Job Interview Questions >> The Correct Way to Answer

by  job- search- adviser. net

Question 1 : Like me – Like me NOT

Image of a man using a computerOne of the most common interview questions is, “What did you like most, and what did you dislike most about your last job?”

When you give your job interview answer for this question you want to make sure that you do not speak too negatively about your prior company. If you do so, this may lead the person that you are interviewing with to assume that you will do the same with their company. Job interview answers are not always the easiest to spin into something positive. You may need to write, rewrite and rewrite again to get this answer correct.

Try an answer something like this: “I enjoyed the company because they rewarded the employees when all goals were completed. It showed us that they really cared about our hard work and us. I would have enjoyed the it more if they would have had more advancement opportunities.”  

Question 2 : weakness VS. STRENGTHS

Employers tend to ask about your strengths and weaknesses. They may form the questions like this, “What is your greatest weakness?” and “What is your greatest strengths?”

Most individuals can come up with a job interview answer for strengths in a heartbeat, but can’t come up with a weakness that they are willing to share with others. So they stumble over the answer and end up sounding a little weak in the interview. Make sure you do not refer to your weakness as such, spin it to a positive.

So look at the better way to have a job interview answer for this question: “I enjoy taking pride in my work so I tend to take a little too much time checking it. Luckily I have learned some new features of Microsoft office 2007 that have helped me to better and more efficiently check my work.

Question 3 : The boss is wrong!

There are times when interview questions that will ask you about your judgment. They may ask you, “What would you do if your boss told you to do something and you knew that was the wrong way to do it?

This question may make you start to squirm a little in your seat. How in the world are you going to answer this without getting them upset? Try a job interview answer along these lines: “To be honest with you, I’m not sure what I would do. If it was something minor I may just do as I was told, and go with the flow, but if it was something that I knew was really wrong I would have to talk to him about it.”

You may also want to mention the fact that some people take confrontation differently than others. There are supervisors that you can approach and would have no problem with you letting them know they are wrong. There are also supervisors that do not care to have their authority challenged, even in private conversations.

Question 4 : Have you done your homework?

Sometimes the interviewer will ask you this question, “How did you get ready for this interview?” or “What do you know about our company?”
 

OK, your first responses is Oh no, not a pop quiz! I can’t do that! There has to be a way to avoid this job interview answer! Alas, this is not so!
 

Make sure that when you do send in your resume that you look up the company on the Internet and see if they have a website. See what they are about, what their mission statement is, and if this would be a company you would want to work for. Then a great job interview answer would look like this: “When I found the ad in the Anytown Daily Press I did a Google search on your company and went to your website.

I was impressed by your mission statement and the amount of community service that you do every year, that is something that is important to me as well. I looked over your annual report and noticed that the company had a slight increase in the equity this year. I think that with me in the accounting office that I will be able to assist the Accounting Manager in at least doubling that target. As you can see on my resume…”

As you can tell, the interviewee did their homework, and was able to show the employer that he or she had as well. It’s important to keep the employer on your side. The best thing to do is to have knowledge, for knowledge is power.

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Cover Letter Tips: Making Yourself Irresistible Part II

By interviewmastermind .com

Here are cover letter tips to keep your resume from ending up in the trash can:

>> Don’t just parrot your resume.

Your cover letter, though short and simple, is an asset that will pave the way for your future income, and a lot of prospective employees make the mistake of writing exactly what is on the resume.  Don’t do this—it shows a lack of creativity.  Your cover letter should expand and serve as a bridge to your resume.  Since it’s the first thing they see, make it count.  This goes back to the previous point- it’s one of the crucial cover letter tips.  Brag and talk about how great you are but don’t just summarize your resume.

>> Don’t come across as a Harvard prude, even if you are one.

