InterviewTeacher.com

When you obtain an offer for an interview there are two things you must remember:
• Get the business card of the person who interviews you
• Have a business card of your own to exchange

Why is this so important? After the interview is over you will want to send a thank you letter to the interviewer for the time they spent with you. You will want to have the mailing address, the name of the person spelled correctly, and their title. All of these items can be found on their business card.

Why should you have a business card to exchange with the interviewer? It allows you to leave your contact information with the interviewer in a smaller format than your resume. Your business card is a reflection of you, so you would like it to make a statement. I recommend getting a business card made by a printer on a quality stock paper. By doing so you will leave a good impression with the interviewer and stand out of the crowd, remember everything that you do during the interview or leave behind will remind the interviewer of the high caliber that you exhibited. This is not a time to cut cost but you do not have to blow the bank either.

I get my business cards made at VistaPrint.com and use the premium card option. Premium Cards will cost you about $20.00 or less for a box of 250 cards. I usually get my cards laminated too. It gives the front of the card a glossy look and makes your card stand out of the crowd. Select a professional looking background for your card. You do not want the background to be too busy and take your eyes away from your contact information. Check out the video to see what my business card looks like.

Remember all of the great things that your supervisor said about you on your performance appraisal. By reviewing these statements and incorporating them into your resume you not only tell your future employer what you have accomplished, but you plant the seed to open a discussion of how you can do the same great things if hired in their organization. Comments from co-workers and customers are great statements that you should consider adding to your resume as well. Remember your resume is the key to getting you the invitation for an interview. Having a resume rich with testimonial statements is one of the best ways I know to get you to the interview phase of your job search. I recently read a post by Kim Isaac who provides more in depth information on this valuable process. Just click the link to be directed to her post.

This is a reprint of an article written by Don Monteith:

Choosing your career is an important priority in the job market. However, be sure you have given a good and respectful notice to your present employer or it may come back to haunt you in the future.

Maybe you have made a bad choice of career and want to change. Fine! Just don’t take it out on fellow employees by laying out sick or taking excessive time off. Be responsible whatever the job today.

Everyone in your future will want to know about your past performance, so be very careful how you take action or one day it will hit you in the backside without mercy.

How important is your job to the team? Will you be highly missed? Not much? Glad to see you go?

Most of us never think about who we’d miss…. UNTIL there is a sudden change in things NOT getting done in the office or the plant.

Well, when you stop to think about it….. there are more folks than we realize who we depend on everyday of the week. Most of us make sure the payroll clerk is on the job when payday comes every week. Then there are others that quickly come to mind…. the coffee maker; the mail clerk; the UPS guy/gal or FEDx person; the cleaning crew and more. A BIG WOW!!

Missing persons never cross your mind before it affects our routine. Suddenly someone hollers out with who’s going to make the coffee this morning? Where’s the payroll clerk?

One of the biggest challenges comes when no one emptied the trash cans over night. Usually, we just expect it to get down without a thought.

Don’t you agree that efficiency is critical to the success of everyone’s job? It’s like your sparkplugs misfiring when you crank up the car, right? Just ONE dead plug and we all know something is wrong immediately. None of us like the inconvenience and challenge of poor performance with our cars or a team-mate.

Ask the question of yourself. Who would be affected in their daily routine if YOU failed to be on the job when expected? Do you realize the importance of your presence in running the office, plant, etc; department; plant or wherever you accept a paycheck today? Probably very important or your “pink” slip is coming soon.

How about the CEO? Yes, he or she is very important to the success of your firm. However, unless you are on the executive floor of the firm it’s unlikely that his/her performance will affect your daily routine.

Their job is to THINK and SEARCH for ways to build and grow the business. Maybe even BUY competitors for market share and value to your stockholders and most probably you and fellow employees too.

Recently, we read about Microsoft bidding for Yahoo to the tune of $44+ billion dollars. Hopefully, it will be a “good deal” for all stockholders and the employees of both firms involved.

