6 Steps to Follow When Preparing for a Job Interview

6 Steps to Follow When Preparing for a Job Interview For many people, a job interview is one of the most nerve-wracking experiences and the pressure is truly on to make a good first impression. How well prepared you are for your job interview can mean the difference between landing your dream job and going back to square one of your job search, so its important to put the time in ahead of the day to ensure you are fully prepared for any questions you may be asked.   Here are a few pointers you may want to follow when getting ready for a job interview. 1. Research the company Before you go to the interview, make sure that you find out as much about the company as you can. You can check out the company’s official website and their LinkedIn profile, as well as other social media channels. You could also ask your friends and families to see if they know someone who work there, who you could talk to ahead of the day. Knowing the company will not only prepare you to answer questions, but also ask questions at the interview. 2. Pay attention to the job description The job description usually contains a lot of useful information; therefore, it is important that you take some time to analyze the job description. When doing so  make a list of knowledge and skills that are required for  the job. You can then make a list of your qualifications and experience and compare your list to that of job requirements, matching your attributes  to what your potential employer is looking for. These are the skills you should then highlight in your interview as they make you stand out as a well suited candidate for the role.   3. Practice, practice, and practice One of the best ways to prepare for your interview is practice. Try to answer some common interview questions as if you are at the interview. This will give you a framework for your responses so that you won’t have to scramble to come up with an answer at the interview. It’ll be even better if you can rehearse with someone. 4. Get your outfit ready Get your interview outfit ready as early as possible. Make sure that it is appropriate for the occasion, and try it on to make sure that it fits. Don’t forget your hairstyle and accessories. They can be as  important as your clothes. 5. Know what to bring to the interview Don’t show up empty handed. Print out some extra copies of your resume, a list of your references in case the interviewer asks for it, as well as a list of questions that you have for the interviewer. 6. Know where you are going If you have never been to the area in which you are going to have the interview, it’s a good idea to go for a visit before the interview, so that you are familiar with your route and how long you need to give yourself to get there. If you’ll be driving, check on parking, as you don’t want to arrive and find out that there is no place to park your car! Image Credit: Shutterstock

