3 Things You Must NOT Mention in the Interview

3 Things You Must NOT Mention in the Interview This article is  sponsored  by  Nate Sterling.   Have you ever left the interview room with that upbeat feeling of euphoria, the one where you think,  Wow, I think I just might have the job, I nailed all the questions about the work activities? But then  you wait for a month, then two, and sadly, never get a call back? Answering questions about the on-the-  job activities arent the only ingredient to securing that plum position with the plush new office. It takes  a lot more and besides the things you do say, there are some things you must never mention. Apart from your knowledge of the job, there are several things you need to avoid saying to ensure your  prospective employer sees you as a valuable asset to the organization. Even though there are many  more on the list, here are a few of the most common ones Ive noted while conducting interviews or  recapping an interview from clients. Whatever you say, never mention these verbal blunders: I really hate my job: Trust me, saying I really hated my last job might sound stupid and incredible now, but youll be  surprised what people will say when under pressure and in the heat of an intense job interview session. The individual who said this was actually referring to a question where she was asked about why she  wanted to leave her previous career at a Nursing home, after bagging a degree in IT and applying at a  leading IT firm. Granted it was a different career path entirely, and she did hate the job just as much as she stated, but  the statement simply planted a seed of doubt in the mind of the interviewer. One of the sacred rules of  any interview is to ALWAYS be positive. People are naturally drawn to positive mindsets. Even if you  were a leading candidate based on your knowledge of the job, that attitude simply repels employers. It  would be better in her case to say I loved working with my patients at the hospital but I simply felt it  was time for a change in my career. I dont know: You never thought it would come, did you? The day youd be forced to say I dont know. You were  probably a straight A student in class, have had years of valuable work experience, and you know  everything about your career. But, as much as we hate to think so, the time does come when we have to  concede our helplessness at the mercy of a question we have no idea how to answer. Sometimes, we  might even know the answer to the question but conveniently experience a temporary brain fart at the  worst possible time. Well, the first option for most people when we dont have the answer to a question would simply be to  say I dont know, but that statement doesnt exactly speak well of your problem solving skills. You can  make the best of this situation in an interview scenario by following these guidelines: Stay calm and resist the urge to fall apart into an emotional spiral; it wont help the current  situation, besides there are probably loads of other questions to redeem yourself. Keep up a confident posture even if youre unable to come up with a satisfactory answer to the  question. Confidence, even in the face of defeat, is a quality that every employer admires.  Remember the same question that gave you fits will probably prove difficult to other candidates  as well. Stall for more time to come up with a satisfactory answer if possible. You can repeat the  question to the interviewer and ask for a clarification. You might not need the clarification, but  the brief pause just buys you a few extra seconds to put things together up there. If all attempts to come up with an answer during the interview fail, dont worry, all is not lost. You still have the opportunity of finding an answer and including it in the text of your follow-up  thank you note after the interview. I have a vacation scheduled for that week: Yes, we all love our vacations but if youre really looking for a new job, then you shouldnt be scheduling  any interviews around the time of your vacation in the first place. A lady got a great offer from a prime employer after doing excellently well in both the phone and in-person interviews. It was a new role and step up in her career path; she was really excited to get the  opportunity, apart from the improved benefits to which she was entitled. But, to sour things, she was  required to start the same week that she had scheduled a vacation. She had a tough decision to make between shelving her vacation, or telling her new bosses about the  situation and pushing for a postponement of her resumption. She opted to request for a postponement  of her resumption by two weeks. The company decided they needed someone urgently and  unfortunately for my client, decided the problems they needed solved couldnt wait for the vacation to  be over. The verbal employment offer was withdrawn and the board went with a candidate who had  come a close second place in the selection process. Bad for my client, but a fantastic twist of luck for the guy who finally got the job. Lesson of the day:  Never make any requests for time off until youre actually an employee of the company, especially if its  an offer youre unwilling to snub. Author:  Nate Sterling has at different times worked with international organizations such as IBM, Price Water House Coopers and USAID over a 25 year span. He is the author of Job Interview Blueprint.

