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Preparing well for a job interview can be the secret to success. More often than not, people ignore the significance of preparing well for an interview. It is essential to work on your special skills and abilities, to highlight yourself as the ideal selection. Preparing includes understanding the company and the job profile, the reason why you want to be a part of that organization and in what way the organization would benefit by hiring you. These form some of the common questions that are asked by interviewers. Preparing for a job interview enhances the quality of your interaction skill. It helps you to empower yourself with confidence in your own abilities.

Basic Preparation
There are no hard and fast rules associated with the preparation of a job interview. But, there are certain tried and tested strategies that can be implemented to increase your chances of success. Basic preparations include an objective assessment of skills, values, interests and achievements, updating your resume and research on the organization and the position applied for. It also includes practicing answers to probable questions. You need to also pay attention to the details of your chosen attire and overall appearance, knowledge of the location of interview and the protocol for follow-up. http://www.careerberg.com

Main Preparation Prior To The Interview Procedure

Aside from basic preparation, you also need to prepare for certain important factors. Some are mentioned below:

Self-Assessment:
This is very important and should be done methodically to understand yourself better. It helps you to assess your abilities, identify your strengths and discover areas for improvement. You should keep all concrete achievements, including articles, congratulatory letters, certificates and appreciation from clients or your present employer.

Updating Your Resume:
You need to update your resume so that all of your recent achievements are included. Your resume should be written with functional headings to help the interviewer focus on your achievements. Your resume is the primary introduction to the employer. It should be designed to create a favorable impression; therefore, you should ensure that your resume is written with crystal clarity.

Research:
Research helps you to assimilate information about the company. You should gather as much information as possible on the company before attending the interview. You could visit the public library, local bookstore and the Internet to collect relevant data. This enables you to understand the work culture, mission and priorities of the organization.

Utilize Your Alumni Network:
It would be helpful for you to discuss the organization with alumni who have already worked or are working in the organization.

Interviewing is a skill that is best developed by practice, to ensure improvement in your style and presentation at an interview. Preparing for a job interview is one of the most crucial stages of building a career. It has the power to make or break your interview.

When people are looking for a job, they tend to spend a lot of time writing and revising their resumes and preparing to answer job interview questions. However, even employers who accept resumes from applicants are going to ask job candidates to fill out an application prior to making an offer.

Unfortunately, many people overlook getting prepared to fill out a job application form. Too often, people with excellent skills, great resumes and professional interviewing techniques disqualify themselves from jobs because they do not fill out job applications correctly. Filling out job applications is an important part of getting a new job, and it is necessary to make sure that you are just as prepared to fill out these forms as you are to answer tough job interview questions.

One of the most common job application problems is leaving sections of the application blank, or only partially filled out. Keep in mind that each question on a job application is there for a particular reason. If the question is on the form, the employer wants it to be answered. If you provide incomplete information on a job application, the message you are sending the employer is that you cannot follow instructions. No one wants to hire an employee that can’t fill out a simple form.

One of the most common omissions on job applications is the last names of the individuals listed as references. This is a red flag to employers, who are really have to wonder about your suitability for employment if you don’ t know the last names of your references. How well can someone speak for you if you don’t know the person’s last name?

Another common problem with job applications comes in when applicants think that writing the phrase “see resume” is sufficient for the work history section. You should always fill out the work history section on an employment application in its entirety. Many companies have very specific hiring and reference checking procedures that are based solely on the application form.

It is also important to think about how you are going to list your reasons for leaving your prior positions on job application forms. It is important to be truthful, but there are tactful ways to be truthful and there are ways to be truthful that can keep you from being considered for a new job. You might not have liked your last boss, but you certainly shouldn’t list that as your reason for leaving your last job.

Before you start applying for jobs, you should get a standard job application form and fill it out completely. Get someone that you know and trust to review the form to make sure that the form is complete and that the content is well written, spelled properly, and make sense as written. That way, every time you go on a job interview, you will have all of the information you are likely to need with you already.

Mistakes happen, and even the best person has made mistakes. After all, humans learn by experience, so a few errors helps us be better people in the end. One moment in your life that you don’t want to be in a learning curve is when you’re out looking for a job – a mistake during an interview or on your resume can cost you the chance of applying for a position you really want.

Never assume that simply applying for a job is enough. Because of mass communication and Internet resources, employers receive a record number of applications for every job. Sadly, employers even have to sort through many false applications sent in only to fulfill welfare programs. So it’s important to let them know your application is a genuine application and that you want the job.

Employers have to carry out a lengthy screening process whenever they fill a position, so it is important to show your interest in the job by making contact with the employer through telephone, email, or, best of all, a personal meeting. Personal contact shows your genuine interest in the job available.

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One major mistake many people make is lying about a past job if you left on bad terms. Potential employers seem to have a sixth sense about experiences that you glossed over or were dishonest about, so it’s best to try and put a positive spin on resume blemishes. Show that you’ve learned something from the experience or play up important parts of the past job rather than trying to cover up a bitter relationship.

It is best to find a traditional way of phrasing your strengths, as buzzwords can be confusing. Another thing to avoid is the use of words that are too logistic and lack spark, which is the opposite of using too many overly hip or trendy words. You should keep these same rules in mind when writing cover letters also.

