January 16th, 2012 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
2 Birds… and 7 Reasons Job Seekers Turn Down Job Offers
By Christopher Simone, Vice President
Unemployment remains stubbornly high, yet sales Hiring Managers are really struggling to find top sales people. The reality is that the actual sales-specific unemployment rate is lower than the 8.5% level recently reported.
One real sign of this is that sales Hiring Managers are experiencing a sudden spike in the number of candidates who receive and then reject their job offers. This adds pressure to the need to build deeper funnels of candidates who are the right fit; this is increasingly difficult and budget intensive given the tightening in the sales-specific job market.
We know that in sales, increasing the conversion rate of existing leads to deals is more cost effective than increasing new lead flow (although both are important). Likewise, increasing the conversion rate of job offers to new hires is also the cost effective strategy.
There are several variables that impact the hiring process. Some aspects such as location and compensation will always affect hiring strategy and outcomes.
Additionally, here are 7 Reasons that Job Seekers Turn Down Job Offers:
1) Counter Offer
Employers are more willing to bite the bullet and make a counter offer to retain a producer. This is the result of a tightening market. Sales Hiring Managers need to qualify the potential risk of acounter offer with candidates as they progress through the process. In many cases, the candidate is well served by having time to think through the intended and unintended consequences of accepting a counter offer.
2) Better Offer
Candidates are increasingly receiving more than one offer. Those sales Hiring Managers who are doing a good job of qualifying candidates on other opportunities that they are pursuing are better positioned to make appropriate offers and emerge with a win.
3) Process Efficiency
Naturally, if you are pursuing a sales person and a competing company reaches the finish line sooner, that company will probably win. My mother always uses the “bird in the hand is better than two in the bush” proverb (honestly, I didn’t even understand that one: who holds birds? My Mother would never have let me even if I wanted to). The point is that many sales people are unlikely to wait for another offer especially if the offer in hand is a good fit. Sales Hiring Managers are tightening their processes to ensure consistency. Consistent, tight, hiring processes are also better understood internally and lead to more effective candidate communication.
4) Expectation Setting
Failing to set expectations can also diminish the outcome, particularly regarding the steps and speed of the process, the specific role, and compensation. Sales Hiring Managers had more time to vet candidates, and make decisions about the path forward, with less competition for talent during the economic down turn. Redirecting a candidate towards a Business Development role, for instance, after initially interviewing for a hunter/closing role with higher comp, is likely to end badly in 2012.
5) Surprises and Inconsistencies
The other side of the expectation setting coin… Good candidates are qualifying sales Hiring Managers throughout the process regarding role and compensation, and also the steps within the hiring process. Delivering inconsistent information can quickly turn off candidates especially regarding these and other dimensions such as corporate culture and environment. Are the members of your interview team on the same page and delivering consistent information? Surprises, such as delivering an offer that reflects new compensation or manager/report structure information can trigger fear, uncertainty and doubt. And, once again, missteps of this nature are fatal if you are competing for the candidate.
6) Word on the Street
Your candidates are engaging with other people (including with your current and former employees) on social Channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Candidates are reading about the culture and reputation of prospective employers on GlassDoor. Your job posts will attract comments and social engagement. It is important to understand what is recorded on the internet and it also important to actively affect the narrative. You can appoint ambassadors who can help engage candidates on the social channels. Hiring Managers should be qualifying candidates to understand their thoughts and perceptions prior to making offers. Learning about concerns in this area after the offer is delivered is probably too late. Please follow www.DADOMATCH.COM/blog regarding Social Hiring.
7) Environment and Fit
Candidates, whether they mention it or not, consider working environment and culture when seeking a new sales job. Certain, key, deterministic characteristics are reflected on every DADO Social Resume. Click here to see a sample DADO Social Resume. For example, Value versus Volume is one of many characteristics reflected. In part, some candidates are comfortable with high contact volumes and making calls in a noisy bullpen or multi-tasking on the road. It is important for both candidate and sales Hiring Managers to find the right fit.
First, start the process with relevant candidates. Tools such as DADO provide a valuable lens through which to spot relevant candidates. Second, actively communicate with the candidate about these key dimensions and characteristics. It is possible that the candidate is well aligned with the role and environment but for some reason perceives a mismatch. Open communication before the job offer is delivered can make a difference. Delivering this positioning after the offer is made is likely to have less credibility and be perceived as just a pitch to get the candidate to say “yes”.
