For most of you out there who are either fairly new to freelancing jobs or who are seriously considering jumping in, a big question may still remain of whether you will be able to make it or not. The answer is that EVERYONE can succeed in freelancing, however, many do not.

Unfortunately for those who do not succeed, they do not realize that many factors that cause them to fail are within their own control. The key is to recognize what these factors are and take the right steps to control them. In this article, I’m going to focus on the factors that will cause the bloody death of your freelance career (and has caused for many other). The next week’s article will focus on the Freelance Life Lines for your career.

The following are the five death traps you want to avoid when starting out in freelance. If you are already in your freelance career, then pay attention. This just may save you.

Death Trap #1: Not having a backup plan or backup source of income

Speaking from experience, most freelancers will not have an idea of what freelancing is really like until they complete their first year… and that is a big IF they complete their first year. Therefore, you would be taking a huge risk if you decide to suddenly decide to tell your boss to go to #!@% off and think you can continue to earn your income by freelancing.

As a newcomer to the freelance world, you will need a period of adjustment to get used to the demands of it. I won’t go into depth of these demands here, but to name a few, there are high/low workloads, customer/client service (yes, you have to keep them happy) and invoicing/collections.

What often happens for a new freelancer, too, is that initially they will notice their income decreases from what they made in a paid position. This is overwhelming enough to cause many to panic and quit freelancing and resume working in their careers for a fixed salary.

To overcome the “freelance panic” and freelancing demands, the best route to go is to not quit your job and to freelance part-time in addition to it. Sure, this may bring about a very heavy workload, however, it is the best way to learn freelancing in your field without losing income.

Once you are established as a freelancer, you may want to decrease the hours in the salaried position and increase the freelance workload if at all possible. This method can all but guarantee that you will have a smooth transition into a freelance career.

Now, there are those who may jump into freelancing right away without having been in a salaried position in their career field. The same demands of freelancing still apply, in addition to the demands of their chosen field. That is why in this case, a fallback job or other source of income, even if not related to their career field, is ideal.

A backup source of income can be vital to giving you peace of mind and keeping you from quitting when times get difficult in freelancing. Believe me, too, they can get difficult.

Death Trap #2: Not being service minded

It is safe to say that most of us have had some kind of job position where we’ve had to deal with customers in a friendly and helpful manner. For those of you who haven’t, then for sure you have had to deal with some kind of customer service whether it was returning a purchased item, complaining of service, or receiving help.

In either case, do you remember being yelled at by the “nasty” customer or getting poor service, yourself? Can you remember what their voice sounded like when they got on your bad side?

Well the same will apply to your freelance job. Argue with your clients and treat them poorly and you can kiss your freelance career goodbye. The opposite is true, too. Treat them like you really appreciate their business and they will keep coming back AND bring their friends with them.

All of this boils down to one simple concept: service-mindedness.

If you honestly appreciate your clients, you will do the little things such as, getting work done on time, delivering high quality and even responding promptly to emails. Such things make a client feel appreciated and keeps work coming which is especially important to a new freelancer.

One thing that must be noted, though, is where the line should be drawn where it may appear that a client is taking advantage of your kind treatment. It is actually pretty simple. In this case, you have to be firm, but polite with them. Not surprisingly, most clients will try to see where their dollar will take them. If you keep giving in to complaints/requests for changes, they will keep coming back with more.

A rule of thumb is to always fix mistakes made on your part, but charge if a change/fix requested was not due to your error. Inform the client in a polite but stern manner and they will they won’t take advantage of you.

Death Trap #3: Not making a working schedule

Part of the reason that the majority of us switch to freelancing is to get out of the 9 – 5 grind Monday through Friday. We want the ability to sleep in on a Monday morning and the freedom to take a three hour lunch break if we want to. What is generally not taken into account, however, is that despite our perceived freedoms in freelancing, we still have to work those eight or more hours a day during the week. Sometimes more.

If you freelance at home, too, you also open yourself to distractions that can inhibit your workday. After all, there is a bed, refrigerator, TV and a sofa all within arm’s reach from your working desk. What has to be done is to get into the habit of eliminating these distractions and getting yourself used to good working habits.

