Some time ago, I published an article focused on building rapport during the video interview. It is tough to build rapport through a video conference, so that article meets a serious need for job seekers. However, it dawned on me that some very important (and basic) video interview tips were missing from that article. Therefore, I am updating this follow-up article because, after years of assisting numerous candidates with their video interview preparation, I have identified a few straightforward yet essential points that candidates often overlook.

Eye Contact in Video Interviews

Maintaining strong eye contact is a cornerstone of building connection and trust, especially in cultures such as the United States. When you, as a candidate, avoid eye contact, you risk being perceived as disengaged or even untrustworthy. And, of course, this perception will undermine your chances of winning the position.

However, achieving authentic eye contact during a video interview is a challenge. Why? Because candidates often find themselves focusing on the interviewer in order to interpret the interviewer’s body language. As a result, the interviewer sees you looking down or away, rather than making direct eye contact. This subtle misalignment can leave the interviewer with the impression that you are uninterested or not fully invested in the opportunity.

To overcome this challenge, make a deliberate effort to look directly at the camera throughout your video interview. Although it may feel unnatural at first, gazing into the camera creates the illusion of eye contact for the person on the other end. This simple adjustment allows you to forge a genuine connection with your interviewer, which is crucial for making a positive impression during the interview.

To help maintain this focus, consider placing a small reminder, such as a sticky note, near your camera. This visual cue will prompt you to return your gaze to the lens, ensuring your eye contact remains consistent and effective throughout the interview.

Professional Appearance and Background

I once had a candidate conduct a video interview with a poster behind him that said, “Let’s get drunk and dance naked on the table”. 

Yep. 

While the hiring manager thought it was funny, she also questioned his judgment. And no, he didn’t receive a job offer. 

The second key aspect of successful video interview preparation is ensuring both you and your surroundings are professional. I strongly advise conducting a practice session, or dry run, before your interview. This allows you to evaluate how you appear within the video frame and make necessary adjustments to your background.

During these dry runs with candidates, we almost always recommend adjusting the camera angle to achieve a flattering and clear view of your face. Position yourself so that you are centered in the frame, with the camera at eye level, and avoid sitting too close or too far from the camera.

As you prepare, carefully assess your background. Ensure that bookshelves, tables, and desks are neat and orderly. Remove any inappropriate items or images from view. Pay close attention to lighting; natural light from windows can fluctuate throughout the day, potentially causing visibility issues during your interview. Therefore, test your setup at the same time of day as your scheduled interview to guarantee consistent lighting.

Conclusion

A video conference interview doesn’t have to be more daunting than a traditional face-to-face meeting. By incorporating these video interview preparation strategies, you will be well-equipped to present yourself confidently and professionally. Have questions? Please do not hesitate to reach out because we are here to help. 

We also offer coaching. If you would like 1:1 coaching to help with your interview prep, just let us know.

The post Simplifying Video Interview Preparation appeared first on craresources.

According to research conducted by Zippia, 82% of people don’t have a time management system. Wow…how do these folks keep organized at work? My guess is that they don’t, and Zippia’s research agrees by confirming that only 20% of the people polled feel their daily work is under control. 

Time Management Vs Organizational Skills

Perhaps the foundational issue is that most individuals think time management and organizational skills are the same. It is important to note that the act of organizing deals with things while time management deals with the prioritization of and time it takes to do things. Said differently, you can organize your closet, the papers on your desk, or your kitchen cabinets. You can even organize a list of tasks, but leveraging time management will help you increase efficiency by prioritizing the tasks that are more urgent and important. Time management will then enable you to plan when you will perform urgent and important tasks so that they can be completed within a certain timeframe.

A key element to the success of any professional is having strong organizational skills. Likewise, having the ability to prioritize and plan your work is also important. Therefore it is safe to say that organization and time management are quite related. And when it comes to how folks keep organized at work, they have to employ both in order to be successful. 

Here are some great ways to practice both to keep organized at work. 

Make Lists…and Appropriately Prioritize Them

Regardless of whether you make lists on paper, on your phone, or another type of ‘to-do’ or task program, creating lists is a fantastic way to track what needs to be done. Outside of my work-related task list, I write on my fridge. My brain goes into overdrive when I am working in the kitchen so I keep a jar of dry-erase markers on the counter and make lists on my stainless(ish) fridge. If you like this idea but don’t want to write on your appliances, buy a magnetic dry-erase board that will stick to your fridge or hang a small whiteboard in your office, the kitchen, or the family room. The wonderful thing about having such a dynamic and visible venue is that the entire family can participate. 

The art of prioritization…

When it comes to prioritizing your tasks, consider each item in terms of urgency and importance. Why? Because you are going to have ‘urgent’ tasks that really aren’t that important and can be ditched, deprioritized, or delegated. Alternatively, there may be some extremely important projects or tasks that aren’t immediately due. But because of their importance, you can book work sessions on your calendar so that you meet future deadlines without scrambling at the last minute. 

This methodology of prioritization is known as the Eisenhower Matrix and it is highly effective. To note which tasks are important and/or urgent, I add two columns to the left of the list of projects or tasks. I put a tick next to the important tasks in the ‘importance’ column. I then assess the tasks and tick any that are urgent in the ‘urgent’ column. I repeat this process until all of the tasks have been assessed for urgency and importance.  

The tasks that get both ‘important’ and ‘urgent’ ticks get done first. The tasks that are ticked as important but not urgent get scheduled as work sessions on my calendar. Those items that are not important but are urgent I tend to delegate. And anything that isn’t urgent or important is usually ditched. 

