Job Market Survival Guide

Ten Dumb Things Said During Job Interviews

2012-09-25T06:33:00.002-07:00

My best interviews are when I am totally relaxed and talking to the interviewer like they are a personal friend while still maintaing some degree of formality.

Thw worst interview I have ever had was held at a sushi restaurant in Denver! I kid you not! Who goes to Denver for sushi!First of all, I fly in from Seattle, meet with two people and the third person decides to take me out to lunch at a sushi restaurant. I did not want to smell fishy for the fourth and last interview so I decided to order something other than sushi which tuned out to be garlicky! It was just miserable! Needless to say, the rest of the day went downhill from there. I didn't get the job offer but had absolutely no desire to move to Denver any way. Now whenever I think of Denver I think about sushi and what not to do in an interview!

Career Advice Mar 12 2012

Ten Dumb Things Said During Job Interviews

By kelly eggers

We've all experienced it. That sinking feeling that occurs when the job interview that was going so well suddenly goes off track. Maybe it's the expression on the hiring manager's face, or the awkward pause that ensues, but there is little doubt when it happens

Common interview mistakes, of course, include bad mouthing your former employer, failing to adequately research the company or the position and just plain talking too much. Careerbuilder.com, a job posting site, publishes an annual list of 10 interview blunders, including asking the hiring manager for a ride home or flushing the toilet during a phone interview.

Thanks to the rise of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, dumb interview moves are taking on a new character. The urge to share everything about one's life with friends and strangers via cyberspace is invading the very private atmosphere of the recruiter's office. Moreover, the need to stand out in the information cacophony of the Web has increased the pressure to seem unique and special.

"We've been socialized to assume that we have to stand out in some way, and we're encouraged to be bold," says Roy Cohen, author of "The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide" and a New York City-based career coach. "But that is not necessarily what people are looking for in candidates to bring on board. They want people who fit in."

Oversharing has now become an occupational hazard of the job hunt. Here are 10 examples of when too much information was, well, really too much information:

"My apologies for being late, my husband and I were fighting. It happens all the time."
"One individual arrived 20 minutes late for her interview," says Lisa Chenofsky Singer, an executive and career management coach based in New Jersey. While the pair walked to grab the candidate a cup of water, Chenofsky Singer asked how the commute had been. "She in turn told me that her commute was horrid, and she and her husband had fought on who was responsible for dropping their child off at day care," she explains. "I followed up with 'Is this a typical morning?' She replied that this is why she lost her last job, and continued on to tell me that the company had no respect for families."

Not only has the candidate revealed that she's having persistent marital problems, but before she's even sat down for her initial interview, she's indicated that those issues impact her ability to arrive on time to the office, and she expects the employer to be tolerant of it. "You get so much out of a candidate in that short walk to the coffee station. People talk much more informally then," Chenofsky Singer says. "She had such a great resume," but knowing that her client was already frantic, "I knew I couldn't bring more chaos into his life, I had to make it simpler."

Source -- read more: http://www.fins.com/Finance/Articles/SBB0001424052970204781804577272044012778530/Ten-Dumb-Things-People-Have-Said-During-Job-Interviews?link=FINS_mostpop_CS_careerpage&Type=3

The Ten Worst Things to Put in Your Cover Letter

2012-09-25T05:37:00.001-07:00

Some recruiters are of the opinion that cover letters are not necessary. However, if you are going to use a cover letter be sure to do it right. Sindhu Sundar of Career Advice has put together a list of of "What Not to Do in Your Cover Letter", if you are going to use one.

Career Advice Aug 08 2011

The Ten Worst Things to Put in Your Cover Letter

By sindhu sundar

It's never too early to make a bad impression.
A cover letter or introductory email is often the first thing a potential employer sees when reviewing a job applicant. It's the first opportunity to impress recruiters and hiring managers and, therefore, the first opportunity to disappoint them. Everything from copy mistakes to inappropriate jokes in a cover letter could derail an application.
Here are the top ten worst things to put on a cover letter:

1. Next to Nothing

While writing something that's too long is a common cover letter mistake, what can be even more damaging is a cover letter that's too short.

