Whether it’s a video or in-person interview, your interview outfit should be comfortable and make you feel confident! While you know that doesn’t mean your favorite T-shirt and pajama pants (sorry!), figuring out what to wear to an interview can make even the most experienced job seeker sweat.

How to Dress for Your Job Interview

Picking an interview outfit is influenced by the industry you’re working in or want to work in. For example, the banking and legal industries tend to be more traditional and conservative, meaning you’ll likely need a suit and tie for the interview as well as every day at work! But if you’re applying to a daycare center, a suit and tie isn’t the best choice for running around on the playground or helping toddlers with messy painting projects.

While some industries have fairly obvious dress codes, not all do. Many companies fall somewhere in the middle—not a suit and tie but also not jeans and a T-shirt. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to help you determine what to wear for your interview.

Start by checking the official social media accounts of the company. Look for posts from a typical day in the office. What are people wearing? If there’s no social media, try the company’s website. There may be photos that clue you in. Even stock photos can help. People in suits are just as much of a clue as photos of people in jeans and T-shirts.

Finally, you could ask what the dress code is before the interview. Though uncommon, applicants do ask, so don’t feel awkward if you’re one of them. However, being told what the dress code is may not help you decide on an outfit. Likewise, looking at pictures may help you figure out what you can wear every day, but not necessarily to the interview.

Here are some typical dress code examples, as well as some tips on how to dress for each one.

Casual or Smart Casual

A casual or smart casual dress code means that jeans are generally OK, though casual pants (like khakis) are also acceptable. However, casual usually doesn’t mean yoga pants and hoodies (unless the job is at a yoga studio).

For this workplace, you could wear jeans and a blazer to your interview. Pair it with dress shoes (not sneakers), and you’ve got yourself a casual interview-appropriate outfit. Likewise, you could wear khakis (or other pants that aren’t denim) with a button-down shirt and pullover sweater or dressy blouse.

Business Casual

Business casual is similar to casual but often considered a “step up.” Jeans are generally a no-go, as are casual T-shirts, but khakis and other dark-colored pants are acceptable. 

You could wear a casual blazer with dark pants, as long as you don’t wear a T-shirt under the blazer. A suit is OK if you skip the tie, as is a skirt with a dressy top, but not a sundress.

Formal

A formal interview outfit is the dressiest of the bunch. This usually means a suit and tie for men and a pantsuit or skirt suit for women. Formal interview outfits also skip the loafers and sandals in favor of dress shoes.

Pick a Color

No matter the dress code, the industry the company is in, or your personal style, it’s generally an interview outfit “best practice” to wear one of the following colors:

• Blue
• Black
• Gray
• White

Whether you’re in-person or on camera, these colors tend to be the easiest to look at for long periods, so try to make one of them the primary color of your interview outfit. If you want to add a splash of color, you should! But limit it to your accessories (like your tie or a scarf).

Gender-Neutral Options

Most interview outfit advice is geared for one gender or the other. However, if that’s not how you identify, you can still dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident without sacrificing anything about yourself.

In addition to dressing for the company’s dress code, wear an interview outfit that fits properly and isn’t too tight or too baggy. Stick with the above color suggestions and make sure your outfit is clean, neat, and a reflection of your professionalism.

What to Avoid

For all of the things to consider when choosing the right interview outfit, there are a few things to avoid too.

Don’t wait until the last minute to pick your outfit. You may discover that something is stained or needs altering, and you’ll need time to get these things taken care of. Likewise, you want to make sure everything is clean and wrinkle-free, so give yourself enough time to do the laundry and iron everything.

Also, don’t over-accessorize. Wear what you need to (like a belt) and complement your outfit without overdoing it. For example, one bracelet is fine, but six may be overdoing it! You want the interviewer to notice and remember you and your skills, not your style.

Wear It Well

When in doubt, neat, clean, and professional is the right interview outfit. Researching the company’s dress code in advance not only gives you time to create an outfit that demonstrates you’re a perfect culture fit for the company, it also helps you feel confident so you do your best in the interview.

The post What to Wear to a Job Interview: Choosing the Right Interview Outfit appeared first on Job-Hunt.

It’s likely you’ve participated in an interview in the past, so you know that the interviewer is probably going to throw some challenging questions your way.

Knowing the reasoning behind each question can be useful in your preparations and help you best answer the most difficult interview questions.

Here’s how to answer the five most difficult interview questions:

1. What’s your biggest weakness?

What the Employer Really Wants to Know

• Which of your skills require further training?
• Are you self-aware enough to see your areas of strength and the areas needing improvement?
• Are you able to assess yourself, and are you open to constructive criticism?

How to Answer This Question

• Take a hard look at your weaknesses with a critical eye.
• Share one weakness with the interviewer, and show them how you plan to fill that gap.
• Give at least two examples of how you can strengthen this weakness with further training, continuing education, or by how you’ve corrected the issue through experience.

2. Where do you see yourself in five years?

What the Employer Really Wants to Know

• Does this job follow your intended career trajectory?
• Have you considered your career long-term?
• Are you viewing this position as a stepping-stone?

