Interviews tomorrow! Wish me luck! (Sioux Falls: home, phone, place)

[Jammie]

Eclectic, I don't like our winters either. Of the states you've mentioned, the one I find to be most like So. Dak. is Ok. Although they have a state income tax, their property taxes are very low. We haven't been to western OK, but the eastern side is beautiful. Not sure if it quite rates up there with our Black Hills area, but it's very nice.

They do have a bit of winter, but it's nothing like it is here. I think the people there are very nice and friendly and they seem to be a lot like we are here concerning honesty, morals, ethics, etc. Of course, you have a few all over that don't fit into that category, but as a whole, I think the people there are down to earth and good people, too.

I don't think their smaller towns are doing that well, but the situation is the same here. But if you look at cities like Tulsa or OKC, they also have a very reasonable unemployment rate.

I don't by any means want to detour you from joining us here, but we do have REAL winter in this area and it ain't purdy. We're actually considering an Okla. move some day, too. I'd love to get out of our winters.

[mskutnick]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Here's my $.02 unsolicited advice for interview dos and don'ts that I used to always tell my clients (was an employment/ career counselor) and have now come to value as someone that does a lot of interviewing (might be a lot of obvious ones in here heard before, but I find that most people I've interviewed are guilty of committing at least one of these):




Do Not:

• Talk badly about a former boss- if asked what you least liked about your former boss, find something to say that isn't so negative- e.g., my former boss tended to be quiet and wanted persons to learn most things on their own- this was fine and I was able to do it, but I prefer getting regular/ constructive feedback from my supervisor so that I have a strong sense of what I'm doing well and what I can improve on.
• Pretend like you know about something when you don't- it is much better to be upfront and admit that you lack experience in a certain area; after you do admit this, however, you should immediately find something that you have done or that you're skilled in that might be relatable (e.g. I haven't had any experience working with that specific computer software, but I have worked with x software and I'm a very quick study with most computer applications).
• Similar to the above point, if you do know a lot about the job, do not act like you know all there is to know about the position. State what you've done that's related, but do not think that you're so great that everything will be a breeze- if you are over-confident, you will come across as a know-it-all and potentially difficult to train in the various ways unique to that particular company.
• Scoff/ bristle at anything the interviewer says about the job- might be an obvious one, but I've been amazed at how many people can't seem to control their facial expressions/ responses when presented with a potential duty they aren't particularly fond of- if you do want the job, you should give the impression that the more you learn about it, the more you want it and it sounds perfect for you.
• Give your real biggest weakness - similar to the "what you didn't like about your past boss scenario", your biggest "weakness" should somewhat be a strength veiled/ cloaked by an idiosyncrasy - e.g. "I tend to be too much of a perfectionist sometimes and obcess about the minutes details of things"- make sure the interviewer knows it's not a delibitating condition, however.
• In general, it's best not to ask about (and esp. not to try and negotiate) salary ranges in the interview, I would wait for the comopany/ interviewer to bring it up when they're ready to talk about it.

DO:

• Research the company prior to your interview- find the company website online, or articles about the company, etc. - whatever you can beforehand- this shows that you are very interested (and a resourceful, quick learner) and you can then weave in items that you know about the company when answering questions.
• ASK QUESTIONS WHEN ASKED "DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?": I find the best questions to ask are those where you'd like to learn more about the company or the specific area/ job duties in which you will be working in (in the vein of you want to get a head-start on learning the job, not in the sense that you are concerned about what you might be doing). Other safe questions include ?s related to benefits plans, opportunities for promotion, company dress codes, "when can I start?" (you again don't want to come off as too cocky or smarmy, however), etc. However, there was one time where an interviewee took about an extra 40 minutes of my time after the interview was over going through a laundry list of questions- don't do that, but ask at least a couple of questions and then state "I think you covered most all other questions I had already".
• Take time to think about your answers prior to answering them. In a phone interview, you of course don't want tons of dead air time (or to look like you're not "quick on your feet"), but sometimes people are in such a big rush to answer the question right away that they don't answer it well or don't come across as thoughtful. If you are unsure of how to respond at first, repeat the question to the interviewer and ask them to confirm that you correctly understand it, and don't be afraid to say "let me think" or give a thoughtful "hmm" to give you an extra handful of seconds to come up with a great answer vs. word vomiting right out of the gate.
• Most importantly- just be honest and let your personality come through- an interview is very much about getting to know your personality and guaging whether you will be a good coworker for the current staff to work alongside and/or supervise.

