If you look for a long lasting business relationship with your Employer, Confidentiality & Integrity are highly essecials for the life of your career or business relationship. Even at the floor level, the two carasteristics go hand by hand and dealing with sensitive information of any subject, processes procedures including the safety of documents and the entire workforces is critical and must be practice in all you do. Nowadays, if you say the wrong statement, behave eracticly and make innapropiate comments about the company, co-workers, procedures or top managers desicion making processes, it can land you on the black list at the Human Resources department in a heartbeat. When you decide to make any statement in the workplace, (even through social media) look who you are talking to and who is around you that will hear your voice. I assure you, that your comments will travel the entire facility to key individuals that will hunt you up to your termination of employment. So, "Mind your own Business" Be Competitive, Be Good, Be You and practice "Confidentiality & Integrity" all the time.
I went to a interview and the manager who set up the interview was not even there. So the other manager comes out and gave me a handshake that barely touched my hand. I did the interview and after I went to shake his hand again and it was like a weaker super fast tap it was weird. That is clearly not proffessional
Smile and a handshake! Body language speaks volumes. Be attentive and maintain eye contact out of respect to your peers.
The best advice I could give you is to always dress professionally when you go to Four Seasons General Merchandise looking for employment. Always ask if you can be interviewed. Have two copies of your resume plus your if, SS card and a copy of your latest degree. Be ready to take a math and writing test. Arrive 15 minutes early to your interview.
Or are there idiots at Job Fairs in other cities/states?
When you read the ad in the newspaper, and it says, "Business attire mandatory" or "Please bring plenty of résumés"...what do YOU think it means?
• At SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO many job fairs, I see job seekers wearing shorts, Hawaiian shirts, sandals (during the summer; during colder weather, it's jogging suits and Nikes).
• One particular job fair was memorable for the woman dressed up in suitably business-like attire, with a large satchel under one arm, with an Apple notebook inside it; she was in line 2 folks ahead of me when it came her turn to step up to the table. When asked for her résumé, she said she had none printed out...and pulled out the Apple, tapping the screen to activate the résumé on the screen...she said she had to choose between printing résumés and buying the Apple, so she was thinking the HR Guy could just copy her résumé off her screen.
He started copying off the screen, which (of COURSE!) made him real popular with the 15 people in line.
June of 2000, I interviewed for the Assistant Manager position at Blockbuster Video, having been a Customer Service Representative for BBV since March of 1996. I got the job over 15 other competitors with longer records of service, according to the area manager, because of:
• My cash handling (4 years, 3 locations, no shortages)...
• My knowledge of movies...
• My customer compliments...
But what put me above the others?
Everyone else interviewed in their Blockbuster uniforms; I interviewed in suit, tie, with résumés in hand and mirror-shiny black dress shoes on my feet.
He said everyone ELSE came dressed for a job; and I came dressed for an INTERVIEW, even though I was already an employee... THAT'S what made the difference.
Wow i had a interview today half had on street clothes half of us had on suits like we were told.But i had it with the manager dressed right talk right. When i tell you it was so many people waiting. And he said i was the only 1 that knew about the company. No one else he said at 3pm to 4pm he was going to call for a second talk like me . I answered quickly and precisely. I been looking for two months feeling bombed.
I have a question about professionalism. As a job seeker, I know that I will ultimately have to jump through many professional hurdles (whether I agree with the hurdle or not). I know that it's just something I have to do. I know that I have to bring my A-game to every interview to even have the slightest chance at getting to the next step. I also know that I have to cater my rhetoric during the interview to the job (i.e. there are things I should and should not talk about for the purpose of relevance during the interview).
So what happens when your are in an interview and the interviewer makes some unprofessional statements? Here are some of my real interview situations.
1). I was interviewing for a job at a manufacturing company and, in the middle of the interview, the foreman looks at me and says, "I always rely on my gut, my gut is rarely wrong, and my gut tells me that you won't make it in this job". I, the interviewee, tried my best to have a quick professional rebuttal. To be honest, I was stunned to hear such an upfront comment. The foreman then proceeds to show me around the plant. If he didn't want me, why show me around?
2). I interviewed for a business that had two of it's employees move on to other jobs (i.e. put in their 2 week notices). The interviewer commented on how the team was breaking up and implied that I was breaking the team up. If you don't want me, why did you ask me to come in for an interview?
3). The same interview as Scenario #2...the interviewer stated, "You are competing against 1 other person who has 6 years experience". He seemed to imply that she was way more qualified and I was just an inconveniencing him with my presence. Wait. What? Really? Why did you call me in for an interview if I wasn't a serious contender?
Has anyone else had similar issues? Is this professional for an interviewer? If I have to be on my A-Game or I will get discarded, why can the interviewer get away with unprofessionalism?
Dressing for Success! All I can say on that matter is do some research and find out what is the atmosphere in which you are applying for employment. Most corporations of today have stepped down slightly from the formal office wear, expecially for women. But some people tend to go to far...and wear things you would wear to a party or a night out. Business casual doesn't mean big platiformed heels, and low cleavage blouses or baggy pants and a dingy shirt or un ironed. Many people are confused by the statement business casual and think it means street wear! Then when they are looked over for that promotion they were waiting for and strongly felt they deserved it....are highly upset and feel non appreciated! Appearance is not everything but in today's society it still counts.
I was very respectful and understanding.