Tag: career coaching

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3 Job Interview Mistakes You Make Without Knowing You Are Making Them

Are You Making these Job Interview Mistakes Without Knowing You Are Making Them?

As an interview coach in Manchester, I have completed thousands of mock job interviews, analysed the common interview errors and helped failed applicants create job interview success.

This is because most interviewees make mistakes in the job interview without even realising they are making these common interview errors. Have you ever walked out of a job interview feeling on top of the world, as the interview went better than you thought it would, only then to be sent an interview rejection email?

By being aware of these 3 common job interview errors you will then have the conscious choice to make a change in your next job interview.  Remember if you continue to interview in the same way, you will get the same result.

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Job Interview Mistake 1

Talking about the organisations achievements, not yours.

One of the biggest mistakes interviewees make is not making it clear what they did to achieve a successful outcome. A large amount of job interview questions will be “give me an example of….”

Often, the best way to answer this is question is with a story or example. The problem here is that many interviewees use generic stories that are ambiguous in terms of who created a successful outcome.

When answering these types of interview questions you need to make it really clear that it was you who

1) had the idea

2) took action

3) made an impact on the positive outcome.

Job Interview Mistake 2

Focus on the little things.

Many job applicants only spend around 45 minutes preparing for the job interview, compared to successful interviewees, who on average, spend around 4-5 hrs.

Due to this lack of preparation, many failed interviewees, only focus on the big task, IE Googling common asked interview questions, reviewing their CV, etc.

With more interview preparation time you can take your job interview to the next level by focusing on the little things.

It is these little tweaks that have a real impact on the job interview. The tweaks could include changing the words used in your answers for power words, adding gestures to your answers creating real impact and having a focus on how you use your body language to complement the tone of your job interview answers.

Interview questions and answers

FREE With Every Purchase of The 73 Rules for Influencing the Interview

Job Interview Mistake 3

Add value

We know that most successful job applicants are successful because throughout the job interview they highlight past experiences and successes. But what is missing, or what you can add (that has a massive influence in the job interview) that others don’t is how you can add value to their organisation.

It is taken as read, that by stating you have done X, that you will do X in the new company. But to influence people, to make the interviewer have a real emotional attachment to you, you need to state that “if I worked for you I could implement the same process which will increase your profits while saving overhead cost”

By stating what you do is more powerful than stating what you have done.

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6 Mistakes to Avoid When Searching Jobs Abroad

The Six Mistakes to Avoid When Searching Jobs Abroad

Searching jobs abroad can be a challenging process if you are committing certain job hunting mistakes. Working overseas brings in a lot of opportunities and international exposure apart from other benefits such as learning, meeting new people and understanding the new culture. Hence, you cannot afford to miss any chance to getting that excellent job offer by remaining unaware of these common job-hunting mistakes.

Here’s the list of mistakes that you should always avoid-at any cost:

Not Sending Across the Right Message

In the competitive global job market, employers are busy with job applications from numerous candidates, out of which only a few deserving ones are short-listed. Hence, in their busy work schedule, they hardly get more than a few minutes to read your entire application thoroughly and extract the required information related to your qualifications, experience or career objectives. Therefore, failing to deliver a clear message is one of the biggest mistakes in your job search. Give them a short and clear message that save more of the time and gives a clear message, thus increasing your chances of selection!

Not Differentiating Yourself

You need a distinct reason to make the employer choose you over other job seekers. Hence, it is vital to analyze your strengths and present your achievements, skills and competencies in an impressive manner. Every employer looks for skills suitable for his job description. Hence, it is imperative that you study the requirements of the job role carefully and customize your CV as per the job requirements.

Developing Negative Thoughts

Job search is a full-time job in itself that requires patience and positive thoughts. It’s not that you start getting calls from the interviewers the moment you send your CV to a company. Hence, losing hope and developing negative thought about the delay in your desired results is another big mistake. Stay positive and have patience. All you need to do is focus on your job hunting.

Hesitating to Highlight Your Achievements

It is not the time to sit back and think that your achievements are not worth mentioning for the future employer. Stay confident and prepare yourself to present your work and accomplishments in the previous job confidently. In this age of cut-throat competition, if you do not take a step forward to grab the job offer, others will do! However, at the same time, it is also important to mention those achievements that are work related and somewhere relevant for you next job role.

