Career Related Tips newsletter

CAREER RELATED TIPS

Bryan Thorby Publisher webmaster@career-related.com http://career-related.com

Date: May 3, 2006

To view the lastest blogs http://career-related.com/careerblog/

In This Issue:

Ebooks and Services

Thoughts of the Day

Article : Interview Styles And Trends

Article : Career - Test Your Negotiation Skills

Article : Fast-track career success with Informational Interviews

Disclaimer & Privacy Statement

I hope all is well with you and your career aspirations.

The latest ebook to my career related ebook collection - "Balance Your Life - The Complete Guide to Managing Work and Family" http://career-related.com/work-balance.html

If you are job hunting you will quickly realize that it is a numbers game. The more employers that see your cover letter and resume, the more likely it is going to be that you reach the right employer at the right time, creating an interview for you. The more interviews, the more offers, and the better your ability to find and negotiate the perfect job. Find affordable ways to mass market yourself to thousands of employers, and address your resume to the people who make the actual hiring decisions.

This type of activity is truly an investment to increase your success.

To your career success,

Bryan

Ebooks and Services

Ebooks on some Career options and Career Related subjects. - Writing Resumes - Job Interview Skills. - Work Place Warrior - The Ultimate Guide To Finding The Perfect Job and Earning The Salary You Want - Your Guide To Setting Goals Successfully - How to Start Your Own Coaching and Consulting Business - How To Start Your Own Retail Business - How to Become a Chef - How to establish Your own mobile car detailing business. - Balance Your Life - The Complete Guide to Managing Work and Family

http://career-related.com/ebooks.html

FabJob Career Guides http://career-related.com/fabjob.html

How to Get a Job Fast http://www.asfl.biz/?:1826:102669

Ultimate Guide to Job Interview Answers http://career-related.com/job-interview-answers.html

Jobs by Fax http://career-related.com/faxjobs.html

FREE ebook - 6 Secret Keys to Career Success. Get your copy here http://career-related.com/6secrets.html

FREE ebook - Top 10 Secrets of the ... Worlds Greatest Cover Letters http://www.career-related.com/cover-letter-ebook.html

Thoughts of the Day

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. -- Mark Twain

"The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." -- Michelangelo

Article

Interview Styles And Trends

By Shelley Worth

Employers say they still have trouble finding "good people." Just what do they mean by "good people?" In general terms, people who stay on the job long enough and are productive enough for the company to realize a profit form its investment in them.

It costs a lot of money to recruit, hire and train new employees today. When a new hire doesn’t work out, the employer loses a substantial amount of money. As a result, employers are adopting or experimenting with new approaches to interviewing. It’s important that you learn to recognize and adapt to the different interview philosophies in vogue today. You also should realize that despite the different interviewing tactics they may use, all employers are searching for the same qualities in perspective employees.

Although you’ll still run into interviewers who rely on from-the-book questions, many employers consider them a waste of time. They say that when they ask those questions, all they get are prefab responses that don’t provide any insights into the candidate’s personality or ability.

What are employers asking today? The focus now is on behavioural interviewing. The behavioural interview is based on the premise that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. So, when you ask applicants questions, you ask for specific behavioural examples. Instead of asking 'What are your biggest weaknesses," for instance, the behavioural interviewer might ask, "Tell me about the biggest mistakes you’ve made on the job and how you rectify those mistakes."

From the examples provided, employers determine whether a particular problem - or area of success - is a recurrent theme in your work history. Employers look for patterns of behaviour and common responses to problems and work situations, realizing that a candidate not likely to change dramatically when come to their company.

The conversational interview Interviewers today also tend to prefer a more conversational style of interviewing. Instead of a question-and-answer volleyball game, the interview becomes more like a professional discussion, with each side contributing equal amounts.

The reason interviewers like the conversational style of interviewing is the same reason they’re turning to behavioural interview questions. It allows them to get more candid information from the applicant. People are simply more likely to be honest and forthcoming during a relaxed discussion than they are during an interrogation. The team approach

In an effort to get a better fix on job candidates, many companies ask a number of people to participate in the interview and evaluation process. Depending upon the level of job you’re seeking, you may interview with a HR specialist, the hiring manager, the hiring manager’s boss and even staff members who would be your peers. In small companies, a candidate may have to sell themselves to the entire staff.

This team approach to interviewing is referred to as consensus interviewing. It means that many different people interview you and then get together to debate whether they like you well enough to hire you. Sometimes, each person on the interview team asks a different slate of questions. Other times, they all ask the same thing. This can happen be design, if the company wants to see whether a candidate will change their answers along the way. Or it can happen by accident, when the interviewing team doesn’t work together to plan out any particular interview strategy.

