Joan Lloyd

<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Dear Joan:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">I have been in my current job as an entry level manager for one year. Shortly after starting with the organization, it became clear to me the job that had been described to me during the interview process was not the job I was doing (i.e. a bait-n-switch). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">My position is newly created and promised to be an opportunity for me to utilize my education, skills and experience in a way I had not been able to in previous jobs. The interviewer and I had great rapport in the first interview and seemed to click. I thought to myself, this is it! My manager shared with me after I started that she was ecstatic about me as a candidate after my first interview.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Shortly after beginning, things began to go awry. First, my manager turned out to be a micro-manager, which has caused ongoing frustration and friction between us. By her own admission, she is aware of her management style, and stated "I should not take it personally because that is just how she is." Second, I discovered there is little chance for advancement within the organization. Thus, my work experience has been very disappointing and unfulfilling, to say the least. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">My question is how can I prevent such an ill fit in my next job? (Yes, I am actively looking for a new job.) What are some of the right questions to ask during the interviewing process to assess if a job is/will be the right fit? This is not a situation I want to repeat. It is my true desire to be at my next job for the long term.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial">Answer:<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">How disappointing. The good news is that you have broken into the ranks of management and you have a year of experience under your belt. That should make job hunting a little easier, since you can put "manager on your resume.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Interviews are such beauty contests. You can only judge the outside of a person through an hour or so of dialogue. It rarely provides the best measure of a job fit. As you suggest with your own situation, what can seem like great rapport and a good growth opportunity, can fall flat in reality. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><em><span style="font-family: Arial">It's a simple fact of life that interviewers tend to oversell themselves and their opportunity, while interviewees tend to overstate their qualifications. <o:p></o:p></span></em></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">So, how do you overcome that natural dynamic? First, ask to talk to other people in the organization. If the employer has nothing to hide, he or she will be happy to connect you to potential peers and employees. In fact, many companies today make peer interviews a regular part of the interview process, especially for management jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Secondly, be more thorough in the questions you ask during your interviews. For example:<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><ul style="margin-top: 0in" type="square"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">How would your current employees describe your management style?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">How frequently do you meet with members of your staff (both in meetings and one-on-one)?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Could you describe how you delegate?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">What measures would you use to determine if I were successful in the first six months? First year?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">What advancement opportunities have others experienced who worked for you?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">How long have people on your staff been in their current jobs? <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">What is the turnover in your area? <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Is there tuition refund in your organization?</span></li></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Sometimes interviewees are reluctant to ask questions during an interview, fearing that they will seem forward or out of place. Quite the contrary. <span> </span><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->A smart interviewer knows that a candidate who asks good questions is just as concerned about job fit as the employer. That is also a sign that the candidate can afford to be discriminating about where he or she works. As long as the candidate is pleasant and doesn't sound too pushy, it is a plus. <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->If you are actively networking while you hunt for a job, you also have an advantage. You will be able to call on some of the people in your network to find out about the company as a place to work. And if you know someone on the inside of the company, you can also get the scoop on the hiring manager. <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Because you were burned this time, it will make you a better shopper the next time around. <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><hr width="100%" size="2" /><p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial">Joan Lloyd </span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial">is an executive coach, management consultant, facilitator and professional trainer/speaker.<span>  </span>Email your question to Joan at <a href="info@joanlloyd.com">info@joanlloyd.com</a>.<span>  </span>Joan Lloyd & Associates, (800) 348-1944, Visit <a href="http://www.joanlloyd.com/">www.JoanLloyd.com</a><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> Joan Lloyd & Associates, Inc.<br /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Do you want more tips like this?<span>  </span>Send an email with the subject line "<strong>Online Newsletter</strong> to <a href="info@joanlloyd.com">info@joanlloyd.com</a> and receive Joan Lloyd's free mini-newsletter each week. <br /><!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial">Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions?<span>  </span>Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd?<span>  </span>Joan Lloyd's has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial"><a href="http://www.joanlloyd.com/store/product_detail.asp?pfid=41461">Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You're Worth on a New Job</a> (Detailed, special report)<br /><a href="http://www.joanlloyd.com/store/product_detail.asp?pfid=03294">Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job</a> (Detailed, special report)<br /><a href="http://www.joanlloyd.com/store/product_detail.asp?pfid=51920">The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job</a> (68 page booklet) <br /><a href="http://www.joanlloyd.com/store/product_detail.asp?pfid=75006">How to Get Your Dream Job</a> (VHS video) <o:p></o:p></span></p>