Do You Make These Career Fair Mistakes

Do You Make These Career Fair MistakesDo You Make These Career Fair MistakesThe line was so long that it could have been mistaken for Black Friday at one of Americas favorite retailers. Instead of shoppers the hallway was filled with well-dressed jobseekers nervously shifting back and forth on their feet while silently practicing their elevator pitches. At exactly 8 a.m. the doors opened and several thousand people crossed the convention center floor, well on their way to new jobs. The career fair had begun.Whether youre a soon-to-be graduate or an experienced employee in need of a change, career fairs can be a valuable tool in your job search. Career fairs are an excellent way to efficiently connect with a large number of potential employers. Theyre relatively low cost, and they get you in front of companies outside your geographic area. Career fairs also may help you discover new or smaller organizations. Best of all, fruchtwein companies at the fair are actively looking to hire fr om the people that they meet.Remember that career fair from the top of the article? When it was all said and done, several hundred people received offer letters. Not bad for a few hours in your fancy clothes.If you have the chance to participate in a career fair, definitely do it. Dust off your resume, pop in a breath mint and get ready to put your best foot forward. As you prepare for your next fair, you can increase your chances of getting an interview by avoiding these common mistakes1. Wearing uncomfortable shoesThis sounds like such a simple thing, but trust me it has been the downfall of many talented job seekers. For some cruel reason, career fair planners rarely schedule these events in comfy rooms with soft, squishy carpets. Instead you will find yourself walking and standing for hours on unforgiving, hard floors with few available seats. When your feet hurt, it can change your posture, your nonverbal behaviors and your demeanor, all of which can make you seem less friendly or interested to an employer. You totenstill have to be professional, but this is not the time to choose form over function when it comes to footwear.2. Ignoring opportunities to be included in resume books or datakusinesMost career fairs have a resume book or online database where job seekers can submit resumes in advance. The process can be frustrating because it may require you to reformat your resume to fit certain standards or cut and paste key areas into a database template. This extra work is definitely worth it. If you are attending a career fair that allows onsite interviews, most candidates are chosen and contacted before the event even begins. Only a small percentage of interview slots are held for extraordinary candidates that stop by the booths. It is much easier to get noticed beforehand than to be one of several hundred eager faces standing in line. Even if there are no onsite interviews, your resume can generate interest for months after the career fair. 3. Talking to tired representatives at the end of their shiftsA few hours of shaking hands and passing resumes can make anyone a bit cranky. Now imagine that youre the recruiter with long lines of people clamoring to get your attention, each one of them earnestly trying to sell themselves. There comes a point of fatigue where even Superman would have a hard time breaking through. Make it easy on yourself and visit your top employers when the representatives are likely to be at their highest energy levels. Every company will have a schedule for its employees, but youre most likely to find fresh representatives either at the very beginning of the day or after lunch. Avoid approaching booths right before lunch or at the very end of the fair.4. Believing that youre speaking to the hiring managerYou did it You had a great conversation with the representative. You were witty, competent and confident, and the interviewer was impressed with you. As you turn to walk away (giving yourself a mental high- five), you miss the fact that the representative drops your resume into a pile with no additional notes or thoughts. In most situations, the recruiter is the gatekeeper, not the hiring manager. Your conversation is important so that your resume isnt discarded. However, after the career fair your resume, along with many others, will be dumped unceremoniously on the hiring managers desk. No part of your amazing conversation will be conveyed. If there is something that you want the hiring manager to know, research the job online, apply for it, attach a cover letter referencing your amazing conversation with the representative- whom you should mention by name- and send it to the company along with your resume.5. Grabbing table giveaways without speaking to representativesOne of the best parts about a career fair is the swag. Depending on the industries participating in the event, it is not unusual for jobseekers to walk away loaded with pens, stress balls, snacks, post-it-notes and all types of cool product samples. While I would never deny you the joys of treasure hunting, it is considered rude to grab armfuls of stuff without speaking to the representatives. Even if you arent interested in the company, it is critical to make a good impression because recruiters talk to each other more than you imagine. For many recruiters, career fairs are mini-reunions where they touch base with former colleagues, industry peers and college friends. A moment of greed at one booth could potentially tank your chances at another.6. Making private comments about companies in public placesPrivacy is dead. Well, at least at a career fair it is. If you have something disparaging, controversial or easily misinterpreted to say, you will want to wait until you get home. Every public space is potentially filled with company representatives poised to hear compromising information. Restrooms, elevators, coffee shops, restaurants and even the booths of competitors- you would be surprised at all of the places that recruiters show up. Always assume that someone is listening, and youll never go wrong.Career fairs are an excellent choice for serious job seekers. With a little preparedness you can make significant inroads towards your career goals. So get your resume ready, pull out those comfortable shoes, and get that interview.

