Job Interview Issues – How To Dress To Match The Interview
Posted by Administrator on Jun 26, 2010
Recently a job seeker sent me this inquiry below, relating to their problems with how to dress for an interview. Read on and see how sometimes the issues become confusing.
“Hello Mark,
Couple days ago I went to a job interview with a national restaurant chain. I got the interview through a recruiter, who told me to dress “appropriately” for the job interview. So I wore Dockers, a nice shirt with button down collar and neck tie. And I wore my non-slip shoes, as the interview was to take place at one of their restaurant locations, I figured safety first. I would have wore my dress suit, but when the recruiter said to dress “appropriately,” I took that to mean to dress according to the interview location. So I did. Well, I just heard back from the recruiter and he told me I was out of consideration for the job. One of the reasons he mentioned for me being removed, was my manner of dress, and specifically mentioned my shoes. The interviewer didn’t feel I was dressed correctly for the job interview. I feel as though I was dressed correctly, because we met at a in-operation restaurant location. How is one to know what is appropriate and what is not appropriate job interview dress?
Tracy M, Lexington, KY”
As you see from the letter above, job interview dress issues can be confusing. When I speak with my own job candidates, my advice about how to dress for any job interview is almost always the same: “Dress as though you are going to meet the President of the Company.” When you enter a job interview, first impressions are lasting. You are not dressing to impress the person or persons with whom you are meeting — though that may also be a benefit of your appearance — instead, you are dressing to exhitbit yourself as a professional in your vocation. Never quibble over this, always dress for success, however cliche it may sound.
Now, there are some exceptions, which is why I say above my advice is ‘almost always the same:’ when it comes to what to wear to a job interview. For example, when your interview may include a work environment tour that requires protective clothing or when formal clothing may be vulnerable to destruction, such as a tour of a factory or manufacturing plant, or construction site, or mining facility. But in such cases, don’t assume, ask your interviewer prior to your visit what they consider proper attire. Don’t guess, and if you cannot verify their opinion of what to wear, ‘always dress for success.’ Risking the cost of cleaning or even replacing a dress suit may seem an expensive way to get a job, but if you get the job, it may seem a small price to pay.
Best Of Luck With Your Job Search
Not too important
Posted by Administrator on Jun 10, 2010
We all know that emphasizing on some facts in your resume truly helps in making it more saleable. But, don’t you know that you can also de-emphasize some of the information that were also relevant in your resume and can take a backseat. And these are: education, some non-accounting skills and extra-curricular activities. You don’t have to worry if these things were at the bottom of your resume because what are important were the accomplishments you emphasized and you want the reader/interviewer to focus on them instead of asking you about your extra-curricular activities.
What they look for in hiring
Posted by editor on May 10, 2010
by: Djai Tanji
According to a human resource specialist I know, it’s really not the qualifications and working experience printed in the resume that they actually look for in the process of a job interview. It is actually in your personality, work ethic, confidence and determination to get the job. Job interviewers have their ways of knowing even at first sight the traits a person possess. It’s also in their confident aura and self-belief that catches the interviewers attention. Arriving early will boost points in your account because it is a sign of a positive working ethics. And for your information, someone with no work experience at all can have a higher chance of getting in because they are more motivated and willing to do tasks assigned to them.
CPA Jobs – CPA Careers Explained
Posted by Administrator on May 10, 2010
If you’re thinking about a career as an accountant, you could have a very lucrative and steady job for many years to come. With the right degrees and experience, accounting professionals can have rewarding careers in CPA jobs who submit documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission with a state-issued license. But you may be wondering, what exactly does a certified personal accountant do?
The federal government mandates that any certified personal accountant who submits documents to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must have a state-issued license. There are many CPA jobs. These jobs require compiling financial reports for prominent individuals, companies, nonprofit organizations and small businesses. The financial reports may include profit-and-loss statements and expense reports. This type of career may also involve advising clients on how to decrease the amount of income taxes they owe and preparing tax statements for the client.
If you are looking for career information for the accounting field, you will first need to look into receiving a degree. Degrees in accounting typically require a college education consisting of four to five years of schooling. This means you must obtain your bachelor’s degree in accounting or graduate from a master’s degree accounting program. All states also require certified accountants to take the Uniform CPA Examination after getting their education. The Uniform CPA exam, which was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, is an electronic test given in four parts. An accountant will need to pass all four parts of the exam within 18 months of passing the first part.