One of the most important things you can do to gain a good working habit is to create a working schedule. This may sound like the dreaded work schedule at your old job, but here you have the freedom to schedule anything.

The schedule should be started by first determining the hours you want (or need) to work in an entire week. Divide these hours up by the number of days you will work in the week then schedule in the daily hours in a weekly planner. Remember, you have the freedom to work at 3 AM as you do 3 PM. The important thing is to stick to those scheduled hours like you would at a job.

As you are working, be sure to keep track of the time and make sure you complete scheduled times. Try not to “cut-off” from working five minutes early nor starting five minutes later than your starting time. The goal is to develop a productive working habit and not be a clock-watcher like most were at their old job.

Once in a while, you will have an emergency or you may have had a little too much fun the night before to keep you from sticking to your schedule. Do your best to reschedule those working hours for another day in the week or divide them among the rest of the week.

Keep the habit of working your desired weekly hours and you won’t have to worry about the distractions that often dooms freelancers to low productivity… and low income.

Death Trap #4: Charging too little for your work

Freelance newbies are often so eager to find work they will accept any price for a job. Then they quickly find they do not earn the income they thought they would and quit.

This is by far one of the biggest mistakes made as a freelancer since this leaves you open to being taken advantage of by employers. Even if you are new in your field, there is a market price for the work you do and you are entitled to it.

The key is to know what prices are being offered for the type of work you do. More specifically, you need to determine a price range paid for a project where you know exactly the requirements to complete it. Then you bid a price on a project within that range.

Note that you may have to take a longer time than a more experienced freelancer to complete a project, but as long as you note the time for completion to the employer when you bid, this will not make a difference.

Do not sell yourself short if you are looking for work and/or if you are new to your career field. Remember that there are plenty of people looking for freelancers to provide a service at a price ideal for you. Your focus should be on looking for one of these instead of taking anything that just happens to come your way. Be patient because they will come.

Death Trap #5: Not tracking your production

As a freelancer, you are officially a business. As a business you need to track your working income to see where you can be more efficient and grow your business to earn even more.

Let me give you an example. Personally, I found that as long as I was able to pay the rent every month, eat and go out on the weekends, then I was doing more than enough to make ends meet. Why should I have to worry about what I make if it appeared to be enough?

Well, the answer is that as a business, you want to run efficiently. You could actually come to find that you are leaving money on the table like I did.

What did I do?

I first kept track of my hours (see Death Trap #3 above), but then kept track of what I did in those hours. For instance, I would spend a typical day responding to business emails and client questions and then doing the work of my field. What I came to find was that I would spend a disproportionate amount of time emailing (which doesn’t pay!) rather than doing productive work earning myself an income.

Just from this finding, I was able to limit non-income business activities and increase my income. This is also without increasing the number of hours I work.

* * *

Fortunately for you, if you are new to freelancing or are even considering it, you don’t have to go through the same growing pains as I did in order to succeed. I don’t want to tell you that everything is roses, because it is not. You will come across obstacles not mentioned here that you will have to get through, but in truth, will be necessary for you to grow in freelancing.

Heed my five Death Traps of Freelancing though. These will help you pass through the worst of what could come.

By Johnny Spence
Author of The Rookie Freelance Job Guide
Journal: The Freelance Rant

Johnny Spence has been a freelancer since 2003 and has not looked back since quitting the J-O-B for good back then. He encourages everyone else to jump on the boat and do the same and will not stop until all middle-management bosses are eliminated from the universe.

Article Source: Grisly Freelance Death Traps

When you’re a candidate for a promotion that ends up going to a peer, are you left wondering “why them and not me?” Why were they promoted to manage or lead a broader realm of responsibilities, but not me? Why when I am the one who is more consistently and more recently invited to spend time with the boss, are they the one receiving the promotion?

If this has happened to you, I recommend you take some time for careful introspection regarding why you didn’t receive this growth opportunity. To do this effectively, I offer you 10 points to consider.

10 Point Litmus Test:
Be candid when considering these points and take some time for introspection.

Have I demonstrated performance under pressure?

