Pimp My Interview | Hiring Secrets Revealed

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Pimp My Interview by Michael Donovin

My name is Michael Donovin and I am a recruiter (headhunter), author and blog publisher. I have counseled thousands of people in the art of the job search. After all these years of helping people on the phone and in person I decided to write it down and share this knowledge with as many people as possible.

Lord knows, in this economy of 2008 we need all the help we can get!

_____________

www.PimpMyInterview.com

Three Common & Potentially Fatal Errors Made In Job Interviews

Every interview is different, so it is difficult to be prepared formight happen, but you can focus on your overall presentation skills, which are usually more important than what you have to say.

Three areas of interview performance which should be considered potentially dangerous are worth spending some time thinking about before your next job interview.

1.Poor non-verbal communication image

It’s about demonstrating confidence –Stand straight, and make good eye contact. (for esample...note the color of the interviewer’s eyes.) • Connect with a good, firm handshake.(A limp response in a handshake is a no-no.) • Sit erect and lean forward in the chair, appearing interested and attentive. (Slumping depicts a lazy candidate.) That first impression can be an awesome beginning, or a ticket to ending to your interview.

2. Poor verbal communication skills

Your interviewer is giving you information, either directly or indirectly. Excellent communication skills include listening and letting the interviewer know you absorbed what they said.

• Observe the person's style and pace. Try to match that style, adjusting your style and pace to match.

• Use appropriate language. (Use of slang words or references to age, race, religion, politics, or sexual preferences – could end the interview very quickly.)

• Telling the interviewer more than they need to know could be a deadly mistake. (Too much information – particularly personal information - could get into areas that are best not to be discussed in a job interview.)

3. Not asking questions

It is vitally important to ask targeted questions. When asked, “Do you have any questions?”.... “No”...is the WRONG answer!

• Asking questions gives you the opportunity to express your interest. (The targeted questions come from attentive listening to what is being said and asked of you during the interview. Always ask for additional information.) • Asking the proper questions gives you the every chance to find out if this is the right place for you. (Try to find out what goes on in the company.)

The job market today is ultra competitive and the competition is never ending. Give yourself every benefit with preparation and practice before the interview. Be mindful of your verbal and non-verbal execution and the messages you could be sending. It could be the diference maker between a great job offer or not.

The 5 Most Important Skillsets for a Job Interview

5 most important job candidate skills you should have...

Attitude determines Altitiude... having a great attitude
Exhibiting a strong work ethic
You must display great communication skills
Enthusiasm can overcome many percieved weaknesses
Demonstration of analytical skills

Recommended Career Books

	How To Find A Job: When There Are No Jobs, 2012 Edition: A Necessary Job Search Book & Career Planning Guide For Surviving And Prospering In Today's Hyper Competitive Job Market Amazon Price: $9.99
	5 Necessary Skills to Keep Your Career on Track: Negotiate a Job Offer, Interview Questions, Career Changes, Job Searches, Cover Letters, Resume, Being Proactive, Dealing With Bad Managers, Networking Amazon Price: $15.95
	What Color Is Your Parachute? Guide to Job-Hunting Online, Sixth Edition: Blogging, Career Sites, Gateways, Getting Interviews, Job Boards, Job Search ... Resumes, Research Sites, Social Networking Amazon Price: $5.75 List Price: $12.99
	The Google Resume: How to Prepare for a Career and Land a Job at Apple, Microsoft, Google, or any Top Tech Company Amazon Price: $13.32 List Price: $22.95
	The Career Artisan Series - Interview Follow Up Guide For The Perplexed (With Custom Letter Templates) Amazon Price: $2.99

llegal Interview Questions

by Alison Doyle, About.com

Federal and state laws prohibit prospective employers from asking certain questions that are not related to the job they are hiring for. Questions should be job-related and not used to find out personal information.

In a nutshell, employers should not be asking about your race, gender, religion, marital status, age, disabilities, ethnic background, country of origin, sexual preferences or age.

