Interview Skills: Sharpen Them Like A Pencil

You should treat your interview skills like you treat a pencil and sharpen them on a repeated basis. The people who will be interviewing you are there to weed out anyone who they feel isn’t the real deal. So you want to go in their like you know your stuff while at the same time being yourself. Sharpen your skills by using some of these basic guidelines.

Prepare for tough questions:
You have to be prepared for tough questions, if you are not you will be thrown off guard and made to look like a fool. Some questions you can prepare for and some you can’t, but this is all a part of the game. The interviewer wants to see how fast you respond when thrown out of your depth. The better you are at this, the better you will be able to handle similar situation if you were hired.

Research the company:
I guarantee you will be ahead like secretariat in a horse race if you do a little research on the company. Most people don’t do this, by showing you know about the company’s history you will be able to take a detour from the interview and throw the person out of their grilling element. They will see you as a real person and not just a face behind an application.

Doing both of these things shows a company that you actually care about the job and are not just trying to get hired. Master these two steps and you’ll go into any interview ready for anything.

For lots of advice on how to prepare for even the toughest of interviews check out this site, it will be sure to help put you above the rest of the candidates you are sure to be up against.

Work At Home Career?

To lots of people the idea of working from home is like a dream come true. They have visions of closing deals on the phone, being busy on their computers, and best of all packing up work for the day in the early afternoon. What is not always thought about is the pure hard work that goes into a work at home career.

If you think that you would like a work at home career then ask yourself a few simple questions to find out if you have a work at home personaility.

1. To be successful in working from home you need to be very self motivated, as therer will be no-one looking over your shoulder – you will be your own boss. You will need to do all parts of the job yourself, even bits you don’t like. You will need to be good at managing your time efficiently, and strict with yourself over the time you spend on surfing for the sake of surfing, on Facebook and online Games. Do you feel you can do all this?

2. You need to be able to put together a business plan. This will be a step by step plan of how you are going to get from no income to a good income in the shortest possible time. If you are a dreamer, and don’t like to follow directions, even if they are your own, then working from home may not be for you.

3. It can be quite scary leaving a job where you’ve always worked for someone else – it takes courage and confidence. Do you feel you possess these qualities?

4. Will you get support from your partner? Truth is, especially in the beginning you will be working a lot of hours while you get your busines established. If your partner is not behind you, they will soon start to feel left behind. If you can get your partner on board by sharing your plans and dreams you will stand a much better chance of succeeding.

5. Have a close look at your own personal skils and what you want to achieve with your work at home career. You may not have all the skills you need yet, so you may have to take some time out for further training. You will no doubt be attracted to a work at home job that uses skills that you already have, but you need to be prepared to learn other things as well.

If you have read through all of this, and you still feel that it’s the right thing to do, but you still have a few lingering doubts, then why not look at trying to make a part time income first, before you take the plunge and make a change to a work at home career?

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.

Are You Asking Yourself, “What Is The Best Career For Me?”

Are you finding yourself pondering on the question ”what is the best career for me?”  No matter what the circumstances, you will need find the answer to that question.  Whether  you are just out of school and looking for a job for your first time or you’re a mom that wants to re-join the work force or maybe your an executive and are just looking for a career change, there are still a lot of jobs to pick from.  Even in today’s economy, there are still jobs to be had.  You may have to aim just a bit low to start off with though.

So, how are you going to answer the question, “What is the best career for me?”  Maybe you’re searching for part time work to fill a some hours up around your study time, home life or maybe you just want some extra money.  If this sounds like you, then try the bigger supermarket chains, they usually have part time employees for checkout lines, re-stocking the shelves or night cleaning.  You can also visit your closest mall to see if the stores there are looking for part time help.

If you’ve never worked before then you can’t be too choosy about the job choice.  Getting an interview is your first step.  You should have a really nice resume as this will help you out a lot.  There are many people applying for jobs today and you really want to stand above everyone else.  You have to convince the prospective employer that you’re going to make a very reliable employee.

Your first job won’t matter too much, but it’s going to give you a job reference to add to your resume and you’ll be getting valuable experience.  But try to find work in the area that you want to go into.

Once you get a few months or maybe even a year of working under your belt then it’s time for you to be looking around for the job where you will be able to build a career.  Again, a really good resume is a must if you want that perfect job. Help to get yourself a professional resume, and Save $20 when you purchase a Resume and Cover Letter at ResumeEdge.com.

I hope this helped you answer that question, “What is the best career for me?”

