The Benefits of Volunteering

Meet new people. You can build friendships with people you wouldn’t have otherwise had a chance to meet and build onto your professional network.

Improve your communication skills. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to learn how to effectively work and communicate with a variety of different people and personalities.

Increase your self-confidence. When you know you’re doing something worthwhile and making a difference, it can give you a boost of confidence.  

Improves your physical health. Volunteering keeps you active, provides routine and is beneficial for your mental health.

Gain experience. Some careers are hard to break into without experience. Volunteering gives you experience and provides the opportunity to see if a certain career path is right for you.  

Build transferable skills. Volunteering helps build valuable skills such as teamwork, problem solving and time management.

I WANT THAT JOB! What Local Area Employers Are Seeking in New Recruits and the Process for Applying

Do You Want A Job? Find Out How You Can Get Hired!

The Quinte Human Resources Professionals Association presents "I WANT THAT JOB! What Local Area Employers Are Seeking in New Recruits and the Process for Applying" on Wednesday, February 26 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in room 2L50

Presenters will inform you on their organization’s hiring preferences and processes. Find out what they're looking for in regards to character and evidence of commitment, and hear their tips for success.

Don't miss your chance to enhance your hiring chances!

Register for this event by emailing careers@loyalistc.on.ca

Please register before Feb. 24, 2014.

Pizza And refreshments will be provided.

Networking Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind in order to help avoid networking blunders.

It’s not all about you

Just because you are interested in finding a job, doesn’t mean networking is all about you. Remember that networking is a mutual thing; your goal is to both answer and ask questions.

Quantity vs. Quality

Yes, it’s important to have a large and diverse network, but you also need to know when to draw the line to ensure you’re making lasting and valuable relationships. 

Failure to follow up

At networking events, it’s hard to remember everyone’s name. That’s why leaving behind a business card is a good idea. It’s also a good idea to follow up using email, social media, or the phone, to make a memorable connection.

Networking at Career Fairs

The Career Centre is hosting the 17th Annual Loyalist College Career Fair this Thursday, February 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here are some tips for how to effectively network at a Career Fair:

1.       Be presentable – wear clothes that you would wear to an interview; make sure they are clean and pressed.   

2.       Be prepared – bring lots of fresh copies of your most recent resume in a folder where they will stay crisp and clean.

3.       Be early – arriving early and mapping out which employers you want to talk to will help you make the most of your time.

4.       Ask questions – now is a great opportunity to ask questions about the general industry, the hiring process, what the company is looking for in potential candidates, and what kind of entry level positions they have available.  Have a short list of questions prepared ahead of time.

5.       Know your qualifications – employers will ask about your background, so be prepared to give a 30-60 second spiel about your qualifications, education and interests.

6.       Follow up – it’s a good idea to send a thank you e-mail to the employers that you made a connection with. Follow up within 24 hours of the career fair.

Networking Tips

Be genuine. With networking, you get as much as you give. Make genuine connections and stay in touch – even when you don’t need something.

Be credible. If you’re counting on somebody recommending you for a position or offering you a job, act accordingly. Prove that you’re reliable.

Build a diverse network. Try to build a network with people from different industries who have diverse interests. Your network is a great opportunity to learn about your community.

Get involved. Volunteering for a local organization is a great way to display your work ethic and meet new people.

Follow up. It’s important to maintain connections and keep up with the people in your network. A quick email or message through social media goes a long way.

What is Networking?

Your network is made up of people you have connected with along the way – family, friends, previous employers, coworkers, community members, etc.  Knowing someone connected to a company you’re interested in can do wonders for your job search.  Your network can help you learn about jobs that may not be posted publicly (or outside of the company), or even help you find a job that doesn’t exist yet.  When you make small talk with an old neighbor, connect with fellow alumni on LinkedIn, or attend a community event, you are networking.  The people you connect and form relationships with can be a valuable asset, so don’t be afraid to use them as resources during your job search. And remember to get involved in your community by volunteering and attending your local chamber of commerce’s networking events.

12 Things You Wish You’d Known Before You Took the Job: Infographic

To view the original blog post and infographic on LifeHacker, visit: http://lifehacker.com/5994285/12-steps-you-should-take-before-you-accept-the-job-offer

Evaluating Job Offers

Here are some things you should consider when a potential employer presents you with a job offer:

Location

·         How much will your commuting expenses be?

·         Are you willing to relocate (if necessary)?

 

Values

·         Does the job match your personal values?

