20 Excellent Career Tips From Successful Entrepreneurs| CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS CHANCELLERY CONSULT CHAMBERS, INSTiTUTES, FELLOWSHiP, ETHiKALCAREERS RECRUiTMENT & FOUNDATiON | CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS COMMUNiCATiONS

 

Being an entrepreneur is about the journey, not the destination. For those who have an entrepreneurial spirit, the following career tips are a reminder that it’s okay to fail—it’s all about learning from your mistakes and moving forward. Here are 20 great tips from successful entrepreneurs.

1- Elon Musk – Co-founder of PayPal, CEO of Tesla, and founder of SpaceX

Elon Musk is a South African-born American entrepreneur, inventor, and investor. He is best known as CEO of electric-car manufacturer Tesla, co-founder of PayPal, and founder of commercial space program SpaceX. For an article in Time magazine, Musk was asked whether he had ever doubted his chances of success:

“I always knew that there was a chance of failure in all my endeavors,” he said. “But I felt that they were important enough that I had to try, even if I thought the probability of success was less than 50%.”

2- J.K. Rowling – Author of the Harry Potter series

Known for her bestselling Harry Potter novels that have sold 450 million copies and won numerous awards, J.K. Rowling has a net worth of about US$850 million. Rowling has risen from rags to riches, and as she discussed in her 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University, knows that failure is not a bad thing:

“So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged.”

3- Stewart Butterfield – Co-founder of Flickr and Slack

Canadian Stewart Butterfield is an entrepreneur and businessman, best known for being a co-founder of the photo sharing website Flickr and team messaging application Slack.

He recently shared some advice for young people with Adam Bryant of the New York Times: “Some people will know exactly what they want to do at a very young age, but the odds are low. I feel like people in their early- to mid-20s are very earnest. They’re very serious, and they want to feel like they’ve accomplished a lot at a very young age rather than just trying to figure stuff out. So I try to push them toward a more experimental attitude.”

4- Mark Cuban – Shark Tank investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks

Known for his appearances on the ABC show Shark Tank, Cuban made his fortune through the sale of startups MicroSolutions and Broadcast.com in the 1990s, and later became known as the enthusiastic owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Cuban has made some controversial statements, but he does also give some pretty good advice. “One thing we can all control is effort. Put in the time to become an expert in whatever you’re doing. It will give you an advantage because most people don’t do this.”

 

5- Sheryl Sandberg – COO of Facebook

As the COO of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg juggles the tasks of monetizing the world’s largest social networking site while keeping its users happy and engaged. It’s a huge responsibility, but one well suited to Sandberg, who earlier in her career developed Google’s successful online advertising programs, but also worked as an economist at the World Bank and as chief of staff to then-U.S. treasury secretary Larry Summers.

Here’s her take on how to be yourself at work, no matter what. “I don’t believe we have a professional self from Mondays through Fridays and a real self for the rest of the time. That kind of division probably never worked, but in today’s world … it makes even less sense. I’ve cried at work … I talk about my hopes and fears and ask people about theirs. I try to be myself. Honest about my strengths and weaknesses and I encourage others to do the same.”

 

6- Bill Gates – Founder of Microsoft

Bill Gates is an American business leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, best known as the co-founder of Microsoft. Famous for being one of the richest people in the world, Bill Gates tweeted the following career advice to new college graduates: “AI, energy, and biosciences are promising fields where you can make a huge impact. It’s what I would do if starting out today.” He also encouraged grads to “surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and push you to be your best self.”

7- Simon Sinek – Leadership expert and author

Simon Sinek describes himself as someone who tries to “find, celebrate, and teach leaders how to build platforms that will inspire others.” He is a trained ethnographer and the author of the book Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. In 2012, Sinek tweeted the following advice: “Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.”

8- Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple

As the co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc., Steve Jobs was known for his relentless pursuit of excellence in everything the company did. At the root of his exacting standards was a deep passion for his work. In his commencement address at Stanford University in 2005, Jobs said: “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”

 

9- Jeff Bezos – Founder and CEO of Amazon.com

Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of online retailer Amazon.com and founder of space company Blue Origin, is currently the world’s richest person, with a total net worth of $134 billion as of May 2018. At a forum on leadership in April 2018, Bezos explained that space travel is his calling, and offered this advice: “You can have a job, or you can have a career, or you can have a calling. And if you can somehow figure out how to have a calling, you have hit the jackpot, ’cause that’s the big deal.”

