You know what kind of job you want. A sales associate. An office manager. A legal secretary.

Whichever position suits your personality and skills, you’ll have a better chance of landing it if you do a little detective work––before the interview. Learn as much as you can about the company, its goals, as well as products and services. Then during the interview, you’ll be ready to ask good questions, and to show how and why you’re ideal for the job.

How To Research

1. Visit the company’s web site to find out about its day-to-day business, employee benefits, mission statement, and customer service.
2. Consult the Thomas Register of American Manufacturers or other source at your public library to be sure the firm has a solid reputation.
3. Make a list of items you’re interested in learning more about, including: history, financial stability, plans for growth.
4. Call the personnel department and ask for a brochure and other material that will help you decide whether this is the right company for you.
5. Read magazines such as Fortune, Business Week, and Wall Street Journal to learn more about the organization.
6. Google the company, look for job seeker forums and posts to get a feel for a particular business.

Take Care of Yourself

The more you know ahead of time, the better you’ll feel before, during, and after the interview. And think about what a boost you’ll give the interviewer. People who are prepared, peaceful, and professional are those most likely to win the job. So do your detective work and you’ll be among them!

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new "Secret Career Document" job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."
Visit our friends at Job Interview "Secret" and discover Jimmy Sweeney’s breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.

Do Your Detective Work—BEFORE the Interview! is a post from: Free Career Advice

Most job-seekers write their resumes with one thing in mind—themselves! They toot their own horn so loud the interviewer is blown away by the sound. The "I did this" and "I achieved that" approach is important, of course. The hiring manager wants to know what you’ve accomplished in your previous line of work and how you can benefit his or her company in the new position.

Reading Between the Lines

BUT—he or she is also looking for some intuitive abilities that a potential employee can express on the job without every detail being spelled out. This means the new hire should be able to anticipate and sense problems and challenges and be able to meet them instinctively.

For example, suppose you hope to be hired as an administrative assistant to the president of a financial corporation. You have computer skills, an ability to organize corporate data, you’re capable of keeping the filing system up-to-date, and you’re ready to field phone calls and e-mails for the executive without being told.

Beyond the Job Description

These skills look good on paper, but for your resume to move to the top of the pile, include a few sentences that state what else you can do that may not appear in the job description. Example: Able to chair a meeting of corporate executives when the president is unexpectedly detained or called away on emergency business; able to trouble-shoot with customers on the phone, keeping the president free of time-consuming entanglements; able to stimulate essential communication between employees in other departments and then report back the findings to the president.

An employee of real value is one who not only meets the requirements for the job, as described, but goes beyond them, delivering both practical help and heart-felt support that call for intuition and attentiveness.

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new, "Amazing Resume Creator." Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Amazing Resume Creator for your "instant" resume today. "In just 10 minutes flat you will have an amazing resume guaranteed to land you more hot job interviews next week.

What’s an Employer Really Looking For in Your Resume? is a post from: Free Career Advice

It’s that time again—time to usher in a brand new year. No matter what you did or didn’t do in the past, you can turn the calendar page and begin again. Start your job search fresh with a cover letter that will result in an interview for the career you’ve dreamed about.

Even in a tight economy, people are being hired every day. You can be one of them. Businesses need qualified individuals who are professionally trained, experienced, and ready to step into a wide range of jobs—from A to Z.

Blow away the competition this year with a unique cover letter that commands attention.

Adopt a Winning Strategy

A well-crafted job search cover letter has three tried and true ingredients and you can include them in your letter as easily as anyone else. Here they are, yours for the taking.

Make it SHORT:  Thank you for posting your need for a bookkeeper on CareerJimmy.com. With five years of experience in this field for my previous employer, I feel well qualified to fill this position and would welcome the opportunity to interview.

Keep it SIMPLE:  I’ve received two company awards for my skills and performance. I understand the importance of taking responsibility for the job assigned, holding myself accountable to my superiors, and being a team player with my co-workers.

Be SINCERE:  I would love the opportunity to interview for this position. I want to learn more about your excellent company and then show you how I can do my part to help achieve your goals.

Help employers do their work by putting your name and experience in front of them.

