Tip For Acing An Interview: Mirroring

 Tip For Acing An Interview: Mirroring

Body Posture

Review body posture, which may include sitting upright, leaning forward, and placing hands on the table. Wait at least 10 seconds after observing before making adjustments to your own body posture to match.

Hand Gestures

Watch how your contact makes hand gestures when talking and, if applicable, do the same when it is your turn to talk.

Voice

Review the tone, volume and rate of speech when your contact speaks and apply the same when you are responding with comment.

Head Movement

Look out for head gestures such as a nod or tilt of the head and respond accordingly.

Facial Expressions

Facial expressions may include a raised eyebrow or smile. Make a connection with your own facial expression to exemplify that you understand what the other person is saying and that you are engaged in the conversation.

Be careful though. If mirroring is not done sincerely, you can come off as dishonest and it can ruin your chance of making a positive impression. Take care in applying the tips above and avoid mirroring negative connotations in body language. Negative connotations may include crossing arms over the chest, looking at the clock or watch, leaning the chin on the hand, yawning and turning the body sideways.

Mirroring is a technique that is effective, easy to apply and offers a simple way for you to establish a connection in new ways by reinforcing perceptions and physical behaviors. Apply the technique during a job interview, networking, and many other instances in life to help build rapport and relationships with important constituents.

How I Accidentally Became One The Top 1% Viewed LinkedIn Profiles

How I Accidentally Became One The Top 1% Viewed LinkedIn Profiles

1. Make sure you have a professional profile picture

Don’t confuse other social media with LinkedIn by making the mistake of using a picture from your vacation, wedding or family Christmas card. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and if someone looks at your picture and the first thoughts are “What the heck were they thinking?” you have lost the battle. With today’s technology there is no reason why you can’t have a good, professional picture of yourself posted… and “selfies” don’t count as professional.

2. Keep your profile professional and focused

Personal information should not be put on LinkedIn for professional and safety reasons. Never, ever include your date of birth –with that and your name I can find you or steal your identity. But also don’t include information about your kids, your pets, or interests or hobbies that would give a potential employer the wrong impression about you. Keep your personal opinions, beliefs, and politics off the profile.

3. Don’t connect with everyone that reaches out to you (and visa versa)

As I stated I have over 1,100 connections, but I turn down many invitations to connect and do not reach out to connect that much anymore. Try to keep your connections relevant to your profession; if you want to connect with friends, family, or old high school or college buddies, use Facebook. Having 50 relevant connections is better than having 5,000 on LinkedIn; it is not a popularity contest.

4. Don’t join 100 groups – it looks desperate

Definitely join groups, but if you are going to join them, be active in them and limit yourself to no more than 20. And again, be careful which groups you do join because people will judge you by your group affiliations.

5. Be professional and polite

When someone invites you to connect take time to look at their profile and, whether you accept or decline, always send them a follow up message immediately, either thanking them for reaching out and how it is your pleasure to connect or why you turned down their invitation. It is a nice touch and shows class.

Lastly, LinkedIn is something you have to commit time to maintain.

12 Tips For A Great Job Interview

12 Tips For A Great Job Interview

This is not an all-inclusive, 100% foolproof plan, but it is a plan; and if you at least follow step one, you are on your way to your second interview – and a possible job offer. Best of luck to you.

1. Plan for the Interview: If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!

2. Be Confident:You are that good! The company saw something in you to bring you in for the interview. Show confidence and competence.

3. Research the Company: Learn about the company. Study their website, financial reports and or recent news articles.

4. Practice for the Interview: Have someone ask you the type of questions you will be asked during your interview.

5. Prepare Questions for the Interview: You can prepare questions based off of your research of the company. You can also find list of questions on here.

6. Know your resume: Even if you wrote your resume, review what’s on it so you aren’t surprised by any interview questions about your work history.

7. Panel/Group Interview Tips: Eye contact, remember names, include all panel members, research other members if possible, be inclusive

8. Sell yourself (You are your Brand!): An outstanding CEO once told me that you are hire based on your personality aptitude and experience. Be prepared to talk about it.

9. Salary negotiation is Secondary: Get the job offer first!

10. Older (often Overqualified) workers starting at a new company: Highlight your skills and sell them as an investment for the future. If the need arises, you have the skills needed to help the company immediately without an extensive time consuming search.

11. Thank you notes are important for post interview communication: You may not get this job but with a timely thank you note you position yourself to be remembered for a future opportunity.  A “no” simply mean not now.  It does not mean not ever.

12. The Bottom Line: Be Confident; Be Prepared; Be Open; Be Honest; Be Collaborative; Be a Problem Solver; Look for and highlight opportunities to help that company move forward!

5 Things To Consider When Working Abroad

5 Things To Consider When Working Abroad

As the world becomes smaller with faster flights, quicker connection speeds, and WIFI around every corner, our places of work grow less defined. The continual rise of globalization borders are becoming less fixed, and working and studying abroad have become increasingly popular.

Related: Is Working Abroad For You?

Though the many benefits of working abroad are clear, there are also a variety of pitfalls to watch out for. So, before you pack your bags, consider these five points to help you get the most out of your time working abroad.

