Interview tips Our advice to help you ace the interview

Interview tips Our advice to help you ace the interview by Michael Cheary Pre-interview nerves beginning to get the better of you? You’re not alone…In fact, over 60% of candidates we asked in a recent survey admitted to feeling the pressure before the big day. It’s understandable, particularly when interviewing for a job that you really feel will better your career and/or lifestyle. But what if we told you it didn’t have to be that way?To help you get over the awkwardness, here are six interview tips to help you nail it:  1. How to prepare for an interviewNever underestimate the importance of preparation.Not only is it one of the easiest ways to master the interview process, it’s also one that is often overlooked by applicants. It can be as simple as researching the company and finding out more about the marketplace, but that alone can be the difference between success and failure.Still struggling? Read our guide on how to prepare for an interview.2. What to wear to an interviewOk, so they said sophisticated smart-casual on the job description. Which is great. But aside from knowing what that means, you also don’t know if you own anything which even remotely does the job.Getting your outfit right is a potential minefield. Get it right, and you’ve instantly shown you can fit in with the team. But get it wrong, and you might have just blown your chances quicker than you can say ‘socks and sandal combo’.To help you decide on your #OOTD, we’ve spoken to some of the UK’s best fashion bloggers’ to get their advice on what to wear to an interview â€" and just as importantly, what not to.3. How to answer common interview questionsOnce you’ve done your research and decided on an outfit, it’s time to get to the good stuff.There are literally hundreds different questions that could come up during your interview, and answering them in the right way is a key part of increasing your chances of success.And although you can’t always prepare for every eventuality, you can prep yourself for some of the more common questions that could come up.So, for advice on how to answer everything from ‘what are your weaknesses’ and ‘where do you see yourself in five years’ time’, through to ‘what motivates you’ and ‘what are your hobbies and interests, read our guides to answering common interview questions and five interview questions you should stop being scared of.4. How to answer curveball questionsPreparing for common questions is one thing, but could you handle a curveball?A.K.A the-questions-deliberately-asked-to-trip-you-up, curveball questions are a great way for employers to gauge character and see how you work under pressure. Unfortunately, it’s exactly these kinds of questions that prove the source of interview nightmares for candidates unless they know what’s coming.Potential questions vary depending on employer (and/or their general meanness), ranging from ‘If you were an animal, what would you be’ to ‘how many basketballs could you fit on a busâ €™.For more specific info on how to get over the curveball curse, read our guide on how to answer curveball questions and other difficult interview questions answered.5. How to handle different types of interviewNot all interviews will take the standard question-and-answer format.For certain industries, telephone or group interviews may also make up part of the process. Without the proper tailoring in your pre-interview preparations, you’ll run the risk of passing up a golden opportunity to shine.To avoid any embarrassing mumbling on your mobile or something which seems like a bad scene from The Apprentice, we’ve got all your telephone interview tips and group interview tips covered.6. How to follow-up on an interviewNow you’ve got all of your preparations out of the way, it’s time to think about the follow-up.Firstly, make sure that you know exactly what you should be asking at the end of the interview. Knowing how to answer questions is one thing, but it’s demonstrating that you have some excellent ones of your own that really starts to show your initiative and passion for the opportunity.And all the hard work doesn’t stop when the interview ends. Following up after the interview and asking an interviewer for feedback should be a key part of your jobseeking process. So instead of spending your time wondering ‘why haven’t they called’, get out there and do something about it.The worst thing you can do at an interview?  OK, so out of all the classic interview nightmares, which are the ones that really worry jobseekers the most?We spoke to a group of university students to find out and see if recruiters actually agree  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your perso nal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Interview Techniques Job interview tips

Benefits of E-Coaching - VocationVillage

