Jobseeker FAQs on Thank You notes

Career advisers tell jobseekers to send a thank you note after an interview.  To address the most frequently asked questions on how and what to send in a thank you note, here are some give aways. Won't the employer think that an applicant is desperate and a sissy applicant if he sends a thank-you letter? Of course not.  Rarely does an employer not pleased to receive a thank-you letter.  It is considered as a common way of showing politeness, a gesture of courtesy, one way to outshine the rest of the interviewees, and a way to keep...

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Positively Thinking Out of the Box

How can one person "think out of the box?"  This should be done independently, but how?  Here's an example: Cut a cake into eight slices but you have to make no more than three cuts.  Most people will have trouble coming up with a way to cut the cake.  But to solve this, you have to change the way you look at the cake and how to cut it.  One perfect solution is to cut the cake into two equal sizes and put the other half on top of the other.  Cut it again in half then stack the other half pieces on top of one another...

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Setting Clear Objectives

To achieve a goal, there is a process that you should implement.  This process is to streamline and analyze your objectives.  Begin at the very beginning at the smallest, specific part.  These are the most important steps to take to meet the guidelines.  An objective is a way of knowing what action or plan is to be taken and identifying the expected results.  This plan provides a set of directions so that making the decision will not be as complicated as when the goal is just being considered. Peter Ducker documented a...

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Dressing up for the Success Interview

Prepare and practice for an interview.  After the date and venue has been set, allow time for enough preparation for the big day.  Remember that first impressions do last, so the way an applicant look really does matter.  Employers could easily give the verdict based on the manner of dressing during the initial interview. Better questions and service can be received if the appearance itself commands respect.  It is important to consider the surroundings of the company granting you an interview.  There is no reason to...

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How to Get Referrals from Warm Contacts

You may find it hard to use networking to find a job if you can't rely on your warm contacts to give you the information you need.  At times, you would have to ask your warm contacts to refer you to at least two people that they know who will be able to give you the information you needed. However, there are times that your warm contact, particularly those who don't know you well, may not readily provide you with the information.  Some of your warm contacts may feel reluctant about vouching for you to their other contacts. Because of...

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Tips on Using Your Warm Contact List When Networking

When you are searching for a job, aside from checking the ads in newspapers, internet and bulletin boards, it is also very helpful to ask for information from the people on your warm contact list. They can provide you with up-to-date information on the company and position vacancies that are not posted on job ads.  At times when they cannot provide you information about the job that you are looking for, they may be able to refer you to a person that they know who might be able to tell you something about the job. This is called networking....

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Why Small Organizations Mean Big Business

In the  movie "You've Got Mail", the sub-plot aside from the love angle is that the heroine (played by Meg Ryan)  was forced out of business when the big-time bookstore owner (played by Tom Hanks) moved into town. Meg's character owned a quaint little bookstore which she inherited from her mother. Although the prices of her books were a little steep, she makes up for it in service. She packs the books in a specialized bag, and she knows all of her customers by name. Tom's character, on the other hand, moved into town to build a branch...

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Can You Make Money as a Fashion Designer?

Do you have a love for fashion?  If that love includes designing your own clothes or fashion accessories, like handbags, have you ever thought about making a living as a fashion designer?  When it comes to being a fashion designer, many individuals feel that it is a dream of theirs that just isnt destined to become a reality. While this is sometimes the case, it doesnt always have to be.  With the right willpower and the need to succeed, you can easily make money as a fashion designer. When it comes to making money as a fashion...

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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 prospective employer, check your resume for corrections at least three times before handing it over. After researching about the job position, it is critical that you format your resume...

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7 Easy Steps to Improve Your Interviewing Skills

In the midst of technological advancement nowadays, the "back-to-basics" rule still applies when it comes to getting hired for a job. It does not matter if you are planning to apply for a million-dollar company or a small, independent firm. When you face an interviewer, it all boils down to how you present yourself. This is the deciding factor whether you will get hired or not. So you have distributed your resume to prospective employers and you have determined the correct job to apply for. The next step is to schedule the job interview. You...

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Identifying your skills and getting that job

When applying for a job, it is ideal that you identify your strengths and weaknesses and get prepared to address them. By knowing your advantage, the chances of getting the job that you want will surely get easier. But you should not get too confident since this is one of the common mistakes that plague job applicants. Appearing too confident or as somewhat of a know it all person will only get you labeled by your interviewer as unfit for the job. Identifying your skills First thing's first. You should identify your skills. This is your ticket...