Manage Your Email…Don’t Let It Manage You

Email is an important tool, but sending and receiving email can take up a large chunk of your workday. I find that the more I work in my inbox, the more emails I receive. It appears I am not alone as current statistics show that during a traditional work week, the average person receives almost 400 emails. Sometimes I feel like I receive that many per day! 

The simple act of deciding which email to prioritize can be a challenge, so establishing a strategy or process is important if you want to keep organized at work. 

Identify Communication Channels Based on Urgency and Importance

Some communications are urgent. Others are important but not urgent. And unfortunately, some communications are just a waste of time. When it comes to managing your email, start with establishing an overall communication policy. Establishing a clear communication plan helps you to set ground rules as to what should come through email versus other channels of communication. 

For example, if you need to be immediately available to handle escalations, establish a well-communicated policy that all time-sensitive communications should come through a method outside of email like Skype, Slack, Text, TEAMS, or whatever other venue your team uses for urgent communications.

But be firm on this rule because you don’t want your team using the ‘urgent’ or time-sensitive communication venues for less urgent items. 

Color Code Your Emails

Microsoft has a conditional formatting option that I love (love love love). It was a game changer for me when I realized I was able to color-code emails received. For example, I have a specific font and color set up for all of my team members so when any of them send an email to me, their emails show up in a hot pink bolded font. Here is a snippet of what it looks like in my inbox and it makes it really easy to prioritize (or deprioritize) emails sent by my team members.  

I use a different color and font for all of my clients, which means I can go directly to those emails and address them within a very short timeframe. Likewise, emails sent to generic email boxes like our recruiting box, invoicing box, or marketing box are color-coded differently. 

Being able to prioritize (or deprioritize) my email helps me keep organized at work…and in my personal life.

Consider compartmentalizing

One of my beloved mentors, Beth, schedules ‘email’ time as appointments. She books 45 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the afternoon to just work her email. And she honors that time. She will not allow anyone to book over the appointments and she is disciplined in only checking her email during that time. 

I love this approach. 

Unless your position’s primary function is to manage an email box (like my Sourcers manage our recruiting email box), scheduling your email time should be doable. Especially if you have established a venue with your team on how to handle urgent or time-sensitive issues and also use Microsoft’s color coding to help identify which emails should be addressed first.

There are two side benefits of scheduling your email time. First, you can shut down your email tool when you aren’t working in it. Shutting down your email means that you won’t get distracted when that silly notification pops up in the corner of your screen telling you that you just received a new email. Second, knowing that you have a scheduled time slot for managing your email will keep you from disrupting your workflow by randomly checking your email throughout the day. 

Compartmentalizing will help eliminate distractions from your day, while still giving you ample time to address important emails.

Pretend you are an Air Traffic Controller

Air traffic controllers can’t leave an airplane hanging in the air or sitting on the tarmac. They have to deal with every single plane within their purview…every single time. I recommend you handle email with a similar mindset by making a rule that if you touch an email, you deal with it in some way. This doesn’t mean that you should respond to every email. And it also doesn’t mean that for those emails that do need a response you have to do it right away. However, you should have a methodology to prioritize your email so that you can deal with each message appropriately. 

Most emails will fall into one of four categories: They get deleted (or spammed), filed into a folder, responded to immediately, or flagged for future follow-up. The benefit of categorizing each email as you open it is that you won’t have to touch it again until you need to. Which, of course, will make you more efficient. 

For those emails that need follow-up, I use Microsoft’s categories to group them. For example, I use purple for proposals, red to indicate that I need to do something but it isn’t currently time-sensitive and green for those with a topic I want to address with the team during our next huddle. And if the follow-ups are time-sensitive, use Microsoft’s Follow-up flag feature so that you get a reminder when you need to actually follow up on the email. 

Calendars 

Calendars don’t have to be just for appointments. If you have an upcoming deadline, consider scheduling a recurring meeting leading up to the deadline. For example, let’s say that I am presenting a webinar to the ACRP two weeks from Friday. I will schedule a recurring appointment that blocks at least three chunks of time on my calendar. Two of those calendar blocks will be work sessions to prepare for the webinar and the third calendar block will be for the actual presentation.  

CRAs can employ this method backwards. For example, if you have a site visit tomorrow, book your calendar for the visit but make it recurring, blocking future time on your calendar to write the report, follow up on outstanding queries and tasks, etc. 

As a side note, I find that having my entire schedule in one place makes it easier to have balance. So I synch all of my calendars as well as block my calendar with chunks of time for exercise or other personal activities that are important to me. 

You should also consider using the same color coding on your calendar as you do with your emails. That way, you can easily see which appointments are with clients versus team members. You will also be able to quickly identify upcoming deadlines or time blocked for work sessions. 

Know When to Delegate

Being the owner of a task or project doesn’t mean you have to be the ‘doer’ of that task or project. Being the owner just means you are responsible for getting the work done. When tasks are not urgent or not of high importance, consider delegating them. 

Delegating is good for those you delegate to. When you delegate, you are showing your team members that you trust and appreciate them. And in many ways, you are teaching someone a new skill. So where possible (and with proper oversight) delegate tasks so that you can focus on items that are more important and urgent while empowering and developing team members. 

In Conclusion

When you can keep organized at work, you will be more likely to accomplish your personal and career goals. You will also improve your work-life balance, increase your productivity, and reduce your anxiety. 

We hope you find our tips beneficial but feel free to contact us if you have questions or need support!

The post How to Keep Organized at Work appeared first on craresources.

It is standard practice for interviewers to open up the discussion with a question like “Tell me about yourself” or “Walk me through your resume.” I like starting an interview this way for a couple of reasons. First, answering this question typically puts the candidate at ease. And second, the applicant will provide the most important of his/her experience, thus giving me an idea of what he/she is looking for. While there are certain key points you want to make when answering these introductory questions, it is important to know what not to say in a job interview.

