6 things not to say in a job interview

6 things notlage to say in a job interview6 things not to say in a job interviewYoud be surprised how many people think these are fine responses in a job interview.Believe it or not, most interviewers arent trying to trick you. They want you to do well in the interview, and be the candidate of their dreams. As the interviewee, however, its easy to overthink or underthink a question and respond in a way that raises a red flag. Our job-search experts at Ladders have gathered 6 of the top flag-raising phrases candidates say in interviews, and were telling you what youre really saying to the interviewer.You say Im a highly motivated, proactive problem-solver. They hear I have no noteworthy skills. Rattling off a list of industry jargon and phrases that anyone can say (but cant prove) shows your interviewer that you couldnt think of a solid skill related to your profession to use to describe yourself. Lean on your elevator pitch here and show why youre the best candidate for the role.Yo u say Whats your vacation policy?They hear What do I get out of this job if youre so lucky to hire me? The company is hiring you because they have a need. Your job as a candidate is to prove that you are the person who can meet their needs and help the company meet their goals. Prove that you can grow the business, improve processes, and contribute to the bottom line. Save the perks talk for negotiations after youve been offered the job.You say My greatest weakness? Im a perfectionist. They hear Nothing. You havent given the hiring manager any insight into what youre like as a worker, or how you power through your own shortcomings. This is your opportunity to show how you can grow as a person and team member. Be honest, share a flaw youre aware of, and explain the steps youre taking to overcome it. Providing a fake weakness makes you sound rehearsed at best, like you have something to hide at worst. Here are a few more tips for answering this tricky question.You say My last boss? Te rrible.They hear Im unprofessional. Everyone has gripes about their job or employer. But no matter how bad your situation was, you should never, I repeat, NEVER badmouth an employer. This makes you sound like an unprofessional complainer, and potentially difficult to get along with.You say What do you do around here?They hear I didnt do any research The most important thing you can do as a candidate is research the company youre interviewing with. Search online for employees who could potentially be interviewing you, and get an understanding of their background. If youre not prepared for the interview, what else might you be unprepared for in the future?You say No, I dont have any questions. They hear Ive heard enough, Im not interested. Theres no way you know everything about the job, culture, and company at the end of an interview. So by not asking questions, youre signaling that you dont care to learn more. Arrive with a list of probing questions in tow that prove youre prepared, interested, and can continue an engaging conversation with your interviewer.

4 LGBTQ female entrepreneurs changing the game

4 LGBTQ female entrepreneurs changing the game4 LGBTQ female entrepreneurs changing the gameTim Cook might be the first name that comes to mind when you think openly gay CEO. In fact, before Cook came out, tzu sichbeie were no openly gay CEOs in the Fortune 500. But there are countless other women (and men) challenging the status quo of what it means to be an entrepreneur. We love the below women who have forged their own path. Created their own careers. And continue to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community.Gigi GorgeousBeing inspired keeps up alive. And YouTube star Gigi Gorgeous, currently clocking 2.2 million followers on the video platform and 2 million on Insta, is nothing short of inspiring. Born Gregory Lazzarato, the middle of three brothers, Gigi began sharing YouTube videos from her bedroom in Toronto in 2008. They were confessionals, makeup tutorials, and normal goofy videos with high school friends. At the time Gigi identified as a gay male, receiving support from b oth her parents. Her brothers appeared in videos alongside her as well. It was after losing her mother to cancer that Gigi posted a video officially identifying as transgender. That was December 2013.Shes spent almost a decade in front of the camera. She edits all her own videos. Shes taken acting classes and made a few moves in the world of cinema. As to who she wants to work with? Any major star would be amazing, she says. I really love acting. But shes also broken barriers, working with major brands like Pantene and Crest- what she calls pinch me moments. When I signed the deal for the Crest campaign for 3D White, I bawled my eyes out to my dad, but it shows what you put in, is what you get out.Being a transgender woman I know the hardships that the people in my community go through, she says. I think its important to get my story out there for the world to see. We saw this with Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox theyre huge media icons but they made transgender a household topic and thats really powerful. It changes peoples perspective.For our full bewerberinterview with Gigi click here.Ingrid NilsenIn the world of YouTube there are those considered to be top of their game. Beauty blogger Ingrid Nilsen is one such name. Her charm and smile are infectious. As is her honesty.In her coming out video titled, Something I Want You to Know, Ingrid told her subscribers the she was gay. The video has over 15 million views to date. Im gay, she tells the camera, laughing and crying, it feels so good to say that.Though it felt natural and important to her, it was also a big step in bringing my audience closer and letting them in. I didnt want to hide. I didnt want to shut them out.YouTube has been a space where people can be themselves, and be themselves in whatever light that is that day and receive acceptance, she says. I think thats why its why its so accepting of the LGBTQ community. Its rooted in authenticity and acceptance at its core.For our full interview with Ing rid click here.Nicolette MasonWe think its maybe a little too obvious about how much we fan girl over writer and influencer Nicolette Mason, but the sharp-witted bloggers is the real deal. I never thought working for a fashion magazine was ever in the realm of possibility for me, said blogger and writer Nicolette Mason. I had the education and the background, but there was no one who looked like me. No one I could look to as an example, she shared. When Vogue Italia reached out to me and asked if I would be a contributor and a year from that point Marie Claire asked me to come in as a columnist and I penned a column for five years it was so amazing and surreal to know that my voice did have the potential and ability to be part of the mainstream.Nicolette says, Its the job of content creators and media creators to reflect our real world.For more on Diversity and Representation in Media click here.Rachel Berks, founder of OtherwildOtherwild Founder Rachel Berks didnt set out to open a boutique shop slash graphic design studio (making her an official slashie), but when the graphic design world and a brief stint at William Morris designing presentations for fast food companies didnt align with the vision she had for her future, she shifted gears. Otherwild was born in LA in 2012 and just opened a second location in New York this past May.Now shes focussed less on fast and more on building community and offering an inclusive space for the LGBTQ population. Its the glue that binds Otherwilds followers together and also sets her apart as a business owner. You might recall Rachel as the unapologetic force that brought back The Future is Female shirt after seeing the image on HerStorys Instagram, which focusses on the herstory of lesbian imagery. Shes also committed to representing the multi-dimensional and expansive queer community.For our full interview with Rachel click here.This article first appeared on Create Cultivate.

