Job Interview Tips: 3 Opportunities to Make a Great Impression in the Interview

In your job interview, the details matter. The big picture is often the same, in terms of the process, but how you handle each individual step tells the interviewer a tremendous amount about you and how you’ll approach the job. Here are 3 opportunities for you to stand out from your competition:

Presentation

Make a great first impression by dressing well for your interview—usually that means you should try to aim for conservative but stylish. What you want is to look like you’re on top of the trends while avoiding things that could potentially offend an interviewer (like a tattoo) or distract from your message (like strong scents or a low-cut blouse). I think pants are fine for women to wear, though.

Watch your body language, too. Lean forward, smile, be calm—no nervous, fidgety gestures.

Overall, you want your confidence and professionalism to shine through. If you’re unsure about how you’re coming across in an interview situation, make the investment in a personal interview coaching session.

Preparation

You know you’ve got to do your research on the company before your interview—do you know why? It’s because (1) you don’t want to waste your allotted interview time on things you can find out on your own; and (2) it helps you formulate in-depth, knowledgeable questions (asking questions is important), come up with targeted answers for typical interview questions, and create your 30-60-90-day plan.

Go through your brag book and highlight things that you think will really play well with this interviewer at this company. When the time is right in the interview, you’ll be presenting job-relevant information—it’s evidence that counts.

Planning

Create a 30-60-90-day action plan for what you’ll do in the first 90 days on the job. It doesn’t have to be complicated…it just has to show that you’ve thought about the position and how you’ll be successful at it for this particular company. But remember, it’s not a one-size-fits-all document: a 30-60-90-day plan is most effective when you include company-specific details that customize it.

Don’t forget to coach your references! Give your references a heads-up that you’re going for this interview, and maybe even remind them of particular instances or qualities that will be especially helpful for this position. Good references can be the finishing touch that convince the hiring manager to offer you the job.

 

Author Byline: Peggy McKee
Author Website: http://www.career-confidential.com

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

How to Make Your Cover Letter a Perfect Fit for Any Opening

Let’s face it, a blanket cover letter just isn’t going to cut it these days. So how can you make the best use of your time while maximizing your results? Here are a few simple steps to customizing your cover letters. (And if you don’t think you SHOULD customize your cover letter for each application you submit, then we have bigger problems than I thought …)

A MEMORABLE OPENER

Here’s a mistake I see more and more job seekers making: the opening line on their cover letter reads, “Please accept this in response to the (position) advertised on month day, year …” What’s wrong with this kind of opening line? Everyone uses it. The point of your job search is to stand out from the crowd—not get lost in the midst of it. Instead, try using something similar to your branding statement. You can easily tweak your branding statement to be a customized opening line.

For example: With more than 10 years of profit-driven project management expertise …

What’s different about this opening line? I’m already addressing the company’s need for a bottom-line-driven project manager; sharing my years of experience; and hitting the job title on the dot. That’s three big points you’ve scored in the first line alone.

FACTS THAT SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

After you’ve written your opening lines (which express your interest in the position and introduce you to the prospective employer) immediately jump into how you can meet the organization’s needs based on the requirements the company posted in its online ad or job description.

“I see you are interested in hiring someone with strategic-change management experience.” (Or whatever the key requirement of the position is—highlight it here). Then tell—or even better, SHOW—the reader why you have that experience: “In my present role with ABC Distributors, I did XYZ, which resulted in JKL.” Showing the potential employer—right off the bat—that you possess a desired attribute or requirement for the position will prompt the hiring manager to invest more time in reading your resume. If your cover letter states—in so many words—“I am the perfect match for your opening, and I can meet/exceed your needs …” then you immediately get my attention, and I’m more likely to invest time in reviewing your resume. Here’s a tip: do not use bullet points or material word-for-word from your resume; provide the hiring manager with fresh information on your cover letter.

DETAILS ARE IMPORTANT

Here are a few small details to remember when crafting a cover letter to fit a specific opening:

-Make sure that your cover letter heading matches your resume’s.
-Include your branding statement with your header at the top of your cover letter. It enforces your brand and provides a polished touch.
-Include a quote from a former employer if relevant and hard-hitting. This is a great way to “sell” what you’re capable of accomplishing for an organization. If the prospective employer has a specific requirement in its job ad—and you’ve already done that somewhere else and have a great recommendation or quote from a previous supervisor to back it up—WOW!! There really isn’t any better sales/marketing material than that. Not much can beat a quote about your results.

