The following are some of the most commonly-asked interview questions, along with suggested approaches for answers. It is important that job candidates practice these responses until they are able to handle all the questions effectively.

Why do you want to work here? How can you help our company? Why should we be interested in you?
Answer is always based on information you’ve researched in advance about the company and their needs.

If you were choosing someone for this job, what kind of person would you select?
Answer is to generally state your own general qualifications, without being too “obvious.” Leave out the details.

If you could have any job which one would you want at this company?
Answer has to do with the most general description of the job – NOT A SPECIFIC TITLE.

What weaknesses do you have for this job?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! Answer is to ponder for a while and then state that you can’t think of any weaknesses that would compromise your performance at this job; or negatively impact your performance of the job’s responsibilities.

What do you expect to get in this job that you haven’t gotten in you current/previous job?
TRAP QUESTION. Do not say anything negative. State that your current/previous jobs have met or exceeded your expectations. With the new position you would hope to have broader responsibilities and make greater contributions.

What do you see as your future here?
I would expect to be contributing at higher levels and have increased responsibility over time.

Are you considering other positions at this time?
TRAP QUESTION. Simply say “yes.”

How does this opportunity compare?
From what I’ve heard so far, very favorably … and I would like to learn more.

What other companies/opportunities are you looking at now?
As I’m sure you can appreciate, I’m not at liberty to say as I am still in discussions with these companies. I need to protect their privacy, as I would for your company under similar circumstances.

What are your short and long term goals?
Short range: To secure an appropriate new position where I can apply my skills and experience to increase the company’s productivity and profitability.
Long range: Assume more responsibility and make greater contributions over time for my employer.

What motivates you?
Focus the answer on your core values, and also on the values and priorities of the company you are interviewing with (which you should have identified through your preliminary research).

What have you done to improve yourself during the last year?
Talk about professional development, training programs, educational curricula, study in your field, on-the-job training, skill-building, relevant books you’ve read, etc.

How do you spend your spare time?
Say something inoffensive, apolitical and innocuous. (reading, exercise, travel, home projects, gardening, family activities, home projects, etc.)

Tell me about your health.
My health is excellent.

If you could re-live your last 15 years, what changes would you make?
Nothing is perfect, but overall I would say that I’m quite satisfied with the way my life and career have developed – so I wouldn’t make any significant changes.

Tell me about your greatest achievement/disappointment in your life.
Give one personal example (like meeting your spouse and getting married; putting yourself through college and graduate school; or saving-up to buy your first house, etc.). Then give your best professional accomplishment story. As for the disappointment, give an answer similar to the one above, implying that “overall, I would say that I’m quite satisfied with the way my life and career have been developing, so I really can’t think of any major disappointments.”

What did you like best/least about your last job?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! Explain what you liked best. Then say that while every job has its challenges, you have been fortunate enough to learn and grow professionally in each of the positions you have held.

In your last position, how much of the work did you do on your own, and how much as part of a team? Which did you enjoy more?
Talk in terms of your flexibility and adaptability – your ability to work in whatever mode seems appropriate to the situation. Make it clear that you have been equally effective in teams or working independently, as each case demanded. You enjoy both; it’s more about what will work best for the project and the company at that time.

What are some of the more difficult problems you have encountered in your past jobs? How did you solve them?
Tell two or more pre-prepared accomplishment stories. Keep it POSITIVE!

Did you ever make suggestions to senior management? What happened?
Say “yes.” Tell some accomplishment stories and results, in which you positively influenced senior management.

At your previous job(s), what did you think management could have done to make you function more effectively as an employee?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! Say that the employer was very good in providing resources and support to your position, and that you have no complaints about this.

What has kept you from progressing faster and farther in your career?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! State: “I don’t know what could have given you the impression that I am dissatisfied with the progress and pace of my career. I am quite satisfied with where my career is at this point in my life. However, I am ready to take on greater challenges.”

What else should we know about you?
Tell one or two more of your best accomplishment stories. You can also repeat how well-suited you think you are for the opportunity, and how interested you are in the job.

