Job Hunting

5 Excellent Tips to Ace your Next Phone Interview

October 25, 2012 by Justin Epley

Companies are increasingly finding it difficult to hire the best employees. One way firms are dealing with this problem is by holding initial phone interviews before scheduling a face-to-face interview. As a job seeker, you need to prepare yourself well if you wish to pass this initial huddle. Below is an overview of a few major tips you need to concentrate on to ace your phone interview.

Phone Interview Tip #1: Be cooperative

You should endeavor to answer all the questions fielded at you without evading any of them. You should be cooperative with the interviewer even when you feel the questions are being repeated. One of the mistakes many people make is that of referring the interviewer to their resumes. Something like “check my resume to understand what I am saying” will not go down well with most interviewers. Remember, it is not only your answers the interviewer will be interested in. Your manner of answering the questions will be used to determine your intelligence, level of cooperation, communication ability and many other things.

Phone Interview Tip #2: Do not ramble

It is tempting to talk too much but doing that will actually hurt your chances of acing the interview. In fact, it is better if you wait for two or more seconds after the interviewer has stopped talking before answering. This will eliminate your chances of interrupting the questioning process, something that can actually be viewed as rude. Rambling may also lead to numerous ‘ums’ and ‘ahhs’ in your conversation, and you cannot pass an interview that way. [Read more…] about 5 Excellent Tips to Ace your Next Phone Interview

Will Big Bird Lose His Job?

October 7, 2012 by Tim McMahon

In the presidential debates in Colorado on Wednesday Mitt Romney said, that although he likes Big Bird (and debate moderator Jim Lehrer), if elected he plans on cutting the $400 million subsidy that goes to PBS. PBS of course is the corporate home of Sesame Street and loveable “Big Bird“. Since that statement the Democrats and the blogosphere has errupted with crys against the big mean man who wants to kill big bird.

Big Bird Won’t Lose Job

But according to Sherrie Westin, executive vice president for Sesame Workshop, Sesame Street actually receives very little funding from PBS anyway.

About 12% of PBS’ revenue comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For 2015 Congress has budgeted $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The remainder of the funding, as they are so fond of saying, “Comes from Viewers like you…”

PBS CEO Paula Kerger said PBS too will be just fine, as it too isn’t funded directly by the government. “In fact, the money that comes from the government into the Corporation for Public Broadcasting goes to our member stations.”

One blogger put it this way… “I think the fact that taking government funding away from PBS will not hurt it is kind of Romney’s point. Isn’t that basically the definition of unnecessary spending? “

Big Bird is a “Cash Cow”

The show is very profitable in its own right. Big Bird probably has more licensing deals than Michael Jordan… he’s a virtual “cash cow”. So don’t worry Big Bird will still have a job if Romney is elected.

On the day after the debate Big Bird posted on his Twitter page, “Big Bird: My bed time is usually 7:45, but I was really tired yesterday and fell asleep at 7! Did I miss anything last night?”

Did you even know that Big Bird had a Twitter page?

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How to Land a Temp to Permanent Job

October 1, 2012 by Guest Contributor

A temp job helps you make money and gain experience. Such work can also help you build a solid resume. If you perform well in your temp work, the employer may hire you or consider you for a future permanent position.

What if the temp job requires you to work in different departments of the company?

Great, you have even brighter temp to permanent job prospects. It’s because you can get hands-on experience in diverse areas and the opportunity to work for (and thus impress) several different managers who may have the need and authority to hire someone.

With a temp job, you’ll develop references to give to another employer, if the temp-to-perm avenue doesn’t work out. Further as a person with skill and experience, you will be the first choice for the temp agency for future temp work.