CLOSE WITH CONTACT

Always offer at the close of your letter to follow up with the employer/hiring manager via phone, e-mail, snail mail, whatever … within a specific time frame (be it one week or two or whenever). Also, be sure to include your contact information so they can reach out to you. Keep the closing professional, polished, and concise. You don’t want to appear desperate or unprofessional.

 

 

Guest Post by Jessica Hernandez of http://www.greatresumesfast.com. Jessica has a true passion for the job seeker, evidenced by her desire to share everything she can with everyone she can about resume writing and interviewing.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

When Skill Sets Don’t Match the Job Market

“I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly.” – Winston Churchill

By the time I finished my undergraduate degree (the last half of which I did at night), I knew that I did not want to have a career in my selected major (imagine). Since I was already working during the day to support my degree program at night, I needed to continue within my “selected” field while I “retooled” my background. So what did I do? A few months after I finished my undergraduate I started Grad schoole (also at night) and changed my major to a related (but very different) field. Think of your career is a journey, with lots of forks in the road, each taking you down a different path. Everything you do is a stepping stone to your next (and, at some point) ultimate destination.

Research: No job search is complete without doing your homework.

• International Association for Corporate & Professional Recruitment – The IACPR site includes a list of professional recruiting firms (list) which you can use as a resource for contacting recruiters. The list also includes corporations which belong to the organization, but you should be able to differentiate with a simple Google search.

• Association of Executive Search Consultants – The AESC site includes a list of executive search firms which you can also use as a resource for contacting search firms. Click here -> AESC List.

• Company Research – Vault.com offers company and employer research on their site. You can search by name, industry, state, country, number of employees, etc. (or any combination). There is basic information on each company on their list as well as the company’s website (which will have additional information).

• Job Fairs – Monster.com has a Job Fairs page. There is an option to search for job fairs based on your zip code as well as some job fair tips and resources. There is a calendar of events by state/city and a job fair registration option. Monster also offers an article on Are Job Fairs Worth Your Time?

Good luck in your search.

 

Post Provided by CareerAlley

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Job Search from the Beginning – Recruiters Part 2

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

I was in the Mall the other day for some Holiday shopping and it was packed. Finding a parking spot was almost like bumper cars at the arcade and walking through the Mall and stores was like a modern day version of “survival of the fittest”. So I started thinking about what “Malls” (or marketplaces) were like hundreds of years ago, where merchants got together to sell whatever they made or grew to those who needed it. Barter was popular and money was not always needed. The real purpose of the marketplace was to create a central location where people could match “wants” with “needs”. Recruiters play similar roles. They match those looking for jobs with those looking to hire. They also do some due diligence on the candidates to ensure a better match. On to today’s marketplace.

• RGS Search Partners, LLC – This firm specializes in a broad number of functions and industries: Technology, Program / Project Management, Consulting, Finance, HR and more. Their website is fairly basic with a page for candidates. There are tabs at the top for Search Process, Contact and About Us. You can click on the “Contact Us” tab to submit your details via a web-form, use their email address to forward your resume and cover letter or send your details via snail mail.

• Salveson Stetson Group – SSG has a fairly robust website. The main page has tabs at the top for About Us, Services, Practice Groups, Our Team and Contact Us. On the right hand side of the page there are links for Recent News, Recent Appointments and Open Searches. Check the Recent Appointments to see if this firm covers your job function and industry and click on Open Searches to see a sample of current opportunities. Use any of the name links in the Open Searches section to forward your resume.

• Tuttle Agency – This recruiter mainly covers the NY tri-state area. Their main page is very interesting. You can sign-up for a news letter or follow any of the tabs at the top (which have drop-down lists) for About Us, Locations, Divisions, Candidates and Contact Us. Hover over the Candidates tab for a list of options including Current Openings, Submit Resume and Job Alerts. There were well over 40 jobs when I checked their list. Click Submit Resume for a web-form for resume submission and be sure to sign up for Job Alerts by going to that tab.

• Taylor-Hodson -This is a NY based firm which specializes in both temporary, temp to perm and permanent hiring. They also have a special link for Fashion recruiting. Click on About Us for information and links for each of the categories described above. Click on “apply online” for a web-form to submit your resume. There is also a link on this page to view industries and job functions they cover (which is quite extensive).

