Careerchat IV

[Isis]

I have an interview (remote) next Thursday afternoon for one of the two roles I recently applied for in the NHS. 

The bad news is that I have to give a presentation too, and they won't give me the presentation title until I arrive at the interview. 

Has anyone done one of these unknown presentations at interview? 

NB the post is a management role (basically the UK lab that does all the microbiology testing of blood and tissue donations). So it's not like it's sales or anything where you're expected to perform on a regular basis. 

I have lots of experience of academic and professional teaching and tutoring. I'm not bothered about giving presentations. It's just the UNKNOWN that's freaking me out. 

Any thoughts or advice? 

 

[Derfel Cadarn]

53 minutes ago, Isis said:

I have an interview (remote) next Thursday afternoon for one of the two roles I recently applied for in the NHS. 

The bad news is that I have to give a presentation too, and they won't give me the presentation title until I arrive at the interview. 

Has anyone done one of these unknown presentations at interview? 

NB the post is a management role (basically the UK lab that does all the microbiology testing of blood and tissue donations). So it's not like it's sales or anything where you're expected to perform on a regular basis. 

I have lots of experience of academic and professional teaching and tutoring. I'm not bothered about giving presentations. It's just the UNKNOWN that's freaking me out. 

Any thoughts or advice? 

 

Can you prepare sone generic stuff that can apply to most things to givr you a start?

Like at school; the subject of the French writing paper was a secret, but regardless of the topic, one always managed to find a way to talk about school subjects, and one’s sports and hobbies, and how one enjoyed visiting museums and the beach with one’s friends.

[RhaenysBee]

On 9/19/2021 at 5:19 PM, Isis said:

I have an interview (remote) next Thursday afternoon for one of the two roles I recently applied for in the NHS. 

The bad news is that I have to give a presentation too, and they won't give me the presentation title until I arrive at the interview. 

Has anyone done one of these unknown presentations at interview? 

NB the post is a management role (basically the UK lab that does all the microbiology testing of blood and tissue donations). So it's not like it's sales or anything where you're expected to perform on a regular basis. 

I have lots of experience of academic and professional teaching and tutoring. I'm not bothered about giving presentations. It's just the UNKNOWN that's freaking me out. 

Any thoughts or advice? 

 

I used to design and run assessment centers for candidates for manager roles. My two pennies:

The purpose of these exercises is to get an idea about the way you think. Nobody expects you to deliver the same presentation in terms of content you would deliver if you had a full day to prepare. What they can and probably wish to asses is what you choose to spend the very limited prep time on and how you deal with the pressure that your time is very limited. They might look at what you choose to focus on in terms of content, if you can prioritize or attempt to discuss everything in detail (you can’t). How you can translate hard data and expert knowledge into condensed, focused yet simple messages the audience can follow. They might look at how you interpret the task, if you find a new angle or out of the box solution, how well you utilize and allocate your time for the presentation and how the time crunch affects your presentation skills. 

The most important thing you should keep in mind is that there isn’t one right solution, that nobody expects you to conquer the world in the short time you get to prepare, and that this opportunity is for you to share your ideas and way of thinking (not to give them what you think they want to see and hear). - This is what I used to tell candidates when I gave them the presentation topics. 

The best of luck with your interview! 

 

[Zorral]

Why finding a job in the US is difficult despite those who do the hiring insisting they are suffering terrible labor shortages.

https://www.vox.com/recode/22673353/unemployment-job-search-linkedin-indeed-algorithm

For a lot of job searchers the problem can be the hiring process itself, which doesn't work well -- like just about every system in the US isn't working well.  They were dysfunctional prior to pandemic, but the covid emergency-catastrophe intensified what already worked poorly, to often, not working at all.

