Interviews are like a dance. You and your partner (the interviewer) either mesh fluently and glide across the floor, or you both ride each other's toes all night long. The best dancers understand that there's lots of give and take during the performance to make it look fluid and beautiful.
That's also the key to interviewing; you have to know when to talk and when to listen. Interviews work best when they are an exchange of ideas rather than an information dump. There's no interplay if the interviewer simply tells you about the job and then you tell him your experience in return.
For instance, every interviewer will take a moment to both explain the parameters of the position as well as a history of the company. This is the moment where you gently cut in and put all of that homework you did on the company to good use. This can be in the form of a question, "I saw that your company did XYZ, did they consider ZYX?" or it can be a simple statement, "I also read that widget production had a huge impact on foreign profits."
These are liable to begin a conversation that not only highlights your knowledge of the company, but of the industry as a whole, and the dance (information exchange) can begin.
Friday, May 23, 2008
May I cut in?
www.newjobpath.com
Career Network introduces new employment site to assist job market
Newjobpath.com to add to network’s reach to candidates
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008 –
http://www.newjobpath.com is the newest addition to the Career Network’s family of career Web sites.
Career Network functions by pooling thousands of jobs and allowing job seekers to search, view and apply to jobs directly through their network of sites. A team of recruiting professionals then sorts through the applications and forwards them on to the employers. Because Career Network acts as a “one stop shop” for job seekers, they simplify the recruiting process and ease the workload of employers’ human resources departments.
Through the use of online advertising verticals, Career Network is able to provide this valuable service free of charge for both employers and job seekers. This is especially helpful at a time when most employers are looking for ways to cut back on expenses, and job seekers are looking for higher-paying opportunities in today’s slow economy. Career Network saves both parties time and money while offering an unmatched advantage and a user-friendly interface.
Source: PrLogThursday, May 22, 2008
www.CareerNetworkSearch.com
Career Network Strengthens Its Brand with New Domain Name
Internet job board distinguishes itself from the competition with the unique Internet address www.CareerNetworkSearch.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008 –
Career Network collects jobs from all available sources, such as the Internet and newspapers, and then actively reaches out to candidates to inform them of open positions. This has proven to be a prime method of contacting passive job seekers who are already employed, but who would be open to the possibility of a better paying job. Passive job seekers are typically considered the crown jewel of the recruitment industry.
Recruiters for Career Network find current job listings and then contact the company to get signed permission to re-list their employment ad on one of the network’s employment sites. The completed applications and resumes of interested candidates are then immediately forwarded to the hiring company for consideration.
For people who are currently pursuing a new job, thousands of jobs are centrally located on one singular site, streamlining their searches. In addition, the application process is simplified as well since job seekers can fill out an application directly on the site rather than be directed to another site.
In an effort to distinguish its presence on the Web, the company will be adding a new domain name for its umbrella site, Career Network, under which all of the network’s other sites operate. This will help job seekers better identify the site as well as fortify the company’s brand name as the preeminent location for job hunting.
Source: PRLog
www.CareerNetworkJobs.com
Internet Job Board Distinguishes Itself with the Unique Internet Address www.CareerNetworkJobs.com
Career Network strengthens its brand with new domain name
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008 –
In an effort to distinguish its presence on the Web, the company will be adding a new domain name for its umbrella site, Career Network, under which all of the network’s other sites operate. This will help job seekers better identify the site as well as strengthen the company’s brand name as the preeminent online location for job hunting.
Career Network collects jobs from all publicly available sources, such as the Internet and newspapers, and then actively reaches out to candidates to inform them of open positions. This has proven to be a successful method for contacting passive job seekers who are already employed, but who would be willing to discuss the possibility of a better paying job or new career track. Passive job seekers are typically considered the crown jewel of the recruitment industry.
For people who are currently pursuing a new job, thousands of jobs are centrally located on one singular site, streamlining their searches. In addition, the application process is simplified as well since job seekers can fill out an application directly on the site rather than be directed to another site.
Recruiters for Career Network find current job listings and then contact the company to get signed permission to re-list their employment ad on one of the network’s employment sites. The completed applications and resumes of interested candidates are then immediately forwarded to the hiring company for consideration.
Source: PRLog
Friday, May 16, 2008
Is It Time to Change Jobs?