While this seems like a benign topic, we just had a very seasoned contract CRA who faceplanted during what should have been a simple interview.  Why? Because she talked about experiences that weren’t on her resume.

The very experienced CRA may be thinking – “there is no way I can include everything on my resume”. We agree. So how do you know what should be included on your resume (and thus be prepared to discuss during the interview)? What other aspects of your brand should you also consider tweaking? And the most important question – how do you know what not to say in a job interview?

You may think my questions are pedestrian. But the answers to them will make or break your results. Check out our latest roundtable where we dig into all the things you should avoid talking about during the interview.

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The post Roundtable: What Not to Say in a Job Interview appeared first on craresources.

Even experienced professionals make job search mistakes. I am continually amazed at how many times a fully qualified candidate has missed out on a job opportunity for reasons other than their skills and qualifications. If you are consistently being ghosted or rejected, perhaps you are guilty of making one or more of the most common job search mistakes.  

Let me take you through them as well as explain why they matter.  

Follow the Job Application Instructions

I know, I know…it seems silly to even bring this topic up. But you wouldn’t believe the number of people who don’t follow the job application instructions.  

Perhaps these candidates feel they will stand out when compared to the other candidates because they approached the process differently. Or (and more likely), perhaps they are underqualified, and therefore don’t have the minimum requirements needed to apply. Or they are overqualified and feel a sense of superiority, that they are above the effort required to adhere to a process when their resume speaks for itself.

Not following directions may cause delays or rejection

Application processes exist to make it easy for the hiring managers to filter through the submittals and to effectively route candidates through the hiring process. There are those who would tell you to skip the application process and reach out directly to the hiring manager or CEO of the company. 

But don’t do this! For example, if you call me directly to express an interest in an open position, I will have to route you through to the team who handles the initial triage and job requirements verification for our open positions.  

By stepping outside of the process, you just sabotaged the effectiveness of your job search by adding an extra step. And of course, this extra step will cause a delay in you being considered as a candidate.  

It also shows me that you are not likely to follow directions or adhere to company policies if awarded the position. 

Following directions shows you have confidence in your own merits

It should be noted that when you do follow the directions on how to apply for a job, you show your potential employer that you are someone who is not only cooperative, but also someone who can and will adhere to company policies.

Most importantly, however, following the directions shows that you don’t need to play games or by-pass the application system because you can stand on your own merit and qualifications. 

By the way, don’t take this advice to say that you shouldn’t use your network while conducting your job search. Follow the application directions first and then reach out to your network for that added personal plug. 

Be Sure To Run Grammar And Spell Checks On All Correspondence

At this point you may be calling me Captain Obvious, but trust me…more of you need to be doing this. I just rejected someone today who clearly doesn’t know how to use bullets.  

Typos show carelessness, lack of attention to details, and that you are “okay” with submitting poor quality deliverables to your employer. The use of poor grammar makes us question your language skills, makes you appear sloppy, and will leave the hiring manager wondering if you are able to effectively interact with the client. 

And it goes beyond the resume

Grammar and spell checks shouldn’t stop with your resume, but should carry through on all your email correspondence, cover letters, and any other writing samples your job recruiter or potential employer requests. 

Oh – and this includes the use of slang during the job search! Submitting a resume or application is not the time to be informal. In many cases I will ask questions through email in order to obtain a writing sample and I can’t tell you how many times I rejected an otherwise qualified candidate because he or she used some type of slang, smiley face, or other informality in their email response (y’all is a big one I see in the South).

If it is requested to include your salary requirements, please do

Don’t be one of those candidates who believe that your credentials are so great that the hiring manager will offer you whatever you are asking after they have gotten to know you throughout the interview process. 

Perhaps you do have amazing qualifications, but the reality is that the company has a budget, and you shouldn’t waste their time (or yours) if your salary requirements are too expensive for their financial plan. If you are truly flexible on your salary requirements because other things are more important to you (experience, career growth opportunity, better work environment, better location, travel, etc.), then be sure to state that in your submission. 

You might be flexible in your salary requirements, but if providing your salary requirements is part of the application process, you should follow the application directions and provide what your expectations are. Not sure what your compensation or requested Contract CRA hourly rate should be? We can help. 

Customize your resume and cover letter for every application

A written objective in a resume can be the death of a candidate. I was hiring a Backoffice team member and one particular applicant’s objective stated ‘To obtain an entry level position as a financial analyst in a company where I will be able to grow and meet new challenges’. 

Not a bad objective, right? The problem is he was applying for a position with me as a recruiter. 

Hmmmm….. 

I cannot even begin to tell you how often I receive a resume and application for one job type when the resume’s objective indicates the candidate is clearly looking for a different job type!  This is an immediate turn off and will get your application rejected every time. 

You have heard me say it before but it is worth repeating: There isn’t a hiring manager alive that doesn’t want to believe that you have hand selected their opportunity.  Okay – so maybe you are submitting hundreds of positions, but don’t make it obvious!  Always tailor your resume to draw the hiring manager’s attention to how you meet their job requirements – point by point. 

Additionally, don’t underestimate the value of a well written and tailored cover letter. Your cover letter is your calling card and should give the hiring manager the impression you have hand-picked this position. In addition, it is incredibly important to articulate how you believe working for this particular company in this particular position will enable you to obtain certain skills and experiences, and how it will assist you in meeting your overall career objectives.

Never leave unexplained gaps in your employment in your resume

Every hiring manager will want to know why gaps in employment history exist. 

Every time. 

No exception. 

Don’t leave the reasons for the employment gaps up for the hiring manager’s imagination!

