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17
Nov

The Dreaded Job Interview

By RedStarResume No comments yet

After you have constructed the perfect resume and applied for the perfect job you will hopefully receive that favourite phone call congratulating you on receiving an interview request. Typically when you apply for a job you can expect your competition to share similar skills, education and experiences as yourself. This is why you need to demonstrate to the interviewer that you not only possess the right skills, and that you are also the right fit for the company. Considering the importance of your job interview, there are a few key factors you need to do to ensure that you give yourself the greatest opportunity of finding success.

Conduct Research

Researching the company that you are interviewing for is a great way to acquire a sense of knowledge about your potential future career.  When you show that you have done a good amount of research, an employer will see the enthusiasm that you have about the particular position as well for the company and this will aid you in developing a good first impression.  When you are performing your research, don’t just use the company website for information. Use your imagination and look at anything from past market shares to any philanthropy or humanitarian involvement that the company is currently engaged.

Practice Makes Perfect

The days before your interview you should research popular-asked interview questions.  This way you can rehearse your answers, which can help you to phrase them in the most beneficial way.  The more practice you put into your interviewing, the greater your answers will flow when it comes time for the main event! If you bring forth a comfortable aura to the interview, your potential employer will see how relaxed and confident you are.

Contact Your References

Prior to going into the interview, it is a good idea to contact the people that you have placed on your reference sheet.  More often than not you will be asked to bring in your resume and a copy of your references and so it is imperative that these people know that they may be receiving a phone call.

Prepare Your Outfit in Advance

Don’t wait until the day of the interview to determine what you are wearing.  Keep in mind that you will want to pre-plan your travelling route in order to arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes early. Arriving late is the greatest mistake you can make! Planning your outfit the day before your interview gives you time to wash, iron, and hang up your clothes so that they are in pristine condition for your interview.

Preparing correctly for the job interview will give you the greatest opportunity of getting the job. If you are hoping to succeed in your interview, you must ensure that you are sufficiently prepared in advance. Do not let yourself down. Leave no stone unturned in your interview preparation.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

RedStarResume: The number one source for professional resume writing, job interview tips & cover letter writing services

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06
Sep

Job Interview First Impressions

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Are first impressions really that important? The answer is… YES!

When the decision comes to hire a new employee, the candidates that are chosen almost always will share similar educational backgrounds, skills and experience. Because of this, it can be the small things that make the difference between getting the job or not. A lousy handshake or dirty shoes can be all it takes to lose out on getting the job.

Top tips to make sure that your first impression counts!

Dressing appropriately

A person who looks professional portrays the image of being professional. A person who looks sloppy portrays an image of being sloppy. If two people walk into an office and candidate one is perfectly dressed with clean shoes a shirt tucked in and brushed hair, and candidate 2 walks in looking like they just woke up, it goes without saying which candidate will more likely get the job. Before even discussing their skills, the hiring manager’s first impression about professionalism has already been made.

Hygiene

As a hiring manager, I can tell you there is nothing more off putting than interviewing a candidate with bad hygiene. No matter what job you are applying for, bad breath or lack of hygiene is not going to help you to get ahead. There is a fine balance between wearing the right amount of perfume/aftershave or too much. If the interviewer can smell your perfume from across the table you are probably wearing too much!

Addressing the interviewer properly

Showing respect toward the interviewer is paramount. Remember the interviewer is not your best friend who you have known for many years. Using slang or shortening their name (“Wassup Dave”) is not the correct way to make a good first impression.

Listening

A great mistake you can make in the interview is to speak too much and not answer questions. Interviewing is a 2-way process. Not only do you need to directly answer the interview questions, but you need to listen to what the interviewer is saying. Unless it is a direct yes or no answer, always provide examples and evidence to support what you are saying. Make sure you leave the interviewer with no doubts that you are the right person for the job.

