What does your CV say about you?

So what does your CV say about you?

Your CV is one of the most important documents that you will ever have to create in your life. And yet, many people spend no more than an hour creating their CV!

Perhaps their CVs are accurate then? Maybe their entire work history can be hastily written in an hour - all their skills, knowledge, qualifications, interests and experience! Or are they just underselling themselves?

Take a step back from your CV

Think about it for a minute. You are giving these few sheets of paper to a complete stranger and hope they will help you change your life! Sure, you know what you meant in that summary you wrote....but do they?

Often, people miss out certain important aspects of their capabilities because they assume that the person reading the CV will know what they meant. But is this the case? Not always.

Try to step back from your CV and think about what you have wrote. Pretend a complete stranger handed it to you and have a think about what your CV really says about you. Consider even passing it to a friend or relative and ask them to read over it.

This is particularly effective with people who don't know much about your profession - chances are the recruiter will know just as little! Well, that usually isn't true, but if you assume it is, then you cover yourself!

Split it up

Take each section of your CV and write in on a separate document and have a look at it on its own. Remember - recruiters will be focusing on individual parts of your CV more than the CV as a whole (it's all new to them - they are reading it and learning about you for the first time).

Another benefit of doing this is that it lets you refine areas of your CV one by one - I don't know about you, but my tendency used to be to jump from section to section, doing little bits here and there. This can lead to your CV having an inconsistent feel.

Do you like what you read?

Having read your CV as if it weren't your own, can you honestly say you liked what you read? Is the person you describe on your CV the kind of person you would hire for the job you are applying for?

What have you missed? What does the person lack that you have?

Summary

Don't just churn out a CV and send it out to apply for jobs. It's a very important part of your job search and if you don't get it right, you will get more practice because you will be applying for lots of jobs!

How to reduce stress at work

Imagine working only four hours a day, nine months a year and earning all the money you need to do exactly what you want with all your free time. Does that sound like your life?

That's the life a futurist of the early 20th Century predicted the average worker would be living by the 21st century.

Yet despite the introduction of many labour-saving devices in the workplace and home, Harvard University Economist Juliet Schor found by the 1990s people were working the equivalent of one month a year more than they did at the end of World War II.

As an example, Schor explained in her book Overworked American: The Unexpected Decline of Leisure how the introduction of automatic washers and dryers resulted in an increase in time spent doing laundry. Laundry that had previously been sent out now stayed home, and standards of cleanliness went up.

Laundry isn't the only task that has grown over the last century.

It seems that whenever a significant new "labour saving" product or service is developed we use it so much our workload actually increases.

After all, wasn't our work supposed to be made easier by voice mail, fax machines, cell phones and email? On the contrary, many of us find we are constantly on-call, frequently interrupted, and overwhelmed with communications that people expect to receive immediate responses to.

That's on top of the already heavy workload existing in most organizations. For an employee, the consequences of this overload can be stress, burnout, and illness. For an employer, it can result in high turnover and poor performance.

Addressing the problem of overwork can help companies keep good employees.

A recent study by AON Consulting found that management recognition of an employee's need to balance work with personal life is one of the top five drivers of employee commitment to a company.

To help overworked employees, managers should be trained to notice signs that employees are overburdened. Such signs include consistently working late, working through lunch, coming to work even when sick, taking work home, rushing to meet very tight deadlines, expressing frustration, and not taking vacations.

Employees who are overwhelmed with work may not always tell you how they feel so make the effort to ask how they are doing. For some employees, having the opportunity to express their concerns and hearing appreciation for their extra effort may help alleviate stress during a temporarily busy period.

If an employee's heavy workload is more than temporary, you can assist them in brainstorming solutions to relieve their situation. And if you are the one who is overworked, you can try some of these solutions yourself. Here are some steps you can take to get your workload under control:

Spend your time working on things that are important.

This may sound obvious, but many of us are tempted to work on easy tasks first so we can have a sense of accomplishment. Time spent on those "easy" tasks can quickly add up, creating even more stress when there does not appear to be enough time left for the important work.

To find out what your time is being spent on, start keeping an "activity log". Every time you start and end a new activity, including taking a break, make note of the time. Most workers who charge by the hour have learned to do this automatically.

If you are not used to tracking your time it may be a bit of an adjustment, but within a few days you should be able to notice any time-wasters you might not have been aware of.

