19 tips to a great-looking resume

Here are some great tips to a great-looking resume

 1. Limit your resume to one or two pages. Two-page resumes are quite acceptable, even for first-time job seekers. It's understood that if you've been working for several years, you may need two pages to fully document your experience and accomplishments. Don't cut out vital information just to get your resume down to one page, but never go more than two pages.

2. Emphasize quality over quantity. If your pages look too cluttered, you need to do a little editing and focus on the information that's most relevant to your chosen field. Reducing type size, shrinking margins, and closing up spaces isn't the way to do it. A crowded look is overwhelming and uninviting.

3. If you have a two-page resume, put your name and "page 2" at the top of the second page. If your pages happen to become separated—not an uncommon occurrence—someone will (hopefully) notice and (hopefully) reattach them.

4. Use a serif typeface—the kind with the little "doodads" on all the letters. Tests have proven serif type is easier on the eye...and therefore, easier to read. Serif typefaces include New Century Schoolbook, Palatino, Bookman, Times, Courier, and Souvenir.

This typeface is Helvetica. It's a sans-serif style. Don't use it.

5. Stick to traditional typefaces. Stay away from the fancy or cutesy ones.

6. Select a readable size. Never use anything smaller than 10-point type for the body of your resume. You may go up to 12 points. Your header can be even larger—typically two or more points larger than your body type.

7. Don't mix typefaces. Resist the urge to play with typefaces. Pick one and stick with it. When an amateur tries to do a little "designing," the result is inevitably... amateurish.

8. Highlight with boldface type. Boldface type is the darker, heavier type that leads off each of the entries on this page. Using boldface type can help you emphasize certain elements of your resume and draw attention to them.

For example, you might want to boldface your name, job titles, the names of employers, and your degree. These elements would then stand out as a recruiter glances over your resume. However, don't get too carried away, or you'll lose the effect. (And be careful to eliminate boldface from your electronic resume.)

Things to forget while writing a resume

Things to forget

You may have noticed there's been no discussion about photos, personal statistics, or job references. That's because they don't belong on a resume. Here are all of the elements you should omit from your resume:

 The heading "RESUME." Employers know a resume when they see one. Don't waste space by stating the obvious. Allow yourself an extra line for shameless self-promotion.

I Why you left past jobs. Even if there were positive reasons—a promo¬tion, transfer, or being spirited away by the competition—this is the kind of detail to trot out during your interview, not put on your resume. As for the negative possibilities—disciplinary problems, layoffs, out¬right firings—you wouldn't even think of including them, would you? I didn't expect so.

I Job references. Wait until the employer asks for references before you provide them. Of course, you should have them handy on a sepa¬rate sheet. Just don't automatically include them with your resume. And, since most employers will presume that your "references" are "available on request," you needn't include that phrase at the bottom of your resume, either.

However, if one of your references is someone known to or re¬spected by the employer, you could attach a separate sheet with his or her address and phone number.

Make sure every reference on your list is aware he or she may receive a phone call...and is fully prepared to swear you are as close to divinity as any human could be.

I Salary information. Providing salary information—either your "his¬tory" or "requirements"—allows a prospective employer to eliminate you from consideration (you're too expensive) or determine how little he can get away with paying you. Don't include it on your resume.

A better way to address the situation is to mention in your cover letter that you will be happy to discuss your salary requirements when you have a better idea of what the job entails. But avoid discussing salary at all until the prospective employer mentions it! There is abso¬lutely nothing to be gained by bringing it up first.

I Personal statistics. Details of your personal life aren't important to your ability to perform the job, so leave them out. What does the fact that you're 6'4" and married have to do with managing a record store? It's considered unprofessional to include such information.

How to make a effective resume

An effective resume should:

Address the employers' needs. Employers hire people who can fill their specific needs. Communicate that you are that person. At this point, you shouldn't even be thinking about your needs, wants, or desires...I guarantee you the employer isn't!

I Show employers how they will benefit. Stress your accomplishments and show employers you're an excellent prospect with talents to spare. Provide results-oriented data that proves you've handled previous jobs well and have consistently contributed to the success of every com­pany, group, or club with which you've associated.

I Be clear and concise. Employers sort through piles of resumes daily and typically devote 30 seconds or less to each one. Make your presen­tation clear, concise, and easy to read.

4 Be targeted. Your resume should communicate a well-defined objec­tive tied to a specific career (even if you don't actually include a "Job Objective").

I Support your promises of performance with reasons why you are the best applicant. Clearly present your skills and qualifications.

4 Be realistic. It should describe a person qualified and suited for the particular career it has targeted. Shy introverts should not try to present themselves as killer salespeople; anal-retentive accountants should not be seeking creative jobs at the trendiest ad boutique.

4 Be honest. Many of you may be tempted to make that one short-term job—from which you were fired—effectively "disappear" from your resume by "adjusting" time spent at a previous and/or subsequent job. Or you will shamelessly inflate a low-level position into a fancier sound­ing title with greater responsibilities. The truth will out. Be careful.

I Organize your job search. A good resume helps you focus on your accomplishments and career goals. It also helps organize your thoughts for potential job interviews. Once you've taken stock of yourself, and realized all you've achieved and what you have to contribute, you will enter the job interview and networking process with much more confidence.

