Things recruiters do without knowing.....

by Reut Schwartz-Hebron

After years of interviewing and hundreds, if not thousands, of opportunities to practice, you are an expert when it comes to sensing who is sitting right in front of you. You are so good at it that sometimes you surprise yourself with how quickly you pick up on things about candidates inside and outside of an interview session.

That's intuition and, if it's built on a feedback loop, it's one of the best tools at your disposal when you need to identify traits and uncover delicate and important factors such as authenticity and flexibility.

The difficult part is that you can't share this type of knowledge with new recruiters. Intuition and other automatic and subconscious thinking patterns (yes, intuition is a thinking pattern) often seem out of reach, and we assume the only way for people to learn them is to go through a learning process similar to the one we had to go through ourselves.

There are certain things we can't trace and, hence, we can't teach. We can't trace the values we assign certain behaviors. When you notice a certain behavior during an interview and you instantly have a value assigned to that behavior (say you notice the candidate drumming his or her fingers on the table and you instantly know it is a sign of resistance to authority) the value-assigning part is out of our reach. You don't know why you interpret a certain behavior in a specific way; if someone asked you to explain most of these conclusions, you probably wouldn't know what to tell him. But, what you are actually doing is a lot more than assigning value to a specific behavior. Your mind is noticing gesture, tone of voice, and combining those and other clues to produce a conclusion.

We can't teach new recruiters which values to assign. Though there are many theories that try, the result is a long list of combinations which, even if we put validity aside, are too numerous to remember and apply. But we can teach recruiters where to look for signs and how to practice combining them. Though experience and feedback loops are indispensable, knowing where to look cuts the learning curve dramatically.

Here are seven techniques you are probably using without knowing:

1. Make the Most out of the Resume. Expert interviewers prepare well. They read and re-read a candidates' resumes, treating these documents like a detective would a crime scene: Anything can be a clue, but nothing is valid until it is supported by concrete evidence. They look at the resumes for anything that could be even slightly off, and they assign meaning to the length of the sentences, the richness of the language, the use of space on the page, repeated words or themes, and much more. Expert recruiters build the most unsympathetic theories as they read through a resume, but they stay clear of coming to any conclusions.
2. Use Introspection as a Mirroring Technique. Introspection is often used by experts to identify areas that need attention. By assessing their own reaction to the candidate's behavior, interviewers can pinpoint manipulations of different kinds. If, for instance, a candidate is triggering a protective response in the interviewer, the interviewer (alerted by his or her own emotional response) can track back the behavior or response that triggered the reaction and assign it meaning.
3. Peruse Emotional Triggers. We are most authentic, exposing our basic assumptions and values, when we are emotional. Any reaction that is off balance, and that includes an excess of positive or negative response (you are just as emotionally vulnerable when your team wins as when your team loses), falls into this category. Experienced interviewers notice emotional responses and follow their paths with additional questions that intensify emotions to asses the candidate's evasive values, attitudes, and basic assumptions.
4. Collect Contradictions. Anything that might seem like a contradiction that comes up through context or content is a great place to dig. When candidates have seemingly contradicting areas of interest or have invested time in contradicting efforts, expert interviewers pick up on that and ask for interpretations. The same principle applies to content, when things that have been said earlier could be interpreted as being contradictory to things that are being said now. It's not so much the explanation that interests experts, but the way in which the response is presented. The response is a great telling sign about abilities like handling criticism, working with authority, accepting ambiguity, and much more.
5. Collate Repetitions. Certain behaviors mean very little by themselves, but put together with other behaviors, when a pattern is created, they are very indicative of a personal of professional trait. Let's look back at the example of drumming on the table. That behavior, if interpreted by itself, could mean many things. It could, in fact, mean the exact opposite of a defiant candidate and indicate insecurity and shyness. How did you know it was one and not the other? You looked at one behavior and created a pattern.
6. Look for Core Reasons. Direct answers are often just the beginning of a long discovery trail. An effective interview feels more like a conversation to the candidate because the interviewer is focusing and stretching the understanding of the candidate's basic assumptions through a certain example. Most soft skills can be located in pretty much any discussion, and as the interviewer asks core questions like why, the answers become more revealing.
7. Detach Yourself of Your Own Emotional Limitations. Like therapists or anthropologists, interviewers must know how to leave their own imbalances and limitations outside the interviewing room. To interview well means to have control of the emotional responses you are trying to elicit. I know recruiters and managers who build up tension and as soon as they feel they made the candidate uncomfortable, they back away and try to soften the blow. That, of course, requires your new interviewers to be aware of their own limitations, but they'll master this knowledge a lot faster if they know what to look for.

