How To: Answer Interview Questions

How to Answer Interview Questions

So, we have discussed best practices for job interviews as well as how to prepare for one. Now, we will go over how to answer interview questions. 

In this blog post, we will go over the best ways to answer interview questions. We will outline the different types of candidates and their answer styles.

When asked to introduce yourself, try to keep it short and precise. You do not want to give every detail of every past job, the employer can read your resume for that. Instead, give a brief description of your current/last job then any subsequent related experiences. Give background to your education and work experiences. After that, focus on the new opportunity and why you applied to this one. Discuss why you want the role and why you are the perfect candidate for it.

TYPES OF CANDIDATES

Away Candidates

These types of candidates want to get away from a situation that is causing them stress and need for change. This may mean they are at a company that is not doing well, at a risk of losing their job, or is already unemployed. These candidates tend to have negative answers.

Towards Candidates

Towards candidates are looking towards something better. They are not trying to escape a situation, they are motivated to find better opportunities. They tend to focus on what they can get out of a new role or how the new role can make them happier.

EXAMPLE: “Why are you looking for a new job?”

Away Answers

  • “My current employer does not understand what my job requires.”
  • “There is a negative atmosphere at my current workplace.”
  • “The company I am working for is not doing well, and management does not seem to care.”

Towards Answers

  • “Tell me about your career options, work-life balance, and pay.”
  • “This opportunity is an area I would like to pursue.”
  • “This opportunity really interested me, I would love to learn more about it.”

As shown above, a towards candidate is more appealing. They are not negative and are looking for specific information regarding the opportunity and the employer.

Tips and Best Practices for Reducing Employee Turnover

Causes and How to Reduce Employee Turnover

An organization should have a plan and strategies to reduce employee turnover as well as a plan to increase employee engagement. These are two factors that are drastically affecting workplaces across North America. 

Human capital is an essential asset for any organization. After the past few years, there has been a shortage or workers causing employers to battle employee turnover. This can be a costly process to find, hire, and train a new employee.

TOP CAUSES OF HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

Low Salary Compared to Industry Standards

  • Most organizations find that the majority of employees may leave is due to the low salary being paid. Although employees can expect a 3-5% annual hike, on average, when remaining at an organization, they will likely switch to an employer that offers a 15-20% pay increase.

Lack of Appreciation

  • When an employee is not appreciated or their hard work is not valued, they will likely be less motivated and start to disengage in the work. Appreciation and rewards are vital for all workers to show respect and thank them for their hard work and dedication towards the company goals.

Better Opportunities Elsewhere

  • If there are no/limited growth opportunities or favoured promotions in an organization, an employee is likely to leave to find a better opportunity that offers growth and development. Most workers do not want to stay in the same position for 5+ years, they want to grow, take on more responsibilities, and develop their skills.
BEST PRACTICES TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

Get to Know Your Candidates

  • Recruit the right employees. Take the time to get to know candidates in the recruitment process to ensure there is a compatible match. Understand their needs and goals and check if they align with your organization.

Provide Development Opportunities

  • When an organization offers development opportunities it provides growth for their employees. The employees will feel more engaged, motivated, and happy to work.

Improve Work-Life Balance

  • An organization should ensure there are boundaries to allow for a positive work-life balance. The company should ensure that their employees are not overworked by working extra, strict deadlines, and so on. Employers should not contact employees out of office hours to respect the employee’s free time.
Maintain Constant Communication
 
  • Introduce an open communication policy in the organization. Allow employees to feel comfortable to talk with their manager or supervisor about problems or concerns. This also allows for regular meetings to discuss work performance and salary expectations.

How To: Identify Leadership Qualities

How to Identify Leadership Qualities

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

Leadership is the act of guiding, influencing, directing a group of people or an organization. A Leader is someone who has the ability to inspire others.

There is no one definition of a leader or the qualities or characteristics that make a good one. This blog post will discuss some of the top things that make a leader a great one.

