CONTENT

The Second Interview Tips

Phone Interviews: Tips to Get Called
Back
It's Your Turn: What to Ask an
Interviewer
How to Handle Illegal Interview
Questions
How to Answer the Toughest
Interview Questions
Why Should I Train My Team?
How to Write Job Descriptions
Words That Weaken Your Resume
How to Negotiate a Good Salary
Things You Shouldn’t Do at Job
Interview
How to Loose Stress at an Interview
What Employers Are Looking for
Tips about Finding First Job
Top 10 Resume Mistakes You Should
Avoid
Why You Failed to Get Hired
The Benefits of Online Recruitment
Portals

The Second Interview Tips

 Congratulations! You wowed your
prospective employers on your first
interview and have been called back for
an encore. So, how will the second
interview be different from the first? This
time around, expect to spend more time at
the company, talk to more people,
individually and collectively, and have
your skills and personality scrutinized
more closely. The Employer's Point of View
From an employer's perspective, the
second interview is a chance to closely
evaluate a candidate's abilities and
interpersonal skills. Your prospective
employer wants to see that you can do the
job and work well with colleagues. Be
aware that many employers bring in
several candidates on the same day to
streamline the second interview process.
Your challenge is to distinguish yourself
from the other candidates. To show you're
a good fit with the company, focus on
explaining how your abilities and
experiences would enable you to do the
job. Be specific. Offer concrete examples
that highlight your competence and
compatibility. Who You'll Meet On your first
interview, you probably met with one or
two people. This time, be prepared to
meet several more over the course of the
day, including potential managers,
coworkers and other staff members. You
may meet individually with several people,
who will most likely ask you similar
questions. Keep your answers consistent
but mix up your delivery so that your
answers don't sound stale or staged. If
possible, before the interview acquire a
list of the people you'll be meeting with
and do a little research on each one. Then
ask questions that show your knowledge
of each person. If you meet with a panel or
group, be sure to make eye contact with
both the individual asking the question
and the group as a whole. Steps for Follow
Up It's rare to receive an offer on the spot,
but it does happen occasionally. If the
feedback is consistently positive over the
course of the day, you may get a job offer
at the end of the interview. If that
happens, don't make a hasty decision. Ask
for time to think about it. If you don't get
an offer, be sure to immediately send a
 brief thank you note to every person you
spoke with. Some companies make hiring
decisions in a matter of days, but many
can take weeks to make their final choice.
Be patient, be flexible and be ready for an
offer or an invitation for yet another
interview.

Phone Interviews: Tips to Get Called

Back
Some people think phone interviews are
easier than in-person ones. Often, those
people are wrong. In person, it's easy to
tell if an interviewer is tuning you out if
you notice them staring off into space or
sending messages on their BlackBerry. On
the phone, you (and the interviewer) are
missing out on important visual cues. You
can't read the interviewer's body
language. So, how can a job seeker really
dial into an interviewer's demeanor to tell
if she's bored, distracted or
underwhelmed? Find a Happy Place In the
absence of sight, hearing becomes
sharper. And interviewers can easily hear
distraction over the phone. Once you've
 scheduled a phone interview, locate a
calm, quiet place where you can focus.
Make sure you're not near a computer, TV
or anything that will draw your attention
away from the interview. Tell anyone who
has access to the space that you are not
to be disturbed unless catastrophe strikes.
Next, have a pen and paper handy to take
notes during your interview. You should
also have a copy of your resume so that
when the interviewer refers to your
experience, you can both literally be on
the same page. Finally, consider your
attire, particularly if you're interviewing
from your home. It's your prerogative to
wear sweats, but may we suggest
something closer to business attire? You'll
feel more professional -- and, thus, you'll
sound more professional. Speak Easy As
soon as you answer the phone, you're on!
You want to start your phone interview off
right. And, because the interviewer can't
see you, she's listening even more
carefully. Make a conscious effort to sound
upbeat and enthusiastic. Smile.
Interviewers can hear you smile -- and
smiling can put you in a better state of
 mind. (Don't believe it? Try smiling when
you're in a bad mood.) If you feel your
confidence wane, stand up. Standing can
make your voice sound more powerful.
And always remember to breathe. It will
help you stay calm and sound more
relaxed. Sounds of Silence A phone
interview isn't just about speaking. It's
about listening. To listen carefully, try
closing your eyes when the interviewer is
speaking so you can focus on what is
being said. This technique can also help
you read the interviewer's mood. Is he
interested and enthusiastic, or bored and
distracted? Is the interview
conversational? Are questions and
answers flowing easily? Listen hard after
your responses. Did your response prompt
additional questions or make the
interviewer hesitate? If the interviewer
seems distracted, use one of the powerful
questions you were saving for the "Do you
have any questions?" section of the
interview. A well-chosen question can re-
engage him and put the interview back on
track. Practice Makes Perfect The best way
to prepare for a phone interview: Practice.
 Have a friend play the role of interviewer
on the phone. Provide her with some
practice questions to ask. Give her a copy
of your resume and have her come up
with her own questions too. Test different
techniques while you're talking to her.
Close your eyes while listening, stand
while talking, smile while speaking. With
her feedback, decide what works best. You
should also consider taping the
conversation and listening to yourself
afterward. You may be very surprised by
what you hear. Finally, ask yourself,
"Would I hire this person?" If the answer
isn't a resounding "yes," get back on the
phone and get better prepared.