Preparing for an online marketing interview tips, tricks and trade secrets

Preparing for an online marketing interview tips, tricks and trade secrets Preparing for an interview can be a daunting task but it’s an essential part of the interview process.  Meredith Watts, content marketer at Creare, a leading SEO company,  offers up some top tips and trade secrets.     Youve persevered with the dreaded final year job search and managed to bag yourself an interview at a top online marketing company â€" the date is set and the interviews looming. Its suddenly got rather serious.  But don’t panic; check out these top tips to help you prepare and (hopefully) win the day. Start with the basics There’s that well-known saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ but when it comes to interviews, first impressions count. You need to pull out all the stops: dress smartly, look presentable and shine those shoes! Before the day of the interview make sure you know exactly where it is and plan your journey in advance. Dont take any chances. Always try to arrive around 15  mins early as this gives you time to compose yourself and check your notes one last time. When you meet the interviewer regardless of how nervous you feel  make sure you have a confident smile on your face and offer a firm handshake. Research is key You want to walk into that interview feeling confident and in control â€" the best way of doing this is to know your stuff! Remember â€" the interviewer isn’t expecting you to be a fully fledged expert when it comes to online marketing as many companies will offer you full training on the job, but what they do need to know is that you have the drive and the enthusiasm to take on this new challenge and progress within the industry. Research the company. When it comes to the research, you should start with the company; you need to have a good understanding of their business, their main aims, their plans for the future and how you will fit into their culture. Dont just use their website dig a little deeper and see what else you can find out about them. Research the industry.  Remember, you’re not expected to know about every little corner of the industry but you need to show your prospective employers that you’re keen to learn and that you’ve taken the initiative to find out all you can about their line of work before your interview. Strategies, strategies, strategies… When it comes to online marketing it’s all about providing your clients with the best possible strategy, one that is effective, up to date and above all successful. So even if you’re a beginner taking your first steps into the world of online marketing, do a little investigating and put together some examples of marketing strategies that have really worked. A good place to start is looking at companies like Ikea, Red Bull and Relentless. Your interview checklist: Once youve completed your sector and company research,  you can start preparing for your interview . Here are some important things to consider before your big day: Know your own CV. You may well be asked to talk through your previous employment or what you have been doing over the last few years so make sure you’re prepared for this question and don’t get flustered, you can always take a copy of your CV with you. If you have a portfolio or any examples of previous work then always take these with you; as well as allowing your prospective employer an insight into your talent it will also show you have confidence in your ability. Strengths and weaknesses. This is something that nearly every interviewer will ask so make sure you have your answer(s) prepared. Try to be original and honest with your answers and avoid those clichés â€" ‘Working too hard is my weakness and I’m also a perfectionist…’ Always prepare questions to ask your prospective employer at the end of the interview. Enquiring about the company or the job role shows that you’re intuitive and not afraid to ask important questions when the opportunity arrives. Remember, the interview process isn’t just about impressing your prospective employers â€" it’s also their chance to impress you too and show you why their company is the one to work for. What your interviewer expects to see and hear The world of online marketing is a constantly changing, so you need to present yourself as versatile the kind of person who can  adapt  to change. You need to show you’re always eager to take on new challenges and that you have the drive and the determination to see things through to the end. When you walk into that interview room you need to be honest, be clear about what motivates you and where you want this job to take you. If you’re not sure what path you want to take in terms of progression, be honest and say so; after all your immediate goal is to gain the knowledge and the skills required for online marketing. The beauty of online marketing is that it’s a dynamic industry constantly evolving and building momentum so for a newbie entering the industry there are many doors of opportunity.  Nothing is set in stone: as you delve deeper into the industry you will begin to see the specialist areas that you excel in and you can choose the path you want to follow.  

