11 Commandments For Gen Y Job Seekers

With so much career advice floating around, what actions are absolutely essential for today's young professionals? Here are my 11 commandments to guide college students and recent grads through the maze of 21st century career planning.  1. Cast a wide net. Quick quiz: Which has the best shot of leading to a job? a) a career fair, b) a connection from your best friend's college roommate or d) a quirky help wanted ad on Craigslist? The answer: You never know. It could be any of the above. This means it's crucial to follow every lead.

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2. Clean up your Facebook page. Employers absolutely check you out on Facebook (and MySpace and any other social networking site that's popular in your industry). Make sure your profile is free of red flags-such as underage drinking, nudity, drugs or excessive profanity-that would indicate you might not be the most desirable employee.

3. Set up keyword news alerts. Sign up for news alerts (they're free from Google or Yahoo) containing the name of any company where you hope to interview. This means you'll be the very first to know about new products, new management and new business opportunities-invaluable knowledge when you want to stand out as the must-hire job applicant.

4. Get carded. Writing your phone number on a cocktail napkin or ATM receipt is cute at a party, but it sends the wrong message when you're networking professionally. Show that you are prepared to meet people by having business cards at the ready. All you need on the card is your name, a phone number (which can be a cell phone), and an email address. I am thoroughly impressed when I meet a student who has cards. It shows maturity, foresight, and an eagerness to have the appropriate tools for the working world.

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5. Be a leader. Recruiters love to hire leaders, so be sure to include any leadership titles that relate to positions (paid or volunteer) on your resume. Great leadership words include: president, founder, director, manager and-yep-leader.

6. Network with your neighbors. Seventy to eighty percent of jobs are found through networking, so get out there and talk to the people you know. Tell everyone you're related to, everyone you see each day and everyone you meet (association members, friends of friends, airplane seatmates) that you are looking for a job and you'd love any advice or ideas they can provide. Most people are happy to offer some suggestions-or, even better, a hot lead.

7. Don't reinvent the resume. If you're new to the world of job hunting, there are many resume templates and examples available for free online. It can be very helpful to see examples before you start creating your own version. Sometimes the very site where you want to post your resume offers tips and templates, so take advantage!

8. Mock interview. You can anticipate the majority of questions you'll be asked on a job interview, so the more experience you have answering those questions succinctly and successfully, and the more feedback you've gotten about your performance, the better you'll do on the Big Day. Never let your real interview be the first time you talk out loud about your experience and what you want in your career. Practice makes perfect.

9. Make friends at Career Services. I guarantee you will benefit from taking advantage of at least one, if not all, of the following services offered by your school's career office: assessment testing, resume critiquing, databases of apprenticeship/job shadow/internship opportunities, career counseling, mock interviewing, career fairs, workshops and networking. If nothing else, visit the website of your school's career center-most have online resources that can be very helpful during your planning and searching.

10. Persist (politely). Sometimes the job goes to the person who is in the right place at the right time. This means you must stay on recruiters' radar screens by regularly reminding them of your interest and your fabulousness. Some ideas: Check in every few weeks with an additional suggestion for what you can contribute to the company, drop a note when you see the company mentioned in a news article (another great reason to set up those keyword news alerts) and check in whenever you have a new accomplishment to share. Warning: Don't make contact more than once a week. I said persist, not pester! 11. Don't curb your enthusiasm. All my research into career success yielded many tips and tactics, but one truth stood out above all: passion matters. An employer or client will often choose to work with the person who is most excited about her work and loves coming in to the office every day. Be that person and let your enthusiasm shine through! vacancy

How to Go From “Take this Job and Shove It” to “Take this Job and Love It”!

The sad fact is that most Americans hate their jobs. Its pure drudgery and they’re just in it for the paycheck. It doesn’t have to be this way. You really can have a dream job, one that you really love and that pays you well.

No, I’m not in fairy tale land. For the 10 years I worked for AOL, I can honestly say there were few days I didn’t want to go to work. The challenges of each position and the company’s ups and downs were never easy, but I always believed my contribution meant something and I felt that I was being fairly compensated. When this was no longer the case, I found another way to grow my career. job vacancy indonesia

But, unfortunately, my experience is not common. After even a few years into your career, you might be frustrated by any number of things – work that’s not challenging, people who don’t value your abilities, being paid less than you’re worth, to name a few. You might even fantasize walking into your boss’ office and shouting “Take this job and shove it!”

That might feel momentarily satisfying, but it’s never a lasting strategy to build your career. The more productive thing to do is to “take this job and love it!” No, not the job you currently have that leaves you frustrated. I’m taking about a new job, a different job that is a great match for you, your abilities, and your desires.

