Resume writing tips and types of resume

A good job hunter knows that a good resume is the key to an interview invite and ultimately, to employment. Aside from a summary of your abilities, work experience and education, a resume should reveal your unique selling points to entice a potential employer to BUY you. The secret to an irresistible resume is to address the specific need of a specific job. A tailored resume has infinitely more impact than a one-size-fits-all. To write such a resume, first organize information under specific headings such as education, work experience, achievements, skills and activities. When everything is on paper, decide on the proper format to play up your outstanding qualities that fit the jobs requirements. Here are several types of resume for your reference. 1. Chronological resume o Recommended for candidates with solid working experience and a progressive job history in a specific field or history, and who would want to continue along this similar career path. o Most employers prefer this style as it is based on facts, and easily digestible. o Very conventional, emphasizing on itemized employment history. o Important to present career milestones in reverse chronological order, starting with current position and moving backwards. Each position contains a description of relevant responsibilities and accomplishments.

2.

Functional Resume o Suitable for fresh graduates and job hoppers hoping for a career change. o Helps to cover seemingly disconnected experiences by displaying transferable skills and related achievements. o Organize work history into sections that highlight skills and accomplishments deemed most appropriate for the position applied for. Always include the company name in bulleted description of your accomplishments. Do not miss out at least a brief chronological listing of your work experience.

3.

Combination Resume o This format tries to merge the best features of the chronological and functional type resumes by incorporating both a chronological work history and a skills and achievements section. Top focus is on skills and accomplishments, followed by work experience. o Though some employers will find this format long, repetitious and confusing, this type of resume can be good to someone with good editing skills.

4.

Electronic Resume o Adopted by many people to send resumes to electronic resume banks and make on-line job applications through JobStreet.com. o The resume is sent by email or can be viewed on the Internet. Specially formatted for scanning and searching by optical scanning systems. o Fast becoming an increasingly popular and acceptable form of job application as it is fast, effective and convenient. o Comes in different file formats but most common are plain text, rich text and hypertext.

RESUME WRITING TIPS 1. Know Your Objective o What job do you want? What are the skills and requirements necessary for this job? o Keep them in your mind as you write your resume so that the interviewer reading it will see that you are the person they are looking for.

2.

Compile all your information o List down your personal particulars, education history, extra-curricular activities including positions held, employment history, seminars attended, achievements, etc. o Ensure the dates are correct. Leave out hobbies/interests, parents occupati on etc. o Sort information under specific headings Education, Work Experience, Achievements, Skills, Activities.

3.

Start with your Name and Contact details o Write your full name, postal address, house and mobile numbers, email address. o Leave out your marital status, sex, race, parents name and occupation, birth details, etc.

4.

Write your Employment details o Starting with your most recent work, list down all the jobs you have had, company names, dates of employment, position titles. o Using bullet points, write the job description, nature of work and responsibilities held for each position o Use key words: responsible for, coordinating, prepared, managed, monitored, presented, accomplished, achieved, analyzed, delegated, etc . o Highlight your achievements/job responsibilities.

5.

List Education details o Lead with your highest education level to the lowest, include grades like CGPA. o State courses or papers studied, e.g. Psychology, Contract Law, Multimedia. o List activities like societies/clubs, position held and accomplishments if they are relevant to the job you are applying to. Otherwise, leave them out.

6.

Include your Skills o List down your computer skills, language skills (and different dialects) including proficiency in reading and writing, and soft skills (public speaking, presentation, etc).

7.

Reference o Not totally essential but if you need to mention references, choose people who know you personally and can give a good impression of you to the potential employer. o Remember to give your references contact details . o Make sure you inform your referees that they may receive calls from your interviewers so that they can prepare. Send them copies of your resume so that they know who you are and what you did.

8.

Miscellaneous o Be short and concise Resumes are usually read in only 30 seconds or less, so you have to be brief and go straight to the point. Resumes should be a maximum of two pages long. Use Size 12 fonts (Times New Roman or Garamond font) for easy read. Use three pages only if you have extensive professional experience. Use italic or bold fonts only to indicate important information or section breaks. Use a good printer, no stray marks, splotches, uneven or blurred letters. Use high quality A4 paper, white only. Do not use flashy colours like pink or red.

Be honest Do not inflate your resume. Make sure you can back up what you claim. Do not cheat/lie.

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes Make sure your resume is free from spelling or grammar mistakes. Ask someone reliable to check it for you. Do not depend on your word processors Spell Check function. Most importantly, proof read until your resume is perfect.

Use Power Verbs Action words add oomph to your writing and enables you to describe clearly.

Essential elements of a complete resume

Of course, youd like to make sure your resume stands out, and you wonder if there are any new techniques you can try. The fact is, the rules on what makes a hot resume have hardly changed. Its still knowing the essentials that will do the trick. Make sure yours has these elements in the given order: 1. 2. Job objective. State briefly the kind of job you seek so the employer will know if he has a match. Be specific and to the point. Never write obscure statements. Pertinent skills. If you had work stints while studying, enumerate them here. List the employers name, address, dates of employment, and your job title and duties. Indicate relevant skills acquired and accomplishments made. Education. List down in reverse order your educational attainment, the name of school and year of graduation. Include your G.P.A. (if impressive), honors, special projects and extracurricular activities. Positions of responsibility in school activities and organizations show you have leadership and people skills. Personal background. Disclose only those details relevant to the position. It is all right to omit your parents names and occupations or your hobbies. Leave out something to talk about during the interview. References. Skip this altogether or simply say that this will be available upon request. If you do include references, provide the complete name, title and contact details. (Get clearance from your references first! This way, they wont be caught off guard and can prepare a good testimonial on your behalf.)

3.

4.

5.

Some useful tips:

Be brief and concise: Youve got about 30 seconds to make your pitch so dont beat around the bush. Be perfect: Proofread ruthlessly. Weed out typos and grammatical boo-boos. Double-check dates and facts. Ensure punctuation marks are correct and in their proper places. Be active: Go for action verbs. Delete personal pronouns and articles. These will invigorate your resume and free up space for more information. Be inviting. Your resume must look attractive to be read. Use conservative fonts like Times New Roman or Arial, at least 10 in size. Include ample white space. Organize items under section headings to give the eyes a break. Print on crisp, white paper.

Remember, a crowded, cluttered, error-laden resume is a big turnoff.

Resume Writing Tips: By job seekers, for job seekers

Nowadays, many employers are seeking people that have the experience to work with their companies. So in your resume, please state clearly your job experiences. Do not feel shy to write about your experiences even though you only have one or two. Alex Lee Most people think that having a resume that is comprehensively filled with details of their achievements and

experiences is the way to go in securing their dream job. This is not always true as executives are busy people who usually glance through resumes as opposed to spending a long time reading them. The tip is to focus on several relevant strengths pertaining to the job you are applying and keep them concise. Remember, quality better than quantity. Ramlee Bin Sulaiman Do not lie about your qualifications. A degree holder should not keep his qualification a secret when applying for a position that needs a lower qualification as the number of unemployed graduates are increasing and the competition to secure a job is high. Fong Hui Hui Limit your Resume to one or two pages. Include only relevant information. Set your objective in the Resume. Use buzz words. Check for spelling accuracy. Be consistent with the layout throughout the entire Resume. Have someone else read and comment on it before printing the final copy. Lim Theen Kin Resume is the first impression of you! A bad resume gives a bad impression. A good resume gives a good impression. Whenever you write a resume, keep your language simple and organized. A good resume must not have any typo error. If you need another person to proofread your resume, get it done. It is better to be cautious than to be sorry. Mazlan Muslim Keep your resume to the point and stress the important facts and figures that relate to the job you are looking for. Include IT-savvy items such as the use of spreadsheet and word processing software and other technical software for the relevant post. One's strength in language(s) and courses attended must be included, besides the academic credentials. Shirley Leong We do not have to be looking for a job to write a resume. A resume reflects our career profile, experience and skills that we acquire daily. Therefore, build and improve our resume as time goes by. At least when we are ready to look for a job opportunity, we already have an up-to-date resume to use. Tan Kok Hong Be precise with your job titles, roles and responsibilities. Do not over-sell yourself. Be short and straight to the point on your work achievements bullet points are recommended. Goh Ching Kai Always prepare a hard copy of your resume and other copies of useful documents. Many interviewers have your documents in their PC but they prefer to glance through those documents during interviews to look for things that they wish to know more from you instead of reading on the PC monitor. Goh Ching Kai Write down something unique about yourself. Some little experience in participating or organising any activity, be it official or just casual among your friends, will help. For example, organising a trip for your friends can be a tough task even if it not official. Just write itdown. Kugendran Shanmuganathan If you want to market yourself right, it begins with a well-drafted resume and honest details of what you have to offer. Kugendran Shanmuganathan Resumes are like brochures of yourself. They have to stand out from the competition if you expect to be sold (recruited) to the best in the industry. Alex Lee When mentioning achievements in a job, make sure the end result is S.M.A.R.T which are Specific, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic and Time framed. However, do not overdo it and try not to be arrogant.

How To Write A Winning and Marketable Resume

"Your resume is the first point of contact with a prospective employer; so make sure it gives a good first impression" Do you know that a typical executive job advertisement in Saturday's The Straits Times Recruit page can easily attract an average of 100+ job applications? How would you like to stand out among the crowd and be selected for the interview?

As a HR professional and certified resume writer, I have had the opportunity to vet thousands of resumes and sat in several recruitment interviews. What became obvious was that those outstanding resumes usually get the attention of the HR Manager faster and therefore put them ahead of the rest in terms of getting an interview and of course, the job offer. But what makes a resume outstanding? Basically, it answers the following questions, which most resumes do not:

"Why should we hire you?" "What can you value add to our organisation?" "How can you best contribute to our company?"

Here are some additional tips which you may wish to consider before you submit another resume: 1. Start your resume with a summary of qualifications, which consist of three to five statements of your career experience. Unless you are a fresh graduate or intend to switch career, it is not appropriate to start your resume with an objective. I have observed that many executives, including senior management tend to overlook this, and miss out on the opportunity to highlight their best attributes right upfront, for example, " 15+ years of product marketing experience". List your professional strengths next. Don't just give general statements but use keywords or buzzwords that companies and recruiters need to see, for example, "Marketing management", "Cost controls", and "Product training". Highlight your achievements. Be clear and specific about what you have accomplished under different job positions or titles. Don't just state your job duties and responsibilities but go a step further to show the impact or results of what you have accomplished for the organization. Wherever possible, quantify your achievements, for instance, "increased sales turnover 80 percent through new product launch and innovative pricing strategies". Having written your job responsibilities and achievements, you should then present your educational qualifications and training. The most common practice is to state the degree earned, name of university and year of graduation. Be true to what you say. For example, if you complete a three-year course but did not graduate, do not say that you have gotten the qualification. Put some effort to make sure the overall layout or presentation of your resume gives a good visual appeal. Format your resume well. Choose the correct font size and layout to avoid too much white space. Also avoid cramming too much on one page. The overall effect should be that your resume projects a touch of class and professionalism.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Do remember that your resume ought to be a "marketing masterpiece" and not just a mere collection of past histories. Your resume is the first point of contact that determines if you should be granted an interview. It is therefore important to put your best effort in creating a good first impression. For a free resume critique, please email your resume to steven@resumeasia.com. Confidentiality guaranteed and absolutely no obligation.

Writing a Career Objective in a resume

If you must include an objective in your resume, make sure its not an afterthought -or a mere garnishing that does nothing to increase your chances of landing that job. "Shoot for the moon, and maybe land among the stars." This is the way most career objectives sound in the resume of inexperienced job seekers. Vague. Uncertain. Aiming for everything and nothing. That is why, some experts warn, "If you cannot say it clearly, don't say anything at all." Why is this problem so common? For most of us, a career objective is something thrown in-almost as an afterthought-when cooking up a resume. Something like a garnishing. An extra ingredient to spice things up. We think of it simply as an optional blank field we may choose to fill up with standard words in a standard format. Or, worse, with copied words from someone else's resume. But if a career objective is just garnishing, as some people think it is, then why is it always placed on the crucial first line of the resume? This is the first statement the recruiter reads, after your name and contact numbers. Is that strategic placement just an accident? On the other hand, if this line is so important, then why the cavalier

treatment? The One True Objective This attitude-and the resulting vagueness-seems to come from the fact that most of us don't really know what we mean by career objective. Reading between the lines of expert opinions, we begin to see that they may really be talking about two different kinds of objectives: 1. 2. A career objective for your life; and A career objective for your resume

Come again? Focus those glazing eyes, and let's take a closer look. The dictionary defines "career" as "a person's advancement through life, especially in a profession." Job-hunting guru Richard Nelson Bolles is probably one of the staunchest proponents of the idea that we should aim for our one, true desire in life-and state that as our career objective. No two minds about it. For him, that objective is the whole point of the job hunt. "Forget what is available out there. Go after what you really want," he advises boldly in the best-selling, annually updated book, What Color is your Parachute? Does he differentiate between one's objective in life and the objective stated in the resume? Since Bolles is one career expert who does not think that a resume is a necessity, a statement of career objective specifically for a resume is not even a relevant issue to him. In effect, he is saying that a resume is just an optional tool that a job seeker may choose not to use in the hunting process. It seems that if he has his way, he will do away with it completely. Go, figure. Still, he maintains that should a job hunter use one, he must make sure that he, the job seeker, "shines through" all the words he puts in his resume. In short, the resume should be tailored around the job hunter's career objective-his life objective-not the other way around. "Don't be a job-beggar," he says. "Be a resource person." Developing one's career objective in this vein is a hunter-driven process, which begins and ends with what the hunter is truly seeking. Tailor-Fit Your Objective to Your Resume On the other hand, other experts take off on the common and very practical perception that we have to work with "what is available out there." What are the jobs on the market that a job hunter can apply for? Which jobs can fit, more or less, with his general direction in life? Which jobs can help him, in a step-by-step way, move toward his life objective. For these experts, having several versions of a resume with several versions of a career objective is a real jobhunting necessity. Make sure that your career objectives will match the particular needs of the target employer, they advise. Makes a lot of sense, right? You do want a job, pay those bills. Hence, it is important to clearly identify the parameters that the job seeker can work around-certain combinations of the following key elements, depending on what he wants to stress: * The position (accounting, nursing) * The field (publishing, computer technology) * The hunter's marketable skills (human relations, mathematical abilities) So as not to turn off those recruiters, heed these general guidelines for writing career objectives: * Be concise (but not so specific that you limit yourself too much). * Use verb phrases rather than sentences (Example: Seeking . . . rather than I seek). * Be sure the objective is compatible with the resume. * Demonstrate your value as a candidate and as an asset, not what you will get. In short, it is a market-driven process of developing objectives. The main aim is to make a hit with at least one of the available positions, in one of the open fields, with some of the hunters' marketable sets of skills. The lay of the land is defined by what the employers offer and the hunter must fit his objective(s) within this topography. Assess Yourself The trouble with most career objectives we read is that they wobble between these two kinds of objectives, undecided. It is probably better for a job seeker to approach the job hunt one way or the other, but not somewhere in between. That is the surest path to vagueness and awkwardness.

In any case, though the experts differ on many things, they seem to agree on one thing. Always start with a comprehensive self-assessment. They are one in saying: Clarify your career objectives (whichever kind they mean) by clarifying who you are. So, lets get to the crux of the matter. After youve carefully as sessed yourself, specifically your strengths and abilities, along with the tasks you have performed in previous jobs and how you intend to use them in the next one, what do you do next? The next logical step, of course, is to labor at phrasing your objec tive well, making sure it does not sound Icentered. Consider this example: A position as a sales engineer requiring superior skills in managing and monitoring sales and promotions of equipment to clients. Now, contrast this with: A position as a sale s engineer, where I can enhance my skills in managing and monitoring sales and promotions of equipment to clients and eventually advance to higher positions. The difference between the two is obvious: the first is targeted at meeting the prospective employers needs; the second emphasizes what the job seeker hopes to gain from, not contribute to, the prospective employer. Keep in mind that similar positions could vary from one company to another. Therefore, you would do well to refrain from using job titles in career objectives. That way you dont limit your chances of being considered for the job that you want. This is not to say that very specific objectives have no use. If you really want a job that requires very specific skills, then, by all means, make your objective specific-but not limiting. This means your objective can apply to other jobs even if you must specify the skills that you think make you the perfect fit for the job youre applying for. In the end, it is the job hunter's call what to aim for and how to state his or her career objective. Helpful resources are everywhere, specifically on the Internet. And the market is out there for the hunting.

13 Tips to Writing the Right Resume

Coming up with a resume that makes jaded HR people sit up and take notice isn't as difficult as it sounds. The trick is to make sure it's worthwhile reading anytime. How to come up with a resume that works--now there's a dilemma shared by fresh graduates and working stiffs alike. What exactly do you put in and leave out to convince the HR manager that you will be a wise addition to their company ranks? It's a tough set of decisions to make, akin to those you make when going on a blind date: You worry yourself sick over what to wear, what perfume to use, what to say to make the other person like you. Writing resumes is, after all, fundamentally a marketing act. It's a way to advertise yourself and stand out in the marketplace crowd of similarly competent, qualified workers. Forget about being modest. As career specialist J. Michael Farr, writing in the online magazine VidBook.com, says, "Your resume is no place to be humble." How then do you design yours so that it comes off not as a pompous recitation of accomplishments the way a politician may do his, but as a compelling summary of your most attractive qualities? Remember what your resume is not for: It's not meant to get you a job. Not yet, anyway. Its mission is to get you a job interview--which would hopefully lead to a job offer. But think of that as a long-term goal. First, your resume should be able to get your foot in the door by attracting the reader's attention enough to wangle an invitation for that first big look-see. HR practitioners thumb through countless resumes in the course of their work. How do you make yours so fetching it warrants a face-to-face encounter? Here's a 13step guide to constructing a professional resume that gets your foot in that all-important door.

Gather your materials. Begin by putting everything down on paper--contact details, work history and accomplishments, academic background, seminars attended, honors received, skills and proficiencies, personal details, etc. Don't worry about organizing them at this point; just make sure you don't leave out anything major, substantial, or relevant. Pay particular attention to dates and places--say, periods of employment--as mistakes in these areas may leave an impression of sloppiness, or worse, fudging on your part. Start with your name and contact details. Your contact information should come right at the top of the resume after your name for easy and convenient reference by the reader. Include all possible contact details: postal address, landline and mobile phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail address. The last one is particularly important, because in these tech-savvy times, an email address shows that you are,

at the very least, computer literate. State a job objective. A well-developed job objective statement "can be a useful way of demonstrating yourself to be a focused individual," says VirtualResume.com, an online job placement company. If you're responding to an advertisement, your job objective can be as simple as the position title (e.g., "Finance Manager"). But if you're aiming to keep your options open for other positions within a broad range of expertise, you can write a more general description of the work and corporate environment you want to focus on (e.g., "To apply my extensive experience in finance and administration to senior management positions in a highly motivated, forward-looking multicultural company"). Beware of generic objectives such as "employment in a position commensurate to my qualifications" or "to secure a regular position." Write a brief summary of qualifications. Cynthia Buiza, an HR and corporate communications officer at a Thailand-based NGO, says she appreciates resumes that provide upfront a concise summary of the applicant's qualifications. "I get the impression that the applicant knows his strengths very well, but more importantly, that he can help me evaluate his credentials in a paragraph or so." Such small gestures of consideration, she says, go a long way toward distinguishing a thoughtful resume from the run-of-the-mill. Your summary of qualifications should include:

o o o o

number of years of professional experience areas of expertise and career highlights (e.g., "at 26, youngest officer promoted to manager in bank history") unique skills and competencies (e.g., "part-time financials instructor at the SAP Academy") other information underlining your particular qualifications for the job

The summary's task is to make your credentials a cut above the rest. But make it brief; two or three sentences should do.

