4 Questions To Ask Before You Accept A Job Offer

4 Questions To Ask Before You Accept A Job Offer 4 Questions To Ask Before You Accept A Job Offer Finding a new job isn’t easy. Finding a new gig that’s also a good fit is even more difficult. It takes time, tenaciousness, and a little bit of luck. If you hate your job, despise your boss, or have been out of work for six months or more it can be tempting to jump at the first job offer that comes along. But taking a job without doing your due diligence can end up being a big mistake. BIG mistake. Worst job I ever had was one that I accepted without asking the right questions. In truth, I barely asked any questions at all. On paper it was a step up from my current position. In reality due to the poor health benefits and longer hours I ended up working harder for less money. Far worse the office environment where we were cooped up in teeny, tiny cubes. It felt like being in jail. Don’t make the mistake that I did. Before you accept a job offer do your best to ensure that the job and the company are a good fit for you. Here are three questions to consider before you make a move. How will the size of the organization affect you? Whether large or small the size of the company often directly affects you. There are many benefits to working for a large firm including a greater variety of training programs and career paths, more managerial levels for advancement, and better employee benefits than those offered at small firms. They also may have more advanced technologies. The downside is that, many jobs in large firms tend to be highly specialized. Small firms offer different perks. Working for a small firm is often means more autonomy and responsibility, a closer working relationship with top management, and a chance to clearly see your contribution to the success of the organization. A lot depends on what’s most important to you. However, before you say yes be sure that you find out specificsâ€"like how much you will be contributing to your medical benefits?â€"before you accept a job offer. What are the hours? Most jobs involve regular hours during a typical workweek; other jobs require night, weekend, or holiday work. Some jobs routinely require overtime to meet deadlines or sales or production goals, or to better serve customers. While you don’t want to lead with questions about the hours required it is something that you find out about before you sign on. It’s common knowledge that tax accountants employed by CPA firms work longer hours during tax season. However, how many extra hours often varies widely from firm to firm. While some accountants are at the office until 9 pm others end up working into the wee hours of the morning. Another thing to consider is how available you need to be. Many companies expect their employees to be available 24/7. Others do not. Think about how the job’s work hours will affect your personal life. Is there advancement? The employer should be able to give you some idea of promotion possibilities within the organization. What is the next step on the career ladder? If you have to wait for a job to become vacant before you can be promoted, how long does this usually take? A job may not be as attractive if you have to wait for your boss who’s been there 10 years to retire. It’s also important to know if the employer has a policy about promoting from within. When opportunities for advancement do arise, will you compete with applicants from outside the company? Can you apply for jobs for which you qualify elsewhere within the organization, or is mobility within the firm limited? Again, these are not questions for the first interview, but unless you are just marking time with no plans for advancement these are things you need to know. Is the job an overall good fit for you? Does the organization’s business or activity align with your interests and values? It’s easier to do your best work, particularly when times get tough or stressful, when you are enthusiastic about what the organization does. Consider the energy of the organization during the interview process. Are people rushing around or relaxed? Are they smiling or serious? If you thrive in a busy, fast-paced environment you may not be happy where the staff has a more go-with-the-flow attitude. After months of looking for a new opportunity any job offer can look like a blessing. But, do your due diligence before you say yes. As the first week of your new job comes to a close you want to be congratulating yourself on what a good move you made not wondering what you were thinking. If you’d like to work with Annette Richmond, a certified resume writer, LinkedIn Profile writer, and career consultant, please schedule an introductory call to discuss your needs.     You will be able to access Annette’s calendar to choose a day and time that works for you.