But, how do you go from “shove” to “love” in your career? employee

Pounding the pavement searching for a more fulfilling career is one of the most stressful events in life. I read that it’s in the top three, right along with divorce and a death in the family. Having a road map can reduce your anxiety. Here are my six steps to get that dream job while you’re fully conscious:

1. Determine That You Need To Change Jobs

Sometimes, it’s worth trying to work things out at your current job. Often, you need to move on. In either case, the big thing is that you need to understand why you are dissatisfied with your current so that you can take that into account when you are looking for a new one.

2. Identify The Job You Really Want

The goal is to have a job where you are excited about getting up every morning and going to work. Allow yourself to dream what that new job might be and then explore what that job is like through online research and informational interviews with people who actually do that job now.

3. Find The Company That Has The Job You Want

Start looking in easy places, both on and offline. For example, check the want ads in the largest general newspaper in town plus the largest business newspaper in town. Go online and search job websites such as www.monster.com and www.careerbuilding.com. Don’t forget any schools or related associations who also may have job postings. One huge way people find jobs that’s often overlooked is networking. Get out and meet people and let them know you’re seeking a new opportunity. Often you’ll get a recommendation of a company or someone to contact.

4. Convince The Hiring Manager You Are The Person They Are Looking For

Be prepared for the interview. Learn all you can beforehand about the company and their current situation. Of all the questions you may get, the most critical answers are the ones where you tie your abilities and experience to the company’s needs. That’s what makes you truly valuable.

5. Negotiate A Fabulous Salary And Compensation Package

Never talk money and compensation until you’ve clearly discussed your value – what you can do to meet the company’s needs right now. Know what the job is worth ahead of time using websites like www.salary.com. Let the hiring manager put out the first number, but never accept it immediately. Often this is their lowest offer. You will often get more in salary or benefits if you ask, but only if they believe you’re worth it.

6. Start Off Your New Job With A Bang
You’ve worked really hard to get to this point. Don’t wait for your boss or your new co-workers to make you feel comfortable and to give you direction. Reach out to them first. Continue to demonstrate through your results and by creating positive relationships that they made the right choice.

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10 Hot Jobs And The Certifications You Need To Get Them

While scouting for the top 10 hot jobs, we combed through tons of data offline as well online. Making a small list for just 10 hot jobs has taken some important considerations like the following ones:

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1. Longevity of relevance of the job

2. Salary and growth potential

3. Universality of the field

While most job seekers looked for higher positions and salaries, others considered permanence of their job was their priority. It is noteworthy that the definition of job security has changed substantially in the last decade and it is all about continuing in the same job but under different employers. Ready? Here we go!

10 Hot Jobs And The Certifications You Need To Get Them

The top hot jobs were all of a high profile nature and most of them were in the field of computers.

1. CISCO CERTIFIED NETWORK EXPERT: This hits the top for the second successive year. Candidates consider themselves lucky to pass this test even on their second attempt where the percentage success rate is just 15. This hits the top because of its ever-increasing popularity, salary potential and vast potential.

2. MICROSOFT CERTIFIED SYSTEMS ENGINEER: The MCSE certification has stayed on top for many years now. The job involves working with operating systems and security issues. The popularity is also because it doesn’t require additional certification to get through to your dream job. Job profile: Systems Engineer and Systems Analyst.

3. TEACHER: Why do you think this found its way to Top-3 slot? Close to 1.3 million teachers need to be recruited in the next 5-6 years. Teachers in the K-12 bracket: 724,000 and post secondary teachers: 603,000. We had to give this position its due. All states offer various educator preparation programs for aspirants through their respective boards of education.

4. REGISTERED NURSES: Registered nurses are going to be in top demand in the next 5-6 years due to the government’s spending on healthcare programs. This had to happen sooner than later after the recent well-publicized nursing shortage. Certification: The boards of nursing in every state administers the certification exam, National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Minimum qualification to appear for this exam is graduation from approved nursing schools. Average salary, $53,000

5. COMPUTER SOFTWARE ENGINEER: CNN reports that 307,000 computer software engineers will be required in the next 3-4 years. This is one interesting job with lots of code writing or fixing for making the computers of the world work. Certification: University graduates with computer science as a major, with physics and math can jumpstart their careers. Some top certifications are MCSE, Sun Certified Java Programmer, MySQL and Red Hat Certified Engineer.

6. INVESTMENT AND FINANCIAL ADVISOR: Tops the salary charts for both federal as well as private employers. Based on the risk profile and risk-benefit analysis, they advise their clients on personal and business financial matters. Salary ranges from $28,500 to $145,600. Certification: College graduation along with a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification can enhance prospects.

