The 8 Elements of a Successful Interview

The 8 Elements of a Successful Interview Acing an interview is not an easy task. You’re trying to present yourself as the most desirable candidate and beat out all the rest. In addition to competing against a group of strangers, you also have to plead your case to a stranger. It seems the only known reliable factor of success is YOU. Luckily with upfront preparations, real-time performance and a killer follow-through you can come out on top. 1) Preparation: All it takes is a quick trip to Google to prepare for the inevitable portions of an interview. Role play with a friend the most frequently asked interview questions to practice your verbiage and composition. Just hearing yourself speak out loud can calm your nerves for the real thing. 2) Plan Backwards: Make a list and use backwards planning to ensure that you arrive on time. The fundamentals of backwards planning lie in starting at your end goal (arriving at the interview), estimating the length of the tasks in between and then, time lining each step out. So, for example, if your interview is at 11:45am you’ll want to arrive fifteen minutes early (11:30). You should also allow for 10 minutes to park (11:20) and it should take you forty-five minutes in heavy traffic to get there (10:35), so plan on heading to your car at 10:30am. Be sure to call the building’s front desk prior to your interview and ask for any parking recommendations. And anytime you can perform a drive-by dry run, do it! When it comes to arriving late to an interview, there really are no excuses. 3) Posture: Your posture has an impact on people’s impression of you as its correlated to both confidence and being self-aware. Give yourself a posture check by rolling your shoulders back. Also, elongate your spine by picturing an imaginary string being tugged from the top of your head. In addition to great posture, equip your appearance with a clean smile, firm handshake and eye contact. Remember to nod during the speaker’s portion too, as a way to convey your active listening. 4) Positivity: Interviewing requires a certain level of finesse. While your past job may have been miserable and former bosses might have been nightmares- spare your interviewer from any negative feelings. Instead, stay positive by highlighting lessons learned and perspectives gained. 5) Performance: Do more than come equipped with your current resume. Come with a plan of attack for the position that you want. This will require some pre-interview research on your end, but the work will be worth it. Interviewers are sure to be impressed by a candidate who takes the initiative to construct a plan  of action for the desired position. Provide a bulleted one-page list detailing how you would  tackle this job and highlight what unique attributes you would bring to the table, should the  opportunity be extended. 6) Probe: Don’t get up from your chair until you ask a question that comments on the company’s culture. Again, pre-interview preparations are required. Do your research and know what the company values. Use your interview as a chance to showcase your knowledge and dive deeper. In addition to learning about the company’s culture, it’s also a good idea to brush on the company’s history, the CEO’s background as well as the background of the hiring manager that will be interviewing you. The more initiative you can show and knowledge you can display, the better chance you’ll have of coming off as a qualified and prepared candidate 7) Postpone: As frustrating as it may be, postpone talks of salary negotiations and benefits. In the eyes of a hiring manager, these types of discussions should be held off until an offer has been extended or at least until the close of the second interview. 8) Postal: Send a clean, handwritten thank you note expressing your gratitude for your interviewer’s time and consideration. Keep it short, sweet and above all, timely. Consider already having the card and stamp ready, so that after the interview all you’ll have to do is properly address your letter and drop it in the mail. How do you prepare for a perfect interview? Share your tips in the comments below! Author: Kelly Gregorio writes about employment trends and workplace tips while working at Advantage Capital Funds, a small business loan provider. You can read her daily business blog here.

Are You Listing Office Assistant Duties on Your Resume?