Benefits of E-Coaching - VocationVillage Email-based career coaching (e-coaching) is ideal for some clients. Benefits include: A writing-based approach for clients who prefer writing to speaking A complete record of the conversations Spontaneity as there is no scheduling to consider Convenience as geographic location and time zone dont need to be accommodated Affordability Great fit for brainstorming career options, career decision-making, reviewing personal marketing materials, planning and implementing a career change or a job search, getting support through challenging or politically tricky work situations, and improving work/life satisfaction and integrationAs an example, I e-coached a client about her career decisions. We never met face-to-face or talked via telephone. After some e-coaching, she happily accepted a new job, and she expressed enthusiasm for e-coaching. I, too, thought it was an excellent way to work for me and for this particular client, so I asked her to summarize why she chose e-coaching and what she l iked about it.Here is her reply, published with her permission:I love e-coaching for two big reasons. One is that I can go back through our email string and reread what weve discussed. Because of that I can remember what we talked about and also go back and see how I characterized certain things at those times. It can be really helpful to go back and reread not only what you wrote, but also what I wrote. The second is that I can do it on my own time. I can write when the mood strikes, or when Im having a crisis, and get it all down on paper. You always let me know when youll respond and you respond when you say you will so I know what to expect from our exchanges. Also, it feels like I get a lot from the time allotted. An hour seems to provide for a lot of give and take and plenty of feedback to reflect upon. I can see that it might not be for everyone, but I write a lot in my work, and so am good at getting thoughts onto paper. I think that helps make this a good approach for my s tyle. And I might add one more thingI tend to be a bit of a people-pleaser. In person I find sometimes I end up responding to cues I think Im getting from others. By email I suspect its easier for me to speak my mind and really know its coming from me. Julie McNalleyAnother client has confidentially retained my e-coaching services for over a year to build her business and navigate complex interpersonal situations with her corporate clients. She says,E-coaching is so convenient. I get immediate feedback while in the moment of completing the business task or communication. The comments are timely and always right on the mark!Want to explore if e-coaching is right for you? Please contact me.

FlexJobs Warns of Work at Home Scams

FlexJobs Warns of Work at Home Scams Embed from Getty Images National Consumer Protection Week   was March 6-12,  and FlexJobs has detailed three new online scams that specifically target job seekers interested in work-from-home jobs.  These job scams include the reshipping scam, the Post Office scam, and the online interview scam.  According to a FlexJobs survey with over 2,600 respondents, 17 percent of job seekers have reported being a victim of a job scam at least once, if not multiple times. 81 percent of respondents indicating they were either “very concerned” (33 percent) or “on guard” (48 percent) during their job search.  Only 5 percent of respondents said they have never seen a scam to their knowledge. “The best protection against job scams is to equip job seekers with information about the latest techniques scammers are using to trap their victims.  Many people believe that job scams are always very obvious and easy to avoid, but unfortunately there are an increasing number of sophisticated job scams,” said Sara Sutton Fell, founder and CEO of FlexJobs.  â€Since there are an estimated 60 to 70 scams for every one legitimate work-from-home job position, job seekers looking for telecommuting roles have to be vigilant in guarding against fraudulent opportunities.” Here are three new job scams, with  advice  on howto avoid them. Reshipping Job Scam: Job seekers receive packages usually containing devices such as laptops or iPhones at their home. They test the products, then ship them to an overseas location. The items, however, have been purchased with stolen credit cardsscammers use the job seeker to smuggle the goods out of the country. Victims can be sued for robbery or even mail fraud, since the postage labels for reshipping can also be fraudulent. Know the job titles scammers will use to advertise for the position. Reshipper has now become synonymous with job scams, so the listing could become “merchandising manager” or “package processing assistant.” Familiarize yourself with the duties of this scam. They might include receiving, processing, and mailing packages to a foreign address using pre-paid postage mailing labels that are provided by email. Post Office Job Scam: Scam artists are now targeting people looking for federal or post office jobs as their next victims. The scammers advertise in classified sections of local newspapers, or on sites like Craigslist, and offer, for a fee, to help job seekers find and apply for federal or post office jobs. They might even urge job seekers to buy study materials for the