Archive for December, 2011

What Does it Mean to be a Good Fit with a Company and a Job?

Posted December 28, 2011, under Zoom Job
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Preparing to Show You’re a Good Fit for the Job

The primary purposes of an interview is for the employer to determine if you’re a good fit for the job good fit for the job, but what exactly does this mean? The concept of a good fit means you not only possess the education and experience necessary to perform well in the role, but you exhibit the appropriate personality and character traits necessary for fulfilling the job duties as well.

Dependent upon the position for which you’re applying, you may need to project strong leadership traits, a team-oriented work ethic, and/or the ability to work with little to no supervision in order to be a strong independent contributor.

Keep in mind that a good fit for the job also means being a good fit for the company. While you may exhibit all of the skills and traits necessary to perform well within the role, whether you’ll be a contributing and positive member of a larger organization is also determined during the course of an interview. If you’re a good fit for the company, then you’ll have the motivation to contribute to the overall success of the organization and a mindset that is appropriate to the corporate culture.

When preparing to interview, you’ll want to examine how you fit with both the job and the company. This allows you to sell yourself as the right candidate for the job and as a strong addition to the overall organization. The interviewer will be looking at both aspects of the fit, so you’ll need to be prepared to address both as well.

In examining your fit for a job, here are the top questions to consider:

  • Do you possess the education necessary for the job? If the role obviously falls within the scope of your college major, then there can be little doubt that your education is well suited to the job. If you’re major in college is not directly related to the position, then you must prepare strategies for addressing this concern with the interviewer.Determine what aspects of your major will serve you well in your employment look for transferable skills and emphasize those during the interview. For example, if you were an English major and are now interview for a sales job, emphasize your supreme grasp of the English language and your ability to make strong verbal and written arguments. This will be beneficial in winning the confidence and business of customers, skills of significant importance in a sales role.
  • Do you have the work experience required for the position? If your work experience is varied, you must be ready to focus the conversation on those areas of your career that are connected to the position for which you’re now being considered. By emphasizing work-related learning, you demonstrate you have the knowledge and skill to be a good fit for the job, even if you lack a degree or several years of experience in the field.Through emphasizing the knowledge you have and skills you possess, you refocus the interview to your strengths rather than your areas of weakness. You additionally show you have the ability to learn and grow if given the opportunity.
  • Do you exhibit the character traits that are essential to successful performance of job duties? Dependent upon the role you’re interviewing for, you may need to possess exceptional communication skills, the ability to make persuasive arguments, leadership abilities or a dynamic personality. Some of these character traits will seem apparent based on your work history, but the interviewer will want to confirm them during the interview. Be prepared to provide specific examples from your work experience that show you’ve successfully exhibited those character traits important to the role for which you’re interviewing. Utilize the SOAR method of structured answers, which emphasizes Situation, Objective, Action, and Results in your response to interview questions. To learn more about interview answer formats see “Zoom-Method for Interview Preparation” included in all Zoom Video Packages.

Don’t forget to look at your fit for the company in preparing for the interview and try to anticipate questions focused on determining that fit. Consider the following: What is the company’s mission or purpose? Do you exhibit the skills and character traits necessary to contribute to the overall company mission? Examine the company’s website as part of your interview preparation. Discover the mission statement or goals published on the site. Formulate SOAR “stories” or examples which you may use as answers in the interview, and which will show your ability to contribute to the achievement of the company’s stated goals or mission.

  • What is the corporate culture of the organization? Every organization has its own unique culture. If the overall company culture is pragmatic or highly professional, how well do you fit with that type of environment? Or perhaps the company is more relaxed and creative. Regardless of the company’s culture, you’ll need to show that you’re capable of working within that culture and not being an unhealthy disruption to the business environment.For example, if the culture is relaxed but driven, are you able to work well within that culture? Do the answers you provide to interview questions point to a rigid personality in which structure is required to drive performance, or do you exhibit the character of a free thinker who excels in a less structured environment?
  • What are the company’s core values? Do your homework before interviewing and review the core values of the company. Most companies include their mission statement and core values on their corporate website or within company marketing materials.Consider how your interview answers depict your own values regarding work performance, customer service, interaction with co-workers, etc. Do your answers support or contradict the values that the company find’s important? The better matched your values are with those of the company, the better fit you’ll be for the organization.