·         Will you be working holidays, weekends and/or a lot of overtime?

·         Will you be travelling and/or spending a lot of time away from your family?           

Advancement

·         Is there a potential for job growth and promotion?

·         Are you looking for a temporary or permanent position?

Benefits

·         How important are benefits for you?

·         Does the company offer benefits?

·         How much will your contribution to employee benefits cost?

Salary

·         Is the base salary enough to comfortably live off of?

·         Does the proposed salary fit your budgetary needs?

·         Is there an opportunity for pay increases or bonuses?

Recovering From a Bad Interview

Almost everyone experiences a bad interview at some point in their career.  If you are lucky enough to realize the interview has gone south while still in the midst of it, you have the opportunity to recollect your thoughts and take control of the situation. However, not everybody realizes where they went wrong until the interview is already over. If this happens to you, here are a few tips:

·         Don’t Overanalyze

It’s normal (and easy) to replay every detail of the interview in your head, but don’t beat yourself up! Chances are, most of the things you are agonizing over went completely unnoticed by the interviewer. Overanalyzing will make you start to feel like the interview went a lot worse than it actually did, so try not to obsess over the little things.

·         Send A Thank You Note Anyway

If your interview went poorly, it’s even more reason for you to follow-up with a thank you note or letter. Just remember, pointing out all of the things you think went wrong during the interview won’t make the situation better. In fact, you could point out something the interviewer didn’t even notice and make things worse. When you write your thank you note, keep it professional and thank the interviewer the same way you would have if the interview had gone well.

Follow Up After the Interview

Following up after an interview is often where even the best job candidates drop the ball, because they don’t want to seem overly-eager or irritate the interviewer(s). It’s important to always follow up though, so here are some tips to help you do so while maintaining your professionalism.

Set Expectations – During the interview, it’s a good ideas to ask the interviewer(s) when they will be contacting candidates to let them know about the position. Asking for this information gives you a timeline of when you should hear back and when it’s okay to follow up and inquire about a hiring decision. If you were told you would hear back within one week, and ten days have gone by, it’s more than acceptable to give the interviewer a call and follow up with them.

Stay in Touch – Another professional method of following up would be sending out thank you notes (or thank you e-mails) within two days of your interview. Sending a thank you note shows you are interested in the job and appreciate the time the interviewer(s) took to meet with you, without being overly bothersome.

What to Do After the Interview

After your interview, it’s important to stay professional and know what to expect from your potential future employer. Here are some tips:

At the End of the Interview

When asked if you have questions, it’s okay to ask what the next steps in the hiring process will be. This will show your interviewer that you’re interested and help ease the stress of waiting to hear back in the days following.

Before You Leave the Interview

Collect contact information from your interviewer. Business cards are great to collect when you’re making contacts in your field. Plus, asking for one reinforces your interest in the job and gives you something to reference when you send thank you cards. 

After the Interview

Send a brief thank you to your interviewer thanking them for their time.  Sending a thank you note reflects well on you and can sometimes be the deciding factor between you and another candidate. You should send your note within a few days of the interview.  

The amount of time you should wait before following up varies, but if you were given a specific decision date, it wouldn’t hurt to send a quick e-mail or make a follow-up phone call after that date has passed.

Online Interviews

Online interviews are becoming more common, but there are a few considerations you will want to think about when participating in an online interview. Although it may be online,  treat the meeting like a face-to-face interview; do your research, dress professionally and practice potential interview questions. Here are some things you should think about before you do an online interview:

Background:

·        Make sure the space you’ve chosen to conduct the interview is clean and presentable.

·        Try to find a spot with a plain wall behind you and simple furniture.

·        Eliminate anything distracting from the background.

 

Pets and Kids:

·        Remove pets from your interview area and make sure they stay quiet throughout.

·       Take your children to a babysitter, or have somebody watch them while you do the interview.

 

Lighting and Technology:

·        Natural sunlight from a window is ideal, but make sure the window isn’t directly behind you.

·        If natural lighting isn’t possible, opt for a natural-looking table lamp and direct the light toward your face.

·        Avoid fluorescent or overly bright overhead lighting.

·        Test all of your technology before the interview – including the microphone and webcam.

·        If you’re using a laptop, make sure it’s fully charged and/or plugged in.  

·        Adjust the camera beforehand and make sure you have a strong internet connection that won’t be interrupted.