Interview Body Language- 7 Simple Ways to Send the Right Message in Your Job Interview

Interview Body Language- 7 Simple Ways to Send the Right Message in your Job Interview.
Pay attention to your interview body language - it plays a critical role in determining how you come across in the job interview! Non-verbal communication accounts for over 90% of the message you are sending the interviewer. 58% of that is your actual body language and 38% is the way you speak including voice tone and pitch. There are 7 simple ways to ensure that you are sending the right message with your interview body language.
1. Your Posture
Sit upright but in a relaxed fashion leaning slightly forward at about a 10 to 15 degree angle towards the interviewer. This send the message that you are an interested and involved candidate. Hunching down or leaning off to the side gives an impression of nervousness. A sloppy posture and leaning back appears casual and careless, perching on the edge of the chair comes across as tense and uncertain.
2. What to Do With Your Hands
The best is to rest your hands loosely-clasped in your lap or on the table if there is one. Fiddling with your hair, face or neck sends the message that you are anxious and uncertain.. Body language experts agree that touching the nose, lips or ears can signal that the candidate is lying.  Keep your hands out of your pockets. Hands pushed down into pockets send a message of secretiveness, showing your palms helps to build trust.
3. Avoid Crossing Your Arms
Folding arms across the chest suggests a defensive type of position. It sends the message that the candidate is feeling threatened and ill-at-ease and is shutting the interviewer out. It can also send the message that the candidate does not agree with or buy into what the interviewer is saying. Waving your arms about too much is often interpreted as a lack of maturity and confidence. Try to keep your arms placed, in a relaxed fashion, by your sides, this looks confident and professional.

The Physician Job Interview - Essential Tips for Success

Interviewing for physician jobs can be stressful, as your entire candidacy for what may in fact be the ideal job

is on the line. Knowing that a good or bad interview can directly affect the job outcome, physicians often worry, and stress out about the interview - and understandably so! In my years as a practicing physician, as well as an administrator, I have learned a few tips I have found successful for me and those who either I have interviewed or know of as successful physicians in ideal jobs. Here are a few of my Tips for success:

1. I don't know! - yes, for those perfectionists I am going to say it again - I don't know! Seriously, physicians have much trouble with these words. However, the successful physician job seeker knows the value in being prepared to say them. It's okay, though - really! In fact, comfortableness with these words will foster more strength and self-confidence. Additionally, self-confidence will not only allow you to rest easily before the interview, it will radiate from you during the interview

, and significantly enhance your visit. As an example, for those medicine and surgery folks that have ever put in a subclavian central line, the saying is "the only doctor who has not dropped a lung (caused a pneumothorax) is the one who has not done enough subclavians!" In placing a subclavian central line, there is the chance of creating a pneumo. Knowing and understanding this, and going over what you know about the procedure all help mitigate your anxiety preemptively. This is important when coping in the unfortunate event of actually creating an iatrogenic pneumothorax. Moreover, know that a pneumothorax can and will happen at some point even for the best, will instill confidence before, during, and after the procedure. This will allow you to better prepare and focus on cannulating that vein successfully, rather than anxiously, and cautiously worrying about a complication that is statistically inevitable.

The Secretary Interview - How to Prepare for Success

Be ready for your secretary interview. Secretarial or administrative professional jobs are still out there but the competition is fierce than ever. Use these expert tips to know how to handle the secretary interview and get the job you want.

Prepare the right interview answers

Secretarial jobs require a broad base of skills and abilities. The questions asked in the secretary interview will differ depending on the employer, the level of the job and the experience of the candidate. However you can prepare for typical secretarial interview questions such as:

    * How does your work experience prepare you for this position?

    * What are your strengths and weaknesses as a secretary?

   * What qualities do you consider to be the most important for a secretarial or Admin Assistant position?

Prepare good answers to these interview questions by using the keywords that relate to the position you are interviewing for. Review the job posting or ad and underline the words used to describe the job and candidate requirements. Examples include planning and organizing ability, oral and written communication skills, initiative, confidentiality, adaptability, integrity, reliability, accuracy and attention to detail. Check the key tasks of the position in the job posting and see which qualities and experience would be necessary for performing these tasks - for example, if "scheduling" is a key activity then the successful candidate would need to be organized and able to plan and prioritize properly using appropriate scheduling tools.

Ask the right questions

Impress the interviewer by asking insightful and thoughtful questions during your secretary interview. Do some background research on the company and the position to help you prepare a list of good questions to ask your interviewer? Here are some examples:

 * What are the most important priorities in this job?

 * How would you measure success in this position?

 * What is the biggest challenge facing this department/organization?

 * How would you describe the typical management style in this department/organization?

Use this as an opportunity to find out the information you need to make the right job decision as well as to show your commitment and enthusiasm for the position.

How to Write a Perfect Resume Cover Letter

What is a resume cover letter? It is a piece of paper that is submitted along with your resume or curriculum vitae. Like its name indicates, a resume cover letter is a letter that is addressed to a person, and serves several important purposes related to your job hunting experience.

Purposes of a Resume Cover Letter

Contrary to common belief, the cover letter is not just an adornment or decoration to liven up your resume. Curiously, people think that because it has all the detailed information in it, resumes eclipse the cover letter in terms of importance, which is very, very wrong.

Resumes serve these purposes in relation to your application:

•    It is the first document that recruitment officers see and read during the recruitment process. Resumes do not play an important role before the interview.
•    It provides recruitment officers a sneak peek into what kind of a person you are prior to the interview.
•    It provides you with a way to outline your qualifications and your interest without having to engage in a personal conversation with the recruitment officer.

To further contradict the misconception of the resume being more important, it is actually the cover letter that decides whether your application goes into the “For Interview” stack, or to the paper shredder and the trash bin. Cover letters that recruitment officers don’t find satisfactory surely ends into the latter.

Things to Consider When Writing a Cover Letter

It is important to give a considerable amount of time to writing a cover letter instead of just typing a letter. A cover letter is not something you give to your parents, friends or boyfriends. It is a letter that ends up in the hands of professionals, and thus should sound professional and not conversational.

First, the cover letter should be brief. A typical cover letter is only a page long. Any longer than that and the recruitment officers lose interest and toss your application to the trash while they move on to the next. In addition to being brief, the cover letter should be descriptive and informative about your intention to work for the company. To accomplish that, cover letters follow a specific structure.

A cover letter, because it is only a page long, covers only three paragraphs. Through those three paragraphs, you are supposed to answer three questions in the reviewer’s mind since the recruitment officer is trained to follow the letter’s structure.