Committee interviews

You may encounter the particularly stressful scenario known as the committee interview, in which a whole group of people interview you at the same time. Some employers use this approach to see how you perform under stress; others use it simply in the interest of saving time.

The stress interview

Some interviewers, evidently assuming that the standard interview situation isn’t already difficult enough, use tactics to induce unnatural stress into the meeting. For instance, they may respond to one of your questions or statements with a prolonged silence, or they may make a highly controversial remark and then say, "Don’t you agree?"

Telephone interviews

Many employers screen potential job candidates by phone before bringing them in for a face-to-face interview. These telephone-screening interviews are tricky, because you and the interviewer both must work without visual cues.

The non-interviewer

Nervous and inexperienced interviewers can be problematic; because they’re uncomfortable with the interview process, these interviewers often take the route of least resistance. That is, they don’t really interview you at all. They tell you all about the position and the company, but they don’t ask any questions about you. Or they get sidetracked on an issue that’s more comfortable for them to discuss - a hobby, a favourite sports team, and a day-care dilemma.

Worth Personnel Group Employment Agency Toronto Job Interview Tips

Shelley Worth is the owner of Worth Personnel Group. Worth Personnel Group is a proactive employment agency offering a variety of employment and staffing services, primarily to the Greater Toronto Area (Scarborough, Mississauga ,Etobicoke, Richmond Hill, Markham and Concord). We believe that any successful business is built in partnership with a strong team of qualified employees. Our goal is to create a successful match that will mutually benefit company and employee.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Worth

Article

Career - Test Your Negotiation Skills

By CD Mohatta

Negotiation is part of every professional’s life. To negotiate, means to arrive at an understanding with another person, so that both of you are satisfied with the results. Do you know what is your skill in negotiation? If not, why not test and find out because most of our interactions demand negotiation. You are negotiating with your love partner about which place to go for dinner. You negotiate with your co-workers about how to divide the work. You negotiate with your clients about prices and you negotiate with your boss about your paycheck. Let us discuss important test factors of a negotiation.

Understanding Need - If you are a good negotiator, you would begin with understanding the need of the opposite party. Only after you get that understanding will you proceed further. The first requirement is to find out what the other person wants. If you are arguing with your spouse about which restaurant to go for dinner, find out his/her need. Do they want to have dinner outside or they are looking to get away somewhere for sometime? if later is the case, your choices increase many times.

Specifying Your Needs - Please spell out your needs clearly to the opposite party. Let them know very clearly about what you are looking for. If your boss knows that your real need is not rise in pay, but higher status, he/she can work out a solution quickly. Therefore please convey your needs clearly.

Reaching Understanding - This is the result both of you are seeking. If both the parties can modulate their needs so that they meet each other’s expectations, this can be done easily. Flexibility at this stage depends upon how much both of you are interested in negotiation. If both of you want a result without hurting the relationship, flexible approach is a primary requirement. Otherwise, one of you will walk away. Your skill as a negotiator depends upon satisfying you, the other party and getting a good result. You need to develop good thinking skills, communication ability and an understanding of the personalities and what drives them to act. Test yourself about these factors and find out how good a negotiator are you?

CD Mohatta writes for personality tests and quizzes, business and career tests and quizzesand love and dating quizzes

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=CD_Mohatta

Article

Fast-track career success with Informational Interviews

By Annemarie Cross

Informational interviewing can play a pivotal role in building one’s network to assist in penetrating the hidden job market and unadvertised job prospects, but unfortunately is often a tool that is ignored in a job seeker’s career and job search campaign.

Informational interviewing is a ‘fact-finding exploration’ that will assist a job seeker in identifying an optimal place of work that is conducive to their skills, motivation and talent, thus positioning them for continued growth and fulfilment within their careers.

Conducting informational interviews will allow a job seeker to pinpoint their strengths and requirements for further development, while also providing an opportunity to build their confidence and communication skills, both crucial for forthcoming job interviews.

Neglecting to implement this critical research and screening tool within their job search sadly can lead to a job seeker discovering their discontentment after they have accepted a job offer, or worse, are working within the role.

Therefore, if a particular role or industry is of interest to you, go and check it out first by meeting with the people who are already performing in these roles to establish whether or not this career path not only interests but suits you.

Benefits of Informational Interviewing: It is important not to confuse informational interviewing with a job interview. You are not interviewing for a role, nor should you ever, under any circumstances, ask for a job.

By conducting an informational interview you should:

- Gain a deeper understanding of the job specifications (beyond the job title);

- Enhance your awareness of the company’s culture and how you may/may not fit into the work environment;

- Expand your network of contacts within the industry thus optimising your targeting ‘the hidden job market’;

- Strengthen your understanding of the company’s structure and possible needs so that in the future, should an employment opportunity present itself, you can better position yourself as a top candidate;

- Network with professionals in a relatively low-stress setting to assist you in building your self-confidence while gaining crucial information you can harness during your job search campaign;

- Screen the organisation to assist you in your decision making process, should you be extended an opportunity for employment in the future.