 

[Isis]

On 9/20/2021 at 8:02 PM, RhaenysBee said:

I used to design and run assessment centers for candidates for manager roles. My two pennies:

The purpose of these exercises is to get an idea about the way you think. Nobody expects you to deliver the same presentation in terms of content you would deliver if you had a full day to prepare. What they can and probably wish to asses is what you choose to spend the very limited prep time on and how you deal with the pressure that your time is very limited. They might look at what you choose to focus on in terms of content, if you can prioritize or attempt to discuss everything in detail (you can’t). How you can translate hard data and expert knowledge into condensed, focused yet simple messages the audience can follow. They might look at how you interpret the task, if you find a new angle or out of the box solution, how well you utilize and allocate your time for the presentation and how the time crunch affects your presentation skills. 

The most important thing you should keep in mind is that there isn’t one right solution, that nobody expects you to conquer the world in the short time you get to prepare, and that this opportunity is for you to share your ideas and way of thinking (not to give them what you think they want to see and hear). - This is what I used to tell candidates when I gave them the presentation topics. 

The best of luck with your interview! 

 

Thank you so  much for this! I have come to terms with the fact that I cannot control this situation. As someone who massively over prepares for things this is quite scary. But, I can see that they cannot penalise me for not giving an amazing presentation or being an expert on whatever they ask me to cover. But they will obviously get an idea of how I work under pressure and I am ok with this. I will obviously be nervous but I can function under pressure.

Another tip I was given is that the presentation is the part of the interview where the candidate holds the reins - this means that you can choose to take a tip from politicians and get in a couple of key things you want to show or mention about yourself regardless of what you are asked to do (you can find a way to shoehorn your key item/s in there). Whereas during the normal part of the interview, the people asking the questions are in control and you can't just talk about something totally different to what you've been asked. So I'm planning to try and do that too.

[BigFatCoward]

41 minutes ago, Isis said:

Thank you so  much for this! I have come to terms with the fact that I cannot control this situation. As someone who massively over prepares for things this is quite scary. But, I can see that they cannot penalise me for not giving an amazing presentation or being an expert on whatever they ask me to cover. But they will obviously get an idea of how I work under pressure and I am ok with this. I will obviously be nervous but I can function under pressure.

Another tip I was given is that the presentation is the part of the interview where the candidate holds the reins - this means that you can choose to take a tip from politicians and get in a couple of key things you want to show or mention about yourself regardless of what you are asked to do (you can find a way to shoehorn your key item/s in there). Whereas during the normal part of the interview, the people asking the questions are in control and you can't just talk about something totally different to what you've been asked. So I'm planning to try and do that too.

A key part of our promotion processes are 'blind' presentations. And you cannot over prepare but can definitely not prepare enough.

I found the best thing you can do is work on a structure that you can apply to most situations to follow regardless of what they are asking of you. 

[Isis]

On 9/22/2021 at 11:54 AM, BigFatCoward said:

A key part of our promotion processes are 'blind' presentations. And you cannot over prepare but can definitely not prepare enough.

I found the best thing you can do is work on a structure that you can apply to most situations to follow regardless of what they are asking of you. 

Before the interview I would have said you were wrong on this. But after I would say you were right. Damn it.

[Iskaral Pust]

On 9/22/2021 at 6:54 AM, BigFatCoward said:

A key part of our promotion processes are 'blind' presentations. And you cannot over prepare but can definitely not prepare enough.

I found the best thing you can do is work on a structure that you can apply to most situations to follow regardless of what they are asking of you. 

 

41 minutes ago, Isis said:

Before the interview I would have said you were wrong on this. But after I would say you were right. Damn it.

In bizspeak it’s using “frameworks” to demonstrate your “mental maps”.  And despite bizspeak often only parroting empty phrases in an attempt to obscure the absence of any actual thought, it’s a good thing that these terms reflect a growing emphasis on the ability to coherently organize and convey a rational analysis and logical development for any situation.

Too many people seem to operate by repeating ingrained, unexamined habit patterns absorbed over time, but there is an increasing expectation for people to demonstrate more self-awareness and conscious decision-making based on considered deconstruction of each situation.

But if you’re not practiced at verbalizing your thought process, then any probing for this can feel accusatory and/or pedantic.

[Jaxom 1974]

Got the verbal offer today from that job I mentioned back something like two weeks ago...

