SMART Goals For Job Seekers

SMART Goals For Job Seekers

There are two perspectives on SMART goals for job seekers, one from the viewpoint of the activities you perform as part of your job search, the other focused on understanding the expectations of a position you’re considering.

SMART goals, originally attributed to Peter Drucker, has been interpreted with various modifications and additions, but generally refers to goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable (Achievable, Actionable), Realistic (Relevant), and Time-Bound (Time-Based, Timely). There’s strong agreement on the “Specific” and “Measurable,” with several variations of the “__ART” elements. Specific, Measurable, and Time-Bound are generally agreed upon as core elements.

For The Job Search

Man writes down his goals while looking for a job

For job seekers, SMART goals can be a powerful tool to guide the process. While many individuals are familiar with the idea from its common work application, it’s a new—and much-needed—process for many job seekers. And for those unfamiliar with the idea, it can be further complicated by the claim of goals being set for them in their work experience—goals that are absolutely not SMART. So, a job seeker might just set an extremely broad goal, like “finding a new job,” or might set some seemingly more specific goals like:

  • Revise my resume
  • Contact my references
  • Search online for job opportunities
  • Send thank you emails

While setting some goals, any goals, particularly if they’re written down, is better than not having any goals, these are definitely not SMART goals. More importantly, goals like these deprive a job seeker of the power of having SMART goals.

Research on goal setting clearly demonstrates the power—and the dangers—of goal setting. Goals that are not SMART fail to motivate top performance and/or lead to inaction. Goals that are set too high (not Realistic) frequently prompt a person’s decision to “give up.” Understanding the dynamics of goal setting can be a powerful tool for a job seeker’s success.

Let’s turn the examples above into SMART goals:

  • Revise my resume – Create a customized resume for each job opening I want to apply for by next Sunday.
  • Contact my references – Identify at least one reference from my previous employers and contact them within the next month with my resume and information on the jobs I’m seeking.
  • Search online for job opportunities – Check online for job opportunities at least twice a week.
  • Send thank you emails – Send thank you emails within 24 hours of an interview to each person involved.

For The Interview

Woman asks a question about goals during an interview

Understanding SMART goals can also be a powerful tool for a candidate to use during an interview. Job postings, ads, and even job descriptions can be filled with generalities and duties that, at best, describe average performance.

A job seeker is frequently asked, “Do you have any questions?” Seize this opportunity whenever given. Unless the following has been made clear to you, ask: “If I were offered and accepted this position, and you considered me extremely successful in my first year, what did I accomplish?” Then probe! And probe whenever you can during an interview when you don’t have clear, specific (SMART) expectations from the interviewer:

  • Specifically, what do you expect the person in this job to accomplish in the first 90 days?
    • In the first six months?
    • In the first year?
  • The job description says the job includes “making sales calls.” How many are considered acceptable in a day? In a month?
    • How many of the company’s sales staff regularly achieve acceptable performance?
    • How many sales calls are considered “outstanding performance”?
  • The job description says that the job includes “leading the team.” How many people are on the team?
    • How many members are new? Long-time members?
    • Is the team facing specific challenges? Problems?
    • What resources are available for developing the team? Training? Assessments?
    • What’s the time frame for improving the team’s performance?
  • You mentioned “the usual customer service” responsibilities, could you tell me…
    • What does “outstanding” customer service mean for this business?
    • What kind of training is provided for customer service?
    • What are the customer service expectations in terms of working with colleagues?
    • (Somewhat advanced but a good question) Is compensation tied to the quality of service provided by a person in this job?

These probing questions need to be customized for each individual position. But just like the importance of thoroughly preparing your responses to questions about your experience, this is where you thoroughly prepare by 1) researching the company and 2) preparing questions that probe for:

  • Specific: Are you given answers with clear “action” verbs?
  • Measurable: Is there a clear measurement (a number) that indicates a performance level?
  • Attainable: Are the expectations achievable, too low (usually not specific), or unrealistically high?
  • Realistic: Are the results of the actions specified indicated?
  • Time-Bound: Are the expectations framed in terms of “when”?

SMART goals can be a very powerful part of a successful job search—and a powerful tool for a job seeker to use during the interview process—if a job seeker learns and practices the process.

