Showing posts with label TIPS TO FOLLOW. Show all posts
Thursday, May 08, 2014
How to write a good career objective in your CV
"To utilize my professional skills and knowledge acquired in reaching
my potential and achieving the goals of a respective organization hence build a
stronger career”
Is there anything unique with this candidate? Does the objective tell you what the candidate is capable of doing or what’s he or she has done before? Below are the tips when it comes to having an objective on your CV.
1. Choose two adjectives to describe your work style such as, “Dependable and conscientious student seeking…” or “Detail oriented and quality conscious accounting clerk…”
2. Inform your potential employer of “what is in it for them”, such as, “seeking to utilize 10+ years experience in the industry…” or “…proven sales record…”
3. One sentence is good, but making sense is better! If warranted, two sentences or in some cases a short paragraph will improve an objective statement.
4. If you know the job title for which you are applying, use it. There is nothing to be gained in trying to define a new position for yourself.
5. If you have read the job description in an advertisement, try to mirror one or two of the words listed. For instance, if the job indicated a desire for a self-starter, then experiment with using the same term or one with the same meaning.
6. Grammar and spelling count! It is expected that CVs and resumes will have short sentence fragments, abbreviations, and little punctuation, but your career objective statement should be written without error.
7. Avoid being too general. It is better to do a little research with the company and uncover some of what they may be looking for than to write an over-generalized objective.
Ambition is nice, but statements such as “work my way up to…” will
impress no one and may undercut your credibility. Do not promise more than you
can deliver! If you are chronically late, then describing yourself as punctual
will only undermine your credibility later when it is discovered that you have
misrepresented yourself.
And here is an example of a career objective or profile if you like.
“As a fully qualified head-teacher with 15 years of
varied experience, there’s much I can offer to the education of our young
children. I have more than 10 years of experience in mentoring and coaching
teaching staff in ABC school. I’m confident that my passion for the teachers’
and children’s development, together with my skills and experience will enable
me to make a significant difference at your school.”
All the best.
SOURCE: KENYAN POST
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Applying For A Job By Email? The Way To Do It - Part 2
APPLYING
FOR A JOB BY EMAIL? THE WAY TO DO IT
When applying for a job especially through email, you need
to ask yourself two questions: "What's the best subject line for an email
in response to a job ad?" and "Should you attach the cover letter to
the email, or copy and paste it into the body of the email?"
I always wondered this myself, so I did some research and
here's the consensus:
Best
email subject line: “John Githinji CV for Sales Manager Position”
It's straightforward and informative. It tells the recipient
who you are, what you're sending, and why you're sending it.
This isn't a concrete formula, however. Since some job ads
require you mention a job reference ID number when you apply, you should
substitute the name of the position with the number. Example: “John Githinji
CV for Sales Job REF #5527.”
Best
way to include your cover letter:
Copy and paste your cover letter into the body of the email.
Why is this preferred method?
Three reasons: Here is why?
1. It gives the
recipient one less attachment to open,
2. It gets to the
point faster than writing the awkward "here is my CV and cover
letter" and
3. It gives you the
ability to make an impact as soon as the recipient opens your email.
Be sure to attach your CV to your email. And as always, refer
to the company's job posting and apply, using whatever guidelines they specify.
Adhering to the employer's guidelines will not only ensure your documents get
to the right place at the right time, it will prove that you pay attention to
details and follow instructions!
Now start applying for those jobs.
Learn How To Apply for a job through email - Part 1
Applying for a job through email.
You probably are thinking now that you know how to do it, do
you? Almost 90% of job applications these days are electronic and most
employers are favouring job application by email. This is a true inference even
if you look at the jobs we advertise. Now that we know that going green is the
next big thing, dont you think it is time for you to know how to apply for a
job through email.
You probably are thinking now that you know how to do it, do
you? Almost 90% of job applications these days are electronic and most
employers are favouring job application by email. This is a true inference even
if you look at the jobs we advertise. Now that we know that going green is the
next big thing, dont you think it is time for you to know how to apply for a
job through email.
As I said you think you know it but believe me, most people
dont. If you look at the Emails we receive from job applicants, as an employer
you can find it very hard to shortlist candidates because of the format of the
job application. If you make it very hard for an HR executive to go through
your CV, you will likely not be on the shortlisted candidates.
Here below, I want to share with you the dos and dont's of
a job application through email:
Dos
1. The subject line
of the email should be the reference in the application letter displaying the
intention of job application and the job applied for.
2. If the job has a reference number, please
include it on the subject line of the email. Check carefully in the job
application and this will make it easy for the employer.
3. Do NOT attach
certificates in pdf or scanned copies unless asked to because the information
you are displaying is a repeat of what you have said in the CV. This makes the
email heavy for nothing.
4. The main body of
the email should be exactly the same as that of the application letter. Do NOT
change anything.
5. Attach only two documents
in your application, a CV and an application letter (the same as the email
body) in MS Word or Pdf format, Attaching the letter is necessary in case you
are shortlisted and the employer needs to print it.
Dont's
1. Do NOT include
the CV as a subject body, this easily distorts the format of the CV especially
if you copy paste it from a Word document.
2. Your email
address should very clear and if it is not, please ensure it is. The email
should contain your two names for example if your name is John Kamau then an
example of your email address should be john.kamau@gmail.com and that is it.