3% salary bump only, but it's Food and Beverage Director money with a seat on the Exec Committee of the hotel, just not the F&B Director title until things pick up again. I'm miserable enough in my current position, this seems like a no brainer...

[Iskaral Pust]

4 hours ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

Got the verbal offer today from that job I mentioned back something like two weeks ago...

3% salary bump only, but it's Food and Beverage Director money with a seat on the Exec Committee of the hotel, just not the F&B Director title until things pick up again. I'm miserable enough in my current position, this seems like a no brainer...

Good news then.  A pity you cannot get a larger bump in pay in this hot job market, but I realize catering/dining isn’t awash in profits just now.  Hopefully the change in situation is benefit enough.

[Jaxom 1974]

1 minute ago, Iskaral Pust said:

Good news then.  A pity you cannot get a larger bump in pay in this hot job market, but I realize catering/dining isn’t awash in profits just now.  Hopefully the change in situation is benefit enough.

More money would always be nice, but it's tip dollar for the position in this market. So that's something. 

I just also like the prospect of having more than one day off every 21 or so, give or take...

[BigFatCoward]

46 minutes ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

More money would always be nice, but it's tip dollar for the position in this market. So that's something. 

I just also like the prospect of having more than one day off every 21 or so, give or take...

Wait, what? You currently get one day off every 3 weeks? 

[Jaxom 1974]

10 hours ago, BigFatCoward said:

Wait, what? You currently get one day off every 3 weeks? 

Well. It isn't on purpose. But because we cannot get staff for what we pay, and despite the pandemic still being an issue, people on campus have decided that 2020 didn't happen and that things are lovely and they're going to do everything like they did then, only now, and usually bigger to compensate for missing out the precious year.  The special Homecoming Reception next Saturday for instance, which was originallgoing to be a little thing for 300 to 400 people, which now stands and 1200...

In the early days of the 2020 shut down, the company cut four manager positions. One of which was one of my subordinates. Then during the year, they furloughed my assistant manager and my Exec. Chef.  Then a different manager in another department quit and their solution was to move the restaurant manager to that spot, and thus unfurlough my assistant and put her in that spot.  Meanwhile I'm now out two managers and a chef, and any floor supervisors I had are either gone or not hired (who was hiring for non existent roles in 2020, eh?). No worries, upper management said. You're not allowed to have Catered events anyway, you and your meager remaining staff will simply spend the 2020/2021 school year administering the Quarantine Meal program. Okay. So I'm still employed, but I get my people back in the summer before school starts in the fall of 2021, right? Wrong, they say!  Your department is projected to make upwards of 1 million less this year. So there is no money for you to have more managers. You should have been hiring floor supervisors back nine months ago when you said you'd need them in September, but we're only delivering 50 or so meals a day and not actually getting any revenue for your department for it.  Never mind I'm supposed to be the director of two departments that are vastly different and require a management team of at minimum three, probably four, to be effective.  But you'll be slow they said! 

Never mind the Controller was shocked when he realized he'd tallied up my departments numbers wrong and there was 25k more in sales than he thought for just last week.  That I did 45k in the final week of August.  That this week I'm going to do nearly 45k again.  That next week I'm looking at 50k for the week.  

That might not seem like tons of money week to week, but please note that on a college campus, there can be 20 separate events a day that only average a few hundred dollars in sales at a time.

 

So no...TL:DR...I'm not supposed to be working 21 days in a row without a break. I'm supposed to still get two days off, but as there is virtually no help, I'm covering everything.  (There's been some help here and there, but I'm still here every day because there might be three or four things at 6am, but then another three or four for lunch and then a few more for dinner and then, oh, you have yondriver staff to the concession stand over at the soccer field, which means staying until 9pm or later even though you started the day at 6am...

[MercenaryChef]

On 9/25/2021 at 11:16 AM, Jaxom 1974 said:

Well. It isn't on purpose. But because we cannot get staff for what we pay, and despite the pandemic still being an issue, people on campus have decided that 2020 didn't happen and that things are lovely and they're going to do everything like they did then, only now, and usually bigger to compensate for missing out the precious year.  The special Homecoming Reception next Saturday for instance, which was originallgoing to be a little thing for 300 to 400 people, which now stands and 1200...

