5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview

5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview5 Tips for a Successful Phone Interview16Many of the cues and communication that occur during a face-to-face interview are lost during a phone interview, and you are required to rely on the phone interview to carry you through to the next level of hiring. Communicating in non-traditional ways will be an important part of your job if you are looking to telecommute or work for a company that requires communication outside of an office environment. Dont fretThere are some very simple ways to communicate clearly and professionally with a vermgen employer over the phone.5 Tips for a Successful Phone InterviewChoose a quiet space. It cannot be stressed enough that distractions can kill the most perfect interview. You do not want to have anything that makes noise or takes your attention away from the interview. Smartphones and devices can pick up and transmit sounds that you may not even think could be heard, distracting both you and the person intervi ewing you. Never plan to interview when kids are around or sleeping, as they are unpredictable and noisy. Telecommuting requires a quiet space to work, and you need to demonstrate to your potential employer that you have the right area to complete their tasks without distractions.SMILE. It sounds silly to smile when you are not actually happy or laughing about something, but the sound of a smile comes through in your voice. Smiling during a phone interview can not only make you sound excited and happy to be talking about your qualifications, it can also calm your nerves and make you feel better. It can make the difference in how you come across to a potential new anfhrer or company.Stand up. Standing up makes your voice clearer and allows you to take deeper breaths. Standing up while talking during a phone interview can allow you to pace and calm your nerves. Standing up can also convey confidence in your voice and assertiveness about your qualifications and skills.Be prepared. When you are getting ready for your phone interview, have pertinent information at your fingertips. Its a good rule of thumb to have a copy of your resume, information about the company, the job description, and correspondence from the company readily available. If you are asked questions about your cover letter and youve sent out tailored ones to multiple places, you should have the information you sent over ready to discuss. Its also helpful to have something to write with and paper to take notes.Ask questions. Interviews need to take a professional and conversational tone. Participating in the dialog is going to show your interest in the position and give them information about you. You dont want to recite your cover letter or resume in an interview. This is the perfect time for the hiring employer to get to know what your interests are and why you choose to apply for their job.Phone interviews have become an increasingly common way to screen potential applicants for jobs. With more of the workforce out of the office, demonstrating your stellar command of communication over the phone is an important skill to have. Make aya to remember that your personality and candor can make the difference between you and another candidate with similar references. By employing these simple tips, you can impress your abilities and passion about your new career.Readers, what are your tips for a successful phone interview? Leave a comment and let us know

Risk Management Certifications

Risk Management CertificationsRisk Management CertificationsAs the field of risk management grows in importance, so does the weight that certain employers place on formal certifications in the field for potential new hires, as well as for people already in the field who seek to advance. On the other hand, note that many employers still do not require any formal outside certifications for risk management staff. Leading Risk Management Certifications The leading certifications for risk managers in the financial services industry are Financial Risk Manager (FRM)Professional Risk Manager (PRM) Both these exams test knowledge of Financial marketsMathematical models for measuring riskRisk management methodsBusiness ethics The organizations administering the above risk management certification exams are, respectively The multinational Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)The Professional Risk Managers International Association The latter was founded by officials formerly associated w ith GARP. Both exams require 500-600 hours of study. People experienced in the risk management field normally need a few months to study for either exam, but newcomers may require over a year. Roughly half of those taking these tests pass. In 2009, over 23,000 people took the FRM exam, a leap of 69% over 2008. At the start of 2010, the two-part FRM exam had a $1,250 fee and the four-part PRM test cost $500. Some employers that require risk management certification will pay for all or part of their employees exam and test prep fees. Other Risk Management Certifications Various other risk management certifications are targeted towards people in the field who will work in companies outside the financial services industry. Some of these include Certifications from the Society of ActuariesRisk and Insurance Management Society Fellow (RIMS Fellow)Chartered Enterprise Risk AnalystCertified Risk ManagerAssociate in Risk Management Source ?Risk Managers Get Certified, The Wall Street Jo urnal, 4/1/2010.