1. Prepare

As with anything in life, making sure you are prepared for what is coming next is vital. A happy-go-lucky attitude to visiting a foreign country, armed with only a phrase book and a vague conception of where you are, is no problem for the kooky backpacker, but will lead to a bumpy start to your stay if you are to be working in the country for an extended period of time.

A lot of companies offer employees moving abroad sessions to coach them on the culture and perhaps some basic language skills. Make the most of this! Though English is a global language, it is still not enough all of the time. In addition, you can learn a great deal about a culture through learning the language. If your company doesn’t provide such sessions, or you are not going to be working with the same company when abroad, ensure you prepare yourself somewhere nonetheless.

If you are moving with partner and/or children, don’t forget to ensure they are prepared, too!

If the move is not being organized for you, it is vital that you are certain of the working visa process. Sites like this one here, helping workers apply for an American Greencard, can ensure that you navigate your way safely through all legal requirements and don’t find yourself caught in deep water.

2. Ensure support is available

When you arrive in a new country, even one you may think is similar to your own, you may still experience culture shock. By preparing yourself you can ensure that you are aware of some of the things to expect, and that you can process the things you don’t expect within your knowledge of the country.

Make sure you are aware of the support mechanisms, if any, that are offered by your company. Mentor schemes are common, and a good way to help new expats adjust to the different lifestyle.

3. Immerse yourself

Once you have adjusted… dive right in! Working abroad provides the fantastic opportunity of discovering a new culture and new people to a depth that is impossible on a two week holiday.

Living abroad gives you time to not only tick off all the ‘must-sees,’ but also to discover the culture existing behind the tour guide. Get to know the locals – what they do, where they go – and avoid getting stuck in the expat bubble where the only thing different to home is the food and climate.

4. Stay in touch

If there is one, it is important not to lose touch with HQ back home. For some expats, this won’t be a problem (you may find there is too much contact!), but for others, it can be an issue and lead to a feeling of being neglected and cast adrift.

Keeping in touch with the office back home will ensure that your work is valued, that you remain immersed in the company, and that you are fully aware of the role you are playing abroad.

5. Returning home

It is important to consider before you work abroad how this will effect your career in the long run, whether you will be returning to the same company or not.

Although there are a host of skills that one picks up through the experience of working abroad, there isn’t always the opportunity to apply them on return. Ensure that your time abroad is going to be valued and that your progression in your career won’t be put on hold when abroad.

3 Software Courses To Expand Your Career Options

3 Software Courses To Expand Your Career Options

Computers have become such an essential part of the way businesses operate that almost every job requires at least some level of IT skills. However, even if you are perfectly computer literate, you can still expand your career options by getting to grips with certain software. This may involve learning how to use packages that don’t already feature in your skill set, or improving your skills to reach intermediate or expert level.

Here are a few tools you should consider getting more familiar with:

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office’s spreadsheet offering may not be the most exciting piece of software at consumer level, but it drives a wealth of business operations. Building up your Excel skills can really open up new career options. Various levels of Excel capability are needed for careers in finance and accounting, statistics and many other numerate fields. Many companies and departments also use Excel in various ways to keep track of workloads, targets and other data.

A number of courses are available in Excel, including some easy-to-access online courses that you can study in your spare time at home. To view a range of available Excel courses for different ability levels, click here.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is the go-to program for image editing in almost every business. Improving your Photoshop skills will be useful in a huge wealth of careers, particularly in digital or web-related fields. Many roles within editing and website administration require at least a basic grasp of Photoshop which will allow you to manipulate images to fit with the final page.

More advanced Photoshop skills are an important step on the way to careers that are more exclusively focused on images and graphical media. Examples of this type of career include graphic design, photography, and post-processing of photographic images. Photoshop is also an important part of the workflow for many web designers. The designs for web pages are often constructed in Photoshop, using layers to create a framework of page elements in order to avoid starting from scratch.

Oracle

Oracle is the most popular database management system, and many companies rely on it for maintaining databases where a large amount of vital information needs to be safely stored away. Learning how to use Oracle will open up careers in data management, and in fields that rely heavily on data such as IT or finance.

Many other jobs require employees to enter information into a database. This particularly applies to technical roles, especially where some form of testing is involved, and to research where survey responses often have to be logged into databases. As such, learning to use Oracle will be a step towards many technical or scientific careers as well as careers in areas such as market research.

While a number of different database software packages are in use by different businesses, including some custom-built in-house solutions, Oracle remains the most popular option. Furthermore, learning to use Oracle will give you a vital understanding of how databases work, and make it much easier to adapt to other, similar applications (such as Microsoft Access) if a role requires it.

What Employers Want (And Don’t Want) In Your Resume

What Employers Want (And Don’t Want) In Your Resume

What They DO Want

Employers and recruiters welcome a resume that shows:

• You have the skills to handle the job.
• You will contribute something in addition to skills, as demonstrated by achievements at your current job (“chosen employee of the month,” “saved company $1,500 in recycle costs”), volunteer work and work-related courses.
• You take pride in your work, as shown in part by the care you take to create a presentable resume.

