Archive for August, 2011

Job Application Email – 4 Tips to Stand Out

Monday, August 29th, 2011

It is a little tricky to send your job application email. Hiring managers and recruiters receive many emails on daily basis. How can you be prominent in your email? You may follow these tips to attract the precise attention to your job application email.

  • Add meaningful Subject Line
  • It is the best tip among all to add a meaningful subject line. For example if the subject line is read “Education+ Position Title+ Industry Experience + Years of Experience “, the recipient may take more interest in opening and interpreting it. For Example “Application for marketing Manager + 12 years of experience + MBA in Marketing” also seems good. It all focuses and highlight your experience and best qualifications. The clearly stated subject line will attract the attention and persuade the receiver to open the job application email as soon as he takes a look.
  • The best opening line in an email would be “personality X suggested me to contact you concerning this position.” The receiver knows the person X and that person is absolutely endorsing you for the present position. So it is better to find a warm contact to that company or hiring managers before you send a job application email to the company or the hiring manager. To apply for a job a warm introduction is the best way.
    • List shortly that why you are a suitable candidate
  • It is useless to write that I m applying for the position and also have attached my CV. He/she will know this by your subject line. Instead list shortly that why they should look at your attached resume. This will work as the shorten version of the cover letter. Keep the information short and use bullets, as it will help to go through faster. Describe shortly that why you are a best for this job. Use the terminology in the job description by looking at the job description and cover all the experienced areas.
  • Email is easy to send but it is not always reliable. You may end up in the spam folder or ignored because the receiver is swamped. Call to follow up if you don’t hear from the company within a week.
  • Warm Referral
  • Call to follow up

If you follow the above four points for your job application email, at least you  will feel positive that you did everything to stand out. The rest is up to timing and circumstance.

Job Interview Nos

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Showing up Late

Arriving late in your interview shows you are not serious about your interview. And obviously you are never liked or credited by the employer for being late. Always be on time for an interview, whenever you are scheduled for an interview. There are many other applicants who will be there for the interview and you are not so special that the interviewer will waste his/her time in waiting for you.

Unpreparedness for interview

It is not enough to know the company’s name and appear in the interview. It is best to read about the company’s profile, target market, their competition and the required qualification before appearing in the interview.

Cell phones

Keep your cell phone on or on silent while appearing in an interview. You are in an interview and your cell phone rang out loud suddenly, that result in a big demerit on your part. Just keep in mind that whatever you show during your interview will be a reflection of your personality.

Lack of Copies

Always take extra copies of your stuff with you, like pictures, resumes and other certificates. You never know when the interview staff will ask for several copies.

Distracted applicants

The applicant’s who appear to be distracted or desperate will fail to gain the interest of the employer. If you actually suit for the qualification of the company, you must not need to be desperate. Always be in control and be calm in everything. Avoid showing unnecessary actions or being too panicky during your interview.

Improperly Dressing

Your first impression always lasts. An applicant should dress in formal or semi formal suit. You don’t need to look gaudy and flashy, just be neat and clean. Loud prints, smelly perfumes and in chunks jewels are not needed, during interviews, these will only include up to your demerits.

Pure Confident

You must be confident during your interview. Be responsive to your gestures and words. Also be aware of your talk to the representative. Your confidence must be supported with knowledge and skills. Being arrogant or boasting yourself is quite unprofessional.

Rambling on and on

Your talking should be precise about the answers.  Over talking only represents that you cannot manage your thoughts in order. To avoid this situation, do your preparation for interview. Review all possible questions and practice your interview with your friends.

Answering personally

It is best to avoid giving personal answers.  You must maintain your professional image. Answer all the questions professionally and logically, except the question needs you to talk about your personal matters. Keep in mind that employers have no interest in your personal problems but they expect the possible solutions for the company’s problem from you.