Before you complain or quit without notice…. it’s a good idea to realize you and every employee has value to your personal success just as YOU have value and worth to their success as fellow team-players.

ACTIONTIP: Before YOU take a sick day or begin your vacation or give up the ghost….. think about how it will affect the smooth running of your team. Have arrangements been made to cover your job? Is your Supervisor informed and ready for your absence? Be responsible and take action as a leader. You may one day be a Supervisor or the CEO of your present employer…. a move up to the TOP floor begins now!
Don Monteith spent 32 years as co-owner of several franchises and a personnel/staffing business. Every year, his firm placed hundreds of job candidates in their dream job. Today, Don shares his business and career expertise. http://www.HowToGetYourDreamJob.com

Whether you know it or not your body is constantly speaking even when no words are spoken. How does this happen? It is the position of your body which provides others with visual queues that are commonly known ask body language. You body speaks to people before you do, and you respond to other people’s body language. I will use examples to provide you with a better picture. When you see someone with their arms folded it gives you the impression that they are displeased, or angry with the situation. If someone has their hand on their hip, it may give the impression that this person has an attitude. Now I know you would never enter an interview exhibiting such behaviors, but you need to be aware of your body language to ensure that the audible message you convey is in agreement with the visual message you body is conveying.

One of the best ways to establish a friendly relationship with the person who is interviewing you is by mirroring their body language. What is mirroring you ask? It is matching what a person does with their body and reflecting back the same visual clues. If the interviewer smiles then you should too. If they lean forward so should you. You want to make your visual response as natural as you can. Focus on reflecting, just like the person would see in a mirror, positive behaviors that the interviewer displays.

This is a learned skill and I recommend practicing with a friend so that you feel comfortable and respond naturally. The benefit of mirroring the interviewer’s body language is making the interviewer feel comfortable with you and like you. Remember the successful interview is all about establishing a friendly relationship, the visual queues you display, your body language, is the key to establishing this relationship. Don’t forget that eye contact plays in the body language equation. Your smile is the ice breaker when you feel that things may be getting a little tense. Remember to keep a positive mind set, mirror the interviewer, smile and keep good eye contact. You will not regret the time spent practicing perfecting this skill, especially when the goal is your next dream job.

Why is this important you may ask? Your eye contact will give the observer (in this case the interviewer) the impression that you are honest or you are trying to hide something. If the interviewer asked if you liked your former supervisor and you looked up at the ceiling with your eyes and then answered yes. The interviewer would think that this was an untruthful answer and might probe deeper or feel that you were not an honest person and shorten the interview. Looking up at the ceiling in response to a question tells the person that you are speaking to that you are looking for the answer. Looking down and answering is just as just as bad as looking at the ceiling because it establishes you as taking an inferior position or not being honest. Remember your goal during the interview is to establish a good relationship with the interviewer.

To be successful you must maintain good eye contact. When speaking to the interviewer you should look him or her in the eyes. Do not stare, and do not allow your eyes to wander around the room. People feel good about you when they feel that you are giving them your undivided attention. Maintaining good eye contact is important to establishing trust and developing a good relationship.

Does the culture or gender of an individual influence their eye contact when speaking? Most definitely yes, in some Asian, and Black cultures looking down when answering a question is sign of respect. Some females may also look down when answering a question because they are shy. This can be a hard habit to break when it is time for your interview. But it is a habit and can be changed. I recommend that you conduct a mock interview with a friend of a friend. It is important that this person provide you with real life interview questions and will give you honest feedback. I suggested a friend of a friend because if your friend was conducting the mock interview you might find it very easy to talk to that person and you will not exhibit the negative behaviors discussed earlier. Practicing is the best way I know to become more comfortable with maintaining good eye contact and helping to develop a good impression with the person interviewing you. Remember, the interview is about establishing a good relationship with the interviewer, good eye contact is the key to a successful interview.

