home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- If asked to describe your strenght, it's a good practice to use words like
- "Assertive" or "Ambitious".
-
- ^WRONG: The interviewer judges which adjectives are positive or negative. It's^
- ^up to the job hunter to choose words that are not threatening to the ^
- ^interviewer. For example, if an employer things he can't satisfy an ^
- ^applicant's ambition, the applicant may not receive an offer.^
- !
- If the interviewer asks you "Tell me about your spouse," the best answer is
- to tell the interviewer politely that the question is illegal.
-
- ^WRONG: Doing this could irritate the interviewer, create a negative^
- ^impression and violate the strategy of the interview which is to get the ^
- ^offer.^
- !
- A company may fire any employee that lied on anything on the employment
- application form.
-
- `CORRECT: If an employee signs and dates the application form.`
- !
- Looking for a job usually requires around 25 hours a week.
-
- ^WRONG: Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself. If you are employed^
- ^40 hours a week,you'll have to conduct your job search during part of the 128^
- ^hours remaining. How much of that time you use it up to you.^
- !
- It's better to look for another job while you are still employed.
-
- `CORRECT: It's always better to be employed than unemployed. However, such`
- `as restricting search to evenings and weekeds, ethical issues in interviewing`
- `and if your present employer resents it you might get fired.`
- !
- It's Illegal to ask an Applicant which branch of the military he/she served
- in.
-
- `CORRECT: Each applicant must be asked the same questions, and the employer`
- `must evaluate answers according to the uniform guidelines for employment`
- `procedures as outlined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.`
- !
- Employment Agencies can obtain for you a good job.
-
- ^WRONG: Only you can succeed in the interview and be offered the job. ^
- ^Employment Agencies, executive search firms or career counselors can't^
- ^take the interview for you.^
- !
- "Are you in Good Health" is an illegal question.
-
- ^WRONG: A potential employer has the right to know the general nature of^
- ^an applicants' health.^
- !
- It's a good idea to show up at an interview at least 30 minutes early.
-
- ^WRONG: Arriving a few minutes early is perfectly acceptable, but being^
- ^announced 30 minutes earlier than you're expected is a mistake.^
- !
- The first step in any job search is to develop an outstanding resume.
-
- ^WRONG: The first step in a search is to develop a strategy or an objective.^
- !
- The first place to contact for a job is the personnel department since it
- does most of the hiring and firing.
-
- ^WRONG: Most personnel departments don't have the authority to hire.^
- !
- Most job searchers get a job in a week or so. If it takes longer than a
- month then something is terribly wrong.
-
- ^WRONG: A thorough search of the job market and review of alternatives^
- ^requires much more time than a week or two. The average is 4-6 months.^
- !
- If there aren't many applicants for one position, the person with the best
- technical qualifications generally gets the job offer.
-
- ^WRONG: If there are a few people to choose from, technical qualifications^
- ^are just one factor among many. The interviewer usually selects the person^
- ^who he/she is most comfortable with.^
- !
- The length of any resume should be as long as needed.
-
- `CORRECT: How you use your resume and the significance of the data it`
- `contains is more important than how long it is; tho some experts assert`
- `a resume over 2 pages will get tossed.`
- !
- Since most employers are swamped with resumes, it makes good sense to be
- assertive and show up in person to request an interview rather then send a
- resume/letter.
-
- ^WRONG: Showing up at a company without an appointment may reflect poorly on^
- ^judgement rather than assertiveness.^
- !
- The easiest part of the job search process is the interview.
-
- `CORRECT: This is true if the applicant is properly prepared for the`
- `interview`
- !
- If the job hunter is attractive, it's a good idea to include a picture with
- the resume.
-
- ^WRONG: There is an unwritten rule that photographs should not accompany^
- ^resumes except for actors, actresses or models.^
- !
- Sending 100's of resumes to 100's of different company presidents is certain
- to generate at least 10 or more interviews.