What They DON’T Want

What employers and recruiters do not want in a resume is:

• Your life history. Focus your resume on the requirements of the job. Employers and recruiters want to know that you can handle the job you are applying for.
• Excuses. If you do not have job experience, stress education. If you lack one skill, stress another and your ability to learn.
• Inconsistencies. Always tell the truth on your resume. Also, if you use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other online site, make sure you appear in a professional light at all times and that the information on those sites matches the information on your resume.

13 Interview Secrets For Introverts

13 Interview Secrets For Introverts

Introverts often feel especially challenged by an interview as any out of the ordinary communication can be worrisome.  Given the level of importance attached to an interview, it may really ramp up nervousness and keep them from performing their best.

If you are an introvert or want to perform your best during an upcoming interview – apply these interview secrets for a stellar performance. (Even extroverts and closet introverts can benefit from many of these interview secrets!)

Before The Interview

1. Practice
2. Practice
3. Prac….Well, you get the idea. Over preparing will give you a sense of mastery that can calm your nerves and improve your self-confidence and performance. Know the company, job, your resume, and your career goals inside and out. Write out the questions and answers you want to practice and edit them with a critical eye to get started. Then, practice with someone else playing the employer, even if it is only on the phone. You may need to do this more than once. Before the interview, do a dress rehearsal in your interview attire and in person, if possible. If you can afford it, engage a professional – it is well worth the investment. If not, practice with someone whose opinion and perceptiveness you trust.
4. Prepare notes that you can refer to unobtrusively during an interview. Usually, it is perfectly expected for you to have a few copies of your resume, and a pen and paper, perhaps in a portfolio or folder. Don’t write in full sentences and keep your notes to the top page of your pad. Leave plenty of space to jot notes in a different color ink so that they are easy to pick out. You can write questions for the employer on the next page.
5. Wear comfortable, suitable clothes. Think about the setting and your personal style and kick up your attire one more notch. Make sure that your clothing fits you well and is comfortable to wear sitting, standing and walking. Ladies, this includes hose or stockings (having a backup pair that has been tested is also advisable). It should also look good front and back. Ask someone else’s opinion. If you are an introvert, you will already be nervous enough – no need to add to it by allowing your mind to stray toward your outfit!
6. Visit the location early so you can visualize the setting. This will also ensure that you know about any construction or other anomalies that may impact your arrival time with a calm, cool, demeanor. If it is a public location, a quick reconnaissance will provide additional information to increase your comfort level and limit any fears that can be fed by the unknown.

During The Interview

1. Breathe instead of saying um, uh, and so on. As an introvert, you may get most nervous when you have to speak in a public or unique situation – such as an interview! Instead of filling the silence with random syllables, breathe in. Typically, we stammer when we are trying to find the right words and feel the pressure. Focus on breathing in once then out while you think. This is usually enough to buy you time to find your language.
2. Strike a pose. As introverts (or even extroverts!), we sometimes worry that the interviewer will wonder if we have “spaced out” or “lost it” if it takes too long to speak. If you have a pose you normally strike when thinking (a hand on your chin?), do that. Or, you can rephrase the question while culling your mind for the perfect words. Sometimes, the introverts I work with feel comfortable saying something like, “ That is a good question, I am processing that as we speak!” A combination can also be employed, of course.
3. Smile. Really – remind yourself to smile! When I worked as a telemarketer, many years ago, I learned and that people can hear you smile when you speak. It is true. Well, if people on the other end of a phone can react to a smile, doesn’t it stand to reason that an in person smile will make an even more positive impression? Take the interview seriously, by all means, but show your humanity as well. A recent introverted client became comfortable and successfully sharing the fact that he is introvert during the interview. It works really well as a prelude to your answer to, “What is something you have to work on?” or weakness.
4. Keep your answers positive. There is no need to provide anything but the best of your best during the interview. Unless asked specifically about a weakness or a project that has gone wrong, keep your mouth shut. Even then, always put a positive spin on things, and highlight what you have learned and how good you have become at planning and avoiding X,Y,Z. If you are introverted, you may be harder on yourself than anyone else. The last thing you want is to give your mind something to gnaw on while you try to be “in the moment” during an interview.
5. Ask questions. In order to avoid an interview feeling like an inquisition, ask questions. Approach the interview as if it were a conversation: You listen, you respond, you interact, and the interviewer does the same. If you can nudge the interview in this direction, you will feel a lot more confident and comfortable than if the interviewer is asking all the questions!
6. Watch your body language. Leaning forward shows that you are interested and alert. Crossing anything sends the message that you are closed off and negative. Leaning back in your chair may give the impression that you don’t care or are arrogant. Be careful not to fidget, doodle, or make faces while the interviewer is speaking or you are thinking.

After The Interview

1. Prepare for next time. When you are safely out of sight, but before you get home, write some notes about anything you might want to include in a thank you note, ask in follow up or next interview, or could improve on the next time you interview for a job or need to speak in a public or unusual situation!

Good luck!

6 Tips To Ace Your Phone Interview

6 Tips To Ace Your Phone Interview

If your resume has made in into the'YES' pile  then the first thing a company will do is a phone screening. The purpose of this is to test your communication skills and do a quick check of your skills and experience to determine whether to bring you into for an interview.

