Developing your personal brand.

How do you plan to present yourself when you apply for a job?

Be prepared for common questions and do some research.

Before submitting your resume, make sure that you do some research on the company that you are applying for. When you do get a call back, another thing that you need to have prepared is your answers to common questions. This is so you will not be caught surprised, and have a blank answer. Some of the common questions include:

What can you tell me about yourself?
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
Why should we hire you?
Where do you see yourself five or ten years from now?
Why do you want to work here?
Tell the hiring manager how you will meet their needs.

As your resume is only about a page or two long, never expect the HR person who will be doing the interview to know everything about you. Plus, do not assume that the HR manager remembers what is written there. So, make sure to articulate on your skills and talents. What about them can help the organization or the company? What is it on your qualifications can be essential to the needs?

Tell the hiring manager about yourself and be proud of your biggest accomplishments. Remember that you will only get to sell yourself once, so better do a good job of it. Also, arrive a few minutes earlier than the call time.

Moreover, prepare your talking points, the basic of which are who you are, what you’re good at, and your call to action. Tell them anecdotes that you might have. Be clear, creative, but most of all, concise. If you can, you may also bring notes such as additional copies of your curriculum vitae, your portfolio, or your work samples.

Ask questions yourself.

After the interview, most hiring managers ask if the applicant has any questions. Make sure that you have your own set of questions. As you have done your research about the company and the position, some queries may arise. This is the perfect time for you to clarify and get some answers. Ask about the daily dealings and activities involved in the position. Ask how does the position help the company. These questions and more will be a sign to the hiring manager on how interested you really are about the company and of course the job.

How much confidence do you have for the desired position?

Again, practice your talking points and how you will deliver your answers. However, when you are in the interview, you have to take care that you do not sound rehearsed. The aim is to maintain a conversational tone. Pause if you feel like you need time to think, there is no timer here.

Apart from your answers, the way you reply, will also say much about you. Nonverbal cues will tell the hiring manager of how ready you are to take on the job. Practice your handshake, it needs to be firm but not overly aggressive. Ensure that you maintain good eye contact with the interviewer. Smile if need be, but do not hold that smile all the way that will actually lead to a lock jaw. Be aware of your body language. Sit up straight.

It is alright to be nervous as this will show the HR manager that you care, however it is best to relax. Take a deep breathe and let your personality shine. Remember that it is always best to be your self — your confident self.

from Jo Ortiz http://ift.tt/2BbLT4N
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