What Should I Wear to the Job Interview

What Should I Wear to the Job Interview How you dress for a job interview is something that requires a good deal of consideration but is all too often overlooked. It is important not to fall into the trap of putting too little focus on what to wear. In fact, in job interviews there is a higher expectation for people to wear appropriate clothing. Most likely, it will be your best shot at convincing the recruiter or hiring manager that youre the right one for the position. The importance of a first impression Obviously, the clothes you choose are not the only thing that matters when showing up for a job interview, but it is a vital part of making a good first impression. That impression could be the decisive factor that makes or breaks your chances of being hired. In most cases, recruiters and hiring managers have to choose from many candidates for a limited amount of available positions. Their job is to find ways to thin out the number of candidates until they find the most suitable one(s) to fill the position(s). If you are able to impress them from first moment you meet them, the likelihood of receiving a positive outcome increases greatly. On the other hand, showing up for a job interview dressed inappropriately can be enough reason to exclude you from being considered for the position. What are appropriate clothes and what are not? Companies are diverse and so are their level of formality. Unfortunately, there exists no single formulation for dressing perfectly for any and all job interviews.  This means you have to find the balance yourself. For instance, you would hardly show up full suited to a job interview for a position in an industrial plant or casually dressed for a prestigious position at a bank. These are exaggerated examples but something to think about nonetheless. The general rule is that you should never “dress down” for a job interview, despite the company’s policy of dress code. If you are not sure how formal you should dress, the safe bet is to be more formal than not. How to dress then? One way is to roughly find out how formal the company culture is and try to dress up one level higher. Even if the company’s employees dress casually, you are not one of them. Not yet at least.  When choosing your dress, keep in mind that often a simple and classic style is a safer bet than a complex, trendy or fashionable styles. Same goes for accessories like jewellery, makeup and perfume. It can easily distract the recruiter from the main purpose of the interview, which will most likely not end favourably for you. There are some standard dress codes out there that are easy to follow and are there for a good reason; they usually work well. Most importantly, it is about how you feel about yourself when wearing the clothes you choose. Clothes are the secret to strong self-confidence Confidence is the most important weapon you possess in order for you to be on your A game during job interviews. Confidence is all about self esteem, and how you feel about yourself is greatly determined what you wear.  Being able to change clothes depending on occasion is precisely the power of dressing up: you get to choose which version of yourself you are going to be each time. Those who dress up and feel confident about themselves are much more likely to perform better in job interviews. To sum things up, you should focus on finding the outfit that you think is appropriate for the job interview you are attending. Be more formal than not, and above all, you should feel confident. The following infographic by Market Inspector outlines some more useful suggestions and tips about how you dress for your next job interview. About the author: Kristofer Pall Lentz is a business marketing enthusiast, currently working for Market-Inspector.co.uk, a B2B marketplace for businesses and institutions in Europe. He is also taking his masters degree in Strategic Market Creation at Copenhagen Business School.

Does Free Resume Samples Makes a Difference?

Does Free Resume Samples Makes a Difference?If you are an employer and looking for a resume or CV sample, you may want to look at free resume samples on the internet. These can be much more flexible than hiring a professional to produce your resume for you. Many free resumes will allow you to have a lot of choices on what kind of information you want to put in your resume. These can also be offered for different job titles so that you can pick the most appropriate one.When you use a free resume on the internet, you have the advantage of having some other options that you may not have had if you were just using the personal information on your resume. These can be a huge benefit because it is always a struggle to find enough information to fill out a traditional resume. And there are also other disadvantages to these free resumes, so it is important to understand what to avoid.You may get one resume that looks great, but it is not the same as another person's resume. It could also be hard to customize your resume. It is possible to design a customized resume, but you may not know how to go about doing it or you may not have the right software or program to do it. This means that your free resume may not be the best suited for your situation. It is important to know what your specific needs are.If you are already a computer programmer or if you are interested in starting a career in computer programming, it is a good idea to be sure you are able to customize the style of your resume. If you do not have the background or skills required to do so, it may be best to avoid the free resume samples that are offered. Most people have only limited experience in this area and they would probably benefit from the customization if it is possible.Most of the samples that are offered on the internet are going to be free because the employer wants to encourage you to apply for the job. This means that if you are applying for a very specific position like a data entry clerk, yo u will probably not have a great chance of getting this position. The kind of company is going to want a specialized resume that has not been seen before. These are often the resumes that have a standard style, which is what you see for most applicants. You will have to do research to find the ones that are offered as free resume samples.To make sure that your resume is customized, it is best to purchase software that is going to create a style of resume that fits your profile. A good way to do this is to purchase a resume builder. These software programs will allow you to input your information into it and then customize the formatting and information that you want to include.The best thing about a free resume sample is that you can usually get a huge number of these personalized and created for you. You should be able to choose a format and input your information without having to know a lot about the industry. If the employer is not comfortable with your type of resume, it is bet ter to avoid the free resume samples and find a more custom fit.The information you provide on a resume is the first impression that an employer will have of you. You should be able to have some control over what you want your resume to say and how you want it to look. By giving yourself some choices and having to hire a professional to come up with a customized resume for you, you will be better able to get your career off to a great start.