Don’t apply for positions where you are seriously underqualified

I rejected a candidate once who clearly met none (zero…zilch) of the minimum job requirements and her response to me was “well, it didn’t hurt to try!” 

Yes it does. 

Applying for positions when you are seriously underqualified shows poor judgment.  It will not only get you rejected from that position but will keep you from being considered for other, future opportunities within the same company…even those future opportunities you may be qualified for. 

This advice doesn’t apply to those who are only slightly underqualified. It is okay to dream and shoot high, but be smart about it. Many hiring managers are willing to consider candidates who are only slightly underqualified, so if you are missing one key requirement or come slightly short on the years of experience, then by all means apply for the position. However (and this part of the recruiting tip is very important), you need to own the limitation by clearly calling that weakness out in your cover letter. In addition, make sure you describe how other skills will compensate for that weakness and how you will still be effective and successful in the position.

Don’t apply for positions where you are way overqualified

…without explanation. The question I always have for candidates who fall in this category: ‘Why are you applying for a position you are clearly overqualified for?’. 

If you are purposely looking to step back out of passion:

Sometimes we see senior level candidates apply for CRA positions because they have made a decision to step back into the role because they truly love it. And if that is the case, then wonderful! We love working with CRAs who love the role. But please tell us that when you apply, because if no explanation is offered, you are allowing our imagination to run wild.

For those of you who just need a position:

I do understand. Sometimes things happen and you just need a job and are willing to step back into a more junior role. But be careful and explain the ‘why’ when it comes to applying for positions you are well overqualified for during the job search. The hiring manager will be concerned about many things, including:

• You will become bored in the position and become frustrated or start feeling “stuck”
• You will abandon the position as soon as something at your level becomes available
• You are going to be dissatisfied with the compensation
• You will be embarrassed to “take a step back”

And the hiring manager may wonder if you will be able to take work direction from younger, lesser qualified people. 

If you have decided to apply for a position you are overqualified to do, you should openly state why you want the job (needing to cut back on hours for family reasons, have decided on a career path change, or even because you have been out of work for a while and need some income, etc.). Then be sure to address those reasons in your well-tailored cover letter.

Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.

Additionally, it is critically important for you to call out that you know you are overqualified and be sure to address the potential objections a hiring manager will have up front in your cover letter. By dealing with potential objections and concerns up front, you are more likely to obtain that coveted interview.

Don’t use gimmicks to draw attention to your resume

No one wants to see your picture on your resume unless you are applying to be a supermodel. Don’t add zippy graphics or get creative with the font or format unless, of course, you are applying to be a graphic designer. In addition, no one cares that your hobby is rock climbing, water skiing, or taking long walks on the beach. 

Make sure your resume looks clean and professional and all the content is relevant to the position you are seeking. One last note: don’t include extras when they aren’t requested such as copies of your training certificates and bios of your life story. Especially if those extras do not have relevance to the position.

In all cases, think about how you come across!

Please realize that you are selling yourself in every interaction. For example, think about the email address you are using. I once immediately rejected a candidate because her email address was “divaprincess”. 

Did I really want to take a chance on assimilating someone who believes she is a diva into my well-oiled machine? Absolutely not! 

Additionally, make sure your voicemail message is professional and if music is played while the caller is waiting, please select an appropriate song. If you need to leave a voicemail for a hiring manager, think it out, write it down, and rehearse it. If the hiring manager has scheduled a call with you, be prepared. 

Finally, do not include silly things like confetti in your submission packet or put your resume on brightly colored or perfumed paper. You should appear professional in every interaction.

We hope this helps! If you are a CRA and need some advice on how to avoid typical job search mistakes, feel free to reach out. We are here to help! 

The post 9 Fatal Job Search Mistakes to Avoid appeared first on craresources.

I was fired once.  When I worked for IBM, I was a project executive for a large client. The senior project executive and I butted heads over how to deal with them…and he decided to remove me from the project.  AKA – I was let go from the project and had no idea how to recover from being fired.  

It broke my heart.  

I was embarrassed. But I was also humbled. As most people do in my situation, I felt powerless and angry. Oh…and I felt grief. After all, I had put my heart and soul into supporting that client and was stunned at being released. How could they go on without me? (Did I mention I felt humbled?)

While getting fired from a job will always result in a sudden life change, it is important to be thoughtful of your next steps. For me? I was assigned to a new project within IBM and within a short time was promoted, so I guess you can say that I landed on my feet.  So what did I do to recover from getting fired?

Keep Calm and Carry On

I was in a town board meeting one night when one of the commissioners made a motion to fire the town secretary.  Another commissioner quickly seconded the motion and the vote commenced. Her termination was not only effective immediately, but she was in the room when it happened.  

Taking notes. 

I cringed in my seat as everyone in the boardroom gazed at the town secretary. What she did was impressive…she kept on doing her job.  There was no drama or outburst…just a continuation of note-taking.  

I wasn’t the only one in the room impressed and she had another position offered to her before she left the town hall that night.  

Ask why 

Staying calm is important because this will enable you to ask questions. You have the right to seek clarity as to why you are being let go. Be sure to be analytical, asking for the details behind the decision.

I would also note that it is important to understand that the decision to terminate you may have more to do with the company and less to do with you. Perhaps it was a cultural misfit or there were creative differences between you and your supervisor. Understanding the actual reasons that led to your termination will provide you with the details you need to grow (individually and professionally) as well as guide you in future career choices. 

If your release isn’t related to your performance but other things like budget cuts, downsizing, or cultural fit, consider asking if there are other opportunities for you to consider within the company.

Leave gracefully

Several years ago I was witness to someone getting fired from a job when he picked up the phone and threw it against the wall. 