Are You Listing Office Assistant Duties on Your Resume?A lot of people ask me whether or not it is still necessary to list Office Assistant Duties on your resume. Is this a mistake that can cost you your job? Do you need to skip listing this on your resume?You might be in a new role and at a new place of employment. Most people think they don't need to list this, but they are not being honest with themselves. They just assume that the new position they are in will not have office assistant duties involved.It is wise to have this listed as your duties. Maybe the employer does not know yet how much you will actually work, but he or she will soon find out. There are many reasons why you should list this on your resume and here are a few of them.If you do get a job interview and you are asked what you are going to be doing when you get there, you can tell them you are looking for an additional source of income. You do not need to list your previous job title. People do not remember thing s from years ago and they will want to know what you will be doing when they get there.If you get an offer for a job that has office assistant duties as one of the responsibilities, the employer will be glad to know this. You are going to be helping people and doing a great job for them, so you should be thanked for that.Getting hired is easy, but you might not get the job. The employer may also be impressed by how much your boss tells you. Asking them for your pay is likely to get a good answer and you will be getting paid anyway.It is a good idea to put these duties on your resume if you have been in an actual job where you had to do this. Just make sure to explain to them what you are doing and why you are doing it.Having the information on hand will help your chances of getting hired in the future. Don't forget to thank the employer for the job and tell them that you will be more than happy to work for them again. This is the best way to get the next job.

Systems Analyst Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Systems Analyst Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Systems Analyst Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs. Related Hiring Resources Business Systems Analyst Job Description Sample Computer Systems Analyst Job Description

4 Rules of Personal Brand Relationships - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

4 Rules of Personal Brand Relationships - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If your personal brand is the tip of a glacier above water, then a strong network is the large bottom part of the glacier underneath the water. What I mean is that one of the main purposes of building a well-known personal brand is to be able to connect with people around you who have common goals and ambitions. Your network is your only insurance policy, and by forging a vast and relevant network, youll be able to become more successful in your career. The third step in the personal branding process, as outlined in my book Me 2.0, explains that once you have built a brand (based on your passion), you can start communicating through various communities, both online and offline, to grow your platform and expand your relationships. Im starting incorporate more networking slides into my presentations (I speak to companies, associations, and universities) because you need to start thinking about your support system constantly (which is the bottom of the success triangle). Ive narrowed down the art of relationship building and networking into four rules that I would like to share with you today. I promise you that if you follow these rules, or at least some of them, you will be much more successful in establishing relationships with people that can support your career moving forward. 1. Mutualism I dont know about you, but my favorite science class in college was biology. I wasnt a big fan of chemistry and I wouldnt even dare to register for physics. In trying to relate relationships between personal brands, the word mutualism came to mind as an important theme. Definition (from Wikipedia): a biological interaction between two organisms, where each individual derives a fitness benefit. Mutualism is like a win-win situation, where you help someone else, and are supported in the same regard.   When it comes to networking, mutualism is about reciprocity. If you help me, Ill help you and visa versa. Think about the relationship between a sea anemone and a clownfish. The sea anemone provides the clown fish with protection from predators through its tentacles, and the fish defends the sea anemone against butterfly fish, which eat anemones. Think about your relationships in the same way. Ask yourself what am I doing for my network? And then ask yourself have I ever asked for anything in return? Please dont think this is a transaction. Its more of a test to see if youre establishing mutualistic relationships where everyone wins. Also, everyone has to win or someone will walk away with a bad taste in their mouth. 2. Targeting Youve probably heard people explain how you should be friends with everyone. I dont think this is humanly possible and feel that it is poor advice. I would rephrase it to state that you shouldnt make enemies (at least on purpose) because of how fast negative word-of-mouth can spread in this viral environment we live in. Instead of focusing on the masses, become more targeted with your relationships. Not everyone is going to like you, and if you think they do, then you havent made your mark on society or stood for something controversial yet. Definition: connecting with the right people that youre geniunely interested in. The idea for targeting dates back to my post on people searching instead of job searching. In that post I explained how you want to be very focused in your job search, and instead of using job boards, go directly to people who can help you get your foot in the door. With targeting for relationships, it works in the same way. You need to pinpoint the people that youre genuinely interested in, and attach yourself to them. Trust me, it will be easy if you truly care about the individual and youre not trying to use them for some alternative motive. 3. Giving People like Bob Burg, Gretchen Rubin, Seth Godin, Scott Bradley, Lewis Howes, and others have mastered the subtle art of giving before receiving. I remember the day when I was on the phone with a high profile journalist and author and I told her how can I help you, before even asking for anything. She was mesmerized and couldnt believe that I wasnt begging for an interview or for her to make a connection for me. People are so used to being used and abused that when you turn the tides on the relationship, they are more willing to help you even above what you could imagine. Definition: showing support for someone else, without asking for anything in return. The more you give, the more you can create a sense of positive karma around your brand. People will want to support you, lend you opportunities and open up doors. By giving, before receiving, you become a better person and a brand that people want to surround themselves with. 4. Reconnecting A lot of people have difficulty with growing and maintaining their relationships, especially online.   If you arent constantly reconnecting with people, you will fall out of mind and space. By keeping in touch, whether its a phone call, text message, Skype chat, instant messaging, social networking or other, you can further develop a relationship and make it bloom (create a new opportunity). Definition: maintaining a connection with others and never losing touch. Have you ever lost touch with someone? If you take a week to answer someones voicemail, delay your interview follow-up for a few days, or touch base with a long lost friend after a decade, what do you think their response will be. I bet they will either disregard your communication attempt or be caught off-guard and respond hesitantly. The point is that you need to target the right group of people to surround yourself with, and cater to them constantly, without long intervals of no communication. Your   turn Are you following any of these four rules of relationships? What are you having the most difficulty with?

