4 Common Job Interview Mishaps and How To Recover From Them

People get so nervous during job interviews because the belief is that one false move will ruin a job prospect.  Here’s a reality check: people don’t lose out on jobs over one job interview mishap.  Instead, they lose out because they allow their mistake to shatter their confidence, thus doing poorly throughout the entire rest of the interview.  But any time you put yourself out there you are vulnerable to making mistakes; why not accept that you might make a mistake on your interview and learn how to handle it instead?  Here are four common job interview mishaps, complete with ideas on how to recover from them:

Questions to Ask at the Job Interview

One of the last questions the interviewer will ask you is "Do you have any questions?"  If you reply with a simple "No" you are telling the interviewer that you aren't really interested in the job or the company.  You should always prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer before going to the interview.  

Below are some possible questions you might want to ask during a job interview.  Avoid asking about salary, vacation time, employee benefits, etc. until you have asked a number of other questions that demonstrate your interest in working for the company.  You will impress the interviewer if you ask questions that indicate you've done some research beforehand, such as "I read in the Wall Street Journal last week that your company is planning to expand its retail operations in the region.  Could you give me more details about the company's plans for expansion?"

DOs and DON'Ts of Resumes

A good resume cannot get you a job; but a bad resume can prevent you from getting the interview - and without the interview there's no chance of getting the job.

The new rules for better resumes start with the fact that there are fewer rules. There's an opportunity for some creativity, but not for gimmicks. What works today is conservative style and a focus on a key achievements - especially those that are of particular interest to the reader.

Remember what interests an employer, for let's say an executive assistant position , may not interest the employer hiring a desktop publishing specialist. That's why it is essential that people who qualify for several different jobs (and most do) have several different resumes. All resumes should be accurate and truthful, but each should highlight different strengths as they relate to the job opening.

BUSY??? Still You Can Find Time for a Job Search

No Matter How Busy You Are You Can Always Find Time for a Job Search. It's a given in today's hectic world that no one has enough time. The 45- 50 hour work-week usually ends up devouring at least 60 hours and for many people that's punctuated by an hour or more of commuting every day. But with careful planning, regular discipline, and a few shortcuts, any one can free up the time they need for their job search.


Techniques for Getting More Time for Your Job Search


Hire a Pro to Do Your Resume
The process of getting your resume finished can be enormously time consuming for most people. Any such time delay is bad enough, but the resume writing part of your job search is at the beginning, meaning it kills your momentum and sandbags the whole effort. So be smart and farm the job out to a professional. Quickly you'll not only be done with this all-important job search tool, but you'll almost certainly get a far more powerful resume than you'd be able to write on your own.


Look For Shortcuts
Seek out any possible ways you can free up time. Buy prepackaged dinners for a while. Pay your daycare provider to stay with the kids a little longer. Simplify your wardrobe and grooming so you can run out the door faster. Get a laptop so you can do work in your spare moments. If you really brainstorm, you can come up with dozens of ways of freeing time. The extra minutes can really add up to a great job search.


Choose Job Search Techniques Based on Your Available Time
There are myriad ways to find a new job, but some take more ongoing time than others. For instance, although networking is highly touted as the most effective job search method, it also tends to be one of the most time consuming. That can make it difficult if you have to stay at work late into the evening. In comparison, online job boards aren't as effective as networking, but they take less time and allow more flexibility in terms of when you use them and how long you commit to them at a time. Take a good, honest look at what you can really devote to your job search and focus on methods that fit your schedule best.

Overcoming The Fear of A Job Interview

So it’s the big day. You have been selected and it’s your interview call, surely a big day. But, preparing for a job interview can be very stressful. With the proper research, and practicing ahead of time, you can be ready for any pending interview that you go into. Searching for jobs and entering into any interview can sometimes be scary. You must remember to relax and to just be yourself. Remember your positive attributes and why you would be a great addition to the company that you are interviewing for. By following a few practice steps, and doing a few relaxing techniques, you can be well on your way for your pending interview. Read on to learn how to overcome fear during a job interview.

Connecting The Dots In Professional Life- Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

Cover Letters- Opportunity To Grab Employer's Attention

You could write the best resume in the world and be highly qualified for a job, but if your cover letter is poorly written, generic, or misguided, you can pretty much throw your chances out the window. The cover letter is your first, and sometimes your only opportunity to grab an employer's attention and let them know why your resume is worth reading.

Writing a cover letter often seems like a particularly daunting task. However, if you take it one step at a time, you'll soon be an expert at writing letters to send with your resume.

A cover letter typically accompanies each resume you send out. Your cover letter may make the difference between obtaining a job interview and having your resume ignored, so, it makes good sense to devote the necessary time and effort to writing effective cover letters.