Thanks to the current economic downturn, employment is a hot-button issue on the cover of all the nation’s newspapers. To beat the odds and find employment in these difficult times takes a lot of work and effort. You must arm yourself with as many employment tips as you can find.
Dress well when you go on an interview. The best advice is to ‘dress as a boss’. Go in dressed as if you are the boss of the person in the position you want. This can be a great way to stand apart from the pack in any interview setting, and shows you are serious about the job.
Make sure that you eat a healthy breakfast the morning of your interview. This is very important as you may get nervous during your interview, and you will want to feel as comfortable as possible. A well-balanced meal will also provide you with the energy that you will need to succeed.
When you are applying for a job, make sure that the job will make you happy. Often you will become so concerned with the amount of money the job pays, that you will disregard the quality of life that it will bring you. Always balance the monetary and practical benefits of a job.
If you plan to use current or former coworkers and supervisors as a business or personal reference, stay in touch. Maintaining contact with these people is important because it ensures that you have accurate, current information. Periodically verify your contacts’ telephone numbers, mailing address, current place of employment and email address. Providing incorrect contact information to a potential employer may hurt your chances for success.
If there is a particular company you are interested in working for, do not hesitate to contact them directly to see what they have available. There may be some jobs available that they have not had to chance to publicly advertise for. Getting in contact with them right away can give you a bit of an advantage.
During your first week on the job, stay as late as you possibly can. This will show that you have a great work ethic and mean business. Furthermore, it serves to form a quality first impression with your co-workers and upper management that will be responsible for promoting you in the future.
When you graduate college, put the pedal to the metal and apply for jobs as soon as you can. It is very tempting to sit back and wait a few months or years before you get yourself going. Taking the initiative immediately will put you ahead of everyone who is sitting back and doing nothing.
Sarcasm and cynicism have no place in a job interview. While many people use these tones as a means of breaking the ice or establishing rapport, neither sentiment is particularly effective in a professional context. Potential employers are more interested in the ability to communicate with others in a positive, encouraging and supportive manner. A negative tone may also come across as indicative of someone who holds grudges and is prone to conflict.
Create a schedule at work that you and others can count on. Many employers want to have a consistent worker. They will put their trust in you then. So be specific with your daily work hours as well as your lunch time hours. If adjustments are necessary, speak to the boss immediately.
Call your references. This is important for a few reasons. The first is that they need to be warned that they may be called, plus you should let them know what sort of skills they should be highlighting. Second, their number or email address may have changed, so you need that update.
All good companies ought to have strict policies in place regarding harassment, whether it is of a sexual or racial nature. While the legal expense to set up such a policy is hefty up front, you will surely save yourself a large headache later. Harassment is simply unacceptable in the workplace.
It is truly the first impression which makes or breaks a job interview, so it is up to you to both look and act the part. Dress at the same level as your boss would if you got the job. Smell good! Lastly, be confident as that is the type of person they’ll want to hire.
Be sure to have your reference letters on hand. Too many people say they have one or more references, and then when they’re asked to give the info to a prospective employer, they’re not ready to do so. This allows the interviewer to see in black and white what an outstanding candidate you are without having to try to contact your references by phone.
As stated in the beginning of this article, the current jobs environment is not good at all. This does not, however, mean that you are doomed. By educating yourself, carefully studying the information in this article and applying all that you have learned you can find great success. Stay positive, and never give up!
