A power move—often thought of by those with low self-confidence as being “bold”—is a quick, impulsive, and assertive action to establish control. Imagine what it would be like to have some control over your next interview.
“Often, in the real world, it’s not the smart that get ahead but the bold.” — Robert Kiyosaki, Japanese-American entrepreneur, businessman, and author.
Power moves can be risky, but they can also be very effective.
Candidates with a presence and high confidence level, sometimes seeming cocky, get my full attention. In this regard, you might want to try the following power moves when interviewing:
Start the interview.
Almost every interview I have conducted begins the same way: The candidate walks in, waits for me to tell them to take a seat, and then looks at me nervously, waiting for me to begin the interview.
To gain an advantage, when I am the candidate, I start the interview rather than wait for my interviewer(s) to do so. Starting the interview gives me time to get comfortable with the room and my interviewer(s).
Upon meeting my interviewer(s), following the usual handshake and “Nice to meet you, [interviewer’s first name],” I will ask about an observation I made. “While waiting in the reception area, I studied the scale model of the shopping mall Bluth is building in Hamilton. Do you know the retailers that will be the anchor stores?” or “I saw on the receptionist’s desk the Crying Monkey Award that Network 23 won in April. Who here would you say was instrumental in obtaining the award?”
Often, I gather some intel before an interview and use that information to begin the interview. “Yesterday, I called your toll-free number to see how your agents handle calls. The agent who answered the phone, Amy, was great, but I was on hold for over three minutes. What is the current average wait time?”
Although it may only be for a few minutes, you put yourself in the driver’s seat when you start the interview, giving yourself time to acclimatize.
Ways you can start an interview:
Ask about an observation you made while waiting in the reception area or doing your pre-interview homework.
Solicit your interviewer’s opinion on an industry or company-related story in the news.
Verify something you have heard. (“I heard MeTV is creating a game show geared to viewers over 55. Why over 55?”)
Mention someone you both share a connection with.
Pointing out commonalities (e.g., went to the same school, born in the same city, fan of the same hockey team) is a subtle power move. A more impactful power move is to mention someone with whom you and your interviewer share a connection.
An ideal mentioning of a connection:
“I was talking to Bob Herald last Saturday at a dinner party my brother was having. You worked with him at Parrish Communications. As you probably know, he now heads operations at DaVille Studio, where my brother is VP of distribution. Bob says ‘Hello.'”
You may have heard of the theory of six degrees of separation, which seems hard to believe in a world of 6.6 billion people. According to the theory, we are all linked by chains of acquaintance, just six introductions away from anyone on the planet. Hence, the next time you have an interview, try linking yourself as closely as possible to your interviewer.
You establish a connection with someone when you say, “You and I both know…”.
Pause
The power of pausing cannot be overstated.
When smoking and drinking were common in the workplace, you had props to stop, pause, and think. Unless you have a cup of coffee or a bottle of water you can take a sip from, pausing feels awkward. Learn to pause comfortably.
Pausing for at least 15 seconds sets up what you will say next. Doing so heightens tension in your narrative and gets your interviewer involved.
Ask for the job.
Asking—the first step to getting—for the job is one of the most straightforward power moves you can make.
Assuming you really want the job, say, “I know this is the company I want to work for. Is there anything that prevents you from making me an offer today?”
Worst case scenario, your interviewer will say they have other candidates to interview and will contact you shortly.
End the interview.
The ultimate power move is to end the interview before your interviewer(s) does.
Instead of waiting until your interviewer wraps things up or is glancing at their watch, stand up and say, as you extend your right hand, “Thank you for your time, which I do not want to take up any more of. I enjoyed our conversation. I look forward to hearing from you.”
This power move sends the message you want to send to every interviewer — that you believe in yourself and have options. Why should your interviewer believe in you if you do not believe in yourself?
Uncomfortable truth: In most cases, you did not get the job because your interviewer(s) did not believe in you.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Dollarama Inc.’s food aisles may have expanded far beyond sweet treats or piles of gum by the checkout counter in recent years, but its chief executive maintains his company is “not in the grocery business,” even if it’s keeping an eye on the sector.