Your appearance – What do you look like? You want to check yourself before you leave the house and again once you arrive at your destination just prior to your interview. Make sure that everything is in place and looking neat. Ladies should check their blouses to make sure that it is buttoned correctly and gentlemen should check their trousers to ensure they are sipped up all the way. You might be laughing at me for mentioning this but you will be surprised how many people forget to do this because they are nervous or rushing and suffer to consequences of not getting the job as a result.

Check your hair to ensure it is well groomed, especially if it is inclement weather and you were wearing a hat. That quick stop in the lavatory prior to the interview can be a relief in more than just the obvious way if you take the time to give yourself the once over. While you are there check your smile. Your smile will be one of the first things the interviewer sees. Ladies should check to make sure they do not have any lipstick on their teeth. Gentlemen as well as ladies should check to make sure they do not have anything stuck in between their teeth and their breath smells fresh. I recommend brushing your teeth before going to the interview and not eating anything until the interview is over. Remember, not onions or garlic meals prior to the interview. You my not be able to smell it but if your breath offends the interviewer you are guaranteed not to get the job.

How long does it take for someone to tell if they like you or not. This decision is usually made in the first 30 seconds of contact. You may be unaware of it but you normally size someone up in the first 30 seconds.

How is this done? People observe each other and make value judgments about each other long before either person offers the first words of welcome. I know you are thinking, “This is not fair!”, and I will agree with you, but it is reality so we have to do what we can to stack the deck in our favor.

Make a good presentation. You should look top notch from head to toe. This means, shoes shined with no scoff marks, fingernails clean, hair well groomed, fresh smelling breath, good eye contact, a warm and sincere smile, a firm and welcoming hand shake, a resume folder with your resume and questions for the interviewer on one side and research on the company you are interviewing with on the other side in plain view when you open the folder. You want to present a business card and your resume on good stock paper. You want to feel excited and passionate about the interview. This will come though in your body gestures and will be translated as positive feed back by the interviewer. All of these things have been observed, judged and you have yet to say a word, but if you have done things correctly you have made a good first impression and are on your way to establishing a good relationship. Having a good relationship with the interviewer is what this process is all about. People hire and want to work with other people they like.

If you are interested in reading more about this topic I would suggest the book “Blink” which you can read more about and purchase if you like from my suggested reading page. I will explore your appearance and other key aspect of the interview in future posts.

The New York Football Giants made it to the Super Bowl and won. They won in spite of so many people doubting they could. The Green Bay Packers nor the New England Patriots would have believed that the Giants would have made it to the Super Bowl let alone beat them both to win the game, especially if you asked them 3 weeks into the football season.

Do you know how the Giants made it to the game and won? Not by plane, bus or train they did it by determination, drive, diligence, and with a specific goal in mind. This is the same type of approach that you must have when it comes to writing your resume, cover letter, applying to job offers and following up on them to get the interview. If you sit back and wait for something to happen it never will. Employers today want to hire someone with determination and drive to work for them. Today’s new hires have to exhibit energy, excitement, and enthusiasm. People who exhibit these behaviors are considered go getters, they help the organizations that they work for set trends, not follow them. These people are considered leaders and are willing to learn and do more than the average person.

If the employer that has the open position which is your dream job is looking for you, then you have to be out there on the field to be seen. This is not the time to sit on the side lines, but you have to be ready to get into the game. This means staying current with the latest terms and understanding the most pressing issues that this organization faces. You have to position yourself as the candidate with the best solution to help this organization solve its most pressing issues.

Don’t be afraid to get in the game. The Giants’ goal was to win the Super Bowl and yours is to win your dream job. It is going to take hard work, energy, determination, perseverance, and drive but if you really want it bad enough then you will get it. Remember, to never ever give up. Who cares if you missed the last two field goals? So what you had a poor resume or messed up on your last interview. When you get the chance to kick the ball again the only thing in your mind should be that you are going to score and win the game. This is the mindset you must have to be successful in the game of winning your dream job. Adopt the mindset of the New York Football Giants and remember that we at are here to help you. Contact us at Info@InterviewTeacher.com, your dream job is within your reach, but you will never obtain it if you are not wiling to stretch yourself .