Tell me about the best/worst boss you’ve ever had.
TRAP QUESTION: Never state anything negative! Say that while every boss has been different, you have worked productively with, and learned something from, each one. (Be prepared to give some examples of what you have learned.)

Everybody likes to criticize. What do people criticize about you?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! Say that you can’t think of any criticisms you have received from colleagues on the job. Of course, there have been areas for development – such as when your supervisors would have given you your “employee review,” and they might have made a suggestion for improvement. State that you have always taken these kinds of suggestions seriously and have taken steps to make the improvements that were requested, and that this has made you stronger as a professional. (State at least one example).

Everyone has pet peeves. What are yours?
TRAP QUESTION. Never state anything negative! Turn this question around, by talking about your high professional standards. Your only “pet peeves” are with yourself – pushing yourself hard and not accepting mediocrity, for example – or how you are always striving to reach your full potential on the job, etc.

What is your leadership style?
Talk in terms of your flexibility and adaptability – your ability to lead in whatever mode seems appropriate to the situation. Explain that it’s more about what approach will work best for the project and the company at that time. Give an example or two, demonstrating different leadership styles, using your accomplishment stories.

Are you geographically mobile? (or) Are you willing to put in a lot of extra time?
Ask for clarification – what exactly does the interviewer mean? Then, according to their answer, either say, “that would be no problem at all,” or tell them “you’d like to give it some thought and get back to them within 24 hours.”

You don’t have the experience/background for this position. How could you handle it?
Say you’re confused by their comment, that you’re quite confident that you DO have the experience and background for this position, and that you’re a very strong match for the responsibilities. Ask what specifically concerns them about your background; what’s missing in your experience? (Sometimes the interviewer is just testing you.) Re-state your qualifications as needed, tying your accomplishment stories to the employer’s requirements.

You’re overqualified for this position, aren’t you? (even if you are slightly overqualified)
State: No – I see a lot of challenges in this opportunity, and I’m sure that I would find the work extremely interesting. Give some examples of what you mean, and talk about the new dimensions of experience and skill that you would bring to the position, almost as though you would expand the level of contribution in this job, thus making it more than it is at present.

We have all the information we need. We’ll be in touch.
Take the initiative. Ask such questions as: “Where do I stand? Am I being considered as a strong candidate? When should I expect to hear from you, or would you prefer that I contact you in a day or two? What is your time-frame for making a final decision? Is there anything else I can provide to facilitate the process?” etc. Then re-state your strong interest in the position and your confidence that your background is an ideal match to the job.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend that you prepare for your interviews by studying and practicing these answers. Get someone to help you, by doing a “role play,” in which your friend can be the interviewer and you can play the part of the job candidate. You will reduce your anxiety, boost your confidence and perform much better if you “know your lines” in advance! And remember – never say anything negative in a job interview!

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Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2006, Ford R. Myers and Career Potential, LLC.

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Acing The Interview: The Positive Approach To Tough Questions is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

A job interview is for the employer to meet with you to make sure you have the skills necessary to perform the job competently and also make sure that your personality will be a great fit with the company. If you want to impress your interviewers there are a few things to remember. The top three things to remember is to be prepared to ask and answer questions, dress appropriately, and show off your personality in the best light as possible.

Many people don’t come prepared for the job interview. They don’t know what they will be asked and they don’t have any questions to show the interviewer that they know about the company or that they are interested in the job that they will be asked to perform..

It is also important to dress properly. Many times people are dressed so inappropriately that the interviewer makes a negative first impression. If you have any doubts on your dress, change your outfit. It is also important to be personable. You don’t have to be the life of the party, but show the interviewer that you are a positive person that is responsible. Nobody wants to interview a negative or combative person. So in order to ace your job interview, follow the above tips.

