With so many people looking for work at the moment, and people reporting record numbers of people applying for each job, it's never been so challenging to find employment. Just getting called to interview is an achievement. Of course, getting called to interview can be just the start of a long recruitment process, but also, unlike with a CV which is always open to interpretation, an interview is your chance to shine: Nerves The first thing you have to control is your nerves, so make sure that you make life as easy as possible. Find the location early - you don't want to be rushing - and then take a walk to explore the local area. Aside from giving you something to do which isn't thinking about the interview, it'll give you some quick and easy small talk with your interviewers. Preparation First of all, make sure that you research your prospective employer thoroughly knowing who they are and what they do inside out. If you know who's going to interview you, have a look for their … [Read more...] about All About Interviews
On the Job Hunt? 5 Lessons You Can Learn from the Pinterest Spammers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 5.3 million people unemployed long-term. I’ll give you a minute to let that sink in. That’s more people than the entire population of Singapore. The hunt for a job has turned into survival of the fittest —and no we aren’t talking about The Hunger Games. This is a real problem, and unfortunately we aren’t living in a fictitious world where we come out on top. Looking for a job is no easy feat. You have to be the best and impress during the interview-- competing sometimes with hundreds of other qualified applicants. So how do spammers of the hottest social media site have to do with job hunting? Check out the lessons below to find out. It’s a Numbers Game No matter the site, spamming is a numbers game. The more emails, tweets, pins they push out the more likely it is they will make revenue. If it didn’t work they wouldn’t do it. The same thinking can be applied when applying to jobs—just on a smaller scale. You don’t … [Read more...] about On the Job Hunt? 5 Lessons You Can Learn from the Pinterest Spammers
How to Display Your Emotional Intelligence in an Interview
You have an impressive resume, a wealth of relevant work experience, and glowing recommendations from numerous sources. Given this impressive background, you’ve made it to an interview with the hiring manager. But despite your professionalism and well-prepared skills, you’re unable to make it through the process. This is an all-too-common situation faced by many job seekers who have the qualifications, but seem to be missing that extra spark that makes them stand out. There are a number of reasons why the candidate fails to make an emotional connection with the interviewer. Perhaps it’s because of personality or awkwardness that’s built up in the conversation. But one of the most common culprits in this scenario is the lack of emotional intelligence. More and more hiring managers are looking for indicators of high emotional intelligence, as it is seen as crucial to a business’s success. If you are looking to make a favorable impression in an interview, here are some tips to help you … [Read more...] about How to Display Your Emotional Intelligence in an Interview
5 Ways to Still Enjoy Summer While Working Fulltime
Most people come alive when summer arrives. Extra winter weight is shed and the sluggish feeling that cold weather brings disappears when the weather warms. You may have anticipated summer for several months and may be very excited when it finally arrives. Unfortunately, many fulltime employees are so consumed with work projects that summer passes them by in a flash. If you’re tired of summer disappearing before you can get outside, here are five ways to still enjoy the warm weather even while working a full schedule. Wake Early Sleeping until the last possible second before work will start your day off in a rushed manner and will cause you to miss the best part of summer days. Rather than hitting the snooze button five times as you may do in winter, set your alarm for an early hour and wake to it. Then, enjoy breakfast on the patio in the morning’s calm weather or go for a walk while enjoying the crisp air and summer scenery. Avoid Overtime Be more than willing to work … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Still Enjoy Summer While Working Fulltime
How to Maintain a Social Life While Telecommuting
Telecommuting offers many freedoms that in-office jobs typically don’t bring. From eliminating commutes to getting groceries in the mid-afternoon, you likely enjoy many aspects of your telecommuting arrangement. While telecommuting certainly offers more job freedom, it also brings more isolation. If you’re a natural social butterfly, you may have been unprepared for this increased isolation and may be struggling to overcome it. Since having a social life aids in life happiness and also increases work performance, here are five ways to continue socializing while working from home. Socialize Online Most telecommuters are required to maintain normal business hours even though they work from home. If your employer still requires an 8 to 5 work schedule, you may find it difficult to get out and socialize during the day and may be consumed by family obligations at night. One option for socializing even with a full schedule is to do so online. Online social networks offer great … [Read more...] about How to Maintain a Social Life While Telecommuting
