10L Jobs in 18 Month

10 Lakhs Jobs in 18 Months

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced recruitment of 10 lakh people in government jobs during the next 18 months.

PM @narendramodi reviewed the status of Human Resources in all departments and ministries and instructed that recruitment of 10 lakh people be done by the government in mission mode in the next 1.5 years,” a tweet by Prime Minister Office said

There are mixed response for this announcement,  however providing Jobs is one of the duties of the government.  Also its not clear if 10 Lakhs which is announced is Government Jobs or does this also include Private Jobs. If this is only Government Jobs then its a welcome move. Also with changes in Defence hiring process,  the number could be included 

Tailor your resume

The dynamic changes to the roles and responsibilities has made us to tailor our cv/profiles to meet the job description.

Hence it's critical for us tailor our profile for situation.  Below list out few attributes while tailoring your profile

Resume Tips

• Resume doesn't get you the job. It gets you the interview.
• People are busy. Your resume will be skimmed.
• Lose the objective. We know you want the job.
• Education: Don’t include anything before college. Only include GPA if it’s impressive.
• Move education to the end.
• It’s not what you know. It’s what you’ve done with what you know.
• Highlight your accomplishments, not your job duties.
• Use past tense. Coordinated vs Coordinate. Designed vs Design. Planned vs Plan.
• Relevant Experience
• Internships, summer jobs, Volunteer work, Research projects, Clubs/orgs.
• Customize your resume to the job. Pull words from the job description and use them in your resume.
• Review all of the experiences on your resume. Think of 3-5 accomplishments per experience.
• Accomplishments don’t have to be groundbreaking.
• Make/save money for the company?
• Increase productivity or save time for the company?
• Events, activities, and projects you planned and implemented? Their Results?
• Involved in notable projects? Notable clients? Results of the team?
• Did you get to use your writing skills? Purpose of writing?
• Action/Benefit Statements
• Action = Responsibility
• Benefit = Results
• Quantify your statements.
• BEFORE: Supervised staff of retail employees and planned promotions to grow profits.
• AFTER: Managed 20 employees, planned and executed 30 promotions, consistently generating 30-35% gross profit.
• Legibility is your goal. Don’t over stylize. No more than two fonts. Avoid ALL CAPS. Minimize underlining.
• NO TYPODS!
• NO TYPOS!
• Have somebody else read your resume and proof it.
• Narrow down the contact info. You don’t need address, email, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blog, website, cell phone, mom’s phone…
• “ The only people who get paid enough, get paid what they're worth, are people who don't follow the instruction book, who create art, who are innovative, who work without a map.” - Seth Godin

The All Time Classic Dos And Don'ts in Job Interview

Job Interview: The All Time Classic Dos And Donts
By Bernard MarrInfluencer
Best-Selling Author, Keynote Speaker and Leading Business Data Expert

DO:

• Research the company and the position you’re applying for.
• Research common interview questions and practice your answers.
• Dress appropriately for the job you want, be neatly groomed, and dress relatively conservatively. Bring breath mints.
• Map out how to get to the location before the interview, and plan to arrive 10 minutes early. If something happens and you must be late, phone the office as soon as you know that you are running behind.
• Bring all requested paperwork with you to the interview including your resume, an application, references, identification, etc. Extra copies of your resume and a portfolio (if applicable) are also good to bring.
• Be polite and cordial to everyone you meet; you never know whose opinion will count.
• Offer a firm handshake and make eye contact when meeting someone.
• Repeat the person’s name to help you remember it.
• Maintain good eye contact during the interview.
• Approach the interview with enthusiasm about the job and the company.
• Stress your achievements and talents.
• Give detailed answers to questions with examples. Explain how you would go about tackling the assignments and challenges of the position.
• Have an opinion when asked.
• Answer questions like, “What’s your biggest flaw?” intelligently, but honestly.
• Show off any research you’ve done about the company, position, and industry with examples or educated questions.
• Take time to think about how to answer an unexpected question. You can repeat the question to give yourself a little extra time.
• Prepare to answer questions about your salary requirements.
• Ask intelligent questions about the job, company, or industry. It pays to prepare a few before the interview.
• Close by indicating that you want the job and asking about next steps.
• Get business cards from your interviewers, or at least make a note of the correct spelling of their names.
• Write down some notes after your interview so that you don’t forget any details of what was discussed.
• Write a thank you note and send it within 24 hours of the interview.
• Evaluate the interviewer, the company, and the position to be sure it’s right for you.