Set daily goals.

When scheduling your time, assume that something unexpected will come up and build in a cushion of time to deal with it. To minimize the stress of meeting self-imposed deadlines, avoid making promises about when tasks will be completed. If you must commit to a date, be conservative. If you consistently under promise and over deliver you could earn a great reputation while reducing your stress.

Aim to meet or even exceed expectations, but don't try to achieve perfection. Wherever possible, delegate routine tasks even if you think you can do them better than someone else.

Unless you are expected to be on call, work on eliminating interruptions. Select a time of day when you will return phone calls and emails. During other times, let your voice mail take messages for you. You can also create an auto reply for your email to let people know their message has been received. If your email says you will respond within 24 hours if a reply is required, it may deter someone from repeatedly trying to contact you in the meantime.

Avoid letting other people's problems become yours.

As Richard Carlson, author of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work, says "If someone throws you the ball you don't have to catch it." Some managers find themselves solving their employees' problems instead of empowering employees to find solutions themselves. When someone comes to you with a problem that isn't yours, try limiting your contribution to advice instead of taking on the task yourself.

When you are feeling overwhelmed, say so. Companies want to keep good employees so most bosses will want to know when you are having difficulty. However, instead of saying "I can't do it," offer some possible solutions.

For example, if you won't be able to get a major report completed by a particular deadline, perhaps you could tell the boss you can either complete a condensed version of the report by the deadline, complete the entire report by a later date, or meet the deadline if you get some help from co-workers or temporary staff.

These techniques probably won't help you enjoy the life of leisure envisioned by those early futurists. But they can cut down on your stress and may make your work both more manageable and more enjoyable.

Recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing a CV

We recently undertook a study by interviewing several hundred recruiters and headhunters to find out what they are saying about CVs. So what are the recruiter’s likes and dislikes in a CV and what is going to get a CV read by them?

20 - Burying or Not Including Important Information in the Resume

Candidates often leave off very important and critical experience/information that is pertinent to the job they are seeking. Just as bad is to include this important info but burying it so deep into the resume the recruiter will not see it.

No recruiter has the time to play Sherlock Holmes to figure out a candidate's background. Jobseekers must be aware that recruiters receive literally hundreds of resumes a day and spend only about 10 seconds "skimming" through each resume.

This is why it is imperative that if a job seeker possesses the requirements of the position, that they GRAB the recruiter's attention IMMEDIATELY with these skills/experience.

The best scenario is to customize each and every resume that is sent out and tailor it to the "hot buttons" that will catch the employer/recruiters attention within 5-10 seconds.

19 - Gaps in Employment

Employers are probably going to be a bit more understanding than in the past regarding gaps of employment because of all of the corporate layoffs, reductions, etc. However, holes or gaps in dates in a resume will solicit questions from employers and recruiters alike, so be prepared to answer. Even if you took a sabbatical for personal reasons, it is a good idea to state such.

18 - Resumes Written in the 1st or 3rd Person

A resume should not be written in the first person. No recruiter or future employer wants to read a resume full of "I did this and I did that..." Furthermore, writing a resume in the first person often leads to it becoming too verbose.

Writing a resume in the third person was also slated a major "pet peeve" among many recruiters. A resume is simply a quick marketing piece about the job seeker's background and how it matches the requirements of the position. It is not a biography for a book jacket cover. For example: "Mr. Smith is an excellent recruiter, who has placed many Architects..."

17 - No Easy to Follow Summary

A resume has to GRAB the reader from the get go. If a resume does not convey a match within 10 seconds, they move to the next candidate. An effective summary section will help the recruiter identify if the job seeker is a viable candidate for the position quicker. This summary section can be customised to the position you are applying.

For candidates of a technical nature, it is imperative that a Technical Summary is also compiled. Make sure that these technical skills are clearly laid out and current. When creating this tech summary, be careful not to create a long list of “alphabet soup” no one will ever read or understand.

16 - Pictures, Graphics or URL Links

Unless you are a super model or are applying to a position such as an actor or TV personality that might require a “headshot,” there is absolutely no need to include your picture. A candidate should be judged based on their skills, education and work history, not race, sex, age, etc.

In addition, sending a picture only increases the file size and download time of your resume. Much the same goes for graphics and endless URL links.