Illegal Interview Questions

Employers should not ask about any of the following, because to not hire a candidate because of any one of them is discriminatory:

* Race

* Color

* Sex

* Religion

* National origin

* Birthplace

* Age

* Disability

* Marital/family status

Your Options

Answer the question.

Answer the "intent" of the question. For example, if you are asked whether you are a United States citizen (not legal to ask), reply that you are authorized to work in the U.S., which is a question the employer can ask you and which is appropriate to answer.

Try to change the topic of conversation and avoid the question. Refuse to answer the question which might cost you the job if you are very uncomfortable with the question. However, consider whether you really want to work somewhere where you are asked questions that are not appropriate.

Before You File a Claim

Before you file a claim for discrimination, you might want to consider that most discrimination is not deliberate. In many cases, the interviewer may simply be ignorant of the law. Even though the interviewer may have ask an illegal question it doesn't necessarily mean that the intent was to discriminate or that a crime has been committed.

Filing a Claim

If you believe you have been discriminated against by an employer, labor union or employment agency when applying for a job or while on the job because of your race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability, or believe that you have been discriminated against because of opposing a prohibited practice or participating in an equal employment opportunity matter, you may file a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

To file a charge, contact an attorney who handles labor issues or contact your local EEOC office:

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/howtofil.html

DISCLAIMER:

The private web sites, and the information linked to both on and from this site, is opinion and information. While I have made every effort to link accurate and complete information, I cannot guarantee it is correct. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. This information is not legal advice and is for guidance only.

www.PimpMyInterview.com

10 Popular "Tell me about" Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you . . .

worked effectively under pressure.
handled a difficult situation with a co worker.
were creative in solving a problem.
missed the obvious solution to a problem.
were unable to complete a project on time/under budget.
persuaded team members to do things your way.
wrote a report that was well received by your company.
anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures.
had to make an important decision with limited facts.
were asked to make an unpopular decision.

handling these questions will give you an important leg up in the interview process....rehearse your answers and give them thought BEFORE you interview

Resume Experience- Tips Secrets & Samples updated Mon Nov 10 2008 2:40 pm EST
Your resume is a written document that lists your work experience, skills, and educational background. It is used as a marketing tool for all job seekers. There is also the less well known curriculum vitae or "CV", which focuses more on education, publications, and other accomplishments. Both are normally used to screen applicants, often followed by an interview. The resume or CV is typically the first impression that a potential employer has of you. In this lens we will uncover tips secrets and methods for maximizing your CV or resume's effectiveness. - 3 years ago

