Top 5 Most Commonly Misunderstood Interview Tips

Top 5 Most Commonly Misunderstood Interview Tips If not unusual if you find yourself scouring the web for advice the day before a key job interview, even if you’ve successfully interviewed previously at other jobs. We consult advice blogs and ask ridiculous questions on Google as if we’ve never before had the experience of speaking to another human being about ourselves. There’s something about the entire interviewing process that sends the majority of employees into an anxious frenzy. In an actual interview, interviewees can become paralyzed by the ominous feeling that they’ll do something stupid and ruin a potential job prospect. In these moments of panic, interviewees might run through tried and true interviewing tips so as to seem as hirable as possible to potential employees. The problem arises when interviewees amplify the behavior suggested by these tips to drastic proportions and end up embarrassing themselves anyway. Below are three tips notorious for inadvertently steering interviewees in the wrong direction. 1. “Ask plenty of questions in the interview to show your interest in the job.” Without a doubt, you’re at a job interview because you’re interested in the position. That much should be clear to you, because it’s certainly clear to your interviewer; that’s why they’re taking the time to interview you. So while you should ask questions of your interviewer when you genuinely have them, resist the temptation to pose them simply to project a sense of interest. Asking a series of erroneous questions will only communicate one of two things to your interviewer: either that you’re particularly nervous about the interview (which they could already guess) or that you’re trying to kill time with filler questions. Bottom line: ask well thought out questions or don’t ask anything at all. 2. “Make sure to appear highly informed about the nature of the company’s business.” People go wrong with this advice much in the same way as with the first tip. Most people read up on a business prior to an interview so they will seem knowledgeable about their services, but there’s a fine line between appearing informed and coming off as a know-it-all to the interviewer. In an ideal scenario, you’d know enough about the company to be able to answer the common question, “How would your skills enhance the overall quality of the company?” The best way to answer these questions is to briefly explain your professional strengths and how they would benefit your potential employer. Things go wrong when an interviewer begins to explain the nature of the business and you interject with information about the company in an attempt to communicate your familiarity with their services. Instead of seeming informed, interviewers will likely regard you as overzealous in your attempt to show interest in the job and rude for interrupting their explanation. No matter how much research you do prior to the interview, the interviewee will definitely have more to say about the company than you do. So sit back and listen to your interviewer; they’ll appreciate the chance to do their job. 3. “Bring some humor into the interview to lighten the mood.” You can usually determine the atmosphere of an interview within the first few moments. Within this small timeframeâ€"if you’re sensitive to social cuesâ€"you’ll know whether or not a small joke will go over well with your interviewer. If the person is all smiles and small talk when you first walk in, it’s probably ok to punctuate your dialog with a few quips and witticisms. But if your interviewer welcomes you with a curt and overtly formal tone, play it safe and go through your interview by the book. While there may be the off chance that some minor observational humor could break the ice during an interview, the consequences could be dire if it backfires on you. Some people say it’s good to inject a little humor in the interview to test the waters, because who wants to work for a humorless company? Fair enough, but if you’re in desperate need of a job, a humorless job is much better than no job at all. 4. “Don’t badmouth your previous employer.” Now I’m not about to advocate for trashing your old job, but there’s a reason why you’re interviewing for a new one, and it’s not because you loved your previous employer. Most companies won’t ask you directly about why you left your previous job mostly to avoid putting you in a position to say something that you’ll regret later on. But if you have a constructive criticism for your previous employer, especially something that makes a stronger case for your qualifications as a potential employee, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t share it during your interview. For instance, you might be able to explain how the poor communication skills of your previous manager made you more attuned to the importance of an open dialogue between employees. Or you may say that a previous position made you realize that you wanted a different career path, which brought you to the current interview. As long your criticism of your previous employer is constructive and free of personal attacks, you should be fine. 5. “Don’t ask about your potential salary and benefits.” Like with previously mentioned tips, this one is all about timing and context. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that you’re working primarily to make money. You need to work in order to pay the bills and do all those things you like to do in your free time, right? It’s only natural that you’d want to know your compensation with a potential employer say you can evaluate if it’s commensurate with your experience and skill set. But you definitely can’t go into an interview and blurt out something along the lines of “So, how much are we talking about?” just because you’re afraid it won’t be discussed. Don’t worry, compensation will definitely be discussed before you sing or agree to anything. This tip can be disregarded in some interviews, as some interviewers are more upfront with the pay and benefits of their position. In that case you can feel free to discuss the terms of your pay quite openly. But some interviewers might not even know what you’d be making if you were hired to the position, so you should wait for them to mention it before addressing the subject. If they don’t bring up pay and you like the job, it’s likely that you’ll discuss those details with the HR department in subsequent interviews. Ready for more? See the 10 Classic Job Interview Mistakes People Make. Jacelyn Thomas writes about identity theft protection for IdentityTheft.net. She can be reached at: jacelyn.thomas @ gmail.com.