Do not do this. 

Don’t shout. Don’t storm out. Don’t threaten or otherwise become combative. You will be emotional, but maintain your professionalism. If this employer sees you in a positive light during this extremely charged situation, they may consider you for other future positions. Also remember this is a small and tight-knit industry, and it is therefore highly likely your current supervisor will move onto another company at some point. This is a time to impress your supervisor with your professional and thoughtful reaction – translate this advice into “Don’t burn your bridges”.  

Another thing to consider: if you make it clear that you want to learn from the situation and leave on a good note, this supervisor may be willing to offer a positive reference to a future potential employer. And don’t forget to thank your supervisor for his/her time as well as the valuable experience you gained while working with the company.  

Once you have left, do not blast your previous supervisor or company on social media. You can’t take it back once it is out there and the impression it will leave on others about you will not be positive. 

Don’t defend yourself – even to yourself  

Instead, analyze (and then analyze some more).

Getting fired can be an opportunity for growth, but only if you own your termination. Even if the termination was a result of something besides your performance, use this experience to assess, improve, and learn.

If it was due to your performance, take some time to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Most would offer that you need to focus on improving your weaknesses, and while I don’t disagree theoretically, I feel it is more important to be aware of, improve, and leverage your strengths. Your strengths come naturally to you; therefore, not only are you more likely to enjoy performing those tasks, but you are also more likely to naturally perform them in a competent way. Alternatively, you will be less likely to excel in tasks you don’t enjoy, so consider what you did and didn’t enjoy about your previous position.  

Understanding your strengths will also help you better define your career path as you can select roles based on tasks in which you know you perform well. After you have assessed your strengths, then come up with a plan to address your weaknesses while leaning into your strengths to be successful in your next role.

I would also note that performing this analysis will help you answer the “Why should we hire you” question during your next interview. 

If you were released due to the ‘other’ things such as cultural fit or downsizing, spend some time considering what type of company you want to work with next. What type of company culture will fit your work style best? Are the companies you are considering working with growing, remaining static, or reducing in size? Consider if these companies are conducting studies that are of interest to you. Do these companies offer you the ability to grow your career?  

Own your next career choice…do not allow getting fired from a job to keep you from being in control of your next move. 

Branding Yourself After Getting Fired

Update your resume.

Refresh your LinkedIn.

Do not stretch the dates of other positions to hide getting fired. 

I would much prefer to represent someone who will own their mistakes than someone who hides them. Professionals who own their mistakes learn from them. And being able to discuss what you learned from getting fired is how you brand yourself.

So What’s Next? 

Gather references. Always, always, always have relevant and recent references available who are able and willing to speak to your capabilities. 

Begin to search for new positions. But be picky. 

And, practice your interview skills.

Future employers will ask why you left your last position; therefore, be prepared to gracefully talk about your termination. It seems simple, but folks rarely start by practicing the honest answer to the question: Why did you leave your last position? 

You will want to maintain a high level of professionalism when you answer the inevitable question.  Stay calm, do not gossip, and keep the discussion to the actual topics. This will show how you respond to a difficult situation. 

Additionally, be accountable. Take responsibility where it makes sense to without making excuses.  Be sure to discuss what you learned from the termination, including how this action will help you become a better team member for this particular position. This line of discussion will naturally answer the “Why should we hire you” question without your interviewer even asking it.

Something most won’t tell you is to be mindful of body language. Do not let your interviewer feel you are hiding something. Maintain eye contact, do not squirm, and keep an open body position. Be prepared for questions related to how you will not repeat the same error in a future position. 

Finally, Give Yourself a Break

You may grieve over the loss of your job or assignment.  I did. And you know what? Even after my ego stepped up I realized that it was okay to be upset…so give yourself a break. Finding ways to get over this surprising life change is a healthy way to deal with getting fired. 

Find an Agency to Support You

Branding yourself after getting fired from a job can be tricky. We can help you overcome the stigma of being released from a previous position.  Be open about your situation and let us know how we can help.

The post How to Recover from Being Fired appeared first on craresources.

The CRA hiring process has transformed, like work conditions, over the past few years. At the onset of COVID, we saw clinical research pause in many areas but then raced to restart once the industry learned how to adapt to the travel limitations thrust upon us by the pandemic. Because of the time lost during the pause, the industry is currently struggling to make up for the missed milestones and keep up with a huge backlog of work. This has meant a significant spike in the demand for qualified CRAs, resulting in higher rates and more CRAs looking to shift around to better opportunities. As a result, our industry is fundamentally different, and hiring managers have their work cut out for them if they’re interested in attracting high-quality CRAs in order to catch up.

Changes in the CRA Hiring Process in the Post-COVID Era

While many industries may consider themselves to be in a “post-COVID” situation, we believe many in our industry would agree that the“post-COVID,” statement is somewhat facetious. Regardless of the lingering danger of the virus, COVID has left its mark on our industry, and I believe we can all agree COVID isn’t likely to go away anytime soon. The industry has been irrevocably changed in that:

