How to Ace an Interview without Speaking

Giving a limp handshake, letting your eyes wander and fidgeting are just a few of the subtle blunders that can botch your success in a job interview. Although you may have been unaware you were doing these things, interviewers who pick up on negative nonverbal communication are likely to doubt your fit for the job.

Nonverbal communication can be judged just as much as, and sometimes even more harshly than, the responses you give to questions you're asked during interviews. It can even be the single factor that helps hiring managers decide between you and another candidate when you're both equally qualified for the job. That's why it's so important to be mindful about your posture, facial expression and other behaviors.

"The most important idea is to project confidence and professionalism," says Heather Krasna, author of "Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public Service."

"If you find yourself becoming very nervous about interviewing, realize that this is normal. Practice interviewing in front of a mirror, on video or with a friend or career coach until you feel a bit more comfortable," she suggests.
In her book, Krasna offers the following tips for ensuring positive, appropriate and polite nonverbal communication:

• Handshake: A firm handshake is considered a sign of confidence. Take the other person's hand in your right hand -- don't use both hands -- so that the space between your thumb and first finger touches theirs. Give a firm, but not crushing squeeze, and shake the person's hand up and down slightly, once. If you have sweaty hands, be sure to dry them before your interview.
• Posture and physical distance: When sitting in a chair, sit up straight or lean forward slightly; don't slouch. If you cross your legs, do it so that one knee is stacked on top of the other or cross your ankles. Do not cross your legs so that one foot is on top of your other knee. Alternatively, keep both feet on the floor. Do not stretch your legs out in front of you or sit with your legs spread far apart -- it looks too casual. When standing near someone, about 3 feet is standard in most parts of the United States. Standing closer than this can make others feel uncomfortable.
• Arms and hands: You can "talk with your hands" to some extent, but do not do so to the point of distracting your interviewer. Sitting with your arms crossed in front of you can look defensive. Instead, try to have a more open posture. Don't fidget, play with your hair or pen or bite your nails.
• Eye contact: Look in the eyes of the person interviewing you. Looking down or away frequently gives a message of not being confident or being confused. Rolling your eyes up is considered a sign of disrespect. Don't stare intensely at the interviewer; just look him or her in the eye as much as possible.
• Facial expression: Smiling is an important way of showing that you are friendly and enthusiastic about the position. Smile at the beginning and the end of the interview at a minimum. I can't emphasize this enough -- I know several people for whom lack of smiling was a major barrier to employment.
• Mirroring: You can also take note of the posture and expressions of your interviewer, and adopt some of his or her tone. Be careful, though -- even if an interviewer is friendly and casual, that does not mean you should be too casual. It is still a professional job interview.

-Selena Dehne

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Arriving at Job Interviews Cool, Calm, and Collected

We all get a little stressed before interviews, so the idea is to make sure a little bit of stress doesn't turn into a lot. Maybe you just started your search, you're tired of searching, or you just need a boost of confidence. No matter where you are in the process, you can always improve your interviewing skills. The good news is, it is possible to stay poised and confident, even at your toughest interview.

Show them you're a good fit

When you get to the interview your main area of focus should be on communicating to the interviewer that you are a good fit. Focus on why the position makes sense for both of you. You should see it as a "win-win" situation. In other words, a great job for you and a great employee for them. After you've done your research on the job requirements, you should be well prepared to present yourself as the best candidate for the job. Assess which skills are needed for the job, then illustrate how your personal skills match up with the skills needed for the job. Be creative and speak clearly, but more importantly, believe what you're saying. Confidence comes from the inside out, so just relax and be yourself. Here are a couple of tips to ensure a stress free interview:


•Make sure you have a good attitude, but don’t over do it by smiling too much. It will look fake and you might come across as flaky or unprofessional

•Look them in the eyes when they’re speaking, and listen carefully

•Adjust to the interviewer’s personality. If they seem talkative, answer their questions in the most efficient way possible. If they seem more reserved, be prepared to ask them questions that will showcase how informed you are. This is your chance to show that you’ve done your homework and you are a valuable professional. You should always leave an interview feeling as if you are just as valuable to them as they are to you.
Don't cause yourself unnecessary stress

Only you can cause yourself stress. It's all about how you see things and let life affect you. If you're worrying too much about the interview, you’re concentrating on the wrong thing. Instead of thinking about what you may do wrong, focus on what you know you'll do right. If you have taken steps to prepare yourself, then you're already half way there. Time wasted on worrying is just that- time wasted. Better to spend that time and energy on positive things so you'll arrive at the interview in a good mood. Your confidence may be the first thing people notice about you, so make sure it's written all over your face.

