<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111</id><updated>2009-10-13T21:14:55.013-07:00</updated><title type='text'>JOB SECRETS, COOL MONEY</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>12</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-7413357219123735084</id><published>2008-02-12T16:42:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-02-12T16:49:38.602-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Paralegal Jobs</title><content type='html'>&lt;a title="Paralegal Jobs" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/paralegal-jobs/" rel="bookmark"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Paralegal Jobs&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many paralegals find work to be rewarding and interesting. Paralegals come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For example, some recent college graduates work as paralegals as they seek to learn whether working as a lawyer would be for them. Other recent college graduates work as paralegals temporarily to earn money and build their resumes. Law firms also employ paralegal veterans who have made a career of the profession. Approximately 70 percent of paralegals work for law firms. The remainder often works for corporate legal departments or the government. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegal employment is expected to grow “much faster than average” through 2014, as employers attempt to save on costs. Paralegals will be given work traditionally assigned to lawyers. The paralegals with the best chance of receiving a paralegal job will have experience and a degree.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a class="more-link" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/paralegal-jobs/"&gt;…continue reading Paralegal Jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a title="How to Make a Student Resume" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/how-to-make-a-student-resume/" rel="bookmark"&gt;How to Make a Student Resume&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As most job seekers know, there are two basic types of resumes: chronological and functional. Students, with few exceptions, should always use functional resume. It is much easier to highlight one’s skills and related experience on a functional résumé. Chronological résumés are better for older workers who can list their employment histories and experiences in order, starting with the most recent.&lt;br /&gt;Students, who usually do not have lots of work experience, do not have long employment histories to list. Even if students do have work experience and a long employment history, a chronological resume filled with odd jobs like babysitting and lifeguarding will not be as impressive to potential employers. Students should focus on using what experience they do have from all areas of their lives to create focused and tailored functional resume.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a class="more-link" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/how-to-make-a-student-resume/"&gt;…continue reading How to Make a Student Resume&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a title="America’s Job Bank" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/americas-job-bank/" rel="bookmark"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;America’s Job Bank&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The recent closure of America’s Job Bank has prompted some confusion and question about job banks and job search services in general. Job banks are tools used by job seekers to find employment listings online. The convenience of the online search allows job seekers to spend less time rummaging through want ads and more time updating resumes or tailoring their cover letters to specific employers. Job banks have become very popular in recent years as technology becomes an increasingly valuable tool to employers and employees alike. In fact, almost three in four employees are now hired via an online job bank and this number is only expected to increase. Employers have dedicated more resources in recent years to online recruiting and posting open positions in job banks, which can be accessed via newspapers like ChicagoTribune or through Internet sites like &lt;a href="http://www.employmentspot.com/"&gt;Employmentspot.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a class="more-link" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/americas-job-bank/"&gt;…continue reading America’s Job Bank&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a title="How to Get One of the Open Positions within a Company" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/how-to-get-one-of-the-open-positions-within-a-company/" rel="bookmark"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to Get One of the Open Positions within a Company&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Many people assume that the job they have currently will not be the job they have when they retire. Many employees assume that they will be promoted within a company or take a more lucrative or challenging position outside of it.&lt;br /&gt;One of the easiest ways to find a better job is to look around you at one of the open positions within your current company. Employers often like to fill open positions with current employees for several reasons. First, open positions can be expensive to fill. Advertising the position or paying for a headhunter may be an expense employers do not want to pay. Second, employees within a company have a known history. It is easier to ask an employee’s supervisor about his or her employment history than to conduct a background check upon a potential candidate whom no one knows. Finally, training new people to fill open positions may also be expensive and time consuming. It is much easier to adapt someone who already knows company policy and standards into an open position than it is to train an outsider from scratch.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a class="more-link" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/how-to-get-one-of-the-open-positions-within-a-company/"&gt;…continue reading How to Get One of the Open Positions within a Company&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a title="Job Offer" href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/job-offer/" rel="bookmark"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Job Offer&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are several different appropriate ways to accept or decline a job offer, but there are also a number of ways that are not appropriate.&lt;br /&gt;While it is not common for a company to rescind its job offer to a new hire, it is also not unheard of. You do not want to lose the job offer, and more importantly, you want to start off on the right foot at your new company.&lt;br /&gt;When you get a job offer, keep these tips in mind so that you do not do or say the wrong thing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-articles/network-systems-and-data-communications-analysts/"&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Communications Analysts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Employment Search&lt;br /&gt;Location  AKALARAZCACOCTDCDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVAVTWAWIWVWYJob Type  AnyAccountingAdmin &amp;amp; ClericalAutomotiveBankingBiotechBusiness DevelopmentBusiness OpportunityConstructionConsultantCustomer ServiceDesignDistribution ShippingEducationEngineeringEntry LevelExecutiveFacilitiesFinanceFranchiseGeneral BusinessGeneral LaborGovernmentGroceryHealth CareHospitality &amp;amp; HotelHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyInstallation Maint RepairInsuranceInventoryLegalLegal AdminManagementManufacturingMarketingMedia Journalism NewspaperNonprofit &amp;amp; Social ServicesNurseOtherPharmaceuticalProfessional ServicesPurchasing ProcurementQA Quality ControlReal EstateResearchRestaurant Food ServiceRetailSalesScienceSkilled Labor &amp;amp; TradesStrategy &amp;amp; PlanningSupply ChainTelecommunicationsTrainingTransportationWarehouseSearch Radius  10 miles20 miles30 miles40 miles50 milesKeywords  (optional)&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Employment Tips &lt;a title="Chances are your first job will not be your dream job, but one of many as you work your way to the top. Know what your career goals are and talk to other professionals so that you know what steps to take to obtain your dream job." href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-tips/job-search/get-your-dream-job/"&gt;Get your dream job&lt;/a&gt;Chances are your first job will not be your dream job, but one of many as you work your way to the top. Know what your career goals are and talk to other professionals so that you know what steps to take to obtain your dream job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.employmentspot.com/employment-tips/"&gt;more tips&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tag Cloud&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-7413357219123735084?