Have I completed an initiative which clearly demonstrates my core strengths and capabilities?

Have I consistently supported my colleagues by taking a genuine interest in their key initiatives, and by helping them to achieve quantifiable results?

Are my communications skills; written and oral, as proficient as they could be?

Have I consistently demonstrated the ability to confront others or issues with respect, and problem solve with decisiveness?

Have I achieved a high degree of influence to reinforce the ability of proactively engaging others and getting things done?

Have I supported my superiors by taking on difficult projects and offering value-based council?

Have I succinctly defined my long-term goals and objectives and do I have a road map of how my current and future activities will help me obtain my goals?

Have I consistently completed prioritized assignments for others before completing my own? In other words, have I put other people’s projects ahead of my own?

Have I established a strong personal brand of presence and upmost competence?

Nour Call to Action
If you answered no to any of these questions, you may be prohibiting a potential promotion at your current organization. Sharp “A-Players” realize sooner or later you either move up or move out, so take steps to move up whether within your current position or into another organization. Steps to Getting Off the Menu and onto the Table

Get an independent assessment of where you are today by taking a behavioral or emotional survey such as Myers-Briggs®, DiSC, Hogan, Birkman, or HBDI™. Engage Three Mentors: One within your organization, one within your industry and one completely outside of both. All with unique and candid insights on your core strengths and weaknesses.

Study or profile the leaders or the executives you wish to model yourself, and identify the gaps of your current abilities and where you would like to be in the future. Invest time and resources with a career coach to help you identify strengths and weaknesses.

Read Relationship Economics and apply the Relationship Currency Road Map®

Visit: http://www.relationshipeconomics.net/NourBook.html

Article Source: If You’re Not at the Table, You’re on the Menu!

Those days are gone when an employee used to stick with a company until his or her retirement. On an average, the maximum time an executive spends with a company is 3 to 4 years. To a high extent most of the companies too have accepted this trend. But that does not mean that an employee can start searching for jobs during office hours.

However, it does not mean that you time (3 or 4 years) should be a factor for you to leave a company. When someone leaves a company, this also puts some negative impacts on the coworkers. Sometimes, people start looking for new jobs just because one of his or her coworker just got a better opportunity or a promotion in another company.

A lot of people believe that, earlier there had never been so many companies or job opportunities in the world. To add to this, today there are different avenues to look for newer jobs. Prospective employers do not depend on traditional staffing method to get fresh blood in their organization. Especially, in executive or higher levels, personal recommendations and professional networks work better to get a new job. People are more into relationship marketing than traditional CV marketing. That does not mean that a good relationship or recommendation is enough to secure a job. You must be qualified enough to get that recommendation.

So how do you prepare yourself for a job shift? The following tips may help you:

1. Before you start a job search try to figure out the exact reasons why you intend to change the present job. If you are not sure about the reasons, there are high chances that you are leaving for a wrong reason.

2. When you have identified the problem, try to figure out if there is any solution in that company. Here I would like to mention one point, people do not normally leave companies - they leave their boss. At the same time, your boss is not always wrong. However, if this is your problem, try to figure out a solution - you can also try to shift to another group. And if he is the only one to report, you can think about a change.

3. When you are sure that you want to leave, pull yourself together. Finish your pending tasks (your reputation as a good employee would follow you wherever you go) before you move out to find a job.

4. While searching for jobs, be sure about what you are actually looking for. If you do not find enough job opening advertisement for that profile, you can contact some staffing company. If you know the company that would best suit your desired profile, you can contact them directly or via your network.

5. Before you serve the notice to your present company, make sure that you know enough about the new company’s work culture, rules etc.

6. Do not commit to join the new company unless you have served the notice period at your present company. This would also help you to maintain a healthy relationship with your present company and at the same time your new company would also be assured about your sense of responsibility.

Do not join a company thinking that you are going to stay there only for a short period. This mindset may hamper your performance and reputation.

Steve McMains is a media professional and writes for different online publications on media and advertising industry. For best in industry online job search, he recommends you to visit: http://www.mediajobmarket.com

Article Source: 6 tips before you join a new company.