Applying for Any Job Opening

Job hunting is not about applying for every another job opening. It requires finding the right job vacancy that meets your career plan and then applying for it. Randomly sending your application for any job takes more of your important time and takes you off the right track of your job search. Hence, it is important to analyze your requirements such as the type of job you wish to pursue, any preferred location or companies, etc. Planning and following the set criteria for your job search helps you to save your time and energy for the right jobs.

Taking Job Rejections Personally

If any employer doesn’t shortlist your job application, it is not advisable to take it personally. Remember, the company is not familiar to you and makes the selection on certain basis that is suitable for a particular job, such as qualification, work experience, skills, etc. Hence, instead of keeping your morale down, look for the right opportunity that demands the skills and qualifications that you possess!

Good luck!

Author Bio: Swati Srivastava is an avid writer who loves to pen down her ideas and career tips for job seekers and professionals. Her articles are published on several reputed career sites.  

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Tips for a Career as an Accountant

Get a Career as an Accountant

Accountants are valued for being strategic and are hired as consultants and financial advisors.

The role of the accountant has gradually evolved and expanded beyond conventional functions such as auditing.

With diversity that covers aspects such as information technology and forensic investigation, accounting continues to be a highly sought after career option.

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 Information about Accounting

Regardless of what you aspire to in the profession as an advisor or helping businesses grow, the field of accounting is a worthwhile career choice. Accountants are responsible for measuring, processing and communicating financial information about companies and businesses.

When commercial trade began, it became necessary for transactions to be managed properly. This led to the development of bookkeeping and accounting became a well-recognized profession. Accounting is a popular career because there is a high demand for the service. An accountant is a professional that virtually everyone needs. The profession is regarded as prestigious and offers rewarding experience.

Accountants can expect to be well paid and can rise up the ranks in various companies and accounting firms. Accounting gives you the chance to work internationally since the standards and rules are applicable around the world.

Accountants Responsibilities

Although accounting has expanded to include more functions beyond the conventional aspects of profession, an accountant has a number of key responsibilities.

Financial accounting requires you to prepare and manage the company’s financial records and provide reports that can be accessed externally. You need to be fully aware of the accounting standards and rules that are used for this particular field of accounting.

Management accountants analyze the results and reports of businesses. Emphasis is placed on giving financial information and reports to managers in order for them to be able to make the right business decisions. Management accounting also involves budgeting and financial forecasts.

Auditing involves verifying business reports and their accuracy. This is accomplished by gathering the evidence that is required to back up the numbers provided in reports and give opinions regarding the results. An audit report is issued to showcase the viability of a business and the completion of its financial recordkeeping.

Tax accountants prepare documents that relate to tax laws. They are involved in planning and working out how businesses can be structured according to tax legislation.

Accountant Skills

The diverse nature of accounting gives you the chance to use your skills and training in both corporate and non-corporate working environments. There are different skills that every accountant needs to be successful.

The world of accounting is based on numbers. This means that you need strong numeracy skills. Even with the inclusion of computer technology, you still need to be very good and comfortable with numbers.

It is essential for any good accountant to pay attention to detail. This is because the information that you provide is used to make important business decisions by various stakeholders. As an accountant you need to ensure that any information you present is accurate.

An accountant also needs to have good communication skills. Communicating effectively is essential for presenting both written and verbal reports that can be easily understood.

Bio

Greg Jones has been providing business-based content for a variety of publications since 2005. Learn more about bookkeepers in Melbourne here.

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Advice for a Career in Music

Career Advice for a Career in Music

Success is not always evaluated by how much money you have earned. It sometimes depends on your passion and interest also.

If you are good at playing with sounds, you can obtain some sound advice from the professional experts for creating your career in music production. Here are some of the tips from the experts.

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Think, Start and Know Environment through Online Music Production Courses:

Start: You can start with a unique idea right from your mind. At the end of the day, the creative as well as concrete idea will win the position, irrespective of the different editing manners and styles. Even if it is an entire line of crazy parts and bits, it can glue with you more or less like a phrase.

Think: You can start thinking as a cinematographer when you are taking the online music production courses. Just as the cameraman possesses a limited space for shooting, the sound engineers are provided with a finite space of sound on the soundstage. If you lose your focus, your sound will not be clear to the ears of the audience just as the cameraman if loses focus, the details of the picture will slowly reduce their importance.