Strive to achieve a balance of professionalism and ease of reading when you write. Try to balance friendliness with professionalism when writing your resume or cover letter. Avoid using slang or buzzwords and focus on using appropriate tone, because the right tone will get results.

There are many more mistakes people tend to make when searching for a job or attending an interview meeting. Some of the worst errors are eating during an interview or making crude jokes about someone’s race or gender. Of course, there are many small, subtle mistakes people make when job seeking as well, and those are often unconscious. So if you want an extensive list of what not to do when trying to land a job, look up the information on the internet.

When people have a goal in mind or want to find something, there’s one simple process that needs to be carried out – that of actively going after or searching for that prize. The search for a great job is no different, and while mass communication makes job hunting easier, there’s still a lengthy process involved when you’re trying to find the job you want. Here are a few tips and pointers that will help you on your journey to employment. http://www.careerberg.com

Are you wondering why you still haven’t landed a job? More than likely you have made the same mistake as most other people, which is that you are searching through only one source. Don’t look at only the local newspaper; broaden your search to other sources. Also, by keeping track of where you have submitted your application from the beginning, you can circumvent the difficulty of managing multiple sources and avoid duplicate submissions.

As always, an excellent source for current job listings is the newspaper. Newspapers can also be found on the Internet as well as many other job listing sites. When searching online, try to scan several sites to expand your chances. Don’t underestimate the ability of networking. Friends may know of a place that is seeking new employees, but also consider asking a former coworker or even previous employers. Often, they can give you a lead on a job that’s open. To start networking, it is suggested that you expand your search horizons. It is imperative that you commit to allow time for an in-depth search, despite your busy schedule, since the results will be rewarding.

It can sometimes take a fair bit of time before you do find employment, and you may have to send out many applications or go through a few interviews before landing a job. You’ll need to make sure you stay motivated to stick with your search, as most people end up giving in to frustrations and quitting the hunt. Certainly, if you do stop looking for employment, you’ll never gain a job, so you should find ways of making sure you continue looking, by giving yourself small rewards or by applying some guilt to yourself. Any method that keeps you on the hunt and far away from discouragement is the right one to choose.

Just remember, it’s not really a “job search” if you aren’t actually searching. It’s never really easy to find a good job, even now with the availability of the Internet. It is necessary for you to devote a great deal of time and effort to it rather than just waiting for something to appear out of the blue. If you are lucky enough to have that sort of luck come your way, then jump on it. Otherwise, you have to go out there and find opportunities rather than wait for them to find you.

The last thing to make sure you do during your search for employment is to research your field of profession thoroughly and take an in-depth look at companies you apply to. You may find that the industry you want to work in is saturated in your region, which will tell you to find a different spin on what you can do and expand your horizons, or you may find that an attractive company really isn’t that pretty, once you find out their history. To be successful in your search for employment, be persistent and knowledgeable, always on the lookout for information that will help you land that perfect job. http://www.careerberg.com

http://www.careerberg.com/

The world economy has just experienced one of the biggest jumps in to recession ever seen, the UK has suffered huge job losses, the country has no idea what’s going to happen next with regard to the economy and you find yourself in the lucky position where you need to try and find a marketing job. Do you give up? Throw the towel in? Or just put your head in the sand? No, follow these 10 tips on what to do when searching for a marketing job and you may find yourself saying hello to your new boss, before you know it!

1)    Research the market. With numerous degrees available in marketing and business, an old or rookie perspective job hunter needs to know what qualifications, desired experience or skills are required by employers. For those already in marketing positions, you more than any should know that the world of business changes quickly, really quickly. Don’t make yourself look like you don’t know what you are doing by sending out CVs that have no updated training, skills or education from the time you joined your current company, ask to go on courses, check to see if your qualifications are still appropriate for the companies you would like to work in and research who it is that attracts you as an employer. Research salaries, there is no point in jumping from a position you want to leave in to a position that is going to create more difficulties for you financially even though you are in “marketing”. If you are new to marketing, research exactly what it is someone does who works in marketing. If you are seasoned marketing professional investigate what other avenues of marketing interest you if you want to have a change of professional scenery.

2)    Be up to date with what’s going on in the world of marketing It is important to be on top of your game, whatever your profession. Be aware of current marketing topics, what’s happening in the world of marketing, innovations, figureheads and leading companies.

3)    Network. Whether you are new to marketing or not, networking can never be thought of as a waste of time. It’s a skill and exercise in used in the business day that allows relationships to be built outside of the pressurized sales pitch or interview.

4)Pay very close attention to your CV and have others proof read it. There are few jobs that have a greater emphasis on the CV of their prospective candidates than marketing. Make sure your CV has been read, re read and checked for every minute detail. Remember, the CV is often your only way in to a company, so make it good. Other people often see blatant errors that we don’t in a document we are familiar with or may indeed, pick up on a writing style or tone used in you CV that doesn’t portray the real you or doesn’t do you any favors. Be prepared to take constructive feedback.

5-Prepare to door knock. Job hunting, whether it be in marketing or not, is all about numbers. The more CVs you send out, companies you contact, interviews you go on the greater the chance of your being hired in the marketing job you want. Send speculative CVs, make speculative calls and be your very own agent, after all, who better to sell you than you.

6)Ask for referrals. If companies are not currently not hiring and tell you so when you cont.ct them, ask them about other marketing roles they are aware of that have come up recently, or good recruitment agencies that specialize in marketing roles.