Professionalism is nice, but no one wants to work with a pompous ass.  If that’s not how you talk on a daily basis, tone it down.  If that is how you talk, you’ve got bigger problems than I can solve.  Write like a kindergartner.  Okay, I don’t mean write sentences like “Jane likes jobs.  Jane wants money.”  I mean be clear and simple, and sound out your words while you write to make sure they aren’t too sophisticated.  And definitely don’t talk about how this is one of the awesome cover letter tips you found here.  You don’t have to spill the beans like a kindergartener would either, just be clear, concise and readable.

>> Email letters should be short and sweet, like a one-night stand.

Long emails waste time that could be better spent on Facebook.  Once they open your resume they’ve decided to invest some time in you, so they are psychologically prepared for more information.  Einstein once said, “Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler.”  Anything more will make you seem like a possible future headache.

>> Attack them from all angles.

If you don’t have submission guidelines, send the resume as an attachment and an email.  Then point it out.  “I’m such a great fella I sent this as an email AND an attachment.”  The message is you are the type of person who will make their life easier.

>> The most crucial of the cover letter tips- Don’t be weak.

“My professional resume is included if you would like to look at it.”   Subconsciously, you just told them you aren’t even sure if your resume is worth their time.  Grow a pair.  Say something direct and casual like, “As you can see in my resume, I’ve worked in the midget porn industry for forty-three years.”  EXPECT them to read it, and they are much more likely to do so.  Ok, so that actual line is not one of the cover letter tips you should utilize, but you get what I mean.

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Cover Letter Tips: Making Yourself Irresistible Part I

By interviewmastermind .com

Most employers could go their whole lives without reading another resume  if it was up to them, so that’s when truly helpful cover letter tips come in handy.  If they are not in a hurry to hire, the last thing they want to do with their time is pick through anonymous resumes.  A cover letter gives you a quick chance to tell them why they should take a closer look at you.

Here are cover letter tips to keep your resume from ending up in the trash can:

>> If you’ve got connections, use them.cover letter tips

Name-dropping works.  For one, an employer feels a subconscious obligation to give you a solid chance if you have a mutual contact.  In fact, they will probably have to find a good reason not to hire you if it might affect their social life or business.  Also, human beings are ethnocentric creatures — which means they’re hesitant to let anyone into their world that they don’t know.  This is one of the oldest cover letter tips ever used, but it still works.   Establish a connection and they’re more likely to take a chance.

>> Never address “To Whom it May Concern.”

This is one of the cover letter tips you need to keep at the forefront of your mind.  Even if they know you don’t know them, saying their name gets their attention, as if the letter is truly to them.  It makes it more personal.  Besides, if you don’t have the brains to research a name, they don’t want you.  It shows you care about the position and are willing to do some homework.  Otherwise you’re like that shameless spammer on Facebook who is always promoting his band that no one likes—“Be my friend!  Be my friend!”  No one likes that guy, so don’t act like him.
 

>> Keep it Conversational.

Keeping the cover letter conversational is one of the best cover letter tips out there.  Show some personality and the reader is less likely to crumple it up and shoot a basket.  This type of language makes people feel like you have rapport even if you’ve never met.

>> Brag about yourself.

While your dedication to telling the world how awesome you are hasn’t scored you many friends in the past, here is your chance to put it out there without everyone leaving the room talking about what a douche bag your are.  Finally.  Tell them why you’re the man or woman for the job.  Having the confidence to state it straight up sends the signal that you really are qualified.

The more specific, tangible, and measurable the better because it tells them you’re not just winging it.

>> Always talk about your achievements.

They don’t just want another employee—they want the best, and achievements mark you as a high-value individual.  Use bullet points to cover more space, creating the illusion there is more information than there actually is.  Most cover letter tips will tell you not to list your accomplishments, but this is where you want to brag away.

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Leadership Tips >> Bad Leadership Traits II

By M Rasing

Good leaders may also exhibit bad leadership traits every now and then. But if a leader consistently exhibit bad traits, then you better do something about it because the organization may suffer because of such a leader. Here are the bad leadership traits.