Here are six important tips that will make sure you ace your phone interview:

1. Be Prepared

Basic preparation steps include having your resume in front of you, making sure you are on a good phone line where there are no disturbances, and allocating enough time for the screening, even if it goes beyond what was scheduled.

2. Research The Company And The Interviewer

The first question I used to ask job seekers was, “What do you know about us?” If I did not think they had spent the time to do their homework, they were immediately downgraded. So, spend some time to check out their website and press releases, and see what employees say about them on Glassdoor.com.

Also, go to LinkedIn and review the background of the person conducting the interview. Check if the manager you will be reporting to participates in LinkedIn groups and discussions, and see if you have anything in common.

3. Exude Energy And Interest

The words you use account for only 15% of the effectiveness of your communications. Intonation and body language are most important, and since you are on the phone, you live and die by your intonation.

Put energy in your voice and demonstrate a high level of interest. An old telemarketing trick is to have a mirror in front of you and smile when you speak since that automatically affects your tone in a positive way.

4. Ask Questions And Build Rapport

People hire people they like, so it is important to turn the interview into a conversation by asking intelligent questions. Show off your expertise by following up their question with an insightful question of your own. Those who just answer questions and wait for the next question will lose here.

Use a conversational tone, as if you are having lunch with a friend, telling a story, instead of just responding to questions.

For example, here are two ways to respond to, “Can you tell me about your experience at Bank of America?”

“At Bank of America, I was hired to oversee the integration of systems that were the result from acquisitions.”

Or…

“You know, that was a really challenging experience because I had to integrate all the different systems that were the result of acquisitions. You can just imagine how tricky that would be since there were so many differences between them, and I had to research and document the trade-offs from an integration of each one.”

Which is more interesting?

I did some interview coaching with a highly accomplished technical manager at Intel who was getting interviews and no call backs. It was immediately clear that he was just responding to questions in a fairly monotone manner and was about as interesting as a memory chip. After some coaching on how to build rapport using the above technique, he had three offers in four weeks.

5. Ask The Most Important Question

Companies have a reason they are looking for talent and it is your job to find out what their chief source of “pain” is. Do this by asking:

“What is the biggest challenge someone will face in this job in the next six months?”

This lets you target your responses and demonstrate how you have successfully handled these challenges before.

6. See If They Have Any Concerns

Don’t just end the call wondering how you did, ask them. If you are going for a sales position, this is mandatory.

State something like:

“Based on what we discussed today, do you think I am a good candidate for this position?”

Now, when they respond, you can handle any concerns they may have.

Using these six simple techniques will make sure you have made a favorable impression with the employer.

7 Things All Interviewers Want To Know About Your Brand

7 Things All Interviewers Want To Know About Your Brand

Your career brand is multifaceted and the good news is that, once defined, it can be shared with interviewers in many ways. Which is more good news, considering that your interviewers want to grasp the essence of your brand when they speak with you. In fact, all of their interview questions are aimed at clarifying your brand so they can evaluate its match to their needs.

Let’s take a look at seven questions interviewers ask themselves as they get to know you and the best ways for you to clarify Brand You™ in your interview responses.

1. What Sets Your Candidacy Apart?

What skills, experience, and credentials to you possess which make you a stronger candidate than the others who have applied? As interviewers slog through dozens of resumes and meet with candidate after candidate, they need to know what makes you different. They also need you to tell them this rather than expect them to figure out.

TIP: Summarize your strongest skills, experience, and credentials early in the interview, perhaps as a reply to the ubiquitous “tell me about yourself” question. Try this deceivingly simple but highly effective way to package your brand in reply to this question.

2. What Measurable Impact Have You Had To Date?

What specific measurable results have you achieved throughout your career that positively impacted your employers’ top- or bottom-lines? Define your revenue, sales, market share, profitability, cost reduction, productivity, and/or efficiency impacts in numerical terms.

TIP: Craft 5-8 CAR (challenge/action/results) statements that demonstrate the challenges you’ve faced with other firms, the actions you took to overcome them, and the measurable difference you made. Each CAR should address one or more of the key impacts employers are looking for; these are outlined in the job description and the job posting.

3. What Kind Of Communicator Are You?

Practically every candidate claims to have excellent communications skills. You need to show your interviewer how good yours are. Don’t forget to emphasize your language proficiency and clarify your communications style.

TIP: An easy way to showcase your communications strengths without sounding like every other candidate is to focus on your values. Identify 2 or 3 interpersonal values that are important to you and be prepared to give examples of how you honor them in your work. If you can encapsulate those values in a metaphor or acronym, that’s even better.

4. What Is Your Leadership Style?

If you’re applying for a leadership role, then you need to be prepared to define what leadership means to you and how your leadership style brings that definition to life.

TIP: Summarize your management and coaching experience to date. What strategies do you leverage to lead and empower teams? What specific results have you achieved to date? If you’ve ever completed personality, leadership, or 360 evaluations, you may find specific phrases, descriptors, or examples you can pull from to share in an interview.