7) Make sure you are ready at short notice. Interviews often come up at short notice. Once you send your CV, application form or make a phone call to a company and they show interest in you, be sure to make yourself available for interview. The longer the window period from the discussion of the interview, to the time of interview allows for other developments to occur that don’t include yourself, in what could be your perfect job.   http://www.careerberg.com/

Consider temping. If you are new to marketing and have the ability to work on long term or short term temporary marketing jobs, then this can be a great way to get on the ladder and try out the whole concept of marketing for you as a your new profession. People are often hired on to permanent contracts when they have been temps within a company and at the very least you are gaining valuable experience and knowledge that makes you look even more like a marketing professional on paper.

9) Practice your interview skills. While you are busy networking, talking to perspective employers and recruitment consultants, you can use this time to rehearse your interview technique and how you come across to others in a professional setting. For new graduates this can be invaluable and for the more seasoned business person, just watching other people’s reactions to how you interact with them can be a great way to hone in on areas that you can improve on.

10) Preparation. Whether making a phone call, going to visit a recruitment consultant or having a job interview, know the company you are meeting before you get there. Google them, look at company web sites, ask about them through networking, do this all in advance and you will not only come across as someone who is astute, but you will feel more confident in your abilities and your interview.

In the past year, more than five hundred thousand Americans began their workday gainfully employed and walked out at the end of the day without a job. Fired, laid off, forced out as the victim of a company closure, or otherwise shown the door, millions of workers, plenty of them over the age of fifty, were suddenly forced to reenter the job search market, something many hadn’t faced for years, some not for decades.

Others simply walked out on their own, uninspired by what they do, desperate to escape the restrictions of tight management, or anxious to find a new career path-or at least a job that will offer them a different professional role or challenge. http://www.careerberg.com/

Regardless of how they got there, embarking on a job hunt can be daunting and, for those ill prepared, a quick lesson in humility, frustration, or despair. Never an easy proposition, finding a job after the age of fifty can be disheartening for some and overwhelming, even terrifying for others. Resumes not looked at in years may need to be completely reworked. Interviewing skills have likely all but dried up. Networking-probably the most feared professional task next to public speaking-is something few job seekers are willing to embrace.

What’s more, if you haven’t traveled the job-hunting circuit in recent years, you may not be aware of the many resources that have sprung up out there in the last year or two alone. Classified advertising certainly still exists. And it shouldn’t be knocked- people land jobs every day by scanning the listings in their local newspaper. But where job seekers might once have been able to rely on that historically reliable source alone, now it’s just the tip of the job-hunting iceberg-and barely that. Classifieds can be the last spot a company places a listing for a position, especially if the job is in a niche industry where online job boards focused on a particular skill or area of expertise may more effectively target the talent that a company is seeking.

The good news, however, is that older workers do have a vast, rich pool of resources they may not have been aware of, may have taken for granted, or may simply have overlooked. And that pertains to far more than just job postings. Longtime employment in a particular industry provides reams of contacts for job seekers, but many applicants don’t immediately consider that option when they start looking for work. Industry groups can help out-of-work job hunters realize what areas of an industry might be easiest to tap for job openings. Association memberships throughout the years can now pay off in contacts and job leads.

The best tactic for mature job seekers? Stop before you panic, and consider all the contacts, resources, and avenues of exploration your career has built to date. Those who do are usually pleasantly surprised with not only the options they have but also the opportunities they never imagined lay ahead.

To be certain, the workplace after fifty is a rich terrain. For all its uncertainty-careers winding down, retirement looming, a younger generation itching to fill spots soon to be vacated by older workers-the opportunity for professional growth has never been more robust for Americans over fifty than it is today. And for good reason. “People now are living on average thirty years longer,” says Jeri Sedlar, a retirement expert and co-author of Don’t Retire, Rewire!, a book about finding fulfilling work later in life. And they’re looking to fill those years with meaningful work or make sure that they have work options so their finances don’t dry up.

If thirty or more years of living beyond age fifty is the case for most Americans, older workers suddenly faced with a pink slip would be wise to consider the many decades of living that probably lie ahead of them. But they should also realize that there are numerous opportunities for older job seekers in need of employment later in life. Don’t lose hope; older workers are a much more desired talent pool than you may think.

That’s good news for workers over fifty who are suddenly unemployed but aren’t thinking about how they can make early retirement work. Most Americans in that age range don’t have the luxury of hanging up their career after being told to clean out their desk and say good-bye. Expenses usually demand that people put in years more of work. In addition, more Americans are also realizing how crucial their jobs are to their physical and mental well-being. http://www.careerberg.com/

In interviews conducted for this book with dozens of senior workers-from as young as 50 to as old as 104-all, without fail, stressed that they couldn’t feel fulfilled financially, professionally, intellectually, socially, or emotionally without some form of work in their later years.

Where to Go from Here?

That’s the question of the hour on the lips of many older workers who have walked off the job or been asked to leave their place of employment in recent years.

For better or worse, you’ve found yourself at a crossroads. Whether it’s a devastating layoff or an intentional walkout from a painful position, you now have the opportunity to rework your career from this point forward.