• Loves big strategies but no thought for implementation. It's good to dream. But you gotta wake up to implement and chase after those dreams!
• Too much focused on rules. No problem on rules but there are times that they have to be bent to accommodate a bigger good.
• Ruling with an iron hand. There is no armed rebellion in the workplace isn't there? Since there is none, there is really no need for ruling with an iron hand!
• Impulsiveness. A leader should think carefully before embarking on any project and say anything at all!
• Complicates conflicts instead of resolving them. A leader should learn how to manage conflicts and not inflame them.
• Unwillingness to learn. Given the present situation of the global economy and how the business setting changes continuously, learning is imperative.
• Reacting negatively to criticism. A leader should keep an open ear to criticism, whether good or bad. It might lead to something good if taken in the right way.
• Approves unethical business. This is a sure-fire guarantee that your organization will go the way of Enron. Beware of leaders who approve unethical business!

These bad leadership traits can be found all over the workplace. Avoid them. If you find any of these, then you better device some strategy on how to deal with them.
 

 

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Leadership Tips >> Bad Leadership Traits I

By M Rasing

Good leaders may also exhibit bad leadership traits every now and then. But if a leader consistently exhibit bad traits, then you better do something about it because the organization may suffer because of such a leader. Here are the bad leadership traits.

• Too much love for self. A bad leader puts himself above others. In matters involving the organization, he would rather protect his own interests that that of the organization.-job-
• Poor communication. He assumes a lot and expects others to play by his rules. Yet, he rarely communicates his expectations, his goals and the things that he wants the organization to work on. Poor communication is the cause of numerous preventable conflicts. That is why this is a bad trait for a leader to have.
• Unwillingness to Take Risks. Whether in a business setting or in a non-profit situation, risks are inevitable. A leader who does not want to take risks is either deluded or living in an entirely closed shell!
• Indecisiveness. A bad leader wavers in his decisions. He decides one thing, then change it again. Then change it again soon after that. People can get easily confused because of this indecisiveness.
• Laissez Faire. This leader simply lets things happen as they happen. He does not want to participate in constructing the reality that would lead to benefit the organization.
• Poor Self Management. If you cannot manage yourself, how do you expect to manage a whole set of people who are working on different issues and tasks at the same time? Personal self management is a necessity for any good leader.
• Playing Favorites. Everything in an organization must be merit-based. Rewards and even punishments must be commensurate to output and performance. If a leader plays favorites, then he is compromising the long-term health of the organization.
• Lack of Accountability. When a leader just wants to do things his own way without regard of accountability, you have take note. This is the beginning of a lack of accountability which might lead to a leader going astray.
• Deceitful. If a leader starts telling stories to one person and then a different version of that story to another person, then deceit has taken hold of the leader. There is probably some kind of cover-up going on.
• Too passionate for power, wealth and prestige. Leaders are entitled to wealth, power and prestige. But if he passionate only for these things, then something has gone awry! He is no longer thinking right for his office and for the organization.

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Transformational Effectiveness Leadership Solution

By Doreen Mcgunagle

With the help of this type of leadership, considerable positive changes take place among the followers. The transformational leader boosts the morale, performance and motivation with various mechanisms, such as connecting the sense of identity and self of the followers with the mission and identity of the organization, inspiring the followers as a role model, challenging followers to take up the responsibility of their work, determining the strengths and weaknesses of the followers for aligning them with tasks according to their performance.

The elements that are provided by transformational leadership are individualized consideration, wherein the leader attends to each follower's needs and communicates with them individually; intellectual stimulation, wherein the leader encourages creativity and independence in the followers; inspirational motivation, wherein the leader creates an appealing and inspiring vision for the followers; and idealized influence, wherein the leader acts as a role model instilling highly ethical behavior, pride, respect and trust.

In transformational leadership, the leader chases success along with you while motivating your passion and energy towards the given task. A vision or so-called "dream" is created by the leader to encourage the followers to pursue their goals. The leader sets an example for his followers by acting appropriately to achieve the goals. He inspires his followers to sustain commitment and not drift away from their goals while creating a balance of attention between the progress and mental state of the followers.