How to Answer This Question

• Share with the interviewer that you’ve taken a career assessment test and proactively completed career planning or coaching.
• After researching the company prior to the interview, share what you’ve learned about the company and how you would fit to help the company grow or excel.
• Explain how you plan to develop professionally and the additional responsibilities you see yourself shouldering.
• Avoid saying inappropriate things, like “I have no idea,” or “I haven’t thought that far ahead,” or “I want your job.”

3. Why did you leave your last position?

What the Employer Really Wants to Know

• Did you leave on good terms?
• Did you leave on your own accord or was it a company layoff or firing?
• Will you say negative things about your former employer?

How to Answer This Question

• Were you fired? No matter what the circumstance of the firing, avoid talking poorly about your former employer. Tell the interviewer that you were let go, explain that you understand the logic behind the action, and convey that you now recognize areas for improvement. Then, tell them why you’re a “new and improved” version of yourself because of this experience.
• Were you laid off? Here’s another instance when badmouthing a former employer will likely be a detriment to you. Tell the interviewer that there were layoffs at the time that were outside the employees’ control and that you’re ready to apply your job skills to this new company.
• Did you quit? Although it may be tempting, don’t express your feelings about your former employer. Instead, focus on the positive experiences you had with that employer. Mention that you felt that the time had come to seek a new opportunity that will allow you to expand your career growth and potential.

4. Why should we hire you?

What the Employer Really Wants to Know

• Are you objective about your skills and accomplishments?
• Can you eloquently describe your achievements?
• Are you qualified for the position?

How to Answer This Question

• Prepare for this question by listing your past accomplishments at work, as well as your most refined skills.
• Select three or four accomplishments from the list you’ve created to use during your interview. Be sure the accomplishments selected are relevant to the position you’re interviewing for to show that you’re qualified for the role.
• Don’t forget to feature any skills or accomplishments that reflect your management style, teamwork abilities, and/or your enthusiasm for your chosen field.
• Be sure to highlight your self-motivation and ability to meet deadlines when interviewing for remote positions.

More: How to Answer Job Interview Questions About Teamwork

5. What are your salary requirements?

What the Employer Really Wants to Know

• Are you realistic about the career level you’re at?
• Are your expectations too high for this role?
• Were you paid more in previous positions?

How to Answer This Question

• Prior to the interview, prepare to answer this question. Use resources such as Glassdoor, PayScale, and Salary.com to get a well-defined, reasonable salary range for this role.
• Be sure that you’re factoring in your experience and education into that salary range, and consider your geographical location, as this can impact salary.
• Respond thoughtfully by offering a salary range, and explain that you’re open to discussing this further, or factor in good benefits as part of the whole package.
• Be pointed in your response, and calmly wait in silence once you’ve expressed your salary expectations. This is the first step to successful negotiating.

Written By: Brie Reynolds

The post How to Answer the 5 Most Difficult Interview Questions appeared first on Job-Hunt.

In the end, the waiting is all worth it if you land the job of your dreams. But if things don’t go according to plan and you’re eventually met with rejection? There’s no doubt about it—that stings.

Here’s the thing: dealing with rejection is never going to be fun. You’re never going to hope that you get turned down for something. However, it is possible to deal with that letdown in a way that presents you in the best light possible—and hopefully sets you up for even better opportunities in the future.

Here’s how to handle job search rejection with grace:

1. Don’t Respond Immediately

If you’re being rejected face-to-face (ouch), then you obviously have no choice but to respond immediately. In those circumstances—regardless of what your insides are screaming—simply thank them for the opportunity and get out of there.

But if you’ve received a job rejection email, the smartest thing you can do is take some time before replying. This gives you the time you need to cool off, get your emotions in check, and avoid firing off a heated reply that looks something like, “Thanks for wasting my time!”

You can go ahead and type out a reply right now if you feel like you need to get your thoughts on paper—just don’t send it. Come back to it later when you have a clearer head so you can ensure you don’t send a note that you’ll regret.

2. Start Your Response With a “Thank You”

Huh? They just gave you a sucker punch to the ego? Why on earth would you thank them for that? I get that this seems counterintuitive, but hear me out. It’s not only a professional and polite way to start your response, it’s also well-deserved.

Despite the fact that you didn’t end up with the position, that employer still sunk time and resources into your candidacy—whether it was just in reviewing your resume or in putting you through multiple interviews.

So, start your response off with something like, “Thank you so much for letting me know, and for the opportunity.” Trust me, it goes a long way when it comes to bolstering your reputation.

3. Ask for Feedback

Rejection hurts, but it can also be an incredibly enlightening learning experience if you’re open to it.

After you thank the employer for their time and consideration, ask if they have any feedback about how you could improve moving forward. Let them know that you’re still actively continuing your job search and would value any insights they have about how you could be an even more impressive candidate.

Be aware that not everybody will be willing to fulfill this request—some companies actually have policies against it. If you get some helpful feedback in return, that’s great. But if not, just asking shows that you’re someone who is not only willing to accept disappointments, but someone who can learn and grow from them.

4. Resist the Urge to Trash-Talk That Employer

When we think about responding to rejection, we often only think about what happens in the heat of the moment and what we say directly to that employer. However, it’s not just what you say when you’re within earshot that matters.