Treeline, Inc. (www.treeline-inc.com) is recognized as an award-winning sales-focused executive search firm. Treeline is also the developer of DADOMATCH.COM, a first of its kind Social Hiring platform that fuses 21st century social technologies and behaviors, and hiring best practices.
September 12th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Struggling and Discouraged. . . Help! How can I conduct a better job search?
By Dave Demelo Senior Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
Dear Dave,
Good day! I am a sales representative who has several years of proven sales success. I was recently laid off and I’ve been unemployed for the past 5 months. I’ve applied to countless sales jobs online and I am struggling. I can’t seem to get feedback for opportunities that I know I am qualified for. I’ve networked with colleagues and reached out to my personal contacts, but even they are not much help. I am struggling and feel helpless. How can I conduct a better job search? Do you have any advice?
Dear Job Seeker,
Thank you for reaching out to me. Unfortunately, your question reflects the difficulties many job seekers are currently facing. While you may have the credentials, experience, and background for a specific position you still need to have a well orchestrated plan when searching for a job.
The traditional job search methods and the way hiring managers and companies post jobs and search for candidates have changed. However, the steps you take when conducting a job search still trace back to pre-LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, Monster, etc.
The first step is to have a plan!
What do you want in your next sales career?
What type of position are you looking for?
How far are you willing to travel?
How can you leverage your past experience and accomplishments?
What kind of culture are you looking for?
Do you want a large company or a small company?
What kind of sales are you interested in (business to business, technology, finance, retail, etc.)?
These are just some of the questions that you should ask yourself.
Looking for job opportunities is a full time job that should be taken seriously! You are making an important life change. Think about it . . . When was the last time you did something life changing on a whim? I am sure you have but realistically not often, right?
Planning is crucial when conducting your job search. In many ways, starting your job search is similar to planning a family trip. What are some questions you ask yourself before you start planning your trip?
Where to go?
When to go?
Where to stay?
How long should I stay?
Who is going?
How much can I spend?
Your next step is to do research to find what fits best with your criteria. This should also be the same mentality when finding a job. It all starts with research and preparation.
Answer the questions you posed initially when you decided to embark on a new sales career (What are you looking for in your new sales job?) Find out what you want to do and where you can leverage your strengths. Find organizations that are looking for top talented sales professionals, whether it is online, going to job fairs, networking with friends, family etc. Utilize the new technology (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and online job boards) that hiring managers and companies are using when searching for top talent.
Then I want you to do this:
Find 10 new opportunities per day that you are interested in. Find out who the decision makers are. **SEE 5 useful tips and techniques for landing your next sales job** Utilize these tips and techniques to find out names, addresses, direct phone numbers and email addresses. Then PICK UP THE PHONE! This is where an old technique can be so effective! Out of those 50 people you reached out to, say 20 of them respond and out of those 20, 5 want to meet you. That is 5 new opportunities that you have in your pipeline in 5 days! Do this for an entire month and you have 20 opportunities. Due to sheer numbers, you will get offers.
September 12th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
5 Useful Tips and Techniques for Landing Your Next Sales Job
By Alex Bender, Consultant at Treeline Inc.
With U.S. Employers adding no new jobs in August and unemployment hovering around 9.1% how do you find your next job?
When I ask my average candidate this question, they typically respond with “the boards:” monster.com, careerbuilder.com, indeed.com, etc. However, the fact of the matter is that the boards are antiquated and are going the way of the dinosaur. This is a popular notion and has been referenced by many others from the Wall Street Journal to the Gurus on LinkedIn. So if the job boards are no longer effective how are people finding opportunities?
Bellow are 5 useful tips and techniques that have helped my past candidates land new opportunities.
1. Linkedin:
Linkedin is one of the best tools out there. Its free, its easy and it has 101 million users world wide, if you are not on there then you are behind the eight ball.
Complete your profile: If you don’t have a 100% complete profile you are doing yourself a disservice (almost as bad as not being on LinkedIn at all). Linkedin has 1 million+ company pages and countless recruiters spend three, four, five hours a day scouring profiles looking for their next top producer. If you don’t have a complete profile somebody else is going to show up in the search before you.
Join Groups: Within Linkedin there are over 870,000 groups all with specific focuses including for specific companies, universities and job seekers. These groups will help you instantly grow your network and start connecting with people that are relevant to what you are looking for. Also any members of a group can send messages to each other, side stepping the whole In Mail thing.