Think of the hiring manager as a good friend, joining you for lunch after a round of golf or a workout at the gym. Keep your writing short, simple, and sincere and you will be noticed.

Avoid a Losing Strategy

Notice the difference between the previous examples and this one that is filled with clutter, confusion, and camouflage…

“Regarding your posted listing on CareerJimmy.com I am taking time today to respond to that listing in hopes that you will take some time to consider me for the job of bookkeeper, given that I have five years of doing this type of work for the employer I used to work for before I saw your listing. I hope you will decide to interview me, although I realize there are other people hoping to win this job. If you want I can provide you with more information about my qualifications. Just ask. Please consider me for this job. I have been unemployed for the past six months and need to get to work soon.”

Salute the New Year!

Read your cover letter aloud—preferably to someone you trust for honest feedback. Then kick the clutter, confusion, and camouflage off the page! And turn to short, simple, and sincere. Be yourself. That’s the person a hiring manager is eager to meet. When you hear your unique voice on the page, you’ll know you’re there.

Then lift your glass and tip your hat to the New Year with expectation and excitement. It’s going to be a great 2010 for you, perhaps one that will change your life and career in ways you’ve never imagined. And all because you took the time to write an amazing job search cover letter that will have a future employer raising his glass to yours (and inviting you in for a job interview).

Happy New Year and happy job hunting!

_______________________________________________________________________

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, Amazing Cover Letter Creator. Jimmy is also the author of several career-related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job-Search Secrets.”

Visit Jimmy on the web at Amazing Cover Letters.com for your ‘instant’ cover letter today. In just three and a half minutes you will have an amazing cover letter guaranteed to cut through YOUR competition like a hot knife through butter!

Kick off the New Year with an Amazing Cover Letter is a post from: Free Career Advice

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the holiday buzz––shopping, decorating, gift-wrapping, over-eating, and entertaining. To avoid going over the edge, take time for some rest and reflection. Think through your goals for the new year. Then make a list, and check it twice!

I If finding new employment is on that list, remember that every great job starts with a great interview! So plan now to take stock of yourself, your presentation, your ability to express yourself, your standards for the company you work for. Use the week between Christmas and New Year’s to take strategic steps to insure a bright future.

Interviews Don’t Just Happen!

They begin and end with you––even though a man or woman is sitting across from you in an office. Keep in mind that today’s hiring manager is more interested in who you are as a person than who you are as a professional. Something called ‘behavior-based’ interviewing is becoming the norm.

Employers are looking at a candidate’s past performance as a predictor of future behavior. They are not only interested in your background and experience, but also in the way you treat others and how you interact with a team or department employees, and how you’ve handled sticky situations that called for logic and leadership.

Truth or Consequences

Following are some of the hard-edged questions and directives you might receive in a behavior-based interview.

1. Give me an example of a specific time you took charge of a situation that was out of control.
2. What goal have you set in a workplace and how did you achieve it?
3. How have you performed above and beyond the requirement of the job you held?
4. Provide an example of how you bailed yourself and others out of what appeared to be a hopeless situation.
5. What specifically have you done to alleviate a problem with a difficult co-worker or superior?

Expect to provide details, dialogue, and a description of what occurred and how it was resolved.

A New Year Without Fear

Give worry a good swift kick. Stand in front of a mirror and speak positive words to yourself. "You are a good manager." "You are the one people turn to in a tough situation." "Care more about people than problems." "Believe in yourself." "You are admired."

Next, jot down a few personal stories that illustrate situations and times when you successfully resolved conflict, stood up for the truth despite criticism, or used your creativity to negotiate a challenging relationship. Then go over the job description to get a feel for the requirements, standards, and expectations of the person who is hired. Picture yourself on the job, handling day-to-day operations, fielding calls, making decisions, and dealing with co-workers.

Finally, check your emotional pulse. If you’re smiling and feeling comfortable and well suited to such a job, then go for it. If you feel stressful, confused, or overwhelmed, consider setting this opportunity aside and going for another one that is a better match for your skills and strengths.

Equipped with practical insight and emotional clarity such as this, you can walk into any interview and establish a good rapport with the hiring manager.

Afterwards, all that’s left is the question only you can ask and answer for yourself. "Is this the job for me?"