All of these techniques are expert skills that can easily be taught to a novice. All you need to do is provide practice, coupled with a feedback loop. If you can do that, mastery will come about faster than you could ever imagine

Body Language during the interview

Make Sure You ‘Fit In’ One of the key questions in the mind of the interviewer will almost certainly be ‘Will this person fit in?’ Therefore, if you are perceived as being a good fit with the prevailing corporate style and culture you will be strengthening your case. Here again, what you wear can have a disproportionate effect on the interviewers perception. So, you might be wondering how you can predict what to wear in order to fit in. It is actually remarkably easy to get information about the prevailing corporate style. If they have a website, visit this and see if there any pictures of people at work (but do be aware that some organizations use library pictures for this). Alternatively, try getting hold of a copy of the annual reports. Another useful tactic can be to visit the site at the start, middle or end of the working day and observing the prevailing dress code of the staff as they come and go; before assembling a smart version of this for yourself; ahead of the interview.Recognizing Physiological ResponsesWhen you attend an interview, you are likely to notice one or more of the following: Firstly, your temperature is likely to increase and you may notice that you have sweaty palms, that you feel slightly flushed and maybe even clammy. Secondly, adrenaline may be pumped into your system and this may make you feel shaky. Thirdly, your respiration rate is liable to increase and this may make you feel stressed and panicky.Finally, nervous energy may cause you to consume body sugar with the result that your mouth starts to feel dried out. These effects - increased temperature, shakiness, panic, stress and a dry mouth can interact to make you feel extremely nervous, uncomfortable and tongue tied. However, research has shown that they are not necessarily signs of fear but may indicate that you are gearing up to perform. Many entertainers, public speakers and competitive sports people report the same four symptoms immediately prior to performing - often before giving the best performance of their lives. In the context of an important interview that is precisely what you should be aiming to do. Therefore, recognizing the symptoms for what they are shouldn’t panic you, as they may well enable you to perform better on the day.Positive Visualization The subconscious mind works on past experiences, hopes and fears. In being apprehensive ahead of an interview it is easy for your sub-conscious to focus on negative outcomes and thereby magnify your concerns. If you concentrate on your own nervousness then you will be drawing this to the attention of the interviewer and the impact of your message will be weakened. If you become aware that the interviewer is observing your nervous state this can serve to heighten your self-consciousness. Before the interview, you should try to visualize an enthusiastic interviewer; who is reacting positively to your responses. Picture yourself delivering a clear and interesting presentation; admit to yourself that you may be nervous but that you are going to use this in a positive way. Remember that the interviewer is not your adversary and they are not attending the interview in order to pull you apart. Their interest lies in what you might say and show them. If you keep your responses focused on the message and try to relax then they will be able to concentrate on taking your message on board.
Overcoming Negative ThoughtsYou may be convinced that they have formed an unfavorable first impression of you. Ignore this thought. Professional interviewers and other managers are increasingly trained to overcome their initial reactions and to apply more scientific interview techniques. Even if you have stumbled and made a weak first impression you can turn their opinion round, so keep working hard at making the right impression throughout the remainder of the interview. The first impression is important; but always approach the interview in a holistic manner, you are a winner and you are there to win!Aspects of Body LanguageBody language is a very important part of any communication. It will be analyzed by the interviewer; even if they are unaware of this at the conscious level. A brilliantly prepared interview delivered in an interesting voice will fall well short of the mark if accompanied by negative, intrusive or hostile body language. There are three main aspects of body language that you should consider: what to do with your eyes, what your facial expressions indicate and the positioning and movement of your torso and limbs.MirroringIn any intimate communication there is a natural tendency to mirror the pose and position of the person you are talking to, and this behavior tends to result in a more relaxed and agreeable atmosphere. You can help to put the interviewer at ease by being aware of this and making a positive but subtle effort to mirror their body language. The concept of mirroring is based on the well-known human trait of like attracting like. People generally like people that appear to be similar to them. Therefore, by observing the interviewers body language and reflecting this back at them they are likely to feel more at ease and friendly towards you. An individual’s facial expression, tone of voice, body posture and movement often convey a world of detail about what they are thinking and feeling and how they are reacting to what you are saying. The effective use and interpretation of body language communication will help you to identify subtle aspects of the interviewer’s attitudes and reactions. This understanding and interpretation of body language is a key component of intelligent listening.