You are thinking of quitting your job. But resigning from your current job should not be a decision make haphazardly though, because it may have big impact on your life. You should think carefully and take various factors into consideration before you finalize your decision and submit your resignation letter to your superior. Here are some situations that may trigger the right time for you to go for a new job:

1. Your job makes you sick

You feel overwhelming stresses on your current job and it makes feel headaches and backaches. You are trying very hard to work out the problem but unfortunately you failed. You are losing your sleep and impacting your health and living norm. Under this situation, you probably want to prioritize your health first by finding a new job and change to new working environment.

2. You have been marginalized

You have been taken away many of your responsibilities without any reason. Your boss does not trust you like before anymore. You are excluded from important meetings and just being assigned with unimportant works that will only contribute very little scores on your year end job evaluation for promotion or salary increment. You should talk to your boss to find out the reasons before you do anything, but be aware that your boss may be urging you to leave. If the situation seems like won’t improve, then it may be the right time to take the hint and find a new job.

3. You receive a better offer elsewhere

If you are given opportunities, you definitely want to move to as higher level as possible in your career which enables you to enjoy better income and lifestyle. Along our career path, there will be many opportunities opened to you and if you get an offer that attract you very much and the prospective position seems to be a good fit for you, then you should give it a serious consideration.

4. You have outgrown your job requirement

You have gained a lot of experience in your current job and you find that your experience is beyond your job requirement but there is no opportunity for you to move up and no room for you to utilize your experience. Then, you probably need to find the opportunity elsewhere.

5. Your job is interfering with your family obligations

Sometimes it’s hard to balance between job and family, but with some scarification and tolerance, many parents still able to achieve some degree of balancing between their job and their family obligations. But, if your job requires you to spend too much of your time and cause you losing focus on your family obligations, then you might want to find other job that has fixed working schedule or consider an alternative work option like working from home.

In summary, quitting job or change job is a norm for one’s career life, but if you are thinking of quitting your current job due to any reason, don’t make haphazardly decision until you have considered all potential impacts on your life.

Amelia Turner, author from http://www.your-online-degree.info. The website provides free information and resources about online degree programs offered by top accredited online colleges and universities. You are invited to use Search Online Degrees tool to find your favorite degree.

Article Source: Is it Time to Quit Your Current Job?

In all the years that I have been working as a career and job coach I am always amazed at how many managers tell me they have no time to update their resume and keep their network active. “I know I should,” they often say, “but I just don’t have the time.” For continual career success these two activities are imperative.

It is really sad because if a lay off comes these are the same people who will find it difficult to launch their job search quickly. It doesn’t have to be that way! Here are three “must do” career success activities.

The first is to write down your accomplishments for the year. With a current list you are ready for a career discussion with your boss, a recruiter or your next employer.

Accomplishment statements are written in a specific way. Some call it the PSR format. First state the problem you were trying to solve, then say how you solved it and finally you give the result of your solution.

By spending an hour or two a month writing these accomplishments down in a notebook it will be easy to update your resume. You simply select from your list of accomplishments the few that are most applicable to the job description that you are responding to.

A side benefit for the list of accomplishments is you are ready for a yearly appraisal with your boss at any time. Bosses rarely remember what happened two or three months ago unless you remind them!

Business networking is also important for career success. Keeping your network active can be fun as well as beneficial. Everyone has had colleagues and managers that have left the company to move on to other companies. To stay connected simply pick up the phone to say hello.

By calling them regularly you stay in the top of their mind. You may find there are ways you can help them. When you need help they will be ready to return the favor. Try this with friends and family as well.

There is a lot to learn from making these calls. By hearing what others are doing you may in fact discover an opening that is your dream job. Sometimes a colleague can help you solve a problem you are working on. Staying connected and involved with your network will pave the way for you whenever you need it.

Finally it is important to keep adding to your business network. One way to do this is to attend some meetings of organizations either business related or social (church groups, country clubs etc.) For an investment of a few hours a month you could meet two or three new contacts. Each contact then goes on your contact list for calling!