Happy Holiday and happy job-hunting!

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new "Secret Career Document" job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Job Interview "Secret" and discover Jimmy Sweeney’s breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.

Deck the Hall With a Stellar Job Interview! is a post from: Free Career Advice

You received the call. You’ve been invited to show up for a job interview—the one you hoped you’d get. So now what?

More Than a Smile and a Warm Handshake

Like most experiences in life, interviewing for a job—especially for one you really want––is a skill. The more you think about it, prepare for it, and actually do it, the more accomplished you’ll become. The tendency is to focus on yourself—your voice, your outfit, your resume, your experience. However, it’s not really about you. It’s really about your potential employer and how you can fit the position he or she wants to fill.

Therefore, consider the following three incredible job interview techniques and then put them to work for you.

1. Come well prepared––meaning know enough about the company and the job you desire, that you can speak intelligently, asking and answering questions related to the topic, and showing the employer how you can contribute to the company’s success and growth through your skills, leadership, and talent.

2. Provide specific examples—meaning avoid speaking in generalities when asked about the work you did for your former employer. Be specific. "I hired and trained five new employees and oversaw their performance for the first six months of probation, then evaluated each one before they were employed permanently." OR "I took charge of cutting our yearly budget by 30% and achieved this goal by eliminating office clutter—paper files, outdated equipment, and unnecessary phone calls––as well as folding the duties of two part-time jobs into one full-time position."
3. Focus on the hiring manager––meaning take note of his or her body language, conversation, mood, attitude, and demeanor. You can move the interview in your favor by being more interested in what he or she is communicating than in what you are saying. Of course you need to answer questions clearly and pointedly, but avoid being so caught up in your own words that you overlook what the hiring manager is communicating to you. Keep in mind that people who are interested in others are interesting to others!

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new "Secret Career Document" job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, "Job Search Secrets."

Visit our friends at Job Interview "Secret" and discover Jimmy Sweeney’s breakthrough strategy that will have you standing out from the competition like a Harvard graduate at a local job fair… DURING your next job interview.

Incredible Job Interview Techniques is a post from: Free Career Advice

Searching for a job? Moving in a new direction? Changing professions?   Take this step to win that interview for your dream job. Spend more time and energy writing cover letters that are job-specific.

Go the Extra Mile

Having a degree or work experience in business administration or accounting or nursing is not enough. You must show the hiring manager your specific job-related abilities, leadership strengths, and communication skills across the board. Being able to work with a variety of people, respond to crises, and meet unexpected challenges are now more important than ever. Because if you can’t, someone else will. In today’s tight job market, hiring managers have the advantage. So you must show them why they need you!

Use Proven Methods

How can you do this? "By using tried and true professional job-search tools," says California-based Karen P. O’Connor, professional writer and career expert.

Take seriously the importance of writing what she calls "a sizzling cover letter––one that captures the hiring manager’s imagination with a great headline, [THREE-TIME CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD WINNER SEEKING A POSITION AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER] job-specific details, [trained and retained more customer service representatives in my first five years than at any time in the company's history] a clear understanding of the company’s objectives, [I am eager to show by my actions your objective that customers come first.] and how you can fill those needs competently and with commitment [I welcome the opportunity to prove myself to you.]"

Be Sure to ASK For What You Want

Close the letter, O’Connor suggests, "by asking for what you want. ‘May I come in for an interview?’ or ‘I’d appreciate meeting you in person to talk further.’"

Searching for a job may be more challenging now than it was even two or three years ago but every day men and women are interviewed and hired to fill the openings that exist. You can be one of them. "Start with a great cover letter, keep an open mind, and focus on gratitude," says O’Connor, "as you anticipate your new job. It will come."

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the new, Amazing Cover Letter Creator. Jimmy is also the author of several career-related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job-Search Secrets.”

Visit Jimmy on the web at Amazing Cover Letters for your ‘instant’ cover letter today. In just three and a half minutes you will have an amazing cover letter guaranteed to cut through YOUR competition like a hot knife through butter!