I get that you might want to vent about your disappointment, but resist the temptation to talk poorly about that employer or about how they “strung you along.” You never know who in your network is connected or how the things you say might make it back to the wrong person. If and when someone prompts you to find out if you landed that specific job, keep things vague by saying something like, “I didn’t land that role, but it was a great experience as I continue looking for new opportunities.”

Control Your Reaction, Maintain Your Reputation

Here’s the hard truth: rejection is always going to sting, but how you react to it will make all the difference—especially as you continue your job search.

Use these four tips to respond to rejection as positively as possible, and you’ll move on from that letdown with your reputation (and your professional bridges) intact.

Written by: Kat Boogaard

The post How to Handle a Job Rejection With Grace appeared first on Job-Hunt.

While a ton of possible questions exist, we asked three career experts to each choose one question they think every candidate should be sure to ask at a job interview. Consider their smart picks when formulating your own list of questions for a job interview:

1. What are the biggest challenges you’re facing right now in this department?

“This question is important because you want to find out what problems your prospective boss is grappling with so you can talk about how you would solve those problems. If you can convince the decision-maker that you can solve those problems, it will increase the likelihood of being offered the job,” says Kelly Donovan, principal at Kelly Donovan & Associates.

Donovan notes that the question also gives additional insight into what’s going on in that company. “You might have second thoughts about the job if the problems are very bad and would be nearly impossible to solve, especially if they’re indicative of larger problems within the company.”

2. How do you see your team’s growth potential over the next three years?

“I feel that this type of question allows the hiring manager to project ahead. And hopefully, the hiring manager will include the candidate in his or her projections,” says Vicky Oliver, author of five career books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions.

Want to really make an impression? Oliver suggests bolstering the question with a lot of research that shows you’ve done your homework. Here’s an example:

“I’ve been really impressed to see that your company has added so many new employees this year. The article in [trade magazine] forecast that your hiring boom would continue through [year]. How does this impact your team here? How do you see your team’s growth potential over the next three years?”

3. How do you resolve disagreements?

“Disagreements at work cannot be avoided. Yet, people often operate under a false harmony where they feel pressured to agree, or at the other extreme, they are aggressive and adversarial,” says Mikaela Kiner, CEO and founder of Reverb.

“Knowing what happens during disagreements and whether they result in (healthy) conflict tells candidates a lot about a company’s culture. Companies that invest time to learn how to talk about differences are far more likely to reach good resolutions. It’s an important topic that’s not likely to come up unless the candidate raises it.”

And while this information certainly assists a job seeker in evaluating the company, venturing into such territory also conveys something to the hiring manager.

“Asking a question about relationships and interpersonal dynamics makes the candidate appear more well-rounded,” Kiner says. “Asking a probing question like this demonstrates that the candidate really wants to know what it’s like to work with this company. It shows courage on their part, asking a question that may be difficult to answer.”

Written by: Beth Braccio Hering

The post 3 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Job interviews come with very specific feedback—either you’ll get the gig or you won’t. No matter what your qualifications may be, how you conduct yourself in an interview can make a big difference when it comes to the impression you leave on your interviewer.

The next time you’re up for a new job and have a big interview coming up, consider some of these tips to help settle your racing mind.

How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Job Interview

1. Prepare for Everything (Even the Worst)

It goes without saying that one of the best ways to ace an interview is to prepare as much as possible beforehand. This includes everything from researching the company and the person who will be interviewing you to memorizing your best accolades and practicing in front of a mirror. What you might not have considered is the importance of also preparing for the worst.

According to The Muse, it’s helpful to consider your biggest fear, and then try to come up with an answer for it. Proactive thinking—like coming prepared with floss for that errant piece of spinach you notice in your teeth right before you walk into the building—will help you rest assured that no matter what happens during the interview, you can handle it with confidence.

2. Take the Guesswork Out of the Equation

We often spend a lot of unnecessary time and energy on the small details involved in a job interview, like what we should wear and the best route to get there. Instead, Forbes suggests to eliminate the unknown by taking some solid steps to move past them. For example, if you are worried about traffic the day of your interview, try taking multiple routes to your destination in the days before the meeting to see which one works best. Not sure what to wear to your job interview? Follow these tips to choose the right interview outfit. Worried about tech during a remote interview? Check it early.

More: How to Reschedule a Job Interview

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Address the Elephant in the Room

No one expects you to show up to a job interview completely unnerved—you’re not a robot, after all. Instead, Fast Company recommends addressing your job interview nerves (jokingly is best) and using them as another way to bond with your interviewer.

4. Know Your Weaknesses

If you’re craving that big cup of coffee the morning of your interview but know that it’ll likely give you the jitters, do your best to skip it. If you know that taking some time to work out before the big meetup will help you de-stress, but you don’t want to take time away from your research and studying, grab your computer or phone and prop it up on the treadmill while you walk.

Whatever you can do to keep your routine as simple and normal as possible—including all the things you normally do before heading into a stressful situation—go ahead and do it. That includes skipping the exotic lunch before your 2 p.m. interview too, unfortunately.

5. Include Something Fun in Your Planning

For all the stress you’ll put yourself through when it comes to interviewing, The Muse also suggests planning something fun for afterwards. You’ll have something to look forward to, and it just might help you de-stress during the actual interview knowing that not only have you done your best to prepare, but that you’ll be rewarded afterwards with something you’ll very much enjoy.

