Important Tips to Crack That Dream Job Interview - Don't Commit Blunders Like All Others

So, finally the day has arrived when you are face to face with the dream job that you always yearned for. There are butterflies in your stomach and sweat on your forehead that well indicates the 'do or die' situation you are in. Well, let's make things a little easier for you! We will provide you with some valuable tips that will come handy while appearing for your dream job interviews. These tips will help you in handling yourself in a graceful manner, thereby making a positive impression on the interviewers.

Appearing for an interview for your dream job can be a very stressful experience. Your conduct during the interview will have great impact on your chances of getting selected. This article will provide you some idea about that aspect and will offer additional tips.

Your conduct:

It is important that you stay composed and calm during the interview. Getting agitated or going off the edge can put the interviewers off and diminish your chances significantly. You must always maintain eye to eye contact with the person taking the interview and listen to each question attentively so that you are able to give the most appropriate answer. It will do a world of good to your chances if you are able to relate your answers to the company under consideration. For example if you're asked about your achievements, you should try to match them with the needs of the job profile.

Your looks:

The primary thing that you must look into is that you appear neat and tidy in front of the interviewers. Men should ideally be wearing a tie, particularly if they are being interviewed for a dream job in a corporate firm. Women, on the other hand must put on a neat and clean business suit, complemented with appropriate jewelry and make up. The way you look creates the first impression on the minds of the interviewers.

Things to carry:

One of the most important tips for the dream job interviews is that you must always have your CV or portfolio handy in case the interviewers don't have it available with them already. Don't forget to carry some blank sheets of paper and a pen in case you need to take some notes. Being late for an interview automatically reduces your chances by almost 50% as it creates a very negative impression on the interviewers.

In the end, a follow-up is very important after you have appeared for your dream job interview. The best possible method to learn how to crack your dream job interviews is to constantly keep on learning about new ways to create a positive impression on the interviewers.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Application Unsuccessful - Reasons You Didn't Get That Dream Job

Working with online travel jobs, I've seen interview shortlists narrowed down until the company gets their candidate of choice, but what if you were amongst the rejected? It would be helpful to know just exactly what you've done wrong though, wouldn't it? 9/10 times, an unsuccessful job application will just be that there was someone that bit more qualified, and there's nothing that can be done in that instance, except to try again... but if this keeps happening, it may be worth considering some of the following, which are almost universally considered a bad thing on the recruitment circuit. Keep these tips for your job interview and you should do better next time!

Starting with the CV...

They Didn't Know How To Get Hold Of You

This one's simple enough - if your CV doesn't contain your contact information (address, telephone number, e-mail) then they can't contact you. Sure, you can argue that if you e-mailed your CV into them, then they could find your address, but you'd have to be exceptional for them to spend more than 5 minutes looking for you! This is all about ease of use...

You Didn't Have The Experience

Unfortunately, this is a common one, and one that's not an easy fix. If you don't have enough experience (or more usually, someone else who applied has more), then the only cure is to keep plugging away until you do. If you work in a creative field, it is quite easy to get freelance/voluntary work to give you more a portfolio to augment your corporate experience - a tip to get a job interview next time around.

Your CV Was Littered With Mistakes

One of the easiest ways of wheedling down a stack of CVs into a more manageable pile is to take out the ones with mistakes. If you haven't been careful enough to proofread thoroughly, the chances are you're too careless to work for your dream company, and yours will go straight into the 'unsuccessful application' pile!

You Got A Bad Reference

A bad reference will most likely kill your employment chances stone dead, and many recruiters will call them at this point in the proceedings, if you've included a contact on your CV. Of course, you could put that references are "available on request" in the hope that you can charm them enough that they either won't check, or will not believe the referee, but the best bet of all is to work hard enough that your contacts will have nothing but good things to say about you!

In the Interview

You Didn't Look the Part

Increasingly, the idea that workplaces are 100% formal has been greatly corroded, but the chances are that you won't know until you visit. As for advice on job interview dresscode, without a doubt it is best to be overdressed rather than underdressed, so if in doubt, wear a suit - or at least go smart/casual.

You should also make sure you are looking your best - it shouldn't come down to judging on appearances, but the interview panel are only human, and it's natural to take in these things, even if it's subconscious. Don't take any chances, or risk adding to your list of unsuccessful job applications.

You Not Expressed Words Well

You need to present your ideas clearly to be in with a good shot of getting the post. Work on speaking slowly and articulately, to ensure your interviewers don't have to second guess what you're saying.

One bit of job interview advice here: It's perfectly acceptable to be nervous in an interview, so there will be a little leeway for this, but at the same time it will put you at a disadvantage against someone who takes these events in their stride. Relax, take your time and see the meeting as a conversation rather than an assessment.

You Asked Too Many Questions?