Tips to Landing a Temp to Permanent Job

1) Begin your Work on Time: Punctuality gives you a high grade on the temp score card. If for some reason, however, you are unavoidably late to work: Did you miss the train? Or, are you stuck in a traffic jam? Call your temp agency and the company and inform them of your situation. Of course, you should also tell them what time you will make it to the office. As far who you should call first, always follow the instructions given to you by [Read more…] about How to Land a Temp to Permanent Job

How College Students can Write a Powerful Resume

September 26, 2012 by Tim McMahon

Resume Writing for College Students-

Gather the info: Get all of your data, such as your grades, main courses, projects, internship details, achievements and experience. With all the information in one place, you are ready to start your resume.
Understand the Job Needs: Read the job ad carefully and find out what skill and experience it needs. If you feel you are a good fit, begin to build a resume.
Tailor Your Resume to the Job: Employers only spend about 30 seconds on each resume unless you catch their attention. You need to make your resume look like you were custom tailored for the job. Explain how your specific experience makes you the perfect fit for the job. With the ease of Wordprocessing software, each resume should be [Read more…] about How College Students can Write a Powerful Resume

Job Success Tips for College Students

September 25, 2012 by Tim McMahon

How can College Students become Job-ready?

Are you in your junior or senior year of college? Prepare yourself for the job market now and don’t let the recession bother you. As a college student you might not find too many jobs. But, you can build a strong foundation for a future career.

Here are some tips for college students to lay a foundation while in college.

How can College Students be Successful in the Job Market?

A challenge for many college students is gaining experience. Training new employees, is expensive so companies often prefer to hire people who have the work experience, if they are available. So, how does a college student find a job?

Attitude Goes a Long Way

College students who have the motivation and who can work hard and smart can overcome the “experience” block. One key factor that employers look at is attitude. Often a future employer will choose the candiate with the stronger work ethic over one with more experience or better credentials. Become a hard worker, don’t expect to laze around and get paid for it. Show energy, enthusiasm for the job, a friendly attitude and be willing to learn. You can’t fake this, it must come from within. If you enjoy what you are doing you will have the right attitude. Don’t think of work as a drudgery that you have to do so you will have money to live on weekends. Think of it as an opportunity to do interesting stuff, meet interesting people and learn new things.

Gain Skills and Experience

Make the best use of your junior and senior years to gain [Read more…] about Job Success Tips for College Students

How to Use Twitter to Land a Job

September 13, 2012 by Justin Epley

Every day technology hands the world a new tool that helps people experience and accomplish things differently than they did in the past. Applying for a job, for example, has changed drastically from twenty years ago when candidates were expected to either fax or mail in their resume. Now, social media is changing the entire process all over again. To get noticed in this economy, you must be visible to prospective employers in all areas, including on social media.

One way that you can apply for available job openings is through the social platform Twitter. Many employers are using the 140 character limit on this platform to let job seekers know that they have positions available in their departments. In order to take advantage of this, one of your obvious first steps if you are hunting for a new job is simply to set up profiles on social media sites like Twitter.

Why Twitter?

Some people may wonder why they should sign up with Twitter instead of Facebook. Both sites can be helpful, of course, but Twitter does offer certain advantages for job hunting. For starters, Twitter users are able to follow whomever they want and unlike on Facebook, need not await confirmation for another party to be their friend. This saves a lot of time as you can immediately see all the updates that a prospective employer posts on their personal page. Following a company or executive means that you have a firsthand look at any positions that may become available. In addition, if the company’s contact person who manages the account sees determination, interest and ability in you, they may be able to point you toward available positions for which to apply when they become available. [Read more…] about How to Use Twitter to Land a Job

Top 7 Job Search Websites

September 12, 2012 by Hannah Munson

Today, searching for a job is easier than ever. No longer do you have to wait by the mail for the newspaper or ask a family member if they know of any job openings. Sure, while these resources work to an extent, it is no longer the go-to method. Thankfully, the Internet is packed full of thousands of fantastic job search websites. While some are amazing, some aren’t worth your time. To help you set the best above the rest, here are some free job search websites you should have on your bookmarks for your upcoming job hunt:

#1 Job Search Website: Indeed.com

Indeed.com is hands down one of the web’s best job search engines. By inputting what you’re looking for and a location, Indeed can potentially spit out thousands of results. The unique thing about Indeed is that they compile results from hundreds of job websites out there and give it to you in one nice list. This will save you a lot of dirty work, trust me! [Read more…] about Top 7 Job Search Websites

Resume Writing Tips When You’ve Been Unemployed

August 23, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Resume Writing Tips-

During this world recession, unemployment is commonplace. That doesn’t mean the recruiter or hiring manager will look favorably upon your unemployment though. Being unemployed shouldn’t bar you from ever working again so, I’ll share CV and resume writing tips for those who have had times of unemployment. Here are five resume tips for re-entering the working world.

