You're Hired!

ALSO BY FRANK McCLAIN

Job Hunting Ninja Master 2017

The award-winning Job Hunting Ninja Master 2017 is rated Best in Class by winning the Independent Book Publishers Association 2017 Benjamin Franklin Digital Award. Are you tired of your hit-and-miss attempts at finding a job? You know you have the skills to do the job. You just need to convince employers that your skills are what they need. You don’t need another book with empty promises; you need results—you need a job, but not just any job. You want the right job that pays you the right salary. If this sounds like you, then you need the help of the Job Hunting Ninja Master to show you the way to your next dream job. This book is a refreshing new look at the overall job-hunting process filled with relevant expert advice and facts, proven tips and the secrets to finding the job you've been looking for, increasing your salary, writing the perfect resume (or CV) and nailing your job interview in today's job markets both in the US and overseas.

AWARDS FOR YOU’RE HIRED!

The award-winning YOU’RE HIRED! is rated Best in Class by winning the Independent Book Publishers Association 2017 Benjamin Franklin Digital Award.

"I have read 'YOU’RE HIRED' by Frank McClain and have found it a solid reference manual for the job seeker . . . rated 'Very Good' . . . there is a good section on preparation before the interview . . . exceeds user expectations very well . . . follows generally accepted principles of good writing for the genre very well . . . grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. is very well . . . I plan on keeping this as part of my much too large collection of job hunting guides" – IBPA Benjamin Franklin Digital Award Judge

YOU'RE HIRED!

SUCCESS SECRETS TO PHONE & IN-PERSON JOB INTERVIEWS FOR JOB SEEKERS & CAREER CHANGERS

Frank McClain

Copyright © 2017 by Frank McClain

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Publisher's Note. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional career, legal, financial, psychological or health services. If expert assistance is required, the service of the appropriate professional should be sought.

Edited by Clarence Z. Seacrest

Cover design by Prodesignsx

Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/2g7KHou

ISBN 978-0-9982384-6-3 (paperback)

ISBN 978-0-9982384-7-0 (ebook)

A Message To My Readers

I chose to publish this book without Digital Rights Management (DRM). Although DRM may help limit copying and pirating of digital material, it also limits the flexibility for paying readers to enjoy their ebooks on different e-reader devices of their choosing.

Although I agree with other authors that piracy of copyrighted material is wrong, I will not punish my readers by implementing DRM on my books. Therefore, you can be assured when you purchase this book in ebook format, you will be able to read it anywhere, anytime, on any of your e-reader devices.

To God be the glory.

Introduction

If you're in search of a job because you quit your job, were laid off, are changing careers, a first-time job seeker, recent grad, transitioning military veteran, someone who's returning to the workforce after a long absence or employed but looking for your next dream job; you're not alone in this journey and there's no cause for shame. You're among the ranks of millions of people each month (not each year; each month!) who are in search of a new job.

In the January 2016 Job Openings and Labor Turnover report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2.8 million Americans quit their jobs across US government and private sectors over that single month of January. In April 2016, 2.8 million Americans quit their jobs; and in July 2016, 3 million Americans quit their jobs.

This BLS report is just a sampling of the fact that people are job-searching, leaving their jobs, job-hopping and changing their careers by the droves each month of the year. These figures include only those people who voluntarily quit their jobs, not people who left their jobs through retirement or involuntarily through layoffs or being fired from their jobs. That's a lot of people. That's also a lot of competition.

Their story is your story. That's why you're reading a book about job interviews. Obviously, interviewing for a job isn't the only activity of the job search process. You have to carefully prepare your resume; there's the job search until you find the job that interests you; then there is communication that takes place between you and a company or staffing agency recruiter; you have to negotiate what hourly rate or annual salary you want for the job; and finally there's the all-important job interview.

