Cv for Interviews

Posts Tagged ‘Eye Contact’

Job Hunting Tips

Are you a fresh graduate and planning to look for a job? Did you just recently quit your job and are looking for greener pastures? Are you unemployed and have little experience regarding ways to secure a job? Whatever your situation may be, it would be to your advantage to

study the following tips:

Check your resume for mistakes Before submitting your resume to a recruitment consultants, check your it for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume to match the needs of the company. For example, if you are applying for an accounting job, you should put in detail your accounting experience on your resume. Typographical and grammatical errors are serious no-no’s. It is also ideal to keep the length of the resume’ to at least a page and a half long. Taking the interview challenge

A survey conducted by a staffing and consulting firm based in California which corresponded with 1,400 chief financial officers concluded that candidates for employment made most of their mistakes on their interviews. Some of the mistakes they made include:

Arriving late
Having little knowledge about the company
Having little knowledge about the position applied for
Having a superiority complex
Behaving arrogantly

The body language of the applicant must also denote that he isconfident yet not overpowering. He must maintain eye contact, have a strong handshake, and avoid looking defensive by the act of crossing the arms. Wearing the right clothes is crucial for projecting a confident stance. As they say, it is better to go to an interview over-dressed than being under-dressed.

Answer questions smartly

A common mistake of interviewees is that they tend to get tense and forget the questions that are given to them, which has the effect that they are not prepared for the interview. It is important to research the company and the position applied for to prevent being side-tracked during the interview. If you do not know the answer to the questions being asked, it is better to admit you don’t know the answer to the
question and add that you can research about it. Look for the skills or expertise that the company is looking for so that when interview day comes and the interviewer asks about your strengths and core competencies, you will be able to match it to what they need.

Getting the necessary referrals

Having a referral from one of the company employees can go a long way toward landing an interview. A typical company may receive job applications in the hundreds and usually 35% to 60% of all job vacancies are filled by referrals. The odds of getting hired when you have a referral are very high if you have another 200 to 500 applicants vying for the same position. If you do not know anyone from the company that may give you a referral, it is a good idea to network the alumni of your college or university, trade groups, social networks, and professional associations. Remember, having a referral greatly increases your chances of getting the position.

You have been looking for a job and after being interviewed, you have more than one position to choose from. How do you decide which job offer to accept? The money being offered by one company looks tempting but there are things you like about all of them. Do not get hung up on money unless it is your only focus in life. Before making a decision, try comparing the companies against the points below.

First, you must know what your goals are and the things that are important to you. Once you have done your research and comparisons, you will have the tools you need to make the perfect decision. The job that most closely relates to the things most important to you will probably be your best choice.

Environment – Either prior to or following the interview, ask for a tour of the work place. While on the tour, consider things like noise levels and the general mood of the employees. Are the employees friendly and polite? What is the condition of the environment; clean or dirty? Are the employees allowed to add personal touches to their work space? Review the answers to these questions to decide if you could be productive in that work place.

Benefits – Does the company offer health care, when, and what is the cost and coverage? Do they offer a retirement plan? If so, do they match employee contributions? This is important when comparing overall earnings. If the position includes commission, what are the rates, incentives, and earning potential?

The Boss – In many instances, the person interviewing you will not be your boss. It is important to know who your boss will be and request to meet them. When you meet the person who will be your boss, take note of their attitude and use your instincts. What kind of vibes do you get from them? Do they seem respectful of others? Do they make eye contact and have a firm hand shake? Do they act too busy to be bothered? If you accept the position with the company, these are great questions to know the answers to. This boss could be your boss for a long time.

Is this job what you want? Is this job enabling you to do what you enjoy? Will this position cause any family conflicts? Weigh the pros and cons. If this job is not what you dream of doing, then consider the above factors before settling for less. Is taking this position going to be worth the money you will earn when you consider what you would be losing?

Searching for work can become an overwhelming chore. With all the competition doing lots commonly has to be coupled with value to reach a goal. Look at Target Employment for valuable suggestions as well as Target employment application. Having sound tips avoids wasting time searching for what may work in having to look at what does not. Getting reliable direction may enhance one’s odds in distancing yourself from the competition.

The job market is forever shifting and the people who are able to adapt the fastest often will be the ones that have the primary selection in the greatest opportunities. Through the accessibility of information and the advancements in technology, searching for work is not what it was.