postal exams. They even offer a money back guarantee should the job seeker fail to pass the exam. Know where to apply. Scam artists would like you to believe that there are “hidden” postal and federal jobs that only they have access to, but all openings with the U.S. Postal Service can be found by visiting usps.com/careers or by clicking the careers link at the bottom of the usps.com home page. Apply via the USPS website, not via a third party. Don’t be fooled by an official-sounding name or title. The FTC reports some scammers using names like the “U.S. Agency for Career Advancement” or the “Postal Employment Service,” neither of which exist. Online Interview with a “Real” Company Job Scam: Scammers use the names of real companies to capitalize on the good company’s name and lure unsuspecting job seekers into their scam. Once they’re “hired,” they are either scammed by providing their private information (such as a Social Security number, bank account info, or both) or they unwittingly become part of a crime by transferring stolen money or goods into or out of the country or across state lines. The job seeker could then even be charged with a federal crime. Contact the company. Contact the company to ensure that the job is legitimate, but don’t use the number the recruiter provides. Do a fresh Google search to find the company’s website, and then verify that the company actually has a job opening for the position you’re applying for. Search for the job online. If the result comes up in other cities with the exact same job post, it is likely a scam. Other tips to avoid job scams and red flags to consider during the work-from-home job search process include: Interviewing via instant message: Recruitment through text message or instant message is not a common practice. Most hiring managers will reach out via email or phone, and follow up with either an in-person or phone interview. An IM interview is mostly a scam if it’s very short and the job seeker is offered the job before they’re asked any real questions. Also, scammers will press people to accept the job right away, without giving them a chance to think it through properly. Watching where your resume is posted online: If a resume is posted online, scammers can often determine not only that the person is job hunting, but also find personal contact information. If you’re going to post your resume online, only include an email address. Providing any payment to the company: There are no legitimate jobs that require job seekers to receive money, keep a portion, and forward the rest. Training, computer equipment, or programs necessary for the job should be detailed up front, so that job seekers are aware of any investments they need to make. Some scammers sell “work-from-home kits” that promise to teach people how to make money from home. Giving out personal banking info: If a job requires clicking a specific link or asks for detailed personal and financial information, it’s very likely they are trying to collect sensitive information for malicious use. There is never a good reason why a potential employer would need access to a candidate’s bank account. About FlexJobs FlexJobs is the leading online service for professionals seeking telecommuting, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs. With flexible job listings in over 50 career categories, and opportunities ranging from entry-level to executive and freelance to full-time, FlexJobs offers job seekers a safe, easy, and efficient way to find professional and legitimate flexible job listings. Having helped over one million people in their job searches, FlexJobs has appeared on CNN and Marketplace Money and in TIME, Forbes, Fortune, and hundreds of other trusted media outlets. FlexJobs Founder CEO Sara Sutton Fell has also launched two additional partner sites, Remote.co and 1 Million for Work Flexibility, to help provide education and awareness about the viability and benefits of remote working and work flexibility.

Six Alternative Careers For Teachers

Six Alternative Careers For Teachers When you graduated from university with that prestigious honours degree in Primary Education, all bright eyed and bushy tailed you felt incredibly excited and optimistic about your future career as a Teacher. You set out to inspire and to change lives and your mind was filled with ideas as to how to make your lessons so enjoyable and fun that your students loved learning. Flash forward three or four years down the line and perhaps you are feeling completely burnt out from your career as a Teacher. The cute little angels that you had always envisaged teaching are not angels at all, but stapler throwing, crayon stealing, hair pulling demons. Okay maybe thats a slight exaggeration but for whatever reason, the experience is not entirely as you expected and you are looking for a change. Here are some alternative careers for teachers to consider: Teach English Online Okay we know what youre thinking. I want a break from teaching but youre suggesting switching teaching with Teaching? Okay we totally get it but hear us out Teaching online from home can be a completely different ballgame to teaching English in a classroom environment. For starters you are teaching from the comfort of your own home and typically, your classes will just be conducted on a one-to-one basis. Imagine how delightful that could be! Instead of teaching fractions to a classroom filled with 30 hyperactive children, you can just practice spoken English with one quiet and studious individual.   