Checks Before Attending an Interview.

Checks Before Attending an Interview For The Beginners. 

When you are called for an interview you have to confirm about the date, time, and location of the interview.
* Be on time, you have to plan to be earlier than half an hour before the interview schedule time.

*  And if you are going to be late, then best option is call them.
* You have to wear professional dress. Get your hair cut and styled, No gum, cigarette smell, heavy scents.
* Concentrate on the interview at the interview
* On arrival ensure that receptionist knows you are present.
* Your interview letter must be with you.
* If you are asked to bring certificates, references etc, get them ready before the day of interview.
* Always keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
* Collect sample questions on job interview.
* You can sign up to do a mock interview with a career counselor.
* Get a good night's sleep before your interview so you'll be as psychologically physically and emotionally ready for interview as possible.
* Carry additional resumes for distribution to department heads, search committees, and others you may meet who have not seen your resume.
* Employers typically require references. Get permission before using anyone as a reference. Make sure that they will give you a good reference. Try to avoid using relatives as references
* If you have to do a formal presentation, be well prepared.
* PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, In front of a mirror or with an audience of friends or colleagues

IMPORTANCE OF PLACEMENTS

The Importance of placements
The School of Service Management believes that taking a Placement is one of the most important decisions you can make in your university career. Not only will you benefit from building personal confidence during your placement year but you will also establish contacts in your chosen sector which may prove invaluable for graduate opportunity.
The Placement team
Because we place such emphasis on the importance of taking a placement we have invested heavily in our placement provision. Our current placement team consists of a placement co-ordinator and four academic placement tutors, each with specialist knowledge relevant to the degree courses you under their supervision are studying. These tutors advise and support you throughout your preparation for placement, continuing their individual support through email and telephone contact, as well as personal visits throughout the duration of the placement, and aim to visit every student at least once, with many receiving a second visit.
Support before the placement
During the preparation for your placement year, you are supported by a series of academic and skills-based workshops specifically designed to prepare you for the world of work both in the UK and overseas. The placement co-ordinator’s role during this time is to offer advice and assistance to you during your search for suitable placements, arranging for employers to recruit students, on campus, throughout the year. The placement co-ordinator also offers assistance on a range of subjects including job applications, working visas, insurance, travel arrangements and so on.
Support after the placement
On return to your final year of university, you attend a series of reflective practice workshops which support you through the process of reflecting on the learning which has taken place during the Placement. Throughout this time, the academic placement tutors continue to guide and supervise you towards successful completion of your final year placement project. This project forms a unique opportunity for you to relate the Honours element of your degree to your placement experience, thus enabling you to demonstrate to future employers the true extent of your knowledge and appreciation of your chosen sector.
In line with all UK universities, students taking a Placement with the support of the School of Service Management pay a reduced tuition fee for Placement year.

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Job Seekers

Seven Habits of Highly Successful Job Seekers

In the job search craze, there are those who land a job right away and those who struggle through the process of finding one for a long time. ‘Luck’ is usually the response one hears from disenfranchised job seekers when they find out that their neighbor down the street was offered a position after only a two-week search. With many job seekers vying for only a few open positions, the truth is that ‘luck’ rarely has anything to do with it.

Realizing that their job search campaign doesn’t have to be a never-ending struggle, successful job seekers approach the process with patience and persistence. If you want to be among the highly successful job seekers follow the seven steps outlined below.

1. Search with purpose
Instead of trying to fit into a mould set by a hiring organization, target companies that match your goals and career values; doing this will allows you to focus your energy into searching for a position that is a natural fit.

After all, you don’t want to find yourself embarking on another search within a year’s time because you made a decision in haste.

2. Always be prepared
Be ready for your day’s activities by 9 am. Opportunities rarely land on your lap and you have to be prepared for the surprises that may come up during the day. You don’t want to be caught sleeping when someone calls to discuss an employment opportunity.

If you find yourself answering the phone like this: "hello? . . . well . . . um . . . well, like I was kinda sleeping. . . how long is this gonna take? . . . who are you again? . . . like I, um, contacted so many places, cuz, you know, like, I can't like find a job . . ." then it is time to reprioritize your needs.

Waiting until your unemployment insurance is about to end before you begin aggressively looking for a position can be a costly mistake. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you are running low on resources and desperation is about to set in. This is when mistakes are made and your job search may begin to suffer.

3. Develop a job search plan
Organize your job search, map out a strategy, set priorities, and establish goals. Begin your search with a clear focus and a plan. Participate in a number of activities including answering classified ads, posting your resume on the Internet, and going on informational interviews.

4. Bypass Human Resources
A human resources representative is also known as a “screener.” The screener’s job is to review resumes and match your experience with a checklist of requirements set forth by the hiring manager. If there are enough matches, the human resources representative forwards the resume to the decision maker.

Unfortunately, not much is left to the screener’s interpretation. This is why most opportunities are lost – because the screener doesn’t have the luxury of making a decision based on instinct; he or she is instructed to follow the lead of the hiring manager.

Since the decision makers (e.g., VP of Sales, Director of Marketing, or CEO) are the ones who determine who is ultimately hired, it is advisable that you apply directly to them.

5. Write follow-up letters
Well-written follow up letters can make a difference as to whether you get hired. A follow-up letter is more than a simple note thanking the interviewer for his or her time. It should be a sophisticated letter that either re-affirms your interest in the position, serves as an opportunity to mention an important point you neglected to bring up, and/or provides an opportunity to offer new insight on a topic that was discussed during the interview.

6. Avoid toxic job seekers
Job clubs are a great way to generate ideas and for networking purposes. However, some are also a breeding ground for negativity. These support groups can inadvertently affect your job search. Take inventory of the job seekers in attendance. Do they offer words of encouragement? Are they supportive of your efforts, or do they feed into your insecurities?

If after such meetings you feel emotionally drained and start to believe your chances of landing a job are bleak, then it’s time to search for a new support team.

7. Be good to yourself
There are two types of job seekers. One, that has a laid back approach, and the other that always feels "there aren’t enough hours in the day" and compulsively searches for a job without taking a breather.

Following in the footsteps of the latter is the fastest way to reaching burn out and when careless mistakes are often made. Though your job search should be your primary activity, don’t allow it to consume your every waking moment.

Every so often take a mini vacation; spend time with people who support you, listen to music and participate in activities you enjoy. Clearing your mind replenishes your energy and will allow you to continue searching for a job with a fresh outlook.

Telephone Interview

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

Prepare for a phone interview just as you would for a regular interview. Compile a list of answers to typical interview questions as well as your strengths and weaknesses, your background and skills.Have a pen and paper handy for note taking.

Turn call waiting off so your call isn’t interrupted.
Clear the room from where you are attending telephone interview, don’t keep your children’s and pets near by. Turn off your stereo and television, close the door, ensure fresh air enter into the room.
If the time isn’t convenient, ask the interviewer if he can call any other time and suggest some alternative interview timings. Don’t ask him to call in odd hours.

Incase if you are not sure your cell phone service is not perfect. Consider using landline rather than you cell phone to avoid a dropped call.

Keep your resume on the top of your desk or in clear view, or tape it to the wall near the phone, so it will help you to answer questions at your fingertips, have a short list of your accomplishments available to review.

Keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth.
Smile. Smiling will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice, Give short answers.

Remember your goal is to set-up a face-to-face interview, Thank the interviewer

Thing to Avoid During Phone Interview.
Don't smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink during the interview time.
Speak slowly and clearly.
Don't interrupt the interviewer.
Use the person's title (Mr. or Ms. and their last name.) Only use a first name if they ask you to.
Take your time - it's perfectly acceptable to take a moment or two to collect your thoughts.

