Youve learned about how to cut details from your resume for a better chance at an interview. You prepared for the interview by doing your research on the employer and practicing your responses. You showed up dressed to kill and you even asked some thoughtful, poignant questions. You were supposed to hear back a week ago, but no ones called or emailed and now you have the sinking feeling that you didnt get the job.
[ Continue Reading → ]February 8th, 2012
Is Your Perfect Resume Actually Hurting You?
Did you know that most job applicants dont understand the purpose of a resume? The purpose of your resume is not to get you a job, it is to get you an interview. You can sabotage your very first impression by including too much in your resume. So what should you cut out? The answer may surprise you.
[ Continue Reading → ]February 1st, 2012
Why You Should Attend a Job Fair
Whether youre gearing up to graduate or theres a hiring fair in your area, the calendar year is front-loaded with job fairs. Most people think of job fairs as over crowded, competitive marketplaces with few opportunities compared to candidates. This may be why most people who attend job fairs do so casually, and come under dressed and under prepared, and so their negativity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. The good news is, by taking extra time to prepare, you can turn stand out from the competition and make your mark with a standout company.
[ Continue Reading → ]January 25th, 2012
Seven Questions That Could Land You the Job
Youre sitting in the interview room. Youre dressed well, even on a budget. You researched the company and practiced answering interview questions honestly and with confidence. Now the interviewer asks you if you have any question, and your mind goes blank. The only one you can think of is the salary question, and youre worried it will make your interest in the job shallow and one-dimensional. Here are the questions you should be asking, and why.
[ Continue Reading → ]January 18th, 2012
7 Habits of Highly Ineffective People on the Job
No matter how hard you work, how early you arrive and how late you stay at the office each day, no one gets more than twenty-four hours in their day. Everyone wants to be more organized, more efficient, more effective, and better at using their time. There are many ways of learning and honing those skills and everyone has their own challenges and priorities. Instead of telling you what to do to be highly effective professionally, whatever that means to you, here is a list of 7 habits that are guaranteed to keep dragging you down.
[ Continue Reading → ]January 11th, 2012
Your Interview Wardrobe on a Budget
The big interview is almost here and youve done your research on the employer, assembled a list of glowing references and rehearsed your winning answers. Now you just need to look the part. You may have have heard the axiom dress for the job you want, not the one you have–hard enough if youre looking to climb the ladder, but that old rule can be daunting when youve been wading through the shallow waters of unemployment for months. You already know perfectly well you cant turn up in worn, stained or ragged clothes, but then how do you put together an interview outfit that makes you look capable and confident?
[ Continue Reading → ]January 5th, 2012
How to Negotiate a Raise
If your list of goals and resolutions this year include securing a higher salary, youre not alone. In a tough economy the cost of living is constantly on the rise and the compensation you originally negotiated may be out of step with the value you represent to your employers. Odds are, though, that your employers have an even closer eye on their bottom line, so if you want a raise, you have to be strategic. For your best chance at a boost to your paycheque, follow these 5 steps.
[ Continue Reading → ]December 14th, 2011
How To Handle The Five Killer Telephone Interview Questions
A telephone interview is usually short, just enough time to rule you in or out, so the focus is on questions that help evaluate you quickly. Your goal is to turn it into a face-to-face meeting, so your answers need to be concise. As a rule of thumb, keep your answers to less than two minutes, if an interviewer wants to know more s/he will ask.
[ Continue Reading → ]December 7th, 2011
Do I Have to Answer That Question??
Okay, I promise the next job interview you go to will most definitely NOT be like that! But we all know job interviews are nerve racking and the best way to minimize those nervous symptoms of sweaty palms, dry mouth, and of course, the worst of all going blank, is to prepare as much as possible. Part of the preparation includes going over possible interview questions the interviewers may ask you, writing out responses, not memorizing them, but practicing, and if possible, even doing a mock interview. Its also important to keep in mind that knowing what questions should not be asked in an interview is just important as knowing what questions may be asked. At times job seekers arent aware of the fact that there are inappropriate and illegal questions. Therefore it is important to know what these types of questions are and how to respond to these questions in a manner that wouldnt hinder your chances of getting the job.
[ Continue Reading → ]November 30th, 2011
Finding your own social media voice (aka the art of preaching what you practice!)
The most terrifying obstacle for me when I entered the social networking scene was the lack of rules and guidelines.Why was this scary?
Because maybe like me, you too had learned at some point that it was for my own good that I separate my business and private life. These two should never mix and if they did, it was a really bad thing! Seriously. Bad.
I got this message first from childhood and then later on from school in my marketing classes. Be different in every part of your life.