Typical Interview Questions

1.       Tell me about yourself.
Learn how to answer that one here.

2.       What are your strengths/weaknesses?
It might be helpful to make a list of your strengths and weaknesses, then pick some of your best attributes that will qualify you for the position.  Reread the job description and choose your strengths accordingly, with specific examples to back up these qualities.  When it comes to your weaknesses, try to avoid telling the interviewer you have none – they want an honest answer.  Try sharing a weakness that could be seen as a positive, and explain how you have overcome that weakness in the past or how you plan to overcome it. Sharing how the job in question will help you overcome your weaknesses and highlight your strengths is great way to prove why you’re right for the position.  

3.       Why are you interested in working for us?
The answer to this question will change depending on the job you apply for, and your personal feelings. You want to let the interviewer know you have done your research, that you will fit in well with the company culture and that you have a lot to offer.  Try to describe how your previous experience and skills will be an asset to the company.   

4.       Why do you want to leave your current job?
 Keep your answer brief and positive. You can answer by saying you are looking for career growth and development, a new challenge or a new skill set. Be honest and show your interest in the job, and how it will help accomplish these things.

5.       What did you dislike about your last job?
The most important thing to remember here is to keep it positive. Under no circumstances should you speak negatively about your previous job or employer.  It’s a good idea to talk about something positive that came out of your last job, while also explaining why you decided to move on.  

6.       Describe a time that you took initiative in a past job.
 Answer this specifically using the STAR (situation, task, action and result) method.

7.       How have you dealt with a difficult client/customer?
Once again, use STAR and be specific on how you handled the situation and the end result. Be careful not to place blame on the client/customer, and stay positive.

8.       Tell me about a time you disagreed with an authority figure.
Refer to the STAR method and make sure you acknowledge your part in the situation, how you handled it and what you learned from it . Never badmouth the authority figure, or try to place blame.

9.       What do you know about the company/organization?
Don’t go into an interview blind. Do your research and be prepared for this question in advance.

Tell Me about Yourself

“Tell me about yourself” may be the most dreaded interview question, because it’s open-ended. There are actually a lot of different ways you can answer this one, but the first thing to remember is to keep it brief and make sure it’s an appropriate mix of personal and professional information.  In general, a brief summary of your education, your career path up to this point and your strengths makes for a good answer.  You don’t want to answer a questions with another question, so avoid asking, “What would you like to know?” 

Some general guidelines when answering questions about yourself:

·       Try to incorporate strengths, experiences or accomplishments relevant to the job into you answer.

·       Use examples and be specific whenever possible.

·       Keep the answer brie, but not so short that the interviewer has to pry the information out of you.

·      Practice answering this question if you’re going to be applying for jobs. It sets the tone for the entire interview.

Questions To Ask After an Interview

Asking a potential employer questions after your interview is often overlooked, but you should never leave an interview without asking at least a few good questions.  It’s always best to prepare ahead of time, so you  know which questions you will ask before you go into the interview. 

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

·         If I were hired, what would be some of my tasks and responsibilities?

·         If you were to extend me a job offer, when would you like me to start?

·         What are the most valuable personality traits the successful candidate would need to do this job well?

·         What are the biggest challenges of the position?

·         How would you describe the culture of your workplace environment?

Questions to avoid:

·         Closed-ended questions that can be answered with  “yes” or “no” – leave it open for a longer discussion and follow-up questions.

·         Questions about salary and benefits – wait until you get the job offer to discuss these.

·         Personal questions – never ask about the interviewer’s personal life unless they initiate a personal conversation.

What You Wish You’d Known Before Your Job Interview: Infographic

 

To view the original infographic, visit http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/90-seconds-interview-hire-you.jpg.

For more infographics from The Undercover Recruiter: http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/category/infographic/

Common Interview Mistakes to Avoid

We’ve all heard horror stories of interviews that have gone very wrong.  Here are some common mistakes you should keep in mind (and try to avoid!) during an interview:

Bad Timing

Arriving late to an interview is a definite faux pas, but arriving too early can also be a deal breaker too. Always plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time, but not much more than that. And remember, planning out your route before you leave the house will help you avoid showing up late to an interview.

Unprofessional Appearance

As mentioned before, always wear clean, freshly pressed business-appropriate clothes to a job interview. If you’re a smoker, avoid smoking directly before the interview, in case the potential employer is sensitive to the smell of smoke. It’s also a good idea to forgo perfume or cologne, in case the company has a scent-free policy or the interviewer is allergic. Finally, make sure your shoes aren’t giving the wrong impression.  Wear clean, professional dress shoes that complement your outfit without distracting from it.