Getting Started:

Begin by developing a list of people you would be interested in speaking to. These may include people already in your network of contacts, or even a company you would consider working for. This is a great opportunity to expand your network of contacts so don’t be afraid to touch base with people you are not yet acquainted with.

While in-person meetings are ideal, conducting informational interviews over the phone can be just as beneficial in your research. Many people are governed by hectic schedules so a 10-15 minute phone call may not seem as potentially disruptive as a face-to-face meeting.

Gaining an Appointment:

Contact the person with whom you wish to meet either by letter or telephone. Introduce yourself and explain the reason for your contact. If you were referred to this contact by someone else, remember to mention that person’s name at the beginning of the call. Use the following script as a guideline:

"Hello, my name is [name]. I’m currently exploring career options in [industry/role] and was given your details by [name of person who referred you] for the possibility of obtaining further information about this field and how you got started in the industry. I’d love to be able to meet with you briefly and will only take about 10-15 minutes of your time."

If you are greeted with apprehension or the comment "Is it possible to do this by phone?" you may like to respond with "Certainly " although it would be an honour to meet with you personally."

Remember, avoid being pushy - a telephone meeting will also allow you to gather pertinent information.

The Informational Interview Meeting:

Just as if you were attending a job interview, your appearance/attire and your approach should be professional throughout the entire meeting.

Ensure you are well prepared bringing with you your questions, a pen and notebook to jot down the information being offered.

Possible Research Questions:

- What background do you believe is necessary for people working in this field?

- Could you outline current issues and trends associated with this industry?

- Can you describe what you believe a typical working environment is like for this industry?

- Describe what a typical working day involves for you.

- Could you list some of the crucial skills required for this role/industry?

- What would you say would be the top 5 aspects of your role?

- What would be the least favourable areas about your role?

- What advice would you give someone looking to enter this industry/role?

- Could you recommend any industry publications or articles where I could gather further information?

- Are you able to provide names of people I could talk to regarding the industry? Would you mind if I used your name as a referral?

You may consider bringing a copy of your resume and request the person to review it at a later stage to provide feedback on its content and format. This will provide you with another perfect opportunity to touch base with them.

Leave your business card and request a business card from the person you are meeting.

Final thoughts:

Remember, be respectful of the person’s time and stay within your allocated time guidelines. Do not ask for a job; nor be too aggressive in your questioning/approach.

Thanks you’s:

Following the (in-person / telephone) meeting send a thank you letter, expressing your gratitude for their time and valuable information he/she shared.

To your success!

Annemarie Cross is a triple-certified/multi award winning Resume Writer, Career Coach and NLP Practitioner, and founder/principal of Advanced Employment Concepts, a career consultancy offering specialised solutions for people striving for success and fulfilment in their careers while maintaining work/life balance. Annemarie can be contacted at http://www.annemariecross.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annemarie_Cross

Disclaimer and Privacy Statement

I accept no responsibility whatsoever for the content, profitability or legality of any published articles or advertisements contained within the

Career Related Tips newsletter

And, although all of the articles have been selected for their content, the publishing of such articles within this newsletter does NOT constitute a recommendation of the products or services mentioned or advertised within those articles.

Be responsible! Always do your own Due Diligence before responding to any offer.

I respect the privacy of my readers. I will NEVER supply or sell your personal information to any Third Party!

Contact

Bryan Thorby Marton, New Zealand webmaster@career-related.com

http://career-related.com Career advice, information and resources Career Resource Directory http://career-related.com/lma/directory/

Job Seekers - build and edit a Resume online - post it on the website. Free registration. Employers - post jobs and review resumes. http://www.career-related.com/job-search

http://search-for-jobs.com Job Search resources to assist you in finding a great job.

http://www.home-business-and-marketing.com Home business options, Home business training and marketing, Resource Directory, resources, ebooks, software

http://mini-site-mastery.com Learn how to create and profit from Mini Sites with the 4 CD audio training program Mini Site Mastery.

http://ebooks-to-succeed.com eBook and Software membership site. Large collection of resell rights ebooks and software products. Business opportunity packages.

http://www.oneworldbiz.net Niche Market products and resources.

http://www.managing-your-finances.com Credit Score ebooks plus finances related information and resources.

http://www.free-article-directory.com Submit your articles - Subscribe to receive Daily Article Digest of new articles submitted

http://www.pet-lovers-info.com Information and resources for pet lovers.

© Copyright 2004 - 2006 All Rights Reserved CAREER-RELATED.COM