Career Management Blog

Reassess Your Career

2009-06-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

As the recession continues many people resolve to achieve success and personal satisfaction in their careers. it's Time to reassess your career values

Set Vision of Your Career

2009-03-13T23:18:00.000-07:00

Think about your career and the times when you said "I want." Maybe you said "I want" go to college-and then enrolled in school and completed your degree. Maybe you said "I want" to work for a large or a small company-and you are working there now. Maybe you said "I want" to lead teams-and that's one of your current responsibilities. "I want" is a very powerful phrase. Without it, it's hard to go very far.

Imagine going on a trip without selecting a destination beforehand. What would you pack? How would you get there? Where would you stay? Your trip probably would not end up being much fun.

It's the same with your career. Not being able to visualize your desired result leads to results not happening. Goals are reached when you decide what you want, and then take action to get it. Without an end in mind, you will wander aimlessly; and as long as you are aimless, you will be wasting time. You will feel lost. You will be like a stray leaf, going wherever the wind takes you.

What's a Vision?

My definition of a vision is a visualization or a picture of where you see yourself in the future. Your picture can be one of where you want to be in a day, a week, a month, a year, or even farther into the future. The visualization of your goal is what compels you to move forward. A vision is a snapshot of what you want your career and life to look like in the future. This snapshot gives your journey a clear and reachable destination and provides focus.

All goals are reached in the mind first. You see yourself both achieving that goal and experiencing the satisfaction it will bring you once you are there. This picture is what will help you to persevere during times of doubt. Your picture of success will give you purpose, power, and excitement. Your picture will give you a reason to get out of bed every day.

How do you create a Vision?

Close your eyes. Let your imagination take over. Get in touch with what you really want and what is important to you. Ask yourself meaningful questions. Let the answers come to you.

What Questions will help get you to a Vision quickly?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

If it was possible, what would be different in my career?
What type of job would I have?
What would I be responsible for?
What type of boss/co-workers/team would I have?
What kind of hours would I work?
What type of company would I work for?
What sort of culture would the company have?
What city would I live in?
How much money would I make?
How would I handle stress, my workload, and deadlines?

Once you have thought about these questions, it is time to get your answers down on paper. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. The answers are what is true for you-not what someone else wants for you, but what is truly in your heart. Listen to yourself, and your answers will be the perfect ones for you.

Once you have your vision, then it's time to make it real.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!

Managing All Kinds of Boss and Your Career

2009-03-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

There are dozens of careers and each demands a special skill set. However, there is one skill that is universal to all career paths: managing your boss. Without this skill you're not likely to succeed.

We can place our bosses into six broad categories.

Everyone's Pal
This boss wants to be liked, and usually avoids conflict. She is likely to let problems or incorrect behavior drag on until she is forced to deal with it.

It is difficult for her employees because often they do not get the feedback they need to improve and grow. If you are a high achiever, you'll find yourself picking up the pieces for those not meeting the standards. It is easier for the boss to give more work to the high achiever than it is to correct the under achiever.

Self Promoter
This is the boss who is out to make a name for her. This may include taking credit from his staff. However, she is ready to share the blame. Because she is always looking to grab the spotlight, this leaves her little time to develop her staff.

High Achiever
These dedicated bosses are generally the first to arrive at the office, and the last to leave. A boss like this is constantly looking for ways to optimize her department, and to improve her knowledge and skills. They are political people who understand the value of networking.

Because they look beyond themselves, they are open to your ideas and eager to give you new opportunities. They also share all types of feedback, so you know where you stand.

The downside of high achievers is that they cast a large shadow. Often they are legendary in the department. However, they will challenge you and can bring out your best if you allow it.

Roadblocks
The roadblock does as little work as possible. They tend to hire mediocre employees and don't push employees too hard. They love to preserve the status quo. These bosses tolerate mistakes, re-work, and inefficiencies. Ambitious employees or peers are threatening to this boss.

They are called roadblocks because they are seldom promoted, and seldom hire stars. They block the road for others to move ahead. They also hold the department back from meeting its highest potential.

B+ Manager
Most managers fall into this category. These are solid managers who do her best to run an efficient department. They are pretty good at giving feedback, and often offer opportunities to top team members.