Lead with your professional experience. Unless you are a new graduate, you should begin the body of your resume with an outline of your employment history, starting with your most recent work. List down all the jobs you've had, the company names, dates of employment, titles and responsibilities. "Don't censor this list; include everything," advises VidBook.com. A fairly straightforward rundown of your professional experience emphasizes a strong and consistent work history. A choppy one, on the other hand, where you jump from one company to another within fairly short periods, or have unaccounted pockets of unemployment, will inevitably lead to questions about your work ethic, your sense of stability, company loyalty, etc. That's why it's best not to leave a gap. Account for everything, even for time spent outside of professional work (e.g., "1990-1993Full-time parent," or "1998-1999--Study and travel"). Highlight concrete achievements. When you describe your professional experience, don't just enumerate your job responsibilities. A comprehensive job description will only pad up your resume; save it for the interview. Instead, emphasize any major accomplishments you had chalked up in the job. Use numbers, figures, percentages if possible. At the September 1994 Professional Association of Resume Writers' Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, USA (yes, there is such a thing), invited HR panelists were one in saying they searched for certain key words and phrases that provided a barometer of a potential candidate's qualifications. These words were active verbs that described the applicant as a results-oriented, dynamic individual, such as "accomplish, achieve, analyze, delegate, establish." In other words, describe your job in the active, not the passive, voice. Why say, for instance, "Directly responsible for coordinating community programs" when you can say "Managed community programs with P12-million annual budget, 4 employees, and 3 office branches; streamlined program operations, increasing revenues by 20% over a period of 3 months." Emphasize your educational preparedness. If you are a new graduate with no professional experience, lead with your academic background, honors, and extra-curricular activities. Don't believe the fillip that grades don't matter in the real world; in the beginning at least, they do. As Fred Damian, HR partner of Ernst & Young-Manila, explains, potential employers understandably

give hiring priority to young people who have more or less proven themselves in academic tasks and school-related activities. Positions of responsibility in extra-curricular and community organizations are also reliable indicators of leadership and social interaction skills, he says. Thus, make sure they're all in your resume. Leave off the negative points. If you made it to the dean's list in the first semester of your first year and never made it again, it might be prudent not to include the details anymore. That is, unless you're prepared to admit during the interview that after a glowing start, you sputtered to a lame finish. Your educational background should always be positive and purposeful, to encourage the thinking that you are well prepared for the rigors of the corporate world. Include special skills and competencies. This is important, particularly in a highly competitive knowledge-based industry such as IT. In your resume, include the titles, dates, venues, and agenda of all your training activities and further education, whether formal or informal. Begin with the most relevant seminars. Be specific: don't just say "assorted computer training," when you can say "training in Visual Basic, SAP," etc. If you are fluent in more than one language, mention that fact, too. Either include references--or don't mention them. There are two schools of thought on this: One says it's necessary to include references. The other says this only lengthens the resume, and should therefore be available in another sheet of paper only upon request. Damian, however, advises against using the standard "References available upon request" line. "It's either you mention references, or none at all," he says. "What's the point of putting in a header for 'References' only to say 'Available upon request?'" But if you do include references, include as well their complete contact detailsespecially telephone numbers and email addresses, and also the best time to get in touch with them. Use personal details sparingly. In the US where job-discrimination laws are wide ranging and explicit, "a potential employer has no legal right to request information about age, sex, race, religion, marital status, health, physical appearance, or personal habits," explains The Writing Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Such statutes have yet to find root locally, but it is best to leave out as much extraneous (read: personal) information as possible from your resume, to free up limited space. These include names and occupations of parents, hobbies and interests, birthplace, etc. Reserve them for the interview proper. Be concise. Resumes are often read in 30 seconds or less so be brief, straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points to underscore important information. Employ paragraph breaks, lines, and numbers. A standard resume should be no more than two pagesthree at most if you have extensive professional experience. Beyond that, your resume needs serious editing. Proofread! There should be no typographical or spelling errors in your resume. When using numbers, re-check decimal places or the number of zeros. Punctuation and date formats should be consistent. For example, if you write "2 February 2000" in one section, don't write "March 5, 2000" in another. Make it an easy read. Your resume should also be visually appealing; a carelessly printed, sloppily designed resume will reflect disastrously on you. Thus, make it easy on the eye with lots of white spaces, a font no smaller than 10 in size, and at most two conservative typestyles (such as Times New Roman or Garamond). Underlined and bold text should be used sparingly--only to highlight significant information or to indicate section breaks. Another crucial point: Use a laser printer. With cheap laser printing services available even in neighborhood computer shops nowadays, there is no excuse for jet ink-printed resumes, which easily smudge or run off. Make sure that the printing is even, with no stray marks, splotches or blurred letters. Finally, use only high-quality bond paper--either white or off-white. Don't experiment with flashy colors such as blue or green, or with fancy graphics and visuals; stick to the simple and straightforward. One more suggestion: Once written up, show your resume to friends or colleagues. Listen to their comments and suggestions, especially on how easy or difficult it is to find important information at a glance. Then consider all that when rewriting the final draft of your masterpiece.
by Gibbs Cadiz

Tips on Crafting that Online Resume

The difference between the electronic resume and the printed version is who -- or what -- gets to see it first. The job hunter wanting to post online must first understand this difference before he can prepare a resume suited for an electronic medium. Without question, the Internet has revolutionized all aspects of modern living -business operations, information gathering, the communication process, even how we pay our bills. Now, the Internet is even reshaping the hiring landscape.

Just as you can now conveniently use the computer to shop or pay online, so can you use it to send your resume to potential employers. The electronic resume does not differ from the traditional printed version in purpose: Both are powerful selling tools that outline your work skills and experience so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the company's growth. A marked difference There is, however, a marked difference in who -- or what -- gets to see it first: While the old-fashioned resume is written for quick skimming by the human eye, the Web -- or scannable -- resume is written to be searched by the digital eye. The job hunter wanting to post online must first understand this difference before he can craft a resume suited for an electronic environment. You may well ask: Is there really a need to prepare an electronic resume? With almost everything now being done via the Net, it would be foolish not to do so. An electronic resume is vital in today's times because an increasing number of businesses have started using the Internet for hiring purposes. In fact, about 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies reportedly already have a Web hiring presence, and the US-based research firm Internet Business Network estimates there are about 100,000 job-related sites online. And online recruitment isn't likely to fade away anytime soon either. For hiring managers, it represents convenience, efficiency and 24-hour connection to the job market. With automated resume submission, we are sure that we get the maximum number of applicants. We can reach out to as many prospective applicants as possible, stresses Dona Yap, the personnel head of a computer firm. With an electronic resume, therefore, you are well poised to take advantage of this boom in Internet hiring and send your e-resume instantaneously to any potential employer in any part of the world. That is exactly what Singapore-bound freelance writer Vernie Reyes, who has been accepted as editor of a technical magazine there, did. The Internet is truly amazing. I just filled in my resume details and applied online. To my surprise, they contacted me, and eventually hired me for the job, she narrates. Still need convincing? Jobstreet.com, the leading e-recruitment site in the Asia-Pacific region, receives many success testimonials from jobseekers, saying they were able to land a job after registering their resumes with the website. Making a Web-compatible resume Okay, you're finally sold to the idea. Your next question: How do I make a Web-compatible resume that will impress the digital recruiter? Reyes, a veteran at online job application, says there are two ways of submitting your electronic resume: by direct e-mail to a hiring firm or by filling an electronic form and entering it in an online resume bank. Most companies rely on Internet career sites to help them make jobseeker matches. What's important to remember is that well-established websites usually have automated recruitment-management software that winnows the resumes against predetermined employment standards. At JobStreet.com, for instance, SiVA does automated searches and segregates resumes based on keywords that indicate the candidate's skill, education, knowledge levels and other specific standards set by the hiring employer. This enables the employer to save a sizable amount of time traditionally spent going through each resume and separating the qualified from the unqualified. Focus on nouns Programmer Ruby Alcala says that knowing this, you must remember to focus on nouns, not verbs. Computers do searches by scanning your resume for keywords and phrases describing skills and work experience needed for the job -- and most of these are nouns, Alcala says. But while buzzwords are important don't forget the human aspect of your resume as well. Buzzwords help a lot in the initial scanning stage, but make sure you balance this with a description of your personality and attitude intended for human eyes, says recruitment officer Tristan Ocampo. This is because after the computer has done an initial search and drawn up the shortlist of qualified applicants, an HR officer will be the next to handle your resume. So be sure to include in it as well your competitive human qualities such as dependability, responsibility and initiative.

If you wish to increase your selection chances, highlight relevant and related accomplishments, Ocampo says. Avoid potential screen-out elements such as unrelated work experiences or a list of brief jobs giving the impression you're a job hopper. Save as plain text On the file format, job seekers are enjoined to send their Web resumes in plain ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange) text format to ensure all operating systems can read your resum. Some job seekers also develop resumes in HTML format so they can exist as a web page, and rather than submit an online resume, the applicant can just direct the employer to its URL address. When you are asked to submit by e-mail, always paste your resume into the body of an e-mail message. Attachments are not recommended, not only because the recipient's operating system may not be able to read it, but also because most employers are wary of them for fear of contracting viruses. Protecting your privacy Now you know what it takes to tailor-fit a resume for the electronic medium. But one last thing before you hit that send button: Be warned that once released on the Web, your resume is fair game for browsing by anyone. So if you feel the need to protect your privacy, career counselor Pinky Madrigal suggests indicating only your e-mail address, withholding your personal address and phone number. Remember that once posted, your resume becomes a public document whose readership is beyond your control, Madrigal says. Or, you can choose a career resource website that asks your permission first before your resume is released for viewing. JobStreet.com, for instance, has the Truste seal which guarantees privacy and confidentiality for registered resumes. In essence, the jobseeker has the final say on who to send the resume to or who shall have access to its contents. With that in mind, start posting those online resumes!

Know Which Resume Type Suits You Best

Find out which of these resume styles suits most your particular job-seeker profile. Dont take your resume for granted! Any job-hunter worth his salt knows a good resume is the key to a job interview and, ultimately, to employed status. Aside from being a summary of abilities, experience and education, a resume should reveal your unique selling point to make a potential employer want to get to know you better. The secret of an irresistible resume -- it is suited to a specific job offer and addresses the positions requirements. A tailored resume carries more impact than a one-size-fits-all. If your resume is in need of a makeover, the first step to take is to organize information under specific headings such as education, work experience, honors, skills and activities. When you have it all on paper, decide on the proper resume format to play up outstanding qualities that make a perfect fit for the job opening. Take a look at the different kinds of resumes below and choose the one that suits your particular job-hunter profile: This format is the most conventional and puts emphasis on an itemized employment h istory. A job seekers career milestones are presented in reverse chronological order, starting with the current or last position held. Each position should contain a description of responsibilities and a few bullet points of accomplishments. This resume type is best for candidates with solid experience and progressive job history in a field or industry. It lends itself well to those with accumulated work experience relevant to the job offered and who want to continue along a similar career path. Below is the suggested format, but be sure to customize it according to the jobs requirements: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Objective Summary Employment History Education Professional affiliations Community Affiliations

Resume authorities agree that most employers prefer this resume style because it is based on facts and is easily digestible. It clearly demonstrates at a glance your career movements and progress over the years.

The functional resume is one that organizes work history into sections that highlight areas of skill and accomplishment. This resume variety allows candidates to give prominence to the set of skills and experiences they deem most relevant to the position. It may be a good choice for job hoppers, career changers and fresh graduates. Job hoppers can use it to help make sense of seemingly disconnected experiences and show correlation between skills and accomplishments not made obvious in a traditional chronological format. On the other hand, career shifters and recent graduates can utilize this resume type to display transferable skills and related achievements to convince employers of their suitability for the post. This resume type often takes this format: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Objective Summary Skill Areas Employment History Education Professional Affiliations Community Affiliations

Be warned, however, that a functional resume could raise concerns that it hides information gaps and covers up spotty employment records. Employers might also encounter difficulties matching skills and accomplishments with actual job titles, dates and responsibilities. To avoid this, include the company name in the bulleted description of your accomplishments. Moreover, dont omit at least a brief chronological listing of your work experience in your functional resume.

As the term implies, the combination resume tries to merge the best features of both chronological and functional types -- incorporating both a chronological work history and a skills and achievements section. In this format, skills and accomplishments get top billing followed by employment history. However, experts caution that the combination resume may not sit well with some employers, who may find these longer resumes particularly repetitious and confusing. This format can be a good tool, however, for someone who possesses strong editing skills. Curriculum vitae The curriculum vitae is sometimes used interchangeably with resume. But by formal definition, curriculum vitae refers to a detailed, lengthy and structured outline of educational background, publications, projects, awards and work history. It could run up to 20 pages and is usually suitable for educators and scientists boasting extensive academic and professional credentials and seeking positions in education or research. Here is the recommended format for the curriculum vitae: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Education Publications Projects Awards Employment History

Electronic resume Simply put, the electronic resume is one that can be sent by e-mail or on the Internet, and is specially formatted for scanning and searching by optical scanning systems. This format is the one frequently used when sending resumes through electronic resume banks and job sites like JobStreet.com. The electronic resume can come in different file formats, but experts recommend the use of ASCII (or American Standard Code for Information Interchange) file formats as they are universally recognized by PC, Macintosh, UNIX workstations and mainframe terminals. The three most common ASCII (pronounced ASK-ee) file formats are plain text, rich text and hypertext. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages. Plain text is the most popularly used format for resume transfers across computer systems and is identified by the .txt file extension. Its main drawback is, of course, its

no-frills, plain-look format, which can be remedied with the use of asterisks and other special characters to achieve a bulleted effect. Rich text, identified by the .rtf file extension, provides more formatting options and is gaining grounds for its compatibility across word processors. Rich text is very convenient to use for existing resumes that are in word document or are sent as an email attachment. However, some destination computers may have email browsers that do not recognize this file format. If you are unsure about the read capability of a recipients e -mail system, you would do better applying plain text formatting. Hypertext, also known as a web page, is identified through the file extension .htm or .html. This file format requires a web browser (like Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator) to view your resume. A major setback to hypertext resume is that it relies on self-promotion rather than on the support of a large recruitment site.

Want To Survive A Bad Reference?

"You can't always get what you wa-ant" goes that familiar melodious refrain. And when the sun doesn't shine on your job search references, the chill of your search mission can be veritably frosty. But, let me start at a more logical beginning. Your references function as an objective third-party opinion of you. It is meant to be a way for interviewers to have a good view of your "employability". If you're sniffing out your next job, you know that references are vital to your resume. If you left your previous job under less than wonderful circumstances between you and your boss or had a bad academic report, it is important to know how a bad reference (written or verbal) can affect your job application process and how to manage this potentially sticky situation. The Professional Reference If you have a previous employer that might give you a bad reference, you probably know who it is. The good thing about the scenario is that you should be able to make a good guess at what he/she might say - whether you were fired or quit because of various reasons. Knowing where your problem areas were (if they are reflected in your resume and references) is the first step in responding to them. For example, if you quit or were fired from your last job in your current field due to a personality conflict with your employer/supervisor, approach it from a neutral and positive angle. You can explain in your first interview (if they bring it up) that the problem wasn't one of your competency but working style. You can say that despite your best attempts to make things work, sometimes certain people are just unable to work effectively together. There are many different styles of doing things that are not always compatible. Luckily most Employers and HR Managers will generally only answer factual reference questions that refer to data like date of hire/title/Job duties/date of termination. Most employers would not bother with opening up a can of worms to undo the reputation of a previous employee. Furthermore, your prospective employer knows you are switching jobs, so, logically, the previous job could not have been the best fit. So just be positive and focus on the tasks you have accomplished and the valuable experience gained at your previous job, while pointing to the competencies you developed at other jobs where you have more positive references. Reference Ala' Academia In the academic arena on the other hand, if you did not manage to produce very good results in your academic exams, explain to the interviewer what other positive circumstances might have influenced the result. For example, at an interview after graduating, the interviewer peered over at me to ask why my final year results were not in Grade 1 as in my previous two years. I told him frankly that I spent a lot of time diving into many extra-curricular activities that helped me develop valuable leadership and management skills. This meant that I had less time to spend on studying, but I had obtained skills in many other areas, not only academically. (I swear though, it's true!) They thought this made me a stronger candidate, and I got the job! If, of course, you did not do well but it was due to too much partying, do not lie. Interviewers have an uncanny ability to figure this out sooner or later. Instead, try to review the skills you can bring to the job and concentrate on how you would be able to contribute even with less than sterling qualifications. In the end, all interviewers want to know how you will perform in your new job and if you can convince them of that, you have a good chance. Prepping Your Referees Finally, always remember to inform your referees of the fact that they might be required to produce references to your interviewers at least 1-2 weeks in advance to prepare. Don't forget to send them copies of your most recent resume as well, so that they are able to remember the details of who you were, what you did and have the time to write up/prepare a good reference for you. Preparation, preparation and more preparation is the way to go to ensure that your referees are able to

present a good view of you, you are able to anticipate the possible reference-related questions being asked (especially bad ones ) and ultimately, that your value to the hiring party is enhanced!. Of course, if you think that your past will seriously mess up your current job hunt, you might find it amusing to know that in the USA, a site called Myreferences.com helps people prepare themselves for the effects of bad references by calling up past employers and checking out what they say about you, both the good, bad, and the stuff in between! What will they think of next?

Should you inflate your resume, curriculum vitae (CV)?

