InterviewTeacher.com

Have you ever negotiated an offer?

If not, you are not alone. Most people DO NOT negotiate salary. They accept what is offered.

Whether you negotiate a salary or not is secondary to doing your homework before accepting an offer. It is always best to take some time before signing on the dotted line so that you understand exactly what you are gaining - or losing.

Here’s an example of someone who jumped at an offer before doing his homework.
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Hiring managers look for certain tell tail signs (red flags ) on an application, in responses given during the initial telephone interview, and during face to face interviews to potentially screen out a candidate in the early stages of the hiring process. Find out what these secrets are and the steps you can take to avoid them. Just click the link below to read the full article.

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Social Networking groups like LinkedIn.com provide a valuable service to job seekers trying to obtain inside information on the culture of a company, but it is a double edge sword. Employers are using these social networks to obtain inside information on you. Read how.

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You may hear a number of people tell you a number of things about what an interview is or is not. But the one thing that everyone will agree on is that an interview is all about the establishment of a good relationship. If you do not believe this then allow me ask you a question. Who would you rather do business with, someone who is trustworthy, friendly, and well groomed or someone who is shifty, has an attitude, and disheveled? My guess is you would choose the friendly person to do business with. Your prospective employer is no different, they would like to do business with someone who looks good, is friendly and trustworthy.

How do you establish a good relationship in an interview? You must make a good first impression and build upon it. The first thing you must do is smile. People who see you smile will smile back at you, they can not help it. If you are not sure that this will work, smile at someone in the store that you do not know the next time you go shopping and see if they smile back. Nine times out of ten they will return the smile. The tenth person did not notice you. If I have convinced you that a smile works then you will want you to make sure that you smile during your next interview.

What type of smile should it be? It must be a genuine smile, a smile that you feel inside yourself. If the smile is contrived or forced the person seeing it will be able to tell right away and will not trust you. Remember you are in the process of establishing a relationship, if you are not expressing your true feelings people will be able to tell. Once you have lost that person’s trust the interview is over. If you are the type of person how finds it difficult to smile here are a few strategies to use and practice? Think of why you are so interested in working for this employer and how happy you will be to get this job. In another circumstance I would tell you to think of a happy event in your life or that you won the most recent Power Ball Lottery, but I do not want your mind to wander off the task of answering questions during the interview. Think of how happy your new supervisor will be to have you working for him/her and the knowledge and value you will bring to this position. These are things that should motivate you to smile and keep your mind focused on the job at hand, building the relationship during the interview. Smiling is just the first step to establishing a good relationship during a job interview; additional steps will be discussed in future posts. Remember keep smiling.

The Baby Boomer population is quickly approaching retirement age, but they have decided to continue working. A grant program has been established to provide educational opportunities to help Baby Boomers transition into a second career. Click the link to learn more.

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You are just 5 easy steps away from becoming known as an expert in your industry. Why is this important, because as an employer you want to hire someone who is knowledgeable and is willing to share what they know? One of the best ways to be seen as an expert by others is by becoming published. One of the quickest ways to become published is by writing articles. When you write articles about topics in your industry you are separating yourself from the crowd. How will potential employers find you, but using search engines on the internet looking for information on the topic you have written or searching your name after they had received your resume? Discovery the steps to take that will get you closer to your dream job by clicking the read more link below.

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It might seem like a strange question to ask, especially if you are in transition (not currently employed). You might say, of course I am looking for a job. If I were to ask you why, the answer might be, “Because I need to pay my bills”. Yes, I know that bill payment is a priority, but let us stop for a moment and take inventory.

The fastest way to get a job is to offer the employer a solution to a problem that they are currently facing. If you agree with this statement then you need to research the company and not really be concerned about the job they are offering. Take an inventory of your skills by thinking of all of the things you know how to do and write them down. Your list might include thing like budget analysis, workflow redesign, team building, specific computer software application, customer service skills, good organizational skills, words per minute typing, grant and policy writing, product sales, or a host of other skills.

Once you have developed your list, you need to select a small list of companies or organizations in your area of expertise and research them. Look in industry trade journals, newspaper, internet to discover the latest concerns and issues in the market place. Even more importantly, what is this company’s position in the market? Don’t forget to find out financially sound the company is by reviewing their annual report and find out what suppliers to the company have to say about their payment practices.

Now that you have your research and your skills list, look for opportunities to compare them to discover where there might be an opportunity to provide the company with a service that they need. You might even find that the company does not have a position that addresses this need. When you do you have hit the Jackpot.
Your next steps to determine how to present this information and get an interview with the decision maker of the company will be offered in future posts. Rest assured, you are on your way to discover your dream job.

