7 Steps to Help You Ace Your Job Interview - CareerAlley

7 Steps to Help You Ace Your Job Interview - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Richard Nelson Bolles seminal book called What Color Is Your Parachute? has been in print since 1970s and for a good reason: Richard takes a bold approach to career hunting and job seeking. He delivers an approach that most students, career changers, and potential job candidates dont think of. Finding a full-time job is a full-time job his famous line augurs well with his approach. Did you catch yourself saying or thinking the following? Ah, but the economy is sailing through depression There arent any jobs to my liking No ones hiring For once, we wont bother with statistics anymore. It isnt about the number of jobs or opportunities (there are plenty to choose from). What causes the turmoil is the incredibly low rate of employability? If its not about your employability, then theres something wrong with your approach. Employers struggle to find the right people all the time while candidates who have all the potential dont really shine through until they get through the door. Here are some top tips to get through your interviews easily: #1 Show up even before you are called This is 2014. The reach of Internet has exploded. Almost everyone has access to the Internet today and that includes your employers. Before they call you, theres a probability that they might do a quick search about you on the Internet and your Facebook page, your twitter account, and your Google + profile is likely to show up first. Every instance of a social update is an open ticket for the world to watch you, real time. Your employers now have processes in place where theyd check out who you are before they even consider your application. How do you look like on social media networks? What do you discuss or talk about? These things reveal a lot about you. #2 Confidence is where it starts Confidence in what you do, say, and be makes all the difference. Remember the scene in The Pursuit of Happyness where Will Smith plays Chris Gardners character? Chris just walks into a leading stock broking company in the worst possible attire along with patches of paint and still walks away with the job. To get that confidence, youll need experience. Youll need knowledge in your domain. Gain knowledge by investing in resources, learning, reading a lot, and by asking questions. Gain experience by going beyond your call of duty pick up part-time jobs, internships, and provide free work to showcase these as your achievements. In short, you are making a great entry even before you get to the interview. #3 Asking your educational credentials is a habit; but it wont matter When employers ask for your degree, understand that its a cultural habit. Its not the primary criteria for your selection. Whether you are a multiple-degree holder or a fancy MBA, your employers care less about that. What they care about is about what you can do for them. What value do you bring to the table? Why are you better than thousands other potential recruits? When you go to that interview, youll do well to have answers to these questions. Businesses suffer from the regular hire to fire later syndrome. One big problem that most companies face apart from attrition is the acute shortage of employable candidates. If you are pining for a job that pays you well and enables you to do what you love doing, its your duty to convince them that you are the best person for the job. Show them what you got. Convince them that youd do miracles if they give you a chance. Its again back to showing up and selling yourself well. #4 Personal Branding, and everything that leads to it Candidates are rarely trained to present for success blame the education system, peer influence, lack of initiative on the part of scores of schools and colleges. Starting with how you write your resume while preparing to apply for jobs and all the way until you actually get the job your presentation matters. Your confidence shines through. Yet, you believed that your education was all-too-important. You thought that a degree could fetch you a job. Over 800,000 graduates roll out colleges each year. How exactly did you think you would compete with them when everyone passed? Now, that presentation cant be fluff. Theres got to be meat in there. To get meat, you have to go shopping. Look to work on projects. Create something. Write regularly. Have something to show them. You could host events, launch seminars, write a blog, and work on side projects. You could do a lot to spice up your personal brand. #5 What skills you got? Your degree is perhaps a benchmark to weed out those who couldnt even muster up a college degree. Its a tool that employers use to shortlist; but its not the only determinant factor using which employers hire. Do you have skills that matter? What do you bring to the table? What skills can you proudly claim to have mastered? Now, please be advised: knowledge is aplenty. Its available at the click of a mouse and information just plays right into your hands. Whats not available, can never be duplicated, and can absolutely be unique to you is how you utilize this knowledge to apply and solve real problems. #6 You are sending out vibes The lack of employability skills among job aspirants isnt just attributed to experience, credentials, resumes, and the works. Its also about the way you shake hands and how you maintain eye contact. Your body language will make impressions on others, which in turn determines your success. Other things such as posture, voice clarity, tone, and even the way you sit and stand will affect your interviews, relationships with others, and in your business interactions. Who teaches that in college? Even if they do, who is paying attention? In the end, who is paying for the consequences? #7 Demonstrate employer-employee match The match results are usually, Not found. Employers are looking for people to solve problems. For instance, all business needs sales (they look for people who can persuade, follow-up and sell); engineers (to innovate, solve technical issues, create software, etc.); Support staff (empathy, patience, understanding, and follow through). So when employers interview you, they are looking for answers that resonate with what they are looking for. Candidates go to interviews and say things like: I am hard working and punctual [Were you not expected to be, in the first place?] I am creative, innovative, and always willing to learn [Everyone has to] Really? What did you create? Is there an example through which you can demonstrate what you are saying? What was the last thing you learnt? The key here is to demonstrate and not just talk: Instead of saying you can communicate well, show them your blog. Instead of naming a list of skills, show them a portfolio. If you have to convince them about your leadership skills, narrate stories of how you led teams (with or without a job) with some of those side gigs you managed to work on. How do you prepare for interviews? Do you have any other suggestions? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Author Bio : Alpesh Patel is a freelance writer and blogger. He is an expert in online education, online degree courses and the developments taking place in this domain. In his spare time, he likes to read novels and write about online business degree. This is a Guest post. We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by //