7. CISCO CERTIFIED INTERNETWORK EXPERT (CCIE): If difficulty, prestige and recognitions are any thing to go by, here it is. CCIE is not among the most sought after certification but it is very difficult. This simply is the most feared exam of all. Certification: By CISCO
8. RED HAT CERTIFIED ENGINEER (RHCE): Increase of interest in open source code has shot up the popularity of this job. This is hailed as the MCSE of Linux certifications.
9. MEDICAL SCIENTIST: Broad category that involves medical research. This career is hot because of the large amount of research activity initiated by the government and private organizations on AIDS, cancer, Parkinson’s Syndrome and many more. Certification: Doctorate: $100,000 and above.
10. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER: This job ranks high because of its high growth index in the next 2-3 years itself. Salary indicated ranges from $38,950 to $92,940. They work in laboratories in universities, governments, or research firms etc. Stringent environmental regulations are expected making the job a much preferred one. Certification: College graduation and degree in Environmental Engineering or Geology
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High-powered Jobs Don’t Come Without Consequences

Katie Couric's recent announcement that she is leaving NBC's "Today" to become the next anchor for CBS News is the dawn of a new era at the network and for television news as a whole. The move also shines the spotlight on the issue of women and their role in high-powered jobs.

Beginning this fall, Couric will become the first woman to lead a network evening newscast alone when she begins her five-year deal as anchor and managing editor of the “CBS Evening News.” The third-place CBS hopes Couric’s celebrity can boost its sagging ratings and restore credibility to a network damaged by recent reporting missteps. job vacancy indonesia

The simple fact that Couric’s move has been treated as a major news story is evidence of the progress women have made in the working world, and the lengths they still have to go. The idea of a woman as the lead anchor going solo on the evening news would have been unheard of 30 years ago. Already quite familiar with a high-powered job, Couric will break down another workplace barrier in her new position. employee

Like many women, it’s likely Couric is familiar with the triumphs and struggles that many women with high-end positions face in the corporate world. Naturally, the overwhelming majority of women can’t relate to Couric’s celebrity or $15 million annual salary, but they are quite familiar with the mixed blessings that come with being a highly successful woman. On one hand, these positions have come with a status and self-fulfillment that have resulted in economic power and the removal of boundaries. On the other hand, high-powered women continue to be labeled as missing something in their lives and having a direct impact on traditional roles like child-bearing.

In a recent and controversial article by Alison Wolf, the Kings College of London academic writes that highly successful women have created enormous benefits for society, but have also contributed to “the death of sisterhood, a decline in female altruism and growing disincentives to bear children.”

In developed countries, Wolf believes that women now have the ability to take virtually any career path and the end result has created and will continue to create a fracture in society. Wolf doesn’t argue that it’s the wrong path for women to take, just a direction that will result in consequences, both good and bad.

“Women used to enter the elite as daughters, mothers and wives. Now they do so as individuals,” Wolf writes in the April issue of Prospect Magazine. “Three consequences get far less attention than they deserve. The first is the death of sisterhood: an end to the millennia during which women of all classes shared the same major life experiences to a far greater degree than did their men.

The second is the erosion of ‘female altruism,’ the service ethos which has been profoundly important to modern industrial societies – particularly in the education of their young, and the care of their old and sick. The third is the impact of employment change on childbearing. We are familiar with the prospect of demographic decline, yet we ignore, sometimes willfully, the extent to which educated women face disincentives to bear children.”

Wolf’s views, of course, have been subject to criticism. Many women believe that life in the high-powered fast lane can result in positive opportunities that other women may not be able to access. Many high-profile mothers with six-figure incomes have perks like on-site daycare for children. 

They also have the benefits of housekeepers, accommodating spouses and other support systems. In an age where even the two-income family is struggling just to make ends meet, the woman with the high-end job will be able to give her children and family the advantages and professional awards they otherwise wouldn’t have.

The woman with the elite job faces enormous challenges every day. And if she has afamily, then the life is even more complex. In spite of recent trend stories the past few years that highlighted women opting out of high-powered jobs to raise children and return home, the Center for Economic Policy has squashed that theory, stating that the number of women in the labor market has remained steady over the past few years, according to a March report in the San Francisco Chronicle. In fact, most high-powered women, whether they’re married, have children or are single, say the emotional charge and rewards from their jobs make them better spouses, girlfriends, parents and people vacancy

Get Hired Faster By Changing Your Job Search Strategy

According to most experts, the average job search takes about five months to complete.

Five months is a long time to spend job searching, especially if you are currently out of work!

Why does the average job search take this long? One of the primary reasons is because most job seekers are using the exact same job search strategies. Most of them are using what could be called the "wait and hope" strategy. job vacancy indonesia

The wait and hope strategy is comprised of three primary steps.

1 - Search for jobs which are being advertised;

2 - Submit a resume for selected jobs;

3 - WAIT AND HOPE for an interview.

