Job Interview Basics

IMPORTANT Please Read [Career-LifeTimes]

2011-11-04T12:28:00.001-07:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

WOW! Time sure does fly. I've been working diligently on the Best-Interview-Strategies.com site to make it better for YOU! I hope you like the new look. I have tried to make the navigation easier to understand and am in the process of adding links to some pages to help you find the information you're looking for.Your feedback is welcome, of course. If you have any ideas about how to make the site better, please let me know. It's all about YOU and your needs, after all.

Here are some Job Interview Questions which you should be prepared to answer in your next interview. No, not ALL of them will be asked, but the more answers you are prepared for, the better you will do.

Are you prepared to answer these job interview questions?

Being able to answer job interview questions is very important. You need to take time out to understand each question as well as the reason behind it being asked. When you are able to define the purpose of each question, you will be better able to answer it in a manner that the employer finds acceptable. One of my favorite resources for understanding interview questions is a book by Martin John Yates titled, "Knock 'Em Dead: How to Answer Tough Interview Questions." Look for it on Amazon or at a local library.

Employers ask a variety of interview questions to gain insight into the kind of person you are, the work you are capable of doing and your attitude toward work. Being able to respond appropriately is essential to getting a job offer.

You have to be prepared for the interview if you are to remain competitive. Here are 99 job interview questions, some of which you might encounter in your next job interview. The more you can answer with style and sincerity, the more likely you will be to land a great job.

The 99 Questions List:
1. Tell me a little about yourself.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
3. Why should I hire you?
4. How do your skills relate to our needs?
5. What are your long range and short range goals and objectives?
6. How would a good friend describe you?
7. What do you really want to do in life?
8. Who do you admire? Why?
9. Describe the best supervisor you've ever had.
10. How long before you start making a contribution to this position?
11. Name two things that you would like to accomplish while working here.
12. What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?
13. What makes you qualified for this position?
14. Are you willing to work overtime?
15. What was wrong with your current or last position?
16. What would you like to know about our firm?
17. Describe the best job you've ever had.
18. Where do you want to be in the next 5 years?
19. Why do you want to work for this company?
20. What have you disliked in your past jobs?
21. What are the attributes of a good worker?
22. What kinds of people frustrate you?
23. In the past year, what have you been dissatisfied about in your performance?
24. How long a commitment do you plan to give to this job?
25. Have you ever been involved in volunteer work?
26. What did you learn from the volunteer work that you performed?
27. What would your last boss say about your work performance?
28. Do you consider yourself a leader?
29. Why did you choose this career?
30. What kinds of people do you enjoy working with?
31. What is the most boring job you have ever done?
32. What are your long range career objectives?
33. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?
34. What do you expect to be earning in five years?
35. What skills do you have that other candidates might not have?
36. Do you have your reference list with you?
37. How well do you work with people? Do you prefer working alone or in teams?
38. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor? How did you resolve the conflict?
39. Describe the workload in your current (or most recent) job.
40. Which is more important: creativity or efficiency? Why?
41. What's the most recent book you've read?
42. What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
43. What is the next step in your career plan?
44. What kind of hours are you used to working or would like to work?
45. What are you most passionate about?
46. How long would it take for you to make a meaningful contribution?
47. How does this position fit into your overall career plan?
48. Describe your management style.
49. Are you willing to submit to a background check?
50. Have you ever managed a conflict? How?
51. What concerns you about our company?
52. Do you consider yourself to be a cheerful person?
53. What are the most important attributes of a good manager?
54. What plan of action do you take when facing a problem ?
55. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?
56. Describe the most rewarding experience of your career thus far.
57. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?
58. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be successful in this job?
59. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
60. What do you do when people disagree with your ideas?
61. Are you good at delegating tasks?
62. What are some of the problems you encounter in doing your job?
63. What's one of the hardest decisions you've ever had to make?
64. Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?
65. How many hours per week do you expect to work?
66. What interests you about our products/services?
67. What do you know about our company?
68. What can you do for us that someone else can't?
69. What do you look for in a job?
70. How well do you adapt to new situations?
71. Tell me about your salary history.
72. How do you work under pressure?
73. Why did you decide to apply for this position?
74. What is more important to you: integrity or success?
75. How would you characterize your work ethic?
76. What else besides your school and job experience qualifies you for this job?
77. How do you determine or evaluate success?
78. What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?
79. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
80. What are some things you would like to avoid in a job? Why?
81. Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
82. Are you easy to get along with?
83. What do you see as the future of the Internet as a business tool?
84. Have you kept up in your field with additional training?
85. What does "failure" mean to you?
86. What are your three major accomplishments?
87. What types of pressures do you experience on your current job?
88. What questions didn't I ask that you expected?
89. What do you know about our competitors?
90. How will you fit in with the corporate culture here?
91. What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
92. Would you be willing to relocate in the future?
93. What are your expectations regarding promotions and salary increases?
94. Do you have a geographic preference? Why?
95. Are you willing to relocate?
96. What will make you successful in this job?
97. How do you deal with competition?
98. If a background check were performed on you, what would it show?
99. What is the most creative thing you have ever done?

Be Prepared

Hopefully, these job interview questions will help you in your quest for a great job. Being able to answer a variety of job interview questions is essential. Get the job you want by being prepared.

Take a look at this page for more Job Interview information: Job Interview Secrets

and this page to avoid job interview mistakes: Interview Bloopers and How to Avoid Them

Job market improves modestly as unemployment falls - here is an article from By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER at The Associated Press

WASHINGTON The American job market improved modestly in October, and economists looking deeper into the numbers found real reasons for optimism or at least what counts for optimism in this agonizingly slow economic recovery.

The nation added 80,000 jobs. That was fewer than the 100,000 that economists expected, but it was the 13th consecutive month of job gains. Fears of a new recession that loomed over the economy this summer have all but receded.

The unemployment rate nudged down, to 9 percent from 9.1 in September.

"Those are pretty good signs," said Michael Hanson, senior economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "We're hanging in there."

No one looking at Friday's report from the Labor Department saw an end anytime soon to the high unemployment that has plagued the nation for three years. The jobless rate has been 9 percent or higher for all but two months since June 2009.

Still, economists pointed out bright spots in the report

One government survey that tracks the job market by canvassing households found a gain of 277,000 jobs in October and an average of more than 300,000 jobs a month since August.

A separate survey of employers is used to determine the overall jobs number, but the household survey is the only one that includes farms and the self-employed. It also may be better at picking up improvements in small business.

Average hourly wages rose 5 cents a week, to $23.19. More pay for workers means they have more spending power in the economy. Many businesses are waiting for customer demand to pick up before they hire in big numbers again.