5. How Will You Fit Into Our Team?

This is the bottom-line question for most employers. You may be an expert in your field, but if you don’t fit into the team you won’t be able to achieve much in the job.

TIP: Describe your personality to the interviewer to give your interviewers a picture of what you will be like to work with in their company. Select your adjectives carefully and use CAR stories that reveal your team-building strengths. You might try sharing testimonials from folks who can offer different perspectives on your strengths such as bosses, direct reports, peers, vendors, and clients.

6. How Will Our Workplace Be Different With You On Board?

You’re joining a company, not just a team, so make sure you clarify the larger impact your candidacy can have on the department and other parts of the business.

TIP: Dedicate at least 1-2 of your CAR stories to demonstrate the impact of your brand outside the team you’d like to join. This is the time to emphasize the cross-functionality of your experience and how it helps you to interface effectively with other teams. This is also the time to showcase your client and vendor relations skills. Lastly, make sure you mention ways that you’ve gone above and beyond by taking on extra assignments, innovating solutions beyond the scope of your role, or volunteering for key projects. Remember, though, that it’s the results you achieved by doing so that matter most, not the mere fact that you participated in these things.

7. How You can Help Us Achieve Our Goals?

What problems have you solved for other companies and how can you help their organization solve theirs?

TIP: Here again we’re talking about great CAR stories. It’s critical to hone in on results, of course, but make sure you don’t skip over key “how” elements – this is where proof of your problem-solving skills can be found. Identify the top 3-4 steps you took to solve a fundamental business challenge and brand them in a unique way. Perhaps you always do the same 4 things when you face a similar challenge? Try “packaging” your process.

Ultimately, career branding is about proving the value of your unique skills, experience, credentials, personality, values, and results. The more you can package, describe, and encapsulate your brand in job interviews, the more likely you are to be invited back for more in-depth discussions. 

7 Things Your Boss Won’t Tell You

7 Things Your Boss Won’t Tell You

With most of us spending around 40 hours a week, 48 weeks a year in our offices, maintaining a good relationship with our bosses is vital. Wind up in a toxic working relationship and our whole lives can become infected, leading to stress, exhaustion or worse. So, most of us make the effort to remain on civil terms with our managers, even if they may not be the sort of person we’d usually get along with.

However, even the fairest, most kind-hearted boss may not always be working in your best interests. After all, they’re loyal to the company first and you a very distant second. Here are seven useful facts about workplace life that your boss won’t tell you:

1. Big Brother Is Watching You

The recent NSA scandal revealed that shady government types have been spying on everything we do online for years; but even these spooks have nothing on your boss. From day one, your internet use has likely been tracked, logged and any time-wasting activities or moaning about your company noted.

And we’re not just talking about sarcastic Facebook posts. Your private inter-office e-mails are almost certainly routinely checked: an activity both slightly chilling and completely legal. So, if you’re the type to let off steam by mocking your boss in a chain e-mail, maybe now is the time to stop.

2. Average Wage

A common complaint for people starting on the corporate ladder is that they’re forced to work 50-60 hours weeks for a miniscule wage – until they get promoted. However, if the effect of these extra hours is to drive your annual salary below the national minimum wage, even if these extra hours are ‘voluntary,’ your company could be breaking the law.

3. ‘Voluntary’ Overtime

While we’re on the subject of overtime, another common complaint among workers is the amount of ‘voluntary’ overtime their boss requires them to do. But what they might not know is that this is potentially illegal. The law states that no-one can be forced to work more than 48 hours per week, unless their employer has a signed, written agreement from them. Does your boss keep you back after hours for unscheduled work? Make sure they’re not crossing that 48 hour barrier.

4. Finances

Most of us trust the company we work for to do its thing and ensure we get a fair pension in our dotage. But are we really getting the best deal? Studies and several high-profile cases (such as the Robert Maxwell fiasco in the 1990s) have shown how company pension schemes are open to manipulation or can sink without a trace, leaving loyal workers bereft. Depending on your circumstances, it may make more sense to opt for a sipp or look to  save and invest so you can take control of things.

5. The Next Generation

Are you over 50 or moving towards retirement age? Then watch out: your boss may be planning to get rid of you. Several studies in the US and UK have noticed a sharp preference among employers for “young blood,” particularly when the boss is younger too. The sad fact is that the days of a company that cares for you practically from the cradle to the grave are over, and employers are always looking to ruthlessly cull any older but non-senior employees. If you feel you’ve been let go due to your age, bear in mind this is illegal and you have the right to sue.

6. Union Activities

These days, the term “trade union” conjures images of strikes, miners picketing and the 1980s. But Trade Unions are still legal, most professions have one and – what’s more – it’s legal for you to take time off for Union activities. So, if you’re going to a union meeting, it is very illegal for your boss to punish you if you take time off work to attend. However, the company is not obliged to pay you for this time off, so maybe keep an eye on how frequently union work is keeping you from your desk.

7. Friends

Finally, even if you have a great boss and consider them a friend, be warned: bosses always have their manager’s hat on, even when winding down. No matter how much you trust them, don’t reveal anything that may compromise your ability to work!