It's Your Turn: What to Ask an

Interviewer
The interviewer asks you, "Do you have
any questions for me?" You say ... "Yes!"
This is the easiest interview question out
there. Always say yes. Asking questions
shows that you're interested in the job. It
also gives you a chance to show how
knowledgeable you are about the position
 and the industry. Most important, it lets
you highlight why you're the perfect
candidate. You have to choose your
questions carefully, though, depending on
who's doing the interviewing. An excellent
question for a recruiter might be
inappropriate for an executive. And you
don't want to ask your potential boss
something that's best suited for a future
coworker. Also, there are certain questions
you should never ask early in the
interview process -- no matter whom
you're meeting. Don't ask about salary,
vacation, 401(k) or anything else that
might make you seem more interested in
the compensation than the company. This
article shares questions appropriate for
every type of interviewer. The Recruiter:
The 'Big Picture' Person It's the recruiter's
job to identify strong candidates and guide
them through the hiring process. Think of
the recruiter as the "big picture" person.
They can give you an overview of the
company and the department as a whole.
(Save very specific questions about the
job for the hiring manager.) The recruiter
is also the best person to answer
 questions about the hiring process. Some
questions to ask the recruiter: How would
you describe the company culture? What
type of employees tend to excel at this
company? Can you tell me more about the
interview process? The Hiring Manager:
Your Future Boss The hiring manager will
likely supervise you if you get the job.
They're the most knowledgeable people
about the position and its requirements.
You should direct specific questions about
the job, its responsibilities and its
challenges to them. You may also want to
ask what kind of candidate they're
seeking. Some questions to ask the hiring
manager: What are the most important
skills for the job? How would you describe
your ideal candidate? What's a common
career path at the company for someone
in this role? The Executive: The Industry
Expert Senior managers and executives
are likely to be most knowledgeable about
the latest happenings in their industry. If
you'll be working closely with an
executive, you can ask them some
specifics about the job. But you should
focus most of your questions on the future
 of the company and the industry. This is
your chance to show off your industry
knowledge! Some questions to ask a
senior manager or executive: How do you
think this industry will change in the next
five years? What do you think gives this
company an edge over its competitors?
What's the company's biggest challenge?
How is it planning to meet that challenge?
The Coworker: The Straight-Talker Some
interviews will also include a meeting with
a potential coworker -- the interviewer
most likely to "tell it how it is." A potential
colleague may be most candid about the
job, its challenges and the work
environment. However, don't expect inside
information -- and certainly don't ask for it.
Some questions to ask a potential
coworker: What's a typical day like in the
department? How would you describe the
work environment at the company? What's
the most enjoyable part of your job?
What's the most challenging part?
 How to Handle Illegal Interview
Questions
Interviews are already stressful enough.
Between promoting your skills, showing
enthusiasm and laughing at the
interviewer's bad jokes, you have plenty to
concentrate on. But when you suspect
you've been asked an illegal interview
question, stress levels can shoot even
higher. Fortunately, if you know in
advance what kind of illegal questions are
most apt to sneak into an interview, you
can diffuse the situation immediately and
move on to more important tasks -- like
landing that job. Three Ways to Answer
Illegal Interview Questions Most
interviewers are not out to discriminate
against job applicants. Many of the illegal
questions that interviewers ask are
unintentional -- in fact, if you tactfully
point out the question is illegal, the
interviewer will likely realize his or her
gaffe and immediately retract the
question. The challenge for you is to figure
out what to say while you're sitting in that
chair, faced with an illegal question. You
have three basic options: Just answer the
 question. If you don't mind providing the
information and you don't want to make
waves, you can respond to the question
and move on to the next one. Keep in
mind, however, that you should only
answer the question if you truly are
comfortable providing the information -- it
could come back to haunt you. Refuse to
answer the question. Inform the
interviewer that the question doesn't
seem to be legal or relevant to the specific
requirements of the job. Be forewarned,
though, that such a direct response should
really be saved for questions that are
offensive or deeply troubling. Don't
answer the question, but answer the
intent behind the question. This is usually
the best option, since it allows you to
provide a tactful answer without
sacrificing your rights. To answer the
intent behind the question, try to figure
out what the interviewer REALLY wants to
know. For example, if the interviewer asks
if you are a U.S. citizen (which is an illegal
question), a smart answer would be, "If
you mean to ask if I am legally authorized
to work for you, the answer is yes." In
 cases like these, it's best to rephrase the
question into a legal one and then answer
it. This displays flexibility and composure
-- strong job skills. An Age-Old Question
Recent reports say that workers are
planning to hold jobs well into their senior
years. Many even plan to hold off
retirement until their 70s or 80s in order to
continue bringing in paychecks.
Unfortunately, this has resulted in an
increase in complaints from older workers
of age discrimination in the workplace,
according to the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The good
news is that interviewers are not allowed
to ask you your age during an interview.
With some rare exceptions, the only age-
related question they can ask is if you're
over the age of 18. One thing to keep in
mind: The EEOC's Age Discrimination in
Employment Act of 1967 only protects
workers who are 40 years old and older
from age discrimination and in workplaces
with 20 or more employees. However,
some local governments have laws that
also enforce age discrimination rules for
younger applicants and smaller
 workplaces. Married ... With Children?
Women make up nearly half of the U.S.
workforce, according to the Department of
Labor. And as their numbers grow, so do
the potential pitfalls they may face during
an interview, especially when asked about
marriage, children and pregnancy. While
illegal interview questions surrounding
relationships, marriage and children are
generally more problematic for female job
candidates, protection from discrimination
applies equally to male candidates.
Basically, you should be suspicious if you
are asked any questions about your
marital status, your family status, your
future plans for children or your child care
accommodations. So what can employers
ask? Questions that deal directly with the
job requirements (e.g., "Are you willing to
relocate?"). Yes, many proud parents enjoy
telling stories about their children, and
there may be a temptation to trade
toddler stories with a friendly interviewer
who has a family picture on his or her
desk. But to avoid potential problems, err
on the side of silence. A Race for a Job A
recruiter friend of mine told me a story of
 how she accidentally asked someone an
illegal interview question. "Oh, you have
such an interesting name! What does it
mean?" she asked a candidate with a
beautiful name that was obviously of non-
English origin. Fortunately, my colleague
caught herself and told the candidate that
she didn't have to answer the question.
But it does show how subtly the issues of
race, ethnicity and religion might sneak
into an interview. For instance, according
to Nolo.com, interviewers are not allowed
to ask if you are a U.S. citizen or ask
where you were born. However, they can
ask if you are legally authorized to work in
the United States on a full-time basis. So if
you are asked about your race, color,
religion or national origin, be aware -- Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits
employers from making employment
decisions based on such factors.
Somebody Call the EEOC! Discrimination is
an ugly word, but you can't deny that it
does occasionally happen. If you are
certain that an interviewer asked you an
illegal interview question with the intent of
using your answer as a basis for a hiring
 decision, it's time to talk to the pros.

How to Answer the Toughest

Interview Questions

You know they're coming: Those

seemingly unanswerable questions that
pop up during job interviews. You can't
clam up. And you don't want to stutter and
stammer. So what's a job seeker to do?
The 'Future' Question Otherwise known as
the "big picture" question, the future
question goes something like this: "Where
do you see yourself in five years?" The
best tactic: Talk about your values. Don't
get too detailed about your specific career
plan. Instead, discuss things that are
important to you professionally and how
you plan to achieve them. If growth is a
goal, mention that. You can also talk about
challenge, another value that employers
prize in their employees. The 'Salary'
Question Most people will tell you that
whoever answers this question first loses.
But that's not necessarily true. When an
interviewer asks your salary requirement,
try first to gently deflect the question by
inquiring about the salary for the position.
If the interviewer presses you for a
number, give a range. To decide on a
range, think about the salary you want,
your salary at your most recent position
and the industry-standard salary for the
job. The bottom line: The salary question
is one of the most important, so you
should prepare for it in advance and plan
what to say. The 'Why' Question There's a
fine line between boastful and confident.
And you need to learn it. When an
interviewer asks you why they should hire
you, you're going to have speak
confidently and honestly about your
abilities. But you should avoid sounding
overly boastful. Aim for earnest and
prepare by practicing. That's right: Stand
in front of the mirror and acknowledge
your abilities and accomplishments to
your reflection. Tell yourself: I have a very
strong work ethic. I have integrity. I have
excellent industry contacts. I aggressively
pursue my goals. It's sometimes hard to
praise yourself, but after a few sessions
you'll sound sincere. The Seemingly Silly
Question If you were a tree, what kind of
 tree would you be? What if you were a
car? Or an animal? These type of
questions can bring your interview to a
screeching halt. First, don't panic. Pause
and take a deep breath. Then remind
yourself that there's no "right" answer to
these questions. The job isn't hinging on
whether you choose to be a spruce versus
an oak. Interviewers usually ask these
questions to see how you react under
pressure and how well you handle the
unexpected. It's not so important what
type of tree (or car, or animal) you choose
as that you explain your choice in a way
that makes you look favorable. So, be a
spruce -- because you want to reach new
heights in your career. Or be an oak --
because you plan to put down roots at the
company. Either way, you'll get it right.

Why Should I Train My Team?

Training employees is one of the best
things any company can do for itself and
for the employee(s). No matter how much
is spent on training, it is always
considered a wise investment. In the busy
 corporate world of today, many managers
are reluctant to let go of their employees
and have them miss a day of work in favor
of a workshop or course. Everyone has
enough to do without missing work,
regardless of how noble the cause is. But,
it is the duty of every manager, and also
the measure of a good manager, to
accommodate his/her team members’
need/right to training. It is always a good
idea to factor in employees’ “training
days” when planning for departmental
projects and assigning tasks; if you know
in advance that one of your people will not
be available at a certain time, it eliminates
any nasty surprises. Following are some of
the reasons that should encourage all
supervisors and managers to play an
active role in the learning and
development of their team members.
Importance of Training Prosperity and
business growth demand a top notch
workforce: • Organizations need to invest
in people • Individuals need to achieve
their full potential • Learning must be
accessible, relevant and stimulating.
Implications To the Company • Has a
 positive impact on turnover and
recruitment; a company that spends
money on its people cares about its
people. • Increased productivity; training
opportunities allow employees a welcome
break from the office, and they also get to
come back with new things to help them
with their work. • Task expertise;
naturally, the more you train your people,
the better they become at what they do.
To The Team • Teamwork can be improved
through training and development •
Exchange of views and information; it’s
always a good idea to send your
employees to training events with
employees from other companies- the
exposure will do them good. Even
customized training for your employees
only is a good experience- they will get he
opportunity to interact with a professional
in their field of interest and exchange
professionally valuable information. •
Generation of ideas; naturally- when
employees meet people outside the scope
of their daily work, it is inevitable that
they will pick up a new idea or two that
can be customized and applied. To The
 Individual • Motivation • Stimulation •
Proactive learning/Knowledge.
Responsibilities It is important to realize
that training and employee learning and
development do not only happen in a
classroom. It is an ongoing process that
involves both the manager and the
employee all year round. Both parties
concerned have specific roles to play.
Managers/Supervisors are Responsible for:
• Working with their teams to select cost–
effective, learning opportunities, best
suited to individual & group needs. •
Coaching and actively supporting
employees with career planning and
career transition, and highlighting training
opportunities in accordance with the plan.
• Evaluating the benefits of training
provided, and where possible linking
training to on the job application.
Employees are Responsible for: • Their
learning and continuous development
through planning and implementing
personal learning and development plans.
• In consultation with their supervisor,
selecting learning initiatives aligned with
personal performance plans, career goals
 and the business direction of the work
unit. • Actively participating in and
contributing to team –based and
organization-wide learning initiatives as an
integral part of their work priorities.

