Job Search Insider

Put your best shoe forward

Posted by Administrator on Jul 6, 2008

The first thing an interviewer will notice about you is your appearance.

For the ladies, keep your hair away from your face. You may wear make-up but remember that anything in excess is always a bad thing. For clothing, make it clean and well-pressed. You may wear a pantsuit or a skirt as long as it’s not too short, too tight, or too flowy. Be careful not to ruin hosiery.

For the men, be sure that your hair is well-trimmed and your face is clean shaven. Please be sure that you smell clean though. Wear a clean and well-pressed suit.

For both, no jewelry except wedding rings. Polish your shoes if they need it. No perfume, cologne, or strong aftershave.

Cover it up!

Posted by Administrator on Jun 1, 2008

One of the rudest things that you can do when sending your resume to prospective companies, is to not attach a cover letter to it. The cover letter is a form of self-introduction, and sending a plain resume is like a figurative slap in the face. A well worded and well thought-out cover letter can give you plus points with the HR personnel assessing your application. Be sure that your letter is straight to the point. You should sound confident and make clear your strong drive and motivation. Add here your references to prove your credibility. Most importantly, don’t forget to let the best of your personality shine through.

Valuable Interview Tips (Continued)

Posted by Administrator on May 26, 2008

4. Be ready for the questions, be ready with your answers.
Ask people and reliable sources about the usual questions these companies usually want to know. Be prepared with your answers and be ready for more questions that they will definitely ask related to these.

5. Have questions of your own.
Be the right kind of assertive. Interviewers, who see that you can speak for yourself, and confidently at that, will develop either a liking to that attitude, or even a possible dislike.

6. Bring up points that you weren’t able to discuss.
This will give the interviewer the impression that you pay attention to the small details, and are not afraid to speak up for yourself when it is the right time. This will also inform him more about yourself and more of what you can offer the company.

7. Be polite. Thank the interviewer before you leave.
No matter how much the first impression lasts, the last impression also comes first. Whether or not you’re sure you got the job or you’re waiting for a callback, it is always good for your reputation as a professional to be respectful and polite.

Valuable Interview Tips

Posted by Administrator on May 25, 2008

Look hired. Enter the interview room looking all things but confident. Here are a few tried and tested tips on how to pass the interview with flying colors:

1. Know what you’re good at and what you can improve on.
Being confident about the skills and abilities you possess gives the interviewer a quick good look at what kind of person you will most likely be in a workplace. Being honest about the things you can improve on also gives the interviewer a basic good look on what an honest, trustworthy and open-minded worker you are, open to any change and improvement that your current abilities and skills may have.

2. Know what the job asks of you so that you’ll know if you qualify.
Be prepared for anything. Your job description could be as specific or general and you could be asked to do anything. Better know what these things are, believe that you can do it and know that you can.

3. Know who you’re working for.
Know how these people work, what they’re looking for and what pleases them. This way, you get to set a good first impression, and be an asset to the company as well.

The Aftershock of Interviews

Posted by Administrator on May 22, 2008

“Different strokes for different folks.” This cliché also holds true with interviews. Yes, those dreaded job interviews. Different companies, different questions, hence, different answers and different outcomes. Desperate times like these call for desperate measures.

Once you finish that interview and get out of that room full of pins and needles and you’re not sure whether you’re gonna be called back for a second interrogation, it’s time to let loose. Unleash all that anticipation and long-felt anxiety. Celebrate! (At least celebrate for having made it out alive.)

Here are just some random things that could lessen the stress of having to wait for the next callback.

1. REJUVENATE. All that thinking and thinking for days on end would have annihilated all your healthy brain and body cells. Get yourself a full-body massage and experience an out of body experience (makes you feel like heaven, where there are no interviews.)
2. RELAX. Forget about everything. Forget about the interview, forget about what you have to do, forget about your future… for at least a good night’s sleep.
3. REFRESH. Take the best sponge bath you’ve had in a long time. I promise you, the waters will wash away all that anxiety and stress.

