interbiznet.com
|
Interviewing
Having created your killer resume and submitted it along with your
irresistible cover letter, you find yourself called for an interview with
your company of choice.
The thirty minutes to an hour that you spend with an interviewer may
determine your entire future. A successful job interview, therefore, is
vital.
There are three distinct phases to a job interview:
Preparation:
Know the exact place and time of the interview, the interviewer's
full name,
the correct pronunciation, and title.
Find out specific facts about the company: where its plants,
offices or stores are located, what its growth has been, and what its
growth potential is for the future.
Some research publications providing this kind of
information are:
All are available in a public library. A brokerage office or
bank may also be of help.
Also, check the company's home page. Use one of the World Wide Web
search engines to find the page, or try "www.[company].com" using the
company's name or commonly used initials.
The SEC's database of corporate 10k
statements is available online.
For a fee,
information services such as Dun and
Bradstreet
also offer information
about companies.
Dress conservatively in business clothes (NO SPORTS CLOTHES), clean
and neatly pressed, shoes well shined, and hair well groomed. (Your own
personal taste may not be your best guide...)
Create an Opportunity
March 26, 1998
Frustrated with many of the job search and career sites? Not
interested in a "typical" job? Take a look at The Work Zone.
The Work Zone is a
clean-looking and easy-to-navigate site that focuses as much on career
transition as it does on the typical job search. It offers interesting
overviews, straightforward advice, and worksheets with clear purposes.
There seems to be two primary goals. First, there is solid marketing advice.
Secondly, there is a much-needed emphasis on viewing work as it is going
to be, rather than what it once was.
As the site creators say: We all need to make a living. But we don't need to do it in the ways
we've been taught. Technology offers loads of opportunities if we but
learn to identify them.
Habla Espanol?
March 25, 1998
Latin America's Professional Network (LATPRO) delivers career management information to bilingual professionals who speak English and Spanish or Portuguese.
LATPRO has a Web presence, but a minimal one. What it does offer though is targeted information via email to those professionals interested in working in Latin America or those interested in working with US organizations doing business in Latin America.
You can subscribe to any number of newsletters and discussion forums via email. According to Eric Shannon, the contact person at LATPRO,
Their email subscriptions offer:
LATPRO's intent is a good one. And, although we're not convinced that mailing lists are the way to go, if you're interested in working internationally, it's worth a look.
Trend Busters
March 24, 1997
Fifteen months ago, Californians approved Proposition 269, and ended
state affirmative action programs. This action started a national trend
away from adherence to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- which
simply sought to end discrimination by large private employers.
Fortunately, The Minorities' Job
Bank pays no attention to this trend.
The Minorities' Job Bank ferrets out job openings and articles of
interest to members of minority communities.
While heavy on cookies and repetitive text, the site contains useful
of information. It claims it "will contain the largest database of equal
opportunity employers committed to workplace diversity."
The word "will" is important since some of its areas are a bit sparse
on content right now.
However, there is career and self development information for all
minorities. There are also several articles about how to succeed in the
job hunt and further your education.
The sparse content is in the "villages." Each minority group has its
own place on the site. The African American village has articles on
culture, corporate life, health and fitness, and more.
Now the vital part.
The job listings are extensive and unusually thorough. You can
search for positions by keyword or location. Or you can search by
company name. There's an interesting twist, too. Rather than a simple
corporate name, contact, and brief job description, this site tells you
who the company is and what types of jobs are available.
They even list the college majors the company prefers.
Resumes, sent via email in ASCII format, can be posted free of
charge.
Career Magazine
March 23, 1998
Career Magazine is a
comprehensive resource to help you in the "hunt"
The front page features abstracts of job-related articles. "Inside" you
will find sections on Job Fairs, Relocation, a Career
Forum and more.
You can submit your resume to a number of specified companies, and even get
tickets to Comdex.
Amongst the featured articles is one which discusses the "future of work" -
and questions whether there will be "jobs" as we know them in the future.
And a new section - "Entrepreneurs' Corner" - looks at franchises
and other careers in self-employment.
This is a clean and easily-navigable site with plenty to explore.
|
Last Week On 1st Steps
|
IBN:interbiznet.com, Mill Valley, CA 94941, 415.377.2255 |