Get That Job Fast

Career Change Tips

2011-11-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

If you're considering a career change think carefully about what really drives you. At first, you might find it hard to get past thinking about “what pays the most” or “what’s the most secure”, especially in today’s economy.

Step # 1: Evaluate your strengths and skills

Once you know where your personal interests lie, take the time to figure out what skills you have and what skills you need. Remember, you’re not starting from scratch – you can often use the skills you already have as a starting point.

Skills, such as a flair for managing others, are called “transferable skills” and they can be applied to almost any field. When weighing up your expertise, don’t limit your skills and experiences to your work environment. And don’t only rely on yourself to help you find them. Brainstorm with trusted friends, colleagues or mentors. They might remind you of transferable skills you’ve forgotten about and help you think of how you could use them in the future.

Step #2: Don’t take on too much at once

A career change won’t happen overnight, you may need to learn new skills or brush up on existing ones to pursue your dream job. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the steps to successfully change careers. So break down large goals into smaller ones and accomplish at least one small thing a day to keep your momentum going.

Step #3: Ease slowly into your new job

Take time to network, volunteer and, if you can, even work part-time in your new field before fully committing to it. Not only will doing this make the transition easier, but you’ll be able to make sure you’re on the right path and make any necessary changes before you’re working in your new field. Don’t risk rushing into a change just because you’re unhappy in your current job. If you don’t take the time to make the right choice, you could end up in an even worse position than before.

Step #4: Don’t let these obstacles stand in your way

It’s always challenging to make a huge change and there may be many reasons why you may think changing careers later in life isn’t possible.

Here are some common obstacles and how to overcome them:

· It’s too much work to change careers: If you sit down and map out a rough plan of attack, breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones, it’ll be a lot more manageable than you think.

· I’m too old to change jobs: Remember, the more you’ve worked, the more likely you are to have skills you can transfer to a new career. You’re never too old to change your path.

· In this economy, I’m lucky to have a job. I don’t want to rock the boat: In today’s climate, it might feel like too much of a risk to consider changing careers. But if you’re unhappy in your current job, doing research on other options will only benefit you in the long run. You may discover a career with a more stable long-term outlook than your current career.

Visit: http://www.mystudent4life.com/

Use Mental Rehearsal to Get a Job Fast

2011-06-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

School: Students and Fresh graduates Jobs

If you have made an application for a job and you have an interview coming up, plan for the interview in advance. Go over in your mind all the various job interview questions that are likely to be asked. Think about the job interview answers you are going to give, then rehearse the interview in your mind. Even if none of the job interview questions you have rehearsed come up, the rehearsal practice will still work. It will give you confidence and help you react spontaneously to whatever situation you find yourself in, because you would have practiced reacting spontaneously. In a job interview, you are selling yourself. You are the product and its sales representative. For most interviews you have the luxury of time, to research, plan and prepare, so use the time to your advantage by using your imagination to construct and rehearse the perfect job interview, so that when the actual interview take place, you will be relaxed, confident and comfortable. To learn more about how to prepare for interviews visit: http://www.mystudent4life.com/

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Job Interview Questions, CV & Cover Letter Writing Tips to find a job fast

2011-05-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this guide is to serve as supplementary assistance to those people starting their careers or looking to change careers. Success at getting called for an interview and actually being hired has a lot more to do with understanding the real secrets of how to write dynamic covering letters, effective CVs and how to answer interview questions – and little to do with sending hundreds of application letters for hundreds of vacancies.

Your Resume and Covering Letter should Emphasis your Key Skills

Students spend a lot of money studying at university and yet the most important aspect of finding a job is not addressed adequately by the educational institutions. Students are guided on fields of study and careers they could follow but are not taught what curriculum vitae should contain how it should be compiled and what to do in order to find a job. It is no wonder so many students cannot find work.

Often recruiters are overworked and are under pressure to fill vacancies. The pressure compels them to scan resumes as quickly as possible to have the vacancy filled as soon as possible. During the process of selection it is sometimes difficult to identify the right candidates because the recruiter may look for candidates that fulfils the exact requirements rather than looking at transferable and portable skills or potential talent. Any recruiter who reads your application letter should be able to grasp from your cover letter whether it is worth her while continuing reading the rest of your resume. If your CV and covering letter does not emphasis your key skills when preparing your details for entry into the marketplace, you will lose out on the interview.

Carefully edit out any boring and self-serving tired expressions, such as;

Ø ‘Responsible for…’

Ø ‘Highly motivated…’

Ø ‘Seasoned MBA with 20 years’ experience…’

Ø 'Dynamic, results-oriented team player who 'think outside the box ';

Say what’s different, exciting, vital, and strategic about you. Be bold and courageous. If you’re great, say it, and prove it.

The fact is, if you’re only looking for a job using one way, sending hundreds of resumes in the old fashion way, you’re likely leaving many effective opportunities you could be using to find a job. The methods of finding a job you will learn in this book will help you attract prospective employers and increase your chances to get a job fast. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, “What They Didn’t Teach You In School: Life Long Learning Tips To Land A Job Straight Out Of School” offer you a detailed look at many of today’s most important job search strategies, tips and tricks–explaining how each one works. Page by page, you’ll become familiar with a variety of job hunting approaches, including:

· writing dynamic covering letters- sample cover letters provided

· writing effective CVs - resumes examples & formats provided

· Interview questions and tips

· Complementary skills such as your transferable and portable skills

· Job skills assessment and more.

Whether you are a student with a high school certificate looking for a job, an undergraduate seeking temporary employment, or a graduate starting off in search of a career, or you just want to change careers, you will find easy-to-follow strategies and cover letter samples which will help and guide you step-by-step on your way to finding a job. It does not matter whether you have held jobs elsewhere before; you have to treat your job hunt as if you are looking for a job for the first time. After all, you are looking for a job for the first time in a different industry or organization every time you write a letter of application for a vacancy where you have not held a job before. It is obvious therefore that these guidelines are relevant to everyone.

If you’re ready to find a job fast, adopting a multi-channel approach to your career search today will guarantee you success tomorrow. And with this book as your guide, you’ll quickly discover how using multiple job hunting methods can help develop and deepen your knowledge as well as improve your chances of winning the interviews and finding a job fast.

How to Write a Covering Letter?

The first step to actually getting a job interview is to create an attention-getting cover letter. Your cover letter is a piece of information that lets’ a potential employer know what your skills are and whether you would make a perfect fit for the available position. Many people think that cover letters are merely a concise summary of what is in your resume, or at least a list of signposts that point to what they’ll read about later. Effective cover letters however are more than that. Cover letters are a platform to sell your application, to brand yourself using differentiating attributes and strengths and merging these with your qualifications and experience. A cover letter helps you to clarify and communicate differences and specialties and how to use those qualities to guide your career. It also helps you to highlight your strengths, skills, passions and values and to separate yourself from other candidates. If you have 3 years’ experience in a sales environment, and you have applied for a position elsewhere for a senior position in a related field, you have not only acquired experience in selling but you have also learned a skill in selling. In order for your resume not to be rejected for a senior managerial position, you have to highlight this transferable skill clearly in your covering letter. That is why your covering letter must contain concise relevant information that catches the eye of the recruiter. It is in your application letter where you have to use persuasive writing that creates a professional identity or profile about yourself. Your cover letter must be as detailed and informative as possible, without going beyond a one-page limit.

Whether you have experience or not this guide will provide you with sample covering letters to enable you to write your own cover letters that will grab the attention of hiring managers. Remember getting noticed for vacancies amongst hundreds of resumes is the only way to get a job.

How to Write a CV?