Follow Companies and People: Any companies that you have an interest in you should follow, any HR managers, Directors or VP’s in the companies you are interested in you should follow. This allows you to see anything they post including job openings.
2. Jigsaw.com
Jigsaw.com is a free database with employees and companies contact information. It is a great tool to use when coupled with Linkedin. Simply, find your designated contact on Linkedin (HR Manager, Sales Director) and then look them up on Jigsaw and reach out direct; send them a email with your resume and give them a call.
Glassdoor.com is a job board with a modern twist; it allows you to search and see jobs like your typical board. but it also incorporates anonymous employee and job seeker reviews of the company. Reviews include: salaries, interview information, work life balance, management styles and general expectations.
4. Twitter / TweetDeck
No matter how you feel about Twitter the fact of the matter is Twitter is growing in popularity and companies like it because it is a free way to advertise everything from products to jobs. The best way to make Twitter work for you in a job search is to pair it with an application like TweetDeck (its free). TweetDeck allows you to search the Twitter-verse for key words and notify you when they come up. It also gives you an easy way to follow certain groups and people in neatly defined categories.
5. BranchOut
This is a professional social networking tool / Site, much like linkedin. However, it is directly tied to your Facebook account and allows you to see connections of your personal friends and family and where they work.
Good luck in your search and I hope that these tools and tricks will help find you success within your Job Search.
August 15th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Sales Interview Lessons Learned from the Big Screen
By Sean Cashman, Senior Consultant at Treeline, Inc.
I am a huge movie buff – I have a bit of an obsession with them. Half of my daily dialogue is stripped directly from the good and bad movies that I love. I decided to write a blog that would combine this obsession with another passion of mine – my job as a recruiter. As a sales recruiter, I have plenty of tales to tell about candidates, clients and the events that unfold throughout an interview process.
I have compiled the top Interviews that I have seen on the big screen (and small screen) and the lessons that you can learn from these scenes to make sure that you are a more effective interviewee. Enjoy.
1.) Monty Python – Mind Games: Especially in today’s market, potential employers will use interview tactics and games to see how candidates will react. It is important to recognize this and not to get frustrated. Hang in there, assess the situation and respond…do not react.
2.) The Office – Do your home work. You don’t have to be an expert on the role or the company but do some due diligence and know what you are walking into.
3.) The Office - Sell Yourself in the Interview – you want to make sure that you are talking about the benefits and value that you will bring to the company. Leave the talk about vacation and health benefits for later…or else they might not remember you.
4.) Pursuit of Happiness –Persistence is invaluable. It is not everything but it is a big piece. If you are an outstanding and qualified candidate, you are probably going after a position that has some heavy competition. Don’t drop the ball by not going after it.
5.) You, Me and Dupree – Be confident and do not take yourself out of the process unless you are certain that it is not for you, otherwise you will never know what this opportunity holds for you. Hang in there, get through the process and get an offer – then make up your mind.
6.) Friends – Have you ever heard the expression that you have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them proportionately. This is a classic example of talking the fish out of the boat.
7.) Good Will Hunting – This is a tricky one because in the scene, Ben Affleck’s character is pretending to be Matt Damon’s character. The lesson here is no matter how much love the potential employer is showing you, you cannot start the relationship off in a volatile manner…he did get the retainer, though.
August 15th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Are you selling yourself short when competing for a job?
By Ray Mills, Treeline Consultant
The real value of a search firm isn’t in the number of opportunities they have, but rather the information they can provide before the first initial interview.
With any sales engagement the more information you have up front, the more effective and meaningful the meeting will become. This same philosophy rings true with the interviewing process, which is simply another sales engagement. If you come across unprepared for an interview it typically ends the same way an unprepared sales engagement does…..with a closed door. A reputable search firm can provide the information you need to ensure you are not selling yourself short.
Open sales doors by walking into that first interview relaxed, confident and able to convey and understand the hiring organizations message as if you were already an employee. This doesn’t mean you are already the technical guru of the organization, but it does mean you can hold an intelligent business conversation. At the very least, demonstrate to the interviewer that you are serious about the opportunity and that you always take a professional approach to your business dealings.
Too many times a sales candidate is passed over because they did not come across as focused and knowledgeable even though they may have a career track record of success. To most accurately represent yourself you need to prepare for the interview as you would any other sales opportunity and that’s by planning up front. By leveraging the knowledge of a reputable search firm you will be putting yourself in the best position to shine and to formulate a mutually beneficial meeting with the hiring organization. Companies in today’s market are looking for articulate, committed, educated, and professional business individuals and that’s what you need to deliver.