-
- ^WRONG: A good rule of thumb is that generally no more than 1 - 3 interviews^
- ^are generated per 100 contacts. The response may exceed 50% but 96% of the^
- ^responses will be negative.^
- !
- "Overqualified" is a rejection code-word that really means "too old"
-
- ^WRONG: When an employer tells an applicant that he or she is overqualified,^
- ^the employer usually means it's easier to reject you now than you get bored ^
- ^and unproductive in the job and having to let you go later.^
- !
- Professional directories are excellent sources of information for every job
- hunter.
-
- `CORRECT: Professional directories contain information on products or`
- `services offered by various companies, volume of business and so on.`
- !
- Any fraternity or alumni list has value to the job hunter, providing the
- hunter has been out of school less than 4 years.
-
- ^WRONG: Fraternity brothers and sorority sisters can be helpful for ^
- ^networking purposes no matter how long you've been out of school or have^
- ^graduated.^
- !
- A supply of resumes, a contact list, a calendar and a job log are the
- briefcase contents every job seeker should have on every interview.
-
- `CORRECT: The contact list enable the job hunter to make additional`
- `appointments and use the time available between interviews to the best`
- `advantage. The calendar controls the time available. The job log is a `
- `journal of the entire job search.`
- !
- Obtaining a good score on a civil service test guarantees a job offer.
-
- ^WRONG: A good score is beneficial; but other things to be considered are: ^
- ^experience, education, citizenship, personality, job availability, ^
- ^competition, etc.^
- !
- What a person says in the interview determines whether or not they will get
- the job.
-
- ^WRONG: What is said in the interview is extremely important, but is not the^
- ^only determining factors. The applicant must also be able to do the job and^
- ^personality and experience also counts.^
- !
- If the interviewer asks you to "tell me about yourself" the interviewer
- really wants to know only about your personality.
-
- ^WRONG: The question can really mean: Why should I hire you? Why are you here?^
- ^What is your background and ability? Who are you? An opportunity to "sell"^
- ^yourself; why you stand out from the other applicants.^
- !
- Someone who loses a job or gets fired should take a few weeks off before
- starting a search in order to sort things out.
-
- ^WRONG: The best advice is to begin the search process immediately.^
- !
- Maintaining a positive outlook about job hunting has little value if the
- national unemployment rate exceeds 8% or the local rate exceeds 10%.
-
- ^WRONG: Without a positive outlook, the job hunter is dead in the water.^
- ^Enthusiasm, optimism and hope must be real to face the rejection that is part^
- ^of any job search.^
- !
- There is no such thing as a secure job.
-
- `CORRECT: Any company that you work for can go out of business or be bought by`
- `another company.`
- !
- Beards and long hair on men are still perceived negatively, even if the beard
- is handsomely trimmed.
-
- `CORRECT: Most of the business world considers beards and long hair a sign of`
- `rebellion. A good rule of thumb is conform to the norm in his/her field until`
- `after the job is won.`
- !
- Any time a job hunter answers an advertisement, a cover letter must accompany
- the resume.
-
- `CORRECT: A help wanted advertisement may receive hundreds of responses. The`
- `cover letter is an opportunity to supplement the resume as a sales tool. The`
- `absence of a cover letter reflects a lack of professionalism.`
- !
- In answering an ad, it's best not to include a salary requirement or present
- salary even if the ad requests salary data.
-
- ^WRONG: The reader of your resume and cover letter wants to know if your^
- ^salary requirement falls within the range of the position advertised. Almost^
- ^all positions have a salary minimum, midpoint and maximum range. Employers^
- ^prefer to hire new employees at or below the midpoint of the range.^
- !
- Most employers are willing to spend time with anyone interested in getting a
- job in their company.
-
- `CORRECT: But they don't want to spend their own time. Employers prefer to`
- `refer any inquiries to the personnel departments.`
- !
- Networking is the best technique for getting interviews.
-
- `CORRECT: Networking is the foremost method of generating interviews.`
- !