If you are like the majority of people I talk to you have not updated your resume with your most current job and you’ve let your business network languish. The good news is that if you follow these three simple steps you won’t be left high and dry during a business downturn and you are positioned for great career success.

Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The Attorneys’ Coach) and a Career Changers’ Coach as well as publisher of “Parker’s Points”, an email tip list and “Road to Success”, an ezine. Subscribe now to these free monthly publications at her website http://www.asparker.com/samples.html You may also contact Alvah at asparker@asparker.com or 781-598-0388.

Article Source: Career Success - 3 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Bullet Proof Your Career

People nowadays are finding more means of earning money without the complications and stress. And working inside a cubicle, holed up for 8 hours is not healthy. Add to your dilemma if you have a boss whose pastime is barking up orders which are sometimes too mundane. It’s very likely you’ll end up unsatisfied and sickly. But you don’t have to suffer; more and more people choose to undergo HGV training.

What is LGV and HGV? HGV is Heavy Goods Vehicle and LGV is Large Goods Vehicle. HGV was the older term for LGV. They are interchangeably used in UK. There are many benefits of becoming a HGV Driver:You can find yourself on 29,000 a year for a start! Escaping the mundane 9-5 is just a step away.You have the freedom of picking your own hours, a permanent or temporary role, nights or days, its all up to you! Also you could be eligible for sick pay and holiday, plus even pension benefits!

Never heard of it? Then its time you take control of your life. HGV training is so easy you can complete it in just 5 days. Compared to other trainings wherein you are required to spend six months to qualify for a job, HGV training is an efficient and cost productive training. After just 5 days of learning and passing the license test, you can apply to thousands of jobs available. No need to doubt if you can pass the practical test; included in the HGV training are the exam coaching and tips which are taught to you by qualified and experienced instructors. More over, you have the advantage of getting a high paying job with HGV training because you learn from the best instructors there is in the field today. In addition to learning the basics, you get a real life coach because they will be teaching you based on their personal experiences and pass on the knowledge they have acquired over the years. Result, you will be more confident to pass the practical exam. And when it comes to getting employed, it’s the least of your worry; the training center can help you get that dream job for a financially rewarding career. Currently in the UK there is a shortage of qualified drivers. So you can get the benefit of it too.

For more information on HGV and LGV training contact the leading HGV course specialists in the UK or go to http://www.pathwaylgv.co.uk

Article Source: Becoming a qulified HGV Driver in just 5 days

If you have been looking for a new job, you will likely have a number of job interviews coming up in the next few weeks or months. They are certainly stressful for most of us. With that in mind, there are preparation steps that you can and should take to ensure that your next job interview is less stressful and more successful than you may have experienced in the past.

One of the most important tips, as you prepare for an upcoming job interview, is knowing what NOT to say. There are some topics that need to be discussed during a job interview, but there are others that should be left out of the conversation.

One of the many topics that you should refrain from discussing is your personal life. For instance, you do not want to talk about your family or any friends that you may have. If you are asked if you are a parent, you will want to respond, as well as answer other non-intrusive personal questions brought up by the interviewer. But, let them pose the questions. Refrain from volunteering personal information. Keep your personal and professional lives separate.

Bad experiences at past jobs are another one of the many topics that you should refrain from discussing at job interviews. For starters, your opinion may be seen as gossip by your interviewer, or “sour grapes”. You will also want to refrain from divulging important information about your past employer, especially if they can be considered competitors. Simply taking the high road and avoiding any topics that have to deal with poor experiences at your previous places of employment should enhance your professional image.

It is also advised that you refrain from speaking poorly about any of your former supervisors. No matter if your boss was in the wrong, you will want avoid speaking about the conflict. That doesn’t mean that you should lie, if asked, but it does mean that you should at least use your best judgment in how you phrase any criticism. You will want to show all prospective employers that you have respect for the hierachal position of Manager, even if you did not get along with certain former managers.

If you were ever terminated from a job, you will want to proceed with caution during your job interviews. Discussing a job from which you were terminated is a tricky tightrope. Tell the truth, at all costs. If you leave out important details, those details may come to light later and you could be terminated. Try best to explain the firing from your point of view and hope it will not eliminate you from further consideration.

