Job Interviews - Six Blunders to Avoid by Tom McBroom

Everyone needs good interview question and answer advice. But just as important, you need to know what other interview mistakes to avoid. Based on my own 30 years of experience as a Hiring Manager, plus talking with many of my peers over the years, here are the most common interview blunders.

These blunders will definitely turn off any Hiring Manager and very likely knock you out of further consideration. Please take them to heart and avoid them at all costs.

Talking Too Much

Most of the Hiring Managers I know, myself included, put this high on the list of candidate turn-offs during the interview question and answer session. As a general rule, you should talk no more than half the time and one third of the time is best. Take your cues from what the Hiring Manager says and listen as much as you can. Your answers to questions will be much better as a result. One way to get the Hiring Manger to do more talking is to ask the questions you prepared in advance (you did come prepared with questions to ask, didn't you?)

True story: Some time ago, I was part of a four-person team interviewing a candidate for a technical support position. We allocated 45 minutes for the interview and it actually took over an hour and a half. During the interview question and answer session, every time we asked a question, this candidate would talk for minutes at a time, soaring off onto side issues and meaningless detail. It got to the point where we'd all silently groan and roll our eyes at each other because this person would not stop talking. We had to end the interview without asking all our questions because we ran out of time…and were simply worn out. Needless to say, this candidate received no further consideration.

Inadequate Research of the Company

A major blunder is not researching the company at which you are interviewing. Today's job market is still very competitive and if you haven't researched my company, you won't be as able relate your qualifications to my job opening as the candidate who is well prepared. With the abundance of information that can be easily researched on the Internet, there is no excuse for being unfamiliar with my company. Your interview question and answer session will go much better if you can speak knowledgeably about the company.

Bad Mouthing Previous Employers

The old saying that "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," is especially true during an interview question and answer session. If you trash talk previous employers, I'll assume you'll also bad mouth your current employer. Consequently, I don't want to become your current employer.

Displaying "Attitude"

A negative or arrogant attitude is surprisingly common on interviews. Sometimes it's a result of trying too hard to come across as being very knowledgeable. One tip here is to not cross your arms during the interview, as this is frequently interpreted as being defensive or arrogant. It's important to remember that a Hiring Manager will usually offer the job to the best qualified candidate that they like the best. If you come into the interview with an attitude, how well do you think I'll like you?

Wearing the Wrong Clothes

While complete advice on how to dress for an interview is beyond the scope of this article, there are many job advice sites on the Internet that address the subject of how to dress properly for an interview. You should research them. Even if you follow these tips, you still must use common sense when dressing for an interview (no loud colors, no jeans, no flip flops, etc).

Another true story: I was once interviewing an applicant for a marketing position. He had good qualifications on paper and was actually pretty articulate and convincing in the interview. Trouble was, he was dressed completely in black: black jacket, black shirt, black tie, black pants and black shoes. Plus, he didn't smile once. I simply couldn't shake the impression that I was interviewing a candidate for a Mortician's job. There was no way I could picture him in front of our customers, so I passed on what might have been an otherwise qualified candidate.

Asking the Wrong Questions Up Front

It can be a real turn off to the Hiring Manager by asking questions about salary, vacation, benefits, etc. It shows bad taste to ask questions of this nature during the interview question and answer session, before you've been offered the job. Your questions should all be about the specific position for which you're interviewing. Besides, if you've done your research up front, while you may not know the salary, you should be able to find out much of the other benefit information from the company web site or the job posting.

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com, which is dedicated to helping you find a job quickly. Visit his site for complete information about conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, and interviewing.

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Job Interviews - Six Tips to Prepare You by Tom McBroom

As a Hiring Manager, I'm often asked what is my best job interview tip and I always say: "Be Prepared." I'm now going to tell you how.

Many times in my role as a Hiring Manager, I've had job applicants come into an interview like they just woke up that morning and said to themselves, "I think I'll go on a job interview today." They then proceed to snooze through the interview and follow-up a week later to find out why they didn't get the job.

Boy, could I give these applicants a good job interview tip or two!

I can tell the applicants who come properly prepared within the first ten minutes of the interview. They are the ones who can give me a well thought-out, 30 second overview of their qualifications (this is usually the first question I ask). If they are particularly good, they relate their qualifications to my specific job, as well as speak knowledgably about my company.

Remember: even if you're just interviewing for an entry level or clerical job, you can still do your homework.

Here are six job interview tips to prepare you. These will automatically put you ahead of 95% of the job applicants I've interviewed over the years.