- Employers really don't have the time to verify previous employment or
- education and rarely do.
-
- ^WRONG: Many don't, but most have a very consistent policy of verifying^
- ^information on the application for employement form.^
- !
- It's important to include every job you ever held on your resume.
-
- ^WRONG: Part-time jobs, summer jobs or jobs that were short lived don't have^
- ^to be included on the resume unless it will enhance your chances of^
- ^getting an interview.^
- !
- When a company asks you to complete an employment application form, a in-
- depth resume will substitute.
-
- ^WRONG: Although it is tedious to complete an application form, refusal to do^
- ^so will probably eliminate you from consideration for the job.^
- !
- It is illegal for an employer to ask an applicant about marital status or
- religious background.
-
- ^WRONG: According to an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Manager, there^
- ^is no such thing as an "illegal" question. The issue is the purpose of asking^
- ^the question; ie: in an attempt to discriminate against an applicant.^
- !
- If a job hunter is divorced, an employer can ask who has custody of the
- children.
-
- ^WRONG: The question may not be asked during the employment interview, but^
- ^can be asked after employment if necessary for insurance purposes.^
- !
- "Have you ever been convicted of a crime" is illegal and can't be asked by a
- prospective employer.
-
- `CORRECT: The only time this question can be asked during and employment`
- `interview is when the company is doing certain government work that requires a`
- `security clearance.`
- !
- Networking means talking to important people who have jobs.
-
- ^WRONG: Networking means recruiting anyone to assist in a job search. The ^
- ^saying, "it isn't what you know but who you know that counts" is true.^
- !
- During an Interview, when the subject of salary comes up, the job seeker
- should automatically ask for a salary 15% higher then the present or last
- salary.
-
- ^WRONG: Most jobs have a salary range. Employers prefer to hire people at or^
- ^below the midpoint of the range in order to allow room for raises in the ^
- ^future and to protect the company's internal salary structure.^
- !
- If a job seeker talks about background, grade school and high school
- activities should never be mentioned.
-
- ^WRONG: Personal background should include a very brief review of where you ^
- ^grew up, your parent's occupation, something about your sisters and brothers^
- ^and where you went to primary and secondary school.^
- !
- 10 to 15 years after college, your grade point average is of no interest to
- the interviewer.
-
- `CORRECT: Someone interviewing an applicant who has been out of school for a`
- `long time is interested in knowing if you graduated, what school you attended`
- `and what your major was; but rarely cares about your grade point average.`
- !
- The decision to hire or not to hire is generally made in the first 5 minutes
- of the interview.
-
- ^WRONG: First impressions are important, but the decision to hire requires ^
- ^sufficient time to review technical ability, experience, personality and ^
- ^potential. People also rethink first impressions.^
- !
- Companies that run blind ads that don't reveal their identity do so because
- they don't want their employees to know they are advertising.
-
- ^WRONG: Companies run blind ads to avoid responding to a barrage of ^
- ^unsolicited phone calls and personal visits.^
- !
- Always list your salary on your resume.
-
- ^WRONG: Never put your salary on the resume. The place to state present ^
- ^salary or salary history is in the cover letter sent with the resume.^
- !
- Always list references on your resume.
-
- ^WRONG: Never list reference on the resume. References are and should remain^
- ^confidential.^
- !
- It's important to include your social security number on the resume to prove
- you've registered.
-
- ^WRONG: The only place you must have your social security number is on the ^
- ^job application form.^
- !
- Always include the wording, "In excellent health", in the personal section of
- your resume, no matter what your health condition is.
-
- ^WRONG: Leave the health statement off the resume completely. It is assumed ^
- ^by the reader of the resume that everyone is in excellent health until proven^
- ^otherwise.^
- !
- Hiring a professional writer to prepare a resume is the way to make the best
- impression.
-
- ^WRONG: Most employment managers, who review hundreds of resumes each week, ^
- ^can identify the formula resume instantly- and will usually reject it.^
- -
-
-