The past few weeks since I came back into the recruitment scene, I have noticed quite a few complaints from HR managers about inflated CVs. I thought it interesting to find out what they were concerned about. Fair enough, you read all about the right way to write a resume, what you should focus on, what you should enhance and how you should say the things you want to say. What you get in the end should be a well-crafted piece to market your skills and experience in your chosen field. What actually happens? It seems that many of you may be better students than we thought! The latest concern among time-pressed recruiters is that the CVs submitted do not truly represent the candidate invited for interview. If you state that you were able to manage an extensive project from resource-allocation to budgeting, you have better make sure you can back that up in the interview. I remember running screening interviews for a large multinational a year ago. The initial screeners would whittle down the field of candidates by reviewing their CVs by looking at their skills, educational backgrounds and extracurricular activities. I was actually really amazed at the number of super-candidates emerging from that process. I was regularly slotted to interview students and experienced hires with quite the impressive list of achievements! However, during the interview, I was often sorely disappointed. For example, there was a student who was President of many societies and organisations at his university. When I probed him further on his role and achievements within these positions, he told me that there were five members in total, and that he had organised two picnics to local parks. Even though I wanted to find some nugget of brilliance in this candidate by giving him the benefit of the doubt, I emerged from the session disappointed and rather annoyed that he had tried to cheat me as an interviewer. Guan, the Chief Structural Engineer at a global luxury car manufacturer in the USA, was telling me about his own experience hiring yesterday. He was looking for senior designers who could hit the ground running, and he invited a candidate who seemed to glow in his resume. What the candidate did not know was that he was going to be tested in his skills. Despite an elaborate enhancement of his design experiences in his CV, when he was put to the test, he could not even get past the first half. When asked why he could not do as his resume dictated, he said: "I could do it, if you gave me instructions on what to do." Needless to say, neither my university graduate nor Guan's experienced candidate got called back for a second interview. It is important to learn the difference between writing a good honest CV and inflating it. If you do a good job of the former, you will get through based upon your own merits if you are right for the job. If you manage the latter inflation - you may get your foot in the door for the first round of interviews, but your cover will be quickly blown, and it will leave a very bad taste in the interviewer's mouth. That will most definitely kill your chances of progressing any further, and even ruin the potential to keep a relationship going with the recruiter for future opportunities. So be wise and honest when writing your CV. It is not fictional storytelling; it is an autobiography that should know the difference between who you are, and who you wish you could be. The reader will find out by the first chapter.

How To Write a Cover Letter

1. Keep to only one page o The cover letter should not be longer than one page, otherwise the interviewer will lose interest. o Maximum five paragraphs only. o Use simple words.

2.

Address the letter to the Human Resource Manager by name, if possible, followed by company name and address

o o

Do not write Dear Sir/Madam, Gentlemen, Sirs, Mr President, or To Whom It May Concern. If you do not know, find out beforehand. Do not spell the persons name wrongly.

3.

Layout a. The Opening Include your full name, address, date, employers designation and company address, correct salutation and subject. b. Introduction Indicate position applied for, branch/state position available (if applicable), source and date of job information. Briefly mention your qualifications. c. Sales Pitch Highlight to what extent you match the job requirements. Summarize your education, experience, capabilities and skills. Mention your interest in the company and the reason you are applying for that particular position. d. Request for further action Write that you look forward to receive their call for an interview. State your availability to attend interviews. End by thanking the person for his/her time and consideration.

Dos and don'ts of cover letter writing

In some ways, job-hunting is like walking a tightrope-a wrong step and you could fall flat on your face. But while most job searchers take careful steps in making their resume, they often become footloose in drafting the cover letter. But a cover letter is just as vital. Think of it as giving a girl you admire a box of her favorite chocolate. Sure, you dont have to, but its bound to earn you pogi points with her. Specifically, a cover letter is your vehicle to:

Disclose info that may not fit in your resume (like a large employment gap, why youre changing careers, etc.). Make a personal marketing pitch (highlight relevant skills, talents and experience that may get buried in your resume). Give a sneak preview of your desirable traits (sounds like someone Id like to interview).

Dos and donts of cover letter writing: The long and short of it. Cover letters are like TV commercials: Theyve got to grab attention, sell the produ ct (you) and linger on in memory-and they have to do these in just 30 seconds. So keep it between three and five paragraphs, no more than three sentences each. On paper, keep it under one page. For emailed versions, dont exceed one screen. Hello, stranger! How would you feel if you were addressed as Dear Sir/Madam, or To Whom It May Concern? Warm up to your reader by making discreet inquiries about the recruiting persons complete name and title (usually a Human Resources officer). For blind or well-call-you ads, use Dear Hiring Manager instead. Customize, customize, customize. Whats worse than omitting a cover letter? Sending a free size one to every company you apply with. Would you wear a large dress if you were petite? Or squeeze into an XS if youre medium size? Make sure your cover letter fits you perfectly. Find out your particular strengths and accentuate them. Replace generic sentences with branding statements. Ensure every word stays true to your goal -convincing the recruiter that he should hire only you. Write it right. Unlike the telegraphic style of a resume, the cover letter is written in prose-which will either display your command of English and your writing skills, or lack of them. Use the computers spell -check function to weed out misspellings. Proofread your work again and again. Then ask someone competent to edit your work, especially for common Pinoy grammatical pitfalls such as subject-verb agreement and tense usage. Say it right. Its a tricky balancing act: How to lend a personal touch without becoming too familiar? How to catch attention without making a fool of yourself? How to promote yourself without boasting? The secret of a commanding cover letter is keeping to the three Ss-simple, straightforward, and sincere. Write in a professional but conversational manner, with none of the as per your recent advertisement stuff. Dont resort to flattery or clichs. Avoid self -

aggrandizement by citing specific incidents and numbers. So how do you know if your cover letter has accomplished its goal? Its when it succeeds in impressing others, not you.

The 3-step cover letter: How to write the letter of application to go with your resume What do you do when you see or hear that your ideal job is up for grabs? What you dont do is just drop in unannounced, leave your curriculum vitae with the company or demand to meet the person in charge. The proper thing to do is to write an application letter first to introduce yourself to a likely employer. This way, you can highlight your qualifications, arrange for an interview and convince the reader to hire you. The letter should be simple and easy to read, reflecting the professionalism of the sender-you! To write clearly and state your business in the fewest possible words, follow this three-step outline: Introduction Begin by announcing your intention to apply for the position. State where or how you learned of the opening. Body Document your qualifications and skills. Enumerate accomplishments, significant work and educational experience in logical order. Conclusion Affirm your willingness to be interviewed. Thank the reader for considering your application and ask him to look at your rsum (which should be submitted with the letter) and other valid documents. You may follow up an application if your initial letter has not been acknowledged or if you do not receive feedback after an interview. An inquiry would remind the reader of your recent communication, reiterate your interest in the available position and keep your identity alive in the employers mind. In your subsequent letter, mention the date and nature of the previous exchange or meeting. Point out your suitability for the job and talk about your continued interest in the position. End your note by requesting permission to keep in touch and express hope of a response. Offer your contact information (address, telephone numbers and email address) again lest your documents be misplaced and so that company representatives can easily reach you. How to Write Thank You Letters One of the most underutilized job-hunting tools, the thank you letter when properly wielded packs a mean wallop. So you thought youve done all you can, after going through the interview, and all you can do now is sit and wait. Not so. You still have one potent weapon in your marketing arsenal to help tilt the odds in your favor: The thank you letter. According to the experts, less than 10 percent of interviewees bother to send one after the interview, not knowing what a great sales

opportunity theyve missed. The thank you letter serves an array of purposes, all intending to make you look good. Among these are:

To portray you as courteous and professional. To help you stand above the crowd. To give you an opportunity to restate your good points. To allow you to state important facts not said during the interview.

Points to Remember So if you havent moved beyond first base in the interview process, the thank you letter may just be the missing key. In writing the letter, it is best to keep these guidelines in mind:

Send your letter promptly-preferably within the first couple of days and no later than a week after the interview. Address it to a specific person, and make sure you got the name right. Keep it brief: A short page of two or three paragraphs will do. Preferably, type your letter, following the standard business letter format. Use the letter to reiterate your interest in the job and give a summary of your related skills and qualifications. Leverage this opportunity to mention important information left out during the interview. This is your chance to make up if you flubbed your answers. Customize your letter. You dont need to draft a different letter for each company, but do tailor the content to the interviewers particular interests and concerns. Proofread for misspellings, typos and grammatical boo-boos.

Parts of a Thank You Letter A thank you letter should contain the following: First paragraph. Convey how much you enjoyed and appreciated the meeting, and make some positive remarks about the company. Second paragraph. Let the interviewer know youre still keen on getting the position. Reiterate your strengths and mention pertinent or new information that you failed to bring up during the interview. Closing paragraph. Inform the interviewer that you would appreciate hearing from him or her again, and indicate your willingness to come in for a second interview. Thank You by E-mail Ideally, thank you letters should be typewritten on clean, high-quality bond paper and delivered by post or courier. But most experts agree that e-mailed thank you letters are now also acceptable. E-mail enables you to send your message instantaneously, which could play a big role if the employer needs to make a quick hiring decision. If possible, follow up your e-mail with a hard copy. Just like the printed letter, the e-mail version should be short and to the point -- ideally one screen length. It should also adhere to professional business letter standards. In particular, steer clear of informal language devices such as:

Emoticons (smiling faces, sad faces) Lower-case first-person pronouns (i, ive, ill) Lower-case first letter of a sentence Shorthand and telegraphic sentences (Sending you more details...) Acronyms (BTW for by the way, ASAP for as soon as possible, TIA for thanks in advance)

Cover letters make a great first impression Youre planning to work in the United States. Youve got a great American-style resume, and you feel you are the perfect candidate for a job that has just been advertised. But how do you advertise yourself? American employers demand a Cover Letter. What exactly IS a cover letter? If you can think of your job search resume as the dinner of the job search meal, then your Cover Letter is your resumes appetizer. A cover letters primary purpose is to act as an employers introduction to your resume. Put simply, it is a brief outline of your career objectives, a summary of your previous work experience, and a list of some notable career highlights. This letter is all about who you are and what you do. The idea is to make this introductory topsheet interesting and so well written that, after reading it, the employers interest will be piqued enough to go on to read your resume. The first step to your dream job in the USA is to have the best possible cover letter and resume - first impressions, to an American employer, count the most. Having a perfect cover letter with your resume can mean the difference between being asked for an interview and your document being thrown in the trash. Here are some helpful Dos to keep in mind when you are crafting your great new cover letter:

DO - keep your cover letter to one page. Any longer, and it may end up inspiring the employer to stop reading and even to skip reading the attached resume all together. DO - include career successes. Examples make your experience stand out. DO - address the cover letter to the Human Resources Manager by name if possible. The more the letter seems personalized and less like a mass mail-out, the better chance it will have to be read by the right person. DO - include the company's name and address in the cover letter if possible. If you are doing a mass mail-out (sending the same copy of cover letter and resume to many employers), then you can exclude the name and address of the companies being applied to. Remember, if applying for a specific job with one company, try to include the company name and address in the letter and try to include the name of the hiring person. Remember first impressions count! DO - try to imagine what the employer would like to hear about how you can contribute to the company right away and help the company realize its goals. DO - provide a sampling of your greatest workplace accomplishments. Try to include statistics and measurable results to document your successes. DO - If you are in a technical industry, list a few of the technical programs that you specialize in. This helps the employer understand your strengths as a potential employee.

And now, some Donts. Avoid making these costly mistakes in your cover letter and resume:

DO NOT include any personal information such as photographs, your health status, marital status, religion or your birth date.This is not necessary in America, and in some US States such information opens your potential employer to possible discrimination lawsuits. DO NOT state that you would like to immigrate, come to the USA on a work permit (if this is applicable), or that you are a new immigrant. This is personal information that will NOT secure you a job. You want your resume and cover letter to be judged on your employment merits only. DO NOT state salary expectations or your previous salaries. This delicate issue can and will be discussed at a job interview later on. DO NOT state what you expect from the company and the position. You are first trying to impress the employer with your skill set and gain their interest. Your demands can be addressed in formed questions to the employer later in the job interview process. DO NOT use the same information in your cover letter as your resume. This is tricky, but worth the effort. This will ensure that you keep the reader's interest. No one wants to read the same information twice. Try to re-phrase or sum up the work experiences you have had using different terms or descriptions. DO NOT include personality profiles or overviews. The employer will learn about your personal traits during the interview.

One of the most important details of a cover letter is that it use correct American English and is free of mistakes. Nothing says, Im not good enough for the job like grammatical and spelling errors. If English is a second language for you, it is a good idea to ask someone who is very practiced at reading and writing American English to review your cover letter and resume. They can edit the cover letter and resume and make sure that the spelling and grammar are perfect. If youre writing on your own, you should also use a US-style spell check program in your word processor or computer. Remember, if the employers don't find your cover letter to be in a very professional format or if it is marred by spelling errors or is just not compelling enough, they may not bother to go on to read the rest of your resume. The American job will always go to a person with a great cover letter and resume. Always. If you would like more information about current USA job news and more effective insider tips for landing a job in the USA, please visit www.americajobnet.com. Writing A Cover Letter A complete job application consists of a cover letter and a resume. The cover letter is meant to highlight your individuality or personality, and to make you stand out from among hundreds of other applicants. When there are more job seekers around than job vacancies, human resource personnel tend to be more selective when short listing candidates for interview. Hence, you should use the cover letter as a tool to win the heart of a prospective employer. Market yourself to create a positive first impression in the cover letter, so that the person will read your resume, shortlist you for an interview, and offer you a job. A poorly written cover letter is likely to get instant rejection from the employer given the current job market.

As there is no standard format for cover letter, you are encouraged to write a particular cover letter, one at a time, to apply for the position of your interest. Cover letter should not be generic, i.e. you should not use the same cover letter for all the companies you wish to approach. This is because details like where and when you learnt about the vacancy, why you are interested to apply, what you have to offer to the company etc. are different for each of these companies. Generally, a well written cover letter should provide answers to what the employers want to know:

Are you the kind of person they are looking for? Do you have the relevant education, work experience and skills? Can you handle the work demands, based on the job description? Have you shown a commitment to this particular field of interest? How well can you communicate with others? Are you a team player? Have you any leadership qualities?

Guidelines for writing a cover letter:

Organise your thoughts carefully Express yourself clearly and reasonably Use strong action words to describe your achievements Use active rather than passive voice Avoid jargon Avoid long sentences Avoid bad grammar and spelling mistakes Limit the length to one page only Proof read before you send via e-mail

Layout of a cover letter 1. The opening o Include your name and address, the date, employer's designation and address, salutation and subject. 2. Introduction o Nominate the job for which you are applying for. o Indicate the source and date of the job information. o Mention briefly your qualifications o Indicate your interest, career objective or goal. 3. Sales pitch o Highlight the extent to which you match the requirements of the job. o State your relevant experience gained from industrial attachments, projects, vacation or part-time jobs. o Give a brief summary of your educational achievements, experience, qualities, capabilities and skills. o Outline any further points in your favour related to the job and mention the attached resume. o Mention your interest in the organisation and your reason for applying for that

particular position. 4. Request for further action o Write that you look forward to a call or letter. o State your availability for interview. o Thank the person for his or her time and consideration. 5. The complimentary close o Remember to sign personally and include your name. State your enclosures such as your attached resume, academic results or references. Sample Cover Letter 1 Ngeow Yeok Meng 12-A, Jalan Kajang Mewah 10 Taman Kajang Mewah Kajang 43000 Selangor 5 December 1998 The Human Resource Manager JobStreet Sdn Bhd Suite 4.3, Wisma Maran 338, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman 50100 Kuala Lumpur Dear Sir/Madam, APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF CHIEF EDITOR I refer to your advertisement placed in JobStreet's homepage dated 2 December 1998 for the above position. Realising that Internet is no longer an alternative but a necessity in the next millenium, I am keen to enhance my career in the content development of web site of your company. Allow me to introduce myself briefly. I gained basic knowledge of journalistic reporting, feature writing and editing skills from my major in Media Studies from the University of Malaya. My present job as a senior editor in a news agency since 1994 provides me with work experience and on-the-job training in the above areas. In 1997, I had the opportunity to write for Alta Vista, an Internet content provider for the Asia Pacific region. The extensive knowledge I gained from my research work on employment trend and labour market information has enlightened me in many ways. I believe I can share my expertise with JobStreet in terms of recruitment practices and human resource management if given the opportunity. I'm also well-versed in HTML and Pagemaker 6.0 as I have been actively involved in maintaining the web site of the news agency I serve. I'm able to meet deadline promptly as a result of many years of working at a fast pace in this agency. The attached resume of mine will provide you more information about my work experience.

I'll be glad to attend an interview to furnish you with more details. I can be reached via email ngeow@mol.com.my. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours faithfully, ----------------------------(Ngeow Yeok Meng) Enclosed: Resume, Academic Results, References.

Sample Cover Letter 2 Rosli Abdul Hamid 13, Jalan 17/21 Sri Petaling 57000 Kuala Lumpur 5 December 1998 Mr. Geh Thuan Hooi Group Human Resource Manager AE Technologies 7, Jalan 7, Cheras Jaya Jalan Balakong 43200 Selangor Dear Mr. Geh, RE: APPLICATION FOR MANAGEMENT TRAINEE POSITION I wish to apply for the position of management trainee as advertised in JobStreet homepage on the 1st December 1998. I'm currently enrolled in the final year of a business administration course at the Universiti Utara Malaysia, and will graduate in April 1999. Your company's unique involvement and position in the manufacturing of precision metal stampings and tooling has prompted me to apply for the management trainee position in your organisation. I am very interested in pursuing a career in the area of business administration. My academic transcript, which I have enclosed, shows that I have completed a wide range of subjects that provide me with a firm base of knowledge and skills relevant to the requirements of the management trainee position. I notice that the position you advertised requires two years of work experience. Although I have not any work experience pertaining to the manufacturing industry, I have gone through a five-month industrial training during my final year of study where I was given tasks

equivalent to a management executive. I have performed well during the training which had helped me expose to various managerial skills and practical knowledge. My attached resume demonstrates my capacity to be a leader who is able to work in a team environment, set and achieve long and short term goals, think analytically and solve problems. I believe my knowledge and technical know-how in the field of management will help me contribute a great deal to your company. Above all, I possess the interest and determination to perform well in the graduate position you are offering. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss the position further. I can be contacted on 0122116888 between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the following e-mail address: ahrosli@hotmail.com. Thank you for your consideration. Yours sincerely,

----------------------------(Rosli Abdul Hamid) Checklist for Cover Letter Success While an impeccable resume will definitely stand out, it is only 50 percent of what can get you that job. The other half is an impeccable cover letter. People often spend long, excruciating hours poring over their resume. Finally satisfied, they send it to the employer and sit back, waiting for good news and often getting disappointed. While an impeccable resume will definitely stand out, it is only 50 percent of what can get you that job. The other half is an impeccable cover letter. Experts admonish job seekers to always include a cover letter with their resume, even if the want ad may not have specifically asked for it. The cover letter is a powerful marketing medium in which to underscore your suitability for the position, something the resume cannot quite accomplish on its own. A good cover letter allows you to explain how your qualifications, experience and skills can contribute to the companys goals and growth. To ensure a results-oriented cover letter, weve created a checklist you can use to guide you in writing. Is your cover letter addressed to a particular person? Be sure to cite the name of the hiring official in your salutation. Dont take the easy way out and write Dear Sir/Madam, Gentlemen, Sirs, Mr. President or worse, To Whom It May Concern. Your letter may just reach a most unconcerned person wholl throw it in the dust bin. If you dont know who to write to, find out through research, networking and even calling the company and making discreet inquiries. Warning: Dont blow it by spelling the name incorrectly. Is it brief and to the point? Limit your cover letter to one page of up to five paragraphs at most (each paragraph having from one to three sentences). For brevity and conciseness, use simple language and action

verbs. Remove all superfluous words, and be extremely wary about fancy phrases and complex sentence structures if youve not perfected the art of writing. Avoid cliches such as Enclosed please find my resume which just eat space that can be better utilized. Is the opening paragraph an attention-grabber? With the mountain of resumes the recruiter has to dig through, you usually have only 15 seconds to convince him to read through. That said, its important that what you say in your first paragraph should be of great interest to the employer. One way to do this is to highlight your main skills as they apply to the job, or to mention your knowledge of the company and tie this information in with the skills or qualities that make you the perfect candidate. Is your cover letter personalized? The cover letter is a way to tell the employer you know what he needs and this is what you can do to fulfill those needs. List the qualifications and requirements posted in the ad and indicate how you meet them. Stress that by hiring you, you believe you can help improve company services, enhance efficiency, or increase productivity. Give concrete examples and instances to prop up your claims. For an added touch, find out more about the company and insert this information to impress to the hiring official that you have expended effort to discover more about their organization. Is the tone positive and confident? You should never let negative emotions seep through. The cover letter is not the venue for venting frustrations or expressing bitterness or maligning previous employers. Instead it should emphasize your positive points-your skills, talents, capabilities and experiences as they relate to the position on offer. While you should not overstate your qualities, dont underestimate yourself either. The cover letter is your professional showcase so present yourself the best way you can. Is your cover letter spotless? Dont just rely on your computers spell checker. Check and recheck your letter for typos, misspellings, wrong grammar or inappropriate punctuation. If you have the time, set it aside and read it again after a couple of days with refreshed eyes. Request a better writer to critique your letter and catch anything you might have missed. For a professional look, use quality bond paper and letter-quality or laser printer. Avoid dot-matrix printers or manual typewriters. Is it proactive? Since you took the initiative to apply, make sure to follow through. Dont wait for the employer to contact you; state in your letter that you will call within the week--and do so. Include your contact details--phone number, email address, cell phone number--to facilitate communication. Did you sign it? Always sign your letter, or the employer may feel slighted that you forgot to affix your personal signature or may assume its a form letter. If possible, use a sign pen. The Magic of Cover Letters Cover letter is a letter accompanying your resume in job application. It is a tool to project a professional image about yourself before the employer decides to see you face-to-face in an interview.

