First Impressions
Looking, speaking and acting professionally help to make a terrific first impression. Tory Johnson, Women for Hire

Follow-Up
Don’t be afraid to follow-up. I hired a Customer Manager over a year after he first sent me his resume. I didn’t even need to advertise when the position became available. In addition to sending me his resume, John had called me every month or so to touch base, and even stopped in my office (through the back door not through the receptionist!) just to say hello. Needless to say I remembered him when a position opened up. And he was extremely qualified for the position, which is why I remembered him.

Interviewing
Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there.

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Before you start your job hunting, make an assessment of what you want to do, where do you stand with job hunting, where you are in your job search, and are you ready to get started on a search. If you’re thinking of a change, ask yourself if it is the right time to get started, review your situation and make sure that you have all the resources covered. This does not mean that changing jobs would be easy but if you are prepared, it will run smoothly.Your resume and application letter will be your best chance to market your skills, knowledge and accomplishments.

First Impressions – Dress for success, and think and look confident. Be professional on the way you look and speak.
Follow-Up – Calling a prospective employer to follow-up creates the impression that you are serious with your application and really interested in the position. They would take time to assess your qualifications, giving you a better chance of getting hired.
Interviewing – Be on time for the interview, meaning, five to ten minutes early. If you’re not familiar with the location, try to find out how to get there before your schedule.
Job Fairs – Attend job fairs, discover opportunities and lookout for prospects in the job marketplace.

You should be able to stand out (in a positive way) during your interview. It is important then that you would be able to get your ideas across and commended for the way you speak. So be able to keep the interviewer interested on what you have to say. Be serious yet keep the conversation light. Be confident from head to toe. Not only should you speak calmly, but also your body language must demand respect. Answers are meant to be thought of, so do not just talk and talk to fill in lull moments. Make sure that you understood the question and then try your best to quickly think of an answer with a good explanation to match.

by: Evey

You should know what you want to apply for before starting the job hunt. In this way, your hunt will lean towards only one profession and a number of positions which will narrow down your choices. Make a resume that emphasizes your strengths, but at the same time, avoid placing unnecessary “achievements” just to make your resume longer (like your perfect examination in your English course). Make it interesting enough so that the employer would want to know more about you. Also remember that it is best to make your resume concise, so only place the experiences that would contribute to your job qualification. The resume is the written counterpart of an interview, so arrange it in a way that it would be deemed formal yet fun.

by: Evey

• When presented with the situation that calls for shaking hands, do a firm handshake.
• Stand straight, smile and be pleasant. Exude a positive attitude.
• Make eye contact with the interviewer.
• Wait to be offered a seat.
• Don’t smoke and avoid gum chewing.
• Answer questions directly in a clear voice.
• Avoid the distractions of moving your hands.
• Study the job you’re applying to and be ready to be asked questions about it.
• Never take down notes as it will distract the interviewer.
• Really listen and understand the points being made by the interviewer, avoid arguing or complaining.

Hunting for the ideal job takes a lot of patience and hard work. People search for a job not only for a better pay but also for career advancement. What if I tell you that got an interview tomorrow? Are you ready to take the chance? Are you sure that you have read your resume clearly and a lot of times? Some job seekers does not even know what is written in their resumes. Occasionally, when the interviewer ask them a question, they start to murmur and avoid the inquiry. But seriously, the interviewer would just like to see how we react and answer. Basically, what he needs to know is how we present ourselves.

Do men and women earn equal pay? The gender gap in wage earning is a comparison of median earnings of working men and women. It is a good measure of inequality, not necessarily a gender discrimination. However, there are many reasons besides gender discrimination. According to survey, compared to men, [the majority of] women generally favor jobs that involve little danger, no travel and good social skills.

In 2007, Senator Hillary Clinton is pushing the “Paycheck Fairness Act,” a bill that would intensify anti-discrimination laws, create a negotiation skills training program for women and stop retaliation against employees who disclose their salaries.

Employers are not only looking for driven candidates but also those who have above-average skills or expertise. So, if you are have any reservations regarding what you can do or not, make sure to have a listing to get you started.

Skills may usually fall under this category:
•Academic skills
oReading
oLogic
oCritical Reasoning
•Interpersonal communication
oSpeech: listening, talking
oNonverbal communication
oLiteracy: writing, reading
•Motor skills
oWalking, arts and crafts, craft, sport
•Skilled labor
•Innovation Skills
•Charisma
•Perception
•Persuasion
•Procedural memory, knowledge, expertise, fluency
•Profession
•Theory of multiple intelligences
•Thinking and intelligence, IQ
Next time you head for an interview, be sure to ace the interviewer with these listings.

Cover letters are equally important as resumes. Both of these tools are your first weapon in getting that dream job.

Here are some tricks that will create magic to your letters:

1. Personalize it. Make sure you don’t just put “to whom it may concern” on top of it.
2. Quality content. Body of the letter should state about your idea about the position, and your qualifications that would best suit their needs.
3. Let them know when is the best time to contact you and how to contact you.
4. When discussing your qualifications, make it concise. Summarize your skills and experiences. Do not mention particular experiences. This should be saved during your interview.

Source of photo:http://wwwstatic.kern.org/images/artscouncil/writing1.jpg