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/7413357219123735084/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=7413357219123735084' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/7413357219123735084'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/7413357219123735084'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2008/02/paralegal-jobs.html' title='Paralegal Jobs'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-2084385072455399548</id><published>2008-01-08T15:05:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-08T15:09:03.322-08:00</updated><title type='text'>How to deal with interview stress</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Picture This&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can make your dream a reality. Use your imagination to stay calm during a job interview.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Visualization is a relaxation technique in which you create a mental image of a stressful or challenging situation. Then you imagine yourself succeeding in the situation. By doing so, you're mentally preparing to handle the event in real life.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can practice visualization in the days, hours or even minutes before an interview. Simply close your eyes and breathe deeply. Picture yourself greeting the interviewer confidently and answering tough questions with ease.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Practice succeeding in your imagination, and soon you'll be doing it in reality.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Relax&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;A relaxed job candidate is a confident job candidate. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Show the interviewer that you're calm, composed and in command during an interview. He's likely to assume that you'll be rock-solid on the job too. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Use these tips to stay relaxed during an interview:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Breathing deeply and slowly (and quietly, of course).&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Sit up straight and don't cross your legs or arms.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Speak slowly and pause for breath often.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Keeps your hands and jaw relaxed; no clenching.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Smile -- it really is contagious!&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Pause, Don't Panic&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In every interview, there comes a moment that doesn't go according to plan. There's an awkward silence. You stumble over your words. You flub a tough question.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Don't panic. Now's the time to put your relaxation skills into overdrive.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It's much easier to control fear and panic as it starts to build than to calm yourself down once they've begun to spiral out of control. &lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;When you feel yourself starting to panic and lose focus, pause. Tell yourself silently that you can do this. Take a deep breath. Refocus. And then resume interviewing.&lt;/p&gt; A quick ten-second pause can be all you need to regain your composure and get back in control. And the interviewer likely won't even notice.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-2084385072455399548?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/2084385072455399548/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=2084385072455399548' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/2084385072455399548'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/2084385072455399548'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2008/01/how-to-deal-with-interview-stress.html' title='How to deal with interview stress'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-793981419889676893</id><published>2008-01-08T14:52:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-01-08T15:01:08.418-08:00</updated><title type='text'>An Interview Strategy: Telling Stories</title><content type='html'>&lt;table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td style="font-size: 18px; font-family: arial; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="header_cancel"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;  &lt;/tr&gt;  &lt;tr&gt;  &lt;td class="content"&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;img src="http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/hj/el/spacer.gif" alt="" border="0" height="10" width="1" /&gt;A Job Interview Is Not an Interrogation&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/td&gt;  &lt;/tr&gt;   &lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;If you read many books on job interviews, you'll notice that some feed you lists of interview questions that you should learn answers to. But an interview is not an interrogation; it's a conversation. Thus, I believe the best way to prepare for an interview is to come armed with a multitude of small stories about both your business and personal life.&lt;div class="mainContainer"&gt;  &lt;/div&gt;        &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conversation Wins the Job&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Competency-based interviews, as opposed to traditional interviews, have become more common today. In a traditional interview, the interviewer will ask you questions focused on whether you have the skills and knowledge needed to do the job. A competency-based interview goes further by asking you additional questions about your character and personal attributes that can better determine whether you fit their corporate culture. These are called "behavioral competencies." &lt;/p&gt;  A competency-based interviewer will spend about half the interview on your job skills, and about half on your behavioral competencies. He or she will be looking for evidence of how you have acted in real situations in the past. So having your stories ready to go, and discussing them during a conversation between two equals, plays very well for this type of interviewll notice that some feed you lists of interview questions that you should learn answers to. But an interview is not an interrogation; it's a conversation. Thus, I believe the best way to prepare for an interview is to come armed with a multitude of small stories about both your business and personal life.  &lt;p style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Conversation Wins the Job&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;Competency-based interviews, as opposed to traditional interviews, have become more common today. In a traditional interview, the interviewer will ask you questions focused on whether you have the skills and knowledge needed to do the job. A competency-based interview goes further by asking you additional questions about your character and personal attributes that can better determine whether you fit their corporate culture. These are called "behavioral competencies." &lt;/p&gt;  A competency-based interviewer will spend about half the interview on your job skills, and about half on your behavioral competencies. He or she will be looking for evidence of how you have acted in real situations in the past. So having your stories ready to go, and discussing them during a conversation between two equals, plays very well for this type of interview&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-793981419889676893?