Archive for August, 2007
Job Interview Tips – 6 Essentials to Do the Day Before the Job Interview
Use these job interview tips to be well prepared for job interview success!
Directions, Map, Contacts
Prepare the day before to make sure you get to your interview on time. Find out exactly where you have to go and who you must ask for once you are there. Get good directions, look on the map and make sure you know the best route. Work out how long it will take you, allow for traffic and parking time. Have the full name and position of the person you will be seeing and a contact number in case you need to call. Put all this information into an interview folder to take with you.
Conduct Background Research
You have time to search for company information on the internet. Find out relevant details about the employer and use these prepare your interview answers and questions. Having background information on the company helps to set you apart as a prepared and informed job candidate.
Prepare your Portfolio
Another job interview tip is to get all your documentation together the day before. Make a couple of copies of your resume and a list of your references including name, position and contact numbers. Include copies of any written references you want to give the interviewer. You may want to include work samples that are relevant to the position. Include details of the research that you have conducted on the company. Let the interviewer see that you have done your homework! Put all these into a neat, simple portfolio to give to the interviewer. Have a notebook and pen ready to jot down details during the interview.
Review your Resume
Go through your resume the day before to re-familiarize yourself with the information the interviewer has about you. Be aware of any red flags such as gaps in employment or reasons for leaving previous employers that you will need to address during the interview. Highlight these and prepare answers to any questions that may arise.
Practice your Answers and Questions
A couple of days before the interview you will have prepared answers to common job interview questions such as “What are your strengths?”, “Why are you the right candidate for this job?”, “Tell me about yourself?” Go through these answers and practice saying them out loud. You also should have prepared at least five good questions to ask the interviewer about the job, the company and the management, such as, “Please describe the company’s management style and the sort of employee who fits in well with it?” Go through these questions, feel confident about asking them, and include them in your interview folder.
Dress for Success
Find out the expected dress code for the job interview. You can call the company and speak to Human Resources or even Reception. It is usually advisable to dress more formally for the interview than the actual position requires- this shows respect for the interview process.Chosoe the appropriate clothes the day before and make sure they are clean and pressed. Shoes should be polished. Decide on any accessories you want to wear. Lay your interview clothes out ready for the next day. This saves rushing around just before the interview and getting into a spin!
Six simple job interview tips that you can do the day before your big job interview. Make the difference between feeling prepared, confident and in control or anxious and flustered about the interview.
More useful job interview tips and techniques.
By: Julia Penny
About the Author:
Directions, Map, Contacts
Prepare the day before to make sure you get to your interview on time. Find out exactly where you have to go and who you must ask for once you are there. Get good directions, look on the map and make sure you know the best route. Work out how long it will take you, allow for traffic and parking time. Have the full name and position of the person you will be seeing and a contact number in case you need to call. Put all this information into an interview folder to take with you.
Conduct Background Research
You have time to search for company information on the internet. Find out relevant details about the employer and use these prepare your interview answers and questions. Having background information on the company helps to set you apart as a prepared and informed job candidate.
Prepare your Portfolio
Another job interview tip is to get all your documentation together the day before. Make a couple of copies of your resume and a list of your references including name, position and contact numbers. Include copies of any written references you want to give the interviewer. You may want to include work samples that are relevant to the position. Include details of the research that you have conducted on the company. Let the interviewer see that you have done your homework! Put all these into a neat, simple portfolio to give to the interviewer. Have a notebook and pen ready to jot down details during the interview.
Review your Resume
Go through your resume the day before to re-familiarize yourself with the information the interviewer has about you. Be aware of any red flags such as gaps in employment or reasons for leaving previous employers that you will need to address during the interview. Highlight these and prepare answers to any questions that may arise.
Practice your Answers and Questions
A couple of days before the interview you will have prepared answers to common job interview questions such as “What are your strengths?”, “Why are you the right candidate for this job?”, “Tell me about yourself?” Go through these answers and practice saying them out loud. You also should have prepared at least five good questions to ask the interviewer about the job, the company and the management, such as, “Please describe the company’s management style and the sort of employee who fits in well with it?” Go through these questions, feel confident about asking them, and include them in your interview folder.
Dress for Success
Find out the expected dress code for the job interview. You can call the company and speak to Human Resources or even Reception. It is usually advisable to dress more formally for the interview than the actual position requires- this shows respect for the interview process.Chosoe the appropriate clothes the day before and make sure they are clean and pressed. Shoes should be polished. Decide on any accessories you want to wear. Lay your interview clothes out ready for the next day. This saves rushing around just before the interview and getting into a spin!
Six simple job interview tips that you can do the day before your big job interview. Make the difference between feeling prepared, confident and in control or anxious and flustered about the interview.
More useful job interview tips and techniques.
By: Julia Penny
About the Author:
Julia Penny has many years experience interviewing and placing candidates across a wide range of jobs. She offers her expertise to help job seekers prepare for and succeed in job interviews at her free website Best Job Interview
Salary Negotiation Power Tips
As a former Manager I can tell you that money is the most sensitive issue in the whole hiring process. It’s sensitive for both prospective employer and job applicants. Handled correctly, both employer and applicant can come to an amicable figure. Here are eight ways I found that make the process of salary negotiation more efficient.