Mums Use Your Career Break to Your Advantage

Mums Use Your Career Break to Your Advantage Whether you enjoy or dislike your job, are planning a long or a short break from work, this could be the ideal time to reflect  and  ponder over what you might like to do next.  Use this time out to your advantage. As a Career Coach I work with  a lot  of mums. Some have been out of work a long time, while others are currently on maternity leave and  ready to do something different. My advice to all of them is to take this opportunity and make  the most of the unique opportunity you have. Allow yourself the time and space to think about what it is that you actually want to do. Work out what you enjoy, what matters and what provides you with satisfaction in the workplace. Once this has been done start heading in that direction, whether it is a job tweak, enrolling in a course, work experience, volunteering, researching or connecting.  But how do you start? 1. Define your goals The first step is to identify your main career goals. What do you really want out of your working life? Think through your short, medium and long-term. 2. Review your career to date One of the best places to find clues is to really analyse and look at what you have done in the past. Look at all of the positions you have ever held and work out what you enjoyed, were energised by or you disliked. 3. Work out your purpose Our purpose is a high-level reason or meaning for why we exist. This takes some soul searching but think through what your intended work role is and purpose of existence. An example being helping and inspiring others to be the best they can be. 4. Work out your values A value is something that is important to you or something you really believe in. They are individual to you and can usually be expressed by single abstract words. What do you value in life? Family? Ambition? Recognition? Once you have your top 5 or 6 you can adapt your work and life accordingly. 5. Strengths Take time out to think through your USP’s those strengths that are unique and individual to you. Once you have done that highlight the ones that you enjoy as those will provide the most satisfaction. 6. Think through your interests and passions It may be that a hobby should stay a hobby once properly researched but these should be taken into account.  Armed with the above information start designing your ideal job spec and what it would look like, take into account what you should also avoid.  Once you have self-knowledge you will be able to move forward with open eyes. Freedom must involve self awareness. Career satisfaction is in your control. Some further tips for mums on a career break: Take time to properly analyse your talents, skills, motivators and strengths. We are often blind to our some of our strengths thinking that everyone does what we do well. To overcome this I suggest asking six people who know you well to identify what yours are. Think about what YOU want not what others might expect of you or want you to do or what you think you should be doing. Don’t underestimate yourself. Educate yourself. Might this be a good time to do some research, volunteering, or to embark on a course? Speak to people.  Start talking to people who do what you would like to. Use your network. Often people who enjoy what they do are very happy and honoured to be asked. Research. Once you have an idea of the area, start researching, all sorts of avenues and information will come out of it. Spend time on this. Some people spend more time researching and choosing a washing machine than they do focussing on themselves and what they are suited to work wise. Focus on you for a change. We all know that Mum is usually the last one to focus on her needs. Be realistic. Think through your current commitments and what is compatible to your lifestyle. Get out there. Nobody can do this work for you and it will not come to you, you need to make it happen.  As  Milton Berle said ‘If opportunity doesn’t knock build a door’. About the author: Charlotte Billington is a career coach who helps individuals  at a  crossroads. She has recently written a practical exercise book What to do Next?  (available on Amazon) that can assist and guide you through the process.

Write for the Careers Service blog University of Manchester Careers Blog

Write for the Careers Service blog University of Manchester Careers Blog Would you like to write for the Careers Service blog? Have you been on a work experience placement or internship? Are you currently looking for work? We are currently looking for students and graduates of the university who are interested in in writing for our blog about their experiences in the work place. If you’ve found work, whether  it is part-time, full time or an internship, we want to hear about it. Whether your experiences are good  or bad, your stories can help  inform other  students and graduates what working life can be like. It can be really helpful to hear from other students who are in the same position and from recent graduates who now work full time or who are still looking for work. It is also a fantastic way for you to practise your non-academic writing skills. We want you to be honest, but please do not focus on negative experiences with a particular company, we don’t want to offend anyone. Instead, tell us how it impacted you and what you learnt from it. Would you recommend it? Do you think it has  benefited  your future employability? But don’t try to give advice about what students should be doing. These blogs need to be personal, we want to hear your story and how it affected you. Please keep posts under 800 words (about a side of A4) and spell check it before you submit it. Try to include a picture with your post, but make sure that it isn’t copyrighted. If you are unsure, leave it out and allow us to choose an image or only include a photo you have taken yourself. To state your interest, please email careers.blog@manchester.ac.uk and we’ll be in touch with details on how to submit your stories. Would you like to contribute to the Careers Service blog? We look forward to hearing about your experiences soon! All Undergraduate-highlighted blog blogging Careers Service students work experience writing