Preparing for the Interview

In preparing to interview, you’ll want to thoroughly investigate the organization and the position for which you’ll be considered. Review the company’s website and blogs; all the recent job postings; advertising campaigns and promotional materials; and press releases and news stories about the company or its products and services. The more information you’re able to review, the better prepared you’ll be to show how you’re a good fit with the job and the company.

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Zoom English: Ways to Say Good-Bye at the End of an Interview

Posted December 23, 2011, under Zoom English, Zoom Job
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Your interviewer could signal the end of your interview in a number of ways. A combination of body language and words will tell you that the interview is over and it is time to leave. When it is your turn to say, “Good-bye,” you have a few options to leave the room in a professional and respectful way.
• Shake the interviewer’s hand at the end of the interview. Say, “It was nice to meet you.” Offer a firm handshake that is not too limp. If your hand is wet from sweat, be sure to wipe it discreetly off on your pants before you shake hands. Two quick, firm shakes of your interviewer’s hand are enough. Look the interviewer in the eye while shaking hands. Shake hands with each interviewer in the room.
• Thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you. You might say, “I appreciate the opportunity to come here and learn more about the MBA program
• Leave the interviewer with a positive impression of yourself before you leave. Say something like, “I’m sure that I will make a positive impact on the program as a student here.”
• Smile throughout your good-byes with the interviewer. Always look the interviewer in the eye when speaking or when listening.
• Keep the good-byes short. Avoid prolonging the interview. The interviewers are on a time schedule, and it demonstrates respect if you do not delay the next interview.
• Stand up if the interviewer stands up at the end of the interview. Standing up is usually a sign that the interview is over. Offer your hand to shake if the interviewer does not first.
• Before you walk out the door, offer a parting statement, such as “Enjoy the rest of your day.” Smile again, and leave the room.

The process of ending your interview does not have to be long or complicated. Thank the interviewer; shake hands with each interviewer, smile, and leave. Remain confident throughout the exchange, and the interviewers will have a positive impression of you up to the very last minute of the interview

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Old-Fashioned Job Seeking Method Still Gets Attention

Posted , under MBA Interviews
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Searching online is one of the best ways to find jobs today. Companies post their open positions on their websites and on job boards. They sometimes post them on their social networking pages, too. However, offline job searching is still a valuable tool applicants may forget in their efforts to find employment.

Networking

One of the most important components of offline job searching is networking. With the advent of LinkedIn and other social media, you can supplement your offline networking by letting your online contacts know you’re looking for a job. You can also share information about jobs you know through messages and status updates. However, if you don’t have solid relationships with your contacts in person, you may miss out on potential job opportunities.

People want to refer colleagues they know in the flesh for jobs. They can vouch for their experience level and education. They also have first-hand experience of how well a person works and what kind of employee he is.

Develop solid relationships offline in your workplace, through conferences or perhaps through regular meetings of your local professional association or chamber of commerce. You can then ask the contacts you make to be on the look-out for a position that would match your interests and skills. You can do the same for them as well.

Hitting the Pavement

The phrase “hitting the pavement” refers to looking for a job with your resume in-hand and going to different employers’ places of business, asking if they have any openings. Although this might not be the best way for executive-level employees to find a job, entry-level workers can often find employment this way.

When employers can see you face-to-face from the start, they are more likely to want to interview you. They can also better remember who you are when they later read your resume. That you took the initiative to come directly to them in person is out of the ordinary and a positive reflection of your drive to find a job and work.

Cold Calls

When you send a cover letter and resume to an employer without the employer advertising an open job, you are sending an unsolicited application. When you call an employer on the phone and ask if she has any open positions, you are “cold-calling.” Sometimes, having the courage to send in your application materials or to pick up the phone and ask pays off. You may contact an employer at the exact moment he is looking to hire.