Avoid any other innuendo.
3. Maintain your
professional names and not any other fancy nicknames and then write them in a
clear way without adding any madoido in them. If your name is Dennis dont
wirte it as Deynnis or Dennys.
4. Avoid a lot of colors
in your email. I know there is temptation to incline to beauty but some people
do NOT like a lot of color. Imagine if you were working and someone sent you an
email with a lot pink and red on the background. It distorts the message.
5. As I said before
avoid attaching a lot of documents in the application like certificates,
recommendation letters and any other relevant paperwork, you will get the
opportunity to show them because, I assure you they do NOT have anything to do
with short listing. Save them for the interview.
With the hope that this tips will help you, we at
Jobstanzania.net wish a good day
Prepared by HCC - Kenya
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
15 common INTERVIEW QUESTIONS and how to ANSWER them
Remember, being interviewed is
a skill, and if you do the preparation you should ace it every time. Here are
some 15 interview questions and how to go about answering them. Do you have any
that you’d like us to know, simply drop it in the comment box with an
appropriate answer – never can tell who you’re helping out.
1. So,
tell me a little about yourself.
I’d be very surprised if you
haven’t been asked this one at every interview. It’s probably the most asked
question because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking.
Be careful not to give the interviewer your life story here. You don’t need to
explain everything from birth to present day. Relevant facts about education,
your career and your current life situation are fine.
2. Why
are you looking (or why did you leave your last job)?
This should be a
straightforward question to answer, but it can trip you up. Presumably you are
looking for a new job (or any job) because you want to advance your career and
get a position that allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It’s not a
good idea to mention money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if you
are in the unfortunate situation of having been downsized, stay positive and be
as brief as possible about it. If you were fired, you’ll need a good
explanation. But once again, stay positive.
3. Tell
me what you know about this company.
Do your homework before you go
to any interview. Whether it’s being the VP of marketing or the mailroom clerk,
you should know about the company or business you’re going to work for. Has
this company been in the news lately? Who are the people in the company you
should know about? Do the background work, it will make you stand out as
someone who comes prepared, and is genuinely interested in the company and the
job.
4. Why
do you want to work at X Company?
This should be directly related
to the last question. Any research you’ve done on the company should have led
you to the conclusion that you’d want to work there. After all, you’re at the
interview, right? Put some thought into this answer before you have your
interview, mention your career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and
career plans.
5. What
relevant experience do you have?
Hopefully if you’re applying
for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that’s the case
you should mention it all. But if you’re switching careers or trying something
a little different, your experience may initially not look like it’s matching
up. That’s when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences
required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you
just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management
positions, and so on.
6. How
are you when you’re working under pressure?
Once again, there are a few
ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work well under pressure,
you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually PREFER working under
pressure. If you say you crumble like a pack of cards, this is not going to
help you get your foot in the door.
7. What
motivates you to do a good job?
The answer to this one is not
money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life’s noble pursuits. You
want recognition for a job well done. You want to become better at your job.
You want to help others or be a leader in your field.
8.
What’s your greatest strength?
This is your chance to shine.
You’re being asked to explain why you are a great employee, so don’t hold back
and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who thrives under pressure, a
great motivator, an amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention
to detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone under the
table or beat your opponent in a game of FIFA11, keep it to yourself. The
interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.
9.
What’s your biggest weakness?
If you’re completely honest,
you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don’t have one, you’re
obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have
become masters at answering. They say things like “I’m perhaps too committed to
my work and don’t spend enough time with my family.” Oh, there’s a fireable
offense.
I’ve even heard “I think I’m too good at my job, it can often make
people jealous.” Please, let’s keep our feet on the ground. If you’re asked
this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you’re working hard to
improve. Example: “I’ve been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the
bigger picture, so I’ve been spending time laying out the complete project
every day to see my overall progress.”
10.
Let’s talk about salary. What are you looking for?
Run for cover! This is one
tricky game to play in an interview. Even if you know the salary range for the
job, if you answer first you’re already showing all your cards. You want as
much as possible, the employer wants you for as little as you’re willing to
take.
You may want to say,
“well, that’s something I’ve thought long and hard about and I think someone
with my experience should get between X & Y.” Or, you could be sly and say,
“right now, I’m more interested in talking more about what the position can
offer my career.” That could at least buy you a little time to scope out the
situation. But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident
that you can get it, I’d say go for it.
11. Are
you good at working in a team?
Unless you have the I.Q. of a
houseplant, you’ll always answer YES to this one. It’s the only answer. How can
anyone function inside an organization if they are a loner? You may want to
mention what part you like to play in a team though; it’s a great chance to
explain that you’re a natural leader.
12.
Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?
It’s not a very fair question
is it? We’d all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but
that’s rare indeed. It’s fine to say money is important, but remember that
NOTHING is more important to you than the job. Otherwise, you’re just someone
looking for a bigger paycheck.
13.
Would you rather be liked or feared?
The genuine answer should be
“Neither, I’d rather be respected.” You don’t want to be feared because fear is
no way to motivate a team. You may got the job done but at what cost? Similarly,
if you’re everyone’s best friend you’ll find it difficult to make tough
decisions or hit deadlines. But when you’re respected, you don’t have to be a
complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job done.
14. So,
explain why I should hire you.