Handshake and Smile

When you walk into the interview, a solid handshake and smile will go a long way to building rapport with the interviewer and will also leave a positive memory in their minds after the interview has finished. Typically the person who is interviewing you will often be your boss, and therefore they will want to know that not only do you have the skills required to do the job, but that they are going to want to work with you on a daily basis.

© RedStarResume Publications - http://www.bestresponseresume.com

 

The journey to finding your dream job

starts with a brand new professional resume

During the last decade, RedStarResume has successfully written hundreds of resumes for candidates across the globe in over 35 different industries. From entry-level to CEO positions, our unique, custom-made resumes are written specifically to match the goals and desires of our clients and to help them land jobs.

RedStarResume takes great pride in offering a premier level of customer service, and our commitment to client satisfaction is unmatched by any other resume company. Every resume we write starts with a blank piece of paper. As the customer, you have 24/7 access to your own personal writer. We also offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee that you will be completely happy with our work. If you’re not completely satisfied, we promise to tear up the resume and start again. That is our commitment to you.

RedStarResume: #1 for Professional Resume Writing and Cover Letter Services

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31
Aug

Starting to Prepare For The Dreaded Job Interview

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Rule number 1: Research:

Congratulations! You have been invited for the interview. Now what do you do?

The first step is beginning to research the company. Once you have done this you will be ready to prep for the interview questions, learn how to improve your interviewing skills and begin to think about what you’re going to wear to the interview.

In order to succeed in the interview you need to do your homework on the company. There is no set of rules to how to do your research but preparing yourself as much as possible will greatly enhance your chances of getting hired.

Make sure you use every available resource to help you with your preparation. By doing a basic Google on the company you can easily learn important facts about the company. Publically listed companies are easier to prepare your background research than privately listed companies as public companies are legally required to make certain information available. In the 21st century the Internet has made a lot of the pre interview research more available and easier to find. Don’t forget that you can also use other sources of information like public libraries or bookstores. Many magazines and journals can provide important and up to date information on your company and also provide you with information that your competitors who are also applying for the same job won’t know.

A true story…

A candidate of mine was applying for a job at one of the large investment banks. Out of 150 candidates the hiring manager had selected the top 10 best resumes to perform first round interviews. Every interview was 15-20 minutes long. The final question the hiring manager asked to each of the candidates was “Tell me something about the company.” Nine out of ten of the candidates rattled off information they had read from the company’s “about us page”, but one candidate stood out. After reading about the company’s strategic purchase of a new acquisition, the candidate was able to impress the hiring manager with his (somewhat different) knowledge.

The hiring manager later offered this candidate the role not because he was the smartest candidate, but because he showed his dedication by going the extra step in his interview preparation.

Your research for the job interview preparation should give you a better insight on:

The history of the business

How old the business is

The types of services the business offers

The hierarchy structure

How many offices/locations the business has

Number of employees

Career progression

The business culture

Competitors

Benefits

Check out the Competitors websites as well – they are also a good source of information for your job preparation.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

During the last decade, RedStarResume has successfully written hundreds of professional resumes for candidates across the globe. From the student or entry level position to the CEO, our unique, custom-made resumes are written specifically to match the goals and desires of our clients and to help them land jobs.

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29
May

Are you prepared to answer all the tough Job Interview Questions?

By RedStarResume No comments yet


Unless you are born extremely rich and plan on spending the rest of your life lying on your own private island or you have a family business you can move into, chances are at some stage in your life you are going to have sit face to face with a hiring manager in a job interview.

The interview is your time to shine. Don’t be intimidated because you don’t think you have all the skills that are wanted in the job specification. Most businesses will teach you as you go, so lacking a certain skill will not mean you can’t get the job. If you do lack certain skills or experience, you need to work twice as hard in your interview to portray the skills that you have and can bring to the job. It is a myth to think that the most skilled person will get the job. When it comes to hiring the right person, it is about the overall package – skills, personality, confidence and also the passion you show in your interview.