DON’T:

• Rehearse your answers so much that you sound like you’re just reciting from memory.
• Dress too casually, too flamboyantly or in revealing clothing.
• Arrive smelling (too much perfume, cigarette smoke, etc.).
• Be late to your interview if you can possibly avoid it.
• Arrive stressed.
• Bring anyone else with you to the interview (a parent, spouse, friend, child, pet, etc.).
• Address your interviewer by his or her first name until invited to do so. Don’t assume you know how to pronounce their name, either; it’s better to ask the receptionist to be sure. Don’t assume that a female interviewer is a Mrs. or a Miss; use Ms. unless told otherwise.
• Slouch, fidget, or yawn while being interviewed. Don’t chew gum or bring food or drink into an interview.
• Tell jokes.
• Bring up controversial subjects.
• Be aggressive.
• Be self-aggrandizing, insinuating that you are perfect and have zero flaws.
• Take out any frustrations about the job search process on your interviewer.
• Speak negatively about your current or former company, boss, or coworkers.
• Lie.
• Offer up any negative information about yourself if not asked.
• Make excuses.
• Be afraid to ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question.
• Answer every question with a simple “yes” or “no” answer.
• Bring up personal or family problems.
• Ask personal questions of your interviewer.
• Answer your cell phone, check messages, or text during an interview.
• Act as though you’re desperate and would take any job.
• Act as though you’re just shopping around or interviewing for practice.
• Indicate that you’re only interested in the job because of the salary, benefits, or geographic location. Don’t indicate that you intend the job to be a “stepping stone” to something else.
• Bring up salary, benefits, vacation time, or bonuses until after you’ve received an offer.
• Say that you don’t have any questions.
• Call immediately after the interview to find out if you got the job, or make repeated phone calls.

Inspired and extracted from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/job-interview-all-time-classic-dos-donts-bernard-marr

Biggest Mistakes in Resume, 

Laszlo Bock, SVP, People Operations at Google

This post originally appeared at LinkedIn. 

I have seen a lot of resumes. Some are brilliant, most are just ok, many are disasters. The toughest part is that for 15 years, I've continued to see the same mistakes made again and again by candidates, any one of which can eliminate them from consideration for a job. What’s most depressing is that I can tell from the resumes that many of these are good, even great, people. But in a fiercely competitive labor market, hiring managers don't need to compromise on quality. All it takes is one small mistake and a manager will reject an otherwise interesting candidate.

Mistake 1: Typos

This one seems obvious, but it happens again and again. A 2013 CareerBuilder survey found that 58% of resumes have typos. In fact, people who tweak their resumes the most carefully can be especially vulnerable to this kind of error, because they often result from going back again and again to fine tune your resume just one last time. And in doing so, a subject and verb suddenly don't match up, or a period is left in the wrong place, or a set of dates gets knocked out of alignment. I see this in MBA resumes all the time. Typos are deadly because employers interpret them as a lack of detail-orientation, as a failure to care about quality. 

The fix? 

Read your resume from bottom to top: reversing the normal order helps you focus on each line in isolation. Or have someone else proofread closely for you.

Mistake 2: Length

A good rule of thumb is one page of resume for every 10 years of work experience. Hard to fit it all in, right? But a three or four or 10-page resume simply won't get read closely. As Blaise Pascal wrote, “I would have written you a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” A crisp, focused resume demonstrates an ability to synthesize, prioritize, and convey the most important information about you. Think about it this way: the sole purpose of a resume is to get you an interview. That’s it. It’s not to convince a hiring manager to say “yes” to you (that’s what the interview is for) or to tell your life’s story (that’s what a patient spouse is for). Your resume is a tool that gets you to that first interview. Once you're in the room, the resume doesn't matter much. So cut back your resume. It’s too long.

Mistake 3: Formatting

Unless you're applying for a job such as a designer or artist, your focus should be on making your resume clean and legible. At least 10-point font. At least half-inch margins. White paper, black ink. Consistent spacing between lines, columns aligned, your name and contact information on every page. If you can, look at it in both Google Docs and Word, and then attach it to an email and open it as a preview. Formatting can get garbled when moving across platforms. Saving it as a PDF is a good way to go.

Mistake 4: Confidential information

I once received a resume from an applicant working at a top-three consulting firm. This firm had a strict confidentiality policy: client names were never to be shared. On the resume, the candidate wrote: “Consulted to a major software company in Redmond, Washington.” Rejected! There’s an inherent conflict between your employer’s needs (keep business secrets confidential) and your needs (show how awesome I am so I can get a better job). So candidates often find ways to honor the letter of their confidentiality agreements but not the spirit. It’s a mistake. While this candidate didn’t mention Microsoft specifically, any reviewer knew that’s what he meant. In a very rough audit, we found that at least 5-10% of resumes reveal confidential information. Which tells me, as an employer, that I should never hire those candidates…unless I want my own trade secrets emailed to my competitors.