They are likely to do well in the company, as are those that they mentor.

In Over Her Head
Have you ever had a boss who seemed to know less about her job than you? Most of us can answer, "Yes." This type of manager is in over her head. For whatever reason they were promoted to a position which they do not have the ability or knowledge to handle.

Don't expect much guidance from this manager. And, she probably does not have much clout among her peers and senior management or partners.

The good news is you have tremendous opportunity to take on some of her responsibilities, and possibly accompany her at high-level meetings. A manager like this will welcome your discreet support.

Importance of delivery style and timing

Have you categorized your boss? Now we know her work and management style. Let's take a look at two more important things to know. Personality type and timing can greatly affect your message, and your relationship.

Is your boss more logical or emotional? If your boss is highly logical, you won't want to rush to her with your exciting new proposal unless you've researched it completely. On the other hand, if your boss is emotional you'll need to capture her attention with an energetic pitch. When communicating with your boss, match your delivery style with her style.

Don't underestimate the importance of timing. Does your boss treasure an undisturbed hour each morning? Be observant and work around her schedule. Bad timing can kill even the best idea.

How can you relate to each boss type?

Everyone's Pal
When your boss does something good, give her sincere praise.

Be an information resource for her, especially regarding interdepartmental issues. She'll appreciate inside information.

Make her look good. She takes pride in her reputation. Look out for chances to give her honest kudos at office meetings, in newsletters and in front of clients.

Since she is not likely to give you direct criticism, ask her for development advice.

Relationships are important to her. Be honest and loyal at all times.

Bottom line: Encourage feedback and solicit assignments to help you build your career.

Self-Promoter
You are just a satellite around this boss. Find ways to increase her political capital.

Look for opportunities for bylines in industry publications, and offer to help with the research.

Recommend her for conference panels and awards.

Acknowledge when she does something noteworthy.

Ask her for advice.

Bottom Line: Even though you have become a part time PR machine for your boss, don't forget to take care of yourself. Continue to enrich yourself, network and be alert for your next big opportunity.

High Achiever
Take her seriously. Be on time and meet deadlines.

Ask for challenging assignments.

Anticipate needs within your job and your team and take charge.

Become an expert. Offer to share your knowledge with the team.

Offer to "back up" your boss when she is on vacation.

Bottom Line: High achievers appreciate initiative and commitment to the team goals.

Roadblock
This person can be easily threatened. Put this boss at ease by showing her that she is in charge and you are here to make her life easier.

Keep her informed of office news and competitor data.

Volunteer to take on challenging assignments that may be bogging her down.

Build a network outside your department. Try working on a task force or other corporate initiative that crosses department lines. If you hit a dead end under this boss, you'll need other avenues to explore.

Bottom Line: Expand your knowledge and skill base without intimidating your boss. Know when you've hit a roadblock and be ready to move on.

B+ Manager
This manager is busy. If you can identify current problems and solve them, you'll be valued.

Keep track of these problems and how you solved them. Remember to bring these up at your review. If you don't have regular reviews, ask for a one-on-one meeting to discuss your performance.

Monitor industry news, including new legislation affecting you and your clients. Condense that information and share the highlights with your manager.

Stay in touch with your manager. Let her know the types of assignments you are craving.

Bottom Line: Save her time. Keep yourself visible. You want to be on her radar screen when an opportunity appears.

In Over Her Head
Be a resource of procedural and technical information. Offer to make a department manual, if one does not exist.

Find subtle ways to support her without threatening her.

Offer to accompany your boss to important meetings. Help prepare the presentation.

Never outshine your boss. You'll look bad in her eyes and everyone else's.

Don't give your boss false praise.

Broaden your network.

Keep your eyes peeled for mission critical projects. Your boss may not be aware of what is hot.

Bottom Line: Don't get frustrated or apathetic because of your boss' inadequacies. Instead, use your creativity to develop your skills and network base.

Here is some all-purpose advice for managing your boss, and your career.

Investigate and volunteer for mission critical projects.

Know your boss' biggest issues, and solve them.

Use "we" statements; create unity.

