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What You Wish You’d Known Before Your Interview

By leidson on Friday, April 11, 2014

Very rarely does something go unnoticed in an interview, that’s why it’s important to be focused, prepared, and confident. Interviewers pay very close attention to your body language, eye contact, and confidence. So, take advantage of your interview time to let your potential employer know why you’re the right person for the job. According to ClassesandCareers.com, one of the top 10 most common mistakes made during an interview is failure to ask for the job. Don’t let that be you, verbalize that you want the job and that you have what it takes.

To help you make the most of your next job interview, check out the info-graphic below provided by ClassesandCareers.com.

How have you made positive changes in the way you carry yourself in an interview? We want to hear about your experiences. Share with us in the comments section below.

by James.Rognon.
Explore more visuals like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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

Interview: What is Your Greatest Weakness?

By leidson on Wednesday, April 9, 2014

This is one of the most frequently asked and most dreaded questions in an interview. Although it’s nerve-racking, your answer can make or break your interview. When a hiring manager asks about your greatest weakness, it’s a time for them to learn about your character and a great opportunity for you to use the question to your advantage.

Jacquelyn Smith, a writer for Forbes shares, “It’s not a trick question and there’s no ‘right’ answer—but interviewers are looking for something specific in your response to this challenging question.” Here are some tips in conveying your greatest weakness while keeping your composure in a job interview.

Identify Your Weakness
First things first, what is your weakness? Be honest with yourself and identify what you’re not the best at ahead of time. If you’re not great with finances or if you’re not super organized, don’t be afraid to say it, but whatever you do, avoid mentioning a weakness that can crush your chances of landing the job. If you’re not exactly sure what the job entails, review the job description to see what the employer is looking for.

Be sure to formulate an answer that’s not generic. Hiring managers know that people aren’t perfect and they make mistakes. People have weaknesses; hiring managers just want to know how those weaknesses have been handled.

Turn a Negative into a Positive
While you’re sharing about your weakness in an interview, you can easily turn the attention to a great strength you have. A Forbes article shares, “Be prepared to give an example of a previous failure or weakness that you’ve successfully turned into a strength. Do not discuss areas of opportunity that you are still working on and have not yet fixed.” After talking about the way you’ve conquered a weakness in life, keep the focus of the conversation positive, so you can leave a lasting impression.

Strictly Business
Talking about your weaknesses and strengths allows you to open up and share about yourself, but be careful to not over share. Throughout your interview process, remember to keep your responses work-related. Do your best to stay centered on the topic and avoid personal drama. “Sure, everyone has got some, but companies want to ensure this won’t affect your job if you get hired. Besides, it’s considered completely inappropriate to bring personal drama into the business world,” says Smith.

What are some ways you’ve shared your greatest weakness in an interview? Share with us in the comments section below.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

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

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 Options New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search Uncategorized

Resume Tips To Help You Get Lucky

By leidson on Monday, March 17, 2014

When you’re trying to catch a potential employer’s eye, your resume has to stand out from the crowd. It has to have something extra, a little bit of magic that no other resume has. But, sometimes magic is hard to come by, and it can be difficult to find ways to make your resume distinct. So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here are seven tactics to add some luck to your job search.

Give Your Resume a Pinch
Less is more, so cut unnecessary content, eliminate meaningless phrases, and shape it to fit each job opening in order to get noticed.

Find the Pot o’ Gold with the Right Style
What you bring to the job is unique, which means you need to pick the resume style that best matches your work history, skills, and qualifications.

Show What You Have to Offer
Apply some eloquence to that meaningless objective statement and shift the focus to what you’ll bring to the job.

Make Your Competition Green With Envy
Your work history is the core of your resume, so make sure it’s strong and sculpted for the most attractive resume possible.

Treat Your References Like 4-Leaf Clovers
If you say “references available upon request” in your resume, make sure you have great references prepped and ready to vouch for you.

Follow the Rainbow to the Perfect Format
Do your research to ensure you know which electronic resume format – Word or PDF – works best for you and the job opening.

Check for Overlooked Shamrocks
Hiring managers expect a resume to contain certain elements, so give it one final look to ensure nothing’s missing.