It is a simple question with only one correct answer, YES! We all have an attitude each and every one of us. Some people have a positive one and others a negative one. It is your attitude that can be the hidden factor to you obtaining a return interview or landing that dream job. Your attitude is hidden in plain view. People can tell if you have a positive or negative one just by looking at you.

What does an attitude look like?

Positive Attitude “ Well groomed, good posture, smile, clean and pressed clothing.

Negative Attitude “ Unkempt hair, unshaved (face for men and legs for women), poor posture, poor eye contact, angry or fearful facial expression, wrinkled and stained clothing.

This is just a short list to give you an idea of what I was thinking, please feel free to contribute to this list in the comments section of this post.

How does this affect your prospect of getting an additional interview or the job? More than 70% of communication is non verbal. If you look like you have a negative attitude people will be repelled from you before you say hello. What do you do then? Make sure you develop a positive attitude and cultivate it. I will give you suggestions on being successful in developing a positive attitude in future posts.

Getting ready for an interview is just like a game of war that you might have played with your friends as a child. We both know that you have no chance of winning with out the right ammunition. This means that you must have a business card. Having a business card to share during your interview says something about who you are. You want to make sure that your business card in printed on good quality paper, remember this is something that you will be leaving behind after the interview to be remembered by. I prefer to have my business card laminated as well. It gives a rich feel in the hand of the person you extend it to and they will be more interested in looking at it. Some people will take the easy inexpensive route of printing their business card from their home computer. The disadvantage to this is the quality of the card stock paper that you would use in your home computer can not compare to the quality of card stock used at a printer.

If expense is an issue, you can get your business cards printed free at www.vistaprint.com, you just pay for shipping and handling. That is where I get my cards made. I normally use the premium business cards which run about $20 for 250 cards; a business card is just one piece of ammunition in your interview arsenal. You will find additional tips and strategies that will make you stand out in a crowd in the above video. Please be sure to read the previous posts to discover the other important ammunition you must bring to you next interview. | digg story

Identity theft is the last thing that you need when you are on the hunt for a job. There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself. When applying to job boards on the internet you can select the hide my personal information option which will allow the employer only to see your job history and then contact you directly if there is an interest. I know it is hard to believe but there are people who will send you fake job listings to your e mail as another way to obtain your personal information, so you need to research the company before you send your information to them. Remember thieves will travel the road of least resistance, so it is your job not to make it easy for them. There are several additional tips that you will find in the article below just click the read more link.

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Interview Questions are the one thing that you do not want to get caught without during your interview. You need to prepare a set of questions to ask the interviewer about the available position. Why should you write your questions down in advance and bring them with you? During the interview you will be so focused on answering questions that when it comes time for you to ask questions you might be speechless. It is difficult to switch gears from answering questions one after another to asking them.

Preparing a list of questions in advance provides you with the opportunity to ask specific questions about the position that came to your mind when you researched the company. You should also carry a writing pad to take notes and jot down questions that may come to your mind during the interview. Interview questions, if you do not have them now make sure you do before your next interview. | digg story

Resume secrets are revealed in this power packed video that will set you apart from the average job candidate. Tips on paper quality, resume formatting and the magic of using a paper clip are revealed. Let Kevin the interview teacher help you land your dream job.
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Too experienced, expensive (high salary), or educated are some of the reasons you might be over looked for a position. Learn what you can do to avoid being locked out or overlooked when it come to an available job opening. Discover how to answer the tough questions you may face in an interview.

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Although we are in the video age where it is not cost prohibitive to make a video, will making a video resume really set you apart from the crowd? Check out this article and decide for yourself.

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Spending a few extra dollars goes a long way when it comes to making a good first impression. With this in mind I recommend that you purchase a resume folder to place your resume in. It makes a good presentation and helps to keep your papers organized. If you notice in the video above I choose a paper stock and resume folder of similar color. This gives a professional presentation when you place it on the table during your interview. You may consider handing your resume in a folder to the interviewer. I am not suggesting that you do this with every interview, but if this is your dream job and you are meeting with the CEO or President of the organization, how much is it worth to you to be the candidate that this person remembers as polished, organized and the one who pays attention to detail? If your answer is more than $5.00 then go ahead and give the folder to the interviewer. The resume folder that I use when I go on interviews and the one in this video I purchased from Staples because they have good prices and high quality supplies. Remember, it may cost you a little more money than you were expecting to spend initially, but this is an investment in yourself, your future. I think you are worth it, don’t you?