As I’m sure you know, “because
I’m great” or “I really need a job” are not good answers here. This is a time
to give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just so
happen to match the job description. It’s also good to avoid taking potshots at
other potential candidates here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not other
people’s flaws.
15.
Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?
I’ll finish the way I started,
with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This directly relates
to the research you’ve done on the company and also gives you a chance to show
how eager and prepared you are. You’ll probably want to ask about benefits if
they haven’t been covered already. A good generic one is “how soon could I
start, if I were offered the job of course.” You may also ask what you’d be
working on. Specifically, in the role you’re applying for and how that affects
the rest of the company. Always have questions ready, greeting this one with a
blank stare is a rotten way to finish your interview. Good luck and happy job
hunting.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Advice to Jobseekers
There are thousands of people like you out there.
Don’t just list your educational qualifications. Sell your skills and uniqueness to employers in your CV.
Mention things you’ve done.
Add growth numbers or anything that shows how much of a super candidate you are.
Let your CV look professional, search online for samples or let a good CV writer help you out
Jobs Tanzania Team
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Why Someone Less Qualified Got The Job and Not You
Believe me when I say it’s a soul-crushing feeling. I know, because I’ve felt it. You probably have, too, seeing Someone Less Qualified Got the Job and not you
You’re legitimately more talented, knowledgeable, and hard-working— but you’re not getting called back. Meanwhile, your loudmouth Facebook friend who still manages to party Thursday-Sunday just nabbed a great position in your same field. What gives, universe?
The unfortunate truth is that talent, even when backed by experience, does not always win. There are three main reasons someone less qualified got the job.
1. Your resume/cover letter doesn’t do you justice.
A recruiter has a limited amount of information to go on. (That is, they can’t just lounge around your house and get to know “the real you” the way a new friend or romantic interest might.) So it’s up to you to communicate exactly what you want them to know through your cover letter, resume, and/or online presence.
You have to show them that you’re great, in the most obvious way. And to do this, I recommend focusing on “punching up” and “paring down.”
“Punching up” is about starkly highlighting your strengths— really selling them with concrete language. For instance, you may currently be saying:
“During my time at Jobstanzania Limited, I managed five accounts, doing my best to ensure that the projects moved forward in a timely manner and that the clients were satisfied with the result.”
But what you should be saying is:
“While with Jobstanzania Limited, I juggled five accounts, blasting through any administrative obstacles that threatened progress, facilitating clear conversation between the client and web development team, and maintaining highly cordial client relationships that ensured everyone always felt heard and taken care of.”
The second part, “paring down” is about cutting the fat; getting rid of anything that dilutes or distracts from your most impressive points.
Since it can be difficult to judge your own resume, you’d be well-advised to get outside help with this revision process— asking others to pick out the parts they find most impressive, so you can punch them up and pare down the parts that aren’t as electric.
2. You’re too forgettable.
Recruiters are gathering information on many people at a time. Likely, they’ve already read several resumes immediately before yours, and they’ll read more immediately after finishing reading your resume.
A job posting could easily gather a dozen people who meet its exact qualifications. And I’ll bet you your competitors all claim to be “detail-oriented” and a “team player,” too.
All else being equal, memorability can be enough to climb to the top of the stack.
How you stand out will depend on your industry. For instance, if you’re in Public Relation field, in place of a bland mission statement at the top of your resume, you could list some fun headlines a reporter could theoretically use to write about you for different audiences. If you’re an Engineer, you could describe (and include a link to) a fantastical 3D model you created for fun.
3. The worst of all “A Google search raises red flags”
Finally, it very well could be that the recruiter just had a bad feeling about you. (Harsh, I know, but let me explain.)
It’s common practice to Google candidates, and quite frankly, the main reason is to sniff out bad vibes. Recruiters want to put a face to a name, see what you’re talking about, and filter out those people who strike them as irresponsible, incompetent, or unfriendly.
Even a bad profile photo can be a red flag. And while a recruiter is unlikely to admit something like this has colored their opinion of you for the negative, it’s your responsibility to ensure that it doesn’t.
As a preventative solution, I recommend testing your profile photos using a free online tool like PhotoFeeler, to be certain you’re being shown in your best light online.
By now, with all this talk of punching up resumes and optimizing online image, I hope you understand that landing a killer job is about crafting the most desirable image that you can.
It may not be the definition of fair, but unfortunately recruiters are not mind readers and can only see as much “awesome” as you put in front of them.
All that said, I hope you’ll get out there and show the world how much better you really are than that jerk on Facebook!
Monday, June 03, 2013
How to Create a Good Reference List
There are many tools a job candidate needs for an effective job search; a good résumé, an attractive cover letter, thorough preparation for interviews and of course, a great reference list.
Many job candidates however overlook the importance of a reference list and how it plays a part in the big picture.
Your reference list serves a purpose to confirm the information you provide in your cover letter and résumé, and it allows your potential employer glean in on information he can’t find no matter how hard he scours different search engines.
This is so because the people you include on your reference list will help the potential employer have a clearer idea of who you are; perhaps you successfully feigned expertise or portrayed an admirable charisma during the interview, your potential employer can easily detect this by speaking with your references.
Who should be on your reference list?
A reference list brings to memory the age-long process of marriage in the African traditional setting, where families of the husband go around the prospective wife’s village or environment to gather background information from people unrelated to the woman.
