Pro-ACTIVE Job Hunting

Face it. Job hunting can be a killer of time and ego. Staying positive after interviews that go nowhere or resumes sent and never responded to, can be hard.
That feeling of hopelessness is your ego speaking. It's telling you you're not great or capable or likable, but don't believe it. Our ego is full of is doubt, insecurity, and self hate and gets you nowhere. So, what do you do when you're sinking down that sucking ego drain?

Flip it into the back seat!

There's no room in the forefront of your life for negative people and there's no room for negative ego speak. Bash it, trash it and boot it to the curb.

When sending out that awesome email with the resume that you polished and shined give it the blessings of the universe and a wave and move on. If something comes of it - Great! Otherwise, don't give it a second thought. Move on and send out the next resume. Know the right one will come back to you.

Had an interview and thought you aced it but no one called. Their loss. You are awesome and the company you are destine to work at will call. Look to the next interview. Practice answering questions in the mirror. Look up more questions that could be asked on the Internet and practice those. Review what you say and decide if you're giving too much info or not enough. Practice makes perfect. Go on all the interviews you can get even if the job isn't quite what you're looking for, it's still good practice.

Plan your day.
Resumes can be sent out any time but if you're sending them out at 3 a.m., the HR person might catch that time when it comes into her email and wonder what you're doing up in the middle of the night. Try not to send them after midnight or before 5 a.m. Play the odds.

Maybe your resume needs a second look?
 A professional resume service might be out of your budget but ask your friends and family (those who have a good job) and get their opinion. Edits may be necessary. Spell and grammar check!
Read that resume out loud. You'll be amazed at the typos you can catch when you read out loud.

Got a cover letter? Make it short and sweet, hitting on your best selling points. (Yes, your resume and cover letter sells you. It's your marketing tool.) Read it out loud. Get someone else's opinion. Edit it a bit to fit the job you're applying for.

Now! Go forth and conquer! Be bold! Be unstoppable! Get the job!

You Wore WHAT to an Interview?

One of the biggest mistakes people make in an interview is their fashion choice.

Really, people? Shorts and a t-shirt? Is that the best thing in your closet?
Flip flops? You flopped.

In an interview, your clothing choice is a sign of respect. You cared enough to make an impression. Trust me, the person who came in to interview after you wore a suit or at least professional clothing, and got the job. Why? They looked like they were worth the time and money the company will invest in training the person for the job.

HINT: Dress like you want the job.

Throw on a suit jacket if possible and make sure your clothing is clean. (Yes, once someone came in with ketchup stains on their blouse.)

Pick your best pair of shoes. Make sure they shine.

QUICK TIP: Put a dab of Vaseline on a paper towel and rub it over your shoes. This will give them a quick shine and get you through the interview.

Don't own a suit?
Men; A button down shirt, tie and khaki's will work.
Women: A skirt or dress pants and a blouse will work.

The higher the salary, the better you dress. Want that executive position? Invest in the suit. Going for a construction job? Khaki's and clean polo would be acceptable. Just please, make an effort!

Go forth and Get that Job!

Tricks and Tips to Ace the Interview

Every interview is different because the people that are interviewing you have their own unique personalities and goals. Knowing how to "read" people will help you show the interviewer what they need to hire you.

1. Do your research. Researching the company will go a long way in impressing those who interview you. Know what they do, how long they've been in business, and if there's anything that make them unique in the business. 
2. If there are biographies of the staff are on the company website, take a few minutes and read them. There might be something you have in common with one of them that could help during the interview. It will also help you know who you're talking to at the meeting. The owner of a company I once worked for would often sit quietly in the corner during an interview. Most applying for the job had no idea who he was or why he was there.  
3. Be a mirror. Research shows a way to build report is to mirror the other person's body language. If they have their hands folded on the table and are sitting forward in the chair, you do the same. If they lean back and are relaxed, notice and take that relaxed pose yourself. Read more about mirroring here. 
4. If they're telling you something, don't interrupt. Don't think you know what they're going to ask (even if you do,) and cut them off to give your answer. Nothing is more annoying than someone who interrupts you.  
5. Be a good listener. When the interviewer asks a question don't be afraid to think for a moment and give a concise and complete answer. 

It might see like a lot to remember when going in for an interview, but there are just a few things that will help you to come out ahead of the competition. 

Good luck out there! 

Fix Your Resume

Your resume is usually the first impression a potential employer will get of you.
It's an important the resume is properly formatted and free from spelling errors. Leave the fancy fonts for birthday cards and make it Times New Roman and 12 pt font. Basic, simple and to the point. You want them impressed with your content and not distracted by bold, crazy fonts.

So lets go! Build that resume;

Center on top your name address, phone and email. 

John Smith

00 Somewhere St

City, State Zip code

999-555-0000

email@email.com

Right under that you can put a short statement but this is optional. I usually leave it off. 
Under that should be your experience. 

Experience

Place of Employment                                                        City, State
Position                                                                             May 2013 - June 2015

Write a couple of sentences about what you did here.
"Coordinated day to day work flow of the office with special emphasis on processing sales and maintaining database."
Then bullet your skills. 