Phone Interviews – How to Put Your Best Voice Forward

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

To screen applicants, many employers are using a new way to save their time. Nowadays many employers prefer to resort a telephonic interview before a face to face interview of the candidate. Employers have a lot of resumes for the job and they avoid investing time in a meeting for every candidate. So to screen out the candidate a telephonic interview is the best way to decide whether he is eligible enough to call for interview or not.

There are no specific questions for phone interviews. Some of the employers may ask the standard questions like your experience, any extra courses or any specific skills you have. However, some employers may also ask the most challenging questions such as planning to handle the different critical situations or asking for your response on a scenario.

A phone interview has its own benefits and disadvantages. Some people speak well on the phone whereas some people feel comfortable speaking face to face and feel a little awkward on the phone.

But in a telephonic interview, your best voice is needed for a good impression over the employer. The phonic interview is the shot to get a step closer to secure the job offer. If you don’t handle your interview well or leave a negative impression then the employer may change their mind about inviting you in for an interview.

In a phone interview, you must be more challenging, enthusiastic and energetic. Your accent is the most important in how you appear. To engage the interviewer, you should change your voice tone. You should also be much confident to ask some questions.

To put your excellent voice forward and go forward on an opportunity to a job offer, take the following tips.

Consider every call as an interview call.

Phonic interviews are usually not taken as a schedule. You may have a call of the employer as a response of your submitted resume or cover letter and you have to face an interview at the moment you pick up the phone. Some employers will consider asking for your time but it may not be true in all cases. So, even if you suppose that you may have a calling interview by the employer, be ready to provide a practiced greeting when you pick up. Also be careful about the background voice of the call. If you are not in a position to receive the call, i.e. you may be on the way to your home or in the family function, let it go to voicemail. Sure to call back as soon as possible.

Talk Passionately.

The interviewer will judge your personality through the quality of your voice. So be confident, energized and enthusiastic while answering the questions. Try to have a consistent voice tone and try to have a smile on your face as you talk and be conscious of your tone and pitch.

Positive approach of words.

Use positive words in your speech like yes I can do, yes it is easy in your conversation. These positive words will leave a constructive and positive impression than using “No I can’t,” or “I haven’t.” you must be conscious in your speaking, to avoid the “ahs,” and “ums.”

Be active as you would attend an interview in person. Keep the important points in your mind that you can use to explain how your skills, qualifications or previous experiences are best fitted for the open position. Also, ask questions during interview. These questions will show your interest, concentration and desire to work with the company. If possible then keep your CV or resume and a pen on hand. These will help you to take notes or for reference while on the call.

Find out next steps. Your interview should end with a full understanding of what is the next step. If you are confused about anything, then don’t hesitate and ask it. The employer will take this question in a positive way that you have a desire to go for the opportunity or care about it.

Like in-person interviews, phone interviews also need a follow up with a thank you note to the individuals you spoke with. The phonic interviews are as important as the face to face interviews are. Your impression in the phonic interview will be considered a lot while deciding among you and other candidates.

How honest should you be in an interview

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Here we are talking about the interview honesty. Like how much honesty you should have in your interview? Obviously you should be hundred percent honest.   But honesty does not mean that you show all your cards or do not utilize the power of your presentation.  Honesty also does not mean opening your secrets apparent or otherwise.

There would be hardly be a person without some negative career cases, whether it’s being fired up from a previous job, being slightly under-qualified, a poor reference or another case. Whatever the career baggage is for many of the candidates, honestly is an extreme step.  Either the candidate opens each and everything too early that is unnecessary or hides all the things because he’s defensive and he doesn’t want to be honest about. In both the scenarios, it only causes trouble.

An interview isn’t a process where you say everything and scream “Give me the job!”  When you confess something to your interviewer, or on the other hand, hide something, that’s what the message you’re conveying and that is what you’re thinking.    As a result, the interview gets difficult as it otherwise might.

If you have some problem in your employment history in the past, never reveal it out.  You will never be admired, recognized or appreciated for that. But as a matter of fact you will get dropped from consideration. Rather assess the circumstances that caused the problem and assess and ask question to make sure that either that condition is present in the job you are interviewing for or not.  If it is then elegantly refuse for further process.