August and September turned out to be much better months for job creation than first thought. The nation added 104,000 jobs in August and 158,000 in September, a total of 102,000 more than earlier estimates. The August figure was first reported as zero.

The number of people considered long-term unemployed, meaning they have been looking for work for at least six months, fell by 366,000, to 5.9 million. That is the fewest since April.

"Overall, while this report is not good enough, several key numbers are now moving in the right direction," Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency told clients. He said the odds for the next few months "seem to be improving."

The overall job gain was the smallest in four months. And because the population is always growing, it takes many more jobs, about 125,000 a month, to bring down the unemployment rate

You can read the remainder of the article here: KTVU.com

AND - related to the article above...

At Long Last, Women Gain Some Jobs in the Recovery - Federal Jobs Programs Could Help Accelerate Job Growth for Women

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women gained 66,000 of the 80,000 jobs gained this month, and they also gained 136,000 jobs in August and September compared with men's gain of 126,000 in those two months, as reported in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released today (which included revisions for August and September as well as new numbers for October). Analysis of the new data by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) shows that the wide job gap between men and women fell from 1.6 million jobs to 1.5 million jobs.

The BLS also reported that the unemployment rate for women aged 16 years and older fell two-tenths of one percentage point, from 8.7 percent to 8.5 percent, while men's increased from 9.4 percent to 9.5 percent for men in the same age range. For women who maintain families without the support of a spouse, the unemployment fell from 12.4 percent to 12.3 percent.

Men have gained back far more jobs in the recovery relative to the number they lost during the recession. Men have gained 30 percent (1.8 million) of the 6.0 million jobs they lost between December 2007 and January 2010 when their employment began to grow. Women have regained only 17 percent (465,000) of the total jobs they lost in the recession (2.7 million from December 2007 to the trough for women's employment in September 2010). Men are recovering more quickly than women, but the jobs recovery is slow for both men and women.

"Today's numbers are welcome news for women," said Dr. Heidi Hartmann, President of IWPR and a labor economist. "But women are still lagging in the recovery when compared with men and, really, job growth has been extraordinarily slow for both women and men. The slower growth for women, in part, reflects the past year's job losses for women at the state and local government level. Federal assistance to state and local governments could really help women. Men are outpacing women in job growth in just about every sector. Only health care continues to show substantially more job growth for women than men."

If you would like to read more, go here: Women and Jobs

So, now that I'm nearly done with the site "re-do", I can focus more on getting current information out to you - such as newsletters like this.

Thanks for sticking with me as I endeavor to create a site that helps all of us.

Carla Bosteder

www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21153554.22982631.879505f0efcb4343526401a7f8c7f2dd
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21153554.22982631.879505f0efcb4343526401a7f8c7f2dd
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

IMPORTANT Please Read [Career-LifeTimes]

2011-05-10T18:56:00.001-07:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

Greetings to all of you!

Welcome. I have taken a few months to get a good feel of Best-Interview-Strategies.com and I think it's time I formally introduce myself.

My name is Carla Vaughan-Bosteder. I currently own several web sites in addition to this one, including http://www.best-friends-forever.com and http://www.wahm-ideas.com. I also oversee two other sites, one for my church: http://www.unionvalleychurchofchrist.com and one for a friend of mine: http://www.squirehavenbengalcats.com

I love working on each of my sites and enjoy the ability to help other people at the same time.

As for my background, I have B.S. in Business from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and am currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Education at Texas A&M University-Commerce. My first job during college was at the Career Planning and Placement Center at SIUE and I developed a love of all things related to job searching back then. That was more than 20 years ago and no, I won't tell you how much more than 20 years ago. Ha ha

If you frequent the site much, you'll see that I have done some re-organization, which I hope will make it easier for you to find what you're looking for. I am also adding articles to further enhance the information provided on the site. If there is ever anything you would like to know more about, please let me know and I'll try to work that into the schedule of articles to add.

I'm not likely to be as funny as Bonnie, but I do hope to provide some interesting, entertaining and educational information on the site and in this ezine.

Thank you for sticking with the site and for giving me a chance to show you that Best-Interview-Strategies.com is going to be bigger and better than before. I'm still in touch with Bonnie Lowe and she's doing very well in her new ventures.

Best Wishes from me and I'll have a new ezine edition out soon.

Warm Regards,

Carla Carla@best-interview-strategies.com

www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21144704.22982631.8eb00a89fc805c6e575b0a31b9e6598d
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21144704.22982631.8eb00a89fc805c6e575b0a31b9e6598d
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

IMPORTANT Please Read [Career-LifeTimes]

2011-02-11T13:57:00.001-08:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

First, I apologize for not sending a regular issue of the newsletter for quite a while.

Second, this is the last message from me... I will not be sending any more newsletters (but someone else will).

I've sold my website and blog to Carla Bosteder (more about her below).

I've greatly enjoyed sharing tips and strategies over the past eight years to help people get hired, get noticed, and get ahead. And I've loved receiving feedback from people as they advanced in their careers.

But it's time for me to try something new, to take a different path.

I was very selective about who will be carrying on after me. Carla is a special person, and I have no doubt you'll be in very good hands.

I wish you peace, happiness and prosperity in your career and all aspects of your life! It's been a pleasure serving you!

Sincerely,
Bonnie Lowe

Message From Carla

My name is Carla Bosteder.

I have over 20 years of experience in the field of Career Planning and Human Resources. I have spent time on both sides of the interview table and am very knowledgeable about what works and what does not for job candidates.

Who am I?

I am an internationally recognized resume expert. I have been in the personnel/human resources industry for over 20 years. I have been THE Resume Expert for CVTips.com (in the United Kingdom) AND StudentSavvy.com (in the United States), both of which approached me for my outstanding resume advice. I have also owned and run a variety of websites on career-related topics, such as resume writing, the job search, and now, on job interviewing.

Why should you trust me?

When the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM) requested my help in creating an article for their 200,000+ membership, I was more than honored to oblige. Why? This organization is THE professional association in the Human Resource industry. To garner their trust and respect is quite an achievement and I am thrilled that they came to me for expert advice.

I started working in the Career Planning and Placement Office at Southern Illinois University while I was pursuing my Bachelor's degree back in the 1980's. My exposure to the interviewing process on campus created my life-long desire to help others achieve success in finding a great job.

Through the ensuing years, as I worked in the field of Human Resources, I saw the kinds of resumes that people were sending in to apply for job openings and experienced their ability (or lack thereof) to succeed in the job interview process. What I learned from all of these experiences is that there is a good way to go about a job search - and every other way that people struggle with throughout their lives.

