You’ve likely watched politicians being interviewed on live TV, and waited for them to make a headline-grabbing gaffe. Now and then they do, but by and large they hold up quite well.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why. Candidates don’t figure out their answers in that split second before opening their mouths. Those responses have been extensively rehearsed, rehashed and reviewed to make the maximum impact while opening them to the least amount of criticism. They’re calm because they know what they’re going to say.

In your job interview pursuits, if you follow their example and prepare beforehand, you can resist the crippling fear that keeps qualified applicants from landing their dream jobs. Surely you’ve had a job before and surely you’ve gone through an interview before. So you ought to know what they’re going to ask.

In the days leading up to the interview, write up a list of possible questions and formulate your answers. You don’t have to repeat every word exactly when you’re in the hot seat. Just having a framework to build your answers around will give you the flexibility to respond.

Bring your friends and family into this process. The more people you have, the more experiences you tap into, and the more likely you are to respond appropriately. You should rehearse your answers out loud, instead of reading them to yourself. If not, the shock of hearing your own voice for the first time could make you freeze up when it matters most.

When someone asks you a question, they prefer a specific example to a vague answer. Look at this as an opportunity to flesh out the information they already have about you. You know for a fact that they’re going to ask you about your previous job. So think of the times where you really proved your salt there. Think of specific things you learned and of specific tasks you handled.

Let’s say the interviewer asks you if you adapted to new situations. You could just say yes. Or you could tell them about the time where half your office was sick, leaving you to helm the ship by yourself. Or the time where one of your fellow employees was fired, forcing you to learn a new skill so you could pick up the slack. If you worked after-hours, this is the good time to talk about them.

And of course, there’s the obvious advice. Make sure you dress according to the company’s standards (which you should have researched beforehand). If you’re unsure, err on the side of caution and dress more formally. Keep yourself clean, and stay professional and pleasant.

Above all else, have confidence in yourself, and you’ll do all right. You wouldn’t have made it this far if you didn’t have the skills for the job. Don’t ever forget that, because if you doubt yourself, the employer may begin doubting their judgment.

For great technology career options, visit SmartJobs4Me.com

Article Source: Technology Careers Begin With an Interview – And Practice

A Word about Medical Interview

When candidates face a medical interview, they are often plugged with issues like medical interview skills. When a candidate strives to match his own qualities and skills to those which are essential for the position, one can say that they are honing their medical interview skills. However it is not the training of one day which will help you acquire the essential skills. You need something extra and you have to prepare so that you can score well.

Proper medical interview training can allow you to know all the right medical interview questions. After the submission of the application, the candidates are shortlisted on various criteria. This is crucial phase in any medical interview when the candidates will be assessed on the basis of the information furnished on the paper. The interviewee will note the details and see if they match up to the criteria published for the advertisement. Each of the candidates will be marked on the basis of their knowledge, skills and different attributes. This is a kind of screening process where the best are chosen and the rest are eliminated. The short listing process for the medical interview will take 3 to 4 weeks.

You should always remember that as a candidate you are sitting across the table and the expectations are higher. When the interviewer asks questions he or she is trying to find the most suitable person who will be good for the job. Moreover they will see whether you have the specific skills needed for the job. You will be assessed on your earlier achievements and if you fulfill the criteria published by the specific department, your chances will be higher. You will be encouraged to express your opinions about any given topic. As an interviewer it is his responsibility to highlight the unique points about the job and the organization to the candidate. In any medical interview the candidate should be prepared to face a panel of interviewers and medical interview courses can help you learn those skills.

If you are appearing for a medical interview before the panel, you should be careful as there are a number of people who will assess you on various matters. They will look for skills in individual sections and you have to appear confident in all those areas. When any interviewer assesses any candidate his main concern is to look at specificities like whether the candidate in question has any kind of training for the job. They will also look at other related issues like if the interviewee has all the skills which match the specifications of the job. Prerequisites of the job like knowledge about the subject matter, special attributes, interest in the organization and the job, motivation, insight and the capacity to fit into a team are also looked into before the selection process.

