Career Flux - job interview

5 Tips to Save Money During a Job Search

The economy may be showing signs of a recovery, but that doesn’t mean you’ve got money to throw around while you search for your slice of the pie.

Ironically, searching for jobs can be expensive. Between the commutes to and from job interviews and lunches out to Internet and cell phone bills, all the little things start to add up pretty quick when all the money is going out and nothing is coming in. That’s why budget job-shopping is so important.

Below we take a look at five tips for saving money while you hunt for your dream job.

1. Make Tax Deductions

One of the smartest moves you can make is to deduct all possible job-seeking expenses from your taxes. Of course, you will have had to have earned some income in the prior year to make that worthwhile, but assuming you did, there are numerous deductions you can make.

The biggest hitch to this money-saving trick is that deductions are only applicable to search expenses incurred while seeking a job in your current occupation. If you can overcome that hurdle, though, the savings are potentially great. You can deduct for travel, employment agency fees and costs for sending out your resume, all of which can add up pretty fast.

2. Use the Internet

You can make significant cuts in cost by utilizing the growing number of free tools available on the Internet. You’re probably familiar with using email for building and sending resumes (of course!), but there are many other tricks you can use to save a penny or two.

VoIP phone services like Vonage might be a smart choice to cut down on cell phone bills, as is the free phone option available through Google. You can also use this technology for video conferencing in lieu of face-to-face first interviews, provided your interviewer is amenable.

3. Streamline Research

Time is quite literally money, especially when it comes to looking for jobs. It’s very easy to slip into a Craigslist time-warp fugue while job searching, and the next thing you know you’ve spent four hours trolling for jobs without sending any emails or making any calls.

Avoid this rut by conducting hard-target research in your desired career areas, creating a list of potential employers and then sending out emails or resumes according to the list. Keep things organized and you will notice it will help you keep moving.

4. Schedule with Purpose

As noted in #1 above, if you’re searching for employment outside of your current occupation (or it’s been a long time since you’ve been employed), all those miles and all that time is not going to be deductible.

Save yourself time and money by scheduling office visits and interviews on the same days. This can be especially helpful if you live in, or are travelling to, a metropolitan area where all of your scheduled stops are co-located. You may even be able to save more by utilizing public transportation.

5. Dress (Financially) Conservatively

Looking the part for that big job interview is important, but it’s not $2,000-suit important. Some job seekers get a little overzealous when it comes to outfitting for the job search, seeming to forget that interviewers are not aware you’re wearing the same tie all over town.

Save money by keeping one good outfit with matching accessories and don’t be afraid to repeat your wardrobe. Keep even more money in your pocket by using at-home dry cleaning kits instead of paying for the cleaners, and by keeping your clothes nice by avoiding eating hot dogs with extra mustard in your car or leaving the house without an umbrella.

Remember …

Saving money in any endeavor often comes down to thinking ahead, and employing this strategy in your job search is no different. In fact, you may find that the increased attention to detail will help you snag more interviews as well as keep coins in your piggy bank.

James Madeiros writes for Criminal Justice Degree Schools, a career resource providing information on criminology and sociology degrees, interviews with criminal justice professionals, lists of top industry blogs, and career guides.

Filed Under: Featured, Guest Experts, Job Search, Surviving While Unemployed Tagged With: job interview, Job Search, Jobs

Common Interview Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

By Dane Cross Leave a Comment

Avoid common interview mistakes and land a job successfully.

The three most important questions for an interviewer are almost always:

“Can you do this job?”

“Do you want this job?” and

“Will you fit in with the rest of the staff?”

You can avoid inadvertently answering these questions with a “No” by avoiding some easy mistakes:

Failure to Demonstrate an Understanding

It may seem obvious, but make sure you are thoroughly prepared for the interview by researching the role, the company, and the industry they are in. Find out their history, achievements, products, services and customers, as well as research the wider aspects of their sector. Really do your homework and look for relevant industry blogs, their website and/or LinkedIn page, and any other social platforms such as Facebook or Twitter to get a real feel for the company.

At the interview, be sure to ask intelligent and thought out questions to show your enthusiasm and desire to make a difference for the company. Ask about the responsibilities and priorities of the role and how it affects the rest of the organization.

Inefficient Explanation of How You Did Something

It’s easy to reel off your skills and experience – go one step further and prove that you’re ideal for the job by recounting past demonstrations and examples that match the job’s requirements. If you’re worried about delivery, try practicing your story-telling to a friend or in front of a mirror.

You should already have these examples in your résumé, so make sure that you expand on them and give them some more weight in the interview. Practicing beforehand will ensure that you’re less likely to stumble and forget the crucial details.

