You can waste years if you screw up this process so you might want to consider very carefully exactly how you are going to find the right career right off the bat.

Choosing a major might have already been a difficult choice to make, but after graduation you find out that the fun doesn’t end as now you have to choose a job. Many students find it stressful having to figure out what line of work they’re going to go into. When expressing their frustration, others will often ask, “What do you want to do?” or “What do you want to work as?” The problem is, usually frustrated students feel like they have no clue, which is why they’re agonizing in the first place.

When choosing a career, career counselors and others who advise you might tell you to do what you’re passionate about. But often students don’t know what their passion is. They’re trying to figure out what it is so that they can move forward with their lives, but it’s as if they have to have figured it out already to progress further. Back as an undergraduate it seemed like once you chose your major, you’d have your path figured out but this isn’t always the case. Your major might provide you with knowledge regarding your field, but it doesn’t necessarily tell you what job in that field to go for and how to get it. The real world is a different place from the classroom—for example, learning medical terms is one thing, but choosing a career in the field of medicine is another. So much for college education, you might think.

The state of the economy makes finding a job even more difficult. Many college graduates will find themselves taking positions they’re overqualified for because that’s what’s available. Or while considering positions, they may come across a dilemma—choosing a career in a line of work they’re not particularly interested in that pays, or holding off for a more desirable position. If they take the undesirable job, they might feel forced to stay because the employer wants long-time employees, but this will prevent them from pursuing their true interests in the long run.

There are several factors for unemployed students to juggle. It’s necessary to get food, shelter, and medical insurance but at the same time dissatisfaction with one’s career is one of the leading causes of unhappiness. So the best piece of advice is, choose a job that’ll pay the bills and that you don’t hate. If you don’t know what you want to do or currently can’t do what you want, the important thing is choosing a career that’ll help you survive, which requires money and your mental faculties.

There is no reason theat all to be stuck in a job you hate for life, it your decision and when first starting out you have all the time in the world to find a career you like. However you may have to be patient.

The biggest challenge you are going to find this year is getting a job, any job so take our advice and watch this video….

Technorati Tags: choosing a career, find, job, position, work

You will need to give detailed descriptions of things that you have dealt with in the past and how you were able to deal with tough circumstances. The interviewer will have a list of requirements for the open job and he or she will know by the answers you give whether or not you will be right for the position.

Upon making a list of requirements for the position, the interviewer will create a list of job interview questions that he or she will ask during the interviewing process. This step has intimidated so many people and has become one of the most dreaded parts of the interview process. However, despite the dread it causes, behavioral interviews are an integral part of the interviewing process. It uses the basic theory that if someone reacted well in a stressful situation in the past they will do just as well in future stressful events. Below we will go over some questions that you will most likely be asked during this process.

Behavioral interviews are a great opportunity to prove to the interviewer that you are the best person for the job at hand. You will hear questions like "Tell me what you did when … happened" or "Give me an example of a time that you had to deal with….".

There are a number of situations that you can use to fill in the blanks. Perhaps you can remember a time when you did not get along with a co-worker or you worked with two people that did not get along. Maybe you had to deal with an irate customer or an upcoming deadline that you had to pull an all-nighter just to finish the project on time.

If you are going into employment for the first time and this is your first interview do not fret - you will not be required to talk about work experience if you have none. However, you can talk about things that went on in school or in your personal life. When you are asked about things like getting something done on time, talk about a school project that you had to work really hard on and how you got it in on time and received a good grade for it. You can talk about how you worked well in groups and how your groups always made top grades or anything that would apply to the questions you are being asked.

By: Catherine Z Jones

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Interview:Behavioural Interview Questions Explained
Tips for Answering Behavioural Interview Questions. We recommend that you choose answers based on real experiences that you have had. Avoid the temptation to invent a scenario or embellish an existing one

Interview Questions and Answers Guide
Behavioral Interview Questions and Answers. Get the job you want by preparing and practicing your interview answers to frequently asked clerical interview questions.

Technorati Tags: behavioral based interview questions, competency based interview questions, good interview techniques, tough job interview questions

In an interview other than the preparation for job interview questions and answers, the attire plays a very supporting role. Your behavior, interpersonal skills and ability are equally important elements that reflect your personality. Suitable attire helps your image as you are serious about the job and understand the nature of the industry in which you are trying to get employed. In some industries where customer contact and image presentation is necessary, your attire will be well judged.

Your attire should be appropriate and well fitted but it should not be the center of attraction. Such things may make bad impression in front of interviewer. Even if you know that other employees of company dress casually in the work place, you need to make sure that you are dressed up in formal attire unless someone of the employee tells you.

A two piece matched light colored suit always suits the best and is a safest choice for women. But if the job does not allow you to wear suit then you can wear jeans, especially if the work is at outdoor environment. Regarding colors, navy, dark gray (and black for women) are safe enough. Avoid other colors which are extreme or too dark.

You should wear well suited clothes. Do invest in quality that suits you, one good quality suit is enough for job search depending on your budget. You can change your shirt and tie accordingly to the colour of the suit. Select good quality silk ties. Do not choose very fashionable and funky type of ties.