The New York Times test is helpful here: if you wouldn't want to see it on the homepage of the NYT with your name attached (or if your boss wouldn't!), don’t put it on your resume.

Mistake 5: Lies

This breaks my heart. Putting a lie on your resume is never, ever, ever, worth it. Everyone, up to and including CEOs, get fired for this. (Google “CEO fired for lying on resumes” and see.) People lie about their degrees (three credits shy of a college degree is not a degree), GPAs (I’ve seen hundreds of people “accidentally” round their GPAs up, but never have I seen one accidentally rounded down—never), and where they went to school (sorry, but employers don’t view a degree granted online for “life experience” as the same as UCLA or Seton Hall). People lie about how long they were at companies, how big their teams were, and their sales results, always goofing in their favor.

There are three big problems with lying:

• You can easily get busted. 
• The internet, reference checks, and people who worked at your company in the past can all reveal your fraud.
• Lies follow you forever. 

Inspired and Extracted from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140917045901-24454816-the-5-biggest-mistakes-i-see-on-resumes-and-how-to-correct-them?trk=prof-post&_ga=1.47551137.789954610.1412496871

LinkedIn Vs Profile - Comparison

Things Employers Look For In LinkedIn And Resume Comparison

1. Expertise.

Anyone can write on their resume that they have over 10 years of experience in the field of XYZ, but does that really mean you have expertise and knowledge of the practice? Employers will be looking at recommendations received, endorsements to specific skills, groups you’ve joined and even links to any published content you have. In particular, someone with a lot of recommendations and skills endorsements will be contacted first.

2. People in common.

When someone finds you on LinkedIn, they will also see if you know anyone in common. This lets them check references and see the kinds of relationships you have.

3. Employment.

Did you work for the companies you indicated on your resume? Are the dates of employment the same? Did you hold the title of the position stated on your resume? Anything verging from what you have are your resume is a red flag to the prospective employer.

4. Education.

Employers will look at the educational institution attended, areas of study, and if you have indicated receiving a degree on your resume that that information would also appear on your LinkedIn profile. If such information is missing, it would hint at some sketchiness on your resume.

In today’s job market, just about anyone who’s serious about job searching will have a LinkedIn profile. To not have one is telling prospective employers you are not up with the modern age. So, before you apply to any other job openings, make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated to reflect information you have on your resume. It doesn't need to be the same word-for-word, but the basic gist of the information must come off the same. Employers will be looking!

Resume Blaster will help you to create and maintain LinkedIn profile, email us at resumeblasters@gmail.com for more information.

How are you going to stand out in an Interview?

Interviews can be stressful. Often you have less than an hour to convince an interviewer that you are the best candidate for the job. That interviewer is going to talk to others on the same day and have other things that they are occupied with. How are you going to stand out?

Prepare. Know which stories you want to share.

Everyone knows that preparation is key, how you prepare is extremely important. Many people come up with a list of questions that they may get asked and prepare for these. This leads to some amount of panic when they're thrown a curveball.

Start with the end in mind and work backwards. Research the company and role by reading up about them and reaching out to people you know who work there. Understand what they are looking for in terms of skills and cultural fit.

Assess yourself. What are you good at? And how does it match what the company might be looking for? This process can give you a clear picture of whether this company and role are actually a good fit for you. Assuming they are, you now know exactly how you are a match. You also know where you fall short.

Pick the situations from your past work experience that highlight the attributes you've identified at the intersection of your skills and the role's requirements. Also, find stories which showcase that you can learn the things you might be lacking. Usually, the handful of stories that you come up with can be re-purposed for any behavioral question.

Know your audience. Structure your answers.

Use STAR method: Situation (set the scene), Task (what was required), Action (what exactly you did), Result (what happened).

Setting up the scene is critical. While you are intimately familiar with what happened, the interviewer is not. Take the time to make sure they can place themselves at the scene. If you don't do this, the rest of the story will be lost on them.

Take the time to develop a shared understanding of the situation with the interviewer so that you are working together to determine what needs to be done.

Keep Calm. Remember this interview goes both ways.

Take a deep breath and remember that this is a conversation. It is important for the interviewer to evaluate you, but it's equally important for you’re to evaluate the interviewer and make sure that this is a place you want to be at.