Start Looking For A Job Online TODAY

Posted by Administrator on May 11, 2008

Who ever said that looking for a job is hard must have been born in the 80’s because really, now, it’s only just an internet connection and a click away. Try using good ol’ reliable search engines such as Yahoo! and Google and you’re ready to start your online job hunting experience.

But how do you really start? There are a lot of jobs out there, yet there is only one right for you. I could tell you to try each and every field that interests you, but that isn’t really advisable. Or so I say.

Ask yourself these questions, then I’ll help you (I’ll try my very best) to get you the right job – the one that provides security, happiness and growth.

1. As a child, what have I dreamed of becoming someday?
2. What interests me?
3. What is the thing that I love doing, and want to continuously be doing?
4. What are the activities that make me happy? Which ones don’t make me happy?
5. What do I see myself doing for the rest of my life?

Mind Over Matter

Posted by Administrator on May 8, 2008

It will never be normal if you never did feel a bit anxious about your first (or even your second) interview at a company. There will always be that nervous feeling you will get just thinking of how the interview might turn out to be. You will always get those sweaty palms, those butterflies in your stomach and you’ll always get crazy, scary ideas in your head that’ll make you want to do everything but go through with that life-changing interview. It always helps to keep your mind over things… your mind over matter.

So before you enter that room, and face the faces of those hungry lions, ready to eat you up and eat you alive, prepare yourself for battle. Psyche yourself and muster up all the courage that you’ve been saving all your life, because not only is this an interview, it’ll be the beginning of the rest of your life.

Turn Weaknesses Into Strenghts

Posted by Robert on Apr 25, 2008

Ask Men, asked the question: “If you were asked by the interviewer what your weakness is, what would you answer?” The problem with this question is that if you say you have no weakness, your credibility dies, if you chose the the wrong “weakness” then you may not be able to land the job. The article mentioned five possible weaknesses that will work to your advantage:

“I tend to talk too much”
Make sure you emphasize that you’re a good communicator.
“I project self-expectations”
It means that you expect a lot from yourself and your team mates. Be careful not to ham it up too much as it may backfire on you.
“I get attached to projects”
It shows that you’re willing to stay on a task until it is absolutely finished.
“I assume the leadership role when it’s not designated to me”
This weakness shows that you are willing to take up responsibilities beyond your job description to finish the job with your teammates.
“I’m a workaholic”
This one shows that you are willing to go the extra mile. Just don’t over do it as it may turn out to be a daily thing for you.

Surprising Job Hunting tips

Posted by Robert on Apr 24, 2008

If there are somethings you thought you knew when you do job hunting, throw it out of the window and read some of these mind blowing secrets from the Brazen Careerist blog:

• There’s one trick to all trick questions.“All trick questions, even the really scary psychological questions, are crafted so that you will give a negative answer.”

The truth is that positive people are hired more often. And in an interview, people can show that they are that type of person by intentionally presenting their information in the most positive way.

• A thank-you note is too late to express enthusiasm for the job. “A hiring manager’s mind is made up in the first twenty minutes of an interview, and often nothing can be done to change that.”

During this twenty minutes, most hiring managers are subconsciously screening for enthusiasm. Because people want coworkers who are excited about their job.

 Source

How to Fail the Interview

Posted by Robert on Apr 19, 2008

The best resume in the world can’t save you if you fail in the interview. Carole Martin is a worldwide expert on the subject of Job Interviews. Here are some of the worst ways you can totally screw up your chances in an interview:

Poor Non-verbal communication
“Interviewing effectively is about demonstrating confidence. Things like standing straight, making eye contact, and connecting with a good, firm handshake are all vitally important,” says Martin.

Failure to listen actively
“From the moment you start talking, your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. If you are not listening actively, you’re missing out on a major opportunity,” says Martin.

Talking too much
“Telling the interviewer more than they need to know can be a fatal mistake. Candidates who don’t prepare ahead of time tend to ramble, sometimes talking themselves right out of the job,” says Martin.

Appearing desperate
“As a rule, if you interview with a ‘Please, please, hire me,’ mind-set, you will appear less confident. Maintain the three Cs during your next interview: Cool, Calm, and Confident! You know you can do the job. Make sure the interviewer knows you can, too,” says Martin.

Good luck with the interview!