Whats the worst thing you can do at an interview

Whats the worst thing you can do at an interview by Michael Cheary We all make mistakes. Even at interviews. But before you start letting your nerves get the better of you, the good news is that most interview nightmares are easy to avoid. It all comes down to preparation â€" as well as knowing which things are likely to turn recruiters off.We’ve already covered some of the things you should never do, but we spoke to students to find out what they thought was the worst thing you can do at an interview:Don’t be late It sounds obvious â€" but you’d be surprised just how many interviewees don’t turn up on time.Lateness isn’t just rude, it also makes you look like you aren’t taking the opportunity seriously. After all, if you’re not professional enough to arrive on time for an interview, how can an employer guarantee you’ll be any different if they actually decide to offer you the position?And with 40% of recruiters calling lateness the worst thing you can do at an interview, it only emphasises the need to get y our timing (and route) sorted before you set off.Also, maybe buy an alarm clock. That too.Do prepare 91% of recruiters we surveyed said candidates should prepare a list of questions before they come to an interview.And although being over prepared can be a concern for some, in reality it’s far better to have a few key notes written down than coming into the interview with nothing at all.The same applies when it comes to interview questions. Practicing a few answers beforehand will ensure you won’t be caught off-guard. Even if it’s just going through with them family and friends.At the very least, you’ll avoid awkward pauses when the ‘what type of animal would you be’ question comes up…Job interview questions for employersDon’t forget body language Finally, never underestimate the power of eye-contact.Aside from showing your enthusiasm and attention is fully on the conversation, you’ll also ensure that your interviewer knows you aren’t intimidated by the situation .Other body language points to consider include handshake (think firm and friendly, rather than dead fish) and smiling. And yes, it actually helps.Potential body language fails to avoid at interviews include fidgeting, slouching and chewing gum.Also, they don’t like it when you cry.Body language: dos and don’tsIf you need more interview advice, try reading our pre-interview checklist and tips on preparing for interviews. Ready to love Mondays?  View all of our current vacancies now.Find 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 personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Job interview tips Preparing for an interview

Opposites Attract and Provide Valuable Insight for New Ideas - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Opposites Attract and Provide Valuable Insight for New Ideas - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career A very good business practice is to ask opinions of those who tend to think quite differently. This is particularly so for when a new idea comes to life but you want to make sure there aren’t any gaps in the plan. Opposing Opinions For example, those who are creative versus those more technical in nature or studious, will ask questions that may have never occurred to you. By incorporating their thought as it complements yours, you will appeal to a larger audience and increase sales potential. Look Up to Become an Equal Two other variations of learning from those who think differently from you are to also be taken under serious consideration. The first is to welcome opportunities inviting you to work with those who have a much higher experience level. While it may be scary at first, you will ease into the position if you allow yourself to do so. You would not be invited to join in if the other people didn’t see something special in you, too. The other variation is to invite people with seemingly more experience than you to connect on the social sites. It’s surprising how many will oblige. An added benefit is being seen in their networks. Earn the competitive advantage by seeking out opportunities above your current capability. Your Story Think back to the times you been asked into a meeting only to wonder, “Why would they ask me?” Something was seen in your capabilities to fill in the empty gaps.  Create a list of these types of requests: Did you say “no” or “yes”? What was the outcome? Will your initial reaction to similar requests change in the future? Omit Regret The worst scenario is that of looking back only to recognize a HUGE opportunity was missed. Facing regret is more difficult on a person than stepping up to do a job with only mediocre results. Even if the result proves  disastrous, you at least know you tried. The not trying is the worst scenario of all. As these situations arise, give yourself a pep talk that you can do it. Dig in to learn all you may. This is the surest way to advance your business and career. Scary opportunities are our gifts in disguise. They will enable you to build a strong personal brand. Sales Tips If the offer scares you, say “Yes” to learn more. Should the offer be above your head, it may be well worthwhile to get coaching on the side. Discuss the pros and cons of joining forces with trusted colleagues. Do research to familiarize yourself with the basic information. As research is conducted, read up on varying viewpoints. In  the next meeting share what you have found and ask for opinions. Many times there are no right or wrong answers, just varying perspectives Every six months try something entirely new and seemingly above your area of expertise. Each time you undertake a scary project, review how far you have come. Recognizing the strides you made, celebrate and consider what you might conquer next. These guidelines will lead you to the Smooth Sale!

