Sure-Fire Job Interview Techniques

By River C.

In these trying and troubling economic times, heading off to that all important job interview can be one of the most stressful endeavors that any of us undertakes. Because, let's face it, without adequate employment, many of our other concerns become moot. It is because financial stability and security are so important that good job interview techniques and skills are so vital in today's job market. Whether you are currently looking for a job or not, it is important to have a firm understanding regarding some tips and tricks that can be used during any and every job interview now and in the future.

When considering job interview techniques, some of the most effective are those that set you apart from the droves of other applicants that are pining away for the same position. And the single most effective thing that any job applicant can do to set themselves apart from the pack is to compose and have on hand an iron-clad, professional and accurate resume. There are numerous ways to ensure that your resume stands out from the rest, but perhaps the single most effective is to simply enlist professional help.

There are a wide array of companies, both online and off, that are devoted to producing the highest quality resumes possible and can help you nail a good job. You simply provide them with your work history and various additional information and they are able to compose totally unique and very high quality documents sure to set you apart.

While having a distinguished resume is one of the single best job interview techniques out there, many people simply cannot afford to pay to have a customized document prepared. Fortunately, having a custom created resume is not as cost prohibitive as you may think. In fact there is easy to use software and even websites that are available for either a very low cost or even free. This software is one of the least expensive ways to take advantage of the proven job interviews techniques related to resumes.

These resume building sites, software programs, and other such tools are surprisingly easy to use, and designed to allow even the most computer illiterate job seeker to take advantage of some of the best resume related job interview techniques out there. In many cases, the programs work with either a simple document upload, cut and paste, or fill in the blank method, allowing users to easily and effectively customize their own resume, and ensuring a professional and eye catching result every time.

In addition to ensuring that your resume is well written and properly formatted there are a couple other tricks to keep in mind. First of all, using flashing paper, ink or fonts is going to make you come off as unprofessional. Secondly, it is always advisable to attach your resume as well as a cover letter specifying your professional intent to any and all form applications.

If you would really like to crack that next job interview, these Job interview tips [http://jobinterviewtipsnow.com] should provide you just the right pointers to bag that dream job. Click here now [http://jobinterviewtipsnow.com] to find great tips and pointers to excel in your interview.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/River_C./512070

Job Search Tips - Get Prepared For Your Job Interview

By Elton Lowe  

How would you describe your biggest weakness? If the answer is doing job interviews, now is the time to fix that situation. Knowing common interview questions is only a small part of being prepared for an interview. Here are some more key points to help you get the job.

Have copies of your resume and reference sheet ready. Sending your resume by email is great. But when it's time to meet an employer face to face, it's time to present a hard copy. Hand the resume to each person at the beginning of the interview. Save the reference sheet for the end of the interview.

Be ready to dress for success. Make sure you dress a little above the job you're going for. When in doubt, wear a suit or skirt suit, depending on your gender. This may seem like overkill for some positions, but you definitely don't want to take a chance on being under dressed.

Having an extra set of clothes for a follow up interview is a nice touch if you can afford it. If not, you should at least wear a different shirt and tie, or chance up the accessories.

A very important part of the interview is being on time. How do you prepare for that? The best way is to rehearse the drive. If you aren't familiar with the area and exactly how long it takes to get there, if at all possible you should make the drive a day or two before the interview. Note the time of day and traffic conditions. If you can drive there at the same time as your appointment, that's even better. Don't leave anything to chance. Be on time!

Got all that? Good! These are all very basic things to do when you get your job search in gear. Keep these tips in mind and you won't make simple mistakes that take you out of the running for the position. Being prepared for an interview may help you reduce the amount of time you spend looking for a job.

Do you send out bad cover letters and resumes over and over again? That action will get you nowhere. A bad resume will keep you in the unemployment line or in a bad job. You need a great resume and cover letter to get a job interview. Do you have a great resume? Do you need one? You can write a resume and cover letter that will make the phone ring. Watch my video Let's Talk About Resumes at [http://www.yourresumehelper.com/] and find out what I think when I read resumes from people looking for a job. Or visit http://www.fastresumetips.info to find out how to quickly create a winning resume.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elton_Lowe/353246

I Need Sample Resumes - I Can't Get a Job Interview

By Stephen DeVane  

Many people find themselves out of work in the struggling economy. Sooner or later they say to themselves, "I need sample resumes. I can't get a job interview."

Truth is, a sample professional resume might be helpful. A careful search can find quality examples that are widely available on the web, but just plugging your information into a template won't get you the results you seek. More specific assistance is needed.

Here are some suggestions to help you get interviews.

First, put together all the information you can about your work experience. Include your duties, skills, accomplishments and achievements.

Here's a simple format to follow. Begin by listing every job you've held, leaving plenty of space between them. If you held different positions at the same company, make a separate listing for each.

Now under each position, list separately the duties, skills, accomplishments and achievements.

For example, if you were a manager, one of your duties might have been to supervise your team. The skill might be leadership or organization. An accomplishment might be the completion of a major project that helped a client. An achievement might be an honor or recognition you received from your company.