Tip Number One

Prepare a 30 second "marketing message" to use when I ask you to "tell me about yourself." This should be about your job qualifications, NOT about your personal life. At this point, I'm not interested in where you were born, went to school, how many kids you have, etc. It's all about the things that make you a good candidate for my job opening.

Tip Number Two

Find out the name and title of every person you will meet on the interview. Memorize the names. This is a job interview tip that most applicants, oddly enough, tend to ignore. It's perfectly acceptable to ask the HR person who set up your interview to provide these details.

Tip Number Three

Have anecdotes ready. This is another job interview tip that is frequently missed. Many times, I'll ask questions that require you to provide examples of how you handled a difficult challenge or other work situation. These questions often start with a phrase such as, "Tell me about a time when you faced...." Since these questions can be about any subject, they can be difficult to prepare for, but they do follow a pattern. I'm usually interested in a few general categories, such as how you handled conflict, a difficult situation, a problem employee, or one of your success stories. Prepare a good example for each of these areas and one will very likely fit.

Tip Number Four

Do your homework and research the company. The company web site is the best starting place because it will have all the positive things that the company wants you to know. Be sure to do a search on the web site for the name of the Hiring Manager and any others you are scheduled to meet. You just may find out some information about them that will help establish rapport in the interview. Learning about the Hiring Manager is one of the best job interview tips I can give you.

Tip Number Five

Read the common questions you may come across in the interview and practice developing answers that are framed with your accomplishments and qualifications. It's one thing to say you can do something; it's another to give examples of things you have done. Be sure to have some good examples of your work that is applicable to that specific job. Your answers to questions will be much stronger as a result.

Tip Number Six

Have some questions prepared that you will ask the Hiring Manager. This shows you did your homework and have thought about the position. You should have at least four or five questions of your own, in case some of them will have already been covered by the interviewer. You want to be sure to still have some to ask. Here are some general questions that fit almost any interview:

* "If I were to ask one of your employees what the best thing is about working here, what would they say?"

* "Why is this position open?"

* "Is there a job description I could see?"

* "Can you tell me about the people I'd be working with? How long have you worked with them?"

* "How will you measure success in this job?"

* "What projects will I be working on?"

* "What do you look for most in a new employee?"

* "What do you like best about your company? Why?"

* "What do you see as the most important qualifications for this job?"

Special Warning and job interview tip: The first interview is not the time to ask questions about salary and benefits. Save these types of questions until you're actually offered the job.

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com, which is dedicated to helping you find a job quickly. Visit his site for complete information about conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, and interviewing.

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Letters Of Recommendation - How To Create A Perfect Job Endorsement by Robert Mandelberg

People generally have a difficult time tooting their own horns. Normally, modesty is a commendable trait; but on a job search it could be deadly. And that is where letters of recommendation can help. Why brag about how great you are when you can get someone else to do it for you? Letters of recommendation are basically testimonials from satisfied "customers." And they can be a lot more believable than resumes since they come from objective third parties.

Here are 4 surefire tips to creating powerful and convincing letters of recommendation:

Who? Who will make the most impact? Your immediate supervisor is generally the very best person to write a letter of recommendation. She has the most knowledge of your performance, abilities, and results. She can attest to how you have positively impacted the company. Many people assume that company owners and presidents are the best referrals. But unless you have direct interaction with these executives, they are usually too far removed from day-to-day operations to be aware of your talents or value.

When? When is the ideal time to have a recommendation letter prepared? While you are still with the company. As soon as plans for your separation are discussed, immediately line up your references. This enables you to put the process in motion quickly and follow up to ensure it is completed. If you wait until after you leave the company, you may find it awkward to pick up the phone and ask the boss for a favor. And with you out of sight, this task may drag on for quite come time before it gets done.

What? What type of information should be included? Instead of generalities, an effective testimonial cites specific achievements that clearly define the value an employee brought to the company. "Bill Reynolds was a loyal, dedicated employee who could be counted on to give his all" is nowhere near as powerful as "Bill Reynolds spearheaded a division-wide project to upgrade our e-mail system, which reduced our outside consulting fees by 12%." Do you see the difference? Numbers, tangible results, and accomplishments speak volumes about the worth of an employee.

How? How do I get my boss to write a powerful testimonial? Do you think writing a testimonial for someone is an easy task? Is it something that your boss could crank out in fifteen minutes or so? Probably not. A good recommendation letter takes some planning and thought to be effective. In fact, it may take a few drafts to get it just right. Is writing your letter is a task that your boss is going to relish? Not likely. She has that big meeting coming up, the month-end report is due, and now this blasted letter. Will it ever end???

Here is my suggestion: Free your boss from this burden and write the letter yourself. Yes, you read that correctly!

