How to Answer Questions About Underperforming Co-workers

A new subscriber recently asked me how to respond to this type of interview question: "What would you do if a colleague was not pulling his weight?"

Note: since the question is worded with "colleague" and not "employee" or "subordinate," I'm going to answer this as it would apply to a NONSUPERVISORY position. 

There are generally two management styles that determine how employers want their people to handle such situations. Unfortunately, they are completely different.

One style encourages employees to resolve conflicts and fix problems at the lowest level. So in that case, they'd probably want you to talk to your colleague one-on-one, to explain what he or she is doing wrong and how it's bad for the company and his/her own job security. Then offer to help that person improve (as long as it did not adversely affect your own duties). If you can help this person improve, then you are helping the employee pull his/her weight (meaning he/she may not have to be replaced), you are helping the company maintain its quality standards, and also helping the supervisor/manager by saving them from having to deal with this problem.

The other style encourages employees to notify supervisor/managers immediately whenever there is a problem. The theory here is that management needs to know what's going on so they can make improvements. If there's an employee who is not performing up to standards, it could mean that employee was poorly trained, is not being properly motivated, or should never have been hired. Any of those situations should be addressed by management, so the best thing would be to bring the colleague's poor performance to the attention of your supervisor. He/she can then decide what to do about it.

As you can see, these management styles are opposite in nature. If possible, it would be good if you could find out which type of approach is preferred by the company involved. But I realize that may be difficult. In that case, I believe the best way to answer that question is something like this:

"My first step would be to determine how ABC Company prefers for these types of situations to be handled -- whether they want such problems resolved at the lowest level, or immediately broght to management's attention. Can you tell me which is preferred by ABC Company?"

If they do tell you, then you can easily adjust your answer to fit their particular management style. If they do not tell you, then you'll have to say something like, "Well, if they prefer that these situations be handled at the lowest level, then I would personally try to help the employee to improve his performance (as long as it did not affect my own duties)." (Then go into some detail about ways you could help, such as answering his questions, showing him how to do a particular task, etc.)

"If my attempts to help the employee were unsuccessful and I felt his performance was going to continue to be below ABC Company standards, I would bring the matter to the attention of my supervisor. I know that ABC Company prides itself on quality service and performance, so I feel it would be my responsibility to ensure those standards are upheld, not only by myself, but by those around me.

"If ABC Company prefers that such situations be immediately brought to the attention of the appropriate supervisor or manager, then I would, of course, do that instead of spending time trying to help the employee improve."

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Thoughtful Thank-Yous

I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I send separate thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed me? Can I just send one thank-you note to the hiring manager and ask him/her to thank others involved in the process?" 

The answers are yes and no, respectively.

Send a separate thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you, whether it was an informal pre-interview phone call, an interview lunch meeting, or the final formal interview after a lengthy process.

Don't be stingy with your thank yous!

It's an easy thing to do, it will only take a few minutes--and it will make the recipients feel good about you! Why wouldn't you jump at the chance to do that?

You can make your thank-you notes relatively short. They can be sent via snail-mail or email.

(There are differing opinions on which is best. I prefer the now "special" touch of a real letter over the routine method of email; others think email is best because it's faster. Just remember that what you say is more important than how you send it.)

Make each thank-you note slightly different by mentioning something in particular that you and the recipient discussed. This is a good reason to do your thank-you notes right away, while the interview is fresh in your mind. You might even want to take notes for this purpose.

Here's a great tip that will really impress the hiring manager: add a P.S. that mentions how helpful someone was, by name. I'm not talking about people directly involved in the interviews; they should get their own thank-you notes. But if there was a receptionist, an administrative assistant, or someone else who was helpful during your interview process, say so. Those people are rarely recognized, but may have influence with the hiring manager. The boss will think of you as someone who appreciates his team, notices things most other people overlook, and goes the extra mile.

Why make this a P.S.? Studies show that most people read the P.S. before (or even instead of) reading the main body of a letter. This P.S. will get attention and impress the reader, which will get your entire letter read and your thoughtfulness remembered!

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

The Secret of Selling Yourself

A very effective and persuasive tactic when selling something is to promote its benefits as well as its features. Very simply, features are what something has; benefits are what those features do for you. For example, if you’re selling your used Oldsmobile, one of the features you might mention is its large trunk. 