Here is a list of what you should know in a sales interview, without the knowledge of the list below, you are selling yourself short.
Who is the company, what market do they play in, what is the value of their deliverables?
Who are you meeting with, what is his/her role in the company, how does your role tie into theirs?
What is the corporate culture like, what is the mgmt style, what are their growth plans?
Why is the position open (growth, promotion, attrition?)
What is the quota, territory, avg sales cycle, avg deal size?
What is the salary range, OTE and top rep earning?
How does my background directly/indirectly tie to their business?
This may sound simplistic to many of you, but sometimes the simple things get ignored. Don’t have the career opportunity door close because you failed to effectively prepare. Information is power and the value of a search firm is exactly that.
July 18th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Top 10 Booby Trap Questions
By Kathleen Mauriot, Division Manager at Treeline, Inc.
So you walk into your interview calm, cool and collected. You confidently think “I’ve got it. I’m so prepared that nothing will stump me.” The first few questions are text book. Really? Could they get even a little creative? And then, smack! Yeah that’s right. The booby trap questions! All of a sudden you start sweating. You respond with “I’m sorry can you rephrase the question?” That didn’t work so you start fake coughing and ask for a glass of water to give yourself a little more time. Wait a minute. What just happened?? Do I answer it this way or that way? Do I tell them yes or no? OMG!!! SOS!!!!!
Sales is about thinking on your feet and expecting the unexpected. The same holds true for interviewing. It appears that you were missing crucial information about the company and the job that you were applying for and was able to navigate skillfully through those tricky, booby trapquestions.
Here is a list of the Top 10 Sales Booby Trap Interview Questions and the best way to handle them.
What do you dislike about your current sales position? Jot down on a piece of paper all of your daily tasks as a sales person. Now rank them from the things that make you most successful as a rep to the things that do not influence your success as much. Now what is on the bottom of that list? There’s your answer. To say you dislike prospecting will most likely be the kiss of death in a sales interview. But perhaps admitting that filling out expense reports is your least favorite task may not be viewed as such a negative.
What are you looking for in your next opportunity? If you do not know many details about the job you are applying for, this question can be fatal. If the role is 100% inside sales and you express interest in travel, the hiring manager may conclude that you will not be completely satisfied in the role and risk you leaving within a short amount of time. Try to get a job description off the website or look up reps on LinkedIn who work for that company and see what information you can gather in their profiles about the job. Perhaps you will recognize a contact that you can reach out to for information.
Why did you leave ABC Company? There are many different reasons why people leave their jobs. And as tempting as it may be to gossip about the owner’s affair with the secretary and to air the company’s dirty laundry in public, don’t do it. Do not come across as someone who gets caught up in office drama. It is a detriment to success. Focus on the explaining the reasons why you are moving toward a better opportunity rather than running away from one. Show logical career moves on your resume and be prepared to convince them that you are not looking for just another job but how this opportunity moves you closer to your career goals.
How do you like to be managed? Managers have very different personalities and styles. Some are micromanagers and others macro managers. Sales reps, as well, have different personalities and needs from their manager. Be honest when answering this question. You need to like who you’re being managed by and you need to feel confident that they will give you everything in their power to help you reach success. If you clash, it can make for an unpleasant working relationship and jeopardize your ability to achieve.
I only have time for one question. What would you like to ask? This one is very simple. They are looking for the close. “Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to do this job?” Candidates get confused because they feel that they should be asking questions about the job, company or the interviewer’s background. Although those questions are important, when you are forced to just ask one, a sales manager will look for your demonstrated ability to close them.
I am looking to fill a marketing role that your background aligns well with. Would you be interested in hearing more about it? This question should definitely raise a red flag. Typically this means that the hiring manager has concerns about your interest, or your ability to perform well in the sales position you applied for. If you fall for this question by showing even the slightest interest in the marketing opportunity, there’s a great chance they will drop your candidacy. Most likely, the marketing role he teased you with does not exist. So stand firm, let them know your sincere interest in sales and give them specific reasons to back up why you would be a good fit for the role.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Think before you answer this question. Most people’s knee jerk reaction is to answer “management,” but be careful. Depending where you are in your career and the size of the company and its growth goals, management may not be an option at certain companies. This could backfire and lead the hiring manager to believe you may not stick around. If you are a recent college grad looking for a B2B sales position to use as a stepping stone to land a pharmaceutical sales position in a year, you do not want to openly share that. Think about it. Why would a manager want to hire someone who is already looking to move on before they even start? The best way to answer this question is to explain that your goal is to master the position, exceed your goals and consider growth opportunities within their company when you feel it’s the right time.
