|
Interview Tip: Image is king in today's job market
Abridged: AZCentral.com
PHOENIX, AZ -- Not too long ago, you could get your foot in the door of many employment offices sporting a tattered sneaker. Talent was king. Overnight, job hunting has become a buyer's market, and employers have turned picky about who will be offered a coveted spot on the payroll.
Paying attention to how you look in an interview can help you get a job. For that matter, it can also help you keep one. With companies trimming, they want to retain people who best present their firm's image. A crisp, businesslike appearance is back as an expectation on the part of many prospective employers. They're looking for a sharper style. A strong suit that says you are collected and ready to work is recommended.
The clothes you wear on an interview say a lot about your discipline, taste and social poise. That accepted, the most important thing you need to dress for an interview remains your mind. Learn everything you can about the company and its immediate needs. Any hiring company is banking on their new employee to make a key contribution immediately. A job interview is fundamentally a sales encounter. People hire people they like. People like people who are genuine, pleasant, sincere, easy to talk with, friendly and appropriately dressed.
Interview technique guaranteed to land jobs
Staff Writer, The Career News
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Diligent job seekers spend hours creating resumes & cover letters, searching through job postings, reviewing classifieds and networking -- all in order to get an interview. Yet most of them don't spend nearly enough time learning what to do when they get one! And with the job market as competitive as it is, you just can't afford to blow an interview.
The skills needed to do the job and the skills needed to get the job are two completely separate things. Even in today's competitive job market, the most qualified person rarely gets the job. Additionally, interviews are harder to get than before. When the job market was booming it took an average of 3 interviews to get 1 job offer. Now it takes 17. The key is have a great interview, where the interviewer actually pictures you doing the job.
If you want to be that person, there's a little known secret you can put together for your next interview that literally forces the interviewer to picture you filling the position, and to visualize actually hiring you -- asap. Using this method guarantees you'll stand out from the crowd and shoot straight to the top of the "must hire" list. For more information, go to The Job Interview Secret.
Name mix-ups on social networking sites
Abridged: NY Times
NEW YORK, NY -- These days, a lot of employers look at social sites when considering a potential new hire. Sometimes there are one or more other people online with the same name as you. So while you may have kept off the social sites in an attempt to keep your reputation clean and clear, anyone looking up your name might mistakenly think you're this other person. It's always a good idea to Google yourself during a job search, because not knowing what's out there can cost you interviews.
A savvy recruiter or hiring manager will likely delve deeper and discover that although there is another Jim Smith out there; one is Jim Smith the software programmer while the other is Jim Smith the CPA. There are many candidates out there with similar or duplicate names. One tactic for handling this situation is to begin using your middle name/initial or adding a professional designation or degree to your name.
Instead of using Jim Smith on your resume and job search correspondence, consider one of the following options: James Richard Smith, James R. Smith or James Richard Smith, CPA. This will further clarify your identity. Also be certain to provide your home address on your resume and job search correspondence. It is another way to separate your identity from another individual with the same name.
Personal branding in a tough job market
Susan Chritton, PathwaysCareers.com
WALNUT CREEK, CA -- With the unemployment rate on the rise - more and more job seekers are looking for a way to stand out from the crowd. A new technique called personal branding is helping people find a job and find out more about themselves at the same time.
Matthew Rice is a soon to be out of work software marketing executive who has decided to market himself using a personal brand. "A brand is all about your unique value to somebody; it's a value proposition for somebody. This will be durable for the life of your career," said Rice. In the corporate world, branding is left to marketers and ad agencies, but in this job market you can't just be average, you have to start to look at how to differentiate yourself.
Job seekers need to take a closer look inside themselves - not to remember what they've done, but to identify who they are as an individual. How do you sell your unique skills and qualities? How do you make it part of what people remember about you? Personal branding extends to all aspects of a job seeker's life - even down to the clothes they wear. All of these things are part of your personal brand.
New online search tool makes finding a job easier!
Staff Writer, The Career News
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Are you tired of going to several job sites every day and having to search each one separately? Do you dread submitting your resume & cover letter over and over for every job you apply to? Do you find it difficult to keep track of where you sent your resume for future follow up? Now a new service called MyJobHunter.com solves all that!
First, MyJobHunter will instantly search all major job sites at once for jobs matching your requirements. Next, you'll review a list of job matches and put check marks next to the ones you like. Then, press a single button and your resume is sent to the jobs you selected. It's that simple! They'll even personalize your cover letter with each job application. Login any time to review jobs applied to and even add follow-up notes on each one.