So here goes; your reference list shouldn’t have personal contacts – of your father, siblings, relatives or friends – especially if you have no real work experience with them.
Potential employers think of these personal contacts as your get away ticket to the job because your father would most likely sing your praise to any potential employer if your job depends on it.
That said. You can include the contact information of your former boss, a colleague, your mentor, direct supervisor, clients you’ve worked with etc.
Note it that your choice of reference is very important.
Getting Started:
Don’t wait until you are asked for a reference list. That you have “references available on request” in your résumé gives you no excuse to wait for that request. Compiling a list at the time potential employers want it only gives you limited time to really get the best of references.
Start compiling right before the interview, most recruiters suggest you bring it with you to the interview. It shows you have good organisational skills – that you know what to do without being asked to.
Weigh your options
Potential employers contact references to draw out information on the candidate’s;
Strengths and weaknesses, professional conduct, attitude with co-workers, accomplishments, duration of employment, personal character, attendance, general observation of work ethics etc.
Bearing these in mind;
Write down a list of people you think can provide accurate information and are also your biggest fans.
Next, write a few more; just to make sure you have people you can quickly reach if those on your first list are unavailable.
Call your prospects and make your request to include them on the list. Make sure you do this before you hand the list to your potential employer. Not many people appreciate cold calls and surprising your references with such calls may backfire.
After your references agree, you can do some preparation with them by asking them certain questions, depending on your relationship with each person. Asking your own questions helps you gauge your value as each reference sees it. This will help you adjust your expectations and give you the advantage to alternate your choice of reference(s) if the need arises.
Give your references updates especially when you can sense your potential employers might contact them soon; it prepares their minds towards the time of call.
Show appreciation even if your contacts were not called, it shows you are grateful for their concern and respect them.
What to include in a reference list.
Name of reference, company, email address and phone number.
You may include a brief description of your work experience with each person to give your potential employers some basic guidelines on what to ask each reference. It shows you are open and puts you in good light.
Most importantly, since the impact and greatness of a reference list depends on people, you need to have a good work relationship with co-workers, clients, your boss and that stranger you don’t know. Some potential employers go as far as calling people who may have something to say about you but are not on your reference list.
Also remember that a reference list is not the first thing you need to ace an interview but it requires as much effort to help you get that job.
So tell me, what do you think about references and reference lists?
written by: Adejoke Adekunle
Blog Editor at jobberman.com limited
Friday, May 31, 2013
HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER
This post is about how to write a cover letter, what’s important, what’s not, and we’ll give you a template to follow. This is one you may want to read now, but then bookmark for later when you actually have one to write!
Full disclaimer, I’m not a huge cover letter fan. Everyone has a slightly different opinion on this topic, but for me personally, I rarely find them necessary (the experience on your resume trumps almost anything in the cover letter) and I think even though they are commonly requested, they’re not always read.
Regardless, they’re still important in the hiring process (for now) and it’s a part of the job/internship process that is very daunting for people. So here’s a little tutorial on how to write a good cover letter.
First, let’s explore the key elements of a cover letter:
1. Introduction
This is the part of the cover letter where you are going to explain “basics” (who you are & what you’re writing them about). Don’t over-think this part.
You really just need to say something like “I’m writing to express interest in the X role posted on Y” and then give a 1-2 line intro “about you” (kind of like your headline). This can be something like “I’m a recent graduate of X University with a passion and desire to work in the X industry”.
Your introduction paragraph can be pretty brief (just a few lines). This is the part where you set the stage.
2. Bringing your skills & experiences to life
The next section is probably the most important one. This is where you are going to bring the most important skills/experiences from your resume to life. Of course, you probably have a lot to choose from but you only want to include a few things to keep the cover letter really focused.
First think about what your big strengths are. You’ll want to tell the reader exactly what you can bring to the table and how your strengths will help you on the job.
Then (based on the job description) you’re going to highlight a few things you’ve worked on in the past that are really relevant to the job you are applying to. So if the job calls for “developing innovative social media strategies to increase online community” you might want to say something like “In my past internship at X company, I managed the Twitter and Facebook accounts and increased readership by X% through X strategies.”
3. Why you’re interested in the job/the company
This section of the cover letter is really important. Companies want to know that you’re not just blindly applying to jobs, but that you’re being really thoughtful about it.
This is where you need to do your company research and incorporate it to tell the story of “why you want to work there”. The good news is, you’re going to need to know this for the interview anyway, so consider it good practice!
This paragraph should always be customized to the job and company you are applying for/to. You might want to say something like “Through my research I learned that the company has a passion for X. This is really important to me because…”
4. Wrap up/next steps
This last paragraph is a more “technical” one. You basically just want the company to know any pertinent details about your situation. If you have any parameters around timing you might want to include them here (i.e. “I will be available to start working anytime after May 1”). You can also let them know the best way to reach you even though your contact details should already be on the page (i.e. “I would welcome the chance to discuss this role further and can be reached at…”)
So there you have it, the basic structure for the cover letter. As always, the more customized you are, the better so start with this “template” but feel free to deviate from it as well.
A few other tips to wrap up:
Don’t write your life story, your reader is busy! – One page should be more than enough for a really solid cover letter. I’m a big one-page fan for all application materials to be honest because I know how busy recruiters can get. Most people don’t have the time for super long/hard to follow docs.
