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The
Road to Perdition Is Paved
With Wrong Assumptions
Many
years ago, the National Safety Council discovered that most
accidents do not occur out of ignorance - but rather from
false assumptions.
For example:
"I
can read this book and keep my eyes on the road at the same
time."
"I
can skip the safety goggles just this once."
"That
electric circuit can't be live."
Clearly,
wrong assumptions can be deadly - and those we make in our
careers are no exception.
For example:
"The
company will promote me when I'm ready."
"If
I lose my job, a recruiter will find me another one."
"There's
no need to toot my own horn."
If truth
be known, it's easy to make false assumptions about many things,
and a complacent attitude at work can spill over into one's
job search as well.
For example:
"I'm
sure I can dress casually for the interview."
"If
the visit goes well, there will be plenty of time to read
up on the company later."
"It's
best not to seem too eager."
Guess
what? The interview panel all wore ties, the candidate's lack
of knowledge about the company was considered appalling, and
the lack of apparent interest became the nail in the coffin.
When
considering any kind of job change, one cannot find out too
much information. Employers and search professionals alike
will award extra points for the candidate's initiative in
this regard, and, nine times out of ten, the employer's website
is the best single source of information concerning recent
corporate news, financial performance, major product lines,
principal locations, etc.
Often,
the kind of information found on the Web or in company literature
may lead to additional questions, which can become good fodder
for subsequent interviews, as in the following example:
"I
read in your earnings release that you're planning to enter
the Chinese market. Since international sales has been one
of my specialties, I'm curious as to whether you plan to establish
a direct sales operation there or rely on third-party agents."
Some
information, of course, has to come from the horse's mouth.
If an outside recruiter is conducting the search, direct your
questions through that individual - who may know the answers
already or will be able to obtain them efficiently.
Here
are some of the kinds of information - both published and
unpublished - that every candidate ought to know:
The
employer - Products or services, financial performance,
reputation, marketplace position(s), geographic scope, internal
culture, competitors, recent news, etc.
The
job - Title, responsibilities, compensation structure,
chain of command (upward and downward), budget and size of
staff, reasons why position is open, major tasks and challenges
facing the next incumbent, success factors, political and
other risks, opportunities for promotion, relocation policy
and other issues.
The
interview process - Who (background of the interview participants),
what (type of interview, likely areas of interest), when (starting
time and probable duration), where (address, directions if
needed, phone number of host) and wear (dress code for the
interview).
The
decision-making process - Number of candidates under consideration,
types of candidates (internal/external), need for additional
interviews or return visits, medical and/or psychological
testing policies, other next steps, anticipated time to a
final decision and "When/how will I hear from you next?"
Knowledge
is power. Conversely, lack of information can lead, as it
says on the Blue Screen of Death, to fatal errors.
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