1. Q: Tell me about yourself. A: Keep to the point and don't include obvious details such as your name or age.

Give a brief summary of your employment, your skills and why you want the job. Return to top 2. Q: Tell me about your work history. A: Again, be clear and precise. Summarise your jobs, starting with the first and ending with the most recent. Briefly explain what your job was, and your key responsibilities. Return to top 3. Q: What attracted you to this job? A: Be enthusiastic! Talk about what most appeals to you about the job or company. Refer to things you found during your research (by looking on the company's website for example) - this should really impress the interviewer. Return to top 4. Q: What do you know about our company? A: If you've done some research, you'll be able to answer this easily. Look on the company's website, if they have one. Phone their office to ask for a brochure, and read it in advance. Your consultant can also help with your research. Return to top 5. Q: What do you think this job involves? A: The interviewer wants to know how much thought and effort you've put into applying for the job. If you've seen a job description, relate to the interviewer what you understand about the job. If you haven't, you could say something like: "I haven't seen a job description yet, but the advert really appealed to me." Return to top 6. Q: You haven't got any direct experience for this position. How will you get up to speed? A: Your answer could be something like "I haven't done this exact job before, but I do have lots of relevant skills and experience. I am a quick learner and I ask lots of questions". This kind of answer shows that you are realistic and you know how to learn. Return to top 7. Q: Tell me about your last job - describe a typical day. A: Here the interviewer wants to know what you've done before, how you organise your time, and what decisions you've had to make on a day-to-day basis. Try to relate what you did in your last job. Return to top 8. Q: Why did you leave your last job?

A: It's best to be honest here. If you were sacked, there's a good chance the interviewer will find out anyway, so tell the truth and explain why it happened and what you learned from it. Return to top 9. Q: What skills can you bring to this role? / What are your strengths? / Why should I offer you this job? A: This is your chance to shine - and really sell yourself. Don't just list your skills or strengths - give examples of how you've applied them in previous jobs and elsewhere in your life. Return to top 10. Q: What are your weaknesses? A: It's best to give an example of a weaker area that you've grown and learned from. Such as: "I work very quickly and I'm thorough so I used to get quite impatient with colleagues if they couldn't keep up or they made mistakes. I'm now much more patient and I realise that different people have different strengths and skills." Return to top 11. Q: What didn't you like about your last job? A: This is a bit of a trick question. You can't say 'nothing' as that's not believable but you don't want to be too negative either. The best answer is to say you didn't like doing something which you won't need to do in your new job. Be careful though this question can tell the interviewer a lot about you. Return to top 12. Q: Why have you had so many jobs? A: Again be upfront and honest, and explain why you left jobs or why you've worked in lots of different companies. It may be that your personal circumstances changed or you wanted more varied experience. Return to top 13. Q: Why have you been out of work for so long? A: If you've been unemployed for a while, it's important to be prepared to answer this. Again most people will appreciate it if you're honest. But they'll also want to know that you've been spending your time constructively. If you can, explain how you've maintained or improved your skills while you've been out of work. The key is to turn your unemployment into your selling point. Return to top 14. Q: What is your biggest achievement? A: Try to say something which shows that you have initiative, leadership skills, perseverance or creativity and try to give work-related examples. Return to top 15. Q: Do you enjoy teamwork? What do you think makes a good team?

A: It's not a good idea to say you don't like teamwork because you'll need to work as part of a team in most jobs. You could say something like: "Yes I enjoy working as part of a team. I think a good team is one with a good variety of skills and personalities." Return to top 16. Q: Tell me about a problem you've faced. How did you solve it? A: Talk about a problem you've faced in your life, either at work or elsewhere. Here the interviewer wants to know if you're a good problem solver and that you can show initiative. Return to top 17. Q: What's important to you? What are your priorities in life? A: Try to answer this honestly. The interviewer wants to get to know the 'real you'. You could say your family or succeeding in your career. Or perhaps you want to make a difference in some way. Return to top 18. Q: How do you feel when your work is criticised? A: You could say something like: "I understand the importance of constructive criticism. I want to keep learning new skills and by getting feedback I can hopefully develop faster. I try not to take it personally." Return to top 19. Q: How do you manage your time? A: Most jobs need you to manage your time in some way. So explain how you prioritise your work the interviewer wants to know you can plan, and that you can work out what order to do things in. Return to top 20. Q: What are your career plans for the next five years? A: It's best to say something like: "It's hard for me to say at this point. I'm really keen to develop my career and learn new skills. I hope that, over the next five years, I'll able to make a valuable contribution at work." Walk-in Interviews Many companies place job advertisements at their stores and conduct regular walk-in interviews - so keep your eyes open! Networking Networking is a way of keeping in touch with people who are able to give you support and information. By spreading the word that you are looking for a job to those whom you know, you will increase your chances of coming across a job vacancy.