Interviews are almost always stressful, so acknowledging that fact and finding a way to work with that stress will help you move past it.

Written by: Cheryl Lock

The post How to Calm Your Nerves Before a Job Interview appeared first on Job-Hunt.

This question is also an invitation to explain why you are the best-qualified candidate for this job.

If you are typically a modest person or not accustomed to bragging about yourself, get over it, at least for your job interviews.

If you don’t tell employers what your strengths are, they will never know.

100 Strengths for Interviews: Characteristics Employers Value

Look at this list, below, of characteristics that employers prefer for their employees. All are NOT appropriate for every job, so choose carefully.

Relate the characteristic you choose to the requirements of the job, with examples of how you have demonstrated this
strength in the past:

When you have accomplishments that can be verified through public media (LinkedIn or other media) or through discussions with your references, choose strengths that include those accomplishments.

Three-Part Answers

Like good answers to the greatest weakness question, the answers to the greatest strength question also have three parts:

1. The strength.

If you aren’t sure of your strength or how to describe it, read How to Find Your Greatest Strength

2. Proof of the strength.

Share examples of the strength that demonstrate your qualifications for the job you are interviewing for.

3. The strength’s relevance to this job.

Connect the dots between your strength and their needs. Be sure to present strengths in terms of how they impact the employer.

Remember that this isn’t a date or a session with your best friend:

• Keep your answers short. Don’t talk for longer than 10 to 20 seconds. The interviewer isn’t interested in your life story.
• Respect your current and previous employers’ confidential information. You will be demonstrating your loyalty and ethics, which a new employer should appreciate.
• Focus on strengths relevant to the job and employer.
• Don’t choose irrelevant strengths, like your skill with knitting or dancing — unless those strengths are related to skills needed for the job.
• Don’t share too much information, particularly personal information about your family and your health.

Examples: Greatest Strength Answers

These are only examples. Use these as guides to help you develop your own answers.

Strength: People Person

Particularly for customer service and other customer-facing jobs, this one is a strength that employers love.

(Strength) “I enjoy interacting with people and helping them solve problems, both on the phone and also via email or electronic chatting/messaging.”

(Proof) “I’ve been an online customer service representative for over 5 years, and I really enjoy interacting with people. We are measured both on how satisfied people are after they’ve spoken with us, and also if they purchase additional products and services as a result of our interactions. I’m proud to say that I am usually among the leaders in our group, and have received at least two service rep of the month awards
every year.”

(Relevance) “This job requires someone who is experienced helping customers with complex technical problems, and that experience will enable me to help your customers with their problems.”

Hopefully, your actions before, during, and after the interview demonstrate this strength.

Strength: Leadership

This strength is obviously very important for management jobs and project/team leadership positions.

(Strength) “I pride myself on my leadership skills, something I was taught in my 3 years as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps.”

(Proof) “Leadership is necessary to keep project teams moving forward in the right direction. While nothing is as challenging as leading troops in battle, leading a 6- to 12-member project team is not easy. I’ve been an IT project manager for 5 years, managing 10 major projects in that time frame. All of those projects completed on schedule, met the customer’s requirements, and were considered successes. In addition, I was able to train 4 team members so they were promoted to project management positions.”

(Relevance) “Bringing projects in on-time, on-budget, and meeting both technical and business requirements is something I have been doing successfully for over 5 years, and I know that’s what you
want here.”

The Bottom Line on Good Strengths for an Interview

Remember: This is not the time for modesty! Choose your strengths carefully, matching them to the requirements of the job, and then offer proof that you have those strengths.

The post What’s Your Greatest Strength? 100 Strengths Plus Sample Answers! appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Using these techniques, Google will likely become much more useful to you.

These tips help you leverage many of Google’s hidden capabilities.

Become an “advanced Googler”! Use Google to help you find jobs and potential employers, to research those employers (financial stability, competitors, etc.), and to separate the good opportunities from the not-so-good ones.

Leverage Google to prepare for job interviews, as described in Job Interview Preparation with Smart Google Research. To avoid an employer heading for trouble, check out the 50 Google Searches to Avoid Bad Employers and Layoffs.

7 Tips for Better Google Job Search Results

Google is the largest and most popular search engine in the world, constantly changing and trying to improve. Google offers many tools to help users find exactly what they need. In this post, find 7 very useful functions for job seekers that Google has implemented.

Note: Not every website is included in Google’s database of Web sites. Some sites are not included because they are very new or are designed in a way that Google cannot see or catalog the site’s contents.

For best results, review the Google Search Ground Rules to be sure that you understand those basics (like the use of quotation marks). This post builds on the concepts in that post.

  1. Ask Google to find local jobs.  

When you simply type “jobs near me” into the Google search bar, you will find this blue box with a short list of jobs available where Google thinks you are located (the text in “Your location” below). At the bottom of the box will usually be a link to more jobs.

Notice that Google offers you the ability to choose the industry, age of the job postings (new is best), type of job (Full-time, Part-time, Contractor, or Internship), additional keywords, and many other options.

Click on the arrow at the right for more options. Or, scroll down the list of jobs and click on the link at the bottom to go directly to the Google for jobs page to see more job listings.