Great Cover Letters Lead to Great Job Interviews is a post from: Free Career Advice

By Michale Lee

To be a good salesperson or marketer, you will need to master different sales negotiation skills. These skills serve as your weapons against other negotiators and difficult customers. You’ll need them to land today’s sales and ensure future ones as well.

As long as you have good sales negotiation skills, you’ll be able to meet your daily quota. Having such abilities can also come in handy in different situations as well. Here are some of those important skills and how you can develop them.

Sales Negotiation Skills # 1: Building Rapport

This means getting your clients to trust you and feel more at ease with you. I cannot tell you the number of times customers often choose good sales negotiators over good prices.

A person of an unpleasant countenance with a good-priced product is no match for a person of nice manners with a slightly-more-expensive product. If the client can afford the slightly-more-pleasant product, they will buy that instead.

So how do you develop this skill? Copy the actions and words of your counterpart. If they use their hands when speaking, do the same. If they use the words “gorgeous” or “awesome” often, include those words when you’re talking to them. However, do this tactic subtly, where they won’t notice that you’re intentionally doing such actions.

This is very powerful because you’re subconsciously implying that you’re very much like them; and as you probably already know, people tend to trust and like those who are similar to them in some ways.

Sales Negotiation Skills # 2: Knowing How To Say “No”

Sometimes, you can say, “Let me ask my supervisor,” or “I’ll see what I can do” to give clients the impression that you’re doing your best to meet their demands. However, it’s also important to note that some instances require you to say “no” outright.

When you know that their request will be impossible to grant, don’t dilly dally any longer. Don’t waste your time and your client’s time if you’re absolutely certain that their request will not be allowed.

Quite surprisingly, many people find it difficult to say “no” to others. To strengthen your resolve, you’re going to have to think through all your decisions before saying “yes” to all of them. This way, the word won’t feel too alien on your tongue.

To avoid any hard feelings, make it look like saying “no” was a matter of circumstance, not of choice. They will then associate the rejection on the situation, and not on you or your product.

Sales Negotiation Skills # 3: Being a Good Listener.

Even if you think you’ve heard it a million times, listen like this is the first time you’re hearing it. Being a good listener shows that you respect your clients. It will also give you valuable hints on what your customer is looking for.

To develop your listening skills, I suggest clearing your mind of any other thoughts and maintaining eye contact so you can focus solely on the person talking.

Everyone can do better with these sales negotiation skills. So even if you’re not in the industry, I suggest you adopt these skills to help you overcome some of your weaknesses.

Important Message:

Discover secret negotiation and persuasion techniques to easily put people under your control and make them fulfill your every desire, without them knowing it!

3 Crucial Sales Negotiation Skills That Could Explode Your Income is a post from: Free Career Advice

By Michael Lee

It’s important for people to know how to dress for success. How you look has a lot to do with how other people perceive you, and how you perform at work. When you look like a million dollars, you’ll be more productive. People will generally be more receptive to you and your ideas as well.

If you want to learn some helpful dress for success tips, keep on reading!

Dress For Success Tip # 1: Neat and Crisp

Everything about you must be neat and crisp. From head to toe, people will be looking at you. The higher your rank, the more important it is to adhere to an appropriate dress code.

All shirts must be ironed. No wrinkles allowed. Avoid stains on them as well. That’s what napkins are for.

Keep your face clean. Guys, remove unruly facial hair. I know some people prefer to have a beard or moustache to look like a “real” man, and I understand that. However, make sure facial hair suits you first and keep it under control.

Dress For Success Tip # 2: All in the Details

You have to pay attention to details. Accessories, for one, have a significant impact on how other people see you. The kind of watch you wear, or the kind of bag you bring to work everyday, speaks volumes about you.

You might not think that people care about what you have on your wrist; but believe me, they do. They’re just very discreet about it. For work, I suggest leaving your Swatch watch at home (the flik flak one) and don a professional looking watch instead.

It doesn’t matter that your late grandmother gave you that flik flak watch. It’s giving you a reputation as a kid, a child who’s all about fun. And kid in the workplace translates to someone who can’t handle big responsibilities.

Another detail that you have to pay close attention to is your scent. Aside from good grooming (which is rather basic), you also have to decide which cologne or fragrance best suits you for work. However, just a few sprays or sprinkle will do, as strong fragrance can have an adverse effect and turn people off.

