Friday, December 4, 2009
Different Types of Interviews
Psychometric Testing
We use this to assess your motivation, career interests and objectives, competencies, abilities and personality traits. Usually we find that if applicants meet a certain criteria – which is usually based on employees we have at the moment – they are more successful in the position!
Generally there aren’t any right or wrong answers, BUT there are better answers. These tests are normally written by psychologists who know exactly what questions to ask to probe information from you. This is the information they don’t want you to know! By having a head-start and knowing what to expect, your chances of progressing in the application improve dramatically. The types of questions you can expect are:
Behavioral Questions
These are designed to see how you react to certain situations or work environments. A question may read something along the lines of “I find working independently …. a) Boring b) Empowering c) Lonely d) Efficient”
Most employers want to hire someone who can work independently, and who doesn’t need to be monitored and watched carefully! The last thing we want is to hire someone who will be annoying and unable to complete tasks by themselves – so the best option would be either b) Empowering or d) Efficient.
Basic Comprehension
These questions are pretty straight forward and only serve to test your basic English skills. Typical questions may be “Long is to short, as big is to ….”. Pretty easy right? These are to test whether you are paying attention, and make sure you are switched on at all times.
Math Problems
If you don’t like math or have difficulties, don’t stress! Usually these math problems are a small part of your application, and serve as a formality. Again, they make up the problem-solving component of your application, and are basic at best. If you are applying for a position in HR or middle management, and you can’t solve a couple of addition problems, Don’t Stress! You will outshine the rest of the applicants in other areas!
How do I prepare?
Simple things like reading magazines, doing crosswords and basic math problems can go a long way to improve your chances in the application process. Remember that we sometimes use this to weed out applicants and make the interviewing process shorter, so Do Your Best! Once you get through this stage and move onto face-to-face interviews, you’ll be sure to stand out above the rest – just don’t get caught in this phase.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Common Interview Questions III
Don’t forget that you are in an interview, not a police interrogation! The whole session should be a two-way learning process, for the organization to learn about you, and for you to learn more about your potential future employer! So don’t be scared to ask questions and find out more - what do you want to know? Try to avoid sensitive questions such as salary, leave etc as this should be known to you through the application process.We like hearing questions like:
What will my responsibilities include?
Where is the company heading?
Does the position have any travel opportunities?
Who will I report to, and will anyone report to me?
Is the position currently vacant?
What opportunities do you have for further training/development?
Where is the location of this?
How is performance assessed?
Are there performance related bonuses or incentive programs?
Remember, now that you’re equipped with the right skills to make a lasting impression and really shine in the job interviews, YOU DECIDE what job you want! Ask everything you want to know, and if the position doesn’t sound great to you, look elsewhere.
Soon you’ll have employers chasing YOU, and you will be taking the commanding lead in the interview process!
If you have any questions, please post them below!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Common Interview Questions II
Many, many people stumble on this question, because they don’t want to appear to have weaknesses – but don’t want to appear deceitful at the same time. Luckily you have an advantage knowing that this question may be asked. The best response is to choose something slightly negative, however which can be turned into a positive. Among the best responses we had was along the lines of being a ‘perfectionist’ and concentrating too hard on certain projects.
“What do you dislike about your current/previous role?”
Sometimes we use this question to probe further and expose any weaknesses you might have left out earlier, or sometimes it is to see how you react and regard your employer. If you show contempt and speak poorly of them, it is highly likely we will not employ you – as you may do the same for our company when you leave! Give a general but accommodating answer, like “Not enough room for career progress”.
“Where do you see yourself in five years time”
Possibly one of the most cliché interview questions, however it will probably be asked. Make sure whatever you answer is, it involves that organization in some way – mention climbing the corporate ladder, developing your skills further and making a career within the organization. Recruiters are after long-term employees to invest in, not those who will leave after a few months.
“Do you have any questions?”
Your answer to this question must always be YES! Never leave without showing further interest in the organization. This is where your extra research will come in handy, and you can flaunt your knowledge a bit further. However don’t make the mistake some applicants have by asking silly questions just for the sake of it – such as “Do you have parking available?”, it just gives us a bad lasting impression of you.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Common Interview Questions
Truthfully, in each interview we don’t invent new questions or ways to throw applicants off their feet. As you begin to send out your attractive CV and Cover Letters and attend more and more interviews, you will see a common pattern beginning to form on questions and responses. The only times we will really throw you a curveball are when it’s obvious you know nothing about our organization, or if we think you are another time-waster. But if you follow the tips and preparation advice we have given you above, then you won’t fall into either of these categories. Below we have added some of the most commonly used questions in interviews, which we expect all applicants to be able to answer thoroughly and comprehensively:
“Tell me about yourself”
We normally use this question as an ice-breaker, to see how you think on your feet. Please don’t bore us – briefly tell us about your career, your skills and why you think you would fit into this position.
