 Okay. Okay. I see there's 30. Let me see. I'm just trying to open up my screen a little bit bigger. Here we go. Okay. I see there's 32 participants. I'm only story. We're not in the same room together. I'm a zoom is fine. It's a way it feels in. It fills a need, but I wish I could see all of your faces. So, and I don't know, can they see my I can see mine. I can't see mine. Okay, I can just see the we're in different places today. So it's we're trying to coordinate this. So, I welcome you all and congratulate you for taking the time out to get some more information. I know how hard job searching is a number of my people, a number of people in my family are doing it right now it's lonely, and it's difficult and it can be depressing so I'm glad that you took the time and decided to do something on a Monday morning and and get started. My name is Lynn winter gross I am a career counselor I work at Jewish vocational service and focus on helping people write their resumes and have mock interviews and we talk a lot about how to ace the interview. So that means getting the interview and having the interview and getting the offer. So we're going to go through the slides today and afterwards. I'm happy to answer any questions that you have. So again my name is Lynn winter gross and next slide please. So the topics will cover today are how to prepare for your interview. And the main thing that I'm going to stress over and over again is know what the interviewer interviewer is looking for so that you can direct your answers to what the interviewer is looking for. And you're going to be salivating salivating sell your relevant skills. In other words, the skills again that the job demands, how to deal with difficult questions how to address work history gaps if there have been some. What about ages and bias and how do you follow up. Next. So where should I look for a job. First of all just exactly where you are at San Francisco public library dot org has their jobs and career centers. So, Angela probably can tell you more about that. It's a great time but San Francisco public library is a great resource indeed dot com linked in dot com glass door career builder and Jewish vocational service dot org, where I work so these are all great places to look for jobs. Next. So my name is first research the company. So I work with a lot of people who send in their resumes and we're looking at their resumes looking at their interviewing skills and I say why do you want to work for that company what do they do. Well I'm not sure. You know what are their challenges where are they in the market. What are they doing this what happened during coven. And what is it about the company that interests you so it's important that you know who you're applying to. Are you applying for a company just because you want a job. Well that's not quite enough unless it's unless it is but generally, why do you want to work for them if you have a choice, you know why do you want to work for them, and then what job skills, are they looking for. Again, knowing what it is what the job is that you're applying for and then again, why do you want to work for them. Why did you choose this company, and then knowing again with the research and the company just to go back up to the top of the page a second. Not just looking at their website but anything else you can find out about what they do and what their challenges are. So getting a job is like a sales job, but you're selling yourself and that's not easy to do. We don't generally like to, or we're not told to brag about ourselves, but what are your skills and what are the job skills so first of all your LinkedIn profile. I don't know how many of you are on LinkedIn, I hope you are. It's a great way to look for a job. It's a great way to network and we'll talk about that later. And it's important that you keep that up to date. Many of the people that I see with their resume saying oh I just I'm not quite ready for LinkedIn or I haven't updated it lately you've got it you've got to keep it update. And it's a great way to meet other people. So network network network network we're going to talk about that, and arrange for informational interviews. What are, what are people doing in their jobs. Is that the kind of job you think you want who knows somebody who knows somebody at that job and what can you learn about what that company is like. So networking over. I don't know if you hear of this number but most jobs are not listed and they're filled by personal recommendations. So how to network. Sometimes it's hard you don't. You don't know anybody who knows anybody or you think you don't know anybody who knows anybody so if you look on LinkedIn you can generally find people, not always, not always, who knows somebody at the job that you can talk to. You can find out about the job about the culture. So if you're just sending a resume to a job. You know they could get 100 resumes, but if you've got somebody who knows somebody who can say you know I just talked to Jose, and he's kind of interesting. I'm going to, I'm walking his resume over to the job department, I mean to the employment office. And I think you ought to take a look at this person. It distinguishes you from other people and networking lets you find out more about the job. Who's at the job what the job is like who left the job and why but but it's really trying to get the get on the inside track. And don't just send a resume. Sometimes you have to, but generally don't just send a resume cold, because it's just going to sit in a pile and that's, that's very frustrating. Next, how to prepare for your online interviews first of all, eliminate distraction distractions in the background. So, I was with somebody the other day and we were doing a zoom call, and I was so distracted by her bed unmade bed, and the close all over and the dogs moving around. It