The followers also become the product of transformation while the leader attempts to transform the organization. Transformational leadership is carried out with charisma that motivates positively with enthusiasm. The leader is basically concerned with the individual success of his followers.

Transformational leadership is another form of leadership, apart from charismatic leadership, that gathers their followers through style and personality. As it is used to move a group in a new direction, it was initially based as business leadership. Such leaders not only inspire but they also stimulate individuals to think differently, think out-of-the-box while their needs are taken care of by the leader. You need to be more energetic and enthusiastic as a transformational leader, in order to avoid people falling asleep while you preach. With good content and integrity, you can present change to your people while imparting inspiring speeches that may improve the communication gap between the follow and the leader.

Interaction is important as the transformational leader may apply ideas of the followers themselves while chasing a goal. Transformational leadership comes through awareness of what is good, bad or unimportant for enhancing the needs of the people with motivation. You can succeed as a transformational leader when you influence the idea, conviction, example and extraordinary ability to mobilize your followers to make things work accordingly.

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Emotions - Leadership Secret Weapon

By Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D.

"Leadership isn't something you do writing memos; you've got to appeal to people's emotions. They've got to buy in with their hearts and bellies, not just their minds." ~ Lou Gerstner, IBM's former CEO

Emotions are critical to business success because they drive behaviors. Companies that achieve an emotional buy-in from consumers and employees will have a competitive advantage in a world of increasing commoditization.

Business has a long tradition of ignoring emotions in favor of rationality. But a growing body of scientific evidence reveals that subconscious feelings drive decisions, up to 95% of which are made through the brain's emotion centers and only then filtered into its cognitive parts.

Psychologists, neuroscientists and behavioral economists now agree that leaders who fail to understand how emotions drive actions will ultimately fail.

Emotionally astute leaders leverage feelings to gain employee commitment, engagement and performance, according to Dan Hill, CEO of Sensory Logic and author of Emotionomics: Leveraging Emotions for Business Success (Kogan Page, 2008). However, there are two barriers that create a trust gap between leaders and their staffs:

1. The financial chasm that results from large pay disparities
2. A disconnect between verbal and nonverbal communication

While there is an inherent desire to identify and bond with one's leader, people exercise caution before committing their careers and livelihoods to anyone. No one wants to commit to the wrong cause or person, thus the importance of leaders' honesty and authenticity.

Evolution gave us feeling before thinking. Leaders must quell fears before expecting employees to embrace the cold, hard facts. Facts are malleable, but our gut instincts are unyielding.

• The human side of business consumes most of a company's operating costs. Failure to be emotionally adept is counterproductive-perhaps even suicidal.
• Employees are the players who turn their CEO's dreams of progress from a nuts-and-bolts strategic plan into reality-an outcome that requires emotional commitment.

Emotions Matter: An Action Plan The following action steps can help you achieve your desired results:

1. Create faith in a "greater we" by establishing yourself as a leader who's a real person-not the heir apparent to a big title, office and salary.
2. Be more personable in your communications. Only then can you generate the emotional momentum necessary to push through change.
3. Communicate a vision that inspires pride. Negative feelings can undo a company during a period of change, and they're highly contagious. Become a student of nonverbal expressions and body language.
4. Meet with employees in person, and use face time to connect with them and solicit or accept advice. Greater familiarity leads to sound relationships.

