Saturday 8 December 2012


Tips on Preparing for a Job Interview


A LITTLE PREPARATION GOES A LONG WAY
So you've landed a job interview? Congratulations! Now it's time to prepare. With so much competition for jobs today, the interview is more important than ever. This crucial face-to-face meeting is your chance to "sell" a prospective employer on hiring you.

Here are Few steps to acing your next interview. Good luck!


1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Don't walk into a job interview with zero knowledge about the business you are interviewing with. Research the company beforehand -- visit its website, follow it on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and do some simple Google searches to see what you can find out about its history and its leadership team.

Be sure to showcase your new found knowledge during your interview. This will boost your credibility with the interviewer and will help you to formulate intelligent questions to ask him or her.

2.BRING NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION

Make a checklist of documents that you will need for the interview, and make sure that you have them with you. These may include copies of your résumé, a passport, driver's license, Social Security card, or portfolio of work.

If the interviewer asks for something that you did not know to bring, be sure to get it to them as soon as possible.

3. PLAN YOUR ROUTE

Don't sabotage your chances before you even arrive by getting lost on your way to the interview or getting stuck in traffic. Arriving late to a job interview leaves a very bad impression on the interviewer.

Map out where you're going and prepare alternate routes. Figure out how long the trip will take, where to park, and anything else you need to know to arrive on time. Be sure you have the name and phone number of the person you'll be meeting with.


4.REHEARSE BEFOREHAND

Every once in a while an interviewer will ask an unexpected question, but for the most part, many interviews play out the same way.

Prepare intelligent answers to common questions the interviewer is likely to ask, such as "What are your strengths and weaknesses?"; "Why do you want to work here?"; "Why should we hire you?"; and "Tell me about yourself." Conduct a mock interview with a trusted friend as practice.


5.GET SOLID REFERENCES

Find at least three key people -- former supervisors, colleagues, or instructors -- who will serve as your professional references. Ask their permission beforehand, as well as the best way for them to be contacted.

You may be asked to send these references at a later time, but you should arrive at the interview with this information in hand just in case it is asked for.

Follow these guidelines when you face an interview .

GOOD LUCK :)



10 words never to use in your resume 


Creative is the most overused buzzword in LinkedIn profiles followed by effective, motivated and extensive experience, the social networking site has said.

According to career expert David Schwarz, using buzzwords not only makes your CV generic but it can give the impression that you are trying to mislead your prospective employer.

"They create almost a sense of misleading because they gloss over the detail," News.com.au quoted Schwarz, a principal consultant at career management firm Board Portfolio, as saying.

Schwarz said that everything you put in a resume needs to be backed up with proof.

"If you can't put a metric or a statistic next to that statement shouldn't have it in your CV," he said.

He added that candidates should never include aspiration statements in their resume.

"'I want to be, or my goal is, or in the future I want', they're all massive red flags because they all basically say you're not qualified to do the job you're doing now," he added.

The top 10 buzzwords that appear most in profiles are:

1. Creative
2. Effective
3. Motivated
4. Extensive experience
5. Track record
6. Innovative
7. Responsible
8. Analytical
9. Communication skills
10. Positive