This is the primary strategy used because this is the way we were all taught to look for jobs.

A Better Job Search Strategy employee

Most people are not aware that only twenty percent of all vacant jobs are actually filled through advertising. This fact is a real eye opener for most people. If only twenty percent of jobs are filled through advertising, that leaves an overwhelming majority of eighty percent which are filled without advertising. If a job is not advertised, how is it ever filled? They are filled through the hidden job market!

What exactly is the hidden job market? These are the jobs that are hidden from public view. For the job seekers who only look for jobs through the classifieds or online advertising, they are completely left out of consideration for these jobs. Considering that eighty percent of jobs are filled this way, they miss out on the majority of jobs that are actually available. This is great news for the job seeker who is willing to learn how to tap into the hidden job market!

Five Easy Steps

You can tap into the hidden job market in five easy steps. Here is a short description of each step.

Step 1 - Develop A Target List Of Employers

The first thing you need to do is to develop a list of employers who have the type of job(s) you are interested in, in the locations you want, and are employers you would like to work for. I call this list of potential employers your job opportunity list. This list of potential employers can be very long, or quite short depending on your interests and needs.

Step 2 - Do Some Research

Once you have your job opportunity list together, use the Internet to do a little research on each potential employer. Use the company’s web site to read about the company, it's mission, it's products, any current news, and most importantly, find a company directory. Use the directory to find out who is the director or supervisor of the department you want to be hired into.

Step 3 - Look For Advertised Jobs

No, I haven't changed my mind. Advertised jobs should not be your primary means of finding your next job, but you should still spend a little time and see what types of jobs are being advertised in your area. Pay special attention to jobs advertised by companies on your job opportunity list.

Step 4 - Start Making Contacts

This is where you can start separating yourself from the competition. Most job seekers just won't make direct contact with potential employers. They are not comfortable applying for a job unless the potential employer has put up a big blinking sign (advertisement) that says, "We have a job opening, please send us your resume."

Make direct contact with the employers and let them know about you, your qualifications and experience, and your interest in working for their organization! vacancy

Five Lethal Job-Hunting Mistakes

Job-hunting takes enthusiasm, concentration and a great attention to detail - not to mention an effervescent manner (even if that's not your usual nature) and infinite patience. As long as you're expending so much energy on getting a new job, you'd hate to think any of that exertion might be wasted. But these five job-search missteps can knock you out of the game - watch out for them! employee

1) Using a juvenile email address or phone message.

Now is the time to ditch that "partygirl109" or "buffdudexx7" email address, immediately. Get a free email account from hotmail, and come up with an adult-sounding handle. Same goes for your voicemail: get rid of the cute kids'-voice messages and funny Groucho Marx tapes. This is for real.

2) Using an electronically challenged resume.

Get your resume in shape, in three versions: hardcopy (looking professional, fitting the page, and printed on decent paper); plain text, to be sent in the body of an email message; and a Word document, likewise printable and readable and formatted to the page. A junky resume leaves a terrible impression. job vacancy indonesia

3) Skipping the research.

As soon as you apply for a job online or via a print ad - or a friend, for that matter - do at least enough research to know what business the company is in, who its competitors are and where it does business. If the phone rings and you're clueless as to the company's business priorities, don't expect to fare well on a phone interview.

4) Being hard to reach.

If there was ever a time to keep your cell phone charged up, it's when you're job-hunting. NEVER leave a work number (unless it's your own company) or a friend or relative's number on a voice message for a prospective employer. Use your own numbers, and return calls promptly - same day, if you can. vacancy
5) Lying on your resume.
It's terribly easy for employers to discover falsifications on your resume, and it won't matter how long you've been with the company when the truth comes out: if you lied, you're fried. Tell the truth.

With Your Next Job, Have a Love Affair!

What do you do when you're looking for a potential mate? Go to the gym, go out on dates, go places you like. Ask around to see who's still single or newly single. Think about the time and energy you devote to dating, which if successful, will comprise maybe 20% of your waking hours. Now think about your career. You probably spend about 50% of your waking hours at your desk, commuting, or traveling for work vacancy

When we're dating, we're very specific and choosy about whom we'll spend 20% of our time with. Yet often times, we settle for the first job that comes along that meets very little of our criteria, often money. Would you be willing to spend the next three to five years with a mate just because you had one nice meal? Of course not. But that's exactly what we do when we're deciding on our next job – we have a couple of great interviews and the money's good, so we agree to join the company and then stay until a better one comes along. Where's the passion in this picture? I say, it's time to have a love affair with your next job! employee

The good news is that this is easier than you think. Just remember what AFFAIR stands for:

• A -- Admiration -- Love Your Work
• FF -- Faking Fails -- If You Fake Who You Are, You'll Be Miserable in Your Next Job
• A -- Acceptance -- What Are You Willing to Compromise?
• I -- Intermingling -- Interviewing Not Just Any Company, But the Cream of the Crop Companies
• R -- Reward -- A Job You Love and Pays the Bills

ADMIRATION. We often have an idea of what our ideal mate looks like. Hair texture and color, eye color, physique, the sound of his or her voice. Likewise, this is the first step to take when you search for your next job. That's why magazines often promote the top companies to work for -- these are companies that people admire. What kind of employer do you admire? Think about the job environment. Do you want to aspire to a window office, or do you prefer open environments where everyone's equally accessible?