10- Mark Zuckerberg – Co-founder and CEO of Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg is the co-founder and CEO of Facebook and one of the richest people in the world. Back in 2011, he offered this advice to entrepreneurs during an interview at Y Combinator’s Startup School in Palo Alto, California: “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

11- Tobias Lütke – Founder and CEO of Shopify

Tobias Lütke is the founder and CEO of Shopify, a Canadian e-commerce company that went public in 2015. In an interview with Canadian Business, he said: “I really encourage people to find a place that sort of culturally aligns with what they’re trying to accomplish, and then just go for it.”

12- Marla Malcolm Beck – Co-founder and CEO of Bluemercury

Marla Malcolm Beck is the co-founder and CEO of Bluemercury, a luxury beauty retailer and spa that was sold to Macy’s for $210 million in 2015. In an interview with Adam Bryant of the New York Times, Beck offered the following advice to graduating college students: “Bring an expertise or skill set into an organization, or be the expert at something that nobody else is doing.”

13- Chip Wilson – Founder and former CEO of Lululemon Athletica

Chip Wilson, the founder and former CEO of athletic apparel company Lululemon Athletica, now manages a portfolio of companies under the name Hold It All. Back in 2013, Wilson shared the best advice he had ever received with Business Insider: “It took me a long time to understand it, but [the advice was] to ask for help and that I don’t know it all. People love to help. I don’t have to be insecure and know it all.”

14- Brian Chesky – Co-founder and CEO of Airbnb

Brian Chesky, the co-founder and CEO of peer-to-peer apartment rental service Airbnb, told the New York Times’ Adam Bryant that recent grads shouldn’t listen to their parents.

“They’re the most important relationships in your life, but you should never take your parents’ career advice, and I’m using parents as a proxy for all the pressures in the world,” Chesky said. “I also say that whatever career you’re in, assume it’s going to be a massive failure. That way, you’re not making decisions based on success, money and career. You’re only making it based on doing what you love.”

15- Tony Robbins – Inspirational speaker

Tony Robbins is a life and business strategist, bestselling author, and philanthropist. In a 2016 Facebook Live discussion hosted by Business Insider, Robbins shared the advice given to him early in his career by his mentor, the late motivational speaker Jim Rohn:

“Your worth in the marketplace is based on your ability to add more value than anyone else. If you can find a way to do more for others in your company, more for the employees, more for the clients, than anybody else, your gifts will make room for you. But in order to do that, you’ve got to build skills.”

 

16- Maya Angelou – Author and activist

The many inspiring quotes from the late Maya Angelou are evidence of the celebrated writer and civil rights activist’s entrepreneurial spirit. Take this piece of advice, for example: “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

 

17- Melanie Whelan – CEO of SoulCycle

Melanie Whelan, the CEO of fitness chain SoulCycle, believes that new college graduates should focus on the present and not get hung up on what they feel they “should” be doing. In an interview with the New York Times’ Adam Bryant, she said: “The first thing I say is to get a job and work hard. You are going to learn a ton in whatever that job is, so don’t stress too much about what it is or where it is. Just take a job and put your head down, work hard, raise your hand for anything anybody asks you to do.”

 

18- Rick Goings – CEO of Tupperware Brands

Rick Goings, the CEO of Tupperware Brands, began his career as a door-to-door salesman of encyclopedias—a job at which he was not successful. In an interview with Business Insider in 2015, Goings explained why failure is an important step on the road to success: “The experiences you get in failure are some of the best lessons you can apply in life. I truly believe you need to fail in order to succeed. It’s never a straight line to success, and it’s the bumps and pivots that help you get there.”

 

19- Salli Setta – President of Red Lobster

Salli Setta, the president of popular restaurant chain Red Lobster, told Business Insider that she sees lunchtime as a prime networking opportunity.

“It isn’t about saying ‘hi, what are we going to talk about, let’s talk about sports.’ It’s about identifying the object of this lunch in your mind.” Setta recommends preparing questions and ideas ahead of time for a more productive discussion.

 

20- Henry Ford – Founder of Ford Motor Company

Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company and the man who revolutionized the automobile industry by developing assembly line production, reportedly once said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do”—a helpful reminder for those who have entrepreneurial aspirations but have yet to take action!

 

Suggested Responses to 21 Job Interview Questions That Are Designed To Trick You | CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS CHANCELLERY CONSULT CHAMBERS, INSTiTUTES, FELLOWSHiP, ETHiKALCAREERS RECRUiTMENT & FOUNDATiON | CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS COMMUNiCATiONS

1. Sometimes, interview questions can be tricky or confusing.
2. Interviewers ask them to learn more about you – including information you may have been trying to conceal.
3. Here’s how to get around them.