If you're asking yourself, Shouldn't I be reading a book about all these other job-hunting steps first before reading a book about the last step in the job search process—job interviews? Yes, you should. If you haven't covered these other areas of the job search process that must happen before the job interview, then allow me to introduce you to my other book that covers all of these areas in great detail: Job Hunting Ninja Master 2017.

If you've already covered these other areas, then YOU'RE HIRED! is all you need to seal the deal in your next job interview.

In YOU'RE HIRED!, I'll cover where to locate jobs both in the US and overseas, and provide you plenty of websites where you can search for and apply for these positions. We'll look at your competition in the entire private and public sector workforces as you job-hunt and interview for jobs. I'll also cover the company and staffing agency recruiters who will most likely be ones who will set up your job interview for you.

The remainder of this book will show you how to have an Oscar-winning performance in your next job interview. This book will take you step-by-step through everything you need to know and do before, during and after the job interview process to make you stand out above all the other job-hunting candidates and get YOU selected for the job. The hiring manager will say to you, "YOU'RE HIRED!"

Let's begin your journey to your next dream job!

Table of Contents

A MESSAGE TO MY READERS

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

THE JOB INTERVIEW IS A COMPETITION

Meet Your Competition: US Government Employee and Contractor Workforce

Military Veterans and Their Family Members as US Government Employees and Contractors

Meet Your Competition: US Government Employee Workforce

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

The Application Process for US Government Employee Jobs

Welcome to Jurassic Park

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

The USAJOBS and Other Websites for US Government Jobs

Meet Your Competition: US Government Contractor Workforce

The Application Process for US Government Contractor Jobs

Welcome to Disneyland Park

Meet Your Competition: Corporate Employee and Contractor Workforce

Meet Your Competition:  Corporate Employee Workforce

Meet Your Competition:  Corporate Contractor Workforce

Independent Contractors

Dependent Contractors

Job-Hoppers and Jumpers

Contractors are Free Agents

Contractors in the Corporate World

Meet Your Competition:  Seasonal or Holiday Job Seekers

Ride the Wave of Seasonal Hiring

Catch the Holiday Wave of Hiring

Where to Look For Holiday Jobs

Meet Your Competition:  Workforce Living and Working Overseas

Expatriates

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion for Expatriates

Paying Income Tax to a Foreign Country

Pros to Living and Working Overseas

Cons to Living and Working Overseas

Resources for Finding Overseas Jobs and Living Overseas

The Job Recruiters

Retained and Contingency Recruiters

Retained Recruiters

Contingency Recruiters

Recruiter Alliances

The Recruiter's Commission

CHAPTER TWO

INTERVIEW PREPARATION AND TIPS

Start With an Attitude of Gratitude

First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions

Give Yourself Time to Prepare for the Job Interview

Appearance and Attire for Job Interviews

How Your Appearance and Attire Makes an Impression

How to Dress for Visits to Recruiter Offices

Dress for Success When Applying for Seasonal Jobs

Prepare Your Attire Ahead of Time for the Job Interview

Recommendations for Men's Appearance and Attire for an Upcoming Job Interview:

Recommendations for Women's Appearance and Attire for an Upcoming Job Interview:

Research the Company Client

Research the Job Description

Employers Don't Expect You to Know Everything in the Job Description

The Job Description Reveals What Subjects the Interviewers Will Ask Questions About

Your Resume for the Job Interview

Your Resume Review Ensures Your Interviewers Have the Latest Version of Your Resume

Your Resume Review Ensures You Are Prepared to Talk About Your Resume

Certification's and Experience's Place in Job Interviews

Education's Place among Successful People

Success is Not Defined by Education

Successful People without a College Degree

Arrival at Your Job Interview

Introductions in Your Job Interview

How to Prepare Your Introduction for Your Job Interview

Technical Fitness and Cultural Fitness in Your Introduction

How to Include Your Technical Fitness in Your Introduction

How to Include Your Cultural Fitness in Your Introduction

Job Interview Questions and Answers

Job Interview Questions about Your Technical Fitness

A Few Words about My Next Book for Job Hunters

Job Interview Questions about Your Cultural Fitness

How You Should Respond to the Weakness Question

Cultural Fitness Questions and Answers

Questions to Ask the Interviewers and Closure

Closing Statements at the End of Your Job Interview

Role-Playing Job Interviews

Practice Role-Playing with People You Know

Even the US Military Performs Job Interview Role-Playing for Their Departing Military Members