Keep formatting clean & easy to read – Similar to my advice on resumes, don’t get too fancy and keep your cover letter easy to read. Times New Roman is always a safe choice. I also like keeping the header on your resume and cover letter the same (just so your materials look very aligned and consistent).
If you have a contact, address it straight to them – If you know who is handling the recruiting process (and will read your cover letter) do address it to them. Otherwise to “To whom it may concern approach” is fine.
Good luck with your cover letter writing and leave a comment if there are any questions we can answer on this topic!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Are You Making These 3 Resume Killing Mistakes?
Have you overlooked common mistakes on your resume?
I review resumes daily, and I find the same three blunders repeated by countless job seekers. Review these top 3 mistakes below. Then take a good look at your own resume and make some adjustments.
Using An Objective Statement
The problem with an objective statement is twofold. First, the employer already knows your objective is to get the job—and second, these statements are typically written in such a broad-based, generic, and vague manner that they don’t tell the employer anything about you as a candidate—and they fail to set you apart in a sea of other candidates.
Long List of Bullets
If your resume is one long list of bullet points, you’ve already lost your reader and ensured that anything past about the third bullet point won’t be read. As the human eye scans the resume it looks for content that stands out. Information needs to jump out at the employer, be easy-to-read, and keep his or her attention.
Creating one long list of bullet points makes it hard to keep the reader’s attention. Especially if your resume is very text dense.
Duties Without Accomplishments
If your resume contains the phrases “duties included” or “responsible for”, or if your resume only contains a listing of your job duties … I’m talking to YOU. These phrases are passive, boring, and only tell the manager what your job description says—not what you actually did. And what you did is more important. It’s what the employer will actually want to know.
While it’s always good to provide a concise description of what your position entailed, it’s more important to share the successes and accomplishments you achieved within each role. These are unique to you and will help you stand out when compared to other candidates vying for the same position. Additionally, even duties and responsibilities can be written in a way that conveys challenge, action, and result.
Take a good long look at your resume to make sure it doesn’t contain one of the above issues. If it does, then consider revamping your resume to help set yourself apart from your job search competition.
I review resumes daily, and I find the same three blunders repeated by countless job seekers. Review these top 3 mistakes below. Then take a good look at your own resume and make some adjustments.
Using An Objective Statement
The problem with an objective statement is twofold. First, the employer already knows your objective is to get the job—and second, these statements are typically written in such a broad-based, generic, and vague manner that they don’t tell the employer anything about you as a candidate—and they fail to set you apart in a sea of other candidates.
Long List of Bullets
If your resume is one long list of bullet points, you’ve already lost your reader and ensured that anything past about the third bullet point won’t be read. As the human eye scans the resume it looks for content that stands out. Information needs to jump out at the employer, be easy-to-read, and keep his or her attention.
Creating one long list of bullet points makes it hard to keep the reader’s attention. Especially if your resume is very text dense.
Duties Without Accomplishments
If your resume contains the phrases “duties included” or “responsible for”, or if your resume only contains a listing of your job duties … I’m talking to YOU. These phrases are passive, boring, and only tell the manager what your job description says—not what you actually did. And what you did is more important. It’s what the employer will actually want to know.
While it’s always good to provide a concise description of what your position entailed, it’s more important to share the successes and accomplishments you achieved within each role. These are unique to you and will help you stand out when compared to other candidates vying for the same position. Additionally, even duties and responsibilities can be written in a way that conveys challenge, action, and result.
Take a good long look at your resume to make sure it doesn’t contain one of the above issues. If it does, then consider revamping your resume to help set yourself apart from your job search competition.
Written by: Jessica Hernandez, resume expert and she is the President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast and a former human resources manager and recruiter.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Why Should I Hire You: How to Answer the Toughest Job Interview Question
One of the most common, and toughest, interview questions: Why should we hire you for this job?
Why do so many recruiters ask? They want to make sure you’re confident; that you can do the job. They want you to prove, in one answer, that you are the right person to do the job.
This is a very open-ended interview question. It’s also sort of a bold question, one that is kind of meant to challenge you a bit and see how you respond to pressure. It’s like the recruiter is telling you, “I’m interested… now close the sale.”
Let’s dive into how to answer this common interview question in the most impactful way possible:
1. Know the Job Description Really, Really Well
That’s right. I know I always say this, but you absolutely need to know the job description like the back of your hand to ace this question (and any interview, for that matter). Study everything from the overview to the daily responsibilities to the qualifications. Truly understand what you are interviewing for and know what your interviewers are looking for. Think of the job description as a wish list that your future manager has written.
2. Know How to Apply Your Past Experiences
Read through the “responsibilities” or “tasks” and be able to talk about similar tasks you’ve done in the past. Look at the qualifications and desired qualities and be able discuss how you meet (if not exceed) them. This question is sort of about you… but it’s more about how your skills line up with what the company is looking for. You probably have many great accomplishments, but you should be focusing on the ones that most closely match the job you’re going after.
3. Talk Results
Remember I said this answer should be a little “bold”? If you’re proving yourself to your interviewer, you’re going to want to talk about what you personally can bring to the table. Something along the lines of, “I see you’re looking for someone to manage X. I am confident I’d be able to execute on that by doing X, Y, and Z.” You don’t want to be just another candidate. You want to be seen as an asset who is ready to add value right away.
