Most people get a little nervous when they think about interviewing. When it actually comes time to go to one, sometimes the anxiousness can be overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you keep calm:
Smile. It can help relax you. If you smile at your interviewer and the people you meet while you’re at the company. One of those people might be part of the hiring decision and you’ve just made a good first impression.
Be friendly. And I mean to everyone. From the receptionist who greets you, to the HR personnel to the interviewer himself. Being nice to the people you meet with help calm you down.
Be early. That way you have time to prepare yourself before going in the building. If you’re rushed or late, then you’re anxiousness will increase tenfold.
Be prepared. Know who you’re meeting with and have your job search documents with you. That way, if someone needs a copy of your resume, you have it with you and you don’t have to worry about coming off as unprepared.
Also, do your research about the company and the position itself. You’ll know more of what you’re getting yourself into.
Dress accordingly. This is part of being prepared. Some companies can be very formal and others not so much so. You want to dress a step or two above the interviewer.
Take your time. If you’re asked a question that you have to think about, don’t rush the answer. Take time to formulate a clear answer that will impress the interviewer.
Have questions prepared. If you have questions written down so that when it comes to that part of the interview, you won’t have to worry that you’ll forget to ask something. And if you think of a question during the interview, jot it down so you can ask when the time is appropriate.
Just some tips before you walk into your next interview. Don’t you feel better already? 
Have you ever been in a situation where you say something to a friend, or even a complete stranger, and it comes out all wrong? The person ends up offended and you’re left trying to explain yourself. The same thing can happen in an interview.
You might be a person who jokes regularly or has an off-color sense of humor. That’s all fine and good but you need to keep it somewhat in check when you’re meeting with an employer about a job in their company. It is a serious interview and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you kid around too much, the employer might think you’re not taking it seriously enough.
You definitely need to let your personality shine through, but you need to realize that the person you’re speaking with doesn’t know you. Any joke that you make needs to be obvious and funny. If it’s borderline, don’t say it. You don’t know the interviewer either so you’re not sure what might be offensive to him.
All in all, be yourself. Just have an extra checkpoint at what comes out of your mouth.
Commutes are getting longer and longer, but how much do you really mind it? Is it changing how you live? Are you moving closer to work?
When the gasoline prices were so high a few months ago, long commutes really hurt a lot of people’s budgets. You could have easily spent a couple of hundred dollars more on gas alone each month.
Now that the gas prices have dropped, the talk about long commutes has kind of died down. But in some families, it’s just starting.
When you’re looking for a job, think about the commute. Is it a long distance but you won’t hit a lot of traffic? Is it a short distance but long time-wise? Map it out.
Consider the commute before accepting a job. Do test runs in rush hour to see if you could handle a daily drive like that.
Afterall, it’s all in a day’s work…
Have you ever wondered if you should take some classes or certifications to keep up to speed in the workplace? You’re not the only one. If you’re starting to think you’re falling behind in an area, then it’s time to look at furthering your education.
There’s a really cool site I discovered for online courses. It makes it very easy to learn about many subjects and areas. You should review their offerings to see if any interest you.
The good news is that many times companies will pay for your training. After all, they also benefit from you learning more and applying that knowledge to better the company. So be sure to find out your company’s policies on that.
When you do approach your employer, make sure you present it as a positive for both of you. Don’t just say how you want to do it for yourself, but instead how you want to do it so you are more proficient at your job. Also, you might be able to expand your job responsibilities into an area that you’re very excited about.
So check out these online courses 
to see what suits you and your situation best.
Companies use every medium possible to advertise their business. It seems that it wasn’t until recentlly that they are advertising job openings now too.
True, it usually isn’t the corporate jobs that you’ll hear about; most of the time it’s a retail position. But if you’re in that profession or need a part-time job, then keep your ears open while you’re in the car.
The same goes for television. Many times a company will tell you to go their website to learn more about employment opportunities. Be sure to have a pen and paper handy to jot down those websites.
When you’re searching for a job, you have to be ready at any time to stumble across an opportunity. Sometimes the best job comes when you least expect it.
You may have heard about Beyond.com. They’ve actually become quite large and popular among job seekers and career professionals. So what is so different about them versus every other job search portal out there?
There are quite a few job sites out there that allow you to search for jobs and post your resume. That’s pretty much a given. But Beyond.com has a couple of really nice features that not all job boards have.
They allow access to career videos of many different fields and professions. They also have a blog where chosen career professionals post articles regularly and allow readers to provide feedback or ask questions. In fact, you can find many articles of my own there.
They try to be all encompassing to job seekers and they come pretty close. It’s definitely worth a look around if you’re serious about getting a job. See what jobs they have listed and/or post your resume so employers can find you. It’s not that difficult to do and you might find Beyond.com is just the site you were looking for.
I have created a new f r e e cover letter ecourse that is sure to help you with you with your job search success. For those of you who signed up for my previous cover letter report, this is completely different…and MUCH better.
If you’re still struggling with your cover letter or you’re not getting any interviews with the ones you are sending out, this ecourse is for you.
Go to: Cover Letters Made Easy to learn more and sign up for your free ecourse.
Can you believe it’s that time of year already? It’s the Holiday Season and stores and shipping companies are gearing up to handle the increase of customers.
Do you need some extra money to buy all those gifts? Or maybe you’re trying to payoff some bills before the first of the year. Whatever the case may be, it might be a good idea to look into some part-time work now.
Look around where you live and see what interests you. What kind of store do you want to work in? A small local one or a big department or discount store? You can pretty much take your pick this time of year. That’s why it’s good to start applying now before it gets too late.
About.com has a list of stores that allows you can apply for positions online. Now is the time to do it. Then you’ll get your pick of jobs that you want.
Are you tired of rejection? Unfortunately, when you’re job searching, there’s a chance that you’re going to be subjected to your share of it.
So, how do you keep your confidence up when others may be shooting you down? Remember that this is a job search. An employer (usually) isn’t out to intentionally hurt anyone. They are merely looking for the best person to fill an open position.
In a previous post, I wrote about making the most of constructive criticism. Well, how do you deal with pure negativity? What if the interviewer is, for lack of a better word, mean? You may have been in a situation before where there is nothing positive that comes out of their mouth. Everything is a derogatory remark towards you.
I like to remind job seekers of this: you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Don’t forget that. Would you really want to work with someone so negative anyway? Probably not. If the interview itself gets you down, just think what working with them every day would be like!
Yes, sometimes you might catch the interviewer on a bad day. But many times you can get a good feeling for how that person really is. Sometimes that first impression is wrong; sometimes it’s right. Before making a snap judgment, go on a second interview, if asked. You might get a completely different picture.
Have you been out of work? Yes, you may have some obstacles to face but it can be done. You need to really prepare yourself to get back out there and stand out from the competition. The competition, I might add, that has a stellar work history.
Moms have a tough time with this especially. So, I created a new site, Moms Back to Work, which helps moms overcome the challenges they face when returning to the workforce after staying home with their children.
So, Moms, if you’re thinking about going back to work, check out Moms Back to Work and get your career back on track. Don’t waste another minute.
I'm Heather Eagar, a former professional resume writer who is now dedicated to providing you with resources and products that will help you with your job search from beginning to end.