Sending a resume without a cover letter is like going to a job interview barefoot. It gives an impression that you don't take the employment opportunity seriously and you really don't care about anything concerning the job you apply for. In real life experience, employers and HR personnel do judge a resume by its cover. A well constructed cover letter can impress the employer to take action on your resume. In other words, the piece of paper covering your resume actually generates prospective interview and increase the chances of you being employed. A cover letter should be typed and confined to one page to catch the reader's attention.

You should convince the employer about your strengths, and support your strengths with evidence. You should address to a specific person by name and position, and not "ToWhom It May Concern". Your cover letter should reflect your personality and style qualities that are important in the hiring decision. Your tone should be professional, personal, positive, upbeat and value neutral throughout the letter. You should be career-centered or employer-oriented by indicating your wish to progress with the organization, to be educated and trained on the job etc. Avoid using self-centered statements about yourself, or flattering the organization you intend to join.

Wondering what to include in a cover letter?

Where and when you learned about the position. Employers like to know where candidates learn about the vacancy in order to determine the effectiveness of their advertising strategies. What are your special skills and experience directly related to the employer's needs. This will save the employer's time to search for these important elements in your resume. Why you're interested in this position and/or the organization. Find out more about the organization so that you can state your objectives in line with the organization's goals. Address your gratitude followed by your signature using good quality pen.

That's all. Techniques of Letter Writing In job search, cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae are the messengers you send to future employers to create good impressions of yourself. Job seekers who take pains to write impressive letters will find it is worth all the time and effort when they succeed in getting a good job. Do put your professionalism, competence and personality in letter writing to increase chances of being taken seriously for a prospectiveinterview. Take note of major and minor matters before sending your messengers.

Have a clear purpose before writing a letter Plan and organize each section Convey the most important ideas first Consider the needs of the organization Opening sentence should be concise and clear Communicate purpose in the opening paragraph Keep paragraph short and sentences simple Write letter that can convince the reader to take action Good grammar, correct spelling and punctuation Use more "you" than "I" or "we" Use assertion rather than negation "not" Use active voice in sentence construction Use personal rather than formal language Cheerful and creative in tone and style Courteous and considerate in approach Double check mistakes carefully

by Ngeow Yeok Meng

Latest rules on the interview front You brush up on your interview know-how constantly and put it to actual use. So why the drought in offers? Because most of the advice youve been getting has been handed down from generation to generation, and some no longer apply in a work environment that is seeing dramatic shifts in step with modern times. Indeed, what may be desirable candidate qualities a few years ago may today be stale and ineffective. Here, we give you the latest rules on the interview front: 1. Drop the long-term perspective. A typical question once thrown at candidates was, Describe yourself five years from now. You were supposed to respond that you hoped to grow with the company and assume increasing responsibility over the years. Now with business fortunes rocked by uncertainties, employers want workers who can make a big impact and produce fast results. They need someone who can speed up company turnaround and introduce winning concepts. Thus, be prepared for such posers as: Tell me how you plan to improve the performance of your team within six months. 2. Demonstrate a team outlook. Before, you were merely expected to know more about the ins and outs of the position than your competitors. Now, being head and shoulders above the rest in hard knowledge and solid experience is no longer enough. Hiring managers need people who possess the emotional intelligence to deal with a variety of personalities and situations. To make an impression, show the interviewer you have not just the hard skills but the soft skills as well, including flexibility, diplomacy, judgment and communication abilities. 3. Learn from the past. Employers used to search for someone who was always right. Nowadays, they know that to never err is to play safeand to lose great opportunities because of the fear of making mistakes. Be ready to come up with convincing reasons to such queries: What was your greatest mistake in the past and how did you solve it? How well

you can explain the rationale behind your choice, the factors that led to the debacle and the lessons you have extracted from the experience and applied afterward will convince the employer that you have the experience to deal with adversity. More than that, you have the courage to make decisions and take calculated risks for greater returns. Interview tips: Making a great first impression Its said that body language makes the biggest impact on the meaning of the message, followed by the tone of voice, and finally, by the words itself. This holds true particularly in the interview, where the first few minutes you spend with a potential employer can spell the success or failure of your application. If this were not so, employers would be hiring applicants merely on the strength of their resumes or test results. Its thus vital to make a favorable first impression. To do that: Be punctual. You might as well kiss the job goodbye if you come in late for the interview, clothes drenched in sweat and hair sticking out in different places. Give extra time for traffic, parking, bad weather and slow elevators. However, if youre 15 to 20 minutes ahead of schedule, dont go straight to the reception lady to announce your presence-this might put undue pressure on the interviewer. Instead, catch your breath and freshen up in the restroom, or get some coffee at the cafeteria. Dress neatly and appropriately. Let the hiring manager see you in the job by dressing for the part. Pants, skirts and shirts should be pressed, while shoes should be shined. If not sure what attire is required for the interview, dress on the conservative side. If possible, call the company and ask. Observe moderation. Practicing restraint is a virtue when it comes to the interview. Too much of anything-no matter how good-can be distracting or annoying to the interviewer. So keep these in mind.

Use minimal makeup, jewelry and perfume. Style your hair conservatively. Avoid excessive body movement (hand gestures, nods, shrugs). Stick to plain and simple polish.

Project rapport and confidence. While it may seem unfair to be judged solely from that brief meeting, its a reality that 80% of hiring decisions are made on the candidates personality, and only 20% on skills. So project a hirable persona by following these guidelines:

Shake hands firmly. If your hands are wet, try running them under lukewarm water and drying them well. Maintain eye contact. Experts suggest maintaining eye contact for no longer than 10 seconds to avoid staring. Be careful too to look him in the eye only. Dont let your eyes roam on his balding pate or the big mole on his cheek, for instance. Keep your back straight when standing or sitting. Move confidently. Sit slightly forward in your chair. Ask questions. Dont just nod and agree all the time! Delve deeper into what the interviewer is saying, or inquire about job-related details to move things along.

Listen carefully, look interested and speak clearly. Be diplomatic. No negative statements or derogatory remarks about previous jobs, colleagues or employers.

Before the interview, work on your communication skills. Good grammar and coherent speech are compulsory. Listen to yourself when you speak-do you tend to ramble on, rush your words, or take overly long pauses? Talk to family members and friends, read aloud or practice in front of the mirror to become a better communicator. Think positive and believe in yourself. If you dont think you have what it takes to succeed, how can you convince a would-be employer to hire you?
by Regina Gozar-Posadas

Interview tips: Things to avoid in an interview 1. Be unprepared. Going to the meeting knowing nothing about the company but its name or having only a vague idea of what the position entails predisposes you to a hasty, unceremonious exit. Whats there to talk about, anyway? Do some background checking before showing up. Being ready also means planning for any contingency. Bring along extra resumes, your portfolio, your references contact numbers and your social security or tax number in case you need to fill out an application form. 2. Dress unprofessionally. First impressions can make or break you, so always meet company representatives in your professional suit. Remember this rule even if the employees themselves wear casual outfits. You can follow prevailing in-house fashion after youve been hired. You neednt look like a glossy magazine pinup boy either, but do look neat and clean. Avoid in particular chunky jewelry, loud prints and overpowering cologne. 3. Act uncool. You may be drooling for that job, but do you have to show it? Employers will quickly lose interest in someone who appears desperate for work. Its also so uncalled for to be self-deprecating or self-apologetic. After all, the employer wont bother to get in touch with you if youre not qualified. The best approach: Strive to appear calm and in control, even as you convey warmth and enthusiasm. Smile, maintain eye contact, sit up straight and answer slowly and clearly. Dont fidget, chew gum or make other nervous movements. 4. Rambling on and on and on. Employers have a hearty dislike for those who over-talk during the interview. They get the impression that you either cant organize your thoughts, are stalling for time, or are glossing over some inadequacy. The solution: Practice your answers to frequently asked questions and role-play the interview scenario with a friend. 5. Talk money too soon. If its your first interview, resist the urge to ask how much you might earn. It shows youre primarily interested in the salary, not the work. If you prove yourself capable, youll get an offer and the chance to negotiate the salary you desire. But while you shouldnt ask just yet, you must already have a fair idea of what the position should be worth. Include salary matters when you do pre-interview research so that you can haggle well if you do receive that offer. 6. Be too honest. You can be completely candid in the confessional and youll feel good afterward. But being totally honest during the interview is courting disaster. For instance, if youre asked why you left your previous employer, you shouldnt say that you resigned

because your boss is a pain in the neck or the company is the pits. Remember that youre selling yourself: Couch your replies with care, being mindful to project a professional image at all times. Be mentally prepared to interview Preparing for a prized interview entails much more than just knowing what to wear or where to go, looking neat and being on time. Beyond logistics and physical appearances, there should be constructive mental and psychological planning as well. Follow these steps to emerge a winner in your next interview: Do some research. Learn as much as you can about the position, the company and the industry so you can assess and justify your suitability for the job. If the company has a website, check it out on the Internet. Be friendly and professional to employees you meet or speak with on the phone-they can be your allies in securing that coveted job. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Review the skills, character traits and abilities you possess that can contribute to the companys cause. Envision yourself in the position and think realistically of what you can do, improve or add to benefit the company. Study your employment history so you can describe your work experience in detail. Get excellent references and bring samples of your work to show the interviewer. Practice enumerating your duties and accomplishments at each job. Be familiar with the questions. Prep yourself for both the usual suspects (Tell me about yourself.) and tough-to-answer questions (What are the benefits of hiring you over someone else? Or What can you do for the company?) Think of questions from an employers standpoint and try to answer these positively. Ask your own questions. Interviewers are not just after answers; they also want to know how you think and thus, are interested to hear intelligent, job-related inquiries from applicants. Finally, try to imagine how the entire interview will go. Visualize yourself performing calmly and confidently from start to finish. Psych yourself up for anything that may happen, but always hope for the best. Good luck! Effective interviewing strategy: Writing a thank you letters that work
Q&A What if I dont get a reply to my thank-you note? If the interviewer doesnt answer your thank-you letter about a week or so after your meeting, you may send a follow-up letter. The follow-up should repeat your continued interest in the position and courteously seek a response. While ideally you should receive the same professional courtesy you gave the interviewer, dont take it personally if he doesnt reciprocate. Just remember: The pursuer is usually more earnest than the pursued to make a connection. Dont hold your breath as you wait, but prudently start cultivating other job prospects.

Truly, a job-seekers work never gets done. Even after the interview, you cant-and shouldnt-relax, not if you want to nose out the competition. Stay in the interviewers memory and good graces by sending a thank-you letter. It may seem trivial, but handing out thank-you notes is actually an effective interviewing strategy. Heres why:

It shows that you are well-mannered and polite. It reinforces your interest in the position. It keeps your identity alive in the interviewers mind. It displays your communication skills. You earn plus points over rival applicants who didnt bother to jot down their thankyous. Its another chance to restate your strengths. You can bring up something important you forgot during the dialogue. It proves your understanding of matters discussed and helps prevent future mix-ups.

Keep thank-you letters concise, positive and warm. Never send one with spelling and grammatical mistakes. Dispatch by mail, fax, or email within 24 hours after the interview. You may post a handwritten thank-you note or a more formal, typed letter, depending on how well you know the interviewer and the kind of company you are dealing with. In your memo, express gratitude for being interviewed. Mention the date of your talk and the position you seek. Reiterate your interest in the job and in the company, and explain why you think youre qualified, based on the interview. Emphasize the bright, remarkable moments of your conversation so you stand out in the interviewers mind. Thank him again as you end your letter, requesting permission to keep in touch and expressing hope of a response. A thank-you letter may not guarantee employment, but it tells the employer that youre a professional whos serious about the job.
by Regina Gozar-Posadas

Personal gromming tips for attending a job interview Roslina Ahmed Tajuddin People who take buses to the interview should use perfume to cover the smell of sweat. If possible, bring extra clothes to change before the interview session. NORHAYATI MOHD ALI Focus on doing the right things, then on doing things right. Remember that working on inappropriate tasks do not contribute towards successful time management. Make a daily "To Do list which includes activities to achieve weekly goals, priorities and time estimates. Prioritise as follows: top priority (must be done NOW), secondary concern (must be done but can be POSTPONED or DELEGATED), least important (can be DEFERRED or FORGOTTEN). Always work on the top priority tasks first, then your secondary tasks. If you have some time left, you can attend to your least priority tasks. Shanice Ong First impression counts, so proper make-up is important. The type of foundation you use is important. You need to know your skin type and use the correct foundation. People with dry skin should use liquid-type foundation because you would not want your skin to be flaky by the the time you go for the interview. Do apply moisturizer before that. For medium or combination skin, you can be more flexible as you can use liquid foundation or compact powder. But it is important to apply some moisturizer before that. As for the oily skin type,

please be very careful in choosing the foundation. My advice is to use a matt finish powder rather than liquid foundation. Matt finish powder has oil control formula so that you will look radiant. The interviewer will not want to see a candidate with oily face. You will get a few marks on grooming. Last advice is always look at yourself in the mirror before going into the interview room, not only to check on grooming but also to build up your own confidence. Always have oil blotters ready to blot off the excessive oil. Low Ching Soon When you go for an interview, wear clothes that are appropriate to the occasion. It is not the price of your clothes or how well they match the latest fashion but rather the distinct appearance of taking time to put them together is what gains you respect from the interviewer. Awang Abdul Hamid Bin Awang Ibrahim Always wear something cheerful and light-coloured, like cream or light blue, light yellow or the most simple, white. Never wear black or dark colours because other people will think you are not in a good mood. Hummairah Sulaiman Menjadi seorang pekerja yang profesional tidak semudah menyebutnya. Anda mesti memiliki kriteria-kriteria yang penting: Tidak mempunyai sifat mengalah semasa menjalankan tugasnya dan sentiasa mencari penyelesaian untuk masalah yang dihadapi. Sentiasa berinisiatif mencari peluang secara sukarela untuk menyempurnakan segala tugasan. Bekerja bersungguh-sungguh untuk mencapai kecermerlangan dan tidak hanya mengharapkan pangkat kedudukan dan ganjaran besar. Sentiasa melaksanakan tanggungjawab sosial tanpa memikirkan keuntungan diri sendiri. Cekap menguruskan masa istilah lewat, tidak sempat dan kurang masa tidak pernah ada dalam diari hidup seorang pekerja profesional. Jujur dan amanah; tidak gemar mencuri tulang dan menggunakan tipu daya ketika menjalankan tugas. Bermoral dan bertatasusila; bijak berurusan dengan pihak atasan, pelanggan, masyarakat umum dan sesiapa sahaja dengan penuh kesopanan dan kemesraan. Insaf dan sedar diri; sentiasa berpijak di bumi yang nyata dan tidak mudah lupa diri apabila disogok dengan kemewahan dan kesenangan. Sedar akan kelemahan dan kekurangan diri dan sentiasa berusaha untuk memperbaiki diri dari masa ke semasa. Fazlina Masbah Wear soft coloured attire. Do not go for striking colours. Be very careful with the colour you choose because it can effect the mood and environment. The combination of colours you choose should depend on the job you want. For example soft colours will make you and the interviewer feel comfortable and you can be more relaxed. Do not wear red. It has the aura of domination and confrontation. Interview Tips: By job seekers, for job seekers Ahmad Zul Afif A common question is "tell me about yourself." There is no need to explain about your family, your previous school and stuff like that. No need! Just tell the interviewer all of your specialty and ability. Convince them to hire you with your high level of confidence. Alex Lee In multi-stage interviews, the most important is consistency. That is, the ability to perform well consistently in all stages as opposed to excelling in one stage while failing in another.

Thus, remember to always maintain focus and most importantly, be modest. Sarah Ridhuwan On the day of the interview, there are probabilities that something may happen to prevent you from getting to your interview on time or at all. Always call and inform the interviewer your situation preferably before the scheduled interviewing hour. Ask politely for another interview. If they have to call you to find out what happened, the chances are there will not be a second call. Thilaga K. Ganapathy Always be positive and share only the good experiences of your past achievements and work experiences. Never complain about your previous employer but keep sharing the positive points of your past employers to build the trust of the interviewer. Try not to give yes and no answers. Be open to the interviewers questions. Never lie about yourself but explain yourself tactfully. If you make any blunder in the interview, be frank and polite enough to apologize. This ensures your honesty. Tan Tong Hiang Prepare a copy of the documents of your work or projects. Present them during the interview and leave the interviewer a copy. By doing this, the interviewer may have a better image of you. Ng Siew Kum There is only one chance to make a good first impression. Always attend interviews dressed in complete office wear. For the ladies, a proper suit set, be it pants or skirt. Tuck in your shirt/blouse or else you will look frumpy. Do not forget proper shoes and a little make-up. For the men, although a jacket is not a necessity, make sure you look coordinated. A nice, sober-looking tie is highly encouraged. Yeoh Hwi Ling If you do not know the location of the interview/office, try to find out a day earlier so that you will not get lost or be late. It will not impress the interviewer if you are lost as this shows a lack of initiative on your part. Khor Eng Khim After interview, send a Thank You card to the interviewer to let him/her have a good impression of you. Muhammad Al-Faath Al-Ayubbi I keep a very comprehensive, organized and updated on-line portfolio. In every interview, I will show them my website or I will bring the off-line version of it in my thumb drive. Once they see it, they will know immediately what I am capable of. Try it yourself. Nor Hafeez Always wear your socks. Jensen Js Always be honest and keep your own self value and respect, rather than saying the same things that others are saying. Always be humble and seek to know more. Know the background of the company.