Leadership is something that can be learned. Most people can become leaders when provided the right circumstances.

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

The best leaders have qualities and characteristics that others respond to in a positive manner.

  • Effective communication
  • Positive attitude
  • Self-aware and self-regulating
  • Strong ethics
  • Flexible
  • Enthusiastic
  • Drive toward achievement
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Ability to influence and inspire others
  • Future-forward
  • Integrity
  • Respect from others
  • Honest and loyal

Having a leader with good qualities and strong intentions are very important for a business to last. If an organization does not have good leadership, it will likely fail in result of limiting resources and wasting time.

It is easy to spot a leader when you see one. They have followers, are respected, and looked up to. Leaders come from all sorts of backgrounds and experiences with different techniques, qualities, and characteristics.

Tips and How to Identify Safety Hazards

Tips and How to Identify Safety Hazards in the Workplace

Health and safety in the workplace is the number one thing that everyone needs to be aware of. Potential safety hazards that can arise in a workplace depend on the work environment, ie. warehouse, office, daycare centre, construction, or a restaurant. Each place has their own unique circumstances that could be a hazard to others around.

WHAT ARE HAZARDS IN A WORKPLACE?

Hazards in a workplace are potential risks of injury. Check out the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation of BC for further information on the threats in a workplace and the responsibilities that employers and employees have.

Hazards can range from chemical to safety to ergonomics, and more. For ease of understanding, we will use information from the US by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

IDENTIFY POTENTIAL HAZARDS

The first step to solving potential issues is recognizing that it exists. Refer to the picture above or the linked PDF for further ideas on what to look out for in your workplace. Take a tour of the workplace and make a list of all the potential hazards you see. Note how likely an injury could be made by the hazard and the severity of said injury. This can help prioritize your next steps.

HIRE A CONSULTANT OR INSPECTOR

Although you and your employees know your workplace the best, bringing in a fresh set of eyes can help too. Hiring a professional who is trained in identifying and mitigating workplace hazards can be a huge help. They can identify hazards and properly train your team on how to spot risks and fix them.

TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES

People are prone to accidents as well, it is not solely the environment. Some people may increase the risk of an injury by not being properly trained, overestimate their abilities, or just by making a mistake. If your workplace requires employees to operate heavy machinery, corrosive chemicals, specialized tools, etc. it is important that they receive extensive training to protect themselves and others. Make sure that a qualified person is training your employees who can answer questions and help if anything goes wrong. Keep your training up to date. Suggest training every 2 to 5 years for people on the job to ensure they are following safety procedures.

FIRST AID TRAINING

Accidents can still occur after identifying risks and training staff. One thing you can do is to ensure your employees know what to do if an accident occurs. Work with the hired consultant to create a procedure for your employees to follow and refer to if an accident happens. Having the plan in place can help educate employees and minimize the risk of injury.

Offer compensation to get employees trained in first aid. The Red Cross Association offers many courses across Metro Vancouver for the basic first aid certification. As well, you can make a point during training new staff to tour the workplace and note all related health and safety information, ie. first aid kits, fire exits, fire extinguishers, automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), and more.

How To: Professionally Resign

How to Professionally Resign from a Job

It is important to resign from any job in a professional and courteous way. It is also important to leave on good terms with your employer so you can use them as a reference later, and to minimize any bad talk about you in the industry. Even if it is a toxic work environment or there was poor leadership, it is vital to keep good relationships.

HOW TO RESIGN

You must write a formal resignation letter, no matter the situation. This is the professional way to leave a job on good terms.

If you are leaving a job to start a new one, make sure you have signed a job offer and have a set start date. Once everything is sorted for your new job, you should give your resignation letter to your current employer.

You should talk with your manager first and tell them that you are leaving. Make sure that they are the first to know in the company so as to keep a good relationship. This also allows them to start making arrangements to find a replacement for your position. Before leaving, offer to train either a current or a new employee on some of your roles. Alternatively, you can leave detailed notes or advice so that the company can operate smoothly once you are gone.

