Providing Job Seekers With Useful Application Tips

JOB SEEKER TIPS

10 INTERVIEWING RULES

In the current job market, you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a chance against the competition. Check yourself on these 10 basic points before you go on that all-important interview.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

2. LOOK SHARP

3. BE PREPARED

4. BE ON TIME

5. SHOW ENTHUSIASM

6. LISTEN

7. ANSWER THE QUESTION ASKED

8. GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES

9. ASK QUESTIONS

10. FOLLOW UP

Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow up and thank you is one more chance to remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don't miss this last chance to market yourself.

It is important to appear confident and cool for the interview. One way to do that is to be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way to predict what an interview holds, but by following these important rules you will feel less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself.

SIX CRUCIAL INTERVIEW MISTAKES

IT'S TOUGH TO AVOID TYPICAL INTERVIEW TRAPS IF YOU'RE UNSURE WHAT THEY ARE. HERE ARE SIX TO WATCH OUT FOR.

1. CONFUSING AN INTERVIEW WITH AN INTERROGATION

2. MAKING A SO-CALLED WEAKNESS SEEM POSITIVE

Interviewers frequently ask candidates, "What are your weaknesses?" Conventional interview wisdom dictates that you highlight a weakness like "I'm a perfectionist," and turn it into a positive. Interviewers are not impressed, because they've probably heard the same answer a hundred times. If you are asked this question, highlight a skill that you wish to improve upon and describe what you are doing to enhance your skill in this area. Interviewers don't care what your weaknesses are. They want to see how you handle the question and what your answer indicates about you.

3. FAILING TO LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ASK QUESTIONS OF YOUR OWN

Listen carefully to the interviewer and the questions being asked. It does not make a good impression if you have to ask for a question to be repeated. Every interview concludes with the interviewer asking if you have any questions. The worst thing to say is that you have no questions. Having no questions prepared indicates you are not interested and not prepared. Interviewers are more impressed by the questions you ask than the selling points you try to make. Before each interview, make a list of five questions you will ask. One of the potential questions might be “What do you enjoy most about working here?” Asking this question of the interviewer or the interview panel will engage you in additional conversation to learn more about the organization and your potential supervisor.

4. RESEARCHING THE COMPANY BUT NOT YOURSELF

Candidates intellectually prepare by researching the company. Most job seekers do not research themselves by taking inventory of their experience, knowledge and skills. Formulating a list of accomplishments prepares you to immediately respond to any question about your experience. You must be prepared to discuss any part of your background. Creating your talent inventory refreshes your memory and helps you immediately remember experiences you would otherwise have forgotten during the interview.

5. LEAVING YOUR CELL PHONE ON

6. WAITING FOR A CALL

Time is your enemy after the interview. After you send a thank you letter or email to every interviewer, follow up a couple of days later with either a question or additional information. Try to contact the person who can hire you and assume that everyone you met with has some say in the process. Additional information can be details about your talents, a recent competitor's press release or industry trends. Your intention is to keep everyone's memory of you fresh.

HAVE A GREAT FIRST DAY!

IT ONLY NATURAL TO BE NERVOUS RIGHT BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK! YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK WILL HELP DEFINE YOU IN THE EYES OF YOUR NEW COWORKERS. MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION AND YOU'LL SOON BE VIEWED AS A CAPABLE, RESPECTED COLLEAGUE. UNFORTUNATELY, A BAD FIRST IMPRESSION COULD MEAN MONTHS OR YEARS OF TRYING TO UNDO THE DAMAGE.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO GET THAT DAY STARTED RIGHT:

ON YOUR FIRST DAY

Bring a Notebook -- and Use It: You'll be meeting new people and trying to remember their names, learning about office procedures, becoming familiar with the work environment and discovering how your work fits in with that of your department and colleagues. All of this information can be overwhelming. It is not possible to remember everything so write it down!

Use the 2/1 rule: Listen Twice as much as you Talk and Ask Questions: When you were in job search mode, it probably took awhile to adjust to talking about yourself and your many outstanding skills and achievements. Now it's time to listen and ask questions instead. No one likes a newbie know-it-all.

Be Ready for Confusion, Indifference or Instant Action: You might be welcomed to the organization in the midst of a firestorm or with apparent indifference: no cubicle, no security badge or even no work to do. Try and keep a smile on your face and go with the flow for a few days. Things will usually get sorted out.

On the other hand, don't be surprised if you're tossed right into the proverbial fire. Your skills might require you to jump in to action to deal with an immediate situation. What a way to start the day and a new job.