Think about the perfect boss who is dying to have you work on interesting projects and promote you at every opportunity. Think about the colleagues you're working with and how you might realistically interact with them at networking events. Can you see yourself bowling with them, or perhaps having each other's families over for dinner? Visualize yourself in the office kitchen at 3pm in the afternoon singing "Happy Birthday" with your colleagues. Who do you want to be singing with? Imagining your ideal job in great detail puts your intention into motion.

FAKING FAILS. Be yourself – otherwise once you get the job you'll just have to keep on faking. Have you heard of anyone who sent out over 200 resumes in their job search? Are you one of them? As in dating, it is highly unattractive to solicit yourself to every available employer and then call for days on end asking if they love you and want to marry you, figuratively speaking. Be a little choosy here. Employers want to know you're a good catch. How can you be selective?

Well, you can reach out to your friends, family, and trusted colleagues. Have a hobby you love? Join a group. Volunteer for a cause you believe in. Join networking groups in your area of expertise and volunteer for those activities that sound fun, even if they add a bit more time to your schedule. The key here is to do only those things that you absolutely love. If you're joining just to get noticed, you've missed the point. Just as in dating, you're more likely to meet your potential mate, or employer, when you're simply being yourself and having fun!

ACCEPTANCE. Now here's the kicker. Be willing to accept less than perfection. I know, this goes against the first "A for Admiration" in designing your ideal employer. But really, do you know of anyone who has the perfect significant other? With dating, you can love someone and be willing to compromise on shortcomings. It's the same with a potential employer. Know your core values and beliefs so that you're clear in your interviews what you must have and what you're willing to let slide.

Let's say you're interviewing to work in an advertising agency and you're a creative person who loves flexibility and wants a boss who provides lots of autonomy but is accessible for brainstorming when you're in a rut. Let's say you crave open space with ping pong tables and dart boards in a creative war room environment. But let's say that this agency's clients are predominantly traditional corporations with organizational hierarchies, long approval processes, micromanagement of details, and slow to act.

Are you willing to accept those shortcomings? Or are you really looking to work for a smaller boutique agency with a lesser-known client roster and possibly less salary potential? These are the types of considerations that if you decide in advance, will not be surprising to you after the new job honeymoon is over.

Congratulations…now you're INTERMINGLING! Over the past few months you've been joining groups and meeting people and having the time of your life. Now you've even gotten yourself some very interesting interviews. Not just any company, but companies that people you trust have referred you to. And you have an "in" since these people know and love you, and are essentially setting you up on blind dates, or interviews – telling both sides that you guys are meant to be soul mates together.

Try not to go crazy memorizing all those interviewing questions. The good companies don't rely on such trite questions such as, "If you were an animal, what kind of animal you would be?" Or the completely unrealistic one, "So where do you see yourself in five years?" As if any company would be willing to sign you on for five years without the possibility of layoffs.

Again, think of the interviewing process as a night out on a date, so to speak. How does your gut feel as you're talking with your interviewer? Is this somebody you'd want to go out with day after day? Is it easy for you to strike up a conversation with the interviewer? Do you find you're stumbling upon your words, or worse, that you're completely bored? Is she or he really listening to what you're saying by repeating back to you what you've said? Better yet, do you feel like a couple of good friends laughing and having a great time? Really try to use the cues your body is sending you -- try not to think so much with your head. Are you in love with this person? Let's hope so, because you'll be spending more time with him or her than with your significant other! job vacancy indonesia

Plan Your Appearance to Make a Great First Impression

Your personal appearance is a critical component of that all-important first impression when you walk into the room for your interview. 

Some people don't think about what they're going to wear until the morning of the interview. Then they scramble to find something that's appropriate, clean, and doesn’t look like it’s been slept in.

Imagine putting on that rarely used suit an hour before your interview and discovering that it no longer fits!

Plan your outfit in advance, try it on to make sure it fits well, and get it cleaned and pressed if necessary. 

When deciding what to wear, think "conservative business attire." Even if you are interviewing for a field job in which you'll wear jeans and steel-toed boots, those clothes are not appropriate for the interview. It's always better to dress "up" than to dress "down."

