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Save Money by Thrift Store Shopping For What to Wear For a Job Interview

By Jared Cole on Monday, May 27, 2013

When it comes to finding appropriate professional attire for a job interview, the cost of what you need could be a challenge. Shopping online or in person at malls and suit stores can rack up the dollar signs and quickly go beyond most moderate budgets.

Luckily, that doesn’t have to be an issue. In a news segment from Triad Area North Carolina news station Fox 8, fashion designer and motivational speaker Craig Stokes gave an overview of classic job interview attire and how he was able to find a professional wardrobe in a thrift store for less than $20.

Depending on your area, you might not be able to find perfectly fitted attire at your local thrift store. But if you consider some of his advice, you might be able to save a pretty penny for your next job interview while still looking fashionable and professional.

Resumes and Cover Letters The Job Search

Maximize Your Freelance Experience on a Resume

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, May 8, 2013

The Great Recession and its aftermath has made it difficult for many people who have been trying to start a career in the past few years. Because of that, eager job seekers, like me, turned to freelancing to hone their skills and gain experience while looking for more stable work.

One challenge I always struggled with is making it work on a resume. How do I explain consulting for two companies, doing contract work for a major retail chain, and event coordinating for several nonprofits without looking like a job hopper?

Here are some simple ways you can use your freelance experience to your advantage on your resume and carry it over into an interview.

Condense or Attach
The easiest way to include your freelance work on your resume is to file it under its own section labeled “Freelance Work” or “Freelance Experience.” If you’re freelancing full time, consider putting it at the top of your experience list since it should have some of the most relevant and current experience in your career. If freelancing is a side project or a part-time endeavor, consider placing it under any current part-time jobs you have. This way, employers know you’re still working somewhere while you’re furthering your career. If you have more relevant information on your freelancing experience than the part-time job, you may consider putting it at the top of your list.

If you’re a young worker, still have a few years of solid work with an employer, but your freelance work doesn’t apply to the jobs you’re looking for, consider putting the experience on a resume addendum – a separate piece of paper with additional information about your experience. This will put the focus on your professional work instead of the freelancing. Once you have an interview, you can bring the addendum to show your commitment to self-improvement.

Results Over Variety
Your resume shouldn’t be the same for every potential employer or job opening. It should be tailored to best match the requirements needed for the job. That’s why including all the details of your freelancing experience might be a bad idea. Choose projects that have results that best reflect the job you’re applying for. You might even showcase specific clients who best represent the industry you’re interviewing in. Showing measurable achievements with a few projects is better than displaying generic job duties from a laundry list of big name clients.

If you want to use the names of your clients to your advantage, consider including them as references. Having an employer hear from someone else about the quality of your work is far better than the text included on a resume.

Consider Your Cover Letter
There’s a chance employers could see your freelance history in different contexts. Some may interpret it as your way of being an ambitious go-getter who made work for yourself between jobs. Others may be concerned that your entrepreneurial spirit means you will jump at the chance to own your own business or a job opportunity with more variety and flexibility. Depending on how much freelancing you do, they might wonder if it will conflict with your full-time responsibilities for them.

Consider including the reasons why you freelance in your cover letter so you can help clarify your goals and objectives. Understanding what you plan to do with your freelancing can help ease any potential worries an employer may have with your history.

How have you used your freelancing experience during your job search? Let us know in the comments section below.

Job Interviews The Job Search

The Worst and Best Interviews in Movies

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Preparing for a job interview can be a big task. It can take hours at a time and could start days in advance of the actual interview. They can be stressful, nerve-wracking, and exciting all at the same time. But, job seekers can spend so much time and energy practicing and preparing to avoid mistakes that they don’t notice how much they actually do right.

To ease the tension that comes from interviewing, here is a list of my favorite job interview scenes from the movies. You’ll see interviews that go horribly wrong, and others that go really well.

Please note, the video clips herein and their sponsors do not necessarily represent the views of Express and are used for educational purposes only.

The Worst

Staffing Agency in “Mrs. Doubtfire”
Robin Williams plays Daniel Hillard – a down-on-his-luck father whose lack of responsibility and maturity have caused divorce and custody battles. Before he hatches a scheme to disguise himself as a British nanny, Daniel tries to find solid work through a staffing agency. While hobbies and passions can be used as an aid, not displaying solid transferable skills can result in a less than productive interview experience.