Not Showing Why You Want the Job

Failure to demonstrate enthusiasm will dramatically lower your chances of getting the job. You must convince the interviewer that the company and the role appeal to you. When asked to “tell me about yourself”, explain how your background is ideal for the job. Make sure that you’re completely transparent when asked about your future plans; never give an answer that’s too vague or over-ambitious.

Genuine enthusiasm is of paramount importance. Even if nerves get the better of you, and you lose your composure, the interview will be a success providing you showed devotion and interest in the company and the role. Try and keep body language positive, exuding confidence when you walk, sit and answer the interviewer’s questions.

Appearing Unprofessional

If asked a question about a previous employer, try to keep criticisms and complaints to yourself. You want to give a professional impression – one of a committed team-player, not a backstabber.

Follow Up

E-mailing a brief thank you note can really help remind the interviewer of your strengths and selling points, as well as reiterate why you want the job. If it passes the time that you were expecting a call back, don’t be afraid to follow up. This can demonstrate your passion as well as organization skills.

Dane Cross writes on behalf of Marler Haley, a supplier of display boards for job fairs and trade shows.

Filed Under: Guest Experts, Job Interview Tagged With: Interview, job interview

Job Search – The Perfect Appearance

By Alex Stanton Leave a Comment

Clothing

When you are searching for a job, or even a potential career, the way you dress and present yourself is very important. It is always best to wear professional clothing; this shows that you are serious about the job opportunity and you are, more than likely, experienced in that job field. You should always wear office attire when you’re on the hunt for a new job.

For women, a pant suit is a great option. You should always wear a nice blouse that isn’t low cut or too tight, or small for you because it is crucial not to offend anyone by what you are wearing. If you plan to wear heels when meeting potential employers, the heel of the shoe should stay at or below 2.5 to 3 inches. It is also more professional to wear closed toe shoes, rather than open ones.

Men should also wear either a suit or trousers with a long sleeved buttoned down, collared shirt. A nice tie will bring the outfit together; however you should wear a plain tie rather than one with a crazy pattern or design. A pair of dark colored men’s dress shoes will complete the professional appearance needed to get the potential employer’s attention.

Everyone who meets potential employers should look clean and confident. You should be shaved, clean cut, have tattoos covered, and have your hair and makeup done appropriately.

Materials

There are certain materials that are essential to a successful job search. For example, you must always carry two pens with you. You need a pen for filling out applications, writing down your contact information, and so on. The second pen is just a backup in case the first one dries out. This may sound silly to some of us, however, having a pen with you shows that you are prepared and organized.

You should always bring your Identification Card or Driver’s License along with your resume. These days, many employers ask to take a copy of your I.D. or Driver’s License, which is why you should always carry it with you. After filling out an application, it is best to hand in your resume with it. This allows the potential employer to see your extra skills and credentials that the application didn’t ask for.

Bringing your resume is also important because with the current technology existing in the world now, many applications are accepted online only. Therefore if you stop at a business that only allows you to complete it online, you can ask them to keep your resume on file to be attached to the application. This shows that you are very much prepared and serious about working with that company.

Information & Follow Up

Before leaving each company’s office, it is extremely crucial to get the manager’s or personnel manager’s information. Whether that means taking a business card, or asking them for it, you need to get their information. It is best to get the company name, the manager’s name, phone number, and email address, if possible. You will need this information so that you can follow up with the companies that you apply at.

Follow up is very important when you are searching for a job because it shows that you are serious, persistent, and want the job badly. It is best to follow up by phone 5 to 7 days after first applying. You don’t want to follow up too early; you have to remember that they are busy managing a company. Once you have called and asked about the status of your application, you can then follow up in-person after another week or so. Following up shows that you are committed, but you don’t want to bother the potential employer to the point of being a nuisance.

If you are on a job search, these tips will help you to have the perfect appearance and the best chances of getting an interview, or even getting the job.

Alex Stanton is an intern comparing different online mba degree programs to find the right one for him.

Filed Under: Guest Experts, Job Search Tagged With: Career, employers, job interview, Job Search, Resume

Tips for Success in a Video Conference Interview

By Ewan Cambell MacDougall Leave a Comment

Photo Courtesy: www.omnibility.com

With fewer jobs around at the moment and the feeling that the world is shrinking, you might be looking for jobs in a much wider area than you have done previously. At the same time, with more candidates to choose from, a lot of employers are now finding it harder to create an applicant short list and want to be able to quickly meet a lot more people.

The solution for many employers is to quickly conduct more interviews with candidates from all over the world by conducting preliminary interviews via video conference.

If you have been asked to give a video conference interview, don’t worry as this really isn’t too different to the regular type of interview you should already be familiar with. The interviewer is still looking for the exact same qualities as you would expect from a regular interview; it’s just the meeting place that is different.

