7 Reasons Employers Will Hire You

Job hunting pointers to keep in mind

Reprinted with permission from theundercoverrecruiter.com.

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To secure that dream job, you have to think like the person making the final decision. What is going through the manager's head when they select candidates? This is a list containing the 7 most common reasons people get hired. Use it wisely now and do let me know if you have any questions on any of the reasons.

1. A great resume

Sometimes an average candidate can be hired thanks to a brilliant resume. Your resume is your first impression and you only get one shot at this. Pick a template relevant to your industry, look at other people’s resumes, have them look at yours, get help from experts etc before you send anything out. Remember that your resume has to be updated consistently and it is a living document.

2. Your online personal brand

Personal branding is my personal favorite. Social media and networking has quickly become the preferred method of communication, and you will be found online by your potential new employer. By tailoring what information is available, you can turn social media into a positive when looking for a new job. Make sure your public profiles are employee friendly and up to date.
Establish yourself as an authority online by either starting a blog, moderating a forum or jut being active in a Linkedin group for instance. Get recommendations on your prolife and these will serve as the old school resume references. Social media and online branding will take you a fair bit of time and effort but you don’t really have a choice so my best advice is to embrace it.

3. The right skills and experience

In this economy, you will struggle to find someone willing to hire a candidate that needs training. Think about it, would you want somebody shadowing your work and asking questions for the first 6 months? Or would you want somebody that knows the score and gets busy contributing to your targets from day one? Having the right skills and experience is more important than ever and unfortunately not something you can work on overnight.

4. Staying power with the business

This is crucial as employers want people that stay in their company and work their way up the corporate ladder. This makes them useful (and useful means hard working). Employers will look for people who have multi-dimensional personalities, meaning they can work in different departments, projects or even locations one day. Your longevity with the business and personal characteristics will be the deciding factors here.

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College Grads Urged to Use Time Wisely

Job seekers' time ticking

Reprinted with permission from news-register.net.

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BETHANY - A number of 2011 Bethany College graduates plan to return to the hallowed halls to earn their master's degrees. Others will jump right into the working world. Still others are simply undecided about their futures.

As they headed to the commencement ceremony Saturday, several graduates outlined their plans.

Marissa Perelstine of Pittsburgh said she hopes her degrees in communications and social work will open many doors for job possibilities.

"I may go into nursing or join the Navy or do social work. I'm not really sure what I want to do, but I'm happy to be graduating today," she said.

Ryan McFadden of Columbus, Ohio, said he will seek a master's degree and join "the real world." He received a bachelor's degree in elementary education Saturday and plans a career as a teacher.

Tyler Dillinger of McKeesport, Pa., said he also will work toward earning a master's degree and return to Bethany "to help coach baseball."

Michael Pegg of Uniontown, Pa., graduated Saturday with a degree in accounting.

"I want to get a job as a CPA (certified public accountant) and stay in the local area or around Pittsburgh," Pegg said.

Whatever paths Saturday's graduates travel, Bethany President Scott D. Miller urged them to "continue to challenge their minds, to nourish the spirit and to dream big."

"Don't be satisfied by mediocre goals," Miller added.

Rain forced the 171st graduating class to accept its degrees inside the The Hummel Fieldhouse, but the weather did not dampen the enthusiasm of the graduates and their families.

Jonathan Wells O'Grady from Littleton, Colo., received plenty of shouts and applause from extended family members who attended Saturday's graduation. The family lineage, which includes Bethany graduates dating back to the 1800s - Absolem Wells as well early 20th century graduate Charles Shelley Wells, Class of 1902, also were the founders of Wellsburg, W.Va. Among the family graduates in attendance Saturday were Donald C. Wells, '43; Shelley Wells O'Grady, '81; Elizabeth Wells Stone, '75; and Alfred C. Wells, '87.

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6 Words That Kill Your Resume

Writing a resume seems easy, but certain words can ruin yours

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Words are the name of the game when it comes to resumes and you need to be strategic in your choice of them. Job seekers often put keywords on their resumes, but how do you know which words to choose and which ones to leave out? Here is a brief list of some of the most overused words on resumes. Avoid them when possible and choose some more creative alternatives. After knowing what words to avoid you should be ready to craft an eye-catching resume.

1. Accomplished. Yes, we all know every job seeker is accomplished, otherwise you would be fired from every job you’ve ever had if you never accomplished anything. Instead try: Peak Performer.