• Remote monitoring is more significant than ever before. With navigating increased patient safety protocols due to the virus, many sites have closed or limited access to outside research personnel. Research sites and Clinical Operations Teams have had to adjust their monitoring methodologies in order to come up with viable alternatives to regular onsite monitoring.  Remote work has slowly crept into the industry, as it has in many other industries, but COVID changed this slow creep to a full sprint. Travel opportunities are slowly opening as requirements are changing, and vaccines are widely available, but we believe that the uptick in remote monitoring is here to stay. 
• The pay rate for CRAs has increased. As mentioned in the introduction, COVID has turned up the market heat tenfold. As research stopped and restarted, researchers in the industry have sought to catch up on the missed time. This has meant a higher demand for CRAs as there have been more positions to fill all at once. It’s undoubtedly something you have heard your economics professors squawk thousands of times before, but it’s true- the sudden, exponential increase in demand for CRAs has caused supply to go down and rates to go up.
• There is a perceived CRA shortage.  Because of the fight to make up for lost time and because of the uptick in demand for CRAs, many sponsors and CROs are struggling to compete when it comes to attracting high-quality monitors to work on their projects. While we disagree that our industry is experiencing a ‘CRA Shortage’, unfortunately, we are seeing many hiring managers embrace this perception, causing these teams to ‘settle’ for underqualified CRAs, under-performing CRAs, and/or overpriced CRAs.   
• Travel has decreased. The increased difficulty of travel has changed the CRA hiring process drastically. Instead of searching for qualified CRAs in a specific region or location, hiring managers need to ask themselves what frequency of onsite monitoring is really needed and how that will manifest itself in the geographical location of the CRAs they’re willing to hire. Depending on a position’s travel requirements, you may be able to widen your pool of CRA candidates as proximity to sites may not be a significant factor. 

The Hiring Process: Change With the Times

We operate in a fundamentally different world than we were in the years prior to 2020. But luckily, as with any change, there are things you can do to get ahead of the curve and, therefore, your competition.

Transparency and Flexibility

Being transparent regarding your requirements is critical.  For example, travel might be the deciding factor for some CRAs. Some love to travel, some are indifferent, and some will avoid it. Be clear about your position’s travel requirements by explicitly mentioning in all descriptive material surrounding your open position where your CRAs will be required to travel and how often. This can help you attract CRAs with preferences that are the closest match to your position’s requirements.

In tandem with this, the value of flexibility can never be overstated. We have a wonderful client who has firm requirements in terms of ‘bottom in chair’ hours as they expect their contract CRAs to be online during normal business hours. Often we identify perfect CRAs as their qualifications and experience match our client’s position requirements and values. They interview well, their references are glowing, and they seem to be an ideal fit. However, many of these CRAs will not agree to the set ‘bottom in chair’ schedule.  

We have another client who requires their CRAs to travel nationwide.  Simply changing the nationwide travel requirement to a regional expectation would significantly open this client’s pool of high-quality CRAs. 

Transparency and flexibility will not only help you to attract CRAs who are a match for your open positions, but it will also help you to keep them once onboarded.  

Move Quickly

While the market is expected to cool down over the next few quarters, rates are unlikely to go back down, and the market is still very hot. This means that highly qualified CRAs are snatched up quickly. If you find the CRA you think is the perfect fit for the position you’re looking to fill, pounce at the opportunity. If you want to enable your hiring process to move more quickly, you can:

• Button up your CRA hiring process. Many organizations have hiring processes that are ornery, outdated, and too slow. The most qualified candidates are sometimes contacted, interviewed, and contracted on the same day. If you drag your feet, you could miss out. Seek to eliminate any hang-ups or factors that may postpone your processes. If a key decision-maker in your process is out of the office or otherwise unavailable, redundancies should be in place that allows the process to continue regardless. 

• Incorporate rapid initial screens. A short phone call, zoom meeting, in-person meetup, or any other format can satisfy this. Once you’re interested in a candidate, the goal is to contact them as soon as possible and begin the screening process to let them know you’re interested. If you still aren’t ready to pull the trigger, schedule another interview with additional personnel to keep the candidate engaged and give your team a chance to finalize your decision about moving forward.

• Eliminate the pre-interview assessment. If you are working with a top-notch firm like craresources which already preliminarily screen candidates for industry knowledge and experience, consider ditching the laborious pre-interview assessment. Since our candidates come to you fully vetted, you can feel good about skipping straight to the interview knowing that we’ve already done the basic prequalification steps ahead of time.

Keep an Eye Out for Fraud

Unfortunately, the industry’s prevalence of fraud remains one of the top concerns of hiring managers moving forward with candidates. We’ve written a series of blog posts on the topic, but ensure you aren’t rushing to hire in this hot market without doing your due diligence. 

As we mentioned in part one of our blog posts on fraud, it’s been found that 40% of hiring managers would move forward with candidates even when those candidates are caught in a lie. Much of this is likely due to bias and personal preference; if you’re looking for the right hire, try to remain unbiased and keep your focus on the candidates’ responses during the hiring process.

Outsource Your Search With craresources

Outsourcing your CRA search can help your organization streamline your hiring process. craresources is steeped in the industry, has access to thousands of qualified CRA candidates across North America, and will help you find the right CRA resource(s) for your next project. In addition, outsourcing will save you time and money as we do all of the heavy lifting; CRA candidates who are pre-qualified with craresources have proven track records as we not only confirm their previous experience but also confirm their competency.

Contact us today to see how craresources can help you!

The post The CRA Hiring Process: How Has it Changed? appeared first on craresources.

When looking for high-quality work, it’s essential to think carefully about the people you hire. What makes a good consultant? What are some signs of poor-quality consultants? Identifying key traits can be an effective first step in improving your workforce and ensuring that every hire is right. 

How to Identify Poor Quality Consultants

We are receiving hundreds of applicants for every position. So how do you avoid hiring poor quality consultants when you are being overwhelmed with candidates? The first step is to learn the key indicators of what makes a consultant poor quality, so you never have to settle for a candidate that mediocre or doesn’t fit your needs. 

Red Flags for Poor Quality Consultants

To help you identify poor-quality consultants, we’ve put together some easily identifiable red flags. When reviewing a candidate for your company, you should utilize caution if you encounter any of these red flags and inquire further about their relevance to the position you are hiring for. 