Relax!

If you tend to get nervous at interviews or don't consider yourself a "people person," there are ways to help you feel more comfortable. Here are a few ways to minimize your job search jitters:


•Be ready for tough questions. Plan how you’re going to answer possible questions so there won’t be any surprises. If you can, set up a mock interview with a friend or someone you trust

•“Rehearse” how you will answer tough questions. Whenever you are caught off guard, rephrase what they asked and then say something like "that's a good question, let me think about it for a moment." This will buy you time to come up with a thoughtful answer, without sounding like you were thrown off by it.

•Practice in the mirror. This may sound silly, but if you want to know how you look to other people, that’s the best way to find out
Take care of yourself

Last but not least, save yourself some you time. Don’t let things get so hectic that you forget about the most important thing. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be to organize your thoughts and communicate effectively. Moreover, take care of yourself on the inside or it will show up worse on the outside. To stay calm, cool, and collected, take care of yourself the night before. Hit the gym, take a bath, or veg out on the couch. Do whatever it is you do to unwind. Set your mind at ease so the only thing you have to worry about is making a good impression. Plan ahead for the week of the interview so you will have all other tasks out of the way. Less stress means more confidence for you.

A lot of times when we’re stressed out, it's because we’re nervous and if we’re nervous, we can’t sleep. Here are some exercises you can do at night so you can be sure of having a good day:


•To ensure a good night’s sleep, try some breathing exercises before bed
o Take a breath and inhale with your abdominal muscles

o Exhale slowly (using the same muscles) and draw your belly button in at the same time.

These exercises reduce both tension and everyday stress. The purpose is to do these before bed, so you feel relaxed and serene in the evening and refreshed and revived in the morning.

- Scott Brown
From www.net-temps.com

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Manage the Time & Labor Workflow Worklist and prepare workflow diagrams to document the Time and Labor system. Manage the synchronization of Time and Labor and the Payroll. QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Computer Science or a related field required. Eight (8) years directly related work experience may be substituted in lieu of degree.

Sure-Fire Resume Blunders

A resume is not an easy document to produce. After all, you're writing about your career here. You're writing about the fruits of your labor, the culmination of your years as a professional. You don't want to over-do your qualifications, or worse, sell yourself short. But sometimes it's difficult to be objective about your own career. Sometimes you can be your own worst biographer.

Over the course of our time in the Professional Resume Writing business, we have found there are 6 key blunders that people make time and again when they write their own resumes. These are not 6 small issues, either; on the contrary, these are 6 poisonous gaffes that can ensure your resume goes to the bottom of the proverbial pile.

Take a look at our list of 6 Sure-Fire Resume Blunders, and ask if your resume has one or more of these deadly sins:


1.Messiness- Nothing turns off a reader or employer more than a messy resume. Misspellings, poor grammar, boring or lazy page designs… these are all things that say to the reader, 'This person did not care enough to take the time to do it right.' And you might ask who would be so silly as to send in a resume without spell checking, without fact checking, or with coffee stains on it. All we can say is: you'd be surprised how many messy resumes are floating around out there. A resume is a very important document- perhaps the most important of your career. Take the time to make sure it is absolutely flawless.

2.Bogus Facts- Never lie on your resume. Never embellish. Never creatively omit. It's one thing to promote yourself aggressively and try to highlight your accomplishments in the most impressive light possible. It's another thing entirely if you cross the line into dishonestly. It's that one small lie that ALWAYS gets uncovered. Don't make your resume into a ticking time bomb; don't spend the rest of your career fearing the fake degree you never really got or the embellished sale that you never really landed.

3.Too Much Ego- Yes, you're talking about yourself, but don't make it too much about yourself. All too often, people structure their resumes in such a way that the entire document comes off like, "Here's what I want… will you give it to me?" There's a subtle difference, we know, but the resume should read more like, "Here's what I'm capable of, and here's what I can do for your company. I can get you results." That slight shift in tone is the difference between a resume that seems narcissistic and a resume that sells your potential as an employee effectively.

4.Personal Information- Remember, this is a professional document, not a personal letter. Do you think the reader cares that you have 3 kids; or that you rock climb; or that you teach yoga? Is any of that information relevant to the job you're applying for? If not, then leave it out. It's one thing to tell an employer more about yourself in an interview. Personal information can add depth and personality to your cause when you're in a one-on-one situation. But there is no place for that in your resume.