Savvy hiring managers can glean a ton of information about you by asking just a few, well-chosen questions.

But while they may seem simple, some are actually designed to get you to reveal information you may have been trying to conceal. In other words: they’re trick questions.

“To uncover areas that may reflect inconsistencies, hiring managers sometimes ask these tricky questions,” said Tina Nicolai, executive career coach and founder of Resume Writers’ Ink.

But they’re not just about exposing your flaws, said Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.”

“Their real agenda is for your answers to ultimately paint a picture that you are the perfect fit for the job – not just on paper, but from an overall trust standpoint,” Taylor said.

Here are 21 common examples of tricky job interview questions, complete with advice on how to ace each one.

1- Can you tell me about yourself?

Why do they ask this? They ask to determine how the candidates see themselves as it pertains to the position and how confidently they can communicate their skills. “The employer wants to hear that the candidate did their homework,” Nicolai said. “If this opening answer is weak, it can send the remainder of the interview into a tailspin or cut the interview short.”

What makes it tricky? It can tempt you to talk about your personal life – which you shouldn’t! “Most candidates are not versed in seeing this as a trick question, so they may answer by speaking from a personal perspective: ‘I have three kids, I’m married, etc,’” Nicolai said.

What response are they looking for? A focused answer conveying your value to the organization and department. “The employer wants to hear about your achievements, broken down into two or three succinct bullet answers that will set the tone of the interview,” Nicolai said.

Try this, from Nicolai: “I am known for turning around poor performance teams as a result of my innate skills in analyzing problems and seeing solutions very quickly.”

This statement tells the interviewer that the candidate has analytical skills, problem-solving ability, and leadership ability that enables them to turn around business performance.

2- How would you describe yourself in one word?

Why do they ask this? Through that one word, Taylor said employers will be able to assess your personality type, how confident you are in your self-perception, and whether your work style is a good fit for the job.

What makes it tricky? This question can be a challenge, particularly early on in the interview, because you don’t really know what personality type the manager is seeking. “There is a fine line between sounding self-congratulatory versus confident, and humble versus timid,” Taylor said. “And people are multifaceted, so putting a short label on oneself can seem nearly impossible.”

What response are they looking for? Proceed cautiously. “If you know you’re reliable and dedicated, but love the fact that your friends praise your clever humor, stick with the conservative route,” Taylor said.

If you’re applying for an accounting job, the one-word descriptor should not be “creative,” and if it’s an art director position, you don’t want it to be, “punctual,” for example.

“Most employers today are seeking team players that are levelheaded under pressure, upbeat, honest, reliable, and dedicated,” Taylor said.

 

3- How does this position compare to others you are applying for?

Why do they ask this? They’re basically asking: “Are you applying for other jobs?” And they want to see how you speak about other companies or positions that hold your interest – and how honest you are.

What makes it tricky? If you respond, “This is the only job I’m applying for,” your interviewer will worry. Very few job applicants apply to only one job, so they may assume you’re being dishonest. But if you’re too effusive about your other prospects, however, the hiring manager may see you as unattainable and pass. “Speaking negatively about other jobs or employers isn’t good either,” Nicolai added.

What response are they looking for? Go with this response, Nicolai said: “There are several organizations with whom I am interviewing, however, I’ve not yet decided the best fit for my next career move.”

“This is positive and protects the competitors,” Nicolai said. “No reason to pit companies or to brag.”

4- Can you name three of your strengths and weaknesses?

Why do they ask this? The interviewer is looking for red flags and deal-breakers, such as an inability to work well with coworkers or an inability to meet deadlines.

“Each job has its unique requirements, so your answers should showcase applicable strengths, and your weaknesses should have a silver lining,” Taylor said. “At the very least, you should indicate that negative attributes have diminished because of positive actions you’ve taken.”

What makes it tricky? You can sabotage yourself addressing either. Exposing your weaknesses can hurt you if you don’t explain how you’re taking steps to address them, Taylor said. “Your strengths may not align with the skill set or work style required for the job. It’s best to prepare for this question in advance, or risk landing in a minefield.”

What response are they looking for? First of all, do not say your weakness is that you “work too hard.” Interviewers are “looking for your ability to self-assess with maturity and confidence,” Taylor said.

Furthermore, hiring managers want to know that your strengths will be a direct asset to the new position, and that none of your weaknesses would hurt your ability to perform.

5- Why do you want to work here?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers ask this because they want to know what drives you the most, how well you’ve researched them as an organization, and how much you want the job.