To change careers, find a new job, or return to work after years away, especially at this stage in life, it pays to discover what really turns you on, what drives you day in and day out, what’s going to propel you into another profession, and what could motivate a monumental change in your professional life. That requires some serious personal exploration. Workers in this age group are asking themselves the following:

• How do I really want to spend the next twenty to thirty years of my life, now that I can realistically expect to do so?
• Where can I continue to showcase my talents and be appreciated and compensated for doing so?
• How can I step away from an all-consuming, high pressure career, but still keep a hand in the profession that I find compelling?
• What’s more important to me now-lifestyle or professional growth?
• How much do I need to work to maintain my current quality of life?
• What effect will my professional change have on my family?

These are important questions.

Baby boomers’ lives aren’t without their hurdles. As they enter their fifties, they could just as easily start forging a path to retirement as they could one toward new professional ambitions. But doing the latter might seem like an easier path for those who are young, eager, and untainted by the economic, political, financial, and social frustrations of corporate life. Changing paths now requires tapping energy-whether it’s sparked by a newfound interest, panic over lost employment, or the possibility of a new lease on your professional life.

That energy will be widely needed as older workers face other possible hurdles in pursuing new avenues. Plenty of potential employers, for example, are wary of older workers, whom they fear might be more feeble, less mentally alert, less ambitious, or more apt to suffer from health problems than younger colleagues. Experts on aging insist that those perceptions are untrue. The good news is that the eagerness with which companies are retaining a mature workforce is a refreshing sign that employees in their fifties and beyond are an increasingly valued and important part of American business success.

Even for those managers who still don’t have faith in the strength of older workers, human resource executives are slowly working to change the perceptions rooted deep within company offices. Consider a recent study from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which showed that:

• 72 percent of human resource professionals said older workers provide invaluable experience.
• 69 percent said they had a stronger work ethic than younger workers.
• 68 percent said they were more reliable employees.

• If ageism still exists in American offices today, it may not be able to for long-and rightly so. Over the next two decades, seventy-six million baby boomers will approach retirement- leaving behind a mammoth gap and talent drain in corporate America. Predictions are that over the next ten years, the fastest growing workforce age group will be made up of those fifty-five and older. At the same time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs available in the market will increase by 15 percent, or twenty-two million jobs, by 2010, but the labor force will only offer an additional seventeen million candidates. This means that if boomers aren’t a highly desirable talent pool now, they will be in the near future-in fact, they will comprise a necessary recruitment population for companies looking to fill gaps in the workforce with already trained and skilled workers.
• Some in corporate America are taking steps now to help older workers break new ground as they navigate an evolving workplace. Companies such as Procter & Gamble have realized the value of former employees and are bringing them back to tap their skills and expertise on a part-time basis. Companies such as the Aerospace Corporation, a research and development company
• Workforce Growth Per Age Group by 2010
• Workers 25 and younger — 2 percent
  Workers 25-34 — 5 percent
  Workers 35-44 — 19 percent
  Workers 45-54 — 8 percent
  Workers 55-plus — 33 percent
• *Source: Department of Health and Human Services.

in El Segundo, California, have established phased-retirement programs that allow older workers to gradually step away from their careers over months or years. Others, such as Ford Motor Company, offer part-time programs in which employees can reduce the number of hours they work each week. http://www.careerberg.com/

Recent surveys indicate that older workers are interested in at least some form of adjustment to their work schedule. For many, that may mean working part time or flex time. A Watson Wyatt survey released in 2004 polled one thousand workers between ages fifty and seventy; two-thirds noted that they wanted to phase out of their current employer. And if companies want to keep workers longer, recruit them back, or make certain they don’t jump ship for the competition, which may offer a more enticing work environment, they should begin now to craft strategies that cater to older workers. Certain industries, such as education, health care, and manufacturing, are more receptive to phasing and other flexible work options.

Leveraging Years of Experience

Despite a rash of lost jobs and a seemingly bleak job market in recent years, experts have repeatedly insisted that older workers are gaining power and influence in the workplace-and are securing more promising work opportunities as a result.

But there’s an individual push going on as well. Much of the effort to continue working is coming from older workers punished by a market that tanked after the dot-com boom. Others trying to make do in retirement without an income are finding themselves blowing through the nest egg at an alarming rate. And perhaps more than anything, older workers are realizing that if they are living longer, they’ll want to be more engaged in their later years and look for ways to find life inspiring. The typical post-career life activities, such as bridge, golf, and gardening, may not cut it.

“It’s a necessity to work and create mental stimulation in older people,” says Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging. “Work is a great thing dollar-wise, but it offers a variety of different elements that you need to live. It stimulates your mind, keeps you socially connected. It’s much more than a purpose.”

Indeed, more and more Americans are discovering that work is a key part of moving into the next stage of their lives.

Making a Move

If you think the end of the road is near in your current job or line of work, but aren’t sure, ask yourself the following:

• If I’m not happy in my current job, what is it that I’d rather be doing?
• Is there something I could change about my current work situation that would make it better-maybe working fewer hours or participating in more inspiring projects?
• Am I ready to leave the camaraderie of peers and work on my own or do I simply want a new environment with similar work elements and structure?
• Are there any more challenging positions or levels of responsibility that I could tap at this company or in my line of work elsewhere?
• Have I learned all that I can in this profession, or are there areas still unexplored that could provide new career growth?
• Would I be bored not coming to work every day?
• Could I change my job or work hours and still maintain my current lifestyle and cost of living?
• Is there a company in my field that would provide better growth and money opportunities than my current employer?
• Is there much salary growth left for me at my company?
• Would it pay to try my same position in another industry?

