It is extremely important to follow up on all contacts. It is not good to just sit and wait for results to come pouring in when you think that you’ve already done your part because your contact information has been distributed.
Consider two men applying for a prime position at a company. After the interview, the first applicant just sits around waiting to hear from his prospective employer.
On the other hand, the second applicant distributes his contact information to some people that he met in the company. Furthermore, applicant number two does a follow-up on the results of the job interview a few days later. The first applicant has not been heard from, because he just relies on the basic “We’ll call you” routine. Who do you think will have a greater chance of getting the job?
Even though the first applicant is more qualified, since he did not follow up or even send a thank you note to the interviewer, in the end, he does not get the job.
If you are still waiting for that job offer and you do not follow up on your contacts, your chances of getting hired become slimmer. In business, following up on all of your contacts is a sure-fire way to spread the word about you, your business sense and expanding your horizons.
Tags: Applicant Number, Business Sense, Contact Information, Contacts, Expanding Your Horizons, Failure, Few Days, Interviewer, Job Interview, Job Offer, People, Prime Position, Prospective Employer, Sit, Sure Fire, Thank You Note, Two Men
When applying for a job, it is ideal that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and get prepared to address them.
By knowing your advantage, the chances of getting the job that you want will surely get easier. But you should not get too confident since this is one of the common mistakes that plague job applicants. Appearing too confident or as somewhat of a know it all person will only get you labeled by your interviewer as unfit for the job.
Identifying your skills
First thing’s first. You should identify your skills. This is your ticket to get that job and you should be able to articulate your abilities and expertise as best as you can. Many people have a hard time telling their skills and abilities as this may seem to be bragging. But you should not be shy or afraid to discuss your skills.
In fact, it is important that you convey to your potential employer what your talents are. You should be able to sell your abilities to your employer. That is how you will get the job that you want.
It is important that you don’t appear arrogant or condescending but you should also avoid selling yourself short. If the interviewer asks you about your strengths or what separates you from the other applicants, you should be able to readily give a good answer. But before you even go to the interview, your resume should highlight your skills and talents for your prospective employer to see.
Tags: Address, Applying For A Job, Failure, Good Answer, Hard Time, Interviewer, Job Applicants, Job Skills, Prospective Employer, Resume, Showcase, Skills And Abilities, Strengths And Weaknesses, Talents
Before submitting your resume to a prospective employer, check your it for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company.
For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no’s. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume’ to at least a page and a half long.
Tags: Accounting, Create Resume, Failure, Grammatical Errors, Ideal, Job, Least Three Times, Match, Perfect Resume, Prospective Employer
Are you a fresh graduate and planning to look for a job? Did you just recently quit your job and are looking for greener pastures? Are you unemployed and have little experience regarding ways to secure a job? Whatever your situation may be, it would be to your advantage to study the following tips:
Check your resume for mistakes
Before submitting your resume to a prospective employer, check your resume for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no’s. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume’ to at least a page and a half long.
Taking the interview challenge
A survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm based in California which corresponded with 1,400 chief financial officers concluded that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Some of the mistakes they made include: arriving late, having little knowledge about the company and the position applied for, and having a superiority complex and behaving arrogantly. The body language of the applicant must also denote that he is confident yet not overpowering. He must maintain eye contact, have a strong handshake, and avoid looking defensive by the act of crossing the arms. Wearing the right clothes is crucial for projecting a confident stance. As they say, it is better to go to an interview over-dressed than being under-dressed.
Answer questions smartly
A common mistake of interviewees is that they tend to get tense and forget the questions that are given to them, which has the effect that they are not prepared for the interview. It is important to research about the company and the position applied for to prevent being side-tracked during the interview. If you do not know the answer to the questions being asked, it is better to admit you don’t know the answer to the question and add that you can research about it. Look for the skills or expertise that the company is looking for so that when interview day comes and the interviewer asks about your strengths and core competencies, you will be able to match it to what they need.
Getting the necessary referrals
Having a referral from one of the company employees can go a long way toward landing an interview. A typical company may receive job applications in the hundreds and usually 35% to 60% of all job vacancies are filled by referrals. The odds of getting hired when you have a referral are very high if you have another 200 to 500 applicants vying for the same position. If you do not know anyone from the company that may give you a referral, it is a good idea to the alumni network of your college, trade groups, social networks, and professional associations. Remember, having a referral greatly increases your chances of getting the position.
On online application
With the current trend of technology and its merging with business processes, more and more companies are now requiring prospective applicants to submit their application online. Thus, first impressions are relayed not by your first appearance but by the quality and content of your e-mail. E-mails regarding job application should be polished and well-articulated. When applying on-line, use the following tips:
Complete your sentences and do not abbreviate.