Things to do after telephone interview.
Take notes about what you were asked and how you answered to the interview questions.

Expand Your Network by Sending Thank You Letters

Expand Your Network by Sending Thank You Letters

Sending a thank you or follow-up letter within 24 hours of an interview is not a new idea, but it is still a good idea. A key reason to send a thank you letter is to nurture new and existing relationships. Plan to send a thank you letter to all the people that assist in your job search.
This group includes the people that you meet during an interview; your existing contacts that provide written recommendations, and any friend (or friends of friends) that offer career related leads or information.

Thank you is a good place to start relationships that will greatly contribute to your ability to secure the right job in record time! Unless you have a good reason for sending a card or a handwritten letter to your target reader, plan to send an e-mail that is easy to produce. Use the subject line to note "thank you for the interview". This action demonstrates a respect for their busy schedule and an understanding that they may want to read this e-mail after they have read all their urgent e-mails.

Start every thank you letter by expressing your appreciation for the interest and time that people have invested in your career. Then, when you highlight that you are still interested in securing a new challenge, take this opportunity to feature your most relevant skills. Forexample, "My interest in working for (the name of the company or organization) is stronger than ever, and based on your description of the position, I know that my previous experience in (specify) provides the expertise required to make immediate contributions to your team."

End your letter using the "opening the door" technique.
Your closing paragraph for a thank you letter related to an interview should clearly state when you will call to schedule a meeting time. For example, "I would like to meet with you again to discuss this position. If I do not hear from you within the next five days, I will call you to schedule a convenient time to meet. In the meantime, I will be happy to provide any other information you may need to assist in your decision."

When you are writing to someone that has already provided information, your "opening the door" approach will reflect an appreciation for the assistance provided. In this situation, focus on advising your contact that you will provide an update on the progress of your job search. Your update should detail how the information they provided contributed to your success.

SELF-PROMOTE USING A POWERFUL PITCH

SELF-PROMOTE USING A POWERFUL PITCH

You meet important job search contacts every day. The people you meet when you complete routine tasks, such as shopping or taking your children to the local ball field, may know the person you want to meet or they may have friends or family working in the industry you are targeting. Plan to use the first 30 seconds of every initial face to face meeting to deliver a brief “infomercial”. Start with a smile and make eye contact before you deliver the introduction you have prepared.

Don’t worry about looking too pushy. People generally like to talk about their jobs and most are more than willing to provide assistance to folks looking for opportunities in their field. In addition, since employers tend to hire qualified people that are recommended by their employees, by using this opportunity to advance your career, you have also provided an occasion for the person you are meeting to gain recognition in their workplace.

Prepare a 15-30 second sound bite that highlights your uniqueness in a pleasant, but persuasive, manner. You will grab the attention of more listeners when you prepare your introduction based on the question “What’s In It for me?” from the perspective of potential employers. For example, what have you done to improve revenues, increase production, or reduce costs at your present or past jobs, or through your association with any volunteer or leisure-related organizations?

Be concise, but make the first minute count by offering information that you have determined will interest the person you are meeting. Think of the benefits you offer your clients, customers, co-workers, and supervisor. If you are not sure, ask them, you will discover that they rightfully value actions that you take for granted.

A script is an extremely helpful tool to use when you are making calls, meeting peers at an industry tradeshow, or preparing for an interview. Verbal profile statements should communicate three key pieces of information: your name, your area of expertise and related accomplishments. For example,

I am OCCUPATION NAME OR JOB TITLE who is interested in finding employment with companies that specialize in SPECIFY. Having worked (or studied) for COMPANY OR SCHOOL NAME the past NUMBER of years, I have expertise in TWO OR THREE KEY AREAS.

Cold calling can be effective, but taking time to contact the people in your existing network may be less intimidating and can bring about the same results. Practice your speech with friends and family, or record it on your answering machine, and listen to it.

Plan to practice your introduction the next time you meet a new contact. Then, plan to tweak sections that you found too chatty or sentences that did not flow. In time, you will find using your power introduction effortless and the associated rewards beneficial as you manage your career advancement.

Motivating Yourself to Find a Job

Motivating yourself to find a job

I am lazy. I like web design because I ultimately want to work (and I use the term loosely) from home.

I don’t like mornings. I don’t like working set hours. I would rather work through the night than drag myself out of bed each morning and go to work.

During the times that I was unemployed, I really didn’t do as much as I should have to find work.

This article is a retrospective reflection on my experiences with some advice on how to motivate your self to get out there and a find a job.
Set your goals
You first need to decide on what you want to do.

Are you looking a job that is the same as the one you had before, or do you want to move up a level? Perhaps you may want to change industries altogether? Or do you just want to pay the bills?

You have to decide what you want to do right at the beginning of your job search – it’s the basis for your CV and all the job applications you make.

Looking for jobs
Set aside some time each day where you can concentrate on looking for jobs.
Initially, you should be spending a lot of time creating an effective CV. After this you can spend time on the following areas:
Registering with recruitment agencies
Searching recruitment websites
Scanning the local and national press
Finding trade journals that may have jobs advertised for your industry
Sending out speculative letters to potential employers
Applying for advertised jobs (and customising your CV and covering letters if necessary)
Chasing up old contacts to find out about vacancies
Check the local job centre / employment office
Following up any letters you have sent out
You should split your tasks up so you can use your time efficiently.

For example, you can enter local recruitment agency information (address, etc) into a database and mail merge your covering letter. This way you can get them all out and mailed in the same day. This is also useful for sending out speculative letters, although these should really be customised for best effect.

From a marketing point of view, it may be worthwhile calling the office and finding out the name of a contact there to send your CV to. Instead of your letter going into a “to be actioned” pile of mail, it will go directly to the recruitment consultant.

You can use MS Access to set up a simple database to do this and print out your personalised covering letters from MS Word.

If you haven’t used these before, then don’t worry. Although it seems difficult to begin with, you can pick it up in no time (and Microsoft products have tonnes of guides, templates, help and online tutorials to assist you).

Staying motivated
It is a difficult process looking for jobs, as it can take a while to find results. There is a great uncertainty that we all go through – we don’t get replies to our letter, we don’t know when our next pay cheque will arrive, we are not achieving anything with our days, etc.
Don’t worry about it. You are not alone – we all go through this.

There are some things you can do to help your job prospects and stay motivated at the same time.
Keep busy (it will take your mind off any responses you are waiting on)
Voluntary work (shows that you are doing something useful with your spare time and helps add to your CV and build your experience)
DIY (get those shelves fixed and paint the bathroom)
Sport (any kind of exercise can help you reduce the stress of job hunting)
Socialise (difficult if your mates are all at work, but you can use your free time to catch up with people)
Chat with people on our forum (the are others who are going through the same thing as you – you can exchange job hunting ideas with each other)
The main thing to remember is to not over do it!

Even when unemployed, you still have a job to do – find a job! And it is perhaps one of the most difficult and stressful jobs to do. You must balance your time between finding work and keeping the stress levels down.

Are you confident that you have done everything you can today to find a job (be honest)? Good! Then relax a bit – there’s no point in stressing about stuff you can’t control.

The Most Common Reasons for Rejecting a Resume.

The most common reasons for rejecting a resume.