Alternative Career Breaks for Teachers
Teaching is a rewarding profession, yet many teachers find that the constant challenges and the repetition of their daily routine can sometimes lead to burn out. When this happens, taking a break from teaching can lead to a new career path that offers the opportunity for personal and professional fulfillment. The skills that a teacher uses both in and out of the classroom are applicable to many different types of careers. Yet, knowing which career is best for them and how to get started is the first hurdle that teachers pursuing a break from teaching must overcome. Consider Staying in the Field For some teachers, finding a different type of position within the education system can offer the break from teaching that they need. Teachers with years of experience might find that mentoring a new teacher can renew their love for teaching. Other teachers might find work in the administration department of their school district. Teachers who dream of starting their own business might find … [Read more...] about Alternative Career Breaks for Teachers
Dealing with an Annoying Co-Worker
Working alongside other people can be a great experience but it can also bring its fair share of difficulties for many people. Firstly, let's have a look at the main types of annoying co-workers: The Gossip A little harmless discussion about current events in the workplace is one thing, but working with someone who likes to share everyone else’s business and their opinions on it, can be a real drain. You will need to learn how to avoid gossip to stay clear of this one! The “Smelly Food” Eater Of course, we all have different tastes in food, but in the workplace it is worth thinking about how what you are eating and drinking will affect those around you. An egg sandwich now and then might be forgiven, but you don’t want to be known as the colleague with smelly food! The Noisy Colleague When you are working in a shared environment, an awareness of your behaviors and noise levels on those around you is necessary. If you work with … [Read more...] about Dealing with an Annoying Co-Worker
What Not to Wear on a Job Interview
If you have an interview for a job that you really want to get, then I suggest you will be very careful with the way that you'll dress. This is because companies care a lot about how their probably future employees present themselves as aspirants for the job, because it will tell them a lot of things about their commitment to helping the company grow and their efforts into making that happen as soon as possible. So what are the things you should keep in mind when going to a job interview? The basics Being too casual is a big mistake when going for an interview, especially at an important corporation. It doesn't matter if you will interview for a company with a business casual dress code, you need to keep in mind that you are looking for a job and don't have one yet. If you want to get hired at a bank or maybe a law firm, then you should adopt the formal clothing style, meaning a dark suit. Regardless if you are a man or woman, this will be adequate. For a more relaxed look, you can … [Read more...] about What Not to Wear on a Job Interview
5 Ways to Make Work Feel More Like Play
Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Confucius The word “work” is often associated with drudgery and obligation, but it really doesn’t have to be that way. So, how so we make our work feel more like play? Here are a few ideas to get you started: 1. Do Work You Love As much as possible, try to do work you love (and if you're not, see what you can do about it). Doing work you love just makes it so much easier to have fun and get absorbed in what you are doing. If you are not currently doing work you love, thinking about what you would do, even if you weren’t paid for it is a great starting place. 2. Take Breaks & Vacations Work-life balance is a buzz word these days, and for good reason. However much you enjoy your work, skipping breaks and working on your vacation will end up with you being burnt out at some point. Get in the habit of cultivating a good work life balance on an ongoing basis. Recharging your … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Make Work Feel More Like Play
How to Overcome Boredom at Work
We all have times when we feel bored at work. Even our “dream job” will have down days. However, if boredom is an ongoing issue for you at your job, what can you do? Here are a few suggestions from my own experiences: Is It The job? If you are in a boring job, what can you do about it? It is worth getting to the root of the issue and finding out specifically what is making you bored. Do you need more of a challenge? Maybe you need to delegate some of the tasks you find tedious so that they are shared out more equitably with colleagues? Maybe you need to ask your manager for a promotion or more responsibility? Being bored now and then is not unusual, but if it’s a continuous issue for you at work, it is a sign that something needs to change. Is It You? Have you noticed that some people never seem happy, whatever job they are in? It can be hard to admit that we might be the cause (or part of the cause) of a difficult situation but it is worth being honest and seeing … [Read more...] about How to Overcome Boredom at Work