the art of marketing yourself

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The Art of Marketing Yourself: How to Deal with Job Interviews By: Shirliz Jane M. Benitez BSA - III If you watch athletes right before a competition, you'll see they are fiercely focused. Whether they're quietly preparing or psyching themselves up as a team, all the attention is directed at the goal ahead. Last-minute job interview preparations are similarly important. Job interviews can be harrowing experiences. You may feel butterflies in your stomach before you even walk through the interview room door, and you may find the suave replies you imagined yourself making have tangled on your tongue, and the first word of every answer you give is “um.” It can happen to anyone—and probably has happened to everyone at least once. It is the make-it-or-break-it part of the job application process. While the resume may get you the interview, the interview gets you the job. You want to impress your possible employer so much that nobody else will be appropriate or perfect for the job. Thus, it is important to know every important thing that you need to do in dealing with job interviews. What to do? It's normal to feel nervous when you have an interview because you want to do your best. With proper preparation and practice you can get the better of your nerves and give yourself the best chance of getting the job. These top interview tips will

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Tips on how to deal with job interviews

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The Art of Marketing Yourself:How to Deal with Job InterviewsBy: Shirliz Jane M. Benitez BSA - III

If you watch athletes right before a competition, you'll see they are fiercely focused. Whether they're quietly preparing or psyching themselves up as a team, all the attention is directed at the goal ahead. Last-minutejob interviewpreparations are similarly important. Job interviewscan be harrowing experiences. You may feel butterflies in your stomach before you even walk through the interview room door, and you may find the suave replies you imagined yourself making have tangled on your tongue, and the first word of every answer you give is um. It can happen to anyoneand probably has happened to everyone at least once. It is the make-it-or-break-it part of thejob applicationprocess. Whilethe resumemay get you the interview, the interview gets you the job. You want to impress your possible employer so much that nobody else will be appropriate or perfect for the job. Thus, it is important to know every important thing that you need to do in dealing with job interviews.

What to do?It's normal to feel nervous when you have an interview because you want to do your best. With proper preparation and practice you can get the better of your nerves and give yourself the best chance of getting the job.These topinterview tipswill help you cover everything you need to know to successfully ace a job interview. Check out the CompanyFail to plan and you plan to fail. How much do you knowabout the companythat just contacted you to schedule an interview? There are large possibilities that you will be asked specific questions about the company, so make sure you've done your homework on informations like their last year's profits and latest product launches. It should be plenty, and all the information you need is available online. Also take a look at the latest developments in the industry so you can converse with confidence.

Dress for Interview SuccessAppearances shouldn't matter, but the plain fact is that you are often judged before you've even uttered a word. Thefirst impressionyou make on a potential employer can make a big difference. The first judgment an interviewer makes is going to be based on how you look and what you are wearing. That's why it's always important to dress appropriately for ajob interview. One way to do that is to dress professionally. Its expected since its ajob interview. If you feel that its just not you and feel uncomfortable, then at least wear something between casual and professional. Remember that youll also be meeting with a company officer or even a provost, whose ideas about how to dress are different from those of many organization members. That said,what to weardoes depend, in some cases, on where youre applying, and you have to determine that.

Be On TimeBe on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the interview location ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there. Here's more onpreparing for an interview.Check yourself out, too.First, ask to use the restroom. You need tocheck outyour appearance. Its a small, yet crucial detail. Especially if your appointment is after lunch, find a mirror and do a quick stain/spinach-in-teeth check. Its so simple, yet so often forgotten in the well-intentioned desire not to be late.Stay Calm

Good preparation is the key to staying in control. Plan your route, allowing extra time for any unexpected delays, and get everything you need to take with you ready the night before. During the job interview, its important to try to relax and stay as calm possible. Take a moment to regroup. Maintaineye contactwith the interviewer. Listen to the entire question before you answer and pay attention. Remember to speak clearly, smile and remember that your interviewers are just normal people, and they may be nervous too!

Show What You Know

This is the time to apply your research. Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions. But be concise. When discussing your career accomplishments, match them to what the company is looking for. Remember that they will be looking toseeif youre too long-winded. This may give the impression that you lack focus and organization. The question about your long-term interests is very important and theyre likely to ask it: "Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?" Theyre thinking of a possible 10- to 20-year commitment. Project that youre a straight-shooter, but dont do it to the point where honesty becomes synonymous with abrasiveness.

Be the best that you can be

In general, being personable is critical. Of course, being intellectually qualified comes first. But then, once youve met the standard in that area, what youre like as a human being becomes crucial. Remember that an academic job is a lifetime gig. No one wants to give tenure to a jerk. If you come across in any way as nasty, conceited, inflexible, weird, in short, "difficult," as they say euphemistically, youre not going to be hired, no matter how smart or productive you are. Why? Because departments are terrified that theyll give someone tenure and then be stuck with a person they hate. In short, they dont want to be wrong about this decision. A sense of humor is always helpful. If you dont have one, develop one. You want them to say later that they really enjoyed meeting you.

Ask questions

You should always have some questions for your interviewer to demonstrate your interest in the position. Prepare a minimum of five questions, some which will give you more information about the job, and some which delve deeper into the culture and goals of the company.

Follow-up

Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. Always follow-up with athank younote reiterating your interest in the position. If you interview with multiple people send each one a personal thank you note. Send your thank you note (email is fine) within 24 hours of your interview. Of course theyll see it as an effort to land the position, but they still want to hear it. Think of how uninterested youll look if you dont send a note.

Interview Questions

Preparing for the job interview questions can be daunting! There are literally thousands of jobinterview questionsthat can be asked, so how can we possibly prepare ourselves for every question? The answer is you cant, however there are many common interview questions that are more than likely going to be asked in an interview.