6 Must-Know Tips Before Opening an Etsy Shop

6 Must-Know Tips Before Opening an Etsy Shop You’re a crafter at heart, but you’re ready to take it to the next level â€" you want to sell your creations online. Etsy is the platform of choice for many artisans, and there are countless success stories from those who have used the virtual marketplace to make a full-time income and then some. Those tales are incentive enough to dive in, but you should take some time to research and prepare before doing so. There’s a lot more to opening an Etsy shop than posting and selling your creations â€"  you’ll want to know as many tips and tricks as possible to increase your chances of online success. Here are six of them: Conduct Market Research Chances are, your Etsy shop won’t be the first of its kind â€" you might sell a unique style of jewelry, for example, but many bauble shops already exist on the site. Rather than letting this deter you from starting, let these pre-existing competitors teach you a bit about your future business. Start by seeing what successful Etsy shops do right â€"  you might incorporate some of their selling tactics into your business plan. You might also pinpoint ways their methods could improve and use those observations to your advantage, too. Then, find stores selling items similar to what you create. Have a look at their pricing and compare it to the value of your goods so your shop can hold a competitive spot in the market. You can also see which of their items are most popular amongst buyers and amp up your stock of those same products. Prep Your Products and Shop You won’t need an entire inventory to start with, but you should have a few products ready to go when you open your shop. Etsy suggests having at least one product ready to sell, although you should probably have more than that to give customers an idea of what you do and what you’re capable of producing. The product prep doesn’t start and end at the craft table, though. You’ll also need to take great photos of what you sell. Remember, these visuals are the only way your buyers get to see an item before they buy it, so you’ll want to take crisp, colorful images that accentuate your creations. The same goes for the written descriptions, which you can pump full of keywords that will draw more potential buyers to your page. You’ll want to ensure the shop itself looks pleasing to the eye, too. You can do this with proper branding, from the banner at the top of your virtual shop to the shipping labels you use on the products you mail. If you don’t have graphic design experience, you can find another Etsy shop where the artisan will design a logo for you to use to create a memorable, eye-catching brand for your products. List Strategically You might want to instinctually fill your storefront with all of the products you have ready as soon as you open your shop. But one successful Etsy shop owner advises you post a handful of your stock at first â€" from there you can add a single new item each day until everything is online. She suggests this method for good reason â€" new products tend to show up higher in searches. So, if you post one new item a day, you’ll probably get more eyes on your creation and more people looking at your shop. This is the kind of buzz you can use as a new face on the site. Learn Local Tax Laws Every state will have different tax laws, which means you might have to pay back a percentage of your Etsy earnings as part of your yearly income tax or send sales tax back to the government. In most states, remote sellers have specific guidelines as to how they must collect and remit sales tax. This information will help you run your business in line with the law, but it’ll also make tax filing easier down the line. Throughout the year, you can set aside money you know you’ll owe back to the government in income tax so you’re not pressed to raise funds in April. In other words, thinking about it as you start your business can help you avoid both legal trouble and financial strain. Provide Excellent Customer Service As you grow your Etsy shop, you’ll rely on positive customer reviews to spur more sales and more success. If customers know they can trust you, then they’ll remain more likely to buy your products now and in the future. One surefire way to impress them is with top-notch customer service skills. Make all of your shop policies clear so your customers know if they can return your products, how much shipping will cost across international borders and what types of payment you’ll accept. If you make custom products, be honest in predicting when the item will be ready, shipped and in the arms of the person who bought it. Transparency is the key here â€"  the more open you are about your products and policies, the more your clientele will respect you and recommend your shop. Patience Is an Etsy Virtue You’re just starting out, so give your shop time to take root. In other words, don’t expect to have immediate success through your Etsy portal. Instead, be patient and build up your reputation over time. You can do this by tweaking your shop’s set-up so it looks even better. Tailor your inventory to what customers seem to like most and always be responsive to the inquiries that come through the site. Ultimately, the more you put into your Etsy shop, the more you’ll get out of the site. So, give it time and give it your all â€"  you might find yourself crafting for a living thanks to the careful creation of your online storefront.