There is a lot of skill and clearly a lot of education required to become an accountant, but the career can be very rewarding. CPA jobs can offer an average CPA salary of around $80,000. Aside from the excellent pay, this is also a great career option because it will be in demand in many states throughout the country for many years to come. Plus, there are jobs available in big businesses as well as for small firms or individuals. With so many career options and a great job outlook, becoming an accountant is a good choice indeed.
Example For Answering Job Interview Question – What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?
Posted by Administrator on Apr 24, 2010
This question is somewhat of a trap, because it asks for a negative answer. If you haven’t given it some thought, you may blurt out something about your boss or the company, and talk yourself right out of a job. One of the purposes of the question is to find out if you are going to be satisfied in this job. If you were dissatisfied before, you may be dissatisfied again if the circumstances are similar.
Three candidates answers:
Roopal – “I didn’t have enough challenges. After a while, all the projects became repetitive and the same. I thrive on challenge.”
Interviewer’s thoughts – “A lot of the tasks here are repetitive. What makes her think she will like it here any better? Will we be able to keep her challenged?”
Kevin – “Lack of stability. After three company acquisitions, I had five bosses in three years. I couldn’t take it any longer. What I am looking for is stability in a job and company.”
Interviewer’s thoughts – “While our company is stable now, there are no guarantees about the future. This guy sounds like he may have some burn out and flexibility issues.
Barry – “In my last job, my boss was overbearing and wouldn’t let me do my job. If she didn’t like they way I was doing something she’d criticize me.”
Interviewer’s thoughts – “Could he work with me as a supervisor? How would he react if I had to critique his work? He sounds like he could be a problem to supervise.”
Focus
When you answer the question, it is best to focus on tasks rather than talking about company politics or people.
“I’ve given this question some thought, and overall I have been very satisfied with my jobs. I’ve been able to work with some really interesting people. I have to admit that I did have a job where there was an inordinate amount of paper work. Because working with people is my strength, the paper work really bogged me down at times.”
Notice the word “inordinate” Not normal paper work, but unusually large amount, keeping you from doing what you do best: working with people.
Exercise
Make a list of the times in your past jobs when you have been dissatisfied; times when you didn’t look forward to going to work, when you “hated” what you were doing. Was it the nature of the work or the office environment that were making you dissatisfied? Spend some time looking at your list for patterns. Are there some projects that recur on your list; some situations that you don’t want to get into again? This exercise will help you identify areas to watch for and to ask questions about during the interview.
“What percentage of this job will be travel?”
“What are some of the specific tasks and responsibilities of this job?”
Job satisfaction
When you can identify the factors that give you job satisfaction, as well as the factors that were unpleasant or tedious for you, you can determine if this is the right job for you. It is a known fact that people perform best when they are doing something they enjoy. Thinking about the answer to this question is an opportunity for you to identify what you want – doing the things you like to do best, as well as what you don’t want.
5 Things You Must Do Before a Job Interview
Posted by Administrator on Apr 17, 2010
So you just found out that you have a job interview tomorrow and unfortunately procrastination is a weaknesses you haven’t yet conquered. Here are the down and dirty tips to pull it together at the last minute.
1. Look at the job posting you are applying for, and develop sound bites that address the needs of the employer. Think of examples where you demonstrated the skills that appear in the job posting and develop answers that clearly show an employer that you are the perfect candidate for this position. All sound bites should be 2-3 minutes in length.
2. Use the TODAY acronym to develop additional sound bites of your experiences. TODAY stands for Teamwork, Overcoming Obstacles, Duties of your past positions, Achievements, Your strengths and weaknesses. Remember to clearly describe exactly what you did in each situation. The employer is hiring you, not the other people in your story.
3. Research the company. Search the internet for any recent press releases and check out the company’s website. Know what they do, and develop some idea as to how the position you are hiring for fits within the company.
4. Think of questions to ask an interviewer. Look at the job posting and your research about the company and think of 3-5 questions you can ask during the interview. What are you curious about? Do they manufacture a product you are familiar with, or never even knew existed before you started to research the company? Where does this department fit in the grand scheme of the company? What projects is the department currently working on?
5. Lastly, prepare answers to the following questions: Tell me about yourself, Why did you leave your last position, or why are you looking for a new job, Why should I hire you, and The Salary Question. You know that these questions will be asked in one form or another, so there is no excuse to not have prepared an answer.