Low pay is another topic that you may want to refrain from discussing. It is not uncommon for pay to be discussed during a job interview, but, should you find the starting salary to be lower than you may have thought, you will want to keep your composure. It would be impolite for you to leave in the middle of your interview or complain about the pay. What you may want to do, instead, is spin it in a somewhat positive matter that can still display your disapproval. You may want to consider asking about the other benefits, like sick days or vacation days, which can be used as other forms of compensation.

These tips will help you master the interview process or, at least, be invited back for further interviews.

Jim DeSantis, a former TV NewsDirector, provides cutting edge employment tactics. For scripted job interview answers see Interviewer and for the latest resume’ techniques see Guaranteed Resume’.

Article Source: Job Interviews: What You Should Not Discuss

You been working in the corporate world, you start feeling restless and board at the same old rat race of sitting behind a desk all day long and having no adventure in your life. All you see is four white walls and a nice window view from your office. How many times have you looked out of your window and thought to yourself, “I know there is a more exciting job out there for me.” Then the thought occurred to you that you want to become a truck driver.

You think to yourself “truck drivers make good money, they get to travel all of the time, see different parts of the US and Canada, they have no responsibilities and all they have to do is sit and drive. I would certainly like a position like this.”

So in your free time after work or on weekends you decide to take a truck driving course. You go through the steps to obtain your CDL license and then decide to purchase a tractor and trailer thinking your going to get rich our there on the road. You will be free from the rat race and the same ole hum drum way you used to live. By this time you’re all excited, you have a pretty new truck, a trailer of your own and you’re your own boss who is leased onto a company.

But to many new truck drivers reality sets in real fast as soon as they get out on their first long haul, The dispatchers are non to friendly, the pay isn’t as good as they told you, the sound of the companies benefits and the way things are ran is not the actual truth as to the reality of things, your dispatcher makes an appointment time from your origin to destination that is nearly impossible and you have to drive all day long. The only time you get out of the truck is to use the bathroom at a truck stop, grab a bite to eat and sleep. But you have to keep going to meet the delivery deadline.

Now you get to your destination, you have paperwork all of the time to do, which you are your own secretary, no one can do it for you, you need to keep up with your log book and follow DOT regulations for in a sense they are your boss. If you do not comply with the DOT regulations your fined or shut down thus you would be loosing money for that truck and tractor payment and home expenses as well.

You get your four hours of sleep if that and keep going down the road. Stopping just again to use the bathroom or get yourself something to drink. You must keep those big wheels rolling in order for you to make money.

You get to your destination or place of delivery and you have to wait, some shippers will make you wait for hours at a time and then some will take you right away. In the mean time you’re on the phone with your dispatcher asking for another load. She is unable to find you one so you still are waiting to be unloaded.

Finally a couple hours later you’re finally unloaded, “ok no problem you think. A lot of time wasted, but no problem.” It didn’t occur to you that all of the time you were sitting at the docks you were not being paid or making any money. You didn’t get to have breakfast or lunch because your time was getting short and you needed to be at the receivers on time for your appointment.

You may view the entire article and many other articles on trucking or truck driving jobs, life on the road as a truck driver and many more at http://www.infotrucker.com

Article Source: The Real truth of Becoming a Truck Driver

How do you manage a boss who seems unapproachable? I had one once. His office door was open but no one ever disturbed him. I was new to the staff but I noticed that he never came out of his office and no one went into it unless he called to invite them. I had a job that no one had had before. I needed to manage the boss’ expectations of me so I made a list of what I saw as the priorities and asked him if we could discuss them. Surprise! He seemed delighted to see me and welcomed the discussion. Others who reported to him were amazed by my easy access but never did try it themselves.

Everyone knows that having a good relationship with his/her manager is really important. Some managers make that easy for their direct reports. Sometimes because of the manager’s style or workload, the manager seems unapproachable. Employees then feel that they can’t get their questions answered or worse that their questions are not important or proper to ask. Whether your manager is helpful or not, here are 10 questions that you have a right to ask. Use them at appropriate times. The ones dealing with promotion can be saved for a time when you think you are ready and the time is right.