2. Results-Driven. We all know that everyone’s professional resume starts out with Results-Driven (Insert your job title here). The only problem is in the job search game you don’t want to sound like everyone else. You want to stand out from the crowd. Instead try: Performance-Driven.

3. Successful. This is another overused phrase on resumes. We all want to communicate how successful we’ve been so a new employer will think highly of us, but let’s look at some alternative wording versus just coming out and saying hey there, I’m a success. Instead try: Best In Class, Award-Winning, or Top-Performer.

4. Skillful or Skilled. These are so boring. Seriously, I hate to see resumes with these words on them. I cannot even tell you how incredibly dull these words are and I am sure you can come up with something way more creative for your resume. If you can’t think of anything try my recommendations or if you don’t like them use a thesaurus. Instead try: Talented, Sharp, or Resourceful.

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Job Interview Questions: "Why Do You Want to Work here?"

Job interview persuasion

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Job interview questions can be difficult at times, but one question that definitely causes many people to get nervous is "Why do you want to work here?" It is a very frank, hard job interview question, and one that every job seeker could use a few tips on how to approach. Essentially, it's just one hurdle in your job hunt you will need to overcome - so to learn how to respond to such an interview question with a clear, confident, and impressive answer, watch this video!




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The 10 Biggest Job Hunt Myths

Don't fall for these traps in your job search

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There's more job search mythology being passed around than even the ancient Greeks could have imagined. Some of the most well-traveled and persistent myths are also the most dangerous ones -- because following this faux wisdom could sabotage your job search efforts.

Here are 10 of my favorite job-search myths, and the reality to replace each one.

MYTH: In your resume, you should talk about how you're great at everything.

Have you ever seen a job posting that said, "We want to hire someone who's good at everything"? Individual department managers get approval to hire people to perform certain specific duties. The last thing you want on your resume is a message that says, "I can do Sales, Marketing, Finance, Customer Service, or Manufacturing!" No one will believe you, and you won't be the best fit for any job, anywhere.

Reality: Use your resume to talk about how you're really strong in two or three areas. If you need more than one resume, so be it.

MYTH: The people who get jobs are the ones who apply for the most jobs

The people who actually get jobs are the ones who create thoughtful, targeted approaches to the jobs they're especially well suited for. Lobbing dozens of random resumes with boilerplate cover letters into inboxes across America doesn't help you.

Reality: Approach each job opportunity with a targeted letter and, if necessary, a customized resume that links your background and the job's requirements.

MYTH: The more information on your resume, the better!

Editing is an important business skill. If your resume includes the details for the jobs you held before 1990, your resume is too long. Two pages in an absolute max for non-academic resumes, and in those two pages you want to tell us the most important bits, not every task and duty you've ever been responsible for.

Reality: The best resumes are concise, pithy and specific. Less is more when it comes to describing your strengths and talents.

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7 Ways to Get a Job Using LinkedIn

A more comprehensive job search strategy for LinkedIn

Reprinted with permission from seo-mind.com

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Most of the recruiters and employers have quit traditional methods of searching for a perfect candidate. No longer do they spend all their time going through job portals but they also search for interesting candidates on social media sites, blogs, forums and professional networking sites.

LinkedIn is one great way of letting recruiters know about your talents, testimonials, profession, friends, business networks and much more. LinkedIn has over 35 million members in over 200 countries and territories around the world. A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second, and about half of LinkedIn members are outside the U.S. Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members and have listed their entire profile including roles, responsibilities, previous experiences, education and their business network details.

1. Edit Opportunity Preferences: Edit your profile and change your contact settings > Opportunity Preferences. Select Job Inquiries and any other opportunities you prefer.

2. Get Recommendations: More recommendations in your profile means that your profile gets a higher the trust and reliability. Send a request for recommendation to your co-workers, clients or immediate managers. If you are in a management position, it is great to get a feedback on your leadership qualities. Make a practice also to recommend others whom you think deserve. This is another way to get a feedback from them.

3. Find where the Opportunity Is: Search for people in similar job profiles and find out where they work. Search on Google about those companies and find out if there are openings.

4. Find out the skill sets required: After you find out the companies where similar profession people work, it’s good to find out the skill sets they posses.

5. Find out how your colleague got that nice offer: Not many colleagues share all that they know or all that they do to get a job. Search with their names on LinkedIn and find out their background. Where they are employed now, what are their roles and responsibilities and more importantly what are their skill sets.