Much advice has been given and numerous books have been written on how to write CVs or resumes. You may have read statements such as “resumes should never be more than two pages,” or “don’t choose a coloured paper.” The fact is, there is no universal format, but there are some guidelines to follow, whenever you are writing your resume. The most important factor to keep in mind when writing curriculum vitaes is that it should get the immediate attention of the hiring manager and land you an interview. Often jobseekers feel it is necessary to give dissertations on their work experiences. Unfortunately, all what that does is burden the hiring manager with unnecessary information that can later provide reasons for disqualifying you as a candidate. The average solicited job posting generates up to 200 resumes per day. Human Resources personnel spend approximately 15 seconds looking at each resume. Within that time frame, a decision will be made to place you either in the “yes” pile or the “no” pile. It’s critical therefore, that specific accomplishments and skills are emphasized on any resume. Your CV must speak loudly on what you can do for that prospective employer!

Those who “screen” resumes will be looking at the overall appearance, format, and key areas of strength or competency. Once you have survived this preliminary screening, your resume will enter into the next stage. Here, a thorough review will be done on your resume. If you are successful through this process, the contents of your resume will become the outline of your interview. In other words, a good CV will land you the job interview. Your performance in that interview is what will determine if you will get the job or not.

This guide will show you how to apply for vacancies and find a job fast by providing you with resume templates and detailed strategies you need to follow when writing curriculum vitae.

Job Interview Questions and Answers

Individuals facing a job interview often find the process itself to be more challenging than finding the job itself. A job interview is an employer’s opportunity to assess you and your opportunity to evaluate the employer. In reality, you both want to know if you and the job’s requirements match, if you are motivated to succeed in this position, and if you and the employer’s values and styles match. When you are invited for an interview, be prepared to give the best interview you can. The interview is one of the key elements of the job search process. As with any skill, we can get better at it with preparation and practice. In this guide you will explore how to prepare for an interview and become familiar with interview questions and tips and how to answer to those questions.

You will;

Understand the different types of interview questions and tips and how to prepare to answer them
Learn the most effective ways to prepare for an interview, including interview research and practice
Develop expertise at expressing yourself effectively, i.e. what to say and how to say it and the questions to ask in an interview

Complementary skills and Transferable skills

Transferable skills are skills you have managed to develop in your life. It is not limited to a job, but encompasses a multitude of areas: positions held in organizations, your hobbies, sports, personal interests, class projects, or even responsibilities at home or church. Any skill that you have acquired from these familiar tasks that can be applied to a position you are interested in as a transferable skill. Everyone has transferable skills. Think about it: we all enjoy doing something; even the blandest person has a hobby, and no matter how hard we try to escape it, nearly everyone has chores. By recognizing the roles we have undertaken and breaking them down, we can easily identify which skills we have become “experts” in and how these can translate into personal strengths and aid us in the positions we aspire to hold.

By listing your activities, and breaking them down into specific tasks, you can identify key complementary skills that can apply to a specific field of work. One way of identifying these skills is to compare your skill set to the ones required for an advertised vacancy or job. No more excuses that you have no experience or skills. This book will serve as a valuable guide in this regard.

Job skills assessment

In today’s economy employers focus on employee skills. But most of these employers who make these decisions have to factor in other elements. Employers realize that the performance of their employees will depend as much on personal qualities as on raw physical and mental talent. Is this employee committed? What is his value system? Is she trainable? Will he be a team player? Will she be able to overcome her shortcomings? Will he choke? Does she quit? Has he established sound quality habits needed by the company? Employees are hired based on the answers to these kinds of questions. Companies use some form of job-skills testing and personality testing. They have realized how important it is to make sure that job candidates are a good fit. These days, a company can't afford to make a big mistake with a bad hire. Employers take the insights learned from industrial psychologists and adjust jobs to the strengths of candidates. That way, a "good" fit can be identified.

In this section, you will learn how job skill assessment has become another tool in the hiring and selection process. You will learn why job skills assessment is important when applying for a job in today’s job search climate.

Justice Mandhla is the author of Job Search Guide and Job Promotion Tips. To learn more about these job hunting strategies and promotion tips visit: http://www.mystudent4life.com

Step up your Act & Get Hired - Classified Ad

2011-04-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

Step up your Act & Get Hired - Classified Ad

The Pros & Cons of Internal Promotion and External Promotion

2011-04-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Pros & Cons of Internal Promotion and External Promotion

How to write Effective Resumes & Cover Letters

2010-07-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

Your resume is probably the most important document in any job search process. Most people think that because they have a qualification, skill and experience they can sell themselves to hiring managers and ignore the resume. What they do not realize is that a resume is the first document that will attract the hiring manager to consider to shortlist them for interview. Ignoring and neglecting to provide an effective resume will nullify your chances of been shortlisted. Hiring managers scan through hundreds of resume looking for the exact qualifications, skills and experience required to fill the vacancy. If your resume is badly written recruiters will find it difficult to select such candidates. It must be remembered that hiring managers are also under pressure to fill vacancies and will not have time to read every resume thoroughly to understand if potential candidates fulfils the exact requirements of the post. Why make it difficult for them to select your resume? The hiring managers will only scan and select a resume that present the most concise information with the relevant and informative text that will catch his eye. Your resume can open doors for you to be selected and hopefully shortlisted for the position you have applied for.

The content of your resume and how you have arranged your career history will improve your chances of getting into the interview. Anybody who reads your resume should be able to understand your resume without meeting you or reading your cover letter. Besides, that is what happens in real life – hiring managers peruse your resume long before you are called for interview. The final decision to finally call you for interview will ultimately rest on your resume. Your resume is the only key that will get you through the door of the company you wish to work for

Create a dynamic cover letter

The second step to actually getting a job interview is to create an attention-getting cover letter. Your cover letter is a piece of information that lets’ a potential employer know what your skills are and whether you would make a perfect fit for the available position. Your cover letter must be as detailed and informative as possible, without going beyond a one-page limit. Write a cover letter that will be attractive and draw as much attraction as possible. Remember getting noticed amongst hundreds of resume is the only way to get a job. Take time to compile a compelling cover letter that sells your skills.

Branding and Objective Statement

Many people think that cover letters are merely a concise summary of what is in your resume, or at least a list of signposts that point to what they’ll read about later. Effective cover letters however are more than that. They are a platform to sell your application, to brand yourself using differentiating attributes and strengths and merging these with your experience and skills. It helps you to clarify and communicate differences and specialties and how to use those qualities to guide your career. It also helps you to highlight your strengths, skills, passions and values and to separate yourself from your competitors. Use persuasive writing that creates a professional identity about yourself. Place your brand on top of the front page of your resume and cover letter like a catchy headline on the front page of a newspaper grabs the attention of the reader.
In the book, we provide you with examples of how can you craft a winning objective statement which can help your resume, and your accomplishments, stand out in a crowd. Typically, the objective statement is meant to provide a brief summary of the position you seek and the main skills you can offer an employer; the provided information forms a first impression with the reader.
Professional or Executive Summary
A professional or executive summary is similar to an objective statement, but it focuses more on what you offer a potential employer versus what you seek in a position. The summary also provides an opportunity to highlight your skills upfront. A professional summary is, in essence, an executive review of your career. If a recruiter or hiring manager reviewed your resume, what are the top three or four points you’d want to stand out? These highlights should serve as the basis of your statement.