Before you make a cold call, prepare a very short speech that includes an introduction, your specific career objective and a concise summary of your experience and education. Also, research the company you are calling to find out the name of the hiring manager to whom you should speak instead of just speaking with the receptionist in the human resources department. Use the hiring manager’s name in your cover letter as well instead of just writing, “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Networking, hitting the pavement and cold calling are excellent ways to find a job. Add them to your job search arsenal. Employing them in addition to your online job search methods will help you find a position more quickly.

Online job search is one of the best ways to find jobs today. Companies post their open positions on their websites and on job boards. They sometimes post them on their social networking pages, too. However, offline job searching is still a valuable tool applicants may forget in their efforts to find employment.

Networking

One of the most important components of offline job searching is networking. With the advent of LinkedIn and other social media, you can supplement your offline networking by letting your online contacts know you’re looking for a job. You can also share information about jobs you know through messages and status updates. However, if you don’t have solid relationships with your contacts in person, you may miss out on potential job opportunities.

People want to refer colleagues they know in the flesh for jobs. They can vouch for their experience level and education. They also have first-hand experience of how well a person works and what kind of employee he is.

Develop solid relationships offline in your workplace, through conferences or perhaps through regular meetings of your local professional association or chamber of commerce. You can then ask the contacts you make to be on the look-out for a position that would match your interests and skills. You can do the same for them as well.

Hitting the Pavement

The phrase “hitting the pavement” refers to looking for a job with your resume in-hand and going to different employers’ places of business, asking if they have any openings. Although this might not be the best way for executive-level employees to find a job, entry-level workers can often find employment this way.

When employers can see you face-to-face from the start, they are more likely to want to interview you. They can also better remember who you are when they later read your resume. That you took the initiative to come directly to them in person is out of the ordinary and a positive reflection of your drive to find a job and work.

Cold Calls

When you send a cover letter and resume to an employer without the employer advertising an open job, you are sending an unsolicited application. When you call an employer on the phone and ask if she has any open positions, you are “cold-calling.” Sometimes, having the courage to send in your application materials or to pick up the phone and ask pays off. You may contact an employer at the exact moment he is looking to hire.

Before you make a cold call, prepare a very short speech that includes an introduction, your specific career objective and a concise summary of your experience and education. Also, research the company you are calling to find out the name of the hiring manager to whom you should speak instead of just speaking with the receptionist in the human resources department. Use the hiring manager’s name in your cover letter as well instead of just writing, “Dear Hiring Manager.”

Networking, hitting the pavement and cold calling are excellent ways to find a job. Add them to your job search arsenal. Employing them in addition to your online job search methods will help you find a position more quickly.

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Zoom English: Expressions for Discussing Your Job

Posted , under Zoom English, Zoom Job
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Your job will often be a topic of conversation with English speakers. Jobs are an important part of life, and people want to know about what you do at your job. You will often hear several different expressions asking you about your job that sound as if they have nothing to do with a job at all.

What do you do for a living?

“A living” refers to your income, the amount of money you make from your job. When someone asks you what you do for a living what you do for a living, she is asking you about the type of work you do. You can respond with your job title, or say where you work and include a short description of your job.

How do you earn your bread and butter?

To “earn your bread and butter” means the same thing as making “a living.” It refers to one of the basic necessities required to live-food. You can respond the same as you would if you were being asked “What do you do for a living?”

Let me show you the ropes

When you start a new job, your supervisor or one of your co-workers may ask you to let him show you the ropes. That means that he wants to give you a tour of your workplace and help you learn how to do your job. It refers to orientation and training for your new position.

Back to the salt mines

At the end of your break at work, you may hear someone say, “Well, it’s back to the salt mines.” That means it is time to get back to work. Break is over.

There are dozens of other work-related idioms, but these are a few that you may hear in everyday situations when talking about your job with other people or on the job. In the future, we will talk about other idioms that relate to work as well.