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What R.E.S.U.M.E Stands For

Resume writing explained in a different way

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We all know that a resume is basically a written summary of your skills, background, and experience related to a particular field – but what does the word “resume” actually stand for?

The truth is the word “resume” doesn’t actually stand for anything, but we thought it was a good idea to think of which words could best describe the process through which you can improve your resume. Read on to see what your resume is missing and what you can do to improve it.

Recognize

It’s important to first recognize the employer’s needs. Take a look at the job posting and highlight the most important parts; the job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Keywords are very important to note here. If you’re not sure which keywords are important, search for a similar job posting and see which similar words you find. Reviewing the overall job description is another way to truly understand the purpose of the position – and if you can indeed serve that purpose.

Evaluate

Compare your resume to the job posting and see what differences and similarities exist. This is a good time to reflect upon your resume keyword-wise and see what you could change to grab the employer’s attention. Think about your qualifications as a job candidate and see if you really fit the position you are applying for. As job seekers get desperate they’ll often apply to jobs they aren’t qualified for and this not only frustrates the employer who has to go through hundreds of resumes, but it also makes a job seeker’s life more difficult with yet another rejection letter to read.

Strategize

Now that you know which particular keywords are relevant within the job duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and description, it’s time to form a strategy for your resume.

Take some time to write down all the major duties and responsibilities of the last position you held. As you’re writing them down, it should now be apparent which ones are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Write down a list of your accomplishments as well (professional or academic) and again note which ones would make sense to use for this particular job posting.

This process basically tailors your resume to the specific job you’re applying for - it makes you rethink exactly what you’re putting on your resume and whether or not you could be putting something more relevant that you hadn’t thought of before.

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6 Signs Your Job Interview Went Well

Signs to look for during your job interview

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Right after a job interview, you're going to feel pretty relieved that it's all over and either confident that you did well or worried that you bombed. It's common for job seekers to go over the job interview questions that they went through and the answers they gave, and note any other small things during the interview - but how do you really know whether or not you did well? Check out these 6 points below and you'll have a better understanding of whether or not your job interview went well.

1. They give you a firm answer about when you’ll hear back.

This is not a foolproof indicator, but it’s a good one none the less. You don’t want to hear, “We’ll let you know.” You don’t want to have to ask, “When, exactly?” If they say, “I’ll have an answer for you on Monday morning,” that usually means they’ve made a decision. The decision might not be for you, but at least they’ve made a decision. This is sort of like a poker tell… if someone hasn’t made up their mind yet, they don’t really know how long it will take to do so, and thus are evasive about estimating how long it might take to make up their mind. If the interviewer gives you a vague answer, that might mean that there are plenty more interviews scheduled and your interview performance was not enough to make them cancel the others.

2. You covered topics beyond the job description.

A good interview is one where you handily answer all their questions, clearly demonstrate that you can meet all the job requirements, AND THEN start to discuss all the other things you can bring to the job. You win the job by using the interview to convince them that hiring you will bring them all sorts of additional dividends they didn’t even expect.

3. The interview went longer than scheduled.

This one is logical enough. If you’re in and out in a hurry, you might not have struck their fancy. But if you hang out for a while shooting the breeze (especially if you hit point number 4 below, that’s a good sign.

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7 Cover Letter Mistakes You Make When Applying With E-Mail

Cover letter

This post was reprinted with permission from http://employmentdigest.net

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How many times have you replied to a job ad via e-mail by shooting them a copy of your resume and cover letter? I’m going to venture a guess and say at least 20 (but more likely hundreds of times) if you’ve been searching for any significant length of time. Here are some of the most notorious mistakes we’ve seen-and what you can do to greatly improve your chances of being noticed.

Attaching the cover letter to the e-mail.

What’s wrong with that, you ask? Most hiring managers aren’t going to open the cover letter and read it. They’ll go straight to the resume instead. Want to ensure your cover letter gets read? Copy and paste it into the body of the e-mail. Whoever received the e-mail will be much more likely to read it if it’s already right there in front of their face.

Writing your whole life story in the body of the e-mail.

Don’t go overboard with details; keep it short. The hiring manager won’t be willing to invest a lot of time reading your e-mail. Keep it short and to the point.

Providing information that is not relevant to the position.

Here is a great example. When I want to bring an additional resume/cover letter writer on staff, I’m not looking for someone with technical writing expertise, article writing skills, or journalism savvy. Those forms of writing aren’t relevant to what we do here. I want a writer who has extensive expertise and certification in resume writing. If someone goes on and on in their cover letter (or in the body of the e-mail) about all their other writing experience, they will lose my interest. Instead, I want them to tell me about their most relevant experience as it relates to my needs. I want them to tell me about any resume writing experience they have. Give the hiring manager a brief overview of the most relevant experience you have, appropriate to the position they are trying to fill. This will pique their interest-rather than lose it.

