Helpful Tips

Words of Wisdom

Do’s and Don’t for your job search:

Some Do’s:

  • During your job search ramp up the networking, focus on one company a day.
  • Make yourself visible as a job candidate
  • Consider part-time work
  • Set up Google alerts for companies or industries you are interested in
  • Embrace technology
  • Use YouTube to learn new technology
  • Take a class
  • Volunteer
  • Practice your interviewing skills with friends or family
  • Have a forty-five second story prepared about how you impacted an organization positively
  • Be pleasant to everyone you meet
  • Stay away from “we” statements of your accomplishments during the interview

Some Don’ts:

  • Don’t give them a reason to eliminate you
  • Inadequate or improper attire for the environment
  • The last thing they see when you leave is the back of your shoes
  • Don’t make the mistake of being rude or dismissive to reception or administrative staff
  • Don’t talk about your previous coworkers, the interviewer wants to know about you.
  • Don’t come across as desperate for employment, it is a turn off
  • Do not send the same thank-you email to all the people who interviewed you
  • Don’t take a job that is not a good fit
  • Don’t put an objective on a resume
  • Don’t over talk yourself out of the position after you have won them over
  • Don’t take it personally if you do not get the position, move on.

Preparing for an interview:

You need to ask these seven questions

At the end of an interview, you have the opportunity to pose your carefully prepared questions to the hiring manager. Since you’re under enough pressure already, here are some questions to ask:

    1. Why is this position vacant?
    2. What have your most successful candidates brought to the company?
    3. What does success look like in the first 90 days?
    4. What challenges will the candidate face in the first 90 days?
    5. What challenges is the company currently facing?
    6. How do you retain your top talent?
    7. Why do you work for this company?

Some Do’s:

  • Prior to the interview , not only do you want to do your homework about the organization but also try to find out everyone who will be interviewing you
  • “Tell me about a time you failed”. This question is designed to see of you learned from a failure and what did you gain from it
  • Think about how you would answer behavioral based questions
  • Think about your passion, what drives you
  • Research market rates for a particular position you are interviewing for
  • Know the pay range
  • If you are working with a recruiter and they ask for a pay range you desire, tell them
  • Use the cover letter to explain gaps in employment
  • Make your questions relevant and appropriate for the person and department interviewing you

 

For more information, see the source of the questions on http://jobs.aol.com/

Some More Do’s:

  • Make a great first impression
  • The organization you are interviewing with has a need to fill. It is your objective to show how you can meet that need
  • Be yourself
  • Sell yourself
  • Be personable and likeable. The interviewer should enjoy talking with you
  • Be confident
  • Desirable traits are humble, hungry, and smart
  • Ask interviewer if additional information would help
  • Ask what an appropriate follow up timeline would be
  • Weekly follow-ups by email are appropriate after an interview unless otherwise indicated
  • Write a thank-you email to each person who interviewed you
  • Spell check

Tips to help you deal with job loss and unemployment stress.

You are not alone if you feel hurt, vulnerable, or angry after losing a job. The good news is that despite the stress of job loss and unemployment, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation and maintain your spirits. Read more on helpguide.org.

Be prepared for the agenda, during the second interview.

Congratulations, you have been invited for a second job interview. What should you expect in round two? How should you prepare? First review your performance during the first interview. Prepare for more in-depth questions. Get ready to meet future coworkers. Find out more by reading the article on Lifehacker.com. 

Small businesses struggle to find talent.

Are you aiming your job search at the big corporations? Perhaps, you should look at smaller businesses. A study conducted by staffing company Robert Half International finds small business owners are struggling to find and retain top talent, despite the numbers of people searching for work. See more in the article on foxbusiness.com. 

Three powerful keys to moving your job search forward from a career expert.

What are ways you can expedite the process for finding a job that you will enjoy at a desired compensation? Read the blog of Mary Eileen Williams, a nationally certified career counselor, to get more information.

Some unasked concerns that you should try and address in an interview.

By now you get the idea that there is lots of competition for many of the opportunities that are available. Here is a link to some obstacles that older workers face that need to be addressed during the interview.