Discuss your soft skills because employers desire candidates who can do more than just apply their trained skills to a job. Qualities such as teamwork, leadership, interpersonal and critical thinking skills are just as important. Make use of the professional summary area on your resume to highlight these less technical or taught attributes. A professional summary does not have to be “one size fits all.” Create a general professional summary that will be attractive to many types of employers. If you plan to target your search to a particular employer or position, create a customized summary that specifically addresses what you have to offer and how those qualities match what the company seeks in a new employee.

While your resume and cover letter form a first impression of your skills and accomplishments to a future employer, the important take-away is that you don’t always have to follow rigid practices in formatting a resume. Being creative in your approach to introducing your value to a new employer will often win you more call backs than sticking to an old-fashioned template. In this case, instead of limiting yourself by including only objective statements, ensure your resume stands out and provides a future employer a rich and clear view of your experience by using a professional summary.

If you can take time and write an executive summary of your strongest skills, you have the edge over other contenders who skip this important step.

Here are other things you need to note regarding your resume and cover letter;
• Prove that you are the right person for the job. In one sentence tell the employer what you can do.
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to suit the advert you're replying to.
• Delete the all details that are not relevant to the job you're applying for.
• Show the employer how your skills will help him. Emphasize your suitability by repeating keywords appropriate for the job you're applying for.
• Describe what your achievements have taught you. Quantify your achievements with numbers, volumes and values.
• Create an instant impact. Use action words to describe your achievements e.g. "increased", "achieved", "succeeded”, “developed”. Avoid words like "assisted", and "participated in". Instead use words like: "co-wrote", "co-designed", "as a member of the team".
• Focus on the needs of the employer.
• Add a "PS" to your cover letter. Use it to highlight the key benefit for the employer when he recruits you.
The reason a "PS" is so effective is, after reading your cover letter; most recruiters go straight to the signature and the name to see who sent the letter to them. They won't be able to avoid a clear "PS" with an irresistible promise.
Your cover letter has to sell you and your skills faster than a TV advertisement. Most interviewers decide to chuck your resume or invite you to an interview within one minute of reading your cover letter. So to land that job fast, grab the hiring manager's attention straight away with a compelling cover letter.

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Succession Planning Helps to Cultivate Talent

2010-06-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

While organisations know about the value of succession planning as a tool to sustain their business models and to retain talent, many organisations still end up needing to find outside talent to fill senior positions. Lack of proper and thought out succession planning is one of the biggest challenges facing organisations. The other reason is job-hopping that put succession planning into disarray for many organisations. Circumstances change more than anticipated and whatever talent was previously identified is no longer adequate. Effective succession management is the result of cultivating the talent to populate a succession plan that works when actually applied. For this reason, it is essential that the effort is invested in cultivating talent and not merely in populating plans. The plans will be weak if the actual cultivating or growth of talented people is not strong. Organisations need to make an effort to actively cultivate talent to ensure that future talent gaps are avoided. In most organisations the immediate talent requirements cannot be adequately met from within. This creates a time demand operationally on line managers and the human resources teams supporting them to constantly be focused on external recruitment, which can be very time consuming. In addition, external placements require intensive induction and training for their new organisation and take time to become productive. Recruitment agencies offer more flexibility and can help organisations when they are pressed for time. It is time that recruiters were placed in a relationship more central to the succession planning process rather than on the margins. Most organisations leave recruiters entirely out of the succession planning process, bringing them in only at the last moment to fill urgent positions. Recruiters can help in the succession planning by; contributing to the overall talent plan and projections on a variety of possible staffing scenarios and create and maintain flexible talent pools. In a typical organisation, the cultivation period to grow talent to a first-line supervisory or specialist levels roughly takes three to five years, depending on the sector and excluding any prior formal qualifications required. So the failure to have readily available internal talent to meet current requirements is a failure of the leadership of the organisation to have identified talent with the potential to cultivate and prepare this talent for future requirements. Organisations then find themselves with limited staff and they are even less likely to begin the cultivation process. In this way the vicious cycle is perpetuated. Another concern is that the morale of employees can be affected when outside appointments are made. Organisations should strive to source and select entry-level staff that has the potential to move up the ranks of the organisation and use them as a key talent pool from where talent can be grown and cultivated.

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Job Search Fundamentals

2010-06-12T02:27:00.001-07:00

One of the important things job seekers need to know about job search is to learn the fundamentals. Learning the fundamentals will serve you well in your job search and in understanding what employers are looking for in new employees.
Here are tips to learn and know as you research and prepare for your job hunting.
Recruitment
Hiring Managers uses various recruitment tools to attract people to the organisation. The recruitment can be done internally or externally. Different methods of recruitment are used such as newspapers, radio, internet, recruitment agencies etc.
Selection
Steps in selection process
• Screening
All applications are screened to ascertain whether they meet the requirements of the specific vacancy. The ultimate goal is to select the right person for the right job in the right position. The procedure followed is weighting or comparing the applicant’s resume against the job description and the inherent requirements of the job.
• Pre-employment testing
Candidates for certain posts can also be required to undergo aptitude tests.
• Interviews
The most suitable candidates are invited for interviews.
The main purpose of the interview is to check whether the resume is a true reflection of all the qualities and qualifications of the candidate, and whether the candidate is a perfect fit for the position. Successful candidates are informed where and when to report for work.

Induction Programme
Once a suitable candidate has been selected, it’s time for the organisation to put the new recruit through the induction programme. An induction is a formal way of introducing a new employee to his new job environment.
Information which the newcomer requires can be divided into two categories;
• Job related information which describes what the job entails and how it is to be done.
• General information that includes a great deal of information concerning the organisation as a whole.
An induction programme serves:
• To acquaint new employees with job procedure
• To acquaint new employees with business goals
• To establish relationships with co-workers
• To create a sense of belonging amongst employees
• To inform new employees about their rights
• To identify basic job responsibilities
Induction programme include all information which newcomers will need to do the job. There are different induction programme packages for different groups of employees.

Career Path
There are two types of career path, horizontal and vertical career path.
Horizontal career path:
• Horizontal career path should be followed by people who are new in the work environment.
• Horizontal career path should also be considered should a business be new and does not have a fixed career path.
• Once you are employed in a new Organisation you should make career path predictions for one to two years into the future.
• You must know and be prepared that you will be moving sideways instead of upwards
• This means that you will be working in different positions while you are acquiring experience.
• You might also move to a lower level position for your qualifications, just as long as you can gain valuable experience.
• Do not join an organisation and view it as a lifetime employment.
• You should join an organisation to get opportunities to develop new skills, which will make you more employable and diverse.
Vertical career path:
• When planning for a vertical career path you should have acquired some skills, knowledge and experience.
• You have to continue growing your skills and accepting more responsibilities in order to reach your target position.
• Your career path will depend on the present and future demands of the organisation you work for.
• If the organisation is expanding and growing then there is the opportunity for you to follow the vertical career path.
• Your personal career goals need to be clearly laid down – such as becoming the Director of HR in 5 years.
• You also need to have plan ‘B’ should things not go according to plan.
• Remember to have time frames for each goal.
With the career path in place, you will be more career focused and be striving to fulfil your goals.

Advantages and disadvantages of internal promotion/recruitment
Advantages:
• Current employees already know the rules, regulations and culture of the organisation.
• Employees have understanding of how the organisation operates and do not need an induction programme.
• The organisation knows employees and have detailed records from previous supervisors
• Offering opportunities to internal employees may boost the morale of the staff members.
• Allowing employees to move vertically and horizontally within the organisation could reduce the possibility of her looking for another job.
• A positive image is created in the organisation
Disadvantages:
• No new or fresh ideas are brought into the organisation
• The job advertised may require skills not currently available within the organisation
• Promotion of an internal employee could cause resentment amongst other employees, who may feel they deserve the post more than the promoted employee.
• The number of applicants from which to choose may be too high or limited.
• It is possible to promote less qualified employees than those from outside of the organisation, in order to comply with the internal recruitment policy or the Employment Equity Act.
• Most internal applicants have been stagnant in their posts for so long and will not positively contribute any new ideas.
• Harden negative attitudes of internal employees cannot be changed by promotion.
• Lazy employees cannot suddenly change into ‘star’ employees because they have been promoted.
• Contagious negative habits and behaviour by one negative employee can easily be passed on to other divisions.