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/793981419889676893/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=793981419889676893' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/793981419889676893'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/793981419889676893'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2008/01/interview-strategy-telling-stories.html' title='An Interview Strategy: Telling Stories'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-4586507245864026569</id><published>2007-11-02T20:41:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-11-02T20:43:18.424-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Employment Tips</title><content type='html'>&lt;table summary="Content Area Table" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt; &lt;tbody&gt; &lt;tr&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Content --&gt; &lt;td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top"&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Title --&gt; &lt;!-- End Page Title --&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Heading --&gt; &lt;h2 style="font-size: 18px;"&gt;Receive helpful hints, tips, and advice on what not  to do when seeking employment.&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;!-- End Page Heading --&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Content Code --&gt; &lt;div style="padding-bottom: 5px;"&gt; &lt;h3 style="font-size: 16px;"&gt;5 Tips on What &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Not&lt;/span&gt; to Do When Seeking Employment&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;by Jay Crawford&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Have you ever been unemployed? If not, chances are you will be in your  lifetime.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;1 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  have a proper Mindset!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;Whatever you call it being laid off, fired, terminated or just making a  career change it all means the same. Keep a level head and get your act  together. Most people have lost a job, or will, as companies go through buyouts,  competitive mergers, divestitures, reductions in force, hostile takeovers,  rightsizing, downsizing, restructuring or become an alleged victim of executive  misappropriation such as Enron, Tyco, Adelphia and Security Trust.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you haven't had the composure or opportunity to talk with your former  employer on severance pay, or extending medical benefits do so in a timely  fashion in a professional manner. File for unemployment compensation. The sooner  you can accept the situation you are in the sooner you can move forward. Keep a  sense of humor. If you can show that you can produce results that can fit  employer's needs you will be a desirable candidate for a position.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;2 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  be prepared to deal with Pressure!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you are financially independent then you probably don't need a job  anyway.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While you are employed don't live beyond your financial means. When you get a  raise and you automatically step up you life styles spending you haven't  financially gained a thing. Credit cards can be the source of all financial evil  but, they are nice to fall back on when you can't get a loan because you are not  employed.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;3 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  be prepared before you start looking for employment!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;There are different strokes for different folks when talking about effective  ways to land your dream job. No single approach is guaranteed for any one job  seeker but, it will be a full time job. You will need a full time office. Don't  procrastinate. The ball is in your court. You are selling yourself. Think  positive and get organized.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;4 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  forget your options!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;It may take a while to find the opportunity you want. Consider a part time  job/self employment, working on a trial basis, or a temporary agency while you  continue your job search. Give thought to broaden the scope of your employment  search. You can apply for different titles than you have been. You can commute  further than you originally wanted to. It might be feasible to consider  relocation if you haven't already.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;5 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  fail to sharpen your job search skills!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;Once you have gathered the proper tools, you will need to conduct research,  properly prepare correspondence, have resumes that are tailored to specific job  opportunities and requirements, excellent telephone skills and proper  interviewing characteristics on the telephone and in person.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Jay has written a book entitled &lt;a href="http://www.authorhouse.com/bookstore/itemdetail.aspx?bookid=24481" target="_blank"&gt;What Not to Do When Seeking Employment&lt;/a&gt; which is a one of a  kind source elaborating on the above items, and highlighting over 180 Don'ts of  looking for, or keeping, a position. It is based on actual experience of the  author's nearly 40 years of employment and unemployment. The book also reveals  the unpublished business realities of some small, middle and large businesses  from both the job seeker's and employer's views.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The author is an independent security consultant.  Jay also conducts searches for employers for specific management security  positions. He may be reached at jbcconsultant@aol&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-4586507245864026569?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/4586507245864026569/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=4586507245864026569' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/4586507245864026569'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/4586507245864026569'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/11/employment-tips_02.html' title='Employment Tips'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-5447200276637930865</id><published>2007-11-02T20:35:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-11-02T20:39:52.269-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Employment Tips</title><content type='html'>&lt;table summary="Content Area Table" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt; &lt;tbody&gt; &lt;tr&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Content --&gt; &lt;td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top"&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Title --&gt; &lt;h1 style="font-size: 24px;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;&lt;!-- End Page Title --&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Page Heading --&gt; &lt;h2 style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal;"&gt;Receive helpful hints, tips, and advice on what not  to do when seeking employment.&lt;/h2&gt;&lt;!-- End Page Heading --&gt;&lt;!-- Begin Content Code --&gt; &lt;div style="padding-bottom: 5px;"&gt; &lt;h3 style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: normal;"&gt;5 Tips on What &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Not&lt;/span&gt; to Do When Seeking Employment&lt;/h3&gt; &lt;p&gt;by Jay Crawford&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Have you ever been unemployed? If not, chances are you will be in your  lifetime.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;"&gt;1 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;D&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;on't  have a proper Mindset!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;Whatever you call it being laid off, fired, terminated or just making a  career change it all means the same. Keep a level head and get your act  together. Most people have lost a job, or will, as companies go through buyouts,  competitive mergers, divestitures, reductions in force, hostile takeovers,  rightsizing, downsizing, restructuring or become an alleged victim of executive  misappropriation such as Enron, Tyco, Adelphia and Security Trust.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you haven't had the composure or opportunity to talk with your former  employer on severance pay, or extending medical benefits do so in a timely  fashion in a professional manner. File for unemployment compensation. The sooner  you can accept the situation you are in the sooner you can move forward. Keep a  sense of humor. If you can show that you can produce results that can fit  employer's needs you will be a desirable candidate for a position.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;2 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  be prepared to deal with Pressure!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;If you are financially independent then you probably don't need a job  anyway.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;While you are employed don't live beyond your financial means. When you get a  raise and you automatically step up you life styles spending you haven't  financially gained a thing. Credit cards can be the source of all financial evil  but, they are nice to fall back on when you can't get a loan because you are not  employed.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;3 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  be prepared before you start looking for employment!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;There are different strokes for different folks when talking about effective  ways to land your dream job. No single approach is guaranteed for any one job  seeker but, it will be a full time job. You will need a full time office. Don't  procrastinate. The ball is in your court. You are selling yourself. Think  positive and get organized.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;4 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  forget your options!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;It may take a while to find the opportunity you want. Consider a part time  job/self employment, working on a trial basis, or a temporary agency while you  continue your job search. Give thought to broaden the scope of your employment  search. You can apply for different titles than you have been. You can commute  further than you originally wanted to. It might be feasible to consider  relocation if you haven't already.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;h5 style="font-size: 13px;"&gt;5 - &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;Don't  fail to sharpen your job search skills!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h5&gt; &lt;p&gt;Once you have gathered the proper tools, you will need to conduct research,  properly prepare correspondence, have resumes that are tailored to specific job  opportunities and requirements, excellent telephone skills and proper  interviewing characteristics on the telephone and in person.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="font-style: italic;"&gt;Jay has written a book entitled &lt;a href="http://www.authorhouse.com/bookstore/itemdetail.aspx?bookid=24481" target="_blank"&gt;What Not to Do When Seeking Employment&lt;/a&gt; which is a one of a  kind source elaborating on the above items, and highlighting over 180 Don'ts of  looking for, or keeping, a position. It is based on actual experience of the  author's nearly 40 years of employment and unemployment. The book also reveals  the unpublished business realities of some small, middle and large businesses  from both the job seeker's and employer's views.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p style="font-style: italic;"&gt;The author is an independent security consultant.  Jay also conducts searches for employers for specific management security  positions. He may be reached at jbcconsultant@aol&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-5447200276637930865?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/5447200276637930865/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=5447200276637930865' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/5447200276637930865'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/5447200276637930865'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/11/employment-tips.html' title='Employment Tips'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-2266278251090486432</id><published>2007-11-02T20:15:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-11-02T20:27:47.379-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Articles for legal job seekers</title><content type='html'>Raising Expectations Will Help Land That Raise&lt;br /&gt;When it comes to negotiating for salary, women fall far short of the accomplishments made by men. Several studies have outlined the disparity and some of the root causes. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;5 Reasons You're Not Getting Better Assignments&lt;br /&gt;Who or what is to blame if you are not getting the assignments you want and think you deserve? What happens to paralegals who can't get promoted? Or even better, are there promotions for paralegals? &lt;br /&gt;Creating Achievement Oriented Resumes&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As you gain substantial experience in the field, you are going to want to convey more than job duties. The most compelling resume you can write is an achievement oriented resume. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;17 Ways to Just Say No - Job Articles&lt;br /&gt;I have listed seventeen ways here to say "no". Don't let me put the words in your mouth. Take the ones you like, change them around and you use the words that are comfortable for you. &lt;br /&gt;Who's Your Daddy? Looking for a Family Atmosphere at Work&lt;br /&gt;When workers describe a family atmosphere, they are generally talking about fun, togetherness, closeness, trust, and friendships. The phrase "family atmosphere" generally applies to a small firm or business work place. &lt;br /&gt;Four Reasons Why Legal Professionals Succeed or Fail&lt;br /&gt;These simple but highly effective strategies can help you take advantage of the marketing potential of your plan and turn your program into a roaring success. &lt;br /&gt;The Boss Question - Am I Doing a Good Job&lt;br /&gt;I thinks it's a good idea to ask the Boss Question several times throughout the year as the boss' expectations can change and we need to always be moving forward together on the same wave length. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When it's Time to Change - 5 Steps to Reinvent Your Work&lt;br /&gt;Feeling overwhelmed and behind? Complaining of boredom? Wishing for another assignment, boss or career option? &lt;br /&gt;Combination Resume&lt;br /&gt;A Combination Resume will allow you to highlight your impressive accomplishments and grab the reader's interest right at the beginning while also providing the chronological work history employers are looking for. &lt;br /&gt;Crisis Management&lt;br /&gt;Crisis Management, for the most part is when a deadline has snuck up behind you and robbed you of all choice. And crisis management, for the most part, is poor time management. &lt;br /&gt;Dress for Success&lt;br /&gt;"The first rule of dress is common sense," not everybody has common sense about what to wear. In fact, many job seekers unknowingly dress for failure. They do so because they make one or more of four suicidal mistakes. &lt;br /&gt;Choosing Email Names Wisely&lt;br /&gt;While you're pretty much stuck with the name your parents chose for you, you can choose your own unique email name. Perhaps this accounts for some of the many creative and colorful email names I've seen on resumes since I've worked for Davidson Staffing. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Time Management - Five Ways to NOT Get Promoted&lt;br /&gt;Time Management has a lot more to do with "investing" our time wisely rather than just "spending it." &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What Is Your Greatest Weakness? - Job Interview Questions&lt;br /&gt;The fastest way to make a good interview go bad is to avoid questions posed by the hiring manager. The one question candidates love to avoid is, "What is your greatest weakness?" &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Asking Questions During a Job Interview - Make a Lasting Impression&lt;br /&gt;In a job market where you may be among five other stellar candidates, it is essential to use every opportunity to make a lasting impression. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Job Interviewing Tips&lt;br /&gt;We've compiled some great tips on resumes and interviewing, which we hope you will find helpful in landing your ideal position! &lt;br /&gt;Legal Resume Tips&lt;br /&gt;Our resume tips come directly from our professional legal recruiters, who see countless numbers of resumes (good and bad) every day. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Interviewable Resumes - Creating a Resume&lt;br /&gt;It is rumored that the only word William Shakespeare wrote on his resume was "Available." We'll probably never know if that is true. &lt;br /&gt;Creating Proper Short Citations&lt;br /&gt;In a legal brief, the first instance of a legal authority cited should be in the Long Cite format. In the remainder of the brief, it will mostly likely be abbreviated in a Short Cite format. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Stabilize Stress - Job Related Stress&lt;br /&gt;There are some who would say, "there's good stress and then there's bad stress." That's sort of like saying, "there are good heart attacks and then there are bad heart attacks." &lt;br /&gt;Timeslips Hidden Treasure #10 - Fixing Balances&lt;br /&gt;Have you ever used Timeslips to review a client and noticed that their Accounts Receivable or Client Funds don't match the total in Billing Assistant? &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Time Thieves - Time Management Articles&lt;br /&gt;Every day, eleven time thieves gang up on you and work to take some of that precious time away from productive use. Let me introduce you to this inconsiderate troupe. &lt;br /&gt;Legal Job Articles for Employers&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-2266278251090486432?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/2266278251090486432/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=2266278251090486432' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/2266278251090486432'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/2266278251090486432'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/11/articles-for-legal-job-seekers.html' title='Articles for legal job seekers'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-3972238544631852634</id><published>2007-10-22T18:08:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-10-22T18:15:32.014-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Job Interview Questions</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Be Ready to Answer the Top 10 Job Interview Questions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;by Linda Matias&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;GREAT INTERVIEWS GET THE JOB&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;It can be easy to convince ourselves that the job interview doesn't matter so much, as long as our resume is outstanding, our dress is impeccably professional, and that we are nice people. After all, nice people do win in the end, don't they? Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. Even though the resume, attire, and likeability factor all play a part in an employer's decision to hire someone, the answers that you provide to the questions during the interview will demonstrate what the employer is most interested in: your confidence, skills, and knowledge of the job.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;THE TOP 10 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Your best weapon to mastering the job interview is to practice, practice, practice your answers to the most commonly asked questions by employers. The most certain way to sabotage your chances to win over a potential employer is to try and wing the interview. Your answers can appear aimless and without direction, making you look unprepared or worse, unqualified.&lt;br /&gt;Don't risk the future of your career by flying by the seat of your pants. Prepare yourself by developing answers to the most commonly asked questions:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Tell Me a Little Something About Yourself&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;This is probably one of the most dreaded questions of all time. We quiver and sweat in our seats wondering what the employer really wants to know. Hey, relax! For starters, this is a great opportunity for you to sell yourself to the employer. Talk about your key accomplishments and strengths and how these factors will benefit the employer in the desired position. Write down ahead of time what you plan to say; perfect it; then practice it every chance you get.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Why Do You Want to Leave Your Current Job?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;This question is basically a wolf in sheep's clothing. It appears harmless enough, but it can damage your potential in a heartbeat if you're not careful. By all means, keep your answers to this question as positive as possible. Above all, do not dwell on how much you hate your current boss! The interviewer wants to hire a team player to the position, not a negative and vindictive hater.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Are You Still Employed and If Not, Why Not?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;If you are, great, but if you aren't, you can still use your answer to this question to shine a light on your positive features. For example, if you were laid off or terminated, focus less on the actual termination and more on what you learned from the whole process. You'll look mature and wise in the employer's eyes!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Do You Have Any Budgeting Experience?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you haven't, be honest; but you can answer in a way that shows that you have had some exposure to adhering to a budget - on a project, for example. If you do have budgeting experience, discuss your fiscal responsibility.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Have You Ever Managed Anyone?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;This question is most important to those who are seeking a supervisory type of position. If you have managerial experience, elaborate on how many people you have supervised and what their positions were in the spectrum of the organizational chart. However, if you haven't had direct managerial practice, talk up how much you were a part of the decision process of a team project, or how you organized volunteers for a fundraiser.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;6. What Are Your Strengths as an Employee?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;To adequately answer this question, you need to be aware of the strengths you possess in the following areas: personality, experience, and skills. Once that information is known, match your strengths to the requirements of the position for which you are interviewing.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;7. What Are Your Weaknesses?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Obviously, no one likes to admit that they have any weaknesses, especially in front of a potential employer. So what do you do? You can provide ONE trait about yourself that is the least important to the position. Refrain from canned responses such as you are a perfectionist or a workaholic.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8. Discuss How You Make Important Decisions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;If you are interviewing for a supervisory role, you definitely want to come across as someone who is able to ask for input from others, yet is comfortable making the final decisions. Also, consider the type of position and company. For example, is it a budgetary role at a financial institution? In that case, you probably will want to emphasize that you exercise great care and caution when making big decisions.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;9. Where Do You Want to Be Five Years From Now?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Suffice it to say, do not answer this question with "Retired." Keep your answers positive and simple, with just a tinge of ambition. Think along the lines of a "motivated" versus "rat race" mentality.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;10. What Have Been the Biggest Accomplishments of Your Career so Far?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;Focus on accomplishments that directly relate to the open position. Discuss the challenge you were presented with, your actions, and the end result. Did you streamline processes? Devise a way to increase customer satisfaction? Were you recognized by management for your efforts? The way you answer this question will distinguish you from other applicants since your answer will require you to go beyond the basic job responsibilities.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;A FINAL NOTE&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;As you can see, the interview is more than just showing up on time in the right clothes. It is your best and only opportunity to convince an employer that he or she should hire you. If you were selected for an interview, consider yourself lucky because you are halfway to the finish line. Make sure you are prepared with relevant and well-thought-out answers to bring in a home run interview.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-3972238544631852634?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/3972238544631852634/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=3972238544631852634' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/3972238544631852634'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/3972238544631852634'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/job-interview-questions.html' title='Job Interview Questions'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-6226269053794690178</id><published>2007-10-22T17:57:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-10-22T18:07:27.419-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Job Interview Blunders</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Learn about the top five job interview blunders and how to avoid them&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Beware of the Top 5 Interview Mistakesby Deborah Walker&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but who were absolute disasters in person. With fewer interview opportunities available in our competitive job market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these top five worst interview blunders:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Not preparing for the tough interview questions&lt;/strong&gt;.Like every job seeker, you probably have your own set of tough interview questions you hope will never be asked. The best strategy is to prepare ahead of time with answers to ALL of these questions. A career coach can be a great resource for helping you work out suitable answers with a positive spin on negative or challenging career situations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Failure to match communication styles&lt;/strong&gt;.Making a great first impression is easier to do when you communicate effectively with your interviewer. The best way to do this is by mirroring his or her communication style. Allowing your interviewer to set the tone of the conversation will put him or her at ease and makes the conversation flow more naturally.&lt;br /&gt;For instance:&lt;br /&gt;If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt to loosen him or her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike. If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his or her interests. Often personal items on display in the office can be a clue. If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Talking too much&lt;/strong&gt;.In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates, and so did most of my client employers who interviewed these candidates. Over-talking takes several forms:&lt;br /&gt;Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just can't get to the point. Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is outright lying. To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Using role-playing in preparing for your interview will help you avoid excessive, nervous talking.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;4. Saying negative things about your current or past employers or managers&lt;/strong&gt;.Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun, avoid stating your ill feelings about the person or work situation. No matter how reasonable your complaints, your negative comments will be viewed as disrespect towards your boss. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Giving away too much salary and earnings information&lt;/strong&gt;.Candidates often weaken their future earning potential by speaking too freely about their current income. No matter the official salary range of the position you are interviewing for, your current earnings have an enormous effect on the size of the offer. Investing in a career coach to help you answer salary questions can add thousands of dollars to your new job offer.&lt;br /&gt;You already know that it takes a strong resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice to be invited for an interview. The next step is to hone your interviewing skills to actually win job offers. Polishing your interviewing skills can mean the difference between getting the job and being a runner-up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;How to avoid these blunders&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Beware of the Top 5 Interview Mistakes by Deborah Walker&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We've all heard stories of job candidates who looked great on paper but who were absolute disasters in person. With fewer interview opportunities available in our competitive job market, it's essential to make the best possible first impression. Learn from the mistakes of others and avoid these top five worst interview blunders:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;1. Not preparing for the tough interview questions&lt;/strong&gt;.Like every job seeker, you probably have your own set of tough interview questions you hope will never be asked. The best strategy is to prepare ahead of time with answers to ALL of these questions. A career coach can be a great resource for helping you work out suitable answers with a positive spin on negative or challenging career situations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2. Failure to match communication styles.&lt;/strong&gt;Making a great first impression is easier to do when you communicate effectively with your interviewer. The best way to do this is by mirroring his or her communication style. Allowing your interviewer to set the tone of the conversation will put him or her at ease and makes the conversation flow more naturally.&lt;br /&gt;For instance:&lt;br /&gt;If the interviewer seems all business, don't attempt to loosen him or her up with a joke or story. Be succinct and businesslike. If the interviewer is personable, try discussing his or her interests. Often personal items on display in the office can be a clue. If asked a direct question, answer directly. Then follow up by asking if more information is needed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;3. Talking too much&lt;/strong&gt;.In my recruiting days, I abhorred over-talkative candidates, and so did most of my client employers who interviewed these candidates. Over-talking takes several forms:&lt;br /&gt;Taking too long to answer direct questions. The impression: This candidate just can't get to the point. Nervous talkers. The impression: This candidate is covering up something or is outright lying. To avoid either of these forms of over-talking, practice answering questions in a direct manner. Using role-playing in preparing for your interview will help you avoid excessive, nervous talking.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;strong&gt;4. Saying negative things about your current or past employers or managers&lt;/strong&gt;.Even if your last boss was Attila the Hun, avoid stating your ill feelings about the person or work situation. No matter how reasonable your complaints, your negative comments will be viewed as disrespect towards your boss. When faced with the challenge of talking about former employers, make sure you are prepared with a positive spin on your experiences.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;5. Giving away too much salary and earnings information&lt;/strong&gt;.Candidates often weaken their future earning potential by speaking too freely about their current income. No matter the official salary range of the position you are interviewing for, your current earnings have an enormous effect on the size of the offer. Investing in a career coach to help you answer salary questions can add thousands of dollars to your new job offer.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You already know that it takes a strong resume that sets you apart as a candidate of choice to be invited for an interview. The next step is to hone your interviewing skills to actually win job offers. Polishing your interviewing skills can mean the difference between getting the job and being a runner-up.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Read more job-search tips and resume samples at:&lt;a href="http://www.alphaadvantage.com/"&gt;www.AlphaAdvantage.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-6226269053794690178?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/6226269053794690178/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=6226269053794690178' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/6226269053794690178'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/6226269053794690178'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/job-interview-blunders.html' title='Job Interview Blunders'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-4462835715754730843</id><published>2007-10-22T17:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-10-22T17:56:59.540-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Getting a job as a graduate</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Get advice from professional resume writers on how to find your first job after graduation.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Finding a Job by ResumeEdge.com -&lt;/strong&gt; The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You know exactly what kind of career you want. Your resume is perfect. You've forced your friends to spend hours asking you practice interview questions. Everything is in order - except you don't know how to go about finding the job openings.&lt;br /&gt;The first step is to shift your networking skills into high gear. Start asking friends and family members to ask their co-workers, friends, hairdressers, optometrists, accountants, and other acquaintances if they've either heard of any available, relevant job openings, or if they know of someone to whom you ought to talk.&lt;br /&gt;Another good way to make connections is to contact your college alumni office or career services center to see if either has a list of alumni who have volunteered to serve as mentors and contacts to young jobseekers.&lt;br /&gt;Also, if you've held internships in the past, get in touch with your employers and co-workers from those experiences and ask if they can point you in the right direction.&lt;br /&gt;While there's truth to the adage that the best jobs are never advertised, that doesn't mean you can't find a good job outside the networking realm:&lt;br /&gt;Check out Internet job listings. Go to trade websites for the career field in which you're interested. Often, occupations have professional associations with websites that include job listings. If you don't know the name of the association or trade organization that unifies your potential colleagues, do a search or ask someone in the field. Those websites are also an excellent way to cull contact names. Go to job fairs. You can usually find advertisements for job fairs in your local newspaper. Visit the websites of companies for which you would like to work. See if they have any job listings posted within the site. If you're interested in working for a medium- or large-sized company, call the human resources departments of potential employers and ask if they have any job openings. Read the classified section of the newspaper. If you want to relocate, find out what newspapers serve the places you'd like to live and then browse those papers' classified sections on the web. The most important thing to remember is that the job search is often like a roller coaster ride. You might find some great opportunities, only to find that positions have been filled. And, in turn, you might investigate something you don't think you're interested in, only to strike a gold mine. The important thing is to keep you head up, and keep pushing forward. As long as you're persistent and patient, you will either find a good job, or you'll find a job that will serve as a transitional job that will open doors for you.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-4462835715754730843?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/4462835715754730843/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=4462835715754730843' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/4462835715754730843'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/4462835715754730843'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/getting-job-as-graduate.html' title='Getting a job as a graduate'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-1012996304618726175</id><published>2007-10-22T17:40:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-10-22T17:47:50.658-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Job Search Secrets</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Three Creative Job Search Secretsby Kevin Donlin&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;In my continuing series on job search tips for hard times, here are 3 ways to locate job openings using free resources at your disposal.&lt;br /&gt;                     &lt;br /&gt;1) Read the paper, but not the want adsResearch is your first step in ferreting out job openings. And since almost everyone gets a daily newspaper, why not start there? But don't spend a lot of time on the want ads, advises Picha.&lt;br /&gt;"I take an indirect approach in looking for companies that might be hiring. For example, I skimmed today's Wall Street Journal and found these tidbits:&lt;br /&gt;"Toyota now wants 15% of global market share, which means they'll be expanding worldwide and perhaps hiring locally..." "China is buying $1.2 billion in telecom equipment from Lucent and Motorola, which points to both firms needing new personnel..." "Earnings for Cendant rose 19%, so they may be hiring..." "The list goes on," says Picha.&lt;br /&gt;All is takes is a little digging to uncover these "jewels" that point you toward companies in need of new employees.&lt;br /&gt;Two more ways to use the newspaper to uncover expanding businesses are:&lt;br /&gt;Monitor the business section for firms signing new commercial leases, a sure sign of a need for increased capacity. Look for companies receiving venture capital -- since it's so difficult to get these days, such firms are likely to have a viable business model ... and a need for new employees.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; 2) Consider temporary employmentTemporary agencies can open the door to a wider range of jobs than you think they're not limited to office support or light factory work.&lt;br /&gt;"Many savvy employers use temporary agencies as a screening device. It's a chance to put temp workers through a trial period. And, if the employee is talented enough, a job can be created just for him or her," says Picha.&lt;br /&gt;In Southern California, some companies draw 33-50% of their staff from the temporary work force, according to Picha. Similar figures may apply to other parts of the country.&lt;br /&gt;Temporary agencies are all around you, too.&lt;br /&gt;"Just visit &lt;a href="http://www.google.com/"&gt;www.google.com&lt;/a&gt;, search for 'temporary employment,' and you'll find a huge number of temp agency listings. You can sort them by geography, industry -- whatever," says Picha, who found 59 agencies listed for his Southern California region.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;3) Network smarter, not harderI've said it before, I'll say it again networking is how 70-80% of the best jobs are filled. But in today's economy, don't expect a plum position to fall in your lap. You must network smartly and more creatively.&lt;br /&gt;"Try calling on vendors and suppliers who know of companies that might be hiring. These include your local banker, CPA, lawyer and real estate agent. These people all have a great deal of knowledge," says Picha.&lt;br /&gt;Don't forget associations there's one or more for every field of work. Use them to meet decision makers who can hire you. Call the reference desk at your public library for help finding associations.&lt;br /&gt;When you call or meet networking contacts, ask for names of growing companies who could use someone with your experience. Ask for a contact person at the target employer(s), but avoid the HR department, since they often act as gatekeepers and may shun you.