From a survey of 2,500 recruiters/headhunters:
Spelling errors, typos, and poor grammar [often leads to automatic rejection]

No clear sense of specific accomplishments

Missing or inaccurate dates [include month and year for employment]

Missing or inaccurate contact data

Poor formatting

Functional rather than chronological arrangement

Too long for accomplishments

Long, dense paragraphs

Inadequate qualifications -- does not match requireds

Inclusion of irrelevant personal information such as interests or hobbies

Missing employer information

Misleading or lying re: qualifications

Generic, fuzzy, or irrelevant career objectives, goals, and introduction

Poor font choice or style

Use of inappropriate or difficult to open digital format such as a ZIP file

Irrelevant images, graphics, or URLs

Inadequate summary of skills and accomplishments

Written in the first or third person

Unexplained gaps in employment

Burying important information

Objectives of Placement

The professional training placement provides students with the opportunity to spend twelve months working in industry, commerce or for a professional body. It gives them an insight into their subject and career potential.
The aims and objectives are as follows:To enable students to relate their University studies to the practical situations encountered in the working environment.

OBJECTIVES OF PROFESSIONAL PLACEMENT

The three parties involved in the Professional/Industrial Placement Scheme have different but complementary objectives. These may be summarised as follows:-

FOR THE STUDENT

To learn, develop and apply new skills appropriate to the professional setting in which they are working
To apply knowledge and skills acquired in the academic setting to the practical demands of the employing organisation.
To develop and utilise appropriate interpersonal skills in the organisation setting.
To develop and refine the communication skills required of a person working in a professioinal capacity.

FOR THE EMPLOYER

To contribute to undergraduate learning so as to produce gradutaes with the knowledge and skills which are of value to the employer.
To enhance the links between university and employers to the potential benefit of both.
To employ (for a limited period), an intelligent and committed individual who will contribute to the effectiveness of the organisation.

FOR THE UNIVERSITY

To provide students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills as an employee in a professional capacity.
To promote university links with industry, commerce and professional bodies.
To keep abreast of developements in the social and behavioural sciences as applied in a 'real world' setting.
To make graduates more attractive to employers and enhance their chances of employment
To produce a more rounded and mature graduate.

RENUMERATION

The salary students will receive during their placement year will be negotiated between the employer, student and the Professional Placement Tutor.

In some circumstances, students may have to undertake an unpaid placement. Some professional areas which are of direct relevance to social and human science students cannot offer paid placements. These include clinical, educational, forensic and health psychology placements, social work and some social research placements.

Those students in unpaid placements are dependent upon their student loan, part-time work and parental support where available. Students on placement will pay half the amount of the fees that they would normally be expected to pay - subject to the usual LEA assessment. Students on unpaid placements that conform with those stated in Schedule 5 of the grant awarding regulations will be able to apply for a full student loan, all other students will receive a half the amount of the loan to which they are entitled.

Job Hunting Tip - Time Management

Job Hunting Tip - Time Management

There is an old adage that "Looking for a job is harder than working." How true! The rigors of job search are magnified by the turmoil we experience: lack of self-confidence, humiliation, financial pressure, and the undercurrent of emotions that color all we do: fear, anger, depression, anxiety, loss. One practical step we can take to lower the stress and conserve our energy for finding work, not feeding our bloated worries, is to manage our time effectively.Have you ever noticed that you get more chores done when you’re busy? If time is limited, we squeeze in those extra demands because we know they have to get done by a deadline and we fear putting them off. When time is unlimited, such as when you take a few days off work, there is no pressure to rush—"I’ve got four days, I’ll do it tomorrow." Suddenly, you are back at work and realize that you didn’t accomplish half of what you had planned.This lack of structure is magnified when you are unemployed. There is no pressure to get up, get dressed, get out of the house by a specific time. We know we have things to do. We need to update our resume, create some new cover letters, research some possible job openings. It is so hard to get started because we hate having to do it, we don’t feel creative or excited about the whole prospect, and we dread having to go through the horrors of interviewing. We procrastinate, telling ourselves that when we are ready, it will just "flow." For a few hours, a few days, we’ll just indulge ourselves and relax.When the end of the month arrives and we compare our diminishing bank balance to our multiplying bills, we mentally beat ourselves up for not having accomplished what we had so earnestly intended. Now we generate our own pressure, magnified by guilt and self-reproach. Stress levels and blood pressure rise. We feel resentful, angry, depressed. "I didn’t ask to get into this situation. It’s unfair. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it."Adopting a reasonable schedule can avoid reaching this point. Try these ideas:1. Take a day to do nothing but plan out what you are going to do, and when.2. Concentrate on not over-committing yourself. You may be used to working 8 or more hours per day and think that is what you will now spend on job search. Remember that adage: your hunt for work is a lot more difficult than simply walking into a familiar employer and pursuing your daily routine. Recognize that and limit your job hunting to fewer hours per day.3. If you rigorously limit your job hunt-related activities to 4 hours per day to start (you can always increase later), you may find yourself forced to stop before you are ready. This creates the impetus to get you going the following day -- you can hardly wait to get back to what you are working on.4. When your "work time" is over, stop. Consciously focus your attention on relaxing: take a walk, read a book, throw a ball, watch television, whatever pleases you. You will be able to relax because you know you completed exactly what you planned. The guilt, and the sense of "I should have, I should be" no longer exist and you are free, for a short time anyway, to do anything you want.5. Identify your priorities by looking at what day of the week is best for each kind of activity. If you are searching the classifieds, Sunday is the premium time to do it. If you are networking or cold calling, concentrate on the morning weekday hours. Agency visits, whether for temporary work or head hunting, can be relegated to the afternoons when employers are difficult to reach and already fatigued.6. Analyze your own daily energy patterns and put them to work for you. Make sure that during your high energy periods you are "out there," contacting people and presenting yourself. Use your low energy times for solitary, mundane tasks: researching companies and jobs, organizing your paperwork, planning your next day’s activities.The inevitable stress of unemployment and job search can never be totally eliminated, but managing your time and being gentle with yourself can turn a painful situation into simply an uncomfortable nuisance.

Job Fairs

Job Fairs - create a lasting impression at job fairs

Job fairs. Speed dating for job seekers and employers! Or like a cattle market.

Most Colleges and Universities organise job fairs round about graduation time to allow students to meet new employers - it's a fairly common method of recruiting recent graduates.

Job seekers can use job fairs to find out a bit more information about employers, working life and general industry information. This is what most people use job fairs for.

However, the opportunity exists for job seekers to use the brief few minutes they have with employers to create a lasting impression (er, a "good" lasting impression!) and sell themselves, for job fairs are also an opportunity for the cream of the crop to rise to the top!

So who are those people hanging about the tables?
Employers and recruiters tend to send HR personnel along to job fairs to either weed out unsuitable candidates or pick out some young potentials from the crowd.

Unlike trade shows (which have basically the same format), job fairs aren't "staffed" by marketing people - they aren't trying to sell you anything. They are there to be sold by YOU! (the obvious exception is where you are such an attractive prospect, you get them chasing you, but let's face it - if that was the case, then you wouldn't be reading this!)

You are a salesman competing for business amongst hundreds of others. You could leave your CV with the recruiter. Would they remember you?

Dress for an interview!
Yes, job fairs are interviews and you should treat them as such.

Simply sauntering along in jeans and a t-shirt to see what's going on isn't going to get you anywhere, regardless of your skills and abilities. There are literally hundreds of other people there with the same aim as you - finding meaningful employment!

So, go along to job fairs and be prepared to make an impression!

Do your homework on the fly!
You see those glossy brochures the recruiters have strewn all over their little tables? And the posters on the walls? And the conversation the recruiter is having with the other jobseeker next to you?

This is all valuable information! And you NEED to use it to make your impression!

Find out about the company. Find out about the jobs they are offering or their graduate programme. Listen to the questions the recruiter asks other people and the information he or she gives out.

If you wander on up and ask some vague question about health plan or holidays, the recruiter is simply going to answer you and will soon be distracted by someone else. There it was. That was your chance. It's gone now.