4. Make Sure You Come Across As a “Good Fit”
You’ve already shown off your hard skills and qualifications in the first part of this answer, but I’ve seen even the most qualified candidates not get the job based on that pesky notion of “fit.” Doing well in a job isn’t just about what you do, but also how you go about doing it.
In a small or growing company, you might want to express that you’re willing to “get your hands dirty” or “pitch in wherever needed.” In a more structured company, you may want to talk about how focused and task-oriented you can be. Learn as much as you can about the company (and the company culture) before the interview and emphasize why you’d fit in there.
5. Close the Sale and Make It Compelling!
Again, when this question is asked in this way, you should be going into sell mode, and every good sale has a great closing. Wrap up your answer in a way that is confident, concise, and enthusiastic. While you don’t want to go totally overboard, make it memorable too.
As you answer this question, it’s important to strike the right balance between being confident and being a total egomaniac. It’s always important to gauge the interviewer’s reaction and adjust your answer accordingly as you go. However, this question is someone basically forcing you to explain “why me,” so don’t be afraid to show off a bit.
Why do so many recruiters ask? They want to make sure you’re confident; that you can do the job. They want you to prove, in one answer, that you are the right person to do the job.
This is a very open-ended interview question. It’s also sort of a bold question, one that is kind of meant to challenge you a bit and see how you respond to pressure. It’s like the recruiter is telling you, “I’m interested… now close the sale.”
Let’s dive into how to answer this common interview question in the most impactful way possible:
1. Know the Job Description Really, Really Well
That’s right. I know I always say this, but you absolutely need to know the job description like the back of your hand to ace this question (and any interview, for that matter). Study everything from the overview to the daily responsibilities to the qualifications. Truly understand what you are interviewing for and know what your interviewers are looking for. Think of the job description as a wish list that your future manager has written.
2. Know How to Apply Your Past Experiences
Read through the “responsibilities” or “tasks” and be able to talk about similar tasks you’ve done in the past. Look at the qualifications and desired qualities and be able discuss how you meet (if not exceed) them. This question is sort of about you… but it’s more about how your skills line up with what the company is looking for. You probably have many great accomplishments, but you should be focusing on the ones that most closely match the job you’re going after.
3. Talk Results
Remember I said this answer should be a little “bold”? If you’re proving yourself to your interviewer, you’re going to want to talk about what you personally can bring to the table. Something along the lines of, “I see you’re looking for someone to manage X. I am confident I’d be able to execute on that by doing X, Y, and Z.” You don’t want to be just another candidate. You want to be seen as an asset who is ready to add value right away.
4. Make Sure You Come Across As a “Good Fit”
You’ve already shown off your hard skills and qualifications in the first part of this answer, but I’ve seen even the most qualified candidates not get the job based on that pesky notion of “fit.” Doing well in a job isn’t just about what you do, but also how you go about doing it.
In a small or growing company, you might want to express that you’re willing to “get your hands dirty” or “pitch in wherever needed.” In a more structured company, you may want to talk about how focused and task-oriented you can be. Learn as much as you can about the company (and the company culture) before the interview and emphasize why you’d fit in there.
5. Close the Sale and Make It Compelling!
Again, when this question is asked in this way, you should be going into sell mode, and every good sale has a great closing. Wrap up your answer in a way that is confident, concise, and enthusiastic. While you don’t want to go totally overboard, make it memorable too.
As you answer this question, it’s important to strike the right balance between being confident and being a total egomaniac. It’s always important to gauge the interviewer’s reaction and adjust your answer accordingly as you go. However, this question is someone basically forcing you to explain “why me,” so don’t be afraid to show off a bit.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Your Guide to Writing an Eye-Catching Cover Letter
In a job market that’s more competitive than ever, it’s critical that your cover letter stand out. With the advent of online job postings, you’re competing with a more global and wide-ranging group of people, so consider the content of your cover letter carefully. And never submit a resume without one—that’s a great way to be dismissed by a recruiter for lack of effort.
Here are some pointers on how to craft the perfect cover letter:
Use details to show how your experience is relevant
Make points in your cover letter that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Is it a marketing job? Specify the roles you’ve played and tasks you’ve undertaken that make you a qualified candidate.
If your cover letter looks like a template, the recruiter will likely feel you aren’t making an effort, and the letter probably won’t speak to why you’d be a great fit for the job you’re applying to.
Give it personality
Avoid sounding monotonous or boring in your cover letter; recruiters will assume you’re like that in person, too. Be excited about the position (but avoid using exclamation points), and be inspired by the work you would do for the company.
Be confident
Sign the letter “I look forward to hearing from you” rather than “I hope to hear from you and that you think I am qualified for the role.” Assume you will hear from the company in your tone—otherwise they will sense your lack of confidence and question your qualifications.
Use proper spelling and grammar
The best way to turn off a recruiter is to use improper grammar or spelling. This says that you don’t have an eye for detail, that you don’t necessarily truly care to work at the company and that you’ll make the same kinds of mistakes when you come on board.
No one wants internal or client communications to be filled with errors; it’s bad business. To brush up on your grammar for free, check out EnglishGrammar101.com for online grammar lessons.