What makes it tricky? “Clearly you want to work for the firm for several reasons,” Taylor said. “But just how you prioritize them reveals a lot about what is important to you.”

You may be thinking to yourself, “I’m not getting paid what I’m worth,” or, “I have a terrible boss,” or, “All things being equal, this commute is incredibly short” – none of which endears you to the hiring manager.

What response are they looking for? Hiring managers want to see that you’ve taken the time to research the company and understand the industry.

6- Why do you want to leave your current job?

Why do they ask this? “Your prospective boss is looking for patterns or anything negative, especially if your positions are many and short-term,” Taylor said. The interviewer may try to determine whether you have had issues working with others leading to termination, if you get bored quickly in a job, or other red flags.

What makes it tricky? If not answered diplomatically, your answer could raise further questions and doubts or sink your chances entirely.

What response are they looking for? They hope you are seeking a more challenging position that is a better fit for your skill set or that there’s something specific about their company that you’re drawn to, Taylor said.

7- What are you most proud of in your career?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers want to understand what you’re passionate about, what you feel you excel at, and whether you take pride in your work.

“How you describe your favorite project, for example, is almost as important as the project itself,” Taylor said. “It’s assumed that if you can speak with conviction and pride about your past work, you can do the same during important presentations at the new employer.”

What makes it tricky? Managers may assume that this type of work is what you really want to do most or focus on in the future. It can make you sound one-dimensional if you don’t put it in the context of a larger range of skills and interests.

What response are they looking for? Hiring managers want to see your ability to articulate well and foster enthusiasm in others, as well as your positive energy.

8- Have you ever considered being an entrepreneur?

Why do they ask this? The interviewer is testing to see if you still have the hidden desire to run your own company, thus abandoning ship, Taylor said. “No firm wants to sense this, as they will begin to ponder whether their valuable training time and money could vanish.”

What makes it tricky? Most everyone has considered being an entrepreneur at some point in their lives, but to varying degrees. This question is tricky because you can unwittingly be lured into talking about your one-time desire to be your own boss with too much perceived enthusiasm. An employer may fear that you still hope to eventually go out on your own and consider you a flight risk.

On the other hand, saying “no” outright might indicate you’re not a self-starter.

What response are they looking for? It’s OK to tell a prospective manager that you once considered entrepreneurship or have worked as an independent contractor, Taylor said. It can easily be turned into a positive by saying that you’ve already experienced it or thought about it, and it’s not for you. And that might be more convincing than saying, “No, I’ve never considered that.”

This is an opportunity to discuss why working in a corporate environment as part of a team is most fulfilling to you. You may also enjoy the specialized work in your field more than the operational, financial, or administrative aspects of entrepreneurship.

9- Have you ever stolen a pen from work?

Why do they ask this? James Reed, author of “Why You?: 101 Interview Questions You’ll Never Fear Again,” wrote in his book that hiring managers who ask this are not worried about their inventory – they’re just trying to get a better sense of your level of integrity.

What makes it tricky? We’ve all taken a pen or two, so if you say that you haven’t, then they might think you’re a liar. But if you say that you do it all the time and act like it’s no big deal, then that could be problematic, too.

Reed, who is also the chairman of Reed, a top job site in the UK and Europe, wrote in his book that saying something like “I have once or twice taken a pen from the office in an emergency but I have always returned it the next day or the day after” is a terrible response. Why? The interviewer knows that pen is still on your desk at home and might challenge you.

What response are they looking for? In his book, Reed wrote that going with something more realistic, like: “Well, I’d be lying to say I haven’t ever absentmindedly slipped a ballpoint into my jacket pocket, but it usually ends up back on my desk the following day, unless I leave it at home. I haven’t got a spare room full of paperclips and staplers, though, if that’s what you mean.”

10- What kind of boss and coworkers have you had the most and least success with, and why?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers are trying to ascertain if you generally have conflicts with people and/or personality types, Taylor said.

What makes it tricky? You run the risk of appearing difficult by admitting to unsuccessful interactions with others, unless you keep emotions out of it. You may also inadvertently describe some of the attributes of your prospective boss. If you said, “I had a boss who held so many meetings that it was hard to get my work done,” and your interviewer turns beet red – you might have hit a nerve.

What response are they looking for? “They want to hear more good than bad news,” Taylor said. “It’s always best to start out with the positive and downplay the negatives.”

You don’t want to be evasive, but this is not the time to outline all your personality shortcomings either. This is an opportunity to speak generally about traits that you admire in others yet appear flexible enough to work with a variety of personality types.