Poor Employment History 

Does your candidate have unexplained gaps in employment or short tenure with multiple employers? These issues aren’t necessarily deal-breakers, but you need to know the reasoning behind the gaps or short tenures before you make a decision.

A red flag would be if the candidate has a trend of leaving contracts for better opportunities before their initial contract terms had expired. I also pay close attention to complaints about previous positions. If the candidate complains about work-life balance or travel, I dig into how that position may (or may not) differ from the one I am offering. 

Here at craresources, we make sure to ask these questions to determine acceptable reasoning before submitting candidates to our clients, but you may also want to conduct a background check to investigate other components of their work/life history.

Insufficient Knowledge

Being a CRA is a job that requires strong industry knowledge and experience. Even if the resume looks flawless, a candidate worth the current market value should be able to easily answer questions about their monitoring skills and clinical trial experience in an interview. However, when asked these questions, if the candidate seems to have trouble confidently formulating answers or describing their relevant experience, they may lack the knowledge necessary to get the job done. 

Poor References

With the prevalence of fraud in this industry, it’s important not only to receive qualifying information from the candidate but from relevant references as well. When you ask the candidate for references, tune into how he or she responds to the request. Did the tone of voice change? We often sense a shift in energy or notice a slight change in their demeanor. Behavior like this may betray a lack of confidence in their past experiences with their references, or they may be concerned with even providing relevant references.

A quality CRA candidate will follow your reference process. And their references will respond quickly with excellent feedback. If the candidate’s references are nonresponsive or lukewarm, you may want to question if that candidate is of the right caliber for your organization.

Green Flags For Quality Consultants

When hiring CRAs, you should actively seek out these traits to find the best candidates.

Honesty

No one is perfect, and that is okay. However, this is why you should actively avoid anyone who claims to be! When we see ‘perfect’ resumes, we dig deeper. When we interview candidates, we always ask about prior missed deadlines or difficulties in the workplace. The ideal candidate will be straightforward and honest about their shortcomings but should also offer insight into how they have worked to rectify them. 

Communication Skills

Communication skills and mastery of the English language should be the first thing you notice about a candidate. Is the resume easy to browse with sufficient relevant details included? Can the CRA clearly and thoroughly articulate their expertise and experience during the interview? Skilled communicators make any project, task, or meeting go smoothly. Therefore, good communication skills are critical when judging a candidate’s aptitude and avoiding poor-quality consultants. 

Relevant Experience

You may be looking for a CRA to monitor a specific study with a focused therapeutic area, or perhaps you are looking for a diverse range of therapeutic experiences so that you can utilize the CRA on different projects. Whatever your needs may be, I recommend you create an interview template that outlines all of the skills and experiences your team requires.   

Let craresources Help

With hundreds of applicants expressing interest in every position, it can be a challenge to sort through all of the candidates to find the best fit. This is why you should consider looking to a firm like craresources to assist you in finding the right consultant. We go above and beyond to ensure that all of the candidates we source are qualified and devoid of fraud so that the hiring process can go as smoothly as possible.

Of course, the job isn’t finished on the hire date. We remain in contact as an unbiased point of contact for both our clients and the CRAs we place. Our goal is to always ensure the entire contract term is as productive as possible. Contact us today to see how we can help you.

The post Never Settle: How to Avoid Hiring Poor Quality Consultants appeared first on craresources.

To all of you Sponsors who have expressed the desire to conduct your studies independently, coupled with the concern that you can’t do it without a CRO…I am here to tell you that you can do it.

You can plan and execute your own studies independently.  

As many Sponsors have experienced, making a decision to hire a CRO does not guarantee success. The reality is that you, as the Sponsor, will still be responsible for the CRO’s actions and results (success or failure), and you will therefore be left to deal with all financial consequences of a failed study.  It is essential that you understand what options you have when it comes to the successful execution of your clinical research projects. 

Knowing how to conduct a study without a CRO gives you options. This knowledge will also help you manage the CRO more effectively if you do decide to engage one. 

Many Sponsors find that conducting their studies without a CRO enables them to exercise more quality control over their data, build stronger relationships with their investigative sites, and handle their clinical monitoring program in a more effective way, all while scaling down dependence on an outside party. 

It can also save them money and minimize their risks…If done properly, that is.  

Because conducting a study without a CRO partner can be easier said than done, I wanted to share some tips from some of our Sponsors who have figured out how to conduct a study without a CRO.

Assess your Internal Team Resources 

While many organizations are eager to conduct their studies without the help of a CRO, they find it challenging because they lack the knowledge within their current resource pool.  Or, they have the knowledge but not the bandwidth.

So how have other Sponsors solved this problem?  Typically, Sponsors will create a core Clinical Operations team and then supplement certain areas via consultants, vendors, or partners.  A couple of simple examples:

• If the study is a small phase I or II, keeping the regulatory affairs role in-house may make sense.  However, if the study is a very large, global phase III, engaging an international regulatory consultant who understands regulatory requirements across multiple countries would make sense.  
• Many sponsors decide to maintain the management of clinical operations in-house (monitoring and management of the study) but outsource the data management to a CRO or third-party vendor.  
• When planning and/or executing a study across the globe, consider using country-specific small to mid-sized CROs to provide your monitoring and regulatory resources.  They will work as we do, providing the resources to work directly for you, which will give you control (and save you the overhead) while still being able to navigate the monitoring and regulatory requirements of their countries. 
• You can also consider pursuing a hybrid option such as keeping larger and later phase projects with the CROs while managing all-new, earlier phase projects in-house. 
• Another option would be to fire the CRO in terms of clinical monitoring (thus hiring your monitors independently or through a firm like ours) but keep the CRO engaged for all of the other aspects, such as study design and startup, and data management, and regulatory affairs.