How To Make A Resume To Land That Great Job!

Are you wanting a new or better job and you need to learn how to make a resume?  When learning how to make a  resume to land your perfect job, you are going to need to figure out which resume format is going to be best for your profession and set of skills.  To figure this out you need to know who your resume readers are going to be and what information are they going to want to know about your background and you.  How to make a resume really stand out be sure to write down a lot of notes all about your employment background, skills, awards or any recognition you have ever received in your past.

The three different resume formats you can use are chronological, functional and combination.

Chronological
This is probably the easiest formats to do it’s also easy to read and very popular.  You begin the resume with your most recent education and employment and then work backwards from there.  This is perfect if you are looking for a similar job to your last one.

Functional
This resume will organize all your information and experiences by area of expertise.  Instead of making a big deal about your employers and job titles you are instead going to highlight your job skills.  Really you are trying to avoid your employment history.

Combination
This one combines both the chronological and functional together.  This format you are going to first list your skills but then you are also going to include all of your employment history.  This is a great way to  show off oyur skills and experience.

If you are going back to work after a long time out of the work force or just coming out of college then the chronological resume is not for you.  This is going to show the fact that you don’t really have a lot of experience.  I believe that the functional format is best for you.  For those of you who have a lot of experience and you choose the functional format this can raise some red flags because it doesn’t include your employment history, which can be of concern to potential employers.

When learning how to make a proper resume you need to determine which resume format will be best for your skills and profession. To figure this out you need to think about your audience and what information should that audience know about you and your background. You should write down some notes about your employment background, skill set and any awards or recognition you have received in the past.

To make absolutely sure your resume is the best it can be, you can use a service like this one – a build it yourself resume kit, which contains forms that will help you complete your resume section by section, industry specific brainstorming phrases to help you get your content right and much more to help you prepare your resume.  It  only costs $29.99, and is a good way of preparing a professional resume without spending out on a full resume writing service.  You can then be sure that you will be producing a ‘knock them dead’ resume!

Find the Perfect Job

You may be fresh out of college, or you may be looking for a career change, either way you can find the perfect job opportunities online.   Many websites not only offer resources to help you find the perfect job, they also showcase a range of employment opportunities.

Before you can find yourself the perfect job, you need to have a think about what type of job you are qualified to do.  To do this, you will need to take into account your educational background as well as your previous employment history.  The last thing you want to do is to waste your time and a prospective employers time, by applying for jobs that you are just not qualified for.

If you are searching for a job in a specific area then you would be better doing a search for job opportunities online within that particular field, rather than trawling through sites that mainly list more general jobs.  Many companies will not even advertise their positions on general employment sites.

To locate the perfect job for you some research into local companies hiring in your area is going to be a help.  You can start this by checking out the specific websites of companies you are interested in working for.  Lots of companies use their own sites to let people know what vacancies they have.  Not only is this cost effective for them, but it also gives any prospective employee the chance to find out about the company.

There are lots of websites online that will be aiming to match employers with employees by use of resumes, so it is definately worth submitting your resume to some of these sites.   An employer using this type of site is going to save themselves money, and in today’s economical climate this is important to anyone.

When looking for your perfect job online, you must still remain professional.  Your first email should be written in the same way as any traditional cover letter would be, don’t fall into the trap of forgetting proper etiquette just because you are using email to communicate.

Searching For Your Perfect Job

If you are searching for a job, you need to ensure that you are doing everything that you can go find the right job for you.  Just remember that the more thoroughly you are searching for your perfect job, the more opportunity you will have to land it!

It’s a fact that almost all of the fantastic jobs you find, will not have been listed under the classifieds.  Your local paper may well be your first choice when searching for a job and you should make sure that you do keep your eye on this.  You could also search for a job by using the internet, and you may well find jobs that are not advertised locally.   Although the top jobs are not necessarily listed in either place.  You sometimes need to do some research and actually send your resume out to the employers you would like to work for (ake sure your resume is the best it can be by using a service like this one).

Networking also plays an important part in searching for the right job for you, so include networking with those that are in the same line of work as part of your job searching activities.  Often someon in your field will know of a position that is about to come up, way before it is advertised, and they may well be able to recommend you for it.

When searching for the right job you must be persistent, but definately not overbearing.  It will be no good just sending out resume after resume and then sitting back waiting for the calls to come in.   In this current climate there may have been ten, twenty or thirty or more resumes that look just as great as yours, all sent to the same potential employer.     Your chances of securing that all important interview will be increased if you follow up your resume with a phone call.