Gents can preferably wear long sleeved shirts irrespective of the season and select colors like light blue, solid blue with conservative stripes. Wear dark colored socks, mid calf length so that no skin is visible when you sit down. Now it comes to shoes, leather, lace up, or slip-on business shoes mostly in black or dark brown or cordovan are fine. Buy good pair of shoes even though you don’t wear daily, they are fine if you wear them on special occasion. Along with this black or cordovan leather belt it adds into perfect job interview attire.

For ladies they should put on well groomed make over. Apply everything light like lipstick, eyeshade etc. they should appear like almost nothing. Wear jewelry like simple diamond or something that will keep your professional look. Wear conservative watch. Set your hairs well so that you will look professional and not a collage student.

If you carry purse, keep it small and simple especially when you also have briefcase, the color of purse should co ordinate well with your whole attire, leather bags or purses will be good choice.

Your clothes should be clean, neatly pressed and fit properly. Avoid bulky briefcases carry only important documents with you instead of whole bunch from your school certificates. Last but not the least spray light perfumes and not an irritant and strong one.

By: Muna wa Wanjiru

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Job Interview for Years. For More Information on Job Interview Attire, Visit His Site at    JOB INTERVIEW ATTIRE  I Will Also Highly Appreciate Your Views On Job Interview Attire At My Blog here   Job Interview Attire

This is a great video with lots of advice for what to wear at a a job interview……

Interview Job Questions, What to Wear
The ideal is to dress 2 notches or so above what the job you want would wear for work. So, for example, I normally wear a simple skirt and top and a pendant or other simple jewelry.

Make an Entrance! First Impressions Seal the Deal
Your appearance matters. Wear clothing that is appropriate to the job. Keep suits conservative, and if you wear jewelry, keep it to a minimum. Know which colors look good on you and choose smart, neat shoes to match your outfit

Get Stylish to Get That Job
It is a myth that an interview requires a basic black shoe and masculine briefcase. In fact, when keeping your clothes simple and chic, your shoes and bag are a great way to add sophistication and style.

What to Wear For a Job Interview? A New Approach.
If you had a job interview, you wore a suit. But it’s not so easy anymore. In fact, chances are good that if do arrive wearing a suit, you’ll feel overdressed. Deciding what to wear for a job interview has become a quite a challenge

Technorati Tags: interview dress code, interview outfits, job interview attire, job interview clothes, job interview wear

Faking" is probably the biggest apprehension employers have about using personality tests during the hiring process.

These concerns are well founded. Job applicants are confronted by more tests all the time. They are motivated to "pass the test" and come closer to a job offer. This should be no surprise, especially in tight economic times. To get the most from your investment in tests, you need to become skilled in test administration and interpretation.

Lynn McFarland, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Clemson University’s industrial/organizational psychology program and president of Human Capital Solutions, Inc., studies the "faking" phenomenon. She works primarily with self-reported measures, such as personality tests and biodata. "The [psychological] literature in general indicates that job applicants score higher on ’social desirability’ on tests than groups we can be fairly certain are responding honestly," she says.

Social desirability refers to the tendency of test-takers to provide answers they believe will be acceptable within the social norms of the test-giver.

"Job incumbents or college students, for instance, have no consequence tied to the test," McFarland explains. In other words, people who aren’t seeking jobs have little incentive to provide socially desirable answers. But job seekers are a different case. "It seems that at least some applicants do try to "fake" the tests and are successful at doing so," says McFarland.
How Big a Problem?

Employers have forever had some clear preferences in personality traits of candidates: Total honesty is a no-brainer, closely followed by the ability to control one’s own anger. Beyond this, conscientiousness, ability to work in teams and persistence are three top examples of universally desirable traits. Extraversion is also more attractive than introversion for many jobs, particularly when direct client contact is involved. But if the "right" answers are an open secret, is testing a valid tool in selection? To answer that, it’s important to look at some of the subtleties that experienced testers come to know.
Take the following examples:

Case 1: Some faking is devious and intentional. Let’s say an applicant for a retail position intends to shoplift. He or she does not want (lack of) integrity to come out during the hiring process. The applicant might try to "beat the test" by providing what he or she believes to be the "correct" answers.

Case 2: Some faking is motivated by a desire to look good ‘in front of the camera.’ Consider the example of an applicant who seeks to please the employer with the "correct" answers so they can get past the test phase and get to second or third interviews. This person does not intend any harm. They may simply feel that testing doesn’t show their real strengths and may exclude them from consideration for the wrong reasons.

Case 3: Some faking is based on an elevated self-evaluation. Some applicants’ self-awareness is very optimistic. He or she believes they have many socially desirable characteristics. Whether they really do or not is a question for the skilled interviewer to ascertain. Careful review of educational and work history might affirm the possibility that the optimism is well founded or not.

For testing to be useful as an adjunct to interviewing and other hiring tools, each of the above situations need to be detectable by the employer.
How Tests Detect Faking

Most test publishers would not dispute that test profiles can be elevated or falsified. So they strive to overcome the problem.

”What’s the point? Anybody can fake them!’ We hear people ask that question," says test designer Robert Hogan, Ph.D., president of Hogan Assessment Systems. He claims this can be overcome with the "faking profile" that his company’s tests generate. "We’re doing a whole personality profile," he says of his organization’s tests. "They may be able to fake a whole scale (a single aspect of the measurement), but they won’t fake a whole profile."