Know Your Environment: You must know your environment before you start creating your music track. If you are producing music tracks in your studio, you must possess a certain level of comfort within that particular place. If you are in a travel mode all the time, try using your ears and your laptop to be accustomed to your environment.

Skills, Feedback and Investment with Online Music Production Courses:

Learn Techniques: Try learning good skills and techniques through your music courses. It is not all about some finger skills on different instruments. You are required to have a proper knowledge of the programs to make your track sound good by combining all the chords and the grips with the scales.

Obtain Honest Feedback: You must try to obtain honest and instant feedback from the listeners. Sometimes, music can take a shape after long hours if you are creating it alone. But if you are in a company, you can trust several ears and can get feedback and ideas to create the track within a very short period of time. You must be sensitive enough for expressing yourself honestly and be prepared for the criticism. If you are inviting critiques, you are actually doing a favor to yourself for improving your quality.

Investment: You must be prepared to invest your own money at any point of time during your music production. In the initial stages, when the records have not started selling at a great pace, you can keep aside some money for investing in your studio at hard times. If you have created a unique idea of making an interesting video and no one supports the budget, try to make the video by your own investment.

Good Sound And Mix Effects With Online Music Production Courses:

Start Good: You must start your track with good quality sound without any effects and modification at first.

Mix Reverse: If you want to focus on something keeping the other background music quieter, you can choose to mix in the reverse style. You must realize that making your music louder will not provide you with an easy solution.

Whatever be your track, you must keep an open mind and create your unique style in the music production industry. The music production courses are always available online at a very reasonable tuition fees from where you can gain the ultimate knowledge about the music production.

Author Bio:

Danielle Stevens is a career counselor currently attached to a consultancy agency. He advises students about suitable career paths. He is very enthusiastic about blogging and enjoys sharing his views and experience with everyone.

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How to Enjoy Your Job

Are you happy with your job?

Research has shown that 50 – 70% of employees do not enjoy their job! As we spend over a third of our lives in work, you need to find a career you enjoy, to help gain a positive work and life balance.

Many employees enjoy the industry they are in, only to find they have easily become bored in the company they work for.

Before you jump ship, first see if you can new ways to enjoy your job.

Find the Passion

Once you find the passion, you will be absorbed in your role; you will quickly start enjoying your work more. First, write a list of all the things you do enjoy about your job?

For each item, ask yourself “what is it, that I enjoy about this particular item?” and write down your answer.

Example “I enjoyed designing the website” why? “I enjoyed the free-range I was given, I love being creative and not having to follow orders and procedures”

Once you know the details of what you enjoy, you can start to use this in other tasks, making your duties more enjoyable. Once you’re more passionate about your job, you will put in more effort and gain better results. These better results will help boost your passion even higher.

Turn Your Job into a Game or a Sport

One of my first jobs after leaving school was collating and rolling advertisement posters, before packing them into boxes ready for dispatch. As I found this a little dull, I turn the task into a game, pretending that the job was a sport. As with all sporting professionals, I had a coach (this was a made-up voice in my head) telling me how good I was and that I could roll more posters in an hour than any other poster competitor.

I really wanted to be the best and was always motivated to do the job well, each day setting myself new goals or personal best. After a couple of weeks, my manager noticed my enthusiasm or gave me a new responsibility and a pay rise.

Routine or Not Routine? That is the question!

On average you will enjoy routines and following procedures or you will prefer to have choices and options, ask you answered the questions in section one; your answers may give you clues if you are motivated by options or procedures.

If you like routine, make one for your job – travel to work the same way, make a procedure for your working day, start with a certain task that will lead on to the next. When given a new task or role write a new procedure for it. As you do this every day your job role and task will become routine.  Use list and to-do books.

If you prefer options, start by choosing different ways to travel to work each day-this will make the beginning of the day more fun, if possible use flexible hours to alternate the time you start and finish work. When given a task to complete, look at all the possible choices you have to complete this task and work out which way will suit each particular task. Brainstorm and write on post-it notes. By choosing your own way to complete the task, will help you feel more positive.

Build up Your Works Social Calendar

First find a common interest with your colleagues, this way you always have the interest to talk about. Once you have several friends in work with similar hobbies you will have something to talk about and something to look forward to each day.  From this you can meet at dinner and break times, find somewhere to “chill out” and arrange social days outs or even drinks after work.