These differences mean that a few things need to be taken into account when being interviewed in this manner. Follow these tips to ensure you give your best at a video interview.

What You Need:

You’ll need to find a place where you can access a webcam and a high speed internet connection. Many people nowadays have these in their homes or even on their smart phones. However, if you do not have this technology, most libraries will be able to make these facilities available to you.

You will also need video conferencing software; your interviewer will likely specify which software they wish for you to use. Examples could include: Skype, LifeSize or Yahoo! Messenger.

If you are using a laptop or phone camera, be sure to rest the camera on a desk or other stable surface. Holding the camera in your hand should be avoided as it can be distracting having the image moving around frequently; you will also need to have your hands available to write things down and display positive body language.

Set Up Your Interview Area

Do you like what you see in this picture?

If you are being interviewed from your home, try and make your surroundings look as professional and well organized as possible. The interviewer will understand that you are in your home, but an untidy room or inappropriate objects in the background will suggest you are unorganized. Move the camera around before the interview to find the best location and look at the shot to see exactly what your interviewer will see.

If you or your interviewer has a lower internet connection speed or slow processor, the video quality may deteriorate if there is a lot of movement. Ensure you are sat somewhere that you can sit fairly still and if you have a tendency to fiddle with objects when you are nervous, it may be sensible to clear the area of any likely temptations.

Try to provide as much lighting as you can – the better lit you are the better the image quality will be. It is also a good idea to place your microphone away from your computer and keyboard so it does not pick up too much background noise; test the image and sound quality in advance.

What To Wear

Even though you are in your own home, this is still a job interview so dress up for the occasion. Clothing that is plain colors is better than stripes or other complex patterns as these do not usually transmit very well.

Tips For Success

You can normally set up the video program to display a small PiP image of what the interviewer sees of you. Try to use this to monitor your own body language. In all interviews, body language is important but in a video interview you can actually see how your own is coming across.

If you’ve not done a video interview before, it might be worth practicing some with friends to get a feel for it. You could also record these interviews so you can review them later and see where you could improve.

Don’t forget you are in an interview, being in the comfort of your own home can be great for reducing nerves but don’t let this go too far. This is still a formal situation and you should act accordingly.

Follow these tips as well as tips for regular interviews and you should be well prepared for any video interview.

Filed Under: Guest Experts, Job Interview Tagged With: employers, Interview, job interview, Jobs, Video Interview

Proper Interview Body Language To Get You That Job

By Jemma Scott Leave a Comment

Job interviews are nerve racking situations and the more nervous an applicant may be, the more it may affect your body language and behavior in a negative way. Interview body language is an incredibly vital aspect of getting a job and in this article we will try and calm your nerves by helping you to implore good interview body language habits and communication.

The importance of body language in your interview

Body language is a means of communication within itself. It communicates how you are feeling, your confidence and gives an employer an insight in the person you are and what you would benefit to their business. There are certain job interview body language methods and tips that you should follow to help you get the position you really want.

Posture

Posture is an incredibly important aspect in interview body language. When you take your seat, sit upright but not in a stiff manner. This will indicate that you are comfortable. If you are hunched down in your chair, this will communicate that you do not have much confidence in your interview body language. A sloppy posture gives the impression of laziness which is an obvious negative and sitting on the edge of you chair may come across as if you are nervous. In great interview body language tips, sit relaxed and upright and lean forward somewhat towards your interviewer. This will communicate that you are interested and engaged in the conversation.

How to place your hands

You should not fidget with your hands while the interview is being conducted. You should place them in your lap or in front of you. Keep your hands away from your face. Interviewing specialists will tell you that touching your nose or lips shows that a candidate is being untruthful. Another interesting finding in job interview body language is that if one holds their hands or arms behind or above their head, it expresses that they are annoyed or uncertain. Folding your arms in front of you communicates a defensive stance and when it comes to the movement of your legs, they should stay calm with not a lot of movement which expresses a calm demeanor.

The importance of eye contact

Eye contact is an important aspect of body language during an interview. You should constantly maintain eye contact throughout the interview. Direct eye contact communicates that you are active at listening and participating in the conversation at hand. You may indicate that you are understanding or agreeing with the statement of the interviewer by nodding your head.

Speech delivery

In great interview body language tips, the way in which you speak and the tone and pitch you use also communicates various things to the employer. Avoid speaking in a boring monotone by varying your pitch and tone but do not become too agitated either. Speak clearly and directly and do not babble. Be concise and direct in your answers.

We wish you the best of luck when going for your interview. Be confident in yourself and follow these fundamental interview body language tips and you should get the job.

Jemma Scott is an avid writer of diverse careers and in this article looks at the importance of body language in an interview. Her interest and information on this topic stems from her time working for a professional interpreter that practiced as a certified translation specialist.