Maintaining LPMAs most interviews are held with both parties seated it is important to convey a positive message in the way you sit. In particular, this comes down to the placement of your arms and legs. With the upper limbs the guideline is that the less a person moves their hands and arms, the more powerful they are. This supports the view that they are used to people listening to them and they therefore do not have to resort to gesticulation to get their point across. The technical term for this is Low Peripheral Movement, or LPM. When being interviewed, maintain LPM and you will make a more impressive impact with your interviewer. Try to keep your hands lower than your elbows; rest them on the arms of the chair, your thighs or even make a low steeple with the fingers of both hands.How to Sit at InterviewThe everyday seating position, with legs crossed high-up is not suitable for the interview setting because in this intimate context it actually conveys a defensive attitude. Your legs need to convey confidence and there are two key positions that can communicate this - the low cross or athletic position. The athletic position is where one leg is brought under your chair so that only the toe of that shoe is in contact with the floor. The other leg is firmly planted on the floor, parallel with the direction of the chair, with the entire sole of that shoe on the floor. This is a powerful position, conveying a readiness for action. The athletic position is often not suited to female clothing and here the low cross position, where the legs are kept together and crossed at the ankles is often the best option. Effective Eye ContactThe face shown below has a shaded area that indicates the correct target zone for positive eye contact. Looking anywhere within this shaded zone represents positive eye contact. Think about where else you might be tempted to look at someone’s face during a conversation; which area of the face do you think would cause the most discomfort to the person being looked at? Looking at someone’s face anywhere outside of the triangular target zone is likely to cause some degree of embarrassment. However, the no-go zones shown are both associated with strong adverse reactions.Zone A represents the intimate zone and by moving just a fraction below the base of the target triangle you will enter it. When this happens people typically react by feeling that the other person is staring at them, or that the observer looks shifty.Zone B represents a dominant zone and by looking at the forehead of another person you are likely to invoke a reaction that you appear to be arrogant, that you are staring straight through them or more commonly that you are talking down at them.As well as understanding how to make positive eye contact it is also important to ensure that you do maintain this form of communication even if the interview does not appear to be going as well as you had hoped. If this is the case you will need all of the help you can muster to get the interview back on track and maintaining the correct amount of positive eye contact may help to do this. Eye contact with the interviewer is an essential part of the interview process. Without it they will feel remote from you and are unlikely to relate to one another, or what you are saying in a meaningful way. Not many people realize how important eye contact is, or how sensitive people are to it. Eye contact should be a positive form of body language communication, but if it is not used correctly it can easily become negative.
Instigating Eye ContactUnderstanding where to look to make positive eye contact is only part of the story. You also need to know how and when to use this non-verbal communication. The amount of eye contact you make should differ fundamentally depending on whether you are in the role of speaker or listener. It is in the role of listener that you should instigate more eye contact and hold it for longer periods of time. It supports your role as an attentive listener, whereas overusing eye contact when speaking may appear a demand for the interviewer to pay attention. As a speaker holding eye contact initially for 5 to 10 seconds and after that using it in an intermittent way is ideal. This way you do not appear to be lecturing or hectoring and the listener does not feel that they are being challenged to a staring contest. It is normal for the listener to maintain eye contact for longer than the speaker who will typically break off and then revisit this form of contact as they are speaking. Eye contact when used positively can be a very effective form of non-verbal communication. However, excessive or inappropriate eye contact will prevent you establishing a good relationship with your interviewer.