When you appear for a medical interview, you should be prepared about all sorts of questions. The questions can be open ended, probing, close, difficult and even hypothetical. You should be prepared to face all the difficulties when you stand before the panel. An interviewer can even take an aggressive approach to a specific question. However you should always remain calm and confident. If you feel that you need some extra help from any quarter you can consult the course materials from medical interview sites in the net.

Dan is author of this article on Medical interview training.
Find more information about Medical interview courses here.

Article Source: Courses on Medical Interviews

How to use a online Motivational Assessment test to build a masterpiece CV

Learn from Successful Peoples Behaviour to build a winning CV

Great Resume Writing Tips

How to use a Free online Motivational Assessment test to build a masterpiece CV

The first step is to have a CV / Resume that gets you through the interviewer’s door.

Therefore I want to sow the seeds of some of the behaviour and competency characteristics that you will need to demonstrate in your CV / Resume in order to win the interview.

Why is this so important? - This stuff is CV / Resume gold dust as it injects your unique personality, making your document stand out from the crowd (most CVs / Resumes are lists of responsibilities and dates, devoid of all personality)

And …

If you’ve researched your target career or job correctly, you will ensure that not only does your CV / Resume demonstrate your unique personality, but also aligns it with the characteristics required of your target role.

Powerful stuff!

Behaviours and Competencies of Successful People

Employers are looking for behaviour and personality characteristics that have been proven to work successfully in the past, and these tend to break down into the following:

Note: They are thankfully not expecting you to have all of them. But you must demonstrate the ones you do possess.

I like Robert Lawrence’s ebook “Killer Interview Secrets”, and his acronym “STAPLES” for putting these into a memorable form.

S - Skills and competencies
Personal Competencies:
Adaptability
Risk Taking
Flexibility
Decisiveness
Independence
Integrity
Tenacity
Compliance
Stress Tolerance
Decision Making Competencies:
Numerical Analysis
Problem Analysis
Judgment
Creativity
Vision
Entrepreneurial

T - Team Player
Interpersonal Competencies:
Sociability
Oral Communications
Teamwork
Written Communication
Listening
Persuasiveness
Interpersonal Sensitivity

A - Attitude
Motivation Competencies:
Commitment
Energy
Work Standards
Self-Motivation
Initiative
Service Orientation
Resilience
Tolerance of Ambiguity

P - Professionalism

A subjective description for a coming together, of a number of characteristics and competencies that the interviewer will be looking for. You are a reflection of the entire company.

Employers want the best to represent the company, and are looking for individuals who are mature, articulate, and have good people skills. Being “professional” means that you know how to “handle yourself” as an employee of the company.

You show up on time, do the work to the best of your ability, and respect your co-workers.

L - Leadership
People & Organisational Competencies:
Delegation
Task Leadership
Management Control
Planning & Organising
Staff Development
Organisational Sensitivity
Organisational Process Design

E- Ethic
Having a good attitude, being proactive, and possessing a willingness to do whatever is needed to get the job done.

S - Security
Employers are looking for people who truly want to be part of the company. They want individuals who desire to be active participants for the long-term.

It’s vitally important that you interpret and highlight the specific behaviors and competencies that the role you want demands. And then align this knowledge with your personal behaviors and competencies.

What’s the great tip then?

The great Resume writing tip I refer to is to use the fantastic online Motivation Appraisal for Personal Performance Test (MAPP Test).
If you have never taken one of these tests, I think you will find it fascinating, as it will provide you a printable report that will highlight, your personal work related motivational preferences.

And though you may think you know what does and doesn’t motivate you, I can almost guarantee you will be surprised by some of the findings.

If you have previously done one of these tests, I suggest digging out the report, or doing it again.

These tests give an accurate and insightful overview of what work motivates and what bores you to sleep.

In my experience these reports can also be highly uplifting, as many people have a slightly negative perception of their skills and value.

These reports often highlight that your performance is not hampered by any lack of skill, but simply by doing work that contains a high component of tasks that don’t motivate you!.

Once you have your report, highlight the behaviour and character descriptions (the report uses powerful, compelling language which will bring your CV to life) that fit your target role and ensure you include them in your CV Resume.
As far as interview invites are concerned - prepare to be killed in the RUSH!

