The Day You Get Fired

By Maureen Anderson

Getting fired is usually one of the most stressful events in a person's life. So says Harvey Brickley of Atlanta, who's often on hand when big corporations downsize. (read more...)

Fear of Interviewing
By Carole Martin

Your heart is beating faster than usual, your hands feel clammy, your mouth is so dry it feels like you have cotton inside - and your supposed to feel confident. Are you going to an interview or a torture session? The answer is - "it's all in your perspective." (read more...)

Follow Up All Job Leads: Don't Wait by the Phone (or Computer)

By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Does this scenario sound familiar? You're in the market for a new job, and after conducting all your research, you send out 20 cover letters and resumes to potential hiring managers. Weeks go by and you wonder why not even one of those hiring managers has called you for an interview. Is the problem too obvious? (read more...)

The Day You Get Fired(^top)

By Maureen Anderson

Getting fired is usually one of the most stressful events in a person's life. So says Harvey Brickley of Atlanta, who's often on hand when big corporations downsize. "I've been on the scene many times when people are delivered the bad news," he says, "and the reactions vary from shocked and very loud, to subdued and very quiet. Some people have seen it coming and are prepared. Most aren't."

Brickley thinks you'll probably feel shocked at first, then angry, and eventually depressed. You may also find it difficult to concentrate. "Be particularly careful about how you drive that day," he suggests.

Brickley recommends you keep this mostly to yourself for a day or two. Tell your immediate family. Anyone else, not necessarily. Wait until the news has sunk in a little and you're on a more stable emotional plane. "This is not the time to unload about your boss," he points out. "Not that there's ever a good time for that." This wasn't pleasant for them either, he says--and besides, you may someday want to use them as a reference.

Other things that may help on the day you get the news? Brickley suggests you lean on your family for support, do something nice for yourself--and above all, realize you will get another job.

Fear of Interviewing (^top)

By Carole Martin

Your heart is beating faster than usual, your hands feel clammy, your mouth is so dry it feels like you have cotton inside - and your supposed to feel confident. Are you going to an interview or a torture session? The answer is - "it's all in your perspective."

Ideally you would sit poised thumbing through a magazine, feeling relaxed as you wait your turn to have a conversation with the interviewer for the company. Think about it - what do you have to lose here? What's the worst thing that can happen? What if you don't get this job - is the world going to stop turning? I realize of course, that bills must be paid, but you are taking the wrong approach if you are going to come across as desperate - "Please, please, hire me." Interviewers smell fear.

A change in thinking

The first, and most important step is to change the way that you view the interview. This is not an appointment with the dentist who may inflict pain. It is a conversation with another person. What is the worst thing that can happen as a result of the interview? You won't get the job, which may not have been the right job for you anyway.

Secondly, this is a conversation - a two-way process. You will be interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Is there a good fit here - both ways? What looks good on paper may not be what it appears - for either party. It will be part of your job during the interview to investigate whether this a good place for you, and whether you want to invest a significant part of your life here. When you are not checking them out and what they have to offer you are missing an opportunity that you may regret later.

Calming techniques

One of the best techniques to handle stress is through breathing. Take deliberate, shallow breaths. Take air in through the nostrils and exhale quietly through your mouth. This is a technique that should be practiced as a relaxation technique before the interview so that your body gets used to slowing down the breathing process and relaxing.

Relaxation techniques such as yoga, and meditation classes, are recommended for anyone who has an extreme case of "interview fright." The interview can cause panic attacks if the fear is strong enough. Pre-conditioning will do wonders for this type of anxiety.

Preparation before the interview

These are competitive times and you should steel yourself to expect some rejection. Think about it this way, "Did you get a marriage proposal after every date?" Well, you probably aren't going to get a job offer after every interview. For every job you apply for there are more than likely three to four equally qualified candidates in line for the same job. Whether you stand out from "the crowd" will depend on your preparation and ability to show confidence in yourself - believing that you are the "best candidate for this job." How can you possibly sell anyone anything if you don't believe in it yourself?

Preparation will make you feel more confident and less anxious. Can you imagine giving a performance without some practice and preparation? "Winging" the interview in today's market is a big mistake.

Fear of Rejection

You may have had a number of interviews with no offer. You may be feeling defeated, and it's beginning to affect your-self esteem.