If you focus only on the feature, you’ll say, “This car has a large trunk.” (Yawn) But if you promote that feature with its benefit, you could say, “The trunk is huge. You can get three suitcases and your golf bag in there for a trip to Disneyland and still have plenty of room for all the souvenirs you’ll want to bring home!” See how that makes a more powerful impression? The potential buyer can visualize how this car with its large trunk can make packing for his next trip much easier. Use the same tactic for each feature of the car, and (Ka-ching!) you have a much quicker sale.

When you’re preparing your resume or answering questions during an interview, you’re selling yourself, so use that same tactic: sell your benefits along with your features! Here’s how:

Consider these typical “features” a job applicant might mention during an interview:

• 10 Years of Experience
• Ability to Type 90 Words Per Minute
• Strong Organizational Skills
• Dedicated
• Excellent Communicator
• 2004 Administrator of the Year, Acme International Inc.

Those are pretty impressive. Now let’s see how you can turn those “features” into “benefits:”

• Feature: 10 Years of Experience. Benefits: “I know what to expect in this type of position; I’ve handled this type of work before; I won’t need much training or supervision; I’ll hit the ground running and will start producing right away.”

• Feature: Ability to Type 90 Words Per Minute. Benefits: “I can get your 10-page reports done in less than an hour; I will speed up your work flow.”

• Feature: Strong Organizational Skills. Benefits: “I’ll keep track of your schedule so you’ll always be on time and have the materials you need; I will be able to quickly retrieve any document; I will prioritize my workload to ensure the most critical projects are done first; I will save you time; I’ll help you make your boss happy.”

• Feature: Dedicated. Benefits: “I will support the company’s overall mission and do whatever I can to help achieve it; I won’t complain about hard work or long hours; I will faithfully do my job to the best of my ability.”

• Feature: Excellent Communicator. Benefits: “I will easily be able to give you and your staff the information you and they need, whether in verbal or written form; I will be able to compose much of your correspondence, relieving you of that duty; I will save you time and effort.”

• Feature: Administrator of the Year, 2003, Acme International Inc. Benefits: "I’m very good at what I do, and you don’t have to take my word for it – here’s proof that others have recognized my skill, professionalism, and outstanding contributions.”

Even more impressive!

See how that works? A “feature” is nice. But even better is answering the hiring manager’s unspoken question, “So why is that important?” You do that by selling your benefits.

Make a list of your own features and their corresponding benefits. Learn to promote these benefits to your potential employer. Do this in your cover letter, your resume, and during your interview to make a powerful impression. You will SELL yourself into a new job!

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Dealing With "How Would You...?" Questions

If you're a newsletter subscriber or frequent visitor to my website, you know that I'm always preaching about proper preparation prior to interviews. If you research the position and company carefully, you can anticipate likely questions and prepare excellent answers. 

But something I also tell job seekers is that you can never anticipate every single question.

I once had to respond to a "How would you...?" question about exhuming a dead duck. I am not making this up. The position involved community affairs work for a sewer treatment plant. How could I have anticipated such a strange question? It took me totally by surprise.

But I got the job. 

Often with problem-solving questions, the interviewer isn't looking for a "right" or "wrong" answer. He or she is more interested in the thought processes you demonstrate to come up with your answer.

The dead-duck question was based on an actual incident, and the person who asked it is the person who had to deal with it. My response showed that I would have handled the situation differently than she had, but it also showed that I knew about problem solving. I didn't panic at the unexpected question; I didn't answer before thinking about it for a few seconds; and I didn't blow it by giving a lame response like, "Gosh, that's a really tough question! I honestly don't know what I would do in that situation."

Here are a few tips to help you deal with "How would you...?" problem-solving questions:

1. Ask questions to determine exactly what the interviewer is looking for. (This will also give you a bit more time to think.)

2. Explain how you would gather the information and data necessary to develop a solution to the problem.

3. Tell how you’d use the information you gathered to develop and analyze alternative courses of action.

4. And finally, tell them your solution or recommendation, explaining how you feel it's the best option based on the info you were given.

The "How would you...?" type of problem-solving questions are popular in interviews these days. You must not let them scare you. Don't rush your response and don't stress yourself out wondering what answer they're looking for.

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Four Important Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are asked towards the end of an interview if they have any questions. 

If they feel the interviewer adequately explained the position, they make the mistake of answering "No" to this question. But this is the perfect time to find out if you really want to work for this person! After all, even a wonderful job can turn into a miserable experience if you don't get along with the person you work for.