Clemson University’s Dr. McFarland affirms that faking often is reported through special test scales: "I think the most common strategy to detect faking is to use what’s called a social desirability scale, also called a lie scale. These scales ask the test-taker to indicate the extent to which a number of statements are true of them. The trick is that these statements refer to behaviors that are very common, but undesirable."

For instance, an example of such an item is "I have never been untruthful, even to save someone’s feelings."

"A test-taker who denies many of these undesirable behaviors that are extremely common will receive a high socially desirable score," says McFarland. "The employer may use this to identify fakers." She has some doubts about the effectiveness of this strategy, however. For instance, some people may have unusually high scores on "social desirability" scales, but may simply be trying to please, may have poor reading skills, or may have overly optimistic beliefs about themselves.

Questionnaire wording is one of the primary tools in the battle to thwart would-be deceivers. People who give extreme answers to questions are often - but not always -overcompensating to hide their true intent than those who do not answer with the extreme choices.

Consider the shoplifter/retail applicant mentioned earlier in the article (Case 1) as he or she confronts this statement: "I have never known a person who shoplifts." The options provided to the test taker are: Strongly Agree, Somewhat Agree, Neutral, Somewhat Disagree, and Strongly Disagree. If the shoplifter is being honest, they would have to indicate "Strongly Disagree" because they themselves are shoplifters. The shoplifter might naively believe the socially desirable answer is "Strongly Agree." If he or she gives enough of these desirable answers, a "faking" report will be generated. But what if the shoplifter is experienced at beating tests? We’ll consider that again a bit later.

Consider Case 2, where the applicant sought to please the employer with the "correct" answers. They are motivated by a need to get past the test phase and get a job offer. On the shoplifter question above, they answer "Somewhat Agree" or "Neutral." This places them within the employer’s expectations from an honest person.

Such a test-taker, however, can face some other difficulties. Consider this test item (with the same answering options as in the first example): "It is very important to me that my career interests do not outweigh my personal interests." Applicants like this one are not deliberately lying. They are simply reporting what they believe the employer wants to hear so they can get past the test. In some organization cultures or job descriptions, the person with strong career focus is definitely favored over the person who works at balancing the two. In other organizations cultures or job descriptions, a very ambitious, career-focused person might be viewed as a poor fit. So what is the "correct" answer? Both extremes ("Strongly Agree" or "Strongly Disagree") can be socially desirable, depending on the context. This applicant might assume that no employer wants to hear that a personal life is as important as work life, and answer accordingly. In fact, this may not be the employer’s desired answer. Too many such answers could generate a "faking report."

Our third example illustrates how some people have inflated or distorted self-awareness. These people haven’t necessarily strayed from the truth - as they perceive it. For instance, effective sales people often have extraordinarily high adjustment or self-confidence scores on personality tests. Their answers might generate a warning flag, but that does not necessarily mean that they should be disqualified from further consideration-if they are being considered for sales.

McFarland, however, has serious reservations about the fairness of social desirability scales. These are special indicators built into test reports that warn employers of potential faking. "I advise employers to stop using social desirability scales until reasons for differences in social desirability scores across racial groups are better understood." She notes that current research shows differences in responses among racial groups, and the reasons for it are not yet understood. "More research needs to be conducted to determine what’s going on here to ensure that personality tests are fair to all applicants," she says.
Steps for Employers

What separates the experienced, effective user of tests from the ineffective? The dividing line is often defined by the test-givers ability to read the subtleties. It is also determined by following some preventive disciplines. First, employers must cover the basics. They must choose a test with proven reliability and validity. They must become knowledgeable about the test or tests, usually through the publisher’s certification programs. If this is not possible for an organization staff member, then an outside consultant who is certified and experienced should be considered. Some other key measures include:

1. Consider the requirements of the job. Jobs have "personality requirements." For instance, the ability to work long hours without social interaction is far more "natural" to an introvert than an extrovert. Likewise, elevated confidence is often exactly what’s called for in an effective salesperson. The personality requirements of the job description can be examined through job analysis. This can help you assess the real importance of elevated scores in terms of your requirements.

2. Monitor the process. Though it may be convenient to have applicants take on-line tests at home, this can invite outright cheating. For instance, the applicant could have someone else take the test. (They could also be recording the test questions for distribution to other applicants.) All tests should probably be taken with adequate monitoring.

3. Use two tests. Let’s say you are hiring for a job where anger-proneness would immediately disqualify a candidate. Two tests may be advisable. The chances of someone successfully deceiving two tests are considerably slimmer than one. Hogan Assessments, for instance, offers companion tests-one that deals with the applicant’s visible, positive personality characteristics -and a second test to look at the darker sides of workplace behavior, such as tendencies to lose one’s temper, to become disruptive, or to be disrespectful of authority or coworkers.

4. Tell participants they will be discussing their answers at a later date. Dr. McFarland says this strategy shows some promise. It holds an applicant responsible for consistent answers at a later date. "Applicants can be told their answers will be discussed in an interview if they are selected to go on," says McFarland.