Interview Responses to Avoid at All Costs

Interview Responses to Avoid at All Costs An interview is your opportunity to sell yourself. Regardless of how much you may look the part, you need to answer the questions correctly to get the job. Interviewers ask key questions and look for certain types of answers. Honesty is always the best policy, but remember that it is okay not to offer information that was not asked. Never bash your former employer. It doesnt matter if your last boss was the Wicked Witch of the Workforce, dont say anything negative about your former employer. Instead of saying that you left your last job to get away from your boss that micromanages like its going out of style, say that you are looking for an employer that wants to utilize your talents and allow you to truly contribute to the company. Instead of saying what you hated about your last employer, focus on what you love about the employer that you are interviewing with. Avoid slang. It doesnt matter if everyone you know uses double negatives and slang, dont use them in your interview responses. Always make sure that you look and sound very intelligent and articulate in an interview. You might be a college graduate from an ivy league school, but if you speak like you dropped out of grade school in your interview, theres a good chance that you wont be getting the job. An interview is the place to be as professional as possible. Always have questions. Almost all interviews end with the interviewer asking you if you have any questions about the position or the company. Be certain to have some questions. However, avoid questions about pay, vacation time, hours, bonuses, and similar things that depend on you actually having the job. Instead, do some research on the company that you are interviewing with and ask a question about something that you read. This shows that you are interested about the company and have done some research. Never say you were fired. When asked why you left your last place of employment, never under any circumstances should you say that you were fired, even if you were. You could say instead that you and your manager agreed that your last position may not have been the best fit. Do not lie about why you left, but avoid using the words fired, terminated, and let go in your explanation of why you are no longer with your previous company. Dont lie. Its better to admit that there is something that you dont know than to lie. If you find yourself put on the spot with a question that you dont know how to answer, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for a moment or two to consider your answer. When you give the interviewer a well thought out response to the question that was posed, you can also make a point of emphasizing that you dont make snap judgments and decisions, but instead prefer to think through how you are going to answer the situation. In many situations, this type of personality trait can be an asset.

The Resume , Small Business Owner , Writing Center Game

The Resume , Small Business Owner , Writing Center Game New Questions About Resume, Small Business Owner, Writing Center The resume sample has a strong ability to keep up a reader's interest over the duration of the full document. You have to create a resume that reassures the reader you're a professional, dependable person along with all the skills required to find the business done. The passive voice gives you the ability to gloss over an unflattering pointbut you ought to use it sparingly. In most instances, the company letter is going to be the very first impression that you make on someone. If you are thinking about how to put small small business owner on resume versions that you're using, there are lots of references online. 1 approach to attain a crystal clear style is to minimize your usage of the passive voice. It can be hard for a business owner to capture the breadth and range of her roles and duties in a title, particularly when the sole proprietor wears many hats, Burdan explained. Principal is another option that demonstrates that you're the prime owner or person responsible for the company, but it might sound somewhat more official than owner. At a corporate job that you're provided a title, but as a business proprietor you are able to assign yourself any title you desire. It's not essential to have your resume mirror the title you're applying for, Burdan explained. The New Fuss About Resume, Small Business Owner, Writing Center Writing a resume for an owner of a company is hard. A little small business owner is a person who starts a business on a little scale. Stick to this guide and write your very own interview-winning small business owner resume! From the above mentioned discussion, here's a sample resume for a little business proprietor. The Fight Against Resume, Small Business Owner, Writing Center Business writing ought to be clear and concise. Writing an effective resume is among the most significant sections of l anding work. Be ready to deal with the matter in a cover letter also, and to answer questions from potential employers about whether you intend to carry on freelancing in the event you accept a full-time position. Resumes ought to be brieftypically a couple of pages. Vital Pieces of Resume, Small Business Owner, Writing Center For technical businesses, technical director can function as a title that suits within your real niche. Within the very first one-third of your resume your intention is to demonstrate exactly why you're the perfect candidate. Other duties the owner of a small company performs include portraying their product to the proper audience through the invention of associate campaign. Whether you're a company owner, operations manager, or just a serial entrepreneur, if you're searching for a job you're going to need a resume. As you're applying for the place of a franchise operator, it's important to mention managerial experience, along with interpersonal skill s which will help you work with other folks. A small small business owner resume is hard to write, but adding online content should help your odds of landing work. As a small business proprietor, you have lots of experience which other people don't have. Instead of merely writing down different responsibilities you had at your organization, you must add in how much value you added. It is hard to quantify all the work and responsibility that's required as an operator. When you've just started a company, you don't have a lengthy list of accomplishments and duties you'll be able to point to when describing your abilities or qualifications. Staying in contact with your clients is among the most important facets to cultivating an active resume-writing enterprise.