Know the office protocol and follow it.

Keep busy, but make your work seem effortless.

Be loyal and committed.

Become an expert in your field and share your knowledge.

Encourage and appreciate candid feedback from your boss.

Create your own development plan and update it every 60 days. Share your plan with your boss.

Network, network, network.

Most importantly, add value to your boss, your team and your company daily.

Building a relationship is more than diagnosing a personality type and following a communication model. Your boss is human. Use these tips as a shortcut to a stronger relationship with your boss.

Networking Is Everything at This Time

2009-02-09T23:07:00.000-08:00

In a Forbes.com article entitled “How to Headhunt the Headhunters”, a recruiter is quoted as saying that he gets about 100 résumés a week, but rarely looks at any of them. What? A recruiter that doesn’t even look at the resumes he is being sent? How can that be? That’s because the number of unsolicited resumes a recruiter receives grows exponentially as more and more people become un-employed. And that means there isn’t enough time in the day to work on making matches between clients and candidates whose resumes they sought and the numerous resumes that come in – many of which aren’t in their area of specialty. Recruiters do want to know about you, you just need a new way of getting in front of them.

If sending unsolicited resumes isn’t going to work, there is something else you can do to get seen by hiring companies AND recruiters. Fortunately it’s the same thing – networking. Over the years, there have been hundreds of articles on the internet about networking but the current economical climate creates a whole new level of importance. It’s no longer about networking on your own and if that doesn’t work out then you turn to a recruiter, it’s about networking even to get to the recruiter while simultaneously networking on your own to get to hiring managers. To understand the basics of networking read The Practical Guide to Networking.

Professional Networking Sites
If you haven’t heard of LinkedIn.com, you need to pull up a browser and jump on immediately. It’s the leading professional networking site that can put you in touch with many many people in your field. According to an article in Chief Executive Magazine online, membership in professional networking sites is expected to soar as the economic downturn continues, and a Time.com article notes that LinkedIn is signing up 1 new member every second. That’s a lot of people out there networking where you are not.

On business networking sites, you can join interest groups with whom you can network to find out who is hiring, ask a question to people in your network to find out what’s happening in your industry’s job market, and you can view job posting by companies whose employees are on the site. You can also locate people at the hiring level for your specialization and introduce yourself to them.

Social-Networking Sites
Believe it or not, social networking sites can be a very helpful job search tool. Sites like Facebook have Marketplace sections where they list jobs, but more importantly, you can tap into your network of friends to spread the word about your job search. The more people that know what you are looking for, the better the chance your name will come up in conversation at the right time. People want to help. But remember, you have to be very careful about the content you put up on these sites because Social Networking Can Damage Your Job Search, If You Let It.

Blogs
According to BlogCatalog, there are 1,916 Career and Job Blogs. Some of them useless and some of them gold. If you search for your area of specialization, such as “engineer”, you will find blogs in your field. Blogs are a great place to find out what is happening in your industry. Connect with people in your field, look to see who is commenting on the blogs – are they working at a company you want to work for? You can’t be afraid to introduce yourself.

Helping Others Network
A down economy is an even more important time to make sure you are helping others network as well. Try to approach meeting anyone as an opportunity to learn something about an interesting person and maybe put two people in touch who can help one another. Keeping eyes and ears open for opportunities to help connect other people will earn you points that you can redeem later but more importantly, it will make you feel good about yourself, your professionalism and your own career.

Networking is by no means new, but the economic landscape and technological developments have brought the methodology and importance to the forefront of career development. Even if you are not currently looking for a job, in this economy, you should always be making contacts. You never know, with the contacts that you make, you may be able to help a friend – or yourself.

Trickie Trick To get New Job

2009-02-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

Unemployment numbers are looking pretty bleak. Everyday the news seems to bring more stories of large and small companies alike laying off thousands of workers. As of this writing in January 2009 we are looking at a pretty tight job market. I saw a newswire story about a job fair for one company held in suburban Detroit. Four thousand people showed up for the one day event. I know due to the downturn in automotive sales that their region is hurting, but the job outlook seems to be pretty bleak just about everywhere. In this kind ofcompetitive market, what can one due to stand out among all the other jobseekers? Here are 2 job hunting strategies that will make you stand out.