150 Powerful Action Verbs for Your Resume/cover Letter & Interview

It's all about the communication and the words you use...spoken or written. Words can be powerful tools to help you land a great inteview and that elusive job offer. Familiarize yourself with these selected words and soon you will come up with another 150 words of your own to implement into your vocabulary and finely tune that resume, cover letter or interview for maximum selling effectiveness.

```
     abated
```
```
     abolished
```
```
     accelerated
```
```
     accomplished
```
```
     achieved
```
```
     actively participated
```
```
     administered
```
```
     advanced
```
```
     advised
```
```
     aggressively analyzed
```
```
     applied
```
```
     assumed a key role
```
```
     authored
```
```
     automated
```
```
     built
```
```
     hired
```
```
     closed
```
```
     coached
```
```
     codirected
```
```
     co-founded
```
```
     cold called
```
```
     collected
```
```
     co-managed
```
```
     communicated
```
```
     completed
```
```
     computerized
```
```
     conceptualized
```
```
     conducted
```
```
     consolidated
```
```
     contained
```
```
     contracted
```
```
     contributed
```
```
     controlled
```
```
     convinced
```
```
     coordinated
```
```
     cost effectively created
```
```
     critiqued
```
```
     cut
```
```
     dealt effectively
```
```
     decreased
```
```
     defined
```
```
     delivered
```
```
     designed
```
```
     developed
```
```
     developed and applied
```
```
     directed
```
```
     doubled
```
```
     earned
```
```
     eliminated
```
```
     emphasized
```
```
     enforced
```
```
     established
```
```
     evaluated
```
```
     exceeded
```
```
     executed
```
```
     exercised
```
```
     expanded
```
```
     expedited
```
```
     facilitated
```
```
     filled
```
```
     focused
```
```
     formulated
```
```
     fostered
```
```
     founded
```
```
     gained
```
```
     generated
```
```
     ground-breaking
```
```
     headed up
```
```
     identified
```
```
     implemented
```
```
     improved
```
```
     increased
```
```
     initiated
```
```
     innovated
```
```
     instituted
```
```
     instructed
```
```
     integrated
```
```
     interviewed
```
```
     introduced
```
```
     investigated
```
```
     lectured
```
```
     led
```
```
     leveraged
```
```
     maintained
```
```
     managed
```
```
     marketed
```
```
     motivated
```
```
     negotiated
```
```
     orchestrated
```
```
     organized
```
```
     outmaneuvered
```
```
     overcame
```
```
     oversaw
```
```
     penetrated
```
```
     performed
```
```
     permitted
```
```
     persuaded
```
```
     planned
```
```
     played a key role
```
```
     positioned
```
```
     prepared
```
```
     presented
```
```
     prevented
```
```
     produced
```
```
     profitably
```
```
     project managed
```
```
     promoted
```
```
     proposed
```
```
     prospected
```
```
     protected
```
```
     provided
```
```
     published
```
```
     quadrupled
```
```
     ranked
```
```
     received
```
```
     recommended
```
```
     recruited
```
```
     reduced
```
```
     removed
```
```
     renegotiated
```
```
     replaced
```
```
     researched
```
```
     resolved
```
```
     restored
```
```
     restructured
```
```
     reversed
```
```
     satisfied
```
```
     saved
```
```
     scheduled
```
```
     scoped out
```
```
     selected
```
```
     self-financed
```
```
     set up
```
```
     sold
```
```
     solved
```
```
     staffed
```
```
     started
```
```
     stopped
```
```
     streamlined
```
```
     substituted
```
```
     supervised
```
```
     taught
```
```
     tightened
```
```
     trained
```
```
     trimmed
```
```
     tripled
```
```
     troubleshooted
```
```
     turned around
```
```
     upgraded
```
```
     yielded  
```

There is a good chance these words will help you remember some long lost accomplishments that might be helpful when you prepare for the job interview process. Review and revamp your interview documents accordingly.

If You Do Get Laid Off...What now?

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

Alexander Graham Bell

It started off as a regular morning. You got up, had your daily fix of caffeinated Columbian goodness, wolfed down a bagel sandwich from Dunkin Donuts on the road and strolled into your office with your briefcase in one hand and cell phone in the other-only to have the boss come by and tell you (without nearly enough regret) that you’ve been laid off and you only have two weeks to find another job.

Unfortunately, hundreds of people are going to find themselves in this position as the economy continues to take a downturn. No matter how normal it may be, an economic recession is going to take a toll on its residents. At this point, you’re going to have two options. You can choose to flip your lid, like Milton in the movie Office Space, clinging desperately to your belief that the company could never really let you go because they can’t possibly function without you. Or you can choose to sadly pack up your stapler, your calculator and your top secret stash of Werther’s Originals that you’ve been hiding in your desk since last Christmas and move on.

Studies show that Generation X and Y’ers entering today’s workplace have a far better chance of riding out an economic recession without suffering a major blow to their self esteem or their financial security than the baby boomers. Why? Because the thought of spending their entire adult lives working for the same company never occurred to them. They expect to switch jobs several times in their careers, hopping from opportunity to opportunity as it presented itself, and are more likely to look at a layoff as an opportunity to round out their resume in other areas than their older co-workers.

This is who you want to be. You want to be that employee that looks at that pink slip and thinks, “Hmmm, maybe I’ll finally get the chance to try my hand at teaching college/coaching soccer/writing the next great American novel/etc.” No, the next year might not help you make great strides toward who you want to be when you grow up. Yes, you might find yourself living hand to mouth for a couple of months while you adapt to a new lifestyle and wait for the chance to slip back into the industry you intend to call your own.