Before writing your resignation letter, review your employment contract to understand your obligations. You may find a notice period stated within the contract, whatever is stated is what you must go by. It is acceptable to provide more notice than what is agreed in the contract, however, you cannot provide notice in less time. If there is no notice mentioned, then you must give “reasonable notice”. Generally this is 2 weeks, however if you are in a more senior position, then there are additional rules. Check out the Employment Standards Act of BC for more information.

A resignation letter should only be given in person. It is more personal and courteous than sending an email. Schedule a meeting with your manager and prepare to talk about your transition ideas. If your manager asks why you are leaving, provide a short but honest answer. Be prepared to handle a counteroffer to make you stay.

THE RESIGNATION LETTER

Your resignation letter should be addressed to your manager and have the date you are giving the letter to them. It is good practice to keep a resignation letter brief and precise. In the opening, you must state you are tendering your resignation and explicitly mention the date your resignation is effective from. You should also include a sentence or two to close the working relationship with the company. It is best to end the letter thanking them for the opportunity and provide any other generous thoughts.

LEAVING THE JOB

You should prepare for the exit interview and treat it as any other interview. Prepare questions and answers in advance. Focus on positivity and provide professional answers.

You may ask your supervisor or manager for a reference. Be polite and appreciative of their guidance throughout your time with the company. It is also important to keep in touch with supervisors and colleagues after leaving. Use LinkedIn to connect with them to maintain an open communication channel besides texting or email.

On your last day, make sure to pack your personal items. Check all drawers and storage spaces to get all of your belongings.

TIPS & BEST PRACTICES
  • Express gratitude & appreciation
  • Remain professional in your last days of work
  • Prepare for the exit interview
  • Do not gossip

How To: Provide Your References

How To Provide References for a Job and Who to Include

References are people who can attest to your work experience, education, character, skills, and habits. Who you choose to be a reference is up to you, and you should choose them carefully. Make sure that you are on good terms with them and that they know they are your reference. As well, make sure they they can speak highly of you and the experience you had working together.

During the job search process, an employer may ask you to provide some references who they may contact. As discussed in a previous blog post, your references should not be listed on your resume. You should wait until the employer asks for them to allow for better preparation and a better outcome.

Typically, if you are asked to share your references after an interview, it is a good sign that the employer is interested in your application. Before sending your references to an employer, make sure that you contact each reference to inform them to expect a call from the employer (Provide company name and contact person), as well as information regarding the job. The best thing is to send them the job posting along with your resume so they can prepare.

WHO TO INCLUDE AS A REFERENCE?
  • Work References – Previous Manager, Supervisor, Co-Worker, etc.
  • Academic References – Teacher, Tutor, Colleague from the same Program, etc.
  • Character References – Landlord, Friends, Clients, etc.

Most employers prefer work references as they can provide the most detail to what they are looking for in a reference. Work references have the experience of your work habits, transferrable skills, and personality. Try to have all work references listed, but if you are new to the country or do not have much work experience, then list an academic or character reference as well.

*Note: If you are currently employed, do not use a reference from your current job if the company is not aware of you looking for a new job.

Academic references are good if you are a fresh graduate or new to the country and studying. Keeping good relationships with teachers in your program are vital to help you in the future. If you are in a large university, you could use someone in the same program as you who has done some assignments with you. This way they have an understanding of how you work and handle some situations.

Character references should be used if you have no one else as they usually do not know how you are in the workplace. These references can provide information on your personal qualities. Relatives are not allowed to be used as references as there is a strong bias.

WHAT TO INCLUDE?

You should list all of the relevant contact information for each person on your reference list. This includes Full Name, Job Title, Company, Phone Number, Email. If they are a character reference, it is best to list your relationship with them.

 

Work / Academic Reference Example:

John Smith

Manager, Swift Connect Inc.

