The Monster Blog

The Right Way to Go After an Internal Transfer

Making an internal move in a company is a great way to build your skills and explore opportunities with a community of colleagues who have inside knowledge about how you work. If you’re looking to make a career change, an internal transfer can be a great opportunity, as your potential new boss can get more of the story than your resume and cover letter may tell.

Why should companies encourage and nurture folks to make internal transfers? A number of reasons, including:

• Your proven track record at the company is even better than a professional reference.
• It shows the company’s commitment to employees’ career development.
• Retention, retention, retention.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re looking to make an internal transfer:

• Tell Your Boss: Be as open as possible to your boss about your intentions. In such situations, your boss can be a great advocate for you. And even if your boss does not want to see you go, he will likely understand that your move could be good for the company. What’s more, since you would be moving internally, your boss and team can benefit from a more structured transition than if you were leaving the company altogether.
• Be Professional: Sure, you may know the folks you are interviewing with, perhaps even outside the office, but that doesn’t mean you can forsake job search etiquette. Remember to be on time for interviews and to dress the part of interviewee. Write thank-you notes and go the extra mile, just as you would for an outside opportunity.
• Update Your Resume: You can’t rely on performance reviews and your accomplishments to speak for themselves. You still need to sell yourself. So update your resume and be sure your prospective boss and HR have a copy on file.

For more advice on making an internal transfer, check out these resources:

• “Apply for an Internal Job”
• “Ten Questions to Ask Before Making an Internal Move”
• “Transfer Internally the Right Way”

Top 5 Summer Fashion Commandments

Really, do we need to say it? Apparently, yes. As casual Fridays, global warming and the whims of fashion intersect at work, there comes a time when you should reconsider that top, those shorts or the items on your feet. As your workplace Mr. Blackwell, here are five summer fashion don'ts:

• Thou Shalt Not Flip-Flop at Work: You've read it here before. Christine's post on this topic last year around this time provoked a record-breaking number of comments, the vast majority giving flip-flops at work a thumbs (or toes?) down. Unless your job is poolside, save that shuffle-slap sound for after work.



• Thou Shalt Not Be Too Sheer: One person describes the problem this way: "I have arrived and left the office following coworkers wearing white pants so tight, I thought I might need trauma counseling." While one of today's hot new business buzzwords is transparency, the management gurus are not talking about your tops or trousers. Consider getting a second opinion on those lightweight, form-fitting capri pants and gauze blouses -- or check the mirror before you leave the house.



• Thou Shalt Not Display Thy Beach Booty: This is both a girl and guy thing. Midriff-baring tops and low-rise trousers share so much more about you than your work colleagues really want to know. Navel rings? Tattoos? The whale tail of your thong -- or worse, the plumber's canyon in back if you bend over? Keep them covered in the office, please. Save it for that vacation to South Beach.



• Thou Shalt Not Short Visitors: Some might dispute this one, especially if the culture at your workplace is routinely rumpled. But shorts are not de rigueur just because it's casual Friday, especially when hosting visitors. You can send a seriously wrong impression to a client or prospective new hire who's wearing an interview suit if you're in baggies and boat shoes. Check those Friday appointments -- and maybe stash a pair of long pants in a drawer, just in case.



• Thou Shalt Not Mistake Unclean for Casual: Do you work on your car, clean the basement, weed the garden or paint the deck in those clothes? They should stay home and not come to work -- especially if you are trying to save time and do the dirty jobs before coming to the office. Your coworkers will notice. Same with running or biking gear. While the vast majority of exercise fans do a great job at keeping gym aromas out of the workplace, a single lapse can ruin the entire day for legions of your colleagues. You and your garb must always pass the gunk and sniff test.

One final note: Once there was a summer theater usher in sandals (appropriate attire for the usher's job) who was asked to pick up trash after the show's intermission using the groundskeeper's (that's me) pickup device: A broomstick with a nail on the end. Alas, it was a windy day and, in a moment of frustration, the usher placed her comely toes on a fluttering and willful paper napkin and subsequently stabbed herself in the foot with the stick. I got blamed for loaning it to her. Moral: Wear what's sensible for the job at hand.

For more office fashion tips, try these resources:

• "Dressing for the Interview"
• "Ten Interview Fashion Blunders"
• "What's Business-Casual Attire?"
• "Fast Fashion Wisdom"
• "Summer Office Attire"
• From the Monster Blog: "Dressing for Success Is Always in Fashion"
• Discuss office fashion on the Office Politics message board.

How to Dress for Success

Picture this: It’s a hot summer day, and you’re beating the heat by strolling around your favorite store, looking for a new something special to wear to your job interview next week. You want to look presentable, polished and professional. So what should you wear?

All the clothing choices available can be super-confusing. And in a business-casual world, no matter what the industry, you may be wondering how dressed up you should get.

Well, we’re here to help with your wardrobe questions. Check out these articles on professional interview attire:

• "Dressing for the Interview, by Industry" 
• "Dress Appropriately for Interviews"
• "Look the Part"
• "Casual or Casualty?"
• "Ten Interview Fashion Blunders"

And why not share your own interview dressing tips and tricks on our Interview Tips message board?

Interview Tips from the Campaign Trail

The current presidential primary debates are like first job interviews -- a chance to see how a candidate measures up against other contenders before subsequent interviews, primary votes, party deals and the general election deliver the top job to the winner in 17 months or so.

