Don’t Say This (well, these) in an Interview

So… frankly, I think there are a ton of things that are worse than Careerbuilder.com’s “8 Worst Things to Say in an Interview” but I’d have to agree you want to steer clear of this list.  For example, I’d put insulting your interviewer’s intelligence waaay above quoting Shakespeare.  Seriously.  We had a candidate come through for a QA interview (and, yes, I think I’ve abused this person here before).  When the QA Manager asked her where she saw herself in a couple of years, she told him “As a software engineer - I’m far too cerebral for QA”.  Not good.

Also, (sidetrack): if you’re picking at a scab on your face (Yup!  I hate my job sometimes) during an interview, and it starts to bleed, don’t expect to get a sales job with me.  I’m not putting you in front of my customers. 

List of Online Resources for Job Hunters

Hat tip to Bill Vick for this list of resources

Why Would Anybody Write Sucky Copy for a Copywriter Job Ad??

Ever Notice the Irony in How Much Copywriter Job Ads Suck?

I mean, why the hell is that?  First off, they’re ads – commercials, selling a product.  When did HR decide it knew how to write, fer the love of Pete (or Sue, whoever)??  And, of all the audiences to write a lame, “must have excellent prioritization skills, excellent grammar and writing skills (really?? shocking!)” bit of ad copy to.  Grr.  Makes me wanna….

 

…ahem, any-who, sorry about that.  Here’s the thing: I’m the recruiting manager over at ZoomInfo.  We’re looking for a copywriter, and I thought I’d check out some copywriter ads on Indeed.com for inspiration – you know, to steal somebody’s better idea.  And, well, good lord.  If you need to tell a copywriter with over 3 years of experience in the real world that they need to know how to spell and write…..

 

What these goons _should_ be talking about is the opportunity – why (for example) ZoomInfo is such an interesting place to work.  Talk about the ability to have your voice heard.  About making quick and deep friendships with the people you’ll be spending a lot of time every work day with.  How quickly we’re growing, and how much fun we’re having doing that.  The random parties.  All the beer in the fridge.  How we’re laughing on our way to the bank.  The chance to really grow, to be trusted, and to be picked up and dusted off when you make a mistake (we figure mistakes mean you’re trying hard, and that’s what matters – people who don’t screw up make us nervous, and generally have ridiculously great hair and MBA’s).

 

Obviously, there should be something in there about what you’ll be doing (it can’t be all beer and cake, can it?).  Just to stick with the ZoomInfo example (right, just an “example”…):  we don’t look over your shoulder & we have a lot to do, so you should be cool with that.  We think we’re funny (funny ha-ha that is).  Annnd, we’re a business – you should know how to balance the creative with the technical, be able to hit deadlines, and tell a joke.  We swoon over dreamers who know how to implement – have a big idea, and then make it happen.  All we ask for.

 

Last part, what the heck will this swami of the written word be working on?  Lots and lots.  The more you can handle, the more we’ll give you.  You’ll become the voice of ZoomInfo, and make sure that voice gets consistent across all kinds of media.  You’ll be writing copy for print and online ad campaigns, white papers (yeah, we know – dry, but they help bring in the money, and we’d like to pay you), our web site, etc, etc.  We have stuff that needs to get written, in short.

 

So….. if your still with me, you’re the kind of person who was muttering “yes! job ads do stink!”, and you have some of the experience I was (blatantly) fishing for in that rant, why don’t you reach on out?

Shameless, Shameless Plug…

…for votes :)  For whatever reason, Good to Know  is up for best recruiting blog of the year.  I’m pretty sure it’s not because my employer is paying for the grand prize (seriously - what I suspect is that Jason Davis, the guy who runs RecruitingBlogs.com, the organizer of the whole contest, is just ridiculously nice and felt bad at how poorly I did at poker last time we hung out).

While I’m under zero illusion I’ll win, I wouldn’t mind not coming in dead last.  Seriously.  Soooo…. if you’re so inclined, I’d appreciate it if you clicked here and exercised your right to vote.  Primarily in categories #1& #6 - well, feel free to vote in the rest, too - in fact, I’d recommend checking out all of the nominated blogs - there’s a lot of really great guidance out there, from a gang of remarkable minds.

Passion Matters - 10 Years to a Perfect Brisket (or: Go iQue!)

Full disclosure - Chris Hart (the guy in the Sox cap) is my brother-in-law (and, lucky me, one of my all time favorite people).  He’s a semi mild-mannered software product manager by day, but when he’s freed from the cube, he dons an apron and emerges as one of the top BBQ’rs in the country (again, lucky, lucky me - you have no idea how much fun it is to be part of his test audience).  This clip is from this past weekend, when his team won 1st in brisket at the American Royal competition in Kansas City.  The American Royal is the world series of competitive BBQ.  Not bad for a guy from Massachusetts…

One warning - Chris lets out a quality swear about halfway through… 

iQue Wins 1st place bisket at The Kansas City Royal 2007