If none of these answers comes easily, then chances are you need to search deeper within yourself to find what drives you professionally day in and day out. If professional ambition has never been your strong suit, be honest about it. Maybe rethinking your career or work life isn’t about finding a new job or career-maybe it’s about holding on to the one you already have. Perhaps finding a similar job in your line of work and simply building a retirement portfolio or boosting the one you’ve already got is more important than discovering a new professional commitment at this stage of your life. Forcing yourself to revamp a professional career later in life will only be an exercise in frustration and disappointment if you’re not professionally driven in the first place.

One other thing to keep in mind: Be flexible while investigating new career and work options.Where once almost all Americans imagined themselves not working in their sixties or seventies, a large group of us now see new work opportunities. Likewise, your vision for working later in life or during retirement may change many times before you settle on what it is you really want to do.

“My vision has changed tremendously,” says Robert Cannon, fifty-six, who opened his Cannon Advantage business consultancy later in life and watched an array of people throughout his career travel down various paths toward retirement. “It was sad to see so many people hanging on and counting the days until they could retire and get out of wherever it was they were,” he continues. “I’ve seen others quit cold turkey and they don’t have anything else to do. And yet I’ve seen others who have stayed involved. One man is eighty-five and still actively working. He called me to talk about my helping him on another project. This man plays tennis every week, mows his own lawn, and still is looking forward to life where so many others are ready to roll up and die.”

http://www.careerberg.com/

http://www.careerberg.com/

Every day I talk to Fortune 500 Executives who can’t get a grip on their overall job search. They ask the same questions: “Where should I start? Whom should I talk to? Should I just start calling recruiters?” Finding a job is a job in itself.

It starts on the inside: step back, do a gut check and take a holistic approach.

Ask yourself:

1. Why consider a job search in the first place?
2. What’s really going to make me happy on the job, 40-60 hours a week?
3. What trajectory do I want my career to take?
4. If I start a search, what are the first steps to take?

#1: Why consider a search?
This is your key to success because it targets your motivation. In Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan) he says you need to get right with God. This cuts to the core of your spirit, your personal dream, and your overall satisfaction.

Is it all about money? (hint: that’s almost never the case). A greater career challenge? Are you stressed out or just tired of your boss and the working conditions…or are YOU the boss and just bored with the industry, the company or the people around you?

Action:
Write down a few keywords or sentences about your real motivation and level of commitment. How much time are you willing to spend creating a resume, learning & conducting internet research on target companies, calling them personally and doing personal networking? Will you keep track of your calls? How long can you be unemployed?

#2: The Satisfaction Factor
At this very moment, what do you want to DO with your life? What are you lacking in your current position, and what’s going to really satisfy you on the job, regardless of job title, industry, location or money? We hear “Life Is Short” all the time. Yet most of us are content to remain in our comfort zones. Only when that becomes unbearable do we reach out for advice and support.

For many, it’s a chance to stand up and help others; you discover whole new challenges. You meet new people, create new relationships, and find greater value and substance to your days, and that’s priceless. http://www.careerberg.com/

#3: The Big Picture
Take the long view; don’t be afraid to dream and imagine greater possibilities, meeting new challenges, and making a positive difference in the lives of others. This is your trajectory.

Talk it over with your spouse, good friends you trust, your Pastor, or co-workers who can keep a secret. Don’t rush this; take some time and sleep on it. Think out of the box. I built a career helping others with their careers, yet certainly never thought I’d write six books on resumes and career marketing.

#4: Strategy and Execution
OK: So you’ve done some dreaming and pictured yourself in the ideal opportunity; how do you get there? Get online and search for job descriptions; talk to anyone even remotely related to the position or industry.

When you’re sure about the skills you want to use, sidestep the fear and market your abilities. Track down the names and numbers of key players to contact and line up informational interviews to gain information about the job market, their company direction, their challenges and how you can help them. Such interviews can lead to job offers, it happens all the time.

Studies show only 5%-10% of jobs are filled through internet job sites and bulletin boards. Yet many executives, including those in our Career Workshop at Willow Creek Church, spend hours online seeking the perfect job. But Personal Networking is the single most effective approach to finding – even creating – the ideal opportunity. In fact, 60-70% of all positions are filled through Personal Networking: people who know people.

Real networks are created one call at a time, one person at a time. It can be slow and frustrating, but we see it work all the time. A good career coach can help you perfect the skill of calling companies and creating a 30-second snapshot of your best value and benefit.

Some Final Thoughts:
A job search is a chance to assess where you are right now. We all know life is short, and no one else can make it meaningful for us. It’s up to us to get right with God and move forward with greater confidence and determination. It’s up to us to use our gifts to add greater impact and meaning to our lives and the lives of those around us.

http://www.careerberg.com/

http://www.careerberg.com/

Targeted mailings, cold calling, job fairs, and occasionally other strategies work for some job seekers. Yet, only 5 to 15 percent of job seekers find positions using these strategies, so be mindful of how much time and energy you put into each. Any direct mail marketing campaign, for example, is considered successful if it generates from a 1 to 3 percent response (each batch of 100 letters yielding 1 to 3 replies). To get significant results from this strategy, you need to limit your expectations; even if you mail to hundreds of organizations, your response rate may be even lower than the industry average. Your goal is to meet someone who will talk to you when there is no open position.