Bonnie has created an amazing site here and I intend to continue it with the same great information that she has provided for years. I will be adding content to the site to further enhance it, and that's with a goal of helping you navigate the job search process with even greater ease (and success).

Blessings to you as www.Best-Interview-Strategies.com changes hands.

Carla Bosteder

www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21139988.22982631.447beec9769586ce0c5f11d99bb14ffc
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21139988.22982631.447beec9769586ce0c5f11d99bb14ffc
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Welcome to Career-Life Times

2011-02-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

Hello BIZMAN ASSOCIATES,

Welcome to Career-Life Times.

Your subscription will start with the next issue.

If you'd like to start *NOW*, the back issues are at...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

I hope you enjoy the e-zine as much as I do writing it.

Wishing you all the best,
Bonnie Lowe
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com

BIZMAN ASSOCIATES, Career-Life Times Unsubscribed

2011-01-30T23:43:00.001-08:00

Hi BIZMAN ASSOCIATES,

This note is just to confirm that we have deleted your
address from Career-Life Times.

We send this notification just in case someone unsubscribed
you without your knowledge.

If you have a moment, I'd love to hear how we did *not* meet
your needs. I am always looking for ways to improve this
e-zine. So please just hit the REPLY button and let me know.
Don't pull any punches -- the truth is the best way to learn.

Thank you for your time with us,
Bonnie Lowe
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com

Thanks & Gifts! [Career-LifeTimes]

2010-12-21T14:56:00.001-08:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

This is just a quick note to wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS and thank everyone who completed the online survey I mentioned in my last email. I'll share all of the responses with you next month (even the uncensored comments of someone who thinks I'm a scammer trying to profit off the unemployed).

If you haven't taken the survey yet, there's still time (I'll close it down on January 5). Please go here to take the survey.

To show my appreciation for taking the time to complete the survey, here are five great F*REE resources I hope you'll enjoy:

BUSINESS CARDS. A business card with your name, e-mail address, and phone number can come in handy in all kinds of situations. Instead of scribbling your contact info on a napkin or the back of a receipt, hand out your card and make a better impression! Click here to order f*ree customized business cards from VistaPrint.

BOOK EXCERPT. Get a 50-page excerpt from Ford R. Myers' best-selling book, "Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring," along with three other gifts to help with your job search by clicking here.

RESUME KIT. It's from AARP, but anyone of any age can benefit from the great tips in this kit. grab it by clicking here.

JOB SEARCH TIPS. Get the ebook, "100 Job Search Tips From Fortune 500 Recruiters," by clicking here.

HEADHUNTER HIRING SECRETS. Get a digital version of the popular book, "Headhunter Hiring Secrets" (available on Amazon.com) by providing your name and email address here.

I hope 2011 is your best year ever! Thanks again!

Bonnie
Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com
www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21137244.22982631.448b7ab04d6719e76f42a6c18eabc462
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21137244.22982631.448b7ab04d6719e76f42a6c18eabc462
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Can you do me a favor Re: Career-LifeTimes?

2010-12-09T14:21:00.001-08:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

Instead of sending you my normal monthly "Career-Life Times" newsletter, I'm asking for your help.

Can you please do me a favor and take a quick online survey about my newsletter? There are only nine questions and it will only take a few minutes, but your answers will be very valuable to me.

I've made a few New Year's Resolutions for 2011, and one of them involves serving YOU better. I'd really appreciate your input on how you'd like me to do that. Please complete the survey to help me help you.

All responses are anonymous, so feel free to be "brutally honest" when leaving your comments.

Click here to take the survey.

Thank you very much, and have a wonderful holiday season!

Bonnie

Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com
www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21136643.22982631.7db86a0f1ad5ac6f937c697ab1b1e005
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21136643.22982631.7db86a0f1ad5ac6f937c697ab1b1e005
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Career-Life Times, Issue #70-- Video: How to Create Attention-Grabbing Cover Letters

2010-11-15T10:13:00.001-08:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

In This Issue:

Video: How to Create Attention-Grabbing Cover Letters

If You Want the Job, You Must Say So!

Is There a Chip on Your Shoulder?

Resources

Worth Quoting

Just for Laughs

Video: How to Create Attention-Grabbing Cover Letters

Do you need a cover letter when submitting your resume? In my opinion: YES!

Just as people read the cover of a book to determine whether or not it's one they want to buy, hiring managers, HR professionals and recruiters like to read a cover letter to determine whether or not to spend time looking at your resume.

But here's the thing: it must be an effective cover letter. It must grab their attention and make them want to learn more about you. Most cover letters fail to do this.

I created a video that provides helpful tips on how you can create effective, attention-grabbing cover letters to stand out among all the other candidates. Please go to my blog to view the video: Click here to watch "How to Create Attention-Grabbing Videos".

I'd appreciate your feedback on that video. It's a new media for me, so I'd love to know what you think...if you like the content, and if you like the fact that it's provided in video form instead of as an article. Should I do more videos? Let me know, okay? Thanks!

If You Want the Job, You Must Say So!

Here's a big mistake many people make at the end of their job interview: instead of saying they want the job, they allow the hiring manager to assume they want it. Their logic goes like this: "The hiring manager already knows I want the job. If I didn't want the job, I wouldn't have applied and interviewed for it. There's no need to state the obvious."

But here's what you need to keep in mind: a job interview is a two-way process. The hiring manager evaluates the candidates, and the candidates evaluate the position, the company, and the hiring manager. Even in today's ugly economy, candidates often decide during the interview that they would NOT want the job. Perhaps after hearing more about the duties they decided they would not enjoy the work. Perhaps the hiring manager seemed like a mean person. Perhaps the zombie-like stares of current employees shuffling down the hallway scared the crap out of them.

There are many reasons why a job you applied and interviewed for may NOT be one that's right for you. Hiring managers know this; they will rarely assume you really want the job just because you interviewed for it. They need to hear you say it.

If you DO want the job, make that very clear before you leave the interview.

Shake the interviewer's hand, look him/her in the eye, smile and say, "Thank you very much for your consideration. I'm definitely interested in working here and would love to be a member of your team. What are the next steps?" Or even simpler: "Just so we're clear, I want this job. What are the next steps?"

Oh, and say it again when you send your thank-you note immediately after the interview. (You WILL send a thank-you note, right?)

Is There a Chip on Your Shoulder?

Before going into your next job interview, check your shoulders. No, not for dandruff (although that might not be a bad idea)... for a chip.

For the benefit of the many non-native-English speakers who read this newsletter: saying someone "has a chip on his shoulder" means he is resentful, frustrated, or angry about something, feels that he has been treated badly, and may be looking for a fight (figuratively or literally). (I say "he," but this applies to women, as well.)