The rules have changed in a huge way and now people must not only have the ability to provide a complete package of abilities and knowledge for the profession but have got to also learn added skills to even secure an job interview for the job you want.

You have all the qualifications and you have great references, so why dont you get
the perfect job you so desire? It may be the way you conducted the interview that
has prevented you from getting the job. Certainly many people become nervous at
an interview but failing at the interview goes beyond just being nervous. In fact,
there are things that some interviewees do that go beyond the scope of acceptable.

Do not smoke during or before the interview
Although in todays world, smoking during the interview is likely to be impossible
unless you are outside, you also want to avoid smoking right before the interview
and bringing the strong odor of smoke into the room. If you do smoke, have the
courtesy to use breath spray or mints afterward. Nothing detracts from a
conversation quicker than the smell of cigarette smoke.

Turn off your cell phone
Under no conditions should you have your cell phone on during a job interview.
Unless the interview process is extremely long, there is nothing that cannot wait
until you are finished and then only an emergency might be acceptable such as an
extremely sick child or a potential life and death situation with a family member.
Cell phones should only be in the silent mode and used as stated above for extreme
emergencies. If possible, arrange with a family member or friend to take
emergency calls and handle them while you are at a job interview.
Stay focused

Another mistake people make at interviews is failing to remain focused on the
interview. Instead of maintaining eye contact with the interviewer they look around
the room, look out the window, daydream or any other number of things including
looking in a purse, making notes unrelated to the interview, playing with a cell
phone and twiddling of thumbs. All of these show signs of boredom and will put you
in a negative light when it comes to getting the perfect jobor any job as far as
that goes.

Choose appropriate discussions
The interviewer may ask a few things about your personal life such as whether
family issues will affect your job and the like but dont discuss your husband or
boyfriend beyond those issues that directly relate to the job. The interviewer does
not want to know that youre getting ready to buy a new house or that your church
is having a bazaar.

The interview is the only place you will have an opportunity to sell yourself in order
to land your perfect job. If you fail the interview you will not have a second chance
to prove yourself. That means you have to know what to say and do in order to
make sure you get hired for the job you want. You can have the greatest skills in
the world but if you cannot convince the interviewer that you are the best person
for the job, you will not get the job.

You have to project confidence when you are talking to the interviewer. That means
you maintain eye contact and dont perform nervous gestures such as twiddling
your thumbs, squeezing your hands, playing with your hair or staring around the
room. Your job is to convince the interviewer you are the best person for the job,
and you cannot do that unless you stay focused on what he or she has to say. The
interviewer deserves your full and undivided attention and unless you are willing to
provide that, you greatly reduce your chances of getting the job you want.
Dress is very important at an interview. Unless you are going into a dirty area of
the company and are advised to dress casually, dress professionally or at the very
least in business casual attire the latter of which does not include jeans, shorts,
sweats or running suits. However, if you know the company is strictly professional
as is the case with many law firms and executive offices, dress professionally rather
than business casual. You receive evaluations on not only skills and knowledge but
also on the way, you present yourself.

Showing you know something about the company and what they do is always good
for some points with the interviewer. It shows you took time to do some
investigation before your interview thus showing the interviewer you have an
interest in working for his company. Even if you dont do anything but read the
annual report, you will have some idea of what the company represents thus giving
yourself an edge over someone who doesnt take the time to find out anything
about the company. It does not take very long to do a little research on a company
you are considering as an employer, and it will definitely not hurt your chances of
being hired.

If you want to increase your chances of getting your perfect job, you want to make
sure you do well at the interview. One of the most important things to remember is
to remain focused on the interviewer and the interview. There is no quicker way to
fail at an interview than to allow the interviewer to see you looking out the window
or daydreaming rather than focusing on him or her and the interview. It is not only
rude but it makes the interviewer feel you are not interested in the interview itself.
Some people just feel as long as they are listening to what the interviewer has to
say there is no need to maintain eye contact. Unfortunately this is an incorrect line
of thinking and in fact makes the interviewer feel you are not really interested in
anything he or she has to say. Keep in mind that the interviewer is sizing you to
see if you are a good fit for the company, so if he cannot read your eyes because
you are staring into space you may as well leave the room because you have
already lost any chance of getting that perfect job.