15 Interview Philosophies That Attract Job Offers

15 Interview Philosophies That Attract Job Offers Philosophy and recruiting? Why not. One of the philosophies that our recruiters adhere to is that if, as a candidate, you’re going to attend an interview, you might as well perform at 110% during the meeting. Regardless of the individuals whom you’re interviewing with or the level of job you’re pursuing, the recruiting team at KAS Placement has formulated 15 interviewing tips that, when implemented, should convert to a job offer. Come across in the interview as someone who wants to be there:  Be someone who is confident that you are the right person for the position and as someone candid and fully invested in the conversation. Go into the interview with an end-goal of getting the job offer:  Thats all you need to focus on. Many times, when we take a moment to envision success and the rewards it brings, we are a lot more likely to do well. Talk in terms of what the interviewer wants:  Too often, we think only about what we want and dont realize that the best way to get what we want is to meet the needs of the interviewer, and only then expect the interviewer to give us what we want, not the other way around. Know where you want to be in 1, 3, and 5 years:  To achieve maximum career results, we have to set firm goals and relentless pursue them. Be positive:  Regardless of position, interviewers are going to hire people who are self-confident, optimistic, energetic, passionate and engaging people. Learn how to focus:  Through concentration a person is able to collect his or her mental and physical energies into the interview. This is as opposed to the individual who lets his or her brain wander from topic to topic. When your brain is 100% engaged, you can’t be nervous or self-critical both of which severely hurt your ability to persuade a hiring manager or recruitment professional. People want to hire leaders:  Leaders are described as those who are problem solvers, who are selfless, who put the company first, who want to grow others, who are team players, and who are able to predict everyday hurdles and overcome them. Interviewers are just as prone to feeling badly about rejection as the interviewee is:  Show the interviewer that you care and youre more than 50% there. Be aware of your body language:  In a job interview setting, when an employer is making a decision about competency and fit within an organization, the most successful candidates displayed consistent vocal tone and maintained fluid body movements. When giving answers, dont second guess yourself:  Rather, explain things in a thorough, honest and positive manner. Its the best we can do. We cant control what an interviewer does, but we can control how we act. Adapt to the interviewers style:  Dont ever expect an interviewer do adapt to your personality. Some interviewers will just want the answers and thats what you should give them. Others will want to have a casual conversation, so schoomze with them. Never take the way an interviewer conducts an interview personally:  Rather, consider it to be their sense of interviewing style and have faith that the interviewer is smart enough to pass you through to the next round. People like to hear their names:  Its like music to our ears. We come across as more assertive and personalized when we address people by their first names. Thank the interviewer for their time:  Too often, we think about how important our time is, but dont realize that everyone thinks that way. Always make sure to follow up with an email thanking the person and including notes on some of the takeaways and thoughts you have from the interview. People love sincere compliments:  Find something that you like about the firm. In the End: Accomplished interviewers are never satisfied with their current knowledge and continually seek every opportunity available to gain new, pertinent knowledge. They understand that the secret of success is to try to always improve yourself no matter where you are or what your current position is and future aspirations are.

[FREE WORKSHOP] How to Ditch Your Dead End Job and Find a Career You Love

[FREE WORKSHOP] How to Ditch Your Dead End Job and Find a Career You Love Since I have been on maternity leave the past few months, I havent done a live webinar in forever. To be honest, I really miss them. Its a ton of fun to be on the call live with you all and answer your questions. So I am excited to announce that I am bringing back the live webinar next week! Woohoo! So make sure you grab your spot and join me live next Thursday, August 21st at 6pm PST (9pm EST) to learn the step-by-step, proven formula to transition into a fulfilling career fast. Sign Up Here I will be dishing out more information than I have ever given on a live webinar before. Heres what you will learn: The exact formula to determine what your dream career is so that you never get stuck in a job you hate again. The 5 most common mistakes that job searchers make and how to avoid them. How to set up a simple and powerful job search system that attracts opportunities like a magnet. 5 ways to get over your networking barriers with a networking action plan.  The very first step you should take when job searching (and its not updating your resume!!) The 5 questions you must ask yourself for clear direction for your professional future. And more! See I told you there was going to be so much good stuff! So make sure you find some quiet time, clear your distractions, grab some tea or coffee and join me next week because I am getting a babysitter too! ?? And if you already have plans that day you can still register because I will be sending out the recording and the Love Your Career Formula workbook afterwards too! This offer ends August 21st @ 9pm EST. Ill be coaching,  answering your questions and talking to you about what you really need to do to  find the career of your dreams fast. Plus, in addition to  coaching you around your biggest job search challenges  (which is something I  only  do for private and group coaching clients),  I’ve got  gifts to give away. That’s right, every 30 minutes  I’m giving away gifts  to help you transition into your dream career faster! Sign-up below. Just click the button and follow the instructions to register. Sign Up Here So will you join me?

