The key is for you to tune into the radio station they are listening to (WIIFM) which stands for What’s In It For Me. You need to be focused on the the key things (needs) that the employer is interested in having by the person who they are looking to fill this position. You need to convince the employer that that person is you.

The best way to do this is by using ROC Power phrases. ROC is Result Oriented Communication which is describing your most compelling accomplishment in a concise, descriptive way, that is memorable and impactful to the listener.

If you would like to learn how to do this I am partnering with another Career Coach and offering a 6 class tele-seminar series geared to accelerate your career success.

You can learn more at: http://www.careersintransition.net/

Why not make the investment in yourself and get the interview and the job. We can do it and we can help.

• Meditation – Arrive early and spend a few minutes in meditation prior to entering the building for the interview. This will help you reduce your heart rate and feel calmer when you enter and meet the interviewer and it will be demonstrated in your body language.

• Music – Listening to inspiring or exciting music of your choice will help to energize you and make you more enthusiastic and excited.

• Smile- Nothing will disarm a person with a poor attitude faster than a smile. Having a smile will help you develop a relationship with the interviewer and isn’t that the entire goal of having the interview session?

• Self Talk – Did you know if you repeated to yourself how well you were going to do during the interview and you have done all of the aforementioned prep work that you would live out exactly what you have said. We hear so many negative thing that it is almost a requirement that we say positive things to ourselves if we plan to be successful.

• Coaching – Having someone coach you can make all the difference in making a quick attitude adjustment and point out things that you might not have been aware of. You might think it is not necessary to have a coach. Is it worth loosing the job opportunity that you spent hours in preparation to get the interview, not to mention the thousands of dollars in lost income just because did not think the investment in a coach was worth it? Winning teams have a coach why shouldn’t you?

Paying attention to your attitude before your interview is the key to making that first good impression and it can be the difference in getting the job of your dreams. If you need a coach I can help you accelerate your success. Contact me at: coach@interviewteacher.com

When faced with a tough interview question it is best that you look presidential. In this video Colin Powell is calm cool and collected when answering a potentially volatile interview question. As you listen to the interview notice that he does not evade the question, but supports his position with facts.

When you are responding to an interview question, follow Colin Powell’s example, provide the supportive information and then provide your answer. This process is similar to building a house. The supportive information you provide is the foundation that you will build your answer on. The more accurate and complete the information is that you provide the stronger your answer and the more likely it will be accepted by the interviewer.

Remember to be presidential and answer your interview questions with information that support your answer. If you are affective at doing this you will be offered the job.

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.

Nicholas received an on-the-spot offer and was thrilled. This was the job he wanted and he was anxious to get started. He was going to get more money, and a bonus. What more could he ask for?

When he got home that evening, he sat down with pencil and paper and began to evaluate the offer, and what he was getting overall. He was not only shocked by what he discovered, but wished that he could go back and talk about some of the issues. But, he had signed on the “dotted line” that afternoon.

Once you sign the offer letter, you have essentially signed a contract. It is too late to go back and negotiate. Never accept an on-the-spot offer, unless it is absolutely out-of-this-world. It is generally wise to evaluate what you are gaining and losing. Let’s look at what Nicholas found out by doing some simple calculations.

Nicholas was offered $55,000 per year, with a hiring bonus of $5,000 paid in two payments over the next six months. This was a $5,000 a year increase from what he was making on his last job, and a bonus to boot. An extra $10,000.00.

When he and his wife looked over the benefits package they discovered that he would now have to pay the insurance premiums for his dependents. His last employer had paid the premiums for the entire family. -$350.00/per month – $4200 per year His new vacation package offered two weeks time off, accrued over the next twelve months. His former package included three weeks vacation. -$962.00 one week’s vacation pay

Nicholas was receiving a 6.5% yearly bonus, based on company earnings in his last position. His new company does not have a planned bonus as part of the salary. Bonuses are earned based on performance, and given as judged appropriate. -$3250.00 per year – lost bonus

His former employer matched 50 cents for every dollar contributed up to 6% on his 401K account. This company does not match funds. -$1500.00 per year (based on 6% contribution)

His calculations showed a minus of $10,000 a year from his new offer, based on cost of insurance premiums, lost bonus, and lost matching 401K contributions. He wasn’t quite so thrilled with the offer anymore.

At least he got that $5000 hiring bonus, which will cushion the fall. But even that will be affected – he didn’t anticipate the higher tax rate on “special” checks that was deducted from the bonus money. These higher rate taxes can run as high as 41.5%.

Nicholas got the job he wanted, and maybe that is worth more to him than the money difference. But, it would have been wise to make the decision with all the facts before signing the offer letter. He may have been able to negotiate another $5,000 to compensate for the benefits differences. Or, given the higher tax rate he could have negotiated for an increase in the hiring bonus.

It is always best to take some time to reflect on the “total package.” Benefits can be worth another 20-50% of your salary. There are other factors to consider besides money – more challenging work, better company, a greater opportunity. It may be worth giving up dollars now to invest in your future. However, the decision should be thought through before rushing ahead.

If pressed to give your answer to an offer on-the-spot, always stall for time. Tell them that you need to do some calculations and think about it. There is only one window of opportunity to negotiate your terms of employment.. Once you say “Yes!” – the window closes.

Make sure you take the time to consider all your options. It’s not always as good as it looks.

Carole Martin, America’s #1 Interview Expert and Coach, can give you interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy of her FREE 9-part “Interview Success Tips” report by visiting Carole on the web at The Interview Coach

Article Source: http://articlesforboomers.com

read more | digg story

read more | digg story

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.

read more | digg story

read more | digg story

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.

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

read more | digg story

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.
| digg story