6 Salary Negotiation Tips for Hiring Managers

6 Salary Negotiation Tips for Hiring Managers6 Salary Negotiation Tips for Hiring ManagersYou have finally found your next great hire You pored over countless resumes, completed all the interviews, checked references and now its time for salary negotiation. You want to extend an offer that will be accepted.While the offer isnt only about the compensation package, it usually is the top concern of job seekers.Before beginning the salary negotiation, its important to have a clear understanding of both parties objectives. Your objective should be to negotiate a fair, market-based compensation package that is competitive based on the unique combination of skills that you require in this new employee, while being fiscally responsible to your company.Use our salary calculator to look up salary ranges for technology and IT jobs in your area.Your potential employees objective should also be to negotiate a fair, market-based compensation package based on their unique skills and experience. In the best case scenario, both parties desire the same outcome, a negotiation that results in a win-win. Here are six tipsConduct market research. Prior to your salary negotiation discussion, do your homework so your salary offer is based on actual market data. Review salaries posted on current online job postings as well as a reputable salary guide from an industry expert. This research is critical to your effectiveness and credibility in the salary negotiation process.Make adjustments if needed. Compensation in todays IT world can be dramatic. Starting salaries are changing rapidly, especially in many high demand disciplines such as mobility, cloud computing, big data, security, etc. If you find a material difference in your budgeted compensation package and what your research tells you, make adjustments if you can. Just because youve always paid $70,000 for a certain role, doesnt mean youll be able to continue to find the same level of talent at that salary. If you arent offering c ompetitive compensation, you may be left settling for your second or third choice for the role.Minimize surprises. Talk about compensation expectations early and often with the candidate. You want to know as soon as possible what the salary expectation is and how flexible they are when it comes to negotiating a fair starting package. Its not about negotiating in the first interview, but about understanding the candidates expectations so both parties save valuable time if the compensation gap is just too large to bridge. There is nothing more frustrating than spending hours together with both parties thinking theyve found the right fit only to have the deal fall apart at the end because you couldnt make the numbers work.Take emotion out of the equation. Negotiating can become personal and emotional. Resist the temptation to dig in your heels. Nothing can make a positive situation like extending a job offer turn south faster than an intense and frustrating conversation around starting salary. Remain calm and keep the conversation professional, while maintaining an open mind. Dont let pride or inflexibility prohibit you from getting the employee you wantMoney isnt everything. Starting compensation is always high on the list of reasons potential employees accept or decline a job offer. That said, there are many other factors to consider, especially if youre limited in the salary you can offer. Can you offer a flexible schedule, such as working four, 10-hour days with Fridays off, for example? Is telecommuting possible? Working from home can save employees valuable time and money (in commute costs). Options such as these may be just enough to tip the scales in your favor from a reluctant candidate.Never extend an offer you arent certain will be accepted. Offer acceptance should be a forgone conclusion when you get to this stage of the process. You want to be so thorough in the interview process that you are confident the candidate can do the job, wants the job and that the compensation aligns with their expectations. If you have questions or reservations, have those discussions with the prospective employee before making the formal offer.You can find salary information for more than 75 IT jobs in our Salary GuideDOWNLOAD THE SALARY GUIDEThis post has been updated to reflect more current information.

Controlling Jitters Before Your Interview

Controlling Jitters Before Your InterviewControlling Jitters Before Your InterviewRemember Someone at the organization likes you and thinks you have a chance to contribute. Youve havent been called in to be tortured you have a real shot at getting hired. If this interview doesnt work out, you will have another one. There are a lot of jobs out there. Every interviewing experience you have will prepare you to do better in the next one. The person sitting across from you was once sitting on the hot seat just like you, and they survived and got the job even though their voice trembled a bit and their knees knocked a little. Everyones been through the situation and knows what its like. Just like everyone else, this person interviewing you has friends and casual acquaintances with whom they hang out. They arent always so formal. Try to connect with your interviewer on a human level, without being too goofy and informal. Dealing with anxiety It would be a shame to let something as ins ignificant and short-lived as an attack of nerves conceal your winning attributes. Here are some tips to prevent nervous tics and other imperfections from interfering with your best interview ever. If youre concerned with a piece of clothing in your interview ensemble maybe the naked-lady tie is a little racy and youre on the fence about it change it. In addition to favorably impressing your interviewer, your clothes should do nothing but support and feed the confidence and comfort of the intelligent, sensitive creature wearing them. During the interview youll want to look neat, clean, and well-composed. You should always wear a suit. Even if the workplace where youre applying is geschftliches miteinander casual (or has no dress code whatsoever.) Even if the interviewer tells you that you dont need to wear a suit. Its always better to overdress than underdress. Stick to conservative navy, gray or black. Women, wear pantyhose and closed-toes shoes. If a deficiency on your resume worries you, dont obsess on it and let it sink your spirits. Think about this deficiency and how you will explain it before you go in for the interview. Its there, so deal with it and move on. Remember, theyve agreed to interview despite this flaw, so it cant be a stopper. If there is any way of putting a positive spin on it without making it a feature of the interview, plan a short but sweet response. On the day of the interview, breathing exercises can help you relax and focus your energy. Closing your eyes, imagine a peaceful place. Or, visualize yourself acing the interview. Heres another one place your tongue at the roof of your mouth just behind the teeth and then breath quickly and forcefully through your nose for as long as you can. If you push yourself at this, when you then inhale deeply through your mouth again, you should feel energized.

Join the Twitter Conversation about HR Best Practices

Join the Twitter Conversation about HR Best PracticesJoin the Twitter Conversation about HR Best PracticesJoin the Twitter Conversation about HR Best Practices Charney, Social Media Engagement ManagerTwitter, the popular micro blogging site that limits users to messages of 140 characters or less, has catapulted from the margins to the mainstream. Major brands, spanning the gamut from entertainment to consumer packaged goods to professional services, have built both a presence and a following within Twitter, creating a diverse, cross-functional pipeline where instant engagement is as easy as pressing Enter.While many feel Twitters ubiquity might be as brief as its character limits, considerWhile it still only commands less than 2% of social media market share, Twitter usage soared 1170% year-to-year, according to recent data from Hitwise.Language trending firm The Global Language Monitor recently named Twitter the most popular word in the English language in 2009, displacing Obama.The majority of Twitter users are elend teens or college students, but rather working adults. Almost 42% of the sites audiences are age 35-49, according to Nielsen, with 62% of users accessing the site exclusively from their office.Social media-savvy HR and recruiters bloggers arealready using Twitter and while job seekers increasingly turn to Twitter to create connections, network and find opportunities, employers are following suit. The result a multi-faceted, real-time conversation about the business of hiring.How Twitter is Evolving Hiring and HRTwitter has quickly evolved into an invaluable tool for hiring experts and decision makers to engage both candidates and each other.Human resource professionals and hiring managers are turning to Twitter, primarily as a means to monitor and engage their employee populations, keep followers informed about their respective employment brands, as well as perform due diligence on potential new hires.Twitters status bar prompts users a simple qu estion What are you doing?For Human resource and employment professionals not currently engaging this valuable resource, the more pressing question becomes, What are you thinking?Learn to Manage Your Twitter AccountDue to its limited in-site search functionality and scant biographical information, finding relevant professionals to follow can prove as challenging as finding a top passive candidate for a hard-to-fill requisition.In fact, many report the inability to target relevant results as a main barrier of entry to Twitter adoption.Realizing the breakneck pace at which Human resource and hiring professionals work, the blessing of Twitters inherent real-time status and engagement can seem like a curse. Here are some suggestions to get the most out of your Twitter usageTwitters homepage can be cumbersome and relatively difficult to track conversations. The best and most valuable people to follow often update dozens of times a day, which can get overwhelming if accessing updates via text messages.Dedicated software helps rectify many of these issues, and can run in your computers hintergrund without an open internet window some even have the capabilities of integrating with other social networks so that only a single log on is required.Check out TweetDeck or HootSuite youll be glad you did.Rather than updating in real time, which can prove difficult at work, set aside some time each week to schedule your Tweets in advance.Two of the most commonly used programs for this are CoTweet and Social Oomph.Since youll probably be sharing links to interesting content and messaging related to job openings and your company (and because HR professionals love metrics), its a good idea to track traffic for your links.The easiest (free) site to do this is bit.ly, which automatically shrinks URLs to save characters.Now, ready to get started? Then check out our list of Ten Top Employment Bloggers to Follow.