Inspired and Extracted from, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141002164029-1473578-how-to-win-an-interview-before-it-starts

How to get hired without Experience

How to get hired without Experience - Alex Malley

When looking for your next career opportunity, don’t fall into the tribal view that every employer you approach wants to hear the same things about experience, behavior and performance.

The truth is that many become a teacher, sports manager, and CEO with limited or no experience.  Let me tell you, goals are achievable even if you don’t have ‘the right’ experience. What you actually need is the right attitude. So if you have been teetering on the edge of something new, but fear of inexperience has been holding you back, the following thought-provokers might help you out:

Self-belief

Much of your life is destined by your attitude; it’s as simple as that. If people think negative thoughts, negative things happen - the reverse really does apply. The universe respects desire, patience and resilience. You must develop your sense of self and be willing to fail on the quest to achieve your goal. Whatever it is you want, go hard and don’t stop.

Position yourself

We all have subliminal plans for ourselves. Test those plans or dreams by developing relationships (often social to start with) with people who work in the sectors you are interested in. This is easier than you might think. People with common interests tend to live in packs. Find where the pack lives, engage with them, and develop an understanding of their thinking and habitat. You never know, you might discover transferable skills you’d never considered.

Start to practice

If you are building the right relationships, the opportunity to gain some ‘real-life experience’ will present itself - I guarantee you. I’ll give you an example. After building relationships with a group of teachers, one fateful day a teacher was unavailable at the last minute, and, as a last resort, I was called-in to substitute. There were 80 plus students (mostly older than me) and it worked out perfectly. None of this would have happened if I’d let my lack of experience lock me out. I had mentally trained for this moment for years. This included: teaching in front of the mirror, taking every opportunity to speak in front of a group, and sitting in on numerous lectures to observe various teaching techniques. Being prepared to make the most of an opportunity is crucial.

Tell someone

I always found it useful to tell two or three people that mattered to me what I was setting off to achieve. Whatever it was - teaching, television or business - every time I saw them, they reminded me of my accountability to go through with it. Proving that you’re more than just words is a great motivator.

So are you going to accept that you don’t have the right experience, or are you going to test the universe and push the limits until you really know what you’re capable of? Life’s short – don’t waste it.

Inspired and extracted from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140915082503-322130907-why-i-hire-people-without-experience

Successful Resume - A Key

Regardless of the content one thing that we cannot stand and the one thing I think most recruiters can agree upon is the FORMATTING! This is the KEY to your Resume. It can truly be the one thing that will make or break your resume when it hits my desk for viewing. Here are a few reasons as to why the formatting is so important:

Easy Eye Flow

6 Seconds! If you do not have simple, easy to follow, formatting then you will simply be placed aside. We need to have a style or some type of format to follow that can lead the interviewer eyes to the key points on your resume. Otherwise, it will get lost.

Easy to Read

Along with eye flow people have to READ your resume. There could be situation where we cannot read your resume because of the style of text you choose. DO NOT lose out on a job because you want to get creative on the text style. Keep it simple. Times is classic.

Pin-pointing to your skills

This comes into play with the combination of points 1 & 2. When you have an easy flow with your format and a good, easy to read, text then point 3 takes care of itself. With the right format and simple text then everything should lead me to your key points. Make your name bigger than the rest of the text up top. Have some type of contact info. List your education and dates of completion. List your professional experience that is relevant to the position and dates of work. Tailor your skills/experience from a job to fit the job description you are applying to but only if you have/used the skills. DO NOT LIE on a resume!

It is simple to keep the attention for more than 6 seconds if you have the right skills for a job. However, if you do not FORMAT your resume for be able to read it then, people will not waste more than 3 seconds on your resume. Make sure to use Resume Blaster resources to build a resume. Keep it simple but to the point. You can add flare but in a noninvasive way on the information. We are not saying that having a poor format will not get you a job, as many have found jobs with poor formatting - if any at all. We are saying that in an overcrowded market of candidates it doesn't hurt to stand out in a good way.

This article was originally written by Kelly Loudermilk, 

Recruiter & Marketing Manager at Astra Solutions - Let's make Beautiful Hires Together!

Inspired and derived from: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140730183343-323775485-the-key-to-a-successful-resume

Post-Interview Temptations 

Amira Soliman, PHR

HR Generalist at Community Healthcare Network

Act to be done after “post-interview”

Write a “Thank You” letter

This is a very important step after your interview. Not only are you thanking the employer for their time and the opportunity, but you’re also:

(a) Taking the opportunity to once again remind them of your strengths, skills and what you bring to the table

(b) Bringing up anything relevant to the position or organization that you may have forgotten to speak about during the interview

This is the perfect opportunity for you to follow up, and allow for them to be reminded of your candidacy. It is advisable to send one within 24 hours of your interview.

