10 Questions to Ask the Person Conducting YOUR Job Interview

10 Questions to Ask the Person Conducting YOUR Job Interview As part of my presentation to the students who attended Endicott College’s Mingle Dress for Success Night held at the school’s Beverly, Mass., campus recently, I discussed with the attendees an element of the interview process that is often overlooked by those who are competing for a new position. The missing component? Interview the interviewer! I explained to the students that when your interviewer asks if you have any questions for them, you should have several prepared and ready to go. Too often, we hear from interviewers that when it came time for the applicant to ask them questions, none were asked. Clearly, this is a missed opportunity for the candidate to articulate their strong interest in the position by asking several detailed questions. Here are 10 good questions you can ask your interviewer when you are competing for a job and they want to determine the level of earnestness you have in landing the position at their company: What are the strategic plans for growth at the company over the next three years? What opportunities for internal advancement exist for me, assuming that I do a quality job in the role that you first hire me to do? Does your company offer tuition reimbursement or assistance; should I desire to obtain an advanced degree? What would a typical day look like for me; if you were to offer me a job and I were to accept it? What is the company’s commitment to community service, particularly in those communities where you conduct your business? Who are your main competitors, and how do you go about beating them, day in and day out, in the markets where you directly compete against each other? Looking at your past five or 10 key hires at the director or vice president level, how many people were promoted from within the organization into these roles, versus hired from the outside? Assuming that I hold up my end of the bargain and perform at a respectable level, what is the likelihood that I can enjoy a fruitful career with your organization, and why? Does your company have a mission statement or core values statement? If so, what are they? How would you describe the culture of your organization? As part of this event, Endicott College had asked several local business leaders from very diverse backgrounds to “host” a table of students that evening. Many of these CEOs approached me at the conclusion of the event and shared their experiences related to interviewing and selecting and hiring employees at their companies. Many said they had experienced the situation where the people who were being interviewed asked no questions during the exercise. Are you looking for ways to differentiate yourself in a challenging job market? Clearly, posing several well-articulated questions when you get your chance is one key component to making this happen. Be prepared to “interview the interviewer” when you get that chance! Do you agree with this advice? Let us know your thoughts. Related: 9 Killer Questions Candidates Ought to Ask the Interviewer Tom Hart has been a top executive in the financial, technology and human services industries for over 30 years. Prior to joining Eliassen Group in September, he served as the executive vice president for Veritude.

What Do I Put on a Resume For Writing? Skills and Experience Are Crucial But Cant Just Putting Hobbies and Interests All Over Your Resume Without Giving the Reader a Clear Idea of Who You Are

What Do I Put on a Resume For Writing? Skills and Experience Are Crucial But Can't Just Putting Hobbies and Interests All Over Your Resume Without Giving the Reader a Clear Idea of Who You AreWhat do I put on a resume for writing when I want to impress potential employers? You can't just put your hobbies and interests all over your resume without giving the reader a clear idea of who you are.Skills and experience are paramount, but if you've got the skills, write about them. If you don't have experience, write about the skills you've acquired from working within your current field. A well-written resume will let employers know what you can do. You'll be able to focus your resume on that.Experience and skills are a must, but don't just type out experiences or skills without explaining what you've learned. It's best to tell people how you learned about the job. Write a short story about something you did to get a job. Start with the experience and work backwards from there. Ask yoursel f, 'What would I like to have written in my resume?'A resume that doesn't mention some type of good experience and skills is not much use. Employers want to learn that they can trust you, that you have a problem-solving ability, that you have demonstrated some initiative, and that you can be counted on to come in every day to work on time. That's what they want to read about.So, what do I need to be able to do on a resume for writing? The most important thing is to tell them exactly what you've done to get to where you are now. That's what you need to be able to write about on a resume. The resume should say, 'I've had this job. I was here to do a job.'So, what do I put on a resume for writing when I want to impress potential employers? It should contain information about what you've done, exactly how you did it, and how much you were paid for it.It doesn't need to be a complete story, because the resume will be used for human resources purposes and not business. What they want to s ee is information about how you got to where you are today, not how you got to work there.What do I put on a resume for writing when I want to impress employers? It should include the following:

Halloween Horrors in the Workplace

Halloween Horrors in the Workplace Weve all experienced the kind of horrors like spiders and the odd mouse which can have people screaming in fear in the workplace, but there horrors of another kind which are more common in the office the manager kind. Recent research commissioned by Perkbox  has found that over half of working Brits have had a nightmare about their boss at least once in their life, with 46% admitting they have had this occur several times. The research, which polled 1,000 employed UK adults, found that when asked what workplace horror they feared the most,   having a ‘bullying boss’ came top, chosen by 28% of respondents. This was followed closely by having a toxic workplace culture (21%), team conflicts and surprise overtime hours with the two latter chosen by 10% of employees. Interestingly, despite the rise of tech and new communication channels entering the workplace which in some instances may be oversaturating workplace communications, ‘communication overload’ came bottom of the pile and was only chosen by 3% of employees as their most feared workplace horror. With regards to mistakes at work that haunt employees the most, the more traditional error of calling a colleague by the wrong name ranked in the first place (19%), followed by making an embarrassing typo on a document (18%) and sending a confidential email to the wrong contact (13%). On the flip side, finishing early was the preferred treat, chosen by 40% of employees. This was followed by a company bonus scheme (27%), perks in the office such as table tennis, free snacks and coffee (18%) and free beers on Fridays (6%). Finally, when asked ‘what would a nightmare colleague have to do to annoy you the most?’, having bad manners such as chewing food loudly and not cleaning up dishes and mugs after themselves ranked in the first position. Taking credit for others’ work ranked in second place, followed by playing music extremely loudly and being an office slacker pretending to work. Madlena Pozlevic, Employee Experience Lead at Perkbox says: “With Halloween fast approaching, these findings are meant to give us a “humorous” insight into a side of workplaces that aren’t perhaps not surprisingly! quite so appealing to employees. Whether Halloween or not, as employers, we should take these findings as one of the many reminders that workplace rules around professionalism at work always apply, without exception. As these findings show, they certainly do not go unnoticed amongst employees.” TOP 6 NIGHTMARE CO-WORKERS: Having bad manners Taking credit for others work Playing music extremely loudly Being an office slacker Drops by your desk unexpectedly Being jealous of others Whatever the workplace horror may be, most of them can be quickly sorted out by management if theyve been raised through the appropriate channels. And whilst pest control might not be able to eradicate these office horrors, there are ways and means of getting rid of them for good. About the author:  Perkbox  is a platform that provides a unique employee experience, enriching the personal and working life of employees. It offers a suite of products including a platform with access to best in class Perks,  Perkbox  Medical,  Perkbox  Recognition, and  Perkbox  Insights. It serves companies of all sizes from SMEs to large companies such as Whole Foods, Nando’s, Caffe Nero and Levi Strauss Co. Headquartered in London, with offices in Sheffield and Paris,  Perkbox  has raised over £11.0 million in funding from the leading European venture capital firm Draper Esprit.

Personal Brand Stereotypes #10 Connections to Corporate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Brand Stereotypes #10 Connections to Corporate - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career This will be the last personal brand stereotypes post I do for a while, to make room for all the other special content I have lined up for all of you. I was thinking about doing a Greek stereotype post (fraternities and sororities) or a racial stereotype post (Black or Asian people), but today I wanted to focus on the workplace. I want to start a discussion around how people are perceived when they enter the workforce because of an executive referral. From my research, I havent seen anyone touch on this issue and I think a lot of people get jobs because of it. The Series: #1 Tall people are basketball players #2 Glasses make you look smart #3 Men who wear pink are homosexual #4 The hippie phenomenon #5 Only punks wear mohawks #6 Ageism puts Gen-Y in danger #7 A nice car means you’re successful #8 Choose your major wisely #9 Jews have big noses and bald spots Referrals are Amazing But There are Consequences Believe it or not, people who are less qualified than you get better jobs. The power of networking is so strong that you could be interviewing for a position that was taken by the son or daughter of the CEO. Ive sat in interviews only to find out from friends that their friends received an offer because of their parents who work there. An executive referral can take you from a 2.7 GPA to a 4.0 and your resume from an empty wasteland to an amazon jungle. Family is by far the strongest connection you can have because the probability that they will go out of their way for you is the highest. Executive referrals let you cut in line at an amusement park and even receive perks such as travel your first year. They can be strong support matrixs in the workplace, where politics reign supreme and when you have very little pull at first. They open opportunities like children open their gifts on Christmas. Everything in life comes at a price. In this situation, if you have been given an executive referal, you will be viewed as someone who just got the position because of it. Shes only here because of her father. What makes him qualified for this position, when he has no work experienced and barely made it through College? What To Do? If I received a job because my mother was the Executive Vice President of Marketing, then I would accept it, stay at the job for no more than two years and then leverage that experience for another position elsewhere. I would take these actions because I wouldnt want the reputation of only being there because of someone else. In order to carve your own road in the workplace and be respected, you have to earn it. Although you may reap many benefits early on, as you climb the ladder, the fact that your employed because of your family will make you self-destruct. Think about Ashley Simpson and many other celebrities that are forced to hide behind their famous siblings. Most of them do for a while and then freak out and create their own destiny. Again, that initial support is great and you should take it if you have the opportunity, but for long-term happiness and fulfillment, break away.

