Hey everyone! Welcome to my blog! I’m Chanel, the owner of Dynamic Career Development. So many people have asked me, what inspired me to create DCD. Well, Human Resources is my passion! I love being able to help people begin their new career or advance in their current field. It’s so rewarding to witness! Although it’s super rewarding, it still has its “downs”. In fact, the “downs” are what inspired me to create DCD.  

During my time as an HR professional, I’ve witnessed many folks miss out on job opportunities because they lacked certain interview
etiquette and professionalism. I’ve seen candidates not get selected for an interview because they put little to no information on an application. Sadly, most of the folks I’m referring to are from my community. On the flip side, I’ve seen companies experience turnover because they were just trying to fill a
vacancy instead of selecting the most qualified candidate. There were many times that my professional opinion was not considered because companies were so focused on filling a position. Yes, finding a qualified candidate may take
time, but getting it right the first time beats having to consistently repost a position. 

With that said, DCD was created to make a difference! To help job seekers my community and anywhere else get opportunities presented to
them. To help small businesses become fully staffed and retain qualified
employees. My passion for Human Resources paired with my desire to help others will help this business grow! This is only the beginning! I look forward to working with each and every one of you!  

Have you ever landed the interview for a position you were super excited about? I know I have. It’s an amazing feeling right? Just imagine, walking into the interview with so much confidence, knowing that you’re going to kill it. Then all of a sudden, the interviewer asks if you have experience in an area that you NEVER worked in or trained on. I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve definitely been in that awkward situation before. So what
do you say? I mean, we know transparency is great, but you don’t want to risk losing a potential offer, right?  

At the end of the day, employers want to know that you have the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience to successfully perform the
essential functions of the job. Instead of saying “No, I don’t have experience with that.” answer the question like a boss! With confidence, inform them that while you do not have direct experience in that particular area, you are a fast
learner and are confident that you can successfully complete that task and exceed their expectations. Follow up with your response by sharing a time with the interviewer when you were assigned a task in a previous role that you were
unfamiliar with and how you conquered it. Sell yourself and show them that you can handle whatever is thrown at you. It helps tremendously!  

I have actually been in this situation recently. While on an
interview, I was asked about my experience with benefits, administering leave, long and short term disability, and workers compensation. Since I specialized in recruitment, all of those things were unfamiliar territory. While I never
processed any of those things, I did have a basic understanding of what they were. I answered the interview question with confidence, displaying my knowledge,
willingness to learn, and assurance that I could easily and quickly learn how to process those items. Once interviews were complete, I received a call the next day with a job offer!  

I’ve been at my current job for a few months now. Last week,
in having casual conversation with my manager about interviews. I shared with her how concerned I was about how mot having experience in those areas would affect my interview. She smiled and told me I interviewed well. She informed me that although there was definitely some competition, my desire to learn, the experience I shared, and how personable I was is what made me stand out the
most.  

I say that to say this, you don’t always have to know everything. Don’t feel stumped when an interviewer asks you a question about something you don’t have experience in. Be transparent, but show that you are confident and capable. Remember, you’ve got this!  

Have you ever wondered how to make your resume pop? To make your resume stand out, avoid using common phrases. Phrases such as “accomplished professional”, “team player”, and “demonstrated success”, come off as boring and played out. With
that in mind, it’s now time to think about how you can make your individuality shine. Well, all it takes is a little creativity. You have got to figure out how to make those vague statements unique. Let’s see how we can spice up the common phrases mentioned earlier. Instead of saying “accomplished professional”, use a specific job title, specifically, the one you are targeting. This helps the hiring manager gather a better idea of your skills and abilities. Avoid using the phrase “team player”. Hiring managers don’t assume that you aren’t a team player if it’s not written on your resume. In fact, being a team player is a
soft skill. Employers will dive deeper into determining that and other soft skills on your actual interview. Instead of saying that you demonstrated success in a task, try being more detailed. Show off! Use specific numbers and percentages to support your success. You see how easy that was? So now, I challenge you to review your resume and ditch those common phrases. If you find yourself stuck, contact us for help!