Siti Ruhaizah Bte Kastop Must be looking good, tidy and also interesting. Must remove negativism from your mind. Whatever happens, be cool and professional. Always be smart when you answer all questions. Show that you are self-motivated, willing to learn and able to work independently. Nurhermawati Binti Abu Bakar Make sure you do some research on the company before the interview. This gives a good impression. Show that you are really interested to work with them. When interviewed, never put your hands on the interviewers table. Always smile. Look confident but do not be overconfident. Greet the interviewer and make sure your handshake is firm. Never say how bad is your ex-boss. Nizam Ibrahim No matter what position you are applying for, being presentable at an interview is still essential. Wear a long sleeve shirt and tie as this shows the interviewer that you are comfortable with yourself. Before going into the room, look into the mirror to be sure that everything is in place. The most important rule to remember is to switch off your handphone. Do not let it interrupt the interview session. Wong Yit Fui Do's: Greet the interviewer with a warm smile. Pay attention to the questions and give your responses with confidence. Maintain eye contact since it tells the interviewer how much you are interested and hope to get this job! Don'ts: Do not shake your leg under the table. Do not talk about the salary. Do not converse in broken English as it gives a very bad impression to the company. Loo Leong Bee Find out more about the company. Check everything from their company growth, their mission and vision, and the job posting you are applying for. Always be early or punctual. This will reflect your punctuality for work. If you cannot be punctual for one day, how can you be punctual everyday for work. Dress sensibly and groom yourself. Formal wear is the best. Long sleeves with tie is the recommended attire. Remember to comb your hair. Be sincere. Do not lie or talk nonsense. Your facial expression will tell. When you speak sincerely, you speak with confidence. Ask lots of questions. Show that you are interested in the job and the company. Mazlan Muslim The interviewer is more interested in a person's capability and suitability to the job. Communication skill is important but first impressions, track record in previous companies, skills and competencies related to the job are also important. Jobs involving international work requires a person to be strong in the English language. The applicant should not detract from the original task of answering relevant questions from the interviewer. Keep personal matters to the minimum. Never bring newspapers or drinks to the interview session. Lincoln Leong Wen Yoong Do not stare blankly at the interviewer when they make comments on general issues such as the current technological trend or the current economical situation. It just shows that you are lost and not up-to-date with the current situation. Making statements like "I understand the current situation is...", "I realise..." or providing additional facts to his comments will help the

interviewer to know that you are on the same track as he is. Lincoln Leong Wen Yoong Get enough rest and attend interviews with a fresh mind. Always smile despite criticisms from the interviewer. This gives the impression that you are in control when under pressure. S.Surindiran a/l Sivam Keep your answers brief and to the point. Be a good listener. Do not talk at the same time as the interviewer. Always greet the interviewer and be pleasant. Smile and have good eye contact but do not stare. Harveen Babu a/l Ramakrishnan Always look directly into the eyes of the interviewer, This shows you are interested in the position and have the confidence. Farlina Waslie When answering a question, do not stutter as it will show your future employer that you are not confident with yourself. But at the same time, do not answer over-confidently. Always be modest. You do not want your interviewer to think that you are a stuck-up. Farlina Waslie When in an interview, NEVER cross your arms in front of you. It shows disrespect for the interviewer. Always put yours hands down. Farlina Waslie When going for an interview, always dress appropriately. For the men, DO NOT wear jeans or T-Shirts. Even collared T-Shirts is out. Always dress smartly by wearing office attire. Farlina Waslie When going to an interview, ALWAYS dress simple and smart. For ladies, DO NOT wear excessive accessories like dangling earrings, big charm bracelet, or big chain necklace. MINIMAL accessories is the way to go! Farlina Waslie When going to an interview, NEVER show up late. It shows your future employer a first bad impression on you. ALWAYS be punctual. It shows your commitment. Stephanie David When the interviewer asks questions, you do not have to answer in haste as if you know everything. Instead, you can be silent for a few seconds and shoot the answers confidently as if you have thought of the answers WISELY. Sabrina Yeo Li-San I like being early for interviews. It is the first impression they judge on. Even after getting the job, I still arrive early or on time for work because it is a good habit to have. Ramlee Bin Sulaiman Always expect the unexpected when attending a job interview. If you do not know the answer to a question, tell the truth. Shirley Leong

Be punctual when attending interviews. Depart early from home to ensure you reach safely and on time. Have some time to tidy your clothes and ensure that you look good before the interview. Unless there is any emergency, reasons like "I am caught in a traffic jam" or "I am lost and dont know the way" are not accepted. If you are not sure whether or not to go for the interview, do ask for at least a day before you reply to the HR to avoid any cancellation of the scheduled interview later. Shirley Leong Treat interviews as a two-way discussion where you are able to share your experience and contributions with the interviewers. Ask questions and get to know more about the job from the interviewer. This way, the interview will be a livelier session. Shanna Zul Amran Bring the right documents that you want to show and give to the interviewer. If you carry too many unnecessary files or documents, you will be nervous when you can hardly find the needed ones for the interviewer to assess. Shirley Do prepare yourself by refreshing all the projects and accomplishments in your current/previous employment. Do not be too lengthy in the details that you provide. Be precise and to the point. Do not discuss salary as the first interview is more towards a get-toknow session for both parties. Lastly, be confident and prove that you are the right person to the interviewer. Ramlee Sulaiman Speak clearly and not too fast during an interview so the interviewer can follow you well and the interview session run smoothly. Sherlyne Liew Always think POSITIVE during the interview. If you lack a particular skill or do not know a certain computer program, REMEMBER to emphasize how quickly you can learn. Give a period of a time when you will be able to get up to speed in a similar situation. Companies are interested in candidates who are aggressive and willing to learn. Hazlene Binti Ahmad Fuzi Usually, before I attend any interview, I survey the place first: how to go there, what is the nearest public transportation? This is to avoid coming late on the interview day and making you more nervous. Even if the company is famous and familiar, I survey first so that I know exactly which road to take, which turn to make and most important, where to park the car. Goh Ching Kai Most jobs require you to learn after you get the job. Rare is the case that you can do the job well without learning. Thus, do not act smart like you know everything about the job. Show your attitude that you are always ready to learn, improve and have interest in the things you are going to face. Companies look for talent who can improve instead of a genius who rejects to learn. Job Interview Tips Job interviews in many organizations are getting sophisticated these days. Psychological tests, role plays, and challenges to one's "quick intelligence" and street smarts are often part

of the package. While it's impossible to anticipate everything you may encounter, here are ten tips that will help you negotiate the interview process successfully. 1. Prepare and over-prepare It is assumed that you don't go in with egg on your tie, spinach in your teeth, or without a thorough knowledge of the organization and position for which you are interviewing. Beyond that, there's an important principle that will enable you to be much more confident. It's called, "over-preparing." It goes like this: Plan your strategy--your answers to all the possible questions you may be asked or the challenges that may be thrown at you--and then practice, practice, practice. Role play and repeat your best responses until they are entirely natural, until they simply roll off your tongue with the apparent spontaneity that comes only with successive repetition. 2. Be particularly clear on what you know and what you want to achieve If your interview is resume-based (you've had to supply a resume either before or concurrently), have the facts of your stated objective, relevant experience, education, etc. thoroughly memorized and mentally supported. As to your job objective, be clear on what you want, as well as what you don't want. There's little room in the job market for the applicant who's willing to take anything; he or she will usually get nothing! 3. Make sure your responses match your claims If, for example, you've taken extra coursework to qualify for a particular position, license, or certification, tie it into your narrative, e.g., "When I took my coursework for my CPA, I learned that ..." Build on your resume, but don't refer directly to it (assuming the interviewer has it in his or her possession); make sure the connections are there, but do it subtly. 4. Be clear about your strengths You're almost certain to be hit with questions pertaining to your strengths and weaknesses. Know your strengths and emphasize those that relate specifically to the position for which you're being considered. If, for example, you're applying for a sales position, you might describe one of your strengths (if it's true) as follows: "I've made a study of personality types and I've learned to quickly type people in terms of the kinds of approaches that might best attract them." Be prepared, in this case, to back up your claim if the interviewer suddenly asks: "What type would you say I am?" 5. Describe your weaknesses as strengths This is tricky, so let's think about why the question is asked. The interviewer probably wants to learn several things about you with this question, such as: whether or not you are arrogant ("I really don't think I have any weaknesses"), whether you know yourself ("Well, I've never really thought about that"), and finally, what you are doing to eliminate your weaknesses. Here are two ways to answer this question so that you leave a positive impression in the mind of the interviewer: (a) Show that, in overcoming a weakness, you've learned. If, for example, there's a period in your chronology that just doesn't fit (say that you took a job selling cars between jobs as an accountant ... it happens!), you might tell the interviewer: "One weakness, which it took me some time to overcome, wasthat I really wasn't sure that I wanted to be an accountant. For example, in 1988-90, I worked as a car salesman. I did so because I couldn't decide if I wanted to make accounting my career. That experience taught me

that I really didn't want to sell products, and that I was much more challenged by the opportunity to solve client problems. (b) Pick a weakness that is really a strength. If, for example, you're interviewing for a job in an organization you know is hardcharging and unforgiving of average performance, you might say, "One of my weaknesses is that I tend to be impatient with people who aren't willing to pull their full weight and give 110%." In this case, your "weakness" may help you get the job. 6. If you've been fired, be forthright about it So many people have been laid off through no fault of their own in the past ten years that it's no longer a stigma to have been fired--unless it was for justifiable cause (e.g.,you socked your boss). Answer directly, but without a "charge" in your voice. Expressing your bitterness over being let go tells the interviewer (rightly or wrongly) that you can't accept the realities of modern free enterprise -- that downsizing is acceptable and often necessary. 7. Be clear where you want to go A standard question which has all manner of variations is: "Where do you want to be five years from today?" Only today, the answers are different. Unless you plan to inherit Dad's company, your answer is apt to be a lot more general than it might have been a decade ago. Why? Because the economy and nearly every industry are changing so fast that specificity with respect to the distant future is extremely difficult. So, instead of responding to the question with, "I plan to be in a position of senior leadership in this company," you might want to say: "I plan to become qualified in every phase of this industry." The exact response depends upon the specifics of your job hunting campaign, but the principle is: be specific while allowing yourself the flexibility which suggests that you understand the complexities of the business you're applying for. 8. Have clear personal standards This is a sleeper because, on the face of it, the question doesn't seem to have much to do with the immediate interview. Today, however, many organizations are looking for people who DO have standards regarding their personal and professional lives, who can articulate them clearly and concisely, and who live by them. In this case, the briefer, the better. "I delegate my weaknesses." "I don't take on projects unless I can give them 100% dedication." "I respond in specifics and avoid meaningless generalities." "I am committed to life-long learning and growth." 9. Interview the interviewer The applicant who will take anything offered is unlikely to win any but the most temporary of positions. A competent interviewer (there are some) will respect your efforts to assess the organization and the position in terms of whether or not it meets YOUR requirements. And you owe it to yourself to have defined before hand, what you ideally want and what you are willing to settle for, under certain conditions. For example, you might really want a salary of $75,000 to begin with, but you'd be willing to take less if the opportunities for growth are clearly in the picture. 10. Don't allow yourself to be badgered by the salary issue Even today, it's still not uncommon to hear the old refrain: "Our policy is not to pay a new employee more than X% higher than he/she is currently making." Sorry, that doesn't fly. The real issue, and the only one at stake here, is whether or not your

prospective employer is willing to pay WHAT YOU ARE WORTH. And, your worth is a function of the job itself and your capability and willingness to perform it. In most organizations, there are clear parameters for a given job, a range of salary that is adjustable depending upon the market and the applicant's experience. In most cases, unless you are very good, you will have to work within those limits. But, within the limits, what you are worth is a matter of mutual agreement based on your own knowledge of your worth and your ability to convince those interviewing you. So, to sum it up: Know the range of compensation for the job you're seeking, make your own realistic determination of what you're worth, and then be prepared to stand your ground. First Interview vs. Second Interview First interview and second interviews differ in major aspects. First interviews are normally carried out by a human resources officer, whose intention is to check out your academic background, skills set and work experience against the info on your resume. There is greater flexibility in the format of second interviews, which may involve a one-onone meeting (probably with your potential immediate supervisor), panel or group interviews, or a series of interviews. The second interview is out to probe two key areas: 1. Your competency for the position 2. How you will fit in with the company and the staff For more handy tips for the job hunt, grab your copy of JobStreet Classifinder, out every Sunday with the Philippine Star. 1.
Take along interview essentials, such as pen and paper and your portfolio, which should include copies of your resume, transcript of records, work samples and a list of references. 2. Get a good night sleep on the interviews eve so youre fresh and alert on D-day. Eat a good breakfast and take along a small snack to keep you going throughout what might be a long day. 3. Dont forget the cardinal rules of any interview: Arrive on time, wear proper business attire, and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. And dont forget to smile! 4. Prep even more for the second interview, which may involve more people (including group or panel interviews), more tricky and in-depth questions, and definitely more pressure. 5. Recall your performance in the first interview and plan how to better handle any difficult scenes or questions should these occur again. 6. If possible, get the names and titles of the interviewers beforehand. 7. Be prepared to answer a broader range of questions, including behavioral, case and off-the-wall queries. 8. Be prepared to ask questions, and these should be more profound than those you threw the first time. (E.g., What skills and talents are needed to be effective in this job? What work values and attitude are best for this type of work?) 9. Bring to the next interview more details, such as new accomplishments, new knowledge about the company, and new examples to back up your claims. 10. Write a thank-you letter to the employer within three days of the callback.

How to Answer Job Interview Questions Human Resources personnel, professional recruiters and various other career experts all agree: one of the best ways to prepare yourself for a job interview is to anticipate questions, develop your answers, and practice, practice, practice.

There are plenty of websites that offer lists of popular job interview questions, and knowing the types of questions to expect can be very useful. But knowing how to answer those questions can mean the difference between getting the job and getting the "reject letter." HOW TO ANSWER QUESTIONS First, know these important facts: 1. There is no way to predict every question you will be asked during a job interview. In other words, expect unexpected questions--they'll come up no matter how much preparation you do. 2. Treat any sample answers you find, such as in discussion forums, books or on Internet job sites, as GUIDES only. Do not use any sample answers word for word! Interviewers can spot "canned" answers a mile away, and if they suspect you are regurgitating answers that are not your own, you can kiss that job goodbye. You must apply your own experiences, personality and style to answer the questions in your own way. This is crucial, and it will give you a big advantage over candidates who simply recite sample answers. 3. Job interview questions are not things to fear, they are OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL. They allow you to show why you are the best person for the job, so instead of dreading them, look forward to them! The key is to give better answers than anyone else, and that's where your preparation comes in. Now, take these actions: 1. Make a list of your best "selling points" for the position. What qualifications, skills, experience, knowledge, background, personality traits do you possess that would apply to this particular job? Write them down and look for opportunities to work them into your answers. 2. In addition to any sample job interview questions you find through various resources, you absolutely must develop your OWN list of probable questions based specifically on the job for which you are applying. Put yourself in the hiring manager's shoes -what kinds of questions would you ask to find the best person for this job? 3. Write down your answers to likely questions. Study the job announcement carefully. (If you don't have one, get one!) Note the phrases they use when describing the desired qualifications. You'll want to target these as much as possible when developing your answers. For example, if the announcement says they want someone with "strong customer service skills," make sure you include "strong customer service skills" in at least one of your answers. That will make a better impression than saying "I helped customers." 4. Review and edit your answers until you feel they are "just right." Read them over and over until you are comfortable that you know them fairly well. Don't try to memorize them; don't worry about remembering every word. Practice saying them out loud. If possible, have a friend help you rehearse for the interview. Be A (Short) Story Teller Make use of this old marketing tip: "Facts tell but stories sell." During a job interview, you are selling yourself. Whenever possible, answer questions with a short story that gives specific examples of your experiences. Notice I said "short." You don't want to ramble or

take up too much time; you want to be brief but still make your point. For example, imagine two people interviewing for a job as a dog groomer are asked, "Have you ever dealt with aggressive dogs?" Candidate Joe answers, "Yes, about 10% of the dogs I've groomed had aggressive tendencies." Candidate Mary answers, "Oh yes, quite often. I remember one situation where a client brought in his Pit Bull, Chomper. He started growling at me the moment his owner left, and I could tell from his stance he wasn't about to let me get near his nails with my clippers. I think he would've torn my arm off if I hadn't used the Schweitzer Maneuver on him. That calmed him down right away and I didn't have any problems after that." (NOTE: I know nothing about dog grooming; I made the Schweitzer Maneuver up for illustrative purposes.) Don't you agree that Mary's answer is better? Sure, Joe answered the question, but Mary did more than that -- she gave a specific example and told a quick story that will be remembered by the interviewers. In today's job market where there are dozens of highly qualified candidates for each opening, anything you do that will make you stand out and be remembered will greatly increase your odds of getting hired. Keep the Interviewer's Perspective in Mind; Answer His "What's in it for Me?" Question While many questions asked during job interviews appear to focus on your past accomplishments, here's an important tip: they may be asking about what you did in the past, but what they really want to know is what you can do NOW, for THEM. The key is to talk about your past accomplishments in a way that shows how they are RELEVANT to the specific job for which you are interviewing. Doing advance research about the company (such as at their website or at www.hoovers.com) and the position will be extremely helpful. Here's another example with Joe and Mary. The interviewer asks, "What is the most difficult challenge you've faced, and how did you overcome it?" Joe answers with, "In one job I was delivering pizzas and I kept getting lost. By the time I'd find the address, the pizza would be cold, the customer would be unhappy, and my boss was ready to fire me. I overcame this problem by purchasing a GPS navigation device and installing it in my car. Now I never get lost!" Mary answers, "In my current job at Stylish Hounds, management ran a special promotion to increase the number of customers who use the dog-grooming service. It was a bit too successful because we suddenly had more customers than we could handle. Management would not hire additional groomers to help with the workload. Instead of turning customers away or significantly delaying their appointments, I devised a new grooming method that was twice as fast. Then I developed a new work schedule. Both efforts maximized productivity and we were able to handle the increased workload effectively without upsetting our customers." Joe's answer shows initiative and commitment (he bought that GPS gadget with his own money, after all). But Mary's answer relates specifically to the job they are applying for (dog groomer). And Mary had done research about the company and discovered it was about to significantly expand it's dog-grooming operations. So she picked an example from her past that addressed an issue the interviewer was likely to apply to a future situation in his

company. See the difference? Here's one more example. Joe and Mary are asked, "What's your greatest accomplishment?" Joe answers, "I won two Olympic Gold Medals during the 2000 Olympics in the high-jump competition." Mary answers, "I was named Stylish Hounds's Dog Groomer of the Year in 2003 for increasing productivity in my section by 47%." Joe's accomplishment is pretty spectacular. But remember the interviewer's perspective. He might be impressed, but he's thinking "What's in it for me? What does being a world-class high-jumper four years ago have to do with helping me to increase sales in my dog-grooming department?" Mary's answer is much less spectacular than Joe's, but it's relevant to the position and indicates that she has what it takes to be successful in this particular job. It tells the interviewer, "I have what you're looking for; I can help you with your specific needs." Looks like Mary has a new job! Do Not Lie Last but not least, tell the truth. It's sometimes very tempting to "alter" the truth a bit during a job interview. For instance, say you quit instead of being fired. But the risk of being discovered as a liar far outweighs the potential benefit of hiding the truth. If you are thinking about telling a lie during the interview, ask yourself these questions (this technique has helped me make many major decisions): "What is the BEST thing that could happen? What is the WORST thing that could happen? Is the best thing WORTH RISKING the worst thing?" In this instance, the best thing would be getting the job. The worst thing would be getting discovered as a liar, which could lead to getting fired, which could lead to unemployment, which could lead to more job searching, which could lead to another interview, which could lead to the stress of deciding whether to lie about just getting fired, and so on -- a cycle that can go on indefinitely. Is all that worth getting the one job, perhaps on a temporary basis? Always consider the consequences of your actions. In Summary, Here's What You Need To Do When Preparing To Answer Job Interview Questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Study the job announcement. Research the company. Anticipate likely questions. Prepare answers to those questions that are relevant to the position and the company. Promote your best "selling points" (relevant qualifications, capabilities, experience, personality traits, etc.) by working them into your answers. 6. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free informationpacked ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com. Winning at Behavioural Interviews

Describe an experience when you had to calm down an angry customer. Describe a situation when you had to perform under pressure. Describe how you formed a team and led it.