Furthermore, because of the fear of computer viruses, many recruiting departments are set up not to accept graphics, pictures, downloadable files, etc. Your resume in that case will just be deleted before it is even opened. In the case of URL links, they just clutter up your resume and no recruiter will ever spend time “clicking” on these links.

15 - Resumes not sent as a WORD Attachment

Unless specifically requested otherwise, your resume should be sent as a Word Attachment. Do not send your resume as a PDF, Mac file, etc. A recruiter simply does do not have time to download and convert special files. In addition, do not send your resume in a ZIP file. No resume should be 60 pages long period.

Unless you are a graphic designer or multi-media developer, no recruiter will spend time going to your “homepage” to download your resume. Even if you are a graphic designer, you still need a Word attachment resume. So if you are an accountant, engineer, etc. do not try to be fancy, because no recruiter has the time or desire to call up homepage.

Another top reason for avoiding formats other than Word or a plain text file is that it becomes increasingly more difficult to download into many HR and recruiting systems. Often a recruiter will not have a job for you today. If they cannot enter your resume into their recruiting system, they will be unable to match your resume with any positions that do become available. This also goes for mailed and faxed resumes. Unless specifically requested otherwise, recruiters are looking for easy to open Word Attachments.

Recruiter TIP ... many recruiters shared with us that it is always a good idea to name your Word Attachment “Smith, John Resume”. Recruiters have no time to “guess” the author of the attachment.

14 - Poor Font Choice

Keep your font simple and easy to read on a computer screen. Do not use italics or extremely difficult to read fonts like Edwardian Script. Font size is just as important as style. 8-point fonts are too small to read, even for Superman.

Microsoft seems to have settled on 10 point Arial as their default font in most of their applications. People are accustomed to reading such on their computer screen. For headings, recruiters shared that 12-point bolded is the best choice.

Recruiters told us that that second best choice is Times Roman as every newspaper and magazine is printing with such. Once again, people’s eyes are accustomed to reading text in this font.

However, 10-point Times Roman, (unlike Arial), is too small for a computer screen. It is recommended if you choose Times Roman, use 11 or 12 point.

13 - Objectives or Meaningless Introductions

Instead of an Objective that can pigeonhole your focus too narrowly or an introduction that adds nothing to your background, use this top piece of real estate to really SELL yourself, by creating a HEADLINE.

Tell them who you are and what you do immediately. Come up with one powerful sentence or phrase to "grab" your reader. Think of this like a headline to a major front-page news story. What is going to grab that reader to want to read further?

Senior-Level Health and Safety Manager with Extensive Experience Working with FDA Regulations in the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Arena.

Recruiter Tip: This headline can be customized to match the job description and "hot-buttons" of the employer or recruiter.

12 - Lying or Misleading Information

We all know the temptation is there to beef up your background by stretching the truth here and there to land that job. BEWARE! It is becoming more commonplace for companies to do extensive background and reference checks on a candidate’s background prior to hiring. Also, companies are demanding that their vendor recruiters do more extensive background checks.

Recruiters stated the most common misleading information being put on CVs is:

• Inflated titles

• Inaccurate dates to cover up job hopping or gaps of employment

• 1/2 finished degrees, inflated education or "purchased" degrees that do not mean anything

• Inflated salaries

• Inflated accomplishments

• Out and out lies in regards to specific roles and duties

11 – Employer or Industry Information Not Included

It is suggested that your resume specifically state the type of industry, revenues, public or private in the body or beneath the specific company. This will help the reader determine if it's a direct industry OR an ancillary industry.

Recruiter Tip: Another idea is to bullet-point in your summary the specific industry experience the recruiter is seeking.

10 – Personal Info Not Relevant to the Job

Not only is including personal info that is unrelated to the job a waste of space, but it can actually hurt you. Recruiters do not need to know your age, height, weight, martial status, sexual orientation, religious or political affiliations, or even about your hobbies. They are trying to fill an open job requisition, not match you for a blind date.

9 – Candidates Who Apply to Positions They are Unqualified

In order to gain experience in an area, you need to start out somewhere, and recruiters understand this. Recruiters do not have time to sort through hundreds of resumes that are in no way a match for the requirements they are trying to fill.

When someone submits an obviously unqualified resume, the person receiving it resents them wasting their time. It also delays the consideration of other applicants who ARE qualified.

