1."Can you tell me something about yourself?" When an interviewer asks you this, they don’t want to know about the kind of movies you watch, family issues or your favorite color. This is your prompt to give a general view of your background and experience relative to the position you are seeking. Focus on some accomplishments that you feel really proud of and how you think those have equipped you for the job you’re interviewing for.

2.“What would you say is your greatest weakness?” Take a moment to breathe before you answer this and don’t blurt out anything that could jeopardize your chance and eliminate you from the race. Make sure that you avoid drawing attention to a weakness that is in direct contradiction to one of the decisive qualities that the hiring manager is looking for. And don’t even think of saying the hackneyed “I’m a perfectionist.” line. The best approach to this is total honesty; mention a real weakness but not something that will affect your ability to do the job. You can skirt around this by mentioning a skill that you’ve just started to learn and want to pursue.

So be wary of these red flags that scream “your resume sucks!”

1. You follow the one-page rule While it is necessary to be concise with your resume, it doesn’t mean that you have to limit your page to one and eliminate the necessary information that could have helped you get the job. Reducing the font size to eight and eliminating the margins are not ways to make a good impression to your would-be employer. Besides, what is the point of a one-page resume if all of your information is crammed using small font size that is impossible to read? Be direct and to the point, and by all means... if your list of relevant… Read More

sIt is not uncommon among job-seekers to make little mistakes that can make even The Grinch flinch, even at the thought. A clumsy move as you trip over when you reach to shake hands with the potential boss; you can’t put a name to the face of an interviewer so you give it a shot – apparently a misfired one, when you realize it’s the wrong name; or you suddenly become aware that you put the wrong telephone number to a résumé, just as you hit the “Send” button. We have all done it...

These résumé funnies...or not so funnies if this has happened to you, can precipitate more than just a few winces; they can be fatal to your chances of making it to coveted jobs – jobs that you know you are highly qualified for.

It is now 2010 and another year has already seen its first month fly by. Everyone’s making some sort of a move to make life better. And so now comes the time to write a resume. Perhaps you’ve given it your best shot but more often than not, you either can’t find the right words to write a brief and concise version of your career or you just have the knack for working your way to an enormous blunder (or a few ones, for that matter).

Here’s one example… Read More

No matter how good your job is there are times when you feel exhausted, unproductive and just...burnout. Sometimes the only solution is to find another job but most of the time making a few changes in your “work style” can revive your passion for your work.

This is a list of five red flags that signal you may be at the burnout stage.... and ways to get out of it without ruining your career:

PROBLEM: You can’t wait for clock-out when it’s only been an hour since you clocked-in. ANSWER: Acknowledge the root of the problem and talk about it with someone whom you can trust. Don’t hold it in. Once you acknowledge the problem, you can then begin the process of resolving it. A good tip is to always focus on getting your work done as it is usually the 'team' that irritate workers.

PROBLEM: You’re uninterested and unprepared with meetings. ANSWER: Find things to motivate you—book, audio CD, or videos. Let it inspire you to appreciate your job and give you new ideas to share on your meetings. Get in with some of the big shots- and don't be shy.

PROBLEM: You’re making more excuses… Read More

After you finally get that much awaited call for a job interview, calm yourself down from all your excitement and get prepared for it. It’s not a guarantee that you get the job. It means that your application papers were good enough to have you considered for the position and it’s now time for you to live up to it.

By all means, avoid all these:

Show up in inappropriate attire. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed. Rugged attires or overly sexy outfits are a major no-no. Also, don’t wear outfits that looks like irons would be chasing after you. You definitely don’t want to give the impression that you just got out of bed and just hustled over to see them for your interview.

Be late. It’s a huge turn off whenever you show up late for anything even if you have the grandest excuse. This is definitely something you don’t want to miss so cover all your bases before hand and be prepared for things that could cause you to fail being on time. If this job is important to you then show it. But ofcourse, don’t be too early as well. You don’t want to show up before their employees get there or before they can prepare… Read More

Many of my clients ask why I leave out certain info off of their resume. The reason I give every time- is that it doesn’t sell- and that is what a resume is supposed to do A lot of people make the mistake of including things on their resume that they shouldn’t. This is very typical. Naturally, you’re proud of every accomplishment you’ve had. You’d think that you should brag about everything you’ve done. You’re very eager to share every bit of information that describes you. Remember that a resume is not a biography. It should always be geared towards getting that certain job you’re aiming for.

Take this instance, if you ask your friends for a lawyer who they might recommend, they’d probably tell you “oh, this lawyer won 50 cases so far, graduated from a very prestigious law school and is currently representing this very famous person. They won’t exactly go saying “this lawyer, he’s very religious, he’s a very good cook, he also took theatre classes in his early years and he’s currently dating this famous celebrity!” right? And…just in case they do, you’d probably say, “Oh yeah, so what? How’s he as a lawyer, that’s what I’d want to know.”… Read More

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