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July Podcast Roundup: How to Ace a Video Interview and “Calling James Bond”
Security Cleared Jobs: Who’s Hiring & How is brought to you by ClearedJobs.Net and hosted by Kathleen Smith and Rachel Bozeman. Our July round-up included:
- Bonus episode with tips for your next video interview
- Taryn Lazroff, Lead Intelligence Recruiter with Noblis
- Mark Michalski, VP Client Experience at St. Michael’s
- Elsa Lee, CEO of Advantage SCI
The summer is zipping by but our weekly podcast continues to deliver good information for cleared job seekers. In July we discussed tips for a successful video interview, where to participate in a $5,000 referral program, who’s hiring back office and executive assistants, and who is in need of adrenaline junkies.
Bonus Episode: Video Interview Tips | Kathleen Smith & Rachel Bozeman
When preparing for a video interview, treat this opportunity just as you would an in-person meeting. Our top tips include:
- Research the company and the individuals you will be talking with
- Check your network for contacts at the organization
- Prepare a handful of success stories that highlight your achievements
- Test your video set up in advance of the interview
- Practice questions and answers, and rehearse with a friend
- Silence all devices and choose a quiet location with a plain background
- Lighting should be in front of you, not behind
- Dress professionally, look into the camera, and minimize body movements
- Ask thoughtful questions
- Follow up with a thank you to everyone you spoke with
For all the details that expand on these great suggestions, check out our video interview tip sheet in the show notes.
Noblis | Taryn Lazroff
Noblis is a non-profit organization that is mission focused, not driven by the bottom line. Profits go back into the company and to their employees. Taryn thinks that makes them more of a tight-knit family and unique in the industry.
Another differentiator is that Noblis hires for the company, not the contract. They’re looking for top talent who will stay at the company long term. Their Talent Mobility program works to maintain employees if their contract ends. Around 90% of those employees choose to stay with Noblis when a contract does expire.
They have many cleared job opportunities throughout the Northern Virginia and DC area, and work with customers to determine remote position possibilities, especially for software developers and technology scientists. Noblis also has four SkillBridge cohorts each year and works with Hiring Our Heroes to identify candidates.
You can reach Taryn at [email protected]. Be sure to ask about their $5,000 external referral program!
St. Michael’s | Mark Michalski
Mark has been with St. Michael’s since 2009 and because of the company’s emphasis on their people, he has not felt the urge to move on. He has helped grow the company to its current 150 employees.
The bread and butter at St. Michael’s was traditionally hiring Finance and Accounting professionals but that has expanded to include back office, executive assistants, and contract specialists, mostly in DC, NC and FL.
Communication and candor are very important to Mark. Stay in touch and be sure to communicate your employment goals upfront. If you’re looking for remote work, share that with your recruiter. If you want to stay in the pipeline, be available and respond to recruiter inquiries promptly.
A benefit of working for St. Michael’s is that they are employee owned. If that sounds good to you, you can reach Mark via LinkedIn.
Advantage SCI | Elsa Lee
If you are transitioning from the military, Advantage SCI may be a natural fit for you. Their work falls into three categories: Intel work in DC, logistics at Forts Bliss and Campbell, and overseas linguist positions. Since they provide essential services to government agencies, they have few remote opportunities.
If you see yourself as a James Bond type, Elsa may have a position for you. Because of the job mission, details cannot be posted so candidates will need to read between the lines. Some of their overseas work would be a good fit for adrenaline junkies looking for a unique mission.
Core values include: integrity, trustworthiness, and respect. Advantage SCI recruits people who like to work with other people. They have a deep respect for humanity. If you think you would be a good fit, you can reach Elsa via LinkedIn.
Tune In for More Episodes
Don’t miss out on new episodes filled with invaluable career intel each Wednesday. You can access each episode, notes about the show, transcripts and ways to contact each recruiter via https://clearedjobs.net/podcast. Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other popular podcast directories.