The job search process can be incredibly frustrating and stressful, especially if you’re feeling lost, trapped, or burned out in your career. If you’re struggling to find a job that’s right for you, we can help.

We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

The Best Question To Ask During A Job Interview

The Best Question To Ask During A Job Interview

When you’re in a job interview, it would be a huge mistake to not ask the hiring manager any questions. And when it comes to interview questions, some are better than others at demonstrating your value and enthusiasm for the job you’re interviewing for. But which question will make you stand out from the competition the most?

If you want to impress hiring managers, this is the best question to ask during a job interview…

What Would I Need To Do In This Role To Make Your Job Easier?

@j.t.odonnell BEST QUESTION to ask on a job interview! #interviewtips #careertiktok #jobinterview #interview #jobinterviewtips #jobinterviewquestions #edutok #jobs ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

One of the best questions you can ask during a job interview is: Tell me how the job that I’m applying for interacts with your job and what would I need to do in this role to make your life easier?

You’re not being hired for the heck of it. You’re there to solve problems, alleviate pain, and, yes, make the lives of the people you’re working with easier. So, when you ask the hiring manager (your boss or potential co-workers) this question, you’re showing that you understand this, and you’re giving them the opportunity to tell you exactly what you’d have to do in order for them to want to pick you for the job.

If you ask this question in your next job interview, I can guarantee the hiring manager will be very, very impressed, and you’ll be sure to stand out from other job candidates.

Want More Job Interview Tips?

Man prepares for his next job interview

I understand how difficult it is to land a job interview, never mind ace one. It can be especially frustrating when you’ve been looking for a job for months and haven’t had any success.

If you’re feeling frustrated, alone, or even depressed in your job search, I’m here for you. I’d love it if you joined my FREE community where professionals like you are learning how to become empowered in their careers so they can finally find career happiness and satisfaction. There are tons of FREE resources inside this community that can help you ace your next job interview.

Sign up for my FREE community and become a Workplace Renegade today! My team and I are looking forward to working with you soon.

How To Answer The Job Interview Question “Describe Yourself In One Word”

How To Answer The Job Interview Question “Describe Yourself In One Word”

It’s the ultimate elevator pitch request: “Describe yourself in one word.” If you’re asked this in a job interview, how can you boil down everything you can bring to this role in one single word?

Strategy Is Everything

The key (as with all job interview answers) is to be strategic. If you’re asked to describe yourself in one word, it isn’t enough to choose a word that only describes your personality, no matter how accurate it is.

You could be any number of wonderful things: happy, resilient, warm, smart, a great friend, generous, kind, and so on. But these answers won’t do anything to help convince them to hire you.

What you want to do is think about the job and what qualities would be especially good for someone to be successful in that role, and then choose one of those that apply to you.

What are some good words to choose? Personally, my answer would be “dynamic.” For me, this is a good word because I change, adapt, and do whatever I need to do in order to succeed. This quality has served me well in sales, management, recruiting, career coaching, and running Career Confidential. However, it’s also a good word that could help someone be successful in other roles.

What would make you stand out in the role you’re discussing?

Here are some other great options…

Words That’ll Make You Stand Out

Remote job candidate answers "describe yourself in one word" in an interview

  • Successful (if you’re successful in other places, chances are you’ll be successful here, too)
  • Motivated (great for roles where you’ll be working more independently)
  • Strategic (great for planning roles or leadership roles)
  • Enthusiastic (maybe a good word for roles needing a change agent)
  • Organized (good for managers or those working with a lot of moving parts)
  • Focused
  • Productive
  • Steady
  • Creative
  • Active
  • Helpful
  • Responsible
  • Dedicated
  • Honest
  • Versatile
  • Valuable
  • Flexible
  • Tenacious
  • Analytical

These are all great words you can use to describe yourself during a job interview.

Whatever answer you choose, be prepared to follow up with an explanation or example of how you embodied that trait in your work life in the past. Structure your answer with the STAR technique (tell the situation or task you faced, the action you took that is an example of your trait, and the result you got from it).