Resume Writing Tips - Follow These Tips For Better Results

Resume Writing Tips - Follow These Tips For Better ResultsThe best resume writing tips are as simple as picking out a topic, reading and studying it, and then breaking down the content into bullet points. If you are serious about getting your first job, you need to use this process. If you have a long list of skills, these tips are not going to apply to you, but if you know what is expected on your resume, it will be easier for you to pick the proper words.One of the best resume writing tips I can give you is to be consistent in what you write. Some people who are looking for a career change or starting a new business will need to start fresh every time they are applying for a job. For these people, it is important to write the same thing each time so that it will be easier to remember it.The next tip is to read the contents of the first job you applied for to determine how they write their job descriptions. If you are happy with the way you presented yourself then you can duplicate that in the second job. If you did not have the best experience with the first job, make sure you know why so that you can avoid the mistakes that caused you to lose the job.The way you present yourself to a potential employer is going to be determined by the type of new job you are applying for. If you are applying for a managerial position, you are going to be more formal than if you are applying for a marketing position. If you are applying for a job in customer service, you are going to be more informal than if you are applying for a job in the accounting department.Research relevant things for your type of job and make sure that you know the basic facts before you begin your application. Even if you are applying for a job in sales, you should take time to learn the basics of your job. This knowledge will help you in the interview because theyare going to want to know how you could be a good salesperson and learn the basics of selling.Remember that your writing tips are not writ ten in stone and that you are able to modify them depending on what you are currently doing. It is also possible that your writing style may change as you gain more experience with it. Do not worry about this too much, because you will only notice it if you try hard enough.Now that you have the basics of your resume and cover letter, you will have to get them all in front of an employer. Whether you are applying online or in person, you need to get these documents into the hands of your prospective employer. Once you have done this, you will be able to start searching the internet for the best resume writing tips for different positions and jobs you are applying for.Resume writing tips is something that will benefit you no matter what kind of job you are applying for. Whether you are writing a cover letter or writing your resume, you want to write these documents as professionally as possible. If you do not have the proper training, you are going to find yourself wasting your time o n resume writing tips that are not that good.

Guidelines For Writing a Resume

Guidelines For Writing a ResumeGuidelines for writing a resume are guidelines, not rules. Many writers of resumes have their own personal rules that they like to follow, but the guidelines for writing a resume that most people prefer following are generally simple and can be changed if you feel you need to. When you are applying for a job, the first thing your prospective employer will read in your resume is the summary of your work experience, but it is important to make sure it all fits together properly, so use these guidelines for writing a resume.Be clear about what your summary of your work experience means. It should be related to the position you are applying for and should be based on past work experience, credentials, education, certifications, or other information relevant to the job you are applying for. Your summary of your work experience is probably the most important part of your resume. In fact, the summary may be the only one that you ever have to make sure fits tog ether properly.In your summary, mention what you did, when you did it, and why it was successful. You want to come across as a strong candidate who can do the job. You should be able to describe yourself as someone who does a lot of things, has a strong personality, and can take criticism well. Above all, you should be able to convey your passion for what you do. You should also be able to show that you possess qualifications that show you are capable of doing the job and handling the job responsibilities.The resume that you use to build your summary of your work experience must be fairly general. What this means is that the information you include should go beyond your job history and details about specific projects. It is OK to give some background on where you were employed, and to give some specifics on jobs you held there, but for the most part, just don't go into detail about projects that do not apply to the job you are applying for. Your summary of your work experience shoul d be a description of you as a person who is capable of doing the job you are applying for.Don't include personal hobbies in your summary of your work experience. You should be concentrating on your work experience, but you shouldn't feel obliged to list your hobbies or interests in your summary. If you include any personal interest in your summary, you will be judged negatively for that and will most likely be rejected. So if you include a personal interest in your resume, you should really be listing it on a separate section or in a separate section within your resume.This is also an important section of your resume. It should tell the hiring manager why you are the best choice for the job. Include details about your skills, education, or training, including those you acquired during an educational program, and your references, if you had any.In your summary, don't over-emphasize your qualifications. It is better to come across as a great candidate who just needs a little more tra ining. If you think the resume you are using contains important qualifications, you can list them but make sure they are spelled correctly. Your employer is looking for someone who can meet the job's requirements, and not someone who can really spell.These are some of the most important elements of your resume. Use them and follow the guidelines for writing a resume that are most comfortable to you.