Recruiter Tip: The easiest remedy is to provide a simple introductory statement ‘while my qualifications do not match your requirements, please accept the attached for your files in anticipation of future, suitable opportunities’".

8 - Long Paragraphs

Recruiters want a résumé's details to be short, concise and to the point. No recruiter has the time to read long paragraphs, which look like a narrative out of War and Peace.

Make sure you quickly get to the "meat" of what you are trying to communicate about yourself. Your resume should be easy for the reader to "scan" your text for your skills and accomplishments. Consider using the following formatting techniques:

• Use blunt, paraphrased bullet-points

• Use appropriate amounts of "white space" to help guide your reader

7 – Long Resumes

A CV should never be more than 2 pages. Situations that usually contribute to long resumes are; too many jobs; a career that is not focused, an inability to be concise, written communication problems, or something similar. All of which make for an 'UNPLACEABLE' candidate.

No matter how tempting it is to go into detail about the first job you had 25 years ago, don’t! Instead, let your resume showcase your most recent accomplishments. Recruiters are only reviewing the last 5-8 years of your career, 10 tops.

If you are a recent graduate with limited professional work experience, your resume should be only one page. If you are from academia, but are seeking a position in industry, do not include every publication or journal paper you have ever presented.

Recruiter Tip: For employment beyond 10 years ago, create a "Previous Employment" section. You can quickly list your older assignments by simply including title, company and dates.

6 – Functional Resumes

A very good way to NOT get your resume read is by sending them a "functional CV”.

Recruiter Tip: At the top of your resume, always include an easy to follow general/functional summary. Use bullet-points that can be easily customised to match what the employer is seeking. Hand your reader what they are looking for on a silver platter. Find out what are the “hot buttons” of the employer and make every one hit a home run. Immediately following your summary, provide your reader with an easy to follow chronological history of where you worked and when. It is here you need to detail your accomplishments.

5 – Poor Formatting

It is paramount that your resume is clean, clear and not full of major formatting errors. Most candidates are unaware that many formatting features will not view well on a computer screen, and more importantly, will not download properly into many HRIS recruiting systems or job boards.

Recruiter Tip: To see what your WORD document resume will look like as a text file, take it and paste it into NOTEPAD. You can then make any minor formatting changes as necessary within NOTEPAD.

3 – Dates Not Included or Inaccurate Dates

A resume that does not include dates sends up "red flags" about a candidate’s background and is immediately tossed out. The obvious assumption is that the candidate is trying to hide something. Furthermore, be honest about your dates of employment.

Recruiter Tip: When providing dates, work history should be in reverse chronological order. The general consensus among recruiters is to place the employer info, title and location to the left hand side of the screen. Your employment dates should be aligned to the right so that your reader can easily “skim” down the page. And if you have a proven track record of staying with a job for a while, absolutely make sure that your employment dates JUMP out at your reader. This is a real selling point about you as a candidate.

2 – Too Duty Oriented

The second most common complaint among recruiters was reading a resume that is "too duty oriented." Resumes need to describe more than just job duties. A good resume must also detail your accomplishments. Mention the business benefits and results attributable to your direct effort, involvement or leadership.

Also, do not just rely on long lists of buzzwords to describe work or accomplishments. Not only are you risking "burying" the important details from your reader, but also doing so often makes a resume appear too generic.

Recruiter Tip: "Do not separate your skills and accomplishments from each position. Someone should be able to look at it and know what you did at each job, and how long you were there. Make sure to provide specific examples of how the company benefited from your performance. Accomplishments should be quantified in pounds or percentages, for example, (Increased productivity of department). From what to what...1%, 10%, 90%?

1 – Spelling Errors, Typos, and Poor Grammar

In the world of technology and ‘Spell Check’, you would be amazed at how many resumes come through with errors! Candidates need to remember that their resume represents them! If there are careless errors, it directly reflects on the candidate.

The general consensus among recruiters is that your resume will more often than not be your one opportunity to make a first impression. You need to make it a positive one!

Leaving your job - don't burn those bridges!

The time comes for everyone where their job isn't what it used to be (or perhaps it never was!). So you have to leave. Some people don't understand that being unhappy in a job is more important than your income at the time. You just have to do it.

So what's the best way to go about it? How can you minimise the impact on both your career and your soon-to-be ex-employer?

Tie up loose ends!

You weren't thinking about just walking out were you?

