The Interview - Be Focused

If you’re going to make the most of that opportunity, though, it’s important to go into the interview with a clear focus on what you want to do, the crucial information that you feel the interviewers should know, and how you want to come across. First of all, make sure you’re clear on the format for the interview. Who will be conducting the interview, and will it take any special form? Will you be asked to prepare any special material, or take part in any kind of psychometric testing or group exercises? Will there be second stage interviews for shortlisted candidates? It pays to make sure that you won’t encounter any surprises when you show up at the company’s headquarters.

Having done that, do your homework. One of the prime reasons for candidates being rejected at an interview is simply that they do not have a clear understanding of what the company does or where their role fits into that business plan. Explore their website, read up on their activities, and make sure that you are up to date with any current developments in your chosen field.

Perhaps most important of all is to prepare thoroughly and to be focused on what you want to say in the interview. If you were selling a product, you’d want to know what its main features were, the unique selling points that would make a customer want to rush out and buy it. The same is true of yourself. Read the job and personal specifications carefully, if they have been provided; think about how you will persuade the interviewers that you fit each of the criteria they’re looking for. Make a list of the main points of your CV that you’re keen to get across, and focus on how you will sell that CV when you are in the interview.

Everyone gets nervous before a big interview, but by focusing on your goals, you will find that they become exciting opportunities instead of trials.

Job Hunting Tips For Dummies

Finding a new career in today’s fast-paced world isn’t as easy as it looks. Though online job search engines are incredibly popular, sometimes it’s hard to know where to look or what to look for! One underlying issue of concern for job seekers is the vast number of applicants sent in each minute, every day.

No one has to wait for the Sunday classifieds section anymore in order to find the newest jobs…and an applicant on the East Coast may face competition from around the globe. When beginning your job search, consider the following hints to make your experience successful.

• Sign up for a site such as Careerbuilder’s job newsletter-you’ll receive access to newly posted jobs daily.

• In a job search box, enter in as many keywords as you can. If you’re looking for a marketing position, why not add ‘advertising’ and ‘sales’ to increase your search results?

• Check on the weekends: many job sites continuously post new openings-even on the weekends.

• If a job site allows you to post your resume, be sure to take advantage of it. This will increase your chances an employer will gloss by it.

• If you receive correspondence from a potential employer by email, follow it up with a thank you note. There is no real science behind landing a new job. It may be a matter of timing or even luck, in some instances. Utilizing the best job search engines such as Monster and Careerbuilder allow you to better your chances of finding a great career. StarReviews.com reports that Monster even gives you access to a career advice center and job-saturated marketplace. You have a great chance of finding your dream job on the Net, if you’re willing to put in the work.

Resume For Fresh Graduate - How Can You Make An Impressive One?

How can you craft an impressive resume if you don't have any work experience? This is a problem that is shared by all job hunters who recently graduated from a training program in their field. Even if you don't have that much information to include, you can craft an impressive resume for fresh graduate.

Granted, recent graduates do not have much work experience, but they have a lot of education. And that education is fresh and relevant to their field. Recent graduates often know more about state of the art technology and new ideas than veterans in the field. Use what you've learned to your advantage. Be sure to highlight the skills that you have learned in school.

Hobbies and interests can also be included on your resume. Be careful, though, to only use those hobbies and skill sets that are relevant to the position for which you are applying. Avoid creating an entire "hobbies" section. Instead, include the skills that you have gained from your hobbies and highlight those skills throughout your resume for fresh graduate.

Always include volunteer work. Volunteer work proves to your employer that you can work with others and that you can make a commitment to a cause and an organization. Many people try to work while they are in school in exchange for references and job experience that they can use to get a head start in their career.

Want to demonstrate how well you work with others? Include group activities and particularly tough class assignments on your resume. For example: If you had to create a product or perform a case study as part of your grade, you can include this if it is relevant to the job duties you will be required to perform if hired.