Due to the poor economy, many people are extremely frustrated because they have lost their jobs and can't find work.

People who are frustrated and upset often find it difficult to control their emotions. Even worse, they sometimes lash out at innocent bystanders. We've all done it to one extent or another. You can probably relate to this scenario: you wake up with a terrible headache, drop a cup of hot coffee in your lap on the way to work, get pulled over and ticketed by a cop, walk through a puddle on your way into the office (in your new shoes), hear a cheerful "Good morning!" from your coworker -- and respond by screaming, "What's so damn good about it?!?"

Okay, maybe you wouldn't do something like that. But some people would. They don't mean to be mean, but because they are upset, they take their frustrations out on others, particularly when they feel they have no control over the situation that is causing their frustration. They have a chip on their shoulder. If they go into a job interview without getting rid of it, there is little chance they'll get the job. They may smile and try to hide the chip, but a positive, enthusiastic attitude is hard to fake.

Before going to a job interview, do a self-assessment. Are you frustrated? Angry? Upset? If the answer is yes, change your attitude before the interview. I realize that's easy to say, but not easy to do. But if you are AWARE of your emotional state, that's a step in the right direction, and additional steps will be easier. Before your interview, consciously try to put yourself into a good mood. Do something you enjoy. Play with your children (or a pet). Listen to upbeat music or a funny audio recording. Think about things that make you happy. Yes, "Think happy thoughts" is trite, but doing it really can work wonders.

Attitude is so important during a job interview. Get rid of the chip on your shoulder. Do your best to make sure your attitude is "adjusted" and you're in the right frame of mind before you walk into the job interview.

Resources

1. The Bonnie Lowe Daily. There's a cool service provided by paper.li that allows people to create a daily summary ("paper") of information posted by those they're following on Twitter. I follow many career experts (and other interesting people) on Twitter, and you can subscribe to my paper to receive a summary with links to helpful articles each day. You can also create your own paper. This service is f*r*e*e. To see what I'm talking about, click here to read The Bonnie Lowe Daily. If you like it, click on the Subscribe button you'll see in its black navigation bar.

2. Top 10 Job Search Blunders This article (and many other good ones) is at bnet.com, the CBS Interactive Business Network. To read about each of the 10 blunders, you need to click on the photo thumbnails at the bottom of the article, but the content is worth that little hassle. Click here to read "Top 10 Job Search Blunders".

3. More Articles. You can find more articles by going to my online Article Index. Here are two new ones you might enjoy:

How Can I Get Back To My Salary Before The Recession?

Get Out of That Toxic Workplace!

And from my blog:

Job Interviews, Stray Dogs, and Spinning Out of Control

Video: Job Interview Tips from the AARP

Hiring Based on Friends and Followers?

4. The Best Career Strategies of 2010. If you haven't already grabbed this f*ree report I compiled that's loaded with helpful career tips from dozens of experts, you can get it here: F*ree Report.

5. The Job Interview Success System. The job market is getting better, but it still sucks. You don't have to go it alone. Get step-by-step help and a big advantage over your competition with my job-winning System. Read all the details here: Job Interview Success System.

Worth Quoting

"The man who does more than he is paid for
will soon be paid for more than he does."
(Napoleon Hill)

Just for Laughs

Thirteen Thoughts to Make You Smile

1. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn't.
2. I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
3. Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them.
4. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.
5. Don't take life too seriously; No one gets out alive.
6. You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
7. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
8. Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
9. I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.
10. Out of my mind. Back in five minutes.
11. Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
12. Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
13. A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

Thanks for reading this issue. If you have any comments or questions, please let me know: Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com

Feel free to forward this to your friends!

Thanks!

P.P.S. To prevent your email service provider's spam filter from interrupting delivery or this newsletter to your email inbox, please add Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com to your address book or "safe list."

Bonnie
www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21135362.22982631.867c8a8e74bc4f1457145d2e64085a03
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21135362.22982631.867c8a8e74bc4f1457145d2e64085a03
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Career-Life Times, Issue #69-- Stress-Relieving Silly Interview Tips

2010-08-30T04:45:00.001-07:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

In This Issue:

How (and Why) to Turn the Tables at the Interview So It's All About THEM

Stress-Relieving Silly Interview Tips

The Top 5 Green Jobs For 2011 in America

Resources

Worth Quoting

Just for Laughs

How (and Why) to Turn the Tables at the Interview So It's All About THEM

Imagine you want to find a new doctor, and you've narrowed your choice to two possibilities: Doctor Smith and Doctor Jones. You've researched their backgrounds and determined they are equally qualified. You decide to get a physical check-up by each of them so you can compare their abilities first-hand.

During your check-ups, you ask each doctor about his qualifications.

Doctor Smith speaks at length about his experience and achievements, telling you all about the commendations he's received, the internship he completed at the prestigious Mayo Clinic, his memberships in various medical associations, and his appointment to a special hospital oversight board. He tells you he is the most qualified doctor in the state. By the time he's finished telling you all about himself, your check-up is done and the appointment is over. He seems a bit arrogant, but his credentials are impressive. You now know a lot about him.

Doctor Jones, on the other hand, gives only brief answers to your questions about his qualifications. He spends most of your appointment time asking you questions about your medical history and overall health, listening carefully to your answers, and giving you helpful advice. After you mention your occasional back pain, for example, he asks about your job and then recommends ergonomic improvements to your work station as well as specific stretching exercises to prevent your pain from coming back. By the time you're finished telling him all about yourself, your check-up is done and the appointment is over. He seems genuinely interested in you and your well-being. He now knows a lot about you.

You asked them the same questions. Doctor Smith focused on himself. Doctor Jones focused on you.

Which doctor would you choose?

Most people would choose Doctor Jones. People (even shy ones) enjoy talking about themselves to someone like Doctor Jones who listens, cares, and helps to solve their problems.

Another characteristic most people share is always wanting to know, "What's in it for me?" People make decisions and take actions based primarily on how the outcome will impact their wants and needs. This isn't selfish; it's natural and necessary for survival.

Guess what--hiring managers are people, too.

During a job interview, you'll be answering questions designed to help the hiring manager determine if you're the best candidate for the job. You have to focus on yourself, right?

Yes and no. You can turn the tables at the interview, put the focus on THEM, and be more like Doctor Jones than Doctor Smith.

First, do extensive research on the company, the position for which you're applying, and the hiring manager, if possible. Your goal is to determine how you can help them achieve their mission and objectives--or how you can offer ideas, suggestions, and solutions for challenges they may be facing.

Then anticipate likely interview questions and design your answers to address their (usually unspoken) desire to know "What's in it for me?"