More informations are available at http://www.business-00.info/careers-employment/

Ace a Job Interview is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Training to Become an Accredited Checking Technician

The technician training is done under vocational training schemes, and accredited checking technicians are NVQ 3 or BTEC certified (in UK). The checking technician is trained to check that:

• The medicine or product matches the prescription and is in date
• It is assembled using correct equipment and processes
• It is packed and labeled appropriately
• Appropriate records are made
• Health, hygiene and safety procedures are followed at all times

To equip the technician with the required competencies, the vocational training program will typically:

• Start with an explanation of the legal and professional issues involved in checking, packing and labeling pharmacy medicines
• Train the technician to work with other staff of the pharmacy
• Make the technician go through typical checking exercises
• Involve a final project to check 1000 items at a hospital without errors
• Proceed to a test and assessment by a panel of pharmacists and technicians
• Involve a probation period during which his or her performance is observed

By the end of such a course, the trainee would have gained the practical skill needed to check dispensed medications against the prescription. The person would typically check only items dispensed by another person, not by himself or herself. The prescription would also have undergone review and approval by a pharmacist regarding its correctness and accuracy.

Self-checking by non-pharmacists (like an accredited checking technician) is also considered acceptable once the technician has gained sufficient experience attested by their dispensary manager. To continue their checking career, the technicians need to be reassessed every two years.

Role of the Accredited Checking Technicians

The role to be assigned to accredited checking technicians have been the subject of some debate. Pharmacies have considered entrusting them with more responsibilities to cope with the serious shortage of pharmacists.

Some groups have opposed this move on the ground that technicians cannot be entrusted with responsibilities requiring professional knowledge. They see the move as an attempt to cut costs, replacing high cost pharmacists with lower cost technicians.

As we saw above, accredited checking technicians have to undergo a rigorous program of training and assessment before they are allowed to check.

Accredited checking technicians perform a labor-intensive function that also requires specialized vocational skill. In doing this, they relieve the pharmacist to focus on the more important tasks of checking all prescriptions, and other tasks requiring a higher level of professional knowledge.

Without the support of pharmacy technicians and accredited checking technicians, the pharmacist will be overburdened in any busy dispensary, and not be able to provide a sufficiently satisfactory level of service.

The above, in essence, is the significance of accredited checking technician jobs.

Accredited Checking Technician Jobs Provide A Good Vocational Career is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Basically a resume should contain your full name, permanent address, telephone numbers and email addresses. Apart from that an accountant resume should include the following information:

- A clear cut career and job objective which shows your sense of direction to the employer.
- Your resume should have the names of each of your employers and your corresponding job titles.
- Give a brief description about the employer like what they are doing, if they are not well known.
- Include your career goals and express your interest in a specific job that you are applying for.
- Mention a minimum of two and preferably not more than ten points, each describing an accomplishment in terms of results as an accountant.
- Mention all your accounting related skills which make your resume outstanding.
- In reverse chronological order include required information that includes your degree(s) and major, date of graduation, universities you attended, location of universities and any certifications of licenses related to your degree.
- Emphasize your accounting related accomplishments and contributions.
- Optimize your sentences for effectiveness and use management oriented words in your resume.
- Use as many accounts related key words, skill headings and use of action verbs. For example Management of A/R Accounts, Billing and Collections, Supervision of Accounting and Administrative Staff, Balance Sheet and Management Status Reports etc.
- Mention how you have reduced costs and saved money in your department or the organization in general by any means.
- Mention how you improved the efficiency and productivity within your department.
- Highlight any other achievements that have benefited your department and obviously your organization in general.

Accountant Resume Tips To Get You the Job That You Deserve! is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Some people may not be comfortable knowing that nurses can be trained in very little time. However, a good accelerated nursing program will be through and effective in helping the future nurse master the skills required for the job.

One thing to consider is the traits of a good nurse. The skills required to be an effective nurse are not completely taught in the classroom. Some people have the natural talent to be in this field while others will never master the job no matter how many hours they spend in the classroom.

An accelerated nursing program recognizes that the technical skills need to be targeted while the more subtle skills that the job requires are often inherit in the individual. Many patients have encountered the perfect nurse but few of us think about why that person was so good at his job.

There are some qualities that a good nurse has that can not be taught. Consider your best encounter with a nurse. She probably had the ability to put you at ease in just a few words. Or she could simply make you feel relaxed through her demeanor and approach.

Describing such qualities in your caregiver is often difficult. There is something about the person that helps you through the difficult situation but you are not sure what it is. Of course, an accelerated nursing program does not go into depth on developing such qualities. Neither does an extended, traditional program.

Now consider your worst encounter with a nurse. She was probably abrasive and indifferent. Maybe she was sarcastic. She may have made you feel as if you were a burden. She could have technically done everything “right” but you just feel awful after seeing her.

Bedside manner is briefly covered in an accelerated nursing program but it is equally addressed in the traditional school. The nurse who made you feel uneasy was probably unaware of her effect on you. She was just doing her job.

The fundamental difference between the good nurse and the bad one is their attitude toward the profession. The first nurse is caring for a person and she recognizes this. The second nurse is just doing her job.

Accelerated Nursing Program is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

The people who influenced me most in my career were those who gave me the hardest critiques. Stricken with a bruised-ego for days, or on occasion for months, inevitably their feedback helped me make the right life choices to improve, change direction, or stay the course with intensity. In fact, the boss who was the hardest on me is the one I thank the most. Good was not good enough if I was capable of better, and she was quick to point out when that was. No sugar coating from her. And the funny thing? When I was honest with myself, I knew she was right.

Being honest with yourself is one of the challenges to winning at working. We all have talents and abilities, but they’re not always in the areas we pursue at work. Too many people I’ve run across in my career have American Idol Syndrome (AIS). Like Idol contestants auditioning with little or no singing ability, these people believe they are good at what they do. They can’t understand why they don’t get the promotion, the outstanding review, or the highest increases. They view themselves as varsity team material, but they play with junior varsity skills.

When I was a freshman at Stanford, I got a D in biology. Stanford graded on a bell-curve, so an 84% that might traditionally put me in a B category, was near the class bottom. Accustomed to A’s, first quarter grades woke me up. At first, I rationalized a D at Stanford was an A or a B at most any other school. But, reality prevailed. I wasn’t at another school. If I was going to compete at the school I was at, it was time to use more than high school skills to bring results.

Are you applying yourself? Are you as good as you could be to get the raise, the promotion, or the more interesting work? If these are things you want, don’t suffer from AIS. Give yourself some Simon-esk feedback. Ego aside. A Simon-esk answer to the questions, “how good are you?” and “are you in the right field?” offers you a chance at becoming happier and more successful at working. The answers give you choices: you can stay the course; find a playing field at your skill level; improve your skills to compete where you are; or change directions.

(c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved

ABOUT YOUR WORK is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

The first thing is to realize that being laid off is really not the end of the world. In fact, it might even turn out to be a blessing in disguise – a mandatory career change! Utilize it as a chance to reflect on why you were laid off and what the next stage is. Getting laid off can happen to anyone, of course, but if you want to turn the situation into a productive, positive one, you will need to face the facts and understand why this happened to you. Go through a self-analysis of why this happened to you: Could it have been avoided or not? Could you have gotten out on time or not? All this is required to ensure that your next move and job market strategy has a realistic and factual foundational. The last thing you want to do is keep at an industry which is becoming extinct!

As you put together your job market strategy and decide what job options to pursue, and whether to diversify or stay within the same industry, you may discover that you are a bit rusty in your job market awareness. There are key things you need to be aware of if you are going to successfully achieve your job goal. For instance, never put on your job applications that you were laid off, as this will raise unanswered questions as to why you were laid off. You will have time to explain the reasons once you get your foot in the door for a face-to-face interview. A great tip is to write “End of contract” on your applications. This is playing it safe.

Whatever you do in seeking work, make sure you take charge of your life and show your best side to prospective employers. With the right plan and a great resume, your success is certain. However, to achieve it you must have the appropriate job market skills. So start by analyzing your job market activity competency level with our FREE Job Market Performance Assessment.

A Time To Take Stock, After Loosing Your Job is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Basically a resume should contain your full name, campus and permanent address, telephone numbers and email addresses. Apart from that a teaching resume should include the following information:

A clear cut career and job objective which shows your sense of direction to the employer.

