Toughest Interview Question  

"So, tell me about yourself." What is it about this question that causes so much trouble and strikes fear into the hearts of otherwise competent interviewees? Simple: it's a big open-ended question, the first question, and not many candidates think to prepare for it... so they wing it. Please, everyone, read my lips: you can not afford to wing this question! The interview is on and they are listening! Here are some great DOs and DON'Ts to answer the question:

• DON'T wing it ... prepare for it and practice it
• DON'T just list a boring chronology of your work history
• DON'T use your elevator speech (30-second commercial), it should sound spontaneous, not rehearsed
• DO summarize your work history or expertise
• DO mention any relevant credentials or education
• DO highlight some special qualifications or value you bring
• DO keep it to about 20-30 seconds max (you can always ask if that answers the question at the end)

Tips to surviving your job search

Career consultants say that 90% of a job search is learning to manage your emotions. Everyone suffers some stress during their job search. The key is to never let it get the best of you! Searching for a job can evoke a range of emotions - but there are ways that you can control the twists and turns.

Try to look for value in your emotions. This will help put the situation in perspective, and you will be able to think clearly. Fear is another emotion that most job seekers face. Fear can often make you feel that the situation is out of control. To get out of this mind-trap, you can make and keep promises to yourself. Set goals that will empower your mind and get you into action mode. Start writing a journal or blog and register all your fears and the possible steps that you can take to overcome them.

Another very good way of beating job search stress is to participate in a support group. The most important thing to remember when facing the stress of looking for a job is to remain positive and active. By not letting your mind become idle, you can stop negative thoughts and fears from taking hold in the first place.

Three quick job search tips   

First: Create your own momentum, "The Big Mo" -- you hear about it all the time in sports. Teams with momentum get on a roll, score-more often and win more games than teams without it. If your job search is stuck, you can create your own momentum and move toward the position you want by starting each day with a victory of some sort, no matter how small.

Second: Ask for help, listen -- and act! Question: How many people have you asked this month for advice about your job search? If you're absolutely honest in your answer, the number will be small. Too small. Why put all the pressure on yourself to find all the employment answers? Why not ask and discover what's worked for other people? Stop trying to figure it all out on your own. Instead, start multiplying your brainpower by asking others for advice.

Third: Know that change is your friend. According to the Bureau of Labor, voluntary employee turnover was 20.20% in 2004, the most recent year available. This means that on average about one in five employees quit their jobs every 12 months. What does that mean for you? In a company with 100 employees, approximately 20 of them will quit within the next year. So, don't despair. Keep in regular touch with the companies you want to work for, because it's only a matter of time until something opens up for you.

Identify Barriers and Move On
The first step in moving in a positive direction is to identify your barriers and your roadblocks. Come to terms with these barriers and make the decision to move on. Keep in mind that there are the career barriers that are imposed on us, and there ones we impose on ourselves. The ones we impose on ourselves are the ones we have to take total control over.
The state of the national economy or the condition of your industry are things you have absolutely no control over. So instead of dwelling on them, realize that there is nothing you can do about it. Barriers you do have control over include:r include: living in the past, over-identification with a job title and undermining your skills and motivation.
You should have "barriers" checkpoints during your job search. At some point, many job seekers realize that some things they are doing are not working. When you see this in your job search, stop, take one step back, re-evaluate your process, identify the glitches, fix them, and move on.

Cover Letter Tips
A well written cover letter has one purpose and one purpose only, to get a potential employer to turn the page and read the resume. It will not get you a job; it may get you an interview. But most importantly, it will wet the company's appetite to want to learn more about you.  Here are some tips for writing an effective cover letter:

1  KISS - Keep It Short & Sweet.
2) Be specific about the job you're applying for.
3) Always personalize it to the company.
4) Highlight your past accomplishments.
5) Write to a specific person.
6) Use action words and be positive.
7) Don't include salary information unless it's requested.
8) Spelling and grammar are more important than formatting.
9) ASK for an interview.

If asked to name your strengths in an interview, keep the list short
If an interviewer asks you to list your strengths, keep it short. That sounds wrong, but few people want to hear a long-winded, make-it-up-as-you-go-along list of all the positive adjectives you can think of. Instead, say something like "If I had to name three of my key strengths, they would be dependability, teamwork and communications." You can then embellish a bit on those three, or another three you choose, but limiting the list helps the listener to focus and makes you sound much more prepared and thoughtful.

Ten Questions to Ask in an Interview
Asking the right questions to your prospective employer will show him or her that you are serious in you efforts to work for their company, and that you are an organized individual. You should steer clear of asking any personal questions or any questions that are not directly job related. Here are some questions that you should ask your prospective employer:
1) Why is this position available right now?
2) How many times has this position been filled in the past 5 years?
3) What should the new person do differently from the last person?
4) What would you most like to see done in the next 6 months?
5) What are the most difficult problems that this jobs entails?
6) How much freedom do I have in the decision making process?
7) What are my options for advancement?
8) How has this company succeeded in the past?
9) What changes do you envision in near future for this company?
10) What do you think constitutes success in this job?

Are you a Job Hopper?     Changing jobs frequently is a reality of working today. Companies conduct layoffs with higher frequency than ever before. Most employees are not laid off for poor performance. Department consolidation, company relocation, merger and improved profit are just a few of the more common reasons for layoffs.