“Tell me about your ability to work under pressure”
Here you should be mentioning examples of your time management, for example in team projects or individual assignments.
Giving relevant examples works best, because we can see you have experience and will help us determine whether they fit with our organizations work ethic!
“Tell me about a time when…”
These are known as Behavioral Assessment questions, and are quite similar to the one mentioned above as they require you to provide real-life situations in your responses. In this way, the interviewer may see evidence of how you would respond to certain situations you may face in the position. So again, make it relevant, short and sweet.
“What is your greatest strength?”
This is your opportunity to talk yourself up, so make the most of it! Tell us What you do best, and How you do it best. Don’t beat around the bush, come out with it and let us know Why this would be helpful to us! The reason we called you for an interview is because WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT YOU! So tell us!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Importance of Finding a Job
These days too much emphasis is placed on 'get rich quick' schemes, which do nothing but line the pockets of those who write them. The real way to 'get rich' is through finding employment that not only pays well, but is enjoyable for you. Looking forward to work on a Monday is a rare thing for many workers, but not impossible.
Don't forget, with secure employment you are able to take out mortgages on a home, borrow loans from banks for hot cars you've always wanted, and set yourself up for an early retirement.
Importance of Finding a Job
Tongue Tied in Interviews
1. Preparation is the Key
Could you imagine watching a game-show about American wildlife, and seeing someone enter that doesn’t know a thing about it? Wouldn’t they research before entering, or at least try find out a little about the topic? That’s the way we see people who turn up to our job interviews, and have No Idea about our organization and what we do. Once we ask a question about our organization and see they have absolutely no idea, you can be sure they won’t be called back for a second interview. In the industry we call these people ‘time-wasters’, as they are the ones who apply for hundreds of jobs daily, and turn up spouting the same useless information at each interview.
Do your preparation and read about the company before you turn up! Things we like to hear are what you know about our products or services, who we target, our markets, our direction and so on. If you can talk about goals and objectives, and how you fit into these, you’ll definitely earn bonus points. Remember to keep it relevant, don’t ramble and go off-topic, and don’t show-off your knowledge
Making an Impression II
While you might be nervous about entering the interview and the questions they might throw at you, Don’t Be! One of the things we can’t stand the most is people who are overly nervous – and those who make a point of it! We can see you are feeling stressed, but telling us that “Oh sorry I’m so nervous” won’t help your cause at all.
3. Tell us Why?
The interviewer may have met many applicants during the week, and unless you stand out and make an impression, you will be just another face in the crowd. This is your opportunity to tell them WHY should they hire you? Here are a few tips from the best applicants we met:
Relate your answers to real-life examples. We LOVE this! Anyone can come in and tell us how they improve performance, but if you can give Specific, Realistic examples we will regard you much higher!
Don’t be afraid to Talk Yourself Up!
Making an Impression
stunning CV and Cover Letter through, and scored the interview. Well done, but
it’s far from over. The interview is Your Time to Shine, so you have to Make it
Count.
1. Dress to Impress
It need not be said, but a suit and tie are mandatory for any job interview if you want to make any impression whatsoever. But you can’t just throw on any two-piece outfit and expect to impress. Here are some general tips you should follow to really outshine those around you, and give the impression that you know what you are doing.
Suit: Business style, dark blue or dark grey in colour. Black can be used but you don’t want to look like you’re attending a banquet or wedding. Avoid pinstripes or extravagant designs, keep it simple.
Shirt: Preferably white, long-sleeved.
Tie: Solid dark blue or red in colour, depending on the impression you want to make. Believe it or not, ties can make a strong impression on those around you and, having chosen the right colour, can send a message to the interviewer that you’re here for business.