Even if you find interviews boring, and most of us do, you still have to maintain an
aura of interest if you expect to be hired for that perfect job. Its not difficult to
pretend to be interested for the few minutes you will be talking to the interviewer.
Remember, if you fail at the interview you will have to continue the process but if
you present a good image and are hired you do not have to go to any more
interviews.

If you have trouble focusing when you go to an interview, try practicing at home so
that you can get into the habit of maintaining eye contact with your interviewer in
order to increase your chances of getting that perfect job. Learn to look at the
interviewer instead of out the window, into space or down at the floorworse yet,
looking at messages on your cell phone. Your focus and attention need to be on the
person who is interviewing you and not on anything else in the room. Remember
the interviewer has other things to do and has taken time out of his or her busy
schedule to interview you for the job.

There are ways to win and ways to lose when it comes to landing the perfect job.
Before you begin looking you want to make sure you know things you should do in
order to at least increase your chances of landing that perfect job you want.
Nothing is a guarantee but failure to do the right thing is certainly a guarantee to
failure.

1. Dress appropriately for the interview
Even if you are going to a factory or warehouse for the interview, dress in
business attire unless you are told otherwise by the interviewer. Do not assume
it is appropriate to wear jeans or other casual attire because of the location of
the interview.

2. Learn something about the company where you are going
Nothing will kill your chances of a job quicker than your lack of knowledge about
the company where you are going. The interviewer may not ask you about your
knowledge but you want to be prepared in case he or she does ask. There are
often occasions where an interviewer will ask how you feel you can be an asset
to the company, and you can only answer that if you have some knowledge
about what the company does and more importantly, the types of goods or
services they provide.

3. Do not discuss personal issues with the interviewer
As tempting as it may be to become friends with your interviewer, that is an
easy way to lose the job. Keep the conversation focused on things that are
related to the job for which you are applying. If the interviewer asks questions
that relate to your family keep your answers focused on only the question he or
she asks. There is no need to provide any information beyond that asked.

4. Never talk negatively about a former employer
This is one of the worst mistakes you can make when you are applying for a new
position. If the interviewer asks why you left your previous employer, be brief
and do not elaborate and most of all, do not blame the company.

5. Make eye contact with the interviewer
You want to make sure the interviewer knows you are focusing on him or her.
Do not look around the room or make notes unless they are related to the
interview or the company with which you are interviewing. Pay attention to the
interviewer and not other things in the room.

You have all the qualifications and you have great references, so why dont you get
the perfect job you so desire? It may be the way you conducted the interview that
has prevented you from getting the job. Certainly many people become nervous at
an interview but failing at the interview goes beyond just being nervous. In fact,
there are things that some interviewees do that go beyond the scope of acceptable.

Do not smoke during or before the interview
Although in todays world, smoking during the interview is likely to be impossible
unless you are outside, you also want to avoid smoking right before the interview
and bringing the strong odor of smoke into the room. If you do smoke, have the
courtesy to use breath spray or mints afterward. Nothing detracts from a
conversation quicker than the smell of cigarette smoke.

Turn off your cell phone
Under no conditions should you have your cell phone on during a job interview.
Unless the interview process is extremely long, there is nothing that cannot wait
until you are finished and then only an emergency might be acceptable such as an
extremely sick child or a potential life and death situation with a family member.
Cell phones should only be in the silent mode and used as stated above for extreme
emergencies. If possible, arrange with a family member or friend to take
emergency calls and handle them while you are at a job interview.
Stay focused

Another mistake people make at interviews is failing to remain focused on the
interview. Instead of maintaining eye contact with the interviewer they look around
the room, look out the window, daydream or any other number of things including
looking in a purse, making notes unrelated to the interview, playing with a cell
phone and twiddling of thumbs. All of these show signs of boredom and will put you
in a negative light when it comes to getting the perfect jobor any job as far as
that goes.

Choose appropriate discussions
The interviewer may ask a few things about your personal life such as whether
family issues will affect your job and the like but dont discuss your husband or
boyfriend beyond those issues that directly relate to the job. The interviewer does
not want to know that youre getting ready to buy a new house or that your church
is having a bazaar.