Employers interview process

Usually, employers let the interviewees know that they may be interviewing other candidates, and explain what the next step of the interview process entails. If the employer said that they will let you know within the next week, then do not reach out to them beforehand with the intention of asking for the status of your candidacy. However, if the employer did not say anything at all, perhaps this would be a good question to keep in mind when you go on your next interview. Remember – it’s not only them who are permitted to do all the questioning, but you should be asking questions, too!

When did you interview?

Was it yesterday? Three days ago? Last week? Last month?

The date of your interview makes a difference in determining when an appropriate time would be to reach out to them. General rule is at least two weeks to pass before making a move. Now, I’m sure many can agree that if they wanted to hire you, they would act on it quick! After all, who wants to lose a stellar candidate? However, you must keep in mind that there may be a lot going on in the organization far beyond the need for a candidate to fill that particular role. 

Depending on the position you may be in right now, waiting around before receiving an update or before reaching out to them may seem like forever. For those of you who are employed, take this time to continue focusing on your current duties and responsibilities. You do not want to put yourself in a position where you are jeopardizing your current role by putting too much focus on another opportunity. Do not make the mistake of losing your focus or work ethics.

And for those of you who are unemployed, continue expanding your job-search capabilities attend networking events, join a local group, take on hobbies, or just take this opportunity to do all the things you may not have the opportunity to do while working. You will never get this time back, so make sure to own it.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is:

Whether or not you are employed – always make sure to stay true to yourself. Reevaluate the reasoning behind your thoughts and decisions. What is it that you are truly looking for in your next role? Are you willing to accept anything that comes your way, or do you have a list of requirements you are looking for in your next position? Are you interviewing solely for the purpose to have an increase in salary, or are you interviewing because this is genuinely the career move you want to make? Are you truly ready and willing to interview for a position miles away from family and friends, or are you only doing so because you believe this may be your only option? These are a few vital questions to ask yourself.

Make sure to avoid a desperate mindset. Remember that your level of satisfaction in your next role matters, unless you want to find yourself back in square one within a short period of time.

Derived and inspired by: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140722161053-135136376-to-call-or-not-to-call-post-interview-temptations

Ten Simple Steps - Nailing the interview

Nailing the interview

1. Be likable. Obvious? Absolutely – but you’d be amazed by how many people don’t try to be likeable at all – much less try to be remarkably likeable.

Making a great first impression and establishing a real connection is everything. Smile, make eye contact, be enthusiastic, sit forward in your chair, use the interviewer's name... be yourself but be the best version of yourself possible.

We all want to work with people we like – and who like us. Use that basic fact to your advantage..

2. Use body language to your advantage. How you sit, stand, and move can sometimes matter more than what you say. The right postures and gestures can help you come across smart, open, engaging, less stressed… off of which contributes to making an awesome impression.

3. Know the company -- and some of the key players.

Don't just do a quick Google search. Look for current and past employees on LinkedIn. See where they worked previously. If they've moved on, see where they went. Get a feel for career progressions.

A little time and thought will show you what skills the company values, its areas of growth, why employees come and go... never forget that companies are a collection of individuals, and each individual has a story to tell.

And definitely research the person(s) who will interview you. (How will you know ahead of time who will interview you? Ask.) Use what you learn to help establish a rapport and connection with the interviewer.

4. Set a hook. A sad truth of interviewing is that later we often don't remember a tremendous amount about you -- especially if we've interviewed a number of candidates for the same position.

Later we might refer to you as, "The guy with the alligator shoes," or, "The lady who finished an Iron Man," or, "The guy who grew up in New Zealand."

Your hook can be simple, like clothing (within reason), or an outside interest, or an unusual fact about your experience or career. Hooks make you memorable and create an anchor for interviewers to remember you by.

5. Be ready for unusual questions.  A quick search will uncover hundreds more possibilities. Those kinds of questions – as long as you’re qualified and experienced – are easy to answer.

And never be afraid to say, “Give me a second to think about that.” Smart interviewers don’t care if you need a few seconds to reflect; quality, not speed, is what matters most.

6. Describe what you can offer immediately. Researching the company is a given; go a step farther and find a way you can hit the ground running or contribute to a critical area.

If you have a specific technical skill, show how it can be leveraged immediately. Think hard about what makes you special and then show how those skills will instantly benefit the company.

