How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself in a Job Interview

How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself in a Job Interview This is  the most popular blog post of 2014. See the rest of the top 15 here. If you have ever been in an interview, then you have undoubtedly had to answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” question. It is so common that it is often neglected during our interview preparation. However, it is arguably the most important interview question as it sets the tone for the rest of the interview. The way you respond to this question will decide the success of the interview and ultimately whether or not you will get the job. Don’t worry too much the interviewer is on your side and they want to hire you. They want more than anything for you to crush the interview,  so that they can stop spending hours reviewing resumes and doing interviews. If you can successfully answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” question your chances of getting the job increase tenfold. When answering this question, there are two rules you should consider: Dont Tell Your Life Story Do Tell Pertinent Info The first rule is easy enough to follow. When the interviewee is unprepared, they often resort to answering the “Tell Me About Yourself” with the history of their life. The interviewer doesn’t want an hour-long diatribe on your life story starting from childhood, nor does he/she want to know the names of your pets or your favorite movie genres. The interviewer wants to know about the second rule, but it begs the questions, “What is pertinent info I should share, and how much should I say?” To effectively answer the “Tell Me About Yourself” question, your response should be broken into five categories. Recent professional achievements Educational achievements Applicable skills Professional goals Reason for interest in the company Unless necessary, try not to go over 30 seconds per category. That gives you a solid 2 minute and 30 second presentation to start yourself out on the right foot. Try not to go less than two minutes, and avoid going over 3 minutes. Hit that sweet introduction spot and blow the hiring manager away. Let’s take each section individually, and discuss what’s important in each part, and what should mistakes should be avoided. 1. Recent Professional Achievements Don’ts: Recite your resume Waffle around your experience Mention achievements that are unrelated to the position Rambling or waffling during your response tells the interviewer that you are unprepared and can’t perform well in an unstructured situation. A long-winded response will also reveal your lack of confidence to an employer and can severely hurt your chances of getting the job. Dos: Plan out 3-5 professional achievements before the interview Mention achievements that relate to the position you are applying for Practice, Practice, Practice The best way to sound smooth and confident in an interview is to practice your response in front of a mirror. Plan out your answer and choose the key points that you want to discuss within each category. Don’t plan out your response word for word. Instead map out each category and practice until you are able to improvise around each one. 2. Educational Achievements By: Jesse Ohayon Don’ts: Go too in-depth if you are already a seasoned professional Ramble on about your thesis papers Recite your course list If you already have a wealth of professional experience, don’t worry about shortening your educational achievements. The hiring manager doesn’t want to hear every course you took in college. Employers want to know more about course projects and knowledge you gained from them. Dos: Explain how the abilities and knowledge you gained can be leveraged to successfully satisfy the position’s requirements Refer to extracurricular activities in which you gained leadership skills Expand on major projects that you worked on Mentioning your leadership roles within your extracurricular activities is a great way to sneak in tidbits about your hobbies and personal interests. Although you shouldn’t expound on your hobbies, you can carefully drop references to your private life that can color you as an individual, make you more memorable, and even cause the hiring manager to ask you more personal questions and make the interview more casual and less stressful. 3. Applicable Skills Don’ts: Simply list any skills that you may possess Talk about skills that are unrelated to the position Lie about your skills Lots of people like to lie or exaggerate their skills in an interview. This is a big mistake. Your employer will  find out if you were lying and then it is all down hill from there. Dos: Prepare 2-4 relevant skills Discuss skills that fit the job duties Explain how you gained these skills It’s a good idea to mention how you learned your skills rather than just listing them. This will help to provide a background to how your skills were utilized. 4. Career Goals Don’ts: Discuss your life goals (i.e. owning a house, raising kids) Give off the impression that you lack career goals Mention goals that you won’t be able to achieve with the company Make sure you stick to discussing your career goals and not your life goals. If you don’t have clear goals you may give off the impression that you are not a goal-oriented individual. Dos: Mention goals that the company can help you achieve Talk about goals that show you are forward thinking Demonstrate that you want to build a stable career Employers are looking for candidates that are interested in a stable long-term career. If your goals bounce around and lack direction, it will reflect that you might not stick around for long. 5. Reason for your interest in the company Don’ts: Talk about the pay Just say you want a job Mention you want to work for the company because of the great commute Be careful how you phrase this section. If you are only interested in the position for the money or the convenient commute, you will give off the position that you are not really dedicated to helping the company succeed. Dos: Explain how the company can help you achieve your goals Compliment the company’s healthy work environment Indicate that you could see yourself with the company long term If you follow these Dos and Don’ts, answering the “Tell Me About Yourself” question will be a breeze. A solid response will be sure to impress the employer and ensure that your interview goes smoothly. Author: Erik Episcopo is a career and resume expert at resumegenius.com, an online  resource for resume writers, job seekers and the unemployed.