What Career is Right for me

What Career is Right for me For high school seniors, graduation is fast approaching. While it is certainly an exciting time, it also causes a lot of anxiety. After all, graduates have to ask themselves a very important question as they make plans to start college or enter the workforce: what career is right for me? Perhaps having a wide range of interests makes it difficult to narrow it down. Or it could be that you simply have no clue. Either way, you shouldn’t allow yourself to get too worked up over your dilemma; most of your peers are on the exact same boat. The good news is that there is a series of reliable online quizzes that can put you on the right track as you pursue an area of studies or entry-level job. All it takes is 15 minutes and some self-reflection. When determining the ideal career path, assessing your personality traits can serve as a useful guide. This article will provide you with the tools necessary to choose a job or college major that is perfect for you. Consider your interests before making a decision about your career When it comes to deciding on a career path, asking your friends and family members for advice and recommendations can be helpful. Nonetheless, you should make the final call as you know yourself best. To begin, let’s do some brainstorming. But don’t focus on specific jobs per se, the key is to think in the abstract. Jot down “my interests” and then break it down into subcategories such as “recreational hobbies” and “special talents.” This self-reflecting activity focuses on your strengths and abilities, which is a great way to prep for your career quiz. Take a career quiz to understand yourself better “What is a career quiz?” A career quiz is an easy (and even enjoyable!) way to assess your personality traits and match them up with career paths that are likely to appeal to you. They consist of multiple choice questions with statements that best describe your general outlook on life as well as ambitions. You will need around 5 minutes to complete the quiz, plus an additional 5-10 minutes to read and analyze the results. Be honest and deliberate in your answers, as the conclusions that will be drawn from the quiz rely entirely on which choices you select. If you find that all (or none) of the answers to a particular question appeal to you, just trust your gut as you select the best one. You should also pick answers that are most consistent with your attitudes, even when you could hypothetically choose either. The online course site Open Colleges offers a career quiz that could be of help to you. This particular quiz assesses your personality, focusing on your strengths and weaknesses, which are important factors when determining which occupation is best for you. The online career resource organization LeanUp also offers a career aptitude test that can help you pick the right field of work. This test is broken up into four components, namely: skills, interests, work style, and values. The questions range from rating your communication skills and general interest in career fields to how you would respond to common work situations. You also have the option of specifying your desired minimum salary and educational requirements. Based on your input, the website produces a list of career fields that might appeal to you, nearby schools that offer courses related to these jobs, and even job openings in your area. The Seattle-based company PayScale, which helps firms determine the appropriate salaries for its employees based on algorithms and other statistical-based measures, offers a simple, to-the-point quiz consisting of just six questions. You are asked to describe your ideal type of work, your feelings about education, whether you aspire to be a boss, the overarching purpose of work, how you deal with stress and whether salary or happiness is your priority. The website takes your answers and suggests ideal jobs according to rank. It also provides figures such as average salary, gender breakdown, and percentage of the field based on which generation they belong to. When should I make a choice about my job? There is no set “deadline” for making a decision on your career. Some people are practically born knowing exactly what they want to do in life whereas others are still uncertain well into their adult life. In several countries, including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, it is common for school graduates to take a gap year to explore the world, develop maturity, and gain some work experience, typically in the service industry. The gap year is less common in the US, but students attending American colleges have more flexibility when it comes to choosing a major. In fact, in most cases, they can postpone their decision until their third year of studies. In any event, there is no need to make a decision just for the sake of it. The career quizzes can help, but nothing has to be set in stone. Take some time to develop your passions and use your late teenage years and early 20s to acquire new knowledge and experience. Be patient, and you will eventually be able to answer the questio n, “What type of career is right for me?” Which career offers a window into your soul? While there are way too many professions out there to list in one article, it is possible to narrow it down to a list of the most common spheres. Below is a description of the most popular careers that you can consider. Take note of pros and cons of each along with the education requirements as some require advanced degrees while others only require a high school diploma or GED. Medical and Healthcare career The healthcare industry offers a wide range of occupations for employees of every educational level. Obviously, if you aspire to be a physician, you will need to successfully complete your undergraduate studies, medical school, and residency. Depending on your specialty, you should expect it to take a minimum of 10 years before you become a full-fledged doctor. Registered nurses (RNs) often only need a 2-year associate’s degree that can be earned at a community college, although the licensing exams are extremely rigorous.    