Lets Get Small

Lets Get SmallLets Get SmallThoughts and notes from the editor-in-chief on how high-profile executives can land reduced-scope jobs as they scale back their emphasis on a 9 to 5.Remember the Lets Get Small routine from comedian Steve Martins first album? The mantra echoed in my head a few times while reading business writer Sean Gallaghers piece on downshifting to reduced-scope jobs.Getting small was a forbidden pleasure for Martin. By contrast, the decision to pursue a job with a smaller salary or title can be a painful one for seasoned executives, whether its in pursuit of a simpler life or driven by economic necessity.In these tight times, employers have their pick of candidates, and it can be a stretch to convince them that youre ready to squeeze into a smaller position.But if you can make it work, the upside can be significant. Many older workers are ready to give up the long-time grind and look for stimulating jobs with flexible schedules as they begin the process toward retirem ent, Susan Reinhard, senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute, told Gallagher.The current downturn presents a real bump in the road, Reinhard added, but, for the future, the findings are a welcome signal that workers 50 and over can really enjoy themselves while remaining productive in a vibrant economy.

How to Answer Interview Questions About Leadership

How to Answer Interview Questions About LeadershipHow to Answer Interview Questions About LeadershipAre you prepared to discuss yur leadership skills in an interview, even when you dont have much work experience? Recruiters of new college graduates will often be looking to hire talent with strongleadership skillsand potential, so dont be surprised if you are asked to show proof of your leadership ability during your interviews. Make sure that you think comprehensively about all your experiences - both inside and outside the classroom and campus - when you prepare for questions such as Describe situations during your college years when you have exhibited your leadership skills. How to Prepare a Response Consider the following four areas of your college life when preparing to answer this type of question AcademicsCampus LifeJobs and InternshipsVolunteering Examples of your leadership ability dont need to be significant accomplishments like being elected class president. Think abo ut situations where you influenced your peers and encouraged action of some sort. From organizing a protest to re-jiggering the storage process for pantry items at the cafe where you work, any instance where your ideas or actions led to change can be meaningful. Examples of the Best Answers Here are some sample answers for the academic setting I was asked by my psychology hochschulprofessor to lead study sessions prior to the final exam.My peers selected me as group leader for a major case review project, and I was able to delegate tasks and motivate group members. We received an A for our presentation. Sample answers to showcase your leadership ability through campus lifemight include the following As the social chair for my sorority, I convinced members to host a special party as a fundraiser for a local food pantry. I organized a committee of sorority members to solicit donations of food and beverages from local merchants and persuaded all sorority members to sell four $50 ti ckets to fellow students. We raised $3600, and the successful event motivated members to place a greater emphasis on the community service component of our sorority.As an RA I noticed that four or five first-year students were struggling with an adjustment to college and isolating themselves. I called a meeting of several juniors and seniors and led a discussion about how we might facilitate their adjustment. We decided to establish a big brother/sister type structure and match up freshmen with an upper-class student who successfully engaged the freshmen and accompanied them to hall gatherings. My advisor suggested that I revive a long-abandoned campus club devoting to celebrating my major, French comparative literature. I set up a monthly newsletter for after in-person meetings with participants, and was also able to secure funding for our group to attend a popular French movie playing off campus. Examples of ways in which you have exerted leadership on the job or in internshipsmig ht include the following My manager at Red Robin selected me to orient and train the new hires and act as shift leader when she was off the premises.The Human Resources Manager at Target asked me to discuss my experience and to help recruit interns for the next summer. Volunteer experiences might also provide the opportunity to demonstrate your leadership skillsand provide answers like As a volunteer at the local rape crisis center, I convinced the director to establish a campus program to create awareness about acquaintance rape. Then I reached out to administrators and student leaders on campus and cultivated their support for a Rape Awareness Day which drew over 200 attendees.At the food shelter where I volunteered in college, I was one of the few regulars from school, and not the town. I worked with the shelters manager to create signage and social media images about the value of volunteer work. I put up the paper signs, and asked the college newspaper and other college social m edia accounts to promote images about volunteering on their Facebook and Instagram accounts. These efforts increased the number of college student volunteers involved with the shelter. More Interview Questions and Answers When you are a college student or recent graduate, its important to relate your college education, extracurricular activities, and experiences to the job for which you are applying. Heres what youll be asked, and how to respond. Also review mora entry level interview questions and sample answers.