was, it was hard for me to concentrate on her I mean it was very interesting and then somebody else had a very abstract painting and it was and then somebody else's closet was open and I said you know closet door was open and said you know if you're going to do that. Maybe you ought to mute your background and then also I'm sure a number of you have seen backgrounds where people, you know the ocean, and it's moving and all of a sudden somebody's kid runs in the background, it's very distracting. You can get a good background with good lighting and dress appropriately we've all heard about that multiple times you know you only need to worry about what you're wearing for the waist up, but dress professionally. And it puts you in a different mood when you're dressed professionally than if you're, I mean obviously you're not going to wear your sweats or sweatshirt to interview but you know dress in a way that makes you feel that you're on a job interview. And test and practice with the technology. I would assume, like I have many of you have gotten on something and all of a sudden the technology is not working. And you just can't get in. And what I found is the most important is to have the interviewers contact information. So many at times I've had to make a phone call say I can't get on the zoom call I can't get on the interview but I know I have a phone number to call. If it's not, then you just, you know they think well maybe they just didn't maybe you just didn't show up. So, be able to have a backup in case your technology isn't working. And if you've tested your technology and had problems and see if you can figure out what to do and worse comes to worse if you have to have the interview with a phone call. Do that. And have a list of your job skills ready and your resume, because you're going to forget, and you get nervous, and you'll forget what it is that you're trying to sell what skills you're trying to sell. And what stories you're trying to sell so you can have posted notes on the side of your screen, just to remind you of what your, what your resume says about you and what your job skills are. Next. So, for those of you who have had interviews, I'm sure many of these questions are very familiar. So the first one tell me about yourself. Okay, where are you going to tell. Where should you start. So, what are some stories that you have that are relevant to the job. And if there are any. So the fact that you where you were born or where you came here or how you came here or whatever is interesting, but you're got some time to sell yourself for that you're the person for this job, you're not just out on a social time, you know, getting to know you're telling about yourself as it relates to the job. So, if you're not working and they ask you what have you been doing since your last job. Maybe you've been traveling maybe you've been volunteering maybe you've been taking care of a sick family member maybe you've been getting ready for a marathon whatever it is. If any of those things relate to the job. Talk about them. I mean push those first. In other words, you, if you've been taking an online class. It's something that you can that makes you stand out. So what are your strength and weaknesses. Obviously, not obviously I guess but we don't want to say well I come into the work too late, or make a weakness or you know I never get along with anybody. That's not a good weakness. A good weaknesses, you know I learned that I needed to get people together more frequently. And then I did. So how how a weakness became a learning thing and then it turned into a strength. So, I wasn't included in meetings because I was this but then I realized and then I did. So, I hope I'm making that clear but you don't want to have a weakness just float out there is something that's going to not get you the job but something that you learn from. I was in to give me an example of a problem you've had at your last job and what did you do to solve it. Again, any problem you can have and you should have these ready before you do the interview that could relate to the job that you're applying for. And what did you do to solve it in other words you're showing your skills. It was online it didn't look like we were going to make it. The pressure was on, and this is what I did to solve it. And because I did this. We save money we save time we got a new client we got it in on time. And then you bring up that was a problem, if possible that relates to the job that you're applying for, or that's that's somewhat relatable, and show the skills that you have that you were able to solve the problem. Have you worked with a multicultural staff. Exactly sure how and when that comes up in interviews but anything that you can show if there was an issue with that that you worked on. And why are you the best candidate for this job. Why should I choose you as an employer. And again, you're bragging but you're, you're the best candidate because you've got the skills your interest you're interested in learning and you interested in the organization and what it's doing or the nonprofit or the business and you want to learn because you're interested in you and you will bring something to them. Many people say well, I'm coming because I want to learn. Well, that's not I mean I'm applying because I want to learn that's I'm not here as the employer to teach you. That's fine that you want to learn but tell me what you're bringing to me, why I should hire you. Next please. So again you're selling yourself. What is the interview we're looking for what you, I assume most of you know the hard skills and the soft skills the soft skills are, I get along with people I take initiative, I'm task oriented, I'm a team leader, and then the hard skills are your computer skills and I just said technology skills, management skills, whatever, whatever the skills are that the job