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Getting Started for a Cold Call

There's a little Girl Scout on the street carrying boxes of different flavored cookies, timidly trying to knock on her neighbors' doors worried that somehow she'll be booed out and that doors would just slam shut on her face after offering her cookies for just a few cents? Such a pitiful sight eh? But imagine what this little girl could  be feeling even before approaching doors.  Will they know that she is on official business and would just be selling cookies for the good of humanity?  Will she be able to speak her rehearsed cookie...

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How to be Invited for Interviews

Once the application has been sent and the resume received the next thing that should happen is that the employer will be calling to test communication skills by means of an interview.  Allowing yourself to be given the option on which employer is best fitting the applicant is one characteristic of being pro-active.  Consider being called by multiple employers for a job interview in a day a good sign.  This means that they were really impressed with the documents you submitted, therefore, deserving a personal communication on how...

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How to Follow Up on All Contacts

If you are still in the job search process, it is extremely important to follow up on all contacts. It is not good to just sit and wait for results to come pouring in when you think that you've already done your part because your contact information has been distributed. Consider two men applying for a prime position at a company. After the interview, the first applicant just sits around waiting to hear from his prospective employer. On the other hand, the second applicant distributes his contact information to some people that he met in the...

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How to Create a List of Warm Contacts

Usually when you are looking for a job, you would ask for help from family and friends.  You would contact these people to ask for information on current job openings, business opportunities and tips. Your family, relatives and friends belong to your warm contact list.  The warm contact list is the list of people with whom you have or had some personal association.  A former classmate, officemate or neighbor may belong to your warm contact list. Who may be included in your warm contact list?  Here are a number of selections. *...

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Searching for Perfect Teen Jobs

Just because you are a teen doesn't mean you can't find a good job to either help you through schooling or to get a few extra bucks for your various hobbies and needs. Here are a few tips on bagging a great teen job Labor Laws You, of course, have to follow the law. And there are various laws that govern teen employment across different states. Teens that are hired to do non-farm work will at least have to be fourteen years of age to be allowed to work. Here are a few other restrictions. You will have to do a little research in the state you are...

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Tips for a Successful Local Job Search

If you are seriously searching for a local job, but you have no idea where to look, you may be just one of the thousands of unemployed people in the country. However, finding a job is easy when you know where to search. Where can you find employers? How can you find your desired local job? Before anything else, you should determine your skills and abilities, update your resume and be ready to face the employment process. There are several options on where to find employment. 1) Job Center: Job centers provide numerous vacancies for different...

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Hot Tips on How to Job Scout

Prior to looking for the specific job that would the best fit for you, learn how to effectively market your talents.  This will help you gauge the possibility of landing on the job you want.  First, skills and interests should be evaluated personally.  Jotting down a list would definitely be the best way to define your capabilities; second, to know your limitations.  There are jobs that are too demanding that might not work for you, or jobs that you may be overly qualified for; and third, planning the time as soon as there is...

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Importance of Skills Emphasis on Job Interviews

Skill emphasis during the interview is important to show the employer what makes you different from all the other job candidates. In this competitive world, companies search for the most qualified employees by weighing skills of the candidates and determining how they would benefit the company. Majority of the top companies search for employers who stands out based from their expertise, ability to give new developments, and pleasing personalities that would enhance the organization.  Skills are grouped into three kinds  knowledge-based,...

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Seven Basic Salary Negotiation Tips

Money is the most sensitive issue in the whole hiring process. Discussing the compensation often causes anxiety on both employee and employer. Here are seven ways to make the process of salary negotiating efficient.  1) Research:  Before the interview process begins, contact the professional organization that represents your field of career. As soon as they provide you with your salary information, you can now examine your monthly cash requirements. Remember that once your taxes are added to your paycheck, approximately 30% of your...

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Wage for the New Grad

Fresh out of college, most people are excited about landing that first job.  Given that most grads do not have work experience or only had a part time job while studying, it is not easy to secure an executive position right away. Starting from scratch, one has no choice but to start from the bottom in an entry-level position then in time move to the top. The challenge most grads face in applying for a job is the competition. Aside from those who just graduated, there are also those who have left the previous job and are looking for a new...

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Job Search Tips for Sales Professionals

Each specific industry has a variety of requirements that an employee has to meet. In searching for jobs as sales professionals, how do you prepare for a competitive environment? Here are useful tips you could perform in searching the appropriate job and acing the interview. 1) Research: In order to be prepared on your interview, you should learn important facts about the company beforehand.  * The internet is one of the best ways to search for information and most companies provide their own websites. Study the content of the companys...

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