Being fired, returning to the job market after self employment and being unemployed for several months are just three instances that take candidates unreasonably on the suspicion.

Find the positive.  After being fired what did you learn from?  What positive characteristics do you posses and what are the reasons for your termination?  And incidentally, are you sure that you was terminated because of your fault?   If it is so assess your weak points and if it is not don’t say that out-and-out!  Your wording in your presentation can convey a similar meaning.

Remember that the nastiest thing you can do is to appear in the job interview with focused on your negative points. You should be proud of your skills, experience and character. Also show them off and use them in the interview. Focus on your positive points; you might just slip through with negligible stress placed on the negatives, without being deceptive.

Job search what is Changed

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

The rules of the game in searching a job have changed considerably. With the changing demands and growing use of technology, the methods have changed. Nowadays if you want to be effective at finding a job, you need to engage and involve with everybody you know.

The ratio of success in job searching through classified ads is dramatically changing. Only a small percentage of candidates are successful in their job searches through classified ads.  Internet has replaced newspaper ads and you need to learn to use online job boards, company Web sites and online social networks and no need to mention that computer is used on extensive scale.

In the online job boards, some boards are general and broad, while some are especially designed for a profession, an industry, a company or other criteria. Among those job boards many of them let you search for open positions, post youresume and fill your applications online and forward it. Except for solicited spam, the communication is one way. In this way one of the most popular sites is Bayrozgar.com. There are also several aggregators that help to make the search more efficient.

For job seekers external recruiters is another avenue. It is better to create satisfactory and long-term relationships with them. It is a better investment of your time. Resumes have also gone through a face-lift, facelift. Nowadays resumes need a positive fine-tuning so that they match the particulars mentioned and required in the job description.

In the past resumes were considered to have various activities comparable and matched to the job narrative. But nowadays employers want to see quantifiable activities and actions in the resume with good percentage. You have to emphasize on particular abilities and skills to achieve the best results as a multidisciplinary and group member. Because of the active and dynamic nature of business, nowadays the resumes needs to show flexibility, resourcefulness and overtime expanded responsibilities. But the most important thing to notice is the use of right keywords in your CV. Most CVs are scanned into an applicant-tracking system because of the wrong use of keywords. These CVs are never resurfaced unless the right keywords are added in the resume.

Power statements have also gained much importance in your CVs formation. These statements help the candidates to make an impact by providing and highlighting the relevant information about them. For constructing a power statement “Identify a value, strength, skill and highlight them. And also show the result of your skills on your Cv.

10 Cover Letter Mistakes That May Cost You The Interview

Friday, August 19th, 2011

When it comes to reviewing a job application, a cover letter is the first thing that a potential employer sees. Your cover letter is believed to be the first opportunity to make an impression over the hiring managers and recruiters and so it also proves the first opportunity to disappoint them. A minor mistake of even inappropriate jokes may ruin an application from you.

below are the top 10 worst things to write or mention on a cover letter:

Next to Nothing

Providing information that is much lengthy is a common cover letter mistake and vice versa too short cover letter is also destructive.

A cover letter should contain a word count of 200 to 250 words and the candidate should highlight his success in his career.

Personal Stories

Sometimes you will see the employers who are interested in personal stories. It does not mean that you will write your experiences in your cover letter. It is better to save your stories for your interview. If someone asks in your interview about your hobbies or experience of your life, be prepared with the strong answer.

Inappropriate stationery

The universal stationery colors are ivory and white. Using different or dark colors is not considered a good way to get the attention of the employer.

Awkward Language

Be careful in the grammatical and other language flaws in the cover letter. A lot of people apply for jobs and according to many hiring managers they used English as a second language and the connotations of certain phrases and word may not be clear to them. Hiring managers have no problem in this way but at least they should get the help of someone for these words to understand the meanings.