The point is, one way or another this too shall pass. Sooner or later the economy is going to kick back up, and you’ll be able to get on with the plans you had when you first took that job you were so worried about losing. The question is, how do you intend to spend that time in between? Do you want to spend it constantly sweating and worrying about how the recession is going to affect your financial situation? Or do you want to be able to grab the opportunity presented to you with both hands and say “Not a single second of a single minute of a single hour of a single day passed be by that I wasn’t looking for that open door!”

Pimp My Interview | Hiring Secrets Revealed updated Tue Feb 3 2009 7:53 pm EST
My name is Michael Donovin and I am a recruiter (headhunter), author and blog publisher. I have counseled thousands of people in the art of the job search. After all these years of helping people on... - 3 years ago

60 Classic Interview Questions You Can Expect on your Job Interview

1. What can you tell us about our company?

2. What interests you about our products?

3. What do you know about our competitors?

4. How would you describe yourself?

5. Why did you leave your last job?

6. What are your long range and short range goals and objectives?

7. What specific goals other than those related to your occupation, have you established for yourself for the next ten years?

8. What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Ten years from now?

9. What do you really want to do in life?

10. What are your long range career objectives?

11. How do you plan to achieve your career goals?

12. What are the most important rewards you expect in your career?

13. What do you expect to be earning in five years?

14. Why did you choose this career?

15. Can you explain this gap in your employment history?

16. How well do you work with people? Do you prefer working alone or in teams?

17. How would you evaluate your ability to deal with conflict?

18. Have you ever had difficulty with a supervisor? How did you resolve the conflict?

19. What's more important to you -- the work itself or how much you're paid for doing it.

20. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

21. How would a good friend describe you?

22. Describe the best job you've ever had.

23. Describe the best supervisor you've ever had.

24. What would your last boss say about your work performance?

25. What motivates you to go the extra mile on a project or job?

26. Why should I hire you?

27. What makes you qualified for this position?

28. What qualifications do you have that make you successful in this career?

29. How do you determine or evaluate success?

30. What do you think it takes to be successful in a company like ours?

31. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?

32. Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?

33. Have you ever been fired or forced to resign?

34. What qualities should a successful manager possess?

35. Do you consider yourself a leader?

36. What are the attributes of a good leader?

37. Describe the workload in your current (or most recent) job.

38. Which is more important: creativity or efficiency? Why?

39. What's the most recent book you've read?

40. Describe the relationship that should exist between the supervisor and those reporting to him or her?

41. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?

42. Describe the most rewarding experience of your career thus far.

43. If you were hiring a job-seeker for this position, what qualities would you look for?

44. Do you have plans for continued study? An advanced degree?

45. In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?

46. How do you work under pressure?

47. Are you good at delegating tasks?

48. What's one of the hardest decisions you've ever had to make?

49. How well do you adapt to new situations?

50. Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?

51. What two or three things are most important to you in your job?

52. Are you seeking employment in a company of a certain size? Why?

53. What are your expectations regarding promotions and salary increases?

54. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work?

55. Do you have a geographic preference? Why?

56. Are you willing to travel for the job?

57. Why do you think you might like to live in the community in which our company is located?

58. What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it?

59. What have you learned from your mistakes?

60. What have you accomplished that shows your initiative and willingness to work?

7 Industries to consider breaking into in 2008-09 | Pimp My Interview
Here are seven industries hand-selected not only for their position in the current economic landscape, but also for their potential. And since the best ideas often spread nationally thanks to entrepreneurs who transform them into franchise concepts,

10 Fatal Errors in Resume Submission

Attaching a resume with no message in the email
Grammar and bad spelling.
Applying for job you are clearly under qualified for
Your attachment is in a form that cannot be opened.
Not including a targeted qualifications statement (aka cover letter)
Using a funky email address when you send your resume
Sending a resume because its in your home town..."what have I got to lose?"
Having a spouse or friend send your resume in for you
Not testing the "format" view of the document you send
Sending from an email account that puts their advertisements as your signature...(e.g. hotmail)

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