(1) Your own website. Everyone puts their resume on line now, and so everyone has an email address and maybe a profile page at the large job posting portals. You should be using Facebook and Myspace to network in your industry, but not everybody has their own website. I think this is especially important if you are looking for any type of technical work. I would suggest you get a dot com domain name that includes your own name in it. Like bobsmithaccountant.com or technicalwriterbillgates.com Anything that includes your name. Get your name if it is available. Go to someplace like godaddy.com to purchase a domain name. Go someplace like hostgator.com for a cheap hosting account. There a a lot of tutorials about buying domains and c panel hosting on line. Twenty dollars will get you going. Use 1 of the millions of templates available and learn how to customize it a little. Hire an inexpensive web designer if you can afford it. Instead of the usual pages found in a business website, you can have a pages for education, accomplishments, your family life, goals, work history...anything that might tell a potential employer about you. Tailor your web design to the type of job you are looking for. An engineer will want their site to look clean and functional. A floral designer will want a more artistic design. Then you can plaster your web name everywhere on line that allows a link. Include it on your resume and Read the next strategy here.

(2) Send a useful item with your name and or domain name on it to prospective employers. This is like personal advertising. I am stealing a page from the advertising industry here. Millions of businesses advertise themselves by putting their names on matchbooks, pens, calenders, shoe horns, key chains, hats, mouse pads, almost any item you can think of. I think this works best on a local level. Let's say you are a jewelry salesman looking for a job. Buy customized eye loupes or diamond tweezers or polishing cloths with your name, number and job title printed on them. Include your website address if you followed step 1 above. Then simply stop by every jewelry store in your area, ask for the manager, introduce yourself and leave the gifts and your resume. Easy.

If you are a SAP Trainer, or other software professional, mouse pads work very well. You need to tailor the items you are dropping off to the industry, but pens and mouse pads work almost anywhere. Are you a landscaper? How about work gloves with a little label sewn to it? I can think of dozens of items for almost any type of job. If you don't have the bucks, how about a $5 pizza with your resume taped to it. Drop it off at lunch time. I bet they read your resume. These are just 2 ideas to help get your creative juices flowing. Now get out there and get that job!

Manage Your Career in Recession....be Positive

2009-02-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

Recession, Recession the word is everywhere. When we hear this word we automatically think job losses and economic doom. It is all around us, the TV, websites and radio are all reporting stories of financial despair. What officially is a recession? A recession is the extended decline in the gross domestic product (GDP), typically two consecutive quarters. You may be wondering, if businesses are experiencing a decline, are they willing to hire? Is now the time for me to begin a job search and start a new career? Though hearing the word and thinking of the consequences stemming from the recession can be scary, rest assured there are still reasons to keep a positive outlook in a job search.

Over the next five years, 76 million baby boomers are expected to retire leaving large vacancies in the management ranks across many industries. According to The Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the areas expected to lose the most employees are Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing and Engineering. The expected shortage from the boomers departure will have a profound effect on the availability of jobs. Even with a recession, many of these retirements will still happen, and jobs will still be available.

There is more good news. Based on activity within the FPC system nationwide, biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, along with environmental, security and international business are just some of the areas with strong job activity.

Let’s take a look at steps you can take in your job search during an economic downturn.

1. Research your industry. Is your field growing or decreasing? Have job functions been removed? There are a number of online resources that can provide projections for specific areas. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (http://www.bls.gov),The Wall Street Journal (www.wsj.com), Barron’s (www.barrons.com), and Financial Times (www.ft.com) are a few sources. Look to your industry associations for information. They can tell you what is happening in your industry and give you a better idea of what the job market looks like. There are also a number of industry and business blogs which you can locate using a blog directory

2. Stay Flexible. If you are particularly interested in changing positions now, maintaining a flexible attitude toward transitioning your skills into a new area will help you broaden your reach and make you more marketable.

3. Evaluate your expertise. Have you expanded on your skills over time? What can you offer that others cannot? Are your skills transferable into another industry that is projected to stay strong?

