job skills

Thursday 23 June 2011

Interview Questions and Answers

Places for job consultants near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Fairlinks Placements

- Place page
www.fairlinksindia.com - #315, Amrutha Estate, Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad - 040 23224170

ABC Consultants Pvt Ltd

- Place page
www.abcconsultants.net - # 206, & 610, Navketan Complex, 62, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad - 040 27807016

Options Executive Search Pvt Ltd

- 1 review - Place page
www.optionsindia.com - Khairatabad, 84, Anandnagar, Hyderabad - 040 23314048

Our Consultancy Placement Services

- 8 reviews - Place page
maps.google.co.in - 801 8th Floor, Raghava Ratna Tower, Chirag Ali Lane, Abids, Hyderabad - 040 66784732

Starpowerz Human Resources Pvt. Ltd.

- Place page
www.starpowerz.com - 3rd Floor, Arvy’s Padmaja Chambers, Above Himalaya Book Depot, Khairtabad, Hyderabad - 040 23370103

Global Placements

- Place page
maps.google.co.in - 218, Amrutha Ville, Raj Bhavan Road, Somajiguda, Opposite Yashoda Hospital, Somajiguda, Hyderabad - 040 23308015

Placewell Hrd Consultants

- Place page
www.placewell.in - 8/3/231, Sri Krishna Nagar, 045, Sri Krishna Nagar, Hyderabad -

040 23540635

Monday 20 June 2011

Using Social Media To Improve Job Chances

"Social media sites have become increasingly important platforms for finding jobs by facilitating connections and demonstrating the achievements and interests of job seekers. But capturing the attention of prospective employers and recruiters - who have made the sites a routine part of their searches - has also become more difficult because of the overwhelming amount of information available."

He offers several useful tips to adapt job seekers' messages so they are more likely to 'go viral':

Keep it simple. Text should be pruned to a core message and always stick to the point. Don't leave room for misinterpretation. McKinnon advises that any superfluous or flowery language and clever wordplay should be removed. "Remember, too, that your audience may include many for whom English is a second language." But, he cautions, brevity should not come at the expense of clarity. People should be able to tell:

what your message is
why it is important
why it affects them personally, and
what they should do about it

Tailor the message to your audience's needs. The people you want to reach need to see what's in it for them. McKinnon says "Relate to them by tying your story to what drives them. Make it about them and what they should do about it." He suggests the use of pronouns such as 'you', 'your', 'our' and 'ours'.
Consider your timing. Your message could be drowned out if you post at a time when many others do the same. You may get noticed more if you post at an earlier or later time, even if there are fewer people reading their online sources then. Experiment with different timeslots.
Be selective in choosing your channels. The three most popular channels are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn but influential people may be looking at other channels as well such as:

Blogs: try blogsearch.google.com, technorati.com, twingly.com, and make friends with key bloggers and try some cross-posting.
Groups: with millions of groups a little browsing should locate the most popular ones to join. McKinnon also suggest joining suitable groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where you can post messages and develop a following.

Craft an interesting story. McKinnon says that, fundamentally, people care about people. WWe all seek connections, so don't just push a bunch of isolated facts. Craft a story and keep spinning it as you send out your messages. Not all your content has to be tied to one single thread, but weaving it into many of your posts will give readers continuity and help keep them coming back for more."
Push to get the word out. McKinnon observes that it is hard to predict what might go viral and get noticed.He recommends enlist the help of friends, colleagues, and other people in your network. Use every method you can think of, for example: turning your message into a blog post on your own blog, or asking other bloggers to post it or publish a link to it on their blogs. Ask your Twitter followers to re-tweet it. Post it on friends' Facebook walls and ask them to share it with their friends. Post on LinkedIn Groups and send a message to your LinkedIn network to post it as a status update.

Sunday 19 June 2011

Advancing Your Career in the High Tech Industry

Information on obtaining advanced degrees and technical certifications. Lists of popular skills that are in demand, along with links to more information on obtaining skills. Profiles of senior technical careers, including senior contributors as well as managerial positions. The business letter writing resource center is included to assist you in making a professional impression. There are guides on how to change careers within the technology industry as well as keeping your technical skills up to date. Compensation information and links are also included.

