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When Jennifer Watson quit her job to start her own business, she made many right moves to keep the door open to future relationships and references. Jennifer Roberts For The Globe and Mail

When you quit a job, don’t slam the door on the way out <theglobeandmail.com>

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Re-entry: More tips from the experts
Invest in skills upgrading: Staying up to date and having certifications demonstrates initiative and makes you more valuable.
Attend industry events: Staying in touch socially and professionally is a great confidence-builder and highlights your enthusiasm.
Volunteer: Non-profits are great networking opportunities, and organizing and fund-raising count as work experience.
Learn from the experience: Coming up with lessons learned from non-work activities can be ways that you can show you’ve gained insights from your time away from the work force.
Hone your pitch: Ask friends in your industry or a career coach for advice on how to come across as confident when explaining your experiences in an interview.
Be personal: Your chances of finding a job that isn’t being advertised expand when you network face-to-face rather than by computer.
Be flexible: In this tight market, you may not find a job that is an exact match with the one you held before. Broaden your search and come up with ways to show how your skills can be transferred.
Be a quick study: Demonstrate you are aware of the pressing issues of the field you want to re-enter. The Internet and networking can be great ways to gain the knowledge.
Stay positive: Don’t get discouraged by a few rejections. Everyone is facing a longer job search.

43 Things Actually Said in Job Interviews
By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com writer

“I’m not wanted in this state.”
“How many young women work here?”
“I didn’t steal it; I just borrowed it.”
“You touch somebody and they call it sexual harassment!”
“I’ve never heard such a stupid question.”

Believe it or not, the above statements weren’t overheard in bars or random conversations — they were said in job interviews.

Maybe you were nervous, you thought the employer would appreciate your honesty, or maybe you just have no boundaries. Whatever the reason, you can be certain that you shouldn’t tell an interviewer that it’s probably best if he doesn’t do a background check on you. (And yes, the hiring manager remembered you said that.)

We asked hiring managers to share the craziest things they’ve heard from applicants in an interview. Some are laugh-out-loud hysterical, others are jaw-dropping — the majority are both. They will relieve anyone who has ever said something unfortunate at a job interview — and simply amuse the rest of you.

Hiring managers shared these 43 memorable interview responses:

Why did you leave your last job?
“I have a problem with authority.” – Carrie Rocha, chief operating officer, HousingLink

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

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Norm’s Top Ten Tips

1. Your Resume
   Assume that the Hiring Authority will only SCAN your resume. They will want to see your work history presented clearly and concisely in reverse chronological order. Provide technical details and brag where appropriate. Remember: NO GAPS, NO LIES, NO BS.
2. Your Cover Letter
   Take the time to find out the name of the person who will receive your resume. Nothing puts you on the bottom of the pile quicker than addressing your letter to: “To Whom This May Concern”. Write a crisp, one page letter that states why you are in the industry, why you deserve consideration for the specific position and when you will follow-up.
3. Do Not Send Your Resume Out and then Wait For The Call: FOLLOW-UP
   Mail Order specialists will tell you that, at best, they expect a 2% response rate. This means that if you send out 100 resumes you may get 2 requests for an interview. The squeaky wheel really does get the grease. Improve your odds by following up.
4. Do RESEARCH Prior To Your Interview and Come prepared with Intelligent Questions.
   How do interviewers separate pretenders from contenders? They look for candidates who have done RESEARCH and come to the interview prepared with intelligent questions. At the end of your interview the interviewer will usually ask if you have any questions. Keep your queries focused on the job opportunity and avoid the temptation to ask questions solely designed to demonstrate how brilliant you are.
5. The Obvious:
   Arrive Early For Your Interview. Dress Appropriately (know the corporate culture of the organization – this will help you choose whether formal business attire or smart, casual attire is your best choice. Remember: you’re trying to put your best foot forward and most books are judged by their covers). Don’t Smoke Prior To Your Interview (it doesn’t matter how many mints you munch prior to your meeting, you won’t be able to hide the smell). Don’t Chew Gum (sounds obvious but you would not believe how often we encounter this). Sit Up Straight, Don’t Fidget and Pay Attention. Do not run down your past employers. Don’t ramble when answering questions – keep on track. Do Not Act Cocky.
6. Anticipate questions and practice your answers prior to the interview. Resist the temptation to bluff. If you don’t know the answer, admit it and move on to the next question.
7. Remember: the interviewer is not your priest, rabbi, minister or psychiatrist. Don’t bare your soul – respond to questions fully but choose your words carefully.
8. When your interview concludes, if you want the job Ask For It.
9. Follow-up Letter. Similar to the cover letter: express your appreciation and interest in the opportunity. Keep it short and succinct.
10. The Decision:
    If you make it to the finish line, think strategically: Do I really want this job? Do I want to work with this company or this manager? How are they doing financially (i.e. will they be in business next year)? Will having this job (or working for this company) make me a more marketable candidate in the future? Is this the industry segment for me?