8 Body Language Mistakes You’re Making During Interviews

8 Body Language Mistakes You’re Making During Interviews

An interview is something that should help you to highlight your strong suits. The problem is that a lot of people put an emphasis on the bad parts without even realizing it. Body language can turn out to be a huge problem. If it is incorrect or you make some of the mistakes that we will highlight below, you drastically reduce the chances of being hired.

Most people think that the only thing that counts is what they answer to the questions asked by the interviewer. This is completely incorrect. The representative of the company will take a look at your body language, the way you are dressed, how you react to the questions and a whole lot more. Having a proper body language will help you to come up as being serious and more suited for the job you apply for.

Without further ado, let us focus on these really common body language mistakes that people usually make.

1. Improper Body Position

When you lean back, you come off as arrogant. When you lean forward, you are seen as aggressive. When you slouch, you are labeled as lazy. All experts agree that you need to sit tall. Your spine needs to be straight and perpendicular to the floor, as if you had a string connected between the ceiling and your head.

2. Crossing Your Arms

One of the first things that you learn in drama and oratory is that when your arms are crossed, you send out a signal of resistance. You automatically put yourself in a defensive position as if you want to cut out everything. Remember that you will seem to be a lot more approachable when your arms are open and on the sides.

3. Too Much Nodding

There are many different ways to say that you agree with a person. How about saying YES? The person that keeps nodding will not look great in an interview. This is something that is often seen in women.

When we wanted to hire someone to take care of the editorial process at Xpert Money, one of the candidates nodded so much that we had to politely ask her to stop doing that as it was too distracting and it is not in her best interest. Other interviewers will not say anything. Just nod one or two times and keep a smile on your face. It is enough to let the other person see that you understood.

4. Pointing And Chopping Motions

When you are little you are told that it is not polite to point. The same thing is true when you are in an interview but for a different reason. When you use chopping or pointing motions, you exhibit aggressiveness. The space between the interviewer and you is cut in a way that is perceived as being aggressive. Instead, use smaller motions and remember to keep the arms open.

5. Hands Behind Your Back

As you already figured out from above, during an interview you need to appear as if you are open and completely approachable. Gestures need to be controlled and your hands need to remain still. That is very important when you are asked a question and you start to respond. Hands that are placed behind the back or in pockets will instantly inhibit natural movement. This makes you look stiff. In today’s working environment nobody wants to work with someone that is stiff.

6. You Are Fidgeting

There are so many mentions about this and people still do it. It is one of the clear signs that you feel anxious and that you are nervous. The bad part is that the interviewer will end up distracted by your fidgeting. The impression that you leave is you jingling with coins inside the pockets or whatever gesture you make.

7. Your Face Shows Something Else Than Your Mouth Says

When your tone does not match the facial expression, you will be in trouble. For instance, one of the really common interview questions is: “What are you passionate about?” If you start talking about what you are passionate but your face is blank, it will definitely not look great. It will appear as if you are saying lies and you do not want to come up like that.

Make sure that you do not block your emotions. These are pure and the interviewer loves to see honest reactions. They make you seem human and a person that would be a pleasure to work with. We once hired a man that did not have so much experience but the passion that he had was so strong that we were sure he would learn everything in a short period of time. That is what he did.

8. Lack Of Eye Contact Or Breaking Eye Contact

Many articles that offer tips and tricks for interviews will talk about eye contact. You thus come to the interview prepared to have that eye contact since you know that it is great. Then, you are asked a question that is not comfortable. You then break eye contact in order to avoid something or to gain more time. You were just busted and the interviewer realized that the eye contact was only for show.

The person in the interview chair should not stare but holding the gaze of an interviewer for just one more second while answering can be really powerful. As an extra tip, make sure that you make eye contact when you shake hands.

Go through all that was mentioned above. Be honest with yourself. Try to avoid all the mistakes that are common and do your best to come up as yourself. You do not need to be someone else in the eyes of the interviewer. He/she only wants to be sure that you have the proper qualifications and you are driven enough to want to do the job well. If you manage to transmit this through your body language, you clearly increase the chances of being hired.

8 Reasons Why You Don’t Hear Back From Recruiters

8 Reasons Why You Don’t Hear Back From Recruiters

1. Mistakes In Your Resume

This is always first on the list, and we’ve all heard it a thousand times. When writing or updating your resume, proofread, proofread, proofread! If you know that detail-orientation is one of your weak points, get at least one other person to proofread it as well. No employer wants to place responsibility into the hands of an employee who can’t even write a document about themselves without mistakes, much less uses it as their introduction.

2. Poor Interviewing Skills

This goes without saying. When interviewing, whether on the phone or in person, speaking and grammar skills are essential. While urban slang or texting abbreviations may be acceptable in social situations, they don’t make a good first impression on a prospective employer. Also, make sure you get a good night’s sleep the night before and keep the partying to a minimum. Please believe that a recruiter can tell if you don’t.

3. Inappropriate Social Media Content

Again, this is an old one, but it shouldn’t surprise you. Be aware of the message you’re sending on your social media sites. If they contain pictures of drinking, partying, or any other behavior you wouldn’t be comfortable displaying in the office, you should probably remove it BEFORE applying for a job.