In it For The Money in “The Wedding Singer”
Honesty is one of the most important aspects of the job search. But, when it comes to payment and negotiation, being honest is expected. Employers know you are there to work for money, but they want to know why you want to get paid by them instead of their competition. Focus on applying for jobs at organizations you are passionate about so you don’t end up like Adam Sandler’s character Robbie Hart.

Columbus Day in “You, Me, and Dupree”
You are trying to sell yourself in an interview. The whole point is to prove to an employer that you are the best candidate for the position. Owen Wilson, playing Dupree, does the opposite. He even gives up after learning that he won’t get off work for Columbus Day. While he’s a comedic example of an extreme slacker, you could take notes on being aware of company culture when interviewing.

The Best
I Know All About You in “Family Man”
Nicholas Cage plays Jack Cambell, a man trying to regain his old life back. While he appeared unqualified and only had knowledge from his past life, Jack came into the interview prepared and well educated about the potential employer.

Internship Interview in “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, was arrested the night before his interview and had no choice but to show up wearing his painting clothes. Being calm, collected, and aware of his situation helped him get the internship he was after, despite making mistakes.

What are your favorite interview scenes in movies? Sound off in the comments section below.

Job Interviews The Job Search

To Be a Super Job Seeker, You Need to Sell Your Kryptonite

By Jared Cole on Friday, January 11, 2013

Last month, Movin’ On Up asked readers what they think is the toughest interview question to answer. With more than 44% of the vote, the toughest question was, “What is your greatest weakness?”

It can seem like a trick question at first. You’re supposed to be like Superman – flying in to save the needs of the employer. How can you talk about what you’re doing wrong when the whole point of an interview is to convince them you’re the best for the job? Even Superman, who is weak to kryptonite, still manages to save the world.

When you’re selling your personal brand to an employer in an interview, you have to stamp out the concerns an employer may have with hiring you. That’s why it’s important to be a candidate that is aware of your faults and working to improve them. It’s not as easy as it sounds, and the most common answers can do more harm than good.

Super Strengths Aren’t Weaknesses
Weaknesses are often strengths taken so far that they end up hindering you. Either way, most employers can tell you’re spinning these weaknesses as strengths. It’s important to know your specific weaknesses and avoid general strengths as weaknesses like, “I work too hard,” or “I care too much.” Superman being too powerful may make him a less interesting hero, but it doesn’t make him less capable of saving Metropolis.

During the 2008 Democratic presidential debates, the candidates were asked their greatest weakness. Hilary Clinton and John Edwards gave the typical answers of, “I get frustrated when people don’t seem to understand that we can do so much more to help each other” or “I sometimes have a very powerful emotional response to pain that I see around me.” But Barack Obama gave a different answer. He said, “My desk and my office don’t look good. I’ve got to have somebody around me who is keeping track.” President Obama’s honesty made him relatable, which helped him win the primary.

Super Honesty Isn’t Super Either
While you should never lie or stretch the truth about your weaknesses, there is a point where you can share too much, which can leave negative impressions on the employer after the interview. Be honest but brief when talking about your weakness. If they ask for more, stick with your two greatest, but end with a positive note about what you’re doing to improve them.

Superman with a Super Plan
The most important part about discussing your weakness is what you are doing about it. People aren’t so much interested in how you fall, they want to see how you get back up. Superman may have been weak against kryptonite, but he always had a lead suit ready to protect him if he had to deal with it.

Being an introvert, I’ve always had to deal with my energy levels when interacting with customers, clients, or co-workers. When working long periods of time with several people, my work quality deteriorates and I tend to have a short fuse. That’s why I logged the times of the day I felt most energetic and planned meetings around those times. At the job I even resorted to pinning a color code to my apron so my co-workers knew when I was good to help them or when I had low energy.

To prepare, talk to your former professors, mentors, or managers to see what they see you need to work on and come up with a plan to improve those areas. You will never be without faults, but it’s important to an employer to know that you are aware of them and working on them.

As Superman has his kryptonite, every job seeker has a weakness. That’s a given. But what can separate you from your competition is what you’re doing about it. What are you doing to combat your weaknesses?

Inside Express Reader Surveys

What Are Your Toughest Interview Questions? Take Our Poll!