Bruce Hurwitz, President of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, Ltd., a New York-based staffing firm recalls a cover letter he received a few months ago for an entry-level IT sales position. It read simply, "Here's my resume. Call me. [Phone number]."

"I cracked up," Hurwitz says. "This person had only just graduated with a Bachelor's degree. It was ridiculous."

A good cover letter should be somewhere between 200 to 250 words, Hurwitz says, and should answer the question of why a recruiter should look at the resume. "The key is to highlight one success," Hurwitz says. "For example, 'I successfully increased sales 500% over two years, resulting in increased, sustained revenue of $25 million.' Once I read that, I look at the resume."

2. Criticism of a Prospective Employer

Thumbtack.com, a San Francisco-based site that connects customers with small business services, asked potential employees to submit in their cover letters feedback about their website. One candidate, a contender for an entry-level position in April, didn't pull any punches.
"The engineering of your site looks lazy and ineffective," the applicant wrote, proceeding to describe the color scheme of the site as "disconcerting to my eyes."

Needless to say, he was not considered for the position, though not before the hiring manager got in some laughs around the water cooler at his expense.

"We forwarded the cover letter to our managers sort of as a joke," says Sander Daniels, co-founder of the site. "It was the most caustic feedback we received. But we responded kindly to him -- we didn't suggest any improvements to him in approaching other employers. We don't see it as our role to counsel failed candidates."

Daniels observed that while many strong candidates turn in well-written cover letters, some have let the demand for engineers get to their heads, as Silicon Valley romances them with six-figure salaries and other job perks.

"Maybe they think they can get away with it -- but in our company, culture is a very important factor." Daniels says. "Even if Facebook's best engineer came to us, we wouldn't hire him if he was a jerk."

3. Personal Stories

While employers are sometimes interested in personal stories, especially if they give some idea about work ethic, it's best to save these stories for the interview, says Lindsay Olson of New York-based Paradigm Staffing, who specializes in recruiting communications and marketing professionals.

"I think my favorite of all time was the salesperson who poetically told me about how he decided to run a marathon, climbed to reach glaciers to have a taste of pure water, ran at heights of 5,000 meters in Peru, and biked down the world's most dangerous road and survived (over 300,000 have not)," says Olson, of a candidate who was applying for a business development position at a recruiting firm in June last year. "All this in his opening paragraph."

If you are asked in an interview about your hobbies and adventures, be prepared with a strong answer, says Olson. "What a [job candidate] likes to do outside of work might show how they are in their job," she says. "As a hiring manager, what you don't like to hear is, 'I just like to sit around at home and read books all day.'"

4. Awkward Language

Rachel Levy, director of marketing at Just Military Loans, a Wilmington, Del.-based personal loan service for military personnel, got a letter last week from a candidate who seemed to be expressing lukewarm interest in an IT analyst position.

"My name is xxx. I am pretty interested in the IT analyst position at Just Military Loans," the letter began.

Levy says she sees many applications, especially for IT jobs, to have grammatical and other language flaws. "What I've noticed is that there are a lot of people applying to these jobs, for whom English is a second language," Levy says. "So the connotations of certain words and phrases may not be clear to them. Which is fine, but they should get someone to help word their intentions correctly."

In this case, Levy thinks the applicant meant "very" instead of "pretty," but she'll never know because that applicant didn't get an interview.