3 reasons why I still read books in print instead of digitally

3 reasons why I still read books in print instead of digitally3 reasons why I still read books in print instead of digitallyThis past summer, I lugged across the Atlantic a big, heavy suitcase filled with nothing but books (heresa photoof it). Several puzzled readers justifiably asked me why I hadnt invested in a Kindle.In every other aspect of my life, Im a technophile, the prototypical early adopter. I have an iPad with a Kindle app on it, but I still prefer my books in print.For me, this isnt just a matter of nostalgia or personal taste (though thats certainly parte of it). There are at least three reasons why old-fashioned print books trump their digital counterparts.1. RetentionAbout a year ago, I noticed that I suffered amnesia after reading e-books. The content of an e-book- unlike a print book- would leave my mind as quickly as it entered. This initially struck me as counterintuitive After all, the content of e-books and print books is exactly the same.But the experience, it later occurred to me, is very different. Every book looks the same on an e-reader. Its the same white background and the same font size and color. Its like staying at the Westin- the rooms are the same whether youre in Cabo or Kansas City. E-books, like cookie-cutter hotel rooms, start blending into each other.When I sit down with a print book, I sink into a different kind of experience. Print books all look and feel different. The tactile differences help my mind separate one book from the other. I have a better sense of progress. I can make connections that I otherwise miss.Each physical book also comes with its own story- the story of the bookstore where I bought the book, the story of the wine stain on page 33, and the story of the notes I scribbled on the margins while carrying on an imaginary conversation. These stories add a melody to the words, engaging senses that otherwise remain dormant while reading an ebook.Research supports these intuitions. One study of tenth gradersf oundthat students who read texts in print scored significantly better on the reading comprehension test than students who read the texts digitally.This difference might also be related to our zugreifbar reading habits. In the digital world, we dont read like we used to. We drag our vision across the page. We scroll and skim. Ive noticed that these disjointed online reading habits carry over to all digital devices, including the books I read on Kindle. As a result, my attention fractures.2. RepetitionOnce Ive read a book on Kindle, its off my Kindle. It disappears into the ether. But my physical books go back on the bookshelf where they stare at me for years. Passing by them, Im reminded of the lessons learned. Some beckon to me for a second reading.For a long time, I refused to re-read books- I viewed it as a waste of time. After all, I read it once and got what I could out of it. There are too many good books to read, and too little time.Except Im not the same person I was a decade ago. Ive changed- more than I think I have. Every time I return to a book, its a new person reading it. I pick up on subtleties that I missed the first time around. New ideas become relevant because of where Im in life now.All great books, as Derek Thompson writes, seem to immerse me in another life, but ultimately they immerse me in me I am looking through the window into another persons home, but it is my face that I see in the reflection. Just as the face that appears in that reflection changes over time, so does what you get from reading the book.This is particularly true for books we read at a young age- books that were thrust into our hands by authority figures back when we were busy staging teenage rebellions. I suggest beginning there and re-reading some of the books that you were forced to read in high school. Youll discover a very different book than the one you remember.For example, I recently re-readRay Bradburys Fahrenheit 451, which I had first read in high school. I remembered the book to be about a dystopian society where a totalitarian government burns books. Except that its not. Theres another story line where the real culprit isnt the government. In the book, its the tribesthe dog-lovers, the cat-lovers, the leftists, the rightists, the Catholics, the Zen Buddhistswho pour the kerosene, light the fuse, and push their government to do the same. The book is a cautionary tale for todays society where dissent is policed by our tribes and unorthodox views are rejected as controversial.Ina podcast interview, the author Dan Pink recounts a similar experience in college when his professor assigned the class to readThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. When students protested that they already read this book in high school, the professor replied You may have read the book in high school, butyouhave not read the book.3. RelaxationFor me, picking up a physical book erects a psychological separation from the digital world. Reading a book on an e-reader m akes it all too tempting to be swayed by distractions screaming their 100 decibel sirens for attention.E-books, particularly when I read them at night, act as a force amplifier and send my brain into overdrive, just when it should be shutting down.Print books are my refuge. They open the world by shutting out everything else.InspirationMichael Harris, I Have Forgotten How to Read.Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned law professor and bestselling author.Click hereto download a free copy of his e-book, The Contrarian Handbook 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, youll get the Weekly Contrarian - a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only).Thisarticlefirst appeared onOzanVarol.com.