Always remember that hiring an employee is an investment, and everyone wants to see a return on their investments.

7. Avoid leaving negative sound bites. Just like with your hook, most interviewers will only remember a few sound bites from your conversation – especially if they are negative.

So if you've never been in charge of training, don't say, "I've never been in charge of training." Say, "I did not fill that specific role, but I have trained dozens of new hires and created several training guides."

Whenever possible don’t say, "I can't," or "I haven't," or "I don't." Share applicable experience and find the positives in what you can do, have done, and are eager to do.

No matter what the subject, stay positive – after all, your worst mistake is also your best learning experience.

8. Ask questions that really matter. 

Rule number one: never ask a question you could have answered through a Google or LinkedIn search. Asking those kinds of questions isn't just lazy, it shows a total lack of respect for the interviewer's time.

Instead focus on making sure the job is a good fit for you: the people you will work with, the person you will report to, the scope of responsibilities, etc. Interviews should always be two-way, and interviewers respond positively to people eager to find the right fit. (Plus there's really no other way to know that you want the job.)

And don't be afraid to ask a number of questions. As long as you don't completely take over, the interviewer will enjoy and remember your conversation as a nice change of pace.

9. Ask for the job – with solid justification. By the end of the interview you should have a good sense of whether you want the job. If you need more information, say so.

Otherwise use your sales skills and ask for the job. Focus on specific aspects of the job: explain you work best on a team, or thrive in unsupervised roles, or get a charge from frequent travel... ask for the job and use facts to prove you want and deserve it.

10. Reinforce a connection when you follow up. Email follow-ups are fine. Handwritten notes are better. Following up based on something you learned during the interview is best, like a note including additional information you were asked to provide or an email with a link to a subject you discussed (whether business or personal.)

The better the interview -- and more closely you listened -- the easier it will be to think of ways you can make following up seem natural and unforced.

inspired and extracted from: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140715123318-20017018-ten-simple-steps-to-the-perfect-job-interview?trk=tod-home-art-list-small_3

POWER interview in 7 Steps - Jim Coughlin

POWER interview in 7 Steps - Jim Coughlin, Staffing Leader to Fortune 1000 co's & their partners

The practices below have been proven by over 10,000 interviews conducted using these techniques.

1. Never be late – ever.

The number #1 reason candidates are rejected from consideration is that they were late for the dance. Even if an all-out thermo-nuclear war was launched that morning you should put on your radioactive resistant suit and show up for the interview 5-minutes early. Otherwise, don’t even bother showing up. No excuse will wash away the fact that you were late. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

2. Know the difference between “chitchat” and “content-driven” conversations.

“Chitchat” is what happens with the interviewer greets you in the lobby. It’s things they say like “Did you find us ok? It’s sure hot out today isn’t it? How about them Giants?” Chitchat is superfluous and means nothing - but you still have to engage in it. So all you do with chitchat is smile and say “yes, how about that (...heat wave, Giants, etc.).” Do not engage in chitchat nor push it off. Chitchat is the hiring manager’s way of trying to get comfortable with the awkwardness of meeting someone new. Recognize quickly when “chitchat” ends and the “Content-driven” conversation begins. This usually starts with a statement or a question about YOU and your background. “So, I see you used to work for XYZ Company.” Or, “So you used to work in the ‘xyz” field I see.” Once the conversation changes from “chitchat” to “content-driven” is when you need to fully engage with your PowerPlay

3. Engage with a “Content-Driven” PowerPlay

The moment the interviewer consciously (or mostly unconsciously) switches from “chitchat” to a “content-driven” conversation is when you need to immediately make your PowerPlay. It sounds like this:

INTERVIEWER: “So I see you used to work for a competitor of ours a few years back and now you’re interviewing with us.”

YOU: “That’s correct and in preparation for this meeting I’ve printed and highlighted your job description and all the areas that match my background and I’ve done the same with my resume. And I thought a good place to start would be for you to tell me what’s not in the job description that should be (since I know these are sometimes written from a template) and perhaps you could share what it was that you saw in my resume that had you bring me in for this job. Was a primary reason because I do know the competition and if so how would you want to utilize my knowledge of the industry in this capacity?”

BOOM! PowerPlay! When you make the power play several things happen at once.

a) You sound prepared, intelligent, articulate and focused on the job to be done. (You don’t blurt out the “Ums” and “Ahs” uttered by most interviewees).

b) You help the interviewer focus on the JOB THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE and what SKILLS are required to do that job.

c) You have the interviewer tell you what the REAL job is – not the “watered-down-politically-correct-HR-job description version.

d) You have the interviewer tell you what they liked about your resume and why they brought you in so you know what to emphasize.

e) You immediately eliminated 99.999% of your competition - because no one else is making the PowerPlay at the end of the “chitchat”.