5.Question Marks- A lack of proper education and training. A job you only held for 5 days. Maybe an unexplained gap or two in your career history. Anything in your resume that might make a reader pause and begin to wonder is a bad thing. If you can't explain away these question marks reasonably, or if you can't find a way to gloss over the questionable material, then you're just leaving a giant boatred flag smack in the middle of your resume.

6.Too Much Info- The reader doesn't want to know everything you've ever done since the day you were started work. A resume should be more than a list of your career. It should be a collection of highlights; it should be a well-constructed presentation of your most relevant and most impressive career information. A good rule of thumb should be: be detailed about the things you've done lately; just hit the highlights for positions 10 or more years in the past.

-Owen Michaels
From www.net-temps.com

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Be Yourself On Interviews

Interviews are stressful and scary. Will they like you? Will you wear the right thing, say the right thing, or just get the whole thing right?

When I speak to my clients about why they did not get a job they wanted, they tell me they were nervous. They could do the job and do it well, but the interviewer didn't see it. Or, them. If this is happening to you, and companies aren't seeing the real you, it's because you are not showing it to them.

It's important to be yourself on interviews. If you pretend to be someone else, or employers do not see the real you, you may (or may not) get the job, but it won't be too long before you are looking for another one.

So, How Can You Be Yourself? Follow These 4 Steps Below.


1.Let Go of Fear
If you are more concerned with getting it right, then you will end up getting it wrong. Interviews are a two way street. Employers see if they like you and you see if you like them. If you just want to be "selected" for the job, then you don't get to shine. Let go of what could happen wrong and focus on what on could go right. You are perfect for the job. You know it in your gut. So go in there and show them what you got. It's OK to be afraid; you just don't want that fear to get in the way.


2.Prepare, Over-Prepare, and Then Let It Go
It's important to prepare for an interview. You want to know about the company, what they do, and what you can do to help them reach their goals. But at some point, preparation stops and you take over. Think about a time you had a challenging situation at work. You thought about the solution and came up with a way to tackle the problem. But at some point, you had to let that all go, and "you" took over. That's when you were the most effective. You can't plan for everything, so don't. Trust that you will do great on your interview, and you will be able to handle whatever unexpected challenge comes your way. Your reward for trusting yourself, and being yourself, is a successful interviewing experience.


3.Be Helpful
Everyone wants to be seen as someone who can do a job well. But if the interview is only about you, and you are only concerned about you, the interviewer will be wondering about them. Take the focus off yourself and instead put your energies on the person you are talking to. Find out about them; what they want and what's important to them. Sometimes when I debrief a client after an interview, I ask what the interviewer struggled with the most. Most don't know. When you go into helpful mode, you forget about yourself, and your concentration shifts to the other person. This is when the real you comes out.


4.Ask Questions
Interviews are a give and take. You are asked questions and then you ask questions in return. Answers to your questions help you feel better. And, they take the edge off. Most people are afraid of the unknown. Although you may want the job on paper, the company, its policies, and the people who work there are unknown to you. Questions help you get answers that put you at ease. And when you are calmer, the real you can come out.

So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!

- Deborah Brown-Volkman

From www.net-temps.com

Looking for a challenge?

Have a heads down, get the work done attitude? This family oriented organization is seeking a qualified billing specialist to assist with their ever growing department. Must be very detailed oriented as position will require you to manipulate through a multi step process. Must be able to juggle multiple tasks, be extremely deadline driven, and have a keen sense for working with numbers. In this role, you will input work orders, calculate usage, process bills, print and mail statements.

#1 Problem with All Resumes, Job Searches, and Interviews

Imagine sitting in a lobby waiting for an interview. You look around and all those waiting are as professional and qualified as you…

- Graduates from top schools.

- Possess years of experience in your field.

- Have achieved impressive triumphs in their careers.

In other words, they are ALL highly QUALIFIED. Again, highly QUALIFIED!! What will you say during this interview that is special and more compelling in order to outdistance others? What is your USP (unique selling point) and what does that translate to so it’s a benefit for your new employer?

Standout from the Crowd of Experts

The number 1 strategy job seekers neglect is the selling of their UVP (unique value proposition) over other qualified candidates. Your competition is not the under-performer with an unpolished resume and poor communication skills! (Wouldn’t that be easy?)

Your competitor is smart, hired a professional resume writer, is articulate, and accomplished. So, you, must introspect, dig deep, and develop a enthralling marketing plan that persuades from resume, to online brand, to interview, and through follow-up by seducing your employer with the promise of success through a differentiating value you, and only you, can offer.