It's a move a lot of people make and can be a big mistake. It could be argued that there are a lot of issues in the workplace that could mean just getting up and walking out would save a lot of hassle, but it could also be argued that you should at least try to resolve these issues first.

If you have outstanding work, then try to get it finished. If other departments are relying on you to do their jobs, then it is only professional courtesy to not let them down. How would you feel if you couldn't hit the deadline because someone just up and left?

Creating a list of pending tasks to complete for your replacement and going over them with your manager is a very simple task and should be the least you can do. Ideally you want to make it easy as possible for someone to take over your work.

Should you give notice?

Well, yes - if you can.

Nobody likes to be left in the lurch and no matter what you think of your boss or your colleagues, they are just people doing their job.

Most employment contracts require that you give a certain amount of notice and you should try to adhere to that. In a lot of cases, your employer may not want you to work your notice (but you should still get paid for it).

Telling the boss.....

This can be the hardest part of leaving a job for most people and for many the response of your boss can be just as hard. Whether they say, "Oh, OK then...bye" or "Nooooo! Don't leave!", it is going to be an uncomfortable situation.

You should be prepared to discuss your reasons for leaving (it may not be necessary), but do not expect your boss to turn around and offer you a pay increase and better package. In 9 times out of 10, if you quit, then you quit. Threatening to leave is not the way for you to get pay rise!

Why do all this?

Hey, you're leaving right? What do you care if you rattle a few cages doing it?

Well, for one thing, most jobs require a reference from your previous employer and if you can't offer one then you will find it very hard to get a new job.

Another good reason to keep things amicable is that most people will be moving on to another job in the same industry. As years progress you will find out exactly how small a world it is we live in! The person you tell to shove their stinking job where the sun don't shine could, in a few years, be the person you have to deal with for that new business contract.

In the UK at least, employers cannot give you a bad reference. They can however neglect to say certain things and it's the stuff they don't put on the reference that can speak volumes. For example, if they don't say you were reliable and trustworthy, then your future employer may question why.

Summary

As one door closes, another opens and all that....

Going for that new job can be the opportunity that changes your life. Just make sure you don't mess it up by saying the wrong thing! You don't know who your boss knows in the industry. You don't know how much influence they have.

In an ideal world, each employer would take us all on our merits and capabilities. But we don't live in an ideal world.

Resignation letter - how to write a resignation letter

So you're handing in your resignation? Well assuming they don't escort you off the premises straight away, they will probably ask you to hand in your resignation letter. Clearly you can't say, "I hated my boss, I was offered more money elsewhere" when writing a letter of resignation! Well, you could, but you would end up burning some bridges.

This article will cover how to write a resignation letter so you don't end up killing your career a few years down the line!

An example of why you need to write a good resignation letter

A hypothetical situation.

You are in a job you hate. Your boss is a tyrant and the pay sucks. So you start looking for another job and after a while of ducking out for interviews, you are made an offer.

Screw the boss. You walk out without a word - you don't leave a resignation letter.

That's fine at the time, but a few years down the line, your new employer has expanded and you have been promoted. You are going for a new contract for the firm which will mean big money (and big commission). You head out to meet your new potential client and who are you faced with? Your old boss, now in charge of a new department / company / whatever.

Many careers these days are built and broken on personal relationships, so by writing a letter of resignation when you leave a job can help protect possible future relationships.

In the short term, writing a letter of resignation can ensure you receive a decent reference from your ex-employer.

How to write a resignation letter

Writing a letter of resignation can be tough. You are handing in your resignation for a reason - either you don't like your job or you have be offered a better one.

So it's going to be tough to try and write an amicable letter that won't anger your boss. A lot of employers do take a personal interest in their staff and can take it as a personal failure if a valued member of staff leaves. Remember, they also have to report to their boss and explain why their team / department / office is a member of staff down.

Your aim when writing a letter of resignation should be to create a document which your boss can hold in his / her hand and feel absolved of any blame or fault over your departure.

It doesn't matter that they were wrong! You need to put your personal feelings behind you - now isn't the time to say what you "really" feel! (that's the Xmas party - joke! :P)

Some areas you should cover when you write your letter of resignation:

• Thank your employer for your time there.

• Explain briefly why you are leaving.

• If your reasons for leaving are going to cause more ill-feeling then make something up!