Why Do Smart People Ask Dumb Questions - Work It Daily

Why Do Smart People Ask Dumb Questions - Work It Daily I would like to say that nothing in the sometimes strange world of career advice can surprise me, but then I would have to deny how often I am surprised. The most recent surprise was a pair of articles appearing just days apart. The first prompted a very strong “What the heck?” response. However, then it was elevated even beyond that by a second article. Combined, they should provoke some serious thinking on the part of interviewers and force organizations to take a serious look making sure recruiters and hiring managers are properly trained. RELATED: Need some job interview advice? Watch these tutorials! The first article proposed that asking a candidate “Did you make your bed this morning?” is a good way of identifying people who “want to change the world.” The article suggested that making your bed shows: 1) It helps you start the day off right; 2) Happy people make their beds; 3) You’ll sleep better; 4) It helps establish good habits; 5) It can reduce stress; and 6) It just feels good. The article references studies that claim people who make their beds are happier (71%) than those who don’t (38%) and that making your bed is correlated to greater productivity. Unfortunately just a few days later, several articles highlighted that making your bed is not only unnecessary, but it is also healthier. A web search reveals several articles published over the last few years that point out that an unmade bed cuts down on the moisture and that the dryer condition helps prevent dust mites and bed bugs. For several days this “making the bed” as an interview question bothered me. Happier and more productive versus healthier? Moreover, then it got even more confusing. A very popular country music star tweeted: “Good Morning! The last one out of bed makes it â€" that’s me today!” So I realized that a person may not make their bed because someone else does: a spouse, a partner, or a housekeeper! I have written before about bad interview questions. It appears there will be a never ending supply of additional examples for some continued stories. Interviewers ask some of these questions because they think they are clever, or they somehow think that the answers provide deep insights into the quality of a candidate. They claim a “magic bullet” that works perfectly for them. The problem is that the relevancy of these questions is doubtful at best â€" and fairness and legality might even be questioned. My concern over these types of questions elevated to still another level when a friend reported to me about a video screening interview she’d just completed. The 8-minute recorded interview featured three questions, the second and third of which were relevant and appropriate. The first question however, was not in the same category as “did you make your bed?” but it seems to raise some of the same questions. The opening question was “What’s your favorite hobby?” Relevance? The first concern I have about these questions is relevance â€" in official terms validity? Are they really related to performance? Even if there’s some correlation between making your bed and productivity, it appears to be based more on surveys than validated correlations to performance. One thing is, or should be, clear. The best predictor of future performance is past performance. Any other factor is going to have a much higher error rate. In simple terms, there are individuals who have perhaps never made their beds once in their entire life who are outstanding performers, super productive, and happy. They may be extremely neat and particular in other areas of their behaviors, yet believe that making their beds in unhealthy â€" or just a waste of time. Whether or not a person makes his or her bed, or what your favorite hobby is, has nothing to do with your coding skills, or customer service skills, or… Dangerous â€" Or Illegal? The illegality of question is not always a black or white issue. Some questions are clearly illegal and should never be asked. However, what about questions that might be dangerous in that they could lead to discovering information that could then be used to discriminate. It is this context that seriously concerns me about these questions. What if the “making the bed” question reveals (or is even intended to reveal) if the candidate is married or what the candidate’s sexual preferences might be? What if the “favorite hobby” question reveals a controversial personal, political, or religious belief that the HR recruiter or hiring manager disagrees with. It is not hard to think of a dozen or so examples of that in today’s world. The “None Of Your Business” Response A major focus of my advice on bad interview questions is simple: “You’ll be asked bad questions â€" don’t give bad answers!” I’ve taken dozens of bad questions and suggested ways to answer them effectively. At the same time, I’ve enjoyed some authors who have provided sarcastic answers to some of these questions. Daniel Pink, in his outstanding career book, “The Adventures of Johnny Bunko,” even pokes fun at these by highlighting: “What will your biggest weakness be in five years?” I point this out because my first response to the bed making and hobby questions is “it’s none of your business.” I do not recommend giving this answer, but it does highlight how the question just doesn’t fit within the context of a professional interview. Conclusion I stated this in the introduction, but it needs repeating. Recruiters and hiring managers need to be seriously trained in effective interviewing skills. It is not something learned from “I heard about this great question.” It is learned by really understanding how to measure performance and conduct a professional interview that gives the candidate the opportunity to best represent his or her accomplishments. Questions about bed making, hobbies, favorite soups or animals will not be part of those interviews. Related Posts How To Create SMART Goals Set And Achieve SMART Goals Promotion Killers: Weak Goals About the author Jim Schreier is a management consultant with a focus on management, leadership, including performance-based hiring and interviewing skills. Visit his website at www.farcliffs.com.     Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert. You can learn more about expert posts here. Photo Credit: Shutterstock Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