Those are a few of the big ones- hope my unsolicited advice is somewhat useful to you or someone else that stumbles onto this post sometime in the future. Good luck!

Those are some good points. Here are a couple more SIMPLE things to remmeber as well. i am only sharing because I am an employer. 20 years experience.
1. Be Honest - Admit mistakes you have made, and then explain how you plan on not making those mistakes again. Never make yourself out to be something you are not.
2. If you say you are a dedicated person, Loyal to who you work for. be prapared to not only walk the walk.. But Talk the Talk as well.
3. Only make the commitments that you know you can achieve. nothing is more frustrating then hearing an interviewee make commitments and then after being hired.. Not meeting them.
4. Its not always about money. When asked about pay. Always negotiate. But be reasonable. never start high or Low.. Find a happy medium. and then go from there.
5. Smile, dont be nervous. Take a couple deep breaths before you approach the interview. Employers have WAY TO MUCH FUN with those who are a nervous wreck. LOL. And, they never get hired.

just some simple helpful hints from the horses mouth. LOL. The suggestions above are great as well. but you do not want to give off the impression of being a good actor or actress.. You will not be hired. Experienced employers most of the time.. Go with their gut.. If you give off one hint of any type of scripted answers.. You will not get hired. Believe me. You will feel better about yourself, and the employer that offers you the position will be Real.. Real in the sense that the employer will have a bigger offer, and higher confidense in you.
Good luck!!

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Eclectic, I don't like our winters either. Of the states you've mentioned, the one I find to be most like So. Dak. is Ok. Although they have a state income tax, their property taxes are very low. We haven't been to western OK, but the eastern side is beautiful. Not sure if it quite rates up there with our Black Hills area, but it's very nice.

They do have a bit of winter, but it's nothing like it is here. I think the people there are very nice and friendly and they seem to be a lot like we are here concerning honesty, morals, ethics, etc. Of course, you have a few all over that don't fit into that category, but as a whole, I think the people there are down to earth and good people, too.

I don't think their smaller towns are doing that well, but the situation is the same here. But if you look at cities like Tulsa or OKC, they also have a very reasonable unemployment rate.

I don't by any means want to detour you from joining us here, but we do have REAL winter in this area and it ain't purdy. We're actually considering an Okla. move some day, too. I'd love to get out of our winters.

I want to thank you for your honestly. In skimming these forums, the people of SD that post here seem to give an honestly analysis of what is good, bad and ugly in SD. The ugliest element I've seen so far is the real winter element you talk about; that said, I work in a deep freezer four nights a week at work, so maybe that's a little preparation.

In Kentucky, it's the same deal with employment; some smaller communities in southern and eastern Kentucky have 12-18% unemployment rates. Lexington is faring better than the rest of the state, and even it's at 8% unemployment now. I assume this adage holds true in almost every state of the union, not just SD, KY, OK, etc.

I'm beginning to think I won't hear back from that employer, by the way.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by mskutnick

Those are some good points. Here are a couple more SIMPLE things to remmeber as well. i am only sharing because I am an employer. 20 years experience.
1. Be Honest - Admit mistakes you have made, and then explain how you plan on not making those mistakes again. Never make yourself out to be something you are not.
2. If you say you are a dedicated person, Loyal to who you work for. be prapared to not only walk the walk.. But Talk the Talk as well.
3. Only make the commitments that you know you can achieve. nothing is more frustrating then hearing an interviewee make commitments and then after being hired.. Not meeting them.
4. Its not always about money. When asked about pay. Always negotiate. But be reasonable. never start high or Low.. Find a happy medium. and then go from there.
5. Smile, dont be nervous. Take a couple deep breaths before you approach the interview. Employers have WAY TO MUCH FUN with those who are a nervous wreck. LOL. And, they never get hired.

just some simple helpful hints from the horses mouth. LOL. The suggestions above are great as well. but you do not want to give off the impression of being a good actor or actress.. You will not be hired. Experienced employers most of the time.. Go with their gut.. If you give off one hint of any type of scripted answers.. You will not get hired. Believe me. You will feel better about yourself, and the employer that offers you the position will be Real.. Real in the sense that the employer will have a bigger offer, and higher confidense in you.
Good luck!!