How to Write Job Descriptions

What is a Job Description? A job
description is a broad statement of the
duties, accountabilities and responsibilities
of a position. What is the Purpose of a Job
Description? Job descriptions have a
number of useful purposes: - They make
drafting job advertisements and
specifications for employment agencies
easier - They provide candidates with a
basic understanding of the main
responsibilities of the position which
allows them to determine whether the job
is right for them and thus saving the
organization time and resources. - It forms
the groundwork for an agreement
between the supervisor and the
incumbent with regards to the expected
job performance results which accordingly
leads to a better job evaluation. - They
 reduce the amount of unnecessary
duplication of duties and tasks amongst
positions, thereby increasing
organizational effectiveness. - They assist
human resource planning and
development - They breakdown the overall
goals of the organization into smaller
goals to be achieved by individual jobs.
This provides the Director, as well as co-
workers with an understanding and
appreciation for how the job contributes to
the achievement of the organization's
goals. Types of Job Descriptions 1) Internal
job descriptions vs. external job
descriptions A key concept to be
recognized is that there are internal job
descriptions that are for insider use only
and there are external job descriptions
that will be read by prospective
candidates. Internal job descriptions tend
to be very detailed and thorough, whereas
external job descriptions tend to be more
concise and have more of a marketing
tone to them. 2) Task oriented vs.
outcome oriented job descriptions Task
oriented job descriptions are used to
determine the accomplishment levels of
 certain tasks e.g. a machine operator
would occupy a task-oriented position, in
which success is measured by things like
production levels. On the other hand
outcome oriented job descriptions would
determine the final desired outcomes
regardless of the tasks/methods used to
reach them. For example, managers
typically occupy outcome-oriented
positions in which success is measured by
sales figures or new product launches.
How to Write a Job Description A Job
Description should contain a number of
pieces of information: 1- Administrative
information This section includes basic
information about the position: job title
(including department and seniority), a
short description of the job and its
purpose, company name, geographic
location, branch or department. 2-
Reporting structure This should indicate
what position will be held by the job
incumbent’s immediate supervisor/s, and
also the position/s, if any, which report to
the advertised position. The position of the
job in the organizational hierarchy gives
valuable information about its significance
 and the ability of the employee to make
progress and influence decisions. 3-
Purpose of the job This should be a brief
statement of the desired strategic
outcome of this position, where it fits into
the organizations goals, and exactly what
the position is required for. 4- Job functions
and responsibilities These detail the main
tasks which make up the job. A job
description will normally contain six to ten
points, which detail the goals and desired
outcomes from the position. Statements
should be phrased in terms of the purpose
and the result to be accomplished, rather
than the manner in which the function is
performed. For example, ‘Responsible for
monthly consolidation of affiliate forecasts
and communicating identified inventory
shortages to demand planners’ would be
better than ‘Diligently perform forecasting
duties'. Itemize the key job functions for a
position and record them in a matrix. In a
separate column, record the percentage of
time the function is performed in (should
total 100%). Do not list non-essential job
functions if they are done in less than 5%
of the time. In another column, note when
 the function is performed (e.g. daily,
monthly or quarterly). In a final column,
put a check mark if the function is
essential i.e. fundamental duties that the
individual holding the job must be able to
perform. 5- Required skills and
competencies This is where the
knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes
that the candidate needs to have are
defined. A matrix can be created including
the following information: the
competency; the experience, education or
certification that is required; the function
which the competency supports (going
back to the functions matrix created
earlier in Job Functions and Contributions
above); and, finally, checkboxes as to
whether the competency is a minimum
requirement (i.e. they can't have the job if
they don't have it) or if it is a preferred
requirement (good to have but not
essential). 6- Other / optional This section
captures other elements of the job. It
could include a short narrative section that
gives insights into the context in which the
employee will do the job. It could also
include data about the company, or details
 about the environment the employee
would be working in as well as the
decision-making powers of the position.
Other optional information could include
the conditions of service e.g.: - Any travel
requirements - Working hours - Salary -
Employee benefits - Leave entitlements
Before Writing Up the Job Description A
thorough job analysis is required before
preparing the first draft of the job
description. Job analysis is a systematic
approach to evaluating a job, and
determines what duties the role entails,
what the required aptitudes are, the
manner in which the job is carried out,
what the conditions of the job are, and
how the individual must behave in order to
complete his/her tasks correctly. The job
analysis would require the input of the
relevant manager, department manager,
and also the present job holder. Since
these people are closest to the position,
they know what is required of the job
today, and equally important, they know
what it will require in the future. Other key
ways to collect information about the job
include observing tasks as they are
 performed, observing behaviors, having
jobholders write a self-description of their
positions, conducting structured
questionnaires about the roles and
responsibilities of a position, interviewing
jobholders, or researching job descriptions
for similar positions posted publicly by
third-parties. Hints for Writing Job
Descriptions A) Language hints: 1- Use
clear and concise language. When
possible, use words that have a single
meaning. Use examples / explanations for
words which have varying interpretations.
2- Be specific. Use specific language.
Instead of ‘Good communication skills’ it is
better to say, ‘Ability to communicate
technical information to non-technical
audiences’ 3- Use telegraphic sentence
style and avoid unnecessary words. E.g.
The job holder answers all company calls
and directs them to the appropriate
individuals in various departments
throughout the entire company. 4- Begin
each sentence with an active verb, always
use the present tense. 5- Avoid using
gender based language. 6- Use non
technical language whenever possible A
 good job description explains the
objectives, duties, and responsibilities of a
job so that they are understandable even
to a layperson. However if the job is
technical in nature and requires technical
experience, then it is appropriate to use
such language. 7- Whenever possible,
describe the desired outcome of the work,
rather than the method for accomplishing
that outcome. For example, instead of
‘writes down phone messages’ it is better
to say ‘accurately records phone
messages’. B) Efficiency: create templates
for job descriptions There's no point in
reinventing the wheel every time a job
description is needed. Template versions
of job descriptions can be created for
certain job types. For example, generic job
descriptions could be created for
Clerical/Administrative positions and these
can be slightly modified based on the
specifics of a given position, rather than
starting from scratch. C) Revisit and edit
the job description Revise the job
description as the position evolves. A
yearly revision is always required if
nothing sooner causes this action. D)
 Flexibility Use job descriptions flexibly so
that there's scope to handle contingencies

Words That Weaken Your Resume

More than just your accomplishments
make your resume stand out. How you
communicate them matters too. A strong
resume gives potential employers a
concise, clear picture of your skills and
experience. And, it's the crucial first step
in securing an interview and hopefully a
job offer. For maximum impact, keep your
resume as concise as you can. You need to
include all your achievements in only one
to two pages, so don't waste space on
meaningless words. Plus, an employer
doesn't want to spend time trying to
understand vague phrases or decipher
confusing jargon. 'Assist,' 'Contribute' and
'Support' An employer won't know what
you did if the wording on your resume is
too vague. Words like "assist," "contribute"
and "support" all say (or don't say) the
same thing. They say you helped, but they
don't say how. They beg the question:
Exactly how did you assist, contribute or
 support a person or project? Use these
words sparingly and always follow them
with a description of your role and
responsibilities. Let an employer know the
part you played and how you affected the
outcome. 'Successfully' Of course you
want to show all that you've accomplished
on your resume. But your achievements
will be more impressive if you give
concrete examples of what you've done
and how you're been successful. You don't
need to use words like "successfully" or
effectively" to show an employer that
you're a good worker; your experience
should speak for itself. Instead of explicitly
saying that a project was successful, state
your achievements clearly and factually.
Then give examples of how or why the
project was a success. 'Responsible For'
The phrase "responsible for" can make
your resume feel like a laundry list.
Instead of just listing your responsibilities,
try to stress your accomplishments. Your
resume will also have more of an impact if
you quantify your accomplishments. Use
figures to show how you affected growth,
reduced costs or streamlined a process.
 Provide the number of people you
managed, the amount of the budget you
oversaw or the revenue you saved the
company. 'Interface' and Other Buzzwords
Don't flower your resume with fancy
words. By trying to sound intelligent or
qualified, you may end up annoying or
confusing your reader. You don't want an
employer to need a dictionary to discover
what you really did at your last job. Avoid
buzzwords that have become cliche and
words that are unnecessarily
sophisticated. "Synergy" and "liaise" are
examples of buzzwords that have been
overused and abused. Say what you mean
plainly and simply. For example, instead of
"interface," say "work." Instead of
"impact," say "affect." Instead of "utilize,"
say "use." Here's what you always
SHOULD include in your resume:
Keywords. Recruiters use keywords to
search for resumes. So choose some of
the basic, important keywords in your field
and pepper them throughout your resume.

