Top 5 Reasons Why You Didnt Get the Job

Top 5 Reasons Why You Didnt Get the Job People often ask me what am I doing wrong in a job interview? They’ve sent out fifty resumes, they’ve landed ten or so interviews, yet they’ve missed out on the job. This strike rate says to me that this person’s resume is working for them to a reasonable extent, so it probably does come down to a few things. Here are some reasons you may not be offered the job. 1) Too many people at the one job interview. This is pretty much market dynamics and not a lot you can do about it at the time, although you should be thinking strategically about how you can stand out, whether that be by upgrading your skills, doing some thorough research prior to the interview or by really focusing on the value you can add to the job. 2) The job has been withdrawn. This happens more often than you think. Sometimes employers will interview just to test the waters. They may not tell you this. After the interview they may fill the job internally, restructure the organization or outsource the role. 3) You may threaten or intimidate the interviewer. This can happen. You may have more experience than the person who interviews you. We all have egos, and the interviewer may be questioning how well they will manage you on the job. They may also ask whether you will want their job, or how long you will actually last in the job. 4) The job does not exist. One of my clients recently had a recruitment consultant interview her over the phone. They offered to forward her resume along with two others. She waited 10 days and rang the consultancy again. Her first consultant had left, but the replacement said she would follow up with the client. Four days later and still my client had heard no answer, so she rang the employer client directly and asked about the job. The employer had not formally given the job to the agency. The agency were responding to an advertisement. This is the topic of a whole other blog post, but be warned, it does happen. 5) You don’t interview well. Here’s where it gets tricky. There are many things people do that will see them eliminated in a job interview. I’ve covered some of these in this post, on job interview nerves. It may be that you don’t answer questions, you talk over the top of your interviewer, you give the wrong information, you talk too much or you talk too little. In other words, many many things. A lot of what I have just said comes down to communication skills. Different from “hard” technical skills, how effective you are as a communicator is hard for you to gauge. With software skills, for example, you know when you have them. How well you communicate can come down to how “self aware” you are. The reason this is hard for you to pick personally, is you can only really see your success as a communicator reflected in others. Have I just confused you? Stay with me on this. I’m about to explain what I mean. Other people are good at hiding their reactions to what you say and how you say it. Lots of people, especially interviewers, are good at looking like they are listening, when they’re not. In work or in your personal life, few people will be really honest with you, if you do something routinely to annoy them in the way that you communicate. It can also be confronting for the other person to say how you make them feel, as in a sense they are bringing up unpleasant aspects of your personality. Often you may never hear the truly honest feedback you need, as deliverer may sugar coat it. Or you simply shoot the messenger who gives you bad news about how you come across. If you want to improve your job interview skills, I suggest you do an audit. How do you really know that you are a good communicator? Ask yourself is it me or is it you? See also: 10 Classic Job Interview Blunders You Must Avoid. Image: Shutterstock

Ever asked for feedback University of Manchester Careers Blog

Ever asked for feedback University of Manchester Careers Blog What do you think of these new shoes Ive just bought? What do you reckon to that goal I scored, eh? Does my bum look big in this? all questions asking for feedback where the last thing you really want is the truth. But what if the questions on your mind are: How did that presentation really come across? What did you think of the latest draft of the chapter I emailed to you last week? Can I have some feedback on how I performed in the interview? Its hard to get others to give you honest feedback unless you consider: Why you want feedback What kind of feedback you want Who could give you feedback How to ask for feedback How to react to feedback Thats a bit too much to cover in one blog post, so heres a handout Ive written, covering all those topics, plus hints on how to take the first steps in getting more, and more useful, feedback: Asking For Feedback (pdf) If you read it, whether youre one of our postgrads or anyone else, Id be interested in any feedback to help improve the advice and make sure its relevant. For example: Is it clear? Does it cover things which are of concern to you? Is the tone right? Are there any typos? Just leave a comment if youve got any feedback. All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate skills

