Applying and Interviewing for Employment

- Use a 3 step process to create attention getting letters
- Impress with knowledge and professionalism
- opening paragraph should convey the reason your writing and keep the reader compelled.
- Middle section should expand your opening and present more strengths
- Do not bring up salary, unless previously for a requirement
- Final paragraph, ask for a specific action and how they should respond.
- Think about a follow up message: show any additions to your skills or how you have learned more about the company
- May be interviewed several times before an offer.

The following is a website with many videos of job interviews:

http://www.best-interview-strategies.com/videos.html

- Differentiate yourself from other candidates in the screening stage.
- selection stage: may interview with several people
-final stage: interviewer may try to sell you on working at the firm
- Follows a set sequence and allows the interview team to compare answers of different potentials.
-Open ended interview: adapts line questions based on your responses.
- Panel interview: meet several interviewers at once
- Group Interview: one employer, group of candidates
- Behavioral interviews: address how you handled situations in the past
- Situational interview: asked to explain how to handle various situations
- Working interview: preform real or fake work tasks
- Stress interviews: show how you will handle things in the future

Here are websites with tips for different interviews:

Panel Interviews: http://www.best-job-interview.com/panel-interview-tips.html

Group Interviews:http://www.job-application-and-interview-advice.com/group-interview-tips.html

Behavioral Interviews:http://www.brockport.edu/career/behave.htm

Situational Interviews:http://www.careerchoiceguide.com/situational-interview.html

Working Interviews:http://www.careercc.com/interv3.shtml

Stress Interviews:http://www.indobase.com/resumes/stress-interview.html

- Use a variety of media when interviewing ex: virtual meetings

- A telephone interview is just as important as if it were in person
- if interviewing by email, be sure to double check responses before sending
- If video interviewing, speak to the camera as though you are addressing a person
- Computer based interviews can be simple structured to realistic job situations
-Suitability is based on (1) academic preparation (2) work experience (3) job related personality traits
- Compatibility with an organization is based on a personal, background, attitudes, and style.
- Expect questions about personal interests, world events, and many other topics
- Pre-employment tests shows objectives, quantitative information, and information about skills and habits
- employers expect you to know something about the company and the industry.
- Be prepared to relate your qualifications to he organization's needs.
- practice answering questions and be prepared, so you can respond with confidence.
- Plan questions to ask the interviewer to see if the job meets your goals as well.
- Think of how to relate to skills and accomplishments
- Build confidence to prepare thoroughly and address shortcomings as best as you can
- Stage mock interviews to prepare
- Nonverbal behavior has an effect on the interviewer's opinions.... The way you speak is just as important as what you say
- be well groomed and dress conservatively, the employer will judge you on your view of what is appropriate
- Be ready as soon as you arrive at the interviewing site, do not fumble when you get to the site
- Stay on your toes
- Be prepared to face substantial questions at the beginning of the interview.
- Make sure to emphasize tour strengths
- Pay attention to your verbal and non verbal messages you are sending-
- Interviewers know what they shouldn't and think about how you would respond to an unlawful question
- Make sure to end with courtesy and enthusiasm

Here is a website of how and why job interviews should be followed up:

http://www.quintcareers.com/job_interview_follow-up.html

- Six types of Follow Up Messages
1. Thank you message
2. Message of inquiry
3. Request for a time extension
4. letter of acceptance
5. Letter of declining a job offer
6. Letter of resignation

This following is a link to a video of what not to do at a job interview:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2664192855320111160#

Building Careers and Writing Resumes

-Important to know when looking for a job: The easiest way for you to find a job, help wanted advertisements, is the least preferred way for company's to find employees.
- Most preferred: Someone inside the organization
- Least preferred: Solicit resumes through advertising
- Because of newer technologies of today, easy to stay in touch with whats happening in the business world.
- Look beyond a company's communication materials. Look at other firms in the industry to see what they think about the company.
- Start networking early, classmates and friends can be some of the best business contacts.
-Be a contributer to the networking process.
-Look at your college's placement office as they can be some of the best resources.
-By viewing your resume as a business message, its easier to decide what should be written in it.
About.com gives us some tips for writing resumes:
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/resumes/Writing_Resumes.htm

-Key to resumeorganization: connect your personal strengths with the qualities the employer is looking for.
-Weakness to employers: frequent job changes and gaps in work history---> be prepared to explain.
- Chronological resume: most commonly used, but may not be right for a particular stage in your career.
- Functional resume: used by people with little employment history or gaps in their history, employers may use this approach as hiding a weakness.
- Combination resume: highlights your skills and provides a timeline history of your employment.
- make information clear and compelling, this may be the only information your employer has about you.
The Ivy League addministration published a website that documents all of the differences in ways to organize your resume:

http://www.ivyleagueadmission.com/organization.html

- Be honest and keep your integrity, do not just reply on your resume.
- Make your qualities apparent to the potential employer, they will not search through to find you among many applicants.
- a resume should tell your story and give employers a layout of who you are as an employee.
- use short phrases using strong verbs and nouns.
- Provide complete and accurate information
- Get a professional sounding email for better business purposes.
- Objective should be phrased to meet the employers needs and not your own.
-Qualifications give a quick view of how you can be valuable to employees
- Education may be your stronges selling point, present carefully
- Relate past expierence to the current position you are applying too.
- qualify your accomplishments in quantity: scores and numeric increases
- Indicate special skills and qualities that are personal, but make sure they are relevant
- Do not add personal data unless there is a reason to.
- have a list of references
- Avoid common errors, it will get your resume looked over
- keep your design simple, clean, and effective
- Start with a traditional print, with a clean classy look.
- Use a powerpoint to supplement, but realize your employer may not use them.
- Create a scannable resume, as it can be easier for employers.
- a plain test version is a computer file with no formatting. Verify what is needed and make sure your word processing program is compatible.
- Think about privacy and security when posting your resume online.
- proofread thoroughlt and ask other to as well, it improves your chances when employers are reading.
- Pay close attention to the specific wishes of each employer.
- Spend time looking at the best way to post your resume.

Here are some helpful examples for resumes and cover letters:

http://www.resume-resource.com/

I found this link very helpful when it came to look at resumes and cover letters:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resumes/a/resumecenter.htm