A career recruiter Richard Penfold has written a free guide that demonstrates how to turn these online tests into a CV / Resume that will win you a landslide of interview invites.
Follow the link for a landslide of interview invites = http://www.sentient-recruitment.com/how-to-prepare-a-resume-for-interview-success-review.html

Take a mapp test now go to http://tinyurl.com/4yzmok

Article Source: Great Resume Writing Tips - Learn How Successful People Behave

There you are, trying to find the right job in a job market that has hundreds of people vying for the same position. You are not having the best of luck. In fact, you are maybe even beginning to feel desperate. As you look at your very professional resume, you ask yourself, what’s wrong? This resume is by the book and I know its good, why no interview? The answer is easy. You are not using a cover letter or your cover letter is wrong because you didn’t use a cover letter template!

For a moment, let’s take a look at what a cover letter is and what a cover letter does: Firstly a cover letter is nothing more than a letter of introduction. Secondly, it is your first line of communication where you utilize a few simple points to get that prospective interviewer choosing to look at your resume over all the hundreds on his desk. The cover letter template, of course, helps you get this done correctly.

In today’s job market, a resume is not enough. You need a cover letter that introduces you, and tantalizes the prospective employer into looking at your resume seriously. A cover letter can show a lot about you, despite the fact that it may only be two or three paragraphs.

There are important points that you must make sure you put into a good cover letter. The good news is that often you can find a cover letter template that will help you achieve this. If you get these points in the letter, then you will have done much toward landing yourself an interview. Following are some key items:

1. Be concise. Don’t try to tell your life story. The interviewer is busy, he or she won’t take much time to read it. Capture and captivate quickly.

2. Let the interviewer know what position you are applying for and how you found out about it.

3. Take one item of your resume that shows why you would be the best person for the job to encourage the interviewer to look at your full resume, but do not use the cover letter to simply restate the resume.

4. Know who you are talking to. This can also be said as do your homework. Try to make a couple of phone calls and find out who the interviewer is. Address your letter to that person, instead of the “Dear Sirs” line. That little bit of a personal touch can make a world of difference.

5. Attention to detail. Do not fire off a cover letter or resume that has a typo, or a grammatical error. Ouch. That would not put your foot in the door, but it certainly would put your letter and resume in the trash bin! Especially important is the use of a cover letter template if you are worried about your ability in this area.

6. Quality of the presentation: Use good paper - not overly done or scented or some other such thing. Just nice paper, a nice font, and a letter that is formatted correctly to balance nicely on the page.

7. Let the letter convey your personality. That does mean your professional personality. If you are a relaxed and friendly person, the do not write like you are a stuffy person. Flip side - don’t be too relaxed! Professional, friendly, pleasant, polite.

Getting your foot in the door is the job of the cover letter. Show you are qualified for the position is the job of your personal interview and your resume. Don’t be afraid to use a cover letter template to help you get the job done. Good luck!

Mark W. Mattey is a Special Seminars Instructor for Employment & Employment Services. He has also writes publishes for the Employment & Careers Industry. Mattey has been assisting people in the employment and interview process and protocols for more than 15 years. To find out more about cover letter examples / samples and killer cover letter templates visit his website.

Article Source: Using Cover Letter Templates & Examples - How they Can Benefit You Greatly

Do not think that you can make any of the following errors when writing your cover letter and still get the interview. The time and energy that you put into your cover letter will pay off - providing you have not allowed any of the following errors to creep into your writing. To help prevent these critical errors, consider downloading and using a cover letter template.

Cover Letter Error #1: Using your cover letter to restate your resume. What sense is there in writing a coverletter that just restates your resume? There is none! Your letter introduces you. You may use a point of your resume in your coverletter that shows why you would be a good candidate, but that is all. A good template will help you avoid this error.

Cover Letter Error #2: “Typos & Grammos” will kill your interview every time. Just as you know from your resume, a typo or a grammatical error cannot be present. The cover letter must have the same attention to detail and the same fine presentation as the resume. You wouldn’t go to a resume poorly groomed, so why would you allow your cover letter or resume to appear “poorly groomed”? Make sure you have everything correct before you submit. Make sure you get a quality template so that you get the help you need.