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How to Get a Job Through the Phone Interview

A few steps can make a huge difference in your phone interview

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Before you get a job, you must pass the phone interview. This is just part of the job hunt - and must be done properly. The issue is many college grads who are looking for jobs have no clue how to handle job interviews! Watch this video to find out how to answer interview questions, fix your voice and tone, and succeed in the phone interview. When you're done watching, browse our other content!



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7 Deadly Mindsets and Ineffective Job Search Habits

How to avoid job search pitfalls and discover possibilities

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Having the right mindset as you begin (or continue) your job search is crucial to your success. Always begin with a renewed mindset, because where you put your mind in the beginning will affect where you end up. To put this into practice, it’s important to have a clear understanding of who you are. It may help to look at your professional reputation- how are you known in the industry and in the professional realm?

We all have a brand and we need to be able to articulate that brand. Know what your success factors are and identify those things that will make you successful in your job search. Set goals for yourself. There are certain milestones and small goals to achieve along the way, so be sure that you set daily/weekly/monthly goals so that you can measure success. Goals also help to keep you motivated. Finally, avoid the following deadly mindsets that can lead to an ineffective search.

1. Conducting a job search without a plan or process in place.

Think of the job search as a project. There are goals, deadlines, deliverables, etc. that you need to hold yourself accountable to.

2. Being a “computer addict.”

Spending time online is only one portion of your search effort. It should not be your focus, but only a small part. There’s only a 1-2% success rate with this effort, and puts you in a position of being responsive as opposed to proactive. Companies get hundreds or thousands of resumes daily, so the hit rate for you is likely to be very small. Job boards and other online resources can be used to identify opportunities, but should not be where you spend the bulk of your time.
3. Using a “blast machine.”

This sort of an approach gets your resume out to multiple recruiters and companies, but it’s often the case that companies will have systems and blocks in place to mark this sort of communication as SPAM.

4. Avoiding online presence.

Don’t be resistant to online social media or online networking. Approximately 86% of employers and recruiters are going to Google you before they reach out to you, so be sure that you’re online in a positive light and take advantage of sites that can market your brand.

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12 Eye-Catching Resume Tips

Words in your resume could make or break it

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Gone are the days of simply mailing your resume, receiving a call, shaking hands at the interview and agreeing on a start date for that new job. The Internet has taken over the recruiting landscape and everyone is required to submit a resume online. While that brings greater efficiency to the process for employers, it can be awfully maddening for job seekers. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you know how to navigate the system.

Consider these 12 tips before pressing “submit:”

1) Search job boards and the websites of employers that appeal to you. Print out the job postings that you’re interested in pursuing before you apply.

2) Use a highlighter to mark the keywords and industry language used to describe the requirements and responsibilities of each position.

3) Compare those words and phrases to the language that appears in your current resume.

4) Figure out how and where to add the most relevant keywords to your resume, assuming you have the specific knowledge, skills and experience. Applicant tracking systems will search for keyword matches – the more matches, the better, which often determines if a recruiter opts to view your resume.

5) Once you’re confident that your resume reflects a strong match, go ahead and submit that targeted resume online.

6) If the system requests a cover letter, write a short one that expresses why you’re a strong match and why you’d like to join the organization. This is a chance to tout your research on the role.

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7) Never submit a generic, one-size-fits-all resume or cover letter. If you really want the position, you’ll customize all documents for each job.

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Job Interview Questions: "What Are Your Greatest Weaknesses?"

Stand out as an applicant with this job interview question

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To get a job you need to pass through the job interview with ease - but how do you do that when you have such a difficult interview question such as "What are your greatest weaknesses?" Job seekers must understand how to approach this question, ace the interview, and stand out as a job applicant. To learn how, watch this video!



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A New Grad's Journey Into the ‘Real World’

Post-graduation life explained by a new grad

This post was reprinted with permission from http://newmanpr.com

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As my December college graduation approached, my excitement about what was to come increased, as did my worries of finding employment post-graduation. Reading countless stories on job-hunting nightmares during a recession, not only from recent college graduates but also from seasoned and qualified candidates, was enough to put knots in my stomach.