The Structure

First, introduce yourself and your intent to apply for the position. This is done in the first paragraph. Introduce yourself formally, and explain how you landed on the information that the position is vacant and needs to be filled up. Don’t go into broad details, just specifics.

Next, the resume cover letter’s second paragraph explains why they should hire you for the position. Include information like relevant college education as well as past experience that can provide merit to your qualifications.

Finally, the third paragraph will show how interested you are in the company itself and not just the job. Point out facts like company background, and how you can fit into the company’s mission and vision.

When writing a cover letter, keep in mind the common structure. However, you need not sound robotic. Introduce some creativity or personal flair while still sounding professional. As long as you take these considerations into mind, you will soon be landing the job that you have been seeking.

A Great Cover Letter For Nurse Positions

You finally made it through nursing school and are ready to put what you have learned into practice. The first step in getting the nursing job of your dreams is to compose a viable, nursing cover letter to introduce yourself to the potential employer and let them know exactly what you can do. A good cover letter gives your job search the punch it needs to be fruitful and successful. Nurse your cover letter with tender, loving care and you are sure to be satisfied with the end result.

All cover letters are subject to the same basic guidelines but the nursing cover letter must be created with extra care. Choosing what information to include in the letter is an important step in composing it. Writing your cover letter will be a breeze compared to the rigors of nursing school and the complexities of actually practicing medicine once you obtain the job you want. Pick specific skills and cite personal experiences in a short and sweet manner. Direct the hiring manager to your resume for further information. If your cover letter is Approach the task with the same confidence and skill required to accurately assess. Be organized, observant and keep meticulous records to aid you in the cover letter writing process.

How to Write a Correct Actor’s Resume

Just as every other profession requires a resume, actors must have a great resume to be considered for acting jobs. The acting resume, just like a resume in corporate America, shows what experience and training you have, and gives an idea of the kinds of skills you possess.

There is a standard format that all acting resumes have. This is not a place to get creative – save that for the set! Professionals expect to see a resume that is structured based upon industry standards. Here are the basics that should be followed:

1. The resume should be printed on 8 x 10 paper, so you can staple it, with one staple in the top middle, on the back of your head shot. Alternatively, you can print your resume on your headshot, as long as you have the right inkjet printer.

2. Your name should be in the center, with your height, weight and measurements, on the left side towards the top.

The Best CV Format

There are many different types of CV available so you may be confused as to which CV will best present your profile, skills, qualifications and work experience. Before just writing down the information, you should research the types or formats of Curriculum Vitae that will present you and your career information in the best possible way in order to achieve an effective CV - one that gets you chosen for interviews.

There are mainly six different CV formats: the Chronological CV, the Performance CV, the Functional CV, the Targeted CV, the Alternative CV and the Universal CV. There are other names and of similar variations of the same, such as the hybrid CV, the Comprehensive CV and the Brief CV.

The Chronological CV is one that lists your education, work history, experience, etc in reverse order of the events. This is the most used Curriculum Vitae; however, it may not be the best CV to use for your situation. If you have just graduated from college for example, you may not possess a list of job specific specialized training, work history, or professional experience. This may be the ideal type of CV for a person that has performed well in his or her career and has plenty of information to add in a chronological manner.

The Performance CV is similar to the chronological CV, you can however, add achievements with the information provided in chronological order such as awards and information of the school, company, and a person to contact. This format is great for those with job experience of which to display a company in their work history.

The Functional CV the focus is on your career functions - i.e. an expansion on your skills performed. This format is often used for individuals / managers that are seeking a position in a different field. This CV type is also good for those for trades or technical employees employed on various short term contracts.

The Targeted CV focuses on the vacancy that you desire within a company. With this CV type, you only list education and work history that is relevant to the specific job position. This format is used by people that have been employed in various fields, but wish to focus on one job area or specific job vacancy.

The Alternative CV is one that is often used for creative people and positions. An individual can be a more flamboyant and add more personality to their Curriculum Vitae. This type is used by people that want to focus and advertise themselves rather than their achievements.

The Universal CV can be a mix of all of the above. If you are confused about which CV to use this is the safest one to present to prospective employers. Choosing this format is usually the best way to get the attention you deserve if you are writing your own CV. This CV will display the pertinent information you need in order to be chosen for an interview.

Writing an Awesome Restaurant Resume

As a restaurant management recruiter I am constantly bombarded with resumes all day, every day, on weekends and holidays. It is amazing how many great managers out there can run a profitable restaurant operation inside and out, but they have no idea what to write when it comes time to shop for their next opportunity.

In the restaurant industry it isn’t about where you went to school, what degree you have or what you like to do on your days off. Plain and simple is the best strategy for getting an interview in this field. You have to understand that the hiring managers who review your resume see more resumes than I do any given day. We are talking in the mid hundreds depending on how they have their needs and job hiring goals presented to the public. Many times a resume is passed over because it isn’t user friendly or it is out of order chronologically. The worst thing I ever saw was a resume that stopped over 2 years ago with no explanation. Go ahead and file that one in the round outbox on the floor.

7 Great sites that will help you build a Resume

With millions of resume flooding the internet and tonnes of applicants for each posting, it is really difficult for the job seekers to differentiate themselves in the crowd. Given below are a list of popular resume building sites that can help you get noticed by the recruiters in no time.
ResumeBucket
ResumeBucket helps you build and access  personal resumes from anywhere around the world. Their services provides an ease in editing and sharing your resume with the top industries. They have a resume writing service with professional writers who can help you all through out the entire process. The site provides you with a unique URL for your resume and enables you to promote your resume on your website or blog with embeddable ResumeBucket badges.

GlobalPitch
GlobalPitch is the Internet destination where job seekers have a platform to rise above the millions of other candidates. GlobalPitch not only allows you to post a video profile or a photo online, but also letters of recommendation, awards and other accomplishments, and a list of references and endorsements from business associates. This is also a great platform for exhibiting your soft skills.