The one thing worse than asking no questions in the interview is to do the complete opposite and ask hundreds! They do have other candidates to interview, and if you ask them about every little detail then you're going to annoy them eventually. If you have a tendancy to do this, there are two job interview tips to counter this: the first is to be articulate with you questions so that you can ask one that covers a few of your points, rather than taking them one at a time, and the other is...

Pay Attention!

If you follow everything the interviewers say, you can be sure you won't ask a question of something they've already explained... and you can ask them to clarify - much nicer! This is a simple piece of courtesy - they listen to you, you listen to them. Just think, would you employ someone who looks bored and distracted during your job interview?

You Were Late To The Party

Turning up late may be okay when meeting friends, but for something you're supposed to be that enthused about, you really should be on time. Unless you're very late, it would be harsh to not give you the job over this, but then if the other person was identical to you, but was early, then it would be a clear cut choice. A solid piece of job interview advice: call 'early' on time and 'on time' late - that way you're sure not to lose points for this.

You Knew Nothing About The Company

Sure, if it's a small company you're applying to work at, then they may not expect you to know about them instantly, but they'd expect you to be enthused enough to have done a little research! Spend a little time digging around their website, to make sure you have a good handle on who they are, what they do and what your position in the company would be. You may not get a chance to show off this knowledge, but if you do, then it's really impressive, and would easily put you ahead of a candidate who has turned up completely unprepared.

You Promised Too Much/Sounded Arrogant

With so many applications overselling people, it's no wonder than employers are a little on the cynical side, so when it comes to selling yourself, don't overdo it. Arrogance does not play well, and even if it is true, try and be a little humble about your achievements. If you rub the interviewers up the wrong way, then your application will be unsuccessful!

You Badmouthed Your Current Boss/Workplace

Sure, nobody has only positives to say about their workplace, but this really isn't the kind of thing you should be sharing with your potential future employers. If you're speaking this candidly about your past employers, why wouldn't you be this rude about them? Simple job interview tip: if you want to complain about your work, go out socially with friends, if you want a job, keep this under your hat and be diplomatic!

Too Much Enthusiasm Was A Turn Off!

Enthusiasm's great... in moderation. If you sound overly excited by everything, one of two things is going to happen: either they're going to think you're completely insincere, or they're going to find you a little too creepy/annoying to be able to work with Monday-Friday every week! This is of course tampered by the fact that sounding completely disinterested is, if anything, worse, but it's all a case of finding that perfect balance...

You Acted Like You Needed The Job

You and I know that this was the dream job, and that you were banking on it, but you shouldn't let them know that! The last thing you want to do in a job interview situation is to appear desperate - that's a major turn off for the interviewer. Again, this is a balancing act, because you want to look positive and that you are interested, just don't cross that fine line between motivated and needy, and you should be fine.

But of course the best way of finding out why your application was unsuccessful is to ask! Most places will happily give you a response to this, although it won't always be truthful... The best thing to do is to match up the feedback given by the interview panel against conventional job interview advice, and soon you should be on to a winner!

Gail Kenny

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

Getting Your Dream Job is Very Simple

In this current global economic meltdown, most job seekers do not know the advantages that lie in such challenging times. Of course most organizations will lay off some members of staff as a result of the recession financial impact on their turnover either monthly, quarterly, or annually.

Wherever and whenever the word "downsizing" is used, it means there is economic depression which would automatically require a fractional part of the work force to be sacked, retrenched, laid off or retired.

One will definitely have that belief that such a time is not the best for applying for jobs, and the main reason is that they are not realizing the expected turn over, let alone recruiting new employees.

The statement that can never be argued is that recession or not, companies will still require the services of fresh job seekers who have been well grounded not only in academic qualification, but also skillfully endowed. This is well believed by the employers of labor that people that are very skillful, with their academic qualifications will help the organizations to achieve their goals and objectives, and in line with their mission and vision.

This era of global economic melt down has a lot of advantages for job seekers in the sense that while some people are laid off, the services that will be required from fresh job seekers will be of a very high standard in terms of the application of both knowledge and skills.

Moreover, this is to let people know that certificates are insufficient for the implementation of company goals and objectives; the timely application of relevant skills is well required in such a time of financial crises. Once you have acquired the necessary professional skills, include them in the curriculum vitae, which makes it a stronger one and with a comprehensive back-up letter. This will automatically give you an edge over your colleagues and you have a far better chance of standing out from the crowd and getting attention from the coordinators of the job interview.

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

 

How to write a cover letter for a job

When applying for a job, it’s important that you take advantage of every opportunity to make a positive, strong first impression. Your resume is one way to do this, but another often overlooked way to make sure your resume gets the attention you want is to write a strong cover letter. Many people either don’t write cover letters, or don’t consider them important and worth spending any time on. Don’t make this mistake!

Cover letters give you the opportunity to show your personality to a potential employer and the chance to focus on some “soft skills” you have that might be hard to communicate in a resume. These include things like personal communication skills, enthusiasm, dedication, attention to detail, and professionalism, to name just a few.