No two persons can give same answers to the above questions. Behavioural interviewing asking questions about your past behaviour in certain specific situations - is one of the hot trends in hiring. The underlying logic is that your past behaviour is the predictor of your future behaviour and performance. So, if you handled an angry client well in the past, most likely you'll be able to do so in future as well. At the root of BI, it seems, is what Russian physiologist, psychologist and physician Ivan Pavlov (Nobel prize in 1904) proved about a century ago: We behave in a conditioned way. Pavlov's observed that if you give a dog something to eat every time you ring a bell, soon the dog starts to salivate when you just ring a bell. Dog gets conditioned to associate one stimulus (ringing bell) with another (food) and behaves accordingly. We are no different. If someone tends to become irritable under pressure, he will do so every time pressure is applied on him. If someone gets unduly impatient when he has to wait, like in a queue at a bus or taxi stand or at an airport, he would do so every time such a situation arises. How to prepare If you're going for an interview, it makes sense to be prepared for some BI questions. If not, these questions can put you off balance. For example, a well qualified and experienced candidate pursuing a leadership position was asked by the interviewer to share an experience of creating a new team from scratch. Since he was not expecting such a question, he failed to reply convincingly and lost the opportunity. Here is a way to prepare for such interviews: Study the job requirements: The first step is to carefully study the job requirements and ask yourself: What kind of behaviour might be expected in this position? Does it involve leadership skills, working under pressure, handling conflicts, working in a team or what? Sometimes, the expected behaviours will be clearly listed in the job advertisement. For example, for the job of a finance manager, an advertisement has listed good teamwork as one of the requirements. This is a good enough hint to be ready for some questions about behaviour in a team setting. Prepare stories: Based on your assessment, scan your past experiences and prepare a few stories, which demonstrate that you possess the required behavioural traits. For example, if youre applying for the job of a contracts manager, you may want to be prepared to describe how you handled situations involving conflicts and claims from suppliers or customers. It will be easier to put together the stories if you construct them in three parts (S-A-R): 1. Situation: First describe the situation that prompted you to act or react. 2. Action/response/behaviour: What action you took or how you reacted? 3. Result: What was the end result?

Your stories will appear credible and interesting if you keep them short, stick to facts and avoid heaping praise on yourself. Let the facts do the talking. Practise: After preparing the stories, practise narrating them so that you can be fluent during an interview. In situations with many candidates having similar qualifications and experiences, it is the behavioural aspects that can eventually differentiate you from the crowd and get the job. Being prepared for behavioural interviewing can prove to be the winning stroke.

Copyright 2006 by Atul Mathur Atul Mathur is the author of three ebooks: 5 Quick Steps to a New Job, The Best Career Move: Know Yourself and The Secret of Finding the Right Career Direction. He also writes Career Tips, a free monthly newsletter dedicated to career development. Web site: http://atulmathur.com Interview Preparation Success at Interview In the April 2000 issue of the Reader's Digest magazine, Nick Corcodilos, a famous headhunter, recounts how Zagorski, a professional seeking a new job, wowed an interviewer at a big corporation and got the job. Zagorski went for an interview at AT&T. At the outset, even before Zagorski could settle in his seat, the interviewer told him that he had only 20 minutes to spare. Instead of feeling belittled or nervous, Zagorski got up and walked up to the marker board. He then started writing down the challenges faced by the company. Fifteen minutes later, he wrote down his estimate of what he would add to the bottom line. When he paused to take a look at the interviewer, he found him completely dazed. The next thing he heard was interviewer telling him that there was no need for any further interview. The interviewer called in his team, introduced Zagorski to everybody and they began a working meeting, which lasted for two hours. Most people go to interviews hoping to be questioned and assessed by an interviewer (s). They go anxious and worried, wondering whether they would get the job. People like Zagorski approach an interview with a completely different mind-set. They go well-prepared to demonstrate how they would fit into an employers needs and bring value to their business. They go as a value provider, not as a job seeker. Would you also like to impress your would-be employer just like Zagorski? If yes, the next time when you get an interview call, do not lose any time and get down to preparing a powerful presentation. Here is a road map: Know the employer Go to the companys website and learn about its products and services. What initiatives this company is taking? Who are their competitors and what challenges are they facing? Read the news section to pick up the latest happenings there. Review the job Next, zero down to the job that you are pursuing. What are the employers expectations in terms of responsibilities, actions and goals? Also note the job requirements qualifications,

experience and skills that the employer is expecting the right candidate to satisfy. Review yourself Look at your resume and review the assets you have: your experience, education, achievements, skills, knowledge and strengths. Prepare a presentation Having done the homework, now it is time to prepare a short PowerPoint presentation. The presentation should essentially comprise the following parts: Part 1: About yourself Prepare a short introduction to yourself in terms of education, experience and achievements. Part 2: Employers business This part is about showing your understanding of the companys business: products, services, markets, competition, etc. Part 3: Employers needs In this part, list all of the employers expectations responsibilities, actions and goals you will be expected to meet. Also talk about the challenges you will be facing in the job. Part 4: How would you deliver This is the heart of your presentation. Demonstrate how you would tackle the challenges and go on to show how not only you can meet the employers expectations but exceed them. To make it credible, share actual examples from your past experience and use quantitative information. On the whole, keep your presentation limited to 10 slides and 15 minutes long. Practise The last and final step is to practise delivering the presentation. The more you practise, the more relaxed, confident and convincing you will be during the interview. Zagorski would not have been able to make that job-winning presentation if he had not done a thorough preparation. Now, it is your turn to follow his way and enjoy success at the interview.

Copyright 2006 by Atul Mathur Atul Mathur is the author of three ebooks: 5 Quick Steps to a New Job, The Best Career Move: Know Yourself and The Secret of Finding the Right Career Direction. He also writes Career Tips, a free monthly newsletter dedicated to career development. Web site: http://atulmathur.com Interview Question Tell Me About Yourself v2 Tell me about yourself is a question that most interviewees expect and it is the most difficult to answer as well. Though one could answer this open-ended question in a myriad of ways, the key to answering this question or any other interview question is to offer a response that supports ones career objective. This means that you should not respond with comments about your hobbies, spouse, or extra curricular activities. Trust me, interviewers are not

interested. To start with there is no correct answer to this interview question. I would lean in the favour of a quick reference to some personal traits that give a quick view of who you are. From there one could move to a one sentence of any relevant education/qualification. There should also be a mention of employment history. Purpose of the Question: In one of my write-ups, Across the interview table, I did mention that there is a purpose to each and every question in the interview. One cannot ask anything and everything. Again, a set of interview questions varies from industry to industry and position to position. Interviewers use the interview process as a vehicle to eliminate your candidacy. Every question they ask is used to differentiate your skills, experience, and personality with that of other candidates. They want to determine if what you have to offer will mesh with the organization's mission and goals. What type of answer is expected? Try to avoid this type of answer: I am a hard-worker who is good with numbers. After I worked as a financial analyst for a few years, I decided to go to law school. I just finished and now am looking for a new challenge. Say something like this: I began developing skills relevant to financial planning when I worked as a financial analyst for three years. In that role, I succeeded in multiplying the wealth of my clients by carefully analyzing the market for trends. The return on the portfolios I managed was generally 2% more than most of the portfolios managed by my company. My initiative, planning, and analytic skills were rewarded by two promotions. As the manager of a team, I successfully led them to develop a more efficient and profitable strategy for dealing with new accounts. My subsequent training in the law, including tax law and estate law, gives me an informed view of what types of investments and charitable gifts would be most advantageous for your clients. Preparing for the answer: Follow the following steps as outlined below to ensure your response will grab the interviewers attention:

Provide a brief introduction. Introduce attributes that are keys to the open position. Provide a career summary of your most recent work history. Your career summary is the "meat" of your response, so it must support your job objective and it must be compelling. Keep your response limited to your current experience. Don't go back more than 10 years. Tie your response to the needs of the hiring organization. Do not assume that the interviewer will be able to connect all the dots. It is your job as the interviewee to make sure the interviewer understands how your experiences are transferable to the position they are seeking to fill. Ask an insightful question. By asking a question you gain control of the interview. Don't ask a question for the sake of asking. Be sure that the question will engage the interviewer in a conversation. Doing so will alleviate the stress you may feel to perform.

There you have it: a response that meets the needs of the interviewer AND supports your agenda.

When broken down into manageable pieces, the question "So, tell me about yourself?" isn't overwhelming. In fact, answering the question effectively gives you the opportunity to talk about your strengths, achievements, and qualifications for the position. So take this golden opportunity and run with it! When asked by different people? HR managers or CEOs of the company or the Departmental Heads can ask the same question and your answer should vary. The expectation of each person is different. When asked by the HR Manager your response must be like this: "My career has been characterized by my ability to work well with diverse teams. I seek out opportunities to involve others in the decision-making process. This collaboration and communication is what has enabled me to achieve success in my department. People are the most valuable resource of any organization." When asked by the CEO your response must be like this: "I have achieved success in my career because I have been focused on the bottom line. I have always sought out innovative solutions to challenging problems to maximize profitability. Regardless of the task or challenge, I always established benchmarks of performance and standards of excellence. I have never sought to maintain the "status quo." An organization that does not change and grow will die. I would enjoy working with you to help define new market opportunities in order to achieve the organization's goals." In each instance, we responded to the "needs of the individual." It is almost guaranteed that when you respond appropriately to the diverse needs of the different managers, you will become the standard by which all of the other candidates will be measured. Conclusion: The question is very tricky and being the first question of the interviewone need to be a bit more careful in answering the same. This question can make or break the interviewers interest in you.

If you have any comment or feedback to this article, please send them to the editor. Job Interview Tips Be a good listener Are you good at listening? It's an interesting question because listening, as apart from just hearing, is an acquired skill. And by being able to listen well, you have a skill that can be put to good use during job interviews. Good listening skills, however, just don't happen. You will have to work on improving them. Active listening requires that the listener receive both the speaker's spoken and unspoken message. This can be difficult because very often, the listener is so busy thinking about responding to what the speaker is saying that he misses much of what the speaker is trying to say across. If you want to be an effective communicator, especially in the job interview, you need to develop your active listening skills. One way to help you become a better listener is to take notes while you listen. Here's why.

It gives the interviewer a non-verbal message that you are serious and you value what

the interviewer is communicating. The notes helps you raise significant questions when the interviewer asks, "Do you have any questions?" They help you with your follow-up communications because you can refer to specific comments or topics covered in the interview. The more specific and customised your thank-you follow-up is, the greater the chance it will make a favorable impression on the interviewer.

But while most interviewers will respect your need to get accurate information, some may find your note taking to be a distraction. So before you start taking notes, always ask the interviewer for permission first. Other helpful hints:

Be discreet. Don't make a big show out of pulling a pad of paper from your briefcase. Maintain eye contact even while taking notes. Keep looking at the interviewer. Don't give him the impression that taking notes is more important than actually listening to him. If the interviewer seems distracted, stop your note taking. It's best to let your notes be out of the interviewer's direct sight. Don't try to write complete sentences; jotting down the key words or questions will do. After the interview, review your jottings to fill in the blanks and complete your thoughts.

Job Interview Skills Whether youre a student job seeker or a polished and proven executive, the first thing you must come to terms with is, Regardless of the position you seek, you are now in sales! The product you are selling is YOU! The interview is your opportunity to differentiate yourself in the eyes of your customer [the interviewer] when compared to your competitors [other job applicants]. Successful companies today, are focused on building whats known as, corporate Unique Value-Add Propositions. Simply put, a unique value proposition is designed to differentiate companies / products and services, by making a decision to do business with you, an easy one. This is accomplished by means of removing the risk in customers minds through obvious value-add. So before you go into an interview, ask yourself, What is my unique Value-add for this company? What can I say, do, or show, that will separate me from all other candidates? And, How convincing am I? There is no secret that in many cases today, the most qualified are not always the ones hired. Sadly, many qualified individuals lose out on opportunities expressly due to their inability to distinguish themselves [in the interview] by showing unique value-add. You may then ask, How does one construct a value-add interview? The process is surprisingly simple. #1: As quickly as you can, write down all the words that describe your unique strengths that relate to the position to which youre applying. [Note: Five words are not enough. Try for at least fifteen / you may also ask others for their input].

#2: As quickly as you can, write down all the words that describe your potential weaknesses as they relate to the position to which youre applying. #3: Turn each word into a sentence or statement. It does not have to be complicated. For example, if one of your strength-words was, experience - you could simply say, I am experienced. [Note: Do the same for your weaknesses list as well]. #4: Take each sentence / statement, and turn them into a question. I am experienced becomes, Why am I experienced? To answer the question, Why am I experienced? inexorably brings to light your real ValueAdd. From a selling point of view, being experienced may be true, but it is only, however, a fact. How specifically, am I experienced, and, How it will therefore benefit the new company, is the real Risk-Removing, Unique-Value-Add-Information needed to showcase your talents. Knowing the answers, ahead of time, to questions like, Why is [this] a potential weakness for me - for this position? is equally integral to the success of any interview. For more detailed information on Interviewing Skills, visit [www.s150.com]. On the Speaker Profile page, is a hot-link to The Art of the Interview. There you can order [$5 Admin-Fee] a 55-page booklet that guarantees better interviewing results. It details the specific types of questions trained interviewers will ask and the reasons why they ask them. The dos and donts of a good Rsums as well as ways to better prepare mentally for an interview are also there in a comprehensive easy to read format. Remember that in business, The degree to which you cannot provide a unique Value-Add Proposition is in direct proportion to the degree you hurt yourself, your company and your industry. In any job interview, You are the company. The product youre selling is YOU!
by Paul Shearstone

How should I dress for an interview? A few years ago, as a newbie applicant fresh out of college, I remember making my way to various job interviews dressed in black pants and a black blazer, sweating under the sun and wondering if theres a more comfortable way to go about job hunting. Fresh graduates, used to the college dress code of jeans and T-shirts, get apprehensive taking on a more corporate look. I went to an interview dressed in cargo jeans and a shirt, shares Crissy, a marketing graduate from a Manila university. The company is in media and I thought that they had a relaxed dress code. The hiring manager took one look at me and I could tell she was annoyed. The interview didnt even last fifteen minutes and, needless to say, I didnt get a call for another interview. Should I have come in corporate attire? Wouldnt I appear overdressed? On this question, our Career Coaches advise dressing to impress appropriately. "It is like selling yourself to employers," says Rem Villareal of Itochu Corporation. Generally, ones attire reveals some of his character traits neatness, being organized, etc.

"I usually expect my interviewees to come in corporate attire, even though our office is in a residential community, shares Melle Roxas-Pitalgo of iDnet Consulting, Inc. In selling yourself and your expertise, what you wear how you present yourself is part of the package. For Beth Pamatmat of Infodyne, Inc., dressing in corporate attire communicates to the interviewer that you are serious about the job. She also suggests doing some research first. Some companies adopt a more casual dress code but applicants cant always be sure if the companies they are applying to subscribe to that dress code. The rule of thumb is to dress one or two levels higher than the job are applying for. Remember, its not so much that youre trying to get hired because of what you wear, but its more a matter of not getting yourself eliminated from consideration because of how you present yourself. How important is it to stand apart from others in an interview and how difficult is it? Any professionally trained interviewer can verify these questions are the most asked by people involved with job-hunting. How important is it? Absolutely vital! How difficult is it? Not hard at all. In the early 1980s I interviewed a young man who, in our meeting, began to quote information pertaining to the company he was applying. He talked about the previous year's corporate gross revenue figures, the number of employees country wide, projected new product launches and other related information. Needless to say, I was impressed. He got the job.
I can demonstrate the importance with a true story from my book 'The Art of the Interview'. [*Now on CD-ROM]

In retrospect, although I tried to be unbiased, when comparing him to the other candidates, his knowledge of the company [The Company I worked for and Loved] coloured in his favour, the whole interview. My impression was he had spent a lot of time researching the organisation, which showed considerable interest and effort on his part. Not one of his competitors had done so. Months later, I asked him where he had done his research to find so much about the company. He smiled and said, "Remember our meeting was scheduled for 2pm that day and you were running 15 minutes behind?" I nodded affirmatively. "Well, as I sat in the reception area waiting for you, I noticed, among the magazines on the coffee table, a Corporate yearend report in which, among other things, contained the company's complete history. Fifteen minutes gave me plenty of time to 'research' the company." [And then he grinned] This story is true although the important lesson here is, he did something so simple, that in the end, made such a huge difference. He beat out 20 other candidates - many of whom had more impressive credentials than he. The fact remains, when the moment counted, and with little effort, "He was Impressive!" You may think me a little adamant as to the importance of this point. The fact remains that 'Little Things' can make 'All the Difference'. For other examples of this we need only look at Olympic athletes.