Allude to your network as it pertains to the job
Networking is a critical part of your job search today. If you’ve met someone within the company, reference that person and why they inspired you to apply. It helps even more if the person you’re submitting your resume to is someone you’ve met—tell them why you enjoyed meeting them and why you’d like to work with them. (Appealing to their ego doesn’t hurt!) You can network your way into the job without looking desperate.
Consider length
It’s critical that your cover letter not be too long. Keep it concise and to the point. Recruiters read so many cover letters in a day they might only skim the really long ones. You want to be heard, so keep that cover letter tight.
Before sending the letter, read it over and put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes. In a sea of competitive cover letters, is this a cover letter you’d be inspired to respond to?
Credit: Cara Aley
Here are some pointers on how to craft the perfect cover letter:
Use details to show how your experience is relevant
Make points in your cover letter that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Is it a marketing job? Specify the roles you’ve played and tasks you’ve undertaken that make you a qualified candidate.
If your cover letter looks like a template, the recruiter will likely feel you aren’t making an effort, and the letter probably won’t speak to why you’d be a great fit for the job you’re applying to.
Give it personality
Avoid sounding monotonous or boring in your cover letter; recruiters will assume you’re like that in person, too. Be excited about the position (but avoid using exclamation points), and be inspired by the work you would do for the company.
Be confident
Sign the letter “I look forward to hearing from you” rather than “I hope to hear from you and that you think I am qualified for the role.” Assume you will hear from the company in your tone—otherwise they will sense your lack of confidence and question your qualifications.
Use proper spelling and grammar
The best way to turn off a recruiter is to use improper grammar or spelling. This says that you don’t have an eye for detail, that you don’t necessarily truly care to work at the company and that you’ll make the same kinds of mistakes when you come on board.
No one wants internal or client communications to be filled with errors; it’s bad business. To brush up on your grammar for free, check out EnglishGrammar101.com for online grammar lessons.
Allude to your network as it pertains to the job
Networking is a critical part of your job search today. If you’ve met someone within the company, reference that person and why they inspired you to apply. It helps even more if the person you’re submitting your resume to is someone you’ve met—tell them why you enjoyed meeting them and why you’d like to work with them. (Appealing to their ego doesn’t hurt!) You can network your way into the job without looking desperate.
Consider length
It’s critical that your cover letter not be too long. Keep it concise and to the point. Recruiters read so many cover letters in a day they might only skim the really long ones. You want to be heard, so keep that cover letter tight.
Before sending the letter, read it over and put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes. In a sea of competitive cover letters, is this a cover letter you’d be inspired to respond to?
Credit: Cara Aley
Cara Aley is a freelance writer who writes about everything from recruitment strategies to doctor reputation management. She is currently VP of Operations for Two Degrees, a one-for-one food bar company.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
To Land the Job, Do Something Different
In this new digital world of work — where it’s more
competitive than ever to land your dream position — offering a standard resume
and writing an introductory cover letter will get you nowhere.
Why? Because those are the exact same things everyone
else is doing. To move yourself to the top of that virtual pile, you’ve got to
do something different.
Now, what you do varies according to your chosen
industry. If you're applying for a job in the financial industry, for example,
you might want to stick to the standard application process for the most part.
But for most industries, you don't want to fit in — you want to stand out.
Here are four ways you can help a hiring manager
notice you and go out of his way to get you on the team.
1. Create Something
Penelope Trunk says instead of writing a resume, you
should start a company. I’d broaden that to start anything.
Creating something — whether that’s a company, blog,
lifestyle business or Etsy store — shows you're a self-starter and a go-getter.
It shows you have it in you to get stuff done. It proves you’re creative and
know how to follow through.
Starting something can also be your key to closing a
knowledge gap or a lack of experience. Who cares if you don't have two years of
experience working at a certain type of company — if you've created something
significant that requires those same skills, plus some serious self-motivation?
2. Write an Interesting Cover Letter
Rather than introducing yourself in the first
paragraph — and putting the recruiter to sleep in the process — share an
anecdote that showcases what you most want the employer to know about you.
Tell a story about how you did something other people
said couldn’t be done. Write about results. Share a change you helped bring
about, and how that affected someone's life.
Writing an an eye-catching cover letter is more
difficult than writing a boring one that regurgitates your resume, the type of
letter hiring managers have read a million times. If it were easy, everyone
would do it. But putting in that extra effort is exactly what’s going to help
you leap ahead of your competition — and working a job you actually enjoy.
3. Approach Your Dream Employer
Being proactive pays off, particularly in the job
search — and not only because every employer wants proactive employees.
If you approach an employer and show how you can help
them reach their goals, you’ve not only jumped ahead of the hoards of job
seekers who might’ve applied to that company’s job post. You’ve also saved the
employer the effort of continuing to look for the right person.
Here are five tips for sending an attention-getting
cold email. What’s even better, though, is finding a way to make a connection
at the company you want to work for (via Twitter, for example), and eventually
asking that warm contact for an introduction to the hiring manager.
When you pitch yourself, don’t focus on how working
at the company will help you — focus on how you can help the company succeed.
What does the company need, and how can you help its employees make that
happen? What can you offer that will help them take business to the next level?
4. Supplement Your Application
Do this even if the employer doesn't ask for a
supplement. Actually, do this especially if the employer doesn’t ask for one,
because that extra effort will show the employer just how much you want to work
for him.