What Employers Tell Us They Value

1. Good old work ethics

Honesty and Integrity Punctuality Diligence Dedication and Commitment (not staff who job hop frequently).

2. Initiative and Enterprise

Eager to learn new things. Staff who will constantly think of new ideas of how to do the work better, and not wait to be told what to do every step of the way. 3. High "EQ" i.e. Emotional Quotient

Having the ability to work well with peers, supervisors and external partners of the company. 4. High "AQ" i.e. Adversity Quotient

Having the ability to persevere and overcome challenges at work. 5. Adaptability and Flexibility

Open to various requirements at work, such as shift work, work on weekends and overseas postings.

Resume Writing
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What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is submitted along with your resume, to potential employers. The cover letter:

Introduces you Sells your strengths Displays your value Describes your background and level of expertise Supplies additional information where requested Asks for an interview

How should the cover letter be presented? Cover letters are formal letters, and should be typewritten in black ink on white paper. Use Times New Roman or Arial as standard typefaces and maintain the font size at 10 points. Colourful and fancy typefaces are not appropriate and should not be used. How much information is appropriate? As a rule of thumb, cover letters should not exceed one page of an A4-size paper. Employers are only interested in the information relevant to the position.

What is a Resume?
A resume is the first step to a job. Resumes get you interviews, which may in turn get you job offers. A resume:

Is a personal advertisement of a candidate's best capabilities and experiences Captures an employer's attention and distinguishes a candidate from other jobseekers What makes a good resume?

Concise, brief and to the point Emphasises your skills and accomplishments Professionally presented: i.e. well typed out, neatly formatted with standard margins, no usage of fancy fonts, dramatic graphics or fancy coloured paper Accurately written with no spelling, grammatical, punctuation or typographical errors How long should a resume be?

As a rule of thumb, it should not exceed two pages of an A4-size paper Can the same resume be used to apply for all the jobs?

Tailor the resume to fit the job. Highlight the most relevant accomplishments, skills and experience for that specific position What is the next step after completing the resume?

Look for at least two other people to look over the final draft. Read it again the next day before sending it out with the cover letter

Before The Interview

Prepare an extra copy of the cover letter, resume and a portfolio of certificates/testimonials. Keep them where they can be retrieved easily

Be sure to bring your Identity Card

Confirm the date, time, company and the contact person for the interview

Research the following: The company's business The job requirements and key responsibilities The route and time needed to travel to the company

Prepare a list of possible interview answers. Some of the common questions employers may ask are: What do you know about our company? Why did you leave your last job? Why do you want to work in our company? Can you tell me more about yourself? Why do you think we should hire you? What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Some of the questions a jobseeker may ask are: What are the career advancement opportunities? What are the training opportunities?

On The Day Of The Interview

Be tidy and dress neatly Bring all required documents Arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview and allow at least 2 hours for the whole interview process Fill in the application form accurately and neatly Switch mobile phone to silent mode or switch it off If you are unable to attend the interview due to unforeseen circumstances, inform the company and try to arrange for another interview session Inform the company if you are going to be late for the interview

During The interview

DO's DONT's

Give a firm handshake Smile confidently Maintain eye contact Sit up straight

Do not wear torn/soiled/wrinkled clothing Do not stare at the interviewer Do not display nervous/distracting mannerisms e.g. twisting hair, biting nails, shaking legs

Listen attentively and show interest Speak clearly and use a friendly tone Clarify with interviewer if you are unsure of the questions asked Be open in sharing details and give some details with your answers

Do not interrupt the interviewer

Do not ask about your salary and benefits Do not say anything negative about your former company/bosses/colleagues

After The Interview

Find out from the interviewer when you will hear from them on the interview outcome Thank the interviewer Do not be discouraged if the employer does not make an on-the-spot offer. Interviewers will need to interview more candidates before making a decision. Treat every interview as a learning experience.

If You Receive A Job Offer

Understand job duties and responsibilities in greater detail Obtain an official job offer letter stating the terms and conditions of employment as well as details of: Salary Benefits (e.g., medical and leave entitlement) Work days per week and working hours The time, date, location and supervisor to report to on the first day of work

Turning Down A Job Offer

Reject the offer tactfully. Maintaining a good relationship is helpful for future networking purposes