Book of Tips

Do’s and Don’t in an Interview.

2010-11-02T01:14:00.000-07:00

The following is list of suggestions for proper preparation for, and decorum during, the employment interview. These tips should be well-heeded, as many of them deal with aspects of planning and appearance that can have a significant effect on your presentation, and very possibly, your chances of being hired.

Always collect as much information as possible about the company and position before the interview.

Get plenty of sleep the night before the interview so that you will feel fresh and alert.

Eat a hearty breakfast so that you will feel satisfied and have plenty of reserve energy on which to draw as you need it. But don’t overeat, since this could cause you to feel drowsy and listless.

Be punctual. You should plan your time so that you arrive at least 5 to 10 minutes ahead of time. A last minute arrival will cause you to be tense and uneasy. You will want to feel relaxed and confident as you enter the interview.

Dress properly. Be sure your clothes are clean and neatly pressed. Shoes should be well shined. Avoid wearing outlandish styles or colors. Dress appropriately for the position and organization with which you will be interviewing. In most cases, for men, a dark blue or grey business suit with white shirt and an appropriately colored tie will serve you well. For women, the choice is much broader, but should be guided by conservative colors and good taste

Pay attention to personal hygiene and grooming. Hair (including mustaches and beards) should be neatly trimmed and combed. Hands and fingernails should be clean. Perfume and cologne should be used with moderation and should not overpower the interviewer.

Do not smoke, chew gum, or eat during the interview. This can detract substantially from your presentation and overall image.

Be polite, courteous, and friendly to the interviewer’s support staff (i,e., secretary, administrative assistant, assistant), these individuals will frequently relay their impressions of an employment candidate to their supervisor.

When greeting the interviewer, be pleasant; smile, extend a firm (but not crushing) handshake, and look him or her in the eye. Do not sit until asked.

Maintain eye contact throughout the interview. Occasionally look away, at appropriate moments, so that your host does not feel challenged to a staring contest.

Be alert to your body language throughout the interview. Be careful to not slouch in the chair. This may be interpreted negatively by the interviewer (i.e., you are disinterested in what is being said, you are lazy or sloppy, you are not concerned with your personal appearance, etc.). Conversely, do not sit rigidly, you may project someone who is overly formal, unfriendly, or distant. Likewise, sitting on the edge of the chair make you appear nervous, anxious, high strung, or overly aggressive. Maintain good posture and a relaxed but attentive, demeanor throughout the interview.

Gesticulate appropriately to make a key point. However, be careful not to overact, since this can draw interviewer’s attention to what you are saying and can detract substantially from you overall presentation.

Avoid unnecessary fidgeting with your hands or fingers, such as tapping your fingers, playing with pencils and paper clips, stroking your beard or hair, pulling you ear, rubbing your nose, and so on. All these suggest nervousness and will distract your interviewers, thereby causing them to pay less attention to what you are saying.

Be pleasant, friendly, warm, and polite throughout the interview. Remember to smile from time to time. You’ll want to establish and maintain a good rapport with the interviewer throughout the discussion.

Be careful not to dominate the interview discussion. This can cause the interviewer to feel anxious, or even hostile. Be sensitive to the interviewer’s right to control the interview, and do your part to ensure a well-balanced, two-way exchange of information.

Never volunteer negative information to the interviewer. However, such information come to light as a result of the interviewer’s questioning, don’t avoid the issue. Be factual and honest, but be brief! Try to present this information in as positive a light as possible, but don’t over-explain or apologize.

Observe the interviewer’s body language. This can often indicate how well the interview is going. A smile or nod of head can tell you that you are on the right track and your host agrees with what you are saying. If your host begins to shift from side to side, play with a pencil, or look away, this may signal lack of interest and tell you that you need to move on. A scowl or a frown may signal that the interviewer disagrees with what you are saying,

Search out those areas of particular interest to the interviewer. Watch for signs of unusual interest or excitement. Spend some time to exploit this interest and satisfy your host’s curiosity.

Discover the employer’s hot buttons—those issues that are key to the employer’s hiring decision. Use these to frame yourself as the ideal candidate who can bring improvement and add value to the organization in these important areas.

Focus on the strategic needs of an employer. This will enable you to position yourself as a positive agent who can help the organization to achieve its strategic objectives, thus adding value to the organization.

Strategize and position yourself as someone who can fill current job and performance voids and add value to the organization.

If you are interested to the position, tell the employer of your interest before the conclusion of the interview. Ask the employer for some feedback.

