Tag: job seeking

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Is Getting a Job in 7 days Possible? Experts Say It is

So you are really sick of your current full-time job? Or probably you have just graduated and you are raring to start working?

Well, the bad news is that millions of other people with skills just like you are also in your position.

The good news on the other hand, is that it is possible to get your dream job in 7 days and start earning good income. If you listen to most job seekers, they will give you jeremiads about their tribulations in the job market. But who said you have to be like them?

Capitalizing on Job Searching Skills

With the right job searching for information at your fingertips, you will be in the employed cadre in a week’s time. Mind you, this is not a gimmick because thousands of job seekers have used these tips to get their dream jobs. Take a look:

  • Fine-tune your marketing materials: You have to consider yourself as a brand. As such, you need perfect marketing to get employers to notice you. Employers are looking for a person who is offering a packaged deal of skills and you must present yourself so. Your profile and resume must be reworked with your specific target industry in mind.
  • Power of networking: You must have come across this job searching tip but are you really building on it? For instance, your previous bosses, your lecturers in college, colleagues who have moved to other jobs and even friends must know about your job search today.

Space Jobs

One future space job will be asteroids watching. We know that asteroids killed of the dinosaurs and we don’t want the same thing to happen to the human race. NASA recently announced that it will launch a survey telescope to search for near-earth asteroids. These early warning systems may save thousands of lives in the event of asteroids hitting the earth. In the USA president Obama has even outlined plans that could see astronauts land on an asteroid. This paranoia is a real threat, last year over 1000 people were injured in Russia when a 40-ton meteor traveling at 33,000 mph explodes over a terrified town.

  • Social media: It might be inveighed by old folks but this platform provides an ideal tool to market yourself. In essence, you must rebrand your social media platform to reposition yourself as a professional looking for a job and not carefree student in college. You must utilize Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social platforms in your job search.
  • Career fairs: This is one place where you can meet prospective employers without paying a dime. You should position yourself in the target industry and ask probing questions to assess whether the company you are targeting has any openings.
  • Online job search managers: These are the perfect places to start your job search. When you visit http://validatejob.com for instance, you will get professional advice on resume building and updating. Employers use these platforms to get professionals whose backgrounds have been checked thus making hunting for skills easier.
  • Job alerts: This is the age of information and it is easy to sign up for alerts from different job search platforms. Job alerts will supplement other networks you have already built.
  • Hone interview skills: You might be complaining about the job market while the problem lies with you. You have to practice how to interview successfully by learning how to dress appropriately, learning to answer common questions and avoiding common interview mistakes.

Do you feel like the job market does not need you? Well, you only have to understand what you really need and aggressively look for it. Your ideal job is out there waiting for you to identify it so get down to work; job searching is a job in itself.

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10 Job Interview Questions Broken Down

10 Common Job Interview Questions Broken Down

Often out of 300 applicants only 6 candidates will be interviewed. In most interviews, but this varies depending on the job sector and employer, you will be asked around 10 questions during a 45 minute interview.

The key to passing job interviews in preparation and practice, this sounds obvious but is often overlooked with the average interviewee spending around only 60 minutes preparing for their job interview.

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10 Job Interview Questions Broken Down

Job Interview Question 1: 

What experience do you have in this field?

 

For this question you first need to read and understand the job specification, as this will tell you what experience the interviewer is looking for. Your answer should relate your experience and achievements to that of the job role. Often interviewees will talk about experiences that are not relevant to the job role, this will only lead to the employer becoming uninterested in you.

  

“I have over 6 years experience as a nursery nurse, in that time I have gain an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in child care. I have worked with children of all ages including groups of children with disabilities. I understand the importance of “health and safety” and “every child matters” and use my creative skills to organise games and activities to teach young children new skills while keeping them entertained. Recently I also won an award for employee of the year”

Job Interview Question 2:

How would your colleagues describe you?

 Interviewers enjoy hearing quotes, have a couple of quotes prepared from people at your previous job “David always said I was….” and use statements like: “In my last job I was always known for…”

By giving quotes from a named person can be as effective as giving the interviewer a written reference.