5. For those who pass the testing screen, conduct interviews that are at least partially based on the test results. Some test publishers provide with the test reports, which can save time. If someone has intentionally provided false or inflated answers, you may spot discomfort or hesitation during the interview.

Most applicants are not informed consumers of tests. If tests become more and more widely used, it is possible that some applicants will become experienced at beating the tests. For the time being, though, faking reports — used with caution — and other current strategies offer some assurance to employers. They must be aware that not all results that look like faking are actually untrue. Armed with these skills, you are ready to gain the advantages of pre-employment personality testing.

Dr. McFarland summarizes, "I would use personality tests to select applicants. They have been shown to be valid selection measures. However, I would not base selection decisions solely on such tests."
_______________________________________________________________
Author: Kathleen Groll Connolly writes on a variety of human resources topics and is a partner in Performance Programs, Inc., an organization specializing in human resources surveys and measurement. For more information call 1-800-565-4223.

By: Kathleen Groll Connolly

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Learn more about aptidude and personality testing, read these…

Technorati Tags: job aptitude testing, job assessment tests, online job tests, perfect job test, personality test jobs

Successful interview skills are an essential requirement in order to grab a  job offer. Here are some top job interview questions that will help you to prepare for an effective interview through to follow up. Before discussing top job interview questions there is some preparation that you should complete. You need to know something about the company. You should know your resume inside out and back to front. Dress code is important too.

These top job interview questions are designed to help you master the job interview skills  that you will need to nail that dream job. There are number of questions asked by an interviewer which are calculated to put you off guard and to tease out the real you behind your outer facade. If you are prepared for these questions your confidence will grow and the interviewer will have his work cut out to put you off track.

The top job interview questions are as follows,

What are your weaknesses?
Why should I hire you among all others?
Why you want to work in our company?
What are your goals?
Why did your leave your previous job?
When were you most satisfied in your last job?
What are the three positive things your last boss would say about you?
What can you do for us that other candidates cannot?
What are your salary expectations?
If you were an animal, which one would you want to be?

Besides these questions there are few more important questions which are you should expect.

How long you plan to stay at our company?
Where do you see yourself after five years?
Why did you select this school and course of study?
What do you do in your spare time?
What are other types of job opportunity or companies are you considering?

The objective of the interviewer is to establish  that the interviewee has the skills, background and ability to do the job and can comfortably fit into his or her organization. It does not always follow that the employer will by default hire the best candidate. He will hire the candidate that most convinces him that he can do the job and has all the skills needed.  It is a highly subjective encounter in which the interviewer will select the best interviewee and this may not be the same as the best candidate.  Things like personality, confidence, enthusiasm, a positive attitude and excellent interpersonal skill along with the good communication are the significant aspects in an interview.

It is always better to prepare for these questions beforehand but don’t memorize their answers so that you sound like a robot. Good interview techniques have to be developed and should be included as part as your overall skill set. Use the rest of the resources on this website to help you do that and succeed at a job interview.

Have a smile at the top 10 dumbest answers to interview job questions….

The Ace Your Interview Blog: Relate back to what the interviewer said
Job Interview Success System. - Transforms The Complicated Job Interview Process Into A Simple, Step-by-step System To Ace The Interview And Get The Job! 

Searching for a Job in this tough climate? See these 10 tips
Hiring managers consider confidence and passion top qualities. To make sure you are playing your A-game on interview day, spend time beforehand scripting and rehearsing your answers to interview questions about your strengths and

Questions to Ask at a Job Interview - What to Ask (And Not to Ask)
This is not one of the questions to ask at a job interview. Even if you’re itching to know the answer, keep your mouth shut. Asking about leaves at such an early stage might lead your employer to think that you’re not dedicated

Technorati Tags: excellent interview questions, interview questions tips, job interviewer questions, top job interview questions, top ten interview questions, types of interview questions

If you are serious about getting that job interview right there are simple steps that you can take to put you ahead of the pack, here we discuss some of them.

The first interview is very important for teens to get a job successfully, following job interview skills are basic and important, read carefully and keep them in mind, they will help you pass the interview.

Be honest and be yourself. Dishonesty gets discovered and is grounds for withdrawing job offers and for firing. You want a good match between yourself and your employer. If you get hired by acting like someone other than yourself, you and your employer will both be unhappy. Do expect to be treated appropriately. If you believe you were treated inappropriately or asked questions that were inappropriate or made you uncomfortable, discuss this with a Career Services advisor or the director.

Prepare, prepare, prepare! Find out as much as you can about the program and prepare some insightful questions to ask in the interview that will differentiate you from the other candidates. Prepare good answers to standard interview questions such as "Why should we employ you?". Prepare for possible behavioral questions that explore relevant competencies for this job such as initiative and judgment. Have an interview portfolio ready that contains employment references and appropriate work samples.

What to wear. I was a human resources manager before I became a stay at home mommy, so I have interviewed MANY teenagers. Wear your dress pants and long sleeved shirt, if thats all you have. NO jeans, no capris, no tees of any kind. Hopefully the interview will be conducted inside in air conditioning. If need be, wear a tank top underneath while driving to the interview, and put the dress shirt on in the car if you want to be fresh and not too hot. Otherwise, try borrowing a short sleeved, button up and higher necked blouse from a friend or family member and wear with your dress pants. I have interviewed many people who were not dressed appropriately, and was very distracted by it. First impressions are everything.