For example, let's say that during your research you found out that the company will soon be implementing a number of "green" initiatives to help protect the environment. It's a company-wide program and every manager (including the one who will be interviewing you) will be involved. During the interview, when asked to "Tell me a little about yourself," you could include a sentence or two about how you're very interested in "green" issues and have always wanted to work for a company that is taking action to protect the environment. That answer seems to be focused on you, but it's actually focused on the hiring manager, who will be thinking "This person will be eager to help me with that company-wide 'green' program I've been stuck with."

See how it provides an answer for his "What's in it for me?" question?

Try to incorporate into your answers information about how you will be able to help the company and the hiring manager with issues that are important to THEM. With a little determination, you can do this with virtually any question. Even one like "What's your greatest weakness?" You could say "I've always had a somewhat poor memory. I'd forget my mom's birthday if I didn't write it on the calendar. That's why I always use detailed checklists so I can keep track of all details and never miss a deadline. This practice really came in handy when I volunteered to organize XYZ Company's Earth Day Festival last year that showcased their environmental initiatives to more than 10,000 people."

See? You're answering a question about yourself, but including information relevant to one of the hiring manager's self-interests. He now knows you have experience with planning environmental events, even though it may never have occurred to him to ask you about that.

Even though both examples I gave are related to the same issue (environment), try to identify more than one issue and plan to address each through different answers to anticipated questions. Remember, prepare and practice your answers!

Now, let's go back to the fact that people like to talk about themselves to someone who listens and cares.

Typically during a job interview, you'll be asked if you have any questions. This is when you get the hiring manager to talk about him/herself and topics he/she would enjoy telling you about. Questions you might ask include: What do you enjoy most about working here? What attracted you to this line of work? How did you win the Whatzit Award? (Something about him/her based on your research or what you see in his/her office.)

Listen carefully and show genuine interest. If the hiring manager mentions something you have in common, briefly acknowledge that common interest, but avoid the temptation to start talking about yourself. Remember, you goal is to let the hiring manager enjoy doing the talking. Smile, nod, and ask follow-up questions to show that you're fascinated by whatever he/she is saying. This will put the hiring manager in a great mood, and he/she will relate that happy feeling to you.

Yes, this process of focusing on THEM instead of just yourself during the job interview is a lot more work. But I guarantee it will make you stand out from all the other candidates who focus only on themselves!

Stress-Relieving Silly Interview Tips

Got a job interview coming up? I know they can be stressful, so here's a list of interview tips designed only to make you laugh... NOT to be used in an actual interview!

1. Be fashionably late (about 15 minutes) for your interview. Punctuality is for wimps.

2. Be sure to start off the interview by making your demands known right up front. No sense wasting time if they're not going to give you the penthouse office, Mercedes company car, offshore account for your monthly bonuses, and private masseuse you deserve.

3. If you forget the interviewer's name, just call him Slick. If it's a woman, use Sweet Thing. Or vice versa.

4. Speak softly; a whisper is best. You want the interviewer listening as carefully as possible to everything you say.

5. If you don't know the answer to a question, change the subject by saying, "That's a very interesting question. Wow, those are some big feet! What size shoes do you wear?"

6. Bring a bag of peanuts to munch on during the interview (after all, you don't want your stomach to growl!). Be considerate; don't toss the empty shells on the floor, pile them neatly on the interviewer's desk.

7. When asked a stupid question like "If you were a bird, what kind of bird would you be?" respond with an equally stupid answer like "I'd be an ostrich, so I could leave the biggest possible pile of bird crap on your list of questions."

8. When asked about your experience, keep details to a minimum. Everyone loves a good mystery! Use vague sentences such as "I took care of things. It's best that you don't know too much," and then wink and aim your finger gun at them.

9. Show how cool you are by using these phrases as often as possible: "Don't get all salty on me! Ya feel me? My last boss was a real cheeseball. I'll blitz you refs. Hey, I'm late for my tweetup!"

10. Finally, disregard all these "tips" and ace your next interview!

The Top 5 Green Jobs For 2011 in America

(This is a guest article by Jeff Deutsch)

According to the United Nations Environment Program, a green job, or a green-collar job is one that helps protect and preserve biodiversity and ecosystems. Green workers reduce materials, water consumption, and energy by increasing resource efficiency. These jobs are minimize pollution and all forms of waste.

Below are the top five Green jobs available in America today.

1. Farmer - Do you know the shocking truth about farmers in America? There are only 2 million, and their average age is 55. This market is screaming for more workers on the local and small scale, particularly for young farmers who know organic production methods and avoid the use of pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizer. The U.S. Job market has capacity for ten million farmers. However, the job is not as easy at it might seem to some. Modern farmers must be skilled businesspersons knowledgeable in heirloom genetics and marketing.

2. Energy Efficiency Builder - In the US, buildings actually account for 48% of greenhouse emissions and energy use. We are way behind the rest of the world in this. Switzerland and Germany, for instance, use 75% to 95% less heat energy than a building built to environmental code in the U.S.

There is a huge opportunity here for one of the major green building certifications today. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has given accreditation to more then 43,000 professionals. When the U.S. standards get stricter, the country will need a workforce of retrofitters to go with its millions of engineers and architects.

3. Urban Planners - The linchpin of America's campaign to lower its carbon footprint. Urban planners will help us reduce our use of cars and encourage the utilization of bicycles. They will also strengthen mass transit, limit sprawl, and help us plan for heat wave, garbage creep, and flooding contingencies.

4. Recycling Professional - More than 1 million recycling jobs are available in America. A shocking number of people engaged in this area have been continuing to grow. This is primarily because recycling still continues to be the most economical alternative to high disposal fees. Hiring in this sector will always be active.

5. Solar Power Installer - There are 770, 000 jobs worldwide for installing and making solar power systems. Opportunities for this work are still relatively high and high paying too. In fact at the present, 3,400 companies are still employing power installers--some as many as 35,000 workers in one company! This job will definitely promote the welfare of the environment and the economic sectors, and the job prospects of its skilled workers.

While we continue to face a recession and our young adults decide which jobs will be available when they graduate from college, green jobs are looking more attractive all the time.

Jeff Deutsch is an environmentalist and resident of one of America's fastest-greening states, New Jersey. He works for the environmentally friendly NJ electrician Vetter Electric. He also provides free info on the environment from an electrician's perspective on his blog, ElectricianInNJ.com.

Resources

1. JOBSPICE. I recently received the following email:

Dear Bonnie,

My name is Andrea Simmons, and I'm a huge fan of your blog! I graduated from Seattle University, and started reading it when I was doing my own job search! Since then I have joined a small startup company that helps students (and professionals) build great-looking resumes in 15 minutes and then publish them online.