Avoid tired opening lines

It looks ridiculous when a cover letter is received with tired stand-by opening lines. Avoid adding lines as opening like “please find my resume with my highlighted skills and experience that will surely help your company to succeed and grow. Rather than try to use some different words like if your company could benefit from my expertise with a perfect record of success and may capture thousand of rupees in revenue so please take some time to review my attached resume.”

Emphasizing a lack of experience

Many of the candidates take the irrelevant experience even further, in spite of the fact that they have no significant skills, but approaching to be hired anyway. If you don’t have a relevant experience then you should focus on definite sales experience or figures in the relevant projects. Never mention your shortcomings in the letter.

Cultural Preferences

Searching a job is not only a way to earn your livelihood but your job should be a perfect match according to your interests, skills and working atmosphere. This entire thing merges and helps the candidate to feel at peace even under pressure and masking anxieties to appear confident instead of worried. Some candidates subjects to the hiring managers with long lists of dislikes and personal likes in cover letter.

Arrogance

It’s one thing that can help you to promote yourself constructively in a cover letter but also be careful that it doesn’t deteriorate into overt bigheaded. When it comes to indistinct skills especially, it comes true.  The words like I am a superstar in web developing or ‘rockstar in QA never explains your skills to the employers.

So be careful in personalizing your cover letter to the employer. Especially in listing relevant the skills and your purposes to the job, you must be very careful.

Wrong Company Name/Wrong Cover Letter

Most of the candidates misspell the name of the company or get the wrong name. It is one of the biggest mistakes in writing the company letter. The letters with these kinds of mistakes are never considered for further processing and these candidates are taken as lazy who does not have any interest in anything.

Jokes

A good sense of humor is a good idea but jokes in cover letters are never liked by any one and usually cause a turn-off for busy employers. It is better to have them for interview, if you find a chance to say. Write your cover letter in full and serious professional tone.

6 Reasons Why You Should not Brush Aside The Night Shift

Monday, August 15th, 2011

These days it is a difficult task to find a job. In the competitive market you have very limited opportunities and you may find yourself thinking for a job that you might never consider otherwise. In your job search you will have one option that is working in night.  But working on night shift, looks quite far step. Taking this step means, you will turn your social life on a side. Would you like to revolve the positive aspect of your social life down? Obviously not.

But it is quite surprising that working on night shift has many advantages. Here are some benefits of working in night shifts.

Better Pay

Many of the workers don’t like to work at night and this general unwillingness to work is the reason that compels many employers to take the salary into consideration. Night shifts are recognized for social drawbacks and troublesome nature and for these reasons many employers get ready to pay more than morning shifts. If you think that you can manage the unsociable working hours then extra cash is an obvious bonus in limited working hours.

Getting Ahead

During night shifts, many of the organizations have a skeleton staff. Therefore night workers have more opportunity when an opportunity arises for promotion. Night workers have less competition for the job. If you get used to for night shift you will have more opportunities for new jobs.

Getting to Work

Are you feeling tired of wasting many hours in stuck traffic each day? Or you are tired of waiting for public transport that is usual overcrowded?  If it is so then nigh shift will save your time from stuck traffic and overcrowded buses. You will have quiet roads and the buses free from over crowdedness at night. Getting to work, night shift is easy and you can also save much time by avoiding the rush hours.

Freedom at Work

You will also have Freedom at work in night shift. Just imagine a job with no watcher at your every move and no bosses. The night shift may not be quite so relaxed, but the limited staff will provide a space in our time and work as well that you need to get at the job.

Avoid the Boring Bits

Motivational talks, Staff meetings, and many other workplace routines are attended in day shifts. If you don’t like to attend all these events or feel tediousness, the night shift offers a sweet run off. In addition you will find more time to focus on the actual job at hand without any irritating distractions.

Family Commitments

If you have kids or are married then working on night shifts does not seem a good option for you. But in night shifts you will have extra daytime freedom that will provide you flexibility.

In spite of all the above benefits, must consider whether the schedule in night shift will work for you and your family. Night shift is a good option for you if you feel that you may have better sleep and better health after doing a night shift. You will also feel that night shift work better than morning shift because of its different relaxations.