Cover Letter Error #3: It is obvious that your cover letter was “mass produced”, in other words, you are sending the same cover letter to every potential employer. You don’t want to do that. You want your letter to be a direct communication and letter of introduction from you to that potential employer. Take a few minutes and make a call. Find out who is doing the interviews at that company. Address your letter to the interviewer. Speak to him or her in your cover letter.

Cover Letter Error #4: You have written a novel as a letter of introduction! No. No. No. One page, two or three paragraphs and no more. The interviewer is not going to read any more than that. He or she has maybe a hundred resumes and cover letters on his desk. Keep that in mind. Concise and to the point. Brief but professionally polite. Persuasive, but not over done. You’ll find that if you stick to the template, it will help you in this area.

Cover Letter Error #5: Not easy to read. No bullets, long paragraphs, small fonts, squished margins, etc. All of these are just going to overwhelm your potential interviewer and make him set your letter and resume aside for when he or she has “more time”, which of course, we all know will not be any time soon! Use an acceptable font for business writing, such as Times New Roman 12. Use a margin setting of at least an inch top and bottom and both sides. Use bullets if you can to break up a paragraph. Limit your paragraph size and as already discussed, limit the number of paragraphs. Again, use a template to guide you.

Cover Letter Error #6: Failing to explain why you are inquiring and for what position you are inquiring about? You’d be amazed at how many people don’t explain that they are looking for a position in the secretarial department as a result of recently relocating and hearing that their company had such a position open. (Or whatever the “why” and “what” is). If you are applying at a large company and you don’t state the simple facts, they will not know what you are applying for as they have many positions open perhaps, and they will not know why you chose them.

Start with a good cover letter template to make sure you have all the right pieces in all the places. Then your cover letter will get you in front of an interviewer who has read your resume and wants to truly find out if you are the right person for the job.

For more information on Cover Letter Template or Coverletter Examples, please visit our resource site.

Article Source: Examples of Cover Letter Critical Errors

Valuable Tips for Medical Interview

You are going for a medical interview and you are skeptical because you are nervous. A medical interview training and attending medical interview courses can help you to attend medical interview skills. People dread interviews as most us are unsure a how we will fare on the D day. However if you follow some valuable tips, then chances of success are higher. If you want to have your dream job, then it is best to know how to handle the interview well.

Often people land at wrong jobs and suffer throughout their career. Even when you go for a medical interview, you should apply for those jobs which are absolutely suitable for you. In this way you will reduce the chances of disappointment in a later phase. Often the employers complain about the performance level of the employees. This is because the expectation levels do not match and both the employers and the employees end up being discontent. You should apply for those jobs in which you can give your 100% and you have the guaranteed job satisfaction.

When you go for a medical interview or any interview for that matter, you should always do your homework well. Preparation is the key to all good interviews. When you do your homework well, you are in the perfect position to answer most of the questions as you have rehearsed well. Moreover this is time to show your potentials and convince the interviewer that you are absolutely fit for the job. Knowledge about the organization shows that you are interested for the position. As an individual you are unique and you can highlight those characteristics when you are appearing for an interview.

You can focus on the highlighting points and establish yourself as indispensable for the position. But you should be careful that you should highlight those skills which match the prerequisites of the job. Before appearing for a medical interview, you should sit down and note about all the unique selling points. If you can pint three skills, then you know that you can manage to make an impact before the interviewer. You should sound convincing when you explain why you are suitable for the job. If you are not convinced yourself, it will be difficult to convince the people on the other side of the table.

Before you appear for the medical interview, try to sit for a mock interview. You should always be positive and stay focused. Success can be elusive, but if you are positive you will be lucky and confident for the next interview. Moreover even when you have failed to perform to the level of expectation, you should always ask for feedback, so that you can work on the weaker points. There is always scope for improvement and you will do well eventually. Medical Interviews UK can help you in this matter. If you want to know more about the training programs and the course materials, you can simply log on to the net and get solutions to your queries.

Dan is author of this article on Medical interview training.
Find more information about Medical interview courses here.

Article Source: Information about ST Interviews

Did you know that discovering your personality type can actually help you during job interviews?