4. Network. By networking you can find out about job openings that are not advertised. If you are hesitant about networking, read our article entitled “The Practical Guide to Networking.” The article is designed to help those people who do not feel particularly skilled at networking. Seeking informational interviews through networking is a way to get the word out about your job hunt and get some assistance from the inside.

5. Always have your resume ready. FPC has devoted an entire section of the website to resume writing, from writing an effective resume, and tailoring your resume, to not getting lost in a company’s database.

6. Partner with an expert. Find a mentor who can lead and support you through the process. A recruiter or a career counselor can help position you for a successful hunt. Recruiters also have access to positions that are not advertised to the general public and can highlight your achievements to potential employers.

7. Help others with their career search. Anyone who reaches out to help others network for their job search is more likely to receive reciprocal assistance. Whether you are looking for a job or not, always lend a hand to those you know are seeking networking help.

8. Maintain Your Online Presence. In today’s job market, it is vital for candidates to be cognizant of their online presence. This means knowing what a potential employer will find if they google your name. You do have some control over this, so make sure you put some effort into branding yourself online. This can mean a profile on the professional networking site LinkedIn, or social networking sites like Facebook, or any other place your name appears online where you have the opportunity to sell your qualifications. Read the article entitled “Social Networking Can Damage Your Job Search” for more information on managing your online presence.

Taking these steps will make you more marketable and competitive in your search.

It’s also important that you lay the groundwork now for a successful search. That means, taking steps where you are now to pack your resume with accomplishments will help you stand out in the crowd. Some of the things you can do within your current company to help your job search include:

1. Seek ways to cut costs. Find areas of waste within your company. Suggest ways of efficient spending in the workplace.

2. Increase your visibility. Be noticed in positive ways. Leave a great impression each day with co-workers and supervisors.

3. Go above and beyond. Work beyond your job title and description. Volunteer for additional responsibilities that can be highlighted on your resume.

4. Skill advancement. Take a few classes or attend career enhancement workshops. You can also take online software classes – often for free. Even if you don’t use a given software at your company, learning an industry standard software is very important.

5. Keep a positive attitude. Be professional at all times. Be a team player and promote a positive morale within the office. People remember this, and you will need your coworkers to provide glowing references to potential employers. A disgruntled employee rarely gets a positive reference.

If you’re not working in a promising career field, focus on your skills that can be used in other industries and consider changing your career path if necessary. Plan your next move, network and research different industries to find your niche. There are many tools online that can help.

Make your Boss Proud of You

2008-09-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

With today problem of jobs lay-offs, and strict job competition, you initiate to make sure that you keep your job in your hand. After all, you don't want to relive depressions of job hunting and application. And now you have a job and have comfort with your colleagues and the condition of your work, so it's the good time for you to save your position and create a good impression on your bosses.

Here a list to help you know your boss's favor and raise your career up.

1. Communicate Effectively

Good and effective communication among colleagues and their bosses is necessary to keep the company running smoothly. When you've just performed the job, try to ask relevant questions to help you understand what the company expects of you, and what you can expect from your employers. Ask some questions and showing interest in your work will indicate that you're proactive and willing to take initiative, characters that will certainly make your employer take notice of you.

2. Know your boss’ dislike

Try to find out from your colleagues exactly what bugging your boss the most, or what you should pay attention for when dealing with him or her.. Some of these employees have worked with your boss for several years, and they can give you a lot of advice about your employer's behavior or unusual quirks.
3. Love and embrace your work

Managers and bosses obviously want to see their employees accomplish their tasks with great enthusiasm and energy, a telltale sign that you care about what you can contribute to the well-being of the company. Learn to love your job! Once you do this, your boss will immediately see that you're an indispensable and valuable part of the company, and will most probably eye you for bigger and better projects in the future.

Be a Game Tester (Game Tester Job Information)

2008-08-14T00:14:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for video game tester career information, then you have hit the jackpot. Video game testing is not just for bums and dropouts - its a serious career where you can potentially earn a killer salary. This article will give you an idea of what you need to be able to make a career of games testing, and what is the best way to start.