You will undoubtedly be one of many people searching for the right job, so make sure you stay one step ahead of the rest by selling yourself – this takes practic but once perfected it really will help you to land that dream job.

Common Interview Questions – How To Answer Them

So you have landed yourself an interview, but that is not the end of the job hunting process.  Now you need to prepare yourself for your interview and practice your answers to some of the common interview questions.

You will find that most of the interviewers will nearly always ask the same questions, which does make it slightly easier to prepare.

If you go to the interview fully prepared then you will give  the impression of being confident (even if you are shaking with nerves underneath).  These are some of the most common interview questions:

Tell me about yourself – Obviously your interviewer is not going to expect you to give every single detail about yourself, they are going to be looking for a clear and concise summary of your professional life.  The summary should last only for a minute or two, and needs to be professional, so try not to wander off course.

Explain what you do in your normal working day – It is in answer to this question that you are going to want to really highlight all of the skills that you use presently, and pay particular attention to those skills that are transferrable to the new position.  You should try and make your working day sound interesting and full of challendges that you are able to rise to and solve.

Why do you want to leave your present position? – This is the tricky one.  If you are looking for a new career, then you could go through some of your reasons to want to change industries.  Other answers that will normally satisfy an interviewer are that you are trying to find something a little closer to where you life, and/or you are searching for a company that you can grow with.  Never say that you are leaving to get more money.

Please describe what you consider your best and worst attribute -  Well the first part of this question is fairly easy to answer in an interview, but the second part can cause a real problem.  You need to say something about yourself that is bad, but it can’t be so bad that the person interviewing you sees you in a bad light.  One of best solutions is to say something along the lines that you are a perfectionist so will tend to keep on working on a particular project until every single detail is correct.

What makes you want to work with us? – This is your chance to put the research you have done into the company to good use.  You can explain that you feel they are at the cutting edge of your profession and that you would love to grow alongside an industry leader.  Also point out how some of the duties and responsibilities listed in their ad are things you want to work with.

Remember that preparation is the key here.  If you attend an interview and provide good answers to the questions, you are a large step closer to getting the job you want.  There is a great book available that goes through almost every question that an interviewer could ask you, and guides you to answer them all in the best way to land the job.  Visit the website here, and see how much you can help yourself  prepare for interviews, and give yourself the best possible chance to secure the position you want.

Is It Time For A Career Change

Have you got to the stage that you can’t stand the thought of going to work for one more day?  If so, it might well be time to look for a new job.  If there is nothing you like about your present job, then it may well be time to consider a complete career change.  The thought of changing your career may worry you, but it might just be what you need. Read more

Job Search Tips

Searching for a new job is becoming a much more common occurrence these days, especially with all the layoffs from companies downsizing or even going out of business.  But searching for a job doesn’t need to be too painful, and there are many ways to make your job search easier.   Here are some job search tips:

Treat job hunting as though it is a full time job
You need to work on your job search every day, just as you would do a job.  If  it will help you, get dressed in work attire, sit down in your home office, and then start making those phone calls, searching online, networking, sending out your resume and cover letter, etc. Read more

Job Interview Tips

Job interview tips will help you to prepare for your next interview. Let’s face it job interviews are definitely not on the list of fun things to do, but if handled correctly, you can land that wonderful position you’ve applied for. Take some time to go over these tips before the big interview day arrives.

Dress for success. Dress conservatively, unless of course the interview is for a job at a trendy clothing store. Never turn up in casual clothes, even if the position is of a more casual nature. Keep your makeup, jewelry, make up and cologne toned down. You want your personality to be the spotlight here. If you’re not sure what is going to be best to wear, ask for guidance from someone whose opinion you respect. If you are applying for jobs, then plan ahead what you may need to wear, so if you need to add to your wardrobe, you have time to do so.

Prepare for the interview. There are many typical interview questions, so practice how you will answer them. If you don’t know what sort of questions to expect at your interview, then find out online or from an interview publication – there is a great guide that walks you through this here.  Even if you have to resort to talking to yourself in the mirror, practice, practice, practice.  You will feel much more confident and do better if you are well prepared.  The interviewer will also pick up on this.

Do your Research. Find out all you can about the company – their philosophy, best practices, future goals, direction headed, current issues and growing pains, etc.  Try to weave in this information during the interview, this will really impress them, and they will be glad you went the extra mile.  For an example, if you are interviewing for the position of medical billing for an HMO, you should at the very least, know what an HMO is compared to a PPO or traditional insurance.