is looking for and then transferable skills sometimes you don't have the exact skills but you have some relatable that that are different but similar enough that you can, you can get it so give the specific work examples that are relevant to the job if you have it and what did you accomplish. Again I saved money I helped save money or I got it in under the deadline, or we brought in more clients or we were able to solve a problem which therefore led to ABC or D so anything that you could show that you're selling yourself so think of, think of these interviewers as you're the employer, and you are interviewing you and what do you want to know. And again, I frequently suggest putting sticky notes up on the side of your laptop. Finding yourself, what it is that you want to sell because again we get distracted we get nervous. You know I have a PowerPoint in front of me that I can look at. You won't have that obviously but you can have little reminders oh yeah I wanted to tell them about the time that such and such happened and this is what I did. What about a resume gap. I mentioned this, excuse me, a little earlier. So many people got laid off during coven. Many people had to take time off during coven to care for their family or or not during coven I mean in addition to coven. A family member was ill. They were ill. They had a new baby. They decided to travel, whatever but it's okay that you took time off many people take time off you don't have to be apologetic about it. But is there anything that you did during that that you can sell did you did you, I'm saying sell again because you're selling yourself. Did you volunteer anywhere. Did you take any similar skills that you used. Did you take new courses to refocus your career. If there's anything that you can find that's relevant to the to the job skills that they're looking for push that put that in. I mean I've talked to kids in high school, and they said well all I do is babysit okay so what does that mean babysit what did you have to do did you have to do is put together schedule that you have to get your skills ready on time did you have to supervise whatever whatever you know other skills, there always are skills and what we do and what are those skills so remind yourself of the skills and then if you took new courses, or that you're about to take a course or you are taking a course. Anything that you've been doing to update your skills is important and let them know. You weren't just hanging out, I mean maybe you were or what if you traveled. Not so much during coven, but you know if you did or did you learn anything or do anything again that's relevant to the job that would make you a good candidate for the job. Next, what about ageism ageism ageism. Many people are confronting that and many 50 year olds are confronting it 40 year olds are confronting it because they want young workers everybody thinks. So hiring managers may assume that your skills are outdated that your salary requirements are too high. How should I hire you with your higher salary with that that may need benefits. When a younger employee can be less expensive, or maybe I'll think that you're over qualified for the job and that you'll get bored or that you'll retire. And maybe you'll not want to work there for too long so that's that's some of the reasons that hiring managers may think that you're too old for a job. Next slide please older workers are good hires older workers bring experience to the job this has been shown over and over and over again I'm not just making this up. Older workers bring critical thinking skills communication skills they can mentor they're good at teamwork. And they may want to do something different so they may negotiate their pay because they don't you know they don't want the big job anymore they want to help they want to they'll take online courses they'll update their skills. They're excited to be in the workforce. They don't need to be have the same job they had before and maybe they'll take less money. But that they do bring and it's it's as I said it's been proven they bring experience to the job and can mentor other other of the team workers. So, and it and if you're looking at a place and you feel they discriminate discriminate against older workers maybe you don't want to work there. So that's something to consider as well. Next, it's never too late for all of us to learn new skills I assume, many of you are taking classes either through any of the places that we've talked about, just to keep updating our skills and learning new technology and just to keep it going keep keep learning new things. Next please. Where can you up skill, I would assume many of you have gone to these places. Maybe add other places. So, here's a list of places that you can take classes. And I'm sure at the public at San Francisco public library, maybe they have even more things that they want to add in. And maybe you have some others that you want to add in but it's important that we that we all keep and sell the fact that we are upskilling. Next, now at the end of the interview, they might say, hopefully, do you have any questions. So have questions ready. Don't just have to think of them on the spot. So, you can say do you have any questions for me that you haven't asked or that I haven't talked about anything else that I haven't told you about me and again remind them of your job skills and what you're bringing. What are the next steps in the process. If I get the job what might the challenges be in the next 30 days and how will they determine success on the job. Salary is something hopefully that you're not negotiating right here right now. So I'm going to talk a little bit about salary just hopefully that they will be the ones to bring it up first, you know and you ask them what the range are and generally, when you're applying for a job you will know what the