LinkedIn Get involved in groups University of Manchester Careers Blog

LinkedIn â€" Get involved in groups University of Manchester Careers Blog This week I want to stress how and why you should be joining groups on LinkedIn. Groups are an important networking tool that will show up in your profile. There are many groups on LinkedIn (over a million!), focused around sectors, professions, themes, industries, etc. Recent graduates and students may find useful to join alumni groups. The University of Manchester has The University of Manchester Alumni Association   group which, at the time of this post, has 24 461 members. You can find groups by using the search field at the top of your LinkedIn page. Another useful way of finding relevant groups would be to view what groups the leaders/influencers in your chosen sector or your connections have joined. Groups can be open or closed. You can join open groups immediately whereas closed groups will require an authorisation from the group administrator. Why should you join groups? You can get advice and ask questions to people with similar professional interests You can make yourself more visible by starting relevant discussions or commenting on ongoing discussions You can send members of the group direct messages You can find job opportunities posted by other members LinkedIn allows you to join up to 50 groups which is a lot considering you probably wouldn’t have the time to take advantage of those many groups. If you use general terms when you search you will end up with general results. There are over one million groups on LinkedIn so you must be focused on what you are looking for. Consider my line of work as an example. When I type “careers” I get 14 020 results! If I type “university careers” the results are trimmed to 782 and finally if I search “university career services” I get a more manageable and focused 317 results. If after joining a group you decide that after all it’s not relevant for your interests and goals,  you can leave the group by following a couple of easy steps. You just need to click on the group you want to leave in your profile page and then click on the “Member” button on the top right hand side. When you hover on this button the word “Leave” appears instead of “Member”. Click and you’re out. All Graduate Postgraduate Undergraduate alumni applications Applications and interviews CV employability job market jobs LinkedIn networking

Basic Life Advice That Matters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Basic Life Advice That Matters - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career My grandniece is four and she and I were talking about her future. (Just kidding. I was thinking about her future in her presence.) In case I’m not around to give her advice when she might be willing to listen I decided to write it down now. With over thirty years as an executive coach which has enabled me to be around some highly successful-in-life people I found some simple truths that will help in her personal life as well as work-life. 1.It’s easier to make a living then find someone to do it for you. Do not partner up (or marry) anyone for money, power, or position in society. It’s easier, longer lasting, and means more to you if you earn it for yourself. 2.Marry only if the person makes you laugh every day and helps you get better in whatever you want to get better in. With that kind of supportive partner you wont need or look for approval from any other source. Give it back to your partner, similarly. 3.Be wise to be happy. Foolish and dumb people aren’t happy. So get to know yourself. Know humanity. Understand basic human psychology. Appreciate that life is not always fair, clean, happy, or fun â€" but it beats the alternative. 4.Find something you love to do and then get really, really, really good at it. You can always find a way to make a living doing most anything if you work hard to truly excel in it. By the time she’s ready to hear it my list might be longer but I think this will serve her â€" and your â€" loved ones well for now.