Communicate clearly. You are selling yourself in an interview, and obviously they’re not expecting you to reply to their questions with one or two word answers. Each answer you give should be a statement, explain what you mean and give examples where possible.  Show them your accomplishments in your current position and let them know what benefits you could bring to them.

There is nearly always a question where you are asked about your weaknesses.  The trick is to turn your weakness into a strength. For example you could talk about a past weakness and how you’ve learned from it, or you can say your weakness is always expecting 200% from yourself and not being satisfied with anything less.  Have a think about the company and position you are applying for, and prepare your answers beforehand.

A job interview need not be as challenging as it seems if you go into it prepared and confident. In fact, preparing for the interview is an important component to the interview’s success.  To get expert help in preparing for any job interviews, try this guide which is full of hints and tips to help you succeed

Is a Great Resume Still Necessary?

Are Resumes Alive or Dead?

As more and more companies are using the internet to advertise their open job positions, prospective job hunters might begin to wonder whether a resume is still necessary. While it can be argued that certain aspects of job hunting have indeed changed, for example, using social media to help with the hunt, other processes have not.

A resume is very much still a vital part of being hired for a position. This is because a resume will showcase the amount of your knowledge, your achievements, and of course, your skills. It’s your opportunity to give a potential employer that great first impression, as your resume is going to be the first thing that they see.

Perhaps a better question might be, should I send a hard copy of my resume or am I better to send an electronic resume? Electronic resumes, (often referred to as e-resumes), are sent via electronic means, usually this would be through email, and are not delivered via snail mail or fax.

The answer to this would really depend on what the company has requested. Many companies are putting their job offers online, and they want the resumes and applications to come to them electronically as well. Each company should have its preferred method of receiving resumes listed and you should follow this to the letter. Make sure you are prepared for either option, and have a hard copy ready to mail and an e-resume, you can then send out the correct type of resume to any company you are applying to.

If sending your resume electronically is what you are doing, bear in mind there are several ways to do this, so read their instructions and send as they have requested, it could be:

Word document email attachment,
Text document typed right in the body of an email,
PDF attachment,
Cut and pasted onto the company’s resume page of their website.

Another great benefit to having an e-resume is that you can post it onto virtual job boards and job-related websites that accept them.

The older style paper resumes are still important as not every company has gone down the digital information path, and would be happy to receive an e-resume. Often it can be a good idea to follow up your e-resume with a paper copy sent via regular mail. You might also want a paper copy to bring along to interviews so you can refer to it if necessary.

Whichever way you are sending your resume, it needs to be the best it can be. It can often pay to use the services of a professional resume writing firm like , this one to make sure you have the best chance of success.

So to conclude, while some aspects of job hunting have changed, sending resumes continues to be an important part of the process. Make sure your resume is top class, and have both paper and electronic resumes at the ready and send either through the proper channels as requested. This way you are giving yourself the best opportunity you can, to obtain an interview

What Career Is Best For Me?

Whatever your personal circumstances, you need to find out what career is best for you. Whether you are a school-leaver seeking work for the first time, a stay at home mom who now wants to look at re-joining the workforce after some years out to bring up children, or an executive businessman looking for a career change, there are many jobs out there to choose from – even in this current finincial climate, there are jobs, you just may need to aim slightly lower to start off. You may even be looking for some type of part-time job to fill in a few hours around study or your home life, or just to earn some pocket money. If this describes what you are looking for, then take a look at the big supermarket chains, they frequently use part-time staff for checkout duties, re-stocking shelves or even cleaning. Visit the local shopping mall and see if any of the stores are advertising for part time jobs.

If you’ve never had a job before, then you are not going to be able to be too fussy about choice. The first thing you will need to do is to get through the door for an interview. This is where having a really good resume will pay dividends. With so many job applications on the market today, your resume really needs to stand out from the crowd. You need to convince a prospective employer that you are going to be reliable and are employable. Having that first job will help you on any future applications you make.

So really whatever your first job is, it’s is not going to matter too much – it will give you something to put on your resume and you will be gaining valuable experience. Do try and get a job in the field you want to eventually work in.

Once you have a few months or even a year of employment under your belt, it’s time to look around for a job you could really like doing, and one that you can build a career around. Again a good resume is really going to help you here.

If you want help in writing a resume that gets result, you should visit Resume Edge.