Usually when you are looking for a job, you would ask for help from family and friends. You would contact these people to ask for information on current job openings, business opportunities and tips.
Your family, relatives and friends belong to your warm contact list. The warm contact list is the list of people with whom you have or had some personal association. A former classmate, officemate or neighbor may belong to your warm contact list.
Who may be included in your warm contact list? Here are a number of selections.
* Relatives and Friends
These people are always willing to help you in your job search or business venture. They will be able to provide you information if they have some, or refer you to trustworthy people who will be able to help you. If they will introduce you to some of their contacts, they can surely provide honest information to you regarding the person you are going to associate with.
* Members of the church, political party, social club or fraternity or sorority
You probably did not expect it, but people who share the same faith, beliefs or hobbies may also help you with finding a job. You may have a different career from theirs, but they might know somebody who is in the same field or will be able to help you in your career.
However, depending on your level of association with them, they may think twice about giving their opinion or thoughts about their contacts. Their opinion can sometimes help you in making a strategy on how to approach and ask for help from their contacts.
* People who sell you things
You may think that your relationship with these people is purely based on trading goods and services, then paying for them. However, people who sell you things are also sources of information when networking.
Since these people sell their goods to different types of persons, they may have associated with somebody who belongs to the same field as you do, or have heard information about your target job from their other clients.
These people will also be happy to help you, since they know that maintaining a pleasant relationship with you means a stable business. Also, if you have a good job means you have increased your purchasing power, and then it could also mean that you may purchase more from them.
* Former employers, colleagues or co-workers
Maintaining a good relationship with previous employers and colleagues has more benefits than you can imagine. This is the reason that most people try their best to iron out any difficulties with their previous employers even if they are no longer associated with the company. Aside from the possibility that your potential employer will call previous employers when they review your job history, former employers and colleagues are also a good source of information related to that field.
When you ask for help from family and friends, there is the possibility that the information that they can give to you is just from another source. They may not be able to give you first-hand information or detailed information unless they also work in the same field that you came from or would like to go into.
This is very different when you consult former employers and colleagues from the same sector. They will be able to provide you with valuable information and may be able to clarify such information and answer you questions.
* Members of your professional organization
If you belong to a professional organization related to the field in which you are looking for a job, you can consult the organization for current posting from the members. If you don't belong to any, consider joining one since this will be beneficial to you career growth.
A professional organization can provide you unbiased information on current job openings from its members. The organization can also give you details on the company profile and even on current market and career trends.
These are the most important people that you should include when creating a list of your warm contacts. It is better if you contact them all so you can have as many options in your job search. When you talk to them, tell them that you are actively seeking a job.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Tips in a Job Interview
The second step in getting the job is meeting the potential employer for an interview. The first step that an applicant has successfully completed was sending your application and passing the screening process of the company.
The employer got the resume through a variety of sources that can be from an ad that was posted, a referral from a friend or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application by logging on the company’s website.
Here are a few tips that will help in having a successful interview;
• Before going to an interview, it is best to do some research about the company one is applying to.
• It is also best to practice with a friend or family member mock up questions that the employer will likely ask so you do not choke during the real interview.
• When you go for an interview, it is best to always arrive 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time. This shows employers that the person is punctual and serves as a good attribute in a potential employee.
• When meeting an employer, you should bring an extra copy of the resume and other documents that are needed if asked certain questions. A good example is architects and photographers who are professionals in the respective fields who have a portfolio of the works done which may impress the interviewer.
• It is always best to dress appropriately. This shows the employer sincerity on the part of the applicant applying for the job. One must have finger-nails and hair well groomed for the interview. The outfit worn should be professional. This would mean that shoes must be used to match the outfit. If you typically wear a lot of jewelry, it is advisable to remove and tone it down for the interview.
• When you are in front of the employer, smile and greet the interviewer with a firm (but not bone crushing) handshake which is always a good start to get the interview moving.
• During the course of the interview, listen very well to the questions asked. Each must be answered truthfully and confidently to be able to sell yourself to the potential employer.
• Afterwards, the applicant should thank the recruiter for the time that was given to meet for the interview.
The employer got the resume through a variety of sources that can be from an ad that was posted, a referral from a friend or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application by logging on the company’s website.
Here are a few tips that will help in having a successful interview;
• Before going to an interview, it is best to do some research about the company one is applying to.
• It is also best to practice with a friend or family member mock up questions that the employer will likely ask so you do not choke during the real interview.
• When you go for an interview, it is best to always arrive 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time. This shows employers that the person is punctual and serves as a good attribute in a potential employee.
• When meeting an employer, you should bring an extra copy of the resume and other documents that are needed if asked certain questions. A good example is architects and photographers who are professionals in the respective fields who have a portfolio of the works done which may impress the interviewer.
• It is always best to dress appropriately. This shows the employer sincerity on the part of the applicant applying for the job. One must have finger-nails and hair well groomed for the interview. The outfit worn should be professional. This would mean that shoes must be used to match the outfit. If you typically wear a lot of jewelry, it is advisable to remove and tone it down for the interview.
• When you are in front of the employer, smile and greet the interviewer with a firm (but not bone crushing) handshake which is always a good start to get the interview moving.
• During the course of the interview, listen very well to the questions asked. Each must be answered truthfully and confidently to be able to sell yourself to the potential employer.
• Afterwards, the applicant should thank the recruiter for the time that was given to meet for the interview.
The Job Interview
The second step in getting a job is having an interview with a potential employer. The first step was sending your application and after careful review by the company, you are seen as candidate for the vacant position.
The employer got this information through an ad that was placed in the paper, referred by someone in the company or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application via the company’s website.
The first impression employers always look at is your resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.
During the interview, most employers want to know more about person since the resume only gives certain information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number, social security number, past and current employment.
The employer will likely ask about the experiences, lessons and accomplishments one has done and learned working for another employer. This will usually include how the person handled a situation in the company, the challenges of the job and the relationship with coworkers.
Another question will be the relationship between the applicant and family members. This shows character with how the person interacts with people who are close and those that know the person for a long time.
The employer will usually ask why the person applied in the company and where you would like to be in 5 to 10 years. Long term questions such as this will show if there is dedication for the job at hand and if the company can provide something beneficial for both the applicant and the employer.
Companies follow a certain budget in hiring qualified personnel which is why the interviewer will ask how much one desires to get for the job. If what is being asked is too high, the employer will usually ask if the salary is open to negotiation.
After the employer asks questions, room is usually given for the applicant to ask questions in return. This is the best time to know a little bit more the company one might be working in and to get a feel of the potential company.
If there are no more questions, the interviewer will then end the meeting and call the applicant back if the person has passed the initial interview so that the next phase of the application process can begin.
The employer got this information through an ad that was placed in the paper, referred by someone in the company or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application via the company’s website.
The first impression employers always look at is your resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.
During the interview, most employers want to know more about person since the resume only gives certain information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number, social security number, past and current employment.
The employer will likely ask about the experiences, lessons and accomplishments one has done and learned working for another employer. This will usually include how the person handled a situation in the company, the challenges of the job and the relationship with coworkers.
Another question will be the relationship between the applicant and family members. This shows character with how the person interacts with people who are close and those that know the person for a long time.
The employer will usually ask why the person applied in the company and where you would like to be in 5 to 10 years. Long term questions such as this will show if there is dedication for the job at hand and if the company can provide something beneficial for both the applicant and the employer.
Companies follow a certain budget in hiring qualified personnel which is why the interviewer will ask how much one desires to get for the job. If what is being asked is too high, the employer will usually ask if the salary is open to negotiation.
After the employer asks questions, room is usually given for the applicant to ask questions in return. This is the best time to know a little bit more the company one might be working in and to get a feel of the potential company.
If there are no more questions, the interviewer will then end the meeting and call the applicant back if the person has passed the initial interview so that the next phase of the application process can begin.
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