Odd Questions You Might Be Asked In A Job Interview

Odd Questions You Might Be Asked In A Job Interview When most people show up for a job interview they know that they should be prepared for anything. At least this is what the experts will tell you. Of course, how does one really prepare for a job interview? Sure, you can choose the right attire the night before and make a list of what makes you different, but does this mean that you are really prepared? A lot of things can come up during a job interview and you might actually be surprised at some of the odd questions that have risen during certain interviews. If you want to enhance your overall chances of securing the job and standing out among the other candidates, you are going to have to know how to answer the odd job interview questions. Thinking Outside The Box Amazon is without a doubt one of the most prolific companies out there. Their online presence alone makes them one of the most sought after employers. Of course, that doesn’t mean that getting hired on with them is going to be easy and when they throw weird questions at you like this one, you might be left totally stumped. One of the wildest questions that Amazon asked their potential employees during an interview was, “How would you solve problems if you were from Mars?” This question is quite bizarre, but it was not asked without good reason. Amazon wanted to make sure that their potential employees could think outside of the box as well as act on their feet. And, that is exactly what this question will uncover. A good response to this question might be, “Well, first Mars will have a whole set of problems that are different than Earth, so I would first have to do some research to determine the cause and effect. Then I would be able to offer potential solutions to developing problems.” Sarcasm Can Be Good Trader Joe’s was once known for asking their potential hires what they thought out garden gnomes. This might seem like a ridiculous and silly question, but it was specifically asked with several key purposes in mind. First, the question was asked to loosen up their candidate and get a glimpse into their overall personality. The truth of the matter is that there really is no correct response to the question. The company admitted that they were looking for somewhat of a sarcastic response from their interviewees. An acceptable response might be something like, “If they could help me land this job then I would tell you that I love them.” Answering The Question What Makes You Unique This is a question that is going to come up during even the most conventional of interviews. It might not seem like an odd question, but it really is. The reason the question is so odd is that it is such a basic question that it makes it hard for the candidate to come up with an answer that makes them stand out. Answering a question like this with thoughtful insight requires more than just knowing why you are a unique individual. This can really a tough one for many people an algrim.co can provide you with the insight and information that you need to set you apart from the other candidates. Be A Thorough Thinker The Swiss are highly known for their anonymous banking. They are not only highly secretive and protective of their clients, but they hold accounts for some of the biggest investors in the world. It would be a huge career booster for anyone to land a job with a Swiss multinational investment bank like UBS. Of course, this might be harder said than done when they are known for throwing their potential employees for a loop. During one interview the company asked the question, “Why are manholes round?” To most candidates, this might seem like another whimsical question to lighten the mood. However, this question was specifically asked to gauge the intellect of the candidate. This is why you always have to take the time to think all questions through during an interview. An acceptable answer to this question would be, “Because a round manhole cover wouldn’t fall through the round opening.” Another good response might be, “A circular cover provides an easier fit and doesn’t require rotating when removing.” Main