Dress For Success Tip # 3: Safe Color Combinations

When in doubt, stick to black and white. With the right accessories, the whole ensemble will look classy and not boring. Other neutral colors such as beige, brown and gray are also considered classic business colors.

Experimenting with hues is okay, but don’t mix colors you’re not entirely sure of on a day that you need to be at your best. Besides, safe colors provide security and confidence. You know that you look good, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

If you really want to add punch to your clothes, choose only one bright color and match it with neutral tones. That way, you won’t look like you’re trying too hard.

Follow these simple “dress for success” tips and I guarantee that you’ll be ahead of the game.

Dress for Success: 3 Proven Tips To Look Like A Winner is a post from: Free Career Advice

Most of us leave high school after graduation choosing courses that cover a wide range of job opportunities. At the young age of 18 we have very little idea as to what we want to be in the future. We have no idea what we would enjoy working at.

There are of course some lucky few who have always known what their career path should be. It’s been in their mind for many years and it’s just a matter of following through on where they would like to be eventually.

For others the going is not that straight forward. It would be different if we had access to a large amount of money. Then it wouldn’t matter what we did. We could always change course at a later stage. Sadly, though, most of us have to work for our basic living costs and to be able to survive in a cut-throat world.

Then we graduate and realise that we should have taken a different path entirely. At this stage it is impossible to go back to school and do it all over again. We have to go out to work above anything else. What happens to us? But it’s not necessarily the end of the world. There may be a way to solve this dilemma.

Personality tests are becoming increasingly popular among people entering the workforce. These tests are designed to establish what the taker’s most desired career path might be. On the surface, this sounds like a good idea. We sometimes have dreams that are not in line with who we are.

Besides this we should also give ourselves a chance to test the unknown. After all our capabilities could be far ranging and may not initially point us in the right direction. We could have hidden strengths that only reveal themselves when the need arises. Introverts might do well in a career in sales. How will we know what we will excel in unless we get the chance to dabble in it.

It might sometimes seem that we will lead happier lives if we stick to what we think are our strengths and what we are most comfortable with. Yet part of us will always remain unsatisfied if we limit our horizons because we feel we need to conform. It could be that one day we wake up feeling great regret that we have missed out on opportunities. This is one thing we would want to avoid at all costs.

While growing up we depend on our parents to look after our survival needs. Over time we learn to cope with the demands life gives us. Our survival skills can only get us so far in the adult world. We simply carry on and endure but often we become aware of our anxieties.

We need to be careful that the choice of the career wasn’t based solely on the need to be able to get through day by day. It is important to overcome our fears. We need courage to find what fits our desires rather than what makes us feel safe. Courage is what is needed when choosing a career.

If we cannot afford to let go of our comfortable job because it pays the bills, then start small with the career that really speaks to you. The World Wide Web offers many opportunities to hone and develop our hidden strengths.

As we gain the respect of other people we will find that job offers will slowly start to trickle in. Take what we can and slowly start to let go of the other things that we don’t really enjoy.

If we keep our eyes on the main prize we will soon find ourselves doing exactly what we want. And that, my friends, is the secret to getting our dream job!

Here’s How To Attain Your Dream Career is a post from: Free Career Advice

Career Wisdom System

The Career Wisdom System is the ultimate career training tool – a step-by-step, multimedia instructional DVD video chock full of proven techniques that teach you how to win in the workplace and live a happier, more rewarding life. It’s like having your own personal career coach in your home on DVD. The Career Wisdom System offers over two-and-a-half hours of valuable workplace information – the knowledge your employer doesn’t want you to know about including: 1. A guaranteed method to achieving a pay raise, bonus & promotion every year! 2. Getting – and permanently staying – out of job hell 3. Dealing with difficult bosses & co-workers 4. Finding and landing the best jobs 5. Managing time & workloads more effectively 6. Finally leaving the office on time 7. Three “must do’s” your first day on any job 8. Much, much more! Uncover the secret wisdom that will lead you to a successful career. Learn the secret techniques that people use to work less, earn more and get ahead in their careers FAST!

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Career Wisdom System is a post from: Free Career Advice