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Consider Your Interviewer’s Side

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Hiring New Employees

Every story has two sides.

 

Every person has their own perspective.

 

Every person is looking out for their self-interest.

 

Those with above-average people skills always consider how the world looks from the other person’s point of view (POV). By imagining themselves in the other person’s shoes, they’re in a better position to understand, empathize, and build a relationship based on mutual respect.

 

Think of all the possible back-of-the-mind questions going through your interviewer’s head as they interview you. Some questions they’re asking themselves:

 

  • “Will I be able to justify hiring Nick to my boss, my colleagues, and the team members Nick will be working with?”
  • “Will Nick be a flight risk?”
  • “Is how Nick is presenting himself really who he is?”
  • “Will Nick be able to hit the ground running?”
  • “Can Nick help solve our problems?”
  • “Will Nick be easy to manage?”

 

Hiring is a MASSIVE risk! 

 

According to the US Department of Labor, a bad hire can cost the company up to 30% of the employee’s first-year salary. Mellon Financial Corporation did a study that reported bad hires can cost a company 1% – 2.5% of their revenue due to the cost of hiring and productivity loss. An interviewer isn’t going to say to themselves, “Nick seems nice. Let’s pay him tens of thousands of dollars and hope he works out.”

 

Savvy candidates always take the interviewer’s POV into account. Consequently, they demonstrate empathy, which is a powerful way to establish a bond with your interviewer or anyone.

 

In addition, your interviewer has undoubtedly been burned before by, for example, candidates who had a beard, was a Millennialhad a long commute, claimed to be a team player. During interviews, candidates will “say and promise.” However, often once hired, they forget what they said and promised. Understandably, your interviewer’s hiring experiences create biases, which you have no visibility to.

 

Bias is an inescapable part of human nature. Despite government efforts to eliminate employers’ biases, bias will always exist in some form. This fundamental reality of human nature is why my overarching job search advice is to seek your tribe. Think: “I’m not looking for a job; I’m looking for my tribe!”

 

Looking for your tribe mitigates the amount of bias you’ll encounter during your job search.

 

“The hiring process is broken!” is something I hear from those who aren’t getting the jobs they want. The truth is employers design their hiring process (Employers own their hiring process.) to guard their self-interest, which is to make the right hires. Employers don’t hire with the foremost intention of catering to the job seeker‘s self-interests. In addition to costing money and time, unsuccessful hiring also reflects poorly on the interviewer, who I can assure you doesn’t want their hiring skills questioned. I’ve made my share of “bad hires”; the fallout was never pretty. Therefore, I understand why employers are cautious about hiring.

 

Your interviewer’s wanting to maintain their reputation is something as a job seeker you should empathize with.

 

The many risks associated with hiring are why most employers tend to have a hiring process that’s conservative and lengthy (several interviews, personality tests, criminal background checks, credit checks) rather than liberal and fast.

 

Wishful thinking creates the false narrative that employers being cautious in their hiring practices hinders them from hiring qualified, and most important, culturally fitting candidates.

 

Here are your takeaways from this column:

 

  1. Walk into your interviews with one mission: To make your interviewer believe you belong.
  2. Before an interview, envision what it feels like to sit on your interviewer’s side of the desk.
  3. Visualize all the risks your interviewer will face if they hire you and then present yourself as much as possible as “risk-free.”

 

Your interviews will go better if you have this POV. You’ll be more persuasive simply because, right from the start, you’re focused outward, towards your interviewer, rather than inward. (“What’s in it for me” is a turn-off.)

 

An interview is not as cut and dry as a skill-testing question. A human being is asking you questions and judging your answers against their concerns and biases. With me, there’s no right answer, only an honest one. If your honest answer doesn’t get you hired, then so be it and move on. Moving on is a survival skill all job seekers should develop.

 

When interviewing, don’t agonize over trying to get inside your interviewer’s head. Keep in mind your interviewer is human and probably feels as apprehensive as you feel.

______________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send Nick your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com.

 

Business

Stop Asking Your Interviewer Cliché Questions

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Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.

In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.

English philosopher Francis Bacon once said, “A prudent question is one half of wisdom.”

The questions you ask convey the following:

  • Your level of interest in the company and the role.
  • Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
  • You desire a cultural fit.

Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:

  • “What are the key responsibilities of this position?”

Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”

  • “What does a typical day look like?”

Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.

  • “How would you describe the company culture?”

Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”

Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.

  • “What opportunities are there for professional development?”

When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.

Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.

Here are my four go-to questions—I have many moreto accomplish this:

  • “Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”

This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.

  • “What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”

This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”

  • “When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”

Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.

  • “If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”

Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.

Other questions I’ve asked:

 

  • “What keeps you up at night?”
  • “If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
  • “How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
  • “If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
  • “What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
  • “What are the informal expectations of the role?”
  • “What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”

 

Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

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.

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Business

Canadian Natural Resources reports $2.27-billion third-quarter profit

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CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.

The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.

Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.

Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.

On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.

The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNQ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Cenovus Energy reports $820M Q3 profit, down from $1.86B a year ago

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CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.

The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.

Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.

Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.

On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CVE)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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