Anyway, your recent blog post on 'When Does Your Interview Really Begin' was so totally relevant to what we've been working on here at JobSpice that I felt I had to write you and tell you what we've been up to (as I agree that the interview starts way before the actual meeting; I think it starts with the resume). In the last few months, we've gotten dozens of large universities, (Northwestern, University of Washington, ASU and more) signed up to use JobSpice, and we're expecting about 250,000 students to have accounts on the site this Fall. But we want to do more than help students build resumes.

In the feedback we've gotten from students who are already using the site, most say that they love the ability to post their resumes online and then tweet the URL to friends or potential employers. I just thought I would write to you to tell you about all that JobSpice has been up to because I feel our web application could really benefit your readers!

Anyway, I'd love to hear back from you and hear your thoughts on what you thought of JobSpice.com and the ease of building a resume with our web application. I'd really appreciate your advice!

I receive many solicitations to promote other sites, and to be frank, most of them are crap (the solicitations and the sites themselves). But Andrea is one smart cookie. Her email to me was NOT a "canned" generic request like 99% are; she made it obvious she'd actually read my blog; and she appealed to my ego by paying me a compliment before making her request. How could I refuse?

I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. JobSpice enables you to quickly create an attractively formatted resume by following the prompts and filling in the blanks. You can choose from several format designs. The prompts guide you on the type of content to consider including in your resume. So I like the resume-builder at JobSpice.

But I also like the fact that JobSpice includes helpful articles on topics like making the resume CONTENT more effective. The best resume design/creation tool in the world won't help a clueless job seeker to get hired if he/she doesn't understand how to effectively communicate accomplishments. If you decide to use JobSpice to build your resume, be sure to read the articles on its blog first.

I do recommend JobSpice. It's a useful, and even fun way to create and post your resume. It has a F*REE trial, and if you like it, it's only $20 for a year of service. That seems like quite a bargain to me. I suspect they'll raise the price as their service gains in popularity. Check it out here: JobSpice.com.

2. CITYTOWNINFO. This is a very useful site. CityTownInfo is the leading online resource for in-depth information and analysis on U.S. cities, communities, careers, colleges, and more. It provides an incredible amount of helpful information, including detailed career profiles. If you're considering a new career, moving to a new city, or going back to school, this site should be your first stop. Go to CityTownInfo.com.

3. The Best Career Strategies of 2010. If you haven't already grabbed this f*ree report I compiled that's loaded with helpful career tips from dozens of experts, you can get it here: F*ree Report.

4. The Job Interview Success System. The job market is getting better, but it still sucks. You don't have to go it alone. Get step-by-step help and a big advantage over your competition with my job-winning System. Read all the details here: Job Interview Success System.

Worth Quoting

"When I was a young man, I observed that
nine out of ten things I did were failures.
I didn't want to be a failure, so
I did ten times more work."
(George Bernard Shaw)

Just for Laughs

Office Visit

Resolving to surprise her husband, an executive's wife stopped by his office. She found him with his secretary sitting in his lap.

Without hesitating, he dictated, "...and in conclusion, gentlemen, shortage or no shortage, I cannot continue to operate this office with just one chair.

Thanks for reading this issue. If you have any comments or questions, please let me know: Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com

Feel free to forward this to your friends!

Thanks!

Bonnie
www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21131280.22982631.d862c40a397942d9e739222c41a4c6eb
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21131280.22982631.d862c40a397942d9e739222c41a4c6eb
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Welcome to Career-Life Times

2010-08-20T07:13:00.001-07:00

BIZMAN ASSOCIATES, Career-Life Times Unsubscribed

2010-02-23T02:32:00.001-08:00

Career-Life Times, Issue #65--Do These Job Interview Clothes Make My Butt Look Big?

2010-02-23T02:24:00.001-08:00

Greetings BIZMAN ASSOCIATES

You should click on the birdie to...

Issue No. 65 -- February 23, 2010

In This Issue:

Do These Job Interview Clothes Make My Butt Look Big?

"Should I Include References on my Résumé?"

5 Signs You Should Run Screaming from the Job Interview

5 Resume Basics We Bet You've Overlooked!

Resources

Worth Quoting

Just for Laughs

Do These Job Interview Clothes Make My Butt Look Big?

"What should I wear to my interview?"

If you have a job interview coming up, that question has undoubtedly popped into your head. I wrote an article a while back that covers the basics: Plan Your Appearance to Make a Great First Impression.

As you know, the clothes you wear to a job interview can create a good--or bad--impression about you. Here are a few additional things to keep in mind:

1. Dress comfortably... to a point. One of the biggest challenges during a job interview is remaining calm and relaxed. The clothes you wear can have a big impact upon how relaxed you are, and how natural you look. If you are happy with how you look and feel, it will reflect on how you act, and the interviewer will perceive you as being calm and confident. Having said that, don't take it to extremes. Showing up in your sweats is definitely NOT a good idea. Follow the general guidelines of the earlier article referenced above. But if you have a choice between outfits that are appropriate, wear the most comfortable one.

2. Realize that clothes put you into context. As much as we all like to talk about not judging a book by its cover, the truth is this: your appearance says a lot about who you are and what people will think of you. The clothes you wear to your job interview will convey a meaning to people and they'll form an opinion about you based on the image you've created. So think carefully about the image you wish to project, and then communicate that through the clothes you wear.

3. Consider dark and plain clothes. Besides being conservative (usually a good thing for job interviews), a simple, dark suit, pantsuit or dress allows the real focus to be where you want it--on your face. An added bonus of dark clothes is that they tend to make you look slimmer (your butt might not look too big).

Exception: There's no way to put this delicately, but if you have a dandruff problem and can't resolve it before your interview, do NOT wear a dark color that will make every flake visible.

Watch out for crazy patterns, lines, dots or bright colors. Understated basics allow YOU (instead of your clothes) to shine.

4. Don't play the skin game. (This is for women): If your outfit leaves too much skin exposed (especially cleavage or legs), don't be surprised if the interviewer gets distracted from the main focal point of the interivew YOU. As a consequence of that distraction, it's likely that you'll be viewed as unprofessional; you won't be taken seriously; you probably won't get the job.

Keep those points in mind, along with the tips in my previous article, and you'll know how to dress to impress at your next job interview!

"Should I Include References on my Résumé?"

Have you considered including a few references on your résumé? Don't do it. Here's why:

1. Your résumé may be circulated or posted online. Your references won't want their contact information so readily available to everyone. You can give your résumé to anyone who wants it, but you shouldn't give out your references' contact info so carelessly.

2. You don't want hiring managers contacting your references until you're sure you want to work for them. You usually don't know that until after your interview.