Recruitment Consultant, Lecours Wolfson

As recruiters, it’s our job to source, screen and select the best candidates in the marketplace for our clients.  We offer candidates the opportunity to be introduced to leading hospitality and retail companies that often do not post their available positions.  At this point, candidates will go through various selection processes with the essential component being an interview.

The word “interview” originates from the French word “entrevoir” meaning “to glimpse or catch sight of”.  Basically, that is the purpose of an interview: for two parties to get a ‘glimpse’ of each other, before each decides if they should work with one another.

In our experience, candidates often become anxious prior to an interview and this can impair their ability to portray their knowledge, skills and abilities.  Although it is often suggested that practice is needed to alleviate stress, the true key to success in the art of interviewing is preparation.  If you believe that being prepared is reading the job posting and browsing a website, you may be in for a surprise – good preparation goes far beyond that.  Here are our suggestions:

• Try to determine, in advance, what the company’s approach to interviewing will be:

• • A brief screening to review main topics such as location and salary expectations?
  • An in-depth overview of your employment history and qualifications?
  • A casual meet and greet over coffee to determine mutual interest and fit?
  • Will there be an aptitude test or psychological evaluation?
  • Could the entire process involve more than one of the above?

• Be able to identify the type of questions being asked, and be prepared to answer them appropriately:

• • Behavioural questions are very common.  They are said to predict future behaviour by asking how situations were dealt with in the past.  They key in answering these questions is to BE VERY SPECIFIC and use REAL examples.  Stick to the relevant details (don’t make anything up) and always offer the result of the situation as a conclusion.  You can prepare in advance by coming up with about five or six examples on how you’ve handled issues relating to customer service, management, time management and conflict resolution.  You will be amazed at how these will address most of the behavioural questions that come your way.

• • Situational Questions. These questions use hypothetical situations and ask “How would you handle this?” (vs. “How did you handle it”).  Since you’ve already come prepared with the details of past events, project an ideal response to the situation being presented.  As always, ensure that your answer is relevant to the question; don’t go off topic.

• Read the job description in great detail.  A well-written job description identifies the objectives of the position and key competencies that the employer is looking for.  Use these areas to prepare for behavioural questions by linking past achievements to the expectations for the position.

• Learn about the company from as many sources as possible. And, more importantly, find opportunities to relay the knowledge during your interview.

• • The company’s website should outline its history and overall scope.  Key points that you should research: what is their mission, what is the full scope of their business, who are their customers, how many units do they currently have and are there plans for expansion?  The ‘Press’ section should reveal historical high points and current initiatives.

• • Know the brand – if you are looking to join a division or franchise of a larger branded group, it is important to understand the service standards that dictate their culture.

• • Research other news media.

• • Ask trusted industry contacts.  Find out details from your recruitment consultant, as it is our job to know our clients well.

• • We strongly recommended that you make a personal visit prior to your first interview.  Our industry is about service and it is not enough to know about the company’s product, as it is important to experience it first hand.   You will find it easier to relate your background to their business and most interviewers enjoy hearing your perspective on their business to see if it matches their vision.

• Find out what you can about the company’s culture and dress appropriately for the interview.  If in doubt, it is better to be overdressed.

• Arrive early, but not too early. If someone has asked to see you at      2 pm, assume that they have commitments up until that time.  Yes, you should give lots of time to account for any delays, and announce yourself 10-15 minutes ahead, however, use this extra time to further familiarize yourself with the environment.  Your observations will serve as a valuable resource during the interview – and that will be much more impressive than arriving 30 minutes early only to sit in the waiting room and read the newspaper!

• Be prepared for the Money Question.  This can be tricky – you don’t want to ask for too little, but we’ve seen many candidates sail through the interviewing process only to lose out because they answered the money question by asking for too much.  Always try to relate your answer to the specific position being discussed and to your previous compensation.  Your recruitment consultant is invaluable at this point in the process.  Always avoid ‘this is what I need to pay my bills’.

• Following up after an interview is the way to prepare for the next interview or even your job offer.  You must think ahead and get contact information, mailing addresses and/or email addresses (and especially correct spelling!) for the people that you must thank for their time.  Do so immediately upon return to reiterate your interest in continuing in the process.  Always call your recruitment consultant immediately after the interview.

Preparation begins as soon as you apply for a job and continues well throughout the course of the interview process.  Any bit of information that offers a prospective employer a better ‘glimpse’ of yourself or your interest in the position is key to your success.  Remember, it is not only you that must perform in an interview to get the job of your dreams – the interviewer has the responsibility of selecting the best person for that job.  The goal is to offer them everything they are looking for and make their job easy!!

Good luck!