What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers

**What Do Employers Really Want? Top Skills and Values Employers Seek from Job-Seekers**

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by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., and Katharine Hansen, Ph.D. Most job-seekers wish they could unlock the secret formula to winning the hearts and minds of employers. What, they wonder, is that unique combination of skills and values that make employers salivate with excitement?
Every employer is looking for a specific set of skills from job-seekers that match the skills necessary to perform a particular job. But beyond these job-specific technical skills, certain skills are nearly universally sought by employers. The good news is that most job-seekers possess these skills to some extent. The better news is that job-seekers with weaknesses in these areas can improve their skills through training, professional development, or obtaining coaching/mentoring from someone who understands these skills.
The best news is that once you understand the skills and characteristics that most employer seek, you can tailor your job-search communication -- your resume, cover letter, and interview language -- to showcase how well your background aligns with common employer requirements.
Numerous studies have identified these critical employability skills, sometimes referred to as "soft skills." We've distilled the skills from these many studies into this list of skills most frequently mentioned. We've also included sample verbiage describing each skill; job-seekers can adapt this verbiage to their own resumes, cover letters, and interview talking points.

Skills Most Sought After by Employers

So, what are these critical employability skills that employers demand of job-seekers?
Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.

Analytical/Research Skills. Deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and identify key issues that need to be addressed.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Highly analytical thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying, scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining complex work processes.

Computer/Technical Literacy. Almost all jobs now require some basic understanding of computer hardware and software, especially word processing, spreadsheets, and email.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Computer-literate performer with extensive software proficiency covering wide variety of applications.

Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities. Deals with your ability to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential given the amount of time spent at work each day.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Proven relationship-builder with unsurpassed interpersonal skills.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance standards.

Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness. There is possibly no bigger issue in the workplace than diversity, and job-seekers must demonstrate a sensitivity and awareness to other people and cultures.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Personable professional whose strengths include cultural sensitivity and an ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural settings.

Planning/Organizing. Deals with your ability to design, plan, organize, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe. Also involves goal-setting.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Results-driven achiever with exemplary planning and organizational skills, along with a high degree of detail orientation.

Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity. Involves the ability to find solutions to problems using your creativity, reasoning, and past experiences along with the available information and resources.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Innovative problem-solver who can generate workable solutions and resolve complaints.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you must have the ability to work with others in a professional manner while attempting to achieve a common goal.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Resourceful team player who excels at building trusting relationships with customers and colleagues.

Personal Values Employers Seek in Employees

Of equal importance to skills are the values, personality traits, and personal characteristics that employers seek. Look for ways to weave examples of these characteristics into your resume, cover letters, and answers to interview questions.
Here is our list of the 10 most important categories of values.
Honesty/Integrity/Morality. Employers probably respect personal integrity more than any other value, especially in light of the many recent corporate scandals.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Seasoned professional whose honesty and integrity provide for effective leadership and optimal business relationships.

Adaptability/Flexibility. Deals with openness to new ideas and concepts, to working independently or as part of a team, and to carrying out multiple tasks or projects.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Highly adaptable, mobile, positive, resilient, patient risk-taker who is open to new ideas.

Dedication/Hard-Working/Work Ethic/Tenacity. Employers seek job-seekers who love what they do and will keep at it until they solve the problem and get the job done.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Productive worker with solid work ethic who exerts optimal effort in successfully completing tasks.

Dependability/Reliability/Responsibility. There's no question that all employers desire employees who will arrive to work every day -- on time -- and ready to work, and who will take responsibility for their actions.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Dependable, responsible contributor committed to excellence and success.

Loyalty. Employers want employees who will have a strong devotion to the company -- even at times when the company is not necessarily loyal to its employees.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Loyal and dedicated manager with an excellent work record.

Positive Attitude/Motivation/Energy/Passion. The job-seekers who get hired and the employees who get promoted are the ones with drive and passion -- and who demonstrate this enthusiasm through their words and actions.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Energetic performer consistently cited for unbridled passion for work, sunny disposition, and upbeat, positive attitude.

Professionalism. Deals with acting in a responsible and fair manner in all your personal and work activities, which is seen as a sign of maturity and self-confidence; avoid being petty.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Conscientious go-getter who is highly organized, dedicated, and committed to professionalism.

Self-Confidence. Look at it this way: if you don't believe in yourself, in your unique mix of skills, education, and abilities, why should a prospective employer? Be confident in yourself and what you can offer employers.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Confident, hard-working employee who is committed to achieving excellence.

Self-Motivated/Ability to Work With Little or No Supervision. While teamwork is always mentioned as an important skill, so is the ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.

Willingness to Learn. No matter what your age, no matter how much experience you have, you should always be willing to learn a new skill or technique. Jobs are constantly changing and evolving, and you must show an openness to grow and learn with that change.
Sample bullet point describing this skill:

Enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry learner, eager to meet challenges and quickly assimilate new concepts.