How do you answer the phone? Do you sound lively, excited, and professional? If your answer is no then you are not practicing the scout motto. What is the motto? Be Prepared. Every time you answer the phone you must be prepared to answer using a lively, exciting and professional tone of voice. Your tone of voice makes all the difference on how you will be received and perceived on the other side of the phone by the caller.

Yes I know that we have technology working on our side with the ability to use caller ID to see who is calling, but if you do not know the number it is best to practice the scout’s motto. The risk you take of not using this technique is losing the opportunity to interview for that next great job. Smiling when you answer the phone is heard on the other end of the line and people like to do business with people they like. Smiling will make you likable to the caller and may even make them smile too. Being prepared places you in a tactical advantage when answering the phone. Rise to the occasion and be a scout, you will not regret it.

Social networking sites are great tools to meet others and expand your sphere of influence, but there are a few safety tips that you should follow.

• Limit your personal information – Some sites allow you to limit the number of people that can have access to your profile information. I recommend that you do not share your address or telephone number on line.
• Check your privacy settings – Privacy settings is a away to limit the sharing of information you have posted on your networking site. A number of sites like Facebook may allow for too much sharing of information if you do not use it correctly. Check your privacy settings and be sure you understand what the various plug-ins do before you install and use them.
• Comments are discoverable – Remember that what you write on the internet can be searched and found. This can have negative ramifications if you write or post a picture of you in an objectionable situation, you might loose your job.

Consider these tips went you decide to post information about yourself on the internet. These tips will help keep you safe and if you have not had a chance, please listen to the video to learn more.

Why do they call it loosing your job? You know where it is and so do they, but they just asked you not to come there anymore. What do you do? You have become use to coming in and doing your tasks at this same location for a number of years, and now you feel like you have no where to go. That is where you are wrong. You are talented and have a number of skills to offer your next employer.

The first thing you must do is get rid of the defeated mentality that you might have picked up when they let you go. I like to saying, “Let you go” because it gives you the notion that you can move forward to new opportunities. There may be a better job out there for you than the one you just had. But you will never know unless you go out there and find it.

Stop holding yourself back, get out there and start networking. You have to let your friends, and people you meet know what type of opportunity you are looking. This is where your 30 second promotional pitch comes in. Some people call this an elevator speech because you must get the person you are speaking with interested in what you have to say and able to remember it in about 30 seconds. We will discuss this more in depth in future posts.

Remember, do not be discouraged. You have been let go for a reason, and that is to find a more fulfilling position that will allow you to use your talents and gifts, providing you the opportunity for you to be more passionate about your job. It is this passion that you have which will fuel your desire to be the best you can be, and everyone in your presence will know it. If you are looking to find your passion at work I would recommend signing up for the monthly newsletter at: http://www.findyourniche.info/ by clicking this link. You might have lost your job, but now you can find your passion.

Too many times a telephone interview is not given the same value by the interviewee as a face to face interview. This is a major mistake because a telephone interview is your first invitation to the job of your dreams. It is just as important as the face to face interview but a little more challenging. Why? Sine the method of communication is the telephone you can not see facial expressions and must depend on tone of voice to express emotion to the listener.

Here are seven secrets to help you overcome this challenge:

• Smile when you speak. Your smile can be heard in your voice when you talk.

• Stand up during the interview. This will make you feel more energetic and that energy will come across in your voice.

• Get dressed in your office attire before the interview. It may sound a little silly but you will feel more professional if you look the part, even if the interview is on the phone.

• Do the research on the company to prepare for the call. This will allow you to ask specific questions of the interviewer and gain inside information.

• Listen carefully to the question asked by the interviewer. Too many times people are so focused on preparing to answer the question that they are listening well and do not hear the entire question.

• Focus on why this company should hire you. Craft and practice answers that tell a story of how you increased revenue decreased cost or improved customer service for your current employer.

