Sunday, June 22, 2008

On-site Interview Tips

The on-site interview is an excellent opportunity for you to win the job. In fact, there is no other reason to look at it as anything else, but one final opportunity to sell your talents. Much talk has been made over the fear of interviewers. This is unfortunate because a prepared candidate definitely has a huge advantage. Knowing this, you should be able to attack your next on-site interview with the right frame of mind. Here, is a list of tips we have put together to make sure you come out smelling like a rose:

1. Dress appropriately. Always go conservative in your interview attire. Regardless of the reputation of the company, it is best to look conservative for the interview. You will have plenty of time to change your dress to your tastes once you get the job.

2. Stay in Reasonable Shape. Some interviewers are really bothered by overweight people. If you could stand to lose a few pounds, it is a good idea to try to do so before the interview. This small adjustment to your daily routine will help you feel better during the grueling interview process and can keep you from getting knocked out of the running. Since your ultimate goal is to get the job, make sure you are not sending any signals that you will be anything but a productive employee.

3. Sell Yourself in the interview. Be sure you are making a case for yourself and do not be shy and modest at this stage. To ensure you get the job, let the interviewers know your strengths and address any concerns they may have. At the end of the day, this is what your purpose in the interview is in first place.

4. Prepare Thoroughly. By the time the interview comes around, your answers to behavioral questions and resume questions should be memorized. Be sure to go through a few mock interviews to see how you need to tweak your answers based on the interviewer's responses.

5. Take all paperwork to the interview. Bring copies of all the documents you might need. If you think you will need it, bring it. Also, bring enough copies for everyone. There are number of nice folders you can buy that can house all your written documents. Pick one out and put it to use.

6. Get a good night's sleep. If you have prepared properly, the last day before the interview should be for tying up loose ends only. At this point, all the real hard work is over and the actual interview is merely one more practice round. For this reason, get a good night's sleep as you will be more alert and give off a better impression.

7. Try to enjoy the experience. One thing that gets lost in the interview shuffle is that you really should be enjoying the process. If you have prepared properly, the on-site interview is really a chance to see if you like the people you could be working with. It is not just about the employer, it is also about whether you think you will fit in with them.

8. Supplemental narrative. Leave the interviewers with a supplemental narrative. This is sheet or two of paper showing how you meet each part of the job description. It usually works best if it is in bulleted form and gives examples for each part of the job description. This gives you an opportunity to provide the interviewers with additional examples that may not have been discussed in the interview.

9. Don't forget to get their contact information. Use this contact information to send out thank you cards and be sure to do it straight away.

10. Always ask for the job. Make it clear above all else that you want the job. By specifically stating this you can create just the right impact on your interviewers.

Armed with these job interview tips, you should be well prepared for your next on-site interview. We think that you will find that with preparation comes confidence and with confidence all is possible.


About the Author

Mark McCormick is an interview expert with over 10 years of interview experience. To get more tips and advice on job interviews, check out the link below: http://www.interviewquestionsandanswers.org/Job-Interview-Tips/ or Job Interview Tips

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Make a Resume Template Work For You

Do a Google search and you are bound to find tons of website offering free resume templates. But what you find in these templates is that most of them are simply collection of your personal data. They normally don't include those punch lines which are required to sell your service or your personality. You hardly can find a good template for free which has all the prerequisites required for a great resume template.

What you need now is a real resume template that not only showcases your personal information but also represents your experience and personality as a genuine and interested worker for the company you apply.

Here we present you selection of some basic point you should have in your resume to make it more professional and presentable in an interview.

Template Resume Suggestions
  • 1. Make sure your cover letter or resume has relevant information to the company you are applying. Design a new CV if required which showcases your talent and experience which value the motives of the company. An interviewer will always be interested to know how much research you have done before applying for the job and your resume should be able to represent your move through it.

  • 2. Reduce the amount of irrelevant information from the resume. Try to complete it within 2 pages. Put any other extra curricular information in the appendix.

  • 3. Find a friend or relative who can compare your resume and the job advert. If they can't find any point matching in both then start over. You should be able to put a solid piece of resume when applying. Your first impression can be the last impression for the company and your resume should be able to portray it perfectly.