How to spot a Leader

By Ram Charan
Leadership is predicated on the ability to mobilize others to accomplish a vision, a goal, or a task. Leaders can't do everything; they get other people to do things through managing. They increase their capacity -- the ability to get more done -- through delegation combined with a methodology for ensuring follow-through. They set expectations, get the best people to do what needs to be done, and oversee the relationships among them to ensure that destructive or self-interested behaviors don't subvert the group's common purpose.
You know you've discovered a leader with people acumen when you see evidence that the person selects the right people and motivates them, gets them working well as a team, and is able to diagnose and fix problems in coordination and social relationships among groups of people.
Real leaders, I have found, exhibit an enthusiasm for selecting people who are better than they are -- whether or not they have worked with them before -- and then using those subordinates to lift the organization and themselves to new levels of accomplishment. They motivate their people and develop them as conditions change, retaining those who advance the business and having the courage to deselect with dignity those who don't. Such leaders show a repeated pattern of accurately identifying other leaders' talents, helping them flourish, or easing them into other jobs where their talents fit better. You can often identify a true leader because the people working under that person are of high caliber, are energized, and have a natural affinity for the leader and want to see him or her succeed.
Leaders with people acumen get the most out of their people by setting clear goals, then giving feedback and coaching judiciously to help achieve them. Most use some kind of performance indicators (the term I use is key performance indicators, or KPIs) that not only measure progress in quantitative terms but also influence behaviors. A KPI may be as simple as the percentage of customer calls answered in the first minute or may be as broad as corporate profitability measured against competitors. They watch for problems that might get in the way of achieving the KPIs and don't hesitate to give people unvarnished feedback. They are keen judges of when someone is not up to the task and don't back off from making the hard decision to replace him. Many people who think they're leaders are terribly uncomfortable and indecisive in the realm of personalities, even when they have the insight into who and what needs coaching. Some have a deep-rooted need to be liked that compromises their judgments of people.
Anyone can improve his or her ability to select and develop people's talents, but other aspects of people acumen are hard to teach. Leaders with people acumen have good instincts to anticipate problems among individuals who must work together and to get them resolved. They size up the group dynamics and pinpoint simmering conflicts, then draw them to the surface to unblock the group's progress. They intervene when they detect behavior that disrupts the working of the group. These leaders are fearless where many people are unconsciously concerned that if they try to change the group dynamics, they'll be cut apart or ignored and lose face.
Social acumen also manifests itself in network building. Leaders who possess it are not loners or bookworms. They have an innate desire to work with diverse people and naturally cultivate a broad range of social networks that permeate the company, including subordinates, peers, and superiors. As these leaders develop their social acumen, their networks often extend beyond the business to include customers, suppliers, regulators, politicians, and various interest groups. The relationships tend to be durable because they are built on trust, and that trust allows information to flow both ways, exposing the leader to new ideas and different ways to see things. The social networks also allow him or her to energize and synchronize people's energy and actions and to do a better job managing a crisis than would otherwise be the case.

Ram Charan is the author or coauthor of many bestselling business books, including What the CEO Wants You to Know and Execution. For more than thirty-five years, he has worked behind the scenes at Fortune 100 companies like GE, Bank of America, DuPont, Thomson financial, Honeywell and Home Depot to help senior executives develop and implement strategic plans.

I thought we’d share a bit our short trip to Tanzania and Bishop Bomani’s funeral, just to give you a little cultural insight. I’m writing a separate, more formal note to the people who shared official condolences via Claude at the funeral, including President Kieschnick, former and current Africa Regional Directors, and other missionaries. (Note to Scott – Claude did not tell them you felt like you had been kicked in the stomach when you heard the news, but I did mention that to Pastor Francis earlier. I think he appreciated it because he felt the same way.)