• If you can't think of anything then just use the catch-all excuse of being offered a better package elsewhere!

• REMEMBER! "Always forgive your enemies....nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde. As much as you want to shout and scream at that boss who you hated, thanking them, even apologising for your behaviour can be the sweetest revenge! ;) And it doesn't hurt your career!

Example of a resignation letter

It's hard to come up with an example of a resignation letter, because like covering letters and CV or resumes, they are fairly personal documents. But there are some general points you can remember.

• Personal opening. You know your bosses name, so use it. Open your letter with Dear John, etc.

• Get to the point. Your opening sentence (and subject line) should be brief and to the point. Subject: Letter of Resignation

• Briefly state your reasons. Note the points in the previous section about this.

• Make sure you have tied up loose ends. If you have work that someone will need to take over, create a separate document to attach to your resignation later which lists important stuff like urgent work or passwords, etc.

• Offer to stay a reasonable amount of time. More often than not, it won't be taken up on, but it is a good parting gesture to make. Offering time to train up a replacement (or hire one) is a good way for your employer to remember you (ie, as oppose to just walking out).

• End professionally. Thank your employer for your time with the company, stating how much you appreciate it.

Your resignation is a fragile period of time. Writing a resignation letter isn't easy - you need to handle it professionally or it could have a serious impact on your career in the future.

The Right Way to Quit Your Job

After the stressful process of looking for a new job while you’re still employed, accepting an offer is a huge relief. At last, you’re free! You probably can’t wait to share your good fortune with the world and tell your boss where she can shove that evil assignment she gave you last week. You might think that since you’re leaving, you don’t have to worry what people think of you anymore. This is not the case. Unless you want to erase everything you’ve accomplished since you first accepted this job, your departure must be as strategic and deliberate as your arrival.

This starts with your resignation. Under no circumstances should you let on that you’re leaving before you have a signed agreement and official start date from your new employer. If you jump the gun and blab to everyone and your job offer falls through, your best case scenario is that you’ve got egg on your face. The worst case, of course, is that your boss is insulted enough to fire you. Here are some other suggestions for making a smooth exit:

Tell your supervisor first: you want him to hear the news from you, not from someone else in your department.

Give two weeks notice: stay for the full period unless the company requests that you leave sooner.

Be modest: don’t alienate your colleagues by bragging or chattering incessantly about your awesome new gig.

Don’t insult anyone or anything: whether it’s true or not, show that you regret leaving such wonderful people behind.

Stay on top of your responsibilities: remember that you’re accountable for your work until 5PM on your last day.

Continue to adhere to office protocol: you worked hard for that corporate persona, so leave them with a lasting impression of professionalism.

Review the employee handbook: understand what you’re entitled to regarding benefits and compensation for unused sick or vacation days.

Organize your files: make it easy for your colleagues to find materials so that they can transition your workload seamlessly and won’t need to call you at your new job.

Do a great job training your replacement: these people paid your salary for a year or more, you owe it to them to leave your job in good hands.

Don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you: this includes office supplies and work product that was not developed by you personally.

Many companies request that departing employees do exit interviews with HR. The person conducting the interview, who probably doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall, will usually expect you to divulge why you are leaving and how you feel about your experience with the company. When it comes to exit interviews, the general rule is: if you don’t have anything nice to say, lie. Stick to official business as much as possible, and if you must provide constructive criticism, proceed with tact and caution. While it may be tempting to use the meeting as a forum to spill your guts about the company’s difficult personalities and insufferable policies, don’t give in. Once you’ve made the decision to leave, airing your grievances won’t do you a drop of good and the risk of offending people is way too great.

The most important thing to remember when leaving a job is to fireproof your bridges. It’s a smaller world than you think and you never know when you’re going to need these people again. And who knows? Maybe you won’t even like your new job and will want to come back someday. At the very least, you want to be able to count on at least one person at the company to serve as a reference for the future. During your last few weeks, do everything you can to leave behind a squeaky clean reputation. Be conscientious and thorough as you’re wrapping up or transitioning projects. Even if you’re leaving because you can’t stand your department, act like a team player and keep your negativity to a minimum. If your colleagues take you out for lunch or throw you a going away party, congratulate yourself. It means you’ve handled your departure in exactly the right way.