4. Just get on base

You don’t need to “sell yourself” to the interviewer. That’s a turn off. All you need to do is not STRIKE OUT. Just get on base. What I mean is simply this. You are not going to get hired in a first interview. You’ll need to come back to the next meeting. Therefore, the purpose of your first interview it is to get the NEXT INTERVIEW. That’s it! Just get on base. It’s a baseball analogy. Don’t try to hit the ball out of the park – you’ll end up striking out or flying out. Just get on base. You can get on base in baseball a number of ways. You can watch 4 pitches go by as balls. You can get a simple base hit. A wild pitch can hit you. Or, you can get on first base as a result of a fielding error. Believe it or not you can even STRIKE OUT in baseball and still get on base if that last strike pitch hit the dirt. Always run to first base! The same is true in interviewing. You can get the next interview because the interviewer is not the final hiring authority – or needs to talk to other stakeholders. You can get the next interview because the interviewer was late for the meeting (a fielding error on the other team!). Imagine you are waiting for your first interview, which is supposed to start at 10:00 a.m. The interviewer comes to meet you at 10:30. Chitchat ensues and you get to the interview location at 10:40 and the “content-driven” conversation begins. It goes like this:

INTERVIEWER: “So I see you used to work for a competitor of ours a few years back and now you’re interviewing with us.”

YOU: “That’s correct and in preparation for this meeting I’ve printed and highlighted your job description and all the areas that match my background and I’ve done the same with my resume. And I had thought that a good place to start would be for you to tell me what’s not in the job description that should be (since I know these are sometimes written from a template) and perhaps you could share what it was that you saw in my resume that had you bring me in for this job. Yet, since I had on my calendar that our meeting was to start at 10:00 and last for 30 minutes, I need to let you know that I have another interview booked within the industry that requires I leave here in 10 minutes. I understand how other people must have had an effect on your schedule so perhaps we can take a look at calendaring our next meeting now and then spend the remaining time fleshing out the job you need performed here for the next time we meet.”

Mutual Professional respect will get you on base.

5. It’s not personal – it’s business

Interviewers will say and do things in an attempt to get you to “talk about yourself.” – OR - you may be tempted to tell the interviewer how you’ve been dreaming of playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof since you were 12-years old. Don’t do it! Everything that comes out of your mouth should be about the JOB that needs to be done and how you have successfully done that type of work in the past. Otherwise you ask a QUESTION about the job that needs to be done. It’s a no-win situation if you start chatting about how you love watching the X-games on the weekends. Trust me on this. Stick to business. You can be 100% personable – but not PERSONAL.

6. Know and share your stats – that’s what sells and not much else.

Every Major Leaguer Baseball player knows his stats. Major Leaguers follow their Batting Avg., RBI’s, Runs, Slugging percentage, and On-base percentage in addition to about 15 other relevant stats that make up their overall worth as a player. This is what team owners will purchase- the scorecard. You need to know your stats - your measurable and documented accomplishments. You must share your stats often when relevant to the job that the hiring manager wants done. You must also substantiate those stats by volunteering references before they ask for them. This enhances your credibility quotient. Stats can be in any industry or function. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been a sales person or an accountant – we’ve all been measured on performance.

7. The closing question that should get asked but never does

Most candidates ask terrible closing questions. They ask things like “How many other people are you interviewing? “ OR- “When will I hear back from you?” These questions communicate neediness and weakness. The most critical closing question you can ask at the end of the interview is this:

YOU: “Mr. Interviewer, I full understand the job you need done here (NOTE: repeat what he told you the real job is) and I’ve shared with you my accomplishments doing just that in the recent past (my stats). My final question is this: Assuming I accomplished what you needed done in this job in the next 6-9 months, what impact would that have on your team and the company as a whole?” Then be quiet and take notes.

It’s about him not about you! They are hiring because work is not getting done. If that work never gets done it will have a negative impact on him, the team and the company. The inverse is true as well. If the job DOES get done – on time, under budget – exceeding expectations – then it will have a POSITIVE impact on him, the team and the company. You want the interviewer to be thinking of the POSITIVE impact of hiring you.

Lastly – know that the above suggestions won’t come naturally. These interview techniques must be rehearsed and practiced for them to work. The more your practice, the better they’ll work. And they do totally work!