• Do forget to ask for a face to face interview. This is a prime opportunity to ask to be invited for the next round of interviews.

Using these tips will help you be successful during your phone interview and take you to the next round, the face to face interview. Best of luck to you and be confidant, because you now have the 7 secrets to a great telephone interview.

It is a new year and it is time to review your career goals. Are you satisfied with your current position? Do you think you would like to do more at work or try something new? These are good questions to ask yourself when thinking about the future of your career.

Sometimes we become too comfortable with where we are in our lives to take the time to prepare for the future. Taking the time to prepare for the future is what all successful executives and business leaders do, and you should too. It is not hard, but it will require that you set time aside to complete the task. If you are like me with a number of competing priorities you may find it easier to schedule the time on your calendar to work on your career goals. This is not something that you would want to put off, because the benefit of this type of self evaluation can be almost immediate.

For example, you would like to obtain a higher salary in the organization or industry that you are working for, but you realize that you need to obtain a certification as a requirement of this job. By doing your self assessment now you may be able to find an opening in the class that you need to take before the end of this month. If you procrastinate you might have to wait until June or September for the same class to be offered.

I recommend reading the book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. In this short story you will obtain insight why you should not become complacent in your job or career and be in constant pursuit preparing for your next job opportunity. You will find a link to this and other valuable resources on my suggested reading page. Schedule the time this week to review your career goals; you’ll be glad that you did.

This can be a very challenging task. You don’t want to be too high or too low. If you are at either end of the extreme you may not get the job offer or may lock yourself into too low of a salary range to recover. I suggest taking a look at Salary.com to research the salary range of the position in the job location that you are applying.

Consider the entire aspect of the job. Will you be expected to work long hours in a salaried position and not eligible for overtime pay? Will you have to do spend a number of days on the road and away from your family? Will you be responsible for multiple sites and have to cover them when they are short staffed? All of these considerations may require additional compensation from your point of view and you need to factor this into the compensation package. Maybe you will be able to negotiate additional vacation time, an additional week off can be a plus, and this may be something your employer is willing to be flexible with to entice you to make the commitment.

You must remember that this is just as important as the interview, so you want to be prepared. Sit down and consider the positive and negatives about the position, your salary research and what you consider to be the lowest salary that you will take. Then add $1,000 to that and consider this your basement salary in the negotiation range. Use your salary research to help you determine the upper limit. Practice with a friend the negotiation of the salary. Take this role play seriously, because in the real world you will only get one chance to do it correctly. If you need help in this process please fell free to contact me at info@interviewteacher.com. Best of luck to you in obtaining the salary you desire.

Now that we are in the holiday season you might think that your job search will suffer because of it. On the contrary this is a perfect time to step up your search and get prepared for your next job fair. The beginning of the year will mark the start of a number of companies looking for new candidates to fill expected vacancies. Remember there are a number of employees retiring every year which frees up potential positions.

A great place to start your job search is at a college job fair. Why a college job fair? It is a place where a large number of employers gather from a wide variety of industries with varied potential job openings. The reason you would want to attend is to get face time with the hiring managers or human resources representative. You should dress up just like you would if you were going on an interview. Guess what, you are really going on an interview when you attend a job fair. It is a mini interview so you want to make a good first impression. Smile, make eye contact and give a firm hand shake, to the person you meet from the company you are obtaining information from. If you can find out what companies will be attending the job fair and Google them. This will allow you to ask meaningful questions and probe deeper into the company’s culture when you speak to one of their representatives.

College career days are not just for recent grads but anyone interested in finding a new job. They are usually free and open to the public. If you are in New Jersey there is a college career day scheduled at Rutgers University New Brunswick Campus on Friday January 4, 2008. There will be more than 230 employers in attendance and the job fair will run from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. You will find a list of employers and their hiring need at this link: careerservices. rutgers.edu

Don’t forget to look in your local paper, because there will be a college career day coming up near you. Take advantage of it. You will be glad you did.