  2. Find potential target employers using Google Maps.  

Often, employers have open jobs that have not been posted anywhere public (a.k.a., “the hidden job market“). So, finding and reaching out to these local employers can be a great way to find a new job with minimal competition.

Google Maps can be a very handy way to find local employers. Simply go to maps.google.com, choose your preferred location (if it is not already on the map). Type the kind of employer you want into the search bar.

The example below shows what the results page looks like when you type “accounting firms near Boston” (without the quotation marks) into the search bar.

Click on the “+” sign on the map to get a closer look at the search results and where the employers are located. Use your mouse to shift the map around to see results in different locations.

Click on the image below to see live search results on Google Maps.

Click on any of the red dots on the map, and a box will open that gives you the address, contact information, a link to the website (if available), plus the times the business is open (if available).

  3. Tell Google the time frame you want for the search results.  

Perhaps you are interested in the latest news about an employer you are considering or the newest jobs at a specific employer. If so, choosing the time frame for search results should be very helpful. [Note: this is not necessary for the “Jobs near me” search.]

If you want the search results to be focused on a specific time frame, Google offers you the ability to limit the search results to a specific period by clicking on the “Tools” link and then clicking on the “Any time” link above the first search results. Google offers you the ability to limit the search results to a specific period in the past.

By default, the time frame used is “Any time,” but you can easily change that to a more recent period by choosing from the options Google provides (past year, past month, past week, etc.) or clicking on the “Custom range…” link to specify the exact dates you want.

To check on the latest news before you leave for your interview, choose “Past 24 hours” or whatever time frame would cover the last time you checked for news about the employer.

  4. Ask Google to fill in the blank.  

When you are not sure exactly the word to use in a phrase, replace that word with an asterisk ( * ) with spaces on both sides of it. When it sees the asterisk, Google will replace the asterisk with a word it thinks you might need.

For example, perhaps you want an entry level job or assistant job, but you aren not yet sure which job title you want, you could type this query into Google to have Google show you your options –

“entry level * job”   –   This search would find many different entry level jobs

“assistant * job”   –   This would find many different assistant jobs, including assistant cook, assistant bookkeeper, assistant manager, etc.

[Remember, from the Google Ground Rules, that Google will search on a phrase when you enclose the phrase inside quotation marks, as above.]

Or, maybe you want a manager job in a new location (not “near me”), but you are not sure what is available in that location. If you are curious about the jobs in the Boston and Cambridge area of Massachusetts, this search would show you the different manager jobs available in that location —

” * manager” job (Boston OR Cambridge)   –   This would find many different kinds of manager jobs, like project manager, marketing manager, etc. located either in Boston or Cambridge

In the last example, putting Boston OR Cambridge inside parenthesis helps Google understand which words are included in the either/or statement.

  5. Tell Google to find EXACTLY what you’ve typed into the search bar.  

This is the opposite of the fill-in-the-blank asterisk search above.

Because Google tries to help us find what we are searching for, the Google spell checker often corrects our misspelling and typos when we type our search queries into Google’s search bar. Most of the time, this is a good thing.

But, sometimes, even if what we type looks misspelled or there are many different versions of the word or other version of the search query, we want Google to find exactly what we typed into the search bar.

Fortunately, Google provides a way for us to tell Google to search for exactly what we have entered, without “correcting” the query or using stemming. This is called “Verbatim” search.

To activate the Verbatim search, click on the “Tools” link (circled in the top right of the image above) on the search results page.

Next, click on the term “All results” (in the box in the image above), and select “Verbatim” from the short drop-down list. When the check mark appears beside Verbatim, Google has accepted your choice and will apply it to your next search..

  6. Focus the search on a specific website.  

To focus Google’s search to a specific website: Use Google’s Site Search capability. Type your query into Google’s search box, type the word “site” with a colon (:) after it. Then, immediately following “site:” add the domain name of site you want searched.

For example, to search through the Harvard University website for an administrative assistant position, you would use this search query —

Please note! Do NOT put a space between the “site:” and the domain name you want Google to search. The search will NOT WORK if you add a space after the “:” and before the domain name.

Perhaps you are looking for Amazon recruiters on LinkedIn without logging into LinkedIn. Since some employers use the term “talent acquisition” rather than recruiter, an either/or query works best —

(recruiter OR “talent acquisition”) Amazon site:linkedin.com

To specify the company name and a location and searches only in LinkedIn, an additional version of this query could be —

(recruiter OR “talent acquisition”) Amazon Boston site:linkedin.com/in/

This search goes directly to the LinkedIn Profiles by specifying site:linkedin.com/in/.

If your goal is an administrative assistant job at a college or university in the Boston area, you could search for jobs in ALL .edu websites by using this query —

“administrative assistant” Boston site:.edu

Or, use your target employer’s domain name and location to limit the search to that employer.

  7. Have Google exclude one or more specific websites.  

Perhaps one or two sites dominate the search results, and you would like see your options without those sites cluttering up the results. Google offers you the option of adding a minus sign (-) immediately ahead of the domain name for the site you would like to have removed from the search results.

So, the query site:URL becomes –site:URL with a minus sign immediately in front of the “site:URL” part of the query, like this query which would exclude search results from both Indeed.com and Monster.com —

Please note! Do NOT put a space between the “site:” and the minus sign. The search will NOT WORK if there is a space between the minus sign and the “site:”.