Thank the interviewer for his or her time and ask when you can expect to hear from them.

Write a brief “thank you” letter after the interview. This should thank the interviewer for their time and also restate your interest in the position.

Take time after the interview to critique your own performance. What areas of the interview went well? How could these have been further strengthened? What aspects of the interview didn’t go that well? What specifically went wrong? What could you do to improve your presentation in these areas? Use these information to better prepare yourself for your next employment interview discussion.

Reference: The Five-Minute Interview by Beatty, Richard H. Canada: John Wiley &Sons, Inc., 1986

Different Possible Ways to Find a Job

2010-10-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

Mailing out resumes.
Answering local "want-ads" (in newspapers).
Going to the state/federal unemployment service.
Going to private employment agencies.
Using the internet, either to post your resume or to look for employers' "job-postings," on the employer's own website or elsewhere (Indeed, Career Builder, Yahoo/Hot Jobs, Jobstreet, etc., etc.).
Asking friends, family, or people in the community for job leads.
Asking former professor or teacher for job-leads, or career / alumni services at schools that you attended.
Knocking on doors: of any employer, factory or office that interests you, whether they are known to have a vacancy or not.
Using the phone book's yellow pages, to identify subjects, fields, or interests that you have - that are located in the city or town where you are or you want to be.
Joining or forming a "job club."
Doing a thorough self-inventory of the transferable skills and interests that you most enjoy, so that you can define in stunning detail exactly the job (s) you would most like to have.
Going to places where employers pick up workers: well-known street corners in your town, or union halls, etc.
Taking a civil service exam.
Looking at professional journals in your profession or field, and answering ads there.
Going to temp agencies (agencies that get you short-term temporary work in places that need your skills, short-term) and letting them place you, again and again, until some place says, "Could you stay on permanently?"
Volunteering to work for free, short-term, at a place interests you, whether or not they have a known vacancy.

Source: What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles

How to Reduce the Fat in Your Food

2010-10-22T03:08:00.001-07:00

Saute vegetables in a few tablespoonful of soup stock rather than in fat.
Saute and fry foods less often. Steam, broil, bake and poach instead.
For salads and cooking, use corn, safflower or olive oil, sparingly.
Substitute egg whites or tofu for egg yolks.
Use low-fat yogurt instead of sour cream or mayonnaise.
Try low-fat cheeses such as part skim mozzarella in recipes.
Use ground turkey or crumbled tofu in place of ground beef.
Thicken cream-style corn with a mashed potato or uncooked oatmeal.
Replace nut butters with bean spread for sandwiches and snack dips.

Source: Medical Self-Care, Inverness, CA

How to Save Money

2010-10-22T02:03:00.000-07:00

If your budget is tight, learn to save. Read on...

Toss your coin in a piggy bank.
Withdraw your vices.
Recycle old stuff.
Be economical.
Avoid unhealthy sugar beverages. Drink plain water instead.
Bigger is cheaper.
Stick to the list.
Make convenience stores your last option.
Explore on-sale items, or even second-run apparels
Play around with a low-cost date.

How to Start a Conversation with a Stranger

2010-10-21T21:02:00.000-07:00

Pay attention to the person's name when introduced. Repeat it. If it's unusual, ask about it's origins.
Look directly at the person. Lean forward a bit.
Ask the person something about her/himself in a flattering way.
Ask encouraging questions as the person talks about himself.
Don't interrupt. If you have an interest in keeping the conversation going, let the other person talk about himself and his interests. Don't immediately begin talking about yourself. Be patient.

Source: James Van Fleet, author of A Lifetime Guide to Conversation

Most Common Reasons Job Applicants Aren't Hired

2010-10-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Too many jobs. Employers are suspicious of changes without career advancement.
Reluctance of applicant or spouse to relocate if necessary.
Wrong personality for the employer.
Unrealistic salary requirements.
Inadequate background.
Poor employment record.
Unresponsive, uninterested or unprepared during the interview.
Negotiations handled improperly.
Little apparent growth potential.
Long periond of unemployment.
Judged to be an ineffective supervisor.

Source: National Personnel Associates

How to Get Others to Support Your Position?

2010-10-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

Give them your cooperation and support first.
Be ready to accept blame when you are wrong.
Use witnesses and objective outsiders to prove your points.
Ask for their ideas on how to get the job done.
Be a buffer between those whose support you need and others who might threaten them.
Say, "I need you."

Source: James k. Van Fleet, author of Lifetime Conversation Guide