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Tapping Your Alumni Network

Posted December 21, 2011, under Zoom Job
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One way to find the “hidden” jobs that many people talk about is to connect with your undergraduate and graduate alumni networks . Even if you weren’t very active on campus during your time in college, the alumni network can be a powerful source of information for  job openings. Add the network to your other job search strategies, and you may find a position perfect for you.

Employers like to hire people they “know” and with whom they have something in common. If you went to the same college as an employer, you automatically share a common bond with him. It is possible that you will share some of the same outlooks on the world and values as well. Going to a college can promote having similar perspectives among its students.

Business owners and managers also like to hire employees from the same college they attended because they are familiar with the quality and depth of education it offers in certain subjects. For example, a financial company may want to hire an accountant. Rather than hire an accountant who graduated from a college the hiring manager knows nothing about, she may rather hire someone from the accounting program at her college, which she knows has an excellent reputation for turning out high-quality graduates.

When employers make the decision to actively market their job openings to their college alumni networks, they contact the college and let it know of the openings. They may also post the jobs in places online which alumni frequent. At that point, you can learn about the jobs by connecting with the same alumni network.

The first step to getting in touch with your alumni network is to join it online. Your college’s website likely has a sign-up page where you can verify some of your personal and college information and create an account. You can then access the alumni job posting board online. Here, employers will post job openings, and alumni can state that they are looking for certain types of work. (Some employers also have online alumni network of former employees. This can be another source of job openings.) You can also connect with your college’s career center, which likely offers discounted rates for its services to former students.

In addition to the online job board, connect with a local chapter of your college’s alumni network. Meet other alumni that live in your area in person. Form relationships with them, and over time, you can mention that you are looking for a job. You should also offer information to others about job openings you know about.

The key to finding a job through your alumni network is to stay involved. You don’t necessarily have to donate money to the college or become an officer in the alumni association, but you should stay in touch with other alumni in your area and online. Check job board postings regularly, and send inquiries to other former students through the job board’s messaging system to ask about job opportunities in other cities. Take advantage of the power your former student network offers.

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Beyond the Newspaper and Major Job Boards

Posted December 17, 2011, under Zoom Job
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The major job boards online have thousands of jobs in dozens of industries for which you can apply. They have almost any job title you can imagine as well. When you’ve read through every job listing in your field on these sites, explore niche job sites that may post jobs that you have not seen on the major job boards.

Think Local
Visit job sites that are tailored to your specific area. Some job sites post only jobs within a certain metropolitan area or region of a state.

State Job Board

Your state’s department of labor or employment keeps a list of jobs on its website from employers across the state. This site is likely updated daily, and you can typically receive emails daily about new jobs that meet your search criteria.

Niche Job Boards

Job boards for specific industries or job titles are another place to find jobs . They cater to employers in your industry, so you can easily find open positions with employers in your field.

Colleges

Visit the departmental webpages of colleges to find job postings. Some colleges list jobs they hear about on their departmental websites for their students and graduates. Also contact your college to see if it offers an alumni job search website.

Professional Associations

Check with professional associations at the local, state, and international levels to find jobs in your field. These jobs are posted so that people with a specific interest in that field of work will see and apply for them. Many times, major job boards attract less than qualified applicants. Employers would rather spend their job advertising budget in places that will draw educated and experienced job seekers.

Networking
Many upper-level jobs are not advertised to the general public. Word of mouth is the preferred method of advertising for these postings. Other positions have not been advertised yet, but you can be one of the first to apply when it is advertised openly.

When you stand in lines at job fairs, talk to people around you. They may know of a position that would suit you. Go to conferences and seminars in your field, too, to find out about available positions that are not advertised. Also spread the word among your friends and colleagues that you are looking for a new position.

Direct Contact

Another way to get a job is to directly contact the hiring manager for a particular department or company. Find out who handles applications in the field for which you want to apply. Then write a well-crafted cover letter and resume that clearly and concisely demonstrate how you can benefit the company. Ask to be considered for future openings if none are currently available.

When you feel like you’ve exhausted all of your job search job search options, take a look at a few more websites, and talk to a few more people. The job you want could be advertised quietly and to a very specific audience – you.

The major job boards online have thousands of jobs in dozens of industries for which you can apply. They have almost any job title you can imagine as well. When you’ve read through every job listing in your field on these sites, explore niche job sites that may post jobs that you have not seen on the major job boards.

Think Local
Visit job sites that are tailored to your specific area. Some job sites post only jobs within a certain metropolitan area or region of a state.

State Job Board

Your state’s department of labor or employment keeps a list of jobs on its website from employers across the state. This site is likely updated daily, and you can typically receive emails daily about new jobs that meet your search criteria.

Niche Job Boards

Job boards for specific industries or job titles are another place to find jobs . They cater to employers in your industry, so you can easily find open positions with employers in your field.

Colleges

Visit the departmental webpages of colleges to find job postings. Some colleges list jobs they hear about on their departmental websites for their students and graduates. Also contact your college to see if it offers an alumni job search website.

Professional Associations

Check with professional associations at the local, state, and international levels to find jobs in your field. These jobs are posted so that people with a specific interest in that field of work will see and apply for them. Many times, major job boards attract less than qualified applicants. Employers would rather spend their job advertising budget in places that will draw educated and experienced job seekers.

Networking
Many upper-level jobs are not advertised to the general public. Word of mouth is the preferred method of advertising for these postings. Other positions have not been advertised yet, but you can be one of the first to apply when it is advertised openly.

When you stand in lines at job fairs, talk to people around you. They may know of a position that would suit you. Go to conferences and seminars in your field, too, to find out about available positions that are not advertised. Also spread the word among your friends and colleagues that you are looking for a new position.

Direct Contact

Another way to get a job is to directly contact the hiring manager for a particular department or company. Find out who handles applications in the field for which you want to apply. Then write a well-crafted cover letter and resume that clearly and concisely demonstrate how you can benefit the company. Ask to be considered for future openings if none are currently available.

When you feel like you’ve exhausted all of your job search job search options, take a look at a few more websites, and talk to a few more people. The job you want could be advertised quietly and to a very specific audience – you.

The major job boards online have thousands of jobs in dozens of industries for which you can apply. They have almost any job title you can imagine as well. When you’ve read through every job listing in your field on these sites, explore niche job sites that may post jobs that you have not seen on the major job boards.

Think Local
Visit job sites that are tailored to your specific area. Some job sites post only jobs within a certain metropolitan area or region of a state.

State Job Board

Your state’s department of labor or employment keeps a list of jobs on its website from employers across the state. This site is likely updated daily, and you can typically receive emails daily about new jobs that meet your search criteria.

Niche Job Boards

Job boards for specific industries or job titles are another place to find jobs . They cater to employers in your industry, so you can easily find open positions with employers in your field.

Colleges

Visit the departmental webpages of colleges to find job postings. Some colleges list jobs they hear about on their departmental websites for their students and graduates. Also contact your college to see if it offers an alumni job search website.

Professional Associations

Check with professional associations at the local, state, and international levels to find jobs in your field. These jobs are posted so that people with a specific interest in that field of work will see and apply for them. Many times, major job boards attract less than qualified applicants. Employers would rather spend their job advertising budget in places that will draw educated and experienced job seekers.

Networking
Many upper-level jobs are not advertised to the general public. Word of mouth is the preferred method of advertising for these postings. Other positions have not been advertised yet, but you can be one of the first to apply when it is advertised openly.

When you stand in lines at job fairs, talk to people around you. They may know of a position that would suit you. Go to conferences and seminars in your field, too, to find out about available positions that are not advertised. Also spread the word among your friends and colleagues that you are looking for a new position.

Direct Contact

Another way to get a job is to directly contact the hiring manager for a particular department or company. Find out who handles applications in the field for which you want to apply. Then write a well-crafted cover letter and resume that clearly and concisely demonstrate how you can benefit the company. Ask to be considered for future openings if none are currently available.

When you feel like you’ve exhausted all of your job search job search options, take a look at a few more websites, and talk to a few more people. The job you want could be advertised quietly and to a very specific audience – you.