This would be true of anyone. But it is a mistake to take it personally. There are so many factors that could be affecting the offer that it is impossible to say what is happening. There may be internal candidates, relatives promised jobs, a competitor who is a perfect match for the job, a lack of chemistry between you and the new boss, a mismatch in salary needs, etc., etc.

Let it go

Give yourself credit for getting an interview - only a small percentage of people get this far in the process. Give yourself credit for going out there and putting yourself on the line, even though it is painful for you. Give yourself permission to not get job offers. Believe that an offer will come through when it is the right offer - the right fit for the company and for you. Take the control back and reject the feeling of fear.

When you have done everything to prepare for the interview, and you are satisfied that you can present yourself in the best light possible, the next step is for you to let it go. You can learn something from each interview. Learn to enjoy meeting new people and having new experiences. Who knows you may even grow to like interviewing.

Follow Up All Job Leads: Don't Wait by the Phone (or Computer) (^top)

By Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Does this scenario sound familiar? You're in the market for a new job, and after conducting all your research, you send out 20 cover letters and resumes to potential hiring managers. Weeks go by and you wonder why not even one of those hiring managers has called you for an interview. Is the problem too obvious? It must not be for situations like this one are the most common we hear about when job-seekers ask our advice about their situation.

If you remember nothing else from this article, please remember these words if you want to succeed in finding a new job: follow up, follow up, follow up. Following up job leads shows prospective employers your interest in the company and position -- and gives you another chance to sell your qualifications. Some job-seekers fear sounding desperate or annoying when making follow-up inquiries, but as long as you do it right, you will come across as interested, not desperate.

Determining Best Method of Follow-Up

How you follow-up your job leads depends partly on how you initially contacted the employer, as well as your own personal preferences. For job-seekers who simply hate talking on the phone, e-mail may be the best (or at least initial) method of follow-up, but for people who are natural extroverts, the phone may be the best way to showcase your personality.

But, don't waste time debating the method you choose. The important lesson here is that job-seekers need to be aggressive in following up all job leads because employers are not going to call you when hundreds and thousands of other job-seekers are applying for the same position. Choose a follow-up method, review the follow-up tips listed below, and get moving toward a more successful job-search!

Tips for Following-Up

Here are some useful guidelines to consider before you follow-up with prospective employers.

General Tips:

• Always make time to follow-up all job leads, no matter how busy you are.
• Follow-up in a timely fashion -- usually a week to 10 days for conventional job-searching, sooner for online applications.
• Create a job leads log, such as the one shown here, so you have a record of your job-search and follow-up.
• If you apply online for a position, consider following-up the online application with a cover letter and resume sent to the hiring manager via postal mail. You will stand out over the other online applicants because few will also send a hard copy.
• Keep your follow-up brief, to the point, and professional.
• Focus your follow-up around your fit with the position and organization and your USP. You might also ask the hiring manager if he/she needs any further information not included in your original application.
• If you recently completed training, received an award, or earned some other recognition that would make you an even better candidate for the position, be sure to mention it in your follow-up.
• Continue following-up regularly, but don't overdo it.

• If you are nervous, consider developing a short script about what you want to say (such as your fit with the job, knowledge of the company, USP).
• No matter what, you should at least make an outline or some notes of the key points you want to make.
• Keep a copy of your resume nearby in case you need to refer to something on it.
• Make the phone call from a place where you can talk calmly and not have distractions - and avoid following up from your current place of employment.
• Be prepared for a short screening phone interview by practicing answers to common interview questions. Use our interviewing resources.
• End the conversation thanking the hiring manager for his/her time and asking about the hiring timetable/next steps. If you are extremely confident, you could ask when you might expect an interview.

• Always address your email to the hiring manager. If you are having difficulty finding hiring managers, read this article: Sleuthing Out Hiring Managers Is Key to Job-Search Follow-up.
• Keep your email short and to the point. Simply again state your interest in the job and your key qualifications for it.
• Be sure to spell-check and proofread your e-mail before sending it.
• Remember to check your email regularly.
• Because e-mail is such a one-way communication, and you don't really know if your e-mail is even being read, consider asking for a phone number so you can then follow-up by phone. (And if you get no response, do your research and uncover the phone number yourself.)

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