PongoResume
With Pongo’s Resume Builder, Cover Letter Builder, Interview Tips, integrated Job Search Tool, and expert guidance, you have what it takes to sell yourself and negotiate your best job offer. They have all the tools, templates to help you cover the process with ease and also a step by step service guidance.

ResumeSocial
Resume Social is a great site where you get to build your resume and then improve it based on the feedbacks from other users. It also helps register yourself as a resume expert by giving valuable advice to others on the site on how they can make their resume more attractive and crisp. There is another important section where you can share cover letters, follow-up letters etc. It is a great site that brings together similar people from around the world for sharing their views on different resumes.
HowToWriteaResume
This site helps you build a professional resume without being an expert in making one. Their predefined templates helps you fill the blanks and the “one click formatting” option helps you reformat your entire resume and helps you choose a background of your choice. Also their phase builder technology helps you write catchy headings.
Gigtide
Gigtide helps you build a resume in minutes with the help of their professional themes and writing tips. This site shares your resume with potential employers online and offline. You can even view the number of times your resume have been viewed. Gigtide also includes easy to use job management tools.
iDlogik
This online resume builder helps you create a powerful and lasting impression and win employers over with embedded images and interactive display. You could also choose the privacy levels and decide how to share your resume. It also enables you to network your resume directly to the employer of your choice and thus be the first one to hear their next job opportunity. You could also broadcast your resume and see job offers pour in no time.

How To Make A Superb Cover Letter

Writing different types of letters were taught way back in high school and college. And now that you've graduated, it's time that you make your own letter, a cover letter to be exact.

After graduation, most of the students will begin their search for a job. And in applying for a job, you would need to submit a resume together with a cover letter. If you're a serious applicant, you should know the importance of having a cover letter to back up your resume.

Here are helpful tips to help you in making your very own cover letter.

Make sure that you use a paper that is of good quality for your resume and letter, and use the same paper for both. In this manner, it shows the prospective employer how professional you are in applying for the job.

Don't make your letter very long. A lengthy cover letter appears to be a life story. A one-paged cover letter is more than enough.

The addressee's name should be correctly spelled, including his or her title. Bear in mind that no particular person, especially that of authority, want his/her name spelled incorrectly.

You can include a few sentences about company information to show that you've done a bit of research, and that you're really interested in applying to the company.

Old standard is old standard, so don't forget to sign your letter in black or blue ink pen.

Your letter should appear conversational, and make sure that you use concise and clear sentences.

Remember that you're selling yourself, but it doesn't mean that all your sentences start with an 'I'. There are still other ways to state your goals. If you can generate the reader's excitement, then he or she will agree to anything you say.

An original cover letter will create a more favorable impression compared to copied ones. It tells the employer that you took some time to make the letter on your own and that is added point.

The traditional format of business letters is enough, as long as your statements are clear and stands out; your letter can speak for itself.

If you have gaps in your employment history, you can explain it in a light manner, but just make it brief.

It is best if you state the particular job that you're applying for, letting them guess what you have in mind is not a very good idea.

State your request to get an interview and as to how you'll follow up your application.

If you have a positive attitude, it naturally comes out in your letter. If you're enthusiastic, you can easily catch your employer's attention.

Express your desire to work hard and focus your attention to the employer.

If it is possible, quantify all your job experiences. Tell 'how' you helped previous employers rather that stating your duties and/or responsibilities.

If you're mailing your resume, make sure that the cover letter is on top. Fold it in thirds; but it is much better if you can use a larger envelope so you won't need to fold it. A resume and cover letter without creases are better than folded ones.

When applying for a job, everything matters. If you give extra attention to details, your resume will be noticed and who knows, you might be on the way to the job that you've applied for some time.

The Web 2.0 Resume: Why, How, Now!

Internship and job search for students just got way tougher. The depressed global economy, Googling of students by employers, invasion of Facebook by recruiters... what’s a student to do?

 In the age of Web 2.0, employers want more than just a paper resume. Getting a professional online identity (a.k.a. your online resume portfolio) is a new avenue for students to market themselves and get hired. Think of it as being carded online and "getting in.” Your professional online identity includes your blog, articles, portfolio, online resume and even testimonials.

 According to ExecuNet.com, 83 percent of recruiters used search engines to check out prospective employees last year, and 43 percent eliminated candidates based on the results. So what are recruiters going to find when they Google you?

 Here are the top 5 reasons you need an online resume portfolio, followed by the top 5 ways to craft your online identity ASAP!

How to Write a resume

We see and hear the phrase 'CV' all around us. This is because sooner or later, everyone has to write one. Starting out and writing a CV from scratch seems pretty impossible, but it doesn't have to be. Most people find writing their CV a bit daunting. This is because it is an in depth timeline of their job history. It presents details about what jobs they have done, when and where, why they left, what they learned and the other skills they have too.

CV is short for Curriculum Vitae; a Latin phrase meaning 'course of life.' This could be part of the reason why CVs traditionally seem so scary sometimes! In the US a CV is known as a résumé. Now and then that word creeps in and British employers use it too. Whatever you call it, your CV is the single most important tool in your job search.

We will guide you through every stage of how to prepare, write and use your CV. We will work on maximising your chances of getting to the next stage of the job search process - getting invited to an interview. The CV is the first step, and then it's your time to shine. Confused? We understand!

But they told me...
"The Jobcentre made me do it that way", "My teacher told me to do it like this", "My friend said this is how to write a CV", "A recruitment consultant insisted I used their template"...

We have heard countless similar tales from people with CVs that simply don't work - they do not sell them to employers. The single most important thing to remember about your CV is it is YOURS. It showcases YOU to the best of your ability. There is no right or wrong way! You need to do it YOUR way!

Five Great Tips for an Excellent Phone Interview

There are several different reasons why a company might choose to run phone interviews. While it does not give them the face to face contact that a conventional interview does, it allows them to get through many applicants relatively quickly.

If you find yourself facing a phone interview, you'll find that you need to distinguish yourself to make sure that you get offered a second, usually traditional, face-to-face interview. Follow the phone interview tips below to make sure that you present yourself well.