Goodbye Microsoft - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Goodbye Microsoft - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog A couple of days ago, my Office Suite died on me. And for once, this was no fault of Bills. I was cleaning out my harddisk, and must have deleted one file too many. Suddenly Outlook, Word, Excel etc. had stopped working. I spent a few seconds in the required (and familiar to any PC user) state of semi-panic, and then the solution came to me. Two hours later Id downloaded and installed Eudora and OpenOffice, and both work just great. Eudora installed completely painlessly, and automatically suggested that it could transfer my mails and adress book from Outlook. That didnt quite work some of the mails were trashed, and the adresses never made it into Eudora, but hey, I can live with that. The program itself looks really old the UI looks like a typical PC application circa 1998. On the whole its about as good as Outlook some things are better som are worse. Eudora is free in the sponsored mode, where a small rectangle in the lower lefthand corner of the screen displays ever-changing ads. Its fair and unobtrusive. OpenOffice impresses the hell out of me, and I do not understand why people continue to pay for the MS Office suite, when you can get this for free. Keep in mind, that Ive only used it for a few days, but so far its been able to read all my Office files (including som really complex spreadsheets), and its just as easy to use. Furthermore, both these programs run not only on Windows, but also on Macs, Unix and Linux boxes, so if I decide to change some day, I can continue to use them. This means, that the last two Microsoft programs that I use on a regular basis are Internet Explorer and Windows 2000, and we all know that they can be replaced. Though the latter may not be that easy. Im really grateful for the existence of free software of such high quality. Go ahead and try it for yourself, its a matter of an evenings work as most, providing you have a good internet connection (at least ADSL). Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Career Corner Career Transition Survival Tip #3 - Hallie Crawford

Career Corner Career Transition Survival Tip #3 Sometimes were so busy taking care of business that we forget to take care of ourselves. Yet, if youre amidst a major career change, there is nothing more important than listening to your Inner Voice and tending to all the little things your body, mind and soul is asking for and needs. Here are some great ways to nourish your whole self and stay balanced while successfully navigating through your career change. 3. Exercise your body while you expand your mind. So many of us spend the majority of our days sitting in front of a computer, both at our jobs and at home. Its no wonder that insomnia and being overweight has become a problem for millions of Americans. As always, but especially at a time of career change when stress levels are higher, regular exercise is vital to your well-being. Make it a priority to engage in some kind of aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week and use hand weights to tone muscles and keep blood flowing. Pilates, Tae-Bo and yoga are all excellent ways to reduce tension, properly align the body and keep energy flow on an even keel. No matter which type of exercise you choose, you can use this time to work on the more pressing issues in your career and the changes you are making. Think about it, how many times have you sat in front of the television, not hearing or seeing a thing because youre consumed with whats happening in your life? Taking time out to reduce your stress level by exercising while focusing on your goals, stumbling blocks or major decisions, will ease your body and mind and help you feel good both mentally and physically. Some of my best ideas have come to me when I’m out exercising and thinking out of the box. Heres to having a career you love, Career Transition Coach