Advantages and disadvantages of external promotion/recruitment
Advantages:
 A wide choice of candidates could attract skilled applicants and put the organisation in a better position.
 Where recruitment agency has been used, candidates might have passed the initial screening done by recruitment agency and save the organisation time and money.
 Organisations that use employment agencies are more often guaranteed to receive only the best and skilled applicants.
Disadvantages:
 Recruitment agencies do not always understand the culture of the organisation and inherent requirements of the post.
 New recruits more often need to be trained.
 It could cost the organisation a lot of money to screen a large number of candidates.
 Advertising in the print media attract a large number of unsuitable applicants particularly for low level positions.

Once you’re hired, prepare to learn. If there are some specific skills that you need to brush up on, and your organisation provides opportunity for you to get sent out to seminars and conferences grab it. If they are open to letting you learn the different department’s operations, volunteer yourself. The more you know the better are the opportunities that open for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is better to ask questions than to make costly mistakes. Understand the culture of the organisation and try to adapt and conform as quickly as possible. Finally, master your craft by performing your work in an excellent way. Remember that if you are great at your job, then you are a prized commodity.
See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Job Search : Get That Job Fast - Free-Press-Release.com

2009-09-21T09:32:00.001-07:00

Job Search : Get That Job Fast - Free-Press-Release.com

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Online Free Stuff: How To Create a Free Website

2009-09-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

Online Free Stuff: How To Create a Free Website

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Poll: How would you rate the effectiveness of different kinds of job-hunting methods?

2009-09-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Poll: How would you rate the effectiveness of different kinds of job-hunting methods?

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Signs of Entitlement Mentality Syndrome

2009-06-12T01:14:00.000-07:00

Many people view their jobs as life itself. Some people suffer from stress related ailments such as hypertension and some die due to various diseases such as heart failure. Yes, a job brings in the necessary income for us to sustain ourselves, to put a plate of food on the table. But do we really have to go through the pains and agony of diseases in order to survive? Many employees particularly in large corporations and government institutions still believe that the jobs they hold are “jobs for life.” They are oblivious of the current economic meltdown in spite of the signs written all over that the economies of the world are at a down turn. They bring unnecessary stress to their immediate supervisors.
The following are the signs to look for that will tell you whether your workforce is suffering from the entitlement mentality syndrome:
• They are mostly under qualified
• They are lazy and operate at their own pace and show no sense of urgency
• They produce poor quality of work
• They are wasteful in terms of using company resources
• They play truant from their work stations for long periods without informing their supervisors
• They pretend to be busy even after finishing the work they have been allocated
• They are negative to management
• They bad mouth and gossip about their colleagues and supervisors
• They do not hesitate to rush to their unions at a slightest provocation
• They will tell you about their rights
• They will remind you about how long they have been employed by the company
• They advocate for automatic promotion based on their years of service
• They hate interviews and regard them as a waste of time
• They are spiteful of external candidates
• They arrive late at work and when reprimanded gets very angry
• They are the last to arrive and the first to leave
• They always take longer tea and lunch breaks
• They always take sick leave and conveniently extend their weekends
These are employees who will not tell you about their contribution to the company or the company bottom line they increased and the projects they have initiated and successfully completed. They have no trust in themselves and they do not know and understand their strengths. They do not know the vision, goals and objectives of the company all what they care about is a pay cheque at the end of the month. These are the time wasters who visit other colleagues’ work stations to chat about weekend sports activities, it is during these discussions where innocent employees are recruited and turned against management. It is this group of people who complain the loudest when bonuses are paid based on performance results.
When you notice any of these signs from your employees, act fast and remove the employee or employees in question, who show any of these signs before they poison and contaminate your whole workforce.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies and workplace behaviour.

Author Bibliography: www.mystudent4life.com

2009-05-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

What they didn't teach you in school:lifelong learning tips to land a job straight out of school

See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Justice Mandhla is the entrepreneur and a ground-breaker and judicious risk-taker who creates opportunities for young South Africans to find jobs and to create wealth not only for themselves but for South Africa as a whole. He believes students can find jobs because of the skills and talents that they possess. He wrote his first book "What They Didn't Teach You in School: Long Life Learning Tips to Land a Job Straight out School" to empower the new generation in job search strategies.

Synopsis

In less than six months Justice Mandhla has produced a ground breaking book which is currently sold digitally as e-book and as a print- based book sold nationally and internationally on most online bookstore retailers.

This is a focused and fantastic piece of work, a step-by- step guide for school leavers and graduates for landing a job straight out of school.

It emphasizes that preparation and attention to detail is vital before you decide to leap into serious job search process.

This high quality book uses a unique style that is easy to read with plenty of examples on interview questions techniques and brings extra understanding to its subject matter.

This exclusive limited edition is available on Print on Demand basis as well as in the following bookstores;
1. Hems Bookstore T/A Ransom Enterprises. Park Meadows Mall, Kiosk 6 Opposite Mr Price, Corner Cumberland & Allum Roads, Eastgate. Tel no. 072 669 6593 or
084 381 2444
2.Limbada & Company, School Books and Stationers, 22 Diagonal Street, JHB. Tel no. 011 – 838 6326

Justice is a full-time Internet Marketer who receives his inspiration from business leaders such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

For every book sold 10c donation will be made to the Association for the Blind.

Paperback
EAN: 9780620430593
176 pages
Publication Date: 01 March 2009
Publisher: Mouse Hand
Country of publication: SOUTH AFRICA

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing days researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Interview Tips: Job Search: To land your dream job be prepared to take the total approach demanded by employers

2009-05-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Interview Tips: Job Search: To land your dream job be prepared to take the total approach demanded by employers

See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Job Search: To land your dream job be prepared to take the total approach demanded by employers.

2009-04-27T23:04:00.000-07:00

What they didn't teach you in school : Life long learning tips to land a job straight out of school

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During the duration of the interview candidates lie and their resumes can also lie and depict many people to be the perfect prospective employees with the potential sought after by hiring managers. While interviews are a tool to assess how well candidates manage stress and complex communication and whether there is a fit between the candidate and the company, the truth about interviews is that they have limitations – they are essentially a flawed assessment tool. Hiring managers always indicate the skills and traits required by the post advertised, unfortunately many of these traits can be faked during the interview, which makes recruitment expensive and a waste of time. Employees who succeed in landing a job under these circumstances are soon discovered through the quality of their work and fired to join the lines of the unemployed.
Many companies have taken this behaviour of candidates seriously and they now insist that for all candidates applying for senior and executive positions must undergo psychometric and other tests to assess trustworthiness. These tests are done only on the final candidates as it is a costly and time-intensive process. There are a range of different tests and assessments, though they have the same type of results, there are shorter assessments available but the depth of the data or output are significantly not as comprehensive to provide the employers with a total picture of the prospective employees strengths and weaknesses. The type of assessment may depend on the level of the post and the sensitiveness of the position advertised, for instance, if the position requires a person who understands the key drivers of the company and who would work on and have access to sensitive company information a comprehensive type of assessment test may be vital. The primary assessment tool in this regard would be the competency-based assessment which would identify thought management, influence, adaptability and delivery. The second process is an assessment centre which is developed to assess the same competencies within a working context. Detailed competency linkages are made to assess the personal fit of the candidate against the competencies found in the specific job. The assessments are quite comprehensive and deal not only with competencies around the specific job but about individual traits and behaviours. This gives the employer a comprehensive picture of the candidate which complements the interview reference and engagement process. These tests not only disqualify people, they can also be used to indicate how a candidate’s skills can be strengthened once they are employed. The weaknesses that are identified do not necessarily rule out candidates but rather help the employer to form guidelines for support structures such as mentoring, job shadowing, training and development when the candidate is hired.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at http://www.mystudent4life.com/

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Job Search : Different Interview Types for Different Resume Types

2009-04-08T03:40:00.000-07:00

What they didn't teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to Land a Job Straight out of School : Buy This Book From

If you are a student or graduate just finishing school and you are about to enter the workplace for the first time, when you imagine sitting in a room and being interviewed for a position, you are most likely thinking of a structured interview. This is where the interviewer asks a prescribed set of questions and you give brief answers.