Body language. Smiling will send good messages to the interviewer. Don’t smile too big or too much b/c that’s just plain cheesy & he or she will think you’re fake. Nodding a lot shows agreement & understanding. Sit up tall, feel on the ground, shoulders back and hands folded on the table in front of you. Make sure your clothes fit well & your hair is done nicely & out of your face. You don’t want to be making any adjustments or seem distracted by your own clothing/hair decisions.

By: Wei King

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

 Wei King is a webmaster, his website offers information about Jobs for 14 Year Olds & Jobs for 15 Year Olds, if you are 14 or 15 years old, and you want to find a job, watch his articles, these articles will help you.

Want to ace that interview? Watch the video for revealing interview tips for teens and how you cando well in job interviews….

More great teenage job interview tips here…

Land Your First Job: Resume and Interview Tips for Teens …
A guide for teens on how to prepare for and succeed at their first interview.

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Technorati Tags: interview question tips, interview teenager, Interview Tips For Teens, job interview teens, teenage job interview

While there may be some compensation upon being let go from the firm you work for, this money won’t last forever. Or, if eligible for unemployment benefits, this also has a finite period of time attached to the check. Sooner or later, job hunting will be necessary.

But it’s not only individuals who have been turned out of jobs that this article can help. How happy are you in the business you’re in? Do you long to do something else with your career? If so, you’re not alone. You have plenty of company in wanting to change one’s goals and focus in life.

Perhaps you’ve just turned 40 and realize that you’re into the second half of a working career you’ve never really liked. Studies have shown that working in a job because you have to, not because you like it, can have some effect on an individual’s life span. Why take years off your life when you don’t have to?

The problem for most people in these situations is that they’re not sure where to start. They’ve either been tossed into this situation unexpectedly and are trying to make decisions on the run or they know that they at least have a paycheck, so they postpone thinking about trying to focus in on a job hunt for something they truly like to do.

Well, cheer up! This article will help you re-focus, identify the skills you have, narrow down the type of work you like to do and give you a number of outlets to gather information from in prospects of landing that job that will take you through contentedly into your retirement years. The best news is that this doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out process. You can label your transferable skills and acquire helpful data within a few days! It’s not a year or two effort we’re talking about.

The secret is knowing where to look, what to ask and how to narrow down the type of job you’d not only enjoy, but be pretty good at, too! So much of this is understanding what makes you tick! Who better to identify this than you? This article will give you some pointers in doing it, but it will be up to you to take the time to really analyze what it is you like and want to do. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will give you the power to change your life!

Identifying Your Skills

What are you good at?

Have you ever thought about it? In a truly critical, analytical way? Have you actually sat down and listed your skills and capabilities?

This may seem basic, but it’s not. Even if you’ve attempted to start a list, it is very likely you didn’t go far enough or deep enough and thus missed a few outlets for your skills that might very well unlock the key to your career future.

The following exercise can help you truly identify the skills you currently use (or maybe not use) and this will set the stage to see if they’re transferable to another industry.

There are three major categories of skill identification. You deal with people, things and information everyday. In each category, this requires a skill or combination of several skills. You might not even realize the extent of your ability in an area. You probably know what you’re not good at or what you don’t like doing, but pinpointing exact skills is not necessarily easy.

People
Let’s divide your skills at dealing with people into working with individuals and working with groups.

Individuals:
In working with individuals singly, are you good at:

* communicating in direct conversation or on the phone? * communicating well by the written word? * helping, serving or receiving and carrying out instructions? * referring people, or helping put two people together? * advising, monitoring, coaching or counseling? * teaching, instructing, training or tutoring? * persuading, motivating or selling? * assessing, evaluating or interpreting others? * diagnosing, healing or treating?

Groups:
In working with organizations, companies or associations, are you good at:

* making presentations? * communicating by written word like a newsletter? * public speaking? * leading or moderating a group discussion? * preparing seminars or other educational events? * training large groups? * consulting or giving advice? * leading or taking the lead? * coaching others in recreation or exercise? * performing, acting, singing, amusing or inspiring? * motivating, persuading or selling? * negotiating a settlement of some kind? * following through, getting things finished, producing? * managing or running a business? * supervising? * initiating or beginning a concept, idea or business?

Think carefully about each of these items. Answer fairly and honestly. There’s no reason to try and fool anyone. This is not a personality test! You’re simply attempting to frame your likes and dislikes about dealing with individuals, singly or in groups.

Compile your list of definite yes and no answers and write them down. Keep them handy for future reference.

Things. There are, essentially, six major categories of working with various things. These things are identified as objects (tools, instruments), equipment and machinery or vehicles, materials like cloth, wood and clay, your body, buildings or homes and raising or growing things.

Objects.
Do you have specific skills in dealing with food, tools, instruments or the like in:

* handling? * washing? * preparing? * maintaining? * producing? * creating? * repairing? * cleaning? * knowledge? * cooking? * preserving? Equipment. Are you good at working with some type of machinery or vehicle in:

* driving? * controlling? * assembling? * repairing? * cleaning? * disassembling? * maintaining? * operating?