The Number One Article on Accountant Resume

The Number One Article on Accountant Resume What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Accountant Resume Create My Resume Resume Tips for Accountant Much like in different sections of the nation, your capacity to find jobs as an accountant will ride on your approach and the kind of actions you take. Accounting job responsibilities also include things like computing taxes. Many accountant resume samples that you will discover online do not offer the degree of detail necessary to assist you to structure yours. Building out an effective Accountant resume is about offering the hard numbers and the particular details to demonstrate how good you're at your work. Accountant Resume Explained An accountant resume must go past the basic certifications employers expect. When an employer knows that you increased sales by 60% for example, he is going to be in a position to gauge how well you've done. In that situation, you might require a bookkeeper resume instead. An accountant resume is indeed one of the most crucial documents an applicant should have when applying in the subject of accounting. Accountant Resume Features When you make an application for a job we'll send your application to the named recruiter, who might contact you. In that case you ought to be searching for an accountant job. In addition, should you're attempting to get a job which is outside your present-day specialty, you want to TARGET your resume to prove to the hiring manager you have the skills to do the job. Make sure that you specifically deal with the specific job and position within the particular field you're applying for. One of the major roles and obligations of a Finance Specialist is to assess client wants and offer them relevant financial services. Because you don't have experience, you'll need to emphasize your abilities and educational accomplishments. Computer skills on resumes are becoming more and more critical for accountants. Accountants want to demonstrate an af finity for numbers, but in addition they will need to demonstrate their skill with words by producing a strong written message. You might also see thesis summary examples For individuals with minimal experience or are in the midst of a career change, professional memberships are extremely much relevant. The Hidden Gem of Accountant Resume Use the advice below to develop an outstanding accounting resume so that you'll get noticed by the perfect hiring businesses. Accountants conduct audits to find out whether client companies or their very own business is following established legal strategies and business policies for economic dealings and documentation. Rather than focusing on what you would like, focus on how you may be an asset to the firm. Marc Grandmaison Operations Director Marc is an extremely experienced, skilled, and talented hospitality professional that has been in the business for over 20 decades.

Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Writing an Objective Statement for a Resume

Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Writing an Objective Statement for a Resume My purpose is to find the job. As a result, while your resume objective should consist of information on the career that you would like, you also wish to spell out why you are the perfect candidate for the job. It is your chance to tell a short story about yourself. Writing a winning college student career objective is a rather effortless means to bolster your application for this internship or job you've got in sight. You may decide your aim is to buy relaxing chamomile tea. Resume objectives can be somewhat controversial. Just remember that every objective has to be measurable to be included. Otherwise, you most likely have a comprehensive objective instead of the primary or purpose objective. If you are working for an appropriate position for quite a long time, you should definitely incorporate the amount of years in your objective statement. The absolute most efficient objective is one which is tailored to the job you're applying for. If you are searching for a sort of job that could be seen in many distinct industries, think about noting a particular industry in your job objective. To begin with, consider the job description to see whether it indicates the kind of skills the provider is seeking. A financial analyst resume summary, however, does communicate to a prospective employer what you could do for the business. In the end, stating an objective is optional, but it might help convince employers that you understand what you need and know the business. You ought to have five objective statements. An individual can use all 3 forms of objectives within a proposal to do particular targets. An aim is simply as excellent as the objectives that go with this. As soon as it's essential for your resume to incorporate a very clear career goal, you don't need to convey it through an Objective section. Goals and objectives form the main portion of a project proposal and one ought to pay great attention when framing them. What Writing an Objective Statement for a Resume Is - and What it Is Not Your task, with the help of the financial organization, is to recognize the differences and to estimate the yearly benefit. There are lots of distinct reasons you may have to compose an objective statement. For instance, it might state some of your previous accomplishments, and move on to the types of accomplishments you want to achieve in the future (ideally, accomplishments you need to achieve for the organization you're applying to work for). Most grad programs require some type of private statement, which is where you'll receive the ideal opportunity to inform the school why your experiences and interests make you the ideal candidate for the program. Business analysis can encompass a number of responsibilities that are particular to the field they're in. So, setting a crystal clear presentation purpose is the critical first step in making your presentation. You might need both types of information, based on your objective. Think about whether you require quantitative or qualitative details.