Getting lucky in your job search starts with taking the time to fix up your resume so it can work it’s magic. After all, employers will never know what an amazing job candidate you are if your resume doesn’t grab their attention.

What have you done to make your resume stand out? Share your own tips for building a golden resume in the comments section below.

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

Lucky Words for Your Resume

By Job Journey on Wednesday, March 5, 2014

On average, a hiring manager will look over a resume for only six seconds, and if they don’t see something that stands out, you may not end up landing an interview. Knowing this fact can add even more stress to the job search process, but don’t let it. Resume writing is easier than you think. Writing a precise resume is key to securing a job, so it’s important to pack the right words in your resume to showcase your skills and abilities. Your resume doesn’t need to tell your life story, but it does need to get the hiring manager’s attention.

Resume Word Choices
It’s important to use words in present tense when writing about your current job and use past tense when referring to a previous job. Employers aren’t only looking for skills, but also certifications, degrees, job titles, and company names. They are also looking for keywords that highlight your experience, personality, and abilities. Some of these keywords include:

Information-related

Administered
Analyzed
Compared
Compiled
Gathered
Organized
Prepared
Recorded
Researched

People-related

Coached
Coordinated
Consulted
Evaluated
Instructed
Managed
Negotiated
Persuaded
Scheduled

Objects/Material -related

Arranged
Assembled
Created
Inspected
Maintained
Operated
Repaired
Sold
Tested

Be careful not to be repetitive in your word usage. You can easily spice up your resume to convey similar actions by using different words. What are some keywords you’ve used in your resume? Share with us 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.

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

Happiness: Shawn Achor’s Secret to Better Work

By leidson on Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Last year, the American Psychological Association named millenials the most stressed generation. In a study commissioned by the association, nearly 40% of Gen Y said their stress levels had increased over the previous year. Nearly 44% reported feeling irritable or angry because of that stress and 19% had been told they suffered with depression.

So what’s causing all that stress? 76% of millenials said their work was a significant stressor. Which all begs the questions, are we really going about the pursuit of happiness the right way?

Harvard graduate and CEO of Good Think, Inc., Shawn Achor, has been studying positive psychology and the effects of happiness. His consulting firm, Good Think Inc., researches positive outliers – people who are well above average – to understand where human potential, success, and happiness intersect.

Your Pursuit of Happiness
Over the past few years Achor’s research has shown most companies and schools follow the philosophy that “if I work harder, I’ll be successful and if I’m more successful then I’ll be happier.” Shawn argues that it’s the other way around. If you’re happy, you’ll be more successful because the way you view the world actually shapes your reality.

During a TED Talks presentation, Shawn explained that 90% of your long-term happiness is not predicted by the external world but by the way your brain processes the world. He challenges people to raise their level of positivity, and in turn your brain will experience a “happiness advantage”. ‘Your brain at positive performs significantly better than it does at negative, neutral, or stressed” Shawn said. He goes on to explain that not only does your intelligence, creativity, and energy levels rise, but every positive business outcome improves from experiencing better productivity to better sales and job security.

Train Your Brain for Happiness
Shawn’s research shows that there are ways to train your brain to become more positive to improve your potential and become more successful. And the great news is that it only takes two minutes over 21 days in a row to rewire a brain to become more positive and optimistic.

Here are five things Shawn says you can do to train your brain for happiness:

1. Write down three things you’re grateful for

Why? Your brain will learn to scan the world for the positives and not the negatives.

2. Journal about a positive experience

Why? It lets your brain relive it.

3. Exercise

Why ? It teaches your brain that your behavior matters.

4. Meditate

Why? Helps your brain to focus.

5. Perform random acts of kindness

Why? Helps create “ripples of positivity.”

For more information and steps to leveraging happiness in your career, life, and job search, check out Achor’s TED Talk presentation or his recently released book, The Happiness Advantage.
Not only does happiness and positive thinking have the ability to impact your emotions, stress level, and immunity, it can also make a difference in your overall well-being. Let us know how thinking positively benefits you, share with us in the comments section below.