1.Be clean. Shower 1 hour before, no perfume, no "statements" like punk clothing/haircuts/jewelry/nose or earrings/other body art. If you want to sell yourself, be relaxed and ready to kick butt.
2.Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview. You don't want to be late or rushed--arriving early will allow you to enter the interview calm, cool and collected (and ready to answer questions).
3.Keep in mind that a job interview is not "just about you". It is also your opportunity to determine if the company is one you wish to work for. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, the worst thing you can do is say no. Always have at least two or three job or company related questions ready.
4.Do a bit of research in advance of the interview and learn about the company's history and direction.During the interview, refer to things you've learned about the company. This tells the interviewer that you have an interest in the company and understand its mission, giving you an edge over applicants who simply "walk in".
5.Turn potentially negative answers into positive ones. A common example would be "What are your weaknesses?" The worst answer to give is that you haven't any. Find a weakness that you've improved upon and use that for your answer to this common question. "I learned in my previous position that my computer skills were not as strong as I would have preferred. I have since completed classroom training in that area, and have greatly improved." Remember, the question isn't meant to determine what the "weaknesses" are- it is meant to determine what you have done to correct them.
6.Always bring questions full circle back to your stated achievements and qualifications. When the interviewer asks a "How would you handle xxx?", a good answer would be "I had a similar situation in a previous position, and I handled it by.." Whenever a positive result was achieved, it is imperative that you note it. "My actions resulted in a decrease of operating expenses by 15% while increasing revenues by 25%."
7.Practice asking yourself questions in a mirror or have someone you know assist. Do what all US Presidents, court witnesses and executives do to prepare for tough questions: using a role-playing format, have someone ask you the same potentially tough questions, giving you the opportunity to practice your answers and delivery. Allow yourself practice to work through not only the best answer but one you're most comfortable delivering.
8.Use the STAR method when asked questions such as have you ever been in a group that did not work well together? Discuss the Situation, what Tasks you needed to achieve, what Actions you took, and the Results. It's okay if the situation ended badly. Discuss what you learned and how you would have handled the situation differently.
Christian left the Kora Reserve in 1973. He made his new territory along the Tana river, but when the Wakamba herdsmen kept bringing their livestock to his hunting ground, he moved on. George Adamson said in his autobiography, "I used to count the days on which we hadn't seen Christian, but when they reached 97, I gave up recording them in my diary." Because a lion can live from 12 to 15 years in the wild, Adamson believed that Christian ended his days in the Meru National Reserve only a few miles up river.
To see the whole amazing story, you can buy the full dvd at http://www.bornfree.org.uk and help The Born Free Foundation save more wildlife.
A bed tester has such a valuable bottom that it has been insured for £1million.
Graham Butterfield's bosses were so impressed by his sensitive buttocks they took a policy out on his finest asset – making his rear as valuable as that of Beyoncé or J-Lo.
The 54-year-old, who works for Silentnight bed manufacturers in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, said: 'I am very proud to be the owner of a £1million backside.'
This really applies to disagreeing for specific valid reasons in almost all situations. It requires that the person you are disagreeing with be willing to engage you in discussion on the topic, and assumes they are not completely closed minded. Check back in the future for tips on dealing with a boss who just won't listen.
1. Start out by having at least one specific, valid & provable reason why you know this idea won't work.
2. Provide a suggestion or alternative idea and why.
3. Begin asking the person questions to help you understand their views on the idea you disagree with. eg: "for this plan, you are suggesting x?"
4. When they answer, follow up with another question which leads in the direction of your reason for disagreeing. eg: "x requires y, how will we make y happen?"
5. When you get to the point where you believe failure will occur, ask a final question eg: "y is square, but x requires round - how do we get around this?" Don't demand an answer - let the person think about it.
However, you must always keep in mind that you could be wrong; expect a dialogue with your boss and make sure you listen as well as you hope they do.
Hope you can check back every work day for a little pick-me-up before your 9-5 grind starts. These posts are funny, irreverent, irrelevant and weird ... but they should all be relatively safe for work. Good, (mostly) clean, innocent fun. Enjoy!