Materials. What is your skill level with items such as clay, jewelry, metal, wood, stone and cloth as far as:

* cutting? * painting? * crafting? * restoring? * weaving? * sewing? * carving? * molding? * shaping? * refinishing? * sculpting?

Your Body
Are you good at using:

* your hands? * motor coordination? * physical coordination? * your fingers? * your eyes? * your eyes and hands in coordination? * your strength? * your stamina?

Buildings
Do you have a particular affinity and capability for:

* constructing? * remodeling? * decorating? * designing?

Raising or Growing
Are you able to successfully:

* train animals? * treat animals? * garden? * landscape? * raise plants or animals or other vegetable or mineral?

This is the hands-on category. Do you have manual skills and, if so, what specifically can you do well? More importantly, do you enjoy it? Many people have turned hobbies they love into full-time, paying work. List the skills you have as associated with any of these categories. Also list the things you dislike doing, too. Finding that job you love is as much avoidance of things you hate as things you love to do.

Information.
The final category in this part of the evaluation process is seeing how good you are and how much you enjoy working with ideas, concepts, information, specific data and technology. There are four categories to concern yourself with. Do you like creating, storing, managing or putting this information to good use?

Creating
Are you particularly good at:

* gathering information by observation? * gathering information through research? * searching for data? * imagining ideas or concepts? * inventing? * sensory feelings? * designing?

Storing
Once you’ve assembled the information are you good at:

* storing or filing records in file cabinets, microfiche, audio or video cassette? * bookkeeping? * computer storage? * retrieving the information once stored? * helping others retrieve the information? * keeping track of details? * memorizing? * filming or recording? Managing. You must do something with the data or information you’ve assembled and stored. Are you good at:

*analyzing your data? * organizing? * classifying? * planning? * accounting? * writing? * painting? * drawing? * problem solving? * evaluating your data? * programming? * prioritizing? * decision-making? * dramatizing? * comparing with other data? Using The Data.

Once you’ve decided to use the information, are you good at:

* disseminating the information? * demonstrating? * putting it to some use? * showing it to individuals or groups? * publishing? * reporting?

At this point, you should total up your positives and negatives (what you don’t like or aren’t very good at) in this category. You now have three categories and you should combine the lists of advantages and disadvantages to see what your strong suit(s) are. You may find that you like observing people and taking this information and writing a script and then putting it on video or film. This comes from seriously analyzing each of these categories and finding a consistency in what you love and what you’re good at. Your next step would be to look at more specifics rather than generalities.

Specifics: It’s time to look at items you specifically like to work with. The following list should help you check yes or no to a number of things. Keep in mind that this is by no means a complete list and you should add your own thoughts to this of items you either like or dislike to make it more complete. Remember, this is your list, your career, your life, so make it as close to what fits you as possible. We’re merely giving you suggestions to help your frame of reference.

Office Products: Clothing: - desk - all types of clothes - computer - dyes - switchboard - shoes and boots - word processor - sewing machine - pen or pencils - umbrella, raincoat, poncho - printers - buttons or zippers - software - patterns - office machines - knitting

Household Goods
Material:

- furniture - paper - appliances - stone - dishes - aluminum - laundry - cement - blankets - pottery - wallpaper - plants - clocks - bricks - pots and pans - wood - burglar/fire alarms - bronze - chimneys - pewter - carpet - cloth - paint - steel - tools - brass - tents - papier-mGchT

Electronic
Financial

- television - calculator - camera - money - stereo - adding machine - videotape recorders - money market accounts - radios - cash register - radar equipment - ledgers - movie equipment - financial records - tape recorder - stocks - records,CDs,cassettes - futures

Recreation
Communication

- musical instrument - telephone - games - short-wave radios - gambling - telegraph - board games - answering machines - sporting events - fax machines - kites - printers

Transportation
Medical:

- bicycles - x-ray machines - automobiles - lab testing - trains - medicine - airplanes - prosthetics - hot air balloons - dental equipment - boats - anesthetics - subways - vitamins - motorcycles - hearing aids - RV’s - eyeglasses Equipment: Miscellaneous:

- guns - books - gym apparatus - newspapers - fishing rods - videos - lawnmowers - magazines - garden tools - overhead transparencies - rakes - candles - traps - batteries - axes - lasers - pesticides - engravings - plows - lithographs - harvesters - paintings - threshers - silk-screens - shovel or pick - microscope - tractor - telescope - handtrucks - toys - sander - food - drill - wine or beer making

Your list should be fairly complete. If you’ve followed your true nature, you should begin to see a pattern; similarities indicating the type of work you were destined to do. If your interest is in film and cameras and filmmaking, that will be clear as you review your likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses from these lists. Now you need to refine and focus.

Cutting Down the Territory

Next. let’s look at specific knowledge you might possess. Run through the following list, add to it and list the knowledge you currently have. Second, go through the list again and identify the knowledge you would like to have. This will give you two current snapshots: what you know now and what you’d like to know in the future. The latter will define your future educational goals. It may be in areas you believe you’d enjoy if only you had a little more education.

No problem. It may be that a little more learning is needed to advance into what you truly want to do. There’s no reason you can’t take classes in those specific disciplines. There’s no reason you can’t work at an entry- level position in that industry and learn as you go. Often, a company may pay for your future education if it is in the skill areas of their field. So list the desires as well as your current expertise.