We were picked up at the Mwanza airport along with three bishops from the ELCT and taken directly to the church. It's very large and called a cathedral. That's where the diocese offices are, and there were people all over the parking lot. Lots of clerical shirts. Lots of tears. The bishops who had just arrived and we were gathered together so Pastor Francis (the assistant bishop) shared what had happened to Bishop Bomani and how Francis had found out about it and was with him. There was a room where people could sign a book of condolences. Bishop Bomani's picture was on the table and two large bouquets of flowers. The church and buildings and even the ambulance that carried the body to the church that night were decorated with white and purple balloons and purple ribbons. It's kind of like everyone needed to do something to feel like they are helping, so there was lots of activity. There was also an amazing amount of organization behind such a huge event. Impressive.

Here’s what had happened: The Bishop was on leave this month to work on a new house that was being built next his old one. They were taking down the old house (made of mud bricks). He was walking between them when a wall of the old house fell down on him and knocked him down. They said those bricks wouldn't have hurt him that bad, but he fell against the new hard brick wall and hit his head badly. They got him to the hospital. Francis went to get medicine that the doctor asked for, but when he got back, Bishop had just died only a minute before Francis returned. The doctor told him not to get upset, but Francis said nothing would ever be the same, so how he could not feel very upset?

The night before the funeral, the other diocese bishops washed and prepared the body with vestments. (I think the body was at a funeral home or morgue since Bishop died.) Then the body was brought to his home, where family had gathered. (We were not involved in any of this, but I actually watched a video of it in the back of the church before the funeral.) Later, the casket was brought to the church for the night, and some people slept there. They broadcast the moving of the casket to the church, including the procession, on the local evening news. Bishop was a very important man in this area.


Claude was told ahead of time to wear his alb and black stole, except he didn’t have a black stole. So I made one quickly, just out of heavy black cotton. I have some pictures of all of the pastors processing, as well as all the bishops, I think one from each of the other 13 dioceses, as well as the Presiding Bishop. It was all quite striking. They do like the vestments here.

The service started about 9:45 and lasted inside until about 1:30. It was a nice service, but all in Swahili, so I can’t tell you too much about it. Claude sat with the pastors and got some interpretation, but they planted me with some other white people whom I didn’t know, so I didn’t really know what was going on.

All of the bishops had a part in the service, and the Presiding Bishop had the sermon. There were three choirs. At one point, different people and organizations came forward to share condolences and leave an envelope for the family. Again, we had been prepared for this. Claude shared his own feelings as well as those expressed by others in the LCMS. Many pastors told us later that it meant a lot that we had come and that Claude had shared all of the greetings. They said it was an encouragement to all of them. I am just guessing that there were at least 1000 people. Several covered areas were set up outside the church.

Note the bishop’s chair behind Paul – General Secretary for the diocese and interpreting for Claude. It is Bishop Bomani’s chair with a black cloth on it.

Bishop was just 49 years old. He leaves a wife and six children, none of whom are adults.



A big government official (Tanzanian Minister of Internal Affairs?) was there with his entourage, and that created quite a stir. They were showed a lot of honor, and you could tell it meant a lot to everyone as well.

At the end of the service inside, all of the bishops gathered around the coffin and read Bible verses. It reminded me of an ordination or installation. Then the coffin was closed and quite a few pastors carried it out of the church. Claude was one of those, and he said it was very heavy. They carried it around to the side of the church where the grave had been dug. This is not a cemetery; there are no other graves there.

Claude’s white head is barely visible behind the man in the tan suit. This was the procession to the grave site.
The hole was very large and had been lined with ceramic tile. The coffin was lowered by hand into the grave. More words were spoken, and then family members each threw a handful of dirt into the grave. It was covered temporarily with a large metal sheet. After that, family, bishops, church leaders, the government people, and organization leaders each placed flowers on the grave. When they called LCMS, Claude and I place the flowers together. There was a wooden cross made with Bishop Bomani’s birth and death dates. I took a picture after everything was done.
All in all, it was a beautiful tribute to a man who was loved by many. One of his strengths is that he was a strong leader, but he did not lead alone. So others are prepared to take over. A new bishop will be elected in 3 months. Pastor Francis will be acting Bishop until that time.

Thank you for letting us share this significant event.