Where to Find Recruiters – So, you might ask, “Are there lists of recruiters?” and the answer would be yes. One list for today:

• CareerAlley’s List of Recruiters and Headhunters – Not the “complete” list, but a very good one (if I do say so myself).

Good luck in your search.

 

Guest Author: CareerAlley
Website: http://CareerAlley.com

28% of Employers Less Likely to Promote Someone With Messy Work Space

Do you have piles of paper, folders, tchotchke and other materials covering your desk? A new study shows hoarding can result in a negative impact on your career. Nearly three-in-ten (28 percent) employers say they are less likely to promote someone who has a disorganized or messy work space.

• One third (33 percent) of workers say they tend to be hoarders (evenly balanced between male and female workers). While companies have shifted to a more digital workplace, more than half (51 percent) of workers say they still have paper files in their office/desk.

• 38 percent say that, currently, between 50 to 100 percent of their desk surface is covered with work and other materials, while 16 percent of workers said 75 percent or more of their desk is covered.

• 36 percent of workers say they have paper files from more than a year ago, 13 percent have files that are five years or older and six percent have files dating back more than 10 years.

Even if workers are actually working on multiple projects with positive results, workplace clutter is causing employers to have a negative view of them. Nearly two-in-five employers (38 percent) say piles of paper covering a desk negatively impacted their perception of that person; 27 percent feel they are disorganized, while 16 percent say they are just messy.

“Workers are being asked to take on more projects as companies function with leaner staffs, which could be resulting in more cluttered workspaces,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “While chaos on your desk space can indicate a busy workload, it can also imply a lack of organization. The good news is that workers can fix this problem quickly and reverse any negative perceptions of their performance.”

Haefner recommends the following to get your work area organized:

Schedule time with the office recycle bin – a calendar reminder for Friday afternoon to take completed projects to the recycle bin.

Work on one project at a time – while you may have 20 things on your “to do” list, prioritize what needs to be done that day when you arrive at work and take care of one project at a time.

Don’t be a digital hoarder – Just because nobody else can see your clutter, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, especially in your email boxes. Delete un-needed emails on a weekly basis.

Job Cuts in Tech Sector on Pace for Record Low

In past years, the 6,500 job cuts announced this week by Cisco Systems probably would not have stood out, particularly in a sector that at one time commonly saw job-cut events numbering in the tens of thousands.  This year, however, the Cisco announcement stands out as the largest job cut of the year in a sector that is experiencing record low downsizing.

Technology firms announced just 14,308 job cuts in the first half of 2011, a 60 percent drop from the 35,375 cuts announced during the same period a year ago, according to a special report on technology-sector job cuts released Wednesday by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

While first-half job cuts announced by telecommunications, electronics and computer firms were up slightly from 11,450 job cuts announced in the final six months of 2010, the increase probably does not signal a resurgence in tech-sector downsizing.

“The Cisco cuts notwithstanding, the overall health of the technology sector remains very strong.  In fact, it is one of the best performing industries in the economy at the moment.  It is highly unlikely that planned layoffs in the second half of the year will be heavy enough for the year-end total to surpass last year’s record low 46,825 job cuts,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

The 14,308 tech-sector job cuts announced so far this year represent just 5.8 percent of the 245,806 job cuts announced across all industries.  In contrast to the 60-percent decline in tech-sector job cuts, the overall job-cut total for the first half of 2011 is down only 17 percent from last year’s six-month total.

The biggest decline in tech-sector job cuts was experienced by computer firms, which saw the number of planned layoffs plunge 81 percent, from 16,964 in the first half of 2010 to 3,178 this year.  The only other industry to see a bigger drop in layoffs this year is pharmaceutical, where job cuts declined 86 percent from 34,987 to 4,771.

Job cuts announced by telecommunications firms dropped 57 percent from 16,005 in 2010 to 6,813 this year.  Firms in the electronics industry were the only segment of the tech sector to see an increase in job cuts.  Layoffs among these employers increased 79 percent from 2,406 a year ago to a 2011 six-month total of 4,317, which is still very low by historical standards.

Prior to the Cisco workforce reductions, which will be counted in Challenger’s third-quarter tally of tech-sector job cuts, the largest reported layoff this year came from telecommunications firm Qwest Communications, which announced 1,800 planned job cuts in March.

“As many sectors outside of government continue to see relatively low downsizing activity, the tech sector is one of the few areas actually adding workers.  Through June, companies in the sector announced plans to add nearly 26,000 workers, which represents just a small portion of actual hiring, since most employers do not formally announcing hiring plans,” noted Challenger.