Even if your resume is noticeably lacking, you can make up for it in your cover letter. Your resume letter is your one chance to prove why you are the right person for the job. Show your potential employer why you can perform the job better than others regardless of how much experience you have. Use persuasive language, but avoid sounding pushy and arrogant.

Most colleges and some vocational schools offer employment services, meaning that they will help you prepare for a job interview. If your school offers this service, take advantage of it. Do not be afraid to ask for help writing a resume for fresh graduate.

Things You Should Do When You're Invited To A Job Interview

The moment when you are called and invited to a job interview is often your first real contact with an employer. Often, it will be a receptionist and not the interviewer who calls to schedule the interview. Do keep in mind though, that people are making decisions about your suitability for that job at each stage of the hiring process, so do take steps to make a great first impression at this stage of your job search.

• Be sure to get the correct date, time and location of the interview.
  Write down all of this information as it is relayed to you and repeat it back to the receptionist to ensure it's correct.
  

• Ask what you should bring to the job interview.
  If the receptionist indicates that there is nothing in particular that you should bring, be sure to come prepared with extra copies of job search documents such as your resume, cover letter, diplomas, job performance reviews, reference letters, and your reference sheet. Also bring a professional looking portfolio or folder to carry everything, a couple of pens and a pad of paper for making notes.

• Determine approximately how long the interview will be.
  Simply say to the receptionist something like, "How long should I set aside for the interview?" That way you can avoid scheduling other obligations too soon after the interview. Also, be sure to set aside more time than you're told. Interviews often run a bit late or go long, so if you're told the interview will be thirty minutes, be sure to clear your schedule for at least an hour.

• Get the names of your interviewer(s).
  Simply ask, "Who will be interviewing me?" Be sure to make a note of the name(s) of the person or people who will be interviewing you and bring that note to your job interview. Asking for this information is helpful for two reasons:
  
  
  It will help you to avoid the awkwardness of forgetting the interviewer's name. This happens to almost everyone, particularly in stressful situations; someone introduces themselves, and you immediately forget their name. If you've written the interviewer's name down ahead of time, you'll have it right there in writing, so you won't forget.
  
  
  Also, this strategy is an easy way to find out whether you will be having a panel interview. If the receptionist mentions only one name, you'll most likely be having a one to one interview. If, however, the receptionist lists the names of three people who will be interviewing you, you'll know that your interview will be with a panel, and you can mentally prepare for that type of interview.

• It's fine to ask for the company name if you don't have that information.
  This awkward situation can arise when someone calls to invite you to a job interview without mentioning the name of the company. You may hesitate to ask the name of the company out of fear that a question like that will make a bad impression. However, if you have applied to several jobs and you're not sure which one this is, or as is often the case, the employer did not post the company name in the job advertisement, it's fine to say something like, "I don't believe the company name was noted in the job advertisement..." and then simply ask for the name of the company.
  
  Typically in a situation like this, they are not testing you, they are just thinking of things from their perspective and not yours, so they have simply forgotten that you don't know the name of the company.
  

• Be friendly, professional and polite.
  The person who calls to schedule your interview may not have the authority to hire you, but often everyone you have contact with during the interview process will be asked to provide input on your suitability for the job. Be sure to put your best foot forward at each point of contact with the company.
  
  

• Try to go last, or near the end of the interviews if you're given a choice of several interview times.
  The last person interviewed is often the one who is remembered best. Also, interviewers often get better at interviewing for a particular job as they go through several candidates.
  
  Particularly if you will be dealing with someone who doesn't have a lot of experience interviewing job candidates (which is common), the interviewers will ask better questions as they go through the process. For example, they may not ask the first candidate specifically about certain skills that are important, and therefore they may assume that person doesn't have those skills if they are not discussed in the interview. As the interviewers realize this, they will ask about those things in subsequent interviews

Remember these tips to make a great first impression when you're invited to your next job interview. This is your first real contact with someone from the company. Make sure it is positive!