Dealing with Interviews

Points to remember:

1. You are at the interview because the employer wants you there. It’s not goodwill, or charity – you earned the right to be there, so be confident in your abilities – you’ve just overcome the first step!

2. Go into the interview, smile and shake the hands of the people who will be employing you. And for the love of God, try to remember their names!

3. Be relaxed – especially important if the job you are going for requires client or customer contact – if you cant be relaxed while being interviewed, you will not get a customer / client related job. Don’t pick your nose and put your feet up on the desk though – that’s too relaxed.

4. Think of something interesting to ask them. If it’s a large company that has been in the press recently, then ask about it – read up on industry and sector news – it shows that you are keeping up to date with new developments and that you’re on the ball.

5. Try to relate your existing skills to the role that you are applying for (eg, “oh yes, I did a similar thing at school/college/uni/a previous job…….”).

6. Sell yourself. You are offering them a service, which they will have to pay you for. They are your customers. Go get them tiger!

7. If you screw it up or for whatever reason you don’t get the job – chalk it up to experience and move on to the next interview. Don’t let it set you back (you are never going to see these people again anyway!). Interview skills are learned and developed through experience, so don’t dwell on your failures – but do learn from them!

Good Luck!

How to Tie a Tie: 3 Tips to Enhance Your Job Interview Attire

If someone asks you "what's the most important part of your job interview attire?", what would you answer? The suit? The shirt? The shoes? Perhaps. But did you know that the tie, to your outfit, is what the focal point is to a picture?

The shirt is the canvas and the suit is the frame. Change the frame on a picture and no one notices, change the picture in a frame and you can change the look of an entire room. That's why it's important for your tie to enhance your look, not detract from it.

Buying The Right Tie

To begin with, you first need a quality tie made of 100% pure silk to accomplish that job. As a male, you are generally expected to wear a plain colored, non-distracting tie with your interview suit, e.g. in a dark red or dark blue color.

However, simply buying the most expensive tie you can find in town won�t just leave that �most-favorable� impression you are looking for. People judge your capabilities by how you look. A crooked tie projects a sloppy look and says the same about your skills and abilities. Therefore, it�s important to focus on the tie knot as well.

Tying the Four in Hand Knot

The most useful tie knot to know for starters is the Four in Hand. It's somewhat narrow and slightly asymmetrical in form and looks just about perfect with any standard button-down shirt.

To tie it, you would stand in front of a mirror with your tie hanging loosely around your neck. Now, there are two ends to a tie: One that's wide that we're going to call "A" and a rather narrow one that we're going to call "B". The wide end "A" should extend about 12 inches below narrow end "B".

To begin, cross the wide end "A" over narrow the end "B". Then turn the wide end "A" back underneath the narrow end "B". Continue by bringing the wide end "A" back over in front of the narrow end "B" again. Afterwards, pull the wide end "A" up and through the loop around your neck.

Next, hold the front of the knot loosely with your index finger and bring the wide end "A" down through the front loop. Finally, remove your finger and tighten the knot carefully to your dress shirt�s collar by holding on to the narrow end "B" and sliding the knot up.

If you're feeling overwhelmed right now, don�t worry! Rather check out the colored diagrams which might be quite helpful to you!

Once you�ve tied the knot make sure that the widest part of your tie hangs roughly at the same height as the upper edge of your leather belt. And the belt, of course, should match the color of your shoes!

The Benefits of Tie Accessories

Another item you should consider buying besides your tie is something called a tie accessory. Tie accessories come in the form of tie bars, clips, tacks and chains. Their main purpose is to hold your tie in place at all times and prevent it from getting in your way when you eat, work or play. From my personal experience, I would recommend a classic silver tie bar.

During a job interview a tie accessory comes in especially handy. That's because without one, your tie would move around as you greet your interviewer or when you shift in your seat. Subconsciously, you would reach down to adjust your tie and straighten it out but such little things would make you feel even more nervous than you already are.

Conclusion

So, here's a quick summary of what I recommend you do before going to your next job interview:

#1: Buy a quality, conservative, 100% pure silk tie.

#2: Practice how to tie the Four in Hand tie knot and make sure that the tie�s widest end is roughly at the upper edge of your belt.

#3: Use a tie bar to attach your tie to your dress shirt.

Remember � wearing a quality silk tie, properly tied and fastened, is probably the fastest way there is to improving your overall job interview appearance and doubling your chances of leaving a favorable impression. Enjoy the interview!