Do you feel a little uneasy about writing your own letter of recommendation? It's not as bad as it sounds. Once your supervisor agrees to write the letter, offer to prepare a draft that she could "tweak" and print on the company's letterhead. Your boss will be thankful that she doesn't have to labor over your testimonial and you can be sure that the letter has the ideal content and tone. As long as you are truthful, your draft should make it through practically unedited.

So make sure you are armed with a few well-written testimonials for your job search. It could very well be the extra "toot" your horn needs.

Robert Mandelberg founded The Creative Edge Resume Service in 1987. Since that time, he has helped thousands of clients reach their career goals. Rob is a published author, a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and a Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP). Sign up for Rob's free weekly job-search tips at http://www.ResumeRob.com

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8 Ways a Job Applicant Can Screw-up Communication with a Prospective Employer by Todd Mintz

Many employment consultants write articles that give job applicants high-level resume advice that will, if followed, increase your chances of getting positive notice by a recruiter / employer.
This isn’t one of those articles.

I am the first point of contact for all the resumes / candidate messages that come through the S.R. Clarke website and the advice I have to offer you is far more rudimentary and fundamental in nature. Every communication you have with a prospective employer is important and you don’t need to give off many negative signals before your application gets tossed aside.
Here are eight ways you could possibly give an employer / recruiter negative “vibes” about your candidacy that might not be obvious to you:

1) Your email address. I do recommend that you create a new email address specifically for your job search and make it map to your desired job position (e.g. “superstar-estimator@”). Most people use their personal email address for their job search, which is fine. But, please don’t use racy email addresses. I’ve seen things like “iluvtofish@” and “vikingsfan@” which is OK. However, nobody is going to hire somebody who has a “drunk-as-a-skunk@” no matter their qualifications (and I’ve come across more than a few candidates who have used “adult behavior” terms in their email address).

2) Your resume format. Word or Adobe PDF are the only formats you should use for a resume. HTML works if there is a reason to use it (I can’t think of one). Rich text format works, but I’m not sure why anyone would use it instead of Word. I would never send a resume in Word Perfect or Microsoft Works…few employers will be able to open your documents. I’ve seen people send resumes in .txt format and I seriously question their professional judgment. If you can’t send your resume in Word or PDF format, either fax it to the employer or copy and paste the contents of the resume into the body of the email.

3) Your resume file title. A small but important point…many job-hunters use a date as part of their resume document title. If that date isn’t that recent or the last saved date of your resume isn’t recent, you are broadcasting to employers / recruiters that your resume is “old”. Savvy people will pick this up. Even if your resume hasn’t changed since you started your job search, open and re-save your resume every week.

4) Your spelling. Most people remember to spell-check their resume. However, most email clients have a setting which allows you to spell-check your emails…and I strongly recommend that you do so before emailing your resume. Employers will generally overlook a couple spelling mistakes in an email or a resume, but anything more than this would threaten your candidacy.

5) Your email etiquette. Outlook has a feature that allows you to automatically add each new person you’ve emailed to your address book. Make sure this is turned off, because if you are sending personal messages to all address book contacts as many people do, your prospective employers are getting your personal messages if you’ve inadvertently added them. Misguided job applicants have sent me the following via email:

a. Invitations to Poker Night
b. Elks Lodge Meeting Information
c. R-rated Female-Themed Humor (that I still get regularly)

6) Don’t use white-list spam control when job-hunting. Spam sucks and we all want to control it in any way possible. However, you don’t want to make it hard for prospective employers to contact you via email. If a recruiter emails you about your resume and you force him / her to be pre-approved before receiving their communications, you will likely (and deservedly) be disqualified from consideration.

7) Follow-up with the correct person. The person who answers the email correspondence regarding resumes isn’t generally the decision-maker for the position and won’t be able to help you. Email follow-up is generally worthless anyway…I would recommend telephone follow-up unless you have already established a relationship with the decision-maker.

8) The dumbest thing you can do. During the course of your job search, you’ve likely accumulated many employer email addresses. It is tactically smart to resend your resume to employers…especially if you’ve updated it. People want to save time and send the updated information to everyone at once, which I understand. To do this, put all the email addresses in the BCC field of the email, separated by either semi-colons or commas (depending on your email client). Put your own email address in the To field. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a few people put all the email addresses in the CC field instead of the BCC field which means everyone on the list knows that that the applicant is resending his/her resume to everyone else. Every CC’ed employer will chuckle at the foolishness of what you’ve done and make a note to disqualify your application.