Every interview answer you give needs to do its part to help convince the hiring manager to go ahead and offer you the job. Be prepared with a great answer for dozens of tough questions when you check out How to Answer Interview Questions and How to Answer Interview Questions II, both available on Amazon.

Before your next interview, think about the position you’re applying for and choose the best word that describes YOU in relation to that position. What word will convey how and why you’d be a great fit? (Hint: the best word that describes you will probably change depending on the position you’re applying for.)

And remember—a little preparation goes a long way!

Need Help Acing Your Next Job Interview?

Man feels confident about his interview answers

We hope these tips help you answer “describe yourself in one word” in your next interview.

If you need more help preparing for a job interview, landing a job, or changing careers, we’re here for you. We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.



Interview Hack: #1 Secret To Answering Hard Interview Questions

Interview Hack: #1 Secret To Answering Hard Interview Questions

When you’re in the hot seat at a job interview, thinking of the best answers can be challenging. In this post, we’ll share our #1 secret for answering hard interview questions. Think of it as an interview hack…

Document Everything!

It’s important to bring up relevant and clear examples that prove you’re a fit for that job. But if you struggle to remember specific examples during interviews, you should create a running document of accomplishments. This document will help you prepare for interviews more effectively because all of those examples will be fresh in your mind. Basically, it allows you to review your accomplishments before you go into an interview rather than sitting there trying to think of relevant examples to showcase.

So, what kinds of things should you be putting on this document? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Relevant Quantifiable Accomplishments

Quantifiable accomplishments tie your professional accomplishments to numbers. Remember: numbers = results = value. During the hiring process, your job is to prove that you’ll be a value-add to that company. Quantifiable accomplishments allow you to showcase your value. So, think of all of your previous professional accomplishments and write them down.

2. Challenges You’ve Overcome

Think about all of the challenges you’ve overcome in your career in order to snag that promotion, work with that difficult co-worker, or get that client. Employers want to know these kinds of stories. They want to know you can adapt to situations and overcome difficulties. So, think about all of those challenges you’ve been up against and how you were able to push through successfully. Tip: use the Experience + Learn = Grow model, especially while answering behavioral interview questions.

3. Stories That Reinforce Your Enthusiasm For The Industry/Company

What is it that makes you so enthusiastic about your work? What’s the root of your motivation for working in this particular field, doing this particular job, for this particular company? Write these things down. Employers want to know that you’re passionate about what you do. They want to know you’re in it for more than just the money.

Don’t let your fear of answering hard interview questions stall your job search! Keep a document with all of these items in it. To make this easy, make it a habit to document these things as they happen. Keep everything in the document, pull relevant examples, and review before you head into an interview.

Need More Help Answering Difficult Interview Questions?

Man thinks about how he would answer hard interview questions

We hope you found this hack to be helpful in answering tough questions in your next interview. If you need more help preparing for a job interview, landing a job, or changing careers, we’re here for you. We’d love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It’s time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

How To Respond To Lowball Job Offers

How To Respond To Lowball Job Offers

You got a lowball job offer. The employer thinks you’re desperate for the job. Yet, you know you’re worth much more than the salary and benefits package they’re offering you. So, what do you do?

What To Do When You Get A Lowball Job Offer

@j.t.odonnell How to respond to low-ball job offers. #negotiationtips #salarynegotiation #lowball #joboffer #interviewtips #careertiktok #edutok #careeradvice #jobs ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

When you get a lowball job offer, the first thing you should do is make a list of how you meet and exceed every single requirement and/or qualification on that job description. Then, once your list is complete, you’re going to reach out to the hiring manager.

I recommend calling the hiring manager to have a conversation so they can hear the sincerity in your voice, but you could also send an email that says, “Thank you so much for the offer. I’m really honored. That’s why this is hard for me to share. But the offer came in lower than I expected. I really can meet and exceed everything that you put on that job description.” This is where you can share the list you created. Then, you can say, “And for those reasons, I was hoping that you could pay me X.” You need to give them a number.

After sharing your list and giving them your preferred salary, you can end your call or email message with a promise by saying, “If you can deliver on that number, I will make sure it is worth every penny.” That way, you’re making it clear to them that you know your worth and that you are looking for more money. The worst thing that could happen is they come back and say no, and then you can decide if you’re going to take the job or not.