6 Steps to Writing a Great Thank You Note

6 Steps to Writing a Great Thank You NoteAll interviews should be followed up with a thank you note, no matter how wellor badlyit went. If the interviewer was the long-lost fraternity brother of your dreams, he gets a thank you note. If he was the stone-faced gatekeeper of your worst case scenario, he gets a thank you note. Its just good form, as Emily Post would surely agree. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Why do it? Even if you dont get the job, a little formal graciousness goes a long way. It could keep you on the good list for future openings. Also, doing it as an automatic routine after every interview means you dont have to think too much about it.Here are 6 steps to writing a great thank you note1. Know the players.If you met with just one rolle, this is easy-peasy. If you met with a group, or you were handed off to multiple people like a well-dressed baton, it can be trickier. Try to get a business card from each person you talk to. If you forget, or that doesnt work out for whatever reason, make sure you have at least one persons contact info, or HRs contact info.2. Decide how you want to send the note.Pretty much every parte of the hiring process has gone digital, so in the interest of quickness and ease, its fine to emaille the person(s). Plus, its green and shows you know how to use resources efficiently, sobonus3. If necessary, reach out to get all the interviewers contact info.If you have gaps, its totally fine to reach out to your initial contact at the company. In the thank you letter to that person, you can add a brief note to say, Id love to reach out to Martha as well to say thank you, but I dont have her email address. Could you please send that to me?Note if youre doing this old school and sending paper letters instead of email, this step isnt really necessaryYou can address the envelope right to the person at the companys mailing address.4. Hit all the necessary points.There are a number of e lements that the thank you note should includeThe thanks Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning.Brief reference to any small talk you had Its always a pleasure to meet a fellow Cubs fan1-2 sentences that reiterate how awesome you are for this job Based on our conversation, I think this company has some interesting goals, and my sales acumen and leadership skills can really help you achieve them.Leave the door open Please dont hesitate to let me know if I can provide more information that will help you make your decision. I look forward to hearing from you.A closing that is formal, but not stiffly so (Think Best, Regards, or Thanks again. Nothing flowery and Victorian like Ever so humbly yours.)5. Check everything.For the love of all that is good and chocolate, proofread every element email address, name spellings, body text.6. Send it now.Seriously, same day. If you put it off, it could signal to the interviewer that hmm, maybe this isnt your top priority. And it s easy to get bogged down in daily stuff and say youll do ittomorrow. Spoiler alert youll probably forget or put it offtomorrowtoo, because human nature. Besides, you want to do it before the interview starts getting fuzzy around the edges in your memory.And then youre done. Just a few minutes, taken right after the interview, can help establish you as the so-on-the-ball candidate. Plus, even if you dont get the job, youve left a good impression, and you never know when that will come in handy.

Resume Education Section High School

Resume Education Section High School Should your resume education section include your high school?Know whether your high school belongs on a resume. In the early stages of your career, youre likely going to struggle to decide what relevant information to include on your resume. Its a common conundrum. Among your considerations Should your resume education section include your high school?Short answer Sometimes.There are definitely circumstances that warrant listing your high school achievements on your resume. But there will also come a time when your work history will become the main point of interest to hiring managers. These pointers will help you determine when to cut your school ties.When should you list your high school?The decision to list your high school in your resume education section comes down to the stage youre at in your life. If youre currently attending high school or college, or if you just graduated from school, definitely list your high school on yo ur resume.Its also customary to include your high school information on resumes in some countries outside the United States. If youre applying for a job abroad, make koranvers you research whether this information is likely to be important.When is your high school best left off?A few years after you finish high school, potential employers will care more about your accomplishments after graduation, so its fine to delete your high school from your resume.A good sign that you can leave your high school information off your resume Space is an issue and you cant fit all your information on one page.How do you list high school on your resume?In your resumes education section, list the name of your high school, its city and state, and the years you attended. You can also list one or two major achievements, such as being a team captain or being the president or founder of a club. If and when you have a college education, list it above your high school details.How can you be sure your resume looks good?Its not easy figuring out all the formalities of resume writing. Could you use some advice on how to make yours stand out? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts atMonsters Resume Writing Service. Youll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review ofyour resumes appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiters first impression. Let the experts at Monster help you determine the skills and experience to highlight, as well as what you can leave off. Tags resume high school resume tips