9) The dumbest response to the dumbest thing you can do. So, I received one of these “Mass CC’ed” candidate mistake emails the other day. Not 20 minutes later, a recruiter who was included on the CC list spammed the entire list advertising his services, thoroughly embarrassing himself in front of a group of peers…which proves that employment industry professionals aren’t immune from making the same mistakes that candidates make.

In closing, there are some good high-level resume advice articles online that I encourage you to read and follow. However, make sure that you’ve mastered the nitty-gritty aspects of job-hunter communication as well.

Todd Mintz is the Director of Internet Marketing & Information Systems for S.R. Clarke Inc., a Real Estate Development and Residential / Commercial Construction Executive Search / Recruiting Firm headquartered in Fairfax, VA with offices nationwide. He is also a Director & Founding Member of SEMpdx: Portland, Oregon's Search Engine Marketing Association.
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Grabbing that Job: Writing a Cover Letter for Your Resume By Jimmy Sweeney

Looking for a job is easier nowadays, what with the advent of the World Wide Web, fast searching for jobs online, and more job opportunities. What has not changed, however, is politeness. No matter what employer you go to, no matter which company you apply to, you have to follow protocols in your job application.

One such protocol is the polite and quintessential cover letter. A cover letter is your first impression: your chance to catch attention and make yourself seen amongst the thousands of other applicants. If you can grab your prospective employer on the first page, then your resume will look all the more attractive – first impressions count even in paper correspondences, so you have to make a great cover letter to go along with your credentials.

What are the essentials of a good cover letter for your resume? Before you start typing or writing that resume cover letter, take note of the following:

You have to have the company’s complete address. Never address your prospective employer as simply “Sir” or “Madam” in the letter; and never address the letter recipient simply as “To Whom it May Concern.” This shows that you do not care about the company – so why should the company care about you?

Do your research before writing that resume cover letter. Who should the letter be addressed to? Is this person a man or a woman? Should this person be addressed as Doctor or Attorney? Your initial address not only shows politeness – it also shows that you are willing to know more about the company.

Be brief but polite. Businesses are very busy, and they have only a few people to sift through thousands of letters every day. Grab attention by being very brief. Introduce yourself in one sentence, state your interest in the job posted in another sentence, and state what you have attached to the cover letter in the third. Brevity is indeed the soul of wit – it can also be the key to that job.

Know your career goals and let these goals guide you in writing your cover letter. A cover letter may be short, but if it does not speak of someone well focused and willing to meet their goals, then a company may turn you down. Be focused on those goals when writing your cover letter. Your enthusiasm and willingness to do a job will shine through.

Provide all your contact information in another paragraph. Make sure that all the information you provide is correct. If you might be out of the house, indicate when and where the company can reach you. Remember that you have to be reachable: you are the one in need of a job, but do not grovel and throw yourself at the company’s feet like a slave. Strike the balance among strength, politeness, motivation, and a willingness to work.

Sign your name above your printed name. This shows that you are not sending out the same letter to thousands of other companies – and it shows that each letter has your personal touch. Remember, a company will not care about who you are and what you know – until it knows that you care about the company first.

Last, and most important: watch your grammar!

Are you ready to get that job you want? Then start typing that cover letter! Before long, you will be sitting at that much desired desk, or conducting that field survey you’ve always wanted to do, or simply acting as the boss. The power of the cover letter is up to you.

Jimmy Sweeney is the President of CareerJimmy and author of "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Visit him at: http://www.amazing-cover-letters.com for your "instant" cover letters today.

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Sample Interview Questions With Answers by David Clemen