Are You Looking For A Satisfying And Fulfilling Career?

Woman writes out her response to a lowball job offer

I hope these tips will help you effectively respond to any lowball job offers you may receive in your job search. It’s tough knowing what to do when that happens. You don’t want to make a mistake when a job (and your income) is on the line. I know how difficult it is to navigate situations like these in your career and make the right decisions. If you’re feeling trapped or lost in your career right now, I’m here for you. I’d love it if you joined my FREE community where professionals like you are learning how to become empowered in their careers so they can finally find career happiness and satisfaction.

Sign up for my FREE community and become a Workplace Renegade today! My team and I are looking forward to working with you soon.

#1 Tip To Land That HOT Job You Want

#1 Tip To Land That HOT Job You Want

The job that you really want, that hot job with the great pay—everybody else wants it too. So, while there are lots and lots of jobs out there right now, the really good ones (the ones you want), are the most competitive, which means if you don’t stand out in the hiring process, you won’t get the job.

In order to stand out in the hiring process and get the job you want, you need to do one thing…

Focus On Interview Prep!

@j.t.odonnell #1 tip to land that HOT job you want! #edutok #interviews #interviewtips #interviewquestions #interviewprep #careeradvice #jobsearch #learnontiktok ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

The best way to stand out in the hiring process is by focusing on your interview performance, and that means you should make interview prep a priority. I’ve been a career coach for 20 years, and when people use my ultimate interview prep guide, they nail their job interviews. They crush the competition.

I built The Ultimate Interview Prep Course through the lens of a recruiter and a hiring manager. What that means is I explain to you what they’re looking for and why they’re looking for it. I want you to understand what a recruiter and hiring manager are doing, why they are asking certain questions, and what answers they’re looking for. When you understand these things, you can answer interview questions more authentically. You can be the real you, but still give them what they need. And that’s what my interview prep course teaches you to do.

Need Help Preparing For Your Next Job Interview?

Work It Daily's Ultimate Interview Prep Course

If you want to stand out to employers in your next job interview and land the job you really want, check out The Ultimate Interview Prep Course today!

When you purchase this course (or any other premium course), you also get access to my new FREE community. Work It Daily is leading the Workplace Revolution. We’re bringing together millions of people inside this private community and you will get access for free when you purchase any of our career courses.

The Ultimate Interview Prep Course is only $29 (one-time fee). Get instant access to the best interview prep guide and then join me in Work It Daily’s new FREE community. I hope to see you inside our platform soon!

#1 Tip For Talking About Your Strengths In A Job Interview

#1 Tip For Talking About Your Strengths In A Job Interview

You’re in a job interview and you get the dreaded question, “What are your strengths?” How do you usually answer this interview question? Instead of saying, “I think my strengths are ____,” try this…

Tell Hiring Managers What Other People Have Said About You

@j.t.odonnell How to talk about your STRENGTHS in a job interview… #interviewprep #interviewtips #jobsearch #careeradvice #interview #1 #edutok #careertiktok ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

When you’re asked about your strengths in a job interview, you want to give hiring managers solid examples, not just your own opinion of yourself. To do this, focus on compliments and feedback from those you’ve worked with. You can say something like this: “I’ve actually asked my manager and co-workers and, based on their feedback, they’ve told me my top three strengths are ____, ____, and ____.”

By doing this, you show amazing emotional intelligence. It means you know that your value in the workplace is based on how others perceive it, your contributions. So, by getting that feedback and saying this is what they told me, it makes employers believe you’d be a great, emotionally intelligent employee.

If you want to confidently and effectively answer questions about your strengths in a job interview, just remember this tip. You’ll be sure to impress employers and stand out from other job candidates in the interview process.

Feeling Burned Out & Need Help Finding A New Job?

Man experiences job burnout

Breaking through career burnout requires a step-by-step process to help you calm the crisis in your mind so you can start to see new possibilities that can lead to a more satisfying job and life.

If you want to find career satisfaction again, sign up for my revolutionary new course “Break Through Your Burnout: How To Go From Crisis To Career Satisfaction.”