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Job Tips -> Top Ten Tips for Attending Career and Job Fairs

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

1. Have a pen/pencil and paper available for notes.
2. Bring resumes and a folder or portfolio to hold your materials.
3. Take the time to find out what companies will be represented before the day of the career fair.
4. Research information about the participating companies and organizations prior to approaching the recruiters. Use the Internet, news sources and career fair materials to learn about the companies' booths you plan to visit. You can impress a recruiter by knowing about his or her company and can discuss its current situation.
5. Use time wisely. Determine where employers are located and in what order to visit them. Focus on three companies that you are truly interested in.
6. Broaden your focus and include many types of employers. For instance, you may not have considered working for a hospital, but hospitals recruit and hire professionals in many different fields (e.g., management, information systems, or health care).
7. Be aware of time demands on employers. Do not monopolize an employer's time. Ask specific questions and offer to follow up after the fair, as appropriate.
8. Be direct. Introduce yourself, including your name and career interests. If you are job-seeking, state the type of position in which you are interested. If you are gathering information, let employers know that you are only interested in materials and information. Remember to use good eye contact and a firm handshake. Career fairs are the perfect place to use your elevator speech.
9. Make sure you learn from the recruiter employment and/or hiring trends, skills necessary for different jobs, current openings, salary, benefits, training, and other information about the organization. Also make sure you know whom to contact for follow-up discussions.
10. Ask the employer for the next steps in the recruitment process and try to obtain the recruiter's business card for follow-up discussions/correspondence.

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Career Tips > 9 Job Search Tips for New Graduates

By Kathy Kristof

College graduation season is set to launch millions of youthful job seekers into an already depressed employment market. If you’re among the masses, realize that preparation is key. Here’s what you need to do to get hired.

1) Edit your profile. Those drunken party photos might have impressed your Facebook friends, but now they could dissuade a prospective employer from hiring you, says Stephen Miles, vice chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles and co-author of Your Career Game. Recruiters do extensive web searches on people they intend to hire, including checking social media sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. If you’ve posted compromising photos or a stupid status update (i.e. Nice day. I think I’ll call in sick and go to the beach…) it could cost you a job. Get rid of it.

2) Do your homework. Don’t just figure that you can post a resume on monster.com and find work, says Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO of staffing company AppleOne. You ought to study all aspects of your chosen field and seek information about the companies doing business in that area. Go to the company web sites and see if they’re posting open positions, too. If you send a resume, tailor it specifically to the job you’re seeking, Howroyd suggests.

3. Prepare to relocate. Live in a city where the job prospects are bleak? You can vastly increase your chance of getting work by seeking employment in other zip codes. The folks at job search site Indeed.com recently came up with a list of the best and worst cities to find work.

4) Think small. Many graduates focus on big, brand-name companies, but it’s the smaller and mid-sized companies that are doing most of the hiring now, Howroyd says. Taking jobs that “no one wants” is often an opportunity that no one else sees, adds Nathan Bennett, professor of management at Georgia Tech and the other co-author of Your Career Game. A first job is an opportunity to get experience. The smaller the company, the thinner the staff, the more likely you are to learn a wide array of skills.

5) Set targets. Set goals every day for either sending out a set number of resumes; filling out a set number of applications or finding a set number of new opportunities. Don’t hit the beach until you’ve hit your goal. You can’t change the job market, but you can determine how hard you try. Trying harder than your peers makes you the one most likely to get work.

6) Be persistent. If you go to an interview and don’t hear from the employer, follow up with a phone call. If they gave the job to another person, don’t be angry — be interested. Politely ask the hiring manager if he or she can tell you whether there was something that the other person did that particularly impressed them or something that you did wrong. If your approach is respectful and aimed at learning (rather than second-guessing their actions), they’re likely to help you better position yourself for the next interview. And if they tell you that you were fine, the other person was just more qualified, don’t be shy about asking them to keep you in mind for the next opportunity. If you don’t have a job in three or four months, call again and see if anything has opened up.

7) Work your network. Ask your friends, your parents, your parents’ friends, if they know of anything that would suit you. Check in with your college career office and attend their alumni functions. When there are hundreds of people applying for a given job, a personal referral can make your application stand out.

8) Be a temp. Some companies may not be willing to hire permanent full-time staff, but need help. You can sign up with a temporary company, like AppleOne, that will send you out on a daily basis to these companies. The benefits: You earn money; you get to know employers and employers get to know you.