5 Phone Interview Tips

1. Double check the day and time.

Simple we know, but you'd be surprised how many people don't remember it. Even if the phone interview is taking place in your own home, you'll find that it is still important to be there in plenty of time and be ready. If the interview is early, you don't want to sound like you are just rolling out of bed. Remember to make sure that you are ready and waiting to pick up whenever they call, so figure out where you are going to be and when.

2. Dress up

It might sound a little silly to put yourself in a suit or other business attire when you are not leaving the house at all, but you will find that if you do this you can remain a good deal more mindful about your situation than if you were simply wearing your sweats or your pajamas. When you dress sharp, there is a good chance that you will feel sharp too, so take the time to make sure you take advantage of this mental trick.

3. Keep things quiet

If you are in a situation where you live with other adults and children, make sure that you have a secure area in which to speak to your prospective new employers. Shut yourself up in a room and make sure that someone is keeping the kids quiet, or request that your roommates keep things quiet on entering and leaving while you are talking on the phone. Remember that the quieter the room is, the better your ability to concentrate is going to be.

4. Gather everything you need

Before the phone interview, get everything ready. You'll want your resume, CV or job application form and any portfolio samples that you think might be relevant. Remember to keep a pencil and some paper nearby in case you need to make notes, and make sure that you leave yourself some reminders about things that you want to bring up. Keep everything organized so you don't have to search frantically when you want to refer to something.

5. Thinking about call quality

Whatever you do, don’t eat or chew gun during your phone interview, although you might want to keep some water nearby to make sure that you can wet your throat. Unless you have excellent reception, you may wish to conduct your phone interview on a landline. Similarly, keep in mind the fact that you need to turn off things like call waiting to make sure that you can speak uninterrupted.

Follow these 5 phone interview tips and your phone interview will run more smoothly

3 Things you Must Do After an Interview

1. Thank the Interviewer

I cannot stress this enough. Irrespective of how the interview goes, please thank the individual/board for their time and patience.

People always remember this gesture.

If you could go one step forward, and thank everyone by his or her name, it would be really nice.

2. Thank the secretary/coordinator

Always a good idea. This is the person who will screen calls when you call to follow up. she is also the person who will be the first to know who got selected.

Keep her smiling for that immediate response.

3. Keep a Journal

Gone are the days when you would not sit for more than 2 or 3 interviews in your life. Now you are probably going to do this once in every 2-3 years.

Keep a Journal.

Write everything down. What were the questions, what were your answers. What was the reaction of the interviewer.

What could you change

What should you keep doing

Always refer your journal before going for an interview.

Take Charge

Negative Personal Traits Can Sink Your Job Interview

During an employment interview, you must strive for perfection. After you have left the the interview, it is too late to address any small foible that may have cost you the job offer. Now is the time to privately evaluate your own personal traits and decide if you need to make some improvements. Below are the top five negative traits that may keep you from receiving a second interview or a job offer. Do any of these describe you?

1. Inadequate personality; Often expressed as a poor attitude, lack of poise, or lack of self confidence. These traits are very common in job seekers who have been in the job market for some time. After receiving no response from resumes, no returned calls after an interview, your self esteem, poise, and confidence are all likely to suffer.

2. Lack of goals and objectives; This person appears poorly motivated and indecisive. They lack a clear plan and cannot articulate their goals and interests. They may be hesitant during the interview and their answers may wander from the what was intended by the interviewer's question.

3. Lack of enthusiasm; Generally perceived as a failure to demonstrate drive or initiative. You may not be sufficiently assertive or may have low self esteem. These people often have difficulty "selling" themselves during the interview. They may feel incapable or not sufficiently intelligent to perform in the position that they are interviewing for.

4. Inability to express yourself; This person may have poor communication skills, they are unsure of their speaking skills, speaking voice or vocabulary. These people are often quiet during the interview, providing only short, non-descriptive answers that fail to "sell" the job seeker to an employer.

5. Poor personal appearance; This applicant lacks neatness, may be a careless dresser, or have poor personal hygiene. The job seeker may be unaware of this and walk out of the interview believing they have the position, but never get the call.

Unfortunately, these factors often overlap and each may compound the impact of the others. If you did find yourself anywhere on this list, take heart, recognizing your negative trait is the first step to overcoming it. And you can overcome these negatives with a little effort.

Begin by setting a self improvement goal and committing yourself to reaching that goal. Next, develop an action plan that will work for your life and circumstances and will ultimately reach your goal. Your plan may invovle taking a class, joining a club, or reading the latest self-help best seller. No matter what path you chose, remember to write down your plan. An idea remains in your mind; a plan is written down on paper. Show your plan to a spouse a trusted friend and ask them to hold you accountable for your self-improvement plan.

We have limited our discussion to the 5 most common negative traits, but there are many, many others that will be examined in following articles. Overcoming the 5 negative traits discussed here will produce a positive synergistic effect in your professional and personal life. A healthy sense of confidence will help to improve your poise, attitude, and speaking skills. You can then ask for some help in correcting any fashion faux pas in your wardrobe! Define your goals and enthusiastically pursue them. Your efforts will benefit you in the next job interview as well as your personal life.

How To Succeed At A Job Interview

The interviewer hopes that YOU are the right person for the job. They are under pressure to fill the position so that they can get back to their own work. Therefore you are in a greater position of strength than you think. Concentrate on what you have to offer in the way of qualifications and experience instead of feeling intimidated.