In this example, above, we are searching for administrative assistant jobs with a focus on results from sites other than Indeed.com and Monster.com. We could also have excluded employers we did not want to see in the results by adding the -site:example.com (using the employer’s real domain name) to the query.

Again, if you choose, you can exclude whole categories of employers by excluding specific top level domains. So, your query could contain a search term like -site:.edu to avoid all colleges and universities.

  BONUS Tip: Combine the techniques.  

When you have a complex search, you can combine the various techniques into one long query.

For example, assume you wanted an assistant job for a bank located in Boston or Cambridge, MA, but you do not want to work for the South Cambridge Savings Bank because your spouse works there.

And you prefer to see jobs on employer websites so you want Google to exclude results from the big job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.

This is how you would structure that query –

“administrative assistant” job (boston OR cambridge) bank -“south cambridge savings” -site:indeed.com -site:ziprecruiter.com -site:glassdoor.com -site:linkedin.com

So, you have two phrases, one to be included in search results (“administrative assistant”) and one to be excluded (–“south cambridge savings”). You have a included an either/or (boston OR cambridge) and a single term (job). In addition, you have excluded results from several websites.

That’s a pretty complicated search, but the results should be exactly what you want. And they are! Of course, you can refine this search even more based on the search results you receive. Perhaps there is another bank or job board to be excluded.

When you find the perfect search, one that you would like to use in the future, set up a Google Alert, and Google will run the search for you again and again (you decide how often).

The Bottom Line on Using Google for Your Job Search

Maximize the benefit you have from using Google by becoming an “advanced Googler” — leveraging Google capabilities that few people know how to use, making your job search smarter and shorter.

More About Using Google for Your Job Search:

• Google Search Ground Rules
• Interview Preparation with Smart Google Research
• 50 Google Searches to Avoid Bad Employers and Layoffs
• Defensive Googling: Know What Employers Find Associated with Your Name
• Setting Up Google Alerts
• 5 Google Alerts for Your Job Search

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post Search Smarter: 7 Ways to Leverage Google for Your Job Search appeared first on Job-Hunt.

If you are an “old-timer,” you will probably be resistant to the idea of integrating social networking into your job search campaign.

If you are a “youngling,” you are probably using social media but are not too sure how to leverage it in your job search.

Whoever you are, whatever your age, and whatever you do, know that strategically sculpting your digital image is an advantageous job search effort.

Fortune 500 employers and recruiters will search your name online (even if merely out of curiosity).

By developing a positive online presence, you will influence employers’ perception of who you are! Therefore, adopting a proactive approach and governing your online image will net you the desired vantage point during an interview.

Some Tips and Cautions:

1. Before you jump online, prepare off-line:

What is it you desire to convey or reinforce online? Gain clarity on this matter because if your job target is unfocused, your online branding will be confusing to employers.

Focus your online content because fortune 500 employers don’t just search for qualified job seekers who can fulfill any job. Fortune 500 employers are discerning and selective and desire to hire the best person for that particular role they need to fill.

Perform the following analysis before you “relocate” to the digital world:

• Determine the job titles that most interest you.
• Check for the keywords you consistently see throughout the job ads for the jobs you want.
• Research the companies you desire to work for; the company culture and the kind of employees they desire. Then use this information to focus your online writing (content development).

2. Use effective online venues:

Begin with LinkedIn:

According to most current research, LinkedIn is leading the way in social networking mediums that recruiters and employers use to source candidates.

In my own experience as a job search expert, I have witnessed success in landing coveted job interviews through networking opportunities via LinkedIn. I have also interviewed recruiters who have reinforced LinkedIn as their “go-to” source of good job candidates.

3. Ensure effective online profiles:

Keep your resume “in synch” with your Profiles:

Keep your profiles fresh and “in synch” with your offline job search documents, like your resume. Employers often “verify” the information on a resume submitted for a job opportunity with what they see in public profiles, like LinkedIn and Google. They assume that few people will inlude falsehoods in their profiles since the people who know the truth about their experience will see the misrepresentation in the profile.

Fortune 500 employers are very aware that people often “exaggerate” what is included on a resume, so they check profiles to verify what is on the resume. Make sure your profiles and your resume agree on the facts, timing, accomplishments, etc.

Don’t simply repurpose your resume:

Select portions of your offline/printed resume to include in your profiles, and reword them in a more social manner for your online profiles, keeping your list of keywords in mind (see Step 1). This strategic step of not placing your resume entirely as is online will ensure the recruiter need to contact you to gain more information, creating a need for further contact and perhaps a real conversation.

Be sure to make contacting you easy by including your phone number and email address in your online profiles.

Bottom Line

After you have taken the above steps, you have begun to shape your online image so that Fortune 500 employers understand you are the right fit for their company. Read the Fortune 500 Gatekeeper Interview article to understand more about what Fortune 500 recruiters are seeking from you.

About the author…

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, Job-Hunt’s Fortune 500 Job Search Expert, is owner of and principle writer for CareerSteering.com. Rosa is also quadruple-certified writer, holding the Master Resume Writer certification (a certification held by only 26 other resume writers, world-wide), Certified Expert Resume Writer, Academy Certified Resume Writer, and Nationally Certified Resume Writer. You can follow Rosa on Twitter at @ResumeService and connect with her on LinkedIn and Facebook/CareerMarketing.