1. What are you being measured on this year and how can I help you to achieve your goals?
Every manager should be happy to give you this information. Listen carefully because it is the key to your success. It will help you to help your manager to achieve his objectives for the year.

2. How will I be measured?
If you don’t know the answer to this one, it is important to ask. It is not fun to get to a yearly appraisal and find out you are being measured on something you never knew about and did not concentrate on.

3. What skills do I need to develop to advance my career?
As you begin to think about future assignments it is worthwhile knowing what your manager believes are the most important skills to have. You may or may not agree with what your manager says but it is worth listening to his/her perspective.

4. What would you recommend I do to improve that skill or skills? Is there training available? Could a mentor help me? Is there a project available that I could work on to grow those skills?
These are all legitimate questions once you know you have a skill that needs to be developed.

5. What are the strengths that you see that I have that you believe will help me advance?
You know what you see as your strengths but your manager may have a different perspective. This is an appropriate question to ask particularly during a performance review.

6. Do you do a written performance review every year of the members of your group?
If your manager doesn’t do one each year, is there someone else who does? Find out who gives input to this evaluation. Early on in your relationship you will want to know the answers to this. Knowing when the review is scheduled and who is responsible for it will help you to be prepared.

7. What would you see as my next step in advancement?
This is a question you want to ask to get your manager’s perspective. You may not agree with him/her but at least you know what his/her thinking is.

8. Is there a possibility that a position like that would be available here?
Sometimes your next step may be at another company. A manager might not say that but the answer to this question will give you a sense of what is available for you in your current company.

9. Is there a process for promotion within the company? Can you explain it to me?
Most large companies have a list of people ready to be promoted. If you are not on that list, getting a promotion is difficult and sometimes impossible. Before you look within your company for advancement be sure you follow the process. I’ve known people who lined up a “next job” but were denied it by their current manager who had not been asked about the promotion until it was a fait accompli. Include your manager in your planning process when you target a promotion to an internal position.

10. How and when do I get to be part of the promotion process?
Getting on that promotion list may be a question of being visible to a whole set of managers not only your own. With your managers support you can get to be part of projects that expose you to other groups and managers.

Alvah Parker is a Practice Advisor (The Attorneys’ Coach) and a Career Changers’ Coach as well as publisher of “Parker’s Points”, an email tip list and “Road to Success”, an ezine. Subscribe now to these free monthly publications at her website http://www.asparker.com/samples.html

Article Source: Managing The Boss - 10 Questions to Ask the Boss

This is another trick question and if you are not prepared - it may take you by surprise. This is the type of mind game that some job hunters thrive on, and others dread. There are recruiters that will actually first verify that your ex-boss is listed as a reference. Then they will ask the question and take notes and then would call the ex-boss to compare. But most would only ask the question as a fun way to open a discussion about personal and professional qualities. If you are not prepared though - you may not be able to see the fun in this.

OK - now here is what the interviewer is really trying to learn about you, when asking this question:

1. It is not about the ex-boss, but about how you would see yourself through the eyes of the ex-boss. It is one thing to say how you feel about yourself and it is another to say how your supervisor may have felt. It is often relatively easy for a recruiter to see if the candidate is prepared for this question or not. But preparation is not necessarily what they are looking for - it is the unique insight. I had one person say to me in an interview, when answering this question “He would probably describe me as a bit lazy!”

2. With your answer you will reveal a lot about your professional and personal value system. This is valid no matter how prepared or unprepared you are. The way you approach your answer will highlight what you think is important in terms of professional qualities and this is what the recruiter is really interested in.

3. If the interviewer sees that you are surprised by this question she would be able to see also how fast you think on your feet and how comfortable and confident you are with your message. Your confidence and quick reaction may have a bigger impact than what you say. As Marshall McLuhan put it — the medium is the message.

http://www.careerconceptz.com/

Article Source: Question 5: How Would Your Boss Describe You?

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