Etiquette for LinkedIn

Etiquette for LinkedIn I get a lot of invitations to connect on LinkedIn. This is no surprise because its a great tool for professionals to connect. What might surprise you is that I say no to a lot of invitations. Sometimes I feel bad saying no, so I send back a little description of the lessons Ive learned from LinkedIn executives about how to use the service. Because LinkedIn sponsors Brazen Careerist, I have had the opportunity to pepper LinkedIn mavens with random etiquette questions. So at this point, I have a few opinions of my own. Heres my advice: 1. Dont say yes to an invitation from a person you dont really know. LinkedIn works best as a way to leverage your professional circle of people you know well or know their work well. I love looking through my friends professional networks to get an idea of what introductions I could possibly get from a friend. My friend can say to her friend, This is Penelope, you should get to know her because of x. But this only works if my friend actually knows me and the other person well. Otherwise, I may as well make the introduction myself. In that respect, your network on LinkedIn is really only as strong as your ties to the people in it. You will get more benefits from LinkedIn if you have a network of 30 people you know well than 300 people you dont really know. 2. Dont send invitations to people who dont know you. I feel like I kinda know Mike Arrington. I know Id like to have dinner with him (does he ever stop blogging to have dinner?) I read his blog every day, and I know the type of connections he could offer me. But he doesnt know me. Even if I have emailed him three times and posted ten comments on his blog, he doesnt know who I am. He probably reads 400 emails and comments a day. 3. Dont put your email address under your name on your profile. When you appear in other peoples lists, if someone wants to connect with you, they have to go through your mutual connection, or they can email you directly. There is a reason LinkedIn works this way the point is not to connect with everyone, its to connect with people you know. Someone who puts their email address right under their name is announcing that they will connect with anyone, and for the purposes of LinkedIn, this will weaken their network. 4. When you send an invitation, dont apologize. I get a lot of invitations that say, Sorry for the form letter but youll have to trust me that the most well connected, high-level, experienced people I know send the form letter. Its fine. Also, people send invitations to me that say something like, Okay, Im doing the LinkedIn thing. But it makes you look bad to invite someone to something you feel uncomfortable with, so if you cant think of something good to write, just send one of the form letters. 5. Remind me how I know you. Sometimes, I do actually know someone, but I communicate with so many different people every day, that I dont remember. Yesterday I got an invitation that said, It was great to do the podcast interview with you today right before the standard LinkedIn invitation text. That was great. I knew exactly who the woman was and I connected. This also brings up another point, which is act immediately. The best invitations come right after youve made one, solid connection with a given person. For example, if you go back and forth in email six times, send an invitation that day. 6. Think about LinkedIn from the other persons perspective. Journalists, for example, will be harder to connect with. They are notoriously adept at telling people they have no time to talk. Also, journalists already have good access to a wide range of people. However a journalist will be happy to connect to, say, the managing editor of the New York Times. Know who youre dealing with and where you fit in and then youll understand how well you need to know the person in order to connect. (Note: Here are good ways for Journalists to use LinkedIn.) 7. Keep things a little informal. LinkedIn is a group of people coming together to help each other. More cocktail party than job interview. So, for example, make your resume a little chatty. The best LinkedIn profiles are a little more casual than a formal resume. I think I could actually fix mine up a bit in this regard. When I read a resume on LinkedIn, I am not scanning to see if I want to hire the person (which is the purpose of the formal resume format). Instead, I would like a sort of cocktail-party introduction about the person and what they are doing with their life. Dont write paragraphs in your resume, but a short paragraph on LinkedIn is sort of nice. Of course, this just scratches the surface of the nuances of LinkedIn. For example, if you work remotely, you can use LinkedIn to compensate for less face time. And if you are feeling like a power user, check out Linked Intelligence, the blog about how to use LinkedIn.