Targeted Mailings
To be effective in a targeted mailing, choose the person you hope to report to or think is the key decision maker. If you correspond with someone much above or below the job level you seek, your letter could be forwarded directly to human resources for filing in the future reference drawer — and never be read. (Job seekers have a special term for this place: the black hole, where all errant resume mailings go to oblivion. One industrious job applicant I know engaged in the great folly of addressing 700 resumes “To Whom It May Concern.” How many people do you think ever read his resume? Oh well, at least he made the Post Office happy; many of his envelopes were sent via Next Day Air delivery.)

Compose a cover or marketing letter that will distinguish you and showcase your best abilities to contribute. Make your comments interesting, relevant, and creative, for example, “Resumes can’t talk, but I can. I’m eager to speak to you about . . .” Then, follow up each targeted mailing with a phone call. Wait about two to three days after your mailing to call to be sure the letter has arrived; it is embarrassing to call too early and appear to be a pest, or too late and learn the letter got passed on to the black hole. Also practice some of the techniques presented here.

Mail your letters in batches of no more than 20 letters at a time. Remember your goal is an in-person interview, and there is no need to mail more inquiries than you can effectively track for timely follow up.

Cold Calling
Most of your job search communication will be by phone. Here’s where you get to be a phone fan like your teenager. Your goal is a face-to-face meeting or interview, and applying the phone strategy well will increase your number of interviews. Remember, you are competing for your contact’s attention with many others who are selling — real estate agents, stockbrokers, bankers, and other job seekers. Of course, telemarketing has a poor reputation, conjuring up images of frenzied callers interrupting dinners and barking about overzealous bargains. Nevertheless, in the pursuit of new work, effective telemarketing is a critical part of your marketing campaign.

To be effective, plan what you want to say, as you would any important telephone conversation.

• Develop a script and rehearse it, in front of a mirror, if possible.
• Craft a sequential list of meaningful questions, beginning with the most important. Ask questions that can actually be answered; people won’t respond well to long, imposing, or confusing questions.
• Verify your research so you are knowledgeable and informed. Also, do your homework on the background of the person you’re going to talk with, noting any special accomplishments to bring up, if that is appropriate, in the conversation.
• Relax and take some deep breaths. Even Olympic weight lifters do this before making a move!
• Mention your contact’s name with your greeting.
• Check if it’s a good time for the other to talk.
• Prepare answers for objections.
• Stay cheerful and focused on your objective.
• Take notes and listen carefully (confirm some facts if necessary).
• Ask specifically for what you want.
• Write down your follow-up steps — and follow up on them.
• Meet your commitments, that is, don’t assent to something you can’t provide.
• Compose and send your thank-you note on the same day.  http://www.careerberg.com/

With cold calling, you do not always know the name of the right person to contact. You need to do your research and bypass the voice mail system by learning the names and numbers of assistants who can refer your call directly to a preferred contact. To find the correct name, try the company’s main number first, and ask the operator for the name of the vice president of human resources or the manager of customer service. If the above information is unavailable, and sometimes it truly is, ask to be transferred directly to the specific department and learn the name of the department head. Verify the correct name spelling and address. If you’re unsure about the gender of a name — like Carol, perhaps — or only have the first initial, make sure you learn the person’s gender, too.

If you are working through a company phone directory, experiment using a catch phrase, such as, “I have some correspondence with Brent Nichols — is he still your manager of customer service?” Try to get the name of your target’s support person and use it if you can, too. Be clear and distinct when you give your name and number and alert her that you will be calling back. Your tone should be patient, courteous, and upbeat.

Finally, to increase your chances of talking to your target when you telephone, call during business off-hours: early in the morning, right before lunch, or late in the day. Your target is most likely to be at his desk then, not away at a meeting.

Practice your voice mail reply so that it is both brief and inclusive. Provide a time when you’ll be available for a return call and leave your message citing your number slowly and distinctly. You’ve encountered fast talkers, not all of them selling used cars or leading an auction, so you can imagine how annoyed your contact will be if you leave a hasty voice mail that has to be played twice to hear the message correctly.

For incoming calls, be sure you have a quiet room set aside to talk, including a desk or table for your contact records, calendar, and resume (or accomplishment sheet), with paper and pencil handy. Alert family members who answer the phone to be prepared to note accurate information, and sound as polite as possible. Your four-year old is charming for family and friends, but might not be the best choice as an administrator to answer your phone call from a job recruiter, unless you’re a day care leader. Make sure your voice mail recording is rational, too, and not overly cute or off the wall. (Let the kids’ cell phones have the answering modes with rapper-recorded messages.) The following story is an illustration of this type of situation.

A freelance single mother of a ten-year-old girl asked me for advice on expanding her business. I returned her phone call one morning, only to hear the daughter’s recorded voice singing a “hello” message before asking for return call information. I met with the freelancer to tell her that this was neither professional nor a business-friendly message and she should consider a separate phone line or a revised recording. She told me she was reluctant to do this, fearing she would damage her daughter’s self-esteem if the message were changed, nor did she want to pay the extra cost for another line. One month after reluctantly changing her voice message, her business began growing again.

Job Fairs and Open Houses
Job fairs and open houses attract potential employees and help organizations fill a large number of open requisitions. Fairs are popular during periods of dynamic growth and even in downtimes draw those with can-do skills. Some job seekers see these as “cattle drives” to round up desperate people who will work cheaply, but others with a positive attitude like job fairs because the gatherings allow them to shop the companies they like.