Here's how to find out if the boss will be as great as the job -- ask these questions during the interview:

1. "What's your ideal employee like?" Asking this question will give you an idea of what this boss would expect from you. Listen carefully to the answer and deduce what it will mean for you. For example, if her ideal employee works independently, you'll know this boss is not a micromanager. If her ideal employee follows procedures without question, you'll know it may be an uphill battle to implement changes or new ideas. If her ideal employee works long hours, don't expect to leave on time every night.

2. "What are the other people in the office like?" Does this boss really know the people who work for her? Does she list their accomplishments with pride or say something vague and unimpressive? Note her tone of voice when she talks about her team. Is she enthusiastic or disappointed?

3. "How does an employee succeed on your team?" Hopefully she'll give you something more enlightening than "Do the job right." You want to learn what standards are expected. For example, if it's a sales position, will you be expected to exceed a specific dollar value in sales or obtain a percentage of satisfied customers? So if her answer is too generic, you may have to follow-up with more questions to get specifics. Ask about the typical career path for an employee who successfully meets goals.

4. "How do you go about solving problems?" How she answers this question can give you insight into her management style. Does she prefer to take charge when things go wrong, or encourage her team to develop solutions?

In addition to the answers themselves, note this person's overall attitude about answering these questions. If she was open to them and answered thoughtfully, she's probably someone who enjoys promoting good working relationships. If you're offered the job, you shouldn't have any hesitations about working for this person. But if she appeared to resent the questions and didn't answer them to your satisfaction, she's not someone you'd want to work for. It's better to know this sooner rather than later.

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

No Experience? No Problem!

Are you a new graduate with little or no work experience? Sometimes it can be tough to get a job without experience, and how do you get more experience if you can't get a job? 

Well, your chances are better than you think. Even if your work experience is a little weak, you've probably got life experience that will help you.

After all, it's not really your job history that employers are interested in -- it's your talents, abilities, knowledge, work ethic and attitude. It's likely that you've developed and fine-tuned these traits through your school work, volunteer activities, and interactions with people throughout your entire life.

The key is to identify your best attributes from your life experience and promote these to potential employers in the right way.

Make a detailed list of all your talents, skills, knowledge and personal qualities. Think about all you've done in your life and what you've gained from it.

For example, if you earned extra money by babysitting or mowing lawns, you gained experience in promoting your services, obtaining customers, negotiating payment, and accomplishing the required tasks while demonstrating self-motivation, punctuality, responsibility and customer service!

If you've participated in a sport, you've shown commitment, discipline and teamwork!

And don't forget to list what you've learned in school: computer skills, software applications, math, science, communication, etc.

Once your list is complete, you'll see that you really do have experience and can offer potential employers the talents, abilities, knowledge, work ethic and attitude they need in their ideal candidate!

All you have to do is convince them of that. You can do it... you've convinced people of things all your life! Your parents, siblings, friends, teachers -- think of all the times you were able to convince them to see things your way. It's one of your talents, so use it during your job search and you'll be gaining work experience in no time!

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

"You're Fired" Isn't The Finale

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, March 2004 had the largest gain in hiring in nearly four years. But as of then, there were still about 8 million Americans without jobs, and almost 23% of those had been unemployed for six months or more.

Many of those who are unemployed were laid off, terminated, downsized or let go ("fired") through no fault of their own.

In this era corporate mergers, dot-com disasters, and a struggling economy, we've all come to realize that job security is quite rare these days.

While losing your job is still very painful, it is no longer considered a career-ending experience.

So when you're interviewing and that question about a gap in your employment comes up, there's really no need to lie.

Keep your answer brief, state what you've learned from the experience (if anything positive), and express your desire to move on. It shouldn't be the focal point of your interview.

Employers want to know about your talent, skills and capabilities, so emphasize those, assure them that you can help solve their problems, and convince them that you will be a hard-working, loyal and dedicated employee. 

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

If You're Fired, Will Past Employers Keep Your Secret?

Despite what some job seekers think, it is not illegal for former employers to tell reference checkers that you were fired. They can say anything they want as long as it's true.

But many companies do have policies that limit what they will reveal about past employees.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

I was watching an episode of CBS's "60 Minutes" recently (hmmm, maybe I watch too much TV; no wait, this is "research," so it's OK). They had a shocking story about a male hospital worker who is suspected of killing more than 40 patients in several different hospitals during the past decade. He pleaded guilty to two of the murders. 