When Marian Schembari wanted to become community
manager for Couchsurfing, she created a video having members of the community
vouch for her — using the exact community-rallying skills she'd use in the job.
(She got the gig!) Job hunter Jannic Nielssen used his web marketing smarts to
create a resume that looked just like Kickstarter. (He was hired, too.)
What hiring manager wouldn't want these hustlers on
the team?
Doing something different isn't only about the
result; it’s about proving that you think a little differently from everyone
else. So next time you want to move up in your career, forget about what
everyone says about applying for a job, and buck the status quo
Credit: Mashable
Friday, April 19, 2013
5 Common Mistakes That Can Make You Miss an Opportunity When Applying for a Job
These days there is a lot of people looking for jobs and whenever a company advertises for a job, the amount of applications received is overwhelming. So any mistake could get you disqualified and cost you a great opportunity. Here are 5 very common mistakes that could mess your chances of landing that job.
1. Spelling Mistakes
Now a company is looking for a professional to work with and especially in some positions, a company cannot afford to send out mail or any other documents with spelling mistakes. When you are jobless, I believe that the most important document you write to any company is your application and if something of that much importance has mistakes, it means everything else around you could have the same mistakes. You cover letter and your CV need to represent you and whenever you send them out, you are sending a picture of your professionalism. Take time, make sure you have no single mistake on your cover letter and CV.
2. Attaching all your documents, certificates and testimonials to your application
Unless the advertiser asked for this, usually the only thing a potential employer wants to see your cover letter and your CV. When you send me an email with heavy images and I have 200 other applications to look at, you are eating into too much of my time and I need to get to the next one. Usually this will give the employer an over-advertisement impression so avoid this. In fact, the only attachment your email should have is your resume/CV. Your cover letter should be the body of the email and ensure that your subject line is clear too. If an employer advertised more than one job, you might get him looking at your CV for the wrong job and get you disqualified while you were actually qualified for the post you were applying for.
1. Spelling Mistakes
Now a company is looking for a professional to work with and especially in some positions, a company cannot afford to send out mail or any other documents with spelling mistakes. When you are jobless, I believe that the most important document you write to any company is your application and if something of that much importance has mistakes, it means everything else around you could have the same mistakes. You cover letter and your CV need to represent you and whenever you send them out, you are sending a picture of your professionalism. Take time, make sure you have no single mistake on your cover letter and CV.
2. Attaching all your documents, certificates and testimonials to your application
Unless the advertiser asked for this, usually the only thing a potential employer wants to see your cover letter and your CV. When you send me an email with heavy images and I have 200 other applications to look at, you are eating into too much of my time and I need to get to the next one. Usually this will give the employer an over-advertisement impression so avoid this. In fact, the only attachment your email should have is your resume/CV. Your cover letter should be the body of the email and ensure that your subject line is clear too. If an employer advertised more than one job, you might get him looking at your CV for the wrong job and get you disqualified while you were actually qualified for the post you were applying for.
3. Forwarded CV
While it is clear you are looking for a job, an employer is not specifically interested in all the other companies that you sent applications to. I received emails that had been forwarded to many other companies and one of them included over 30 companies, all there with their email addresses. This also shows that you are too lazy to compose a new email or even just delete the old email threads, this is not what an employer is looking for.
While it is clear you are looking for a job, an employer is not specifically interested in all the other companies that you sent applications to. I received emails that had been forwarded to many other companies and one of them included over 30 companies, all there with their email addresses. This also shows that you are too lazy to compose a new email or even just delete the old email threads, this is not what an employer is looking for.
4. Badly Formatted CVs
Your CV should speak for you, it tells of your skills, your experience, your education and everything else. One thing that it also tells is your organizational skills, your research skills and much more. There are standard things that should be on a CV and if yours is missing one of them, it translates to bad research on your side. There is also a specific sequence that you should have your CV listing information, it is standard and all over the internet. Research and make sure your CV represents you.
Your CV should speak for you, it tells of your skills, your experience, your education and everything else. One thing that it also tells is your organizational skills, your research skills and much more. There are standard things that should be on a CV and if yours is missing one of them, it translates to bad research on your side. There is also a specific sequence that you should have your CV listing information, it is standard and all over the internet. Research and make sure your CV represents you.
5. CVs Sent on Your Behalf
There is a breed of people who send their CVs to other people and tell them to forward it to anyone they think would need their services. So one of the CVs I received (for a really great person who I ended up employing) had been sent by another person. So, the email came from a Guy and the applicant was actually a lady. She had no idea we had her CV and when we called her for an interview, she started interviewing us on what job this was and all that. Like I said, she persisted, she called again and again and we still gave her a chance but by the time I realized she had not applied for the job herself, I had written her off. Send your own CV or at least ensure you have an idea of where your CV was sent.
There is a breed of people who send their CVs to other people and tell them to forward it to anyone they think would need their services. So one of the CVs I received (for a really great person who I ended up employing) had been sent by another person. So, the email came from a Guy and the applicant was actually a lady. She had no idea we had her CV and when we called her for an interview, she started interviewing us on what job this was and all that. Like I said, she persisted, she called again and again and we still gave her a chance but by the time I realized she had not applied for the job herself, I had written her off. Send your own CV or at least ensure you have an idea of where your CV was sent.
So, there you have it, this should improve your chances next time!
Original Source: Niaje.Com
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