Professional Resume Writing Singapore

Professional Resume Writing SingaporeProfessional resume writing Singapore is a complex process. Since you are sending your resume for some kind of work in Singapore, it is crucial that the content should be well written and convincing. And hiring personnel from overseas is only possible if you give a comprehensive professional resume to your employer.Hiring a project manager from abroad may appear quite like a dream but it is really possible. The fact is that the client should know what kind of project you can handle. This will be very helpful if you give him or her a description of the project and how you managed it.Another important aspect is that you should know your ability and the kind of abilities needed by the employer. The ideal thing would be to give him or her a short and a detailed summary of your previous projects so that they can gauge your capability. You have to do this even if you have no experience of hiring project managers from abroad.It is not sufficient that you have already finished the writing of your resume. You also need to prepare the resume for your potential employer in Singapore. This means that you will be required to explain your skills and accomplishments in a different way. Because if the employer knows your capabilities, then the chances of you landing the job will increase a lot.When you are speaking to your potential employer, show him or her how you are good at managing people and how you can be a project manager. Remember that it is not just about your ability and your experiences; it is about your enthusiasm and the things that you are passionate about. Do not make it sound like a sales pitch because that might get you rejected at least three times in a row.Michael Stouffer is one of the most influential professional resume writers in Singapore. He has written successful resumes for many clients and has won many awards for his work. If you want your resume to stand out from the rest, you should get in touch with Michael a nd see what he can do for you. Also, his team is ready to help you complete your resume and support you through the whole process.A basic knowledge of English skills is also important. In general, the employer always prefers to have an English speaker as a project manager from overseas. These two factors are very important in project management and will increase your chances of getting the job.Hiring a project manager from abroad is a good option if you have the qualifications but not necessarily the experience. But if you want to be more confident about your ability to manage projects in general, then your best bet is to ask Michael for some professional resume writing Singapore services. He has written a lot of resumes and you can be sure that he knows the project manager resume format.

The Power of Social Capital in Executive Job Search - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

The Power of Social Capital in Executive Job Search How to Tap Into the Value of Social Capital

How to Become a Teaching Assistant - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to Become a Teaching Assistant An effective teaching assistant (TA) in the classroom can be a catalyst to the learning of students. But getting the right mix of skills, qualifications and specialisms can be difficult, more so if you are unsure which qualifications and courses will work best. The How to Become a Teaching Assistant Guide is the ideal starting as it tells you everything you need to know; It sets out teaching assistant responsibilities and how these can change from one educational setting to another It examines current pay and working hours, although these are subject to change and are dependent on individual schools and local authorities It addresses the realities of being a TA, from the busy days to the hours worked It also looks at the routes to becoming a qualified TA, including the many TA courses and qualifications that are on offer TAs are increasingly used to work with students who have significant learning difficulties but, TAs also work with gifted and talented children, facilitating their learning so that they reach their potential too It looks at essential TA skills, including soft skills such as being tactful and diplomatic, as well as specialist skills, such as managing behavioural difficulties within the classroom The guide also talks about the various settings where TAs are considered and essential part of the process It also looks at work experience as a TA in detail and gives you some great ideas about how to get started in this rewarding but sometimes challenging classroom role. Do You want a Rewarding Career as a TA? If you do, this guide is essential reading. It tells you everything you need to know and more. So why not sign up to a TA course today and start volunteering at your local school or college?

What one persons bad luck shows about the power of Twitter -

What one persons bad luck shows about the power of Twitter - No doubt getting fired for something said, posted or tweeted often makes the news. This week in Atlanta, Chadd Scott, a radio personality, lost his job for tweeting disparaging things about Delta Airlines, an Atlanta based company that also happened to be a key client for the station where Chadd worked. 11 Alive News, the NBC affiliate in Atlanta, reported Delta threatened to pull their ads from the station. 680 The Fan Radio fired him for tweeting comments such as: The bean counter who saved Delta a few bucks in st. lou hoping he wouldnt need more de-icing fluid this year screwed a lot of people today. Not a big quote tweeter, but #delta should remember when you fail 2 prepare, you prepare 2 fail.' New #delta strategy on de-icing planes in st. louis: wait til it melts. well, the company is based in atlanta. While its unfortunate these tweets landed Chadd in such hot water, the most important lesson job seekers can learn from this story: companies ARE listening! Its possible to get someones attention via Twitter, and to use it to your advantage. 11 Alive reporter Jaye Watson interviewed me about what Chadd did wrong and how people can use Twitter to attract positive attention. picture by xotoko