How to Negotiate a Good Salary

 Congratulations! You've landed the job.
Now to take home the package that is
most commensurate with your skills,
ability, experience and the job
responsibilities. Bayt.com reveals some
basic tools to use when you ask the
employer to show you the money!
Negotiate Yes, do negotiate. Employers
actually EXPECT you to negotiate your
package even when they pretend they
don't so don't deprive them, or yourself, of
that pleasure. Negotiate After You Have An
Offer The time to negotiate your salary is
after the employer has decided he wants
you on board and has made you a
concrete offer - not in the elevator on the
way up to the Interview or after an
interview question you think you've
particularly aced. An offer indicates that
the employer wants you on board and is
convinced you have the skillset and
potential to be a valuable addition to the
team. You now have the upper hand and
should use it to secure a compensation
package commensurate with your worth. It
is far easier to negotiate a satisfactory
package at this stage when the employer
really wants you and is focused on getting
you on board, than after you are on board
and firmly entrenched at a given salary
level and job description. It is unlikely you
will ever be in a better position to
negotiate a good package than you are at
this stage. Establish Job Responsibilities
Clarify your job responsibilities before
beginning to negotiate the compensation.
Make sure you have all the facts
pertaining to the new position and are
very clear about your role, responsibilities
and the job title. This detailed knowledge
of the position will come in handy as you
negotiate your package. Determine Your
Salary Range Beforehand Before you can
begin negotiating, you need to determine
a salary range that you can base your
discussions with the employer on. Firstly,
determine the minimum salary you could
possibly accept, and make sure this is a
salary that you can survive on. This
minimum is not to be revealed to the
employer in your negotiations. Next,
determine a reasonable mid-point salary
based on what the job responsibilities are,
what you have to offer the employer and
what you are worth in the market. To get a
realistic idea of what the position is worth,
research the market. Look at published
annual salary surveys and job ads for
similar positions in newspapers,
magazines and on internet job sites and
talk to friends in the industry and
recruitment agents. If you are applying to
a position at the right level, there should
not be a large discrepancy between what
the position is worth based on your
research and what you are worth based on
your experience, education, compensation
history and what you have to offer the
position. Finally, determine an extremely
generous salary level that is not too
unrealistic for the position and that you
would be extremely ecstatically happy to
receive. Get the Employer to Reveal his
Hand First Always get your employer to
reveal his hand first to avoid pricing
yourself out of the game or limiting the
discussions prematurely. If you are first to
put a number on the table, you run the
risk of being perceived as 'overqualified' if
your range is too high or casting doubts
on your professional abilities and track
 record if you shortsell yourself. Revealing
your expectations or salary history will
limit your negotiating range and remove a
lot of the leverage you otherwise have.
Often, the employer will make you a
verbal offer and throw the salary ball into
your field by asking you what salary you
expect, or what salary you made in your
previous position. Try to throw the ball
right back in the employer's field by
countering with another question, such as
"What do you think someone with my
track record, experience and skills could
make in this position?" or "You now have a
good idea of my skills and track record
and potential. What do you think is a fair
salary given the job's requirements and
responsibilities?" Do not reveal your
previous salary if you can possibly help it.
Focus the discussion instead on what your
background, responsibilities and potential
contributions are worth in this position.
Your goal should be to maximize your
worth and potential value to this employer
through effective negotiation - the value
your previous employer placed on you
should be irrelevant. Remember, what you
 are worth to this employer is a function of
the value-added you can bring to this
particular job and your potential
contributions in the new role, not a
function of how your skills were utilized (or
misutilized) in the last job. If absolutely
pressed for a number and the employer
will not give you an idea of his target
range despite all your best efforts to gain
the upper hand, you can present the
employer with the range you have
determined beforehand. The 'expected'
salary range you reveal will have what is
really your midpoint as the minimum, with
the upper bound representing your
'dream' salary. Make sure you always start
your negotiations with a range, not a
specific salary level. Let the Games Begin
You are now officially at the starting line,
equipped with a verbal offer, your own
well-studied salary range and a solid
understanding of your job responsibilities
in this new role. The negotiations will be
fired either with the employer revealing
his salary range for the position or,
despite all your best efforts to reverse the
roles, you revealing your predetermined
 'expected' salary range first. Best case
scenario: You have played your cards right
and the employer extends you an offer
that is at the upper bound or significantly
above your expectations. Your downside
risk has been eliminated and you can now
focus your discussions on making a good
situation even better. If your
predetermined salary range was $75,000-
$90,000 and the employer has offered you
$90,000 - $95,000, you can counter with
something akin to "That is close to the
range I had in mind. My expectations
given my background and the job
responsibilities were closer to $95,000 -
$105,000 with $95,000 really having been
my very minimum. How much flexibility do
you have on the upside?" Worst case
scenario: You have prematurely limited
your negotiating range by revealing your
hand too soon and the employer counters
with a lower range, or the employer starts
the negotiations with an offer below your
expectations. This is where your
negotiating savvy really comes into play.
Before you begin to negotiate, make sure
you and the employer are roughly in the
same ballpark. If your well researched and
well thought out range of $75-90,000 was
met with an offer of $50-55,000 from the
employer, you have either misconstrued
the job responsibilities or the employer is
paying significantly below the market. This
is where your minimum salary comes in.
Does the range meet your minimum
threshold? If not and your negotiations
don't bring you upto that minimum
requirement, this may well be the wrong
position and/or company for you! Justify
Your Counter-Offer Your $75-90,000 range
was met with a $70-75,000 offer from the
employer. All is not lost. You will keep the
discussion alive by coming back with a sell
proposition along the lines of "Well let me
see, the job's responsibilities as I
understand them are ABC" at which time
you carefully recite in detail all the various
aspects of the job. "I really feel that
someone with my track record and
qualifications could be making a minimum
of $75,000 on the job. I was actually
looking for a salary much closer to the
$80,000 mark." You then proceed to justify
your range. Confirm to the employer that
 you are very interested in working with
the company and that you feel you would
really fit into the team and could make a
significant contribution there. Recap on
your most relevant work experience and
mention again the skills you will
immediately put to productive use on the
job. Mention that you feel your ideal salary
is actually very realistic given your
experience and the job requirements. Gain
Leverage by Negotiating the Job
Responsibilities If the employer's range is
carved in stone despite all your well-
rehearsed negotiation tactics, move to
another stone. You do this by altering the
role, albeit modestly to justify a higher
salary. This is where your detailed
knowledge of the position comes in. You
can do this in three ways. Firstly, you can
add to the list of job requirements a task
or responsibility you have thought of
beforehand; one that you have either read
about, thought of yourself or heard about
from a friend in the industry. Secondly,
you can seize on one of the problems the
employer mentioned during the Interview
and offer a solution that you would
 personally be responsible for. Thirdly, you
can ask the employer outright, what
added responsibilities he would ideally like
to have the person holding this job
ultimately assume if they were brought
upto speed quickly enough. Another way
to pose the latter question is what added
responsibilities or areas does the employer
wish your predecessor had taken charge
of. Asking the question "What are some of
the areas you would like improved on" or
"What are some of the problems that my
predecessor faced" during the Interview
comes in useful at this stage of the
negotiations as you try to establish
additional value-added ground. The
'business solution' or added responsibility
you come up with need not be
monumental; in fact you should refrain
from making any big promises. It can be
something as simple as a Marketing
Executive offering to arrange a brief
monthly newsletter for the firm's clients,
or a database that would speed client
reporting up, or a slightly revised format
for the monthly reports that would be
more visually appealing. The important
 thing is that once you have elevated the
position to a slightly higher plateau, you
can then proceed to justify your 'ideal'
salary as commensurate with the
increased responsibilities. You can go back
to the employer with "From what I
understand, my role in this position would
be XYZ. However, I am also bringing to the
job the following function(s) and
responsibilities . . . " at which point you
recant the additional responsibilities.
Justifying your desired salary as being
commensurate with a higher level of
responsibility is an excellent way to
jumpstart stalled negotiations. Negotiate
the Package not just the Salary You should
be ready to negotiate the entire package,
not just the salary. Remember that you
can enhance a less than stellar salary by
negotiating the perks. If your most ardent,
well-rehearsed salary negotiation tactics
were ineffective at boosting the starting
salary, you can try to gain the lost ground
at this stage of the game. Your discussions
can include medical insurance, car and
housing allowance, children's education,
plane tickets home for expats, club
 memberships and further education and
professional training for yourself. Try to get
any courses, seminars or further
education you intend to take included in
your package. In many industries you can
negotiate a guaranteed bonus at a given
date or a sign-up bonus. You can try to
secure a commitment to a minimum
salary increase and/or title promotion at a
prespecified date in the future providing
you meet certain performance criteria. At
the very minimum, you can ask for a
performance (and salary) review a few
months after joining.