The runner that crosses the finish line 1/100th of a second faster than the next, wins the Gold. A Gold Medal can mean the difference of millions of dollars in future endorsements. One might ask; Is this Gold Medal winner ten times faster or better than the second runner? No, he is only 1/100th of a second faster - the length of a pencil. Decades of training and practice to become a Gold Medal winner, a celebrity and a multi-millionaire all came down to 7-inches - When It Counted! For us, the other important factor to remember is that when interviewing for a new job, there is no Silver Medal, second place, so to speak. We either get the job or we don't! The Bottom Line: Although it is easy to see the task of standing apart in an interview is a little daunting, it is, nevertheless, absolutely integral to anyone's success in today's Unique Value-Add driven marketplace, whether it is products, services and/or especially when it relates to us. In the end, we are all trying to make a sale. Potential employers must buy-off on the value and uniqueness of us. The good news? Standing out in a 'Huge' way is rarely necessary and often, we find standing out a 'Little' is not all that difficult. Good Job Hunting! Interview Questions Managing Bad Interview Questions Who has not felt nervous during an interview? Sometimes an applicant can become so anxious about giving the right answer that he does not realise that he is being asked the wrong question. Illegal interview questions are queries that a person may refuse to answer as they violate his rights as an applicant. In fact, in the United States, some states allow a person to sue an interviewer for asking such questions. But with jobs scarce to come by on the local market, it may be more prudent to think of how best to answer brash questions than to reject them outright. It may be that these unethical questions are being asked to determine if an applicant meets specific requirements for the position. Illegal questions? The following are some questions that the employer need not ask but may do so occasionally:

Questions about ones origins. These may include citizenship issues. They may be applicable if the position will require travel to different areas. The interviewer may be interested to know if you can speak a particular dialect. Questions concerning ones marital/family status or relationships. These include those about your civil status - if you are married with children, or are a single parent, or have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Normally, questions of this nature are intended to check out the applicants capacity to work long hours or do overtime work. Questions concerning ones personal attributes and background such as height,

weight, likes, etc. Again, such queries need not be asked unless relevant. Some jobs obviously have special requirements, such as height for a basketball player. Or you may be asked your musical preferences if you are applying with an audio store. Questions regarding ones disabilities. As with personal questions, these may be asked with tact and only if necessary. Candidates for pilots, for instance, have to have 20/20 vision. Questions regarding ones social standing including any arrest record. This information need not be asked as it should already be included in the requirements requested. Questions about ones religious affiliation or beliefs. To discriminate against ones religion is against the law and related questions should not be asked. Questions concerning ones age. Information on age should be available in your resume and need not be asked.

Focus on the real issue If you are thrown such posers, you could opt to give them the benefit of the doubt: The employer may not be aware that they are inappropriate. According to HR manager Jig Blanco-Yan: These interviewers might not be aware that theyre asking sensitive questions. Chances are, they want to hear something and sometimes, they get too carried away to notice the discomfort of the interviewees. Rather than telling the employer that you are not comfortable with the questions and that you feel they are irrelevant, try to determine first the intent of the interviewer, the purpose behind the question, then answer in relation to the responsibilities of the job. For example, if you are queried about children, the interviewer may want to know if you can work long hours away from home if necessary. A good answer is to say that if there is a need to work extra hours, you would be available. Misty, an HR applicant, was once asked by an employer if she had a boyfriend, and she replied with an assurance that she was willing to do overtime work if needed. I simply assumed that there was no malice or hidden motive behind the question. I didnt want to react in a negative manner as I was really keen on getting that position. In some cases, an interviewer may ask this type of questioning believing it would put the interviewee at ease. Instead of starting the interview on a serious note, the interviewer may pose light and personal questions first to break the ice. Again, it is up to the jobseeker to phrase his or her answers in such a way as to show that he or she is a professional who will be an asset to the company if hired.
by Neil Palabrica

Interview questions and answers: Have you thought about your answers lately? Sometimes I think the entire interview process is turned on its head. In a typical interview the recruiter commences with a slew of exploratory questions aimed at extracting key information that will help the candidate differentiate him or herself from the other 230 candidates being interviewed. Our ultimate objective as interviewers is to narrow the hundreds of homogenous Resumes

into a crme pile of 20 quality individuals. Pure and simple. Contrary to popular belief, we are not out to get you. Rather, we are trying to assist you in highlighting your strengths and capabilities so that we can meet our quality quota and happily go home. Despite this obvious intention, I, as a recruiter, seem to spend excruciatingly tedious amounts of time probing the interviewee for information that, really, is aimed at helping them market themselves to me. It is at times like these that I exasperatingly ask myself: "How come I am doing all the work?" More often than not, it seems that the candidates are quite happy to marinate in their sauces and curtly answer questions in a very superficial manner. The key to creating the right impression lies in your ability to truly listen to the questions asked of you and respond with the kind of information sought by the interviewer. From my experience, most candidates seem to be having a terribly difficult time in understanding this very basic objective of the interview. The majority of candidates have shown a disappointingly slender grasp of the process of analysis - whether that be a true reflection of their ability. Before you fire your pre-programmed answers at the interviewer, make that extra effort to examine the true motivation behind the questions asked of you. Do I merely want to know about the list of extra-curricular activities you participated in or do I want to know about how these activities have added to your capability profile? When I ask you to talk about a topic like the environment, do I want to get the definition of the term or do I wish to gauge your ability to explore wider issues and think outside the box? When I ask you to tell me about your most significant achievement; take the time to delve into the motivation of your chosen project, the manner in which you applied yourself, the challenges you faced, how you managed the situation and why you feel its achievement deserves the merit you accorded to it. Avoid rattling on an exhaustive list of bullet points that serve only to cursorily answer me with face-value information, making me no wiser as to your accomplishment. Ultimately, if we have to prise the information from you with a crowbar, you're digging your own grave with a foot in it. The fact that you are not thinking about your responses presents us with a none-too-complimentary view about your ability to perform and advance in our company. The interview is all about figuring out the kind of person you are, the capabilities you possess and the way your mind works. When you go into your next interview, remember these key points and respond in a manner that will define who you are and why we should be snapping you up like a hot cake. Yes and No answers will just not cut it anymore. If you want the job, impress the interviewer. No more, and definitely no less. You have the power to convince us. Whether or not you make the cut is up to you.
by Koon Mei Ching

The art of stalling a job offer after a successful interview "We'd like to make you an offer." Boy, words just don't get any sweeter when you're hanging out to dry without a job. In this current market swinging on a downturn, many professionals may be freshly laid-off, or have been suffering that same fate for a while now. In any case, when your bills need attention and prevailing obligations abound, getting employment is all that counts, isn't it? Maybe, maybe not. You want me? You got me. Congratulations! You've just been offered a job you've been waiting for. Only catch: cut your expected salary in half, relocate to another city on your own account and, oh, forget about taking that family vacation for at least a year of hard labour. The process of accepting an offer of employment is often trickier than expected in real life. While that glorious phone call may seem like a godsend most of the time, the question really is, do I accept this offer now or wait for other replies from employers I prefer to consider? To alleviate the pressure of accepting the first job offer that strolls along, consider tactfully stalling for additional time to consider all your options and make the right decision. Why stall? For obvious reasons, accepting a job immediately rules out any hope of evaluating the offer thoroughly and precludes your ability to leverage parts of the offer by weighing contracts from other "suitors" you have not heard from yet. Hasty decisions can cost you more than you are willing to bear. Off-the-cuff, you need to find out more about the role and evaluate the personal issues surrounding it. Is it a job with a future for your career? Is it paying a fair market rate for your skills? Where is it geographically? Can your financial status afford turning it down and waiting longer for another offer? The key is learning how to evaluate and accept the right offer and, most difficult of all, define what your bottomline requirements are in order to be happy with the offer. This may mean turning down a position that is outside of your desired parameters - even when there is no other job on the horizon. Howard, a recent casualty of the airline industry, was laid-off a few weeks ago and has been zapping out resumes to aviation recruiters across the country and in the region. Finally, after 4 painfully quiet weeks, he gets an offer to work in another country. Did he take it? No. Even though he knew that it hundreds of other guys would have killed for the job, he chose to stall for a little time while he considered the offer in full. In the end, he discovered that paying for the relocation, moving to a place he did not fancy and accepting a 40% pay cut would not be worth it. He was willing to ride it out and wait for another employer to come a-knocking. Apparently, his wait was worth it. He got another offer from a company that was located in his ideal spot and paid 30% more than the previous offer. The phone stall So, now that your interest is piqued, how does one actually stall an offer? First things first, be polite. If you are on the phone with a recruiter/potential employer, change your "That sounds great! I'll take it." to a "Thank you for calling and I am certainly excited about your offer, but I would appreciate a little time to evaluate your offer. Would I be able to get back to you on my decision?" At this point, you should request for another date to get back to them (more on this below). Especially with a verbal offer, you should ask if the recruiter can provide you

with a written letter of offer. This will allow you the time to thoroughly consider the terms of offer in full and assess the suitability of the employer with your personal criteria, without having to decide on the spot. The write stuff If you have received an email offer or a written letter in the mail, you typically respond to the recruiter with a letter. Most employers understand that you may not be ready to make a decision about accepting an offer straight away. Hence, it is permissible to request for a delay or extension to your decision deadline. Ensure that you make it known in the letter that you are very pleased to hear from them and greatly appreciate their offer of employment to you. This will keep the door open for you as they note your interest in the offer. Then you can make a simple statement that, at the present time, you are unable to commit yourself to a decision and need to consider the offer thoroughly. You do not need to inform them that you are evaluating other offers...this may come off as being arrogant and create a negative impression of yourself (even though it is the honest truth). Follow this up by a request for them to accept your decision at a certain date. When shall we dance? As with both the phone response and written letter, do try to negotiate a reasonable extension deadline for yourself. This allows you to evaluate other offers or possibilities. Usually, a week is okay; sometimes, maybe a little bit more time. Be fair though, in estimating how much time you might need to decide. Don't test their limits and ensure you stand by the specified deadline. It is never advisable to ask for another extension. In these cases, unless you know you are their top choice, you might as well kiss the offer goodbye. Once the deadline hits, ensure you promptly respond to the recruiter via the telephone, email or written letter (to arrive on the date of the deadline, please) thanking them for their patience and stating your decision. Throughout it all, always be mindful that your decision affects their staffing operations and when you do decide to decline the offer, someone else who really needs the job might be anxiously waiting for a call. Parting words In the end, the experience of deliberating over job offers can be as much about a personal struggle to answer those philosophical questions ("What do I really want in my life? What am I worth? What kind of compromises am I willing to make to my personal/professional/social life in taking this job?") as it is about the vagaries of the job market. You may experience a good sprinkling of incredibly exciting leads and a dose of confidence-shattering moments. Reality is, there are no perfect jobs out there - although there may be ones pretty close. Before you make a life-changing decision with regards your career, take the time to make the time in deciding. And this, my friends, is the art of stalling. Sample letter requesting an extension: 23 Dec 2001 Sarah Lee #01-01 Sunshine Plaza Jalan Ampang 50430 Kuala Lumpur

En Abdullah Salleh Technology Venture Sdn Bhd 354 Jalan Simpang 50000 Kuala Lumpur Dear En Salleh Thank you sincerely for your telephone call and letter dated 21 Dec 2001, offering me the position of Web Designer with Technology Venture Sdn Bhd. I am excited about the opportunity this position offers both in terms of the job scope and responsibilities. You asked that I make a decision by next week on 28 Dec 2001. I consider this to be an important decision and as yet, I do not have all the information I need in order to make an informed decision by that date. Would it be possible for me to provide you with my decision by 1 Jan 2002? I would very much appreciate such an extension which I feel will be mutually beneficial to both of us. Should you accept my request, I assure you that I will promptly inform you of a firm decision by that deadline. Thank you very much for your consideration of my request. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Sarah Lee

by Koon Mei Ching

Job Interview Questions and Answers This article is probably what most of you out there are waiting for. So, wait no more! The "Interviewer's Top 10 Hits" Best Compilation record is out! Here, you'll find a list of the 10 most popular questions used by those faithful interviewers world wide. I do want to caution everyone though, that this is only to provide you with a overall guide to what they want to know, and it should not be treated as text book answers, because there are none. If everyone started answering the same questions with the same answers, there would be (a) very bored interviewers, and (b) absolutely no selection process. But let me not digress. And the Top 10 are... 1. Tell Me Something About Yourself Now, this is a golden classic used at the start of interviews to break the ice and to get you to give them a good initial run down of who you are and your "hidden" characteristics, demonstrated in the way you present this self-story. You should prepare a 2 to 3 minute presentation that briefly introduces your self (where you're from), your personal interests (hobbies, community involvement etc), your work history, and recent career experience. The most time should be spent on the accomplishments in the last two areas. Interviewers look out for three things:

1. If you are able to give a brief, sequential summary of your life and career that relates to the job for which you're interviewing. Don't ramble on aimlessly on irrelevant nitty gritty details though. If you find yourself at the 5 minute mark talking about your high school days, you are WAY off the mark! 2. Your conversational style, your confidence level, your ability to organize and present information. 3. An idea of the person your are behind the suit. 2. Why Do You Want To Join This Company? OK, now they want to know your motivations for joining the company. And this is usually where they can read between the lines in your answer, so think carefully when answering. First, do your research on the company, its culture and market. Not enough job seekers do enough or ANY of this which is a real no-no! Make sure you understand who you are being interviewed by. Second, DON'T give answers such as "Oh, because its such a cool place to work!", "I like your salary and benefits package," or "My friends are already there and it makes it easier for us to hang out together." OK, so maybe I exaggerate a little bit, but you should get the picture. These answers seem "give-me" oriented and do not show the interviewer how your skills and experience deliver what the company needs. Third, DO demonstrate to them how you can contribute to the company's goals and how your skills and experience match their requirements. Use concrete examples as if you were already working there. For instance, when I interviewed with JobStreet.com for the role of Editor, I drew up a list of things that would add value to the job seeker. Similarly, if research shows that the company is trying to be market leader, tell them how your experience/skills will be able to let you contribute to adding market share for the company. 3. Why Are You Looking For A New Job? This may seem like a straightforward question to answer, but look again. It is very easy to slip up here if you are unprepared. Most people seek another job because they are unhappy/unsatisfied with their current employment. But relating ANYTHING in a negative light at an interview is bad form. Most interviewers don't look so much for the reason you left, but they way you deliver your response. So, always be honest and positive. Even if you got fired from your last job, try to keep it brief yet honest. If you start ranting on about how your ex boss/company was a terrible employer, they may be thinking "Is he still dealing with bitter or sad feelings, or has he been able to focus his energy on the future and the next position? Does she place total blame on others for her situation or does she accept at least some responsibility for it?" Further, most terminations happen because of an ill-fit between company and employee, not so much performance. So, try to take this angle. If you left voluntarily, don't dwell on the negative reasons for leaving, and focus on how you can contribute better to your new company/role. Some examples of answers that would work are below. But again, don't just memorize these

answers and throw them out again without being really honest. Interviews never work if you approach them like textbook exams. 1. I wanted to move my career in a new direction. (Make sure you mention what this new direction is.) 2. My company was restructuring and I chose to seek better opportunities elsewhere. 3. I want to keep developing new skills but was unable to pursue this in my previous company. I decided to make a change to allow this to happen. 4. What Kind Of Position Are You Looking For? Avoid vague answers such as "I want an exciting job" or "I want to grow my skills in this area." It shows lack of focus and motivation for your career objective. Instead, focus on your desired position and how your skills and experience can help you be an asset within that position. For example, "I have a strong ability to communicate and market a product as proven in my 2 years experience as marketing officer at University/company A. I believe that I understand the consumer industry and can add value to your company's marketing efforts." 5. What Do You Consider Your Strengths and Weaknesses? This is a time to be honest, but don't go to extremes either way. You don't want to start telling them that you are really terrible at organizing and can never be on time. Neither do you make yourself out to be the next best thing since sliced bread. Instead, be clear and concise about qualities that demonstrate you take responsibility for your work ethic, actions, and experiences learned (or failures) on the job, problem-solving ability, and values. 6. What Do You Know About Our Company? This is where your research has come in handy. It is a way to demonstrate that you are serious about joining the company and was motivated enough to learn about it before the interview. Don't respond by repeating each and every fact you learnt about the company, because it can seem arrogant and memorized. Do mention its major product, markets and latest development. Keep things positive. Also try to show your eagerness to learn more about the company by asking some questions to the interviewer him/herself. 7. What Do You Consider Your Greatest Achievements? Try to mention about 2-3 achievements. This is a way for interviewers to gauge how you managed people/projects/yourself in a successful manner - which can translate into how you may be able to succeed in the company if they hire you. Try to choose a set of achievements that allow you to display a variety of strengths. Ie. A successful event that you set up showing your organizational skills, successfully resolving a situation at work which demonstrates your problem solving skills and delivering an important report under difficult circumstances which shows your ability to handle pressure. 8. Where Do You See Yourself One / Five Years From Now? Respond to reflect your confidence and drive to reach a level of work that will be rewarded for your success. State realistic expectations and propose a real plan of where you intend to go within the company. Never sound overly confident, fearful or confused. 9. What Type Of Job Assignments Did You Perform In Your Last Job? Be honest and to the point answering this, even if the assignments performed don't exactly match those required in the new position. However, also take the opportunity to mention any projects your volunteered for, special projects you took on outside your work scope or elected

positions held in committees in other past jobs/university. The key point here is to try to tell them about experience gained in areas that might be relevant to your new position. 10. When You Start A New Job, How Do You Establish Good Relationships With Your New Colleagues and Supervisors? It is important here to be enthusiastic and positive. Tell them how you worked well with your past colleagues or peers in projects etc. Networking skills is important so show how you used yours in your past to good stead. So that wraps out the countdown! The bottomline is, be prepared, do your research, and understand the job you are being interviewed for and how your skills / personality / experience match the job's requirements. Close the interview with any last questions, pass on your namecard if you have one, thank them for their time and give a firm handshake before smiling and saying good bye. The first interview is just a lead into the second interview or offer to a job. Not everyone is suited for the job or the company. So don't be discouraged if you were not offered a position right away. Keep your chin up and your cool, and don't give up on yourself! Besides, things could be a lot worse at interviews and you could be asked a question like the one used by Goldman Sachs in the USA, "There are eight balls, one of which is slightly heavier than the others. You have a two-armed scale, which you are allowed to use only twice. Which ball is heavier?" Now where is my physics textbook again...
by Koon Mei Ching

Interview Tips How do you beat the competition? I have been receiving a deluge of queries about interviews and how to get it right the past few months. I thought a logical way to attack the growing pile of question marks, was to shed some light on that game we play the Interview. It should arm you with the right tactics and tools to make it happen for you! So, without further ado, let the games begin! You Have 10 Brown Eggs, But Which Makes the Best Ommelette? The interview is basically a tool used by employers/HR managers to select the right candidate for the right position. Now, it seems pretty simple, but the mechanics behind the process lends more than the eye can see. Most employers will start the recruitment process by using objective minimum requirements - i.e. skill, education, experience, expected salary etc. - to shortlist the candidates down to a manageable number out of the confusion of applications. So how do they pick from say, 10 equal candidates who match up to the minimum requirements mentioned above? Even if you hit a match of 5 out of 5 for job requirements, someone else may get the job instead of you. And so your intrigue rises. This is where the interview steps in to siphon out those more suitable based on "touchy feely" emotional aspects of the candidate. Let's Get Touchy Feely, Shall We? The emotional aspects being selected in the interview are generally as follows: initial impression, management potential, motivation/enthusiasm, personal chemistry, and competence.