You need to engage the recruiter - not simply hold a one sided conversation with them! At a job fair, a conversation is your best friend, because the longer you spend talking with the recruiter, the more likely they are to remember you.

At least....
The least you should leave a job fair is with some background about your industry (an idea of the types of jobs available), and some information about employers. At best you leave having made a positive impression on several employers and have a few job prospects to look forward to!

Experience for a Purpose

Experience for a Purpose

Good jobs need experience. But you can’t get the work experience without a job, right?

Well, I’m afraid it’s time to pay your dues!

The very least you want to do is find a job in the industry of area that you want to work in – even if it’s a crap job.

Crap jobs can be a means to an end.

A few tips on how to get work experience from crap jobs and other sources

1. Find out about the industry you are working in. I temped for 3 years in various areas that are all largely irrelevant to me now, but helped broaden my knowledge base. It may seem that the ins and outs of the administration of an office are irrelevant to your ambition to be a rocket scientist, but valuable interpersonal skills can be learned, as well as some industry knowledge.

2. Ask for more work. If you can suggest something to your manager that would be of use to the company / department and also be of interest to you, then you will gain valuable experience from it. You can go along to your next interview and say, “Well, yeah this was my job (and it was quite dull), but I also did this…”. This will show initiative and make you look like a damn good worker.

3. Use these dull jobs to hone your computer or other skills. Boring admin jobs can be good practice for working with databases, email, corporate intranets and other information systems. And like anything else, your keyboard skills and IT literacy will improve with experience.

4. Try voluntary work. It shows commitment and initiative (even if you aren’t doing anything to mentally taxing) and, again, you can increase your industry knowledge and may discover a new career path that you hadn’t thought of before. It also bulks out your CV (oh, and yeah, it helps other people). Voluntary work can be online editor positions, charity work, or I’m sure any number of other things.

Good Luck!

Finding a Job

Finding a Job

It’s difficult. No two ways about it.

Here are some methods of finding a job:

Local Newspapers
Local papers are a good source of finding a job in your local area. They are the first place that smaller companies will advertise their jobs, as it is more affordable than advertising through a recruitment agency or employment website.

There is also the benefit that if the job you are going for, then there is likely to be less competition in your local area.

National Newspapers
National newspapers hold the same benefits for job hunting as local papers - the jobs advertised are local to you.

National newspapers hold the additional benefit of attracting larger employers and having larger, more varied recruitment sections.

Websites
Very few people get jobs from a website. The best that you can hope for (and this is just my opinion) is good, solid information.


Referrals
Larger organisations sometimes offer bonuses to employees for suggesting a candidate for a job – do you know anyone that may be able to refer you to their employer?

Send you CV out
Make a list of employers that you would like to work for and send your CV and covering letter to the HR departments of these companies. Remember to follow it up with a phone call.

Check out these articles on writing your CV:
Writing a job application covering letter
CV Advice
Writing your CV

Recruitment agencies
Just send them your CV and give them an idea of what you want to do (ie permanent or temporary?).

Some articles on recruitment agencies:
Recruitment Agencies
Web based recruitment agencies
A light hearted look at recruitment

Promotions
If you are working in a job that you don’t like, then try for a promotion to do what you want to do. If the position doesn’t exist, then suggest it to your boss – the worst that can happen is that he or she will say no! Just pitch him or her with the benefits of your idea and why you are the perfect person for the job.

Have a look at my articles on keeping your job and getting a promotion.

Trade journals
If your profession has a journal the chances are that it has a recruitment section.
Good luck in finding a job!

Beating the System for Experience

Beating the System for Experience

We've all heard it: "You can't get a job if you don't have experience, but how do you get experience if no-one will give you a job?". Doesn't seem fair, does it? 

Some kids are lucky. They've got an uncle or brother or cousin who can pull a few strings for them. Once they're in, they can say they've got that magical stuff called "job experience" that every boss looks for. 

Some kids are so smart. You know the type. They skip grades in school and all the colleges are begging for them. They're too busy being smart to be cool. They really make an impression on potential bosses, and they get hired. 

Then there are the kids who find underhanded ways to make money. They don't want a real job. They usually look pretty cool driving around in big fancy cars flashing wads of money. They don't look so cool years later sitting in a jail cell. And finally, there's the rest of us. We walk into one personnel office after another, filling out job applications. By the time you're finished, you've memorized your Social Security number for life. They all say the same thing: "We'll let you know."Only they don't. You never hear from them again. 

There is a way to beat the system. It's a pretty ingenious solution, too! But you've got to want it. What I wanted was to be a bartender, but my idea will work for almost any job. It started when I signed up for a bartending school. The contract gave me three days to change my mind and cancel. In those three days, I went around to different bars and asked the managers if they'd hire someone who'd gone to this school. They all said no, not if the person didn't have any real-life job experience.

So going to this school wasn't going to get me a bartending job. I cancelled the contract and went back to square one. (That's a good way to find out about any trade school, by the way. Ask the guys who do the hiring if they'd hire someone from there.) Job experience
They all wanted job experience. So I went back to all the managers I'd talked to about the bartending school, and asked them if they'd train me - for free. I offered a proposition: "I'll come in on my own time. You don't have to pay me. I will train for free. Train me, and if you like my work, then you can hire me with pay." For them, it was a win-win situation. They didn't lose any money by giving me a chance. And if I did real well and showed an aptitude for the job, they could then hire me and we'd both make out. 

(HELPFUL HINT: Smaller companies are the most likely to go for a deal like this.) I found one man willing to take me up on my deal.
It was a small Italian restaurant with a tiny bar. He let his best bartender train me. She told me the drink ingredients, I wrote them down and took them home to memorize. She'd quiz me, and let me make drinks. After about three weeks, he put me on the payroll. I was a bartender! It didn't take long for me to find out why he was so anxious to train me for free. It was such an awful place to work that everybody kept quitting on him. They had a complete staff turnover about once a month. He was desperate for employees. But that didn't matter. I got what I wanted - job training and job experience. Even if it was a crummy place to work. Sometimes you have to start out that way. I don't regret it, and I'll tell you why. I worked there until I couldn't stand it anymore, which was longer than most of his employees stayed.
Remember, I needed that job experience, no matter how crummy it was to work there. 

After working there a few months, I went to several nicer bars, and told them I had job experience (which I did!) One of them hired me. It turned out to be one of the best jobs I ever had. Everybody there was super nice. His staff didn't play head games on each other the way some do. The boss really cared about his employees. He did have to fine-tune my bartending, as I needed more training than I'd gotten at the Italian restaurant. But when he saw how willing I was to learn, and how eager I was to do the best job I possibly could, he took me under his wing and taught me everything he could. I repaid him by becoming one of his best bartenders. This can work for just about any job you want to go for: office work, sales, factory, carpentry - you name it. If you really want it, you can do it. 

Sometimes things are worth doing for free now, for the payoffs you'll get later on. Be eager, be willing, swallow your pride and go for the JOB EXPERIENCE. One final word: I don't bartend anymore. I'm a bookkeeper, accountant, writer and carpenter (skills also learned "on the job"). 

But the job experience I've gained from all the different jobs still pay off. I know that no matter what happens, I will ALWAYS be able to find work, because I'm skilled in more than one field. That's not the important thing, however. What's important is how I came to be skilled in so many fields. You get that by being:
A good worker who's willing and eager to learn and has a lot of enthusiasm for the job.

Be willing to do more than you are being paid to do. 

Help others in higher positions with their job, and you'll learn how to do their job. This is a great way to boost your experience.

