Yes, really.
The critics are correct.
The movie isn’t as good as Wedding Crashers. It is an hour plus promo spot for Google. And
you already know, if not lived, the basic storyline: you spent tens of
thousands of dollars on a world-class education, run yourself into debt for
decades, and wind up doing low value work for no pay at some corporation. Yet,
despite the movie’s stereotypes and clichés there are lessons to be learned.
improve your skype and video job interview
More and more companies are trying to save money by relying
on technology, specifically Skype or video interviewing to screen applicants. It’s
already difficult to prepare for and undergo an interview, Skype and video
interviewing adds another layer of complexity—acting on camera. There are things
you can control to generate a more favorable result than others who are competing
on camera for the same job.
Consider the technical details
Technical details represent a
very important part of the setup: The camera should be at a distance that shows
you from the chest up, so that it captures body movement in a natural way. Too
close the camera picks up facial details. Too distant, it impairs not only the
general quality of the video but the audio part as well. Position the camera vertically
at about the level of your mouth so you are not looking up or down but straight
on. Look at the screen showing the interviewer and not at the camera.
The technology with
Skype has not been perfected and you will notice a 2-3 second delay. On the
screen it looks like the interviewer has stopped talking when they actually
haven’t. Before you respond just wait
the extra second to make sure the interviewer has finished talking. That way you
won’t appear to be talking over the interviewer.
For more tips on
Skype and video interviewing send an email: jane.morethanaresume@gmail.com
You’re making a lot of first impressions
Skype and video
interviews are real interviews. Your answers are weighed and selection
decisions will be made, just as they would if the interview was in-person. In
fact, the interview will be scored and reviewed and shared. More people will
see your interview than is typical for first round phone or screening
interview.
Understand how you are being evaluated
The movie reminded me of my time at
a consulting firm. I was observing a start
class of 40 new hires all right out of business school. There was a week of indoctrination and a week
to work on a case study and present recommendations to the class and a few partners. The team I was observing went straight to
work trying to solve the problem presented in the case study. Eager to make a
good first impression, every day was a 12-14 hour day for them. They were determined to be the
team that came up with the “right” answer. However, there was no answer let
alone a right one. The case study did not provide enough information to form any
recommendations. The team members simply did not understand what they were
being evaluated on—their soft skills.
In the movie and it’s true in the
real-world, people don’t underperform because of their lack of technical
skills, they underperform because of their lack of soft skills. (Calling it
soft skills undervalues the importance of these skills in the workplace.) Vince and Owen’s characters in the movie won
the job because not because of their technical skills but because they were
givers not takers and demonstrated critical soft skills. They:
- Collaborated with cross-functional groups on projects
- Made effective presentations to customers, company executives and/or those in other functions
- Persuaded others to consider different points of view
- Coached and were coachable
- Took direction from others in a matrix environment
- Able to work for a variety of different people each with their own unique style
- Were flexible
- Challenged conventional wisdom and authority
- Helped team members who were struggling
- Were able to prioritize with little direction
- Didn’t need to be the smartest people in the room
- Networked internally—got to know people in organization who became their champions
cultural
fit
For the seventh year in a row, Google topped the list
of the most desirable employers for MBAs, according to a newly published survey
of MBA opinions by research firm Universum USA. Watch the movie and it’s easy
to understand why this is believable.
But it’s not a corporate culture for everyone.
And
that’s the point the movie is making. Your
fit with a company’s culture trumps your technical skills.
Update: Judge Rules That Movie Studio Should Have Been Paying Interns
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/business/judge-rules-for-interns-who-sued-fox-searchlight.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y&_r=0
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