An interviewer has 3 aims:

1) To learn if you are the right person for the job2) To assess your potential for promotion3) To decide whether you will fit into the company environment

The key to a successful interview is in preparation

Be prepared: For the types of questions you will be askedBe prepared: To ask questions yourselfBe prepared: To research the companyBe prepared: To look the partBe prepared: To turn up on time

Questions you may be askedExample question: How would you describe yourself?Your answer: Should describe attributes that will enhance your suitability for the position. Have some ready in advance.Example question: What are your long-term goals?Your answer: Should be career orientated. Make sure you have goals to discuss.Example question: Why did you leave your last job?Your answer: Could be more responsibility better opportunity increased income. Do not be detrimental to your previous employer. He could be the interviewer's golfing partner.Example question: Why do you want this job?Your answer: Your answer should be: more responsibility or better opportunity or similar. Not: because it is closer to home or the gym.Example question: What are your strengths?Your answer: Should highlight accomplishments and experiences that relate to the position for which you are applying. Also give examples of situations where your strengths have been demonstrated.Example question: What are your weaknesses?Your answer: Should not be a list of deficiencies. Don't mention anything that could make the interviewer question your ability to do the job, for example "I am always late for everything." Instead, discuss a weakness that could also be a strength such as "I am a workaholic!"

More Examples of Interview Questions

Tell me a little bit about yourself.Describe your current / most recent position.What made you want to make this change?What do you most enjoy doing in your current /most recent position?Describe your future ambitions.How would you describe yourself?

Questions for you to ask

Asking questions at interview has a number of positive effects:It helps you find out more about the company and the position.It can be used to divert the interviewer away from a subject you may wish to avoid.It can help build a rapport with the interviewer.It demonstrates an interest in the job and the company.The questions must be about the position and the company.Avoid questions about salary, benefits and facilities until after you have been offered the job. You should already have researched the company and it's products and services. Your questions should demonstrate knowledge of the company's history, successes and problems. If the interviewer is a representative of the personnel department the questions should relate to the company and be general. Specific questions relating to the position should be kept for the line manager who will have a more detailed knowledge.

Example questions relating to the positionWhat are the main responsibilities of the job?What are the most difficult aspects of the job?How did the vacancy arise?What is the career path relating to this position?How will my work be assessed?

Example questions relating to the companyWhat is the company hoping to achieve in the next 12 months?What new products are the company planning to introduce in the future?Are any major changes planned for the department/company?Who are your biggest competitors?

Where to find company informationInformation relating to companies, financial data, industries and business trends is available in business magazines which often publish on the World Wide Web and allow you to orderAnnual Reports relating to specific companies.Companies often have their own web site.Newspapers - search on-line press reports including archived articles.Local library

Presentation Tips

Obviously you should be clean and smart in appearance but you should also dress appropriately for the position, for example: a student placement that is more expensively dressed than the Managing Director may have a negative impact.

Clothes should be on the conservative side, which is more acceptable to people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds. After all, you are asking to be accepted into the company. Therefore always avoid extremes in hair, clothes, make-up and jewellery. Taking trouble over your appearance shows the employer that the job is important to you.

Travel tips

Arrive 15 minutes early.Make sure you have the correct address and know how you will get there:Parking? Public transport access?Do a dummy run if you are not sure.Make sure you have a mobile phone and a telephone number so that you can ring ahead if circumstances beyond your control are making you late.Be polite to everyone you speak to, it could be the Managing Director's cousin!Have a copy of your CV with you.

Summary

You should show interest in all aspects of the job and the company especially if shown around the premises. Do your homework on the company and the nature of its business. Take care in how you dress for the interview. First impressions still count!

Some of the main influences on the interviewer are:Your experience in other employment or life situations Your personal presentation.How your personality comes across in the interviewYour background and referencesYour enthusiasm for both the job and the organisation.Relevant qualifications for the position.

Tips on Reaching Your Goals of Being an Accountant

So you graduated high school, got accepted into college, and decided on your major of accounting. Now what?

Set Goals and Stand Behind Them
There are many things to you need to do to get yourself from freshman to Graduate and having that dream job. Most importantly, you’ll need to have goals for yourself. You’ll need short term and long-term goals. And you need to stand behind whatever they are even if they change over the next few years or not. Set some goals to get through the year, as well as how you plan on getting to graduation day on time; we all know it’s becoming more rare that students graduate in just four years. You’ll also need to plan goals on getting that dream job I mentioned. How? Don’t wait till the last minute! More and more now, recruiters are looking at sophomores and juniors, not seniors!

Job Interview Questions? Beat the Personality Test!

If you're just getting into the job market, trying to advance your career, or are an executive trying to land that career making position, chances are extremely high you'll be asked to take a corporate employment test, or personality test.

You've spent countless hours preparing your resume, practicing for interview questions, and picking out the right interview clothes to wear. You know what to say, what not to say, and how to communicate your interest through body language.

Why risk questionable results from the pre-employment personality test?

It's not uncommon. The hiring manager will insist that you are "the one." But if negative test results come in, any corporate executive manager will recommend that the hiring manager "...go with the other candidate."

That's because managers want to avoid risk. Nobody wants to have to explain why they were the one that hired the guy that had "skewed" results on the personality profile. So they will choose the candidate that the test results show to be the best choice.

Don't let a quiz take control of your career direction. Here's why personality tests are unreliable:
They only measure different attitudes about things from different people. Your attitude about something in general cannot be used to predict how you'll react to business situations.

They cannot predict behavior because behavior is context sensitive. People act differently in different situations.

They associate success with different personality types. In fact, personality requirements are different for different jobs.

YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW YOUR ANSWERS WILL BE INTERPRETED BY EMPLOYERS!

How would you answer the most common question?

Some Good First Round of Interview Questions With Answers

Interview Question of the common type are listed below. Answers are included. But perhaps suggestions for tailoring your responses is a better way to put it, since specific answers are impossible to provide. Practice answering these sample interview questions out loud to yourself or ask a friend or relative to help you.

Don't feel that you have to answer right away. Interviewers know that you're nervous and expect you to think a bit, so do think carefully before you answer. But don't hesitate too long or it'll appear that you're stalling. Interviewers will ask open-ended questions to see where you'll go with them, so try not to ramble while you're thinking of a real answer.

Q. Tell me about yourself.A. This is the dreaded, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related.

Q.Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?)A.Be careful with this. Avoid trashing other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move."