salary range is. So but any questions again, again, ask them and remind keep reminding them in, in, in the right way, what your skills are so that you're the one you know that. So how will you, what's the team like, you know what are they working on. So show some interest in the show your interest in the, in the job. Next, thank you note, I talked to a friend of mine the other day that's been interviewing people and he said, almost no one sends him a thank you note, and the ones that do really stand out. How can he said to me how can somebody take, come in for an interview and not send a thank you note I just don't even understand it. You can write an email thank you note as you're getting in the elevator, well you're not the only elevator that that was. Yeah, sometimes we're back at work getting in the elevator but as soon as you're off the call you can send an email. Thank you or that day. And then again remind them of your relevant skills, you know I enjoyed talking to you I thank you so much for spending the time. I was really interested and I think I could bring such and such to the job so show your interest and share any ideas you know I've been doing some thinking and you know some some areas that you might be interested in going into anything that you have to you may you may not, but anything that you have again to show that you're interested and that you have some other ideas about the job. That's what they can do that that you're a thinking person and you, and you care and you're excited, and you're again you're, you're selling yourself again. Next, and the points that I've been talking about I just want to reiterate networking, finding jobs on the hidden job market is much as you can and with people in this group. I'm not sure and I'll have to talk to see if Angela can answer but if there are a way that people in this group can talk to each other maybe on chat. Angela, maybe you can add something to that when I'm done and research before you apply for the interview research the company and practice your answers do a mock interview with a friend with anybody that you can practice your answers so you're so you're comfortable or more comfortable and none of us are comfortable having an interview but that you're more comfortable. Next. Oops, that's it. Okay, what about any questions and Angela. What do you have that you'd like to add. Are you there. Yes, for as far as like people interacting with each other. You guys can probably do it through chat. We don't really give out people's information. Right. Okay, if anybody wants to do it through chat. But but my point is that there's people all over the place to network with. And right now you're the, you know there's 44 other people on this call and Angela unless I'm not correct you know I don't know if somebody can ask if anybody knows anybody or what you're doing or. But here's a group of people looking for jobs that some of you might want to stay in touch with each other. You can either go through chat or you guys can do the individual chat towards the people that you might be interested in talking about. Okay, any questions. What what am I, what about the questions are coming in through the chat. I get a half a question here what should I do go into the chat. Angela, would you like me to read these out loud. Yeah, yes please. Okay. All right, let's go back to the beginning here. Okay, somebody asked about the recording a link to the recordings going to be sent out to everybody who registered for this program so you'll see that later this afternoon. Let's see. Oh, good one. Do you have any tips for handling nerves on interview day. Be as prepared as you can. And again if you want to put sticky notes on the side to remind yourself of your skills and anything you want to remember about the organization, just the more prepared you are, I think. I mean, I'm not going to suggest having a glass of a glass of wine at nine in the morning. But anything that can remind yourself that you're that you've got the skills for this job, or what questions you're going to ask or how you're going to sell yourself that you feel prepared. Okay. I mean I could say go out or you know you can go out for a job, whatever but you know but just for the piece of the interview, the more prepared you are, the better and the reminders that you know that you that you're going to what you want to ask them what you want to do, you're interviewing them to do you want to work for this place. What do you want to know about them. And, and then what do you want them to know about you. Next one, if HR coordinates the interviews and you don't have the direct email interviewers it okay to send the message file LinkedIn. I think so. Do you, Angela, do you have a thought about that. I'm sure that you can send a thank you note to the analysts that's listed. Usually they have a person in contact that you list you can probably send them and let them know like oh let, could you send this thank you know the interviewers. Yeah, that's one way you can do it. Yeah, the question is if you don't have the information of the person that's interviewing you how do you write them a thank you note set the question. Yes, that's the question. I guess you asked them. I haven't had this question before but can can you just ask them for an interview for an email. I would assume you could just say can I have your email address for follow up. Yeah, or what's a good email address. Yeah, what's a good email address for follow up that's good. Okay, next question. If I already have three years and no job how can I prepare for a new job application. So it sounds like this person was out out of the workforce for three years so what would be a good way to reenter the workforce. Well first of all figuring out what do you want to do. What kind of job do you want to have, and where do you want you know finding ways to work and then