Heres Why You Should Consider a Digital Career

Heres Why You Should Consider a Digital Career Have you been thinking about pursuing a different career? Perhaps you feel that you have gone as far as you can in regards to your current job title. Whether stemming from personal dissatisfaction or the desire to make more money, there are a host of opportunities at your disposal if you can appreciate some of the latest trends. The digital age has ushered in numerous unique options and it is therefore completely logical that budding freelancers have finally decided to take the leap into the virtual community. What are some of the benefits associated with a digital career?   What are a handful of most popular job opportunities? All About Personal Freedom Were are all aware that the nine-to-five grind can dramatically curtail our enjoyment of life. Enduring endless hours of traffic, dealing with domineering superiors and working endless hours only to break even at the end of the month are indeed frustrating situations to endure. The good news is that such scenarios are no longer your only options. Digital careers promise an amazing sense of freedom and flexibility that would not otherwise be possible. You can often dictate your own working hours. You are likewise able to pursue your interests from home as opposed to travelling to and from the office on a daily basis. Most roles require a relatively small financial commitment and it is now possible to establish a fully functional website within a matter of hours. These are some of the many reasons why stay-at-home mothers and parents in general are keen to take full advantage of such promising digital opportunities. Of course, we also need to take in a slight dose of reality. Starting a business from scratch can be a daunting task. A good deal of discipline will be required and it may be difficult to maintain your motivation at times. This is why only a select few will ever be able to enjoy financial freedom. Interesting Career Possibilities Now that we have taken an objective look at the world of digital employment, what are some of the most popular job titles currently on the market? According to recent studies, these positions have taken the lead: Website designer Data analyst Social media influencer Online marketing specialist Game developer However, do not be discouraged if you lack the technical knowledge required to pursue the options mentioned above. It is always possible to start a retail-based website and to market specific products or services to the end user. There are even many individuals who obtain a substantial amount of income as part-time bloggers. If you are considering a digital career, it is important to weigh all of your options in advance before taking the leap. Think about how many hours you are willing to devote to the project on a daily basis, what types of talents you bring to the table and above all, your long-term goals. The digital sky is the limit.

5 Ways to Advertise Your Business Online in 2018 - Classy Career Girl

5 Ways to Advertise Your Business Online in 2018 For someone new to the whole world of online marketing, it may seem like a vast and complex world to navigate and make sense of. I have had conversations with several owners of business varying in scale and most would rather have someone manage the whole process since the jargon being thrown around makes online advertising too technical. However, there are numerous benefits advertising online offers your business, that even with a budget for hiring an expert, at least you should understand the basics. In this post, I will outline the five areas that form the basis of online marketing which you should first work on before getting to use paid advertising. I have found these to be more effective with better returns on investment compared to the obvious options like using AdWords, pop-ups and auto videos. To give you a clear picture of the online advertising world, here are some statistics to bear in mind: In 2015, Adblocking saw publishers lose about $22 billion. 91% of people find advertisements nowadays to be more intrusive than 2 years ago. 81% of visitors have closed a browser or left a web-page due to a pop-up ad while 82% have done the same because of an auto-playing video ad. 70% of consumers don’t like mobile ads. Across all industries, average AdWords click-through rate for search is 1.91% and for display 0.35% The challenge is putting your products out there without putting off potential customers. Here are five ways to do that in a sustainable way. 5 Ways to Advertise Your Business Online in 2018 1. Search Engine Optimization This is the basis of most online advertising. You have to optimize all your digital platforms and adverts for higher ranking in the search engines which in turn result in more visibility, traffic, and conversions. Most people nowadays do an online research before making a purchase. As top marketers agree, improving your SEO is a top priority. 2. Great Content Great content online is the bread on which online advertising feeds on. It gives you the opportunity to not only gain greater visibility online but also to convert to those who visit your site. It has to be done on a regular basis and could take the form of blogs, podcasts or videos. Regular content creation leads to more traffic and better lead generation. [RELATED: 11 Content Marketing Secrets You Never Knew] 3. Social Media Nearly one-third of the world uses social media on a daily basis. This translates to a huge potential audience for your business promotion. The advantages social media offers are many, but the major ones are the huge visibility potential, the personalized communication, ability to filter the targeted demographics and the low budget needed. Tracking is key on social media to better understand the trends and returns of your efforts. As this data indicates, social media is the new frontier of online advertising. 4. Local Business Listings There are three major local listings with the three leading search engines. These are Google Places, Yahoo! Local and Bing. Other major local directories to sign up with include Facebook, TripAdvisor, Foursquare, Yelp etc. Aside from being inexpensive, listing in local directories offers you visibility to customers and potential partners, it also allows you to get a higher ranking by boosting your SEO. Customers are also able to offer reviews and the listings are also a great source for links among other benefits. 5. Email Marketing Email marketing has come a long way but still maintains its relevance when it comes to advertising your business online. I enjoy the flexibility email marketing offers compared to other platforms as far as content structure is concerned. The tricky part is knowing when you are spamming your clients or when you are truly reaching them. Once a month is a good point to start from. You have to personalize the email and make it rich in images, data, and information. The trick I have always found effective in email marketing is answering the client’s question ‘what’s in it for me?’ Advertising your business online does not have to be an expensive affair. Your main focus is attracting and maintaining your target audience’s attraction long enough to create a lead and more importantly a relationship. These tips allow you to do that over a long period of time and you can build on them as you venture into other strategies.