The key is to look professional.

Here are some preparation tips:

• Think about your hair in advance and make sure it's as ready for the interview as your clothes. Do you need a haircut or touch-up on the color? This goes for mustaches and beards, too.

• How are your teeth? If they’re not pearly white, consider using one of the many teeth-whitening products on the market today. Dingy teeth really can make a negative impression, so don’t ignore this.

• Freshen your breath, especially if it's been a while (or if you've eaten or smoked) since brushing your teeth. Don't go into the interview chewing gum.

• Do not plan to wear perfume or cologne. Having no noticeable scent is better than turning your interviewer off by wearing too much perfume/cologne (or wearing a scent that unpleasantly reminds an interviewer of an ex-spouse). And many people are allergic to ingredients in perfumes and colognes. It's safest to wear no scent at all.

• Women, if you decide on a dress or skirt, make sure it's not too sh ort. Be conservative. By the way, pantsuits are perfectly acceptable these days if they meet all the other criteria.

• Don’t forget to consider your shoes. Chose a pair that is stylish, but conservative and comfortable. (Spike heels are not a good idea.) Make sure they're clean and/or shined.

Remember, your goal is to look professional and conservative. This applies to makeup, nail polish, jewelry, body piercings, tattoos, etc.

If there’s any chance that the interviewer might not like it, no matter how “cool” it is, don’t let it show!

Dress to impress!

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Thoughtful Thank-Yous

I get asked these questions over and over: "Should I send separate thank-you notes to everyone who interviewed me? Can I just send one thank-you note to the hiring manager and ask him/her to thank others involved in the process?" 

The answers are yes and no, respectively.

Send a separate thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you, whether it was an informal pre-interview phone call, an interview lunch meeting, or the final formal interview after a lengthy process.

Don't be stingy with your thank yous!

It's an easy thing to do, it will only take a few minutes--and it will make the recipients feel good about you! Why wouldn't you jump at the chance to do that?

You can make your thank-you notes relatively short. They can be sent via snail-mail or email.

(There are differing opinions on which is best. I prefer the now "special" touch of a real letter over the routine method of email; others think email is best because it's faster. Just remember that what you say is more important than how you send it.)

Make each thank-you note slightly different by mentioning something in particular that you and the recipient discussed. This is a good reason to do your thank-you notes right away, while the interview is fresh in your mind. You might even want to take notes for this purpose.

Here's a great tip that will really impress the hiring manager: add a P.S. that mentions how helpful someone was, by name. I'm not talking about people directly involved in the interviews; they should get their own thank-you notes. But if there was a receptionist, an administrative assistant, or someone else who was helpful during your interview process, say so. Those people are rarely recognized, but may have influence with the hiring manager. The boss will think of you as someone who appreciates his team, notices things most other people overlook, and goes the extra mile.

Why make this a P.S.? Studies show that most people read the P.S. before (or even instead of) reading the main body of a letter. This P.S. will get attention and impress the reader, which will get your entire letter read and your thoughtfulness remembered!

Job Vacancy Indonesia, Vacancy 

Standing Out From the Crowd

Standing out from the other job seekers must begin with your resume, cover letter and the tactics you use. The better job seekers have two-to-five resumes that they selectively send to employers, depending on the type of job they are applying for. Instead of only having one resume, as the average job seeker does, I strongly encourage you to have a base resume for each type of position you apply to. The way to stand out is to make slight changes to both the cover letter and resume to target each job you apply for. 

Changes made are mostly wording, however it might include adding truthful information about you that is not typically needed for some jobs, or removing items that are not needed for other jobs.

Getting to this point requires research on the company, its goals and philosophies, and then determining how you can help the company maintain and exceed those goals. 

Steps:

1. Take your generic resume for the type of position you are interested in applying for and compare it to the job ad or description.

2. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are you showing in a concise manner all or as many of the relevant requirements that you possess?
• Every job ad has specific key words. What key words from the job ad are you using to start your bullets with?

3. Research the company, taking time to investigate their hiring processes (when possible), the company goals, and their competitors. By doing this, you can learn much about the company and you can demonstrate your research in the cover letter, as well as the resume. This can be done as follows:

• Read the company website, specifically the press releases (or news) and any profiles of senior management (however, do not limit your search to this).
• Also try search engines such as google.com, and look at the links about the company.
• Visit free financial sites such as at hoovers.com and yahoo.com's financials section. These sites show you how well the company is doing, who thei r competition is, and also provide news links and website links.

4. After doing the research, ask yourself this question: “Does my resume and/or cover letter show how beneficial I would be to this particular company and its specific goals?” If the answer is no, then you need to include additional items that will help you stand out among the other applicants and close the deal.