Have You Chosen a Brand-Building Book Title - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Have You Chosen a Brand-Building Book Title - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Your choice of book title plays a major role in the ability of your book to build a strong and lasting personal brand. Choose the right book title, and your brand is off to a strong start. Choose wisely Choose the wrong title, however, and youre just one more author still looking forward to establishing a memorable brand. So, exactly how can you tell when youve chosen the right book title? Here are 7 questions to ask when evaluating the effectiveness of your proposed book title: Is it easy to say? If you find it awkward to say your proposed book title out loud now, youll find it even harder to say the title later, when youre being interviewed. The best titles are simple and conversational. Even when reading, your prospects will be sounding-out your book title in their mind when they encounter it online or in a bookstore. Is it easy to remember? Titles that relate to the problems your prospective readers want to solve, or the goals they want to achieve, are more likely to be remembered and purchased. Think of your title as a bridge between your book and your proposed readers mind. Book titles based on cultural references, like popular sayings or movie titles, are also easier to remember. Is it as short as possible? The number of words, and their length, will play a major role in the success of your book. Short titles that use short words, supported by longer subtitles, enjoy a major advantage over long titles. Short titles are easier to say and to remember. More important, short titles contribute to high-impact book covers by permitting the use of larger, heavier typefaces. Does your title promise a desired benefit? Successful nonfiction book titles arouse desire by creating an instant resonance with your intended readers. At a glance, readers can identify the fit between your book and their problems and goals. Unlike fiction titles, intended to arouse curiosity, nonfiction titles work best when they are as literal as possible. Does your title tell a complete story? In addition to promising a desired benefit, the best titles provide additional how and why information that adds convincing details and helps differentiate your book from other books on the topic. How information can describe the process, why information can be based on your qualifications, and who information can define the market segment youre writing for. Is your title SEO friendly? Does your proposed book title include the keywords and phrases your market uses when searching for information to solve their problems or help achieving their goals? Even if your book is intended for trade, i.e., bookstore, distribution and sales, its likely prospective buyers will first search online for resources. The more search engine friendly your book title, the easier it will be prospective readers to locate your book, and the less youll have to pay for pay-per-click advertising down the road. Is the URL available? Its never too early to obtain a URL for your book. In some cases, if a desirable URL is already taken, you may want to see if its being used, and if it isnt find out who has reserved it. If a URL doesnt exist, and the owner has owned it for several years, you may want to find out when it may expire, and get on a list to be notified when it becomes available. Look to the future Your book title is more than just a tool to help you market and sell your book. The right title creates a brand that can soon become your brand, with a life that extends beyond the first book in the series. When you have chosen the right title, and obtained copyright protection for the title, you can extend your original book title into a series of follow-up books, audios, videos, workbooks, speeches, and events. Author: Roger C. Parker shares ideas for planning, writing, promoting, profiting from brand building books in his daily writing tips blog. His latest book, #BOOK TITLE Tweet: 140 Bite-Sized Ideas for Compelling Article, Book, Event Titles, offers step-by-step ideas and examples plus easy-to-use tips.