How Far Back Should I Go on My Resume?

How Far Back Should I Go on My Resume?You may be asking yourself, 'How far back should I go on my resume?' Of course, there are many questions that you may be asking yourself. For instance, if you are unsure about what you have accomplished and what your skills are, it is a good idea to write down all of your jobs and accomplishments.Then, you should take a look at each of the positions that you have held and you should count the dates as well as see what skills you had at that particular job. One thing that you may want to do is go back to the same position and see if you have changed a skill or become more creative or innovative. There may be some differences in your abilities now than there were then. You may even find that you have gone back a few years on your resume.After you look at each position, ask yourself if you have done anything different at the current job and see if you can get a new job that includes that same skill set. This will help you determine how far back you should go on your resume.Then, you should also look at your past employment. While you should have a current resume that is a copy of what you had when you were in school, you can also use your resume as a way to look at the types of skills that you have developed during your job search.The most important thing to look at on your resume is your education. If you went to college and earned a degree, you can look on your resume as if you have 're-gained' your education.You should be able to see what your educational background was when you were in school and also consider whether or not you learned new skills or learn a new aspect of an old skill. You should be able to write something like, 'After four years at Purdue University I was offered a full time position at Hooters' which would be a unique skill for a high school student to be able to write.You should also consider whether or not you learned something new in this skill, whether you got the skill from another person or took a skill from someone else and applied it to something that you had never done before. For example, if you were good at math but had never worked with computers before, you should also look at your resume and see if you could say something like, 'After I was hired by my current employer, I began working on my skills for Excel.' As long as you clearly show that you took the computer skills from somewhere and then applied them to work, you can say something like this on your resume.Remember, there are many different areas that you can consider that is going to be helpful to your resume and if you have any questions about where you can go to for more information, then feel free to ask and you should receive a quick answer. If you are uncertain about your skills, then you should get a professional resume writer to help you with your resume.