A reliable employee who they can count on to be there every day and ON TIME.

An employee who gets along with his co-workers.

An honest employee who doesn't steal or lie to his employer.

An employee who knows that the customers of the business are where your paycheck really comes from and making sure to treat them with respect and enthusiasm.

And always try to leave a company on good terms, so that you can use them as a reference.

Treat the business as if it were your own, as if you had stock in the company, and you'll get the job experience and job skills you want. Potential employers can see that enthusiasm in you.

TIPS FOR PLACEMENT SUCCESS

12 TIPS FOR PLACEMENT SUCCESS
As this year’s National Convention approaches, CCPA thought it would be helpful to share a few tips for our fellow colleagues participating in Placement. We hope you find these tips to be useful during your job search process!

1. RESEARCH. Go to the websites of each of the schools you are interviewing with and print out their mission, vision, values, etc. Also print out any information about the department/people you are interviewing with so that you can reference certain events, positions, resources, etc. Additionally, this should aid you in coming up with a couple of questions about the job/institution/ department at the end of an interview to answer any lingering questions you may have about your potential future work environment. This is sure to impress your interviewers, as well as hopefully make you feel more comfortable about the interview.

2. JOB DESCRIPTIONS. Make sure to print out and bring the job descriptions for each of the positions you are applying for. It's also a good thing to print out the cover letter you submitted for the position too, just to remind yourself of the experiences you highlighted!

3. ORGANIZATION. A plastic folder with dividers is helpful to organize different positions and institutional information for easy access pretty much anywhere. A great time to review the information is on the plane ride to Atlanta, in between conference sessions, or while you are relaxing in your room.

4. THANK YOU CARDS. Don't forget to bring a box or two (depending on the number of interviews you have) of Thank You cards and promptly write them as soon as possible after your interview! If interviewing with multiple people at one institution, write each one a personalized card! They will truly appreciate it and they will have something more than just your resume and some notes on your interview to walk away with.

5. ORIENTATION. Orientation is your key to navigating this entire experience to the best of your ability. Make sure to go to the Candidate Orientation early so that you can familiarize yourself with the facility and focus more on your upcoming interviews than trying to figure out how it all works!

6. COPIES. Bring about 5 clean copies of your resume to the conference. You will be able to put some in a resume binder, as well as just have a few handy to give out if necessary. It is also a good idea to bring a flash drive or disk with your resume and cover letters on it so that if an institution posts a job while at the conference, you can easily use the business center to print out a personalized cover letter and resume for the institution and drop it off. Don't forget to bring your resume paper too!

7. WATER. Make sure to bring a bottle of water with you to hydrate with, because you will hopefully be doing a lot of talking! The water fountains are almost always crowded with other candidates, so bringing your own is a great idea!

8. BREATH MINTS. Gum can also work too! After talking, your mouth will start to feel icky inside, which is potentially a sign of bad breath. Bringing mints or gum with you during the conference will ensure that you will always have the freshest breath possible...and therefore not causing your interviewers to pass out!

9. COMPETITION. Avoid sharing a room with colleagues or friends who may be interviewing for the same positions as you; it can create tension and an uncomfortable atmosphere in an environment that should be your place to relax after a long day of interviewing.

10. DRESS. Wear clothing that makes you feel confident and comfortable. Your interview will convey how you feel about the position and you definitely don’t want your potential employer to think you’re uninterested because your shoes are killing you!

11. BUSINESS CARDS. Exchange business cards once the interview has concluded. Employers' contact information will come in handy to write any follow-up emails.

12. THE CONFERENCE! Don’t forget to get out of placement and to the conference at least once or twice a day. Attending sessions, business meetings, socials, and committee meetings are excellent ways to network and learn more about potential employers and future job opportunities! Network, network, network!

BEST OF LUCK AT THIS YEAR’S PLACEMENT!

HOW TO REGISTER WITH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE IN INDIA

HOW TO REGISTER WITH EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE IN INDIA

National Employment Service Exchange is run by the Directorate General of Employment and Training, Ministry of Labor. Employment Exchanges in various states (over 900) provide assistance to unemployed educated youth residing in the respective States to pre-register for impending job vacancies occurring in different sectors of that State.on the basis of qualification and experience. Employers can request these exchanges to provide a list of job seekers to choose from the registered candidates as per their requirements. As per the Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959, the employer in every establishment in public sector in that State or area has the compulsion to notify that vacancy to such employment exchanges.

How to register?
Candidates willing to register with an Employment Exchange need to fill up the required application form, which is either available online for download or with the Employment Exchange in their area of residence.

Attested photocopies of all educational and experience-related certificates are to be submitted by the candidates along with the application form.

Also have original copies of all the certificates with you to produce for verification at the time of registration.

Caste Certificate (optional) and photographs taken within last three months.

Any proof of residence/identity in the area: Voter card, ration card (issued at least one year ago), passport, domicile certificate, any proof that shows that father or husband of a female (shifted to the area after marriage where willing to register) is a permanent resident of the area.

Certificate of Date of Birth.

Certificate of SC, ST, OBC, Ex-Servicemen, Physically Handicapped, Ex-Servicemen etc.

A registration number is issued after registration in the employment exchange.

Registration is free of charge and no fee is to be paid for the registration. 

Registration can be made for a maximum 4 occupations with suitable qualifications and experience.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

HOW TO PREPARE FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

With the global financial crises having a cascading impact on the global economy, the job market too has been gloomy. In such an environment, it is even more important for aspirants to do well in campus interviews to grab the jobs they desire.

And being mentally fit and alert is important to be able to do well in interviews. It will also mean that you will be mentally prepared to handle interviews that have very short notice periods.


A few things to remember


1. Ensure that the resume has been checked for typos and is structured in a way that makes it easy to read. Highlight your skills and experience relevant to the job.

2. Interviews are used as a tool of judging whether you fit the job as well as the company.

3. Know yourself, inside out. Only when you understand yourself completely can you make the panel understand you.

4. Take time to understand how you want to project yourself during the interview.

5. Everything you say or do makes an impression whether positive or negative. Be it the way you sit, the way you talk or your choice of clothing. Everything matters!

6. Remember, an Interview is like a sales pitch in many ways. So ensure that you present yourself well.

Preparing for the unexpected

In some interviews you may be asked to solve a case-study. You can be asked to give an impromptu presentation or recite a poem. Or, you may get the silent treatment from the panel or a stress interview may come your way. You can even be asked to leave the room.

Whatever happens, be mentally prepared for any eventuality. These situations give the panel an opportunity to assess how you behave in stressful or unexpected situations. They just want to get to know the real You. They want to find out if you can handle the job, if you are interested in the company and if you are the person they want to have during tough and stressful times.

Stay calm, remain positive and think logically.

Before the interview


Research the company


Being well informed about the company and industry provides you with a competitive edge. It also conveys a clear message to the interviewer and that is:

1. You are career oriented and want to build a career within the industry

2. You understand the intricacies of the industry

3. You are wholeheartedly interested in working for the company

Read up as much as possible about the company and the industry. You can also talk to people who work in the company or the industry to get a first hand feel about what drives the company and the industry.

Appearance


First impressions are made within the first few minutes and are very important for a successful interview. Most employers prefer candidates wearing formal attire (Indian or western). Dress soberly and neatly. It is better to be conservative in the choice of clothes. Avoid flashy clothes or strong perfumes. Jewellery should be at a bare minimum.

Have your clothes ironed and keep it ready in advance, so that you do not waste time in selecting a dress on the day of the interview. This also avoids last minute problems like a stained shirt, wrinkled tie, missing buttons or unpolished shoes.

