In this rough economy, it can be hard to find employment. So many different factors influence the employment process and each step requires all of your effort if you intend to surpass the competition. Use the advice that this article contains so that you can do better than other applicants.
Regardless of the position you are looking for, dress appropriately when visiting an employer. The right kind of clothes makes a person seem more qualified. Keep your professional look consistent, even when just dropping by the office quickly.
You should always make certain that you know what the average salary is in your field before accepting a dollar amount for yourself. Many people ask for a salary that is much less than they are worth since they feel employers will balk at anything too high. This mistake tends to make them look desperate and as if they undervalue themselves.
If your interview is in a location that you are not familiar with, make sure that you plan out your route in advance. There is enough stress that you will be under already, as you should know exactly where you are going to avoid any problems on the day of the interview.
Higher quality employees may be attracted to the offer of amenities to the job. Lots of the best companies provide amenities like gyms, restaurants, etc. A lot of people will want these amenities, and thus apply for those jobs. Therefore, you are ensured that you are obtaining the best possible prospects for the job.
Take good care of yourself so that you remain as healthy as possible. People that use all of their sick days are frowned upon and are usually passed up when it comes to promotions. Take control of the situation by eating a well-balanced diet and using proper hygiene. Your career depends on it.
No matter what your education or your work experience, do not be too picky about what kind of job you want. Sure, there may be a field you are very interested in, but you cannot discount another field if there are more opportunities in it. You can always take your second choice job until your first choice job becomes available.
It is a good idea to have clear job goals in mind before you start applying for any jobs. Many interviewers ask where you see yourself in the future, and it will make you look good if you can give them a solid answer without any hesitation or deep thought.
When negotiating salary, never sell yourself short. Prepare yourself for this step by conducting extensive research on the job title, regional salary and other details of benefits before you enter into negotiations. If you are unaware of your worth relative to other candidates and workers, your salary may not reflect your true worth — possible to the tune of thousands of dollars per year!
During your interview, never bad-mouth your former employer, even if you felt you were not treated fairly. This will negative impress your interviewer who will think that you have no loyalty to your employer. If you have nothing good to say about your former employer, avoid commenting about them and just focus on your own contributions.
When answering your phone, be as professional as you can. Give your name clearly, along with a greeting appropriate to the time of day. It is vital to make a good first impression and to show that you mean business from the start.
When looking for work, make sure you have a LinkedIn account created and fill out your profile in full. Even if you are not “into” social media this is important. Many companies use LinkedIn as a vetting system prior to calling someone in for an interview. If you don’t have a profile, you may never get that first step through the door.
Do not use a personal email address for job hunting. There are a few reasons for this. The first is that some job board sites will sell your email address for spam, so you’ll want to throw it away when done. The second is that you may accidentally send an email to your whole address book which ends up being personal.
If you are in college, make sure that you go do as many internship as you can during the summers. This is vital as it will not only help to bolster your resume, but will get you used to the everyday life of someone who is working hard at a full time pace.
Locating an excellent job, especially in an economy that is less than stellar, is not easy. Employers are more scrutinizing at these times and you have much more competition for the open positions. Use the advice in the article above to help make yourself stand out from the pack.