“It’s just one small part of our store,” Neil Rossy told analysts on a Wednesday call, where he was questioned about the company’s food merchandise and rivals playing in the same space.
“We will keep an eye on all retailers — like all retailers keep an eye on us — to make sure that we’re competitive and we understand what’s out there.”
Over the last decade and as consumers have more recently sought deals, Dollarama’s food merchandise has expanded to include bread and pantry staples like cereal, rice and pasta sold at prices on par or below supermarkets.
However, the competition in the discount segment of the market Dollarama operates in intensified recently when the country’s biggest grocery chain began piloting a new ultra-discount store.
The No Name stores being tested by Loblaw Cos. Ltd. in Windsor, St. Catharines and Brockville, Ont., are billed as 20 per cent cheaper than discount retail competitors including No Frills. The grocery giant is able to offer such cost savings by relying on a smaller store footprint, fewer chilled products and a hearty range of No Name merchandise.
Though Rossy brushed off notions that his company is a supermarket challenger, grocers aren’t off his radar.
“All retailers in Canada are realistic about the fact that everyone is everyone’s competition on any given item or category,” he said.
Rossy declined to reveal how much of the chain’s sales would overlap with Loblaw or the food category, arguing the vast variety of items Dollarama sells is its strength rather than its grocery products alone.
“What makes Dollarama Dollarama is a very wide assortment of different departments that somewhat represent the old five-and-dime local convenience store,” he said.
The breadth of Dollarama’s offerings helped carry the company to a second-quarter profit of $285.9 million, up from $245.8 million in the same quarter last year as its sales rose 7.4 per cent.
The retailer said Wednesday the profit amounted to $1.02 per diluted share for the 13-week period ended July 28, up from 86 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
The period the quarter covers includes the start of summer, when Rossy said the weather was “terrible.”
“The weather got slightly better towards the end of the summer and our sales certainly increased, but not enough to make up for the season’s horrible start,” he said.
Sales totalled $1.56 billion for the quarter, up from $1.46 billion in the same quarter last year.
Comparable store sales, a key metric for retailers, increased 4.7 per cent, while the average transaction was down2.2 per cent and traffic was up seven per cent, RBC analyst Irene Nattel pointed out.
She told investors in a note that the numbers reflect “solid demand as cautious consumers focus on core consumables and everyday essentials.”
Analysts have attributed such behaviour to interest rates that have been slow to drop and high prices of key consumer goods, which are weighing on household budgets.
To cope, many Canadians have spent more time seeking deals, trading down to more affordable brands and forgoing small luxuries they would treat themselves to in better economic times.
“When people feel squeezed, they tend to shy away from discretionary, focus on the basics,” Rossy said. “When people are feeling good about their wallet, they tend to be more lax about the basics and more willing to spend on discretionary.”
The current economic situation has drawn in not just the average Canadian looking to save a buck or two, but also wealthier consumers.
“When the entire economy is feeling slightly squeezed, we get more consumers who might not have to or want to shop at a Dollarama generally or who enjoy shopping at a Dollarama but have the luxury of not having to worry about the price in some other store that they happen to be standing in that has those goods,” Rossy said.
“Well, when times are tougher, they’ll consider the extra five minutes to go to the store next door.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has ordered TD Bank Group to pay US$28 million for repeatedly sharing inaccurate, negative information about its customers to consumer reporting companies.
The agency says TD has to pay US$7.76 million in total to tens of thousands of victims of its illegal actions, along with a US$20 million civil penalty.
It says TD shared information that contained systemic errors about credit card and bank deposit accounts to consumer reporting companies, which can include credit reports as well as screening reports for tenants and employees and other background checks.
CFPB director Rohit Chopra says in a statement that TD threatened the consumer reports of customers with fraudulent information then “barely lifted a finger to fix it,” and that regulators will need to “focus major attention” on TD Bank to change its course.
TD says in a statement it self-identified these issues and proactively worked to improve its practices, and that it is committed to delivering on its responsibilities to its customers.
The bank also faces scrutiny in the U.S. over its anti-money laundering program where it expects to pay more than US$3 billion in monetary penalties to resolve.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