Looks matter! Pay a visit to the salon, to get an appropriate haircut. Trim your nails. Remember, a professional look is the first step to making the great the first impression.

The interview tool-kit


The day before the interview, collect all your material and keep them in a file. Keep extra copies of your resume. Carry letters of reference, reference list, transcripts, certificates, other supporting documents, passport size photos, a writing pad, pen and a calculator.

Relax


Ensure that you sleep well the day before the interview. Stay calm and relax; only when you are relaxed will you do well.

During the Interview


1. Stay focused; put away any worries

2. Switch off your cell phone before an interview starts

3. Eye contact conveys confidence

4. Introduce yourself clearly with your first and last name

5. Smile at appropriate times

6. Take time to understand the question and then answer it. It is not a question of how fast you answer but how well you answer

7. Be expressive, talk crisply and slowly. Do not mumble, stammer or use a monotone

8. Keep the answers to the point. Avoid rambling

9. Be forthright and direct. Do not be evasive or beat around the bush

10. Never lie in an interview

11. Never blame or badmouth anyone during an interview

12. Never argue, always give polite responses

13. If you do not know the answer be frank, admit it

At the end of the interview


Generally, the panel will indicate the end of the interview by asking: Do you have any questions for us? Use this opportunity to ask intelligent and relevant questions, to summarize your skills & experience related to the job and indicate your interest in the job.

Conclusion


It is essential to be confident in an interview. If you have practiced your answers and done your homework, most of the questions can be answered without difficulty. Ensure that you take the time to understand what they are looking for by asking the question. Remember to study the relevant topics before the interview. If you have an interview for an equity research position, know what has been driving the markets, who are the major players, etc. If you have an interview for a marketing position in a FMCG company know what has been the recent trend, what new products have been launched recently, etc.

Keep in mind why you want to go into the industry (Telecom, Banking, Auto, etc.), why you are interested in the job and the company. Make sure you have a good grasp of the basic concepts and convince your interviewer that you have the capacity and interest to learn complex aspects of the job.

Finally ensure that you dress and act professionaly. Show up on time and make eye contact throughout the interview.

ALL THE BEST

Meaning of Placement (Literally)

Meaning of Placement (Literally)

Noun 1. placement - the spatial property of the way in which something is placed; "the arrangement of the furniture"; "the placement of the chairs"

arrangement
formation - a particular spatial arrangement
spatial relation, position - the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; "the position of the hands on the clock"; "he specified the spatial relations of every piece of furniture on the stage"
columniation - (architecture) the arrangement of columns (especially freestanding columns) in a structure
composing, composition - the spatial property resulting from the arrangement of parts in relation to each other and to the whole; "harmonious composition is essential in a serious work of art"
fenestration - the arrangement of windows in a building
proportionality, balance, proportion - harmonious arrangement or relation of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design); "in all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another and a reciprocal balance"- John Ruskin
alignment - the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines
misalignment - the spatial property of things that are not properly aligned
ramification - an arrangement of branching parts
spatial arrangement, spacing - the property possessed by an array of things that have space between them
tandem - an arrangement of two or more objects or persons one behind another

2. placement - contact established between applicants and prospective employees; "the agency provided placement services"
contact - close interaction; "they kept in daily contact"; "they claimed that they had been in contact with extraterrestrial beings"

3. placement - the act of putting something in a certain place
locating, positioning, emplacement, location, position
activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"
stratification - the placing of seeds in damp sand or sawdust or peat moss in order to preserve them or promote germination
juxtaposition, collocation, apposition - the act of positioning close together (or side by side); "it is the result of the juxtaposition of contrasting colors"
interposition, intervention - the act or fact of interposing one thing between or among others
orientation - the act of orienting
planting - the act of fixing firmly in place; "he ordered the planting of policemen outside every doorway"
implantation - the act of planting or setting in the ground
repositioning - the act of placing in a new position
set - the act of putting something in position; "he gave a final set to his hat"
superposition - the placement of one thing on top of another
fingering - the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument
superposition - (geometry) the placement of one object ideally in the position of another one in order to show that the two coincide

HOW TO ENHANCE PERSONALITY?

HOW TO ENHANCE PERSONALITY?

1. Spend time on your daily routine for yourself. Many of us give our time and efforts to other people need or to one’s job. Therefore just try to spend some minutes of yours to focus on you which will bring a great change to yourself in long run.

2. Think about and find if you are really doing what you want. Most of us due to circumstance are not able to do what we want, but let us put of these kinds of excuses and start doing what we want. This will create a new energy level in you when you are doing something which you really wanted to do.

3. The most important reason which stops us from doing something on our own is our mentality towards mistakes. Never get scared of mistakes, don’t ever let failures stop you from what you really want to do. Every one of us has learnt in our earlier stages that “Failures are the stepping stones of success” but no one follows.

4. You should also be flexible to change the way you go when things are not working in the way you want. When you set up your mind towards something, things may not run smoothly the way you want, in such cases you must get ready to approach it in a different way.

5. Finally, in your daily routine find some time in your daily life to read/listen through some personality development articles which gives you some inspirational lessons which will provide you some positive energy for improvement.

6. Our brains mostly respond to pictures more than words. So have some pictures of your goals and visualize them on a daily basis. You can follow this by sticking a picture in the wall front of your bed and this will help you in knowing your goal as soon as you wake up

7. Keep your body and mind fit to fight over your negative thoughts. Yoga will surely help you in doing this. Wake up early in the morning, do some breathing exercise which will refresh your mind and will give you a bright day ahead

8. Take a diary and note all your positive and negatives things you face on your daily life. Looking back at those jotted points in the diary will help you measure your progress and it will even help you learn lessons from your own life.

9. Whenever you achieve something do not just keep it to yourself, share it with your near and dear ones and celebrate it. This will motivate you to achieve more achievements in your life.

Hope the above tips will help you in improving certain things in your life.

Seeking Jobs on the Internet

Seeking Jobs on the Internet

In today’s uncertain job market, individuals of all ages and backgrounds are having difficulty finding employment. The truth is, if you know where to look, the jobs have never been better! Instead of hunting through the classified advertisement section of the morning newspaper and circling the jobs of any interest, consider conducting an online search of available jobs in your area.
Many newspapers have put their classified advertisement section on the internet. This allows individuals to directly contact the employing agency’s website and access all necessary information. You can quickly and easily decide if the available job is a fit for you without having to make telephone calls or visit the business directly.
Online job search engines are the perfect opportunity for anyone looking a job. The majority of these websites allow you to post a free resume for potential employers to review. If an employer sees something he or she likes, that employer will contact your directly. These sites serve as a headhunter agency without any fees required.
Additionally, you can access these internet based job search engines in order to find the job that best suits you. There are thousands of jobs on these websites, each one waiting patiently to be filled by someone with your expertise. You can contact these employing agencies directly and find out the specific process for potential employment. Usually, any necessary forms are available online.
Freelancing is another option that you can explore with so many websites on the Internet on a lookout for qualified people. The websites on the internet prove to be resources of immense importance as they help you kickstart your work as a freelancer and supplement your income. So whatever the reason you want to build up funds, this sure is an option worth a look.
Craiglist.org is a useful website for not only finding some great deals on furniture, tickets, automobiles and real estate but also has a classified section for employment. Thus chances are that you might just hit the jackpot by getting a perfect job on this website.
The very first step to begin the online job search is to have a well-revised and updated resume. The reason behind this is that all potential recruiters look for the best-written resumes. These days apart from having a paper copy you can also email the resume to the recruiters for that particular job.
Whereas landing with a job in the past was no less than an arduous journey due to the fact that the potential employees had to scout a lot in order to come across any good opportunity. However, this generation has it easy with the jobs proverbially, "Just a click away." Looking out for a job just means settling in front of the PC at your home and browsing through that job waiting for you. So, show the way out to that old classified advertisement section!!