Great jobs are becoming harder to find and lots of organizations are now cutting back, instead of hiring. So when you see your ideal job advertised and you just know you’d be a suitable candidate, how can you ensure you’ll get through the job interview and be offered the job?

It’s a really competitive job market out there and employers are seeking candidates who are self aware, that is, they understand themselves, their capabilities and what they can offer the company.

Understanding what makes you tick in the form of personality preferences can really boost your self awareness and make it easier for you to communicate with others, particularly during a job interview.

Here are 3 tips to help your performance during the job interview, once you are aware of your personality type:

1. If enjoy talking and meeting new people, then you’re probably more of an extravert. This means you’ll have no problem chatting about yourself during a job interview. However, the danger with extraverts is they don’t know when to stop talking. They have a natural tendency to talk more than they listen. They rarely pause for reflection and are constantly thinking of the next thing they want to say. Extraverts need to listen more carefully, particularly to the interviewer’s questions, if not there’s a good possibility they will mishear and go on to provide the answer to a totally different question.

2. If you prefer to spend time alone with your thoughts and ideas and don’t particularly enjoy meeting new people or talking about yourself, then you could be more of an intravert. During job interviews intraverts sometimes find it difficult to open up and talk about themselves. They are good listeners and they will take time to understand the interviewer’s question, however, intraverts can spend too much time reflecting on their answer. If the recruiter is looking for someone who can ‘think on their feet’ this delay in answering might not work in their favor.

3. No matter is you are an extravert or introvert, there is no right or wrong way to be, all the personality types are equal. What is important is that you understand yourself and your behavior and this will boost your self-awareness and confidence… even in job interviews.

Irene Houston is a qualified careers coach and certified MBTI® personality trainer and author of “3 Secrets to Finding a Fulfilling Career to Make You Happy.” Head over to http://www.OnlineCareerCoachBlog.com to get your FREE copy now!

Discover more about yourself and learn how understanding your personality type can seriously help you make decisions that impact your career choices at http://www.RecipeForPersonalityTypes.com

Article Source: 3 Tips to Get Through a Job Interview Using Personality Type

This article is about successful job interviewing, focussing on the non-verbal communication that takes place during an interview.

This includes how to make an immediate positive impression.

We are constantly told that this is VITAL.

So it’s pretty clear we’d better get off to a good start!

Get yourself into a positive frame of mind.

Employers like positive, “can do” personalities.

Positive body language, stand tall, shoulder back.
Smile, plenty of eye contact.

Firm handshake, though NOT crushing, don’t slouch.

Think energy,

Think enthusiasm,

Though don’t take it too far, excited puppy stage is too far!

What were doing here is increasing our likability score with the interviewer.
Likability in hiring terms comes down to confidence, and all this behaviour speaks confidence, without shouting arrogance.

Having researched and prepared properly, you will have interpreted the most important skills and personality traits that the company will be looking for, and have aligned these with your own experiences and skills.

You’re off to a great start; and your solid prep work will now kick in…
you have every right to be confident!

Listen very carefully.

Listening is a far too rarely used; demonstrate it.

Take your time and ask questions if you are unsure of something.

Now the whole point of this article is to convey that the WAY that you say something can be far more important than the content itself.

Not advocating enthusiastically talking RUBBISH!

Am advocating keeping your energy, enthusiasm, and passion going throughout the interview.

In your answers, and body language.

An average answer delivered with enthusiasm is better than a great answer delivered without.

As a recruiter I am always looking out for tools or techniques that will help my candidates perform with enthusiasm through interview.

It’s not easy, interviews can be a daunting experience, wanting to do well often induces nerves, and other performance dampening effects.

I think extensive preparation is a fantastic antidote to interview nerves, and have also had candidates tell me that hypnosis can help.

But most recently a friend of mine told me about a DVD of Interview tips.

That had worked for him.

Slightly skeptical, I bought it and reviewed it

After viewing and listening (it comes with a CD, for listening on the way to your interview), I believe this is an excellent medium for conveying not only great technical interviewing skills, but also demonstrating the way to inject enthusiasm and energy into your answers.

DVD is an enjoyable and multi sensory experience which I believe lends itself perfectly to training such a grey and subjective area.