That is very disturbing by itself... but what makes this story so incredibly worse is that his employers unwittingly helped him do it! This guy had been fired many times for a variety of reasons -- hoarding potentially harmful drugs, illegally administering unprescribed treatments, being negligent with patients -- and other alarming actions. He'd even been convicted of something (I can't recall the charge).

Yet he never had a problem getting another job at another hospital. Why? Because his former employers all had policies that prevented them from providing any information about past employees, other than job titles and dates of employment.

Apparently the hospital's lawyers were trying to protect them from lawsuits that could possibly result if something negative (and not proven as fact) was said about a past employee which prevented that employee from obtaining another job.

So even though references were checked, they revealed nothing about this criminal's activities. And he was passed along from one hospital to the next, allegedly killing patients in each one until he was finally caught.

This is a very extreme example of how such personnel policies are, in my opinion, doing more harm than good. This sword cuts both ways, after all. If you've done a truly exceptional job for your past employer, wouldn't you want that employer to be free to confirm your glowing accomplishments during a reference check?

Things are changing, thank goodness. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, employers are conducting more criminal checks than ever before. The need to provide a safe workplace is helping to drive this increase. Plus companies that were once worried about being sued by a former employee over a bad reference are now more concerned about being sued by an employer who wasn't warned about a bad employee! 

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies

If only there were no questions involved in getting a job!

If you are a fan of NBC's "The Apprentice," you know who Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth is. She's had the honor of being fired by Donald Trump (and others, according to "People" magazine).

On that show, Omarosa claimed that one of the other contestants made a racial slur against her.

According to website opinion polls at the time, only 10% of viewers believed Omarosa's claim; 90% thought she was lying.

These poll results were showing BEFORE viewers of the April 15, 2004 episode saw Omarosa lie to members of her team, including her "boss." It wasn't a little white lie, it was a biggy.

And it had nothing to do with trying to win the game, because she'd already been fired from the competition. I won't go into the details... talking about Omarosa could keep me busy for about 50 pages.

I believe that, despite Omarosa's obvious intelligence, talent and skills, her decision to tell lies rather than take responsibility for her actions (or inactions) is going to ruin her career.

It's a real shame, because she has so much going for her. But her lying will be her undoing. And when she fails, she's going to blame others. She reminds me of... uh-oh, I'm starting to get off on a tangent.

Back to my point... don't lie to employers... or potential employers!

Telling a little white lie when you "call in sick," is one thing. Lying about your qualifications on your resume or during a job interview is quite another... do not do this, no matter how tempted you are! It will come back to haunt you!

When you've been struggling to find a new job, have you ever thought about:

Putting a friend's name as your previous boss on the application? Making something up about your experience so you'll match the desired qualifications? Exaggerating your education? Saying you resigned from a job when you were really fired? Failing to mention a little felony conviction from couple of years back? Maybe the company in question is trusting, understaffed, or lazy and won't do a background check. But are you willing to bet your career on that? In this fiercely competitive job market, the temptation to lie in order to boost your chances of getting a job can be pretty strong. But BECAUSE the job market is so tough, employers are getting tough, as well. Very few are now taking resumes and applications at face value. Trust is nice, but when it comes to their hard-won personnel budget, ever-increasing demands for better customer service, and their sometimes-fragile reputations, companies are taking no chances with the people they hire. No matter how desperate you are for work, lying is a bad idea. Most employers will check your references (carefully), do a thorough background check, and find out about your "inaccuracies." Let's say you "exaggerate" your qualifications on your resume. The employer is impressed and calls you in for an interview. She asks about your qualifications, and you must lie to back up your resume claims. She falls for it, fails to verify your references or background, and hires you. Can you breathe a big sigh of relief? Nope. Now you have to back up your claims with your job performance. If you start to struggle, chances are good that you'll start to lie again. Eventually people will get suspicious, and the background check will finally be done. You are busted! But the sad story doesn't end there. You lose your job and vow to never lie again. You correct your resume... but wait... what about that job you were just fired from? It only lasted a few months. Would leaving it off be lying? If you leave it off and are asked during an interview about that employment gap, what would you say? So you decide to include it on your resume. Then you're asked in the interview why you left your previous job. Oh no! You tell them you left because it wasn't the right fit. This company does check you out, and get the truth from your previous employer. Now they know you were fired. But worse, they know you lied about it. There go your chances for THAT job. Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy