Resources

Author: Leslie Kearney

If you are a more experienced worker your resume should be more definitive than a new grad. Obviously a new grad’s resume is going to be more general in nature while yours the “more experienced” should showcase to your potential employer what you can “bring to the table”. After all you have a proven track record and you want to show it in the best possible light.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

· Give a summary, not an objective. Select three or four skills that match the employer’s needs and specify these. These highlights can appear in a short paragraph or quick “bullet” format.

· Lead with experience, not education (the exact opposite of what a new graduate should do).

· List your accomplishments, not just your responsibilities. Don’t just tell employers what you did; tell them the outcome. For example: “Proposed and tracked $500,000 annual departmental budget. Only division to meet deadlines and operate within budget during past three years.” Making such a statement reveals your problem-solving abilities.

· List activities that relate directly to your self-improvement efforts, e.g., continuing education, and the position you’re seeking. Don’t include hobbies.

· Your resumes length should be determined based on your accomplishments. An experienced candidate often has enough relevant accomplishments to expand his or her resume to a second page. That does not, however, give you license to spell out every award, membership, or accomplishment in your resume. It’s one thing to boast of your accomplishments but you don’t want to dilute the focus.

· Tailor each resume to include the accomplishments that relate to a particular employer’s needs.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/resumes-articles/resume-tips-for-the-experienced-candidate-777741.html

Author: Julia Penny

Know how to job interview. In the highly competitive environment of today’s job market you need to make a strong impression in your initial meeting with a recruiter or prospective employer. These steps will help you to market yourself as a top job candidate.

Find out about the company

Demonstrating your knowledge about the company shows that you have seriously considered your decision to apply for the job. It also indicates your respect and appreciation of the company’s and interviewer’s time. Search the company or organization’s website, get hold of company brochures, media releases and annual reports. Read through staff biographies. Identify the corporate culture, the challenges and opportunities facing the company and its latest results. Find out what you can about the organizational structure, its senior management and its current status in the industry.

Find out about the interview

Get as much information as you can about the interviewer/s. Find out the likely format of the interview - will it a be a traditional type job interview or should you prepare for a behavioral interview? This will help you prepare properly and reduce any nervousness you may have about the interview. If you are going through a recruiter get these details from them on how to job interview for this particular company. Or you can try to determine this form the job ad or posting. For example if the posting lists key competencies for the position it would be wise to prepare for behavioral interview questions that explore these competencies.

Find out what you are interviewing for

Find out as much about the position you are interviewing for as possible. Carefully review the job description, the tasks and responsibilities involved and the expectations and abilities required of the successful candidate. Reflecting on these details will help you to align your experience and skills with the job requirements. You can then prepare interview answers that clearly market you as the right candidate.

Find out if this is the right organizational fit

Evaluate whether this is the right fit for you and the company. Ask yourself questions such as “Can I do this work with the knowledge and skills I have?”, “Will I enjoy this type of work?”, “What kind of contribution can I make to this company?” Use your answers to develop a powerful marketing statement about your suitability for the job. This exercise will also help you to believe in yourself as the right job candidate. Self-belief is an essential component of successfully marketing yourself.

Find out how best to market yourself in the interview

This is key to knowing how to job interview. Preparing interview answers to frequently asked job interview questions, developing a list of good insightful questions to ask the interviewer, thinking about positive behavioral examples to use in the job interview and feeling confident that you are a strong candidate for the job all contribute to your powerful marketing strategy. Ask a friend or family member to conduct the interview with you. Through practice and feedback you will become comfortable with the way you market yourself as the right job candidate.

Use the common interview questions and answers guide to prepare for your job interview.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interviews-articles/how-to-job-interview-in-todays-job-market-771228.html