Nothing About Your Job is Perfect, But Are You Adaptable

Nothing About Your Job is Perfect, But Are You AdaptableWhat an abbildung, right? I almost cant believe Im about to share this, but I heard it the other day, and I thought what a remarkable notion and weird analogy so I thought, heidewitzka our readers might get a kick out of this In life, nothing is perfectand how true this can be on the job. It seems like there can almost always be something not quite right. So are you fossilized in your job? Are you so set in your ways that your mind isnt open at all to change? The illustration goes along these lines Dinosaurs and cockroaches existed at the same time in history, but the dinosaur is extinct and the cockroach is still around. Why is that? Because the cockroach is adaptable and flexible its still around today. But the dinosaur, failing to adapt, fossilized and went away. Nothing is 100% the same on the job, so youve got to have some flexibility. In fact, I tell my writers when I bring them on that they can count on one thing whil e working for mechange. I am all about process improvement. What will make our company better? How can we better service our clients? How can we create better resumes to help our clients get interviews faster? These are all important questions that we ask ourselves daily. Companies who arent open to change eventually fade away.My point is this (while Im not going to go as far as to suggest you should be a cockroach ew ), I am going to say flexibility and adaptability will take you a long way in your career. So never become so ingrained in doing everything the same way that you eventually fossilize and fade away.If youre currently in a job search, consider the advantages of partnering with one of our TORI Award-nominated writers on staff. We shorten our average clients job search by 2-4 months. Considering the average job search takes 6-9 months, were saving our clients thousands of dollars in unearned wages. Learn more about our 60-day interview guarantee and how we can shorten you r job search at http//www.greatresumesfast.com/resume-writing.htm.