4. No Online Presence

This doesn’t necessarily apply to all industries or professions. However, if you are seeking employment in marketing, public relations, advertising, entertainment or any other media field, be aware that recruiters and employers will want to see that you have a strong social media presence. Not being familiar with the most common social media sites will make you look disconnected and not up-to-date with current trends.

5. You Are Too Persistent

Many candidates think that a recruiter’s job is to find them employment. In reality, recruiters work to fill client positions. They usually deal with many clients at once, each with multiple positions needing to be filled, each position with dozens of prospective candidates. Calling and e-mailing a recruiter incessantly who you have not heard back from will not make them think of you as eager and ambitious, but will more likely label you a pain in the neck who they don’t want to deal with.

6. You Are Not Persistent Enough

On the flip side, some recruiters will need to contact you to schedule a follow-up interview, obtain further personal info, schedule testing required by the employer, and so on. Make sure you are quick to respond to the recruiter’s requests. If he or she has to chase you down every time they need to speak to you, you aren’t giving the impression of a model employee whom an employer wants to hire.

7. You Are Defensive About Being Contacted

Nearly every recruiter encounters this. A candidate will post his or her resume on a job site, then forget that it’s still posted years after obtaining employment. Most recruiters are good at finding a needle in a haystack. If you’ve EVER posted your resume, or have a LinkedIn profile for that matter, don’t be surprised if a recruiter contacts you about a job opportunity. If you’re not interested, don’t burn any bridges! You never know if you may need the same recruiter’s help in the future.

8. You’re Not Qualified For The Position

I know that desperate times call for desperate measures. But if you’ve been out of work for a while and money is thin, applying for numerous jobs that you’re not qualified for won’t help your chances of getting hired. If anything, it will cause recruiters to recognize your name for the wrong reason – like always being unqualified.

When dealing with a recruiter, let common sense prevail. Be honest, be punctual, be detailed. Recognize the recruiter as the bridge between unemployment and a successful career. When they see your effort, they will return the favor.

7 Tips For Successful Virtual Informational Interviews

7 Tips For Successful Virtual Informational Interviews

What would you say if I told you that in one 20-30 minute conversation, you can…

• Expand your personal network
• Gain valuable insights about your chosen career or industry
• Secure an industry expert’s help in identifying potential fits within their company or their own personal networks

It’s true. Informational interviewing can be a powerful, yet often overlooked, tool in your career management arsenal.

Related: 3 Tips For Acing An Informational Interview

Recently, it’s becoming more common to do these career-boosting interviews by video. The beauty of conducting a virtual interview is that you’re not limited to contacts you have the time or budget to visit in person: you can speak with knowledgeable contacts anywhere in the world. All you need is a computer with an Internet connection, a video camera (included with many newer laptops and computers), and a willingness to further your career.

If you’re a technophobe, the thought of conducting a virtual informational interview may make you tempted to chuck your computer into your closet, but don’t worry. Today’s video technology is surprisingly easy to master. Whether you use Skype, FaceTime, Google+ or another video communication application, checking out their tutorials and downloading the software will have you on camera in no time.

For both the technologically-challenged and tech geeks, mastering these tips for virtual informational interviews will give you another useful tool for directing your career:

1. Reach out

Identify people within your network, or within a company or industry you’d like to work in. Then, contact them by phone, e-mail, or through LinkedIn to see if they’d be willing to talk to you about their company and careers. Be upfront about how much time you’d need, and what you hope to talk about. Make it clear that you’re after information, not a job interview. You might get turned down, and that’s okay. Just look for people in similar positions within that company or industry.

2. Do your research

Knowing everything you can about the company, its products, and the person you’re speaking with will help you focus your questions and obtain the most helpful answers. You’re not likely to impress your contact if you ask questions that could be easily answered through a quick Google search.

3. Prepare your questions

Remember, this is an opportunity for you to get an inside look at how the company or industry operates and what it takes to be successful in your contact’s profession. Since many people enjoy talking about themselves, showing interest in your contact’s personal career path may be a great way for you to gain some valuable insights while helping them warm up to you. It’s perfectly okay to ask about typical salaries and benefits for a position, but steer clear of asking your contact for specifics on their personal pay rate.

4. Practice (with a partner, preferably)

Set up your monitor or laptop screen so that it captures your head and torso, and make sure the camera angle is straight-on. An up-the-nose shot won’t do you any favors. Make sure that what appears behind you looks neat and pleasant, without any distractions. Check the audio level to make sure you can be heard clearly. And while you may be tempted to look at your computer screen while talking, you’ll appear at your best if you look into the camera instead.

5. Dress the part

You may be Skyping in your bedroom, but you’ll still want to dress as if you’re meeting your contact face-to-face. If a car alarm blaring through your open windows or the dog scratching and whining at the door forces you to get up, you don’t want your interviewer to catch a glimpse of you in your skin-tight yoga pants or ratty boxers. (Even if you have nice legs.)