1 - Getting A Job

I got involved in games testing via contacts I had with a friend who worked as a game programmer. Today there are far easier ways to land game testing jobs. There are some legitimate game tester guides available which will connect you with the best jobs available at gaming companies. You do need to be wary, as there as also some scam products out there. Always look for testimonials, and recommendations. A great way to do this is to jump on a few forums - you will quickly be able to sniff out the guides which don't deliver.

2 - Game Testing Is A Career Not A Hobby

Obviously you are reading this article because you are serious about making video game testing into a career. This is very important as despite the fact getting paid to play video games is pretty much a dream job, you need to take it seriously - and gaming companies will reward you for doing so. If you prove that you are reliable then you will have the best chance of securing an abundance of future jobs.

3 - Always Meet Deadlines

When you get you first job, make sure that you deliver on time. You will most likely be expected to fill out a survey form in relation to the bugs and issues you find with the unreleased game. Make sure you get the job done on time, and gaming companies will reward you with more jobs. Trust me, this is good video game tester career information.

4 - Be Specific When Describing Bugs And Issues

You need to be able to be as specific as possible when describing potential issues with games. A game programmer will be dealing with your feedback, so there is certainly no need to simplify or summarise the issues you find. Again, I know for a fact the more information and the more specific you can be, the more you will be rewarded. Any mistake a programmer makes when creating a game can potentially cost the gaming companies millions of dollars.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you some video game tester career information, and perhaps a direction in starting your journey to becoming a video game tester. Be persistent and show that you are through, and you will have no problem making a career out of it. Remember the gaming industry is worth billions, and is only set to grow further, so there will always be a need for eager video game testers.

The Pepsi Job.....It's About Economic Job

2008-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

In an era where the principal of economically sound is the foundation in considering any career, one must look at the industry and historical behavior to determine the security of that particular position. Case in point, Pepsi jobs, the worldâ€™s second largest beverage producer historically remains unaffected by economic downturn.

In an article provided on CNBCâ€™s Stock Blog, titled Recession-Proof 'Pop' Stocks the idea of snack food companies, including Pepsi continue to hit forecasted numbers. This result is largely a factor of being in control of so many variables and masterly being able to tweak certain components to end with the desired result. With that said, American and global desire for certain brands do not deflate as the pocket book becomes tighter because of inflated fuel costs, food and other staples.

In a career, an economically sound and stable company is a high priority for job seekers, many of who have recently been downsized or laid off from other industries. Pepsi Cola is an excellent company for anyone looking for a sound job. A Pepsi job can provide a moderate level of income, career advancement, benefits, satisfaction and more.

There are many different jobs available at Pepsi:

Warehouse worker: A warehouse worker is responsible for loading and unloading trucks, securing product, counting product, and preparing the necessary paperwork for documenting the trucks. Average Wage: $15.50/HR

Merchandiser: A merchandiser generally works in large grocery stores and is responsible for taking product from the stock room and placing it on the stores shelves, coolers, and displays. Merchandising is a physically demanding job and requires a very motivated worker. Average Wage: $14.25/HR

Driver: A local Pepsi driver delivers product from warehouse/plant to grocery stores, restaurants, businesses, and event locations as needed. The driver is responsible for managing thousands of dollars of inventory between the warehouse and final destination. The requires vigilance of product quantities and quality. A Pepsi driver can experience anywhere from light to heavy physical activity demanding on the specific driving job. Average Wage: $19.30/HR

Sales Professional: A Pepsi Salesman effectively writes the orders for most stores that sell Pepsi Product. This Pepsi Job aligns itself with industry norms where the salesman is responsible for store inventory levels, generally eliminating the need for a store to devote time to write the order. Another responsibility of a Pepsi Salesman is selling in and maintaining new products and programs in order to increase business and volume. This position requires low to moderate levels of physical activity. Average Wage: $26/HR, including bonuses

All in all, a Pepsi job is an economically safe position, while providing moderate income potential.

Job Interview Terror :: "The Answer of Top Popular Job Interview"

2008-08-04T02:25:00.000-07:00

Every job interview features two broad categories of questions:

(1) Questions specific to the role, and
(2) General questions.

We have compiled a list of some of the general/popular questions and have given advice on each.

