Job Interviews

Four Tricks to Learn to Land the Interview

By leidson on Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Without the right guidance, filling out applications, sending your resume to numerous people, and searching for jobs online, can seem impossible. But we want to help make that process easier for you. So here are four tricks to learn how to land an interview.

Have a Strong Tailored Resume and Powerful Cover Letter
Make sure your resume is specifically tailored and relevant to the position you’re applying for. And don’t skip the cover letter. This is your chance to tell the hiring manager exactly who you are and what you have to offer. A cover letter can say what a resume can’t, so include specific examples of instances where you have excelled, use this avenue to craft a picture of your expertise you want the prospective employer to know.

Follow Up
Communication is the key to landing a job interview. After you’ve sent in your resume and cover letter, follow up by sending an email to say thank you for their consideration, confirm that they’ve received your resume and cover letter, and ask where they are in the hiring process. Communicating with your potential employer will reiterate your interest and show them you’re serious about the job opportunity.

Don’t Forget to Be Yourself
Make sure everything you’ve provided is accurate and uniquely you. Although you may have received help with writing your cover letter or resume, be sure that every bit of information you share is truthful and allows your personality to shine through.

Network and Research
Get to know people who work where you want to work. It’s important to network with experts in the field you want to be in, so don’t be afraid to reach out and develop relationships with them. Begin by looking online and using social media networks to learn more about the company and industry you want to work in. Facebook Graph Search is a great tool to see if any of your Facebook friends work at the specific company or industry you want to work in.

Another way to learn more about your potential employer is by following them on Twitter and LinkedIn or by liking their company’s page on Facebook. Put your best foot forward by being active on their social media networks. Believe it or not, most recruiters, human resource directors, and hiring managers scan over candidates’ social media profiles before they begin the hiring process. So, remember to keep your social media sites clean and professional.

Have you recently landed a job interview? What are some tips you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments section below!

At Work Career Advancement Job Interviews New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized Work/Life Balance

Look! Interview Tips

By leidson on Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Have you ever wondered what goes through the hiring manager’s mind when you’re in an interview? Wouldn’t it be nice to know what they were thinking, what they want to hear from you, or what they want to see on your resume? We asked a few hiring managers to share their insight on interview musts and they shared these top four interview tips.

Have Professionalism
The employer you’re interviewing with has goals to grow and brand a company. It’s important to understand that how you present yourself in your personal life may not match the image of the organization, so remember to put your best foot forward. Dress appropriately for the job for which you are interviewing. If you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to ask the interviewer about the dress code. Additionally, there is so much more to professionalism than just dressing the part. Integrity and a good work ethic are also very important attributes to possess and can take you a long way in the hiring process. So make sure you can show these attributes to your interviewer and be ready to share good examples of those traits.

Have a Typo-Free Resume
Job seekers often trust their own eyes to proof and edit their resumes. If no one else reviews your resume, there could be typos that you missed. Find a friend who is great at spelling and grammar or someone that you respect professionally to review and critique your resume before your job hunt, and especially before an interview. If the interview process boils down to three people with the same qualifications and your resume is the only one with a typo, you’re making it easy for an interviewer to choose another candidate.

Have Interest in the Job and the Company
Jennifer Anderson, the hiring manager and vice president of Marketing and Communications at Express Employment Professionals, said, “Often I ask a job seeker to describe to me the ideal job and more times than not the answers come back with something completely unrelated to the job they are seeking. For example, someone may interview for a Marketing Coordinator’s position, but when they describe the ideal job, they want to be a stay at home mother and work from a home office.” So it’s important for the interviewee to understand not only the qualifications of the job they are applying for but also what it is they really want to do with their life and career.

Have a Commitment for More than One Year
Longevity is one of the top qualities employers look for in new hires. Most employers will spend the first six to nine months training you to do a job. Not only will they have invested their time and shared their knowledge, the company has been paying you a salary during your training period. Do your best to learn all you can during training and commit to making the most of your job for a couple of years. Anderson encourages people to let the interviewer know that you’re reliable, you’ll give it your best, and you plan on sticking with the company to help it grow.

After job searching for what seemed like forever, editing your resume, and applying at numerous businesses, it’s time to prepare for an interview. What are some interview tips you’d like to share with us? Let us know in the comments section below.

Career Options Job Interviews New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search Work/Life Balance Workplace Relationships

How to Ask Your Friend for Job Help

By leidson on Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Have you ever heard, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know?” That statement is true more times than not when it comes to looking for a job. “Research tells us that between 60 – 80% of jobs are found through personal relationships,” says John Bennett, director and assistant professor at McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte. These days, having a personal relationship is a key in getting hired.

What’s Appropriate While Still Employed?
If you’re searching for a job while currently employed you may keep your search private at work. And if you’re currently employed but recently got asked to come in for an interview, keep it quiet until you get the job. It’s in your best interest to keep this kind of information to yourself, because if that news got to your boss you may need a new job quicker than you thought.