“In my last company I was always known as the person who got things done. I remember over hearing my Manger Sharon, saying ‘if you need a job doing quickly and efficiently to get me to do it”

Job Interview Question 3:

How long are you thinking of staying with our organisation?

Employers spend around 33% of their profits on recruitment and they always prefer to employ someone who will stay with the company for at least 2-3 years, in reality we never really know what will happen in the future and how long we will work for one organisation. To answer the question, give a general answer

“I think I would really enjoy this role and fit in well with the organisation, I would be happy to stay as long as we were both happy with my work”

Or

“I am looking for a company to stay with and progress up the career ladder; I don’t really like changing companies. After researching your company, I think I would really enjoy this role and fit in well with the organisation”

Job Interview Question 4: 

Which do you consider to be more important, the money or the work?

 Hopefully, after some good careers advice you will be applying for a job that you will enjoy. As we spend a third of our lives at work, we need to find work exciting and important. Answer this question with this killer answer

“The money pays the bills, but for me, it’s enjoying my job that gets me up each morning with a smile on my face” 
Job Interview Question 5: 

Do you have a flexible attitude to your working hours?

 Employers ask this question when their work/duties often need employees to be flexible with their working hours; starting work early, finishing late or even working bank holidays, Christmas time or weekends. Unlike the overtime question, if this is a big part of the role, saying no to this question may have a negative reaction.

“Yes, I worked on a flexible pattern in my last role and enjoyed that you started and finished a different times each day” 

Job Interview Question 6:

Describe yourself as a person?

 This is a great question to be asked, as it is open for you to really sell your skills and qualities. When answering this question, talk about the skills, qualities and experiences the company require (taken from the job specification) and answer the question by telling the interviewer how you have these required skills. Use real life stories and examples to highlight your strengths.

 “I am a keen and driven person; once I start a task I always put a hundred percent into completing it. I have often been told I am approachable and a good listener who completes goals quickly and efficiently” 

Interview questions and answers

Job Interview Question 7: 

Aren’t you over qualified for this role?

 Employers are always worried that an employee who is over qualified for a position, will take the job once offered and leave when offered a better paid position relevant to their qualifications.

Answer by stating how much you enjoy this type of work and how this is career move, not just a job. It is also good to highlight that you would pick this job over one relevant with your qualifications. Never say you’re looking for work with less responsibility or stress – keep the answer positive.

“For me, this is a career move not just a job. I am really interested in this industry and would choice this role over one with higher pay, relevant to my passed qualifications” 
Job Interview Question 8: 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

This is sometimes asked as an opening question to get you talking and to calm your nerves, a lot of people answer “Socializing with friends” “Playing on my computer” “Taking my family on day trips”. Whilst these are valid and honest answers they do not really bring anything to the table that is special, that makes you stand out.

If you can say that you volunteer you will be guaranteed to impress! Although this should be truthful! You can apply to volunteer in any area you like, ideally in a position relevant to the job you are applying for. Volunteering is seen as a positive activity by all employers; you only need to volunteer once or twice a month and when you can answer this question with

“Currently I’m volunteering for Oxfam, I really get al lot out of helping others. Whist volunteering I have learnt to communicate with people on all levels and I have improved my customer service skills, both face to face and over the telephone”

Job Interview Question 9:

Why did you choice this career?

We all have a different story to tell, some us “fall” into a career, while others had a career goal from an early age. Use this question to highlight your passion for your career and add in information on your experiences. Passion + experience = a good employee.

“I have always wanted a job “helping” people, after university I took any job I could take and ended up working a an Male Hostel, 10 years later I am still in the same industry, I just love that my work helps others improve their lives. I have learnt so much over these 10 years that helps me quickly move people forward.”  

Job Interview Question 10:

Do you have any questions?

Most interviewers ask this question and generally towards the end of the interview. Remember to prepare for this, as asking questions will be a great end to an excellent interview. Don’t ask about salaries or holidays etc until you have been offer a job position.