Tell me about a time when you and your colleague did not agree. What happened? This is a typical example of a behavioral interview question. It is known as the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Answering these questions can be tough because they are looking for details. They will know you are bluffing if you cannot speak to specifics. The situation you choose should illustrate your ability to work challenges out effectively and logically amongst your peers. Additionally, you want to share a situation with a positive result.
Do you like hunting or farming? The best way to answer this question, if you do not know specifically how much of each the job requires, is explaining that having the skill set of doing both effectively ensures all around success in the sales process. Developing new business allows you to keep your pipeline strong, while maintaining accounts allows you to strengthen your partnerships, which leads to customer retention and repeat business.
What is your biggest weakness? Everyone has things they can improve on, but chose a weakness that a sales manager can live with. For example, telling a manager that you have problems getting to work on time, or that you are not good at setting goals and reaching them, will not bode well. However, confessing that maybe you are a bit of a perfectionist is easier for a hiring managers to accept.
Do you have any examples when you were asked a booby trap question and had to think on your feet? What was the question? How did you respond?
Company Profile: This organization is a rapidly growing software organization that targets selling into IT Directors of mid-large size businesses. They are headquartered in the US and has a worldwide presence. They are privately held, profitable and have doubled their revenue over the last 3 years.
Job Description: This opportunity is calling for an Inside Sales Representative who will follow up on leads generated through marketing campaigns as well as gradually start to close deals and segue into a field sales position with 20% travel. You will have the advantage of working along side the VP of Sales.
Requirements: The ideal candidate will have a minimum of one year experience selling software, have a hunter mentality and a track record of hitting sales goals. Looking for enthusiasm and passion for sales!
Base Comp. $40,000
Total Comp. $60,000
If you are interested please Join Our Network! If you are already a member of our sales network contact your Treeline consultant.
June 6th, 2011 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
What is the best way to approach a selective job search?
By: Dave Demelo, Treeline Division Manager
Dear Recruiter,
I am a sales representative who is currently employed. I have been with my organization for a few years and, for the most part successfully hit my goals and quotas. I love the company culture and all of the people that I work with. I enjoy going to work each day and the competitive environment my colleagues and I have created amongst each other. However, I’ve recently become curious about other possible job opportunities and I feel an urge to selectively seek for a new sales position.
What is the best way to approach a selective job search?
Dear Advice Seeker,
Looking for a new job can have its challenges. Think of it as a learning period, it takes time and more importantly hard work! It is often said that looking for a new opportunity is a full time job, so how do you do both?
Realizing that you are looking for that next best thing is the first step in the process. If you are not mentally and emotionally ready for a change then it is probably not the right time. People fear change and stepping outside of their comfort zone and into the “unknown.” Once you have prepared yourself mentally, you need to start figuring out what you are looking for and what do you really want to do? You know your background, success, skills and you have the drive and passion, so getting a job should be a piece of cake right? It can be, if you do the proper research, market analysis, and of course get out there and market yourself!
So where do you begin? It is obvious that the market has been turning. Unemployment rate is still not where we would want it to be, but companies are hiring. Before you start to network with former colleagues, friends, and family, you need to figure out some key points and most importantly set your own expectations.
Are you looking to leave the industry that you are in or looking to make a career change?
Are you in a financial position to take a hit? There is usually a 3 month ramp up period, can you afford to invest the time to train and create a new sales pipeline?
How much do you want to travel and how long of a commute will you do?
Are you prepared to spend more time in an office?
When can you interview? (7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. interviews do not always work)
Are you prepared to be negatively sold?
Are you prepared to leave money on the table? (http://blog.treeline-inc.com/blog/ask-a-recruiter/)
Are you ready to endure a sometimes long interview process?
These are just some of the preliminary questions you should ask yourself. Good sales representatives overcome objections and greater ones anticipate them, so it is wise to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. Once you have identified some parameters then it is time to start marketing yourself and filling up that pipeline.
If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and trapped in a blender, how would you get out?
That might sound like a ridiculous question, but to a job candidate–at least one reportedly applying for a job at Goldman Sachs–it might actually be an important one.