Taylor recommended you say: “I think I work well with a wide gamut of personalities. Some of my most successful relationships have been where both people communicated very well and set mutual expectations up front.”

11- If you could work for any company, where would you work?

Why do they ask this? Hiring managers want to ascertain how serious you are about working for them in particular, versus the competition, as well as your level of loyalty, Taylor said.

What makes it tricky? You might get caught up in the casual flow of the discussion and inadvertently leak out some well-respected firms, but this is counterproductive and only instills some doubt about your objectives.

What are they seeking? “Your interviewer wants to know that you’re interviewing at your first company of choice,” Taylor said.

Try this response: “Actually, I’ve been heavily researching target firms, and (your company] seems like the ideal fit for my credentials. It’s exciting to me that (your company] is doing ABC in the industry, for example, and I’d like to contribute my part.”

12- How do you define success?

Why do they ask this? Interviewers want insight into your priorities: are you motivated by big paychecks? Being challenged? Learning new skills? “Or,” Taylor added, “do you take a more personal, individualistic approach to success?”

What makes it tricky? This one is a minefield, since “success” is highly subjective, and even a perfectly reasonable response can be easily misinterpreted, Taylor said. “There’s a fine line between sounding ambitious and appearing as if you’re eyeing the top spot in the office – because you ‘really want to advance and make a difference.’”

What response are they looking for? When questions are broad and leave a lot of room for “a virtual inquisition,” Taylor advises keeping your answers relatively unobjectionable. “Try to define success in a way that relates to the prospective employer, based on what you know from the job description and conversation,” she said. A good response? “Applying my brand expertise to the strategic marketing goals you’ve established for XYZ company, building on your existing success.”

13- What career regrets do you have?

Why do they ask this? Reed wrote that the interviewer is really asking, “Is there something bad about you that I cannot see, and if there is, can I get you to admit it? Do you carry psychological baggage that you don’t need? How readily do you forgive yourself – and others?”

What makes it tricky? “Regret is a loaded word: don’t point it your way,” Reed wrote.

What response are they looking for? Reed suggested giving the interviewer “a little bit of grit,” but says you should try to avoid using the word “regret.”

Instead, “focus on something positive and say you wished you’d done more of it. Then stop talking.”

Here’s an edited version of the sample answer Reed offered in his book:

“All told, I don’t have too many complaints about the way things have gone. If I could change one thing, I’d have moved into the cell phone insurance business sooner than I did. I turned out to be good at that, and I enjoy it too. … If I’d moved into it sooner then maybe I’d have been sitting here a couple of years earlier – but who knows? Missing out on that taught me to take the odd risk in life, and I’m thankful for that.”

14- Why were you laid off?

Why do they ask this? “Employers want to know how you hold up under pressure and less fortunate circumstances such as job loss,” Nicolai says. “They want to hear that you are positive and ready to get back to work with a great attitude. They also want to hear a level of confidence – not defeat or anger.”

What makes it tricky? For starters, you may be bitter or angry about the layoff, and this question may prompt you to bad-mouth your former employer, which you never want to do in a job interview.

“Stay away from finger pointing, desperation, or portraying a victim,” she adds.

What response are they looking for? “Provide a level-headed answer that is focused on a business decision by the company to conduct the layoff,” Nicolai says. “Be sure to not cast blame or any discontent. Stay on track with the facts as you know them.”

15- What would you do if you won $5 million tomorrow?

Why do they ask this? They want to know whether you would still work if you did not need the money. Your response to this question tells the employer about your motivation and work ethic. The interviewer may also want to know what you would spend the money on or whether you would invest it. This illustrates how responsible you are with your money and how mature you are as a person.

What makes it tricky? Questions that are out of left field can ambush you, causing you to lose composure. “They have nothing to do with the job at hand, and you may wonder if there is any significance to them,” Taylor said. “Whether there is or not, the fact remains that you can easily lose your cool if you don’t pause and gather your thoughts before you respond to a question like this.”

What response are they looking for? They want to hear that you would continue working because you’re passionate about what you do – and they want to know you would make smart financial decisions. If you would do something irresponsible with your own money, they’ll worry you’ll be careless with theirs.

16- Have you ever been asked to compromise your integrity by your supervisor or colleague?

Why do they ask this? Your prospective boss is evaluating your moral compass by asking how you handled a delicate situation that put your integrity to the test, Taylor said. “They may also dig too deeply to test your level of discretion.” Essentially they want to know: Did you use diplomacy? Did you publicly blow the whistle? Did a backlash ensue? What was your thought process?