6 Ways to Romance Your Client

6 Ways to Romance Your Client We all know the kind of clients we would like to work with, but how are we going to get them? Building a recruitment business is not about hitting clients over the head with a big stick and dragging them to your cave. It is much more of a seduction. We need to get our potential clients to like us before we get any further. All our focus needs to be on them. Forget any old-fashioned thoughts of selling, in our world we need to take a very soft approach to professional selling. First we sell ourselves to our prospects, starting with knowing, moving to liking and working towards trusting. Very much like the building of a loving relationship, business relationships take time to foster, ensuring that the other parties needs are being met, and that the relationship is enjoyable, albeit in a business environment. So, here are my first 6 steps to help you get started. 1. Know who you are after We all work best with certain types of clients. Regardless of the type of clients we think we want in our portfolio, understand the kind of client you work best with and focus all your attentions on them. 2. Find out where you can meet them You are very unlikely work with anyone in a proper relationship without meeting them first. Find out where your target clients go and go there too. Where do they eat, where do they drink, where do they network? Are they involved in certain types of groups, or is it best to meet them on their home turf? 3. Make your approach There are two main ways to do this, decided based on your client which is best: a) Direct â€" walk up to them at an event, or telephone them at their desk, and engage them in conversation. b) By introduction â€" Get someone you know to introduce you. This is great, but requires a good network. (If you have been on my courses you will know that I am big on networks!) 4. Have a reason for them to choose you Understand the benefits that you offer. Remember: You first, your service second, your firm third. 5. Keep chipping away This is really important. You need to persevere and be confident and resilient. A number of the above stages you will need to repeat over and over again. You need time to build a relationship. Remember the end result you are after, and don’t force the pace. This is VERY important, there is a period of seduction. Take your time. 6. Strike when the time is right Don’t beat around the bush, when the time is right â€" go for it! You are about to start a fantastic relationship for the future. About the author:  James Nathan runs the James Nathan experience; the Business Development, Sales and Service Excellence Expert for Professional Recruiters.

How Do You Make Facebook Enemies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How Do You Make Facebook Enemies - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career With every attack on innocent people everywhere: we try not to lose faith in humanity. We urge each other to believe that good triumphs over evil. We propound that we will continue to go out, to shop, to go to school, venture out to work, eat in cafes and attend concerts. We say that to stay at home and hide, means the terrorists win. They terrorize even those of us who are still safe and uninjured, because our safety seems tenuous and we begin to doubt our freedom and second guess where we should travel. Terrorism is the enemy of freedom. But there is a bizarre number of angry personal statements that erupt with each event. What seems to spark this outcry is when other people show sympathy and unity with the attacked. Of course, this most recently happened when apparently ISIS killed and maimed hundreds of people in Paris. Several of my friends on Facebook changed their profile photos to the colors of the French flag. Several displayed art that re-interpreted the peace sign into the Eiffel Tower. Unbelievably, this set up a war of whose death matters. Some posts I read in reaction to the terrorism in Paris: “Facebook doesnt have a Kenya flag update on peoples profiles!” “Nearly 2,000 Civilians Were Killed in a Single Terror Attack in Nigeriaâ€"Where Was Facebook?” “Where is the Facebook flag for Syria?” It’s unbelievable, but each tragedy sets up a war about profile graphics on Facebook. I always wonder about what such admonishments say about the personal brands who hurl them. If your grandparent dies, and someone gives you sincere condolences do you condemn that person as mean-spirited or disrespectful for not sending condolences to everyone who lost a grandparent? I don’t know about you, but I did not seek to overlook, deny or avoid the importance of tragic events in any place; in any of 196+ countries on the planet. Violence against innocent people, enslavement, beheadings, and all manner of horror have been part of the world events I attend to and grieve. There is not a country without violence, inhumanity, and terror. But it is not a competition. Nor a time for aggression against mourners. If you are moved by events of any place and you wish to change your profile photo â€" you do not need Facebook’s graphics team to give you a flag to transpose over your face. You can do that yourself. And, when you do: you will perhaps inform those who know less than you do. Or, you will affirm your solidarity with those who know what you know. But, don’t use the most recent tragedy to start a war of words, or attack on anyone’s character. Not all of us wear our grief on our profile photos. Most of us bear the sadness of the world’s inhumanity in our hearts. There is no flag for how I feel, although I respect those who post one. There are lyrics by John Lennon that seem to sum up what I imagine might eventually come to pass to save us all. Imagine theres no countries It isnt hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people living life in peace.