If youre looking to go into a career of Medical and healthcare make sure you have a  CRB check. A nurses aid typically just needs a high school degree or GED, although it doesn’t usually pay very well. No matter what medical position you choose, be aware that the hours can be long, the job can be stressful, and in many cases, you are literally responsible for making life-and-death decisions. Is the idea of inserting catheters or drawing blood not your thing? There are plenty of medical careers out there that allow you to make a difference in the lives of patients without requiring needles such as speech pathology and physical therapy. Psychology and health career Do you have a knack for listening to people and coming up with solutions to their problems? If you understand interpersonal relationships and are able to help people identify and overcome the root causes of their anxieties, a psychology career or a general health career tied to social work might be up your alley. Both jobs require the ability to connect and relate to patients and clients as well as develop plans so that they can overcome their challenges. There is a great demand for thoughtful, compassionate psychologists. Social work is a noble profession, although the main drawback is that many are underpaid and overworked. Business career Are you somebody who is forward-thinking, willing to take risks, and able to guide companies towards financial success? If so, consider a business career. If you are a tireless worker and understand what customers want, you can really live the high life. However, you will need to develop a thick skin as business can be cutthroat. You need to be able to thrive in a competitive environment while accepting that your decisions might not always work. Of course, if marketing or running a business is not your strength, other fields related to business such as accounting and financial consulting are options, especially if you have a good background in math. Criminal justice career Are you resourceful, organized, stoic, and even willing to risk your life to protect others? There are a variety of professions in the field of criminal justice worth considering. You could work as a police officer, forensics expert, fraud investigator, detective, or even protect the president as a secret service agent. You will need to be able to pay attention to detail and cope with stress and tension. At the same time, you can take pride in knowing you are contributing to the criminal justice system. Art career An art career includes a variety of jobs involved in creating works of brilliance, clothing design, photography, painting and decorating. As an artist, you must be able to perceive the world in ways never imagined. Although certain careers in art can require training and education (especially as it relates to learning how to use equipment), the most successful artists are born with innate abilities and talents. Science career Science is full of endless possibilities as new discoveries and breakthroughs are being made every day. There will always be a need for new researchers to carry discoveries in medicine, environmental science, and engineering further. If you have a logical, curious mind, and enjoy subjects such as chemistry, physics, and math, a science career is waiting for you. Animal career If you have a love of animals, why not consider an animal career? Sure, working as a veterinarian probably comes to mind, but if you have no interest in animal medicine, there are plenty of other options. For instance, you could spend your days at the zoo as a specialist. You could study animal psychology. You could work as an animal trainer on Hollywood movie sets. A love of animals and deep knowledge about their behaviors can really take you places! Computer career Information technology is advancing at incredible rates. Whether you love video game design, application development, database administration, or dream of creating a startup that revolutionizes the world, a computer career is where it can happen.     Just check out a list of computer related jobs and you can see the explosive growth in this field.   You will need a sharp mind and a lot of concentration in order to master a programming language. You must also have a love of learning. Since apps and gadgets are continuously being rendered obsolete by new inventions, you will constantly be updating your knowledge and taking courses throughout your career. Enjoy today, but plan for your future The careers discussed in this article are only the tip of the iceberg, but at the very least it can generate discussion. If you are in high school, it might be helpful to discuss your job aspirations with your guidance counselor. If you are already in college, set up a meeting with your academic advisor or head to the career services center. Consider getting a part-time job during the academic year or full-time work in the summer. It doesn’t even have to be connected to your future aspirations. Merely having work experience and responsibilities will serve you well, in addition to having a supervisor who can write you a good reference in the future. Of course, finding the right career also starts with being a good student. This means attending your classes, getting your work turned in, and meeting with your professor or instructor if you are struggling. You can also seek academic assistance from online education platform that helps students complete their essays and assignments. Finally, do not panic if you reach your mid-20s and still have no clue what you want to do. At the same time, recognize that a good job isn’t just going to fall into your lap. It takes effort and even some experimentation. Give an entry-level position a shot and if you don’t enjoy that field of work, move on to something else that might be a better match for your interests and skills. Just stay positive, motivated, keep an open mind, and be willing to work hard to achieve what you want.

