hein, Tune og Kjerulf, Stig: Handlekraft-kunsten at eksekvere. Børsen Forlag. 2007

Klit, Jesper: Personlig gennemslagskraft. Børsen Forlag. 2009

Milsted, Thomas: Stressfri gennem krisen. Gyldendal 2009

Skaanderup, Henrik Enegaard: Slået hjem. Gyldendal Business. 2010

Wenøe, Mike og Larsen, Jacob Høedt: Foden indenfor. E-bog. http://jobimindrevirksomheder.dk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Foden-Indenfor-job-i-mindre-og-mellemstore-virksomheder.pdf 2012

Wilbek, Ulrik: Tro på dig selv. People’s Press. 2008

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REFERENCE LIST / RELEVANT LINKS

Additional recommended literatureCovey, Stephen R: Kanon karriere – få dit drømmejob og gør en forskel. Gyldendal. 2010

Gourani, Soulaima: Tag magten over din karriere. Politikens Forlag. 2009

Jørgensen, Bent Schiødte: Jobsøgning – en håndbog i personlig markedsføring. Globe. 2006

Lausten, Torben: Kan vingerne bære? – håndbog i jobjagt og karriereskift. Forlaget Fraktal. 1999

Marott, Pernille og Viktor Harder: Arbejdsløs – verdens hårdeste job: Min A-kasse. 2013. e-bog: http://verdenshaardestejob.dk/

Stadil, Christian: Netværk dig til succes. Schultz. 2006

Relevant links

Job search portals:

jobindex.dk (general)

indeed.com (general)

careerjet.dk (general)

jobzonen.dk (general)

ofir.dk (general)

stepstone.dk (general)

it-jobbank.dk (IT)

jobworld.dk (IT)

job-i-staten.dk (the state)

jobfinder.dk (engineers)

jobbank.dk (academics)

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RELEVANT LINKS

General inspiration for the jobseeker:

jobfisk.dk (very relevant inspiration for the jobseeker

– including links to temp- and recruitment agencies)

modernejobsoeger.dk (about job search and social media)

karrierevejviser.dk (inspiration)

jobbing.dk (among other things, help to unsolicited job search)

ug.dk (education and job)

lederne.dk

jobimindrevirksomheder.dk (with, among other things,

the job search book foden indenfor)

netvaerksportalen.dk (specific network etc)

branchelink.dk (knowledge about certain industries)

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page (mindmap)

www.skrivansoegning.dk (manyconcreteexamplesof CV and application)

CV-templates

Ballisager.com (requires login)

tekstmaskinen.net

cvskabeloner.dk

resume.linkedinlabs.com

Job abroad

Go.dk

Eures.dk

Norden.org

Largestcompanies.dk (The Nordic countries’ 100.000 companies)

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RELEVANT LINKS

Entrepreneurship

startvaekst.dk

opgavenetvaerket.dk (to the freelancer)

http://www.opgavenetvaerket.dk/ (to the freelancer)

https://www.startvaekst.dk

LinkedIn

Pay attention to the group ”Netværk hvor jobsøgende og

arbejdsgivere mødes”

Slideshare + box.net (share/show your documents,

presentations etc.)

Skills assessment

Create a Mind Map, see freemind http://freemind.en.softonic.com/

Take a free personal character test on jobindex.dk

Karrierespindet.dk

Enneagram test, free: http://www.thinkaboutit.dk/typetest/

IQ test: http://www.dk.iqtester.eu/

Companies

Top1000.dk

Branchelink.dk

Børsen.dk

Vf.dk

NNmarkedsdata.dk

Netvaerksportalen.dk

Danskerhverv.dk

Moderne jobsøgning er en håndbog til dig, der skal ud og søge job. Alle emner indenfor god jobsøgning bliver behandlet og du inviteres ind i processen. Bogen kan bruges som en interaktiv guide, et opslagsværk eller læses fra a-z. Det må afgøres af dit behov - vi lover, at der er gode råd og nye fif til selv den bedste jobsøger.

Som mellemstort konsulenthus med speciale i rekruttering og karriererådgivning har vi solid erfaring med god jobsøgning. Vi har desuden involveret de skrappeste rekrutteringseksperter i nogle af de største danske virksomheder. Derfor kan du i bogen få helt aktuelle jobsøgningsråd fra bla Vestas, Post Danmark, Lego, Falck, TDC, ISS, Dansk Supermarked og andre prominente virksomheder. Vi har også fået et særligt bidrag fra et af Danmarks største sportsikoner, Tom Kristensen. Bogens forfattere er Stine Munch Andersen og Morten Ballisager.

Vi har bestræbt os på at gøre håndbogen seriøs og uhøjtidelig på én gang.

Vi håber, at bogen kan gøre en forskel for dig.

PART 4: YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS · YOUR JOB SEEKER SKILLS: • It may LinkedIn give you • Short on Facebook • Short on Twitter • The advice - cut to the bone Chapter 13: ELEVATOR

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