Prior to preparing for an interview, you have been searching high and low for that dream job you have been yearning for. Finally you have found “it” and with some luck you are one of those pre-selected for an interview. You get excited but also feel like you have butterflies on your stomach knowing that you’ll be battling it out with a handful of hopefuls so you need to let them know that you are the right guy for the job. You feel tense, wondering what possible interview questions they might ask you. You try to practice memorized responses on common questions like “tell me something about yourself, enumerate your strengths and weaknesses, why are you leaving you current job for this, and whole lot of other possible questions that you’ll be trying to create possible responses for. What are the key skills required to help you with preparing for an interview?
In order for you to nail your interview there are several things that you need to bear in mind. First you need to research on the company you are applying for. It is important for you to have even just a general idea of the company you wish to work for so that you could see how you could integrate yourself to be part of their organization and in the long run become a valuable asset. Knowing even just a basic knowledge of your potential company’s products and services would impress your interviewer knowing you have done your research. Based on how you view their company, they could also gauge if you could be the right person they are looking for.
Secondly when preparing for an interview, remember to dress appropriately but comfortably. Dress to impress. A first impression is a valuable one. Corporate Attire is the most appropriate outfit if you are going to an interview. If you present yourself as a sloppy dresser, chances are your potential employer would not be impressed. How you dress reflects a lot on your personality, personal hygiene, and character. They would want somebody representing them who exudes their corporate image and would embody their corporate culture.
You have to be well-prepared before an interview. Prepare yourself mentally and spiritually. It is important that you know the job they are offering and that you know that you are qualified for it because of either your educational background, technical skill or extensive experience in that field. Be confident in answering their questions by maintaining eye contact. When you can’t look at them straight in the eye, your interviewer would be thinking that you are either unsure of your answer or you do not know anything about it. It is also important that you are honest when it comes to answering their queries. Others make up stories in order for them to get the job but in the long run your employer will soon find out when you cannot deliver to them the job they require. By being honest and acknowledging our weaknesses, we avoid ourselves certain complications that may arise in the future have we lied about it and told them that we know how to do it.
When you are at the interview, remember what you researched when preparing for an interview and make sure that you sell yourself well. How you sell yourself is a vital factor that could affect the interviewer’s decision on whether to hire you or select someone else. It is important that you make your interviewer feel that they are getting more than what they are looking for from you; that you will become an important asset to the company if employed. Interviewers are impressed with people who are proactive when it comes to decision-making. They also look for qualities like leadership so if you are into spearheading projects this is a plus factor for you.
In order to succeed, it is important that you know where you are heading and have a clear vision of your career path. With this in mind, no preparing for an interview research or interview itself is that difficult to ace since you can demonstrate how you can contribute to the success of an organization.
About the Author
Steven French is a recruitment consultant to http://www.UteachRecruitment.com - the specialist UK teaching jobs recruitment agency. Visit Uteach Recruitment to find your perfect UK teaching job today.
Published At: www.Isnare.com
Preparing For An Interview
How To Start Writing Resume: Avoid The Number One Mistake
If you want to land a job interview you obviously must have a well-written resume. Unfortunately the thought of writing a resume sends shivers down many people's spines.
Personally, I do not know anyone who actually enjoys writing a resume. In fact, writing a resume is such a dreadful task that many people would rather hire someone to write the resume for them which can be quite costly.
Fortunately writing a resume does not have to be that difficult and yes, you can do it yourself without the help of a professional resume writer.
However, you want to avoid the big mistake that most people make when starting to write a resume.
What's the mistake?
The mistake most people make when writing a resume is that they do NOT create a resume that is job specific…in other words their resume is way too general. They try to take the easy way out by creating a generic resume that they can use for a number of different jobs…a one-size-fits-all resume.
This is a mistake. However, it is also good news for you. Since most of your competition will be writing generic resumes, you will have a much better chance of making your resume stand out by creating one that is specific for the job you want.
So how does one create a job-specific resume?
Easy…start by creating a few simple lists with pen and paper.
Here are the three lists you should create BEFORE you actually start writing a resume:
1. Before writing a resume make a list of all the requirements for the particular job you are seeking. That's right…you want to gear your resume to the specific job you are applying for. That means if you are applying for several different jobs you will be making several different resumes.
2. Make a list of any and all RELATED experience. Unrelated experience is not necessary to put in your resume and can actually be a distraction so make sure your list is exclusive to related experience. This includes internships, volunteer positions, leadership activities, and, of course, paid work experience.
3. Make a list of your own personal strengths. Keep in mind that employer's value qualities like teamwork, leadership, and good communication skills. These are the skills you should bring to light in your resume.
Once you have created your lists of the job requirements, your related experience, and your own personal strengths you can then create a brief, but powerful, description of each piece of related experience mentioned in list #2.
In each description try to match your own personal strengths with the requirements for the job. Basically you are combining your three lists into short and powerful statements. For example, "Kitchen Manager: Effectively used communication skills to manage a 7-person kitchen staff for upscale Italian Restaurant"
Once you have these well-crafted descriptions you can go ahead and start plugging in each description in separate sections under suitable headings, such as objective, education, experience, skills, extra curricular activities, and references.
This is where you can use a resume template to help guide you.
Fortunately for you most people writing a resume will not take the time to properly prepare their descriptions. By creating a list of all your strengths and experiences that specifically match the requirements for the job you are seeking it will be much easier for you to create a resume that is targeted for a specific job…a resume that will clearly stand out amongst all the other resumes.
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How To Make Your Interview Successful
The employment interview in one of the most important episode in an individual's experience because for more or less than an hour, the interviewer will determine the entire part of one's life. As we all know many people struggle with interviews though they are the most experienced and qualified for the job. When one organization invited you for a job interview it means that the hiring personnel assured that you may be candidate for the job opening. The interview is one of the tools that help determine if you're really fit for the vacant position. Keep in mind that the interviewer's mission is to know your capabilities and to estimate your worth. Asking you questions is the way they accomplish that mission.
Below are some important tips to make your interview successful.
* Preparation is the first important part towards a successful interview. Be sure to know the exact location and time of the interview and the contact person's full name. It will be helpful to do some research on the organization interviewing you. You also need to learn as much as you can in the position that you are applying for. Research about the skill sets that they prefer and assess if you can qualify.
* Of course always remember that first impression does matter. The first best way to assure a good impression is by wearing the appropriate business suit. Your attire is one factor that tells to the employers how serious you are about getting job.
* Be on time for your scheduled interview. If you are going to be late, one of the best option is to call them, but bear in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
* During the interview, be aware of your body language. Being nervous is normal, even the experienced professionals get nervous in an interview.
* Be honest with your background and skills.
* Be a good listener. Once the interviewer discuss about your responsibilities, listen through eye contact and wait until he or she is finished.
* You can ask questions or inquiries based on what you have researched. Try to concentrate on issues, which are important to you and how you get interested in the company.
* Lastly, ask politely if they can give you any feedback for the future and thanking him or her for taking time to interview you.
About the author:
Jerky recommends JobsHosted.com, the perfect site to start and end your job search
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com