I spent my last year of college immersed in my course work and tried to gain as much public relations experience from interning as possible, which, lets face it, is not easy. These days most internships consist of doing all the tedious work no one else wants or has the time to do. During my numerous newspaper and coffee runs, I couldn’t help but wonder how prepared I was to go out into the “real world” and compete with overqualified candidates for a position. Sure, I completed three internships during my college years, but does juggling six Starbucks drinks back to the office qualify as a resume-worthy skill?

I did all I could to stand out from the intern pack. I volunteered for every task presented, stayed late to help finish reports and made it a habit to ask my supervisors if they needed help with anything if it was a slow day at the office. Throughout all three internships I made many contacts but quickly realized it was all up to me to secure a post-graduation job.

A couple of months before graduation I began to scroll through job posts on various sites almost daily. I did not want to miss a single opportunity to send out my resume. Public relations in Miami is a rather small community, so genuine and serious job posts were scarce.

Early November, I came across a job post for a bilingual account coordinator position at Newman PR. It sounded like the perfect position for a recent college graduate so I immediately knew competition for it would be big. I stayed up that night to write a cover letter and sent it out with my resume. My hopes diminished after a couple weeks passed and I had not heard back.

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5 Reasons Your Job Hunting Isn't Going Well

Analyzing your job hunt could prove to be more useful than you think

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To advance your career and make sure your job hunt is on track there are a number of things that you must make sure you are doing right. In fact as a job seeker, looking to get a job should in fact be your full-time job. Today we are going to look at 5 quick, key reasons you are not getting the response from employers that you feel you should. If you are guilty of any of these offenses, today is a great day to take action.


# 1. You are not making your job hunt personal.

What we mean here is that you are still sending generic resumes to "whom it may concern." Get personal. Find the names of the HR Directors, hiring managers or the person doing the hiring at the company. Then send them a personal note with a custom resume catered to their company and position that you wish to have.

 # 2. You are looking where everyone else is looking.

As a job board, we want you to look at apply to the jobs that we offer on our site. It's a great way to see a mass number of open positions at one time. However, do know that you are competing with a larger number of candidates. Do your homework and find open positions through networking, online searching and leveraging job boards and vertical search engines like Job-A-Lot to uncover hidden gems.

# 3. You believe every word coming out of the television.

If you think everything is all doom and gloom, its time to snap out of it. Orlando is a top 5 city for available internships and entry level positions - so you are in a great place to find opportunity. Take a few minutes out of your day to find positivity and you will find yourself having less stress and an open mind towards your job hunt.

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50 Job Search Tips That Work

Resume qualities that will land you an interview

Reprinted with permission from blog.hiredmyway.com.

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It’s a tough job market out there.

It’s not uncommon for hundreds of resumes to flood a company for just one position. This means that it’s a buyer’s market for employers and you’ll need to bring your A-Game to stand out from the crowd.

Every day we work with employers and recruiters to find and hire serious job seekers. One advantage for you is that we’ve been able to compile the best tips from top companies and recruiters.

Here are 50 of the top job search tips and strategies that we’ve uncovered –

Preparation

1. Do Your Homework: Always research the organization prior to interviewing. Knowing some of the company’s successes and accolades, such as awards and charitable actions, shows that you have done your homework.
2. Have a Focused Plan: Create a list of companies that you will systematically contact. Prioritize companies that are a close match to your experience and skills.
3. Schedule Networking: Treat networking like a job. Fill your calendar with events and follow-up regularly.
4. Arrive 10 Minutes Before the Interview: Arriving early relieves the stress of possibly being late and demonstrates that you are responsible and dependable.
5. Professional Email: Don’t use your “party email” for follow-up. Get an email address that is simple and professional.

6. Get Business Cards: Make a point of asking for your contact’s business card. This will ensure that you have correct titles and spelling for follow-up.
7. Stay Updated: Set up Google Alerts for each of your top employment prospects. Review the latest news before your interview.
8. Practice Your Writing Skills: All professional positions require excellent writing skills. Take the time to upgrade yours.

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13 LinkedIn Mistakes You Should Avoid

Which job interviewer are you facing?

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LinkedIn, the socially connected professional network, has made numerous changes over the past few months to become more than a job resource. The changes have made it a viable tool for people to connect, discuss, get answers to questions as well as connect with people that they just may be working with in the future. The future of social media marketing is bright and the tools we use today are building blocks for what is yet to come. Creating profiles that are complete and honest are just the beginning. Many of these have been written time and time again but as I look to connect with new people, I still see the same mistakes being made.