* psychology * chemistry * physics * cinema * foreign language * management * personnel recruiting * insurance benefits * geography * history * art * broadcasting * accounting * taxes * marketing * sales * computer programming * aerobics * graphic arts * religion * horticulture * government contracts * politics * teaching * interior design * architecture * vehicle repair * travel * systems analysis * astronomy * research * packaging and distribution * import/export * merchandising * machine operation * graphic arts * photography

List all of the fields you like in priority arranged by most knowledge of and likes. List the fields you are interested in and believe you’d like but need more training and education. Keep these lists handy and separate.

Now, it’s time to decide location. Are you tired of where you live? Would you like to live somewhere else? Is this the town you grew up in but have never seen any other place? Have you gone somewhere on vacation and thought about how great it would be to live there?

Part of cutting down the territory and focusing your job search efforts is to select the area you’d like to practice your skills and talent and apply them to a wage paying job. There’s not much progress made if you find work you like but you still dislike everything else about your living situation. Finding a good job also means finding it in the location you like best.

So, get out to the library and consult a couple of publications like Places Rated Almanac and identify your top five places to live. Narrow down an area and then specific towns. Then, find out the number for the local Chamber of Commerce and see how you can get more information about not only the place itself but the businesses located in the area that are in the field(s) you’ve narrowed down for yourself. These local chambers are glad to send out information and would be equally happy to see you move in and become a member of the community. There are lots of tremendous places to live in this country. Take advantage of it!

You say you’re interested in Arizona? Where? Phoenix? Tucson? Kingman? Bullhead City? Pick an area and start to accumulate information. If it’s possible to visit, by all means get out and see it.

Now you have areas and locations and lists of businesses in those areas. Now’s the time to narrow it down. Select the top two areas and hone in on finding work.

Update your resume. There are dozens of books out there on this subject. Craft it the way the experts suggest. Do it by skills if that tells more about you than where you’ve actually worked. Find out about local schooling programs in the areas of your choice in the event you need further education in the areas you want to do more with. Don’t move anywhere that doesn’t have jobs in the areas you like and are good at or intend to improve your skills.

Finally, begin to make contacts with personnel. Find out if there are local job hot-lines and other employment identification features. Certainly make contact with specific businesses that you’ve already identified as possibilities.

As you start to accumulate your information with which to narrow down the territory in terms of location, skills and interest, there are a number of resources you can tap, the majority of which are either free or have a nominal cost to obtain the information that can help you decide your future.

How well do your present skills fit with the career you want….

Career Development And Change Advice
A career change at any time requires much thought, planning and preparation. Even more so at this time when opportunities are limited and certain sectors, such as finance, are virtually closed off to job seekers.

Career Chat The 4 Year Plan
Career development is multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary, and a lifelong process. Sound overwhelming? If so, understand that although you will be participating in the career development process 

Career Planning And Development Managing Your Future
Career planning and development begins well before you graduate from high school. In a sense it began in elementary school when you learned such basic skills as reading, writing and basic grammar.

What Career Coaching Will Do For You
Help you to plan a way forward with a bespoke career development plan; Identify what the employer is looking for; Identify any psychological barriers that may be preventing you from advancing your career 

Technorati Tags: career development planning, career interest test, career planning test, career planning tools, list of strengths and weaknesses

Let’s consider how you are able to apply your copywriting skills to maximize your results with resumes.

The resume and biography are a recurrent business tool, employed by everybody from the humblest intern to CEOs with million-dollar paychecks. Applying copywriters’ skills on your CV  assures that they capture attention and get the results you intend.

Copywriting produces out-standing resumes and Bio’s so you would do well to rearch this niche and apply what you learn to your resume writing.

"Who are you?" - this is the question you are asked, directly or indirectly, from everybody with whom you wish to do business. That question is resolved with a curriculum vitae, resume and bio.

Resumes are chiefly used for job search, but bios are used everyplace, from your internet site to your press releases and email signatures.

Although resumes are standardized, meaning they cover the information in a specific format, bio’s are free form. You can also target bios narrowly to a specific audience, so that you get exactly the response you want.

Here’s a tip, a bio isn’t your autobiography. A bio is always short, and it is written in the third person singular, like this: "prominent athlete John Smith… "; not in the first person singular "I’m a prominent athlete…"

Aim to produce a long bio of approximately 250 words, and an  abbreviated bio of just about fifty words.

Let’s consider four copywriting hints for making potent bios:

Target!

Who’s your audience? A bio ought always be composed with a particular audience in mind, for the aim of your bio, as is always the aim with all copywriting, is to get a response.

So before you begin writing material, think of your target audience. What do they need to know so that they will get in touch with you or answer in a different way? If you are writing a bio to include in your company’s annual report for example, you will have a different target audience from a bio composed for a media package, where your target audience are journalists.

Simply the substance, just keep it short.

Bio’s are tools, and they are short. Keep your bio below one print page, around 250 words.

Once you have written it, you will be able to sum up your bio to less than fifty words, therefore you can use it as a short introductory snippet. You can also make numerous short bios, of less than fifty words, for particular audiences.

Make it dynamic and alive.