  • 4. Check your grammar and spelling
    This is the most basic part which most people overlook while creating resume. Your resume should have perfect grammar and spelling without any typo or error. This shows how much professional you are with your job.
There can be different sample resumes of various jobs but these basic requirements are needed for any resume. Failing to do this you may find yourself in hard position while applying for the join.


Jeremiah Smith hosts a website that offers sample resumes for people in any industry including sales resumes, nursing resumes and dental assistant resumes. Check out this site at http://www.resume-package.com for sample resumes.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

How to Get a Job Interview?

Do you follow any tailor-made process to get that desired job interview call within a short span of time? Are you sure that the process, which you follow, will fetch you the desired results you have expected? If not, then how to refine your resume process? How you can cutout the interview call waiting-period? If you are confused regarding the resume process, then read this article to clear your confusion and to improve your job prospects.

Every job needs a tailor-made resume; and every resume needs an efficient presentation to get it picked up at the first glance. To achieve this, you need to follow a time-tested process, which gives not only fabulous results but also a cutting-edge advantage to you. Read the following main points to know and gain more about the resume preparing process:

1. Design your resume with all the requirements of the target job
2. Layout your resume in an aesthetic way
3. Present both chronological and functional details in detailed fashion
4. Place small JPEG/GIF images of your certifications in the header of your resume so that they will appear on each page
5. Present all your experience in a single line and place it in the resume header. For example: Software Tester with 4 years of Testing experience, etc.
6. Start your resume with an Objective, Experience under different domains, Job chronological as well as functional details, List of Certifications, List of Trainings undergone, List of Awards/Rewards, List of Publications, etc, and finally, a decent Cover Letter.
7. While writing skills, present them in such a way that they match with the target job's required skills. This is very essential because most of the employers want to hire people who have requisite skills along with experience.
8. Mention your talents in various fields; if possible, also list out the certifications you have. This is essential as it helps the employer to understand your personality
9. Once your resume is ready and before you are ready to mail the resume to the employer, always call the employer, introduce yourself and check about the job details; follow this process religiously unless the employer requests "no phone calls"
10. Always maintain the list of employers to whom you have sent the resume for further follow-up

In summary, the preceding resume process gives you detailed steps on how to get a job interview as soon as possible. Following the same process will definitely lead you to the interview stage within a short span of time.


Resume Writing Tips for Fresh Graduates and Career Changers

A resume is a summary of a person's qualifications, educational background, skills and competencies. Prospective employers often put a great emphasis on resumes when looking for the best candidate for an available position. As such, it is important that you dedicate some time to craft a well-written resume to ever have a chance of landing a good role.

Resume writing, however, is not some skill that is easily mastered. Crafting a professional resume becomes even more challenging when you are new to the job market or when you are changing careers because you often won't have the specific skills pertinent to the job.

So, how do you proceed on writing a winning resume?

For someone who is a new graduate, it is always hard to decide what to put on your resume as you may not have the professional experience relevant to the role. But don't let this hinder you. Instead, focus your resume on the skills you acquired and your education. Prepare an impressive resume objective then follow it by listing your educational attainment. If you garnered awards and honors while in school, mention it in your resume. Your resume must also include courses or trainings you undertook that could apply to the role. Rather than listing professional experiences, you can name it "Pre-Professional Experience" and proceed to write competencies which support your resume objective. If you performed some summer jobs, don't simply list the jobs you did. Rather, you can make use of specific competencies learned like "Customer Relations" then proceed to enumerate tasks you performed supporting this. Don't forget any volunteering and community work you performed or certain positions you've held in school.

If you are someone who is looking for a career change, and it seems that the next career you are trying to pursue is quite different, focus your resume on qualifications that could apply to various roles. A good example is if you have experience in managing people. Point this out in your resume as this reflects your leadership skills as well as the ability to relate to different people. Start your resume with a clearly defined resume objective then follow it up with a professional profile or summary which addresses the decision to change careers by stressing competencies that relate to your resume objective and chosen career. You may also include any volunteering and community work you were involved in as long as it is pertinent to the new role you are seeking.

While resume writing can be difficult especially if you feel that you don't possess the required skills, don't let this discourage you. By following the tips above, you may well find out that you have certain skills suited to the role. Think positive and focus on what you can offer and you will have a resume that will get you the job.

Fact: Most resumes end up in the trash before spending any useful time in the employer's hand. Don't let yours end up with the same fate. Learn about effective resume writing and how to make a career-defining resume objective.