Glassdoor, a job-posting and community site for job-seekers, has compiled a list of the oddest interview questions of 2010, and that zinger–reportedly from Goldman–wins the number one slot. “Interviews can be an extremely nerve wracking experience, and by shedding light on the process we hope to give job seekers a leg up in their next interview,” says Robert Hohman, co-founder and CEO of Glassdoor.
Glassdoor combed through 80,000 interview questions shared by job candidates on its site to find the wackiest queries. Glassdoor is not able to independently verify that these questions were actually asked, or who asked them.
BNET contacted all of the companies who made top 25, and among those who responded, none were able to confirm the origin of the questions. But none of them denied that the questions had been used, either (though some said these questions were not part of a standard set used by all interviewers), and some even offered a possible explanation as to what kind of answer the interviewer was after.
Think you’re prepared for your next interview? Well, if you can answer these, you probably are:
If you were shrunk to the size of a pencil and put in a blender, how would you get out?
How many ridges are there around a quarter? (Reportedly from Deloitte)
What is the philosophy of martial arts? (A spokesperson for Aflac, where this question was used, says she hopes the candidate quoted Kwai Chang Caine from the 1970s TV show Kung Fu: “I seek not to know the answers, but to understand the questions.”)
Explain to me what has happened in this country during the last 10 years (Reportedly from Boston Consulting)
Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 how weird you are (Reportedly from Capital One)
How many basketballs can you fit in this room? (Reportedly from Google)
Out of 25 horses, pick the fastest 3 horses. In each race, only 5 horses can run at the same time. What is the minimum number of races required? (Reportedly from Bloomberg LP)
If you could be any superhero, who would it be? (Reportedly from AT&T)
You have a birthday cake and have exactly three slices to cut it into eight equal pieces. How do you do it? (Reportedly from Blackrock Portfolio Management)
Given the numbers 1 to 1000, what is the minimum number of guesses needed to find a specific number if you are given the hint “higher” or “lower” for each guess you make? (Reportedly from Facebook)
If you had 5,623 participants in a tournament, how many games would need to be played to determine the winner? (Reportedly from Amazon)
An apple costs 20 cents, an orange costs 40 cents, and a grapefruit costs 60 cents. How much is a pear? (Reportedly from Epic Systems)
There are three boxes. One contains only apples, one contains only oranges, and one contains both apples and oranges. The boxes have been incorrectly labeled such that no label identifies the actual contents of its box. Opening just one box, and without looking in the box, you take out one piece of fruit. By looking at the fruit, how can you immediately label all of the boxes correctly? (Reportedly from Apple)
How many traffic lights are in Manhattan? (Reportedly from Argus Information and Advisory Services)
You are in a dark room with no light. You have 19 grey socks and 25 black socks. What are the chances you will get a matching pair? (Reportedly from Convergex)
What do wood and alcohol have in common? (Reportedly from Guardsmark)
How do you weigh an elephant without using a weigh machine? (Reportedly from IBM)
You have 8 pennies. Seven weigh the same, but one weighs less. You also have a judges scale. Find the penny that weighs less in three steps. (Reportedly from Intel)
Why do you think only a small portion of the population makes over $150,000? (Reportedly from New York Life)
You are in charge of 20 people. Organize them to figure out how many bicycles were sold in your area last year. (Reportedly from Schlumberger)
How many bottles of beer are [consumed] in the city [in a] week? (Reportedly from Nielsen)
What’s the square root of 2000? (Reportedly from UBS)
A train leaves San Antonio for Houston at 60 mph. Another train leaves Houson for San Antonio at 80 mph. Houston and San Antonio are 300 miles apart. If a bird leaves San Antonio at 100 mph, and turns around and flies back once it reaches the Houston train, and continues to fly between the two, how far will it have flown when they collide? (Reportedly from USAA)
How are M&Ms made? (Reportedly from USBank)
What would you do if you just inherited a pizzeria from your uncle? (This question comes from Volkswagen. A spokeswoman for the company tells BNET while the question is certainly not standard, the company’s business analysts often have to take over and manage projects started by other people, so this question may have been a manager’s attempt to see how a job candidate would run a project they ‘inherited.’)
Surprisingly, it really is possible to hit these questions out of the park. In our next post, we’ll show you how. In the meantime, what was the weirdest interview question you were asked, and how did you answer it?
Kimberly Weisul is a freelance writer, editor and editorial consultant. She was most recently a senior editor at BusinessWeek and founding editor of BusinessWeek SmallBiz, an award-winning bimonthly magazine for entrepreneurs. Follow her on twitter.com/weisul.
