Interview uh oh…did the question stump you?
It’s happening! You’ve landed an interview for a position that you are really excited about. Your resume and cover letter got you in the door, and now it’s time to dazzle their hiring team in the interview. It’s going well. Your experience and skills are shining through as you respond to their inquires and you are confident that you are on track to nail the interview and secure the job offer. But then all of a sudden, they ask a question and you are stumped. What do you do?
read moreWant the job? Avoid these interview mistakes!
You’ve gotten past the resume/cover letter phase of your job search and have landed an interview. Congratulations! Now it’s time to bring your candidacy to life and show the hiring manager that you are the best person for the job. As you do this, it’s important to do the right things and avoid the wrong ones. Even if you are an amazing candidate for the position, making one of the following three mistakes may derail your chances at landing that job.
read moreQuick tip – identifying your professional skills
If someone asked you what your professional skills are, could you name them? Most people are aware of their skills in relation to a specific career field or industry. For example, software engineers possess programming skills and editors are adept at content management. While it is important to know your technical or subject matter-specific competencies, you also should identify and communicate your foundational skills to your network or a potential employer. Consider your career as you review the skills below to see which ones you have developed and can apply to a current or future position.
read moreTell me about your resume…
Throughout the various stages of your career, especially when you are seeking new opportunities, you may be asked to tell someone about your resume. When they ask you to do so, what are they looking for? Surely, they can look at it themselves. After all, you’ve worked hard to compile and present your work history as professionally as possible! If you find yourself in this situation, take a step back and reflect before responding. Consider how important it is to tell them not only what you’ve done, but why you did it.
read moreHow to show you know the company and can contribute
During a job search, you should make the most of every opportunity to showcase your skills and illustrate how you are a fit with the company or organization. As you do this, focus first on the company itself. Why is this important? By developing a comprehensive understanding of the organization and it’s needs, you’ll be able to better understand and then explain how you can be a valuable employee. Tell them why you want to work there. Do your research and then carefully craft your pitch. You can accomplish this doing your research on the company, understanding where it’s going, and then aligning your skills and experience with a role within the organization that will help them get there.
read moreYou got the interview, but not the job. Why not?
Your resume, skills, experience, and maybe even a network contact got you in the door with an employer for an interview. You thought it went well, but then you get a message from the employer telling you that they went with another candidate. It’s important to keep in mind that just because you have an interview, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get an offer. Employers take great care in conducting interviews in order to select the person they believe is the best fit for each job. You reflect on the interview experience and wonder; did I do something wrong? Review the following reasons candidates aren’t hired based on interviews and then consider how you can avoid these mistakes in the future.
read moreWhat NOT to do on a video call!
Video calls, conferences, and webinars are becoming the norm. We use technology to connect with people in our professional, academic, and personal lives more than ever since are living in the midst of a pandemic. Live video communication isn’t a novel concept anymore and it’s important to navigate it successfully. If you don’t, it can negatively affect your professional reputation or ability to land your next job. Learn from other people’s mistakes! Here’s are some watch-outs of what not to do.
read moreVideo interviews are here to stay. Are you prepared?
Due to many reasons, including advances in technology and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, companies and organizations are conducting more video interviews as they hire for positions. Video interviews are becoming the norm as opposed to the exception, especially for initial screening interviews. Video technology is now a part of our daily lives. Expectations are higher and you must be able to navigate it! While many of the basic principles for successful interviewing still apply, there are unique elements to video interviewing. Whether your video interviews are live or recorded, these tips can help. It’s important to understand how video interviews are different from in-person interviews and prepare properly to be successful in your interview experience.
read moreThe job sounds great, but is the new workplace a fit for you?
A new job brings about a lot of changes, which can make you feel both excited and nervous. Most people do a lot of research throughout the job search process on the jobs themselves so they can best show how they are qualified based on their skills and experience. That is a must when applying for a job and completing the interview process. What many candidates don’t consider is that they are interviewing the company just as much as the company is interviewing them. Part of that consideration is the workplace itself, namely its culture. You can secure what you deem to be the perfect job in terms of duties and responsibilities, but if the workplace culture isn’t a match it significantly decreases your chances of success in the role. How can you find out if that workplace is a fit or you?
read moreAnswer this: How do you define success?
As you explore career options, you will most likely interview with organizations that have job opportunities available that interest you. The interview process can be tricky. It’s important to realize that everything you do and say will be evaluated by a potential employer to determine if you are a good fit for the role, and sometimes more importantly, the organization’s culture. Be prepared to be professional during every interaction with a new employer and also consider the questions they may ask you to determine your qualifications and fit with the company. One question that is often asked is, “How do you define success?” It’s critical to understand why they are asking this of you and how you can answer it effectively during an interview.
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