Reinventing Small Spaces

Reinventing Small Spaces The very reason I chose to buy a fixer-upper instead of a new home was simply that I dance to a different beat I have my own ideas. Since I was paying for it, I decided I should have what I want instead of another persons dream. The home I picked out had a few design issues, however, it was a split-level home with extreme possibilities, plus it encompasses one and a half acres of green space and plenty of shade trees. In my mind, I owned the perfect home. The fact that I could reinvent the living spaces as well as the land was a welcome challenge. Here is a list of things I have done to reinvent a small space. Hope it gives you ideas on your next renovation project! The first change, of course, was to the living space. It has plenty of windows to dress up. I chose large stones to accent an odd sized wall and to bring in some of natures clunks.   I installed a wood burning fireplace to give it warmth and heart. The walls are covered with pine wood to simulate a log cabin. Since I had more windows than wall, this transformation was relatively inexpensive. Secondly, I stripped the kitchen of its cabinets doors and drawers.   I added see-through cabinet doors and gave the drawers new handles and knobs.   I like being able to see where things are in a glance.   Since the kitchen is small, the appliances, food stock and plates will be within arms reach. As a family, we tend to gather around the dinning room for many reasons other than to eat.   To make it cozy, I put in another wood fireplace.   Not only does it add flavor to the dinning area, this will help eliminate heating cost in the winter. The space saving basket and shelf under the table is a useful spot to put items you may need to serve guest with.   The bathroom is an area that should be inviting and relaxing.   This room is a combination of two extremely small spaces.   To make the bathroom larger, I opened up the spaces and placed the old fashioned tub on the outside of the toilet area making it a room within a room. Many of the accessories were found at the local salvage stores for huge savings. The hallway outside the bedroom is actually just big enough to put a couple items in, so I added a functional piece of furniture.   The suggestion to add designer wallpapers was fabulous.   You can get yours from yourwalls.com.   They can take a picture you own or use one of theirs.   Therefore, I took a picture of a drawing my daughter made and sent it to them. I was amazed at the outcome.   I would recommend shopping with them, if you are in the market for a mural.   Their prices are competitive and they ship directly to your home.

How to Reinvigorate Your Workforce

How to Reinvigorate Your Workforce Productivity is high on current business agendas, both at a national-level and for individual business leaders as  ONS figures  continue to show a fall in the output per hour. In order to attain good financial results, customer satisfaction and high output, employee engagement needs to be a priority. We know that businesses are still harbouring retention concerns industry-wide, with skilled talent proving harder to attract, engage and retain. Learning how to spot a disengaged employee and understanding what can be done to inspire re-engagement is a key factor in reaching maximum productivity company-wide, as well as achieving increased employee retention. What causes employees to become disengaged? As our  recent report  has shown, the main causes of employee disengagement are boredom and frustration (35%), followed by a poor work-life balance (31%) and stagnant career prospects (30%). To put the issue of boredom into perspective, UK managers have  identified  that their employees spend an estimated 5.3 hours a week bored at work. A number that increases significantly within large companies (7.1 hours) and is higher than average in London and the South East (6.4 hours). Low engagement and boredom aren’t just down to quality of work though. Inefficient internal processes could also be a contributing factor. One in three (30%) managers have stated that there are too many meetings during the working day, many of which are poorly executed. In light of the ongoing skills shortage, stagnation becomes a key issue. Managers said that they believe roles are not interesting enough and that staff often don’t feel challenged (32%) or become disheartened by the lack of diversity that their role offers them (30%). Signs of a disengaged employee can manifest in the following ways: Not hitting targets:  Poor performance and consistently missing targets are clear indicators that your employee is not invested in the growth of the business or their own career within the company. No initiative:  Your employee has little to contribute at team meetings and doesn’t seem willing to generate new ideas or share independent learnings. Unhealthy activities:  Frequent cigarette breaks, long lunches, and multiple kitchen and bathroom trips are all signs of someone who doesn’t want to be in the office anymore. Bad attitude:  This includes complaining, not wanting to help others, being anti-social at work and displaying an unwillingness to get involved in company activities. How to re-engage a disengaged employee A common misconception is that giving employees a higher salary will help to engage them again, but this is often not the case. Research has shown that employees are 3.2 times more likely to be happy at work  when they’re given meaningful, challenging tasks that they find satisfying. You can reverse employee disengagement by introducing several simple processes and practices at work and within the employee-manager relationship. Role development via upskilling and employee training:  What are your employee’s long-term career goals? If they feel like you’re willing to help them work towards it, you might find that investment levels go up. Ask them which skills they feel they’d like to improve and address these within the  employee’s learning and development  plan. Regular progress meetings:  Touching base regularly after goals have been set will provide tangible achievements to keep things feeling diverse and challenging. Give them work ownership:  Research has shown that employees who feel free at work are 2.7 times more likely to be happy. Over half also said that they don’t have enough opportunities to be creative (58%). Allowing employees to become more involved in their own careers gives them the personal investment they’ll need to re-engage with the company they work for. Show them they are valued:  Small signs of appreciation can go a long way in the eyes of a disengaged employee as those employees who feel supported are 67% more engaged than those that felt undervalued. Understanding how to identify disengaged employees and acting on those observations will help companies attracting and retaining employees, and get the most out of their workforce to overcome the current productivity slump. About the author:  Phil Sheridan  is the managing director for Robert Half International’s UK operations where he is responsible for leading the organisation’s strategy and direction across more than 20 office locations.

