job interview preparation ::

How to Prepare for a Successful Video Interview

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

If you haven’t already done this yet, you likely will sometime in the future. More and more employers and hiring managers are using video interviewing at some point in their screening process. This cuts down on travel costs for all parties involved and with the popularity of telecommuting, it is becoming more popular and more accepted. Still, most job seekers…

Job Hunting Survival Tips for an Executive Who Has Never Looked for a Job in Decades

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

A young executive I met recently mentioned that she never had to look for a job. From the time that she got her MBA, she moved from job to job through contacts, and as her career progressed, she was recruited by head hunters hired by companies. She has never written a resume because she never needed one before—until now. With…

Networking for Executives

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

These days, it’s not so much what you know as who you know. While you need experience and credentials to give you the know how to lead a team or run a company, it’s often the handshake of someone you know that will get your resume on the desk. Whether or not you think this is fair, networking is…

Three Crushing Experiences Every Job Applicant Experiences

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

You usually feel pretty good about your work experience, education, and your resume. That is until you start looking for the job of your dreams. Suddenly, your alma mater isn’t as impressive as your colleagues’ schools and your previous experiences don’t look as appealing. Your resume just didn’t sparkle the way it seemed to just a short time before. So…

The Common Questions Applicants Ask Their Would-Be Bosses on Interviews

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Are you a manager or executive interviewing someone for a job? Don’t expect that you’ll be the only one asking questions. Expect good candidates to raise their own questions during the job interview. They want to impress you and make themselves more memorable compared to other candidates. Here are the top four questions you can expect to get from a…

Six Tips for Proofreading Your Resume

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

Your resume is still a vital component to getting you the interview to the job of your dreams. It’s one of the first impressions that a hiring manager will have when you apply to a new job or position, and one of the biggest determinants about whether or not you will get called for an interview. While you can upgrade…

How to Make a Career Change as a 50-Year-Old Executive

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Michelle Riklan

These days, young people just entering the workforce will have an average of seven to nine careers in their lifetimes. That’s seven to nine different fields, not just employers. That number may seem unreasonable to older workers and baby boomers, whose parents worked their entire lives at one job. But even if you’re in your 50’s, it’s possible to make…

“Sell Me this Pen:” 2 Ways to Answer this Popular Job Interview Question

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Editor

Sell me this pen. Sell me this cup. Sell me this bag. This question is a staple among job interviews, especially for sales positions. But it recently rose to fame again after Leonardo DiCaprio appeared as Jordan Belfort, the smooth-talking penny stock broker in the movie The Wolf of Wall Street. In the movie, Belfort’s cohort answers the question by…

Stand Out! Ask these Questions on Your Next Job Interview

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Editor

Job interviews, for most people, feel like a one-sided conversation. A question and answer, where you’re expected to behave and put your best foot forward. Yes, definitely do that if you want to be as memorable as every other candidate on the planet. If you want to stand out, you have to do what majority of candidates don’t do… Ask…

Stock Up on these Career Essentials on Black Friday

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Editor

What are you going to buy this Black Friday? A new flat screen? A new Xbox? New shoes? You can buy those to impress your friends and neighbors – or you can update your professional wardrobe and impress people at your office. Take advantage of Black Friday sales by investing in your professional look. You’ll be glad you did when…

Do You Make These Mistakes During the Phone Interview?

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Editor

It’s International Update Your Resume Month! Have you updated your resume yet? Or maybe you’ve already received a favorable response after updating it? Perhaps you have an upcoming phone interview? Hooray! Good for you. But don’t let your guard down just yet. The phone interview seems innocuous enough, but many applicants don’t realize its importance. Whether it lasts 10 or…

Dressing Up for the Interview—It’s More Important than You Think

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Michelle Riklan

You only have six seconds to make a good first impression. Six seconds. That’s not even enough time to say your elevator speech! Best-selling author and LinkedIn Career Expert, Nicole Williams echoes this fact. What you wear makes a bigger statement about yourself and your chances of doing well at the job before you even start talking. A crumpled shirt,…

Interview Preparation: 3 Great Sources for Company Info

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Michelle Riklan

Knowing the background information of the hiring company is key to a successful interview. Find out “How to Gather Interview Intel With Social Media” in this smart article by Aaron Guerrero of US News.

Jobseeker’s Guide to Preparing for the Job Interview

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Michelle Riklan

The goal of the résumé is to get you a job interview. Once you secure an interview, researching and preparing for the interview is important. Like studying for a test, some of the information you can prepare ahead of time — and some of it is important to review just to be better prepared in general. Believe it or not,…

Recent Graduates and Today’s Job Search – Part 2

Posted on August 29, 2012 by Michelle Riklan

How to create a compelling marketing tool (resume) that will attract the attention of a potential employer. So often, recent graduates complain that they have “sent out hundreds of resumes” and have not received a response. While they are quick to blame the job-market, albeit a difficult one, they often do not consider the fact that something may be wrong…

Practice for your interview… and get the job offer.

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Michelle Riklan

You finally received a call for a potential position that sounds perfect. Preparing, you make several crisp copies of your résumé, check the route to the office, clean your car, get your favorite interview outfit from the cleaners, and dress yourself appropriately. You’ve spent hours researching the company, understanding the position and getting a solid sense of how your talents…

Interview Pre-Planning and Planning – Part 2

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Michelle Riklan

You’ve dressed appropriately, looking your best, carefully planned your route to arrive 15 minutes early. Your homework is done and you have a clear understanding of the positon, a solid overview of the company and you are ready to put your best foot forward. Now what?

Interview Pre-Planning and Planning – Part 1

Posted on October 26, 2010 by Michelle Riklan

We can never know for sure who will be sitting across from the desk and interviewing us for that dream job. A Recruiter? Hiring Manager? CEO? Human Resources? Are they an experienced interviewer? Have a clear understanding of the open position? Are they the gatekeeper or the decision maker? Since we do not know for sure, we cannot assume that we know what will be asked and how the interview will be conducted. Our best line of defense with the many unknowns of the job interview is “BE PREPARED”.

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