The post Shaping Your Online Presence for a Fortune 500 Employer appeared first on Job-Hunt.

Research with Google can help you discover if an employer is declining so you can avoid going to a bad employer or leave one that is headed for trouble.

Companies go out of business. Or, they layoff staff, and then go out of business.

Best not to be the last employee hired before the layoffs begin.

If you are unemployed, stay informed about potential employers so you can avoid pursuing employment with an employer who may stop hiring or may provide only short-term employment. You don’t want to be job hunting again very soon (right?).

If you are employed and your employer seems to be having a tough time, start thinking about moving on to another employer. Read Job-Hunt’s free Layoff Self-Defense ebook for suggestions about how to prepare to move on easily and smoothly.

Below, find more than 50 search queries in 5 categories of information that can be strong indicators of pending layoffs. Test them until you finds the queries that work the best for you.

Your mileage may vary. Companies with excellent management or very good luck can recover from setbacks, but not every company has excellent management or great luck.

Use Google Search for Career Self-Defense

Millions of businesses appear while others disappear or “down-size.” Constantly…

Fortunately, being well-informed is easier today than ever, thanks to Google.

Discover the bad news, or speculation, about your current employer — or a potential employer. Having your antenna up (with Google) should help you avoid moving into an employer or a group/division that is failing. You may also leave a bad situation (the employer as a whole or a vulnerable part of it) before all employees are branded as undesirable by other employers.

Most Google searches are automatically “Everything” searches which includes websites, images, video, shopping, and other options. To learn the latest about your employer (or potential employer), the “News” searches may be more helpful for this research. So, news.google.com is a great starting point!

Read the Google Search Ground Rules to understand what Google can and cannot do for you. Also check out Google-izing Your Job Search article for advanced search tips to better leverage Google.

How to Use These Queries

Try these Google searches. Some will work better for you than others, and some may not be appropriate for your situation. Refine your search based on the search results you get.

Copy the search queries below for your searches. Then:

• Replace the brackets [  ] and the words enclosed inside those brackets with the term described.
• Put quotation marks “around phrases” << like that.

So [insert company name] restructuring becomes “JP Morgan Chase” restructuring — if that is the employer you are researching.

General Bad News

This simple query will flag any bad news about a company –

[insert company name here] “bad news”

5 Kinds of Bad News

Searching for specific kinds of bad news can be the most effective way to uncover problems that may be developing.

1. Restructuring or closure of a plant or office

Try these searches to find information about part of a company shutting down, which usually means that some jobs will be lost (and probably not filled in other parts of the company as employees are transferred):

[insert company name here] restructuring

[insert company name here] “reduction in force”

[insert company name here] “down-sizing” OR downsizing

[insert company name here] “right-sizing” OR rightsizing

[insert company name here] “head count reduction” OR “headcount reduction”

[insert company name here] “layoff pending”

[insert company name here] “layoff planned”

[insert company name here] “reduction in head count” OR “reduction in headcount”

[insert company name here] “moving production”

[insert company name here] “halting production”

[insert company name here] “ending production”

[insert company name here] “stopping production”

[insert company name here] “plant closing”

[insert company name here] “office closing”

[insert company name here] “branch closing”

[insert company name here] “division closing”

[insert company name here] “shutting down”

[insert company name here] “consolidating operations”

[insert company name here] “ending production”

[insert company name here] closing

2. Drop in sales or revenue

Try these searches to find information about sales or revenue going down, which may lead to layoffs to reduce expenses –

[insert company name here] “sales drop”

[insert company name here] “reduction in sales”

[insert company name here] “earnings drop”

[insert company name here] “reduced profits”

[insert company name here] “profits drop”

[insert company name here] “revenue dropping”

[insert company name here] “negative revenue” forecast

[insert company name here] “negative outlook”

[insert company name here] “negative sales forecast”

[insert company name here] “negative revenue forecast”

3. Product or service discontinued

Try these searches to find information about products or services being discontinued because the people responsible for producing those products or providing those services may no longer be needed –

[insert company name here] “production discontinued”

[insert company name here] “production ending”

[insert company name here] “ending production”

[insert company name here] “will cease production” [insert product name here]

[insert company name here] “production ends” [insert product name here]

[insert company name here] “line closing” [insert product name here]

[insert company name here] discontinued [insert product name here]

[insert company name here] “no longer available” [insert product name here]

4. Company being sold

When a business is purchased by another business, the company doing the purchasing may eliminate jobs in the acquired company that are already being handled by their current employees. For example, two complete financial staffs may not be needed, so some employees of the acquired company may be laid off. Occasionally, employees in the acquiring company lose their jobs.

Try these searches for news about the employer being sold –

[insert company name here] “on the market”

[insert company name here] “looking to be acquired”

[insert company name here] “hoping to be acquired”

[insert company name here] “purchase pending”

[insert company name here] “pending purchase”

[insert company name here] “pending sale”

[insert company name here] “sale pending”

5. Executive or senior manager leaving

When senior executives leave unexpectedly, it may be a sign of turmoil in senior management, and that turmoil may signal the beginning of a decline. Or it may just be the change of one individual’s career. Pay attention if more than one executive seems to leave unexpectedly.