Source - Read more: http://www.fins.com/Finance/Articles/SB131281414544931041/The-Ten-Worst-Things-to-Put-in-Your-Cover-Letter?link=FINS_mostpop_CS_careerpage&Type=3

Intelligence Is Overrated: What You Really Need To Succeed - Forbes

2012-04-24T23:39:00.001-07:00

Intelligence Is Overrated: What You Really Need To Succeed - Forbes

10 Things You Need To Do While You're Unemployed - Forbes

2012-04-24T23:38:00.001-07:00

10 Things You Need To Do While You're Unemployed - Forbes

Why Should I Hire You? - Meghan Casserly - Forbes

2012-02-15T03:23:00.000-08:00

Why Should I Hire You? - Meghan Casserly - Forbes

Top Executive Recruiters Agree There Are Only Three True Job Interview Questions - Forbes

2012-02-15T03:22:00.000-08:00

Top Executive Recruiters Agree There Are Only Three True Job Interview Questions - Forbes

Improve Your Job Performance, Attitude, and Ratings

2012-01-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

Improve Your Job Performance, Attitude, and Ratings

IRS Tax Tip 2012-11: Everyone is Eligible to Free File!

2012-01-18T13:26:00.000-08:00

IRS Tax Tip 2012-11: Everyone is Eligible to Free File!

College grads look for edge in hard job market - KTAR.com

2012-01-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

College grads look for edge in hard job market - KTAR.com

Our Ever-Changing Job Market - Cumming, GA Patch

2012-01-03T18:54:00.000-08:00

Our Ever-Changing Job Market - Cumming, GA Patch

Job market helps military attract recruits | The Columbus Dispatch

2012-01-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Job market helps military attract recruits | The Columbus Dispatch

msnbc video: Boomtown: Looking for a job? Head north.

2011-11-15T02:18:00.000-08:00

msnbc video: Boomtown: Looking for a job? Head north.

Is working from home a good idea? - Slate Magazine

2011-11-13T01:20:00.000-08:00

Is working from home a good idea? - Slate Magazine

7 Companies On a Hiring Spree | BNET

2011-09-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

7 Companies On a Hiring Spree | BNET

6 Online Networking Mistakes to Avoid - CBS MoneyWatch.com

2010-11-25T04:26:00.000-08:00

6 Online Networking Mistakes to Avoid - CBS MoneyWatch.com

Job Interview Tips - CBS MoneyWatch.com

2010-11-25T04:17:00.000-08:00

Job Interview Tips - CBS MoneyWatch.com

How to Write a Resume: Examples of What Not to Do - CBS MoneyWatch.com

2010-11-25T04:16:00.000-08:00

How to Write a Resume: Examples of What Not to Do - CBS MoneyWatch.com

10 Disappearing Jobs: Judge - CBS MoneyWatch.com

2010-11-25T04:13:00.000-08:00

10 Disappearing Jobs: Judge - CBS MoneyWatch.com

9 Insider Secrets to Getting Hired

2010-11-19T04:16:00.000-08:00

Click on the link to to scroll through the website to read the 9 Insider Secrets to Getting Hired.

50 Buzzwords You Shouldn't Use on Your Resume

2010-11-19T03:49:00.000-08:00

If you are still using the same resume format that you created five years ago, it may be woefully out of date and needs to be revamped. The article below discusses keywords that you should avoid on your resume, if you want to be taken seriously.

Karen Burns, On Wednesday November 17, 2010, 10:08 am EST

You've written your resume. You poured a lot of effort into the page that will represent you, and you can't wait to distribute it far and wide.

Not so fast. Before you send that puppy out, check it for buzzwords. Like "team player." Or "detail-oriented." Or "accustomed to fast-paced environments."

Here's why you should avoid them: They're vague. They make your resume look like everyone else's. They're probably not among the keywords employers search for. They take up space on your resume that could be used for strong, concrete, specific examples of what you've accomplished, the work you've produced, and how hiring you would benefit your potential employer. Buzzwords are tired and overused, cliches that have lost their meaning over time.

Most importantly, every buzzword is a lost opportunity.

You want your resume to stand out. The best way to sell yourself is to show, don't tell. Explain your accomplishments rather than spouting them off in trite ways.