I plan to review more of these products, and would recommend them to everyone who is looking to add an enjoyable and highly effective training aid to their interview skills arsenal.

Read my review http://www.sentient-recruitment.com/experts-guide-interview-skills.html

or Visit us for more interview tips http://www.sentient-recruitment.com/interview-tips.html

Article Source: It’s Not What You Say, But the Way That You Say It!

Feedback can be a very important tool when evaluating your performance after a job interview. Getting feedback however, can sometimes be difficult as most companies tend to shy away from providing honest, valuable information opting instead to provide a generic answer that will insulate them from potential litigation in the future. Sometimes though, it is possible to get valuable feedback from an interviewer. Here are some tips to help increase your odds.

First and foremost, don’t be afraid to come out and ask. The odds of getting valuable feedback are nil if you don’t request it. If you are fortunate enough to meet with someone who is willing to provide you with on the spot feedback, remember to be appreciative and courteous even if you don’t like what the person had to say.

More likely than obtaining any immediate feedback is the possibility of getting some useful feedback as a product of later following up with the interviewer. An important step after any interview is to call the interviewer and thank them for their time. Ideally this is done within 24 hours of the interview while you are still fresh in their mind. This gives you an opportunity to solidify your interest in the position and confirms to the interviewer that your interest is serious.
One additional step to take is a follow-up thank you note. This is something the majority of candidates don’t do and it can help set you apart from others. It is also a good opportunity to once again confirm that you are a serious applicant and you can also solicit feedback. Seeing how genuinely you are committed, the interviewer may opt to contact you and provide you some valuable coaching.
If all attempts to obtain feedback fail, perform a self-review of your performance. If you are truthful with yourself, you will find you can learn a lot from an honest self-assessment.

read this article if you are looking for job interview tips

Article Source: Getting Feedback after a job interview

Interviews can be nerve wracking and if you turn up unprepared it could cost you your dream job.
Interviews are varied and they won’t always follow a set pattern but if you consider the following points your chances of success will be improved.
Make sure you are well prepared with as much information about the role you are going for and the company as a whole. The company’s website will be a good source of information about the company as well as information about the products or services they offer.

Make sure you know how many people will be interviewing you. Also try and find out what their roles are within the company.

It may sound obvious but make sure you know exactly where it is you have to go to attend the interview. Make sure you have the correct directions as well as any information on parking or the nearest railway station. Always make sure you give yourself plenty of time to arrive. Arriving late will give a bad first impression. Arriving also gives you the opportunity to gather your thoughts and prepare yourself.

Always dress to impress, decide what you are going to wear the night before to avoid rushing around the day of your interview.

Have a copy of your CV with you and ensure you have read it through so you are able to answer any questions.

When meeting the interviewer(s) for the first time, always greet them with a smile and a strong handshake. Make sure you maintain good eye contact at all times, especially with the interviewer to whom you are responding to. Respond to the style of the interviewer, if they are formal - be formal, if they are informal - be informal.

Ask questions and show a real interest in the position and the company. Aim for questions that indicate an interest in their line of work or products and your enthusiasm and interest in the role itself, rather than holiday entitlement, pensions etc.

Make sure you are prepared for questions you think they may ask you. Try to focus on your achievements when answering and portray every response in a positive way. If you do not understand a question, don’t guess the answer - ask them to explain the question further. Although you may be nervous and want to give the impression you are knowledgeable, don’t talk too much. Give yourself time to think about your answer before you reply.

Have your own questions prepared in advance but try to ensure that you use them in the context of the interview and think about the information you have already been given by the interviewer already. This will help to show the interviewer that you are interested in the company and want to find out more about the role you are being interviewed for.
The type of questions you may want to think about:

*What career development pathway could I expect over the next few years?
*What training is available within this role?
*What is the overall culture of the company?

At the end of the interview, if the opportunity arises, ask them how they felt the interview went. Also, if you are interested in the position, it is important to tell them.

Finally, make sure you know what the follow up procedure is, and when you can expect to hear back from them. Always thank them for seeing you.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For information on online recruitment and job vacancy services, he recommends Matchtech, the UK’s leading Technical Recruitment Agency.

Article Source: How Prepared are you for your Interview?


Technorati Profile