4 unusual psychology graduate jobs

4 unusual psychology graduate jobs Three years of late night library sessions, only-just-made-it deadlines and a few hungover seminar classes, and you finally have that coveted piece of paper Your psychology degree. But what to do with it? How to put it to best use? What options are there for psychology graduate jobs? So many people feel the pressure to get a graduate job in the field they studied in, but theres so much more you can do with your degree than secure a job as a clinical psychologist. If you fancy a traditional psychology job, thats great, but if youre interested in something a bit different, Debut has a whole host of opportunities which will put your degree to use in a host of unexpected ways. Become a Lawyer Despite what you might think, you dont have to study law to become a lawyer. If you enjoy carrying out meticulous research, analysing case studies and working as part of a team to pull together a project, then a career in Law might surprise you. At firms like Herbert Smith Freehills, theyll take you on as a trainee no matter what degree discipline you studied, and even fund your law training courses. Work will involve conducting vital research for legal cases, using skills you will have developed while analysing and researching psychology case studies. Writing in a meticulously clear and concise manner, as you will have done in your lab reports throughout your degree, will help you to draft key documents. Its a challenging industry and a big change from your degree discipline, but a worthwhile way to put your skills to the test that will pay well Starting salaries are more than £40k. Reading on a phone? Click here to view the job card. Or download the Debut app to view all jobs and opportunities.   Work in fashion Yes, straight out of your Devil Wears Prada fantasies, you could spend your days following the latest fashions at some of UKs biggest retailers including Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. As a Merchandise Admin Assistant at Arcadia, your job will be to track consumer buying habits, and make sure the right clothes are in the right place at the right time. Analysing human behaviour and habits is a big part of any Psychology degree, and thats exactly what this job involves. You need to use sales figures to track what items are selling well and which arent, and then respond to that accordingly be redirecting and replenishing stock. If the 80s or athleisure are making a comeback, its your responsibility to make sure high street stores reflect this. Being able to navigate and analyse large quantities of date is also useful skill, something you will already have battled through on your degree. Reading on a phone? Click here to view the job card. Or download the Debut app to view all jobs and opportunities.     Market products Being able to sell and market products effectively involves a solid knowledge of human behaviour, something which after a  psychology degree, should be firmly under your belt. If you enjoy a sociable job, that involves interacting with customers, providing them with a positive experience and thinking of creative ways to educate them, then a job as a Product Specialist with Tesla could be up your street. Youll be on your feet a lot of the time, welcoming guests and providing them with a fun experience, making sure you tap into typical human behaviour and consumption habits most effectively. Reading on a phone? Click here to view the job card. Or download the Debut app to view all jobs and opportunities.   Set up your own business Creating and managing your own business is more about the personality traits    you have than the degree you hold. You need to be creative with a resilient, entrepreneurial spirit and be able to manage a team effectively and make decisions, keeping track of a budget and maintaining strong relationships with clients. If youve managed a group project effectively, or been on a society committee, then youll already have skills that you can put to good use in a business management role. Shaherazad Umbreen completed a masters in Cognitive Science before going on to set up her own business designing shoes for women. She says her degree provided her with countless skills that have helped her get where she is today. I wanted to use what I have learnt at university and throughout my career to empower women. Psychology is very much about feelings and behaviour and I wanted to find a way to put my learning in to action.  I always knew that whatever job I did would involve the benefit of having studied psychology. So in conclusion? Dont think that your degree defines your career path for the rest if your life. You can let it take you anywhere you want, and there are countless job sectors which will help you utilise the skills you have developed. If youre brave enough to take the chance, your dream job could be just around the corner. Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