Is doing an MA just an excuse to put off adulting - Debut

Is doing an MA just an excuse to put off “adulting” - Debut This post was written by a member of the Debut Student Publisher Network. Monique left an amazing job to have an adventure in New York, doing an MA. But is that running away from responsibility? Read on. I sometimes feel that after working for two years, going to do my MA felt like I was running away from “real” adult life. I dont earn a lot of money, I still live with my parents and I do not have a job. But honestly? Ive learnt  more in my year studying for my MA about the real adult world than I think I would have in a normal job. And heres why. 1. You learn more about time management Source: Walt Disney Everyone learns the importance of time-management at either their bachelors degree or in  their first job. However, embarking on an MA really enhances this skill, turning you into  time management guru 2.0! Many people, like myself, take up an MA alongside some form of employment â€" and hats off to you! It is hard. Juggling employment, academics and having a life can sometimes feel pretty daunting. The juggling act has taught me the importance of planning my time, AND scheduling my down time. Having a healthy balance between the two is extremely important. It means you won’t become overwhelmed with tight deadlines in the classroom and at work. 2. You learn that you need to take care of yourself i.e. health and fitness and also mental health Source: Fitness Magazine This links back to time management. If you do not schedule your time well you will not only be overwhelmed with deadlines but become run down, stressed and potentially unhealthy. Taking time to cook nutritious meals, take a walk, or go to a gym class will not only work wonders for how you perform at work. It will also improve also how you feel about yourself. So go for that run. Make time to read your favourite magazine. Heck, watch the next episode of your favourite Netflix show- you deserve it! 3. You learn the importance of a good social circle Source:  MTV Studying an MA allows you to surround yourself with some unbelievable, like-minded people. I have learnt the importance of surrounding myself with people that uplift and inspire me, helping me to be the best version of myself I can be. We all challenge each other and make each other really think about our future careers, aspirations and also our next essay submissions! I cannot begin to explain how much I think a good social circle can enable one to grow professionally and socially. Your social circle gives you the confidence to know you can go out and boss the world in whatever way you want to. 4. You learn the importance of networking Source: Brella Networking. Sorry guys, I am going to be one of those people who tell you how important networking is. But it is true! It really is so important in today’s working world. The more people you know and who know you, the more opportunities you have to get yourself and your CV in front of that desired person. Your skills are incredibly important and do count for a lot. The reality is, most of the time your connections count for so much more. Studying an MA has taught me to make the most of my tutors and their connections. More importantly,  my peers as well. Who knows who among my pals will become the next Steve Jobs or Arianna Huffington? 5. You learn the importance of expanding yourself intellectually Source: Devianart via Kumicho23Ken Studying for my MA has reignited my passion for learning. After working for two years in London, I was unsure if I would be able to get back into the academic lifestyle â€" but I was so wrong. Taking a break from full-time work has really reaffirmed how much I love learning. I would recommend  studying an MA to anyone who feels that they have lost that drive to learn. It has made me not just want to learn about my current course, but read more, take additional classes and try new hobbies.  It has reinstated my desire to strive for life-long learning and would encourage further study to anyone who feels the same way as I do. Feature image via Pixabay Download the Debut app and get Talent-Spotted by amazing graduate employers! Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Her Facebook Ad Got Her a Job - CareerEnlightenment.com

Unique Resume Tips For Getting the Job You Want

Unique Resume Tips For Getting the Job You WantIf you want to get a job, you must have a unique resume. It is the most important part of your job search and one of the most important elements that you need to make sure you get right.Be careful though, as not all of these tips will work for everyone. Some people will get the perfect resume while others will get one that is worse than the previous one. As long as you stick to what you know will work, you will get the job. The first thing you need to do is get your resume written.This is going to help you decide which companies you want to apply to in order to get the job. You can look online at websites that have jobs available, or you can write your own. Either way is fine. You need to take your time with this because you are giving yourself an advantage over the competition.You want to take your time because the competition is fierce when it comes to resumes. If you send your resume out on the first day of application the competition will have an advantage. This is not going to help you out much at all, so take your time and think about how long you want to wait. You can submit a resume every other day if you want to.After you have written your resume you need to do something else. You need to make sure that your cover letter is also just as good as your resume. Your cover letter needs to show that you have some sort of qualifications, and it needs to stand out from the rest of the competition. There are a few different ways to go about this.First, you can choose to have your cover letter is a combination of what you wrote in your resume. Try to be creative and tell them about your story in your cover letter. Tell them what you like to do and why they should hire you. Do not sound too flat or too serious. Talk about things that they can relate to and you want to focus on them.Your second option is to use the same format in your cover letter as you did in your resume. The only difference is that you will not put your resume and cover letter together. Instead, you will include it in your cover letter and then type your resume in the body of the letter. This will show them that you put a lot of thought into writing both of them and that you took the time to make them stand out as well.You need to focus on making sure that you are as good as the competition. You do not want to come off as desperate or silly, you want to sound professional and interesting. This will get you the job, but it will also show them that you put the time in to write something unique and interesting.