Beyond The Bickering 5 Steps to Resolving Conflict In Teams -

Beyond The Bickering 5 Steps to Resolving Conflict In Teams - You can run the most efficient, well-run company in the world, packed with eager team members clad in your branded hoodies, but at some point conflict is going to rear its ugly head. I have worked with team members who clashed over their contributions to a shared project, with team leads who have battled over their position with the leadership team, with managers who don’t see eye to eye with their direct reports, and problems between customers, partners, and communities. While there are various causes of conflict, these situations often boil down to breakdowns in either (1) expectations, (2) communication, or (3) perception. If left unchecked, these breakdowns act like a series of papercuts, niggling away at people, often culminating in an outburst that you need to try and unwind. So, how do you handle and ultimately resolve these conflicts? Follow these five steps that I have used consistently in resolving conflict scenarios across the communities I have worked with. Step 1: Find a facilitator The people in the conflict are too close to the flame to be objective, so you need a facilitator to help unwind the situation and evaluate how to resolve it. This person needs to be a trusted third party that both sides of the conflict can have faith in. Ideally, they are a known entity to both parties, but not seen as having a bias towards one side or the other. Great facilitators are good active listeners, are able to manage a meeting without being dominant, and can form objective, pragmatic viewpoints. Step 2: Identify root causes Presuming you are the facilitator, coordinate calls with each party in the conflict individually. Importantly, these need to be phone or video calls, or in-person meetings. Don’t use text messaging, email, forum, Slack, or other textual channels. You need to reintroduce the humanity back into the equation, so both parties can hear your tone and you can understand theirs. Expect a whole raft of venting, packed with emotion and exaggeration in these calls. Let them get it off their chest, and don’t pass judgement. As you listen, try to pick apart the key themes that are forming. Is it misaligned expectations? Has there been poor communication? Is there an inaccurate perception between the different sides? Are there cultural elements at play such as a language barrier, different levels of experience, or something else? Note down these observations privately. Step 3: Design pragmatic solutions When you have completed these calls and summarized these root causes, brainstorm a set of pragmatic, doable solutions that you suspect both parties will be open to. If a root cause is different expectations of project participation, could you put together a shared project plan both sides can feed into? Maybe you can roll in some additional lightweight reporting to ensure everyone is on the same page? If a root cause is communication issues, could a set of regular calls with a clear agenda be a solution? Maybe you can agree to a weekly roll-up of work to review completed work and plan the next set of tasks? The key point here is a set of simple, manageable, and objective solutions designed to mitigate the root cause issues you identified. Now, write these solutions down into a crisp, single-page summary. This solutions should be direct, measurable, and focused. Cut out the verbiage: the focus here is clarity and something that both sides of the conflict can clearly understand. Step 4: Present and get agreement on solutions Now schedule a meeting with both parties (again phone/video/in-person) and thank both for their feedback and input. Build their confidence that we can rectify these issues with simple and pragmatic solutions. Now walk through your proposed solutions. Ask for questions and solicit feedback, and ensure they feel comfortable with the next steps. If you get some pushback, be responsive.   But you may also need to emphasize the importance of compromise in resolving conflict, and in the interests of the broader goals of the company of organization they are part of. As you facilitate this discussion, be overt in requesting feedback, don’t just expect them to douse you with input: they often won’t. Ask them directly, and make it clear that any and all constructive feedback is welcome. If they try to bring the discussion back to the conflict and pointing fingers, redirect them back to the solutions. When the call is completed, make any requested adjustments (which are often nitpicking the language), and then email the document to both parties. Step 5: check-in Now schedule a regular set of calls to check-in on their progress. The cadence of these will depend largely on the specific case, but this could be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. These calls are critical.   By putting together and getting agreement on these solutions, both parties are agreeing to be accountable for next steps. These calls are a way for you to check in.   Where progress is not being made, help them to course-correct. Resolving Conflict: Practice Makes Perfect Part of the reason why this overall method works well is that it focused on extracting practical root causes out of an emotional situation and to focus on pragmatic solutions to resolving conflict. This requires some careful facilitation, and don’t expect to get it perfect when you start doing this. At the end of a conflict scenario, perform a quick assessment of how it went. Identify what went well and what didn’t. Then share these findings with other members of your team who might want to also be facilitators. Good luck! This guest post was authored by Jono Bacon Jono Bacon is a leading community and management strategy consultant, speaker, and author. He is the founder of Jono Bacon Consulting, which provides community and management strategy, execution, and coaching. John also previously served as director of community at GitHub, Canonical, XPRIZE, OpenAdvantage.    He is the author of People Powered: How Communities Can Supercharge Your Business, Brand, and Team. For more information, please visit, https://www.jonobacon.com/ or connect with Jono on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Linkedin.

Why Your Personal Brand Needs LinkedIn - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