Things You Shouldn’t Do at Job

Interview
1.Don't arrive at the interview late.
2.Don't over or under dress or dress
inappropriately for the position. First
impressions do count and you want to
be dressed to show that you fit into
the desired role.
3. Don't wear strong perfume.
4. Don't forget to take with you extra
clean copies of your CV as well as a
 notebook and pen with which to take
notes.
5.Don't forget to shake the hand of the
Interviewer firmly - a limp or sweaty
handshake will not be looked on
favorably.
6.Don't chew gum, smoke, eat or drink
at the Interview.
7. Don't act distracted. Look the
Interviewer straight in the eye and
give him your full and undivided
attention.
8. Don't let your body language send the
wrong messages. Be aware of the
nonverbal cues you are sending out!
Sit upright and straight in the chair
facing the employer and smile. Lean
forward occasionally to express
interest. Avoid crossing your arms or
legs in front of you (suggests
defensiveness), slouching in the chair
(suggests sloppiness and lack of
energy), leaning too far back (may be
interpreted as being overly familiar
and disrespectful), talking to the floor
(lack of confidence) or flirting.
9.Don't refer to the Interviewer by his
first name unless he specifically asks
you to do so.
10. Don't talk about your weaknesses or
failings or apologize for lack of
education, experience, training etc.
Everyone has weaknesses; the
Interview is the time to showcase
your enthusiasm and strengths.
11.Don't make derogatory comments
about previous bosses or peers. This
is never acceptable and particularly
works against you in the Interview.
12.Don't act tired or jaded. Employers
are invariably looking for someone to
energize, inspire and uplift the team.
Try to act enthusiastic and full of
energy and motivation.
13.Don't act unfocused and uncertain
about what you want. Whatever
interview you're in - you want THAT
job.
14.Don't lie. Answer briefly, truthfully
and concisely.
15.Don't interrupt.
16.Avoid giving 'yes' or 'no' answers.
Support your answers with examples
 and be as factual and concise as you
can.
17.Don't talk too much. Focus your
answers on the particular question
and on your related strengths. Watch
for signals that the Interviewer is
losing interest and stop talking
immediately.
18. Don't talk about your personal life.
You have not been hired yet so keep it
professional. This is no the time to
talk about failed love lives, a husband
who asked you to quit your job etc.!
19.Don't treat questions as jokes or try
to be too funny.
20.Don't ask about holidays, perks,
hours or compensation until you've
actually been made a serious offer.
21.Don't act overly confident or
superior. Ultimately, unless you are
applying to the very senior level
positions, the Interviewer is looking
for someone who is manageable and
will fit into the team.
22.Don't drop names of influential
friends and acquaintances unless you
are passing a message or someone
 has referred you. Be very careful and
professional when you mention
names of clients and make sure you
are never giving out confidential
information.
23.Don't leave abruptly. Shake the
Interviewer's hand firmly, thank him
for his time and ask what the next
step will be.

How to Loose Stress at an Interview

Do you experience severe interview
stress? This article is for you. The
interviewer is buttoned-up, formal and not
smiling as warmly as you would have
liked. The interview chair is hard and
unwelcoming, your palms and face are
sweating profusely, your normal
eloquence has given way to stuttering and
stammering and you have begun to
tremble from head to toe. If you are one of
the multitude of jobseekers who begin to
hyper-ventilate at the very thought of
interviewing for a new position and to
whom the interview is a source of
unlimited stress and trepidation, the
 following are some basic tips to help you
through your interview woes: Imagine the
interviewer is more stressed out than you
are A technique favored by many to
alleviate their own stress is to remind
themselves that the interviewer may be
more nervous and stressed out than they
are, especially if he is not a seasoned HR
professional and does not normally
interview new candidates. The interviewer
may not feel very comfortable assuming a
role normally reserved for the HR
department and may be more anxious
than you are as a result. In this case you
can shift your focus to alleviating the
stress in the room and lightening the
mood realizing you are both new to this
role and that both sides will win by making
the interview as smooth, fluid and
informative as possible. Imagine yourself
in the interviewer's shoes It helps to
remember when sitting in the interview
spotlight that the interviewer himself is a
busy man with deadlines, a job and a boss
to report back to. By mentally envisioning
the interviewer as a professional just like
yourself who has taken time out of his
busy routine to give you an opportunity to
interview for the job, you can begin to
empathize with the interviewer, relate to
him and feel a sense of gratitude that you
have made it as far as the interview stage.
Remember, getting this far is already an
accomplishment and the fact that the
employer has given you such a generous
block of time means they are interested in
your profile, abilities and qualifications.
Convince yourself that the difficult part is
already over (providing you have not lied
on your CV) and the interview itself is just
a platform to build a rapport with the team
and articulate in person what they already
know from your CV. To take this a step
further, you may want to put yourself in
the employer's shoes - imagine you are in
full control of the interview and the aim is
to deliver to the employer all the answers
he needs to sell you to the rest of the
team clearly and succinctly. You can even
go so far as to imagine that you already
have the job and are just getting to know
the interviewer as a professional colleague
- this technique really works to alleviate
the stress of the moment and reveal your
real work persona and interpersonal skills.
Know your subject matter Your subject
matter is primarily yourself and your
professional achievements, interests, skills
and qualifications, particularly as
summarized on your CV and as they relate
to this particular job. The interview is not
the time to start racking your brain for the
answer to "How long did you work for ABC
Motors" or "When did you join DEF" - you
should know your employment history and
CV like the back of your hand and be able
to explain or expound on any aspect of it
immediately. Remember, you are the
world's best expert on this subject matter
and for the length of the interview you are
completely in control of the subject
matter, have an edge over the interviewer
with this knowledge, and can deliver the
relevant facts and figures with utmost
confidence. Read interview books Reading
interview books will give you that extra
self-confidence you need to appear calm
at the interview and anticipate some of
the more common questions. By
eliminating most of the 'shock' value of
the interview and feeling you are armed
 with answers to most questions that can
come your way you will feel much more
relaxed, comfortable and in control of the
interview. Practice and prepare Nothing
beats practice and preparation for
confidence building. While knowing
yourself is the fundamental building block
in the successful interview formula,
knowing the job, the industry and the
company come in a close second.
Research these areas extensively so that
the next time you are seated across from
the interviewer you have a detailed
knowledge of what it is they are looking
for, how recent market events have
shaped and influenced the company in
specific and industry in general and what
it is about your profile that is uniquely
relevant to the job in question and can
directly influence the bottom line. Once
you can see yourself as a vital piece of the
puzzle by virtue of the unique skills,
attributes and value-added you bring to
the specific role, you can tailor the
answers to all interview questions
accordingly. Practice your answers bearing
in mind at all times what the employer is
 looking for based on your research
activities, and keep repeating and fine-
tuning your answers till you have
perfected both the content and delivery.
Ask some-one you trust to assume the role
of the interviewer and aim to perfect the
answers to all the common (and any
anticipated uncommon) questions you are
likely to come across in the interview.
Don't dwell on your mistakes Remind
yourself that everyone is fallible and that
should you stumble or falter with a
particularly difficult question, you can
quickly recover. The secret is not to make
a big issue out of a bad or outright wrong
answer but to quickly take stock of what
went wrong, regain composure, take
remedial action if possible then refocus
and move on to the next question. Keep a
professional front at all times and don't let
yourself get mired in any interview traps
or potentially harmful comments you may
inadvertently have made. It helps
immensely to remember that flexibility will
win the day and that should you
inadvertently slip, you have the wit and
intelligence to make it up with well-
 rehearsed, honest, sincere, exemplary
answers to other interview questions.
Smile Laughter is the closest distance
between any two people and a good smile
(a close relative to laughter) can melt
many a concrete professional heart. Aside
from endearing you to the interviewer,
showing you are pleasant and breaking
the ice, a polite smile will actually make
you feel happier and will lift your spirits.
Aim to smile as sincerely and as often as
is possible during the interview and watch
how your mood and temperament lighten
up and the interview takes on a more
positive light.