Final Thoughts

Employability skills and personal values are the critical tools and traits you need to succeed in the workplace -- and they are all elements that you can learn, cultivate, develop, and maintain over your lifetime. Once you have identified the sought-after skills and values and assessed the degree to which you possess, them remember to document them and market them (in your resume, cover letter, and interview answers) for job-search success.
See also our Transferable Job Skills for Job-Seekers.

Sources of More Information about Employability Skills

Some Major Employer Hiring Concerns, from IT Headhunter.

Skills and Tasks for Jobs -- A SCANS report for America 2000, U.S. Department of Labor (excerpts).

Skills and Tasks for Jobs -- A SCANS report for America 2000, U.S. Department of Labor (full report).

Employers Describe Perfect Job Candidate, from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

What Skills and Attributes Employers Seek When Hiring Students, from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Skills Employers Seek, from Loughborough University.

Skills Employers Seek, from Psych Web.

Thursday 16 June 2011

Using Social Media To Improve Job Chances

August 12 2010 - Until recently, the rules of the game were simple: post your resume or CV on a host of jobsites and recruiters would come looking for you. But the game has changed and is continuing to evolve, according to recruiters at MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations.
Tony McKinnon, president of MRINetwork said:
"Social media sites have become increasingly important platforms for finding jobs by facilitating connections and demonstrating the achievements and interests of job seekers. But capturing the attention of prospective employers and recruiters - who have made the sites a routine part of their searches - has also become more difficult because of the overwhelming amount of information available."
He offers several useful tips to adapt job seekers' messages so they are more likely to 'go viral':
Keep it simple. Text should be pruned to a core message and always stick to the point. Don't leave room for misinterpretation. McKinnon advises that any superfluous or flowery language and clever wordplay should be removed. "Remember, too, that your audience may include many for whom English is a second language." But, he cautions, brevity should not come at the expense of clarity. People should be able to tell:

what your message is

why it is important

why it affects them personally, and

what they should do about it

Tailor the message to your audience's needs. The people you want to reach need to see what's in it for them. McKinnon says "Relate to them by tying your story to what drives them. Make it about them and what they should do about it." He suggests the use of pronouns such as 'you', 'your', 'our' and 'ours'.

Consider your timing. Your message could be drowned out if you post at a time when many others do the same. You may get noticed more if you post at an earlier or later time, even if there are fewer people reading their online sources then. Experiment with different timeslots.

Be selective in choosing your channels. The three most popular channels are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn but influential people may be looking at other channels as well such as:

Blogs: try blogsearch.google.com, technorati.com, twingly.com, and make friends with key bloggers and try some cross-posting.

Groups: with millions of groups a little browsing should locate the most popular ones to join. McKinnon also suggest joining suitable groups on Facebook and LinkedIn where you can post messages and develop a following.

Craft an interesting story. McKinnon says that, fundamentally, people care about people. WWe all seek connections, so don't just push a bunch of isolated facts. Craft a story and keep spinning it as you send out your messages. Not all your content has to be tied to one single thread, but weaving it into many of your posts will give readers continuity and help keep them coming back for more."

Push to get the word out. McKinnon observes that it is hard to predict what might go viral and get noticed.He recommends enlist the help of friends, colleagues, and other people in your network. Use every method you can think of, for example: turning your message into a blog post on your own blog, or asking other bloggers to post it or publish a link to it on their blogs. Ask your Twitter followers to re-tweet it. Post it on friends' Facebook walls and ask them to share it with their friends. Post on LinkedIn Groups and send a message to your LinkedIn network to post it as a status update.

McKinnon concludes:
"As recruiters, we know how difficult it is for job seekers to capture the attention of the people who can help them the most. But if you plan your approach, focus your content, pick your medium, and involve your friends, you can significantly increase your chances of getting through the noise."

Wednesday 15 June 2011

15 Quick Tips for facing the Job Interview

15 Quick Tips for Acing the Job Interview

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
As part of the celebration of Quintessential Careers's 15th anniversary, we're presenting lists of 15 tips on some of the most essential topics in college, job search, and career.
Kudos for getting invited to a job interview or for anticipating that you will soon receive the invitation. Your cover letter and resume are important tools for opening the door -- to the interview -- but it's your performance in the employment interview that will go far in making or breaking your shot at a job offer. Over the years we have counseled thousands of job-seekers on how to excel in the interview -- and we offer the very best of our advice in this article.
Here's our list of the 15 best tips for acing the job interview.

Start with knowing who you are and what you want. It's amazing how many job-seekers flub the easiest of all job interview questions -- "tell me about yourself." By articulating a concise response to this question, you'll be -- and more importantly appear -- more confident.

