Career Marketplace Blog

In this article for LifeHacker.com, Whitson Gordon explains, How to Make (and Sustain) a Good First Impression Every Time.

Read an excerpt of Gordon’s article below. Read Full Article

In a perfect world, friendships, relationships, and business contacts would all develop naturally and blossom exactly how you’d like, but that’s not the world we live in. In reality, we’re all busy people, and relationships take work—work that sometimes slips our mind. Rather than leave it all to chance, here are a few things that can help you leave a great first impression, and form that into a lasting relationship.

How First Impressions Work

People often say “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, and that’s actually quite true—which is why it’s so important to start on the right foot. In fact, one popular study showed that those impressions can form in just a few seconds:

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In this article from lifehacker, Melanie Pinola show you how to Prepare to Ace Your Job Interview with this Interview One-Sheeter.

Read an excerpt of Pinola’s article below. Read full article and Interview One-Sheeter

As you know, preparation is the key to doing well on a job interview and hirers tend to ask the same kinds of questions. This job interview one-sheeter is like a CliffsNotes for getting your strategic answers together.

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In the SimplyHired.com blog, simplyblog, Martin Yate CPC explains, How to Handle the Five Killer Telephone Interview Questions.

Read an excerpt of Yate’s article below. Read Full Article

A telephone interview is usually short, just enough time to rule you in or out, so the focus is on questions that help evaluate you quickly. Your goal is to turn it into a face-to-face meeting, so your answers need to be concise. As a rule of thumb, keep your answers to less than two minutes, if an interviewer wants to know more s/he will ask.

“Tell me a little about yourself,”

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In the  September 16, 2010 SimplyBlog article, Answering the “Tell Me About Yourself” Question, the folks at Simply Hired show you how your answer to this often challenging question can help you stand out with employers.

Below is an excerpt from the Simply Hired blog.  Read full article here

There are a number of ways to answer this question, but don’t make “winging it” an option. As a question you can count on hearing in an interview, you should come fully prepared with an answer. What your interviewer wants is a quick, 1-2 minute summary of your professional experience and an explanation of why you are the best candidate. Your response will usually serve as a jumping off point for discussion. To begin, summarize your professional experience in a sentence or two. Then, highlight your biggest accomplishments, especially during your most recent work experience. Finally, describe how your unique combination of experience and accomplishments applies to the position, and how you would benefit that company.

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Check out this U.S. News and World Report slideshow, 21 Things Hiring Managers Wish You Knew from Alison Green.

View Slideshow

Tips from this slideshow include:

• We actually want you to be honest
• We want you to ask questions
• We need to know your real weaknesses
• You should address being overqualified in your cover letter
• The phone interview is not a casual chat
• We want you to talk in the interview, but be concise

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About.com Guide, Alison Doyle gives you helpful advice about how to follow up after a job interview.

Stand out from other applicants through careful follow up tasks:

Maura Judkis of U.S. News and World Report offers you 15 Essential Tips for Job Success. In this slide show, Judkis gives you helpful tips on how you can achieve job search success.

Those tips include:

• Networking in Person
• Phone Prep [telephone interview]
• Straight Talk [during interview]
• Online Networking
• Beware of Blunders

View the complete slideshow.

About.com Guide, Alison Doyle talks about Phone Interview Do’s and Don’ts*. Just like an in-person interview, Doyle stresses the importance of being prepared and to present a professional image. Even if the hiring manager cannot see you, you want to leave a great first impression.

Find helpful tips in the article including:

• “Research the job and the company”
• “Get Rid of Distractions”
• “Take Notes”
• “Have questions to ask the interviewer ready”

* Click link to read full article