Office Phone: 604-503-9446 ext.1

Email: info@swiftconnect.ca

 

Character Reference Example:

Jane Doe

Landlord

Phone: 604-123-4567

Email: jane.doe@gmail.com

Tips and How to Hire the Best Candidates

How to Hire the Best Candidates for a Job

A vital part of a company’s success is about hiring the right people. By dedicating time and effort into searching for the right candidates, it will improve the outcome of your business as well as save money on mistakes and going through the process again. It is important not only to rely on gut feeling, there should also be goals and objectives set for the recruitment process.

In this blog post we will discuss tips and how to avoid bad hiring decisions.

ASSESS THE COMPANY

The first step in the recruitment process is to assess your company and your needs. 

What is the mission? vision?

What are the company values?

What is the company culture?

What type of mindset are you looking for in a candidate?

What type of individual fits with these answers?

CREATE THE JOB POST

The next step is to create a detailed job post. Make sure to have a clear idea what you are looking for and what the job entails. A detailed job post should be clear, concise, and include the job title, responsibilities, skills, and experience required.

PREPARE AND FACILITATE INTERVIEWS

Next you need to prepare for the job interviews. Create a list of general questions as well as job specific questions. The questions should include personality and behaviour-based questions to learn about their previous experiences and how they handle situations. You can also create an evaluation scorecard or rubric to grade and compare candidates.

Once the initial round of interviews are done, narrow down the candidates based on the scoring and how you feel about them. It is good to meet candidates more than once, in the second round of interviews it is good practice to include either another person from HR or the supervisor or manager of who the employee would report to.

CONTACT REFERENCES

Throughout the hiring process, it is important to consider more than just the resume, consider the person’s interests, ambitions, priorities, hobbies. Also, ask for a list of a few references to verify how the candidate has performed in previous jobs. A reference check is a great source to get information on the candidate from another perspective.

ORIENTATION

Once you have hired the employee, set them up in an orientation program. Have a solid program built to welcome the employee and inform them of the company, its culture, and train them for all job duties. If an employee does not receive training, or only partial training, the retention rate will be very low as they are not confident in the work. Another great way to get the new employee involved is to pair them with a current employee who is willing to show them the ropes and help train them to get more comfortable.

We hope that this post can help you during your hiring process to find the best talent for your organization.

If you need assistance or more employees, contact us to learn about our staffing services. We offer companies pre-sourced and verified candidates to save you time and money. 

Job Opportunity: Duct Cleaner

New Job Opportunity: Duct Cleaner

 
 

Our client, Sunfire Protection, is looking for a Duct Cleaner to join their team. Candidates should be able to get to either Coquitlam or Surrey by 5:15am.

Sunfire Protection offers industrial cleaning services to restaurants across Metro Vancouver. They clean fans, vents, ducts, and other aspects of restaurant kitchens.

* No. of Positions: one

* Work Schedule: Monday-Friday

* Work Hours: 6:00am – 10:00am

* Hourly Wage: $19.00 per hour

* English: Able to communicate easily

* Job Requirements: Candidates should have knowledge of WHMIS and experience cleaning with industrial products. Candidates must be able to lift heavy objects comfortably.

We look forward to many inquiries from qualified candidates. Please send your resume to jobs@swiftconnect.ca

How To: Manage & Prepare for Screen Calls

How to Manage Screening Calls for a Job

A screen call is part of the recruitment process. Not every employer will do this, however, it is important to prepare and understand a phone screening call. The call is typically used as a pre-interview to allow the employer to examine your qualifications before progressing to a formal interview.

HOW TO PREPARE?

It is hard to prepare for a screening call as they are unexpected for the job seeker. However when you are sending your resume to companies, make sure to really understand what they are looking for. Take the time to read the job post to find out about the company as well as the skills and qualifications required for the position.

Know what companies you have applied to and the job title. If a recruiter mentions their company name and you do not remember them or the job, then it is very off-putting for the recruiter. As well, if you mention “I have applied to so many jobs, I can’t remember yours” that will not translate well to their eyes. To combat this, save the job post as a doc doc on your computer or print it out. This will be easy to access when you receive a call. Also, it is good practice to have the resume and/or cover letter you used in the application to help.

