The Art of Asking Questions in Job Interviews
If you go into a job interview thinking it’s all about answering questions, you’re wrong. In fact, when the interviewer asks “Do you have any questions for me?” it’s not the end of the interview, but the start of the meat of the interview, and your opportunity to make a real impression. When you are prepared to be asking questions in job interviews, it shows that you’ve done your homework on the company and that you want to find out more. Interviewing is an art — a skill that must be practiced. With each interview throughout your job search, you’ll gain experience and knowledge to help you in your next job interview. Asking questions during an interview isn’t just an option, but most hiring managers and interviewers actually expect applicants to ask questions. Not sure what questions to ask? Here are a few suggestions from Corn on the Job: Ask
Fighting Job Search Fatigue
Have you ever felt so drained by your career search that you felt you simply couldn’t go on? Do you find job hunting debilitating? Do you ever find yourself doing everything except what you should be doing to find a job? Are you in need of job search tips and job search solutions to help you persevere through your time of unemployment? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be experiencing job search fatigue. The economy may be starting to rebound, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to easily find a job. In fact, the unemployment rate over a 12-month period has only changed slightly. In Dallas County, the unemployment rate has fallen by just 0.8 percent in the last year, and currently sits around 8.2 percent. (Click here to view a map of Texas unemployment by county from the U.S. Department of Labor.)
Recruiting By Referrals
Networking is a term that is thrown around among recruiters and job seekers, and it is an important part of the job search, but why? Referral hiring is an important hiring solution and may be the most valuable outcome of networking, and experts say it is one of the leading sources of viable job candidates. Some companies will consider recommendations from inside to fill open positions first. When a job seeker is given an internal employee referral it serves as a built-in reference check and can eliminate steps in the process for the hiring manager. For the job seeker, a referral is an excellent way to gain a personal look inside the culture of a company. Statistics from CareerXroads show that employee referrals are the leading source of external hires. In 2010, 27.5 percent of new hires were based on referrals. Forty-five percent of respondents to the survey by CareerXroads
Stuck in Your Job Search? Think Outside The Box
Ever been told to “think outside the box?” While it may be far beyond the confines of traditional thinking, doing so could produce incredible results for the job seeker. If the usual methods of job searching are providing you few results, consider ways in which you might be able to think outside the box. Here are a few “outside the box” job seeking tips: Working Interview – Are you interviewing for a job? Offer to spend a day working for free. This can be a great way to display your knowledge of the job as well as interpersonal skills that are often hard to see in a verbal interview. Not only could this help convince them to hire you, it will also help you determine if this it would be a job you want to accept when given an offer. A working interview is a non-traditional way of finding a
Tips for Negotiating Your Salary
Negotiating salary may be the most nerve-wracking part of the job search process. Typically, salary negotiations begin at the point of application, as most job applications now ask for salary requirements. Many times, a job seeker is unprepared to answer that question. A lack of research, confidence and general preparedness leaves applicants wondering how much they should ask for. Many think to themselves “If I ask too little, they’ll think I’m not confident in my abilities but if I ask for too much, they’ll think I’m unrealistic and not grounded.” A fear of missing out on the job opportunity may lead to low-balling salary requests, just to get their foot in the door. Studies have shown that men are more likely to negotiate salary at a new job than women. Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, authors of the book Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, say that on
Human Resource Buddies: Your Out Of Work Mentor
Searching for a job can be like learning to swim. Just like a child shouldn’t jump into a pool alone and hope they can learn to swim without any instruction or help from others, job seekers shouldn’t have to go it alone. When learning to swim, proper instruction from a coach can make the difference between drowning and learning to swim. When searching for a job, help from a coach or mentor could make the difference between landing that dream job or not. Job coach, job mentor, employment coach, human resource buddy, staffing specialist – no matter the title, the role in a job seeker’s life is the same (We’ll stick with human resource buddy for this article). A human resource buddy’s main purpose is to help a job seeker in his or her search and can be an invaluable staffing resource. Mentoring on everything from how to prepare
So You Got A Job Offer. Is It The Right Job for You?
Throughout your job search, you’ve searched and searched. For months, a job has been just out of reach. And then finally, you got a job offer. Is it the right job for you? Your first instinct is to take it, no questions asked. But is this really the right job for you? Although a job search can sometimes be long and arduous, it’s important to avoid taking a job that’s not a good fit for you, simply out of desperation. After all, taking the wrong job can have disastrous consequences for you, and for your long-term career goals: – You won’t like it. Or, even worse, you may grow to hate your job. Sometimes, taking an unpleasant job becomes a necessity. But be aware that if you go into the job expecting to hate it, you probably will. – The temporary respite becomes a permanent position. You might take a
President Obama Message to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
In President Obama\’s Message to the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the President discusses the importance of Hispanic business for renewing the American economy. He also recognizes Pinnacle CEO, Nina Vaca, before congratulating Anna Maria Chavez, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA for her award. The new CEO of the Girl Scouts has a bold goal. She wants to close the leadership gap between men and women within one generation. To accomplish this goal, Girl Scouts is initiating a multi-year campaign called ToGetHerThere. Girl Scouts — the grande dame of girls’ organizations — marks its 100th anniversary on March 12. It is as vital and vibrant as the girls it serves. The Girl Scouts have declared 2012 the Year of the Girl: a celebration of girls, recognition of their leadership potential, and a commitment to creating a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in support of balanced leadership in the workplace and
Five ways to increase your visibility on the job search
When you’re looking for a new job, visibility is critical. It’s not enough to simply send out resumes and answer online advertisements. Rather, you must create a true presence, demonstrating your expertise and abilities. Most job seekers have increased their visibility by posting professional information in one or two places online. But let’s face it: you never know where a job lead will come from. Instead of taking the quick and easy path, invest a few hours in expanding your presence using the following three steps. Your job search just might take off faster than you imagined. 1. Tweak your content: -Review your resume and add keywords for your ideal job and industry. -Review your cover letter, again adding keywords where appropriate. -Create both written and oral “elevator speeches,” where you can explain your career goals and strengths in 50 words or less (written) and 60 seconds or less (oral).
How to Leverage Your Professional Network over Time
It’s easier than ever to send a resume and apply for a job. Thanks to the Internet, an ad for an open position might receive hundreds – or even thousands – of applications. As a result, it may be more important than ever to leverage a professional network during a job search. That’s right. Your network of friends, colleagues and family members are probably the best ticket to your next position. So how can you make the most of your network – and even expand it – to land your dream job? Follow these job search tips from Pinnacle. Start with your mindset. Remember, it takes time to develop and maintain relationships. This is a process that doesn’t just start – or stop – when you need a job. Make a lifelong investment in your network. Make a list. Reconsider who you consider to be in your network. Job leads