So check your resume for these boilerplate words and phrases. If you find them, replace them--or at the very least, elaborate upon them--with real-life, specific examples.

1. Team player

2. Detailed-oriented

[See 21 Secrets to Getting the Job.]

3. Proven track record of success

4. Experienced

5. Excellent communication skills

6. Leadership skills

7. Go-to person

8. Managed cross-functional teams

9. Exceptional organizational skills

10. Self-starter

11. Results-oriented professional

12. Bottom-line orientated

13. Works well with customers

14. Strong negotiation skills

15. Goal-oriented

16. People-person

17. Dynamic

[See How to Use a Job Rejection to Your Advantage.]

18. Innovative

19. Proven ability

20. Top-flight

21. Motivated

22. Bottom-line focused

23. Responsible for

24. Assisted with

25. Skilled problem solver

26. Accustomed to fast-paced environments

27. Strong work ethic

28. Works well with all levels of staff

29. Met (or exceeded) expectations

30. Savvy business professional

31. Strong presentation skills

32. Looking for a challenging opportunity

33. Cutting-edge

34. Multi-tasker

35. Proactive

36. Seasoned professional

37. Perfectionist

38. Highly skilled

39. Functioned as

40. Duties included

41. Actions encompassed

42. Best-in-class

43. Strategic thinker

44. Trustworthy

[For more career advice, visit U.S. News Careers.]

45. Flexible

46. Works well under pressure

47. Quick learner

48. Partnered with others

49. Results-focused

50. Out-of-the-box thinker

Finally, here's one more phrase you don't need to include on your resume: "References furnished upon request." It's assumed that you'll offer references if the employer asks, so don't clutter your resume with those unnecessary words.

Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book The Amazing Adventures of Working Girl: Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use, recently released by Running Press. She blogs at www.karenburnsworkinggirl.com.

More streamlined federal application process puts focus on your resume

2010-10-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

More streamlined federal application process puts focus on your resume

washingtonpost.com

Wednesday, October 13, 2010; 11:32 PM

Look for federal careers expert Derrick T. Dortch's column on government jobs on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month.

If you're interested in a federal government job, then no doubt you're aware that President Obama has ordered an overhaul of hiring practices.

Among the changes: a requirement that applicants respond to essay-style questions with their initial application is being eliminated; applicants will be able simply to submit resumes and cover letters or be asked to complete plain-language applications; and managers and supervisors with responsibility for hiring are to be more fully engaged in the process, from identifying the skills for a job to recruitment and the interview process. Until now, human resources handled it all, often without much input.

Though the deadline for initiating changes is Nov. 1, some agencies have already killed the essay questions, such as KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities), ECQs (Executive Core Qualifications) and MAFs (Mandatory Assessment Factors), in the initial application. Other agencies have been slower to change.

What hasn't slowed is the level of competition for federal jobs. It's intense. Many announcements are getting thousands of applications. And with the elimination of the initial essay questions, those numbers are only going to increase. That means prospective hires are going to have to be even more on top of their game.

And in the federal job game, resumes are going to become even more important.

It's important to keep in mind that essay questions won't disappear. Many agencies are now asking people to address the KSAs within the resume itself.

Here's an example: A recent announcement for executive director, acquisition strategy and business relations, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology for the Department of Veteran Affairs said this in the "How to Apply" section:

"To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package, which includes all of the following parts. 1) Resume which demonstrates your experience, accomplishment, training, education and awards reflecting your ability to meet each of the mandatory technical and executive core qualification requirement(s) for this position. Elaborate on your experience and accomplishments, highlighting your level of responsibilities, scope and complexity of programs managed, work objectives met (the results of your effort), policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Ensure your resume does not exceed five (5) pages. Information beyond the five page resume will not be evaluated. Do not submit the application form OF-612, Optional Application for Federal Employment in lieu of a resume. Do not submit separate narrative responses to address the technical and executive core qualifications."