Make sure that your voicemail is set up and the message is professional. If your voicemail is not set up, then the recruiter will be unsure if they reached the right person. This can have a negative outcome as it shows that you have not taken the time to do a simple task. If you do have a voicemail but it is unprofessional, then it is likely that the recruiter will not even leave a message.

RECEIVING THE CALL

When you are applying for jobs, it is important to answer any phone calls. We understand that most people do not answer unknown callers anymore because of the abundance of spam, but if you are on the job search, answer every call. Make sure to answer professionally and calmly.

If you are outside when you receive a call or are busy doing a task, you can ask for their name and phone number to call them back. However, it is important to give a timeframe on when you are available to call back, ie. in 15 minutes or at 3pm. It is best not to continue the call when there are distractions around you, this is a private conversation that you need to focus on.

If you are at home and available, take the call! Get your resume, cover letter, and job post handy to refer back to when speaking with the employer. This way you are looking at the same information and it is easy to answer a specific question. However, if they ask you a question that you mention in your resume or cover letter, do not read it word from word. Personalize it and re-word your answer.

TIPS:

  • Do not take the call on speaker phone.
  • Do not hide information, be transparent and give all the information.
  • Be honest for gaps in employment or why you left a job.
  • Be detailed in your answer, try not to be vague.
  • Relax and be professional.
COMMON QUESTIONS

Below are a list of common questions that an employer may ask you during a screening call.

  • Why are you leaving your current / last position?
  • Why did you apply to this role? What interested you about our job posting?
  • What are your salary expectations?
  • How do you manage time?
  • How do you handle stress in the workplace?
  • What are your biggest strengths / weaknesses?
  • Tell me about a time where you had to complete a project in a group. Was it a good or bad experience? Why?
  • Have you had to deal with conflict in the workplace? How did you handle it? How was it resolved?
  • Tell me about a time where you took initiative.
  • General inquiry about job gaps, industry changes.

How To: References on Your Resume

Do References Belong on Your Resume?

In this blog post we will discuss whether references should be on a resume and the reasons to support. 

In short, no, references should not be listed on a resume. Applying for a job is a process and not a one-step thing. Generally, references will be used after having an interview with the employer. Once the interview is done, they may ask for a list of three references. Here is where you can provide the information.

You may choose to put “References Available Upon Request” at the end of your resume. This is an acceptable way to mention you have the references and are willing to share with the employer. Alternatively, you may choose not to mention anything on your resume and that is sufficient as well.

By waiting until references are asked, this protects yourself as well as the confidentiality of your reference‘s contact information. If your references are attached to your resume, that welcomes the employer to contact them at any time, where you have no control or warning. When an employer requests your references, you can ask them if you can send it via email after the interview. This allows you to contact the three people on your list to tell them about the job and share details on what the employer is looking for. Also, to warn them to expect a call or email from who interviewed you. Make sure to mention the full name of the interviewer and the company name so your reference person is prepared and ready to speak about you.

If references are listed on your resume and the employer chooses to contact them without warning, the reference person will not be prepared. It is possible they may not answer the call, or not be focused on the call since they did not have time to prepare.

As well, it is important to keep your reference list up to date to ensure that the people listed and their contact information is correct. Make sure that you are on good terms with the people listed, confident they can speak positively about you, and that they know who you are. Before putting someone on your reference list, make sure to ask them if it is okay. Permission is key, if you do not have permission, they will likely not help you in your job search.

REFERENCE CONTACT INFORMATION

It is good practice to have the full name of the reference person, their position and company, phone number, and email. The job title and company are for previous employers to show how you know them. If it is a personal reference, make a not of how you know them.

In summary, it is best not to include references on your resume. Wait until an employer asks for them to protect their personal information as well as allow you time to provide details of the job to your references and warn them to expect a call / email.