4 Cheap Vacations That Are Actually Fun and Kid Friendly

4 Cheap Vacations That Are Actually Fun and Kid Friendly Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and summer vacation is just around the corner. As a mom on a budget, this leaves me asking two pretty critical questions. First, how do I avoid planning family travel that leaves me more tired than when I started? And second, how do I plan a fun trip that does notlage entirely wipe out our savings account? Here are four ideas for cheap vacations and getaways that are enjoyable and wont break the bank.1. Take a staycationProsYou dont have to wrangle both a stroller and screaming baby through a TSA checkpoint and deal with crying children during your flights. Your anxious chihuahuas will not freak out at the dog sitter. Your toddler wont decide that sleeping in a new bed at the beach resort is actually a harbinger of the apocalypse. Also, you wont come home to a pile of laundry that rivals the height of the Space Needle. (Yes, I may have had some bad family vacation experiences in the past .)How to make a staycation fun and memorableThe purpose of any vacation is to relax, recharge and spend quality time with loved ones. Unfortunately, staycations can become excuses to work from home or on a bunch of home improvement projects. The key is to tischset some boundaries so you can focus on having fun with the family, even if you dont take flights to exotic destinations. So, leave your work laptop at work, dont check email on your phone and ask your coworkers not to text. Also, make sure to schedule some time for a deep clean of your house the weekend before your staycation. That way, you only have to manage dishes, cooking and laundry during the week.Most importantly, make an actual itinerary for your staycation, just like you would if you were visiting a new city. If your kids love science, this could be the perfect opportunity to do some bug observing or catching at the local park. If they love history, check out a local museum, national park or historical landmark. Ther e are probably plenty of fun vacation spots right in your own town or city. A little online research can go a long way in coming up with fun, creative activities to try.How much will a staycation actually cost? This depends on family size, number of days off, and what you choose to do. Ive laid out a base budget for a family of four, staycationing for 5 days, belowStaycation Budget for a Family of FourActivityCostEating out 6 times. The average cost of a meal out is $11/person$264Three days of park and museum admissions. This is assuming youre not going to a theme park, which is much more expensive.$240Splurging on a housecleaning service$250Getting a babysitter for an adult night out (about 4 hours). Babysitters cost an average of $14/hr, according to HomeAdvisor.$56Grand Total $810Bonus ActivityIf you want to staycation but feel like sleeping in your own bed will be too boring, consider backyard camping. The best part? You still get to use your own shower in the morning2. Plan a w eekend getawayProsWeekend getaways are a great option if you are low on vacation days. They can also be a trial groe nachfrage for longer trips if you have small children or anxious pets. (Who said fail fast is just for work?) Fewer days away from home also means fewer dollars spent on hotels and eating out.How to Make It WorkThere are two big risks with planning weekend getaways. First, travel time will end up making up a larger percentage of your total time spent away from home. For example, lets say you plan on leaving home for five days (120 hours total). You drive for six hours to your destination while your toddler screams in his car seat. If you count the trip there and back, this is 12 hours of a toddler screaming, or 10% of your vacation. Now, lets say you only go away for a weekend. That means youve only got 48 hours of vacation time. Now, 12 hours of toddler screams is a whopping 25% of your time away from home.The other big risk of a weekend getaway is becoming overly am bitious when planning the itinerary. If you only have 48 hours in your vacation spots (minus travel and sleep time), you probably wont get to see everything. Trying to squeeze everything in is likely to lead to sore feet and cranky co-travelers.So, how can you make a weekend getaway fun? If youre still using car seats, stay somewhere that is walking distance from food and entertainment. In our family, fewer car seat transitions mean lower blood pressure for me and fewer tears for my toddler. And thats what vacationing is all aboutHow much will a weekend getaway actually cost?Im basing my calculations on a family of four staying somewhere relatively close to home for two nights.ActivityCost2 nights in a hotel or rental property. Approximately $160/night, according to data from ShareBetter$3206 meals out (You can cut this down if you stay somewhere with a kitchen)$264Two days of park and museum admissions$160Cost of gas for a drive from Seattle to Portland (about 6 hours round trip) i n a car that gets 35 mpg on the highwayAbout $60Grand Total $804Bonus Savings Consider renting a house together with friends. This can potentially save money on property rental, food, and transportation. It also practically guarantees quality time with friends, which can be hard when trying to balance a career and kids.3. Go campingProsYou get to spend time distitelbilding nature together as a family, perhaps in a local camping ground or national park, for little to no money. You can stargaze in an area where you can actually see the stars. And there is nothing quite so magical as food cooked over a campfire. It is also easier to unplug your devices if there is no wifi, no outlets, and no cell phone signal.How to make it workWhen family camping goes well, it can make incredible memories for the whole family. However, this is one of those vacations that absolutely requires the right gear and extensive planning. Otherwise, you could be stuck sitting by a sputtering campfire while rain pours on your head and your kids are screaming that theyre bored and hungry. And this nightmare scenario does not even cover the additional safety issues that come up when camping with little ones.This type of vacation will obviously be easier and cheaper if you have pre-child camping experience. Hike It Baby has a great list of tips and supplies that will help you stay organized, comfortable and safe. If youve never camped before, consider picking a location close to home and even renting a motel or cabin. This gives you an easy exit and lets you acquire gear (and camping skills) over multiple trips.How much will a camping trip cost?Camping experiences can be cheap vacations, but this will be highly variable based on how much gear you already have and where youll be staying. MomGoesCamping provides some reasonable cost estimates for a huge variety of camping styles. Based on her calculations, a mid-range, five-day trip for a family of four (that already had gear) is about $1200. P urchasing gear would likely add about $1000 to that price (assuming you didnt purchase the absolute highest-end gear).4. Take a cruiseProsYou dont have to cook, clean or plan anything. You dont have to drive anywhere. Depending on where you stay, you may not even need to pack diapers and wipes. Plus, youll probably have access to a giant pool, unlimited food and fun excursions in exotic locales like Cayo Santa Maria, the Riviera Maya, and the Caribbean... the possibilities are endless.How to make it workCruises can cost significantly less than staying in a hotel. However, they have some hidden costs that can feel like a nasty surprise if youre not expecting them. Remember to factor in expenses like mandatory gratuities, excursion fees and alcohol when making your cruise budget. Another important consideration is that not all cruises are great at accommodating children under three years old. Check in advance with the cruise line about what activities and babysitting are available for your little one. Heres a list of cruise lines that cater well to very young travelers. Finally, you may need to travel to the port from which your ship is departing. This may mean paying for gas, airfare, parking and hotels.How much will a cruise actually cost?Again, this is variable based on the cruise line, cabin and additional activities and services you choose. Cruiseline.com breaks down all the potential costs associated with a 7-day cruise. When factoring in travel to and from the port, they find that the average cost is $1500 to $2000 per person. This is $6000-$8000 for a family of four. That is obviously a lot more money than the other vacations listed in this blog. However, if you have the budget, the extra money may be worth it.This article covers just a few ideas for how to have an amazing summer vacation you can actually afford. If you stay creative and flexible, you can have a memorable family trip without emptying your savings account. And, as with any activity involv ing small children, a sense of humor (and a high tolerance for messes) helps as well. geldschrank and happy travels--Rebecca Fraynt has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and is an all-around healthcare nerd. She lives near Seattle with her husband, toddler, and two rescue chihuahuas. When shes not working or chasing her dogs or child around the house, shes guzzling coffee, reading, or binge watching Star Trek.