Ways to Deal With Uncertainty at Work

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

In todays marketplace the organizations make changes to its structure and adapt to changes quickly. It is better to accept the fact that organizational change will happen. These changes can be drastic. People will leave, move, come in and evolve. Products, services, businesses will launch, market share will grow or fall down, be acquired and spin-off. This all is a part of business or career development and its all is out of your control. So why to be depressed or think about it? Accept it. It will happen. These are parts of today business. Always changing, competitive, global and fast. Things will take time to settle down.  Don’t stop your work and go back to work.  Keep working as you do and don’t forget these are all changes that will happen time by time but nothing stops. As the business grows, the complexities also grow with it. Accept the complexities with your business as well. If you accept the change in business all the time you will never be disappointedAsk really good questions, penetrating and tough but fair questions. The questions that is right. No “no” or “yes” questions. Because these type of questions are useless. It is the management who will take the decision. So never argue on what the management is doing. The right question to ask is about HOW. How we will do this?  How we will complete this work? How do we lower expenses in this project? How do we use the source for better production? How do we enhance our business and add new customers? How do we fight with our competitors with same balance? Be professional with colleagues. Assess your colleague’s demand. Try to understand that what your colleagues think. How they think and who they are. Build a collegial relationship with your colleagues. In this way you can accomplish more.

You should only focus on the things that can be controlled by you. Behave like a craftsman. Try to perform your duties and job really well. Become the matter expert, the best in the company, in the industry, in the neighborhood. You must be really good for what you are doing. You will have to face many distractions on the way like meetings, off site retreats, teleconferences, text messages, competitor updates, emails etc. Many of these distractions don’t add value to the job. Decline a meeting. Block your calendar. End a call earlier. Ignore it all if you have to! Behave like a person who can do everything at the job. Be serious in your job and be a person who is liked and respected by everyone for being really good at their job.

Ways to perform a Group Discussions

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Most of the job candidates perform well in the written exams but they fail in group discussions. They are unable to understand that in spite of the continuous participation in the discussion why they are failed to attract the attention of the recruiters.  Many of the candidates get disheartened and give up applying for the job and companies who select through a group discussion. But this is not the way to solve any problem. Every difficulty has a way to make it easy.

Follow these points to in your group discussions to attract the recruiters and shoot out interview fear.

Topic

It is not necessary that the topic will be related to job category. They can give any topic to discuss. They just want to assess your level of understanding about the issues like corruption, environment, Indo-Pak relations, female reservations, terrorism or anything. It is necessary that you should have knowledge about the topic. Try to have the latest news about your surroundings and society. Reading newspapers, taking part in social discussions will help you to face the situation in the group interview.

Analyze

You are there for interview. You have got the topic to discuss, leave the old concept that first talker will gain the attraction of the recruiters. Whatever you discuss should be based upon facts and figures, according to the opinion of your society. Be confident in your speaking and avoid the words like “may be” or “they say”. If you feel that there is a delicate topic, carefully assess the negative and positive features of the topic and reveal your thinking in the last and surely mention that it is just your opinion, and anyone can disagree with it. If you have information about the topic, don’t start first, let others speak, understand the topic and discussion and then give your opinion.

Grouping

In some group interviews, candidates are divided into two groups, where one group opposes to others. In such a case support your group members by providing more arguments and information. Avoid talking in insulting manner. By engaging you in group activity the recruiter will understand your group working ability.

Expressions

Don’t feel pressure of anyone among the candidates or recruiters. Look at everyone in the discussion. If you have a chance then practice group interview with your friends or relatives. The practice will increase your level of confidence.

Be Cool

The way that you express your opinion is one of most important ways. If anyone in the group differs, just listen quietly and don’t argue like he is wrong. Also don’t get irritated.

Keep in mind that recruiters have a look at everyone’s movement and expression in the discussion. Sometimes they ask to write the name of the candidate who gave his best output in the discussion. Give your opinion genuinely. Follow these simple points and you will surely succeed.