Informational interviews your gateway to the inside scoop

The best way to gather the whole story about the industry and job you are targeting is by setting up informational interviews with individuals working where you plan to be positioned.

Engaging in informational interviews will help you to gain valuable information about careers in your field and expand your network at the same time. The key difference between informational interviews and job interviews is that you have more control over the agenda when you schedule an informational interview.

Start by asking people you know for contact information

You will grab the attention of people faster when you mention the names of people they know. If you are not able to pull together the right links from your existing contact list, grab the yellow pages and contact professional organizations or associations in your region, and plan to attend the next meet and greet organized by the Chamber of Commerce in your community. You will find that most people are happy to talk about their jobs and to share a wealth of information when asked for advice.

Always point out during your initial contact that you are not specifically looking for a job with this company. State that you are seeking advice and information from successful people, and specify that you are asking for 20 minutes of their time.

Cold calls should start with your name, a brief explanation about your skills and/or experience, and the purpose of your call. For example, "My name is (your name). I have worked at (or recently graduated from) ____ and have extensive experience in (specify). Would I be able to have 20 minutes of your time to ask you about your job, and ask your advice for someone looking for a position in your industry?"

Plan to help the other person help you

Do not use a standard script for every interview you schedule. Instead, prepare questions that you know will interest the person you are meeting. Try to select topics that you discovered during your research.

For example, if you have read that the company has been awarded a sizeable contract, plan to ask for details related to the contract. Prepare questions related to the number of people that the company plans to employ, or ask for the insider perspective on the names and/or types of companies that will experience an increased workload related to the contract.

Always remember that busy people agree to informational interviews based on the trust that you are seeking career advice and that you are not asking for a specific job. Bring a couple of pens and some paper to your informational interview to write down anything you want to remember, such as the names and phone numbers of the contacts they refer, or specific job related leads that emerge during the discussion conversation. Plan to ask for at least a couple of names of people in the industry that you can call.

When you plan to contact the leads provided or follow-up on a job that was mentioned during your meeting, state your intention in the thank you letter you send within 36 hours of your meeting. For example, "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and answer my questions about pursuing a career in the (specify) industry. I have benefited greatly having met you. I will contact (name) about the position with (company name) this week. I have also enclosed a copy of my resume for future reference should a position become available with your company, or if you decide that my information would be of interest to any of your associates."

Informational interviews may seem unproductive when you are in the midst of a demanding job search strategy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Meeting with people employed in the type of job or workplace you are targeting will actually decrease the amount of time wasted spamming employers that are not hiring.

The Secrets of Interview Success

As a candidate you should be able to express yourself with clarity and precision. To do this you must make adequate preparation, anticipating likely questions and rehearsing your responses. Your answers should appear spontaneous. At the same time, you should come across as thoughtful, articulate and coherent. So preparation is essential.

During the interview you should speak confidently, making sure to support your answers with relevant examples from your work experience. It is up to you during the course of the interview to acquaint the interviewer with whatever information you consider to be important in advancing
your claims to the job on offer.

Always relate your answers to the job for which you are applying. This is particularly important in the case of candidates who are faced with the sort of indirect questions favoured by many interviewers. For example, the interviewer may ask you to describe your current job. This is an indirect way of asking you to what extent your present skills and experience relate to the job for which you are applying.

Always present a positive face. Having studied your application form, interviewers will have identified the weaker aspects of your case. So it is in your own best interests to examine your application critically with a view to identifying any significant weaknesses or negative aspects. Prepare positive and convincing explanations of any shortcomings;
and emphasise what you have done or are doing to rectify matters.

Since interviewers are looking for candidates who display a positive attitude, you should state and supply evidence that you enjoy your job; that you are enthusiastic and ambitious; and that you welcome challenge.

It is important to tell the truth in interviews. However, try to present the facts as persuasively as you can. So examine and assess your own case and tailor the facts to create the best and most positive impression.

It is essential to develop a rapport with the interviewer right from the start. If you can give the impression that you have a lot in common with the interviewer and if he or takes a liking to you, you will greatly improve your chances of success.

Interviewers usually place a greater emphasis on practical experience than on paper qualifications, so it is up to you to convince them that your experience qualifies you for the job on offer. This will involve using your experience as evidence to support statements that you make in answers to questions.