Check out these other great features. Don't want to forget keywords that generated perfect jobs? Try the "Saved Search" feature. Want MyJobHunter to find & apply to jobs for you? Turn on "Auto-Apply" and your resume is automatically sent to new job matches every day. You'll never miss an opportunity and your resume gets there before the competition! Try it now at MyJobHunter.com.
Job search: scam or opportunity
Abridged: Volunteertv.com
KNOXVILLE, TN -- Layoffs are becoming the norm. If you're looking for a "plan B", a sign or an e-mail promising a "work-from-home, make big bucks job" may be enticing, but you have to know what to look for or it may cost you more in the long run. About six months ago, Jim Cook was laid off from his sales job. Like many of you, uncertainty for the future quickly set in. "I immediately thought I could send out resumes and get another position. I probably applied for 30 different jobs and at the time did not get any response," said Cook. But the father of three still pushed forward.
"Exit the rat race for good" and "CEO income from home" job ads are not uncommon, and with the current job market more people are taking interest. People are looking for a plan B, they're looking for a second option. Though Jeanie Hoskins with the Better Business Bureau says be skeptical of envelope stuffing, assembly work-at-home, chain letters or unsolicited offers to your email.
Multilevel marketing or direct sales can be a viable solution, but do your research. You never want to look for the get rich quick jobs, because usually those companies are here today and gone next month. However, direct sales jobs have helped many job hunters pull in some income. "As difficult as it seems at the time, there really is light at the end of the tunnel," said Cook. If you are uncertain about a job opportunity, do your research. Make sure you separate out the scams from the legitimate jobs.
New Year's Resolution: Try a new job search approach
Staff Writer, The Career News
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- There's nothing easy about job searching. What's especially frustrating is a disappointing response rate. However, it's important to note that a job search is based on a numbers game. For example: If you get your resume in front of 1000 hiring managers, you should get 10-50 quality responses leading up to 5 interviews. If you don't pay attention to 'how' you are sending your resumes, your actions might only serve to put your resume in a pile with hundreds of others - if it even makes it to the pile at all.
Consider a more focused approach to your job search. A search that increases the number and quality of responses by using a targeted list of industries and decision makers who are looking for people with your skills. This new type of search also employs an affordable delivery system that ensures your resume will be seen by the right person. Impossible?
Not at all! We recommend using a service called JobsByFax. This service is simple to use, effective and a great way to ensure a more focused job search. You'll have instant access to information on thousands of companies and their decision makers. JobsByFax combines quality and quantity by faxing your resume to potential employers and recruiters. JobsByFax will revitalize your job search and produce quality responses that lead to interviews and even job offers! Take control of your job search by going to JobsByFax.
Still can't find a job? Try finding part-time work instead.
Abridged: LJWorld.com
LAWRENCE, KS -- Here are a few tips for job seekers looking for part-time or flexible employment opportunities. Perform industry specific research online. Many industries are still actively hiring part-time staff, including health care, accounting, IT, sales, education and fundraising. Performing online research and reading industry specific magazines and trade journals will inform you of who is hiring in your area.
Set up informational interview meetings. Speak with those in your professional and personal networks. Talk to others who work part-time. Gain greater knowledge of different companies' hiring policies by finding out how others got their part-time jobs. Connect with both online and offline organizations that hire part-time help. Engage recruiters and employment agencies. Don't just contact general staffing firms.
Tailor your own position. Many companies strictly hire full-timers. When interviewing, show the hiring manager how you can do a great job in less time. Other firms may not even realize they need your services and will create a position for you based on your captivating presentation. Actively use online networking opportunities. Make use of online job tools that will save you time in your job search efforts.
Get your complimentary business & trade magazines!
Staff Writer, The Career News
LOS ANGELES, CA -- Whether you're looking to move up or move on - reading business and trade publications lets you move right in to the job of your dreams. They keep you sharp, well informed, articulate and in-demand. It's no secret that keeping up with the news and trends of your industry or profession will give you the competitive edge you need. And now, you can get your trade magazines without having to pay for them.
Through a special offer from The Career News, you can instantly get a subscription to practically every leading industry and business publication. It takes only a minute to search the website to quickly find the magazines matching your skills and interests.
First search by publication title, industry, or geography. Then, pick the magazines you want, fill out a brief online subscription form and press submit. It's really that easy. For more information or to sign up now for your complimentary trade magazines, go to TradePub. |