Have you got what it takes to secure an executive role? Job hunting is stressful. Just spending time looking for appropriate jobs in the paper or on the internet is frustrating and you know that when you find one or two executive appointments that you want to apply for, you will be up against a lot of competition.

Standing out from the crowd is important at every stage of the process. From your CV to your final interview, you want to be the candidate that impresses. Whether this is your first executive position, or you are a seasoned senior manager, you still need to make your application and interview different enough to secure the job.

If youre dealing with an executive recruitment agency, there are three key areas where you need to be on top of your game in order to increase your chances of success:

1. On the Phone

Often, your first direct contact with a recruitment firm is on the phone. A telephone interview is a real test of your skills, because you cant use eye contact of body language to reinforce what youre saying; you have to rely on being prepared, focused and flexible so that you create a great impression.

2. Your CV

The key here is to focus on your achievements and experience, making everything you put on your CV directly relevant to the position. The internet is awash with information on how to make your CV more presentable, but there are some key points to remember:

Keep it short
Keep it relevant
Put your contact details at the top
Focus on things you’ve achieved, rather than your skills

3. Your interview

The interview for an executive appointment either as a preliminary with the recruitment agent or a first or second interview with the company is your best opportunity to show that you will be an asset to the business. Self-confidence is important, but not to the point where it could be viewed as arrogance. Use positive language and positive body language, give examples to show how you have achieved results in your current position and ask intelligent questions. Make sure you have researched the company well before your interview and double-check the requirements of the job.

The executive appointments market is a competitive one, and following these steps could increase your chances of success.

Here are 7 easy steps on how you can improve your interviewing skills:

1.) Prepare for the interview.
First, dress appropriately. Once the interviewer walks into the room, oronce you walk into the room to be interviewed, your appearance will be the first thing to make the impact. Dress appropriately, check your grooming and mind your posture. Read the chapter on dressing for
success!Second, practice basic courtesy. Know where the interview will be held and be there with ample time to prepare yourself before the scheduled interview. Turn your phone off to avoid unnecessary distractions.

2.) Research.
Use all your resources to make sure that you know the basics about the company. You would not want to be caught unprepared when asked about how you heard or what you know about the company that you are applying for.
Learn about your potential employer. In your mind, develop a clear picture of the company profile. Make sure that you prepared answers to a few basic questions, but do not sound scripted. This happens when you rehearse what you will be saying word for word. It is enough that you have an overview of what you will impart to the interviewer, and it is better to be spontaneous.

3.) Be cool.
Step forward so that you are now seated and the interview is about to begin. Make a great first impression by maintaining eye contact, giving the interviewer a firm handshake, a friendly smile and a polite
greeting. Sit only when you are asked to do so and do not forget to thank the interviewer for taking time off of his or her busy schedule to interview you.
Make sure to start on a positive note and set the proper expectations.

4.) Do not sell yourself short.
In the course of the interview, answer the questions briefly and accurately. The key is to be honest. Make sure that as a prospective employee, you impart to your future
employer what you really are and what you can do for the company, not the other way around. Stay positive and do not give a bad impression about your previous employer.
If you are applying for your first job, do not let your lack of experience hinder you from gaining the advantage against more experienced applicants. What you lack in experience, make up for in confidence and
eagerness to learn. You may also put yourself in the employer’s shoes. Ask yourself, if I were on the other side of this desk, what qualities should I look for in
a potential employee? Would I profit if he works for me and can he contribute to the development of the company? Do not be afraid to sell yourself but do not be overconfident. Just
project an air that you are sure of yourself and your capabilities.

5.) Ask questions.
Should you encounter a difficult interviewer, do not be intimidated. one who does not let you put in a word edgewise should be lightly reminded that you should do most of the talking since he is the one
who needs to learn more about you.

6.) Wrap it up.
As you near the end of the interview, make sure that all bases are covered. Now is not the time to discuss or even ask about the salary and the benefits that you will receive once employed. There is ample
time for that once you do get the position and you are discussing the
job offer. Wrap things up by summarizing your strengths and pointing out your positive traits. Finally, as you end the interview, make sure to thank the interviewer again for his or her time, thus leaving a lasting
impression.

7.) Follow up.
Send that all-important thank you note after the interview. Thank the interviewer for the time that he took with you and for giving you that
opportunity. Make sure that you know who to contact for follow-up of
the results.