Lend a hand

While crafting your perfect resume, volunteering could get the ball rolling in your search for gainful work. Seek out organizations that actively take on volunteers for skill-building responsibilities. For example, are you worried that your office skills are rusty? Offer to do some clerical work for a non-profit. Get back into organizing events, if that is your chosen field, by helping charities put together fundraisers. It will serve as a recent activity that shows you are still in the game and, if you do well, could secure you a strong reference.

Close the gaps

Even though you may have been out of work for a while, chances are you have still been honing transferable skills in stints of non-paid or casual work. Make sure you account for those activities on your resume so that the recruiter or hiring manager knows you have stayed active and, more importantly, weren’t in prison.

Consolidate and adapt skills for each position

It may be tempting to fire off thousands of resumes to countless job postings. One has to stick, right? Unfortunately, probably not. Between the implementation of keyword scanners and the demanding eyes of HR professionals, it is more [Read more…] about Resume Writing Tips When You’ve Been Unemployed

Networking to Find a Better Job

August 18, 2012 by Tim McMahon

Networking-

Job Hunting these days is difficult but it can be made easier with the right contacts, the old saying still holds true… “it’s not what you know but who you know”. Networking is one of the best and most efficient ways to find new career opportunities for your professional life. Here are some ways for you to start networking:

Volunteer:

Volunteering has many networking benefits and not only is it a great way to get Experience and build your resume, but also a chance to give back to your community, and its a feel-good activity… it’s great to meet other people who enjoy doing the same thing. Because volunteering brings in different people from all walks of life, working with your local soup kitchen, animal shelter, or a ‘big brother’ program can really open doors to different industries and fields.

Young Professionals:

Many cities have different programs that are centered around getting young professionals together, whether it is through a common interest or activity, a certain field, or a young professional organization centered around volunteering. These young professional groups are great for networking because it puts you in touch with others your age with the same background and passions. Many young professionals offer [Read more…] about Networking to Find a Better Job

Techniques for a Successful Interview

August 2, 2012 by Tim McMahon

By Tim McMahon~ editor

Obviously you’ve done something right… you’ve attracted the attention of a company and they are interested enough to schedule an interview. Perhaps it was your resume or even better a recommendation from a friend or former coworker. Now, the job interview is the next hurdle toward landing that new job. The purpose of the job interview from the employer’s perspective is to help them put a face with the resume, see how well your personality fits with the organization and most of all judge your qualifications in person rather than just in writing.

Since the employer was impressed with your qualifications as presented in your resume, you have made it to the interview stage, so don’t blow it now. Make the best use of this opportunity to ace the interview and land the job.

Interviewing Techniques

Here are a few techniques to help you prepare for the interview:

Preparation is the Key to Interview Success:

If you want to perform well in the job interview, prepare well.

1) Know Thyself-

Review your resume in detail. For each position you have had held, make notes of your achievements, the steps you took to move toward your goals and the methods you used to cross any barriers. Be sure also to write down your strengths, to fix them in your mind and also so you can review them shortly before the actual interview. Include things like verbal and writing skills, analytical abilities and management experience that have helped you in your accomplishments and that you can contribute to the job. Recall accomplishments and also key situations in your professional life. For instance, it could be about a tool or technique you used to complete a project or the ways you convinced a colleague or customer to adopt your way of thinking.

Everyone loves a good story, prepare several memorable stories that each illustrate your strengths and how you triumphed. Have one story illustrating your creativity, one for your problem solving skills, one for people skills, technical skills, etc. Then when you are asked about one of these areas you will have a story ready to answer it. It is much better to illustrate with a story than to say yes I am the best whatcha-ma-jigger fixer in the world. A cool story about how you stepped in after everyone else tried to fix the whatcha-ma-jigger and failed shows not only that you are technically proficient but it also shows that you are a great communicator as well.

Imagine you are in the interview room telling your favorite stories to your best friends. Of course, the stories [Read more…] about Techniques for a Successful Interview