The Golden Rules of Resume Writing - How to Write Your Resume in an Effective and Inefficient Manner

The Golden Rules of Resume Writing - How to Write Your Resume in an Effective and Inefficient MannerWhat do the Golden Rules of Resume Writing have to do with resumes in general? For one thing, this is a guide on how to write your resume in an effective and efficient manner. When you first sit down to write your resume, you are probably thinking that there is no way to succeed except for a bunch of trial and error. While it is true that you cannot write perfect resume after perfect resume, but by following the guidelines presented here, you will be well on your way to creating a strong resume that will stand out from the rest.Of course you should always aim to write your resume in the right angle. With a lot of work to be done and a pile of resumes to turn, there is no time for sloppiness or an unfocused resume. If you are looking for a perfect resume, then you will be sorely disappointed if you attempt to do it yourself. On the other hand, if you follow the guidelines given here, yo ur resume will be just as good as those of other people.The first part of this guide is the title of your resume. You do not want to get too creative when choosing the title for your resume. Your resume is supposed to be short and concise so that it gets passed over by the hiring managers as quickly as possible. Remember, you are trying to convince them that you are the best person for the job.Being concise and to the point is the next important part of this guide. You do not want to spend more than a minute or two on the very first page. Instead, you want to get a little more creative with the layout of your resume.In addition, make sure that you do not forget to include a few keywords as a means of providing background information about yourself and your qualifications. This is one of the most important things to remember.Finally, do not forget to list your education, experience, and skills in your resume. You do not want your resume to look like it was meant for somebody else. Th is is especially true if you are not exactly sure what all of your relevant information is. A decent resume will incorporate this basic information in order to avoid being rejected for a job.This guide is the first step to helping you write a perfectly written resume. It is also a guideline for writing your resume in an efficient manner. Most importantly, it is a guide that is easy to follow and keep up with.The Golden Rules of Resume Writing can help you get through the process of getting your resume in front of the hiring manager. Following these basic guidelines can help you avoid the mistakes that a lot of other applicants have made.