Black: You aren’t going to a funeral or formal event, leave it at home
Brown: Can be dull, but shows practicality and reliability
Green: Shows growth and co-operation, display yourself as a team player
Yellow: You stand out, and are outgoing and confident
Blue: Calming, soothing and persistent. Blue is also the most commonly worn tie colour by President Obama
Red: Power colour, shows you mean business and are a born leader
Your choice of tie can say a lot about your personality and work-ethic, which is why you will notice politicians are very careful about the colour they choose to wear on particular occasions. Barack Obama wore a red tie to his inauguration, showing power, dominance and a commitment to lead. Choose wisely!
Making an Impression
Shoes: Dress-style leather, dark in colour and polished
Socks: Black socks long enough to cover exposed shins when sitting down
Hair: Short and well-groomed, it is recommended you carry a comb in your
pocket to adjust just before entering the interview
Grooming: Fingernails clean and trimmed, facial hair shaven and no body
odor – aftershave is not recommended, however a breath mint is fine.
Extras: Bring a pen and notepad for taking down information, preferably
inside a leather briefcase or professional looking satchel
While you may have to purchase some of the above-mentioned items, it is definitely recommended if you are serious about securing that top-position. Remember you have already done the hard work in sending your applications and making an initial impression, don’t lose it by looking like an interview novice!
Securing the Interview II
Simply sending your Cover Letter and Resume to a company is fine, but calling ahead or contacting recruitment in person is a sure-fire way to impress. Often the candidates that we hire for positions are those who have shown keen interest in the position, the organization and our needs. There are several ways in which you can perform this:
a) Phoning recruitment within the company to briefly introduce yourself and notify them that you would like to hand-deliver your resume to them on a particular day that week – be sure to mention a day rather than leaving it open to their convenience, as this gives them an opportunity to reject you.
b)Contact recruitment and introduce yourself, and offer the opportunity to meet and discuss reasons why you would benefit their organization. If the company shows interest in you, then you have already begun to change the interviewing process – you have created demand for YOU, rather than the conventional opposite approach.
One of the biggest shortcomings we see in recruitment is people not following up on applications or interviews. Those who contact us within several days of their application are those who we think show genuine interest in the position, and not just someone who has applied for 300 other jobs! That being said though, showing interest is completely different to being annoying – don’t over do it!
4. Just because a position isn’t advertised, that doesn’t mean it
isn’t available
So many times people give up on job hunting because they can’t find the right position in the newspaper job-ads, or online job hunter websites. But the truth is, many positions are advertised internally within the companies to save money on advertising and recruitment costs.
Simply contacting a company with a personal Cover Letter explaining why you believe you would excel in the company, and a professional Resume highlighting your skills and experience can help you to get an early foot in the door. Even if you are unsuccessful at first, it is more than likely the company will keep you on file for future reference, setting yourself up for potential future interviews without effort! Many companies regard confidence and initiative highly!
Securing the Interview
1. Prepare a professional CV and Cover Letter
First impressions count the most, so don’t let yours let you down. If you aren’t experienced at preparing a stunning Resume, or yours has been letting you down and failing to impress, then pay a professional to do the hard work for you! Many sites will also automatically submit your Resume to career searching websites, and even prepare a professional Cover Letter for you! Remember, your Cover Letter and Resume are the first thing the company will see, and if they fail to impress – then you can forget about getting a call back.
Don’t forget to add things like important keywords such as ‘independent; analytical; team player’ etc. We have seen many organizations use computers to sift through applications, so don’t let yours get lost with the rubbish!
2. Contact more companies, more often
One of the biggest mistakes we see in HR and Unemployment Agencies is people not looking hard enough for those lucrative positions that are waiting to be grabbed! Sometimes this is due to laziness, but often many people think they just don’t fit the criteria the company has set out.
APPLY. From our experience in recruitment, many companies set out ridiculously high standards in order to attract the cream of the crop – but don’t you think those people would have the best, top paying jobs already? Mould your experience around the criteria and make it fit – 9 times out of 10 the majority of the criteria isn’t crucial to your application, so by making a good first impression and showing you are the person for the job, you increase your chances of being contacted for an interview.
Importance of Finding a Job
These days too much emphasis is placed on 'get rich quick' schemes, which do nothing but line the pockets of those who write them. The real way to 'get rich' is through finding employment that not only pays well, but is enjoyable for you. Looking forward to work on a Monday is a rare thing for many workers, but not impossible.
Don't forget, with secure employment you are able to take out mortgages on a home, borrow loans from banks for hot cars you've always wanted, and set yourself up for an early retirement!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
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