Try these searches to find news about executives leaving your target employers. Use the names of the members of top management. If you are employed, do this search on your current employer using the names of your manager and the other managers up the management structure to the head of the organization –

[insert company name here] “[insert executive name here]” resigned

[insert company name here] “[insert executive name here]” “resigned unexpectedly”

[insert company name here] “[insert executive name here]” departed

[insert company name here] “[insert executive name here]” “departure announced”

[insert company name here] “departure announced”

[insert company name here] resigned

[insert company name here] “resigned unexpectedly”

[insert company name here] fired “[insert executive name here]”

Save These Queries to Use Again

Once you have refined the searches and figured out which work the best for you, set up Google Alerts for the searches that seem the most productive for you.

Google will email the results to you. Read the Setting Up Google Alerts article for details on how to use Google Alerts.

Bottom Line

Being uninformed today is a dangerous habit. Often a strong or smart employer can overcome bad luck or a change in the economy and survive successfully for many more years. Both Google and Microsoft have had layoffs in the past few years, for example.

Sometimes bad luck or a bad strategy becomes a death spiral, so paying attention is the smartest strategy.

More About Using Google for Your Job Search:

• Guide to Using Google for Job Search
• Google Search Ground Rules
• Search Smarter: 7 Great Ways to Leverage Google’s Power for Your Job Search
• Defensive Googling: Know What Employers Find Associated with Your Name
• Smart Google Research for Successful Job Interviews
• Setting Up Google Alerts
• 5 Google Alerts for Your Job Search

Using Your Google Research in Job Interviews:

• How to Answer the Why-Do-You-Want-to-Work-Here Question
• How to Answer the Why-Should-We-Hire-You Question
• How to Answer the Do-You-Have-Any-Questions Question (50+ possible questions to ask)
• How to Answer the What-Do-You-Know-About-Us Question

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

The post 50+ Google Searches to Avoid Bad Employers and Pending Layoffs appeared first on Job-Hunt.

As a result, job seekers spend a lot of time formulating and practicing effective answers and conversation starters and, of course, crafting a succinct yet powerful 30-second “elevator pitch.” (At least, that’s what career experts hope job seekers do.)

The Other Conversational Skill: Listening

Many introverts say that speaking is the area that they don’t excel at, and they lack confidence in. But that’s only one side of the conversational skill set. The other is the art of listening.

In a recent blog, career coach Bob McIntosh highlighted the importance of listening as a job search tool. Bob points out that a person who speaks without listening first will often fail to get the desired results.

Listening is a skill that plays to introverts’ strengths. That’s not to say that all introverts are always good listeners – especially if they’re not interested in what the other person is saying (a situation that can be exacerbated when small talk is involved!).

Building on Bob’s advice, here are some tips to help you practice and benefit from active listening in your job search.  Here’s how to leverage that natural advantage.

1. Focus the spotlight on the other person.

Ask open-ended questions that give the other person the opportunity to elaborate and tell you more about themselves and their concerns. In a job interview, this translates to learning more about the position and the problems facing the hiring manager.

2. Use “active listening” body language.

Make eye contact, smile, lean slightly toward the other person, offer encouraging nods. Avoid the “arms crossed across your chest” stance, which suggests you’re not receptive to what the other person is saying.

3. Concentrate on the message.

It’s easy to get distracted – by other activity in the room, by thinking about what you’re going to say next, by an awkward mannerism or speaking style. Stay focused on the message the other person is communicating.

4. Capture the key points in writing.

This might be on the back of a business card at a networking event or on a note pad during or immediately after a job interview – it serves as a reminder of the essential elements of your conversation.

5. Follow up.

Take the time to reach out to someone you met in a networking context, and use what you learned as the bridge to nurture the relationship. With job interviews, use the key points you recorded as the basis for your thank you letters. In both situations, you get to demonstrate that you were giving the other person your full attention.

Bottom line:

One side of the conversation is speaking.  The other side, also critical for job search, is listening.  Introverts can be very, very good at listening, naturally.  Use good active listening skills to build relationships and gather information that can help your job search.

More Information About Job Networking

• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Job Search Networking
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to Social Media and Job Search
• Job-Hunt’s Guide to LinkedIn for Job Search

Additional advice from Wendy Gelberg to help introverts succeed with their networking, including (from the list on the right):

• 15-Minute Guide to Job Networking for Introverts – free ebook by Wendy Gelberg (new browser window)
• 5 Tips for Introverts to Keep Your Network Alive
• Introverts’ Guide to Large Networking Events
• The Real Goal of Networking
• The Art of Listening
• How to Meet New People
• Successful Follow-Up

About the author…

Wendy Gelberg is a Career Navigator at JVS CareerSolution in Boston and author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career. She is a certified career coach and resume writer whose expertise is in helping people who are uncomfortable “tooting their own horn.” Wendy writes resumes, gives workshops, coaches individuals, and writes articles and blogs on all aspects of the job search process. Samples of her resumes and career advice appear in over 20 books. Wendy has been a career coach and resume writer for over 15 years. She has been an introvert her whole life. Contact Wendy at wgelberg@careersolution.org.

The post Job Networking for Introverts: The Art of Listening appeared first on Job-Hunt.