The Unemployment Crisis

“When I lost my job, I felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over me. My self-esteem suffered terribly.”—Tony, Germany.

“I felt as though a heavy stone had been placed upon my head. As a single parent, I worried about how I would feed my two children and pay my bills.”—Mary, India.

“I was very discouraged when I lost my job, and I was anxious about whether I would be able to find another one.”—Jaime, Mexico.

WORLDWIDE, millions are enduring the same plight as Tony, Mary, and Jaime. About the turn of this century, it was estimated that 10 percent of the workforce in Europe and Central Asia—some 23 million people—were looking for work. In some less-developed lands, more than a quarter of the labor force is without paid employment. In the United States, “nearly 2.6 million jobs have disappeared over all during the last 28 months,” declared The New York Times in July 2003.

In many lands the search for employment presents serious obstacles. For example, each year a tidal wave of high-school and college graduates floods the job market. In addition, having a degree or specialized training is no guarantee that one will find work in a chosen profession. Thus, it is now quite common for people to change jobs several times during their working life. Some even have to change careers entirely.

If you find yourself unemployed, what can you do to improve your chances of finding work? And once you find a job, what can you do to keep it?

An article based from the July 8, 2005 issue of the Awake! magazine

Five Keys to Finding a Job

WHO obtains the best job? Is it always the most qualified applicant? “No,” says Brian, an employment consultant. “The job often goes to the most effective job seeker.” What can you do to become a more effective job seeker? Let us consider five suggestions.

• Be Organized - If you have lost a good job or have been unemployed for some time, it is easy to become downhearted. “When I first lost my job, I was optimistic about finding another one,” says Katharina, a dressmaker in Germany. “But as the months dragged on and I was unable to find work, I became depressed. Eventually, I even found it hard to talk about the subject with my friends.”
  
  How can you counteract feelings of hopelessness? “It is crucial that you establish your own ‘workday’ schedule so that you start your day knowing what is to be done,” suggests the book Get a Job in 30 Days or Less. The authors recommend that you “set daily goals and record what you have done.” In addition, they say that “each day must start with your getting dressed for work.” Why? “Being dressed properly will give you added confidence even when talking on the telephone.”
  
  Yes, you must make it your job to find a job, no matter how long it takes. Katharina, mentioned earlier, adopted this businesslike approach. She says: “I obtained the addresses and phone numbers of prospective employers from the employment office. I responded to newspaper ads. I studied the phone book and made lists of companies that might have jobs that were not yet advertised, and then I contacted them. I also compiled a résumé and sent it to these companies.” After such systematic searching, Katharina found a suitable job.

• Access the Hidden Job Market - The fisherman with the largest net is the one most likely to catch fish. So, too, your knowing how to increase the size of your “net” will improve your chances of landing a job. If you are looking for work only by responding to newspaper or Internet advertisements, the majority of available jobs may be slipping past your net. A good number of jobs are never advertised. How can you gain access to this hidden job market?
  
  In addition to responding to advertisements, like Katharina you must set aside time each week to call on businesses that you think may have jobs you can do. Do not wait for them to advertise positions. If a manager says that he has no work, ask him if he knows where else you might look and specifically to whom you should speak. If he offers a suggestion, make an appointment with that company, stating the name of the person who referred you.
  
  Tony, mentioned in the preceding article, found a job this way. “I took the initiative to contact companies even though they were not advertising,” he explains. “One company said that there were no vacancies at present but that I should try again in three months. I did, and I obtained a job.” You can also ask your friends, family, and other associates to help you access the hidden job market. This is how Jacobus, a safety officer in South Africa, found a job. He says: “When the company I worked for went out of business, I let friends and family know that I was looking for work. One day a friend of mine overheard a conversation while in line at a supermarket. One woman was asking another if she knew of anyone looking for work. My friend interrupted and told the woman about me. An appointment was arranged, and I got the job.”

