No list of the most challenging interview questions would be complete without the ol’ weaknesses question. Today I’ll explore why they’re asking it and strategies for answering. Bear in mind, no single answer is necessarily best or worst, although I have a couple definitely in the running!
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Some interview questions make you squirm. Others, you should welcome. Today I’ll tackle one you should welcome. Most employers will ask about your accomplishments. Your challenge now becomes two-fold. First, what sort of accomplishment should you bring up? Second, how much detail should you provide?
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I’m occasionally asked about when to follow up after an interview, particularly if nothing definitive was indicated as the interview wound down. Let’s have a closer look at a strategy for ending your interview. I call it, “Ask for the job and keep control.”
My job seeking clients ask lots of questions about recruiting firms and staffing agencies. In future blogs I’ll explain some of their differences and help you try to identify firms better positioned to help you. Today I’ll cover the specific question about whether you should accept a position through an agency. I hope to provide some background so you can make a more informed decision.
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Back again for another look at some general resume do’s and don’ts. I’m often asked – or told – “Resumes have changed so much over the years. What to I need to do the make it past the software that’ll screen me out?”
Many books have been written about writing that “great” resume. And most books offer some valuable – and differing - ideas. Who do you believe? I’m not here to write another book, but today and in my next blog I’ll share some key points I think most resume “experts” would agree are best practices.
Ever been faced with interview questions that put you on the spot and make you squirm? “I see you never finished college (or high school).” “It looks like you might be overqualified.” “I see you haven’t worked in xxx months.” “Seems like you’ve had a lot of jobs in recent years.” Verbal cushions can help you handle the most challenging interview situations. For that matter, they can help you in everyday conversation.
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Most every company will want to check your references at some point. As a job seeker, you know they’ll ask for those names, but how can you help your references really make you stand out? Let’s take a look.
Without a doubt, the single biggest source of frustration for my job seeking clients is the lack of communication from recruiting firms and employers. Let’s explore some reasons why you may not be hearing back, especially when you feel you’re a solid candidate. Recruiters, whether in-house recruiters or staffing firm folks, wish they had enough hours in the day to be able to personally respond to every candidate’s application or follow up inquiry. They simply don’t. That’s the short story.
Technology has impacted our daily lives in more ways than we can probably count. One area is how we interact with each other online – social media. Social media is a complex topic. While I’ll be writing future articles on it, today’s focus is on why it’s important for job hunters to be active on social media.
How many times have you seen a driver speed through a red light? Or heard someone say, “I hope I can make it to pay day.” Or maybe your child puts off their homework until bedtime. Our fast paced lives are packed with places to be, things to do, bills to pay, etc. Is there a way to change that feeling of barely keeping up? Maybe, just maybe, we can learn to create margins in life. A margin could be time, space, money, or anything that relieves us of making reactionary, short term decisions out of necessity.
Interviewing can be a nerve wracking time. Much like a first date, if you don’t say and do the right things, there likely won’t be a second opportunity. Studies have shown the most difficult interview question to be, unfortunately, the one typically asked first: Tell me about yourself. Great. Just great. The toughest question at the beginning. Yet you needn’t let it worry you. Today I’ll offer a strategy for handling that question to get your interview off to a positive start.
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