Whether you realize it or not, it’s time to take a look at your career. The average American has been in his or her job for only four years. Many leave voluntarily: The economy is good and it’s time to see what’s out there. Most who leave involuntarily don’t lose their jobs overnight – unless they’ve been caught stealing, giving away company secrets or in an uncompromising position with a subordinate. Even if your company’s been bought, sold or reorganized, a layoff is not immediately in the cards for everyone. It takes time for top executives to determine how they want to handle downsizing and redeployment. But, if your company is in the news for a period of time, it’s likely there are problems that can’t be resolved. The longer you stay on a sinking ship, the harder it is to get onto solid land. Prospective employers will look unfavorably at anyone who wasn’t smart enough to get out when the getting was good.
There are eight additional signals – from bosses and co-workers – that let you know your job is in jeopardy. If you have noticed three or more of these warning signs, it’s time to update your resume and begin mounting a job-search campaign.
1. You don’t fit in. Your values don’t match. The people you work with are uncouth, dishonest, focused on getting ahead regardless of legal or moral barriers. They win by cheating. You are refined, ethical and would never knowingly break the law or hurt another’s livelihood.
2. Your boss doesn’t like you, and you don’t like him/her. You don’t like your boss’s character or style. He/she never solicits your opinion, invites you into his/her office to chat or out to lunch. You don’t support his agenda or initiatives. If you’ve ever done something to undermine your boss, you might as well get out now.
3. Your peers don’t like you. You they think they are beneath you. You are never included in any of the social outings they plan and you probably wouldn’t want to go if invited. You feel isolated, gossiped about, excluded from the inner workings of the organization. For the most part, you don’t get along with people at the company. You don’t feel like a team player and have no sense of camaraderie at work.
4. You don’t get assignments that demonstrate the full range of your abilities. All the good assignments go to others, or you get the ones that play to your weaknesses. You feel the boss doesn’t trust your judgment or believe you care enough to do a good job.
5. You always get called upon to do the “grunt work.” You are always singled out to do the tasks nobody else wants to do. If the boss asks you to do something you feel is beneath you, say you’re busy. Learn to lobby for better projects and cherry pick the ones that will showcase your skills and heighten your visibility.
6. You are excluded from meeting your peers are invited to. You don’t feel that your ideas are valued or that your contributions are central to the company.
7. Everyone on your level has an office; you have a cubicle in the hallway. This is a blatant sign that you are not thought of as highly as others. It also telegraphs your status in the informal company hierarchy loudly and clearly, despite your title.
8. You dread going to work and feel like you are developing an ulcer. The very idea of going to work makes you anxious or physically sick. You can’t sleep on Sunday nights and you’ve used up all your sick days. You have a hard time concentrating and count the hours from the time you arrive at the office until the second you leave.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Take This Job...and Love It
Do you dread going to work everyday? Many people do. There is nothing easy about being at work all day. Even the drive there and back can be terrible. If you don’t like your boss, coworkers or assignment either, well that’s just the cherry on top.
So what happens when you don’t like your job? How can you deal with that until a better opportunity presents itself? These are just a few of the things you can do to make the best of what you’ve got:
Decorate.
OK, it sounds silly, but it really does work. Think about it. What does your work area look like? It is probably a bare desk with a computer on it, and maybe a pencil cup or wacky coffee mug, if you are the adventurous type. Now, think of what your living room look like – family photos, potpourri, a decorative lamp and other personal items.
Take some of the things that make your home a comfortable space and incorporate them into work life. Being surrounded by pictures of friends and sentimental items will make you feel more relaxed. Of course, you will need to check with your boss, as some companies have restrictions on personal items. Make work a destination and not just place.
Go out to lunch.
Maybe you are the workaholic type, or perhaps you just want to work through lunch to get the day over with. It might seem like a good idea, but is actually counterproductive. Rushing through the day and not taking time for yourself will only make work feel like more of a chore. Working straight through the day can’t be good for your performance, either.
Don’t like the people you work with? You don’t have to go to lunch with your coworkers (though you should participate once in a while). Go to the coffee shop across the street and read. Go for a walk. Eat a sandwich in the break room. No matter how you do it, get a break from the work day to retain some sanity. Absence makes the heart grow fonder or, at the very least, slightly more productive.
Reward yourself.
Bring something into work that would normally be a treat for you. Whether it is your favorite candy bar, chips or soda, keep something pleasurable at work. Do you like to read trashy gossip magazines? Bring them to work and read them during breaks. If you have something at work that you don’t get anywhere else, you have something to look forward to everyday.
Dragging yourself into work is a lot easier when you know that your favorite candy is waiting in the desk drawer. Sure, it’s a bit elementary (like tricking kids into eating vegetables), but it could get you through the day a little easier.