  • “Do you have any future plans to expand the company?”
  • “Does your team work well together?”
  • “Have you put in any new bids for any new contracts?”
  • “What is the company’s policy on personal development and training?”
  • “Where do you see the company being in 5 years time” 

Many people are afraid of job interviews. The truth is if you prepare for your job interview, by predicting the job interview questions, you can easily prepare your job interview answers. If your job interview answers highlight your unique selling point, are stated in the positive and are said in a confident manner, then you can influence the job interview to increase job offer.

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Job Hunting in the Digital Age: What to Embrace and What to Avoid

As effective as the Internet is at bridging gaps between people and information, it nonetheless offers very few certainties when it comes to finding a job.

At the same time, the Internet is a tool that simply cannot be ignored for anyone who wants to succeed in his or her chosen career.

 In order to help you navigate the various intricacies of an Internet job search, here are some important things to remember.

Social Media Isn’t Always Your Friend

It has become a standard practice in today’s job market for employers to look at a potential employee’s social media presence to determine if the candidate is the right fit for the job.

If your Facebook page or Twitter feed is flooded with intimate, racy or potentially embarrassing details of your personal life, there’s a good chance it could reflect poorly on you. A good rule of thumb is to assume that everything you put online – including photos – is being seen by your boss, which probably isn’t too far from the actual truth.

Undisclosed Location

Some experts assure job seekers that it’s now considered acceptable to not include your full address on a resume. After all, we live in an age of telecommuting – growing connectivity has made physical distance less relevant in many aspects of life, including work. Another argument against disclosing your home address in an online resume or on a social network is the security factor since certain criminals are known to use this type of information in targeting potential victims. 

Beware of Internet Scams

At first glance, this seems pretty obvious. After all, everyone knows that phishing attempts and other scams are all over the Internet. Unfortunately, some people may let their guard down out of their desperation to get a job.

Some of the common online job scams promise to provide details on “commuting from home” for a one-time or monthly fee. In some cases, job scams will involve asking for Social Security numbers. Always be cautious about providing information to get the chance at applying for what seems like a dream job.

Interview questions and answers

The Internet is Everything

While the initial intricacies of a digital job hunt might scare off some from using the Internet at all, it’s important to remember that job searches simply aren’t the same as they used to be. Many employers don’t even allow people to apply directly anymore, and much of the initial application process now occurs online.

Make an Online Impression

When searching for a job online, remember that organization is key. Organize your findings from various employment searches and take some time to polish your resume before sending it out. In the digital age, your online presence is your first impression on potential employers. With a little perseverance and some luck, that dream job you’ve been waiting for will reveal itself.

Penn Renner got his first computer when he was 13 and has been a self-proclaimed tech nerd ever since. When he is not busy toying with his many gadgets he is a freelance writer. pennwrites@gmail.com

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3 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL CAREER SWITCHING

Career switching is an easy way to boost your pay, because a career switch in the same job sector seems to the employers as a sideways career move where in fact this is a promotional career switch.

The catch is that all employers want you to meet their criteria for their advertised vacancy. Don’t get caught out like other unsuccessful job seekers and record all your current duties on your application.

3 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL CAREER SWITCHING

STEP 1

To make a career switch is easy. First read the job spec and ensure you fully understand the job criteria.  Obvious I know, but essential

STEP 2

Second target your application/resume/CV to the job criteria; what I mean here is, you may do 10 duties in your current role and the new employer has five of these down as essential criteria.

Don’t waste time and space on your application by recording how you do all 10 duties, just discuss the five essential criteria to really sell yourself to the role you are applying for. IE if you’re applying for a managerial role and record your managerial responsibilities

STEP 3 – The Sneaky Tip

Finally, if you’re applying for as an example as a health care manager and you’re currently a nurse. You can change your job title to Nurse/Manager.

People make big assumptions on your job title, so if you are currently a nurse and you undertake some managerial duties use the slash icon on your job title. Now the manager will generalise and think your main duties are that of a manager.