• Maintained sales database
• Processed incoming contracts
• Payroll

Do this for your last few jobs. After your experience comes education

Education

BS in Business from Some College 

Do any community service? Volunteer work? Put that next.

Community Service

5K for Cancer

Ran food drive for animal rescue

Boy Scout leader

School volunteer

After that list any special credits you have. Win an award for anything? Do any online writing, publishing, 

                                   ******************

Now the important part. SPELL CHECK! Read it over a few times. Read it out loud to be sure all your sentences make sense. Ask a friend or spouse to read it for you. Double check your email address and phone number. You want them to reach you so make sure that stuff is correct. 

Now that your resume is polished --->Go forth and conquer!   

The Second Interview - How to ACE it!

You scored that illusive second interview. Great job! The company saw something in you and you are under serious consideration for the job. They liked you!

Now, it's time to wow them. Don't go in thinking you've aced it and are definitely in. I've seen more people blow this final step to the job than get it.  The questions might be tougher and some questions might be the same as last interview.

If they asked you to tell of an incident where your strength of customer service, organization, or handling difficult people showed through, don't use the same story you used in interview one. Make sure you have another event ready to tell.
I know sometimes it's hard to think on your feet when facing two or more professionals staring at you from across the desk. Prepare before you get there.

What are your strengths?
The second interview usually puts you in with bosses at a higher level. If they ask about your strengths it's time to list them. Not a time to brag, but state the facts. Are you good at computers? Organization? Selling? Tell them that and give some details. Why are you good at computers? Know Excel, Outlook, Publisher? What kind of databases have you worked in? Organizational skills? Do you put everything on a spread sheet? Believe in keeping accurate files so anyone can find things easily? How long have you been selling and what are your sales numbers?

That second interview can get you the job. Just make sure you go in prepared. Dress to impress, think over what you're going to say, and sell yourself!
Good luck out there!

What NOT to Bring to Your Interview

Please don't bring your mama, girlfriend, bestie, coworker, or any other human. It makes you look, well...stupid? Needy? Scared? Do you really need someone to hold your hand? Are you that immature?

Put on your best, most professional clothes, comb your hair, brush your teeth, and grab that folder with your resume and references.

Everything could look great, but if you walk in with a friend it shows the employer two things.

• You're not mature enough to do things by yourself
• You're not serious about getting a job. 

Bringing a friend to your job interview or when you walk in to ask for an application with a buddy, makes you look like you're socializing and applying for the job as an after thought. "Let's get pizza. Hey, why don't we fill out an application and get pizza." 

A job hunt is a job hunt. Make it your priority and leave the extra human at home. They contribute nothing and may distract the bosses from anything you have to offer. 

Good luck! 

Best Job Search Sites

With New Jersey's unemployment rate among the highest in the country, we all need to know where the jobs can be found. Here's a short list to help the hunt for that perfect job.

Indeed ~ Job site that pulls from other job sites to keep your search covered. Indeed also has a cell phone ap so you can search for jobs anywhere you go. I like their email alert. Put in what you're looking for in a job and as they pop up, Indeed sends you an alert. This is one of my favorite sites.

Monster ~ One of the most popular job sites will let you search jobs by state from this page. Post your resume and keep it updated.

ZipRecruiter ~ Has an easy to navigate site that makes finding jobs in your area easy. I like this site for it's user friendly search tools. Email alerts also available. This is a great tool. If you see a site that offers email alerts for jobs, sign up so you can be the candidate that sees (and gets) that job first!

Jobs2Careers ~ Another job search site that will help you find the perfect job to fit your life. One thing I couldn't find on this site was a distance button. So I could search within a certain amount of miles from home base. Not a great site.

If you're looking for a specialized job field do a search for that word and the word jobs.
Examples;

Veterinary Jobs at iHireVeterinary.
Engineering at EngineeringJobs.

Post office jobs ~ Go to their website and see what's available. 

Search your state's website for their job list. New Jersey's list his here. 

ProBlogger ~ writing jobs. If you have any writing skills you might want to check out the freelance jobs here for some extra bucks.

Let's not forget Craig's List ~ Since it's free to post jobs here a lot of local employers use it. However, there have been a lot of horror stories about meeting people on Craig's List so be careful. If you find a job there, research the company online to be sure it's legit. Don't meet anyone in their home or at a location that seems sketchy.

Good luck and don't give up! The right job is out there.

Weird Job Interview Questions; Be Prepared

Some employers go above and beyond to get the truth out of you. They want to know who you are, your work ethic, and how you'd handle extreme situations. To do this they ask lots of questions, some of which they might have downloaded off the Internet. (Google that!)

These could include;

1. Tell me about a situation at your last job where you had to deal with an angry customer?
     ~Don't tell them you yelled back or hung up the phone. That is very bad customer service and will lose you the job. Instead, talk about how you defused the situation by staying calm and offering a solution.