The biggest decisions are those made at the start of your job search, as it then becomes an upward or downward spiral. If you are struggling to match your skills and qualifications to the job ad, then perhaps you need to examine your process of finding a position that is right for you.

Failure to do so, even if you somehow land the job, can result in starting over again in a year or less.

Being confident with matching your cover letter and resume to the position and company will bring the much-needed confidence when you are granted the interview!

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Conquering Competency-Based Interview Questions

I recently responded to a reader asking for help with preparing for competency-based job interview questions. Here's what I told her:

Commonly questioned competencies include adaptability/flexibility, collaboration/teamwork, communication, delegation, conflict management, customer focus, decision-making, and management/leadership.

Most competency-based interview questions are along the lines of "Tell us about a time when you..." They want to hear detailed examples of how you used particular competencies to deal with specific situations. For example, for the adaptability competency, the question might be "Tell us about a time when you had to change plans for a project already underway." If they wanted to tack on a question about the communication competency, they might ask, "How did you explain the need for those changes to others?"

You can anticipate the type of questions likely to be asked by reading the position descriptions and looking for the competencies they mention. Also, a helpful website offering several example competency-based questions is here:Competency Interviews.

With these kinds of questions it's difficult to provide you with sample answers, because your answers must be specific to your own experiences.

The key is to be prepared to talk about specific situations in which you actually used the particular competencies in successful or effective ways.

When responding to the questions, you want to:

(1) Describe the situation you were faced with or the task you had to accomplish. Whenever possible, talk about specific situations rather than generic overviews of what you have done in the past. Give details.

(2) Describe the challenges you needed to overcome. The bigger the challenges, the more impressive your story will be. (But don't exaggerate; stick to the facts.)

(3) Describe the action you took to overcome the challenges and resolve the situation. If you are discussing a group project, it's okay to mention that it was a team effort and share the credit, BUT be sure to focus primarily on the actionsYOU took, rather than the actions of the team.

(4) Describe the results you achieved; e.g., money saved, process improved, customer pleased, etc. Be specific.

You can think of this question-answering process in terms of the acronym SCAR for Situation, Challenges, Action, Results. It's a very effective way to answer competency-based (and other types of) job interview questions.

While it's best to talk about actual situations, if they ask about something you have no specific experience with, admit that and follow up with how you WOULD handle it. Say for example they asked, "Tell us about a time when you disagreed with your boss about how to accomplish a task, and how you convinced him or her to let you do it your way." This could be related to the decision-making competency. You could say "I've never been in a situation where I disagreed with my boss and felt it was necessary to convince him to do something differently, but if happened, I would explain the reasons why.

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Five Things Not to Do in a Job Interview

It doesn't matter what industry you are in, or what job you do, when you're trying to land your next job, you have to have a competitive mindset to win the job offer. You've probably heard or read about the different things you are supposed to do when meeting with a prospective employer. Let's turn our focus from what you should do, to what you should never do during a telephone, online meeting, or face to face interview.

1. Do not be late for your appointment. This shows the employer that you are not reliable from the get-go. Instead, be sure to arrive at least fifteen minutes early, and check in with the front desk or receptionist to let them know of your presense. In the event the time passes, and you have not been called in for your meeting, go back to the individual you checked in with, to ensure they actually informed the interviewer you are there.
2. Do not leave extra copies of your resume in the car. I suggest having a minimum of three copies of your resume prepared on high quality paper available at every interview. In the event the hiring manager calls in a colleague for you to meet as part of the interview process, or has an additional manager sit in on the interview, you are prepared to shake hands and bring them "into the loop." This makes you, as the candidate, look prepared.
3. Do not be afraid to ask thoughtful, intelligent, and deliberate questions during an interview. In fact, it is recommended that you work with your career coach or recruiter to create a list of at least ten questions that show you have researched the opportunity with this company, and further illustrate your competency and ability to perform the position in which you are applying. Keep in mind, you never want to ask questions that are easily answered on the company's website, or is general public knowledge.
4. Do not avoid eye contact throughout the interview. Consider your meeting with the hiring manager to be a performance. The truth of the matter is you are attempting to out-perform other applicants and prospective hires for the same position. If you put yourself in the shoes of the employer, you quickly realize how important behavior and body language is to the interview outcome. By maintaining eye contact with the people you are speaking with, you show that you are confident, and capable of performing the job in which they are hiring for. 

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Fired? The Interview Solution

So you were fired? Now what? How will you explain it when you interview?

There are many questions that plague job seekers. “What salary are you looking for?” is a big one. “Why should we hire you?” is another. And “Why did you leave your last job?” can leave you spluttering if you were fired and don’t know how to answer. And most people don’t! After they’ve stumbled through a few answers—trying in vain to phrase it in an acceptable way—and are not invited back for a second interview, their fears are confirmed. No one will hire them because they’ve been fired.