&lt;br /&gt;So there you have it.&lt;br /&gt;Three job search tips to help you use the newspaper, temp agencies and your network more creatively and effectively than before.&lt;br /&gt;Kevin Donlin owns and operates Guaranteed Resumes. Since 1995, he has provided resumes, cover letters and online job-search assistance to clients. He is the author of The Last Guide to Cover Letter &amp;amp; Resume Writing You'll Ever Need, a do-it-yourself manual with sample cover letters and resumes.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-1012996304618726175?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/1012996304618726175/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=1012996304618726175' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/1012996304618726175'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/1012996304618726175'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/job-search-secrets.html' title='Job Search Secrets'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-7461209534462700769</id><published>2007-10-22T14:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2007-10-22T14:29:23.113-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hot Jobs For College StudentsBy Josh Bebitez</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;College or University jobs:&lt;/strong&gt; It takes many people to run a college campus or university. Therefore, why not start where you are and look for a job right there on campus? There are many advantages of working on your college campus while you are still in school. The main advantage is that usually your schedule will be very flexible. Most college campus jobs can work around your course load, and they can schedule you the amount of part-time hours that you need. In addition, when the campus is closed, you are off as well. That means that if you go home for the holidays or for the summer, you may very well be able to take off work without any problem. Yet another advantage of working right on your college campus is that you can often find jobs in the departments that fit your degree. For example, if you are an English major, you may be able to find a part-time job as a tutor or helper in the English department. This is great way to build your resume and to earn a little extra money.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Waiting tables:&lt;/strong&gt; Waiting tables at restaurants is among top hot jobs for college students. This is because college students can potentially make very good money working part-time, waiting table's at large restaurants. There are plenty of restaurants all around the college campus, which will make it easier to for you to find employment. In addition, you can often choose your hours when you wait tables. You can work late in the evening, or any time during the day, making it perfect to work around your busy school schedule. While waiting tables may not be glamorous, it can provide you with a steady income and a great way to meet people.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Office jobs&lt;/strong&gt;: Among hot jobs for college students also includes various office jobs. If you have a car and can travel outside of the main college campus, you may very well find large companies and corporations willing to hire you for various small office jobs. These companies always need to fill positions such as receptionists, copiers, and even mail sorters. While you may not get top pay, these are often great entry-level jobs and can help you make good contacts with people within a large business. Never under estimate even the smallest of jobs and what it can do to help you in the future&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Childcare:&lt;/strong&gt; If you enjoy being around children, childcare is another great way for you to work while you are still in college. This is especially true for anybody who is majoring in education or other fields where they will be working with children. Day cares often hire college students to help them for after school activities for school-aged children, and even during the summer. You may even find employment in a private home taking care of two or three children after school. You can spend your evenings helping the kids with their homework, taking them to their after school activities, and just hanging out with them.&lt;br /&gt;There are many places you can go to find employment if you are a college student. The biggest factor in choosing a job is to find one that is flexible and will allow you to take time off when you need it and not have repercussions.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-7461209534462700769?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/7461209534462700769/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=7461209534462700769' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/7461209534462700769'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/7461209534462700769'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/hot-jobs-for-college-studentsby-josh.html' title='Hot Jobs For College StudentsBy Josh Bebitez'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-185965015770913111.post-6132702842751776692</id><published>2007-10-22T14:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-12-09T05:10:25.209-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Rejection Got You Down in the Job Search?</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Kc3FZ3cQLkw/Rx0cCTdes6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/28EDaqLIfnQ/s1600-h/dfdfdf.jpg"&gt;&lt;img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124282776926729122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Kc3FZ3cQLkw/Rx0cCTdes6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/28EDaqLIfnQ/s400/dfdfdf.jpg" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div&gt;By Marilyn Tellez&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It's true, no one wants to be ignored or rejected in any situation. The job search/interview rejection is painful.&lt;br /&gt;If you have been looking for a job for some time, each refusal to hire you makes you feel angry and power- less.&lt;br /&gt;Here are my suggestions to make each rejection less painful.&lt;br /&gt;1. Do lots of interviewing practice, both formal and informal..&lt;br /&gt;2. Apply for a job in many fields.&lt;br /&gt;3. Know who you are, with a job and without.&lt;br /&gt;4. Plan and make specific job goals.&lt;br /&gt;5. Talk to lots of people, send thank you notes too.&lt;br /&gt;6. Make rejection a goal so that you get to the hiring goal faster.&lt;br /&gt;7. Don't take it personally. Play the game.&lt;br /&gt;8. Put exercise into you daily routine.&lt;br /&gt;9. Enjoying love you get from others, makes the rejection easier to take.&lt;br /&gt;10. Show gratitude for what you have.&lt;br /&gt;11. Ask for the job.&lt;br /&gt;c, 2004-05 Marilyn J. Tellez, M.A. Certified Job &amp;amp; Career Transition Coach Email: &lt;a href="mailto:doitnow@nwinfo.net"&gt;doitnow@nwinfo.net&lt;/a&gt; Web: &lt;a href="http://www.doitnowcareers.info/"&gt;http://www.doitnowcareers.info/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Article Source: &lt;a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Tellez"&gt;http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marilyn_Tellez&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/185965015770913111-6132702842751776692?l=jobfast.blogspot.com'/&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/feeds/6132702842751776692/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=185965015770913111&amp;postID=6132702842751776692' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/6132702842751776692'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/185965015770913111/posts/default/6132702842751776692'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://jobfast.blogspot.com/2007/10/rejection-got-you-down-in-job-search.html' title='Rejection Got You Down in the Job Search?'/><author><name>Akpos</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/01703427587248610878</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:extendedProperty xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' name='OpenSocialUserId' value='08505009578266977257'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Kc3FZ3cQLkw/Rx0cCTdes6I/AAAAAAAAAAM/28EDaqLIfnQ/s72-c/dfdfdf.jpg' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'>0</thr:total></entry></feed>