Three Steps to an Enjoyable Job Interview

Job interviews are uncomfortable and downright scary. They're like an audition except that we're not actors. However, we're expected to anticipate questions asked and have an answer prepared. Rehearse, Rehearse, I mean, practice, practice, practice.

You feel like even though you have been steadily going on interviews, the discomfort remains. It's not getting any easier. It doesn't have to be this way, though.

Consider these 3 steps to making your next interview "enjoyable:"

1. See the interview as a business opportunity. Sort of like looking to buy a house, you're there to gather information just as much as the employer is and to make an assessment about whether or not your background and skills truly are suitable for this job and for the hiring company. The reality is, you need this job. But having a different mindset during the interview process helps make it positive and gives you more confidence.
   
   
2. Energy is key. Even though this is your tenth interview, and you're exhausted, never show this to the hiring employer. For all you know, he is interviewing the 100th candidate, and he's super exhausted! Keep the energy level up there. Eat healthy, seriously. And drink lots of water. Lots.
   
   
3. Be genuinely interested in the company you are interviewing with. Do your homework. Check the website, read what is available there. What may seem like an unlikely fit may turn out to be just the opposite once you meet with the hiring employer. But you have to prepare yourself. This will lead you to ask intelligent, thoughtful and unique questions of the employer. And he or she will appreciate that.
   
   

Go ahead, and try these strategies out for size. Let me know how it works out!

Suggested Reading: Ask the Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job

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Five Steps to a Customized Resume System

Looking for a job and submitting your resume to different companies and not getting a callback can be frustrating. Applying to several different companies using the same resume could be one contributor to this problem.

In order to stand out in this competitive market, it becomes necessary to take actions we wouldn't normally take, such as customizing a resume for each employer you are submitting it to.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? With a system, you can achieve this and make progress in your job search.

1. Make a spreadsheet tracking your job search. Name and save your file.
   
   
2. Create the following columns:
   (a) Contact Information,
   (b) Position Applied,
   (c) Job Description Main points,
   (d) Company Information, i.e., mission and values, culture.
   
   Understandably, this file may become huge if you are applying for 50-100 or more employers. Use this sytem only for those employers that you think are best suited for your background and interests.
   
   
3. Create a master resume file. Put your master resume, the one you have been submitting to all prospective employers up until now, into a folder called, "Master Resume."
   
   
4. Create a folder for each prospective employer. This is where you will be saving each resume you customize for prospective employers. You must treat each prospective employer like its own entity (which it is, in fact). No two employers are the same, even though you may be applying for the same type of position.
   
   
5. Start customizing! Armed with this organization and information from your spreadsheet, you can now begin to tackle each employer by:
   
   (a) copying your master resume ("Save as"),
   
   (b) saving it with the employer's name,
   
   (c) placing it in that employer's folder which you created,
   
   (d) based upon the information you collected in your spreadsheet, think about how you can use that information to customize some key points in your past experience that you already indicate on your resume to better create a "match" between you and the company you are applying for,
   
   (e) try to use the company's "language" in terms of values and the mission statement; you may want to check their website for this.

Once you've implemented this sytem, customizing your resume for each employer will put you in a much stronger position to finding that suitable job, as employers will pick up on this and see that you are serious about working for them and have done your homework on them.

Suggested reading:
Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer

EditNY can help you create customized resumes, spruce up an existing resume, or create a resume in general, if you have none. Contact EditNY.

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Five Useful Reference Websites for Administrative Professionals

It's always helpful to have a handy list of websites you may need to refer to in your job. The following list has helped me and should aid you in your everyday tasks as an Administrative Professional. Some of these may seem obvious to you but hopefully some will be new and useful to you.