Q.What are your strengths?A.Point out your positive attributes related to the job.

Q.What are your weaknesses?A.Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates for it.

Q.Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself?A.Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious, hard-working, honest and courteous, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well.

Q.What do you know about our company?A.To answer this one, research the company before you interview.

Q.Why do you want to work for us?A.Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company.

Q.Why should I hire you?A.Point out your positive attributes related to the job, and the good job you've done in the past. Include any compliments you've received from management.

Q.What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?A.Briefly describe one to three work projects that made you proud or earned you pats on the back, promotions, raises, etc. Focus more on achievement than reward.

Q.
What makes you want to work hard?
A.
Naturally, material rewards such as perks, salary and benefits come into play. But again, focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it.

Q.What type of work environment do you like best?A.Tailor your answer to the job. For example, if in doing your job you're required to lock the lab doors and work alone, then indicate that you enjoy being a team player when needed, but also enjoy working independently. If you're required to attend regular project planning and status meetings, then indicate that you're a strong team player and like being part of a team.

Q.Why do you want this job?A.To help you answer this and related questions, study the job ad in advance. But a job ad alone may not be enough, so it's okay to ask questions about the job while you're answering. Say what attracts you to the job. Avoid the obvious and meaningless, such as, "I need a job."

Q.How do you handle pressure and stress?A. This is sort of a double whammy, because you're likely already stressed from the interview and the interviewer can see if you're handling it well or not. Everybody feels stress, but the degree varies. Saying that you whine to your shrink, kick your dog or slam down a fifth of Jack Daniels are not good answers. Exercising, relaxing with a good book, socializing with friends or turning stress into productive energy are more along the lines of the "correct" answers.

Q. Explain how you overcame a major obstacle.A.The interviewer is likely looking for a particular example of your problem-solving skills and the pride you show for solving it.

Q.Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now?A.Explain your career-advancement goals that are in line with the job for which you are interviewing. Your interviewer is likely more interested in how he, she or the company will benefit from you achieving your goals than what you'll get from it, but it goes hand in hand to a large degree. It's not a good idea to tell your potential new boss that you'll be going after his or her job, but it's okay to mention that you'd like to earn a senior or management position.

Q.What qualifies you for this job?A.Tout your skills, experience, education and other qualifications, especially those that match the job description well. Avoid just regurgitating your resume. Explain why.

Q.Why did you choose your college major?A.The interviewer is likely fishing to see if you are interested in your field of work or just doing a job to get paid. Explain why you like it. Besides your personal interests, include some rock-solid business reasons that show you have vision and business sense.

Hardware and Software Design Questions

1. What is Finite Automata
2. What is a Turing machine?
3. How many processors are there in a pentium microprocessor? In Sparc?
4. Difference between RISC and CISC
5. Is RISC always fast?
6. What is a real time system?
7. Name some real time OSs.
8. Is DOS a real time OS?
9. What is a kernel,shell?
10. What is binary search, traversal, hashing?
11. Write a code to count the no. of 1’s in a binary representation of a number.
12. Memory taken for char *, int * etc.

13. char *cp;
    int *ip;
    cp++;
    ip++;

    What is the result?
14. Compare the no. of bytes in unix and Dos for long, char, short, int.
15. How do you make programs portable on unix and Dos under such circumstances?
16. In C++, what is a constructor, destructor?
17. What is friend?
18. What is waterfall model, prototype model?
19. What is testing? What is unit testing, integration testing, etc?
20. What is indexing when talking about databases?
21. What is atomicity?
22. Can recursive programs be written in C++, Write a recursive program to calculate factorial in C++.
23. What is best data structure to store the processes info in a real time operating system?

Hardware Logic Design Questions

1. Design a circuit for A + abs(B) = C, where A and B are 4 bits wide and 2’s complement representation
2. Design a circuit to detect when 3 and only 3 bits are set out of 8 bits.(eg. o0101100)

Electronic Engineer Interview Questions

1. What is D-FF?
2. What is the basic difference between Latches and Flip flops?
3. What is a multiplexer?
4. How can you convert an SR Flip-flop to a JK Flip-flop?
5. How can you convert an JK Flip-flop to a D Flip-flop?
6. What is Race-around problem? How can you rectify it?
7. Which semiconductor device is used as a voltage regulator and why?
8. Explain an ideal voltage source?
9. Explain zener breakdown and avalanche breakdown?
10. What are the different types of filters?
11. What is the need of filtering ideal response of filters and actual response of filters?
12. What is sampling theorem?
13. What is impulse response?
14. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of FIR filters compared to IIR counterparts.
15. What is CMRR?
16. Explain half-duplex and full-duplex communication?
17. Which range of signals is used for terrestrial transmission?
18. Why is there need for modulation?
19. Which type of modulation is used in TV transmission?
20. Why we use vestigial side band (VSB-C3F) transmission for picture?
21. When transmitting digital signals is it necessary to transmit some harmonics in addition to fundamental frequency?
22. For asynchronous transmission, is it necessary to supply some synchronizing pulses additionally or to supply or to supply start and stop bit?
23. BPFSK is more efficient than BFSK in presence of noise. Why?
24. What is meant by pre-emphasis and de-emphasis?
25. Explain 3 dB cutoff frequency? Why is it 3 dB, not 1 dB?
26. Explain ASCII, EBCDIC?

Hardware Architecture Interview Questions

1. Are you familiar with the term MESI?
2. Are you familiar with the term snooping?
3. Describe a finite state machine that will detect three consecutive coin tosses (of one coin) that results in heads.
4. In what cases do you need to double clock a signal before presenting it to a synchronous state machine?
5. You have a driver that drives a long signal & connects to an input device. At the input device there is either overshoot, undershoot or signal threshold violations, what can be done to correct this problem?
6. For a single computer processor computer system, what is the purpose of a processor cache and describe its operation?
7. Explain the operation considering a two processor computer system with a cache for each processor.
8. What are the main issues associated with multiprocessor caches and how might you solve it?
9. Explain the difference between write through and write back cache.
10. What are the total number of lines written in C/C++? What is the most complicated/valuable program written in C/C++?
11. What compiler was used?
12. Have you studied busses? What types?
13. Have you studied pipelining? List the 5 stages of a 5 stage pipeline. Assuming 1 clock per stage, what is the latency of an instruction in a 5 stage machine? What is the throughput of this machine ?
14. How many bit combinations are there in a byte?
15. What is the difference between = and == in C?
16. Are you familiar with VHDL and/or Verilog?