How to Find a Good Job in 14 Days or Less

How to Find a Good Job in 14 Days or Less

Develop a blueprint that takes advantage of the on-line job searching tools available today and avoid the mass mailing approach that worked better in a a time when companies has someone on staff that could read your letter. This 21st Century alternative job search is a requirement for working at any company weired to internet

Steps
Be realistic about the job market. You may be able to get a minimum wage job in two weeks. But plan on spending 1 week of searching for each $4000 in annual income you expect to earn. Assuming you are qualified to do the job, a $100,000/year job will average about 6 month to find.
If you are taking longer than this, you may not be working at your job search full time.

Avoid the mass marketing approach. There is no one to read through the thousands of resumes that arrive at large companies each day. The pressure of being unemployed can be intense, and some job seekers resort to mass mailings or desperate postings on job websites like monster.com or hotjobs.com. Or they start making useless phone calls hoping against hope that they will run into someone who will want them. The bottom line is there is no one out there waiting to discover you. You have to sell yourself as someone that can resolve problems for others.

Develop a sensible blueprint for the real job marketplace. Know the working conditions that are acceptable to you (location, salary, travel requirements, working hours, physical demands, and training requirements for that job). Don't waste time looking at positions that don't meet your needs. It is better to spend 8 hours sending your resume to one potential employer that meets your needs, than to send 1000 resumes to employers that do not have the job you want.
Utilize alternative and non-traditional methods. Ask friends and contacts to help you network your way to the people that need your skills.
The secret blueprint boils down to this. A) Know what you want. B) Identify who has what you want C) Identify their requirement D) Demonstrate that you can serve your next employers needs and communicate that to the decisionmakers

Tips
Without a clear target or set of targets, the average resume-pushing job seekers have condemned themselves to an endless cycle of disappointment. The reasons are very simple. A hiring decision-maker will have an interest in you only if you are perceived as a candidate who’s taken the time to learn something about the organization and its goals. And then can come forward with ideas or a proposal that specifically shows the contribution you can make to the bottom-line or what you can do to make their job easier.

The Basics of Freelance Jobs

Freelance jobs have attracted the masses due to their benefits such as being able to be their own boss, flexi time working schedules, spending valuable time with the family, and income can be unlimited.

Before taking up freelance jobs, the person has to decide if his business needs an Internet connection. The best known home based jobs are by selling home made products.

Once it is decided to go for an online job, he or she has to choose a freelance job, which compliments his experience, knowledge and expertise. Internet has created umpteen opportunities for freelance professionals in almost all the fields like web development, telemarketing, copywriting, proof reading etc.

Time management is very important in freelance jobs. The person needs to be very organized and focused to deliver the services and goods on the said time. Although doing a freelance job will facilitate spending a valuable time with the family, it should not hinder with the execution of the job.

The basic requirements of the freelance jobs are the resources and tools. They need to be in place like the high speed internet connection for downloading and uploading information etc. The person has to set a target to achieve the monthly income desired and work towards attaining it.

When working independently doing freelance jobs, there is a possibility to get diverted easily; as there is no manager or boss to monitor the actions and behavior. This calls for self discipline and finishing the job before the deadline to succeed as a freelance professional.

The work place for doing freelance jobs has to be quiet to do the work in a focused manner and free from distractions. Also, it should give a feeling of a work area than of a home atmosphere. Cluttering of materials should be avoided, as it has a tendency to irritate the person doing job.

When doing freelance jobs, the freelancer should be on a lookout for new projects constantly. Also accepting too many offers beyond the capability should be avoided. Projects which can be completed within the time frame should be selected to be got and delivered on time and then he can accept new projects. Work should be comfortably done rather than done in a stretched manner.

Tips for Private Placement Brokers

10 Tips for Private Placement Brokers

1. Define your Goals: You will always be more successful if you create goals, and have plans on how to attain them. Though this is a very basic concept, most private placement brokers simply “wing it”, expecting to close the deal of a lifetime. If you are organized and well spoken on the phone, clearly stating your goals, most brokers will “pass you along” to the next person without hesitation, or tell you they can’t help from the beginning.

2. Education is Everything: If you are NOT educated in the fine details of private placement, you will NEVER be able to know what is real. In addition, if you are improperly educated, you could easily meet one of the few traders in the world, and not even know it. Whether you are an investor or broker, education is the key to determining which brokers are wasting your time, and which may be on to something. If you call brokers out with the facts and get straight to the point, they will part like the “Red Sea”, and you will eventually be DIRECT with a “trader”.

3. Find a Trader you Believe In: If you are promoting a private placement program that you don’t truly believe in, you are wasting your time. People can sense confidence and shakiness over the phone, and in the private placement world, that is your main method of communication. Do yourself a favor and don’t try to put deals together until you are completely sure that you are representing something, or someone that is real. Once you find someone you truly believe in, and you emit that confidence to other brokers in the private placement world, you will usually get places much quicker.

4. Be Confident and Calm: As we have said before, all you really have in the private placement business is your ability to communicate effectively over the phone. If you are educated, calm, collected, and confident, you will be far more efficient in your private placement efforts than someone without these characteristics. Despite the fact that this approach is far more effective in gaining a favorable response from other brokers, most brokers you will meet are anxious, undereducated, and living on a prayer. Define yourself, your knowledge base, and your confidence first, and you will be direct to a real program before you know it.

5. Creative Networking is a MUST: The most common way for private placement investors and brokers to meet is via the Internet. Whether you search through investment discussion forums, or other similar sites, private placement websites can be very limiting unless you get creative. Though this may be a good place to start, it will NOT lead you to your dream of riches. To be effective, you must use a far more aggressive approach that focuses on contacting everyone in the private placement business at once (hint: email spiders), with a goal of establishing a large contact base to network within. Once you establish a large network, and gain some experience, you can start to develop relationships with the select few individuals that you feel are real, and start to put deals together. Remember, if you network aggressively, you should always have leads to work with 24/7.

6. Organize and Follow Up : What good are leads if you don’t assess and extract the full potential from them? When you meet a new private placement broker, investor, or trader, always note their contact information, and what your gut feeling is on them. Also, it can help.

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

1. Keep updating your resume
Often / Always keep your resume updated. 

This serves two purposes 

a) If you get a call from a very good company; you can immediately provide your resume and you don't have to spend your time updating it, 

b) You never forget your small achievements. It's always the small achievements that are forgotten. But various small achievements could mean a big thing to some employers. Therefore, always keep your resume updated before you forget some of your achievements.

Here is another secret of how search engines of job sites work. If you keep updating your resume; your resume is featured higher in the search result as compared to if you update it after a while. Therefore, if you are desperate to seek a job and have nothing to update either, I recommend that you log into your account and just hit the update resume button. This will ensure that your resume is always in the first three pages of search results (depending on the keywords used)There are other things that you should update as well on your resume, i.e. your contact information. Whether or not you look out for a job; keep updating your contact information. Ask yourself, what if a big company wants to meet you and offer you a job? If your contact information is out of date, then you lose a good opportunity!!!

2. Think like an employer
The last secret is to think like an employer. Once you have finalized your resume; leave it for a week or so and send that resume to yourself. See your resume from the eye of an employer; would you call yourself for an interview looking at your resume? Or, would you ignore your own resume. Be very honest and carry out this exercise. I know this sounds a bit absurd, but try it; you will soon start identifying shortfalls in your own resume. The moment you find shortfalls; fix them.