2. What would you do if you realized you made a big mistake at work?
     ~This is a hard one. If you admit to a mistake, don't make it too big a mistake. Think of an easily rectifiable one, or something equally insignificant. Everyone makes mistakes. Here you can interject how you're always careful and double check your work to avoid such situations.

3. Tell me about your the worst thing that ever happened to you on the job?
     ~This could be something as simple as a customer getting upset, but you can use this to explain how you helped the customer. Or it could be a situation that was beyond your control such as computer failure and losing work and how now you auto-save everything. Spin it to the positive.

4. Do you have any super powers?
     ~ A surprise question but one you can use to sell yourself. Tell them you are well organized, see all projects through to completion, love a challenge, etc.

Of course there are questions they can't ask such as age, lifestyle choices, or religion. (Except if it were a church hiring you-then religion would be a topic.)

Questions you should always prepare for;

1. Why haven't you worked in a year?
     ~ Be honest but don't explain too much. Tell them you have been looking for a job that offered....whatever this place offers? Do your homework and know the company to which you are applying. If there were any other factors, explain them in a way that you don't look lazy or like a moocher.

2. Why do you switch jobs every two years?
     ~ Again, be honest but put a positive spin on it. You left one for a better job offer or the new company had sudden layoffs?

3. What skills can you bring to this job?
     ~Another sell-yourself opportunity. Keep it positive. Make your answer expound on your get-the-job-done, and work-hard-with-enthusiasm ethics. Good computer skills? Product knowledge? Technical skills? Experience? Say it now!

4. Can you supply references?
     ~Go in with at least 3 references in writing. Preferably names of previous employers or coworkers. Keep them in your pocket (neatly-in an envelope) so they're ready to hand over when asked.

5. Tell us about the accomplishments you're most proud of?
     ~Although we love our kids, find something else. Make it something about you. Big project you worked on? Did you run the NYC marathon? Volunteer work?

Should you get that second interview - know they might ask the same questions but want different answers. The second interview is usually a step up. You'll probably be interviewing with a higher ranking boss and he might want to know something that's not in the notes of the first interviewer. So, think of other answers that will still leave them feeling positive.

Practice your answers. Are you ready to spout off answers to these questions?

Practice. Practice. Practice 

Look up other interview questions on the Internet and have your answers ready. Interviews can be nerve wracking, but if you practiced your answers, you'll be more apt to remember them when asked.

Good luck and Go Get 'Em!

Four Things to Get that Job

Sitting at the front desk in a building that houses multiple companies, I see a lot. Job seekers come through, looking for that perfect match. Past my desk come many qualified candidates that ruin their chances with the same dumb mistakes. 

• Be on time. Such a simple requirement, but one of the most important things in an interview. Look at it this way, if a person can't be on time for the interview how are they going to get to work on time? Do a drive by the day before so you don't get lost the day of the interview.
• Dress like you want the job. Walking in wearing t-shirt and jeans doesn't show the employer anything but you're on vacation. Show them you want it. Wear a suit or nice pants and a button down shirt. Comb your hair. 
• Come prepared. Bring a resume and a list of references. Put them in a folder so they don't get wrinkled. A crumbled piece of paper pulled from your pocket shows the employer you don't care enough to keep it neat.
• Research the company on the Internet before your interview. Know what they do and find something special about the company to mention during your interview. Do your homework. Impress them with your knowledge of their company. 

I've seen too many potentially good candidates ruin their chances by making these dumb mistakes. Be on time, dress for success, be ready to sell yourself and do your research. These four things will put you ahead of the pack and increase your chances of getting the job. 

Job Interview BUST!

You scored that illusive second interview. Yehaw!
So, why did you tank?

Best piece of advice; Think before you speak.

Last interviewee that came into our company was great. A perfect fit for the company. The interviewers were impressed. They call in another manager to talk to the woman. He lasts in there for ten short minutes. Then she's walking out the door and he's shaking his head. So, what happened?

"I'm gonna be late some of the time. I really try to get in on time, but I just want you to know I probably will be late sometimes."

W
T
F
?

We should do a list of stupid things people say on job interviews. This woman evidently didn't want the job. Maybe she was on unemployment and just came to the interview to have something to tell the unemployment office? Because no one who wants the job would admit to being late.

More interview killers?

"I used to do drugs, so I dropped out of college but now I really need a job."
Never tell them you used to do drugs!

"I'm gonna need a lot of time off in the summer, because I have kids."
Don't apply for a full time job if  you can't work it. 

"Can you hire my friend too? He's in the lobby."
Never bring a friend to an interview.

"Sorry, I'm late. I couldn't find the place."
Be smart. Go the day before and find the place so you'll be on time.

"I'm not very organized."
Speak only of your strengths.

Remember you're there to sell yourself. No one wants to hire a problem. Brag a little, tell them everything you do well and list your attributes.  Another biggie? Dress well. Suits are the number one choice for men and women. It tells the company I respect you and really want the job. Even if you're interviewing at a construction company or warehouse, wear the suit.

Good luck! Its a jungle out there...