3. You need to use the limited space on your résumé for information about YOU and your accomplishments, not for a list of people who know you.

NOTE: If you're sure the hiring manager knows one of your references, do a little name dropping. Include that reference's name in your cover letter to boost your chances of getting the interview, especially if that reference recommended that you apply for the job. (For example: "Joe Smith recommended that I apply for this position.")

But don't include references on your résumé. (Exception: Some government agencies demand that references be listed on the initial job application. In this case, follow the instructions.)

Also, don't bother including "References available upon request." The ability to provide a reference list is assumed by employers, so there's no reason to take up valuable résumé space with that sentence.

Do keep a separate document with your references (typically three professional references and three character references) and provide it when requested. Like your résumé, review this document often. Contact your references from time to time to ensure that you have their current contact information, to give them a heads-up when you're interviewing, and to thank them again for being a reference. Bring this document with you and offer it as the interview is concluding (whether it is requiested or not).

5 Signs You Should Run Screaming from the Job Interview

I usually say there's no such thing as a bad job interview, because each one is an opportunity to practice, learn, and improve your interviewing skills.

But there are exceptions. Here are 5 signs that the job interview is not going well and you should exit as quickly as possible:

1. The interviewer can't remember the name of the company she works for.

2. The interviewer asks only personal questions that have nothing to do with the job ("Are you married? Do you come here often? What's your sign? Want to pose for our calendar?").

3. The interview answers all of your questions about the position with, "I'm sorry. That information is confidential. If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

4. There are mouse traps all over the place and the interviewer asks if you're immune to the Hantavirus.

5. The interviewer's eyes have a red glow, there's a faint smell of sulphur in the air, and his opening remarks are "How badly do you want this job? Perhaps we can make a deal."

OK, those are (mostly) silly examples, but my point is serious: If you have weird feelings or nagging doubts about the job or the person conducting the interview, don't ignore them. Listen to your gut, your instinct, your sixth sense.

Analyze what it is that's making you feel uncomfortable, and take appropriate action--even if that action is walking out.

5 Resume Basics We Bet You've Overlooked!

(This is a guest article by Jessica M. Holbrook)

Thousands of job seekers make these mistakes. Are you making them too?

1. FORGETTING TO INCLUDE A COVER LETTER

Not attaching a cover letter to a resume is like shooting in the dark. Hiring managers receive hundreds of unsolicited resumes every week. Tell them specifically what opening you are applying to or the position you're inquiring about. Do not assume they will figure it out from your resume.

2. USING AN OBJECTIVE

Point blank, objectives are bad form, self-serving, and will get you nowhere in this job market. Instead of telling the employer what you want, show them what you can do. When you buy something, the store doesn't tell you what they want from you. You know what they want; they want your business and your money. Employers know what you want-you want a job. Instead, utilize a career summary that will 'show' (not just 'tell') the employer how you can meet their needs. And include a completely customized personal branding statement.

3. UTILIZING HEADERS VERSUS YOUR TARGET JOB TITLE AND PERSONAL BRAND

Titling sections with headers (career summary, qualifications summary) uses up valuable real estate on your resume-space you could be using to advertise your unique value, talent, passion, and vision. Instead, create a catchy personal branding statement that immediately tells the employer who you are and what you have to offer.

4. LEAVING OUT INDUSTRY SPECIFIC KEYWORDS

Forget keywords and you're neglecting all three of the audiences that will be reviewing your resume. Even worse, you're excluding yourself from being found in candidate databases, job search engines, social networks, and more. First, your resume has to make it through the software scan, then the secretary or administrative assistant scan, then on to the hiring manager who actually knows what you're doing and how you are supposed to do it. You NEED the right keywords. Here's a hint: check the job description. They are in there; I guarantee it.

5. PROOFREAD, SLEEP, PROOFREAD, AND GO BACKWARDS

One small mistake and you're out of the running. Proofread your documents carefully. Take a night to sleep on it, and then read it again. When you go back to read the resume the second time read it backwards one word at a time. Experts say this simple trick will catch any mistakes you would normally read right over.

Use this checklist to determine if your resume passes the "basics" test. Best wishes in your job search.

To receive a free resume analysis, send your resume to info@greatresumesfast.com or visit us online at www.GreatResumesFast.com

Resources

More Articles. You can find more articles by going to my online Article Index. Here are some new ones you might enjoy:

Best Job Opportunities in 2010 in India

So What Are the Highest Paying Careers?

Free Book: "Get Job Leads FAST Using Twitter". Career expert Teena Rose has written a very handy guide that explains how to use Twitter to network, mine the new "underground" for jobs, and connect directly with recruiters. For a limited time, she's giving it away for f*ree. All you have to do is follow her on Twitter or sign up to receive email updates from her (I recommend you do both). To get Teena's f*ree Twitter ebook, go to Get Jobs Fast Using Twitter.

My Blog: BestCareerStrategies.com. More career-related articles and tips! Please pop in for a visit and let me know what you think: BestCareerStrategies.com.

New Job Board. Because I receive so many inquiries asking about job openings, I decided to incorporate a Job Board with my website. It's f*ree, easy to use, and offers information on current jobs in your area. Check it out here: Best Strategies Job Board

The Job Interview Success System. The job market is getting better, but it still sucks. You don't have to go it alone. Get step-by-step help and a big advantage over your competition with my System. Read all the details here: Job Interview Success System.

Worth Quoting

"The people who get on in this world
are the people who get up and
look for the circumstances they want,
and, if they can't find them,
make them."
(George Bernard Shaw)

Just for Laughs

Kids Are Funny

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it and I would turn red in the face."

"Yes," the class said.

"Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position, the blood doesn't run into my feet?"

A little boy shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty!"

***

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted it on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written and posted this note: "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

So, what did you think of this issue? Any suggestions? Topic ideas? Questions? I really appreciate your feedback. Please send me a note at Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com

Please forward this to your friends!

Thanks!

P.S. To prevent your email service provider's spam filter from interrupting delivery or this newsletter to your email inbox, please add Bonnie@Best-Interview-Strategies.com to your address book or "safe list."

P.S.S. I apologize for the glitches (especially in links) you may see if you receive this as straight text. If you can receive your email in HTML format, choose that and it'll look better. (There may still be some odd formatting quirks, though.)

Bonnie
www.Best-Interview-Strategies.Com

Lowe-Commotion Publications
7402 Paddon Rd.
Vacaville, CA 95688

You are subscribed to Career-Life Times.

The back issues are at the following URL...
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/CareerLife_Times-backissues.html

If you wish to remove yourself from this mailing, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?us=LQ.21121921.22982631.62f477f650ef3d648b7859f604f614e6
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your removal.)