In an unstructured interview, the questions are more open-ended. The interviewer asks questions specifically designed to get you to reveal more about yourself than you would if you were asked the same old standard questions. The interviewer will try to find out more about you, your character, your skills, your background, and the interviewer may also let the interview proceedings to flow more freely than in a structured interview.

There are mainly two types of resumes; the chronological resume which reveals too much for the Hiring Manager. A functional resume, on the other hand, pays more attention to your skills than length of employment.

Hiring Managers are trained to scan and spot the different types of resumes and to design questions based specifically on the information and type of resume that you have submitted. The questions will be designed to specifically address issues that could not be found from the resumes. For instance, in the case of a chronological resume the Hiring Manager may choose to use a more structured type of interview because the resume would have provided most of the answers to the Hiring Manager such as, last place of employment, tenure and reasons for leaving. The Hiring Manager will not waste his/her time asking questions around education and experience as these would have been provided already in the candidates resume. Therefore the most appropriate type of interview in this instance would be a structured interview. The Hiring Manager would want to get to the core of the position advertised and ask more job related questions.

Common job-related questions include the following:

With all the experiences you have acquired: “Describe the contribution you will make to our company and how your contribution will benefit our organization”
Describe an improvement you personally initiated in your last employment.
What would you say is your most significant fault in your last employment?
Tell me about two or three aspects of your last job that you never want to repeat and why?
Why have you changed jobs so frequently?

In the case of a functional resume, the Hiring Manager may choose to use an unstructured interview. In an unstructured interview, the questions are more open-ended. The Hiring Manager asks questions specifically designed to get you to reveal more about yourself than you would if you had submitted a chronological resume.

Hiring Managers do not necessarily limit themselves to one style. In fact, it is common practice for the hiring professional to start out with some basic objective questions and finish the interview with the more open-ended questions.

Common open-ended questions include the following:

Tell me something about yourself.
What skills have you acquired that make you ideal for this post?
Tell me about a time when you came up with a new idea to solve long-term problem.
Sell me this pen.
If you were to choose an animal, which animal would you like to be, and why?

As it can be seen from the two traditional interview formats interviewers can create and adopt their own interview composite aimed at eliciting solid evidence of a candidate’s abilities. The results can be quite telling.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at www.mystudent4life.com

The book is also available through online retailers and can be found at
http://www.amazon.com/What-They-Didnt-Teach-School/dp/0620430591/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1238761678&sr=11-1
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/What-They-DidnT-Teach-You-In-School/Justice-Mandhla/e/9780620430593/?itm=1

World Web Directory

See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Job Search : Have an Effective Resume and be Prepared

2009-04-07T02:02:00.000-07:00

What they didn't teach you in school: Life long tips to land a job straight out of school

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The keys to making an impact at any interview are researching and preparing yourself mentally, as well as anticipating the questions you are likely to be asked, and working out the best possible answers to these questions. All what Hiring Managers want to know about is you, they want to know what kind of a person you are and whether you will fit into the job for which you are applying. Interviewers often focus their questions on trying to discover the real you by asking ‘tailor- made’ questions that will reveal whether what you have got will link smoothly and effectively with the work, culture and philosophy of the organization.

In order to improve your chances of success at interviews and of landing that job there are secrets that you should know. These include:

• Never lie in your resume
• Ensure your contact details on your CV are correct
• Keep your resume to about three to four pages
• Make sure the format is in a font that is legible, make it easy for Hiring Managers to read the text quickly and get an immediate idea of your background
• Use bullets and create spaces in your CV for the reader’s eye
• Spell-check your resume
• Mention your achievements in point form per company
• Put reasons for leaving include your present employment
• Indicate whether a job was contract/temporary or permanent
• Include references (and not friends) and keep them updated
• If you have been promoted in a specific job - point this out on your resume
• Keep details of your most recent jobs and responsibilities easy to read and factual.
• Keep old work experience and responsibilities down to a minimum
• Put your highest educational marks for all your courses
• Never use humour in your resume
• Be well groomed for the interview
• Don’t be late
• Be prepared for the interview
• Take a copy of your resume with you
• Have a sincere smile
• Look the interviewer in the eye
• Be open, honest and frank with your replies to questions
• Believe you are worthy for the position
• Be present – concentrate on what is going on during the interview

Always remember that Hiring Managers are actually trained to spot the negatives and positives when reading your resume. This is a sort of a filtering mechanism they use taking into account some of the factors tabulated above. Hiring Managers have to identify negatives because most people hide their poor work experiences very carefully and lie in their interviews about their strength and weaknesses. This has led to Hiring Managers to become very careful when hiring, as dismissing someone is now harder than ever.

Is job – hopping a negative? Are ‘Gaps’ on your resume negatives?
To answer these questions I would like to briefly discuss two types of resumes. The chronological resume and the functional resume. The chronological resume reveals too much for the Hiring Manager. If you have a habit of job hopping, are a fresh graduate, or transitioning from a different field, then a chronological resume might not be a good fit. A chronological resume is built so it highlights excellent credentials or a solid work experience, something which you might lack if you have never worked or have a habit of leaving after only a few months. While everyone has their own reason for why their resume may be a bit sparse or contain gaps in history, you want to be able to explain this yourself, which may not happen if they see an almost empty sheet of paper.

A functional resume, on the other hand, pays more attention to your skills than time. Rather than highlighting where you worked and for how long, it places more emphasis on your qualifications and achievements by writing them in categories on top of the page. While company names and length of employment are not omitted, it is given less importance by simply summarizing them on the bottom, or last page. The beauty of a functional resume is that it can draw attention to important skills and achievements, while hiding flaws such as a lack of experience or gaps in employment.

Contrary to most people’s beliefs, you do not need to reveal everything in your resume. Some things are better explained yourself. While unstable job histories or gaps in employment may look bad on paper, some are backed up by reasonable explanations. Most potential employers are aware that functional resumes are crafted to hide certain pitfalls, and get suspicious as to what you are hiding. Even if you do have a good enough reason, if you do not maximize writing your strengths, their wariness from seeing you might not give you an opportunity to give an explanation.

Most people who are new to writing resumes rely too much on the resume templates found in their word processing programs. While helpful, using a template can be limiting, since most people do not bother to customize or expand beyond a template’s borders. It can also be detrimental, as a number of other applicants might be using the same template, allowing your resume to simply fade into the crowd.