What Employers Are Looking for

There are 6 key areas an employer will
evaluate you on. Aim to outshine in every
one of them. The interview seat looks tired
and worn and you know you have a
difficult task ahead of you, competing with
all those candidates who occupied the
chair before you. The next time you find
yourself seated across the desk from a
potential employer, bear in mind that
 there are 6 key areas you will be
evaluated on and aim to outshine in every
one of them!
1. Work Experience and Education Your
skills, credentials and training will be
paramount in placing you above the fray.
Have all your relevant work experience at
the tip of your tongue and ready to recite.
There is no substitute for the right
experience and qualifications and you
need to be able to recite a history and
general aptitude for success in the given
role and industry. The right credentials
coupled with sound examples of how
these credentials have been professionally
applied in different positions to add to
productivity will be the main determinants
of your suitability for any role.

2. Business Sensibility Employers look for

candidates with a sound understanding of
how businesses in general, and this
business in particular, are run. They are
looking for efficiency-minded people with
an eye for productivity and the bottom line
and a keen sense of business policies and
procedures. In any position you apply for,
the employers are looking for individuals
with finely honed problem-solving skills
who can identify and define a problem
with clarity and find and implement the
optimal business solution.

3. Enthusiasm and Willingness to Learn

Attitude alone will not get you the job but
goes a long way in bridging the gap
between you and a potential employer.
Enthusiastic employees with a positive
attitude typically show more initiative in
their role and are more likely to go the
extra mile. In any role, your initial learning
curve will probably be steep and
employers want to be sure that you are
willing to make the effort and put in the
time to learn the ropes, perfect the role
and continue to take the initiative to make
positive strides forward. Moreover,
employers know that enthusiasm is
contagious and they hope that adding an
employee with a positive attitude and
unbounded energy will rub off positively
on the rest of the team and elevate the
general morale and spirit of the unit.
4. Work Ethic A professional attitude, work
style and work ethic are critical in any
business setting. You need to demonstrate
dedication and commitment to the
company and your career, honesty,
integrity, sound business judgement,
motivation and reliability. Make sure you
always present yourself in a professional
light and have a keen understanding of
how your professional role impacts the
company and the bottom line.

5. Interpersonal Skills Your emotional

intelligence and ability to get along well
with peers, management and clients will
play a key role in your success and will be
under the spotlight during the interview.
Be sure to demonstrate that you are a
cooperative teamplayer and have no
problems interacting with other people. In
a poll run by the Middle East's #1 job site
www.bayt.com 15% of employers polled
cited that interpersonal skills was the area
they found it most challenging to meet the
required standatds in their candidate
sourcing and assessment actvities. In
another www.bayt.com poll 79% of
 employers cited that in their opinion
candidates needed to brush up on their
soft skills - of them 37% cited that the
candidates they interviewed needed to
dramatically improve their soft skills.

6. Manageability Even star performers

have to report to their boss and have to
follow company rules and procedures. An
employer's worst nightmare is an
entrepreneurial type who cannot take
directions and is focused on outperforming
in his own little domain independent of the
team and the manager. Make sure you
emphasize your ability to work in a team,
follow the chain of command and take
instructions, advice and constructive
criticism positively.

Tips about Finding First Job

Any-one faced with the daunting task of

finding their first job is likely to find
themselves in a quandary of perplexing
proportions. Their CVs are thin if not non-
existent, their industry knowledge is
 limited and their contacts in the business
world are few and far between. The good
news is that a record number of jobs exist
in the Middle East region for fresh college
grads and with the roaring economies of
the Persian Gulf and the emphasis on
training, human resource development
and growing from within, this is unlikely to
abate soon. To help you out with your first
job, here are a few steps that are essential
for success. Know Thyself You will not
sound very convincing to a prospective
employer if you are not convinced yourself
of your strengths and weaknesses and
that you will be an asset to his team. Take
the time to understand what types of jobs
interest you, what areas you enjoy and
excel in and what skills/competencies you
have that can translate in meaningful
ways to the jobs you are applying for.
Prepare an honest detailed personal
inventory of your unique skills, strengths
and weaknesses and use it to hone in on
the industry, companies and positions you
think you can do best in. Various books are
available for fresh grads and people
contemplating a career transition that help
 you identify your areas of strength and
steer your job search in the right direction.
In addition, there are a number of
personality tests, many of which can be
taken free on-line, that can help shed light
on suitability for various professions. It is
also very helpful to talk to peers,
professors and family members who know
you well to get an added perspective. If
you are unsure what different types of jobs
entail, there is no substitute for talking to
people inside the industry and asking the
types of questions that help you identify
whether this is indeed an area you will
excel in. Focus Once you have identified
those areas you are interested in and
believe you can excel in, focus your efforts
accordingly. Your CV and cover letter
should be uniquely tailored to those
professions and industries as should your
research activities, networking activities
and any training activities you undertake.
Start reading the industry journals,
attending industry events and widening
your circle of contacts within the industry.
Envision yourself obtaining and
succeeding in the position you are
targeting and then work backwards to see
how you got there. Research Research
should be the core and foundation of your
job search activities. Research will help
you identify what companies, departments
and positions to target and will uncover
who is hiring in your target segments. The
more you research your target industries
the more cognizant you will become of
what a typical job in your target area
entails, where the overall industry is
heading and where the best jobs are. Read
the industry journals, look up target
companies' websites, read their press and
talk to as many people as you can within
the industry to gain perspective. Research
will also uncover jobs in the "hidden" job
market ie jobs that are filled by referrals
and word of mouth without ever being
advertised. Websites such as
www.bayt.com are ideal for positioning
your CV within the "hidden" job market
traffic as a large number of companies use
the website to find candidates without
ever advertising their jobs. Perfect Your
Toolkit Your CV and Cover Letter are
usually the first interaction you will have
 with a potential employer so use them to
leave a positive and high-impact first
impression. Make sure the format, content
and flow of both is professional and
appropriate. If you are uncomfortable
creating your own CV, have the experts
prepare it for you. Companies such as
Bayt.com have dedicated CV Services
divisions that cater to jobseekers who
prefer to outsource the writing of your CVs
to professionals. Many new graduates
have no work experience and are unsure
what to put on their CV. Here is where
your education and activities during your
college years must be highlighted.
Emphasize in your CV and/or cover letter
all activities that have prepared you
directly for the job at hand including
directly relevant courses, related research,
special papers or publications, leadership
positions in college, internships, volunteer
work, student or professional
organisations you joined etc. Spend a lot
of time on skills you have acquired such as
IT skills, languages, presentation skills,
project management skills, writing skills,
etc. Treat the Job Search as a Full Time Job
 Approach the job search methodically,
logically and systematically applying the
same discipline and organisational skills
you would apply to a real job. Identify your
targets and set a game plan in place that
includes companies you will target,
activities you will undertake, dates and
follow up plans. Set aside a number of
hours per day and develop a routine for
your job search that resembles a real work
day. Keep a record of every interaction you
have with every company and make sure
you follow up diligently and ask for leads
at every juncture. Widen the Net Finding
that first job is for many like swimming
upstream so set a realistic gameplan and
maximize the number of companies you
target in your given field. Talk to friends,
alumni, peers, family and the career
planning team at your college and make
sure your CV is circulating in the right
groups. Placing your CV on a website like
www.bayt.com vastly increases its
visibility and allows you access to both
advertised positions as well as the
"hidden" job market. Prepare for the
Interview Employers are primarily looking
 for candidates that have the right kind of
experience, can do the job and will fit in
well with the company culture. With new
grads, experience becomes less relevant
than whether you can in fact do the job
and will fit in seamlessly with the culture.
The employer may ask you during the
interview to demonstrate how you would
actually do a specific part of the job
whether be it dealing with a difficult client,
selling the company product or service,
solving a problem etc. The employer will
also want to know what aspects of your
past endeavours position you directly for
the job you are applying for. A plethora of
literature exists on common interview
questions and what employers are looking
for during the interview. Be prepared.
Above all act professional and display
enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a
knowledge of the company, its products
and the industry.