Tips for Successful Telephone Interviews

Tips for Successful Telephone Interviews Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comTelephone interviews are very common these days . Whether be it in the small industries, to the big hounds of the World, everywhere there are interviews going on through the phone. Sounds confusing but it is true.Now several interviews are going through voice calls, telephone, etc. Telephone interviews are both advantageous to the interviewer and the job seekers. It decreases time costs, transport complications, increases responsiveness and coziness between both the parties.Along with phone interviews you don’t have to dress up and shuttle towards the interviewing area. And more, you don’t get exactly the same level regarding your anxieties as whenever you have to face the interview individually face to face.evalMisconceptions are fairly common with phone interviews nowadays. Phone interviews could also prove difficult for those who are within noisy locations or possess a bad telephone signal as well as bad wedding reception. Truly, telephone call inter views are just like a two sided dagger showing both advantages and drawbacks.So, all you’ll require, is the perfect presence of mind as well as self-confidence in your expression. Here are somephone interview tipsto follow, for a sure success.1. Focus on your expressionsAlways sound positive, express yourself openly and act professional while you speak. Without the perfect body gesture and posture, professional outfit and your physical behavior, the evaluator has your speech only, to judge you. So talk in sense and be calm2. Arrange all the necessary documents aheadYou must have your Resume/CV, cover letters if any, names of your personal references, experience letters, and other professional certificates.3. Prepare for the tricky interview questions before attending the callRecognize what sort of questions you may be questioned in these formats of the interview prior to any interview. Always remember, this is very different from a face-to-face interview.So the interviewer will ju dge you by every sense of professionalism. However, the questions are expected to be more common ones.They probably look at your CV while speaking to you and they verify the information provided in your CV. They may ask questions like, “How about telling a positive experience in your past Organization”.4. Be in a formal and friendly tone.evalAvoid using irony or making witticisms in your mannerisms and facial expressions, which has to be more formal in manner. They will not able to see you, so, what might look funny to you, may not go the right way as you would have expected. The reason is you are also not able to see the person on the other side of the call.Phone Etiquettes â€" A significant point to rememberevalHowever, other than these above mentioned points, one of the key criteria for completing a successful telephone interview depends on the etiquette followed during the process.You must realize that whatever that you do or talk, will be analyzed by the interviewing person on the other side of the call. Make certain not to chew gumor eat any other food during the interview.Here are some of the etiquettes discussed below asphone interview tipsto follow:eval1. Arrange a quiet area in your home to appear in the phone interview. You should not interrupt the interview due to some distractions at your place.2.If you own a pet at home, it’s not a problem. But please make certain that while the phone interview will be going on, they are doing some outdoor activities or at best someplace where no distraction can take place.3. In a phone interview, it will be a good impression, if you can avoid your personal cell phones. Frequent interruptions in a phone interview, will pose a negative impression. And then the interviewer starts losing attention to you. In cellular phones, many network interruptions take place, which might disturb the person or you, both during an interview. Try to opt for a landline as a substitute. Having a landline connection gives an ext ra advantage to you as the chances of network failures are very less in Landlines.4. It will be an excellent choice to practice some common interview questions asked. Try to be prepared in advance. But there might be nothing worse if you sound reciting the answers without any intensity. Try to be brief but more to the point. The interviewer should not think of you as a faker.5. Always have a notepad, multiple pens and other necessary requirements ready while appearing in the interview. This is a good practice as you don’t have to mess-up during the interview process.6. Try to keep your Resume in clear format while the interview is going on. List your strengths, your key skills, experiences, etc. as through these aspects the interviewer will get to know the technical capability as well as yourself. Thus, you don’t have to contemplate on how to back your answer during the interview process.7. Try to keep your personal belongings like tablets, other unnecessary things which can di stract the interview process. If you have a cell phone, it is not a crime. But make sure that it doesn’t affect your interview. Better keep it in silent mode or switch it off.8. Be sure that your own voice sounds very passionate and jolly during the interview. No one in this industry likes to hear a lame or unresponsive tone. Try to smile and make the situation friendly. Though the evaluators not able to see you, but your smile along with a cheerful mood will drive your personality to the top.9. Listen wisely and do not disturb the interviewer, when he will be speaking of something related to your or company’s concerns. You have to give him the supreme respect and good listening skills are required to make it happen. Let the interviewer complete his/her sayings, note the information provided, and then rise with your valid points.evalTelephone interviews are a worthy way, most of the companies have adapted for recruiting both fresh and experienced employees. Don’t be afraid of this.What mostly needed is to take the call as a test and answering the questions confidently. Follow these abovephone interview tipsto crack any interview, any interviewer also.

12 Tips To Create a Great Job Resume - CareerEnlightenment.com

7. Add Action WordsNow a day, most companies use Applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes in order to save time. To filter out, recruiter uses keywords which he is looking for in resumes. Thus, it’s vital that you use action words, which showcase in a better manner what exactly you were doing in that current role.For example, if a recruiter is on a look out for a leader, he might search with keywords such as Supervised, Headed, Authorized etc.Keywords also include skills and experience with respect to the job opening.Following is a short list of keywords which is apt for managerial job positions OversawFormulatedSpearheadedReducedBoostedCapitalizedAuthorizedInspectedSurpassed8. Mention Online CertificationsMOOCs have gained huge popularity in recent years.In addition to the certifications done in college and other professional institutes, a relevant online course and talking about what you learned from it, can make you look better for an interview.Also, completing an onli ne course, in and of itself, is impressive. It demonstrates personal drive and discipline. They showcase that you are eager to learn and pursue it further even after their regular hours.9. Mention Volunteer WorkCommunity service and volunteer work are great things to add to your resume.It shows you possess skills such as event planning, teamwork, fundraising, etc. Most companies look favorably upon employees who contribute in a positive way to the surrounding community.Also, nowadays a lot of organizations give certificates for the same. If you have done substantial work, don’t forget to talk about them.10. AwardsAwards are the best way to showcase that your work has created such an impact that you were recognized for it.So if you have received any awards, be it workplace or otherwise, list them on your resume. Make sure you focus on what the award is about and what you did to receive it. This will help the recruiter get to know you better and highlight some specific key skills.11 . Keep your resume Error freeThis goes unsaid.Your resume if the last place you would want to make any error.Be it grammatical or word choices. Spellings, typing error and so on.These create nothing but paint a poor of you in front of the recruiter.Use tools such as Grammarly to spell check your resume. Run your resume by your friends and family. You will be amazed how you might have overlooked so many mistakes.12. Use an ideal file formatThere are multiple formats in which one can send resume. Word doc, HTML, PDF and so on. Out of all, PDF is the best format to send it in as it gives 100% assurance that the recruiter will see it the way you sent it of what program you had used to create the resume.Other formats might cause issues. For instance, if you send a word doc, and recruiter’s doc version is different from yours, your format might change in his system. HTML files might land in spam, which is often sent in HTML.In such scenarios, he might get frustrated and move on to the n ext resume.ConclusionWith more and more skilled employees entering the workforce each year, competition is growing at a substantial rate.Hence it is essential that your resume stands out, and does its bit to increase your chances of getting shortlisted.Follow the tips given above and we are sure your resume quality would increase by 2-3 times.For more tips on building a job resume, check out this post on 23 Resume Writing Tips to Create the Perfect Job Resume in 2017 to take your resume to the next level.