Assess your Technology Systems

Tracking your own data…well, that is the point, isn’t it? Using tools like an electronic data capture (EDC) system, electronic Trial Master File (TMF) systems, and document repositories will streamline the data tracking process. Still, they can be quite an investment for sponsors. 

I have worked with sponsors who have the resources and/or knowledge within their existing resource pool to conduct a study without a CRO, but they haven’t invested in technology platforms.   

While we are still working with Sponsors who are conducting paper studies, the investment into technology platforms is critical for long-term success.  And while this investment can be significant; we have seen various EDC and eTMF companies offer reduced rates due to the travel restrictions and industry challenges caused by the COVID pandemic. With that being said, there is never a better time than now to take advantage of our current ‘travel restricted’ climate when it comes to exploring technology systems.    

A warning for those of you who have been using a CRO and are considering breaking away from that partnership:  If the CRO you have been using has the study data from your previous trials in their data systems, the CRO may not be legally required to give up that data. Or, if they are required to hand over your data, you still may have to fight for it.  Additionally, you will have to transfer the data into your system, which will include not only the investment in the technology needed to house the data but also the cost of the actual transfer. 

Assess your Ability to Engage Sites

One of the ‘selling features’ many CROs have in their arsenal is that they have a network of sites they can engage for your studies.  When you decide to conduct a study without a CRO, you need to know how to select and engage your own sites. 

Outside of site identification (consideration of patient population, key opinion leaders, etc), the process to activate the sites is complex, including tasks such as negotiating contracts and budgets, gaining IRB approval, ensuring essential documents are collected and stored, technology has been established at the site, site resources have been trained, pre-enrollment regulations such as informed consents and financial disclosures have been completed, etc. While performing these tasks is possible, it is essential to consider whether you and your team can handle the workload. 

Assess your Ability to Write SOPs, Monitoring Plans, Investigator Brochures, etc

CROs are good at this…they use ‘tried and true’ monitoring plans and SOPs.  From standard operating procedures to monitoring plans to investigator brochures, these documents are critical for governing the execution of your study. Therefore, regulatory and clinical documents should be concise, balanced, non-promotional, and will take significant time to create. If you are going to conduct a study without a CRO, you must either know how to write your plans, procedures, and investigational materials yourself or know where to find someone to help (hint, we do that). 

Onboard your own Clinical Research Associates

The last topic to address, and one we feel is the most important when conducting a study without engaging a CRO, is to onboard your own CRAs.  The Clinical Research Associate and Site Manager role(s) is, in our opinion, one of the most essential roles of the trial.  

The CRA can make or break your study.  This is the one role that ensures the human participants are safe; the reported data is accurate, complete, and verifiable; and the study is conducted according to the Sponsor’s protocol as well as the appropriate regulatory bodies.  

Everything related to the study culminates with the effectiveness of the CRA.  Since it is such a critically important role, why wouldn’t you want to select your own CRAs? If using a CRO, you often aren’t able to handpick your CRAs, and we feel that is one of the reasons why the attrition level of CRAs hired through a CRO is so high. 

Now that you have Learned How to Conduct a Study without a CRO…Do it Seamlessly with craresources

While a CRO can help streamline the clinical trial process by handling anything and everything related to planning and executing your study, learning how to conduct a study without a CRO can help you cultivate a more hands-on relationship with your research. As a leading Clinical Research Associate (CRA) Recruitment Agency, craresources is dedicated to providing Clinical Research Associates and Site Managers to those Sponsors who elect not to use a CRO. To learn how to conduct a study without a CRO, reach out to our expert team to connect with contract and permanent Clinical Research Associates and/or Site Managers. 

The post How to Conduct a Study without a CRO appeared first on craresources.

Remember to follow up with a thank-you note quickly, while the interview is still fresh in your mind. This is vital as it keeps you in the mind of the interviewer . Do this by email, then by a hand-written note. You may feel that this is being overzealous but it isn’t. In today’s world, the email is critical because the job could be filled before your hand-written note could be received, which is normally 5-7 days. It is always good to do the hand written note as it goes to intent. Mention something personal that was discussed during the interview, be sure to be honest and reiterate why you think this job and company is a good fit for you. Proof-read your note to make sure there are no errors, in grammar or spelling.

Then, even if this particular job falls through, check back with the interviewer on a frequent basis in case something else comes up that might be a good fit for you. Please read our article Ten Fatal Interviewing Mistakes.

Follow our interview tips for advice. Also, be sure to opt into our email course for guidance and help in preparing you for this interview.  You can also follow us on Pinterest and “Like” us on Facebook!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
http://www.craresources.com/
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Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace. Check out our Blog for additional interview tips. 

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You must be ready to show your enthusiasm, passion, confidence, and sense of humor.  Always keep in mind that a smile can be heard as well as to be seen.  Then above all that, you must be patient & ready to listen.

Our articles on How to Conduct Powerful Phone Interviews will be helpful; then follow our interview tips. Also, if you click on the picture below, there is an article to additional advice on preparing for that phone interview.  Be sure to opt into our email course for advice!

Check Out This Great Article How to Persuade Someone to Hire You Over the Phone.

You can also follow us on Pinterest and “Like” us on Facebook!

Investing in a Lifetime of Success,

Angela Roberts
www.craresources.com
Facebook

Are you considering a career change? If so, sign up for our Job Seeker email course which provides valuable insight into how to become more competitive in the marketplace. Check out our Blog for additional interview tips. 

The post Do You Know How To Score Your Next Phone Interview? appeared first on craresources.