The brand new Ebook from RedStarResume – “Interview Secrets Exposed” will teach you everything you need to know to easily prepare yourself for your next important job interview and most importantly be able to nail the job interview. Rather than going into the interview feeling nervous and unprepared, you can stand out from the competition and force the hiring manager to take notice. This simple, powerful formula guarantees you will be prepared for any question that comes your way.

Learn everything you need to know to prepare yourself for the interview including

  • Researching and preparation
  • How to answer Ice Breaking Questions
  • The most frequently asked interview questions and answers
  • Open Ended and Closed Ended Questions
  • General “Standard” Interview Questions
  • Behavioural questions and examples
  • 50 most asked Behavioural Interview Questions
  • Situational Questions
  • What to wear to the job interview
  • Asking the interviewer questions
  • Dressing for the Interview
  • Top 10 Job Interview Blunders
  • How to Answer Illegal Interview Questions

Plus: Bonus material “how to nail the Telephone Interview” and “following up after the Interview”

Job Interviewing does not have to be a scary experience! Research, Prepare and Practice and you are already another step closer to landing your next job.

IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD –

INSTANT ACCESS!

Time for an Interview?

Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice

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15
May

Job Interview Secrets Exposed

By RedStarResume No comments yet

The Brand new EBook from RedStarResume “Interview Secrets Exposed” is an insider’s guide on everything you need to know in order to nail your job interview.

Follow our steps and make sure that you are well prepared to answer every possible interview question when the opportunity presents itself. This E-book is a compilation of many months of research and discussions with hiring managers and career experts in recruitment, career counselling and interviews.

The purchase of this E-book is your first step in ensuring that you get the job! Interviewing is all about research, confidence and creating a good rapport. The hiring manager needs to know that you are capable of performing the tasks of the job and also that you will be a good addition to the team.

Time for an Interview?

Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice

The interview is your time to shine. Don’t be intimidated because you don’t think you have all the skills that are wanted in the job specification. Most businesses will teach you as you go, so lacking a certain skill will not mean you can’t get the job. If you do lack certain skills or experience, you need to work twice as hard in your interview to portray what you do have that you can bring this job. It is a myth to think that the most skilled person will get the job. When it comes to hiring the right person, it is about the overall package – skills, personality, confidence and also the passion you show in your interview.

Did you Know – In less than 30 minutes you can have all the answers you need to quickly and easily prepare yourself for your next important job interview. Rather than going into the interview feeling nervous and unprepared, you can stand out from the competition and force the hiring manager to take notice. This simple, powerful formula guarantees you will be prepared for any question that comes your way.

What you will find in this EBook:

•Everything you need to do to prepare yourself for the interview
•How to answer Ice Breaking Questions
•The most frequently asked interview questions and answers
•Behavioural questions and examples
•50 most asked Behavioural Interview Questions
•What to wear to the job interview

•Plus: Bonus material “how to nail the Telephone Interview” and Following Up After the Interview

 

 

IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD –

INSTANT ACCESS!


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12
May

Position Ignition Tips to Finding Courage For Your Career Change

By RedStarResume No comments yet

By Nisa Chitakasem, Co-founder Career Change Specialist Position Ignition Ltd

Creating an ending and making a shift isn’t always easy. Why? We’re used to the routine we have and the way things are. Change is scary, it’s unknown, it’s different and we have no guarantees of success. We can remain in one place due to fear of change. It requires us to take a leap of faith before we can reach a different destination and way of being. A career change is significant but it can also be life changing in a great way. Here are some key tips on overcoming your fear:

1. Acknowledgement

The first thing to do is to acknowledge your inner fear instead of ignoring it. This is the first step to dealing with it. There’s no shame in admitting that we’re scared, however old and ‘battle-worn’ we are.