In many cases, people often make close friends that begin as working relationships. If you enjoy the people you work with, you often start enjoying the job more.

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The 10 Myths of Employment

10 Top Myths of Employment

1. If you are offered a job you should discontinue your job search.

You should always continue to apply for jobs until you receive an offer of employment in writing. You may be offered a job verbally only to have the offer retracted a few days later due to funding issues or review of the requirement for another employee.

Ensure that you request an offer of employment in writing and continue to job search until you receive it.

2. An employer cannot dismiss you without a valid reason, whilst you are on your probationary period.

This is a common misconception! Your employer is essentially viewing this period as a trial run, monitoring your progress to see if they have picked the right person for the job. Ensure that you have been truthful about your abilities during the application process, if you have been misleading about your capabilities you will often be asked to leave the company.

An employer can dismiss you at any point during your probationary period without a valid reason.

3. Most jobs are advertised on job search engines.

The internet is a great and quick way to job search, but employers often avoid using these if they can to avoid hefty advertising fees. You will find more vacancies by looking at Company websites, local newspaper jobs sections and other media, as well as using job search engines.

Use a mixture of job searches to find the largest number of suitable vacancies.

4. Interviewing shall be carried out in a face to face environment.

Recruitment systems have had a dramatic overhaul over the last 10 years; employers now use a wide range of interview styles and find the right member of staff.

Interview formats and mediums vary from one organisation to another- webcam interviews, group interviews, telephone interviews, panel interviews to include a few. Some employers may require the completion of an ICT, Literacy or Numeracy test or you may be asked to carry out a short presentation. This information should be provided in your interview pack – if not then ask!

Employers use a wide range of interviews to ensure you have the essential criteria needed for each individual job role.

5. Employers can give you a bad reference.

Employers can refuse to give you a reference, unless your contract states that they have to, which is often the case in the financial industry. If an employer provides a reference they are legally bound to ensure its accuracy so they will often tread carefully in their wording.

Employers can often highlight areas for development without explicitly saying so, for example praising your ability to keep the organisation informed when you are sick through a number of mediums of communication – it doesn’t take much for a potential future employer to read between the lines with this.

An employer has to give an accurate reference that they can back up if challenged.

6. All employers check if you have a criminal record.

Many application forms require you to disclose whether you have any criminal convictions. However not all companies require the completion of this type of form. Only in certain industries will you require a full Criminal Records Bureau Check, mainly in occupations working with vulnerable people.

Many employers from a wide range of industries will not ask you if you have a criminal record.

7. You need to choose a career for life. 

The job market is constantly changing with new sectors developing all the time.

There are many jobs available today that did not exist 10 years ago. On average people stay in one company for around 3 years and then move on to a better role or company. The days of having a “safe job” or “job for life” have gone.

You need to pick a career that suits your personality type, this way you will work in an industry that you will enjoy.

8. Employers cannot discriminate on job adverts.

In most cases it is unlawful to discriminate negatively or positively against a certain category of people.

However there are lawful exceptions, for example a Women’s Hostel may seek to recruit a female Support Worker due to Safeguarding, although it should specify exemption from The Discrimination Act of 1995 on the job advert.

Companies have to follow equal opportunity regulations, but in some cases employers can legally discriminate on job adverts.

9. You cannot return to education if you’re over 25. I’m always surprised when I hear people say that they think they can’t return to college due to their age, this is often down to the belief that you can’t change your career ideas. If your under 19 yrs old your college course will be funded for you, when over 19 yrs depending if you are claiming benefits you will have to fund the course yourself-you can do this by applying for a student loan or grant. Anyone can return to education at any age.

10. I can’t turn my hobby into a job.

The secret to having a good job and career, is to do something you enjoy – would you like to be paid to do your hobby?

Most of us would say yes, first you need to think about what your hobby would be like if you did as a full time job, would you still enjoy doing it 5 days a week? Also, there tends to be additional duties when a hobby becomes a job -would you still enjoy your hobby with additional responsibilities?

Today there is a wide range of job opportunities and specialist jobs and everyone can turn a hobby into a type of job. Many people also choose to use the internet as a way of making money from their job.

The possibilities are endless; turning your hobby into a job takes time, commitment and passion, but can easily be done.