As we stated, your intention with your bio is to get a reaction. This means that your audience has to study it. Use active voice, instead of passive. For instance: "John Smith drove profits", instead of "Profits at company X were driven by John Smith."

Use short words, and short sentences in order that your bio reads quickly. Readers scan and so when you use run-on sentences with dependent clauses you step-up the odds that your readers will stop reading.

It’s wholly about the response

Getting a response is the goal of all copy, and particularly with bio’s.

Frequently the response will be indirect. For instance, a Web site visitor may go over your site’s About Us page, read your bio, and proceed to make a purchase from the web site. Your bio has delivered an indirect response - it has established trust, which preceded the sale. Your bio might also have a direct response. When attached to a letter, it could result in a job offer.

Spend time to develop good copywriting skills and the job offers are going to come in a lot quicker. Here is a video that covers more on CV writing using good copy….

Difference Between a CV and a Resume?
You can even hire a copywriting agency to do it for you. Copywriters write both CVs and resumes on a regular basis, and will be familiar with the conventions of each. If you don’t want to pay for a copywriter, have a look at some CV’s

Cv Writing Or Resume Writing Is Simple Isnt It
Peter Fisher is Principal of Your CV Coach and Your Career Change, as well as an acknowledged Author and Publisher who has written thousands of CVs for delighted clients.

Technorati Tags: how to make a cv, how to write curriculum vitae, resume cv writing, resume objective example

All the same, you could be surprised to learn that applying for jobs online is one of the most effective ways of actually landing a job.

You do, naturally, need to be mindful of this method so you had better acquaint yourself with job boards and you should learn how to submit a plaintext CV or resume.

There are a couple of additional significant factors regarding the internet and finding a job and these are in all likelihood less well practiced by candidates.

The first are social websites. You want to be aware that a lot of employers now use these to weed out candidates. You see, they can only ascertain a restricted amount of data about you from your resume and naturally, you will have presented yourself in the most favorable light possible. You’ll have emphasised all of your strengths and omitted any weaknesses or at any rate covered them up as far as you are able to.

Of course, employers know this and they also recognize that you’ll have prepared your answers to interview questions. You’ll also have thought of how you will be able to explain away any breaks in your work history or how come you were only in a certain job for a short time period.

Therefore if they would like to discover more about you before they decide whether or not to invite you to interview, they’ll look you up on sites such as Facebook or MySpace. And you have to realize, that it is not simply your own profile, which may be squeaky clean, that they’re likely to find. Whenever your friends have photographs of you appearing the worse for wear after a night out on the town, or make references to recreational drug use or whatever additional behaviour which an employer may frown on, you need want ask them to remove it.

The other aspect of utilising the internet as part of your job search is more positive and involves research. These days, you are able to discover a good deal about a company, an industry and a career by executing some research online. Whenever you take the time to do this properly it will afford you an edge over candidates who either do not bother or merely give the company website a casual glance.

As far as your job hunting strategy is concerned, you need to be sure that the internet works for you and not against you.

Technorati Tags: internet job hunting, internet job sites, internet research job, job search online

Although many would think that one only needs to write one good letter, the ‘request for an interview’ letter, there are two more just as important. Each of them form a very important part of the mix and should be not be missed from job hunting strategy.

In seeking to impress a prospective employer it does no good to send letters with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes so if you are unsure get help. Stick to the point and think about what it is you are trying to convey.  Include the writers name and address and use the proper salutations. Watch out for the use of mobile phone ‘text speak’ and have someone else read over your text, this way expensive mistakes can be avoided.

Cover Letter

Even if you are applying on a standard application form include a cover letter with your resume. Employers use forms to ensure that they have a benchmark from which to interview everyone the same way.  It is possible to steal a march on your competition if you write a simple cover letter to highlight or enhance skills already in your application. Keep the letter to the point and be brief, this is not the Gettysburg address, it s objective is to show that you have a higher interest in the post compared to the other applicants.

Thank you Letter

You should always send a thank you letter right after the job interview. Do it quickly too as it is your chance to re-sell yourself as someone who is diligent and professional in his approach. Which employer is not going to want that? Use the opportunity to thank the employer for the interview and remind them of the skills you will bring. Many candidates will not even think about such a letter so you must take this last chance to emphasise your interest in the job. You could use e-mail to speed up this process but make sure you know the right address and that it will get opened by the right person.

Job Rejection Letter

Usually overlooked this letter may turn out to be your ‘Plan B’. Send a brief letter thanking them for their offer but do not go into detail as to why you have taken them up. Make sure that you tell them that you are always in the market for other opportunities. Think about it this way, if your chosen job does not go the way you hoped it maybe that you can return to this employer to discuss the situation again. After all you were their first choice and it maybe that their second choice is not working well for them.

Take a look at the video for more great cover letter writing tips!

 
JOB SEARCH TIPS Sample Email Cover Letter
1JobBoard.com category in Job Search Tips provides examples of how to best create a Sample Email Cover Letter for a Freelance Writing Job.

Cover Letters and Knowing Your Audience
When writing a cover letter you have to tailor it to the job you are applying for.

Technorati Tags: cover letters for resume, employer rejection letter, employment thank you letter, follow up sample letter, job resume writing, reject offer letter, writing cover letter for job