It sounds too   good to be true, right? Teaching English online generally entails practicing spoken English with adults and children based in foreign countries (often the Far East) who want to improve their English abilities. Since many people in foreign countries want to improve their English in order to improve their career prospects amid a global economy there is plenty of demand for English Teachers. The pay is good and you can manage your own schedule meaning as many or as few classes as you like. Whats more is that all of this is done from your home so you dont have a long and arduous commute to work to contend with every day. Become a Corporate Trainer So you woke up one morning and decided that you would like to make a change from your career teaching children. Thats understandable and a degree in teaching opens the door to plenty of similar opportunities. Perhaps there are aspects of teaching that you thoroughly enjoyed, however you have had enough with the additional complications of dealing with children (controlling their behaviors, etc). Many people consider teaching adults as a whole different, more relaxed ballgame and becoming a corporate trainer is a great opportunity to enjoy this. Working as a corporate trainer may entail teaching specific courses related to a particular job, or it may simply be informing new employees at an organization about the companys processes and protocols. Become a Tutor Have you ever noticed how children act completely differently in different environments? When you have thirty children together all crammed into one room, things can be chaotic, however in a one-to-one situation, that usually loud and brash child can become quite polite and demonstrate a fascination with history. Tutoring could be a good alternative if you are stressed out from conventional teaching. You will really be able to see the progress in childrens work and their behavior will be much better in a quieter atmosphere. Create Informative Courses Creating courses about skills that you possess are a great way to make a passive income (aka income that can be earned while you are asleep). Websites such as Udemy feature courses that people can purchase in order to build on and improve on particular skills. For example, courses may cover how to build a successful blog, how to make money from cryptocurrency or in your case, practical teaching advice for new teachers. You could create courses on behavior management, lesson planning, and any number of different teaching topics. Create one or two courses to test the waters and if you start enjoying sales and success, you can add more courses to your repertoire. You only have to sell a small handful in order to make a profit, but there are many people who make a full time living from passive income in this manner. Consider Producing Teaching Materials or Writing Publishers of teaching textbooks and other resources and materials used in the classroom environment often prefer to hire people who have first hand teaching experience. If you taught English, then they gives you even more of a distinct advantage and you could find work in writing material for textbooks or scripts for examinations. You dont have to restrict your new potential writing career to academic writing   or academic paper writing services however: chances are, as a Teacher you have an incredibly good grasp of how written English should be, and how to create content that is engaging and sparks the readers imagination. Whether you are interested in writing childrens books or diversifying into a completely unrelated area, more than likely you already have the know-how. Museum or Tourism Work As a Teacher, you will have developed several transferable skills that will make you perfect for a museum environment, or even work in the tourism industry as a guide. For starters, you are accustomed to standing up in front of a group of people every day and delivering informative information in an interesting manner and at least when you are conducting a tour of a museum with a group of adults, rather than reading to a group of children, you will not be dealing with tantrums, fights, and pens being launched across the room at frequent intervals (we hope). Alternative Careers For Teachers Can Be Just As Rewarding Even if you are just looking for a shift from teaching on a temporary basis, it can be nice to experiment with something new so that you can go back to your career later feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. If youre looking for some alternative options to teaching in a classroom environment these are some suggestions that will hopefully give you some inspiration.

Debuts 2017 in moments

Debuts 2017 in moments 2017 has been a year chock-full of moments. Queen Beyoncé gave birth to twins, Jeremy Corbyn did the unthinkable and a South London roadman named Big Shaq emerged from nowhere to dominate the charts. It truly has been a whirlwind, and Debuts 2017 was no different. As another huge recruitment season draws to a close, the time has come for a little bit of reflection on our progress. Looking back now, its amazing to see how far weve come. Weve helped hundred of students secure career opportunities, welcomed new faces and said goodbye to old friends, and built Debut into the fabulous careers resource it is now. There were plenty of pivotal moments that made this possible, here are just a few of our faves: January: We closed £1.7 million in seed funding Kicking off the year with a bang, we secured a massive £1.7 million in seed funding to help turn Debut into the swiss-army careers supertool we knew it could be. Thats a total of £2.2 million raised in total, for anyone keeping score at home. With the new investment, we changed offices, grew our team and brought a whole load of dreamy new features to life in the app. All in all, a great start to the year, but this would only be the beginning March: International Womens Day A post shared by Debut (@debutcareers) on Nov 15, 2017 at 7:02am PST In March we celebrated International Womens Day with a sequel to our awesome Women In Tech event in 2016. This time representatives from EY, Fujitsu, Capgemini. FDM and Cisco came by to share insights on being a woman in their respective industries. The result was a night that was both insightful and empowering, with many of our amazing female Debutants leaving enriched afterwards. April: We launched our new website and Charlie is featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 April marked the launch of our fancy new website, making it faster, stronger and sleeker than ever before. It was the culmination of several months worth of work, so understandably our hearts did a little back-flip when we saw the finished product. As well as telling you all the amazing features on the app, its also a fitting home for the Insight blog and our brand new Guides. Check out our round-up of Debuts killer content from 2017 here. Meanwhile, a huge personal achievement for our CEO Charlie Taylor also happened in April, when he was recognised on Forbes prestigious 30 Under 30 list for technology. Only the minds behind the most cutting edge innovations made the list, and Charlie had some great company. Weve always thought Debut could change the world to see our CEO be recognised for his vision, alongside the hottest prospects in business, only confirmed that we are moving in the right direction. May: Breaking Barriers: Encouraging Diversity in Law In May, we had our first ever all-law careers event, specifically designed to encourage more BAME students to pursue and excel in this career path.  We were honoured to be joined by expert panellists Joseph Hutchinson and Faria Ali from Shearman and Sterling and Herbert Smith Freehills respectively. Together, they told our riveted audience why they should never accept a lack of diversity, the importance of self-care and how to stay focused in the face of adversity. September: Speed interviewing After a quiet summer vaycaying and getting ready for the brand new recruitment season, the madness started again in September with our bustling Speed Interviewing event. Madonna once talked about having four minutes to save the world our Debutants had just four minutes to impress an army of recruiters from  Vodafone, L’Oréal, O2, giffgaff, Siemens, Arcadia, Capgemini, Willis Towers Watson and Fidelity. Their reward was one-on-one time with nine of the best employers in the UK and a lucky 80 attendees were fast-tracked straight into the application process. October: Debut turns two A post shared by Debut (@debutcareers) on Oct 31, 2017 at 10:35am PDT In October, Debut had its second birthday, and we celebrated in grand fashion. It was another time be reflective and grateful for our journey to this point and we spoke to Charlie and our COO Michele to get a true scope of how far weve come. We also crunched some numbers and came up with a few interesting stats on Debuts two years of existence. Then we cut some cake and popped some bubbly, but yeah theres no article about that part. November: The Future Is Female, The Apprentice winner Tim Campbell comes to DebutLive  The Fight For Feedback goes to Westminster We closed out the year strong with a whole host of big moments happening just as recruitment season hotted up. At the start of the month, we got the good news that our white paper on the Fight For Feedback campaign was officially in the hands of Damian Hinds, the Secretary of State for Employment. Now, we eagerly await what the Department of Work and Pensions has to say about our advice to make feedback after a face-to-face interview mandatory for all employers. Then we had a another huge boon for the campaign as Tim Campbell, the winner of the first series of The Apprentice, made a star-studded appearance on DebutLive. Lord Sugars former mentee has made quite the name for himself in business since appearing on the show, and he had plenty of constructive things to say about interview feedback. Its an honour to have him support our Fight for Feedback movement! Finally, we rounded up 2017 in grand fashion by hosting our third women-only careers event. Debut Presents: The Future Is Female was attended by EY, BT and Shell as well as the best and brightest female Debutants around. It was a great evening of brave questions and passionate insights, which summed up our 2017 perfectly. 