While I hope most Monster job seekers don't have to interview for that long before getting a job offer, it did occur to me that these early debates offer some glimpses into the interview styles of the candidates. Plus, the comments -- constructive or otherwise -- from media observers and the blogosphere might also apply to ordinary job seekers heading out for job interviews.

So here are some comments and tips taken from the primary campaign trail, which might apply to your interview situation.

Blogger Erin Cox from WTNH-TV in Connecticut noted last Sunday's Democratic candidate debate in New Hampshire was more like "speed dating" than an actual debate. She, and a New Hampshire couple she interviewed, disapproved of the raise-your-hand-on-the-issues polling of the candidates and approved of Senator Hillary Clinton's rebuke to the moderator about it.

Note to Job Seekers: Don't be afraid to reframe a question to make a point about your strengths, and make sure an interviewer knows you stand for something.

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times had several suggestions for Republican candidates at their early May debate in California, among them this item: "Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York…struggled to spell out a fairly complex position on abortion rights that has reverberated across the political field ever since." Nagourney went on to suggest Giuliani needs to find "a way to finesse an answer to the question."

Note to Job Seekers: Take a hard look at your resume, and if there are issues (employment gaps, education, skills, experience) an interviewer might question, make sure you have a clear, confident, concise and credible answer in mind. Practice it.

Lots of commentators have highlighted the role the debates play in establishing -- or undermining -- the conventional wisdom of who is a leading candidate. Frank James of the Chicago Tribute noted: "Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico still had problems delivering a coherent answer on his stance on the immigration legislation before Congress...Definitely not the way to break into the top tier."

Los Angeles Times writer Michael Finnegan quoted a campaign speech by Republican Mitt Romney: "'The best ally of peace is a strong America,' said the onetime Massachusetts governor. Americans 'are overtaxed, and government is overfed.' Values and morals 'are under constant attack.'"

Finnegan then pointed out: "To Stu Spencer, one of Ronald Reagan's top campaign strategists, that timeworn framework - used by nearly all of Romney's rivals for the nomination - falls short of what he see as an appetite [among voters] for change."

A Last Note to Job Seekers: You can never be sure you're the leading candidate, so don't assume you know what the interviewer wants to hear. Prepare for the interview, and find out how to establish yourself as the best candidate for the job.

Look here for more interview resources:

• "Make Interview Preparation a Part of Daily Life"
• "Interview Tips for Landing a Creative Job"
• "Close the Interview"
• Monster's Interview Tips message board 

Related Blogs

• "Students Discuss Their Experiences Working the CNN Debates"
• Pollster Blog 

The Simple Formula for Answering Any Interview Question

Q = A + 1: Your equation for job interview success -- according to a recent CareerJournal article. “Q is the question; A is the answer; + is the bridge to the message you want to deliver; and 1 is the point you want to make,” the article explains.

Using this formula, you can steer the discussion and focus on what you want the interviewer to know about you, while ensuring that you sufficiently answer each of the interviewer’s questions. Naturally, you should be prepared with the different + 1’s you want to communicate. Be armed with anecdotes, ways to explain how you’ve learned from mistakes, and plenty of research and questions about the job you are vying for.

I would add that you shouldn’t twist things around or avoid questions. In other words, Q doesn’t equal +1. That formula will make you sound like a bad politician. Be sure to answer the questions, no matter how hard they may be, and then segue to your additional information the interviewer may have not thought to ask you about.

For more on how to effectively answer interview questions, check out our series: “How to Handle Common Interview Questions.”

Is the Interview Worth the Price of Gas?

This week, my unemployed friend was called for an interview at a company far from her home. She'd applied in the first place because this company offered some unique perks, but with gas still hovering around $3 a gallon, she wanted to know if the salary was acceptable before she drove in for an interview. When she asked for a range, the recruiter told her the company paid a "competitive salary" -- whatever that means. I told her she should go to the interview anyway, because even if this job doesn't work out, it could be the springboard to something more desirable. Tired of "wasting her time and gas," as she put it, my friend decided not to go.

I've altered my driving habits because of high fuel prices, and these costs may rise further depending on where Hurricane Katrina's sister Rita hits Texas (and its many Gulf Coast refineries) tomorrow. And I have a job. I'm sure it's not just my friend who's watching the fuel gauge. Unemployed people who are trying to stretch every penny may be loathe to travel a long distance for an interview if they don't know if they'll be able to afford the commute. On a similar note, I wonder how (and if) high gas prices will affect the job market long-term. (Here's what the transportation industry has to contend with.) What do you think?

Is the Interview Worth the Price of Gas?

This week, my unemployed friend was called for an interview at a company far from her home. She'd applied in the first place because this company offered some unique perks, but with gas still hovering around $3 a gallon, she wanted to know if the salary was acceptable before she drove in for an interview. When she asked for a range, the recruiter told her the company paid a "competitive salary" -- whatever that means. I told her she should go to the interview anyway, because even if this job doesn't work out, it could be the springboard to something more desirable. Tired of "wasting her time and gas," as she put it, my friend decided not to go.

I've altered my driving habits because of high fuel prices, and these costs may rise further depending on where Hurricane Katrina's sister Rita hits Texas (and its many Gulf Coast refineries) tomorrow. And I have a job. I'm sure it's not just my friend who's watching the fuel gauge. Unemployed people who are trying to stretch every penny may be loathe to travel a long distance for an interview if they don't know if they'll be able to afford the commute. On a similar note, I wonder how (and if) high gas prices will affect the job market long-term. (Here's what the transportation industry has to contend with.) What do you think?