Why Your Personal Brand Needs

Profit Blips In Business The 3 Worst Ways To Respond

Profit Blips In Business The 3 Worst Ways To Respond In business, there will always be challenges, and particularly in regards to generating profit. Even the most successful businesses in the world have their ups and downs; the ideas that don’t come to fruition; the product failures that they do their best to forget. No business is immune from these profit blips, and accepting that there will occasionally be rough spells is a key component of maturing as a business owner. However, there’s no denying that accepting these blips is often easier said than done. This is especially true when you’re encountering your first blip in business; with no prior experience of how to deal with such a setback, you can find yourself falling into a reaction that is counterproductive at best, and even more damaging than the initial problem at worst. If your business is going through a rough time in terms of profits, here are the three responses you have to ensure that you avoid… Refusing to accept blame No one likes to think we have made a poor decision, or missed an obvious sign that we shouldn’t have overlooked. However, as a business owner, you have to be willing to examine a situation objectively and accept blame for profit problems if required. If you click here, you can read an experienced account from a business owner who has been there and done it when it comes to resolving a profit problem in their business, and they are very clear that management problems are often behind your profit woes, so it’s important to examine the matter in depth and â€" if necessary â€" take responsibility for your own errors. Swingeing cost-cutting If profits aren’t where you expect them to be, deeply and quickly cutting costs may seem like a sensible decision. However, you have to be extremely cautious about this, as you can leave your budget so stripped back your company is barely able to function. It’s vital that you cut costs very gently, starting with low-hanging fruit and only progressing the cuts after further evaluation proves you need to cut deeper. Go gently to begin with, as it gives you some room for future maneuver. Impulsive abandonment of new ideas If there is an area of your business that is under-performing and impacting your profits, you may find yourself tempted to abandon the entire endeavor and focus instead on areas that are profitable. Admittedly, this can sometimes be the right decision; at the very least, it prevents you from falling into the trap of the sunk cost fallacy. However, if you abandon aspects of your business every time they don’t meet your expectations, in time, you won’t have a business left. Ensure that you’ve done all you can to improve profits in a failing area rather than jumping to an impulsive abandonment that you may later come to regret. In conclusion Now you know how you shouldn’t respond to business challenges and problems, you can focus on tailoring your response so it is genuinely beneficial. Ultimately, successfully controlling your response to a problem is to the key to finding an efficient solution.

List Writing Sabbatical on Resume

List Writing Sabbatical on ResumeIn the modern world of the Internet and e-commerce, you can have a list writing sabbatical from a list writer's perspective. Indeed, it has been a common practice for marketers and SEO professionals to take a sabbatical to do something with their life. Even if you don't have any specific plans or ambitions, taking a break can be a great way to recharge your batteries. You might even be surprised at what can happen once you leave your current job.While some companies may simply give you a week or two to recover from your last writing job, you might want to think about taking a longer sabbatical for a more permanent change to your resume. Here are some things you can do to take advantage of a new career change.One of the first things you should do is to create a separate list of all the things you did in list writing that might require an update. Once you have listed these items, it is time to take a look at the reason you are leaving your current emplo yer. A wise move is to come up with a new reason for a good rewrite on your resume. This way, your resume will be more effective if it contains updated information.Next, go through each entry in your resume and make sure you get rid of anything that doesn't really matter. Keep your old skills and credentials relevant. Since this sabbatical is usually a short-term project, you might want to add just a few details to your resume. This is the time to go back and improve your qualifications. Just make sure that they are detailed enough so that your potential employer doesn't miss your valuable qualifications.To make the most of your first few days of writing, you might want to write the first sections of your old resume by yourself. Go through your old resume and edit it to be more professional and to update it. It might also be a good idea to find a company that can give you a copy of your old resume and ask them to edit it for you. This is a great way to make sure your resume is writt en in a professional manner.While you are updating your resume, there is nothing wrong with using some refresher material for you as well. You can look through other career opportunities that you might have overlooked and create a summary of the skills you have acquired. It is a smart move to learn how other people manage their skills and interests so that you won't be wasting valuable time searching for work when you do get hired.With a long resume, there is a chance that you won't be able to catch all the errors you have made over the years. That is why it is important to go through your old resume and make sure it is crystal clear. By rewriting your resume without any editing, you will be able to see exactly what you are missing and how much you need to update it.To create a successful new resume, take the necessary time to update and rewrite it. You might find that your old resume was a bit bland and you will be amazed by the results. It might even be a good idea to go back thro ugh your old documents and re-create the parts of it that were missing or a bit outdated.