In good news, you can easily prepare yourself to answer any type of job interview question. Preparation and practice are the keys to interviewing and the more prepared you are, the greater your chances of getting the job. In preparing for the job interview, write a list of as many achievements, stories and examples (work-related) that you can incorporate into your interview to demonstrate your personal qualities,business successesand achievements. By doing so, you will already have your mental list of answers ready to go rather than trying to make up answers on the spot.However, one thing to remember is that your mental list is just a guide to help you answer the questions. Try not to memorize exact answersword for wordas it will sound scripted and rehearsed. Be ready to adapt or change your answers throughout the interview.

Here are some of the most common job interview questions.

Tell me about yourself.

This is normally one of the first, if not the very first, questions an interviewer will ask you. More likely than not, the interviewer has had a chance to review your resume and application form, so try toavoid giving information already indicated in it; however, you may want to highlight certain points you feel are applicable to the position youre applying for, and then elaborate.

What made you decide to apply for this position/company?

This question can be tricky, and should teach you to listen carefully to the question being asked. Your interviewer wants to determine the reason/s you want the job in order todetermine whether you are the right person for it. Being capable ofdoing the job and wanting it are different things, and these factors can affect your performance and how long you will stay in the company.The best way to answer this question is toexpress how your relevant competencies and interests meet to make you ideal and motivated for the position.

What are your career plans?

Giving the interviewer an idea of your goals will tell them more about youif you are dedicated to the career you are setting yourself up for and the potential for career growth, whether upward or laterally. Also, in being clear about what you expect to achieve, the interviewer may better determine if the company will be able to satisfy your professional needs, therefore leading to a better assessment of whether you will fit the position you are applying for on a more subjective level.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

You should be more specific about your strengths and weaknesses. Values are relative, therefore tricky. You can be patient. You can also give brief examples to be better understood. Weaknessesare skills or values you feel can be a liability and need to improve on. Since these may seem like points against you,turn the negative into a positive.Give weaknesses that, when looking on the bright side, can also be strength, and highlight that fact. You can also give a weakness that youve created alternative solutions to or are currently working to correct.

What is your expected salary?

Be realistic.If youre applying for an entry level position, dont assume youll receive a salary significantly over minimum wage. If youre really unsure, consider how much you need, because at the very least, you should be able to afford to support yourself with any job. Although you may not want to name your price, an interviewer may ask for it point blank. In this case, you should give your higher salary expectation (as long as this is not unreasonably higha distinction you may need some trial and error to make) but add that this is negotiable.

If you have work experience, in most cases, its fairly reasonable to expect a salary no lower than your lastindeed, you should start out by asking for more, especially because youll be leaving your present job for the one youre applying for (and you may not be able to return if things don't go well). You want to make the move worth your while.

What are your reasons for leaving your previous employment?

Be truthfulto an extent. Lets face it, nothing is perfect. There will always be gripes or issues about previous companies, bosses, co-workers, team members, and most everyone you will encounter. While these complaints may strongly factor into your job hunt, they will most probably not be the only reasons. Also, you may be tempted to use these complaints and negative incidents as examples for situational questions, but resist the urge and take a more objective approach. The interviewer may be assessing how you are able to deal with other people or may be thinking of how you would represent the company if you are hired.

Focus on your positive reasons for leaving and downplay the negative ones: for instance, instead of saying the pay was terrible and you were being overworked in your previous company, say that you felt ready to take on greater challenges and grow professionally.

What motivates you?

The question ofmotivationis one of the easier questions the interviewer asks to get a better idea of your values and personality and therefore assess whether these coincide with the company culture and nature of the position youre applying for. Be honest, but make sure that this is relevant to the job and company you're interviewing for. A safe response is to say that you're spurred on by challenges to learn and continuously improve yourself.

What do you look for in an employer?

This is another rather easy question thatmeasures suitability; however, in this case, itassesses your compatibility to the environment. In the same way, you are being assessed on whether you meet the companys needs and expectations; it will also be determined whether the company meets yours. This is important because it would be a waste of your time and the companys time to continue with the process if eventually you realize you will not be able to get what you need from them.Be clear but realisticabout your expectations.

Constructing a Good Resume

The most commonly used paper size isshort bond paper, which is 8.5 inches by 11 inches, and this is the most advisable to use since it is easier for recruiters to file these documents if the standard size is followed. Keep to the conservative and standard white bond or typewriting paper, especially if you are applying for a position in a corporation.

If you are applying for a more creative position or industry, include aportfolioof your work on CD or indicate a link to your online portfolio on your resume. You may also get a little creative when laying out your resume, but avoid making this too flashy. Remember that it is more important for the recruiter to notice your credentials and capabilities and rather than your flashy graphicsreserve that for your portfolio.

You shouldtailor your resumeto the position youre applying for. It would be a waste of time and paper to include experiences that are irrelevant to the position or industry you are applying for. You have just a few minutes to catch the recruiters interest during the paper screening stage, and as much as possible, you should try to do this at page one. While first impressions may not last, it will entice people to take a closer look, giving you a shot at the more stressful job interview.

While it is easier said than done, the best way to handle a job interview is to be as relaxed as you can manage. Make sure you understand the questions clearly before answering, since it is better to give a well thought out answer rather than a quick and messy monologue. Dont panic if the interviewers look bored or even yawn, especially if this is your first or preliminary interview; remember that youre probably one in a long line of people theyre interviewing that day. A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention. And if things dont turn out well, its no big deal; there will be other opportunities.

Sources:https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/getajob/interviews/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.bookrags.com/articles/47.htmlhttp://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest.htm