Claude & Rhoda

_______________________
Rev. Claude & Rhoda Houge
LCMS World Mission - East Africa

Thank You Letters

Writing Thank You Letters
I have heard a number of opinions regarding writing a thank you letter, or thank you email after an employment interview, many applicants don’t do it but many people believe it is a must and will set you apart from others interviewing for the same job. I also believe that some employers think less of those interviewees who fail to follow-up promptly;
Here are some guidelines;
Follow an interview, promptly within a couple of days of the interview. Write and letter and email to all who you interviewed with, express your appreciation for the interview. Thank them for the interview. Your response tells them:
It shows your appreciation for the employers interest in you.
Tells them again of your interest in the position and the organization
Reviews your qualifications for the position they described to you and if some of you did not get a chance to share your key strengths you can take this opportunity to mention them.
Follow up with any information the employer may have asked you to proved after the interview.
Thank you letters seem like a small part of the interview process but it could be the one thing that pushes you over the top in the interview process.

You Can Say Too Much

Can a shrug mean too much?

No matter what a job candidate might say, using the wrong body language can make them appear disinterested or even deceitful to recruiters.

"It's so important for people to be cognizant of their body language because while their words may be saying one thing, their body language may be saying something else," says Kimberly Bishop, senior partner of Korn Ferry International, a Los Angeles-based retained executive search firm.



Learning how your body language may be perceived can prevent you from committing body language blunders that can sabotage interviews. Carole Martin, president of InterviewCoach.com in San Francisco says her clients are stunned by their body language when they watch their recorded mock interviews. After she points out their mistakes, some say "I wouldn't hire me," says Ms. Martin. However, once aware of their body language, she says about 80% correct it on their second taping.

Here are some tips on getting your body language right in an interview.

1. Maintain the right amount of eye contact.

Using too little or too much eye contact can impact a recruiter's perception of you. If you avoid eye contact after being asked a question, or you look down, it can suggest dishonesty, says David Moyer, president of Moyer, Sherwood Associates, a retained executive search firm in New York.

Ms. Bishop says many candidates look to the right or left of the interviewer or out the windows instead of making eye contact which can indicate disinterest or lack of confidence. To show a recruiter you are interested, alternate looking at their eyes mouth and shoulders, says Martin Yate, author of "Knock 'Em Dead The Ultimate Job Search Guide 2007" and a former headhunter in Savannah, Ga.



However, be careful not to overdo the eye contact. Some job hunters concentrate on maintaining eye contact too much that they develop a "stalker stare," says Tonya Reiman, a body language expert in Smithtown, N.Y. who works with recruiters and job hunters.

"People who don't break from eye contact enough give me the willies," says Mr. Moyer.

2. Don't fidget.

Fidgeting is a telltale sign of nerves, and although many recruiters make allowances for nervousness, they will also expect you to handle pressure with ease if you're seeking a high-level job. If you display your nerves too much during an interview, you may be at a disadvantage. "If you can't handle stress in a job interview, how can you handle it in the job?" asks Mr. Yate.

Aside from displaying your nervousness, fidgeting is annoying and distracting to recruiters.

Ms. Martin, who conducts interviews for client companies, remembers a candidate who played with her hair throughout the entire interview. "I wanted to grab her arm and tell her to stop," say Ms. Martin. "I probably didn't hear half of what she was saying because she was annoying me so much."

Although everyone has their own personal fidgets, the key is to control them during interviews so they don't distract your interviewer. To keep yourself from fidgeting, Mr. Yate recommends bringing a prop, such as a pen and pad, to keep your hands occupied.

Curtis Muldrew, 41, says he learned how to stop twisting and untwisting his pen during interviews by only touching his pen when taking notes. "Interviews are events where I really have to practice because my movements can be distracting to the interviewer," says Mr. Muldrew, chief information officer of HeartScreen America, a large population and direct-to-consumer heart screening services company in Andover, Mass.

3. Be conscious of posture while standing and sitting.

Slouching, whether you are standing to greet the interviewer or sitting down, suggests a lack of self esteem, says Mr. Yate. During an interview you should appear confident and engaged in the conversation and poor posture can send a message that you are indifferent or too casual message, says Ms. Bishop.

