The Receptionist Has More Power Than You Think

People tend to undervalue and underappreciate the role a Receptionist plays in an organization. For some reason, some people treat the Receptionist differently than they might a manager or an executive in the company. But when you come in for an interview – the Receptionist has a lot more power than you might think they do. Conventional wisdom tells us how important it is to make a good first impression - and the Receptionist is the first person at the company with which a candidate interacts. As a hiring manager, I ALWAYS ask our Receptionist what she thinks about a candidate she has met. Did they come in demanding coffee, speaking to her in a curt or rude manner that demonstrated an air of superiority? Or did they treat her with respect, asking her how her day is going and making pleasant small talk with her? The way someone interacts with her tells me a lot about the candidate and whether or not they would fit in with our culture.

Connections are the Key to Your Job Search

When it comes to job search, the old adage “it’s all in who you know” can really ring true. According to the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 60 percent of job seekers find jobs with the help of their friends or relatives.

From my perspective as an employer, I highly value employee referrals and recommendations. As long as there is some experience fit for a position, an employee referral is a pretty much guaranteed interview for that candidate.

It’s no doubt then that using your network, the people to whom you are connected, is arguably the most important tool in your job search. The best web site for this, and I one I use on a daily basis, is LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is the largest professional social networking site on the net and is perhaps the best way for you to organize all of your personal and professional connections. The website is a perfect match for job search – you can, (and should)

• ASK your closest connections for professional and personal recommendations


• SEARCH jobs on LinkedIn’s job board


• JOIN job search groups organized by geography, industry, or both


• "FOLLOW" companies you are interested in to learn more about them

But the most important component of the site is its ability to show you to whom you are connected at various levels. Call it “three degrees of separation”; if you’re interested in Company XYZ – you can use this tool to find out if anyone you’re connected to is connected to anyone at that company, and can request an introduction to them.

Let’s use my profile as an example. I am connected to 471 people directly (1st level). Between my connections, their connections (2nd level), and their connection’s connections (3rd level), so on and so forth, I have over 4 million people in my LinkedIn network! How about that? Who knew I was so well connected? If you’re trying to get an interview with Triumvirate Environmental, chances are you know somebody, who knows somebody, who may know me!

One tip – don’t go trying to randomly connect to anyone and everyone – just like a traditional employee referral program – the referral is really only valuable if someone actually knows you. Blindly connecting to random people diminishes the real worth of your network.

They Myth of the One-Page Resume (Sort of...)

One of the most common questions I get asked when someone finds out I work in Human Resources is whether or not their resume really needs to be only one-page long. My answer? No, it doesn’t.

Why do people think this? Certain books suggest it. Some career counselors swear it’s the way it should be. The truth is, no self-respecting HR professional is going to look at a resume and say “Oh, this qualified candidate’s resume is two pages…they’re out!”

But there is a benefit to keeping your resume to one-page (or as few pages as possible)…the more concise you can be on your resume, the more likely the items you want to highlight will be read by the person reviewing it. Resume reviewers, in many cases, receive hundreds of resumes from job seekers; and to get through them all requires screening for key words and information that matches the requirements being sought. Only when the screener finds information of interest will they stop and read more. If they find nothing of interest on page one, they most likely won’t turn to page two. If all the good stuff is on page two, it may never be seen!

So, what’s important is not keeping your resume to one-page, but structuring your resume in such a way as to highlight the most relevant and important information about your qualifications and experiences by locating them as close to the top of the first page as possible. That’s why you’ll see many resumes begin with a “summary of qualifications” or a list of achievements. Just like a good book, if the beginning grabs the reader’s attention, they will keep reading further.

Phone Etiquette for Job Seekers

Everyone knows the importance of making a good first impression. It’s why most people work hard to prepare for the first face-to-face meeting with a potential employer. They pull out their suit, iron their clothes, get the hair done, clip their nails, etc…all with the hope of leaving the hiring company with a positive feeling about your candidacy.

But the real first impression a candidate makes is over the phone. Most employers initially reach out to applicants through the phone. This may include a quick call to schedule an interview or an impromptu phone interview. A job seeker must survive this stage of the interview process to succeed in obtaining a position.

Here are some tips and tricks on how to handle the initial contact from a company:

• Speak with enthusiasm – Don’t speak like you just got out of bed…even if you did! From the moment you answer the call to a cheerful goodbye, showing your enthusiasm about the position and the company will energize the company representative about your candidacy.

• Know who’s calling – I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called someone for an interview and they’ve said “Who is this again? I’m sorry I don’t recognize the name of your company…I’ve applied for so many jobs”. This tells me the job seeker has no real interest in my company and is just looking for a job.

• Find a quiet space – It’s completely appropriate to ask the caller if you can call them back from a private area, especially if you are at work. One time, I was speaking to someone who was at work in their cube. They kept getting interrupted and whispered in response to my questions. They left an impression alright. Also, be careful of TVs blaring, dogs barking, and children crying in the background.

• Get rid of ring back tones – While music is better to listen to than a ringing phone line, I would prefer not to listen to “My Humps” as I’m waiting to speak to a candidate for an accounting position.

• Professionalize your voicemail greeting – Sound pleasant and confident in the greeting that awaits your unanswered callers. Don’t sound meek, sluggish or stern. And please please please don’t record music from the radio.

Remember that your first, first impression will likely occur over the phone. While a phone interview alone won’t win you the job, it is absolutely the first step to getting the coveted interview.