Except that’s not what’s really happening. The problem is not that they were fired, but how they answered the question.

We don’t stay at a job our entire lives like most of our grandparents did. Not only is it common to change jobs, some believe it's the best way to leverage salary and career. While most of the changes may be of your own volition, odds are a few will involve being fired or laid-off. Companies are bought out, merge, and consolidate, which means inevitably there’s a duplication of staff. It can be as simple as the new president wanting to bring in his own team. He probably didn’t even look at your capabilities, He just decided you were …outta there.

These departures aren’t as difficult to explain. You can say: 

• “Our company was bought and the entire department was eliminated.” (It’s not me; a bunch of us were asked to leave.) Safety in numbers.
• “The new president wanted to bring in his own guy. I lasted about a week.” (It’s not me; the president didn’t even take the time to find out if I was good at what I do.) A prospective company can’t possibly hold something against you that’s so… impersonal.
• “The company was losing money and downsized.” (It’s not me; if the company had been profitable, I’d still be there!)

The common thread is, “It’s not me.” Therefore, I am not flawed, unwanted, performing poorly, or any other reason you can think up or worry about. But these types of partings, while they seem impersonal, can still have a detrimental effect. We’ll get to that in a minute.
The instances that cause real damage feel very personal, even when they aren’t. You are the only one who was dismissed, and what’s more, you know they’ll replace you. You’re caught off guard, angry, and frightened, too. In an instant, you’re on the defensive, which is usually where people remain. And that’s exactly what causes the problem.
Firing isn’t always about the individual, even though that’s who’s impacted the most. Sometimes it’s about the boss—especially bosses with issues. It might be about poor performance, but that’s not always negative. It could be the result of having different philosophies. For instance, the company may value those who work weekends, nights and holidays. You prefer to balance your life.
Once you’re fired, you can’t change the circumstances. But you can control how you view them. While departmental or companywide layoffs are easier to explain, they can also cause damage. You wonder, “If I’d been really good, wouldn’t they have found another spot for me?” In addition, you’re in an insecure place that sometimes is difficult to adjust to.
Take time to clear some tears or anger. If you’re tempted to recoil, rehash, threaten revenge or otherwise communicate with your previous employer, don’t. Remember one word: reference! Don’t burn your bridges. Leave the company gracefully.
Most importantly, detach yourself from the event and honestly examine what happened. That’s the only way you’re going to get any insight and begin adjusting your thoughts and perspective. There are hundreds of reasons for dismissal, so no pat answer will suffice. The unequivocal rule is to tell the truth. If they discover you lied, you’ll be wondering for a long time how you’ll pay your bills. So when you’re asked why you left – tell them you were fired. Forthright brevity is best. It’s all in how you phrase it. The trick is a shift in perspective, which is easier when you’ve purged the defensiveness and shame.
Don’t give a long, rambling story or blame the company, your boss, or anyone else. Were you –even partially- at fault? Take responsibility. Did you learn from the experience? Say so. Are you completely at sea as to what happened? That’s okay. Not every job is right for everyone. There are philosophical differences, chemistry problems, tough spots, and bosses who are difficult and self-absorbed.
Regardless of the reason, it wasn’t your perfect job or you weren’t quite what they needed. The great thing is that it was recognized (in whatever form) and everyone is moving on. The goal is to be real about what works for you and why the firing took place.
The first step, as trite as it sounds, is to look at it as a blessing. It may take some time to see, but no matter how bad it looks or feels, something good will come of it. Maybe it will be a better job, a chance to grow, or the realization that you hated your career – who knows?
But if you’re too busy being angry and defensive, not only will you miss the chance to capitalize on the positive outcome, but you’ll also keep experiencing negative consequences. When you're in a victimized frame of mind, you'll miss recognizing an opportunity and continue to perpetuate your unemployment.
Let’s examine two answers to the question: “Why did you leave your last job?”
HOLDING-ON HENRIETTA: I don’t know. I was doing my job. Everyone liked me. They always came to me for advice instead of our boss. When the other manager left, they promoted the assistant. She’s maybe about 28. I guess they thought she’d be good just because she’d been there a long time, but she really was a shrew. I think she hated me. She was always talking down to me. One time she took credit for one of my projects. She’s the one that should have left! I’m glad to be out of there.
OBJECTIVE OLIVIA: I was fired, actually. The assistant manager was promoted to manager because she had seniority and she was very good at her job. Unfortunately, she was young and perhaps she thought respect was automatically accorded instead of earned, because when everyone else began coming to me instead of her, it didn’t seem to sit well with her. Despite that I excelled in my responsibilities and met my goals, she let me go. I’m sorry to have had to leave the company. I learned a lot there.

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