The Biggest Myth About Office Skills Resume Exposed

The Biggest Myth About Office Skills Resume Exposed Heres What I Know About Office Skills Resume Without the correct keywords and phrases, your profiles and youre invisible, no matter how well-qualified you might illinois for the job which you want, because your resume rep bonnie be viewed by means of a recruiter. Telecommuting job resume layouts are much the exact same as the others, but there are a few things that need to be accomplished differently. If you get a wide selection of technical abilities, however, your abilities may wind up being precisely what gets you hired. Perhaps your skill tischset is totally different. Do show potential employers your skills are transferable and you are able to do the job well in a wide variety of contexts. Soft abilities, hard abilities, any skills. The work description will most likely incorporate a list of required skills. Rather than that, you use the name of a particular skill for each heading. Try to remember, the majority of th e distinctive skills that you set on your resume ought to be job-related skills taken from the work description and your best transferable skills. Make certain you have a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated every one of the top five skills listed here. In this instance, your resume will want to be noticed so that it has a greater probability of being noticed. You are going to need an extremely extensive skill set to be successful. Those basic skills arent listed there as a test to be sure youre paying attention, but instead becuase theyre less basic as you may think. If there are a number of distinctive skills that would provide you an edge never fail to mention them. One of his goals is to demonstrate he is a specialist in all kinds of mail room duties. It is employed as an umbrella term for somebody with an extensive set of skills like using software, writing reports, organizing paperwork, and keeping a collegial atmosphere. Make certain that you have read y a minumum of one example for a time you demonstrated skills from every category listed here. If and when someone prints the document, you would like to ensure there are not any technical challenges. The Ultimate Office Skills Resume Trick Expenses cant be shared mng ndvdul. Organization Administrative jobs of all sorts need strong organizational skills. It is going to help you distinguish yourself from different candidates. An important portion of Office Skills training is to learn to create a resume that it is possible to use in your job search. Writing skills are also vital for many distinct jobs. Administrative skills are required for a number of jobs, which range from office assistants to secretaries to office managers. A Receptionist Skills Resume is quite helpful for entry-level candidates or career changers who dont have any prior knowledge in hand. As an example, say youre applying for the job of dump truck driver. To position yourself as the very best candidate for the role, you wish to only consist of bullet points it is possible to stand behind. For that reason, its far better to highlight your abilities and the simple fact which you have acquired multiple talents, in distributions-mix of drawing attention to how youve jumped from place to position. Some folks may believe that fancy is better, but in the event of a prosperous executive resume, easy and professional is the best way to go. The Argument About Office Skills Resume If youve obtained certificates in Office Skills, you can incorporate this training as a portion of your Education. Administrators should be able to hear an assortment of issues and solve them using critical thinking. Utilizing a Resume Quesionnaire is a superior method to assemble and organize your individual information for your resume. Most jobs require that you have a fundamental comprehension of computer programs like Excel and Microsoft Office, in addition to skills in internet navigation, social netwo rking sites and email systems.

Society of Women Engineers to Host First-Ever Online Career Development Conference

Society of Women Engineers to Host First-Ever Online Career Development Conference Just in time for Womens History Month (March 2014), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE)has recently announced its first Online Career Development Conference. The online conference, Take Charge of Your Career Development, will boast an array of accomplished speakers and bring together distinguished presenters to share their thoughts on how women can take control of their careers.Who Society of Women EngineersWhat Take Charge of Your Career Development Conference offering 4-5 webinar presentations per day ranging from 30 minutes to one hour.When March 13-14, 2014Where OnlineWe listened to the needs of our 26,000 members worldwide and worked to attract the brightest leaders in career development, said Peter Finn, SWEs deputy executive director and chief learning officer. The online format means regardless of schedule or location, attendees can take advantage of this slate of speakers perspective on professional advancement.The upcoming conference welches developed for women three to 15 years into their careers and aims to help engineers remain competitive in the marketplace by continuously sharpening their professional and technical skills. It will also show businesswomen how to achieve their career goals while maintaining work-life balance.The summit will offer a range of topics, includingUnderstanding emotional intelligence and its impact in the workplaceBeing an authentic leaderProactive approaches to career planning and transitionsCommunicating effectivelyDeveloping your brandNegotiating your compensationEngaging with community and professional organizationsAnd moreFor more details and to register for the upcoming conference, visit here.