What makes it tricky? Interviewers want to know how you manage sensitive matters and are also wary of those who bad-mouth former employers, no matter how serious the misdeed. “They will be concerned if you share too much proprietary information with the interviewer,” Taylor said. “So it is tricky because you must carefully choose your words, using the utmost diplomacy.”

What response are they looking for? It’s wise to be clear, concise, and professional in your answer, without revealing any internal practices of prior employers. “You have nothing to gain by divulging private corporation information.”

Something like this might work: “There was one time where a fellow worker asked me to get involved in a project that seemed unethical, but the problem resolved itself. I try to be as honest as possible early on if a project creates concern for me about the company, as I’m very dedicated to its success.”

 

17- Can you give us a reason someone may not like working with you?

Why do they ask this? Prospective bosses want to know if there are any glaring personality issues, and what better way than to go directly to the source? “They figure that the worst that can happen is you will lie, and they may feel they’re still adept at detecting mistruths,” Taylor said. “The negative tone of the question is bound to test the mettle of even the most seasoned business professionals.”

What makes it tricky? You can easily shoot yourself in the foot with this question. If you flip and say, “I can’t think of a reason anyone wouldn’t like working with me,” you’re subtly insulting the interviewer by trivializing the question.

So you have to frame the question in a way that gets at the intent without being too hard on yourself. “Hiring managers are not seeking job candidates who have self-pity,” she said.

What response are they looking for? You don’t want to say, “Well I’m not always the easiest person to be around, particularly when under deadlines. I sometimes lose my temper too easily.” You might as well pack up and look for the nearest exit.

Taylor suggested this response: “Generally I’ve been fortunate to have great relationships at all my jobs. The only times I have been disliked – and it was temporary – was when I needed to challenge my staff to perform better. Sometimes I feel we must make unpopular decisions that are for the larger good of the company.”

18- Why have you been out of work for so long?

Why do they ask this? “Interviewers are skeptical by design,” Taylor said. “Sometimes you’re guilty until proven innocent – until all the perceived skeletons in the closet have been removed.” This is a daunting question in particular because it can seem offensive.

The implication is that you might not be motivated enough to secure a job; you are being distracted by other pursuits; your skills set may not be up to date; there is an issue with your past employers, or a host of other concerns.

What makes it tricky? The way it’s worded is naturally designed to test your resilience. The key is not to take the bait and just answer the intent of the question in a calm, factual manner.

What response are they looking for? The hiring manager wants to be assured that you possess initiative even when unemployed, as this drive and tenacity will translate well in a corporate setting.

Sample responses: “I have been interviewing steadily, but want to find the ideal fit before I jump in and give my typical 110%,” or, “I’m active in my job search, and I keep my skills current through [courses, volunteering, social media, business networking groups].”

“If you took off time to take care of a personal matter, you can certainly state that without giving a lot of detail,” Taylor said.

Make sure you’re accountable. Don’t blame the unemployment rate, your market, industry, or anything else. This is about how active and excited you are to be making a contribution to the employer.

19- Tell me about a time you disagreed with a company policy.

Why do they ask this? To determine your decision-making ability, ease of working with others, and most importantly, whether the candidate will speak up after identifying an area in need of improvement.

What makes it tricky? “To say, ‘I’ve never disagreed with a company policy’ is tough to believe from even the most amenable employee,” Nicolai said. “This also sends a message that you may just accept anything that you are told to do without thinking through all possible outcomes.”

Companies want leaders and employees to follow the rules, but they also want people who are going to review potential outdated policies and have the courage to push back and propose changes to maintain a current, competitive edge and productive workplace.

What response are they looking for? Talk about a time when you opposed a policy for a logical and business reason.

“Focus on how your idea to rework the policy was beneficial to the company as a whole. Speak up on the research that you conducted, the facts that you presented, and the outcome of your attempts to have the policy rewritten,” Taylor said.

 

20- How did you make time for this interview? Where does your boss think you are right now?

Why do they ask this? Hiring managers want to find out if your priorities are in the right place: current job first, interviews second.

“They know that the habits you follow now speak to your integrity and how you will treat your job at their company should you undertake a future job search,” Taylor said. “They also want to know how you handle awkward situations where you cannot be truthful to your boss. Ideally, your interview is during a break that is your time, which is important to point out.”

What makes it tricky? The implication is that you’re breaking a company rule. For most employed job seekers, it’s uncomfortable to lie about their whereabouts. So they’re vague and treat it like any other personal matter they handle on their time.