13 LinkedIn Mistakes to Avoid

1. Default URL. Increase your personal branding so easily by changing the default to a personal URL. Click Edit Public Profile Settings in the top right and then edit your Public Profile URL to your name. As a job seeker this is a must.

2. My Website/My Company. Keeping the default is asking people to look above to see who your current employer is and then go back and click on it. It is a simple change: On your profile, click websites, then at the drop down, click "Other" and then type in the name and descriptive terms

3. Private Profile. As social media is evolving with Google's live search, Bing/Twitter as well as Google's Social Search what was private is not anymore. Go public so people can find you as a job seeker.

4. Joining Groups. The maximum amount of groups you can join is 50. While that seems like a lot, how many people are at the max? There is so much information contained in groups - news, discussions, slide shares - that failing to join groups is basically like missing out on an opportunity to connect. 50 is not always the easiest to keep up with especially when you're job hunting but the information shared in the groups is very valuable.

5. Lack of Participation in Discussions. Social media is about connecting and building relationships - talking to people. Taking part in discussions gets you noticed as a viable job candidate well as keeps the conversation going and the sharing of information, viewpoints and knowledge.

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7 Resume Mistakes You Didn't Realize

Resume blunders to watch out for

Reprinted with permission from theundercoverrecruiter.com.

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If you’ve worked long and hard on your resume only to find that it’s not getting the response you hoped for, it may be because you have made one or more common mistakes.

Over my career, I’ve seen tens of thousands of resumes and I’ve seen just about every mistake you can imagine. But some are more common than others. If your resume isn’t working for you, check whether you have made any of these frequently seen errors.

Resume Mistake #1 - Focusing on Yourself Rather Than on the Employer

Think of a resume as an advertisement for a product, only the “product” is you. Just like any other advertisement, positioning is everything. The person who receives your resume will scan it quickly – perhaps for no more than 20 seconds – to determine whether you can help her company. Your job is to say quickly, clearly and loudly that you can!

Don’t just launch into a chronology of your career history. Instead, determine your own positioning by spelling out your message at the start of the resume and giving the reader your version of events upfront. For this reason, you should use the first 1/3 of your resume to create a compelling personal profile which highlights your key strengths in an attractive, easy-to-read format.

Resume Mistake #2 – Starting with an Objective

Don’t start with an objective. Recruiters and hiring managers don’t like them because they focus on the needs of the job seeker rather than the needs of the potential employer. Consider this objective statement:

“Seeking a software engineer position with a progressive employer where I can contribute to the development of new technologies and work with bright, committed people.”

This may be very honest but it is irrelevant to the reader, who does not care what you want and only cares what you have to offer. Instead of an objective, try using a positioning statement that clearly and concisely explains what you have to offer.

“Senior Software Engineer with 10 years experience developing leading-edge technologies.”

Now the reader can immediately see your value to the company. (For even greater impact, tailor this statement for each position so that the reader immediately sees a match between his/her needs and your skills.)

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5 Types of interviewers and how to prepare for them

Which job interviewer are you facing?

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Not everyone interviews with the same format, passion, process and questions. There are some old standards out there that some interviewers follow, while others take their own path, especially the entrepreneurs. There are different types of interviewers and with some forethought you can be prepared to interview successfully, no matter which type you encounter.

Keep in mind that an interviewer’s personality and their style make a difference in the outcome. For example, a hotel front desk clerk learns quickly to read a person’s personality as they approach the desk. This is key to customer service because the clerk quickly adapts in order to meet the needs of that customer. A food server listens carefully to a table of guests to assess the mood and friendliness of each person or the group and know how to provide them with excellent service.

Take caution though: if you misread the personality of the interviewer, you might make some mistakes that could cause you to not move further in the hiring process. Here we share the most common types of interviewers to help you make your own “first impression” style assessment, which can arm you with what you need to position yourself in the interview. These are just some simple rules to follow allowing you to be more comfortable at the onset of the interview.

1. The Non-Stop Talker

You’ve seen the type – they talk more than they ask questions. This sometimes presents a vulnerable situation whereby the interviewer chats personally and sucks you into feeling comfortable enough to move with the conversation. This might lead you to state some information that you might not want to reveal at this time. Be polite and respond with friendliness as the interviewer will appreciate this quality. So carefully listen to the questions and respond in a professional manner. Wait for those opportunities to ask pertinent questions relative to the position or the company. It shows your interest in what the interviewer has to say and allows them to continue with their chatter.