How To Succeed as a New Project Manager

How To Succeed as a New Project Manager How To Succeed as a New Project Manager How To Succeed as a New Project Managerby Carol MilanoThe most important thing for a new project manager to keep in mind is to understand your employers expectations, and to make them visible, advises Professor Linda Nozick, Director of Cornell Universitys program in Systems Engineering. Start out by thinking about what youre getting into. Whats the condition of the project? Can you get what you need to do a great job? Make your own assessment to be sure this project is doable, Nozick explains. Do your homework Find out the existing company knowledge about this project, all the background information, any relevant documents, and the current thinking.Some key questionsExactly what does your employer expect?When is the date they want it?Will you have access to all the needed resources and staff members?What is being promised to the client or co-workers?Usually, projects are part of a larger program. For exa mple, if your assignment is to design a car part, someone is overseeing the entire car, or a bigger component. Identify the subject matter experts on your gruppe, so that all of you can sit down with the program manager and discuss the project. If this isnt a brand-new team, ask whats happened so far, and where stumbling blocks might be, Nozick suggests. If a previous project manager has been promoted, go talk to them.If this project had not succeeded, was the original commitment unrealistic, the funding insufficient, or were the resources too limited? Depending on the projects history, you may need to make adjustments or reassignments. With team members who are older than you, remember that age is just one dimension, Nozick emphasizes, If youre assigned to an ongoing project, ask to be involved in renegotiating the deliverables. Always share all the goals with all your team members. Make sure that no one working for you (or for your customer) is surprised.Nozick stresses knowing yo ur role in the organization. If the project manager has direct customer contact, simply introduce yourself, very courteously. You could say, Ill be taking over the project and I look forward to working with you. Please feel free to contact me.How can you tell if youre succeeding? Are you making your milestones and deliverables? Are your team members generally happy? If theyre learning, expanding their own skills, and gaining confidence, then the project is likely to be moving along well, also, says Nozick.A new project manager may be nervous, having never been in this role before. You may not yet know the politics or behavioral issues of dealing with team members ( even if youve been one) and the people you report to, Nozick observes. Project managers have to work with everyone on their team. Keep the right perspective its irrelevant whether you have the same interests or lifestyle outside of work. Having team members outside the U.S. presents multi-cultural dimensions. People may have different ideas of how to interact and communicate. Always respect those differences.Nozicks observations reflect a trend. Im receiving an increasing number of requests to help teams understand differences in work styles among team members, reports Lenny Borer, a communications trainer in Portland, Oregon. Hes developing new exercises to improve interactions among staff members working on projects together. For many people, its eye-opening to realize that the personality clashes they have with other team members are really based on classic, predictable style differences, Borer finds. Theyre glad to learn specific ways of flexing their own style to work with someone who seems different. One approach is trying to modify the golden rule think about treating others the way they want to be treated. That isnt necessarily the same as the way youd want to be treated.