Remember one thing though – no matter how good you are, you must not slouch, fidget, look distracted or appear over-eager while answering any question at an interview.

Instead maintain a calm, confident and positive appearance and answer the questions honestly.

Here are the general questions and their answers:

"Tell us more about yourself".

Reconcile your personality with the skills required for the job and then answer the question honestly. Basically, the interviewer wants to know how you are tailored for the job and whether you have it in you to deliver the goods over the medium-long term. So before going for the interview, research and understand the skills needed and honestly put across your take on why you consider yourself the right person for the job.

"How well do you work in teams?"

Most jobs are successfully accomplished only by team effort and all organizations look to hire team players. You must extract the best "team" moments from your past job/s experience/s and convince the interviewer how you have achieved success in the past working with teams. If you are being interviewed for a senior position, then you have to mention how you have motivated teams in the past to achieve excellent results for past employer/s.

"Talk about your strengths and weaknesses".

This is a show-and-tell question. Talk about your best skills, whip out your e-portfolio (or print portfolio) and display the evidence of all your hard work. Here you must talk about your strengths that reconcile with the demands of the current job. As far as weaknesses go, you have to be honest and because if the employer gets the feeling you're hiding something, he won't hire you. However, after describing a weakness, you should also add how you can overcome adversity and convert it into opportunity.

"How do you handle deadlines and the stress associated with them?"

Stress is everywhere and you have likely encountered stressful situations in your job. There's no other way but to tell the employer honestly how you have tackled stress in the workplace in the past and how do you propose to tackle it going ahead.

"Why do you consider yourself the best person for the job?"

Well this is subtle sales pitch time. State your case confidently and calmly. Add whatever you have researched to your experience and apply it to real-life work situations you are likely to encounter and offer your solutions and ideas. If your replies carry weight and your solutions are creative and practical, you will get the job.

"Do you have any questions to ask?"

Candidates, who don't ask any questions of the employer are perceived to be lacking initiative and motivation, so research the job and the history of the company and pose intelligent questions about them.

Retirement is Death....Keep Working

2008-08-04T01:23:00.000-07:00

According Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, a Singapore elder statesman who turns 85 this year at a recent silver industry conference, the secret to his longevity is attributed to his active life and the fact that he has never stopped working. In his own words, "We got to educate those about to retire: Don't retire, work. Retirement means death." Is this inferred to also mean that we should all be working till death?

In Japan, people really do work to their deaths! They even have a term for it, "Karoshi", which means death from overwork. Because of peer pressure to keep up with or out-do their colleagues or competitors, some Japanese work at such frenzied pace that they end up dying from a heart attack or stroke due to the overwhelming amount levels of overtime and stress!

For most people, their main purpose in life is to retire comfortably. In order to attain this goal, many defer enjoyment and leisure to work as hard as they possibly can, save as much money, and hopefully be able to stop working by the time they reach their sixties. Only when they retire would they try to sit back, relax, pursue their hobbies and try to enjoy the rest of their later years. But with the soaring costs of living and erosion in the value of money, how practical can this dream retirement be? We would probably have to settle for much less as we watch our savings deplete and get eroded away by inflation. It has become a worrying fact that not many of us would be able to afford a comfortable retirement with the same high standard of living we had before we retire. Even if we do manage to save enough money, would we have the energy or health to start pursuing our interests only then after leading such a hectic work life previously?

I agree that retirement means death, but only if pursue retirement as an end goal by itself. What do I mean by this? It means that we should not be working for work's sake in order to attain retirement as the starting point to enjoy life. When you are in your sixties, what if you find that after deferring gratification by burying yourself in work for so many years, you end up not finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? You end up losing the sense of purpose and meaning to your life and this is a very frightening prospect.

My suggestion is this, to start doing what you love NOW! Be it a hobby or interest, I'm sure there's ways to start earning money from it either in a related job or as your own business venture. If work is your passion, it becomes play and I'm sure that you will never ever going to stop pursuing what you love doing until you die. In this way, retirement becomes an irrelevant concept and you can be deriving gratification, a sense of purpose and meaning from work at the same time!

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Herman Cain

So start doing what you love now and you'll never look at work in the same light again!