This means that your resume can't be one or two pages, as is often the case in the private sector. It also means that the resume can't just be a job-descriptive sheet filled with keywords.

I see many clients who have resumes that read like job descriptions, with strategically placed keywords from a job announcement. There is nothing wrong with using keywords, but they're not the formula for a winning strategy. Your resume must include relevant success stories.

If 100 to 400 people have used the same keyword strategy, what makes you stand apart? What really sells you is telling relevant success stories and showing what you have achieved. Those are the kind of details that will show your potential for future success.

There are many more reasons why your resume is going to become more important to the federal job search. Look for more tips in my next column.

Note: Previously I mentioned a site from the Partnership for Public Service that focuses on internships. The site is at www.makingthedifference.org.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/13/AR2010101307680.html?wpisrc=nl_fed

Future Leaders | The Female Touch

2010-09-14T23:48:00.000-07:00

Are you aiming to climb the corporate ladder?

If you’ve recently graduated in Engineering, Science or Business, or have a few years of experience in a leading company, then top players are waiting to meet you.

Join us in CaeersinEurope.com, for two days of interviews with international recruiters and workshops on personal and professional development. Help shape tomorrow’s business.

An exclusive event, by invitation only. Free accommodation.

Participating Companies

Partners

Source: http://www.careersineurope.com/companies/189/live/1008/Top-Women--Top-Careers/partners

How to Deal With a Bad Boss: Don't!

2010-08-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

By Steve Tobak | August 23, 2010

We spend an inordinate amount of time decrying and complaining about our bosses. Just looking at BNET posts alone, you’d think all bosses are complete idiots, dysfunctional jerks, micromanaging a-holes … or that they just plain suck.

Don’t get me wrong. Examining bad management behavior is the only way to improve it. And there are times when we can all use a little help learning to cope with a dysfunctional boss. That said, most blogs on bad bosses quickly deteriorate into whine-fests that sound remarkably like children crying about how their parents are mean and just don’t get it.

Well, I’ve got news for you. When you behave like a victim, wallow in self pity, or act like you’re entitled to something better, not only does it do you no good, but you may end up getting yourself fired or doing real harm to your career. To help you avoid that, here’s a dose of reality about dealing with problem bosses:

If you go head-to-head with your boss, you’ll lose. In What They Don’t Teach You in Harvard Business School, Mark McCormack describes a situation where an employee got into a heated exchange with his boss and got himself fired. “No matter how wrong or intemperate his boss might have been, that, unfortunately, was now a nonissue. The situation did not reflect well on this particular employee’s boss — but his boss still had a job.”

You actually have choices; exercise them. That’s right, you can’t pick your boss, but if you don’t like him, it’s a free country, you can quit. If youEdit HTML like or need your job, on the other hand, then get over yourself and suck it up. The choice is yours. But if you decide to go over your boss’s head or to HR, don’t be surprised if it ends badly for you. You may not want to hear this, but from the company’s viewpoint, you’re just a thin-skinned troublemaker who they’d just as soon not have to deal with.

Did it ever occur to you that it may be you? I’m not trying to burst your bubble here, but maybe you’re not god’s gift to bosses. Maybe the boss would be more relieved to get rid of you than you are to get rid of him. Sure, nobody thinks he’s a rotten employee, but they’re out there, and in far greater numbers than rotten bosses. So, if you actually like or need your job, you might want to take a long look in the mirror before you do anything drastic.

Burned bridges have a way of piling up. Maybe you’re young and carefree now, but the choices you make and the behavior you exhibit today will follow you throughout your career. More and more, employers are checking references you don’t provide, and a few little red flags can add up to one big red flag that says, “don’t hire this guy.” The truth is, if you burn enough bridges, you may very well find yourself all alone on an island somewhere with nobody else in sight. No bosses, and no jobs, either.

Bottom line: Look, I’ve had more than my fair share of dysfunctional and abusive bosses, so I don’t mean to appear insensitive to what employees of crappy bosses really go through every day. Still, if you act subjectively without gaining some perspective, you may end up making things even worse for yourself. Just remember, you always have a choice. You can always quit.