Before the fair, you should practice your “reason for availability” or your 60-second infomercial/elevator speech, stay confident and positive, shake hands convincingly, and smile. Also, keep the following tips in mind.

• Research the companies attending — and also consider organizations not previously on your radar list.
• Dress professionally (tie and jacket for men; skirt/dress slacks and blouse for women). Save the Speedos and sweats for at-home networking. And always wear comfortable shoes.
• While at the fair, ask good questions of the recruiters and show enthusiastic interest in the organization. Take company literature available for future study/research.
• Write down the name of the person you meet and jot down the context of your conversation on the back of his business card. You may find, however, that some companies hire recruiters just for the day and instruct them to withhold any personal identification.
• Bring an ample supply of resumes (25 to 30 copies). Some astute product marketers fold their resumes in thirds to have them stand out in a file; others enclose them in plastic sheaths to distinguish them.
• Distribute your business card.
• After the meeting, follow up with the recruiter or hiring manager by telephone. Wait three to five days for smaller events, five to ten days for events with more than 100 attendees.
• If the lines are long and the waits are tedious, introduce yourself to others in line and start one or two new relationships. People looking for work could have friends and contacts at companies that interest you, and you can often learn from them about the company’s culture, salary range, and hiring needs.

Other Sources
There are numerous sources to help you find a job. Below are just a few for you to consider.

Job Hot Lines. Some large organizations, universities (and colleges), and government agencies have 24-hour job hot lines. They have recorded messages with current openings that include brief job descriptions, a few key requirements, salary ranges, and dates for submitting applications. Treat your responses as you would a published listing.

Computer Networks. Some institutions use a national computer network for their job listings and accept resumes online. Be sure to follow all of the directions to log on and to access the system exactly. There is always the danger that your paperwork will be cut off at the end of a couple of minutes or after 200 some odd words. Make sure your resume has key words that are used in the job description.

Interactive Voice Mail. Some firms are experimenting with a new interactive voice mail software. Here you are asked to submit your qualifications by touching your telephone keys (push 1 if you have an MBA, push 2 if you have a Ph.D.). It is used mostly as an elimination tool, so, again, follow directions precisely to avoid a mistake that could take you out of the running. Also, supplementing this with a follow-up mail response or direct phone contact with the hiring manager is a very good idea.

Faxing Your Resume. Never hesitate to fax your resume when asked or to use the medium to further distinguish yourself. One marketing executive created her own fax form, with her unique experience and skill set noted in the borders. She also took a risk when she faxed her resume and marketing cover letter to a key number of important directors of marketing. Some offices do not welcome unsolicited fax communication, even from a candidate where creativity is expected.

http://www.careerberg.com/

http://www.careerberg.com

In my continuing series on job search tips for hard times, here are 3 ways to locate job openings using free resources at your disposal.

1) Read the paper, but not the want ads

Research is your first step in ferreting out job openings. And since almost everyone gets a daily newspaper, why not start there? But don’t spend a lot of time on the want ads, advises Picha.

“I take an indirect approach in looking for companies that might be hiring. For example, I skimmed today’s Wall Street Journal and found these tidbits:

• “Toyota now wants 15% of global market share, which means they’ll be expanding worldwide and perhaps hiring locally…”

• “China is buying $1.2 billion in telecom equipment from Lucent and Motorola, which points to both firms needing new personnel…”

• “Earnings for Cendant rose 19%, so they may be hiring…”

“The list goes on,” says Picha.

All is takes is a little digging to uncover these “jewels” that point you toward companies in need of new employees.

Two more ways to use the newspaper to uncover expanding businesses are:

• Monitor the business section for firms signing new commercial leases, a sure sign of a need for increased capacity.

• Look for companies receiving venture capital — since it’s so difficult to get these days, such firms are likely to have a viable business model … and a need for new employees. http://www.careerberg.com

2) Consider temporary employment

Temporary agencies can open the door to a wider range of jobs than you think they’re not limited to office support or light factory work.

“Many savvy employers use temporary agencies as a screening device. It’s a chance to put temp workers through a trial period. And, if the employee is talented enough, a job can be created just for him or her,” says Picha.

In Southern California, some companies draw 33-50% of their staff from the temporary work force, according to Picha. Similar figures may apply to other parts of the country.

Temporary agencies are all around you, too.

“Just visit www.google.com, search for ‘temporary employment,’ and you’ll find a huge number of temp agency listings. You can sort them by geography, industry — whatever,” says Picha, who found 59 agencies listed for his Southern California region.

3) Network smarter, not harder

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again networking is how 70-80% of the best jobs are filled. But in today’s economy, don’t expect a plum position to fall in your lap. You must network smartly and more creatively.

“Try calling on vendors and suppliers who know of companies that might be hiring. These include your local banker, CPA, lawyer and real estate agent. These people all have a great deal of knowledge,” says Picha.

Don’t forget associations there’s one or more for every field of work. Use them to meet decision makers who can hire you. Call the reference desk at your public library for help finding associations.

When you call or meet networking contacts, ask for names of growing companies who could use someone with your experience. Ask for a contact person at the target employer(s), but avoid the HR department, since they often act as gatekeepers and may shun you.