2. Gain Clarity

We know that the next step is about being clear and that you’ve decided to end your old life. You need to be totally clear about what you want to do next. Otherwise the leap feels like a very huge one. It’s a leap of faith and a jump into the darkness if you aren’t clear about where you are going. However, when you have that clarity you will have reached the point at which the courage to take the leap doesn’t seem like a big step at all.  It becomes a more obvious step. Something you want to do. Something you have to do. For many, it is when and how people recognise they’re in the wrong place in their life and in their work.

3. Understand that Mistakes are Normal

Even if you make mistakes, or don’t do something in the job application process that you should have, it’s not the end of the world. Learn from mistakes and remember that you’re still evolving as a human, never mind as a job seeker, whatever your age. If you’re frightened of moving forward, you’ll never move forward!

4. Forget about Other People

Perhaps you’re scared of what others will think of you if you change careers ‘at your age’. Do what’s right for you instead of being put off by what you imagine people’s opinions to be. It’s unlikely that anyone will think a mid-life career change is strange, given the increasing fluidity of today’s labour market.

We know such a small minority of people who are clear about what they want to do early in their life. For those of us in the majority, it’s hard work to get to that point. Some people never get there. Funnily enough, when you do get clear, courage doesn’t come into it because you feel energised and your intention is so clear, it doesn’t feel courageous at all. It’s natural and it’s the right thing to do. Explore, experiment, get clear and then when you are ready take that jump and make that shift into new ground – the right new ground for you.

Author: Nisa Chitakasem is the co-founder of career consulting firm www.positionignition.com. He specialises in supporting individuals through key career transitions including making a career change, finding a fulfilling role and shaping personal life and career plans.

Time for an Interview?

Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice


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11
May

How do we know what questions are going to be asked in the job interview?

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Have you ever sat in a job interview and been sweating uncontrollably as you stumble through the interview questions? Have you found yourself shaking hands with the hiring manager on the way out of the job interview and thinking to yourself how you just completely messed up the entire interview? Of course you have. Who hasn’t!

Why does this happen? Do you remember back in school or university before an exam you would study hard to make sure you were well prepared and ready to answer any question that could come your way. When you buy an expensive item such as a car or house you don’t just wake up one day and go to the dealership and purchase a car. You do your research. You study and become knowledgeable on the subject. Only once you have done your research and preparation do you get ready to make your purchase.

The same is true for your job interview. How many times have you walked into a job interview having done 5-10 minutes of preparation? Let me guess you scrolled through the company’s website and re-read the job description a couple of times.

Finding your dream job is no game. We spend on average 40 hours a week in the office. Over the course of a single year that is 2080 hours per year. (Minus vacation, holiday time and few more “personal days”) When an opportunity arises to seek new employment and you are invited to the job interview you have one opportunity to shine and stand out above the other job competitors who are all vying for that one vacant position. You need to ensure that you are 100% prepared for the interview and have answers ready for every question that may come your way. To quote William Wallace in Braveheart – you have “just one chance”

So how do we know what questions are going to be asked in the interview?

The answer is we don’t. There are thousands of different interview questions that may be asked. However, by planning for the interview we can be in a situation where we already have our answers ready for any type of question that a hiring manger may ask.

Here is my tip: The key to interviewing success is simply preparing a mental outline to follow when responding to each question. When you are sitting at home preparing for the interview, write a list of achievements, stories and examples that illustrate how you solved a particular problem or how you performed in an outstanding way. That way rather than going to the interview and thinking of your answers on the spot you will already have your mental list of answers ready to go.

Here is a very basic example to prove my point.

“In my previous job I was promoted to manager after 6 months because of my hard work and dedication on a particular project ….”

With this example in mind I am ready to answer any interview question that is related to my success and I have a story to emphasise my point.

Every person brings unique characteristics and value added skills to a job and as the interviewee; you need to be ready to demonstrate all the great qualities and achievements in order to succeed in your job interview.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

Check out Interview Secrets Exposed

Interview Questions Interview Samples Interview Tips and Advice

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