According to payroll figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment within computer systems design and related services has grown by 42,000 since the beginning of 2011.  Computer and electronics manufacturers have added more than 12,000 workers to their payrolls.

Disabled Students in California and New Jersey Eligible for New Scholarships

PRIDE Industries has expanded its scholarship program with three newly established scholarships for students with disabilities in New Jersey and California. The PRIDE Industries Scholarships are open to eligible students with disabilities who meet certain academic criteria, and have employment aspirations that are supported by higher learning.

Through Sierra College Foundation, PRIDE is offering $2,500 in annual scholarship funds effective fall, 2011. Sierra College serves Placer County, where PRIDE Industries is headquartered and has extensive existing programs for people with disabilities.

PRIDE has also made an initial four-year scholarship commitment at both Burlington County College and at Rutgers-Camden University in New Jersey effective with the 2011-2012 academic year. Both schools have a diverse pool of eligible students with disabilities, and operate in close proximity to PRIDE Industries’ worksite at Fort Dix, NJ, part of the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst tri-military installation, where the organization provides base wide facilities support services.

Annually, PRIDE Industries will provide $2,500 in scholarship funds for students with disabilities at each educational institution, with an initial four-year commitment.

“We are grateful that PRIDE Industries has established this annual scholarship which will provide much-needed support for the students we serve,” said Rebecca Corbin, Executive Director of Burlington County College Foundation.

PRIDE Industries is a not-for-profit organization delivering manufacturing and service solutions to businesses and government agencies nationwide, while creating meaningful jobs for people with disabilities. Through training and employment, PRIDE helps people develop the technical and work skills needed to obtain and sustain employment, become contributing members of their communities, and to live successfully independently.

Studies find that students with disabilities over all are less than half as likely as their peers to have attended college in the two years after high school. This lack of higher education creates additional employment obstacles for individuals with disabilities. The newly announced scholarships are in addition to PRIDE’s scholarship for students with disabilities at University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP.) Established in 2010, the first-year recipient found employment on PRIDE’s facilities support services contract at Fort Bliss.

“We are proud to offer the PRIDE Industries Scholarship Program which advances opportunities for students with disabilities and further strengthens the communities we serve,” said Michael Ziegler, President and Chief Executive Officer, PRIDE Industries.

Using A Résumé Builder To Save Money

It is a fact that all the experience in the world will count for nothing if your résumé is not top notch. This has never been more apparent than in today’s job market where hundreds of thousands of people are desperately seeking work. People with qualifications to be accountants and architects are queuing up in order to be interviewed for a menial labor task which offers a fraction of what their skills warrant. Each hiring manager must sift through hundreds of applications for jobs and will not waste time on a poorly crafted résumé. Therefore, it is up to you to write a high quality application that will catch the employer’s eye and put you at the front of that interview queue.

Saving Time
The old method of fashioning your own résumé is long gone. Today, successful applicants use a résumé builder in a bid to decrease the amount of time they spend creating an application and increasing their chances of getting a job. There are thousands of websites offering advice and tips of varying quality. The same rings true when it comes to résumé builders. You are likely to come across sites that offer their résumé builder for $25 or some other relatively small charge. Avoid these because there are literally hundreds of sites that offer the same service for absolutely no charge.

Generally, it may take you hours to create that perfect application after countless bouts of head scratching and furious ripping up of paper. With a résumé builder, you can do an even better job in as little as 10 minutes. The reason why it is so quick is because the software is exceptionally easy to use. Even those who are borderline computer illiterate will have no problem creating a résumé from scratch. Most software offers step by step instructions with the applicant asked a few questions in order to get a better idea of their qualifications, experience and job preference.

No More Time Wasting
In a depressed job market, the saying ‘time is money’ has never been more pertinent. The long haul process of creating a résumé can take hours. This is not likely to be accomplished over one day. Instead, jobseekers will spend days or even weeks in a bid to create the perfect résumé. With the correct free software, the process will be over in a single day. The sooner you start, the quicker you finish and the faster you will be employed. Thanks to a résumé builder, there is no need to agonize over words or phrases as the software completes the entire process for you.