Personal Branding Interview Nancy Colasurdo - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Nancy Colasurdo - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Nancy Colasurdo, who is a writer, a practicing life coach, a facilitator of goal-setting and creativity workshops, and a columnist for FoxBusiness.com. In this interview, Nancy talks about how shes built her personal brand as a life coach and journalist, what issues she typically helps people with, how people can confront this economy, and more. Nancy, how did you build your own personal brand and get to where you are today? My career has been built on hard work and setting goals, but being open to opportunities along the way. I have always had a fire in my belly. My pattern seems to be nose to the grindstone, someone else noticing my work and suggesting a path, me resisting a bit but then pondering the possibility. It was a college professor who noticed my articles in the campus newspaper and suggested I major in journalism. It was a former editor at the newspaper I worked for (10 years) in Central Jersey who first left print for the Web and talked me into joining him at FoxSports.com in New York in the late 1990s. It was a life coach in a volunteer training program I was doing who said I had talent in this area, that I seemed a natural. As an independent contractor, my brand has been built through authenticity and incrementally adding components that help increase my exposure (i.e., teaching workshops, attending networking events, blogging, writing a column for FoxBusiness.com and engaging social media). And I feel like Ive only just begun. Youve been involved in print, web and television. Where do you see these in relation to the web? When I entered the world of Web journalism via FoxSports.com in 1998, it was brand new to me and I was, frankly, nervous about leaving print. Fortunately, what I brought to the table in terms of journalism chops was perfectly complemented by the bright, computer-savvy 20-somethings on staff. We learned from each other and I quickly figured out how to bring my deadline experience to the Web. Getting up to speed enough on HTML to edit within its parameters was perhaps my biggest challenge. What came naturally was being the liaison with on-air talent (i.e., Keith Olbermann) to get breaking stories on the site. Later, at Oxygen Media in 2000, marrying television content to Web content was my primary responsibility, so again I learned by diving in head first. A decade later, television and Web content are becoming more seamless, interchangable. Id hardly want to hazard a guess as to whats next. Still a bit of a technology dinosaur, I keep marveling. What is life coaching? What typical issues do you help people with? For me, life coaching is about helping people get clear about what they want and often that its OK to go after it. Im a can-do coach. So many people get caught up in the societally dictated norm or get pigeonholed into one line of work when theyre young and never go outside of that world theyve constructed. They get into their late 30s to late 40s and realize theyre not living the life they want. Sometimes even loved ones arent supportive of the changes they want to make because theyre afraid of what it will mean to them. My tagline, Connecting you to your creative core came about because part of what inspired me to coach was the book The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. I specialize in unblocking creatives, helping clients push through inertia and guiding them to build out what I call their non-work life. The idea is that often your day job feels more satisfying if the rest of your life is spent doing things you love. Of course, ideally we strive to merge their passion and their work life. What advice would you give to someone who is depressed because of the current economic situation? Well, if its clinical depression Id say go to a qualified physician and get some help. Life coaching is not designed to replace that. However, if its not depression in the clinical sense, I would offer words that even I had a hard time hearing when I lost my job in 2002. Keep going. This is a test of your mettle. If it is at all possible and/or feasible to use a period of unemployment to pursue something youve long wanted to, do it. I strongly believe if we link our desires with appropriate action, doors will open. For example, I decided I wanted to be a columnist for a major Web site, so I began writing columns as if I had a writing gig. When I was at a social function for a beloved professor from college, I ran into a former colleague who had recently been hired to head up FoxBusiness.com; he was familiar with my work as a columnist and knew my ability to build a following. When he suggested a column about how to live life I already had samples to send him. This isnt magic. The desire, or wish, must be in lockstep with action. For those feeling particularly desperate about money, I highly encourage you to work through denial and anger and get to a place of acceptance that your lifestyle must be simplified. I know thats hard to hear if foreclosure is on the table, for example but it will benefit you and ripple to everyone around you. Also, take care of yourself. I must say a saving grace for me was holding on to my gym membership for dear life even when health insurance was not an option. What career obstacles have you endured and how did you conquer them? I dont know that Ive had obstacles as much as challenges. My traditional Italian-American family didnt see education for girls as a priority, so I worked my way through college with only one very small loan to worry about upon graduation. I am very proud of that. I thoroughly enjoyed my years as a sports reporter/columnist and was part of a talented and dedicated team, but certainly heard my share of because youre a woman when I received an accolade. Again, I dont think it held me back, but I struggled to handle it gracefully sometimes. Perhaps my biggest challenge of all has been bouncing back from a layoff in 2002 that I was ill-prepared for financially. It was jarring to be turned away from temp agencies and even cashier jobs because I was over-qualified. Eventually, I realized it was an opportunity to build my life coaching practice and pick up freelance writing and editing projects along the way. I pounded a lot of pavement and still do. Nancy Colasurdo is a writer, a practicing life coach and a facilitator of goal-setting and creativity workshops. She currently writes a twice-weekly life coaching column called Game Plan for FOXBusiness.com and has been published in, among others, Ladies Home Journal, Parents and on Beliefnet.com. Nancy has 20-plus years of experience in three forms of media â€" print, web and television. Her journey in the communications field began at The Trenton Times, where she was a sports writer/columnist for 10 years. Nancy spent the ensuing three years working as a web producer for FOX Sports and the National Hockey League and as a television producer at Oxygen Media. Nancy is a member of Conversation Among Masters, the International Positive Psychology Association and mediabistro.com’s AvantGuild.