Are Your Online Job Applications Being Dumped Before Any Human Ever Reviews Them - CareerAlley

Are Your Online Job Applications Being Dumped Before Any Human Ever Reviews Them - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will. Vincent T. Lombardi Applying for a job online means that your application is entered into a database of applications, sometimes called the automated applicant tracking system, or the online application repository. But you and I know them as the resume black hole. Think about ithow many online job applications have you submitted without hearing back from the company that you submitted to? Your online job application is sorted and processed by the automated systems. Only the top applications are actually ever delivered to an HR representative or a real person of any kind to look through. What do you need to get your resume on top, and get past the automated filters designed to weed out applicants before HR or anyone else has a chance to spend any time on it? You will need these three things: 1. To put the exact keywords and phrases in the resume and application. 2. Locate jobs that are matched closely to your skills and abilities. 3. Connect with the right contacts to support your application and follow up with. Use Exact Keywords and Phrases Have you ever done a Google search for something that you had in mind, but after typing in the search, you got back a page of search results that had absolutely nothing to do with what you were looking for? Well, the technology that fuels the job application engines use the same type of technology to find the exact words that the hiring managers have programmed into the database. If you dont have the exact keywords and phrases that the automated system is looking for, your application will fail. It is that simple What most people dont understand is that they probably have the experience and training that is needed, and that the hiring managers are looking for, but, their application is just getting filtered out in the automated system. Find Jobs That Closely Match Your Skills and Abilities If you are applying for jobs that you are qualified for, then you may have a better chance of getting all of those required words and phrases in your application. If you are applying for jobs that are a real stretch for you, then it is a lot tougher. But, where do you find those perfect jobs that you are looking for? Finding the right jobs requires knowing where to look, and how to get the right help finding the job opportunities. It is estimated that the big job boards such as Monster, Careerbuilder, and etc. only account for 4 to 8 percent of all hires nationally. What that means is that the majority of the jobs available are not on the big job boards. You need to expand where you are looking for the right jobs. Personal and social networks can help introduce you to jobs that arent as easy to find. They help you access the hidden job market where the competition is significantly less, and odds are much greater in your favour for getting hired. Finding just the right job opportunities will cut down the frustration factors immensely and actually improve your chances of interviews and job offers. The Right Contacts To Follow Up With Dont fall into the myth that many people do. They think that because they applied online, it means that they cant contact the company. It creates the illusion that there cant be any human interaction until you win the job application lottery and your name is magically chosen from the incredibly big pool of applicants. Frankly, this attitude will keep most people from making it onto the short list at the companies that they are interested in. If you have the right skill set, and can articulate that correctly on the application then, you only need a little human interaction to seal the deal. Companies often hire people who are a known entity. They are friends of someone in the company, or have worked with someone in the past. This is where the saying comes from, who you know matters more that what you know Dont take it lightly. Knowing who to contact and how to contact them is a key component to becoming that known entity, and gaining a foot in the door at that perspective place of employment. For most people, an attempt at contacting someone in the company ends up poorly. They usually end up with the receptionists remark, if they choose your resume, you will get a phone call from the hiring manager. Finding the right people to contact and contacting them in the right way will make a big difference in the employer interest in your online job application. When you call, ask for the person in charge of the resumes or job applications. This is the first filter that you have to get past. Ask the person in charge of receiving applications if the job you are interested in is still available, then ask them what they really want to see on the application. Tell them that you are applying for the job, and ask them to look for your application. Taking a little time getting to know the person responsible for the applications may win you a real person reviewing your resume, getting you past the first and most intimidating hurdle towards an interview and getting a job. Learn more at JobSearchLaws.com. Short BIO Dean Giles, Job Search Coach Twenty one years as a Project Manager gave me a lot of experience on the interviewing and hiring end of the job market. One company acquisition and a subsequent reduction-in-force, put me on the opposite end of that equation. I quickly found that the automated online job application mechanisms had pretty much high-jacked the hiring processes. I found that the hiring process for most people is completely broken and that what I had learned over 21 years had to be applied in new and creative ways. I now help people find those hidden jobs, find the exact keywords that their resume and job application need, and find the right people inside and outside of the company to support their job bids. Visit JobSearchLaws.com to learn more. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook //

Interview - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Interview - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I just had a great interview with executive coach Lisa Pasbjerg about a wide range of topics from happiness at work to what happens to people who have all the outward signs if success but still hate their jobs. You can hear the whole interview here. 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