networking with with anybody that you can saying you know I'm interested in finding a job in such and such a field, you know do you know anybody I can and get to get back in or take a class in. Have you up skilled, and if you met anybody in the class you can talk to about jobs or the instructors about jobs like what it really figuring out what is it you want to do and then a plan for how to get to those people in that industry that have those jobs, or have you been volunteering somewhere do you want to keep volunteering or do you want to start out by volunteering just to get back in the game. Okay, next question. Is it okay to ask the interviewer for their email address for the interview officially concludes. And it's, is it okay to take notes while interviewing. Yes. Yes to both. I would say so yeah. Yes. It was to ask the interviewer for their email address yeah didn't yeah we just talked about that. And yes to take notes. Okay. Okay. What if the JD I think that's job description, whoever submitted this question please correct me if I'm wrong. What if the job description requires you to have a certain skill that you don't have a direct experience with this but you do have relevant experience for 90% of the job description. How do you manage the interview questions related to that. I would say exactly that what you know that you, I don't have this exact thing but I, I have 90% of the relevant skills and I'm a quick learner. And you know I can take a class online or you know I'm a fast learner and I know similar. If it's technologies. I know and use similar technologies and I'm interested in learning this one. Okay. Next question what is the best way to build rapport with the interviewer. Show your interest in the job show your knowledge of the job. So I mean of the company and what they're doing. I'm sure that you've done your research. I talked to somebody the other day about a job and they said well I don't really know much about the company and you know I really haven't done anything I thought well this is, you know this is hard. You know to show that you're interested in them, like, you know like you do with any person that you meet show that you're interested in them and you've done. Not for the person but that you've done background and you're interested in them. Okay, the questions keep coming in. And if either of you Doreen or Angela have anything to add please jump in. Okay. Angela. No other comments. Okay, okay but the two of you please jump in. Okay. I just want to add visiting and looking at the website is a great thing to do before an interview, and I've had jobs where I did like a little secret shopper visit. Before my interview so I could just have a look around and watch what other people did on the job and that really great helped once I was sitting in the interview talking to people so did you mean physically going to the place physically this was pre COVID but yeah physically going to the place looking around looking at what they sold what they did you know. So, I agree with exactly with what Lynn said it's a great way to get exactly. Okay, somebody applying for it a museum job last week and they said I'm going to go walk around. I said it's great idea. Do you request a connection with the interviewer in LinkedIn, or do we ask that during the interview. I would ask it during the interview. Because before you're going to request it and they're not going to know who you are right. Yes. Yeah, you can really. Yeah, you can certainly looked at their page. I mean at their LinkedIn profile. Okay. Here's a great question for a mom coming back to the job search how can you justify a few years out of the workforce. Because you were a mom and that's okay and you did it and is there anything. Maybe not that you did during that time that is at all relevant to the job and you know maybe you did maybe you didn't I mean you know taking care of a baby's full time. Did you had any, did you take a class online or do any, did you do volunteer work or not, you know, otherwise you just, you know, I was taking care of a baby and now I'm ready to go back into the workforce. Okay, next question, is it expensive to get a career counselor. Some places offer them for free. Is that my phone or somebody else's phone. I think that might be me. I'm sorry it's another another office it's almost done. There's some places you can get it and you might know more at the library where there's, I think you have a couple of sessions coming up with career concerts. Yeah, the library does have a career counselor it's every Wednesday afternoon, but you do have to book several weeks out he's very popular, but that is a free service that we offer. You can contact the employment development department work for services the San Francisco branch and they also offer free career counseling online as well. And if you have a sense of public library card, you can actually go to our database job now and they also offer job coaching as well so those are some free resources for you guys to check out. And you can also contact me I also I also work with people for free. Questions are rolling in here. Not sure if you covered this do you offer references. Do you offer your references first before the interview, or wait until the hiring manager requests them, how many references should you have. I would suggest wait until they request them that you don't offer them first unless you're asked. In many cases I have not heard of people being asked. Okay. Oh, I think we got to the end. Angela, do you see any more questions. Anything that went directly to you. What kinds of jobs are you are people in the in this group looking for. Oh yeah put it in the chat. Before that if you, if you like I'll stop the recording so that a lot of people I know don't feel comfortable sharing so I'll stop recording now and then we can do direct questioning so. Okay. Okay.