What response are they looking for? It’s wise to explain that you always put your job first, and schedule interviews before or after work, at lunchtime, during weekends if appropriate, and during personal time off.

Try something like: “My boss understands that I have certain break periods and personal time – he doesn’t ask for details. He’s most interested in my results.”

 

21- What’s a difficult situation that you turned around?

What do they ask this? This gives hiring managers a lot of information in one fell swoop, Taylor said. They want to know “not only know how you handle stressful situations, but also how you think through problems, how you define ‘difficult,’ and what courses of action you take when faced with any form of adversity.”

What makes it tricky? It’s easy to interpret this as an invitation to brag about the success of your turnaround. Don’t fall for it. “The emphasis is really on how you generally problem-solve under pressure,” Taylor said. “Do you illustrate any signs of stress as you describe the event? Were you creative, resourceful and prompt in its resolution? Did you follow a logical path in doing so?” Choose your examples extremely carefully, since they’ll give employers a glimpse at what you consider to be “difficult.”

What response are they looking for? Interviewers want to see that you’re a good problem solver, Taylor said. “They place a premium on those who can think clearly, remain professional when under the gun – and those who can recover quickly from setbacks.”

To ace the question, be sure you go into the meeting by preparing with a few examples of times you successfully overcame significant professional challenges.

 

 

 

 

Thousands Of Council Workers Are Being Paid Over £100,000 – TAX ALLIANCE Report

 ICONIC – City Council building

TaxPayers’ Alliance Chief Executive John O’Connell, who campaigns for lower taxes, said the list showed “staggering payouts” were being made at a time when council tax was still rising. He further commented:

“The average council tax bill has gone up by more than £900 over the last 20 years and spending has gone through the roof,” he said.

“Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.

“Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with staggering payouts for those leaving their jobs.

“There are talented people in the public sector who are trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raise serious questions about efficiency and priorities.”

Nearly 2,500 council employees received pay packages worth more than £100,000 last year, a report has claimed.

Pressure group the Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA) Town Hall Rich List ranked the top 20 council executives with the biggest pay packages in 2017-18 and listed the top three as employed by Slough, Wirral and Birmingham councils.

However, local authorities defended the pay packages and stressed that salary was only part of the total, which also included redundancy and pension payments.

 

TPA figures showed 2,454 council employees had pay packages higher than £100,000 in 2017-18 and 608 council employees earned more than £150,000.

High angle view of an unrecognizable person holding group of twenty (20) pound notes. Horizontal shot.

A total of 28 council employees received pay packages higher than £250,000 in 2017-18.

Slough Borough Council topped the TPA list of “highest remunerated” bosses, with interim chief executive Robert Parkin receiving a payment of £595,077 before leaving the position in December 2017.

Individual cases were confidential, a Slough Borough Council spokeswoman said, but she stressed that the figures were being “presented completely out of context”.

She said: “These figures don’t just involve almost a full year’s salary, but also pension contributions and redundancy payments, all of which, in Slough’s case, are only what is contractually and statutorily mandated.”

Wirral Council was second on the list, with a managing director for delivery receiving a payment of £569,423.

No further details were available as the council did not respond to requests for comment and clarification.

Birmingham City Council was ranked third for a payment of £444,775 to its strategic director of major programmes and projects.

A council spokeswoman said the vast bulk of the payment was for £319,304 pension contributions.

However, TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive John O’Connell, who campaigns for lower taxes, said the list showed “staggering payouts” were being made at a time when council tax was still rising.

“The average council tax bill has gone up by more than £900 over the last 20 years and spending has gone through the roof,” he said.

“Disappointingly, many local authorities are now responding to financial reality through further tax rises and reducing services rather than scaling back top pay.

“Despite many in the public sector facing a much-needed pay freeze to help bring the public finances under control, many town hall bosses are continuing to pocket huge remuneration packages, with staggering payouts for those leaving their jobs.

“There are talented people in the public sector who are trying to deliver more for less, but the sheer scale of these packages raise serious questions about efficiency and priorities.”

 

12 Highly Successful People on the Best Way to Avoid Burnout and Stay Creative |CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS CHANCELLERY CONSULT CHAMBERS, INSTiTUTES, FELLOWSHiP, ETHiKALCAREERS RECRUiTMENT & FOUNDATiON | CORPUSVEC SOVEREiGN TALENTS COMMUNiCATiONS

The hustle is real — but creative slumps can also be pretty relentless.