E-Learning Trends to Watch Out for in 2018 - CareerEnlightenment.com

E-Learning Trends to Watch Out for in 2018 From students to today’s young CEOs, many people across the globe benefit from e-learning, as they have a more direct experience with the new ways and technologies. Online learning will give them a domain to learn in a way different from orthodox schooling, and an ability to gain knowledge through innovative means.In the United States alone, two-thirds of companies are actively going through changes so that their employees get trained via online courses. They use this practice because their employees turn out to be more prepared and more focused on all the challenges businesses stumble upon.Knowledge sharing platform Zeqr created an infographic that shares some of the most intriguing facts about e-learning and how it helps people explore new ways of providing education, not only for the students of today but for the people of tomorrow. Technology has been advancing every year, and education, with its importance, should benefit from that. Want to Read More Articles Like This One?Si gn up here to receive weekly updates from Career Enlightenment, and never miss another powerful job searching tip! SUBSCRIBE! You have Successfully Subscribed!We hate spam too. Unsubscribe any time. E-Learning initiatives are by far the best answers around, and with the emergence of this reshaping of learning forms, we believe e-learning will soon take over all schools, colleges, and businesses, as well!

Tips For Cover Letters -- Your First Impression Counts Big

Tips For Cover Letters -- Your First Impression Counts Big The first impression people have of you can keep them from wanting to know you better or encourage them to seek you out. Your cover letter is that first impression for your resume and its quality will often determine whether or not that resume gets attention. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind when you are writing your cover letter: Do your homework. Find out who to address the letter to, what style would be appropriate, and the job description. You want this letter to be personalized appropriately, professional in tone, and accurate in specifying what you are applying for. This is NOT the place for a generic to whom it may concern form letter that obviously is used on all your applications. Identify your strong points and write a rough draft or outline matching those strengths to the job description. Now reduce that to one paragraph. Keep it short. All you are doing is a three-paragraph overview to get them interested in looking at your resume. The first paragraph tells them what job you are seeking and how you heard about it (include any mutual contact people). The second is that paragraph you came up with from the previous tip. The third paragraph should be a thank you for your time and statement that you will be following up by the end of the next week. Be sure you do the follow up! Proofread, edit, and proofread again! This is really important. If you know that you overlook mistakes, get someone to proofread it for you and check your corrections. Focus on being professional, polite, and concise. If your letter is on paper, hand-sign it. For an email, a typed signature is acceptable. Think you have your perfect cover letter? Pretend you are the person getting that letter with your resume, along with hundreds of other applicants, and read it again. If you feel that you still need help, consider a professionally written cover letter. This is your potential employers first impression of you: big things are at stake. Make that first impression a good one so they will want to read your resume, call you in for an interview, and offer you the job!

Are you nuturing and protecting your career - Hallie Crawford

Are you nuturing and protecting your career I had a workshop yesterday at a law firm in Atlanta. I spoke on the topic “Your Job As Your Best Asset”. As our world and economy continues to change, our jobs and careers have now become our best assets. If you’d like to learn more about how can nuture and protect your career, I recommend you check out “Your Job As Your Best Asset: 6 Ways to Nurture Protect Your Career”. In this downloadable audio program, you will receive six ways to effectively nurture and protect your career during this unsettling and scary time â€" and beyond. From this audio, you will be able to develop an action plan for how to stay competitive, beef up your resume, and protect your best asset your career! You will learn: * How to stand out from others in your industry* Tools to help you nurture your career* Ways to define your unique skills set and brand yourself* Specific steps to help you take action now* And much more! Learn more here: www.halliecrawford.com/yourjobasyourbestasset.html Career Coach