4 Tips For Making Your Career Even More Fulfilling - Classy Career Girl

4 Tips For Making Your Career Even More Fulfilling You are chugging along in your career field. The money is good and you enjoy the work. You plan to stay with the company indefinitely. Yet, theres this nagging feeling that you still want more. What you are seeking is fulfillment in your career and it is a completely natural desire, it is also completely possible! Read on for 4 tips on how to make your career even more fulfilling than it already is. 4 Tips For Making Your Career Even More Fulfilling Than It Already Is 1. Set Work-Related Goals Depending on the field you are in set work related goals that are specific and measurable. Report these to upper management or just keep a report for your own keeping to see your progress. This can really help give you a lot more to work towards and also help give you even more of a sense of accomplishment.   If you are in the sales arena this is a simple task. However, in a customer service or service-related function, you may need to get creative. Can you increase the number of customers you service? Can you lower the amount of time spent on a customer? Whatever it is when you start reaching your goals, a feeling of satisfaction will come over you. 2. Find Joy In The Little Things The key to enjoying something you may have done for years is to find joy in the little things! Maybe its the co-worker that always has candy on her desk. Or maybe its the receptionists fancy nail color? No matter where you work, there has got to be at least one good thing that happens every day, even if it is small.   Whatever it is make it known and share your happiness. It will pay off as others will sense your joy and the happy energy will put a little pep back in everyones step. [RELATED: The Surprising Truth About Passion, Purpose, Fulfillment] 3. Increase Your Skill Set Outside Of Work Perhaps you want to sharpen your skill set. In instances like that consider an online masters degree in education as a means to strengthen your skill set and fulfill your desire for more experience in the workplace. A degree in education, as well as many other degrees, can help you extend your skill set even further and give you a better understanding of how to succeed. You can complete a degree in your free time, and down the road, the investment will pay itself back perhaps in the form of a promotion or raise! 4. Find Better Work-Life Balance Life isnt only about work. Its about creating memories and having fulfilling experiences with loved ones. Leave your work at work and invest in yourself your health, fitness, and relationships. Start leaving the office promptly and go straight to enjoying life outside of work. You may even want to take up new hobbies, you could take up youth sports coaching, or maybe even start an intermural sports club.   Be happy that you have a secure position and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your career can be more fulfilling by reaching new goals, having fun and increasing your skill set no matter the stage of your career. These are just a few ideas that can help you make your career more meaningful, but there are tons of other ideas out there too. It all starts with a mind frame shift and thinking outside the cubicle!

Top 10 UK Job Boards of 2016

Top 10 UK Job Boards of 2016 Looking for a new job? Though there are other means of finding out about job vacancies, job boards are still often the first point of call for job seekers. So which one should you use? Social Talent have released their annual study of the top UK job boards and heres what they found this year: What is the state of employment in the UK in 2016? 31.4 million people were employed in 2015, which was up from 30.8 million in 2014. The current unemployment rate in the UK is 5.1%, down from 5.8% in 2015. Average wages rose by 2% in 2015. How are  job boards used? 26% of recruiters say that job boards are their primary source for finding candidates who are ultimately fired. 42% of sources admit to making no effort to optimise their jobs to be found by job seekers. What are the top 10 UK job boards? 1) Indeed  Named no.1 jobsite wordwide for the third year in a row! They receive over 180 million unique visitors each month and is available in over 50 countries. 2) www.gov.uk/jobsearch The official job centre website for the UK. Allows job seekers to apply for full or part-time jobs in the UK. 3) Reed.co.uk  Reed was the first agency to offer a job board. They feature vacancies from over 25,000 recruiters and they receive over 160,000 applications every day. 4) TotalJobs.com TotalJobs attracts over 6 million job seekers every month,  receiving around 2 million monthly job applications. 5) CV-library.co.uk CVLibrary currently has over 138,000 live job vacancies listed from across the UK, covering over 70 industries. 6) JobSite.co.uk JobSite was launched 18 years ago and matches candidates with recruiters and employers. 7) Monster.co.uk Monster is one of the oldest job boards and is still a go to for thousands of job seekers. They offer job search advice, as well as vacancies. 8) Jobs.nhs.uk A dedicated recruitment service for the NHS. The visit receives over 6 million monthly visits and 250,000 job applications. 9) Fiverr.com Fiverr is a global online marketplace allowing freelancers  to office services at $5 per job. They list over 3 million services on the site. 10) www.jobs.ac.uk-  Has become the leading  international job board for jobs in academic, research and science professions. They help over 700 organisations worldwide to recruit the best academic staff.