2017 has been a mad year all over, but Debuts 2017 was one especially wild ride. Defined by sweeping change and growth, its been a roller-coaster with plenty of highs and lows. But here we are at the end of it all, better and stronger, and it wouldnt be possible without our Debutants to inspire us to keep pushing the envelope. Thank you all for an amazing year, and lets hope 2018 brings you the graduate career youve been waiting for. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Top 5 tips to beat the post-vacation blues at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Top 5 tips to beat the post-vacation blues at work - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Aaaahhh Summer vacation. Depending on your fancy its time to lie on the beach with a good book, wear out your shoe soles exploring a strange city or scream your head off skydiving or in some other adrenaline-driven pursuit. But invariably the vacation ends and you go back to work, and that transition can be a little rough. Do you know that feeling? You come back to work happy and full of energy ? but by the end of the first work day, youre already feeling tired an unhappy. Its almost like you didnt have a vacation at all. So here are a five tips to help you stay happy when you get back to work. 1: While youre away, get away Dont take the company mobile and laptop on vacation. Dont check your voice mail and email. The point of a vacation is to get away and go to a different mental space, and if youre preoccupied with work, chances are youll both enjoy your vacation less and get less relaxation out of it. 2: Let yourself get behind When you get back from your vacation, you will invariably have fallen behind and have a lot of work to catch up on. There will be a ton of voice mails, emails and tasks that need your attention. THATS FINE!!! Its unavoidable and its not your fault. Look at it this way: If you can leave the company for two weeks and theres no work waiting for you, youre not really needed there. So dont expect to have a clear desk on your first day back ? allow yourself to be behind and to catch up steadily. 3: Start with some easy tasks When you get back to work, dont immediately throw yourself at the toughest, hairiest most complicated tasks you have. Ease into work by doing something easy and simple ? something you know you can do. Once youre back in full swing you can go at the tough tasks. 4: Dont overwork to catch up It can be really tempting to work long hours to catch up after your vacation. DONT!!! Work regular hours and stick to point 2 above. 5: Ask for help if you need it If you find it difficult to catch up, dont be afraid to ask your co-workers or manager for help. Its important for you to be aware of any outstanding tasks that may have become critically late in your absence, and if you could use some help ? its your responsibility to ask for it! It also greatly increases the chance that you will actually get help. If you use these tips, you may find that your vacations feel more like vacations and that you can be even happier at work. But on a fundamental level, there is something wrong with the idea that work drains you of energy and weekends and vacations recharge you. I know that this is how most people feel but thats not how it should be. If work typically drains you of energy if every week ends up draining you of life so you barely make it to Friday afternoon where you can finally relax then somethings wrong. Dont accept that state of affairs just because everyone else does. When youre happy at work, work can actually be a regenerative activity that leaves you with more energy so you leave the workplace with a spring in your step most days! And THAT is the ultimate way to beat the post-vacation blues: Have a job you actually like! Your take Do you ever get the post-vacation blues? What do you do to beatem? Have you also noticed that vacations these days seem to be more tiring than work (as this article says)? Related posts Find your quitting point How to find a job youll love Never stay in a bad job. Fix it or leave. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Todays Top 10 Worst Jobs

Todays Top 10 Worst Jobs 0 Flares 0 Flares In the summer of 2008 I had a dream that I was a Lumberjack with incredible super human powers.  This is very true, and I promise Im going somewhere with this.  At that time I was working with the Customer Support group at Primavera on the recruiting and hiring efforts for a large number of support representatives, so the very next day after the dream I made sure to tell some of my friends in that department.  Before I knew it, my nickname was Lumberjack.  Last night I was doing some research on Careercast, and they have completely ruined my dream.  The Jobs Rated section of Careercast has ranked the Top 10 Worst Jobs you can get today and Lumberjack is #1 on that list.  Bullocks.  There goes my fun dream of spending my day up in a tree, chopping down branches, and wearing flannel. One thing that all of these jobs have in common is that they are all outdoor jobs.  Maybe the complaining cube monkeys of the world need to take a step back and be thankful for your lovely work environment, air condition, and hopefully safe work conditions.  So, if you are debating a change in career, here is a list of 10 jobs you maybe want to steer clear from: Lumberjack And heres a video showing why its number 1. Dairy Farmer Taxi Driver Hockey player Patrick Kane hates cabbies Sailor Emergency Medical Technician Roofer Sad story Garbage Collector Welder Ouch Roustabout Ironworker There are a number of factors that go into the ranking.  Those factors include: Work Environment Physical Demands Stress Income Hours Per Week Check out the full article, and click on a job to see where it ranks in each category!