Initial Impression: Making the right first impression on your interviewer is vital to setting the scene for the rest of the interview. Humans naturally make a judgement about another by the way they look, act, speak etc. So the first few minutes in the interview are crucial to get across your nonverbal factors such as: vocal quality, body posture, eye contact, and facial expressions. Project self-confidence, professionalism, and eager interest in the company through your actions and demeanor, and you will make an effective initial impression. Management Potential: Employers hire people with potential to advance in the company as they usually prefer to grow their own management team. They look for people who have the capacity to take on more responsibilities, lead their team members and manage projects. Typically, this evaluation is based on a gut feel and the onus falls on you to point out relevant experiences that indicate your potential to adapt to a changing environment and growing roles. Motivation/Enthusiasm: This translates into the positive drive to accomplish a task/goal. Employers want to hire people who are genuinely excited about working for them and developing their product. They are trained to spot phony enthusiasm a mile away, so don't go trying to fake it, I beg of you. Research the company and its product before you apply to make sure that you have an honest enthusiasm for what you will be doing with the company if they hire you, and project this during your interview. Personal Chemistry: Know how you feel when you "click" or don't "click" with someone you meet? The same theory applies during an interview. It sounds logical that employers prefer to hire people they like over those they don't feel comfortable with. This is personal chemistry. The reason for this is simplysimple. It is easier to work with and accomplish tasks effectively in a team with people you genuinely like. Whilst this hypothesis seems a little "vague", it is human behaviour and that, my friends, is the world we work in. Do note though, that it is difficult to "make" personal chemistry happen. Eye of newt and a bag of bat wings are useless, I am afraid. But if you step out of the interview feeling like you connected with the interviewer, your chances definitely shine brighter. Competence: This element is colored a slight shade of gray. While it should be measurable, it is more subjective than objective. This has to do with characteristics like adaptability to change, lateral thinking and people management skills. Employers want people who can contribute in a variety of ways, not only directly to the task they are working on. It could mean brainstorming on innovative ideas, helping to manage a team for a project or dealing with problems on your feet. If you can highlight competencies gained through your own past experiences in your interview, you can add one more point to your interview score! In ending, understand that fulfilling the minimum requirements stated in the job advertisement is not the "end all be all" that determines if you get the job. The "hidden" emotional factors that are determined in the interview play a very strong role in deciding who wins the prize at the end of the day. So even if you don't have strong qualifications, you may

still be able to leverage the interview to your advantage by laying up your "emotional" strengths. You're in the last quarter and the game depends on your next shot. You've got the talent. You've got the skills. Now go out there and score that killer interview!
by Koon Mei Ching

Interview Tips for Job Seekers Dos and don'ts during job interviews: Dos 1. Be specialized in an occupational field and have work experience in that field. 2. Be precise and accurate when describing the nature of your previous job(s), use technical terms and statistical figures as much as possible. 3. Be honest with your work history, personal profile and especially your salary. 4. Be multilingual, take up foreign language proficiency courses. Don'ts 1. 2. 3. 4. Do not hop from one job to another frequently without good reasons. Do not badmouth about your previous boss or company. Do not judge a job only by the pay it offers. Do not hesitate to work for long hours.

Interview tips: What the interviewer is looking for In most interviews, knowing what the interviewer is looking for means you have won half of the battle. The other half of the battle: be prepared to show your knowledge about the organisation, ask tactful questions about the job, and give a good impression that you can do better than others, if you are offered the job. The interviewer has two methods of judging your suitability for the job. First, by questioning you and evaluating the things about you and your experience, based on what you tell him. Second, by observing person-to-person how you handle the interview. If you have obviously planned your interview well, for example by showing that you are knowledgeable about the organisation, the interviewer will assume that you are also capable of planning and making a good job of your tasks. The converse is also true a bad performance at interview could mean an unsatisfactory performance at the job. If you have the experience and ability to do the job, make sure that you do not let your interview performance let you down. Since in most cases, the interviewer has no prior knowledge of the candidates except their letter of application, the first impression you give is extremely important. If you are of average intelligence or have few qualifications, do not despair. The most important factor is your actual achievements and the positive way in which you put these over to the interviewer. Here are five areas that help the interviewer select the right person for the right job: intelligence, qualification, adjustment, impact on others, motivation and achievements.

Intelligence means your cognitive powers to take in and interpret information. You should be quick in understanding all questions posed by the interviewer, and providing simple and concise answers to them. Nevertheless, a person who is too intelligent, by giving complicated answers to simple questions, may give an impression that he is a thinker not a doer. Qualifications is necessary for certain professional jobs. So make sure you possess the formal qualifications required or the experience needed when applying for that particular position. It is important to show your knowledge and interest of the relevant professional institution in your field of work, as this will also reflect your enthusiasm towards the profession. Adjustment means adaptation to life in general and work in particular. The interviewer would like to know whether you have a good capacity to withstand stress, whether you are always in control even in the most unfavourable situations, whether you are emotionally stable, and whether you can do things on your own initiative. Most important of all, your friendly or hostile relationship with the people around you. Impact on others means anything from the use of simple language, the way you speak, the way you dress, to your physical appearance throughout the interview. If you can talk from your own personal experience using real life situations, make sense of things happen around you, think in terms of things and not people, you are more likely to give an impression of a mature person and a problem-solver much in demand by any employer. Motivation and achievement are two important indicators of your general attitudes toward work and career. Assessment will be based on the following:

Can you motivate yourself and work on your own initiative? Do you set yourself goals and achievements? Can you get things done even when faced with difficulties? Are you a dreamer or an action-driven person? Have you long term career objectives? Have you reached the level one would expect for your age or qualifications? Which kind of work or activity has given you the most satisfaction? Are you a person who can deliver on time and meet deadlines? Do you present your boss with problems or solutions? Do you have initiative to finish work? Do you pay attention to detail? Do you perform well when the going get tough? Are you good at problem solving?

The interviewer will not ask the above questions directly as the answers should come from what you have accomplished, not what you plan to do in future. The interviewer will skillfully find out the answers by asking what you have been involved in, your interests, your strengths, your weaknesses, the challenges in your pursuit of knowledge or previous work, your perception of yourself, your dreams and objectives in life. If you are honest with yourself in the interview, you can avoid being worried about inconsistency in your answers. Never mind if the first impression you give is imperfect to the interviewer. The worst thing that could happen is when you lie about yourself, and have the interviewer sense it before the end of the interview session. Job Interview Question Tell Me About Yourself

This is one of the most popular questions asked, and your response will probably set the tone for the rest of the interview. It is the most challenging question for many people, as they wonder what the interviewer really wants to know and what information they should include. How would you respond? One thing is for sure: the interviewer does not want to know about your family details or personal background. What he is interested in are your achievements and the milestones in your career. As you cannot afford to get your answer wrong, here is how you should start preparing yourself for this question. Focus List five strengths you have that are pertinent to this job (experiences, traits, skills, etc). What do you want the interviewer to know about you when you leave? Scripting Prepare a script that includes the information you want to convey. Begin by talking about past experiences and proven success: "I have been in the customer service industry for the past five years. My most recent experience has been handling incoming calls in the high tech industry. One reason I particularly enjoy this business, and the challenges that go along with it, is the opportunity to connect with people. In my last job, I formed some significant customer relationships resulting in a 30 percent increase in sales in a matter of months." Next, mention your strengths and abilities: "My real strength is my attention to detail. I pride myself on my reputation for following through and meeting deadlines. When I commit to doing something, I make sure it gets done, and on time." Conclude with a statement about your current situation: "What I am looking for now is a company that values customer relations, where I can join a strong team and have a positive impact on customer retention and sales." Practise Practise with your script until you feel confident about what you want to emphasise in your statement. Your script should help you stay on track, but you shouldn't memorise it -- you don't want to sound stiff and rehearsed. It should sound natural and conversational. Even if you are not asked this question in the interview, this preparation will help you focus on what you have to offer. You will also find that you can use the information here to assist you in answering other questions. The more you can talk about your product -- you -- the better chance you will have at selling it. Attending A Job Interview A candidate is successful in job interview if he can convince the interviewer that he is more capable of doing the job than any other candidates. Unless a candidate has established personal networks with the company, a job is usually offered based on the assessment of the candidate's performance during the interview. This assessment places great pressure, both mentally and emotionally, on the candidate who needs the job desperately. What then, are the criteria for selection in this process? Successful candidates often manage to select key items from their own experience which

show that they can do the job, and will do it better than any of the other candidates. They are the ones who project themselves into the job by asking the right questions, knowing the problems faced in that position, and even offering the solutions to such problems. Successful interviewers, on the other hand, conduct an interview to find the right applicant to fill a particular job vacancy. They are not trying to trick or trap the candidates, nor are they going to penalise or find fault with the candidates. In fact, they are most relieved if the candidate can convince them that he or she is the right person for the job. Whether you are leaving your present job, or fresh from campus or school, you should always be prepared for the interview by anticipating questions that will be asked in the interview. Challenging questions, apart from personal details and qualifications, asked by an interviewer to facilitate the process of selection are:

What are your career objectives? What courses did you take up and why? What do you do particularly well at school? Where does your main experience lie? What are your main responsibilities in your present job? How much time do you spend on each aspect of your job? Which aspect of the job do you like most? What are the main problem areas of your job? Do you have a solution for that problem? Why do you want to leave your present employer? What is expected in your first year if you are offered this job? What do you want to be doing in five years' time? How will you benefit from this job? Are there any people you find difficulty working with? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why should the company hire you?

The above questions are not standard or model questions but preparing for them will build up your confidence before and while attending a job interview. Avoid using "trial and error" in job interviews, by making mistakes in front of your prospect employer. Tactful answers to the above questions will impress the interviewer and most importantly of all, you will stand out among other candidates to get the job offer and also his confidence in doing the job.
by Ngeow Yeok Meng

A candidate is successful in job interview if he can convince the interviewer that he is more capable of doing the job than any other candidates. Unless a candidate has established personal networks with the company, a job is usually offered based on the assessment of the candidate's performance during the interview. This assessment places great pressure, both mentally and emotionally, on the candidate who needs the job desperately. What then, are the criteria for selection in this process? Successful candidates often manage to select key items from their own experience which

show that they can do the job, and will do it better than any of the other candidates. They are the ones who project themselves into the job by asking the right questions, knowing the problems faced in that position, and even offering the solutions to such problems. Successful interviewers, on the other hand, conduct an interview to find the right applicant to fill a particular job vacancy. They are not trying to trick or trap the candidates, nor are they going to penalise or find fault with the candidates. In fact, they are most relieved if the candidate can convince them that he or she is the right person for the job. Whether you are leaving your present job, or fresh from campus or school, you should always be prepared for the interview by anticipating questions that will be asked in the interview. Challenging questions, apart from personal details and qualifications, asked by an interviewer to facilitate the process of selection are:

What are your career objectives? What courses did you take up and why? What do you do particularly well at school? Where does your main experience lie? What are your main responsibilities in your present job? How much time do you spend on each aspect of your job? Which aspect of the job do you like most? What are the main problem areas of your job? Do you have a solution for that problem? Why do you want to leave your present employer? What is expected in your first year if you are offered this job? What do you want to be doing in five years' time? How will you benefit from this job? Are there any people you find difficulty working with? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why should the company hire you?

The above questions are not standard or model questions but preparing for them will build up your confidence before and while attending a job interview. Avoid using "trial and error" in job interviews, by making mistakes in front of your prospect employer. Tactful answers to the above questions will impress the interviewer and most importantly of all, you will stand out among other candidates to get the job offer and also his confidence in doing the job. Phone Interview Tips Trying to prove your mettle during a 30-minute interview is hard enough as we well know. Trying to achieve the same effect over a 30 minute telephone interview is another ballgame altogether. The advantages you can leverage through a freshly pressed suit, a brilliant Colgate smile or a firm handshake are no longer available. You are now challenged to convey the very same effects via the tone of your voice, content of your speech and the cadence of your answers. No mean feat. Having the opportunity to carry out a considerable number of tele-interviews over the past few weeks, a number of glaring interview mistakes came to my attention as I attempted to

screen for successful candidates. This is my advice Loud and clear Nearly a forgone conclusion, but here we go: speak up! Pronounce your words clearly and speak confidently. The qualities of an impressive candidate must be conveyed through verbal aptitude. If you mess up this first criterion, it will adversely affect the praises detailed in your resume. In the end, the interview is about verifying your lofty claims made out in the CV unless you speak up, we might never get that far. Remember your interview appointment Being greeted by an ermwho is this again, ah? response to my introduction is most definitely an impression-breaker. Your aim is to impress usnot to make us cringe. Grab a quiet corner somewhere We dont care where you find it, just do it. I just held an interview this afternoon where the candidate told us that he was not free to take the call at the moment (a scheduled one at that), and suggested we call back later. Upon granting him that grace, he proceeded to conduct the interview whilst taking the time to have casual chats with passing friends or stifle a guffaw at what was perceived to be a joke whispered to him. If the recruiters dont get to enjoy the joke, it certainly wont help you. Have your resume ready The interviewer will most likely be basing the interview upon your submitted resume, so it would help to have the same materials ready before you for reference should questions be raised about its content. Hesitating or saying, I dont think I remember, is not an option you should use. When taking the time to think, share it with us There may come moments of blank canvas when you need some time to unearth an appropriate answer from the recesses of your mind. If you were at a physical interview, we would be able to read your body language and understand that you are thinking. When you do the same thing on the other end of a phone line, it just translates into silence usually a strange atmosphere for the blind interviewer. Hence, take the time to share with him/her that you need some time to think about it, so they patiently know what to expect. Dont assume anything and no exclamations of What?! Although the advances in telephony have been great, the clarity of a speakerphone can be distorted. When you are unclear of what was said, you should neither pretend you heard the question, nor make reflex exclamations of ha? or what? This certainly jolted me at a recent interview and made a very bad impression on the professional etiquette of the candidate. Manners have never been more important than on the telephone. Use them. Ask intelligent questions Okay, so this applies whether or not you sit in a physical interview or in the comforts of your own home. Nonetheless, the interviewer will use any opportunity gauge your intelligence, thought process and potential for success. Usually, well thought out questions aimed at the interviewer shows preparation, research, interest in the company and ultimately, a brain. Ask about the company, graduate programmes, development opportunities, the economic impact on the company etc. Even surprise questions can work to your benefit if they display intelligent inquisitiveness. I was asked today why the company was hiring external

consultants to conduct the screening interviews. That question threw me, but we liked being thrown. Always bow out gracefully With no eye contact and a good grip to seal the end of the interview, your last impression will hinge upon the end of the phone call. Be courteous, thank the interviewers and express your gratitude for the opportunity. Although not entirely common, the tele-interview may occur especially if you are applying for a position in another city or country. In some ways, it is less nerve wracking than the physical event, but its importance to your application is not diminished by any degree. Make the effort even if you are sitting there in your pajamas. Ultimately, the interviewers want to grab you as much as you want to convince them. So, help them and you help yourself. How to Dress for a Job Interview Let's say you are going for an interview tomorrow. You have prepared yourself well for the occasion - anticipating the questions and getting ready the answers - but have you given a thought to what you will wear? If you have not peeked into your wardrobe yet, it's time to take a real hard look now. Your application's fate depends not just on how well you answer the interview questions, but also on how well you project yourself physically. The first impression your interviewer makes about you is based on the way you look, and you know what they say about first impressions. According to Joe Hodowanes, J.M. Wanes and Associates career strategy advisor, "The way a person dresses is the single biggest non-verbal communication you make about yourself." The right dressing is a measure of the seriousness that you place on the position, as a person normally spends time on his looks if he considers an event important enough. "Although proper dressing by itself will not get you the job, a poor dress sense may exclude you from further consideration," warns Gerry Ditching, managing partner of Filgifts.com. Besides, given two equally good applicants, the company may choose to hire the person who is dressed more professionally. Here are some tips to give you a headstart. Men Long-sleeved shirt and dark slacks. White is still the safest and the best color for shirts. The colour is also appropriate for our tropical weather. Also acceptable: pale shades such as beige, blue, and other pastels. Tuck in the shirt and do not roll up the sleeves. Never wear a short-sleeved shirt to an interview or any business purpose. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt will destroy your executive image. Ties. Optional. But if you do wear one, choose a conservative pattern. Solids, small polka dots, diagonal stripes, small repeating shapes, subtle plaids and paisleys are all acceptable. Belts. Belts should match your shoes. Those with smaller buckles with squared lines look

more professional. Socks. Black socks are the best, followed by blue or gray, depending on your attire. Never wear white socks! Check your sock length, too--no skin should show when you sit down or cross your legs. Shoes. Black or burgundy leather shoes with laces on them, because tassel loafers are very casual. Other suitable colors are brown, cordovan and navy. Hair. Keep neat, short and preferably parted on the side. And shave off all those facial hair. Jewellery. Wear no or little jewellery. The watch and wedding ring are the only acceptable pieces of jewellery to go with the male attire. Thin gold or leather-strapped watches look professional but not digital watches. Also, avoid political or religious insignias, necklaces or bracelets. Definitely no pierced body parts, and cover up your tattoos! Accessories. As much as possible, use leather briefcases or folders to hold copies of your resume. Use narrow briefcases and avoid plastic folders and plastic ball pens as they are out of place. Women Three-piece business suits, blouse and skirt or slacks, and cardigan twin-sets. Sleeveless shirts should be rejected. Short-sleeved blouses are okay when they are tailor-cut or have features such as a sports collar or double breast design to create a business-like look. Skirts can either be long provided it does not create a Cinderella or barn-dance look or short where it falls no shorter than two inches from the knee. Nothing too revealing, please! Panty-hose or stockings. A must for professional grooming, but nothing with overly fussy patterns. Bring an extra pair, just in case the ones you are wearing run. Shoes. Closed shoes or pumps with at least 1-inch heels suggest a more professional look. Dark colors are best. Hair. Hair longer than shoulder length should be worn up or pulled back. Don't let it fall in front of your face and don't keep trying to fix it during the interview. Avoid large hair ornaments and trendy hairstyles. Make-up. Be subtle; natural is the key word. Light shades of lip coloring and nail polish are recommended." Jewellery. Be conservative. Studs of gold, silver or pearls are best. Do away with gaudy fashion jewellery, and those that clank and make noise when one moves. Accessories. Folders and bags should blend well with the total professional look. Women should match their purse with their shoe colour. Developing an enthusiasm for the interview When you go for an interview, the first thing you should have is the right mental attitude

or approach. Banish the negative or self-defeating thoughts from your mind, and replace them with more positive and productive ones. Here are four positive attitudes that you can bring with you to the interview:

Be confident. Just to get here to this stage of the interview means that you have already beaten some of the competition. So, build on this confidence. Be optimistic. Why are you called to an interview? Because you have already been screened and this is a sign that the interviewer sees your potential and would rather prefer to employ you for the job than to reject you. Be positive. Every job interview is a new beginning for you. If you have suffered frustrations in the past, as a result of an unsuccessful previous job interview or job search, forget about them! Focus on what is ahead: you are making an effort to advance your career and each interview brings you one step closer to a new job. Be enthusiastic. Treat each interview as an interesting opportunity to learn something about the company, other people, and even yourself. Look at it as a chance to have a pleasant conversation with a fellow human being. But be forewarned. This is a serious meeting of minds. Do not forget what you are there for, so maintain a balanced perspective throughout and be focused.