Top 10 Resume Mistakes You Should

Avoid
 Your CV is often the first impression a
hiring manager has of you and more often
than not you will only have a few seconds
to grab his/her attention and leave
him/her wanting to read more and invite
you in for an interview. It is essential that
you get this vital piece of communication
right and use it as a springboard to the
next stage of the job search. The
following, from the career experts at the
Middle East's #1 job site www.bayt.com,
are some common CV mistakes to avoid at
all costs.

1. Insufficient contact details Make sure

your CV clearly details your full name,
address and contact details for a
prospective employer to reach you
including phone numbers and email
address. This may sound obvious but
remarkably, a few candidates will send
their CV out omitting key contact
information or with outdated contact
details. If your email address reads
particularly unprofessionally (eg hotbabe)
or is a work email address it may be well
worth while changing it for a different one
 to utilize for correspondence with
employers.

2. No objective Every CV should begin with

a clear and concise objective citing the
position you are seeking and a supporting
short skills statement summarizing the
reason you are highly qualified for this
role; e.g. "Seeking a senior marketing
analyst role where I can apply my 3 years
experience in marketing analysis gained
with a leading Fortune 500 FMCG company
as well as my skills in copywriting,
strategic analysis, business development,
client servicing and media planning."
Remember, the goal of the CV is to outline
what you can do for your prospective
employer not what your employer can do
for you.

3. Passive language Remember to use

active verbs that show leadership and
accomplishments rather than weak
passive words. Words like achieved,
spearheaded, managed, exceeded,
pioneered, led, created, developed and
motivated convey an active, dynamic
 successful professional. Substitute all
weak descriptive sentences for sentences
that detail accomplishments in no
uncertain terms eg instead of "Managed
the firm's emerging markets equity
portfolio" try "Managed and achieved a
34% annualized return on the firm's
flagship USD200 million emerging markets
equity portfolio."

4. Writing in the first person Do not start

sentences with the word 'I' or use the
personal pronoun in your job descriptions.
Keep your sentences short and dynamic
and begin them wherever possible with
strong action words.

5. Lack of focus Every CV should be

focused on the particular job and industry
you are targeting. If you are applying to
jobs in 2 different industries make sure
you have different CVs that cater
specifically to the different skills required
in each industry. The best CVs are
customized for the individual job at hand
and emphasize objectives, skillsets, past
accomplishments, aptitudes and
qualifications that are uniquely relevant to
that role. Generic, unfocused CVs rarely
make the mark.

6. Poor formatting Your CV will get no

more than a cursory glance if the
formatting is poor and it shows bad
planning, poor organization or clutter.
Makes sure you adhere to an acceptable
format that is professional, simple and
attractive to the eye. Use bullet points
wherever possible rather than long,
winding prose and be consistent with font,
headings, spaces and layout. Avoid the
coloured paper, illustrations and glitzy
touches - if you are applying for a creative
position show your creativity in your
portfolio not by jazzing up your CV. Aim to
send your CV on high quality paper (if not
on-line) and make sure it is no longer than
1 page if you are entry level and a
maximum of 2 pages if you are a
seasoned professional.

7. No proofreading Spelling mistakes, poor

grammar and glaring errors are a surefire
way to get your CV dismissed and stop the
job search process in its tracks. Read and
reread your CV before sending it to the
employer, run a spellcheck and have
some-one else read it for an extra check
before sending it out.

8. Omission of key facts Educational

qualifications and professional experience
must be included in your CV with proper
dates, titles, institution names and
descriptions. Use plenty of keywords in
describing your role and accomplishments
in each job as well as in the Skills section -
these will often be the hook that makes
the difference between your CV being
considered or overlooked, particularly with
an online employer CV search. If you are
unsure what keywords to use, read the job
description thoroughly, read detailed job
descriptions for similar jobs with other
companies and ask peers in the industry
what skills/qualifications are particularly
relevant for this role.

9. Lies Lies and half-truths will be

discovered sooner or later and you are
better off omitting them from the start. If
 you have not finished a university degree
make that clear on your CV without
neglecting to include the coursework you
did complete and the educational
accomplishments you do have. Similarly
do not list promotions, jobs, titles, dates or
job descriptions that do not accurately
reflect your work history. Most companies
run very detailed background checks and
lies and exaggerations that are not
glaringly obvious on the CV or at the
interview will often be discovered at the
reference or background check.

10. Poor targeting Make sure you send

your CV to the right person at the
company and accompany it with a short,
concise cover letter that personalizes it
and summarizes your skills, objectives and
the value you will bring to the job. Spend
some time researching who heads the
division you are targeting and what the
most relevant skills are to target in your
correspondence and send your
introductory CV and cover letter directly to
them. Your CV is more likely than not to be
disregarded completely if you send it to
 the wrong person or to a nameless "To
whom it may concern

Why You Failed to Get Hired

Your CV was prepared by a professional,

you did all the necessary groundwork
before the interview and you thought the
interview went extremely smoothly. So
why aren't you celebrating an offer letter
yet? Here, from the career experts at the
Middle East's #1 job site www.bayt.com,
are the top ten reasons candidates often
fail to secure the job of their dreams. 1.
Your CV missed the mark Many jobseekers
make the mistake of using the same
generic unfocused CV to apply for very
different positions in different industries.
Your CV should to the extent possible be
tailored to the specific job you are
targeting and should show in a very direct
manner skills, qualifications and
experiences that directly come to bear on
the given job. If you are targeting a
number of different jobs, have different
CVs for each job type so that your CV can
be customized to the unique requirements
of each industry. Find out what skills and
qualifications to showcase in each CV by
looking at the job description, researching
the position and industry and talking to
people in the industry, then highlight the
skills and expertise that make you a
perfect match. Employers want to hire
people who are focused and specifically
interested in their industry and company,
so having a generic unfocused CV with a
very vague objective statement and skills
inventory will fail to capture the
employer's attention or convince them
that you are the best fit for the job. 2. You
omitted a cover letter Every CV should be
accompanied by a cover letter to
personalize your CV and communicate in a
precise, specific manner your objectives
and the specific value-added you will bring
to the job. The cover letter should be short
and specific and should leave the
employer in no doubt as to your interest in
the company and industry and your
unique qualifications for the job you are
targeting. Cover letters, like the CV,
should be tailored to the company and
 industry and should communicate in no
uncertain terms the suitability of the
experiences and qualifications listed on
your CV to the job at hand as well as your
enthusiasm to work for the specific
company. A CV sent without a cover letter
will lack the 'personal touch' and will likely
be lost in the fray. 3. Poor follow up on CV
The average employer is inundated with
CVs on an ongoing basis and is more likely
than not to add your CV to the pile,
pending possible future follow-up. To
ensure your CV is acted on and does not
get buried with the rest, you MUST follow
up in a diligent manner. Remember, the
purpose of the CV and cover letter is to
get an interview so call each employer
shortly after you send the CV and
communicate you are calling to follow up,
ensure receipt and arrange for a face-to-
face interview. Prepare a very short 'soft
sell' for the phone conversation to
'educate' the employer as to who you are
and why you are uniquely suited to the job
and 'excite' him to want to meet you in
person in an interview situation to talk
further details. 4. Lack of preparation for
 the interview Many candidates make it to
the interview stage and disappoint the
employer with their obvious lack of
preparation for the meeting. Poor
preparation includes slovenliness in
researching the company, not being up-to-
date on industry news, not understanding
what the job requirements are and not
having answers to common interview
questions. You must, must, must enter the
interview armed with the maximum
amount of knowledge about the company,
industry and specific job so you can then
tailor your answers specifically and
position your skills and past experience in
a manner that demonstrates your unique
suitability for the position in question and
the valuable contributions you can make
to the company. 5. Unprofessional attire
for interview First impressions go a long
way and you may be hard-pressed
undoing the damage if you send out a
wrong message with your interview attire.
Dressing too casually or completely
inappropriately for the interview may
communicate a lack of respect for
professional norms of conduct as well as
an unprofessional non-conformist attitude
overall. Always aim to err on the
conservative side in your attire with crisp,
clean business attire and avoid tight,
casual or loud clothes as well as
unnecessary accessories and excess
make-up for women. 6. Unprofessional
behaviour during interview The
interviewer is screening you during the
course of the interview for suitability to
the job at hand and is assessing you in
terms of your ability to conform in a
professional way to the requirements of
the job and the company culture; any
unprofessional conduct will reflect
negatively on you and is likely to
immediately take you out of the running.
This includes any behaviour that shows a
lack of respect for the interviewer and
professional norms of conduct such as
arriving late, arriving unprepared,
aggressive or unprofessional body
language, being unfamiliar with your CV,
treating the interviewer in a
condescending or overly familiar manner,
talking at length about your personal life
and problems and/or obvious
 exaggerations or outright lies about your
work history. It is very helpful to read
some literature about body language and
interview skills if you are relatively new to
the interviewing scene and unfamiliar with
the basics. 7. Lack of interest in the
company It is surprising how many
jobseekers will make it to the interview
stage and then demonstrate a total
ambivalence and lack of interest in the
company not to mention an obvious failure
to research it in detail. Employers want to
hire people who will be keen, enthusiastic
members of the team and will carry the
company banner with pride; the last thing
they want are disgruntled employees who
are less than enthusiastic about the
company's products and bottom line and
will negatively impact the company
culture. You must show a familiarity with
and interest in the company and ask
intelligent, relevant questions, prepared
beforehand, that demonstrate you have
done your homework and are very excited
about joining the team. Any reluctance
you have about joining the company
should be kept to yourself at this early
 stage of the process; concentrate your
efforts during your interviews on securing
the position. 8. Unclear about value-added
to company If you are unconvinced about
your value-added to the company, it is
less than likely that you will be able to
convince the employer. Make sure as you
sit in the interview seat that you are
intimately aware of the requirements of
the position and can directly relate your
past work history, aptitudes, qualifications
and skills to the requirements of the
position. Imagine yourself already on the
job and communicate to the employer how
you will contribute significantly and in
record time to the company's bottom line
and how you will excel in performance and
exceed targets and expectations. Make
sure to include every skillset and past
success in bringing to bear how you will
positively impact the company's
performance. If you already see yourself
on the job and can mentally apply your
past successes and skills inventory to
achieving your new targets you are more
likely to convince the employer across the
table from you of your unique and
 undisputed suitability for the position. 9.
Poor follow up after interview Many
candidates make the mistake of assuming
the ball is outside their court following the
interview stage and fail to follow-up,
thereby losing what was a viable job
opportunity. You must follow up!
Oftentimes the interviewer has had to
travel following an interview, is bogged
down with a heavy workload and tight
deadlines or is simply waiting for you to
follow-up to determine your proactivity,
energy level and interest in the job.
Immediately after an interview while the
questions and answers are fresh in your
mind write a thank you letter to the
employer which leaves him in no uncertain
terms as to your interest in the company
and your unique suitability for the job.
Reiterate the qualifications and past
successes that are immediately applicable
to the position and emphasize any points
that support your case and add gravitas to
your application. If you would like to make
up for any important facts that were
missed out during the interview process or
if you feel there are specific strengths you
 want to highlight following what your
learned during the interview, this is your
opportunity. Then follow up on the thank
you letter with a phone conversation
reiterating your interest in the position
and enquiring what the next steps should
be. 10. Poor reference checks Before
giving a prospective employer names of
references make sure you are very familiar
with their professional opinion of you and
there will be no unpleasant surprises.
Many a successful job application has
ground to a halt because of unsatisfactory
or outright negative feedback from
references at or after the job offer stage.
Wherever possible, get the references in
writing so that you are intimately aware of
the feedback your reference source has on
you and there is no margin for error.