Turn That Drab Resume Into a Must Read

Turn That Drab Resume Into a Must ReadTurn That Drab Resume Into a Must ReadAmid huge competition, your best chance of standing out from every other job hunter is to do something no one else but you can do tell your own professional story. You do this through your resume, and by elaborating on your resume in the course of your interviews.Often, job hunters know their own stories so well that they assume incorrectly that others do also. Or, they feel that by simply conveying the nature of the jobs they have had, others will understand what they have done and what successes they have achieved. Just the opposite is true You need to spoon-feed your story to those who will evaluate you at every step along the way.Typically, corporate human resources staffers are expected to find great candidates for 20 or more different jobs at any one time. If 100 candidates apply for each of these jobs, and each of them submit a two-page resume, this equates to a mountain of 4,000 pages (or eight full r eams of paper) to read each week.With such volume, the resume reader easily discerns fluff from stock language. Decorative lines, artwork, logos, or other embellishments convey no substance and are regarded as a nuisance. Can you imagine hearing the groans a few cubicles away when pages crammed with single-spaced eight-point type, narrow margins, and dense text confront the bifocal-wearing resume reader?Resume readers cant possibly fill in any blanks, or assume that you have done anything in particular. They look for people who have already done what needs to be done. And, they look for people to explain how they have done it. They look for good, solid, easy to understand stories.Here is your challenge Think of each bullet point as a different episode, and each job as a different chapter in your story. Great storytellers and resume writers both convey the flavor of a scene by deftly building an image in the readers mind, detail by detail.Today, employers look for a clear career path , dates, and meaningful specifics that relate what you have done. The most accepted format for each bullet point is conveyed with the acronym STAR, which stands for situation, task, action, and result1. Situation. Describe the context and the nature of a problem or issue you and/or your group faced.2. Task. Share what needed to be done.3. Action. Relate what you actually did. Here you can weave into your resume what skills you applied to the task, along with a time frame, and other details that make up the heart of the story. How did you contribute to your teams effort?4. Result. Recount what changed because of your actions. Did profits or productivity rise? Were obstacles cleared? Were costs contained or decreased? Were the jobs of others made easier? Were your companys products or services somehow improved? Were you recognized for your role?There are many books, online articles, and YouTube videos that delve into the details of how to incorporate these four critical storytelling e lements into your resume. They are the stock in trade of resume writers because they work. When you make it easy for the employer to understand what you have done, you give them the information they need to appropriately compare your experience with that of others. Moreover, you set the stage for the questions you will be asked in todays popular behavioral interviews. Each point in your resume can become the basis of an interview question. And then you have the opportunity to tell your story in even greater detail.Happy huntingArnie Fertig is the head coach of JOBHUNTERCOACH.COM, where he utilizes his extensive background in HR Staffing and as owner of a recruiting company to help mid-career job-hunters land their next job. Arnie provides one-to-one coaching services to individuals throughout the U.S. in all aspects of the job hunt, including resume writing, personal branding, utilizing social media, enhancing networking skills, preparing for interviews, and negotiating compensation .

The Little-Known Secrets to Example of High School Resume

The Little-Known Secrets to Example of High School Resume However tempting it may be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a poor idea. The aim is to discuss issues and promote dialogue between both groups. It is to show youre a perfect candidate for the position you are applying for. The sole aim of a resume is to demonstrate how youre an ideal candidate for a position youre applying for. Employers wish to know precisely what you did or learned so they know what you need to offer as an employee. Resumes give potential employers a means to learn about applicants quickly and readily, and theyre your very first step toward new job opportunities. You may always select from the wide selection of High School Resume templates we must offer you. Schools, colleges and universities might have to adapt to be able to exist. High School Students should have the ability to work independently, and also with other folks. High School Resume templates are a valuable resour ce for such students. Career Objectives are excellent for resumes with a particular purpose. There are various sorts of resumes with corresponding purposes. A scholarship CV needs to be written purposely. A CV for scholarship is a critical bit of information which highlights your academic qualifications and achievements, your upcoming career goal and any other relevant information that might help you to receive a scholarship. Where to Find Example of High School Resume After you build your LinkedIn Profile, think about listing your private URL below your name. Moreover, remember tore not employing an unprofessional email address. Writing a resume summary statement could be the fruchtwein crucial facet of getting your resume prepared to submit to possible employers. A resume objective used to be considered the best method to start your resume, but a resume summary statement is currently considered a better choice. Keep reading to learn more, and dont neglect to look at o ur sample high school resume for inspiration While the functional resume format may be an attractive choice for job seekers with minimal experience, most employers would rather have a chronological or hybrid resume format. Your resume will be split into sections. Our resume library has a wonderful selection of samples. Our resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a few minutes. Just take a couple of minutes to consider what you are going to want to include as far as your skills go. Employers arent going to expect you to have years of paid work experience whenever youre in high school. Just make certain it is wholly clean of whatever you wouldnt need a prospective employer to see. Whether its because of the high degree of caffeine found in coffee or some individuals just arent themselves in the early hours, but the job of a Barista can be extremely stressful. Everyone was in the exact same situation when they were searching for their very first job An interview could also be needed to land the job, but a resume is critical to begin the approach. Utilize part time or summer jobs to reveal your work ethic. Why Almost Everything Youve Learned About Example of High School Resume Is Wrong You simply get to visit high school once. If youre a high schooler that has been accepted to a college already, you may also state your colleges name and the date you will start attending. You can and ought to incorporate anything which you think is pertinent to you as a student. If a student attends college to be a doctor then teach them what they will need to know to be a health care provider. High school may be a challenging time in the life span of a student because he or shes predicted to bag a job after graduating. For that reason, its important to be sure your high school entrance essay is well organized. You have just what it requires to be successful in college. High school students may require a resume to submit an application for work or as an element of a university application. Its not quite as difficult as you may think. Senior year ought to be fun. You may mention on your resume youve taken three decades of Spanish. Therefore, if your student intends to work while theyre in school or simply wishes to be ready for graduation, developing a scholarship resume now gives them the framework they should receive one ready for work applications once the time comes. For example, a high school teacher resume must underline the training and seminar participated because it is going to boost credibility. You are able to mention your upcoming education plans too. Your education ought to be a focus in your resume. Keep reading to discover our top 3 strategies for writing a winning high school resume. What a resume does is it summarizes your experience, skills, and other details. Broader areas of education that dont will need to get learned to execute the work skill shouldnt be required. Students with little if any work experience may also add a section discussing their involvements.

Unconventional Ways to Strengthen Your Team - Spark Hire

Unconventional Ways to Strengthen Your Team - Spark HireJason Nazars recent article on Forbes.com, 17 Counterintuitive Things the Most Successful People Do, focuses on unconventional methods of improvement for individuals. But after reading through the suggestions, it seems that many are very relevant to good management and could be applied to helping a gruppe improve itself, as well. Nazar doesnt lean on the old adages such as, constantly self-evaluate. Instead, he suggests putting yourself, or in these examples, your gruppe, into what could be negative or potentially uncomfortable situations in order to foster growth. Professional growthdoesnthappen in a vacuum, so consider how some of these tips might play out as a manager implements them with his or her team.Confront your employees and play the devils advocate. If the goal is to have a team that could do your job in your absence as well as their own, they need to understand the why of what you do and what the company does. Questi on them about why they are completing a task a particular way or why they assume the company is expectant about a particular project. Taking an opposing side momentarily will force your team to assess their ideas and plans critically.Repeat mistakes, or encourage trial and error, over and over again. Offer employees the space to innovate within their own job and dont shy away from failure. If they fail once, they probably need to fail again at the same task in order to really understand how to improve it. As Nazar says, Sometimes, mistakes do need to be repeated if the payoff is big enough. We hardly ever learn anything truly worthwhile after one try.Self-sabotage and be self-critical This is an important step when you find yourself mired in complacency. When in team meetings and one on ones, ask your team to justify what theyre doing and how theyre doing it. If the days at the office have been moving along relatively smoothly, question whats going on, and seek ways to do the job ev en better.Help your employees become accustomed to rejection. Rejection and negative feedback is a part of everyday life, at both work and home. A manager does nothing to serve his team if he always gives sunny reports about their ideas, plans, and performance. Little growth can take place when employees are always met with yes, and of course, and great idea. By rejecting ideas and giving negative feedback, you build up your employees resistance to it in the future and push them to come up with improved ideas and processes.Words like rejection, mistakes, and sabotage, are frightening when applied to the workplace and trulycounter-intuitivewhen thought about in terms of someones job. But typically, progress cant be made without ruffling some feathers, and innovators are bound to fail at some point. Hopefully, failure, feedback, and error help employees to strengthen their resolve as well as their nerve, which will only serve them better as the working world continues to get competiti ve.Would you stir the pot in your office if you feltemployeeswere getting complacent? Let us know what you think about these unconventional ideas to strengthen your team in the comments.IMAGE Courtesy of Flickr byolliethebastard