You Never Know Until You Ask
Asking a friend for help finding a job can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time, but don’t be afraid to contact your friends and ask for advice on finding a job. How do you ask a friend for help finding a job? It’s simple, make a list of friends, then start off by asking if they know of any openings at their workplace. Be prepared to have questions ready to ask if they say yes or no. Since your friends know you well and probably have nice things to say about you they may tell their hiring manager or recruiter about you the next day. So have a resume ready for your friend to give to their hiring manager and ask if they can let the manager know you’ll be calling. There may be a hiring manager at your friend’s company that is looking for someone just like you. You never know unless you ask.

Remember, networking is key in finding a job and your network is much bigger than you think. With social networking sites like LinkedIn, you’re sure to make connections and have the opportunity to ask someone for a job. If you’re serious about wanting a new job, do what it takes to get it.

Timing
Keep in mind that just because you have a friend that works for a great company or you have a connection on LinkedIn that you’d love to work with doesn’t mean getting a referral from them will help you land a job with their company. While personal connections are a good way to get your foot in the door, you may have to wait awhile for a job to open up. Timing is very important in finding the right job. During the waiting period, use the time to build relationships with your friends and LinkedIn connections that are in the workforce.

Follow Up
Looking for a job can be a daunting task, but don’t let that be the case for the following up process. Call to check up with your friends to see if they’ve let their hiring manager know about you yet. Don’t give up and don’t stop following up until you get that new job!

Have you ever asked a friend for job help and got it? Let us know in the comments section below.

Career Advancement Career Options Job Interviews New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized

Best Colors to Wear for an Interview

By leidson on Monday, January 27, 2014

When it comes to dressing for an interview, conservative is always the best way to go. With today’s ever-changing trends, it’s important to wear proper attire and appropriate colors to allow your interviewer to see you in a good light. Making a positive first impression is vital to getting the job you’ve been waiting for, so keep your attire simple.

What do the colors you wear say about you? Harris Interactive, one of the world’s leading market research firms, recently performed a national study with 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals from various industries and company sizes. These professionals were asked to advise job seekers on the best colors to wear to an interview and here are their recommendations provide valuable insight for job seekers.

Dress for Interview Success
Responses show the most recommended colors to wear to an interview are black or blue because these colors show leadership and professionalism. You don’t have to stick to a plain color of blouse and it’s okay to wear small prints, but keep in mind you don’t want the interviewer to be distracted by your wardrobe.

What Not to Wear
Bright orange topped the charts for being the worst color to wear to an interview, because it is the color that is mostly associated with unprofessionalism.

On the other hand, gray portrays a logical and analytical attitude. White shows organization, brown shows dependability, red shows power, and green, yellow, and purple show a creative side.

CareerBuilder offers these tips on dressing for success when preparing your interview wardrobe:

Don’t ever go to an interview too casual, be sure to dress for the environment, and always look polished. Before your interview, do your research on businesses that are interviewing you so you’ll know what their environments are like. For instance, you wouldn’t want to wear shorts and flip flops to a strictly professional business and you wouldn’t want to interview in slacks and a dress coat at a business that is laid back and less professional or you may not come across as the right fit for the job.

Have you been job searching and recently been asked to come in for an interview? Keep these interview wardrobe tips in mind as you’re preparing for your next job interview.

For more advice on interview wardrobes check out these blogs:

Men’s Work Attire That Never Goes Out of Style
Women’s Work Attire That Never Goes Out of Style
Dress For Success: What to Wear for an Interview
Putting Together a Work Wardrobe

At Work Career Advancement Job Interviews New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized Work/Life Balance Workplace Relationships

Ted Talk– Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

By leidson on Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Have you ever heard the saying “actions speak louder than words?” Amy Cuddy, a social scientist and associate professor in the Negotiation, Organizations, and Markets unit at Harvard Business School, firmly believes that saying to be true. Cuddy‘s research on non-verbal body language reveals that we have the ability to change other people’s perceptions and our own body chemistry simply by changing our body positions.

In fact Amy has pinned the saying, “Our bodies change our minds, our minds can change our behavior, and our behavior can change our outcomes.” Changing your body language can take time, but it is worth it. Amy believes as your posture and body language improves, your thoughts will soon change for the better as well. Our body language affects how others see us, but it can also change how we see ourselves.

Amy is well known for coining the term “power posing,” which means standing in a posture of confidence, even when you don’t feel very confident. This stance can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain and can potentially have an impact on your chances for success.

“Don’t fake it till you make it. Fake it till you become it,” is a motto Amy lives by and it’s great advice for job seekers to live by as well. Whether you’re searching for a job or preparing for an interview, your body language can make or break you.

What are some mottos you live by? Share with us in the comments section below.

Career Advancement Job Interviews New Job Tips The Job Search Uncategorized

Interviewing at Express

By leidson on Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Searching for a job on your own can be very time consuming. Going through numerous applications and trying to find a job that fits your skill set can take a while. Not to mention the added stress of the interview process. Express Employment Professionals is here to help. Finding the right job for the right person is what we do best. Throughout the past few years, Express has put more than a million people to work. And we’re on a mission to help a million more.

After applying at an Express office or online at ExpressPros.com, you may be scheduled for an interview. If you have any questions about what to wear, bring, or how to prepare, we have the answers.

To help you better prepare for your next interview, check out this video for some quick and easy tips.