5 Pros and Cons of Working with Your Spouse (Happy Valentines Day)

5 Pros and Cons of Working with Your Spouse (Happy Valentines Day) Valentines Day is for romance. Yet sometimes business mixes with pleasure. That mix can create sparks or fizzle out an otherwise great relationship. To help you decide if working with your significant other is a good or not-so-good idea, here are key pros and cons to consider thanks to business executive and fan of Making a Living Maureen Page Pros to working with your spouse:The right combination of people can make magic in business. When the right two people work together for a common purpose, magic can happen. Think of Tony Randall and Jack Klugman, Simon and Garfunkel, or more recently, Charlie and Alan. I think this is even truer when it comes to couples going into business together. In a good marriage there is already mutual respect and understanding, solid trust, and effective communication between the two partners. This relationship basis combined with the right skills for the job can produce magic in the business world.You get to spend more time together. Running a business together with your spouse can be a great way to spend more time with them. I know many couples who rarely get to see each other because by the time they finish work, commute home, and get the chores done they have little time and energy left over for each other. Working together is a different type of being together but for people who really enjoy their partners company its all good.You get to know your spouse better and learn to appreciate them more. Working with your spouse allows you to see a whole other side of their personality. You will see them in a way most spouses dont get to see. You will see your spouse at their worst and at their best. Not everyone gets to see their spouse using their work related talents and it can open youreyes to their merit outside of their service to the family.Allows flexibility to handle other responsibilities like children or aging parents. This is one of the biggest advantages of running a business with your spouse, especially if you have childr en or other time consuming responsibilities. Having the flexibility with your time and energy to fit in other responsibilities during the work day can be a huge benefit to your quality of life. There a peace of mind in knowing that you have your spouse at work or at home to handle things when you need to be away.You can make lots of money. Running a family owned business can make you a lot of money if its the right business for you.Cons to Mixing Work and Family:The wrong combination of people can be a disaster in a business. Sometimes working together can bring out the worst in each other especially if the two individuals are a lot alike. If you both have type A temperaments, or are both stubborn for example this can wreck havoc when trying to run a business together. Some people are much better off keeping their working lives separate from their married life.You spend too much time together. Spending lots of time together is not a good thing for all people. There are some people t hat do better in relationships when they have ample time apart doing their own thing. This way they are less likely to get bored or irritated with one another.Relationship can become too much like a business arrangement and not enough of a marriage. There is obviously a different atmosphere in a business meeting than there is at a romantic dinner for two. Yet, for spouses who run a business together you need to be able to switch between both vibes easily and quickly. If the relationship becomes too focused on the business you can lose the closeness and intimacy needed to sustain the marriage.There is less diversity to handle setbacks. If the business does not do well or is going through a slow period you dont have the income of the other spouse to fall back on. All of your eggs are in one basket win or lose. Its important to develop other avenues to handle setbacks like a line of credit for example. Family businesses should have a bountiful rainy day fund for peace of mind.You can lose lots of money. There is nothing like running your own business to suck the funds out of any nest egg. Lets face it, starting a business is risky and expensive. Dont start any business, with your spouse or otherwise, without first taking a candid look at reality. You must have a detailed plan. Whenyour business plan involves both spouses then the relationship needs to be evaluated and planned for as well.Running a business together is not for everyone. It can make or just as often, break a marriage. But for a couple who has complementing skills, a ton of energy, and excellent communication skills, running a business together can be incredibly rewarding financially and emotionally. Thank youfor this insightful post Maureen! (Find out more about Maureens organization.) (Photo courtesy of Butterfly Sha.)Share your own pros and cons for working with a spouse or family member. Good idea or not-so-good from your experience?

Why Getting Company Cars Is A Good Idea

Why Getting Company Cars Is A Good Idea If you’re a business owner, you may be thinking about providing company cars to your employees. There are many benefits to doing so, and despite some negatives (such as the costs and risks involved) it could ultimately help you to improve the image, and the success, of your business. If you’re still on the fence when it comes to the company car, we’ve listed some positives here, so that you can see why a fleet of business vehicles could help you to get on the road to success. They are driving advertisements If you’re still undecided about how useful company cars can be, think about them in this way: they are moving advertisements for your business, and they will be so for many years to come. When your team members are driving from meeting location to meeting location to speak to clients, a whole host of new people are being exposed to your brand. You don’t get this type of advertisement through anything else, and people will begin to remember your company name. They aren’t as expensive as you think Sure, you have to pay out for the company cars that you purchase, but there are many ways to ensure that you’re not paying over the odds for your fleet. Not only can you look out for the best traders insurance, but you should also remember that you don’t have to buy the latest models of the most expensive cars for your team. You just need to make sure that they look good, and will sell your brand, and the costs can be a lot less than you think. They make a good first impression If your employees are driving between client meetings in their own cars, you have little say over the first impression that this is making on those around them. Your team have their personal lives, and it can be a little awkward if one of them rocks up to a meeting driving his campervan with hula girls all over the dash. If you want to ensure that you’re making the best impression possible, stick with something that you can control: the company car. They do the job Another benefit of the company car is that you can ensure you’re purchasing vehicles that do the jobs that they are supposed to do, and well. For example, you can look into the cars most suitable for long distance drives, and the ones with the most space in the back if you think that your employees will need to take a lot of things with them. Whatever it is that you think will be required, you can make sure that your fleet has all points covered. So, getting a fleet of company cars is a good idea for many reasons, namely that they enable you to advertise your brand, they won’t cost you as much as you think, and they make a good first impression on your clients. On top of this, they do the job that you need them for, as they have been handpicked by you. Look into company cars, and see what they could offer you!