The book is already available
through online retailers and can be found at
http://www.amazon.com/What-They-Didnt-Teach-School/dp/0620430591/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1238761678&sr=11-1
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/What-They-DidnT-Teach-You-In-School/Justice-Mandhla/e/9780620430593/?itm=1

See more at www.mystudent4life.com

Looking for a job?....Job Skills Testing Tips

2009-03-11T01:55:00.000-07:00

What they didn't teach you in school: Life long learning tips to land a job straight out of school

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Job Skills Testing
What are the kinds of written examinations commonly used to assess applicants? They can be divided into four kinds: personality tests, IQ tests, aptitude tests, and essay questions.

Preparation before Test-taking

The same way that you are advised to dispose yourself before an interview, you should also dispose yourself before taking a written test. After all, your main tool is your mind; if your mind is neither relaxed nor rested, you might not perform on the exam as well as you otherwise would do.

Get a good night’s rest the night before. Make certain that you arrive at the examination site with at least 15 minutes to spare.

Eat well. Brain food is recommended, like food that is high in protein. You’d want to eat enough to last you the entire testing duration. It helps then to inquire ahead of schedule how long the test would take. Some companies screen using a battery of exams, meaning they use more than one test and thus the examination can take hours. The last thing you need is hunger pangs in the middle of analyzing a problem!

Bring your own timer, preferably a stopwatch. This can help you monitor your pacing and adjust accordingly. In some cases, a calculator or extra sheets of scratch paper for computations are permitted by the test proctor, so ask ahead if they are necessary and allowed.

Some human resource practitioners advise wearing layered clothing when taking examinations. Room temperature can be distracting to a test-taker and you want to be able to adjust to the temperature. If the room is too cold, at least you have a jacket and if it is too hot, at least you can still peel off some layers.

Feel like practicing?

If you feel that you need some exposure and practice with psychological exams before you take one, there are places to go to get a better grasp of them. If you’re still in school, or have access to school resources, a guidance counselor can help you become more familiar with them.

There are also sites online that offer practice tests for job applicants. Just make sure that you pick a website that offers a close approximation of standardized job application screening tests. There are many supposed psychological tests online but most of them are made just for fun and in by no means valid nor similar to what companies would give you.

In general though, there is very little to worry about when it comes to employee testing. Personality tests, IQ tests and aptitude exams require, more than anything, presence of mind. Personality tests have no right or wrong answers, and can be answered best by merely being authentic to yourself. IQ tests and aptitude tests on the other hand need very little review of vast research and subject matter. All that you would need to answer the questions correctly can be found in the question itself.

General Test-taking Tips

The following are some tips and techniques that can help you navigate most examinations.

Read the instructions and questions carefully. This is imperative! At first glance the lay-out of a question gives a hint already how it is meant to be answered. For example, a question stem followed by four choices marked a, b, c and d usually connotes a multiple choice kind of question, or chooses the best answer among the four choices. But unless you read the instructions thoroughly you can never be sure.

What if you are not supposed to pick the choice that is right, but to cross out what is wrong? What if there can be more than one answer to a question? You need to be able to follow instructions to the letter for it may cost you even your correct responses. If there are examples of how to answer the questions, then review the examples.

Look out for scoring techniques that may affect the way you answer. For example, if instructions say that this is a ‘right minus wrong’ test, then it means that when scoring, the number of your wrong responses would be subtracted from the number of your correct responses. In which case it is not advisable to guess when you don’t know the answer; perhaps it’s better if you just keep it blank. If no such rule exists, then guessing in objective questions may be a better option in case you’re stumped.

Also, instructions tell how to answer, not just what to answer. You might have to encircle the letter of your choice, cross it out or shade the appropriate section in an answer sheet. Some companies would nullify all your answers if you don’t follow the correct way to mark your paper.

Other answer sheets are not scored by hand but via a computer and if you don’t follow the instructions, the scanner may not be able to read your responses. It would be a shame not to have your correct answers credited just because of a technical error.

If you have questions or clarifications about the instructions, don’t hesitate to ask your proctor before you even begin.

Note the time limit. Some tests are time pressured so budget your time wisely. Before you take a test, look at how many items there are and how much time you are being given. For example, if you have 30 minutes to answer a test with 30 items then you have approximately 1 minute to answer per item. This can guide you when discerning whether to give a question more thought or to move on.

In general, do not linger unnecessarily on an item. If you must, make a guess and then go back to the item when you still have time.

If you have to guess, make an intelligent one. If you get really stumped, don’t just choose an option randomly. Pick a choice that has the higher likelihood of being the correct answer compared to the other choices.

Look for context clues. Context clues are hints in the question that suggest the correct responses. Basically you have to pick the option that (a) makes the most sense, (b) seems to fit best and (c) feels right as far as your understanding can tell. This is most helpful for verbal reasoning questions.

Eliminate obviously wrong responses first and then focus your attention on the remaining options. Note that sophisticated tests use clever distracters so make sure that you’re critical. For example, you might feel that an option is obviously correct, but it might just be a word that sounds like the correct response or looks like the correct response.

And if you really can’t figure it out, use your intuition. Choose the response that feels most right. Chances are, if something ‘feels’ correct, you may have come across the connection before but cannot recall it at that moment.

Consider the following example:

Choose the word closest in meaning to the italicized word.
The four-colored Brazilian spider lost a leg, so it regenerated a new one.
Reinforced
Grew
Stole

When you think of animals, what would they most likely do if they lost a limb? Option c seems grammatically correct, and some animals have been known to steal from other animals before, but it doesn’t make sense to do so for a leg.

Reinforced is a tricky distracter; it has the same form as the item you are analyzing. The prefix‘re’ might make you feel that it is the most appropriate choice because regenerate also has it. But the word ‘reinforce’ means ‘to support.’ It is difficult to picture a spider supporting a new leg, and it makes for awkward sentence structure.

By process of elimination, the correct response is b.

Don’t overanalyze. This is especially true for IQ test. Sometimes we can over think a question when the answer is the most obvious one. Remember, these tests are for the average reasonable person to comprehend. If the analysis you came up with is too complicated and conspiracy-oriented, chances are you just may be looking at it too hard.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at http://www.mystudent4life.com/

Employment Search: The Four Pillars of Job Search

2009-03-11T01:39:00.000-07:00

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The Four Pillars of Job Hunting

Your CV
Your Cover Letter
Interview
Job Skill Testing

Your CV

Your CV is probably the most important document in any job search process. Most people think that because they have a qualification, skill and experience they can sell themselves to hiring managers and ignore the CV. What they do not realize is that a CV is the first document that will attract the hiring manager to consider to shortlist them for interview. Ignoring and neglecting to provide an effective CV and resume will nullify your chances of been shortlisted. Hiring managers scan through hundreds of CVs’ looking for the exact qualifications, skills and experience required to fill the vacancy. If your CV is badly written recruiters will find it difficult to select such candidates. It must be remembered that hiring managers are also under pressure to fill vacancies and will not have time to read every CV thoroughly to understand if potential candidates fulfils the exact requirements of the post. Why make it difficult for them to select your CV? The hiring managers will only scan and select a CV that present the most concise information with the relevant and informative text that will catch his eye. Your CV can open doors for you to be selected and hopefully shortlisted for the position you have applied for.

