Ring in the New Year With More Job Interviews!

Happy New Year! Decide now that this New Year will not be more of the same old, same old. The year is new. You're new. Opportunities are new—and you're going to take advantage of all of them. That means brushing up on your interviewing skills, learning something you didn't know before, and incorporating what you learn into your new job interview.

After a good night's sleep, ask yourself the following questions—questions that require honest answers if you're going to land the job you want and are qualified for.

1.     What job do I really want?

2.     What company do I want to work for?

3.     What are my qualifications based on my training, education, and experience?

4.     What skills and traits can I bring to the company?

5.     What do I expect from the company I work for?

A Great Interview Depends on You

Hiring managers today are interested in your professional accomplishments. But even more so they want to find out what kind of individual you are. Could they count on you to be dependable, trustworthy, honest, kind, and professional in every situation? Will you be a leader when called upon, a person with a vision when asked about the future, and a caring co-worker when a fellow employee is in trouble? This is a tall order but one worth thinking about because it is these subtle traits that will come through during the interview.

Give Up Fear in the New Year

Become your own best friend. Picture yourself in that role day after day. If it feels good and right, then be ready to share specific details with the interviewer on how you handled day-to-day operations, fielded customer service requests, or made important decisions. Weave your stories into the conversation and in response to questions asked.

Finally, check your emotions. If you're feeling excited about this opportunity, then you're ready for the interview. If you're unsure, choose a different position to respond to. You'll be living in this job for a long time, so you want it to be a good fit—one that will make you happy and make a difference in those around you.

Happy New Year and Happy New Job Interview opportunities—that just might lead to the job of your dreams. 

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new, "Amazing Cover Letter Creator." Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Amazing Cover Letters for your "instant" cover letter today. "In just 3½ minutes you will have an amazing cover letter guaranteed to cut through YOUR competition like a hot knife through butter!"

Job Interview Questions To Ask And Avoid

No job interview is easy. You need to be smart in answering as well as asking questions.  Knowing what questions to ask and avoid is one of your keys to success.  Although asking intelligent questions won’t guarantee an offer, but asking bad or inappropriate questions will definitely kill.  I’ve recently read an article from Jimmy Sweeny which contains valuable tips about what to ask and avoid over a job interview.  Here’s the article.

Questions to ASK and AVOID during your next job interview…

The phone call you've waited for has finally come! You've been invited in for a job interview. Now your nerves are on edge. You know what to wear but you may not know what questions to ask or avoid, or if you'll even have an opportunity to speak up other than to answer questions fired at you.

Don't worry. There will be time for you to voice your concerns and inquiries. The important thing is to know what questions to ask and which ones to set aside—for now. Keep in mind that interviewers want to speak with job seekers who are sharp, confident, and professional. This is no time to be passive and overly polite, though courtesy is always appropriate. Remember, you're vying for the job you want. Take an active role in asking questions by being prepared ahead of time.

Consider These:

·       What factors about this company are attractive to you?

·       What makes this firm a great place to build a career?

·       How do you see the future of this company?

·       What is the most challenging aspect of working for this organization?

·       In your opinion, what would be the biggest adjustment for someone new?

Answers to these questions can help you decide whether or not this is the place you want to work. They will also help you respond to the questions you're asked. You'll be ready to answer in a way that will show you were listening, paying attention, and taking note of management's vision and objectives for the company.

Questions to Avoid

Steer clear of questions that you can answer yourself by doing a bit of basic research online—such as the kind of work you'd be doing, or the level of leadership that would be expected of you or the focus of the company. Walk into the interview armed with as much information as possible and then ask only those questions that will help you decide whether to accept or decline the job offer if it is presented.

Also avoid asking questions related to salary, benefits, vacation, sick days and so on. At this point you have not yet been offered the position. You are being 'screened.'

There will come a time and place to discuss pay and benefits, but the interview is not that place.

Use What You Learn

The most important thing you can do during an interview is to show yourself as someone the hiring manager wants. Focus on displaying your skills and experience and how you can fit the profile of the person the interviewer is looking for. This gives you leverage for negotiating salary and benefits when the job offer comes through.

Be aware of the impression you'd make if you ask questions that have nothing to do with the job opportunity. An interview is not a social visit or a time to talk about sports and hobbies. It's a business meeting that has one purpose: to determine if you are the right person to fill the opening. If the interviewer asks a few questions about your interests, it's fine to answer them honestly. He or she wants to get to know you—but avoid getting off-track with long-winded responses that take the focus off the job.

Common sense is your best ally. Be yourself. Do your homework. Show up neatly dressed. Arrive on time. Know the right questions to ask, and the ones to avoid. And bring enthusiasm, a smile, and a firm handshake.

© Written By Jimmy Sweeney

President of CareerJimmy and Author of the new, Amazing Cover Letter and Secret Career Document

Celebrate the Holidays With a Job-Winning Interview

Whether you light a pine tree for Christmas, a Menorah for Hanukkah, or kinara candles for Kwanzaa, the holiday season for each of us can be a bit overwhelming. Shopping, decorating, gift-wrapping, cooking, baking, and entertaining consume our time and thoughts.
This year, however, you may want to consider taking the following three steps to achieve a happy and restful season:

Slow down. You don't have to do it all yourself. Enlist the help of family and friends with cooking, gift-wrapping, and mailing.

Simplify. Let go of some of the time-consuming rituals so you can relax and enjoy the celebrations. Order gifts online. Set up a potluck. Pay a teen to clean up.

Stop! Take a breather—and while you're resting, make a list (and check it twice!) of where you are now and where you want to be a year from now.

If being employed in a new position is on that list, remember that every great job starts with a terrific interview. Start thinking about what you'll bring to this meeting: your appearance, your ability to speak with confidence, and your skills and work experience that will grab a hiring manager's attention. Use some of the spare time you have during the holidays to make a plan so that when you're called for an interview you'll be ready.

Take Charge

Keep in mind that today's hiring manager is more interested in who you are as a person than who you are as a professional. Behavior-based interviewing is now the norm. Employers are looking at a candidate's previous performance as an indicator of future behavior. They're not only interested in your resume, but also in the way you interact with others and how you respond when part of a team. They want to know what they can expect if they hire you and how you'll handle tricky situations that call for calm and confident leadership. It will be up to you to convince them that you're the one for this job.

Tell the Truth

Following are some of the hard-edged questions and directives you could face in a behavior-based interview. Answer each one honestly to the best of your ability.
1. Tell me about a time you took charge of a situation that was out of control.
2. Give an example of a goal you set at work and how you achieved it.
3. Have you performed beyond the requirement of the job you held? If so, how?
4. If you made a mistake in judgment how would you handle it with management?
5. How have you dealt with difficult co-workers or customers?
Be prepared to provide details, dialogue, and a description of what occurred and how you resolved it.

Trust in Yourself—A Three-Point Review

1. Recognize your good qualities and review them often in your mind.
2. Jot down a few experiences that illustrate situations and times when you successfully resolved conflict, stood up for the truth despite criticism, or used your creativity to negotiate a challenging relationship.
3. Take your emotional pulse. If you're smiling and feeling comfortable and well suited to the job in question, go for it. If you feel stressful, confused, or overwhelmed, consider setting this opportunity aside and looking for a job more appropriate to your skills and experience.

Once you're clear in your mind that this is the job you want, you'll be able to walk into any interview and establish a good rapport with the hiring manager. Following that,
all that's left is the question only you can ask and answer for yourself. "Is this the job for me?"

Happy holidays! May you land the interview that will lead to the job you really want.

---

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new "Secret Career Document" job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Job Interview "Secret" and discover Jimmy Sweeney's breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.