Balancing several offers

Q: I have been job hunting for several months. I have two offers in front of me, and both are an improvement of my current role. I am interviewing for a third role this week. How do I keep the first two offers warm without losing them? I need more time to interview for this third role.

A: Congratulations on enjoying success in your search. Timing can be tricky in job hunting though, as you have discovered.

First, a question regarding the two offers you have been presented: have you been given a deadline for a decision? If you haven’t, it is wise to ask when the hiring representative would like to have a decision. Explain that this is an important decision and you want to make sure that you give the offer proper consideration. Obviously if you can ask for a bit more time on responding to these offers, the better. Be reasonable however. A requested extension of a few days is reasonable. A requested extension of a few weeks is not. When you interview for the third role, ask questions about their timeframe and any additional steps in the interview process. You may interview for the third role and decide that it is not as promising as offer #1 and offer #2. Assess the full offer, not just compensation. Compensation is important but so are other factors, like benefits, the commute, the type and variety of work, the workplace culture, as well as the management style of your supervisor.

Realize though that you are traveling a bit of a slippery slope. Asking for an extension of a few days may be reasonable, however it also sends a bit of a message to the hiring representative. Yes, you may need more information but you also didn’t jump up and down and accept immediately. Those of us who extend offers would prefer that a candidate accept immediately. However, we understand that sometimes a candidate does need more time, more information or to discuss it with a spouse, partner or another trusted person. It is a bit of a balancing act.

Glad to hear companies are extending offers to candidates. We are seeing that too. It is good news to share!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Respond!

Q: I am a supervisor and have been hiring for a number of entry-level positions for a company south of Boston. We call and email candidates. They take their time getting back to us and then seem irritated when we have already move ahead with other candidates. Can you tell candidates who have submitted a resume to pick up their phones, clear out their voicemail inbox messages and to check their emails, even over the weekend? Some candidates take 2 to 3 days to get back to us and we already have candidates on our schedules to be interviewed.

A: I agree! It is probably my number one pet peeve on the candidate side of the recruiting process. A common complaint from candidates is that they feel there is a “black hole” when submitting a resume. However, on the employer side, employers can get easily frustrated when a candidate is unresponsive. Candidates should be checking voicemail and email daily, if not several times per day, even on weekends. Some recruiters will have the quiet time to reach out to candidates on weekends and it is always helpful when a candidate replies in a speedy manner. A full voicemail inbox is beyond frustrating! Unless there is a some type of family or personal emergency, a candidate should do their very best to return an email or a voicemail within 24 hours, if not sooner!

A prompt reply to a company’s voicemail or email demonstrates serious interest and a sense of urgency. “This is important to me!” is the message a candidate is sending to a prospective employer! A delayed response indicates that other matters are more important.

With cell phones, most of us can retrieve emails and voicemail messages quickly. Using technology wisely is smart with respect to a job search.

Candidates – you heard it here!

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Landing an internship

Q: I am a student looking for an internship. Where do I start? Everyone tells me they are so important but where do I begin looking? I am overwhelmed.

A: Congratulations on realizing that an internship would be valuable to your professional work history.
Here are some tips on where to turn to find internship leads —

1. The career services office of your school should be your first stop. Often the role of this office is to develop relationships with employers as well as help students track down opportunities. Local employers will post internships at career services offices of local colleges.

2. Family and friends also are a good source. An uncle who works at a biotech might know of an internship within his company. The neighbor who works at a technology company in Cambridge. Or even your professor who consults to tech companies. All of these personal relationships can sometimes yield a promising internship or even a full-time job lead after graduation.

3. Develop a target list of companies and search online to determine whether there might be a need. Some companies, especially larger ones, have a section on their website dedicated to internships.

4. Visit internship-specific sites, like internmatch.com or internships.com. LinkedIn has a specific section on their website featuring only internship roles and includes employers from Analog Devices to The MathWorks.

Finally, develop positive relationships while you are an intern. Smart employers often hire bright interns as full-time employees, after the intern has completed their undergraduate or graduate degree. It is important to demonstrate solid work habits and to build a strong professional reputation.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

Tips for a successful telephone interview

Q: I feel like I don’t shine in telephone interviews, yet they are so common now. How do I make sure that I do well in a telephone interview?

A: You are right. Telephone interviews are an increasingly common way of screening candidates during the selection process. With technology, hiring managers are often overwhelmed at the number of candidates who inquire about a role or a posting. In response, many hiring managers are now spending 30-60 minutes on the phone with a candidate prior to the in-person interview.

Here is how I recommend that candidates prepare for a telephone interview:

1. Take it seriously. Don’t schedule the call while food shopping or walking your dog.

2. Remove distractions. Shut the door, turn off the TV and have child care in place if needed.

3. Use a landline if possible, or make sure that you are in a strong cell area. A scratchy connection is aggravating.

4. Have a copy of your resume in front of you as well as a copy of the job description or posting (if available to you). Research the company in advance.

5. Smile, be energetic and enthusiastic. Convey interest!

6. Avoid early questions about benefits and compensation unless the interviewer raises these topics first. At this stage, assessing your qualifications is the purpose of the call.

7. Ask about the next step. Express your interest in an in-person interview and offer available dates and times.

8. Email a quick note of thanks, even though you may have thanked the interviewer on the phone. In the email, reiterate your interest and summarize your availability.

9. And my pet peeve — check email often after the phone interview! Candidates don’t do this and miss out on opportunities!

With each telephone interview, you should become more experienced and hopefully more successful.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.

A resume fib comes back to haunt an employee

Q: Earlier in my career, I was given some bad advice about my resume. I attended four years of college but never earned an undergraduate degree. About 10 years ago, I changed my resume stating that I had an undergraduate degree. I was 99% there with my degree but never completed all of the requirements and thus never received a degree. I was told that my four years of college was the equivalent so I changed it on my resume. Now, 10 years later, my colleagues and manager assume that I graduated with a four-year degree, which I know I haven’t. There has been some talk about putting our personal work history and educational accomplishments on the website. Now I am getting really nervous. What should I do?

A: This is certainly a stressful position for you. Your situation illustrates how one error in judgment can haunt you years later. Four years of college does not equate to a degree, no ifs, ands or buts.

Here is what I would do. First, find out how far are you from the degree. One course that could be taken online or one course that could be taken over the summer? So get the facts. Maybe it is reasonable for you to complete the degree in a short amount of time.

Your employer may never find out. But if they find out, the outcome could be disastrous. You could be terminated on the spot, especially if you completed an application and stated that you held an undergraduate degree, or if you submitted a resume claiming that you earned an undergraduate degree.

I would ask for a one-on-one meeting with your manager. After researching what you need to do to complete your degree, own up to the fact that you have not completed the requirements. Explain that you received some bad advice many years ago but you are trying to complete the requirements in order to attain your degree. Now…. the big risk is that you could be terminated! Your manager may feel like you have mislead the company and you have. However, hopefully your manager will understand that you are taking steps to complete your degree. Disclosing this information is a risk.

There have been several high profile professionals who have not been completely candid either. The former CEO of RadioShack, David Edmondson, claimed he had two undergraduate degrees, when actually he didn’t have a degree at all. Edmondson resigned in 2006. Marilee Jones was the former dean of admissions at MIT for over 25 years. Jones had attended college for one year but never completed the bachelor’s or master’s degrees that she claimed. In 2007, Jones resigned after MIT discovered the discrepancy. MIT said an anonymous tip was the source of inquiry regarding Jones’ credentials.

This issue is no doubt causing you tremendous anxiety. However, hopefully others will read this and learn from your mistake.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section.