Interviews and Jobs Edition Of Your Career Change Coaching For Success Newsletter

Now the holidays are at an end and everyone is getting back to work, lets think about how to:

1. Deal With Common Interview Questions and

2. Tackle the 'Working From Home' issue

3. Remind you about our 'Personal Mentoring Program'

Thanks for being a member of 'Coaching for SUCCESS' the most sought after newsletter on the internet, the membership is growing at an astonishing rate because Coaching for Success responds to the things you need to know and brings real information you can use.

1. Dealing With Common Interview Questions

9 Most Common Job Interview Questions and Answers

Getting the job you want is almost always balanced on the success of your interview. Therefore, the key is to be prepared. But instead of spending all your time preparing by shining your shoes and rewriting your resume or CV, make sue you put some time aside to prepare for these top 9 job interview questions.

1. Tell me about yourself:

This is bar far the most common job interview question and is often the first thing that is actually asked of you. You need to have a short yet concise answer, so that you do not rabble on and aggravate the interviewer.

However, do not over rehearse, as this will become evident when you start talking. The best way around this is to use bullet points on a piece of paper that you can build upon (but only use this for preparation - do not take this piece of paper into the interview).

Remember that the aim of this question is to find out your skills and suitability for the position. It's not the same as when out on a date and the other person asks this same question; in an interview, the hiring manager wants to know who you are in a more professional sense...they don't care if you've got 3 cats and like to ice skate. They care about your attitude, career aspirations and previous achievements.

2. Why did you leave your last job?

Try to put a positive spin on why you left your last job. This question is designed to do two things...

a) find out if you're willing to bad mouth previous managers and colleagues b) whether you are inclined to job hop every few months

Essentially, the hiring manager wants to see a positive and substantial reason why you left your last position, or at least why you are looking for a new job.

3. What experience do you have in this field?

Speak about specifics that relate to the position you are applying for. If you do not have specific experience, get as close as you can.

4. Tell me about your weaknesses?

This question is used to find out how honest and level headed your are. The employer wants to get a realistic picture of you and whether you will honestly fit in with this job. The key here is to only mention weaknesses that will not severely affect the job you're applying for, or better still, use one or two weaknesses that you can turn into a positive. Examples would be:

"I am often conscientious in my approach which means that although I might take a little longer to do key tasks, I can always guarantee that the task will be done to the highest possible level of professionalism and attention to detail."

5. How would your friends and family describe you as a person?

This is one of the job interview questions designed to get social proof from others that you are the person that you say you are. The employer wants to get an idea of what everyday people in your life would say about you. Of course, you can actually say whatever good things you can think of, such as "They would say I am a hard, stubborn worker with a good sense of humour".

To make this answer more effective, you might want to use a quote from a family member or even an existing or previous work colleague.

Finally with this question, remember not to make the answer sound too "professional". The point is, friends and family are not going to typically say "Yes, they are very organized and always meet deadlines". This sounds false, the more likely quote from a family member would be "He works hard and plays hard. He's always been ambitious and competitive, even from a young age..."

6. What do you know about this organization?

Company research is really easy thanks to the internet. Make sure you do your research before going into the job interview. You will want to know how long the company has been established, their turnover, number of staff and as much relevant info pertaining to the job as possible.

7. What have you done to improve yourself in the last year?

Been on any courses? Read any books? Worked on any special projects that have developed your skill set in your work? Any of these examples are adequate, but if you are truly struggling, make sure you turn your lack of self improvement in the past year into a positive...

"Although I have been working consistently on some major tasks, I feel now more than even that I would like to learn and develop my skills, abilities and experience even more. Therefore, I am planning to undertake several courses and have just started to do "x" in my spare time".

Remember, personal developments count just as highly as professional ones. Therefore, examples of how you have developed more confidence, made more personal time to be more flexible, improved your fitness etc, are all good examples which show that you possess self motivation and intuition.

8. Are you applying for other jobs?

There's nothing wrong with mentioning that you've applied for other jobs. In fact, employers actually expect this to be the case. The secret is not to boast that you've been on 15 interviews this week already. This might make you look as if you're simply casting your next out a little too wide and just "hoping for some fish to get caught up". Try to bring the focus quickly back to this particular job and why specifically you decided to apply.

9. Why do you want to work for this organization?

How does working for this company fit in with your career goals? Are you applying because the job is more suited to your skills or is it that there is more potential for learning and promotion? Ultimately, avoid answers such as "Because it's closer to home" or that you "Wanted to work in a more open plan, fun environment". The reason must relate to your career and your own personal development. The employer does not want to get the impression that you're there for the money or the "social networking opportunities."

Did you know that the number of unemployed job seekers in the UK is rising and also in the US, the national unemployment rate has recently risen to over 5%?

This means that you now face even tougher competition for your dream job and more brutal hiring managers who cannot afford to hire anyone less than a perfect match for the job.

Does that make you nervous about your next job interview? Did you already have difficulty in job interviews? If so click here to discover exactly how to win your next job interview as I grill the recruitment experts for the truth!

2. The Work From Home Issue

What really interests me now is how much easier it is to work from home and find a home based business to replace your previous full time income.

One of the easiest ways to get started is with a free website; all you need is a hosting package and you can even get that free at www.heartinternet.co.uk so there is nothing to prevent anyone from getting started.

To see what I mean, check this new work from home site I've started using a free website. It's actually quite informative about our topic and you can see what these sites look like.

If you want one of these yourself, just visit Free Monthly Websites

For more advice about online jobs please visit this page on our website: Online Jobs.

3. Personal mentoring program

I am constantly updating our website at Your Career Change, I need to be sure it continues to meet your needs and you find it helpful.

So my challenge is keeping this newsletter and the website focused on YOU.

The best way I can do this is by from time to time asking you the question:

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?

Perhaps it's getting your Resume sorted out or writing cover letters; maybe you're unsure as to your career direction or even need to get a new job quickly and want to know how to accelerate the process. Every job or career related challenge has an answer, and I'll help you find it.

I would be delighted if you would reply to me using the contact form at Contact Form or by emailing me at peter@your-career-change.com and let me know how I can continue to provide the information you need. You could also just fill in the Quick Poll on the home page.

Be as brief or as detailed as you like and you can be sure I won't spam you - the feedback will keep me on track providing you the best information.

, thank you again for being a subscriber, 'Coaching for Success' is Success Coaching and Coaching for Winners!

Thanks for your support, I hope you will continue to enjoy the new ezine - the success depends on you! Let me know if there's anything you'd like me to cover or any question you'd like me to answer.

Best Wishes

Peter Fisher

www.your-career-change.com