The software should be easily downloaded onto your computer, ensuring that you are ready to start and finish within minutes. The entire process of searching for a job is frustrating from start to finish. With a résumé builder, you will at least get the irritating first step out of the way. The longer it takes to do this, the less desire you will have to seek employment. Having your résumé practically created for you is a measure that saves time, money and days or even weeks of frustration. The quality of the résumés built also makes sure that you have a great chance of being hired.

Making Your Job Search As Efficient As Possible

The unemployment rate in the United States has escalated and is now near record levels. The odds of this reducing drastically anytime soon seem to be long as there is no end in sight to the economic recession that has gripped the world and has seen record unemployment rates in a host of countries. The number of jobs available are wholly insufficient to satiate the desires of an ever-expanding prospective workforce. Every job that comes available is hotly-contested with men and women who once earned $100,000+ a year vying for jobs that pay less than $9 an hour. It is a humiliating experience but this feeling is exacerbated when they fail to land the job. Time wasted searching for employment in this economic climate is expensive which means it is important to improve job search inefficiency.

Don’t Follow The Herd
First and foremost, do not waste your time queuing for interviews when there are 300 candidates for 10 jobs. Even if you feel you are the best candidate, it could take days or even weeks to be interviewed as companies labor through their own inefficient employee search. Although it seems counter-productive to ignore an interview, it will help you gain better employment quicker in the long run. Besides, you will give yourself an automatic advantage on the 290 or so people who fail to get that job.

The Online Search
Forget the traditional routes of looking for employment, speed is only achieved through the internet these days. Although job search sites such as Monster and Careerbuilder are good starting points, you may be better off looking for employment on sites such as Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com. These sites do a lot of the ground work for you. They look through the internet for job postings from online classifieds, job boards and other places. You can create an infinite number of job alerts on some of these sites. The other sites like Monster only post jobs from companies that pay for the privilege. Therefore, Indeed and SimplyHired offer a wider choice of employment.

Apply When Necessary
Ignore any jobs which ask for qualifications or skills you don’t have. It is a waste of your time because there will be dozens of candidates far more suited to the job than you are. Craft a template cover letter and doctor it to suit the specific requirements of each job you apply for. This enhances your job prospects because the employer is aware that you took the time to carefully read their posting before issuing a relevant reply.

Stay On Top Of Things
Whenever you send your résumé and cover letter to a company online, send as a single file and convert to PDF form in order to ensure no one can modify your information. Have a list of references that includes clients, work associates and personal references. Spend some time organizing all your files into separate folders with different locations for résumés, cover letters and references. This will save you time in the long run. Always keep your information updated as sites such as Monster allow profiles which are not updated to disappear into the crowd.

Finally, do not be afraid to use the services of a recruiting agency. They will do a lot of the leg work for you and pair you up with suitable companies. This can prevent you from wasting time seeking employment from incompatible organizations in your job search.

Social Media Savvy Students Five Times As Likely To Be Hired for Internships

It’s no secret that compromising Facebook pictures and unprofessional Twitter posts have cost many individuals their careers. From those in the public sphere, like athletes and politicians, to the frustrated Average Joe, social media has caught many in an uncomfortable bind at the workplace. While some career experts advocate taking down online profiles, InternMatch.com, a San Francisco based company that helps students find internships, ran a campaign where students were encouraged to use social media driven applications to apply for opportunities. Those who participated saw a five-fold increase in their likelihood to be hired when compared to peers who submitted standard applications.

In the campaign entitled “Kill the Cover Letter” students used tools like Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress instead of traditional resume and cover letter materials to convey their interest in a position and stand out in the competitive internship market. Over 30% of the candidates who used social media in their application ended up being hired, and over 50% had multiple interviews, both far higher percentages than students who submit a traditional application.

InternMatch CMO, Nathan Parcells says, “Current college students have grown up using Facebook and social media and these students are incredibly knowledgeable in how to use online tools to share their passions and impress employers.”

Students in the campaign often went one step further using social media tools to interface with otherwise inaccessible professionals and finding success networking in these digital forums. Sumedh Jigjinni, one of the candidates in the campaign, created an online site entitled IdealStartupIntern.com and tweeted a link to the page to various recruiters he found on Twitter. A number were impressed, and chose to connect him to companies they were working with, leading him to an internship opportunity that wasn’t posted anywhere online.

“Social networks are still relatively new. Their transparency and newness allows students to network and build relationships with high leverage individuals who would normally be impossible to connect with. We expect to see ‘digital networking’ and the benefits continue to expand in the future,” adds Parcells.