Weisul, Kimberly. “The 25 Weirdest Interview Questions of 2010 | BNET.” BNET – The CBS Interactive Business Network. Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-research/the-25-weirdest-interview-questions-of-2010/520?tag=content;drawer-container>.
October 21st, 2010 by Amanda Musto, Social Media Marketing Representative at Treeline, Inc
Top 10 Reasons Why You Didn’t Get The Job
10. When a potential employer called you to schedule a job interview, you didn’t answer the phone, which normally is not an issue. As you would expect the potential employer decided to leave you a message. However, after listening to your voice mail greeting which was solely comprised of Cypress Hill chanting the chorus “Insane in the membrane…..Insane in the brain!” a few times, she determined that it was quite possible that you actually were not the candidate she was seeking to fill the position and promptly hung-up the phone.
If you are seeking a job and you have submitted résumés and applications to potential employers, it’s likely that you are also expecting them to contact you in order to schedule interviews. Although your voicemail greeting is yet another way to express your personality, you may want to consider removing the cool hip-hop, rock, obnoxiously funny, or possibly misconstrued greeting from your voice mail and replacing it with a more traditional “I’m not available at this time” greeting.
9. A potential employer reviewed your résumé and became interested in you as a possible candidate to fill the job vacancy. She decided that she would email you information about a job interview and the company. However, when she discovered that the information was to be addressed to DeathStalker1570@quickiemail.com, she became a wee bit leery about a possible manslayer as her future employee. Needless to say, you never received a response from that company after your résumé was submitted.
DeathStalker1570, PartyGirl14, or whatever the email address describing you maybe, should be used for friends, family and unimportant contacts. A potential employer should not get a glimpse of your personality, or perhaps a negative personality trait through your email address. Email accounts are free. If necessary, create an account that is dedicated to your job search and check it daily. If it were up to you, who would you contact for an interview, DerrickSmith@quickiemail.com or JelloShotHottie@quickiemail.com?
8. You didn’t know anything about the company or the position. The bills were piling up and you were in desperate need of a job, which is completely understandable. So, you blasted your résumé to any company that would accept it. Once you were contacted by a potential employer for a job interview, your goal was to get a job, any job. So you went to their office with the hopes of walking away with the position in hand. However, when you were asked ‘Why do you want to work for this company?’ and/or ‘What do you know about the position?’ the interviewer realized that you really didn’t know anything at all.
Make sure that you at least know general information about the company. If need be, research the company on the internet. Have a good understanding of what the job entails. You don’t want to give off the vibe that says you are on “just another interview.” You should make the interviewer feel that you are really interested in that particular position with that particular company. Otherwise, you’re sure to give off the vibe that says you are “just another candidate.”
7. Although your tattoo is cute or awesome (or however you choose to describe it) and fits your personality perfectly, you probably shouldn’t have left it uncovered and on display for the interviewer to see. And don’t think that your body piercings impressed anyone either.
Most of the other applicants that you competed against for the position, presented themselves in a way that said “I’m all business.” Your tattoo may be innocent or a great work of art, but the interviewer is on an important mission. She’s attempting to find someone who is qualified, reliable and neat in appearance. In essence, she’s looking for someone who someone who represents the company well.
With this in mind, you have to consider the possibility that the person interviewing you may not be as cool as you are, and when it comes to tattoos, she just may not “get it.” If at all possible, cover your tattoos and remove non-traditional body piercings that cannot be covered. While these additions to your body may impress your friends, they may not impress a potential employer.
6. Let’s be honest. You didn’t dress for success. Some how you convinced yourself that dressing for a night out on the town and dressing for a job interview is inherently the same. Or maybe it was because you believed that business casual was good enough for an interview. Whatever the case maybe, the interviewer met with applicants who wore suits, or other formal business attire. They were dressed to impress. And then there was you. Rather than looking like someone who was there for an interview, you looked like you were ready to go to the company picnic.
The general rule for men is to wear a suit, tie and dress shoes (polished and shined helps). If possible, make sure that the suit is not too flashy. Black, blue, gray and brown suits work best. Women should wear a business suit or professional looking blouse and skirt combination with sensible pumps. Your attire should not be too revealing. When in doubt, pick your more conservative option.