Work is rarely something that people look forward to. Many people who love their jobs are still adverse to the concept of “work” altogether. We can only try our best to make work a comfortable place to spend time. The least you can do is apply these tips in the hopes of getting through the day just a little bit easier.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Press Release - Career Network
Career Network to Facilitate Hiring For Eager Job Seekers
Recruitment firm to utilize network of Web sites to connect candidates with open positions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2008 –
In the past, recruiting efforts have centered on management and executive positions where the big recruiting dollars are found. With a possible recession looming on the minds of Americans, more mid-level employees are looking to either improve their situations or shore up their income with a better job. Career Network seeks to expand recruitment efforts to this niche of the job market.
During their normal recruitment process, the company was repeatedly contacted by applicants looking for jobs in a salary range below that of the job orders coming in from employers. They couldn’t make a match. To rectify this, they began looking at how that sector of the job market could best be served. It was decided that compiling jobs from online job boards and sending those companies applicants would be an effective way of matching these clients with jobs.
After a job seeker fills out an online application at one of the Career Network sites, the staff forwards that application along to the employer who will then consider the applicant for their position.
Career Network needed to make the services affordable for both the companies and the applicants, though. The solution was to include advertising that generates the revenue needed to keep the process going, and in turn provide the service at no charge to businesses or applicants.
Dealing with a new market mandated that the standard recruiting model be modified. Anyone expecting to assist this level of job seeker using the old model will fail. To best serve these people, the recruiting industry needs to adapt.
Friday, May 2, 2008
The Short Attention Span of a New Era
Job-hopping has become prevalent with the younger generations. Staying with the same job for three or four years is considered a lifetime to the youngins who are never content with their current status. It is becoming more accepted that people job hop instead of staying with a family business for thirty years. The attention spans are shrinking and the greed for growing and potential wealth is bigger then ever. But what do employers have to say about this? Do they frown upon the inconsistency and lack of commitment seen with this growing trend? Is job-hopping going to hurt your career?
Every employer has his or her own view on job-hopping. It is not necessarily a kiss of death or a gold star. The fact is that it is going to happen in the workplace. Most people just have a hard time accepting change. It is the nature of the beast of employment. People are going to stay for a few years and move on, and employers need to be happy with the time their employees put in at the company. While some employers can embrace change and be grateful that they have a cycle of fresh ideas being brought into the workplace regularly, some employers aren’t too happy with the job-hopping concept. To them it can be seen as detrimental to co-workers and employers. Commitment levels often influence the people around you and can hurt a company when people are continuously packing their bag to leave.
The
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Your Epidermis is Showing! (And So Is That HUGE Tattoo)
In some job industries tattoos are revered. That full sleeve you have is no problem if you are a rock star, make-up artist or professional skateboarder. But happens when you don’t fit the rock and roll mold and you have to conform to society’s more normal standards? What if you are an accountant, a secretary, a waitress, or a small business owner? Tattoos at work are often considered a taboo and deemed distracting and flashy by many managers. What’s such the big deal? Let’s explore this issue.
First of all, tattoos are going to be viewed differently at every job. There is no common standard in the workforce for their presence. If you work in a hip advertising agency they might be more common then compared to a law firm. Artsy jobs are more accepting then government and law enforcement industries. You need to learn to trust your instincts. Feel out your work environment in order to reason what is appropriate and what isn’t. Be conscious of the people around you and see if they have peek-a-boo tattoos that show every now and then. The only time that you should 100% be covering up those tattoos is during a job interview. Always lean to the conservative side and let the hiring manager see your qualifications and not your body art.
The problem with tattoos in the workforce is that they can ultimately define you. Wouldn’t you rather be known as the brilliant person who tackles every assignment diligently than the employee who has that massive koi fish his arm? People are extremely judgmental; especially when it comes to appearance. Your co-workers are able to develop strong perceptions about you just from a few glances at your dragon or butterfly adornments. Bottom line: your work should define you and not your tattoos.
The biggest problem that I personally face is the generation gap. My mom has repeatedly told me that only gypsies have tattoos. Sorry mom, we live in a different era. People in their 20’s and 30’s probably wouldn’t give your tattoo a second glance. They just view it as another fashion accessory. However, if your boss is in his or her 40’s, 50’s, or 60’s they will most likely ascribed meaning to tattoos. Older people have a more conservative outlook, especially when it comes to the workforce, and they will see a rebellious and dirty employee who is adorned with images that taint their skin.
Understand your company’s tattoo and appearance policy before you run the risk of being fired. Unfortunately you might have to conform. Be conscious of the atmosphere you work in and the employees around you. Use good judgment and don’t be a target for others to judge you!