Also check out:

Video clips from Prolango career seminars

2010-08-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask

2010-08-20T21:08:00.000-07:00

I attended a ProLango Consulting "Interviewing Mastery" seminar recently and one of the most important thins that I learned is to make the interview about the prospective employee and less about yourself. Try to determine why they are hiring to fill the position, what challenges the company is currently facing, and then discuss how you can make a difference.

Read the article below from BNET on "Job Interview Questions"

=========================================

The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask

By Brian Libby | February 27, 2007

There are no magic bullets when it comes to job interview questions, but the way you structure your queries is important: It's the interviewer's job to create a framework for the discussion and prevent it from running off the rails. Every company's needs are different, but a good basic strategy is to ground the interview in questions about past job performance. Then throw in some situational questions to evaluate practical decision making, and learn a little bit about how the job fits in with a candidate's biography.

Question #1: "How about those Yankees?"

Purpose: Develop the rapport needed to get the interview off the ground.
Every interview should begin with an icebreaker. It helps nervous applicants calm down and builds a sense of trust. If you have a 45-minute interview, you should spend at least the first five minutes trying to connect on a neutral topic. Make the person feel at ease and you'll solicit better information—and much more honest responses.
Alternate Version 1: "Did you go to the industry conference last week?"
Alternate Version 2: "Were you affected by the heat wave/cold snap?"
Alternate Version 3: "Did you have a good holiday?"

Question #2: "Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles."

Purpose: Get a clear picture of the candidate's past performance.
Variations on this question should actually comprise your next several questions. Don't hesitate to guide the candidate through the variety of tasks (both tangible and theoretical) necessary to perform the job, and listen carefully to how he or she has handled such challenges. Pay attention to intangibles: some people are better at performing in interviews than on the job. If your candidate continually plays the role of hero or victim, that's a red flag that you're probably not getting the whole story.
Alternate Version 1: "Tell me about a time when you wrote a report that was well received. Why do you think it was successful?"
Alternate Version 2: "Describe a time when you hired (or fired) the wrong person."
Alternate Version 3: "If you had to do that activity again, how would you do it differently?"

See Also: How to Conduct a Job Interview

Question #3: "What interests you about this position?"

Purpose: Find out how the candidate feels about the job and the company.
People apply for jobs for plenty reasons besides the obvious ones. Asking a candidate why he or she wants the position gives insight into their motivation. The answer may be personal (such as a narrative about what spurred them to seek a new job), or it may connect the candidate to the company: her experience with the brand, the mission statement, or the organization's role in the community. Any of these answers (or some combination) are acceptable—a personal answer can communicate trust, and a connection to the business indicates loyalty and a sense of ownership.
Alternate Version 1: "Where does this job fit into your career path?"
Alternate Version 2: "If you had to convince a friend or colleague to apply for this job, what might you tell them?"
Alternate Version 3: "What motivated you to apply for this job?"

Question #4: "Is there intelligent life in outer space?"

Purpose: Find out what kind of thinker the candidate is and how he deals with surprises.
This is your curveball, designed to make the candidate ad-lib instead of just reciting well-rehearsed answers. How much will he or she play along? As long as it's not too short or too long, virtually any response is a good one. But pay attention to attitude, the way the candidate approaches the problem, and the ease or difficulty they have in coming up with a response.
Alternate Version 1: "How many phone books are there in New York City?"
Alternate Version 2: "How do they get the cream filling inside a Twinkie?"
Alternate Version 3: "Why do people climb mountains?"

Question #5: "Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?"