Hardware design interview questions

1. Give two ways of converting a two input NAND gate to an inverter
2. Given a circuit, draw its exact timing response. (I was given a Pseudo Random Signal Generator; you can expect any sequential ckt)
3. What are set up time & hold time constraints? What do they signify? Which one is critical for estimating maximum clock frequency of a circuit?
4. Give a circuit to divide frequency of clock cycle by two
5. Design a divide-by-3 sequential circuit with 50% duty circle. (Hint: Double the Clock)
6. Suppose you have a combinational circuit between two registers driven by a clock. What will you do if the delay of the combinational circuit is greater than your clock signal? (You can’t resize the combinational circuit transistors)
7. The answer to the above question is breaking the combinational circuit and pipelining it. What will be affected if you do this?
8. What are the different Adder circuits you studied?
9. Give the truth table for a Half Adder. Give a gate level implementation of the same.

VLSI and hardware engineering interview questions II

1. For CMOS logic, give the various techniques you know to minimize power consumption
2. What is Charge Sharing? Explain the Charge Sharing problem while sampling data from a Bus
3. Why do we gradually increase the size of inverters in buffer design? Why not give the output of a circuit to one large inverter?
4. In the design of a large inverter, why do we prefer to connect small transistors in parallel (thus increasing effective width) rather than lay out one transistor with large width?
5. Given a layout, draw its transistor level circuit. (I was given a 3 input AND gate and a 2 input Multiplexer. You can expect any simple 2 or 3 input gates)
6. Give the logic expression for an AOI gate. Draw its transistor level equivalent. Draw its stick diagram
7. Why don’t we use just one NMOS or PMOS transistor as a transmission gate?
8. For a NMOS transistor acting as a pass transistor, say the gate is connected to VDD, give the output for a square pulse input going from 0 to VDD
9. Draw a 6-T SRAM Cell and explain the Read and Write operations

VLSI and hardware engineering interview questions

1. Explain why & how a MOSFET works
2. Draw Vds-Ids curve for a MOSFET. Now, show how this curve changes (a) with increasing Vgs (b) with increasing transistor width (c) considering Channel Length Modulation
3. Explain the various MOSFET Capacitances & their significance
4. Draw a CMOS Inverter. Explain its transfer characteristics
5. Explain sizing of the inverter
6. How do you size NMOS and PMOS transistors to increase the threshold voltage?
7. What is Noise Margin? Explain the procedure to determine Noise Margin
8. Give the expression for CMOS switching power dissipation
9. What is Body Effect?
10. Describe the various effects of scaling
11. Give the expression for calculating Delay in CMOS circuit
12. What happens to delay if you increase load capacitance?
13. What happens to delay if we include a resistance at the output of a CMOS circuit?

Telecommunications interview questions II

1. A 2MB PCM(pulse code modulation) has…
a) 32 channels
b) 30 voice channels & 1 signaling channel.
c) 31 voice channels & 1 signaling channel.
d) 32 channels out of which 30 voice channels, 1 signaling channel, & 1 synchronization channel.
Ans: c
2. Time taken for 1 satellite hop in voice communication is…
a) 1/2 second
b) 1 seconds
c) 4 seconds
d) 2 seconds
Ans: (a)
3. Max number of satellite hops allowed in voice communication is:
a) only one
b) more han one
c) two hops
d) four hops
Ans: (c)
4. What is the maximal decimal number that can be accommodated in a byte?
a) 128
b) 256
c) 255
d) 512
Ans: (c)
5. Conditional results after execution of an instruction in a micro processor is stored in…
a) register
b) accumulator
c) flag register
d) flag register part of PSW(Program Status Word)
Ans: (d)

Pentium interview questions

1. Have you studied buses? What types?
2. Have you studied pipelining? List the 5 stages of a 5 stage pipeline. Assuming 1 clock per stage, what is the latency of an instruction in a 5 stage machine? What is the throughput of this machine ?
3. How many bit combinations are there in a byte?
4. For a single computer processor computer system, what is the purpose of a processor cache and describe its operation?
5. Explain the operation considering a two processor computer system with a cache for each processor.
6. What are the main issues associated with multiprocessor caches and how might you solve them?
7. Explain the difference between write through and write back cache.
8. Are you familiar with the term MESI?
9. Are you familiar with the term snooping?
10. Describe a finite state machine that will detect three consecutive coin tosses (of one coin) that results in heads.
11. In what cases do you need to double clock a signal before presenting it to a synchronous state machine?
12. You have a driver that drives a long signal & connects to an input device. At the input device there is either overshoot, undershoot or signal threshold violations, what can be done to correct this problem?
13. What are the total number of lines written by you in C/C++? What is the most complicated/valuable program written in C/C++?
14. What compiler was used?
15. What is the difference between = and == in C?
16. Are you familiar with VHDL and/or Verilog?
17. What types of CMOS memories have you designed? What were their size? Speed?
18. What work have you done on full chip Clock and Power distribution? What process technology and budgets were used?
19. What types of I/O have you designed? What were their size? Speed? Configuration? Voltage requirements?
20. Process technology? What package was used and how did you model the package/system? What parasitic effects were considered?
21. What types of high speed CMOS circuits have you designed?
22. What transistor level design tools are you proficient with? What types of designs were they used on?
23. What products have you designed which have entered high volume production?
24. What was your role in the silicon evaluation/product ramp? What tools did you use?
25. If not into production, how far did you follow the design and why did not you see it into production?