In Summary – Show up on time, listen for content, make the power play, get on base, stick to business, share stats and close about how it affects them. Do this and you’ll win every interview situation.

Jim Coughlin is Managing Director of VMS Accelerators (VMSA). VMSA produces killer executive workshops in the contingent labor industry (aka staffing industry).

Inspired and extracted from, https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140714163439-212078-power-interviewing-in-7-steps

Resume Blaster helps you to pre validate your CV

According to recent research increasing numbers of job hunters are lying on online CVs

With the increasing popularity of LinkedIn, the social network for businesses, research by Adecco the UK's largest recruiter has found that one in ten people lie on their LinkedIn profile.

10% of the sites users have lied on their CVs about qualifications while 9% have fibbed about their age. The research also discovered:

·         9% embellish the truth when it comes to job titles;
·         7% lie about the university or school they attended;
·         5% do not tell the truth about the length of time spent in a particular role.

Using Resume Blaster will show that you are transparent to the world about your CV’s and its send out a loud message to the employer about the uprightness on your candidature. 

Speaking to the Financial Times Alex Fleming, managing director of Adecco UK said: 'You always get people fabricating information on their CVs. In a challenging marketplace, people want to get a foot in the door.'

It may appear harmless to embellish your skills and experience on online CVs but as the number of employers using social networks as a recruitment tool increases, so do your chances of getting caught.

'Employers are using LinkedIn more and more and the fact it asks for endorsements really helps,' says Ms Fleming. 'The majority of employers use it in addition to a CV, using the two to get to the bottom of any lies.'  Resume Blaster will also work in your favor as you would be able to showcase the openness on your profile.

The Sign off question from an Interviewer

What questions do you have for me? - Brooke Fisher
Director of Recruiting

The winding off question is always tricky “So, what questions do you have for me?”

This can be the most nerve wracking question in an entire interview.

The idea of the article purported to be one that we are often touting to our candidates; that an interview is not about what the company can do for the candidate, it is about what the candidate can do for the company.

We provide each of our candidates with interviewing strategy immediately prior to their meetings with our clients. This strategy is guided by three key principles:

1) People hire people who want the job! Never give the interviewer the impression that you are unsure if you want the job. They will then be unsure about you, too.

2) People react negatively to negative information or questions. Do not put people on the defensive. Do not harp on negative things in your past. Always lead with, and wrap up with, a positive comment.

3) An interview is not about what’s in it for you, the candidate. It’s about what’s in it for them, the company, to hire you! Your questions should not be ones to which you really need answers. Make your questions ones that, once they answer, allow you to go back and explain more about why you’re a good for the role.

The entire interview should be structured around these three principles but even if you are solid all along, asking the wrong question at this stage can go against one, two or all three at once, and end your interview on a bad note.

So, we suggest candidates never ask the “Me” Questions; meaning the “What’s in it for ME, the candidate,’ such as: Benefits, Salary, Vacation, Promotion. Clearly those would violate Principle #3.

We also counsel our candidates to never ask a question that elicits a negative response, “What is your company doing to counteract the downtrend in your industry?” You may think this is give them a chance to brag but the way it is phrased puts the interviewer on the defensive, suggesting they might not be doing anything or what they are doing in not effective. Does this sound like you want the job? This violates both Principles #1 & #2.

Instead, say, “I have done some research on the company’s new initiatives and their success in raising the company’s market position. Can you tell me more about XXX or other initiatives you have in mind? This really gives them the opportunity to brag. You complimented them, putting them in a positive frame of mind and then asked them to say more good things about themselves/the company.

Lastly, asking why someone fails at their company or why people leave is basically accusing the interviewer of making poor hiring decisions, having an environment that does not promote success or having an environment where people are not happy enough to stay. This one violates all three principles at once; not showing interest in the job, leading with the negative, and asking what’s in it for you.

A better thing to ask is, “What are the key attributes of someone who will be successful in this position?” This frames the same question in a positive light and the answer to this is the one you really want, anyway! Then, you can follow up by explaining how you have those attributes=what’s in it for them!

We also suggest that a candidate ask questions that show they are a big picture thinker. “What can someone who takes on this role do in the first three to six months to really have a positive impact on your department and their goals for helping the rest of the company thrive?”

In the end, remember, by the time they are asking what questions you have, they are done with their part of the interview. So, you will probably not have time to ask question after question. Be prepared with three to four, lead with the strongest, and always make it about what’s in it for them!

Inspired and extracted from: https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140707163655-10650535--so-what-questions-do-you-have-for-me