The Benefits of Online Recruitment

Portals

Online job sites have revolutionized the

recruitment landscape for both employers
and job seekers and largely increased the
 efficiency with which hiring decisions can
take place. Read how employers and in
turn jobseekers have benefited from
online recruitment. Gone are the days
when online recruitment was the exclusive
domain of the technologically savvy, the
curious and the ultra-sophisticated. Today,
with this medium tried, tested and proven
to be true and more importantly
indispensable, professional recruiters and
employers alike rely on job portals as a
primary source of professional talent both
on a stand-alone basis and in some cases
to complement traditional hiring methods.
There has been a paradigm shift in the
way companies recruit thanks to the
value, efficacy and ease-of-use of today's
career sites and with internet penetration
levels ever skyrocketing, geographic
boundaries blending when it comes to
professional mobility and the quest for top
talent at fever pitch in booming regional
economies, this medium is definitely here
to stay. So what are the benefits of online
recruitment that have led to such a
meteoric rise in its use and revolutionized
the way companies hire and candidates
 search for jobs in such a short time span?
Below we list some: Reduced time-to-hire
E-cruitment allows for immediate real-time
interaction and 24 x 7 hiring/job search
activity. Employers can post a job in as
little as 20 minutes on a career site such
as bayt.com with no limits to ad size and
start receiving CVs in response
immediately. The posting typically remains
active for as long as 30 days and
continues to receive applicant CVs
immediately as job seekers come across it.
This is in comparison to traditional
methods where a newspaper ad may take
appear a week later and only for a day, or
a recruiter has to wait till month-end to
reap the benefits of an ad in a monthly
industry or geography-specific publication.
Typically, e-cruitment hiring is on average
70% faster than traditional hiring methods
and the recruiting cycle is speeded up at
every stage from posting, to receiving CVs
to filtering to managing the contacts and
workflow. Reduced cost-of-hire Costs of
posting jobs and/or searching for
candidates on job portals can be up to
90% lower than the costs of using
traditional search firms and/or advertising
methods. Online postings at
approximately USD250 on a site like
www.bayt.com are substantially more
cost-effective than the 30% of annual
salaries fee that many traditional
recruiters charge or the costs of
newspaper/publication ads for the same
reach and time period. Wider reach for
employers Unlike traditional methods
which are usually restricted by career
level, geography, industry or other
parameters online recruitment portals
typically have current and active talent
databases that cover all career levels,
industries and regions. Top marketing
dollars are spent ensuring the databases
are diverse, updated regularly, relevant
and high quality. Sprawling business
development teams also ensure that
affiliations are established whereby the
portals are always prominent and top-of-
mind with the relevant candidates and are
visited by the target job seekers regularly.
Wider reach for candidates Candidates
benefit immensely from the wider scope
they gain through online job sites. They
 are able to access jobs in companies,
industries and locations they may not
otherwise have learned of and can apply
immediately with the click of a mouse. By
posting their CVs online they can be
contacted by employers/recruiters directly
for opportunities that may not even be
advertised. State-of-the-art filtration tools
State-of-the-art on-line screening/filtering
tools allow employers/recruiters to
immediately hone in on the right
candidate using up to 20 criteria on a site
like bayt.com including country of
residence, skills, education, career level
previous experience etc. This dramatically
increases the efficiency of the e-cruiting
process and the quality of the candidates
selected. Easy to administer online
Questionnaires which can be used to
administer standard evaluation tests
provide another level of objective
screening. State-of-the-art tools and
technologies usually also allow for the
establishment of automated "Search
Agents" which once set up search the
database on a 24*7 basis scouting for CVs
that match all the employer's selection
 criteria. Branding opportunity for
employers Employers can use their job
ads to project a consistent brand and
company image/values to prospective job
seekers. With the heat on for top talent,
candidates can be very particular about
who they work for and these company
descriptions often serve as a basis for
their application decisions. Sophisticated
management tools The entire recruitment
process is managed from one location
which allows the employer to post
vacancies, receive CVs, screen, prioritize
and contact candidates individually or
collectively and track all activities from
the confines of a private and highly
functional employer Workspace. job
seekers similarly can track the progress of
their application at every stage of the
hiring process from their own functional
Workspace. This allows for an enhanced
user experience for both employer ad job
seeker. Allows for confidentiality Both
employers and job seekers can elect to
maintain their confidentiality. Employers
can elect to search the databases without
posting a job if the vacancy is sensitive in
 nature, or they can post a vacancy while
keeping the company name confidential.
Similarly, candidates can post their CVs
online while keeping their names and
present employer's name confidential.
Allows for proactivity The
employer/recruiter is in full control of the
hiring process with online recruitment, can
contact candidates real-time and directly
and does not require a middleman to sift
through, filter, assess or select the
required candidates. By being in the
driving seat the employer gains valuable
insight into the nature of the marketplace
and the competitive landscape for the
position. He is also able to ensure a
superior match and a better fit for the long
term. Allows for database build-up
Employers can save high profile or
particularly attractive CVs from an existing
online search to build a priority database
of pre-screened star talent for future use.