The major job boards online have thousands of jobs in dozens of industries for which you can apply. They have almost any job title you can imagine as well. When you’ve read through every job listing in your field on these sites, explore niche job sites that may post jobs that you have not seen on the major job boards.

Think Local
Visit job sites that are tailored to your specific area. Some job sites post only jobs within a certain metropolitan area or region of a state.

State Job Board

Your state’s department of labor or employment keeps a list of jobs on its website from employers across the state. This site is likely updated daily, and you can typically receive emails daily about new jobs that meet your search criteria.

Niche Job Boards

Job boards for specific industries or job titles are another place to find jobs . They cater to employers in your industry, so you can easily find open positions with employers in your field.

Colleges

Visit the departmental webpages of colleges to find job postings. Some colleges list jobs they hear about on their departmental websites for their students and graduates. Also contact your college to see if it offers an alumni job search website.

Professional Associations

Check with professional associations at the local, state, and international levels to find jobs in your field. These jobs are posted so that people with a specific interest in that field of work will see and apply for them. Many times, major job boards attract less than qualified applicants. Employers would rather spend their job advertising budget in places that will draw educated and experienced job seekers.

Networking
Many upper-level jobs are not advertised to the general public. Word of mouth is the preferred method of advertising for these postings. Other positions have not been advertised yet, but you can be one of the first to apply when it is advertised openly.

When you stand in lines at job fairs, talk to people around you. They may know of a position that would suit you. Go to conferences and seminars in your field, too, to find out about available positions that are not advertised. Also spread the word among your friends and colleagues that you are looking for a new position.

Direct Contact

Another way to get a job is to directly contact the hiring manager for a particular department or company. Find out who handles applications in the field for which you want to apply. Then write a well-crafted cover letter and resume that clearly and concisely demonstrate how you can benefit the company. Ask to be considered for future openings if none are currently available.

When you feel like you’ve exhausted all of your job search job search options, take a look at a few more websites, and talk to a few more people. The job you want could be advertised quietly and to a very specific audience – you.

Beyond the Newspaper and Major Job Boards

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Leave Off the Objective

Posted December 11, 2011, under Zoom Job
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The resume objective is no longer the required headliner for your resume. They take up space and do not tell the employer what he really wants to know: how he can benefit from hiring you. Delete your objective, and replace it with a summary of qualifications.

Why to Delete Your Objective

Objectives are often all about you and what you can get from the job. In the past, it was thought that telling the employer what kind of job and work environment you wanted would help him decide if you would fit in with the company. Not so anymore. In the initial stages of hiring, employers only want to know what you can offer them.

Objectives can be too general or have nothing to do with the job for which you are applying. These types of objectives do not show that you care about the job that much and that you do not have an eye for detail. Objectives are also often written in such a general way that they do not compel the reader to pick up the phone to call you in for an interview. They simply state the obvious: that you want a job in a particular field.

What to Put in its Place

Employers want to read a very short list of what you have accomplished and what you can do. At the top of your resume, you might include a “summary of qualifications,” “professional summary,” or other similarly-worded section. Include a concise version of your skills and previous experience here. It can be listed in bullet or paragraph format. It should be short, however, typically no more than about three lines of text.

For example, your Professional Summary for an administrative assistant job might read:

  • Dedicated administrative assistant with 15 years of experience.

  • Strong ability to analyze data and create reports.

  • Skilled in scheduling, editing and composing.

It should entice the employer to read the rest of your resume. Tailor your summary of qualifications to the specific job for which you are applying. For example, if you are applying for an accountant job, avoid including irrelevant skills in your summary, such as being able to answer the phone in a professional manner.

A resume objective does not convey why the employer should immediately call you for an interview. Focus your resume on what you have to offer the employer, not on what he can do for you. A desperate plea for a job in the form of a resume objective is not likely to get a positive reaction. Confidence and the ability to convince the employer to interview you will. Write a concise and accurate summary of qualifications to help your resume be noticed instead of an objective statement.

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