CHAPTER THREE

IT’S GAME DAY—THE JOB INTERVIEW

The Job Interview Process

Prescreening Questions and Answers before the Job Interview

When the Recruiter Asks You the Prescreening Questions

Delay the Prescreening for another Day

Start Answering the Prescreening Questions on the Spot

When the Recruiter Emails You the Prescreening Questions

The Phone Interview

How Phone Interviews Benefit the Interviewers

How Phone Interviews Benefit Job-Hunting Candidates

Can You Hear Me Now?

What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander

How to Call In for a Phone Interview

How to End the Phone Interview

Arrival at Your In-Person Job Interview

Arriving to a Job Interview at a US Government Agency on a Military Installation

Introductions in Your Job Interview

When Staffing Agency Recruiters Meet You at Your Job Interview

When Staffing Agency Recruiters Do Not Meet You at Your Job Interview

Your Initial Greeting at Your Job Interview

The Hiring Manager in Your Job Interview

The Team Lead in Your Job Interview

When It's Your Turn to Give Your Introduction in Your Job Interview

Intelligence Quotient (IQ) versus Emotional Quotient (EQ) for Job Interviews

The Importance of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in Job Interviews

The Importance of Emotional Quotient (EQ) in Job Interviews

Even Presidents Go Through the Job Interview Process

The Importance of Attitude in Your Job Interview

Power Posture, Power Thoughts and Power Words for Job Interviews

How Posture Impacts Your Job Interview

How Power Thoughts and Power Words Impact Your Job Interview

Power Postures, Thoughts and Words—Use It or Lose It

Other Factors That Impact Your Job Interview

How the Chair You're Seated On Impacts Your Job Interview

How Eye Contact and Head Level Impacts Your Job Interview

Where To Put Your Hands In Your Job Interview

Job Interview Questions and Answers

The Interviewers that Ask the Questions

How to Answer Questions in Your Job Interview

How to Answer Questions about Salary in Your Job Interview

How to Answer Questions about How Soon Can You Start Working

Questions to Ask the Interviewers and Closure

Closing Statements at the End of Your Job Interview

Thank the Interviewers for Inviting You to the Job Interview

Ask the Interviewers for the Job

CHAPTER FOUR

AFTER THE INTERVIEW—NOW WHAT?

Sending Thank You Notes

Perfecting Your Craft

Other Job Opportunities

The Wait and the Response

What Happens If the Answer is No

How to Handle Rejection after a Job Interview

STRAIGHT FROM MY HEART

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER ONE

The Job Interview is a Competition

You have to learn the rules of the game.

And then you have to play better than anyone else.

Albert Einstein

So much in life is a competition. We compete for love and attention. We compete in war, in politics, in religions and philosophies. We compete in sports, in entertainment, in social media, in traffic and for the remote control. We compete with siblings while growing up. We compete in school during formal education. Then we compete for jobs throughout our working life.

Like it or not, job-hunting and job interviews are a competition. Some people are in it to win it. Some want to avoid it, but can't. Others are just spectators, watching from the sidelines. Eventually, we all have to compete at one point or another in this activity called the job interview.

Like so many other competitions, the person who masters the proper technique of the competition wins. Mastering any technique requires good coaching, good mentoring, good knowledge, good advice and good practice. Job interviews are no different. That's what led you to this book. You're searching for the knowledge that will help you be a success in the job interview process.

