by careertipper | | Blog
Are you reviewing your resume and know that you are missing a few great bullet points about your skills? At the same time, you are not exactly sure which merit worthy skills you are missing. Try the pre-writing exercise of clustering to determine what additional skills or professional experience you forgot to originally list on your resume. Clustering can be an alternative to completing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis that can help you determine where you need to expand your industry knowledge and your professional know how to advance your career.
A clustering exercise can be a leisurely activity that can be journaled at one of your favorite locations or in your office on a whiteboard. Use colorful writing tools to categorize each segment of your resume. Segment options could be your professional summary key points, industry skills, interpersonal skills, or professional experience outcomes.
Best wishes to you for a productive clustering exercise that will result in bringing to mind success traits and accomplishments that employers will respect and find value in.
by careertipper | | Blog
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” ~ Vince Lombardi
During your career search, keeping your industry skills current and relevant should be a constant and consistent focus throughout your search. It is important for you to practice your craft daily and not let excessive time pass to the point that your skills only read well on your resume. Take the time to ensure that your skills remain test ready through conversation or an assessment. Your ultimate goal is to get a return on your education and training investment that you are proud of and feel well compensated for. Keeping your skills sharp is a factor to being interview ready. The future of you career is worthy of your skills refresh time and can potentially lead you in successful salary negotiation if warranted.
Have fun and get creative with your practice and review sessions to keep your skills industry relevant and current.
by careertipper | | Blog
Phone interviews should not to be disregarded or taken lightly during the interview process. If your first phone interview is not viewed as successful by the interviewer; the face to face or Skype interview you are aiming for will most likely not be scheduled. Phone interviews can sometimes result in you being viewed as a qualified candidate for more than one employment opportunity pending the company’s hiring needs. Be yourself and be certain in your skills. Your confidence will be projected through the phone.
Below are a few phone interview do’s and don’ts for your review and consideration.
- Do declare to yourself that you are going to have a great phone interview with the potential employer.
- Don’t take your phone interview while driving. It’s ideal for you to complete the phone interview in a space where your call cannot be interrupted with back noise, music, or other audible distractions.
- Do smile during your phone interview. A smile can always be felt through the phone. If possible, keep a mirror in front of you as a reminder to smile.
- Don’t speak negatively or be disrespectful to the interviewer. During your phone interview they are the gatekeeper to you moving forward in the interview process.
- Do stand up during your phone interview. Standing up keeps you energized and assists in projecting your voice well during the call.
- Don’t be late for your phone interview. Be completely set up in your interview space and ready to take the call on time with the interviewer.
- Do have your resume in front of you and your preferred technical device near by that you may need to use to research something quickly during your interview.
At the end of your phone interview; journalize your outcomes, your follow-up action items, and your lessons learned if applicable.
by careertipper | | Blog
Your ability to speak the language of your chosen industry is important not only when interviewing but also when conversing with various industry professionals. Taking the time to learn your industry language including acronyms and jargon beyond the textbooks is essential to your professional success. Being able to effectively communicate as an industry professional will prompt other professionals to view you as credible and increase your confidence in your professional skills and knowledge.
Below are a few language development tactics that will help you evolve the fluency of your industry language.
- Listen attentively during business initiative launches and reviews.
- Read and notice the verbiage details from business meeting minutes, industry related periodicals and books.
- Study industry websites and the description of their services and products.
- View industry advertising campaigns through various media forums.
Your industry language versatility will permit you to communicate well with various levels of professionals while leading you through the path of becoming a verifiable industry subject matter expert.
by careertipper | | Blog
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” –Arthur Ashe
During an interview it is important for you not to sell yourself or your industry expertise small. Your resume and/or referral secured the opportunity for you to interview. In most cases, your confidence and ability to effectively explain your skills and knowledge will advance you to the next step in the interview process. Display good posture, eye contact, and avoid being fidgety during the interview. It is important not to take offense to any questions about explaining your ability to be effective in the potential role. Sometimes it may seem that the same questions are being asked of you in different ways. Throughout the interview, display patience and provide detailed answers with a smile in a calm demeanor. For select technical positions, be prepared to complete proficiency tests if required by the potential employer. Let your attitude be upbeat and engaging in conversation. Remember, your end goal is to leave a positive lasting impression that leads to a potential job offer.
Interview Prep Activity
Partner with a friend, family member, or mentor and complete a mock interview. Research possible interview questions online that are related to the potential position. Be receptive to the critiques. Edit your answers or body language until you are confidently interview ready.