And that’s it. Interviewing is just that simple when it’s broken into it’s simplest components. Focus on preparing answers to all of the scenarios above, and you will be ahead of the game. Remember to clearly articulate in each and every sound bite exactly what you did. Practice with a tape recorder to critique yourself, or with a friend to repeat back to you exactly what you did in a situation to make sure you’re preparing correctly.
For more tips, use the link below to purchase the booklet “Successful Job Interviews Revealed.”, or attend the upcoming “Sweaty Palms and Awkward Answers” Continuing Education class in Stamford. And yes, I am always willing to try to fit in a last minute coaching appointment for interview emergencies.
© Red Inc. Melanie Szlucha
Career Objective
Posted by Administrator on Apr 10, 2010
In writing your accounting resume, you should be able to state your career objective first before you jot down other important facts. It’s a plus if you make it short but shows what you really aspire from the job you are applying for. Once you;re done with the objective, it’s now time for you to specify what other related facts you intend to highlight such as; writing down dates of your employment, when did you received your certification, trainings attended and career advancement/promotions. In accounting, numbers outweighs words but using descriptive action verbs in writing your resume will greatly help your reader to notice what an outstanding applicant you are.
What are the contents of an Accounting Resume?
Posted by Administrator on Mar 10, 2010
Accounting resume must contain relevant information’s such as: analysis experience, operations management skills and fiscal expertise. Moreover, you should also highlight the milestones you achieved like; organized accounting practices, managed debts and increased revenues (include the numbers if you may). Furthermore, don’t forget to include your career objective, also be brief and concise because you may want to elaborate on these things during the actual interview. Including other skills such as being computer literate adds more weight to your qualifications. Your resume should reflect all of these characteristics so that employers will easily spot the difference.
What’s the fuss about?
Posted by editor on Feb 10, 2010
by: Djai Tanji
What’s with all the interviewing? Why not just get on after the written exam? Because a job interview is the best way to prove yourself what the employer will get if you are hired. In job interviews, it’s practically showcasing your skills live. So being prepared is a must. You better get to know what you are there for, the company, the employer and yourself as a worker. During job interviews, you’ll be showing half of who you are when hired. It’s like training you for dealing with people you have to face in the course of the job. So you better who the interviewer the confidence and demeanour you possess.
Answers to Interview Questions – Good Answers to Popular Interview Questions
Posted by Administrator on Feb 6, 2010
Most people dread job interviews. However, with a bit of preparation, the experience can be very rewarding.
Most interviewers tend to ask similar questions during job interviews. All you need to do is find out what those questions are and prepare some answers beforehand. After you do that, have someone role play the part of the interviewer and ask you the questions. That way, you can practice your answers to interview questions so you can be more relaxed at the actual interview.
Some of the most popular interview questions asked during an initial interview are:
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
This is difficult for some people. If you are unsure of what to say, you might want to ask the interviewer what they would like to know about you. However, most interviewers want to know things about you that would be relate to the position. Try not to ramble on. Keep your interview answer short and informative.
2. What do you feel are some of your strengths?
When you begin to think about your strengths, think about some of the aspects of your personality and character that would be an asset to the job. Don’t just mention one, but focus on three or four. If you are applying for a sales position, you might mention that you enjoy helping people. If you are applying for an accounting position, you might say that you are very detail oriented.
3. What is your greatest weakness?
We all have weaknesses, so you will need to come up with something for an answer. Be as honest as possible, but then emphasize what you’ve done to overcome it. For instance, if delegating jobs has been hard for you in the past, mention what you have done to overcome the problem – perhaps taking a course in how to be an effective manager or a course in time management skills.
4. What do you consider to be your greatest success?
Choose an example from your past of which you are particularly proud. In your interview answer give specific details about what you did, how you did it, and what the results were.
5. How do you handle stressful situations?
List some stressful situations in past positions and explain how you handled them. Give them some ideas of some strategies that you have successfully used, such as making a to-do list.
6. Why do you want this position?
This is where researching the company will help in your answers to interview questions. Bring up some of the successful traits of the company and stress how you’ve always wanted to work for a company with those traits. Emphasize how your skills and qualifications mesh well with the company.
7. Why are you the best person for the job?
Here is your chance to sell yourself. Emphasize your strong points – i.e. you are a dedicated employee, a fast learner, an enthusiastic person who hits the ground running, etc. End it by saying; “I know that you will have no regrets when you hire me for the position.”
While no one knows exactly what questions will be asked during an interview, the above are common questions asked by most employers. With a bit of work, you can prepare yourself so that you can approach the interview with confidence and enthusiasm. That confidence and enthusiasm may just get you the job!