• Dictionary.com - includes a thesaurus


• Worldclock - especially useful for scheduling a multi-time zone conference call


• Oanda Foreign Currency - foreign currency conversion for those Travel & Entertainment expense reports


• Reference Page - lots of goodies in here


• Via Michelin - for mapping your bosses meetings in Europe

Other reference materials:

• Complete Office Handbook
  
• Administrative Assistant and Secretary's Handbook

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Proper Business Communication: Avoiding Cliches

Cliches can cloud a written business document (including email) with overused expressions in the English language. Another hindrance to employing cliches is that it loses its effectivness, if not its complete meaning. This is especially true with a foreign reader who, through his or her training, will translate your document word for word. If you are composing any kind of communication on behalf of your company, steer clear of cliches.

The following list of select cliches have been adapted from the Administrative Assistant and Secretary's Handbook:

• Add insult to injury
• Agree to disagree
• Beat a dead horse (I never liked this one to begin with)
• Bite the bullet (can you imagine translating that one?)
• Clear as mud (one of my favorites)
• Draw the line
• Easier said than done (The most overused cliche in my opinion)
• Food for thought
• Get one's feet wet
• High and dry
• Let well enough alone
• Moment of truth (hey, isn't that a tv show?)
• Open and shut case
• Save for a rainy day (what's wrong with a rainy day?)
• Too little, too late

You get the idea here. These expressions have been used countless times all over the place. If you are trying to capture an audience or sell to a client, don't use these cliches or any cliches, for that matter!

Read more about cliches:

Proper Business Communication: Avoiding Cliches

A Dictionary of Cliches

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Your Resume - Creating Speaking Points from Your Resume

The well-written resume will highlight to the potential employer what you have accomplished in your previous positions. This technique does not include overwhelming the hiring employer with information he or she must read in order to gage what you can offer.

There are many things to consider in the writing of your resume. Certainly you want to include enough information to draw the potential employer's interest in your favor. But did you know that including too much information can make it difficult for the hiring employer to see what you have to offer?

When writing your resume, besides following certain guidelines, be sure to include pertinent points about each position you've had. However, don't clutter it listing every tidbit of responsibility. Rather, these will serve as your speaking points at the interview.

Follow these simple guidelines to aid you in talking about and highlighting your responsibilities on your interview:

List no more than 3-5 of your major responsibilities for each position noted on your resume.

Prepare 2-3 speaking points per position pointing out what is not on your resume. This is where you mention the details.

Practice these speaking points out loud so you get used to talking about them.

In mentioning these points, be sure to keep it in a brief, concise but illusory manner. Paint the picture, if you will.

Go on the interview feeling more confident!

It's all about clarity and control. When your resume is coherent, you will speak much more confidently and be more in control at the interview. There are many things you need to be cognizant of when preparing your resume as well as getting ready for that vital first interview. Remember, though, your resume speaks volumes about you before you are ever considered for an interview.

Check out as many resources and books as you can to guide you in this preparation process. These noted below are great for getting started:

The Damn Good Resume Guide: A Crash Course in Resume Writing

No-Nonsense Resumes: The Essential Guide to Creating Attention-Grabbing Resumes That Get Interviews & Job Offers (No-Nonsense)

Please feel free to comment here or email me if you have any questions: EditNY@yahoo.com

Administrative Professional's Handbook-The Best Reference Tool for Administrative Assistants

The Administrative Assistant's Handbook helped me immensely when I started working as an Administrative Assistant, and it has helped countless others. It provides practical advice spanning the gamut of being an Administrative Assistant and displaying tact and diplomacy in today's electronic society. It is updated every few years to keep up the with the changing role of an Administrative Assistant.

If you're just starting out in this field or even if you've been working in it a while, this book is for you. It has sections on grammar, spelling and punctuation. It outlines memo formats and correspondence, filing systems and records management, business English and style guide, information on international and domestic travel, and an extensive index to help you locate just about anything relating to your job.

Get it today and get a jumpstart in your career. Especially if you're temping, this book is for you. Every temp job is a potential job, so displaying to the temporary employer your keen knowledge of running an office is vital.

Questions / Comments are welcome!