By Jared Cole on Monday, December 3, 2012

Earlier this year, business news website Business Insider ranked the 25 most difficult companies to interview with. Some of the better known companies that made the list included Facebook, Amazon, and Google.

Another interesting tidbit about the ranking was that it included percentages and ratings for negative interview experiences and employee satisfaction, so that you can decide for yourself if difficult interview questions lead to productive and satisfied employees.

With some of the biggest companies in the world being known for difficult interview questions, it made us wonder what are some of the most difficult interview questions you’ve been asked? If you have a unique question not on this list, let us know in the comments section below.

Job Interviews The Job Search

7 Must-Dos Before a Job Interview

By Movin On' Up on Monday, November 5, 2012

Acing an interview isn’t magic that only certain people possess or a skill that only experts can attain. You can become a pro at interviewing too, but just like anything else, it takes practice. So, to help you master the skill of interviewing, here are seven must-dos to practice every time you’re invited to an interview.

1. Research the company and the position.
No employer wants to hire a candidate who doesn’t know anything about the company or the position. Make sure to research the company and get familiar with their mission statement, goals, products, services, and news. Check out the company’s website, the Internet, magazines, newspapers, and your local library to find this useful information. By knowing these facts, you’ll be able to answer two commonly asked questions: “What do you know about my company?” and “Why are you interested in this position?”

2. Review your resume.
Employers will often refer to your resume and ask you to expand on a point you included or explain a project you listed as an accomplishment. Be familiar with the information you listed on your resume. You need to be able to talk about every line of your resume with why you included it and how it makes you qualified for the job.

3. Make a list of talking points.
Your resume and cover letter can’t always include every piece of information you want to share with an employer because you should limit it to one page each. But, an interview gives you the opportunity to share details you couldn’t fit that are relevant to the job. If you left something out of your resume or cover letter, or thought of another strength, experience, or skill you possess, this is the time to bring it up. Make a list of the topics you want to discuss in the interview, and you’ll be better prepared to answer the interviewer’s questions and ask your own.

4. Practice answering questions.
Being able to answer questions articulately will show that you’re prepared and serious about wanting the job. You don’t want to practice so much that you sound like a record stuck on repeat, but you need to practice enough to be comfortable answering questions. Have a friend or family member ask you questions for a mock interview. Since it’s a practice session, use your list of talking points. Try to relate each answer to something on your list.

5. Prepare questions for the interviewer.
Toward the end of your interview, the employer might ask if you have any questions for him. If you don’t, it may seem like you’re unprepared or uninterested in the position, so make sure you have several questions ready ahead of time. A few strong questions you might ask are, “What is the biggest challenge someone in this position might face?” and “What are the opportunities for career growth in this organization?” Some of your questions may be answered during the interview, so it’s best to come up with several to choose from.

6. Dress to impress.
Appearance is noticeable and memorable, so dress to create a positive first impression. When you research the company, don’t forget to find out about the company’s dress code so you can dress the part, or one step up. It’s OK to call ahead of time to ask. If you can’t find this information, it’s better to dress up than to dress down, so choose a professional look. Make sure your outfit is wrinkle-, stain-, and odor-free, and that your clothes aren’t worn through or holey.

7. Decide you want the job.
One of the most important aspects of an interview is your mindset. Before you go to the interview, decide that you want the job and that you’re determined to get it. Think positively, and give the interview your all. You may decide later on that the job is not the right fit for you, but you don’t want to blow an interview by appearing unenthusiastic or uninterested.

No one wakes up knowing how to master the interview, but anyone can learn the skills it takes to land a job. Practice the seven must-dos for every interview you’re a part of, and your interview techniques will become stronger and stronger each time.

At Work Dress for Success Salary and Promotions The Job Search

Workplace Fashion Police – Just the Facts

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Workers and job seekers, the advice you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the improperly dressed.

It was Friday, Oct. 26, and sultry day at Fashion Police headquarters. I was getting reports of neglected promotions, missing job offers, and lacking professionalism. I didn’t know why it was happening, but I had to try to stop it. Appearances can be deceiving, especially in this workplace-fashion lineup. According to Southwest Florida Business Today, 93% of executives across the country admit a person’s work attire influences his or her chances of earning a promotion.

This is a video. I carry a badge. I am the Fashion Police – I tell the difference between who gets hired and promoted, and who doesn’t.