This one hour/week, 4-week course is going to walk you through what you need to do to reclaim your career satisfaction so you can define and find work that works for you.

In this FREE course, you will discover:

  • Where you currently fall on the Career Satisfaction Spectrum and how it impacts your ability to make good career choices
  • How your unique combination of personality, skills, and preferences directly impacts what types of careers you are a good fit for
  • Why choosing an employer to work for should feel like a fun shopping experience
  • What you can do to leverage the knowledge above to find a new, better job—or make the job you are in feel much more satisfying
Interested? Sign up today! It’s time to take back your happiness.
#1 Reason You Don’t Obtain Job Offers

#1 Reason You Don’t Obtain Job Offers

It’s currently hard enough to obtain a job interview these types of days. But here’s your #1 reason why individuals don’t make it for you to the next round associated with interviews or have the job offer…

Interview Answers!

@j. t. odonnell No. 1 Cause You Don’t Get Work Offers #jobinterview #careertiktok #jobsearch #joblife #edutok #interviewtips ♬ original sound — J. T. O’Donnell

I always discuss about the Goldilocks theory. Remember how there’s way too little, too much, and simply right? Well, when this comes to interview responses, they need to become ideal. Too little info gives the impression that will you’re closed off. Associated with something to hide. If you’re not confident . Most likely shy. Something can really feel off. But if an individual give too much details, you might come throughout as narcissistic, supply the impact you love to listen to yourself talk, or anyone could sound a small flighty and all within the board with your terms.

If people have trouble finding out how to help answer interview questions, It is best to look up the the majority of common interview questions that you may get requested in a job employment interview and then write out there your answers and help to make sure they’re succinct. Provide employers the information they should know, but do that within a timely and succinct way.

By so doing, the key towards a successful interview (and getting more job offers) is good interview replies. Therefore whatever you perform, don’t skip that appointment prep!

Require Help Preparing For Your following Job Interview?

Young man mixtures hands with the employing manager before a job interview

Check out Work This Daily as well as our career resources. We’re going help you feel strengthened inside your job search therefore you can land the exact right job for everyone.

Exit Statements: What Do I Say When I’ve Been Let Go?

Exit Statements: What Do I Say When I’ve Been Let Go?

Recently, a reader asked the following question: “I was recently let go from my last company. Are your career experts able to assist with exit statements on why you left a job for situations like this?”

Yes, we do a lot of work in this area. It falls into our “Interview Prep” category.

Here’s how we help you work through and create a solid answer to: “Why did you leave your last job?”

Steal The HR Playbook

Confident woman shakes hands with the hiring manager before her interview

At Work It Daily, we provide expert career courses you can watch to find out how to prepare for behavioral interview questions like the one above. Then, we give you a comprehensive list of 18 behavioral interview questions that you could get asked during an interview. (I’m talking REALLY tough questions—the kind that make you sweat just hearing them, let alone answering them!)

Once you’ve read through and thought about these behavioral interview questions, you can choose to write out your answers and submit them to a career coach for review. The career coach then works with you by email so you can fine-tune your answers and be truly confident they are sending the right message. In particular, we focus on the questions that are giving you the greatest “crisis of confidence,” and then we work on those until you are 110% ready to discuss them in an interview.

Interview Prep Eliminates The #1 Killer Of Candidates In Job Interviews

Happy man helps his wife prepare for a job interview

The process above works well for those who have been fired or laid off because it helps them work through their pain and fears related to discussing what they see as an “unpleasant” item on their career record and resume.

Through your interactions and support from your career coach, you’ll see that this is nothing to be sad, embarrassed, or angry about. We help you move past the emotions and focus on the good (yes, good!) that has come from the experience. Trust me, you need to move past this. Ninety-three percent of communication is nonverbal. So, if you aren’t completely comfortable talking about all the tough stuff, then you can bet hiring managers will read it in your body language, facial expressions, and tone. People know when you are lying—and not being at peace with your past and trying to hide it is a form of lying, especially to yourself.

So, if you need help answering, “Why did you leave your last job?” check out Work It Daily and all of our career resources. We’ll help you effectively answer this question (and other difficult behavioral interview questions) and gain the confidence you need to ace your next interview.

This article was originally published at an earlier date.