In the early days of the 2020 shut down, the company cut four manager positions. One of which was one of my subordinates. Then during the year, they furloughed my assistant manager and my Exec. Chef.  Then a different manager in another department quit and their solution was to move the restaurant manager to that spot, and thus unfurlough my assistant and put her in that spot.  Meanwhile I'm now out two managers and a chef, and any floor supervisors I had are either gone or not hired (who was hiring for non existent roles in 2020, eh?). No worries, upper management said. You're not allowed to have Catered events anyway, you and your meager remaining staff will simply spend the 2020/2021 school year administering the Quarantine Meal program. Okay. So I'm still employed, but I get my people back in the summer before school starts in the fall of 2021, right? Wrong, they say!  Your department is projected to make upwards of 1 million less this year. So there is no money for you to have more managers. You should have been hiring floor supervisors back nine months ago when you said you'd need them in September, but we're only delivering 50 or so meals a day and not actually getting any revenue for your department for it.  Never mind I'm supposed to be the director of two departments that are vastly different and require a management team of at minimum three, probably four, to be effective.  But you'll be slow they said! 

Never mind the Controller was shocked when he realized he'd tallied up my departments numbers wrong and there was 25k more in sales than he thought for just last week.  That I did 45k in the final week of August.  That this week I'm going to do nearly 45k again.  That next week I'm looking at 50k for the week.  

That might not seem like tons of money week to week, but please note that on a college campus, there can be 20 separate events a day that only average a few hundred dollars in sales at a time.

 

So no...TL:DR...I'm not supposed to be working 21 days in a row without a break. I'm supposed to still get two days off, but as there is virtually no help, I'm covering everything.  (There's been some help here and there, but I'm still here every day because there might be three or four things at 6am, but then another three or four for lunch and then a few more for dinner and then, oh, you have yondriver staff to the concession stand over at the soccer field, which means staying until 9pm or later even though you started the day at 6am...

dude.  fuck all that.  our industry is fucking garbage and needs recycled. the pandemic was pretty neat at shining a massive light on the exploitation and greed. fucking horrible shit. i am tired of seeing this same story.

[Jaxom 1974]

1 hour ago, MercenaryChef said:

dude.  fuck all that.  our industry is fucking garbage and needs recycled. the pandemic was pretty neat at shining a massive light on the exploitation and greed. fucking horrible shit. i am tired of seeing this same story.

Oh I do agree with you.  The spotlight upon the F&B industry right now is white hot.  I just hope that things actually can get better.

[Jaxom 1974]

Oh. I did submit my two week notice today.  

[Mexal]

I just got my first verbal offer. It’s a a tech start up that’s likely to go public in next few years. The job will be different then what I do today in an environment pretty far removed which excites me. Total comp is really only 6-20% more depending on my bonus but the RSU package is very enticing given their trajectory. I’m leaning heavily toward taking it, if anything, for a change. Been working in consulting for 10 years now and ready to move on. A little nervous though, would be fairly decent shift in career trajectory.

[MercenaryChef]

On 9/27/2021 at 11:20 PM, Jaxom 1974 said:

Oh. I did submit my two week notice today.  

you got something lined up?

[Jaxom 1974]

5 hours ago, MercenaryChef said:

you got something lined up?

Yup. I did end up taking the F&B Director without the title position I mentioned earlier.  I'm getting everything the F&B would have/do I'm just not getting the title right away. Back to hotels for me.

[BigFatCoward]

13 hours ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

Yup. I did end up taking the F&B Director without the title position I mentioned earlier.  I'm getting everything the F&B would have/do I'm just not getting the title right away. Back to hotels for me.

Please tell me you negotiated for more days off? 

Why is time off/annual leave in America so fucked up?  I read on average it was 10 days, does this include holidays or is it 10 days plus Christmas etc?