All of these are from the applicant’s point of view but will serve employers as well because the applicant will be well prepared for the process.
1) Do Your Research.
Before the actual interview, contact the professional organization that represents your field or career. They should be able to provide you with salary information based upon averages for particular job functions. With that information you can now examine your monthly cash requirements. Remember to deduct 25% for taxes from your expected salary range. This will give you a realistic idea of net earnings on paydays.
2) Determine what your skills are worth.
You should understand that different segments of the economy do not pay the same rate. You may need a variety of skills depending on the job location that may not be required in another locale. Your career, if practiced in California, may command a higher salary than if you were employed in Ohio. The California position may also require a greater variety of skills than that in Ohio.
Employers also tend to set salaries based upon local economic conditions such as cost-of-living in the particular community. Salary range information is available at American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, National Association of College and Employers, Career Center, and professionals in your related field.
3) Be realistic with your salary range.
In stating your salary range, avoid basing your desired salary on your current salary. Always tell the truth when it comes to salary history. It is acceptable to ask for an increase above your current salary but keep it within the range you discovered during your research.
4) Weigh the company’s compensation package.
To determine your fair market value for a specific job, you should consider the economic, geographic, and industry factors of the job offer. Weigh the benefits of compensation and promotions, insurance, allowed time off and retirement settlements of the offer to ensure a fair proposed salary.
Many companies offer tax exempt perks in place of money. These can range from a company car to a company cell phone. Perks run the gamut and they are worth real money to you because you will not have to pay for perks out-of-pocket.
5) Sell yourself.
If you have done your research on the company and the job description, you should know what you could offer the company that requires a larger salary but never say it directly. Sell yourself discreetly. The interviewer should see your value and realize that a better salary offer is in order.
6) Have a positive attitude
In negotiating, never appear confrontational or arrogant. This is not a game to be won. Be professional. Negotiation is basically a process which could benefit both parties. You win more of what you want by understanding the needs of the company and by playing to those needs. Be sure to point out how you can meet those needs. The employer needs to see you as a valuable, not costly, addition to the staff. The employer is not looking at how much they have to pay you as much as how you can contribute to company profitability.
7) The final offer.
Be aware when the negotiation process is done. Pushing further, when a deal has reached its maximum, could leave a negative first impression. You want to leave on a high note.
Show what you are made of.
Getting the job is only the first step toward gaining greater compensation. Once you are hired, offer extra skills to the company and prove you are worth more by doing quality work. This attitude is what promotions are based upon. Promotions mean greater compensation in the long run. At the very least you will be confident enough to ask for a greater raise that the norm when evaluations take place.
Finally, here is an important fact: A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that four out of five employers are willing to negotiate compensation.
I hope you use these tips wisely and prosper!
Jim DeSantis
By: Jim DeSantis
About the Author:
All of these are from the applicant’s point of view but will serve employers as well because the applicant will be well prepared for the process.
1) Do Your Research.
Before the actual interview, contact the professional organization that represents your field or career. They should be able to provide you with salary information based upon averages for particular job functions. With that information you can now examine your monthly cash requirements. Remember to deduct 25% for taxes from your expected salary range. This will give you a realistic idea of net earnings on paydays.
2) Determine what your skills are worth.
You should understand that different segments of the economy do not pay the same rate. You may need a variety of skills depending on the job location that may not be required in another locale. Your career, if practiced in California, may command a higher salary than if you were employed in Ohio. The California position may also require a greater variety of skills than that in Ohio.
Employers also tend to set salaries based upon local economic conditions such as cost-of-living in the particular community. Salary range information is available at American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, National Association of College and Employers, Career Center, and professionals in your related field.
3) Be realistic with your salary range.
In stating your salary range, avoid basing your desired salary on your current salary. Always tell the truth when it comes to salary history. It is acceptable to ask for an increase above your current salary but keep it within the range you discovered during your research.
4) Weigh the company’s compensation package.
To determine your fair market value for a specific job, you should consider the economic, geographic, and industry factors of the job offer. Weigh the benefits of compensation and promotions, insurance, allowed time off and retirement settlements of the offer to ensure a fair proposed salary.
Many companies offer tax exempt perks in place of money. These can range from a company car to a company cell phone. Perks run the gamut and they are worth real money to you because you will not have to pay for perks out-of-pocket.
5) Sell yourself.
If you have done your research on the company and the job description, you should know what you could offer the company that requires a larger salary but never say it directly. Sell yourself discreetly. The interviewer should see your value and realize that a better salary offer is in order.
6) Have a positive attitude
In negotiating, never appear confrontational or arrogant. This is not a game to be won. Be professional. Negotiation is basically a process which could benefit both parties. You win more of what you want by understanding the needs of the company and by playing to those needs. Be sure to point out how you can meet those needs. The employer needs to see you as a valuable, not costly, addition to the staff. The employer is not looking at how much they have to pay you as much as how you can contribute to company profitability.
