Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Dont say these 5 types of words during a job interview

Dont say these 5 types of words during a job interviewDont say these 5 types of words during a job interviewThere are so many ways that a job interview can go wrong - the possibility of being super late, being underprepared and other slip-ups - you should also be mindful of your word choice. Your language can speak volumes about who you are as a candidate.Here are some job interview tips regarding things you should avoid saying during a job interview.Dont hurl insults about the arbeitszimmer space you walk intoSo the arbeitszimmer building is a lot less modern than you thought it would be.Does the recruiter need to know that? Of course not. This is much better kept to yourself.Looking for an inspiring way to start your day? Sign up forMorning MotivationIts our friendly Facebook robot that will send you a quick note every weekday morning to help you start strong. Sign up here by clicking Get StartedHiring managers didnt check out your application and invite you for an in-person inte rview to witness you wasting the opportunity.You may not look like a good fit for the company - even if you exceed the qualifications.Use filler words as little as possibleJohn Rampton, an entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of online payments company Due, cautions in Mashable against overusing filler words like um, hmm and erm during a job interview.Personally, I never realized that this was an issue until it was brought to me attention and I started watching footage of me speaking. aya enough, I was throwing out a lot of ums.To correct this problem, I started speaking more slowly. If there was a question that I had to think about, I would remain completely silent until I could find the right words. Dont worry if youre concerned about there being an awkward silence. Its better to pause and say nothing-at-all than filling the air with a stream of filler words, he writes.Lay off the profanityYou should never cross this line.Youd think not swearing is Interviewing 101, but youd be sur prised how often people still do it,According to The Muse. Even if your interviewer drops a few S- or F-bombs, youre better off keeping your language PG.Of course, different workplaces have varying standards of conduct, but you shouldnt assume this is safe territory - especially since you dont yet work there or know the culture.Dont say that you have zero questions for the interviewerYou should always ask questions during job interviews - even if you already know the answer.If you dont, you risk looking like you dont care about the position, the job, or a possible future there. So while youre doing your research for the interview, write down things that strike you and be sure to ask them in person.This will show that youve done your homework, are interested in how the business operates, and are trying to get a better sense of what itd be like to work there yourself.Dont badmouth your current or former employerThis is never a smart move.Alison Doyle, a career expert, author, and fo under/CEO of CareerToolBelt.com,provides examples of statements you shouldnt make during interviews in The Balance - including negative ones about your current position, manager and employer.One of them is, my current company is awful. As Doyle questions, (Are you going to say that about the new company?)Chances are, if youre willing to say bad things about your current workplace, you wouldnt have a problem doing the same if hired to a new one, and clearly arent as concerned about references as you should be.Dont say these 5 types of words during a job interviewThere are so many ways that a job interview can go wrong - the possibility of being super late, being underprepared and other slip-ups - you should also be mindful of your word choice. Your language can speak volumes about who you are as a candidate.Here are some job interview tips regarding things you should avoid saying during a job interview.Dont hurl insults about the office space you walk intoSo the office building is a lot less modern than you thought it would be.Does the recruiter need to know that? Of course not. This is much better kept to yourself.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreHiring managers didnt check out your application and invite you for an in-person interview to witness you wasting the opportunity.You may not look like a good fit for the company - even if you exceed the qualifications.Use filler words as little as possibleJohn Rampton, an entrepreneur, speaker, and founder of online payments company Due, cautions in Mashable against overusing filler words like um, hmm and erm during a job interview.Personally, I never realized that this was an issue until it was brought to my attention and I started watching footage of me speaking. Sure enough, I was throwing out a lot of ums.To correct this problem, I started speaking more slowly. If there was a question that I had to think about, I would remain completely silent until I could find the right words. Dont worry if youre concerned about there being an awkward silence. Its better to pause and say nothing-at-all than filling the air with a stream of filler words, he writes.Lay off the profanityYou should never cross this line.Youd think not swearing is Interviewing 101, but youd be surprised how often people still do it,According to The Muse. Even if your interviewer drops a few S- or F-bombs, youre better off keeping your language PG.Of course, different workplaces have varying standards of conduct, but you shouldnt assume this is safe territory - especially since you dont yet work there or know the culture.Dont say that you have zero questions for the interviewerYou should always ask questions during job interviews - even if you already know the answer.If you dont, you risk looking like you dont care about the position, the job, or a possible future there. So while youre doing your research for the inte rview, write down things that strike you and be sure to ask them in person.This will show that youve done your homework, are interested in how the business operates, and are trying to get a better sense of what itd be like to work there yourself.Dont badmouth your current or former employerThis is never a smart move.Alison Doyle, a career expert, author, and founder/CEO of CareerToolBelt.com,provides examples of statements you shouldnt make during interviews in The Balance - including negative ones about your current position, manager and employer.One of them is, my current company is awful. As Doyle questions, (Are you going to say that about the new company?)Chances are, if youre willing to say bad things about your current workplace, you wouldnt have a problem doing the same if hired to a new one and clearly arent as concerned about references as you should be.This article was originally published on January 24, 2018.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that wi ll make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile in 5 Minutes and Get Hired

How to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile in 5 Minutes and Get HiredHow to Improve Your LinkedIn Profile in 5 Minutes and Get HiredHaving a LinkedIn profile just because every professional should have it just isnt enough. You have to keep it updated and make it attractive to the recruiter. Keep in mind there are thousands of LinkedIn profiles like yours and if you want the right peopleto notice you in the vast sea of other profiles, it needs to be darn good.LinkedIn profile is not just a digital version of your resume. Its a social network which means you have to be actively involved otherwise you might as well not be on it at all. To see how effective your profile is, LinkedIn shows you the strength of your account.To have an all-star rating of your LinkedIn profile will increase your chances of being noticed, and by extension hired.Today well tell you how to boost your LinkedIn profile and make the fruchtwein of this professional network.The LinkedIn profile essentialsDid you know that majority of LinkedIn accountshave never been completed at all? Your profile will qualify as complete if you haveAt least 50 connectionsYour Industry and Location filled inYour photo includedYour current position updatedEducation and at least two previous work experiences listedAt least three skills listedIf your profile contains all this, youre halfway through to an outstanding profile.Weve got 10 tips for you to improve your profile and become a LinkedIn all-star1. Make your profile visually appealingFirst of all, include a photo that does you justice. Ideally, it should be a good quality headshot where you look professional, natural and likable. Forget the holiday or party photos, cheesy selfies or cropped pictures where you have an alien arm around your neck.You can also add a background photo. Pick one that goes well with your profile picture and that evokes positivity. It doesnt necessarily have to be a picture closely connected to your industry, but of course, try to pick a pi cture that isnt completely offbeat.2. Write a catchy professional headlineHaving a brilliant headline is crucial because it is what people notice first on your profile. Hence, it should advertise you well. It should clearly describe your profession, e.g. UX Designer or Social Media Manager (alternatively with the name of the company youre currently working for). You can make more of your headline by adding an adjective such as Experienced UX Designer or Junior Social Media Manager.Depending on your experience and what youre looking for, your headline canserve as a call for new job opportunities, e.g. Junior Social Media Manager looking for new opportunities in startups. We recommend doing a little research and taking inspiration from what other people from your industry have written in their headline.3. Connect with more peopleIn general, people with a substantial amount of LinkedIn connections appear more professional. Were not saying you should now connect with just anybody only t o get as many connections as possible. First, go through your People You May Know page and send out a couple of invitations. Its best to connect with people from the same industry as you. People who might be potentially interested in you and what youre doing are also valuable connections. Find these people by searching concrete companies or groups that are related to your industry.4.Write a summary that sellsThe summary section is something similar to a cover letterbut in a lot briefer and more functional style. It is up to you whether you decide to give it a bullet point structure or use full sentences formed in a couple of paragraphs.Contrary to cover letter, the summary section on LinkedIn should be a lot briefer and shouldnt include embellishments, buzz words or any long descriptions. You should try to get right to the point and literally summarize the highlights of your professional career thus far.5. Polish up your experience and education sectionRemember that LinkedIn is not your resume, it doesnt have to be brief. In fact, feel free to revel in adding as many details as you want (in case theyre relevant, of course). List a couple