Checking your Resume

The most important thing to remember is that you should never send your resume to anyone, whether you are sending via the internet, hand delivering, or mailing, without checking it through thoroughly.  When checking your resume,  look out for typing errors.  Just imagine someone reading it and seeing lots of typos, this will really give a bad impression of you and the standard of work you may produce.   Any prospective employer is going to judge the quality of your future work by the standard of your resume.

Also in your resume make sure that you have included everything that the employer has requested, don’t be tempted to leave bits out and think that you can go through these at the interview – you may not even get an interview if your resume is not upto scratch.

Pay close attention to the punctuation and the grammar of your resume – remember this is all your hopefully future employer has to judge you and how you are going to perform for him.

Don’t try and use gimmicks or a play on words hoping that this will get the employers attention, it may well backfire on you.

What am employer is looking for is a nice professionally drawn up resume which explains what you have done with your career in the past, or if it is your first job they want to know about your educational achievements and any part time work you may have had.

If there are large gaps in the employment history, for instance if you  have taken time off work to raise your children, always explain this.  If you don’t, your employer is going to wonder why you have not had a job for so long.

If you would like expert help with your resume, without paying the earth visit this site for either a professional resume, or a d.i.y resume with lots of expert help thrown in.

How To Give A Great Phone Interview

Doing a phone interview can be really hard but sometimes they just can’t be avoided. So this article is about how to interview over the phone when a face to face interview is just not possible.

There are many reasons why employers do a phone interview rather than a face to face one. It can cut down the list of people applying for the job position.  They can find out who meets their criteria and who appears to be more suitable to the job. This is usually for those who like to start with a really large group of people, and they can then whittle them down for face to face interviews.

Another reason could be that the employers are interviewing folks from different states and it’s just way easier to make initial interviews over the phone. No matter the reason, it’s always good to know how to give a good phone interview. Learning how to do a phone interview isn’t hard. Here are some tips to help you out.

You should always practice for each interview just like you were going to a face to face, don’t fall into the trap of thinking ‘it’s only a phone interview, so doesn’t matter’.

Research the company  just as you would for a face to face interview, and have a strategy for answering many types of interview questions (this is a great book for helping you to prepare for interview questions).   If you think you will get nervous, write your answers out. Since it’s over the phone no one will notice as long as you don’t sound like your reading a script. Don’t worry with practice you will learn how to do a phone interview with ease.

Be sure it’s very quiet where you are during the interview. Your home (or at least the room you are going to be speaking from) should be empty, or if this is not possible then go someplace that is quiet and you can concentrate on the call.   You need to ensure there will be no interruptions during the call.  

Keep your focus during the call, and really listen intently to what the person is saying as well as the questions you are being asked. Take your time answering the questions. Don’t rush!  If you want do well on your phone interview this would be a big one to master.

Some more tips on how to give a good phone interview is to have enthusiasm in your voice when you are talking about the job, the company or the industry – this will come over to the person interviewing you so they can see you are going to be an enthusiastic employee.

You can try walking around to help keep your energy up during the call. Don’t get to relaxed or you will end up talking about things that are not relevant to the interview. Feel free to talk about your achievements and explain to  the employer that you are a perfect fit for their company.

Taking these steps to make sure you are prepared for the phone interview will show professionalism and polish. Keep your attention focused on the questions being asked and how you will fit the position, this will highlight you above the others, so you will stick in the employers mind.

Remember, be prepared because the employers first impression of you, even if it is just a verbal one, are important and will go a long way to helping the employer decide whether to interview you face to face.

Cover Letter Examples – How To Find and Use These From The Internet

Are you trying to find some great cover letter examples?  Do you find yourself needing  advice on how to ensure that your cover letter will land you your perfect job?  Well, then this article is specially for you!  It will explain all about getting sample cover letters from websites, how to find a relevant cover letter that will suite the type of job you are applying for, and also how you can make your cover letter as eye catching as possible by being specific.

I expect you are fully aware that will be able to find really excellent cover letters with a search on the internet.  However, it’s important not to make the same mistake that many others do, don’t just copy it exactly.  You must customise it for your personal application.  You really only want to use the cover letter examples you find as a guide only. If you plagiarize directly you can destroy any chance you have of getting hired.  The letter needs to be your work.

Make it a lot easier on yourself and try to find some cover letter examples that are in the same field as the job that you are applying for.  Most free cover letter examples tend to be very general and basic.  This can actually be extremely useful because it can guarantee that you are hitting the hot buttons that the person doing the hiring is looking for.

Don’t forget to make your cover letter specific.  For an example those that are looking to hire within the nursing profession will be looking for different things than those that are looking to hire teachers.

That is why it’s so important to be specific.  Don’t be general or your cover letter will just be put in a pile and forgotten.  Use the job advertisement as a guide, and contruct your cover letter around the points they are looking for.  E.g what specific traits and skills do they mention in the ad?  See what these are, and then find a good way to include this into your cover letter.

I hope you found these ideas useful to help you finding cover letter examples.  Remember, all you need to do is edit the cover letter so you are making it specific to your needs for the particular job you are applying for.  Do a search for your job title and cover letter examples, and this should give you some great guides to work to.

If you are looking for more help with your cover letter then visit this site, where you will be able to just fill in some blanks and have a top quality cover letter in just a few minutes.

Interview Techniques: What To Do During Interrogation Time

Despite my humorous opening headline you should not look at a job interview as being an interrogation. You are not going to jail if you fail to answer the questions right. Instead see it as a way to show the company why they want you and not why you want them. When you go on that interview go in there and show them you mean business. Here are some helpful interview techniques to help you.

Make eye contact:
I know some people hate making eye contact, it can be awkward sometimes, but it also can reveal timidness or self doubt. You do not want this. If you are being interviewed and not making eye contact, the interviewer may take it as a sign of you not being direct enough. So look them in their eyes no matter how awkward it may make you feel.

Listen and only reply when you need to:
Talking is a good thing; don’t get me wrong, but sometimes if you seem to be in a hurry to talk it comes off as you being nervous and anxious. Relax and let the interviewer ask you the questions, only talk when they are finished.

Eye contact and talking only when the ball is in your court will go a long way in showing a company you are ready for the tasks at hand. Being in control and not showing fear will show the company that you’re ready to be a team player.

Interview techniques can definately be acquired, and one good way to do learn about the techniques you will need for a successfull job interview is to take a look at a book like “The Ultimate Guide To Job Interview Answers”, full details can be found here, this will really help you to be fully prepared for any interview you are likely to face.

Preparing For An Interview: Kicking Butt The First Time

There is no reason to get worked up about an interview. You do not need to be intimidated by the though of having to go up infront of somebody and qualify yourself to them, after all; if you don’t get the job you’re not going to die or anything.  Here are a few pointers to help you preparing for an interview – doing these things will help you to feel comfortable at an interview, and help to make you feel like your presenting yourself in the best possible light.

Dress for the interview:
You must dress for the interview in a way that makes you look neat, clean and professional. If you want the interviewer to take you seriously then you must present yourself as you would if you were representing the company you will be working for.  Pretend you are already the face of the company and dress like it.

Make sure grooming and hygiene are good:
While this may sound like it is common sense you would be surprised how some people fail to keep their personal grooming and hygiene in gear when on an interview. Make sure your hair is neat and presentable, make sure your breath is clean and fresh, and make sure that you have no odor to yourself that would offend the interviewer. If you are not keen on grooming and hygiene why would they want you representing their company?

These are two of the things you can do to help you in getting that job you want. There is no need to feel overwhelmed, but everyone must put their best foot forward when they are trying to impress a potential new boss.