Second, rearrange your resume so you can call attention to those areas that highlight the positive aspects of your career. Notice those items on your list that show how you will help a potential employer.

Resumes are often how you are introduced to those making the hiring decisions. You want them to see your best side. Make sure it's not buried three fourths of the way down the page.

Third, adjust your resume so that your skills, accomplishments and achievements match the requirements of the position you seek. Be specific.

If a job description lists the need for organizational skills, mention prominently how you put in order a fragmented department you supervised. Describe how you did it and the positive results.

Details like that set your resume apart from the others in the stack. They can be key ingredients to landing a job.

These steps will make it less likely you'll ever have to say, "I need sample resumes. I can't get a job interview."

Research shows that it takes the average person more than 200 days to find a new job. Discover how you can be hired in a fraction of that time... without settling for a position you'll hate. http://writingeffectiveresumes.com

Stephen DeVane has more than two decades of writing experience. He is a veteran resume builder, having worked at more than 10 jobs and applied for many more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stephen_DeVane/717461

The 60 Second Resume Job Interview Strategy!

By John Groth  

In a close basketball game 60 seconds can seem like an eternity. The same can be said for pulling out a victory in a football game in the last seconds. What about your 60 second resume strategy in winning the job interview in a very competitive job opening.

The answer is to break your resume into powerful 60 second answers. Answers to interview questions that you can bank on are going to be asked in many job interviews.

First, let's step back and examine what the employer is looking for to fill the job opening. The prospective employer will normally have three to six key skills or qualifications that they are looking for in filling the position. In each of these skill sets they will have challenges that the individual hired will be expected to resolve.

To be successful in your job interview you cannot expect the interviewer or hiring manager to connect the dots regarding your work experience and take the time to match them up with the job requirements. This assumption may work occasionally but by being proactive and focused you will substantially increase the likelihood of besting your competition.

The odds are you are being called in for the face-to-face job interview because your written resume and cover letter sold the prospective employer that your skills matched the job requirements better that the vast majority of applicants. You answered some basic questions in the telephone interview and were moved into the final group.

Now let's develop a winning strategy to be #1 in this very competitive group.

Your interview preparation will fall into two main areas, and you'll quickly see there will be a range of overlap as you prepare your winning answers to the interview questions. One area will be the answering of 'behavioral" questions the other "job related."

The foundation of most job interviews is the asking of a dozen or so basic questions: Tell me about yourself? What are your strengths? What is your greatest weakness? Tell me about your best boss? Best job? Why? Worst boss? Worst job? Why? Biggest challenge? Why? What was the outcome? Biggest disappointment? Why? What are you looking for in a job? Why? You get the idea, and you can come up with several dozen additional questions. Properly answering the interview questions will follow some basic ideas which we'll demonstrate by answering several questions.

You can then build your interview preparation and practice from these principals in your 60 second resume strategy.

Lets say, for example, the job opening is a "Customer Service Manager." Key requirements for the position are, "Leadership skills, develop innovative new and revised work methods, analyze and plan for improved customer service and strong written and oral communication skills."

The first question asked by the interviewer is "tell me about yourself?" Stop-now is not the time to ramble on about your life history. Think, what does the employer want? Leadership, innovation, plan for improved customer service and communication skills. Your 60 second resume answer should strongly reflect your abilities in each of the four key areas.

How's this for a suggested answer, "I grew up in Hartland, WI, was elected captain of the cross-country team for two years. In my sophomore year on the team I came up with a fund-raising program with the team running a long trail race. We donated over a $1000 a year to a local food bank. The program is still going strong even though I been out of high school over 15 years. In college, I developed a speaking and mentoring program for at risk high school students. I received an award from the local school district for helping keep over 30 students in school and graduating."

"In my last job as customer service manager, I developed an innovative training program along with new policies that reduced long-standing customer service problems by over 85%. I sold the new program to top management and in six months our improved customer service results were credited with bringing in over $300,000 in new business."

How about this answer for the question, "tell me about the worst boss you ever had?" Please, this is not the time to bad mouth someone, even though you had one boss that would make Attila the Hun look like a choir boy.

Here's your suggested 60 second answer, "I've never had what I would call a bad boss, I've learned something about leadership and management from all of them. I did, however, have one boss that would give me very little guidance on a project, but I quickly learned to ask questions and keep him briefed on progress of the project. I consistently earned above average performance ratings from him."

To beef up the answer you might add some results from a successful "customer service" project.

Each of your interview answers should attempt to hit on two or more of the key skills desired in the job. Write out good tough interview questions on one side of a card with your good answers on the opposite side. In your answers highlight two or more of the key skills desired in the job. And these skills should be drawn from what you've written in your resume.

Hone your-interviewing techniques by taping a mock interview. Have someone critique your performance. Look to eliminate bad habits. Be sure you act engaged in the interview. When you're happy with the results you'll be ready.

With your well prepared 60 second resume answers the interviewer will not have to guess and try to connect the dots. You will have clearly demonstrated you are the best candidate for the position.

John Groth has changed careers seven times during his working life. Learn more about job hunting and career planning at http://careersafter50.com. Discover how others over age 50, built winning career plans and found the right jobs by career planning after 50.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_Groth/124598