Many people will pay thousands of dollars for the right mentor. Attendees to a Tony Robbins seminar could pay anywhere from $650 for a general admission ticket to $2,995 for a Diamond Premiere ticket. Other people will learn from the tuition-free school of hard knocks (which oftentimes turns out to be more expensive than a Tony Robbins seminar ticket). But you've chosen the best way, the most cost effective way to learn—reading this book.

What if you could learn from someone who's mastered the proper technique in the job interview process to make you a success in your career regardless of what your job is? What if you could sit under the tutelage of someone who's been there; experienced it and succeeded at it? Think of how much time, energy and money you could save; how much pain you can avoid; how much money you could earn; and how much success you could achieve. All you need is the right teacher.

In competition, everyone experiences the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Everyone wins and losses in this competition called life. Everyone falls and rises in the process of learning. But why lose or fall when you can learn from someone else who has been through both—the failure and the success—and has mastered the technique of success?

In these chapters that follow, I will teach you the proper steps to a successful job interview. Before we jump in to those chapters, let's take a brief inventory of your competition.

Meet Your Competition:

US Government Employee and Contractor Workforce

By mid-year 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported there were 21.1 million total US government workers. Among this workforce, there are over 4 million federal, state and local government civilian employees, not counting civilians that work directly in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the US government. On the other side of that government coin, you have over 10 million civilian government contractors who also work at the federal, state and local levels of our US government.

All of these government civilian employees and contractors are employed in over 500 US government departments and agencies both in the US and abroad in other countries. These government departments and agencies cover all areas of US governance. Areas such as transportation, telecommunications, health, education, agriculture, economy, finance, energy, commerce, postal service, drugs and alcohol, Peace Corps, labor, defense, veteran's affairs, homeland security, border patrol, science and international affairs. It's easy to see that a large portion of America's business sectors are made up of civilian government employees and government contractors. A complete listing of the US government departments and agencies and their contact information can be found at https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies.

Military Veterans and Their Family Members as US Government Employees and Contractors

A large part of the US federal civilian employee and contractor workforce is former military members, in addition to spouses and children of active and retired military members. We all want to promote opportunities for our military and their family members after these brave men and women have served their country so well; and government employee and contractor job opportunities are avenues for the American public to give back to our military.

Former military members are oftentimes more willing and able to adapt to the restrictions placed upon civilians working in a government job or the changing working environment of the contractor world. After all, military members routinely change their tour of duty location every 2 to 5 years. They'll move to another state or another country, oftentimes bringing their family and household goods in tow with them; and begin working in a new military assignment for new bosses, new co-workers and new customers on a regular basis throughout their military career.

This tour of duty mentality was used by Reid Hoffman, the co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn, in his book, The Alliance, to explain a more realistic approach by employers and employees in accepting the fact that employment at one job, at one company, at one location isn't for life. According to Hoffman, the biggest lie that employers tell employees is that their employment relationship is for life like a family; and the biggest lie that employees tell employers is that their loyalty to the company is for life.

Working alongside our military as a defense contractor, I've witnessed on numerous occasions where military members served our country faithfully in a military uniform, and when it was time for them to leave the military, they simply changed clothing but not their job. In other words, they continued performing their same job in the government facility, but now they were performing these tasks as a government civilian employee or contractor instead of as a military member.

How is that possible? Because the same or similar job they were performing while serving in the military was also being performed by defense contractors or government civilian employees working alongside them. Upon their release from the military, these military veterans were immediately offered a civilian job—usually with an increase in pay—by a private company or a government agency in the same organization. It happens all the time.

I wish it would happen more often for our military veterans—they deserve it!

Naturally, the majority of people searching for jobs will not have the opportunity to land a job by simply transitioning from a military uniform to civilian attire while staying in the same workplace. Most of us have to go through the job search process and interviewing for a job.

Meet Your Competition:

US Government Employee Workforce

US government employees, also referred to as federal employees or civil servants, are part of the US government called federal civil service that was established in 1871. They are civilians who work directly for and are paid by the