Using Cell Phones

You won’t need your cell phone immediately before or after your interview, so it’s best just to turn it off completely while you’re there.  A cell phone ringing or vibrating is distracting to both you and the person you’re meeting with, and looks unprofessional. In some cases, the employer may even feel disrespected.

Badmouthing Former Employers

Speaking poorly of a previous employer tells an interviewer that you will probably do the same to your next one – which could be them.  Avoid telling stories that aren’t relevant to the workplace. Don’t give in to gossip or negativity during your interview – or ever. If asked what you didn’t like about your previous job, answer honestly but professionally. Keep your answer simple and to the point, without turning to gossip or drama.

Interview To-Do List

One week before the interview:

ü  List your strengths, weaknesses and why you want the job on a piece of paper

ü  Research common interview questions

ü  Research the company and take notes

ü  Get directions to your interview destination

ü  Practice the interview and your answers to the tough questions

ü  Buy interview-appropriate clothes if you don’t already have some

ü  Inform your references that you have an interview and they may be contacted

 

Two days before:

ü  Plan your route to the interview, and how long it will take to get there. Will you be driving? Walking? Taking public transit?  

ü  Make sure you have a good understanding of the company based on your research

ü  Prepare the materials you need to take with you to your interview

The night before:

ü  Have your clothes clean, pressed and laid out

ü  Check the weather and adjust your route accordingly

ü  Get a good night’s sleep

The day of:

ü  Make sure to eat a good meal before your interview

ü  Arrive 10-15 minutes prior to your interview time 

ü  Leave your phone or any electronics in the car or turned off in your pocket/bag

What to Wear to an Interview

How you dress for an interview can directly affect whether or not you get the job.  Generally, you want to keep your clothing clean, ironed , work-appropriate and conservative.  Neutral wrinkle and stain free clothes are always a necessity for a job interview.  Typically, suits are a go-to for guys, and a business-professional blouse and skirt (no shorter than the knee) or dress pants are perfect for the ladies.  If you are ever unsure about wearing a suit to an interview, do your research or consult with a professor who has worked in the industry for some tips. 

Some simple rules to remember:

·         Keep colours neutral, avoid loud, busy patterns and bright colour.

·         Make sure the clothes are clean and freshly ironed.

·         Make sure sleeves, pants and/or skirts are the appropriate length.

·         Wear minimal jewellery and natural-looking make-up.

·         Always make sure you shoes are shined, clean and in good condition.  

·         Avoid wearing heavy scents (i.e. soaps, colognes, perfumes).

·         Make sure you appear clean-shaven and well-kept.

For more specific information on interview attire, here are a few great sites:

10 Interview Clothing Faux Pas – check out what not to wear to an interview here.

Female Cosmetic Guide – a great guide for hair, nails, make up and jewellery.

Tattoos and Piercings – Some helpful tips for tattoos, piercings and hair colour for job interviews.

Interview Research

Check out this basic checklist of things you should know before going into an interview.  Not only does researching the company beforehand help you be better prepared to answer the interviewer’s questions,  it also shows that you have an enthusiasm for the job and took the time and initiative to research the business.  There are many online resources you can use to research a company. It’s a good idea to start with the company’s website, but don’t forget to also look up news items and current events involving the company. 

Before you go for your interview, you should know:

·       How the company makes money – what is it that the company does exactly, and who do they serve? 

·       How does your experience relate to the skills needed by professionals in this industry?

·       What does the company value?  Are they a community driven organization?  Perhaps they value innovation and technology, or are environmentally conscious.

·       What role does the department you are interviewing for a position in play? What services do they provide?

·       What are the company’s goals, strategies or current projects? Brainstorm a few ways you could contribute to these areas.

To learn more about prepping for an interview, visit this website.

Check out this Dress Codes 101 infographic!

 

To view the original infographic, visit http://txstrategichr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/infographic-dress-codes.jpg

Formatting Your References

Job references should be on a separate sheet of paper from your résumé. A heading in the same format you used on your résumé should appear at the top of the page. For font, the rule of thumb is to use the same font you used on your résumé.

When you list your references, use a format similar to this:

Name, Position

Company

Company Address

Company Phone Number

Cell or Alternate Phone Number

E-mail Address

Try to use recent references and make sure you connect with them beforehand to ensure their contact information hasn`t changed, and to let them know you will be providing their information to a potential employer.