Insider Q & A: Liz Rubin on Why Job Search Basics Matter
Liz Rubin, is a founding Partner and Managing Director of Levinson Partners. She has over 20 years of professional experience in the areas of Executive Search, Government, and Career Counseling and has successfully performed search for strategy professionals at companies such as Korn Ferry In
ternational and Spencer Stuart.
Liz specializes in talent acquisition of strategic and business development professionals. We asked her to provide us with her insights from the other side of the table: How can you be a better candidate and improve your chances in your job search? Here are highlights from our conversation.
Any bad assumptions that you’ve seen job seekers make in applying for jobs with you?
Candidates not paying enough attention to the basics in interviewing. You’d be surprised at how many high level executives at times fail to make eye contact, have a limp handshake and haven’t done their homework on the company.
Other turns offs in an interview are rambling and getting too detailed without reading the cues of the interviewer.
Pay attention to body language – both your own and the person you are interviewing.
How does a candidate get your attention?
Have a good story. My favorite achievement story ever was an applicant who told a story of being able to save someone’s life because of his ability to negotiate a health insurance issue for an employee.
Everyone has a story. The resume can never capture the person you are behind that piece of paper. What’s effective is when you can tell a story behind the career, that appeals to the heart and the head. It makes you feel connected to someone, get to know them in a different way and shows your personality. People want to hire smart people but they also spending more time with you than you spend with your own family ….so they want to like you too.
Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with recruiters?
Don’t keep calling after the interview, just ask the recruiter when you should get back to them. Never bypass the recruiter by going directly to the employer. If there is a reason to do so, speak to the recruiter about it first. Remember that there is no such thing as a casual communication whether by phone or email. Every contact you have with a recruiter or their assistant should be treated as part of the interview process.
Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should be asking? What’s the question, and what’s your answer?
How does a job seeker avoid depression and discouragement, especially when they are out of a job? First you need to act as if finding a job is your full time job! Get up in the morning and go to an office or the library if possible and make a routine for yourself. Set goals. For example, reach out every day to 10 friends on Linked in, research three companies a day, and take someone out for coffee/tea once a day. At the end of the week, track your progress and follow up with your network. Get support from friends, hire a coach or buddy up with another job seeker.
Find ways to address any negative mood or anxiety because it will be detected on the interview. And then the old saying goes” if you do what you always did, you get what you always got!” If you are getting rejected often, tell the recruiter that you are in career transition, interviewing quite a bit, and open to feedback.
Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:
If you are looking for a job do your homework on the company. Read the annual report and find out some unexpected facts that could impress the recruiter. Prior to meeting, do some mock interviewing with a coach or a friend to get feedback on how you come across. Show excitement and enthusiasm about the company.
Follow up with a unique thank you note. Take out these words “thank you, time, enjoy, pleasure, speaking to you and passion”. Talk about something you remember both about the interview and the position and briefly state why you fit the role and address any anticipated objections. Be specific about what impressed you.