Thanks for the additional tips, I appreciate them!

[Jammie]

Eclectic, that was a nice post.

Actually, our unemployment rate isn't too bad in comparison to a lot of states. It just seems funny to not be below 3% anymore and have a lot of openings all over, especially at this time of year. Employers can be MUCH pickier (word?) right now and that's not really good.

We're pretty much a non-union state and I hope it can stay that way. But if the work force far outnumbers the employers, it only invites even lower wages and abuse from employers who want to take advantage of people. Not a good situation.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you and hopefully the employer will get in touch with you soon.

OK, so this bugs me~Please just change "Pickier" to "more selective."

[EclecticEars]

I hope SD stays a non-union state, also--or, simply a "right to work" state as it's called. Oh, and picker is a word, in fact.

[mskutnick]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Eclectic, that was a nice post.

Actually, our unemployment rate isn't too bad in comparison to a lot of states. It just seems funny to not be below 3% anymore and have a lot of openings all over, especially at this time of year. Employers can be MUCH pickier (word?) right now and that's not really good.

We're pretty much a non-union state and I hope it can stay that way. But if the work force far outnumbers the employers, it only invites even lower wages and abuse from employers who want to take advantage of people. Not a good situation.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you and hopefully the employer will get in touch with you soon.

OK, so this bugs me~Please just change "Pickier" to "more selective."

You are right about employers being pickier. I for one will be pickier when I do my Mass hire for the new store. Why you may ask? Well, the times of working a few months then quiting are over with. As an employer. I am looking for people who are committed, Loyal, and are happy to have a job. I feel sorry for those people that I call.. Short time employees. Carrier Job Seekers ya know.. They play with their lives and end up with nothing in the end if you know what i mean.
I embrace this recession because its going to bring change in people. Having a job and appreciating a pay check is giong to become the new thing after its all said and done. Unions will go away because they are the cause of the recession. Long story on that one from me. The reason we are having all these layoffs are because unions fight to hard for to big of wages for those people who dont deserve them. just to make it short. lol.

As far as low wages.. That is a serious issue.. but you have to understand something. There are a lot of employers who will pay more for loyalty and dedication then to pay less for "SHORT TERM EMPLOYEES" That is why you will see many employers being MORE PICKEIR then normal. It is sad though, because a majority of employers do thing how you mentioned.

Well, I just had to post here. LOL. I so look forward to bringing about 16 Jobs to Rapid City.
Scott

[EclecticEars]

Well, Sioux Falls isn't looking very promising anymore. This is three weeks to the date of the phone interview and I still haven't heard anything. What does that say?

Oh well... During this time I've also interviewed for a job in Metropolitan Cincinnati (actually, extreme Northern Kentucky) and that is looking extremely promising, according to the hiring manger. So it looks like Cincinnati, not Sioux Falls, is about to become my new home.

As far as cities go, I'd much rather live in Cincinnati/NKY than Sioux Falls. As far as states go, though, I'd rather live in South Dakota (Sioux Falls or Rapid City, though) than Kentucky. Weird, I know, but that's how I am.

I would still like to see all the pictures, factoids, etc. you all can post about S.D., being that I really would like to at least visit one of these days.

I'll be in touch periodically and want to thank all of you for your helpful assistance over the last few weeks.

[Jammie]

Sorry to hear that things don't seem to be working out with Sx. Falls. I hope you're happy wherever you end up. AND who knows what the future holds? You may end up here some day anyway.

[DannyBanany]

Eclectic, have you called the job in Sioux Falls to let them know that you are still very interested in the position? Also, it's not a bad idea to send a thank you letter! Just some helpful tips!