Purpose: Learn about the candidate's judgment and decision-making skills.
This is an example of a situational question, which is like a behavioral question in that it's designed to assess judgment, but it's also like a curveball question because it illuminates the candidate's thought process. You want to see whether he demonstrates the competencies and priorities that are important to the job.
Alternate Version 1: "Say a coworker tells you that he submitted phony expense account receipts. Do you tell your boss?"
Alternate Version 2: "How would you handle an employee whose performance is fine but who you know has the potential to do better?"
Alternate Version 3: "What would you do if you got behind schedule with your part of a project?"

See Also: 10 Mistakes You’re Probably Making in Job Interviews

Question #6: "Why did you get into this line of work?"

Purpose: Measure the fit between the candidate's values and the culture of your company.
It risks a long, drawn-out answer, but this type of question will help you select candidates that fit your company's culture. It's not about finding people like you, or people with similar backgrounds that led them to your company, but about getting a sense of their values and motivations. Concepts like values and culture can be subjective and difficult to define, but you should be looking for someone whose work ethic, motivations, and methods match the company's. This isn't a quantitative measurement so much as a qualitative one. Coke and Pepsi may seem the same to people outside the soft-drink industry, but each houses people with different approaches to making cola and running a business. Alternate Version 1: "What do you like best about your current job?"
Alternate Version 2: "When did you realize this would be your career?"
Alternate Version 3: "What keeps you coming to work besides the paycheck?"

Question #7: "But enough about you. What about us?"

Purpose: Find out if the candidate has done his or her homework.
It's a cliché to end an interview with the standard, 'So, any questions?' But the fact remains that you really do want to let the candidate ask a few things of you. Reversing roles communicates that the company seeks an open a dialogue, and it helps you ascertain just how curious and knowledgeable a candidate is about your company. If he doesn't ask any questions about the job or the business, it's a safe bet his heart isn't in it. Listen for insightful questions that demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the circumstances of the job, the company, the competitive landscape, or the industry. Alternate Version 1: "Where do you think the company should be in ten years?"
Alternate Version 2: "What's your opinion of our new product?"
Alternate Version 3: "Have you seen the company's new ad campaign?"

More on BNET:

Job Market Survival Guide

Ten Dumb Things Said During Job Interviews

Ten Dumb Things Said During Job Interviews

Related

The Ten Worst Things to Put in Your Cover Letter

The Ten Worst Things to Put in Your Cover Letter

Intelligence Is Overrated: What You Really Need To Succeed - Forbes

10 Things You Need To Do While You're Unemployed - Forbes

Why Should I Hire You? - Meghan Casserly - Forbes

Top Executive Recruiters Agree There Are Only Three True Job Interview Questions - Forbes

Improve Your Job Performance, Attitude, and Ratings

IRS Tax Tip 2012-11: Everyone is Eligible to Free File!

College grads look for edge in hard job market - KTAR.com

Our Ever-Changing Job Market - Cumming, GA Patch

Job market helps military attract recruits | The Columbus Dispatch

msnbc video: Boomtown: Looking for a job? Head north.

Is working from home a good idea? - Slate Magazine

7 Companies On a Hiring Spree | BNET

6 Online Networking Mistakes to Avoid - CBS MoneyWatch.com

Job Interview Tips - CBS MoneyWatch.com

How to Write a Resume: Examples of What Not to Do - CBS MoneyWatch.com

10 Disappearing Jobs: Judge - CBS MoneyWatch.com

9 Insider Secrets to Getting Hired

50 Buzzwords You Shouldn't Use on Your Resume

More streamlined federal application process puts focus on your resume

Future Leaders | The Female Touch

Participating Companies

How to Deal With a Bad Boss: Don't!

Video clips from Prolango career seminars

The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask

The 7 Interview Questions You Must Ask

Question #1: "How about those Yankees?"

Question #2: "Talk about a time when you had to overcome major obstacles."

Question #3: "What interests you about this position?"

Question #4: "Is there intelligent life in outer space?"

Question #5: "Imagine we've just hired you. What's the most important thing on your to-do list on the first day of work?"

Question #6: "Why did you get into this line of work?"

Question #7: "But enough about you. What about us?"