Gather work samples. The time and effort of reviewing your work samples and accomplishments lays an excellent foundation for composing responses to typical interview questions. Once you've gathered all your samples, consider assembling a career portfolio for the interview. For help with your portfolio, check out our article, our Your Job Skills Portfolio: Giving You an Edge in the Marketplace.

Develop and polish stories that demonstrate excellence. No matter the type of interview you might face, with a collection of stories that demonstrate your passion, expertise, and accomplishments you'll be ready. If you don't know where to start in preparing your anecdotes, start with the SAR (situation-action-results) technique.

Ask what to expect when you're invited for the interview. Information is a key to your success, and knowing the type of interview to expect -- and who will be conducting the interview -- is crucial to your success. Interviewing strategies and types vary widely -- from traditional questions to stress interviews. Learn more about different kinds of interviews in our article, Types of Job Interviews.

Use your network to learn more about employer, open position. See if any of your network contacts -- or any of their network contacts -- works for your prospective employer. Learn as much as you can about the organization and job opening. Try to uncover why the position is open.

Conduct interview prep and practice. Write out responses to typical interview questions, making certain to provide enough detail to properly answer the questions. Don't memorize the responses, but do run through them a few times -- after all, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

Take your interviewing skills for a tryout. If this interview is your first in a while or just a really big one for you -- take your interview prep to the next level by working with a friend or career expert and conducting a mock interview. Remember to evaluate both your verbal and nonverbal responses. Even better? Consider video recording the mock interview so you can watch it back yourself. Learn more in our article, Best Bet for Job Interview Prep: Rehearsed, Mock, and Videotaped Interviews.

Dress for success. It's a bit of a cliche now, but in all cliches there is truth -- and that truth is that appearance does matter. Your goal is to look the part of someone who already works at the employer's workplace. When in doubt, always err on the conservative side. And it's not just about attire, but personal grooming as well. Learn more in our article, When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success.

Bring extra copies of your resume to the interview. You never know when the hiring manager might misplace your resume – or when you spontaneously get invited to interview with others within the organization. Taking along a few extra copies of your resume is a simple, but smart idea.

Plan to arrive a bit early to interview. Arriving 10-15 minutes before your interview -- avoid being any earlier -- offers several advantages. First, the time allows you to catch your breath, compose yourself, and do any last-minute grooming. Second, it provides time to complete any paperwork. Third, it gives you time to observe the work setting and discern how co-workers treat each other.

Greet everyone you meet with respect -- and a smile. When you're interviewing, everyone you speak with matters -- from the receptionist to the assistant to the hiring manger... everyone. A surprising number of job-seekers have had their chances derailed by treating a support staff member rudely.

Shine from the very beginning of the interview. Making a great first impression begins with a firm handshake, smile, and eye contact. It's important to show your enthusiasm and confidence in the interview, but if you don't get the interview started correctly, you'll spend too much time trying to dig yourself out of the hole.

Excel in the job interview. This is the moment when all your preparation pays off. Using positive nonverbals (good posture, eye contact, smile, strong speaking voice) and solid responses should help propel you through the interview successfully. Remember to stay calm -- even if thrown by an unexpected question.

Close the interview strongly. As the interview winds down, now is the time to ask probing questions (unless you have done so already throughout the interview). Asking questions shows your interest. These questions should come from your research. Finally, always close the interview with a thank-you and a request for information about the next step in the process. Learn more in our article, Questions You Can Ask at the Job Interview.

Follow-up the interview with thank-you note -- and keep following-up. Once the interview is over and you're back home (or at a local hotel), sit down and compose thank-you notes to each person you interviewed with. Besides being a nice touch, a thank-you note gives you a chance to reiterate why you are the perfect candidate for the job -- and to again stress your interest. Finally, continue to follow up regularly (and professionally) until the position is filled. Read our articles, FAQs About Thank You Letters and The Art of the Follow-Up After Job Interviews.

Final Thoughts
While our focus here is helping you come across as the best candidate for the employer, remember that a job interview is not just convincing the hiring manager you are the best person for the job -- you also need to evaluate whether the organization is the best employer for your needs and personality.
Finally, you should also be prepared to talk salary in any job interview. While it's always best when this discussion comes later -- when the employer is sure you are a strong candidate for the position -- some interviewers like to talk salary from the very first interview. Learn more in this section of Quintessential Careers: Salary Negotiation and Job Offer Tools and Resources for Job-Seekers.

Remember to check out all of our job interviewing tools, resources, and advice -- including our job interview question database -- in this section of Quintessential Careers: Guide to Job Interviewing Resources and Tools.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.