9) Don’t despair. It’s a rotten job market, so it could take time to get work. And when you do get work, it may not be the ‘perfect job’ that you envisioned. Keep a good attitude and don’t let it get to you. Every job — even a nightmare job — is experience on your resume and a potential reference for a new employer. Do you best no matter where you end up working, and chances are good that you’ll get a better job in no time.

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10 Ways to Go Green at Work

By sierraclub .typepad .com

Greener homes are in the spotlight these days, but what about the other places where many of us spend huge chunks of our time--our offices? Some simple changes of habit can save energy and resources at work, and these small steps can be multiplied by persuading the powers-that-be at your workplace to adopt environmentally friendly (and often cost-effective) policies.

1) Be bright about light
 

Artificial lighting accounts for 44 percent of the electricity use in office buildings.

> Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can.

> Make it a policy to buy Energy Star-rated lightbulbs and fixtures, which use at least two-thirds less energy than regular lighting, and install timers or motion sensors that automatically shut off lights when they're not needed.

2) Maximize computer efficiency
 

Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $1 billion worth of electricity a year.

> Make it a habit to turn off your computer—and the power strip it's plugged into—when you leave for the day. Otherwise, you're still burning energy even if you're not burning the midnight oil. (Check with your IT department to make sure the computer doesn't need to be on to run backups or other maintenance.) During the day, setting your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks can cut energy use by 70 percent. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.

> Make it a policy to invest in energy-saving computers, monitors, and printers and make sure that old equipment is properly recycled. Look for a recycler that has pledged not to export hazardous e-waste and to follow other safety guidelines. Old computers that still work, and are less than five years old, can be donated to organizations that will refurbish them and find them new homes. (You may even get a tax deduction.)

3) Print smarter
 

The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year.

> Make it a habit to print on both sides or use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible.

> Make it a policy to buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf. Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones. According to Office Depot, each remanufactured toner cartridge "keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills...and conserves about a half gallon of oil."

4) Go paperless when possible

> Make it a habit to think before you print: could this be read or stored online instead? When you receive unwanted catalogs, newsletters, magazines, or junk mail, request to be removed from the mailing list before you recycle the item.

> Make it a policy to post employee manuals and similar materials online, rather than distribute print copies. They're easier to update that way too.

5) Ramp up your recycling

> Make it a habit to recycle everything your company collects. Just about any kind of paper you would encounter in an office, including fax paper, envelopes, and junk mail, can be recycled. So can your old cell phone, PDA, or pager.

> Make it a policy to place recycling bins in accessible, high-traffic areas and provide clear information about what can and can not be recycled.

6) Close the loop

> Make it a policy to purchase office supplies and furniture made from recycled materials.

7) Watch what (and how) you eat

> Make it a habit to bring your own mug and dishware for those meals you eat at the office.

> Make it a policy to provide reusable dishes, silverware, and glasses. Switch to Fair Trade and organic coffee and tea, and buy as much organic and local food as possible for parties and other events. Provide filtered drinking water to reduce bottled-water waste.

8) Rethink your travel

> Make it a habit to take the train, bus, or subway when feasible instead of a rental car when traveling on business. If you have to rent a car, some rental agencies now offer hybrids and other high-mileage vehicles.

> Make it a policy to invest in videoconferencing and other technological solutions that can reduce the amount of employee travel.

9) Reconsider your commute

> Make it a habit to carpool, bike, or take transit to work, and/or telecommute when possible. If you need to drive occasionally, consider joining a car-sharing service like Zipcar and Flexcar instead of owning your own wheels.

> Make it a policy to encourage telecommuting (a nice perk that's also good for the planet!) and make it easy for employees to take alternative modes of transportation by subsidizing commuter checks, offering bike parking, or organizing a carpool board.

10) Create a healthy office environment

> Make it a habit to use nontoxic cleaning products. Brighten up your cubicle with plants, which absorb indoor pollution.

> Make it a policy to buy furniture, carpeting, and paint that are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and won't off-gas toxic chemicals.

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