When Jim Ettwein, 59, began interviewing with companies after being a self-employed consultant, he reminded himself during interviews to sit up straight and lean slightly forward to show interest. "I have a tendency to sit sideways in a chair by using the back of the chair as a prop," says Mr. Ettwein, who began working as a partner at a large consulting firm in West Orange, N.J. in the beginning of January.

To appear interested in the position, Mr. Yate suggests sitting with your backside at the very back of the chair which will create a slight lean forward, showing that you are engaged in the conversation. Remember to keep your shoulders back.

4. Avoid "closed" body language.

Body language such as crossed arms and clenched fists show defensiveness and tension, says Mr. Yate, who adds that they are physically closed positions.

Mr. Moyer refers to crossed arms as "the universal sign of unfriendliness," because it suggests that the candidate doesn't want to open up. Women tend to cross their arms when they are cold, says Ms. Martin, who suggests bringing a cardigan or dressing warmly if you tend to get cold so you don't inadvertently send the wrong message.

Crossing your ankle over your knee with hands locked behind your head in what Mr. Yate calls the "rebel without a cause" look can make you look like unruly or difficult to work with, he says. "It's the way an angry 17-year-old sits," says Mr. Yate.

Instead, sit with your ankles crossed or feet flat on the floor and use open hand gestures which suggest friendliness, he says.

Getting A First Management Job

Getting A First Management Job
From F. John Reh,
Your Guide to Management.
Stay up to date!

What You Need To Know And Do To Get That First Management Job.
Every manager has had a first management job somewhere in their career. Mine was supervising two other consultants on a proposal preparation team. Like most other jobs, though, no one wants to give you that first management job unless you have experience and you can't get experience if no one will give you a first job. Here's what you need to know and, more importantly, what you need to do to get that first management job.

Do Your Job Well
Nobody is going to put you in charge if you can't do your own job. The first step toward landing a management job is doing a good job at the job you have. You don't have to be the best, but you do have to be good. The best programmer in the company may not make a good Development Manager. He or she may prefer to write code instead of taking on the responsibilities of management. However, it's a safe bet that the Development Manager used to be a good programmer.

Do Your Homework
Find out what managers do. (See Management 101 for the basics.) Watch the managers in your organization and see what they do and how they do it. Read books on management and leadership (there are some good ones at Top Leadership Books) and learn what to do and what not to do. Ask questions of managers you know.

Develop People Skills
The single most important skill for any manager is the ability to manage people. Learn how people think, react, and function when faced with different outside forces. Develop respect for people, even those different from you. Learn how to work with people and then you can learn how to influence their behavior. Nobody will promote you to a management position if you can't manage people. Anyone who gets a management position and can't manage people is doomed to failure.

Show Initiative
Don't sit at you desk and wait for someone to hand you a management job. Demonstrate initiative. One key management skill is planning so volunteer to help your boss prepare the annual budget by collecting necessary information. Offer to help put together the estimate of what the new addition to the production line will cost. If your department has to send someone to the planning committee for the company picnic (or the employee relations committee, HR study group, etc.), volunteer for that assignment. (You will also learn valuable people management skills as discussed above.) Take on whatever you can without negatively impacting your performance of your main job.

Another great opportunity to learn and practice management skills, and put yourself in a better position for that first management job, is to volunteer at one of the local non-profit organizations whose cause you support. The skills and experience you gain from the volunteer work can help you land a first management job at work. The volunteer work also exposes you to others who may hire you, or recommend their boss hire you, into a first management job in different company.

Ask
Finally, if you want to be considered for a management position, ask for it. Don't wait for someone to come and offer it to you. Approach you boss and tell him or her you would like to follow their example and move into management. Ask them to keep you in mind the next time they need someone to head up a committee or lead a small team or something similar. That way they know you are interested and will keep an eye on you. When they see you can handle smaller things, they will start to delegate larger things, eventually leading to a supervisor or management position.

In larger organizations, the HR department maintains a list of open positions on the company intranet. Smaller companies may just post the list on the bulletin board. Keep an eye on the list. When you see an entry level management position on the list apply for it. If you have done your job well, done your homework and learned what managers do, developed people skills, and shown your boss your interest in management, your boss will probably support your application.