How to Write a Resume That Will Make You More Employable

How to Write a Resume That Will Make You More EmployableBefore writing a resume, it is important to put in some time and effort to improve your writing skills. Here are some tips on how to write a resume effectively:It is not necessary to read every word of a resume. Some people feel that they need to read every word, but this can be extremely difficult. Remember that many resumes are written in standard English and your resume is a reflection of who you are as a person.As mentioned earlier, it is best to write your resume in standard English. However, it is important to know the correct spelling of words so that your resume is accepted. Also, you should avoid using terms and phrases that are informal.Most employers will be aware of your experience in the industry, but not everyone knows how to properly use these experiences to help them pick a candidate. Try to write a paragraph about each of your experience. This is a good way to show your experiences so they will know what they ar e getting into.You may also want to seek out a professional resume writer. If you feel that you cannot write a resume, you can always ask an experienced professional to do it for you. Even if you cannot write, you can still benefit from writing a resume if you are truly passionate about the job you are applying for.Your writing skills can greatly affect your ability to create a successful resume. When you have a good idea of what you want to say and what information you need to include, it is easier to format your resume properly. Make sure you know what format works best for you so you do not waste time or money creating the wrong one. Knowing how to format your resume before you even begin will help you with all of your future writing projects.It is important to make sure that your resume includes your most important skill, but it is equally important to make sure you do not overstate your abilities. Overstating your abilities can indicate that you do not really have the skills ne cessary to perform the job you are applying for. Try to find the middle ground and focus on your strengths while not becoming too proud to admit that you are looking for a new job.You can see that learning to write a resume is not difficult at all if you apply the principles and techniques outlined above. If you follow these tips, you should have no problem creating a quality resume that will impress your potential employer.

Fast times (and good!) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Fast times (and good!) - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Following a recent book review here on the site, I can safely say, that my days are lived in fast time right now. The Happy At Work Project has taken of in a mad way and I zoom from meeting to meeting, workshop to workshop and lecture to lecture. In just the last couple of weeks Ive done more than we did most of last year! WOOOO-HOOOOOOOOO! I remember saying last year around this time that I was looking forward to the time when I felt like I had too much to do on the project well that time has come, and Im enjoying myself no end. Ive had three meetings with prospective customers over the last two days, and theyve been extremely interesting. Ive developed a way of avoiding the traps of the typical sales meeting setup, and transformed these meetings into a real chance for me to learn about the organization Im visiting and for them to learn about the things we do. Im getting real and valuable insights into many kinds of businesses from friggin sales meetings! How great is that. Also the meetings are fun. And people buy stuf. Top that! :o) Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

The New Hire 20

The New Hire 20 4 Flares 4 Flares Before heading into college, you were warned about the Freshman 15.  Excessive amounts of alcohol and drunk eating caused these new found pounds for most college students.  Just like in any drastic change of lifestyle, it takes it toll on the body.  Eventually, the body does adjust to changes, but not before a new figure has been set. Starting our first job, or even just changing jobs are lifestyle changes that can quickly add on the pounds.  Consider this your warning of the New Hire 20.  What causes the New Hire 20? We go from very active, or semi active lives, to an extremely sedentary life at work.  We sit all day long (commute, at desk, commute home, tv) Lunches out with co-workers, clients, and vendors Lunches in at our desk (sitting still once again) That asshole keeps bringing donuts and bagels everyday These are all obvious, but its important that they are.  They should be easy for us to fix or stop from happening too frequently.  We can go into our first job or new job and worry about how we look and feel later, or we can make healthy choices from the beginning and be proactive about our health.  While Im not a health expert, I would suggest the following to keep you from the New Hire 20: Wake up 10 minutes before you need to and exercise (pushups, jumping jacks, sit ups, bike, walk, run) Take an actual lunch break.  After eating, go for a walk outside.  If its cold, go to a mall or somewhere that you can walk.  Its a nice mental break. Take the stairs every time Buy this thing and put it under your desk Get involved, join the company softball team (or whatever) if they have one Get a gym membership OR 10 minutes before bed exercise again (pushups, jumping jacks, sit ups, bike, walk, run) These all seem obvious, but when you start your first job or get a new job, its easier to avoid doing these things.  We are focusing on our new job and making connections, I get it, but we still need to make sure we keep an eye out on our health.