How to Have a More Fulfilling Career

How to Have a More Fulfilling Career The majority of people want purpose in their job.They want to feel challenged, appreciated and respected, as well as properly compensated.Unfortunately, many waste countless hours dreaming of improvement while few take action toward achieving concrete goals that lead to a prosperous work life. Success begins with being motivated to continually improve as an individual as well as improving upon your skill-sets and effectiveness at work.An engaging career entails a different reaction to events and a more positive outlook on future prospects.There are certain aspects of your career that you cant change, such as your years of experience or where you went to college. However, regardless of what you may think, you are in complete control of your career.For just about all job seekers, having a more fulfilling position starts with implementing certain practices1. Learn to Manage Stress More Effectively- The pace of modern life makes it increasingly important for you to learn how to manage your stress.Many individuals never learn to set aside emotions and fear, analyze a dicke bretter bohren mssen logically and focus on solutions rather than problems. Because of this, they are less upbeat regarding their future prospects and are much less apt to attack their goals with high resiliency.Among other things, resiliency mitigates stress.Of all the virtues you can acquire to improve your career, the ability to transform adversity into an enjoyable challenge is one of the fruchtwein crucial.Any major or minor setback can either force someone to create barriers around remaining goals or provide a new, more clear, and more urgent goal to overcome the challenges created by defeat.StressRemediesa. Understand that stress only impedes your competency and decision making skills. Continually remind yourself that consistent stress serves no beneficial purpose.b. According to the Mayo Clinic, the first step in stress relief is making a cognitive decision to change how you handle stress. Then, it is crucial to identify your stress triggers.Sohonigweinimes the solution to solving a stressful situation will be simplistic, such as finishing a report that is hanging over your head.Other times, you wont get as lucky.Regardless, begin to brainstorm ways to reduce that irritation factor and you will be happier, more productive and respected around the office.2. Define What You Want Out of Your Job with Specificity- Do you know what you want?Getting specific is one of the most critical steps to take in reaching any goal.Do you want a promotion to management?Do you want to be paid x more dollars?Do you want more responsibilities? All of the above? Until we know what makes us happy, we cannot map out a set plan of action to achieve our goals.Remediesa. Formal career analysis.Take a few minutes and write down what you want out of your job, what you can do to obtain those desires and a firm decision regarding the course of action(s) you are going to implement to get there.Once you make this decision, dont hesitate and attack the goal vigorously.b. Then, practice envisioning attaining your goal. How will it make you feel?How will it change your life for the positive?Continually creating a vivid picture of your world after these needs are met should aid in making you hang in there and keep trying until you succeed.3. Relentlessly Tackle Any Insecurity with Vigor- Insecurity is like a leash that tethers you to a limited experience of life and all but ruins your chances of being truly happy at work.Much of our insecurity comes from worry about the future.Its imperative to begin thinking of hurdles as events that can be overcome rather than catastrophes that threaten your ability to recognize success and happiness in the future.While hesitation and insecurity will twist your perceptions of reality and hold you in a vise, learning to not accept negativity will release positive energy, resiliency and unleash your true ability to execute.Remediesa. Posture can increase your confidence levels. By opening your chest, not hunching forward and rolling your shoulders back, you both can alter your thought process as well as how others think about you.Additionally, smiling is known to elevate moods and positively affect your mental function.b. Carry yourself with poise and confidence, paired with a warm, welcoming smile.Be open to new ideas be open to learning. The more knowledge you have, the more desired you will be by employers.In the EndA fulfilling career doesnt simply happen you have to work at it psychologically while consistently improving your set of skills.Remember, one of the most frustrating experiences you can have in your career is losing track of your desire to be happy. Take it one day at a time and youll get there.