• Produce an Effective Résumé - For those applying for executive positions, compiling and distributing a professional résumé is a must. But no matter what job you seek, a well-prepared résumé can be a great asset. “A résumé tells potential employers not only who you are but also what you have accomplished and why they need you,” says Nigel, an employment consultant in Australia.
  
  How do you compile a résumé? Provide your full name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. State your objective. List the education you have received, highlighting any training and skills that relate to the job you are seeking. Provide details of previous work experience. Include not only what you did but also examples of the goals you reached and the benefits you brought to your previous employers. Also highlight aspects of your previous employment that qualify you for the job you are currently seeking. Include personal information that describes your qualities, interests, and hobbies. Because companies’ needs differ, you may have to adjust your résumé for each application.
  
  Should you produce a résumé if you are applying for your first job? Yes! There may be many things you have done that qualify as work experience. For example, do you have hobbies, such as woodworking or perhaps fixing up old cars? These can be listed. Have you engaged in any volunteer work? List the type of volunteer work you have done and the goals you have achieved.
  
  When you cannot obtain an interview with a prospective employer, leave a small card—preferably four inches by six inches [10 cm by 15 cm]—containing your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, as well as a brief summary of your skills and accomplishments. On the back of the card, if appropriate, you could even put a photo of yourself or of you with your family. Distribute this card to all those who might help you find work, asking them to hand it to anyone they know who is offering the type of work you are seeking. When a potential employer sees this card, he may grant you an interview—perhaps leading to a job!
  
  Preparing a résumé will help you feel more in control as you search for work. Nigel, mentioned earlier, says: “Writing a résumé helps you organize your thoughts and goals. It also builds your confidence by helping you prepare for potential questions you may be asked during a job interview.”

• Prepare Well for Your Interviews - What is involved in preparing for an interview? You may want to research the company you hope to work for. The more you know about the company, the better the impression you will make during the interview. Your research will also help you determine whether the company really has the kind of work you want or is one you want to work for.
  
  Next, think about what you will wear to the interview. If the job you seek involves manual labor, wear appropriate neat, clean clothing. Neat dress and grooming tell the prospective employer that you take pride in yourself and are thus more likely to take pride in your work. If you are hoping to work in an office, choose modest clothing that is considered suitable business attire where you live. Nigel says: “Choose your clothes long before you are due to attend your interview so that you don’t feel rushed and unnecessarily increase your levels of stress prior to the interview.”
  
  Nigel also recommends arriving for your interview about 15 minutes early. Of course, arriving too early is not wise. But arriving late could be disastrous. Experts say that the first three seconds of your interview are crucial. During that brief time, the interviewer makes assessments about your appearance and your bearing that deeply influence his or her opinion of you. If you are late, you will make an overwhelmingly negative impression. Remember, there are no second chances to rectify first impressions.
  
  Remember, too, that the interviewer is not your enemy. After all, he likely had to apply for his job, so he knows how you feel. In fact, he may be nervous, since he may have received little or no training on how to conduct an interview. In addition, if the interviewer is the employer, he may have much to lose if he chooses the wrong person for the job.
  
  To start off well, smile and give the interviewer a firm handshake if that is the customary greeting. During the interview, concentrate on what the employer needs from you and what you have to offer. Regarding things to avoid, Nigel says: “Don’t fidget or slouch—good posture conveys confidence. Don’t be too informal or overly talkative, and definitely do not use profanity. Also, avoid being negative about your former employers and workmates—if you are negative about them, the interviewer will likely feel you will be negative about this job too.”
  
  Regarding things to do and say during the interview, experts recommend the following: Maintain eye contact with the interviewer, use natural gestures when you speak, and articulate clearly. Be concise and honest when answering questions, and ask relevant questions about the company and the prospective job. At the end of the interview, if you still want the job, ask for it. Doing so will show your enthusiasm.
  
  By following the suggestions outlined above, you may soon have a job.

Article based on July 8, 2005 of the Awake! magazine