Think Positively and Plan To Interview

As part of our work as recruiters, one of our core tasks is what is called "candidate prep", a conversation or two where we work through details of the upcoming interview between the candidate and a client. It always amazes me how many candidates tell me that they "hadn't thought about the interview", or "didn't think about that question." Didn't think? You are the one who initiated the search and/or expressed interest in the job!

Start thinking, and think positively! You will get an interview. A phone interview, an in-person interview, hopefully many interviews. And, to land a job, you need to be good at interviewing. For most people, that doesn't come without some thinking, planning, prepping and rehearsing.

Make it a goal of yours to practice, read or brush up on one to two interview skills each and every week. Schedule time in your planner to do this; be committed, and start right away.

Here are a few points to review to make sure you are ready for that next phone or face to face interview:

1. Have you reviewed lists of common interview questions, and do you have your answers prepared? Take time to write out your answers, and then practice saying what you've written. Not all interviewers will ask you the same questions, but this exercise will help prepare you.


2. Prepare your answer to the question "why are you in a job search?" This will come up in nearly every interview and you need to be ready to answer this honestly, conscisely, with emotion but not excess explanation and, most importantly, with an overall positive attitude - regardless of the situation that launched you into your current job hunt.


3. Memorize your resume. Know it inside and out.


4. Read up on interviewing. Current books, career articles and blogs offer great sources to brush up on the interview process, protocol, tips and more to help you "ace" the interview. Start with going through previous posts on this blog, and I would recommend visiting Darlene McDaniel's blog, Interview Chatter. Dedicated to the interview process and all that surrounds it, she often posts helpful insight and tips.

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Resume Workshop: Simplicity

In my Resume Workshop posts, I've taken you through length, content, keywords and more. Today's blog is about keeping the resume clean and simple.

1. Clean. White space. If you're reading this blog, you should be seeking a professional position in a manufacturing firm. Therefore, you are not likely a graphic designer. Leave the graphics out. No pictures, no colored bars. Love the white space.


2. Clear. Simple font. Use a common business font, and avoid any type of script or "fancy" fonts. Choosing a straight, non-serifed font (like Arial or Tahoma) can be an advantage because you can use a smaller font size and still have your resume legible. Avoid the old typewriter style look (using Courier New); you don't want the reader's first impression to be that your resume is "old". Also avoid excess (or any) use of bold, italics and/or underline formating.


3. Concise. Use bullets. Avoid lengthy narrative descriptions and opt for the use of bullets whenever possible. Be sure to use the same style of bullets (and, again, keep the choice of bullet small and simple) and style of writing (full sentences, phrases, keywords, etc.).