Good news is, this happens to literally everyone (even Oprah has off days!!!). Some of us (i.e. Oprah) are just really good at powering through.

Which begs the question: How the heck do they do it?

Is it grit? Discipline? Pure, unbridled genius?

To find out, we asked a bunch of people in the art, business, and nonprofit worlds—all paid to be creative—how they get their lightbulb moments.

Next time you get the blahs, here are some tips for turning on the flow of ideas.

Move around

“Physical activity lubricates the rusty hinges in my brain and makes my thinking more fluid. So I often take my dog for a quick run or play around the agility park. A 10 minute break shoots some oxygen and dopamine into my system and gets my mind refreshed and creative.”

-Kuba Koziej, CEO and Co-founder of Zety

“I squeeze anywhere from 15-45 minutes of fitness into my workday. Sometimes, it’s just stretches at my desk or a lap around the Twitter campus between meetings. The quick boost of energy is often the difference between powering through my day at full energy and zoning out before the end of the day.”

-Olinda Hassan, Partner on Twitter’s strategy & innovation team

Step outside yourself

“My number one piece of advice is to force self-imposed constraints. When I started my company, I gave myself the constraint of no breakable parts in my [bag] designs. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO DESIGN WITHOUT ZIPPERS?! I accidentally forced myself to make designs that stand out and last longer.”

-Dave Munson, CEO of Saddleback Leather

“I have my most creative moments when I’m talking to other people about the challenges they face. It’s how Stand Up To Cancer’s “Convergence Research Teams” got started — a few years ago, I spoke with some oncologists and biomedical researchers who were frustrated that they couldn’t share data fast enough. Separately, I knew big data scientists who were looking to help in the fight against cancer. We brought them together to see what sparks would fly, and now we have teams of academics, cancer doctors, researchers and computer scientists all working together.”

-Sung Poblete, CEO of Stand Up To Cancer

Find the right tunes

“I’m a big believer in two things to get my creative juices flowing: hype music and physical activity. I can’t tell you how often walking around the block to a playlist of Cardi B, 2Chainz, Beyonce, and Kendrick has hyped me up before a meeting or brainstorm. It has this imposter effect that helps me channel confidence when I’m not feeling optimal.””

-Sashee Chandran, CEO of Tea Drops

“To stay creative I put on house music fairly loudly on a set of headphones. Not only does the music help focus me, others come by and only interrupt me when it’s critical.”

-Andres Lares, Managing Partner of Shapiro Negotiations Institute

Channel your inner guru

“In a world where we are inundated with screens and technology, doing nothing is a luxury. When I get to sit still, clear my mind and fall into the darkness, that is when the thoughts appear. And if that’s not possible, I face paint with my kids. It brings out the creativity with no expectations.”

-Amy Emmerich, Chief Content Officer, Refinery29

“It might sound crazy to some but I have a daily manifesting practice that uses a vision board. Every morning I look at my board full of images of my personal and business dreams for the year. I even carry a picture of my vision board in my phone just in case I need a quick pick me up during the day or I’m traveling. It connects me with why I have a business.”

–Adamaris Mendoza, psychotherapist and relationship coach

Crowdsource for inspiration

“To keep myself focus and inspired, I reach out to other workers in my field by phone or Skype. A one hour talk with an artist friend, sharing our tactics, frustrations and wins, simply fuels me to no end. It makes me want to go directly to the easel.”

-Andrea Castro, visual artist

“The constant curiosity of what other professionals in the industry are doing has always been a catalyst for change. Instagram makes it easy to see what others are creating in other cities and countries … that plays a tremendous role in heightening my creativity.”

-Ron Paprocki, the Executive pastry chef at Gotham Bar and Grill

Regress

“This may sound counter-intuitive, but I get many of my most creative ideas while working on mundane tasks, like running errands or doing administrative upkeep. My mind is always ‘on’ — I’m constantly focusing on the students I work with and goals for my brand. Carving out a little downtime where I can tune these big picture ambitions out and focus in on something simple gives me the mental space I need to come up with innovative ideas.”

-Dr. Kat Cohen, CEO of IvyWise

“I work with a team of digital marketers, and our job requires quite a bit of creativity. Usually around 3 pm each day, we hit a major lull, and have a lot of trouble keeping the creativity going. So we’ll take a break and tell jokes or ask ‘would you rather’ questions. We’ll find a corny, punny, Laffy Taffy-style joke to tell, and everyone will try to guess the punchline. It definitely gets the brain juices flowing.”

-Laurelei Litke, digital marketer at HealthLabs.com