You must examine your career performance, find those special ways in which you deliver results–own them and promote them! Because to win in this challenged job market, you must sell a unique value proposition/a brand/a differentiating value.

Deep-dive Analysis

So how do you go about this? Take out your pen and paper or better yet, open your MS Word program and answer the following questions:

1. Why would an employer hire me over others who are qualified?

You are not allowed to answer this question with education, years of experience, or industry knowledge. Sorry! Yes. These are important and you must leverage them but these are qualifiers. Remember, your competition is qualified—we are looking to nudge your employer over the fence by dangling a gem.

2. What is my unique value and how will this impact my future employer?

When others speak of you, what do they say? What have you been consistently recognized for? How have you delivered in areas that no one else could?

3. What guarantee can I make to my future employer?

It is not enough you have discovered your brand or USP/UVP—you must market it and convince the employer to switch/buy what you are selling.


4. What in my past can I use to substantiate my personal brand or unique value proposition?

Convincing is done with examples, stories, and references. You must prove it.

5. Is this message delivered consistently and persuasively across all my self-marketing efforts?

These materials include your resume, cover letter, interview performance, online social profiles, and self publishing content. The more consistent you are in the promotion of your image across all materials/communications—the more believable you will be—the more trust you will gain—the more you will convince.

The game has gotten tougher folks! The same way in which you make purchasing decisions (you want to get the best for the money)—employers want to hire the best for the salary and they desire to not make a mistake in hiring you.

Present and position yourself over the competition, dominate, close the deal by reassuring you are unique and not only are you qualified, but you will deliver above the rest!

-Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
From www.careerealism.com

Bilingual Inspections Coordinator-Temp to Hire

Large International Oil and Gas Firm located on the West side of Houston is looking to add staff to their Technical Services Department.

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How to Avoid Laundry List Resumes

The process of writing a resume can be very tedious. There are often so many jobs and responsibilities to include that many people find themselves wanting to create the simplest one possible just to avoid the grunt work.

But while creating a resume that resembles a laundry list of previous jobs and duties can be tempting, it is strongly discouraged. This is because it only offers prospective employers a vague sense of what you’ve accomplished and how you can benefit their company. So how can you avoid creating this type of resume? Here are a few ideas …

Refrain from Using Duty-Oriented Phrases

One practice that commonly leads people toward creating the laundry list resume is the use of duty-oriented phrases. Some of these phrases might include "responsible for" or "duties included." In your resume it is important that you give the prospective employer an understanding of what you’ve accomplished in the past, but by using duty-oriented phrases you only offer what you should/could have accomplished.

To avoid this issue, you can use more descriptive action words like assisted, collaborated, designed, launched, marketed, guided, edited, researched, and composed. Using these words helps to illustrate an accurate picture of your accomplishments; something the prospective employer needs to see in order to determine how qualified you are for the job.

Go Into More Depth – Focus on Your Achievements

Another great way to sidestep the laundry list resume is by taking time to focus more specifically on your achievements at previous jobs. This means not just mentioning that you were "responsible for organizing several marketing campaigns." This type of description doesn’t tell the employer anything specific about your accomplishments. So instead, try going into more depth about those campaigns.

For example, you can say that you "developed and executed three marketing campaigns that included branding pharmaceutical products, creating ads, and coordinating a 15-member staff to participate in corporate trade shows over a 12-month period." This description offers specific details about your achievement and helps the prospective employer understand exactly how you can be an asset to their company.

Remember That You’re Marketing Yourself

It’s always a good idea to remember that your resume has a purpose, which is to market your skills in an effort to acquire a specific job. So if you had to put yourself in the shoes of the prospective employer, what would you want them to know about you? What might appeal to their interests and make them want to learn more?

You want to let this employer know that you are not just eager to acquire the job, but that you would truly be an asset to the company. Set aside some time to think about how you are qualified for the job. Then carefully illustrate them with your words so that your passion for the position is clearly recognized.

By veering away from the laundry list resume and digging deeper to focus on specific accomplishments, you can better market your skills and abilities. So take your time, think about how you can benefit the company you want to work for, and write a resume that will help you land the job of your dreams.

- Heather Eagar

From www.net-temps.com

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-Coordinating with the field locations to obtain corrections causing non-payment
-Assigning and recording action items on calls, ensuring actions are taken
- Tracking progress and effectiveness of calls
- Notifying financial approvers of pending actions via weekly spreadsheets
- Prepare weekly updates to discuss progress with Logistics Freight Pay Manager

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