To change your e-mail address, please click on the following URL...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?ca=LQ.21121921.22982631.62f477f650ef3d648b7859f604f614e6
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your Web browser. That will confirm your change.)

Welcome to Career-Life Times

2010-02-04T03:52:00.001-08:00

BIZMAN ASSOCIATES, Please Confirm Your Career-Life Times Subscription...

2010-02-04T03:51:00.001-08:00

Hello BIZMAN ASSOCIATES,

Thank you for subscribing to Career-Life Times.

Please click on the following URL to confirm your subscription...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?cc=H.CM.23324754.22982631.1055cfcbd94aaca74810460899738fdc
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL into your
Web browser. That will confirm your subscription.)

We put this safety mechanism in place to make sure that no
one subscribed your e-mail address without you knowing about
it. As soon as you activate your subscription above, you will be
queued to receive our newsletter.

All the best,
Bonnie Lowe
http://www.best-interview-strategies.com

---------------------------------------------------------
Notice from SiteSell.com, administrators of this e-zine...

If you did not subscribe to this newsletter, then someone
tried to subscribe you without your permission. That is the
only way to receive this notification. If you do not wish to
receive any issues of our newsletter, do not confirm your
subscription. Simply delete this notice.

If you never want to receive e-mail from this site again,
please click on the following URL to block all e-mails from
this site...
http://best-interview-strategies.com/cgi-bin/mailout/mailmgr.cgi?bl=CM.23324754.22982631.1055cfcbd94aaca74810460899738fdc
(If the above URL is not a link, copy-and-paste the URL
into your Web browser. That will confirm the block.)
---------------------------------------------------------

[Job Interview & Career Guide] Mailing list subscription

2010-02-04T03:50:00.001-08:00

Just a little thank you, it's the only thing I could think of for now.
Thank you for subscribing to the Newsletter of Job Interview & Career Blog.
I will do my best to provide unique and interesting material for you.
Take a bonus - free career assessment. Check here http://www.job-interview-site.com/online-career-assessment-test-top-career-assessment-tool-in-the-market

Job Interview Basics

2009-11-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

With the global financial crises having a cascading impact on the global economy, the job market too has been gloomy. In such an environment, it is even more important for aspirants to do well in campus interviews to grab the jobs they desire.

And being mentally fit and alert is important to be able to do well in interviews. It will also mean that you will be mentally prepared to handle interviews that have very short notice periods.

A few things to remember

1. Ensure that the resume has been checked for typos and is structured in a way that makes it easy to read. Highlight your skills and experience relevant to the job.

2. Interviews are used as a tool of judging whether you fit the job as well as the company.

3. Know yourself, inside out. Only when you understand yourself completely can you make the panel understand you.

4. Take time to understand how you want to project yourself during the interview.

5. Everything you say or do makes an impression whether positive or negative. Be it the way you sit, the way you talk or your choice of clothing. Everything matters!

6. Remember, an Interview is like a sales pitch in many ways. So ensure that you present yourself well.

Preparing for the unexpected

In some interviews you may be asked to solve a case-study. You can be asked to give an impromptu presentation or recite a poem. Or, you may get the silent treatment from the panel or a stress interview may come your way. You can even be asked to leave the room.

Whatever happens, be mentally prepared for any eventuality. These situations give the panel an opportunity to assess how you behave in stressful or unexpected situations. They just want to get to know the real You. They want to find out if you can handle the job, if you are interested in the company and if you are the person they want to have during tough and stressful times.

Stay calm, remain positive and think logically.

Before the interview

Research the company

Being well informed about the company and industry provides you with a competitive edge. It also conveys a clear message to the interviewer and that is:

1. You are career oriented and want to build a career within the industry

2. You understand the intricacies of the industry

3. You are wholeheartedly interested in working for the company

Read up as much as possible about the company and the industry. You can also talk to people who work in the company or the industry to get a first hand feel about what drives the company and the industry.

Appearance

First impressions are made within the first few minutes and are very important for a successful interview. Most employers prefer candidates wearing formal attire (Indian or western). Dress soberly and neatly. It is better to be conservative in the choice of clothes. Avoid flashy clothes or strong perfumes. Jewellery should be at a bare minimum.

Have your clothes ironed and keep it ready in advance, so that you do not waste time in selecting a dress on the day of the interview. This also avoids last minute problems like a stained shirt, wrinkled tie, missing buttons or unpolished shoes.

Looks matter! Pay a visit to the salon, to get an appropriate haircut. Trim your nails. Remember, a professional look is the first step to making the great the first impression.

The interview tool-kit

The day before the interview, collect all your material and keep them in a file. Keep extra copies of your resume. Carry letters of reference, reference list, transcripts, certificates, other supporting documents, passport size photos, a writing pad, pen and a calculator.

Relax

Ensure that you sleep well the day before the interview. Stay calm and relax; only when you are relaxed will you do well.

During the Interview

1. Stay focused; put away any worries

2. Switch off your cell phone before an interview starts

3. Eye contact conveys confidence

4. Introduce yourself clearly with your first and last name

5. Smile at appropriate times

6. Take time to understand the question and then answer it. It is not a question of how fast you answer but how well you answer

7. Be expressive, talk crisply and slowly. Do not mumble, stammer or use a monotone

8. Keep the answers to the point. Avoid rambling

9. Be forthright and direct. Do not be evasive or beat around the bush

10. Never lie in an interview

11. Never blame or badmouth anyone during an interview

12. Never argue, always give polite responses

13. If you do not know the answer be frank, admit it

At the end of the interview

Generally, the panel will indicate the end of the interview by asking: Do you have any questions for us? Use this opportunity to ask intelligent and relevant questions, to summarize your skills & experience related to the job and indicate your interest in the job.

Conclusion

It is essential to be confident in an interview. If you have practiced your answers and done your homework, most of the questions can be answered without difficulty. Ensure that you take the time to understand what they are looking for by asking the question. Remember to study the relevant topics before the interview. If you have an interview for an equity research position, know what has been driving the markets, who are the major players, etc. If you have an interview for a marketing position in a FMCG company know what has been the recent trend, what new products have been launched recently, etc.

Keep in mind why you want to go into the industry (Telecom, Banking, Auto, etc.), why you are interested in the job and the company. Make sure you have a good grasp of the basic concepts and convince your interviewer that you have the capability and interest to learn the more complex aspects of the job.

Finally, ensure that you dress and act professionally. Show up on time and make eye contact throughout the interview. All the Best!

SOURCE:
GetAhead reader Rohit Daga has done his MBA in Finance from Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research, Mumbai and has an active interest in writing. With over four years of experience, he has also headed a successful startup in the past.