Landing A High-Flying Job In Aviation - CareerMetis.com

Landing A High-Flying Job In Aviation Aviation is still one of the most high-paying industries in the world. But what does it take in order to be qualified for a job in this industry?Here are the aviation careers with the highest salary and some advice on how to get your foot in the door. 1. Becoming a PilotevalSource : Flickr.comMany people dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot â€" you get to feel the experience of flying and the median salary is $117,000.evalHowever, getting into this field is no easy task. Budding pilots often have to achieve a bachelor’s degree in a subject related to aviation before taking up two months ground training followed by 1,500 hours of flight experience.Many aspiring pilots are eager get into the top aviation schoolswhere the resources and training is some of the highest quality, although such schools can be expectedly more expensive.The training process can cost anywhere from forty to one-hundred-and-twenty grand overall, so having funding is important. Pilots also need to have c ertain personal qualities â€" being a good team communicator and having a calm but decisive nature is important for staying in control in the sky.You’ll have to become a co-pilot before you become a pilot. It’s worth noting that there are many roles beyond commercial airlines such as private passenger airlines, cargo aircraft and military aircraft.Such positions can be competitive, but once you’ve got your foot in the door you’re made for life and can expect generous work benefits and the option of early retirement.2. Becomingan Air Traffic ControllerSource : Wikimedia.orgAir traffic controllers play a vital part in monitoring aircraft in the sky and directing take-offs and landings. The median salary is $62,000 and you only need an associates degree to apply. That said, the job itself is often said to be the most stressful in the world die to the tremendous amount of focus needed.Clear communication is also needed â€" the whole job revolves around communicating with pilots and ground control.evalAir traffic controllers do get regular breaks and generous benefits that help to make the job easier. Many are able to retire early and live on a good pension â€" this means that there are often vacancies going and landing a job isn’t too challenging once you’re certified.The training in order to get certified is rigorous â€" an exam must be passed to become an air traffic controller in which there is no room for error and as a result the majority of people fail first time. There are many air traffic control schoolsaround the world where you can learn the ropes.3. Becomingan Aerospace EngineerSource : ocw.mit.eduAerospace engineers earn an average of $82,000 a year. They are responsible for the building of aircraft whether it be the design stage, managing the costs, ordering materials or project managing the construction process.Degrees in aerospace engineeringwill help to get into this field â€" there are plenty of universities across the world that offer these courses. From her you can find an entry level position at a company and possibly scale your way up the ladder to a management position.evalSuch a company could involve military aircraft, commercial aircraft, cargo aircraft or even spacecraft for those with sights set higher.Personal qualities required to become an aerospace engineer include strong technical understanding, good problem solving skills, attention to detail, good time management and strong communication skills for working within a team.4. Becoming an Aircraft MechanicSource : Wikimedia.orgAircraft maintenance is another important role within the industry of which can earn you around $50,000 per year.Major airlinesmay pay even more than this, but jobs can be competitive. It’s possible to learn many of the skills required to be an airplane mechanic on the job, however more employers are now looking for education such as aerospace engineering or a qualification from an FAA-approved school.Attention to detail is a must as any fault could have devastating effects â€" usually there are inspectors hired to double-check everything. It’s possible to get a job as an inspector after working as a mechanic for several years â€" this could result in a ten grand pay rise.Such a job requires a lot more responsibility as it is your job to do the final checks before an airplane deemed fit for service again.

Easter links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Easter links - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Easters here and Ill be taking the rest of the week off (I need a vacation after my last vacation :o). Meanwhile, here are some cool links: Depressed monkeys. Yep, macaques can get the blues too. Research in this can increase our understanding of depression and open new possibilities for research. The Slow Leadership blog offers excellent tips on how to kill creativity. Its depressingly(!) easy. Video of the most amazing Rube Goldberg-like devices. Now thats creative. A word of warning: Turn down the sound, or the repetitive, japanese, childrens-tv-theme will drive you to desperation inside of 45 seconds. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

How Resumewritingservices.net Reviews Can Help You Find the Best Health Insurance

How Resumewritingservices.net Reviews Can Help You Find the Best Health InsuranceResumewritingservices.net is a site that offers a variety of life insurance services for retirees and others. I have not used this site in years, but I was looking at some of the review comments.Online quotes are offered. People have gone to their online broker and told them to try it. They never really use it. All they want is the service or product, and they give it zero marks.Many numerous people have commented on the usefulness of these sites. It seems the majority do not understand what they are looking for, and they are making false claims. If you do a search for 'resumewritingservices.net' there is a chance you will get a lot of junk.The only way to tell if the product you are looking at can help you is by looking at some of the user reviews. They will offer you some insight into how these web sites work. If you don't see any good reviews on these reviews, it probably means you aren't going to get what you are looking for.There are many products being sold that can either be scams or things you could really use for your health. To find out if the product you are looking at is a scam, you should get the opinions of other people who have used the product.This is also the only way to see if the product is worth spending money on. You have to compare it with other options you may have. Without the reviews, you won't know if the site is good. This way you will know if the product works as advertised.Reviews are important because they will let you know whether you want to pay for a product. If you just read a few reviews and then click away, it will cost you a lot of money. You should definitely read the reviews before you purchase anything. It is the only way to really decide if the product is worth your money.What you want to make sure of is you find the best reviews you can. The quality of the product really does matter. With this being said, there were a lot of people who are paying for reviews, and yet they are failing miserably.