The content of your CV and how you have arranged your career history will improve your chances of getting into the interview. Your CV should contain a flow of information that starts with your qualifications and ends with your latest employment history. Anybody who reads your CV should be able to understand your CV without meeting you or reading your cover letter. Besides, that is what happens in real life – hiring managers peruse your CV long before you are called for interview. The final decision to finally call you for interview will ultimately rest on your CV. Your CV is the only key that will get you through the door of the company you wish to work for. It is therefore advisable to keep two CV formats to meet the requirements of different employers. Those who need a summarized CV of a few pages (3-4pages) and those who need a longer and more detailed CV.
The easiest way of blowing your chances of a job opportunity is by making a poor impression with poorly presented and sloppy CV. Many applicants are usually not aware about the importance of this first stage of securing employment. They believe incorrectly that because they submitted a CV this guarantees them an interview or a job. The CV provides the employer with an overview of potential candidates for the position, and it gives the interviewer and idea of what to expect from the applicant. A good CV will improve the possibility of being granted an interview during which a good impression can be made. A good impression improves the chances of being hired.
Your CV is there to assist you to get a job. It acts as a support in search for employment and either secures you for an interview or ensures that you do not even get the opportunity to be interviewed. It markets and acts as the sales agent for you. A CV is an account of your career, and it enables you to present yourself to a prospective employer before meeting him/her on the interview day. It also provides the hiring manager with an opportunity to from opinions about you in advance. Your CV has to make an impression on the hiring manager, if it does not, you do not have a chance of being called for interview. The purpose of submitting a CV is to project a positive image about yourself by illustrating your educational qualifications, skills knowledge and experience. This will enable the hiring manager to form an impression about you. If through your CV you project a negative impression, the chances are that you will not be afforded an opportunity to attend an interview. For samples of effective CVs’ and Resumes visit: www.mystudent4life.com .

Your Cover Letter

The second step to actually getting a job interview is to create an attention-getting cover letter. Your cover letter is a piece of information that lets’ a potential employer know what your skills are and whether you would make a perfect fit for the available position. Your cover letter must be as detailed and informative as possible, without going beyond a one-page limit. Write a cover letter that will be attractive and draw as much attraction as possible. Remember getting noticed amongst hundreds of CV’s is the only way to get a job. Take time to compile a compelling cover letter that sells your skills.
Here are five points to include in your cover letter:
Address your cover letter to a specific person – this will show that you have done your research about the company.
Clearly indicate the position you are applying for.
Showcase your experience and how it will be helpful in the position you are applying for.
Use company “buzzwords” for instance, “Breaking New Ground” if that is the company’s buzzword.
Be enthusiastic – Your enthusiasm will be communicated to the reader of your cover letter and enhance your chances of gaining an interview. If you can take time and write a cover letter that summarises your strongest skills, you have the edge over other contenders who skip this important step.

Interview

The keys to making a brilliant impact at any interview are researching relevant information, preparing yourself mentally anticipating the questions you are likely to be asked and working out the best possible answers to these questions. Remember all interviewers are seeking answers to two fundamental questions;

Can you do the job?
Will you fit in?

Preparation for job interview is the most important part of the entire interview process. Know the position and ensure that you know something about the job you have applied for. Talk to people you know in the same job and learn about the tasks involved. Prepare answers to questions you are likely to be asked relating to the job. You should also know about the industry to which you’re applying. Find out as much as you can about the industry. More importantly than knowing the industry, is knowing something about the company to which you’re applying. Having the skills to do the job well and a strong knowledge of the company will put you above candidates who only have the skills to do the job well.

Having managed to secure an interview means that the real preparation must begin. You have the opportunity of marketing and selling yourself to your prospective employer. You have passed the first stage and now you have to negotiate your way through the second. There are a number of ways and tools you can use to find the information you need. The first is obvious; do you know someone who works at the company? Perhaps a friend or relative of yours knows someone who works at the company and can put you in touch with that person. Use this to gain an inside perspective on the company. There’s also a wealth of information at the library, newspapers and magazines about the company. Look for everything about the company. The product or services they offer the type of customers they deal with, name of company and CEO. You should make yourself familiar with the company’s size and anything else you deem important. If you think you will do well without having taken time to acquaint yourself with the company and its business, you will not succeed in landing a job. You should perform intensive research once you have secured a date and time for the interview, otherwise you may waste your time researching companies that may never call you.
It always helps to practice. The only way to measure your readiness for interview is to practice. Practicing your answers to likely questions is the key to projecting a calm and confident impression during the interview. Sit down with your best friend and have her fire questions at you. Ask her for feedback. You can also have your friend to tape you on a tape recorder or video camera. Listen to your voice is the pitch of your voice and tone pleasant, clear and distinct? Watch your eye contact, body language, do you see yourself confident or are your answers rambling and off-the-mark? Analyze the way you your answers sound on the tape recorder. On the next run-through make a conscious effort to make yourself sound more like a professional and work on your flaws before that eventful day of interview. Apply to several companies you do not have all that much interest in. If you are not successful, analyze what went wrong so that you can improve in the next one. Consider each job- hunting activity as an additional step in enriching your abilities and take criticism as an opportunity to improve yourself.

Interview Day

Having arrived for interview;

Be prepared – bring along an extra copy of your resume and reading materials in the event you have to wait a little while before the interview.
Dress appropriately – ensure that you are neat and well presented.
Be confident and project a positive attitude – the manner and confidence with which you answer questions will be carefully observed. Project an air of positive attitude and remember that the company called you because they believe you are capable of performing the job at hand.
Make eye contact – maintain eye contact as you talk about your skills and experience and let the interviewer know that you think you could do a good job.
Show enthusiasm – there is nothing that sips energy like a candidate who lacks enthusiasm. Even if the interviewer discusses your having to perform a skill that you are not familiar with, show him how eager you are to learn.

After the interview

Aside from being a recruiters test, sending a thank you letter to the person with whom you met during your interview can be a way for you to underscore your continued interest in the position and the company. Be polite and make sure to express your continued interest in the position as well as your ability to perform the duties required. Send a handwritten note and make sure to send the thank you letter immediately following the interview while your meeting is still fresh in the interviewer’s mind. It will help to put a face to the letter. Ensure that your letter is brief and emphasising your interest in the company and position.
You should not stop working on finding a new job until you have received an official offer. Even if you think the interview went great, there are no guarantees that you have the job until the company tells you so. Continue sending out resumes and scheduling more interviews. It is not wise to stake the future of your employment on one interview. Remember that finding a new job is a full-time job in itself, be prepared to work on your job search to make job offers come rolling in.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at www.mystudent4life.com

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Job Search : Get That Job Fast

2009-02-26T23:58:00.000-08:00

WHAT THEY DIDN’T TEACH YOU IN SCHOOL: LIFE LONG LEARNING TIPS TO
LAND A JOB STRAIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL
“YOUR CAREER SEARCH MAY DEPEND ON THE INFORMATION
IN THIS LETTER”
“FINALLY THE FIRST PRACTICAL, STEP – BY – STEP ROADMAP FOR
GETTING THAT JOB STRAIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL”

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Either way, whether this is your first job straight out of school or not..... Yes, you can get that job fast! Jobs at your dream companies are available now, and you're missing out!

You see, looking for a job without a proven plan is like baking a cake without a recipe – you will only waste your time, frustrate yourself and end up miserable without a career. You can find employment at your dream company in no time flat by implementing the job search strategies you are about to learn!

Jobs define us. Most of us are passionate about our careers. There are jobs out there perfect for you that you're missing out on because you don't have the right tools! The job search strategies in this amazing e-book will help you select the right career for you, and not get turned down for the jobs you want! Once you have the right tools from this e-book, jobs will be much easier to come by. Knowing what you're doing is more than half the battle! The jobs you want are only a quick read away! What kind of jobs have you held in the past? It's not that important. No matter what, you are convincing someone new that you are the best person for a new job. There are so many jobs out there, and few people with the skills to get them. This e-book will show you how to get those jobs!

