Get The Job With The Right References

By: Jim Desantis

Are you thinking about finding a new job or changing careers completely? If you are, you need to craft a resume that gives you a competitive edge in this tough job market. Although resumes can be complicated and nerve-wracking to develop, they are a lot easier to write than you might think. You just need to know how to avoid the many problems or complications that arise and, for many resume writers, a major problem has to do with references.

There is a good chance that you will be asked by a prospective employer to list references on your resume. These references will typically come in two different formats. They are "personal" references and "professional" references. Also, on average, most companies like to see at least three personal and three professional references on their job applications and resumes to give them some insight into you as a potential employee who may help the company towards continued success.

One of the biggest mistakes that many job seekers make involves listing no references at all. If you are submitting a resume synopsis, that is, a simple resume, you may think you can get away without having any references listed. This is a bad idea because your resume is the first impression you get to make. The more power references you include, the better.

If you are currently still lining up your references, you may want to have the phrase "references available upon request," under the heading of references on your resume. This should be used as a last resort or if you are in an emergency situation because, frankly, it makes you appear unprepared or desperate to change jobs. Omitting information on a job application may cause your application to be overlooked so take the time to get those references in advance of submitting your resume.

Another mistake that many job seekers make, in terms of their resume references, is not asking to the reference if you can use them in the first place. In almost all cases, you will find that your references are checked. That is why it is important that you ask each individual that you would like to have listed on a resume or a job application before officially listing them as a reference.

If you have already submitted your job application and resume, without asking first, you will want to let each individual know, as soon as possible, that you used them as a job reference and that they may be receiving a phone call. This is important, as you do not want your references to be caught off guard, as it may impact their responses. Again, this makes you appear to be unprepared.

When a Human Resources person checks references they expect to hear glowing remarks about the applicant so they have carefully crafted questions to probe beneath the surface. This makes choosing the strongest references possible very important. They need to be personal and professional contacts who know you well and who will portray you in the best light. Avoid anyone who might like to point out your shortcomings, thinking they are being honest and doing you a favor.

Job Interview Questions and Answers - How to deal with tough questions

By: David O'neill

Job interviews are stressful no doubt, however if one is properly prepared then there are umpteen chances that he or she will be able to crack the interview.

The job interview questions and answers does not only test a candidates intellect but it also test the candidates presence of mind, his patience and his overall attitude.

Every candidate who comes for a job should be properly prepared. An unprepared mind will make fool out of himself in the interview room. Every candidate who comes for the interview has almost the same qualification and the same aspiration. So it is imperative for a candidate to distinguish himself from the crowd; personal branding of oneself is a must and it always plays a pivotal role in a candidate’s success.

At present there are no guides on job interview questions and answers which focus on personal USP. USP a marketing concept stands for unique selling proposition; a candidate USP will create a distinct image of the candidate in the mind of the interviewer which will distinguish him from the rest of the candidate. The job interview questions and answers session tests a candidate’s mettle, his preparation and his ability to influence the interviewer. Some typical questions which are generally asked are: describe yourself, why do you want to join our company, how do you handle stress, are you a team–man, what is a your expected salary, why should we hire you, what is your work ethics, what is your dream job, why did you leave your previous job, describe about your previous work, do you have any question to ask and so on.

The candidate should be prepared with his personal profile but while presenting it, it should not appear as a rehearsed activity. While presenting the personal profile a candidate should mention his educational qualification, his family background and his achievements. If the achievement is in the relevant field for which the candidate has applied then it should be mentioned very clearly. Answers should be precise and to the point. While answering, the candidate should address everybody, make proper eye contact, should have proper body language and should always carry a pleasant smile on his face.

The candidate should state that he has relevant qualification for the post for which he has applied, he is a team man and for him work is more important than money but it should not be overstated. About why did he leave his previous job a candidate should be honest but should not allow the focus to shift in this direction. On being asked about the expected salary; the job-seeker should not make the first statement as he may end up losing if the employer was willing to pay more. The job interview question and answers slightly differ for a fresher and for a work experienced. For a fresher the focus is on his education and his other relevant skills whereas for a work experienced the focus is on his previous work. No job interview question and answer guide will help a candidate unless and until he believes in himself.