Changing jobs frequently is a common condition in the 21st century, but interviewers still question candidates about why they left jobs. Your response to this interviewer issue must provide information about why you left a previous position and assurances that you're seeking a long-term opportunity. Whether you changed by choice or layoff, you'll need to provide a reason for leaving each previous job. Candidates often include the reason for leaving a position in their resume so they do not get screened out prior to the interview. Your reason for leaving must be concise and reasonable.

Describe the reasons for your departure directly and succinctly. The longer you speak on the subject the more suspicious the interviewer will become. It is important to express that you've always sought and are still seeking a company where you can make a long-term commitment. Tell the interviewer that this opportunity appears to be a place where you can contribute in the short-term and long-term.

Don't use these out-of-date strategies in your resume  Nowadays pumping up resumes with pictures and a full listing of hobbies, activities, and interests is out of date.

Hobbies rarely belong on resumes (and pictures, never). First, listing hobbies makes it look like you're trying to fill space. Maybe you do need to pad a sparse resume, but there are better ways. Second, your hobbies probably aren't relevant to an employer. Finally, the longer and more impressive the list of hobbies, the more you create an impression that your career isn't your priority. This isn't an impression you want to make.

There are exceptions. If your hobbies are relevant, they may be included. If you are applying for a sales job in an arts and crafts shop, an impressive list of hobbies may work in your favour. Also, recent students new to the working world get some leeway here: they may include a list of hobbies and extracurricular activities, as long as the activities listed are relevant and likely to be seen as positive (e.g., debate club - yes, poker shark - no).

Starting a Job on the Right Foot     
You've got a great new job. Now what? How do you parlay the wonderful impression you created in your interviews into success during the first few weeks on your new job? Here are a few tips on how to do that:
Join the team. Get adopted by someone on your new team, so you can learn quickly the ins and outs of how the work is done. Having a mentor is crucial. This gives you someone to bounce your ideas off of, someone to ask for guidance and someone who can introduce you to others in the company.
Respect the culture. Many new hires expect that new ideas they bring with them are just what the company needs, and they often go overboard in acting like a breath of fresh air. While it's good to jump right in and participate, it's important to respect the culture and social structure of the team. Earn your way in by helping, not by taking over.
Become the problem solver. Everyone wants a "win" when starting a new job, because it's a good way to score points with the boss and the rest of the team. In fact, there's a better way to stand out: become "the fixer". Identify the problems your predecessor left behind and correct them. Almost anything you do to "fix" existing problems will be noticed, appreciated and regarded as improvements. 

Blow your own horn and start boasting
Start boasting. Most of us have real difficulty telling other people about how good we are. We consider it bad form, impolite and evidence of a conceited and self-absorbed personality. That’s true in many situations, but the interview is an exception. Here your success lies in your ability to communicate your strengths and the belief that you are probably a better candidate than the others, while not sounding stricken with delusions of grandeur. Find the right way to express your strengths and get comfortable with a little horn tooting. Done well, it demonstrates confidence, not conceit.

Perseverance is the key
Keep this quote from Calvin Coolidge handy with your file of job ads, cover letters and resumés. Persistence is a large part of your eventual job search success: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

Being asked to do a telephone interview on the spot
You may find yourself answering the phone and being asked for a telephone interview on the spot. It’s a rare candidate that can do their best without preparing for an interview, so we suggest that you express your eagerness to speak with them, but then ask to call back at a prearranged time. This lets you gain your composure and do some review of the job ad you responded to. Don’t worry that you have somehow jeopardized your chances by asking to call back, you haven’t. At the same time, arrange to call back that same day, if possible. Tat way you will come across as both well prepared and eager to discuss the opportunity.

Try and keep interview answers focused
Try to keep interview answers focused. If asked about your strengths, do not start a rambling list that includes all the possibly good characteristics you can think of. Instead, keep your list of strengths limited to a few and present them in a way that shows you know yourself well. When asked to talk about yourself, stick to a tightly edited and relevant set of comments that have been practiced beforehand so that your message is delivered in an engaging and impressive way. If you do not practice in advance, you are likely to start rambling and leave your listener more confused than engaged. If you think about your presentation beforehand, and then practice your responses, you send a message of confidence and professionalism to your interviewer.

Panel interviews
Panel interviews are a regular part of many job seekers experience. Be ready to greet each interviewer personally, shake their hands and send out signals that you are comfortable speaking to a group. Keep your head swiveling as you speak so that everyone is getting regular eye contact. Be aware that each panel interviewer will have their own opinion of you and you must win them over individually. As much as you can, engage those who you feel need to have one-to-one interaction through appropriate conversational questions. Finally, get the names and positions of panel members in advance – perhaps at the time you set up the appointment.

When developing your resume less is more
When writing your resume, don’t let too much specific information detract from your chances for an interview. Sometimes saying little or nothing is the way to go, especially if the alternative is filling two or three pages of a resume with thorough and well written, but irrelevant information. If you are trying to impress a reader with your senior executive skills and vision, do not send a document filled with your achievements as a supervisor. It just underscores the mismatch between your experience and the job you applied for. There may be occasions where you are best off using generic language rather than referring to specific products or protocols your interviewer cannot relate to.