Your career searches is over...read and follow this letter carefully and you will find exactly what you are looking for!

Let me explain!

Whether you are a student with a high school certificate looking for a job, an undergraduate seeking temporary employment, or a graduate starting off in search of a career, you will find easy-to-follow strategies in “What They Didn’t Teach You In School: Life Long Learning Tips To Land A Job Straight Out Of School” which will help and guide you step-by-step on your way to your first job. It does not matter whether you have held jobs elsewhere before; you have to treat your job hunt as if you are looking for a job for the first time. After all, you are looking for a job for the first time in a different industry or organization every time you are applying for jobs where you have not held a job before. If you had a job with Coca Cola as HR Manager and now you are seeking a career with Nestle, you are looking for a job for the first time with Nestle, right? It is obvious therefore that these guidelines are relevant to everyone.

I am going to show you how to get that first job straight out of school by giving you proven career search, resume, CV cover letter, and job interview questions strategies and detailed examples of those strategies so you can get that job fast. Too often people set goals without preparing their personal environment for those goals to succeed. “What They Didn’t Teach You In School: Life Long Learning Tips to Land a Job Straight out of School” will clearly prepare the job search environment for you.

If you are wondering: will this book really help me in my job search? The answer is it could. It’s up to you. As you well know, it’s not enough to buy a book if you are not going to apply the employment search strategies contained in the book. Drifting from one good intention to the next without action will not help either, you need to act.

Are you feeling drained and tired of your job search?
Are you fearful about the future because you haven't had success in your career search?
Are you feeling really stressed out that you will never get a break and find employment?
Are you still earning the same as a year ago in spite of the fact that you deserve to get a promotion?
Tried to get a job but failed utterly? Beginning to lose your job hunt nerve?
What changes do I need to make in my career search?
How can I look for work differently?
What career builder strategies can I employ?
What would have worked better in my attempts of looking for employment?
What career placement lessons have I learned?
What career personality is limiting me and what can I do to change this?
How will this book address my fears?
What career quiz and personality tests can I take to prepare me to be job ready?
How will it help me find a job? “What They Didn’t Teach You In School: Life Long Learning Tips To Land A Job Straight Out Of School” will help you.....
Get an overview of the job search process.
Find information packed pages of real-life, practical tips, techniques, strategies, job- skills testing and advice that will address your fears and questions on the job search process based on real-life experience.
It will provide you with job hunt strategies that will help in your job search.
You will save time, money and effort in your employment search.
Discover mistakes made by many job seekers and how to avoid them.
You will also learn:
How to explore your job opportunities.
How to plan your job search.
How to choose a career and a job.
How to set goals and develop a career plan.
How to compile a CV or Resume and Cover Letter.

If you would like to have complete control over your job search regardless of the economy and to put an end to your endless waiting for an interview call, please keep reading!

Maybe you, too, have found that the job search process is getting tougher. You have to apply to a lot more jobs and companies than ever before. Maybe it’s been awhile since you have been called for an interview, or you may be in that unhappy minority having been called several times for an interview, but you’re still not where you want to be.

You see, success at getting called for an interview and actually being hired has a lot more to do with understanding the real secrets of job searching and interview techniques– and little to do with sending hundreds of CVs or resumes to hundreds of companies for hundreds of jobs.

Breakthroughs come from going “outside the box” and bringing new, proven strategies back in.

Keep doing what you’ve always done and you can be sure you’ll never get anything different than you’ve already gotten.

Now there is a new comprehensive e-book which replaces all old–fashioned job search strategies.

Imagine how your life would be different if you would only implement all the career search strategies, tactics, and job interview questions discussed in my e-book.

A cover letter is an important piece of the job search puzzle. Those looking for jobs generally don't give a second thought to their cover letter. A quality cover letter can make or break your job search. In this e-book, you will find great tips for your curriculum vitae and for your cover letter. What many job seekers don't realize is that a cover letter can help determine whether your resume even gets read! If a cover letter is missing or if a cover letter makes a poor impression, your CV won't get the time of day! HR Managers and employers are simply too busy to read past a cover letter that is terrible. Both the cover letter and the resume go straight to the trash if the cover letter isn't top notch.

Once your cover letter is complete, the battle is only halfway won! Your CV or resume is of the utmost importance as well. Professional resume writers can charge a great deal of money! Why not learn about a quality resume for yourself and save yourself the cost? Developing a quality resume isn't challenging. You will learn from my years of experience what makes an eye-catching resume. As the person in charge of reviewing resumes and hiring job seekers for positions, I have looked over thousands of resumes. You can capitalize on my experience and make an impressive resume for yourself! There are few better things you can do for your job search than to create a quality CV and cover letter.

I will share with you in this e-book.................
1. What I was looking for in a resume.
2. How I selected a resume among hundreds of resumes.
3. I will offer you the most effective CV and cover letter writing techniques for your employment search and job interview tips and strategies.
4. What attracted me to a CV, and what pushed me away.
5. What critical transferable skills you need to include in your resume. The tips here will amaze you, this is your opportunity to tap into my experience.
6. I am revealing all the secrets and tricks you need to know in order to succeed in your career search.
I will also share with you “Interview Response Tips” – Try these techniques compiled from over a decade of experience as a Human Resources Manager. You will find them nowhere else, and they are not taught in any school system. I know all the tricks because I set the job interview questions. I have set job interview questions and conducted interviews for Personal Assistants, Clerks, Junior Managers, Middle Managers, COO, CFO and Heads of Departments. After so much time, I know what I am talking about. “I have walked the talk so to speak”. And I want to help you in your job search!

It's a struggle to make a good impression if you're not prepared for job interview questions. My experience will guide you through job interview questions and help you to garner the confidence you need to land your first dream job fast. Most people don't answer job interview questions properly, and so they are never asked in for a second interview or given the job they want. Job interview questions are not difficult, and the answers to job interview questions can be simple. As with other things, it is simply a matter of having the right strategies for job interview questions. As someone with over a decade of Human Resources experience, I know all about job interview questions. As you will soon learn, I have developed job interview questions for a number of positions. I have heard great answers and bad ones to job interview questions, and I want to make sure that you always know what to say to job interview questions. Read on to learn how to give perfect answers to job interview questions!

For reasons of credibility, I think it’s appropriate to briefly tell you about my background, why I wrote this e-book, and for whom.

For 12 years I worked for various organizations as a Human Resources Specialist, HR Manager, and Senior HR Manager. It has been painful to see bright young graduates struggling in selling themselves to their prospective employers. In spite of the fact that many of these youngsters were highly qualified and attended expensive private schools, they lacked knowledge, skills, and preparedness for the jobs they were applying for. This book was written with these graduates in mind. In this e-book I will share with you the secrets and tricks behind interviews – what factors I used in selecting potential candidates, the most common weaknesses I identified about the majority of fresh graduates, and what they need to do to overcome those weaknesses.

For your reading convenience ‘What They Didn’t Teach you in School: Tips to Land a Job Straight out of School’ is now offered in TWO FORMATS!

Format 1: PDF Digital Version. This means you’ll have no shipping and handling charges and you can have it on your computer in a matter of minutes.

Format 2: Physical Book. Easy to read, understand and apply.

The book is available from most international e-retailers, including Exclusive Bookstores,Amazon, Kalahari.net,and Powell’s Books.

PS: Try this e-book today and you will be well on your way to getting that first job – or you could be in the exact same spot you are right now.

Justice Mandhla is the author of What they did not teach you in school: Life Long Learning Tips to land a job straight out of school and he spends a great deal of his full-time writing day researching and writing about job search strategies.
See more at www.mystudent4life.com