of your most important duties, your most eminent achievements, results you delivered exceptionally well and things and skills you learned in each position. You can also attach additional documents or add media to each of your work experiences such as photos, videos, links or presentations.The same applies to your education. There is plenty of additional info that the recruiter viewing your profile might be interested in. Especially if youre a student or a fresh graduate, the more details you provide, the better. Add courses, awards, scholarships, mention your international experience or describe some of the most interesting school projects you participated in.6. Add volunteer experienceYou might be surprised, but recruiters and hiring managers regard candidates who have experience in volunteering as more attractive. Even if yo u think your volunteering experience is not relevant to your future job at all, it can earn you some extra credit with your future employer. You can also add causes you care about. Recruiters love active citizens7. Make a list of 10 of your strongest skillsSkills are one of the most important sections on LinkedIn. List around 10 of your strongest skills. Dont mix up skills that do not really correlate. If youre looking for a job in one specific area, list skills most relevant to this profession. If you need some inspiration, do a little research and see what other people from your industry listed in their skills section.8. Endorse and be endorsedOn LinkedIn, endorsements serve basically as an evidence for the skills you claim to have. Not only will your profile look more professional but the more endorsements you have, the higher rate in search results your profile gets. To get more endorsements, start by endorsing your connections. If you endorseother people for certain skills, the res a chance they endorse you back.You can also directly ask your friends or ex-colleagues to endorse you.9. Ask for recommendationsJust like endorsements, recommendations are an effective way to make your expertise more reliable because it has been acknowledged by other people. Needless to say, the most valuable recommendations are those written by people from your industry. Ask your previous tutors, teachers or colleagues to write a recommendation for you.10. Be active on LinkedInKeep in mind that LinkedIn is a social network so your activity is visible to anyone who wants to see it.Also, the more active you are on LinkedIn, the more chances you have to be noticed by the right people. You can write posts, comment on posts other people from your industry wrote, follow people and companies, actively participate in relevant groups, etc. The bonus is you might bump into an interesting job opportunity.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Critique Your Resume Like a Hiring Manager

Critique Your Resume Like a Hiring ManagerCritique Your Resume Like a Hiring ManagerCritique Your Resume Like a Hiring ManagerIn order to critique your resume effectively, you need to understand how a hiring manager will look at it. As a rule, resume reviewers start by making a snap judgment based on their first impression. If there are no immediate red flags, theyll spend the next 10 to 30 seconds scanning it to determine whether you seem to have the right qualifications. If your resume passes those two tests, it has a good chance of being reviewed more thoroughly, and with luck, winning you an interview. What does all this mean to you and your resume? It means you should worry less about listing your past job duties, and more about making an outstanding first impression Here arethe important factors toconsider as you evaluate your resume.1) First ImpressionOverall appearance is neat, organized, and easy to read.Length is no more than 2 pages (1 page is fine if everything fits neatl y).No obvious errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, or word usage.No obvious inconsistencies in use of numbers, spacing, punctuation, or capitalization.Contact information is complete.Email address is professional, not shared, not goofy, and not your current work address.2) Quick Check of QualificationsResume starts with a summary that lists the most compelling qualifications that match the employers needs.Calls attention to relevant experience from past jobs.Matches keywords and expressions from the job ad.Uses descriptive job titles (e.g., Dont just say Machinist, say Robotic-Arm Machine Operator).Includes licenses, certifications, or coursework that support qualifications (if applicable).3) Other Things to Look ForAction verbs introduce each sentence or bullet phrase.No unnecessary words or repetition.Acronyms or technical jargon are adequately explained.4) Things You Should Leave OutOlder job experiencesExperience from more than 10 or 15 years ago is probably irrelevant now. Personal informationAvoid topics such as religion, politics, age, race, marital status, lifestyle, or disability.Older educational detailsAlways list your highest level of education, but after a few years stop mentioning GPA,as well as your roles in clubs, sports, or other school-related activities. If youre an older job seeker, leave out the year of graduation.A self-critique should be part of the process any time you submit a resume. We havent mentioned the cover letterbut the same critiquing principles can help you create a cover letter that makes a great impression and opens the door to your resume. Critiquing your own resume mightseem like a lot of extra work, but if the mistakes are there, wouldnt you rather find them yourself than let the hiring manager do it for you?