The first and by far most important thing about a cover letter is to make sure that you spell check and double check your letter for grammar! This seems like a small point to make, but it’s far too common for a cover letter to contain errors that instantly communicate two negative points: that you’re not detail oriented, and that you don’t care about this job enough to take a few minutes to check your letter. Don’t make this mistake!

The content of your cover letter is also very important. Before you start writing your letter, consider the kind of job you’re applying for. Is it a formal setting, like a legal office, or a more relaxed creative atmosphere, like an advertising agency? You’ll want the tone of your writing to be appropriate to the audience – this is not to say that you should ever be too casual in your cover letter, but you can probably be a little less formal if you know your audience is going to be relaxed.

As you write, make sure that you explain why you’re applying for this particular job with this particular company. Take moment to research the office or company a bit, so that you can drop some details into your letter that will let the hiring manager know that you’re knowledgeable about their company. This kind of small detail can make you stand out as a more serious, more interested candidate. You’ll also want to compliment the company if you can do so without it seeming forced, to let them know that you look forward to being part of such a quality enterprise.

Lastly, let your cover letter be a chance to communicate some unique details about you and your skill set that might not come through in your resume. For example, if you have hobbies relevant to the job opening, or some short work-related anecdote that communications your strong interpersonal skills, your cover letter is the place for this information. Remember, your cover letter can be the difference between someone reading your resume or putting your resume in the “no” pile!

Again, the most important recommendation of all is this: Don’t forget to proofread! Good luck with your job hunting, and happy writing!

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy

 

How to Handle Salary Requirements When Applying for a Job

Posted by Kristina Cowan

Job interviewing is like art: it requires skill, dexterity, and the right tools and environment. Make one wrong move and the result can be disastrous. This is especially true when it comes to discussing salary requirements. As a job-seeker, approaching a conversation with a prospective employer about salary requirements can be tricky.

How soon can you expect an employer to ask you about your salary requirements? Should you ever include salary requirements in a cover letter? How can you pick a salary that doesn't aim too high or too low?

To find sage answers to these and other basic questions about salary requirements, I tapped several career experts for their wisdom.

The Ins and Outs of Salary Requirements

Question: When interviewing for a new job, what are some basic principles job-seekers should keep in mind about their salary requirements?

Answers: "Salary requirements should be based on the market value for a particular skill set or job … not on the job seeker’s needs or desires," says Barbara Safani, president of New York-based Career Solvers, a career-management firm. You should be flexible, too, knowing much can transpire during the time when a job is first posted and when it's filled, she explains. "If a position seems perfect for you, but the salary is lower than you had hoped for, go through the interview process and sell your value to the hiring manager throughout. Once a hiring manager decides that you are the right candidate, they will be more willing to negotiate salary."

Dr. Rachelle J. Canter, author of “Make the Right Career Move: 28 Critical Insights and Strategies to Land Your Dream Job,” urges job-seekers to focus not just on salary requirements, but on opportunity. To that end, she advises asking yourself some key questions, such as:

* Will this job provide you with crucial experiences, skills, and accomplishments that you need to attain your dream job eventually?

* Will it fill in critical gaps in your industry or job experience?

* Will it give you visibility with an audience you previously were unknown to?

Question: Should job-seekers mention salary requirements in cover letters?

Answer: "No no no-–salary is a way to screen you out (too high or too low), and you want a chance to look over a prospective employer before being eliminated," Canter explains.

Question: Should job-seekers give an exact salary figure, or a salary range?

Answers: If you have to, give a range for your salary requirements, Canter says, but try to stay focused on whether the job is the right fit."Once an employer falls in love with you, your negotiating power increases exponentially," she says.

Safani also recommends a range instead of a specific number, because it gives you wiggle room once you get to the salary negotiation stage.

Question: How soon during the interviewing process can a job-seeker expect the salary requirement conversation to come up?

Answer: It could arise as soon as the first interview, so you need to know your competitive market value before you start interviewing, Safani says. You can try deferring the conversation by saying you'd like to learn more about the job, so you can gauge whether it's a good match before rolling out your salary requirements. If an employer presses you for a "ballpark figure," ask for the salary range of the job, Safani says; if they won't divulge it, say based on your research, you've found that pay for such positions is "between X and Y," and ask if that's consistent with their range.

Question: How do you determine what your salary requirements should be, so you’re not aiming too high or low?

Answer: "Job seekers should benchmark their market value by talking with recruiters and colleagues, researching salary ranges for comparable positions on the job boards, reviewing salary information available through professional associations, and of course reviewing information on PayScale," according to Safani.

Questions: What if a prospective employer asks to verify your current salary with your current employer? What if this jeopardizes your current position?

Answer: "Until there is an offer on the table, this question should not come up. Once an offer is made, this is considered fair game as part of the due diligence process for some employers," Safani says. "Job seekers can politely explain that if an offer is extended, they would be willing to have their salary information verified."

careers, Jobs Indonesia, Indonesia Vacancy