About This Issue…
Sometimes at The Animal Science Monitor
.. . we like to change things up. We’re guilty of that with this issue.
We’re pushing back our articles about promotions until June, because
with companies more willing to hire these days, we thought that
articles regarding the interview process would be more appropriate. Of
course, we still have the next installment in our “Connecting
You”series, and don’t forget to join us on the various social
networking sites. So despite the fact we’ve “flipped the script,” so to
speak, we hope that you enjoy this issue of The ASM.
– Dan and Don
Interview Processes Don’t Need to Drag
(By Dan Simmons)
On
May 1, 2009, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court David
Souter formally submitted a resignation letter to President Barak
Obama. Later that month, President Obama nominated Sonia Sotomayor for
appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace Justice Souter. Her
nomination was then confirmed by the United States Senate, and she took
the oath of office on August 8, 2009.
I
offer no opinion of the people or the decision. It’s irrelevant to my
point. If the filling of a position as important a s the lifelong
appointment to the highest court in the land can be completed in 100
days, then how long should your company’s interview process take?
Consider
this: interviews needed to be scheduled with President Obama and other
members of his administration, her background required investigation by
various agencies, and let’s not forget about the televised interviews
with members of the U.S. Senate. Then, 100 people had to vote to gain
approval to offer her the job. From vacancy to oath of office in 100 days.
I
know of no other organization that does the breadth of interviewing or
depth of screening that we give Supreme Court Justices, yet I have seen
many searches and interview processes drag at a much slower pace than
what Justice Sotomayor endured. Take a closer look at your processes.
Are you confusing thorough with slow? Identify candidates. Work through
your process with deliberate speed. Do your background checks and then
make a decision.
If
you’re not comfortable with extending an employment offer, then make a
decision not to hire, but move the process along. This will keep your
organization on track for its goals and also demonstrates due
professionalism and courtesy to each candidate that you’ve considered.
If you have any questions about this article – or about how I can help with your interview process – send me an email at dan@consearch.com.
Building Your Career One Interview at a Time
(By Don Hunter)
While
it’s true that companies are more willing to hire than they were last
year at this time, that doesn’t mean it’s a candidates’ market, so to
speak. The interview process is still very important, not only in
regards to the job for which you’re applying,but also to your career
overall. When a company interviews you, they’re trying to decide
whether or not they want to “buy you,” mainly by determining if you’ll
be a good overall fit. That includes an assessment of both your hard
(technical skills) and your soft (people)skills.
Below are some mistakes that candidates typically make during the interview process and that can cause damage to their career.
-
Taking an unusually long time when making a decision regarding an offer
-
Withholding information (for whatever reason) that could potentially change the scope of the interview process
-
Accepting the offer, only to change their mind at the last minute
-
Changing their mind at the very last minute and not showing up for their first day of work
Branding yourself the right way
With
that in mind, what follows are some important guidelines for how job
seekers should conduct themselves during the entirety of the search and
interview process:
-
Be honest – Honesty
has always been and always will be the best policy when it comes to
dealing with companies during a job search (and yes, this includes your
resume). Ultimately, the cons always outweigh the pros. Be upfront and
forthright about everything.
-
Communicate – If
something arises, make sure that the company’s hiring authority knows
about it (if it’s central to the search process, of course). Needless
to say, forgetting to call them to say you’ve taken another position
isn’t acceptable.
-
Don’t dawdle – Are
you making important, life-changing decisions? Yes. Should you take
the time necessary to make them? Yes. But also keep in mind that by
making an offer of employment, the company has already made an
investment of time in you. Respect that investment.
-
Don’t “burn any bridges” – Whenever
you deal with somebody in this industry, always assume that you’re
going to see them again – in some capacity – down the road. By
employing honesty and effective communication, your bridges should
remain intact, ready to help you grow your career in the future.
No matter what happens as the result of the interview process (i.e., whether you’re hired or not), your behavior is extremely important. You’re
branding yourself in the minds of those who are thinking of hiring
you. Who knows? Even if you’re not hired, another position might open
up later, and company officials will remember how impressive you were.
Use
the interview process as an opportunity to brand yourself in a positive
fashion . . .and to continue building your career one interview at a
time.
If you have any questions about this article, send an email to don@bayresourcegroup.com. And
if you’re currently engaged in a job search, be sure to send me your
resume. Keep in mind that any exchange of information, including
resumes, will be kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet
fashion.
Connecting You: National Institute for Animal Agriculture
(By Matt Deutsch)
Welcome to the next installment of “Connecting You,” a new series of articles within The Animal Science Monitor newsletter. “Connecting You” will showcase a number of associations within the world of animal science and animal nutrition.
One
such organization will be highlighted each month, usually in the second
issue of that month. (However, since we’re a little behind at The ASM,
we’re publishing an installment in this issue, as well.) Our goal is
to promote the organization, its website, its mission within the
industry, and its upcoming events. We believe that giving exposure to
these organizations will prove to be beneficial not only for them, but
also for you – our readers.
This month’s organization
National Institute for Animal Agriculturehttp://www.animalagriculture.org), the only all-encompassing animal agriculture industry organization.
Its mission
The
mission of the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) is to
provide a forum for building consensus and advancing solutions for
animal agriculture and to provide continuing education and
communication linkages to animal agriculture professionals.
Upcoming events
2011 NIAA Annual Meeting
Monday, April 11, through Thursday, April 14
San Antonio, Texas
For
more information about the 2010 annual meeting, which was held in
March, as well as information about events and meetings the NIAA will
be attending throughout the rest of 2010, click here.
Membership information
There are three membership categories within the NIAA:
National Associations and Commercial Organizations
This
membership is for organizations and corporationsthat operate at a
national or international level, as well as federalagencies (such as
USDA’s APHIS and FSIS, FDA, and DHS).
This
membership is for state government agencies,diagnostic laboratories,
university-affiliated groups, or associations that operate at the state
level, and also federal agencies at region allocations.
State-Level Associations and Publicly Supported Institutions/Agencies
Individuals (Self-Employed)
This
membership is for self-employed or small entities,such as producers,
practitioners, retirees, or others that do not fit a state or national
level membership.
For more information about membership, visit the NIAA website.
Read future issues of The Animal Science Monitor for more information regarding organizations within the animal science and animal nutrition industries.
Coming Up in the Next Issue . . .
In the next issue of The Animal Science Monitor,
we’ll be presenting the next installment in the “Connecting You”series,
which will bring us up to speed on that series of important articles.
We’ll also let you know which industry events are upcoming,so that you
can plan your summer accordingly, as least as far as your continuing
education and networking efforts are concerned. (And make no mistake –
it’s always a good time to hone your skills and meet more people within your chosen field.)
The next issue of The ASM is scheduled for publication during the week of May 24.
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