2. The Drill Sergeant

Opposite of the chatter is the interviewer who maintains domination over the conversation by firing off a list of questions in a monotone voice. This might be a bit intimidating but their goal might be to do just that – make you nervous. Maintain your eye contact with strong earnest, remain calm and confident, look for ways to return some questions, and provide solid answers without adding chatter. Stick to the pertinent information and be ready for the continued drill.

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6 Tips for Successful Networking

Spruce up your networking and land a job

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Today's column comes from David Bell, a successful job seeker who used networking to help land a new job in the current economy. I asked him to explain the secret to his success, and he distilled his experience into six key points that can help you build a better network:

1. Always remember that you're asking people for information, not a job.

Networking often goes bad because job seekers try to ask friends and strangers about specific job openings. This puts people in an awkward position – after all, if they don't know you, they'll naturally hesitate to recommend you for a job. When you make people uncomfortable by being too pushy online, you destroy any opportunity you might get to meet face-to-face, or find out about new jobs openings in the future.

2. Start with people you know, then expand to their acquaintances and finally strangers after the process becomes second nature.

It's important to practice on your friend before moving on to people they suggest. Using a referral's name when you contact someone you don't know can be very helpful in breaking the ice.

But you shouldn't avoid networking with strangers just because you have no automatic "in" with them. As David Bell points out, "Contact to everyone you can, whether it's by email, social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, or even over the phone. You never know who'll have the most useful information or take an interest in you. Aside from helping you find a job, it's a wonderful way to make new friends, especially if you've recently moved to a new city."

3. When you reach out to a contact, have in mind what you want to say, but don't obsess about it.

While the delay built in to most social network communication makes it easier to "think before you speak," some contacts you meet will prefer the immediacy of phone calls or instant messaging. In these cases, be prepared to give the name of your referral (if you have one), state why you're contact them (for information not a job) and ask a short list of questions about your contact's area of expertise. Putting these thoughts together ahead of time can save you the embarrassment of now knowing what to say.

However, be careful not to over-prepare, since this can easily turn into an excuse for putting off your first contact. Or worse, you can get so married to a specific script that you blank when a conversation strays to another subject. It's the same as reciting a memorized poem back in English class – if you're too rigid, any distraction will cause you to lose your place and screw up.

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8 Mistakes that Can Hurt Your Job Search

Big job hunt blunders that can cost your job search - big time

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Been searching for a job but aren't getting the results you want?

Take a look at the following top job search blunders to make sure you aren't undermining your own job search success!

Mistake # 1: Acting as if the Job Search Is about You

From your perspective, of course you want a job. Therefore, it's only natural to assume that the process of searching for a job is all about you. But when it comes to hiring, it's all about the company.

Organizations don't hire people because they want to give people jobs. They hire people because they have a specific need that must be met.

Unless you can demonstrate how your skills and strengths can help meet a specific need of an organization, you simply aren't relevant to that company; even if you're the most highly skilled person in the world. Discover the needs of the target company first, then position yourself as the best solution to those needs.

Mistake # 2: Not Knowing Yourself and Your Value

Starting a job search without first understanding your career interests, skills, values, and personality is like starting a road trip without a map. You can drive forward, but you probably won't end up where you want to be.

What gets you excited in life? What are you most proud of? What do you think you're best at?

Don't cut corners here. If you don't know the answers, talk to family and friends. If you're serious about your future, go a step further and get personal guidance from a career consultant who is trained to help people like you connect their unique gifts with a life direction.

Self-knowledge is the foundation for your entire job search campaign:

1. It will help you determine how to aim your job search at the right job targets.
2. It will help you communicate what value you can bring to a company.
3. It will enable you to give others the information they need to help you.

Mistake # 3: Not Being Able to Clearly Communicate How You Fit What the Company Needs

Refer to Mistake #1. Unless you can demonstrate how your skills and strengths can help meet a specific need of an organization, you simply aren't relevant to that company. This requires that you do your homework to discover what the company's needs are.

Learn as much as you can about the company's focus areas and needs, and then use the company's own language to describe what you can do for them.

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To all the Universities, thank you

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To all the Universities out there who have referred their students to us, wrote about us, or just linked to us, we thank you. Having your support means the world to us.

