Hiring the wrong person for the job is a costly mistake because of the time and energy put into hiring and training. Employers need to find answers to three questions during their interview process:

1. Does this person have the skills to perform the job?
2. Will this person be responsible?
3. Does this person fit into our culture?

Focus your interview on answering the Big Three:

* Let the employer know you can do this job – show them you have the necessary skills and abilities. Give them examples of how you would perform the skills needed, including suggested accommodations.
* Let them know that you are motivated to work and have a positive attitude. Show them through examples from previous jobs, or your personal life, that you are the type of determined and motivated person they need.
* Let them know you will quickly fit into their organizational culture. Draw on the conventions you have observed during the interview process, as well as your own research of the company, to show that you belong at this company.

Remember that your interview is a two-way conversation. You, too, are conducting an interview to see if this employer and this job fit your needs, so bring your own list of questions and don’t be shy about asking them! Is this job going to provide the types of challenges and opportunities you need? Will you feel motivated to do the job? Do you feel comfortable with this company’s culture?

In summary, employers want you to do a good job and most don’t know how to “work with” someone with limitations or disabilities. It is through your positive attitude and readily available answers – and honesty about your abilities – that will help to set the stage for a successful match.

Source: aetna.com

Teleworking is the new concept that allows people to work from anywhere. Modern communication techniques such as instant messaging, video conferencing, and online virtual meetings provide the real-time communication we need without the CO2 emissions from our cars. Telecommuting and teleworking are good for the bottom line as well.

You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.

It seems that this saying is not applicable to those adults who wish to study new courses to widen their knowledge (can be for business purposes too) about things. Surely, the online education hoped to bring learning into each person’s homes, and this has been proven beneficial to adults who wish to start anew. Yes, the adults.

This is just one of several new online programs designed to teach adults at their own comfort, convenience and pace while sitting down in front of their own computers. There are a lot of course offerings on the internet for adult education. For the wedding planner course for example, students learn everything they need to know for them to either obtain employment with an established bridal consultant or start their own wedding planning business in the future.

Photo taken from http://www.scraetac.org

When we are eager to apply for a job on the internet, sometimes we forget that the information we send can be viewed by those who are up to no good. If you reveal too much on your resume, there is a chance that the information may be used against you. Hide these details: your home address, home phone number (use your cellphone number instead), Social Security number, date of birth, photo, marital status or mother’s maiden name, references, and former employer’s company name. Remember: better safe than sorry. The certainty of your safety is worth more than a chance of employment.

Unemployment is a big issue nowadays. A lot of people try to look for jobs, hoping to make ends meet and chip in to their family’s daily sustenance. It’s quite hard to imagine a family of 6 with only a single breadwinner working to keep up with the family’s needs. In addition, lack of education in the part of the kids can worsen things up. If we are to think ahead, these kids will be the future breadwinners of their own families.

However, to those teenagers in UK who wish to work (ages 13 to 19), there is a job aggregate specifically made for you. Connexions provides job opportunities, trainings, and others to teenagers within that age group.

Photo taken from http://www.careersb.co.uk

The candidate’s recruitment preference nowadays is online. Online job postings do offer engagement opportunities (same as the traditional job search) – they just take place in a virtual environment. I do miss talking to candidates in the early stages of recruitment, but you have to replicate that contact at a later stage or in another form, through organized focus groups, online networking or by visiting assessment centers.

Since the boom of the internet, computers have been the number 1 vehicle of online job seeking. It is like an online “market” (for jobs) since the sellers (or the companies for this matter) and buyers (the job seekers) meet here.

Photo taken from http://www.pvision.net

Employers plan to target business, engineering, and computer-related degrees at both the bachelor’s and master’s degree level in 2007-2008. This year, at the bachelor’s level, the list is topped by accounting, followed by mechanical and electrical engineering, and computer science.

Master’s level

At the doctorate degree level, employers will mainly target computer engineering and electrical engineering graduates, followed by computer science, mechanical engineering, and business administration/management.

Employers looking for graduates with associate degrees, too

The demand for associate degree graduates appears to have dipped slightly for 2007-08 graduates. In 2005-06, 33 percent of employers said they would hire two-year graduates; in 2006-07, it was 39 percent of employers. This year, only 27 percent plan to hire associate degree graduates.

Degrees most in demand this year are technology/engineering and business administration/management degrees. There is also a high demand for computer science and information sciences majors.

Employers interested in two-year graduates include utility companies, state and local government, and consulting services.

Employers that hire associate degree graduates say these students often have more work experience than four-year graduates and have developed a good work ethic, making them a good choice for entry-level hiring. In addition, they often enter the work force with a special skill set unique to the positions they seek, so employers need to do less training with these graduates.

In addition, most two-year grads have realistic expectations in terms of salary and promotions; hence, they have more longevity in the world of work.

Source: jobweb.com

Here are some tips to make your job interviewing go more smoothly:

* Write down the name of the individual (s) you will be interviewing with and their respective professional titles.
* Consider taking a “dry run” to the place where the interview will be conducted so that there are no last minute jitters on the day of the interview.
* Prepare copies of your resume and letters of reference and bring them to your interview so that you will have plenty to distribute, if necessary.
* If you have a gap in your job history, think about how you are going to explain it. Important: Never lie!

Some ways to address job gaps include: discussing recent training that you have acquired, noting that you took time off of work to focus on what you really want to do, etc. It is not a good idea to just say that you took time off of work because you are on disability – build on what you learned.
* Decide on what interviewing attire you will wear and inspect it to ensure it is in good, presentable condition. If necessary, have the clothing cleaned/pressed.
* Many firms are now asking behavioral type questions in which the interviewee is asked to describe in detail how he or she handled a particular situation or how he or she would handle a situation differently in the future. Along these lines, jot down a list of your key accomplishments/successes, as well as areas that you are working on improving your performance in.
* Practice mock interviewing with generic interview questions with a friend or relative. Have them give you feedback.
* On the day of the interview, arrive 10-15 minutes early and check in with the receptionist when you arrive.

Source: aetna.com

* When answering interview questions, first pause to make sure that you understand the question and then answer it, providing personal examples, if appropriate.
* During the interview, make sure that maintain good eye contact with the interviewer, but not constant eye contact, and periodically smile.
* When you are asked if you have any questions, find out how the position that you are interviewing for relates to other positions, what a typical day is like, etc. It is generally not advisable to ask about the salary or benefits offered until a job offer is made.
* At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer(s) for their time, express a strong interest in the position, and inquire as to when a decision might be made regarding filling the job.
* When you get home, write a personal, handwritten note to the interviewer(s). Reiterate your interest in the position, explain how your skills and experiences fit with the position, and offer to provide any additional information that would help aide the interviewer in making the hiring decision.
* If you do not hear anything within 2 weeks, follow-up with a personal call to the person(s) who interviewed you to clarify whether a decision has been reached, as well as to gather any feedback that you can.
* If you are not hired, do not give up. Give some thought as how you can improve your interviewing style and most, importantly, keep looking!

Source: aetna.com

What do your employers look for in prospective employees? Surely, you have graduated with a degree and your academics are above average. But is this enough?

What employers usually need these days is an adequate demonstration of skills. More particularly this means the general skill set used not only in the job you are applying for, but in a wider range of jobs.

So before you go to your next job interview, assess or make a list of your skils first. Here are some things you should consider:

1. Ability to work by yourself with minimal supervision
2. Ability to schedule time and tasks
3. Ability to work under stress and to meet deadlines
4. Originality and imagination
5. Initiative
6. Ability to speak about ideas and thoughts verbally and in writing
7. Becoming accustomed to different corporate cultures and circumstances