How to choose your job sector - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to choose your job sector There’s a common myth that you have to work a job to fully appreciate what that particular role in that particular industry will entail. This is patently nonsense, and discourages people from looking into how a job might make them feel, what it might demand from them, and ultimately if it’s the right choice for them. If you’re entering the job market or looking to switch between sectors, there’s plenty of information out there to inform your decisions. Here’s a quick run-through of the most common starting sectors you might have your eye on. Retail There’s plenty of misinformation flying around about jobs in retail that’d put anyone off applying for a role in this sector. Jobs in a supermarket may not exactly be glamorous, but you’ll be sure to get a reliable wage, and often an enjoyable blend of customer interaction, stock replenishment, and other odds and ends that take place in large retail companies. Upward mobility in these roles is particularly fluid: if you fancy a go at being a manager, this might be the place for you! Hospitality This is one for the social butterflies and chatterboxes out there, or for quieter souls looking to push their social boundaries in challenging, fast-paced yet richly rewarding environments. Ranging from theme parks to restaurants, these roles are customer-facing and require a sprinkling of real personality to warm customers’ hearts. Find a job in London in the hospitality sector and get ready for big smiles and bigger tips and lots of fun and jokes with new, like-minded friends! Construction Picture yourself laying bricks on a cold, drizzly November afternoon, and you’re far off what a role in the construction industry has to offer. Yes, you’ll be responsible for using your hands, labouring, and essentially creating useful things, but this can range from building high-speed rail networks to arranging delicate garden rockeries. With benefits ranging from travelling the world to making great friends, this is a fantastic option for those seeking a role that’ll get the blood pumping. Social Work An increasing number of young people are taking up positions in social work and loving it! Another wildly varying sector, and perhaps the most rewarding in terms of heart-warming moments, you’ll be responsible for young children, or disabled young adults, or elderly people all of whom have lots of fascinating stories and joy to share with you. It’s a vocation that demands patience and wisdom but gives back in spades; if you feel you’ve got a heart of gold, or are driven to make a difference in people’s lives, then this may well be the area of work for you. It’s a struggle, narrowing down exactly what type of jobs you’ll apply for. Too many people send out a blizzard of CVs and accept any old position regardless of their passions, qualifications or personalities. This brief overview of four common vocational sectors should hopefully serve to spur some thoughtful debate inside you as to where you will one day end up loving to work!

How to be happier at work -

How to be happier at work - Since you spend so much time at work, its a real drag if youre miserable the whole time youre on the clock. Do you need to love your job? It would be great if everyone could get paid to do what they love, but until you can achieve that elusive goal, what can you do to make the 9-to-5 more pleasant? What can you do to be happier at work? How to be happier at work Finish the drudgery first. Whatever you dread every day, get it done as soon as you can so that you dont need to worry about it the rest of the day. In general, try to organize and plan your time to suit your own needs. Its not always possible, but sometimes, handling the little things that you hate can make the day a little easier to get through. Stop complaining about what you cant change. Its easy to get caught in a rut and to complain ad nauseum about a colleague whos not pulling her weight or a boss who should have been let go in the last downsizing. However, complaining about things you cant change only contributes to your misery. Dont give in to the temptation to drone on and on about the negatives; instead, focus on what you can change, and spend your energies there. Make friends at work. Theres no question that everything is better when you have a friend in your corner. You dont need to be besties with everyone at the office, but having one or two colleagues who are always happy to go to lunch or catch a quick coffee can make all the difference. Give compliments. Look for opportunities to tell other people what theyre doing well; it will make their day, and will give you a boost, too. Plus, you never know: If you begin to pass around kudos in the office, it can affect everyones mood and perhaps improve the overall office culture. Dont fall victim to the myth that you can only help improve things if youre a supervisor or have authority; take initiative and you could really make a difference for your colleagues. Keep track of good things. Every time something happens at work that makes you happy, make a note. Maybe it sounds a little corny, but if you can remember the good times, it could help make the challenges easier to overcome. Take breaks. Theres nothing worse than sitting at your desk, staring at the computer all day long. Its bound to make you feel draggy and depressed. Get up and move around. Stretch, take a walk, go find a window and check the weather. Daydream a little. Mental and physical breaks can make a difference in your day and make you feel better, no matter what else is going on. Give yourself the opportunity for a new perspective and you may see a difference in your day Reward yourself. If no one else is paying making a point to recognize and reward your efforts, create your own system of rewards and treats. After you finish a particularly onerous task well, do something special for yourself. Find something redeeming about your job. Even if you really dont like your job, or the people you work with, try to find some redeeming features about how you spend your time. Think about how you can be even better at what you do. Make plans. Think about whats next. Especially if work doesnt make you happy, begin to plan how youre going to transition to something new. Review job descriptions and decide what youre most qualified to do. (Dont conduct your job search at work, though!) Start to plan how to add the skills and experiences you dont have on your resume. Update your resume. Plan how to expand your network and consider if it may be time to change careers. The more plans you make, the easier it will be to influence a change in your work life. This originally appeared on AOL Jobs. Photo by @Doug88888