Ball State University
Baruch College
Becker College
Boston University
Brandeis University
Brock University
Clark College
College of Charleston
Colorado State University
Concordia University
Cornell University
Davenport University
Davis College in Johnson City NY
Denison University
Eastern Washington University
ESADE Business & Law School
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
Guilford Technical Community College
Henderson State University
Indiana Tech
James Cook University
Kent State University
Lafayette College
Lock Haven University
Macalester College
Manhattanville College
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Messiah College
Middlebury Career Services
Middlesex Community College
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Montclair State University
North Dakota State University
Northeastern University
Northland College
Philadelphia University
Radford University
Raritan Valley Community College
Rutgers University
Saint Louis University Madrid
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Skagit Valley College
Spring Hill College
St. Cloud State University
St. Norbert College
Sullivan University
Tarleton State University
The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago
The Washington Center
Trinity University
University of Alabama at Birgmingham
University of California, Los Angeles
University of Georgia
University of Houstoin
University of Houston
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Melbourne
University of Miami
University of Oregon
University of Tennessee Knoxville
University of Texas Arlington
University of Toronto
University of Vermont
University of West Georgia
University of Wisconsin - Superior
Valdosta State University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Watkins College of Art, Design & Film
Xavier University

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Resume Tip: 5 Ways To Prevent Emailed Resumes From Getting Blocked as Spam

Get your resume to their inbox

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If you’re looking for work and creating a resume, you should not only carefully review the resume, but also consider some tactics to make sure your emailed resume isn’t getting lost in employers’ spam email filters.

If you’re on the hiring side of the desk, check for the same problem, which may be be preventing you from seeing the resumes of highly qualified candidates.

When this post was originally written in October 2004, the Wall Street Journal had just reported on this problem of the growing use of spam filtering technology and its potential interference with emailed resumes (excerpted here).

Spam-filtering technology has improved since then, while spammers have changed methods, so we’ve expanded, updated, and republished this post to help today’s jobseekers with the following resume tips.

1. When Creating a Resume, Avoid Problematic, “Spammy” Words.

According to this WSJ article, some good resumes are filtered out as spam due to the use of specific “bad” words common in spam:

The mere presence of words such as “free,” “expand,” “trial,” “mortgage,” or exclamation points or colored backgrounds — all of which might be used by resume writers as well as spammers — could trigger some filters.

The WSJ told the story of an applicant who had received his MBA degree magna cum laude. Who wouldn’t want to list that honor in their resume?
However, spam filters have a little problem with the word “cum,” because of its less honorable meaning, as this applicant learned when a company informed him that his resume had been deleted from its system because it contained an “obscenity.”

He fixed the problem: His resume now says he graduated with “high honors.”

Similarly, while creating a resume to be emailed, think about the words you use and whether you commonly see them in the spam you receive. Those “spammy” words may relate to:

◦ Types of products and services commonly marketed through spam (be careful if you’ve brokered mortgages or sold pharamaceuticals!).
◦ Sales pitch adjectives like “free” or “best.”

◦ Dollar amounts. It may be important to include on your resume how much your average sales were, how much you increased revenues, etc., but beware: dollar amounts are common to spam, either in prices or as part of the sales pitch (such as “make over $10,000 a month with Google”).

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3 False Beliefs College Grads Have

Do your thoughts affect your job search?
You better believe it!

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1. “I deserve a job because I worked hard to get my degree”

Many college grads on the job hunt believe that they are essentially entitled to employment because they worked long and hard for their degree. It is indeed true that dedication and hard work go a long way – but that guarantees a student graduation, not a job. Some students say that their excellent GPA, extra-curricular involvement, internship experience, or even their degree’s major entitles them to a good-paying entry level position at a Fortune 500 company. All of these are factors that may help you in your job search, but none are golden tickets towards employment. This kind of thinking makes a college graduate a passive job seeker which is the last thing anyone wants to be.

Instead, job seekers should write down their past experience, skills, and qualifications and see how they can best brand themselves. Then, they should use job interviews as opportunities to explain to hiring managers why they are indeed the best candidates for the position.

Stop believing: “I deserve a job because I worked hard to get my degree”
Start thinking: “How can I show companies that I am the best possible candidate for this job?”

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Job Interview Questions: "Why Should I Hire You?"

Stand out as an applicant with this job interview question

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Job interview questions are not easy, but one interview question that stumps most people is "Why should I hire you?" It is a very blunt, difficult job interview question, and one that every job seeker could use a few tips on how to approach. Essentially, it's just one hurdle in your job hunt you will need to overcome - so to learn how to respond to such an interview question with a clear, confident, and impressive answer, watch this video!



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