Job interviews are important. Your appearance should reflect that fact. It’s best to assume that the dress attire for your job interview is formal. Even if you are told that it’s okay to dress casually for your interview, it’s probably best to wear business professional (formal) attire regardless. Remember, you should use all of the tools you have available to you in order to land a job. Use everything from work experience to professional appearance. Look the part. If you don’t, you will stand out, and not in a good way.
If your job seeking wardrobe is a bit thin and money is a factor, consider buying an “interviewing outfit” that you can wear to all of your interviews. You may be able to find great bargains from places like discount outlets and secondhand stores. If you simply don’t have money to spare, wear the best that you have, prepare for the interview, and be confident.
5. You weren’t friendly to the janitor. Well, maybe not the janitor. But, did stress (or personality disposition) cause you to be short with someone in the office where the job interview was to be conducted?
Think about your workplace. Think about all of the work-relationships and think about who “talks” to whom. The office is a little community and work-relationships may not be based solely on position, but rather on common interests. This means that offending the person on the low rung of the ladder may affect how the interviewer, near the top of the ladder, views you as a job candidate. Since you’re not familiar with the potential employer’s community (and as a decent person) be sure to treat everyone with respect.
4. You made it abundantly clear; You really don’t like your former (or current) boss. But that tsunami of skillfully articulated and creatively strung-together adjectives describing your denunciation and disdain for your former employer was a bit too much. If you ever want to make a potential employer squeamish about hiring you, speak badly about your former boss. It’ll work every time.
As far as it depends upon you, leave the negative aspects of your current or former supervisor/subordinate work-relationship out of your comments and answers during your job interview. If you must bring a negative work-relationship to light, do so in a way that is matter-of-fact and doesn’t include potshots or unnecessary details about the work-relationship. Say what needs to be said to provide the interviewer with an acceptable answer and nothing more.
3. You were late. Maybe it was due to traffic. Maybe you forgot to set your alarm. Maybe you had a close encounter of the third kind. It really doesn’t matter. You didn’t arrive at your job interview on time. And because you were late, you were flustered and you didn’t have a chance to relax a little and mentally prepare yourself. You had to spend time that should have gone toward small talk and breaking the ice, on being apologetic and explaining the circumstances that caused you to be tardy. Being late took you out of your game plan. You spent the entire interview trying to get into form but, it didn’t happen.
Additionally, the interviewer instantly wondered if it was your habit to be tardy. During your interview, her mind wandered as she asked herself if she could justify hiring a person (that person being you) who had a tendency to be late. Her answer to herself ultimately, was no. You know that you’re not habitually tardy, but you only had one time to prove that to the interviewer. And since you only met her once, in her mind, instead of being on time 100% of the time, you were late every time you met, which may have only been that one time but, for her, once was enough.
2. You weren’t prepared. Be honest. You tried to wing it. You thought that you could just go into the job interview, hear the questions, and respond with brilliant answers. But instead, you stumbled through your responses, broke the record for the number of times the words uhhh and ummm were used in one sitting, paused more times than a DVR, and sat in silence longer than Charlie Chaplin. You made as much of an impact on the interviewer as a flaming marshmallow speeding toward Earth. That was your one opportunity, and you gave it away.
You’d do well to remember that there are people who really, want (or need) the same job that you seek. Some of them will go to the job interview with their game faces on, ready to take the job out of the hands of all who dare to seek it. They manage this by preparing answers for the most likely interview questions. They practice their responses in the mirror or with a helper. They practice how to answer in such a way that they will separate themselves from the rest of the pack. These are the candidates that will ultimately be asked to fill job vacancies.
1. You weren’t the best candidate. It’s okay. Sometimes there are candidates with a better education, better experience, better credentials, and a better job interview. There’s nothing you can do about that. They deserve to be hired. You for your part should remember that a job interview is the great equalizer. There may be an applicant who has better qualifications than you, but you may be able to express your value to the potential employer better than they can. View the job as yours to lose. Your goal in a job interview is to make it as difficult as possible for an interviewer not to hire you. If résumés were enough, there would be no need for job interviews. This means that although someone may be a more qualified applicant than you are (at least, on paper), you can use the interview to express why you would be a superior employee over all those who applied. Prepare for your interview. Don’t leave your success to chance. Much of whether or not you get the job depends on you.
What are some other reasons a Sales Hiring Manager might pass on your candidacy? Leave us a comment and let us know!
“Job Interview – Top 10 Reasons Why You Didn’t Get the Job.” Advice Before You Buy. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. <http://www.advicebeforeyoubuy.com/JobInterview/Top-10-Job-Interview.html>.