Sample interview questions of the common type are listed below. Answers are included. But perhaps suggestions for tailoring your responses is a better way to put it, since specific answers are impossible to provide. Practice answering these sample interview questions out loud to yourself or ask a friend or relative to help you.
Don't feel that you have to answer right away. Interviewers know that you're nervous and expect you to think a bit, so do think carefully before you answer. But don't hesitate too long or it'll appear that you're stalling. Interviewers will ask open-ended questions to see where you'll go with them, so try not to ramble while you're thinking of a real answer.
Q. Tell me about yourself. A. This is the dreaded, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related.
Q. Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?) A. Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move."
Q. What are your strengths? A. Point out your positive attributes related to the job.
Q. What are your weaknesses? A. Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it.
Q. Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself? A. Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious, hard-working, honest and courteous, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well.
Q. What do you know about our company? A. To answer this one, research the company before you interview.
Q. Why do you want to work for us? A. Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company.
Q. Why should I hire you? A. Point out your positive attributes related to the job, and the good job you've done in the past. Include any compliments you've received from management.
Q. What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction? A. Briefly describe one to three work projects that made you proud or earned you pats on the back, promotions, raises, etc. Focus more on achievement than reward.
Q. What makes you want to work hard? A. Naturally, material rewards such as perks, salary and benefits come into play. But again, focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it.
Q. What type of work environment do you like best? A. Tailor your answer to the job. For example, if in doing your job you're required to lock the lab doors and work alone, then indicate that you enjoy being a team player when needed, but also enjoy working independently. If you're required to attend regular project planning and status meetings, then indicate that you're a strong team player and like being part of a team.
Q. Why do you want this job? A. To help you answer this and related questions, study the job ad in advance. But a job ad alone may not be enough, so it's okay to ask questions about the job while you're answering. Say what attracts you to the job. Avoid the obvious and meaningless, such as, "I need a job."
Q. How do you handle pressure and stress? A. This is sort of a double whammy, because you're likely already stressed from the interview and the interviewer can see if you're handling it well or not. Everybody feels stress, but the degree varies. Saying that you whine to your shrink, kick your dog or slam down a fifth of Jack Daniels are not good answers. Exercising, relaxing with a good book, socializing with friends or turning stress into productive energy are more along the lines of the "correct" answers.
Q. Explain how you overcame a major obstacle. A. The interviewer is likely looking for a particular example of your problem-solving skills and the pride you show for solving it.
Q. Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now? A. Explain your career-advancement goals that are in line with the job for which you are interviewing. Your interviewer is likely more interested in how he, she or the company will benefit from you achieving your goals than what you'll get from it, but it goes hand in hand to a large degree. It's not a good idea to tell your potential new boss that you'll be going after his or her job, but it's okay to mention that you'd like to earn a senior or management position.
Q. What qualifies you for this job? A. Tout your skills, experience, education and other qualifications, especially those that match the job description well. Avoid just regurgitating your resume. Explain why.
Q. Why did you choose your college major? A. The interviewer is likely fishing to see if you are interested in your field of work or just doing a job to get paid. Explain why you like it. Besides your personal interests, include some rock-solid business reasons that show you have vision and business sense.
About the Author
David J. Clemen has over 8 years experience helping the general public find gainful employment. David has worked as a Career Counselor for organizations such as the State of Massachusetts, Morgan Memorial Goodwill, and Lincoln Technical Institute. He is currently an active contributor to http://www.jpcservicesinc.com an absolutely FREE online resource.

Great Tips For Conducting The Best Job Search Ever! By Ray La Foy

Finding a new job can be a daunting task. You need to make sure your job search involves positions you're qualified for, but you also want to land a position that pays well and comes with some benefits. And, since it wouldn't hurt to do a job search for companies that treat their employees right, the stakes can be pretty high.

A good job search starts with you. You'll need to do some things in advance before you head out the door to apply or interview. First off you'll want to get your resume in order. Make sure it's accurate and offers a fair representation of your past experiences and qualifications. Keep it as short as possible while not skipping over major details. Next, you'll want to make sure you have your references in order before you conduct a job search. Employers like to hear as well as see that potential hires can do the job. With your paperwork straight, you can now begin a more thorough job search. Here are five tips to help make that job search go more smoothly:

* Evaluate your skills, strengths and weaknesses. Try to match up what you can do and what you're trained to do with ideal positions. Going after the wrong kinds of jobs for your skill set can be an exercise in futility.

* Evaluate your desires. If you have a 10-year background in management, you might not want to settle for an entry-level position. Make sure you know what you want and try to find jobs to match not only your qualifications, but also your actual worth. Sometimes this might not be possible, but shoot as close to the mark as you possibly can in your job search.

* Narrow searches by location, type of job and pay. You don't want to waste your time going after minimum pay jobs if you're over qualified and vice versa. The more you focus your job search, the less time you'll waste on positions that don't fit the bill. But, do be honest with yourself. If you're only qualified for an entry level, go after one with the notion of building on it for a better career.

*Consider skill enhancements. If you're a computer programmer, but you haven't taken a new course in five years, you might want to add a certification or two to your resume before you start your job search. Or, at the very least, have some retraining or advanced training in the works when you start applying.

* Use the tools at your finger tips. A good job search covers all the bases. This means those on the hunt look online, in papers, and even in trade magazines to find ideal positions. The more you spread out your search, the better. There's no magic way to land a position and ensure a job search will be ideal, but the more realistic you are about yourself and you are to yourself during a search, the more likely you are to land the right job. Take time to evaluate where you are in your career and your background and be certain to have all paperwork in order before you begin your job search. With some time and patience and a bit of confidence thrown in, you'll likely have asuccessful job search.

About the author: More information on jobs http://www.jobsplususa.com