Employers do not like when you send them application letters that seem to be too casual. It is important to make a letter that is both formal and well written. This gives a good impression regarding your capabilities and skills.
Get directly to the point
When writing an application letter, you must be concise and straightforward. Do not put a story on the letter just to get the attention of the employer, chances are he or she will just get irritated with you and this only reduces your chances of getting hired.
Consider potential issues that may hinder you from getting the job
Although there are instances wherein there is a lot of need for a job but the requirements for the position may entail training programs that may bar you from getting the position due to its highly competitive nature. Some require a lot of experian even at least 3 years of work experience. Some may have no barriers to entry but the job itself may entail a very routine work flow.
Getting the job you want may be a challenge but never lose hope. It is better to wait a while and get the job that you will enjoy rather than get a job as soon as possible but ending up dissatisfied and unhappy. Make the right decision then act on it.
Tags: Accounting Job, Answer Questions, Body Language, Clothes, Consulting Firm, Eye Contact, Fresh Graduate, Grammatical Errors, Greener Pastures, Handshake, Hunting Tips, Interviewees, Job Hunting, Job Tips, Least Three Times, Little Knowledge, Mistake, Prospective Employer, Resume, Superiority Complex
When applying for a job, it is ideal that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and get prepared to address them. By knowing your advantage, the chances of getting the job that you want will surely get easier. But you should not get too confident since this is one of the common mistakes that plague job applicants. Appearing too confident or as somewhat of a know it all person will only get you labeled by your interviewer as unfit for the job.
Identifying your skills
First thing’s first. You should identify your skills. This is your ticket to get that job and you should be able to articulate your abilities and expertise as best as you can. Many people have a hard time telling their skills and abilities as this may seem to be bragging. But you should not be shy or afraid to discuss your skills. In fact, it is important that you convey to your potential employer what your talents are. You should be able to sell your abilities to your employer. That is how you will get the job that you want. It is important that you don’t appear arrogant or condescending but you should also avoid selling yourself short. If the interviewer asks you about your strengths or what separates you from the other applicants, you should be able to readily give a good answer. But before you even go to the interview part, your resume should highlight your skills and talents for your prospective employer to see.
Type of skills
There are two main types of skills, hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are tangible in the sense that these are things that you do like: knowing how to operate different kinds of machinery, knowledge of a specialized computer program, ability to type fast, skills on using many types of tools, credentials regarding special crafts, etc. Soft skills are skills that are rather abstract in nature like personal qualities. This may include the folowing: being a good team player, having the ability to work on your own, being enthusiastic or organized and decisive.
The steps to follow
Making a list of your previous jobs and experience acquired
First thing to do is to make a list of all the companies that you had worked for and the things that you learned from these jobs. There will be a lot of things to list and you should be careful enough not to forget even the smallest things or activities that you were part of or organized. It is also a good idea to list the volunteer activities that you participated in.
Include a list of your hobbies
Although it might sound trivial at first, it is also very helpful to list all your hobbies. There are a lot of abilities that your prospective employer may get from your hobby list. This will also give an idea of your personality. For example, if you were part of the school’s debating team, then your employer may deduce that you have good analytical skills. If you were a champion chess player, then your employer will have the impression that you are good at making critical decisions. Think of your daily routine and the things that you do and often take for granted. Are you an organized person who always keeps your things in proper order? Are you an extrovert that can easily make friends in a matter of minutes? These may seem ordinary to normal things to you, but your future boss might think otherwise.
Deciding what career you want
After listing all your skills and all the things that you do well, you may now decide what field or career you want to take a crack at. Select the skills contained from your list and partner it with the employment you are seeking. Always take time to consider if your skills are relevant to the job that you are aspiring for. Don’t be bothered if you have to cut out some of the skills from your list. It is also important to include in the list your skills that the prospective employer will probably value.
Stand by what you write
You should be realistic about your skills and the level of expertise that you have with it. For example, if you indicate that you are a very organized person, then you should be able to show this to the interviewer by being able to organize your thoughts and effectively use the time that was given for your interview.
It is important to know your skills every time you are job hunting. Always put your best foot forward and good luck!
Tags: Abstract, Applying For A Job, Computer Program, Crafts, Credentials, Different Kinds, Good Answer, Hard Time, Ideal, Interviewer, Job Applicants, Job Skills, Personal Qualities, Prospective Employer, Resume Skills, Skills And Abilities, Specialized Computer, Strengths And Weaknesses, Talents, Team Player