So there you have it.

Three job search tips to help you use the newspaper, temp agencies and your network more creatively and effectively than before.

Are you in the market for a new job, but find yourself struggling to find job leads or obtain interviews? Are you getting job interviews, but no offers?

If you’ve been looking for a job for months with little or no success — or are about to start a new job search — review the most common ways job-seekers bomb a job-search, and then make certain your job-search avoids them.

1. Not having a job-search strategy. Any good job-search starts with a plan, a vision, and a strategy. Issues to address include the specific types of jobs you want to seek, prospective employers that match your values, and tactics for developing job leads. The more finely honed and developed your strategy, the more success you’ll have in uncovering perfect career opportunities.

2. Too little time spent on job-hunting. If you’re in no hurry to find a new job, passive job-searching may work fine for you. But if you are seriously looking for a new job, then you must commit large allotments of time daily (as much as you can spare, depending on whether you are working or unemployed) to the search — time that is well-spent uncovering job leads, interacting with your network, preparing or going on interviews, and following-up with prospective employers. 

3. Not maximizing all aspects of networking. Most job-seekers have now heard the statistics that show that the vast majority of new hires come from a networking situation, not from job boards or other job-search techniques. Thus, part of each day should be spent making new network contacts and talking with current network contacts. Take advantage of traditional face-to-face networking techniques, as well as online social networking sites. Consider informational interviews as a tool to build network contacts if you are seeking a job in a new field or location.

4. Spending too much time with online job sites. The big job boards are not useless — not yet anyway — but the time you spend on a Monster or CareerBuilder should be minimal. Better to use that time with a niche job board (by profession, industry, or location) or on each prospective employer’s career center. Most experts suggest you should still consider posting your resume on one of the major job boards, but don’t expect significant results. If you’re looking for job leads, consider using a job-search engine such as Indeed.com.

5. Problems with your resume. The typical problems with resumes include lack of focus, including misleading or untruthful information on resume, and/or writing weak, unquantified, or nonexistent accomplishments (or focusing on duties instead of accomplishments). While networking is the cornerstone to uncovering job leads, your resume is pivotal to obtaining interviews. Your resume, as your main marketing document to prospective employers, must have a sharp focus, be tailored to each specific employer and job, include only relevant information, provide quantifiable accomplishments, contain no errors of facts or writing, and entice the reader to want to meet you for an interview.

6. Lack of clear positioning, branding, digital presence. If you can’t clearly and concisely discuss who you are and what you want, how do you expect an employer to figure it out? While marketing and IT may not be your core strengths, you need to learn some elements of both if you want to have greater job-search and career success. Start with the basics, such as developing your Elevator Speech and resume, but move forward with online measures, such as developing a professional profile on LinkedIn. Ideally, you’ll get to buying your domain name and developing a branded Website that includes key information about who you are — as a professional. As part of the hiring process, more and more employers are conducting online searches of candidates.

7. Not keeping current with skills, emerging technologies, or certifications. One of the biggest mistakes of mid-career and older job-seekers that we see is that they stop learning new and emerging technologies and techniques — encouraging the stereotype that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. Lifelong learning and professional development is essential in all career fields. Ideally, your current employer provides you with a professional development allotment, but if not, pay for the training, certifications, and education yourself. Besides staying current in your field, attending classes and professional meetings are also great methods of meeting new people and building your network.

8. Aiming too high or too low — feeling overqualified or underqualified for many job openings. You are wasting much of your time and energy if you are applying to jobs that are too far below you — or way too much of a stretch. Take the Goldilocks approach and seek out jobs that are just right for the next step in your career. If you have a reason for seeking a position in which you are overqualified, such as you are looking for a less stressful job, and thus applying for positions that make you appear overqualified, carefully address that issue to even be considered. Underqualified? There’s no harm in making a case for a job that is a stretch from your current work — but you’ll need solid credentials and a great sales technique to even get considered. Overqualified?

9. Poor job interview preparation and/or weak interviewing skills.When we talk with employers, we hear the horror stories of job-seekers who arrive for interviews either completely unprepared or clueless about how badly they interview. Once your networking and resume get you in the door, your focus should be on researching the organization, both for its interviewing approach and to prepare you to ask and answer interview questions. We recommend job-seekers anticipate the most likely questions that will be asked and prepare strong and relevant responses. If you have had trouble with previous interviews, conduct mock interviews and other practice techniques to get you ready for the big day. Finally, remember the importance of first impressions and dress professionally, make eye contact and smile, and always greet the interviewer(s) with a firm, dry handshake.

10. Little or no follow-up. The burden is always on the job-seeker to follow-up with employers about potential job leads and after job interviews. While some employers may contact you, most are too busy with other obligations and responsibilities. While it’s harder to follow-up all your job applications, do the best you can because your persistence will lead to interviews. Similarly, after job interviews, first follow up with thank-you letters to each person who interviewed you, but also continue to follow up with the hiring manager and/or key contact to show your continued interest and enthusiasm for the position.

Final Thoughts
If you take away only three concepts from this list of 10 deadly job-seeker sins, take away the three most important aspects of a good job-search: strong use of networking, well-written and focused resume, and effective interview preparation and delivery.

Finally, one other area that many job-seekers feel inadequate is salary negotiation. It’s important to know when to anticipate a job offer and how to negotiate the salary or other aspects of the job offer.