Job Hunting Forum

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Don't Be Intimidated by the Interview

Most people don’t like being put on the spot or public speaking in general, so the job interview can be very intimidating. If this is the case for yourself, you must get past that point and realize the interview is when you will seal the deal for your next job.

Being called in for an interview is a bigger deal these days than in the past, as a lot of applicants don’t make it to that point because of a poorly presented resume. If you have been called, you are on the right track. That is a big deal, and now it’s time to keep the momentum going.

One way to get ready for an interview is to practice, don’t go in cold. Not being ready is where a lot of worry will steam from. If you practice, you will have more confidence, which you will show to the boss. A great way to go about practicing is to think of questions that might be asked of you in the interview and then formulate your answers. If you are going for a job similar to one you have had, you already know some of the questions you may be asked. No matter what, there will always be something asked you did not think of, don’t be thrown off. Remember these questions are the best opportunity, other than your resume, to shine and get the job. An employer wants to hire someone who handles pressure well, so falling apart in the interview would be a bad sign.

Your resume showed what you can do as a professional in a position, but the interviewer now wants to meet the person behind that paper. What are you like? Will you add to the overall feeling of the office? The bottom line of the business is important, but so is how all the personalities in the office mesh. So, show your confidence, and tell why you would add to the chemistry of the office, while positive helping the company.

You will most likely be asked about your hobbies and interests outside of work. This is a great question as it gives more insight to you. Employers like people who work hard, but also know how to enjoy their free time. If you notice something in the boss’s office that shows they enjoy a hobby or sport you do, talk about it. This is a good way to make a connection and show the boss you have great taste.

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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Contacting Potential Employers

Making contact with employers is the best way in which to get a job. Simply filing out a resume and sending it in may work, but it will not work as well as making contract with people.

Know the best ways to make contact to have the best chance for success. Every day we all receive direct mail. However bad junk mail looks, the ones you see again and again are working; otherwise, the senders wouldn’t be wasting their money.

One thing that makes it work in many cases is that long copy is used. That’s what it takes to motivate all of us to action from unasked-for correspondence.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say a lawn mower shop has a new product. And you and your next door neighbor are both out cutting your lawns on a hot day. However, your lawn mower breaks down. Then, the mail carrier arrives at both residences with mail that tells you all about a new lawn mower. It gives a long explanation of why it’s superior. Now, your neighbor will look at the mailing piece for two-seconds and toss it. He isn’t in the market for a lawn mower. On the other hand, they have reached you at the right time, you are likely to read it. Now when you job hunt, your situation is similar. You need to reach the right person. No one else counts.

Some people don’t believe in direct employer contact. They think that anything you send to an employer is thrown away. Certainly, this has some truth, since the great majority will throw away your materials in seconds.

But if you’ve ever needed someone with certain skills, then you know you want the easiest way to find a good candidate. And if a good resume or letter reached you at the right time, you would take action on it. Sending the right materials, to the right person, will get the attention of some decision makers. But, timing is very critical. You need to reach a decision maker that might be looking for someone like you. Even if your timing is bad, companies scan the resumes of the better candidates into their database. Then, as they develop a need, this is usually the first place they turn. Contacting employers directly allows you to reach potential buyers quickly. If you want, you can reach the entire universe of all your best prospects.

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Discover More

People in healthcare and energy might not be interested in considering other industries, since so many good jobs are being created there. But are they missing something? If you think your industry is in job or you can tell there the jobs are few and far between, you need to discover more.

With so many industries in trouble or not hiring, many people need to find a job in a new industry. But even for those who don’t, why not uncover all the opportunities out there for you.

For people in administration, HR, accounting, finance and legal functions, switching industries is often not a problem. But others face a challenge because they usually have no experience and little knowledge about other industries. Still, he maintains, they can improve their chances dramatically by doing three things.

1. Identify industries similar to yours

You’ll need to put some time in on search engines, but this is important and worth the effort. Search for names of industry trade magazines that interest you. Scan the headlines of articles for key information, he advises, then read the two or three lead articles. It’s surprising how informed you can become in just a week or two.

You increase your chances tenfold if you can identify characteristics of a target industry that are similar to yours — product lines, distribution channels, the markets they sell to, similar manufacturing processes, types of selling approaches, etc. The more of these you can point to, the stronger your case.”

2. Know and sell your transferable skills

Know all that you have to offer and what you can do that will crossover into another industry. You might be surprised that you are a hot commodity with another profession you never gave much though to joining.

Once you’ve identified these, it will help your case even more if you cite examples of how you used them to the benefit of past employers. Naturally, if target employers are facing similar challenges, they start to realize you are a good match.

3. Develop your selling proposition

This is a brief statement of the major benefits you bring to an employer. The more specific the better. Can you help them open new markets, develop new products, increase sales, cut costs in some area, or develop important new IT capabilities?

Make sure this is evident at the beginning of any letter or resume, and like anything else, you’ll make a more powerful impact if you give examples of how you’ve done things in the past that the employer needs done today.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Overcome Weakness

If you are having trouble finding a job, but have a lot of experience in the field you are looking, the problem may be what else is on your resume. You may be showing liabilities that you are not aware of, which are painting you in a bad light to bosses who decide if you are the person for them.

One such liability could be age.

Today there are many dozens of either young or vibrant industries. And, in these industries there are thousands of recently formed companies with young management, and their emphasis is definitely on youth. Despite that, you are likely to fi nd most of them have at least two or three senior professionals who are highly valued.

Don’t forget that several studies have shown senior employees to be more reliable. Many are just as quick to pick up new

information as other age groups. Young management teams often realize that they need to be balanced with the wisdom that extra experience brings, and will prefer an older candidate for functions such as legal, finance and administration.

Another daily reminder should be to review your beliefs and attitudes. Here is a well known fact among psychologists who study such things. We are limited or not limited according to our beliefs about ourselves and what is possible for us, and that generally we are treated by others in accord with our expectations—about how they will treat us.

Because we tend to get what we expect, and because people tend to refl ect back to us the beliefs and attitudes we are projecting, you need to examine your beliefs about yourself and about what’s possible “career wise” at this stage.

If your beliefs are limiting or negative, start working on them. Recognize that all of us fi lter reality through our attitudes and beliefs, so what we perceive doesn’t necessarily reflect reality, but just the way we are seeing it at the moment. If you have held some limiting beliefs related to age, it’s very likely that your “fi lter” has been distorted toward the negative, and has been reinforced by many of those around you. So, consider writing down your beliefs in this area, not as fact, but as beliefs. Start each one with the words, “I believe.”activities require physical exertion, mention them.

If any of them are negative or limiting, then write a corresponding positive version. As you may know, any belief can be justified by the facts, depending upon which facts you focus upon. Use “selective perception” to focus on and write down all the events that support the positive beliefs and ignore any negative ones.