7 great sample interview questions and answers!

Interviews can be nerve racking and tortuous if you are not prepared. While the interviewer can ask anything there are always a few questions out there that are difficult to answer or can trap you into saying something you do not really mean. With a great sample interview question and answer you can prepare yourself for these tough points in an interview and come out looking like a star! So let’s look at these 8 great sample interview questions and answer them with style!

1. Tell me about yourself.
Often used as an opening to an interview and is scary because it is so open ended. You could keep the answer short, or long. You could be brief or detailed. You have so much choice of what you can put into this answer it can be confusing and flustering ... which is exactly how it is designed. This is usually just the first question however, they have many more to come so putting everything in would be foolish. What the interviewer wants if a quick summary of why you are the best person for this position. Use it as an opportunity to sell yourself and humanize yourself to the interviewer at the same time. Keep it short and to the point and let the interviewer get the other information out of you by other questions.

2. What is your greatest weakness
Don't you hate this one! What do you do? Do you say you have none? Surely a sign of an out of control ego. Do you say you are a workaholic? Surely a sign of a liar or someone who considers working hard a weakness!? Fumbling with this question really shows a lack of understanding of what an employer is looking for. No person is without weaknesses and interviewers understand that, what they are looking for is some honesty and introspection. You can do this and still look like a great candidate for the job by presenting them with something that actually is a weakness of yours but also explain how you plan to fix this shortcoming. This shows honesty and a drive to better yourself and will make you look much better than any glib answer you can make up to avoid letting a weakness out!

3. What are your long term plans?
This can be easier for some than others, if you have a good long term plan for your career you can probably let fly with your prepared objectives. For some though the future can be less clear. However in either case what the interviewer wants to know is how is your long term goals going to help his business, not your own. If you’re long term plan is to own your own business that is not what he wants to learn, he wants a good employee with plans to improve his company. Always focus on a long term plan that is beneficial to your interviewer’s long term plans too.

4. Do you work well in a team?
No one in their right mind answers 'no' to this question but the interviewer is actually looking for proof of you being a team player more than a straight yes or no answer. Give the employer some examples where you have worked well in a team, especially focus on those times where working well as a team has given some success. Team sports, other workplaces working in teams, interest groups you may be involved in. If you name more than one or two it truly shows your ability and enthusiasm for working with others and being a sociable person which will be easily integrated into the workplace.

5. Have you ever had a conflict with other co-workers or your boss? How have you resolved this?
Conflict is always a part of life and is no different in a workplace. The interviewer wants to know your social problem solving skills but also wants to know if you are a combative person. Answering no to this usually encourage the interviewer to dig deeper looking for any conflict you may have had even if minor. It is best to pick a single example and show how you skillfully solved the problem to everyone’s advantage. It is best not to give too many examples lest the interviewer thinks you are a trouble maker however.

6. How would you describe yourself?
This is an interesting question and the tone of how you answer it often has more to do with the content of the answer. You want to appear friendly and confident without being too egotistical not too shy. Be honest with yourself and tell them your personality strengths not your weaknesses and present them clearly and quickly, you do not need examples unless they ask for them.

7. How has your education and previous work prepared you for this job?
This is a question where they want concrete examples of how you would fit the role they are offering. It is also important to show behavioral examples on how your general attitude would be good for their business not just your job specific skills. Give them a few examples that showcase your skills, attitude and work ethic. If you do not have much experience concentrate on your attitude and examples from life or study that could be modified to show applicable skill.

NECESSITIES OF SUMMER INTERNSHIP

NECESSITIES OF SUMMER INTERNSHIP

The summer internship process in most business schools in India fuels three thought processes in every student.

i. It is a welcome break from the academic curriculum and pressure of assignments, with a fat stipend at the end we are lucky. 

ii. We intern with a firm to maximise our chances of getting a final offer from the very same firm. Such an offer, when it is made, is called a pre-placement offer or a PPO. A PPO is a job offer made to those interns whom the firm wants to recruit as full time employees due to their good performance during the summer internship. It is often declared before the final placement process takes place in a management institute. In a way, a PPO makes life easier. Now that we know we have a job up our sleeve we can always opt out of the hassles of the final placement process. It also brings us into the radar of other good firms who might want to us. This is primarily because a PPO we have proved yourself in the industry. Thus, the PPO route may be a good option, but it could increase the pressure on us during our internship.

iii. Getting a PPO might become an end in itself.
The more advisable strategy, though, is to learn as much about the industry, company or function we are going to perform as an intern and evaluate whether it is interesting enough for we to come back to this industry or company after graduation.
This strategy reduces the pressure on us. In the bargain , we make a more informed and correct decision about the company and industry.

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

SECRETS OF GETTING INTERVIEW CALLS

You have all the skills in the world and consider yourself to be the best in the race towards getting a good job, but then you don't get interview calls. You keep updating your resume and also mention all your achievements in your resume and you still don't get called? Ever wondered why? You are not alone; there are many people like you who go through the same fate.Did you ever analyze what happens behind the scenes when an employer goes through your resume? This article will help you discover all that. Read the secrets that will help you get more interview calls:

1. Define a killer career objective
Your career objective should define where you want to reach in the next 5 years. It should be simple, precise and ambitious. Try to define your career objective that will read like a win-win situation for you and the organization. Making your career objective simple will ensure that your employer understands it in the same way as you understand it.

2.Beautify your resume
By beautify I mean all the aspects of your resume should be enhanced viz. design, fonts and colors.The first step is to identify a good resume design / layout to start with. Search the internet to locate a good resume design that you feel good about. Just don't go ahead and pick up the first one that you get. Spend some time and narrow down on 2 - 3 good resume designs that you are comfortable with.Once you have identified on a good design the next step is to use a font that is legible and clear to understand. I prefer the standard Tahoma or Arial. You can have your preferences as well, but be sure that your resume is a pleasure to read. If it isn't pleasurable, then assume that it will surely meet the Recycle Bin.After you have identified a good resume design and a font, the next step is to choose the font color. Ideally shades of black or dark gray are very good and look professional. You should also look at providing a background color to various tables that you might have in your resume. This gives it a professional look. The point is not to leave titles of tables empty, fill it with colors. But ensure that when you print your resume in grey scale; it still looks beautiful.Beautifying a resume requires various tries and re-tries; making a good resume does not happen in a day. So plan it accordinglyreading this article on could also look at hiring a professional agency to help you prepare and beautify your resume. This should however be the last option used.

3. Put keywords in your resume
Identify keywords that match your skill set and put them all in. But be sure that it does not look like you have stuffed in keywords unnecessarily. Make those keywords part of your resume in such a fashion that it forms part of text in your resume.The reason why this should be done is because many employers/job agencies glance through resumes or uses the standard Ctrl + F (i.e. used to find something in a document). The reason is not because they are not interested in reading through your resume, but because business dynamics don't provide them the liberty of time to go through each and every resume.

4. Submit your resume major job sites
After you have defined your killer career objective, beautified your resume and also put in keyword applicable to your profession; the next step is to upload your resume to major job sites.Most of the fields of job sites would only require you to copy and paste parts of your resume. However, there are some fields that don't necessarily form part of your resume, but allow you to capitalize viz. resume title and keywords. Most of the major job sites have a field that allows you to provide a resume title and keywords. This is your chance to describe the kind of job that you are looking at.I have seen many resumes with titles like 'Need a job in Java' or something similar. Titles should define your skill set. You could re-write it as 'Java developer with 3 years experience'. See the difference!!!In the keyword field of job sites mention all the keywords separated by commas. Here you can stuff keywords (unlike in your resume). This keyword helps a prospective employer to narrow down on your resume.