Your teaching resume should have the names of each of your employers and your corresponding job titles.

Mention the number of staff that you manage (if applicable).

Highlight the list of subjects and the age of the pupils that you teach.

Mention some of the teaching and learning methods that you use, field trips, discussions etc.

Mention your responsibilities in curriculum developments.

Highlight how you develop pupils with practical, creative, academic and social skills by balanced learning programs.

Mention any administrative duties in your work place.

Your methods and procedures for setting and marking home work, course work and exams.

How you did assessment of pupils work.

How you are maintaining relationships with other teachers, parents, counselors, social workers etc to improve the activities of pupils.

Mention how you are working, advising and guiding pupils on personal and academic problems and issues, caring responsibilities.

Highlight any extra curricular activities that you organized and the result of it.

Highlight any other achievements that have benefited your department and obviously your organization in general.

A Teaching Resume Will Define All Your Strong Points And Qualifications, Displaying You As The Best Choice For The Job. is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Q. What is the merchant marine?

A. The merchant marine is composed of men and women who crew U.S.-flag commercial vessels on the deep seas, inland waterways and Great Lakes. It’s an industry with a wide range of opportunities, partly because there are so many different types of vessels-containerships, tankers, bulkers, passenger vessels, tugs and much more.

Q. Is the merchant marine part of the U.S. military?

A. America’s mariners are civilians working for private companies, and are not members of the armed forces. However, merchant mariners crew all types of vessels, some of which are under contract to transport troops and military goods. Mariners continue to support U.S. troops in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Q. Where do merchant marines receive their training?

A. There are a number of maritime schools across the country. For example, the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, based in Piney Point, Md., offers entry-level training, a program for military veterans, ongoing vocational classes, academic support and more. Since the school opened in 1967, approximately 145,000 students have trained there. The school offers academic support plus GED and college degree programs. Also, many of the maritime classes can be used for college credits.

Q. What is the training like?

A. The Paul Hall Center features top-notch educational equipment in a picturesque setting. The apprentice program blends hands-on training with classroom instruction. It consists of three phases, including 90 days aboard a U.S.-flag ship.

Q. Do graduates tend to stay in seaworthy careers?

A. Approximately 75 percent of students who complete the entire program are still sailing four years later.

A Shipshape Career: U.S. Merchant Mariners is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com

Trying using this for your own uses.

Date
Name
Company
Address
City
State
Zip

Dear Name,

I enjoyed the chance to visit with you in your office today concerning career opportunities with ABC Company. After discussing the future of the company I am convinced that I can make a positive contribution, and believe our association could be mutually beneficial.

I was especially impressed with the information you provided concerning expansion into other markets and a need for an invigorated marketing effort. With my background in advertising and insurance sales and experience as a carnival promoter, I believe I have a lot to offer.

ABC Company has an outstanding reputation in the field and is the type of organization I wish to associate myself with. I pride myself on being an outstanding salesman and promotional specialist, and look forward to a chance to make a positive contribution during this period of growth.

If I can provide any more information that would be of assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to call me at the phone number listed above, or email me if that is more convenient. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Again, thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

John J. Doe.

Using this sample letter will save you time and lead to more second interviews and more job offers. However, if your field is not sales or marketing it may not be perfectly suited to your needs. It should be easy to analyze the thank you letter and see which sentences and paragraphs can be changed to make it fit your needs and your profession. With modern word processing software you can customize one version, and then copy the file and make another letter geared towards a different type of job completely. For instance, if there are three or four types of jobs you would consider then creating a thank you letter for each is probably a good idea. The same of course is true with your cover letter and resume. Different versions for different types of jobs, emphasizing different aspects of your skills and experience will make you more versatile. If, however, you are determined to pursue only one type of job, then you obviously need only one sample letter, one type of cover letter and one type of resume. This is a personal choice and you are the only person who knows exactly what job would be best suited for you and if there is more than one type you’d consider.

A Sample Interview Thank You Letter is a post from: Business Blog | Lilamitre-arte.com