6. Ask for help

Keep in mind that your contact has agreed to give you information, not a job offer. Don’t pressure them for help getting your resume in front of key decision-makers. Instead, ask them if they know of other people you could talk to within their company or industry. When you really do want a job, this may feel counter-intuitive. But the whole point of the informational interview is to find out more about the company or industry you would like to work for… while helping make connections with people who may remember you later when a position does open up.

7. Express appreciation

Make sure you thank your contact for their cooperation during your conversation. It’s also a smart move to follow up with a handwritten note or e-mail to thank them for their time, and to update them on any successes you may realize as a result of their help. They will be more likely to remember you favorably when you’re appreciative of their willingness to speak with you, and that will work to your benefit if they later learn of an open position that may suit you.

Don’t be afraid to come out of your comfort zone and into the world of virtual informational interviews. With a little courage and practice, soon you’ll be making connections that will help inform and guide your career choices.

How To Present Your Strengths Effectively During An Interview

How To Present Your Strengths Effectively During An Interview

Throughout your career search, you will (hopefully) have the opportunity to showcase your candidacy in multiple job interviews. Considering it takes an average of seven interviews to win one job offer, it’s imperative that your performance is exceptional enough to propel you to the next level. How can you best present your strengths during an interview to earn a call-back?

Related: Don’t Ask These Questions During An Interview

Let’s concentrate on three key ways you can present your strengths effectively during an interview.

1. Begin the interview with a stellar “Tell me about yourself” reply:

Even if you’re never asked this question directly, you will find an opportunity to introduce your background to the interviewer early in the discussion. The ideal way to do so is with a one- to two-minute summary of your:

• Scope of experience: Give the interviewer a succinct overview of the breadth and depth of your work history.
• Career brand: Describe your career brand in a few sentences. The key is to focus attention on the elements of your background that make your candidacy stand out.
• Leadership style: If you are applying for management or executive roles, make sure you briefly describe your leadership style. If you are not, focus on your communication style instead. In either case, give the interviewer the opportunity to see you through the eyes of those you’ve worked with in the past.
• Personality: Select 1 to 2 exceedingly well-though-out adjectives to describe your personality.
• Pedigree credentials: Have you worked for industry-leading firms or completed sought-after specializations? Have you earned a degree from a well-respected institution? These kinds of credentials are part of your brand and deserve to be highlighted early in the interview.
• History of impacts: A critical part of your brand is the sum total of the impacts you’ve had on employers you’ve worked with throughout your career. If you’re in sales, for example, it might be the total amount of sales you’ve generated career-long. If you’re in an executive role, it may be the total revenue you’ve influenced and/or the total cost savings you’ve generated career-long.
• Complimentary template: Take a look at this “Tell me about yourself” template I recently published on my blog. You might want to bookmark it for future use.

Sharing these kinds of big picture details early in the interview helps make sure that you have conveyed the most important elements of your candidacy early on. It also helps “seed” the interview with things you would like the interviewer to ask you more about, which in essence allows you to gently guide them toward key facets of your brand.

2. Prove your value via behavior-based success stories:

The most popular form of questions asked by recruiters and employers these days call for a storytelling response. Known as behavior-based interviewing, this style of questioning asks you to prove your capabilities by describing past examples.

When writing resumes and other career communications tools, career management professionals refer to these stories by an acronym such as PAR/CAR, which stands for problem, situation or challenge | actions | results. The idea is simple: Prove your skill by telling your listeners about a problem you faced on the job, describing how you resolved it, and noting the specific quantifiable results you achieved.

The smart job seeker will prepare six to eight success stories in this format and practice relating each one to different questions. For example, a success story about your turnaround of a team could be used to document your leadership, change management, and strategic planning strengths by emphasizing different aspects of your actions or results.

If you invested in getting your resume written by a professional, then you already have some success stories defined. This means you can use your resume as an “agenda” for the interview:

• Comb through each phrase and sentence of your resume to ensure you are prepared to answer any and all questions raised by interviews.
• Expand on the bulleted achievements noted in your resume by crafting verbal versions of them to share in your job interview.
• Include journalistic details in your interview success stories by telling your listener what you did, how you did it, why it was necessary, when you did it, and who you did it for/with.

3. Use visuals to demonstrate the match between the company’s needs and your strengths:

A great way to showcase your strengths in an interview is to share a PowerPoint or other slideshow that highlights your experience, brand, and value in eight to ten slides. By leveraging charts, graphs, diagrams, and succinct facts you can prove your prospective value to the interviewer in ways that will set your candidacy apart from other job seekers.

• Prove the match between you and the job at hand by summarizing their needs and the qualifications they seek with your strengths and experience.
• Keep your bullets and text crisp and to-the-point. Say more with fewer words.
• Use color to highlight your message rather than detract from it.

If you’re interviewing with a group of people, see if you can arrange to present your slideshow during your interview. If that’s not possible or you’re being interviewed by one person, it’s fine to offer slide handouts instead – just make sure you still present your slides verbally so you can stress the points you think are most critical to drive home.

As you can see, there are myriad ways a job seeker can highlight their strengths during an interview. With a little reflection and a bit of preparation time, you can sell your strengths via polish, proof, and practice.