7) The final offer.
Be aware when the negotiation process is done. Pushing further, when a deal has reached its maximum, could leave a negative first impression. You want to leave on a high note.
Show what you are made of.Getting the job is only the first step toward gaining greater compensation. Once you are hired, offer extra skills to the company and prove you are worth more by doing quality work. This attitude is what promotions are based upon. Promotions mean greater compensation in the long run. At the very least you will be confident enough to ask for a greater raise that the norm when evaluations take place.
Finally, here is an important fact: A survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management found that four out of five employers are willing to negotiate compensation.
I hope you use these tips wisely and prosper!
Jim DeSantis
By: Jim DeSantis
About the Author:
For more great tips like this, visit Jim’s Workplace Blog. For eBooks to help in your job search, visit Jim’s eBooks Library.
5 Top Tips for Choosing an Honest Nursing Employment Agency
I have had a number of nurses write to me with stories of dishonest nursing employment agencies that have taken their money and done nothing for them. This can really shake your faith in people and leave you with a sour taste in your mouth… but do not let these dishonest people rob you of your dream of moving your nursing career abroad! Here are some tips on judging the quality of nursing recruiters that will help you kick start your job hunt.
Does the nursing employment agency have a website?
Most companies that are involved in recruiting internationally educated nurses have a website. There are a few things you need to look for on the website that will help you judge the quality of the agency and the recruiters working for them.
1. Are they affiliated with any professional recruiting membership organisation? Just like lawyers, teachers and travel agents have membership organisations, so do recruiting services. These membership organisations offer you; the client, protection from illegal fraudulent practices. Check the nursing agency’s website to see if they belong to a membership organisation. If they do not advertise it, you can email them and ask for this information.
2. How long has the nursing agency been operating? Nursing recruiting agencies that have been operating for a while are more likely to operate legally and consider your best interests because they have a reputation to maintain. One of the worst things a business can experience is poor recommendations passed around by word-of-mouth.
3. Is the website professional looking? If a company has not made the effort to put up a professional looking website, this may be a signal that they do not take their business seriously. The internet is an extremely powerful business tool, especially for a business that is working with nurses and nursing employers in different countries.
4. Can you find the agencies ‘terms of use’? It is customary for business on the internet to have a link to the company’s ‘terms of use’, is this easy to find? When you read it, can you understand what it means? Are the costs and responsibilities for using their recruiting service clearly stated?
5. Does the nursing employment agency have offline contacts listed? Online business should have a real life address, and they should show it clearly on their website. It may not be on the front page of the nursing agency’s website, it may be listed on a ‘Contact Us’ page or in fine print at the bottom of each page, or listed on the ‘terms of use’ page. If you can’t find a way to contact a representative of the agency offline, it is probably a good idea to be wary. Listing offline contact information is part of the USA’s anti-spam law and any company aiming to do business online with the USA or its citizens is required to list this information.
While I cannot guarantee that using these tips will secure you a nursing career overseas, I can assure you with confidence that I have used these strategies myself and have always had good luck with them.
By: Kelly Blackwell
About the Author:
Does the nursing employment agency have a website?
Most companies that are involved in recruiting internationally educated nurses have a website. There are a few things you need to look for on the website that will help you judge the quality of the agency and the recruiters working for them.
1. Are they affiliated with any professional recruiting membership organisation? Just like lawyers, teachers and travel agents have membership organisations, so do recruiting services. These membership organisations offer you; the client, protection from illegal fraudulent practices. Check the nursing agency’s website to see if they belong to a membership organisation. If they do not advertise it, you can email them and ask for this information.
2. How long has the nursing agency been operating? Nursing recruiting agencies that have been operating for a while are more likely to operate legally and consider your best interests because they have a reputation to maintain. One of the worst things a business can experience is poor recommendations passed around by word-of-mouth.
3. Is the website professional looking? If a company has not made the effort to put up a professional looking website, this may be a signal that they do not take their business seriously. The internet is an extremely powerful business tool, especially for a business that is working with nurses and nursing employers in different countries.
4. Can you find the agencies ‘terms of use’? It is customary for business on the internet to have a link to the company’s ‘terms of use’, is this easy to find? When you read it, can you understand what it means? Are the costs and responsibilities for using their recruiting service clearly stated?
5. Does the nursing employment agency have offline contacts listed? Online business should have a real life address, and they should show it clearly on their website. It may not be on the front page of the nursing agency’s website, it may be listed on a ‘Contact Us’ page or in fine print at the bottom of each page, or listed on the ‘terms of use’ page. If you can’t find a way to contact a representative of the agency offline, it is probably a good idea to be wary. Listing offline contact information is part of the USA’s anti-spam law and any company aiming to do business online with the USA or its citizens is required to list this information.
While I cannot guarantee that using these tips will secure you a nursing career overseas, I can assure you with confidence that I have used these strategies myself and have always had good luck with them.
By: Kelly Blackwell
About the Author:
For more insider secrets and proven strategies that guarantee you will land your own nursing employment abroad get your copy of the Nursing-Overseas Ultimate Job Hunting System TODAY!
